iStock/Thinkstock(COLUMBUS, Ohio) -- Two Ohio police officers were shot and killed Saturday as they were responding to a 911 hang-up call.



Joe Morbitzer, the chief of the Westerville Division of Police, was visibly shaken as he appeared before reporters during a press conference early Saturday evening.



Before Morbitzer spoke, Westerville city manager Dave Collingsworth identified the fallen officers as Eric Joering and Anthony Morelli.



Morbitzer called them "true heroes" who were "pillars of our department" and saluted them for sacrificing their lives for the safety of the public.



"These were two of the best we have," Morbitzer said. "This was their calling and they did it right."



The chief described how Joering and Morelli reached the residence eight minutes after the 911 hang-up call was logged at 12:10 p.m., in the suburban city about 20 miles north of Columbus.



"As they went into the apartment they were immediately met with gunfire," Morbitzer said, adding that they were informed the matter was a potential domestic situation.



After both cops were struck, Morbitzer said that 39-year-old Joering died on scene while Morelli, 54, was transported to the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, where he died.



The suspect, Quentin Lamar Smith, was also shot and was transported to a local hospital, officials said. He was charged Sunday with two counts of aggravated murder.



The investigation is being led by the Columbus Police Department, Morbitzer confirmed.



Joering was a 17-year veteran of the Westerville Police Department and Morelli served for 30 years.



News of the loss of the law enforcement officers' lives rippled around the state of Ohio and the nation.



New York City Police Chief James O'Neill tweeted out in solidarity with the fallen officers and said the entire nation, not just fellow law enforcement officers, should be devastated.



He added: "No cop, anywhere, signed up to be murdered."



President Donald Trump also expressed his sadness.



And Gov. John Kasich tweeted his condolences of the tragedy which occurred in the politician's hometown.



"We are deeply saddened to report that one of our officers has been killed in the line of duty," the city government of Westerville tweeted.



The city later added in an updated tweet: "It is with a heavy heart we report a second Westerville officer has been killed in the line of duty."



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A local travel insurance company is taking a leap of faith with their newest purchase of a 20,000 square foot church in St. Petersburg.

Travel insurance company SquareMouth relocating to a St. Pete church

Company plans to renovate church into a workspace

Company to give church pews to organization that helps kids in Haiti

Travel insurance company SquareMouth is set to move out of their downtown digs and into the massive church on Central Avenue in the spring.

We have an awesome workspace now that our employees really like but we are doing something totally different. We have bought a church. It takes up the entire city block so its a huge project but were really excited and our CEO has a really awesome vision for this space, said SquareMouth Director of Marketing, Carolyn Leckie.

The owner plans to add a gym, a coffee shop, and lots of employee workspace.

So what kind of company needs an office space that takes up an entire city block? Well the travel insurance comparison site has been compared to sites like Expedia or Orbitz but for travel insurance.

We first told you about SquareMouth last year and showed you around their offices that are equipped with video games, an open bar, and unlimited vacation. Oh and they also have a company boat employees can enjoy. SquareMouth employees dont sit at traditional desks either so you can imagine the plans here at what used to be Gateway church will be interesting.

So we want to put like five to 8 tree houses out here and then have, I feel like the way Chris is talking, I think he wants to do the slides and I think well have like walkways that go from balcony out to those treehouses, Leckie said. Yeah so essentially well have some bridges because the space is so huge we have to find the best way to get the most out of it.

Something else thats unique about this project, the construction company, JS Perry and Company, hired to complete the renovations came up with a good idea for what they can do with some of the sanctuary staples, like their pews.

Karen Lee works for JS Perry and Company and she said she donates to the Future of Haiti Organization that includes an orphanage. She said she told her boss about the charity days before heading to SquareMouths new building.

We were on the way to a job site and he (Steve) says were doing this church and we gotta clean it out and the owner of the building wants the pews gone and maybe Reggie would like them? I said yeah! Lee said.

Reggie is actually Claud Reginald Jean and the pews from SquareMouth will soon be headed to his organizations orphanage in Haiti. He says the donation will make a huge difference.

If you go to our website you might see pictures of the children sitting on concrete blocks or standing in the classrooms because they dont have desks, they dont have benches to sit, Jean said. So this opportunity for precious wood to be modified into benches is something

So youve got a travel insurance company, a church, and an orphanage all come full circle and will be a blessing to people thousands of miles away.
There is widespread flu activity across the country, and now there is a way to track the illness -- how and where it is spreading -- locally.

Tampa area ranks on 'hot spot' list for flu activity

Doctor urges office visits over internet surfing

LINK: Doctors Report Illness Tracker

Spectrum Bay News 9 Flu resources



All the coughing and sneezing in Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater has put the area among the top 10 hot spots for flu activity in the country.

That is according to the Doctors Report Illness Tracker.

The website takes reports from almost one million doctor's offices in the U.S. and ranks them on a severity scale.

Ten is the most severe number. Our area got a 7.5.

Dr. Deepa Verma urges caution, however, when it comes to surfing the web for medical information. She said tracking can be helpful if used correctly.

"This allows patients to be more proactive and say, 'Wow, I live in an area where this is very predominant and what can I do? Maybe I will go get vaccinated. Maybe I will take extra precautions with using sanitizers or washing my hands.'"

A look at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention map shows widespread flu activity across the map.

Verma said this flu season started sooner, and cases have increased from November to now.

"It's a little more difficult strain that we've been dealing with, so I've definitely seen in my practice a lot more people coming in with symptoms," she said. "They're trying to be more proactive, but it's definitely an earlier onset this season."

Even though the illness can be tracked with a few clicks, Verma doesn't want internet surfing to replace office visits.

"I always tell my patients, listen, you cant self-diagnose. You have to be careful and make sure you always talk with a practitioner about whats going on," she said.

Verma stressed what residents can do to avoid getting the bug.

"Boosting your immunity, eating well, getting enough sleep, staying well hydrated, washing your hands. Just simple things," she said.

The Minneapolis-St. Paul area ranked No. 1 on the Illness Tracker list.


For Immediate Release, February 9, 2018 Contact: Brian Segee, (805) 750-8852, bsegee@biologicaldiversity.org Federal Judge Hears Arguments on Blocking Trump's Destructive Border Wall SAN DIEGO The Center for Biological Diversity argued in federal court today that the Trump administration has violated the law in its rush to build border-wall and prototype projects near San Diego. The state of California made similar arguments during a hearing before U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel, whose decision will determine whether Trump can ignore dozens of environmental laws to erect new border walls. The Trump administration cant use an expired waiver to bypass crucial environmental protections to build these destructive projects, said Brian Segee, a senior attorney at the Center who argued the case. Its time to stop Trumps hateful bombast and his executive overreach here in San Diego, before it goes any further. The law and the Constitution are firmly on our side, and we think the judge will agree. Curiel consolidated the Centers lawsuit with similar challenges from the state of California and other conservation groups. The judge could issue his ruling at any time following todays hearing. The Centers lawsuit challenges the Trump administrations use of a long-expired waiver to build replacement walls and prototypes south of San Diego without having to comply with laws that protect clean air, clean water, public lands and endangered wildlife. The lawsuit states that the waiver authority, granted in 2006, is no longer valid and is an unconstitutional delegation of power to the Department of Homeland Security. Last month the Trump administration used the waiver a third time to speed construction of 20 miles of border wall in eastern New Mexico. This disastrous wall and the roads, lighting and infrastructure that come with it would do real damage to wildlife and communities. But it wont do anything to stop illegal drug or human smuggling, Segee said. We arent going to let Trump waste billions of taxpayer dollars to fulfil a twisted campaign promise to build a destructive wall that most people dont want. The border-wall replacement project would include 14 miles of new primary and secondary border fencing from the Pacific Ocean to Otay Mesa. This region of coastal San Diego County contains wetlands, streams and other rare wildlife habitats, as well as critical habitat for numerous endangered species, including the Quino checkerspot butterfly and coastal California gnatcatcher. A recent study by the Center identified more than 90 endangered or threatened species that would be threatened by proposed wall construction along the 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border. Beyond jeopardizing wildlife, endangered species and public lands, the U.S.-Mexico border wall is part of a larger strategy of ongoing border militarization that damages human rights, civil liberties, native lands, local businesses and international relations. The border wall impedes the natural migrations of people and wildlife that are essential to healthy diversity.
PORTLAND, Ore. Responding to a petition from conservation groups, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission voted today to change the status of marbled murrelets from threatened to endangered under the Oregon Endangered Species Act. The decision to uplist the murrelet reflects the increasingly imperiled status of the species in Oregon and represents an important step in reversing its ongoing decline toward extinction in the state. We applaud the commission for recognizing that the marbled murrelet warrants endangered status in Oregon, said Nick Cady, legal director at Cascadia Wildlands. This decision sets the stage for the state of Oregon to take the steps that will be necessary to recover this species in Oregon. The marbled murrelet is a seabird that nests in old-growth and mature forests and forages at sea. Its population has declined dramatically over the decades because of extensive logging in Oregons Coast Range. The commissions decision could have implications for forest protection on state and private timberlands.



While federal laws have stabilized habitat loss on federal lands, the state of Oregon has continued to allow logging of older forests at an alarming rate and failed to adequately address new threats to the species, said Bob Sallinger, conservation director for the Audubon Society of Portland. Changing the murrelets status to endangered will help ensure that Oregon takes the steps necessary to do its part to save this species.



In response to a petition from multiple conservation organizations, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife developed a status review to assess the murrelets condition. The review demonstrated that murrelets need increased protections under the Oregon Endangered Species Act due largely to loss of nesting habitat from ongoing clear-cut logging. State protections are critical, because although many of Oregons Coast Range old-growth forests have been logged and converted into industrial tree farms, some of the best remaining older forests occur on state-managed lands. Were pleased commissioners made a sound, science-based decision thats exactly what these desperately imperiled seabirds need to survive, said Tierra Curry, senior scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity. The science was absolutely clear that the murrelet warrants endangered status in Oregon. This protection will be critical to preserving an amazing part of our states natural heritage.



The murrelet was listed as threatened in 1995. However, the recent status review conducted by Oregons Department of Fish and Wildlife concluded that the key threats identified at the time of listing have continued or increased, and many new threats have been identified since the 1990s  the life history exhibited by this species provides little opportunity for the population to rapidly increase even under the most optimal circumstances. It also noted that the primary causes of marbled murrelet declines  loss and fragmentation of older forest habitat on which the bird depends for nesting  have slowed, but not halted  since the 1990s, with greatest losses occurring on lands managed by the state. The review specifically notes that existing programs and regulation have failed to prevent continued high rates of habitat loss on nonfederal lands in Oregon. The Oregon Endangered Species Act requires that the commission adopt survival guidelines for the species at the time of reclassification. Survival guidelines are quantifiable and measurable guidelines necessary to ensure the survival of individual members of the species. Guidelines may include take avoidance and protecting resource sites such as nest sites or other sites critical to the survival of individual members of the species. They would serve as interim protection until endangered species management plans are developed by applicable state agencies and approved by the Fish and Wildlife Commission. It is remarkable that this species has been listed as threatened for more than 20 years but the state of Oregon has never developed a plan to actually protect murrelets on either lands owned by the state of Oregon or private timber lands, said Quinn Read, Northwest director of Defenders of Wildlife. The status quo has failed this iconic Oregon seabird. We look forward to working with ODFW and other agencies to developing a plan that will truly protect this species and allow it to recover in Oregon. This is an important step for ODFW. The agency has struggled to faithfully act on it's core mission of protecting all native fish and wildlife in our state, but with this action to protect the marbled murrelet we hope they have turned the page, said Steve Pedery, Conservation Director for Oregon Wild. The conservation groups that initiated the petition to declare the marbled murrelet endangered in Oregon were Cascadia Wildlands, Audubon Society of Portland, the Center for Biological Diversity, Oregon Wild, Coast Range Forest Watch and the Oregon Chapter of the Sierra Club.
Gulu Woman MP, Betty Aol Ocan chats with 12 year old Catherin Acen from her office in Gulu on Friday.

Gulu Uganda:An Education activist in Ugandas parliament, Betty Aol Ocan has asked parents to be closer to their girl child for them to excel in education and avoid early marriages and school dropouts. Aol is the woman Member of Parliament for Gulu district in Northern Uganda.

She rewarded best performing pupils from Gulu district in the 2017 Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE), with mattresses and cash prizes from her officer along Ring Road, Pece Division in Gulu Municipality on Friday.

When a child passes PLE, they join high school.

Aol appreciated the father of 12 year old Catherine Acen, from Layibi Green Primary School who got aggregate 7 in last years PLE exams for mentoring his girl to love education.

Meanwhile, Acen attributes her good performance to her father, Wilfred Nyeko, who has been close to her, inspiring her to become a civil engineer in future.

My Dad was very helpful in many ways when I was at school and he still supports me in many areas of my growth. I want to become a civil engineer like him when I finish school. He has taught me to work hard to have the best in life. Says Acen.

Nyeko says staying close to a girl child helps close the gap girls experience when they grow into adolescent stage.

I want to know my girl and be her friend so that I can teach her the character and morals in our family. When she goes to school, she can know what to do. Says Nyeko.

Acen want to join Sacred Heart Girls School in Gulu Municipality to continue with high school education.

Gulu Woman MP, Betty Aol Ocan believes that if fathers play their role of being friends with their daughters, school drop out of the girl child will reduce.

I could not have been so close to my children but now, I advocate for parents to be close to the girl child especially the fathers. Dont become too busy for them. Dont brush them away when they come to you. Plan and have time to be with them. Be their friends and provide for them to motivate them to be in school. Aol urged the parents who attentively listened to her.

She added that the high rate of girl child school dropout is a lack of character development from home.

S.1 and S.2 classes disturb our adolescent girls. That is when most drop out of school. Let girls be close to you. Home is the first school for any child.

She rebuked parents who abdicate their roles and take to drinking liquor or leisure after work with colleagues.

You find them drinking maruwa, (local brew), beer and returning home late, very rude on the girls. That creates distance between you and the child. When will this girl know love and care, some will easily be deceived by their peers! When they become pregnant, that is when you start blaming them for knowing a man or boy at an early age of 13, 14 there.

Aol added;

Education is the cornerstone of development. I am a teacher by profession and when parents realize that what teachers do complements characters built from home, more of our girls will attend and finish school to serve this country better.

Aol also suggested that parents give gifts to their children when they do well as a way of standing with them amidst challenges they undergo.

She gave 23 mattresses worth 50,000/= each to outstanding performers of the 2017 PLE result and cash prizes of 50,000/= for scholastic requirements to each of the selected pupils from sub counties and divisions within Gulu district.

In 2017, Gulu district presented 2,236 candidates, 901 girls and 1,335 boys according to records from the District Education Office. 26 girls passed in Division and 49 boys passed in Division one. The best girl scored aggregate four.

In Uganda, Poverty, teenage pregnancy and lack of mentorship programmes have been singled out as the leading causes of the high rate of girls dropping out of school.
Here's an article from the Pensacola News-Journal:





(Photo: News Journal file photo)

Attention Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville and all you gun-clinging Viagra-poppers down there in The Villages  if you or a loved one has ever been persecuted for your conservative values, then Pensacola is here to help.

Dum-da-dum! Never fear, Frank White is here! And hes on a statewide mission to protect you from liberal attacks.

What kind of liberal attacks? Communists? Hippies? Transgender vegan atheists with psychic mind control powers to induce political correctness?

Yep. You can count on Frank to protect you from all that and more  if you elect him as Floridas next attorney general.

Pensacolas first-term state representative and Sandy Sansings son-in-law made it official on Friday, with a campaign announcement basically promising to be the biggest conservative and fiercest fighter of those aforementioned liberal attacks. But the Tampa Bay Times all-knowing, all-seeing Steve Bousquet called it a day before, noting that White would enter a race that includes Rep. Jay Fant of Jacksonville and Ashley Moody, a former circuit judge in Tampa who has raised a total of more than $1 million through her campaign and a political committee.\

It aint cheap to compete in a high-powered statewide race to replace Floridas most Trump-trusted bombshell, Pam Bondi. News Journal reporter Jim Little pointed out that White has almost $76,000 sitting in his District 2 campaign account. But still, the Sansing family may need to sell a few extra Chevrolets this year if they want to help Frank get the cash to compete with those big-city Republicans from more populous parts of the state.

Besides, no price is too high to pay for protection from liberal attacks. Illegals? Reefer? Solar energy?

All of those! But dont worry, Florida, Frank promises to be the man to save the Sunshine State. We shall see.

Whats not clear is who might swoop in to protect his vacated House district when hes off fighting liberal attacks in subtropical dens of iniquity like Winter Park, Delray Beach and Islamorada.

Could it be the long-awaited opportunity for Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward to fulfill his golden political destiny in Tallahassee? The Sunshine States best looking municipal executive probably knows half the lobbyists in Tally from his tomahawk-chopping days back at FSU. And Gov. Rick Scott would be maniacally thrilled to have a loyal new House member who sides with him rather than the ever-growing cult of Corcoran.

And it would give Hayward a timely escape from the looney local politics that he simply seems to have grown sick of. A city council he loathes. Rabble-rousing North Hillers who annoy him at every turn. An idiot cartoonist who draws him with legs that are too skinny.

Plus, the job may be more suited to Haywards desired level of engagement. Less detail-oriented chief executive; more salesman, hype-master and cheerleader. If nothing else, hed enhance our appearance around the Capitol. Pensacola: They aint got clout, but they sure look good doing it!

Who knows if the mayor would actually want to run, but there are always a few folks around here with perpetually feverish dreams of returning to Tallahassee, amassing obscene amounts of political power, and arguing for more guns on Fox News the next time theres a mass shooting. And speaking of former state Rep. Mike Hill

Hill is currently filed to run against former Cantonment resident Rebekah Bydlak for Clay Ingrams House seat next year. Bydlak made a name for herself competing against U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz last year and she has raised more than $60,000 from many of the same Pensacola power-brokers who backed Gaetz for Congress, giving her a huge financial advantage over Hill.

But unlike other candidates and most citizens, Mike Hill has homes in multiple districts. So its totally possible that he could just move on down to run in District 2 and avoid getting trounced by Bydlak up in Clay Ingram country.

Hills political stylings have transitioned from Tea Party to televangelist in recent years, most recently emerging to tag-along with the late, great Sen. Greg Evers in Holy-rolling, media-seeking defense of East Hills Bayview Cross. Hill is pro-cross, of course, and presumably eager to defend against liberal attacks as much as Frank White is. Which is why Hill also spoke up for a pagan obelisk adorned with a frail, effeminate boy holding his hat in hand  also known as Pensacolas Confederate monument.

Protested pagan obelisks. Embattled ancient Roman torture devices. Weve got em all here in District 2, which could mean a state House campaign built on fighting for symbols  as opposed to reason, policies, economic ideas or community needs. Lord, help us.

If that becomes the case, were going to need a whole lot more than protection from liberal attacks to cope with it. Maybe Frank can ask Sandy to ship over a couple Chevy Silverados filled with Early Times whiskey. Well just mark it up as a campaign contribution.
Shares of Fortis Healthcare rallied a whopping 24 per cent in an otherwise weak market after the company's promoters Malvinder Mohan Singh and Shivinder Mohan Singh resigned as directors from the company's board following the Delhi High Court order upholding the Rs 3,500 crore arbitral award in favour of Daiichi Sankyo. It is meant to free the organisation from any encumbrance whatsoever that may be linked to the promoters.

Daiichi had entered into a settlement agreement with the US Department of Justice, agreeing to pay United States dollars 500 million penalty to resolve potential, civil and criminal liability. "The financial results of the company for quarter and period ended September 30, 2017, and December 31, 2017, will be presented before the Board of Directors at their meeting scheduled on February 13", it added. The two brothers control a number of companies ranging from healthcare to finance. The brothers own about 34 percent of Fortis, according to exchange filings.

The brothers are also facing a lawsuit brought by New York-based private equity firm Siguler Guff & Co., which accused them of "siphoning" money out of another publicly-traded firm they control to help them manage their personal debts, according to documents filed with the Delhi High Court. Religare had said "all the allegations are completely baseless and have been responded to by Religare in the High Court of Delhi".

"The results for the Q2 could not be tabled before the Board for approval and the same was communicated to the stock exchanges on November 14, 2017", Fortis said. The total deal value was $4.6 billion. Daiichi later settled the case for $500 million with the USA government, but accused the Singh brothers of hiding information about manufacturing and selling adulterated drugs in the United States and producing false data, during the sale of the company in 2008.

In August a year ago, the Supreme Court had restrained the Singh brothers from diluting any stake in the Fortis Healthcare. The siblings are contesting that ruling.

Fortis Healthcare further said, "These loans are adequately secured and the repayment has since commenced as per the agreed payment schedule".

"The entire amount is expected to be repaid to the company by the end of Q1 of FY18-19".

Fortis Healthcare, India's second largest healthcare provider on Friday said Rs 473 crore taken out by the promoters Malvinder Singh and Shivinder Singh in form of loans from the company will be paid back by June this year.

Although the Ranbaxy case is unrelated to Fortis Healthcare, the legal troubles enveloping the Singh brothers have been hitting shares of the healthcare company, among India's largest hospital operators.
Stock traders acquired 3,250 call options on the company.

The stock increased 8.70% or GBX 33.5 during the last trading session, reaching GBX 418.5. About 287,241 shares traded. It has underperformed by 16.70% the S&P500.

Having a peek at growth estimates of the company, Laredo Petroleum Holdings Inc (NYSE:LPI) has current quarter growth estimates of 12.5% however it has 140% estimations over growth for the next quarter.

Laredo Petroleum, Inc. (LPI)'s mean Altman Z-Score: 0.10 during the last 7 years. The stock grabbed 18 new institutional investments totaling 1,071,257 shares while 27 institutional investors sold out their entire positions totaling 2,929,415 shares. (LPI) in trading session dated March 31, 2017.

Laredo Petroleum Holdings Inc (NYSE:LPI) shares traded on -9.34% below secure line and closed at $7.86. It has outperformed by 0.95% the S&P500.

Wall Street analysts are predicting that Laredo Petroleum Holdings Inc (NYSE:LPI) will report earnings per share of $0.18 in their quarterly report. Therefore 81% are positive.

Analysts on average have given a price target of $13.5 to Laredo Petroleum, Inc. JP Morgan downgraded the shares of LPI in report on Friday, December 15 to "Underweight" rating. The stock of Laredo Petroleum, Inc. Shore Capital maintained RWS Holdings plc (LON:RWS) on Wednesday, October 18 with "Hold" rating. Williams Capital Group initiated the stock with "Hold" rating in Monday, August 29 report. Stifel Nicolaus reissued a "buy" rating and set a $17.00 price target on shares of Laredo Petroleum in a research note on Wednesday, October 4th. As per Friday, May 26, the company rating was maintained by Jefferies. (NYSE:LPI) to report 0.50 EPS and has got OUTPERFORM rating from 5 of Thomson Reuters analysts and 2 analyst (s) given UNDERPERFORM rating. On Tuesday, June 14 the stock rating was upgraded by iBERIA Capital Partners to "Outperform". The ERP5 of Laredo Petroleum, Inc. (NYSE:LPI) is 0.117165. Annual EPS Growth of past 5 years is 0.20%. LPI's profit would be $43.09 million giving it 12.42 P/E if the $0.18 EPS is correct.

Laredo Petroleum, Inc (Laredo) is an independent energy company.

The investor is now holding $30.62 million shares due in part to a decrease of 1.27 million new shares in their portfolio. Its up 0.26, from 0.94 in 2017Q2. 20 funds opened positions while 57 raised stakes. Credit Suisse Ag holds 99,681 shares. Van Eck Assoc Corporation holds 0.27% in Laredo Petroleum, Inc. (NYSE:LPI). Manufacturers Life Ins The reported 7,392 shares. 10,176 are held by Amalgamated Savings Bank. Gideon Advisors, New York-based fund reported 15,491 shares. Cleararc Cap owns 17,296 shares. Alps Advsr has 0% invested in Laredo Petroleum, Inc. Fil Limited has 0% invested in Laredo Petroleum, Inc. (NYSE:LPI) or 4.05 million shares. Finally, BNP Paribas Arbitrage SA boosted its position in Laredo Petroleum by 4.8% during the second quarter. Quantitative Inv Mgmt Ltd, Virginia-based fund reported 80,000 shares.

Connor Clark Lunn Invest Ltd invested in 0.06% or 718,979 shares. (NYSE:LPI). Cubist Systematic Strategies Limited invested in 27,849 shares. 297,173 were reported by Wells Fargo Commerce Mn. British Columbia Management reported 0.08% stake.

Investors sentiment increased to 1.2 in Q3 2017. Its down 0.01, from 0.88 in 2017Q2. Hamel invested in 2,488 shares. Optimum Advsr holds 0.25% of its portfolio in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) for 13,812 shares.

Support is likely to come between $20.25 a share to $19.48 a share level. Cardinal Capital Inc accumulated 117,618 shares. Mcrae Capital Inc stated it has 2,408 shares.

ROA ratio indicates how profitable a company is relative to its total assets. Bb&T Corporation accumulated 457,876 shares. Voya Mngmt Ltd Llc holds 0% or 36,316 shares. About 1.18 million shares traded. 52,700 shares were sold by Contreras Jaime, worth $2.74 million on Friday, September 22.

According to the Recommendation Trends of the stock polled by Finviz, the company has a consensus recommendation of 2.5 out of the scale from 1 to 5 where 1 stands for Buy and 5 means Sell. Therefore 50% are positive. Abbott Laboratories had 105 analyst reports since July 24, 2015 according to SRatingsIntel. Barclays Capital maintained the stock with "Overweight" rating in Monday, October 5 report. The firm earned "Neutral" rating on Tuesday, November 24 by Suntrust Robinson. On Thursday, October 15 the stock rating was downgraded by KLR Group to "Reduce". On Wednesday, October 11 the stock rating was maintained by RBC Capital Markets with "Hold". (NYSE:LPI) earned "Hold" rating by Cowen & Co on Tuesday, July 18. The stock has "Buy" rating by Guggenheim on Thursday, January 25. The company was maintained on Thursday, December 7 by Berenberg. During current year the company's forecasts over growth are 6.1% while for the next year analysts' growth estimation is 90.4%. It dropped, as 14 investors sold INAP shares while 32 reduced holdings.
The pyramids of Giza make an excellent backdrop no matter whos in the frame. But when the models are the worlds tallest man and the worlds shortest woman, the picture that emerges is sure to startle the most jaded eye. Its no surprise then that the pictures of Sultan Kosen, who stands at 8 feet 3 inches, and Jyoti Amge, a mere 2 feet 7 inches, at Giza went viral.

Brought together to give a leg up to Egypt Tourism, the photoshoot thrust the two record-holders into the limelight  again. For 24-year-old Amge, none of this is new. She has been the ...
Qualcomm Inc warned on Friday it could lose two large clients if it accepted chipmaker Broadcom Ltd's revised $121 billion buyout offer and said it saw no path to regulatory approval of any deal. In a filing that followed up on its letter to Broadcom Chief Executive Hock Tan on Thursday rebutting his latest offer, the San Diego-based company laid out more detail on its reservations about the deal. It said two customers who provide more than $1 billion in chip revenue had said they would likely move designs away from Qualcomm if the deal went through, citing a lack of ...
Distant booms of the guns broke early morning slumbers of residents of this garrison town on the outskirts of Jammu today.

And their initial belief of it being usual practice shooting inside the Army camp dissipated as the firing became intense and an alarm was sounded. Soon, it dawned on them - the Army camp has been targeted.

"It all began around 4.30 AM with deafening sounds of explosions and gunfire. Initially, we thought it was a routine practice firing but when there was an alarm from inside the camp, we thought something is wrong," said Mohammad Yasir, a resident.

A group of terrorists of Jaish-e-Mohammed has struck on the army camp. Two Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) have been killed and six others including a Major-rank officer and daughter of an Army personnel injured in the attack, officials said.

The number of militants was not immediately available but preliminary reports suggest that they cut wire fencing on the rear side of the camp and entered into it.

The residents have moved out of their homes as a precautionary measure and are camping at safer places nearby.

Yasir said the heavy exchange of firing stopped at around 0830 hours and later by intermittent exchange could be heard.

Security officials present at the scene said the Army initially focussed on rescuing civilians inside the camp, spread over a vast area. The families of army personnel were at the camp.

Police and CRPF have thrown a cordon outside the camp so that no militant manage to escape from the camp.

Groups of BJP and Bajrang Dal activists appeared outside the camp and shouted anti-Pakistan and pro-India slogans.

Carrying the flag, the protesters held placards denouncing the terror attack and demanding stern action against Pakistan.

"We are here to support the army... The cowardly act of Pakistan to target families of the jawans is condemnable," a BJP activist said.

President of Anti-Terrorist Front Ashok Kumar said he has left for a morning walk when he heard gunshots from the camp.

"We are in panic...if Army is not safe, how could be the local population. This area usually remains abuzz being the commercial part of the city. If they can enter into an army camp, they can strike anywhere," he said.

Located on the Jammu-Delhi highway, policemen had a tough time in managing traffic and keeping away the onlookers.
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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.

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Digital Editor
There must be only about 3,000 women in all of Punjab who make phulkari. Most of it is made in Dukheri, near Patiala, by underage boys who are brought in for the day from UP, says Harinder Singh, the revivalist behind the Mela Phulkari festival and owner of the retail chain 1469.

The reason for the puzzling title of the chain is quickly made clear: 1469 was the birth year of Guru Nanak, founder of the Sikh religion. The brand, which has six stores between New Delhi, Chandigarh, Karnal and Jalandhar, showcases the cultural heritage of Punjab with handcrafted phulkari, quirky ...
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday laid a wreath at the mausoleum of iconic Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, in his first engagement on a historic visit to Palestine.

Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to make an official visit to Palestine, flew in a Jordanian army helicopter straight from Amman to Ramallah, where he was received by his Palestinian counterpart Rami Hamdallah.

The Prime Minister, accompanied by Hamdallah, visited the Mausoleum of Yasser Arafat. The mausoleum was unveiled on November 10, 2007 and is located adjacent to the Palestinian Presidential compound, also known as Muqata'a here.

After paying homage to Arafat, the prime minister took a short tour accompanied by Hamdallah of the Arafat Museum located adjacent to the mausoleum.

The length of each of the mausoleum's walls is 11 meters forming a cube, signifying the date of Arafat's death on the 11th day of the 11th month.

Adjacent to the Arafat mausoleum is a minaret which is 30 meters high. At the top of the minaret is a laser system that projects a beam of light in the direction of Jerusalem.

Arafat, born in 1929 in Cairo, served as Palestine's president for eight years until his death on November 11, 2004.

In 1990, the Palestine Liberation Organisation chief negotiated with Israelis and in 1993 they came up with Oslo Accords that gave Palestinians self rule in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

In 1994, Arafat won the Nobel Peace Prize, together with Israeli leaders Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres, for the negotiations at Oslo.

(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.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first engagement after arriving in Ramallah on Saturday morning will be to lay a wreath at the Mausoleum of Late President Yasser Arafat.

Prime Minister Modi will be accompanied by his Palestinian counterpart Rami Hamdallah.

The Mausoleum of Yasser Arafat was unveiled on November 10, 2007 and is located adjacent to the compound of Presidential Headquarters (Al-Muqata'a).

After paying homage to Yasser Arafat at the Mausoleum, the Prime Minister will take a short tour, accompanied by Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, of the Yasser Arafat Museum located adjacent to the Mausoleum.

Prime Minister Modi, who is on his maiden trip to Palestine, will be received by President Mahmoud Abbas before the ceremonial welcome in the compound of the Presidential Headquarters, also known as Muqata'a.





The Presidential Headquarters in Ramallah is the compound that encompasses the Office of the President, offices of Advisors to President, in addition to the headquarters of the Presidential Guard.

The Prime Minister on his first day of the three-nation tour will hold meetings and exchange agreements with ministers in Ramallah in the West Bank.

Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said Prime Minister Modi's visit to Ramallah in Palestine was the first ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister there.



Redefining our neighbourhood from a maritime perspective! PM @narendramodi embarks on a 4-day visit to Jordan, Palestine, UAE & Oman from 9-12 February to deepen our multifaceted ties with the Gulf and West Asian region. #ExtendedNeighbourhood pic.twitter.com/xJgAISNB74  Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) February 9, 2018

Prime Minister Modi's visit to Palestine comes a month after India hosted Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

On February 9, Prime Minister Modi arrived in Jordan, which is his transit to Palestine. The prime minister's office expressed gratitude to King Abdullah II of Jordan for facilitating the transit.

After Palestine, the Prime Minister would visit United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman.

The Prime Minister will leave for the UAE tomorrow and then on the final leg, to Muscat on February 11, before returning to Delhi the following day.

Prior to Prime Minister Modi, former President Pranab Mukherjee and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had visited Palestine in October 2015 and January 2016 respectively.
Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Meets in New Delhi



Says Participatory Management a Must for Ensuring Sustainable Development of Ground Water





The Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation met under the Chairmanship of Union Minister Shri Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi yesterday, to deliberate upon the urgent need for participatory ground water management in the country. Ministers of State Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal and Dr Satya Pal Singh also attended the meeting.

Speaking on the occasion Shri Nitin Gadkari said that water shortage is one of the biggest problems that the country faces today. A big reason for this problem is the poor management of available resources, he said. On one hand we over-exploit our rivers, lakes, groundwater and other sources of water, but on the other hand we allow colossal amounts to run off into the sea unutilized. The Minister emphasized the role of participatory water management in addressing the problem of water scarcity in the country. He said, to address this problem, the Government, the civil society and the local level communities must all work together to find ways to preserve , protect and augment the available water resource. Shri Gadkari pointed to examples from states like Maharashtra and Gujarat where such participatory management of water have helped turn water starved, barren farmlands into fields producing multiple crops in a year.

Through a presentation by Member, Central Ground Water Board informed the Committee that ground water in India provides for about 60 % of the countrys irrigation needs, 85 % of rural drinking water requirements and 50 % of urban water needs. As per 2013 data, 4 percent of Ground Water assessment units in the country are in a critical state and 10 percent in a semi critical state due to over-exploitation and contamination. The reasons for this over exploitation and contamination include increasing demand , change in cropping pattern, scanty rainfall in arid and semi-arid regions, flat rate/ free subsidized electricity for extracting ground water in certain states, rapid pace of urbanization haphazard sewage and waste disposal.

The Central Ground Water Board has identified various key issues regarding ground water management. It has been established that long term sustainability of water resources can be assuted only through holistic management programmes that take care of both demand side and supply side management. Supply side management focuses on management of aquifer systems and recharge of ground water resources while demand side management involves efforts at arresting decline in ground water levels by regulating the withdrawals and increasing water use efficiency. Demand side management is thus dependent on community participation . It requires the community to make efforts at ensuring that water is extracted in a sustainable manner, the cropping pattern is suited to the area, drip / sprinkler irrigation is encouraged , and people of the community resort to water budgeting.

The Committee agreed upon the need to promote and encourage participatory management as a solution to long term, sustainable development of ground water resources in the country. Participatory management recognizes ground water as a Common Property Resource. When this management method is employed to manage ground water the local communities themselves regulate the extraction and use of water, and are also proactive in augmenting and recharging the resource. Participatory management of ground water have resulted in many success stories in the states of Maharashtra (Tamaswada Nalah Treatment), Gujarat (Upleta Taluk, Rajkot), Maharashtra (Beed, Jalna, Satara) Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu (Annavasal) to name a few.

The Government has taken many initiatives to encourage participatory ground water management by facilitating an enabling environment, creating a knowledge base, sensitizing communities and building capacities. The proposed Atal Bhujal Yojana is also an effort in this direction. It is a Rs 6000 crore Central scheme that aims at sustainable ground water management with emphasis on demand side interventions with community participation in 78 districts covering states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Haryana, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
India is capital for spirituality in the entire world: Vice President



Performs the 88th Mahamasthakabhisheka Mahotsava to Bahubali Gommateshwara





The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has said that India is capital for spirituality in the entire world and we should feel proud of our cultural heritage. He was addressing the gathering after performing the 88th Mahamasthakabhisheka Mahotsava to Bahubali Gommateshwara, at Shravanabelagola in Karnataka, today. The Head of Shravanabelagola Mutt, Swasti Sri Charukeerthi Bhattarakha Swamiji, the Governor of Karnataka, Shri Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala, the Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Shri Ananth Kumar, the Minister for Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, Karnataka, Shri A. Manju and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

The Vice President said that the Mahamasthakabhisheka Mahotsava is considered as the most auspicious occasion that commences once in every 12 years. He further said that Munis travel across the country to spread the light of Gyan and it is our culture to respect, follow and take inspiration from our gurus. This celebration will inspire all of us to create a peaceful, harmonious and blissful world, he added.

The Vice President said that visits by senior functionaries like the President and the Vice President to such events will encourage others to follow. He further said that we should never feel shy of dharma, and said 'Dharmo Rakshati Rakshitaha' - Dharma protects those who uphold or protect Dharma. Everyone must do something to the society, he added.

The Vice President lauded the efforts and contribution of Jain Gurus and other members to the society. He further said that Jain community has been showing way for us to do good to society. The path shown by Jain saints can lead to the harmonious, peaceful and prosperous India we all wish to build, he added.

The Vice President said that attending to basic human needs and avoiding wastage as well as recognising and respecting diversity and pluralism is a part of our national psyche. He questioned what else can be more important for the mankind to co-exist peacefully on the earth than this preaching? If one can adopt this principle, we can also accelerate development and that development can be inclusive and sustainable, he added.

The Vice President said that the message of the 24 Tirthankaras is one of the theoretical foundations of our independence movement led by Mahatma Gandhi and non-violence was the central principle of that epic struggle. He complimented Swasti Sri Charukeerthi Bhattarakha Swamiji of Shravanabelagola Mutt for conducting the Mahamasthakabhisheka Mahotsava for the fourth time in a row.

The Vice President released 108 Books published by Bharatiya Jnanpith belonging to the time of King Bahubali who is the son of First Jain Tirthankara Rishabhadeva.
During the melodious evening the band related closely to the audience, incorporating varied choices like fanfare, overture, fusion, xylophonic, pop, swing and patriotic music, while maintaining a high standard of professionalism. The highlight of the evening was the signature performance by the young drummers of the Navy who presented their skills to everyone's delight. The Naval Drummers had also received a resounding applause during the recently conducted Beating Retreat ceremony at Vijay Chowk on 29 Jan 18. The band performed admirably under the baton of Commander VC D'Cruz, Director of Music, who is an alumnus of Pilar Music School, Goa and Trinity College of Music, London.

During the melodious evening the band related closely to the audience, incorporating varied choices like fanfare, overture, fusion, xylophonic, pop, swing and patriotic music, while maintaining a high standard of professionalism. The highlight of the evening was the signature performance by the young drummers of the Navy who presented their skills to everyone's delight. The Naval Drummers had also received a resounding applause during the recently conducted Beating Retreat ceremony at Vijay Chowk on 29 Jan 18. The band performed admirably under the baton of Commander VC D'Cruz, Director of Music, who is an alumnus of Pilar Music School, Goa and Trinity College of Music, London.

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
International Conference on Unani Medicine inaugurated





Lifestyle diseases are one of the major health challenges of the country, an area where integration of traditional and conventional medicine systems can play an important role, said Minister of State (IC), Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, MoS PMO and D/o Atomic Energy and Space Dr Jitender Singh inaugurating a two-day International Conference on Unani Medicine organized by the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM) as a part of Unani Day celebration here in New Delhi today.

Dr. Singh emphasized all-round development of indigenous systems of medicine with special focus on holistic management of diseases. He opined that all the physicians irrespective of system of medicine whether modern or traditional may be co-located for addressing the requirement of patients in holistic manner. Talking about Hakim Ajmal Khan, whose 150th Birth Anniversary on 11th February is being celebrated as Unani Day; he said that contribution made by him to the traditional medicine and to the nation was remarkable.

On this occasion, a MoU was signed between CCRUM and Hamdard University, Bangladesh to establish an academic chair" in Unani System of medicine in Bangladesh. Hamdard University was represented by Dr. Abdul Mannan, Vice Chancellor. The aim of this MoU is to provide academic leadership to the institution, primarily through demonstrating and fostering excellence in teaching, research, and policy development related to Unani system of medicine at the varieties of levels within the discipline.

The Chief Guest also released the Conference Souvenir and Pictorial Album on Hakim Ajmal Khan depicting various aspects of his multidimensional personality published to pay tribute to him on his 150th birth anniversary.

In two day conference various national level eminent personalities and stakeholders from academia, industry, regulators, and researchers in the field of Unani Medicine are participating in deliberations. Besides national delegates, representatives from countries like South Africa, UK, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, China, USA, Portugal, UAE, Slovenia, Israel, Hungary, Bahrain, Tajikistan, etc are also attending the conference.

Speaking on the occasion, Joint Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH Shri Pramod Kumar Pathak said that this international conference which is themed on Integration of Unani Medicine in Mainstream Healthcare is in line with the objectives of the ministry towards mainstreaming of AYUSH in national healthcare. Joint Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH, Sh. Roshan Jaggi in his address highlighted the efforts being made by the Ministry of AYUSH to promote rational medicine in national public health system through regulation of research and appropriate integration of quality products, practices, and practitioners into the health system so as to achieve universal health for all.

Addressing the conference, Hakim Syed Khalifatullah, former Vice President, Governing Body, CCRUM demanded that A&U Tibbia College should be upgraded as a national university of Unani Medicine. He emphasized that there should be a strong coordination between Medical Council of India and Central Council of Indian Medicine to come up with an integrative solution to address health challenges of the country.

Prof. Rais-ur-Rahman, Advisor (Unani), Ministry of AYUSH said that National Health Policy 2017 has been designed to ensure access to AYUSH remedies through co-location in public health facilities. Further, he said that the policy recognizes the need to standardize and validate Unani medicines and establish a robust and effective quality control mechanism for ASU & H drugs.

Earlier in his welcome address, Dr. Anil Khurana, Director General, CCRUM briefed about the background behind organizing International Conference on the occasion of Unani Day. Keeping in view, the need for integration of various systems of health, it is essential to discuss and develop a strategy in this regard.
NALCO registers robust growth upto 3rd Quarter Quantum jump in net profit by 171% from Rs.400 crore last year to Rs.1085 crore





National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), the Navratna PSU, under Ministry of Mines, Govt. of India and countrys leading manufacturer and exporter of alumina and aluminium,has declared its financial results for & upto 3rd quarter ended December 2017.

According to the reviewed financial results for the 3rdquarter of the financial year 2017-18 taken on record by the Board in the meeting held atBhubaneswar today, NALCOhas achieved a record net profit of Rs.722 crore (growth of 207%),as against Rs.235crore in the preceding quarter and Rs. 144crore in the corresponding quarter of previous fiscal. The net sales in the 3rdQuarter was Rs.2360 crore. With this, the company has been able to break the highest-ever netprofit figures in a quarter during the last ten years.

Similarly, the net profit for the 9 months ended December 2017 works out to Rs.1085 crore (growth of 171%), against the corresponding figure of Rs. 400 crore for the previous fiscal. The net sales for the 9 months of the fiscal are Rs.6538crore as compared to Rs. 5071 crore in the corresponding period of the last financial year.NALCO has also achieved record growth in production in all fronts. During the first nine months of the current fiscal, NALCO achieved production of 54.40 lakh tonnes of bauxite, as compared to 53.23 lakh tonnes achieved during the comparable period of the previous fiscal. The company produced 15.51 lakh tonnes of alumina hydrate, against 15.27lakh tonnes achieved in the corresponding period of the previous financial year.

Metal production was3.17 lakh tonnes, against 2.86 lakh tonnes during the comparable nine months of the previous fiscal registering a growth of 11 %. The net power generated during the period was 4897million units up by 9%, compared to 4494 million units achieved in the corresponding period of the previous year.As a committed and responsible green power producer the company has generated 211 million units of wind power during the first 9 months of this fiscal.

Operational efficiency, cost reduction, strategic management decisions and team work of NALCO played a key role in achieving the record profit.

With robust monetary policy of the Government and demand-supply dynamics brightening, aided by growth in the construction and power sectors, pick-up in the automobile segmentas well as firming up of aluminium prices globally, we hope to post similar results in the next mandate," said Dr. Tapan Kumar Chand, CMD, NALCO.

It may be noted that the company has recently released its 'Corporate Plan - 2032' wherein it envisages to reach a turnover of Rs. 18,171 crore by 2024 and Rs.31,248 crore by 2032.

Worth mentioning that the company is vigorously pursuing its plans for addition of 0.5 MTPA capacity to its existing Smelter, 1MTPA capacity in its Alumina Refinery, Development of Utkal D&E Coal Blocks, Development of Pottangi Bauxite Mines, Angul Aluminium Park, 2.7 Lakh TPA Caustic Soda Plant in JV with GACL, Coal Tar Distillation Plant in JV with NINL, 1320 MW Greenfield Thermal Power Plant in Odisha, Overseas acquisition, exploration & processing of strategic minerals through KhanijBidesh India Ltd. (KABIL), a Joint Venture Company of NALCO, HCL & MECL and High end Aluminium Alloy Plant in Joint Venture with MIDHANI.

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NIC To Create Awareness About Digitalisation Initiative



Experts discuss Cyber Security





The second day of the 2nd National Meet on Grassroot Informatics VIVID: Weaving a Digital India, at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi focused on significant subject of Cyber Security, Cyber Threats & Countermeasures.

Digital transformation is the result of combining technology, network availability, super computing power, cloud computing and digital security. Today the requirement is to have a dynamic, agile enterprise that is able to adapt to the evolving landscape of technologies while remaining responsive to user demands. Managers and strategists are expected to predict failures in applications and deployments, plug them while ensuring service continuity, and at the same time focus on the increasing demands for innovation. To address all of the above, the sessions were held on Changing Digitisation Paradigm & its Impact on Security, Cyber Security Threats & Cyber Crimes, Perimeter and End Point Security, Securing Applications and Critical Information infrastructure protection (NIC-CERT)

Cyberspace has evolved in the last decade and is rapidly evolving. The sessions were very significant in view of the fact that the attacks are increasing, both in prevalence and disruptive potential, and the cybercriminals have an exponentially increasing number of potential targets, because the use of cloud services continues to accelerate and the Internet of Things (IoT) is expected to increase the attack surface. The discussions were aimed at showcasing the various initiatives of NIC in creating and enhancing the security of Digital Infrastructure in the country and the future initiatives.

Along with senior NIC officials eminent personalities including VP & Chief Information Security Officer, Wipro and DCP, Cyber Crimes, Delhi Police participated in the sessions.

Other sessions included Enterprise Level Applications. Under Digital India the scale of application deployment has changed. Enterprise level applications require that developers of today follow a well-defined practice for conducting enterprise analysis, design, planning and implementation using a comprehensive approach at all times, for the successful development and execution of strategy. They need to take into account essential considerations and technology stack for building scalable web applications. Redundancy is no longer optional. Databases need to be provisioned to offer superior performance and scalability and handle several tasks. To address all these concerns the session on Enterprise Architecture Scalable Web Application Architecture and NoSQL & New SQL for Data Scalability were held.

SIOs and DIOs are working tirelessly at the grassroots level to deliver and support the vision of the Government. In an order to boost their moral and encouraging them for more hard-work, a session was also planned to provide a platform to share their success stories. Success stories from the states of Arunachal, Himachal, Kerala, Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal were showcased.

A Handbook of Core NIC Services which includes an overview of all the core services of NIC and how to avail them was also released by DG, NIC during the occasion. NIC delivers core IT Services to the Government at the Centre States and District. These bouquet of services include Application Security, email, SMS, Domain registration, VPN, Video conferencing, Wifi etc. Collectively these services support the entire governance framework under Digital India. Supported by a network of skilled engineers, and a rapid response to any complaint through the 24x7 service desk, these services ensure dependable redundant and comprehensive ICT support to the Government.

In a significant step to increase capacity building and technical awareness among NIC employees, NIC also launched VidyaKosh", a Learning Management System (LMS) for NIC officials to make use of the latest digital technology in their day to day activities by upgrading their skills to provide better services to the citizens. VidyaKosh is a National Digital Repository to store, index, preserve, distribute and share the digital learning resources with NIC employees. The objective is to make learning easier and in a new way at their ease and convenient.

The three-day event was inaugurated by Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, Honble Union Minister of Electronics & Information Technology and Law & Justice, GoI in the presence of Shri Ajay Sawhney, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, Ms. Neeta Verma, Director General, NIC.
Shri J P Nadda launches National Deworming initiative



National Deworming initiative to benefit more than 32 crore children Government of India is committed to ensuring high quality healthcare accessible to every child and upto the last mile: J P Nadda





Shri J P Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare launched the National Deworming Day at a function at Gurugram, today. Speaking on the occasion he said, Government of India is committed to ensuring high quality healthcare, accessible to every child and upto the last mile. One of the interventions, the National Deworming Day, is one of the largest public health initiatives in the world. ".

Shri Rao Inderjit Singh, Honble Minister of State- Chemicals & Fertilizers, Govt. of India, Shri Rao Narbir Singh, Honble PWD Minister, Govt. of Haryana and Shri Manoj Jhalani, AS & MD (NHM) were also present at the occasion.

Speaking at the function, the Union Health Minister announced that for this round of National Deworming Day, the Government is aiming to reach more than ????????32.2 crore children. Shri Nadda further stated that the Ministry had first launched National Deworming Day (NDD) in 2015 which was implemented in 11 States/UTs across all Government and Government-aided schools and Anganwadi centres targeting children aged 1 to 19 years. Since then the program has been scaled up throughout the country. Shri Nadda further informed that last year 25.6 crore children in the February 2016 round and 22.8 crore children in the August 2016 round were successfully reached and treated with deworming treatment on National Deworming Day. He also released the Deworming Factsheet at the event.

Speaking at the function, Shri Nadda said that the government prioritizes the wellbeing of children no matter which part of the country they live in and what their circumstances are. We follow a life-cycle approach in devising all our health programs, right from pregnancy till adolescence, we take care of the mother and the child to make them healthier and get their timely access to healthcare. Our programs like National Deworming Day, which is for all children, are ensuring prevention of cognitive disability as well decreasing the school drop-out rate of children by improving overall health of the children. All these initiatives move us closer to overall wholesome development of the country," Shri Nadda added.

Urging all the stakeholders to come forward and participate in this initiative, Shri Nadda stated that the aim of a worm-free India can be true only if we all join hands to make this program a success. I would request all health functionaries and health leaders to participate in the program and see to it that we make this program a success. Also I salute all our healthcare workers who have ensured the reach of this program to the grass root level", Shri Nadda said. He also urged all stakeholders and especially all public representatives to talk, generate awareness and discuss about health, as it is an very important factor in development of the country.

Shri Nadda said: the National Deworming Day will mobilize health personnel, state governments and other stakeholders to prioritize investment in control of Soil Transmitted Helminth (STH) infectionsone of the most common infections. Further he said, It aims to create mass awareness about the most effective and low-cost STH treatment administering Albendazole tablets. The tablet has no side effects and in case the dose gets missed, MoHFW carries out mop-up sessions, to ensure no child is left out. Along with Albendazole administration, behaviour change practices in terms of cleanliness, hygiene, use of toilets, wearing shoes/chappals, washing hands etc. is also important to reduce incidents of re-infection".

The National Deworming Day is a single fixed-day approach to treating intestinal worm infections in all children aged 1- 19 years and is held on 10 February and 10 August each year. Having conducted five rounds of National Deworming Day since February 2015, the mass deworming program aims to reach all children at schools and anganwadis with the deworming treatment. Any child not dewormed on National Deworming Day due to absenteeism or sickness, will be dewormed on mop-up day, 15 February.

Anganwadi and school-based mass deworming program is safe, cost-effective, and can reach crores of children quickly. Deworming has been shown to reduce absenteeism in schools; improve health, nutritional, and learning outcomes; and increase the likelihood of higher-wage jobs later in life. Deworming with the safe and beneficial Albendazole tablet is an evidence-based, globally-accepted, and effective solution to controlling worm infections. National Deworming Day has, thus, been designed to reach all children, regardless of socio-economic background. In addition to including government and government-aided schools and anganwadis, all states will make special efforts to reach out-of-school children, who are most vulnerable to worm infections. Private schools across the country, since they have high enrolment of children, have also enthusiastically joined the program, so that children in these schools, too, get deworming treatment and contribute to overall reduction in worm prevalence in communities.

To prepare for National Deworming Day, teachers and anganwadi workers have been trained to administer the tablet to children, while ASHAs and other functionaries will generate awareness and mobilize children to be dewormed on the day. Other ministries and departments from Panchayati Raj, Youth affairs are also deploying their resources of panchayat members, youth volunteers and other community-based groups to engage communities towards a worm free India.

Deworming may have very few side effects and some children, especially those with high worm infections, might experience nausea, mild abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, and fatigue. In line with the guidance from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, comprehensive adverse event protocols have been put in place. Apart from being dewormed, maintaining healthy and hygienic practices will help children and communities remain safe from worm infections. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare envisions an open-defecation-free India which holds the capacity to reduce the overall worm burden in a community. The efforts of Swach Bharat Abhiyan towards a clean India will further facilitate the progress and benefits of the National Deworming Day.

The first AMRIT pharmacy for the state of Haryana was also inaugurated by the Honble Minister of Health and Family Welfare at the event. Also present at the event were, Shri Amit Jha, Principal Secretary (Health & Family Welfare), Govt. of Haryana, Smt. Amneet P Kumar, MD(NHM), Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Haryana and other senior officers of the Union Health Ministry and from the Government of Haryana.
Israel launched heavy air strikes in Syria on Saturday, saying it hit air defences and Iranian targets, and the Syrian army claimed to have brought down an Israeli F-16 that crashed in northern Israel in a major escalation of tension. The Israeli military said early assessments indicated the jet had been shot down by Syrian fire, but this was still unconfirmed. It marked the most serious confrontation yet in Syria between Israel and Iranian and Iran-backed forces that have established a major foothold in the country while fighting in support of President Bashar al-Assad in the civil ...
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 10)  Local airlines Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific will be mounting special flights to Kuwait to help repatriate distressed Filipino workers in the Middle Eastern country.

The airlines made this announcement Saturday, a day after Duterte said he wants all Filipino workers who want to go home from Kuwait on a plane in 72 hours.

"Cebu Pacific is mounting a special charter flight from Kuwait to Manila for free. This is in response to the call for assistance by the government to repatriate Filipino workers in Kuwait," Cebu Pacific said in a statement.

Meanwhile, PAL said it will be mounting a special flight from Kuwait to Manila within the next few days.

"In the service of our 'kababayans' (countrymen), we will be ensuring their safe journey back to the Philippines.. PAL is more than ready to mount extra flights to Kuwait, as needed, PAL said.

The announcement comes after Duterte ordered Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III to bring home distressed OFWs from the Gulf State

The move was prompted by the death of Filipina Joanna Daniela Demafelis, whose body was found stored in a freezer.

Duterte said he would ask Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific to provide transportation for the overseas workers.

Following Duterte's statement, the two airlines said they are coordinating with the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait for travel arrangements.

Both will be sending Airbus A330 aircrafts. Cebu Pacific says its aircraft has a maximum capacity of 436 passengers, while PALs can seat 363.

Kuwait is a top destination for Filipino workers.

The latest data from Philippine Overseas Employment Administration said there are some 86,019 Filipinos in the country as of 2015.

In January, the Department of Labor and Employment in January implemented an immediate suspension of the deployment of OFWs to Kuwait as authorities probe the death of seven other Filipinos.
Asia pushed past the rest of the world last year to become the biggest buyer of Americas crude oil  and its poised to do it again in 2018. Just two years after Washington ended its crude-export ban, the continent soaked up 37 per cent of the oil the US sent abroad in 2017, up from about 9 per cent in 2016, US Census Bureau data show.

And Asias appetite for US supply is only expected to grow. China, which became the worlds largest crude importer last year, took in Asias largest share of US oil. Its government-owned refineries are adding half a million ...
Facial recognition technology is improving by leaps and bounds. Some commercial software can now tell the gender of a person in a photograph. When the person in the photo is a white man, the software is right 99 per cent of the time. But the darker the skin, the more errors arise  up to nearly 35 per cent for images of darker skinned women, according to a new study that breaks fresh ground by measuring how the technology works on people of different races and gender. These disparate results, calculated by Joy Buolamwini, a researcher at the MIT Media Lab, show how some of the biases ...
Until this month, the scariest thing about the stock market was its uncanny calm and stability. Like the opening sequences of a classic horror movie, the market last year was relentlessly and unnaturally cheerful. Well, now the ax has fallen and the stock market has begun a correction  financial jargon for a decline of at least 10 per cent. The scariest thing about the market right now is the shocked response of traders who had become accustomed to the unsustainably placid conditions that have been unceremoniously swept away. The precise timing of the market plunge was ...
Theresa May has found an unlikely source of inspiration for her Brexit plans: Jack Ma, the charismatic billionaire founder of Alibaba Group, the Chinese e-commerce giant, and one of the worlds richest men. The British premier met Ma, whose net worth is valued at $45.5 billion, at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January and again in Shanghai last week, and the pair got on extremely well, according to two senior British officials.

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North Korean leader has invited the South's President Moon Jae-in for a summit in Pyongchang, Seoul said on Saturday.

The invitation, delivered by Kim's visiting sister Kim Yo Jong, said Kim was willing to meet the South's leader "at the earliest date possible", said a spokesman for the presidential Blue House.

An inter-Korean summit would be the third of its kind, after Kim's father and predecessor Kim Jong Il met the South's Kim Dae-Jung and Roh Moo-hyun in 2000 and 2007 respectively, both of them in Pyongchang.

After months of silence on whether it would even take part in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in the South, which had their opening ceremony yesterday, nuclear-armed North Korea has gone on a charm offensive, dispatching athletes, performers and Kim's sister plus other diplomatic delegates to the South.

Moon met Kim Yo Jong and the North's ceremonial head of state Kim Yong Nam for talks and lunch at the Blue House today.

"Special envoy Kim Yo Jong delivered a personal letter" from her brother stating his "wish to improve inter-Korean relations", said Moon's spokesman Kim Eui-Kyeom.

She verbally conveyed Kim's invitation to Moon "to visit the North at his most convenient time", he added.

Moon has long argued for engagement with the North to bring it to the negotiating table over its nuclear ambitions but did not immediately accept the offer.

Moon called for efforts to "create the right conditions to realise" such a visit, his spokesman said, urging Pyongyang to more actively seek dialogue with the US.

"It is absolutely necessary for the North and the United States to engage in talks at an early date," he cited Moon as saying.

Washington has long insisted the North must show a willingness to denuclearise before any negotiations -- which Pyongyang says it will never do.
When one of their own ties the knot, the team at Pakistans City41 channel often includes clips of the wedding in their news segments. Unusual enough, youd think.

But when a correspondent turned up at his colleagues wedding to film just such a clip, little did anyone expect that the groom would feel the urge to take over the reporting. The groom, Hanan Bukhari, a 25-year-old reporter for City41 and Channel 24, can be seen in the video, saying: This is a day of great joy since its my wedding today. He is dressed in wedding finery and ...
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was today conferred the 'Grand Collar of the State of Palestine' by President Mahmoud Abbas, recognising his key contribution to promote relations between India and Palestine.

President Abbas conferred the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine on Modi after the conclusion of the bilateral meeting between the two leaders.

Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister to make an official visit to Palestine.

The Grand Collar is Highest order given to foreign dignitaries - Kings, Heads of State/Government and persons of similar rank.

It has in the past been awarded to King Salman of Saudi Arabia, King Hamad of Bahrain, President Xi Jinping of China, amongst others.

The commendation reads "In recognition of his wise leadership and his lofty national and stature, and in appreciation of his efforts to promote the historic relations between the State of Palestine and the Republic of India; in acknowledgment of his support to our people's right to independence and freedom so that peace prevails in the region.
In presenting a case before a court or a bench of judges, a lawyer must always have the capacity to listen to a judge or judges attentively and, when they tell a lawyer to stop, then he should put his or her arguments to rest, said former union minister and senior lawyer Salman Khurshid.

Participating in the recently held qualifying rounds of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, Khurshid said, "Judges probably know more than the lawyers through past experience, but they have a tough job since despite knowing everything, they tell lawyers to explain them law. If a lawyer is mistaken in believing otherwise, he loses the case."

He added, "Young lawyers, while keeping this fact in mind, should be able to nudge judges at the right moment, in the right manner so that judges can themselves think that a new thought has come out. In such a situation, even if a lawyer will lose the case, he will be enormously appreciated by the judge and, that's the biggest gift one can get at the Bar."

He advised budding lawyers to engage in fundamental areas that have not been explored and understand how judges could be different - one judge may think very simply and straight based on what is legal law, while another may explore much wider and greater.

Khurhsid asserted that if lawyers are able to impress judges with their command of material and their ability to grow larger thoughts, then they have the makings of not just a profound lawyer, but also, an outstanding judge.

The Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition is the oldest and largest International Moot Competition in the world.

A record-breaking 100 countries are expected to participate in the finals scheduled in April,2018.

The competition provides a stellar opportunity to students aspiring to join advocacy as a profession to learn about court craft.

The Indian Qualifying Rounds are the exclusive means by which Indian law students qualify for the finals of the competition to be conducted in Washington DC.

This year, 35 teams across India are competing in India Rounds including National University of Study and Research in Law, Ranchi, The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata, National Academy for Legal Studies and Research, Hyderabad, National Law School of India University, Banglore, National Law Institute University, Bhopal Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Punjab and others from February 8 to 11 at Amity University. Four teams will be selected out of these to represent India in the finals.

Dr. Ashok K Chauhan, Founder President, Amity Group described legal brains of India as among the best worldwide. He expressed his conviction that the Indian team will win the finals of Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition and bring laurels to the country.

Delhi High Court judge Justice Rajiv Shakdher described mooting as a great idea since it imbibes structured process of thinking in budding lawyers, nurturing social skills in them by providing them with an opportunity to meet people from diverse cultures and ethnicities in a moot court and accommodates each other's' views.

He remarked that the most important facet of mooting is that it actually trains students about walking away with lost case since there is generally one winner at the end of every competition, thereby preparing them for the profession as well as life.

"It is important for budding lawyers to understand that they may lose the case, but they should never lose the court of the judge; it is important never to get into an argument with a judge, since it takes years of practice to win the goodwill of a judge," he said.

Dr. Pinky Anand, Additional Solicitor General of India, said, "It is a matter of great repute to be associated with Jessup which is the oldest and largest international moot court competition."

"It is important for a lawyer, right from the beginning of his or her profession, to understand various stages of trial, appeal, presentations, oral arguments and there is no other way hands on approach to learn all these at this phase of their lives than through mooting, "she added.

Talking about the recent election of Justice Dalveer Bhandari from India in International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the importance of being represented at the global level, Ms. Anand said that it is for the first time that five nations are not been represented in ICJ, and an Indian, Justice Dalveer Bhandari had 193 votes from General Assembly, making UK representative- Christopher Greenwood to withdraw.

Corroborating this fact further with the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav and the decision of 11-judge bench of the International Court of Justice staying the execution of Jadhav by Pakistani Military Court until further notice, Ms. Anand stressed that the case demonstrated the strength that India can have and the conviction that India will be able to increase its presence in global arena to ensure the rule of law and the global order.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) Vikram Randhawa on Saturday warned that the continued illegal presence of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas in Jammu and Kashmir creates the potential for them to offer shelter to militants.

Randhawa told ANI that he felt that Bangladeshis and Rohingyas could be behind the terror strike on the army camp in Sunjwan in which two junior commissioned officers were killed and four others, including a civilian, suffered injuries.

"We have been raising the issue of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas living in the surrounding areas of Jammu, illegally. Their number is increasing by the day and, if they are not stopped, they'll act as militant organisation's shelter. This Sunjwan attack may also be connected to them," he said.

Randhawa also called for a detailed investigation into the attack.

Rohingya immigrants fled to India, Bangladesh and Pakistan in the wake of violence and human rights violations committed on them in the Northern Rakhine state of Myanmar.

More than 600,000 Rohingyas are currently languishing in Bangladeshi refugee camps.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said the Congress party and the Nehru family "are committed to the secular principle of the Constitution".

Taking to his Twitter page, the Karnataka Chief Minister said, "The Congress and the Nehru family are committed to the secular principle of the Constitution. We have never been obedient to religion. Let it be known to those who find fault in AICC President Rahul Gondiji's Temple Tour."

Siddaramaiah's statement came following the reports that Congress President Rahul Gandhi will visit a temple at Huligi village in Karnataka, in his first religious visit in election-bound Karnataka.

Speaking on the same, the Chief Minister said, "President of the All India Congress and the promise of young people in the country, Mr Rahul Gandhi's welcome to Karnataka is the 'plight of the homeland and prosperity'. Your support for our efforts by the New Karnataka will further strengthen your support: Rahul Gandhi."

Gandhi will launch his four-day election campaign from Bellary on Saturday.

According to reports, Rahul chose Bellary to start the campaign for the April Assembly polls as it would have an emotional recall with the voters, given the Congress won the 2013 Assembly polls under Sonia Gandhi's leadership.

He is expected to continue his temple visits in the election-bound Karnataka during his four-day stay.

Rahul will visit Koppal's Huligamma Temple in Koppal on Saturday.

Reportedly, the Congress chief has directed the party workers in Karnataka to present a positive agenda before the voters.

The campaign will involve road shows, public meetings, interactions with civil society groups and sessions featuring farmers.

The Karnataka assembly elections will be held in the first quarter of this year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 10)  President Rodrigo Duterte said he will order the Philippine Navy to fire at those who try to exploit the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

In a press conference in Davao City, the President maintained the Philippines' sovereign rights over the Benham Rise, an undersea plateau.

"I hope (the continental shelf) does not reach Guam now because Guam will be ours also," he said. "But just the same, we cannot fight America, just like China. I'll just keep quiet. But if you get something there from the economic zone, I will order the Navy to fire."

A large part of Benham Rise, located 135 miles off Aurora, is part of the country's EEZ. The remaining part not under the country's EEZ was granted by the United Nations as part the Philippines' extended continental shelf (ECS).

An EEZ, under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, grants a state special rights regarding the exploration and use of marine resources.

Since the country has sovereign rights over Benham Rise, it has sole right to explore for and exploit oil, gas and other mineral resources in the area.

Duterte also said he will claim "exclusive ownership" of the economic zones by ordering the military to protect the undersea plateau.

"I said and ordered the Philippine Navy and Air Force to do regular patrols," Duterte said.

The President's threat comes after he ordered to take back any existing permits for foreign research in Benham Rise, which is also called the Philippine Rise.

Under international law, no foreign vessel is also allowed to conduct any form of research within the EEZ or ECS without the permission or consent of the Philippine government.

However, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque clarified there was no research ban  only an additional requirement of a license from the National Security Adviser.

On January 19, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said China was allowed to conduct research in the area since their team included a Filipino scientist on board. DFA Secretary Alan Cayetano said China agreed to share data on their research.

The move to allow China's research in Benham Rise drew flak from critics, after the country refused to adhere to the arbitral ruling on the South China Sea dispute.

READ: Palace: No ban on foreign research in Philippine Rise
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday said she was disturbed by terror attack on Sunjwan army camp in Jammu.

She said in a tweet, "Deeply disturbed by the terrorist attack in #Sunjwan today. My heart goes out to the injured & their families."

An army personnel succumbed to his injuries after terrorists attacked an army camp in Sunjwan area of in the heart of Jammu city in the wee hours of Saturday.

Earlier, the state police informed that three security personnel and a civilian suffered injuries in the attack.

"In the morning around 4:45 a.m. militants fired upon one gate of the army camp. The area has been cordoned off. One army man, his daughter and two others sustained injuries as per the reports. The exact number of militants is not known as of now," said Jammu Inspector General of Police (IGP) S. D. Singh Jamwal.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh has also directed the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to look into the attack.

He also spoke to Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) SP Vaid regarding this matter.

Meanwhile, the security forces have cordoned off the area and are conducting a search and combing operation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has lit its iconic buildings from Friday night ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit.

Navdeep Suri, Ambassador of India to the UAE, posted pictures on Twitter and said, "Burj Khalifa, Dubai Frame & ADNOC headquarters are lit up in Indian flag colours ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to UAE."

PM Modi will reach Abu Dhabi on Saturday evening and where he will be given a ceremonial reception before meeting the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the Presidential palace.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Telangana government in association with the UK British High Commission hosted the Gaming and Immersive Tech Summit in Hyderabad.

The Summit took place on Friday, where the state government identified animation, gaming and VFX industry as a key growth engine for the next level of exports and employment generation.

"Telangana is committed to create a robust AVCGI eco system. The state has been the home for some of the leading animation, gaming and VFX companies and aspires to be a leading creative hub in Asia Pacific region," a press release read.

It added that the state government vide its image policy conducts Market Development Assistance (MDA) program to promote AVCGI Industry.

The conference was a part of the India-UK creative summit to strengthen the economic relation between both the nations.

15 companies from the United Kingdom visited Hyderabad to explore business opportunities with Telangana Animation, Gaming, VFX Industry.

B2B meetings, networking sessions and product showcase were organized during the summit.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Frshly, the world's first automated food retail chain, has entered into multiple partnerships with the likes of TFS, IRCTC and other large global players.

The strategic partnerships with these key transit players pave the way for Frshly to tap into the fast growing travel market and set up their state of the art automated outlets across the key airports, railway stations and other key transit points in India and across the globe.

Frshly outlets are also available in IT parks, corporate hubs, hospitals, etc.

Frshly is constantly fostering relationships with large national and global food brands as well as large facility management companies to enhance their capacity and foot-print.

Satish ChamyVelumani - Founder and CEO of Frshly, said, "We have been growing aggressively and are planning to create a global enterprise with 1000+ outlets across multiple countries over the next two to three years."

He added, "We are working with several international FMCG brands, and have developed a unique eco-system to prepare and serve their instant noodles, Upma and cereals through our automated outlets. We are confident that all these major collaborations will open doors for other partnerships too."

Gaurav Dewan, Chief Operating Officer and Head, TFS - Travel Food Services said, "TFS and Frshly are natural partners, we have a common agenda of transforming travel experience and be ahead of the curve on innovation, speed of service, quality of experience and the relevance of offer! Freshly ticks all of these boxes for us and we are pleased to partner with them."

Frshly has been a flag bearer when it comes to innovation in the food-tech space, with seven patent filings around dispensing and packaging technologies. Six of these were filed in the last quarter. Their innovation labs in India and Hong Kong have refreshed the hardware and software technology to deliver this unbeatable experience to consumers at sizes as small as 25 square feet in under 60 seconds. The meal trays are 100 percent natural and bio-degradable.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A key and innovative offering at this year's Auto Expo is the "Eagle-360", a spherical-shaped and future-oriented tyre, from Goodyear.

Experts in the automotive industry and the gneral public at large are viewing this tyre as a breakthrough technology in the tyre sector, as it is promising to ensure smoother manouverability, connectivity and bimimicry for autonomous mobility in self-driven cars.

Once offered in the commercial space, this spherical-shaped tyre will allow any car to move in all directions, while at the same time ensuring passenger safety. It promises to take care of the problem of space limitation, particualrly when it comes to parking in the city centre or in crowded market places.

A Goodyear representative told ANI that each tyre has embedded sensors that look after driver and passenger safety through communication of road and weather conditions to the control panle of a vehicle.

He also said that each Eagle 360 tyre is connected via magnetic levitation that allows a vehicle to be suspended enough to allow for a smooth and quiet ride. #D printed treads behave like natural sponges that stiffenin dry conditions and soften in wet to deliver a driving performance that is excellent and ensures acqua-planning resistance.

P.K.Walia, Vice President (Consumer Business), described Goodyear as a pioneer in tyre technology and as a company that was constantly and consistently challenging itself to innovate, be future smart and reliable in terms of the products that it would be offering to the end user.

Goodyear has been present in India for the last 95 years and has two plants in Ballabhgarh and Aurangabad.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Culture and Environment Minister Mahesh Sharma on Saturday inaugurated the 16-day Grand Spiritual Expo, 2018 in Noida.

Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya organised the Spiritual Exposition at India Expo Mart in Noida to highlight the importance of 'Raj Yoga' among the civilians.

The Union Minister said, "A paradigm shift from a greed-based culture to a need-based culture is possible only by adopting India's rich spiritual wisdom, yoga, universal values and positive lifestyle."

The purpose of this 16-day long fair is to spread the importance of Raj yoga meditation and spiritual education among the entire country.

Rajyogi BK Brij Mohan, the chief spokesperson of Brahma Kumaris, said, " It (Rajyog) will enlighten and make the people, society and country healthy, happy, strong and successful. That is the main purpose of the fair".

Director of India Expo Mart BK Vivek Vikas further explained the schedule of the entire exposition.

He said, "In various stalls the depiction of spiritual knowledge, character building, inner journey and personality development will be done."

The event will have dedicated stalls to impart information about stress management, personality development, all-round health and spiritual knowledge. The exposition will also include sessions on Rajyog meditation, a spiritual light and sound show and a film festival.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Saturday warned that India would be left with no option but to wage war against Pakistan if the latter repeatedly failed to stop exporting terror across the border.

Abdullah told ANI that Pakistan has to shun militancy if it desired to improve ties with India.

"There is not a single day when terrorists don't attack India. All the terrorists are from Pakistan. If Pakistan wants peace with India, then it will have to leave the path of militancy, otherwise India will have no choice but to wage war against it. Although, both countries will face destruction because of war, I have to say that Pakistan will have to leave the path of terrorism and initiate dialogue," he said.

He emphasized that dialogue was the only route available to both countries and their respective governments to resolve all disputed issues.

Abdullah was speaking shortly after terrorists attacked the army camp at Sunjwan in the Jammu region, killing two junior commissioned officers and injuring four others, including a civilian.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said relations between India and Palestine have "stood the test of time."

Prime Minister Modi said, "India and Palestine's relations have stood the test of time. Palestine has always taken a top spot in our foreign policy."

Praising the Palestine's efforts to remain united despite an unstable environment by the violent protests, Modi said, "People of Palestine have continuously shown exemplary courage in extremely tough times, in spite of the fact that there was an unstable environment. The way you moved forward in such a situation is praiseworthy, we appreciate it."

Prime Minister Modi referred to a technology park coming up in Ramallah for which the construction work was currently on. He stated that with the new technology park, Palestinians would have both employment and develop new skills.

He also said that a new skill centre and a capacity building corporation would come up to provide jobs to Palestinian youth.

"India is aiding the construction of an Institute of Diplomacy in Palestine. I am happy that we are moving forward with our developmental corporation forward during this visit," Prime Minister Modi added.

Comparing Indian and Palestinian youth, Prime Minister Modi said, "The opportunities that we give to our youths back in India is almost the same here. Palestinian youths are just like us. If we nurture their skills properly, we can achieve pragati (development), samrudhi (prosperity) and atmanirbharta (self-employment)," he continued.

The Prime Minister also announced the doubling of exchange of students from 50 to 100 from this year. He also thanked Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for making his visit successful.

Commenting on the political situation in Palestine, Modi said, "We hope for peace and stability in the Palestine, we believe a permanent solution is possible with dialogue. Only diplomacy and farsightedness can set us free from violence and the baggage of the past. We know it is not easy but we need to keep trying as a lot is at stake."

"I have assured President Abbas that India is bound by a promise to take care of the Palestinian peoples' interests. India hopes that soon Palestine will become a free country in a peaceful manner."

Earlier, Prime Minister Modi arrived in Ramallah on Saturday, escorted by Israeli and Royal Jordanian choppers on a visit that was the first by an Indian Prime Minister after 30 years.

He placed a wreath at the mausoleum of late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat in Ramallah and also signed the visitors book at the museum.

He was given a ceremonial guard of honour at Al-Muqata'a, the presidential compound in Ramallah. He met with Abbas and was conferred with the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine, the country's highest honour.

After he concludes his visit to the Palestine, Prime Minister Modi, will depart for the Queen Alia International Airport in Amman from where he will emplane for Abu Dhabi.

Prime Minister Modi's visit to the Palestine Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to India.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India and Palestine signed six agreements on the infrastructural development in the Palestine.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between India and Palestine for setting up of a India-Palestine Super-specialty hospital at Beit Sahour in Bethelhem Governorate at a cost of USD 30 million. The signatories were Dr. Jawad Aouad, Minister of Health of the State of Palestine and T.S. Tirumurti, Secretary (Economic Relations).

A MOU was signed by the two countries for the construction of an India Palestine Centre for empowering women, "Turathi" at a cost of USD 5 million. The signatories were Abeer Aoudeh, Minister of National Economy and T.S. Tirumurti, Secretary (Economic Relations).

A MOU was signed between India and Palestine for setting up of a new National Printing Press at Ramallah at a cost of USD 5 million. The signatories were Ahmad Assaf, Minister of Palestinian Public Broadcasting Corporation and Official Media, on behalf of Minister of Finance and T.S. Tirumurti, Secretary (Economic Relations).

Furthermore, A MOU between India and Palestine was signed for the construction of a school in Muthalth Al Shuhada Village at a cost of USD 1 million. The signatories were Sabri Saidam, Minister of Education and Higher Education of the State of Palestine and T.S. Tirumurti, Secretary (Economic Relations).

Also, a MOU between India and Palestine was signed for the construction of school in Tamoon village in Tubas Governorate in Palestine at a cost of USD 1.1 million, Sabri Saidam, Minister of Education and Higher Education of the State of Palestine and T.S. Tirumurti, Secretary (Economic Relations).

Finally, a MOU was signed between India and Palestine Assistance of USD 0.25 million for the construction of an additional floor to Jawahar Lal Nehru for Boys at Abu Dees, also signed by Sabri Saidam, Minister of Education and Higher Education of the State of Palestine and T.S. Tirumurti, Secretary (Economic Relations).

All the agreements signed between the two countries were handed over to the Palestinian side by the Foreign Secretary, Vijay K. Gokhale.

Prime Minister Modi arrived in Ramallah on Saturday, escorted by Israeli and Royal Jordanian choppers on a visit that was the first by an Indian Prime Minister after 30 years.

He placed a wreath at the mausoleum of late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat in Ramallah and also signed the visitors book at the museum.

He was given a ceremonial guard of honour at Al-Muqata'a, the presidential compound in Ramallah. He met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and was conferred with the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine, the country's highest honour.

After he concludes his visit to the Palestine, Prime Minister Modi, will depart for the Queen Alia International Airport in Amman from where he will emplane for Abu Dhabi.

Prime Minister Modi's visit to the Palestine comes after Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited India last month.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Israel Army on Saturday shot down a Syrian drone carrying out a reconnaissance mission over the Israel-occupied Golan Heights.

The Russian made drone was intercepted by a Patriot missile in the demilitarised zone between the Israeli-and Syrian-controlled parts of the Golan, Arab News quoted a military spokeswoman as saying in a statement.

The military said its planes faced heavy anti-aircraft counter fire from Syria that forced Israeli pilots to abandon an F-16 jet that crashed in northern Israel.

Two F-16 pilots ejected as the plane went down in northern Israel. The pilots were taken to a nearby hospital.

The pro-Assad military alliance, which includes Iran and Hezbollah, warned Israel on Saturday that any new act of "terrorism" would be met with a "severe and serious response".

Russia called on the two sides to exercise restraint, adding that any threat to the safety of Russian servicemen was "unacceptable".

IDF Spokesman Brigadier General Ronen Manelis said, "Israel identified an Iranian drone which took off from Syrian territory. It was identified by IAF systems and downed by an IAF helicopter. The drone fell in our territory and is in our possession."

The Israeli military in the response of the event struck targets in Syria. Manelis said the targets included the trailer from which the drone was launched. "This was a surgical action deep in Syria, target destroyed."

Rocket sirens sounded for a second time following the downing of the jet. SANA reported explosions in Damascus, calling them new "Israeli aggression".

Israel and Syria are technically at war, though the armistice line on the Golan Heights had remained largely quiet for decades until civil war erupted in Syria in 2011.

Israel seized 1,200 square kilometres (460 square miles) of the Golan Heights from Syria in the six-day war of 1967 and later annexed it in a move never recognised by the international community.

In September, Israel's military shot down an Iranian-made drone operated by Lebanese militant group Hezbollah on a reconnaissance mission over the Golan.

The Lebanese militant group is a key backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and has fought alongside his troops against rebel forces.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 10)  The President has ordered Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu to clean up the tourist destination Boracay in six months.

"I told Cimatu, Cimatu is a general, he was assigned here. 'I'll give you six months. Clean the g***** thing,'" President Rodrigo Duterte said at the Manila Times Business Forum in Davao City Friday.

He also threatened to shut down the island because of pollution.

"I will close Boracay. Boracay is a cesspool," he said. "You go into the water, it's smelly. Smell of what? Shit."

The Malay Municipal Tourism Office said the island saw over two million visitors from January to December 2017, a 16-percent increase from the number of tourist arrivals in 2016.

But Duterte said Boracay will lose the influx of visitors.

"There will be a time that no more foreigner will go there because he will have  when he goes back to the plane to where he belongs, he will be full of shit going back and forth to the restroom," He said.

In 2017, Chinese visitors frequented Boracay most with 375,284 nationals visiting the island. They are followed by Koreans and Taiwanese nationals.

Cimatu previously instructed the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) field offices which hold jurisdiction over Boracay to inspect the sewer facilities of the island businesses, after reports that many of them were not connected to Boracay's sewer system.

Other reports claim businesses throw wastewater into the sea, which further pollutes it.

"We need a serious and honest-to-goodness crackdown on these erring establishments that are contributing to water pollution in Boracay," Cimatu said in a press statement on Tuesday.

The DENR Chief said they are coordinating with the Department of Tourism to identify establishments violating the law.

Under the DENR's procedures, a notice of violation will be issued against violators. The establishment will then be given one or two months to address their violations.
The terrorist attack in Sunjwan army camp which killed two Army personnel and two terrorists was masterminded by Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), said a Defence spokesperson on Saturday.

"Search of their (terrorists) belongings confirmed them to be from Jaish-e-Mohammed. So far, JCO and 1 NCO both belonging to Jammu and Kashmir have been martyred and 9 others are injured. Two of them being critical. Operations will continue till all terrorists are apprehended or killed," he told media.

The Defence official said that two terrorists have been neutralised by the Army in the ongoing operation.

"As part of the ongoing operation in Sunjwan, the Army has killed two heavily armed terrorists. The terrorists were wearing combat uniforms carrying AK 56 assault rifle, the large amount of ammunition and hand grenades," he added.

Meanwhile, in wake of the attack Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti chaired a high-level meeting with Director General of Police (DGP) S.P. Vaid and other security forces in Jammu.

Two security personnel -- Subedar Madan Lal Choudhary and Subedar Mohd. Ashraf Mir -- were also killed in the attack.

Col Rohit Solanki, 6 Mahar (Officiating CO), Havildar Abdul Hamid, Lance Naik Bahdur Singh, and Neha, daughter of Subedar Madan Lal Choudhary were injured in the attack.

Following the attack, the district administration asked the schools within 500 meters of the camp to remain shut.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress president Rahul Gandhi is set to launch his four-day campaign to election-bound Karnataka today from Bellary.

According to reports, Rahul chose Bellary to start the campaign for the April Assembly polls as it would have an emotional recall with the voters, given the Congress won the 2013 Assembly polls under Sonia Gandhi's leadership.

He is expected to continue his temple visits in the election-bound Karnataka during his four-day stay.

Rahul will visit Koppal's Huligamma Temple in Koppal on Saturday.

Reportedly, the Congress chief has directed the party workers in Karnataka to present a positive agenda before the voters.

The campaign will involve road shows, public meetings, interactions with civil society groups and sessions featuring farmers.

The Karnataka assembly elections will be held in the first quarter of this year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Kerala High Court on Friday rejected the FIR registered by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau against former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, and others in connection with an alleged land grab case.

The FIR was registered in February last year by then Vigilance head Jacob Thomas, against the Congress leader, then Chief Secretary EK Bharath Bhushan and three others.

The accused subsequently approached the high court to quash the FIR.

According to reports, the high court also came down heavily against the Vigilance Bureau, and Thomas for registering a case on a non-existent land grab.

On November 9, 2017, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan tabled the judicial commission report related to solar scam case against former chief minister Oommen Chandy and others in Kerala Assembly.

According to the report, Chandy and his staff members - Tenny Joppen, Jikkumon Jacob and gunman Salim Raj - had allegedly helped the prime accused in the solar scam, Saritha S. Nair and Biju Radhakrishnan, cheat the clients.

It also states that then Home Minister T. Radhakrishnan made all efforts to ensure that Chandy is extricated from all the criminal liability.

The solar scam took place in 2013 when the United Democratic Front (UDF) government led by Chandy was in power.

On October 11, Vijayan directed an enquiry against Chandy and others in connection with the case.

The chief minister's directive came days after the Commission headed by Justice G. Sivarajan, which probed the multi-crore scam, submitted its final report to him.

The case relates to swindling of lakhs from several people by Sarith and her live-in partner Biju Radhakrishnan after promising to set up solar panels.

They were business partners of Team Solar Renewable Energy Solutions Private Limited, a Kochi based firm.

They were arrested in October 2013 and in December 2016.

The Judicial Magistrate Court in Perumbavoor had sentenced the duo to three years in prison and a fine of Rs. 10,000 each.

During investigation, the former chief minister and some of his cabinet colleagues were accused of taking a huge sum of money as a part of the deal.

Chandy had deposed before the Commission in December 2016, saying that the charges against him were politically motivated.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Embattled Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen has refused to meet with diplomats from the European Union, Germany and the United Kingdom after the state of emergency was imposed in the Maldives last week.

The diplomats who are based in Sri Lanka, but are also accredited to the Maldives, reached Male on Thursday after the Maldivian government said that the country was open to foreign observers.

They met with the members of the ruling and opposition parties, who discussed the ongoing political crisis in the country, according to media reports.

The German Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Joern Rohde, wrote on Twitter, "Sadly the Maldivian Govt refuses dialogue: today with my UK/EU colleagues we requested to meet the President/Cabinet ministers and speaker of majlis (Parliament) to discuss our concerns on the current situation. Our requests were unfortunately refused. That is surely not the way forward."

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, termed the Maldives' state of emergency as an "all-out assault on democracy".

The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also appealed to the Maldivian government to lift the emergency soon.

Two journalists, an Indian and a British national of Indian origin, were arrested on Friday in the Maldives under the State of Emergency decree for national security purposes.

Money Sharma from Punjab and Atish Ravji Patel from London were reporters who were employed with Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency.

Last Monday, Gayoom, Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed, Supreme Court Justice Ali Hameed and Judicial administrator Hassan Saeed were arrested by the security forces after Yameen declared a state of emergency in the country.

The arrests indicated that the crackdown on the opposition intensified. The country's National Defence Force also stormed inside the Supreme Court (SC) premises in Male last week.

The Maldivian capital remained tense as opposition leaders across were being rounded up and placed under detention as Yameen, who has been refusing to obey SC's orders directing him to release nine prominent leaders from prison, gave sweeping powers to the security forces.

Last week, the Maldivian Supreme Court acquitted former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed, former Maldivian Vice President Ahmed Adeeb and ordered the reinstatement of the 12 other parliamentary members.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the United Arab Emirates reflects the two nations' longstanding historical ties, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan said on Saturday.

"With great appreciation, we welcome the country's guest, the Prime Minister of India His Excellency the Honourable Narendra Modi, whose presence in the United Arab Emirates, which is connected to India, has a long history and a bright common future," the Crown Prince tweeted.

He said the Prime Minister's visit added to the architecture of friendship and mutual cooperation between the two nations.

The Prime Minister received a ceremonial reception as he reached Abu Dhabi, the second leg of his three-nation tour.

"His visit reflects our longstanding historical ties and is a testament to our friendly bilateral relationship."

He will later in the evening attend a banquet dinner hosted by the Crown Prince.

On Sunday, he will address at a community event at Dubai Opera.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The deputy chief of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Khan Said Mehsud, is believed to be killed in a drone strike in the Margha Area of Barmal in Afghanistan.

At least two sources confirmed that Mehsud was killed along with his nephew and two guards.

"The vehicle was completed destroyed," an intelligence official told The Express Tribune, adding that there were at least three reported drone strikes on the Pak-Afghan border in the last 24 hours.

Mehsud, who was the head of the Mehsud faction of the TTP, has been replaced by Maulvi Khatir, who is the new acting chief of the terrorist organisation.

The United States listed Mehsud on its designated terrorist list in 2014.

Mehsud became the deputy chief of TTP after Waliur Rahman's death in 2013. He reportedly had fought in Afghanistan and was believed to be involved in the attack on PNS Mehran in Karachi in 2011, which killed 18 navy personnel.

He is also the alleged mastermind of a jailbreak, where he freed over 400 inmates from a prison in Bannu in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province in 2012.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday said Palestine relies on India's role as an international force for peace in the region.

He was speaking after witnessing exchange of agreements between India and Palestine in presence of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi here.

President Abbas welcomed Modi on his historic visit to the country sand said that Indian leadership has always stood by peace in Palestine.

Asserting that Palestine was ready for to engage in negotiations with India, Abbas said they rely on India's role as an international force and its role in the non-alignment movement for desired peace in the region.

"We have said and will say we are ready to engage in negotiations. We rely on India's role as an international force and its role in the non-alignment movement in a way that is conducive to desired peace in our region," President Abbas said.

He asserted Palestine's commitment to political action and negotiations as means of achieving their national goals to freedom and independence.

"Here I would like to assert our commitment to political action and negotiations as means of achieving our national goals to freedom and independence in accordance with the two states' relation along the lines of 1967," Abbas said.

Prime Minister Modi thanked Abbas for the Grand Collar of the state of Palestine conferred on him.

Prime Minister Modi's visit to Palestine comes a month after India hosted Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Modi, who is on a three-nation tour, reached Palestine on Saturday. He is the first Indian Prime Minister to step on Palestinian soil.

On Friday, Prime Minister Modi reached Jordan's capital Amman where he met King Abdullah II. He took a chopper ride to Palestine's Ramallah.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Belakoba forest department arrested four persons and seized pangolin scales, known for their aphrodisiac and medicinal values, in large quantity here on Saturday.

Those arrested were identified as Om Bahadur Gurung, a resident of Ilam district of Nepal, and Nima Tshiring Bhutia, Suren Gurung, and Jumba Bhutia, residents of Darjeeling.

"After receiving the information that a group of four people were gathered at Salugara to smuggle wildlife article (Pangolin scale) to Bhutan, the forest officers' team intercepted them and during a thorough search, found the scales in a shopping bag. It was stored from Bhutan and they had a plan to smuggle them to Nepal," Belakoba Range's Ranger Sanjay Dutt told ANI.

The arrested persons will be produced on Saturday before the Jalpaiguri district court.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar was on Saturday trolled on the social media for expressing his concern over women consuming alcohol.

"I have begun to fear now because even girls have started drinking beer. The tolerance limit is being crossed," said Parrikar on Friday at an event.

However, his statement did not go down well with the Twitterati, who savagely tore into the Chief Minister while using a hashtag "GirlsWhoDrinkBeer"

To Sir, With Love.



Cheers from Goa, Mr Parrikar! #GirlsWhoDrinkBeer

C'mon good ladies, let's make this weekend worth it. Use the hashtag and share your beer ?? pics on my timeline.

The one with the best pic, your beer is on me. pic.twitter.com/6AX3jejIIV Nishtha Gautam (@TedhiLakeer) February 10, 2018

Mahatma Gandhi's great-grandson Tushar Gandhi also hit out at Parrikar.

PM is annoyed by women who laugh, Parrikar is scared of girls drinking beer. Yogi offers solution keep them tied to the door post.  Tushar (@TusharG) February 10, 2018

Another also questioned as whether Parrikar is even aware of the century he was living in.

Yes girls drink beer and as long as they aren't breaking the law I cannot see how this is worrying. Please wake up and realize this is 2018! @manoharparrikar  Priya Samagod (@priyasamagod) February 10, 2018

A woman also asked the Chief Minister whether they need to go through sex change operation for a glass of beer.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Palestine's Ramallah on Saturday.

He was escorted by Israeli choppers and Royal Jordanian choppers on the way to Palestine. This is also the first visit ever by an Indian Prime Minister.

He laid a wreath at the mausoleum of Late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat in Ramallah. He will also sign the visitors book in the museum.

After a ceremonial guard of honour, Prime Minister Modi will meet with the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Both sides are expected to sign various agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs). This will be followed by a working lunch between the two leaders.

He will then depart to Amman's Queen Alia International Airport in Jordan, from where he will emplane for Abu Dhabi.

Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said Prime Minister Modi's visit to Ramallah in Palestine was the first ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister there.

Prime Minister Modi's visit to Palestine comes a month after India hosted Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

On February 9, Prime Minister Modi arrived in Jordan, which is his transit to Palestine. The Prime Minister's Office expressed gratitude to King Abdullah II of Jordan for facilitating the transit.

After Palestine, the Prime Minister would visit United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman.

The Prime Minister will leave for the UAE tomorrow and then on the final leg, to Muscat on February 11, before returning to Delhi the following day.

Prior to Prime Minister Modi, former President Pranab Mukherjee and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had visited Palestine in October 2015 and January 2016 respectively.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 10)  President Rodrigo Duterte said Friday he welcomes the International Criminal Court's (ICC) move to conduct a preliminary review of drug killings in the Philippines.

In a media briefing Friday, an undaunted Duterte addressed the ICC.

"I hope you comeI welcome you and if you want to find me guilty, go ahead. So be it," he said.

Duterte even said he was prepared should he be found guilty.

"Find me guilty, of course, you can do that. I do not want imprisonment. I said, 'I beg of you to find a country where they execute,'" he said.

Duterte said this as the ICC on Thursday announced it would start preliminary examinations on drug killings in the country.

The Philippines is a state party to the ICC, the "court of last resort."

The ICC, which complements national courts, handles what it defines as "the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole," including crimes against humanity.

It can, however, only investigate if the Philippines does not or "is unwilling or unable" to probe the crimes.

The preliminary examination is not an investigation, the ICC said, but a process to see if there is basis to proceed with an investigation.

Duterte said if an ICC representative would come, he would want to speak to them one-on-one.

Despite welcoming the ICC's move, the President claimed there was no clear-cut definition of extrajudicial killings.

Malacanang had said there is no extrajudicial killing in the country, based on the definition in the operational guidelines of Administrative Order No. 35, which created an inter-agency committee on extralegal killings in 2012.

Under this order, a killing is considered extrajudicial when "the victim was targeted and killed because of the actual or perceived membership, advocacy, or profession."

Duterte further said laws must be published in the Official Gazette in order to become effective.

"But those laws were submitted to you but were not published, 'yung mga definition of what are the crimes that you can take cognizance of," he said.

He also questioned why the ICC is reviewing the Philippines when there are other crimes to be investigated elsewhere.

"Well, I do not want to appear na I'm trying to avoid liability. Basta sinabi ko lang na, eh kung ganun ang style nila, karami ngayong mass rape. Bakit ako [There's so much mass rape happening elsewhere. Why me?]" he said.

The President again threatened to withdraw from the ICC.

"Karaming massacre diyan ngayon. In all parts of Asia... ako pa 'yung gusto ninyong tirahin [There are so many massacres now in all parts of Asia and you want to target me] You better clear that up because I will withdraw from the ICC," he said.

On Thursday Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the President welcomed the preliminary examination "because he is sick and tired of being accused of the commission of crimes against humanity."

The President sees the ICC examination as an opportunity to belie allegations against him, Roque added.

The Duterte administration has been subject to international scrutiny over the supposed high death toll in its brutal war on drugs.

While government data show that those killed in such operations have reached only 4,000, rights group claim the number has gone as high as 13,000.
In a special recognition of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's contribution to relations between India and Palestine, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas conferred the "Grand Collar of the State of Palestine" on him after the conclusion of the bilateral meeting.

The commendation read, "In recognition of his wise leadership and his lofty national and international stature, and in appreciation of his efforts to promote the historic relations between the State of Palestine and the Republic of India; in acknowledgement of his support to our people's right to independence and freedom so that peace prevails in the region."

The Grand Collar is the highest order given to foreign dignitaries- such as Kings, Heads of State/Government and persons of similar rank.

It has been awarded to King Salman of Saudi Arabia, King Hamad of Bahrain, President Xi Jinping of China, amongst others in the past.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi arrived in Palestine's Ramallah on Saturday.

He was escorted by Israeli choppers and Royal Jordanian choppers by the King on the way to Palestine. This is also the first visit ever by an Indian Prime Minister.

He laid a wreath at the mausoleum of Late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat in Ramallah. and also signed the visitors book in the museum.

After a ceremonial guard of honour, Prime Minister Modi met with Abbas. Both sides signed various agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoU). This will be followed by a working lunch between the two leaders.

He will then depart to Amman's Queen Alia International Airport in Jordan, from where he will emplane for Abu Dhabi.

Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said Prime Minister Modi's visit to Ramallah in Palestine was the first ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister there.

Prime Minister Modi's visit to Palestine comes a month after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited India.

Prior to Prime Minister Modi, former President Pranab Mukherjee and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had visited Palestine in October 2015 and January 2016 respectively.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday laid wreath at the mausoleum of late President of Palestine Yasser Arafat in Ramallah.

He was accompanied by Prime Minister of Palestine, Rami Hamdallah. The Mausoleum of Yasser Arafat was unveiled on November 10, 2007 and is located adjacent to the compound of Presidential Headquarters (Al-Muqata'a).

The Mausoleum has many symbolic features. The length of each of its walls is 11 meters forming a cube, dimensions of the cube signifying the date of Yasser Arafat's death on the 11th day of the 11th month.

After paying homage to Yasser Arafat at the Mausoleum, PM took a short tour, accompanied by PM Rami Hamdallah, of the Yasser Arafat Museum located adjacent to the Mausoleum.

The Prime Minister on his first day of the three-nation tour will hold meetings and exchange agreements with ministers in Ramallah in the West Bank.

Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said Prime Minister Modi's visit to Ramallah in Palestine was the first ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister there.

Prime Minister Modi's visit to Palestine comes a month after India hosted Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

On February 9, Prime Minister Modi arrived in Jordan, which is his transit to Palestine. The prime minister's office expressed gratitude to King Abdullah II of Jordan for facilitating the transit.

After Palestine, the Prime Minister would visit United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Navdeep Singh Puri on Saturday said that the upcoming visit to the UAE assumed significance, since this is the second time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the country.

Puri told ANI, "The visit by the Prime Minister assumes significance. Since he is second ever prime minister to visit the UAE after 2.5 years. So, this is an important visit."

According to him, India has the largest concentration of its nationals in the UAE, with a population of around 3.3 millions.

He continued, "India is the third largest trading partner for UAE. Last year, the trade value stood at 52 billion US dollars. It is also the second largest market for our exports. Last year, the value stood at 32 billion US dollars."

Puri added that the UAE had started investing in India, which was helping in strengthening the economic relations between the two countries.

"The UAE has started investing a lot in India. This is helping to improve and strengthen the relations between the two countries. Due to this, the remittances here stood at 13 billion US dollars last year. It has helped the families in India a lot," said Puri.

"Also, we take in pride that India are the biggest suppliers of energy and this helps in diversifying our relationship. We have a comprehensive strategic partnership which is taking on new dimensions," he added.

Puri added that the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has allocated 55,000 sq ft area for the development of a temple.

"During Prime Minister Modi's visit to the UAE in August 2015, he had requested the crown prince of Abu Dhabi to allocate some land for a temple." We have got a big amount of land (55,000 sq ft area). We are working with the government. The construction has started. Work on levelling the ground and other basic facilities are on. Broad design has been approved. The temple will come at the place off the Abu Dhabi-Dubai highway," Puri elaborated.

Prime Minister Modi will then inaugurate temple stone via video conferencing from the Dubai Opera House, where he will also address the Indian community during a community event.

"It's a classic case of tradition meeting technology", he stated.

Puri said that the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will host Prime Minister Modi in the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi, which would be the first time that a Crown Prince will be hosting a foreign dignitary.

Puri continued that the Prime Minister will meet various UAE leaders during his visit and will reach out to the business leaders as well. Also, both sides are expected to sign various agreeements on energy, workers' law, trade and infrastructure.

Prime Minister Modi will address the Government Summit, where he would be speaking on- "Technology for Development".

"The Prime Minister will address the Government Summit, which is a UAE based event. It will be attended by at least 141 delegations from around 20 head of states. So it's a huge event. The theme for the summit will be "Technology for Development", where Prime Minister Modi will discuss ways to utilise technology for development and will espouse on Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, Digital India and so on," he added.

Prime Minister Modi is currently in Ramallah, Palestine for a state visit. It is also the first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister.

On February 9, Prime Minister Modi arrived in Jordan, which is his transit to Palestine. The Prime Minister's Office expressed gratitude to King Abdullah II of Jordan for facilitating the transit.

After Palestine, the Prime Minister would visit UAE and Oman.

The Prime Minister will leave for the UAE tomorrow and then on the final leg, to Muscat on February 11, before returning to New Delhi the following day.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday directed the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to look into the Sunjwan Army Camp attack.

He also spoke to Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) SP Vaid regarding this matter.

At least three terrorists stormed inside a JCO family quarter in Sunjwan area of Jammu and Kashmir in the wee hours of Saturday.

Jammu Inspector General of Police (IGP) S. D. Singh Jamwal said that one Hawaldar and his daughter were injured in the attack.

"In the morning around 4:45 a.m. Militants fired upon one gate, the area has been cordoned off two injured one army man and his daughter as per reports. Militants number is not known as of now," he added.

The security forces have cordoned off the area and are conducting a search and combing operation.

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A report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) on Saturday stated that 22 out of the 297 candidates, who would be contesting in the upcoming Tripura Assembly elections, have criminal cases against them.

About 17 of these 22 candidates have serious criminal cases against them, including Martujuddin Choudhury, who has a murder case against him.

Six other candidates had declared cases related to attempt to murder under section 307 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against them.

Among the candidates, 11 (22%) out of the 51 from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), 4 (7%) out of the 59 from the Indian Congress (INC), 2(4%) out of the 57 from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI (M)), 2(22%) out of the 9 from the Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) and 1(4%) out of the 24 from the AITC have criminal cases against them in their affidavits.

Nine BJP, 3 Congress, 2 IPFT, 1 TMC and 1 Independent candidate have serious criminal cases, including murder, attempt to murder, voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means against them.

Of the total 297 candidates, 35 are crorepatis.

The average of assets per candidate contesting in the Tripura Assembly Elections 2018 is Rs 46.92 lakh, the report added.

Among the major parties, the average assets per candidate for 59 INC candidates is Rs 53.16 lakhs, 57 CPI (M) candidates have average assets of Rs 39.91 lakhs, 51 BJP candidates have average assets worth Rs 1.35 crores, 24 AITC candidates have average assets worth Rs 9.93 lakhs, 15 INPT candidates have average assets worth Rs 36.44 lakhs, 9 IPFT candidates have average assets worth Rs 23 lakhs and 25 Independent candidates have average assets of Rs. 7.25 lakhs, the ADR report read.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A group of heavily-armed militants stormed an army camp in Jammu early on Saturday and entered the family quarters, spraying automatic gunfire at the sleeping inhabitants and also lobbed bombs, leading to a gun fight in which two persons were killed and six others, including the daughter of an officer, were injured.

"The attack has been contained and the operation is still in progress," an officer said.

The sources said that soldiers at the Sunjuwan Military Station close to Jammu city noticed suspicious movement near the camp around 4.45 a.m.

Suspecting they could be militants, the soldiers challenged them. But the gunmen hurled grenades and opened fire from automatic weapons, the sources said.

The militants then entered the junior commissioned officers (JCO) family quarters in the vicinity and holed themselves up in one of the houses.

The injured include the daughter of a junior army officer who had come to visit her father during school holidays.

"The attack has now been contained. Most of the families have been evacuated from the junior commissioned officers (JCO) quarters where the terrorists had entered. Before the final assault on the terrorists we are making sure that no civilians are harmed in this operation," a statement said.

Sources said room-to-room intervention was going on to pin down the militants inside the Junior Commissioned Officers' residential building.

There were intelligence inputs that Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) militants were planning to carry out an attack around the 5th death anniversary of Parliament attack convict, Afzal Guru, who was hanged on February 9, 2013 in Tihar Jail, the sources said.

Para commandos of the army have been airlifted from the army's northern command headquarters in Udhampur town to flush out the holed up militants, believed to be three to four in number.

Air Force has been providing aerial surveillance to the security forces during the operation against the militants who have been surrounded inside one of the buildings.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who spoke earlier to state director general of Police (DGP), S.P. Vaid told reporters in Delhi that security forces were doing their duties and there was no doubt that the operation would be taken to its logical conclusion.

All educational institutions within half a kilometre radius of the camp have been shut down for the day.

The attack on family quarters of military personnel was a stark reminder of a similar attack in 2002 when a group of militants in army fatigues killed 30 people and wounded nearly 50 in Kaluchak near Jammu.

Jammu and Kashmir Speaker Kavinder Gupta visited the main gate of the army camp as the security forces carried out the anti-terror operation.

In 2006, a suicide attack carried out at the Sunjuwan camp saw the death of 12 soldiers before two fidayeen militants were killed.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti expressed her anguish over the terror attack saying, "Deeply disturbed by the terrorist attack in #Sunjwan today. My heart goes out to the injured and their families."

NC working president and former Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah also condemned the attack saying, "News from Jammu & the encounter in #Sunjwan is extremely disturbing. Hoping for an end to the encounter without any loss of life among the security forces & their families."

--IANS

sq-ao-sar/rn

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 10)  President Rodrigo Duterte offered to pay Lumads 20,000 each to kill members of the New People's Army (NPA).

Duterte, in a speech in Davao City Friday, said he is offering to train the indigenous groups for three months to kill the rebels.

"If they are well trained enough, give me about three months, I will train them as CAFGU (Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Unit) and give them firearms and go out and hunt for those who killed their comrades," Duterte said.

The President's remark comes after a Lumad tribal leader and his son were killed by suspected NPA rebels on February 4, after attending an Indigenous Peoples' Summit in Davao City.

"Isang NPA mapatay ninyo, kayong mga Lumad na maging CAFGU, I'll pay you you want money? I'll give you money," he said.

Duterte said he will offer a reward for each member of the NPA killed.

"I will make it 20,000 per head," he added.

The President earlier said the Lumads are also set to receive 100 million financial aid from the government, to help with livelihood projects as well as to counter the influence of communist insurgents.

'All we've ever asked for is justice'

The Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development (ALCADEV) on Sunday decried Duterte's offer to indigenous people to go after members of the NPA.

The group said to be asked to kill in exchange for money is not part of their culture.

"The underlying principle of our struggle to defend the land of our ancestors can never be bought," said ALCADEV, an alternative learning school providing secondary education to indigent indigenous youth.

It also deplored the killings of their leaders by members of the military, whom it called "murderers."

"To even ask us to kill, as if killing is the way to peace in our communities, shows ignorance of our plight and our struggle," it added. "We've never asked you to kill anyone; all we've ever asked for is justice.

ALCADEV said the Lumads would not do what the military and paramilitary did, which was to drive them away from their ancestral land.

Members of the indigenous communities in Mindanao have been often recruited to be part of the NPA, which Duterte has formally labeled as terrorists along with the Communist Party of the Philippines in November 2017.

In December, two United Nations rapporteurs voiced alarm over the "massive and potentially irreversible impact" of the Mindanao's militarization on members of Lumad communities.

They said some figures suggested as many as 2,500 Lumads have been displaced since October, adding there were reports of some farmers killed by the military.
South Africa survived a nail-biting finish to edge out India by five wickets in a rain-curtailed fourth One-Day International (ODI) here on Saturday.

India, who had won the first three ODIs, now have a 3-1 lead in the six-match series.

Electing to bat first, India rode on opener Shikhar Dhawan's 13th ODI century to post 289/7 in their 50 overs.

Dhawan scored 109 runs off 105 balls, and shared a 158-run stand with skipper Virat Kohli who scored 75.

The match was interrupted by rain and inclement weather on more than one occasion which saw the target being reduced to 202 runs off 28 overs for South Africa.

The Indian bowlers dominated South African batsmen in the initial stages.

With their top four batsmen back in the pavilion by the 17th over with just 102 runs on the board, the Proteas seemed to have lost their way and headed for certain defeat.

When David Miller was bowled while trying to hit an incoming delivery from leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, the visitors must have thought that the match was as good as in the bag.

But miraculously for South Africa, television replays revealed that the delivery was a no-ball and Miller was back in the middle. That turned out to be the turning point as the match quickly turned on its head.

Miller celebrated by smashing pacer Hardik Pandya for three consecutive boundaries in the next over and the momentum abruptly turned in the hosts' favour.

Chahal did manage to dismiss Miller eventually, trapping him leg before.

But Miller, who scored 39 runs off 28 balls with four boundaries and two sixes, had turned the momentum decisively South Africa's way.

Heinrich Klaasen continued the good work, plundering an unbeaten 43 off 27 deliveries with the help of five boundaries and a six.

Andile Phehlukwayo was also on fire at the other end, smashing three sixes his way to a whirlwind 23 off just five balls as the hosts celebrated a well deserved victory.

Chinaman Kuldeep Yadav was the most successful among the Indian bowlers with figures of 2/51 while fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, Pandya and Chahal got a wicket each.

Earlier, Dhawan shared a 158-run second-wicket stand with Kohli after opener Rohit Sharma was dismissed early on.

India were cruising at 197/2 in 34 overs when play was interrupted for nearly an hour due to lightning. After play resumed, India lost the plot and lost wickets regularly to what looked an under-par total.

Before the interruption, however, Dhawan and Kohli, dominated the home bowlers and steered India to a position of strength.

Kohli stamped his authority as he continued to punish the South African bowlers. For someone coming into the match with scores of 112, 46 not out, 160 not out, batting looked easy. He registered his 46th ODI fifty.

South Africa, playing without any spinners, looked out of ideas to stop the two with no variety in their bowling. Part-time Jean-Paul Duminy delivered four overs of spin but, expectedly, didn't look like taking a wicket.

The stand was broken when Kohli hit pacer Chris Morris straight into the hands of David Miller at short cover, with India at 178/2 in 31.1 overs.

India's march was halted by lightening with dark clouds hovering over the New Wanderers Stadium.

When the match resumed, Dhawan was the first to be dismissed, driving Morne Morkel to AB De Villiers at mid-off.

Ajinkya Rahane (8) too perished, with a pull off Lungi Ngidi failing to clear Rabada at deep square leg. With these two wickets, things suddenly looked gloomy for India, who were at 210/4.

The saviour of India was old war-horse, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who remained not out 42 off 43 deliveries.

At the other end, Ngidi and Rabada accounted for Shreyas Iyer (18) and Hardik Pandya (9) to dent India's hopes of a late surge but Dhoni once again showed why he is so important for the side.

Brief scores:

South Africa: 207/5 in 25.3 overs (Heinrich Klaasen 43 not out, David Miller 39; Kuldeep Yadav 2/51) vs India: 289/7 (Shikhar Dhawan 109, Virat Kohli 75, Mahendra Singh Dhoni 42 not out; Lungi Ngidi 2/52, Kagiso Rabada 2/58).

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Amritsar will soon get a Lahore-like food street for connoisseurs to relish local varieties, offering unique and aromatic flavours that will attract visitors from around the world.

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh made the announcement during a visit to the Punjab Food Festival organised in Amritsar, 250 km from here.

"With Amritsar, the Guru Ki Nagri, being a major tourist destination, a Food Street of Punjab's cuisine would be a major added attraction for visitors," he said, directing Tourism and Culture Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu to work on the project.

Sidhu promised to commence work on it on priority and announced that it will come up at Town Hall within six months.

Amritsar is known for its rich tradition and variety of food. Local residents are also famous for their love for this food and digesting it easily.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister also assured all government support to actor-producer Deepa Sahi, who comes from an Army background, for the development of the historic Gobindgarh Fort, which was opened to the public one year back.

Deepa has been working at the 18th century fort for the past few years to develop the region's first virtual reality theme park for bringing alive the experience of the past.

"The government will join Deepa in further nurturing and evolving the unique live museum, which has emerged as a repository of Punjab's history," the Chief Minister said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a reminder of the Galaxy Note 7 debacle, a Florida resident's Apple AirPod (right bud)caught fire and exploded, the media reported.

"Jason Colon of Tampa, Florida was listening to a dance mix at LA Fitness in St. Petersburg when he noticed something strange.

"He saw white smoke billowing out and left the AirPods on a piece of workout equipment and got help," NBC-affiliated channel WFLA-TV reported late on Friday.

"I did not see it happen, but I mean, it was already fried! You can see flame damage," Colon was quoted as saying by the channel.

It is not clear what led to the incident but Apple is said to be investigating.

Notably, this is not the first time a popular device has gone up in flames.

At least half a dozen cases of Apple iPhone 8 and 8 Plus batteries swelling and phones left split-apart were reported in October 2017.

The first case was reported in Taiwan where a woman found her iPhone 8 swollen and in two pieces after plugging it in to charge.

In 2016, Samsung recalled Galaxy Note 7 after some devices caught fire due to a defect in the batteries.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Apple has confirmed that it was aware of a source code leak that could have compromised the iPhone's security system and has asked web-based hosting service GitHub to remove the code.

An Apple employee told technology website Motherboard that the company knew of the leak before it was posted on GitHub but the employee did not mention any time.

Apple has also rubbished that security threat to iPhones.

The leak of the iBoot source code is not a security risk for most users, Apple said, but it is an embarrassment for a company that prides itself in secrecy and aggressively goes after leaks.

"Old source code from three years ago appears to have been leaked, but by design the security of our products doesn't depend on the secrecy of our source code.

"There are many layers of hardware and software protections built into our products, and we always encourage customers to update to the newest software releases to benefit from the latest protections," the company was quoted as saying.

On Wednesday, an unidentified person with a user named "ZioShiba" published the source code on GitHub.

The iBoot code was for iOS 9 and was two years old but it could help iOS security researchers and the jailbreak community find new bugs and vulnerabilities in a key part of the iPhone's locked-down ecosystem.

When Motherboard probed the source of the post, they found that the leak happened when a low-level Apple employee passed on some of the iPhone's sensitive iBoot source codes -- the part of iOS responsible for ensuring a trusted boot of the operating system -- to a group of friends, who were associated with a jailbreak community.

Jailbreaking is privilege escalation for the process of removing software restrictions imposed by Apple on iOS.

That low-level employee took the code from Apple while working at the company's Cupertino headquarters in 2016. Two people, who originally received that code from the employee told Motherboard.

The five friends of that employee encouraged the worker to leak internal Apple code as they wanted them for their security research.

"He pulled everything, all sorts of Apple internal tools and whatnot," a friend of the intern was quoted as saying.

According to the people, they never wanted the code to leave the group ever but eventually, the code was shared widely and the original group lost control of its dissemination.

"We personally never wanted that code to see the light of day. Not out of greed but because of fear of the legal firestorm that would ensue," they said.

"It can be weaponised. There's something to be said for the freedom of information, many view this leak to be good. [But] information isn't free when it inherently violates personal security," the group said.

"We did our best to try to make sure that it got leaked [only after the code] got old," they added.

A year later, some of the original group members, who had the codes delivered to them, posted the screenshots of the leak and boasted about them.

The screenshots were later shared on Reddit. But the post was automatically removed by a moderator bot and on Wednesday, a copy of the original leak was reposted on GitHub.

It went viral -- first inside the jailbreak community and then within the larger iOS security research community. Within hours, people on Twitter were talking about it.

"None of this was ever supposed to leave a handful of people, what's happened is quite disastrous," one of the people who originally received the code said, adding that the original intentions were non malicious.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U) legislator Sarfaraz Alam on Saturday resigned from the party, which some believe is a setback to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ahead of the Araria Lok Sabha bypoll next month.

Alam is the JD-U legislator from Jokihat in Araria district of Bihar and considered to be an aspirant to contest Araria bypoll that was vacated following the death of his father Mohammad Taslimuddin, a Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP.

Soon after he resigned from the JD-U, Alam met Rabri Devi, former Chief Minister and wife of RJD chief Lalu Prasad at her official residence 10, Circular Road here.

However, after meeting her, Alam said it was just a courtesy call and there was nothing more to it.

"It is certain thatb I will contest Araria bypoll but people of the constituency will decide from which party I will contest," Alam told the media.

He said he resigned due to pressure from people. "I have acted in line with the sentiments of people of my constituency."

However, soon after Alam resigned from the JD-U, Leader of opposition Tejashwi Yadav in his tweet said one more legislator of Nitish Kumar had resigned and that more may follow the suit.

On the other hand, JD-U spokesperson Ajay Alok said Alam's resignation was not at all a setback for the party.

According to leaders close to Alam, the JD-U ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will contest Araria bypoll and JD-U does not have guts to challenge it.

"Araria has been a stronghold of Sarfaraz's father Taslimuddin for over three decades. He will have to contest the bypoll to protect his father political legacy. RJD has offered him his father's seat," a leader.

In 2016, Alam hit the headlines as he was suspended from the JD-U for allegedly misbehaving with a couple on a running train. Later, he was even arrested but released on bail.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a move seen as a setback to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ahead of the Araria Lok Sabha bypoll next month, ruling JD-U MLA Sarfaraz Alam on Saturday resigned from the party and the membership of Bihar Legislative Assembly to join the RJD.

Alam was a Janata Dal-United (JD-U) legislator from Jokihat in Araria district of Bihar and one of the prime aspirants to contest the bypoll to Araria seat, which fell vacant following the death of his father Mohammad Taslimuddin, a Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP.

In a dramatic development, he joined the RJD in presence of senior party leader Shivanand Tiwary here. It was Tiwary who informed the media about the resignation of Alam as JD-U MLA and as the member of Bihar Legislative Assembly.

"After my father's death, my mother was telling me to join the party of which my father was a founder member. It is due to the desire of my mother that I am back to my old home," Alam said after joining the RJD.

Earlier, soon after he resigned from the JD-U, Alam called on Rabri Devi, former Chief Minister and wife of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, at her official residence 10, Circular Road here.

However, after meeting her, Alam said it was just a courtesy call and that there was nothing more to it.

"It is certain that I will contest Araria bypoll but people of the constituency will decide from which party," Alam had told the media.

He said he resigned due to pressure from people. "I have acted in line with the sentiments of people of my constituency."

Soon after Alam resigned from the JD-U, RJD leader and Leader of Opposition in state assembly Tejashwi Yadav said in a tweet that one more legislator of Nitish Kumar had resigned and that more would follow the suit.

In fact, a day before joing the RJD, Alam was seen with Tejashwi Yadav on Friday, fuelling speculation that he was getting close to him.

JD-U spokesperson Ajay Alok, however, said Alam's resignation was not at all a setback for the party.

According to leaders close to Alam, the JD-U ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will contest Araria bypoll and the JD-U does not have guts to challenge it.

"Araria has been a stronghold of Sarfaraz's father Taslimuddin for over three decades. He will have to contest the bypoll to protect his father political legacy. RJD has offered him his father's seat," said an Alam aide.

In 2016, Alam hit the headlines as he was suspended from the JD-U for allegedly misbehaving with a couple on a running train. Later, he was even arrested but released on bail.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The BJP on Saturday described as "propaganda" the charges made by Andhra Pradesh MPs from TDP, YSRCP and Congress in Parliament and urged these leaders to focus on development rather than politicising the issue.

Addressing reporters here with Andhra Pradesh BJP President K. Hari Babu, BJP spokesperson G.V.L. Narsimha Rao assured that the Central government will make all funds available as per commitment and much more.

"The state must harness the talent, entrepreneurial genius and technological prowess of its citizens to 'Make Andhra Great Again!' This is the vision people expect from its leadership. Make no mistake, no state has ever developed because of centre's help or special status or package. ... Dear leaders of AP, Focus on state's development and keep aside," Rao said.

He added that Andhra Pradesh had received utmost priority and importance contrary to the claims made by the state leaders during first half of the budget session of Parliament.

MPs from Andhra Pradesh cutting across party lines agitated in both Houses of Parliament demanding "justice" for their state and the implementation of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act in its "true spirit" throughout the first part of the Budget session and even disrupted Parliament over it.

As the TDP is an ally of the ruling BJP government at the centre, the relation between both the parties have been strained over the issue after presentation of Union Budget.

Rao said that the BJP has a special heart for the Andhra Pradesh and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party President Amit Shah have shown extreme interest in ensuring that the state gets all that it deserves.

Hari Babu said that the BJP is fully committed to Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act and it is sincere to implement it.

He said that in a meeting held on Friday, the major issues related to the demands of the political parties have been sorted out.

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, in his reply to the budget discussion said on Friday that BJP has always been for justice to Andhra Pradesh ever since its bifurcation and the Central government is gradually fulfilling commitments made to Andra Pradesh at the time of bifurcation while new demands are being looked into.

He said that many works related to the state's development were "at a very advanced stage" and that various central ministries have been asked to look into and take "early decisions" related to various demands of the state.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Compared with the 2013 Tripura assembly polls, the number of candidates facing criminal charges in the February 18 polls have decreased by one per cent to 7 per cent, a report said here on Saturday.

The 62-page analytical report said that the number of women candidates is 8 per cent (24) this time, out of the total 297 candidates as against 6 and 9 per cent in 2013 and 2008 assembly polls, when the total number of candidates was 249 and 313 respectively.

According to report of the Tripura Election Watch (TEW), a state body of the National Election Watch (NEW), 12 per cent (35) candidates are crorepatis this time against 6 per cent (16) and two per cent (7) in 2013 and 2008 polls respectively.

"Of the 35 crorepati candidates, 18 are from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), nine from Congress, four from ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) who have declared their assets ranging from Rs 20 million to Rs 50 million," NEW Tripura state coordinator Biswendu Bhattacharjee told the media here.

He said: "There are criminal cases against 22 per cent of 51 BJP candidates, 7 per cent of 59 Congress candidates and four per cent of the 57 CPI-M contestants."

According to the report, 173 (58 per cent) of the 297 candidates are 5th and 12th Class pass while 121 (41 per cent) candidates are graduates or have higher degrees while one candidate never went to school.

In all, 140 candidates (47 per cent) of different political parties have declared their age in the affidavit, submitted with the nomination papers, between 25 and 50 years while 156 (53 per cent) candidates have declared their age between 51 and 80 years.

The TEW, a platform of academicians, journalists, social activities, intellectuals, NGOs and retired officials, published the 62-page report of the candidates' profile based on affidavits filed along with their nomination papers.

Since December 2003, the TEW and NEW and ADR (Association of Democratic Reforms) in association with the other non-political bodies have been publishing such candidate profile reports before all state assembly and Lok Sabha elections in India.

"Following the Supreme Court judgment of May 2, 2002, and March 13, 2003, it is the citizens' fundamental right to know the background of their candidates before they cast their valuable votes," said Bhattacharjee, coordinator of ADR and TEW.

The ADR, a national body working for improving democracy and governance in India since 1999, helped TEW compile the report.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Consumers in the US search the most for pet-friendly accessories like a dog car seat, according to Google "Auto Trends 2018" report released on Friday.

A user in the US was 36 times as likely to search for pet-related items like a dog hammock than the average person in Germany and 10 times more likely than the average person in Japan.

"When it comes to the US, pets are a huge market: Starbucks is offering 'Puppuccinos'. There's farm-to-table pet food," Yarden Horwitz, Trendspotting Lead for Google was quoted as saying by The Verge.

"Consumers are also going to figure out how to enhance the driving experience for the pet who is their newest family member. Millennials are thinking of pets as their family members, so they are going to rethink how a car is being used by pets," the report added.

Germans seem obsessed with digital radio while the Japanese want to the bring the comforts of their living rooms into their vehicle.

"Across all markets, we see a consistent trend in consumers searching to bring on-board cameras into their vehicles. Many cars already feature back-up cameras, but car shoppers are looking for different types of cameras," Google "Auto Trends" report noted.

The search engine giant complied top-volume queries related to the automotive sector in its Search feature and YouTube and surveyed over 1,000 consumers to identify the top auto trends in the US, Germany and Japan.

Notably, it is Google's first major automotive trend report made public after the company began releasing fashion, beauty and food trend reports in 2015.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
On the second Sunday of March 1964 -- more than five decades ago -- 25 vintage cars lined up on the capital's Barakhamba Road at about 7.30 a.m. The historic Statesman red brick-building added an old-world charm to the gathering of bygone beauties and their proud owners as the first edition of Statesman Vintage Car Rally took off. The rally which now also features classic cars, turns 52 this year -- a rare feat achieved by few in this field.

The cars were flagged off by the then Union Transport Minister Raj Bahadur. A 1912 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost, with the Maharaja of Nabha (the titles could be used till 1971, when privy purses were abolished) at the wheel, was the first to depart. And thus began this tryst with vintage cars, which gradually transpired into a movement to preserve them and prevent them from fading away into silent oblivion. Along the way, it has also propelled several other such events. But when it began, it was the only one of its kind.

Even on its debut run, The Statesman Vintage Car Rally turned out to be a happening affair as hundreds of people gathered at The Statesman building for the flag-off and then watched the beauties make their way along the route. But not many would have believed that as many as 23 out of 25 crocks would have been able to complete the 115-mile journey to Bharatpur.

And what a delight it was for this young reporter, then working at The Statesman, to flick through the newspaper's archives and read some personal accounts of those who attended and participated in the historic rally.

An anonymous writer, in the brochure for The 25th Statesman Vintage Car rally in 1990 mentioned: "As one who accompanied this odd but beautiful caravan I can disclose that except for two that developed mechanical trouble en route, the cars (others) never gave any indication that they would get tired of running.." Much like the cars of the first run, The Statesman Vintage and Classic Car Rally has also never given any indication of slowing down -- in fact, it has grown but stronger with every passing year.

(Only twice since the inaugural event has the rally not run. The first was in 1971 when war clouds loomed over the sub-continent with the unilateral declaration of independence by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, an event that saw the emergence of Bangladesh out East Pakistan. The second time was in 1973 due to an impending fuel crisis.)

The first halt for the 1964 Delhi-Bharatpur Rally was short of the Moghul Bridge, past Nizammudin East. One of the cars, an old 1921 Farman, had already used up four litres of Petrol for a run of the same number of miles and its owner was well-apprehensive of the speed that he was required to maintain. The best he could get out of his old machine was 75 m.p.h and, therefore, ultimately it could not complete the 115-mile journey to Bharatpur.

Those who attended the rally have mentioned that the engines and sirens made a wonderful sound. "The sirens particularly must have unnerved many dogs and cows on the route, though to the human ear it was far more peaceful than the modern double horns."

After a brief halt at Kosi, the caravan proceeded towards Deeg, where the participants had a picnic lunch amidst beautiful surroundings. The journey between Deeg and Bharatpur, the records say, was the most fascinating. At all the villages along the way, the local population had queued up along the road to cheer the participants and at Bharatpur, the civic chief publicly welcome to the caravan. "We were at Bharatpur at 4 p.m as guests of His Highness, the Maharaja of Bharatpur. Everything was done to make us comfortable and the evening ended with a sumptuous banquet and the distribution of prizes", recalled the anonymous writer.

A path-breaking initiative taken by the organisers was the addition of the cars from the "post-War period", in the Classic category. Initially, the rally confined itself to pre-1939 models only but now sections have been added for more recent cars -- of course nothing younger than 35 years is allowed to join the bandwagon. This expansion has led to the preservation of a large number of cars that had fallen into an awkward category -- too old for regular use but not old enough to acquire antique value.

The clock has turned full circle and even today, The Statesman Vintage and Classic car rally stands tall and stable as along the way, hundreds of cars have been retrieved from the scrap heap and restored to glory. Many discarded and sold out (to kabadiwalas) bygone beauties have not just been reclaimed but have also made their presence felt in the National Capital through their participation in this rally.

Meanwhile, the rally has grown much beyond its lengthy entry list. The various competitions and trophies have fuelled a keen interest in the more solemn aspects of renovation, led some of the enthusiasts to really study the subject and all of this has resulted in the cars being maintained better.

The 52nd edition of The Statesman Vintage and Classic Car Rally will be flagged off from the Statesman House on February 11 and will culminate with a prize distribution ceremony at the Dhyanchand National Stadium in the capital. Save the date as the entry is free and open to all.

(Saket Suman can be contacted at saket.s@ians.in)

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 10)  A Filipino who supposedly worked with the international terror network ISIS has been placed under the U.S. Treasury's blacklist of "global terrorists."

Abdulpatta Escalon Abubakar "has served as a key facilitator for ISIS and its network in the Philippines since at least January 2016," the U.S. Department of The Treasury said in a statement February 9.

Abubakar helped facilitate the transfer of over $75,000 (P3.87 million at the current exchange rate) to "ISIS's network in the Philippines" in at least three occasions, the U.S. Treasury added.

Abubakar, along with Yunus Emre Sakarya of Turkey, and Mohamed Mire Ali Yusuf of Somalia have been added to the U.S. list of "Specially Designated Global Terrorists" for their links to ISIS.

"As a result of today's designations, all property and interests in property of these persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them," the U.S. Treasury said.

It said this is part of the U.S. government's crackdown against individuals and entities supporting the ISIS and its terror activities.

U.S. authorities said Abubakar in July 2017 worked with an ISIS member in the Philippines to facilitate the transfer of around $5,000 (P258, 235).

During that time, the ISIS-inspired Maute group has already placed Marawi City under siege, resulting in a five-month war between government forces and terrorists.

Timeline: The Marawi crisis

Abubakar was nabbed by immigration officials in September 2017, when he went home from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has yet to divulge Abubakar's whereabouts.

The U.S. Treasury said Abubakar also helped transfer $50,000 in August 2016, $20,000 in July 2016, "which may have been used by ISIS elements in the Philippines to purchase arms, through Abubakar."

U.S. authorities said Abubakar followed orders from slain terrorist leader Isnilon Hapilon in January and May 2016 to procure a huge amount of ammunition and arms and improvised explosive devices.

Hapilon, an Abu Sayyaf leader who pledged allegiance to ISIS in 2016, was killed in a firefight in Marawi in October 2017. The military believes he led the attack on Marawi along with the Maute brothers.

WATCH: Maute, Hapilon plan Marawi terror attack

Abubakar joins thousands of individuals, including Filipinos, on the U.S. blacklist, an initiative that began in September 2001 following the 9-11 terror attacks. It was pursuant to an executive order issued by then U.S. President George Bush.
Facebook has announced it will commit tens of millions of dollars to Community Leadership Program that is designed to empower global leaders who are building communities through its family of apps and services.

Apart from that, Facebook would also commit up to $10 million in grants that will go directly to people creating and leading communities so that Community Leaders could have more impact with additional support, the company said at the Facebook Communities Summit Europe in late on Friday.

"In addition, we introduced new tools for group admins and the expansion of our London-based engineering team that builds technology to help keep people safe on Facebook," the social media giant wrote in a blog.

Under the programme, Facebook would offer Residency and Fellowship opportunities for training, support and funding to community leaders from around the world.

"Up to five leaders will be selected to be community leaders in residence and awarded up to $1,000,000 each to fund their proposals," it said.

"Up to 100 leaders will be selected for our fellowship program and will receive up to $50,000 each to be used for a specific community initiative," the company said.

Facebook would also expand its Community Leadership Circles programme that brings local community leaders together to meet up in person to connect, learn and collaborate as well as Groups for Facebook Power Admins that is being run with more than 10,000 group admins in the US and Britain to help leader share advice with one another.

Meanwhile, the new tools for Group Admins and Members would keep their communities safe, organised and engaged.

With the Admin Tools, admins can now find member requests, Group Insights making it easier to manage groups and freeing up more time for admins to connect with members.

Group announcements will let group admins to post up to 10 announcements that appear at the top of their group.

Now admins can create a dedicated rules section to help them effectively communicate the rules of the group to their members. Now admins can add a personalised colour that is displayed throughout their group.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Abu Dhabi, Feb 10 (IANS/WAM) A six-month series of cultural collaborations between the UAE and France was launched in Abu Dhabi on Saturday by French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe.

The inauguration, attended by the UAE's Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development Noura Al Kaabi and Minister of State Zaki Nusseibeh, was held at Louvre Abu Dhabi.

Under the UAE-France Cultural Dialogue 2018, numerous festivals, exhibitions and educational initiatives will be held in both countries in a bid to promote cross-cultural exchange.

Philippe spoke of the long-standing relationship between the two countries initiated by the UAE founding father Sheikh Zayed in 1971.

Philippe toured the museum and discussed with Al Kaabi ways to expand the scope of mutual cultural collaborations.

"This was the fruit of 10 years of exceptional co-operation between France and the UAE. The result, as you can see, reflects our common ambition to utilise culture in better understanding the world and its diversity," he said.

He also addressed the UAE's plans to reintroduce French language classes in Emirati schools for the first time since 1988, the opening of an Arabic language learning centre at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi and plans for other initiatives to promote Arabic teaching in schools and learning centres in France.

"Language is the bond that unites us, each in his own language," he said.

Al Kaabi said the joint government initiative -- which coincides with the Year of Zayed -- would involve empowering talents, promoting values of creativity, innovation and artificial intelligence with a particular focus on the UAE's youth community.

--IANS/WAM

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In keeping with India's role as a major development aid partner for Palestine, the two sides on Saturday signed six memorandums of understanding (MoUs), including in the areas of health and education, following a bilateral meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas here.

An MoU was signed for setting up of an India-Palestine super-specialty hospital at Beit Sahour in Bethelhem governorate at a cost of $30 million.

A second MoU was signed for construction of the India-Palestine centre for empowering women called "Turathi" at a cost of $5 million.

Another MoU was signed for setting up of a new National Printing Press at Ramallah at a cost of $5 million.

Two MoUs worth $1.1 million and $1 million envisage construction of two schools at Tamoon village in Tubas governorate and Muthalth Al Shuhada village respectively.

A sixth MoU was signed for the construction of an additional floor at Jawahar Lal Nehru School for Boys at Abu Dees.

Prime Minister Modi arrived earlier in the day on a three-hour visit, the first ever by an Indian Prime Minister to Palestine.

Palestine is the first leg of Modi's three-nation tour of West Asia and the Gulf that will also see him going to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman.

--IANS

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AIMPLB President Maulana Rabey Hasani Nadvi on Saturday made it clear that no interference in Muslim Personal Law will be accepted as the community enjoys the Constitutional right to follow and practice Islamic Shariat.

Adressing the plenary of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), which is discussing among other issues a bill currently pending in Parliament to ban instant triple talaq, he told board members from across the country that the government is trying to impose restrictions on Muslims in the matter of talaq.

The apex body of the Indian Muslims is strongly opposing the bill by citing several flaws. It also alleged that the government's real intention is to ban the system of talaq.

The three-day plenary, concluding on Sunday, will evolve a strategy to get the flaws removed.

Stating that the Islamic religious laws are divine guidelines, Maulana Nadvi said they can neither be repealed nor changed. "Amending them or suggesting amendments to them is unacceptable. As India's Constitution is secular, we have the right to practice our religion and not to accept any interference," he said.

The eminent religious scholar said in personal matters like 'nikah' and 'talaq', Muslims have the right to follow the Islamic Shariat. "We will not give up our right under pressure from any majority or minority," he said.

"In a multi-religious country, it's not good that the majority community stops a particular community from following their religious guidelines. This could create uneasiness among citizens and may prove detrimental to the country," he added.

Maulana Nadvi said that Islam is a complete way of life and Muslims can neither change the Shariat at their will nor can allow others to do it.

He said 'nikah' is a mutual agreement between husband and wife and it has religious sanction. If the husband and wife, after exhausting all means of conciliation, feel they can't live together they have the right to terminate the agreement and the process prescribed for terminating this agreement can't be changed.

He stressed the need for unity in the community to counter attempts to bring changes. "As empowered citizens of this country, we should do whatever is practical to tackle the situation," he said.

He noted that for 46 years the board kept all schools of thought united as despite differences they feel protection of Shariat is their combined duty.

The President also touched on the campaign being run by the board for community reforms, to explain the Shariat laws in matters like nikah, talaq and inheritance and to call for their strict adherence.

He noted that objections to Shariat was mostly from those who don't know it and hence the board is also working to explain the Islamic family laws and clear the misunderstandings.

On Babri Masjid, he said for centuries it stood as place of worship for Muslims and changing its status and demolition through "majoritarian force" and the "will" of those in power was an open act of terrorism. Since Muslims and their representative Personal Law Board could not have remained silent over this lawlessness, it is carrying on a legal battle.

--IANS

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The Israeli Army said it launched "large-scale attacks" against the aerial defence system and Iranian targets in Syria following the shooting down of an Israeli F-16 fighter on Saturday in a major escalation of tension in the region.

Twelve targets, including three aerial defence batteries and four Iranian targets that were part of Iran's military establishment in Syria were attacked, according to a statement by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), Efe news reported.

The Israeli action came following the IDF's announcement that one of its military jets had crashed after coming under fire from anti-aircraft missiles in Syria.

The F-16 fighter was on a mission to strike Iranian drone installations in Syria, where Iranian and Iran-backed forces have established a major foothold while fighting in support of President Bashar al-Assad.

The IDF said its pilots managed to eject themselves and land safely inside their territory. One of the pilots was severely injured.

Hours earlier Israel said it had downed an Iranian drone that had infiltrated its airspace.

"The IDF sees the Iranian attack and the Syrian response as a severe and irregular violation of Israeli sovereignty," the Israeli Army said.

"We are willing, prepared and capable to exact a heavy price from anyone that attacks us, however we are not looking to escalate the situation," the military spokesman said.

Israeli media reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was currently holding an emergency meeting with Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman at the military headquarters in Tel Aviv.

Iran's expanding clout during Syria's nearly seven-year-long war, including deployments of Iran-backed forces near the Golan frontier, has raised alarm in Israel, which has said it would act against any threat from its regional arch-enemy Tehran.

The International Crisis Group warned in a report this week against increased tension and called on Russia to mediate to maintain the current containment agreements, under which Iranian forces should stay away from Israel-controlled territory.

--IANS

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An Israeli F-16 fighter jet crashed on Saturday in northern Israel after coming under "massive anti-aircraft fire" from Syrian forces, according to the Israeli Army.

The incident was reported after the Israeli combat helicopter came in contact with an Iranian unmanned aerial vehicle that had been launched from Syria, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said in a statement.

The two pilots parachuted to safety before the crash. It is believed to be the first time Israel has lost a jet in the Syrian conflict, BBC reported.

Israeli forces also launched attacks on what they described as Iranian targets in Syria, the IDF said.

"Iran is responsible for this severe violation of Israeli sovereignty," Jonathan Conricus, a spokesman for the IDF, said in a tweet.

"The IDF is striking numerous (12) Syrian and Iranian military targets in Syria, in response to Iranian aggression. More to follow," he said in another tweet.

--IANS

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Two journalists including an Indian national working for a global news agency, who were arrested in the Maldives amid the raging political turmoil, will be deported, the police said.

Indian citizen Money Sharma from Amritsar and India-born British national Atish Ravji Patel, both working for AFP, were in the crisis-hit Indian Ocean atoll nation to cover the state of Emergency, which was declared on February 6 by President Abdulla Yameen.

The pair were picked up on Friday and are now set to be deported as they were "working in the country on a tourist visa in violation of the immigration law." However, no legal action will be taken against them, the Maldives government said in a press release.

"We would like to note that although they (the two journalists) have been asked to leave the Maldives, no other legal steps shall be taken against them," the statement said.

"All foreign nationals intending to work in the country should obtain either a business or work visa and this applies to journalists as well," it said.

The India's Foreign Ministry said on Friday that it had received information about an Indian national, Money Sharma, working as a journalist, was detained by the Maldivian authorities.

"We have asked our Embassy to get in touch with the local authorities to ascertain more details of the case," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.

The archipelago made international headlines after its President Yameen announced a 15-day state of Emergency last Monday and arrested the Supreme Court's top two judges and former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

Yameen's move came in the wake of a ruling by the apex court on February 1 to "release" exiled former President Mohamed Nasheed and other high-profile prisoners.

Nasheed, who has been living in self exile in Sri Lanka for the past few months, had made multiple appeals to India to intervene militarily in the archipelago country, saying that seeking an internal solution to the ongoing crisis could lead to chaos.

Amid the unrest, pro-opposition Maldives broadcaster RaajjeTV said on Friday it was going off the air because of threats from the country's military that it would close down news outlets that were "threatening national security."

The TV station said "it did not believe there was a safe environment for its journalists to report freely and independently".

--IANS

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Police in Australia on Saturday alleged that a stabbing in a Melbourne suburb a day ago was inspired by the Islamic State (IS) terror group.

Bangladeshi woman Momena Shoma was arrested at the scene on Friday after she allegedly stabbed a 56-year-old man while he was asleep, Xinhua news agency reported.

On Saturday she was charged by the Victorian Joint Counter- Team taskforce.

The victim on Saturday underwent surgery for injuries that the police said were not life-threatening.

Deputy Commissioner Ian McCartney said there was no ongoing threat to the community, but "this was a stand-alone, Islamic State-inspired attack, designed to cause harm".

Shoma, who arrived in Melbourne on February 1 on a student visa, is facing one count of engaging in a terrorist act; a charge which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

--IANS

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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here on Saturday on the second leg of his three-nation tour to West Asia and the Gulf.

Modi, who visited Palestine earlier in the day, is scheduled to hold talks with Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Commander of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Armed Forces UAE Armed Forces Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan later on Saturday evening, following which several agreements will be signed.

This is Modi's second visit to the UAE, home to around three million expatriate Indians, after his visit in 2015, which was the first by an Indian prime minister in 34 years.

While it is one of the largest suppliers of crude oil to India, the UAE is also the 10th largest investor in India in terms of foreign direct investment (FDI) having invested an estimated $8 billion.

As of 2016-17, India-UAE trade stood at around $52 billion, making India the largest trading partner of the UAE, while the Gulf nation is the fourth largest trading partner of India.

On Sunday, Modi will meet members of the Indian community here during the course of which he will lay the foundation stone of a temple via video linking.

Thereafter, he will travel to Dubai where he will deliver the keynote address at the Sixth World Government Summit, in which India is the guest of honour country this year.

From Dubai, the Prime Minister will proceed to Oman on the third and last leg of his tour.

--IANS

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In recognition of his contribution to ties with Palestine, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred The Grand Collar of the State of Palestine, the highest Palestinian honour for foreign dignitaries, by Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas here on Saturday.

"In a special recognition of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's contribution to relations between India and Palestine, President Abbas conferred the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine on him after the conclusion of their bilateral meeting," the Prime Minister's office tweeted.

It added that the honour is reserved for foreign dignitaries like kings, heads of state or government and persons of similar rank.

"In recognition of his wise leadership and his lofty national and international stature, and in appreciation of his efforts to promote the historic relations between between the State of Palestine and the Republic of India," the award commendation reads.

"In acknowledgment of his support to our people's right independence and freedom so that peace prevails in our region."

Earlier in the day, Modi was presented a guard of honour at the Presidential Palace soon after his arrival here from Amman, Jordan, in what is the first ever prime ministerial visit from India to Palestine.

He also laid a wreath at the mausoleum of Yasser Arafat, the Chairman of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation and the first President of the Palestinian Authority.

A number of agreements are expected to be signed following Saturday's bilateral meeting.

This was the fourth meeting between Modi and Abbas after those on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in 2015, at the Paris climate summit later that year and during the Palestinian President's visit to India last year.

The visit will reaffirm India's foreign policy position that its relationship with one country is independent of its ties with a third country and will de-hyphenate Israel and Palestine after Modi's standalone visit to Israel in July last year.

Palestine is the first leg of Modi's three-nation tour of West Asia that will also see him going to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman.

--IANS

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Rabat, Feb 10 (IANS/MAP) Morocco and China discussed here means to bolster bilateral cooperation in the area of infrastructure.

Moroccan Minister of Equipment, Transportation, Logistics and Water Abdelkader Amara and visiting Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Qian Keming on Friday reviewed the current bilateral ventures in infrastructure development, exploring prospects of future bilateral partnership in this field.

Amara commended the level of cooperation between Morocco and China, stressing that the establishment of strategic partnership between Rabat and Beijing in 2016 consolidated bilateral cooperation.

Qian praised the good relations between the two countries, adding that bilateral cooperation resulted in the implementation of important investment projects in several areas, including infrastructure.

He said that the meeting represented a precious opportunity to identify new avenues of cooperation in this field, adding that the talks discussed the project of the development of the port of the northern Moroccan city of Kenitra and Morocco's future high-speed railway between the southern cities of Marrakech and Agadir.

Qian also called for stronger joint ventures between Chinese and Moroccan firms to boost investments for infrastructure projects.

--IANS/MAP

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Gurugram will get a trauma centre and a team from the central government will soon visit the city to identify the best location for this, Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda said here on Saturday.

Haryana Minister Rao Narbir Singh said that the Delhi-Jaipur National Highway-48 was an accident-prone route and thus Gurugram needed a trauma centre since private hospitals here charge over Rs 15 lakh even for treatment of viral fever.

Nadda was here to inaugurate a camp to coincide with the National Deworming Day at the Government Model Sanskriti Senior Secondary School in Sector 43.

Children in the age group of 1 to 19 will be given medicines for deworming across the country.

In the first phase in February, nearly 32 crore children will be covered and another 50 crore in the second phase. The programme was started in 2015.

Very young children will be administered syrup, while older ones will be given albendazole tablets.

The Aanganwadi and Asha workers were asked to visit labour colonies and construction sites so as to cover the slum children under the drive. In case some children miss the dose, they can get the same on February 15.

Gurugram MP and Union Minister of State for Planning, Chemicals and Fertilisers Rao Inderjit Singh said that after independence, the people's age had increased but health had declined.

--IANS

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The Shiromani Akali Dal said on Saturday that fresh disclosures against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler will give a new turn to the reinvestigation into the 186 anti-Sikh riots cases by a Supreme Court-appointed SIT.

SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal told the media here: "The wheels of justice have finally started moving against Tytler as well as other perpetrators. Even the role of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi will be under the scanner for the first time because new evidence links him directly with the Congress leaders who led the mobs that killed the Sikhs in Delhi. This is a big victory for the victims/survivors who have been waiting for justice for 33 years."

Hundreds of Sikhs were killed in Delhi and elsewhere in the country after the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her two Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984.

Badal appreciated the union government and its Home Minister Rajnath Singh for what he called the resolve to bring the perpetrators of the 1984 killings to book by referring the "new disclosures" in the case against Tytler to the special investigation team (SIT) Chairman Justice S.N. Dhingra (retd) for investigation.

On January 11, a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by the former Delhi High Court judge was constituted by the Supreme Court to further investigate the 186 cases in connection with the anti-Sikh riots.

Tytler had allegedly told a TV channel that he had travelled with Rajiv Gandhi in a car on November 1, 1984, in specific areas of Delhi where the Sikhs were attacked and killed.

Badal said he was confident that the case would unravel now since many startling disclosures had come out regarding Tyler's role as a video CD allegedly showing him boasting about killing 100 Sikhs during the riots.

"The self-disclosure by Tytler that he took Rajiv Gandhi to various places in Delhi on November 1 in 1984 proves a deeper conspiracy to target the Sikhs in a planned manner because the areas visited by Rajiv Gandhi were immediately wreaked by mayhem against the community.

"Now, it is necessary to ascertain where all the Prime Minister's security vehicles moved in Delhi with Tytler and Rajiv Gandhi on the fateful day. Their vehicles' log books need to be examined for this purpose," the Akali leader added.

Badal demanded a fresh FIR against Tytler in this case and impounding of his passport.

Tytler should also be subjected to polygraphy and narco test to ascertain the role of Congress leadership in the riots, the SAD President added.

--IANS

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A day after the arrest of a primary school dance teacher in a sexual assault case, a non-teaching staff member of a south Kolkata school was arrested here on Saturday for allegedly sexually abusing a girl student, police said.

An FIR had been lodged on Thursday by the guardians of the Class nine victim.

"Malay Kumar Bera, a non-teaching staff member of a south Kolkata-based higher-secondary school has been arrested for allegedly sexually abusing a Class nine student. He has been produced in the court," an officer from Rabindra Sarobar Police Station said.

The school authority assured they would do everything possible to ensure the students' security.

"We have not been able to verify the alleged incident yet. However, we assure to take the necessary steps to ensure our students' security," teacher-in-charge of the Bengali medium school said.

This incident of sexual assault in school surfaced around 24 hours after a dance teacher of a primary school was arrested for committing a similar crime with a Class two student for the past few months. The incident saw massive protests by the guardians demanding removal of all the male teaching staff from the school.

--IANS

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Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has conveyed to the Maldives Foreign Minister that Islamabad would not interfere in the Indian Ocean 's "domestic matters despite its opposition to the ongoing state of Emergency".

Maldives Foreign Minister Mohamed Asim visited Pakistan for three days (February 8-10) as a special envoy of President Abdulla Yameen to explain the current political turmoil in their country.

Abbasi said on Friday that Pakistan "firmly adheres to the policy of non-interference in the affairs of other countries and will continue to adhere to the principles of the UN charter in this regard", the Express Tribune reported.

The significant development came as the Maldives reached out to "friendly countries" to garner support after the recent proclamation of Emergency by Yameen.

"Our government was vocal about condemning the proclamation of Emergency by former dictator General Pervez Musharraf in 2007 in Pakistan (mainly to tighten noose around the Supreme Court judges)".

"How can we support the proclamation of Emergency in the Maldives where the Supreme Court is also bearing the brunt?" said a close aide of Abbasi, requesting anonymity.

The daily quoted a source as saying that the visiting minister invited the Pakistan Prime Minister to visit the Maldives but he "politely regretted" the invitation, saying it was not suitable to visit the country in the present circumstances, since such a step would be tantamount to supporting the emergency rule.

The archipelago made international headlines after its President Yameen announced a 15-day state of Emergency last Monday and arrested the Supreme Court's top two judges and former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

Yameen's move came in the wake of a ruling by the apex court on February 1 to "release" exiled former President Mohamed Nasheed and other high-profile prisoners.

--IANS

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Jitendra Singh, the Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DONER), on Saturday said that physicians of any system of medicine may be co-located for addressing patients' requirements better.

Inaugurating a two-day international conference on Unani Medicine, he emphasised on all-round development of indigenous systems of medicine with special focus on holistic management of diseases.

Singh said: "All physicians, irrespective of system of medicine, whether modern or traditional, may be co-located for addressing the requirement of patients in a holistic manner."

"Lifestyle diseases are one of the major health challenges of the country -- an area where integration of traditional and conventional medicine systems can play an important role," said Singh.

On the occasion, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine and the Hamdard University, Bangladesh, to establish an academic chair in the Unani system of medicine in Bangladesh.

--IANS

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Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) saying the previous BJP government in the southern state "broke graft records" with numerous scams.

"While Prime Minister Narendra Modi talks about corruption, he forgets that it was the BJP government led by B.S. Yeddyurappa that broke records in corruption with land scam, mining scam etc.," Gandhi said, addressing a party rally here in Hospet in Bellary district, about 350km from Bengaluru.

Yeddyurappa, the BJP state unit's president, was the Chief Minister of the state from 2008 to 2011, when he was forced to step down from the post over his alleged involvement in a land scam.

Gandhi is on a four-day visit to the poll-bound state, where legislative assembly elections are due in April-May. This was his first visit to the state after he took over as the party chief in December.

He kicked off the party's poll campaign from Bellary, the Lok Sabha constituency from where his mother and former Congress President Sonia Gandhi had defeated BJP leader Sushma Swaraj in the 1999 general elections.

He claimed the Siddaramaiah-led state government was a "clean" administration.

"We are proud that Siddaramaiah's government was a clean administration. When we come to power next, we will work twice as hard," the Congress leader asserted.

The Congress party, however, will not claim that any one party or person has developed Karnataka, said Gandhi.

"Karnataka is not built by any single person, but by its farmers, women, youth and labour," Gandhi reiterated.

Gandhi also met the beneficiaries of Article 371-J under which people from the old Hyderabad-Karnataka region are given employment and seats for education on preference and priority.

"Sonia Gandhi made sure the Hyderabad-Karnataka region got its special status and kept the promise, at a time when the BJP said it was not possible," he recalled.

The region currently receives Rs 4,000 crore, as against to Rs 350 crore grants it earlier got, Gandhi added.

Gandhi later also visited Huligamma temple in the neighbouring Koppal town and Gavi Siddheswara Lingayat Mutt to meet its head priest.

Senior Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, state Congress chief G. Parameshwara, Siddaramaiah were among the others present at the public rally.

--IANS

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An undertrial in a Bihar jail in Bhojpur district was seriously injured on Saturday in a violent clash between two groups of inmates, police said.

The incident took place in Ara jail, about 60 km from here. According to police, the clash followed heated exchange of words between the groups. One of the prisoners was beaten up badly.

"The injured prisoner was admitted in hospital," a police officer said.

Additional security forces were deployed to bring the situation under control.

--IANS

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The Federation of Indian Publishers (FIP) that represents publishers in English, Hindi and other regional languages -- will host the 32nd International Publishers Congress (IPC) in the national capital after 26 years.

An estimated 500 delegates are likely to attend the three-day event starting on February 12.

The first IPC by International Publishers Association (IPA) was held in 1896 in Paris and ever since, it continues to offer a vital platform to publishers to discuss the industry's most important challenges, network and learn.

Having organised it for the first time in 1992, this is second time that the FIP has taken up the responsibility to stage this event. The event will see eminent personalities as speakers sharing their thoughts on contemporary socio-political issues.

The other sessions will discuss topics like social responsibility of publishers, copyright challenges, self-censorship, creating the readers of the future, online literature, bringing publishing and book markets together in India, educational publishing, STM Publishing and collective rights management.

"We're thrilled that India has been selected to host the 2018 IPA Congress again. The IPA Congress is a pivotal moment in the world publishing calendar, and provides a perfect forum, where publishers can meet and discuss everything from copyright and freedom to publish, technologies and what the future holds for our industry," said Asoke Ghosh, Executive Committee member - IPA.

The IPA is the world's largest federation of national, regional and specialist publishers' associations and its membership comprises 70 organisations from 60 countries.

--IANS

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The government-run Sexual Harassment Electronic box (SHe-Box) has received 34 complaints from various ministries, 19 from various states, and 25 from private organisations since the online portal was launched seven months ago. The maximum number of grievances have come from the Ministry of Communications.

In reply to an RTI application by IANS, the Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) said it was taking action in response to the 77 complaints of sexual harassment by women at their work places.

The portal, launched in July last year to provide single-window access to working women to register complaints related to sexual harassment at work places, was initially limited to only government sector employees. It was however expanded to the private sector from November last year.

Within three months, 25 women working in different private organisations registered sexual harassment complaints.

The WCD Ministry, mandated to run the portal and act on complaints, has received grievances from three of its own employees, according to the RTI reply.

It said eight complaints were received from the Communications Ministry followed by four from the Commerce and Industry Ministry. Three cases each have been received from the ministries of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Defence, Finance and Railways.

Two complaints each have been registered by women working with the ministries of Health, Human Resources Development and Rural Development. One woman in the External Affairs Ministry has also registered a sexual harassment case on the SHe box.

According to the WCD Ministry, women working with different government departments in 13 states have also complained of sexual harassment.

The maximum number of four cases have been received from Kerala, three from Bihar while two are from Telangana. One case each has been registered from Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Odisha, Maharashtra, Punjab, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

The online portal was launched as part of the Protection of Women from Sexual Harassment at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act to create a safe and secure workplace for women free from sexual harassment.

The registration of online complaints requires the complainant to fill in information like her name, designation, cellphone number, email, Aadhaar number and contact details of the organisation and head of the organisation, as well as the name of the offender.

Complaints filed with the internal committee of these organisations can also be re-routed through this portal.

Once a complaint is submitted, it goes to the Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) concerned or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the act. Through this portal, the WCD Ministry as well as complainant can also monitor the status of complaints.

However, a large number of sexual harassment cases at workplaces in India are not reported.

According to a 2017 survey by the Indian National Bar Association, of the 6,047 participants 38 per cent said they had faced harassment at their workplaces but 69 per cent of the respondents did not complain about it.

The main reasons for not reporting the sexual harassment cases include fear of losing jobs, stigma and long-winding procedures in the legal battle for redressal of the complaints.

(Somrita Ghosh can be contacted at somrita.g@ians.in <mailto:somrita.g@ians.in>)

--IANS

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South African parliamentarian Sandy Kalyan on Saturday condemned China's opposition to the visit of Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) President Lobsang Sangay to her country. She called on China to stop "overstepping" on South Africa's sovereign rights.

"The reaction by the Chinese embassy at the visit to South Africa by Lobsang Sangay, the President of the Central Tibetan Administration, is so over the top and quite ludicrous," she said, as per a post on the CTA website.

Noting Sangay had been invited by Inkatha party chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi to attend the State of the National Address (SONA) by President Jacob Zuma, she called on China to stop threatening South Africa.

"In a manner reminiscent of a child throwing a tantrum, the Chinese issued a strongly worded statement that the visit would result in Chinese investment being discouraged."

"Such veiled threats to the government of SA cannot be ever entertained. If China wants to go, it should go. The time for non-South Africans to hold the South African Government to ransom is long gone."

The Chinese embassy in Pretoria has strongly protested over Sangay's visit, accusing the South African government of disregarding the long-standing commitment to 'One China Policy'y.

Kalyan, who belongs to the country's largest opposition party the Democratic Alliance, pointed out that "directing South Africa's foreign policy is not the mandate of BRICS and that private chats do not translate into policy or promises as alleged by the Chinese government".

She attended CTA's five-Fifty forum here in October last where Sangay and the Dalai Lama were also present.

Sangay arrived in Johannesburg on February 5 for his maiden four-day visit - the first ever official visit of a Tibetan political leader to the African continent since the Dalai Lama's visit in 1996.

At the invitation extended by Inkatha, Sangay was originally scheduled to attend Zuma's address at the inaugural session of the South African Parliament on February 8, the CTA said, but it was postponed owing to domestic political tensions in South Africa.

The Tibetan administration is based in the northern hill town of Dharamsala where a community of Tibetans lives in exile with their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.

--IANS

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India has secured the release of a Tamil Nadu fisherman, whose son died earlier this week, from Sri Lanka, the External Affairs Ministry said on Saturday.

"Responding to a request for the release of a Tamil Nadu fisherman in Sri Lankan custody, whose son passed away on February 7, we took up the matter with Sri Lankan authorities," the ministry said in a statement.

"He has been released and returning to India shortly," it said.According to the ministry, the release of more than 100 other fisherman is in process.

--IANS

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A crucial local government election ended peacefully in Sri Lanka on Saturday as over 15 million voters cast their ballots to elect members to local government bodies, election monitors said.

Voting started at 7 a.m. and ended at 4:00 p.m.

Election monitors said 15,760,867 voters or some 70 per cent of the total eligible voters cast their votes throughout the country, Xinhua news agency reported.

President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and former President Mahinda Rajapakse were among those who voted early in the morning.

Voting for the local government elections was the first to be conducted by the newly-established independent Election Commission as well as the police under the Independent Police Commission.

It was also the first island-wide poll to be held since the coalition government of Sirisena and Wickremesinghe took office in August 2015. The poll was considered an important test of the government's reform agenda.

The government said 65,758 police officers, 41,178 Special Task Force officers and 7,278 other officers were deployed for the local government elections.

The police said that till noon, 11 people had been arrested across the country for violating election laws. No election-related deaths were reported.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chinese scientists, in a breakthrough, have regenerated a patient's damaged lungs using stem cell transplants, a development that can lead to treatments for chronic lung diseases.

In a pilot clinical trial for the transplantation, the scientists from the Tongji University took stem cells from the patient's airways and let them grow many times before transplanting them into the patient's lungs.

Earlier, stem cell transplantation were successfully carried out in mice, regenerating human bronchial and alveolar structures in the lungs of the rodents.

The fibrotic area in the injured lungs of the mice were replaced by new human alveoli after receiving stem cell transplantation.

Arterial blood gas analysis showed that the lung function of the mice were significantly recovered.

After heart disease and cancer, "lung-related diseases are the third-leading cause of human death globally", said Wei Zuo, Professor from the varsity.

"For patients suffering from chronic pulmonary diseases, bronchiectasis and interstitial lung diseases, the lung stem cell transplantation could be the biggest hope. Chronic lung diseases could be conquered within five years," Wei said.

While the researchers had previously identified adult stem cells in a mouse lung, the new study, published in the journal Protein and Cell, focussed on lung stem cells in humans rather than mice.

In order to test the capacity of lung stem cells to regenerate lung tissue in vivo, the team transplanted GFP-labelled human lung stem cells into damaged lungs of immuno-deficient mice.

In the clinical trials on humans, dozens of stem cells were brushed from their airways and expanded tens of millions of times.

They were then transplanted into the patients' lungs, where the stem cells developed new alveoli and bronchus structures, repairing and replacing injured parts.

The therapy proved to be effective in lung tissue repair after being used on six patients suffering from interstitial lung diseases and two with bronchiectasis, the researchers said.

Post transplantation, patients' breathing and their ability to walk distances, as well as repair and replacement of stem cells on injured parts showed marked improvement.

The bronchiectasis patients also reported relief of multiple respiratory symptoms such as coughing and asthma.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Search and rescue teams in Taiwan on Saturday pulled out two bodies of five members of a Chinese family who remain trapped after a 6.4-magnitude earthquake hit the city of Hualien in Taiwan, raising the number of fatalities to 14, the Emergency Operation Centre said.

The rescue mission to free the family that was staying at the Meilun Hotel, part of the Yun Men Tsui Ti building, was hindered due to severe damage caused to the building, bad weather and continuous aftershocks.

The rescue teams struggled to gain access to the room where the family had been trapped for over 80 hours since Tuesday's quake, Efe news reported.

The Hualien Fire Department's rescue team leader said there were no signs of life, adding that the situation was not hopeful as severe conditions were making it hard to reach the bodies.

Despite the difficulties, rescue operations would continue until all the members of the family are pulled out, Hualien Mayor Fu Kun-chi said.

Relatives of those trapped, accompanied by Yu Fengying, Deputy Director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the Beijing Municipal Government, arrived in Taiwan on Saturday and were scheduled to go to Hualien on Sunday.

The earthquake, followed by hundreds of aftershocks, including one measuring 5.7 magnitude, left 280 people injured and more than 800 were evacuated.

It also damaged four buildings, three of which were demolished due to safety concerns.

The aftershocks continued to rock the city.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Police in Thailand on Saturday arrested an activist who organised a demonstration last month, calling for democratic elections.

The country is being ruled by a military junta that staged a coup in 2014.

Ekachai Hongkangkwan was arrested on Saturday morning at his home in Bangkok, according to a statement by Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, Efe news reported.

Arrest warrants were also issued by the Southern Bangkok Criminal Court for another three activists who were involved in the protest, the statement added.

The group is charged with organising a gathering less than 150 metres from a royal site.

The protest was held to call for democratic elections after the junta had announced they would be delayed until February 2019, despite earlier assurances that polls would take place in November this year.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Postal ballotting for the February 18 Tripura Assembly elections by the polling staff and security personnel began on Saturday and will continue till the middle of next week, an official said.

Tripura Chief Electoral Officer Sriram Taranikanti said around 50,000 polling and security personnel, engaged for the February 18 elections, began their voting from Saturday through postal ballots.

"The polling and security personnel would cast their vote in the offices of 41 returning officers throughout the state. The process of postal vote would continue till February 14. Drivers of the vehicles, to be used in the assembly elections, and micro-observers would also cast their votes through postal ballots," the CEO told the media.

He said one third of the 3,214 polling stations set up across the state are categorised as "sensitive" and additional security measures would be taken for them.

Taranikanti said 40 all-women polling stations would be set up. The state has 60 assembly constituencies spread across eight districts.

"This is the first time in Tripura that so many polling stations would be set up for exclusive deployment of women polling staff," the official told the media.

The Election Commission has appointed 25 general observers, eight police observers and 19 expenditure observers to oversee the poll process in Tripura. Over 30,000 civil officials would be engaged to conduct the single phase assembly elections on February 18.

Votes would be counted on March 3.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US President Donald Trump has stopped the release of a Democratic memo that seeks to undercut Republican claim that the FBI misused its powers in conducting the Russia probe.

The White House informed this on Friday and said the Democratic memo contained several classified passages.

It said Trump "will not release the memo at this time, and has sent it back to the House Intelligence Committee for changes", a CNN report said.

In a letter to the committee, White House counsel Donald McGahn said, "although the President is inclined to declassify the February 5 Memorandum, because the Memorandum contains numerous properly classified and especially sensitive passages, he is unable to do so at this time."

Trump had said earlier on Friday planned to release the memo. "It's gonna be released soon," Trump told reporters, adding, "We're going to release a letter."

The House Intelligence Committee voted unanimously on Monday to release the 10-page Democratic memo, and the committee rules gave Trump five days to decide whether to block or allow its release.

The memo was written by Adam Schiff of California, the top Democrat on the committee, to rebut the Republican memo released one week prior.

The Republican memo had accused the Federal Bureau of Investigation of suppressing Democratic ties to an opposition research dossier on Trump and Russia used to procure a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrant against former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser Carter Page.

The FBI and the Justice Department are probing the interference of Russia in the 2016 presidential poll.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US President Donald Trump's speechwriter David Sorensen has become the second White House aide this week to resign amid allegations of domestic abuse.

Sorensen resigned on Friday after his former wife claimed that he was violent and emotionally abusive during their marriage. He, however, vehemently denied the allegations and said "she was the one who victimized him", the Washington Post reported.

The departure of Sorensen, who worked under senior policy adviser Stephen Miller, came two days after Trump's staff secretary Rob Porter quit over allegations of abuse from two former wives.

Sorensen's former wife Jessica Corbett told the daily that he was physically abusive to her while they were married. She said that on separate occasions her former husband ran a car over her foot, threw her against a wall and extinguished a cigarette on her hand.

In response, Sorensen said he was considering legal action, but said he quit because he "didn't want the White House to have to deal with this distraction".

White House officials said they learned of the accusations by Sorensen's wife late on Thursday. "We immediately confronted the staffer, he denied the allegations and he resigned today," Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah said.

Sorensen's resignation came as the White House, particularly Chief of Staff John Kelly, struggled to contain the turmoil surrounding Porter. It is alleged that the former White House staff secretary gave one former wife a black eye while another filed a restraining order.

Porter has denied the accusations against him, as well.

Trump paid tribute to him, saying: "We found out about it recently and I was surprised by it, but we certainly wish him well and it's a tough time for him."

His comments sparked criticism from Democrats, with former Vice-President Joe Biden saying Trump had downplayed the allegations against Porter.

"That's like saying: 'That axe murderer out there, he's a great painter'", Biden said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least two persons, including a junior army officer, were killed and six, including women and children, injured after a group of heavily-armed militants stormed a military camp in Jammu early on Saturday and entered the family quarters, spraying automatic gunfire at the sleeping inhabitants, officials said.

The attackers believed to be Pakistanis stormed into the Sunjuwan Military Station close to Jammu city at 4.45 a.m. and entered the Junior Commissioned Officers family quarters, firing volleys of bullets and hurling grenades.

"One (Junior Commissioned Officer) JCO has been martyred while six persons, including three women and children, have suffered injuries," the Army said in a statement, adding the soldier was killed in the operation to evacuate families.

However, Jammu and Kashmir Parliamentary Affairs Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri said two JCOs were killed while a colonel rank officer was among those injured. The injured also include the daughter of a junior army officer who had come to visit her father during school holidays.

The army statement said the militants after a brief exchange of fire with the soldiers at the periphery of the camp entered the family accommodation complex.

"The Quick Response Teams cordoned off the area and isolated the terrorists, who are holed up in a few houses. Due to presence of women and children in the housing colony, the operations are being progressed cautiously to minimize casualties."

Police and army sources said the attack was contained even as the operation was still on.

Most of the families have been evacuated. Before the final assault on the terrorists we are making sure that no civilians are harmed in this operation, they said.

The sources said room-to-room intervention was going on to pin down the militants, believed to be three to four in number.

There had been intelligence inputs that Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) militants were planning to carry out an attack around the 5th death anniversary of Parliament attack convict, Afzal Guru, who was hanged on February 9, 2013 in Tihar Jail, the sources said.

Para commandos of the army have been airlifted from the army's northern command headquarters in Udhampur town to flush out the holed up militants.

Air Force has been providing aerial surveillance to the security forces during the operation against the militants who have been surrounded inside one of the buildings.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to state police chief S.P. Vaid. "Since the operation is still underway, it won't be right for me to make any comments. Our army and security officials are doing their duty. They will never let us down," Rajnath Singh said.

All educational institutions within half a kilometre radius of the camp have been shut down for the day.

The attack on family quarters of military personnel was a stark reminder of a similar attack in 2002 when a group of militants in army fatigues killed 30 people and wounded nearly 50 in Kaluchak near Jammu.

In 2006, a suicide attack carried out at the Sunjuwan camp saw the death of 12 soldiers before two fidayeen militants were killed.

Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta sparked controversy by linking Rohingya refugees living in Jammu to the attack. However, he withdrew the remarks after an uproar during which NC legislator Muhammad Akbar Lone shouted pro-Pakistan slogans to counter the anti-Pakistan slogans raised by the ruling BJP MLAs. Lone's slogans were also expunged even as the opposition National Conference distanced itself from it.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti expressed her anguish over the terror attack saying she was "deeply disturbed . My heart goes out to the injured and their families".

NC working President and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also condemned the attack.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two soldiers, including a junior army officer, were killed and and nine others, including women and children, injured when a group of heavily-armed JeM militants dressed in army fatigues stormed a military camp here in a pre-dawn attack on Saturday, hurling grenades and spraying automatic gunfire as they entered the family quarters when everyone was asleep, officials said. Two terrorists have been killed so far, while the others are still holed up.

The two killed soldiers were identified as junior commissioned officer (JCO) Madan Lal Chaudhary and NCO (non-commissioned officer) Ashraf Ali, both belonging to the state.

Nine others - five of them women and children including the daughter of the slain JCO who had come to visit her father during school holidays - were injured. Two were in a critical condition.

"As part of the ongoing operations in Sunjuwan, the army has killed two heavily armed terrorists. The terrorists wearing army combat dress were carrying AK-56 assault rifles, large amount of ammunition and hand grenades.

"Search of their belongings confirms the terrorists to be from Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM). Operations are in progress with extreme caution and restraint to safeguard the unarmed soldiers, women and children in the houses," a Defence statement said.

Most of over 150 houses in the complex have been cleared and occupants moved to safety, it said.

"Operations will continue till all the terrorists are apprehended or killed".

Besides recovering arms and ammunition from the slain terrorists, JeM flags have also recovered from them.

Defence sources said that soldiers at the Sunjuwan Military Station close to Jammu city noticed suspicious movement near the camp around 4.45 a.m.

Suspecting they could be militants, the soldiers challenged them. But the gunmen hurled grenades and opened fire from automatic weapons, the sources said.

The militants then entered the JCO family quarters in the vicinity and holed themselves up in one of the houses.

"The attack has now been contained. Most of the families have been evacuated from the junior commissioned officers quarters where the terrorists had entered. Before the final assault on the terrorists, we are making sure that no civilians are harmed in this operation," the statement said.

Sources said room-to-room intervention was going on to pin down the militants inside the JCOs' residential building.

Army sources said the terrorists have been pinned down and the operation is being carried forward cautiously so that no further security force or civilian casualties occur.

There were intelligence inputs that Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) militants were planning to carry out an attack around the 5th death anniversary of Parliament attack convict, Afzal Guru, who was hanged on February 9, 2013 in Tihar Jail, the sources said.

Para commandos were airlifted from the army's Northern Command headquarters in Udhampur town to flush out the holed-up militants, believed to be three to four in number.

The air force has been providing aerial surveillance to the security forces during the operation against the militants who have been surrounded inside one of the buildings.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who spoke earlier to state director general of Police (DGP), S.P. Vaid told reporters in Delhi that security forces were doing their duties and there was no doubt that the operation would be taken to its logical conclusion.

All educational institutions within half a kilometre radius of the camp have been shut down for the day.

The attack on family quarters of military personnel was a stark reminder of a similar attack in 2002 when a group of militants in army fatigues killed 30 people and wounded nearly 50 in Kaluchak near Jammu.

Jammu and Speaker Kavinder Gupta visited the main gate of the army camp as the security forces carried out the anti-terror operation.

In 2006, a suicide attack carried out at the Sunjuwan camp saw the death of 12 soldiers before two fidayeen militants were killed.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti expressed her anguish over the terror attack saying, "Deeply disturbed by the terrorist attack in #Sunjwan today. My heart goes out to the injured and their families."

NC working president and former Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah also condemned the attack saying, "News from Jammu & the encounter in #Sunjwan is extremely disturbing. Hoping for an end to the encounter without any loss of life among the security forces & their families."

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two soldiers, including a junior army officer, were killed and and five others, including women and children, injured when a group of heavily-armed militants dressed in army fatigues stormed a military camp in Jammu in a pre-dawn attack on Saturday, hurling grenades and spraying automatic gunfire as they entered the family quarters when everyone was asleep, officials said. One terrorist has been killed so far, while two-three militants are still holed up.

Five others were injured, including the daughter of the slain junior commissioned officer (JCO) who had come to visit her father during school holidays.

Defence Ministry sources had earlier said the attack has been contained and the operation, which began 13 hours ago, is still in progress.

The sources said that soldiers at the Sunjuwan Military Station close to Jammu city noticed suspicious movement near the camp around 4.45 a.m.

Suspecting they could be militants, the soldiers challenged them. But the gunmen hurled grenades and opened fire from automatic weapons, the sources said.

The militants then entered the JCO family quarters in the vicinity and holed themselves up in one of the houses.

"The attack has now been contained. Most of the families have been evacuated from the junior commissioned officers quarters where the terrorists had entered. Before the final assault on the terrorists, we are making sure that no civilians are harmed in this operation," a statement said.

Sources said room-to-room intervention was going on to pin down the militants inside the JCOs' residential building.

Army sources said the terrorists have been pinned down and the operation is being carried forward cautiously so that no further security force or civilian casualties occur.

There were intelligence inputs that Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) militants were planning to carry out an attack around the 5th death anniversary of Parliament attack convict, Afzal Guru, who was hanged on February 9, 2013 in Tihar Jail, the sources said.

Para commandos of the army were airlifted from the army's Northern Command headquarters in Udhampur town to flush out the holed-up militants, believed to be three to four in number.

The air force has been providing aerial surveillance to the security forces during the operation against the militants who have been surrounded inside one of the buildings.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who spoke earlier to state director general of Police (DGP), S.P. Vaid told reporters in Delhi that security forces were doing their duties and there was no doubt that the operation would be taken to its logical conclusion.

All educational institutions within half a kilometre radius of the camp have been shut down for the day.

The attack on family quarters of military personnel was a stark reminder of a similar attack in 2002 when a group of militants in army fatigues killed 30 people and wounded nearly 50 in Kaluchak near Jammu.

Jammu and Kashmir Speaker Kavinder Gupta visited the main gate of the army camp as the security forces carried out the anti-terror operation.

In 2006, a suicide attack carried out at the Sunjuwan camp saw the death of 12 soldiers before two fidayeen militants were killed.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti expressed her anguish over the terror attack saying, "Deeply disturbed by the terrorist attack in #Sunjwan today. My heart goes out to the injured and their families."

NC working president and former Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah also condemned the attack saying, "News from Jammu & the encounter in #Sunjwan is extremely disturbing. Hoping for an end to the encounter without any loss of life among the security forces & their families."

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Rachel L. Brand, the third-highest-ranking official at the US Justice Department, plans to resign after nine months on the job as the country's top law enforcement agency has been under attack by President Donald Trump, officials said.

Brand, 44, would have been in line to take over the supervision of Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III's Russia investigation if Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein, the Department's No. 2 official, was fired by Trump or recused himself from the matter, the New York Times reported on Friday.

Earlier reports said that the President might sack Rosenstein.

Brand is leaving the Justice Department to join Walmart as the Executive Vice-President for global governance, the company said.

She previously worked in the administrations of both Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama as the head of the Justice Department's office of legal policy and as a member of an oversight board for privacy and civil liberties, CNN reported.

The possibility of Brand being thrust into the Russia investigation increased in recent weeks as Rosenstein came under political attack from Republicans for supporting the renewal of a surveillance warrant on a former Trump campaign adviser.

"I think it's a disgrace what's happening in our country," Trump said last week when he was asked about the release of a memo from Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee claiming abuses in the Russia investigation.

"A lot of people should be ashamed of themselves and much worse than that," Trump said.

He has also publicly attacked the FBI, which is a component of the Justice Department. He has blasted Attorney General Jeff Sessions for recusing himself in the Russia investigation and turning it over to Rosenstein, who then appointed Mueller as Special Counsel.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In an apparent lapse by the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left government, an RTI query has revealed that the posting of Loknath Behra as state Vigilance chief had no clearance from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the Personnel department.

Behra was made Vigilance head in March last year and he is also Kerala police chief.

As per rules, if any officer is posted as state Vigilance chief, even on a temporary basis, permission has to be taken of the Union Home and Personnel Ministries. Apparently, in Behra's case, this has not been followed.

Former State Home Minister and senior Congress legislator Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan termed it "a huge lapse" on the part of the Vijayan government not to have informed the Centre about Behra's appointment.

Behra, known as the the 'blue eyed boy' of the Vijayan government, was posted as state Police chief the day Vijayan assumed office in May 2016, after the then chief T.P. Senkumar was moved out.

However, Senkumar after an 11-month legal battle got his post back through a Supreme Court directive.

Behra returned as state police chief after Senkumar retired after serving 55 days as state police chief in May last year, and since then he has been holding both the posts.

According to RTI activist D.B. Binu, not seeking approval of the Union Home and Personnel ministries is "a clear violation of all rules and procedures". He said "the rules are very clear that the state government has to inform the Centre and get clearance for appointment to the posts of Vigilance chief, and in this case it has not happened."

"Now all the Vigilance cases that Behra has probed should be reopened," said Binu.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
There are three aspects of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech in parliament -- which was probably his most combative in recent times -- that deserve attention.

First and foremost is the undeniable fact that he is today by far the most effective speaker in Indian His oratory has the potential, therefore, of carrying the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) well ahead of the others.

It is such attributes which can have a seminal impact on events. It may not be inappropriate to mention in this context that but for Hitler's rousing eloquence, the Nazis would not have become -- albeit for a decade -- the force that they were in Germany.

However, the success of such declamation lies in a one-sided articulation of a viewpoint devoid of nuances and marked by a blindness to the possible flaws in the presenter's own case. But more of that later. For the present, it is worth noting the second feature of Modi's speech, which was an unrelenting focus on the Congress to the exclusion of all other parties.

What this approach emphasised is that despite the Congress's present weakened condition, it is still perceived by the BJP as a major threat. A corollary to this perception is that the BJP's dream of a Congress-mukt Bharat or an India without the Congress will not be easy for the party to achieve.

What is more, the Prime Minister's speech was a pointer to the political reality that at the level, a virtual two-party system has come into being in India. The two leading parties may have their allies but, notwithstanding the latter's influences in their local areas, they are no more than appendages to the two main players with little possibility of replacing the two top parties at the Centre.

However, a caveat is necessary at this point. It is that the clout of today's BJP is entirely due to Modi. There is no one else in the party who can take his place. No one can say with certainty how the BJP will fare if he is dislodged. The present primacy of the two parties is heavily dependent, therefore, on personalities (in the Congress's case it is the Nehru-Gandhis) rather than on their respective organisations.

The third aspect of Modi's speech is the stress on the Congress's -- and, as a result, on the country's -- past, since the history of the 132-year-old party is intertwined with Indian history since well before Independence.

As it is, the past played a major role in the BJP's considering that its elevation into the mainstream of Indian political life from the margins was based on raking up the depredations of Muslim invaders in medieval times, including the destruction of temples and the building of mosques in their place such as the one in Ayodhya in 1528 on a site regarded as the birthplace of Lord Ram, venerated by Hindus.

From the 16th century to the 20th was but one step for Modi when he put the onus on the Congress for the partition and all that followed, including the division of Kashmir. Modi's contention that the division would not have taken place if Vallabhbhai Patel was the Prime Minister in place of Jawaharlal Nehru was no more than a surmise, but what it underlined was the BJP's current game plan of denigrating at every available opportunity India's first Prime Minister.

The disparagement of Nehru began in Ram Nath Kovind's first speech as the President when he omitted the first Prime Minister's name from the list of those he mentioned, which included Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, the Hindutva brigrade's latest icon about whom little is known to the average Indian outside the Sangh Parivar.

However, nothing showed the bias of the saffron brotherhood more starkly than Modi's refusal to credit Nehru with the establishment of democracy in India since, as he said, democratic principles have marked the country's polity since the time of Lord Buddha.

Even if, for argument's sake, this point is conceded, it would have been interesting if Modi had dwelt on the teachings of Buddha's disciple Emperor Asoka about tolerance -- "one should listen to and respect the doctrines professed by others" -- when a BJP MP, Vinay Katiyar, was reiterating M.S. Golwalkar's diktat about Muslims having no right to live in India when they have carved out of the subcontinent two homelands for themselves -- West Pakistan and East Pakistan (now Pakistan and Bangladesh.

True, the Congress has much to be ashamed of -- dynasticism and corruption being the foremost among them -- but for a Prime Minister to be so ahistorical in his outlook as to believe that the Congress's earlier electoral successes were based solely on the weakness of the opposition and help from the NGOs is odd, to say the least. History is as complex as the reasons for the choice of the people of one party over another.

As a matter of fact, Modi undermined his own case by devoting virtually his entire speech to a party which he thinks should listen to Gandhi's advice to disband itself.

(Amulya Ganguli is a political analyst. The views expressed are personal)
The signs were all there on May 6, 2017, when local council election results for Maldives were announced. The opposition alliance led by the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) swept the election and all observers saw this as the forerunner of the presidential election due later in 2018.

This would have been just another election but it was fiercely contested and postponed four times since it became due in January, 2017, by the ruling alliance led by President Abdulla Yameen of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM). For the ruling alliance the defeat was both a surprise and a shock  ...
It neatly sums up the power and pretension of political fashions. Leaving for a tour of Europe she warbles: I came from the people They need to adore me So Christian Dior me From my head to my toes I need to be dazzling They must have excitement And so must I As style statements and populist messaging, Indian leaders have long ...

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Three of four Indian fishermen set free by a court in Jaffna and among 113 recommended for release by Sri Lankan government after their arrest in recent months by its Navy on charges of fishing in their waters, arrived at Mandapam in the district today,a top official said.

The other fisherman said he was staying back in the island nation as he has his roots there, Deputy Director of Fisheries, Ramanathapuram, Isak Jayakumar said.

The released fishermen were met in Mandapam by family members and fisheries department officials, he said.

The fishermen alleged that they were tortured in the jail in Jaffna, where they had been lodged, he said.

The Sri Lankan Government had yesterday recommended the release of 113 Indian fishermen arrested over a period of time by the island nation's Navy for allegedly fishing in their waters, a fishermen association leader here had said.

Quoting information received by fisheries officials in Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu Mechanised Boats Fishermen Association President P Sesuraja had said that a communication in this regard had been sent to the court in Jaffna.

The fishermen from Tamil Nadu had been detained over a period of time and lodged in prisons in the neighbouring country. Their mechanised boats had been impounded.

The state government took up the issue with the Centre last month and sought their release and the boats.

This is the second instance of release of Indian fishermen in large numbers since December last year. The Sri Lankan government had released 89 fishermen from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in the last week of December.

Yesterday, a court in Jaffna set free the four fishermen, whose release was requested on an urgent basis following the death of the son of one of them here.

Sesuraja said the other 109 fishermen were likely to be released in the next few days after completion of judicial process.

The Indian High Commission in Sri lanka had requested for release of Jayaseelan and three of his relatives on parole following the death of his son.

The Lankan government, however, recommended release of the 113 fishermen who were detained till last month.

Another 27 fishermen, detained later, would still be under Lankan custody.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A group of miscreants here, holding BJP flags, today barged into the residential premises of a senior official in Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's office and indulged in vandalism, police said.

At least four persons were arrested following the incident, Commissioner of Police Y B Khurania said,



The miscreants stormed into the compound of the official quarters of V K Pandian, private secretary to the chief minister, and damaged flower pots.

They also hurled cow dung at the main gate accusing the official of working for the ruling BJD and interfering in political affairs, the police said.

A staff at the residence claimed that the attackers, who described themselves as BJP activists and carried party flags and placards, also assaulted him besides damaging the flower pots and some vehicles parked inside the compound.

While the IAS officer was not immediately available for comment, the commissioner of police said that the attack on the house of a public servant was a very serious matter and must be condemned.

Stating that the police had taken a serious view of the incident, Khurania said "lawlessness cannot be tolerated at any cost and stern action will be taken against those involved in the incident."



Condemning the incident, BJD spokesperson and MP Pratap Deb said the attack was "unfortunate and it exposed the real mindset of BJP leaders".

Stating that such violent acts and intolerance were unacceptable in a democracy, Deb said action would be taken as per law and those involved in the incident would be arrested.

BJP state unit vice president, Sameer Mohanty, said it was not proper on the part of a government official to be active in political matters and work for the ruling party.

Several politicians, including some in the ruling BJD, have been recently targeting the officer, accusing him of interfering in party affairs.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Nuvias and Revolabs Team Up

The Nuvias UC Practice (nee SIPHON) announced the addition of audio solutions, courtesy of Revolabs new Unified Communications (UC) portfolio. All Nuvias partners now have access to Revolabs and Yamaha UC technology. This includes the new Yamaha YVC-1000MS Skype for Business-certified speakerphone which is officially ready to showcase.

Nuvias UCs Commercial Director, Maryam Arbabi, said: The Revolabs portfolio presents an exciting new opportunity for Nuvias UC and our customers. Revolabs integration and product development in the Skype for Business space, along with its high-quality audio and teleconferencing products, creates a unique offering for partners looking to grow their profitability through the attachment of these products.

Revolabs, a subsidiary of Yamaha, will now be distributing Nuvias UC apps all across the United Kingdom. Nuvias will help support Revolabs plug-and-play products while also placing strong emphasis on the YVC-1000MS, which met Microsofts highest standards- passing Skype for Business Certification Version 3 tests.

Additional Revolabs products of focus for Nuvias will be the FLX UC 500, FLX UC 1000, and FLX UC 1500 USB conference phone and the Yamaha CS-700 video sound collaboration system, utilized in huddle rooms for audio, video, and screen-sharing, without being cumbersome.

Added Russell Harpham, director of EMEA at Revolabs, said, Nuvias takes a solutions-led, flexible, adaptable approach to meeting its customers needs, and that philosophy meshes well with how we do business at Revolabs. By appointing Nuvias UC to our distribution channel, we can capitalize on that synergy and further strengthen our brand position in the UC/IT market and take our UC product lines  especially the new CS and YVC technologies  to a new audience in the UK marketplace.

Whats in your conference room?

Edited by Maurice Nagle
US officials say four mobile cranes dispatched to Yemen have started unloading deliveries in Hodeidah as the war-wracked nation faces the world's worst hunger crisis.

The cranes were purchased by the UN World Food Program with funding from the US Agency for International Development.

They arrived in Yemen in mid-January but took several weeks to be erected.

Officials say the cranes became operational Friday. They weren't authorised to discuss the matter publicly and requested anonymity.

The port at Hodeidah handles roughly 70 percent of Yemen's imports. The World Food Program has said the cranes can carry about 60 tons each and will significantly expand delivery of humanitarian and commercial goods.

The nearly 3-year-old Yemen war has killed more than 10,000 people, displaced 2 million and helped spawn a cholera epidemic.

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The Aam Aadmi Party in Goa today demanded an apology from Goa minister Vijai Sardesai for calling domestic tourists "scum".

The party said that the minister's outburst was derogatory, abusive, disgraceful and indignified.

"The word scum is unacceptable coming from a minister against fellow Indians and generalising all domestic tourists," said Pradip Padgaonkar, general secretary of the Goa unit of AAP.

He said that the word was the last one that could be used against fellow Indians, and the party demanded an apology from Sardesai.

He added, "His making cultural segregations and commenting on the quality of the guest only defines his outdated feudal, classist mindset."



"The government's inability to govern and therein provide facilities and systems for visiting tourists is not a reason to blame the visitor. Popular tourist destinations across the globe do not distinguish between visitors but provide necessary infrastructure to manange the influx," Padgaonkar said.

He said that while the state government made high decibel announcements on attracting "high spending" tourists to the state, the move had led to the curtailing of overall arrivals.

He added that the state was now getting tourists who were out on a shoestring budget.

"This is due to the sheer lack of political will to change things in Goa. This is the reason for the tourism industry to go down the drain," he said.

"The tourism industry is not marred by domestic tourists but by drug-trafficking, prostitution, gambling dens, illegal constructions and the like, all with the blessings and patronage of our politicians," he alleged.

He said that the state was plagued with infrastructure woes and the garbage disposal mechanism was in shambles.

He said that with the roads of the state lined with tonnes of garbage, tourists were taking home images of these along with swaying palms and white sand beaches.

"Ministers and beauracrats embark on yearly junkets, in the name of studying methods of garbage treatment, to Austria, Germany and Italy, but there has been no improvement on ground," he added.

Sardesai had today claimed that he was quoted out of context but maintained that some section of tourists were "scum of the earth" for their behaviour while holidaying in Goa.

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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today emphasised on the need to make examinations simpler after over 10 lakh examinees skipped the state board tests in the last four days, saying a fear of exams has been created among students.

The sharp dip in the figure comes in the wake of steps taken by the Uttar Pradesh government against the mafia that aid in the use of unfair means.

"When we said let's conduct a cheating-free exam (then) 10 lakhs students dropped out. This is the figure until now. I don't know what will happen in future," Adityanath said.

A fear of exams is being created among students, the chief minister said.

"We are observing and we will not leave it at this. It is necessary to think on how exams could be further simplified," he said.

The chief minister noted that exams should not be looked upon as a challenge but as a part of the daily routine.

He gave an example of a kanwar yatra from Ghaziabad- Haridwar in which, he claimed, over 4 crore people took part last year.

"When I took stock of the situation, I was told that several instructions had been given to avoid any untoward incident. The officials said we have stopped the use of mikes, conches and bells," he said.

Adityanath said he asked the officials why were they trying to impose a ban on the yatra.

He said the officials that its route was passing through sensitive areas and it was difficult to man them.

"I said permit people to use mike, conches and bells as per the Supreme Court guidelines. Inspire people so that they themselves welcome the yatra and be part of it," Yogi said, adding that there were no disturbances during the procession.

He asserted that had the government put barriers then it would not have been easy to undertake the pilgrimage.

So, parents and teachers should not impose any kind of barriers on students and provide them with a conducive climate to cope with exams, he said drawing a parallel with the pilgrimage.

The Uttar Pradesh chief minister claimed that nearly six lakh youths had enrolled for a skill development programme in the last 10 months.

Of these 2.5 lakh youth cleared the tests and more than 1.4 lakh youths got placement and were earning between Rs 15,000 to 40,000 sitting in villages.

He said use of technology in 14,000 ration shops in the state was helping to save of Rs 35 crore a month.

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Akshay Kumar's "Padman", which deals the issue of menstrual hygiene, has been banned in Pakistan.

The country's Federal Censor Board has refused to give its nod for the release of the R Balki-directed film, which also stars Radhika Apte and Sonam Kapoor in pivotal roles.

"We can't allow our film distributors to import films which are against our traditions and culture," FCB member Ishaq Ahmed said.

The members of Punjab Film Censor Board also refused to watch the film saying it is based on a "taboo subject" and outrightly rejected any clearance certificate to it.

"We can't allow the screening of films on taboo subjects in our cinemas as it is not in our culture, society or even religion," a member said.

Well-known Pakistani filmmaker Syed Noor said that there was a need to speak to the local film distributors and exhibitors about the films they import from other countries.

"Not only this film 'Padman' but I think even 'Padmaavat' should not have been released in Pakistan as it portrays Muslims in a very negative light," Noor said.

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The Centre has released a sum of Rs 12.69 billion to under different heads in the last few days amid a strain in ties between the NDA and its ally TDP over allocation given to the state in the Union Budget.

The gross grant included Rs 4.17 billion for the Polavaram multipurpose project, one of the issues of contention between the allies TDP and BJP.

"The release of Rs 4.17 billion is towards the amount already utilised by the state against the irrigation component (of Polavaram) after April 1, 2014," an order issued by the Union water resources ministry's senior joint commissioner, R P S Verma, said.

The Centre, through the Polavaram Project Authority, had so far released Rs 43.29 billion for the project while the state government said it spent over Rs 72 billion after it was declared a national project.

finance minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu submitted a memorandum to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley last month stating that a sum of Rs 32.17 billion, spent on Polavaram, was yet to be reimbursed to the state.

Of this, the Centre has now released Rs 4.17 billion, an official of the water resources department here said.

The Centre, meanwhile, also released Rs 3.69 billion last night under post-devolution revenue deficit grant, as per the recommendation of the 14th Finance Commission, to

The Centre directed that the accounts of the scheme "shall be maintained properly and separately" and submitted as and when required.

"They shall be open to inspection by an officer deputed by the Government of India or the state government," an under-secretary at the Centre said in the release order.

The Centre also released Rs 2. 53 billion as 'basic grant' to urban local bodies in the state. This was the installment during the current financial year.

Apart from this, a sum of Rs 1.96 billion was released for the Anganwadi services scheme and the supplementary nutrition programme and another Rs 317.6 million was released for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme, a state official said.

The TDP had been at loggerheads with the Centre over the "raw deal" given to AP in the Union Budget 2018-19 and the party MPs protested in Parliament on the issue saying no specific allocations were made to the state.

The party was particularly peeved that the Polavaram project was seemingly ignored in the Central allocations.
The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly was today rocked by protests with members raising anti-Pakistan slogans after the terror attack on the Sunjwan Army camp in which two JCOs were killed.

As soon as the House assembled here, the legislators, cutting across the party lines, condemned the terror attack and demanded a statement from the government.

Led by BJP MLA Ravinder Raina, all the members from the saffron party, stood up from their seats and raised anti- Pakistan slogans against the terror strike.

The members of NC Ali Mohammed Sagar, CPIM MLA M Y Tarigami and Congress Member Usman Majid condemned the attack.

There were noisy scenes amid sloganeering, resulting in ruckus in the House.

Angry over the anti-Pakistan slogans by BJP members, NC member Mohammad Akbar Lone raised pro-Pak slogans triggering protests against him.

In between, Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta made some remarks triggering high pitched protests from the entire opposition.

Amidst the din, accusations and counter-accusations were made by the treasury and opposition benches leading to heated arguments and contentious remarks by some members.

The speaker adjourned the Assembly for 15 minutes after opposition legislators created unruly scenes against his statement.

As the House resumed, the members of Opposition demanded that remarks ber expunged.

The speaker later expunged the remarks made in the House by some members in the aftermath of the terror attack.

The House unanimously urged the members to desist from making contentious statements on sensitive issues. The House also agreed that such disagreeable statements should not go in the public domain through any medium in the larger public interest.

Two Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) were killed while a Colonel rank officer and daughter of an Army personnel were among four persons injured as militants attacked the Sunjwan Army camp in Jammu city early today.

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The government has appointed Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta as the special public prosecutor in the 2G spectrum allocation cases for the CBI after the agency's case was rejected by a special court.

An order issued on February 8 by the Department of Personnel and Training in the official gazette, said, "The central government hereby appoints Tushar Mehta, Advocate, as Special Public Prosecutor for conducting prosecution, appeals/ revisions or other proceedings arising out of the cases related to 2G Spectrum investigated by the Delhi Special Police Establishment (CBI) in the Court of Special Judge (2G Spectrum cases), Central Bureau of Investigation, New Delhi, and appellate/revisional courts."



The notification did not mention about present special public prosecutor Anand Grover who was recommended by K K Venugopal, the Attorney General, when he was representing the agency in the Supreme Court.

Grover had replaced U U Lalit after he was elevated as a Supreme Court Judge.

Grover was appointed as the special public prosecutor by a Bench of the Supreme Court led by the then Chief Justice of India HL Dattu.

The apex court had on August 12, 2014 asked Venugopal to suggest three names for appointment as the SPP.

The bench, which opened the sealed envelope on September 2, 2014 had said Venugopal suggested only one name and it was accepting his proposal to appoint Grover as SPP to conduct the trial in the cases arising out of 2G scam.

Reacting to the development, senior Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan said on twitter, "Government brazenly changes SPL (special) public prosecutor of 2G case appointed by Supreme Court and appoints Modi/Shah's main lawyer Tushar Mehta as prosecutor in gross violation of Supreme Court's order. Govt getting more brazen by the day.

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Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti visited the Army Hospital at Satwari here this evening and enquired about the condition of those injured in today's militant attack on Sunjwan Army camp.

According to an official spokesperson, the chief minister met all the injured and wished them a speedy recovery.

She also interacted with the doctors and enquired about the condition of the injured. She assured all support from the state government in their treatment, the spokesperson was quoted as saying in a statement.

Director General of Police S P Vaid, Inspector General of Police, Jammu S D S Jamwal, senior Army officers and officials of police and civil administration were present there, he said.

Heavily armed Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists today struck at the Army camp, killing two personnel and injuring nine others including a Major, nearly 15 months after the Jammu region was hit by a similar attack.

The injured included four Army personnel and five women and children.

Two terrorists, both in combat gear, were gunned down after the Army evacuated people from 150 family quarters within the sprawling camp of the 36 Brigade of Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry, an officer said.

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With the Supreme Court hearing final arguments in the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi case, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board today said it was ready for negotiations based on "fair justice and equal honour".

The 26th plenary meeting of the board is underway here since yesterday.

AIMPLB general secretaryMoulana Wali Rehamani addressed the meeting today where he reiterated the board's stand that "once a Masjid is (always a) Masjid" and that the board was ready for negotiations based on "fair justice and equal honor", according to a release.

"Regarding the contentious Babri Masjid issue, he elaborated (on) the legal battle in the apex court. He said the court already is of the view that the case is related to the title of the land and does not relate to the matter of faith or belief," the AIMPLB release said.

The working committee of the AIMPLB had met yesterday evening. In a statement issued later, the board said it "once again emphasises the basic level of Shariah that the land dedicated for Masjid cannot be sold, gifted or in any way alienated".

Earlier, Art Of Living (AOL) founder Sri SriRavi Shankar had held a meeting in Bengaluru with Muslim leaders, including members from the AIMPLB and the Sunni Waqf Board.

After the meeting, the AOL had said some eminent members of the Sunni Waqf Board, the AIMPLB and others met Ravi Shankar and expressed support for an out-of-court settlement of the Ayodhya dispute and "supported the proposal of shifting the Masjid outside to another place".

On the triple talaq bill issue, Rehamani lauded the stand taken by opposition parties who stalled the bill in the Rajya Sabha, the AIMPLB release said.

"In his report...Rahamani shows concern over the threat to the personal law with the instant triple talaq issue, the (his) report appreciates the stand of opposition parties in Rajya Sabha, where the bill wasstalled," it said.

"He requested the personal law board to suggest and guide the Muslims and asked the plenary to evolve a strategy (on) how to stop the union government move from passing the bill," it said.

The government wants to interfere in the personal law, the sanctity of which is guaranteed by the Indian Constitution, the release quoted Rehamani as saying.

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The Samajwadi Party today accused the ruling BJP of misleading the people of Uttar Pradesh with different advertisements pertaining to the two-day Investors Summit, to be held here later this month.

SP secretary Rajendra Chaudhary said the state government was creating an atmosphere that there has been a complete turnaround in Uttar Pradesh's investment scenario after the BJP came into power, but it should tell people about the Akhilesh Yadav government's achievements.

"In the name of Investors Summit, an atmosphere has been made in the state that there is a complete turnaround.

"Invitations have been sent to prominent industrialists. The entire city is being beautified. The state government must tell that how the youngsters will earn their daily bread. If the BJP has any plans, then it should tell," he said in a statement.

Chaudhary alleged, "The BJP government is misleading the people of the state with different advertisements of the two- day Investors Summit. The Lucknow-Agra Expressway, which the UP government is mentioning was constructed during the tenure of former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav. And, this is not all being discussed.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The BJP today lodged a police complaint saying that a party worker in Ramnagar assembly constituency in West district was missing, a police officer said.

"Madhusudhan Deb, who is booth president in Ramnagar constituency here is missing since last 24 hours and we suspect that he might be kidnapped and the CPI(M) hand cannot be ruled out," BJP poll management coordinator and Assam MLA Ashok Singhal told reporters.

A complaint was lodged with the police about the missing party worker, Singhal said.

Superintendent of Police (West) Abhijit Saptarshi said a missing diary was filed but claimed the person was a "habitual drunkard" who often "disappears" for some time.

"He disappeared in a similar way few months back under the influence of alcohol. We have received intelligence inputs that the person said to be missing was seen hanging around in Agartala city", the SP said.

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The ruling Left Front today said the BJP that raised the slogan for a change of guard in Tripura actually sought to alter the prevailing peace, harmony and development in the state.

Tripura Left Front convener Bijan Dhar told a 'meet the press' programme that the Left Front was fighting the February 18 Assembly elections to save democracy, secularism, peace and tranquillity.

"The BJP raised the slogan for change which means disruption of peace between various communities, including tribals and non-tribals. It means stopping of the ongoing development programmes in the state. People will not accept the slogan," he claimed.

Dhar, who is also a CPI(M) central committee member, alleged that thousands of RSS and the BJP workers from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Assam and other states had entered the state and were involved in illegal activities such as attacking CPI (M) workers, and party offices.

The state secretary of the CPI(M) also claimed that in the name of electoral bond, the BJP was collecting funds from corporate bodies and spending that money in the state election.

He alleged that BJP had forged an alliance with the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), which demanded a separate state, and the saffron party supported the demand secretly.

The senior left leader alleged that the BJP had launched a disinformation campaign that Chief Minister Manik Sarkar was involved in a chit fund scam to malign his good image.

He expressed confidence that people would re-elect the Left Front to power.

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Dubai's iconic skyscraper Burj Khalifa was tonight lit up in the colours of the Indian flag to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi's second visit to the country.

The Indian tricolour will be displayed every hour for UAE residents to admire and enjoy, according to the Dubai-based real estate development company Emaar.

"The Indian flag will be showcased on Burj Khalifa tonight every hour from 7.15pm to 11.15pm," an Emaar representative was quoted as saying by the Khaleej Times.

The light show will coincide with prime minister Modi's second state visit to the UAE. Modi last visited the country in August 2015.

Yesterday evening, landmarks in Abu Dhabi and Dubai also lit up to the colours of the Indian flag. Abu Dhabi's Adnoc headquarters and Marina Mall and the Dubai Frame lit up in the Tricolour.

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The Centre has opposed in the Delhi High Court two petitions that allege discrimination against women in the Army's recruitment policy related to its engineering and education corps.

A bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal was told that the allegation of discrimination against women in Indian Army with respect to their recruitment in the force is "baseless, unfounded and devoid of merit".

The Army sought dismissal of the two PILs filed by a lawyer that have alleged "institutionalised discrimination" against women by the Army as it does not recruit them into the two corps by giving them a permanent commission.

However, the Indian Army maintained that it has in "1992 introduced women special entry scheme (officers) for induction of short service commission (women officers)", under the appropriate provisions of the law.

"Prior to this there was no provisions of entry of women officers to the Indian Army," the ministry added.

Advocate Kush Kalra said that, "This discrimination on grounds of gender is violative of fundamental right of equality before law, the right not to be discriminated on the ground of sex, the equality of opportunity in the matters of public employment, the right to practice any profession and occupation and the human rights of the women."



Women candidates are denied entry into the Engineering Corps under the 10+2 Technical Entry and the University Entry schemes in contrast to their male counterparts, one of the petitions said.

The lawyer in his other plea has said the reason given by the Army for not recruiting women is that they are not eligible for permanent commission in the army while the Army Educational Corps is a permanent commission.

The petitioner has sought an order declaring the Indian Army's eligibility conditions which disentitle women from being recruited in the Army Educational Corps as void, since they are inconsistent with the fundamental rights of women.

In his other plea relating to entry of women into the Engineering Corps, the petitioner has said the advertisement inviting application for recruitment only mentions male candidates and not female.

"As per the eligibility criteria only unmarried male candidates are eligible for recruitment to the 10+2 Technical Entry and University Entry schemes (both for permanent commissions), which in-fact means no female with equivalent qualification are eligible.

"This practice is discriminatory. The respondents (MoD and Army) are treating equals unequally. It is arbitrary and discriminatory against women," the petition on Engineering Corps said.

Kalra has also sought an order declaring the eligibility conditions for recruiting unmarried males alone in the Engineering Corps under the two entry schemes for a permanent commission as unconstitutional.

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The Centre and the PDP-led government in Jammu and Kashmir failed to bring the displaced people back into the valley as promised, former chief minister Omar Abdullah said.

He said there was also a feeling of"high degree of alienation" among large sections of people of the trouble-torn state.

"We have a huge displaced population, whether it is the Kashmiri Pandits or whether it is a section of the Sikh population. Even some Kashmiri Muslims had to leave the valley because of this situation," Abdullah told PTI here.

He said nothing had been done to bring this section of people back.

"Let's not forget that the BJP promised to take concrete steps to rehabilitate the Kashmiri Pandits and bring them back into the valley. That has not happened," he said.

"I think whichever way you choose to measure the performances of both the state and the central governments, they have disappointed us more," the National Conference leader said.

He said the roles and responsibilities of interlocutor Dineshwar Sharma were not clear and added that he was not sure what the initiative would do to benefit the state.

To a question, he said all the political parties needed to put more efforts to remove the feeling of alienation among the people of Kashmir.

"The entire population is not alienated, but there is a large section of population," he said.

"The National Conference, the PDP, the Congress, the BJP and other political parties, we need to do more to bring this alienated population back into our fold," said the Leader of Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly.

According to him, there are two facets to the problem in Jammu and Kashmir--the external dimension which is with Pakistan and the internal dimensional.

On the external front, he said though Prime Minister Narendra Modi started well by inviting his then Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif for his swearing in ceremony in May 2014, the initiative did not bear any fruit.

Abdullah also claimed that the Jammu and Kashmir government, led by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, has failed to reach out to the people of the state (referring to the internal dimension).

He was here to participate in an event organised by real estate developers' body CREDAI yesterday.

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Nearly 40 geologists from China and Pakistan have teamed up to survey the Makran Trench in Balochistan following Beijing's concerns over the possibility of a massive earthquake affecting the strategic Gwadar port in the volatile province, a media report said today.

The trench is the meeting point for two tectonic plates and is close to the Pakistani deep-sea port of Gwadar which China has acquired on a 40-year lease.

Gwadar forms part of the important link for the over USD 50 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) connecting to China's Xinjiang province through the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

"It has been more than 70 years since the last big earthquake shook the Makran Trench off the south coast of Pakistan but if and when the next catastrophic one happens, it could disturb more than the landscape," the Hong-Kong based South China Morning Post reported.

Any potential disaster in the area could undermine Beijing's ambitions to revive trade from China through Asia to Africa and Europe through Gwadar port, the report said.

That is why scientists from China and Pakistan have teamed up to survey the trench and assess the dangers lurking in the deep, it said.

The trench is a seismically active zone in the Arabian Sea where one plate is inching beneath the other in a "subduction zone".

The last major earthquake was of 8.1 magnitude in 1945, which triggered a tsunami that battered Iran, Pakistan, Oman and India and killed around 4,000 people.

Last year, a 6.3-magnitude quake hit the area.

Despite the damage, not much is known about the zone.

Seismologist Yang Hongfeng from Chinese University of Hong Kong said scientific expeditions in this part of the ocean were quite rare.

"A lot of important scientific questions remain unanswered," Yang said.

"The results will definitely advance our understanding



[while] providing critical data to reduce the risk in the region," he was quoted as saying in the report.

The quest is to get a better understanding of the subduction zone, which scientists say is unusual in part because it has a deposit of soft sediment several kilometres thick, Yang said.

To find answers, roughly 40 researchers from the two countries boarded the Experimental 3-vessel for the trench last month, lowering instruments into the waters to do a "CT scan" of the Earth's structure.

The expedition was a joint effort by the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology in Guangzhou and the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO)in Pakistan.

It was funded largely by the Chinese government-funded Chinese Academy of Sciences, said Asif Inam, NIO director general.

"The information and data being collected during the expedition would make a significant contribution to coastal developers and planners," Inam told South China Morning Post.

The threat of an earthquake near the port is a big concern for both countries.

"There's a whole lot at stake. The port, if fully developed and operationalised, can be a critical asset for Pakistan, and there's no nation that Pakistan would be more comfortable entrusting it to than its close friend China," Michael Kugelman, said a senior associate for South Asia at the US-based think tank Wilson Centre.

Kugelman said the destructive impact that an earthquake or tsunami could have on the operations of the port should not be overstated, given that actual operations were still limited.

"Still, given issues of proximity and general vulnerability Pakistan doesn't cope or respond well to natural disasters, given a lack of resources and incapacity



there's certainly reason to believe that intense earthquake activity would pose a clear and present danger to Gwadar," he was quoted as saying in the report.

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The Congress termed the state budget presented by Chief Minister Raman Singh in the Chhattisgarh Assembly today as disappointing, even as the ruling BJP hailed it saying that it served the interests of every section of society.

"The last budget (before Assembly polls) presented by this government today is very disappointing. The budget has left everyone including farmers, youth, women, labourers and 'shikshakarmi' disappointed," state Congress chief Bhupesh Baghel reacted.

He said that no provision had been made to disburse due bonus amounts to farmers, adding that while the per capita income had increased, the number of poor increased from 18 lakh to 59 lakh.

He claimed that it meant that the rich got richer and the poor turned poorer.

"The state government makes tall claims of economic reforms but it has failed to give timely payment to 'shikshakarmi' teachers and wages to labourers under MNREGA. It is going to be the last budget of the BJP government in the state," he said.

Baghel said that women, who were expecting that the Chief Minister would ban liquor in the state, had been left disappointed.

Meanwhile, BJP state president Dharamlal Kaushik welcomed the budget saying it reflected Prime Mininster Narendra Modis vision of welfare of every section of society.

"The budget caters to the interest of every section of society. PM Modis vision is clearly evident in the budget," Kaushik said.

He added that the budget gave impetus to the development of the state.

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Members of the Congress' National Students Union of India today staged a "pakoda protest" at the Kadak Bazaar locality here against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement made recently that even those selling "pakodas" could be counted among the employed.

Protesting NSUI functionaries prepared the snack and named it after the BJP top brass including Modi, BJP national president Amit Shah, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, organisers said.

The "Modi pakoda" was priced highest at Rs 50, the one named after Shah at Rs 35, the Jaitley one at Rs 25 while the "Rupani pakoda" rounded off the list with a price tag of Rs 15, said organisers.

The NSUI's Neha Desai said that the protests were carried out by youth who, despite being highly educated, were not getting jobs.

Vadodara was one of the two Lok Sabha constituencies from where Modi won in the 2014 polls, the other being Varanasi, before relinquishing the former.

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Congress President Rahul Gandhi today expressed confidence that his party would retain power in Karnataka in the coming assembly polls, as he promised a "pro people" and "forward looking" government.

"In the coming elections, Congress party is going to win," Gandhi said at rally here on the first day of his four-day tour of northern districts in Karnataka.

Highlighting the way in which Congress in the state has run the government in the last five years, he said, "we will do even better in the next five years after coming to power."



The Congress President said his party would continue to raise the issues of farmers, small traders, labourers and work for all sections of society.

"Our government will work for the future. We will speak truth to you and do what we promise.We will never lie to you."



Speaking at Kukanur near Yelburga, he also hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his claims regarding BJP providing corruption free government in the state.

He asked Modi to look at past records of BJP's Chief Ministerial candidate B S Yeddyurappa and some other leaders before making such "tall claims".

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Actor David Harbour and his girlfriend Alison Sudol are off to Antarctica as part of 'Protect the Antarctic' campaign of Greenpeace.

The 42-year-old actor and Sudol boarded the Greenpeace ship in London to set sail for Antarctica. They will be helping in the gathering of scientific evidence with the Antarctic Ocean Sanctuary to safeguard penguins and whales.

Harbour had earlier tweeted to Greenpeace asking, "how many retweets to send me someplace to tell emperor penguin couples I think they have terrific parenting ideologies? Perhaps hone the Hopper dance with the males..."



"Hmm, if you get over 200k well ask the Captain if you can join our expedition to the Antarctic and dance with the penguins," Greenpeace had tweeted in response.

Harbour took up the challenge and secured 200,000 retweets in less than five hours.

"Get your dancing shoes on, because youll be heading to Antarctica in no time," Greenpeace had written to Harbour.

Now, both Harbour and Sudol are heading to Antartica, and the actor, in a statement, said, "Well, Greenpeace says the Weddell Sea and its surroundings are home to a precious ecosystem, vital to sustaining our future. And that theres penguins there."



"And that I'll get to waddle around with them, discuss their parenting techniques with them and yes, yes, dance with them. And that they'll film it. And that if maybe I get enough support from everybody, they'll gimme that video, so I can rent it out to you (be kind, rewind please)."Sudol, who plays Queenie Goldstein in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, said,"There is a massive movement to protect these waters, which provide invaluable refuge to marine wildlife, and I am thrilled to join Greenpeace as an Antarctic Ambassador!"The 'Protect the Antarctic' campaign is also supported by actors Gillian Anderson, Javier Bardem, Gwendoline Christie, Judi Dench, Ralph Fiennes, Vanessa Kirby, Joanna Lumley, Helen Mirren, Thandie Newton, Simon Pegg, Vanessa Redgrave, Mark Rylance, Alexander Skarsgard, and other prominent celebs from around the world.

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The DDA has received 725 suggestions from the public on its proposed amendment to the Master Plan for Delhi, which includes bringing a uniform floor-area ratio (FAR) for shop-cum-residence plots and complexes at par with residential plots.

The proposed move aims to bring relief to the traders from a sealing drive, which was initiated late December from the Defence Colony market in south Delhi, at the instance of a Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee.

After issuing a notification on the amendment about a week ago, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) had sought public suggestions and objections to it.

"We have received 725 feedback from the public, which includes suggestions and objections. After a meeting of the board of inquiry, they will now be put before the authority and its final decision will then be sent to the Centre for approval," a senior DDA official said.

Asked, how much of the feedback would be incorporated into the Master Plan, he said the authority would take a decision on that.

Initially, the window to receive suggestions or objections was kept for three days from the date of notification, but was later extended to two more days.

The DDA has proposed to bring a uniform FAR for shop- cum-residence plots and complexes at par with residential plots.

The FAR is the ratio of a building's total floor area (gross floor area) to the size of the piece of land on which it is built.

BJP leader and DDA Member Vijender Gupta had earlier said, "The FAR for 100 sq.mtr was earlier variable, ranging from 180 to 225, but now it is proposed to be a uniform 350 for 100 sq.mtr."



The urban body has also proposed reducing the penalty charges from "10 times to two times" for the violation of the other terms and conditions for properties meant for mixed use.

The proposals, which hinge on an amendment to the Master Plan for Delhi (MPD-2021), were approved during a meeting of the DDA recently, held under the chairmanship of Lt Governor Anil Baijal.

The DDA, however, said the provisions for parking as per the prevailing standards should be mandatory for approval or sanctioning of any revised plans by the local bodies in case of shop-cum-residence plots or shop-cum-residence plots designated as local shopping centres (LSCs).

At the meeting, the DDA proposed to "allow commercial activity at the basements of all commercial streets and areas, subject to the payment of the requisite charges without any discrimination".

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Union Health Minister J P Nadda said the government aims to reach out to more than 32 crore children in the country in the sixth round of the national deworming programme held today.

Launching a programme on the occasion of National Deworming Day at a school in Gurgaon, he said the government is committed to ensuring that high-quality healthcare in accessible to every child and up to the last mile.

Observed on February 10 and August 10 each year, National Deworming Day (NDD) is a single fixed-day approach to treat intestinal worm infections in all children aged 1- 19 years.

Nadda said his ministry had launched the NDD first in 2015 and was implemented in all state-run and government-aided schools besides anganwadi centres across 11 states and Union Territories.

"Since then, the programme has been scaled up throughout the country and the government is aiming to reach more than 32.2 crore children in this round," Nadda said releasing the 'Deworming Factsheet' at the event.

Last year, 25.6 crore children in the February round and 22.8 crore children in the August round of National Deworming Day were successfully reached and treated of intestinal worm infections.

"Programs like National Deworming Day, which is for all children, are ensuring prevention of cognitive disability as well decreasing school drop-out rate by improving overall health of children. All these initiatives move us closer to overall wholesome development of the country," the Union health minister said.

Urging all the stakeholders to participate in this initiative, Nadda said the aim of a "worm-free India" can be true only if we all join hands to make this programme a success.

He also asked public representatives to create awareness and discuss about health issues, which is an important factor in the country's development.

"The National Deworming Day aims to create mass awareness about the most effective and low-cost treatment of Soil Transmitted Helminth (STH) infections -- one of the most common infections -- by administering Albendazole tablets," Nadda said.

"The tablet has no side effects and in case a dose is missed, the ministry carries out 'mop-up' sessions, to ensure no child is left out.

"Along with Albendazole administration, behaviour change practices in terms of cleanliness, hygiene, use of toilets, wearing shoes/chappals, washing hands are also important to reduce incidents of re-infection," the Union health minister said.

According to an official statement, deworming have very few side effects and some children, especially those with high worm infections, might experience nausea, mild abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, and fatigue.

In line with the health ministry guidance, comprehensive protocols have been put in place.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare envisions an open-defecation-free India which holds the capacity to reduce the overall worm burden in a community, the statement said.

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Opener Shikhar Dhawan made his 100th One-Day International appearance a memorable one, slamming a breezy century to guide India to 289 for seven in the fourth match against South Africa here today.

Eyeing their first-ever series win in South Africa, India could have got more but a rain interruption punctured their momentum after Dhawan's hundred.

Dhawan, who put on 158 runs with skipper Virat Kohli (75), thus became the first Indian batsman to score a ton in his 100th ODI. Overall, he became the ninth player to reach this milestone.

This was after India won the toss and opted to bat on a true batting surface. The visitors made one change, bringing in Shreyas Iyer for Kedar Jadhav, who had suffered a hamstring injury during the third ODI at Cape Town.

South Africa made two changes, bringing in Morne Morkel for Imran Tahir. AB de Villiers, who averages 112.50 in five Pink ODIs, replaced Khaya Zondo in the Proteas' XI. The Wanderers was expectedly bathed in pink for a good cause of creating awareness and raising funds for breast cancer.

A change in scenery though didn't reverse Rohit Sharma's floundering fortunes on this tour. He was out cheaply again, this time for 5 runs off 13 balls, as Kagiso Rabada (2-58) took a brilliant reflex return catch diving forward.

TV umpire ruled against Rohit who walked back as his ODI average fell to 11.45 in 12 matches on South African soil.

Dhawan and Kohli then came together, replicating their success from previous matches in the series. Together they attacked the South African attack, finding the pitch much to their liking.

The duo added 100 runs off as many balls as South Africa looked lost for ideas with Aiden Markram's leadership inexperience showing in his odd field settings.

Kohli looked unstoppable and the highlight of his innings was a straight six off Lungi Ngidi (2-52) as the batsman just walked down and launched him over the sightscreen.

In doing so, Kohli became the second batsman after de Villiers to score 350-plus runs in an ODI bilateral series on South African soil. De Villiers had scored 367 runs against Pakistan in 2013.

Against the run of play, the Proteas etched out a wicket as Kohli hit straight to cover off Morris in the 32nd over.

Overall, Kohli faced 83 balls inclusive of 7 fours and a six. Afterwards, Dhawan reached his hundred off 103 balls, celebrating his day in style.

Thunder and lightning forced players off the field, and there was a brief rain shower as well. 53 minutes were lost due to the same, but no overs were lost.

That break served South Africa well though as India lost two wickets in the space of 14 balls after resumption. First, Dhawan was caught at mid-off off Morne Morkel (1-55) and six balls later, Ajinkya Rahane (8) holed out to deep square leg.

Shreyas Iyer (18) was sent out at no.5 and together with MS Dhoni (42* off 43 balls), he calmed the situation for India, before Iyer was caught at long on off Ngidi in a bid to get the scoring rate up.

Dhoni and Hardik Pandya (9) looked for big shots, but missed more than they hit, adding only 15 off 22 balls.

Markram dismissed Pandya with a one-handed stunning catch at cover as India slipped further in their pursuit of 300.

India scored only 89 runs but lost five wickets after the rain break.

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The Philippines' famous white-sand island destination Boracay is drowning in faeces and may need to be shut down to protect the health of millions of visitors, President Rodrigo Duterte has warned.

The fiery leader gave his brutal assessment of the country's top tourist draw as he told hotels, restaurants and other businesses on the tiny central island to clean up or he would ban tourism there.

"I will close Boracay. Boracay is a cesspool," Duterte told a business forum in his southern home city of Davao late yesterday, according to an official transcript released by the presidential palace today.

"You go into the water, it's smelly. Smell of what? Shit. Because it all comes out in Boracay," he said.

Red-faced tourism department officials affirmed Duterte's assessment today, saying it reflected worsening sewage conditions on an island known globally for its pristine white sands and crystal clear waters.

"It's a shame that Boracay, which has repeatedly been recognised by prestigious travel magazines as the world's most beautiful island, may yet end up a paradise lost if water contamination continues," Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo said in a statement.

Department spokesman Ricky Alegre said a number of establishments drained their sewage directly into the sea.

"There are certain areas there (where)... some establishments have illegally tapped their sewage line into the water line," Alegre told AFP.

Of the 150 Boracay business establishments recently inspected by the government, only 25 were connected to the sewage line, he said.

Many establishments were also building too close to the beach and were even crowding into the roads of the 1,000- hectare (2,470-acre) island, Alegre added.

Boracay attracts more than two million tourists a year and brings in 56 billion pesos (USD 1.12 billion) in annual revenues, the department and industry sources said.

Duterte warned the situation was a looming environmental "disaster" and a "tragedy" that could soon drive visitors away from the island, located about 190 kilometres (308 miles) south of Manila.

He said he had ordered Secretary Roy Cimatu to clean up Boracay or else.

"I'll give you six months. Clean the goddamn thing," he said he had told Cimatu.

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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan today said a Turkish military helicopter had been shot down during Ankara's military offensive against a Kurdish militia in northern Syria.

"A little earlier, one of our helicopters was shot down," Erdogan said in televised remarks without saying who was responsible but vowing they would pay a "heavier price". State-run agency Anadolu said the incident happened in the southern border province of Hatay.

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The has sanctioned Rs 14.87 billion (Rs 1,487 crore) to the Army to fortify its bases in Jammu and Kashmir, Northeast and several other places to plug their security gaps and protect them from any terror attacks, official sources said today.

Clearing the project, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has set a deadline of 10 months for the Army to carry it out. The Army headquarters has been told to monitor implementation of the project, they said.

The sanction to the project comes amid heightened hostilities between Indian and Pakistani armies along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir and several terror attack targeting military installations.

Perimeter security will be strengthened at Army bases under six commands, the sources said.

A security audit of military bases was carried out on the recommendation of a committee headed by Lt Gen Philip Campose which was set up after the daring terror attack on the Pathankot air force base in 2016.

The committee was asked to recommend measures to beef up security at the military bases.

Following the security audit, revised standard operating procedures (SOPs) were sent to the commands of all three services to revamp their security management, including putting in place a multi-tier security structure.

A total of 3,000 sensitive bases, including 600 highly sensitive installations of the Army, Navy and the Air Force were identified by the forces months after the attack on Pathankot air base.

Separately, in July last year, the government had delegated "substantial" financial powers to the Army, the Navy and the Indian Air Force to strengthen perimeter security at sensitive bases across the country.
The Head Master of a primary school in Tirupur district was today placed under suspension following complaints of attending school after drinking alcohol and misbehaving with the students.

The students and their parents of the school in Kattupalayam in Perumanallur, about 60 Kms from here, have lodged complaints with the the Department about the matter Kennady.

He used to ask the students to clean the toilets and also sleeping during the class hours, the complainants said.

After carrying out an inquiry, Tirupur District Primary Officer placed Kennady under suspension, police said.

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Actor Reg E Cathey, known for popular TV series "The Wire" and "House of Cards", has died. He was 59.

The details of his death are not yet known, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

For his role of Freddy Hayes, the owner of a BBQ joint who ends up with a job in the White House, on Netflix's "House of Cards", Cathey won an Emmy in 2015. He was nominated for the award for three straight years.

On HBO's acclaimed TV series "The Wire", Cathey was lauded for his performance as Baltimore political operative Norman Wilson.

Most recently, Cathey was seen in the role of Chief Byron Giles on Cinemax series "Outcast" and also played a part in HBO's "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks".

Over the years, Cathey also starred in films such as "Se7en", "American Psycho", "The Machinist", "S.W.A.T" and "Hands of Stone".

He also starred in the Josh Trank-directed reboot of "Fantastic Four". He portrayed the role of Dr. Franklin Storm, the father of Sue and Johnny Storm.

Cathey's "S.W.A.T" co-star Samuel L Jackson paid tributes to the actor on Instagram.

"A Beautiful Talent left us for a more peaceful plane. Reg E. Cathey, true thespian, sage, musician and friend! That band up there is gonna be LIT and the convos just got waaaay heavier!!!" Jackson posted.

Streaming giant Netflix, in a statement, also condoled Cathey's death.

"We are heartbroken by the passing of our friend and House of Cards colleague... Reg was the kindest man, the most giving actor, a true gentleman," it stated.

Cathey was born in Huntsville, Alabama, and spent his childhood in West Germany. He graduated from J.O. Johnson High School, where he acted in plays such as To Kill a Mockingbird.

He later studied theatre at the University of Michigan and the Yale School of Drama.

"The Wire" creator David Simon also paid a tribute to the actor.

"Reg Cathey, 1958-2018. Not only a fine, masterful actor



but simply one of the most delightful human beings with whom I ever shared some long days on set. On wit alone, he could double any man over and leave him thinking. Reg, your memory is a great blessing," Simon tweeted.

Actor Miles Teller, who starred in "Fantastic Four", also condoled Cathey's death and tweeted, "Just read that Reg E. Cathey has passed away. Reg was an incredibly kind and wonderful person with a vibrant love for the arts. He would bring his saxophone to set and serenade everyone at base camp during breaks. Rest In Peace my friend.

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The Hmar People's Convention (Democratic) leaders today expressed optimism that political level talks with Mizoram government next month would find a solution to the Hmar problem.

HPC(D) leaders, based in neighbouring Manipur, on condition of anonymity said that the militant outfit was yet to decide on the members of the delegation while confirming that the working president of the insurgent group Lalthalien Hmar would be in the delegation and would continue to be the spokesperson.

The HPC(D) leaders expressed optimism that the peace parleys would make a headway in bringing amicable solution to the vexed Hmar problem.

Mizoram Home minister R Lalzirliana had recently announced that the first round of political level talks with the HPC (D) was scheduled to be held on March 5 in Aizawl.

State Home department officials said that former Labour Minister Lalrinmawia Ralte, recently appointed as Political Adviser to Chief Minister was most likely to head the state government delegation.

The proposed political level talks, proposed to be held before Christmas last year was delayed as Mizoram chief minister Lal Thanhawla constituted a three-member committee of legislators to examine the draft legislation on the formation of Sinlung Hills Council (SHC).

The talks held during August, 2016 and September, 2017 mainly revolved around giving more autonomy to the existing Sinlung Hills Development Council (SHDC) as also restructuring the Council.

The name of the Council was proposed to be changed from Sinlung Hills Development Council to Sinlung Hills Council.

The HPC was demanding a separate autonomous district council under the sixth schedule of the Constitution for the Hmar community concentrated in the north eastern part of the state adjoining Manipur, before the accord was signed.

The HPC (D) recently agreed to drop the demand for autonomy under the sixth schedule paving the way for solution to the Hmar imbroglio.

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India Post Payments Bank on Saturday said that it will start pan-India roll out of its network from April this year.

India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) Expansion Programme continues to make brisk progress and a nation-wide roll-out is scheduled beginning April 2018," the Department of Posts said in a statement.

All 1.55 lakh post office branches will operate as access points and 650 payments bank branches will provide them back- end support.

"Once the proposed expansion is completed, IPPB will be providing the largest financial inclusion network in the country, covering both urban as well as rural hinterland with ability to provide digital payment services at the doorstep with the help of Postmen and Gramin Dak Sewaks (GDS)," the statement said.

In 2015, RBI had granted 'in-principle' approval to 11 entities, including the Department of Posts, to set up payments Payments can accept deposits of up to Rs 1 lakh per account from individuals and small businesses. Unlike traditional banks, payments 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.

"IPPB will also enable more than 17 crore active account-holders of Post Office Savings Bank to make interoperable digital payments including the benefit of NEFT, RTGS, UPI and bill payment services. Additionally, the IPPB will enable acceptance of digital payments across post offices in the country in line with the digital payments initiative of the government," the statement said.

IPPB launched its pilot services in Raipur and Ranchi in January 2017.
India's improved relations with Israel could actually benefit Palestine, experts said here, underlining that the Palestinian leadership sees an opportunity in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit in reviving the peace process with Israel.

Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Palestine, is reaching Ramallah amid heightened tensions in the region after US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

India has consistently voted in favour of resolutions supporting the Palestinian cause at international forums, an issue that has bothered strategic partner Israel.

Ahmad Majdalani, a Palestine Liberation Organisation Executive Committee member, said improved relations between Israel and India could help the Palestinians.

"The growing ties between them could be positive, because now India has more leverage with Israel and can pressure it in our favour," Majdalani was quoted as saying by The Jerusalem Post.

In discussions with several officials in Ramallah, who spoke on conditions of anonymity, it appears that the Palestinian leadership sees in the Indian prime minister's visit an opportunity to seek his assistance in pushing forward the deadlocked peace process.

"India today enjoys wider acceptance in the global community. The recent participation of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) leaders in its Republic Day function is a clear demonstration of its enhanced status. Its membership in the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) and visibility at several leading international forums, clearly shows that it is today a global player", an official said.

Another official pointed at the "moral standing" India enjoys in the international community which can be put to good use.

The hype around India's strategic ties with Israel and the bonhomie around Modi's visit to Israel and its prime minister's visit to India also does not seem to perturb the Palestinians.

"Well even Jordan and Egypt have full diplomatic relations with Israel so why can't India have," said Ayman, a university student.

His friends seem to back the same contention displaying a great degree of acquaintance of international Some appreciated India's support for the Palestinians at the UN despite all the publicity around the personal chemistry between Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netnayahu.

When asked about India's growing engagement with Israel, President Mahmoud Abbas himself emphaticlally asserted that "any state has the right to establish relations with other countries".

The Indian prime minister would be skipping Israel during his tour of the Middle East in a clear message that New Delhi is de-hyphenating its ties with Israel and Palestine.

Modi had visited Israel last year in July in a standalone visit that had led to many analysts questioning the future of the Indo-Palestine ties.

The question that arises out of Abbas' effort is if Israel would accept a multilateral forum of the sort being promoted by him to seek negotiated peace. Israel has made it clear that it will only work under a US-led peace process.

India has also consistently voted in favour of the Palestinians at all international forums and Netanyahu clearly expressed his "disappointment" at New Delhi's recent vote at the UN General Assembly where 128 nations rejected US' unilateral declaration of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

As Modi embarks on the three-hour hectic trip to Palestine today, he kickstarts his engagement by laying a wreath at the Mausoleum of iconic Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

The Israeli press has highlighted the event with some reports expressing disappointment over the gesture. Many Israelis see Arafat responsible for th killing of several innocent civilians and stoking violence in the region.

Modi will be accompanied by his Palestinian counterpart Rami Hamdallah during the ceremony.

The Mausoleum of Yasser Arafat was unveiled on November 10, 2007 and is located adjacent to the Palestinian Presidential compound, also known as Muqata'a here.

After paying homage to Arafat, the prime minister will take a short tour accompanied by Hamdallah of the Yasser Arafat Museum located adjacent to the Mausoleum.

He will spend some 20 minutes touring the 15-month-old Yasser Arafat Museum, which chronicles the life of the former Palestinian leader.

According to Muhammad Halayka, the director of the Arafat Museum, Modi will be the first Prime Minister to visit the site.

Modi will then be received by President Abbas before the ceremonial welcome at the Muqata'a.

The two leaders will then have discussions, sign bilateral agreements, hold a joint press conference and share lunch before Modi leaves for Amman in a chopper following a farewell ceremony.

Modi will then leave for the UAE later in the day for a two-day visit.

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India today said it will set up an institute for diplomacy in Palestine and double the number of scholarships to Palestinians to study in India among several measures to help it in capacity building and infrastructure development with an investment of USD 50 million.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in a meeting discussed the full range of India- Palestine ties following which the two sides signed six agreements worth around USD 50 million that includes setting up of a USD 30 million super speciality hospital in Beit Sahur.

Three agreements in the education sector worth USD 5 million, one MoU for procurement of equipment and machinery for the National Printing Press and one for construction of a centre for empowering women were also signed.

"India has been an old friend of Palestine in its efforts towards nation building," Modi said in a media statement.

"We have cooperation in training, technology, infrastructure development, project assistance and budgetary support," he said.

"As part of our new initiative we have started to work on a new technology park, the development of which is in fast progress. I hope it will function as an institution that parts skills that create employment and also as a service centre," the prime Minister said.

India has in the past been training Palestinian diplomats but Modi announced that New Delhi would now also be cooperating in setting up an institute of diplomacy in Ramallah which he believes "will emerge as a world class centre for training of young diplomats".

Appreciating the determination shown by Palestinian youth in harsh conditions, Modi said the aspirations of young people in both the countries are the same and he wishes them an environment where there are "opportunities for progress, prosperity and self dependence available".

"The Palestinian people have continuously demonstrated a strong will in the face of challenges and crisis. You have demonstrated rock solid determination to deal with adversity and that too despite an environment of instability and insecurity which withholds progress and puts to danger hard earned success," he noted.

Majdi Khaldi, a close aide to Abbas, expressed gratitude at the Indian assistance, saying New Delhi has continuously supported Palestinians with such efforts.

He told PTI that India has committed to an investment of about USD 45-50 million in these projects.

Modi also announced to enhance the number of scholarships being provided to Palestinians in the exchange programme from 50 to 100.

Abbas had accorded a red carpet welcome to Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to make an official visit to Palestine, in an official ceremony at the presidential compound, also known as Muqata'a, in Ramallah - the Palestinian seat of government.

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Two foreign journalists, including an Indian national, working for French agency AFP who were arrested by the Maldivian police for violating immigration rules, have been ordered to leave the island nation facing political turmoil.

The two journalists, Indian national Money Sharma and British national of Indian-origin Atish Ravi Patel, were handed over to immigration authorities by the police after it was found that they were working in violation of the country's immigration rules, the police said in a statement.

"These individuals were found to be working and reporting as journalists while on a tourist visa, in contravention to the Immigration Act and Regulations," the statement said.

The Maldives police, however, clarified that no legal action will be taken against the two journalists.

"We would like to note that although they have been asked to leave the Maldives, no other legal steps shall be taken against them," the police said.

The action against the two journalists came as a privately-owned television station in the Maldives went off the air, citing threats during the country's current state of emergency.

Rajje TV, which highlights the views of the political opposition, said in a statement that it stopped broadcasting because the country's environment does not allow journalists to report freely and independently, the AFP had reported.

Male, which has seen several political crises since the ouster of its first democratically-elected president Mohamed Nasheed in 2012, plunged into fresh chaos last Thursday when the Supreme Court ordered the release of nine imprisoned Opposition politicians, maintaining that their trials were "politically motivated and flawed".

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Iran denounced Israeli "lies" today and said Syria had the right to "legitimate self-defence" in response to air strikes launched by Israel after an alleged drone incursion into its territory.

"Iran believes Syria has the right to legitimate self- defence. To cover their crimes in the region, Israeli officials are resorting to lies against other countries," foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi told AFP.

Israel struck targets inside Syria on Saturday after intercepting what it said was an Iranian drone entering its airspace from Syria, which it labelled an "attack."



An Israeli fighter jet crashed under fire from Syrian air defences.

That prompted Israel to unleash a dozen retaliatory strikes on both Syrian and Iranian targets inside Syria.

"The allegations regarding surveillance by an Iranian drone are too ridiculous for words," said Ghasemi.

Iran issued a joint statement alongside the other main allies of the Syrian regime, Russia and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, vowing a "relentless response" to Israeli "aggression".

The statement said the Israeli air strikes had targeted drones used in the fight against "terrorist organisations, primarily Daesh", referring to the Islamic State jihadist group.

"Iran does not have a military presence in Syria, and has only sent military advisers at the request of the Syrian government," Ghasemi told AFP.

"We deny all unfounded allegations by the Zionists. The government and Syrian army are only defending themselves against Israeli aggression."



Lebanon also criticised the Israeli strikes, and said it would write a letter of protest to the United Nations over the use of its airspace for the raids, according to a statement from its foreign ministry.

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The Israeli military shot down an Iranian drone that infiltrated the country early today before launching a "large-scale attack" on at least a dozen Iranian and Syrian targets in Syria.

Israel called it a "severe and irregular violation of Israeli sovereignty" and warned of further action against the unprecedented Iranian aggression.

The military said its planes faced massive anti-aircraft fire from Syria that forced two pilots to abandon an F-16 jet that crashed in northern Israel. One pilot was seriously wounded and the other lightly.

Syrian officials reported large explosions in the center of the country and the Syrian counter fire set off warning sirens throughout northern Israel.

The Israeli strikes marked its most significant engagement since the fighting in neighboring Syria began in 2011 and said Iran would be held responsible for its outcome.

"This is a serious Iranian attack on Israeli territory. Iran is dragging the region into an adventure in which it doesn't know how it will end," Israel's chief military spokesman, Brig Gen Ronen Manelis, said in a special statement.

"Whoever is responsible for this incident is the one who will pay the price."



Gen Hossein Salami, acting commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, did not acknowledge Israel's claim it shot down the drone. "We do not confirm any such from Israel," he said.

Syria's Defense Ministry said in statements on its website that its air defenses responded successfully to the Israeli operation and hit more than one plane.

"The Israeli enemy has once again attacked some of our military bases in the southern area and our air defenses responded and foiled the aggression," it said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman were convening the top brass at military headquarters in Tel Aviv to discuss further response.

Israel has mostly stayed out of the prolonged fighting in Syria, wary of being drawn into a war in which nearly all the parties are hostile toward it.

It has recently been warning of the increased Iranian presence along its border, but military spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus said today's incident marked the most "blatant and severe violation of Israeli sovereignty" yet.

He said Israel has no interest in further escalation but that it would "extract a heavy price" for such aggression.

He said Iran was "playing with fire" by infiltrating Israeli airspace, and stressed that the unmanned aircraft Israel shot down was "on a military mission sent and operated by Iranian military forces." He said Israel recovered the dispatched drone, which was clearly Iranian.

In response, Conricus said Israeli jets destroyed the Iranian site in central Syria that launched it. Upon their return, the jets came under heavy Syrian anti-aircraft fire.

The pilots of one of the F-16s had to escape and the plane crashed. It's unclear whether the plane was actually struck or if the pilots abandoned their mission for a different reason.

If the plane was in fact shot down by enemy fire, it could mark the first such instance for Israel since 1982 during the first Lebanon war.

In subsequent attacks, Israel struck four additional Iranian positions and eight Syrian sites in Syria. The military said significant damage was caused.

Conricus said the Israeli jets faced between 15 to 20 anti-aircraft missiles fired by SA-5 and SA-17 batteries. All the Israeli jets in those sorties returned home safely.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the war in Syria, said Israel targeted the edges of a military air base, called T-4, in the Homs desert near Palmyra, where Iranian and Hezbollah forces are based alongside Syrian troops.

The Observatory said the raids resulted in casualties, but didn't specify. It also said Israeli raids targeted areas in southwestern Damascus, bordering the southern provinces. This was followed by raids on Syrian government posts along the Damascus-Beirut road, close to the border between Syria and Lebanon.

Syrian state TV said air defenses hit more than one Israeli plane and that a girl was injured when Israeli missiles fell near a school in a neighborhood in Damascus' countryside.

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Israeli analysts generally accept India's strategic need to demonstrate its traditional support for Palestine with some seeing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trip to Ramallah as a "comfort prize" for Palestinians amid growing Indo-Israel ties.

Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Palestine, has reached Ramallah amid heightened tensions in the region after US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

India has consistently voted in favour of resolutions supporting the Palestinian cause at international forums, an issue that has bothered strategic partner Israel.

"I believe that the Palestinians understand that this visit is a comfort prize after Israel and India have grown closer dramatically in the last few years," Lior Weintraub, a former Israeli spokesperson in New Delhi and Washington, said. said.

India is now prioritising the bilateral relationship with Israel that has a strategic aspect, cultural aspect and economic aspect, over allowing the impasse in the Israeli- Palestinian channel to dictate how India is going to act vis- -vis some vital national interest that is has, the former diplomat further added.

Israelis are generally accepting of India's strategic need to demonstrate its traditional support for the Palestinians with some seeing Prime Minister Narendra Modis trip to Palestine as a "comfort prize" for intensifying Indo- Israel ties while others viewing it as a move to safeguard national interest.

Modi's visit to Palestine comes just weeks after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus much publicised trip to India. A section of the media and colleagues in his own Likud party hailed his "treatment like a King" in India, emphasising on the personal chemistry between Netanyahu and Modi.

The visit to Palestine may have come as a dampener to many Israeli India enthusiasts who have looked excited at the burgeoning ties between India and Israel but on the contrary there seems to be an understanding of "India's national interest".

"The visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Palestinian Authority will also have diplomatic significance: On the one hand it is important for the Indians to show that they have not neglected their traditional position when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but (on the other hand) the close relationship between Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Netanyahu can help in facilitating a renewal of the talks between the sides," Lior said.

Currently working with The Israel Project as a senior executive, Lior sees Modi's visit to Palestine as a move vital to protect India's national interest.

Senior sources in Israel confirmed that the Israeli government was sounded off much in advance, and prior to, of Netanyahu's visit to India.

"I do not see any reason to crib about anything here. Our relations have matured to a level that we can understand India's needs. Its not an either or situation. It never was," the source told PTI.

Genady Shlomper, a lecturer at Tel Aviv university, sees Modi's visit as a part of India's engagement with the Arab world.

"India has vital interests in the Arab world. The trip to Ramallah is also clubbed with his trip to other parts of the Arab world. India has such a huge diaspora community there and vital economic and political interests. It is not surprising to me that he has decided to visit Ramallah," Shlomper said.

The Indian Jewish community, which so warmly welcomed Modi during his trip to Israel, also seems understanding of India's need to demonstrate its ties with Palestine.

Certain sections of the press in Israel have however raised eyebrows at Modi's decision to lay a wreath on Yasser Arafat's Mausoleum. The iconic Palestinian leader is revered in most parts of the Arab world but a lot of Israelis see him as a "terrorist" responsible for the death of several of their citizens.

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ITC CEO Sanjeev Puri today met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at his official residence here and proposed investments worth over Rs 1,100 crore in the state.

An UP government spokesperson today said that during his meeting with the UP chief minister, Puri proposed investments in food and consumer goods, green energy and establishment of a logistics hub in Ghaziabad worth more than Rs 1,100 crore.

The ITC CEO also praised the investment promotion and industrial development policies of the state government, and said that his company is willing to expand its business activities in the state.

Speaking on the occasion, Adityanath said the state government is making every effort to encourage 'ease of doing business'. Policies pertaining to different sectors have been implemented, in which there are attractive provisions for establishing industries.

He said that influenced by these facilities and developmental works, the investors are considering UP as an ideal state for investment.

The chief minister also invited Puri to participate in the two-day Investors' Summit to be held in Lucknow beginning February 21.

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Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra expressed concern over the militant attack at Sunjwan Army Camp here today, and reiterated his advise about the need for an uncompromising audit of all security establishments.

According to an official spokesperson, the governor spoke to Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Devraj Anbu and expressed grief over the death of two Army personnel, and wished speedy recovery to those injured in the attack.

He said the governor reiterated his advise about the need for an uncompromising audit of all security establishments.

Two Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) were killed while a Colonel rank officer and daughter of an Army personnel were among four persons injured as militants attacked the Sunjwan Army camp in Jammu city early today, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri said.

While the minister did not specify the group affiliation of the militants who carried out the attack, officials said Jaish-e-Mohammed militants were behind the terror strike.

The exact number of militants is not known but as per initial calls received at PCR Jammu four to five militants were involved in the attack, he said.

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Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists today struck at an Army camp on the outskirts of Jammu city, killing two junior commissioned officers (JCOs) and injuring six others, including a Major and a daughter of an Army personnel.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri informed the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly that Subedar Madanlal Chowdhary and Subedar Mohammed Ashraf Mir were killed in the attack by a group of militants.

The Army, however, maintained that only one JCO was killed.

Briefing media persons at the main entrance of the camp, Jammu-based Army PRO Lt Col Devender Anand said, "In the early hours today after a brief exchange of fire with sentry on the periphery, some terrorists entered the family accommodation complex.

"The quick response teams have cordoned off the area and isolated the terrorists, who are holed up in a few houses (inside the camp)," the officer said.

He said in the operation to evacuate families, one JCO was killed while six persons, including women and children, suffered injuries.

"Due to the presence of women and children in the housing colony, the operations is being progressed cautiously to minimise the casualties," he said.

The Major has been airlifted to an Udhampur hospital where his condition was stated to be critical, Army officials said.

Army helicopters and drones have been pressed into service to ascertain the exact location of the terrorists, officials said.

While there was no action around the main entrance and vehicles were moving along the Jammu-Lakhanpur bypass in front of the camp, Army personnel in bullet-proof vehicles were engaged in the operation to rescue people from the family quarters in the rear side of the base.

A final assault against the holed-up terrorists would be launched once the rescue operation is over, officials said.

Contingents of para-military CRPF and police personnel have been posted outside the boundary wall and were keeping curious onlookers at bay to avoid civilian casualties. Generators and searchlights were brought to the camp, apparently for a night assault.

Though the exact number of militants was not known, officials said preliminary estimates suggested that there could be three to four of them inside the camp.

Inspector General of Police (Jammu) S D Singh Jamwal told reporters here that "around 4:55 am suspicious movement was noticed by the sentry and his bunker was fired upon. The fire was retaliated. The number of militants is not known. They have been cornered in one of the family quarters."



Soon after the attack, reinforcements of the Army's special forces and special operations group (SOG) rushed to the spot and cordoned off the area amid a fierce gunfight, security official said.

Schools in a five-kilometre radius around the camp have been closed by the authorities as a precautionary measure.

A high alert has been sounded in Jammu and security beefed up in and around the city.

Intelligence inputs had warned of an attack on an Army or security establishment by Jaish-e-Mohammed in view of the death anniversary of Afzal Guru who was hanged on February 9, 2013.

Those injured included an Army officer, Havaldar Abdul Hamid, Lance Naik Bahadur Singh and the daughter of slain Subedar Chowdhary, the minister earlier told the House which witnessed protests by BJP members who raised anti-Pakistan slogans.

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Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister late J Jayalalithaa's portrait will be unveiled in the State Assembly on February 12 by Speaker P Dhanapal.

Chief Minister K Palaniswami will preside over the function in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, Secretary, Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, K Boopathy said in an official release here.

Palaniswami had in May last year called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and submitted a letter, urging him to unveil the late leader's portrait in the Assembly.

The Chief Minister had said the late leader made significant contributions for the State, its growth and for Tamil language and culture.

He had said that Amma had dedicated her life for Tamils and left an indelible mark on the Indian political landscape.

The main opposition DMK last year sought the removal of portraits of Jayalalithaa from government offices, saying she was convicted in the disproportionate assets case.

Palaniswami had, however, defended his governments decision to unveil the portrait, saying it would be a great honour for the Assembly.

Stating that there was nothing wrong in paying respect to Jayalalithaa, who was fully committed to people's welfare, he had said that 'Amma' was elected Chief Minister six times and regarded as a role model by Chief Ministers from other States.

Public Interest Litigation petitions were also filed in the Madras High Court against portraits of Jayalalithaa in government offices.

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Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das today congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for being conferred with 'Grand Collar of the State of Palestine', the highest Palestinian honour for foreign dignitaries.

In his congratulatory message, Das said the honour is an indicator to Modis identification of being a world leader, according to an official release here.

"It is a matter of pride for the whole country," Das said.

Modi was today conferred the 'Grand Collar of the State of Palestine', the highest Palestinian honour for foreign dignitaries, recognising his contributions to promoting relations between India and Palestine.

President Mahmoud Abbas bestowed the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine on Modi after the conclusion of their bilateral meeting at Ramallah.

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Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MLA Yogendra Prasads assembly membership was annulled with effect from January 31 as a Ramgarh court had sentenced him to three years imprisonment in a coal theft case, an assembly release said today.

Jharkhand Assembly Speaker Dinesh Oraon took the decision as the Ramgarh Sub-divisional Judicial Magistrate had sentenced Prasad to three-years imprisonment on January 31, it said.

The release said under section 8 of the Peoples Representation Act, the membership of the House ceases with immediate effect if the prison term is two years or more than two years.

Prasad represented Gomia on JMM ticket.

The Speaker took the advice of Advocate General, the release said.

On January 31, Ramgarh sub-divisional judicial magistrate, R P Mala had convicted Prasad and three others and sentenced them to three years rigorous imprisonment



The theft case was lodged with Rajrappa police station of Ramgarh district in 2010.

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Four students of the Jawaharlal Nehru University have been slapped with fines of Rs 20,000 each for allegedly blocking a road near the administrative building to protest against compulsory attendance.

A circular issued yesterday by chief proctor Kaushal Kumar to the students said, "There is a prima facie evidence that you were involved in blocking the road near the administrative block since February 5 due to which inconvenience is caused to students, teachers, staff and school children."



The circular added that the vice-chancellor, in exercise of powers vested under statutes, has ordered to impose fines of Rs 20,000 each on the four students.

All the four students are also members of Congress-backed National Students Union of India.

Also, while the hostel facility has been withdrawn for a student for two semesters, the three others have been given hostel transfers.

The chief proctor was not available for comments.

"We all four belong to minority and are being selectively targeted by the administration. We had just protested against the administration for imposing an arbitrary decision which made attendance compulsory for availing scholarships and fellowships," one of the students Mukesh Kumar said.

The students have been boycotting attendance, forming human chain and taking to other forms of protest against the compulsory attendance ruling.

Scores of students also gathered near the administration block in the evening today to regiter their protest.

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Keith Adams, who served as the stunt coordinator on the sets of "Kill Bill", has said that he would have been able to prevent actor Uma Thurman's crash had he been notified about the scene.

Adams told The Hollywood Reporter that he and his team were not on set as no stunts were scheduled for the day the violent car crash happened.

"No stunts of any kind were scheduled for the day of Ms Thurman's accident. All of the stunt department was put on hold and no one from the stunt department was called to set. At no point was I notified or consulted about Thurman driving a car on camera that day," Adams said.

"Had I been involved, I would have insisted not only on putting a professional driver behind the wheel but also insuring that the car itself was road-worthy and safe," he added.

In an article for the New York Times, Thurman had alleged that director Quentin Tarantino forced her to drive an unsafe car as part of a stunt on the set of "Kill Bill", which crashed and injured her.

Tarantino, on his part, has expressed regret for Thurman's accident, calling it the "biggest mistake" of his life.

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Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said today that he was looking forward to meaningful talks with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during his forthcoming visit to India.

Singh, who had earlier accused some Canadian ministers of being sympathetic to Khalistani groups, told reporters here that the unequivocal statements of Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan and Infrastructure Minister Amarjeet Sohi, distancing themselves from the Khalistani movement, had paved the way for meaningful discussions.

He said he would be happy to welcome Trudeau during his visit to India later this month and hold talks to strengthen ties between Punjab and Canada.

Sajjan's statement that he and Sohi "neither sympathise with nor espouse the Sikh nationalist movement, which is bent on creating a separate country called Khalistan in India's Punjab region" indicated that the Canadian prime minister clearly sent out a strong signal within his party and government that he would not allow his country's soil to be used for any secessionist activities, the chief minister earlier said.

Singh was here to pay his tribute to Sikh warrior Sham Singh Attariwala on his 172nd Martyrdom Day.

Talking to reporters, he said he was committed to completing the process of farm loan waiver for 10.25 lakh farmers, as announced by his government, by November this year.

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High drama prevailed at the house of J Deepa, niece of former Chief Minister, the late J Jayalalithaa, as a man posing as an IT department official tried to conduct searches in her house here.

Police said Mitesh Kumar, who identified himself as an IT department official showed his "identity card" and the "search warrant" upon his arrival at the residence.

"He showed the identity card and the search warrant to us. We believed it was true and allowed him," Sami Chinnapillai, advocate of J Deepa Peravai (Forum) told reporters.

When he asked him why only one person had come, he said the others would come by 10 a.m and paste the search warrant on the door, the advocate said.

"But following his suspicious movements, I called up the police," he said.

Television channels showed visuals of Kumar trying to cover the camera lens with his hand and also directing some journalists not to enter the premises.

Soon after police arrived on the spot, it was confirmed that the Income Tax department had no plans to conduct any raid.

TV visuals showed Kumar fleeing the scene on seeing the police personnel and being chased by police and mediapersons. However, he managed to give them the slip.

Deepa's husband Madhavan said he had told Kumar that he would extend all cooperation for conducting the search after seeing his "identity card."



"But soon after police arrived, he ran away," Madhavan said.

A senior police official told PTI a special team has been formed to nab Kumar.

"We received a complaint from Madhavan. A four-member team comprising inspectors has been formed. We are on the job," he added.

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German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she won't interfere with a law that criminalises certain statements about Poland's World War II history because, "as Germans, we are responsible for the things that happened during the Holocaust."



Merkel said in her weekly podcast today that the onus on Germany from the Holocaust is something every government will acknowledge and have to address.

The Polish law allows prison terms of up to three years for statements attributing Nazi crimes in German-occupied Poland to the Polish nation.

It has caused a diplomatic dispute with Israel, which fears it will enable Poland to whitewash the role of Poles who killed or denounced Jews during the occupation.

Merkel is scheduled to meet Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in Berlin yesterday.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will witness the foundation stone-laying ceremony for the first Hindu temple in the capital of the UAE, home to over three million people of Indian origin.

Modi, who will arrive here tonight, will be visiting the United Arab Emirates for the second time after his 2015 trip to the country.

"The first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi will come up on 55,000 square metres of land and the groundbreaking ceremony on Sunday will be a historic event," said Indian Ambassador to the UAE Navdeep Singh Suri.

The Indian Prime Minister will flag off laying of the temple's foundation stone during the community event.

"On Sunday, you will see a groundbreaking ceremony, which is going to be live-streamed into Dubai Opera House. It's going to be tradition meeting technology," Suri said.

Modi will hold a meeting with the Indian community at Dubai Opera House, he said, adding that representatives of all major organisations and a number of Indian professionals have been invited.

"The occasion is going to be historic for a different reason because it will also see the commencement of the first Hindu Temple in Abu Dhabi. We are very pleased that we have received 55,000 square metres of land near Al Rahba off the Dubai-Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed Highway," Suri said.

The temple will be hand-carved by Indian temple artisans and assembled in the UAE. It will be completed by 2020, and open to people of all religious backgrounds.

It will be the first traditional Hindu stone temple in the Middle East, said a spokesperson from the BAPS.

Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), is a socio-spiritual Hindu organisation set up in 1907 that runs more than 1,100 temples and cultural compounds around the world.

The temple will incorporate all aspects and features of a traditional Hindu temple as part of a fully functional, social, cultural and spiritual complex.

It will replicate the BAPS temple in New Delhi and the one under construction in New Jersey, a trust member told Khaleej Times.

The investment from the UAE to India exceeds USD 11 billion.

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The Bombay High Court has held that the Mumbai University's ordinance mandating a minimum 50 per cent attendance was in the interest of students and thus, even the highest authority in the university had no power to allow any undue relaxation in the rule.

In the order passed on Thursday, a bench of justices B R Gavai and B P Colabawalla also held that the discretionary powers over students' attendance was vested only with the colleges' respective attendance committees and their principals and that the university can't claim to be the "supreme appellate authority" in such cases.

The bench was hearing a petition filed against the Mumbai University's grievance cell by a college in Kandivli.

The petitioner, B K Shroff College, had alleged that the university's cell did not take strict action against the attendance defaulters and that it often allowed such students, who did not have the minimum requisite attendance, to appear for exams.

The petitioner alleged that in March 2017, about 100 commerce students were barred from appearing for their second semester exams since they had less than 50 per cent attendance.

Thirty-eight of these students had approached the university's grievance cell (commerce) and it asked the college to allow the defaulters to take the exams despite the fact that they had less than 50 per cent attendance.

The university's ordinance on students' attendance mandates that each student maintains 75 per cent attendance. However, the college principals have the power to condone deficiency in attendance up to 25 per cent, if the deficiency is on account of bonafide exigencies, and was approved by the college attendance committee.

The university's counsel, advocate Rui Rodrigues, however, told the high court that the university's grievance cell intervened and granted relief to the students only if it was convinced that the relief was a well-deserved one.

"The ordinance is made by the university itself so the university is the ultimate appellate authority and can have the power to use its discretion on a case-to-case basis," Rodrigues said.

He also cited a previous judgement of another bench of the high court that had granted relief in a similar case after holding that the university was the supreme appellate authority when it came to academic disputes.

The bench, however, rejected the above argument.

"A strictview on attendance must be maintained in the larger interest of not only the student, but also of the institution or university. The ordinance is meant to protect the interest of the state and it can't be implemented haphazardly. Even the highest authority in the university has no power to allow any undue relaxation in the rule.

"We can't accept the argument that the university is the supreme appellate body. Any relaxation incase of bonafide exigencies can be granted only by the college committee and the principal and even then a student must have minimum attendance of 50 per cent," the bench said.

"A student can't do well unless he or she attends classes and follows the rules of his or her institute. The university must remember that it is the protector or custodian of the academic interest of the students," the bench said.

On a previous hearing, the HC had directed the college to declare its results and permit the students to continue in the third semester after they gave an undertaking stating they would maintain 75 per cent attendance in future.

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A naxal couple, carrying cash reward on their heads, surrendered in Maoist-infested Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh today, police said.

The cadres, identified as Bodki Kowasi alias Sukhram (33) and his wife Ganga Madkami alias Manila (30), turned themselves in before senior police officials at the Bijapur district headquarter, a senior police official told PTI.

Kowasi, who was active as LGS (local guerrillasquad), deputy commander under Kamaloor area committee of Maoists, was carrying a reward of Rs 3 lakh on his head, he said.

The equally dreaded, Madkami was working as a member of Matwada LOS (local organisation squad) and carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh on her head, he said.

In their statement, the duo expressed disappointment over the "hollowideology" of the outlawed naxal movement and violence.

Moreover, they were also impressed with the provisions ofsurrenderand rehabilitation policy of the state government, which compelled themto join the mainstream, he added.

A cash of Rs 10,000 each was given to the rebels as encouragement amount, the official said.

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National Conference president Farooq Abdullah today termed as "irresponsible" the action of party legislator Mohammad Akbar Lone, who raised pro-Pakistan slogans in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly today.

"I am travelling to Jammu and will hold a meeting of all MLAs and if need be, action will be taken," Abdullah, a member of Parliament, told PTI.

He said, "We should desist from sloganeering at a time when Pakistan through its proxies is trying to target our people.

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Nepal's last King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev has said It may not be possible for his country to supply musk (Kasturi) to the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri due to legal hurdles.

The last King, who was attending the silver jubilee of Pattabhisheka of Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati here yesterday, said Kasturi was procured from the gland of the endangered musk deer and law had prohibited not to permit killing of the animal.

"I don't think Nepal will be able to provide Kasturi as law does not permit its extraction from musk deer," he told reporters here.

As per temple rituals, musk is applied on the idols of the deities at the 12th century shrine, at least on three occasions every year, to protect them from insects and stop their decay.

The erstwhile Royal family of Nepal, which enjoys special service and rituals in the Shree Jagannath Temple, was providing musk.

The temple, which was getting the precious 'Kasturi' from Nepal during the monarchy, has been facing its scarcity after its fall in 2008.

Earlier in April 2017, the temple administration had apprised Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari of the acute shortage of musk during her visit to the shrine. The state government had also earlier urged the External Affairs Ministry to take up the matter with Nepal, official sources said.

Bir Bikram Shah Dev is scheduled to visit Shree Jagannath Temple on February 11. He will have the special privilege of performing the 'aarati' of the deity atop the Ratna Singhasan of the Srimandir.

He will also be allowed to touch the idols of the daities before his departure from Odisha on February 12, officials said.

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The Madras High Court has said it finds no ground to modify its order appointing a committee to settle dues of over 12 lakh depositors who had put more than Rs 1,137 crore with Tamil Nadu Disc Assets Lead India Limited for purchase of plots over 11 years ago.

The court vacated the "limited stay" granted by a vacation bench on an application from the firm praying for staying the operation of a letter from the committee seeking documents of immovable properties from the company.

It termed as "inappropriate" the company's action in moving such an application when the court had by an earlier order directed that the committee would take steps to identify the firm's properties and further proceed to sell them.

The court had also directed the company directors to submit all related documents to the panel, it said.

A company director Uma Shanker had filed an application before the vacation bench seeking a stay on the operation of a letter dated December 21, 2017 issued by the committee calling for the original documents of immovable properties of the company.

The vacation bench passed a limited order of staying the letter issued by the committee.

When the matter came up for hearing recently, the first bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Abdul Quddhose said if any of the parties were aggrieved by any directions passed by the court, the remedy was in approaching the Supreme Court by way of appeal or special leave petition.

The "limited stay" hereby stands vacated, it said.

"The respondents are bound to comply with the directions of the committee, which have in effect, been issued pursuant to the orders of this court," the court said.

The bench said it finds no ground at all either to modify its order appointing the committee or to stay the directions given by the committee.

It rejected the arguments of the counsel for the company directors that the high court had no jurisdiction and that provisions of the Tamil Nadu Protection of Depositors (Financial Establishments) (TNPID) Act 1997 should take its course.

"The orders of this xourt have been passed taking into account the submissions that there was an enactment in place and we do not find any conflict between our order and the TNPID Act," the court said.

On the arguments that as FIR was already filed under TNPID Act, the charge sheet should be issued under the said Act, the bench said "The FIR has been kept alive."



It clarified that TNPID Authorities may arrest the directors, if they deem it appropriate to do so and criminal proceedings may take their own course against the company and its erstwhile directors, notwithstanding the court orders.

The court had in October last year appointed retired Jammu and Kashmir High Court Chief Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar as the head of the nine-member committee.

It had then said it shall function as the administrator of the company, facing action by the SEBI for some violation.

The company had in 2006 floated schemes for purchase, development and maintenance of agricultural land by way of instalment payment and cash down plans.

A total of over 12 lakh customers had invested more than Rs 1,137 crore in the schemes, but they were neither alloted the plots nor refunded the deposit money.

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The Gita Press, one of the largest publishers of Hindu religious books, today said it had no plans to publish comics as the pictures of deities could not be distorted.

A recent report claimed that the publisher had decided to reach out to children through its new series of comic books, portraying deities as superheroes.

The manager of Gita Press, Lal Mani Tripathi, said, "The press has no plans to publish comics for children as the pictures used in comics are very different from reality and images of deities cannot be distorted.

He said they were only using stories which they already had and were published in their magazine, Kalyan, for different books.

Earlier, the press used to publish books in pocket sizes with black and white pictures and it later, came up with full size books, carrying colour pictures, big fonts and simple language.

"We have a team of artists who make photographs according to the needs of the story," he said.

Tripathi said currently, they were publishing seven types of children's books and had a collection of handmade photographs of deities and great personalities of India.

He said the pictures were at Leela Chitra Mandir in the Gita Press campus in Gorakhpur and were used for different series aimed at children.

"We thought of publishing stories with the help of these handmade pictures, and in 1998 we came up with a Krishna series with coloured pictures of Lord Krishna. It became very popular and was translated in many other languages. As many as 23 editions have been published," he said.

The next was the Ramlala series, based on Lord Ram, that came out in 1999. In 2000, a series was published on important deities and in 2006, another was published with stories on character-building for children. The Adarsh series was published in 2014 and six books were published under it.

"Earlier we came up with a series of books, Sanskriti Mala, but it did not become popular. Recently (in 2018) we published the revised version with big and beautiful colour pictures, fonts and simple language," Tripathi said.

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Amid a controversy over Kangana Ranaut-starrer biographical epic on Rani Laxmibai, 'Manikarnika', the film producer today said there was no romantic song or sequence with any Britisher in the film.

"Historical facts were not distorted.There are no references to Jaishree Mishra or any other writer who wrote controversial pieces on the legendary queen," producer Kamal Jain said.

There was no romantic song or sequence with Britishers in the film, Jain said in his reply to the Sarv Brahmin Mahasabha. The fringe group had lodged a protest, claiming that filmmakers were shooting a romantic sequence featuring Rani Laxmibai and a British agent in Rajasthan.

The president of the group, Suresh Mishra, had submitted a memorandum to Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh to look into the matter.

Jain in his reply, further said Vijendra Prasad of 'Bahubali' and 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' fame had conducted a researched, with the help of a huge team, and written the story after consulting scholars and historians, and lyricist Prasoon Joshi was penning the dialogues and lyrics.

"We are making the film with great passion and huge respect toward the great woman,"Jain added.

At a press conference here today, Mishra said they have been assured that historical facts were not distorted in the movie.

"We have raised the issue so that nobody plays with history and hurts sentiments of the society," he added.

Of late, Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Padmaavat' had drawn flak from certain sections of the society for allegedly presenting distorted historical facts.

The film was not screened in various states despite the CBFC making modifications and the Supreme Court rejecting the state governments' decision on banning the film.

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North Korea has said it can't pay nearly USD 184,000 in dues to the United Nations because of UN sanctions that prevent the transfer of funds from Pyongyang.

North Korea's UN Mission said sanctions imposed by the Security Council in early August on the Foreign Trade Bank of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, which is in charge of international transactions, made payment impossible.

The mission said Ambassador Ja Song Nam met Undersecretary-General for Management Jan Beagle yesterday afternoon to request the opening of "banking channels" to make the DPRK's required $183,458 payment for 2018 for the U.N.'s regular operations and separate budgets for peacekeeping and international tribunals.

The Security Council imposed sanctions on the bank in a wide-ranging resolution following North Korea's first successful tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the United States on July 3 and July 27.

It imposed tougher sanctions in response to Pyongyang's sixth and strongest nuclear test explosion on Sept. 3, and even tougher measures in December after its test on Nov. 29 of its most powerful intercontinental ballistic missile yet.

The United States banned the Foreign Trade Bank from the US financial system in 2013, and the DPRK Mission blamed the Trump administration for spurring last August's U.N. sanctions against the bank.

A statement from the mission, given to The Associated Press late yesterday, blamed the unilateral U.S. sanctions and "illegal and unlawful" UN sanctions resolutions "fabricated by the US as a sponsor and its followers" for creating "enormous difficulties" and hindering normal activities such as paying UN dues.

This "shows the ulterior political objectives of the sanctions maneuvers pursued by the US and its followers and how cruel and uncivilized the sanctions are," the DPRK said.

The mission asked the UN to provide a "lifeline" and, through its management chief, "to secure promptly the bank transaction channel through which the DPRK can pay regularly its financial contribution.

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Odisha Police has assured the oil marketing companies (OMC) of all kind of assistance to prevent pilferages of oil and gas in the state.

The assurance was given by DGP R P Sharma yesterday while presiding over the the first on Shore Co-ordination Committee meeting on security of oil and gas companies. The DGP is Chairman of the On shore Co-ordination Committee.

"It was decided unanimously to have regular patrolling as well as periodic joint patrolling of pipe line and nearby vulnerable areas with the assistance of local police," Sharma said.

Regular raids by local police will be undertaken to stop en-route pilferage of oil tankers at the supply locations, he said adding that police patrolling to be intensified by local police at the supply locations.

Illegal encroachments will also be removed as and when necessary in and around the supply locations, he said.

The meeting also discussed on constitution of a dedicated task force for co-ordination and analysis of all incidents and information available with various police stations in the state and with police of neighbouring states were also discussed in the meeting.

The meeting was attended by representatives from Odisha government, CRPF, SIB and OMCs like IOCL, HPCL and BPCL.

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A state level official team has visited the Kotia panchayat to take stock of the problems of the people in the area of Koraput district where the state is embroiled in a dispute with Andhra Pradesh over ownership of several villages.

The Chairman of District Planning Committee and Pottangi MLA Prafulla Pangi who accompanied the team said "we visited the area yesterday and talked to some villagers about their problems. The villagers are also told that they can attend the review meeting at Koraput in the evening, if they wish".

"We visited the residential school, health centre, panchayat office and other government establishments at Kotia and interacted with the locals. A report on the present situation at Kotia will be submitted to the government for action," said a team member.

The team members also visited Tolo Ganjaipadar village where last month the collector of Vizianagaram (Andhra Pradesh) had launched their states Janmabhoomi programme.

A section of villagers alleged that they were upset as the team asked them to place their problems at a meeting later in Koraput town instead of giving the a hearing in the area.

"The team members came to Kotia but did not listen to our problems. They asked us to come to Koraput, around 60 km from here, to place our demands at a review meeting in the evening. Why should we travel such long distance in night? said Kamesh Gamel, a Kotiya resident.

We want to be a part of Odisha, but from the attitude of the officials it doesnt seem they are really concerned about our problems. Their visit is just an eye-wash, said another local Biswanath Khillo.

The team members were Inspector General of Police Sanjeev Panda, Director (revenue department) Ashok Kumar Nayak, Additional Secretary (revenue department) Sasadhar Nayak and Engineer-in-chief (rural department) Ashutosh Mallick accompanied by KBK Chief Administrator S P Thakur, collector (Koraput) K Sudarshan Chakravarthy, SP (Koraput) Kanwar Vishal Singh.

Odisha and Andhra are entangled in a battle over the ownership of 21 out of the 28 villages of Kotia panchayat since 1968.

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Former chief minister Omar Abdullah today targeted the BJP after terrorists attacked the Sunjwan Army camp killing two Junior Commissioned Officers, and said the party should be "begging forgiveness" of the nation for its "abject mishandling" of Jammu and Kashmir.

In a Twitter duel with BJP national spokesman GVL Narasimha Rao, the NC leader said, "Forget about the valley or the border even Jammu city is not safe under you guys (including your allies) so stop obfuscating & start explaining how you've managed to mess things up so spectacularly."



In response to Rao's tweet demanding action against Akbar Lone, Omar said, "You let us worry about the MLA. You on the other hand should be begging forgiveness of the nation for your abject mishandling of J&K over the last few years both at the Centre & with your coalition partner (PDP in J-K)."



Rao had asked the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister to Akbar Lone from his party - the National Conference (NC) -- instead of backing the MLA's "pro-Pak rants".

"@OmarAbdullah Please stop this drama. Your insistence on not saying (doing) anything more says it all. You are backing your MLA for his Pro-Pak rants. Expel MLA from party NOW! Try & redeem your party from this MLA's rants and your Dad's provocative recent statements on Kashmir!" the BJP national spokesman had said in a tweet.

Rao was referring to Omar's earlier tweet wherein he had said the party would not say anything more on the issue of Lone's pro-Pakistan slogans in the Assembly.

The party has already distanced itself from the MLA's remarks and condemned it.

Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists today struck at an Army camp on the outskirts of Jammu city, killing two junior commissioned officers (JCOs) and injuring six others, including a Major and a daughter of an Army personnel.

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Britain's Charity Commission must conduct a "full and urgent investigation" into Oxfam following an alleged cover-up of its staff hiring prostitutes in Haiti during a 2011 relief effort on the earthquake-hit island, the prime minister's office said to.

"The reports of what is unacceptable behaviour by senior aid workers in Haiti are truly shocking," a spokeswoman for Theresa May said.

"We want to see Oxfam provide all the evidence they hold of the events to the Charity Commission for a full and urgent investigation of these very serious allegations."



The call came as the British charities regulator released its own statement detailing Oxfam's previous disclosure of the events, including that it characterised the misconduct as "inappropriate sexual behaviour."



"Our approach to this matter would have been different had the full details that have been reported been disclosed to us at the time," the commission said.

It confirmed asking Oxfam to urgently provide fresh information.

Yesterday, the Department for International Development (DFID) also said it was reviewing its relationship with the UK-based charity, to which it gave nearly 32 million (USD 44 million) last year.

It said Oxfam's leaders had "showed a lack of judgement" in their handling of the matter and their level of openness with the government and Charity Commission.

"The International Development Secretary is reviewing our current work with Oxfam and has requested a meeting with the senior team at the earliest opportunity," a DFID spokeswoman said.

"The way this appalling abuse of vulnerable people was dealt with raises serious questions that Oxfam must answer."



Oxfam Chief Executive Mark Goldring said today it receives less than 10 per cent of its funding from DFID and hoped to continue working with the department while rebuilding trust with the public.

He admitted Oxfam did not give full details of the scandal to the commission in 2011 but insisted it "did anything but cover it up".

"With hindsight, I would much prefer that we had talked about (the) sexual misconduct," Goldring told BBC radio.

"But I don't think it was in anyone's best interest to be describing the details of the behaviour in a way that was actually going to draw extreme attention to it."



The charity is under growing pressure after an investigation by The Times found young sex workers were hired by senior staff in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake which devastated the island and left up to 300,000 people dead.

Groups of young prostitutes were invited to homes and guesthouses paid for by the charity for sex parties, according to one source who claimed to have seen footage of an orgy with sex workers wearing Oxfam t-shirts.

In further revelations yesterday, the paper said Oxfam failed to warn other aid agencies about the staff involved, which allowed them to get jobs among vulnerable people in other disaster areas.

Roland van Hauwermeiren, 68, whom Oxfam said was forced to resign as Haiti country director in 2011 after allegedly admitting hiring prostitutes, went on to become head of mission for Action Against Hunger in Bangladesh from 2012 to 2014.

The French charity told AFP it made pre-employment checks with Oxfam but that the UK-based organisation "did not share with us the reasons for his resignation as head of mission in Haiti or the results of its internal inquiry."



"Moreover we received positive references from former Oxfam staff -- in their individual capacities -- who worked with him," including from a human resources staffer, a spokesman said.

In a statement, Oxfam denied providing positive references for those implicated.

It said the vast number of aid operations working around the globe meant it was "not possible... to ensure that those found guilty of sexual misconduct were not re-employed in the sector.

"Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do to stop individuals falsifying references, getting others that were dismissed to act as referees and claiming it was a reference from Oxfam," a spokeswoman added.

And there was also nothing to stop them from getting former or current staff to provide a reference "in a personal capacity," she said.

The charity said it launched an immediate investigation in 2011 which found a "culture of impunity" among some staff but has denied trying to cover up the scandal.

During the probe, Oxfam dismissed four staff members and another three resigned, including van Hauwermeiren.

The charity also said it had yet to find evidence proving allegations that underage girls were involved.

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A Pakistani smuggler was killed while another was caught today as BSF jawans thwarted an attempt to smuggle in heroin into the country through the Abohar sector in Punjab.

A pistol (7.63mm), two magazines, seven rounds and eight packets (nine kg) of heroin were recovered during searches near the Border Out Post Jagannath, BSF official said today.

The operation was launched after BSF troops noticed suspected movements near border fence laat night.

An official said BSF troops challenged Pakistani smugglers as they tried to approach the border security fence to smuggle in the contraband. But the suspects opened fire at them which was retaliated by the jawans, he said.

In the exchange of fire, one smuggler sustained bullet injuries on the right leg while the other managed to escape towards Pakistani side taking advantage of darkness, the official said.

During searches, BSF troops apprehended one injured smuggler along with arms and heroin, he said.

In the morning, BSF jawans observed the body of another smuggler was being taken away by the Pakistani Rangers. The smuggler was hit by bullets while crossing back to the Pakistani side, the BSF official said.

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Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh will dedicate the second phase of the Jang-e- Azadi memorial to the nation on March 6.

A decision to this effect was taken by Singh during a meeting at the memorial with Chairman of Jang-e-Azadi Foundation Barjinder Singh Hamdard and other officials, an official release said.

The memorial, which showcases various facets of freedom struggle, is a perfect blend of grandeur, aesthetics and architecture, the chief minister said and described it as a befitting tribute to the great heroes of the struggle for Independence.

The meeting came a day after the Punjab government released Rs 5 crore for the project, with the remaining around Rs 9 crore set to be released soon.

The Chief Minister had sanctioned the final installment of Rs 15 crore for the completion of the second phase of the Jang-E-Azadi Memorial last year. The first phase of this project was completed in June 2017.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister was informed about the progress of work on the second phase of the memorial.

Singh said once inaugurated, the state-of-the-art memorial would give a major fillip to the tourism sector in the state and lead Kartarpur to emerge on the world tourist map.

The memorial would make the younger generations aware of the valour, patriotism and sacrifice that had been the driving force behind India's freedom struggle, he said.

Spread across 25 acres, the project was sanctioned in July 2012 at a total cost of Rs 315 crore.

The memorial has a minaret, a seminar hall, an auditorium, a movie hall, a cafeteria, a library, an open-air theatre for laser shows and an amphitheatre.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi today arrived here on a two-day visit during which he will hold talks with top leadership of the Gulf nation and witness signing of nearly a dozen agreements to bolster political and economic ties.

Modi, who arrived here from Jordan on the second leg of his three-nation tour, was received by Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and other members of the Royal family at the airport.

"Reached UAE. This visit includes a wide range of programmes which will have a positive impact on India-UAE ties. I thank HH Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for the special gesture of receiving me," Modi tweeted.

"We warmly welcome our state guest and valued friend, the Indian Prime Minister H.E.@narendramodi to the UAE. His visit reflects our longstanding historical ties and is testament to our friendly bilateral relationship," Mohammed Bin Zayed tweeted separately.

Soon after his arrival, Prime Minister Modi left for the presidential palace for a meeting with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Mohammed Bin Zayed.

Modi, who is here on his second visit to the UAE since 2015, has several meetings lined up in the evening and will also attend a banquet in the UAE capital.

Various buildings in Abu Dhabi were lit in tricolor as the city was decked up to welcome Prime Minister Modi.

Nearly a dozen agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) are expected to be signed between the two countries.

Modi is scheduled to address the Indian community tomorrow in Dubai after witnessing the groundbreaking ceremony of a temple in Abu Dhabi.

Prime Minister Modi will also deliver a keynote address at the World Government Summit in Dubai where India is a guest of honour this year.

On the first led of his trip, Modi travelled to Ramallah, becoming the Indian prime minister to make an official visit to Palestine.

From the UAE, Modi will travel to Oman.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi today arrived here on a two-day official visit during which he will hold talks with top leadership of the Gulf nation and witness signing of nearly a dozen agreements to bolster political and economic ties.

Modi, who arrived here from Jordan on the second leg of his three-nation tour, was received by Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and other members of the Royal family at the airport.

"PM @narendramodi arrives in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates to a ceremonial welcome. In a gesture of warmth and goodwill, PM was personally received by Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and other members of the Royal family. UAE is a valued partner in an important region of the world," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

Soon after his arrival, Prime Minister Modi left for the presidential palace for a meeting with Mohammed Bin Zayed, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

"We warmly welcome our state guest and valued friend, the Indian Prime Minister H.E.@narendramodi to the UAE. His visit reflects our longstanding historical ties and is testament to our friendly bilateral relationship," Mohammed Bin Zayed tweeted.

Prime Minister Modi, who is here on his second visit to the UAE, has several meetings lined up in the evening and will also attend a banquet in the UAE capital.

Various buildings in Abu Dhabi were lit in tricolor as the city was decked up to welcome Prime Minister Modi.

Nearly a dozen agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) are expected to be signed between the two countries.

Modi is scheduled to address the Indian community tomorrow in Dubai after witnessing the groundbreaking ceremony of a temple in Abu Dhabi.

Prime Minister Modi will also deliver a keynote address at the World Government Summit in Dubai where India is a guest of honour this year.

On the first led of his trip, Modi travelled to Ramallah, becoming the Indian prime minister to make an official visit to Palestine.

From the UAE, Modi will travel to Oman.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was today conferred the 'Grand Collar of the State of Palestine', the highest Palestinian honour for foreign dignitaries, recognising his contributions to promoting relations between India and Palestine.

President Mahmoud Abbas bestowed the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine on Modi after the conclusion of their bilateral meeting here.

Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister to make an official visit to Palestine.

The Grand Collar is Highest order given to foreign dignitaries - Kings, Heads of State/Government and persons of similar rank.

During their joint press statement after their bilateral meeting, Abbas said the interaction was a good opportunity to express to prime minister Modi "how much respect and how high of a standing you personally have through your wise and creative and brave leadership and in establishing peace and stability foundations in our region and the world.

"In recognition of that, we have had the honour today to decorate you with the highest order of honour in Palestine and that is the great the grand order of the state of Palestine," the Palestinian president said.

Modi, on his part, said, that bestowing the honour on him was a matter of proud moment for India. This was also the reflective of the friendship between India and Palestine.

The 'Grand Collar of the State of Palestine' has in the past been awarded to King Salman of Saudi Arabia, King Hamad of Bahrain, President Xi Jinping of China, amongst others.

The commendation reads "In recognition of his wise leadership and his lofty national and international stature, and in appreciation of his efforts to promote the historic relations between the State of Palestine and the Republic of India; in acknowledgment of his support to our people's right to independence and freedom so that peace prevails in the region.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi today met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on his historic visit to Palestine and the two sides signed agreements worth around USD 50 million that includes setting up of a USD 30 million super speciality hospital.

President Abbas received Prime Minister Modi in an official ceremony at the presidential compound, also known as Muqata'a, in Ramallah - the Palestinian seat of government.

Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister to make an official visit to Palestine.

After their talks, Prime Minister Modi said he has assured President Abbas that India is committed to the Palestinian people's interests.

He said India hopes for the return of peace in this region.

"We know that it's not easy, but we should keep striving because a lot is at stake," he said in a joint press conference with President Abbas.

On his part, President Abbas acknowledged that the Indian leadership has always stood by peace in Palestine.

Abbas said Palestine is always ready to engage in negotiations to achieve its goal of an independent state. He asked India to facilitate the peace process with Israel.

"We rely on India's role as an voice of great standing and weigh through its historical role in the Non-Aligned Movement and in all forum and its increasingly growing power on the strategic and economic levels, in a way that is conducive to just and desired peace in our region," President Abbas.

The two sides signed agreements worth USD 50 million. The agreement includes setting up of a super speciality hospital worth USD 30 million in Beit Sahur and construction of a centre for empowering women worth USD 5 million.

Three agreements in the education sector worth USD 5 million and for procurement of equipment and machinery for the National Printing Press in Ramallah were also signed.

President Abbas also conferred the 'Grand Collar of the State of Palestine' on Prime Minister Modi, recognising his key contribution to promote ties between India and Palestine.

The Grand Collar is Highest order given to foreign dignitaries - Kings, Heads of State/Government and persons of similar rank.

Earlier, the two leaders exchanged hugs and stood for the national anthem of the two countries and then inspected the guard of honour before their bilateral talks.

Archbishop of Catholic Church, Poulos Marcwas, and religious leaders of the Al-Aqsa mosque were also at the Muqata'a to greet Modi.

Modi flew in a Jordanian army helicopter straight from Amman to Ramallah, where he was received by his Palestinian counterpart Rami Hamdallah. Prime Minister Modi's chopper was escorted by choppers from Israel Air Force.

"This is a historic visit that will lead to stronger bilateral cooperation," Modi said shortly after landing.

Soon after his arrival, Prime Minister Modi visited the Mausoleum of Yasser Arafat in Ramallah and laid a wreath at the grave of the iconic Palestinian leader. He was accompanied by his Palestinian counterpart Hamdallah.

The mausoleum was unveiled on November 10, 2007 and is located adjacent to the Palestinian Presidential compound, also known as Muqata'a here.

After paying homage to Arafat, Modi took a short tour of the Arafat Museum located adjacent to the mausoleum.

During his maiden visit to Israel last year, Modi did not travel to Ramallah. His standalone visit to Israel had led to analysts questioning the future of the Indo-Palestine ties.

This time Modi skipped Israel in a clear message that India is de-hyphenating its ties with Israel and Palestine.

Modi's visit to Palestine comes amid heightened tensions in the region after US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The unilateral US decision to declare Jerusalem as the capital of Israel was challenged at the UN General Assembly where 128 nations, including India, voted to turn down the move as "null and void".

Trump's decision to declare Jerusalem as Israel's capital angered the Palestinians, sparked protests in the Middle East and raised concern that it could further destabilise the region.

Though India has shied away from becoming a party in the Israel-Palestinian conflict, the Palestinian leader on several occasions has stressed on a possible role for New Delhi in the Middle East peace process.

India believes in a two-state solution in which both Israel and a future Palestinian state coexist peacefully.

The two-state solution envisions independent Israeli and Palestinian states coexisting side by side peacefully. The Palestinians see east Jerusalem as their future capital.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today laid a wreath at the mausoleum of iconic Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, in his first engagement on a historic visit to Palestine.

Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to make an official visit to Palestine, flew in a Jordanian army helicopter straight from Amman to Ramallah, where he was received by his Palestinian counterpart Rami Hamdallah.

The Prime Minister, accompanied by Hamdallah, visited the Mausoleum of Yasser Arafat. The mausoleum was unveiled on November 10, 2007 and is located adjacent to the Palestinian Presidential compound, also known as Muqata'a here.

"Abu Ammar was one of the greatest world leaders. His contribution to Palestine is historical. He was a good friend of India. I paid tributes to him in Ramallah," Modi tweeted, referring to Arafat.

After paying homage to Arafat, the prime minister took a short tour accompanied by Hamdallah of the Arafat Museum located adjacent to the mausoleum.

The length of each of the mausoleum's walls is 11 meters forming a cube, signifying the date of Arafat's death on the 11th day of the 11th month.

Adjacent to the Arafat mausoleum is a minaret which is 30 meters high. At the top of the minaret is a laser system that projects a beam of light in the direction of Jerusalem.

During a joint press statement with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas after a meeting with him, Modi said Arafat's contribution to the Palestinian struggle is unshakable.

"He was a special friend of India. It was an unforgettable moment for me to visit a museum dedicated to him. I once again pay tribute to Abu Ammar," Modi said.

Arafat, born in 1929 in Cairo, served as Palestine's president for eight years until his death on November 11, 2004.

In 1990, the Palestine Liberation Organisation chief negotiated with Israelis and in 1993 they came up with Oslo Accords that gave Palestinians self rule in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

In 1994, Arafat won the Nobel Peace Prize, together with Israeli leaders Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres, for the negotiations at Oslo.

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A police constable has been booked for rape and forgery after he married a woman keeping her in the dark about his first marriage.

The FIR was registered against constable Dev Kumar at Kotwali police station here yesterday on the direction of court, a police officer said.

His second wife moved court after the police refused to registered a case against Kumar, a resident of Khurrampur village in Aligarh district.

Police were investigating the case.

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Intensifying his attack on the Centre over the Rafale fighter jet deal, Rahul Gandhi today alleged it was the biggest issue of corruption in the country and asked the prime minister to reply why he took the contract from HAL and gave it to a "friend".

Launching the Congress poll campaign in Karnataka's Ballari district, Gandhi took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for criticising policies of previous Congress governments saying he is running the country "by looking in just rear-view mirror" which as led to "mistakes like GST and demonetisation".

The Congress chief alleged that Modi had "personally" changed the Rafale contract during his visit to France and said the prime minister had not answered the three questions posed by him on the deal.

"Today Rafale aircraft is the biggest issue of corruption in the country. I want to tell few things about this to you," he told a public rally to mark the start of the Congress' "Janashirvad Yatra".

Gandhi said, "Modiji had gone to Paris in France.In France Modiji personally changed the contract."



He said earlier the Rafale contract was given to defence public sector undertaking Bengaluru-based Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), which has been making aircraft for the Indian Air Force for 70 years.

"If Bangalore is on its feet today, one of the reasons for it is HAL. Modiji took away Rafale contract from Bangalore and HAL and gave it to his friend," he said.

"We have asked three questions to Modi - Modiji on what basis did you give the contract to your friend after taking it away from HAL, for what reason? Why did you take away the future of its youth from Bangalore? Why did you do this to profit your friend?



"Second question, did the price of the aircraft increase or decrease in your new contract?"Third question- when you took this decision in Paris and when India's defence minister was buying fish in Goa- did you take permission from the Cabinet Committee on Security? Yes or no."The Congress leader said Modi spoke for one hour in Parliament on the motion of the thanks on President's address but did not utter a word about Rafale.

Gandhi began his four-day tour of northern Karnataka districts of Ballari, Koppal, Raichur, Kalaburagi and Bidar during which he would travel in a bus and address public rallies, hold roadshows and interact with farmers and others, as part of the 'yatra'.

Launching the yatra from the mine-rich Ballari is significant as Sonia Gandhi had made her maiden entry to Parliament from the district in 1999, when she defeated BJP leader Sushma Swaraj in a fiercely fought contest.

Sonia Gandhi later gave up the Ballari seat preferring Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.

In his speech, Rahul Gandhi questioned the Modi government's record in governance. He accused it of making "false promises" and not delivering on generating jobs.

"Modiji speaks about corruption. The world record in corruption was broken by his party's government in Karnataka," he alleged referring to the B S Yeddyurappa rule in the state.

The BJP, which is going all out to unseat the Congress in the state, is projecting state veteran 74-year-old Yeddyurappa as its chief ministerial candidate.

Yeddyurappa had quit chief ministership on graft charge and formed his own outfit, but later returned to the BJP.

Taking potshots at the Prime Minister, Gandhi said he should stop talking about the past and start doing his work.

"...You (Modi) drive the vehicle by looking in the rear view mirror, which will cause accidents. This country cannot be run by looking in the rear view mirror," Gandhi said, as he flayed him for talking only about the past.

"Because of this rear-view mirror driving, he is committing mistakes like GST, demonetisation," the Congress leader said.

Gandhi said in his one-hour long speech in parliament this week, Modi did not speak about the burning issues pertaining to agrarian problem, unemployment, tribals and Dalits. Rather, he chose to speak about the past.

He advised the prime minister "to learn governance" from state chief minister Siddaramaiah "who runs the government looking forward".

"Modiji, this country has not made you prime minister to talk only about the past. This country wants to know your future plans for the country," the Congress leader said.

Gandhi said the prime minister has to work and not give excuses.

"Congress party works and does not give excuses."



He also spoke about his and Sonia Gandhi's long standing relationship with Ballari, saying "I will never forget that you embraced Sonia Gandhi and stood with her. I will not forget this in my life.

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Congress president on Saturday intensified his attack on the NDA government on the Rafale fighter jet deal, alleging it was the "biggest issue" of corruption in the country now.

Launching his party campaign at Hosapete in poll-bound Karnataka's Ballari district, Gandhi alleged that Modi had "personally" changed the contract during his visit to France to give it to a "friend", and said the prime minister had not answered the three questions posed by him on the deal.

"Today Rafale aircraft is the biggest issue of corruption in the country. I want to tell a few things about this to you," he said launching "Janashirvad Yatra" of the ruling Congress in the state.

Gandhi said, "Modiji had gone to Paris in France. In France Modiji personally changed the contract."



He said earlier the Rafale contract was given to defence public sector undertaking Bengaluru-based Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), which has been making aircraft for the Indian Air Force for 70 years.

"If Bangalore is on its feet today, one of the reasons for it is HAL. Modiji took away Rafale contract from Bangalore and HAL and gave it to his friend," he said.

"We have asked three questions to Modi - Modiji on what basis did you give the contract to your friend after taking it away from HAL, for what reason? Why did you take away the future of its youth from Bangalore? Why did you do this to profit your friend?



"Second question, did the price of the aircraft increase or decrease in your new contract?"Third question- when you took this decision in Paris and when India's defence minister was buying fish in Goa- did you take permission from the Cabinet Committee on Security? Yes or no."Gandhi said Modi spoke for an hour in Parliament on the motion of thanks to the President for his address but did not utter a word about Rafale.

In his speech, the Congress chief accused the BJP-led central government of failing to deliver on its polls promise of generating jobs.

"Modiji speaks about corruption. The world record in corruption was broken by his party's government in Karnataka," he alleged referring to the B S Yeddyurappa rule in the state.

The BJP, which is going all out to unseat the Congress rule in the state, is projecting Yeddyurappa, who had quit as chief minister on graft charges, as its chief ministerial candidate.

On a four-day tour, Gandhi will cover Ballari, Koppal, Raichur, Kalaburagi and Bidar districts in north Karnataka, addressing public rallies, holding roadshows and interacting with farmers and others.
As he blew the election bugle in poll-bound Karnataka today, Congress President Rahul Gandhi today embarked on temple visits in a replay of his Gujarat style election campaign.

Gandhi launched the Congress campaign at a rally at Hosapete in Ballari district, as he undertook a four-day tour of northern Karnataka to drum up support for the party in the coming assembly polls.

The first stop of his convoy was the GoddessHuligamma temple in Koppal district.

It is a famous temple in the region.

Gandhi's high profile air conditioned caravan with extra-ordinary security arrangements, elicited response from many curious onlookers and passers by.

While travelling from one temple to the other, he stopped at certain places and spoke to some Congress workers waiting with party flags to greet their leader.

They stood on both sides of the road to have a glimpse of the scion of Nehru-Gandhi family and cheered on seeing him.

He too responded enthusiastically.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, State Congress president G Parameshwara and Karnataka energy minister D K Shivakumar accompanied him, besides a host of Congress leaders.

At the centuries old temple, Gandhi worshipped thedeity even as hundreds of people stood outside to get a view of him.

The priest applied vermilion on his forehead and garlanded him.

After coming out, Rahul Gandhi shook hands with the curious onlookers and spoke to a few of them.

The next destination of the "Janaashirvada Yatra" bus was Gavi Siddheshwara Mutt in Koppal, a mutt of the majority Lingayat community.

He was greeted there by Gavi Siddeshwara Mahaswamiji, who garlanded him on his arrival.

A large number of people were present to see him.

Students of the Mutt gave Rahul Gandhi roses and shook hand with him.

He also paid homage to the Swamis of the past at their tomb.

Later speaking to reporters, Mutt students expressed happiness over meeting Gandhi.

"Rahul Gandhi spoke to us in English. He inquired about our studies. We are very happy after meeting him," said a student.

He wound up his whirlwind tour by addressing a public gathering at Kukanuru in Koppal.

Meanwhile, Lok Sabha member Shobha Karandlaje questioned Gandhi's temple and Mutt visits and asked him to reveal his true belief.

She tweeted, "Election Hindu Rahul Gandhi is on his temple/Mutt visit in Karnataka I would like to know Whatis his true belief?Gimmick of visiting temples can't be used to fool Hindus, Congress Govt in power has been blatantly Anti Hindu."



'Election Hindu' is the coinage devised by the Karnataka BJP, mocking his visits to temples, saying it was prompted by elections.

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There was a need for policemen to get basic training in forensic science as it is going to be the "most effective weapon" to deal with crimes, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said here today.

Detection is bigger deterrent for criminals than the nature of punishment, he said at the inaugural function of the 24th All India Forensic Science Conference organised here.

"Many police officers know little about forensics. And due to lack of knowledge, there is a risk of evidences getting corrupted or destroyed.

"So, it is required that policemen are given basic training in forensic science at all the police stations, and investigation officers are updated in forensics," Singh said.

Singh said the joining of hands by the police and forensic laboratories for the Centre's Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) -- being developed by the Home Ministry -- can open up new possibilities and change the security scenario.

"When the infrastructure is ready, it will change the security scenario," he said.

Singh also stressed on the need to create a standard operating procedure for forensic laboratories across the country so as to avoid contradictions in reports on the same subject given by different laboratories.

"Forensic reports are sometimes challenged in courts. So there should be a standard operating procedure (SOP) (for forensic laboratories) so as to avoid contradictions in different labs," he said.

The minister added that his ministry was working on a cyber crime reporting portal and a dedicated cyber crime laboratory for cyber crime against women.

"Forensic experts can be very effective in solving these crimes. The home ministry has decided to launch cyber crime reporting portal and a dedicated cyber crime laboratory to prevent cyber crime against women and children, especially those related to sexual harassment, rape, stalking, and issues related to pornography.

"States have also been asked to work in this direction and increase their capability to curb such crimes," he said.

Contending that for criminals, detection was a bigger deterrent than the nature of punishment, Singh said there was also a need for discussion on forensics at district level.

"Many a time people think that stronger punishment will help curb crime. But detection is the biggest deterrent than the nature of punishment.

"And in this, only forensic experts can help the police. Forensics is going to be the most effective weapon to deal with crime and criminal identification," he said.

Praising cyber security experts for helping in curbing radicalisation using online media, he said cyber forensics play a vital role in solving increasing cyber crimes.

Singh said instances of forensic knowledge were also seen in ancient India.

"Around 2,250 years ago, Chanakya, in his book 'Arthshastra', talked about scientific investigation to detect the cause of death. In south India, there were instances of identifying criminals using finger prints in those times."



"In ancient times, they used to put a ball of rice in the mouth of an accused and take it out after some time to ascertain whether he was the culprit or not, based on the quantum of saliva sticking to it. It was believed that a person lying produced less saliva due to fear," Singh said.

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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas today said he is ready to engage in negotiations with Israel but made it clear that East Jerusalem should be the capital of Palestine, as he held talks with visiting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In December last year, US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a controversial decision which angered the Palestinians, sparked protests in the Middle East and raised concern that it could further destabilise the already volatile region.

The unilateral US decision to declare Jerusalem as the capital of Israel was challenged at the UN General Assembly where 128 nations, including India, voted to turn down the move as "null and void".

The status of Jerusalem is the centre of Palestine's conflict with Israel.

The historic city is home to key religious sites sacred to Judaism, Islam and Christianity, especially in East Jerusalem.

"I would like to re-assure our commitment to political action and negotiations as a means of achieving our national goals to freedom and independence in accordance with the two- state solution along the lines of 1967 and internationally legitimate resolutions so that both Palestine and Israel can co-exist in peace and security, provided that East Jerusalem is the Capital of the state of Palestine," Abbas said at a joint press statement with Prime Minister Modi.

"We have not and will not reject negotiations ever and we have said and we still say that we are ready to engage in negotiations, the formation of a multi-lateral mechanism that is produced by an international peace convention is the most ideal way to broker such negotiations," the 82-year-old Palestinian leader said.

With a multi-lateral mechanism, Abbas was referring to a framework that would apparently replace the US' long-standing monopoly as a mediator in the vexed Middle East peace talks.

President Abbas received Modi who said that India hopes for Palestine to soon become a sovereign and independent country in a peaceful environment.

Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to make an official visit to Palestine, re-assured Abbas that "we are committed to take care of the cause and well-being of Palestinian people".

The two-state solution envisions independent Israeli and Palestinian states coexisting side by side peacefully. The Palestinians see East Jerusalem as their future capital.

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South Africa's political impasse deepened today with no resolution to extended talks over President Jacob Zuma's expected departure from office after his own party called for him to resign.

Cyril Ramaphosa, the president-in-waiting, and the ruling ANC party have said negotiations should be concluded within days, but have given no details about how Zuma will be eased out of power.

The stalemate has left South Africa's political scene in limbo, with a series of public events cancelled this week including the flagship State of the Nation address to parliament in Cape Town on Thursday.

Zuma cleared his diary of weekend engagements, but deputy president Ramaphosa is due to speak at a rally in the city tomorrow to start a year of celebrations marking 100 years since Nelson Mandela's birth.

February 11 also marks the day that Mandela was released from jail in 1990 -- a key date in modern South Africa's re- birth as apartheid white-minority rule crumbled.

Zuma and Ramaphosa will "conclude" discussions on Zuma's exit within 48 hours and the outcome will then be announced to the nation, the News24 website said today without naming its sources.

But Susan Booysen, a professor from Wits University in Johannesburg, said Zuma may fight on for several more days.

"A stalemate is the best description for the situation," she told AFP.

"Zuma is a fighter to the end and is refusing to resign, while Ramaphosa doesn't want to be divisive.

"Zuma pretended to open the doors of negotiations, but he is digging in."



Local media reported that a key sticking point in talks was over legal fees faced by Zuma, who is set for prolonged court battles related to multiple criminal cases.

Yesterday, the president reportedly flew back from Cape Town to his official residence in Pretoria.

The ANC has said it is awaiting the "imminent conclusion" of the talks, and said the budget on February 21 will not be delayed.

Ramaphosa has made no official comment since Wednesday when he described the discussions as "constructive" towards securing "a speedy resolution of the matter."



Zuma has made no comment since being asked to resign by senior ANC officials last Sunday.

The pro-Zuma New Age newspaper reported yesterday that the president would gather his family at his residence in Pretoria this weekend to inform them of his decision.

Zuma's wife Thobeka Madiba-Zuma posted a picture of the couple on Instagram yesterday, adding a defiant comment that warned against "picking a fight with someone who is not fighting you".

Zuma, 75, who has been in office since 2009, has clung to power despite a string of corruption scandals, an economic slowdown and record unemployment.

His hold on the ANC was shaken when his chosen successor -- his former wife Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma -- narrowly lost out to Ramaphosa in a closely-fought race to be party leader in December.

Zuma faces several court cases, including action relating to 783 payments he allegedly received linked to an arms deal before he came to power.

Many of the recent graft allegations are linked to the Guptas, a wealthy Indian business family accused of improperly winning government contracts and influencing cabinet appointments.

In 2007, the party pushed out then-president Thabo Mbeki over allegations of abuse of power.

Under Zuma, the ANC suffered its worst electoral setback since coming to power in 1994, winning less than 54 percent of the vote in municipal elections in 2016.

The Nelson Mandela Foundation, which promotes the legacy of South Africa's anti-apartheid icon, has called for Zuma to go as he had "demonstrated that he is not fit to govern".

Ramaphosa, 65, is a former trade unionist who led talks to end apartheid rule in the early 1990s and then became a multi-millionaire businessman before returning to

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Authorities today ordered closure of schools in Sunjawan belt of Jammu city in the wake of the terror attack on an Army camp.

Three to four militants stormed the Army camp at Sunjawan, leaving three persons injured



"We have ordered closure of schools in Sunjawan area as a precautionary measure in the wake of the terror attack," a senior official said.

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Security was bolstered in Pathankot district of Punjab in the wake of a terror attack on an Army camp in Jammu in which two junior commissioned officers (JCOs) were killed.

Special police check posts were put up to thwart any attempt by anti-social elements to disturb peace. A tight vigil is being maintained, Pathankot SSP Vivek Sheel Soni said.

Vehicles going towards and coming from Jammu and Kashmir were being checked thoroughly at a check post put up at Madhopur on the Pathankot-Jammu highway, said SHO, Sujanpur, Iqbal Singh.

The district shares border with Pakistan. The Pathankot airbase station had witnessed a terror attack in 2016.

Dinanagar in adjoining Gurdaspur district was targeted by terrorists on July 27, 2015.

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Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today said the Army and other security forces were effectively doing their job and would never let any Indian hang his head in shame.

He said it would not be appropriate for him to comment on the attack on an Army camp in Jammu as the operation was still on.

"We have received information that the operation is going on. I understand that until the operation ends, it will not be appropriate on my part to comment regarding that," Singh told reporters on the sidelines of an event.

"Rest assured...our Army and security forces are effectively accomplishing their job and handling their responsibility. They will never let any Indian hang his head in shame," he said.

Two junior commissioned officers (JCOs) were killed while a Colonel-rank officer and daughter of an Army man were among four people injured in a militant attack on the Sunjwan Army camp in Jammu early today.

Asked about the casualties in the incident, he said it was a sad



Singh earlier spoke to the chief of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and took stock of the situation.

During the telephonic conversation, he sought details from Director General of Police S P Vaid on the militant attack, according to a tweet by the Home Minister's Office.

"The DGP has apprised him of the situation. The MHA is closely monitoring the situation," the tweet read.

Jammu and Kashmir's Parliamentary Affairs Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri earlier informed the state Assembly that Subedar Madanlal Chowdhary and Subedar Mohammed Ashraf Mir were killed in the attack.

Those injured in the attack included a Colonel-rank officer, Havaldar Abdul Hamid, Lance Naik Bahadur Singh and daughter of Subedar Chowdhary, he said.

Around four to five militants are likely involved in the attack, believed to be carried out by the Jaish-e-Mohammed.

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Senior BJP leader Seshadri Chari today praised the communist parties saying they are the only ones that fight elections on the basis of ideology.

If all the parties start believing in value-based election, which is not happening at this moment, it will be better for the society, said Chari, former editor of the RSS mouthpiece 'Organiser'.

"Despite being in the BJP or with the RSS, I will not hesitate to say that only Communist parties fight the polls on the basis of ideology and no other party does that," the party's national executive member said at a lecture series organised by a Hindi newspaper.

But the communist parties have other issues, he said without elaborating.

"There is a saying that everything is fair in love, war and All ask only who is the winner. If we truly want to think about representative by not going to right or left, then is not to divide the society," Chari said.

He said when Jawaharlal Nehru became the prime minister, nobody asked whether he was a Brahmin or not.

"Slowly caste politics came into picture. The Congress also gradually started to do vote bank politics and caste questions came in. Nowadays, the importance of identity politics has increased," Chari said.

He, however, said there were many people from different parties who do not believe in caste politics.

In September last year, BJP president Amit Shah also praised the communist parties saying internal democracy exists only in these parties and the BJP.

"There have been about 1,650 political parties in the country since Independence. But, only the BJP and communist parties have internal democracy which is not found anywhere else," Shah had said in Bhubaneswar.

Earlier, inaugurating the event, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal launched the newspaper group's new Hindi website: dailynews360.com.

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Singapore Exchange Limited has assured international traders of all measures to maintain orderly trading and clearing of India equity derivatives on its board.

"SGX wishes to assure market participants that we will take all measures to maintain orderly trading and clearing of SGX India equity derivatives for our international clients," the bourse said in a statement.

Singapore Exchange Limited (SGX) noted the issuance of the 'Joint Press Release for Licensing of Indian Indices and Market Data of the securities listed or traded in India' by National Stock Exchange of India (NSE), Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and Metropolitan Stock Exchange of India (MSEI) regarding their index and data licences with a number of foreign exchanges and other entities.

"We will work closely with NSE, the market participants and the regulators, over the next several months to develop viable solutions for international investors into India," the SGX said.

SGX and NSE are long term partners and have collaborated since 2000 to develop and internationalise India's capital markets, the statement said.

SGX said, it "will work jointly with NSE towards a solution for global investors, including the possibility of developing solutions from NSE's International Financial Service Centre (IFSC) in Gujarat International Finance Tech (GIFT) city."



SGX trades NSE's Nifty index contracts as well as a growing number of Masala bonds and stocks of listed Indian company on its board in Singapore.

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BJP president Amit Shah today congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he was conferred the 'Grand Collar of the State of Palestine', the highest Palestinian honour for foreign dignitaries.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Shah presented the honour to Modi in Ramallah today, recognising his contributions to promoting relations between India and Palestine.

Shah said the recognition is a matter of "great pride and honour" for the entire nation and the BJP and also it "underlines India's increasing role in the world order, which is increasingly looking towards us for leadership".

He said Modi deserved all credit for it and that this was also a recognition of his leadership and stature as a world leader.

"I congratulate Prime Minister @narendramodi on being conferred the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine, Highest Palestinian honour for a foreign dignitary. This is a recognition of PM Modi's inspiring leadership and stature as a world leader," Shah tweeted.

The BJP president said Modi was earlier presented the 'King Abdulaziz Sash', Saudi Arabia's top civilian award by its king Salman bin Abdulaziz.

Modi was also awarded the 'Amir Amanullah Khan Award', Afghanistan's highest civilian honour.

Modi was on an official visit to Palestine today.

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Former Union law minister Salman Khurshid has said the shortage of judges in the higher judiciary was "saddening" and called for steps to address the issue at the earliest.

Khurshid, himself a senior advocate, said that right to justice should get the attention similar to that of 'Swachh Bharat' programme and there were some "fundamental flaws" in the judicial system.

"We don't have an appellate judiciary which is stable at the top. Number of Chief Justices serve a very short tenure," he said at the conclave -- 'The Rule of Law Convention 2018 on Judicial Reforms' -- organised by the Bar Association of India here.

Khurshid also talked about the issue of vacancies in the higher judiciary.

"The vacancies in the higher courts are very saddening. Young people should come and join the judiciary," he said.

"We need to take various steps to solve this issue at the earliest," he said.

At present, the Supreme Court has 25 judges, including the Chief Justice of India, against the sanctioned strength of 31 judges. Several High Courts in the country are also facing a shortage of judges.

Referring to the hearing in the apex court on the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi dispute, he said there was a need to have better case management.

"The CJI had to sit down and look at the paperwork and figure out what has to be done. All this is done by the solicitors the world over. This wastes time. This is a serious problem," he said.

Senior advocate Vikas Singh, who is also the President of the Supreme Court Bar Association, also addressed the gathering and expressed his concern over shortage of judges.

"I don't understand why office of judge can be allowed to remain vacant. Why don't we have a system where judges are appointed well before the date of retirement of the sitting judge," he said.

"The entire issue that played out in public was about turf war, about who appoints rather than the quality of the judge," Singh said.

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A sub-inspector has been arrested for the death of an 8-year-old boy caught in a crossfire during a police encounter with criminals in Mohanpur Aduki village here last month, the police said today.

According to DSP Rakesh Kumar, on the information about the presence of some criminals in the village, the police reached there January 17 and an exchange of fire ensued, in which the boy was injured.

The police was taking the child to a hospital, but they changed their mind midway and left him back at the village. The boy later succumbed to his injuries at a private hospital, the officer said.

"On the basis of a departmental probe, Sub-Inspector Virendra Singh was arrested," the DSP, who probed the incident, said.

Earlier Singh, Sub-Inspector Saurabh Sharma and two constables were suspended following a spot inspection by IG Raja Srivastava.

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Sri Lanka's ruling coalition faces its first polls test today with over 15 million eligible voters participating in the election to appoint 340 of the island's 341 local councils, according to officials.

There are 24 municipal councils, 41 urban councils and 275 pradeshiya sabhas, the legislative bodies that preside over the third-tier municipalities in the country, Sri Lanka's Election Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya said, adding that 8375 councillors would be elected.

The police spokesman said that over 65,000 policemen will be deployed alongside some 900 troops drawn from the three forces assisting the police.

The polls opened at 7 am and will close at 4 pm.

The election would be a stern test for the unity government of President Maithripala Sirisena and his Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Sirisena faces a sterner challenge from his predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Sirisena's relationship with Wickremesinghe, his main supporter when he defeated Rajapaksa in the presidency in 2015, has soured in recent months.

Sirisena has targeted the Wickremesinghe's United National Party, dubbing it even more corrupt than the Rajapaksa government of which Sirisena walked out to become the then main opposition challenger.

His faction of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party has been accused of delaying the election out of fear of losing them by the faction led by former president Mahinda Rajapaksa



The government had postponed the elections for over 330 local councils in the island nation since 2015 for electoral reforms



In order to postpone the polls by a year, the government proposed an amendment to the Constitution to hold elections for all nine provincial councils on a single dayThe Supreme Court in September ruled that the proposed 20th Amendment to the Constitution to hold council elections on a single day requires two-third parliamentary majority and a nationwide referendum.

Also there is a 25 per cent guaranteed women's representation in each council.

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Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) has seized 27.5 kg high quality charas worth Rs 5.5 crore in the International market and arrested two smugglers in Bihar's East Champaran district.

SSB Commandant Sonam Chering said they had a tip off that smugglers had made a godown around Chhapwa chowk under Sugauli police where they had hid charas and narcotic drugs.

SSB officials posing as customers contacted smugglers and asked them to come to the spot with the contraband,Chering said adding that officials arrested the smugglers along with high quality charas as they reached the venue last evening.

SSB team seized 27.5 kg of charas worth Rs 5.5 crore in the International market from their possession, he said adding they also seized Rs 18,390 cash and three mobile phone handsets worth Rs 9000.

The SSB Commandant said that the arrested smugglers, who were the part of large network of drugs, have been handed over to the Narcotics Control Bureau, Patna for interrogation.

The SSB official, however, refused to divulge the names of the smugglers as NCB is interrogating them. The smugglers hailed from East Champaran district.

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Emphasising that there is still a sizeable gap between farm and fork, President Ram Nath Kovind today said justice must be done with the growers to make their lives better.

Addressing the first convocation of the National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM) at Sonepat in Haryana, the president also stressed on the need of providing benefits of global food trade to farm and farmers of the country.

Kovind also wondered why advantages of human talent and low cost as in the case of services sector cannot be replicated in agriculture and agro-based industries.

"In our country, there is still a sizeable gap between the farm and the fork. This gap is not just a matter of prices or of technology. It is also a gap of justice - justice that we as a society must do to our fellow citizens who toil in far-flung farms," said president while addressing the gathering here.

The president noted, "as a society and as people, we are obligated to make life better for our farmers and to free them from the fickleness of nature and of weather patterns - and to the degree possible, of the unpredictability of demand and supply.

This is the resolve of the government, and it has instituted policies and programmes to further this. Use of science and technology along the food chain is essential to these programmes. And this is where institutions such as NIFTEM and those who graduate from here will play a vital role."



He said Indian food and grocery market, which was the world's sixth largest, was expected to touch USD one trillion by 2025.

Food items constitute over 11 per cent of the country's exports. To take this sector to the next level, the government has sanctioned 42 mega food parks, Kovind further said.

"Today, our country is the world's largest producer of milk. It is the second largest producer of rice, wheat, fruits and vegetables, sugarcane and tea. The third largest producer of eggs and sixth largest producer of meat," he further said.

The president praised farmers for their determination and commitment.

In the services sector, India has taken advantage of its enormous human talent and lower cost structures to build world-class industries, Kovind noted.

"There is no reason why we cannot replicate this in agriculture and in food and agro-based industries. Indian farm products - whether rice, milk, fruits and vegetables, or even chillies - can flood supermarkets and feed households across the globe.

"This can help us create numerous employment opportunities for our young people - in cold storages and in preservation, in food processing and along the food supply chain," the president said in his address.

In recent decades, the global food trade has undergone revolutionary changes, Kovind said, adding that there is a need to bring the benefits of these changes - and the potential of this trade - to every "khet (farm) and every kisaan (farmer)".

Noting that the demand for the packaged food products had been growing, he said maintaining quality and safety of such food items, up to the global bench-marks, still remained a challenge.

Demand for packaged and ready-to-eat food products is rising in India as social habits are changing and nuclear families emerging in larger numbers in cities, he noted.

The challenge is to maintain quality, safety and labelling standards for food and ingredients that are up to global bench-marks. It is to make certain that packaged foods promote both convenience and health. And that they keep alive the nutritious grains and traditional food items that can be found in every state of India, Kovind said.

"It is for the food industry to innovate and find easy- to-use solutions to the epidemic of lifestyle diseases in our country. And we have to do all this while being conscious of building our own brands, especially for traditional and nutritive food items that have been the pride of India for centuries and can reach far greater consumers at home and abroad," the president said.

He also presented degree to students on this occasion.

Haryana governor Kaptal Singh Solanki, Union Minister for food processing industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries, Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Women and Child Development Minister Kavita Jain were also present.

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The latest terror strike on an army camp in Sunjwan by a group of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists came 15 months after a similar attack in Nagrota on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, in which seven army personnel were killed.

In the Nagrota strike on November 29, 2016, a suicide squad targeted the army base killing seven personnel including two officers. Three terrorists were also killed.

In the early hours today, a group of JeM terrorists sneaked into the army's 36 brigade camp of light infantry in Sunjwan in the wee hours today, killing two junior commissioned officers (JCOs). The operation to neutralise the terrorists was continuing.

The Jammu region has witnessed several major terror strikes in the past.

In March 2015, there were two terror strikes in the region. On March 20, a fidayeen squad of militants in army fatigues stormed a police station in Kathua district killing seven people.

A day after, two terrorists were killed during a fidayeen attack at an army camp on Jammu-Pathankot national highway in Samba District. Three people including two army personnel were injured in the attack.

On November 27, 2014, three soldiers and four civilians were killed in a day-long encounter with militants at the border village of Kathaar in Arnia sector, close to the International Border, of Jammu district. Three militants were killed in the operation.

On September 26, 2013, at least 13 killed in twin suicide attacks Jammu.

A three-member team storms an army camp killing eight security force personnel, including a Brigadier, and injuring 12 others in Akhnoor on July 22, 2003.

On May 14, 2002, thirty-six people were killed and 48 others injured in a fidayeen attack at an army cantonment in Kaluchak, Jammu.

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Suspended Janata Dal (United) MLA Sarfaraz Alam today resigned from the party and also assembly to join RJD giving a clear indication of contesting bypoll from Araria Lok Sabha seat represented by his father.

Alam joined Lalu Prasad's party in presence of senior RJD leaders including its national vice-president Shivanand Tiwary at RJD's office here.

He accused Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's party JD(U) of "betraying secular forces" by joining hands with the BJP.

The development came a day after bypolls were announced for two assembly segments in Bihar, besides the Araria Lok Sabha seat which was represented by Alam's late father Mohammad Taslimuddin, who was a RJD MP.

Taslimuddin had won the seat by a margin of more than two lakh votes, while the BJP and the JD(U) - which had fought separately - finished almost neck and neck occupying respectively the second and the third positions in the 2014 general elections.

Alam told reporters "I had joined the JD(U) as it was then a part of the Grand Alliance which represented secular forces. Ever since the party betrayed the secular forces, I have been under pressure from my voters and my mother that I join the party to which my father belonged".

Asked whether he has been promised the RJD ticket from Araria, Alam - who had met former Chief Minister and party supremo Lalu Prasad's wife Rabri Devi earlier in the day - said "the decision shall be taken by the party".

Alam, who was the MLA from Jokihat seat in Araria, was suspended from the JD(U) two years ago following complaints that he had misbehaved with a couple while travelling by a Delhi-bound train.

Tiwary said "the development marks a growing discontentment with Nitish Kumar's capitulation before the BJP. No longer does the Chief Minister enjoy the upper hand like he used to in the past. More such developments are in the offing as has been indicated by outbursts of Jitan Ram Manjhi".

The RJD vice-president was referring to the statement of Manjhi, the founder of Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), earlier in the day that his party be allowed to contest the by-poll from Jahanabad assembly segment which has fallen vacant upon the death of RJD MLA Mundrika Yadav.

The HAM is an NDA constituent and the seat had, in the 2015 assembly polls, gone to Rashtriya Lok Samata Party of Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha.

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The original deal to procure 126 fighter jet could not go through during the UPA rule despite reaching the final stage as the then Defence Minister A K Antony felt there was something wrong in the process and asked for a review, defence ministry sources claimed.

The sources talked about Antony's intervention while asserting that there was no deal arrived at during the UPA regime to procure 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA).

The Congress has been ramping up attack on the government over the Rafale issue, claiming that the deal negotiated under its rule was much cheaper then the contract signed by the Modi government to procure 36 Rafale fighter jets from France at a cost of Rs 58,000 crore.

The sources said Antony's apprehensions may have been genuine and he may have had bonafide reasons for such an intervention. The price negotiating committee was at that time examining the deal after initially getting approval for it from the then defence minister.

The sources also said that the Eurofighter Typhoon had offered to bring down their prices by 25 per cent after Rafale was declared L1 vendor.

"Such a proposal after declaring the winning bidder was not at all acceptable as per laid down procedure. You cannot do that," said a source.

Alleging a "scam", the opposition Congress has been asking the government whether the per aircraft price of Rafale, according to international bids opened on December 12, 2012, comes to USD 80.95 million (Rs 526.1 crore) as against the Modi government's per aircraft negotiated price of USD 241.66 Million (Rs 1,570.8 crore) as per current exchange rates.

The UPA government floated a tender in 2007 for purchase of 126 MMRCA for the Air Force and, post negotiations, two of them--Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon -- remained in the reckoning.

However, the deal could not be finalised by the UPA regime.

Asked why NDA government did not go for Eurofighter Typhoon as it had offered a 25 per cent price cut, the sources said several European countries were involved in manufacturing of Eurofighter and France was preferred for the inter- governmental deal.

The Congress had also claimed that Qatar had purchased 12 Rafale fighter jets in November 2017 for USD 108.33 million per aircraft (Rs 694.80 crore), noting that the per aircraft rate at which the Gulf nation is buying the jet is much lower than the rate at which India will procure them.

The sources said the rates cannot be compared as price depended on the weapons package.

In a detailed statement, the defence ministry had on Wednesday termed as "unfounded" allegations made by the Congress about the Rs 58,000-crore deal, asserting that the demand to disclose details such as its value was "unrealistic" as doing so might compromise India's national security.

It had said giving an item-wise cost and other information would reveal details about weapons systems and customisation of the jet.

The ministry had said that in 2012, the then defence minister exercised an unprecedented personal veto on the laid down institutional process then underway for the procurement of 126 jets.

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Traditional and conventional medicinal systems can play important roles in curing lifestyle diseases, which are one of the major health challenges of the country, Union minister Jitendra Singh said today.

On the eve of Unani Day, he inaugurated a two-day international conference on Unani Medicine organised by the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM) and stressed on all-round development of indigenous systems of medicine with focus on holistic management of diseases.

"All physicians, irrespective of system of medicine whether modern or traditional, may be co-located for addressing the requirement of patients in a holistic manner," Singh opined.

About Hakim Ajmal Khan, whose 150th Birth Anniversary on February 11 is being celebrated as Unani Day, the minister said contribution made by Khan in the field of traditional medicine and to the nation was remarkable.

On the occasion, an MoU was signed between CCRUM and Hamdard University, Bangladesh to establish an "academic chair" in Unani system of medicine in that country.

An official statement said, the aim of this MoU is to provide academic leadership to the institution, primarily through demonstrating and fostering excellence in teaching, research, and policy development related to Unani system of medicine at the varieties of levels within the discipline.

At the two-day conference, various eminent personalities and stakeholders from academia, industry, regulators, and researchers in the field of Unani Medicine are participating.

Also, representatives from various countries such as South Africa, the UK, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, China, the USA, Portugal, the UAE, Slovenia, Israel, Hungary, Bahrain, Tajikistan are attending the conference.

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The police and paramilitary personnel today cast their votes through postal ballots in 12 centres across Tripura, Chief Electoral Officer Sriram Taranikanti said here.

Voting process for employees engaged in poll process started this morning and 1,470 staff members cast their votes.

Police, Tripura State Rifles personnel and traffic officials took part in the voting, the CEO told reporters.

He said 76,300 postal ballot papers were printed for 60,000 employees who were engaged in the election process in different capacities.

Election for the 60-member Tripura Assembly would be held on February 18 and results would be out on March 3.

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Senior BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain today said Muslims in Tripura are patriots who did not go to Pakistan after Independence though the state shares a long border with Bangladesh, formerly East Pakistan.

Thousands of Muslims were killed while performing 'namaz' at mosques in Pakistan, but not a single such incident had ever occurred in India, Hussain said at an election meeting here in Sipahijala district.

"BJP is not a party of only Narendra Modi, but also a party of Shahnawaz Hussain. It is a party of the common people and it is a secular party, not communal party," he said at the meeting in support of the party candidate in the Muslim majority Boxanagar constituency.

After the partition of India in 1947, Muslims did not migrate to East Pakistan and chose to stay in Tripura because they are a patriotic force, Hussain, also BJP spokesman, said.

Muslims comprise around 8 per cent of the population of Tripura.

The state has a long border with Bangladesh and many Muslims living near the border were evicted or faced various other problems due to erection of the border fencing, but Chief Minister Manik Sarkar never took up the matter with the Centre, he alleged.

Hussain said when he was the civil aviation minister, he had arranged for direct flight to Mecca from Guwahati.

Criticising the ruling CPI(M) led Left Front for allegedly branding the BJP as a communal party, Hussain claimed actually communists are communal.

"Before the crumbling of USSR, many provinces of the country were Muslim majority such as Kazakstan and Uzbekistan. The communist rulers there had demolished mosques," he said.

The former union minister said the BJP had won in various states with a sizable portion of Muslim population because they supported the party.

He cited the examples of Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir.

"Our best friends are Hindus. We all Muslims should be proud that we were born in India. You would never find friends like Hindus and a country like India," Hussain said.

However, he admitted that in a country of 125 crore there might be some stray incidents of communal violence.

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President Donald Trump is refusing to declassify a high-profile memo written by Democratic lawmakers about the Russia probe.

In a letter to the chair of the House Intelligence Committee on Friday, White House counsel Don McGahn says the memo "contains numerous properly classified and especially sensitive passages."



The Democrats' memo aimed to counter a Republican-drafted one the President declassified and released.

However, portions of the memo "would create especially significant concerns for the national security and law enforcement interests," McGahn wrote.

FBI chief Christopher Wray and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein in a separate letter indicated that releasing this material would present concerns for the "protection of intelligence sources and methods, ongoing investigations, and other similarly sensitive information."



House Democratic Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called Trump's move to block the memo a "stunningly brazen attempt to cover up the truth about the Trump-Russia scandal from the American people.""The President's decision to block the Democratic memo from release is part of a dangerous and desperate pattern of cover-up on the part of the President," she said in a statement.

"Clearly, the President has something to hide."



The previously released Republican text alleges anti-Trump bias in the investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 US election that brought Trump to power.

The Justice Department and the FBI had also warned against releasing the Republican memo, saying it could jeopardise US intelligence collection methods. Trump authorised its release anyway.

Democrats on the intelligence committee complained the Republicans' four-page memo cherry-picked facts and explained events out of context and was thus not accurate.

They joined other Trump administration critics in calling the release of the Republican document an effort to undermine the investigation led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

In his letter, McGahn said Trump has instructed Justice Department officials to be available to help the intelligence committee revise the Democratic memo, if it so wishes, so as to "mitigate the risks."



"The executive branch stands ready to review any subsequent draft of the February 5th memorandum for declassification at the earliest opportunity."
Citing national security concerns, the White House has day formally notified the House intelligence committee that President Donald Trump is "unable" to declassify a memo drafted by Democrats that counters GOP allegations about abuse of government surveillance powers in the FBI's Russia probe.

White House counsel Don McGahn said in a letter to the committee that the memo contains "numerous properly classified and especially sensitive passages" and asked the Democrats to revise the memo with the help of the Justice Department. He said Trump is still "inclined" to release the memo in the interest of transparency if revisions are made.

The president's rejection of the Democratic memo is in contrast to his enthusiastic embrace of releasing the Republican document, which he pledged before reading to make public. The president declassified the document last week, allowing its publication in full.

The president has said the GOP memo "vindicates" him in the ongoing Russia investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller. But congressional Democrats and Republicans, including House Speaker Paul Ryan and Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina, who helped draft the GOP memo, have said it shouldn't be used to undermine the special counsel.

Yesterday, White House spokesman Raj Shah said Trump discussed the Democratic document with the White House counsel's office, FBI Director Christopher Wray and another top Justice Department official.

The president had until Saturday to decide whether to allow the classified material to become public after the House intelligence committee voted Monday to release it.

In declining to declassify the document, the White House also sent lawmakers a letter signed by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Wray, as well as a marked-up copy of the memo, laying out portions it considers too sensitive to make public.

Among those passages are some that the Justice Departments says could compromise intelligence sources and methods, ongoing investigations and national security if disclosed.

The document in question was authored by Democrats on the intelligence panel. They say it disputes many claims in the GOP memo, which accused the FBI and Justice Department of abusing their surveillance powers in obtaining a secret warrant to monitor former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser Carter Page.

The memo's release would have capped off a week in which Republicans and Democrats on the committee have publicly fought, with the panel now erecting a wall to separate feuding Republican and Democratic staffers who had long sat side by side.

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Turkey's president announced that a Turkish military helicopter was downed in northern Syria today during Ankara's offensive on Syrian Kurdish militia there.

Speaking in Istanbul, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan didn't mention by name the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units, or YPG, but said that those responsible will pay for it.

A spokesman for the Kurdish militia, Mustafa Bali, said his fighters downed the chopper in Raju, northwest Afrin.

But the Turkish prime minister said the cause of the helicopter's crash was not yet clear and investigations were ongoing.

"We don't have exact evidence or document to determine that it went down with any outside interference," Binali Yildirim told reporters in the western province of Mugla.

Yildirim said that two Turkish soldiers were killed in the helicopter.

Turkey launched a military offensive on January 20 to oust the YPG from Afrin. Turkey considers the group an extension of an insurgency within its own borders.

Twenty one Turkish soldiers have died since the beginning of the operation.

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Two railway staffers died after being hit by a train in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar district, an official said today.

The two men were engaged in signal repair work last night on tracks near the Kurwai station in Bina, about 150 kms from here, when the Hazrat Nizamuddin-Chennai Central Rajdhani Express ran over them, West Central Railway's Bhopal division public relations officer I A Siddiqui said.

The deceased, identified as Sanjay Sharma (48) and Manohar (57), worked with the railway's signal maintenance wing, he said.

Police recovered the bodies early this morning and sent them for postmortem, assistant sub-inspector Kamlesh Pandey said.

A case was registered in connection with the incident at the Ganjbasoda police station, he said, adding that further investigation was on.

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As Brexit gets nearer, British firms are exporting more to the other 27 countries in the European Union, a state of affairs that will linger over the difficult discussions ahead on the UK's future relationship with the bloc.

Official figures released yesterday show that seven of the top 10 destinations for British exports in 2017 were EU countries.

Selling everything from cars to pharmaceuticals and gin, British firms exported some 37.7 billion pounds (USD 53 billion) worth of goods to Germany in 2017, around 13 per cent more than the year before.

Germany accounted for 11 percent of British exports, up a tad on the year before, and second overall behind the United States.

Other EU countries in the top 10 included France, where exports spiked by nearly 30 percent in 2017, and Ireland, the only EU country to share a land border with the United Kingdom.

Overall, EU countries accounted for 48.8 percent of British goods exports to the EU in 2017, up from 48.2 per cent the year before.

The increasing importance of the EU as a destination for British goods is largely due to the fact that Britain remains a member of the EU until March 2019. Exporters also enjoying a boon from the fall in the value of the British pound after the country's 2016 vote to leave the bloc.

Bank of England Governor Mark Carney has called it a "sweet spot," with exporters benefiting from the near 20 percent fall in the pound's value against the euro "in anticipation of a Brexit that has not yet happened."



The euro, which is used by 19 EU countries, is now worth 0.89 pound, compared with around 0.75 pound before the referendum.

But Brexit is happening and no one, it seems, quite knows what it will mean. That's a particular problem for businesses that have enjoyed tariff-free trade with the EU for decades thanks to the bloc's single market and its customs union.

The Conservative British government has made clear that Brexit means leaving both the single market and the customs union. However, it hopes to negotiate a new free trade agreement that will prevent the return of costly customs checks and tariffs.

No one is sure how that can happen and discussions this week within the British government failed to clarify its vision of the post-Brexit relationship.

A deep split within the Conservative party has emerged in recent months. Some lawmakers in Prime Minister Theresa May's party want close ties with the remaining 27 EU nations and a period of transition after Brexit day.

Others want a more fundamental break and are comfortable with the idea of tariffs on trade with the EU if it gives Britain more leeway to carve out trade deals with fast-growing economies around the world, particularly in Asia.

May hopes to agree soon on the terms of a transition deal that would see Britain remain in the single market and customs union for a period after the Brexit exit. That would give firms and households time to adjust.

Carney has argued repeatedly that the outlines of a transition deal need should be in place by the end of the first quarter of this year so businesses can plan ahead.

Many firms have held back investment amid the uncertainty and some, particularly in finance, have warned they could relocate some activities to the EU if the situation doesn't become clearer.

"As we move through the Brexit process, more needs to be done to provide clarity on what the future trading relationship with the EU will look like," said Suren Thiru, head of economics at the British Chambers of Commerce.

For its part, the EU has been relatively clear.

Michel Barnier, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator, said yesterday the transition is "not yet sealed" and that barriers to trade, such as border checks, would be inevitable if Britain opts out of the single market and the customs union. Barriers can also include everything from tariffs to legal red tape.

"The United Kingdom must accept all the rules and the conditions right until the end of the transition, and must also accept the inescapable consequences of its decision to leave the European Union," Barnier said at the end of a week of technical talks.

Proponents of Brexit say Britain would be able to thrive even in that environment as the country could have more freedom in trade discussions with countries like China, India and even the United States.

There's clearly room for growth in British exports to China: in 2017, Britain sold 18.2 billion pounds worth of goods there, representing only 5.3 per cent of its total exports, according to the Office for National Statistics.

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An Indian-origin school principal, who was forced to withdraw a ban on wearing of hijab by young girls after vitriolic abuse on social media, today received crucial support of a UK minister who said bullying or intimidation of school staff was completely unacceptable.

Lord Theodore Agnew, Minister for schools systems, faith and counter-extremism in education, also said that schools in the country were completely within their right to make decisions on how to run their institutions in the best interests of their pupils.

Neena Lall, an Indian-origin principal of the St Stephen's Primary School in east London, met with strong opposition, faced abuse on social media and even likened to German dictator Adolf Hitler for her decision to impose a ban on wearing of hijab by girls under eight last month.

Later, she withdrew the decision.

A governor at the school, Arif Qawi, resigned amid the stiff opposition and had urged the UK government to spell out school uniform policies more clearly.

The minister also threw his support behind schools in the country that want to impose a ban on wearing of hijab or religious fasting by very young pupils.

"They are completely within their right to make decisions on how to run their schools in the best interests of their pupils in line with the law and in discussion with parents, of course and we back their right to do so," Agnew wrote in 'The Times' in reference to Lall.

"St Stephen's Primary School in east London has been at the centre of media attention after its ban on young pupils wearing the hijab andfasting during Ramadan. I have seen the vitriolic abuse on social media after this decision and read of the intimidation of staff, resulting in the resignation of the chairman of governors...I wanted to send out a clear message: bullying or intimidation of school staff is completely unacceptable," he wrote.

The minister responsible for counter-extremism in the Department for said the government would not allow a "culture of fear and intimidation to pass through the school gates" and that any opposition to decisions by a school's governing body should manifest itself in the form of sensible, informed discussion and not hateful online reaction.

Earlier this month, the UK's independent schoolswatchdog



the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) had also came out in support of the school's right to set its own uniform policy.

"Schoolleaders must have the right to setschooluniform policies in a way that they see fit, in order to promote cohesion," Amanda Spielman, the head of Ofsted, had said.

Under the UKs Department for guidelines, uniform policy is a matter for individual head-teachers and their governing bodies.But Agnew offered the government's support to individual schools that may find themselves in a bind.

"We want to do all we can to help schools on sensitive issues, such as those thrown up by this case, and we will be working closely with school leaders and sector organisations on how we can support them," the minister said.

He also warned schools in the country against "promoting religious ideologies that undermine British values" and said the government was prepared to take action against any form of discrimination in the classroom.

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The British government is reviewing its relationship with Oxfam amid a deepening sexual misconduct scandal involving some of the charity's employees working in Haiti after its devastating 2010 earthquake.

The UK's Department for International Development sharply criticised the charity for its lack of transparency as questions swirled about how much detail Oxfam provided when it first reported the allegations.

The agency, which gave 31.7 million pounds (USD 43.8 million) to Oxfam last year, demanded that Oxfam's senior officials meet with it to explain their actions.

"If wrongdoing, abuse, fraud or criminal activity occur, we need to know about it immediately, in full," the agency said.

"The way this appalling abuse of vulnerable people was dealt with raises serious questions that Oxfam must answer." The Times of London reported yesterday that misconduct allegations against seven former Oxfam staff in Haiti included the use of prostitutes, some of whom may have been under 18, and downloading pornography.

It said Oxfam's investigation into the charges was hampered by a "determination to keep it out of the public eye."



Oxfam says it investigated the allegations in 2011. The charity confirmed it had dismissed four people and allowed three others to resign in the case after an investigation uncovered offenses including sexual misconduct, bullying, intimidation and failure to protect staff.

The charity said it had reported the results of its investigation to Britain's charity regulator and to major donors, including the Department for International Development.

The charity commission demanded further information from Oxfam on Saturday, saying it had "made no mention of any potential sexual crimes involving minors,' when it first reported the investigation in 2011.

"Our approach to this matter would have been different had the full details that have been reported been disclosed to us," the commission said.

Oxfam said yesterday the behaviour in Haiti was "totally unacceptable, contrary to our values and the high standards we expect of our staff." On Saturday, Oxfam was forced to deny further reports that it gave positive references to those it dismissed.

"Oxfam has not and would not provide a positive reference for any of those that were dismissed or resigned as a result of the case," the charity said.

Oxfam said some former workers may have falsified references or asked individual staff members to provide references, but said it couldn't prevent such actions.

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Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov will arrive on a two-day visit to India tomorrow during which he would meet his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj, the External Affairs Ministry said today.

Kamilov will meet Swaraj on Monday and the two are expected to discuss bilateral issues.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had held bilateral talks with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in June last year.

India has also expressed interest in buying Uranium from Uzbekistan, in a bid to diversify its sources of procuring nuclear fuel.

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An agriculture university here is working on developing sensors to achieve precision in releasing the right amount of water required for the proper growth of crops.

The researchers at the Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University are hopeful that the sensors, once installed in the soil, would help in checking wastage of water and enhance the crop productivity.

The water management is mainly about how much water to supply, when to supply and how best to supply, the university's vice chancellor, V Praveen Rao, told PTI.

He said so far, there has been a "critical growth stage approach" without quantifying the water in a better way.

"We are developing sensors which would be installed in the soil and continuously provide information about the amount of soil moisture that is available for the crop, whether the crop is facing stress, whether an excess moisture is there,"



"So, it will enable us to not only improve the productivity, but also to cut down wastage. It also aids in reducing pollution, because when you give excess water, there will be leeching of nutrients into the water bodies," he said.

The sensors would help in achieving precision in water management, protection of environment, enhancing productivity (of the crop) and improving water productivity, Rao said.

The water technology centre of the university and the water resources division of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Bombay are involved in the research which started about two years ago, he said.

"They (sensors) will send signals. We have water metres. When we connect to them, they will provide us the knowledge of precisely how much water is there in each layer of the soil," the vice chancellor said.

"The amount of water available in the crop root zone depth will be provided by this (sensor). Based on that, we will be able to know what is the deficiency and how much water to release and when to release," he said.

Rao said it may take one or two years for the final product to be ready.

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Two persons have been booked for allegedly duping a woman from Bhayandar township in the district to the tune of Rs 82.50 lakh, police said today.

The accused have been identified as Betty Jones and Kusum Chowdhari, a woman, police said.

As per the complaint lodged by the victim, she had returned to India after staying in Sharjah for 11 years. Jones, one of the accused, had befriended her on a social media platform prior to her return.

"When the victim came back to India late last year, Jones informed her about a lucrative oil supply business. He told her that she could purchase oil from an Uttarakhand-based company, owned by Chowdhari, and export the consignment to the UK at a much higher price," police said



The victim initially placed an order for two litres of oil with the company in Uttarakhand. She made a payment and the goods was delivered at her place, her complaint said.

"Later, based on Jones' 'recommendation', a representative of another company placed a bulk order of oil with the victim, who in turn requested the Uttarakhand company to send her the goods and made a payment of Rs 82.50 lakh in different bank accounts between November and December 2017," police said.

However, after making the payment, when the woman tried to contact Jones and Chowdhari, they were 'not reachable', they said.

When the victim approached her bank, she was told by the officials there that her account has been frozen as she had transferred the money to the accounts that were under scanner for certain fraudulent transactions, police said.

Realising that she had been duped, the woman lodged a complaint with Thane police, which booked the duo yesterday.

"No arrest has been made in this connection so far and investigation into the case is on," police said.

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FRANKFURT (Reuters) - German prosecutors have ordered Airbus to pay 81.25 million euros ($99 million) to settle one of two investigations into alleged corruption surrounding the sale of Eurofighter combat jets to Austria in 2003, the two sides said on Friday.The settlement includes an administrative fine of 250,000 euros and "disgorgement" - which legal experts broadly define as the recovery of ill-gotten gains - of 81 million euros.Munich prosecutors have been investigating whether Airbus issued bribes to win the $2 billion contract: charges it denies. In a statement, prosecutors said they ...
By Alasdair PalLONDON (Reuters) - Cardiff University has defended its joint venture with Welsh technology company IQE that has been criticised by two hedge funds with short positions in the company's stock.IQE, whose technology is in the latest iPhone, suffered a 14 percent fall in its share price on February 5 after a report by hedge fund ShadowFall said its joint venture with Cardiff and a university in Singapore had inflated its profitability and cash flow. [nL8N1PV2LB]Its shares fell a further 10 percent on February 8 after Muddy Waters Capital said IQE's transactions with the Compound ...
By Gabriela MelloSAO PAULO (Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc is looking to lease a 50,000-square-meter warehouse just outside Sao Paulo, people familiar with the matter told Reuters, as it steps up its push into Latin America's biggest retail market, Brazil.The logistics investment, which would be four times the size of its current book-shipping operation in the country, is a sign the online retailer may soon handle distribution of electronics and other goods sold on its Brazilian website. That would be the first step of its kind for Amazon in Latin America's largest economy, where it currently ...
MUMBAI (Reuters) - Three Airbus A320neo aircraft operated by India's biggest airline IndiGo, owned by InterGlobe Aviation Ltd, have been grounded, due to the latest Pratt & Whitney engine issue, IndiGo said in a statement on Saturday.The move comes after the European aviation regulator observed "several occurrences of engine in-flight shut-down (IFSD) and Rejected Take-Off (RTO) involving A320neo family aeroplanes," India's aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said in a separate statement.Indigo's competitor Go Air, which also operates A320neo aircraft, is not ...
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Long before becoming famous as the author of The Cat in the Hat and The Lorax, Dr Seuss used his talents to produce political cartoons and propaganda during the Second World War. Theodor Seuss Geisel wrote and illustrated more than 60 children's books under the pen name Dr Seuss, but the American also used his artistic abilities to fight fascism and aid the Allied war effort. Geisel, the grandson of German immigrants, had been working in advertising and had already published his first children's book, And to think that I saw it on Mulberry Street, when war broke out. An outspoken critic of isolationism who drew hundreds of political cartoons denouncing Hitler and Mussolini for the New York daily newspaper PM, Geisel joined the US Army and was deployed to Fox studios in Hollywood to work with some of the country's top filmmakers and animators as part of Oscar-winning director Frank Capra's signal corps unit. His propaganda poster urging Americans to "Starve the Squander Bug" and "Buy war bonds" is now on display in Anzac Hall as part of the Hearts and minds: wartime propaganda exhibition at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. Curator Alex Torrens said the Squander Bug was a propaganda character originally created by the British National Savings Committee to discourage wasteful spending. "The Squander Bug was a very popular campaign," Torrens said. "He was invented by British freelance illustrator Philip Boydell, who was at home sick, suffering terribly from the flu, when he came up with the idea to create this little germy bug-like creature. He gave him a little forked tail like the devil and covered him in swastikas." Boydell produced a series of six sketches of the imp-like creature for press adverts and called it the "Money Grub" that could "push, pull, scratch, bite and steal". The character's name was changed to the Squander Bug and it was later used in a range of poster campaigns and political cartoons to warn people about the dangers of squandering money and to encourage them to save and invest in the war effort. Torrens said the character was intended as a positive, light-hearted alternative to endless government warnings on what not to do. "During the Second World War, commercial advertising tied in with propaganda and they took successful techniques from that, and one of those techniques was character branding," she said. "It was meant to be a more generous, more humorous approach to the very real fear that the government had of wasteful spending. "Governments were particularly fearful that women going into the workforce who weren't used to managing money might waste it on luxury goods or items. "The idea was that the Squander Bug was also the enemy, reinforcing that idea that the enemy could be within or without. People were encouraged to be patriotic in everything that they did and that went right down to purchasing goods  There was this idea of total war, and that everything you did, and every aspect of life, was geared towards the war effort." British wartime cartoonists David Low and Carl Giles also used the character, while Dr Seuss's version was part of a campaign to promote US war bonds in 1943 and 1944. "[The Squander Bug] also came out in film in a cartoon that was animated," Torrens said. "And we even converted him in Australia into an Asiatic bug with the Rising Sun and big buck teeth and other racial stereotypes. "[But] not everyone was happy about the bug  many saw the use as hypocritical by the Government  especially if they were spending public funds on things they didn't agree with and asking citizens to be austere." On 7 July 1944, the Hobart Mercury reported that the Women's Non-Party League protested against what was described as "the stupid 'squander bug' advertising" by the Government over radio programmes. They thought that it was a waste of public money and a reflection on the intelligence of the public." An Australian leaflet describing the Squander Bug as "the Dictator of Savings" and a "friend of Hitler" that needed to be squashed is on display alongside Dr Seuss's work and a British poster. The purple and grey poster declares: "Don't listen to the Squander Bug. Buy War Savings." Torrens said the Memorial's collection of wartime propaganda posters was one of the hidden treasures in the national collection. "Hearts and minds aims to showcase the collection and to delve into it more broadly," she said. "It's an opportunity for people to reflect and think about the power of visual communication and how these images resonate differently across decades and across time." The Memorial's collection of propaganda material includes more than 10,000 wartime posters, from government-issued campaigns to handmade posters protesting the war in Vietnam. The exhibition focuses on home-front propaganda from the First and Second World Wars and features posters from France, Austria, Hungry, Germany, Italy, Russia, and the United States, as well as Australia. Featuring some of the world's most iconic propaganda posters  including Uncle Sam, Lord Kitchener and one of the original British "Keep and Calm Carry On" posters  the exhibition also includes works by Australian artist Norman Lyndsay and British cartoonist Cyril "Fougasse" Bird, film and animation, a pin cushion featuring a caricature of Adolf Hitler, and a Walt Disney jigsaw puzzle. "Propaganda posters were not propaganda in isolation," Torrens said. "During the Second World War, Allied and Axis nations sought to get the populace behind the war effort, encouraging the public to join up, produce, eat less, stay healthy, watch their neighbours, and hate the enemy." "In this exhibition I wanted to focus on the strengths of the propaganda collection, which was the First and Second World War holdings, and enhance that with engaging objects from the collection and the personal stories behind them. "Only about 20 per cent of the collection is accessible on the website, so I really relished this opportunity to open up cabinets and bring them out." Hearts and minds: wartime propaganda is on display until April 1, 2018. Claire Hunter is a journalist with the Australian War Memorial.

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Trish Ollman always believed the public health system would look after her if she was sick. But facing years languishing without treatment, the disability pensioner now has other ideas. She has already been trying to see a urologist for more than a year with her bladder no longer functioning properly. Mrs Ollman can't urinate properly and without treatment or possible surgery she faces years of agony. Despite her GP recently helping to escalate her urgency level to category two, she was shocked to discover she still faced an almost five-year - or up to 1700-day - wait just to get an appointment with a specialist. If the specialist determines she needs surgery, it is only then she would be placed on the elective surgery waiting list and face more possible long delays. Clinical guidelines state category two patients should ideally be seen within 90 days of being added to a waiting list. "You could have picked me up off the floor," Mrs Ollman said. "Back in November, I thought I'd be done with treatment by New Year so it was a huge shock." Unable to live with her condition, which could deteriorate further, she and husband Ian now have to find the cash to pay for her treatment outright. And things are already tight in the family, both living off pensions and with custody of their teenage daughter. "I said to my doctor, I've got no other option do I?" Mrs Ollman said. "We'll just have to find the money and sell whatever we can. "Knowing I've got no other option but to go private is really quite a strain." The unknown is placing further stress on Mrs Ollman, with her condition unable to even be diagnosed until she is seen by a urologist. "ACT Health should hang their heads in shame," she said. "I'm just very very disappointed and find the whole thing unbelievable. "If there's a 1700-day wait for a chronic illness that a doctor describes as serious then the system is dead. "If it's come to this, the system needs a complete overhaul." And Mrs Ollman's story is not unique, with patients and doctors telling similar stories to The Canberra Times. An orthopedic patient - who has already been waiting to see a specialist for nearly two years - was recently told it could be a further 800 days before he gets an appointment with a surgeon. ACT Health said it had experienced workforce issues in urology following the loss of its training accreditation in 2015. "This issue has now been rectified and in late 2017 we were reaccredited," a spokesman said. "We now have several advanced trainee registrars working in urology and over the next 18 months we expect to see a significant reduction in the urology wait list. "This will include no category two urology patients waiting over 1000 days by the end of this calendar year."

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Your columnist continues to probe the unfathomable mystery of why teeming millions of Americans voted for and continue to admire Donald Trump. In spite of what seem to so many Australians Trump's daily atrocities of deed and tweet-expressed opinion, the monster's approval rating hovers around the 40 per cent mark. His disapproval rating is always in the mid-to-upper 50s but never clears 60 per cent. For an Australian it can be as hard to imagine being a Trump devotee as it is to imagine being a Mormon (forgive me, for I am still yet to recover from going to see the mind-bogglingly blasphemous musical The Book of Mormon at a Melbourne theatre), or a bunyip, or a Bernard Tomic. Amazed by this socio-political mystery (Australians could never love a Trump, so can we and our American cousin be a different species?) I read all I can on the subject of Trump's appeal. Now a ray of illuminating daylight comes in the form of Tom Shone's essay Why America Loves A Braggart. This ripper read is up and available online. On to Shone's piece in a moment but first to the observation that Australians hate a man who blows his own trumpet (unless of course that man is Sweden's Hakan Hardenberger, the greatest living classical trumpet virtuoso and an occasional visitor to Australian concert halls). But the Swede is literally a blower of his own trumpet. We use the expression "blows his own trumpet" to condemn those who figuratively blow their own trumpets, bragging about their achievements. Australians hate braggarts (perhaps because we are still rather polite and pommy and find loud, conceited people appallingly vulgar). When we suffer a braggart we accuse that he is "up himself" or that she has "tickets on herself". If we and the shy, reserved English are ever vulgar enough to say a few words of self-praise we never blow them on a blaring trumpet. Rather, figuratively, we may blow our own flute, or coax a soft melody from our own lute. Far too modest and English to do any gay, abandoned bragging I realise that all my meek and modest (and so hopeless) advertisements for myself (for example in my job applications and in my Lonely Hearts profiles) have been blown on my own chalumeau. The chalumeau is a small baroque woodwind instrument that makes a barely audible sound suggestive of a small owl murmuring to itself under its breath. Trump's bragging and Shone's analysis of it alerts us to how, in braggart-appalled Australia, our politicians take such extreme pains to sound modest. They are often surely at least as narcissistic as Trump (which is why they've been attracted to their unsavoury, ego-masturbatory profession instead of to more honourable callings, like journalism, banking, aromatherapy, Tarot reading, prostitution and plumbing). And yet, attuned to how much Australians despise a braggart our politicians keep a pragmatic cork tightly bottling up (at least in public) their true selves. But Donald Trump ("I am a very stable genius") is always uncorked and is always bragging. This very week he has bragged that the surge in the US stock market is due to him. Famous recent braggings include the boyish boast that his nuclear launch button is "much bigger" than Kim Jong un's teeny-weeny one. In his piece about Trump's braggadocio Tom Shone lists some of the Trump-trumpetings of the presidential election campaign including "I will be the greatest jobs president that God ever created  I'm so good looking  Part of the beauty of me is that I'm very rich ... I win, I win, I always win." But Americans don't find this obnoxious, Shone diagnoses, because Trump fits so well into the long history of American bragging and "boosterism". "Trump's fame may have been incubated on TV and in the Twittersphere but his persona - big, brash, boastful - goes all the way back to the Wild West, and the tall-talking show-offs  Men like Paul Bunyan, the lumberjack who claimed he'd created the Great Lakes to water his ox and could eat 50 pancakes a minute. Or Davy Crockett, the pioneer from Tennessee who told Congress in 1857: 'I can walk like an ox, run like a fox, swim like an eel, yell like an Indian, fight like a devil and spout like an earthquake, make love like a mad bull' " "This is how the West was won: with boasting," Shone says. "The truly American attitude, of course, is to suspect a hoax but still go along with it, just for the hell of it, to admire the sincerity of the con artist's comic spirit. "This is Trump's appeal in a nutshell, for it resolves the seeming contradiction between assessments of his truthfulness with his immense popularity. Trump fans may not always buy what he is saying but they do appreciate the gusto with which it is said." Yes, all this surely defines and explains a lot of what reserved, inhibited Australians find so shockingly obnoxious about Trump. But are we at fault? Should we wake up to ourselves, loosen our tight pommy corsets, and learn to admire the comic spirit of the con artist who blows his own trumpet with gusto?

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ICBCs books show they are suffering a 1.3 billion dollar loss because the BC government took 1 billion dollars out of their reserve fund.

That is 1 billion dollars of the publics auto insurance premiums that should have been invested in future reserves for ICBC claims. Reserves are mandatory to cover the ups and downs in annual claims costs. We the public, who paid those past premiums should be demanding that the government put that money back into ICBC and never touch it again.



Privatizing ICBC will mean higher premiums for everyone, or less coverage to make it seem like we are saving money. With ICBC we have 5 million liability coverage, $500 deductible for collision coverage and $300 deductible for comprehensive coverage and pay about $1386 per year. In Alberta the insurers dont seem to offer more than 2 million liability coverage so when comparing rates you have to be sure you are comparing apples to apples.

Carolyn Keay
I would like to offer dubious congratulations to the Chilliwack School Board, the BC Ministry of Education and all the various groups opposing Barry Neufeld. You collectively have given us as perfect an example of bullying as could ever be imagined.

I hope the kids are not watching. But if they are I hope they have the maturity to support Mr. Neufelds right to express his opinion.

Is that not what we are trying to teach our youth? Yet because some disagree with him, he is ostracized and asked to resign. Bullied! Mr Neufeld has the right and the responsibility to express his belief and we have the responsibility to listen with respect. Furthermore, while I may not agree with every point Mr. Neufeld made, I strongly support his opposition to SOGI 123 being taught in schools. This is part of a curriculum which does not belong there.

Furthermore, sex education of any kind should not be taught in school but at home by loving parents, where morality, including the importance of abstinence before marriage, can be taught as well. This is a topic that is the responsibility of the family, not a public forum and definitely not in our school system.

I believe we should be teaching love, respect and kindness in our schools and in our society rather than anti-bullying we should be teaching our youth how to seek and find the beautiful character traits of every person on this earth. No matter if we disagree with a person, we still need to respect them and learn to love them. Otherwise we too easily become bullies ourselves.

John Abelseth
There has been so much talk around the homelessness and affordable housing in the past couple of years that I find it baffling that it cannot be resolved.

I for one would like to know where the billions of dollars from the property transfer tax is going. With the increase in home values and the number of times a house is sold, this adds up to billions of tax money. Where is this going?

We as consumers just pay it without question, but we should be questioning this. The tax payable is 1% of the first $200,000, then 2% up to $2,000,000.,Then 3% for amounts above that.

The hotel tax in BC is a higher tax than normal, but the additional tax goes into tourism, which makes sense. Why not do the same for the property transfer tax and allocate a portion of this to building affordable housing to help people find a reasonable and comfortable place to live.

Terry Sullivan
You could have the missing piece of the puzzle that will help the RCMP put someone behind bars. Here are some recent crimes that Central Okanagan Crime Stoppers hope you can help solve by calling our anonymous tips line at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visit our website at www.crimestoppers.net or text to CRIMES (274637), keyword Ktown.

CRIME: THEFT OVER $5000

DATE: February 7, 2018

RCMP FILE: 2018-6840

A West Kelowna business located on the 3000 block of Dunfield Road has suffered several thefts in the last few months. In November, a Hypertherm Powermax 45 plasma cutter worth $2500 was taken from the fabricating shop. Between January 28-29, 2018, a Millermatic 212 Auto-Set MIG welder valued at $2000 was taken from a covered storage area. On Friday, February 2, 2018, a cutting torch set and tanks on a cart, valued at $1500, were taken from the south end of the businesss property.

Photo: Crime Stoppers

If you know anything about this crime, or any other crime, call the Central Okanagan Crime Stoppers anonymous tips line at 1-800-222-TIPS or visit our website at www.crimestoppers.net. Your information will be kept confidential and could lead to a reward of up to $2000.00.

CRIME: THEFT FROM VEHICLE

DATE: February 2, 2018

RCMP FILE: 2018-5818

Sometime between 6:00 and 8:00 p.m. on Friday, February 2nd, a suspect broke the rear window of a grey 2007 Acura MDX SUV while parked in the student parking lot at Mount Boucherie Secondary School on the 2700 block of Cameron Road in West Kelowna. The perp grabbed a purse out of the vehicle that contained a wallet with debit cards, credit cards and an assortment of gift cards.

You can help catch these suspects and qualify for a reward by calling Crime Stoppers anonymous tips line at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visit our website at www.crimestoppers.net or text to CRIMES (274637), keyword Ktown.
UPDATE: 3 p.m.

The leader of the BC Green Party, Andrew Weaver, says the premier of Alberta is being petty by banning the import of B.C. wines.

Following BC Liberal leader Andrew Wilkinson's visit to Kelowna earlier Friday in response to the cross-border dispute, Weaver and Kelowna West byelection Green candidate Robert Stupka held a townhall meeting at West Kelowna's Volcanic Hills Winery.

Weaver supports B.C. Premier John Horgan's recent announcement that he's looking at ways to limit the import of diluted bitumen through B.C. until an expert panel can assess whether it's safe, the move that led to Alberta Premier Rachel Notley's B.C. wine embargo.

This is a product that we do not know how to clean up, Weaver said in reference to the diluted bitumen, referencing the Royal Society of Canada and the National Academy of Sciences.

On the one hand we have a premier doing what he should be doing which is protecting the interest of British Columbians against a hypothetical project from a major multinational based in Texas and Ms. Notley's response is to stick it to B.C. wines.

Weaver dismissed Wilkinson's comments from earlier in the day that B.C. would lose in court if the diluted bitumen issue is challenged constitutionally.

Mr. Horgan is doing his due diligence, and Mr. Wilkinson frankly doesn't even know the file, Weaver said. His statements are just rhetorical political statements that aren't based on him spending any time on this file.

 with files from Nich Johansen

ORIGINAL: 12:15 p.m.

The newly minted leader of the BC Liberals is taking dead aim at Premier John Horgan.

Opposition leader Andrew Wilkinson laid blame for the cross-border dispute between B.C. and Alberta directly at the feet of the premier.

The Alberta government has banned the import and sale of B.C. wine after the Horgan government announced it is looking at rules to limit any increase in the import of diluted bitumen until an independent panel can better analyze whether the system is safe.

Wilkinson, speaking at Sandhill Winery in Kelowna Friday morning, said Horgan has unnecessarily placed the $2.8-billion wine industry in the middle of a schoolyard fight that he picked.

"My suggestion is it's high time for John Horgan to swallow his pride, show his leadership, get on a plane to Edmonton and solve this problem, so the B.C. wine industry can look forward to an even brighter future than it's built up already," said Wilkinson.

"That applies to Rachel Notley as much as it applies to John Horgan. Unfortunately, we have a situation here where the BC NDP government has picked a fight, and now they realize they are going to have trouble getting out of it. "

Wilkinson says the dispute will likely lead to a constitutional challenge, one he says B.C. will likely lose in the courts. In the meantime, he says B.C.'s wine industry is losing out on a market worth about $70 million a year.

"This put a whole industry at risk. This is a major export market for B.C. wine that has now been cut off, and the people who will pay the price are workers in the B.C. wine industry, the winemakers, the vineyard operators, all the suppliers to the industry."
Photo: Contributed Quails' Gate Winery in West Kelowna.

Ben Stewart finds himself smack dab in the middle of a heated battle for the hearts and minds of voters in the Kelowna West byelection coming up on Valentine's Day. He's also caught up in the wine trade war between B.C. and Alberta.

Stewart's family owns Quails' Gate Winery, which makes him uniquely qualified to provide insight and context in the dispute.

"I think about some of the wine colleagues that I have, some of the smaller wineries that don't have the access to the BCLD like we have. Markets like Alberta are a big part of their strategy. If I were starting over again, I would be struggling with the cash flow, which is a huge deal when you're starting out, and now 25 per cent of their market has been shut off for them."

"I really empathize with the Okanagan wineries that have tried to build a market and relationship with consumers that are not just here in B.C. The premier's remarks about building a market in Asia is all well and good, but that could take years to cultivate."

Stewart described the situation as "frightening" when you consider how much of the Okanagan's tourist industry (not just wine) is tied to Alberta.

"We're supposed to be open about trade. Why would we have an internal squabble in the family when we should be able to sort this out and move forward together?"

Stewart is the BC Liberal candidate in the riding previously held by former premier Christy Clark.

Meanwhile, Green candidate Robert Stupka calls Noteley's move "outrageous."

It is outrageous and petty that Rachel Notley is using B.C. wine producers as pawns in her attempt to start a trade war, he said.

The issue at hand is with an environmental assessment process that the federal government itself acknowledged is flawed and in need of a complete overhaul."

The NDP's Shelley Cook backed Premier John Horgans stance against Alberta's economic pressure.

I hope the Alberta government makes the choice to pursue a resolution to this disagreement in the court system, rather than on wine store shelves," she said.

There are thirteen wineries in Kelowna West, and hundreds more in the Okanagan Valley and across British Columbia. Our grape growers and wine producers depend on a government that supports their industry, helps attract new tourism dollars, and protects the land, water, and air that makes their world-class product so remarkable."
Photo: Contributed

The province is expanding its woodstove program in Coldstream to include Lumby and Rural Lumby.

Under the banner Coldstream/Lavington/Lumby Woodstove Exchange Program, a $250 rebate is available for upgrading from an old wood burning stove, insert or furnace to a new certified wood-burning appliance.

"A $400 rebate is available if you exchange your old uncertified wood-burning appliance for a new cleaner burning appliances such as a gas or propane stove, an electric heat pump or a pellet stove."

Rebates are limited, but Coldstream residents are eligible to receive up to $950 in potential savings.

Thanks to funding from the BC Government in partnership with the BC Lung Association,

New certified wood-burning appliances burn one third less wood, reduce smoke and particulates by up to 90 per cent and significantly reduce the risk of chimney fires.

The province teamed up with the BC LungAssociation for the exchange program.

For a list of participating retailers and information about the program go to: lavingtonlifesociety.wordpress.com or email: [email protected]


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Oh, and if you see me driving my red 2010 Mustang GT convertible, please wave.

Hi, I am a retired newspaperman. I wrote 3 books on Trump and the media . I live in Poca, WV, with my wife of 43 years, Lou Ann. I grew up in Cleveland. Three kids. Grandfather.
Arnold Lackey, 85, of Cleveland, passed away on Friday, February 9, 2018 at a health care facility in Chattanooga.

He was of the Baptist faith.



He was preceded in death by his parents, Imanuel and Loral Roach Lackey; and two brothers, John Lackey and Robert Lackey.



Survivors include his son, Jim (Amy) Lackey of Cleveland; daughter, Angelyn (Donnie) Quails of Ringgold; seven grandchildren, Chris Lackey, Jeremy (Lisa) Quails, Anthony (Mandy) Quails, Kimberly (Jacob) Warnack, Jimmy Lackey, Amanda Lackey and Sarah Lackey; and nine great-grandchildren.



A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 11, at Lee Cemetery.



Serenity of Cleveland Funeral Home and Cremation Services is in charge of the arrangements.



Online condolences may be left for the Lackey family at www.serenityofcleveland.com.
While recommended directions for reaching individual lots include taking Lake Shore Drive, the alternate route of using Congress Parkway to work your way to the largest lot, A, seems simplest if you're already in the city. Take Congress to Michigan Avenue, turn right to head south, then turn left on Cermak Road to head east. Cermak will turn into King Drive, and the signage will lead you the rest of the way.
In August 2008, just over three years after Messerli came to the park district, he and the president of the district's appointed board signed off on a new contract that included a 24 percent raise, bumping up his base salary to $168,000, and contributions to a deferred compensation or retirement fund. It raised an annual vehicle allowance to $10,500 and included two payments of three months' salary, one if he remained employed as of August 31, 2008, and one if he remained employed as of Dec. 31, 2010. The contract specifies that those payments, payments related to vacation or sick days, administrative time off, his vehicle allowance, and other benefits could be counted as reportable income for IMRF purposes.
"Rose never once used the word rape in that conversation. Despite this, Jill recognized that Harvey had done something untoward to Rose, if not illegal. She immediately went to her bosses, the partners of Addis Wechsler, to recount Rose's story and to insist that they immediately address the situation. They told Jill that they would handle the situation. The ensuing arrangements between Rose and Harvey were then negotiated, completely without Jill's knowledge. At that time, all Jill knew was that the matter was settled and that Rose continued making films with the Weinsteins. She never knew any details until recently, when Rose elected to make them public.
And despite the chantlike melody and rhythmic repetitiveness of so much of this music, each movement conveyed a distinct message and a clear contrast to what had come before. So the surging energy of Penny Explosion, with Aakash Mittals incantatory alto saxophone solo unfolding over pulsing percussion, eventually gave way to the regal solemnity of Ya Ibni, Ya Ibni (My Son, My Son). In that movement, one marveled at how long strands of melody from Mohamed Ibrahim Salehs English horn, shimmering passages from John Escreets piano and the gently stated tintinnabulation of Jason Adasiewiczs vibraphone could not only coexist but also come together.
by Bill White

Last week, Donald Trump deliberately scuttled a DACA deal. Given the opportunity to cut a deal that would admit as many as two million illegal non-Whites to American citizenship, Trump said no. He said no to the Gang of Six deal that was brought to him by Gramm and company, he said no to Chuck Schumers offer of a year of approval of funding for a wall, and he took a position that was calculated to end in no deal being made.





The question that White working people now face is whether or not Trump meant it, or whether this was just more theater designed to fool us again.





Trump originally set a deadline for resolving DACA by mid-January, shortly after his show meeting with various Senators where he unfortunately discussed comprehensive immigration reform. It didnt seem at the time that Trump really knew what comprehensive immigration reform meant, and the White House quickly walked back any implication that Trump was going to allow the Third World scum that the Judah cult has brought into the United States to replace White workers on a path to citizenship.





Then Trump followed up with his shithole comments, and it seemed that DACA was going to die without re-authorization and the phony, ugly, hateful Dreamers would be made subject to deportationeven if actual deportation seems to be just another pipe dream.





Yesterday, though, Trump, in seeming treachery, floated the idea of allowing the Dreamers a path to become citizens after ten to twelve years of good behavior. This is the Lindsey Graham, Phil Gramm, Judo-occult One World Desire, to take this unwanted hordes, and to make them into the next generation of multi-cultural, mud-skinned Americans and Democrat voters.





When I heard it I didnt immediately think Amnesty Don, because I know that Donald Trump is a liar. He says things that he doesnt mean because they sound good, and then he does whatever the hell he feels like.





Today it seems that Trump has rolled out a plan that has a path to normalization of status for the Dreamers and their scumbag families, as well as persons who could have become a Dreamer but didnt, if only the existing immigration system is dismantled. The details arent out yet, but it seems that Trump is still going to allow the immediate unwanted family of the unwanted scumbags to settle in the country, without any preferences for Norway or other Europeans. In fact, the plan seems somewhat moderate, and without the kinds of poison pills needed to guarantee that it doesnt pass and the Dreamers become subject to deportation.





The fact is that Congress is not going to pass any legislation that helps White working people, as the Democrats are still too powerful and Trump has not waged the kind of war on non-White persons necessary to really drive them out of the country, thereby eroding the Democratic voting base.





Because no action by Congress is going to benefit White working people, the best outcome of the current stalemate for White working people is a continuing stalemate. If Congress fails to act and the Dreamer program dies, then the Judaeo-occult forces that are trying to replace White workers have been dealt a setback, and they have received nothing in return. Donald Trump can still force a budget to build the wall, but keeping these two million aliens in the country is off the table. This improves the White situation.





The wrong outcome would be Donald Trump making any deal that allows the Dreamers permanent residency of any kind in the United States, whether as citizens or otherwise. Trump may be focused on the art of the deal, but White people have to be focused on their real futures. The fact is that immigration and the hateful, alien, nature of American society is what is suppressing the White birthrate.





If there were no immigrants and there were no Judo-occultists exploiting White workers, White people would have children and the next American generation would be a White generation, like all of the generations before. But because the American system has been created for the purpose of committing the slow genocide of White people, White working people recognize that there is no future in this country for themselves and their children, and they do not reproduce.





This process has been observed over and over again worldwide. In Germany between the wars, the German birthrate fell to terrible low levels until Adolf Hitler revived German society and created a future for German people. In Russia, after the fall of the Soviet Union, the Russian birthrate collapsed because the country was poor and in chaos. When the economy recovered under Putin, the birthrate climbed back up. The same thing has been observed in Poland, in Hungary, in the Czech Republic, and in every other White country that has had a collapse, a period of chaos, and has rebuilt without allowing some Judaic murderer tell it it needs to bring in racial aliens.





When I saw Trump deliberately scuttle a DACA deal, I believed that Trump was working for White workers. Now that he has rolled out a plan designed to bring 1.8 million or so unwanted non-Whites into a normalized status, I'm not so sure.





If Trump grants the Dreamers any kind of normal status, White working people can feel pretty assured that Trump has betrayed us. But I'm not so sure. So far Trump has done an excellent job as President. What he says has no more meaning than Putins assurance that the little green men are just Russian soldiers on vacation, but what he has done has been impressive.




Hes been mayor for seven years. When you blame your predecessors its like Trump blaming Hillary Clinton. Youve been here for seven years. What have you accomplished in seven years? Is the city in better shape? Is the city any safer? Are the schools any more stable? Is the cost of living any more manageable? I think not.
Solache was detained by immigration officials who are seeking to forcibly remove him from the U.S. He asked for a bond so he could get his affairs in order before voluntarily leaving the country, according to Huynh. He spent 41 days in Kankakee County Detention Center before being granted $7,500 bail and released on Feb. 2.
A semitruck broke down about 6 a.m. in the northbound lanes of Interstate 294 near the 4.5-mile marker in Hazel Crest, according to authorities. The driver pulled to the side of the tollway and called for a tire change.
Raila confirmed that she, too, talked to East about withdrawing as an objector, adding that she also spoke to David Temkin, the other objector in the case. But Raila said she did not even know who Trevino was, and Trevino said she was not aware of any conversation between Raila and East.
And we were getting comments from the general population saying theyre not comfortable seeing this coming from badged officers, that theyre identifying and bringing to us, he said. So again, my job is to represent the totality of my population as it exists, which includes people who may be opposed to a development for whatever reason, but also includes people who are supportive of the development for their reason, and are coming to us saying this is intimidating, they feel like this is coercive.
These carjackings have been just all over, said Andrade, whose district includes a portion of the Northwest Side. Whats happening is very difficult for when a police officer pulls these guys over to prove they had knowledge that they stole the vehicle. When they have the keys to the car and there is no damage to the car, its difficult for the states attorneys office to prove the individual knew it was stolen or stole it themselves.
Testing began in 2016 with a dozen kits at the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory. As of Feb. 2, testing had been completed on only 862 of 3,922 kits designated for analysis, according to the Wisconsin DOJ's website. The agency has since contracted with three private labs for help on 2001 additional kits.



Tens of thousands of sexual assault evidence kits have gone untested in the U.S. for a variety of reasons. A prosecutor may have decided a case was too weak to pursue or been forced to drop cases because victims wouldn't cooperate. Sexual assault victim advocate groups have been pushing since 2014 for states to analyze the kits anyway in hopes of identifying serial offenders.



Schimel, who faces a re-election challenge from Democrat Josh Kaul this fall, has drawn plenty of criticism over the slow pace. The state Democratic Party issued a news release Friday accusing him of letting rapists walk free.



"Already 11 DNA matches have been made from the mountain of sexual assault evidence kits that piled up on Attorney General Brad Schimel's watch," the release said. "That points to 11 potential rapists, previously unknown to investigators, that may have dodged justice due to this incompetence."



Koremenos accused Democrats of playing politics with sexual assault survivors, noting that untested sexual assault kits have been piling up in Wisconsin police departments and hospitals for decades and Schimel is the only reason they're being tested at all.



"Please know how misguided their attack on the initiative is," Koremenos said. "They honestly don't even have the most basic understanding of it."



State officials said they needed months to identify untested kits spread across Wisconsin and an influx of kit submissions nationwide has reduced private labs' capacities. It took 10 months to secure a contract with the first private lab in December 2016, in part because no lab responded to a request for bids for five months, according to a DOJ timeline.



The agency submitted the first kits to the lab 13 months after the contract was signed, the timeline shows. Koremenos said the lab, Bode Cellmark Forensics, didn't have capacity until then.



Previous attorneys general did nothing to test any unsubmitted kits, he added.



The agency's insistence on getting victim permission for testing has complicated the effort as well. Schimel has said he doesn't want to alienate victims and jeopardize their cooperation in potential prosecutions.



Kaul campaign officials didn't immediately reply to an email seeking comment.
The top Democrat on the intelligence panel, California Rep. Adam Schiff, criticized Trump for treating the two documents differently, saying the president is now seeking revisions by the same committee that produced the original Republican memo. Still, Schiff said, Democrats "look forward to conferring with the agencies to determine how we can properly inform the American people about the misleading attack on law enforcement by the GOP and address any concerns over sources and methods."
Hydrocodone-acetaminophen pills, also known as Vicodin. President Donald Trump named a new drug czar to lead the Office of National Drug Control Policy, which has been leaderless during the opioid epidemic. (Toby Talbot / AP)
I couldnt keep up with her, Radov said. During the day wed go to an art museum, stop for lunch and then maybe go see a dance troupe. After that, wed walk around a bit and then have dinner at a restaurant before taking in a Broadway show. Shed go to bed and then wake up the next morning, ready to start all over again.
That was a long learning process for me, and I wish Id learned that lesson differently, a penitent Biss said during a recent video-recorded appearance before the Crains Editorial Board. The bill with his name on it presented the least bad of the bad options, he said. It wasnt the best way forward  but I allowed myself to accept the idea that we cant do better.
Even if it did, he'd still face deportation to his native Colombia  one of the reasons his trial had been rescheduled so many times. Set for Feb. 20, the trial was likely about to be pushed again, according to a recent court order and the priest's lawyer.
"Imagine turning an old abandoned warehouse into something like this where you could repurpose it and grow food locally year-round," Kifowit said. "There are no chemicals used in this facility in Rochelle and they have a drip system where the water goes directly to the plants. This type of technology uses so much less water, which is going to be the next big issue in the state as we're running out of it in places. We need to embrace farming that is so ecologically friendly  it's a win-win."
First, we must imagine what an equitable world looks like. Then we have to think about who is affected by the work we want to do. Then we must act.
"I'm happy to report that we are partially state-funded again," Meilach said. "We went over a year with nothing from the state, so we had to eliminate some positions. Fortunately, we are getting funded again, so we're doing okay, but the need (for funding) is still there. This is the best thing for us when a group comes in and wants to work with us to benefit the families we help."
In an emailed response, Konow said, "moments of history bring us together, person to person, town to town, community to community. Whether history was created in a depot, on a farm, or in a barn, I want people to remember back when... I want their families to come to the station and think of how their parents and grandparents came here to make an honest living, like my family did on Konow farm and farmers did in the Tilsey Barn."
"Rich was not only a great leader, but a personal friend," Illinois State Police Director Leo P. Schmitz said in a statement. "Rich was a dedicated 19-year veteran who was respected and revered by many both inside and outside our department. Rich will be remembered for his dedication to the Illinois State Police and living up to our motto (of) integrity, service and pride."
While many laughed at the ridiculousness of the woman's choice, it demonstrated why it's wrong to tell people to hide or lay flat during an active shooter incident, Lalley said. Everyone in the area could have run outside, but many chose not to, he said.
The Wayside Center has sponsored the cold-weather walk on the second Saturday of February since it moved from Dundee Avenue in downtown Elgin to the industrial area on Elgin's far west side, said Phil Wood, Wayside director. The center is in the same building as Public Action to Deliver Shelter (PADS) of Elgin, as the two serve many of the same people.
Every District 212 student has a Chromebook provided by their school, and approximately 20 students have Wi-Fi hotspots provided by the district to ensure they can access the internet, Polyak said. Teachers were instructed to have the day's lessons and coursework posted by 9 a.m. Friday, and students had to check in via a Google document by 1 p.m. to be counted as present, Polyak said.
This is where, if I were one of those post-youth cranks who brag about how wonderful things were during our idealized childhood, I would grumble-brag that Chicago Catholic schools in the 1970s and '80s would only close for Armageddon. And I could accurately tell you about a subzero morning in the early 1980s when Gordon Tech High School remained open, and my mother dutifully escorted me to the front door and closed it securely behind me as I headed off to the CTA bus stop. But I will not do that.
One of the 16-year-olds were also charged with criminal trespass to land and possession of burglary tools, the release said. The other was also charged with aggravated assault to a police officer, no valid driver's license, failure to yield to an emergency vehicle, failure to yield at an intersection and possession of less than 10 grams of cannabis.
It's one of several restaurants soon to be hitting the Naperville scene. Red Arrow, a pour-your-own craft brew and dining place, is moving into the downtown Washington Street location previously occupied by Kuma's Asian Bistro, and Le Pain Quotidien, a bakery-restaurant chain that started in Brussels, is soon to open at the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Washington. It's taking over the storefront that once housed the Naperville General Store.
A report of a shooting and an armed man that sent 10 Naperville police officers racing to an address on Arcadia Circle Thursday night turned out to be a false call that now has police searching for the perpetrator, Cmdr. Lou Cammiso said.
"But our men and equipment are ready," he said. In the meantime, residents are asked to be mindful of the snow parking restrictions, which will continue through Tuesday, Volpe said. On Monday, there will be no parking allowed on the even side of the street and on Tuesday, there will be no parking allowed on the odd side of the street.
"We try and do it ourselves, but if it's too bad, we got a guy," Mark Pool said. The couple had their driveway plowed after the first round of snow Thursday and were managing what came after on their own.
Outside that location, authorities found the body of a man who had been shot multiple times, according to the release. The man's identity is unknown. The coroner's officer certified the death at 10:30 p.m., the Lake County Coroner's Office said, and the cause of death was listed as homicide.
World War II aircraft set for 3-day display at Pueblo Memorial Airport

The Commemorative Air Force is bringing a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber and SNJ advanced trainer to the Pueblo airport for public tours and flights.
Each year, the Havana International Book Fair underscores one of Cuban society's basic beliefs, that education is not a privilege but a right.

It does that by providing books in braille or audio format for the visually impaired and free of charge.

"I come to look for CDs of books on all topics, because I prefer digital books," Bonifacio Sanchez, one of the beneficiaries of the program, told Xinhua.

"My wife asked me to find her three printed books in braille that she wants on various topics, including Chinese history and traditional Cuban cuisine," said Sanchez.

A piano tuner at Cuba's National School of Art, Sanchez said he doesn't miss a fair because both he and his wife love to read.

They aren't alone. A long line of people with canes waiting to get into Havana's historic San Carlos de la Cabana Fort, where the event is held, providing one of the most arresting images of the fair.

The initiative started in 2012 when the Cuban Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired (ANCI), in coordination with the Cuban Book Institute, saw the need to include a stand offering books in braille or audio format.

ANCI's publishing house, Ediciones Braille, provides books on diverse topics, from classic novels to contemporary literature. This year's stand features 100 copies of 19 new books, according to the organizers.

"We currently have a central library that has 4,000 books, about 2,000 in braille and the rest in audio format," Victor Adel Velazquez, another beneficiary of the program, told Xinhua.

"Today I came to look for a book by Che (Ernesto Guevara) and one of the legends of Sherlock Holmes because I really like spy stories," said Velazquez, a physical education teacher.

Also standing in line was Guillermo Rodriguez, an ANCI representative in Havana who believes the initiative has made the book fair truly inclusive and more relevant.

"Since our association was founded 43 years ago, this has been one of its main achievements towards improving the quality of life of people with visual disabilities, because everyone knows what reading represents to people; true knowledge is only acquired through reading," he said.

Maria Isabel Ruiz, an ANCI librarian, agreed.

"We are proud to be included in such an important event in our country and it is wonderful that each member can enjoy, free of charge, two printed copies of any book of their choice and as many digital copies as they want of other texts and publications," said Ruiz.

As the books in braille began to fly off the shelves, the cobblestone walkways of the old fortress filled with visually-impaired readers delving into their new publications, like most avid readers, too eager to discover what was in their pages to wait until they got home.




"There are many students from China here and I enjoy communication with them, we always stick together," said Lera Teslya, a participant of Lunar New Year concert in Kiev.

Born in a small town of Lysychansk in Ukraine's eastern Lugansk region, Teslya never imagined that one day she will get a lot of friends from China, a remote country with different culture and customs.

However, this became a reality after the student decided to participate in the concert for Chinese and Ukrainian students in Borys Grynchenko Kiev University.

During the three weeks of rehearsals, Teslya made a real friendship with a Chinese dancing teacher Zhang Li, who provided workshops on Chinese dancing to a group of Ukrainian students.

"She is very kind, gentle and beautiful. She teaches us how to properly behave on the stage. Despite the fact that we are Ukrainians, and she is a Chinese, we understand each other very well," Teslya told Xinhua.

For her part, Zhang said she learned a lot about the Ukrainian culture during the preparations for the concert and got along with Ukrainian youth.

"Ukrainian students are very sincere and diligent. I really like them. They are very smart and they learn fast," Zhang told Xinhua.

Teslya and Zhang were among about 50 participants of the Lunar New Year concert, which presented a mix of traditional Chinese and Ukrainian songs and dances. Many performances incorporated elements of both Chinese and Ukrainian culture.

Besides, the participants of the concert showcased their dexterity in playing musical instruments such as the lute, the piano, and the violin.

Wang Dajun, the first secretary of educational affairs at the Chinese Embassy in Ukraine, said the concert is an opportunity for Chinese students to better understand the Ukrainian culture and Ukrainian people.

"Cultural exchanges are very important for students. Our students, who study in Ukraine, must adapt to Ukrainian situation, Ukrainian life and Ukrainian culture. Culture reflects the mentality of the people," Wang told Xinhua.

Meanwhile, a guest of the concert Alexandra Stryzhak said that the event was also very useful for the Ukrainian audience, providing them a chance to learn about Chinese traditions of celebrating New Year.

"We do not have so many sources from which we can get information about China. Most Ukrainians have superficial knowledge about this country. So, this concert is an excellent opportunity to understand, to see, to feel and to fall in love with China," Stryzhak told Xinhua.

Victor Ognevyuk, the rector of Borys Grynchenko Kiev University, voiced his hope that Ukrainian and Chinese students will continue the tradition of joint cultural activities ahead of the Lunar New Year.

He said that China's Belt and Road Initiative, which was joined by Ukraine, provides all opportunities for the youth of the two countries to deepen their friendship.

"The Belt and Road Initiative unites our nations and shows the path for moving forward by cooperating and helping each other," Ognevyuk said.




Overseas Chinese in Kuwait on Friday celebrated the Spring Festival, or the Chinese Lunar New Year, in the capital Kuwait City.

At the annual event which attracted a large audience from local Chinese communities, actors performed Chinese songs and dances.

Cheng Yongru, Economic and Commercial Counselor of the Chinese Embassy to Kuwait, said the China-Kuwait relations witnessed all-around and in-depth development in 2017, as the two sides vowed to further promote cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, which benefits both peoples.

"I hope that in 2018 Chinese citizens living in Kuwait would make concerted efforts to contribute to the development of relations between China and Kuwait," he said.

Stressing the cooperation potentials under the Belt and Road Initiative, Zhang Yongda, a Chinese entrepreneur in Kuwait, expressed hope that overseas Chinese in Kuwait, especially Chinese businessmen, could make greater contribution to the friendship between China and Kuwait.

Dong Taikang, the representative from a local Chinese community, said cooperation between China and Kuwait bring tangible benefits to the vast number of overseas Chinese in Kuwait.

"I hope in 2018 cooperation between China and Kuwait under the Belt and Road Initiative could inject fresh momentum into the relations between China and Kuwait," he said.




A painting exhibition was held at the China Cultural Center in Brussels, featuring Chinese spring festival-themed art to celebrate the Year of the Dog.

The exhibition presents traditional Chinese paintings, representing many symbolic elements linked to the spring festival, such as good fortune, prosperity, longevity and happiness.

"Since inauguration, the China Cultural Center in Brussels bears on its shoulders the mission to promote Chinese culture. It brings quality Chinese culture to European and Belgium audiences," said Tan Shu, director of China Cultural Center in Brussels, on Thursday.

The exhibition, which lasts until March 2, also presents sculptures designed using special techniques such as fruit pit carving and crystal carving.

The "Bright torch" app uses augmented reality (AR) technology via mobile phone or tablet, making Chinese traditional intangible heritage such as Su embroidery, Yuhang paper umbrella and Yongchun incense come to life.

"Chinese spring festival is the most important festival in the Chinese culture, with lots of century-old traditions. The exhibition provides an opportunity to step into the shoes of the Chinese people getting ready for the spring festival," said Xiao Yeying, director of Shanghai Mass Art Center and director of Shanghai Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center -- one of the organizers.

Folk culture experiences projects like Chinese knot sachet, Luodian lanterns, Shanghai paper-cutting and Duo Yun Xuan woodblock watermarks allow visitors to fully immerse themselves in the homely Chinese New Year's spirit.

In the opening ceremony of the exhibition, performances were held including three a cappella songs by vocal band from Baoshan District, Shanghai.

Yang Jinmei, who moved to Belgium in 1998, often comes to the China Culture Center with her daughter to participate in such events.

"Chinese culture has been closer to us since the center was established. These cultural events make us feel at home. I hope there will be more events for us Chinese settled abroad," she said.




Chinese white goods manufacturer Haier is expected to be among the first Chinese companies issuing D shares, while listing in Frankfurt, according to a report by Reuters on Thursday.

As a response, Qingdao Haier Co Ltd, the listed arm of Haier Group Corp, announced Friday the company is studying the feasibility of issuing D shares, did not hire any professional institute to deal with the issuance and there is no internal decision about it.

D-Shares refer to shares issued by companies limited by shares incorporated in Chinese mainland and listed in Germany. They include IPO of prominent Chinese companies, capital increase of Chinese blue chip, and A-Share companies additionally issuing D-Shares as well.

The issuance is subject to the approval of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) and the company's prospectus shall be approved by the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority.

The size of Haier's share offering has not been clear yet, but Reuters citing sources said it would be about 1 billion euros.

Reuters said that the Haier listing would kick off the D-share project on the China Europe International Exchange AG (CEINEX), which is jointly set up by Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE), Deutsche Borse (DBAG) and China Financial Futures Exchange (CFFEX).

Launched on Nov 18, 2015, CEINEX market is operated based on DBAG infrastructure and within EU regulation.

In 2017, Haier raked in 241.9 billion yuan in its global revenues, up 20 percent year-on-year, and its profit surged 41 percent, Li Hua, vice-president of the Qingdao-based company, told Xinhua.

Earnings from foreign market accounted for about 40 percent of last year's total revenue and could grow to over 50 percent this year, according to Li.

Haier has bought US counterpart GE Appliances, Japan's Sanyo and New Zealand's Fisher & Paykel in the past few years to upgrade its overall industrial chain.

Haier has 54 overseas factories and nine foreign R&D centers, offering about 20 million products each year.




China has launched a nationwide campaign against personal information trafficking as part of efforts to create a clean online environment, according to the Ministry of Public Security.

The campaign, which will run until the end of this year, is aimed at locating criminal gangs and staff at public institutions involved in the trafficking of personal information, the ministry said in a statement.

The campaign will focus on hacking activities and illegal acts at the source, it said.

Those who provide promotion and money-transfer services for suspects of online crime will also be a priority in the campaign, according to the statement.

Suspects of online crime often use illegally-obtained personal information to defraud the public and make money.




The number of gun crimes in China dropped 81.3 percent from 311 in 2012 to 58 in 2017, the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) has said.

Explosion offences also saw a significant decrease over the past five years, with 58 reported last year compared to 161 in 2012, the ministry said Thursday.

Police across the country have been taking strong action against gun and explosive crimes, and have focused on cracking down on domestic manufacture and trafficking, cross-border smuggling and online sales of guns and explosives, according to Li Jingsheng, an official with the ministry.

The MPS on Wednesday announced that a two-year campaign was staged, targeting the manufacture and sale of guns and explosives in China and the smuggling of related goods from other countries, said Minister of Public Security Zhao Kezhi.

Chinese police will intensify checks along borders and at ports, especially targeting people and goods entering China from major source countries and regions, Li said, adding international cooperation on law enforcement will be strengthened to check guns and explosive offences.

As internet serves as a major channel of gun and explosive offences, online illegal information will be cleaned up timely, illegal deals and clues checked, and websites, microblogs and online instant message groups carrying illicit information punished, he said.

Moreover, Chinese police will carry out rounds of checks to confiscate illegal guns and explosives hidden anywhere in the country, Li added.

Possession of guns by private individuals is illegal in China.
You are here: China

The third season of the documentary "A Bite of China," produced by the China Central Television (CCTV), will air daily starting Feb. 19.



The documentary, which follows the successful "A Bite of China I" in 2012 and "A Bite of China II" in 2014, will continue to depict Chinese culture via food and explore the relationship between people and food.

This season has eight episodes with each lasting 50 minutes.

Wei Dichun, vice head of CCTV, said Friday that the documentary "A Bite of China" has cheered up Chinese documentary industry.

"The third season will resonate the feelings of people at home and abroad and become a window for the world to learn more about China," Wei said.




Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, Sept. 5, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]





A positive relationship between China and India, neighbors and important members of G20 and BRICS, is essential to the reform of global governance as well as the course of globalization.

Amid tensions, competition and disputes between them, some drew immense attention from global media, such as the Donglang standoff last year. The two ancient civilizations are now facing a choice between cooperation or confrontation, inclusiveness or exclusiveness and integration or critical clashes.

These are absolutely critical to the future course of humanity in the 21st century, especially when the world is facing the rise of populism and anti-globalization sentiment.

While forecasting the trajectory of the relationship between two ancient countries, we'd better first take a look at the current global situation as it provides an important context to the bilateral ties we wish to evaluate.

In view of the global changes, there are growing uncertainties arising from the unbalanced distribution of political forces in the world. The rise of populism, parochial nationalism, isolationism and protectionism can be seen penetrating power institutions, and showing no signs of abating.

The polarization of wealth, the division of social classes and political extremism have jeopardized social stability and added uncertainties to the world's future.

The United States, for instance, with the slogan of "American First," has become uneasy with the "Great Convergence." It has also been unwilling to provide public products globally and collaborating to rewrite the rules of international order since Donald Trump assumed the presidency. It is such self-centered policies that create an uncertain future. Therefore, how China and India react will be critical in international relations and global governance.

Besides, geopolitical tensions among countries, such as Russia and the United States, continue to escalate, and the rhetoric of the Thucydides Trap cannot be muted. Regional crises in the Middle East, East Asia and Ukraine, and the rampant growth of terrorism place world peace and stability at risk.

Moreover, the fourth Industrial Revolution, with the frenetic expansion of information technology, is accelerating and the world, despite being challenged by the conundrums of financial crises, asset bubbles, economic imbalance and employment inequality, awaits a new epoch.

In dealing with the problems, the different countries and regions hold different views and work towards different solutions, some positive, others, irrational.

In the past few years, the five member countries of BRICS have contributed more than 50 percent to the world's economic growth. However, instead of being applauded, they have been blamed by the United States for manipulating their currencies and dumping products.

Among those countries, China has been most affected by the anti-dumping investigations and those based on section-301 of the U.S. Trade Act. The United States has done this despite the looming threat of a trade war.

The ideological doctrine dichotomizing the world into "Liberal Democracy" and others still works on the mentality of the Western world that still believes in its superiority and seeks to impose liberalism on the other countries at the expense of color revolutions or even civil wars.

The international environment requires China and India to prioritize the changing of the world order that must become more just, fair and reasonable.

The sustainable and relentless efforts of the two countries can be formed in the following aspects:

First and foremost, the mechanism of international platforms, such as BRICS, G20 and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), can facilitate the development of a political, economic and security framework that can be conducive to the holistic interests not only in Asia, but also the world.

As the two populous countries enjoying pivotal roles in Asia, China and India, are congruent in their efforts to develop the community of shared future and uphold and maintain world peace and stability.

Second, with their increasing involvement in the world economy and global governance, the two countries are consistent in seeking national resurgence.

As the constructor, contributor and reformer of the global economy and global governance, China and India still need to enhance their cooperation because they remain heavily reliant on the developed economies, even though their economic growth rates far exceed the Western countries.

Most China's manufacturers, for instance, remain working in the middle or low end of the industrial chain; meanwhile, India's underdeveloped infrastructures restrict domestic development.

Therefore, the two sides need to prioritize cooperation in a win-win framework.

Like China, India has more than once stressed that the international order and relations based on the age-old Bretton Woods System are outdated in modern society, where the growing voice of developing countries should be heard.

Third, the two countries should enhance their bilateral and multilateral ties to highlight mutual trusts and pass through the labyrinths that trouble South Asia, and Asia and the world as a whole.

Fourth, the "Belt and Road" Initiative is expected to work as an approach to overcome stereotypes, bias and other difficulties that have obstructed bilateral relations, where strategic cooperation should be deepened with effective communication.

In history, the centuries-old Maritime Silk Road gave birth to a far-reaching interconnection and cultural influence between China and India. Today, the India Ocean remains a key route for 50 percent of the containers and 70 percent of the oil transmitted across the globe.

Consistent with China's "Belt and Road" Initiative, India has also made strategic plans inspired by the country's historic legacies, such as, the "Project Mausam," the "Sagarmala National Perspective Plan" and the "Spice Route" Project.

To implement these plans, China and India need enhanced connectivity.

The author is a former Foreign Minister and incumbent senior research fellow of Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China.

The article was translated by Wu Jin. The original unabridged version was published in Chinese.

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
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The ties between Hungary and Serbia are so strong that the friendship between the two countries will soon become a strategic partnership, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said Friday.

Visiting Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic (L) and her Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban attend a press conference in Budapest, Hungary, on Feb. 9, 2018. The ties between Hungary and Serbia are so strong that the friendship between the two countries will soon become a strategic partnership, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said Friday. [Photo/Xinhua]

"Today, two proud and independent countries are working together, signing several agreements from different fields, and this friendship is soon to become a strategic partnership," Orban told a press conference also attended by visiting Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic.



Hungary and Serbia, Orban said, needed to defend their borders together, in order to warrant for the security of their citizens, as well as their own cultural heritage.

Orban also thanked the Serbian Prime Minister for helping to contain the migration flow at Hungary's southern border and reiterated that Hungary, if needed, would provide assistance to Serbia in the defense of its southern borders.

Orban, speaking on behalf of the Visegrad countries (Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia), as Hungary is assuming the turning presidency, also repeated that the Visegrad group was for the steadfast integration of Serbia into the European Union.

The EU is preparing to pledge a 2025 deadline for the next wave of enlargement, but Balkan disputes are likely to hold things back.

According to the EU specialist journal EUobserver, "The Western Balkans partners now have a historic window of opportunity. For the first time, their accession perspective has a best-case timeframe." This is what the European Commission is to say in a strategy paper to be adopted in mid-February.

"With strong political will, the delivery of real reforms, and lasting solutions to disputes with neighbors, Montenegro and Serbia should be ready for membership by 2025," according to a European Commission draft seen by EUobserver.

"Serbia looks to Hungary as a friend and would love if the Hungarian presence in Serbia would not be restricted to Vojvodina," Brnabic told the journalists. Vojvodina is the northern part of Serbia, home to a substantial Hungarian minority.

Orban ensured Brnabic that he heard the message, and Hungarian bank OTP was planning to further invest in all of Serbia.

Brnabic said her country was grateful for the support Hungary provided for Serbia's European integration.
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China is ready to promote cooperation with Indonesia under the Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Friday in Beijing.

Wang made the remarks at the third meeting of the Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation between China and Indonesia, which was co-hosted by Wang and Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi.

This year marks the fifth anniversary of the establishment of the China-Indonesia comprehensive strategic partnership. Wang said China is willing to work with Indonesia to promote cooperation on the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway project and other projects under the Belt and Road Initiative.

Hailing the "Indo-Pacific Strategy", which was proposed by Indonesia recently, Wang said China agrees to its open, transparent and inclusive principles, as well as its general direction of dialogue and cooperation.

This year also marks the 15th anniversary of the China-ASEAN strategic partnership. "China is willing to upgrade its ties with ASEAN and explore new models of cooperation under the East ASEAN Growth Area framework," Wang said.

Currently different parties are highly concerned about whether the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) can be reached, he said, adding China will work with Indonesia and other related parties to complete the negotiations on the RCEP at an early date, and promote regional integration and trade liberalization.

Indonesia-China relations have been developing rapidly, which brings tangible benefits to both peoples, Retno said, adding that Indonesia stands ready to further cooperate with China on the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway project and other important projects.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping's vision to build a community with a shared future for mankind has been included in UN General Assembly and Security Council resolutions, and become an international consensus, Xi's special envoy Han Zheng has said.

Han, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday.
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An interfaith group that has been accused of being a pro-Israeli and Zionist organization has received grants from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, which will be used for its third study tour around the holy land that is scheduled for May.

In a statement posted on Twitter, the Council of Christians and Jews announced that it had received funds from Archbishop Welby's Discretionary Fund which will allow it to conduct a study tour "to hear the perspective of the other." The group said the grants from the head of the Anglican Church were an important contribution to their efforts to maintain ties between Christian and Jewish communities, the Middle East Monitor relayed.

"We are delighted to have received a grant from Justin Welby's discretionary fund to support our vital interfaith work between Christians and Jews," the CCJ said in its announcement on Twitter.

A senior Anglican Church member and former vicar has told the publication that CCJ is a Zionist group which advances the cause of Jews only. The official, who spoke under condition of anonymity, accused Welby of "siding with the oppressor" when he gave the grant to CCJ.

CCJ's work has been targeted by critics in light of Israel's treatment of Palestinian Christians. The country has also been slammed by church leaders for allegedly undermining Christianity in the Holy Land, as they said the Christian exodus from the region was mainly due to Israel's efforts to Judaise Jerusalem.

In November, Welby pushed for a Palestinian state to be established. He also said the U.K. had not yet fulfilled its promise to protect the welfare of the Palestinian people, the Middle East Monitor said in a separate report.

In an article commemorating the centenary of the Balfour Declaration, Archbishop Welby said the aspiration for an independent Palestine was the root cause of the strife between Israelis and Palestinians. In light of the situation, the head of the Anglican Church called for prayers that the unfinished commitment of the U.K. will finally be fulfilled.
A British peer has accused the U.K. government of failing to address North Korea's ongoing human rights abuses and its persecution of Christians despite calls from the United Nations to act on the situation.

During the unveiling of a report on the changes in North Korea in the last 10 years on Feb. 5, Lord Alton of Liverpool said the U.K. government was liable for its failure to act on the ongoing human rights abuses in the reclusive state. He noted that the U.N. Security Council had called for action on the issue and said the U.K. ought to answer for not heeding that call, Christian Today detailed.

"There are 30 Articles in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It's hard to think of any that are not being breached in North Korea," Lord Alton told British MPs, peers, and supporters gathered in the Houses of Parliament. "We as one of the permanent members of the security council has got something to answer for in our failure to do that."

In addition, Lord Alton pointed out that the U.K. did not bring the issue up with Chinese ministers during the Prime Minister's visit to the country. While he acknowledged that a lot had become different in North Korea over the past decade, he said the human rights situation in the hermit state has remained the same.

Despite the persecution they experienced at the hands of the government, Christians in North Korea are not bent on praying for the ouster of their leader Kim Jong-un, according to anti-persecution charity Release International. They believe that even if their present leader was removed from power, there will be others who will take his place, Premier relayed.

Release International partner Dr. Eric Foley said that in the 15 years he has been ministering to North Korean refugees, he has never come across a Christian from that country who has asked for Kim Jong-un's reign to be jeopardized. Instead, they are hoping that their leader will encounter Jesus Christ.

For believers in North Korea, a shift in their government will not bring peace to their country. They believe that peace can only be attained by welcoming Jesus into their hearts.
Virtual reality pornography may pose the greatest threat to the church because it is not aware of it and is therefore not prepared to deal with it, according to the leader of a Christian ministry.

In a press release, Josh McDowell of the Josh McDowell Ministry said many pastors were not familiar with virtual reality and the multi-billion-dollar industry around it. To help Christians and churches triumph over this threat of sexual addiction, KingdomWorks Studios created the DVD series titled "The Conquer Series: A Battle Plan for Purity," the Christian Broadcasting Network detailed.

The content of the Conquer Series is designed to help people break away from porn. Its website also includes resources that churches can use to organize their own Conquer groups.

"I would personally say from all my knowledge now that pornography's probably the greatest threat to the cause of Christ in the history of the world," McDowell told CBN. "It's that serious. While we're out trying to win the world through Christ -- pastors preaching to the community -- pornography is coming right in the back door."

McDowell was speaking in light of a landmark study that his ministry launched together with the Barna Group in 2016. The research focused on the nature of internet pornography and how it affects the church.

The study found that almost half of young people actively look for porn at least weekly and that more than a quarter of those with ages 25 to 30 saw their first porn content before they reached puberty. Moreover, it was also revealed that 21 percent of youth pastors and 14 percent of pastors who had participated in the research were also experiencing difficulties handling this issue.

In line with this topic, the All Things Possible Ministries' founder, Victor Marx, told CBN recently that porn was the "spiritual ISIS" that was attacking Americans and Christians in the church. He said it is able to turn people into "extremists in depravity" and that this attack is happening 24/7.

Marx added that their ministry aims to follow Jesus Christ's example of being a friend to those who are struggling with sin. He said they were serving as a light in a dark world infiltrated by pornography and sexual addiction.
A Christian woman whose face was disfigured when a bomb planted at a Coptic church in Cairo, Egypt, had exploded next to her has testified how she miraculously saw Jesus during her recovery and he helped her survive.

On Dec. 11, 2016, Samiha Tawfiq Awad's husband Qalini found her face almost unrecognizable after a bomb exploded right next to her in the middle of a service at the St. Peter's Church in Cairo. Doctors told him that his wife would not survive, but she miraculously lived even though half of her face could no longer hear, smell, or see, Open Doors USA detailed.

"The doctors might've given up on Samiha, but God had another plan!" Qalini told Open Doors.

Awad, on the other hand, said Jesus was with her ever since the doctors started operating on her. She could not recall the time the bomb exploded and the days that followed, but she vividly remembered seeing Jesus on the ceiling while she was on the ground after the bombing and how He continued to appear to her in the hospital.

"I would have been willing to die for Jesus," said Awad, "but the fact that he kept me alive so miraculously tells me that he wants me to live."

As of now, Qalini is still struggling to forgive the attacker who put his family through so much. However, he said his Christian faith dictates that he must forgive, so he meditates on the Sermon on the Mount each time he is overcome with anger over what happened.

Coptic churches have become the target of terror attacks in Egypt in the last few years. In December, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for a gun attack targeting a Christian-owned bookshop and a church in Cairo which resulted in the death of nine people, The Daily Mail reported.

ISIS has also said it was responsible for the December 2016 suicide bombing at a Cairo church, as well as the explosions in two churches in April. The terror group has also threatened to carry out more attacks against the Coptic community in Egypt.
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CLEVELAND, Ohio - For her maiden exhibition as the Cleveland Museum of Art's curator of prints and drawings, Emily Peters is focusing on German Expressionist prints and drawings from the permanent collection.

It's a smart choice. "Graphic Discontent: German Expressionism on Paper" packs a wallop.

With more than 50 works by artists such as Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Otto Dix, Max Beckmann and Erich Heckel, the show plunges viewers into Germany's social, cultural and political turmoil before, during and after World War I.

It's a journey of shocking extremes that range from Heckel's ecstatic 1912 lithograph of blue nudes dancing around a forest pool, to Dix's ghastly 1924 etching and aquatint of flesh rotting on the grinning skulls of two German soldiers near Tahure, the site of a French offensive in the spring of 1917.

From utopia to the trenches

Heckel, who died in 1970, co-founded "Die Brucke," "The Bridge," in Dresden in 1905. The short-lived group, which included Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Emil Nolde and Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, advocated jagged gestures and primal imagery as tools to shatter stale, academic traditions.

In Munich in 1911, Wassily Kandinsky and Franz Marc founded another brief Expressionist movement, "Der Blaue Reiter," the "Blue Rider." It promoted lush colors, abstracted forms and nature imagery to counteract what the artists saw as Germany's corrupt materialism.

Die Brucke and Der Blaue Reiter are amply represented in the show with works including Kandinsky's gemlike 1911 lithograph, "Two Riders Against a Red Background," and Nolde's eloquent but brutally abbreviated woodcut portrait, "Prophet," of 1912.

Fighters for the fatherland

As Peters pointed out in an interview Wednesday, many of the Expressionists enlisted to fight in World War I not because they believed in Germany's war aims, but because they believed war would be a cleansing apocalypse.

They were quickly disabused of that notion. Blaue Reiter painters Franz Marc and August Macke died in the war; Kirchner suffered a nervous breakdown and was released from service in 1915 after two months at the front.

While recovering in Switzerland, Kirchner painted his unforgettable 1915 self-portrait now in the collection of the Allen Memorial Art Museum in Oberlin, a Northeast Ohio treasure.

Post traumatic

The painting depicts the artist in a blue artillery gunner's uniform raising the bloody stump of his right arm in a studio where a nude woman poses behind him. The implication is that having lost his painting hand, the artist is threatened with the loss of his creativity.

Works in the Peters exhibition, particularly the grisly trench scenes of Otto Dix, resonate with the Oberlin painting, as well as with examples in the Cleveland museum's small but respectable collection of German Expressionist paintings.

But the prints and drawings do more than the museum's paintings to create a sense of full immersion in the Expressionist moment.

Filling shallow spots

That's important because the 20th century is not an area of great strength for the museum. By dipping into its collection of 23,000 prints and drawings, the institution can fill in blanks and shallow spots in the paintings and sculpture collection. The Expressionist show is one of those occasions.

Peters, who succeeded Jane Glaubinger in her post, joined the museum in April after having worked for 12 years as assistant and then associate curator of prints, drawings and photographs at the Museum of Art of the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, RI.

A century later

She chose German Expressionism as her first topic in Cleveland in part because she wanted to mark the 100th anniversary of year in which World War I ended, but also because she said she "wanted to do something emotional and loaded."

She focused primarily on the years from 1905 to 1922, before Dadaism, Surrealism and the New Objectivity supplanted Expressionism on the cutting edge, and well before the Nazis labeled them "degenerate."

"It's not a passive experience to go in and see some of those works," she said. "They tug at you as a viewer."

It's easy to agree. Beckmann's unforgettable "Hell: The Street," of 1919, depicts a claustrophobic scene in which a bowler-hatted businessman hauls away the stiffened, Christlike body of a vomiting man as if he were lifting a piece of trash.

Chaos of Weimar Republic

George Grosz's wickedly entertaining photolithograph, "Street," of 1919-23, depicts haggard workers, a naked prostitute, and a fat, cigar-chomping capitalist crisscross a busy intersection.

It could be a scene outside the cabaret where Christopher Isherwood's fictional Sally Bowles performed.

Equally powerful are a series of three somber, luminous landscape watercolors by Nolde, painted in the 1920s and '30s in colors as dark as a bruise.

The museum collected the bulk of the prints and drawings on view in the show between the 1950s and 1970s, when German Expressionist prints and drawings were plentiful and affordable.

It continues to collect German Expressionist and related works, such as the recently acquired "Birth of a Child," 1914, but Austrian painter Oskar Kokoschka, also on view in the exhibition.

Peters said she believes her show is the museum's first deep dive into its Expressionist prints and drawings since the 1960s, which makes it a rare opportunity. Some obvious advice: Don't pass it up.

Review

What's up:

"Graphic Discontent: German Expressionism on Paper"

Venue:

Cleveland Museum of Art

Where:

11150 East Blvd., Cleveland

When:

Through Sunday, May 13

Admission:

Free. Call 216-421-7340 or go to clevelandart.org
BEREA, Ohio -- Counterfeiting, West Bagley Road: A man and woman, both unidentified, used two fake $100 bills and six fake $50 bills to buy nearly $500 in liquor Feb. 4 from Twice Good Wines, 360 W. Bagley.

Store workers said the man and woman were between 35 and 45 years old. They said they were buying the liquor for their wedding. After the purchase, the store clerk grew suspicious and checked the money with a bill marker. Lines drawn across the bills turned dark, indicating counterfeit money.

Images of the man and woman were captured on security video, which police will review.

Thefts, North Rocky River Drive: Two thefts were reported Feb. 4 from Northwestern Healthcare Center, 570 N. Rocky River.

A Northwestern worker told police that her wallet was stolen Feb. 3 while she was on break. She had left the wallet inside a bookbag in a doctor's office. The purse contained a debit card and $175 in Target and Chipotle Mexican Grill gift cards.

Also, a cashbox containing about $20 was stolen Feb. 3 or Feb. 4 from the front reception area. A Northwestern worker believed someone had picked the lock to the cashbox overnight, although police said the box did not appear secure.

Identify fraud, Prospect Street: Someone stole a Prospect woman's identity, used it to open a PayPal credit account, then used the fake account to buy $449 in merchandise from Bass Pro Shops.

The woman said she learned about the fraud after PayPal called and told her she was past due on a bill. The woman told PayPal that she did not have a PayPal credit account. PayPal advised the woman to make a police report and said it knows where the suspected thief lives in Indiana.

If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Friday's crime and courts comments section.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - More than 400 runners braved the freezing temperatures in downtown Cleveland Saturday afternoon as they took part in the Cupid's Undie Run to help raise money in the fight against neurofibromatosis (NF).

The event was held in 20 different cities around the country on Saturday, including Cleveland where it was about 29 degrees at race time, as well as Miami Beach, where it was 79 degrees, and a host of other cities. The event was started in 2010 in Washington D.C. and has raised $14.5 million since then. In all, 30 cities around the country hold the annual run.

The race kicked off inside the House of Blues where there was dancing, food and drink before the race, all in hopes of warming up the runners before race time.
CINCINNATI (AP) -- Kent State University, facing the threat of a lawsuit, reiterated on Friday that it cannot accommodate a request to allow white nationalist Richard Spencer to speak in early May as part of his campus tour.

The university, which is based in Kent but has regional campuses elsewhere in the state, said it had responded to attorney Kyle Bristow reaffirming its earlier response that no suitable space is available for Spencer to speak between April 30 and May 12.

Bristow had told Kent State it had until the end of business Friday to agree to rent space at an "acceptable date and time" or face a lawsuit. Several other schools, including Ohio State University and the University of Cincinnati, are in litigation over Spencer.

Tour organizer Cameron Padgett wanted Spencer to speak at Kent State on the May 4 anniversary of Ohio National Guard shootings that killed four students during anti-war protests in 1970. The university said early May is too busy with activities around the end of the academic year.

Bristow said last year that Spencer planned to speak March 14 on the University of Cincinnati campus, but the university said there was no contract in place, and the two sides are now in a legal standoff over the university's demand for a security fee of nearly $11,000.

Bristow sued the university last month, saying requiring such payment because a speaker is controversial or prompts hostile reaction is discriminatory and unconstitutional. The university said it expected to spend much more on security than the fee. The March date falls during the university's spring break.

The university on Feb. 2 asked a federal judge to dismiss the lawsuit as meritless, saying the organizer hadn't paid the fee or obtained required insurance.

Last August, Spencer was a scheduled speaker at a Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, that led to deadly violence. A loosely connected mix of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and other far-right extremists assembled for the largest gathering of its kind in a decade, drawing counter-protesters. A man plowed his car into a crowd of the counter-protesters, killing Heather Heyer.

Spencer has popularized the term "alt-right" to refer to a fringe movement that's a mix of white nationalist, white supremacist, anti-Semitic and anti-immigrant beliefs.
BROADVIEW HEIGHTS, Ohio -- A man wanted in a Broadview Heights robbery of a T-Mobile store was arrested Friday afternoon, officials said.

Taite Gourley robbed the store Jan. 26 at gunpoint and forced the clerk to empty a safe containing more than $20,000 worth of electronics, including cellphones, the U.S. Marshals said in a news release.

Investigators from Broadview Heights identified Gourley as the robber Thursday and asked for the U.S. Marshals to begin looking for him.

Authorities arrested Gourley in Maple Heights after they noticed him riding in the passenger seat of a car. He was placed in handcuffs at a gas station on Granger Road.

A loaded .45 caliber handgun was found on Gourley during a search. It's unknown if the gun was the same weapon used in the store robbery, police said.

If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Friday's crime and courts comments section.
NORTH OLMSTED, Ohio -- Police are investigating after two men tried to rob a Dollar General at gunpoint Monday evening.

The attempted robbery happened about 6:45 p.m. at the store on Clague Road just south of Lorain Road, police said.

One of the men had a gun, jumped on the checkout counter and put the gun to the employee's head, police said. The cashier told police the man started demanding money from the register, according to a police report.

He continued to shout "give me the money" as he pointed the gun to her face. The man also said "if you don't hurry up, I will shoot you in the face," the report says.

The cashier tried several times to open the register, but with no luck.

An employee on lunch in the back of the store heard the man screaming and ran out to the front of the store to try to open the register, the report says.

The two men ran away without any money.

Fairview Park, North Olmsted and Westlake police officers searched the areas of Kensington Court and east down Lorain Road to Camelot Inn with negative results.

If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Friday's crime and courts comments section.
Yes, the legislature's approval of a proposed reform of congressional "redistricting" (Substitute Senate Joint Resolution 5) was a good thing. But make no mistake: Inside the General Assembly, good government takes a back seat to self-interest.

Ohioans will vote SJR 5 up or down on May 8. SJR 5 is a good if not perfect plan. Every single state senator present for last week's Senate vote on SJR 5, Republicans and Democrats alike, voted for SJR 5. The Senate tally was 31-0. The House's count was 83-10.

As Statehouse bystanders noted, the legislature likely wouldn't have passed SJR 5 but for the extraordinary work of the non-partisan Fair Districts = Fair Elections coalition, paced by the League of Women Voters of Ohio and Common Cause Ohio. The coalition's been gathering signatures to place its redistricting reform plan on November's ballot - and aims to do just that if voters don't ratify SJR 5 in May.

The Fair Districts campaign jolted General Assembly Republicans. The last thing they need is a ballot issue that'd draw Ohioans to vote in November. Voters usually are unkind to any president's party halfway through his term, and President Donald Trump ... well.

Moreover, Democrats say that for the first time in eons, they're fielding candidates in all 99 Ohio House districts. Meanwhile, the House Republican caucus is split over who its leader should be starting in January, when term-limits will force incumbent Speaker Clifford Rosenberger, of Clinton County's Clarksville, to leave the House. The contenders for speaker: Former Speaker Larry Householder, of Perry County's Glenford, and the chair of the House's budget-writing Finance Committee, Rep. Ryan Smith of Gallia County's Bidwell. Some days, the Householder-Smith contest seems like an episode of Mad magazine's Spy vs. Spy feature; other days, the competition looks as deadly as something out of Machiavelli.

In 2009 and 2010, when Democrats controlled Ohio's House under then-Speaker Armond Budish, they made a bad bet: Democrats gambled they'd keep control of the House at 2010's election and Democratic then-Gov. Ted Strickland would be re-elected. Those development would give Democrats horse-trading clout with Senate Republicans in shaping new congressional districts in 2011 (after the 2010 Census).

But 2010, like 2018, was a mid-presidential election year (with Barack Obama in the White House). Voters gave Ohio's House to Republicans, led by crafty conservative William G. Batchelder, a Medina Republican, and replaced Strickland with Westerville Republican John R. Kasich.

Backstory: In September 2009, state Senate Republicans had passed, 21-12, a redistricting reform proposed by then-Sen. Jon Husted, a Republican who's now Ohio's secretary of state. Senate Democrats voted "no" on Husted's proposal. Senate Republicans voted "yes."

Budish's Democratic House stalled action on Husted's plan until December 2010, after the election that had cost Democrats their Ohio House majority. So, in 2010's post-election (lame-duck) House session, Democrats, new converts to the cause of redistricting reform (because it might crimp the GOP when it redistricted congressional seats in 2011) finally let the House vote on Husted's plan. The tally: 47 "yesses" to 49 "noes," killing Husted's proposal. House Democrats, with no redistricting power to lose in 2011, voted "yes." But Republicans, who'd rule the House during 2011's redistricting, voted "no." Among the "noes": Then-Rep. Matt Huffman, now a state senator and the lead sponsor of this year's SJR 5.

This time, both sides of the legislature's aisle backed redistricting. That's as good a barometer as there is that Ohioans inside the Statehouse recognize what Ohioans outside the Statehouse decided long ago: Rigging U.S. House districts, which guarantees congressional deadlock, is a curse that needs to end.

Thomas Suddes, a member of the editorial board, writes from Athens.

To reach Thomas Suddes: tsuddes@cleveland.com, 216-999-4689

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Why are we still driving non-flying cars to our non-space workplaces while fantasizing about our merely two-boobed prostitutes? Where are all the snazzy gadgets and awesome technologies movies promised us? In many cases, they're right here. We just don't use them because, well, they kinda suck. Like how ...

5 Controlling Computers With Hand Gestures Is Awful

In Minority Report, Tom Cruise plays a future cop who tries to warn everyone that Max von Sydow is evil, but no one will believe him, even though he's clearly Max von Sydow. But what most people remember best are the scenes wherein Cruise controls his futuristic crime lab computer by waving his arms around.

How cool is that? Instead of having to say "enhance" and then clicking a boring old mouse, Cruise picks up files and videos from the air itself, and explores them using simple gestures. Soon, other movies were jumping in on this hot futuristic action. From Iron Man 2 ...

Marvel Studios

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... to Prometheus ...

20th Century Fox Spoilers: This movie will show up a lot in this article.

... to Star Trek: Discovery.

CBS Television Studios Thank you in advance for the 100 comments about how this one's not a movie.

Why We're Not Using This Today:

As everyone who has ever owned a Kinect knows, this crap gets old fast. The biggest issue is that your arms get tired very quickly if you hold them up for even a short period of time. If you make that a long time, the feeling gets absolutely excruciating. Engineers actually identified this problem in the '80s, and even gave it a name: the "gorilla arm" effect. You know, because your arms get "sore, cramped, and oversized," and you end up looking and feeling like a gorilla. Not even a cool sci-fi cyborg gorilla like in Congo.

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Take another look at that Minority Report scene. When Cruise goes to shake Colin Farrell's hand, he accidentally moves a bunch of files he's working on. That would happen all the time. Imagine you're holding 350 slides that took you five hours to organize and you suddenly get an itch on your butt:
It may look like those animals are wearing jetpacks, but the truth is considerably grimmer. The history of warfare is rich with terrible ideas, but perhaps none are as out-the-gate disastrous as strapping an incendiary device to an enemy house cat and just praying it dutifully runs headlong back to your foe's fortress.

Feuerwerkbuch Instead of plopping down in front of you and licking its butthole until you're both swallowed by hellfire.

That's precisely the tactic offered by the author of the 16th-century German manuscript Feuerwerkbuch (Firework Book), who optimistically assumed a cat will sit still long enough to allow you to attach a flaming bag of doom to its back. German artillery specialist Franz Helm described such a tactic in 1530 (translation via The University of Pennsylvania):

If you would like to get at a town or castle, seek to obtain a cat from that place. And bind the sack to the back of the cat, ignite it, let it glow well, and thereafter let the cat go, so it runs to the nearest castle or town, and out of fear it thinks to hide itself where it ends up in barn hay or straw it will be ignited.
Late one evening when I was a junior doctor on call in a large city hospital, I was summoned to the dementia ward to see a patient whod fallen.

Nothing unusual about that, sadly  falls among the frail and elderly are all too common  but as I made my way across the hospital grounds, little could I have anticipated that what I was about to witness would have a lasting effect on me and the kind of doctor I would be.

The patient, a woman in her 80s, had severe dementia and now lived in the hospital as her condition was too severe even for a specialist nursing home.

I am not minimising the pain that mental illness can bring, but a personality disorder is quite different from motor neurone disease (MND), for example. There is no known cure for MND, whereas there are very good, well-established treatments for personality disorders (file photo)

She didnt know her name, let alone where she was. One of the nurses on duty told me that most of the time this patient was very agitated and distressed, often screaming and lashing out.

I checked her out and, although shed had a nasty fall, nothing was broken. As I was leaving, I saw her husband and went to reassure him that his wife was fine. He clutched my arm and said, in a whisper, tears welling in his eyes: Shed hate to see herself like this, you know.

He started telling me about his wife, about how theyd been together for more than 50 years, and that before theyd met shed been a pilot in World War II  one of an elite group of women whod transported planes for the Allied forces. Shed been feisty and a trailblazer, he told me.

After the war, shed worked as an aeronautical engineer  the first woman employed by her company in this role  and she went on to do ground-breaking research into aeroplane engines.

But long into her retirement shed developed memory problems and was diagnosed with dementia. She was defiant to the end, he told me. She knew she wouldnt get better and vowed to kill herself rather than lose her mind.

But her dementia progressed rapidly and she started to panic as she realised that she was running out of time to end her life. She didnt want her husband to be prosecuted for helping her to die, so she decided to starve herself.

I worry, for instance, that elderly patients could be coerced by mercenary family members into seeking an early death, especially if the alternative is a costly nursing home (file photo)

She was admitted to hospital but then, when she was on the brink of death, her dementia worsened  and she forgot she was starving herself and started eating again.

That was two years ago, her husband said, looking over at the frail woman staring blankly into the distance.

It was an unbearable scene, and I stood there close to tears myself.

Only a few months out of medical school, I was overwhelmed by how tragic and unfair life can be. And here I was, a doctor, unable to alleviate the suffering.

I think about this woman often, and she came to my mind again this week when I read that a survey published in the BMJ found the majority of doctors now support assisted dying.

It doesnt surprise me. Every doctor has stories like mine of patients who make you question whether medics should be able to step in and help end peoples lives when they really want it.

Recent research from the Netherlands, where assisted dying is legal, shows a significant increase in the number opting for euthanasia due to a mental illness, with numbers quadrupling from 13 to 56 in just four years (file photo)

But, even so, I have profound concerns about assisted suicide being legalised. I have worked with many vulnerable groups and it makes me shudder to think that this could be abused.

I worry, for instance, that elderly patients could be coerced by mercenary family members into seeking an early death, especially if the alternative is a costly nursing home. I worry, too, about the shift it might bring about in how we view those with disabilities, and what it means to contribute to society.

Recent research from the Netherlands, where assisted dying is legal, shows a significant increase in the number opting for euthanasia due to a mental illness, with numbers quadrupling from 13 to 56 in just four years.

More than half had a personality disorder  an umbrella term used to describe ingrained patterns of behaviour, often as a result of early childhood trauma, and which result in serious difficulties with personal relationships and the ability to function in society.

I am not minimising the pain that mental illness can bring, but a personality disorder is quite different from motor neurone disease (MND), for example. There is no known cure for MND, whereas there are very good, well-established treatments for personality disorders. Certainly there is no quick-fix but studies have shown that, over time, the majority of people do get better.

So the idea that this treatable problem should be seen as a legitimate reason for someone to opt for euthanasia horrifies me  not least because one of the defining characteristics of personality disorders is emotional instability and impulsivity.

It means sufferers frequently attempt suicide when overwhelmed by their emotions, only to change their minds later.

The very nature of many mental illnesses is feeling hopeless. It is the job of doctors to hold on to that hope for patients and remind them that things do get better: its not a doctors job to collude with helping them die.

So, yes, I have serious reservations and I suspect that many of the doctors who say they support assisted dying do so warily.

And yet, if truth be told, I know there are some deaths I simply could not bear to endure myself and I would choose to take my own life rather than suffer what I consider to be torture.

Being unable to move, slowly choking to death because I was losing the ability to swallow, for example, fills me with horror.

When I worked as a psychiatrist in a large inner city hospital, I was often called to patients who were suicidal or asking to die. Many had terminal illnesses and couldnt face the slow, drawn-out death they knew was coming.

I vividly remember one patient in her late 40s. Fourteen years before, shed suffered horrific injuries in a car accident, leaving her paralysed and reliant on help for even the most basic tasks.

Overnight shed gone from being a successful graphic designer, independent and free, to being trapped inside her body. Because of difficulties in swallowing, she experienced choking fits; she also had frequent seizures.

Shed come into hospital with a chest infection, but had repeatedly expressed the wish to die. She told me that if shed been able to, shed have killed herself a long time ago as her life was intolerable.

Of course, some will argue that life is a gift, whatever form it takes. And those who oppose assisted dying will often claim that with advances in medicine and pain management, patients like her do not have to suffer.

But to say that pain control is the determining factor in someones quality of life belittles the human condition. It is the emotional pain, the gnawing sense of loss, the powerlessness and indignity  for which no analgesia exists  that is often the deciding factor for people wishing to die in such cases.

Who was I to say that this patients life was worth living?

Yes, assisted dying is open to abuse. But do not propose to know what it feels like to lie in a bed, staring at the ceiling day in and day out, washed and changed by carers, longing for the life you had yet which now is out of reach.

And medicine itself has helped create this problem by saving lives at any cost, yet leaving some people  as in this womans case  in a living hell.

And yet, as doctors, we are unable to release patients from the situation weve created for them.

In many ways, the general public are far less squeamish about this debate than doctors and politicians. A few years back, I was giving a book reading to a group of pensioners at a grand country club in Henley. At the question session at the end, a beautifully spoken woman took the microphone.

What are your views on Dignitas? she asked, referring to the clinic in Switzerland that provides assisted suicide.

I was rather taken aback, but explained there are many conditions Ive seen where, if I were afflicted with them, I would choose death by my own hand.

I added that people should have the right to die in a manner of their own choosing, and how I feel uneasy about the paternalistic elements within medicine that would interfere with this.

Furthermore, I said Im pleased Dignitas exists in another country, so I can respect the service without having to engage in the moral debates it raises.

Its a fudge, I know.

What surprised me was that the woman announced then that she was paying a yearly subscription to the organisation so that, should she ever need to use it, she could do so easily.

Over lunch the discussion continued, and many others admitted that they, too, supported the idea of assisted dying.

Since then, Ive noticed that more and more often older people are thinking carefully about the kind of death they will have.

Perhaps having seen friends or loved ones suffer, they want to take back control of how their own life will end. Ive even heard of older people stockpiling strong painkillers theyve been prescribed just in case.

I dont blame them.

With my heart, I think of the countless patients Ive seen where, if this were me, Id be longing for someone to help me end my life. Id be a hypocrite if I didnt at least acknowledge this.

But with my head I know there are serious risks to assisted dying; that it will be misused.

There are no easy answers here  and dont believe anyone who tells you that there are.
For a highly educated Cambridge graduate and author of respected academic books, Jeremy Paxman can be utterly stupid.

This week the 67-year-old said his fellow pensioners have betrayed the young by living high on the hog at their expense  and they should be denied the vote after the age of 65.

'My generation have behaved like spoilt children,' he declares, blaming them for the crisis in pensions and housing. 'In between getting a job and demanding our pensions, we have sat on our arses and watched our houses appreciate in value.'

Meanwhile, he says, the young struggle to get on the housing ladder.

He adds smugly that he doesn't take his state pension or winter fuel allowance. 'They've still got to be paid by other people,' he explains.

For a highly educated Cambridge graduate and author of respected academic books, Jeremy Paxman (pictured) can be utterly stupid, writes Amanda Platell

How rich coming from a man who was paid by 'other people' like us licence payers for three decades at the BBC, and who ended up with a 1 million-plus salary and gold-plated BBC pension. Of course he can afford to forgo his state pension.

But why should others be made to feel guilty in their well-earned retirement?

Paxman's argument plays into an insidious modern narrative promoted by the Left where the elderly are considered a burden and the young are hapless victims.

With sickening cynicism, Corbyn's Labour demands votes for callow, idealistic 16-year-olds believing they will back his kind of socialism.

Polls indicate many young people today, who wouldn't even know how to spell Stalin let alone understand the horrors he was responsible for, consider the sins of capitalism to be greater than those of communism.

Meanwhile, demands for renationalisation are more shrill by the day and the hard Left is on the march.

The wisdom of Paxo's generation is vital in such a world.

Today's pensioners remember how communism led to the genocide of millions, nationalised businesses such as British Rail were a byword for incompetence and stupendous inefficiency and loony Left councils reduced cities to bankrupt chaos.

The over-65s also understand the need for austerity because many times in the past 60 years they have had to learn to budget.

I have a suggestion for Mr Paxman. Rather than banning people from voting at 65, why not raise the voting age to, say, 25?

At least by then our pampered youth would have gained a little experience of the world.

Why we all feel for fake-tan Heidi

What woman didn't feel sisterly sympathy for Heidi Klum when she appeared at a New York gala with one leg magnificently fake-tanned and the other, supposed to be concealed behind her thigh-split dress, lily-white.

We've all been there. During my first spray tan, I modestly crossed my arms across my chest which meant I had to spent the entire holiday afterwards looking as though I was praying.

What woman didn't feel sisterly sympathy for Heidi Klum when she appeared at a New York gala with one leg magnificently fake-tanned and the other, supposed to be concealed behind her thigh-split dress, lily-white, writes Amanda Platell

Britain's Got Talent insiders insist there was nothing to the apparent bust-up between Amanda Holden and Ant McPartlin backstage at auditions in Manchester.

Perhaps Ant had asked Amanda why she had so many clothes on . . .

Britain's Got Talent insiders insist there was nothing to the apparent bust-up between Amanda Holden and Ant McPartlin (pictured) backstage at auditions in Manchester

What a pity First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon isn't joining the Tories' Ruth Davidson on The Great Celebrity Bake Off, as we could all have learnt how to make her signature dish at last  an over-stuffed little haggis.

What a pity First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon (pictured) isn't joining the Tories' Ruth Davidson on The Great Celebrity Bake Off

Dimbleby's in the dark

Halfway through his gruelling King Lear performance, Sir Ian McKellen takes a 45- minute nap.

At 78, he says he needs it. Reviews for his performance have been superb.

His confession reminded me of the story that David Dimbleby, 79, lies down in a darkened room before he presents Question Time.

These days most of us feel the need to lie down in one halfway through the programme.

On Thursday night Dimbleby totally lost control of the screeching, shouting, bickering panel. Only the audience came away with any dignity.

Jolie's airbrush with the truth

Angelina Jolie's advice to her daughters is that it's not beauty that defines them but their minds.

Anyone can put on a dress and make-up, she says in Elle magazine.

There's truth in what she says, but I'd take her more seriously if she didn't appear on Elle's cover airbrushed to perfection.

Angelina Jolie's (pictured) advice to her daughters is that it's not beauty that defines them but their minds

Film producer Wilf Varvill is suing the BBC, claiming it stole his plot for McMafia.

Given the risible Russian crime series lost two million viewers in just four episodes, you'd think Varvill would be too embarrassed to claim the flop as his own.

Oprah Winfrey says that she believes Reese Witherspoon is suffering post-traumatic stress disorder over the Harvey Weinstein scandal, despite never claiming he assaulted her.

She cries a lot and can't sleep, which is evidently proof of the condition.

What an insult to all soldiers and veterans whose lives have been blighted by PTSD after the horrors they witnessed in war.

The overwrought actress is probably only upset because she didn't get a single gong for her leading role in award-scooping Big Little Lies.

Oprah Winfrey says that she believes Reese Witherspoon (pictured together in 2014) is suffering post-traumatic stress disorder over the Harvey Weinstein scandal, despite never claiming he assaulted her

The Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang started in earnest yesterday. One record has already been set: organisers are handing out 110,000 condoms.

Does that mean they expect competitors to be as bored by events in South Korea as we're likely to be at home?

The Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang started in earnest yesterday (opening ceremony pictured). One record has already been set: organisers are handing out 110,000 condoms

Ninety-year-old Pope Benedict, the first pontiff to step down in 600 years, has written to thank his supporters as he ponders his own death.

'It is a great gift to me to be surrounded, on this last stretch of this sometimes tiring road, by a degree of love I could never have imagined.

'I can only say that with the slow waning of my physical forces, I am on a pilgrimage towards home.'

What a beautiful and reassuring message.

Ninety-year-old Pope Benedict (pictured), the first pontiff to step down in 600 years, has written to thank his supporters as he ponders his own death

Critics warn men not to take Valentines to see the third film in the Fifty Shades Of Grey franchise, Fifty Shades Freed.

Reviews reveal it's as romantic as treating her to a meal in a kebab house. Without the spice.

Critics warn men not to take Valentines to see the third film in the Fifty Shades Of Grey franchise, Fifty Shades Freed (stars Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson pictured)

Westminster wars

The world's 29th richest man George Soros is spending 700,000 to sabotage Brexit. The last time a foreigner tried to bully us into remaining in the EU, it increased the Leave vote. And that was President Obama, a more impressive figure than Soros

Despite civil war in her party, the Tories are four points ahead of Labour in a poll and Theresa May has extended her lead over Jeremy Corbyn as best choice PM to eight points. The more her rabble squabble, the more she appears to stand serenely above these pygmies.

The Foreign Office has attracted derision for inviting staff to wear headscarves for World Hijab Day. It's a good idea. A hijab might save Boris a Trump-like embarrassment  and disguise his balding pate.

So happy were they with their last ad, which featured a gay couple and their child, the next McCain commercial will star a lesbian couple.

It opens with the question: 'When it comes to love, what is normal? Love doesn't care about gender, where you're from . . . it won't judge on ability or so-called disability.' Crikey, they're only flogging frozen chips.
David Cameron must come out and support Theresa May and her Brexit efforts

Compared with some of his predecessors, David Cameron has behaved with a degree of dignity since stepping down as prime minister.

He has not carped like Harold Macmillan did about Margaret Thatchers privatisation policy, comparing it to selling off the family silver. Nor has he acted spitefully in the manner Edward Heath treated Mrs Thatcher. Or like Thatcher, in turn, who was accused of behaving as a back-seat driver to her successor John Majors government.

Yes, Mr Cameron has cashed in on his premiership, taking a role in a $1billion investment fund in China and is being paid very well to make speeches to businessmen in venues across the globe.

There have been occasional public appearances in this country (such as recently, when he surprised fellow racegoers at a meeting in Wiltshire when he was spotted wearing a bizarre, over-sized flat cap).

But in a refreshing contrast to his embittered friend and one-time Project Fear cheerleader George Osborne, he has kept private his views on Theresa Mays Brexit negotiations.

However, I believe that in the light of this weeks events, Mr Cameron has a public duty to speak out about Brexit.

As the man who gave the British people the chance to vote in a referendum on the issue of whether this country should leave the EU, and vowed that the Government would be bound by the result, it is vital that he addresses those who are now trying to keep Britain in the EU.

This is particularly necessary as we now know that attempts by Remainers to sabotage Brexit and get a second referendum are being funded by American billionaire George Soros, who is backed by some of David Camerons friends and allies, including Mr Osborne and his former Coalition deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg. For the fact is that their campaign to stop Brexit is making Mrs Mays Governments negotiations with Brussels much more difficult.

The Prime Ministers hand is being undermined at every turn, her authority damaged and her chances of survival lessened.

The Prime Ministers hand is being undermined at every turn, her authority damaged and her chances of survival lessened

In such circumstances, I believe Mr Cameron should now state publicly that the commitments he made to the British people during the referendum campaign must be honoured.

Crucially, during his time as prime minister, he repeatedly ruled out a second referendum.

In a speech at the Chatham House Royal Institute of International Affairs in November 2015, he stated: When the British people speak, their voice will be respected  not ignored.

If we vote to leave, then we will leave. There will not be another renegotiation and another referendum.

There was no ambiguity.

At a time when Mr Soros says hes willing to give more money to the campaign that threatens to bring down Theresa May, and when people such as Mr Clegg and Labour peer Andrew Adonis are clamouring for a second referendum, Mr Cameron should say they have no right to defy the publics wishes.

Indeed, it would also be helpful if he told the British people what he shared in a private conversation with a foreign tycoon at a meeting of the worlds financial elite in Davos  namely that Brexit will be considerably less economically damaging to the UK than he warned during the referendum campaign.

Attempts by Remainers to sabotage Brexit and get a second referendum are being funded by American billionaire George Soros,

Sadly, I wont hold my breath for David Cameron to do the honourable thing. He has already broken a number of the promises he made during the referendum campaign.

First, he said hed stay on as prime minister regardless of the result. He didnt. He quit No 10 in a fit of pique within hours.

Also, he told voters that if they decided to leave the EU, the Government would trigger Article 50 (the mechanism for Britain to pull out) straight away. As we now know, it took the Conservative Government nine months until this happened. Above all, David Cameron dumped on his successor, Mrs May, what is beyond doubt the most difficult inheritance any peacetime prime minister has been asked to confront.

For all these reasons, David Cameron must now come to Theresa Mays aid.

If he does not, hell give the impression that he covertly supports the anti-democratic campaign to destabilise the Prime Minister and prevent her carrying out the will of the British people.

Auction a day with the PM? It's out of order

Theresa May is a woman of adamantine personal integrity. So it is most unfortunate that the party she leads should currently be the subject of an unseemly story about sleaze.

During an auction at a Tory Party fundraising dinner this week, a wealthy donor paid 55,000 to spend a day with the Prime Minister.

How utterly demeaning of politics. No one  especially someone with a large cheque book and with no proof that their money has not come from a dodgy source  should be able to buy access to the Prime Minister of Great Britain.

Who on earth allowed this grubby auction? Why didnt Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood intervene to stop it or, now, order that the arrangement be cancelled?

The party was badly damaged by a series of sleaze scandals during the Cameron years, including allegations of expenses cheating and sexual harassment. His successor, Mrs May, deserves better.

Gentlemen, you must apologise

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first British women being given the vote, the Left-wing New Statesman magazine put photos of four prominent female politicians on its cover: Labours Diane Abbott, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Ruth Davidson (the Tories leader in Scotland) and Lib Dem MP Jo Swinson.

Hang on, wasnt someone missing? What about Theresa May, for goodness sake?

Embittered Lefties sneer that she doesnt merit being treated as a heroine as she is not known as a champion of feminist causes.

Nonsense! Apart from being the countrys second woman Prime Minister, early in her career Mrs May fought magnificently for womens rights.

Amber Rudd, pictured, said Theresa May was her mentor when she first arrived as an MP

In 2001, she resigned from the Carlton Club  the spiritual home of the Conservative party  over its then policy of allowing women only to be lady associate members, not allowing them to use the gentlemans bar or vote for club officials.

In 2005, with the redoubtable Baroness (Anne) Jenkins, Mrs May set up the organisation Women2Win, which campaigned to get more Conservative women elected to Parliament.

The PMs biographer, Rosa Prince, has said that every Tory woman elected as an MP since owes a great debt to Mrs May.

She added: Their triumphs and glories over the coming decades, as well as those who follow them, will stand as one of Mays great legacies.

Significantly, Cabinet ministers Amber Rudd and Andrea Leadsom have said that Mrs May was their mentor when they first tried to become MPs.

Those Left-wingers, such as the editor of the New Statesman, owe Mrs May an apology.

I wonder, though, if they will be sufficiently gentlemanly to give one.
When 15-year-old Alex Bowker is stabbed in the street by someone who didnt like the way he was looking at a young woman, hes rushed to hospital  and the surgeon who is called to treat him assures his father that the boy will be fine.

Alex is being monitored, says the experienced and respected medic Jon Allerton, and theres no reason for his father to be alarmed.

But there is. In the trauma unit of the London hospital where Alex is being treated, Allerton loses his battle to keep the boy alive.

The father, Dan Bowker, somehow manages to get into the operating theatre and sees Allerton with his sons heart in his hand and a look of increasing desperation on his face. Soon after, the boy is pronounced dead.

Thats the opening scenario of Trauma, a three-part drama screened over three consecutive nights and created by Mike Bartlett, the man behind the award-winning Doctor Foster, the drama about infidelity which returned for a second series last year. That was a story about trust and conflict between two main characters  and so is this.

Dan Bowker (pictured left played by John Simm) goes head to head with Jon Allerton (pictured right played by Adrian Lester) in ITV' series Trauma

Trauma becomes a giant face-off between two men, says producer Catherine Oldfield, and its about three kinds of truth: the surgeons, the fathers and what really happened in the operating theatre. Audiences should have, and Im sure will have, sympathy for both main characters.

Initially, its hard to see too many people rooting for Jon Allerton, played by Adrian Lester. After reading the first episode, even my agent was looking at me, saying, Hey, mate, youre a wrong un, always thought there was something dodgy about you, admits Adrian, known for his roles in Hustle and Riviera.

And I can see why he thought that. Allerton has been called in to the trauma unit from his own birthday party, and Dan Bowker thinks he may not have been fully focused, that he may even have been drinking alcohol to celebrate his birthday.

Later on, however, things take a turn and there are reasons why people will feel sympathy for Allerton. By the end of episode two, I think viewers will be completely on the other side.

Trauma quickly becomes a game of cat and mouse between the two main characters, with Dan Bowker  played by former Life On Mars actor John Simm  unpicking every aspect of Jon Allertons life in an attempt to get at the truth.

It also becomes a story of haves and have-nots. Allerton lives in a magnificent house in Muswell Hill, north London (filming took place in a property in Clapham, south-west London with a value of around 6 million) while the Bowkers home is in a less fashionable part of the city and is small and claustrophobic.

The first thing that struck me when I read the script was that it was an opportunity to tell the story of two cities, says director Marc Evans. Its a poor mans struggle against a rich man in the melting pot of London.

Its the reason why we set the drama in London, says Catherine Oldfield. You can turn a corner from a housing estate and be in a leafy street with huge mansions where the occupants earn huge salaries. Were not saying one world is any better than the other or that one of the two main characters in Trauma is any better than the other.

Jon Allerton is comforted by Nora (pictured left) after 15-year-old Alex Bowker dies in surgery

Jon Allerton, for example, is richer than Dan Bowker but Allerton has made the most of the opportunities presented to him and has worked hard to make himself a respected surgeon.

John Simm has two children of his own in real life  Ryan, 16, and Molly, 11  with his actress wife Kate Magowan, and admits to going to some dark places during filming. Its every parents worst nightmare, what happens to my character, and Bowker goes through unimaginable grief, he says. It meant I had to go to a dark place myself to convey those emotions.

Similarly, Lyndsey Marshal, who plays Dans wife Susie, was left so affected by the role that shes now told her agent not to put her forward for any similar ones for the time being.

Ive got a five-year-old and a one-and-a-half-year-old, and when you have kids, it changes you as an actor, you suddenly find a whole room of emotions that you hadnt been able to explore before, she says. But, also, being a parent and playing a role like this is tough because you want to be as truthful as possible and that leads you into difficult, painful areas.

Ive got a five-year-old and a one-and-a-half-year-old, and when you have kids, it changes you as an actor

Adrian Lester also found playing his role challenging, spending hours in the company of Chris Peters, the dramas medical consultant, a surgeon at St Marys Hospital in Paddington, so he could look at home in an operating theatre.

The key to Trauma is the apparent infallibility of Adrians character, who is highly respected by his hospital colleagues, such as registrar Nora Barker, played by Jemima Rooper. Surely a man so good at his job couldnt have been horribly at fault? Audiences may think that, says Adrian. What is certain is that Allertons professional excellence meant I really had to look the part!

Chris Peters talked about all the pressures of the job and about patient care, as well as about the actual surgery he carries out.

Adrian, who is married to the actress Lolita Chakrabarti and has two daughters, Lila and Jasmine, adds, I also spoke to my father-in law, Bidhan, who was an orthopaedic surgeon. Interestingly, both men said that your patient is not only the loved one who comes into the hospital, there is also their family who love them and are worried about them, and who need re-assurance.

What I learnt is that you should never give false hope to those relatives, about a patients chances of survival, but that you are inevitably going to lie because you have to look after them and care for them as well.

So what a surgeon might say to a worried relative can be laced with a degree of manageable peril rather than the brutal, painful truth.

So is that what Jon Allerton is doing when he tells Dan Bowker that his son is going to be all right? Does the surgeon know more than hes letting on?

I couldnt possibly comment, grins Adrian. What I can say is that I think Trauma is a very clever piece of television that twists and turns, and I think will get people talking in the way Doctor Foster did. It touches on things in our society that we should look at, know about and definitely discuss.

Trauma, Wednesday, 9pm, ITV.
Suranne Jones (pictured), 39, revealed why she agreed to star in new Sky Atlantic series Save Me instead of taking a break after filming Doctor Foster

You couldnt imagine Doctor Foster enjoying this scene  sitting in a down-at-heel north London church hall, with toys scattered all over the floor, roaring along to Humpty Dumpty with a group of toddlers and not a glass of wine in sight.

But Suranne Jones, who has picked up a slew of awards for playing the overwrought GP, felt right at home, even more so than her little boy, whos almost two. Im sure my son was thinking, Mum, stop singing, youre embarrassing, but I was enjoying the music class more than him, she laughs. Life is about balance. When Im not working I like to have fun.

Suranne, 39, treasures special times like this, when she can squeeze them in. Like many working mothers, she admits finding that balance isnt easy; particularly when youre one of the most in-demand stars in Britain. I know Im in a lucky position, she says. Im so thrilled to be doing well and that people want to employ me. Its important to show my boy that Im working. But I want to be home for bath time. I miss my son.

I dont know if its possible to have the perfect balance. Like many, many mums  and dads  I feel guilty but in our house we cherish the times were all together  when we go to the park and have Sunday lunch.

When the Oldham-born actress is at home  she lives in a leafy north London suburb with her son (whose name she hasnt revealed) and Lawrence Akers, the writer husband she married three years ago after a whirlwind romance  she is plain Sarah Akers.

Suranne is her stage name, as there was already a Sarah Anne Jones, her birthname, in the acting world. Unstarry Sarah (she never liked the Anne part) likes taking her son to Tesco because he tires himself out running up and down the aisles; she slicks her hair back when shes too tired to wash it and wears sunglasses to cover the bags under her eyes.

Its a far cry from her latest character, the immaculate, working-class-girl-made-good Claire in the tense new drama Save Me. We first met to discuss Save Me  written by Lennie James, star of the first series of Line Of Duty  a year ago, on the decidedly unglamorous Dagenham trading estate set. Suranne was dressed in designer clothes.

I dont normally ask but Id like to take all of these clothes home, she laughed. For Doctor Foster I only bought some of her jewellery from the costume sale, it was more about remembering the character, but when I went out with the costume designer to get clothes for Claire I was in my element in Selfridges and Fenwick.

Claire is wealthy but hasnt brushed off where shes from; she still likes a bit of bling. Whats interesting about her is I often play working-class or middle-class people but rarely a working-class woman whos moved up in the world.

Suranne stars as Claire alongside Lennie James (pictured) as Nelly, in search of their missing daughter

Suranne is warm and friendly, very different to many of her characters. She wasnt meant to be in Dagenham that day, she had planned to take time off for a family holiday following her mothers death, which came after a difficult eight-year deterioration with dementia.

But then the script for Save Me landed on her doormat. I was halfway through Doctor Foster and my agent said, You must look at this. I thought, Oh no, I dont want to work. I had taken six months off when my baby was born and Doctor Foster was such a big thing to go back to, from being a mum to full-time work. I wanted to go back to being a mum for a bit. But then I read it.

Save Me is vaguely autobiographical, about the south London that the scriptwriter and lead actor Lennie James grew up in, and the man he may have become without acting. In it Lennie, who also has a role in hit US series The Walking Dead, plays charming wastrel Nelly Rowe, whose fling with Claire 14 years earlier resulted in a pregnancy.

Nelly was not part of the lives of Claire or their daughter Jody. She went on to marry a man who did well in the record business while Nelly is still sleeping on friends sofas and charming the ladies. But when Jody goes missing and police suspect Nelly of her kidnapping, he and Claire reunite to try to find their daughter.

I read the script and it was so different, Suranne told me. The scenes were quite hard to read because people are talking over each other and that fascinated me because thats how people talk in real life. Then Lennie wrote to me and said, Come on, this will be a great experience. You want to do the best work you can, and the story was so original that I couldnt turn it down.

The interesting thing for these two characters is they dont really know each other. Shes left their south London estate but he drags her back into that world. Shes got the beautiful house and all her new money, but then you put Nelly into the equation and its like a bomb of history has blown up.

I want to be home for bath time. I miss my son

I talked to my husband and he said, Youre going to do this, arent you? and I said, Yes. So we postponed the holiday until after I finished the job.

For actors, success isnt just down to talent, its also down to choosing good roles. And Suranne chooses her parts very well. Save Me, which will be on Sky Atlantic, is the most nail-biting thriller for some time. When we talk again after shes finished filming, Suranne says working on the series was cathartic and helped her with grief.

It was a really difficult time for me, she says. Going to work and telling stories like this is therapeutic in a bizarre way because you can find a connection to share. I came out of it feeling like something had shifted, something had happened. Healing.

Meanwhile, the successful return of Doctor Foster was something shed hoped for  but was never certain of. You watch amazing shows like Sherlock and Broadchurch go stellar, with people really getting behind them, and I never expected it would happen to me, she says. The second series of Doctor Foster was like a contemporary western with all its showdowns. When I watch it, I have to admit it does make me laugh because its so outrageous. She tried to keep things balanced while making that series, insisting it wasnt all angst and vows of revenge.

Suranne said she listens to pop music including Britney Spears and Little Mix to shake off her traumatic roles

Me and the girls on the show did an exercise challenge for charity, she says. Wed go off for plank squad meetings  we were meant to hold our bodies in a plank position for five minutes a day  but really it was an excuse to gossip. The older I get, the more I feel the need to lighten things up.

To shake off her traumatic roles, she listens to pop music. I like dancing to Britney Spears or Little Mix. And a baby relaxing in your arms brings you down to earth. Im too tired to think about my roles when I get home.

She finally had her time off at the end of last year but even then spent five weeks in Los Angeles meeting Hollywood movers and shakers  she hopes to work there as a producer.

She has long wanted to get behind the camera and has been mentored by one of the best in the business, Nicola Shindler, who is behind hits like Last Tango In Halifax, Happy Valley and Trust Me. After working together on Scott & Bailey, the detective show that Suranne helped create and starred in, she realised she wanted to produce, partly to tell female stories in a world still dominated by men.

The older I get, the more I feel the need to lighten things up

I had lots of dinners with studio people and writers in LA, she says. Im really interested in developing some shows and I might take time off to do it. Ive already worked on a few things that havent made it onto the screen yet. Ive been writing with my husband too and thats been interesting, its been fun. Its great to still be learning at 39.

At the recent National Television Awards, where she won Best Drama Performance for Doctor Foster  adding to her Bafta and NTA for the first series  she wore a 50/50 badge calling for equality for women in pay and representation on screen. Its about better roles, three-dimensional characters  showing women in a full and inspiring way, she says.

Suranne is currently starring in Frozen in the West End, as another mother of a missing child, and is due to start filming BBC1 costume drama Gentleman Jack, playing Yorkshire landowner Anne Lister.

The role will reunite her with award-winning writer Sally Wainwright, who she worked with on Scott & Bailey, Unforgiven and Dead Clever. It tells the real story of Anne, an heiress and lesbian who in 1832, after years of travel, returns to her Halifax ancestral home, Shibden Hall. Refusing to abide by conventions, she does business, climbs mountains, and becomes determined to marry another woman.

This flood of work is a far cry from Surannes early days when, after a casting director called her a bit fat and a bit nothing, she fretted about ever making it as an actress before landing the role of Karen McDonald in Coronation Street in 2004. Im touching as much wood as I can, she tells me, laughing.

And what about the future? I want to be doing interesting work that makes me happy, she says. But I also want to go to singalongs with my son. Ive realised its important to take time out as well as work really hard.

Save Me, 28 February, Sky Atlantic.
Eddie Mair appears to be locked in battle with his BBC bosses who want him to take a cut in his salary  currently in the 300,000 - 350,000 bracket

To fans, Radio 4's award-winning presenter Eddie Mair is a fearless inquisitor who once forced Boris Johnson to deny he was a 'nasty piece of work'.

So they will be dismayed by his protracted absence from the station's flagship afternoon current affairs programme, PM, which the 52-year-old has presented since 2003.

Mair has not presented PM for over three weeks, last appearing on Thursday, January 18.

I can disclose that he appears to be locked in battle with his BBC bosses who want him to take a cut in his salary  currently in the 300,000 - 350,000 bracket  thereby emulating the example set by the Today programme's John Humphrys, so as to align his remuneration with female broadcasters of similar standing.

'His prolonged absence from PM is definitely because he is refusing a pay cut,' I am told.

Carolyn Quinn, 56, has presented the programme in his place, with Caroline Wyatt, 50, deputising on one occasion.

The stand-off may be exacerbated by the nature of Mair's professional relationship with the BBC. If he is a member a staff, the authorities will need his agreement before trimming his pay package; if not, he may be tempted to depart for greener financial pastures.

The BBC tells me: Eddie has been on holiday. Hes not in a dispute about pay, and is due back on air next week.

John Humphrys was said to be displeased that Mair was the only one of his BBC colleagues to read, on air, the now legendary exchange which followed Carrie Gracie's resignation as BBC China editor after discovering she was earning far less than her male counterparts.

In comments made to Jon Sopel, Humphrys teased the BBC's North America editor, asking: 'How much of your salary are you prepared to hand over to Carrie Gracie to keep her?'

Humphrys joked; 'I've handed over more than you f***ing earn, but I'm still left with more than anybody else and that seems to be entirely just.'

Lily keeps it short and sweet

Lily Cole built her modelling career on her doll-shaped face and pre-Raphaelite red tresses.

Six months after chopping her locks off for charity, she still favours the cropped look, displaying her gamine charms at a London bash.

The Cambridge graduate, 30, donated her hair last summer to the Little Princess Trust, which provides wigs to children who have lost their hair due to cancer treatment.

No doubt, boyfriend Kwame Ferreira, father of her two-year-old daughter, Wylde, approves.
A woman who fell in love with an incarcerated felon is furious that he has been out of prison for an entire month and has yet to propose to her.

Johnna, 26, from Tampa, Florida, begins to question her relationship with Garrett, 25, after he failed to come home following a wild night of partying with his friends.

In a preview clip for Friday night's episode of WeTV reality series Love After Lockup, Johnna lashes out at Garrett for ruining her birthday with his all-nighter  all the while complaining that he still hasn't popped the question.

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Trouble: Garrett, 25, gets an earful from his girlfriend Johnna, 26, after spending the night out with his friends on Friday night's episode of WeTV reality series Love After Lockup

What is he waiting for? Not only is Johnn angry with him for staying out all night and ruining her birthday she is upset that he has been out of prison for a month and still hasn't proposed

Johnna started her romance with Garrett four years ago after a wine-fueled search for love online led her to write him a letter.

After serving a nearly seven-year sentence for burglary, grand theft, and several other counts, Garrett was released from prison and moved in with Johnna.

On last week's episode of the show, Garrett slept in his car after going to a bunch of strip clubs with his friends. He didn't come home to the apartment he shares with Johnna until after work the next day.

When he was prison, Garrett told Johnna that he couldn't wait to get out and build a life with her. But now that he is able to drink and go out with friends, his priorities seemed to have changed.

Johnna is utterly disgusted by how he has chosen to enjoy his newfound freedom so far, and she stresses that they 'would not be together' if it wasn't her birthday.

Whoops: Garrett slept in his car after going to a bunch of strip clubs with his friends and didn't come home to the apartment he shares with Johnna until after work the next day

Big mistake: Garrett admits that he 'really did take it too far' this time, but he vows to make it up to her

'It is hurting my pride to stay with you,' she says, 'because what you did was unacceptable.'

Although she and Garrett aren't on the best of terms, they have already made plans with her friends, and she doesn't feel comfortable canceling.

'Garrett has seriously ruined my entire birthday by pulling this s**t,' she explains in her testemonial. 'But I feel obligated to put on a happy face for the friends that I invited out for my birthday.'

Meanwhile, Garrett doesn't know what else he can say to Johnna to make it better.

'I came home. I apologized. We talked,' he says, proving that Johnna was right when she said he wasn't understanding what she was saying.

True love? Johnna started her romance with Garrett four years ago after a wine-fueled search for love online led her to his 'hot mugshot'

Making it last? Johnna started writing him letters, and they spent four years together while he finished up his nearly seven-year sentence for burglary, grand theft, and several other counts

'You're just not being the man that you said you were going to be, and that's why I get p****d off,' she tells him. 'I just feel like one of those girls who got fooled.'

During his testemonial, Garrett admits that he 'really did take it too far' this time, but he vows to make it up with her.

'I really screwed it up. I can't lose out on her,' he says. 'I'll do whatever I have to do to make this right.'

Garrett tells Johnna he loves her and urges her to try and have a good night with him on her birthday, but she isn't sure if she can.

'You know the ball is in your court. Let's see if you don't p**s me off again,' she tells him as she leaves the room.

Bucking tradition: Garrett moved into Johnna's home in Tampa, Florida, immediately after he was released from prison

Keeping it real: Garrett, who had been in jail since he was 18 years old (left), admitted 'he's not some upright, perfect all-American guy'

Modern fairy tale? Despite their untraditional courtship, Johnna wants a traditional engagement and wedding as soon as possible

Although she didn't bring it up, Johnna is also seriously peeved that he hasn't popped the question yet.

'Garrett's been home a month now, and he still has not proposed,' she tells the camera.

'I've read studies that show that inmates who are released and get married within 60 days have a better chance of staying out of prison, but I'm honsetly so frustrated with Garrett that if he did propose I don't even know if I would say yes.'

This type of behavior is exactly what Johnna's father Tony predicted when he met Garrett for the first time.

The dad made it clear that he thinks the felon is going to abandon his daughter now that he is free to date other women, and he certainly has valid reasons for having reservations.

Say it isn't true: Johnna's dad Tony (left) thinks Garrett only wanted her when he was incarcerated because she was his only option

New warden: The two have been fighting about him going out with his friends since he was released from prison

Garrett had been locked up since he was 18 years old. He never lived with a woman before. He's never even had a drink legally until now.

Johnna and Garrett both admitted on the show's premiere that they don't have a traditional relationship.

'I'm a 24-year-old man who has been incarcerated for the majority of his childhood,' he said. 'I'm not some upright, perfect all-American guy.'

Meanwhile, Johnna confessed that she found Garrett after she had 'one too many glasses of moscato' and decided to look up guys online.

'Once I saw his mugshot, I was like, 'Wow, this guy takes a really hot mugshot." I was like what's it going to kill me to write him a letter?' she recalled.

Despite their untraditional courtship, Johnna wants a traditional engagement, wedding, and, eventually, pregnancy. She is determined to make their relationship work whatever the cost.
It was hard enough to organise the first reunion meeting, held at Geri's home in Highgate, North London, earlier this month.

But there are already rows about where to hold the next one.

It was initially pencilled in for Los Angeles at Easter, which would be easy for Mel B, who lives there, and Posh, who spends the school holidays at the family home in Beverly Hills.

However, Geri has thrown a spanner in the works by saying she doesn't want to travel so far with baby Monty for such a short trip.

It was hard enough to organise the first reunion meeting, held at Geri's home in Highgate, North London, earlier this month. But there are already rows about where to hold the next one

She is also, in keeping with the infamous Union Jack frock she wore at the 1997 Brit Awards, said to be keen to keep the entire arrangement 'very British'.

But the rest of the band have been quick to point out that the first meeting  pictured above  was most convenient for Geri, given that they chose her gaff after the first suggestion, the Connaught Hotel in Mayfair, was deemed 'too public'.

Perhaps Geri's other home, an estate in Oxfordshire, would be even more private.

Victoria isn't just ruffling feathers, she's yanking them out as she asserts herself as the alpha female.

In the Spice Girls' original incarnation, it was Mel B and Geri Halliwell who ran the show.

But now Victoria is by far the wealthiest and most famous of the girls, and she is wasting no time pulling rank and drafting in her own entourage for the tour.

In an astute power play, Posh persuaded the girls to use her own, hugely expensive security team (which they did for the most recent meeting), and would have been delighted when her publicist, Jo Milloy, was made PR for the band  briefly.

Pictured: Fans went wild when a picture was posted online of all the Spice Girls back together

After just a few days' grumbling from the others, Milloy was replaced.

A source said: 'Victoria is enjoying having more power and influence over the other girls and trying to call the shots.'

Another said: 'The hierarchy has changed and it's hard for some of them, namely Mel B and Geri, to cope with.'

The source added that their recent meeting was 'like Davos'. But with less macroeconomic theory, presumably.

Plans are in place to visit China, Europe and America during the new tour. But even that isn't enough for uber-ambitious Victoria.

At the recent get-together, she made no secret of wanting to cover all corners of the globe during their reunion, refusing to stop at 'just' three continents.

Posh has designs on Australia, the Middle East and Africa  all places where the band were also huge during their heyday. But her plans for world domination have been met with opposition.

While Mel B, on the verge of bankruptcy, is delighted to get as much work as possible, Geri is reluctant to take her one-year-old son Monty on such a long tour, or to leave him at home and be parted from him for so long.

Emma is also said to be opposing the expansion, while Mel C, who is lukewarm on the entire project, needs the most persuasion.

Plans are in place to visit China, Europe and America during the new Spice Girls tour

The reunion couldn't come at a better time for Mel B, who has been left on the financial brink following her expensive divorce from Stephen Belafonte.

But the payday is not without complications  and she now fears her plum role as a judge on the panel of America's Got Talent might be at risk.

The reunion means she has once again started working with Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller... who is the arch nemesis of fellow AGT judge Simon Cowell.

The reunion means Mel B has once again started working with Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller (left) ... who is the arch nemesis of fellow AGT judge  and format creator  Simon Cowell (right)

The Simons  pictured above in happier times  fell out when Fuller accused Cowell of stealing his Pop Idol format for The X Factor, and then doing the same in America.

A source close to Mel B said: 'Simon Cowell has been enormously loyal to her over the years, giving her highly lucrative jobs.

'But now she's worried she won't be asked back for the next series of America's Got Talent because she's working with Fuller again.

'She's in a real state over it.'

She isn't known for her diplomacy, but even by her standards this wasn't Geri's best move.

Just weeks before the reunion was announced, Ginger Spice was accused of having a public dig at other members of the group when she appeared on ITV's Good Morning Britain.

She told presenter Susanna Reid: 'To get five people in a group all at the same time is hard.

'Even if you get five really nice people, to say you all like the same colour is hard...'

Just weeks before the reunion was announced, Ginger Spice was accused of having a public dig at other members of the group when she appeared on ITV's Good Morning Britain

The alleged slight angered her bandmates, who promptly accused her of 'throwing shade' at them.

One source told The Mail on Sunday: 'None of the others can believe she said that, it's just so rude.

'To do it in public like that was really rather shameless and it most definitely didn't go unnoticed. The others are absolutely furious about it.'

To borrow the title of one of the Spice Girls' singles  Right Back At Ya, Geri.

Who better to be the group's official reunion photographer than Brooklyn Beckham?

Posh's eldest son is trying to forge a career as a photographer and, at the tender age of 18, has already landed a job with fashion house Burberry and struck a deal for a (much-derided) book with Penguin and an accompanying exhibition at Christie's.

For Posh, determined to launch the next generation of Brand Beckham, having Brooklyn, who is studying photography at New York's prestigious Parsons College, take the official photos is understood to be a no-brainer.

But the other Spices are less keen to embrace her one-woman publicity drive.

Mel B and Geri are said to be trying to block the move, with only Melanie C, who is herself close to Brooklyn, lending her support.

Will she bend it for Team Beckham? Or will an outsider be recruited to preserve the reunion for posterity?

Posh's eldest son Brooklyn Beckham (pictured with his mother) is trying to forge a career as a photographer and, at the tender age of 18, has already landed a job with fashion house Burberry and struck a deal for a (much-derided) book with Penguin

The girls have established a hard and fast rule: there are to be no secret meetings.

If two or three of them wish to get together, the others must join them on Apple's video-calling service FaceTime, their preferred method of communication.

The rule is said to be non-negotiable and was agreed during the meeting at Geri's North London home earlier this month.

The aim is to stop rival factions forming within the group  and to avoid any plans being set in stone without unanimous agreement.

Under the edict, one-to-one texting is allowed, but only on the understanding that no decisions are made unless all five are present.

The source added: 'They all wanted to avoid having little pockets of the band forming.

'They have agreed that they are in this together  all of them  as grown-ups.'
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.
Childless women are being denied NHS fertility treatment if their husbands are too fat.

Health bosses have quietly introduced rules denying IVF to couples in which the man is defined as being obese.

Fertility experts last night accused clinical commissioning groups of making up rules to justify rationing.

Health bosses have quietly introduced rules denying IVF to couples in which the man is defined as being obese

The Bath and North East Somerset clinical commissioning group (CCG) has drawn up proposals to stop funding IVF for women whose partners have a body mass index of more than 30  ruling out a quarter of the men in England.

For the past decade most areas have withdrawn IVF from obese women, because evidence shows overweight women struggle to conceive even with fertility treatment. But critics say the same does not apply to men, whose sperm quality is unaffected by obesity.

Professor Allan Pacey, a male fertility expert at Sheffield University, said: I can only conclude that CCGs are making up their own rules in order to ration funding.

Aileen Feeney, chief executive of the Fertility Network UK charity, added: This is another appalling example of how health bosses are trying to ration NHS fertility services by introducing arbitrary access criteria.

It is not the role of CCGs to rewrite national guidelines on who is clinically eligible to access NHS IVF. The Bath proposal follows Dorset, which introduced the same restriction last month, West Cheshire, which did so last April, and Devon, which introduced the ban seven years ago.

Aileen Feeney, chief executive of the Fertility Network UK charity, added: This is another appalling example of how health bosses are trying to ration NHS fertility services by introducing arbitrary access criteria'

The East of England group also has a male weight limit, but at the BMI threshold of 35. And obese men in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire who want IVF are referred for weight reduction classes.

Martin Tod, chief executive of the Mens Health Forum, said restricting access to IVF on such grounds was illogical and unethical. He added: The purpose of IVF is to achieve pregnancy and help those who are infertile.

The new criteria seem to be designed to arbitrarily exclude some couples with infertility that IVF is intended to remedy.

Mr Tod also took aim at the BMI measure as a blunt tool that cannot distinguish between muscle and fat.

The system compares someones weight with their height, so a man of 5ft 10in is classed as obese if they weigh more than 14st 13lb, for example. But it means well-built muscular athletes are categorised as obese, even though they are extremely healthy.

Mr Tod said: That would mean that more than 70 per cent of Bath Rugby Clubs forwards would not be able to access IVF with their partners should they need to.

Health bosses are under huge pressure to reduce funding amid soaring pressures on the NHS.

Commissioning groups across the country have cut back on the number of IVF cycles they fund, with only one in six offering couples the three cycles recommended by the NHS.

Dr Ruth Grabham, medical director at the Bath and North East Somerset CCG, said no decision will be made until its board meets on March 8.

She said: Were proposing to change our fertility policy so that men need to be a healthy weight in order to get NHS-funded fertility treatment with their partners.

Im a GP and I want to help my patients live healthy lifestyles so they get the best health outcomes possible. We already ask women to be a healthy weight before fertility treatment, and we want to be fair about the way we share out NHS services.

A spokesman for the Northern, Eastern and Western Devon CCG pointed to advice from NHS watchdog NICE, which states: Men who have a BMI of 30 or over should be informed that they are likely to have reduced fertility.

West Cheshire did not respond to a request for comment.
A new pill that makes breast and ovarian tumours disappear could throw a lifeline to women with aggressive Angelina Jolie BRACA cancers.

The daily tablet has been shown to be twice as effective as chemotherapy in trials.

In women on the trial who had advanced breast cancer  when the cancer has spread  the drug kept patients free from disease for almost nine months, compared to five-and-a-half months on chemotherapy.

Lead researcher Jennifer Litton, Associate Professor at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, said: This is game-changing because patients would always rather take a daily pill than go to hospital for chemo.

Advanced breast cancer is typically treated with a course of intravenous chemotherapy, involving regular hospital visits lasting several hours at a time

Even more exciting is that it produced a much better result than chemotherapy, with all tumours shrinking significantly in 62 per cent of patients, compared to just 27 per cent of patients who received chemo, with far fewer side effects.

Litton added: Theres scope for this drug to be used beyond breast and ovarian cancer, and certainly beyond the realm of patients with BRACA mutations, although this should be the standard treatment for patients with BRACA-related cancer.

In 2013 Jolie, right, revealed she was a carrier of the faulty BRACA 1 gene, meaning an 87 per cent risk of breast cancer and a 50 per cent risk of ovarian cancer.

Aged 37, to cut her risk of cancer, she had a double mastectomy, and in 2015 had her ovaries removed.

The genetic mutation is responsible for roughly 20 per cent of all breast and ovarian cancers and results in aggressive tumours often unresponsive to commonly prescribed treatment.

A BRACA 1 or 2 mutation can be inherited at birth and increases the risk of developing breast or ovarian cancers by between 40 and 90 per cent.

In women on the trial who had advanced breast cancer  when the cancer has spread  the drug kept patients free from disease for almost nine months

Advanced breast cancer is typically treated with a course of intravenous chemotherapy, involving regular hospital visits lasting several hours at a time.

Although successful at halting the progression of cancer for an average of six months, toxic side effects such as nausea, sickness and life-threatening infection make chemotherapy intolerable for ten to 20 per cent of patients.

But the new drug, Talazoparib, extended the time to deterioration to up to two years, compared to six months for those administered 21-day cycles of chemotherapy.

The research, first presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in December, is part of a global study investigating the efficacy of the new drug.

Almost 500 patients were recruited from 145 hospitals in 16 countries, including Australia, Germany, Italy, the US and UK.

The research, first presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in December, is part of a global study investigating the efficacy of the new drug

Dr Tobias Arkenau, oncologist and researcher at one of the trials UK sites, The Sarah Cannon Cancer Research Institute in London, said: This is an exciting drug because its tailored to the genetic components of the patient and the tumour itself.

Talazoparib works by inhibiting the action of a protein called PARP, found in cells throughout the body which helps to repair broken or faulty DNA strands.

As those with a BRACA mutation have a compromised DNA repair system, mutations to DNA which cause cancer are not corrected.

But the body calls on PARP to repair resulting cancerous cells and this allows them to grow. By blocking PARP, the cancerous cells are unable to grow  and die, shrinking the tumour.

Talazoparib is being considered for approval by the US Food and Drug Administration and the researchers are in the process of submitting the drug to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for approval in UK hospitals.
There is something very romcom about the fact that Sophie Kinsella has been known to scribble down a fragment of dialogue for one of her best-selling novels with a lip-liner fished out of her make-up bag. Or that if she has writers block, she slinks off to drink negronis with her husband instead of slumping, parched for words, over her desk.

Indeed, Kinsella loves coats and shoes almost as much as Becky Bloomwood, the high-spending heroine of her eight Shopaholic books and the Hollywood film they inspired, Confessions Of A Shopaholic. Today, at 11am, shes already wearing a costume jewellery necklace the size of a piece of armour and a pair of spike-heeled, rainbow-striped shoes that are begging to go for a boogie.

Sophie Kinsella has been known to scribble down a fragment of dialogue for one of her best-selling novels with a lip-liner fished out of her make-up bag

And, like Katie, the star of last years bestseller, My Not So Perfect Life, shes a dab hand at giving you an Instagram-worthy image and then detonating it by revealing the reality. So Kinsella has  rather romantically  taken up ballroom dancing with her husband, but freezes if she has to work out whether to do a rumba or an American smooth. She diligently exercises most days, but instead of having a personal trainer, her guilty pleasure is to Google something like banish my bingo wings and have a go at whatever benevolent exercise video YouTube suggests.

There is, she admits, an element of herself in all her characters, mostly women who prove that being a bit ditzy doesnt mean you arent clever, canny and, when the chips are down, made of the human equivalent of tungsten steel.

Kinsella loves coats and shoes almost as much as Becky Bloomwood, the high-spending heroine in Confessions Of A Shopaholic

Kinsella, 48, is a publishing powerhouse, with book sales of 40 million worldwide. She is a mother of five and runs two homes  a country pile in Dorset and a London townhouse in Westminster. She has a degree from Oxford in philosophy, politics and economics and once worked as a financial journalist, meaning that the emotional intelligence that is the hallmark of a Kinsella book is matched by a formidable intellect.

This all makes her a fine advocate for chick lit, a genre whose commercial success has never truly been matched by critical acclaim. Not that she approves of that label.

Its contemporary fiction, she insists. When I hear the term chick lit, I feel a pinprick of, not annoyance but of slight resignation  Oh, this again... Ive never had anyone say to my face, Your books are inferior, but if people say, Your books are beach reads, I say, Yep, thats fine by me. Read them on the beach!

I write what I write and enjoy doing it. Once we start listening to nebulous criticisms, then where do we end up? I have integrity. My writing has integrity. I write books that I would like to read.

Given that her readers are predominantly women, how does she address these post-Weinstein times  the #MeToo and Times Up campaigns, and the gender pay gap  that they inhabit?

The terrain for women seems to be changing almost daily, and I feel alternately outraged and galvanised by each new revelation. The challenge for me is to represent and explore my heroines predicaments in the most realistic way I can. I think there are many more stories to tell and to inspire readers with  and Im up for it.

Theres so much to navigate, it can be a bit overwhelming, she says. I create a world that is real enough to relate to, a world in which things turn out, not in a saccharine way but a satisfying way, and where heroines prevail. I cant offer big solutions to the problems of 21st-century women, but I can tell a story that might resonate in some way and make you laugh.

Isla Fisher in the 2009 film Confessions Of A Shopaholic

Fans in 60 countries love the lean prose, compelling characters and eye for fun in the seven books she has authored under her real name  Madeleine Wickham  and the 15 more as Sophie Kinsella. Her 16th, Surprise Me, came out last week. Its about husband and wife Sylvie and Dan, who realise that increasing life expectancies mean they might be married to each other for another 65 years. Kinsella uses the idea to explore love, loyalty and boredom within a long relationship.

In the acknowledgements she thanks her own husband, Henry, 51, a former private school headmaster with whom she has already celebrated a silver wedding anniversary. They met on her first night at Oxford and married when she was 21.

It was insane. It felt quite punchy at the time. I had my late 20s or early 30s pegged for marriage, but we knew we wanted to be together, so why wait? There might have been tension between us if wed sat drumming our fingernails and asking if we were an appropriate age yet.

So they are now in real-life Sylvie and Dan territory. Henry went to a lunch at which a doctor was talking about us all living longer, and people were panicking about careers and pensions. But I was, Oh my God! What about love?

I read up on it and found academics were asking if we may have to reconsider marriage in the face of longevity. It made me imagine a couple getting the good news that they were going to be together for ever. It is not boy meets girl, its what happens afterwards.

In tackling the issue of longevity she has demonstrated again her instinct for the zeitgeist. Becky Bloomwoods insatiable desire for retail therapy captured the era of easy money before the credit crunch. My Not So Perfect Life picked apart societys obsession with social media and the gap between what we curate online and the truth it hides. In 2014 Kinsella wrote her first book for the young adult market, Finding Audrey, about teenage mental health.

Clearly she has flawless timing, although a new idea can drift in her imagination for months or even years. She spends two months plotting her book on cards; finally, she writes furiously fast. She has been a full-time author since she was 24.

She created the pen name Sophie Kinsella so she could pitch the first of the Shopaholic books to her publisher. Today she uses it to delineate her working life from her domestic one. Maddy Wickham is a private woman; Sophie Kinsella is the literary celebrity. Its not a bad thing to have a persona  my books are out there but Im not, she says. To me its no different to a woman using her maiden name for work.

Two years ago, she and Henry accepted that her business affairs were cutting across her writing. He relinquished his career and now looks after her authorial empire. It is so much easier to say this is our job, lets do it together.

Kinsellas website logo is a handbag overflowing with the accoutrements of a 21st-century woman  a biscuit-cutter and wooden spoon, a kitchen-cleaner spray, a vampy red lipstick, designer shades and a buzzing iPhone. Is that you? Yes, and its pretty much all women with a gazillion things going on and trying to pull the right thing out of the bag at the right time.

She means this metaphorically as well as literally  and therein lies the answer to why the woman who owns that handbag loves to lose herself in the warmth and fun of Kinsellas fiction.

Surprise Me is published by Bantam Press, priced 18.99. Offer price 15.19 (20% discount) until Feb 18. Order at www.mailshop.co.uk/books or call 0844 571 0640; p&p is free on orders over 15.
David Attenborough was never fazed by observing exotic creatures in unusual habitats, but when Bob Marley and the Wailers visited the BBCs London offices to appear on The Old Grey Whistle Test in 1973, all that went up in smoke. And the smell of marijuana was overwhelming.

Whispering Bob Harris, the shows softly-spoken presenter, remembers the air in the studio hanging heavy with pungent fumes.

Then controller of BBC2, Attenboroughs finely tuned antennae began to twitch. I knew what you were doing in there, Sir David winked and mimed puffing on a Rastafarian roll-up when he met Harris some 40 years later. I remember that session, he said, squinting through the imaginary fug.

Whispering Bob and the Whistle Test return to our screens for a nostalgic three-hour special commemorating 30 years since coming off air

On a sofa in a quiet BBC office, Harriss soothing voice rises to regular speaking volume. This was David Attenborough! he laughs in disbelief.

This month, Whispering Bob and the Whistle Test return to our screens for a nostalgic three-hour special commemorating 30 years since coming off air.

The celebratory shindig will feature live music from Eurythmic Dave Stewart, Joan Armatrading and folk hero Richard Thompson. The evening will also rescreen the first UK television performances by Dire Straits, the New York Dolls and Tom Petty and a cache of classic Whistle Test footage including David Bowie, John Lennon, Led Zeppelin, The Clash, Blondie and Queen.

The no-frills, album-oriented show ran from 1971 to 1988 and spoiled its 5.5 million weekly audience with some unforgettable moments: Lynyrd Skynyrds epic Freebird, Meat Loafs manic Bat Out Of Hell and Talking Heads twitchy Psycho Killer.

It also brought us Debbie Harry in thigh-boots, Iggy Pop on non-prescription drugs, The Who spoiling for a fight, Keith Richards in an advanced state of refreshment and The Damned smashing up the studio.

The shows curious name came from a song-publishing legend that if the doorman (the Old Grey) could whistle your tune, then it passed the popularity test.

Gently helmed by Harris, the unadorned studio resembled a rehearsal space, the scheduling was relaxed (they routinely overran), and the vibe was comfy-cardie bohemian.

But not everyone appreciated the hippy-ish cosiness. At Londons Speakeasy Club in 1977, a gang of punk rockers, including the Sex Pistols Sid Vicious, savagely assaulted Harris.

Bob Marley and the Wailers visited the BBCs London offices to appear on The Old Grey Whistle Test in 1973

I was just the antithesis, everything that the punks disliked, the veteran broadcaster, now 71, remembers. Long-haired, white, 30-year-old, son of a policeman, middle-class, stadium rock-loving guy. I mean, how many buttons did I have to push?

Sid took this haymaker swing at me, which I dodged, but it was the trigger for all hell breaking loose. Suddenly I had about seven or eight guys with bottles coming at me.

Within two years Vicious would be dead from a heroin overdose, aged 21. Harris reacted coolly to the news. There was a bit of a those who live by the sword, die by the sword reaction from me, he reflects. Karma.

The attack sent shockwaves through the music industry as most self-respecting artists approved of the Whistle Tests informal demeanour and laid-back anchorman.

In 1975, Harris spent three days in New York with John Lennon and caught him at his most chatty and charming.

John and I got on like an absolute house on fire, he beams. We just hit it off. I really liked him. The day we did the interview was the day Yoko had told him that she was pregnant with Sean. You can imagine, he was so happy.

In 1975, Harris spent three days in New York with John Lennon and caught him at his most chatty and charming

Harris on the show with Dr Hook in 1977. Gently helmed by Harris, the unadorned studio resembled a rehearsal space

Payment, however, presented a problem. When Harris informed Lennon that hed get a 15 BBC fee for his filmed interview, the father-to-be requested remuneration in chocolate biscuits. Chocolate Olivers, actually, Harris corrects. Because he couldnt get them in New York.

Some interviewees thoughtfully brought their own refreshments. Keith Richards turned up at TOGWT with a half-drunk bottle of Jack Daniels and a large envelope of cocaine. He had such a constitution that it seemed to bounce off him, Harris marvels.

Duly respectful of rock royalty, Harris didnt always take to pops brash young pretenders.

David Bowie appeared on the show in 1973. The shows curious name came from a song-publishing legend that if the doorman (the Old Grey) could whistle your tune, then it passed the popularity test

Roxy Music were just so arrogant, he sighs. They were unbelievably dismissive of their fans. I think I may have said, This is the triumph of style over substance. 

Harris wasnt taken with the New York Dolls either, dismissing the preening proto-punks on air as mock rock. Id grown up loving The Rolling Stones, he explains. And seeing the New York Dolls in the studio, to me they were a mock Stones. Looking back at it now, I seemed a bit sneery. I was laughing and I got it wrong.

In 1988, Whistle Test was blown out by the Beeb. The Eighties was my lost decade, grimaces Harris. If you wanted to make an uncool list, of the least fashionable people of the Eighties, I would be top of that list.

Id become the Ken Barlow of rock. I was so synonymous with Whistle Test that I was finding it difficult to unglue myself from it.

Slipping back into his Whistle Test cardigan, spiritually at least, promises to be a poignant experience for Harris. Even for one night it will be fantastic, he croons, his eyes misting with emotion. To bring it back and connect again just makes me feel so good.

Old Grey Whistle Test: For One Night Only is on Feb 23, 9pm on BBC Four. Old Grey Whistle Test 40 is at 11pm, Weds, on Radio 2
Black Panther Cert 12A 2hrs 14mins

Rating:

The stunning trailer for Black Panther was one of the most exciting things I saw in the whole of 2017. But now along comes the completed film itself, released on Tuesday in time for half-term and, at least on one level, a distinct sense of anti-climax sets in.

At times it feels wordy and slow, at others too complex for its own good. As for the visual style that made such an impact on me in the trailer, there turns out to be little here that we havent seen either before or more convincingly done elsewhere.

And yet Black Panther, directed and co-written by the young American film-maker Ryan Coogler, burns with an energy and anger that make it impossible to ignore and easy to enjoy. Cooglers last two films  Fruitvale Station, about the killing of a young black man by a white police officer, and Creed, the Rocky reboot about a black boxer triumphing against the odds  both championed black issues, and Black Panther, the first Marvel film to place a black superhero centre stage, is no different.

With its echoes of apartheid-era racism and modern-day parallels with gang violence, this is one superhero film that definitely punches above the normal crash-bang-wallop weight

With its echoes of apartheid-era racism (listen out for an uncompromising Afrikaans accent from Andy Serkis), references to slavery and colonialism, and modern-day parallels with gang violence, this is one superhero film that definitely punches above the normal crash-bang-wallop weight. The Marvel Cinematic Universe just got a whole lot more interesting.

Its got a lot more complicated too, with Coogler and co-writer Joe Robert Cole clearly struggling with a complex origins story, a host of new characters and the possibly unwise decision to confront the Black Panther with not just one evil enemy but two. Perhaps inevitably, theres an episodic quality, a pattern of highs and lows to what ensues.

Chadwick Boseman, star of Marshall and the James Brown biopic Get On Up, plays TChalla, the new king of the little-known state of Wakanda.

Chadwick Boseman, star of Marshall and the James Brown biopic Get On Up, plays TChalla, the new king of the little-known state of Wakanda.

Being a part-time superhero comes with the regal territory here, apparently, with his superpowers bestowed by an exotic, heart-shaped, purple flower.

Wakanda is little known because its inhabitants like it that way, preferring that the rest of the world believe them to be an impoverished, Third World republic rather than know the truth.

Which is that Wakanda, having been blessed with seemingly limitless amounts of the rare metal vibranium (Captain Americas shield is made of the all-powerful, hugely valuable stuff), is actually the most technologically advanced society in the world.

Black Panther  clunky at times and certainly not perfect but important, more interesting than it initially appears, and with the definite promise of better things to come

But its magnetic, levitating trains, towering skyscrapers and super-fast flying saucers are all hidden by giant cloaking devices. In the outside world no one even knows Wakanda is there or very nearly no one. Which, of course, is where the first baddie, the avaricious and evil Ulysses Klaue (Serkis), comes in.

IT'S A FACT Black Panther was the first mainstream black superhero, appearing in Fantastic Four in 1966 and originally conceived as the character Coal Tiger. Advertisement

Serkis, seizing a rare opportunity to grace a film himself rather than through motion-capture, is wickedly good, but elsewhere were initially struggling with an abundance of supporting characters. For starters, there are an awful lot of women in TChallas life: his mother (Angela Bassett), his technologically gifted sister, Shuri (Letitia Wright), his spy and potential love interest, Nakia (12 Years A Slave star Lupita Nyongo), and his main bodyguard (Danai Gurira).

Its symptomatic of a screenplay that cant quite meet the narrative demands of them all that the sparky, Guyana-born but British-raised Wright pretty much blows the Oscar-winning Nyongo off the screen.

The avaricious and evil Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis) Seizing a rare opportunity to grace a film himself rather than through motion-capture, is wickedly good

Elsewhere, home audiences can look out for man-of-the-moment Daniel Kaluuya, the Oscar-nominated star of Get Out, as one of TChallas tribal rivals, and for Martin Freeman, somewhat miscast as an American CIA agent.

But 52 years after Black Panther first appeared in comic form, ten years after Iron Man got Marvel back up and running cinematically, and three years after the widespread accusations of a whitewash at the 2015 Oscars, its thrilling to see an almost entirely black cast leading a big-budget Hollywood superhero film.

Lupita Nyongo (12 Years A Slave) as Nakia left. Guyana-born but British-raised Letitia Wright is excellent as TChallas technologically gifted sister Shuri

I loved Ludwig Goranssons Africa-inspired but cliche-avoiding percussive musical score; I liked Boseman, who, after a cameo in Captain America: Civil War, finally gets the chance to make the part his own; while Coogler regular Michael B Jordan is so strong and morally ambiguous as the second baddie, Erik Killmonger, that he threatens to unbalance the whole production.

But thats Black Panther  clunky at times and certainly not perfect but important, more interesting than it initially appears, and with the definite promise of better things to come.

SECOND SCREEN

The Mercy (12A)

Rating:

The 15:17 To Paris (15)

Rating:

Tad The Lost Explorer And The Secret Of King Midas (U)

Rating:

Back in 1969, the first single-handed, non-stop, round-the-world yacht race was won by the great Robin Knox-Johnston, but even as he was crossing the finish line at Falmouth the publics imagination was being fired by the apparently sterling efforts of Donald Crowhurst, a little-known amateur who had left last in his untried wooden trimaran, Teignmouth Electron, but who, if his position was to be believed, now stood every chance of coming second.

But his position couldnt be believed, as a new dramatisation of his voyage, The Mercy reveals. Crowhurst has gone down in history as a cheat who couldnt face failure. But the film repositions him more as a victim, initially of his own misplaced optimism but soon of a sponsor with a claim on his house and a ruthless press agent who never let the facts get in the way of a good story.

Colin Firth slowly gets to grips with Crowhursts complex character, aided and abetted by Ken Stott as the sponsor, Rachel Weisz (below) as his wife and David Thewlis as PR man Rodney Hallworth. The result feels a little small in its scale but is nicely acted, authentic-feeling and quietly moving despite a sense that facts, on occasion, may have made way for fiction.

Rachel Weisz plays Colin Firth's wife in the nicely acted, authentic-feeling and quietly moving film The Mercy

Clint Eastwood is the personification of American heroism, which presumably is what drew him to the story of the three young Americans who, in 2015, bravely prevented a terrorist attack on a high-speed train.

But its symptomatic of his laboured approach to The 15:17 To Paris that the now 87-year-old film-maker not only asks the men  Spencer Stone, Anthony Sadler and Alek Skarlatos  to play themselves but begins their story at junior school, where they are brought together by that very American mix of God and guns. The result clearly aspires to be another United 93 but falls significantly short.

From the moment someone is tossed over the side of a boat while padlocked to a heavy suitcase, you suspect something has got lost in translation for the Spanish-made animated feature Tad The Lost Explorer And The Secret Of King Midas.

So it swiftly proves as this little-awaited sequel to a 2012 original delivers jokes that fall flat, over-sexualised visualisations of women, and the most annoying cartoon sidekick ever  a long-dead Peruvian mummy. Ghastly.
SHOW OF THE WEEK

Dry Powder Hampstead Theatre, London Until Mar 3, 1hr 45mins

Rating:

If you dont already hate super-rich hedge-funders, this play will have you gnashing your teeth  especially at the ruthless woman in a financial firm with a few dozen millions (dry powder) in its slush fund.

Howards End star Hayley Atwell  all tight clothes and tight fists  is superb as Jenny (recently played in New York by Claire Danes), a number-crunching human calculator with blank eyes. She loves money like a shark loves blood.

The setting is a New York private-equity firm that has been lambasted by the press because the boss threw his second wife-to-be an absurdly lavish engagement party  the novelty guest was a real elephant  on the same day he fired all the workers from a firm he acquired.

Tom Riley as Seth and Hayley Atwell as Jenny. Howards End star Atwell  all tight clothes and tight fists  is superb as Jenny (recently played in New York by Claire Danes)

Its not just the press. The redundant workers are yelling hate at his funds investors. Of course theyre protesting. Thats what unemployed people do, says Jenny. How predictable the little people are! At the heart of the plot is an emerging deal. Jennys kinder colleague, Seth (Tom Riley), has befriended the owner of an American luggage company thats looking to be acquired, and negotiated a bargain price.

Hayley Atwell with Joseph Balderrama. American writer Sarah Burgesss play doesnt dig very deep. Her villains are more panto than real. But its a dead slick evening

Seth thinks they should keep the company intact and appease their critics; Jenny sees a chance to export the jobs to Bangladesh and make a shedload. Their restless boss  a wonderfully irascible Aidan McArdle  is dithering. The elephant business has clearly rattled him.

The restless boss  a wonderfully irascible Aidan McArdle. He threw a lavish party on the same day he fired all the workers from a firm he acquired

IT'S A FACT At the age of eight, Hayley Atwell became a committed vegetarian after seeing Loyd Grossman put a live lobster into boiling water. Advertisement

With its language of zero-based budgeting and leveraged buy-outs, the addictive jargon of high finance is part of the comedy  as is the sense of entitlement of the deal-makers. They work 70 hours a week  havent they earned the right to make a few hundred morons redundant?

American writer Sarah Burgesss play doesnt dig very deep. Her villains are more panto than real. But its a dead slick evening and Atwell shines as the pretty but unacceptable face of capitalism.

Eugenius! The Other Palace, London Until Mar 3, 2hrs 20mins

Rating:

This new musical is a hymn to Spandex, sci-fi and Eighties nostalgia. Ben Adams and Chris Wilkinss story is about a bullied school geek, Eugene (Liam Forde), who  encouraged by his adoring college friend (Laura Baldwin)  obsessively draws his Marvel-style comic strip. It features muscly Tough Man, his nemesis Evil Lord Hector and the curvaceous Super Hot Lady.

Dan Buckley as Feris, centre, and Liam Forde as bullied school geek Eugene, far right. Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker of Star Wars fame) does the voiceover for the cardboard robot Kevin

A going concern, the strip is made into a Hollywood movie by a sleazebag director (Cameron Blakely in his element). This over-the-top coming-of-age show is decked out with a flying saucer on a string, beat-box numbers and power ballads. Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker of Star Wars fame) does the voiceover for the cardboard robot Kevin.

Only half the jokes work but the parodic spirit is oddly irresistible. I especially liked the prancing fish-men who chant swim, eat food, forget and flap their fins in unison.

Orchestrated by director Ian Talbot, its silly enough to lift the spirits, if not to blast you into an orbit of ecstasy.

John Dorfman Stage, National Theatre, London Until Mar 3, 3hrs 20 mins

Rating:

You can hear the sound of paint drying in this desperately slow American play. For more than three hours nothing keeps happening in a bed-and-breakfast in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, site of the famous Civil War battle.

A bickering young couple arrives to tour the battle sites. Hes aggressive and quick to take offence, she complains of the cold. The slightly spooky house  jam-packed with knick-knacks and dolls  is run by a dotty old duck called Mertis (nicely played by Marylouise Burke). Her blind friend (gravelly June Watson, inset left with Burke), who used to be insane, comes to visit.

The slightly spooky house is run by a dotty old duck called Mertis (Marylouise Burke). Her blind friend (June Watson, with Burke), who used to be insane, comes to visit

Occasionally funny, spookily suggestive, it rambles on for ever. I rather hoped Mertis would reveal herself as a witch. Or that the dolls would climb down off their staircase shelves and stab someone  preferably James Macdonald, the director. I certainly hoped the two intervals would come around faster than they did.

Incidentally, John, the title character, we never meet. Typical.

The author of this completely cuckoo piece of whimsy, the award-winning Annie Baker, has many fans. They are welcome to her.

Murder, Margaret And Me Salisbury Playhouse Until Feb 24, 2hrs 25mins

Rating:

This comedy-mystery-drama starts with Agatha Christie announcing a murder. She wants to bump off Hercule Poirot. What follows, however, is an account of the writers frosty relationship with the chin-wobbling actress Margaret Rutherford, who played Miss Marple in a series of Sixties films.

Christie thought she was wrong for the part (she told Joan Hickson, who had a bit-part in one of the Christie films and later became the ultimate TV Marple, that she should play her detective). Rutherford thought Marple was beneath her.

From left: Kate Brown as Christie, Tina Gray, and Sarah Parks. This comedy-mystery-drama starts with Agatha Christie announcing a murder. She wants to bump off Hercule Poirot

In Philip Meekss thoughtful, investigative play, Christie sets out to find out about Rutherfords astonishing childhood. Its a tale of insanity, murder and deep family tragedy.

What links the two celebrities? The answer is buried secrets.

Anyone expecting a murder mystery will be disappointed by this meandering play. But the revelations are fascinating and the characters brought to full life by Sarah Parkss jaw-jutting, eccentric Rutherford, and by Kate Brown as the rather forbidding Christie.

This tweedy evening is not as cosy as it first seems, suitably for a story about the Queen of Crime.

The Brothers Size Young Vic, London Until Wed, 1hr 30mins

Rating:

Tarell Alvin McCraneys lean and lyrical tale of fraternal bonds made its debut at the Young Vic a decade ago  and since then the writer has won a Best Screenplay Oscar for Moonlight, adapted from his own play.

Meanwhile, director Bijan Sheibani comes fresh from a garlanded stint on the Barber Shop Chronicles at the National Theatre. This electric production leaves us in no doubt of why theyve become stars.

From left: Sope Dirisu, Jonathan Ajayi and Anthony Welsh. Patrick Burniers simple set  a chalk circle filled with red powder  and the richly poetic script hint at a ritualistic earlier age

Free-wheeling Oshoosi Size (a scene-stealing Jonathan Ajayi) is determined to snooze the morning away, despite the protestations of his hard-working older brother, Ogun (a brilliantly controlled Sope Dirisu), with whom hes living in Louisiana after being released from jail on parole. Oguns bid to return him to the straight and narrow is thwarted by Oshoosis slippery prison-mate Elegba, played with a discomfiting inscrutability by Anthony Welsh.

Patrick Burniers simple set  a chalk circle filled with red powder  and the richly poetic script also hint at a ritualistic earlier age. Yet the obstacles the men face, from police harassment to relationship troubles, are contemporary.

A scene where the characters run in unison around the stage showcases Aline Davids precise choreography. But its a loose-limbed dance between Oshoosi and Ogun that sums up the plays core preoccupation: their half-brawling, half-embracing movements portray the simultaneously infuriating and heart-swelling quality of familial love.

Gwen Smith

Rothschild & Sons Park Theatre, London Until Sat, 1hr 55mins

Rating:

There is a vast chasm between Tevye the simple milkman and the founder of the Rothschild banking dynasty, both the subject of musicals by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick  Tevye in the 1964 classic Fiddler On The Roof, Mayer Rothschild in this show, first seen in 1970. While Tevye tried to marry off five daughters, Rothschild used five sons to create a financial powerhouse against the odds.

An impoverished coin-seller stuck in the Jewish ghetto in Frankfurt at the end of the 18th century, Mayers wiles and his male progeny enable him to advance to a shop, and eventually conquer Europe financially, to the point where they can loan armies the money required to fight Napoleons invasion in exchange for tearing down Jewish ghettos. Despite victory, the deal is reneged on by the borrowers.

Glory Crampton as Gutele Rothschild. This reworked version of the show is well sung and competently directed by Jeffrey B Moss. But its all heavy-going

This is not just a tale of hypocrisy, anti-Semitism, money, risk and power, but also family and cross-generational conflict. And the sting is in the hint that although the Rothschilds demands are eventually met, Jews will suffer again.

This reworked version of the show is well sung and competently directed by Jeffrey B Moss, and there is a polished performance as Mayer from Broadway star Robert Cuccioli, but its all heavy-going. As for the score, only the anthemic Everything  revealing the family ambition  recalls Fiddlers energy and that shows Tradition number.

By virtue of its authorship, theres a curiosity value here, but if you want fun and hummable tunes, bank on the milkman.

Mark Cook
I proposed to my wife on Valentines Day. Naff! I hear you cry. On the contrary, it threw her off the scent delightfully and Im thrilled each and every day that she agreed  not least as it gives us the perfect reason to crack open the bubbly on February 14 each year. And from bargain to blowout, why resist the lure of thinking pink when it comes to your fizz?

For romantic rose thats as bubbly as it is zesty, English fizz should be top of your list. Kents very own Balfour 1503 Rose NV (11.5%) is appetising and inviting, in Majestic from 21.99. Marks & Spencers Ridgeview Marksman Sparkling Rose 2014 (12%) is a Sussex stunner for 28, or dive into Camel Valley Rose 2015 (12.5%), in Waitrose for 28.99  multi-award-winning Cornish bubbly Ive bought many times.

Of course, French champagne will be ramping up many romantic moments this Wednesday. I warmly recommend Billecart Salmon Brut Rose (12%), a splash-out treat for 65 from bbr.com  its fulsome and delectably fruity.

For value though, its hard to resist the allure of the Loire and, for me, the Wine Society is leading the charge with the Societys Saumur Rose Brut (12%), for 10.95. Blended from Cabernet Franc with a touch of Grolleau Noir for colour, its a touch more fragrant and soft than you might expect, which unleashes a fruity flow framed by an elegant pale orange-pink tone.

On the high street, for a light, crisp bubbly, Mirabeau en Provence La Folie NV (12%) is on offer (until Feb 20) in Waitrose at 9.69 (from 12.99), and Ive found a Spanish Cava, above, for under six quid thats unbelievable value. Further afield, Akarua Central Otago Rose (13%) is 26.60 from thenewzealandcellar.co.uk if youre after a zesty drop  perfectly off-beat if youre planning an unexpected proposal!
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Australia's wealthiest youngsters are flaunting their enviable lives of luxury on Instagram.

Teenagers and young adults living on their parents infinite coin are making a name for themselves online as the 'Rich Kids of Australia'.

The lucky adolescents chronicle their journeys to far-flung exotic destinations, trips in expensive supercars and long, boozy lunches drinking Dom Perignon and Veuve Clicquot.

Teenagers and young adults living on their parents infinite coin are making a name for themselves online as the 'Rich Kids of Australia' (Mariam Rod pictured)

The lucky adolescents chronicle their journeys to far-flung exotic destinations, trips in expensive supercars and long, boozy lunches drinking Dom Perignon and Veuve Clicquot

They aren't shy in letting the world know they have money - using the self-congratulatory hashtags #RichKidsofAustralia or #RichKidsofSydney to ensure their followers are well aware of their deep pockets.

One Melbourne woman - who goes by the online moniker 'nevertwomuch' - flaunts her expensive taste to her thousands of followers.

The woman wears luxury brands such as Alexander McQueen, Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and Valentino and even shared a snap of a Christmas tree made entirely out of Veuve Clicquot bottles.

Her pictures feature clothing items and accessories most young girls could only dream of owning and each post she is clad in a different designer outfit.

They aren't shy in letting the world know they have money - using the self-congratulatory hashtags #RichKidsofAustralia or #RichKidsofSydney to ensure their followers are well aware of their deep pockets (Mariam Rod pictured in Berlin)

The wealthy young adults flaunt their expensive taste with designer clothes and luxury items

The 'Rich Kids of Australia' use Instagram to flaunt their endless wealth and chronicle their exotic holidays and expensive shopping trips

In one post, the woman posed in front of the mirror wearing thousands of dollars worth of luxury goods including Gucci sneakers, a Chanel bag and a Rolex watch.

In another enviable Instagram snap she shared a picture of three Balmain jackets worth over $2000 each.

One jet-setting Sydney woman living in Dubai shares her opulent lifestyle which ranges from a date with a Ferrari to a quick jaunt to Paris.

Mariam Rod isn't private about her blessed life and is rarely pictured without being clad in expensive designer brands while posing in exotic destinations.

It is a common trend for the wealthy Instagram users to share snaps posing in expensive supercars (Mariam Rod pictured in a Ferrari)

Young adults with deep pockets use the hashtags #RichKidsofAustralia to show off what their money can buy (Louis Vuitton pictured)

Zoe Thornburgh, the 23-year-old daughter of late nightclub owner Darren Thornburgh, even used the hashtag #RichKidsOfMelbourne when posting a shot next to a private plane.

But the parading of wealth isn't just limited to rich Australian Instagram users.

It is also a trend for affluent Londoners to show of their lavish lifestyle and it is a particularly common practice in Dubai.

The young adults proudly flaunt their private jets, expensive cars, luxurious yachts and even simply taking photos of piles of cash.

Mariam Rod (pictured) isn't private about her blessed life and is rarely pictured without being clad in expensive designer brands while posing in exotic destinations
A North Carolina man pleaded guilty Friday to fatally stabbing his 6-year-old daughter rather than give up custody of the girl when national park rangers approached the pair in 2016.

Seth Willis Pickering, 38, of Leicester, North Carolina, is expected to spend the rest of his life in prison after pleading guilty to first-degree murder for killing his daughter in September 2016, federal prosecutors said.

Two national park rangers said he stabbed Lila Pickering, 6, in the heart and lung as they were walking toward him to talk along the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina.

Seth Willis Pickering, 38 (in 2016 with lawyer LeeAnn Melton), pleaded guilty to first-degree murder Friday for killing his daughter, Lila Pickering, rather than give up custody of her when approached by authorities

Two national park rangers said Seth stabbed his daughter Lila, 6, in the heart and lung as they were walking toward him to talk along the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina in 2016

'Now they will never be able to take her away from me,' Seth later told a ranger, according to an affidavit filed by an FBI investigator.

It added that he also said something to the effect of 'she's happier now. ... It's what she wanted.'

Lila had been in protective custody for a month when her father, who was allowed to see his daughter in supervised visits, took her from the home over the objections of her temporary caretaker.

The first-grader had previously lived with Seth.

It's unclear why social workers removed Lila from her father's care and placed her in the home of a classmate.

Lila's mother, Ashley Pickering, who is Seth's estranged wife, lived in Florida at the time.

Seth and his estranged wife, Ashley Pickering, were involved in a custody battle over Lila, after Ashley moved to Florida. Seth had won a restraining order against Ashley in 2015

At the time of her death, Lila had been in protective custody for a month. Seth was allowed supervised visits and had taken her away over the objections of her temporary caretaker

Seth's plea agreement states that he will be sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole, sparing 'the family the trauma of a lengthy trial and decades of appeals,' U.S. Attorney R. Andrew Murray said in a statement.

Pickering, clad in a baggy brown jumpsuit and chains, declined to make a statement Friday before U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. accepted the plea agreement, the Citizen-Times of Asheville reported.

Defense attorneys S. Frederick Winiker and Mary Ellen Coleman declined to comment after the plea deal was accepted.

After allegedly killing his daughter, Seth told an FBI agent, 'Now they will never be able to take her away from me'

Winiker said Seth has been treated for mental illness in the past and is taking a prescription drug used to treat symptoms including depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder, the Citizen-Times reported.

Seth also had been treated for alcohol abuse a month before he killed his daughter, Winiker said.

His estranged wife, Ashley Pickering, told the Citizen-Times in 2016 that she had since been fighting for custody of Lila after moving to Florida, adding that Seth Pickering was a doting father and Lila idolized him.

Seth won a restraining order against Ashley Pickering in 2015 after alleging that she threatened him and the child.

Rangers approached Seth and his daughter near nightfall on the day of the slaying after noticing a car parked along the scenic parkway that's part of the National Park System.

The rangers noticed a man and young girl walking down an embankment in an area with no trails, picnic areas or designated campsites less than an hour after Seth took his daughter from her custodian's home without permission, the FBI agent's affidavit said.

Seth had built a small fire with underbrush that he cut before the rangers approached to investigate the illegal campfire and other possible violations.
Bette Midler tweeted asking 'where's Rand Paul's neighbor when we need him?' after the Republican senator forced a four and a half hour shutdown government shut down yesterday.

The actress was referring to Rene Boucher's attack on his neighbor Paul in heated row over his lack of yard maintenance. The doctor, who tackled the Kentucky senator breaking five of his ribs on November 3, has since been charged with assaulting a member of Congress.

Midler wasn't the only one who appeared to wish harm on Paul.

Bette Midler tweeted asking 'where's Rand Paul's neighbor when we need him?' after the Republican senator forced a four and a half hour shutdown government shut down yesterday

The actress (pictured) was referring to Rene Boucher's attack on his neighbor Paul in heated row over his lack of yard maintenance

Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.) said on Friday he could now understand what drove Paul's neighbor to attack him.

Both Midler and Dent were speaking after Republican Sen. Paul sparked fury when held up the federal funding bill in the hopes of reversing its nearly $400 billion increase in government spending.

His move led to a lapse in federal funding for a second time in the course of one month - the deep frustration of his fellow Republicans.

The government reopened on Friday morning on the promise of Trump's signature after the Senate and the House finally approved the bill. But Paul's actions rankled many in his party.

'When Rand Paul pulls a stunt like this, it easy to understand why it's difficult to be Rand Paul's next door neighbor,' Dent told Politico. 'The whole delay and filibuster exercise on the budget agreement is utterly pointless.'

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) in the Senate yesterday where he blocked a budget deal

Rene Boucher, center, in court for an arraignment hearing accused of assaulting his neighbor, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul. Boucher

Paul's spokesman Sergio Gor told the Hill Dent's comment was 'disgusting.'

'That comment is disgusting and Charlie Dent should apologize. Senator Rand Paul will always stand up for what is right, regardless of which party is in control. He successfully brought much-needed attention to the hypocrisy in the halls of Congress when it comes to out-of-control spending,' Gor said.

He also branded Midler 'disgusting' for 'calling for violence. She should be ashamed.'

Others online criticized the star for calling for violence against someone she disagrees with.

Senators voted to approve the spending bill at 1:30 am after a mandated intervening period of time between the legislation's unveiling that was set off by Paul's objection, and the House approved the bill will just before 5 am. The legislation went to President Trump next for his approval.

A signing statement from the White House hit inboxes nearly an hour after Trump said he'd inked in his approval in an 8:39 am tweet.

The short lapse in government funding came after Paul held up voting in the Senate in the hopes of reversing its nearly $400 billion in spending increases.

He asked Senate leaders to allow a vote on his amendment to maintain current spending ceilings, but was rebuffed.

'I ran for office because I was very critical of President Obama's trillion-dollar deficits,' the Kentucky senator said. 'Now we have Republicans hand in hand with Democrats offering us trillion-dollar deficits. I can't in all honesty look the other way.'

Paul brushed off pleas from his fellow Republicans, who billed the budget plan as an 'emergency' measure needed for a depleted military.

'We will effectively shut down the federal government for no good reason,' said Senator John Cornyn, as his requests to move to a vote were repeatedly rejected by Paul.

Paul was unfazed.

'I didn't come up here to be part of somebody's club. I didn't come up here to be liked,' he said.

The shutdown comes less than a month after a three-day interruption in January, when Senate Democrats blocked a vote on a spending bill to demand concessions for 'Dreamers'.

The House's 240-186 vote this Friday came in the pre-dawn hours, putting to bed a federal freeze that relatively few would notice.

The breakdown came largely in the Senate, when after a day of inaction, Paul stalled a vote in protest over his party's willingness to bust the budget.

Meanwhile, Boucher is charged with assaulting a member of Congress as part of a federal plea agreement.

Boucher's attorney, Matt Baker, says he'll recommend that Boucher serve no time in prison.

Baker characterized the attack as a dispute between two neighbors that boiled over. He said Monday that it had nothing to do with politics.

Baker characterized the attack as a dispute between two neighbors that boiled over. He said Monday that it had nothing to do with politics. Pictured is Boucher's home

Paul and Boucher are longtime neighbors in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Paul's home in Bowling Green, where he was attacked, is pictured

'This is over a matter that most people would regard as trivial,' Boucher's attorney, Matt Baker, said. 'It has to do with yards and the maintenance of those'

'Assaulting a member of Congress is an offense we take very seriously,'J Minkler, US Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, said Friday.

'Those who choose to commit such an act will be held accountable.'

Boucher's attorney says he is 'very regretful' about the attack and that it had to do with the upkeep of their yards.

Paul and Boucher are longtime neighbors in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

'This is over a matter that most people would regard as trivial,' Boucher's attorney, Matt Baker, said. 'It has to do with yards and the maintenance of those.'

Boucher is 'very meticulous' about how he maintains his yard, while Paul takes 'a much different approach' to the upkeep of his property, Baker said.

'It all goes to large piles of leaves and branches and yard clutter that were placed on the property line,' Baker said.

Some residents of the gated neighborhood had speculated the attack was motivated by a dispute over yard debris- but Paul's office rejected that.

Paul told the Fox News Channel in November that ultimately, the motive does not matter.

Boucher, a retired anesthesiologist in his late 50s, already faces a misdemeanor assault charge in state court in Kentucky. He has pleaded not guilty to that charge.
An autopsy report of Las Vegas mass shooter Stephen Paddock revealed that he had anxiety drugs in his system, but didn't have any diseases, drug or substance use that could explain the cause of his behavior

The much anticipated autopsy report on Las Vegas gunman Stephen Paddock left no hints about why he carried out the deadliest shooting in modern U.S. history.

The report - released Friday in response to a lawsuit by The Associated Press and the Las Vegas Review-Journal - showed gunman Stephen Paddock had anti-anxiety drugs - benzodiazepines - in his system but was not under the influence of them because the drugs were found in his urine and not his blood.

Paddock's body didn't hold diseases or drugs or other substances that could have caused aggressive behavior.

In fact, it showed he was a sober, healthy 64-year-old.

The autopsy showed the 6-foot-1 (1.8 meters) Paddock was slightly overweight at 224 pounds (102 kilograms), had high blood pressure and bad teeth.

But there was nothing unusual in his physical condition, even after a microscopic brain examination conducted by experts at Stanford University.

His cremated remains were released to his brother in January.

Paddock unleashed a barrage of bullets from his high-rise hotel suite into a crowd at a country music festival below, killing 58 people and injuring more than 800 others on Oct. 1. He fatally shot himself before officers stormed his hotel suite after the mass shooting.

The motivation for the shooting has been a mystery since Paddock opened fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay casino-hotel, despite intensive investigation by local police and federal authorities.

A preliminary report released last month by Las Vegas police said the high-stakes gambler had been on a losing streak, was obsessed with cleanliness, possibly bipolar and was having difficulties with his live-in girlfriend.

Paddock's autopsy revealed that he was slightly overweight at 224 pounds, had high blood pressure and bad teeth. No findings seemed to explain why he went on his shooting spree, which left 58 dead and more than 800 wounded at a music festival on October 2, 2017 (shown)

Police found 23 rifles and a handgun in Paddock's 32nd floor suite at the Mandalay Bay hotel

Paddock's autopsy report showed no unusual finding in his physical condition. Stanford University experts who conducted a microscopic brain examination did not find anything

Investigators believe Paddock acted alone and he did not leave a suicide note or manifesto before he was found dead in the room. Police found 23 rifles and a handgun in his hotel suite and more than a dozen of the rifles were fitted with 'bump stock' devices that allowed rapid-fire shooting similar to fully automatic weapons.

His live-in girlfriend, Marilou Danley, told investigators that Paddock had become 'distant' in the year before the shooting and their relationship was no longer intimate, according to the preliminary report released in January.

Danley had described him as germophobic and told investigators he had reacted strongly to smells. Paddock told his friends and relatives that he always felt ill, in pain and fatigued, the report said.

His doctor suspected he may have had bipolar disorder, but Paddock had refused to discuss that possibility, the doctor told police. The doctor offered him antidepressants but Paddock would only accept a prescription for anxiety medication. Paddock was fearful of medication and often refused to take it, the doctor told investigators.

Earlier Friday, Clark County District Judge Richard Scotti issued an unusual order to The AP and Review-Journal that an autopsy report about an off-duty police officer killed in the mass shooting, which was released by another judge last week, must be returned. The AP and Review-Journal are appealing.

In addition to ordering The AP and Review-Journal to return copies of Officer Charleston Hartfield's autopsy on Friday, the judge also barred the media organizations from further reporting on the autopsy's details.

The AP was filing an immediate appeal with the Nevada Supreme Court, said Brian Barrett, the news cooperative's assistant general counsel.

The autopsy record was one of 58 that another judge ordered the Clark County coroner's office to release last week to the two news organizations. The redacted documents had case numbers, names, ages, hometowns and racial characteristics of victims blacked out.
A feast of tigers, dancers and fireworks kick started the Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang on Friday night.

But viewers were less than impressed with Channel 7 commentators for chatting through the entire opening ceremony.

Basil Zempilas and Edwina Bartholomew introduced the acts as they entered the centre stage however according to some viewers, the highly anticipated South Korean opening ceremony was stolen by constant commentary.

A feast of tigers, dancers and fireworks kick started the Winter Olympics opening ceremony (pictured) in PyeongChang Friday night

But viewers were less than impressed with Channel 7 commentators for chatting through the entire opening ceremony (pictured Australian athletes)

Edwina Bartholomew (far left), Basil Zempilas and Hamish McLachlan (far right) were covering the Winter Olympics

'Please shut the commentators up and let the event tell the story. We just listened to an explanation of bells instead of hearing the damn things,' another wrote (pictured)

'Yep because we wanted commentary over the top of this. Can you not talk for five minutes?' one person shared online.

'Please shut the commentators up and let the event tell the story. We just listened to an explanation of bells instead of hearing the damn things,' another wrote.

'Well done Channel 7 on ruining the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in South Korea with incessant unnecessary talking from commentators who clearly don't know when to shut up. Painful and in the end turned off,' someone wrote.

One keen Olympics viewer described the opening ceremony as 'magnificent' with 'only one small problem'.

'Seems there were these guys talking all through the opening ceremony and spoiling it for the rest of us. Very disappointing,' he said.

Veteran journalist and Sunrise presenter Edwina Bartholomew apologised to some of the disappointed viewers online.

One keen Olympics viewer described the opening ceremony as 'magnificent' with 'only one small problem'

Veteran journalist and Sunrise presenter Edwina Bartholomew apologised to some of the disappointed viewers online (pictured)

'I'm sorry you thought that, John,' Bartholomew wrote.

'We tried to keep our commentary to an absolute minimum to try and explain the messages behind the performance.'

Other frustrated viewers pointed out the commentators were 'lessening the experience' by describing Madagascar as the inspiration for children's movies.

Another viewer pointed out the commentators mentioned the iconic video game characters Mario and Luigi when Italy came out.

'There has been some real irrelevant facts ... almost like Basil was reading the Wikipedia page for each country,' one person wrote on Twitter.

The Winter Olympics 2018 held in South Korea will run until February 25.
Barnaby Joyce and the mother of his unborn child have allegedly moved into a townhouse gifted by the deputy PM's multi-millionaire friend.

The pair will be reportedly living rent-free for six months - saving a whopping $14,000 - in the New England property owned by businessman Greg Maguire, The Australian reports.

Mr Joyce, 50, and his former staffer Vicki Campion, 33, were given the keys to the three-bedroom townhouse following the embattled politician's citizenship debacle which saw him removed from Parliament for being a dual Australian-New Zealand citizen.

Barnaby Joyce (right) and the mother (left) of his unborn child have allegedly moved into a townhouse gifted by the deputy PM's multi-millionaire friend

Mr Joyce, 50, and his former staffer Vicki Campion, 33, (pictured) were given the keys to the three-bedroom townhouse

The two are expecting a child together after it was revealed Mr Joyce split with his wife of 24-years, Natalie, with whom he shares four children.

Mr Joyce moved out of his Tamworth family home in December and later moved into the townhouse he now shares with Ms Campion.

Mr Maguire is a longtime friend of Mr Joyce and is a veteran of the New England political sphere.

In 2004 Mr Maguire was accused of attempting to bribe his former friend and MP Tony Windsor to leave politics.

The matter was referred to the Australian Federal Police but did not progress any further due to lack of evidence.

Ms Campion worked as Mr Joyce's media advisor before the two began their relationship.

Mr Joyce (pictured) moved out of his Tamworth family home in December and later moved into the townhouse he now shares with Ms Campion

The two are expecting a child together after it was revealed Mr Joyce (pictured) split with his wife of 24-years, Natalie, with whom he shares four children

The pair are living rent-free for six months in a New England townhouse (similar property pictured)

It was also revealed Ms Campion was moved to a $191,000-a-year senior advisor position on senator Matt Canavan's payroll after her relationship with Mr Joyce became the subject of rumour, the publication alleges.

Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting any wrongdoing on behalf of Mr Joyce, Ms Campion or Mr Maguire.

Mr Joyce's marital breakdown became public knowledge late last year when he returned to Parliament as Deputy Prime Minister.

Natalie Joyce said she felt 'deceived' by the news that Ms Campion is pregnant with her husband's fifth child and claimed the relationship began when she was a paid staffer.

Mr Joyce's (pictured) marital breakdown became public knowledge late last year when he returned to Parliament as Deputy PM

The Deputy PM's (pictured) wife Natalie said she and her children were 'devastated' in a statement

It was revealed Mr Joyce (pictured) is expecting his fifth child with his former staffer after his marriage breakdown

'The situation is devastating, for my girls who are affected by the family breakdown and for me as a wife of 24 years who placed my own career on hold to support Barnaby through his political life,' she said in a statement.

'Our family has had to be shared during Barnabys political career and it was with trust that we let campaign and office staff into our home and into our lives.

Naturally we feel deceived and hurt by the actions of Barnaby and the staff member involved.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mr Joyce for comment.
This is the incredible moment two fisherman saved a 60-kilogram boar from drowning in floodwater by pulling it on to their boat.

Andrew Illingworth and Dean Hutchison were fishing in the Adelaide River floodplains when they saw a wallaby struggling in the water.

They yanked the tired creature on board their boat before seeing another drowning wallaby and repeating the rescue.

Andrew Illingworth and Dean Hutchison were fishing in the Adelaide River floodplains when they saw a wallaby struggling in the water

'He was pretty knackered that one; he'd taken a bit of water,' Mr Illingworth told ABC radio's Tales from the Tinny podcast.

Minutes later the pair then saw a boar struggling to stay afloat. With great effort, they managed to pull the 60-kilo beast to safety.

'We had a look and he was pretty worn out but friendly and happy to get on board,' Mr Illingworth said. 'He wasn't going to put up much of a fight.'

The fisherman said the animals were relaxed during the journey back to shore.

'They got the second chance so they were happy,' he said.
Connie Chung revealed she was sexually harassed 'every day' of her career while talking with Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live on Thursday.

'Let me say for the record that anybody who sexually harassed me is now dead,' Chung said.

She made the comment before answering a viewer question about NBC's and CBS' firing of Matt Lauer and Charlie Rose over sexual misconduct claims.

When pressed by Cohen if her comment was merely a joke or actually true, she said: 'Oh yeah, sure, every day. I mean, a lot, especially when I started out.'

The celebrated news anchor appeared on the show with her husband, talk show host Maury Povich, 71, who told a fan that called in that David Letterman was in love with Chung, and for that reason, jealous of him.

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Connie Chung said she had been sexually harassed 'every day' of her career, while talking with Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live on Thursday. Her husband, Maury Povich, joined her

'Very true,' Povich said, when the fan asked if the rumor that Letterman was in love with his wife was true. 'To this day, this guy has never uttered my name correctly.'

Chung smiled slightly and didn't comment on whether Letterman was 'in love' with her, but she confirmed what Povich said about the late night talk show host mispronouncing her husband's name.

Chung appeared on The Late Show often throughout the 1980s, when both she and Letterman worked at NBC.

'Let me say for the record that anybody who sexually harassed me is now dead,' Chung said

Maury Povich, 71, told a fan that called in that David Letterman was in love with Chung, and for that reason, jealous of him

She would show up in various skits to fill in when a guest would cancel at the last minute.

Chung, who has been an integral part of news programming for decades at each of ABC, NBC, MSNBC, CBS and CNN, said she was proud of the way NBC and CBS took quick, decisive action when accusers came to them with complaints about Lauer and Rose, respectively.

Cohen was the one who asked Chung if she really had ever been sexually harassed at work, after her seemingly joking statement that all of her harassers were no longer alive.

Chung, who has been an integral part of news programming for decades at each of ABC, NBC, MSNBC, CBS and CNN, said she was proud of the way NBC and CBS took quick, decisive action when accusers came to them with complaints about Lauer and Charlie Rose (pictured)

Matt Lauer, 60, was fired from NBC and The Today Show in November, after a junior staff member came forward about sexual interactions the two of them had, beginning in Sochi, Russia during the 2014 Winter Olympic Games

Andy Cohen (left) was the one who asked Chung (center) if she really had ever been sexually harassed at work as Povich (right) watched

The news anchor confirmed that it did happen, and a lot, 'especially when I started out,' she said.

Chung touched on the argument made by some, during this time of reckoning with sexual assault and abuse of power, that executives have been too quick to believe, and then act upon, the accounts of women coming forward with allegations of sexual misconduct in the workplace.

'Some people might be victims of precipitous [meaning sudden, and without careful consideration] action but these two, the reports about them seemed excessive,' Chung said.

'I was thrilled for this moment, for women.'

'Some people might be victims of precipitous action but these two, the reports about them seemed excessive,' Chung said of Lauer (left) and Rose (right)

Chung confirmed that she experienced sexual harassment in the workplace 'alot' and 'especially when I started out,' she said.

Lauer, 60, was fired from NBC and The Today Show in November, after a junior staff member came forward about sexual interactions the two of them had, beginning in Sochi, Russia during the 2014 Winter Olympic Games.

Other details emerged later, involving a story about a device the disgraced host used to lock his office door from his desk, before engaging in sexual intercourse with another NBC staff member, who said she passed out during the encounter and woke up on his office floor.

Soon after Lauer was let go, Charlie Rose, 75, was fired from CBS, and then PBS, following allegations made by multiple women that he harassed them, in and around the workplace, with groping, nudity and inappropriate telephone calls.




Carema Lashandra Brown, 29, was charged with two felony theft counts and booked at the Jefferson County jail, about 80 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, on January 5

A Pennsylvania woman allegedly smuggled 78 doses of LSD, cocaine, methamphetamine and a glass pipe into prison by hiding it under her hair piece.

Carema Lashandra Brown, 29, was charged with two felony theft counts and booked at the Jefferson County jail, about 80 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, on January 5.

She had been unable to post the $60,000 bail, according to court documents.

But soon after Brown's arrival, authorities began noticing an uptick in the distribution of narcotics in the prison.

An investigation led to the questioning of two incarcerated women who shared that Brown kept asking them about LSD.

Brown allegedly wrote on a notepad 'You b*****s sound bored! Get on my level! LOL,' and threw the message and four hits of acid at them.

Soon after Brown's arrival, authorities began noticing an uptick in the distribution of narcotics in the prison, even questioning two other women

In exchange for an envelope, Brown was said to give the two women two more doses of rainbow-colored LSD.

Brown would then inform the two that there was more available for them, it is claimed.

'Please conduct yourselves in a discreet way. Just say I love you when you figure out what Im talking about,' the note also said.

After obtaining a warrant, officials searched the 'trembling' Brown who seemed nervous while her hair was being checked.

Brown allegedly wrote on a pad 'You b*****s sound bored! Get on my level! LOL,' and gave them drops of LSD (stock image)

'Following the search of the hair no items were recovered,' according to a probable cause affidavit, obtained The Smoking Gun.

Jail employees removed Brown's weave the next day, however, and found the hidden drugs underneath.

Eight ounces of cocaine and meth, and 78 doses of acid were found. A glass pipe with burn marks was also found.

Brown was charged with nine felony and nine misdemeanor counts and her bail was set at $100,000.
Just imagine that somebody told you that men and women are biologically different, that people ought to take responsibility for their own lives, and modern life often seems hollow and meaningless.

Imagine that this person went on to say that young men often lack a sense of initiative, too many university courses have fallen victim to trendy dogmas, and free speech sometimes means telling people what they dont want to hear.

Would you shudder in horror? Would you rush onto social media to condemn him as a dangerous lunatic? Or would you, perhaps, nod in agreement at what seemed like plain common-sense?

Jordan Peterson, left, was frilled for 30 minutes by Cathy Newman on Channel 4 last month

Only a few years ago, sentiments like these would have seemed utterly uncontroversial. But it is, I think, a damning reflection of the hysterical self-righteousness and blind intolerance of our times that the man making these arguments, the academic Jordan Peterson, is now one of the most controversial figures in the English-speaking world.

A clinical psychologist at the University of Toronto, Peterson is the academic equivalent of a rock star. Millions of people have watched his YouTube lectures about everything from the importance of free speech to the deeper meaning of the Book Of Genesis.

On Twitter, he has more than 365,000 followers. And in the U.S. and his native Canada, his book 12 Rules For Life: An Antidote To Chaos, a blend of philosophy, psychology and self-help, is a No 1 Amazon best-seller.

Yet in Britain, Peterson is something of an unknown to the wider public  or, at least, he was. Then, last month when visiting London to promote his book, he was interviewed on Channel 4 News by Cathy Newman.

Their acrimonious half-hour exchange, which ignited a firestorm of accusations and abuse, has already been watched almost 5.5 million times online.

Even now people are still arguing about it. Newmans producer claims he had to call in security consultants after vile threats from her online critics.

Ill come back to the interview later, because it is worth emphasising that Peterson did not arrive in the television studio without considerable baggage.

Until two years ago, the 55-year-old Canadian was simply a saturnine, clever and intense man who taught psychology in Toronto. But then, in the autumn of 2016, Peterson released a video announcing his opposition to an amendment to the Canadian Human Rights Act, designed to protect peoples human right to gender expression and identity.

Peterson was having none of it. He was horrified, he said, that the Bill would turn him into a criminal if he refused to call a transgender student by whatever pronoun they wanted.

Bizarre as it may sound, transgender activists in many North American universities insist that their tutors use the invented words zhe and zher rather than he or she and his or her. (I promise I am not making this up.)

Almost uniquely among his academic peers, Peterson had the backbone to say no.

The Canadian academic is deemed controversial now because of his views on gender identity

I will never use words I hate, like the trendy and artificially constructed words zhe and zher, he explained. These words are at the vanguard of a post-modern, radical Leftist ideology that I detest, and which is, in my professional opinion, frighteningly similar to the Marxist doctrines that killed at least 100 million people in the 20th century.

That last line is perhaps a bit strong. Indeed, it is safe to say Peterson is never shy of going over the top.

Yet although he is understandably scathing about the more lurid claims of some activists  who believe, for example, that gender is entirely socially constructed and has nothing to do with human biology  his real objection was not to transgender people themselves.

What outraged him was the thought of being forced to use certain words by the State. For, as he pointed out, there could hardly be a more flagrant example of dogmatic authoritarianism hiding behind a mask of liberal tolerance. To the trendy Left and his politically correct colleagues, Peterson immediately became a hate figure. Almost unbelievably, a young tutor at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Canada, was even disciplined, just for showing students a clip of Peterson speaking.

To young people on the Right, however, Peterson has acquired hero status. When he toured Britain last month to promote his book, his appearances drew packed houses.

After he spoke at the Emmanuel Centre in London, the Spectator magazines Douglas Murray wrote that there were so many people, mostly young, that many had to stand at the back.

Channel 4 presenter Cathy Newman, pictured, is a darling of the highbrow Left

For an hour and a half, Murray reported, the audience listened to a rambling, quirky but fascinating tour of evolutionary biology, myth, religion, psychology, dictators and Dostoyevsky.

Many were evidently beside themselves with excitement, with hundreds queuing to get books signed.

At one point, overwhelmed by the response of the audience and its ecstatic reaction to him and his wife, noted Murray, Peterson even broke into tears  a pretty extraordinary way for an academic to behave at a public lecture.

Yet the remarkable thing is that, far from being mind-blowing innovations, Petersons rules for life could hardly be more old-fashioned.

When you strip away some of the scientific jargon, some of them  Stand up straight with your shoulders back, for example  sound like the sort of thing headmasters used to say.

Addressing one of his favourite subjects, the weakness of modern parenting, Peterson is memorably scathing.

More often than not, he remarks, modern parents are simply paralysed by the fear that they will no longer be liked or even loved by their children if they chastise them for any reason.

Children, he says, need not just love and support, but limits and discipline. (Who could argue with that?) But many children have a mother who ties their shoes, and cuts up their food, and lets them crawl into bed with her and her partner far too often.

He imagines the mother telling her child: Never leave me. In return, I will do everything for you. As you age without maturing, you will become worthless and bitter, but you will never have to take any responsibility and everything will always be someone elses fault.

As so often, Peterson exaggerates, but you can see what he means.

After all, isnt one of the defining features of the Snowflake Generation their unshakeable belief that everything is always someone elses fault?

By contrast, Peterson wants us to embrace the two things that many liberal parents (and their children) most abhor: risk and responsibility.

By his own account, he once worked as a dishwasher, gas jockey, bartender, short-order cook, beekeeper, oil derrick bit re-tipper, plywood mill labourer and railway line worker.

So, in his case, you can forget the stereotype of the weedy, spineless, denatured academic. In many ways, in fact, his philosophy boils down to old-fashioned rugged individualism, forged in the freezing wastes of Alberta, Canada.

Time and again, he emphasises the importance of individual responsibility  an extraordinarily refreshing thing to hear at a time when most intellectuals regard individualism as a dirty word.

By contrast, he loathes the whingeing, whining identity politics that have become so prevalent in universities across the Western world, with self-righteous students competing to pose as victims of every conceivable kind of prejudice.

Petersons favourite target, though, is fellow academics, whom he regards as feckless, incompetent, cowardly, deluded and narrow-minded fanatics, in thrall to an unholy blend of Marxism, post-modernism and radical feminism. In an interview with the British novelist Tim Lott, he suggested that the humanities in the universities have become almost incomprehensibly shallow and corrupt in multiple ways.

There are, he says, whole disciplines in universities forthrightly hostile towards men. These are the areas of study, dominated by the post-modern/neo-Marxist claim that western culture, in particular, is an oppressive structure, created by white men to dominate and exclude women.

Those who seek to silence Jordan Peterson, by denying him a platform or caricaturing him as a professional controversialist, are betraying the very liberal values they claim to uphold

As a result, at this rate there will be very few men in most university disciplines in 15 years.

Again, this is a bit overstated. Even so, Petersons appeal to young men is genuinely extraordinary. Clearly many young men feel he gives them a sense of meaning, inspiration and encouragement unmatched by any other modern thinker.

Some of it is attributable to his great personal intensity  the burning eyes, the furrowed brow  but it strikes me that Peterson is a distinctly religious figure, a modern version of an Old Testament prophet or an evangelical preacher.

He believes in God. He talks about the story of Cain and Abel and the suffering of Jesus. He believes in Hell, the barren, hopeless and malevolent subdivision of the underworld of chaos.

He writes movingly about the suffering of his daughter, who grew up with severe rheumatoid arthritis, and asks how God could allow such a thing to happen. And he reflects on the terrible cruelty that men inflicted on one another in the last century.

We are all monsters, he told Lott, and if you dont know that, then you are in danger of becoming the very monster that you deny.

As I said, all this is strong stuff. But it is serious stuff, too, the kind of thing that invites debate, and that will have people arguing for hours on end.

Alas, to the bien-pensant Left, all this is simply heresy. Instead of running the risk of being made to think, they would prefer not to listen at all.

The irony is that in some ways Peterson is not especially Right-wing; he supports the liberalisation of the drug laws and state health care, and defines himself as an old-fashioned British liberal.

Yet in self-consciously high-minded circles in his native Canada, he has become persona non grata. And now in Britain, too.

The Guardian newspaper ran a remarkably contemptuous review of his book, complete with a dark warning about his reputation in conservative circles. And then there was that highly-charged Channel 4 News with Cathy Newman, a darling of the highbrow Left.

Their half-hour exchange about  among other things  the gender pay gap, transgender rights, and the right of speakers to cause offence, can still be caught on YouTube. Watch it, and make up your own mind.

For my part, I thought it was a pretty good fight  and one Peterson clearly won. And yes, Newman tried to put words in his mouth, twist, exaggerate and over-simplify what he was saying, and generally bombard him with non-sequiturs  but dont interviewers do that to everybody?

In any case, Peterson beat her back with a devastating blend of politeness and erudition; indeed, at one point he even reduced her to a long, spluttering pause.

What I think is most revealing, though, is the sheer intensity, and even outright abusiveness, of the online exchanges between Petersons critics and admirers  some of whom, unforgivably, directed vile, sexist abuse at Cathy Newman.

But this, I fear, is the inevitable result of a culture where some things are supposedly unsayable, where strident hysteria replaces rational thought, and where self-appointed thought police are continually on the lookout for those who challenge their pet prejudices.

As it happens, I agree with much of what Peterson says. I think he is right that gender is largely determined by our biology. I agree that liberalism has become disturbingly authoritarian.

I agree that people should take responsibility for their own lives, instead of constantly blaming society. And I certainly agree that university life, both here and abroad, is threatened by a rising tide of cant, conformity, jargon and intolerance.

But if there is one thing, above all, that marks Peterson out as a prophet for our times, it is his belief that free speech is sacred.

Sad to say, we live in an age when those who question the dogmas of the day are too often shouted down and cast out.

Those who seek to silence Jordan Peterson, by denying him a platform or caricaturing him as a professional controversialist, are betraying the very liberal values they claim to uphold. I dont say that hes right about everything, but hes right about a lot of things.

If his liberal critics stopped screaming for a moment and bothered to listen, I suspect they might even find themselves agreeing with one or two of his opinions.

But that would mean agreeing with a conservative. And in todays climate of intolerance, bigotry, conformism and hysteria, that, of course, would never do.
When the FBI was snooping on Carter Page, it likely picked up at least one phone call about Russia between the former Trump campaign adviser and Steve Bannon.

Page was the subject of controversial warrants issued by a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court in 2016, in part based on an unsubstantiated opposition-research 'dossier' about Donald Trump that was funded by Hillary Clinton's campaign and the Democratic Party.

The FBI was monitoring Page's communications at the time he says he spoke with Bannon, who was just days away from becoming President Donald Trump's chief White House strategist.

Page described the call to Congress in November. A memo about the surveillance warrants, released publicly last week by Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee, established that he was under surveillance at the time.

Carter Page, an unpaid foreign policy adviser to Trump's presidential campaign, was being surveilled by the FBI when he had at least one phone call with Steve Bannon

Bannon (pictured) spoke with Page about a thinly sourced opposition-research 'dossier' on Donald Trump that Buzzfeed had published days earlier  ironically the same dossier that formed part of the basis for the surveillance warrant the FBI was using to spy on Page

'If Page was using one of his standard phones, it was probably picked up,' former Justice Department attorney Elizabeth Goitein told Politico.

Page told the Intelligence Committee three months ago that in the days leading up to Trump's January 2017 inauguration, Bannon called him to ask him to cancel a planned television appearance on MSNBC.

At the time, Page was on the outs with Trumpworld, having been publicly identified as the subject of an investigation related to his Moscow ties.

Page told the congressional panel that he had brought up Buzzfeed's publication days earlier of what would come to be known as the 'dirty dossier,' which alleged that the Kremlin was holding compromising information about Trump cavorting with prostitutes.

Page said the call was 'brief,' but hasn't disclosed any additional specifics.

Bannon is expected to sit with special counsel Robert Mueller in the coming weeks for a grilling about what he knows of links between Russia and the Trump presidential campaign.

The onetime Breitbart News executive chairman served as the campaign's CEO for its final three months.

Page insists he was a businessman, not a Russian agent, when he made trips to the country earlier in 2016. The anti-Trump dossier portrayed him as a piece of connective tissue between the Russian government and the Trump campaign.

He told Politico on Thursday that he may have had other conversations with Trump aides while the FBI was surveilling him.

'My relationship with the team was essentially discontinued, for all intents and purposes' in September 2016, he said, noting that the FBI started monitoring his calls a month later.

Page's Moscow visit was a scholarly trip during which he says he made it clear he was not there representing then-presidential candidate Trump.

But report he provided to the campaign afterward with his insights and an offer to set up a trip to Russia for Trump has made him a person of interest in investigations into alleged collusion.
A veteran news anchor in Miami has been suspended by her employer after spewing out racial epithet during a dispute with a neighbor.

WSVN-Channel 7 said it has placed Robin Cross on leave pending an investigation into the incident which was captured on video earlier this week, according to The Miami Herald.

The 25-year news veteran, who has worked at CBS 4 and NBC 6 in Miami, CBS 12 in West Palm Beach, the Sun-Sentinel, as well as WIOD-610 AM radio, has also been asked to write a statement explaining her actions.

WSVN-Channel 7 said Robin Cross (pictured) was suspended this week after a clip of her using the n-word came to light

Sources say that Cross has been at loggerheads with her neighbor Robert Fenton (pictured left), while his lawyer son, Avery Fenton (Right), demanded the station immediately fire Cross

According to the Herald who spoke to sources close to Cross, the 49-year-old has been embroiled in a neighborhood dispute since she moved to Fort Lauderdale's Isle of Venice Drive four years ago.

Sources say that Cross has been at loggerheads with her neighbor Robert Fenton and his family over her parking in front of their house.

Things finally erupted into a ugly, profanity-laced tirade on Tuesday when Cross started lobbing curse words at her neighbor

Things finally erupted into a ugly, profanity-laced tirade on Tuesday when Cross started lobbing four-letter curse words at her neighbor after she parked near the retired car dealer's driveway.

'You don't f*****g own the road,' Cross is heard in the video taped by Fenton after he came out to confront her.

'Yes, I used the word f**king if you haven't heard it before,' she continues, adding at the of the 50-second clip: 'Except for your f**king son who's dating a f**king n****r.'

'Finally, I said it out loud,' Cross says as she walks away.

Soon after the incident, Fenton's son, who is a local attorney, wrote to Cross' station manager demanding her immediate termination.

'Your employee reduced my girlfriend to nothing other than a slur based off of the color of her skin last night,' Avery Fenton wrote to SVN news director Tony Gonzalez.

Robert Fenton later told the Herald that at one point, Cross begins waving her WSVN press credentials at him, which was not captured on video.

'She was using her press credentials as a weapon,' he said. 'It's saying look at who I am and how much power I have. I'm gonna get you.

'Obviously, she is very bigoted and there's something wrong with her,' the elder Fenton said.

Spokeswoman for WSVN Lily Pardo said she couldn't comment due to the ongoing investigation.




He frequently squawks professions of love and hitches rides on their shoulders

A smart-mouthed young budgie has made himself at home with a new family after randomly stumbling upon their doorstep last month.

The blue, white and black larrikin, which has a likeness for checking himself out in the mirror, has been living with a family in Narrabeen, on Sydney's northern beaches, since Australia Day.

While resident Mel Sinclair has no complaints about the new addition to her family's household, she's keen to return the self proclaimed 'pretty boy' to his owners, Daily Telegraph reports.

A smart-mouthed young budgie has made himself at home with Mel Sinclair's (pictured) family after randomly stumbling upon their doorstep last month

The cheeky character, estimated to be about three-years-old, had no trouble winning the hearts of his adopted family, frequently squawking out professions of love and hitching rides on their shoulders.

Ms Sinclair said the little comedian came with a streak of funny quirks, including tapping on her son's phone and chasing after it when it got taken away.

She said he often gazed at himself in front of a mirror and wolf whistled, and took it upon himself to climb up her leg while she cooked dinner.

The cheeky character had no trouble winning the hearts of his adopted family, frequently squawking out professions of love and hitching rides on their shoulders (stock photo)

The budgie (pictured) frequently squawks out professions of love and hitches rides on their shoulders

'He has kept us laughing, that's for sure,' Ms Sinclair said.

The hitchhiker, who hasn't been great at flying, also appeared to repeat names over and over, followed by 'pretty boy'.

'I think he says his name. But also says his owners name in other sentences. We aren't revealing those names. Anyone who comes forward would know them,' Ms Sinclair told Daily Mail Australia.

Ms Sinclair said he appeared to repeat names over and over, followed by 'pretty boy'

Ms Sinclair feared they'd exhausted their options in reuniting the tame feathered friend with his owners, having been in contact with lost pet organisations and vets, posted on social media and even put posters up around the neighbourhood.

'If we can't find his owner, we already love him and it's not a problem, he's got a home,' she said.

'But he's so incredibly tame and friendly and talkative. Someone must have spent so much time training him and is missing him so much.'
A man in the United States illegally was convicted Friday of killing two Northern California deputies in a case that helped fuel the national immigration debate.

Luis Bracamontes was found guilty of murder in the shootings of Sacramento County sheriff's Deputy Danny Oliver and Placer County sheriff's Detective Michael Davis Jr. in 2014. He also was convicted of attempted murder, carjacking, weapons violations and other crimes.

'Yay,' he said softly after first verdict read, looking around at the victims' families and jurors with a slight smile.

Luis Bracamontes was found guilty of murder in the shootings of two sheriff officer

He was found guilty in the 2014 murders Placer Sheriffs Deputy Michael Davis Jr. (left) and Sacramento Sheriffs Deputy Danny Oliver (right)

'I'm going to kill more cops soon,' Bracamontes said later as he was led away from the courtroom that had heavy security.

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Bracamontes, who has repeatedly blurted out in court that he killed the deputies and wished he had killed more. The penalty phase of his trial starts March 5.

Defense attorneys, who declined to comment after the verdict, argued that Bracamontes was mentally ill and high on methamphetamine during the shootings and should be spared. A judge found Bracamontes competent to stand trial and he refused to plead not guilty by reason of insanity.

He also was convicted of attempted murder, carjacking, weapons violations and other crimes

Family members of the victims didn't speak to reporters after the hearing.

Bracamontes is a Mexican citizen who repeatedly entered the United States illegally.

President Donald Trump's re-election campaign aired a 30-second ad last month featuring Bracamontes and accusing Democrats of being 'complicit' in the slayings of law enforcement officers by people in the U.S. illegally.

It was released on the anniversary of Trump's inauguration amid a government shutdown sparked by Democrats' refusal to support a spending plan unless Republicans agreed to protect hundreds of thousands of young immigrants from deportation.

Public defenders Jeffrey Barbour and Norm Dawson argued unsuccessfully that anti-immigrant sentiment prompted by Trump made it unlikely that Bracamontes could get a fair trial.

Yay,' he said softly after first verdict read, looking around at the victims' families and jurors with a slight smile

Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones called Bracamontes a 'despicable human being' regardless of his immigration status.

Jones, who ran unsuccessfully for Congress, waged a public campaign against the immigration policies of former Democratic President Barack Obama after the deputies were killed.

'The fact that he's an illegal alien or an undocumented immigrant, been removed four times, that doesn't make him evil. He is evil because he's a despicable human being that just happens to be here illegally,' Jones said after the verdict.

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Bracamontes

A separate jury is considering whether Bracamontes' wife, Janelle Monroy, an American citizen, should be convicted of murder. She has contended that she was a victim of her abusive and paranoid husband who frequently used meth, marijuana and alcohol during a meandering journey across several western states, from their home in Utah to Sacramento.

Investigators said he shot Oliver outside a Sacramento motel on Oct. 24, 2014, triggering a manhunt and chase that lasted hours and spanned 30 miles (48 kilometers). It ended after authorities say he shot Davis and surrendered following a lengthy standoff.

Bracamontes has shouted in court that he is guilty and asked to be put to death. He has threatened to kill his defense attorneys and more deputies, and once had to be restrained after the judge ruled that he can't fire his lawyers.
Homeowners, holidaymakers and drivers are being sold insurance policies that impose bigger fees than the value of claims.

Many major insurers are charging excesses  fees you pay when you make a claim  that can be higher than the claim itself, an investigation found.

This means it can be pointless trying to claw back anything from the policy.

In some cases the maximum a customer can claim is so low they are forced to pay extra for repairs. Sometimes they are hit with massive charges for simple things such as changing the name on a policy.

Researchers Fairer Finance found some firms charged a 100 excess to claim up to 100 of stolen cash.

Others have a 500 excess to claim 350 for dental treatment.

And some firms limit claims for changing the lock on a car to 300, even though the average cost is 700.

Homeowners, holidaymakers and drivers are being sold insurance policies that impose bigger fees than the value of claims

James Daley, managing director of Fairer Finance, said: People dont realise that insurance is becoming worse quality in front of their eyes. Unfortunately they often have to learn the lessons the hard way. A policy isnt worth the paper it is written on if it doesnt cover core things.

He added: To claim that a customer is covered for having their car keys stolen or for losing their cash when the excess is bigger than the cost of the policy is deception in my book.

Insurance companies have been caught in a number of scandals in recent years. A Mail campaign recently led to firms being forced to end a practice of imposing massive hikes on premiums from one year to the next.

The latest research by Fairer Finance found Zurich, AA and InsureandGo are among household names with payout limits that are lower than or equal to the excess on their policies.

The excess is the part of any claim that the customer has to fund themselves.

Researchers found one in ten travel cover policies offered a maximum payout of 100 for lost or stolen cash  but imposed an excess of 50. But 14 policies had a limit that was equal to or lower than the excess. That meant the customer stood to gain nothing by submitting a small claim.

Zurichs basic cover has a 100 cash limit and a 100 excess, as does InsureandGos Budget cover.

This means if you claim for losing 400 cash while on holiday, the 100 excess is taken off, leaving 300  but you will still only be paid back 100. By contrast, if you claim for a loss of 100, the excess will wipe out the whole amount and you will get nothing back.

Allsafes standard travel insurance has a cash limit of 125 with a 150 excess. The AAs Essential Travel Cover has a cash limit of 100 with a 150 excess.

Those who claimed for dental cover abroad were also affected. Goodtogo Insurances silver policy covers up to 350 of dental work  but the excess was 500.

Some firms had quietly increased their insurance excesses over the past two years, the report revealed. Legal and General had recently hiked its compulsory excess on its Extra and Essentials home insurance policy from 100 to 150.

Meanwhile, firms are offering maximum payouts that are far lower than the real cost of a claim. The report found that six in ten insurers that pay for car locks to be replaced after keys are lost or stolen offered cover of less than 700. Yet the average cost of replacing car locks is 689, according to Keycare. Insurance giant Admiral will pay just 300 in these circumstances.

Firms were routinely hitting customers with charges of up to 50 to change or cancel a policy.

The Financial Conduct Authority says these charges should reflect typical costs. But they have jumped by 50 per cent since 2005, the report found. Customers were rarely told of these fees, with less than a third of insurers mentioning the details during online purchases. Half do not include them in policy documents.

Direct Line, one of the largest motor insurers in the UK, now charges 48.16 for cancelling a policy  up from 26.25 in 2010.

The report added customers were also at risk of being caught out by terms and conditions which can be as long as 20,000 words.

A spokesman for trade body the Association of British Insurers said: Insurers always look to keep prices as competitive as possible, and are constantly innovating with new products, or by tailoring policies to individual needs.

An AA spokesman said: The excess becomes trivial in the event of major costs for injury or illness, which is what most people buy travel insurance for.

A Direct Line spokesman said: We disclose our fees at the point of purchase and there are some circumstances in which we will not charge customers for cancelling their policy.

An InsureandGo spokesman said: If you chose the Budget policy and you lose more than 100, its still worth your while to make a claim as the excess is taken off the total thats lost.

An Allsafe spokesman said customers typically bought its standard policy to cover medical claims but that customers were free to choose higher cover.

An Admiral spokesman said it offers specific car key cover at 17.95 that provides up to 2,000 if keys are lost, stolen or broken.

A Zurich spokesman said customers should pick the cover that best suits their needs. He said: More expensive policies tend to have wider levels of cover, with lower excesses. Goodtogo did not wish to comment.
Their grilling will be conducted by Labour MP John Mann (pictured), who described the pay at the firm as grotesque

The bosses in charge of Motability face a grilling from MPs over the disabled car firms bumper salaries and enormous cash pile next month.

Chairman Neil Johnson and 1.7million chief executive Mike Betts will be quizzed on March 5 over the 2.4billion amassed by the car scheme for the disabled, which the Mail revealed this week.

Their grilling will be conducted by Labour MPs Frank Field  who famously branded BHS tycoon Sir Philip Green the unacceptable face of capitalism during a similar inquisition in 2016  and John Mann, who described the pay at the firm as grotesque.

The inquiry, conducted jointly by the Treasury select committee and Work and Pensions committee, is one of three probes triggered by a Daily Mail investigation into Motability.

The Government has vowed to claw back the spare 2.4billion the firm has stockpiled. If returned to taxpayers, it could build seven new hospitals.

The Mail discovered the company has been saving 200million a year from mobility benefits. Motability is a not for profit company, yet those who run it earn vast sums. The 1.7million earned last year by 55-year-old Mr Betts  who lives in a 5million riverside apartment overlooking Tower Bridge, banks with Coutts and enjoys Caribbean holidays  is 11 times the Prime Ministers salary.

Chairman Neil Johnson, pictured with his wife, is being hauled to Parliament with chief executive Mike Betts for the showdown with MPs on March 5

David Gilman, 65, the firms former second-in-command, was paid 1.1million in 2016, while his successor Matthew Hamilton-James, 44, earned 550,000 last year. Along with chairman Mr Johnson, on 173,000, and director Neill Thomas, earning 64,000, the executives enjoy luxury lifestyles.

Yesterday Mr Field said: It is an affront to the disabled. It is not like these people are running a county police force or Carillion. Cars for the disabled is bread and butter stuff. All that is required is some very intelligent bookkeeping ... We will be keen to ask the directors some searching questions.

David Gilman (with wife Victoria) left Motability in September 2016 and earned an estimated 1.1million in his final year in the job

Mr Mann, the Labour MP for Bassetlaw, added: For an organisation set up to benefit disabled people to be paying its chief executive 1.7million is frankly a misuse of public money.

The money given to the Motability scheme exists to improve the lives of disabled people ... The fact that those at the top have been skimming off the excess is an insult.

Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey has praised the Mail and freedom of the press for lifting the lid on the scandal.

Motability has defended its reserves of 2.4billion as appropriate and proportionate. The firm argues it stockpiles cash as a financial shock absorber in case the scheme falls on hard times. It says its executives are the best in the business and deserve their pay, which consists mainly of bonuses they only get if disabled customers express high levels of customer satisfaction.

The company says it warmly welcomes scrutiny from Parliament.

A spokesman insisted the 2.4billion reserves were not a cash pile because the profits that the company makes are reinvested in its fleet.
A 24-year-old woman has been charged with allegedly engaging in an 'Islamic State inspired' terrorist act after stabbing a man in the neck as he slept in his Melbourne home.

Momena Shoma, a Bangladeshi national, allegedly attacked the 56-year-old father at his Callistemon Rise home in Mill Park, southeast Melbourne, on Friday afternoon.

He was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital where he underwent surgery on Saturday for non-life threatening injuries.

The man's five-year-old daughter was also present during the stabbing but was not injured.

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Momena Shoma, a Bangladeshi national, allegedly attacked the 56-year-old man at his Callistemon Rise home (pictured) in Mill Park, southeast Melbourne, on Friday afternoon

Police arrested the 24-year-old woman following the alleged stabbing (Pictured is a chair from the Melbourne home)

Shoma has been remanded in custody and did not apply for bail when she faced Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Saturday. Pictured: Court sketch of Shoma

Neighbours told Herald Sun the victim was a 'nice family man' and was a 'nice guy'.

Another neighbour said the man called them for help, where they found him lying in the garage in a pool of blood.

'I saw all the blood, it was shocking, I saw so much blood,' they said.

The woman was arrested at the scene and taken to hospital with a hand injury.

'She's only been in Australia for a week, they took her in because they felt sorry for her,' another neighbour said.

She had travelled to Melbourne on February 1 on a student visa and was renting a room at the property while studying at La Trobe University.

Detectives at the scene allege the woman - dressed in a black burka - used a knife to attack the father as his daughter watched on.

How and why the young Bangladeshi woman became radicalised will remain the subject of investigation, police said.

Police also allege the woman was 'inspired by the doctrines of ISIS'.

The man regularly opened his home to international students and was providing accommodation for the 24-year-old woman.

He remains in hospital in a 'serious but stable' condition, police said.

The horrified family of the man have spoken out after the alleged stabbing.

'At this time our focus is on our the welfare of our family and his recovery. We would like to offer our thanks to our family, friendly neighbours and emergency services for their support and kindness,' they said in a statement.

'This is a very upsetting time and we ask that our privacy is respected to allow time to heal.'

The Bangladeshi national was arrested at the Melbourne home where she had been staying while studying

The Victorian JCTT, which is made up of resources from the Australian Federal Police, ASIO and Victoria Police, has charged her with one count of engaging in a terrorist act under the Commonwealth Crimes Act Section 101.1.

Ian McCartney, AFP acting Deputy Commissioner, National Security, confirmed the incident was linked to Islamic State.

'We will allege this was a stand-alone, Islamic State inspired attack, designed to cause harm to our community,' acting Deputy Commissioner McCartney said.

'We deplore any attempt to intimidate our community. The AFP will continue to work together with Victoria Police to ensure the safety of the community and to protect our way of life in Australia.'

Deputy Commissioner McCartney said there are no subsequent terrorism threats to the community.

Ian McCartney, AFP acting Deputy Commissioner, National Security, confirmed the incident was linked to Islamic State (Victoria Police stock pictured)

'We will allege this was a stand-alone, Islamic State inspired attack, designed to cause harm to our community,' acting Deputy Commissioner McCartney said (Stock image)

The woman has been remanded in custody and did not apply for bail when she faced Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Saturday.

The magistrate heard Shoma - who faced court in a blue jumper with her hair tied back - injured her left hand during the alleged attack, 9 News reported.

She is expected back in court on May 2.

Investigators will be executing search warrants at the Mill Park home and another home in Bundoora, north Melbourne, where the woman had previously stayed.

There is no suggestion that anyone in the Bundoora residence was involved in the incident in any way.

Police are not looking for anyone else in relation to the investigation which they believe was an isolated incident.

'This is an isolated incident and the community can be assured that Victoria Police is doing everything we can to keep the community safe,' Acting Deputy Commissioner Ross Guenther said.

'The community can expect to see an increased police presence at a number of events today and at major events in the coming weeks.

'We urge people to report any suspicious activity to triple zero (000), Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or the National Security Hotline on 1800 123 400.'

Since 12 September 2014, when the national terrorism threat level was raised, police have charged 85 people  including this woman  as a result of 36 counter terrorism-related operations around Australia.
Most people receive some form of training when starting a job, whether it be shadowing or completing an online course.

But air stewardesses at Singapore Airlines undergo a somewhat unconventional induction programme - which includes warning them not to gain weight and telling them to cut their hair.

The company recruits 1,000 air stewards every year who have to undergo 14-weeks of rigorous training to ensure they walk, talk and look right for the job.

Singapore Airlines cabin crew have been warned they must not gain weight, file photo

The company is featuring in a Channel 4 documentary on Monday about The World's Most Luxurious Airline and will show the demanding requirements placed on cabin crew

During this period female stewards are given grooming lessons in which they are taught how to put on make-up and which hairstyles they are allowed to have.

They are also given their uniform of a blue kebaya - a traditional dress worn in southeast Asian countries.

But in a Channel 4 documentary, The Worlds Most Luxurious Airline, which airs on Monday at 9pm, it is revealed that if the female employees gain weight and can no longer fit in the uniform - they will be sacked from their role.

The companys air stewardesses have been known as Singapore girls since British-born advertising boss Ian Batey came up with a campaign to market naturally attractive Asians to Western customers in the 1970s.

On the airlines website, the Singapore girl is described as having unfading beauty and elegance.

So to make sure new recruits are up to standard, they are taught how to present themselves. They are then marked on everything from eyeshadow blending to how thick their hair is.

Cabin crew at Singapore are restricted on the types of hairstyle the can have

There are a select few hairstyles permitted by the airline for female stewards, which include a bun which must measure between 6.5 and 7cm.

However, if this up-do makes the stewardesses look like a young mother in law, grooming teacher Amy Ling will tell them they must cut it into a bob hairstyle to look more youthful.

Breaking the news to the stewardesses that they must cut their hair, she said: I have standby tissue paper, you can cry buckets of tears but you know what you need to do, right?

She also advised girls on general appearances, telling one employee to get some sleep because of her eye circles.

I wouldnt say Im strict but I would say Im working towards whats best for the companys image, she said.

And even if a woman fills all the airlines requirements, if she leaves to have children she cannot expect a job unless she loses the extra weight.

Juat Fang Foo, cabin crew training manager for Singapore Airlines, said not many women make it to the top ranks of stewarding because of this.

We do have a returning mothers scheme, but of course when they come back they must be able to fit into the uniform because I think that would be the expectation of the customer, she said.

If they dont they would have to lose the weight.

The men will be able to stay on, they dont have to worry about putting on weight after childbirth.

Customers pay up to 10,000 for a first class cabin on Singapore Airlines, which boast rotating leather armchairs, a double bed and 23-inch touch-screen televisions.

According to programme manager Alex Cameron, to build one suite cost the airline the same as a three bedroom home. When it launched its new first class last year, the company had built 100 suites.

The table alone, Cameron said, cost the same as a Ford Mondeo - which is priced at around 20,000.

This is because it undergoes a very expensive anodisation process to make the product less reactive.

The new first class suites took the airline four years to develop.
Police searching for a swimmer who disappeared after rushing into a dam to save his nine-year-old son from drowning have found a body.

A 38-year-old man swam out into the Wyangala Dam at the Gerties camping area near Cowra, New South Wales at 6pm yesterday.

He was seen to disappear underwater and not resurface while his son was rescued by a kayaker.

Dramatic pictures from the scene today showed police divers bringing a body to shore at about 1pm before wrapping it in tarpaulin.

Police searching for a swimmer who disappeared after rushing into a dam to save his 9-year-old son from drowning have found a body

A 38-year-old man swam out into the Wyangala Dam at the Gerties camping area near Cowra, New South Wales at 6pm yesterday. Pictured: The body being covered

The man was seen to disappear underwater and not resurface while his son was rescued by a kayaker

Police searched last night until 10.30pm assisted by State Emergency Service

Police searched last night until 10.30pm assisted by State Emergency Service.

The search with the Police Dive Unit resumed about 7am today until they found a body, which is yet to be identified.

Inspector Dave Harvey of Canobolas Local Area Command said the Police Forensic Services Group and Orange Detectives were continuing investigations and will prepare a report for the coroner.

The search resumed about 7am today with assistance from the Police Dive Unit until they found a body, which is yet to be identified, at 1pm. Pictured: Divers search for the body

A policeman throws a rope to divers searching for the body from a boat in the dam

The search resumed about 7am today with assistance from the Police Dive Unit until they found a body, which is yet to be identified, at 1pm
You might say this couple sold themselves down the river.

Tanner Broadwell, 26, and Nikki Walsh, 24, sold everything they owned in Colorado to buy a sailboat and live their best lives on the open sea, but that dream life was short-lived when their houseboat sank off the coast of Florida on Wednesday.

The couple was only two days into the adventure of a lifetime, when they're dream boat hit something in the water, and capsized, leaving everything but the dog, a little cash and their social security cards to float away, at their fingertips.

'I sold everything I had to do this,' Broadwell told the Tampa Bay Times, 'and I lost everything in a matter of 20 minutes.'

Tanner Broadwell (right), 26, and Nikki Walsh (left), 24, sold everything they owned in Colorado to buy a sailboat and live their best lives on the open sea, but that ship set sail for them when their boat sank on Wednesday

The team of two and their dog, a 2-year-old Pug named Remy, set sail on Tuesday to conquer the seven seas. Or so they thought.

Things were smooth sailing until Broadwell and Walsh got to John's Pass, where they planned to dock for the night.

Just 15 minutes before 9 pm Eastern, they started having a difficult time navigating the channel.

Things in their view didn't seem to line up with a navigation chart they had from 2016-2017, and then their ship struck something in the water so abruptly that Walsh almost flew off the deck.

Broadwell soon realized the keel had been ripped from the base of the boat.

As water began making its way into the cabin, Walsh called Sea Tow.

Their ship struck something in the water so abruptly that Walsh almost flew off the deck

Lost everything: The couple was only two days into the adventure of a lifetime, when they're dream boat hit something in the water, and capsized, leaving everything but the dog, a little cash and their social security cards to float away, at their fingertips

The team of two and their dog, a 2-year-old Pug named Remy, set sail on Tuesday to conquer the seven seas, or so they thought

She said her hands were shaking and she stuttered as she spoke to a representative from what is basically the AAA of the boating universe.

'I know I probably sounded like a crazy person to them,' Walsh said.

'They said they would be there in 40 minutes. I thought,"That is a long time to spend out here."'

It was dark and the fog had rolled in to the uncharted waters for Broadwell and Walsh, and now their cabin was flooding more and more.

Walsh and Broadwell met when Broadwell moved to Philadelphia, where Walsh is from, to work

The couple and their dog only made it from Tarpon Springs to John's Pass before sinking

The pair bought that 1969 Columbia sail boat from Alabama in April for $5,000

Describing how she felt in that moment, Walsh said: 'Im just standing there in awe. I just lost everything I ever owned. I see my things floating away and I cant get to them.'

Once Sea Tow finally arrived, their ship was already immersed in close to 10 feet of water, and ready capsize.

The couple, and Remy, had no choice but to jump overboard.

Now, they face what could cost them up to $10,000 to get the boat out of the water, with no money and no insurance.

The two were sick of the work they were doing, and decided to try a Caribbean adventure

The pair spent another $5,000 fixing up the sail boat before they set sail on Tuesday

Neither Broadwell nor Walsh had any boating experience, but that didn't stop them from buying the 49-year-old vessel from Alabama, last April.

They named it 'Lagniappe,' which is pronounced lanny-yap, and is Creole for 'bonus.'

'Like the 13th donut in a dozen,' Broadwell said. 'Its something extra for you.'

The couple paid $5,000 for the boat, and spent another $5,000 to get it into 'ship shape.'

To get the vessel ready for their planned Caribbean adventure, they had to travel in the 1969 Columbia sailboat along the Gulf Coast, from Alabama to Panama City.

The couple had zero sailing experience, but Broadwell's father helped them get from the point of purchase to their eventual launching location.

Broadwell and Walsh docked the boat in May in Tarpon Springs, and prepped for their trip while docked at Mar Marina.

Neither Broadwell nor Walsh had any boating experience, but that didn't stop them from buying the 49-year-old vessel from Alabama, last April

Now, they face what could cost them up to $10,000 to get the boat out of the water

Broadwell and Walsh came into each other's lives when Broadwell moved from Cocoa Beach to Philadelphia for work, where Walsh is from.

The two met, became friends, grew closer and eventually dated before moving to Breckenridge, Colorado together in 2015.

Now, with only $90 to their names, the couple aren't sure exactly what they'll do or where they'll go. But they do know one thing: this isn't the last of their adventures at sea.

'Im not going to give up now,' Broadwell said. 'Im going to get another boat down the road.'

Walsh is on board, too, at least metaphorically, if not literally at the moment.

'We cant just give up on our dreams,' she said.
A hard-Left plot to install candidates loyal to Jeremy Corbyn in Labour's top target parliamentary seats can be exposed today.

The radical party group Momentum is working hand-in-hand with the trade unions to replace moderates with hardliners in Tory-held constituencies it believes are most winnable.

Unite, the country's biggest union, has provided training to help favoured candidates win the hotly contested selections and has offered financing for campaigns.

Political organisers employed by the union, led by Len McCluskey, have been deployed to assist the would-be MPs and it has drafted in call centre staff to rally support for them.

The radical party group Momentum founded by Jon Lansman (pictured) is working hand-in-hand with the trade unions to replace moderates with hardliners in Tory-held constituencies it believes are most winnable

Long-standing Labour members have told how Momentum supporters have flooded local party meetings to vote for fervent Corbyn supporters after being mobilised online.

Candidates who have been picked to stand include a vicar nicknamed the 'Red Rev' who appeared alongside George Galloway at a mosque in East London and accused the Government of stigmatising young Muslims.

Others include a human rights barrister who provided legal advice to Mr Corbyn, a former rail union organiser and a local council leader who signed a pledge of loyalty to the Labour leader.

Momentum founder Jon Lansman has expressed his delight as candidates backed by his group, which grew out of Mr Corbyn's 2015 leadership campaign, have been victorious.

Labour has begun picking parliamentary candidates for the next general election in its top target seats, with plans to have held selections in the 75 most marginal constituencies by April.

Political organisers employed by the union, led by Len McCluskey, have been deployed to assist the would-be MPs and it has drafted in call centre staff to rally support for them

An analysis by the Daily Mail has found 19 of the 36 candidates chosen so far have close links to Momentum or the unions.

In the Cities of London and Westminster, Momentum activist and parish priest Steven Saxby won the selection after getting support from his union, Unite, and the endorsement of shadow chancellor John McDonnell, who described him as a 'good socialist comrade'.

Opponents reported that a professional campaigning firm was employed to telephone local members to canvass support on behalf of Mr Saxby.

In Camborne and Redruth  Labour's top target in the South West  the successful candidate, Momentum-backed former bus driver Paul Farmer, thanked Unite for helping him win the selection.

In Northampton South, the moderate candidate Kevin McKeever was not re-selected despite cutting the Tories' majority in the seat from 6,004 to 3,793 at the 2015 election, and then to 1,159 last year.

In the Cities of London and Westminster, Momentum activist and parish priest Steven Saxby (pictured with transgender model Talulah-Eve) won the selection after getting support from his union, Unite, and the endorsement of shadow chancellor John McDonnell, who described him as a 'good socialist comrade'

Gareth Eales was picked to stand in the seat instead after he received the backing of ten unions, including the Communication Workers Union, where he has been an official for the past 18 years.

Human rights barrister Mark McDonald, who received the backing of Momentum, was selected in Stoke-on-Trent South despite an apparent lack of local connections.

He has provided legal advice to Mr Corbyn and the suspended hard-Left activist Tony Greenstein.

However, Momentum and the unions have failed to get all their candidates selected as they have struggled to mobilise enough supporters in some seats.

A party source said: 'In some places they just haven't managed to get enough of Jeremy's army to actually turn up to the selection meetings.'

Another source added: 'They are pouring resources in but with limited success. They are trying to take over but so far they have not succeeded.'

In Watford, for example, Unite failed to get its choice  taxi driver Mike Hedges  picked as the candidate after complaints from local members that the selection was being 'rigged'.

Mr Hedges was beaten in a vote of local members by Chris Ostrowski, who stood in the seat last year.
The company also reported that he left work for hours without permission

He was fired anyway for 'inappropriate and socially unacceptable behaviour'

Fair Work Commission determined that he was not responsible for the dirty deed

A man accused of defecating in the shower at his workplace has lost his unfair dismissal bid

A man accused of defecating in the shower at his workplace has lost his unfair dismissal bid, despite being found innocent of the brazen bathroom behaviour.

The worker was dismissed from his role as a coke plant gas regulator at the Port Kembla Steelworks in June last year for 'inappropriate and socially unacceptable behaviour and unacceptable timekeeping'.

But news.com.au reported that the sacking came from the fact that he often left the plant without authorisation and engaged in 'inappropriate and socially unacceptable behaviour and unacceptable timekeeping' - not because he defecated in the staff showers.

The man strenuously denied the company's allegations.

A worker was dismissed from the Port Kembla Steelwork for 'socially unacceptable behaviour'

Fair Work Commissioner Bernie Riordan said does not believe the man defecated in the shower

'[The worker] claims that whilst he was showering he noticed that the drain was blocked and that 'floaty stuff' started coming out of the drain,' Fair Work Commissioner Bernie Riordan said in his statement.

'[The worker] claims that he tried to push the floating material back down the drain with his hands and used his feet to act like a plunger. I note that [he] wears rubber thongs when he showers.

'[He] allegedly stated ... that it looked like faeces. When leaving the shower block with his colleague, [he] is claimed to have said to his colleagues, 'Look at this shit'.'

The man's supervisor, operations manager Victoria Collins, said that it was 'not normal behaviour' to use his hands and feet to try to unblock the drain, continue to shower in the contaminated stall and then go home without reporting the incident.

'I would say any employee proved to do that needs to be sacked,' Ms Collins told Fair Work, pointing out that he could have moved cubicles, but 'chose to stay in the polluted shower'.

'I have other members who also work in that industry and they have a right to a health and safe workplace and environment so I think that if a person did that sort of stuff my main concern will be about the rest of the workforce.'

Operations manager Ms Collins doesn't understand why the man didn't change shower stalls

Mr Riordan noted that the employee in questions wears rubber thongs when he in the showers

While acknowledging Ms Collin's reasoning, Mr Riordan said: 'An accusation or finding on a behavioural issue such as defecating in a shower has widespread and ongoing ramifications for the accused individual...It is fair to say that any positive finding would stamp [him] with an unwelcomed level of public notoriety.

'While the offending material may have in fact belonged to [the worker], I do not accept that [he] possesses the human qualities, or lack thereof, to deliberately defecate in the shower,' he said.

Mr Riordan found that BlueScope had no reason to sack the man based on the shower incident, but found his timekeeping 'appalling' enough to warrant termination.

Mr Riordan found that BlueScope had no reason to sack the man based on the shower incident

Despite being cleared of the shower incident, the man was fired for 'non-attendance' to work

The employee had repeatedly and deliberately left the Steelworks plant without permission to 'conduct his own personal affairs' - including one instance where he left for more than six hours.

'Not only is such behaviour fraudulent, but it creates serious safety issues for [his] work colleagues who were unaware of his non-attendance,' he said.

'In a hazardous work location like the coke plant, I find [his] actions in deliberately contravening the 'Leaving Work Early Policy' falls within the boundaries of serious misconduct.

'I am satisfied that [his] summary dismissal was an appropriate and proportionate penalty for his conduct. [The] termination was not harsh, unjust or unreasonable.'
A prisoner has died after being assaulted by another inmate inside his New South Wales jail cell.

The 54-year-old was inside his unlocked cell on Friday when he was set upon at Silverwater Prison, west of Sydney, shortly after 2pm.

'At 3.30pm police were called to a correctional centre in Silverwater after a 54-year-old man was assaulted by another inmate,' a NSW Police spokesman told Daily Telegraph.

A prisoner has died after being assaulted by another inmate inside his unlocked Silverwater Prison (pictured) cell

The man reportedly had no connection with the criminal underworld and was serving time for his first offence.

He was being incarcerated for a violence-related crime, and was the sole occupant of the cell where the incident occurred.

The man was transported to Westmead Hospital where he later passed away.

An investigation into the incident and his cause of death has been launched by Corrective Services NSW and NSW Police.
Police first received a tip back on January 26 about 28-year-old Marianna Riossi, who was listed as a high school supply teacher with the York District Catholic School Board

A Toronto area teacher has been charged with three counts of sexual assault and sexual exploitation after allegedly having an affair with a teenage student.

Police first received a tip on January 26 about 28-year-old Marianna Riossi, who was listed as a high school supply teacher with the York District Catholic School Board.

Listed as being 'in a relationship' on her Facebook - according to Canoe.com - the tip informed authorities of a possible affair.

Riossi was said to be linked with the male student between October and December. She was listed as being employed at St Theresa of Lisieux.

'These allegations are certainly upsetting for YCDSB,' board spokesman Sonia Gallo said in a statement.

Riossi was said to be linked with the male student. She was listed as being employed at St Theresa of Lisieux (pictured)

'We take very seriously our responsibility to ensure a safe and respectful working and learning environment for all our students and staff.

'Ms. Riossi was immediately removed from her teaching assignment, and is currently on leave, as per board practice.'

It was not released which school the student attended.

Riossi has been in good standing with the Ontario College of Teachers. She has had her teacher certification since 2012.

The Vaughn native also has a 4.76 out of 5 rating on ratemyteacher.com, with a user posting that she 'makes learning fun.'

Since Thursday, the page has experienced an increase in negative comments
She styles herself as a champion of equality and an eco-warrior.

But Dame Vivienne Westwood stands accused of exploiting fashion hopefuls by using interns.

It is alleged her design company saves around 360,000 a year by using unpaid volunteers instead of salaried workers.

The fashion house created by the 76-year-old, who is worth an estimated 50million, sells dresses for up to 1,405.

Last month, the vocal Left-winger told London Fashion Week Men's: 'I use fashion as a vehicle for activism to stop climate change and mass extinction of life.'

Dame Vivienne Westwood, 76, stands accused of exploiting fashion hopefuls by using interns

But one former intern has claimed the brand relies on getting people desperate to break into the fashion world to 'bend over backwards' for them at no cost.

The woman claimed around 19 interns are taken on for three or six-month contracts throughout the year, typically working five days a week from 10am to 6pm.

On her placement, she did 'pattern cutting, sewing, making draft garments, errands and helped out on shoots'.

The woman, who did not wish to be named added: 'It's a big name to have on your CV. Fashion is cut-throat. You need good references. You don't want to have your name sullied so you'll bend over backwards for them.'

The ex-intern said she did not meet anybody who did not rely on their parents for money and her placement cost around 2,500 in rent and food alone.

'I felt exploited working so hard for a big company like Vivienne Westwood for free.

'They know how much a name like theirs can help your career which allows them to take advantage of you,' she added.

If the company employed 19 design assistants on the typical annual salary of 19,000, it would cost 361,000 a year.

It is alleged her design company saves around 360,000 a year by using unpaid volunteers instead of salaried workers

The ex-intern, who now works in fashion, feared her placement would have been cut short if she not worked 10 to 6 each day or at weekends when asked.

A company spokesman rejected the claims.

He said: 'Our voluntary experiences last for a short period and volunteers do not have set hours they are required to attend.

'We are helping young people from diverse backgrounds to secure industry knowledge and insights.'
The number of 'fit notes' issued by GPs has risen by nearly a tenth, with a larger increase for mental and behavioural disorders, research has shown.

The latest available NHS Digital figures show 1.4 million fit notes were issued between July and September 2017, a 9 per cent increase on the 1.3 million issued over the same period in 2016.

The research was carried out by GP magazine Pulse, which also found that many doctors believe the advice written on them is ignored by employers.

It showed a 13.5 per cent rise in fit notes issued for mental and behavioural disorders, while the number of notes that were for five weeks or longer went up slightly from 34.4 per cent to 35.2 per cent.

The number of 'fit notes' issued by GPs has risen by nearly a tenth, with a larger increase for mental and behavioural disorders, research has shown

The Statement of Fitness for Work, also known as the Med3 form or fit note, was introduced in April 2010 across England, Wales and Scotland to enable doctors to provide medical evidence for employers or support a claim for health-related benefits.

A fit note is issued after the first seven days of sickness absence if the doctor assesses that the patient's health affects their fitness for work.

They can decide the patient is 'unfit for work' or 'may be fit for work subject to the following advice...', with accompanying notes on suggested adjustments or adaptations to the job role or workplace.

Pulse said it has spoken to many GPs who complain about the amount of time the paperwork takes to carry out and find a lot of employers and employees do not understand how fit notes work.

Some patients are also accused of making 'inappropriate appointments' to get the notes filled in by their doctor.

The research was carried out by GP magazine Pulse, which also found that many doctors believe the advice written on them is ignored by employers

Its survey of more than 800 GPs found 21 per cent thought employers did not usually follow the advice set out in the notes.

British Medical Association (BMA) GP committee chairman Dr Richard Vautrey said: 'This is yet another indicator showing the workload pressures GPs are facing as they strive to respond to demand from their patients, and in particular the growing number of people living with stress, anxiety and depression.

'Despite this, mental health funding has lagged behind, exacerbating the problem. The vast majority of adults with mental health problems are looked after in primary care, but our own research has shown unacceptably long waiting times to access talking therapies, which can often lead to patients taking longer to recover and further impact being felt in general practice.

'This is why we need more investment in local mental health therapists and IAPT (improving access to psychological therapies) services.'
An Australian priest has been excommunicated by the Pope after a two-year investigation.

Father Ezinwanne Igbo was excluded from the Catholic Church after a complaint was made that he breached rules of confession secrecy from 2016.

Originally from Nigeria, Fr Igbo had a number of allegations made against him during his time at the Stella Maris parish in Maroochydore, Queensland, according to The Courier Mail.

The Archbishop of Brisbane Mark Coleridge released a statement saying Fr Igbo was alleged to have committed a canonical (church) offence however it was not a criminal offence under civil law.

An Australian priest has been excommunicated by the Pope after a two-year investigation into his time at the Stella Maris parish in Maroochydore, Queensland (pictured)

Father Ezinwanne Igbo can attempt to get his job back but only the Pope (pictured) can accept the request

'The Archbishop then submitted the judgment to the Holy See, who subsequently requested that the communication be made public,' he said in the written statement.

'The excommunication will remain in force until Fr Ezinwanne seeks and is granted remission by the Pope, who alone can grant it.'

While excommunicated, Fr Igbo can not participate in public worship, celebrate or receive sacraments and cannot exercise any office of ministry in the church.

The priest's lawyer Terry Boyce said 12 charges were brought against Fr Igbo but all of them were 'not proceeded with after Fr Igbo defended them'.

Fr Igbo is planning to appeal the decision after he was found guilty by the church.
This is the shocking moment a woman was caught dumping bags of rubbish in an alley behind her house.

Rahimo Mahamud, 50, was taken to court and fined more than 500 after a member of the public took photos of her fly-tipping on Moss Side, Greater Manchester.

The incident was reported to the city's council and an investigation was launched, but Mahamud failed to respond to opportunities for interviews, the council said.

This is the shocking moment a woman was caught dumping bags of rubbish in an alley behind her house

Council bosses said fly-tipping 'causes real and justifiable anger in our communities' and urged others to come forward with information.

Mahamud later admitted fly-tipping at Manchester Magistrates' Court on Thursday, January 25, this year, and was fined 560 with court costs of 125.

In another case, a rogue waste collector was fined more than 600 after a fridge, carpet and bin bags full of rubbish were dumped in south Manchester.

William O'Donnell, of Stockport Road, Cheadle, lent his van to an associate knowing it would be used for fly-tipping.

Manchester Council officers discovered the fridge, filled with ten bin bags and a carpet placed on top, on waste land on Willenhall Road, Northenden, in January last year

Manchester Council officers discovered the fridge, filled with ten bin bags and a carpet placed on top, on waste land on Willenhall Road, Northenden, in January last year.

An investigation was launched and officers traced the owner of the items to a man from south Manchester.

The man told investigators he paid cash to a 'man with a van' to dispose of the waste and gave them the registration of the vehicle. Investigators traced William O'Donnell as the owner of the vehicle and he admitted he knowingly allowed his van to be used for fly-tipping.

He also admitted he knew his associate did not own a licence to transport and dispose of waste.

Council bosses said fly-tipping 'causes real and justifiable anger in our communities'

O'Donnell, 54, was fined 140, plus 450 costs and a victim surcharge of 30, adding up to 620, following a hearing at Manchester Magistrates' Court on Thursday, February 1.

Coun Nigel Murphy, Manchester City Council's executive member for neighbourhoods, said: 'These cases show that by working together, we can catch and punish unscrupulous fly-tippers.

'It causes real and justifiable anger in our communities when waste is illegally dumped and so we welcome any information from our residents that helps us to track down those responsible.

'Our dedicated team will investigate all reported fly-tipping incidents and will not hesitate to prosecute those found to be acting illegally.'
A four-year-old girl who was critically injured while still in her mother's womb was taken off life-support on Friday.

Aurora Sky Brandi Ledoux miraculously survived the night her mother was killed by a drunk driver in Saskatchewan, Canada in July 2013.

Brandi Lepine was 26 weeks pregnant with Aurora when impaired driver Jeremiah Jobb collided into Lepine's friend's vehicle, according to CTV News.

Brandi Lepine was 26 weeks pregnant with Aurora when impaired driver Jeremiah Jobb collided into Lepine's friend's vehicle (Pictured Left to Right: Aunt Sara Mirasty, Grandmother Josie Ledoux and Aurora)

Aurora Sky Brandi Ledoux (Left) miraculously survived the night her mother was killed by a drunk driver in Saskatchewan, Canada in July 2013

Police later discovered that Jobb's blood alcohol level more than twice the legal limit and was sentenced to four years in prison.

Lepine's friend, 21-year-old Taylor Litwin, had died at the scene of the accident, but the mother-to-be had lived long enough for doctors to perform a C-section and save Aurora's life.

Police later discovered that Jeremiah Jobb's (pictured) blood alcohol level more than twice the legal limit and was sentenced to four years in prison

But the accident left the new-born baby girl with severe brain damage, leaving members of the Ledoux family shuffling in and out of hospitals.

But after years of treatment, and Aurora's condition rapidly deteriorating, the family said it had to make the heartbreaking decision of taking her off of life-support.

'It just hurts because I don't get to see her graduate, I don't get to see her go to kindergarten, I don't get to see her experience all her little things that every little child should,' Josie Ledoux, Aurora's grandmother, told CTV.

Sara Mirasty, Aurora's aunt, said she takes comfort knowing that her niece's suffering is finally over.

'She'll be with her mom, her mom will be able to hold her, and finally be a mother . . . and I think her mom is just calling her home,' Mirasty said.

'It'll just be empty, another empty space, because I think she was the main reason that helped us grieve and cope after Taylor and Brandi passed away,' she added.

An estimated four people are killed every day due to intoxicated drivers, and approximately 65,000 Canadians are impacted by impaired drivers every year, according to nonprofit organization Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

'It's something that you never want to experience,' Mirasty said. 'Because once you experience it there's going to be a hole in your chest and that hole will never be filled.'
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Police have launched proceedings to seize a $1.5million mansion owned by the family of a former South Sudanese general named in a corruption report written by George Clooney.

General James Hoth Mai Nguoth served as the Sudan People's Liberation Army's chief-of-staff from May 2009 until April 2014.

In 2016 he was accused of stealing money from his war-torn country's coffers in a report by an investigations team called The Sentry which was founded by Clooney.

Now police are targeting his luxury mansion in Narre Warren, Melbourne under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Lavish: Police have launched proceedings to seize a $1.5million mansion (pictured) owned by the family of a former South Sudanese general

Luxury: General James Hoth Mai Nguoth served as the Sudan People's Liberation Army's chief of staff from May 2009 until April 2014. Pictured: The swimming pool

Palatial: In 2016 General Hoth was accused of stealing money from his war-torn country's coffers in a report by an investigations team called The Sentry which was founded by Clooney. Pictured: The snooker room in his house

Comfortable: Now police are targeting the general's luxury mansion in Narre Warren, Melbourne under the Proceeds of Crime Act. Pictured: The living room

Former general: The Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) Chief of Staff General James Hoth Mai speaks to the media in Juba on January 2, 2014

The estate, officially bought by the general's son in 2014, boasts an infinity pool, sauna and five-car garage.

The Australian Federal police suspect the general, whose salary was around AUD$57,000, bought the mansion with the proceeds of corruption.

Their Criminal Assets Confiscation Task force started a probe in 2016 and on Tuesday began proceedings at the High Court, which have now been suspended for three weeks.

The Sentry report titled War Crimes Shouldn't Pay: Stopping The Looting And Destruction In South Sudan contains a page on General Hoth among other figures it accuses of corruption.

It says: 'Even as a senior official in the SPLA, his salary was never more than about AUD$58,000 per year.

The Sentry report called War Crimes Shouldn't Pay: Stopping The Looting And Destruction In South Sudan contains a page on General Hoth among other figures it accuses of corruption. Pictured: The view from his house

The estate, officially bought by the general's son in 2014, boasts an an infinity pool, sauna and five-car garage. Pictured: The kitchen

the Australian Federal police suspect the general, whose salary was around AUD$57,000, bought the mansion with the proceeds of corruption. Pictured: The kitchen

The Criminal Assets Confiscation Task force started a probe in 2016 and on Tuesday began proceedings at the High Court, which have now been suspended for three weeks. Pictured: The kitchen

Actor and corruption fighter: George Clooney arrives at the world premiere of Hail, Caesar! in Los Angeles with is wife Amal

'However, Gen. Hoth Mai's retirement home appears to indicate that his tenure in the SPLA was far more lucrative than his salary would suggest.

'In June 2014, the Hoth Mai family purchased a home in a beautiful suburb of Melbourne, Australia, in the name of Gen. Hoth Mai's son for AUD$1,500,000.

'Notably, Nguoth Oth Mai - Gen. Hoth Mai's 23-year-old son who purchased the house - was studying in China until mid-December 2013, just six months prior to the transaction.

'The residence is situated on a one-acre lot backing up to a forested area bordering nearby Lysterfield Lake, a popular destination for sailing, canoeing, and mountain biking.

'The home is described by the realty company that sold it as 'perfecting the balance between serenity and glamour.'

'The home boasts four bedrooms, a top-of-the-line kitchen, a two-tiered home theater, a sauna, and an infinity pool.'

It adds: 'When The Sentry visited the home in August 2016, a BMW 316i used by one of Hoth Mai's daughters was parked in front of the house.'

In court yesterday, JR Mailey, Investigations Director at The Sentry, explained why the group was suspicious of the purchase, reported the Herald Sun.

The Sentry report says: 'Even as a senior official in the SPLA, his salary was never more than about AUD$58,000 per year.' Pictured: The cinema room in his house

The report adds: 'Gen. Hoth Mai's retirement home appears to indicate that his tenure in the SPLA was far more lucrative than his salary would suggest'. Pictured: The living room

The residence is situated on a one-acre lot backing up to a forested area bordering nearby Lysterfield Lake, a popular destination for sailing, canoeing, and mountain biking. Pictured: A walk-in wardrobe

The home boasts four bedrooms, a top-of-the-line kitchen, a two-tiered home theater, a sauna, and an infinity pool. Pictured: An outdoor eating area

When The Sentry visited the home in August 2016, a BMW 316i used by one of Hoth Mai's daughters was parked in front of the house. Pictured: The sauna

He said: 'First, the cost of the home far surpassed what one could reasonable afford on the salary of a general of Hoth Mai's rank.

'Second, the Hoth Mai family had purchased the home shortly after having resided in subsidised housing, a major sudden change in the family's lifestyle.

'Finally, the home was purchased in the name of Hoth Mai's son, who had only recently graduated from college.

'We considered this a possible attempt to obfuscate the General's connection to the purchase. Taken as a whole, the circumstances of the transaction, we found, merit more scrutiny from relevant law enforcement and regulatory authorities.'

An AFP spokeswoman said: 'The investigation, which included assistance from the ACIC, focused on the acquisition of assets in Australia by the family members of an individual who is believed to have held senior positions including chief of staff in the Sudan People's Liberation Army between May 2009 and April 2014.'

The legal proceedings are a civil matter under the Proceeds of Crime Act. The alleged offences are breach of directors' duties, causing a loss to the Commonwealth and obtaining a gain from the Commonwealth. No criminal charges have be laid. The general did not attend court and his lawyer declined to comment.

In court yesterday, JR Mailey, Investigations Director at The Sentry, explained why the group was suspicious of the purchase. Pictured: The hallway

He said: 'First, the cost of the home far surpassed what one could reasonable afford on the salary of a general of Hoth Mai's rank.' Pictured: The bathroom

The Sentry said: 'Taken as a whole, the circumstances of the transaction, we found, merit more scrutiny from relevant law enforcement and regulatory authorities.'

An AFP spokeswoman said: 'The investigation, which included assistance from the ACIC, focused on the acquisition of assets in Australia by the family members of an individual who is believed to have held senior positions including chief of staff in the Sudan People's Liberation Army between May 2009 and April 2014.' Pictured: The bedroom

The legal proceedings are a civil matter under the Proceeds of Crime Act. Pictured: A room upstairs in the house with a sofa
She has slammed the handling of the situation and called for 'common sense'

It was eventually located in a tiny town in Western Australia called Lake Grace

The intended recipient said Australia Post had caused her tremendous stress

The valuable items were sent via registered mail from Canada before Christmas

Ms Ruhland's was expecting her $55,000 inheritance in bank drafts in the mail

A Melbourne woman has suffered stress to the point of physical illness after an Australia Post mistake nearly cost her over $55,000

A Melbourne woman has suffered stress to the point of physical illness after an Australia Post mistake saw her inheritance money vanish.

Claudia Ruhland was expecting $55,000 in bank drafts via a registered letter from Canada after a relative passed away - but after the ten-day mark passed, she was left panicking.

Ms Ruhland 'feared the worst' after six agonising weeks, having spent three years in a legal battle for the right to her inheritance, which caused her 'tremendous and unnecessary stress'.

'The stress of the waiting alone was unbearable and I feared the worst, that the bank drafts had been stolen,' the mother-of-two told news.com.au on Friday.

Claudia Ruhland was expecting $55,000 in bank drafts via registered letter, but it never came

'My Canadian lawyer advised that if this was the case, there was nothing they could do and we would have to accept the loss...I was devastated and could not believe this could have happened.'

She explained that she had been advised that accepting the money in the form of bank drafts was a 'better option' than an electronic transfer.

Ms Ruhland received a tracking letter on December 30 after the letter left Canada on December 18 - before the trail promptly disappeared.

Opening investigations with Canada Post and Australia Post proved futile as nobody returned her enquiries. Finally, 46 days after it was posted, the registered letter was found in Lake Grace - a small town of 500 people in Western Australia.

After mysteriously ending up on the wrong side of the country, the letter had reportedly been 'bouncing' back and forth between the sorting facility in Perth and the small post office in Lake Grace.

Ms Ruhhand was offered no explanation as to why the letter was incorrectly sorted multiple times and repeatedly returned to WA instead of Victoria.

An employee from the small town post office said that she sent the letter in an express post bag 'in the hope the error would be sighted by a human employee instead of a sorting machine and sent to Frankston'.

The letter was finally found in Lake Grace - a small town with 500 people in Western Australia

The letter 'bounced' back and forth between Perth's sorting facility and Lake Grace for a month

Upon learning that they had located her money, Ms Ruhland was so overwhelmed to hear the letter had been found she burst into tears with an Australia Post employee still on the phone.

After arranging for it to be reposted directly to her, it finally arrived on February 8.

'I cannot believe the continuous errors and bungles that occurred with this single valuable item,' she said, sharing her 'disappointment' with Australia Post's handling of the ordeal.

While she blames a technical glitch and not the staff, she said that 'at some point you have to rise above what is procedure and use some common sense'.

'The Australia Post technical system is clearly flawed as the letter did not reach its destination in a reasonable amount of time and instead simply went around in circles. It wasn't until I, the recipient, intervened that a sensible resolution was implemented.'

Ms Ruhland slammed Australia Post for not communicating even though they had her details

Ms Ruhland blames a technical glitch and not the staff, but said they needed 'common sense'

An Australia Post spokeswoman said customers with lost mail were encouraged to log an inquiry at www.auspost.com.au.

'Australia Post takes great pride in the efficient delivery of mail, with the vast majority  over 98 per cent  arriving safely and on time,' the spokeswoman said.

'Obviously something has gone wrong here...We have contacted the customer and will investigate this further.'

Ms Ruhland also blames Australia Post for 'deliberately' keeping her in the dark as to the progress of her inquiry, even though they had her contact information.
Tradies and nurses could be heading back to the classroom to teach students industry skills.

In a bid to increase Australia's global education ranking, people in other careers may be able to make the switch back to school to share their wisdom.

The national review plans to 'shake up' the country's schools where industry professionals could share their specialist skills with students, according to SBS News.

In a bid to increase Australia's education standards, tradies and nurses will be able to make the switch back to school to share their wisdom (stock image)

The national review plans to 'shake up' the country's schools where industry professionals could share their specialist skills with students (stock image)

Education Minister Simon Birmingham said on Saturday they needed to figure out what was working and what was failing.

'Having a former tradie or nurse as a teacher can bring more perspective to a classroom and can be especially beneficial for the teaching of vocational and trade skills,' he said.

Through bringing non-traditional teachers into the education system, the minister said it would add more depth to the pool of teachers.

However, the Australian Education Union federal president Correna Haythorpe said the review was 'disrespectful' towards the teaching profession.

'It is important to attract people with different skills and life experience into the teaching profession, but there should be no fast track to becoming a teacher,' she said.

Under the new plan, teaching standards won't suffer but are said to strengthen.

'Students need to learn from people from all walks of life,' Mr Birmingham said (stock image)

'Students need to learn from people from all walks of life,' Mr Birmingham told Canberra Times.

While teachers currently need to re-register every five years, depending on the state, after they achieve their undergraduate teaching degrees, Mr Birmingham believes it would be easier for industry professionals to teach their trades.

The new review aims to level out any inconsistencies between states and territories.
Joseph Michael Lopez was arrested Friday in connection with the death of Natalie Bollinger

The man in custody of killing a Colorado teenager in December told police that the girl wanted to die and had posted an ad on Craigslist seeking someone to kill her.

The Adams County Sheriff's Office announced on Friday that Joseph Michael Lopez, 22, was arrested for the death of Natalie Bollinger. The 19-year-old's body was found on a dairy farm in Adams County on December 28, nearly 26 hours after she was reported her missing in Broomfield.

An autopsy revealed that she died from a single gunshot to the head and had a 'potentially lethal dose of heroin' in her system at the time of her death.

Shawn Schwartz, 42, was initially a person of interest after a Facebook post by Bollinger accused him of stalking her. Police have since dismissed Schwartz's involvement.

Sheriff Michael McIntosh said in a press conference Friday that Bollinger and Lopez knew each other through social media and had only been friends for a short period of time. McIntosh said their relationship did not appear to be sexual.

According to an affidavit, Lopez told police that the 19-year-old wanted to die and had posted a Craigslist ad seeking someone to kill her

Bollinger had been missing since December 28, when she left home around noon and never returned. Her body was found a day later in a wooded area near a dairy farm about 30 minutes away

Lopez alleged that Bollinger told him she wanted to die because she was having issues with her boyfriend

'We had to go through all of her social media and phone data, and it was there that we found a lot of the people that we interviewed and ultimately brought us to Joseph,' he said. 'As you can imagine, a 19-year-old's social media or phone  there's a lot of data there.'

According to police, Bollinger came to the sheriff's office voluntarily for questioning Thursday night and was arrested after investigators quizzed him on the teen's death.

Lopez has been charged with first-degree murder in the girl's murder and remains jailed at the Adams County Detention Center

An affidavit released Friday evening states that Lopez told detectives that Bollinger had hired him to kill her after he responded to her ad on Craigslist, according to Denver 7.

Lopez alleged that the slain teen had posted an ad under the Women seeking Men section of Craigslist titled 'I want to put a hit on myself'.

The Domino's Pizza worker said he contacted Bollinger pretending to be a hit man and agreed to meet and kill her after a lengthy text conversation. Police said the pair had sent more than 100 text messages to each other the night Bollinger was reported missing.

The affidavit also stated that Bollinger's boyfriend was the one who reported her missing telling police that his Glock 9 mm pistol had been removed from his home.

According to Lopez, he picked up Bollinger from her home on December 28 and she told him that she wanted to be killed 'on her knees ... executed from behind'. He also said they discussed how he would be paid.

Bollinger, Lopez said, brought her own gun.

As the pair allegedly drove around looking for a location for the shooting, Lopez said he tried to talk her out of it but she insisted she wanted to follow through saying she was having issues with her boyfriend.

The affidavit states that Lopez told detectives he changed his mind about killing the teen and dropped her back off at her apartment. After investigators told him his GPS placed him at the site her body was found Lopez admitted he pulled the trigger.

He said before he shot Bollinger they both got down on their knees and prayed. Lopez then said he closed his eyes as he fired a single shot.

The affidavit does not provide evidence that Lopez's claims are true, Denver 7 reports. During the investigation, detectives learned from Bollinger's family and friends that she had a history of suicidal thoughts.

Other people interviewed said the teen was very happy and looking forward to school.



McIntosh said during Friday's news conference that a weapon was found 'around' Lopez but it's too early into the investigation to connect it to Bollinger's death.

Shawn Schwartz was initially said to be a person of interest after Bollinger had posted on Facebook two weeks before her death that he was stalking her. She was granted a restraining order against him in December

Schwartz, 42, denied his involvement going on Facebook to ask people to help search for Bollinger

Adams County sheriff said in news conference that Schwartz was not connected to Bollinger's disappearance and murder

Before Lopez's arrest, Schwartz was said to have been connected to the girl's murder although he posted on Facebook that he was innocent.

His name came up after a Facebook post Bollinger posted two weeks before her death alleged that Schwartz was stalking her and harassing her family.

'He drove across the country to see me  slept behind my work for weeks. When I told him I didn't want to see him anymore, he sent me hundreds of texts and calls,' she posted.

She added that Schwartz would also reach out to her family members and had allegedly threatened to kill himself in front of her. Bollinger was granted a restraining order against Schwartz on December 15, two weeks before she was found dead.

McIntosh, however, said he doesn't believe Schwartz was involved in Bollinger's disappearance or murder.

Lopez was booked on first-degree murder and is being held at the Adams County Detention Center. A bond has not been set.
The 20-year-old intruder who was placed under citizen's arrest by disgraced vlogger Logan Paul has been sentenced to 30 days in jail.

The man, who has not been identified, struck a plea deal when he appeared in court on Thursday and entered a no contest plea for aggravated trespass, according to TMZ.

He was sentenced to 30 days behind bars and 24 months probation, the L.A. City Attorney's Office told TMZ. He was also ordered to stay away from Paul's block.

Paul, 22, performed the arrest after returning to his San Fernando Valley home at around 10pm Tuesday, where he discovered the man sitting on his couch charging his phone.

Citizen's arrest: Disgraced vlogger Logan Paul made a citizen's arrest Tuesday night after finding an intruder charging his phone in his living room. Paul is pictured at his Encino home in the San Fernando Valley

Police were notified and the man was booked for criminal trespass.

The man had reportedly wanted to meet the YouTube star, law enforcement told the website.

Several people were upstairs at the time the intruder entered the home through an unlocked front door.

However, the individuals inside the property thought they had heard Paul entering the residence.

Paul has taken a three week hiatus after being universally slammed for picturing a suicide victim and laughing as they hung from a tree in Japan last year.

Paul was universally slammed for uploading a video on New Year's Eve from Japan's 'suicide forest' where he and his friends had gone camping. They stumbled upon a victim hanging from a tree and kept rolling afterwards, even zooming in on his body

The victim that Paul included in his footage of the trip is seen above. DailyMail.com has altered the image to protect his identity. Paul did not when he first uploaded the video. He removed it not long after it was posted online

On December 31, he uploading footage of the victim hanging from a tree in a forest.

Paul and his friends had gone to spend the night in the forest and giggled as they told viewers that it was 'haunted' by the souls of the thousands who take their lives there.

They came across the man by accident but continued rolling and zoomed in on his dead body as Paul shouted: 'Are you f****** with us bro?' before calling police.

He was widely condemned and took the footage down not long after it was posted, later posting a grovelling Twitter apology before signing off.

After a three-week hiatus, he returned to the spotlight at the end of January to donate $1million to suicide prevention charities and appeared in a video with suicide survivors who he interviewed to try to educate himself on the issue

He dedicated his first video back to suicide prevention and pledged $1million to charities which support the issue.

But on Friday, YouTube suspended ads on his channels citing the troubled star's 'recent pattern of behavior'.

The decision from YouTube came just days after he tweeted Monday that he would swallow a Tide Pod for every retweet. That same day he tasered two dead rats and removed a live fish from water and 'performed CPR' on it.

'In response to Logan Paul's recent pattern of behaviour,' YouTube tweeted on Friday, 'we've temporarily suspended ads on his channels.'

Logan Paul yet again sparked controversy with a ouTube video which shows him tasering two dead rats on the balcony of his bedroom at his $6.55million Encino home. He is shown with two assistants as he administers the electric currents

YouTube suspended his advertisers over video or him tasting dead rats, doing 'CPR' on a fish and suggesting eating Tide Pods

This tweet in combination with Paul's rat tasering and fish CPR ended with his advertising being temporarily suspended

'Recent pattern of behavior': Paul kept up dangerous antics despite just coming off a hiatus for showing a suicide victim's body

A spokeswoman said: 'This is not a decision we made lightly, however, we believe he has exhibited a pattern of behaviour in his videos that makes his channel not only unsuitable for advertisers, but also potentially damaging to the broader creator community.'

According to the website Social Blade, which estimates influencers earnings from their online statistics, Paul may have earned at least $43,000 from ad revenue on YouTube in the last month alone, despite taking the break.
A cow has died at sea after escaping from a cattle export ship despite a brave rescue attempt by canoeists.

The animal escaped during loading last night and found its way into the sea in Townsville, Queensland.

A group of canoeists saw the cow struggling in the water early this morning after surviving all night.

A cow has died at sea after escaping from a cattle export ship despite a brave rescue attempt by canoeists. Pictured: The cow in the sea before it died

They put a lifejacket around the cow and started to tow it to shore with a rope but it died of exhaustion on the way.

Witness Julie Lyne told Daily Mail Australia: 'It was very distressing. I was hoping for a better outcome but alas.'

Canoeist Pam Roberts went to help after she saw a group of people paddling near the cow.

She told the Townsville Bulletin: 'We went around to help because we had a bigger boat. We had a couple of people get in the water as well.

'They put a life jacket around the cow and a rope to try to bring it in but I think it was at the point of exhaustion. It was extremely sad.'

They put a lifejacket around the cow and started to tow it to shore with a rope but it died of exhaustion on the way. Pictured: The cow on the beach

A Port of Townsville spokeswoman said: 'The incident is unfortunate and the exporter has advised us they will conduct an investigation into the matter.'

An Australian Livestock Exporters' Council spokesman said exporters 'invest significantly in reducing risks to animal welfare'.

He added: 'When an extremely rare yet tragic incident occurs despite all precautionary measures taken, the Department of Agriculture is advised immediately and an investigation is undertaken, with the full co-operation of the exporter and industry.'
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A winter storm that pounded the Midwest caused at least two deaths Friday, authorities said, while closing schools and forcing the cancellation of hundreds of flights.

Snow-related crashed snarled highways across southern Michigan, with one person killed when a semitrailer struck the rear of a car stopped in traffic on US 23 near Flint, police said.

A 33-year-old woman from Clio, Michigan, north of Flint, was the only fatality in the multi-vehicle accident just before noon on Friday, the Detroit Free Press reported.

She was driving her 2014 Chevrolet Cruze northbound on the interstate when she started to slow down after noticing a traffic jam ahead of her.

A winter storm that pounded the Midwest caused at least two deaths Friday, authorities said, while closing schools and forcing the cancellation of hundreds of flights. Emergency personnel (above) work at the scene of a multiple vehicle crash along US route 23 northbound near Flint, Michigan, on Friday

Snow-related crashed snarled highways across southern Michigan, with one person killed when a semitrailer struck the rear of a car stopped in traffic on US 23 near Flint, police said

A 33-year-old woman from Clio, Michigan, north of Flint, was the only fatality in the multi-vehicle accident just before noon on Friday

She was driving her 2014 Chevrolet Cruze northbound on the interstate when she started to slow down after noticing a traffic jam ahead of her. The image above shows snow drifting across interstate 23 in Fenton, Michigan on Friday

Northbound traffic moves slowly up Route 127 near Lake Lansing Road as a snow plow scrapes and salts the road early Friday morning

Vehicles rest along the snowbound shoulder along Interstate 94 near Galesburg, Michigan on Friday

A Michigan State Police trooper was hospitalized after a pickup truck lost control and slammed into his stopped squad on Interstate 94 northeast of Detroit

A pileup on the same highway just east of Kalamazoo in southwestern Michigan collected 38 vehicles, including 16 semitrailers, in the eastbound lanes Friday afternoon, causing only minor injuries

Early estimates put the number of vehicles involved at about 50, but police said the crash involved 51 vehicles over a stretch of three miles

The crash occurred about 12:30pm during periods of heavy snowfall. Emergency crews were working to remove a jack-knifed semi at the Galesburg exit ramp

All lanes were reopened at 6:20 p.m. on Friday. Several injuries were reported, but all are minor in nature

The highway eastbound was closed at Sprinkle Road for several hours and motorists were encouraged to seek alternate routes

As she was coming to a stop, she was rear-ended by a Freightliner semitrailer driven by a 54-year-old man from Flat Rock, Michigan, according to a statement from the Fenton Police Department.

The man was simply unable to stop his vehicle before the collision, according to authorities.

The Freightliner ended up resting on top of the Chevy Cruze, according to police.

The initial collision started a chain reaction, which forced the Cruze to rear-end a commercial van, which then crashed into a semitrailer, which then crashed into another semitrailer.

A motorist waits along the snow covered Interstate 94 on Friday. State police officials also issued a reminder to drivers to exercise extra care when traveling in snowy conditions

Reducing speed and increasing following distance between vehicles allows drivers time to react to hazards which can prevent these multi-vehicle crashes

'It was like a blizzard,' Jason Morrison, a resident of Kalamazoo, said. Morrison's car was one of dozens forced to stop along the jammed highway

'Visibility was right in front of your windshield, that's it. People were just backed up because there was an accident up here, so I just pulled over,' Morrison said

A motorist above is seen surveying the damage along I-94 as he stands next to a white BMW involved in a collision

An emergency responder is seen above directing a motorist on I-94 in the midst of a major pile-up on Friday

The commercial van driver, a 44-year-old man from North Branch, Michigan, was taken to the hospital with injuries that were described as non-life-threatening.

There were no other injuries reported.

None of the names of those involved in the accident have been released as of before noon on Saturday.

Also on Friday, a Michigan State Police trooper was hospitalized after a pickup truck lost control and slammed into his stopped squad on Interstate 94 northeast of Detroit.

Icicles form along the face and mane of a horse that endures as snow continues to fall in Fenton, Michigan on Friday

A pair of horses stand together on a farm in Fenton Township on Friday

Alan Avila walks with an umbrella during a winter storm in Detroit on Friday

The QLine and a snowplow make their way down Woodward Ave. as snow continues to fall in the Motor City on Friday

Construction equipment is used to clear snow from the roads in downtown Detroit on Friday

A dog walker passes beneath the DuSable Michigan Avenue Bridge next to a frozen Chicago River in Chicago on Friday

Dennis Jefferson, 58, walks down the middle of the street on Flint Park Boulevard as he endures a massive snowstorm head-on during a two-mile trek to go play dominoes with friends on Friday in Flint

A woman covers her face as snow from a winter storm falls on Michigan Avenue in Chicago

A Michigan City Sanitation Department truck dumps snow at Gardena Playground as crews worked to clear snow from city streets in Michigan City, Indiana on Friday

Workmen clear a walkway as snow from a winter storm falls on Michigan Avenue in Chicago

Parts of the Chicago area saw about 8 to 13 inches of snow as a winter storm made its way through over the weekend

A man clears a sidewalk in front of a building as snow from a winter storm falls on Michigan Avenue in Chicago on Friday

A man throws a snowball at a friend on Michigan Avenue in Chicago

A man walks with his face covered (left) while a homeless man (right) sits against a snow-covered wall on Michigan Avenue in Chicago

A pileup on the same highway just east of Kalamazoo in southwestern Michigan collected 51 vehicles, including 16 semitrailers, in the eastbound lanes Friday afternoon, causing only minor injuries.

According to MLive.com, a number of crashes happened within a five-mile stretch of Interstate 94.

'It was like a blizzard,' Jason Morrison, a resident of Kalamazoo, said.

Morrison's car was one of dozens forced to stop along the jammed highway.

'Visibility was right in front of your windshield, that's it. People were just backed up because there was an accident up here, so I just pulled over.'

In Naperville, Illinois, just west of Chicago, a man in his 60s died after suffering a heart attack while shoveling snow Friday morning, Edward Hospital spokesman Keith Hartenberger told the Chicago Tribune.

The National Weather Service at least reported 10 inches of snow on the ground Friday afternoon in suburban Chicago and 11 inches near South Bend, Indiana.

Chicago was forecast to receive as much as 14 inches of snow with Detroit expecting up to 9 inches.

Chicago was forecast to receive as much as 14 inches of snow with Detroit expecting up to 9 inches

The National Weather Service at least reported 10 inches of snow on the ground Friday afternoon in suburban Chicago and 11 inches near South Bend, Indiana

More than 1,000 flights were canceled at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport and more than 300 were canceled at Midway, the Chicago Department of Aviation reported Friday afternoon

Three northern Indiana counties posted travel watches, recommending only essential travel

Another storm system could arrive Sunday morning with 1 to 3 more inches due for Chicago and perhaps 4 more inches headed for Detroit

Many large cities in the northern half of the United States saw some snowfall this weekend

Dangerously slippery conditions are expected for many major towns, including St. Louis, Indianapolis, Cleveland, and Rochester

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said the city was gearing up for three more rounds of snow through the weekend.

More than 1,000 flights were canceled at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport and more than 300 were canceled at Midway, the Chicago Department of Aviation reported Friday afternoon.

More than 260 flights were canceled at Detroit Metropolitan Airport in Romulus, Michigan.

Three northern Indiana counties posted travel watches, recommending only essential travel.

Thousands of children got a snow day after school districts in Chicago, Detroit and Milwaukee canceled classes.

Schools across Nebraska and Iowa also closed or delayed the start of classes.

It made for a great day for kids to go sledding, make snow angels and play with pets outside instead of reading, writing and arithmetic.

Angela Lekkas took her children sledding in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood.

'The kids couldn't wait to get out today,' she said.

'This is the first true snowfall of the season.'

The Indiana Department of Transportation resorted to sending teams of as many as four plows simultaneously to clear some highways.

Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation Commissioner John Tully said 300 salt-spreading plows hit the streets late Thursday and would continue their work through the weekend.
David Zlatanovic tried to attack a police dog named Chyna during his arrest in 2015

A man who assaulted four officers and a police dog named Chyna will spend at least a year in prison despite pleading not guilty to the charges.

Police attempted to arrest David Dragomir Dragan Zlatanovic at the home of his ex-partner in April 2015 for outstanding warrants and defying an apprehended violence order.

But Zlatanovic denied doing anything wrong during the mele, during which he attacked officers with timber paling and attempted to grab Chyna by the muzzle and gouge out her eyes.

He was convicted on nine charges linked to the brawl, including one charge of animal cruelty against the police animal.

Zlatanovic, who is already in prison, showed no emotion when he heard the verdict by video link on Friday.

David Zlatanovic (pictured) also attacked four police officers at the home of his ex-partner in an arrest attempt for outstanding warrants and defying an apprehended violence order.

'The police who attended  were entitled to arrest the defendant. They were simply doing their job on the day in question,' Magistrate Cate Follent said, according to the Illawarra Mercury.

'They are entitled to go about their work without being subjected to the type of gratuitous violence to which they were exposed due to [Zlatanovic's] actions.'

In court, officers recounted the evening of April 9, 2015, saying that Zlatanovic his his hands behind his back before brandishing a wooden paling and throwing a DVD player at them.

He was sentenced to a total prison term of 18 months, with a non-parole period of 13 months. He may become eligible for parole from March 2019, but is expected to be serving further prison time for unrelated offences.

According to the evidence, police attempted to subdue him with OC spray and taser barbs, at which point be lunged at Chyna and tried to pull her towards him. He was forced to release the animal after her handler struck him repeatedly in the head.
The ex-wife of the recently sacked White House Staff secretary Rob Porter told CNN that the Mormon Church urged them to reconcile their differences despite informing them of physical abuse.

Colbie Holderness told Anderson Cooper earlier this week that she met Porter at a Mormon student event in Cambridge, Massachusetts while attending college.

At first, things went well for the young couple. But just months after their 2003 marriage, Holderness said the relationship turned abusive, and turned to the church for guidance.

Colbie Holderness (R) and Jennifer Willoughby (L) claimed that the Mormon Church urged them to makeup with Porter despite physical abuse

Rob Porter (Pictured) abruptly resigned Wednesday after DailyMail.com published allegations that he'd abused his two ex-wives.

Porter, one of the president's closest aides and a rising star in the administration, abruptly resigned Wednesday after DailyMail.com published allegations that he'd abused his two ex-wives. A former girlfriend of Porter has also stepped forward with claiming abuse.

The 40-year-old Boston native denies the allegations against him, describing them as a 'smear campaign.'

For life-long Mormons like Porter and Holderness, the first person congregants typically turn to outside the immediate family is a bishop inside the church.

The Mormon faith sees marriage as sacred and eternal, a cornerstone of the theology that some say may lead to couples staying in toxic relationships (Pictured: Mormon Church in Cambridge, Mass)

But unlike the clergy, the Mormon church's canonicate is made up of lay people with little training or counseling credentials, according to CNN, and are all men.

Holderness claims Porter emotionally and physically abused her, choked her repeatedly, and in one instance, punched her in the face, leaving her with a black eye.

Porter's second wife, Jennifer Willoughby - also a member of the Mormon church - has made similar accusations.

Holderness noted that she turned to three bishops while the abuse was going on, with each having being ill-equipped to handle the gravity of her situation.

She could almost see one wondering, 'What does that mean?' Holderness recalls.

It wasn't until sought professional counseling that the gravity of her situation was made clear.

'It was the first time I had someone say to me: This is very serious. You might not feel like your life is in danger now but this is very serious and choking is something that can become life-threatening.'

Holderness pictured with black eye she claims was a result of Porter striking her in the face

The two later got a divorce against the Mormon churche's advice.

For Willoughby, who was married to Porter from 2009 to 2013, she shared a similar experience with CNN on Friday.

Willoughby recalled that one of the bishops, who worked with Porter, warned her not to file any charges with the police saying the move could hurt his career.

'I was just kind of stunned,' Willoughby told Anderson Cooper during his evening broadcast.

Some members of the Mormon church say the Porter scandal raises serious concerns with the culture and the belief that marriage is sacred and eternal -- a cornerstone of Mormon theology -- which may lead to couples staying in toxic relationships.

'I see this as an extension of the #MeToo movement,' Kathleen Flake, a professor of Mormon studies at the University of Virginia, told the CNN. 'It is almost inevitable that this will cause the Mormon church to examine their existing guidance to local church leaders.'

According to faith's manifesto, called the 'Church Handbook of Instructions,' the literature states that 'abuse cannot be tolerated in any form.'

Asked about Holderness and Willoughby's experience, a spokesman for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said that it is 'difficult to speak to specific circumstances without complete information from all involved, but the position of the church is clear. There is zero tolerance for abuse of any kind.'

'Church leaders are given instruction on how to prevent and report abuse and how to care for those who have been abused,' the spokesperson added.
President Donald Trump signed a deal in the early hours of Friday morning that got the government back up and running, and part of that deal is believed to have included money for the wall along the US-Mexico border, officials told Reuters.

Trump has stated his desire to 'build a wall' on repeat for the past two years, both before and after taking office, but the truth is there's already a wall along our southern border, and it has evolved quite a bit over time.

If Trump gets the $3 billion he's asking for, though, portions of it will be made taller and stronger, possibly modeled after one of four completed 30-foot-tall concrete prototypes that were created by construction companies vying for the potential job, last year.

Trump has stated his desire to 'build a wall' on repeat for the past two years, both before and after taking office, but the truth is there's already a wall along our southern border, and it has evolved quite a bit over time; US border guards (right) checking Mexicans entering America in May 1920

The earmarked funds are anticipated to go toward purchasing private land in the Rio Grande Valley in south Texas and advance purchases of steel, the official, who briefed a small group of reporters on condition of anonymity, said on Thursday.

The administration hopes to build 60 miles (96 km) of new steel bollard fencing along the border with 2018 funding and an additional 64 miles (103 km) with 2019 funding.

This is all part of Trump's plan to limit immigration into this country, which he has already taken steps to do by setting the wheels in motion for the elimination of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

A line of cars is seen here conveying Mexicans over the border into California on March 21, 1929; The fence in the foreground is the border; the line of cars is in the main street of Mexicali

Mexicans are seen here entering the United States through a turn-style at a US immigration station in El Paso, Texas in 1937

DACA, which has allowed nearly 800,000 immigrants who came to the US as children to stay and work in the country, is set to begin being phased out in March if Congress fails to act.

But Trump is not the first President to attempt to tighten border security since the US signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

It did take a little while, though, before the federal government started being more formal about it.

Two armed American border guards deter a group of immigrants from attempting to illegally cross a river from Mexico into the United States in 1948

A view of the Sigma Pi Sorority crossing under the Mexican boarder sign to Tijuana Mexican in Calexico, California on March 15, 1950

Mexican women stand by the river, on American territory at Rio Grande, in the 1950s

Mexico established its independence, shortly after the US did, in 1824. But it wasn't until 100 years later, on May 28, 1924, that Congress established the US Border Patrol.

The agency was created as part of the Immigration Bureau in the Department of Labor through the Labor Appropriation Act of 1924.

And so began the evolution of how the United States went about policing immigration into America from Mexico.

Mexican immigrants are seen here near the border of the United States in the 1950s

Felipe Ramirez-Perez, a six-foot-tall Mexican is caught as he tries to sneak into the United States illegally under the hood of an auto, caught by immigration inspector Richard McCowan, on March 11, 1952 in San Diego, California

Border crossing inspections initially started out as gentle pat-downs, where Mexicans would enter the US through wire fences.

As the Great Depression began its onset, the US inititiated a repatriation program in 1930. This provided Mexican immigrants with free train fare back to Mexico, as fears grew over scarcity of employment.

By 1937, more order was implemented, and people were made to line up and pass through turn-styles before entering the country.

Throughout the 1930s, hundreds of thousands of Mexican immigrants, many of those farm workers, were deported back to their native country.

The 1950s still saw more casual interaction, with photos showing border patrol guards face-to-face with would-be immigrants in wide open spaces.

A border guard checks passes of Mexicans entering the United States near Nogales, Mexico, in 1962

In 1954, as the US saw undocumented immigration rise after World War II, the government launched a program (then-called Operation Wetback, after a derogatory term referring to immigrants that arrived in the US by water), which resulted in the deporting of nearly 4 million Mexican immigrants.

Undocumented immigration into the US increased after WWII, so in 1954, the government launched Operation Wetback, a program that deported nearly 4 million Mexican immigrants.

Congress passed the Immigration and Nationality Act in 1965, which ended caps based on country on the number of immigrants allowed into the US.

The act's goal was to reunite immigrant families and attracting skilled labor to the US.

US Customs agents are seen here patrolling the border in 1993

Stopped on Humphreys Road about half a mile north of the Mexico border, Supervisory Border Patrol Agent Trei Rasmusson opens the trunk of a car with two men inside, on September 22, 1995 in Tecate, California

Pedestrians and cars enter Mexico with ease in San Ysidro, CA on September 19, 2001 but may be delayed as much as three to six hours while crossing from Mexico to the US because of increased security checks in the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks on the east coast

It was in 1994 when the government began to beef us border wall appearances, in response to public belief that large numbers of undocumented immigrants and drug dealers were crossing the US-Mexico border.

The government began placing corrugated steel walls along the border around that time, measuring 8-10 10 feet tall.

Even then, though, the border wall in some places was would have been easily climbed, if no one were waiting on the other side.

US Immigration inspector Guierrmo Reza watches a monitor display a picture of a motorist from Mexico who has swiped his card to pass through an automated commuter lane at the Otay Mesa border crossing on January 14, 2003

A child lies in a cut away dashboard of a vehicle where he was discovered trying to be smuggled into the US from Mexico provided by Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS); The photo is undated, but may be from around early 2003

Thousands of cars line up to enter the United States from Mexico at the San Ysidro Port of Entry in San Ysidro, California on February 20, 2003

Throughout the history of people attempting to cross the US-Mexico border illegally, it's been done in many ways.

A common stereotype is to hear of people hiding in compartments, out of view, in vehicles.

Photo evidence exists of this method being put into practice, for as long as cars have been driving over the border.

A man sweeps the street next to the US-Mexico border fence between Mexicali, Mexico and Calexico, California on March 25, 2005

A federal agent with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement stands guard in a tunnel found along the US-Mexico border at a warehouse in Otay Mesa, California on January 30, 2006

Brian Stanley (right) and Katie Resendiz (left), volunteers on patrol with the humanitarian group No More Deaths, search for migrants in distress on a trail used by those entering the US illegally from Mexico on June 16, 2006 in Pima County, Arizona

A border patrol vehicle drags the sand to make any new footprints of border crossers more visible along a recently constructed section of the controversial US-Mexico border fence expansion on previously pristine desert sands on March 14, 2009 between Yuma, Arizona and Calexico, California

As technology improves, so do border measures.

In the late 1090s, border inspection stations started using an automated program, called SENTRI, for pre-screened motorists.

This was intend to speed up the crossing process for those willing to have their information entered into the system.

People enjoy a late afternoon near the US-Mexico border fence which ends in the Pacific Ocean on September 25, 2016 in Tijuana, Mexico

People wait in line to enter the United States at the San Ysidro Port of Entry on January 27, 2017 in Tijuana, Mexico

A view is seen here of the US-Mexico border wall on January 25, 2017 in San Ysidro, California

Today, the wall is cement in some places, topped with barbed wire in others, and extended out into the ocean on the west coast.

What the will happen with the US-Mexico border wall inthe coming years remains to be seen.

The exact terms of the funding bill signed into law by Trump on Friday are expected to be made public on Monday.
A Perth bikie boss who founded the notorious Brothers 4 Life gang has been jailed for six years for dealing meth.

Musa Salleh, 55, was charged with the offences after police intercepted calls he made to organise drug deals on 31 separate occasions in 2016.

Gang crime squad officers raided his Department of Housing property and found 50g of the methamphetamine, a sawn-off shotgun, ammunition, steroids, cannabis and more than $25,000 in cash, the West Australian reports.

Musa Salleh, 55, was charged with the offences after police intercepted calls he made to organise drug deals on 31 separate occasions in 2016

Gang crime squad officers raided his Department of Housing property and found 50g of the methamphetamine, a sawn-off shotgun, ammunition, steroids, cannabis and more than $25,000 in cash (Brothers 4 Life members pictured)

Salleh allegedly founded Brothers 4 Life at the time of his arrest and used his taxpayer-funded home in Waikiki, south of Perth, as the headquarters for the gang and held weekly meetings there.

When the Department of Housing was alerted about Salleh's drug dealing convictions, his family was forced to move out of the property.

His defence argued Salleh was a 'newcomer' to the world of drugs when police swooped in 2016.

'It's not something that he was particularly adept at... and he's clearly not particularly sophisticated, if you like, although on the face of it, it appears to be a fairly sophisticated operation,' his lawyer John Bougher argued.

Salleh allegedly founded Brothers 4 Life at the time of his arrest and used his taxpayer-funded home in Waikiki, south of Perth, as the headquarters for the gang and held weekly meetings there

Judge Audrey Braddock replied: 'If that's right, Mr Bougher, this really is starting at the top.'

Since Salleh's arrest police have charged over a dozen more Brothers 4 Life members for offences including violent assaults and drug and firearm-related crimes.

A total of 15 guns were also recovered from the gang's collective artillery.

Salleh was for sentenced total of six years and three months but will be eligible for parole after two years.
US intelligence officials desperate to get back stolen cyberweapons reportedly paid $100,000 to a Russian operative who claimed he was not only in possession of the hacking tools but had compromising information on President Donald Trump.

According to a report by the New York Times on Friday, the Russian took the money but failed to turn over the stolen material or the dirt on Trump.

The outlet reports that the CIA began meeting with the unidentified spy early last year after he claimed to have cyberweapons stolen from the National Security Agency. The man also told American officials that he had images of Trump hanging out with hookers in Moscow in 2013.

US spies reportedly paid a Russian spy $100,000 after he claimed to have cyberweapons stolen from the National Security Agency

The Russian also said he had alleged photos of President Donald with three hookers in Mowsow

Several US intelligence officials who spoke with the Times made it clear to the outlet that they were not interested in the Trump dirt but wanted the stolen NSA hacking tools, which were designed to break into computer networks in Russia, China and other US rivals.

The materials were stolen in 2017 by a group which calls itself Shadow Brokers.

The Times reports that American spies had their doubts about the Russian operative, who was known to have ties to Russian intelligence and cybercriminals, but decided to arrange a deal with him.

The man initially asked for $10 million in exchange for the information, but later changed it to $1 million. After months of negotiations, US intelligence met the Russian spy in September at a Berlin TK to give him the first installment of his payment - $100,000.

Instead of coming through on his end of the deal, the Russian spy handed over a 15-second video that showed an American businessman speaking to two women in a hotel room. There was no sound in the video and no evidence the man was Trump.

The Russian took the money but never turned anything over. The cyberweapons were stolen from the NSA last year

To keep the deal from ending, the Russian also said he had information on Trump associates. In October and December he delivered documents he alleged contained information which implicated Trump's associates, but the Times reports that most of the information the documents included were already public knowledge.

The Russian also said he was holding on to the NSA cyberweapons 'at the orders of senior Russian intelligence officials'.

Fearing the man might have been working with the Russian government and purposefully providing false information to create discord in the American government, US officials cut ties with the operative.

Earlier this year, the Times reports, they gave him one more chance but he still did not follow through on providing the hacking tools and information he claimed to have.

Officials told the man to either leave Western Europe or face criminal charges. The Russian decided to leave.
Residents in Samoa hope the worst is over as tropical cyclone Gita moves away from the island nation after wreaking havoc.

Power has been cut and more than 200 people have been evacuated from their homes after major flooding, which include main roads in the capital city of Apia.

A category 2 cyclone warning on Saturday morning has since been cancelled.

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Power has been cut, main roads flooded and more than 200 people have been evacuated from their homes in Samoa

The National Disaster Committee met on Saturday to discuss the status and effects of damage caused by tropical cyclone Gita

'Tropical cyclone warning category 1 (39-54mph) remains in force for all of Samoa,' Samoa Meteorological Service's Facebook page states.

'Heavy rain warning remain in effect for Samoa; flooding and landslide is possible for vulnerable areas. Flood advisory remains in effect for low-lying coastal areas due to high surf.'

There have been no reports of any casualties as a result of tropical cyclone Gita.

Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi addressed the nation on Saturday afternoon.

'Late last night it was category one however as of this morning it had increased to a level two category,' he said.

'The good news is that it is slowly moving away from us.

The National Disaster Committee met on Saturday to discuss the status and effects of damage caused by the cyclone.

The extent of damage caused were from flooding and strong winds.

The cyclone is moving away but heavy rain warnings remain in effect in Samoa with more flooding and landslides possible

The extent of damage caused by the tropical cyclone were from flooding and strong winds

Heavy rain, thunderstorms, rough seas and winds of up to 90 kilometres per hour are forecasted for the next two days.

Villages worst affected by flooding include Lelata, Apia Park, Fa'atoia, Matautu, Fugalei, Taufusi and Pesega, the Samoan Observer reports

The danger is far from over where both the Prime minister and Ministry of Police advised residents to stay safe by avoiding flooded roads and rivers.

Former Tropical Cyclone Fehi slammed New Zealand last week, flooding South Island towns and sparking a state of emergency.

The Government of Samoa shared a warning on Facebook instructing people to take 'precautionary measures'.

A video shared online shows murky brown storm water flooding a family home, gushing through the property as it sweeps away cars and belongings.

Flights from Samoa to Fiji and ferry trips were cancelled on Friday, while students were sent home from school and transport around the island is limited.

Residents in Samoa have been urged to stay safe by avoiding flooded roads and rivers
Judge Gonzalo Curiel (pictured), who was berated by Donald Trump during the presidential campaign, says he's inclined to rule on a case involving Trump's proposed border wall

A judge who was berated by Donald Trump during the presidential campaign says he's inclined to conclude he can decide a lawsuit that challenges the president's proposed border wall.

U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel said during 2.5 hours of arguments Friday in San Diego that he was leaning toward deciding he has jurisdiction in a lawsuit that alleges the Trump administration overreached in waiving laws that require environmental and other reviews.

The administration argues he doesn't have jurisdiction.

Curiel asked the administration and wall opponents to file additional briefings by the end of Tuesday.

The state of California and advocacy groups want Judge Curiel to rule that a border wall with Mexico must go through normal environmental reviews, which could block construction or at least cause major delays.

The challengers contend that authority to waive the environmental reviews under a 2005 law expired.

California is joined by the Center for Biological Diversity, the Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife and the Animal Legal Defense Fund.

The state of California and advocacy groups want Judge Curiel to rule that a border wall with Mexico must go through normal environmental reviews

The challengers contend that authority to waive the environmental reviews under a 2005 law expired

The judge said he would likely within days whether to dismiss the challenge by the state of California and environmental advocates or let it proceed.

Trump repeatedly criticized Curiel in 2016 as lawsuits against Trump University neared trial, suggesting that the judge's Mexican heritage meant he could not be impartial in the fraud cases. Trump settled for $25 million shortly after winning the election, without admitting wrongdoing.

Curiel, who was forced out of his home and needed around-the-clock protection when he prosecuted Mexican drug kingpins in the 1990s, was unfazed by Trump's criticism during the campaign, said Gregory Vega, a former U.S. attorney in San Diego and longtime friend.

'He's had a credible threat made on his life. I don't think when he was called names, I don't think that really bothered him,' said Vega.

The Center for Biological Diversity was first to sue over the wall, with three other groups  Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife and the Animal Legal Defense Fund  later filing a lawsuit.

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, a Democrat, was close behind, and Curiel consolidated all three cases into one.

Donald Trump (R) speaks as university president Michael Sexton (L) looks on during a news conference announcing the establishment of Trump University May 23, 2005

At issue is a 2005 law that gave the Homeland Security secretary broad powers to waive dozens of laws requiring environmental and other reviews, including the National Environmental Policy Act, Clean Air Act and Endangered Species Act. The reviews are time-consuming and subject to prolonged legal challenges.

The Trump administration has issued three waivers since August, two to build barriers in parts of California and one in part of New Mexico. President George W. Bush's administration issued the previous five waivers.

Trump has insisted on $25 billion for border security measures as part of an immigration deal that would include a path to citizenship for 1.8 million people. A proposal by Customs and Border Protection calls for spending $18 billion over 10 years to extend barriers to nearly half the 2,054-mile border.

One of the administration's environmental waivers is for San Diego, where private contractors recently built eight imposing prototypes to guide designs for future construction.
The father allegedly stabbed by a burqa-wearing woman inspired by Islamic State has been revealed as a dedicated family man who opened his doors to international students.

Bangladeshi Momena Shoma, 24, was one student who took advantage of Roger Singaravelu's generosity, staying with the nurse at his Callistemon Rise home in Mill Park, northeast Melbourne.

She then allegedly turned on the 56-year-old about 4.25pm Friday and stabbed him in his neck as he slept, while his five-year-old daughter watched on.

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The father allegedly stabbed by a burqa-wearing woman inspired by Islamic State has been revealed as Roger Singaravelu (pictured)

Momena Shoma allegedly turned on the 56-year-old about 4.25pm Friday and stabbed him in his sleep while his five-year-old daughter watched on. Pictured: Court sketch of Shoma

Nearby residents described Mr Singaravelu as a 'nice guy' from a caring family who would share food with their neighbours.

'They are an absolutely beautiful family, they are very kind,' neighbour Aga told the Herald Sun.

'They always bring us around food, they're very kind.'

Another neighbour James told the publication Mr Singaravelu's partner is 'distraught' after recently opening their home to Shoma.

He added: 'He's a nice family man, he's a nice guy, it's so strange.'

Neighbour Safia said Mr Singaravelu called them to his home for help, where they found him lying in the garage in a pool of blood.

'Roger called us and just said "run, run, run I've been stabbed",' Safia said.

Mr Singaravelu was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital where he underwent surgery on Saturday for non-life threatening injuries.

Meanwhile Shoma was charged with allegedly engaging in an Islamic State inspired terrorist act.

Bangladeshi national Shoma was one student to take advantage of Mr Singaravelu's generosity, staying with the nurse at his home (pictured) in Mill Park, northeast Melbourne

Police arrested the 24-year-old woman following the alleged stabbing (Pictured is a chair from the Melbourne home)

The woman was arrested at the scene and taken to hospital with a hand injury.

'She's only been in Australia for a week, they took her in because they felt sorry for her,' another neighbour said.

She had travelled to Melbourne on February 1 on a student visa and was renting a room at the property while studying at La Trobe University.

Detectives at the scene allege the woman - dressed in a black burka - used a knife to attack the father as his daughter watched on.

How and why the young Bangladeshi woman became radicalised will remain the subject of investigation, police said.

Police also allege the woman was 'inspired by the doctrines of ISIS'.

Mr Singaravelu regularly opened his home to international students and was providing accommodation for the 24-year-old woman.

He remains in hospital in a 'serious but stable' condition, police said.

The horrified family of Mr Singaravelu have spoken out after the alleged stabbing.

'At this time our focus is on our the welfare of our family and his recovery. We would like to offer our thanks to our family, friendly neighbours and emergency services for their support and kindness,' they said in a statement.

'This is a very upsetting time and we ask that our privacy is respected to allow time to heal.'

The Bangladeshi national was arrested at the Melbourne home where she had been staying while studying

The Victorian JCTT, which is made up of resources from the Australian Federal Police, ASIO and Victoria Police, has charged her with one count of engaging in a terrorist act under the Commonwealth Crimes Act Section 101.1.

Ian McCartney, AFP acting Deputy Commissioner, National Security, confirmed the incident was linked to Islamic State.

'We will allege this was a stand-alone, Islamic State inspired attack, designed to cause harm to our community,' acting Deputy Commissioner McCartney said.

'We deplore any attempt to intimidate our community. The AFP will continue to work together with Victoria Police to ensure the safety of the community and to protect our way of life in Australia.'

Deputy Commissioner McCartney said there are no subsequent terrorism threats to the community.

Ian McCartney, AFP acting Deputy Commissioner, National Security, confirmed the incident was linked to Islamic State (Victoria Police stock pictured)

'We will allege this was a stand-alone, Islamic State inspired attack, designed to cause harm to our community,' acting Deputy Commissioner McCartney said (Stock image)

The woman has been remanded in custody and did not apply for bail when she faced Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Saturday.

The magistrate heard Shoma - who faced court in a blue jumper with her hair tied back - injured her left hand during the alleged attack, 9 News reported.

She is expected back in court on May 2.

Investigators will be executing search warrants at the Mill Park home and another home in Bundoora, north Melbourne, where the woman had previously stayed.

There is no suggestion that anyone in the Bundoora residence was involved in the incident in any way.

Police are not looking for anyone else in relation to the investigation which they believe was an isolated incident.

'This is an isolated incident and the community can be assured that Victoria Police is doing everything we can to keep the community safe,' Acting Deputy Commissioner Ross Guenther said.

'The community can expect to see an increased police presence at a number of events today and at major events in the coming weeks.

'We urge people to report any suspicious activity to triple zero (000), Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or the National Security Hotline on 1800 123 400.'

Since 12 September 2014, when the national terrorism threat level was raised, police have charged 85 people  including this woman  as a result of 36 counter terrorism-related operations around Australia.
A prisoner who took powerful medication to control his 'hypersexual' libido was visited by his on-again, off-again girlfriend after she broke into an open security section of Holtze Prison for an overnight stay.

The woman consorted with the serious sex offender during the unauthorised visit, the NT News reported.

The man, who cannot be named, was locked up in 2016 after breaching strict supervision orders by viewing porn on a contraband mobile phone, drinking beer and smoking marijuana.

A serious sex offender was visited by his girlfriend who broke into the Darwin facility

On Friday the man's lawyer admitted his client had violated supervision conditions

He was living in open security cottages on the perimeter at the Holtze Prison complex, however is now back behind bars following the breach.

His criminal history includes rape, exposing children to indecent material and offences of aggravated indecent assault.

Sworn court records indicate a corrections official saw the inmate and his girlfriend walking away from an open security section of Holtze Prison in late January despite there being a ban on the pair seeing one another.

The woman broke into the open security section of Holtze Prison where he is held

'(The man) confirmed (his girlfriend) spent the night in the Cottages with him and that he and (the woman) departed the Cottages some time before 0800 hours ...' the statement says.

On Friday the man's lawyer admitted his client had violated his supervision conditions.

It is understood the man had earlier run into his girlfriend after riding his bike in the area in search of her at the Palmerston bus interchange.

Barrister Tom Anderson, for the Attorney-General, said: 'There seemed to be concerns that it was not in his interest to consort with her'.

He hinted concerns were raised he may have tried to 'abscond' with the woman.

The man will now be kept in custody under the Serious Sex Offenders Act until he returns to court in April and a fresh psychiatric evaluation is taken, Chief Justice Grant ordered.
When Netflix commissioned the Crown, the most expensive TV series ever made, the fortunes of a humble Welsh dog breed were hardly at the forefront of their minds.

But the popularity of the series, which broadcast its second season last year, has inadvertently led to a resurgence in searches for the endangered Welsh corgi.

According to the Kennel Club, interest in the Queen's favourite dog breed shot up by 22 per cent last year, with registrations of corgis rising to 456 between 2016 and 2017.

In 2014, when they were put on the club's endangered list, just 274 were registered in the UK.

The Crown has been attributed with the resurgence because the pooches feature heavily in certain scenes during season two where Claire Foy portrays a younger, more fashionable Queen.

The humble Welsh corgi has seen a resurgence in popularity thanks to Netflix's TV series the Crown (Pictured: Queen Elizabeth II's official 90th birthday portrait)

Corgis feature heavily in certain scenes of the second season of the show, including one scene where the Queen is seen surrounded by corgis while chatting to Jackie Kennedy

In one scene Claire Foy is seen surrounded by corgis while chatting away to Jackie Kennedy on a presidential visit to Buckingham Palace.

David Robson, of the Kennel Club, told the Telegraph: 'The Crown has certainly been important in the resurgence of the corgi breed.

'It has increased interest in the breed. Following the transmission of the second series searches for the breed puppies on our web site went up by 22 per cent.'

The Queen has had more than 30 corgis over the years since her father King George VI first brought Dookie home back in 1933 when the Queen was seven.

Corgis have long been considered as an 'old person's dog', in part because of the Queen's love of them.

But now the resurgence in popularity has completely changed the breed's fortunes, leading to their removal from the Kennel Club's 'Vulnerable Native Breeds' list, which features pups with fewer than 300 annual registrations.

Mr Robson added: 'People used the have the impression that while corgis were in the spotlight, because of the Queen, they could be seen by young people as an older persons dog.

David Robson, of the Kennel Club, said: 'People used the have the impression that while corgis were in the spotlight, because of the Queen, they could be seen by young people as an older persons dog' (Pictured: The Queen walking her corgis in 1980)

Searches for the breed have surged by 22 per cent on the Kennel Club website, a group who previously placed corgis on their endangered list

'Now thats changed, partly because we are seeing the character of the younger Queen surrounded by them.'

Prince Harry's fiancee Meghan Markle also helped boost the breed's popularity after revealing in an interview that the Queen's beloved pets preferred her.

Mary Davis, Chairman of the Welsh Corgi League, also told the Telegraph: 'We are delighted to see the Pembroke Welsh Corgi has grown steadily in popularity and is no longer on the At Watch list.

'The breed still enjoys some profile thanks to its royal connections and has had a boost from related TV programmes such as The Crown, unlike many other breeds on the list.

'Whilst we always need to make sure people choose the right dog for the right reasons, the Kennel Clubs campaign is critical to saving the British breeds which dont have any public profile, so they stay in peoples minds.'

The club have launched a campaign called 'Save Forgotten Dog Breeds' to encourage people to consider a pooch from one of the 220 pedigree dog breeds in the country which are falling in popularity.

Vulnerable native breeds listed on their website include the bearded collie, King Charles spaniels, bloodhounds and Manchester terriers.

Prince Harry's fiancee Meghan Markle also helped boost the breed's popularity after revealing in an interview that the Queen's beloved pets prefer her to him. The Queen has had more than 30 corgis over the years
American comedian Rob Delaney has praised the 'heroic' NHS doctors and nurses who battled to save his two-year-old son before he died of a brain tumour.

The Catastrophe star, who now lives in London, revealed the devastating news in a Facebook post on Friday, in which he paid tribute to his 'smart, funny, and mischievous' toddler Henry, who lost his 15-month cancer battle last month.

He thanked the NHS nurses, doctors, home carers and charity workers who looked after him, saying they will be his 'heroes until the day I die'.

The 41-year-old also urged people to 'take concrete and sustained action to support the health service, however you can', asking people to 'not take it for granted'.

'He was smart and mischievous': Catastrophe star Rob Delaney loses son Henry, 2, to brain cancer

Fame: Delaney stars as Rob in the comedy Catastrophe, alongside Sharon Horgan, the two write and starred in the show together, basing it on their own lives

Father-son time: Delaney shared this photo to Instagram back in May 2015

In an emotional Facebook post he wrote: 'Henry was a joy. He was smart, funny, and mischievous and we had so many wonderful adventures together, particularly after he'd moved home following fifteen months living in hospitals.'

In his message, Delaney, 41, explained that Henry was diagnosed nearly 15 months ago after suffering persistent vomiting and weight loss just after his first birthday.

He added: 'I am desperately sad right now, but I can say with authority that there is good in this world.'

The toddler underwent surgery to remove a tumour followed by further treatment throughout last year, spending 15 months in hospital. Sadly the cancer returned in the autumn and Henry died last month.

Delaney explained that while brain surgery left his son with 'significant physical disabilities' he found his own ways to overcome them.

'He quickly learned sign language and developed his own method of getting from A to B shuffling on his beautiful little bum,' said Delaney.

'His drive to live and to love and to connect was profound.'

Devastating news: Delaney announced the death of his youngest child in a heartfelt and moving tribute, in which he asked for donations to the charities which helped his family

Delaney shared this picture to Instagram in June 2015 with the caption '#ChristianDadsWhoVape'

In May 2015 he shared this snap to Instagram captioned: 'I put big boy underpants on my baby'

And the actor said he was determined to keep going, for the sake of Henry's grieving siblings.

'I am astonished by the love-in-action displayed by Henry's mom and his brothers. They are why I will endeavor to not go mad with grief.

'I don't want to miss out on their beautiful lives. I'm greedy for more experiences with them.

'The NHS nurses and doctors and the home carers and charity workers who helped our family survive Henry's illness will be my heroes until the day I die. I am desperately sad right now, but I can say with authority that there is good in this world.'

And he ended his tribute with a message to his adored son.

'Thank you, beautiful Henry, for spending as much time with us as you did. We miss you so much.'

Delaney has two other sons, aged six and five, and is married.

Support: A popular figure in the world of comedy, Delaney's Twitter page was flooded with supportive comments from friends and fans alike

The Massachusetts-born comedian first came to prominence on Twitter, sharing his jokes on the platform.

After developing a huge following, he was signed up to shoot a pilot for Comedy Central.

The show was not picked up, however Delaney went on to co-write and co-star in Catastrophe with Sharon Horgan, taking inspiration for the show from their own lives.

Comedians David Baddiel and Dom Joly were among the first to share their condolences with Delaney.

Comedian Dom Joly said: 'So sorry to hear about your boy.'

Baddiel tweeted: 'So very sad to hear this, at the same time as being incredibly moved and uplifted by the spirt (sic) in which you wrote that post. All the best to you and your family.'

In the past, Delaney has talked about the importance of the NHS and has spoken out in favour of a universal healthcare system in the US.

Dwayne Johnson, Chris O'Dowd and Mia Farrow led the star-studded tributes to Catastrophe's Rob Delaney after he lost his son.

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson penned: 'Stay strong my friend. My ohana sends our love and light to you and your ohana.'

Shortly after, Rosemary's Baby star Mia and The IT Crowd star Chris followed suit as they reached out to express their love.

Mia wrote: 'There are no words dear Rob. I am so so sorry. Love and love and love to you and your family.'

Chris added: 'So so sorry Rob. Our hearts go out to you and yours.'

Murder on the Orient Express star Josh Gad wrote: 'Words cannot begin to express my deepest condolences to @robdelaney and his family on their unimaginable loss. Sending thoughts, prayers, and endless love.'

Everybody Loves Raymond star Patricia Heaton expressed: 'We've never met but at the mother of four sons I can only begin to imagine your grief. Many prayers for you and your family...hold fast until you see him again...'

American singer Josh Groban added: 'Rob I'm so sorry. Love to you and your family. I can't begin to imagine. Stay strong.'

In a blog post on Tumblr last year, Delaney wrote: 'Americans forego care and medicine that their physicians prescribe, because of cost. They also commit suicide because of medical debt. It's hard to hold in one's mind the idea that those things can and do happen in a country as wealthy as the United States.'

He added: 'Fifteen years ago, I had to max out two credit cards and borrow a third from mom to pay for surgery to put a pin in a broken wrist after a car accident. (My insurance company had dropped my coverage after the accident because I was generating too many bills for them.

'That was 100% legal before the Affordable Care Act, aka 'Obamacare' came into effect. The Obamacare which President-Elect Trump and the Republican Congress have pledged to repeal, mind you.'

Earlier this week, Trump 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. Dems want to greatly raise taxes for really bad and non-personal medical care. No thanks!'
Oxfam chief executive Mark Goldring (pictured) apologised today and said he was 'deeply ashamed of Oxfam's behaviour'

An Oxfam boss has apologised for the charity's behaviour after a watchdog revealed it wasn't given full details about the use of prostitutes by aid workers in Haiti.

Alleged misconduct by former charity workers included the use of prostitutes, downloading pornography, bullying and intimidation, according to an investigation by The Times.

Oxfam chief executive Mark Goldring apologised today and said he was 'deeply ashamed of Oxfam's behaviour,' according to Sky News.

He added: 'Everybody - the 25,000 staff and volunteers - are compromised by this, the hundreds of thousands of people who support Oxfam every month are compromised by this, and to everybody I apologise.

'What I'm apologising for is that nine Oxfam staff behaved in a way that was totally unacceptable and contrary to our values, and that led much more responsible staff to make decisions which are now seen by some as being marginal or inappropriate.

The boss then refused to apologise for the fact the charity continues to do work in Haiti.

Oxfam Director Roland van Hauwermeiren (pictured) admitted using prostitutes in the wake of the Haitoan earthquake but was not part of the 'Caligula' claims

It comes after it emerged the Oxfam failed to share information with other organisations about the misconduct of their former employees.

Disgraced Roland van Hauwermeiren, 68, admitted to having sex with vulnerable prostitutes at his Oxfam villa in the poverty-stricken country of Haiti where he was based as country director.

But the charity decided to allow Mr Van Hauwermeiren to step down from his position and crucially didn't share details of the termination of contract with his new employer.

The married 68-year-old went on to become head of mission for Action Against Hunger who told MailOnline it had 'no idea' about his background.

Three Oxfam employees were allowed to resign and four were sacked for gross misconduct after an internal investigation found some workers had used prostitutes in the war-torn region (file photo)

The French charity made pre-employment checks but Oxfam did not provide any warning about his 'unethical conduct'.

A spokesman said: 'We received positive references from former Oxfam staff who worked with him, among them a (former) HR person.'

Mr Van Hauwermeiren led campaigns for them in Bangladesh between 2012-14 but did not renew his contract after the two years.

His current whereabouts is unknown, the spokesman said.

The Prime Minister Theresa May called for a 'full and urgent investigation' shortly before it was announced the Government would review its relationship with Oxfam.

Oxfam said it had publicly announced an investigation into the allegations when they surfaced in 2011 and kept the Charity Commission informed.

A DfID spokesman said: 'We often work with organisations in chaotic and difficult circumstances.

'If wrongdoing, abuse, fraud, or criminal activity occur we need to know about it immediately, in full.

'The way this appalling abuse of vulnerable people was dealt with raises serious questions that Oxfam must answer.

The former director in the country was also accused of inviting prostitutes to his flat rented by Oxfam, according to a leaked report (file photo)

'We acknowledge that hundreds of Oxfam staff have done no wrong and work tirelessly for the people they serve, but the handling by the senior team about this investigation and their openness with us and the Charity Commission showed a lack of judgment.

'We have a zero tolerance policy for the type of activity that took place in this instance, and we expect our partners to as well.

'The Secretary of State is reviewing our current work with Oxfam and has requested a meeting with the senior team at the earliest opportunity.'

Oxfam said in a statement: 'The behaviour of some members of Oxfam staff uncovered in Haiti in 2011 was totally unacceptable, contrary to our values and the high standards we expect of our staff.

'As soon as we became aware of the allegations, we immediately launched an internal investigation.

'Our primary aim was always to root out and take action against those involved, and we publicly announced, including to media, both the investigation and the action we took as a result.'

Four members of staff were dismissed and three, including the country director, resigned before the end of the investigation, Oxfam said.

The charity added that the Charity Commission was aware the investigation related to 'inappropriate sexual behaviour' and confirmed that it had taken 'appropriate action'.

The revelations have been condemned by former international development secretaries.

Priti Patel told the Daily Telegraph: 'There should be prosecutions and appropriate action against everyone complicit in this.

'I think taxpayers will be appalled aid money may have been used in such an awful way.'

Andrew Mitchell, who served between 2010 and 2012, told the BBC: 'This is a shudderingly awful tale.

'Terrible on every single level. DfID must be sure that there is zero tolerance for this sort of thing.'

Oxfam chief executive Mark Goldring told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that any references given to staff involved in the scandal, who later found other jobs, had not been officially sanctioned.

He said: 'When the staff involved resigned in 2011, all were fired, Oxfam was very clear that we would not give them references. We recorded that on our own system, and we wrote to all of our offices across the world.

'But, there is a real difference between an organisation giving a reference and individuals that have previously worked for an organisation giving references in individual capacities, and that's what we believe will have happened.'

Mr Goldring denied a cover-up, he said: 'With hindsight, I would much prefer that we had talked about sexual misconduct, but I don't think it was in anyone's best interest to be describing the details of the behaviour in a way that was was actually going to draw extreme attention to it.'

An investigation carried out by The Times revealed three Oxfam employees were allowed to resign and four were sacked for gross misconduct after an internal investigation found some workers had used prostitutes in the war-torn region.

One source told the paper employees organised a 'full-on Caligula orgy' filled with girls dressed in Oxfam T-shirts.

They claimed staff had recorded videos of the night, but Oxfam said no recording had been submitted to the investigation.

Even though some of the employees who contacted the Times said they were concerned aid workers had sex with under-age girls. The report found the claim could not be ruled out.

In early August 2011, it was reported a 'small number' of employees were being investigated over allegations of gross misconduct.

Other Oxfam workers, not thought to be British, left as a result of the investigation.

The Haitian earthquake, which hit the capital Port-au-Prince in 2010, killed 220,000 and injured 300,000.

In the first wave of humanitarian aid after the earthquake, Oxfam helped around 700,000 people in the Caribbean country.

A Charity Commission spokesman said yesterday: 'In August 2011, Oxfam made a report to the Commission about an ongoing internal investigation into allegations of misconduct by staff members involved in their Haiti programme.

The report explained that the misconduct related to inappropriate sexual behaviour, bullying, harassment and the intimidation of staff.

The report did not detail the precise allegations, nor did it make any indication of potential sexual crimes involving minors. However, the charity's internal investigation was still ongoing.

'We are currently engaged with the charity regarding its approach to safeguarding following more recent allegations.

As part of that, we have already asked the charity to review historic safeguarding allegations and its response to them at the time.

We expect the charity to include in their review incidents that occurred in 2011. We will expect the charity to provide us with assurance that it has learnt lessons from past incidents and is taking all necessary steps to safeguard all who come into contact with it.'

In October last year, the Times also reported seven senior officials at the charity have been investigated for misconduct including sexual harassment.

There were 87 cases of alleged sexual exploitation in Oxfam between 2016 and 2017.

An Oxfam spokesman said: 'This was not a cover-up. Oxfam treats any allegations of misconduct extremely seriously. As soon as we became aware of the allegations in Haiti in 2011 we launched an internal investigation.

Oxfam was also accused of covering up evidence as the Charity Commission said it had never been shown the specific allegations of sexual abuse mentioned in the 2011 investigation report (file photo)

'The investigation and its outcome were publicly announced and we kept Oxfam Trustees, the Charity Commission and the DFID informed.

'Allegations that underage girls may have been involved were not proven.

'A number of staff were dismissed as a result of the investigation and others left the organisation before it was completed

'The country director took full responsibility for events that took place under his management and was permitted to resign on the basis that he fully cooperated with and supported the investigation.

'After the investigation, we carried out a thorough review of the case which resulted in the creation of our dedicated Safeguarding Team and a confidential 'whistleblowing' hotline as part of a package of measures to ensure that we do all we can to protect our staff, prevent sexual abuse and misconduct happening in the first place and improve how we handle any allegations.'
A beautiful married couple who met as children in a hospital are facing their toughest challenge yet.

Matt, 29, and Kaila Maartensz's love story started at the Princess Margaret Hospital in Perth, where they started their romance as they suffered from cystic fibrosis.

Both diagnosed as babies, the couple have each received the gift of new lungs to ease the burden of constant hospital visits.

The lovebirds married in 2015 after Matt proposed to Kaila, a 32-year-old legal secretary, in 2014 soon after receiving his new lungs.

Matt and Kaila Maartensz (pictured) fighting their cystic fibrosis battle together in hospital

The loved-up couple (pictured) met as children and their loved blossomed as adults

But the romantic team have endured what no couple should.

In December 2015 Matt, a personal trainer, was struggling to breathe and admitted back to hospital in the Intensive Care Unit.

He was told by doctors there was 'nothing they could do to help him' according to a fundraising page set up for the pair.

'Matt is fighting for every breath,' friend Angela Terry wrote on the fundraising page she has set up.

A happy photo of the married couple (pictured) with their dogs in January this year

'I have never in my life witnessed such raw courage and determination.

'He is absolutely determined to win this fight.'

Matt has posted about his ordeal publicly on his Facebook page.

'The past two months have been the toughest we've probably ever had to face and things aren't looking to get any easier,' he said.

'I'm planning on proving the doctors wrong and getting better but to do that I'll need 24-7 support.

'If anyone can help in any way, we would be forever grateful.'

On a happy day in 2015 Matt and Kaila married. Friends described it as a miraculous love story

Matt (pictured with Kaila) is determined to win his fight so happy times can continue

The couple fell in love during adult life after meeting in hospital as children, according to the fundraising page.

'Those of you who are lucky enough to know Matt and Kaila know them as the most beautiful and courageous young couple,' a friend wrote.

'Those who witnessed them marry in 2015 felt like they were part of the most miraculous love story ever told.

'They are now facing the biggest challenge of their lives and they need our help.'

The fundraising efforts have so far achieved $18,000 for the pair with a goal of $25,000. You can find the Go Fund Me page here.
Two men setting up for a child's birthday party have been seriously injured following a truck explosion on the Gold Coast.

The men aged their early 20s, had delivered a jumping castle to the home and were setting it up when a petrol from a generator spilled inside the truck ignited, causing a large explosion.

The men received 'significant' burns to their legs and hands and are in a serious condition at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital.

Dozens of children were expected at the Tallebudgera home for a birthday party a few hours after the explosion happened.

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Two men seriously injured in an explosion on the Gold Coast are expected to make a full recovery

The men were setting up a jumping castle at the home when a generator ignited in their delivery truck (pictured) and caused a large explosion

Emergency services were called to the Daffofil Street home just after midday on Saturday.

Fire crews extinguished the fire but the truck sustained extensive damage.

The Queensland Ambulance Service's High Acuity Response Unit was also at the scene.

The two men are expected to make a full recovery, 9 News reported.

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland spent Saturday afternoon examining the scene.
Australian vegan activist Joey Carbstrong, (pictured) 31, has compared dairy farmers to Hitler.

A 'peaceful' vegan activist who took on Jeremy Vine over a ham sandwich has compared dairy farmers to Hitler.

Joey Carbstrong, who has tens of thousands of followers on social media, also said that artificial insemination is akin to peadophilia.

The controversial Australian campaigner made headlines this month when he confronted Jeremy Vine over a ham sandwich before berating two dairy farmers during an appearance on This Morning.

Carbstrong, who has become a vegan figurehead in the UK, was challenged over death threats sent by vegans to farmers.

In response he asked vegan activists for 'peaceful, non-violent advocacy' and publicly denounced 'any death threats and any name calling'.

But it can be revealed Carbstrong has advocated for a very different approach in the past, saying dairy farmers were 'worse than Nazi Germany' and that the 'non-existence' of people who eat fish 'would benefit the planet'.

Viewers blasted the vegan campaigner after he appeared on This Morning, berating two farmers who had been hit with death threats

The controversial vegan activist has since deleted 150 inflammatory posts from Facebook and Instagram

Carbstrong claims he has 'evolved' since he took up veganism and has since deleted about 150 old videos, many of which contained inflammatory content.

However, until yesterday many messages posted on Facebook and Instagram remained online.

'If you support dairy farmers you are supporting a regime worse than Nazi Germany. Hitler is still alive and he lives in the heart and mind of every animal abusing rapist slave-owning dairy farmer,' he wrote.

'If you eat fish you are a disgusting psycho,' he ranted in an Instagram post from March 2016.

'Don't be a parasite... Choose vegan.'

And only this week Carbstrong compared the dairy industry's practice of artificial insemination to child sex abuse.

'Sexually violating an animal who cannot give consent is akin to inappropriately touching a small child,' he wrote in a Facebook post.

'Animals are just as vulnerable and innocent. It's completely unacceptable and should be CONDEMNED by society.'

He added: 'Consumers, are you paying for the sexual abuse of animals? It's time to stand against it by going vegan.'

He has described non-militant vegans a 'pacifist f****** vegans', who say his abrasive methods put people off ethical eating.

Carbstrong claims he has 'evolved' since he took up veganism, and his stance has softened

Who is militant vegan Joey Carbstrong? Joey Carbstrong (pictured) is a 'celebrity' vegan activist from Australia 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. 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 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

When challenged over his comments by The Telegraph Carbstrong said he was at that time a 'loose cannon' which scant campaigning experience.

'I was very upset with the state of what was happening to animals and I wasn't a very experienced advocate,' he said.

He no longer stands by the statements, which he said he would be deleting.

'In the last year I haven't advocated like that,' he said. 'Now I promote a peaceful, love-based approach in my advocacy. I never used to be like that, but I am now. Any of these things I will publicly condemn.'

Carbstrong arrived in the UK in December last year after campaigning in Spain.

He targeted Britain, he explained on social media, because of its high population density so he can reach more people.

As part of his UK tour he has attended protests in Scotland, Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle.
A murder victim's family say they are relieved police have arrested a suspect who spent five days on the run before he was found holed up in Victoria.

The manhunt for Travis Kirchner was launched on Sunday after Sally Rothe was found brutally beaten to death inside her home in Murray Bridge, South Australia.

He was arrested in Melbourne on Friday night and now Ms Rothe's family have said they have concerns about how he was allowed to get away from the town.

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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

WANTED: South Australian detectives desperately hunting Travis Kirchner, 43, arrested him in Melbourne on Friday

Taigen Philby, Ms Rothe's daughter-in-law, said the family were relieved police had made the arrest

But for Ms Rothe's family, there are still many unanswered questions about the mother-of-three's death.

'Everyone's still up in emotions about it and the fact that he was caught not in Murray Bridge,' Taigen Philby, Ms Rothe's daughter-in-law, told Nine.

'Somebody was helping him, so there are people in this town that really can't be trusted.'

It has emerged Ms Rothe had only known Kirchner for a few weeks.

'She was a very trusting woman and that was probably the reason this all happened.'

'She just, she trusted the wrong people.'

Police searched more than 100 properties to track down 43-year-old Kirchner who emerged as South Australia Police's top suspect.

He was arrested 'without incident' at a property in east Melbourne along with two other people from Murray Bridge - a 49-year-old man and 50-year-old woman.

All three are due to appear in court in Dandenong on Monday to face extradition charges back across state lines to South Australia.

CCTV footage captured appears to show a man matching Kirchner's description leaving the property where Ms Rothe was found dead.

Detectives said they had no doubt the incident was murder and described the killing as 'brutal and deliberate'.

Officers spent Saturday sweeping the Doveton property, in Melbourne's south east, for evidence and towed a silver hatchback with SA plates, Nine said.

A suspect on the run for five-days wanted in connection with the death of a mother in South Australia has been arrested.

A car with South Australia plates was towed away at the house in Victoria as police continue to investigate

Detectives searched the Doveton property in south east Melbourne on Saturday where Kirchner and two others were arrested

Travis Kirchner was picked up by police on Friday night along with two other people at a house in Doveton, south east Melbourne, in relation to their investigation into the death of Sally Rothe.

He had been named as a wanted man by police following her suspected murder in Murray Bridge on Sunday and officers from Victoria Police visited the property after receiving a tip off.

Kirchner was arrested shortly after 6pm 'without incident' along with a man and a woman at the house on suspicion of assisting an offender escape apprehension, police said.

Detectives arrive in Melbourne to carry out further investigation ahead of an extradition hearing on Monday

Ms Rothe's family have been told of the arrests in Victoria, police said.

Officers have carried out searches of 110 properties in a massive manhunt since Ms Rothe was found brutally killed in the town east of Adelaide.

This included extensive use of investigation resources ranging from uniformed police, dog and water operations to STAR Group and the Murray Mallee Local Service Area's Criminal Investigation Branch.

Kirchner, 43, will appear in court on Monday in Dandenong as investigators from South Australia travel to Melbourne to apply for extradition orders for the trio to face charges in their home state.

The two other people arrested alongside Kirchner were a 49-year-old man and 50-year-old woman, both from Murray Bridge.

Mother of three Sally Rothe was found brutally beaten at her home on Sunday as police say they have no doubt she was murdered

A statement from SA Police said: 'Police have arrested wanted man Travis Kirchner, along with another man and woman who he was in company with, at a Victorian home this evening.

'Kirchner was wanted in connection with the death of mother-of-three Sally Rothe in Murray Bridge on Sunday night.

'Officers from Victoria Police Fugitive Task Force and Homicide Squad attended a home in Doveton after receiving information from SAPOL's Major Crime Investigation Branch and arrested Kirchner without incident.

Crime scene: Neighbours woke up to shocking scenes in sleepy Murray Bridge on Monday following the slaying death of Sally Rothe

'The arrest comes after extensive searches of more than 110 properties since Sunday utilising numerous SAPOL resources.

'The family of Sally Rothe have been notified of the arrests.

'SA Police would like to thank everyone especially the Murray Bridge community for their assistance and cooperation during the investigation and to all of those who passed on information through Crime Stoppers.'

Detectives are continuing to appeal for anyone with information relating to the investigation to come forward and call Crime Stoppers South Australia.

Ms Rothe was killed by a man known to her, and well known to police, Detective Superintendent Des Bray told reporters

It comes just days after two other people were arrested by cops who pulled them over on a busy highway.

Footage was captured near the Murray Bridge on Wednesday afternoon of two men being held on the ground by officers.

Kirchner's sister Tracy released a statement on Tuesday calling for her brother to hand himself in.

She said: 'No matter what has happened - you are my brother, I love you and I'm really worried about you.

'Please come in so I know you're safe.'

Anyone with information on the woman's death is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000

Police previously said they were 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 sleepy 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.

A dog-walking neighbour rang police after spotting a man trying to kick Ms Rothe's door.

Ms Rothe body was discovered with 'significant injuries', Detective Superintendent Des Bray said.
An Israeli fighter has been shot down as the country's air force carried out attacks against Iranian targets in Syria after intercepting a drone.

The military said its planes faced massive anti-aircraft fire from Syria that forced two pilots to abandon an F-16 jet that crashed in northern Israel, seriously wounding one and lightly injuring the other.

'This is a serious Iranian attack on Israeli territory. Iran is dragging the region into an adventure in which it doesn't know how it will end,' Israel's chief military spokesman, Brigadier General Ronen Manelis, said in a statement.

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The Israeli warplane in flames after coming down in the north of the country

The charred remains of an Israel F-16 that crashed after coming under fire by Syrian air defences

The picture was taken in the northern Israeli Kibbutz of Harduf. Israel said the crew survived

The aircraft was an F-16, of the type pictured, that was taking part in strikes against a dozen targets in Syria (File picture)

Smoke from anti-aircraft fire in the sky above the Syrian-Israel border

Israel's military said the attacks were in retaliation for the violation of its airspace by an Iranian drone. Pictured is Shahed-129 drone on display at a rally commemorating the 37th anniversary of the Islamic revolution

The remains of an unidentified rocket that fell by a house in the town of Hasbaya, south Lebanon, near the Lebanese-Israeli-Syrian borders

'Whoever is responsible for this incident is the one who will pay the price.'

Israeli forces identified an 'Iranian UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle)' launched from Syria and intercepted it in Israeli airspace with a combat helicopter, a statement said.

They then 'targeted the Iranian control systems in Syria that sent the UAV into Israeli airspace,' military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus tweeted.

'Massive Syrian anti-air fire, one F16 crashed in Israel, pilots safe.'

The Israeli military then carried out what it called a 'large scale attack' against Iranian and Syrian targets in Syria.

The Israel Defence Forces release footage of an Iranian drone being intercepted and shot down

The remains of the war plane pictured near the Israeli village of Harduf, northern Israel

Investigators picking through the remains of the downed F-16 fighter aircraft

Israel has shot down several drones that previously tried to infiltrate its territory from Syria. The targeting of Iranian sites in response, however, mark an escalation in the Israeli retaliation.

The military said it struck 12 targets including three aerial defence batteries and four Iranian targets that are part of Iran's military establishment in Syria.

During the attack, anti-aircraft missiles were fired toward Israel jets triggering sirens that were sounded across northern Israel.

Israel has shot down several drones that previously tried to infiltrate its territory from Syria. The targeting of Iranian sites in response, however, mark an escalation in the Israeli retaliation

During the attack, anti-aircraft missiles were fired toward Israel jets triggering sirens that were sounded across northern Israel

Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman was convening a meeting of senior officers at the IDF's headquarters in Tel Aviv to discuss a further response.

Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus said Iran was 'responsible for this severe violation of Israeli sovereignty' and that the military was 'fully prepared for further action.'

Syrian state TV quoted a military official saying Syrian air defences hit more than one Israeli plane. The official said the Israeli raids hit a base in the country's central area, and called it a 'new aggression.'

Pictures show the wreckage of the the Israeli plane once the flames had been extinguished

Israeli soldiers taking positions next to the Syrian border following the early morning attack

Israel has long complained about the involvement of Iran and its ally Hezbollah in the Syrian civil war

Later, Syria state TV said its air defences responded to new Israeli raids near the capital Damascus.

Israel has long complained about the involvement of archenemy Iran, and Iranian proxy Hezbollah, in the Syria war.

The Shiite allies have sent forces to back Syrian President Bashar Assad, who appears headed toward victory after years of fighting.

Israel has said it will not accept a permanent military presence by Iran and its Shiite allies in Syria, especially near the Israeli border.

It has been warning of late of the increased Iranian involvement along its border in Syria and Lebanon.

The country fears Iran could use Syrian territory to stage attacks or create a land corridor from Iran to Lebanon that could allow it to transfer weapons more easily to Hezbollah.

The Israeli Cabinet recently held a meeting on the Golan Heights near the border with Syria to highlight to new threats.

The military confirmed that the initial target in Syria - the unmanned aircraft's launch components - was successfully destroyed. Israel says it has the Iranian drone in its possession.

Iran's Foreign Ministry declined to comment.
An eight-month-old baby in foster care has been prevented from living with his three biological siblings.

They were separated despite their birth mother's pleas to Family and Community Services in New South Wales for them to grow up in the same household.

After being declared unfit to care for her children the boy's five-year-old, four-year-old and two-year-old siblings were removed from their mother's care ten months before his birth.

The baby was placed with in another home three hours away in August last year as permanent options are assessed.

A baby in foster care is being prevented from living with his biological siblings (stock image)

In writing to Family and Community Services, the carer said she believed it would be better to keep the siblings together.

'My understanding has always been that best practice is to keep siblings together,' she wrote.

The carer had been approved to care for as many as four children by the department, and stated she had upgraded her vehicle to accommodate for the baby, at her own cost.

She said if the biological parents gave their blessing, she would pursue guardianship of the four siblings.

The children's birth mother had pleaded for them to grow up in the same household after she was declared unfit to care for them (stock image)

Rose Cantali, child and developmental psychologist said the worst thing to do would be to separate the children as it breeds trauma and a 'horrendous sense of loss'.

'It's not about the safety of a home it's about safety of relationships and being with their siblings together is more important,' Dr Cantali told News Corp Australia.

FACS and NSW Families Minister Pru Goward said the baby would remain in another home.

'Whilst (foster carer) was considered as a carer for (the baby). It was determined that his safe home for life should be with other foster carers.'

The carer believes this is a tactic to boost adoption figures as the biological mother revealed in November she was asked by FACS if the baby could be adopted by its current carer to which she said 'no'.

Both biological parents have indicated they do not wish for their kids to be fully adopted by another family.
Malcolm Turnbull has been called on to explain the two jobs specially created for Barnaby Joyce's pregnant girlfriend Vikki Campion.

Labor has ramped up its pressure on the prime minister after it was revealed he twice authorised the creation of six-figure jobs for the media advisor - once with resources minister Matt Canavan and then with Nationals chief whip Damian Drum.

'I think it is time for Malcolm Turnbull to give a proper statement about what's happened there,' Labor finance spokesman Jim Chalmers said on Saturday, according to Sydney Morning Herald.

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The opposition has ramped up its pressure on Malcolm Turnbull (pictured) after it was revealed he twice authorised the creation of six-figure jobs for Mr Joyce's pregnant girlfriend Vikki Campion

Ms Campion (pictured) was twice handed specially created roles - once with resources minister Matt Canavan and then with Nationals chief whip Damian Drum

'I think it is time for Malcolm Turnbull to give a proper statement about what's happened there,' Labor finance spokesman Jim Chalmers (pictured) said on Saturday

'I don't know, you don't know, the ins and outs of what arrangements have been struck. It's for the prime minister to stand up as soon as possible and explain that to the Australian people.'

Meanwhile, opposition leader Bill Shorten said it would be 'wise' for Mr Turnbull to reassure the public that 'nothing untoward' occurred during Ms Campion's job movements.

But Mr Turnbull is yet to make further comment after saying on Friday he was 'not aware of any inappropriate expenditure of public funds'.

A spokesperson for the prime minister said the staffing appointments were made in the 'usual way'.

Room was made for the expectant mother of Mr Joyce's child in the office of Mr Drum after she lost her senior advisor role in Senator Canavan's office, following his resignation from Cabinet over his Italian citizenship in July.

The 33-year-old was handed a role as a senior media advisor, even though Mr Drum already had one, the Daily Telegraph reported.

Opposition leader Bill Shorten (pictured) said it would be 'wise' for Mr Turnbull to reassure the public that 'nothing untoward' occurred during Ms Campion's job movements

Mr Turnbull is yet to make further comment after saying on Friday he was 'not aware of any inappropriate expenditure of public funds'

Mr Drum's staff allocation was increased from six to seven - with Mr Turnbull's approval - to accommodate Ms Campion's appointment, a senior government source told the publication.

Callum Whitehead was already working as Mr Drum's 'personal' media advisor, making less than $80,000 when Ms Campion was appointed.

Ms Campion reportedly retained the six-figure salary she was earning while working for Senator Canavan.

Parliamentary rules state any increase in staffing allocations must be approved by the prime minister's office.

Mr Drum's (pictured) staff allocation was increased from six to seven - with Mr Turnbull's approval - to accommodate Ms Campion's appointment

This week it was revealed Mr Joyce, 50, and Ms Campion are in a private relationship and are expecting a baby

Mr Joyce (pictured) and his girlfriend were also revealed to be living together rent-free in an Armidale townhouse gifted by the deputy prime minister's multi-millionaire friend

Mr Turnbull broke his silence on his deputy's relationship with Ms Campion on Friday, describing it as 'a tough and distressing episode'.

This week it was revealed Mr Joyce, 50, and Ms Campion are in a private relationship and are expecting a baby.

'It is a tough and distressing episode and I am very conscious - Lucy and I are very conscious - of the hurt occasioned to Natalie and their daughters in particular,' Mr Turnbull said.

'It's a private matter, it's a tough matter and I don't have any more to say about it.'

The pair were also revealed to be living together rent-free in an Armidale townhouse gifted by the deputy prime minister's multi-millionaire friend.
A two-year-old boy who fell into a backyard pool at a home in Sydney's south west was given CPR by family members after being pulled from the water.

Relatives rushed to resuscitate the boy a short time after he fell into the water at the Donington Avenue residence at Georges Hall.

It was reported the boy began coughing up water as he began to breathe again.

A two-year-old boy fell into a backyard pool at a home in Sydney's south west

Police and Ambulance Paramedics attended and the boy was taken to Westmead Childrens Hospital where he is in a stable condition.

'Family were spoken to by police at the scene and inquiries continue,' police said in a statement.

The boy was originally reported to be four years old.
A trio of moped thieves who terrorised pedestrians by snatching mobile phones out of their hands have been locked up.

Jack Burt, 22, Jack Marsh, 21, and a 17-year-old boy who cannot be named for legal reasons drove across London looking for people to target during their one-night crime spree.

Police were called at 2.15am on January 2 over reports of 'moped-enabled snatches' in Westminster, Hackney and the City of London.

Detectives found two mopeds with three riders in Kings Cross in central London at 3.05am that morning.

They initially didn't stop for the police, so both mopeds were stopped using 'authorised tactics'.

Jack Burt (left) and Jack Marsh (right) went on a phone-stealing crime spree in Hackney, Westminster and the City of London while riding mopeds

The three males were detained and arrested, and ten mobile phones were recovered - several which had been stolen that morning.

They each later admitted six counts of theft.

Burt, of Islington, and Marsh, of Islington, north London, were both jailed for two years and four months at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday.

They were also handed a two year disqualification from driving, and a two year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) excluding them from Westminster following their release.

The 17-year-old from Islington was given a six month Detention and Training Order at Chelmsford Youth Court on Friday.

He was also given a two year CBO banning him from Westminster, and made to pay a 30 victim surcharge.
Russian security services have arrested several engineers at a top-secret nuclear warhead facility for using its supercomputers to mine bitcoins.

The suspects were busted using computers at The Federal Nuclear Centre in Sarov, western Russia, to mine crypto-currencies, local media reports.

Several employees at the Russian Federal Nuclear Centre in the city of Sarov have been detained after making 'an attempt to use the work computing facilities for personal ends, including for so-called mining,' a spokeswoman for the centre, Tatiana Zalesskaya told Interfax news agency.

'Their activities were stopped in time,' she added.

Russia foiled a plot by engineers at the Russian Federal Nuclear Centre in the city of Sarov to use supercomputers to mine bitcoin (stock image)

'The bungling miners have been detained by the competent authorities. As far as I know, a criminal case has been opened regarding them,' she added, without saying how many were detained.

The centre is overseen by Rosatom, the Russian nuclear agency, and works on developing nuclear weapons.

Such attempts 'at our enterprises will be harshly put down, this activity technically has no future and is punishable as a crime,' the centre's spokeswoman said.

In 2011, the centre switched on a new supercomputer with a capacity of 1 petaflop, which at the time made it the twelfth most powerful in the world, Russian television reported.

During the Cold War, Sarov was a top-secret city in the Nizhny Novgorod region, about 300 miles east of Moscow.

Its Soviet era name was Arzamas-16 and the centre was the birthplace of the Soviet Union's first nuclear weapons.

Sarov is still a closed city whose inhabitants are subject to travel restrictions, with barbed wire fences to keep the curious out.

The Federal Nuclear Centre in Sarov was where the first Russian nuclear weapons were developed. Pictured: A mock-up of the first Soviet atomic bomb at the museum in Sarov
A benefits cheat who claimed he could only walk 30 yards and pocketed 48,000 in disability handouts was busted after a hidden camera captured him carrying heavy items while working as a labourer.

Michael Holland, a dad-of-three, from Barlaston Road, Blurton, Staffordshire, has been jailed for 10 months.

He was also filmed easily getting in and out of his van while working as for Aspire Housing - despite claiming his injury was so bad that he could only walk 30 yards.

Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard he had 'grossly exaggerated' his condition 'from day one' to claim disability living allowance over 21 years.

Prosecutor Nick Tatlow said the Department for Works and Pensions carried out secret surveillance on the defendant from September 3 to September 22 in 2015.

Mr Tatlow said: 'He was carrying out ordinary duties. He was seen getting in and out of the van without any difficulty. He was able to walk without difficulty or discomfort. He was seen carrying heavy items. He was seen to carry out all the ordinary duties of a manual labourer.

Michael Holland, pictured, claimed that he struggled to walk and that he could only walk 30 yards before having to stop

'His immediate supervisor described him as being able to walk 90 yards across the yard at normal pace without difficulty.'

The court heard that Holland's original benefit claim in February 1995 was refused and the decision was upheld after a review.

But Holland then sought help from the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) and it was claimed on his behalf that his situation was so bad he could only manage to walk 50 yards before having to stop a few times a week.

However, it was later said that most of the time he could only manage 30 yards, and it would take him 10 minutes to cover those distances.

Mr Tatlow said: 'The true position is very different. He worked for Aspire Housing and the only condition he notified to his employer was that he suffered with sciatica.'

Holland pleaded guilty to cheating the public revenue to the tune of 47,913.

Sarah Magill, mitigating, conceded the offending passed the custody threshold but urged Judge Paul Glenn to suspend any sentence.

However, the Department for Work and Pensions secretly filmed the father of three working as a a labourer in September 2015

She said: 'His right leg is deformed and causes him to walk in a disjointed manner. He accepts the claim was dishonest from the outset. It was not a complete fabrication. He has never hidden the fact he has been working.'

Judge Glenn told Holland: 'You accept dishonesty in the making of the original claim in that you exaggerated your mobility care needs. This is a serious case because your dishonesty was there from day one.

'You persisted in dishonestly claiming for 21 years almost 48,000 which could have been spent on genuine and worthy causes. You were receiving about 2,000 a year tax free.'

A DWP spokesman said: 'Only a small minority of benefit claimants are dishonest, but cases like this show how we are rooting out the unscrupulous minority who are cheating the system and diverting taxpayers' money from those who really need it. We are determined to find those we suspect of abusing the welfare system by following up on tip-offs, undertaking surveillance and working with local councils.'

Anyone who suspects someone of fraudulently claiming benefits can call the National Benefit Fraud Hotline on 0800 854 440.
Theresa May's attempt to keep Britain partially in the EU's single market has been rejected by Leavers in her Cabinet and described as a 'plot to frustrate Brexit'.

The plan, which was cooked up by the PM's top EU advisor, was supposed to work as a compromise between the Leavers and the former Remainers lead by Chancellor Philip Hammond.

However, the Leavers rejected the compromise, claiming that it would still leave Britain at the mercy of new EU rules.

David Davis (pictured) was at the Brexit Committee meeting on Thursday that rejected a halfway house compromise proposed by Theresa May

The proposal was drafted by Theresa May's top EU advisor Oliver Robbins and submitted to the Brexit Committee in Thursday's crunch meeting.

It suggested that Britain would continue operating close to EU rules on hard goods and products such as cars and machines, according to The Sun.

The plan would keep Britain well away from EU rules on the services sector but would also help to protect jobs and keep trade flowing freely - however it failed to sway the committee.

A senior Tory MP briefed on the Cabinet committee's discussion told The Sun: 'Fox, Gove and Boris have made it clear they will not accept single market rules, because it means being dictated to by Brussels forever.

The failure of the plan, drawn up by the PM's top EU advisor Oliver Robbins, came after Boris Johnson (pictured), Michael Gove and Liam Fox made it clear they would not accept any EU single market rules

'It feels very much like a Treasury plot to frustrate Brexit'.

Theresa May had issued a plea for ministers to be 'bold' as her Brexit war Cabinet failed to hammer out a strategy for negotiations with the EU.

The Prime Minister urged her senior team to show 'ambition' during Thursday's two-hour meeting.

But the deadlock between Remain and Brexiteer factions has not been broken - with hopes now being placed in a Cabinet 'away day' at her Chequers country residence later this month.

The Cabinet subcommittee - made up of Mrs May and her top ministers including Philip Hammond, Amber Rudd, Boris Johnson and Michael Gove - discussed the Ireland issue on Wednesday afternoon.

Theresa May had previously issued a plea for ministers to be 'bold' during her Brexit war Cabinet, which failed to decide on a negotiation strategy

On Thursday night, a Number 10 source said: 'The PM told the Brexit Cabinet that the Government had to be ambitious in the deal we seek.

'She said her starting point was to aim for something that hadn't been done before in order to come to a new relationship that will last a generation or more.

'Her approach is to seek a deal that is bold, in the best interests of the UK and that will carry widespread support.'

The committee deadlock was followed by more heated words between Brexit Secretary David Davis and Michel Barnier.

The Brexit Secretary blasted the 'fundamental contradiction' in Mr Barnier's claims to both want an amicable transition and strong powers for the EU to punish Britain.

The details of the PM's halfway house plan have emerged after yet another war of words between Brexit Secretary David Davis and the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier (pictured)

Mr Barnier enraged the British negotiators earlier by threatening to call off the planned Brexit transition period if the UK quits the EU customs union.

In response, Mr Davis said: 'Given the intense work that has taken place this week it is surprising to hear that Michel Barnier is unclear on the UK's position in relation to the implementation period.

'As I set out in a speech two weeks ago, we are seeking a time-limited period that maintains access to each other's markets on existing terms.

'However for any such period to work both sides will need a way to resolve disputes in the unlikely event that they occur.

'But there is a fundamental contradiction in the approach the Commission is taking. Today they acknowledged that a way to resolve disputes and infringements is needed.

'Yet at the same time they dismissed the UK's push for reasonable safeguards to ensure our interests are protected. It is not possible to have it both ways.'

Mr Barnier's intervention came after Theresa May confirmed that Britain will not be in any form of customs union with the bloc after Brexit.

But Mr Barnier insisted the UK had already committed to a soft border between Northern Ireland and the Republic in the divorce agreement

In what amounted to an ultimatum, he added: 'It is important to tell the truth. A UK decision to leave the single market and to leave the customs union would make border checks unavoidable.'
A sedated Bengal tiger cub has been found inside a plastic container at a sorting office ready to be posted to another part of the country.

The two-month-old cub was discovered by federal police sniffer dogs carrying out a routine check of a post office in the city of Tlaquepague in the Mexican state of Jalisco.

The trained dogs detected noises and movements inside the plastic container and officers quickly spotted that it had air holes drilled into it. The lid was wrapped shut with tape.

The two-month-old cub was discovered by federal police sniffer dogs carrying out a routine check of a post office in the city of Tlaquepague in the Mexican state of Jalisco

The trained dogs detected noises and movements inside the plastic container and officers quickly spotted that it had air holes drilled into it

When officers opened the box they saw the Bengal tiger inside.

The cub had been sedated and was lying on newspaper with no food or water inside the container.

The postal box was leaving the western state of Jalisco to travel to the state of Queretaro in central Mexico.

Federal police reported that this is the third endangered big cat to be seized by authorities this week. A female Bengal tiger was found at a postal company in Xoxocotlan in the state of Oaxaca while a jaguar was discovered abandoned in a cage by the roadside in Chihuahua.

The Bengal tiger is considered an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and appears on the group's Red List.

The tiger is ranked among the biggest wild cats alive today and is the national animal of both India and Bangladesh.
A White House staffer who resigned on Friday over allegations he abused his ex-wife has vehemently denied them and claimed that he was beaten by her during their tumultuous two-and-a-half year marriage.

David Sorensen, 32, resigned on Friday after his ex-wife Jessica Corbett, also 32, told The Washington Post that he ran her over with a car, put a cigarette out on her hand and threw her into a wall.

He denied all of her allegations and, in a lengthy statement of his own, says it was she who beat him.

'I never committed violence of any kind against any woman in my entire life. In fact, I was the victim of repeated physical violence during our marriage, not her,' Sorensen said.

To support his statement, he released photographs of emails, texts and 'injuries' he said were proof of her 'abuse' and told DailyMail.com emphatically that Corbett's claims were not true.

'Her claims of violence are completely false, creative as they might be.'

In his statement, Sorensen included images which showed 'cuts', 'scrapes' and 'bruises' as well as 'dried blood' on his lip, all of which he said were proof of his ex-wife hitting him.

In text messages and emails he supplied, the pair argued and discussed how she had 'slapped' him because he called her a 'c*** or b****'.

Sorensen told DailyMail.com on Saturday morning that he was not surprised by his ex's decision to make the allegations and that she is driven by jealousy and a desire to be in the 'limelight'.

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David Sorensen and Jessica Corbett at the Blaine House, the Maine governor's residence, on Thanksgiving Day in 2015. He denied her claims that he domestically abused her, stating instead that it was her who attacked him physically during their tumultuous marriage

'I am not surprised. She frequently levied threats to make false allegations throughout our marriage.

'She always wanted to move to DC so I can imagine she felt very jealous and scorned when I took a dream job and moved there soon after filing for divorce.'

He said the fact that she was 'anti-Trump' and 'anti' him were other motivating factors.

'She loves the limelight and she certainly has it now.'

On Friday night, Sorensen said he handed in his resignation to spare the White House another scandal.

'It should be able to focus on continuing President Trumps historic accomplishments for the American People,' he told The Washington Post by text message on Friday night.

He also pointed to his ex-wife's two convictions for driving offences, the first of which was for a DUI, saying they proved she was of bad character.

Sorensen provided pictures to DailyMail.com which he said proved how his ex-wife hit him. They include this image, taken in May, 2015, which he said shows 'redness and cut behind left eye from punch to the face' which he said he suffered when she 'attacked' him as he tried to leave the house

Another photograph, taken in May 2015, of a 'scrape' on the back of his neck

Two other images, taken in July 2016, show 'a small bruise/scrape on left cheek from punch to the face' and a 'cauliflower/scrape under eye from punch to the face'

Another 'scrape', this time on his upper chest, which he says he suffered when she assaulted him

September 2016: 'Dried blood on lip from punch to the face; hospital band on Davids hand after admitting himself to Maine General Medical Center in Augusta, ME for possible aggravation of a neck injury by repeated blows to the head'

Sorensen said he was now considering legal action. His first wife told the Post that he had never raised a hand to her.

In his statement, he described Corbett's 'unimaginable fits of rage' and said: 'This incident is an opportunity to highlight the grossly underreported and unacknowledged issue of female-on-male domestic violence.'

Among the text messages he shared were ones which he had exchanged with friends in which he described his wife's 'craziness'.

Sorensen had worked as a speechwriter under senior policy adviser Stephen Miller and is a member of the Maine GOP.

His departure comes days after that of former White House staff secretary Rob Porter who has been accused of abusing both of his ex-wives.

Like Sorensen, he denies the allegations.

Sorensen also provided email exchanges in which she described slapping him but justified it because he had called her a 'c*** and a b****'

Others include an exchange in which Corbett asked for her car back after they parted ways and threatened: 'Otherwise, you will really wish I'd decided to leave Maine'. Sorensen says she is determined to derail his career and was jealous of his job

An exchange Sorensen had with a friend in which he described his then wife as showing 'occasional craziness'. The friend characterized her as 'just a little southern'

Corbett, who also worked for the Republican party, told the Post that Sorensen emotionally abused her in addition to allegedly beating her.

She said he once grabbed her by her hair while they were alone on a boat off the coast of Maine and held her over the ledge, a moment she said she feared for her life.

Sorensen, 32, worked as a speechwriter under senior policy adviser Stephen Miller

She alleged that she told the FBI about the abuse claims when they began carrying out a background check for him last fall.

The FBI has not verified her comment.

The White House said it heard about the claims for the first time on Thursday night when the Post approached them for comment.

'We immediately confronted the staffer, he denied the allegations and he resigned today,' spokesman Raj Shah said.

Corbett and Sorensen were married for two-and-a-half years. They finalized their divorce in October.

She says that during their short-lived marriage, Sorenson was repeatedly abusive both physically and emotionally.

During the time of the alleged incidents, Sorenson was a top policy adviser to Republican Maine Gov. Paul LePage.

The sudden departure of the speechwriter comes just two days after Staff secretary Rob Porter (pictured), one of the president's closest aides, resigned over abuse allegations

Two of Porter's ex-wives, Colbie Holderness (left) and Jennifer Willoughby (right), claim the he physically abused them

White House Communications Director Hope Hicks, right, stands during a meeting in the Oval Office on Friday

President Donald Trump defended Porter when he spoke to reporters in the Oval Office on Friday

In a blog post on Medium, she said that while she 'was not perfect', she stood by her claims.

Sorensen's resignation comes as the White House continues to work to quieten the scandal surrounding Porter's exit.

Porter stepped down from his job following claims to DailyMail.com from his ex-wives Colbie Holderness and Jennifer Willoughby about the abuse they say they suffered during their marriages to the former Trump aide.

Holderness claims Porter choked and punched her during their marriage, while Willoughby says he dragged her wet and naked out of the shower and was verbally abusive.

On Friday, DailyMail.com also reported that White House Chief of Staff General John Kelly was told by Porter's then-girlfriend in October 2017 that Porter's ex-wives were prepared to level devastating accusations of spousal abuse against him.

White House counsel Don McGahn had also known since early 2017 that Porter was at risk of being accused of being violent with the women.

Porter's ex-girlfriend denies ever speaking to Kelly, but the official in his chain of command confirmed on Friday morning that the conversation took place.

White House Chief of Staff John Kelly walks with White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter on November 29, 2017

A White House official told DailyMail.com hours after being asked for comment, and after this story was first published, that 'Chief Kelly denies ever speaking about this matter with Mr. Porters ex-girlfriend.'

Kelly has been in damage-control mode since DailyMail.com first broke the Porter story on Tuesday. The Washington Post reported Friday morning that he has been instructing White House staffers to publicly describe his reaction and involvement in a way that contradicts the established timeline of events.

President Donald Trump was not informed about Porter's alleged history of abuse until Tuesday night when DailyMail.com first reported the ex-wives' claims.

Kelly also learned from federal law enforcement in November, weeks after Porter's live-in girlfriend spoke with him, that accusations against Porter were keeping him from receiving a permanent security clearance.

But he continued to give Porter more responsibilities to control the flow of information to the president.

Porter has denied the 'vile' accusations.

Complicating matters, White House Communications Director Hope Hicks is reportedly involved in a romantic relationship with Porter and allegedly helped craft his denial after the abuse allegations came to light.

Meanwhile, President Trump defended Porter when he spoke to reporters in the Oval Office on Friday.

He said of the allegations: 'I found out about it recently and I was surprised by it. But we certainly wish him well. It's obviously a tough time for him.'

'He did a very good job when he was in the White House and we hope he has a wonderful career, and hopefully he will have a great career ahead of him.'

Former deputy staff secretary Derek Lyons has been promoted to acting staff secretary.

The Harvard Law School grad previously worked as a senior adviser to Jeb Bush's 2016 presidential campaign and Sen. Rob Portman, according to his Linkedin profile.
At least 18 people have died after a double-decker bus crashed on Saturday evening in Hong Kong, police have said.

Local media reports quoted passengers as saying the crowded vehicle tipped over after it had been traveling too fast.

A police spokeswoman said 15 men and three women were killed in the accident near the town of Tai Po in the northern New Territories.

Rescuers worked late to try and rescue passengers trapped in the bus

The rescue operation ran from the day into Saturday night

It is reported to be Hong Kong's deadliest traffic accident since a 2003 bus accident that killed 21 people

The bodies of dead passengers laid out on the ground covered in white sheets

Nearly 50 people were injured and taken to hospitals, including 19 in serious condition, the Hospital Authority said.

The South China Morning Post said it was Hong Kong's worst road accident since a 2003 bus crash that killed 21.

Photos and videos published by social media showed the gold-coloured bus lying on its side with its roof torn off, while emergency workers treated injured passengers nearby.

It appeared to have slid on its side and hit a lamppost which cut through the front of the vehicle.

Rescuers were attempting to reach passengers trapped in the wreckage, although police were unable to say how many were still inside.

Numerous passengers told local news channels that the bus was travelling at high speed before the accident

Local TV channels broadcast footage of rescue workers cutting open the roof of the bus, operated by the Kowloon Motor Bus Co

The sideways-facing seats of the overturned bus could be seen after rescuers cut through its roof

The bus appeared to have slid on its side and hit a lamppost which cut through the front of the vehicle

Up to 50 people were injured in the crash - some seriously - and were taken to hospitals

'It was much faster than I normally felt in a bus,' an injured passenger told the South China Morning Post's online edition.

'And then it was like the tyre slipped, and the bus turned. It was really chaotic in the bus. People fell on one another and got tossed from side to side,' he said.

Earlier passengers complained to the driver who was reportedly 10 minutes late.

He then kept speeding up before the bus crashed, the Apple Daily reported, quoting injured passengers at the scene.

'(The driver was) intentionally using the bus to throw a tantrum,' another injured passenger told the Oriental Daily.

Lawmaker Lam Cheuk-ting of the Democratic Party urged the government to investigate bus designs, 'especially with the upper deck of buses having been repeatedly torn off in accidents, posing a serious threat to passengers on the upper level'.

The Chinese city promotes its public transport system as one of the best infrastructures in the world but fatal accidents do occasionally happen:

In 2003 a double-decker bus collided with a truck and plunged from a bridge, killing 21 people

In 2008, 18 people were killed in another bus crash

In April 2017 14 people were injured when a double-decker tram tipped over, with a 23-year-old driver later arrested for dangerous driving

The safety of Hong Kong's waterways has also remained under scrutiny since 39 people were killed when a high-speed ferry and a pleasure boat crashed in 2012.
A record $1.4billion of taxpayers' money has been recouped from welfare cheats as part of a Department of Human Services investigation.

Among those snared include a man who stole the identity of dead children to receive Centrelink payments.

Another person caught rorting the welfare system was a married mother jailed after she claimed single parent benefits for more than 10 years.

Out of 1400 cases of potential Centrelink fraud investigated, more than 950 were referred to police (stock image)

The money was recovered through an automated compliance system which detects discrepancies between income reported to Centrelink and information held by the Australian Taxation Office, the Sunday Telegraph reported.

Out of 1400 cases of potential fraud investigated, more than 950 were referred to police.

Tasmanian woman Kristy Lee Wessing, 36, received $160,000 from Centrelink over 10 years after she claimed to be single, when in fact she married the father of two children, set up a joint bank account and purchased a car with him.

She was jailed for three years.

'Centrelink relies on a level of honesty from the people who claim benefits and your deceptions  resulted in your claiming benefits to which you were not entitled for almost 11 years. You did not stop offending but only did so when you were caught. The amount overall was significant,' Justice Shan Tennent said at the sentencing.

In another case, David Alan Knipe, 64, claimed $125,586 in welfare payments for almost a decade by using a series of false identities.

A record $1.4 billion was recovered through an automated compliance system which detects discrepancies between income reported to Centrelink and details held by the Australian Taxation Office (stock image)

He found identification documents for two dead children born around the same time as him and even obtained a passport for one alias so he could travel.

Knipe was jailed for four years and nine months.

'Your offending involved a high level of planning, premeditation, deception and fraudulent conduct over an extended period, committed primarily for significant financial gain,' Judge Simon Stretton said at the sentencing.

It was very, very dishonest behavior. Significant identity fraud was at the root of the scheme. General and personal deterrence must play a significant role in any sentence.'

In another case, a childless woman allegedly claimed she was a mother to receive parenting payments while another woman working two jobs with a combined income of $88,895 in falsely claimed unemployment benefits.

Human Services Minister Michael Keenan told The Sunday Telegraph the federal government has a zero-tolerance approach to those who defraud the system.

'Australia has a generous social safety net, reflective of our fundamental belief in a fair go,' Mr Keenan said.

'While the majority of people do the right thing, there are those who set out to deliberately defraud the system, robbing Australian families in the process.'
Vikki Campion was two months pregnant with Barnaby Joyce's fifth child while his wife sought counselling for their failing marriage.

Natalie Joyce tried to save her marriage by enlisting high-profile Catholic priest Father Frank Brennan in September - several months into her husband's affair with his 33-year-old former media advisor.

Mrs Joyce begged Father Brennan - who is a family friend - to counsel the deputy prime minister to end the relationship, The Courier Mail reported.

Vikki Campion was two months pregnant with Barnaby Joyce's fifth child while his wife Natalie (pictured) sought counselling for their failing marriage

Mrs Joyce tried to save her marriage by enlisting high-profile Catholic priest Father Frank Brennan (pictured) in September

Mrs Joyce (pictured) begged Father Brennan - who is a family friend - to counsel the deputy prime minister to end the relationship

She learned soon after that Ms Campion was two months pregnant with a child belonging to her husband of 24 years.

Father Brennan is believed to have then counselled the couple as their marriage broke down in the following months.

The publication reported Mrs Joyce was aware of the affair when she arrived as Mr Joyce's date to the Midwinter Ball in June.

The pair share four daughters aged between 15 and 21, one of which sat her final exams during her parents' fallout.

In a statement issued last week, Mrs Joyce said she felt 'deceived' by the news her husband is having another child.

She claimed her husband's affair went on for months, while she was sacrificing her own career to support him, The Australian reported.

Mrs Joyce learned soon after that Ms Campion (pictured) was two months pregnant with a child belonging to her husband of 24 years

In a statement issued last week, Mrs Joyce said she felt 'deceived' by the news her husband is having another child with Ms Campion (pictured)

The news of the baby came just two months after Mr Joyce, 50, formally announced he was separated from his wife

'The situation is devastating, for my girls who are affected by the family breakdown and for me as a wife of 24 years who placed my own career on hold to support Barnaby through his political life,' her statement read.

'Our family has had to be shared during Barnabys political career and it was with trust that we let campaign and office staff into our home and into our lives.

'Naturally we feel deceived and hurt by the actions of Barnaby and the staff member involved.'

The news of the baby came just two months after Joyce, 50, formally announced he was separated from his wife.
A 22-year-old man is critically ill in hospital after crashing a car into a house while being chased by police.

The driver of the Toyota Auris had failed to stop for a marked police vehicle at about 11.55pm last night.

During his attempted escape he crashed, sustaining serious head injuries.

The car smashed into the side of the property leaving a sizable hole below the window

Following the smash on Highgate Road in Bradford, West Yorkshire, he was rushed to Leeds General infirmary where he is being treated.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said the incident had been automatically referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

Anyone who saw the Toyota prior to or during the incident should phone police on 101.
Police have caught two people driving while high on ice in the same car just minutes apart.

The first driver was pulled over on Mortlock Terrace, in Port Lincoln on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula, at 4.30pm on Friday.

The 44-year-old male driver from Murdinga tested positive to methamphetamine and was ordered not to drive.

Police have caught two people driving while high on ice in the same car just minutes apart (stock image)

Police then stopped the same car less than five minutes later on First Avenue, this time with a female driver at the wheel.

The woman, 37, from Lock, also tested positive to methamphetamine and was allegedly driving unlicensed and had been disqualified from driving.

The car was defected and impounded and both drivers were reported - the male driver for causing/permitting the unlicensed woman to drive.

Samples were sent for forensic examination, and the pair will appear in court at a later date.
Concerned residents fear they've been potentially exposed to asbestos that was allegedly illegally dumped in Sydney's west.

Young children may also be at risk as the asbestos was dumped next to daycare centre Little Zak's Academy.

Shocked residents say they were unaware of the danger until a letterbox drop of homes at Jordan Springs, near Penrith raised the alarm on Friday, 9 News reported.

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Workers were at the Jordan Springs site on Saturday to clear the illegally dumped asbestos

A 'small amount' of asbestos was illegally dumped next to daycare centre Little Zak's Academy, which has been operating since 2014

The letter from Lendlease stated contractors had identified 'small amounts' of bonded asbestos within the dumped soils.

'While the material does not represent a risk to the public, the safety of residents and secure removal of asbestos is our number one priority,' the letter states.

'The affected area is fenced off. The soils will be removed in accordance with strict statutory and regulatory requirements.'

Some residents claim they didn't receive the letter.

'It's very concerning  really concerning,' Wendy James told 9 News.

Dane Wellard added: 'I thought this is just a cover up. This is just a stitch-up saying it's someone else's fault.'

'While the material does not represent a risk to the public, the safety of residents and secure removal of asbestos is our number one priority,' the Lendlease letter to residents states.

Lendlease owns the fenced-off vacant land where the soil was allegedly dumped.

It also recently completed the construction of the neighbouring Jordan Springs Community Hub.

The new facility was a joint initiative between Penrith Council and Lendlease and is yet to open its doors.

Penrith Council wouldn't comment while Lendlease refused to reveal to 9 News when the alleged illegal dump was discovered.

'Small amounts of asbestos-contaminated material were identified in the dumped soils. The asbestos was identified as bonded, not airborne, and this type of asbestos poses a lesser risk to the community,' the Lendlease statement said.
A man has been charged with murder after a mother-of-five was found dead at a house in Rochdale.

Rahman Begum, 47, was found with multiple stab wounds at a home on Clement Royds Street, in Spotland, Rochdale, on Wednesday afternoon.

Police have confirmed that Mohammed Tafham, 30, also of Clement Royds Street, has been charged with her murder.

Rahman Begum, 47, was found stabbed to death at a home in Rochdale, she was a mother of five and neighbours described her as a 'lovely woman'

Greater Manchester Police launched an investigation into her death and forensic teams remained at the house until Thursday.

Neighbours and elders at The Golden Mosque and Islamic Cultural Centre, described her as a 'lovely person' who adored her children.

A spokesman for the mosque said: 'She was a really nice lady - well spoken and polite.

Greater Manchester Police launched an investigation into her death and forensic teams remained at the house for over a day

'She was a mum-of-five, with three older daughters, one son and a younger daughter. We do not know what has happened.

'She was a lovely woman - always smiling. I never saw her without a smile on her face and she was always looking after her children.

'It has come as a real shock to the area and people are coming to pay their respects at the mosque.'

It is understood Ms Begum's husband and son were in Pakistan at the time of her death.

A resident on Clement Royds Street said: 'She was a nice, friendly lady. She was always smiling and very happy whenever we saw her.

Tafham lives on the same road as his victim, but the relation between the two is unknown.

He was remanded in custody to appear at Manchester Magistrates' Court on Saturday morning.
For the second time in recent weeks, an Oscar-nominated director is being accused on Saturday of stealing elements from other works for his highly acclaimed film.

Guillermo del Toro, the Mexican director who is up for an Academy Award at next months ceremony in Hollywood, is said to have lifted scenes from two French-language films that were worked into The Shape of Water.

The Shape of Water, which was directed and produced by del Toro, leads the field with an astounding 13 Oscar nominations, including best picture, best director, and best original screenplay.

Guillermo del Toro (right), the Mexican director who is up for an Academy Award at next months ceremony in Hollywood, is being accused by French director Jean-Pierre Jeunet (left) of lifting scenes from two of his films and working them into The Shape of Water

But Jean-Pierre Jeunet, the French filmmaker who gained international fame for his 2001 romantic comedy Amelie, said del Toro plagiarized from that movie as well as his cult classic Delicatessan.

Jeunet made the accusation in an interview with Ouest France.

He told the French newspaper that he confronted del Toro about one particular scene from his film.

The scene shows two characters from the movie, played by British actor Sally Hawkins and Richard Jenkins, doing a two-step dance while sitting on a sofa and watching an old Hollywood film.

One scene in question shows two characters from The Shape of Water, played by British actor Sally Hawkins and Richard Jenkins (above), doing a two-step dance while sitting on a sofa and watching an old Hollywood film

Jeunet says that particular scene is nearly identical to one he filmed in his 1991 work Delicatessan. The scene above shows French actors Dominique Pinon and Karin Viard

The news site IndieWire pointed out that the scene looks remarkably similar to one from Delicatessan.

I told [del Toro]: You have a lot of imagination, a lot of talent. Why go and [steal] the ideas of others? Jeunet told the French publication.

[Del Toro] said, We owe Terry Gilliam everything. According to [del Toro], he does not steal from others, it is Terry Gilliam who has influenced us all.

When he [directs] the scene of the couple sitting on the edge of the bed dancing with their feet, with the musical in the background on TV, it is so copied and pasted [from] Delicatessen that there is a moment when I say to myself that he lacks self-respect.

Jeunet also accused del Toro of lifting a scene from his 2001 romantic comedy Amelie, starring Audrey Tautou (above)

Jeunet said that he is not as angry as he is disappointed in del Toro.

Guillermo has enough talent not to do that, the French director said.

It is obvious that he had Delicatessen in mind [when he filmed that scene], Jeunet said.

Jeunet also thinks del Toro used Amelie as an inspiration for a scene in the beginning of The Shape of Water.

Jeunet was referring to the scene which features the painter, the apartment, the girl who is a bit naive.

DailyMail.com has reached out to Fox Searchlight, the production studio which made The Shape of Water, for comment.

Last month, the son of late playwright Paul Zindel accused del Toro of lifting parts of his father's 1969 play Let Me Hear You Whisper and using it in The Shape of Water without giving proper credit.

David Zindel, Paul Zindel's son, told The Guardian that the plot line from the movie is 'obviously derived' from the play.

'We are shocked that a major studio could make a film so obviously derived from my late father's work without anyone recognizing it and coming to us for the rights,' said David Zindel, who runs his late father's estate.

Last month, the son of late playwright Paul Zindel (above) accused del Toro of lifting parts of his father's 1969 play Let Me Hear You Whisper and using it in The Shape of Water without giving proper credit

The Shape of Water is a film set in the 1960s about a cleaner who falls in love with a sea creature held captive at the Baltimore laboratory where she works.

Let Me Hear You Whisper, a play that was made into a TV special almost 50 years ago, is about a female janitor in a research lab who forms a special bond with a captive dolphin.

In both the movie and the play, the women try to rescue the animals held in the labs.

Fox Searchlight, through a spokesperson, denied that del Toro stole the idea for his film from Zindel's play.

'Guillermo del Toro has never read nor seen Mr. Zindel's play in any form,' the company said in a statement.

'Mr. del Toro has had a 25 year career during which he has made 10 feature films and has always been very open about acknowledging his influences.

'If the Zindel family has questions about this original work we welcome a conversation with them.'
President Donald Trump has blamed House Democrats for his decision to not release their formal response to a GOP memo alleging misconduct by top FBI officials amid the Russia investigation.

Trump tweeted his reasoning on Saturday morning saying the response was 'very political' and that the lawmakers knew information in it would need to be 'heavily redacted.'

'The Democrats sent a very political and long response memo which they knew, because of sources and methods (and more), would have to be heavily redacted, whereupon they would blame the White House for lack of transparency,' the president wrote on Twitter. 'Told them to re-do and send back in proper form!'

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President Donald Trump on Saturday blamed House Democrats for his decision to not release their formal response to a GOP memo

On Friday night Trump blocked the release of a classified memo written by House Intelligence Committee Democrats to rebut the Republican document that he allowed to be made public last week.

That earlier document seemingly supported the idea that the FBI and Justice Department used politically biased information to spy on a Trump campaign adviser acted with bias against Trump and Republicans in general, in the early stages of the federal probe of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

In refusing to release the Democratic rebuttal memo, the White House cited 'national security concerns.'

The White House's rejection Friday night, which came in the form of a statement from White House counsel Don McGahn, included a letter from FBI Director Christopher Wray and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein that identifies 'information for which national security or law enforcement concerns are especially significant.'

President Donald Trump on Friday blocked the release of a classified memo written by congressional Democrats to rebut a Republican document that he allowed to be made public last week. He explained why on Saturday morning. Trump is pictured on Friday

The Justice Department had identified portions of the Democratic memo that 'would create especially significant concerns for the national security and law enforcement interests' of the country, the Trump administration said.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said the White House move is 'part of a dangerous and desperate pattern of cover-up on the part of the president.'

California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who is the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee and has read the classified information both memos are based on, tweeted that Trump's blocking the memo is 'hypocrisy at its worst.'

The House of Representatives Intelligence Committee voted unanimously on Monday to release the 10-page document drafted by the panel's Democrats, but the committee could not do so unless Trump agreed to reclassify the document.

A week earlier, Trump had overruled objections from the Federal Bureau of Investigation about releasing the Republican memo that took aim at senior law enforcement officials.

Trump allowed the release of the memo, made public on February 2, which was written by the committee's Republicans.

California Sen. Dianne Feinstein tweeted that Trump's blocking the memo is 'hypocrisy at its worst'

President Donald Trump on Friday blocked the release of a classified memo written by congressional Democrats to rebut a Republican document that he allowed to be made public last week

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Devin Nunes (center), R-California, standing with Rep. Peter King (left), R-New York, and Rep. Ron DeSantis (right), R-Florida, listens to a reporter's question as he speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on October 24

White House counsel Donald F. McGahn II sent this letter to House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Devin Nunes on Friday

Democrats said the Republican memo mischaracterized highly sensitive classified information and was intended to discredit Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of potential collusion between Trump's 2016 campaign and Russia.

Mueller is also investigating whether Trump has committed obstruction of justice in trying to impede the Russia probe.

Trump met on Friday afternoon with officials from the Justice Department, White House Counsel's Office and the FBI director, Christopher Wray, to get their input on the Democratic memo, the White House said.

'Although the President is inclined to declassify the February 5 Memorandum, because the memorandum contains numerous properly classified and especially sensitive passages, he is unable to do so at this time,' White House Counsel Don McGahn said in a letter to Devin Nunes, the Republican chairman of the House panel.

He asked the intelligence panel to revise the memo with the help of the Justice Department. He said Trump is still 'inclined' to release the memo in the interest of transparency if revisions are made.

The White House also released a letter sent to McGahn by Wray and to Rod Rosenstein, the second-ranking Justice Department official, expressing concerns about the memo's release 'in light of longstanding principles regarding the protection of intelligence sources and methods, ongoing investigations, and other similar sensitive information.'

The top Democrat on the intelligence panel, California Rep. Adam Schiff, criticized Trump for treating the two documents differently, saying the president is now seeking revisions by the same committee that produced the original Republican memo. Still, Schiff said, Democrats 'look forward to conferring with the agencies to determine how we can properly inform the American people about the misleading attack on law enforcement by the GOP.'

Deputy Attorney General of the Department of Justice Rod Rosenstein and FBI Director Christopher Wray sent this letter to White House counsel Donald F. McGahn II on Friday

President Donald Trump speaks during the National Prayer Breakfast at a hotel in Washington, DC onThursday

The Republican memo portrayed the Russia investigation as a product of political bias at the FBI and Justice Department against Trump. The president said the document 'totally vindicates' him in the Russia investigation, a claim disputed by Democrats and some Republicans.

Democrats last week warned Trump against using the Republican memo as a pretext to fire Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who hired Mueller and oversees the investigation, or to remove Mueller himself.

The Republican memo singled out Rosenstein and several other officials by name, including former Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey, who Trump fired in May 2017, as the agency investigated the Russia matter.

Mueller took over the investigation from the FBI.

US intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential campaign using hacking and propaganda, an effort that eventually included attempting to tilt the race in Trump's favor.

Russia denies interfering in the election. Trump denies collusion with Moscow.

Read Trump's letter announcing that he would not reclassify the Democratic memo, below.
A male nurse has been struck off after shouting at an elderly patient with dementia 'listen motherf*****, you do that again, you die'.

Tudor-Petru was working in Lister Hospital's Urology Ward on Christmas Eve, 2016, as an agency nurse.

He was asked to care for two patients - one suffering from dementia. This patient spilled liquid on the floor and Tudor-Petru bent over to clear it up before the old man suddenly punched him in the eye.

The nurse 'thumped' his hand on the table in front of the patient, crouched down close to his face and told him 'listen motherf*****, you do that again, you die'.

Male nurse Gheorghiu Tudor-Petru has been struck off after shouting at an elderly patient with dementia 'listen motherf*****, you do that again, you die' on Christmas Eve, 2016

Tudor-Petru, who now works as a lorry driver, then washed his eye, which he said was in pain.

He appeared before a panel at the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) on January 24 for misconduct.

In his defence to the panel, Tudor-Petru said he did not know the patient had been through a partial lobotomy at the time.

He also suggested the patient would not even remember the incident because he had 'had half a brain removed'.

The NMC report states: 'The panel was of the view that your reaction in shouting, swearing and threatening a highly vulnerable patient is unacceptable no matter what the provocation.

'The panel took the view that your conduct did fall seriously short of the conduct and standards expected of a nurse and amounted to misconduct and would be regarded as deplorable by fellow practitioners.'

Tudor-Petru qualified as a nurse in Romania and came to the UK in 2011.

While acknowledging Tudor-Petru had shown remorse and apologised to the victim, the panel considered his regret was 'overshadowed' with an 'element of self-pity'.

Threatening to kill a vulnerable patient, it said, was a 'serious departure' from the standards expected of a registered nurse'.

After the patient spilled liquid on the floor Tudor-Petru bent over to clean it up before the patient hit him

The NMC report stated: 'The panel particularly noted your response and considered that a threat to kill a patient is also incompatible with continued registration.

The report concludes: 'The panel considered that this order was necessary to send to the public and the profession a clear message about the standard of behaviour required of a registered nurse.'

An 18-month interim suspension order has also been imposed to prevent Tudor-Petru from working as a nurse during any appeal period.

Tudor-Petru also admitted to altering the date of two certificates using Photoshop, one for moving and handling training and another for resuscitation training.

He submitted both certificates to Your World Recruitment Nursing Agency to register himself.

He denied intending to mislead employers that he had completed training on more recently.

The nurse 'thumped' his hand on the table in front of the patient, crouched down close to his face and threatened to hill him

Instead, he told the panel he was just 'bored' and 'experimenting' with Photoshop.

In a written statement, the clinical advisor for the agency told the panel the certificates were falsified and when he called the defendant he became 'quite aggressive'.

He was told he would not be allowed through the application process and, after persistent communication, the advisor had to email him to ask him not to contact the agency again.

Tudor-Petru did complete a one-day course on December 28, 2016, before submitting his application, which brought all of his training up to date in one certificate.

Mr Claxton, representing the defendant, said 'he had nothing to gain from being dishonest whatsoever' and 'simply attached the wrong certificates'.

The panel judged it could not prove on balance of probabilities he was intentionally misleading, but noted he had been 'stupid and foolish'.
A suspected drug dealer has broken the British record on Saturday for spending the most days in custody while police wait for him to poo.

Lamarr Chambers, 24, was arrested by police on Wednesday, (17 January) for failing to stop in Ladyshot, Harlow, Essex, along with intent to supply Class A drugs.

He has been held in custody for 23 days since his arrest as the police wait until he poos out the drugs he is believed to have swallowed.

Chambers, 24, was arrested by police on Wednesday, January 17, for failing to stop in Ladyshot, Harlow, Essex, along with intent to supply class A drugs

Essex police have regularly posted on Chambers' progress - or lack of it - on social media

Police say they are perfectly happy to wait until Chambers deposits the Class A drugs he is alleged to have swallowed (file photo)

Essex Police said there was 'no update' on the 24-year-old suspected gang member as he enters the 24th day held under constant supervision.

Medical experts say there is a small chance of his bowels bursting but a force spokesman today refused to provide 'blow by blow' daily updates.

They say there won't be an update on his condition 'until he has done what we need him to do'.

Following Chambers' arrest, policing team Operation Raptor West tweeted to say: 'London gang nominal arrested for failing to stop for police and possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, male doesn't think we have the power to keep him until he removes said items from his bottom.'

But more than three weeks later, the team based at Harlow police station, Essex, are still waiting.

They took to Twitter again earlier this week to say: 'Day 20 is coming to an end and still no movement, sorry for the delay in updates the team are busy covering this and other ongoing investigations'.

Operation Raptor West is Essex Police's gang and urban street crime unit for Harlow, Epping Forest, Brentwood and Thurrock districts.

Chambers is undergoing daily medical tests but research shows that holding your poo for a significant amount of time might not be as bad as you think.

Trish Macnair, from the Primary Care Society for Gastroenterology said: 'There's only so long you can hang on.

London gang nominal arrested for failing to stop for police and possession with intent to supply class A drugs, male doesn't think we have the power to keep him until he removes said items from his bottom

'You won't get a devastating build-up of toxins that can poison the body in such a short space of time.

'You're just going to get a lot of uncomfortable stretching of intestinal tubes.

'This is an acute situation, not chronic.

'Ultimately, things will move through the bowel and it'll empty itself.

'Most people have been there.'

She explains the longer you go without excreting the more uncomfortable it is going to be.

She added: 'The suspect will feel his bowel moving, trying to empty. He'll be holding his sphincter tight.'

Officers have claimed the 24-year-old is also refusing to eat, but Ms Macnair has explained that fasting will not prevent the suspect from doing what is natural.

She said: 'Even if you're not eating, the bowel will still move. That's because only about a third of what you find in faeces is food debris.

'A lot of it is dead, friendly bacteria and the lining of the bowel which is constantly shedding, like skin. Plus, lots of fluid.'

Ms McNair went to explain that there is a small risk of the bowel swelling and bursting but in a young, healthy person, you'd expect the bowel to empty itself before that happened.

She added: 'I'm amazed he's held on for so long. It's only a matter of time.'
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has called for Rohingya Muslim refugees to be able to return to Myanmar safely and with dignity.

Mr Johnson made the intervention as he visited a refugee camp at Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh, ahead of talks with Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Sunday.

The Foreign Secretary said: 'I have seen for my own eyes the horrendous living conditions the Rohingya people are having to endure and it has only further strengthened my commitment to working with international partners to improve the lives of these people in 2018.

Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, has called for Rohingya Muslim refugees to be able to return to Myanmar safely and with dignity after visiting a camp in Bangladesh

Mr Johnson was pictured shaking the hands of refugees today, ahead of talks with Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Sunday

Speaking on the visit, he said the Rohingya people were having to live in 'horrendous' living conditions and pledged to help

'I pay tribute to the hospitality and compassion shown by the government of Bangladesh, who are facing an enormous challenge in providing humanitarian assistance to the Rohingya community.

'While I welcome steps by both the Burmese and Bangladeshi governments towards ensuring that these people can return home, it is vital that the Rohingya refugees must be allowed to their homes in Rakhine voluntarily, in safety and with dignity, under international oversight, and when the conditions in Burma are right.'

More than 600,000 men, women and children are estimated to have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh following persecution from the Burmese military in their native state of Rakhine, which began in August.

Boris Johnson has called for Rohingya Muslim refugees to be able to return to Myanmar safely and with dignity (Pictured: Meeting refugees at the camp)

The Foreign Secretary made the comments during a visit to a refugee camp at Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh
A mother with a three-month-old baby was asked to temporarily leave a trendy south London cafe because the child's crying was annoying customers.

Staff approached the woman at the Brick House Bakery in East Dulwich, South London, and requested she stepped outside to settle the upset infant.

Owner Fergus Jackson told MailOnline: Parents have a responsibility to look after their children. We are a cafe, not a creche.'

A row broke out on social media hours after the mother told her friends she was suddenly asked to leave the trendy bakery.

'We're not a creche': The owner of the Brick House Bakery said customers were complaining about the levels of noise

Jennie Hall, who was with the mother at the time, took to Instagram to slam the owner's decision.

She wrote: 'It was three minutes of crying which the mother was trying to settle and she was stressed about it as it was.

'Unfortunately it's a fact of life that a three-month-old baby cries, if this had been a first time mother she would have left in tears.

'We were not even offered paper bags for the food that had just been purchased.

'Totally on board with a crying baby being annoying but a friendly, Would you mind popping outside to see if baby quietens, you can leave your just purchased food here would have sufficed. A little compassion goes a long way.'

A row broke out on social media hours after the mother told her friends she was suddenly asked to leave the trendy bakery

Mr Jackson, who runs the cafe along with his wife, said: Parents have a responsibility to look after their children. We are a cafe, not a creche.'

Weve had a number of complaints recently that our cafe is turning into a creche. We dont have a policy about crying children but as business owners we are responsible for the overall environment.

She was very politely asked if she would step outside for a minute to settle the baby but she chose to leave.

Staff approached the woman at the Brick House Bakery in East Dulwich, South London, and requested she stepped outside to settle the upset infant (stock image)

Another customer Dan Berrie complained on Instagram about the incident. He said: Love what you guys do, but your attitude towards babies stinks.

'Our mate was asked to leave your place in East Dulwich today because her three month old was crying. Absolutely disgraceful kicking out (paying) customers for that reason. Hold your heads in shame.

The cafe responded: If you have been to our cafe you would know that our attitude to babies does not stink. At any given time, there are a number of babies in the cafe. We provide high chairs, changing facilities, happily warm bottles and make babycinos and have no problem with breast feeding. But, we are a cafe not a creche, and we have been getting an increasing number of complaints from (paying) customers about babies crying.

They added: Its not something we relish or enjoy, quite to opposite in fact, but our goal is always to keep the majority of our customers happy and protect our business.
It is nearly 11pm as snow falls on the narrow streets of Amsterdam.

Two young men wearing hoodies swagger up to one of the full-length windows in the most famous sex district in the world.

Bathed in eerie red light are three women wearing only lace underwear. One plays nonchalantly with her phone, not bothering to look up at the men leering at her.

Another applies her lipstick. A third sways gently from side to side, staring out with a fixed smile.

Bathed in eerie red light are three women wearing only lace underwear. One plays nonchalantly with her phone, not bothering to look up at the men leering at her

The men are probably British. They come here in their droves, on holiday or for stag weekends, to gawp through the windows of the citys brothels.

Some respond to the women beckoning them, no doubt emboldened by the fact this is De Wallen, where prostitution is not only tolerated but is perfectly legal, and where credit cards are accepted by the notorious window women.

Tricks are turned with astonishing speed and the women can earn up to 350 on a busy day.

Perhaps that is partly why the myth of the happy hooker has been allowed to flourish in these seedy streets.

But the reality, as The Mail on Sunday discovered, is far more grim, sordid and dangerous.

Scores of human trafficking trials in the Dutch courts have exposed the horrific truth  that many of the smiling window girls have been brought from Eastern Europe by ruthless pimps who think nothing of handing out a beating, a knifing or rape.

One young woman who had been forced to Amsterdam revealed to The Mail on Sunday: We are being sold just like something in a shop.

The reality, as The Mail on Sunday discovered, is far more grim, sordid and dangerous. Pictured: Amsterdam's red light district

Spurred on by horrific tales of women suffering coerced cosmetic surgery and forced abortions, a growing number of politicians and campaigners in Holland have turned against the sex trade.

The new outlook is summed up by a Dutch MP, who told the MoS that the brothels  seen by so many as just good dirty fun  are nothing more than commercialised rape.

Now a new law, likely to come into force next year, will make it an offence, punishable by up to four years in jail, for punters to have sex with a prostitute they know  or suspect  has been trafficked.

In the words of the international campaign challenging sexual harassment and the exploitation of women, could it finally be Times Up for Amsterdams red light district?

That time cannot come fast enough for Angelica, a Romanian who spent five nightmarish years as a captive in the Amsterdam windows.

One young woman who had been forced to Amsterdam revealed to The Mail on Sunday: We are being sold just like something in a shop

She tells us her chilling story  about the transformation of a bright, ambitious teenage student into a broken woman, aged just 22.

As a 17-year-old she was lured to London by a man she thought of as a boyfriend, having been told she would get a well-paid job as a hair stylist.

Unknown to her, at the other end of the easyJet flight was a willing customer, but he hadnt paid for a haircut  it was Angelica he wanted.

Her passport was taken away and she was effectively taken prisoner. Soon she was sold on and installed behind a grubby window of an Amsterdam brothel.

The man who brought me to England and then to Holland used me like a piece of meat, she says.

When I saw the brothels with all the girls in the windows, I cried. I cried very hard because they looked horrible, and I knew that was what was coming to me.

She was told she owed 27,000 to the traffickers because they falsely said her family had been paid off not to report her disappearance.

Her 350 daily earnings went straight to the brutal pimp who gave her just 9 for food. He also raped and beat her.

Despite the horrific reality exposed by Angelicas story, the men in the red light district do not seem to care if the women have been trafficked

Clients were charged 35 for straight sex  or 90 without a condom. Angelica was cut on the face with a knife by her captors when she tried to refuse a clients demand to have unprotected sex, and she was threatened with much worse if it happened again.

Little by little, the message got through that her body now belonged to someone else.

She adds: Pimps would tell me its legal, that they can do what they want to me because the police are on their side and not mine.

Of her clients, she says: The English are the worst. They treat me like dirt. One even urinated all over me and laughed while he was doing it. They are always drunk. They hurt me.

Her phone was taken away and she was given a basic Nokia with a few pounds credit so that she could keep in touch with her pimp.

Angelica worked 12-hour shifts, sometimes sleeping in her brothel in case a punter wanted sex early the next morning.

Eventually one of the support agencies whose staff tour the area came round and on their 12th visit she told them she had been trafficked and wanted to escape.

Next, a plain-clothes policeman arrived posing as a client and she spilled out her story.

Finally, police took her to a refuge outside the city. But her time in the windows had left a grim legacy.

She had contracted a venereal disease, was forced into an abortion, and for a long time her family refused to speak to her  convinced by the traffickers she had entered prostitution willingly.

One of the British tourists we spoke to says: I assumed one woman was trafficked because of the way it was set up with a big guy standing outside'

Now back in Romania, living in a hostel and in touch with her family, Angelica says: I now understand I was trafficked, but then I didnt even know the word.

'The problem is that once I was in that brothel, everybody just walked past smiling and waving, or glaring and laughing, including some of the police, because everything was perfectly legal.

Despite the horrific reality exposed by Angelicas story, the men in the red light district do not seem to care if the women have been trafficked.

One of the British tourists we spoke to says: I assumed one woman was trafficked because of the way it was set up with a big guy standing outside.

'The woman looked younger than 16 and appeared to be Polish, Russian, Albanian or Romanian.

Another says: One of the women in a window had bruises and cuts. I asked her if she was OK and she just smiled and said she was.

A third shrugs and says: They all want it dont they, if its legal? If its behind the window and its obvious and blatant and in your face, that means its not underground, its not illegal, and they want it.

Stories like Angelicas have swayed public opinion in Holland and today thousands of protesters are expected to march in The Hague  home of The Netherlands government  to demand that the countrys brothels, legalised in 2000, are again outlawed

But stories like Angelicas have swayed public opinion in Holland and today thousands of protesters are expected to march in The Hague  home of The Netherlands government  to demand that the countrys brothels, legalised in 2000, are again outlawed.

Renate Van Der Zee, a long-time campaigner against the sex trade in Holland, has found that her cause, once regarded as controversial, has now gathered mainstream support.

I realised that legalisation didnt change anything in prostitution, she says. The whole Dutch system was set up by wishful thinking. Women are not safe under legalisation.

'There is a movement across the world now to end the sexual exploitation of women. Weve seen this with the Times Up and #MeToo campaigns.

Dutch MP Gert-Jan Segers, leader of the Christian Union party in the coalition government, says: We legalised prostitution in 2000.

On the march: Women making their feelings known

The idea was it was giving women their freedom and to get rid of the criminality. But we took it away from being linked to freedom and we linked it to human trafficking.

The red light district is a dark place. Its chilling, its humiliating  it makes me cry.

For a long time we just accepted it  there are tour guides telling naughty and funny stories about the place. But the reality is that its just commercialised rape.

As well as increasing the minimum age of prostitutes from 18 to 21, the legislation could make men far more wary about paying for sex. We are making the buyers responsible, says Mr Segers.

They should be prosecuted if they know or could have known that they are making use of a victim of forced prostitution.

From a human rights perspective, De Wallen is a terrible place. I hope that this law will be a clear warning that if you cross that line you will be prosecuted, including tourists.

Jolanda Boer, a senior public prosecutor specialising in human trafficking, says: The British tourists see the red light district as a circus, but they should keep in mind that these girls might not stand there voluntarily and they are exploited.

Jackie, 42, a prostitute who works for Proud  an advocacy group for sex workers, says: At the weekends were packed with British tourists  theyre so loud and rowdy.

They think anything goes in this area, but it doesnt. Its like an erotic Disney World, but people also live and work here.

Hala Naoum Nehme, a former volunteer support worker for the De Wallen prostitutes, adds: We should be ashamed at how we are treating the women behind the glass.

'I would ask everyone who has romantic ideas about the red light district  are you sure those women are not being forced?

Meanwhile in Britain, the Amsterdam model has been held in such high esteem that in 2014 the first  and only  legalised red light area was given the go-ahead in the inner-city Holbeck area of Leeds.

Similar tolerance zones have been proposed in other cities.

The number of sex assaults have increased dramatically in Holbeck since it was legalised as a red light district where kerb crawlers do not face arrest, but advocates of the scheme say this is because women feel safer to report crimes.

Mary Honeyball, a Labour MEP and vice-chair of the womens committee, believes the experiment was doomed from the start.

She says: It does these women a huge disservice to think that by sending them into a so called managed zone they are safe.

If anything, they are even more vulnerable because by giving them a designated area it risks normalising prostitution and everything that comes with it.

Perhaps the last word should go to Fiona Broadfoot, a former Leeds prostitute, who says: This so-called safe zone is not safe. The act of prostitution is not safe.'
When the Representation of the People Act was passed a century ago, giving women the vote for the first time, it was thanks to working-class women  and girls - such as Dora Thewlis.

The Yorkshire mill worker joined Emmeline Pankhurst's Women's Social and Political Union as a teenager and campaigned for better conditions in the mills.

But after being arrested and imprisoned during a march on Parliament Square in 1907, the 17-year-old, dubbed the 'Baby Suffragette', disappeared without a trace.

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On March 20, 1907, Dora Thewlis, 17, joined a group of Yorkshire women as they travelled by train to London to march from Caxton Hall to Parliament Square. Seventy-five women were arrested for disorderly conduct, including Dora. She was sent to Holloway Prison. A picture of her being frogmarched away by two policemen appeared on the Daily Mirror's front page (left, above)

Dubbed the 'Baby Suffragette' (left, in 1908), she would disappear without a trace. Mail Online has tracked down her ten grandchildren, who revealed that, although she emigrated to Australia before the outbreak of World War I, Dora (right, in 1918) never abandoned her firebrand politics

While the names of Pankhurst, daughters Christabel and Sylvia, and Emily Davison went down in history, the unskilled mill worker, who was a cause celebre at the turn of the century, became merely a footnote.

Now, Mail Online has tracked down her ten grandchildren, who revealed that, although she emigrated to Australia before the outbreak of World War I, she never abandoned her firebrand politics.

A socialist all her life, she remained proud of her flirtation with the suffragette movement and its purple, white and green colours until the day she died.

After her notoriety, Dora and her mother Eliza were quietly shelved by the Women's Social and Political Union. Heeding the magistrates' advice, she sought a new life on another continent, missing the enfranchisement she fought for. She arrived in Melbourne on October 9, 1912, aboard the Van Linschoten, with her elder sister Evelyn. (Above, left, on her way to Australia)

Born in 1890, the fifth of seven children of weavers James and Eliza Thewlis (both pictured), Dora grew up in the mill town of Huddersfield, which had become a thriving economic centre because of its canal

Kerrie Bartholomew, 66, a retired mother-of-two said: 'It is such a shame that Nanna Dow has been forgotten in Britain after being so involved in the suffrage movement.

'She was such a feisty and opinionated woman, who installed in all her children and grandchildren a sense of social justice, and never bragged about her achievements.

'But we are all very proud of her fight to get women the vote. She stood up for women in an age of terrible inequality. Without women like her, we would not have the rights we have today.'

Born in 1890, the fifth of seven children of weavers James and Eliza Thewlis, Dora grew up in the mill town of Huddersfield, which had become a thriving economic centre because of its canal.

By the time the Representation of People Act was passed in 1918 in Britain, Dora (above, in the 1930s) had settled in Australia and was a married woman. Ironically, she was able to vote in her new homeland the following year, when she was 29 years old, while British women under 30 did not gain the vote until 1928

Dora married horse trainer Jack Dow at St Silas Church, in Melbourne's Albert Park, in 1918, when they were both 28 years old, and had two children, Mable, in 1919, and Jack, in 1923. Mable is pictured left, and right, with her husband Gordon in 2003

Mable Carey, nee Dow, with her husband Gordon and children Peter (taller of the two) and Philip - pictured in 1950

Money was tight, and, like her siblings, she began to work in the mill at the tender age of ten, earning a mere 1 a week.

But, Dora, who was brought up as a socialist, was an intelligent girl, reading the newspapers diligently from the age of seven.

Inspired by Pankhurst, who sought women to storm Parliament, she volunteered, telling her mother: 'Let me go, Mother. I am quite capable.

'I understand what I am fighting for, and am prepared to go to prison for the cause. I feel that women ought to have their rights and it will be an honour to go to prison.'

Dora's granddaughter Kerrie Bartholomew (centre), 66, a retired mother-of-two, said: 'It is such a shame that Nanna Dow has been forgotten in Britain after being so involved in the suffrage movement'. She is pictured with her parents, Jack Jnr and Jean, in 2006

Kerrie (above, with her family) said: '[Nanna Dow] was such a feisty and opinionated woman, who installed in all her children and grandchildren a sense of social justice, and never bragged about her achievements'

It was a pledge she would fulfil. On March 20, 1907, she joined a contingent of Yorkshire women, dressed in clogs and a shawl, as they travelled by train to London to march from Caxton Hall to Parliament Square.

Angered by the failure of the second reading of Willoughby Dickinson's Bill to get women the vote, they surged on Parliament as Big Ben struck four.

But they were thwarted by a line of 500 constables. When they surged a second time, 75 women were arrested for disorderly conduct, including Dora. She was sent to Holloway Prison.

A picture of her being frogmarched away by two policemen appeared on the front page of the Daily Mirror under the headline 'Suffragettes storm the House - desperate encounter with the police - wholesale arrests'.

Her story gripped the public imagination. When she appeared in court, she defiantly told magistrate Horace Smith: 'I don't wish to go back, sir. I shall remain here as long as the WSPU women want me.'

Thrown back into Holloway, where she was held in solitary confinement, she was finally released a week later  the Mirror running the headline: 'Baby Suffragette Goes Home'.

Mable had two sons Peter, now 77, and Philip, 70, while Jack Jnr had eight children, Colleen (front left), 68, Kerrie (front right), John, Kate (front centre), 61, Chris, 55, Genevieve (rear right), 54, Barbara (rear left), 53, and Tony, 51

It was an epithet she hated. 'Don't call me Baby Suffragette,' she said. 'I am not a baby really. In May next year I shall be 18 years of age. Surely for a girl, that's a good age.'

After her notoriety, Dora and her mother Eliza were quietly shelved by the WSPU. Heeding the magistrates' advice, she sought a new life on another continent, missing the enfranchisement she had fiercely fought for.

She arrived in Melbourne on October 9, 1912, travelling aboard the Van Linschoten, with her elder sister Evelyn.

By the time the Representation of People Act was passed in 1918 in Britain, she had settled in Australia and was a married woman.

Ironically, she was able to vote in her new homeland the following year, when she was 29 years old, while British women under 30 did not gain the vote until 1928.

'Life was not easy for them in Huddersfield,' said Kerrie. 'The magistrate implied that she should make a new start elsewhere, so she emigrated.

Mable is pictured with her son Philip and grandchildren Tim and Georgia

'She got work as a blanket weaver in Warrnambool, three hours from Melbourne, before moving to Yarra Falls, where she met my grandfather Jack Dow, who was a horse trainer.'

The couple married at St Silas Church, in Melbourne's Albert Park, in 1918, when they were both 28 years old, and had two children, Mable, in 1919, and Jack, who was Kerrie's father, in 1923.

By then, Dora's parents James and Eliza, perhaps spurred by the arrival of grandchildren, had also moved to Australia.

Tragically her mother never settled in the country and yearned for her homeland. She returned to England in the summer of 1930 abroad the turbine steamship Moreton Bay.

But at 7.08am on July 30, as the ship passed through the Red Sea towards the Suez Canal, she suffered a fatal heart attack. She was buried at sea.

Her distraught husband James returned to Australia, settling in Geelong, Victoria, where he died in 1942, at the age of 82.

Sadly, Dora's marriage did not survive the 1930s depression. By the time World War II broke out, Jack had left Dora for their next-door neighbour.

Jack had a heart attack on Kerrie's fifth birthday in 1956. He died in the Royal Melbourne Hospital shortly afterwards at the age of 66.

'I was at my grandmother's house with him and my grandmother,' recalled Kerrie. 'They got on well and she never spoke ill of him despite the fact that he moved in with the female neighbour.

'I imagine life with him would have been difficult and unsettling. They moved home a lot because of the depression. He was constantly chasing work and she had to manage their home life with not a lot of money.

'He was actually singing Happy Birthday to me when he collapsed with a heart attack. He died soon afterwards. My father was very sad. He loved him very much.'

'My grandparents were very different personalities,' added Kerrie's brother John, a 64-year-old bookie. 'Granddad was a horse trainer and Nanna Dow was a working woman.

'She put up with the horses all her life but, I think it is one of the reasons she was unhappy. She was a working-class girl and believed you go to the factory every day and earning a living.'

Dora lived on for another 20 years, finally dying in her sleep at the age of 86. 'I actually found her dead when I went to visit her,' recalled Kerrie, sadly.

'Her last words to me were "go and make yourself a cup of tea, love", in her broad Yorkshire accent. I think she just faded away.

'Her doctor said it was heart failure due to old age. I have such fond memories of her. She was very caring and homely and I loved spending Sundays at her place.

'I would watch TV on the couch and she would bake scones and serve them with jam and cream. I would help her wind her wool into balls: she produced beautiful crochet work and needlework.'

However, her legacy has lived on in her grandchildren: although she only had two children, she spawned a dynasty of ten grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren.

Mable had two sons Peter, now 77, and Philip, 70, while Jack Jnr had eight children, Colleen, 68, Kerrie, John, Kate, 61, Chris, 55, Genevieve, 54, Barbara, 53, and Tony, 51.

All remember her as a feisty character, who remained a Labour supporter all her life. 'I've never forgotten Dad declaring he was going to vote Conservative after the sacking of the Whitlam government in 1975,' said Chris.

'It about four weeks until the election and I was in the back of the car with Nanna Dow. Aunty Mable was in the passenger seat and Dad was driving.

'Dad suddenly declared that he was going to vote Liberal. Nanna Dow said: "Jacky, to vote against the Labour party is going against everything your family stood for".

'Dad said: "You don't understand. The world has changed". She said: "I will never change".

'She had such fire in her belly, even at the age of 85. She said it with such conviction in her.'

His cousin Philip, a retired architect, also remembers a 'very feisty old lady'. 'She was very proud of being a suffragette,' he recalled.

'She always told me that she was on the front page of the newspapers when she was being dragged away by the police.

'She also told me about a photograph of her dressed up in clogs and a shawl taken behind prison bars. She didn't get involved in politics in Australia but she was very outspoken about her political views.

'The whole family has always been very proud of her. Perhaps now the British people will feel equally proud of her.'
Bones and teeth that were thought to be of three children that went missing in Michigan in 2010 are not them, after investigators hoped they'd see some closure.

The tragic case of Andrew, Alexander and Tanner Skelton, who disappeared after visiting their father during the Thanksgiving break in 2010, still remains a mystery after police thought the remains that were found belonged to the boys.

The boys were ages nine, seven and five years old, respectively, when they vanished from their home in Morenci.

Missoula Police Sgt. Travis Welsh said Friday that the determination the remains found in a shed in Montana in December, were in fact not the boys', just keeps the wounds open in a case without answers.

'I'm sure it gave a lot of hope to people in Michigan,' Welsh said. 'It would be nice to say we have some closure for them, but it doesn't look like we do.'

Andrew, nine (left); Alexander, seven (center) and Tanner, five (right) Skelton were last seen on visiting their father, John Skelton when they vanished from their home in Morenci, Michigan

Authorities arrested John Skelton and he is serving 10 to 15 years at Bellamy Creek Correctional Facility in Ionia, Michigan, on an unlawful imprisonment charge. John's story about what happened to his young sons has changed over the years, police say

After the remains were tested it was determined they belonged to children who were 5 to 8 years old, 6 to 10 years old and 2 to 4 years old when they died, an anthropology professor at the University of Montana said.

However, they are not from modern times and are instead likely over 100-years-old.

Their boys father has said he gave them up so they would have a better life.

John Skleton, who is in prison on the charge of unlawful imprisonment, told local WDIV last Sunday that he gave the boys to an 'underground sanctuary' farm in Ohio along the Indiana border.

Andrew, Alexander and Tanner were in the care of their father when they went missing over the Thanksgiving holiday in 2010.

Skelton, was supposed to bring the children back to their mother, Tanya Skelton - now Tanya Zuvers - but he never did, police say.

An Amber Alert was issued and the FBI joined the massive search that spanned through both Michigan and Ohio for the boys, but they were never found.

Skelton (left), was supposed to bring the children back to their mother, Tanya Skelton (right) - now Tanya Zuvers - but he never did, police say. Skelton said he gave the boys to an 'underground sanctuary' farm in Ohio along the Indiana border for 'a better life'

An Amber Alert was issued and the FBI joined the massive search (above) that spanned through both Michigan and Ohio for the boys

At the time of their disappearance, their mother, Zuvers, told WDIV: 'I wonder, are they scared? Are they crying for me?

'It's so hard to imagine them hurting for me and not being able to do anything about it.'

Authorities arrested Skelton and he is serving 10 to 15 years at Bellamy Creek Correctional Facility in Ionia, Michigan, on an unlawful imprisonment charge.

He spent most of his sentence in segregation, but he was transferred to protective custody in September.

'When you see three boys that were all very close, from a close-knit community, and that the last person that ever saw them was their own father, and seven years later we still don't have them, I mean, that story is pretty tragic,' Lt Detective Jeremy Brewer said.

Skelton (pictured) claimed he gave the boys to two women and a man, and said the boys would have a better life there with a new family but says he regrets the decision

John also claimed that by giving the boys away he was trying to keep them out of harm's way. In the late 1990s, Tanya (above) was charged with fourth-degree criminal misconduct for having sex with a 14-year-old boy

On the last night with the boys, Skelton says he made the boys their favorite meal, fried chicken, and a cake to celebrate Andrew's birthday.

They ate dinner together then watched a karate movie before bed, which was around 10pm.

The next evening, Skelton said 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.

Skelton told the news station that he told the boys they would have a better life with a new family who would buy them the farm boots they had been asking for and let them ride on a tractor whenever they wanted.

A group has never been found or come forward to claim they had the children, police say.

'I miss their voices,' he told WDIV reporter Sandra Ali.

The National Center for Missing Children has created age-progressed photos of what they might look like (above). In December, the partial remains of three children were found in the shed of a rental home in Missoula, Montana, and the remains are being tested for DNA

Skelton also claimed that by giving the boys away he was trying to keep them out of harm's way with their mother.

In the late 1990s, she was charged with fourth-degree criminal misconduct for having sex with a 14-year-old boy.

He has alleged that she was abusing her sons, but she claims that's not true.

'That has all been investigated,' Tanya told WDIV.

'My stuff was gone through. My children come first. Always have, always will.

'My dream job was to be a mom, and it is the greatest job in the world. But to say that I abused my sons, [that] kills me.'

The National Center for Missing Children has created age-progressed photos of what they might look like.
A tiny endangered butterfly could stop President Donald Trump from building his beloved border wall.

A lawsuit has been filed by the Center for Biological Diversity, environmental groups and the State of California against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

It outlines that the Quino checkerspot butterfly, Riverside fairy shrimp and the Pacific pocket mouse will be threatened if the border wall is built.

The butterfly, which is native to southern California and Northern Mexico, is already on the endangered species list.

The lawsuit contends that the Department of Homeland Security does not have the ability to waive environmental laws requiring review before building the wall.

The suit seeks a ruling that a border wall with Mexico must go through normal environmental reviews, which could block construction or at least cause major delays.

The endangered Quino checkerspot butterfly would not be able to migrate over the proposed border wall

The Pacific pocket mouse was once thought to be extinct, it is on the endangered species list

Prototypes for the border wall as seen from Tijuana. The lawsuit says the wall would endanger several species

The challengers contend that authority to waive the environmental reviews falls under a 2005 law which has expired.

'The Trump administration can't use an expired waiver to bypass crucial environmental protections to build these destructive projects,' Brian Segee, a senior attorney at CBD,told San Diego TV station KGTV.

'It's time to stop Trump's hateful bombast and his executive overreach here in San Diego before it goes any further. The law and the Constitution are firmly on our side, and we think the judge will agree.'

The DHS is arguing that it is within its right to issue the waivers, citing a 1996 immigration law.

The case was set to be heard on Friday in San Diego by US District Judge Gonzalo Curiel.

US District Judge Gonzalo Curiel, left, who heard a case against Trump University will hear the case. Brian Segee, right, a lawyer for the Center for Biological Diversity, spoke to reporters outside the courthouse on Friday

President Trump, pictured in the Oval Office on Friday, has called the judge biased before, during a 2016 case against Trump University

Curiel came to national attention in 2016 when he was presiding over one of the cases against Trump University.

Trump said that he was biased because of his 'Mexican Heritage' and Trump's stance on the border.

At the time, he told CNN: 'We are building a wall. He's a Mexican. We're building a wall between here and Mexico.'

Now Curiel will be hearing a case about the wall. On Friday he heard two-and-a-half hours of arguments and said that he was leaning toward deciding he has jurisdiction in a lawsuit that alleges the Trump administration overreached in waiving laws that require environmental and other reviews.

The administration argues he doesn't have jurisdiction.

Curiel asked the administration and wall opponents to file additional briefings by the end of Tuesday.
Lord Agnew of Oulton has promised to support schools against religious leaders who try to 'intimidate or bully' them

A minister has promised to support schools against religious leaders who try to 'intimidate or bully' them into dropping hijabs and fasting bans.

Lord Agnew of Oulton, the schools minister, says that 'a culture of fear and intimidation must not be allowed to pass through the school gates'.

He also showed his support for Neena Lall, the head of St Stephen's primary school in east London, who was forced to back down over plans to ban young pupils from wearing the hijab in class.

A campaign, likening Ms Lall to Hitler, had been launched against the head teacher, the minister told The Times.

Hence he felt it was his duty to ensure parents, local residents and religious leaders, understood that head teachers were ultimately in control of school rules and that any criticism should be offered respectfully.

'They are completely within their right to make decisions on how to run their schools...and we back their right to do so,' he added.

'We must not allow a culture of fear and intimidation to pass through the school gates. What example do we set to the next generation if we fail to show tolerance and respect in how we engage in these debates?'

St Stephen's primary school in east London (pictured), hit the headlines earlier this month after it emerged teachers planned to block pupils aged under eight from wearing the hijab in the classroom

Previously, the head of Ofsted had also backed the head teacher, having warned that religious extremists are using schools to 'indoctrinate' the mind of youngsters and narrow their horizons.

Amanda Spielman said strict parents and religious community leaders are using classrooms as a way of spreading their beliefs on the 'impressionable' minds of children.

Religious extremists are using schools to 'indoctrinate' the mind of youngsters and narrow their horizons, the head of Ofsted Amanda Spielman warned

She also added that schools should not assume that the 'most conservative voices' of a particular faith group speak for everyone, and that they must not be afraid to 'call out' any practices that they feel could have a negative impact on young people.

Head teachers who face backlash over their decisions have called on the government to do more to protect them from intimidation.

Sarah Hewitt-Clarkson, who was targeted during the alleged 'Trojan Horse plots' in Birmingham - where Islamist groups allegedly tried to influence classroom teachings, will be meeting with Ms Spielman to discuss what action can be taken against extremism in schools.

The head at Anderton Park primary school in Birmingham, was sent anonymous death threats and was once faced with a dead dog hanging from the railings outside her school.

After seeing the campaigns of harassment against Ms Lall, the head teacher said it is clear the problem has not gone away and as such feels there needs to be a 'law which says you cannot harass and intimidate head teachers'.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was spotted taking selfies and smiling on a Hollywood Hills hike with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, just a day after his motorcade got into a car accident that left three people hurt.

The Prime Minister, 46, quickly bounced back from the collision that left the California Highway Patrol officer leading the motorcade with a broken clavicle, but with reassurances of a speedy recovery.

Twenty-four hours later Trudeau made strides in the California stop of his mini US tour focused on business and trade, including a hike with the Mayor and delivering a speech on the importance of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Just a day after his motorcade got into a car crash Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau takes a hike with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti in the Hollywood hills

Say cheese: The pair stopped along the way to talk and take selfies with eager families

The pair took a brisk hike to the Griffith Observatory for a news conference Saturday morning

The politicians shared big smiles in their workout gear before Trudeau delivered a speech

Pals: After the news conference the Canadian Prime Minister delivered a speech on the importance of the North American Free Trade Agreement

Garcetti showed Trudeau the sights from the picturesque points in front of the iconic Hollywood sign. The pair even stopped to chat with hikers and pose for selfies.

Trudeau said the hike was 'awesome' and 'beautiful.'

To wrap up the hike, the two held a joint news conference at Griffith Observatory this morning.

When asked by a reporter if last night's crash was overshadowing the purpose of his trip, Trudeau said the message that the two countries share close ties has not been lost.

'That emphasis that we are working together for the betterment of our citizens is a message that does continue and does resonate,' he said.

Garcetti warmly welcomed Trudeau to Los Angeles and said that Canada was a major trading partner for the city.

'It's very important for us in this moment, when there is so much supposed division in the world, to reinsure that there is friendship and strength. We see friendship as a strength and conflict as a weakness,' Garcetti said.

The two men made statements in English, French and Spanish.

Trudeau enjoyed the views of the Griffith Observatory and took a moment to sign the visitor's book

While at the observatory he took a look at the 12-inch Zeiss telescope housed there

After a visit to the top of the famed observatory the two held a joint news conference where they delivered statements in English, French and Spanish

The LA trip marks a short stop in Trudeau's mini US tour where he's focusing on business

Speaking on NAFTA later that day, Trudeau stressed the agreement needs to be modernized and not abandoned.

The next round of talks over the trade pact is set to begin in Mexico later this month.

President Donald Trump called the 24-year-old agreement a job-killing 'disaster' on the campaign trail, and he has threatened to pull out unless the deal requires more auto production in the U.S., while shifting additional government contracts to U.S. companies.

Trudeau argued that the deal has sent benefits both ways across the border.

'President Trump and I agree about this: Too many people have been left behind, even as our economies surged,' Trudeau said.

On Thursday, the Canadian Prime Minister stopped in San Francisco where he was greeted with promises of investments by major corporations.

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff announced the online business software company will invest another $2billion in its Canadian operation during his visit.

His speech on Friday in Los Angeles he warned that Canada won't be muscled into a trade deal that is unfavorable to his country, while promoting the country as a destination for California technology firms uneasy with shifting U.S. immigration policy.

The hike came barely 24 hours after his motorcade got into a collision after he delivered a speech at Reagan Presidential Library in Los Angeles

A vehicle turned in front of a motorcycle leading out the motorcade, breaking the officer's clavicle

The accident happened around 7:22pm along Madera Road near Aristotle Street in Simi Valley, California

Just after that speech the motorcade crash took place, at around 7:22pm on Madera Road in Simi Valley, California.

The Canadian Prime Minister was leaving the Reagan Presidential Library where he had wrapped up a speech, when a Toyota Highlander turned in front of his motorcade, according to ABC News.

The vehicle, containing a female driver and her son, struck an official motorcycle leading the motorcade, breaking the officer's clavicle.

California Highway Patrol spokeswoman Elizabeth Kravig said the driver and her son were taken to a hospital. Their conditions are unknown.

The CHP officer was also injured and was hospitalized with 'non-critical' injuries.

The vehicle Trudeau was in was not involved in the crash.
Judge Carol Atkinson (pictured) said it was essential the two-year-old orphan from London knows the truth about what happened to her parents

A judge has ruled that an orphaned two-year-old girl must one day be told that her father murdered her mother before killing himself in jail.

Judge Carol Atkinson said it was essential the girl knows the truth about what happened to her parents, amid fears the killers family may not give her an accurate account.

The distressing family court case came after the mother, a 29-year-old hospital worker, was strangled by her husband, 34, at their London home in December 2016.

He had a history of domestic violence and hanged himself while on remand in prison three weeks later.

Judge Atkinson said the fathers relatives, who live outside Europe, want the little girl to be brought up by her two aunts.

But the family are struggling to believe their son killed his wife, and are under the impression she had been radicalised.

The girl, referred to in court as NAA, was born in the UK and is currently in foster care.

In a written ruling at East London Family Court, the judge wrote: It will be essential to NAAs emotional welfare that she has a definitive narrative about her parents life here and how that came to an end.

Something in which she will have confidence and with which she can deflect rumour, or untruthful or just plain inaccurate accounts.

'There is evidence that the paternal family in particular are struggling to come to terms with the suggestion that their son was responsible for killing his wife.

In a written ruling at East London Family Court (pictured), the judge wrote: It will be essential to NAAs emotional welfare that she has a definitive narrative about her parents life here and how that came to an end'

They may not have been given all of the information. They have been persuaded that the mother may have been radicalised.

It is suggested that somehow she was not behaving as their culture demands a wife should.

Whatever the reasons, she is not held in high regard, it would seem, in the home of the paternal family.

That would be concerning without more, but if this picture is also an inaccurate one it has implications for the emotional development of NAA.

Given the suspicion that some of her family has regarding the motives of the police and social services it may not be sufficient for her to have the police report or an account from social services; she needs an account stamped with the authority of the court.

The judge ruled that as the girl was British and had lived all her life here, the High Court should decide whether her future should be in the UK  with the possible severing of all links to her family  or in her parents birth country.
Former workers for the Las Vegas billionaire and casino-owner have been revealing what it was like to work for Steve Wynn.

Many have recalled how the man had a fiery temper during meetings with staff and how he would cast an intimidating figure often shouting and banging his fists on the table to get his point across.

When faced with threats from staff he would simply laugh in their faces by declaring himself to be 'the most powerful man in Nevada.'

It was not a declaration that anyone in the room would dare question.

Steve Wynn stepped down on Tuesday as chairman and CEO of Wynn Resorts after employee allegations of sexual misconduct but his name still makes workers wary of speaking out

The billionaire casino mogul resigned last Tuesday less than two weeks after the Wall Street Journal reported that a number of women said Wynn harassed or assaulted them and that one case led to a $7.5 million settlement, although he denies the allegations.

Wynn never cared about making friends with his workers and according to tales over the years wouldn't think twice about screwing them over when it came to their wages in order to keep more money in the company.

During one meeting with 15 card dealers at the Wynn Las Vegas, staff were unhappy about a new policy that demanded they share their tips with their supervisors who already earned $100,000-a-year.

For many, it would mean making around $15-$20,000 less in take home pay. Dealers said the change would cost them as much as 20% of their pay.

Wynn would become so passionate in threatening towards workers in meetings he would bang his fists onto the desks and tell workers they could easily be replaced if he saw fit

When the workers said they would file a complaint against him with the National Labor Relations Board, Wynn theatened to fire them if they unionized.

He shouted and belittled them while slamming his fists onto the table reminding them that he was 'the most powerful man in Nevada.'

The dealers argued that if Wynn wanted to give supervisors a raise, he should reach into his own pocket.

When Wynn walked into the room during the 2006 meeting Wynn acknowledged his workers upset at the new shared tipping policy but told them there was nothing they could do to change it.

Single-mother Cynthia Fields who worked on gaming tables was told that she would need to share her tips with supervisors. Wynn did not appear to care that she would lose $20k a year

He advised them against starting a union and referred to other Vegas businesses where employees voted to unionize or had gone on strike and then subsequently lost their jobs.

'If you join a union, I can by law replace all 600 of you,' dealer Tynisia Boone recalled Wynn saying. 'If you picket you will automatically be terminated because those are my sidewalks.'

Charlotte Arrowsmith led a lawsuit against Wynn after she and other cocktail waitresses felt discriminated against because of their age and weight. She was called a 'blue whale'

Even with Wynn now having left the company he founded, many employees remain uncomfortable about speaking out about the man such is his power and influence across Sin City.

According to CNN, one lawyer described Wynn as a man who was not afraid to 'get rid of a fly by firing a shotgun.'

Single-mother Cynthia Fields who was in the 2006 card dealers meeting and sitting right next to Wynn explained to him that she had specifically chosen to work at his casino because it paid better than others in the city.

'If I had known I was going to come here and I was going to have money taken away for nothing I had done,' Fields told Wynn, 'I possibly would not have made that change.'

She said the new policy would result in around $20,000 less pay a year which would be 'burden' for her.

Wynn is alleged to have replied, 'If $15,000 to $20,000 a year makes that big of a difference in your life, then you're doing something wrong.'

Wynn then became irate. Fields said: 'he was leaning over me' so intently that 'I could feel the spit on my face from his mouth.'

Another dealer, Tynisia Boone confirmed what Fields had seen.

'Wynn got up and started screaming and then started getting up and down and slamming his hand and fist on the table saying he was "'the most powerful man in Nevada.''' According to Boone.

The delight on Arrowsmith's face is clear for all to see upon learning Wynn had resigned. 'Oh, hallelujah, thank you Lord! Something positive can come from this,' she said. 'After all that he put us through, he needs to be humiliated.'

Whether workers dealt cards, served cocktails or cleaned at Wynn's properties, there was never any misunderstanding who was the boss

When a third dealer, Tom Golly then declared Wynn's attempt to take tips as being 'illegal,' he simply said that 'his name was on the building and he can do anything he wants to do.'

In testimony before a Labor Relations Board judge, Wynn didn't remember anything of how he had behaved although he did admit to banging his fist on the table and putting it down to the empathy he felt for his workers.

Elsewhere on the gaming floor, eleven cocktail waitresses who worked for Wynn at The Mirage sued him in 1997 claiming they were discriminated against because of their weight and age.

Six years later, The Mirage settled the waitresses' claims, but the abuse of female staff appears frequently in recent allegations against Wynn.

Charlotte Arrowsmith who lead the complaint on behalf of the cocktail waitresses said she would often be mocked and was called the 'blue whale'.

In an interview with CNN she wept with joy at the news that Wynn resigned. 'Oh, hallelujah, thank you Lord! Something positive can come from this,' she said. 'After all that he put us through, he needs to be humiliated.'

The Wall Street Journal spoke with 150 people who currently work for Wynn or have in the past, and a number of the women who no longer work at one of the billionaire businessman's properties were incredibly forthcoming in describing the lengths they would allegedly go to in order to avoid being alone with their boss.

When workers went against Wynn, their name was mud in Las Vegas with many unable to find work if they ended up being fired by the organization

Some scheduled fake appointments to make sure they would not be chosen to give Wynn spa treatments, while others went so far as to hide in bathrooms when he came into the salon.

One worker said that she was coerced into performing a sex act on Wynn, with her hand at the end of his massages, adding that Wynn asked at one point if she could use her mouth rather than rubbing his penis to climax when they were done with the session.

That woman refused, but in 2005 another employee was not able to decline Wynn's advances when he ordered her to disrobe and lie on a table so they could have sex.

She reported Wynn and received a $7.5 million settlement, which was revealed by Wynn's ex-wife Elaine in court papers.

It was that court filing which led to the Journal's investigation.

At the end of every session, the woman said that Wynn paid her $1,000 in cash

'I did it willingly, because I felt I had to,' she told the paper. 'I didn't really want to. I was afraid for my job.'

In another lawsuit Wynn ended up counter-suing a woman tho accused him of assault after he grabbed her arm too tightly. She ended up going brankrupt after Wynn sues her for $49,000

Wynn gave a statement to the Journal after their investigation: 'The idea that I ever assaulted any woman is preposterous. We find ourselves in a world where people can make allegations, regardless of the truth, and a person is left with the choice of weathering the insulting publicity or engaging in multiyear lawsuits. It is deplorable for anyone to find themselves in this situation.'

There are countless other stories concerning Wynn howeverWynn Resorts spokesman Michael Weaver has declined to comment on the allegations made by any of the Wynn employees .

In a tale from 2005 that has been seen by CNN details how a woman who worked as a cleaning crew manager for Wynn walked into a Las Vegas police station after she claims Wynn assaulted her.

Raquel Houston was summoned by Wynn to the Lure Nightclub, a lounge at one of the Wynn Resorts, 'at the speed of light.'

After being ordered to the venue, crews were working buffer machines to clean marble at the club.

'He turns around to me and then he starts yelling at me and grabbing me tight and pulling on me,' Houston told CNN. 'I was shocked. I couldn't believe that he was doing this.'

'He was going, "What is this crap? What is going on here? Who gave you authorization?'"

Facing investigations by gambling regulators and allegations of sexual misconduct, Wynn has now finally stepped down as chairman and CEO of the resorts bearing his names. Wynn has vehemently denied all the allegations laid against him

'I was trying to answer his question,' Houston said. 'I told him, "This is the marble crew that does your floors every night."' I told him, '"Please stop grabbing me. Stop, let me go."'

Houston sued Wynn in civil court describing how he would 'pull her', 'tightened his grip on her arm' and 'continued to drag her,' the suit said.

Her arm was injured in the incident, she alleged, and she had to get medical treatment, including therapy.

She sued Wynn for $10,000 each for medical costs, lost wages, emotional distress and other compensation.

Wynn denied the allegations and hired lawyers in New York and Vegas for $140,000.

After a four year legal battle, the arbitrator ruled in favor of Wynn, saying Houston failed to provide evidence and meet the burden of proof.

Houston ended up having to file for bankruptcy after Wynn demanded to be reimbursed $49,000 in costs.

After the case, she lost her job and is now finding it impossible to get a job elsewhere at other Vegas casinos all because she challenged Wynn.

'It wasn't about money,' her lawyer told CNN. 'To my feeling, it was just vindictive.

'I think he wanted to send a message to anybody that might want to challenge Wynn Resorts or Steve Wynn: It won't end well for you.'
A New York City corrections officer was arrested in The Bronx on Thursday after he allegedly took out his pistol and shot the tire of another persons car during an argument over a fender-bender.

Steve Thomas, 53, was off duty when he and another driver got into a collision at around 6pm on Thursday.

The accident happened on Colden Avenue in the Williamsbridge section of the Bronx, according to the New York Post.

A New York City corrections officer was arrested on Thursday after he allegedly took out his pistol and shot the tire of another persons car during an argument over a fender-bender. The accident happened on Colden Avenue in the Williamsbridge section of the Bronx (above)

After the collision, Thomas and the driver are said to have had a heated exchange.

Thomas then took out the gun issued to him by the city and shot a bullet into one of the tires of the other car from the collision.

Police officers arrested Thomas and booked him at the 47th Precinct station house in the Bronx.

Thomas was charged with criminal possession of a firearm, reckless endangerment, and criminal mischief.
The Mail on Sunday has forced the Kurdish militia holding Jack Letts, the middle-class Muslim convert from Oxford, to prove he is alive  only for him to claim he has been tortured and denied treatment for a kidney disease that could kill him.

In a harrowing phone conversation, Letts, 22, known as Jihadi Jack, said he had tried to kill himself because conditions in the Syrian jail where he is held by the Kurdish PYD are so bad.

However, The Foreign Office has repeatedly refused to help him.

Letts, who has a history of mental illness, said he had been confined for 35 days in a 6ft by 3ft cell and forced to soil himself because he had no access to a lavatory  a common torture in Syria.

Jack Letts, the middle-class Muslim convert from Oxford, claims he has been tortured and denied treatment for a kidney disease that could kill him

Letts added: I tried to kill myself but failed when I was in solitary confinement. I started to go insane and talk to myself, and I thought dying was better so I tried to hang myself.

The phone call last month to a Canadian diplomat came after this newspaper contacted PYD officials in Syria, Britain and Germany.

The MoS pointed out there had been no word from Letts since he was allowed to send a text to his parents on July 8 saying he had been tortured. We said we feared he was dead, or had been treated so badly that the Kurds dare not let him speak.

Within hours, a PYD spokesman in Rojava, the Kurdish enclave of northern Syria where Letts is held in the city of Qamishli, sent an email promising the prisoner would phone this newspaper the next day.

He failed to do so but he was allowed to talk to a Canadian diplomat. The MoS has heard a recording of the call.

Letts has dual Canadian/British nationality, but unlike Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh, the two IS Beatles whose capture was announced by the Kurds last week, he has not been stripped of his British citizenship.

Although British Intelligence has a substantial presence in Rojava and is helping to interrogate Kotey and Elsheikh, the Foreign Office has always refused to help Letts.

In a letter to his familys lawyer last week, it said this was because Britain has no consulate in Syria. It could help only if he went to a UK mission elsewhere.

In a harrowing phone conversation, Letts, 22, known as Jihadi Jack, said he had tried to kill himself because conditions in the Syrian jail where he is held by the Kurdish PYD are so bad

Letts was brought up in an affluent Oxford neighbourhood by his father, John, an organic farmer, and Sally, a books editor. He converted to Islam at 16 after suffering mental health problems that disrupted his schooling.

He went to study Arabic in Kuwait in May 2014 and then disappeared. That September he phoned his parents and revealed he was in Syria. He has always denied joining IS.

As the MoS revealed last year, he sent his parents texts after he fled the former IS capital Raqqa for Rojava in May, saying he had grown to loathe the terrorist group and had been detained by them for claiming they were un-Islamic.

In his phone call he told the diplomat he wanted to go to Canada and was ready to face trial. If you want to put me in prison, I understand that. I do not mind, he said, adding: Is there any idea that you guys might take me to Canada, or somewhere else, some sort of international prison like Guantanamo? Any place other than here is better the situation here is terrible.

He revealed he was being held in a cell built for eight with 29 other prisoners  some of whom had threatened him.

Letts was brought up in an affluent Oxford neighbourhood by his father, John, an organic farmer, and Sally, a books editor (both pictured)

He was not allowed fresh air or exercise. When he felt he was losing his mind in solitary confinement he wrote to the prison authorities begging for help. I scratched my face and signed it with my own blood, thinking someone is going to listen. But no one listened, he said.

He has also endured the agony of passing kidney stones because of a hereditary condition that has killed close members of his family.

It has been seven months since Ive seen a doctor. Last time he said you have cysts on your left kidney. Ive convulsed twice in the last three months  convulsions from the pain, he said. He also revealed he had a lump on one of his testicles.

Last year, the PYD said it had charged Letts with being a member of IS. But he told the diplomat this was untrue. They understand that my case is not herethey expect that someone would come take me and press charges against me in my own country, he said.

Letts ended his call by saying: Tell my Mum Im sorry. Tell my Dad Im sorry. Tell them if I ever get out of this place I am going to try and be a better person. The MoS put detailed questions to the Kurds about Lettss alleged treatment. They did not reply.
Two British jihadis who were part of the notorious Beatles terror cell are being interrogated by US intelligence in the search for the bodies of the Western hostages murdered by IS.

US officials have said that Alexanda Kotey, 34, and El Shafee Elsheikh, 29  who were captured by Kurdish forces  have given interrogators the best breakthrough yet as to the burial sites of three Americans  James Foley, 40, Steven Sotlof, 31, and Peter Kassig, 31 and two British victims  David Haines, 44, and Alan Henning, 47  almost four years after they were executed by fellow Briton Jihadi John.

A US official, who did not want to be named, said: The two suspects have revealed clues about where the hostages are buried. But that may not be enough.

British jihadis Alexanda Kotey (left) and El Shafee ElSheikh (right) are being interrogated by US intelligence in the search for the bodies of the Western hostages murdered by IS

Mohammed Emwazi (left) - also known as Jihadi John - and Aine Davis (right) were part of the so-called 'Beatles' due to their British accents

'The US wants to take the men back to the burial site areas so that they pinpoint the graves.

This weekend, Pentagon officials said a team of forensic and law enforcement experts will be deployed to a site near Raqqa, ISs former de facto capital, where the bodies of four of the victims were thought to be dumped.

The fifth victim is thought to have been buried in a town of Dabiq, around 200 miles north of Raqqa.

Kotey and Elsheikh, both from West London, were captured by the Western-backed Syrian Defence Force (SDF) last month as they were fleeing Syria to Turkey disguised as refugees, according to US officials.

The SDF did not know the two Britons were part of the same cell led by Jihadi John, who was killed in a 2015 drone strike.

But after interrogations by US officials, it was discovered that they were the last two members of the Beatles gang, named thus because of their British accents.

Alan Henning, from Salford, Greater Manchester, was working as an aid worker in Syria when he was captured by Islamic militants
Tesco was embroiled in a new gender row last night  after being accused over images on its 'prehistoric and sexist' trolleys.

The supermarket giant, which is already at the centre of a 4 billion equal pay claim case, is now facing a backlash from shoppers.

They say that safety instructions on the handles of the carts only depict women with children, using a silhouette of a figure in a dress.

Tesco shoppers have hit back at safety instructions on the handles of its carts that only depict women with children, using a silhouette of a figure in a dress

The dispute began when one woman from Manchester posted a complaint on Twitter with the hashtag 'everyday sexism'.

She wrote: 'Tesco, is it only women who do the food shopping and look after the kids?'

A flurry of comments followed, with many calling for gender-neutral figures in trousers.

Samantha Rennie, executive director at equality group the Rosa UK Fund for Women and Girls, said last night: 'The idea that shopping trolleys should be gendered in any way seems ridiculous.

'It's a seemingly small factor that plays a role in reinforcing stereotypical ideas of the woman being responsible for the weekly food shop.'

And Matt O'Connor, of campaign group Fathers4Justice, said: 'Tesco needs to stop this gender apartheid.'

The firm said it was aware of the issue and revealed that it was already in the process of changing the icons on trolleys.
A new charity sex scandal erupted last night after it emerged that the husband of murdered Labour MP Jo Cox was once accused of groping a senior US government official.

The woman reported Brendan Cox to American police, claiming he assaulted her late at night at Harvard University  although Mr Cox strongly denies the allegation.

Her complaint came soon after Mr Cox quit as a senior executive with the Save The Children in 2015 following separate claims of inappropriate behaviour towards staff.

A new charity sex scandal erupted last night after it emerged that the husband of murdered Labour MP Jo Cox was once accused of groping a senior US government official. Pictured, Mr Cox with his wife Jo at the 2015 Election count

The woman reported Brendan Cox to American police, claiming he assaulted her late at night at Harvard University in 2015  although Mr Cox strongly denies the allegation. Above, part of her police report (we have obscured details to protect her identity)

According to a report filed by police in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the woman claims Mr Cox:

Grabbed [the woman] by the hips several times, pulled her hair and forced his thumb into her mouth in a sexual way;

Touched her inappropriately in a restaurant and tried to push her into drinking more alcohol;

Pulled her towards him and touched her stomach despite her telling him to stop;

Texted her later, asking: Are you touching yourself?

The woman was so upset she couldnt even look at Mr Cox. She also said she feared repercussions from him. In the police report, seen by The Mail on Sunday, the incident type/offence is described as indecent assault and battery on person 14 or over.

Mr Coxs lawyers last night said he denies the spurious allegations and says no sexual assault took place.

This newspaper knows the identity of the woman, who is in her thirties, and has decided to protect her anonymity.

The disclosure of the reports existence comes as Oxfam is reeling from claims it failed to warn other agencies about staff who quietly resigned after being caught using prostitutes in Haiti.

The report - filed by police in Cambridge, Massachusetts - says that on Thursday, October 29, she went to Felipes (above), a restaurant in Harvard Square with Mr Cox. While there and on the walk back, Mr Cox touched her inappropriately touched her ass , grabbed her by the hips several times, pulled her hair and forced his thumb into her mouth in a sexual way

Mr Cox married Jo in 2009 and, since her murder, a week before the EU referendum in 2016, he has focused on raising the couples two children and helping to run the Jo Cox Foundation, set up to channel the energy and determination generated by Jos life into practical efforts to advance the causes she championed.

The alleged US incident involving Mr Cox took place in October 2015 weeks after he left his post as senior Save The Children strategist in London following claims of inappropriate behaviour towards female members of staff. Mr Cox denied any wrongdoing there.

Mr Cox attended a two-week course at Harvards prestigious John F Kennedy School of Government run by the World Economic Forum, which also organises the annual economic summit in Davos, Switzerland.

Mr Cox, who worked in Downing Street for Prime Minister Gordon Brown in 2010, was named a Young Global Leader by the forum in 2012. He attended the 2015 Harvard course along with nearly 100 international rising-star charity officials and civil servants.

Past Young Global Leaders include David Cameron and Google co-founder Larry Page.

The woman  who was studying at Harvard at the time  complained to police in Cambridge, where the university is located, on November 6.

Report: The Mail On Sunday's 2015 story about Mr Cox leaving Save The Children

Under the heading offender, the report, dated six days later, says the suspect is Brendan Cox, white, about 38 and that the female victim, who is named in the file, described her alleged assailant as having brown hair and being 5ft 10in to 6ft tall.

The report says that on Thursday, October 29, she went to Felipes, a restaurant in Harvard Square with Mr Cox.

While there and on the walk back, Mr Cox touched her inappropriately touched her ass , grabbed her by the hips several times, pulled her hair and forced his thumb into her mouth in a sexual way.

He also pulled her towards him and touched her stomach even though she had made it clear she wanted no sexual contact. She received a text later in the evening from Cox that read are you touching yourself?

The report records the womans belief that Mr Cox was trying to ply her with drink. She had had three glasses of wine and one tequila shot during the evening and believed Cox was pushing her to consume alcohol despite her telling him she did not normally do so.

Cox kept saying Lets go to your place or Lets go to my place after she had told him she wanted no physical contact.

Unwanted touching took place between midnight and 1.30am and all of it made the woman feel extremely uncomfortable.

She is also said to have mentioned the incident to Harvard.

It is understood police did not investigate the matter at the request of the woman. The report states she only wanted the incident documented at this time and had been reluctant to complain to police because she feared repercussions from the suspect.

Cambridge Police last night confirmed the existence of the case file to The Mail on Sunday.

Mr Cox declined to comment last night, but his lawyers said he denies the spurious allegations and says no sexual assault took place.

They added that the fact Mr Cox has never been contacted or questioned by the Massachusetts police was further evidence that the claims were untrue. They also questioned the motivation of the complainant.

That Cox was the subject of a complaint so close to him leaving Save The Children will put renewed focus on British charities as both the Government and the Charity Commission last night announced probes into whether Oxfam covered up the scandal of its workers having orgies with prostitutes after the earthquake in Haiti in 2010.

Chief executive Mark Goldring told ITV News that it was highly likely public donations to Oxfam would have fallen if the charity had revealed the scandal. But he denied any cover-up.

The charity says it disclosed sexual misconduct to the regulator.

Last night International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt hinted the Government could pull Oxfams funding, which amounted to 31.7 million last year.

She said: We will not work with any organisation that does not live up to the high standards on safeguarding and protection that we require.
A police search is underway for a four-year-old girl who went missing from a New South Wales property on Saturday night.

The girl, who is described as Caucasian with blonde hair, went missing from a Rockley property, near Bathurst in Central West New South Wales about 7.30pm on Saturday.

Police searched the property overnight but said they found no trace of the girl.

The aerial and ground search resumed at daylight on Sunday.

The girl, who is described as Caucasian with blonde hair, went missing from a Rockley property, near Bathurst in Central West New South Wales

Officers from Chifley Local Area Command, PolAir, the Police Dog Unit, NSW Ambulance and local SES and RFS volunteers are involved in the search.

The four-year-old girl was last seen wearing a long-sleeved pink nightshirt.

She is 110-115cm tall, of slight build with blonde hair.

Police urged anyone with information in relation to the missing girl to phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Lawmakers in Utah are urging members to use a 'buddy system' to prevent them from getting screwed over by hookers following Utah state Rep. Jon Stanard's scandal, and resignation.

'We feel like it's appropriate at this time to put everybody on alert there may be people with mal-intent that are trying to, for money, try to put us in a situation,' Republican Senate President Wayne Niederhauser said in a meeting with reporters and Senate leadership on Friday.

Niederhauser was referring to call girl Brie Taylor's claims to DailyMail.com that Stanard, 43, paid her for sex twice.

Now another lawmaker has come forward to say a woman tried to 'honeypot' him in a hotel where one of the alleged liaisons took place.

Friday's meeting of Utah Senate leadership took an unexpected turn when Senator Evan Vickers (pictured) said a woman tried to entrap him at a hotel where Jon Stanard allegedly had trysts with a prostitute; Senate President Wayne Niederhauser urged his constituents to 'walk in groups'

Utah state Rep. Jon Stanard (pictured on January 22) may have stayed in taxpayer or campaign-funded hotel rooms when he had trysts with a prostitute last summer

Call girl Brie Taylor (above) told DailyMail.com on Wednesday that Stanard paid her for sex during two business trips to Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2017

Senator Evan Vickers during Friday's meeting said: 'I opened the door and there was a young lady standing there and she said 'Hi,' and I said, 'Hi, who are you?' And she said, 'I'm your date.' I said, 'No, you're not.' She said, 'Yes, I'm your date.''

Vickers said he fled the room, according to Fox13, locked the door and called a colleague for help.

'She was standing in front of the elevator and I said, 'I don't know who you are and what you're doing here,' and she said, 'No, you don't understand. I'm your date.' I said, 'No I'm not' and walked back into the room,'' he recalled.

'I believe that this was more of a setup, and I also believe Sen. Vickers was caught by surprise,' House Majority Whip Francis Gibson said.

Niederhauser said lawmakers should 'walk in groups' to avoid being entrapped by women with cruel intentions.

The dates of Taylor and Stanards hook-ups correspond to times Stanard was staying at a Residence Inn in Salt Lake City for legislative sessions. Above, the Residence Inn closest to the Utah state Capitol. It's unclear if this is the exact Residence Inn he stayed at

The Utah House of Representatives was also sending out a warning to its members about incidents and urging them to use the 'buddy system' when off the Hill.

Earlier this week it was revealed that taxpayer funds were used to pay for at least two of the hotel rooms that Stanard allegedly used to meet up with Taylor last year, according to records found by a state House of Representatives official.

DailyMail.com revealed exclusively on Thursday Stanard, who is married with three kids, twice hired a prostitute in 2017.

Jon E. Stanard is a married Republican lawmaker who voted for stricter laws against prostitution. He is seen above on the left with his wife, Leanne, and one of their three children

The allegations were a shock since Stanard preaches family values and has fought to get stricter solicitation laws.

After the report was published, House and state elections officials said they were checking to see if taxpayer or campaign money was used for Stanard's hotel stays with the prostitute.

House Chief of Staff Greg Hartley told the Associated Press in a text message that Stanard, who resigned Tuesday night, was reimbursed for hotel stays in Salt Lake City in June and August 2017 when Stanard was attending legislative meetings at the state Capitol, four hours from his home in St. George.

TEXTS THAT ARE ALLEGED TO BE BETWEEN STANARD AND TAYLOR:

In a text exchange dated March 7, 2017, Stanard informs Taylor he would not be able to meet her because he needed to take care of his sick son

In one particular exchange, Taylor asks Stanard if she should bring any 'accessories' or 'toys', perhaps a 'corset'
Billionaire financier George Soros last night denounced toxic attacks on him after he gave 400,000 to a new anti-Brexit campaign.

Hungarian-born Mr Soros denied his money was tainted and dismissed a claim he should butt out of UK politics.

Following reports the tycoon was secretly plotting to stop Brexit  comments some claim are anti-Semitic  Mr Soros said his passion for Britain came from fleeing here after growing up under Nazi and Communist rule.

Writing in todays Mail on Sunday, he:

Billionaire financier George Soros (pictured) has denounced toxic attacks on him after he gave 400,000 to a new anti-Brexit campaign

- Slaps down former Tory Chancellor Norman Lamont for saying his intervention in the EU debate was dubious because he was a foreigner;

- Insists he has never hidden his support for the EU, and believes in calm, rational discussion not the toxic abuse he has been subjected to;

- Argues Brexit has already seen other EU economies powering ahead while Britain lags behind  and it would soon get more painful.

His response was his first public comment since it emerged last week that he is funding Best for Britain which wants to reverse the referendum result. Pro-Brexit critics said the 87-year-old, who made 1 billion when the UK crashed out of Europes ERM in 1992, has no right to meddle.

But he says he has no intention of cancelling his donation, and insists he has never made a secret of his anti-Brexit views.

The formative experience of my life was the occupation of Hungary by Nazi Germany in 1944, he says. Being Jewish, I would have probably perished had my father not arranged false identity papers and hiding places for his family and other Jews. I learned aged 13 how important it is what kind of political regime prevails.

Hungarian-born Mr Soros slapped down former Tory Chancellor Norman Lamont (pictured) for saying his intervention in the EU debate was dubious because he was a foreigner

Lord Lamont may criticise his foreign roots, writes Mr Soros, but he has a home and business here  just like well-known Brexiteer and fellow US citizen Rupert Murdoch, owner of the pro-Brexit Sun newspaper.

The billionaire also claims that Brexit was a tragic mistake, writing: The fact that conditions are unsatisfactory does not mean that they cant get worse. That is what has happened in Britain.

Before the referendum Britain was doing better economically than the rest of Europe. But this has now been reversed, with Continental economies powering ahead while Britain lags behind.

The effect of the uncertainties created by Brexit on the British economy will become much more painfully obvious in the next six months as the divorce process enters its most contentious phase.

And he claims Brexit has turned young against old. Young people under 35 voted overwhelmingly to Remain and it was only over 55 that a majority supported Brexit. Old voters have overruled young voters who will have to live with the consequence of Brexit for decades ahead.
Theresa May is to try to break the Cabinet deadlock over Brexit through a series of keynote speeches by senior Ministers before finally setting out her vision of Britains post-EU future.

The Prime Minister, along with David Davis, Boris Johnson, and Liam Fox  all hard-Brexit Cabinet Ministers  will use the set-piece occasions to outline what No 10 is billing as Britains road map to Brexit, ahead of next months crunch negotiations with the EU.

But Mrs May risks a fresh rift with Chancellor Philip Hammond by freezing him out of the three-week process.

Theresa May risks a fresh rift with Chancellor Philip Hammond by freezing him out of series of keynote speeches by senior Ministers before finally setting out her vision of post-EU Britain

His exclusion will alarm his supporters, who regard him as a check on the hard Brexiteers.

The first speech, on Wednesday, will see Foreign Secretary Mr Johnson arguing for national unity over Brexit.

On Saturday Mrs May will speak on the UKs security partnership with the EU, and the next fortnight will see speeches by Brexit Secretary Mr Davis and International Trade Secretary Mr Fox.

The only Remain backer giving a speech will be Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington.

Mrs May will then set out her goals in a speech billed within Whitehall as the successor to her Lancaster House address last year, when she first declared that she wanted the UK to leave the single market and customs union.

On Friday EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier complained that there were still problems in Brussels understanding the position of the British Government.
He has twice been declared legally dead in the 44 years since he went missing after the murder of his familys nanny  but police have revealed they believe Lord Lucan is still very possibly alive.

Scotland Yard say the peer remains a suspect over the 1974 killing of Sandra Rivett and insist there is no evidential or tangible proof for his death.

The earl has reportedly been spotted hundreds of times since he disappeared, but none have ever been substantiated.

He has twice been declared legally dead in the 44 years since he went missing after the murder of his familys nanny  but police have revealed they believe Lord Lucan (pictured with then fiancee Veronica Duncan) is still very possibly alive

Scotland Yard say the peer remains a suspect over the 1974 killing of Sandra Rivett (pictured) and insist there is no evidential or tangible proof for his death

Scotland Yards belief that Lucan  who would now be 83  could still be alive came to light when the MoS applied for the release of files about the first ten years of the Mets investigation into the murder and his disappearance under the Freedom of Information Act.

When the police refused to hand over the files, this newspaper complained to the Information Commissioners Office.

In its response, which the watchdog ultimately agreed with, the Met argued that disclosure could hamper attempts to capture the peer and any accomplices.

The force stated: Lord Lucan is still very possibly alive and remains an outstanding murder suspect.

They argued that the High Court declarations that he was presumed dead does not mean the murder case is closed.

Although there has not been any proof of life there has neither been any indication of evidential/tangible proof of Lord Lucans death, they said.

There is statistically a very reasonable chance that he would still be alive.

They cited the fact that war criminals from the Second World War were still being brought to justice in their 90s as reason for keeping the case open.

They also said: It has to be stressed that in order for Lord Lucan to get away as he did, it is very possible he would have received some help from other accomplices who may also still be alive and have information.

The earl (pictured at his wedding to Veronica Duncan) has reportedly been spotted hundreds of times since he disappeared, but none have ever been substantiated

Lucan went missing on November 7, 1974, after an intruder at the family home in Belgravia, Central London, bludgeoned Mrs Rivett to death and attacked the peers estranged wife.

Lady Lucan later identified her attacker as her husband, and an inquest named him as Mrs Rivetts killer.

It is widely assumed Lucan, who had been battling for custody of his children, intended to murder his wife but killed Mrs Rivett in error.

His bloodstained car was found in Newhaven, Sussex, hours later.

Lucan went missing on November 7, 1974, after an intruder at the family home in Belgravia, Central London, bludgeoned Mrs Rivett to death and attacked the peers estranged wife (above)

Lady Lucan later identified her attacker as her husband, and an inquest named him as Mrs Rivetts (pictured) killer

In 1999, the High Court declared Lord Lucan dead so his family could take control of his estate, but did not issue a death certificate, meaning the peers eldest son, George Bingham, could not take over the earldom.

That situation changed in 2016 at a second High Court hearing, which said he should be presumed dead.

After that judgment the new Lord Lucan said he suspected his father had taken his own life.

The missing peers widow Veronica, who died last year, also believed he killed himself.
John Ibrahim excitedly tweeted about being part of discussions: 'F**k it I'm in !!!'

Sydney's lockout drinking laws might be going back to the drawing board after nightclub figure John Ibrahim joined a city council panel aimed at improving Sydney's night scene.

In a tweet Ibrahim wrote: 'An expert panel is being formed by the city of Sydney to help advise on how best to resuscitate our city's deceased nightlife.

'F**k it I'm in !!!' he added.

John Ibrahim (pictured) has joined a panel aimed at reinvigorating Sydneys night life

He's long been a critic of the NSW Governments controversial lockout drinking laws

Sydney's strict lockout laws were brought in after Thomas Kelly, 18, in 2012, and Daniel Christie, 18, in 2013, were punched and killed in Kings Cross.

The laws were slightly relaxed in December 2016, with last drinks pushed from 3am to 3:30am and lockout moved from 1:30am to 2am in some places, but have been controversial since their introduction in 2014.

Ibrahim has not kept his opinions of the 'ridiculous, pointless' laws under wraps.

Ibrahim (far left) has not kept his opinions of the 'ridiculous, pointless' laws to himself

Speaking to Kyle and Jackie O on KIIS FM last year, he told young people to give up the dream of owning a nightclub.

'It's a bit late now to enter the clubbing scene, to be honest with you, just put your head down and go to work.

'I don't think you can make money from that industry, there's so many hurdles you have to cross, so many laws, just ridiculous, pointless.

'I was around in the hey day, there weren't so many restrictions. You couldn't survive now.

John Ibrahim pictured with model girlfriend and owner of ritzy Potts Point bar Sarah Budge, 27

Last King of the Cross author with Snoop Dog after the rapper The Rapper performed a show

'The stuff we got away with  back in the DCM (club) days. You open at 11 at night and keep pumping until 11 the next day. You can never do that again,' he added.

In Ibrahim's autobiography 'Last King of the Cross' he wrote: 'There are clearly people who are violent and who can't handle their alcohol.

'But the laws punish the majority, who don't drink too much or commit violence, and the venues, who do everything in their power to protect their patrons. Not to mention the small businesses that thrive off the night-time economy.'

The panel will hold four meetings a year and councillor Angela Vithoulkas told the publication Ibrahim's knowledge would be a welcome mix to the discussions.

'We can't deny John Ibrahim has experience in that field. If he was to be successful, he would bring a bit of spice to the panel, a bit of notoriety.

'I think it is interesting but I am not sure what he is going to get out of it,' she added.
A teenage girl who survived the Ariana Grande terror attack in Manchester has returned to the city in order to audition for Britain's Got Talent.

Hollie Booth, 13, was shielded from the blast by her aunt Kelly Brewster, 32, who was killed by terrorist Salman Abedi in the Manchester Arena last May.

The schoolgirl, who still uses a wheelchair after suffering two broken legs in the attack, returned to the city where 22 people were killed and hundreds were injured.

Holly Booth, centre, performed on stage with her friends during the Britain's Got Talent auditions in Manchester - where the 13-year-old was badly injured during the bombing of the Arianna Grande concert in May last year which killed her aunt Kelly Brewster

Holly, left, attended the concert along with her aunt Kelly Brewster, right, who was killed

According to The Sun, Hollie, from Sheffield, told judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and David Walliams: 'Its always difficult coming to Manchester. This is the first time Ive been anywhere thats like an arena, its hard.'

Hollie auditioned along with several of her friends in a band called Rise who received praise from Simon, 58.

Her friends also appeared on stage with wheelchairs.

The mogul said: 'To get through what you went through and come here and turn a negative into a positive is incredible.

'Youve come on and shown what youre made of. This will inspire a lot of people. I salute you.'

In January, during auditions in London, the judges swapped their chauffer-driven cars for the Tube as they travelled to the London Palladium.

After another successful series in 2017, Britain's Got Talent has been travelling round the country again in a bid to find the next big star.

Ms Brewster, pictured, was one of 22 people murdered in the terrorist attack

The show has been having auditions in London since Saturday after travelling to Blackpool earlier in January.

BGT's cast and crew will head to Manchester next week for the final round of auditions, with the series set to return in the spring.

Last year saw pianist Tokio Myers take the 250,000 prize and a spot on the Royal Variety performance.

This year's hopefuls will be vying for the coveted Golden Buzzer, which awards them an automatic place in the live semi-finals.

So far, both Amanda and David revealed they had already pressed the button for a contestant who auditioned in Blackpool, so it remains to be see who the rest of the panel, and Ant and Dec, decide to support.

Simon has been vocal about his plans to make some changes to the format this series, after the judges lost their chance to make a casting vote in the live semi-finals.

He told the Daily Star: 'On the live shows we actually don't do anything,' he admits. 'Amanda says it is like a posh Gogglebox. All we do is talk. I don't think we will be like this again. It is like 'why have I bothered to turn up?'
Amazon.com Inc is looking to lease a 50,000-square-meter warehouse just outside Sao Paulo, according to people familiar with the matter, as it steps up its push into Latin America's biggest retail market, Brazil.

The logistics investment, which would be four times the size of its current book-shipping operation in the country, is a sign the online retailer may soon handle distribution of electronics and other goods sold on its Brazilian website.

That would be the first step of its kind for Amazon in Latin America's largest economy, where it currently relies on third parties to ship their own goods sold on its marketplace, and it underscores the seriousness of the e-commerce giant's renewed push into Brazil.

Amazon did not respond to questions about leasing a warehouse.

Amazon is currently exploring the possibility of expanding into Brazil, which comprises the largest market in Latin America, according to sources informed about the move (file photo)

While an estimated two-thirds of Brazil's 209 million people have internet access, online retail was slow to take off at first, amid concerns over security and complications with tax and logistics in the continent-sized country.

E-commerce accounts for around 5 percent of Brazil's roughly $300billion retail market - about half its share in the US - but it has doubled in the past four years and is forecast to keep growing annually at a double-digit pace.

Now Amazon, which expanded its Brazil business from books to electronics in October, is gearing up to fight rivals such as Latin Ameria's homegrown e-commerce champion Mercado Libre Inc and B2w Cia Digital, which is indirectly controlled by partners of private equity group 3G Capital.

'You obviously can't underestimate a company like Amazon,' said Pedro Guasti, CEO of Brazilian online consultancy Ebit. 'It has huge capacity to invest and it's obviously taking a bigger bite of the cake than it did last year.'

Mercado Libre Inc, B2w and local retailer Magazine Luiza SA have stolen a march on Amazon by storing and shipping goods appearing on their websites even when offered by third-party sellers, to ensure speed and customer satisfaction.

Amazon, by contrast, has been slow to tackle the challenges of shipping in a country where tricky logistics and tax issues have long made online retail an unprofitable venture.

Shares in Mercado Libre were trading down 0.5 percent late on Friday, in a slightly higher US equities market, while the stock of Brazilian rivals slumped.

Two-thirds of Brazil's population has access to the internet, making them viable customers for Amazon to target. The company has reportedly looked into a warehouse space outside Sao Paulo (file photo)

Appliance retailer Via Varejo SA was down six percent at 23.72 reais, while Magazine Luiza SA shed 5 percent to 72.32 reais. B2W was trading 8.5 percent lower at 20.80 reais.

'Markets get spooked when they see an investment by Amazon', a Brazilian trader said. 'There is fear that the company will become more aggressive with its strategy in Brazil.'

In Mexico, Amazon launched its third-party marketplace coupled with its own shipping service, called 'Fulfillment by Amazon,' in 2015.

The contrast has been stark. Nearly 20 percent of reviews on Amazon's Brazilian marketplace are negative, compared with 10 percent in Mexico and just 4 percent in the United States, according to e-commerce analytics firm Marketplace Pulse.

Complaints in Brazil often focus on delayed or cancelled orders - a problem dramatically reduced in other countries when Amazon itself packs and posts orders of third-party goods stored at its warehouse facilities.

IS AMAZON STARTING ITS OWN DELIVERY SERVICE? Amazon is reportedly planning a new service called 'Shipping With Amazon' that will allow it to pick up packages from businesses and deliver them to consumers. The service is expected to start in Los Angeles in the coming weeks, before it is rolled out more broadly as soon as this year, according to The Wall Street Journal , which cited anonymous sources. Shares of shipping companies FedEx and UPS slipped Friday. Amazon, which has been edging into the delivery business for some time, didn't deny the report. Amazon's next move may be to shake up the shipping industry. The online retailer is reportedly planning a new service called 'Shipping With Amazon' that will allow it to pick up packages from businesses and deliver them to consumers. File photo Advertisement

In an early sign of Amazon's Brazilian logistics push, the company posted more than a dozen listings for distribution jobs in the country to LinkedIn last year, including 'Site leader, Fulfillment Center'.

The new warehouse site outside of Sao Paulo, in the municipality of Cajamar, looks to be a step in that direction.

There San Francisco-based logistics company Prologis Inc has offered a 50,000-square-meter space to Amazon in a new industrial park that hosts DHL and Samsung, according to sources, who said adaptation of the warehouse had not begun.

Prologis, which also partnered with Amazon on a mega-warehouse north of Mexico city last year, declined to comment.

The preparations in Brazil come as Luft, the local logistics operator for Amazon's book business, readies a move into another Prologis site nearby in Cajamar, sources said, leaving its current 12,000-square-meter facility in the city of Barueri.

Amazon registered in October to conduct operations in Cajamar, according to municipal records seen by Reuters.

The new logistics investment could spell trouble for rivals.

Mercado Libre has been a success story among Latin America tech start ups: its shares have nearly tripled since 2014, bringing its market capitalization to more than $15billion.

Magazine Luiza's stock has risen sixfold in each of the past two years as it shifted its rolled out an ambitious e-commerce strategy built on its brick and mortar stores.
Climate change might not be as extreme as once presumed, a new study has found.

Researchers from the University of British Columbia have discovered that previous estimates for the severity of global warming that stemmed from coal usage might not be realistic.

Instead, they say - based on new methods of predicting what the environment will look like at the end of this century - that we are much closer to reaching goals outlined at the Paris Climate Accord than was previously believed.

Researchers at the University of British Columbia have now claimed that previous predictions made about the state of global warming in 2100 were not accurate. They say that they rely on unrealistic estimates (file photo)

THE KEY GOALS OF THE PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT The Paris Agreement on Climate Change has four main goals with regards to reducing emissions: 1) A long-term goal of keeping the increase in global average temperature to well below 2C above pre-industrial levels 2) To aim to limit the increase to 1.5C, since this would significantly reduce risks and the impacts of climate change 3) Goverments agreed on the need for global emissions to peak as soon as possible, recognising that this will take longer for developing countries 4) To undertake rapid reductions thereafter in accordance with the best available science Source: European Commission Advertisement

The study's authors, Justin Ritchie and Hadi Dowlatabadi, warned that traditional climate change predictions are not necessarily realistic.

The report says: 'Climate change modeling relies on projections of future greenhouse gas emissions and other phenomena leading to changes in planetary radiative forcing.'

It then details the methods by which predictions about what is to come at the end of the century are developed, and, explains the alternative methods the researchers think should be used to make these predictions.

'Scenarios of socio-technical development consistent with end-of-century forcing levels are commonly produced by integrated assessment models.

'However, outlooks for forcing from fossil energy combustion can also be presented and defined in terms of two essential components: total energy use this century and the carbon intensity of that energy.'

This method allowed the researchers to come up with multiple possible outcomes based on scenarios that depict realistic estimations of the amount of coal that will be burned in the coming years.

According to their findings, climate change goals are much closer than we think to becoming a reality.

'This orientation runs counter to the experienced "dynamics as usual" of gradual decarbonization, suggesting climate change targets outlined in the Paris Accord are more readily achievable than projected to date,' the study said.

While their findings are hopeful, they don't signify an end to the severity of man-made global warming side effects.

The scientists think that we are much closer to reaching goals laid out at the Paris Climate Accord than was previously believed. Above is a graph from their study, which predicts that humans will use significantly less coal before 2100 than previous scientists estimated

As Bloomberg pointed out: 'The bad news is that this is good news in the way a destabilizing climate-shift is preferable to planetary extinction: We are still in a lot of trouble.'

The hope of the study is that if policymakers learn of the findings and explore their validity, they will be encouraged to focus resources toward lessening the effects of global warming since the issue will be less severe than they once imagined.

The researchers explained this notion in their study, which said: 'Evidence confirming steady-state and recarbonization scenarios as unlikely would also indicate that ambitious policy goals will be less challenging than previously considered.'
On San Franciscos famous Pier 39, sauce-stained children slurp huge bowls of clam chowder. In the background, Alcatrazs foreboding, mist-shrouded silhouette rises from the ocean.

The nearby gift shop is doing a roaring trade, churning out striped underpants and replica prison-issue toiletries bearing the tag line, dont drop the soap, all to a soundtrack of the piers famous blubbery, barking sea lions.

But the waterfront  with its many fresh crab restaurants  will soon look very different. The green-fingered team behind New Yorks urban High Line has now turned its attention to the Presidio  a beautiful, sprawling park overlooking the bay.

A classic: San Franciscos trams with Alcatraz in the distance. However, the waterfront will soon look very different

The tunnels burrowing through it will soon form the base of a spectacular, 14-acre park known as Tunnel Tops. When it opens in 2019, there will be beautiful views of the bay and meadows filled with fragrant wildflowers.

During 1967s Summer of Love, pier workers fought their way through crowds of garland-waving hippies who gathered here to shout about the Vietnam War.

Now, more than 50 years on, hipsters have replaced hippies in Haight-Ashbury. A handful of psychedelic shops filled with tie-dye are squeezed between boutiques and organic cafes.

The closest encounter I have with a possible hippy is when I crouch down to take a picture of an enormous rainbow-themed piece of street art and accidentally disturb a dreadlocked local dozing in a doorway.

At Pork Store Cafe, a 40-year-old Haight Street institution famous for its huge breakfasts, I meet Amanda, a local, who tells me how the areas beautiful, Victorian, pastel-hued houses are being snapped up (and lovingly refurbished) by dotcom billionaires. She complains that prices have rocketed.

As I cycle towards the city centre, a smiling skateboarder shouts his encouragement and speeds past me  uphill. I realise his skateboard is battery-powered. I recall my chat with Amanda and wonder if its Mark Zuckerberg or someone similar.

On the recommendation of a friend, I stop by Hotel Zetta in downtown San Francisco. Since last spring, its been home to the worlds first hotel-based virtual reality room. Its free to try  those in need of a moment of escapism (without the mind-altering drugs) can simply walk off the street into the padded room and slip on the headset.

A pinch: The crabs that are available to buy from vendors in Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco

I do so and find myself standing atop a shipwreck, one of several colourful worlds to be explored. Neon fish swarm around me and when I turn around, Im face-to-face with a huge, blinking whale. The next moment, Im in a mountainous valley (apparently its modelled on the landscape of Washington state).

Despite being just metres away from the rumbling trams, I can wander to a cliff edge and peer into a valley so deep that my stomach flips.

On my final night, I check out China Live, one of the citys newest restaurants. The walls are lined with hand-painted tiles showing local landmarks, such as the Transamerica Pyramid.

I sit at one of the communal tables and try jellyfish for the first time (its salty, rubbery and delicious) with a potent, dragon fruit tea-infused cocktail.

Chinatown borders North Beach, a bay-side neighbourhood with a huge Italian community. I cycle home past Italian flags painted on lampposts and delis blaring opera music.

In a park, Chinese women perform perfectly choreographed tai chi routines near students making the most of Californias decision to legalise marijuana.

Suddenly, that Summer of Love doesnt seem quite so far away.
Ayurveda is an Indian holistic healing system which has been developed over thousands of years. I have become more and more interested in it since starting the wellness company Hemsley + Hemsley with my younger sister Melissa.

I was especially keen to further my knowledge with a trip to the Ananda Spa in the foothills of the Himalayas, the birthplace of yoga. People have been telling me for years that I would love it.

Ayurveda means knowledge of life. Its a philosophy about how to live, how to eat and how to be at one with nature.

The Ananda Spa in the foothills of the Himalayas, the birthplace of yoga in India

Because of ayurvedas connections with Hinduism, the food is vegetarian. Advocates use ghee, for example  clarified butter; this also serves for medicinal purposes. Cows are sacred because of their milk.

You might have heard of an ayurvedic drink called golden milk, which is perhaps better known as turmeric latte in trendy coffee shops.

Im not a fan of turmeric lattes, but authentic golden milk is delicious. Think of it as a Mexican hot chocolate: spiced and sweet.

For our trip to the Ananda, my partner and I first flew to Delhi and then caught a 90-minute connecting flight to Dehradun. We then faced a 90-minute drive up a windy road into the foothills of the Himalayas (unfortunately, I get car sick so the journey felt much longer!).

However, the road trip did allow us to get a glimpse of Indian village life. It was interesting to see people outside at 5am doing their version of yoga, which is nothing like we do in the gym.

As far as the Ananda was concerned, I didnt really know what to expect. How authentic would the experience be? Would it be aimed at Westerners?

Actually, I think they have struck the perfect balance. Sessions aim to introduce ayurveda to Westerners but theyve retained the integrity.

Despite what some people think, ayurveda is not about raw food and juices, nor about calories and weight loss. Its about cooked, warming foods  for example, subtle, delicious curries.

When I talk to people about ayurvedic food, they often say Oh, I cant eat chillies or I dont like curry  but they would absolutely love the sort of ayurvedic food we had at the Ananda because it was spicy but without the overpowering heat.

Jasmine during her trip. She discovered ayurveda is not just about raw food and juices, nor about calories and weight loss. Its about cooked, warming foods

Food is a key part of the experience at the Ananda. It starts with a beautiful buffet breakfast, served in a serene dining room where you meet the chef who helps you choose from the huge range of options.

They serve every kind of mountain food from Gujarat and include a lot of traditional foods from different places in India. There are also fruit platters, muffins, cooked breakfasts and all kinds of cereals.

The Ananda offers a gourmet experience: this isnt one of those health places where you are expected to survive on bread and water. And in between meals there are lots of different programmes you can follow, or else you can also go out and explore independently.

I went on a hike one day, which involved an almost vertical climb, but it was absolutely worth it to reach the little temple at the top. At the Ananda youre not really in the high mountains but you have a wonderful view of them and the air quality is incredible. As a result, I slept brilliantly.

Jasmine took one excursion and took the 45 minute trip to Rishikesh, pictured, to dip her toes in the Ganges

At the Ananda, staff encourage you go with the rhythm of the day: you rise with the morning sun, and then you wind down as soon as it gets dark.

Sessions during the day include yoga, breath work and cooking  theres always something to do and to enjoy. And if for some reason you need to keep in touch with whats going on at home, there is great wi-fi (I wished it hadnt been so good!).

Being a Londoner and a bit of a girl about town when it comes to my clothes, what I really liked is that when you arrive, you are given white pyjamas to wear every day. This means that all you need to bring with you are several pairs of socks and youre sorted clothes-wise for the entire stay.

My one real excursion was a 45-minute trip to the Ganges for one of the nightly blessings. This was really busy  more like the India you imagine. By the time the sun set, a huge crowd of people had gathered for the blessing and we were right at the heart of it all. To say that I dipped my toe in the Ganges at Rishikesh was an unforgettable experience.

The reason that I didnt venture out apart from the Ganges excursion was because I was on a rejuvenation week, which is all about rest and internalising. You enjoy wonderful massages and treatments.

One of the peacocks that roam the grounds. Sessions during the day include yoga, breath work and cooking

At the end of the stay nobody measures you to see how much weight youve lost. Ayurveda is a holistic assessment. Its not about what you look like physically.

Ayurvedic physicians, called vaidyas, assess you and tell you whats going on with your body so you begin to understand it more clearly. It seems I have lots of vata energy  I talk, think and act quickly, so I need to be more calm. That means lots of yoga and breath work.

Breath work encourages you to use the entire capacity of your lungs. Its part of a broader movement towards a softer, kinder way of living.

If you want to get into this, a visit to Ananda is the perfect way to begin. The staff explain everything so well. Everyone is ready to help and share advice.

You cant fail to be affected by the beauty of it all. Outside in the grounds, for example, there are peacocks walking round.

It had such a positive effect on me that I cant wait to return. This isnt a holiday  instead its a life-enhancing experience.

Now read Jasmine's book about Ayurveda - East by West .
I have rarely felt a greater sense of wellbeing than when standing on top of a waterfall that plunges 650ft into the Caribbean.

I was at Dunns River Falls in Jamaica, and the only way to stop being swept away by the torrent was to hold hands in a human chain, led by a guide who pulled and cajoled us over the rocks.

The day before I had spent an hour as a surrogate teaching assistant for a class of six-year-olds.

True blue: The beautiful waters at Sandals Ochi Beach in Jamaica, which is 60 miles from Montego Bay

They showed me their beautiful handwriting and we read Bob The Frog together as the tropical rain drummed on the corrugated iron roof. All the kids were immaculately turned out.

It was difficult to associate these joyous scenes with the gang violence around the tourist hotspot of Montego Bay that led to a state of emergency being declared last month. The Foreign Office urges tourists to be cautious and not to go out alone at night.

The Jamaican tourist office insists the island is open for business, and so far bookings have held up.

I was staying at the Sandals Ochi Beach in Ochio Rios, 60 miles from Montego Bay.

Inside the resort, you could easily be in a different country to Jamaica. The resort features every conceivable luxury, including 17 restaurants and even free scuba-diving. The only thing missing is currency because everything is paid for in advance.

Sandals is the largest operator of all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean, and has a commercial as well as a philanthropic interest in the future of these islands. It has its own foundation, funded partly by donations from guests, which has helped bankroll projects totalling $46 million.

Clean start: Children help collect rubbish from one of the local beaches

The projects are focused on education and the environment, and guests are offered the opportunity to get involved themselves in some of them  hence my presence at the primary school.

In contrast to the normally very disciplined atmosphere in Jamaican classrooms, the pupils screamed with delight to see us, and were fascinated to hear more about the naughty English boy who had scribbled on the books I had brought with me.

Some people, including Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling, have criticised voluntourism  basically voluntary work on holiday  because it does more to make the volunteer feel good than help the community. But headmistress Althea Scott disagrees, partly because Sandals does so much else for the school, such as providing computers.

At another project we visited high up in the rainforest, Sandals manages an agriculture academy for teenagers.

According to headmaster Sydney Henry, it is a lifeline. Young Jamaican men are an endangered species if they dont get a job but join a gang instead, he says.

These tours would have been unthinkable when all-inclusive resorts were first opened in the Caribbean. Back then tourists felt they were being adventurous enough merely by going somewhere like Jamaica. And having paid for everything up front, they were quite happy to enjoy all the facilities on offer.

But gradually they have become more adventurous, and the range of activities on offer, both within the resorts and outside as added extras, has increased exponentially.

Story time: Elinor reads to girls at their primary school. The projects are focused on education and the environment, and guests are offered the opportunity to get involved themselves in some of them

Now the waterfall climb is just one of dozens of action-packed escorted trips for which you can pay extra.

Voluntourism is a response to another trend Sandals staff have identified. Millennials, they say, are increasingly environmentally and socially aware, and want to interact with locals and do something to help.

At the moment there are half a dozen of these trips of varying degrees of popularity. About 11,000 guests have gone on the reading trips to school; rather less attractive has been the invitation to help clean up a beach.

Instead its the staff who usually take part in these, but in the interest of research I waded through a soup of polystyrene cups and hair extensions, much to the amusement of local children who used plastic sacks like kites before joining in.

We collected a small mountain of bags but in terms of the scale of the problem of waste disposal in Jamaica we didnt make much impact.

However, the Sandals Foundation is doing a lot to improve environmental education and marine management.

For example, it is funding a project to limit the appalling destruction of coral reefs by predatory lionfish. After an $80 training session, tourists can go on a lionfish-hunting dive.

Voluntourism may be of limited appeal at the moment, but it is a sign of how big operators are having to adapt to the demands of 21st Century travellers, and demonstrate that the benefits of all-inclusive resorts go beyond the thousands of people employed directly by them.
Continuing our series featuring the holiday memories of famous people, this week TV presenter GRIFF RHYS JONES, 64, tells York Membery of his life of adventures

First holiday I can remember:

Going to Gorran Haven, Cornwall, when I was about three. I remember Dad wearing a tweed jacket and tie to the beach, as men did in those days.

Horse power: Griff in the Highlands for one of his TV documentaries. His first ever holiday was to Cornwall

My first time abroad:

I went to Denmark as a schoolboy. It was like starting in the shallow end of foreign travel because Denmark was identical to Britain, as far as my school friends and I could tell, only they spoke a different language.

One of the highlights was visiting the Carlsberg brewery  we were too young to drink beer, but I guzzled so much of the free fizzy pop that I was sick.

Top school trip:

My teachers lined me up with a summer job as a school officers assistant on a two-week educational cruise to the eastern Med on the SS Uganda.

Griff on one of his childhood holidays. His first ever trip abroad was to Denmark when he was a schoolboy

It was carrying 600 female students from Canada, aged 16 to 18. I fell in love with so many girls during the course of the trip that I ended up corresponding with about 20 of them afterwards!

My honeymoon:

In Paris and Los Angeles. I spent a lovey-dovey week in Paris with my wife Jo and then flew off for a second week in LA with my Not The Nine OClock News mate Mel Smith.

Griff says his worst holiday was a road trip to Brittany

Best holiday:

In Corsica about 20 years ago with Jo and our two children when they were young. We stayed in a converted mill and would jump off the nearby bridge and go swimming in the river below. It was the perfect family break.

And my worst:

A road trip through Brittany was dire. It was cold, it was wet, and most of the hotels were closed, so we gave up and headed for the nearest port and the ferry home.

My essential holiday item:

I never leave home without my trilby-style hat  when Im travelling somewhere hot like the Caribbean, its an absolute lifesaver.
Nightlife has always been thin on the ground in soapland. At present, Coronation Street has the choice of the Rovers or the Bistro; Emmerdale has the Woolpack and the occasional hotel bar, which has recently been the venue for all sorts of shenanigans and subterfuge.

Maybe the show has acquired a glut of Marriott rewards points they need to use before they expire.

In EastEnders, the Vic still dominates, despite half-hearted attempts to establish rivals. Even young people have stopped regular trips up west  excursions they had to plan as if they were going on a six-month safari.

Now, however, with Sharon deciding to re-open Walfords R&R, nightlife is about to change  but will it? This was a nightclub that boasted no more than a dozen customers (and that was on a good night) and housed an office in which the main activity was planning a murder or being the victim of one.

Oh, for the days when the EastEnders enjoyed a night out at upmarket restaurant Fargos. They might not have known what hors doeuvres were, but Shirley sure knew how to shove a dessert in a snooty waitresss face.

Robert (pictured right) proposes to Michelle in this week's Coronation Street

CORONATION STREET: KNEE-JERK REACTION?

Race For Your Wife? What a strange name for a charity run, especially as for most Weatherfield men, running away from the wife is a speciality. But as the runners cross the line, Robert drops to one knee to propose to Michelle.

Lets hope she doesnt think hes collapsing and phone 999 before he pops the question. And, if he does, will she say yes?

Having told him theyre now debt free, all seems rosy. I still worry for the Bistro, though. Why didnt Robert get another chef when Zeedan left?

My query about the silence surrounding Tracys kidney transplant was answered last week when she came over queasy hearing about Carlas impending transplant. But why? Not the only woman in the village oos ad a kidney transplant any more, said Steve. Hilarious.

Phelan is thrilled the mill developer plans to build ten more flats, but Garys intrigued by a conversation between the pair. Its going to be down to Gary to bring Phelan down, as Phelans already onto Nicola.

Moving in with her dad and Eileen will mean just one thing: Phelan will steal her keys, go to the flat and find No, no, dont! I scream at the TV every time he runs another ring around an unsuspecting victim. Its not over yet.

EASTENDERS: DEAD AND BURIED (NOT)

Jay finds a dishevelled Max out in the cold after he discovers Abi hasn't been buried in EastEnders

Maxs plans to put a picture of Abis baby in her coffin are thwarted when Lauren tells him she has already been buried. Falling apart following this, who does he choose to confide in but Mick (the surest sign of anyones insanity)?

When he discovers the funeral has actually not taken place, but is unable to find out any details, Max goes further downhill.

Just when you think hes gone as far down the hill as hes able to go, he finds another molehill to slide down. When Jay finds a dishevelled Max out in the cold, will he take pity on him, and will Max get to say goodbye to his daughter?

Now, back to the Pantomime Mafia, who I am enjoying hugely. This week, Aidan puts the heat on Vincent (again), who is forced to come clean to Kim about being broke. That will be a relief to viewers as she wont have the money to buy any more of those hideous clothes.

How, by the way, has she been able to afford that whacking great American fridge-freezer? It looks as if its eaten six of Micks minuscule fridges for breakfast (I suppose its too much to hope that Kim might fall and lock herself in it one night?). And why, given the smartness of a lot of appliances, does everyone still not own a washing machine?

Samosa-gate gathers pace when Masood replicates Mariams recipe to sell in the chippy. Caught by Kathy, the rivalry heats up  which only means one thing in EastEnders: theyll be at it like rabbits in no time.

EMMERDALE: KANGAROO COURTING?

Maisie takes a trip to Mulberry Cottage to deliver a gift to Sandy in Emmerdale

In a welcome break from shoot-outs (but not from another will they/wont they with Robert and Aaron  when will it end?), a tour bus arrives in the village.

Alighting from it is Maisie, played by the fabulous Wendy Craig (star of Carla Lanes Butterflies). She heads to Mulberry Cottage and it transpires she has gifts for Sandy from his old friend Betty.

Soon the pair are enjoying each others company in the Woolpack. Handing Sandy an envelope containing tickets for Australia, will he be tempted to join her? Blimey, she didnt mess around. A trip to the Leeds panto is the best first date you can hope for in this village.
The highest-paid actress on a primetime drama, Ellen Pompeo, crushed it in a purple velvet midi-dress featuring belled sleeves for her appearance on Thursday's episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!

The 48-year-old Golden Globe nominee addressed her interview in the January 17 issue of THR magazine where she revealed how she landed a Grey's Anatomy pay raise of $575K/per episode amounting to $20M annually.

'The number of women that have come up to me since this [interview] has came out has been very moving to me,' the Massachusetts-born stunner told the 50-year-old host.

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The highest-paid actress on a primetime drama! Ellen Pompeo crushed it in a purple velvet midi-dress featuring belled sleeves for Thursday's episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!

'Because, as women, you know, it's not only about what's done to us or what's not given to us. It's what don't we ask for, you know, how much of it is [it] isn't given to us, or is it that we dont ask? I think that as much as we can point the finger at other people and [say], "You don't give us or you don't treat us fairly."

'We also have to point the finger at ourselves and say, "Did we ask? Did we step up and have the...gumption, to ask for what a man would?" We have to own part of it. And sometimes we're too shy; we're too afraid to be seen as difficult to really speak our mind. So I'm grateful for all of it.'

Pompeo went on to thank the loyal fans of the ABC medical procedural as well as her 'two amazing lawyers' for helping her score the eight-figure paycheck.

'I'm grateful that [my THR interview] was received in the way in which I intended it to be, which was as an empowering story for women and to also be very honest about my faults and my shortcomings,' Ellen admitted.

Cover girl: The 48-year-old Golden Globe nominee addressed her THR interview revealing how she landed a Grey's Anatomy pay raise of $575K/per episode amounting to $20M annually

The Massachusetts-born stunner said: 'The number of women that have come up to me since this [interview] has came out has been very moving to me...We have to point the finger at ourselves and say, "Did we have the...gumption, to ask for what a man would?"'

'I'm grateful for all of it': Pompeo went on to thank the loyal fans of the ABC medical procedural as well as her 'two amazing lawyers' for helping her score the eight-figure paycheck

'Because I think that there's a lot of blame, especially right now. People are blaming people. There's a lot of finger pointing, but there's less people owning up to their side of things.

'And I wanted to sort of do a truthful interview and talk about my road to my own empowerment and how I got there, but also mistakes that I've made along the way. And I think that was all reflected well.'

The teal-eyed beauty also shared a cute Christmas snap of her husband Chris Ivery rocking matching track suits with their 14-month-old son Eli Christopher.

'He buys all of his clothes': The teal-eyed beauty also shared a cute Christmas snap of her husband Chris Ivery rocking matching track suits with their 14-month-old son Eli Christopher

Halloween: The married couple of a decade - who met inside a LA grocery store in 2003 - are also parents to eight-year-old daughter Stella (pictured) and three-year-old daughter Sienna

'He buys all of his clothes, Chris does,' Pompeo noted. 'But what you can't see in that picture is I bought Eli a gold chain so he could match his dad.'

The married couple of a decade - who met inside a LA grocery store in 2003 - are also parents to eight-year-old daughter Stella and three-year-old daughter Sienna.

The SAG Award winner currently produces and stars as Dr. Meredith Grey in the 24-episode 14th season of Grey's Anatomy, which resumes March 1 on ABC.
Her latest film Fifty Shades Freed hit theaters on Fridayjust in time for Valentine's Day.

Dakota Johnson, the star of the erotic saga, was spotted grabbing coffee in form-fitting workout gear and Birkenstocks at Bicycle Coffee in Los Angeles.

According to her trainer, Ramona Braganza, the 28-year-old actress worked out for five months straight, four times a week to get in tip-top shape for her nude scenes in the Fifty Shades trilogy.

Shades of black! Dakota Johnson was spotted grabbing coffee in form-fitting workout gear and Birkenstocks at Bicycle Coffee in Los Angeles on Friday

Big day! Her latest film Fifty Shades Freed hit theaters on the same dayit's the final installment of the Fifty Shades of Grey Saga

On Thursday night, her co-star Jamie Dornan got candid with late-night host, Conan, about taking 'sexy' notes from Johnson while filming.

'I guess there's a sexy way to take off a girl's underwear,' Dornan said as he shyly demonstrated the action for the audience. 'There is a more delicate and sensual way to do it which is thumbs into the side and you sort of shimmy it down.'

Jamie and Dakota have been navigating Fifty Shades' sexually-charged scenes since 2013 when they began filming the first installment of the series.

A little direction! On Thursday night, her co-star Jamie Dornan got candid with late-night host ,Conan, about taking 'sexy' notes from Johnson

'I guess there's a sexy way to take off a girl's underwear,' Dornan said as he shyly demonstrated the action for the audience. 'There is a more delicate and sensual way to do it which is thumbs into the side and you sort of shimmy it down'

Pros! Jamie and Dakota have been navigating Fifty Shades' sexually-charged scenes since 2013 when they began filming the first installment of the series

New chapter! But the actress, who was spotted in a fluffy blue sweatshirt on Friday, is ready to say goodbye to Fifty Shades

But the actress, who was spotted in a fluffy blue sweatshirt on Friday, is ready to say goodbye to Fifty Shades.

'I feel so grateful and proud and I feel ready to move on,' she told E News during the Paris premiere of the final movie.

And that may be due to the anxiety that the sex scenes caused her.

'It takes a lot of physical and mental preparation to do those kinds of things,' she explained to ET Canada. 'The amount of anxiety surrounding it is very taxing.'

'I feel so grateful and proud and I feel ready to move on,' she told E News during the Paris premiere of the final movie
New details are emerging surrounding the Christmas Eve arrest of reality star Luann de Lesseps.

Included in evidence released by the Florida State Attorney, that will be used in Luann's criminal case, is a photograph of the Palm Beach Police officer she is accused off attacking.

The image, first obtained by The Blast, shows red marks and welts to the officer's head.

Trouble: New information has been released concerning the Christmas Eve arrest of Luann de Lesseps in Florida including a photo of injuries allegedly sustained by the police officer

Painful: The image, included in evidence released by the Florida State Attorney, shows injuries allegedly sustained by the police officer Luann is accused off attacking

The Real Housewives of New York star has been charged with battery on an officer, resisting arrest with violence and crimes against a person and a misdemeanor charge of disorderly intoxication stemming from the incident.

On December 24 last year the 52-year-old star was found trespassing in a hotel room with an unidentified man, according to a police report.

The duo had entered the wrong room at the Colony Hotel in Palm Beach but refused to leave.

Luann is alleged to have slammed a door and kicked at least one officer.

'Officer OLeary then attempted to detain De Lesseps and remove her from the bathroom, at which time De Lesseps shoved Officer OLeary with an open palm to the chest, then slammed the door on Officer OLeary face, striking him in the forehead.

Drunk: On December 24 last year the 52-year-old star was found trespassing in a hotel room with an unidentified man, according to a police report

'While De Lesseps was being placed in handcuffs she resisted by pushing and pulling away from Officer OLeary and I,' the police report states.

The mother-of-two pleaded not guilty and checked herself into treatment for issues related to alcohol.

If convicted, the reality star faces up to five years in prison for the felony count of resisting an officer with violence.

The Bravo star had married her ex-husband Tom DAgostino in Palm Beach on New Year's Eve the year prior but they divorced after seven months.

Shortly after her arrest Luann released a statement saying: 'This was my first time in Palm Beach since my wedding, and being here brought up long-buried emotions.'

Felony charges: The RHONY star was charged with battery on an officer, resisting arrest with violence and crimes against a person and a misdemeanor charge of disorderly intoxication

Downtime: The Bravo star seems to be doing better in recent weeks and sharing family photos to social media

She also issued an apology for the incident and expressed her feelings of embarrassment.

'After the events of last Saturday night in Palm Beach, I am truly embarrassed,' she wrote in a post to Instagram.

'I have decided to seek professional guidance and will be voluntarily checking into an alcohol treatment center. I intend to turn this unfortunate incident into a positive life changing event.

'Once again, I sincerely apologize for my actions. I have the greatest respect for police officers and the job they do. My actions alleged in the police report do not reflect my core values and my law abiding character. I am so grateful for the love and support that I am receiving from my family, friends and loyal supporters.'
She is known for her flirty and feminine personal style.

And Rose Byrne cut a chic figure during a recent press conference for her new film Peter Rabbit, held at The London Hotel in Los Angeles.

The 38-year-old, who stars as Beatrix Potter in the CG-live action movie, flaunted her hourglass figure in a floral dress from Dolce & Gabbana's Spring 2018 collection.

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Flirty: Rose Byrne cut a chic figure during a recent press conference for her new film Peter Rabbit, held at The London Hotel in Los Angeles

The Sydney-born actress complimented the dress with a pair of dainty mules and wore her signature brunette locks in voluminous waves.

She wore hoop earrings and her wedding rings as understated accessories, with a soft makeup palette featuring blush tones and a deep red lip shade.

The Hollywood star recently told the AP that filming Peter Rabbit was a 'surreal and strange' experience.

Ethereal: The 38-year-old, who stars as Beatrix Potter in the CG-live action movie, flaunted her hourglass figure in a floral dress from Dolce & Gabbana's Spring 2018 collection

Chic: The Balmain-born actress complimented the dress with a pair of dainty mules and wore her signature brunette locks in voluminous waves

'I've never done anything this technical!' she revealed during the interview.

'It's such a production with the CGI. It's just like a guy in a blue suit. It's kind of a surreal and strange. You have to dig deep in your imagination,' she continued.

Rose plays Bea, an artist who illustrates the rabbits - who are voiced by James Corden, Margot Robbie, Daisy Ridley, Elizabeth Debicki and more - in her backyard.

Ladylike: She wore hoop earrings and her wedding rings as understated accessories, with a soft makeup palette that featured blush tones and a deep red lip shade

Rose and her long-term partner, actor Bobby Cannavale, 47, welcomed their second son, Rafa, in November last year.

The mother of two is keeping busy with her family duties in addition to creating a production company back home in Australia with a number of female friends.

Their first project, Seriously Red, is reportedly based on the true story of a Dolly Parton impersonator, who fulfills her career dream and then suffers an identity crisis.
She adopted son Jackson, five, in 2012, and daughter August, two, in 2015.

And Charlize Theron looked like a beautiful doting mom as she had her hands full while out with her daughter in Los Angeles on Friday.

The 42-year-old actress appeared in a rush as she held tightly onto August's Valentine's Day arts and crafts.

Doting mom! Charlize Theron looked like a beautiful doting mom as she had her hands full while out with her daughter in Los Angeles on Friday

Charlize stepped out in ripped jeans and a blue with white striped button-up shirt.

The Mad Max star stylishly paired her ensemble with suede camel colored booties.

Charlize covered her radiant complexion behind nude framed sunglasses and kept her iconic blonde locks in a low ponytail.

The actress' daughter followed her mum's fashionable footsteps in a gray floral dress teamed with sparkling booties.

Out and about: The 42-year-old actress appeared in a rush as she held tightly onto August's Valentine's Day arts and crafts

Effortless: Charlize stepped out in ripped jeans and a blue with white striped button-up shirt

Theron likely recently revealed on Instagram that she wrapped shooting for her new film, Flarsky.

The starlet posted a photo of herself on set with a production crew.

She wrote: 'Thats a wrap on Flarsky! Honestly one of the best experiences of my life. Thank you to the incredible cast and crew for all your hard work and for making me laugh every step of the way! #FLARSKY #JonathanLevine.'

The film is scheduled to release in 2019.
She knows how to command attention on the red carpet with her effortless satrorial choices.

And Poppy Delevingne, 31, was back to her old style tricks on Friday night as she showcased her slender frame in a vibrant midi dress for the Bottega Veneta AW18 show during New York Fashion Week.

The model-turned-actress highlighted her statuesque figure as she slipped into the red knee-length number which accentuated her toned pins while posing for photos at the exclusive runway show.

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Work it: Poppy Delevingne, 31, was back to her old style tricks on Friday night as she showcased her slender frame in a vibrant midi dress for the Bottega Veneta AW18 show during New York Fashion Week

The fashionista's choice of garment featured striking large sequin detailing down the front of the dress which complemented the red theme and added a fun touch of texture to look.

She accessorised the look with a thin black leather waist belt around her narrow midriff and carried a stylish clutch in her manicured hand as she navigated her way into the venue in her platform peep-toed heels.

Poppy worked her trademark peroxide blonde locks into a toulsed wave while boasting a soft pink-inspired beauty look.

Style savvy: The model-turned-actress highlighted her statuesque figure as she slipped into the red knee-length number which accentuated her toned pins while posing for photos at the exclusive runway show

Walk this way: The fashionista's choice of garment featured striking large sequin detailing down the front of the dress which complemented the red theme and added a fun touch of texture to look

Noticeably absent from the fashion festivities was her husband James Cook, who she married in 2014 during a lavish ceremony at St. Paul's Church, in Knightsbridge, London.

In 2012, he popped the question with a bespoke Anya Hindmarch memories box embossed with the words 'Will you marry me?' and filled with pictures of them together.

They then enjoyed a honeymoon in Marrakech, Morocco, where their second ceremony took place.

Flying solo: Noticeably absent from the fashion festivities was her husband James Cook, who she married in 2014 during a lavish ceremony at St. Paul's Church, in Knightsbridge, London

Poppy, who has previously worked for brands, such as Burberry and Laura Ashley, hit the headlines last year when her Kingsman 2: Golden Circle co-star Taron Egerton refused to film an uncomfortable sex scene with her.

The plot required Taron's spy character to have sex with target Clara, but plants a tracking device inside her vagina using his hand.

Taron told ScreenRant that he didn't know he would be required for the shot and refused to do it, meaning Poppy's husband was brought in for filming to shoot the moment.
She's been playing the role of property mogul over the past six years; buying, selling and renting homes in Sydney and Melbourne.

And it seems model Megan Gale is finally ready settle her roots with fiance Shaun Hampson.

The 42-year-old has recently Instagram to reveal in a series of snaps that she and her younger AFL star beau are considering building their own home.

Grand home designs? Model Megan Gale is finally ready settle her roots with fiance Shaun Hampson to reveal in a series of snaps they considering building their own home

She posited in the caption of her first post: 'After several years of looking for 'the perfect house' we are now considering creating it. Are we mad? Will it destroy us?'

'In any case, I've been collecting oodles of inspiration in case we take the plunge,' she admitted, adding: 'I'm bathroom obsessed and LOVE a bathroom that incorporates nature in some way.'

The brunette beauty also revealed her love for a more minimal aesthetic as well as a black-and-white colour scheme.

Creating their dream home: She posited in the caption of her first post: 'After several years of looking for 'the perfect house' we are now considering creating it. Are we mad? Will it destroy us?'

Minimal chic: Mostly sharing snaps of chic bathrooms as inspiration, she admitted: 'I'm bathroom obsessed and LOVE a bathroom that incorporates nature in some way' (bathroom of Malvern East pictured)

Megan and Shaun will have to juggle their grand building plans with raising their son River, three, and five-month-old daughter Rosie.

The couple also recently signed a lease on $1,400 a week cottage in Malvern East, in Melbourne.

The Mad Max actress has sold off quite a few properties from her portfolio in recent years including a luxurious Aberfieldie property for $2,967,000.

Model and property mogul: The Mad Max actress has sold off quite a few properties from her portfolio in recent years including a luxurious Aberfieldie property for $2,967,000 (pictured)

Luxury property: In 2016, she struggled to sell her Palm Beach mansion after 308 days on the market with an asking price of $3.5 million and reportedly settled on $3 million, according to The Daily Telegraph (pictured)

In 2016, she struggled to sell her Palm Beach mansion after 308 days on the market with an asking price of $3.5 million.

She reportedly settled on selling the property for $3 million, according to The Daily Telegraph.

She also sold her Bondi home for $1,025,00 and Tamarama property for $3 million in 2012.
Steve Harvey has answered back to an ongoing lawsuit involving a former business associate.

The talk show host, 61, replied in court docs after a man named Vincent Dimmock sued him, claiming Harvey reneged on paying him a commission after was he instrumental in drumming up donations to a charity Harvey is linked with, TMZ reports.

Dimmock said that in April of 2017, he and Harvey came to an accord that he would drum up $20 million toward the charity, and collect a 12.5 percent commission on the funds he raised, which would work out to $2.5 million.

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Court battle: Steve Harvey, snapped in LA last year, said that a man pulled off an elaborate scheme pitching his fundraising abilities in an effort to meet him

Dimmock said that he fulfilled his end of the bargain, raising more than $20 million, while currying up support from celebrities and political figures.

But Harvey is telling a different story in court papers, claiming that Dimmock initially approached him to help with an energy drink he was trying to market.

Fruitless venture: Harvey, snapped in 2015, said that the man who's suing him failed to raise any money like he had promised

Showman: The versatile presenter was snapped in Las Vegas last November hosting the Miss Universe Pageant

The Atlanta-based star said that when that business plan didn't come to fruition, Dimmock attempted to pitch him on the idea of coordinating a meeting between him and a billionaire who would part with a huge donation toward his charity.

The Family Feud host said he traveled to Austin, Texas for a meeting with the billionaire, who had no association with Dimmock and didn't donate anything to his charity, according to the outlet.

Harvey told the court that Dimmock never raised any money for the charity, and that he believes Dimmock's business pitches were a way for him to simply meet up with him.
She's had a career breakout playing first lady Melania Trump on Saturday Night Live.

And on Thursday, Cecily Strong had a 34th birthday bash at New York City's Ocean Prime Restaurant with six friends, according to the New York Daily News.

'Strong was out in full force with her crew of six in Midtown,' an insider told the newspaper. 'They arrived at 8 p.m. sharp with Cecily in her formal wear - full makeup and black stilettos.'

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And many more! Saturday Night Live's Cecily Strong had a 34th birthday bash at New York City's Ocean Prime Restaurant with six friends Thursday

The six-year SNL cast member and her pals enjoyed 'lots of cocktails' during the birthday celebration.

Strong and her entourage 'sat in the middle of the dining room, while Cecily moved from the bar to the dining room with a Cucumber Gimlet in hand,' the insider said.

Strong also consumed a vodka cocktail nicknamed Smoking Berries & Bubbles, and had lemon grouper for dinner, the source told the paper.

Over the course of the two-hour dinner, Strong and her pals were heard laughing, sources told the paper.

The rising star appeared on Bravo's Watch What Happens Live earlier this week, where she discussed murmurs of how Melania has received her parody.

Art imitates life: Strong (L) has carved out a niche impersonating Melania Trump (R) on the NBC sketch show

Andy Cohen prompted her, 'You did hear through the grapevine that Melania Trump likes your impersonation of her.'

Strong said, 'I didnt hear she likes the impersonation, that was taken out of context; I heard she likes the show and likes Alec doing Trump and likes the show. She must like my impersonation too, I guess.'

Earlier this month, Strong appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and revealed that she had a run-in with the real-life Melania when Donald Trump hosted SNL in 2015.

Strong said Melania 'pointed at [her] when she walked in,' and the now-president said, She likes your impression.'

Melania 'watches the show and likes it,' Strong said she's past heard.
She's just returned from a lavish getaway to Adelaide.

And it was back to work for Kirralee Morris on Saturday, shooting a new swimsuit campaign.

No doubt hoping to fund her next interstate getaway, the 30-year-old donned a number of skimpy bikinis for the sizzling spread.

Another day, another bikini! Kirralee 'Kiki' Morris was hard at work on Saturday shooting a new swimsuit campaign

Not shy in oversharing, Kiki treated her fans to a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the shoot.

Kicking off her busy day in front of the camera, the Bachelor reject wore a plunging swimsuit that strained to conceal her artificial assets.

Taking to Instagram Stories, the personality filmed herself strutting around the edge of a pool, before switching into another one-piece.

What a treat! Adorned with a floral pattern, Kiki's second bathers were slightly more modest

Adorned with a floral pattern, Kiki's second bathers were slightly more modest, although their G-string cut gave her fans an eyeful of booty as she snapped a mirror shot.

Finally, the model slinked into a sexy gold bikini, with tiny tassels barely covering her breasts.

It comes just days after Kiki was seen writhing around on an Adelaide beach.

Going for gold! The model slinked into a sexy gold bikini, with tiny tassels barely covering her breasts.

Much to the delight of fellow sun-seekers, the one-time reality star put on quite the show in the shallows, making sure her dutiful photographer snapped her from her best angles.

Obviously having a good time, the busty starlet captioned the racy photograph: 'I've decided I wanna travel around Australia more! Last weekend in Adelaide was epic, where should I go next?'

The jet setter also recently traveled to Bali, no doubt soaking up the country's history and culture.
She's the Australian model known for her eclectic personal style.

And Jessica Hart cut a chic figure as she posed in the front row for the Cushnie Et Ochs show on Friday during New York Fashion Week.

The 31-year-old was snapped in the same coat again later in the evening, at Brett Heyman's 'Edie Parker' handbag line presentation at The Harvard Club.

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Green with envy! Jessica Hart cut a chic figure as she posed in the front row for the Cushnie Et Ochs show on Friday during New York Fashion Week

The striking blonde wore the oversize, emerald green faux fur with a matching crop top that showed off her toned abs and tiny waist.

She paired the garments with skinny jeans and knee-high suede boots.

Flaunting her signature gap-toothed grin, the LUMA Beauty founder highlighted her rocker chic look with a leather crucifix necklace and gold hoop earrings.

Chic: The striking blonde wore the oversize, emerald green faux fur with a matching crop top that showed off her toned abs and tiny waist

Moody: Flaunting her signature gap-toothed grin, the Luma Beauty founder highlighted her rocker chic look with a leather crucifix necklace and gold hoop earrings

Donning the same coat at a different show, the Victoria's Secret model placed her purse on a couch nearby to pose with an Edie Parker clutch at The Harvard Club.

Fashion industry veteran Brett Heyman founded the vintage-inspired collection in 2010, naming it after her newborn daughter Edie.

Jessica and Brett posed together for photos during the presentation, both wearing matching boots and carrying Brett's coveted handbags.

Strategic: Donning the same coat at a different show, the Victoria's Secret model placed her purse on a couch nearby to pose with an Edie Parker clutch at The Harvard Club

Sydney-born Jessica first rose to fame when she won the Dolly Magazine model search competition in 2000.

She has since modeled for brands including Guess, Michael Kors, Sonia Rykiel and Rag & Bone.

She has also shot numerous editorials for magazines like American Vogue and is based in New York City.
She's the Sydney PR maven who recently flaunted her flawless figure while promoting her Skinny Tan line.

But on Saturday, it was back to mum mode for Roxy Jacenko, 37, who took to Instagram to share a cutesy snap of youngsters Pixie, six, and Hunter, three, with Paddington Bear.

In the happy snap, the blonde bombshell is seen giving the iconic storybook character a light hug, while her brood beams while nestling themselves into the red-hatted bear.

Bear hug! It was back to mum mode for Sydney PR queen Roxy Jacenko, 37, who shared a snap of herself at Birkenhead Point outlet centre with kids Pixie, 6, and Hunter, 3. It comes after Roxy released a behind the scenes video of herself taking the plunge in a low-cut white swimsuit for her new Skinny Tan range.

The photo was taken at Birkenhead Point outlet centre, which Roxy serves as an ambassador and it appeared the costumed character was there in order to promote a new nanny service.

'Great morning with @birkenheadpoint launching the complimentary shopping nanny service launching today and daily 10-3 with qualified nannies,' Roxy wrote alongside the picture on Instagram.

The family outing comes after Roxy released a string of sexy snaps while launching her Skinny Tan line, with the 37-year-old taking the plunge in a low-cut white swimsuit.

In a behind-the-scenes video obtained by Daily Mail Australia, the 37-year-old looks sexy and confident.

Daring! In a behind-the-scenes video obtained by Daily Mail Australia, Roxy Jacenko cut a sexy and confident look in a plunging white swimsuit

Roxy is shown being attended to by makeup artists during the glamorous beach photo shoot in the footage.

While the focus of the campaign is her glowing tan, Roxy's ample cleavage stole the spotlight in several lingering shots.

It comes after Roxy spoke to Daily Mail Australia about how her weight plummeted to 49kg when she was in 'a really bad place' last year.

Ready for her closeup! While the focus of the campaign is her glowing tan, Roxy's ample cleavage stole the spotlight in several lingering shots

'I dropped to 49kg at one point in 2016 -2017, it was a bad time for me,' Roxy said.

'I recall going to mum's place on a Tuesday for family dinner and her forcing food on me  there is no doubt I had a problem.'

Roxy, who has more than 210,000 Instagram followers, regularly posted pictures of herself on social media during this difficult time and fans often complimented the publicist on her ripped post-workout selfies.

Candid confessional: It comes after Roxy spoke to Daily Mail Australia about how her weight plummeted to 49kg when she was in 'a really bad place' last year

'It's funny how when people say you are looking "great" even though you are well on your way to being skin and bone that you buy into it and keep trying to get slimmer!' she said.

'I was in a really bad place and while I had a four-pack which, I thought, was fantastic, realistically I was starving myself,' Roxy confessed.

Roxy previously admitted to training five, or more, days a week and 'eating clean', but she now adopts a more balanced lifestyle.

'I dropped to 49kg at one point in 2016 -2017, it was a bad time for me,' Roxy said this week
He's been inseparable from fiancee Jasmine Yarbrough, with the pair attending several parties a week since announcing their engagement earlier this month.

But it seems Karl Stefanovic may have let his other responsibilities pile up amid all the excitement, judging by the overflowing bins pictured outside his house.

The Today host, 43, was forced to send his cleaners to bring the full-to-bursting bins back into his house after the council refused to collect them.

Oh dear: It seems Karl Stefanovic may have let his other responsibilities pile up amid all the excitement, judging by the overflowing bins pictured outside his house

Karl's assistants were seen doing the TV personality's dirty work: rolling the garbage back into his house, taking care not to drop any of the rubbish.

They were then pictured sorting through the bins, and were seen passing rubbish between each other.

The bin was slapped with a 'rejected' note that gave a number of reasons for why it wasn't collected.

It read that the bin could have been overweight or over-full, containing unacceptable material or broken.

Trash talk: The Today host, 43, was forced to send his cleaners to bring the full-to-bursting bins back into his house after the council refused to collect them

Great job: Karl's assistants were seen rolling the garbage back into his house, taking care not to drop any of the rubbish

Karl himself was nowhere to be seen, no doubt staying close to his new fiancee Jasmine.

Jasmine confirmed her engagement to Karl by wearing a giant diamond sparkler on her ring finger during a celebratory lunch earlier this month.

Confirming the persistent rumours, the happy couple were spotted dining with family and friends at Otto in the Sydney suburb of Woolloomooloo.

The blonde beauty, 34, who has been dating 43-year-old Karl for just over a year, was seen flashing the rock as she raised her glass for a toast during the gathering.

There you go: They were then pictured sorting through the bins, and were seen passing rubbish between each other

Rejected: The bin was slapped with a 'rejected' note that gave a number of reasons for why it wasn't collected

Refused: It read that the bin could have been overweight or too full, containing unacceptable material or broken

Oops: A notice shared a number of reasons for why Karl's bins were not emptied

The lunch comes just days after Jasmine's 34th birthday, which was celebrated with a rowdy party last week.

Meanwhile Karl's ex-wife Cassandra Thorburn recently spoke out about Karl's engagement to Jasmine. 'His engagement doesn't register with me on any level,' she told Fairfax Media.

Seemingly taking a subtle dig at Karl, Cassandra continued: 'I am just focused on helping those affected by the ever-changing landscape of my ex-husband's life, to navigate it.'

Karl split from Cassandra, 46, in September 2016, before meeting Jasmine at a boat party that December. They share three children together, daughter Ava, and sons Jackson and River.

New relationship: Karl is now engaged to shoe designer Jasmine Yarbrough, with the pair confirming their engagement earlier this month
She's a Hollywood legend and style icon.

And Julianne Moore proved on trend as she arrived in style to the the Bottega Veneta runway show in the Big Apple on Friday.

The 57-year-old Oscar winner brought her gorgeous 15-year-old daughter Liv Freundlich to the opening of New York Fashion Week.

Mom/daughter bond: Julianne Moore, 57, arrived in style to the the Bottega Veneta runway show in the Big Apple on Friday and brought her 15-year-old daughter Liv Freundlich

Daring to impress, the Still Alice actress dressed sophisticated-chic in an all-black ensemble for the celeb-stacked event.

Her delicate decolletage was barely visible as her chic ruffled shirt was loosely tied at the collar.

A wide black belt was cinched at her lithe waist as her billowing wide-legged trousers flared at the bottom.

Her trademark ginger locks were swept back in a tight bun allowing her youthful face to shine.

Stunner: Daring to impress, the Still Alice actress dressed sophisticated-chic in an all-black ensemble for the celeb-stacked event

Nice: A wide black belt was cinched at her lithe waist as her billowing wide-legged trousers flared at the bottom

She accessorized with a few turquoise rings, a pair of drop gem earrings, and a orange crocodile skin clutch.

Liv looked adorable in a black and white butterfly dress as she kept her tresses long and loose.

Julianne was accompanied to the runway show by her husband Bart Freundlich.

Adorable: Her delicate decolletage was barely visible as the chic ruffled shirt was loosely tied at the collar

Adorable: Her delicate decolletage was barely visible as the chic ruffled shirt was loosely tied at the collar

Hair story: Her trademark ginger locks were swept back in a tight bun allowing her youthful face to shine

Famous friends: She posed with Salma Hayak

Julianne has been married to Bart Freundlich since 2003 with two children - Liv and son Caleb, 20.

Meanwhile, Swedish actress Alicia Vikander has told Vogue that Julianne came to her defense on the set of their 2014 movie Seventh Son.

Alicia, 29, revealed how a man in a position of power on the production made a joke at her expense during filming.

'I was really embarrassed, and I would have just laughed it off,' the new Tomb Raider star told the magazine. 'But Julianne turned to him and said, If you ever do that again, I'm walking out of here and I'm not coming back.''

'She was just, like, Don't you f--king say that again.' It showed me that she had the power. And that meant so much to me,' she added.
She is the model of the moment who has turned her talents to acting of late, having been cast in the serial killer drama Charlie Says.

And Suki Waterhouse looked effortlessly stylish as she attended International Scotch Day celebrations at the Antiguo Reforma Hotel in Mexico on Friday.

The British beauty, 26, covered up tremendous pins in a pair of tailored black trousers after revealing she is growing out her leg and chin hair for her role as Mary Brunner.

Suki Waterhouse looked effortlessly stylish as she attended International Scotch Day celebrations at the Antiguo Reforma Hotel in Mexico on Friday

'I'm growing all my leg hair out.' she told Vogue.

'I really don't mind it, I've done it lazily before. This is an opportunity to grow my chin hair out.'

Suki will star alongside Matt Smith will play psychopathic serial killer Charles Manson in the new film focusing on the female Manson family members.

Transformation: Suki will star alongside Matt Smith who is set to play psychopathic serial killer Charles Manson in the new film focusing on the female Manson family members

Leggy: The British beauty, 26, covered up tremendous pins in a pair of tailored black trousers after revealing she is growing out her leg and chin hair for her role as Mary Brunner

However despite beginning her body transformation, the Burberry model looked worlds away from the character at the scotch event, as she posed up a storm in an all-black ensemble.

She paired the scalloped-hem trousers with black velvet heels and a tailored blazer.

Styling her long blonde tresses into tousled waves, Suki accentuated her striking looks with blush swept cheeks, black eyeliner and a slick of pink lipstick.

Sizzling display: But the Burberry model looked worlds away from the character at the scotch event, as she posed up a storm in an all-black ensemble

Chic: Styling her long blonde tresses into tousled waves, Suki accentuated her striking looks with blush swept cheeks, black eyeliner and a slick of pink lipstick

She will play the first of Manson's cult followers and the mother of his third son, Valentine Michael, in the new feature from American Psycho director Mary Harron, reports The Hollywood Reporter.

Manson was behind bars for more than four decades, since 1969, after he ordered members of his cult - which he dubbed 'the family' - to go on a murderous two-day rampage.

The film from American Psycho director Mary Harron and writing partner Guinevere Turner is based on material from Ed Sanders' 1971 book The Family, along with the 2001 book The Long Prison Journey of Leslie Van Houten, written by Faith.

Fancy a tipple? The model, who has been named as a Global Ambassador of International Scotch Day, previously slipped into a white satin dress to promote the drink

Glam: The entrepreneur appeared in high spirits as she posed alongside Shanina Shaik and actor James Marsden at the Diageo Cambus Cooperage in Scotland

Time for a drink? The trio were dressed to the nines for the glamorous shoot as they playfully posed with alcoholic beverages

Faith was a firm supporter of Van Houten until her death last year.

Director Mary Harrin said the Charlie Says team had found the ultimate cast to tell the horrifying tale, saying 'Guinevere Turner's script brings a fresh and unique perspective to the infamous story of the Manson murders and we have now found the perfect cast to bring it to life.

Manson died of natural causes at the age of 83 on November 19, 2017, after serving nearly 50 years in prison.
Her legion of fans are waiting with bated breath for her to tie the knot with her pun-loving boyfriend, Lee Elliott.

And on Saturday, a number of fans might have further gotten their hopes up after former Bachelorette Georgia Love, 28, took to Instagram to show herself dressed in white at a hen's party.

Reveling with a number of gal pals, the Ten news reporter beamed as she sang in a stretch Hummer limousine while sipping on champagne.

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Will she be next? The Bachelorette's Georgia Love (pictured) celebrated her sister Katie's hens party over the weekend as speculation mounts that boyfriend Lee Elliott will pop the question

But it was her sister Katie Love's hens night, rather than her own with hunky boyfriend Lee Elliott yet to pop the question.

Taking to her Instagram Story, Georgia uploaded a string of happy snaps and clips showing her sister and pals enjoying their high-spirited night out - complete with a number of risque jokes.

Showing off her playful side, Georgia used a dog filter in a snap that showed her with a maid of honour sash as she posed next to her cat, Pawdrey Hepburn.

Meanwhile, in one short clip, Katie was dressed in white complete with a pink Bride-to-Be sash and veil with Georgia captioning the video, 'The hen is here!!!'

Bride-to-be! Georgia Love and a number of gal pals were in high spirits as they celebrated her older sister Katie's hen's night (pictured)

A second happy snap sees a seated Katie looking very chuffed, with the caption underneath, 'The jelly shots begin!!'

In another clip, Katie posed next to a pink limousine while another sees her singing the Daryl Hall and Oates song, 'You Make My Dreams.'

The sisters seemingly share a close bond as this isn't the first time reality star Georgia has shared updates about her older sibling.

'Best place to propose ... Just sayin.' On a recent trip to Dubai, the reality stars sent fans into overdrive after hinting they had gotten engaged

In December, Georgia uploaded a photograph containing three wine glasses.

'Cheers to my sister @klove.85 getting engaged!' she wrote in the caption, adding love heart and engagement ring emojis.

Brunette beauty Georgia, meanwhile, has only just got back from a trip to the Middle East tourist mecca of Dubai with her hunky boyfriend, Lee Elliott.

Raising eyebrows, the pair shared a number of snaps that appeared to hint that an engagement was on the cards, further fueling speculation they could be next to walk down the aisle.

Proposal on the cards? A snap of the pair on a "date night" appeared to look very similar to an engagement photo, which the metropolis of Dubai lighting up the background

Last month, the couple shared a snap of themselves in the desert at sunset after a camel ride, prompting one fan to comment: 'best place to propose ... Just sayin.'

After meeting on the Bachelorette, Georgia and Lee's relationship has gone from strength to strength.

Speaking to NW magazine, the hunky tradie said last year: 'I've already started saving for the ring,'

He added: 'The worst thing is we have so many weddings this year, and all the brides have ridiculous rocks as well, so I'm like "Oh my gosh!"'
They said their vows onscreen for Married At First Sight and recently returned from their honeymoon to celebrate their nuptials.

And couples Sarah and Telv hinted they were still going strong as they headed out on a triple date with fellow newlyweds Charlene and Patrick and Matty and Alycia on Saturday.

The sweet couple were all smiles as they met up with their co-stars for a MAFS reunion during a sun-soaked day at The Waterfront Festival in Frankston.

Triple date! Sarah and Telv proved they were still going strong as they headed out on a triple date with fellow newlyweds Charlene and Patrick and Matty and Alycia on Saturday

Sarah shared a beaming Instagram snap with her 'husband' Telv as well as Charlene in the car on their way to pick up Patrick.

They were later joined by fellow Married At First Sight stars Matty and Alycia for the day of fun.

Sarah and Telv seemed inseparable after been seen on-screen returning from a romantic honeymoon in North Queensland earlier in the week.

Reunion: Sarah shared a beaming Instagram snap with her 'husband' Telv as well as Charlene in the car on their way to pick up Patrick

The couple celebrated with a few beers and pub grub at the Central Hotel in Port Douglas, Queensland.

Showing their adventurous side, they then headed for an exotic crocodile spotting cruise on the vista-laden Daintree River.

Taking to Instagram to document the tour, that showed the couple posing near a prop crocodile's mouth, Sarah wrote: 'Its not a great honeymoon unless you take the obligatory cheesy tourist pics.'

Homegrown: Sarah and Telv headed up to far North Queensland for their honeymoon celebrating with a few beers and some pub grab at the Central Hotel in Port Douglas

Snap happy: Showing their adventurous side, the couple also headed for an exotic crocodile spotting cruise on the vista-laden Daintree River

Alycia and Matt, meanwhile, chose to celebrate their union at the picturesque Kingfisher Bay Resort in Fraser Island.

Another locale billed as an eco-vacation, the resort boasts an array of rooms with prices ranging from $159 to $389 per night.

Located at the start of the iconic Great Barrier Reef, the resort offers honeymooners the chance to take in whale watching cruises and 4WD adventure tours.

Romantic: Alycia and Matt stayed a little closer to home, choosing to celebrate their union at the picturesque Kingfisher Bay Resort in Fraser Island
She's no stranger to flaunting her assets in daring outfits.

As Kayleigh Morris stepped out in Mayfair, London last night she continued to court the limelight in a figure-hugging metallic dress.

During her time in the Big Brother house last year she made headlines for 'violent threats' against Chanelle McCleary but relaxed Kayleigh looked like that was behind her now.

Nude number: Kayleigh flaunted her enviable figure in a metallic mini-dress but wrapped up by covering it with a camel waterfall jacket as she stepped out for a night on the town

Donning a neutral ensemble the former Ex On The Beach star showed off her glowing tan following a recent trip to Cyrpus.

Kayleigh wore a full face of make-up and nude lip which complemented her lightly-toned outfit.

The brunette beauty slung her tresses to one side and she posed for paparazzi during her night out dinning at Mayfair's Novikov.

Oozing confidence: The feisty brunette left little to the imagination as she styled a cheeky mini dress and barely there strappy beige heels, which elongated her slender pins

Kayleigh wrapped up in a camel waterfall-style coat before removing it to show the full impact of her frill-trimmed mini dress, which elongated her slender pins.

The Port Talbot Native who soared to fame in the second season of Ex On The Beach before returning to the all star series in 2016 showed off the effects of her recent nose job.

Kayleigh underwent plastic surgery, after famously getting into a venom-laden row with Jemma Lucy during series five of EOTB when the tattoo model 'made the dig' about the beauty's 'wonky' nose.

Raven-haired beauty: Kayleigh slung her curled tresses to one side and she posed for paparazzi during her night out where she dined at Mayfair's Novikov

Sultry: Donning a neutral ensemble the former Ex On The Beach star showed off her glowing tan following a recent trip to Cyrpus

The pair were at loggerheads during their stint on the show, with Kayleigh's ex Ashley Cain at the root of the tensions.

Their vicious cat fights escalated to Jemma reportedly grabbing Kayleigh's throat which led to her being axed from the reality program.

And when Kayleigh appeared in Big Brother this year, she was removed after getting into furious rows with Chanelle McCleary and Ellie Young.

Big Brother bosses cited that she had made 'threats of actual violence' and deemed it unacceptable behaviour.
While she didn't find love with The Bachelor's Matty J, Tara Pavlovic is rumoured to have sent a number of men's hearts ablaze from the franchise.

Set to appear in upcoming series Bachelor In Paradise, the 28-year-old has been linked to fellow reality TV stars Davey Lloyd and Sam Cochrane.

And on Saturday, Tara left no doubt as to why the men are potentially attracted to her, with a sizzling snap uploaded to her Instagram Story.

Making a splash! Bachelor in Paradise star Tara Pavlovic (pictured) shared a sizzling bikini snap on Saturday

The selfie, taken with the star partially submerged in a pool, showed Tara daring to bare in a skimpy white bikini.

With sunglasses perched on the edge of her nose, the unlucky-in-love singleton put on a sultry expression as she looked in the direction of the camera.

She accessorised the look with a number of necklaces, while a ring could be seen adorning one of her fingers.

Got his eye on Tara? Woman's Day reported earlier this month that the nanny was spotted getting cosy with Sam Cochrane (pictured) at her bogan-themed birthday party

Bonding: The magazine reported the pair 'looked suspiciously close while celebrating at Tara's "bogan" themed birthday party'

It comes after reports that Tara was spotted getting cosy with Sam Cochrane - from Sophie Monk's season of The Bachelorette - as she celebrated turning 28 earlier this month.

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.

An item? Previously, Tara (left) had been romantically linked to Davey Lloyd (right) after they both took part in Bachelor in Paradise

Previously, Tara had been romantically linked to Davey Lloyd, who had once vied for Sam Frost's heart.

Rumours continue to swirl that the duo found love while taking part in upcoming reality series Bachelor In Paradise.

Adding fuel to the fire of speculation is the flirty display Davey and Tara have shared on social media, with one recent exchange seeing them pulling faces at one another while calling themselves 'a couple of tens'.
Neighbours has been the springboard for many Australian actors hoping to make it big in Hollywood.

One of the biggest success stories to emerge from the iconic soap is Margot Robbie - a fact that appeared not to be lost on current Neighbours star Travis Burns.

Taking to his Instagram page earlier this week, the actor admitted he was 'fan girling' over the blonde bombshell, after meeting her in Los Angeles.

Hoping to follow in her footsteps? Neighbours star Travis Burns (left) 'fan girls' over soap star turned Oscar nominee Margot Robbie (right) after meeting her in LA

Travis, who plays Tyler in the show, shared a snap of the smiling pair standing together at Soho House West Hollywood.

'Fan girling hard!! Much respect and admiration for the crazy talented @margotrobbie' a clearly excited Travis captioned the shot.

One of his co-stars, Lilly Van Der Meer, expressed her disbelief about the chance meeting, commenting: 'UM OKAY CYA BYE'

'Much respect and admiration for the crazy talented Margot Robbie' a clearly excited Travis fawned over the actress, who once starred in the same Australian soap

Back where it all began! Margot got her start playing Donna Freedman on Neighbours before taking on Hollywood

Since Margot's stint on Neighbours as Donna Freedman, which came to end in 2011, the actress has gone from strength to strength.

She has had a string of successful US film roles, including the lead in I, Tonya - for which received an Oscar nomination.

However, Margot has previously admitted to suffering some early struggles after winning the part on Neighbours as a teenager.

From Ramsay St to Hollywood: The actress recently received a Oscar nomination for her performance in I, Tonya

Speaking to The Project last month, Margot admitted her co-stars helped her adapt to living away from home and the new challenges she faced.

'I was 17 when I started on the job and I had just moved from the Gold Coast and didn't know anyone in Melbourne [where Neighbours is filmed],' she explained.

'Obviously I had never lived on my own before and everyone just pretty much took me under their wing.

'I was pretty much living on Froot Loops for breakfast, lunch and dinner,'
She's the Melbourne-born model striking it lucky in the Big Apple.

But Bambi Northwood-Blyth, 27, showed the more risque side to high fashion on Saturday, when she took to Instagram to share a topless photograph of herself.

Modelling pieces by designer Frame, the brunette beauty opted to go topless under her jacket, flaunting her slender waist and a hint of cleavage in the outfit.

Dare to bare! Model Bambi Northwood-Blyth, 27, showed the risque side of high-fashion on Saturday, which she took to Instagram to share a topless snap, flaunting a hint of her chest along with her slender waist

In the snap, Bambi looks ever the high-end fashion model, offering the camera a sultry look while posing in the daring outfit.

The model's collar is popped while her short brunette hair is styled in a way reminiscent of the grunge-era of the 1990s.

The pouty snap, however, comes after model Bambi took to Instagram to speak out about something closer to her heart - type one diabetes.

Fashion forward! In a second snap, the slender model shared a snap of herself in a denim jumpsuit which left a little bit more to the imagination

Having lived with the condition for 16 years, the model shared a close-up image of her mother while the two were seemingly at the beach.

'I love my mum. From moment one, she was the one to race me to the emergency [and] accept the diagnosis (as I definitely didnt process it in that moment),' she said.

'[She] slept with me every night in the hospital, chased me around to inject me, then taught me to inject myself,' she continued.

Emotional: It comes after Bambi Northwood-Blyth shared an emotional tribute to her mother Jill on Saturday, where she credited with being by her side 'from moment one' of her journey with the type one diabetes

'Mum has continued to inspire me to live beyond and not let it get in the way of my dreams,' she added.

The striking brunette reflected how diabetes had been a 'constant' in her life for the past 16 years, thanking God for her mother and family's support.

Type 1 Diabetes is an auto-immune condition in which the immune system is activated to destroy the cells in the pancreas which produce insulin.

'Mum has continued to inspire me to live beyond and not let it get in the way of my dreams,' she added in the touching post

In addition to her personal social media post, Bambi's testimonial to her mother was also shared on the 'Beyond Type 1' support group Instagram profile.

Bambi's split from Dan Single, founder of denim brand Ksubi, after four years of marriage was finally confirmed last month.

In January, Jane Magnus - the wife of the celebrant who married Dan and Bambi - exclusively told Daily Mail Australia the couple had separated.

Dan has undergone a long recovery after seriously injuring himself in a balcony fall at a Paris hotel in March 2017.

Survivor: The striking brunette has been open in the past about her struggles with type one diabetes, even showing uploading video of herself injecting insulin
She is dubbed Britain's most beautiful royal.

And Lady Amelia Windsor looked the picture of elegance at the Bottega Veneta NYFW show on Friday.

The 22-year-old model turned heads in a chic checkered two-piece while fellow royal Lady Kitty Spencer, 27, wowed in a orange leather dress.

Chic: Lady Amelia Windsor (L) looked the picture of elegance at the Bottega Veneta NYFW show on Friday alongside fellow royal Lady Kitty Spencer

Amelia highlighted her svelte frame in the cropped monochrome checked jacket and matching knee-length shirt.

She teamed the look with a silky pink shirt, black suede boots and a woven clutch bag.

The youngest daughter of George Windsor tied her long blonde tresses in a sleek ponytail and accentuated her glowing complexion with blush-swept cheeks, a raspberry pink lip and a touch of mascara.

Stylish: The 22-year-old model turned heads in a chic checkered two-piece while her pal Lady Kitty Spencer, 27, wowed in a orange leather dress

Meanwhile Kitty cut a ladylike figure in a pastel orange dress, which fell just below the knee, teasing a glimpse of lithe limbs.

She cinched in her waist with a mustard belt and added a boost to her trim frame with brown suede heels.

The late Princess Diana's niece wore her golden tresses in tight corkscrew curls which cascaded down her shoulders and showcased her natural beauty with a soft smoky eye and a glossy pink lip.

Lovely lady: Kitty cut a ladylike figure in her pastel patterned raincoat, which was hiked in at the waist with a belt to show off her sensational figure

Fit for a princess! The beauty wore her golden tresses in tight corkscrew curls which cascaded down her shoulders in a neat fashion

Top models: Irina Shayk wowed in a bright yellow velvet dress while Gigi Hadid looked a vision in black

Vixen: Gigi strutted down the runway in a vampy velvet dress which highlighted her svelte figure

Named Britain's 'most beautiful royal' by society magazine Tatler, Amelia's first dabble in the world of modelling came in 2010, when she and her siblings posed for Hardy Amies. She's now signed to Storm - the same agency that represents Kate Moss.

Since then she has been hand-picked as a muse by Dolce & Gabbana, and featured in a campaign for the Italian power house alongside another royal; Princess Olympia of Greece.

Industry experts have tipped her as having the potential to earn herself 1 million through brand collaborations over 2018.

Sophisticated lady: She teamed the look with a silky pink shirt, black suede boots and a woven clutch bag
She's no stranger to stripping off to show off her well-sculpted body in next to nothing.

And on Friday, The Bachelor beauty Simone Ormesher was up to her old tricks as she shared a racy snap with her legions of Instagram fans.

The former topless waitress left little to the imagination as she posed in a pastel green bra that highlighted her ample cleavage.

'Have a good one sexy people': The Bachelor beauty Simone Ormesher (pictured) celebrates the weekend by turning heads in pastel green lingerie

Simone's sizable assets threatened to spill out from the ill-fitting lingerie, but the star didn't seem to mind and brandished a wide grin in the photo.

'Wooohooo!' she exclaimed in the caption, adding: ' Have a good one sexy people!'

Simone has previously flaunted every inch of her showstopping physique in her lacy pink underwear, in a shot that showed her posing seductively on her bed.

Avert your eyes! The Bachelor reject Simone Ormersher, 25, flaunted her incredible physique in semi-sheer pink lingerie for a steamy Instagram snap on Thursday

Holding a pink cushion in one hand, Simone ensured her enviably toned figure was on full display for the steamy shot.

The blonde bombshell quipped in the cheeky caption: 'Yes boys pillow fights really do happen.'

Her latest snap comes after she enjoyed a sun-soaked trip to Melbourne during the summer heatwave, sharing several bikini snaps of herself at Elwood Beach.

The British beauty joked that while she appeared to be relaxed while posing for the snap, she was actually being spiked in her posterior by some unwelcome shells.

'Looking like life is all good when in reality I have shells spiking me in the a*se,' she revealed in the caption'.

The reality star showed off her bronze tan and washboard abs as she sat awkwardly for the shot.

'Looking amazing my love,' commented an encouraging Felicity Egginton, who appeared on Survivor Australia, in the comments section.

Still smiling: She's the Bachelor contestant keeping her public profile active on Instagram

Not long after her Bachelor stint in 2017, photos surfaced of the British-born beauty working as a topless waitress.

Her past was soon revealed on the show by fellow contestant and former topless waitress Leah Costa without Simone's permission.

The incident led to a bitter feud between the pair, which resulted in Leah being kicked off the show by Matty J.

Sizzling: It comes after she took to social media to flaunt her lithe figure during the Melbourne summer heatwave

Simone recently sparked speculation that she may be off the market after being spotted posing with Australian Survivor's Henry Nicholson.

The Bachelor babe was seen getting cosy with Henry as they rang in the New Year at a trendy venue in Melbourne's St Kilda.

Taking to Instagram, Simone shared a snap of her and the Survivor castaway, who was outed as a fake yoga teacher on the latest season of the reality show.
There's been rumours that bad blood has been brewing between Studio 10 co-stars Denise Drysdale and Ita Buttrose after an infamous 'brussels sprout' incident.

And now, Denise, 69, has finally broken silence about the whispers of a 'feud' between the pair.

Speaking to The Herald-Sun on Sunday, the TV personality said that while she and Ita are now on good terms, the in-fighting speculation arose from a real incident that involved Denise throwing vegetables at the former magazine maven.

'I did the wrong thing, so it is totally my fault': Studio 10's Denise Drysdale (right) broke her silence on the rumoured feud with co-star Ita Buttrose (left), admitting to The Herald-Sun she threw brussels sprout at her

'I threw the brussels sprout at her (Ita)  I have to admit that  at the Christmas party and I did the wrong thing, so it is totally my fault,' Denise told the publication.

'I was in a jovial mood. The (official Studio 10) Christmas party was that night and I could not go, so I had a couple of glasses of champagne towards the end of the day and I threw the brussels sprout and I shouldnt have.'

Explaining that she respects her co-host, Denise added: 'I rang Ita for Christmas; we talk, we all get along. I did the wrong thing, it was totally my fault, I am sorry it happened.'

'As Donald Trump would say, it's fake news': Studio 10's Ita Buttrose DENIES feud with Denise Drysdale

For her part, Ita previously vehemently denied she has an ongoing feud with her cast mate Denise.

Speaking to The Kyle & Jackie O Show, Ita insisted: 'There's no feud, it's rubbish. Well, as Donald Trump would say it's fake news!'

But when pressed on the infamous 'Brussels sprout incident' she refused to elaborate further.

Kyle and Jackie decided to call the Studio 10 panellist on-air Wednesday, after an insider claimed tension between Ita and Denise is so bad the pair are 'no longer talking'.

'We all get on well. I mean we've been getting on well ever since we all started,' Ita told the hosts.

'I don't know where all this nonsense is coming from, it's just someone beefing up something that happened last year.'

We all get on well. I mean we've been getting on well ever since we all started': Ita denied there was any feud

'I don't know where all this nonsense is coming from, it's just someone beefing up something that happened last year': Ita refused to elaborate on the incident to Kyle and Jackie O

But Ita refused to elaborate on the incident, instead telling the shock jocks it was 'shenanigans on the set' but she didn't 'want to talk about it any longer'.

It has been speculated the 'feud' began after Denise 'hurled' a brussel sprout at Ita while filming a Christmas segment in November last year.

Ita's denial comes after a Studio 10 insider claimed on Tuesday tension between Ita and Denise is so bad the pair 'are no longer talking off camera'.

The bombshell allegations, which have been denied by Network 10, claim Denise and Ita have struggled to work since tensions boiled over last November.

During Tuesday's episode of Studio 10 Denise demanded Ita be seated away from her, news.com.au claimed.

Is this the feud that will END studio 10? Insider claims tension between Ita Buttrose and Denise Drysdale is so bad the pair 'are no longer talking off camera'

During the broadcast Ita sat in the seat usually occupied by Natarsha Belling second from left, rather than her usual spot next to Denise.

The two women only sat next to each other during one Studio 10 segment that day, with a source claiming it was due to Denise making 'it clear to producers she wasnt happy with the usual seating arrangement'.

Denise reportedly believes Ita gets 'preferential treatment' over her, with the insider also alleging the tensions stem from the use of a dressing room and a Brussels sprouts incident last year.

Shock claims: Denise reportedly believes Ita gets 'preferential treatment' over her

Allegations: When Ita is appearing on the daytime panel the former Cleo editor gets the private quarters while Denise shares a changeroom

With the women normally appearing on Studio 10 on different days, Denise usually uses Ita's dressing room.

However when Ita is appearing on the daytime panel the former Cleo editor gets the private quarters, with Denise forced to share a dressing room with Jessica Rowe.

Tensions flared last November when Denise 'hurled' a brussel sprout at Ita while filming a Christmas segment, The Daily Telegraph claimed at the time.

The last straw? Tensions flared last November when Denise 'hurled' a brussel sprout at Ita while filming a Christmas segment

In a statement to Daily Mail Australia, Network Ten strongly denied claims there was tension between Ita and Denise, labelling the allegations 'offensive'.

'Ita and Denise are consummate professionals and these unsubstantiated allegations are offensive,' a spokesperson said.

'Ita and Denise have the highest respect for one another and thoroughly enjoy working as part of the Studio 10 family together. To suggest otherwise is nonsense and deliberately mischievous.'

Ita currently appears on Studio 10 three days a week after joining the panel show in 2013.

Meanwhile Denise is contracted to appear one week a month, joining Studio 10 in 2015.
Cindy Crawford's daughter Kaia Gerber is learning all the tricks for getting noticed at a party.

On Friday evening the 16-year-old up-and-coming supermodel stuck out her tongue Miley Cyrus style as she attended the Love magazine party in New York City.

Also there was her pal, Vogue sensation Gigi Hadid, who also stuck her tongue out.

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Naughty: Cindy Crawford's daughter Kaia Gerber stuck out her tongue Miley Cyrus style as she attended the Love magazine party in New York City on Friday

In the In Crowd: She posed with two other models, looking like she was fitting right in with the New York scene

Mommy! Her mother is stunner Crawford who was seen here at a shoot last week

Gerber also flashed a peace sign and pouted as she modeled an army green bomber jacket that looked two sizes too big.

She posed with two other models, looking like she was fitting right in with the New York scene.

Gigi wore a black dress with lace accents as she had her blonde locks down and in soft waves.

She did it too: Gigi wore a black dress with lace accents as she had her blonde locks down and in soft waves

Wacky woman: Cyrus started this trend in 2013 when launching a new album

This comes after Gerber put on a glamorous display when she headed onto the catwalk at the Bottega Veneta New York Fashion Week show.

The model stole the show.

She looked like an expert as she strutted the catwalk in the high-end brand's Autumn/Winter 2018 collection.

Sophisticated stunner: Gerber put on a glamorous display when she headed onto the catwalk at the Bottega Veneta New York Fashion Week show on Friday

Kaia donned a long-sleeve blue dress that featured green and yellow patterns.

The star stepped out in pointed-toe black leather boots that cut-off at the ankle.

Kaia wore her hair parted down the middle in loose waves while sporting natural makeup.

The teenage beauty's outfit was finished off with a brown leather bag that had matching flower key chains.

Commanding attention: The 16-year-old model strutted the catwalk in the high-end brand's Autumn/Winter 2018 collection

Model Behavior: Kaia donned a long-sleeve blue dress that featured green and yellow patterns

As Kaia took to the runway, she was also joined by Gigi Hadid and Irina Shayk.

The budding supermodel was later spotted on city streets wearing a floral print jacket and matching pants.

The youngest Crawford-Gerber sibling sported a pair of black-red-and-white Nike high tops as she sauntered through the streets.

The stars were out as well at the fashionable event, as they all got a glimpse of Bottega Veneta's new collection.

Sitting front row at the fashion show was; Salma Hayek Pinault, Julianne Moore, Liv Freundlich, Dylan Penn, Ana de Armas and Priyanka Chopra.

Stellar: The budding supermodel was later spotted on city streets wearing a floral print jacket and matching pants
Josephine Skriver sure is proud of the bikini she designed for the Solid & Striped Swim Team.

On Friday the leggy model took to Instagram to share a video where she was writhing around on the beach in the number.

'So excited to show everyone The Josephine bikini inspired by Honey Rider (one of my favorite James Bond characters!),' the cover girl wrote in her caption.

A 10: Josephine Skriver sure is proud of the bikini she designed for the Solid & Striped Swim Team

New: On Friday the leggy model took to Instagram to share a video where she was writhing around on the beach in the number

'It is finally for sale on @solidandstriped. i wanted a bikini that not only made me feel sexy.. but powerful!!'

Honey Rider is a fictional character in Ian Fleming's James Bond novel Dr No which was turned into a movie in 1962.

She was played by Swiss knockout Urusla Andress.

Wow: 'So excited to show everyone The Josephine bikini inspired by Honey Rider (one of my favorite James Bond characters!),' the cover girl wrote in her caption

007-ish: 'It is finally for sale on @solidandstriped. i wanted a bikini that not only made me feel sexy.. but powerful!!' she added

She's tops: The star was seen in several closeups like this one where the bikini top is seen clearly

Later Halle Berry copied the swimsuit for her appearance opposite Pierce Brosnan in 2002's Die Another Day.

On Tuesday images from the new campaign were shared with Skriver looking better than ever in the sporty swimwear.

The shoot took place in Harbor Island in the Bahamas.

The first: Honey Rider is a fictional character in Ian Fleming's James Bond novel Dr No

Hot: The book was turned into a movie in 1962. She was played by Swiss knockout Urusla Andress opposite Sean Connery

Now with belt and knife: Here she is seen on the beach with an accessory

The photographer was Bjorn Iooss and the models were styled by Carine Roitfeld of Vogue fame.

The team members also include stars Lily Aldridge, Hailey Clauson, Jourdan Dunn, Hannah Ferguson, Isabeli Fontana, Toni Garrn, Jessica Hart, Elsa Hosk, Eniko Mihalik, Carolyn Murphy, Barbara Palvin and Natasha Poly.

Haute stuff in the surf: Skriver looked incredible in this professional photo for the brand

More to love: The ladies, who have worked for Sports Illustrated and Victoria's Secret, got to work on the designs

All pulling off their best Vogue moves: The team members include stars Lily Aldridge, Hailey Clauson, Jourdan Dunn, Hannah Ferguson, Isabeli Fontana, Toni Garrn, Jessica Hart, Elsa Hosk, Eniko Mihalik, Carolyn Murphy, Barbara Palvin, Natasha Poly and Skriver

Babe in the Bahamas: The ocean looked like a vast watery desert in this snap which was high on arty appeal

Solid & Striped's swimsuits is already a hit with models.

And now 13 of the top names have been asked to design her own swimsuit, whether it be a bikini or one-piece.

They used a variety of three colors: red, blue and white.

Australian sensation Hart said she had an inspiration when drumming up her unique red and blue design.

We Hart that: Australian sensation Jessica Hart said she had an inspiration when drumming up her unique red and blue design

Good choices, mate: 'I wanted it to have a vintage vibe, be wearable and comfortable. I think a high wasted brief is flattering on most figures and If I could only design one swimsuit I wanted it to be something that would appeal to more than one body type,' said the head-turner

They look like a very pretty Olympic team: All of the suits looked sporty as if the ladies could work out in them

So much perfection: All the women looked to be in top shape with nice golden tans

'I wanted it to have a vintage vibe, be wearable and comfortable.

'I think a high wasted brief is flattering on most figures and If I could only design one swimsuit I wanted it to be something that would appeal to more than one body type.'

Aldridge added, 'Its great as a suit and looks super cool leaving beach with a pair of old Levis.'

Smart move: Clausson got up on her toes to extend her legs as she wore a black and blue suit

More black suits: Aldridge had on a black suit over a white tank top, left, while Palvin wore a black one piece with a clever criss-cross design in the mid-section

From Brazil with love: Fontana, a 5ft10in knockout, looked ready to marathon in this pose

Palvin said she wanted to 'create a sexy, comfortable and ageless piece, that fits every single body type!'

Hosk said she was trying to remind her fans of 'sporty '90s editorials of Claudia Schiffer, Elle Macpherson, Naomi Campbell.

'I was also inspired by simple white cotton underwear, like understated, simple, crisp and sexy.'

All tied up! This model wore a maroon and black string bikini that wrapped around her waist

Straight from Hungary: Eniko Mihalik wore this sizzling haute red one piece that flashed her backside

Solid & Striped founder Isaac Ross said he hopes to work on something group-oriented.

So he came up with the idea of a very gorgeous swim team, sort of like an all-female Baywatch squad.

'I wanted to work with women who had a perspective on bathing suits and had spent parts of their career modeling bathing suits and sort of reimagine the model/brand dynamic,' he told WWD.

Now in white: Two more models were side by side as they looked like Wonder Woman knockoffs

Don't mess with these ladies: The poses were strong and the expressions were serious as they oozed sex appeal

Pull this, pull that: Here a model yanked at the bottom of her suit, which had a cut out under the chest

Expert at this: Vet Dunn looked comfortable on the beach as she held on to her knees

Now in black and white: These catwalk queens made a bold expression in their monochrome shot

'Usually we pay someone to model our bathing suits but I thought it would be interesting to have some of these women to create the perfect bathing suit for them.'

One-pieces are $168. Bikinis are $176 - that's $88 for a top and $88 for a bottom.

The collection launches February 6. The calendar will be available at solidandstriped.com for $98.

On the run in the Bahamas: German star Garrn, who has been linked to Leonardo DiCaprio, had on a maroon one piece
She is married to King Philippe of Belgium since 1999 and has been on the throne since 2013.

And Queen Mathilde of Belgium, 45, looked at ease as she started her royal duties three-day state visit in Ghana on Friday.

The 45-year-old Head of State looked regal for her trip, as she caught the eye in a billowing tangerine dress.

Regal royal: Queen Mathilde of Belgium, 45, exudes sophistication in a flowing orange dress during a state-visit to Ghana on Friday

The royal - who was in the country to look at local education and healthcare projects designed to help and empower women - kept it conservative for the outing, with the floor-length ensemble embellished with a lacy pattern.

She walked through the streets in tan leather sandals, with her cropped brunette locks flowing just before her shoulders.

She carried her possessions in a tiny wooden clutch bag, while her accessories were muted, with only a silver bracelet and gold drop earrings for a touch of shimmer.

Queen Mathilde - who is also an honorary UNICEF Belgium President - looked around the region - left her make-up toned down, with only a touch of mascara and a nude pink lip.

Meeting the locals: The Head of State looked regal for her trip, as she caught the eye in a billowing tangerine dress

All smiles: The royal kept it conservative for the outing, with the floor-length ensemble embellished with a lacy pattern

Happy faces: She carried her possessions in a tiny wooden clutch bag, while her accessories were muted, with only a silver bracelet and gold drop earrings for a touch of shimmer

Say hello! She walked through the streets in tan leather sandals, with her cropped brunette locks flowing just before her shoulders

Later in the day, she delivered a speech accompanied by the Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Development Cooperation, Alexander De Croo, and the President of Ghana Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Queen Mathilde amplified her look for the sophisticated do, sweeping up her hair into a sleek up'do.

She rocked a similar orange-patterned shift dress, ruched in the shoulder to amplify her demur look.

Queen Mathilde exuded elegance with her cosmetic choices, with lashings of mascara and a berry lip.

Grateful: Queen Mathilde - who is also an honorary UNICEF Belgium President - looked around the region - left her make-up toned down, with only a touch of mascara and a nude pink lip

Chatting away: She delivered a speech accompanied by the Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, and the President of Ghana Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

Decadent: Queen Mathilde amplified her look for the sophisticated do, sweeping up her hair into a sleek up'do

Her sleek getup was finished off with a pair of shimmering pearl drop earrings as she only touch of accessories.

Queen Mathilde has been married to King Phillipe of Belgium for 19 years, who ascended the throne following the abdication of his father, King Albert II, on 21 July 2013.

They are parents to Princess Elisabeth, 16, Prince Gabriel, 14, Prince Emmanuel, 12, and Princess Eleonore, nine.

They kept a low profile over the festive season but are set to have another busy year packed with royal engagements.

Powerful: She rocked a similar orange-patterned shift dress, ruched in the shoulder to amplify her demur look

Strike a pose: Queen Mathilde beamed for the cameras as she checked out some projects in the country
He has recently voiced his support for his daughter's casting in ITV2's forthcoming reality show Survival of the Fittest.

But EastEnders star Danny Dyer, 40, has said he would 'do over' anyone that upset her, and would hate it if a guy tried to sleep with her.

Currently in the wilds of South Africa, 21-year-old Dani has admitted to MailOnline that she'll have to wait until after the show to find romance because she 'wouldn't have a daddy' if she had sex on TV.

Don't touch! Danny Dye, 40, threatens to 'do over' any guy that tries to sleep with daughter Dani, 21, on Survival of the Fittest...as she admits she wouldn't have a dad if she had sex on TV

Talking about the show, the brunette said that her father has told her to behave while she's on the show.

She said: 'I'll even have to resist kissing and wait until I get out. He's massively protective but I haven't had many boyfriends so he's had it quite lucky, until now.'

Dani also said that her dad has told her to toughen up, and that she can't 'melt around any boys.'

The aspiring actress added: 'He knows they're going to have their six packs out and I told him "just because you don't have one."'

Support: Dani admits that while he harbours concerns about her move into reality television, dad Danny has always been her biggest supporter

Danny's eldest daughter has also dismissed claims of turbulence in her parents' marriage, just two months after the soap star reportedly moved back in to the family home.

The actor prompted speculation about the state of his marriage to childhood sweetheart Joanne Mas, who he wed in 2016, after leaving the Essex property and relocating to a rented flat in Borhamwood last July amid claims the couple were spending an increasing amount of time apart.

But Dani insists there has never been a rift in her parents' relationship.

'My parents are really strong!' Dani has defended her 'protective' dad Danny's marriage to Joanne Mas and revealed he has successfully quit alcohol

Cold turkey: 'My dad doesn't really drink anymore,' she added. 'He doesn't drink'

'My dad kind of got a place nearer to work,' she told MailOnline. 'He needed a place near EastEnders as he works late nights. But they are really strong  I mean they got married.'

And the brunette admits her father, who was absent from the National Television Awards in January, has also successfully quit alcohol after taking a protracted break from EastEnders and flying to South Africa in an attempt to change his lifestyle after a series of apparent meltdowns.

'My dad doesn't really drink anymore,' she added.

Dani is hoping to kick-start her own career by competing on the new ITV2 show, a potentially gruelling battle of the sexes in which six girls will compete against six boys in a series of physical and mental challenges, all set in the sweeping African Savannah.

Defending Dad: The brunette admits her father has successfully quit alcohol after taking a protracted break from EastEnders and after a series of apparent meltdowns

But an added twist will see loyalties pushed to the limit, with contestants given the opportunity to romance members of their opposing team.

However Dani, who will trade her parents' comfortable home for a communal, purpose-built lodge with her co-stars during the show's three-week run, admits her dad has already given her some typically blunt advice.

'He's given me a warning to behave,' she said. 'I was like, 'I will!' I am going to be as well behaved as I can. But he keeps saying to me to not be a melt around a boy. But it's cool, he's fine with it now.'

Recently employed as a barmaid  a role that echoes her father's popular pub landlord character Mick Carter on EastEnders  Dani has previously made tentative forays into acting with small roles in low budget films We Still Kill The Old Way, Vendetta and Doghouse.

All is well: Dani currently in the wilds of South Africa ahead of an appearance on reality show Survival of the Fittest, insists there isn't a rift in her parents' relationship

And she admits that while he harbours concerns about her move into reality television, he has always been her biggest supporter.

'When I did my first film he cried the whole time he watched me because he'd never seen me act before, except in school plays,' she revealed. 'He said, 'Is this something you want to do?' And I said, 'Definitely, for the rest of my life.'

'He is really good. As I have got older he lets me do what I want to do and if I need him I can go and talk to him.'

But while her desire to take on Survival of the Fittest may well lead to broader recognition and greater scope for acting work, she concedes a part alongside her father is out of the question.

Following in her father's footsteps: Dani has previously made tentative forays into acting with small roles in low budget films We Still Kill The Old Way, Vendetta and Doghouse

'I don't know about EastEnders, they wouldn't let me in it,' she admitted. 'They won't let me and are like 'It ain't going to happen.' I think it's because my dad is already on it so if I went on it there would be a massive outrage.'

With her protective parents watching from home, the brunette admits she'll do her best to resist intimacy with her male contestants  but doesn't rule out the prospect of romance away from her current living quarters.

'I've got so many eyes watching,' she said. 'If I want a kiss I will have to do it when I get out. I mean, romantically if they like me they can wait for a kiss.

'People keep saying to me you're in there for a long time, and if I have a glass of wine or something I am flirty.'

Survival of the Fittest starts on ITV2, Sunday February 11.
They collaborated on the new single Dont Make Me Wait, and made an appearance on stage together at the Grammy Awards last month.

And Sting, 66, and Shaggy, 49, showed that their friendship has blossomed outside of the realm of music, as they attended the Anteprime di Toscana wine festival in Florence, Italy, on Saturday.

Joined by Sting's 64-year-old wife Trudie Styler, the pals were seen raising large glasses of red wine as they got into the spirit of things, just days after hitting the stage together at the Sanremo Music Festival.

A grape friendship is brewing: (L-R) Sting, his wife Trudie Styler and his friend Shaggy attended the Anteprime di Toscana wine festival in Florence, Italy, on Saturday

Each wearing black blazers over striped tops, the musicians flanked glamorous Trudie, who cut a stylish figure in a woollen multicoloured sweater dress.

With her golden locks styled in voluminous waves, she added a further touch of pizzazz to her look with a pair of gold chandelier earrings.

Sting has become close friends with Shaggy of late, and has spent the past few months working with the Jamaican musician on the Caribbean-tinged album 44/876.

Bottoms up: The trio were seen tasting their way through a number of delights at the event

She's got a lot of bottle: Stylish Trudie was also snapped checking out a bottle of red wine

Dressed to impress: Each wearing black blazers over striped tops, the musicians flanked glamorous Trudie, who cut a stylish figure in a woollen multicoloured sweater dress

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Sting - real name Gordon Sumner - said: 'The most important thing to me in any kind of music is surprise. And everybody is surprised by this collaboration  by what they're hearing. We're surprising.'

Their single Don't Make Me Wait is the result of studio sessions held late last year in which the two artists got together to jam and create music that reflects their mutual love of Shaggy's native island of Jamaica.

Last month, Shaggy was on hand to show his support as Sting cheered on his wife Trudie at the premiere of her directorial debut, Freak Show, at New York City's Landmark Sunshine Cinema.

Duet: The pair, who have collaborated on the new single Don't Make Me Wait, also performed

Musician: Sting, real name Gordon Sumner, plucked his guitar as he sang for the crowd

Freak Show follows the story of teenager Billy Bloom (Alex Lawther) who, despite attending an ultra conservative high school, makes the decision to run for homecoming queen.

The movie also features young stars of the screen Abigail Breslin, who plays Lynette, and AnnaSophia Robb, who portrays Blah Blah Blah.

Trudie admitted she was attracted to the film because she was bullied in her youth, though she believes today's teenagers have a far worse ride.

On stage: On Wednesday, the pair took the stage at the 68th annual Sanremo Music Festival

Rock the mic: Wearing a black shirt with faded jeans, Shaggy kept the large crowd entertained

Collaboration: The pair have been working on the upcoming reggae-infused album 44/876

She told Metro US: 'When we came home you would have someone with a listening ear. But now kids come home, log online, and thats where the punishment is. And you wouldnt have a clue.

'Because kids dont want to complain about it. Or feel foolish. They want to stand on their own two feet.

'But when you have this troll culture, and all this aggression coming at you. Its just devastating. There is an increased in suicide rates because of cyber bullying. It is a very big problem.'

Trudie and Sting have four children, Mickey, 33, Jake, 32, Coco, 27, and Giacomo, 21, while Sting has daughter Kate, 35, and son Joe, 40, from his first marriage, to actress Frances Tomelty.

Pals: Last month, Shaggy was on hand to show his support as Sting cheered on Trudie at the premiere of her directorial debut, Freak Show, at New York City's Landmark Sunshine Cinema

Strike a pose: The pals for playful on the carpet as they posed together for photographers
She's been dating 24-year-old model Younes Bendjima.

And Kourtney Kardashian, 38, sent her lover a sexy message over Instagram on Friday.

'Parlez moi damour,' the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star captioned a seductive black-and-white picture in French, which means, 'Tell me about love.'

Tell me about love: Kourtney Kardashian sent her toyboy lover a sexy message over Instagram on Friday

He speaks fluent Arabic, English and French and splits his time between Paris, where his mother lives, and the United States.

Kourtney, who minored in Spanish from the University Of Arizona, previously joined the hunk in a trip to Paris last September.

The reality star showcased her stunning figure with a black lace corset, which she placed over her T-shirt.

Sultry: The oldest Kardashian sister, who became an auntie twice already this year, posted another monochrome image on Friday, which flaunted her killer cheekbones

She's seen holding up a retro payphone handset, and pouting her lips.

Her dark tresses are disheveled around her shoulders, adding to the sultry air of the snap - which gave little further clues as to her whereabouts.

The oldest Kardashian sister, who became an auntie twice already this year, posted another monochrome image on Friday, which flaunted her killer cheekbones.

She added a strong black eyeliner as she stared down the lens.

Je t'aime: She's been dating 24-year-old model Younes Bendjima, and they were pictured last September enjoying a trip to Paris

The mother-of-three shared in the joy of 20-year-old Kylie Jenner's baby girl Stormi arriving earlier this month, as well as Kim's third child - Chicago - who was born via a surrogate in January.

Her sister Khloe is also expecting her own happy arrival with boyfriend Tristan Thompson.

She shares her own children, Mason, 8, 5-year-old Penelope and Reign, 3, with ex-boyfriend Scott Disick.

Scott, 34, is most recently dating 19-year-old Sofia Richie.
Two-time Golden Globe winner Elisabeth Moss is set to produce and star as troubled heiress Rose Marie 'Rosemary' Kennedy in a new biopic called A Letter From Rosemary Kennedy.

Variety reported Friday that Our Souls at Night director Ritesh Batra will helm the feature about the lesser known Kennedy based on a Black List spec script by first-timer Nick Yarborough.

Rosemary grew up in privilege in Massachusetts as the sister of future President John F. Kennedy and Senators Robert F. Kennedy and Ted Kennedy, but she had learning difficulties and developmental challenges.

Next gig! Golden Globe winner Elisabeth Moss is set to produce and star as troubled heiress Rose Marie 'Rosemary' Kennedy in a new biopic called A Letter From Rosemary Kennedy

At age 23, her ambitious and ashamed father Joseph, Sr. arranged for her to undergo one of the first prefrontal lobotomies, but it failed and left her permanently incapacitated.

Kennedy was then institutionalized at St. Coletta, a Catholic facility for the mentally disabled, in Wisconsin until her 2005 death at age 86.

'The shame of her disability was our family secret,' Rosemary's nephew Timothy Shriver told People in 2014.

'I don't know how other than just from sheer devastation [Joe Sr.] could allow her to disappear so much from his life. He had to be destroyed by it.

Action! Variety reported Friday that Our Souls at Night director Ritesh Batra (pictured in 2016) will helm the feature based on a Black List spec script by first-timer Nick Yarborough

Tragic: Rosemary (pictured T-R in 1935) grew up in privilege in Massachusetts as the sister of future President John F. Kennedy and Senators Robert F. Kennedy and Ted Kennedy, but she had learning difficulties and developmental challenges

'The shame of her disability was our family secret': At age 23, her ambitious and ashamed father Joseph, Sr. arranged for her to undergo one of the first prefrontal lobotomies, but it failed and left her permanently incapacitated (pictured R in 1937)

Kennedy was then institutionalized at St. Coletta, a Catholic facility for the mentally disabled, in Wisconsin until her 2005 death at age 86

Not forgotten: In 1962, Dame Eunice Kennedy Shriver (pictured L in 1938) founded Camp Shriver which evolved into the Special Olympics in honor of her neglected older sister

'That's the only way I can explain it. It's an incredibly heartbreaking story of a dad trying to help his daughter and hurting her. What could be worse?'

In 1962, Dame Eunice Kennedy Shriver founded Camp Shriver which evolved into the Special Olympics, reportedly in honor of her neglected older sister.

Fans can next catch 35-year-old Moss reprising her role as fertile slave June Osborne/Offred in the 13-episode second season of The Handmaid's Tale, which premieres April 25 on Hulu.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus announced six months ago she is battling breast cancer.

And the Veep actress appears to be doing just fine as she was seen running errands alone in Los Angeles on Friday.

The 57-year-old Emmy winner wore a headband as she pushed her locks back while dressed in a casual ensemble.

On the right path: Julia Louis-Dreyfus announced six months ago she is battling breast cancer. And the Veep actress appears to be doing just fine as she was seen running errands alone in Los Angeles on Friday

The star wore a blue-and-white stripped shirt with jeans and comfortable sandals with a messenger bag worn cross body style.

The The New Adventures of Old Christine star held a yellow piece of paper in her hand as if she was looking at directions.

The Seinfeld vet was last seen three weeks ago in LA with a pal.

Louis-Dreyfus finished up her last round of chemotherapy in January.

Chic chick: The star wore a blue-and-white stripped shirt with jeans and comfortable sandals with a messenger bag worn cross body style

Her VEEP co-star recently told the New York Post that the star 'feels like shes getting stronger every day.'

Julia announced in September that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer.

The actress said she found out the day after winning an Emmy for Veep in 2017.

Julia has been sharing her journey and support from loved ones and fans on social media.

She's a survivor! The actress said she found out about her breast cancer diagnosis the day after winning an Emmy for Veep in 2017

Julia won the SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series for her work in Veep in a tough field that included: Uzo Aduba, Alison Brie, Jane Fonda, and Lily Tomlin.

The entire cast of Veep, including Julia, also won the SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.

Unfortunately Julia was unable to attend the SAG Awards due to her chemotherapy.

The old days! Julia who previously starred on Seinfeld also has more Emmy Awards than any other performer

The two wins for Julia made her the most decorated thespian in the history of the SAG Awards with nine wins - surpassing Julianna Margulies with her eight SAG wins and Alec Baldwin with his eight SAG trophies.

Julia who previously starred on Seinfeld also has more Emmy Awards than any other performer.

Louis-Dreyfus was born in New York City. Her American-born mother, Judith was a writer and special needs tutor.

Her French-born father, Gerard Louis-Dreyfus (who passed away in 2016), chaired Louis Dreyfus Energy Services. His net worth was estimated at $3.4 billion by Forbes in 2006.
Bella Hadid has one of the most eye-popping figures in the modeling business. But even a Vogue model needs a cheat day now and then.

On Saturday the younger sister of Gigi Hadid was seen exiting her NYC apartment complex holding a bag of Cheetos Flamin' Hot chips.

A 1 oz. serving of the crunchy variety of Flamin' Hot Cheetos has 160 calories, 11 grams of fat, and 10 percent of day's recommended intake of sodium.

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Nice snack: Bella Hadid has one of the most eye-popping figures in the modeling business. But even a Vogue model needs a cheat day now and then

Yummy: On Saturday the younger sister of Gigi Hadid was seen exiting her NYC apartment complex holding a bag of Cheetos Flamin' Hot chips

The facts: A 1 oz. serving of the crunchy variety of Flamin' Hot Cheetos has 160 calories, 11 grams of fat, and 10 percent of day's recommended intake of sodium

The star was dressed in shiny black leather.

Her winter coat had shiny black leather with a faux pink fur collar and cuffs that came off as very late Eighties.

Her boots seemed to be made of the same fabric.

The former equestrian also carried a red purse worn crossbody style.

New look: The star was dressed in shiny black leather. Her winter coat had shiny black leather with a faux pink fur collar and cuffs that came off as very late Eighties

Nice kicks: Her boots seemed to be made of the same fabric and looked wrinkled

The outing came after a man alleged to be stalking her since December was arrested Thursday night.

TMZ reported the 37-year-old was picked up by cops outside the model's apartment after she alerted police officers to his presence.

The 5foot9 star recognized the man as she was heading back to her building, according to TMZ, and called law enforcement.

More details: The former equestrian also carried a red purse worn crossbody style

According to the site, Bella's security team helped track the suspect as he was leaving the building before police picked him up about a mile north of the star's apartment.

The website said he'd been sending messages via social media threatening to kill her and her family.

The suspect is believed to be the same person who's been sending the model threats since October of last year.

Another daring look: On Friday Hadid wore an oversized men's suit with a torn T-shirt

Tough times: Brian Perez, 37 was seen in a New York Criminal Court on Friday after going to the model's home

TMZ reported the 37-year-old was picked up by cops outside the model's apartment after she alerted police officers to his presence

Make-over! Elsewhere Bella remained still as a make-up artist worked their magic on the stunner backstage at the Jason Wu show during New York Fashion Week

Pout and about: The stylist also looked at primping the model's shoulder-length brunette tresses for the catwalk

Gorgeous girl: The make-up artist gave the beauty her final dusting of make-up to polish off her glamorous looks

Posing: The catwalk queen looked beautiful when she debuted her make-up enhanced looks, including cat-eye flicks to accentuate her features
She and her husband Thomas Sadoski welcomed their baby daughter to the world last March.

But Amanda Seyfried ventured out without either of them on Saturday - or her treasured Australian shepherd dog Finn.

The 32-year-old actress enjoyed some alone time and some retail therapy on trendy Melrose Place in West Hollywood. She also stopped by the Kate Somerville Spa.

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Enjoying alone time: Amanda Seyfried ventured out without husband Thomas Sadoski, their 10-month-old baby girl or her beloved pooch Finn for some retail therapy in LA on Saturday

The Twin Peaks star kept it casual in a black T-shirt with a detail of two white rings around the short sleeves.

She teamed it cropped blue jeans, ripped at the knee, and sneakers for her trip.

Amanda left her long blonde tresses free to cascade over her shoulders and she protected her eyes from the bright sunlight with a pair of shades.

The Big Love star completed her outfit with a brown leather handbag she slung over her shoulder.

No fuss: The Twin Peaks star kept it casual in a black T-shirt with a detail of two white rings around the short sleeves that she teamed with ripped and cropped blue jeans and sneakers

Rocking it: The Twin Peaks actress completed her outfit with a brown suede handbag that she slung over her shoulder

Amanda and Thomas, 41, have yet to share the name of their baby girl with their fans.

In a 2017 interview on Dr Berlin's Informed Pregnancy Podcast, Amanda revealed that she and her husband agreed to keep their daughter's name private, with only family and friends in on the secret.

'I'm a parent now and I appreciate things in a way I never have,' the Mean Girls star said.

Beatiful blonde: Amanda's long hair cascaded over her shoulders as she strolled on Melrose

Keeping it on the lowdown: She and Thomas, 41, share a baby girl who was born last March but they have yet to reveal their daughter's name to their fans

'I wouldnt want you to ask me what her name is, because I wouldnt tell you. Its about us as a family.'

Amanda can next be seen in action comedy Gringo with David Oyelowo and Charlize Theron, due out March 9.

Her musical Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, the sequel to the hit 2008 comedy based on Abba songs, is due out on July 20.
Lisa Rinna loves to post risque images to Instagram.

And on Friday the actress was at it again as she looked sizzling hot in black lace bikini.

This comes after the 54-year-old reality TV diva argues with her daughter Amelia on RHOBH.

Knockout: Lisa Rinna loves to post risque images to Instagram. And on Friday the actress was at it again as she looked sizzling hot in black lace bikini

In the bikini image, Lisa is standing in her bathroom.

The stunner's caption reads: 'Thanks for the swim suit @pilyqswim.'

But oddly the bikini looked more like bra and panties, making for a confusing post.

In the past, the TV staple has posed next to orchids inside the LA mansion she shares with husband Harry Hamlin.

Flower power: In the past, the TV staple has posed next to orchids inside the LA mansion she shares with husband Harry Hamlin

On Tuesday she was seen talking to her teen child on her hit series.

The 16-year-old begged her mother not to make her get her driver's license.

The former soap actress had been pushing her daughter to apply for her permit because 'the Tesla should be coming soon.'

Model daughters: Rinna received unexpected push back from her daughter Amelia, 16, who was in no rush to get her driver's license on Tuesday's episode of RHOBH

Amelia, who like older sister Delilah, 19, has been starting to take the modeling world by storm, instead complained that her parents were pushing her to grow up too fast.

'I'm already home-schooled, I already travel the world, I already am 16 years old and work - I don't want that much freedom,' she complained, insisting she was 'not ready' to drive, too.

'I want a little bit of childhood!' she complained as her older sister watched on.

Lisa was clearly shocked at her daughter, having earlier pointed out that 'Amelia is not scared to do anything' and assuming she would want to drive 'straight away.'

Teen model: Amelia pointed out that she's 16 and works and wanted 'a little bit of childhood'

Growing fast: The 16-year-old said she's home-schooled and travels the world and wasn't ready for even more freedom

Rising stars: Delilah, 19, listened as Amelia said she wasn't ready for more freedom

But the teen's words clearly hit home, with Lisa saying later to camera: 'With all of her modeling and traveling and whatnot I think we all forget Amelia is just a kid.'

'In this day and age, of course, I worry about whether my girls grow up too fast. So if you're not ready, let's take two steps back and hang. We can take our time with Amelia.'

However, she insisted that Delilah was 'ready' for the big world - even though she had earlier admitted to freaking out at her impending move to New York.

Stepping back: Lisa was glad to step back and take her time with Amelia

Teen models: Amelia and Delilah earlier this season had modeling jobs in Tokyo

'I am just like every other mother - I don't know what the f*** I'm doing,' she admitted. 'But I'm a good actor.'

She insisted her most important role as an actress had to be convincing her daughters that she was in control of her own emotions at their major milestones in life.

''My kids need to see me feeling good and confident about letting them go. I'm a f***ing mess inside, but they need to see me going like this,' she said, giving the thumbs up sign to the camera during her confessional.

Catching up: Erika Girardi caught up with Lisa over lunch

Thumb up: Lisa said she had to convince her children that she was ready to let them go

Delilah while talking about moving insisted 'I literally just need a bed, I don't even need the bed frame yet' to make the move to New York, while her mother wanted to get her fully furnished.

The 19-year-old left her mother open-mouthed when she told her she was going to a spa for a 'non-surgical facelift' that 'just keeps you young.'

'You are young!' Lisa laughed at the baby-faced beauty.

Forever young: Delilah told her mother she was getting a 'non-surgical facelift' to stay young

Lisa had other nerves, too, as she returned to the set of Days Of Our Lives to once again play Billie, the character she first appeared as 25 years ago and who has since been played by two other actresses in-between her return.

'Before I booked Days Of Our Lives I was on unemployment,' she admitted, saying had just done Taco Bell commercials. 'It changed my life. It was huge.'

She said returning to the show was 'like going back home' as she nervously rehearsed her lines, saying it was 'a lot of pressure' to get everything right.

Soap star: Lisa was getting ready for a return to Days Of Our Lives

Dramatic moment: The actress was shown in a still from her stint on the soap opera

Long history: Lisa played Billie Reed starting in 1992 and Krista Allen and Julie Pinson later played the character

'As we know this brain is not as sharp as it once used to be,' she said.

Lisa Vanderpump, meanwhile, had good news when she learned that a lawsuit filed against her, causing her huge stress in the previous episode, had been dismissed.

Her excitement at getting to celebrate at dinner with Kyle Richards and Dorit Kemsley was short lived when the two women quickly changed the subject to rehash a previous fight.

Case dismissed: Ken Todd and wife Lisa Vanderpump were relieved when a lawsuit filed against them was dismissed

Lisa looked hurt and confused as Dorit accused Kyle of not being loyal by defending show newcomer Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave over her in a petty fight over what glasses to drink their wine from - and Kyle soon started sobbing.

Vanderpump, already upset that they were both late for the dinner, instead stormed off, telling them as they ran out to stop her: 'I'm not dealing with this bulls***.'

As she was being driven away, she told them through the open rear passenger window: 'I'm going home to my husband who would rather spend time with me tonight than you would.'

Taking off: Vanderpump left a dinner early after getting fed up with Dorit Kemsley and Kyle Richards

Totally shocked: Dorit and Kyle were shocked when Lisa suddenly left

Dorit and Kyle started gossiping about how Lisa was just upset that the conversation was not about her - with Kyle then getting jealous herself as she realized close friend Lisa had told Dorit lots of key things about her life that she had not also shared with her.

The bickering in the episode titled Petty Mess continued as the women went to stay at Teddi's beach house in Dana Point, California, with Lisa admitting she felt 'brushed aside' with her lawsuit news, and Kyle also admitting she felt neglected in their friendship.

'I don't favor Dorit over you in any shape or form,' Lisa reassured her longtime friend.

Beach house: Dorit, Kyle and Vanderpump talked about the drama at Teddi Mellencamp's beach house

Apology offered: Vanderpump eventually apologized to Kyle

They eventually both apologized, with Kyle saying: 'I actually did not expect Lisa to apologize at all. I'm getting an apology and I'll take it!'

Erika Girardi, meanwhile, later insisted of the women's bickering: 'What can I say: we're petty. I tell you, this whole thing boils down to three b****es who are competitive over friendship.'

Teddi was quick to end her war of words with Dorit, who had been horrified at wine being served in champagne flutes at an earlier event.

Taking it: Kyle admitted that she wasn't expecting an apology from Vanderpump and gladly accepted it

The host: Teddi despite some reservations welcomed the women to her beach house in Dana Point

Beach access: The beach house offered wonderful views of the Pacific Ocean

Nice shot: Camille Grammer took photos on her phone

The daughter of rocker John Mellencamp teased her of the glasses at her beach house: 'Dorit, just for you I skipped stems.'

Dorit then went overboard in bringing food for the getaway.

She admitted later: 'If that's not an olive branch I don't know what is. It's more like an olive forest for crying out loud!'

The episode opened with Dorit giving her husband Paul 'PK' Kemsley another gift for his 50th birthday.

She gave him a $1,500 action figure of herself with their two young children Jagger and Phoenix.

Dorit accidentally broke the figurine and her daughter's head snapped off.

RHOBH will return next week on Bravo.
Its the glossy drama starring James Norton as Alex Godman, the banker son of a Russian oligarch who becomes drawn into an intricate web of organised crime. But viewers of McMafia have needed a tot or two of vodka just to keep up with the plot twists, the bewildering number of thugs, drug dealers and mistresses, not to mention the locations, as Alex shuttles between Mayfair, Moscow and the Middle East. As the eight-part BBC series reaches its finale tonight, with Alex facing off against feared Russian mobster Vadim, The Mail on Sunday sheds some light on the murky world of McMafia

Who is in Alexs line of fire... and is he a good man or a Godfather?

Is Alex good or evil? His instinct at the start was to run from danger and to protect his family. But as the plot unfolded, the seemingly respectable banker has shown an increasing relish for breaking the law, following the same transformation as Al Pacinos Michael Corleone in The Godfather. But will Alex go entirely over to the dark side? Does he have it in him to pull the trigger in the final episode, right, and just who might be his target.

Tense: Will Alex go entirely over to the dark side? Does he have it in him to pull the trigger in the final episode?

Whose blood is on the shirt of the McScariest mafioso?

Hes the brutal Russian crime boss who has become Alexs arch enemy. But is the blood we see on the shirt of Vadim Kalyagin (played by Merab Ninidze) his own or someone elses?

He has enemies across Europe and Asia, and any of them could be his victim  or his attacker.

Strangely, the ruthless villain is rivalling heart-throb Nortons character in the battle for viewers hearts. One tweeted: Anybody else fancy Vadim?

Hes the brutal Russian crime boss who has become Alexs arch enemy. But is the blood we see on the shirt of Vadim Kalyagin (played by Merab Ninidze) his own or someone elses?

Vadims innocent daughter Natasha (Anna Levanova) was gunned down at the end of the previous episode

...and will we find out who killed his daughter?

When Vadims innocent daughter Natasha (Anna Levanova) was gunned down at the end of the previous episode, there were any number of suspects to choose from.

The finger of suspicion seems to point towards Alexs father Dmitri  could the suicidal drunk have ordered the slaying in one of his rare sober moments? But if so, why did he look so shocked when he got a calling telling him what had happened?

Will Rebecca stand by her man... and Oskana prop up her drunk husband?

Alexs girlfriend Rebecca (Juliet Rylance) has every reason to give him his marching orders  she was shot by a hitwoman hired by one of Alexs rivals and lost her unborn child.

Cruelly, many viewers tweeted their disappointment that wet blanket Rebecca survived at all.

Alexs glamorous mother Oksana (Mariya Shukshina, below left in tonights show) has her own man problems. So far she has stood by husband Dmitri despite his drinking and adultery. But will her patience snap?

Alexs girlfriend Rebecca (Juliet Rylance) has every reason to give him his marching orders  she was shot by a hitwoman hired by one of Alexs rivals and lost her unborn child

Alexs glamorous mother Oksana (Mariya Shukshina, below left in tonights show) has her own man problems. So far she has stood by husband Dmitri despite his drinking and adultery

What is Alex doing in the bedroom with Lyudmilla... and will she escape at last?

She was trafficked across the Middle East and held hostage in Israel by tycoon Semiyon Kleiman in a series thats run up a dizzying number of air miles, and now Lyudmilla (Sofya Lebedeva) ends up sharing a bedroom scene with Alex in Russia as he stares longingly from the sheets.

Just what does it mean for the future of her budding romance with Kleimans brooding henchman Joseph?

She was trafficked across the Middle East and held hostage in Israel by tycoon Semiyon Kleiman in a series thats run up a dizzying number of air miles, and now Lyudmilla (Sofya Lebedeva) ends up sharing a bedroom scene with Alex in Russia

Is the ice-cool spy boss ANOTHER dodgy Russian... and if so will Putin ever forgive us?

As security chief Irina (Elena Lyadova, below) tonight faces off with Vadim, we are set to find out if shes yet another corrupt Russian  which, in real life, will only add to the ire of the Kremlin with the BBC over the series.

The Russian embassy in London has accused the Corporation of perpetuating cliches for depicting expats in Britain as gun-toting gangsters, helpfully pointing out that there are currently fewer than ten Russians in UK prisons.

With the storyline implicating the Russian government in international drug-smuggling, the finale hardly seems likely to improve diplomatic relations.

As security chief Irina (Elena Lyadova, below) tonight faces off with Vadim, we are set to find out if shes yet another corrupt Russian  which, in real life, will only add to the ire of the Kremlin with the BBC over the series

What became of Lyudmilla's knee-capped fellow captive?

Kleiman s prisoner Lyudmilla and her friend were victims of human traffickers and we saw the friend shot in the legs in episode two when she tried to escape.

We havent seen her since, prompting one viewer to tweet: Confused again with so many characters losing thread.

Kleiman s prisoner Lyudmilla and her friend were victims of human traffickers and we saw the friend shot in the legs in episode two when she tried to escape

We havent seen her since, prompting one viewer to tweet: Confused again with so many characters losing thread

Will slippery Kleiman get his comeuppance?

Dodgy Israeli businessman Semiyon Kleiman (David Strathairn) was once master of all he surveyed. But the part-time politician and full-time crook was rocked by revelations about his private life.

Among those glad to see the back of him were critics who believe the character left the programme open to accusations of anti- Semitism.

Jewish Chronicle editor Stephen Pollard tweeted: Watching #McMafia. Pretty appalling that all the villains so far are explicitly Jewish.

Dodgy Israeli businessman Semiyon Kleiman (David Strathairn) was once master of all he surveyed. But the part-time politician and full-time crook was rocked by revelations about his private life

The 007 rumour mill went into overdrive the moment Norton appeared in a pair of trunks in McMafia. He certainly looks the part, as our cheeky mock-up picture shows

And the really big one... has James Norton done enough to earn his 007 licence to kill?

The 007 rumour mill went into overdrive the moment Norton appeared in a pair of trunks in McMafia. He certainly looks the part, as our cheeky mock-up picture shows.

But the jury is out on whether he could ever be Bond. One social media commentator wrote:

He is more wooden than Roger Moore, with one expression vacant.
She played seductress Isabelle 'Izzy' Hoyland on Neighbours from 2003 to 2006.

And Natalie Bassingthwaighte, who will reprise her role in Monday's episode, has said that returning to the show was 'like coming home'.

The 42-year-old also told The Sun-Herald that her appearance I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! last year left her with doubts she would ever work as an actor again.

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Welcome back! Natalie Bassingthwaighte, who will reprise her role of Izzy Hoyland on Monday's episode of Neighbours, has said that returning to the show was 'like coming home'

The multi-talented entertainer described how hesitant she was to participate in the reality TV series, questioning if it would be the end of her career.

'It was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life,' she told the Sunday newspaper.

'I thought, "Is this going to be the end my career as an actor?"'

'I thought, "Is this going to be the end my career as an actor?"' Natalie also revealed how she feared her appearance on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! last year would end her career

After surviving in the South African jungle, Natalie scored a critically-acclaimed guest role in Network Ten's The Wrong Girl.

She then announced her return to Neighbours as Izzy, a character she described as 'always having an agenda, but this time it's next level'.

Embracing the role after a decade away from the soap was 'surreal and frightening', but her old Ramsay Street co-stars quickly made her feel comfortable on set.

Reprise: Embracing the role of Izzy after a decade away from the soap was 'surreal and frightening', but Natalie's old Ramsay Street co-stars quickly made her feel comfortable on set

'It was like coming home. After the first scene, it felt like no time had passed,' she recalled.

The former Rogue Traders star explained how Izzy reuniting with veteran characters like Karl and Susan Kennedy and Paul Robinson was a 'lovely experience'.

Natalie will make her return to Neighbours on Monday in the show's first movie-length special episode.
Queenslanders are being urged to stay cool and look out for one another as heatwave conditions start to be felt around the state.

The mercury is tipped to soar over the weekend before the heatwave peaks next week, and there will be no respite until Friday.

Temperatures will push towards the mid-30s in southeast Queensland as early as Saturday while inland areas are headed for the mid-40s.

Queensland Ambulance is urging vulnerable people, including the elderly and sick, to make a plan now to keep themselves cool.

Seniors Minister Coralee O'Rourke has also called on people to check in on anyone they think could be vulnerable in the heat.

"Popping next door with a cool drink for an elderly neighbour not only makes sure they're safe and well, it can also help beat social isolation and better connect seniors to their communities," she said.

Meanwhile Energy Minister Anthony Lynham assured Queenslanders there will be enough electricity to go round during the high demand, with 2000 megawatts of generation in reserve.

"That reserve capacity alone is more than enough to power one million homes during peak demand," Dr Lynham said.

He's urged people not to set their air-conditioners below 24C.

Brisbane is expected to get to 34C on Saturday, 35C on Sunday, and a peak of 36C on Monday.

Outback parts of the state will get an extra dose of extreme heat, with Birdsville expected to get to 43C on Friday, and 45C on Sunday.
South Australian murder suspect Travis Kirchner has been arrested at a house in Victoria after spending five days on the run.

Kirchner is wanted in connection with the bashing murder of 54-year-old Sally Rothe who was found dead at a home at Murray Bridge, east of Adelaide, on Sunday.

The 43-year-old was arrested by Victorian homicide squad detectives and a fugitive taskforce on Friday just after 6pm at Doveton, in Melbourne's southeast.

A 49-year-old man and a 50-year-old woman both from Murray Bridge were also at the house and arrested for assisting an offender to escape.

Police had searched more than 110 properties and had been urging property owners in the area to check for signs of break-in or theft.

On Thursday, dog squad and water operations officers joined the search, checking areas along the Murray without success.

SA Police will travel to Victoria over the weekend to apply for all three to be extradited.

The trio will appear at the Dandenong Magistrates Court on Monday.
Victoria and Queensland have said "not yet" to Malcolm Turnbull's new hospital funding deal, but the states have left the door open to sign up in coming months.

At the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting on Friday, NSW and Western Australia signed on to the new funding arrangement, but three other states declined.

The deal will see Canberra continue to pay 45 per cent of the cost of hospital funding but keep annual growth in federal spending capped at 6.5 per cent.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says he wants to see concrete progress on Medicare reform to keep more people out of hospital, and further work around aged care.

"Pleasingly, there is an acknowledgement that we have to finally get some concrete reform and some agreed targets and effort around those areas and more," he told COAG on Friday.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is waiting for an independent body to rule on the $170 million she says the state is owed.

That money will affect Queensland's baseline funding for the rest of the agreement.

"If that is forthcoming, we would be satisfied," Ms Palaszczuk said.

"The impact of not getting that $170 million could lead to a loss of $4 billion to Queensland. So we have an open mind."

The prime minister said NSW will get an additional $9 billion and WA more than $3.5 billion into their state hospital systems over five years from 2020.

"I look forward to other jurisdictions securing additional funding in coming months," Mr Turnbull said.

WA Premier Mark McGowan said it was a "line-ball decision" for his Labor government to sign up, but the right one.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said her state would receive funding with a growth rate of 6.5 per cent, rather than 4.2 per cent under the old deal.

However, SA Premier Jay Weatherill - who is fighting an election - said the federal government was preparing a $65 billion corporate tax cut while not providing sufficient health funding.

"It's a question of priorities."

The Tasmanian government is in caretaker mode and no decision on health funding will be made until after the March 3 election.
The Federal Court has ruled a young refugee girl at "extreme risk" of self harm at the Nauru detention centre be brought to Australia for specialist treatment, defying an earlier government decision not to move her.

The girl, not yet a teenager, had attempted to take her own life on December 9 and continued to express suicidal feelings, the court heard late last year.

In a decision published on Friday, Federal Court Judge Bernard Murphy ruled the girl be brought to Australia for specialist mental health treatment, noting the separation of the girl's parents and years on Nauru without hope of resettlement had taken a toll on the child's mental health.

The December judgment said the commonwealth government and Minister for Immigration and Border Protection had previously declined requests for her transfer.

Judge Murphy granted an urgent injunction to bring the girl to a place with a specialist child mental health facility.

The girl and her family arrived at Christmas Island in 2013 before being placed in Nauru's offshore processing centre and granted temporary settlement visas after being deemed to be refugees.

A report by child psychiatry specialist Louise Newman stated at the December hearing that the girl was at "extreme risk" of suicide, may have been developing a psychotic depressive illness and should be urgently moved to Australia for treatment.

National Justice Project principal solicitor, George Newhouse, whose firm is acting on behalf of the family, asked for privacy.

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Multicultural Mental Health Australia www.mmha.org.au.
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
A bottle-shop worker has been hospitalised after he was allegedly hit in the head with a metal bar by a teenager in Sydney's south-west.

Police say two men aged 18 and 19 robbed a liquor store on William Street in Earlwood at about 5pm on Friday, stealing a number of items.

The manager confronted the pair and they fled the shop, but he chased them and allegedly got into a fight with the 18-year-old nearby on Marana Road.

"The manager was left with head injuries after being assaulted with a metal bar," NSW Police said.

"The 48-year-old was treated at the scene before being taken to St George Hospital with minor injuries."

Officers later arrested the 18-year-old man near Clempton Park and charged him with armed intent to commit indictable offence and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

A 19-year-old man was arrested at a home and taken to Burwood Police Station where he was charged with stealing.

They were both refused bail to appear at Parramatta Local Court on Saturday.
Malcolm Turnbull says it is "politically and morally right" to give Liberal Party members a greater say in how the party is run.

As NSW state delegates prepare to vote on significant party reform at the Liberal AGM on Saturday, the Prime Minister told Sydney's Town Hall it must empower its grassroots.

"The best way to attract people is to give them a say in how the party is run," Mr Turnbull said to applause.

While the Warringah Motion - a plan by former Prime Minister Tony Abbott to give all party members preselection votes in their respective seats - is likely to get voted down at the AGM, a more moderate compromise may be agreed on.

That so-called Bennelong Motion, which Mr Abbott has described as a "watered down" version of his plan, would still leave about 10 per cent of the preselection vote to the state council and executive.

Mr Turnbull and NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian are understood to support the Bennelong alternative.

During his speech to the AGM, Mr Turnbull also said the party must preselect more women into safe and winnable seats.

"We must increase the number of people women in our parliamentary teams," Mr Shorten said.

"We are not a party of quotas, but we should not kid ourselves about this issue or push it to one side."
When Karen's boyfriend asked for money to help move to Australia she didn't hesitate, unaware she was falling prey to a scammer who would go on to swindle her of more than $600,000.

Karen is one of many Australians who are losing a combined millions of dollars to scammers while searching for love online, with the most cash fleeced around Valentine's Day.

It has prompted a warning from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and ANZ, who said they conducted 119 investigations worth a total of $3.7 million during a six-month period in 2017.

"Valentine's Day is one of the busiest times for online romance scammers," ANZ's Catriona Noble said.

"A friend request on Facebook or a message on a dating site from a stranger might be the start of a romance scam, so it's absolutely vital to recognise the signs."

A report by ANZ reveals Australians over the age of 55 are the most vulnerable, with men more likely to be the target of romance scams, although women stay involved with their scammers for longer, losing more money as a consequence.

Online con artists often go to extreme lengths to create realistic profiles and groom their victims over weeks, months or years to build a relationship - a practice commonly known as "catfishing", the bank says.

Once they have gained their victim's trust, they start asking for money for a range of emotive reasons.

In another example, a man exhausted his savings to help a woman he met online who claimed to be in trouble with people to whom she owed money.

After building a close rapport with the woman by chatting online for more than a year, he sent $200,000 and awaited her arrival in Australia.

The man went to the airport on multiple occasions to pick the woman up, but she never arrived.

* 'Karen' is not her real name.
A woman has stabbed a man in his sleep in an alleged Islamic State-inspired terrorist attack in Melbourne's north.

The 24-year-old Bangladeshi woman allegedly stabbed the 56-year-old man in the neck at a home in Mill Park about 4.30pm on Friday.

She was arrested at the scene and charged with engaging in a terrorist act.

"We will allege this was a standalone, Islamic State-inspired attack, designed to cause harm to our community," Australian Federal Police's acting Deputy Commissioner of National Security Ian McCartney said in a statement on Saturday.

"We deplore any attempt to intimidate our community."

The man will undergo surgery at Royal Melbourne Hospital on Saturday for non-life threatening injuries.

It's alleged the woman is a Bangladeshi national who travelled to Melbourne on a student visa on February 1.

She was renting a room at the victim's Callistemon Rise home while she was studying, police say.

The man's young child was also at the home at the time of the stabbing but was unharmed.

Acting AFP Deputy Commissioner Ross Guenther said police weren't looking for anyone else in relation to the attack.

"This is an isolated incident and the community can be assured that Victoria Police is doing everything we can to keep the community safe," he said in a statement.

The accused woman is due to face Melbourne Magistrates Court on Saturday.
An injury to Australia fast bowler Jackson Bird and some unlikely bowling heroics from wicketkeeper Matthew Wade highlighted an action-packed morning at the Gabba as Queensland set Tasmania an unlikely victory target.

Resuming at 6-195, Queensland were dismissed for 285 to set Tasmania 426 for victory with five sessions to play.

Tasmania's second innings got off to a rocky start and they went to lunch at 1-8 with Beau Webster bowled for four by Michael Neser.

Medium-pacer Gabe Bell was unable to take the field having ended day two on crutches, and Tasmania suffered a further blow with Bird leaving the field with an apparent hamstring injury, having delivered just a few balls.

Bird is part of Australia's 15-man squad due to depart next week for a four-Test tour of South Africa.

The two injuries opened the way for Wade to discard the gloves and take the ball as a desperate Tasmania sought to wrap up the Queensland innings.

With just one wicket and eight overs experience across an 11-year career, Wade collected 3-13 from 3.4 overs bowling aggressive medium pace.

Wade's victims included Jimmy Peirson whose crucial innings of 61 is the top score of the match.

Victory for the second-placed Queensland would likely lift them to the top of the Shield standings, should NSW lose in Western Australia.
The body of a man who disappeared while attempting to rescue a child from a dam in the central west region of NSW has been recovered.

The 38-year-old man had gone to the aid of a struggling nine-year-old boy in the Wyangala dam, near Cowra, but sank below the surface at 6pm on Friday, NSW police said.

The child was rescued by a kayaker but the man did not resurface.

Police and the State Emergency Service began searching water and shoreline but postponed the operation on Friday night.

The search began again on Saturday morning and the man's body was discovered around 1pm.

He has not been formally identified.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.
Brisbane Roar defender Clare Polkinghorne is hoping Melbourne City melt in the scalding Queensland sun in their battle for a W-League grand final berth.

The Roar's sudden-death semi-final against City at Perry Park on Sunday has been pushed back an hour to 4pm AEST with temperatures forecast to reach 36 degrees.

Polkinghorne says it's nothing out of the ordinary for them, rating the heat and humidity as a major advantage for the locals.

"We're used to it up here. The hotter the better for us," she said on Saturday.

"If we can control the ball and make them chase us a little bit, it'll be even better for us."

City finished fourth this season and won last season's grand final from the same position.

Facing arguably the powerhouse team of the women's competition in a do-or-die contest isn't much of a reward for the Roar, who clinched their third premiership with a 4-1 win over Canberra United on Sunday.

But Brisbane are confident and have every right to be given their record against City this season.

They didn't concede a goal in their two meetings, winning the first 2-0 before a scoreless stalemate three weeks ago.

"That's one thing we've built our season on - our defensive structure and our strength in defence," said Polkinghorne, a 98-cap Matilda.

"Not just the back four but as a whole unit. I think we've done that really well.

"We like to press high and be aggressive and when you've got the likes of (Mackenzie Arnold) behind the back four, it gives you a lot of confidence to make sure you're doing your job."

Polkinghorne said the Roar were intent on wrapping up the double, which they can do in a home grand final - most likely at Perry Park - if they prevail over City.

"It'd be massive. You always want to be winning trophies and to (win both) would be a real testament to the group we've got here and something we'd be really proud of."
A truck driver will spend at least the next 18 months locked up after he hit and killed a young woman while she used a pedestrian crossing on a busy Sydney road.

Danielle McGrath's boyfriend was weeks away from proposing marriage when she was struck on her way to work at Caringbah in November 2016.

Truck driver David William Edward Grice had turned at a busy intersection despite a red arrow signal when he struck Ms McGrath with his tipping truck, which was carrying a load of about 48 tonnes.

In the NSW District Court on Friday, Judge Peter Maiden sentenced Grice to a maximum of 31-and-a-half months in jail with a non-parole period of 18 months.

Judge Maiden said the consequences of Grice's offending would not go away for the family, who had lost "a young woman in the prime of her life".

He will be eligible for parole in August 2019.
Sunday's main event UFC clash in Perth has turned into a farce after Cuban Yoel Romero twice failed to make weight for the middleweight fight.

Romero and American Luke Rockhold were scheduled to meet in a fight for the interim middle weight belt.

But Romero has now been ruled ineligible for the interim belt after twice failing to make weight.

Romero initially weighed in at 188.3 pounds, but was given more time to meet the 185-pound limit.

However, he weighed in at 187.7 at his second attempt.

Although the fight is still expected to go ahead, it is yet to be confirmed.

Romero was visibly disappointed after failing to make weight.

It was a far different story on Friday, when he danced salsa in public as part of a promotion for the fight.

"Should have be doing the salsa in the sauna. Some bull**** as usual," Rockhold said on Twitter.

Rockhold was initially set to take on Australian champion Robert Whittaker for a crack at the middleweight belt.

But when Whittaker was ruled out through illness on January 13, Romero was named as his replacement, with the fight downgraded to interim belt status.
Australian star Minjee Lee's hot form continued as she powered to a three-shot lead at the Canberra Classic on Saturday.

The world No.17 stormed ahead of South Korea's Jiyai Shin on the second day at Royal Canberra with a sizzling nine-under round of 63 that took her to 14-under for the tournament.

Shin was clubhouse leader after round one, with Lee tied for second with Norway's Karoline Lund two shots behind.

Lee's second-round performance included eight birdies and an eagle.

Shin is outright second at 11-under after a four-under round of 68, while Sweden's Pernilla Lindberg (66) is in contention a shot behind her.

Holland's Anne Van Dam (68) is at eight-under while American Beth Allen and England's Holly Clyburn are tied for fifth a stroke further back.

Katherine Kirk is the second highest-placed Australian at four-under in a tie for 11th.

English veteran Laura Davies, who tipped Lee and Shin as the ones to beat prior to the tournament, had a forgettable second round of four-over to drop out of contention in a tie for 40th.

Australian talent Doey Choi is the highest-placed amateur, with the 17-year-old hitting a round of 69 to move to three-under.
Firefighters are urging residents near Mount Canobolas, just near Orange, to evacuate, as a bushfire burns out of control.

Late on Saturday the NSW Rural Fire Service issued an emergency warning in the Central Tablelands region, with spotfires threatening to cause damage before the main fire arrives.

The fire is about 109 hectares on the western side of the mountain, burning in a northern direction and threatening homes.

Residents on Old Canobolas Road, Lake Canobolas Road and Cargo Road are being urged to head towards Orange if the route is clear and should only stay if they are well prepared to defend their homes against the fire.
A family has been left shattered after a man drowned while trying to save his son who had run into trouble while kayaking in a NSW dam.

The man jumped into the water after his son, who was kayaking in the Wyangala dam near Cowra, fell into the water at around 6pm on Friday, News Corp reports.

Police have confirmed the 38-year-old was attempting to rescue a nine-year-old boy.

He sank below the water and did not resurface but another person was able to save the child.

His body was recovered on Saturday.

He has not been formally identified but Sydney's Maydaan Archery Club, which AAP understands to be linked to the man, mourned his death as a "tragic loss" in a post on Facebook.
Former treasurer Wayne Swan has urged the Labor party to pick a woman when they search for his replacement as their preferred candidate in the federal Queensland seat of Lilley.

Mr Swan announced on Saturday he would retire at the next federal election after more than two decades in politics.

"I think it would be fitting if the party were to select on this occasion a young woman with the energy and smarts to represent Lilley forcefully and successfully," he said.

First elected in 1993, the Labor MP served as treasurer for six years and as deputy prime minister for three.

Responding to questions about the toll of his career, Mr Swan acknowledged the long hours that had frequently taken him away from his family and thanked them for their support.

"Long hours of work over a long period of time don't necessarily give you the perception and the sharpness that you need to meet the challenge of the future," he said.

"I think to go back and do one thing, I would have engaged certainly in a bit more time with the family."

He listed his work with Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard to avoid recession during the global financial crisis as his proudest achievement in office.
England are sweating on the fitness of skipper Eoin Morgan for the remainder of the Twenty20 tri-series after losing to Australia by seven wickets in Melbourne.

Morgan was a late omission for Saturday night's match at the MCG after straining his right groin at training on Friday.

His side struggled in his absence, setting Australia a target of 138 which they achieved with 27 balls to spare.

The injury could prove to be a major blow for England with stand-in skipper Jos Buttler admitting he was unsure whether Morgan would be available for the New Zealand leg of the series.

"He got a little niggle yesterday in training," Buttler said.

"I don't think we quite know the extent of it yet so we'll wait and find out."

Buttler top-scored for England with 46 but was unable to break the shackles imposed by Australia's disciplined bowling attack.

England's risky batting approach was again exposed with aggressive openers Jason Roy and Alex Hales both falling cheaply.

The unbeaten Australians are now assured of a spot in the February 21 final in Auckland after downing England by five wickets in Hobart and beating New Zealand in the series opener.

England will face New Zealand in Wellington on Tuesday and again in Hamilton the following Sunday requiring victory in at least one of those games to ensure they make the final.

"That's the beauty of a tri-series. We still have a chance to make that final," Buttler said.

"We obviously go to New Zealand now. It'll be a nice change of scene, I think, for the England side.

"We haven't showcased our ability as we know we can yet and there's guys in that dressing room who'll be determined to come back strong."
Australian paceman Kane Richardson doesn't expect to see "super competitive" stand-in Twenty20 skipper David Warner take a break despite his white-ball form slump.

Another cheap dismissal for Warner was the only real negative for Australia as they booked their spot in the tri-series final with a seven-wicket victory over England at the MCG.

Chasing 138 to win on Saturday night after Warner won the toss and elected to field, Glenn Maxwell (39) and D'Arcy Short (36 not out) blasted the hosts to victory with 27 balls to spare.

The unbeaten Australians are now assured of a spot in the February 21 decider in Auckland after downing England by five wickets in Hobart and beating New Zealand in the series-opener.

But questions are bound to be raised about Warner's relentless schedule after he lasted just four balls in Melbourne, nicking a ripping David Willey outswinger on two.

The dashing left-hander is the only member of the Test side to have played for Australia in every format this summer and has struggled in the ODIs and T20s.

He is expected to travel with the T20 side to New Zealand on Tuesday before heading straight to South Africa for the first of four Tests.

Richardson, who was named man of the match after taking 3-33, said Warner would be loath to relinquish his spot.

"He's super competitive, and he's obviously got an opportunity to captain the team which he doesn't always do with Steve (Smith) playing every game," Richardson said.

"We needed some leadership. I don't think they wanted everyone to sit it out, they wanted someone to steer us through this series.

"And his captaincy has been great. He's been really good for all the young bowlers."

While Warner has struggled with the bat since scoring 441 at 63 during Australia's 4-0 Ashes triumph, his performance in the field has been typically second to none.

The 31-year-old left England reeling at 3-34 in the fourth over at the MCG when he ran out Dawid Malan with a brilliant direct hit.

"You could probably look into it - because he hasn't made many runs so far - that he needs a rest but his attitude and the way he's carried the group in training and in games doesn't suggest that at all," Richardson said.

"He's doing all the right things and we all know how good he is.

"Hopefully those short boundaries at Eden Park will play to his strengths."
A woman, two men and two dogs have escaped unharmed from a house fire in Melbourne's northeast.

Patrolling police came across the fire at a Bellfield home early on Saturday morning, as two distressed men fled the scene.

A sleeping 35-year-old woman was helped from the burning home, and was treated, along with the two men, 38 and 36, for smoke inhalation.

Two small dogs were located in the rear bungalow by the MFB and were re-united with their owners.

The fire is not being treated as suspicious.
A group of New Zealand tech wizards have scored a jump on Margot Robbie, Daniel Day-Lewis and Meryl Streep a month before the Oscars.

Brad Hundell, John Coyle, Vikas Sathaye and Shane Buckham will be honoured with 30 other leaders in movie production technology at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Scientific and Technical Awards on Saturday (Sunday 1.30pm AEDT) in Beverly Hills.

The four created the Shotover K1 Camera System which has given Hollywood's top directors and cinematographers stunning new aerial shots for major films including Dunkirk, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Kong: Skull Island and the upcoming Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.

"It's the latest and greatest camera system for aerial photography for the movies," Shotover founder and main gimbal designer John Coyle told AAP.

The Queenstown-based Shotover's gyro-stabilised camera platforms can be attached to helicopters and configured for Hollywood's most advanced cameras.

The Scientific and Technical Awards are held at the Beverly-Wilshire Hotel with other winners including tech wizards from film industry giants Pixar and Industrial Light & Magic.

The ceremony comes ahead of the March 4 Academy Awards in Hollywood where Robbie, Day-Lewis, Streep and Hollywood's A-List compete for acting Oscars.
Some Victorians will receive a one-off compensation payment over power outages linked to recent extreme heat.

Those who lost power between three and 20 hours on January 28 will receive $80, while those who were in the dark for 20 to 30 hours or more will get up to $180.

The payments, provided by Powercor, CitiPower, United Energy, Ausnet Services and Jemena as part of a $5 million package, will be issued to about 50,000 people by the end of February, the state government announced on Sunday.
Jason Day is fighting to keep pace with a hot leaderboard midway through the third round of the Pebble Beach Pro Am.

The Australian world No.10 has picked up two shots in his first 13 holes at the famed Pebble Beach course to be alone in fourth.

At 11 under, Day sits five shots back of runaway leader Ted Potter Jr., who is staring down a potential 59 at the easier Monterey Peninsula Country Club.

Picking up 11 shots through 15 holes, Potter sits at 16 under and two shots ahead of world No.1 Dustin Johnson and Troy Merritt.

Aaron Baddeley is next best of the Australians at six under, with the 54-hole cutline projected at four under par.

His countryman Rod Pampling is three under while Cameron Percy tumbled to one under alongside Perth native Greg Chalmers.

Meanwhile, Stuart Appleby (two over), Adam Scott and Cam Davis (three over), as well as Matt Jones (five over), are all languishing near the bottom of the leaderboard.
The minister whose department oversees the hiring of political staff doesn't believe there was anything untoward in the appointment of Barnaby Joyce's pregnant partner to jobs in two different National Party offices .

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann says because Vikki Campion was a staffer for National Party ministers, decisions relating to her employment were made by the coalition's junior partner.

Ms Campion, a former journalist, was initially a media advisor in the deputy prime minister's office before working for cabinet minister Matt Canavan.

When Senator Canavan stepped down from the front bench awaiting a High Court ruling on his citizenship status, she shifted to the office of then-Nationals whip Damien Drum.

Media reports this week suggested Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was involved in approving those two appointments and Labor is pressuring him to explain what happened.

But Senator Cormann says everything was appropriate.

"She's clearly somebody who is qualified to do the job and she was hired in certain positions based on merit and there's nothing really further to add," he told Sky News on Sunday.

"All of my advice is that everything was absolutely above board."

Asked if any special jobs had been created for a minister's girlfriend, he said: "That is self-evidently not what happened."

Mr Turnbull has said he was not aware of any inappropriate spending of public funds relating to the affair.
In a telephone call, Macron (R) "asked Vladimir Putin to do everything so that the Syrian regime puts an end to the unbearable deterioration in the humanitarian situation in Eastern Ghouta and Idlib," a statement said

French President Emmanuel Macron urged his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Friday to help ease civilian suffering caused by Syrian government attacks on rebel positions.

In a telephone call, the French leader "asked Vladimir Putin to do everything so that the Syrian regime puts an end to the unbearable deterioration in the humanitarian situation in Eastern Ghouta and Idlib," a statement said.

Russia has intervened alongside Syrian regime forces in the seven-year civil war and Putin is seen as the foreign leader with the most influence over Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Fresh air strikes hit the rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta on Friday, AFP correspondents reported, the fifth straight day of a bombing campaign that has killed more than 220 civilians.

Macron added that he was "worried about indications suggesting the possible use of chlorine on several occasions against the civilian population in Syria these last few weeks".

Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Wednesday that "all the evidence" suggested the chemical was being used.

But Defence Minister Florence Parly was more reserved on Friday when asked if Damascus had crossed a "red line" set out by Macron in May when he said the use of chemical weapons would spark reprisals from France.

"At the moment because we don't know what happened and the consequences of what happened, we can't say we are where you say we are," she told France Inter radio when asked about the "red line".

In his call with Putin, Macron hailed the "dynamic of our bilateral relations" since the pair's first meeting at the Versailles Palace outside Paris at the end of May, the statement said.

Macron also confirmed he would travel to Russia for his first time as president to attend the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum scheduled for May 24-26.
The death sentence for university professor Ahmadreza Djalali in Iran has been widely condemned by rights groups

Four United Nations human rights experts launched a fresh appeal Friday for Iran to annul the death sentence given to university professor Ahmadreza Djalali, accused of passing information to Israel.

The renewed call came days after Iran's Supreme Court reportedly rejected a request to review the sentence.

"We urgently call on Iran to lift the death sentence imposed on Dr. Djalali, as the state has apparently not complied with its international obligations to give him a fair trial and the right to appeal," the experts said in a joint statement.

Djalali, a specialist in emergency medicine resident in Sweden, was detained in April 2016 after a brief visit to Iran.

He was found guilty in October of passing information about two Iranian nuclear scientists to Israel's Mossad intelligence agency that led to their assassinations.

His death sentence has been widely condemned by rights groups including Amnesty International.

The four experts include Jose Antonio Guevara Bermudez, who heads the UN working group on arbitrary detention and Nils Melzer, the UN special rapporteur on torture.

Agnes Callamard, an expert on summary executions and Asma Jahangir, the special rapporteur on human rights in Iran, also co-signed the statement.

They renewed a call first issued in December for Djalali's immediately release.

A total of five Iranian scientists -- four of them involved in the country's nuclear programme -- were killed in bomb and gun attacks in Tehran between 2010 and 2012 at the height of tensions over the country's nuclear ambitions.

Iran has accused Mossad and the CIA of ordering the killings.
Smoke billows from villages surrounding Afrin, Syria, during a Turkish military operation against the Kurdish enclave

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson faces "difficult" talks next week with NATO ally Turkey on Syria and human rights, his delegation said Friday before a regional tour.

Late last month, Ankara began a cross-border offensive in northwestern Syria against what it calls a "terrorist" Kurdish militia. Washington supports and arms the fighters, who back local militias against the Islamic State group (IS).

The Turkish operation further raised tensions between the two countries, whose relations were already complicated.

"We are urging them to show restraint in their operations in Afrin, and to show restraint further along the line across the border in northern Syria," a senior US State Department official told reporters ahead of Tillerson's tour that begins Sunday and will also take him to Cairo, Kuwait City, Amman and Beirut.

"You start with asking for restraint and look for ways that you can help bring it to an end as quickly as possible," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on the US to pull its troops back from Syria's Manbij, which is east of Afrin.

"Obviously we need to work with the Turks to figure out more about what their long-term intentions are," and to try to find a way "to address their legitimate security concerns while, at the same time, minimizing civilian casualties and above all else keeping everything focused on the defeat-ISIS fight, which is not over," the official said.

It will be "a difficult conversation," the official continued, referring to the "very hot" Turkish rhetoric on the subject.

Tillerson's visit is also expected to touch on other sensitive topics.

These include human rights and arrests that the US called "arbitrary" following a state of emergency declared after an attempted coup in 2016.

Turkey last year detained local employees of American diplomatic missions in the country, and arrested Taner Kilic, the president of Amnesty International in Turkey.

"There's no pulling punches on that," a second senior State Department official said.

"We've been very public in our call to the Turks to let these folks go, and we've been very firm in our private conversations with them as well."

He conceded: "The Turks are angry and this is a difficult time to do business."

But Washington believes the two countries share fundamental underlying interests including Syria's stability, the defeat of IS, and countering the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) which both Ankara and the West consider terrorists.
Displaced people from the Libyan town of Tawergha, east of the Libyan capital Tripoli, gather on February 8, 2018 at a temporary camp, 20 kms from Tawergha, after they were denied entry to their hometown

On a windswept desert plain, displaced families from a town which sided with Libya's leader Moamer Kadhafi before his ouster in a 2011 revolt have been left in a makeshift camp to rue their bad fortune.

A last-minute breakdown in a deal to allow their return has left them stranded, within sight of the palm trees of their home town of Tawergha east of the Libyan capital Tripoli and 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the rival town of Misrata.

Armed groups from Misrata expelled Tawergha's residents after accusing them of fighting alongside Kadhafi's forces when their town came under a relentless siege during the uprising, as well as accusing them of taking part in torture, rapes and murders.

Gunmen from Misrata have been blocking the roads into Tawergha since February 1 when hundreds of Tawergha families rolled up in cars to return home under a deal struck by Libya's unity government and Misrata.

They have also fired warning shots, without causing casualties.

"I can't tell you how overjoyed I was when I heard we were going home. We were just at the entrance to town when they blocked the road," Najat al-Fitouri said, standing outside her tent.

Displaced people from the Libyan town of Tawergha are living in a temporary camp after being denied entry to their home town

She had come back from Tobruk, more than 1,000 kilometres (600 miles) to the east, where she had taken refuge with her seven children in 2011.

"I'm not moving. I will stay here even for a year, until I go back," said Fitouri.

Like dozens of other families, she has been camped in Qararat al-Qatf, just 20 kilometres from Tawergha, waiting for results from talks between their mayor and the unity government which has been acting as mediator.

- 'Snakes and scorpions' -

With its 40,000 residents driven out, Tawergha has been reduced to a ghost town in ruins.

Its would-be returnees in Qararat al-Qatf are using their cars as shelter or the hundreds of tents distributed by UN aid agencies.

Two blue tents serve as dispensaries and four portable bathroom units have been set up.

Displaced people from the Libyan town of Tawergha, east of the Libyan capital Tripoli, at a desert camp, 20 kms from Tawergha, after they were denied entry to their hometown

"The situation is miserable," said Daud al-Tuleiha, a former Tawergha town official.

"Since 2011, we've become experts of exodus," he said with a wry smile.

"We move around with our gas cylinders and even wood" used to keep warm and for cooking in the absence of electricity and running water.

"Sometimes we climb up a dune to catch a glimpse of our palm trees," he added.

A neighbour in the camp, Mabruk al-Suwissi, aimed his anger at the government.

"They've left us here without shelter or food for the past week. We need medicine... This desert is crawling with grass snakes and scorpions!" he said.

Tawergha's mayor, Abdelrahman Chakchak, said the return was being held up by elements in Misrata "who don't understand that this is not a reconciliation... This is a return deal that could later lead to a reconciliation".

Displaced people from the Libyan town of Tawergha are living in a temporary camp after being denied entry to their home town

The mayor was giving a tour to the UN-backed unity administration's local government minister, Badad Qansou, the first official to visit the camp.

"I thought the situation was better than this in the camp. We can clearly see families who've been left without shelter," he said, vowing to supply more aid.

"We're determined to guarantee a return to Tawergha free of bloodshed. I see your suffering... A bit of patience and everything will be sorted out," the minister said.

"Haven't we been patient long enough?" a frustrated onlooker shot back.
Syrian civil defence forces, known as the White Helmets, search for victims following an airstrike on the rebel-held enclave of Arbin in Eastern Ghouta near the capital Damascus

The UN Security Council is considering a draft resolution demanding a 30-day ceasefire in Syria to allow for urgent deliveries of humanitarian aid, according to the text seen by AFP on Friday.

Sweden and Kuwait presented the measure that would also demand an immediate end to sieges, including in Eastern Ghouta where a bombing campaign by government forces has killed more than 240 civilians in five days.

The proposed measure came a day after the council failed to back an appeal by UN aid officials for a month-long pause in fighting.

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said it was "not realistic" to impose a ceasefire because armed groups fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces were unlikely to uphold it.

Russia has repeatedly blocked action in the council that would put pressure on its ally Assad.

Negotiations on the proposed measure are to begin on Monday and diplomats said it could quickly come to a vote at the council.

It remained unclear whether Russia would resort to its veto to block the draft resolution proposing the 30-day truce, diplomats said.

Eastern Ghouta

The measure would decide "that all parties to the Syrian conflict shall immediately abide by a humanitarian pause and cessation of violence throughout Syria, for a period of 30 consecutive days," according to the text.

The draft demands that all sides allow medical evacuations 48 hours after the start of the humanitarian pause.

Convoys carrying food, medicine and other vital supplies would be authorized to make weekly deliveries to civilians in need, in particular to the 2.9 million Syrians living under siege or in hard-to-reach areas.

- Cease depriving of food -

UN aid officials accuse the Syrian government of blocking all aid convoys to besieged areas since January.

Rights group accuse the Assad regime of resorting to starve-and-siege tactics against rebel-held areas.

The draft resolution calls on all parties to "immediately lift the sieges of populated areas" and "cease depriving civilians of food and medicine indispensable for their survival."

A resolution presented to the UN Security Council by Sweden and Kuwait calls for a ceasefire in Syria and an immediate end to sieges, including in Eastern Ghouta

The UN humanitarian coordinator in Syria, Panos Moumtzis, on Tuesday called for the month-long ceasefire across Syria as fighting in Eastern Ghouta and Idlib escalated.

Western powers have expressed alarm over the government's bombing campaign in rebel-held Eastern Ghouta, where 400,000 people have been living under siege since 2013.

UNICEF said dozens of children have reportedly been killed this week and that life under such heavy violence had turned into a "living nightmare" for children.

The draft resolution expresses "outrage at the unacceptable level of violence escalating in several parts of the country," in particular in Eastern Ghouta and Idlib.

Sweden and Kuwait, two non-permanent council members, are leading efforts to address the humanitarian crisis in Syria at the top UN body.

More than 13.1 million Syrians are in need of humanitarian aid, including 6.1 million who have been displaced within the country during the nearly seven-year war.
Much of Mosul's Old City remains in ruins, almost seven months after Iraqi forces seized the country's second city from Islamic State group jihadists

Months after declaring victory over jihadists, war-battered Iraq hopes to attract billions of dollars from private investors as well as donors to fund its reconstruction.

Baghdad is looking to drum up funds at a reconstruction conference in neighbouring Kuwait from February 12 to 14 after announcing the defeat of the Islamic State group at the end of last year.

The country is still reeling from the rise of IS and the punishing fightback it took to crush the jihadists, with swathes of its territory in ruins and millions of people displaced.

Authorities in the resource-rich nation say there has been a heavy toll on oil, electricity and manufacturing infrastructure, as well as basic services such as water and sanitation.

Workers clean up debris from a street in Mosul's Old City, on January 8, 2018, six months after Iraqi forces seized the country's second city from Islamic State group jihadists

Iraq needs to raise $100 billion to rebuild, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has said, after the fight against IS and decades of sanctions and war.

"It's a huge amount of money. We know we cannot provide it through our own budget," he said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland last month.

"That's why we now resorted to investment," he said.

Iraq sits on some of the world's largest crude reserves, which Baghdad puts at 153 billion barrels, but the war against IS and a slump in world prices have diminished its oil revenues.

- 'Huge destruction' -

The Kuwait conference's second day will be devoted to the private sector's role in rebuilding Iraq, with more than 2,000 companies and businessmen due to attend, according to the Gulf country.

International organisations are to speak on the first day, while attending donor countries are expected to make announcements on the third.

The US State Department has said that rather than "direct contributions", Washington has "focused on the private sector. It has teamed up with the US Chamber of Commerce to organise a delegation of over 150 American companies to travel to Kuwait" for the conference.

A picture taken on December 16, 2017 shows Iraqi volunteers salvaging and cleaning up the debris and destruction in the Bab al-Saray area in the old city of the northern Iraqi city of Mosul

Iraq -- the second largest producer within OPEC after Saudi Arabia -- has already called for help from investors worldwide, even as it seeks to ramp up output from its largely untapped reserves.

Kuwait is setting aside its past differences with Iraq to host the summit.

In August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait after accusing its neighbour of "stealing" Iraqi oil from a field straddling the border.

That sparked the first Gulf War, which ended after a US-led coalition ousted Iraqi forces from the emirate.

Iraqis have since weathered international sanctions, a US-led invasion in 2003 and the battle against IS.

Today, some 2.6 million people remain displaced across the country, the International Organization for Migration has said.

Satellite imagery shows some 26,000 houses are destroyed or seriously damaged, including more than 17,000 in the jihadists' former bastion of Mosul.

"There is huge destruction and a huge need to mobilise support," said Erfan Ali, Iraq representative of the UN Human Settlements Programme.

- Education, education -

Ali said there are big hopes the private sector will play a major role in rebuilding, offering "innovative solutions" to tackle the country's problems.

An Iraqi boy rides his bicycle past destruction in Nujaifi Street in the old city of Mosul on January 9, 2018

Attracting investors will be no easy task in a country ranked as the world's tenth most corrupt in Transparency International's 2016 Corruption Perceptions Index.

But Ali said companies and businessmen will have access to a "reconstruction data platform to ensure accountability and transparency".

Peter Hawkins, representative for the UN children's fund in Iraq, says reconstruction will be a mammoth task -- not just in Mosul, retaken from IS last July after several months of fighting, but also elsewhere.

Though much of the battle against IS took place in northern Iraq, its southern provinces have also suffered from government budget cuts during the conflict.

Overstretched schools in the south teach children in two or three shifts, the UNICEF official said.

Displaced Iraqi children who fled from the city of Baiji are seen in a camp on the outskirts of the city on November 27, 2017

Iraq -- where nearly a quarter of the population survive on less than $2 a day -- needs "major investment in health, education, social warfare" and water resources, he said.

Above all, educating young Iraqis is a chief concern, Hawkins said.

"If we do not start to invest in children's education today, this generation will be lost and will not be able to contribute to the economy and the security of Iraq when they grow up."
US spies paid a Russian man $100,000 in an attempt to buy back top secret hacking tools stolen from the National Security Agency, seen here

A Russian man promising stolen hacking tools and compromising information on President Donald Trump fleeced American spies for $100,000 last year, The New York Times reported Friday.

In a story worthy of a John le Carre novel that included secret USB-drive handovers in a small West Berlin bar and coded messages delivered over the National Security Agency's Twitter account, CIA agents reportedly spent much of last year trying to buy back from the Russian hacking programs stolen from the NSA.

The seller, who was not identified but had links to both cyber criminals and Russian intelligence, tantalized the US spies with an offer of the NSA hacking tools that had been advertised for sale online by a shady group called the Shadow Brokers.

Some of the tools, developed by the NSA to break into the computers of US rivals, were used by other hackers last year to break into computer systems around the world, including the global malware attack last May.

The seller, reached through a chain of intermediaries, wanted $1 million.

The $100,000, delivered in a cash-stuffed suitcase handed over in a Berlin hotel room, was an initial payment by US agents still dubious he really had what he was promising.

- Trump kompromat -

The seller also repeatedly pressed US agents with offers of compromising materials, or kompromat, on Trump, the Times said, citing US and European intelligence officials.

Although an investigation was already underway back in Washington on the link between Moscow and the Trump campaign, the agents did not want to get involved in anything that smelled of the politics back home.

The story -- which was also reported by The Intercept, an online magazine on nationals security matters -- paints a classic spy versus spy story where the US agents aren't ever certain about who they are dealing with and whether or not they are being baited and played by their Russian counterparts.

US intelligence officials say Russia interfered with the 2016 election to help elect Trump, and continues to use disinformation to sow confusion in the American political system.

The Intercept reported that the operation created rifts in the CIA, which is led by Trump loyalist Mike Pompeo but has many staffers still smarting over the president's repeated harsh comments about the intelligence community's role in the Russia meddling investigation.

The Russian's first delivery turned out to be hacking tools the Shadow Brokers had already released.

And he kept pushing his offer of kompromat on Trump, including shady financial records and a sex video that the US spies didn't really want.

In the end, the deal broke down last month -- the Russian did not come up with any of the unreleased NSA materials, and the Trump-related materials were either already known or untrustworthy.

The Russian was told by the Americans to leave Western Europe and not return, according to the Times.
Since it first began production in 2014, Agbaou gold mine in central Ivory Coast has been hit by protests

Villagers in central Ivory Coast are savouring a rare victory after reaching a deal with a Canadian gold mine operator following a four-year battle for compensation that at times turned violent.

Since it began operating in 2014, the Agbaou gold mine -- which covers an area of 334 square kilometres (130 square miles), or nearly 10 times that of New York's Central Park -- has been hit by demonstrations by local people angered that they had not received money for the loss of lands used for agriculture.

Protesters staged a string of activities that braked activity at the mine, an open-cast facility run by Endeavour Mining that extracts around three tonnes of gold per year.

With the authorities keen to develop the mining sector, the standoff eventually led to talks which culminated in a deal on Thursday.

Under it, the mine agreed to offer employment to around 100 young people and pay out an unspecified sum.

"I am happy," said Allalo Grah Jephte, a representative for the youth of Agbaou, which lies about 200 kilometres (120 miles) northwest of the coastal city of Abidjan, Ivory Coast's economic capital.

- A costly dispute -

The dispute arose when work began on the mine in 2012. When the site became operational two years later, it sparked demonstrations which at times turned violent with locals frequently blocking access to the site.

The deadlock cost the company 600 million CFA francs ($1.12 million, 92 million euros) annually, Endeavour said.

In its defence, it said it had paid out a total of 6.7 billion CFA francs in compensation over the previous five years, earmarked to more than 1,100 farmers and landowners.

Operated Canada's Endeavour Mining, the Agbaou gold mine covers an area of 334 square kilometres (130 square miles)

The remaining 1.5 million was given to a local development committee to finance roads, education and health infrastructure, Endeavour said.

But local residents say they never saw a penny of this money -- and their resentment quickly turned into protest.

In order to draw a line under the standoff, Endeavour Mining and its affiliates working at Agbaou and another mine in the western village of Ity held two days of talks involving the local authorities, traditional elders and groups representing women and young people.

According to the document outlining details of the agreement, both sides agreed to "end all forms of violence and intimidation" through the establishment of a mechanism "for direct communication in order to identify possible crises and tensions between the mines and local stakeholders".

- 'Jobs for our children' -

"It's a first, we want to develop a social dialogue... which aims to avoid misunderstandings and conduct likely to block... the mine's activity," said Daniel Yai, who heads Endeavour's operations in Ivory Coast.

"Blocking the mines creates problems for everyone."

Although Endeavour did not comment on the specifics of the deal, Jephte said the firm had agreed to take on and train around 100 local youths.

Further financial payouts are also included in the deal, but the sum has not been disclosed.

Until now, residents from the Agbaou area have only made up about a third of the 900 or so people employed directly or indirectly by the mine, company figures show.

Until now, local residents have only made up a third of the 900 or so people employed directly or indictly by Ivory Coast's Agabao mine

Last year, Jephte spent six months in prison along with two others for allegedly instigating the protests, a charge they deny.

The new consultation framework would help bring about "the training of young people to work in the mines," he said.

Koffi Amenan, who heads the local women's association, also welcomed the plans to offer much-needed employment to the area's youngsters.

"Because the mine took over our agricultural land, we don't have any more farming jobs," she said.

Industrial production of gold in Ivory Coast reached 25 tonnes in 2017, up two percent on the previous year, government figures show but further promising deposits are still in development.

In a country where cocoa remains the main export commodity, the mining industry accounts for just three percent of gross domestic product today.

President Alassane Ouattara wants to exploit the country's huge mining potential, and although only gold and manganese are industrially produced, there are also deposits of iron, nickel, bauxite and copper in its soil.
A man holds a copy of "Hands Off My Gun," a book by National Rifle Association (NRA) spokeswoman Dana Loesch

Each time there's another mass shooting in the United States, Shannon Watts and Dana Loesch take to Twitter on opposite ends of the gun debate.

Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, makes the arguments for stricter gun control in a country with 33,000 gun-related deaths a year.

Loesch, spokeswoman for the National Rifle Association (NRA) and a conservative radio host, lays out the case for why Americans need weapons for self-defense.

The two women have become among the most prominent public faces of the gun control debate with hundreds of thousands of followers across the United States.

Local elections can be won or lost on a word from either one of the well-connected activists.

They are masters of social media, even going so far as to "troll" each other, mostly on their Twitter feeds but also sometimes even in person.

Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, speaks at a news conference

In a video on YouTube, Loesch can be seen confronting Watts at a rally asking her "Do you claim to speak for all Moms or just Moms who are for gun control?"

Watts brushes her off and walks away, saying she does not want to engage with Loesch because she has been "so insulting to me online."

Watts has dismissed Loesch on Twitter as a "paid NRA shill" and accused her of using "racist, bigoted and violent rhetoric."

Loesch has repeatedly struck back at Watts on her own Twitter account, @DLoesch, which has more than 700,000 followers and where she touts her devotion to God, family and guns.

Tattoed on her forearm is "Ephesians," a reference to the New Testament verse urging Christians to don the "armor of God" to fight evil.

- 'Hands Off My Gun' -

"I'm a Mom," the 39-year-old Loesch says in an ad for the NRA. "And just like millions of other women that's why I own guns.

Members of gun control group Moms Demand Action stage a rally in Washington

"We're responsible, we're law-abiding and we're everything that makes America strong," she says.

The cover of her book "Hands Off My Gun: Defeating the Plot to Disarm America" features Loesch in a tight red dress and high heels holding a rifle.

Last month, Loesch interviewed Vice President Mike Pence for her nationally syndicated radio program, "The Dana Show."

"I'm a fan," Pence told her. "Thanks for your great voice all across America."

Watts, who is in her mid 40s, was a public relations executive for Fortune 500 companies before putting her career aside to raise five children in Indiana.

Her life changed on December 14, 2012.

That was the day when 20 children aged six and seven years old were shot dead by a mentally unbalanced young man at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut.

Spurred to take action, Watts started a Facebook page and her crusade against gun violence has snowballed since then, earning her the nickname the "NRA's worst nightmare"

Five years later, her Moms Demand Action page on Facebook has more than 560,000 followers and her Twitter account @shannonrwatts more than 115,000.

"Moms Demand Action For Gun Sense In America" now claims to have chapters in all 50 states.

Its members, clad in trademark red T-shirts, are regularly seen at city hall and outside state legislatures putting pressure on lawmakers.

The group has significant funding from its association with "Everytown for Gun Safety," the gun control group led by billionaire Michael Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York.

For all their differences, the two women claim to have something in common.

Both have received numerous death threats.
Nashville Mayor Megan Barry, seen here in March 2016, is fighting for her political life after admitting to an extramarital affair with the chief of her security detail Mayor Megan Barry's public admission last week of the affair with Sergeant Robert Forrest has kicked off three investigations. It also has raised comparisons to the MeToo movement -- in this case, in a role reversal where a powerful woman may have taken advantage of a married male subordinate. "I am embarrassed and I am sad, and I am so sorry for all the pain that I have caused my family and his family," Barry, who is also married, said last week, as she revealed the two-year affair.

Until last week, Nashville Mayor Megan Barry was a rising political star.

A popular Democrat in deeply conservative Tennessee, Barry is the first female mayor of America's country music capital -- a liberal enclave in the southern state.

The 54-year-old presided over the city's economic growth, officiated its first same-sex wedding, and advocated for an ambitious $5 billion mass transit plan.

"She was becoming increasingly visible on the national political stage," said political science professor Joshua Clinton, of Nashville's Vanderbilt University.

Then, came January 31.

Standing alone in front of news cameras, Barry confessed to a two-year extramarital affair with Sergeant Robert Forrest, the city police officer in charge of her personal security.

Barry is married. So is the officer. The affair had ended, she said, and both were trying to mend their personal lives.

"I am embarrassed and I am sad, and I am so sorry for all the pain that I have caused my family and his family," Barry said.

The revelation was a bombshell.

Now Barry is fighting for her political life amid three official investigations, but has ruled out resigning. Sergeant Forrest retired from the city's police department.

In the era of the "MeToo" movement, with powerful men toppled over accusations of harassment or sexual impropriety, there have been questions over whether the mayor's case was a reversal of that now-familiar narrative.

Did a powerful woman survive a scandal while her male subordinate did not? Was the police officer's career over by choice?

- 'Two middle-aged people' -

During her news conference, Barry dismissed any parallel with the abuses fuelling the MeToo movement.

"This is not about sexually harassing and economically disadvantaging women," she said. "This is a consensual relationship between two middle-aged people who had feelings for each other."

The officer has not spoken publicly about why he chose to retire.

The gender role reversal -- compared to most of the scandals exposed in recent months -- may lessen the suspicions that Barry took advantage of her bodyguard.

But Clinton suspects the mayor's gender could affect how the scandal plays out in other ways -- exposing her to tougher scrutiny in the affair's aftermath, because she is a woman.

"Politicians have obviously survived similar issues in the past," Clinton told AFP. "One issue is whether she is treated differently by voters because of her gender."

There is another important element, as well, said Vaughn May, a politics professor at Belmont University in Nashville.

"I suspect that she could survive the affair if issues of public trust were not a part of the story," May told AFP.

"But with some constituents screaming that the affair impacted public policy, it's a harder call."

- 'Dirty laundry' -

Mayor Barry is now facing multiple inquiries into her actions, financial expenditures, and her decision-making since the affair began, which, by her own admission, was in the Spring of 2016.

The latest probe, launched Wednesday, was prompted by a complaint that the affair may have led the mayor to oppose more police oversight.

"The simple fact is she knew there was at least one officer who could air her dirty laundry at a moment's notice," Theeda Murphy, a police reform advocate, said in her complaint, according to The Tennessean newspaper.

"That fact alone brings into question her ability to be an honest broker in any discussion or consideration of (police reform) issues."

There are two other investigations taking place, regarding how the mayor spent public funds in connection with official trips and public appearances.

Since the sergeant and the mayor often traveled together, officials now want to know whether any of the trips were personal rather than professional.

"There were no policies that were violated. Nothing illegal happened," Barry said during her news conference.

But the questions linger. And as investigators and the media pore over records, the trickle of salacious details threaten to continue unabated.
President Moon Jae-in (C, greeting the North Korean leader's sister Kim Yo Jong and Kim Yong Nam) is rarely shown in Pyongyang's official media

South Korean President Moon Jae-in made a rare appearance in the North's official media Saturday, with four pictures of him in the Rodong Sinmun, the official mouthpiece of the Workers Party.

As ever, its front page lead story was on the activities of leader Kim Jong Un -- in this instance, being given a gift by Zimbabwes visiting air force commander.

But it carried seven front page pictures on the departure from Pyongyang and arrival in Seoul of its diplomatic delegation to the Winter Olympics, led by ceremonial head of state Kim Yong Nam and including the leader's sister Kim Yo Jong.

Inside, it had seven more pictures of their meetings with Moon and the opening ceremony in Pyeongchang -- four of them featuring the South Korean leader, who was described as president.

It is extremely unusual for the paper to show a picture of a Southern leader, and rare for them to be referred to as president, usually being described as chief executive or some other title.

The Winter Olympics have driven a rapid rapprochement on the Korean peninsula, where fears of a new conflict mounted last year as the nuclear-armed North carried out a series of missile tests and its most powerful atomic blast to date.

Critics -- among them US Vice President Mike Pence and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe -- warn of a charm offensive by Pyongyang, which mounted a military parade on Thursday in a show of strength.

The North's official Korean Central News Agency also referred to Moon as president.

Kim Yong Nam and Kim Yo Jong were the first individuals mentioned in its report on the opening ceremony, saying that they took their places on the platform at the event.

"Present there were members of a high-level delegation of the DPRK and its National Olympic Committee delegation, art troupe and cheering group," it went on.

Moon did not appear until the fifth paragraph: "Attending it were President Moon Jae In and personages of political and social circles of south Korea."

But it made no mention of US President Mike Pence, who was seated in the same box as Moon and the two North Koreans.

"Spectators broke into cheers and applause" when the North and South Korean athletes entered the arena together behind a unification flag, it added.
Gui was one of five Hong Kong-based booksellers known for publishing gossipy titles about Chinese political leaders who disappeared in 2015 and resurfaced in mainland China

Detained book publisher Gui Minhai has surfaced nearly three weeks after disappearing into police custody in China, confessing wrongdoing and accusing his adopted country Sweden of manipulating him like a "chess piece".

It was unclear whether the Chinese-born Gui's statement was made under duress, but video of his confession shows him flanked by two police officers and a close friend said the remarks were "not to be believed."

The Chinese-born Gui, 53, was arrested on a train to Beijing last month while travelling with two Swedish diplomats -- the second time he has vanished into Chinese custody in murky circumstances.

Sweden, the European Union and the United States have called for Gui's release, with Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom on Monday calling his seizure "brutal".

But Gui accused Sweden of "sensationalising" his case.

"I have stated that I do not want Sweden to continue to sensationalise what has happened to me. But obviously, Sweden has not stopped doing so," he said in the video.

"I felt that it was necessary for me to come out and say something."

The video emerged from an "interview" set up on Friday with handpicked Chinese media, according to their reports.

Gui was travelling by train to Beijing from the eastern China city of Ningbo, where doctors had said he may have the neurological disease ALS.

He was to see a Swedish specialist in the capital but was arrested aboard the train.

Gui said Friday that Swedish officials had pressured him to leave China despite being barred from doing so due to pending legal cases.

"I have declined a few times. But because they were instigating me non-stop, I fell for it," said Gui.

"Looking back, I might have become Sweden's chess piece. I broke the law again under their instigation. My wonderful life has been ruined and I would never trust the Swedish ever again."

Gui was one of five Hong Kong-based booksellers known for publishing gossipy titles about Chinese political leaders who disappeared in 2015 and resurfaced in mainland China.

Gui was on holiday in Thailand at the time.

He eventually re-emerged at an undisclosed Chinese location, confessing to involvement in a fatal traffic accident and smuggling illegal books into mainland China.

- 'Shocked and sad' -

China has given scant details on his arrest but acknowledged on Tuesday that Gui was in custody under criminal law, without offering further specifics.

Chinese criminal suspects often appear in videotaped "confessions" that rights groups say sometimes bear the hallmarks of official arm-twisting.

Gui's family members could not immediately be reached for comment.

But dissident poet Bei Ling, a friend of Gui's, said there was "no doubt" that the publisher wanted to seek medical treatment overseas.

"I'm very shocked and very sad. It's difficult to listen to him say these things," Bei told AFP.

"I believe his statements, made under circumstances without freedom... (are) not to be believed."

"How can we believe whether the words of someone who is oppressed -- like a prisoner -- are real?" he said, adding that Gui looked "unwell".

Gui's relatives have previously expressed fears that he will receive a lengthy prison sentence, jeopardising his health.

But on Friday, Gui said no doctors had diagnosed him with ALS, adding, "I think Sweden has exaggerated this and manipulated (me)."

"I have seen through the Swedish government. If they continue to create troubles, I may consider giving up my Swedish citizenship," he said.
The US Navy is investigating sailors at Yokosuka base for alleged drug use, reportedly including some serving aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan

The US Navy said Saturday it was probing sailors at a base in Japan over alleged drug use and vowed no tolerance for any misconduct.

"Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) is investigating Yokosuka-based sailors for alleged drug use and distribution," the 7th Fleet said, referring to its home base southwest of Tokyo.

"The Navy has zero tolerance for drug abuse and takes all allegations involving misconduct of our sailors, navy civilians and family members very seriously," it said in a comment emailed to AFP.

It added the allegations were still under investigation and would not comment further.

The response came after the Wall Street Journal reported that at least a dozen sailors were being investigated on suspicion of buying, selling and using LSD, ecstasy and other drugs.

Some of them were serving aboard the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier whose home port is Yokosuka, the journal quoted navy officials as saying Friday.

The navy was also probing whether US sailors were using the internet to buy or sell drugs or were distributing them to local Japanese residents, it said.

The drug allegations come at a time when Japan is touting its security alliance with the United States to counter missile and nuclear threats from North Korea.

The 7th Fleet has also been hit by a string of accidents in the last year.

In August, the destroyer USS John S. McCain collided with a tanker off Singapore, killing 10 sailors and injuring five others.

Two months earlier in June, another destroyer, the USS Fitzgerald, and a cargo ship smashed into each other off Japan, leaving seven sailors dead.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has invited his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in for a summit in Pyongyang, officials say.

His hand-written invitation came as the U.S. warned the South not to be seduced by Pyongyang's Olympic charm offensive.

The missive was delivered by Kim's visiting sister Kim Yo-jong, who said he was willing to meet 'at the earliest date possible', a spokesman for South Korea's presidential palace said.

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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister Kim Yo-jong (left) hands over the meeting invitation written by Kim Jong-un to South Korea's President Moon Jae-in (right) during their meeting at the presidential Blue House in Seoul on Friday

Warming relations: The President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea Kim Young-nam shakes hands with the President of the Pyeongchang 2018 Organising Committee Lee Hee-beom during a banquet hosted by the Unification Ministry in Gangneung on Saturday

Ri Son-gwon (left), the head of the North's state agency in charge of inter-Korean affairs, and Kim Yo-jong (right), the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, attended a banquet for the North Korean high-level delegates in Seoul on Saturday

Police cordon off the streets leading to the presidential office in Seoul, South Korea, on Saturday as the motorcade of the North Korean delegation passes through

South Korea's President Moon Jae-in (left) walks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister Kim Yo-jong (right) as they convene for a lunch at the presidential Blue House in Seoul on Friday

It would be the first summit in more than 10 years between the Korean leaders.

Moon said the two countries should 'make it happen' and urged the North to restart negotiations with the U.S.

Washington is not expected to support the initiative - recently the Trump administration has been exerting 'maximum pressure' on North Korea to abandon its nuclear programme.

Vice President Mike Pence is in Seoul, where he was reported to have described Kim's regime as 'the most tyrannical' on earth.

The hardline U.S. policy is at odds with the more conciliatory approach towards the North favoured by South Korea.

President Moon supports more engagement with North Korea and held three hours of talks over lunch on Friday in the presidential palace with Kim Yo-jong and Kim Yong-nam, who is technically North Korea's head of state.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and First Lady Kim Jung-sook (front left) applaud the joint Korean team on Friday as North Korea's ceremonial leader Kim Yong-nam and Kim Yo-jong, sister of Kim Jong-un (back right) wave to their athletes

The invitation said North Korean Kim Jong-un (above) was willing to meet the South's leader 'at the earliest date possible'

Any summit between the two Koreas is unliekly to be welcomed by the U.S. - Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen Pence (above) watched the Opening Ceremony of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics on Friday close to the North Korean delegation

The North Korean invitation puts Moon in a difficult position as he seeks a rapprochement with the north on the one hand and a desire not to upset the U.S. on the other.

An inter-Korean summit would be the third of its kind, after Kim's father and predecessor Kim Jong Il met the South's Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun in 2000 and 2007 respectively, both of them in Pyongyang.

North Korea has dispatched athletes, performers and diplomatic delegates to the South after months of prevaricating as to whether it would even participate in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.

The letter delivered by 'Special envoy Kim Yo-jong' stated her brother's 'wish to improve inter-Korean relations', Moon's spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said.

She verbally conveyed Kim's invitation to Moon 'to visit the North at his most convenient time', he added.

Moon did not immediately accept the offer but in the past has called for efforts to 'create the right conditions to realise' such a visit.

'It is absolutely necessary for the North and the United States to engage in talks at an early date,' his spokesman said.

Washington has long insisted the North must show a willingness to denuclearise before any negotiations - which Pyongyang says it will never do.

Later on Saturday Mr Moon and Kim Yong-nam are due to attend an ice hockey match between North and South Korea -- believed to be the first such contest of its kind.
An Israeli fighter jet crashes in northern Israel on February 10, 2018 after coming fire from Syrian air defences in one of the biggest confrontations between Israel and arch foe Iran in years

Israel attacked what it said were Iranian positions inside Syria on Saturday in "large-scale" raids after one of its warplanes was targeted by Syrian air defences and crashed.

Following the most serious confrontation between arch foes Israel and Iran since Syria's civil war began in 2011, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to prevent Tehran from establishing a threatening military presence in the Arab state.

Israel's raids came after it intercepted what it said was an Iranian drone entering its airspace from Syria, calling it an "attack".

Washington backed Israel and blamed Iran for the escalation.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for "an immediate and unconditional de-escalation of violence" in Syria, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

It was the first time Israel has publicly acknowledged targeting what it identified as Iranian positions in Syria since the conflict started.

Iran denounced Israeli "lies" and said Syria had the right to self-defence in response to the strikes.

Separately, Iran issued a statement with Syria's other main allies -- Russia and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah -- denying Israel's drone allegations.

Russia's foreign ministry urged "restraint" by all parties, adding it was "unacceptable to create threats to the lives and security of Russian soldiers" in Syria.

Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus warned that Syria and Iran were "playing with fire", but stressed that his country was not seeking an escalation.

"This is the most blatant and severe Iranian violation of Israeli sovereignty" in recent years, Conricus told journalists.

- '12 targets attacked' -

Israel said its reprisals were "large-scale" raids on Syrian air defence systems and Iranian targets.

"Twelve targets, including three aerial defence batteries and four Iranian targets that are part of Iran's military establishment in Syria were attacked," a military statement said.

The two crew from the crashed F16 were alive after ejecting, although one was severely wounded, the military said.

They landed inside Israel and were taken to hospital.

Israel said the confrontation began with the drone entering its airspace before being intercepted by a helicopter.

Conricus said it was intercepted well inside Israel north of the city of Beit Shean, near the Jordan border.

UN peacekeepers monitor the Israel-Syria border on the Golan Heights on February 10, 2018

He did not say whether the drone was armed, but alleged it "was on a military mission sent by Iranian military forces" from an "Iranian base" in the Palmyra area.

Eight Israeli aircraft then "targeted the Iranian control systems in Syria that sent the UAV" and confirmed hits, Conricus said.

He said the aircraft met "massive Syrian anti-air fire", and the F16 later came down in northern Israel's Jezreel valley.

Damascus said its air defences repelled two Israeli raids on its military bases in central Syria, hitting more than one warplane during the first.

- 'Israel wants peace' -

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, said Israel had targeted several bases in the east of the central province of Homs.

It said the bases are used by both Iranians and Russians deployed in support of the regime.

Syrian state media said the later raids targeted positions in the south.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi accused Israel of lying.

"Iran does not have a military presence in Syria, and has only sent military advisors at the request of the Syrian government," he said.

The statement from Iran, Russia and Hezbollah dismissed Israel's drone allegations as "lies".

It said Israel had targeted drones used against "terrorist organisations", mainly the Islamic State group.

Hezbollah in a separate statement said the F16's downing marked the start of a "new strategic era".

Danny Danon, Israel's ambassador to the UN, called on the Security Council "to condemn this dangerous act and to put an immediate end to Iranian provocations".

Speaking after meeting defence officials, Netanyahu reiterated that Israel would not allow Iran to establish itself militarily in Syria.

"Israel wants peace but we will continue to defend ourselves with determination against any attack on us and against any attempt by Iran to entrench itself militarily in Syria or anywhere else," he said.

Netanyahu said he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin, adding that they agreed to continue their coordination on Syria.

The Kremlin said Putin had stressed the necessity to "avoid any measure that could lead to a dangerous escalation".

- Still at war -

Netanyahu said he also spoke to US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who is about to embark on a visit to the region.

The US State Department said it "strongly supports Israel's sovereign right to defend itself", calling "for an end to Iranian behaviour that threatens peace and stability".

Netanyahu has spoken with Putin several times in recent months in a bid to persuade Russia to limit Iran's presence near Israel.

Israel is technically at war with Syria and occupies a swathe of the strategic Golan Heights that it seized in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed in a move never recognised by the international community.

Israel has sought to avoid direct involvement in the Syria conflict, but acknowledges carrying out dozens of air strikes there to stop what it calls deliveries of advanced weaponry to Hezbollah.
Heavily armed militants attacked the Sunjuwan army base in Jammu

Two Indian soldiers and two attackers were killed Saturday in an ongoing firefight after a group of suspected insurgents assaulted a military base in the Jammu region of Indian-administered Kashmir, officials said.

The pre-dawn attack left nine others injured, including women and children, after heavily armed militants stormed the Sunjuwan Army camp near Jammu, the second largest city in the disputed Himalayan region close to the border with Pakistan.

"The army has killed two heavily armed terrorists. One Junior Commissioned Officer and one Non-Commissioned Officer have been martyred and nine others injured, including five women and children," an army statement said late Saturday.

The statement said the operation was continuing late into the night, with an unconfirmed number of attackers still holed up inside the installation.

Arms, ammunition and other belongings seized from the slain attackers confirmed their association with Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), the statement said.

Jammu's regional police chief S.D. Singh told AFP that the attack kicked off around 4:55 am (2325 GMT Friday) when guards came under a hail of bullets near the base's boundary wall.

"The attackers later entered the camp and they have been cornered in one of the family quarters," Singh told AFP.

Television footage showed a helicopter hovering over the gunfight site as soldiers moved inside the base in armoured vehicles.

Officials said scores of people from the army's family quarters were safely evacuated before a counter offensive was launched by elite commandos.

There was no clarity on the number of attackers or their nationalities.

Hindu-majority Jammu, located in the foothills of the mountainous region, is relatively peaceful but has repeatedly seen militant assaults on military bases close to the state's border with Pakistan.

Seven soldiers were killed in a similar attack in Jammu after suspected Pakistani militants in police uniforms stormed a major army base in November 2016.

The attack came just a month after India said it launched "surgical strikes" on militant bases inside Pakistan-administered Kashmir to avenge the killing of 19 soldiers in an assault on another base in Kashmir region in September 2016.

India accuses Pakistan of sending armed militants from across the border to attack its forces, a charge denied by Islamabad.

Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence from Britain in 1947. Both claim the territory in full and have fought two wars over the mountainous region.

Hundreds of thousands of people, mostly civilians, have died in an armed insurgency that erupted in 1989.

Rebel groups, including the JeM, have for years fought the roughly half a million Indian soldiers deployed in the region, demanding that Kashmir be granted independence or merged with Pakistan.

New Delhi accuses JeM of staging attacks in Kashmir and elsewhere, including a deadly strike on the Indian Parliament in 2001 that brought the two nuclear-armed neighbours to the brink of war.
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi poses for a picture after being presented with the highest Palestinian award in the West Bank city of Ramallah

Narendra Modi on Saturday became the first Indian prime minister to visit the occupied West Bank where he held talks with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas as part of a Middle East tour.

The visit, which came weeks after Modi hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was seen as an Indian effort to balance its strengthening ties with the Jewish state.

"I have once again assured President Abbas that India is bound by a promise to take care of the Palestinian people's interests," Modi said following a meeting with the Palestinian leader.

"India hopes that soon Palestine will become a free country in a peaceful manner."

Modi and his entourage had flown in by helicopter from Jordan, landing near Abbas's Ramallah headquarters and laying a wreath at the mausoleum of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

New Delhi has long backed the Palestinian territories' quest for nationhood and Modi has voiced support for an independent state existing peacefully alongside Israel.

After a bilateral meeting, Abbas gave the Indian leader a medal "in recognition of his wise leadership" and "efforts to promote the historic relations between the State of Palestine and the Republic of India."

Speaking alongside Modi, Abbas said they had discussed "bringing the political process out of the deadlock due to the continued Israeli occupation of our land and the political impasse following (US President Donald) Trump's decision on Jerusalem and the refugees".

Trump in December shocked the Palestinians by breaking with decades of US policy and recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The US president is also withholding tens of millions of dollars from UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.

"We count on India's role as an international force of great prestige and weight," Abbas said, noting "its rising power at the strategic and economic levels" that could "contribute to the achievement of a just peace in our region".

The Indian leader said his country "hopes for peace and stability in this region".

"We believe a permanent solution to Palestine is possible through dialogue. Only diplomacy and farsightedness can break the cycle of violence and free it from the baggage of the past," Modi said.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas (R) shakes hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a joint press conference following their meeting in the West Bank city of Ramallah on February 10, 2018

"India and Palestine's historic relations have stood the test of time. Palestinian interests have always got our support and remained at the top in our foreign policy."

Modi became the first Indian prime minister ever to visit Israel in July last year, with the two states signing deals on cybersecurity and energy.

India's refusal to back US moves to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital disappointed the Jewish state but was consistent with its support for the Palestinians.

Modi was later taking off for Jordan for the rest of his three-day tour, which will also take him to Oman and the United Arab Emirates.

The Gulf is a critical region for New Delhi.

India sources more than half its oil and energy supplies from the region, and around nine million Indians live and work there, sending home billions of dollars in remittances annually.
Israeli soldiers in the occupied Golan Heights stand guard on the armistice line with Syria on February 10, 2018 after one of the biggest flare-ups in years

Israel's military said Saturday Iran and Syria were "playing with fire" but that it was not seeking an escalation after a confrontation resulted in large-scale Israeli air strikes inside Syria.

Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus made the comments after Saturday's confrontation, the most serious between arch foes Israel and Iran since the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011.

Conricus told journalists in a phone conference the Syrians and Iranians were "playing with fire" but Israel was "not looking to escalate the situation."

"This is the most blatant and severe Iranian violation of Israeli sovereignty in the last years," Conricus said, referring to what he described as an Iranian drone entering Israeli airspace from Syria.

"That's why our response is as severe as it is."

Earlier Saturday, an Israeli fighter jet crashed after coming under fire from Syrian air defences during attacks against "Iranian targets" in the war-torn country, an Israeli military spokesman said.

The Israeli military said it later attacked 12 Syrian and Iranian targets in Syria in what it described as "large-scale" raids.

Israel's initial raid that led to the plane crash came after it intercepted what it said was an Iranian drone entering its airspace from Syria.
Jose Luis Gascon urged the police and justice ministry to cooperate with the International Criminal Court

The Philippine human rights chief said Saturday that his agency was ready to work with the International Criminal Court as it investigates the thousands of killings carried out in President Rodrigo Duterte's anti-drug war.

Jose Luis Gascon, chief of the Commission on Human Rights, also urged the police and justice ministry to cooperate with the ICC in its "preliminary examination" into whether Duterte has committed a crime against humanity in conducting his brutal crackdown on drugs.

ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda announced earlier this week that her office would analyse the alleged crimes carried out since July 1, 2016.

Since Duterte took office in mid-2016, he has overseen a crackdown that has left nearly 4,000 drug suspects dead at the hands of the police. But rights groups say the actual toll is three times that number.

"The CHR is ready, if requested, to assist in any way with the process of preliminary examination. The government, as a party to the Rome Statute, is duty-bound to fully cooperate with the ICC," Gascon said in a statement.

Gascon's comments came after Duterte on Friday declared himself beyond the jurisdiction of the probe, saying that while a previous administration had ratified the treaty establishing the ICC it had not become local law because of a technicality.

The outspoken leader has publicly called on police to kill drug suspects while vowing to protect officers from prosecution, maintaining the anti-crime operations are tough but legitimate.

Gascon's commission has also sought to investigate the drug war killings but has been hampered by a lack of cooperation from other government agencies like the police as well as limited resources.

Angered by the commission's criticism of Duterte's drug war, the president's congressional allies last year tried to slash its budget to just 1,000 pesos (about $20) until a public outcry forced them to reverse the move.

Duterte on Friday issued a veiled warning to ICC prosecutor Bensouda, telling her: "Do not go into that adventure. It's a messy one."

"You will know. You will get your comeuppance."

The ICC's initial inquiry is designed to help prosecutors determine if there is enough evidence of crimes that fall into its jurisdiction. It could lead to a full probe and eventually charges.
Three partially collapsed buildings in Hualien are being demolished for public safety

The toll from a deadly 6.4-magnitude quake in Taiwan rose to 15 Saturday as rescuers searching for a missing family of Chinese tourists discovered three more bodies in a partially toppled building.

Scores of emergency workers combed the rubble at the foot of the 12-storey Yun Tsui apartment block that was left leaning at around a 50-degree angle by the quake, complicating rescue efforts due to fears of an imminent collapse.

The three bodies and the last missing pair are believed to be members of a family from Beijing who arrived in Taiwan on Monday, authorities said.

They were staying in a second-floor room at a hotel in the building in the eastern city of Hualien when the quake hit the following night.

"(We) are digging from the fourth floor down and even though the site is leaning at 45 degrees we are making an all-out effort for the rescue," the Hualien fire department said in a statement.

The bodies pulled from the site were of a 12-year-old boy, an adult man and an adult woman, rescuers said, meaning 12 of the 15 people killed in the quake perished in the Yun Tsui building.

Three partially collapsed buildings in Hualien are being demolished for public safety, including the local landmark Marshal Hotel where one employee was killed.

Hualien, on Taiwan's picturesque east coast, is one of the country's most popular tourist destinations, but the mountains that rise up behind the city are testament to the deadly tectonic fault lines that run through the island.

The island's worst tremor in recent decades was a 7.6-magnitude quake in September 1999 that killed around 2,400 people.

That quake ushered in stricter building codes but many of Taiwan's older buildings remain perilously vulnerable to even moderate quakes.
South Africa's political stalemate comes as the country readies celebrations marking 100 years since the birth of Nelson Mandela

South Africa's political impasse deepened on Saturday with no resolution to extended talks over President Jacob Zuma's expected departure from office after his own party called for him to resign.

Cyril Ramaphosa, the president-in-waiting, and the ruling ANC party have said negotiations should be concluded within days, but have given no details on how Zuma will be eased out of power.

The stalemate has left South Africa's political scene in limbo, with a series of public events cancelled this week including Thursday's State of the Nation address to parliament in Cape Town.

Zuma cleared his diary of weekend engagements, but his deputy Ramaphosa is to speak at a rally in the city on Sunday to kick off a year of celebrations marking 100 years since Nelson Mandela's birth.

February 11 also marks the day Mandela was released from jail in 1990 -- a key date in modern South Africa's re-birth as apartheid white-minority rule crumbled.

"We are confident when (Zuma and Ramaphosa) finish they'll give South Africa a positive way forward," Environment Minister Edna Molewa said Saturday.

"We are really saying: 'Just be patient'."

Susan Booysen, a politics professor from Wits University in Johannesburg, said Zuma may fight on for several more days.

"A stalemate is the best description for the situation," she told AFP.

"Zuma is a fighter to the end and is refusing to resign, while Ramaphosa doesn't want to be divisive.

"Zuma pretended to open the doors of negotiations, but he is digging in."

- Corruption scandals -

Jacob Zuma

Local media said a key sticking point was the legal fees faced by Zuma, who is set for prolonged court battles related to multiple criminal cases.

One relates to 783 payments he allegedly received linked to an arms deal before he came to power.

The ANC has insisted there will be no delay to the budget on February 21.

Ramaphosa has made no official comment since Wednesday when he pledged "a speedy resolution of the matter" and Zuma has not spoken since being asked to resign by senior ANC officials on February 4.

On Friday, the president reportedly flew back from Cape Town to his official residence in Pretoria, with the pro-Zuma New Age newspaper saying he would gather his family there over the weekend to inform them of his decision.

The same day, Zuma's wife Thobeka Madiba-Zuma posted a picture of the couple on Instagram with a defiant warning against "picking a fight with someone who is not fighting you".

In office since 2009, the 75-year-old has clung to power despite a string of corruption scandals, an economic slowdown and record unemployment.

But his hold on the ANC was shaken in December, when his chosen successor -- his former wife Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma -- narrowly lost out to Ramaphosa in a closely-fought race for the party leadership.

- ANC loses lustre -

Many of the recent graft allegations against Zuma are linked to the Guptas, a wealthy Indian business family accused of improperly winning government contracts and influencing cabinet appointments.

In 2007, the party pushed out then-president Thabo Mbeki over allegations of abuse of power.

Under Zuma, the ANC suffered its worst electoral setback since coming to power in 1994, winning less than 54 percent of the vote in municipal elections in 2016.

A general election is due next year.

The Nelson Mandela Foundation, which promotes the legacy of South Africa's anti-apartheid icon, has called for Zuma to go, saying he had shown he was "not fit to govern".

Ramaphosa, 65, is a former trade unionist who led talks to end apartheid rule in the early 1990s and then became a multi-millionaire businessman before returning to politics.
Indonesia's navy carries out regular patrols to protect its vast archipelago from poachers, pirates and drug smugglers

Indonesia's navy seized more than a tonne of crystal methamphetamine and arrested four people in a major drug bust this week, an top navy official said Saturday.

A navy boat patrolling the Phillip Channel between Singapore and Batam intercepted the MV Sunrise Glory, which was flying the Singapore flag, as it entered Indonesian waters.

Officials suspected it might actually be a Taiwanese fishing boat which has been targeted by the Indonesian military since December for being a part of a drug syndicate, navy deputy chief Vice Admiral Achmad Taufiqoerrochman told a press conference.

The boat was flying the Singapore flag but changed it for the Indonesian one as the navy patrol approached.

Officials later took the boat to Batam and raided the storage where they found the drugs hidden inside 41 rice sacks, weighing 1,029 kilograms (2,260 pounds).

"Last night we discovered more than one tonne of crystal meth and the amount might increase because we have not finished checking everything," the vice admiral said.

Officials also arrested four Taiwanese crew members who claimed not to know each other.

Authorities also found at least four different national flags on the boat and fake documents, prompting suspicion that the vessel was a "phantom ship" which operates under different names and changed flag according to the country's waters it entered, he said.

The boat crew told the military they planned to bring the drugs to Australia.

Indonesia has some of the toughest anti-drugs laws in the world, including capital punishment for traffickers.
Boracay known globally for its pristine white sands and crystal clear waters

The Philippines' famous white-sand island destination Boracay is drowning in faeces and may need to be shut down to protect the health of millions of visitors, President Rodrigo Duterte has warned.

The fiery leader gave his brutal assessment of the country's top tourist draw as he told hotels, restaurants and other businesses on the tiny central island to clean up or he would ban tourism there.

"I will close Boracay. Boracay is a cesspool," Duterte told a business forum in his southern home city of Davao late Friday, according to an official transcript released by the presidential palace Saturday.

"You go into the water, it's smelly. Smell of what? Shit. Because it all comes out in Boracay," he said.

Red-faced tourism department officials affirmed Duterte's assessment on Saturday, saying it reflected worsening sewage conditions on an island known globally for its pristine white sands and crystal clear waters.

"It's a shame that Boracay, which has repeatedly been recognised by prestigious travel magazines as the world's most beautiful island, may yet end up a paradise lost if water contamination continues," Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo said in a statement.

Department spokesman Ricky Alegre said a number of establishments drained their sewage directly into the sea.

"There are certain areas there (where)... some establishments have illegally tapped their sewage line into the water line," Alegre told AFP.

Of the 150 Boracay business establishments recently inspected by the government, only 25 were connected to the sewage line, he said.

Many establishments were also building too close to the beach and were even crowding into the roads of the 1,000-hectare (2,470-acre) island, Alegre added.

Boracay attracts more than two million tourists a year and brings in 56 billion pesos ($1.12 billion) in annual revenues, the department and industry sources said.

Duterte warned the situation was a looming environmental "disaster" and a "tragedy" that could soon drive visitors away from the island, located about 190 kilometres (308 miles) south of Manila.

He said he had ordered Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu to clean up Boracay or else.

"I'll give you six months. Clean the goddamn thing," he said he had told Cimatu.
Impatience with the generals has been building in recent weeks and breaking through the surface in a series of creative and increasingly bold protests

Scores of Thais on Saturday gathered in defiance of a junta ban on protests to call for a return to democracy, as public anger mounts over prolonged military repression.

The ruling junta has kept a tight lid on dissent since its 2014 coup by outlawing gatherings of more than five people and ramping up use of a draconian royal defamation law.

But impatience with the generals has been building in recent weeks and breaking through the surface in a series of creative and increasingly bold protests.

The agitation has been fuelled by a spate of graft scandals, including one that has ensnared the junta's No. 2, plus the postponement of elections the regime had promised for November 2018.

On Saturday scores of people gathered on the pavement across from the "Democracy Monument" in Bangkok's old quarter with banners that said "Stop hanging on to power, stop postponing elections."

"We want to get our democracy back," Sumittra Patprathun, a middle-aged Bangkokian in the crowd, told AFP as activists took turns railing against the military regime through a megaphone.

Hundreds of police were deployed to monitor the gathering.

Thirty-nine people who joined a similar rally in Bangkok last month were formally charged this week with violating the junta's ban on gatherings and a public assembly law.

The ruling junta has kept a tight lid on dissent since its 2014 coup by outlawing gatherings of more than five people and ramping up use of a draconian royal defamation law

Nine of those activists have also been hit with the heavier offence of sedition, which carries up to seven years in prison, for organising the rally.

On Friday police obtained arrest warrants for four of the leaders who failed to turn up to a summons this week.

One of those activists, Ekachai Hongkangwan, was detained at his home on Saturday morning ahead of the rally, which the three others attended.

The junta has repeatedly reneged on promised elections since its power grab, which it says was necessary to return order after a decade of political turmoil.

Four years on, patience with military rule is dwindling as frustration grows over the regime's lack of transparency and a culture of impunity for the wealthy and well-connected.

Much of the ire has been fixed on junta No. 2 Prawit Wongsuwan, who is being probed for an eye-popping collection of some two dozen luxury watches he allegedly failed to declare in his assets.

Prawit, who has been dubbed "the Rolex General", denies any corruption and says the timepieces were borrowed from friends.
Hong Kong promotes its public transport system as one of the best infrastructures in the world but fatal accidents do occasionally happen

The driver of a double-decker bus that toppled over in Hong Kong killing at least 18 people and injuring more than 50 others on Saturday evening has been arrested for dangerous driving, police said.

Images from the scene showed rescuers attempting to reach passengers trapped inside the bus, which lay on its side with part of its roof torn off by a road near the town of Tai Po in the northern New Territories.

It appeared to have slid on its side and hit a lamppost which smashed into the front of the vehicle.

The dead included 15 males and three females, police said, revising down their earlier toll of 19 killed at the scene. The driver has been arrested on two counts of causing death and grievous bodily harm by dangerous driving.

Authorities said 10 of the injured are in a critical condition, with at least another 44 still in hospital. They were unable to say if any passengers were still inside the bus.

It was not immediately known what caused the accident but passengers quoted by local media said the driver was going fast before the crash.

The dead included 15 males and three females, police said

"It was much faster than I normally felt in a bus," an injured passenger told the South China Morning Post's online edition.

"And then it was like the tyre slipped, and the bus turned. It was really chaotic in the bus. People fell on one another and got tossed from side to side," he said.

Passengers had complained to the driver who was reportedly 10 minutes late and he then kept speeding up before the bus crashed, the Apple Daily reported, quoting injured passengers at the scene.

"(The driver was) intentionally using the bus to throw a tantrum," another injured passenger told the Oriental Daily.

Lawmaker Lam Cheuk-ting of the Democratic Party urged the government to investigate bus designs, "especially with the upper deck of buses having been repeatedly torn off in accidents, posing a serious threat to passengers on the upper level".

Rescuers were attempting to reach passengers trapped in the wreckage

The southern Chinese city promotes its public transport system as one of the best infrastructures in the world but fatal accidents do occasionally happen.

Hong Kong's worst road traffic accident occurred in 2003 when a double-decker bus collided with a truck and plunged from a bridge, killing 21 people.

In 2008, 18 people were killed in another bus crash.

Fourteen people were injured last April when a double-decker tram tipped over, with a 23-year-old driver later arrested for dangerous driving causing harm to others.

The safety of Hong Kong's waterways has also remained under scrutiny since 39 people were killed when a high-speed ferry and a pleasure boat crashed in 2012.
Russian soldiers gather in the government held side of the embattled city of Aleppo on December 15, 2016

Russia on Saturday called for "restraint" from all parties in Syria and said it considered risking the lives of Russian soldiers "absolutely unacceptable" following large-scale Israeli air strikes inside Syria.

"We strongly call on all sides involved to show restraint and avoid all acts that could lead to complicating the situation further," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.

"It is absolutely unacceptable to create threats to the lives and security of Russian soldiers that are in the Syrian Arab Republic on the invitation of the legal government to assist in the fight against terrorism," it added.

The foreign ministry said it had "interpreted the latest developments and attacks on Syria with serious concern" and said that the human and material losses on the Syrian regime's side are not yet known.

Israel struck targets inside Syria on Saturday after intercepting what it said was an Iranian drone entering its airspace from Syria, which it labelled an "attack."

The Russian foreign ministry did not mention Moscow's earlier joint statement with the Syrian regime's other allies -- Iran and Lebanese group Hezbollah -- that called Israeli claims of the Iranian drone in its airspace "lies."

Russia became involved in the multi-front conflict in September 2015, when it began an aerial campaign in support of President Bashar al-Assad's military.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin last month on Iran's influence in war-torn Syria and in Lebanon, seeking to persuade Russia to limit Iran's presence near Israeli territory and to stop it from entrenching itself militarily in Syria.

Putin ordered the partial withdrawal of Russia's troops from Syria in December, saying their task in the war-torn country had been largely completed.
Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch in northern Syria on January 20, targeting the Kurdish YPG militia

Eleven Turkish soldiers were killed on Saturday, including two military personnel when a helicopter was downed, in the bloodiest day in Ankara's offensive against a Kurdish militia in northern Syria.

On January 20, Turkey launched a military operation against the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia in the Afrin region, backing Syrian rebels with air strikes and ground troops.

"At this stage, we can say that one out of two helicopters was downed. We have two martyrs," Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said in televised remarks.

The Turkish military later said nine more soldiers were killed in separate incidents but did not give details.

Another 11 soldiers were injured after the offensive's bloodiest day for Turkish military personnel, the army said.

Yildirim said the helicopter was on a mission in the Afrin region as part of Ankara's offensive dubbed Operation "Olive Branch".

Ankara says the YPG is a "terrorist" offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged a three-decade insurgency inside Turkey and is blacklisted by Washington and the European Union.

Mustefa Bali, spokesman for the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces dominated by the YPG, said on Twitter that a helicopter had been hit in the Rajo area of northwest Afrin, near the Turkish border.

But the state-run news agency Anadolu said the incident happened in the southern border province of Hatay, with the private Dogan news agency saying authorities were trying to reach the wreckage in the Kirikhan district.

Earlier, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said a helicopter had been shot down without saying who was responsible.

"Of course, these kinds of things will happen. We are in a war. We will have losses, but we will cause the other side to have losses as well," he said in a televised speech, vowing to make the perpetrators pay "a much heavier price".

- 'Threat to Turkey' -

The Turkish military said one of its helicopters crashed at 1300 (1000 GMT) killing two military personnel but did not give a reason for the incident, only saying that an investigation had been launched.

Last Saturday, seven Turkish troops died in the second worst single-day loss of the operation so far, with five killed in a tank attack.

Some 1,141 "terrorists" had been neutralised during the operation, Erdogan said, referring to those killed but also those captured or wounded.

It was not immediately possible to verify this figure.

Yildirim earlier said Turkey had not launched its operation in Afrin to enter into a war or because it had "an eye" on another country's territory.

"Excuse me but no state would ignore a terror organisation growing like a tumour next to it," he said.

"This is a threat to Turkey which Ankara has the natural right to fight under international and domestic law," Yildirim added.
Members of Syrian civil defence forces known as White Helmets evacuate a victim of an air strike in the rebel-held enclave of Erbin in the rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta near the capital Damascus on February 9, 2018

Syrian regime air strikes on the rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta eased on Saturday after five days of heavy bombardment that killed more than 240 civilians, a monitoring group said.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 30 people were wounded by air strikes and artillery fire but that the intensity of the bombardment targeting the Eastern Ghouta region near the capital had lessened from Friday night.

"There have (since) been practically no air raids and even artillery fire is less intense," Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP, although warplanes had struck areas near Douma, the region's main town.

A handout picture released by the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) on February 10, 2018 shows smoke billowing from a Damascus area after rebel shelling of the capital

Rebel shelling triggered a fire at a power plant in the capital, the official news agency SANA said.

The sharp drop in violence came as regime forces and their allies were targeted by major Israeli air raids Saturday after an Israeli warplane crashed after being fired on by Syrian air defences.

Five straight days of bombardment by regime warplanes and artillery from Monday to Friday killed more than 240 civilians, including 60 children, and wounded 775 people, the Observatory said.

The offensive had trapped thousands of families in makeshift bomb shelters and overwhelmed rescue workers, but on Saturday life in Eastern Ghouta appeared to be returning to normal in some areas.

Some shops reopened in Douma, Erbin and Hammuriyeh, and residents were seen sweeping up rubble outside their homes as others salvaged what they could from destroyed houses, AFP correspondents said.

The UN Security Council is considering a draft resolution demanding a 30-day ceasefire in Syria to allow for urgent deliveries of humanitarian aid, according to the text seen by AFP on Friday.

Sweden and Kuwait presented the measure that would also demand an immediate end to sieges, including in Eastern Ghouta.

Negotiations on the proposed measure are to begin on Monday, and diplomats said it could quickly come to a vote at the council.

Western powers have expressed alarm over the government's campaign against rebel-held Eastern Ghouta, where 400,000 people have been besieged since 2013.

UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein on Saturday accused Syrian forces of carrying out "no-holds-barred" military offensives.

He denounced "wave after wave of deadly air strikes leading to civilian casualties" in Eastern Ghouta and the opposition-controlled northwestern province of Idlib.
US President Donald Trump says the Democratic memo is "very political" and in its current form would allow the opposition party to blame the White House for "lack of transparency"

US President Donald Trump on Saturday told Democratic lawmakers to refile a memo about the probe into his campaign's possible collusion with Russia, leaving a chance the document could still be released.

The document is the Democrats' response to a four-page memorandum written by Republican legislator Devin Nunes, which Trump agreed to declassify and release on February 2 -- against the advice of his own FBI director and the Department of Justice.

On Saturday Trump called the Democratic document "a very political and long response memo which they knew, because of sources and methods (and more), would have to be heavily redacted."

That would allow them, he said, to "blame the White House for lack of transparency.

"Told them to re-do and send back in proper form!" the president said in a tweet.

On Friday, Trump refused to declassify the Democratic document.

In a letter to the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, White House lawyer Don McGahn said the Democrats' rebuttal "contains numerous properly classified and especially sensitive passages."

McGahn wrote that portions of the Democratic memo would create "significant concerns for the national security and law enforcement interests," concerns which FBI chief Christopher Wray and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein raised in a separate letter.

The FBI had previously issued a highly unusual warning against releasing the memo from Republican Nunes, saying it could jeopardize US intelligence collection methods.

Democrats on the intelligence committee complained the Republicans' four-page memo cherry-picked facts and explained events out of context and was thus not accurate, sparking their wish for a rebuttal.

They joined other Trump administration critics in calling the release of the Republican document an effort to undermine the investigation led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller into possible links between Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and Russia, as well as possible obstruction of justice.

The Nunes memo claimed Democratic-funded research prompted the FBI to spy on a former Trump campaign aide, Carter Page, which the White House said raised questions about FBI and Department of Justice integrity.

Mueller has already indicted two officials including Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort. Two other officials, including onetime national security advisor Michael Flynn, have admitted lying to investigators.

Trump has repeatedly denied any collusion with Russia.
The crash is one of the worst in Hong Kong's recent history

The driver of a double-decker bus that overturned in Hong Kong killing at least 19 people and injuring more than 60 was arrested on Saturday evening for dangerous driving, police said.

Images from the scene showed rescuers trying to reach passengers trapped inside the bus, which lay on its side with part of its roof torn off near the town of Tai Po in the northern New Territories.

It appeared to have slid on its side and hit a lamppost which smashed into the upper decks of the vehicle. The driver has been arrested on charges of causing death and grievous bodily harm by dangerous driving.

In an updated toll in the early hours of Sunday morning the city's Hospital Authority said another victim had died, bringing the total to 19 fatalities.

But ten of the injured were in critical condition, while another 20 were seriously wounded, officials said.

Most of the dead and injured were on the upper deck of the bus, Chan Hing-yu of the fire department told reporters.

The driver was suspected of being over the speed limit as he went down a slope and lost control of the vehicle, senior traffic superintendent Lee Chi-wai told reporters.

He was not in need of any medical treatment after the crash and was be sober, he added.

- 'Really chaotic' -

Most of the dead and the injured were on the upper deck of the bus, officials said

Speaking to local media, passengers said the bus was going to fast before the crash.

"It was much faster than I normally felt in a bus," one injured passenger told the South China Morning Post's online edition.

"And then it was like the tyre slipped, and the bus turned. It was really chaotic in the bus. People fell on one another and got tossed from side to side," he said.

Before the crash, passengers had complained to the driver who was reportedly 10 minutes late and he then started speeding up, the Apple Daily reported, quoting injured passengers at the scene.

One injured passenger told the Oriental Daily said it was like the driver was "intentionally using the bus to throw a tantrum."

Lawmaker Lam Cheuk-ting of the Democratic Party urged the government to rethink the design of double-decker buses saying the upper decks had been "repeatedly torn off in accidents, posing a serious threat to passengers on the upper level".

He also called the government to address the issue of many drivers working overly long hours.

City leader Carrie Lam, who visited survivors at the Prince of Wales Hospital late on Saturday, expressed "deep sorrow" and pledged there would be an independent investigation.

- Deadly double-decker accidents -

The southern Chinese city promotes its public transport system as one of the best infrastructures in the world but fatal accidents do occasionally happen.

Hong Kong's worst road traffic accident occurred in 2003 when a double-decker bus collided with a truck and plunged from a bridge, killing 21 people.

In 2008, 18 people were killed in another bus crash.

Fourteen people were injured last April when a double-decker tram tipped over, with a 23-year-old driver later arrested for dangerous driving causing harm to others.

The safety of Hong Kong's notoriously crowded waterways has also remained under scrutiny since 39 people were killed when a high-speed ferry and a pleasure boat crashed in 2012.
Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza has been in power since 2005

Thousands of people joined an official demonstration in Burundi on Saturday, in response to criticism by the United Nations chief about a planned revision to the country's constitution.

The protest was called by the mayor of Bujumbura, the capital, after UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres used a report to criticise proposals that could allow Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza to hold on to power for another decade or more.

"We are here to denounce the report by the UN Secretary General on Burundi, in which he lied a lot about our country and I call you to boo him very loudly," one speaker called at the rally.

Guterres said opposition and civil society groups must be included in any decision to change the country's constitution to avoid a flareup of conflict, according to a report obtained by AFP on Tuesday.

The UN chief said he was "deeply concerned" that talks between the government and the opposition remain deadlocked, and said it was crucial that all sides "most especially the government" engage in a dialogue.

In power since 2005, Nkurunziza ran for a third term and was re-elected in 2015 despite provisions that set a limit of two five-year presidential terms.

The decision to run again sparked violence in Burundi that has left hundreds dead, and sent more than 400,000 Burundians fleeing across borders, mostly to Tanzania.

Nkurunziza's supporters argued his first term was a parliamentary appointment, not an election result.

The president has launched a campaign to hold a referendum on a new constitution, probably in May, that would set a limit of two seven-year presidential terms.

Several opposition leaders have either boycotted the talks on the constitutional changes or raised questions about their legality.
BERLIN (AP) - German authorities say they have arrested a man who offered his services as an agent to three foreign intelligence services.

Federal prosecutors said the 27-year-old German, identified only as Danny Guenter G. in line with local privacy rules, was arrested in Leipzig on Wednesday. They said Friday he was released but is still under investigation for declaring himself prepared to carry out espionage.

Prosecutors said the suspect sent application letters to three foreign services, which they didn't identify, asking to be employed as an agent. They added "he said he was prepared, if he was recruited, to carry out any activities asked of him."
JERUSALEM (AP) - An Israeli newspaper on Friday quoted President Donald Trump as saying his recognition of Jerusalem as the country's capital was one of the highlights of his presidency thus far.

Israel Hayom - a free daily that largely backs Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - carried some quotes Friday from an interview with Trump to be published next week.

When asked to name the most memorable event of his presidency, it quotes Trump as saying "I think Jerusalem was a very big point. And I think it was a very important point. The capital, having Jerusalem be your great capital, was a very important thing to a lot of people."

On Dec. 6 Trump honored a campaign promise by recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital and vowed to relocate the U.S. Embassy to the city.

The Palestinians also claim east Jerusalem, home to the city's most sensitive holy sites, as the capital of their hoped-for state. The move sparked outrage among the Palestinians and across the Muslim world, and Palestinian leaders said Washington could no longer serve as a Mideast peace broker.

"I have been thanked and in some cases not thanked, to be 100% honest about it. But it was a very important pledge that I made and I fulfilled my pledge," Trump said.

"The other presidents, all of them have failed in the promise even though they made it as a campaign promise but I understand it because I will tell you, the lobbying against it was tremendous," Trump said.

Trump has promised to pursue what he called the "ultimate deal" between Israel and the Palestinians. Since taking office, Trump has distanced himself somewhat from the two-state solution to the conflict that envisions a Palestinian state alongside Israel.

Trump's Jerusalem declaration upended decades of U.S. policy and countered an international consensus that the fate of the holy city should be decided in peace negotiations. He said the move was not meant to prejudge negotiations on the final borders of the city and instead merely recognizes that Jerusalem already serves as Israel's capital.

"By taking Jerusalem off the table I wanted to make it clear that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and as for specific boundaries would support what both sides agreed to," Trump said.

He added "I think both sides will have to make hard compromises to reach a peace agreement."

Also Friday, U.S. ambassador to Israel David Friedman lashed out at the liberal Haaretz over an editorial by one of the newspaper's opinion writers that used a derogatory word play to describe a West Bank settlement home to an Israeli who was recently stabbed to death by a Palestinian.

"What has become of Haaretz?" Friedman tweeted. He wrote that four young children are "mourning their murdered father and this publication calls their community a 'mountain of curses.' Have they no decency?"

Itamar Ben Gal, 29, was killed near a bus stop close to the entrance to a West Bank settlement earlier this week. The assailant fled the scene.

Ben Gal was from a different settlement whose name in English means "mountain of blessing."

Haaretz publisher Amos Schocken in response tweeted in defense of the opinion piece. He warned that there will be more mourning "as long as the policy of Israel - that your government and yourself support - is obstructing (the) peace process, practical annexation of the (West Bank) territories."
WASHINGTON (AP) - The last time Sen. Rand Paul was in the news for a scuffle, it involved a neighbor who's admitted tackling him in his yard over a lawn dispute. Thursday night, the Kentucky Republican took on the entire U.S. Senate - and rather than fisticuffs, his weapons of choice were obstinacy and the chamber's weird rules.

With the clock ticking toward a midnight government shutdown, the 55-year-old lawmaker, ophthalmologist and veteran Senate pest made himself the sole obstacle to his chamber's quick passage of legislation keeping federal agencies open.

The measure - which would shower the Pentagon and domestic programs with around $400 billion in new spending - was destined for overwhelming Senate approval, no matter what Paul did. It was finally approved early Friday by a 71-28 vote.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., walks to the Senate chamber, at the U.S. Capitol, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

But the libertarian, failed 2016 GOP presidential contender and "wacko bird" - a moniker an angry Sen. John McCain gave him years ago - said "I object" when Senate leaders tried speeding a vote on the measure. Under the chamber's rules, senators had to delay votes on the massive legislation past 1 a.m. Friday.

"I didn't come up here to be part of somebody's club. I didn't come up here to be liked," said Paul, whose actions during a seven-year Senate career make it likely that many colleagues would silently answer, "Mission accomplished."

"I'm in a club that says we need to keep the government open," Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said on the Senate floor. With Paul standing just a yards away, he said the delays could continue "if we want to go for theater" but said the bill would pass notwithstanding.

Paul said he was demanding a vote on an amendment against breaking spending caps imposed by a bipartisan budget agreement in 2011. He complained the new budget accord would drive up federal deficits - but didn't mention that he backed a $1.5 trillion tax bill in December that added red ink that was multiples larger than this week's spending agreement.

"I ran for office because I was critical of President Obama's trillion-dollar deficits," he told the chamber's leaders, who stood silently as he derailed their hopes for an early evening vote. "Now we have Republicans hand-in-hand with Democrats offering us trillion-dollar deficits." He said he could not "look the other way because my party is now complicit in the deficits."

Paul said he was asking for a 15-minute debate and then a vote on his amendment, which was certain to lose. He said the 652-page measure was "printed at midnight" and was a bill that "no one has read."

Paul's fellow Kentuckian, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., had no intention of caving in, knowing that would inevitably spark demands for amendment votes by other senators. Instead, they offered him a procedural vote, which Paul declined.

"It's his right, of course, to vote against the bill," McConnell said around 6 p.m. EST. "But I would argue that it's time to vote."

"We're in risky territory here," Schumer said, noting that Paul was flirting with a politically damaging government shutdown.

They got nowhere. Neither did No. 2 Senate GOP leader John Cornyn of Texas, who at 10 p.m. EST tried and failed to get Paul's consent for votes before 1 a.m. Cornyn said Paul's objections were "wasting everybody's time" and said the Kentuckian would "effectively shut down the federal government for no real reason."

Paul came to the Senate in 2009 after defeating a GOP primary opponent that McConnell had actively supported. The two men have made an effort to work together, and McConnell even backed Paul's abortive 2016 presidential run.

"We get along fine," Paul told reporters Thursday. Asked if McConnell was annoyed with him, Paul said: "Not that I know of. I think he takes policy disputes in hand."

In the Senate, Paul's libertarian streak has steered him into conflicts with his own party before. He's opposed indefinite detention of terror suspects by the military, backed President Barack Obama's restoration of relations with Cuba and waged an 11-hour filibuster in 2015 against renewing a law on government surveillance.

He's advocated pulling U.S. troops out of Afghanistan and once expressed his opposition in principle to the 1964 Civil Rights Act, though he later said he opposed its repeal.

Rene Boucher has admitted making a "running tackle" of Paul after seeing his neighbor add to a brush pile and deciding he'd "had enough," according to court documents. Paul, who has said he was blindsided, suffered broken ribs in the November attack and developed pneumonia.

Boucher said the attack wasn't politically motivated, the documents said. He's been charged with assaulting a member of Congress as part of a plea agreement, but no date has been set for his guilty plea.

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Associated Press writer Matthew Daly contributed to this report.
PARIS (AP) - A French Muslim woman has quit a TV singing competition amid criticism of comments she posted on Facebook after Islamic extremist attacks in 2016.

Mennel Ibtissem drew nationwide attention for a moving performance Saturday on French TV program "The Voice" of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." A French-born woman of Syrian origin who wears a turban, Ibtissem notably sang one passage in Arabic.

In the ensuing days she drew criticism for Facebook messages posted after deadly attacks in Nice and Normandy in 2016. In one, she wrote "the real terrorist is our government."

She apologized, saying she was shaken by the attacks and by French authorities' failure to prevent them. But criticism continued, and she announced Friday that she quit the TV competition.

Supporters say Ibtissem is being unfairly targeted because she is Muslim.
NEW YORK (AP) - An immigration activist whose battle to avoid deportation has drawn support from Democratic politicians will get to stay in the U.S. for the time being after his lawyers filed a lawsuit accusing federal officials of wrongly targeting him in an attempt to silence dissent.

Ravi Ragbir, a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago, said in a lawsuit filed Friday in New York that immigration agents have purposely singled out immigrant advocates for deportation as a way to quiet opposition.

"These activists have been surveilled, intimidated, harassed and detained, their homes raided, many have been plucked off the street in broad daylight, and some have even been deported," the lawsuit said.

The suit was filed a day before Ragbir's latest deportation order was scheduled to take effect. In a stipulation, federal prosecutors and Ragbir's lawyers agreed he won't be deported until he has had a chance to argue his new suit, sometime after March 14. Ragbir still must turn up for a meeting with immigration agents on Saturday.

Ragbir leads the New Sanctuary Coalition of New York City, a coalition of 150 faith-based, pro-immigrant groups.

He initially was ordered deported after being convicted in a mortgage fraud scheme in 2001 but his removal from the U.S. had largely been on hold until Jan. 11, when he was detained during a routine check-in with immigration officials.

Ragbir's detention spawned protests that blocked traffic. Two city council members were arrested during the rally.

He was released last week after a federal judge ruled he hadn't been given enough time to say goodbye to his family. That judge, U.S. District Judge Katherine B. Forrest, expressed "grave concern" over allegations he was targeted for deportation because of his political activities.

The week before his arrest, another leader of the New Sanctuary Coalition, Jean Montrevil, was arrested in the street and deported to Haiti. Montrevil had served an 11-year prison sentence for selling cocaine.

Immigration agents last month also detained the husband of an immigrant activist in Boulder, Colorado, who got media attention after seeking sanctuary from deportation in a church.

U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officials have said repeatedly that Ragbir and the other activists were being deported because of their serious criminal records, not because of their politics.

Separately, Ragbir appeared in a court in Newark, New Jersey, on Friday to ask a judge to halt deportation while he launches another appeal of his old criminal conviction. Several previous appeals were unsuccessful.

The judge heard arguments in a courtroom packed with Ragbir's supporters but didn't immediately issue a ruling.

"This is a step in the right direction," Ragbir said outside the courthouse. In a written statement, he said he felt obligated to raise his voice "against the injustices in the system."

"This lawsuit is not just about me, it is about all of the members of our community who are speaking out in our struggle for immigrant rights, he said.

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Associated Press Writer David Porter contributed to this report from Newark, New Jersey.
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump has tapped deputy White House chief of staff Jim Carroll to serve as the administration's next drug czar.

Carroll's position as head of the Office of National Drug Control Policy will make him the most public face of the administration's efforts to fight the opioid epidemic - an effort critics say hasn't gone nearly far enough.

Carroll does not appear to have any public health experience. He worked for the Ford Motor Company before joining the administration and also worked for the Justice and Treasury departments.

But the White House said that after law school, Carroll spent five years as the assistant commonwealth attorney for Fairfax, Virginia, where the majority of the cases were drug-related and he worked directly with those affected by drug abuse.

He also worked with attorneys facing substance abuse issues at the Virginia State Bar.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders says the administration has "full confidence in Jim to lead ONDCP to make significant strides in combating the opioids crisis, reducing drug use, and coordinating U.S. drug policy."
CINCINNATI (AP) - The Latest on court ruling involving sex accusation and university. (all times local):

5:50 p.m.

An Ohio university says it's disappointed a federal appeals court ruled partly in favor of a male student who says he was unfairly disciplined by the school that found he violated its sexual-assault policy.

A three-judge panel upheld a lower court's dismissal of several claims against Miami University. But it found the student was able to support a "reasonable inference of gender discrimination" and sent the case back to U.S. district court Friday.

Miami says it's committed to a "fair and impartial" disciplinary process.

The student said most Miami sexual misconduct cases are against males who are found responsible without fair hearings.

A female student said she agreed to some sexual activity in the 2014 encounter with the student, but then told him to stop. He says he was too drunk to remember.

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1:30 p.m.

A federal appeals court has ruled in favor of a male student who says he was unfairly disciplined by an Ohio university that found he violated its sexual-assault policy.

A three-judge appeals court panel upheld a lower court's dismissal of several claims against Miami University and school officials. But it found that the student presented enough factual allegations to support a "reasonable inference of gender discrimination." It sent the case back to U.S. district court Friday.

The student said most of Miami's sexual misconduct cases are against males who are then found responsible without fair hearings.

His case stems from a 2014 encounter with a student who said she agreed to some sexual activity but told him to stop other sexual contact. He said he was too drunk to remember.

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12:45 p.m.

A federal appeals court has ruled in favor of a male student who says he was unfairly disciplined by an Ohio university that found he violated its sexual-assault policy.

A three-judge appeals court panel upheld a lower court's dismissal of several claims against Miami University and school officials. But it found that the student presented enough factual allegations to support a "reasonable inference of gender discrimination." It sent the case back to U.S. district court Friday.

The student said most of Miami's sexual misconduct cases are against males who are then found responsible without fair hearings.

His case stems from a 2014 encounter with a student who said she agreed to some sexual activity but told him to stop other sexual contact. He said he was too drunk to remember.
NEWPORT, Ky. (AP) - A former Kentucky judge has entered into a plea agreement in a human-trafficking case.

Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear's office said in a news release Friday that 71-year-old Timothy Nolan will be sentenced March 29. Prosecutors are recommending 20 years for the 21 counts. The release said the agreement also calls for Nolan to pay $110,000.

Nolan is a former Campbell County District Court judge. The news release says the felony charges he pleaded to include human trafficking of adults, promoting human trafficking of minors and unlawful transaction with minors.

Nolan's lawyer told The Cincinnati Enquirer that Nolan would be eligible for parole in four years.

Some of Nolan's pleas were Alford pleas, meaning he maintains innocence but acknowledges sufficient evidence for a conviction.
UNITED NATIONS (AP) - North Korea said Friday it can't pay nearly $184,000 in dues to the United Nations because of U.N. sanctions that prevent the transfer of funds from Pyongyang.

North Korea's U.N. Mission said sanctions imposed by the Security Council in early August on the Foreign Trade Bank of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, which is in charge of international transactions, made payment impossible.

The mission said Ambassador Ja Song Nam met Undersecretary-General for Management Jan Beagle Friday afternoon to request the opening of "banking channels" to make the DPRK's required $183,458 payment for 2018 for the U.N.'s regular operations and separate budgets for peacekeeping and international tribunals.

The Security Council imposed sanctions on the bank in a wide-ranging resolution following North Korea's first successful tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the United States on July 3 and July 27.

It imposed tougher sanctions in response to Pyongyang's sixth and strongest nuclear test explosion on Sept. 3, and even tougher measures in December after its test on Nov. 29 of its most powerful intercontinental ballistic missile yet.

The United States banned the Foreign Trade Bank from the U.S. financial system in 2013, and the DPRK Mission blamed the Trump administration for spurring last August's U.N. sanctions against the bank.

A statement from the mission, given to The Associated Press late Friday, blamed the unilateral U.S. sanctions and "illegal and unlawful" U.N. sanctions resolutions "fabricated by the U.S. as a sponsor and its followers" for creating "enormous difficulties" and hindering normal activities such as paying U.N. dues.

This "shows the ulterior political objectives of the sanctions maneuvers pursued by the U.S. and its followers and how cruel and uncivilized the sanctions are," the DPRK said.

The mission asked the U.N. to provide a "lifeline" and, through its management chief, "to secure promptly the bank transaction channel through which the DPRK can pay regularly its financial contribution."

A DPRK diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly, said ambassador Ja also raised the issue of U.N. agencies and organizations providing humanitarian aid that can't get money into the country for their operations.

The Security Council resolution adopted in August does authorize its committee monitoring sanctions against North Korea to make exemptions on a case-by-case for humanitarian and economic activities.

The DPRK diplomat stressed that his government has "faithfully" made its financial contributions to the U.N. in the past - and he said the exemption should be used to allow the DPRK "to pay its financial contributions without failure." The exemption should also be used to provide a banking channel for U.N. agencies and humanitarian organizations operating in the country, he said.

According to the diplomat, U.N. management chief Beagle responded saying: "Let's try together to solve this issue, this problem."
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The Latest on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's visit to California (all times local):

6:50 p.m.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the North American Free Trade Agreement has been good for the U.S. and his country, but he also wants to see it updated to lift those who are struggling despite surging economies.

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, right, meets with California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom in San Francisco, Friday, Feb. 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, Pool)

His comments Friday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, come as President Donald Trump has threatened to withdraw from the 24-year-old pact.

According to prepared remarks, Trudeau says that the agreement has been an asset for Canadians and Americans, bringing prosperity with trade.

But he says income inequality is growing worldwide.

And he agrees with Trump that too many people have been left behind, and more needs to be done to share the benefits.

As a candidate, Trump has called NAFTA a job-killing disaster.

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10:50 a.m.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has met privately with California's governor and lieutenant governor, with trade, the environment and health care on the agenda.

The separate meetings Friday with Gov. Jerry Brown and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom were closed to the media.

In brief remarks to reporters before meeting with Newsom, Trudeau said it was good to talk about all the issues that bind California and Canada.

Newsom thanked Trudeau for his energetic leadership on the international stage at a time of political uncertainty, an apparent reference to U.S. President Donald Trump.

Trudeau spent Thursday pitching tech companies on investing in Canada while touting the country's fast-track visa for highly skilled workers.

Later Friday, Trudeau will deliver an address at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

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12 a.m.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau picked up promises of investments and jobs during his first visit to San Francisco where he promoted Canada as a destination for California technology firms frustrated by uncertain U.S. immigration laws.

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff announced the online business software company will invest another $2 billion in its Canadian operations.

And cloud subscription service AppDirect, based in San Francisco, says it will add another 300 jobs in Canada in the next five years.

Trudeau will spend a second day in California on Friday meeting with Gov. Jerry Brown and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The environment is also likely to be on the agenda, along with economic development.

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, right, meets with California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom in San Francisco, Friday, Feb. 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, Pool)

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, right, shakes hands with California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom while meeting in San Francisco, Friday, Feb. 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, Pool)

California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom smile while meeting with Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in San Francisco, Friday, Feb. 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, Pool)

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, right, meets with California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom in San Francisco, Friday, Feb. 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, Pool)

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, center, meets with California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, left, in San Francisco, Friday, Feb. 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, Pool)

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, right, shakes hands with California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom while meeting in San Francisco, Friday, Feb. 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, Pool)

A trio of protesters yell outside of a meeting with Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and California Gov. Jerry Brown in San Francisco, Friday, Feb. 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, Pool)

California Gov. Jerry Brown, center, meets with Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, right, in San Francisco, Friday, Feb. 9, 2018. Also pictured is Brown's wife Ann Gust Brown, second from left. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, Pool)

California Gov. Jerry Brown speaks while meeting with Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in San Francisco, Friday, Feb. 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, Pool)

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, right, shakes hands with California Gov. Jerry Brown during a meeting in San Francisco, Friday, Feb. 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, Pool)

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, right, shakes hands with California Gov. Jerry Brown during a meeting in San Francisco, Friday, Feb. 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, Pool)

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, right, shakes hands with California Gov. Jerry Brown during a meeting in San Francisco, Friday, Feb. 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, Pool)

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, right, meets with Devin Wenig, chief executive of eBay, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018 in San Francisco. (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press via AP)

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, right, and Devin Wenig, chief executive of eBay, pose for a photo as they meet Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018 in San Francisco. (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press via AP)
BEIJING (AP) - A detained Swedish bookseller at the center of an escalating row between Western governments and China has accused Sweden of using him as a "chess piece" in a media appearance arranged by Chinese police.

Gui Minhai, a Hong Kong-based publisher who sold books of salacious gossip about Chinese leaders, told several outlets including the South China Morning Post on Friday that he never wanted to leave China and that Stockholm has been using his case to "create trouble" for China's government.

The statement from Gui, who spoke in a detention facility flanked by police, was immediately denounced by rights activists as coerced. In putting Gui before the press this week, Chinese state security appeared to be responding to Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom, who on Monday sharply questioned the rule of law in China and blasted Beijing's "brutal" treatment of Gui after weeks of relatively mild pleas for his release.

FILE - In this Jan. 3, 2016, file photo, protesters try to stick photos of missing booksellers, one of which shows Gui Minhai at left, during a protest outside the Liaison of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong. Gui Minhai, a Hong Kong-based publisher who sold books of gossip about Chinese leaders, told several outlets including the South China Morning Post that he never wanted to leave China and that Stockholm was using his case to "create trouble." (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)

Gui was seized in January by 10 plainclothes agents while traveling by train with Swedish diplomats. Sweden said its officials were taking him to seek medical treatment.

In a 20-minute appearance on Friday, Gui told reporters that officials in Sweden had "sensationalized" his case for political purposes ahead of this year's general election, according to the Post. The newspaper said it was approached by China's Ministry of Public Security about an interview on Wednesday - a day after Wallstrom's statement - and it agreed to take part, provided that it could ask any questions it wanted.

"Looking back, I might have become Sweden's chess piece. I broke the law again under their instigation," Gui was quoted by the Post as saying. "My wonderful life has been ruined and I would never trust the Swedish ever again."

The Swedish foreign ministry said in an email that "Sweden has acted strictly in accordance with basic international rules on consular support."

"We continue to demand that our citizen be given the opportunity to meet with Swedish diplomatic and medical staff, and that he be released so that he can be reunited with his daughter and family," it said.

Patric Nilsson, a foreign ministry spokesman, told Swedish media on Friday that Gui's comments would not sway Sweden's calls for his release, which have been echoed by Germany, the European Union and the United States.

"We have a clear demand that he be set free, so that he can meet his family," Nilsson told the TT news agency. "Those demands remain."

Police in the eastern Chinese city of Ningbo, where Gui was released into house arrest in October, did not respond to a fax seeking comment. But earlier in the week, China's foreign ministry heavily criticized Sweden for advocating on Gui's behalf and warned against efforts to interfere in Chinese judicial matters.

It is not the first time Gui, 53, has been detained by Chinese authorities, nor is it his first interview conducted in Chinese captivity.

He was believed to have been abducted by Chinese agents for the first time in 2015 from his seaside home in Thailand. At the time, speculation swirled in publishing circles that Gui was on the verge of releasing a new book about the personal lives of top Chinese leaders, explaining the all-out efforts to silence him.

Several of Gui's colleagues from his Hong Kong publishing house also went missing in quick succession, sparking street protests in Hong Kong against what was widely viewed to be efforts by mainland security forces to snuff out independent voices in the semi-autonomous city.

Gui was released into house arrest after Chinese authorities said he turned himself in over a hit-and-run accident allegedly committed years before. Gui's overseas friends and family, including his daughter Angela, say that the charges were bogus and that Gui was keen to leave China for Europe.

But in his interview Friday, Gui told reporters he was in fact living happily in Ningbo and playing mahjong with his mother several months ago when Swedish officials exaggerated the diagnosis of a muscular ailment and convinced him that he should return to Sweden as soon as possible to seek treatment for a severe neurological disease.

He eventually "fell for it," he explained, while adding that he was not allowed to leave the country because he was still under investigation for conducting illegal business.

"I have seen through the Swedish government," he said. "I may consider giving up my Swedish citizenship."

Gui's case has deeply frustrated Western governments who say they had assurances early this year from China's foreign ministry that Gui's liberty had been restored and that Gui's seizure in January in full view of Swedish consular officials came as a shock.

Although Chinese authorities have long pressed dissidents for confessions, Gui's latest interview adds to a growing pattern in recent years of the government using high-profile political detainees and state-controlled or sympathetic press to directly rebut criticism. In some instances, detainees, including a Swedish human rights activist and one of Gui's colleagues, have recanted their jailhouse confessions aired by the state broadcaster CCTV as soon as they left China.

Gui previously issued a televised confession while in detention in 2016, telling CCTV that he was being legally held for his traffic violation and was "willing to accept any punishment."

"In yet another embarrassing move, #China is forcing Swedish citizen #GuiMinhai to 'confess' and make public statements," Mans Molander, Sweden and Denmark director of Human Rights Watch, said on Twitter Friday. "We have seen it before."

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Follow Gerry Shih at www.twitter.com/@gerryshih
LOCUST GROVE, Ga. (AP) - The killing of a police officer and wounding of two deputies in a sudden, unexpected burst of gunfire has left a Georgia town in shock.

The fallen officer's wife is expecting the couple's second baby. And the town's mayor broke down as he spoke about the officer and his family hours after Friday morning's shooting.

Authorities said two deputies were wounded in Friday morning's shooting, and a suspect was killed.

Authorities investigate the scene where multiple law enforcement officers have been shot and a suspect is dead south of Atlanta, Friday, Feb. 9, 2018, in Locust Grove, Ga. WSB-TV, citing the Henry County Sheriff's Office, reports that two local sheriff's deputies and a Locust Grove officer were shot. The sheriff says the man who shot them is dead. (AP Photo/Jeff Martin)

Henry County Sheriff Keith McBrayer said the gunfire broke out as the officers tried to serve an arrest warrant around 11 a.m. at a home in Locust Grove, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) southeast of Atlanta.
JERUSALEM (AP) - The Latest on Israel offensive against Iranian targets in Syria (all times local):

8:45 p.m.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the latest developments in the region.

Flames rise from a missile, which according to the Lebanon national news agency appears to be part of a Syrian air defense missile targeting an Israeli warplane which landed in a lemon grove, in Hasbani village, southwest Lebanon, Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018. Lebanon is protesting Israel's use of its airspace to target Syria, saying it will complain to the U.N. Security Council. (AP Photo)

Netanyahu says Saturday that he informed Putin of Israel's intention to continue defending itself against any aggression and to prevent Iran from establishing a presence "in Syria or anywhere else."

Russia backs the Assad and maintains a large military presence in the country. Netanyahu has met several times with Putin to coordinate military activities in the region.

Russia's foreign ministry appeared to criticize Israel's actions by saying it was "absolutely unacceptable to create threats to the lives and security of Russian servicemen."

Netanyahu says he also spoke to U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

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7:50 p.m.

Israel is calling on the United Nations Security Council to denounce Iran's dispatching of a drone into Israeli territory.

Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, says Saturday that "all of our warnings regarding Iran have proven correct. We will not tolerate any violation of our sovereignty."

Danon is calling on the Security Council to condemn Iran's action and "put an immediate end to Iranian provocations."

Israel says it shot down the drone after it penetrated Israeli airspace and destroyed the Iranian installation in Syria that launched it.

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5:15 p.m.

Lebanon's Hezbollah has hailed Syria's response to Israel's attack on Iranian and Syrian bases in Syria, saying it signals "a new strategic phase" that puts an end to violation of Syrian territories.

Israel said one of its F-16s crashed after it came under fire from Syria. Israel responded with a "large scale attack" on 12 bases in Syria. The incident was sparked by what Israel said was an Iranian drone infiltrating its air space. A joint operation room of Syria and its allies, Iran and Hezbollah, denied the drone entered Israel airspace.

In its statement Saturday, Hezbollah said the "brave confrontation of the aggressing Israeli planes," including downing an F-16, ushers in a "new strategic phase" that puts an end to the violation of Syrian airspace and territories. Hezbollah, which has sent thousands of fighters to back the troops of Syrian President Bashar Assad, said the developments mean "a decisive end to old arrangements."

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2:35 p.m.

Russia's foreign ministry is expressing concern over Israeli missile strikes in Syria and is urging the sides to avoid escalating the situation.

In a statement Saturday, the ministry said "of particular concern is the danger of escalation of tension within and around de-escalation zones in Syria, the creation of which has become an important factor in reducing violence on Syrian soil."

"We urge all parties involved to exercise restraint and to avoid any actions that could lead to an even greater complication of the situation. We consider it necessary to unconditionally respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria and other countries of the region. It is absolutely unacceptable to create threats to the lives and security of Russian servicemen who are in Syria at the invitation of its legitimate government to assist in the fight against terrorists," the ministry said.

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1:50 p.m.

Lebanon is protesting Israel's use of its airspace to target Syria, saying it will complain to the U.N. Security Council.

In a statement Saturday, Lebanon's Foreign Ministry also said it supports Syria's "legitimate" right to respond to Israel's "aggression."

The statement said such "aggressive policy" threatens stability in the region.

Lebanon urged concerned countries to "rein in" Israel.

Israel said an Iranian drone infiltrated its airspace Saturday from Syria.

Meanwhile, Lebanon's news agency says a missile, apparently from the Syrian air defense, has landed in a lemon grove in a village in southwestern Lebanon.

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1 p.m.

The Syrian military and its allies are denying that the unmanned drone Israel says it shot down violated the Jewish state's airspace, saying it was on a regular mission gathering intelligence on Islamic State militants.

The Saturday statement on Central Military Media, which is allied with the Syrian military, called a subsequent Israeli attack on a drone station in Syria's central Homs province a "terrorist act," warning of "a tough and serious response."

The statement said Israeli jets targeted a drone base in central Syria whose mission is to gather intelligence on IS in the area. It said the station was hit while drones were on regular missions in the country's desert in Homs province.

The statement said it was "a lie and misleading" to say the drone had entered Israel's airspace.

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11 a.m.

An Israeli military spokesman says Iran is "playing with fire" by infiltrating Israeli airspace and will pay a heavy price.

Israeli military spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus says Saturday that the unmanned aircraft Israel shot down was "on a military mission sent and operated by Iranian military forces."

Conricus says that in response Israel destroyed the Iranian site in central Syria that launched it. Subsequent attacks were carried out against four additional Iranian targets and eight Syrian sites. An Israel jet crashed after being shot at by Syrian anti-aircraft fire.

It marks Israel's most significant involvement in Syria to date.

The military says it is "ready for various scenarios and will continue to act according to situation assessments."

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10:15 a.m.

The Israeli military says it has carried out a "large scale attack" against Iranian targets in Syria.

The military says it planes struck 12 targets Saturday including three aerial defense batteries and four Iranian targets that are part of Iran's military establishment in Syria.

It says that during the attack anti-aircraft missiles were fired toward Israel, triggering alarms that were heard in northern Israel.

The attack came after Israel shot down an Iranian drone that infiltrated the country. An Israeli F-16 was subsequently shot down.

The military says it is "ready for various scenarios and will continue to act according to situation assessments."

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10 a.m.

A Syria war monitor says Israel has struck targets in central Syria and the southwestern suburbs of the capital Damascus in two separate and successive waves of airstrikes.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the first round targeted in the central desert area where Syrian troops and their Iranian-backed allies including Hezbollah are known to maintain bases. It cited unconfirmed reports of casualties among Syrian government forces and allied militiamen.

The Britain-based Observatory, which monitors the Syria war through a network of activists on the ground, says the second round targeted outposts in the southwestern suburbs of Damascus.

The Israeli military said Saturday it shot down an Iranian drone that infiltrated the country and struck Iranian targets in Syria that launched it.

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9:45 a.m.

The Israeli military says one of its pilots has been seriously wounded as a result of an emergency evacuation from his F-16 jet that came under Syrian fire.

The military says the pilot was evacuated Saturday to a hospital for medical treatment. A second pilot was lightly wounded.

The F-16 crashed in northern Israel after facing heavy anti-aircraft counter fire from Syria. Israeli planes had just struck Iranian targets deep in Syria in response to an Iranian drone that infiltrated Israel.

The military says it has the drone in its possession.

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9:20 a.m.

Syria state TV says its air defenses have responded to new Israeli raids near the capital Damascus, following an earlier raid in the country's center.

The TV broadcaster said sounds of explosions were heard Saturday in Reef Damascus province, near the capital. The state news agency SANA said air defenses responded to a "new Israeli aggression."

The new Israeli raids come hours after an earlier one in central Syria. Israel said it was responded to an Iranian drone infiltrating the country, shooting it down. Israel military said it struck Iranian targets in Syria that launched the drone.

Israel called the new escalation "severe violation of Israeli sovereignty."

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8:10 a.m.

Syria says its defenses have responded to an Israeli raid on one of its military bases in the country's center, calling it a "new aggression."

Syrian State TV quoted a military official Saturday saying that Syrian air defenses hit more than one Israeli plane.

The Israeli military says an Iranian drone infiltrated the country and it was shot down. The military also says it struck Iranian targets in Syria that launched the drone.

The military says that as part of the unusual event early Saturday one of its F-16 jets crashed in northern Israel.

Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus said Iran was "responsible for this severe violation of Israeli sovereignty." respond to Israeli raid on one of its military bases

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08:00 a.m.

The Israeli military says it has shot down an Iranian drone that infiltrated the country and has struck Iranian targets in Syria that launched it.

The military says that as part of the unusual event early Saturday one of its F-16 jets crashed in northern Israel.

The military says the pilots abandoned the aircraft and were safe. It says sirens sounded in northern Israel as a result of the anti-aircraft fire from Syria.

Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus said Iran was "responsible for this severe violation of Israeli sovereignty."
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday that he is counting on India's support for a multi-country sponsorship of any future Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.

Such a framework would ostensibly replace Washington's long-standing monopoly as mediator. Abbas rejected the traditional U.S. role after President Donald Trump recognized contested Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December. Trump's pivot upset Palestinians who seek the city's Israeli-annexed eastern sector as a capital.

Abbas has appealed to the international community, including countries in Europe and the Arab world, to demand a say in future negotiations, but has so far failed to secure commitments.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, right shakes hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their meeting upon his arrival to the Palestinian Authority headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser, Pool)

European leaders have criticized Trump's dramatic policy shift on Jerusalem, but appear unwilling to confront Washington over its handling of more than two decades of failed efforts to broker an Israeli-Palestinian partition deal.

Modi's visit to the city of Ramallah was the first by an Indian prime minister to an autonomous Palestinian enclave in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

The Indian leader pledged $41 million for a hospital, three schools and other projects in the West Bank. He said India remains "committed to Palestinian national rights," but stopped short of offering support for Abbas' political agenda.

Modi's West Bank visit was seen, in part, as an attempt to compensate the Palestinians after he hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for six days last month, in a reflection of warming ties between Israel and India.

Modi flew to Ramallah from Jordan by helicopter Saturday and laid a wreath at the grave of Abbas predecessor Yasser Arafat, located in Abbas' walled government compound. Modi then toured the Arafat museum, which is also part of the compound, before holding talks with Abbas.

Abbas said after their meeting that he remains committed to negotiations with Israel as the path toward Palestinian independence. Palestinians seek a state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem, lands Israel captured in 1967, but no meaningful talks on statehood through a partition deal have been held for almost a decade.

"We never have and never will reject negotiations," said Abbas. "We consider a multi-lateral mechanism that emerges from an international peace conference as the ideal way to sponsor the negotiations."

"Here we count on India, with its status as a great power, its historical role in the non-aligned movement and in international forums ... to achieve a just peace," Abbas said.

Israel staunchly opposes any international framework for negotiations, arguing that only the U.S. can be a fair broker. The Palestinians have criticized Trump's shift on Jerusalem as a sign of blatant pro-Israel bias by Washington.

Modi told Abbas that "support for the Palestinian cause has been one of the mainstays of our foreign policy" and that he hopes a Palestinian state will be established through peaceful means.

The Indian leader arrived late Saturday night to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi's powerful crown prince, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, met Modi on arrival at the airport and had talks with him, according to the state-run WAM news agency. In honor of Modi's visit, the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building in Dubai, displayed the Indian flag on its massive LED light display.

Abbas is scheduled to meet Monday with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Russia's Black Sea town of Sochi.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, right hugs Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi after decorating him with the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine medal, during his visit to the Palestinian Authority headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser, Pool)

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, right meets with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi upon his arrival to the Palestinian Authority headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser, Pool)

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, right decorates Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine medal, during his visit to the Palestinian Authority headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser, Pool)

Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, left escorts Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi while he lays a wreath on Arafat's grave, upon his arrival to the Palestinian Authority headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser, Pool)
WARSAW, Poland (AP) - An adviser to Poland's president says he thinks Israel's negative reaction to a law criminalizing some statements about Poland's actions during World War II stemmed from a "feeling of shame at the passivity of the Jews during the Holocaust."

Andrzej Zybertowicz, a Nicolaus Copernicus University sociology professor who also serves as a presidential adviser, called Israel's opposition to the new law "anti-Polish" and said it shows the Mideast nation is "clearly fighting to keep the monopoly on the Holocaust."

"Many Jews engaged in denunciation, collaboration during the war. I think Israel has still not worked it through," Zybertowicz said in the interview in the Polska-The Times newspaper Friday.

FILE - In this Saturday, Jan. 27, 2018 file photo, survivors and guests walk past the "Arbeit Macht Frei" gate at the former Nazi German concentration camp on International Holocaust Remembrance Day in Oswiecim, Poland. An adviser to Poland's president has said that Israel's reaction to a law criminalizing some statements about Poland's actions during World War II stems from a "feeling of shame at the passivity of the Jews during the Holocaust." Andrzej Zybertowicz made the remark in an interview published Friday, Feb. 9 in the Polska-The Times newspaper. The law imposes prison terms of up to three years for falsely and intentionally attributing Nazi crimes to German-occupied Poland. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski, file)

Zybertowicz could not immediately be reached for comment but tweeted a link to the article.

His remarks follow open expressions of anti-Semitism that surfaced online and in some government-controlled media when Israeli officials objected to the law, which outlaws public statements that falsely and intentionally attribute Nazi crimes to Poland under the German occupation.

Jews have sometimes been described, often derisively, as having remained passive during the rise of Nazism and the Holocaust. Key acts of resistance contradict that, most notably the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943. Smaller revolts took place in the death camps, including Sobibor and Treblinka, where starving prisoners without weapons faced heavily armed German guards.

In Israel, some fear the Polish speech law will allow the Polish government to whitewash the role some individual Poles had in the deaths of Jews. The law allows for prison terms of up to three years.

Polish President Andrzej Duda and other government officials said it was needed because Poles sometimes are depicted as collaborators or complicit in the Nazi genocide.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Saturday that she won't get involved or interfere with Poland's law because "as Germans, we are responsible for the things that happened during the Holocaust." Merkel said in her weekly podcast that the onus on Germany from the Holocaust is something every German government will have to address.

Duda signed the law on Tuesday but also asked the country's constitutional court to review it.

Poland's government went into exile abroad when German forces took over, while an underground army at home resisted the Nazis. After Jews, ethnic Poles made up the largest group of victims at the Nazi-run camps. There were, however, cases of Poles who identified Jews to the Germans or killed them directly.

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This story has been corrected to say that Jews, not ethnic Poles, made up the largest group in the Nazi death camps.
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - Indonesian authorities lowered the alert status of Bali's Mount Agung volcano from the highest level on Saturday following a significant decrease in activity and said thousands of people who have fled its slopes for government shelters may return home.

More than 140,000 people fled the area around the mountain after its alert status was raised to the highest level on Sept. 22, indicating an eruption may be imminent.

The decision to downgrade Agung's status was made after several scientific indicators showed a drastic decrease in activity in the past month and all villagers who evacuated from its slopes could return home as the radius of the volcano's danger zone had also decreased from 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) to 4 kilometers (2.4 miles) from its crater, Ignasius Jonan, the minister of energy and natural resources, said in a statement.

"People's activities as well as tourism in Bali has been declared safe and there will no more disruption related to the volcano at this time," Jonan said.

The government volcano agency said smoke and tremors from the 3,031-meter (9,900-foot) volcano, which indicate rising magma, have reduced significantly, but Agung remained on the second-highest alert level. The agency said that villagers could return home, but warned them not to venture close to the crater, which was still emitting smoke.

Indonesian officials first raised the highest alert five months ago, when seismic activity increased at the mountain. The activity decreased by late October, and the alert was lowered before being lifted to the highest level again in December, forcing more than 55,000 people to live in shelters. Tourists who were stranded when the idyllic island's airport closed for nearly three days rushed to leave.

Agung, located about 70 kilometers (45 miles) northeast of Bali's tourist hotspot of Kuta, last erupted in 1963, killing about 1,100 people.

It is among more than 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia, which is prone to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes because of its location on the so-called "Ring of Fire" - a series of fault lines stretching from the Western Hemisphere through Japan and Southeast Asia.
ISTANBUL (AP) - Four more Turkish soldiers have been killed in northern Syria, the Turkish military announced late Saturday, bringing the day's death toll to 11 in what has been the most lethal day since Ankara's offensive on Syrian Kurdish militia began.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced earlier that a military helicopter was "downed" in the Afrin operation. Speaking in Istanbul, Erdogan didn't mention by name the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units, or YPG, but hinted they were to blame.

The country's prime minister walked back on the comments soon after, saying the cause of the helicopter's crash was not yet clear and investigations were ongoing.

Turkey's President and leader of ruling Justice and Development Party Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrives to address the party members in Istanbul, Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018. Erdogan has announced that a Turkish military helicopter has been "downed" Saturday in northern Syria during Ankara's offensive on Syrian Kurdish militia there.( Murat Cetinmuhurdar/Pool Photo via AP )

"We don't have exact evidence or documents to determine that it went down with any outside interference," Binali Yildirim told reporters in the western province of Mugla.

The Turkish military said in a statement that two soldiers were killed when its attack helicopter crashed and was destroyed at around 1 p.m. local time (10 a.m. GMT). A technical team launched an investigation.

A spokesman for the Kurdish militia, Mustafa Bali, said his fighters downed the chopper in Raju, northwest Afrin.

In a video posted online by the YPG-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces, a helicopter is seen flying over a tree-lined hill and another helicopter is captured during its crash. A helicopter is seen firing two rockets in the area as plumes of smoke from the crash rise over the trees.

Turkey launched a military offensive on Jan. 20 to oust the YPG from Afrin, citing national security. Turkey considers the group a terrorist organization and an extension of an insurgency within its own borders that has fought for Kurdish autonomy for more than three decades.

The helicopter is the first aircraft Turkey announced it has lost since the offensive began. The Turkish president said, "We might lose a helicopter but they'll pay the price for this."

In three other statements, the army announced nine more Turkish soldiers were killed and 11 wounded Saturday, bringing the military death toll to 30 since Jan. 20.

"We are in a war. We will have losses but we will also cause losses," Erdogan said in Istanbul.

Syria has been gripped by a new and escalating round of violence in recent weeks. Aside from the Turkish offensive in Afrin, the Syrian government has escalated its attacks on two of the largest and most important remaining opposition-held areas, in Idlib province in northwestern Syria and on eastern Ghouta, a region near the capital Damascus. The violence has left hundreds killed and wounded as the Syrian government and its allies sought to consolidate their hold on remaining opposition-controlled areas.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein called Saturday for urgent international action, saying the past week in Syria "has been one of the bloodiest periods of the entire conflict." The commissioner said the "no-holds-barred nature" of the assault included attacks on nine medical facilities and the death of 277 civilians between Feb. 4 and Feb. 9 in both Idlib and eastern Ghouta. There were also reports of the government using toxic agents in residential areas.

In eastern Ghouta, nearly 400,000 residents are trapped by a tightening government siege and violence. In Idlib, the largest area controlled by the opposition, at least two million people reside.

"Even by Syria's atrocious standards, these are exceptionally deplorable developments - and a cruel irony given that both have been declared 'de-escalation areas'," Al Hussein said.

Both Idlib and eastern Ghouta are part of Russia-negotiated de-escalation areas, which are meant to freeze the lines of conflict and allow in humanitarian aid.

Al Hussein said the prevailing climate of impunity and the paralysis of the U.N .Security Council, divided between allies and foes of the Syrian government, calls for the Syrian conflict to be referred to the International Criminal Court, and a more concerted effort by the parties involved to bring about peace.

"The conduct and management of this war has been utterly shameful from the outset, and the failure to end it marks an epic failure of global diplomacy," Al Hussein said.

Turkey's President and leader of ruling Justice and Development Party Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses the party members in Istanbul, Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018. Erdogan has announced that a Turkish military helicopter has been "downed" Saturday in northern Syria during Ankara's offensive on Syrian Kurdish militia there. (Murat Cetinmuhurdar/Pool Photo via AP )
In scenes reminiscent of the Cold-War era, Russia and Estonia swapped spies on a snow-covered bridge on the border between the two countries.

In tense footage, Estonian Raivo Susi is seen being exchanged for Russian Artern Zintsenko at a border crossing in southeast Estonia.

The two nations had agreed to issue mutual presidential pardons to the men arrested on charges of espionage.

Bridge of Spies: Estonian Raivo Susi, second left, and Russian Artern Zintsenko, second right, are seen during a prisoner exchange, at the Koidula border in southeastern Estonia

Estonia's Internal Security Service described Raivo Susi, an Estonian found guilty of espionage and sentenced to 12 years in a high security prison in Russia, as an 'entrepreneur'.

'Estonia extradited to Russia a spy who committed a crime here and the Estonian entrepreneur was able to return to his loved ones after a long retention in Russia,' said a spokesperson for Estonia's security service.

'And it is clear, Estonian counterintelligence had to take action over such obvious Russian spying in Estonia.'

Susi was arrested at a Moscow airport in February 2016 on espionage charges related to his alleged actions from 2004 to 2007.

He was sentenced last year to 12 years in a remote work camp, told Radio Free Europe.

Susi, who co-owns two companies involved in the sale and repair of aircrafts, had been on his way to a Central Asian country.

Estonian Raivo Susi and Russian Artern Zintsenko look ecstatic as they return home

Russian national Zinchenko was sentenced to five years in prison by a court in Tallinn last year, after being convicted of spying on behalf of Russian military intelligence.

He was found guilty of gathering and transmitting intelligence that compromised the former Soviet country's national security.

This is not the first exchange between the two nations.

In 2015, Russia freed Estonian officer Eston Kohver, who had been sentence to 15 years imprisonment on espionage and other charges.

He spent nearly 13 months in a number of Russian prisons before his eventual release.

In exchange, Tallinn freed Aleksei Dressen, a former Estonian security official serving 16 years after he was found to have been spying for Moscow.
CLEVELAND (AP) - Officials in Cleveland are searching for a new site to land a statue of Superman.

The Plain Dealer reports city officials, the statue committee and sculptor David Deming met this week to discuss the location change. Officials originally planned to put the Man of Steel near the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum but the site is no longer available.

Deming's 4,000-pound (1,814-kilogram), 10-foot-long (3-meter) statue includes a tribute to Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The Cleveland pair created the legendary comic book character in the 1930s.

Committee member Michael Olszewski says he's confident the group will find a home for the statue that's better than the original site. Possible spots include Edgewater Park along Lake Erie and Cleveland's cultural center, University Circle.

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Information from: The Plain Dealer, http://www.cleveland.com
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) - A third Florida man has pleaded guilty in an FBI terrorism sting involving a plot to travel to Syria and fight with the Islamic State extremist group.

The Miami U.S. Attorney's Office said in a press release Friday that 54-year-old Gregory Hubbard of West Palm Beach faces a maximum 20-year prison sentence. Hubbard pleaded guilty to conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State.

Two other men previously pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Prosecutors say they talked with a confidential FBI source about their support for the Islamic State and how they would travel to Syria to fight. They also practiced shooting weapons in preparation for Hubbard and the FBI source to go to Syria.

Hubbard's sentencing is April 19. The two other men are also awaiting sentencing.
ABOARD AIR FORCE TWO (AP) - Vice President Mike Pence's efforts to keep North Korea from stealing the show at the Winter Olympics proved short-lived, drowned out by images of the two Koreas marching and competing as one.

And as the South appeared to look favorably on warming ties on the Korean Peninsula, Pence insisted Saturday "there is no daylight" among the United States and allies South Korea and Japan in intensifying pressure on the North over its nuclear and missile programs.

Pence spent the days leading up to the Pyeongchang Olympics warning that the North was trying to "hijack the message and imagery" of the event with its "propaganda." But the North was welcomed with open arms to what South Korean President Moon Jae-in called "Olympic games of peace."

United States' Vice President Mike Pence and South Korean President Moon Jae-in laugh during the ladies' 500 meters short-track speedskating in the Gangneung Ice Arena at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Gangneung, South Korea, Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

It was the U.S. that appeared to be the one left in the cold, especially after the sister of the North Korean dictator extended an invitation from her brother for Moon to visit the North. That was the clearest sign yet of an expanding diplomatic opening opposed by the Trump administration.

Pence said Moon updated him about the meeting he had with North Korean officials and "both of us reiterated to each other tonight that we will continue to stand strong and work in a coordinated way to bring maximum economic and diplomatic pressure to bear on North Korea."

Moon was all smiles as he greeted Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and Kim Yong Nam, the country's 90-year-old nominal head of state, for lunch at the presidential residence.

Pence said Friday that the U.S. would oppose talks between the two Koreas until the North agreed to open negotiations on ending its nuclear program.

On his flight to Alaska on Saturday, the vice president said he left Asia "encouraged that we will continue to work very closely to continue and intensify the maximum pressure campaign" against North Korea.

He said war had forged "the core of the bond" between the U.S. and South Korea and that helps explains "why there is no daylight and there will be no daylight" between the two.

At the opening ceremonies Friday, Pence sat stone-faced in his seat as Moon and North Korean officials stood together with much of the stadium to applaud their joint team of athletes. White House officials stressed that Pence had applauded only for the American team, but Asia experts said the vice president's refusal to stand could be seen as disrespectful to the hosts.

U.S. officials have been urging South Korea to be cautious in its rapprochement with the North. But North Korea's record on human rights and the growing threat from its nuclear weapons program appeared out of mind.

Even Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has shared the American skepticism of warming North-South relations and pressed Moon against falling for the North's "smile diplomacy," greeted Kim Yong Nam.

At a Friday VIP reception for delegation leaders, Pence arrived late and stayed for just five minutes - and did not interact with the delegation from the North.

"The Koreans will think it's a mood kill," said Frank Jannuzi, an expert on East Asia at the Mansfield Foundation in Washington. He criticized the Trump administration for straining too hard to signal disgust of Kim Jong Un's government.

"The grievances that the world has about North Korea are very legitimate. But the Olympic moment that President Moon is trying to generate here is not a time to nurse those grievances," Jannuzi said. "It's a time to focus on messages of reconciliation and peace."

As it turned out, with the two Koreas celebrating a moment of unity, the United States was left outmaneuvered by an adversary and out of step with an ally.

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Associated Press writers Matthew Pennington and Jonathan Lemire in Washington contributed to this report.

Kim Yo Jong, top right, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, sits alongside Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of North Korean Parliament, and behind U.S. Vice President Mike Pence as she watches the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Friday, Feb. 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, Pool)
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) - Ousmane Dembele is fit to play in Sunday's game against Getafe after Barcelona said the France forward has recovered from a leg injury.

Dembele hasn't played since suffering a hamstring injury in his left leg in a 4-2 win at Real Sociedad on Jan. 14.

Prior to that, Dembele was out for more than three months after rupturing a thigh tendon in his left leg on Sept. 16.

Dembele has been limited to just seven appearances for Barcelona since his transfer from Borussia Dortmund in a deal that could potentially reach nearly 150 million euros (around $180 million).
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - It sounded like a scam. Three weeks after Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico, Brown University was offering to pick up 40 of the island's top students in a private jet and shuttle them to the Ivy League school to study for a year. And it would all be free.

Coral Murphy was suspicious, but she applied anyway. Even after the acceptance email arrived, she still had doubts. Reality set in only after she got to the airport and boarded the jet, where students were served sparkling water and sandwiches garnished with edible flowers.

"I'm still kind of in shock," said Murphy, 20, a junior in journalism who is now in her second term at Brown. "I'm like, 'Where am I?'"

In this Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018 photo Brown University students from Puerto Rico, from the left, Estefania Perez, of Bayamon, Andres Schiavone, of Guaynabo, and Fabiola Guasp, of San Juan, stand together for a photograph on the Brown campus, in Providence, R.I. Dozens of mainland U.S. colleges are offering tuition discounts to help Puerto Rican students continue their studies while the island recovers from Hurricane Maria. Brown University is among more than a dozen schools that have brought Puerto Rican students to study on campus for free in the wake of September's hurricane. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Murphy is among hundreds of Puerto Ricans who have come to colleges on the U.S. mainland following the devastation wrought by Maria, often drawn by offers of free or discounted tuition from schools hoping to help students continue their education while the island recovers.

Most of the offers are for one or two semesters, with the expectation that students will return to their home universities in Puerto Rico. But some educators in the U.S. territory worry that some of the Caribbean island's brightest students won't come back to an already beleaguered public university system.

"Some of these programs have targeted the cream of our crop, the best we have," said Don Walicek, who teaches English and linguistics at the University of Puerto Rico. "Will they ever come back to Puerto Rico?"

Even before the hurricane, enrollment had been falling at the University of Puerto Rico, where students went on strike last year protesting deep budget cuts. When the system's main campus at Rio Piedras reopened after Maria, more than 900 students - roughly 6 percent of the student body - did not return.

Those who relocated are among thousands of other Puerto Ricans leaving the island, where electricity is still in short supply amid a grueling recovery process.

The tuition offers from mainland universities are modeled on programs created in 2005 to help U.S. students displaced by Hurricane Katrina. But Walicek and two other professors wrote an open letter in November noting that, unlike schools in New Orleans that closed for months, the University of Puerto Rico reopened just five weeks after Hurricane Maria. The exodus of students has reduced enrollment, forcing the cancellation of some courses.

Officials behind the assistance programs say they're only trying to help, and they're encouraging students to return home after this school year. Administrators at Brown add that they partnered with the University of Puerto Rico and got approval for every student in the program.

"We want and expect them to return to their home institutions to conclude their degrees," said Marisa Quinn, chief of staff to the provost at Brown. "We really don't want to do anything to undermine the university's capacity to reopen and recover with great strength."

A total of 30 students accepted Brown's offer and arrived on campus in October. Other schools hosting students at no charge include Cornell University, which has 58 students from Puerto Rico this term. New York University is hosting about 50. Tulane University enrolled 16. Some are offering language support to students from the Spanish-speaking island, while others required applicants to be proficient in English.

Dozens of other schools have offered reduced tuition rates typically reserved for state residents, a move adopted by all public universities in New York and Massachusetts. A smaller group of schools also has extended this discount to students from the U.S. Virgin Islands, which was battered by storms Irma and Maria.

For universities, the act of charity can also bring a boost in publicity and a crop of talented students. While a year at Brown or NYU can top $70,000, many schools are adding students within their existing capacity, limiting the cost. In many cases, donors and foundations have chipped in.

Many students who came to the mainland say they feel pulled between an allegiance to Puerto Rico and the bright opportunities they see here. Some vow to return home, but others say they'll apply to other mainland schools or return for graduate studies.

The Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston brought 10 students from Puerto Rico last month, including some who see the program as a stepping stone.

"If I see another option, I will take it," said Tanisha Pacheco Rodriguez, a senior painting major, adding that after the hurricane hit, morale plummeted at her school, the School of Visual Arts and Design of Puerto Rico. "I appreciate this moment because it's like being reborn."

At Brown, sophomore biology student Andrea Rodriguez-Villafane said she wants to keep studying on the mainland, where she says internships are easier to find.

"Here, they give you opportunities on a silver plate. At the University of Puerto Rico, you have to search for them and be extremely determined," she said. "They won't come to you."

In Puerto Rico, she fears the threat of new budget cuts at school and the danger posed by future hurricanes. But she is conflicted, because it's also her home.

"I'm pretty terrified, but at the same time I have family in Puerto Rico, and I also feel this sense of responsibility that I should come back," she said. "If everyone leaves, who will be there to help Puerto Rico?"

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Follow Collin Binkley on Twitter at @cbinkley

In this Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018 photo Brown University students from Puerto Rico, Jessica Ortiz, of Gurabo, seated left, receives a hug from Mariana Ramos Ortiz, of Cabo Rojo, top left, as Fabiola Guasp, of San Juan, center, speaks with Coral Murphy, of Manati, right, and Katerina Ramos Jordan, of Trajillo Alto, top right, following dinner in a cafeteria on the school's campus, in Providence, R.I. Dozens of mainland U.S. colleges are offering tuition discounts to help Puerto Rican students continue their studies while the island recovers from Hurricane Maria. Brown University is among more than a dozen schools that have brought Puerto Rican students to study on campus for free in the wake of September's hurricane. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
PARIS (AP) - A colorful crowd has celebrated the French government's decision to abandon plans to build a new airport in the west of the country.

At a victory party Saturday, thousands of environmentalists, farmers and activists, some wearing Carnival masks, symbolically set fire to a giant wooden plane in a field in Notre-Dame-des-Landes. The village near the western city of Nantes was where a controversial airport was to be built.

Supporters from other French regions joined activists who have occupied the site and camped out in makeshift settlements for years to resist the project, hoping to make the land "a space of social, environmental and agricultural experimentation."

Last month, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced that France won't build the planned airport, putting an end to a half-century-old project.
SAO PAULO (AP) - A Supreme Court justice has ordered the head of Brazil's federal police to explain himself after he reportedly said investigators would likely recommend shelving a bribery probe into the president.

Justice Luis Roberto Barroso said Saturday that police chief Fernando Segovia's comments, if confirmed, were inappropriate and could have broken the law.

Segovia took over the federal police last year despite concerns he would stymie an investigation into President Michel Temer. Authorities are investigating whether Temer accepted bribes for favors to a company operating at Brazil's largest port.

FILE - In this Nov. 20, 2017 file photo, Brazil's new Director-General of the Federal Police, Fernando Segovia, attends his swearing-in ceremony in Brasilia, Brazil. A Supreme Court justice has ordered Segovia to explain himself after he reportedly said investigators would likely recommend shelving a bribery probe into the president. Justice Luis Roberto Barroso said Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018, that Segovia's comments, if confirmed, were inappropriate and could have broken the law. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres, File)

Segovia told Reuters that the investigation turned up no evidence of bribery and the force would likely recommend it be shelved, the news organization reported.

In a letter published by Brazilian media Saturday, Segovia denies saying the probe would be shelved.
EVERETT, Wash. (AP) - A 19-year-old Washington state man, who police say raped a high school student as she died from a drug overdose and texted semi-nude photos of her, has been charged with manslaughter.

Brian Roberto Varela of Lynnwood was also charged Friday in Snohomish County Superior Court with second-degree rape and controlled substance homicide in the death of 18-year-old Alyssa Mae Noceda.

According to court documents, Varela told detectives that Noceda snorted Percocet and also ingested liquid marijuana before collapsing in his room the previous weekend.

Authorities say Varela never sought help for Noceda, instead sending semi-nude photos of her to friends and texting "LOL, I think she od'd, still breathing."

Authorities say his co-worker contacted police Tuesday after Varela said he didn't know if Noceda was still alive when he was having sex with her. Court records say he told a friend that "she died having sex with me."

Police arrested Varela later that day after executing a search warrant and finding Noceda's body in a plastic crate at the suspect's home.

Varela told investigators he planned to bury Noceda with onions to minimize the odor, police said. He also told detectives that after Noceda died, he used her thumb to unlock her phone Feb. 4 and send messages to make it appear she had run away.

Friends of Noceda, a student at Mariner High School, held a vigil for her on Friday with more than a hundred people taking part, including her mother.

"The night that she left she told me, she said, 'Mom, I love you,'" said Gina Pierson.

Online jail records did not show if Varela has an attorney to comment on his behalf.
LOCUST GROVE, Ga. (AP) - The Latest on the killing of a police officer in Georgia in a shootout that also claimed the life of the suspect (all times local):

3:30 p.m.

Authorities in Georgia say the police officer killed in a shootout with a criminal suspect died of a gunshot wound to the head.

This photo provided by Georgia Bureau of Investigation shows Locust Grove Officer Chase Maddox. Maddox was killed Friday, Feb. 9, 2018, and two deputies were seriously wounded in a shooting that also left a suspect dead south of Atlanta, authorities said. Henry County Sheriff Keith McBrayer said gunfire broke out as the officers were serving an arrest warrant at a home in Locust Grove, southeast of Atlanta. Locust Grove Mayor Robert Price identified the slain officer as Maddox, who had been with the department since he was 22. (Georgia Bureau of Investigation via AP)

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in a statement that preliminary results of an autopsy performed Saturday on Locust Grove Police Officer Chase Maddox at the crime lab in Decatur indicate he was shot three times, with the fatal wound being to the head.

The suspect, 39-year-old Tierre Guthrie, also died. An autopsy showed that he was shot four times, with two wounds to the chest.

Gunfire broke out as the officers were serving an arrest warrant Friday morning at a home in Locust Grove, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) southeast of Atlanta. Guthrie was wanted for failing to appear in court for traffic violations, the GBI said.

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The killing of a police officer and wounding of two deputies in a sudden, unexpected burst of gunfire has left a Georgia town in shock.

The fallen officer's wife is expecting the couple's second baby. And the town's mayor broke down as he spoke about the officer and his family hours after Friday morning's shooting.

Authorities said two deputies were wounded in Friday morning's shooting, and a suspect was killed.

Henry County Sheriff Keith McBrayer said the gunfire broke out as the officers tried to serve an arrest warrant around 11 a.m. at a home in Locust Grove, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) southeast of Atlanta.
ROCHESTER, N.H. (AP) - The father of slain journalist James Foley hopes two recently captured extremists will be put on trial and sentenced to life in prison.

U.S. officials recently confirmed the capture of two Britons who were part of a notorious Islamic State cell that tortured and beheaded Foley and more than two dozen other hostages. Foley, 40, was kidnapped in 2012 and killed in August 2014. He grew up in New Hampshire, where his father called the recent news bittersweet.

"Obviously, it's not going to bring Jimmy back," John Foley told WMUR-TV .

"Everybody needs to be responsible for their actions, and we as a family and as a country have a need for justice," he said in calling for a trial.

"The death penalty would make them martyrs, which is what they would want, so I would prefer that they spend the rest of their lives in jail," he said.

U.S. officials have confirmed that El Shafee Elsheikh and Alexanda Amon Kotey, who grew up in London before traveling to the Middle East, were captured in early January in eastern Syria. They are alleged to have been part of the four-man IS cell dubbed "The Beatles" because of their British accents.

In 2011, Foley was held by government forces in Libya while covering that country's civil war. Another journalist - South African photographer Anton Hammerl - was shot during their capture and left to die in the desert. Foley and another journalist were released after six weeks. At the time of his kidnapping in Syria, he had been in the country contributing videos to Agence France-Press.

Since her son's death, Foley's mother, Diane, has created the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation to advocate for the release of American hostages and help keep journalists reporting in conflict zones safe.
Russian president Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron have discussed cooperating more closely to resolve the Syrian crisis, as France tries to smooth ties with Russia and move beyond years of tension over Syria and Ukraine.

Mr Macron spoke to Mr Putin by phone as the French leader prepares to attend the St Petersburg Economic Forum in May, where the two presidents will meet.

The Kremlin said Mr Putin and Mr Macron underlined the need for closer co-operation on Syria.

French president Emmanuel Macron speaks during a Trianon Council meeting

Mr Macrons office said he pushed for more robust Syrian peace talks  notably after a Russia-sponsored effort last month boycotted by the Syrian opposition.

The French president also pressed Mr Putin to stop intolerable degradation of the humanitarian situation in regions of Syria that were pummelled by Syrian and Russian air strikes in recent days.

The presidents discussed another sore point in relations: the conflict in Ukraine. They stressed the need to enforce the 2015 Minsk peace agreement which was sponsored by France and Germany.

Mr Putin and Mr Macron also hailed a potentially problematic project to encourage contacts among Russian and French citizens. Called the Trianon Dialogue, the initiative appears aimed at minimising European sanctions against Russia for its support of separatists in eastern Ukraine.

The French-Russian project was set up to encourage interactions through joint theatre productions, school trips, sister city agreements and real estate investments.

However, geopolitical tensions threaten to complicate the effort.

Among the Russians overseeing the Trianon Dialogue are magnate Gennady Timchenko, a longtime associate of Putins, and former railways chief Vladimir Yakunin  both targets of US sanctions over Russias actions in Ukraine. A former ambassador who is an outspoken supporter of Russias bombings of Syria and annexation of Crimea is also involved.

An official in Mr Macrons office acknowledged that we may run into difficulties in juggling the projects open-arms mission with current East-West tensions. The official said the French side would remain vigilant to prevent Mr Putins administration from using the event for political ends.

Mr Macron has remained publicly committed to the European Unions sanctions on Russia, but the Trianon Dialogue could be seen as undermining them.

Insiders said he pushed for the project to encourage Franco-Russian economic relations despite curbs on trade prompted by the sanctions and a Russian embargo.

The French members of the projects board all hail from outside politics. They include an astronaut, a ballet star, the director of the Versailles Chateau and the CEOs of oil giant Total and car-sharing company Blablacar.
Former Anglo Irish Bank boss David Drumm has denied arranging dishonest or fraudulent multibillion-euro transfers to boost the lenders books in the months before it went bust, a court has been told.

The ex-banker is charged with conspiracy to defraud and false accounting relating to 7.2 billion euro being moved between Anglo and the Irish Life and Permanent (IL&P) and Irish Life Assurance (ILA) companies between March and September 2008.

Drumm has pleaded not guilty.

David Drumm has pleaded not guilty (Niall Carson/PA)

In the first day of evidence in a trial which is expected to run for several months, his lawyers told the court that he does not deny the money was moved.

Defence barrister Tessa White said: David Drumm accepts all of the factual matters relating to the mechanics of how the September transactions happened and the only issue that he disputes is whether they were fraudulent or dishonest or that there was any dishonesty in their reporting.

In a series of admissions on Drumms behalf, Ms White detailed a series of transfers between Anglo and IL&P and ILA as the global financial crisis hit hard in 2008.

In March Anglo placed one billion euro with IL&P and ILA deposited 750 million euro in return.

In June that year IL&P moved bonds worth more than three billion euro to Anglo.

In return Anglo deposited three billion euro.

In September Anglo moved 7.2 billion euro to IL&P.

In return IL&P moved the same amount back to Anglo on behalf of ILA.

All the monies were repaid within weeks of each transaction.

The aims were to increase Anglos non-bank deposits and to reduce IL&Ps reliance on European Central Bank funding.

More transactions had been planned for December but they were never completed.

Ms White told the court: David Drumm as chief executive officer authorised the March, June, September and December transactions and assumes responsibility for their execution by Anglo.

Judge Karen OConnor told the jury of 10 men and five women that the admissions would considerably reduce the length of the trial.

Earlier, Paul OHiggins, Senior Counsel for the state, told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that Drumm had arranged the 7.2 billion euro September transfer.

He said: This was a completely artificial process leading to a dressing up, a more than dressing up, a falsification of Anglo Irish Banks balance sheet so that its non-bank deposits were 7.2 billion euro bigger than they really were.

The jury was told that it will hear tape-recorded phone calls from Anglos treasury department, including calls about the multibillion-euro transfers.

Mr OHiggins said the money was moved at lightning speed and the prime objective was to dishonestly create the false impression at Anglos year end in 2008 that its non-bank deposits were in the 50 billions.

That ultimately happened, the barrister said.

Drumm, who is living in Skerries, Co Dublin, is on bail.

The 51-year-old wore a dark suit and an open-necked blue shirt as he sat in court listening to the prosecutions opening statement.

Drumm was Anglo chief executive from January 2005 until December 2008. He left Ireland for Boston in 2009 after the lender collapsed.

Mr OHiggins told the court: Mr Drumm was the chief executive officer of Anglo Irish Bank.

He was, the prosecution says, the man who called the shots. As CEO he was effectively in charge of the operation.

You are not to draw conclusions from his hat as CEO. You are to draw conclusions with the evidence here about his involvement.

Anglo was nationalised by the then government, a move which cost Irish citizens 29 billion euro.

Drumm was brought back to Ireland in March 2016 under an extradition warrant.
A curry house chef has praised the British justice system after being cleared of assaulting a customer who complained about his food by throwing chilli powder in his face.

Speaking outside court, former restaurant owner Karmul Islam said he was relieved to have been found not guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm on David Evans at his restaurant, the Prince of Bengal in Tonypandy, South Wales, on January 21 last year.

On Friday at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court after a five-day trial, a jury took three hours and 45 minutes to clear the 47-year-old father.

Islam, who said he was now working as a certified air conditioning engineer having closed the restaurant down, said: I was very confident that the British system would find the right answer.

Islam said the people of the Rhondda had given him so much in the 20 years he ran restaurants in the area and the result meant there was now no question about him.

He thanked friends and family who had supported him over the last 13 months.

The trial heard Mr Evans went to dine in the restaurant with his wife Michelle, arriving at around 6pm and ordering food and drinks.

The couple said their starters were not right but they did not complain, however they claimed the chicken in their main meals tasted of paraffin and was shiny, rubbery and tough.

The Evanses told jurors Islam asked what the problem was in an aggressive way and then started swearing at them.

Mr Evans claimed Mr Islam stood at the kitchen doorway, pointing and shouting, before the hot spice was thrown at him.

CCTV video showed the moment before Kamrul Islam (left), throws chilli powder in the face of customer David Evans (PA)

In her closing speech to the jury, Ruth Smith, for Islam, said the couple were were clearly unreliable witnesses who had tailored their account, which was riddled with inconsistencies to give a false impression of their behaviour.

She said there were vast chunks of the evening that they have no recollection of including the number of times various staff members went to their table, which was shown on CCTV.

She asked the jury to consider whether Mr and Mrs Evans were drunk in the restaurant and as a result of drink became abusive, on occasions using swear words and in the case of Mr Evans aggressive and threatening violence to Mr Islam.

The trial heard the couple ordered two bottles of wine and two Cobra beers but Mrs Evans told the jury they had not started the second bottle of wine by the time of the incident.

Ms Smith said Mrs Evans had exaggerated the effects of the chilli powder on her husbands eyes, claiming his vision was still not good and he had shadows, despite Mr Evans being discharged from hospital with good vision recorded, within a few days.

She added: It is clear that the consequences of the chilli going into Mr Evans eyes were unpleasant but just because one person ends up with an injury does not mean they are a victim.

Mr Islam told you that through his years of experience he was alert to the sense of aggression and once the backing away and giving of space to Mr Evans had not worked, that he had continued to act aggressively he felt under threat.

Ms Smith said Islam did not pick up a knife or something similar when he went back to the kitchen because his intention wasnt to hurt Mr Evans but to prevent violence being used against him.
US president Donald Trump has signed a 400 billion dollar (287 billion) budget deal that sharply boosts spending and swells the federal deficit, ending a brief federal government shutdown that took place while most Americans were sleeping.

Both the house of representatives and the senate approved a bill to keep the government funded until March 23, overcoming opposition from liberal Democrats as well as tea party conservatives to endorse enormous spending increases despite looming trillion-dollar deficits.

The house voted 240-186 to approve the bill just before dawn, hours after the senate had approved the measure on a 71-28 vote.

After another government shutdown, congress has passed a long term spending bill (AP)

Mr Trump tweeted that he had signed the bill, writing that the US military will now be stronger than ever before. The budget bill also means JOBS, JOBS, JOBS!, the president tweeted.

The twin votes put to rest a brief federal freeze  the second in three weeks  which many commentators branded pointless.

The breakdown came largely in the senate, when, after a day of inaction, Republican senator Rand Paul of Kentucky went rogue and stalled a vote in protest over his partys willingness to burst the budget. Democrats also experienced internal divisions, with liberals upset the measures were not tied to any plans to assist the Dreamer immigrants, who were brought to the country illegally as children.

This fight is not over. While I am disappointed that @SpeakerRyan lacks the courage lift the shadow of fear from these inspiring young ppl, I have hope.  Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) February 9, 2018

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi tried and failed to use the moment to secure a promise for a separate vote on immigration. Up to the final minutes, it was not clear the bill would pass in the House, and many Democrats held their votes, allowing the tally to creep up slowly and giving no indication which way it might fall.

House speaker Paul Ryan urged Congress to avoid a second needless shutdown in a matter of weeks  entirely needless.

In the end, 73 Democrats voted in favour of the bill in the House, while 67 Republicans opposed it.

There was far less drama in the senate, where the measure sailed through by 71 votes to 28 once Mr Pauls protest ran its course.

This is a great victory for our men and women in uniform. We ultimately reached a bipartisan compromise that fully funds our troops and gives our generals the certainty they need to plan for the future. pic.twitter.com/ORMpffIrh2  Paul Ryan (@SpeakerRyan) February 9, 2018

The budget agreement is married to a six-week temporary funding bill needed to keep the government operating and to provide time to implement the budget pact.

The bill includes huge spending increases sought by Republicans for the Pentagon, along with a big boost demanded by Democrats for domestic agencies. Both sides pressed for 89 billion dollars (64 billion) for disaster relief, extending a host of health care provisions, and extending a slew of smaller tax breaks.

It also would increase the governments debt cap, preventing a first-ever default on US obligations that looms in just a few weeks.
The value of Scotch whisky and Scottish salmon exports grew by more than 500 million last year, new figures show.

Official HMRC statistics valued Scotch whisky exports from the UK at 4.3 billion in 2017, up 9% (356.3 million) on the previous year.

This is equivalent to more than 1.2 billion bottles of the spirit being sent overseas.

Salmon and whisky export boom (David Cheskin/PA)

The value of #ScotchWhisky exports has grown by 102% since the turn of the century. Find out more about the 2017 export figures: https://t.co/W3a7DrzCZ0 pic.twitter.com/esRZ6DFXvI  Scotch Whisky Association (@ScotchWhiskySWA) February 9, 2018

Exports of single malt grew by 14.2% in 2017 to 1.1 billion.

The value of salmon exports went up 35% (155.5 million) in the same period, reaching 600 million.

Europe was the top export market for both of the renowned Scottish products on both value and volume.

"Demand for Scotlands world-renowned food and drink continues not only to grow, but to soar." @FergusEwingMSP welcomes record salmon export figures: https://t.co/aYC4XLW1lr #tasteofscotland #eatlocal pic.twitter.com/isDgUBQ17J  Scottish Government Finance and Economy (@scotgoveconomy) February 9, 2018

Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing said: These figures show that demand for Scotlands world-renowned food and drink continues not only to grow, but to soar.

He said Scottish food and drink exports face growing uncertainty due to Brexit and plans to remove the UK from the European single market.

While these figures are something to celebrate, it is a stark reminder of what is at stake if we are taken out of this important market, he said.

Karen Betts, Scotch Whisky Association chief executive, said: These encouraging figures show how popular Scotch whisky is right around the world.

She added: Scotch whisky is not just a core part of Scotlands national identity and heritage, it is also a fundamental part of our export economy.

She said it was vital the UK Government secures transition arrangements to allow continuing frictionless trade with European markets.

Longer term, we are urging the UK government to secure as smooth trade conditions as possible with Europe, alongside pursuing ambitious free trade deals with key markets around the world, tackling barriers to trade, and bolstering the legal protection of Scotch Whisky, she added.

Scott Landsburgh, Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation chief executive said: This record-breaking export success is a tribute to all those who work in salmon farming and is a further reminder of the importance of salmon to the Scottish economy and food and drink sector.
Noel Edmonds has spoken of how Gary Barlow was annoyed when Mr Blobby denied Take That their first Christmas number one.

Mr Blobbys self-titled track had already spent three weeks on the chart in December 1993 and rose two places as the boy bands single Babe was pipped at the post.

Recalling the incident from 24 years ago, Edmonds told BBC Radio Five Live: Mr B was hugely successful with his number one record That really pissed off Gary Barlow, I tell you.

Gary Barlow was said to be aggrieved that Take That did not take the Christmas number one (Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA)

The 69-year-old was speaking ahead of his return to television on the BBC in Asian Adventure: The Road To Saigon, where couples will travel 4,000km through Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam in classic cars.

Speaking about Noels House Party  a staple of Saturday night TV between 1991 and 1999  he said: I was hired to beat ITV, it was as simple as that. I and Cilla Black would slog it out over a combined audience of 30 million.

It is impossible for me to exaggerate my happiness at having been able to make that kind of television.
Gerry Adams is one of the longest serving party leaders in the world, as Sinn Fein president for 34 years.

He is beaten only by Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwes ruler for 37 years.

But the changing of the guard has finally come, marking a radical transition for the republican party.

Gerry Adams in 1996 (Tony Harris/PA)

Mr Adams resignation brings to an end a remarkable career that began when he was a barman at a Belfast pub.

Born in October 1948 in west Belfast, both of his parents came from families that had been active in armed republicanism.

While still a teenager he became an active republican.

He worked as a barman at the Duke of York in Belfast, where he became fascinated by the political gossip among the punters.

He soon became involved in civil rights protests and in 1972, at the age of 24, he was interned  imprisoned without charge.

Despite persistent allegations, Adams has always denied being a member of the IRA.

However in 1972, under the insistence of the IRA leadership, he was released from internment to take part in ceasefire talks with the UK government.

The talks failed and what followed became known as Bloody Friday, when the IRA planted at least 20 bombs across Belfast in one day, killing nine people and injuring 130.

In 1983 Mr Adams replaced Ruairi O Bradaigh as Sinn Fein president and became MP for West Belfast.

He resigned from the position in 2011 to run for election in the Republic of Ireland, where he was elected as a TD (member of the Irish Parliament).

By 1988 Mr Adams had entered into secret peace negotiations with the former leader of the SDLP, John Hume, which helped pave the way for the 1994 IRA ceasefire and eventually the Good Friday Agreement.

In recent years the 69-year-olds political life was overshadowed by his personal life, when it emerged that his brother Liam Adams had raped and sexually abused his daughter.

Mr Adams came under fire for failing to report the allegations of sex abuse to the police.

In 2013 he gave evidence in Belfast Crown Court against his brother, who was later jailed for 16 years.

The following year he was arrested by detectives investigating the 1972 murder of Belfast woman Jean McConville, who was abducted and killed by the IRA in 1972.

He was questioned for four days before being released without charge.

To some, Gerry Adams is hailed as a visionary and a peacemaker, to others he is vilified as a terrorist.

As he steps out of the limelight, a new era of Irish politics will begin without him.
Great Britains Jamie Nicholls suffered Olympic disappointment for a second time this week when he missed out on qualification for the snowboard slopestyle final at the Winter Games in Pyeongchang.

The 24-year-old, competing at his second Games, recorded a score of 71.56 for the first run to place sixth with one run to go.

The top six competitors, based on their best of two runs, advanced to Sundays final and Nicholls was seventh ahead of his second run beginning, aware he needed a big score to advance.

Jamie Nicholls had a clean first run in snowboard slopestyle qualifying, but fell on the second (Mike Egerton/PA Images)

But he fell on the penultimate jump to end his hopes of advancing to a second Olympic final, after Sochi 2014.

The blow came two days after team-mate Katie Ormerod, Nicholls cousin, was ruled out of her first Olympics with a fractured heel which required surgery after a training crash.

Nicholls said: I felt so confident: the right mindset, feeling really good about my snowboarding, better than I have throughout my whole career.

Thats just competitions though. You only get two runs and if it doesnt work out, it doesnt work out.

Norway's @MarcusKleveland takes too spot in men's @pyeongchang2018 slopestyle quali heat 1 - top 6 through to final! Heat two dropping in at 13:30 local time. #PyeongChang2018 #slopestyle #snowboarding pic.twitter.com/fWPz2BpAFM  fissnowboard (@fissnowboard) February 10, 2018

Norways Marcus Kleveland led the way in the first heat with 83.71 points.

Nicholls felt the gusting wind contributed to his failure to land his second jump on the second run, when he had hoped for a big finale with a switch-1400 leap.

Nicholls felt he did not receive just reward for his run after he missed out on advancing by two points, finishing eighth in his heat.

I was actually a bit gutted about my score, he added.

Mid-70s which was what I was hoping for with that kind of run, judging on what some of the other guys did and tricks on the jumps.

I thought my top section was really strong but obviously it wasnt to be.

Ormerod, one of Britains brightest medal hopes for these Games, sustained a fractured wrist on the first day of training on Wednesday before returning to training on Thursday intent on competing on Sunday.

Only the 20-year-old crashed again and she watched Nicholls in action from her hospital bed in Seoul, sending him a message to congratulate him after his first run.

Nicholls admitted Ormerods accident affected him in training, but downplayed its impact on the competition.

I was really upset. It even made me cry, he said.

I was absolutely gutted and it took me a good four runs to turn that around and just remember Ive got to do what I came here to do.

I was right behind Katie when it happened. I saw her slip off the rail, hit the knuckle and I was like argh, thats not good.

Shed just done her arm the day before. So unlucky. First run, first hit and then done.

Jamie Nicholls has another chance in the Big Air event which is new to the Olympics (Mike Egerton/PA Images)

That was the rail I was using on my runs as well.

It didnt affect me today. I wasnt thinking about that. I was more thinking I want to do this for Katie.

Im happy, though. I landed a run, Im safe and Im healthy and Im looking forward to Big Air now. Its quite nice I get a second chance.
A crash involving motorcycle police accompanying Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on his visit to southern California has left one officer needing hospital treatment.

But Mr Trudeaus vehicle was not involved in the accident, and he was not hurt, officials said.

The Ventura County Fire Department said the crash involving California Highway Patrol officers happened shortly after Mr Trudeaus motorcade left the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, where Mr Trudeau gave a speech on Friday night.

A damaged motorcycle from a crash involving Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus motorcade (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press/AP)

One officer was taken to hospital with moderate injuries. It is not clear what caused the crash.

Mr Trudeau was on his second day of a visit to California. He made appearances in San Francisco on Thursday and is set to appear in Los Angeles on Saturday.
England were outclassed by Australia for the second time in a week to leave their hopes of reaching the final of the Trans-Tasman Series in the balance.

The manner of their seven-wicket defeat at the MCG was painfully familiar for anyone who saw their slump in Hobart  a fragile first-innings total reeled in with ease by a vibrant Australian XI crammed with talent from the Big Bash.

The only real difference was of scale, Englands 137 for seven falling 18 runs short of their previous losing tally and the haste with which it was knocked off, with 33 balls unused here.

Eoin Morgan missed out for England (Steven Paston/PA)

Victory makes it three in three for Australia, who are assured of a place in the Auckland showpiece later this month, leaving England to scrap it out with New Zealand for the remaining berth.

Englands day began with captain Eoin Morgan failing a fitness test, the result of a groin injury sustained on the eve of the match.

Also out was Mark Wood, the paceman sacrificed for second spinner Liam Dawson.

David Warner sent the tourists in after winning the toss, just as he did in a winning cause in Hobart, and duly brushed aside Englands top three inside four overs.

Alex Hales was first man down, victim of a fine over-the-shoulder catch from Aaron Finch that never looked safe until it finally settled at the second attempt.

Alex Hales did not get going (Richard Sellers/PA)

Jason Roy, revisiting the scene of last months record-breaking one-day 180, made 172 fewer on this occasion and nicked Billy Stanlake gently to Alex Carey.

By the time Dawid Malan took on Warners arm in pursuit of a risky single  a battle he emphatically lost  hope was already beginning to ebb away.

Jos Buttler, skipper in Morgans stead, put on 36 with James Vince and 43 with Sam Billings but never came close to his domineering best despite top-scoring with 46.

Aside from some woeful running with Vince  only wayward throwing stopped denied Australia a second run out  Buttler perhaps erred too much towards preservation.

Vince and Buttler currently running between the wickets like people who speak different languages. And can't see each other. and haven't played cricket before.  Rory Dollard (@thervd) February 10, 2018

With each member of a five-man attack performing their role to a tee, the scoreboard did not tick past 100 until the second ball of the 17th over.

Marcus Stoinis was the most economical bowler, with just 18 off his allocation, and Kane Richardson finished with three wickets including Buttler from the final ball of the innings.

But it was Andrew Tye who provided the sweetest dismissal, bamboozling Vince out the back of the hand and pegging back off stump.

Warner must have eyed the modest target as a chance to play his way into form but his post-Ashes travails against the white ball continued.

For the second time in a row David Willey dismissed him in the first over, a hint of swing proving just enough to take the edge before nestling in Buttlers gloves.

Chris Lynn moved decisively to dampen any enthusiasm in the field, crashing 18 runs off his first six deliveries  with Tom Curran bearing the brunt.

Glenn Maxwell saw Australia home (Mike Egerton/PA)

Lynns blitz did not last, Chris Jordan cramping him on the pull in the sixth over, but the balance of power was fixed.

Spin proved no help once DArcy Short and Glenn Maxwell got going, Dawson shipping 19 from the 10th over and Adil Rashid coughing up 20 from the other end as hope evaporated.

Maxwell top-edged Jordan to depart for 39 in 26 balls but Short lingered long enough to watch Aaron Finch end things in a rush with successive sixes off Willey.
An undated file photo shows a J-20 stealth fighter. China's latest J-20 stealth fighters have been commissioned into air force combat service, a spokesperson confirmed Friday. (Xinhua)

BEIJING, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- China's latest J-20 stealth fighters have been commissioned into air force combat service, a spokesperson confirmed Friday.

"It marks an important step for the J-20 to have comprehensive combat capabilities," said Shen Jinke, spokesman for the Chinese People's Liberation Army(PLA) Air Force.

Since the fighters have been commissioned into the combat units, the air force has made steady progress in the training of pilots, he said.

According to the spokesman, J-20 played a vital role in the air force's Red Sword 2017 exercise and laid a foundation for the enhancement of its new war capacities.

"The stealth jets will improve the air force's comprehensive fighting ability and enable it to better safeguard China's sovereignty, security and territorial integrity," Shen said.

The J-20 is China's fourth-generation medium and long-range fighter jet. It made its maiden flight in 2011 and was first shown to the public at the 11th Airshow China in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, in November 2016.

The fighters made their parade debut when the PLA marked its 90th anniversary in July 2017 at Zhurihe military training base in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

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[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]
Elise Christie admitted the ghosts of her triple disqualification nightmare from Sochi still lingered before she safely negotiated her opening womens 500m short-track heat in Pyeongchang.

The 27-year-old made light of a tough-looking qualification round, leading from start to finish to beat Chinas Chunyu Qu in an Olympic record time of 42.872  although her mark lasted precisely eight minutes before it was broken by South Koreas Minjeong Chong.

Christie said: I dont think Ive ever felt so nervous on the start line.

A perfect start for triple world champion @Elise_Christie as she cruised into the Short Track 500m quarter-finals 



But it's disappointment for @cpgilmartin and Kat Thomson, who both missed out on qualification.#WeAreTheGreat pic.twitter.com/fNr2LkDe6P  Team GB (@TeamGB) February 10, 2018

Its the first time the British public will have seen me since Sochi and I know what happened last time and I had small fears of it all happening again, so I knew it was related to that.

You cant avoid the fact youre at an Olympics  there are rings everywhere. So Im just glad I got the first one out of the way.

Christie readily admits the 500m is her weakest distance so it was understandable she should feel the pressure, particularly given the heat draw which paired her not only with Qu but also noteable Korean Sukhee Shim.

A relieved Elise Christie after winning her 500m short track heat at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics (David Davies/PA Images)

Amid a raucous atmosphere, boosted by the arrival of around 100 members of the North Korean Cheerleading Squad to support their athlete Choe un Song in the mens 1500m, Christie safely reached the first bend in front and never relinquished her advantage.

The thing about the 500m Im most nervous about is the start because Im weaker than a lot of the other top girls there, and that was the best start Ive had in years so it built a lot of confidence.

It was good to know that I was one of the fastest out there when I was not going 100 per cent.

People have only seen me injured this year so coming in as one of the fastest and showing I am back to full-strength was my goal.

Christie will continue her quest for an elusive first Olympic medal when the event is played out to its conclusion on Tuesday. But compatriots Charlotte Gilmartin and Kat Thompson will play no further part at the distance after crashing in the heats.
The president of Turkey has announced that a military helicopter was shot down in northern Syria during Ankaras offensive against Syrian Kurdish militia there.

Speaking in Istanbul, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan did not mention by name the Syrian Kurdish Peoples Protection Units or YPG, but said those responsible will pay for it.

The Turkish military has not made a statement.

Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Kayhan Ozer/AP)

A spokesman for the Kurdish militia, Mustafa Bali, confirmed his fighters shot down the chopper in Raju, north-west Afrin.

Turkey launched a military offensive on January 20 to uproot the YPG from Afrin.

Turkey considers the group an extension of an insurgency within its own borders.

Nineteen Turkish soldiers have died since the beginning of the operation.
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has called for Rohingya Muslim refugees to be able to return to Burma safely and with dignity.

Mr Johnson made the intervention as he visited a refugee camp at Coxs Bazar in Bangladesh, ahead of talks with Burmas de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Sunday.

Visited Cox's Bazar in #Bangladesh to meet Rohingya families and hear first hand the persecution they have suffered. Experience has strengthened my commitment to work with international partners to improve their lives. pic.twitter.com/rtMmstOVoW  Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) February 10, 2018

The Foreign Secretary said: I have seen for my own eyes the horrendous living conditions the Rohingya people are having to endure and it has only further strengthened my commitment to working with international partners to improve the lives of these people in 2018.

I pay tribute to the hospitality and compassion shown by the government of Bangladesh, who are facing an enormous challenge in providing humanitarian assistance to the Rohingya community.

The Foreign Secretary is to hold talks with Aung San Suu Kyi on Sunday (Paul Faith/PA)

While I welcome steps by both the Burmese and Bangladeshi governments towards ensuring that these people can return home, it is vital that the Rohingya refugees must be allowed to their homes in Rakhine voluntarily, in safety and with dignity, under international oversight, and when the conditions in Burma are right.

More than 600,000 men, women and children are estimated to have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh following persecution from the Burmese military in their native state of Rakhine, which began in August.
David Beckham and Wayne Rooney have led the tributes to former Manchester United team-mate Liam Miller.

Both played with the 36-year-old during his loan spell at Old Trafford in the 2005/06 season and took to social media to share their grief after Miller died from cancer on Friday.

Liam Miller tributes outside Celtic Park before the Scottish Cup tie with Partick at Celtic Park (Andrew Milligan/PA)

Beckham posted a message on his Instagram account saying: Our thoughts are with Liams family .. Rest In Peace  while Wayne Rooney said on Twitter his thoughts were also with the Miller family.

Gutted to hear the sad news about Liam Miller. Thoughts are with his family and friends  Wayne Rooney (@WayneRooney) February 10, 2018

Rio Ferdinand said the death of his former Old Trafford colleague was tragic while current Manchester United captain Michael Carrick remembered Miller being at the club when he first joined in 2006.

Waking up to the news that my old @ManUtd teammate Liam Miller has passed away. Such tragic news... my thoughts go out to his family! pic.twitter.com/i0nUbCnlH1  Rio Ferdinand (@rioferdy5) February 10, 2018

Terribly sad to hear the news of Liam Miller passing away this morning. Liam was at utd when I first signed. Same age as me. So very sad. Thoughts and prayers with his friends and family. pic.twitter.com/GVFqRWIrVb  Michael Carrick (@carras16) February 10, 2018

Manchester United, who will wear black armbands when they play Newcastle at St James Park on Sunday, tweeted their sadness at the news of Millers death.

Manchester United is deeply saddened to learn of the tragic death of our former midfielder Liam Miller. We extend our condolences to his loved ones at this extremely difficult time. pic.twitter.com/k87wINacg3  Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 10, 2018

Miller began his career at Celtic and before beating Partick 3-2 in the Scottish Cup, the Hoops wore black armbands prior to a minutes silence which was impeccably observed.

Flags were flown at half mast while outside the ground, supporters placed shirts and scarves on rails to honour the Republic of Ireland midfielder.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers said Miller lived the Irish dream of playing for the Parkhead club.

Northern Irishman Rodgers said: It was a real sad moment last night when we got the message through at the hotel.

It is awful news. So young, 36 years of age. The dream of lots of Irish boys is to come across and play for Celtic and he did that and had a fantastic career.

 BR: "The dream of lots of Irish boys is to come across and play for Celtic, and he did that and had a fantastic career."



For more form Brendan Rodgers head to https://t.co/00fJCijgWx  Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) February 10, 2018

To lose your life that young and leave a young family behind is so sad.

I thought the club paid a great tribute to him today and certainly he will always be in the memory of everyone here at Celtic.

Everyone at Rangers would like to pass on their condolences to the family and friends of Liam Miller following the sad news that he has lost his battle with cancer. pic.twitter.com/EQaKl26QFS  Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) February 10, 2018

Across the city of Glasgow, Rangers posted their own message sharing their neighbours grief.

Leeds United players also wore black armbands for Miller who had a loan spell at Elland Road during the 2005/06 season.

Prior to Irelands Six Nations game with Italy at Croke Park, the IRFU sent their condolences to the Miller family, saying: Waking up to the very sad news about Liam Miller. It reminds us that there are far more important things in life than sport. We extend our condolences to our friends in @FAIreland and to Liams family and friends. RIP.

It is with great sadness that I learned of the death of Liam Miller, who brought skill and passion to his games, for the Republic of Ireland, Cork City, Celtic, Manchester Utd. and other clubs. I send my condolences to his family and friends, and all those who love Irish sport.  President of Ireland (@PresidentIRL) February 10, 2018

Miller came through the youth ranks at Parkhead and made his debut in 2000 and helped them win the Scottish Premier League title in 2004.

FAI pays respects to former Ireland international Liam Miller - https://t.co/9LfzJkSZf2 pic.twitter.com/0un2zghYfn  FAIreland  (@FAIreland) February 10, 2018

He then moved south to Manchester United on a free transfer, making 22 appearances under Sir Alex Ferguson in two seasons  which included a spell on loan at Leeds.

Reports emerged in November that Miller had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and was receiving treatment in the United States, where he played for Wilmington Hammerheads.
The Church of Englands ruling body has voted unanimously in favour of valuing people with Downs Syndrome.

The General Synod backed a motion calling on the Government to ensure that parents who have been told their unborn child has Downs Syndrome will be given comprehensive, unbiased information regarding the condition.

The motion, moved by Bishop of Carlisle James Newcome, also called for parents to be provided with full information about the support available and the future prospects of those with this condition, with no implied preference for any outcome.

Members of the Synod backed the motion (Victoria Jones/PA)

Mr Newcome said the debate was not about the ethics of abortion, pointing out that the Churchs position on that issue is clearly stated.

He said: And although the motion today has partly been prompted by some peoples concern that the abortion rate for those diagnosed with Downs Syndrome could increase to nearly 100%, the rights and wrongs of abortion itself are not the purpose of our discussion.

He also said the motion was not an attack on Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT)  a test for Downs Syndrome for expectant mothers.

NIPT is a non-invasive blood test to check for traces of chromosomal syndromes.

Research shows the test could result in a fall in the number of women undergoing invasive testing each year  meaning there could be a reduction in the number of miscarriages related to the invasive diagnostic test.

Mr Newcome said the motion was definitely not an attempt to tell women what they should do when faced with a desperately difficult personal decision.

He said the debate was a call for love, adding: We are not telling people what to decide: but we do want the decisions that are made to be properly informed, and we dont want Downs Syndrome to be automatically presented as bad news.

The motion was backed unanimously by 284 members of the Synod.
David Moyes demanded even more from Marko Arnautovic after West Hams club-record signing inspired them to a 2-0 win over Watford.

Arnautovic, fit again after three games out injured, put in a sensational display as the Hammers grabbed a crucial three points to ease their relegation fears.

West Ham look a totally different team when the Austrian, a 24million summer signing from Stoke, gets on the ball and his late goal killed off the Hornets after Javier Hernandez had opened the scoring.

Marko Arnautovic was the star of the show against Watford (Steven Paston/PA)

But Hammers boss Moyes insisted: Hes getting no praise.

Hell be told to keep at it, hell keep getting pushed all the way. We are not letting him off the hook, hes got a bit to go.

He only trained for three days but you can see the impact hes had, and playing as a centre-forward has freed him up a bit.

He has power, pace, hes good on the ball. Hes doing a really good job for us. In fact he should have scored more.

The only thing more striking than Arnautovics performance was his new bleach-blond hairstyle.

When he came in with it yesterday I said that looks great Marko, it really suits you, so he went away happy, added Moyes. I thought it was a purple rinse.

It certainly seems the hair dryer treatment Arnautovic received in the early weeks of Moyes regime is now paying dividends.

Hernandez is also looking more like the player West Ham shelled out 18million for in the summer, and the Mexican nodded in his third goal in five games from Michail Antonios cross.

Watford dominated for long spells in the second half but without creating any clear-cut chances, and Arnautovic ended the contest 12 minutes from time with a close-range finish after the Hornets failed to clear Aaron Cresswells cross.

Watford manager Javi Gracia felt Hernandez may have shoved defender Marvin Zeegelaar before he headed the opener.

I would like to see the first goal again. I didnt have a good view from the bench, I only saw Zeegelaar fall down, he said.

But its not an excuse, West Ham were better.

Today wasnt our best performance, I think West Ham were more aggressive than us, they dominated both areas.

I think we can do better. Im sure, Im confident next time we can do better.
Jonny May ran in both tries as England kept their Grand Slam aspirations alive by edging Wales 12-6 in a brutally competitive NatWest 6 Nations clash at Twickenham.

May crossed twice in the first half to help sweep the champions 12-0 ahead in the 20th minute, but Warren Gatlands men bravely clawed their way back into a captivating Test played in treacherous conditions.

Controversy clouded the result, however, after television match official Glenn Newman ruled out a try for Gareth Anscombe when Wales trailed 12-0 in the second quarter.

Jonny May goes in for the opening try (Adam Davy/PA)

Anscombe appeared to exert downward pressure with an outstretched hand at the end of an attack down the left wing, but Newman thought otherwise and a key moment had fallen in Englands favour.

The decision proved critical as a late penalty by Anscombe reduced their lead to six points.

It took a try-saving tackle from Sam Underhill to again deny Wales in a second half dominated by the visitors, who were missing seven Test British and Irish Lions including Leigh Halfpenny, a casualty before kick due to an unspecified injury.

Eddie Jones ignited the build when asking if Rhys Patchell had the bottle for the occasion and whether the mind games affected Wales fly-half only he will know, but he endured a disappointing afternoon.

At one point in the second half the ball squirted unexpectedly out of his hands as he staged a counter-attack, summing up his afternoon, and he was replaced shortly after.

Opposite him George Ford, brilliantly assisted by Owen Farrell, excelled through his kicking, but it was the two defences that emerged with enhanced reputations after refusing to buckle.

Dylan Hartley departed for a head injury assessment after only 42 seconds but his exit failed to knock England off their stride as they surged ahead through a try founded on the vision of Farrell.

Anthony Watson challenged Patchell for a hanging kick and a slippery ball squirted out to Farrell who, spotting space on the left, delivered a perfectly-weighted kick for May to outrun three onrushing defenders and touch down.

Wales were met by a wall of white shirts as they sought to make an impression and it was Maro Itoje who forced a turnover with a thumping tackle, the prelude to the hosts next try.

Waves of runners made ground and with the defence finally splitting the ball was sent left where Joe Launchbury burrowed forward before feeding an opportunistic May the scoring pass.

Alun Wyn Jones was booed when he spoke to referee Jerome Garces about penalties, home supporters clearly having noted Eddie Jones claim that the Wales captain intimidated official Pascal Gauzere in Cardiff last weekend.

A Patchell penalty nudged the visitors off the mark after Anscombes try had been disallowed and they entered a key phase as they attacked from a line-out, hammering away with success until a knock-on undid all their good work.

Like two boxers slugging it out, the rivals continued to exchange blows and it took the arrival of Jack Nowell from the bench  he had replaced the injured Anthony Watson  to get England moving forward again.

As play entered the third quarter a breathless series of turnovers unfolded and it took a try-saving tackle by Underhill on Scott Williams to keep Wales out.

Wales chucked everything at England in the closing stages, Anscombes penalty adding to the tension, but the home defence held out.
Israel has shot down an infiltrating Iranian drone and struck Iranian targets deep in Syria before one of its own jets was shot down.

The engagement is Israels most serious yet in neighbouring Syria since fighting there began in 2011.

Israel called the drone infiltration a severe and irregular violation of Israeli sovereignty and warned that Iran would be held accountable for its meddling.

This raises the spectre of a larger confrontation in an area that has remained largely stable since a month-long war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon in 2006.

Israel would not confirm whether its aircraft was shot down by enemy fire, which would mark the first such instance for Israel since the first Lebanon war in 1982.

The sudden escalation offers what could be a harbinger of events as the Syrian fighting winds down and an emboldened Iran establishes a military presence that Israel vows it will never accept.

This is a serious Iranian attack on Israeli territory. Iran is dragging the region into an adventure in which it doesnt know how it will end, said Israels chief military spokesman, Brig Gen Ronen Manelis.

Whoever is responsible for this incident is the one who will pay the price.

Israeli security around the wreckage of an F-16 that crashed in northern Israel(Rami Slush/AP)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and defence minister Avigdor Lieberman convened the top brass at military headquarters in Tel Aviv for long hours of emergency consultations throughout the Jewish Sabbath to discuss their next steps.

Mr Netanyahu said he spoke with Russian president Vladimir Putin and vowed to strike back hard.

Israel said it shot down an unmanned Iranian aircraft that penetrated its airspace and then destroyed the Iranian site in central Syria that it said launched it.

On their return, Israels jets came under heavy Syrian anti-aircraft fire and the pilots of one of the F-16s had to eject and the plane crashed in northern Israel. One pilot was seriously wounded and the other one lightly.

In subsequent attacks, the Israeli military said it struck four additional Iranian positions and eight Syrian sites, causing significant damage.

The Israeli jets again faced a heavy barrage of anti-aircraft missiles but returned home safely, as large explosions were reported in Syria and warning sirens blared in northern Israel.

Israel says the strikes destroyed the main command and control bunker of the Syrian military and marked its most devastating assault against Syria in decades.

Iran denied Israels shooting down of a drone, with foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasem calling the account ridiculous, while the joint operations room for the Syrian military and its allies insisted the drone had not violated Israeli airspace and was on a regular mission gathering intelligence on Islamic State militants.

Iran seeks to use Syrian territory to attack Israel for its professed goal of destroying Israel, said Mr Netanyahu.

Israel holds Iran and its Syrian host responsible for todays aggression. We will continue to do whatever is necessary to protect our sovereignty and our security.

Israel also appealed to the United Nations Security Council to denounce Irans aggression and put an immediate end to Iranian provocations.

Israel fears Iran could use Syrian territory to stage attacks or create a land corridor from Iran to Lebanon that could allow it to transfer weapons more easily to Hezbollah  Lebanons Iranian-backed political party and militant group sworn to Israels destruction.

Though Israel has largely stayed out of the Syrian conflict, it has struck weapons convoys destined for Hezbollah  which is fighting alongside Syrian forces  almost 100 times since 2012.

But Israel has refrained from striking Iranian sites directly. Syria has also repeatedly said it will respond to Israeli airstrikes but has rarely returned fire. Both of those trends came to an abrupt end on Saturday as a rapid escalation played out.

Hezbollah said Saturdays developments signalled a new strategic phase in engaging Israel, which has been mostly off the guerrilla groups radar as it has been heavily engaged in the fighting in Syria.

Former Syrian lawmaker and political commentator Sharif Shehade said the anti-aircraft fire marked a political decision in Syria to respond to Israeli strikes, and that tensions would continue to rise unless Washington and Moscow intervened to calm the situation.

It is a decisive decision to confront the Israeli air force and its careless behaviour, he said. I think what happened today is a lesson for Israel.

In an image made from video, the wreckage of a jet is seen near Harduf, northern Israel (Yehunda Pinto/AP)

Military spokesman Lt Col Jonathan Conricus said Saturdays incident marked the most blatant and severe violation of Israeli sovereignty yet. He said while Israel had no interest in further escalation it was prepared to extract a heavy price for such aggression.

By directly sending the drone into Israel on a military mission, Lt Col Conricus said Iran was playing with fire.

Russia, which backs Assad and maintains a large military presence in the country, called for restraint and appeared to criticise Israels actions.

It is absolutely unacceptable to create threats to the lives and security of Russian servicemen who are in Syria at the invitation of its legitimate government to assist in the fight against terrorists, Russias foreign ministry said.

Israel has shot down several drones that previously tried to infiltrate its territory from Syria.

The capture of an Iranian drone and the targeting of Iranian sites in response, however, marked a dramatic escalation in the Israeli retaliation.

The military confirmed that the initial target in Syria  the unmanned aircrafts launch components  was successfully destroyed and released grainy footage of the strike. Israel also said it had recovered the remnants of the drone, which proved that it belonged to Iran.
Victoria Beckham has ruled out a rumored Spice Girls reunion tour.

The pop star-turned-fashion designer, 43, rejected reports the much-loved quintet would be playing live across the U.K. and U.S. this summer.

It comes after the group confirmed plans to work again on new projects following a reunion lunch at Geri Horners house in Hertfordshire, England last week.

Scroll below for video

The latest: The Spice Girls, seen after reuniting for a lunch in the U.K. earlier this month, will not be taking their show on the road, Victoria Beckham said Saturday

'Im not going on tour,' Victoria told Vogue Saturday while at New York Fashion Week. 'The girls arent going on tour.'

Asked what their plans did involve, she said that 'theres something so strong in the message of what the Spice Girls stood for,' leading the five members to brainstorm about potential projects.

'What is that in the future?' she said. 'What does that look like? We were just bouncing ideas around.'

Victoria, known as Posh, said 'it was really, really, really lovely' to reconnect with her musical colleagues: Melanie Brown (Scary Spice), 42, Emma Bunton (Baby Spice), 42, Melanie Chisholm (Sporty Spice), 44, and Geri Horner (Ginger Spice), 45.

Fashionista: The songstress-designer was snapped last month in Madrid, Spain

'It was so great to see the girls,' she said. 'We had such a fun lunch ... I still speak to them all individually, but for us all to get together was really lovely.'

After debut single Wannabe hit number one in 1996, the Spice Girls became a smash-hit success before splitting in 2000.

The quintet, a 90s pop staple, embarked on a three-month tour of Europe and the US in 2008 to tie in with a greatest hits release and to act as a final farewell to fans.

They emerged once more to perform at the closing ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, but an expected comeback in 2016 with Brown, Horner and Bunton failed to materialize.

An insider told The Mail on Sunday earlier this month that Beckham had a change of heart about a potential comeback after the lunch rest of the group, who are slated to reconvene in Los Angeles this spring to continue to streamline details over a potential relaunch.

'Victoria was so cold on singing and performing with the Spice Girls again but Fridays meeting made her remember the good times,' the insider said. 'The girls sat together laughing and remembering the fun and special times and she is now very much in.'
A teenage survivor of the Manchester Arena bombing returned to the city for a Britains Got Talent audition.

Hollie Booth, 13, danced to a medley of Ariana Grande hits as she was joined by friends who borrowed wheelchairs in a show of support, according to The Sun.

Booth only survived the attack after her aunt Kelly Brewster shielded her and Booths mother, Claire, when the blast ripped through the foyer of the arena on May 22 last year, leaving 22 victims dead.

Kelly Brewster who is said to saved her niece Hollie Booths life (South Yorkshire Police)

Brewster, 32, died as she saved her sister and Booth.

In an emotional introduction, Booth reportedly told judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and David Walliams: Its always difficult coming to Manchester.

This is the first time Ive been anywhere thats like an arena, its hard.

Cowell is said to have called Booth an inspiration.

The group of dancers performed under the name Rise, according to The Sun, with their routine opening and closing with Grandes One Last Time.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko next week could discuss the further participation of Germany in settling the situation in Donbas and the issue of the UN peacekeeping mission with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Kostiantyn Yeliseyev has said.

"I do not rule out that next week our president will also contact German Chancellor Angela Merkel. During the talk they will certainly discuss the further involvement of Germany in the settlement of the situation in Donbas and new initiatives that are laid down in the German coalition agreement, in particular, this concerns the deployment of a UN peacekeeping mission in the occupied Donbas," he said on the Inter TV channel on Friday evening.
AFP: Malaysia Thursday quashed rumours swirling after a ship searching for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 disappeared from tracking screens, saying it had simply made a refuelling stop in Australia and would resume the hunt.



The Seabed Constructor, hired in January for a fresh search for the missing plane, turned off its location transponder for three days without explanation early this month, sparking a slew of speculation, including that it had gone on a treasure hunt.

There is nothing to be worried about. We urge family members not to listen to rumours or fake news, Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai told AFP.

He said the Seabed Constructor is doing fine and that the search will continue as planned.



MH370 disappeared in March 2014 with 239 people -- mostly from China -- on board while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.



An earlier Australia-led search -- the largest-ever in aviation history -- scoured 120,000 square kilometres (46,000 square miles) of a remote region of the Indian Ocean for 28 months but found no trace of the aircraft, and the hunt was suspended last January.



Last month the Malaysian government hired Ocean Infinity, a private firm, to head a fresh hunt for the missing plane.



Search ship Seabed Constructor has deployed high-tech underwater drones to cover a new area of about 25,000 square kilometres in the Indian Ocean.



But 10 days into into its mission, it switched off its Automatic Identification System without any explanation.



Liow, however, clarified that the vessel had returned to the Australian port of Fremantle for a scheduled refuelling.



Some relatives of the missing passengers and crew of MH370 said they had been left in the dark over why the ship disappeared from monitors. Yes. We want to know what is the reason for this. In MH370 the transponder was switched off. Why? We are curious to know why and what happened? So far we have not got any explanation, Jacquita Gonzales, the wife of MH370 cabin crew supervisor Patrick Gomes, told AFP

Everything is going through our heads now. Whether they are hiding something. Are they cahoots with whoever they noticed something but not telling us?



She added if they can explain more, then we will be at ease.



K.S. Narendran, who had a relative on MH370, called for more information and greater transparency.



Silence, delays in communication, deflection, obfuscation and other devices to manage or massage the messaging will do little to build trust and credibility, he said in an email to AFP.



I therefore believe it is best to be transparent, timely in communicating, and not measly with detail. Affected families are not fragile. They have waited long and have known disappointment and heartbreak.



V.P.R. Nathan, whose wife Anne Daisy was on the plane, saw nothing sinister going on.



The ship is not obliged to tell anyone of its location. There are a lot conspiracy theories out there. Please ignore them, he told AFP.

Liow said family members were being kept updated on a weekly basis by officials from the Department of Civil Aviation.



I am happy with the progress of the search. It is moving very fast. We really hope we can find the wreckage, he said.



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.
Russia's hybrid military forces have mounted 11 attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas in the past 24 hours, with one Ukrainian soldier reported as wounded in action (WIA), the press center of the Anti-Terrorist Operation headquarters has reported.

"Over the past day, the Russian occupation groups have repeatedly shelled Ukrainian defenders," the ATO HQ wrote on its Facebook page on Saturday morning.

In the Luhansk sector, militants from grenade dischargers of various types and small arms fired at positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Svitlodarsk. Armament of infantry fighting vehicles, machine guns and small arms were used by illegal armed groups to shell the defenders of the villages of Novooleksandrivka and Bohuslavske, and mortars of the 82-mm caliber were used against Novhorodske defenders. Also, in the afternoon, militants from infantry weapons violated a truce on the outskirts of Luhansk and Zaitseve.

In the Donetsk sector, militants started firing at the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from mortars of various calibers around Pisky and from small arms near Slavne.
There is an urgent need to protect civilians living close to the contact line in eastern Ukraine, Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine Ertugrul Apakan has said in his address to the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna.

The press service of the SMM OSCE reported late on Friday that Ambassador Apakan in particular drew attention to the continued presence of military hardware and personnel in and around critical civilian infrastructure facilities, residential areas and entry-exit checkpoints, which he said inevitably resulted in civilian casualties and disruption in the supply of essential utilities such as gas, water and electricity.

"Civilians living close to the contact line continue to pay the price of this conflict. The withdrawal of heavy weapons from hot spots and populated areas should be a priority," he said.

The Chief Monitor described recent developments concerning the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination, a bilateral initiative between Ukraine and Russia. He hoped for a positive outcome of the discussions which are being conducted in other fora.

The Ambassador welcomed the recent visit of OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano to the Mariupol area. The visit, he said was "a testimony to the OSCE's continued and resolute engagement in Ukraine." He said that "the Working Group on Security Issues is a platform where dialogue, ownership and responsibility are crucial elements for progress."
Ukraine to be able to more quickly receive information from U.S., UK, Interpol in anti-corruption sphere - PGO

The Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) has established a contact with the International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre (IACCC, London), which would allow speeding up the exchange of information in the sphere of fighting grand corruption, Deputy Chief of the PGO Yevhen Yenin has said.

"From now on, Ukrainian law enforcers do not have to wait for several years to receive information from the United States, Britain, Singapore, Interpol, and other agencies. The Prosecutor General's Office has established contact with the International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre (London)," Yenin wrote on his Facebook page.

According to him, this structure unites the representatives of the mentioned states and institutions "with the aim of speeding up the exchange of information in the field of counteracting grand corruption."
When, in 1905, the founder of the Maison, Sotirio Bulgari, opened the prestigious store at no. 10 Via Condotti, he chose to call it the Old Curiosity Shop, referring to the famous novel by Charles Dickens to attract a clientele of rich English-speakers passing through Rome. The assortment of products in this artisanal boutique lived up to its name: from jewels to embellish traditional dress, to ancient objects with Byzantine or Islamic motifs, to the neo-Hellenic metal buckles, to little perfume bottles or silver buttons, the shop was a window onto Mediterranean inspired creativity for the international visitors to Rome.

The Old Curiosity Shop 1905  Bulgari

Welcome in the temple of creativity

In this new curiosity shop, an imaginary line separates the rooms in warm tones, precious woods, enveloping velvets, retro-style finishings on one side, and minimalist lines, ethereal marbles, bright tones, ultra-white leather on the other. The surreal world of creativity meets the real world of space in a pairing in which white enhances colour, the ancient celebrates the modern, and everything can be different from its appearance. Every detail is designed for interaction with visitors, offering an experience in which the only rules is to allow oneself to be guided by one's imagination.

New Curoisity Shop  Bulgari

The cabinet of curiosities : the entire world in a room

The innovative concept behind the shop is inspired by the universe of the cabinet of curiosities, a concept that was born in northern Europe in the late Renaissance before being adopted by the Sicilian and Tuscan nobility in which people exhibited collectable objects from the world of science or nature, the two poles of ancient knowledge. They held naturalia - rare, precious or bizarre finds from the natural world -, and mirabilia - wonderful and surprising man-made creations-, a diversity of objects that concentrated infinite intriguing stories in a single room.



Like an art exhibition, the New Curiosity Shop will periodically change its appearances, always addressing new themes. The first will be the world of Mirabilia, and the time when man started to question the nature of the universe, with ancient globes, telescopes and binoculars or maps from olden times when Earth was, perhaps, still flat.

Bulgari's cabinet of curiosities will also exhibit various creations of different artists. The visionary theme will be explored through paper works by artist Mauro Seresini and a collection of creations by the famous decorative arts Maison Fornasetti will be shown.

The collections of curiosities

The selection, that will only be available in this modern boutique, is defined by its personalisation and exceptional nature. In the universe of jewellery, a selection of Mirabilia is presented: extravagant pieces that tell of boundless creative experimentation, with bold exploration of materials, colour and design.

From the secret vaults of Bulgari, tubogas Serpenti will emerge in white gold, with diamond pave and onyx inserts, voluminous rings in blue china, crowned with cabochon-cut peridots, Parentesi bracelets in pink gold and jade. Absolutely unique pieces that reveal different stories behind the symbolic collections of the Maison.

Taking this new opportunity to celebrate the city of Rome, the mini collection of Condotti 10 jewellery will be launched in an international premiere: two sets of bracelets with matching ring, the first in pink gold and diamonds, the other in pink gold, diamond pave and with malachite and mother-of-pearl inserts. Translating the origins of the brand in a contemporary design, the perfect alternation of circles, squares and eight-branch stars creates a geometry that reinterprets the motif of the floor of one of the world's greatest architecural masterpieces, the Pantheon in Rome.

La collection Condotti 10  Bulgari

Time is not only precious but it becomes joyful and fun with the special creation of Serpenti Twist Your Time. The limited edition of 20 pieces, with exchangeable watch straps in pink or blue metallic calf leather, was created exclusively for the New Curiosity Shop to express the rock and roll vibes of the snake with vivacity and a glamorous touch. The case in pink gold and diamond pave surrounds a heart in mother-of-pearl and guards a small secret that only the most curious will notice: the engraving Only in Rome on the back.
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...
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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.
Tata has started developing new products based on its two new platforms codenamed the Alpha and Omega. The Alpha platform will form the basis of a future sedan from Tata. The Alpha platform, which was previously known as the AMP (Advanced Modular Platform), underpins the 45X concept showcased at the Auto Expo 2018. The production version of this premium hatchback will be positioned above the Tiago and will compete against the Maruti Suzuki Baleno and the refreshed Hyundai Elite i20.

This platform will also underpin future Tata cars that will compete for market share right from the entry-level segment to mid-size sedans and SUVs as big as the Toyota Corolla Altis and the Hyundai Tucson. Tatas lead designer, Pratap Bose, confirmed this in an exclusive chat. He told us, We have AMP for all future cars ranging from 3.8 metres to 4.4 metres, while larger cars ranging between 4.5 metres to 4.8 metres will be based on the Q platform. These two platforms will cover every segment that the Indian four-wheeler industry has to offer. He added that the 45X is going to be the first product from the 45 Series leading us to believe that there will soon be more models based on this hatchback in the near future.

Alongside the 45X, Tata Motors displayed an outline of three products with different body styles which are likely to be based on this platform. One of the outline suggests that a sedan that looks more like a coupe is in the pipeline. The new sedan will benefit from Tatas new Impact 2.0 design language, which is a more evolved version of the existing design theme seen in cars such as the Nexon, Hexa and the Tiago-Tigor twins. And going by the H5X and the 45X, we can expect the sedan to feature a sharp and modern styling.

The sedan could share the Nexons turbocharged petrol and diesel engines, both of which make 110PS of maximum power and are mated to a 6-speed manual transmission.

Like the 45X, which is a premium hatchback that will compete with the likes of the Volkswagen Polo and Honda Jazz, its sedan sibling will rival their sedan siblings, the Volkswagen Vento and the Honda City.

Source: CarDekho.com
New Delhi: RBI Governor Urjit Patel on Saturday said the stock market bubble should not "lead to a very major problem" even has he stressed on the need for the regulators to be cognisant of the risks going forward.

Referring to the recent rout in the domestic and global stock markets, Patel said, "There has already been a correction not only globally but in India and therefore in a way it underscores how capital markets can change direction."

"So far neither globally nor in India have we felt that this bubble could lead to a very major problem. However, as financial market regulators both RBI and Sebi need to be cognisant of the risk going forward," he said.

Addressing the media after a customary post-Budget address by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to the RBI's board, Patel said the correction in the last few days underscores that market indices can move pretty quickly.

"I think the good thing in this cycle of high equity prices is that almost everyone who has been part of this has talked about a possibility that this cannot go on too long. "I think that is good so that there is enough risk aversion that is endogenous, built up by the investors themselves," he said.

Stock markets have been on a sharp downslide this week, barring just one session, amid a global rout in equities. The benchmark indices fell by over 1 per cent on Friday to close at a one-month low level. While the Sensex had managed to gain 330 points on Thursday, it had lost more than 2,200 points in the preceding seven trading sessions amid negative domestic and global cues.

In reply to a question, Jaitley said the issue of long- term capital gains, which he has proposed to re-introduce in this year's Budget, was discussed earlier on Saturday in his meeting with Sebi's board. However, this issue was not part of his meeting with the RBI board.

On other issues discussed with RBI, Jaitley said, "The MSP issue was discussed in this meeting because this meeting takes place in the light of Budget. How to implement this and what impact it can have on farmers, commodity prices and export competitiveness, all these issues were discussed academically."

On the banks' lending rates, Patel said one of the banks reduced its MCLR (Marginal Cost of funds-based Lending Rate) two days ago.

"In terms of transmission if you measure since the easing cycle started by the MPC (Monetary Policy Committee) and you compare the MCLR now, actually there has been good transmission. "Actually what happened was that transmission came late and I must admit that some of the transmission came after demonetisation because we had a financial intermediation taking place in the system," the governor said.
A crucial schedule of Thugs of Hindostan is being shot at a Mumbai studio. However, the team isnt shooting the film out of Yash Raj Studios, which is otherwise discreet, which means the paparazzi are having a field day. And, Aamir Khan isnt happy about it.

In the last few months, the looks were leaked because the paparazzi have been finding ways to enter the studio premises to shoot visuals of the film. Earlier, the looks of Aamir Khan and Amitabh Bachchan were captured at the Yash Raj Studios itself from the Thugs of Hindostan sets.

Aamir Khan look

Katrina Kaif was captured near her mark readying for a song sequence for the film produced by Yash Raj Films and directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya. Katrinas look in the film is a throwback, as was Amitabhs warrior look and Aamirs rugged thug look. And now here is the latest  Aamir and Fatima Sana Shaikh have also been captured in their looks for the film. Previously, Fatimas look test for the film was the first visual to be leaked out.

Aamirs films are a lot about the curiosity value it generates. So with the looks being leaked, the filmmakers are not too happy. Neither is Aamir since he is very passionate about his films and the way they are presented. It throws a spanner into the works and the team will have to accordingly modify marketing, promotion and release plans, says a source.
Mumbai: Bharat director Ali Abbas Zafar had earlier told in an interview that hes trying to recreate superstar Salman Khans Maine Pyar Kiya look for his movie. But thats not all. Bhaijaan will don not two or three, but five different looks for this one.

A source told DNA, Salman will sport five different looks in Bharat, which begins with him witnessing one of the most dramatic chapters of our history  the Partition. Its an Indian adaptation of the Korean movie, Ode to My Father and will be a commercial film with a mix of action, drama and music.

Ali confirmed the same saying, Since the story spans over a period of 70 years, there will be many historical references. It is essentially about a man who lives through several significant moments from Indias past to present. We are currently working on the films pre-production and details will be announced once we are in a position to talk about them.

The Partition sequences will be shot in Punjab, keeping in mind the minute details which have been researched over the last three months. Original steam engines will be used for this shoot along with art, costumes, and nuances, which will give the feel of that era, added the director.

Salman and Ali have worked on 'Sultan' and 'Tiger Zinda Hai' previously.
Its not often that Telugu filmmakers release a special video dedicated solely to the films female lead. However, with Samantha playing a crucial role in Rangasthalam, its team has come up with a teaser featuring only her character Rama Lakshmi, the response to which has been pretty good.

For the de-glam avatar of a village belle in this period drama, Samantha underwent a complete transformation. In fact, the rustic punch is quite new for the Telugu audience as well. No wonder then, the actress noteworthy makeover, as seen in the visuals, where her body language is a total revelation, is garnering oodles of attention.

Samantha has said several times in the past that the film will be quite a special one for her. Moreover, she seems to have bagged a full-fledged authour-backed role after a while in Tollywood.

Rangasthalam, directed by Sukumar, is slated for a March 30 release.
On Friday morning, the Egyptian Armed Forces announced the launch of a new major operation to confront terrorism in north and middle Sinai and other areas in the Nile Delta and the desert areas west of the Nile valley.

Ahram Online provided an account of key events and statements by the army, police and public institutions throughout the day.

------------------

20:00 Egypt's parliament fully supports the "honorable and just" ongoing operation by the Egyptian army to purge the country of terrorists, a statement by Egypt's parliament speaker Ali Abdel-Aal said on Friday evening.

Abdel-Aal said that he is closely following Operation Sinai 2018, which aims to thwart all terrorist plots threatening the security of Egypt, the statement added.

The parliament values all the sacrifices of brave Egyptian soldiers, and calls on Egyptians to stand with police and the Armed Forces in the countrys war against terrorism, until the land of Egypt is cleansed of it forever, the statement said.

19:30 Egyptian authorities have decided to close all schools in North Sinai until further notice starting Saturday. The Ministry of Higher Education is also suspending studies at universities and other institutions of higher education for one week.

17:15 Hours after the Egyptian army started Operation Sinai 2018 to fight terrorism this morning, the interior ministry said it killed three members of the banned Hasm terrorist group in a shootout in an under-construction residential building in Cairo.

The ministry said its comprehensive security plan to curb the groups actions in Qalioubiya, Daqahliya, Beheira, Menoufiya, Sharqiya, Assiut, and Fayoum led to the arrest of 14 members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood following raids on their hideouts on Friday, the ministry said.

In the framework of the interior ministrys efforts to abort the plans of terrorist the Muslim Brotherhood  which aims to compromise the countrys security and undermine its capabilities  the national security department has monitored the issuance of a mandate from the fugitive terrorist group leaders abroad to its elements who are members of Hasm, one of the armed wings of the Brotherhood, the interior ministry said.

The ministry said that the Hasm terrorists were instructed to execute a number of synchronised hostile operations on vital and important institutions as well as police and Armed Forces ahead of the presidential elections, to create a state of instability and present a negative image about the situation in the country.

16:00 Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church, headed by Pope Tawadros II, declares its solidarity and support for the "comprehensive battle" of the Egyptian armed forces and the patriotic police that aims at purging "the forces of terrorism" all over the country, in accordance with President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi's directives, read a short statement on Friday afternoon.

"History will record the sacrifices of Egypt's brave army and police who sacrifice their lives for the sake of the country's stability; long live Egypt's unity," the church statement added.

14:15 Egypt's Al-Azhar announced on Friday afternoon its full support for Operation Sinai 2018, calling on all the Egyptian people "to support the brave men of the army and police in their fight against terrorist and criminal elements."

In a statement, the world's leading Sunni institution praised the sacrifices of the army and police in the confrontation against terrorists so "Egypt can be purged of these elements that have and terrorized and killed citizens," and in order "to foil the attempts to foster chaos and strife to harm the stability of the the homeland."

Al-Azhar also hailed the sacrifices of the residents of Sinai who "have endured suffering caused by "the criminality of such terrorist groups.

12:45 The General Command of the Armed Forces issued Communique Number 2 which provided details on the "comprehensive" Operation Sinai 2018.

The Communique was read by military spokesman Colonel Tamer El-Rafei on state TV.

"Great people of Egypt, in a continuation of law enforcement forces' efforts, elements of our air forces targeted some of the pits, hideouts, and ammunition and weapons warehouses used by terrorist elements as a base to target the law enforcement forces and civilian targets in North and Middle Sinai, he said.

Units from the naval forces are also tightening the security on the sea front, with the aim of cutting all supply lines to terrorist elements."

"The border guard forces and civilian police are also tightening security procedures at borders and on navigational courses."

"Joints elements from the armed forces and the police are also tightening the security procedures at vital ports and areas in different areas of the republic, he said.

12:15 Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said he is following with pride the heroics of the army and police in the "comprehensive" Operation Sinai 2018.

I follow with pride the heroics of my sons from the Armed Forces and the Police to purge the beloved land of Egypt from terrorists, the enemies of life. And always, long live Egypt, El-Sisi said in a post on his official Facebook page.

12:00 A senior interior ministry security source told state agency MENA that the countrys security alert level has been raised to its highest level nationwide, in light of the fierce war by the police in coordination with the armed forces to eradicate the roots of terrorism.

According to the source, security measures in the vicinity of major state institutions, houses of worship and tourist hotspots have been boosted.

He added that security patrols have been set up in squares and on major highways in each governorate, as well as on connecting roads between governorates, with a continuation of security campaigns to comb remote areas to eliminate threats to the security and stability of citizens.

11:15 Egypt's armed forces announced on Friday morning a major new military operation dubbed "comprehensive" Operation Sinai 2018 to purge country from terrorism.

Military spokesman Colonel Tamer El-Rafei read the army statement "Communique 1 from the General Command of the Armed Forces" on state TV, which announced the launch of the operation.

"Great people of Egypt, in accordance with the delegation issued by the president of the republic, the supreme commander of the Egyptian armed forces, to the general command of the Egyptian armed forces and the interior ministry to comprehensively confront terrorism as well other criminal activities in close cooperation with all state institutions, law enforcement troops started to implement the plan of comprehensive confrontation of terrorist and criminal elements and organizations in north and middle Sinai and other areas in the Nile Delta and the desert areas west of the Nile valley," he said.

"In addition, the operation will include the implementation of other military and training missions and exercises in all strategic directions with the aim of tightening of control of the borders of the Egyptian state and to ensure the achievement of the planned aims of the clearing of terrorist pits from the areas where they are found, and to protect Egyptian society from the evils of terrorism and extremism, while also confronting other crimes that affect internal security and stability."

The armed forces "call on all Egyptians in all parts of the republic to closely cooperate with the forces of law enforcement to confront terrorism and weed out its roots, and to promptly report any elements that threaten the security and stability of the homeland," the statement ended.

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Despite fears that this level of alcohol could pose a health risk, no illnesses were reported as a result of the faulty batch. (Instagram Screengrab/ twinriverspirit)

A Scottish distillery has created the officially worlds strongest gin, with 77 per cent alcohol by volume. The gin has been created by Twin River Distillery in Banchory, Aberdeenshire.

Only a limited run of just 101 bottles have been made.

The Naked Gun Uncut edition is set to launch at Gin Festival: North East which takes place on February 9 and 10.

Speaking about it, Ryan Rhodes, brand ambassador for Twin River said, When our head distiller, Liam Pennycook tasted the uncut spirit straight from the still, he decided it was too good not to share. By developing Uncut, we really wanted to push the boundaries  but obviously ask people to enjoy it sensibly.

He went on to add, You have to appreciate that most gins are 40-50 per cent abv so care must be taken when drinking this spirit and a small amount definitely goes a long way.

According to the founder of Aberdeen and Inverurie Gin Club, Peter Sim, the gin has a creamy nutty scent and, while it certainly packs a punch, still offers up a heavy juniper taste with sweet spiciness.

The new drink has officially beaten what was thought to be the worlds strongest gin, created by a small Swedish distillery in 2017, which was 76 per cent.

Despite fears that this level of alcohol could pose a health risk, no illnesses were reported as a result of the faulty batch.

However, anyone who chooses to drink Twin River Distillerys new Naked Gun Uncut does so responsibly.
The ban was introduced by Islamabad High Court last year after a petition that said the holiday was a cultural import from the West. (Photo: Pixabay)

Pakistan has banned events marking Valentines Day, and media coverage of them, for the second year in a row after a court ruled the holiday un-Islamic.

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) issued an advisory on Wednesday warning television and radio stations against any Valentines Day celebrations.

No event shall be held at the official level or at any public place, Pemra said.

The ban was introduced by Islamabad High Court last year after a petition by a citizen who said the Feb. 14 holiday was a cultural import from the West and against the teachings of Islam.

More than 60 percent of the population of the Muslim-majority nation is aged under 30. Many young people and commercial establishments have in recent years embraced Valentines Day hearts, flowers and chocolates.

But the country of 208 million has also seen a wave of ultra-religious political activism that has brought a backlash against such celebrations, which some call immoral.

Parties including the Taliban-linked Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam parties have in recent years held rallies to denounce the holiday.

Were Muslims. Our religion forbids things like Valentines Day, said Taufeeq Leghari, who was waiting for transport close to a florists stall in Rawalpindi, adjacent to Islamabad.

Flower seller Salman Mahmod took a different view.I dont know what danger these Islamists would face if I earn a little more from selling flowers and someone can have a chance to celebrate something, he said.

Young people are not too afraid of the ban.

I will celebrate, said 21-year-old university student Abid Ansari in Islamabad. This is my choice.
Bengaluru: In a stroke of utter bad luck for a criminal and good fortune for the authorities, a man arrested for a drunken brawl turned out to be a convict on the run from alleged gang rape charges. 29-year-old techie Nagarjuna, a resident of Marathahalli, had been absconding for a month after a 39-year-old woman filed charges of cheating and rape against him.

According to police, the man was detained by the night patrolling team after a drunken brawl near a bar in Marathahalli. During the investigation, police learned that the man was accused of cheating and rape and had been hiding for the last month.

Nagarjuna was married and had a one-year-old son. He had created a profile on a matrimonial website and used it to get in touch with a woman from Hyderabad in August, 2017. The woman is a divorcee with a 10-year-old son. He befriended her, told her he was single and promised to marry her. The couple had a physical relationship and the victim would travel to Bengaluru to visit her friend.

Trouble began soon enough, when she began to talk of marriage and found that he had begun to avoid her. To her surprise, she discovered later that the man was married.

She lodged a complaint with Marathahalli police on January 16 alleging that he had cheated and raped her. The man had remained in hiding since then, until he was arrested by the Marathahalli police on February 6, for indulging in a drunken brawl.

Nagarjuna alleged, on his part, that the woman had demanded Rs 20 lakh as compensation if he refused to marry her. Police have, however, arrested him and produced him before the court.
Nine other jawans were injured in the attack of which two are critical. (Photo: ANI/Twitter)

Jammu: Two heavily armed Jaish-e-Mohammed militants were killed after a group of terrorists stormed the Sunjwan Army camp in Jammu city in the early hours on Saturday, killing two Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs), defence PRO told ANI.

The terrorists were wearing combat uniforms carrying AK 56 assault rifle, large amount of ammunition and hand grenades, he added.

Nine other jawans were injured in the attack of which two are critical.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri earlier on Saturday informed the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly that the martyred officers were identified as Subedar Maganlal and Subedar Mohammed Ashraf.

Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Abdullah said, "No day passes by without such incidents and terrorists are all coming from Pakistan. If Pakistan wants good relations with India they need to stop terrorism or it will have bad consequences. Sadly, I have to say if it continues India won't stop itself from waging war."

DGP SP Vaid said the terrorists entered from the rear side of Sunjwan Army camp where family quarters are located.

IGP SD Singh Jamwal told reporters here that "around 4:55 am suspicious movement was noticed by the sentry and his bunker was fired upon. The fire was retaliated. The number of militants isn't known. They've been cornered in one of the family quarters."

Security forces and police have cordoned off the area around the Sunjwan Army camp.The camp falls under the first Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry in 36 Brigade.

Soon after the attack, reinforcements of the Army's special forces and SOG rushed to the spot and cordoned off the whole area amid a fierce gunfight, security official said.

Schools in the entire area around the camp have been closed by authorities as a precautionary measure.

A high alert has been sounded in Jammu and security beefed up in and around the city.

Intelligence inputs had warned of an attack on the Army or security establishment by Jaish-e-Mohammed in view of the death anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru who was hanged on February 9, 2013.

Also Read: IAF Para commandos flown to Jammu to take on attackers at Army camp

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to the chief of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and took stock of the situation arising out of the terror attack on the Army camp in Jammu.

During the telephonic conversation, the home minister sought details from Director General of Police SP Vaid on the terrorist attack on the Army camp in Jammu, according to a tweet by the Home Minister's Office.

"The DGP has apprised him of the situation. The MHA is closely monitoring the situation," the tweet said.
The gross grant included Rs 417.44 crore for the Polavaram multipurpose project, one of the issues of contention between the allies TDP and BJP. (Photo: PTI/File)

Amaravati: The Centre has released a sum of Rs 1,269 crore to Andhra Pradesh under different heads in the last few days amid a strain in ties between the NDA and its ally TDP over allocation given to the state in the Union Budget.

The gross grant included Rs 417.44 crore for the Polavaram multipurpose project, one of the issues of contention between the allies TDP and BJP.

"The release (of Rs 417.44 crore) is towards the amount already utilised by the state against the irrigation component (of Polavaram) after April 1, 2014," an order issued by the Union water resources ministry's senior joint commissioner, R P S Verma, said.

The Centre, through the Polavaram Project Authority, had so far released Rs 4,329 crore for the project while the state government said it spent over Rs 7,200 crore after it was declared a national project.

Andhra Pradesh finance minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu submitted a memorandum to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley last month stating that a sum of Rs 3,217.63 crore, spent on Polavaram, was yet to be reimbursed to the state.

Of this, the Centre has now released Rs 417.44 crore, an official of the water resources department here said.

The Centre, meanwhile, also released Rs 369.16 crore on Friday night under post-devolution revenue deficit grant, as per the recommendation of the 14th Finance Commission, to AP.

The Centre directed that the accounts of the scheme "shall be maintained properly and separately" and submitted as and when required.

"They shall be open to inspection by an officer deputed by the Government of India or the state government," an under-secretary at the Centre said in the release order.

The Centre also released Rs 253.74 crore as 'basic grant' to urban local bodies in the state. This was the second instalment during the current financial year.

Apart from this, a sum of Rs 196.92 crore was released for the anganwadi services scheme and the supplementary nutrition programme and another Rs 31.76 crore was released for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme, a state official said.

The TDP had been at loggerheads with the Centre over the allocations of funds to AP in the Union Budget.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had expressed his disappointment with Centre for various issues including the Polavaram project and the Duggirajupatnam port in Nellore district in the Budget.

Also Read: Centre treats Andhra like step-child, are we not part of nation: Naidu

However, the TDP chose to keep its alliance with the BJP but said that it will raise its concerns on issues related to Andhra Pradesh with the Centre. The party also maintained that it will launch protest if its demands are not fulfilled.

Chandrababu earlier on Wednesday also asked the Centre to spell out a plan of action for the state with clear timelines.

Naidu also directed the TDP MPs to continue the din in Parliament "even if they get suspended".

Also Read: TDP protests in LS over special status to AP, BJP calls matter 'sensitive'
The task force team collected all inputs from the district officials and state government and were supposed to submit report at the earliest.

ANANTAPUR: Hopes for progress on long pending proposal for a steel factory in Kadapa district have risen following the ongoing protests in Lok Sabha by MPs. As part of the post bifurcation packages, Kadapa Steel plant has priority.

Mecon experts task force team was to submit fresh survey report over feasibilities of techno economics for the proposed steel plant in Kadapa district after the first report by Vizag-based team ruled out the possibilities two years ago. The task force team led by project manager Kumar Rajan, lay out and logistics expert V.S. Rajan, mines expert Anand and hydro expert Sasibhushan had recently inspected Kambaladinne, Koppari areas in Kadapa district. The team interacted with locals over existing facilities of railway line and airport authorities.

Sources said the task force team collected all inputs from the district officials and state government and were supposed to submit report at the earliest. "We hope the team would submit positive report following the ongoing agitation in Parliament as already four years have passed," a senior official observed.

Steel Plant Sadhana Samithi chairman Praveenkumar Reddy stressed the need to get clarity over pending issue which was listed in post-bifurcation promises.

"We would take up more agitations till the foundation for the industry in the district because the district has all necessary facilities along with minerals for the proposed industry, he briefed.

Union steel minister Chaudhary Birender Singh, during recent meeting with state government representatives, had assured to speed up the process.

As part of the AP Reorganisation Act 2014, an integrated steel plant was promised at Bayyaram in Khammam district of Telangana and at Kadapa district in AP. Based on final report from Mecon, the government will either encourage PSUs or private sector companies to set up the steel plant in Kadapa.
llegal finance companies and chit fund businesses have come under the scrutiny of the government as many people are becoming victims of such illegal business in the state.

RAJANNA SIRCILLA: Illegal finance companies and chit fund businesses have come under the scrutiny of the government as many people are becoming victims of such illegal business in the state.

Task force teams have been conducting raids on the houses of the owners of the business since Wednesday in Rajanna Sircilla district. The continuous raids has brought some relief to the victims and given them hope of getting away from the harassment of the loaners.

The state government has taken serious note of owners of illegal finance companies who sometimes resort to heinous acts like kidnapping family members as mortgage to get their money back. The task force members seized documents and `2 lakh cash from one Ganesh of Sainagar in Vemulawada who runs a finance business.

They took into custody10 persons involved in the business and interrogated them in Sircilla, Yellareddypet and Vemulawada.

The business drew attention of everyone when many victims of controversial ASI Mohan Reddy of Karimnagar city came out openly against his harassment and torture for the repayment of the loans and grabbing their assets illegally even after clearing loans they had taken from him.

Recently, a victim of ASI Mohan Reddy died of cardiac arrest fearing that he would lose his house to Mohan Reddy in Karimnagar.
The White House said that the two leaders also pledged to continue working together to enhance security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. (Photo: AP)

New Delhi/ Washington/ Beijing: In what is being seen as a synchronised Indo-US strategy on the Maldives crisis, US President Donald Trump on Friday spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on phone, with both leaders expressing concern over the political situation in the tiny archipelago nation.

Both leaders expressed concern about the political crisis in Maldives and the importance of respect for democratic institutions and rule of law, the White House said in a readout of the phone call between Mr Trump and Mr Modi, the first in this year.

The White House said that the two leaders also pledged to continue working together to enhance security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.

Apart from China, support for the Maldivian government has also come from Pakistan which appeared to play the Islamic card.

Pakistan on Friday hailed Maldives as an important Muslim country in Saarc, adding that Pakistan and Maldives have deep and cordial relations, bound by religious and cultural affinity.

In its reaction on the developments in the Maldives, Islamabad said, Pakistan and Maldives have deep and cordial relations, bound by religious and cultural affinity. Maldives is an important Muslim country in Saarc. As a matter of policy, we do not comment on the internal matters of other countries. Pakistan firmly believes that the rule of democracy and constitution must be upheld and allowed to take its course, and supports the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Maldives as per the UN Charter. It may be recalled that Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen had sent special envoys to China, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia while a miffed India had refused to allow Male send its special envoy to New Delhi.

Modi, Trump discuss North Korea too

This, after the Maldivian President had ignored Indias advice to respect a Supreme Court order there on release of political prisoners.

Meanwhile, during their telephonic conversation President Trump and Modi also discussed situation in Afghanistan, Myanmar and North Korea.

Affirming President Trumps South Asia strategy, they reiterated their commitment to supporting Afghanistans security and stability, the White House said. According to the White House, during the call, President Trump and PM Modi discussed further steps to ensure denuclearisation of North Korea.

The leaders agreed to strengthen security and economic cooperation as they look forward to the 2+2 ministerial talks between their officials in April, the White House said.
The sanction to the project comes amid heightened hostilities between Indian and Pakistani armies along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir and several terror attack targeting military installations. (Photo: PTI/Representational)

New Delhi: The Defence Ministry has sanctioned Rs 1,487 crore to the Army to fortify its bases in Jammu and Kashmir, North East and several other places to plug their security gaps and protect them from any terror attacks, official sources said on Saturday.

Clearing the project, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has set a deadline of 10 months for the Army to carry it out.

The Army headquarters has been told to monitor implementation of the project, they said.

The sanction to the project comes amid heightened hostilities between Indian and Pakistani armies along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir and several terror attack targeting military installations.

Perimeter security will be strengthened at Army bases under six commands, the sources said.

A security audit of military bases was carried out on the recommendation of a committee headed by Lt Gen Philip Campose which was set up after the daring terror attack on the Pathankot air force base in 2016.

The committee was asked to recommend measures to beef up security at the military bases.

Following the security audit, revised standard operating procedures (SOPs) were sent to the commands of all three services to revamp their security management, including putting in place a multi-tier security structure.

A total of 3,000 sensitive bases, including 600 highly sensitive installations of the Army, Navy and the Air Force were identified by the forces months after the attack on Pathankot air base.

Separately, in July last year, the government had delegated "substantial" financial powers to the Army, the Navy and the Indian Air Force to strengthen perimeter security at sensitive bases across the country.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a three-nation tour, has reached Palestine on Saturday. Narendra Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister to step on Palestinian soil and will spend around three hours in Palestine on this visit that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, has described as "significant".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had skipped Palestine when he had visited Israel in July 2017 to signal his government's decision to treat New Delhi's relations with the two countries as "mutually independent and exclusive".

In Ramallah, that serves as the de facto capital of Palestine, Modi headed straight to the memorial of former President Yasser Arafat where he laid a wreath. He also took a tour of the Yasser Arafat Mausoleum.

Soon after landing at Palestine, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: "This is a historic visit that will lead to stronger bilateral cooperation."

Modi held discussions with President Mahmoud Abbas over a working lunch. The two leaders also exchanged agreements.

In a recognition of PM Modis contribution to relations between India and Palestine, President Abbas conferred the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine on him after the conclusion of the bilateral meeting. The Grand Collar is Highest order given to foreign dignitaries.

Commendation of Grand Collar read, "In recognition of his wise leadership, lofty national and international stature, in appreciation of his efforts to promote historic relations between Palestine and India, in acknowledgement of his support to our people's right to freedom so that peace prevails in region.

PM Modi is likely to announce the set-up of a super-speciality hospital in Palestine's Ramallah on Saturday.

India is the first non-Arab nation to recognise Palestine and maintains diplomatic relationships with them. "We have de-hyphenated our relations with Palestine and Israel and now we see them both as mutually independent and exclusive and as part of this policy the Prime Minister is undertaking this visit," B Bala Bhaskar, joint secretary in the foreign ministry, said.

On Friday, Modi reached Jordan's capital Amman where he met King Abdullah II. He took a chopper ride to Palestine's Ramallah.

(Photo: Twitter)

"Had a wonderful meeting with His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan. Our discussions today will give great strength to India-Jordan bilateral relations," Modi tweeted on Friday.

In the UAE, Modi will meet Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. He is also expected to speak at the World Government Summit in Dubai, where India is the guest country.

Modi will visit Oman and will hold talks with the Sultan of Oman and other key leaders. He would also interact with leading businesspersons of Oman on developing stronger economic and business links with India.
Egypt's armed forces said early on Saturday that the air force has continued conducting "intensive air strikes against terrorist targets and gatherings monitored earlier in Central and North Sinai."

In a third communique on the "comprehensive" Operation Sinai 2018, which was launched Friday, armed forces spokesman Tamer El-Refaie said the robust strikes targeted weaponry, ammunition, and explosives warehouses, and logistical support, with the air forces continuing to secure air space strategically over border areas

El-Refaie said that law-enforcement units, supported by special forces and border guards, have carried out several simultaneous raids on towns in Central and Northern Sinai to pursue fugitive elements, eradicate them, and continue to demolish targets belonging to terrorists.

The navy is also tightening control on the seafront from Rafah to western Al-Arish, to cut supply lines for terrorists, while maintaining security of economic installations in the area.

He added that navy units are conducting patrols to secure the coast from Marsa Matrouh to Salloum along the wester Mediterranean shores in cooperation with the border guards who are securing southern and western border areas.

Border guards and other forces are carrying out missions to secure navigation in the Suez Canal and thwart attempts of terrorists to escape.

Forces are also executing operations to track terrorists in the Western Deserts Wahat and other areas in Upper Egypt governorates.

According to Refaie, police forces are conducting combing operation in all residential areas in Central and North Sinai, setting up checkpoints on local roads in cooperation with armed forces.

The armed forces and police stressed their persistence to eradicate the roots of terrorism and achieve security and stability for the great Egyptian people, the statement added.

Operation Sinai 2018 was launched Friday, to implement the plan of comprehensive confrontation of terrorist and criminal elements and organisations in North and Central Sinai and other areas in the Nile Delta and the desert areas west of the Nile Valley."

Egypt's interior ministry raised the countrys security alert level to its highest level nationwide, in light of the anti-terrorism campaign.

Schools in North Sinai have been closed until further notice starting Saturday as the army and police continue operations.

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday assured Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas that India was bound to take care of the interests of Palestinian people.

"India hopes that soon Palestine will come a free country in a peaceful manner," he said.

"We hope for peace and stability in Palestine, we believe a permanent solution is possible with dialogue. Only diplomacy and farsightedness can set free from violence and baggage of the past. We know it is not easy but we need to keep trying as a lot is at stake," he further said.

PM Modi and President Abbas witnessed exchange of agreements between India and Palestine in Ramallah.

Also Read: Modis visit comfort prize for Palestinians amid growing Indo-Israel ties: Analysts

President Abbas welcomed Modi on his historic visit to the country stating that Indian leadership has always stood by peace in Palestine.

Asserting that Palestine was ready for to engage in negotiations with India, Abbas said they rely on India's role as an international force and its role in the non-alignment movement for desired peace in the region.

Abbas asserted his commitment to political action and negotiations as means of achieving their national goals to freedom and independence in accordance with the two states' relation along the lines of 1967.

In response, PM Modi thanked Palestine President Abbas for the Grand Collar of the state of Palestine conferred on him.

"This is an honour for India and a symbol of Palestine's friendship," Modi said.

Modi said India and Palestine's relations have stood the test of time. Palestine has always taken a top spot in our foreign policy, he further said.

Speaking on India's contribution to strengthen the bilateral ties, Modi said India is aiding the construction of an Institute of Diplomacy in Palestine.

He also announced doubling the exchange of students from this year taking it from 50 to 100.

Modi, who is on a three-nation tour reached Palestine on Saturday. Narendra Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister to step on Palestinian soil and will spend around three hours in Palestine on this visit that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, has described as "significant".

On Friday, Modi reached Jordan's capital Amman where he met King Abdullah II. He took a chopper ride to Palestine's Ramallah.
KOZHIKODE: "Why does any religion or caste overrule love or why do they destroy two souls who decide to lead a life together," asks the Marathi movie 'Sairat' that challenges the religion and caste system followed in India. Dubbing artist and activist Bhagya Lakhmi quoted it while speaking on the topic 'Does love have a religion' at the Kerala Literature Festival at Kozhikode beach on Friday. She said, "many religions will tell you (with no rationale behind it) that you must marry within your religion. A practical explanation would probably be: it is difficult to form a solid foundation by people with conflicting religious views/values."

The caste and religious conflicts are growing in this era of advancement in all sectors, she opined. B.R.P. Bhaskar, K.P. Ramanunni, Khadeeja Mumtaz and E.K. Sheeba talked about the irrelevance of religion in love. Khadeeja Mumtaz said that even the Supreme Court had expressed concern over the growing intolerance towards inter-caste or inter-religious couples.

"In Kerala there is a strong presence of the minorities compared to other states and hence we cannot blame any inter- religious marriages," said Sheeba." Religion has also been found to affect one's choice of marital partner. Today's generation should fight against this barrier and move forward to a better space," she added.
KOTTAYAM: A patient suffering from breathing difficulty, who was shifted from a private hospital at Thiruvalla to the MCH here on Wednesday, had to wait in the ambulance for over four hours due to the lack of a spare ventilator in the MCH. The doctors at the private hospital had told the relatives of the patient that medical colleges will have ventilator facility all the time. The plight suffered by the patient, N.K. Saaidharan Pillai, 58, of Pandalam, was explained to DC by his daughter Salini on Friday.

Pillai, who had breathing difficulty due to a neurological deficit, was undergoing treatment at the Believers Church hospital at Thiruvalla. However, he was shifted to the Kottayam medical college hospital on Wednesday as the family could not afford the huge expenses. Salini said that the doctor who administered treatment to her father at the Thiruvalla hospital told her that the MCH will have a full- time ventilator facility. He told us that there was no need to ring up the MCH about arranging a ventilator, she said.

Pillai was brought to the MCH by 4 p.m. and had to wait in the ambulance with ventilator facility till 8.30 p.m. The MCH authorities told Pillai' s relatives that they don't have a spare ventilator as the existing ones were engaged. Pillai has been shifted to the ICU and he can now breath without ventilator facility. Dr R Renjin, RMO of the Kottayam MCH hospital told DC that the Believers Church hospital authorities hadn't alerted the MCH on shifting of the patient who needed ventilator support, which they should have done when a hospital is to refer a patient to the MCH.

Meanwhile Winnie Elizabeth Johnson, PRO of the Believers Church hospital told DC that while the hospital authorities used to call them previously, since the MCH authorities used to come up with excuses against assurance regarding the ventilator facility citing increase in patient arrivals, they had stopped calling them anymore.
VHP international working president Pravin Togadia said, 'Whether to make a law on triple talaq or not is up to the government, but they should make a law for Ram temple'. (Photo: File | PTI)

Aurangabad: In a veiled attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling BJP, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) international working president Pravin Togadia on Friday said that people voted the NDA to power for building Ram temple in Ayodhya, and not for making laws on triple talaq.

He also said the government should pass a legislation to pave the way for construction of the temple.

"People have voted you to power not for making laws on triple talaq, but for the construction of Ram mandir in Ayodhya," Togadia told reporters at Aurangabad on Friday.

Togadia, who is on a two-day tour of Aurangabad and Parbhani, arrived in the city on Thursday evening.

"A law should be passed for the construction of Ram temple, so that it is built soon. Whether to make a law on triple talaq or not is up to the government, but they should make a law for Ram temple," he added.

"We have faith in the judiciary, but since the temple has not been built, a law should be passed in this regard so that it can be constructed without the mosque adjacent to it," he said.

He said the apex court once again adjourned the hearing on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute.

A Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra on Friday said it would hear the appeals in the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi dispute on March 14.

Also Read: Will hear Ayodhya matter as 'pure land dispute': SC posts case for Mar 14

"Since long, the Hindu community has been waiting for the temple, hence it should be built," Togadia said.

In view of the VHP leader's visit, the city police have put in place tight security arrangements.

"Seven hundred policemen, including two DCPs, five ACPs and 17 police inspectors, have been deployed to provide security," he said.
Hyderabad: Banks have turned down the proposal of the Telangana state government that the photo of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao should be printed on the cheques that are to be sent to farmers. All farmers are to receive a handout of Rs 8,000 per acre from the government.

The banks have said that the Reserve Bank of India rules do not permit such individual requests, but they will forward to the RBI the request that the cheques be printed in pink, the colour of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti.

With a crucial election year coming up, the TRS leadership wants to derive maximum political benefit from the payout to lakhs of farmers (over `10,000 cr).

On Friday, the Chief Minister himself vetoed another sycophantic proposal  to print his photograph on the new electronic pattadar passbooks that will be distributed to all land owners in the state in March now that the verification of all land records in the state has been carried out. The Chief Minister chose a dark green cover for the passbook as it symbolises crops, but said there was no need for anyones photo except that of the passbook holder/farmer along with the Telangana state governments emblem. No need for any photograph of any politician, the CM stated.
Congress President Rahul Gandhi pulled out three instances where the UPA government had disclosed the purchase details of heavyweight buys like the Sukhoi and Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi on Saturday launched a scathing attack at Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for telling the Parliament on Thursday that the previous Congress-led government had declined, on 15 occasions, to disclose defence purchases details.

Gandhi pulled out three instances where the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government had disclosed the purchase details of heavyweight buys like the Sukhoi and Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft.

"You said the UPA never released prices of defence purchases. To nail your lie, here are 3 parliamentary replies by the UPA with full transparency on pricing," the Congress president tweeted, making it clear that he can not be daunted from the campaign demanding the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government come clean on the Rs 58,000 crore Rafale deal.

"Now do ask our Raksha Mantri (Defence Minister) to tell India how much each RAFALE jet cost," Rahul added.

The Congress has been hinting that the government's adamant denial to release the figures is an indicator that there is "something fishy."

The party also alleges that India is paying more for the multi-role jets to France's Dassault than what had originally been agreed between the company and the Congress-led UPA government.

Rahul again started his Friday's tweet with 'Dear Jaitlie.'

Dear Mr Jaitlie,



You said the UPA never released prices of Defence purchases?



To nail your lie, here are 3 Parliamentary replies by the UPA with full transparency on pricing.



Now do ask our Raksha Mantri to tell India how much each RAFALE jet cost.#DealMeinKuchKalaHai pic.twitter.com/txb2Cc1BHh  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) February 9, 2018

This is the second time he intentionally punned on the finance minister name, the first time in December when the matter was taken to Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu by the BJP for deliberately twisting the name to ridicule him.

Congress began attacking the NDA government over the Rafale deal after Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman backed out from her earlier promise to share the financial details of the transaction, informing the Parliament that it is "classified information."

Jaitley was supporting Sitharaman on this when he said that when the UPA was in power, former defence ministers Pranab Mukherjee and AK Antony had on 15 occasions denied to give out sensitive information as it would be against national security.

He also advised Rahul to learn "lessons on national security" from Pranab Mukherjee.

Also Read: Learn 'lessons on national security' from Pranab Mukherjee: Jaitley to Rahul

Rahul had earlier on Friday also asked for a discussion in parliament under a rule that makes it a must for the government to answer.

"Rahul Gandhi wants the government's clarification and he also wants to place some facts before the House. There has been some irregularity in the Rafale deal and the government is hiding behind the confidentiality clause to avoid answers," said Mallikarjun Kharge, the leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha.
Hyderabad:The Office of the Prime Minister has responded to a city-based petitioner who sent 1,000 signatures protesting new Secretariat at the Bison Polo Ground. The PMO in its reply dated February 7, 2018 to the Chief Secretary of Telangana has requested him to take action as appropriate.

The petition said, 55 acres of history, and most importantly the environment, is under threat after K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) wants to build a new Secretariat at the Bison Polo and Gymkhana Grounds. Citing Vaastu reasons, he wishes to vacate the existing Secretariat. Let us request him to drop the idea of building a concrete jungle by cutting down thousands of trees.

The response from the PMO to the Telangana Chief Secretary, with a copy to the petitioners, said, I am desired to forward herewith a letter of oral representation dated November 6, 2017, received in this office from Ms. Gulshan G Bamboat and others for action as appropriate.

Reply may be sent to the petitioner and a copy of the same may be uploaded on the portal.

The petitioner, Gulshan G Bamboat, told Deccan Chronicle, Several individuals worked on collecting the signatures across Secunderabad. I have sent over 1,000 signatures, in 10 sets of 100 each, through many weeks. My first post was on November 29, 2017 and the last was on February 5, 2018, and there are 400 more to go. I have posted the letters to the Prime Minister's residence. I received the letter (from the PMO) on Saturday and we are yet to be contacted by the TS Chief Secretary's office. We hope there is some move by the government.
Another team from Secunderabad which too had collected signatures and posted it to the PMs residence at 7 Race Course Road, New Delhi, informed that 18,000-19,000 signed letters were sent. (Representational image)

Hyderabad: The Office of the Prime Minister has responded to a city-based petitioner who sent 1,000 signatures protesting new Secretariat at the Bison Polo Ground.

The PMO in its reply dated February 7, 2018 to the Chief Secretary of Telangana State has requested him to take action as appropriate.

It has also asked the CS to send a letter to the petitioner and upload a copy of the same on the portal.

Another team from Secunderabad which too had collected signatures and posted it to the PMs residence at 7 Race Course Road, New Delhi, informed that 18,000-19,000 signed letters were sent.

In 2017, an online petition against the TS governments proposed move to construct a new Secretariat at the Bison Polo Ground in Secunderabad was floated. It managed to collect 2,500 signatures, but 1,000 were sent to the Prime Ministers Office.

The petition said, 55 acres of history, and most importantly the environment, is under threat.
K. Jana Reddy, the Leader of the Opposition in the Telangana State Assembly, addresses the media over minister K.T. Rama Raos remarks on Congress. Senior leaders J. Geeta Reddy and T. Jeevan Reddy could be seen. (Photo: DC)

Hyderabad: Several Congress leaders from Telangana, including K. Jana Reddy, the Leader of the Opposition in the TS Assembly, came down heavily on IT minister K.T. Rama Rao for calling the Congress a loafer party.

Addressing the media on Friday, Mr Jana Reddy said, As the leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP), I am condemning the language used by minister KTR.

He said that the ministers comments were ev-idence of political ego and decay.

Mr Jana Reddy said that the use of shabby language had become a matter of habit for the leaders of the TRS.

He said that just as Mr Rama Rao had called the Congress a loafer party, the TRS should be called a broker party, as brokering was what the leaders of the party indulged in.

He added that the minister had made those comments just to get some publicity and media attention.

The leader of the CLP said the failure to give the Congress, which granted Telangana state, even a minimal level of respect was hurting the people of Telangana.

He also criticised Mr Rama Rao for his comments regarding AICC president Rahul Gandhi. He said the people were waiting for an opportunity to teach Mr Rama Rao a lesson. He said Rahul Gandhi is the leader of a party of 130 crore people and that he had sacrificed the Prime Ministers post, and so Mr Rama Rao had no right to criticise him.

Mr Jana Reddy also expressed confidence that the Congress would come to power after the 2019 elections.

Senior leader and MLA J. Geeta Reddy, the chairperson of the Public Accounts Comm-ittee, asked Mr Rama Rao whether it was pro-per for an educated person to use such langu-age. She asked whether that was what he had learnt after travelling to so many countries.

Recalling that Chief Minister K. Chandrase-khar Rao and his family had touched Sonia Gandhis feet and called her Telangana deva-tha, she said Mr Rama Rao had no right to criticise Rahul Gandhi.

Senior leader and MLA T. Jeevan Reddy and others also condemned the minister for the language used by him to criticise the Congress.
Hyderabad: Rahul Gandhi, president of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) has come out in support of the demand for special category status for AP. He said it was time for all parties to unite in support of this issue.

On Friday, Mr Gandhi tweeted, The Congress Party supports the just demands of the people of Andhra Pradesh for special category status and speedy completion of the Polava-ram project. Its time for all parties to unite on this issue and support this call for justice #INCStandsWithAndhra.

While Telugu Desam MPs are demanding that the Centre implement the ass-urances given to AP in the AP Reorganisation Act as well as the special financial package, the Congress and YSR Congress parties are demanding that the Centre grant AP special category status.

On Friday, Congress leaders from AP, including APCC chief N. Raghuveera Reddy, Rajya Sabha member K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao, and former Union minister J.D. Seelam, staged a protest at the Ambedkar Statue in Delhi against the injustice done to AP in the Union Budget. Against this background, Rahul Gandhi declared his support for AP.

Mr Raghuveera Reddy said the MPs of AP should worry about the people of the state and not Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said that all of them should resign and fight unitedly for the cause of the state.

He said the Central government headed by the BJP had failed to implement the assurances given to AP. He said that if the TD and YSRC MPs resigned, the Central government will fall.
Egypt's presidential hopeful Moussa Mostafa Moussa has expressed his strong support for the Egyptian armed forces' Operation Sinai 2018, saying the armed forces is "combating the brute terrorism that aims to disrupt the Egyptian course."

"We have followed with pride the comprehensive military Operation Sinai 2018, which the army is carrying out in cooperation with the police and other state institutions to purge precious Sinai from the dissolute elements which receive foreign funding to work against our people and country," the statement read.

Moussa called on Egyptians to stand together to support the armed forces and police against "such terrorist organizations and those with foreign agendas who support them, and the terrorist Muslim Brotherhood group, in order to eliminate them and save our precious nation."

On Friday, the Egyptian military launched Operation Sinai 2018 to implement the plan of comprehensive confrontation of terrorist and criminal elements and organisations in North and Central Sinai and other areas in the Nile Delta and the desert areas west of the Nile valley."

In January, Moussa submitted endorsements from 20 MP to the National Election Authority (NEA) to be eligible to run against current Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi in elections that are scheduled for March.

The NEA will announce on 24 February the final list of qualified candidates after nominees' applications have been fully vetted.

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Yes, I said it. It is my personal view, I said it in the house and I don't think anyone should have a problem with it: National Conference MLA Akbar Lone on shouting 'Pakistan Zindabad' in J&K Assembly. (Photo: Twitter|ANI)

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, currently in its Budget session in winter capital Jammu, on Saturday witnessed a bizarre situation when Opposition National Conference (NC) member and former Speaker Muhammad Akbar Lone chanted Pakistan zindabad (Long live Pakistan) in the House.

He did that to counter ruling BJP MLAs who had earlier chanted Pakistan murdabad (down with Pakistan) in the House in the backdrop of the terror attack on an Army station in Jammus Sunjwan area.

The NC has distanced itself from the remarks made by Lone who presents Kashmir Valleys Sonawari constituency in the Assembly. The NCs working president and former Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, said that focus should be on Sunjwan militant attack instead of misplaced slogans. We need to focus on the unfortunate developments in #SunjwanArmyCamp & not get distracted by misplaced slogans, he wrote on micro-blogging site Twitter.com.

He endorsed his party president Farooq Abdullahs stand on the issue. In another tweet, Omar said, Totally endorse my Party Presidents views outlined in these two tweets. The party will say nothing more on this issue.

Earlier, NC spokesperson Junaid Azim Mattu said entire party has the clear stand over Lone remarks which are unacceptable to the party. Just spoke to @JKNC_ President Dr Farooq Abdullah Sahib. Dr. Sahib and the entire party is of the unequivocal stand that NC MLA from Sonawari Mr Akbar Lone has spoken out of turn and his slogans in the Legislative Assembly are completely unacceptable to the party, Mattu twitted.

In another tweet, Mattu said Lone should not forget that he belongs to a party that rejected the two nation theory.
New Delhi: Speculations that Lok Sabha elections could be advanced gained momentum as the BJP high command has asked all the state units to prepare for general elections. There are talks in the saffron corridor that Prime Minister Narendra Modi too on Independence Day could give an indication of an early poll from the ramparts of the Red Fort.

The state units, which include that of Delhi, have been asked to step up mass contact programme, strengthen organisation and booth-level activities besides highlighting achievements of the government.

The BJP high command without giving possible time for next general elections asked the state units to gear up for the polls. Party high command has signalled to start preparation for the Lok Sabha polls without any delay, said a senior BJP leader.

Instruction was clear  reach out to the people with achievements of the Modi government, flagship programmes with special focus on pro-poor and pro-farmer Union budget, said a senior leader.
J. Geetha Reddy and K. Jana Reddy discuss while TPCC president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy looks on at the launch of six new chapters by All India Professionals Congress at a private hotel in city on Saturday. (Photo: DC)

Hyderabad: Congress leaders on Saturday appealed professionals to join the party to fight for their rights and discharge their responsibility towards the nation against communal and anti-democratic forces such as the BJP and the TRS.

Launching six new chapters of All India Professionals Congr-ess at a private hotel in the city on Saturday, TPCC chief N. Uttam Kumar Reddy appealed to the professionals to break their silence on many is-sues confronting the state and the nation and said that the silence of intellectuals and professionals on key issues would be dangerous for the society. He said they sh-ould be a part of mai-nstream politics and raise their concerns against communal and anti-democratic policies, program-mes of the respective governments.

He said the Congr-ess is the only liberal and secular party in the country as such and professionals sh-ould therefore come forward and join it. He assured to arrange a meeting of the professionals with AICC chief Rahul Gandhi during his tour to the state.

Leader of Opposition in Assembly K. Jana Reddy said he too had joined politics from a noble profession like teaching and it is for the professionals to decide now on how to fight it out to get justice for all the problems being faced by the people in general and professionals in particular.

Mr Jana Reddy said that first generation politicians in the country came from many professions as it was their responsibility to join politics.

South India Profes-sional Congress chairperson Dr J. Geetha Reddy said that already 400 professionals had joined the organisation and many more are interested to join it.

She said that the BJP government at the Centre has been dictating people even about what they should eat and what not which was not the situation earlier. Telangana Professional Congress Chairman Dr Sravan Dasoju said that if professionals too join the Congress, it will be able to teach a befitting lesson to the communal and autocratic forces in the state.
The seller also repeatedly pressed US agents with offers of compromising materials, or kompromat, on Trump. (Photo: AFP)

Washington: A Russian man promising stolen hacking tools and compromising information on President Donald Trump fleeced American spies for USD 100,000 last year, The New York Times reported Friday.

In a story worthy of a John le Carre novel that included secret USB-drive handovers in a small West Berlin bar and coded messages delivered over the National Security Agency's Twitter account, CIA agents reportedly spent much of last year trying to buy back from the Russian hacking programs stolen from the NSA.

The seller, who was not identified but had links to both cyber criminals and Russian intelligence, tantalized the US spies with an offer of the NSA hacking tools that had been advertised for sale online by a shady group called the Shadow Brokers.

Some of the tools, developed by the NSA to break into the computers of US rivals, were used by other hackers last year to break into computer systems around the world, including the global malware attack last May.

The seller, reached through a chain of intermediaries, wanted USD 1 million.

The USD 100,000, delivered in a cash-stuffed suitcase handed over in a Berlin hotel room, was an initial payment by US agents still dubious he really had what he was promising.

Trump kompromat

The seller also repeatedly pressed US agents with offers of compromising materials, or kompromat, on Trump, the Times said, citing US and European intelligence officials.

Although an investigation was already underway back in Washington on the link between Moscow and the Trump campaign, the agents did not want to get involved in anything that smelled of the politics back home.

The story -- which was also reported by The Intercept, an online magazine on nationals security matters -- paints a classic spy versus spy story where the US agents aren't ever certain about who they are dealing with and whether or not they are being baited and played by their Russian counterparts.

US intelligence officials say Russia interfered with the 2016 election to help elect Trump, and continues to use disinformation to sow confusion in the American political system.

The Intercept reported that the operation created rifts in the CIA, which is led by Trump loyalist Mike Pompeo but has many staffers still smarting over the president's repeated harsh comments about the intelligence community's role in the Russia meddling investigation.

The Russian's first delivery turned out to be hacking tools the Shadow Brokers had already released.

And he kept pushing his offer of kompromat on Trump, including shady financial records and a sex video that the US spies didn't really want.

In the end, the deal broke down last month -- the Russian did not come up with any of the unreleased NSA materials, and the Trump-related materials were either already known or untrustworthy.

The Russian was told by the Americans to leave Western Europe and not return, according to the Times.
The two journalists, Indian national Money Sharma and British national of Indian-origin Atish Ravi Patel, were handed over to immigration authorities by the police after it was found that they were working in violation of the country's immigration rules. (Photo: ANI)

Male: Two foreign journalists, including an Indian national, working for French news agency AFP who were arrested by the Maldivian police for violating immigration rules, have been ordered to leave the island nation facing political turmoil.

The two journalists, Indian national Money Sharma and British national of Indian-origin Atish Ravi Patel, were handed over to immigration authorities by the police after it was found that they were working in violation of the country's immigration rules, the police said in a statement.

"These individuals were found to be working and reporting as journalists while on a tourist visa, in contravention to the Immigration Act and Regulations," the statement said.

The Maldives police, however, clarified that no legal action will be taken against the two journalists.

"We would like to note that although they have been asked to leave the Maldives, no other legal steps shall be taken against them," the police said.

The action against the two journalists came as a privately-owned television station in the Maldives went off the air, citing threats during the country's current state of emergency.

Rajje TV, which highlights the views of the political opposition, said in a statement that it stopped broadcasting because the country's environment does not allow journalists to report freely and independently, the AFP had reported.

Male, which has seen several political crises since the ouster of its first democratically-elected president Mohamed Nasheed in 2012, plunged into fresh chaos last Thursday when the Supreme Court ordered the release of nine imprisoned Opposition politicians, maintaining that their trials were "politically motivated and flawed".
The exchange of fire was the most serious between arch foes Israel and Iran since the start of the civil war in Syria in 2011. (Photo: AP/Representational)

Jerusalem: An Israeli fighter jet crashed on Saturday after coming under fire from Syrian air defences during attacks against "Iranian targets" in the war-torn country, a spokesman said.

The exchange of fire was the most serious between arch foes Israel and Iran since the start of the civil war in Syria in 2011.

It marked the first time Israel publicly acknowledged attacking what it identified as Iranian targets in Syria since the war began.

The Israeli military issued a warning to Tehran, saying it was responsible for the drone that entered Israel.

Israel has repeatedly warned in recent weeks against the presence of Iranian forces in neighbouring Syria.

The Israeli pilots of the crashed F16 were reported alive.

The Israeli military "targeted the Iranian control systems in Syria that sent the UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) into Israeli airspace. Massive Syrian anti-air fire, one F16 crashed in Israel, pilots safe," spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus tweeted.

According to a separate military statement, Israeli forces identified an "Iranian UAV" launched from Syria and intercepted it in Israeli airspace with a combat helicopter.

Police said the F16 crashed in the Jezreel valley in northern Israel.

"During the attack, multiple anti-aircraft missiles were fired at IAF (Israel Air Force) aircraft," the military statement read.

"The pilots of one of the aircraft abandoned as per procedure. The pilots landed in Israeli territory and were taken to the hospital for medical treatment."

Conricus meanwhile said that the army had confirmed "accurate hits of (the) Iranian UAV control facility" in Syria.

"Iran is responsible for this severe violation of Israeli sovereignty," Conricus said on Twitter.

Syria said its air defences repelled two Israeli raids on its military bases in the centre of the country, hitting more than one warplane during the first.

"At dawn, the Zionist enemy carried out a new aggression against one of our military bases in the centre of the country," state news agency SANA reported.

"Our air defences repelled it and hit more than one plane."

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor of the seven-year civil war, said the Israeli raids had targeted several military bases in the east of the central province of Homs used by both Iranian and Russian military personnel deployed in support of the regime.

Air raid sirens had gone off in Israel in the early hours of the morning following the UAV interception and raids.

The army said it was "monitoring events and is fully prepared for further action, depending on assessments and necessity."

'Nobody tries us'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has held a series of meetings in recent months with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Iran's influence in war-torn Syria and Lebanon.

Netanyahu has been seeking to persuade Russia to limit Iran's presence near Israeli territory and to stop it from entrenching itself militarily in Syria.

Russia, Iran and Lebanon's Shiite Muslim militant group Hezbollah -- which is backed by Tehran -- all support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the civil war.

In a meeting in Moscow last month, Netanyahu reiterated Israel's concerns of what he described as the attempts of Iran to establish a military presence in Syria and produce accurate weapons against Israel there.

"We wont accept either of those, and will act according to our needs," Netanyahu said following the meeting with Putin.

On Tuesday, Netanyahu had taken the members of his security cabinet for a tour of the Golan Heights, where they were briefed by the military on the situation.

"We want peace, but are prepared for any scenario, and suggest that nobody tries us," he said.

Israel has sought to avoid direct involvement in the Syrian war, but acknowledges carrying out dozens of air strikes there to stop what it says are advanced arms deliveries to Hezbollah.
Narendra Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Palestine, has reached Ramallah amid heightened tensions in the region after US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. (Photo: Twitter | @narendramodi)

Jerusalem: Israeli analysts generally accept India's strategic need to demonstrate its traditional support for Palestine with some seeing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trip to Ramallah as a "comfort prize" for Palestinians amid growing Indo-Israel ties.

Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Palestine, has reached Ramallah amid heightened tensions in the region after US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

India has consistently voted in favour of resolutions supporting the Palestinian cause at international forums, an issue that has bothered strategic partner Israel.

"I believe that the Palestinians understand that this visit is a comfort prize after Israel and India have grown closer dramatically in the last few years," Lior Weintraub, a former Israeli spokesperson in New Delhi and Washington, said.

India is now prioritising the bilateral relationship with Israel that has a strategic aspect, cultural aspect and economic aspect, over allowing the impasse in the Israeli-Palestinian channel to dictate how India is going to act vis-a-vis some vital national interest that is has, the former diplomat further added.

Israelis are generally accepting of India's strategic need to demonstrate its traditional support for the Palestinians with some seeing Prime Minister Narendra Modis trip to Palestine as a "comfort prize" for intensifying Indo-Israel ties while others viewing it as a move to safeguard national interest.

Modi's visit to Palestine comes just weeks after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus much publicised trip to India. A section of the media and colleagues in his own Likud party hailed his "treatment like a King" in India, emphasising on the personal chemistry between Netanyahu and Modi.

The visit to Palestine may have come as a dampener to many Israeli India enthusiasts who have looked excited at the burgeoning ties between India and Israel but on the contrary there seems to be an understanding of "India's national interest".

"The visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Palestinian Authority will also have diplomatic significance: On the one hand it is important for the Indians to show that they have not neglected their traditional position when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but (on the other hand) the close relationship between Prime Minister Modi and

Prime Minister Netanyahu can help in facilitating a renewal of the talks between the sides," Lior said.

Currently working with The Israel Project as a senior executive, Lior sees Modi's visit to Palestine as a move vital to protect India's national interest.

Senior sources in Israel confirmed that the Israeli government was sounded off much in advance, and prior to, of Netanyahu's visit to India.

"I do not see any reason to crib about anything here. Our relations have matured to a level that we can understand India's needs. Its not an either or situation. It never was," the source told the news agency PTI.

Genady Shlomper, a lecturer at Tel Aviv university, sees Modi's visit as a part of India's engagement with the Arab world.

"India has vital interests in the Arab world. The trip to Ramallah is also clubbed with his trip to other parts of the Arab world. India has such a huge diaspora community there and vital economic and political interests. It is not surprising to me that he has decided to visit Ramallah," Shlomper said.

The Indian Jewish community, which so warmly welcomed Modi during his trip to Israel, also seems understanding of India's need to demonstrate its ties with Palestine.

Certain sections of the press in Israel have however raised eyebrows at Modi's decision to lay a wreath on Yasser Arafat's Mausoleum. The iconic Palestinian leader is revered in most parts of the Arab world but a lot of Israelis see him as a "terrorist" responsible for the death of several of their citizens.
The end of 2017 saw a Trump administration charm offensive on New Delhi. India found itself as one of the main arms of the Quadrilateral 'alliance', in its second coming, with the US, Japan, and Australia. Trump, during his Asia tour, called for India to play a leading role in the region. His administration's first National Security Strategy (NSS) put a stamp on that. Many commentators said that India would be more than willing to lap up this role in the 'Indo-Pacific'. Is India comfortable bandwagoning with Trump's America? How does this affect our quest for strategic autonomy?



Former foreign secretary and National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon writes that since Independence, India has sought to maintain its strategic autonomy. Jawaharlal Nehru fashioned 'non-alignment' to stay independent of the two Cold War blocs. This policy has been refashioned in different periods of time since. The philosophy behind India's 'non-alignment' wasn't much different from the American founding fathers' desire not to entangle the nation in "permanent alliances" in the decades after its declaration of independence.

Strategic autonomy is a desired objective for many countries. In reality, it may only be pursued by a lone superpower that has the economic, industrial, military, and technological wherewithal to resist pressure from outside. Regional powers like India cannot be completely autonomous. They can choose to resist external interference on core tenets of national security but tend to give way on some other not so core issues. For instance, Jammu and Kashmir and the nuclear programme fall in the core interest category, voting against Iran in the International Atomic Energy Agency does not. While the path of strategic autonomy may be ideal, India could never achieve it completely.

The world order today is at the cusp of change. It is still unipolar militarily, with the US ruling the roost. But economically, much space has been vacated for countries like China and India as the US turns inwards. Ultra-nationalism is on the rise; new, authoritarian leaders are coming to power; there are security issues due to global terrorism; the Middle East is in chaos; North Korea is belligerent. All this provides space for countries to revaluate their policies. How India will maintain its strategic autonomy will be noteworthy.

'Indo-Pacific' has been the buzzword since 2016. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe unveiled his regional vision of a "free and open Indo-Pacific". Australia cited the phrase in its foreign policy white paper. Trump appears personally seized of the idea lately. The term covers the expanse from the West Coast of India to the West Coast of the United States.

The coinage of the term serves a specific strategic purpose. While India may or may not have been part of the birthing process of the Indo-Pacific, there is a pull for India. The rise of China is a challenge for us. Beijing continues to grow fast economically and modernise its military rapidly. It is building influence across South Asia. Its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) appears untenable to India's economic and geopolitical interests.

A leadership role for India in the Indo-Pacific has the unstated goal to challenge Chinese assertiveness. The NSS described China as a "revisionist, authoritarian power, antithetical to US values and interests". India's recent snub to the BRI and its handling of the Doklam crisis at the India-Bhutan-China tri-junction fosters this American view.

What has further soothed Indian ego this time is Trump's rant against Pakistan. Trump criticised Pakistan for fomenting terrorism and instability in the region. The NSS report flagged a potential India-Pakistan "military conflict that could lead to a nuclear exchange". Trump's scathing twitter attack and aid suspension furthered the trust deficit. New Delhi had always wanted a stronger US action against Pakistan.

Rejig China policy

Changing world politics and the China-focused narrative have raised expectations for India to play a proactive role. Yet, New Delhi has welcomed Quad 2.0 with caution. Largely because the first time around, the idea had collapsed because two of its members found it "inconvenient". This time around, it is still being debated whether the US asked India before putting it up for the "leadership role."

India nonetheless would benefit from the Quad as it allows it to strengthen its geopolitical linkages. India could promote its flagship ventures, like the Sagarmala project and the East Coast Economic Corridor. This will spur development on India's eastern coast and enable trade links with South and Southeast Asia.

The Quad, however, could also result in China trying to box India by creating tensions within the subcontinent. Recently, however, China has upped its seduction game with India. It states the hope to "turn a new page of further growth and development". India on its part needs to rejig its China policy. There is need for fruitful conversation on economic engagement, maritime security, freedom of navigation, cyber security, etc.

India also needs greater diplomacy with countries like Russia and Iran who were the poster villains in the NSS. Our ties with Tehran are important in the energy and security realms. The Chabahar port is important to Indian interests. It opens a trade route to Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan. This is also seen as a counter to Gwadar port in Pakistan, increasingly a Chinese base. Russia continues to remain our largest defence partner and we aspire to a strengthened engagement with both Russia and China in forums like the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa), SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) and RIC (Russia, India, China).

As a growing power in a changing world order scenario, India's future outlook should be about how to transform the country and not be part of any camp. In that, practicing strategic autonomy remains a desired quest, if not an essential requirement.

(The writer is Programme Associate, Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru)
Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi attended on Saturday the third edition of the Africa Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation (Africa STI Forum) held in Cairo from 10 to 12 February.

Egypt's Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar said in a speech that the summit aims to boost investment in the field of higher education and scientific research as a step towards realising a knowledge-based economy and maximising the benefit of African resources.

The forum, organised by Egypt's Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and co-organised by the African Development Bank (AfDB), is being attended by 35 African ministers of higher education, sciences, technology, innovation, scientific research, as well as scientists and inventors, mostly youth.

Abdel-Ghaffar predicted that the summit would lead to several resolutions, including setting frameworks that aim to enhance knowledge in the fields of science and technology in the African continent, and raising awareness over the role of technology, innovation and science while contributing to the competitiveness of the private sector in Africa by bolstering partnerships between the public and private sectors in specified fields.

Head of the AfDB Akinwumi Adesina said in a speech that President El-Sisi's inauguration of the summit proves the importance given to technology and innovation.

Adesina also said that the AfDB has allocated a $500 million loan for several projects in Egypt, including $400 million for the private sector to bolster job opportunities and support for various projects related to water in Africa.

Adesina added that Africa should exert more effort to not remain behind in the field of technology, affirming the importance of supporting education for girls and providing equal opportunities for women in the field of engineering, as well as spreading a culture of innovation and creativity.

According to the AfDB website, the third edition of the Africa STI Forum emphasises the importance of research to foster innovation and exploitable goods and services, focusing on the private sector in five areas: climate change, nutrition, water, ICT and pharmaceuticals. These areas were selected as they offer tangible opportunities for economic transformation in Africa.

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Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today said the army and other security forces were effectively doing their job and would never let any Indian hang his head in shame.



He said it would not be appropriate for him to comment on the attack on an army camp in Jammu as the operation was still on.

"We have received information that the operation is going on. I understand that until the operation ends, it will not be appropriate on my part to comment regarding that," Singh told reporters on the sidelines of an event.

"Rest assured...our army and security forces are effectively accomplishing their job and handling their responsibility. They will never let any Indian hang his head in shame," he said.

Singh earlier spoke to the chief of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and took stock of the situation.

During the telephonic conversation, he sought details from Director General of Police S P Vaid on the militant attack, according to a tweet by the Home Minister's Office.

"The DGP has apprised him of the situation. The MHA is closely monitoring the situation," the tweet read.

Jammu and Kashmir's Parliamentary Affairs Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri earlier informed the state Assembly that Subedar Madanlal Chowdhary and Subedar Mohammed Ashraf Mir were killed in the attack.

Those injured in the attack included a Colonel-rank officer, Havaldar Abdul Hamid, Lance Naik Bahadur Singh and daughter of Subedar Chowdhary, he said.

Around four to five militants are likely involved in the attack, believed to be carried out by the Jaish-e-Mohammed.
A special police officer (SPO) has been arrested by the Crime branch of the Jammu and Kashmir Police for his alleged involvement in kidnapping and killing of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua district last month, police said today.



The girl's body was recovered from the Rassana forest on January 17, a week after she went missing while grazing horses.

The issue had repeatedly rocked the state Assembly with opposition parties raising questions and demanding action against the culprits.

On January 23, the Mehbooba Mufti government had ordered a probe in the kidnapping and killing of the girl and handed over the case to the crime branch of the state police.

"We have arrested SPO Deepak Khajuria for his involvement in the case of kidnapping and killing of the minor girl," Additional Director General of Crime Branch, Alok Puri told PTI.

"We are taking services of the forensic science department to investigate the alleged rape," he said.

With the arrest of the SPO, the number of arrests in the case has gone up to two.

A special investigation team (SIT), constituted by the state police, had arrested a 15-year-old boy and claimed the accused had strangulated the victim after she resisted his rape attempt.

The government ordered the suspension of a station house officer on January 20.

The government has also ordered a magisterial probe in the case.
Lookalikes of Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un who caused a stir at the Pyeongchang Olympics opening ceremony have thanked organisers for their tender loving care.



The feuding 'world leaders' yesterday sparked excitement when they infiltrated the press area before being tackled by security.

But the Kim impersonator, who goes by the stage name of Howard X, insisted they had not been ejected from the stadium, merely escorted back to their correct seats.

"We tried to sneak into the media section so we could wave to the athletes," he told AFP today.

"They didn't kick us out, we had tickets. A bunch of journalists were chasing us so security took us outside so we could get to our seats," the fake Kim added.

"They were very professional and just doing their jobs. They even provided us with an entourage, so we looked like the real thing and it caused even more of a commotion."

Local organisers insisted normal protocol had been followed.

"There was no problem with their costumes but they entered the media seats with a regular ticket," they said. "We just guided out those who have entered the media seats by mistake."

Fake Kim admitted that he and Trump substitute Dennis Alan had failed to get close enough to interact with athletes, including the two Koreas who marched together behind the blue-and-white unification flag.

They were also not able to get close to the VIP area, where US Vice-President Mike Pence and the real Kim's sister Kim Yo Jong were in attendance.

But the imposters were given a warm reception by stunned onlookers, according to Howard.

"People told us it was really funny," he said. "Even the security guards were asking for selfies."
India's improved relations with Israel could actually benefit Palestine, experts said here, underlining that the Palestinian leadership sees an opportunity in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit in reviving the peace process with Israel.



Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Palestine, is reaching Ramallah amid heightened tensions in the region after US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

India has consistently voted in favour of resolutions supporting the Palestinian cause at international forums, an issue that has bothered strategic partner Israel.

Ahmad Majdalani, a Palestine Liberation Organisation Executive Committee member, said improved relations between Israel and India could help the Palestinians.

"The growing ties between them could be positive because now India has more leverage with Israel and can pressure it in our favour," Majdalani was quoted as saying by The Jerusalem Post.

In discussions with several officials in Ramallah, who spoke on conditions of anonymity, it appears that the Palestinian leadership sees in the Indian prime minister's visit an opportunity to seek his assistance in pushing forward the deadlocked peace process.

"India today enjoys wider acceptance in the global community. The recent participation of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) leaders in its Republic Day function is a clear demonstration of its enhanced status. Its membership in the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) and visibility at several leading international forums, clearly shows that it is today a global player", an official said.

Another official pointed at the "moral standing" India enjoys in the international community which can be put to good use.

The hype around India's strategic ties with Israel and the bonhomie around Modi's visit to Israel and its prime minister's visit to India also does not seem to perturb the Palestinians.

"Well even Jordan and Egypt have full diplomatic relations with Israel so why can't India have," said Ayman, a university student.

His friends seem to back the same contention displaying a great degree of an acquaintance of international politics. Some appreciated India's support for the Palestinians at the UN despite all the publicity around the personal chemistry between Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

When asked about India's growing engagement with Israel, President Mahmoud Abbas himself emphatically asserted that "any state has the right to establish relations with other countries".

The Indian prime minister would be skipping Israel during his tour of the Middle East in a clear message that New Delhi is de-hyphenating its ties with Israel and Palestine.

Modi had visited Israel last year in July in a standalone visit that had led to many analysts questioning the future of the Indo-Palestine ties.

The question that arises out of Abbas' effort is if Israel would accept a multilateral forum of the sort being promoted by him to seek a negotiated peace. Israel has made it clear that it will only work under a US-led peace process.

India has also consistently voted in favour of the Palestinians at all international forums and Netanyahu clearly expressed his "disappointment" at New Delhi's recent vote at the UN General Assembly where 128 nations rejected US' unilateral declaration of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

As Modi embarks on the three-hour hectic trip to Palestine today, he kickstarts his engagement by laying a wreath at the Mausoleum of iconic Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

The Israeli press has highlighted the event with some reports expressing disappointment over the gesture. Many Israelis see Arafat responsible for the killing of several innocent civilians and stoking violence in the region.

Modi will be accompanied by his Palestinian counterpart Rami Hamdallah during the ceremony.

The Mausoleum of Yasser Arafat was unveiled on November 10, 2007, and is located adjacent to the Palestinian Presidential compound, also known as Muqata'a here.

After paying homage to Arafat, the prime minister will take a short tour accompanied by Hamdallah of the Yasser Arafat Museum located adjacent to the Mausoleum.

He will spend some 20 minutes touring the 15-month-old Yasser Arafat Museum, which chronicles the life of the former Palestinian leader.

According to Muhammad Halayka, the director of the Arafat Museum, Modi will be the first Prime Minister to visit the site.

Modi will then be received by President Abbas before the ceremonial welcome at the Muqata'a.

The two leaders will then have discussions, sign bilateral agreements, hold a joint press conference and share lunch before Modi leaves for Amman in a chopper following a farewell ceremony.

Modi will then leave for the UAE later in the day for a two-day visit.
Sending out a strong message, IBBI Chairperson M S Sahoo today said insolvency resolution professionals should not look for "ready-made solutions" and desist from overcharging for their services.



His remarks come against the backdrop of concerns about the conduct and independence of insolvency professionals in certain instances.

The professionals are key to insolvency proceedings under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) that provides for market-determined and time-bound resolution.

"Don't look for ready-made solutions... (insolvency resolution) requires your full heart," Sahoo told an insolvency professionals' conclave here.

Emphasising that talent and character are the two key pillars for insolvency professionals, he urged them not to delegate or outsource their work.

The professionals should remain competitive and be updated, the IBBI chief said, adding that they should look at using artificial intelligence to bring down the time taken to complete a resolution process.

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) is implementing the IBC, under which resolution process needs to be completed within 270 days.

Speaking at the event, National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) President M M Kumar said speed is the essence of the IBC.
Two babies died reportedly after being administered pentavalent vaccination at Chindagiridoddi in the taluk on Friday night.



Preetam, one-and-a-half months old boy died on Friday night, while Bhuvan, a two-months old baby, breathed its last in the wee hours of Saturday.

The health workers had administered pentavalent vaccination to nine babies at Chindagiridoddi and Gopalapura villages on Friday.

Seven babies which had received the vaccination, under mass immunisation drive, have been kept under observation at Mandya Institute of Medical Science (MIMS) Hospital.

The villagers of Chandagiridoddi, blaming vaccination for deaths, staged a protest in front of MIMS Hospital here on Saturday.

District Health Officer Dr K Mohan told DH, "It is too early to say that the babies have died because of pentavalent vaccination. We are looking to the cause of death. Seven other babies, which were administered the vaccination, are healthy."

The Mandya Rural police have registered a case and investigations are underway.

What's pentavalent vaccine?



Pentavalent vaccine provides protection to a child from five life-threatening diseases - diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, hepatitis B and influenza B. The vaccine, as part of Universal Immunisation Programme, is being administered to babies in three doses - at 6, 10 and 14 weeks.
Egypt's foreign minister Sameh Shoukry discussed on Saturday with secretary-general of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Thomas Greminger Egyptian efforts to combat irregular migration and human trafficking, according to Egyptian foreign ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid.

Shoukry presented Egypts vision on migration, saying that it could be a positive phenomenon provided that it is administered through a safe and organised framework.

He highlighted Egypt's success in combating human trafficking networks and stopping migrant boats departing Egyptian shores for Europe since September 2016, which directly benefits the European Union.

After a migrant boat sank off the Egyptian coast in late 2016, killing some 200 people, Egypt passed a law mandating stiff penalties for human trafficking.

Cairo has been working with European nations in recent years to tackle the migrant crisis.

Shoukry also expressed Egypt's aspiration for support from the OSCE in the field of water security and the importance of supporting the cooperative course between Nile Basin countries in line with international law.

Greminger was keen on being informed of Egypt's vision on boosting the strategic partnership between OSCE and Mediterranean partner countries in issues related to migration, given the growing connection between irregular migration and terrorism.

He said that he values Egypt's active participation in various meetings and summits held between partner countries over the phenomenon.

Greminger also said that he has paid special attention to the Egyptian Armed Forces ongoing comprehensive military operation launched on Friday. He said that his organisation possesses expertise and cooperation programmes  including an exchange of information, border control and cyber security  that could be used to help Egypt strengthen its capabilities in the field of combating terrorism.

The meeting also included discussion of Egyptian efforts to resolve the crises in Syria, Libya, and Yemen, as well as economic developments in Egypt and the country's promising investment atmosphere.

This is the first meeting between Greminger and Shoukry since the secretary-general assumed his post in July 2017.

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Mountaineers and seafarers, they say, are given to tall tales. I had told my share as a mountain-born and an amateur mountaineer, having been on at least one major mountain expedition (Kanchenjunga).



Therefore, it seemed natural to turn to the polar opposite - the oceans. And it was just as well that my fascination for the deep began with the Maldives, a country usually described as 99% water.

A clumsy snorkelling dip here many years ago with a no-nonsense female Russian instructor set me on a blitzkrieg of diving and snorkelling across the Indian Ocean from East Africa to Indonesia.

Answer this...

But while there are ready mountain vocabularies to mythologise mountains, how do you mythologise a mythology? Oceans below their surface have, after all, hardly been part of the human experience. Our obsessions, our aspirations, our pursuits are all firmly on land. Oceans in stories across cultures have been long odysseys to undertake, to arrive with relief at some shore. We are content to live out our dreams on 29% of the planet.

Therefore, when you descend into the deep, hyperboles fall short and you are your own Columbus and Marco Polo.

Perhaps, a reason why diving has been described as something of a spiritual experience. Could it be a harking back to when we were not even vertebrates and yet to slither out to land from the primaeval soup?

Diving has also been compared with space voyages. The vulnerability, the strangeness of gravity, the Star Trek movements and the science fiction landscape are all the same. A reason why astronauts are dunked into water-tanks to simulate the weightlessness of space and practise their spacewalks. In fact, diving is the best pranayama. You no longer have to trick your 'monkey mind' to focus on the breath. Breathing is diving's main event.

In this second diving trip to the Maldives, I was in the southern atoll, with its relatively healthy corals. And once again, the epicurean delights on offer in the Island resort weighed heavily against any open-water escapades.

A new property offered all the hedonisms of an island resort, plus personalised pampering designed to make the resort your oyster.

Amidst all the mollycoddling, it's easy to forget that just beyond the placid lagoon and the infinity pools, just where the light blue of the ocean meets the dark blue, the coral reefs cradling Maldives's 1,190 or so islands in a protective embrace are crumbling. And that if global temperatures continue to rise, this El Dorado, barely one metre above the sea, would all be submerged.

Those diving for years can best gauge the coral's health from a few years before. The diving group I was with this time, however, was made of shark freaks. So, we ebbed along the crystal-clear waters, just off the island reef, waiting for the 'incoming'. The incoming tide hauls with it sharks, signalling the time to jump.

But despite plunging in with the 'incoming', we had to wait for the sharks, and it was only after descending to about 15 metres below water that we saw them skimming the surface in schools, ignoring us completely. The sharks in the Maldives, along with other creatures of the deep, are famously non-aggressive. It is as easy to swim with them as it is to take selfies with half-sedated felines in tourist traps around the world.

But I was there for one boring reason. Corals. And it is getting increasingly boring and depressing, what with the corals dying all around the world. In an event called 'coral bleaching', triggered by rising water temperatures, corals, as a defence mechanism, shed the algae that live on them, dying in the process. One can see wrecks of dead or half-bleached corals at almost all diving spots in the world.

To see unharmed corals, we had to drop deeper where the water temperature had remained comfortable for the corals to thrive. The fish here was the variety that came in shoals, and like a single organism danced and swerved this way and that without any apparent reason. It was eerie when the shoals swam below us and we floated as if on a fish carpet.

Among the reef's warrens, many unfamiliar creatures popped in and out to see the aliens. The dive instructor pointed to a piece of coral rock repeatedly. On the boat, he told me he was trying to show me a camouflaged scorpion fish. The ubiquitous clownfish were warier in these depths. They peeped cautiously from behind the swaying tentacles of the anemones.

Change of breath

But the sight rather unexpected and one that stayed was that of the turtle. The 'incoming' hauls them in, too, and we saw one giant green turtle swim along the reef just as we had used up the air in our tanks. I had seen green turtles slither painfully to the shore on a hatching site in Oman. The turtle is as nimble and graceful in water as it's awkward and cumbersome on land.

The 'spiritual' moment for me occurred, as always, when I was back on the surface and within the sight of the boat, and began to breathe as a human again. Just so. A spiritual experience is often a relief, a sort of catharsis from a preceding episode of physical or mental stress.

From Buddha to Jesus, mystics have documented their days and years of ordeal before entering a blissful state, which the followers called Enlightenment.

A mystical phenomenon of a dive is perhaps another tall tale told by a minority that knows it is something the majority would never investigate or experience.
Nepal's last King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev has said It may not be possible for his country to supply musk (Kasturi) to the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri due to legal hurdles.



The last King, who was attending the silver jubilee of Pattabhisheka of Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati on Friday, said Kasturi was procured from the gland of the endangered musk deer and law had prohibited killing of the animal. For this legal bar, Nepal may not be in a position to supply 'Kasturi' to the temple, he told reporters.'

As per temple rituals, musk is applied on the idols of the deities at the 12th-century shrine, at least on three occasions every year, to protect them from insects and stop their decay. The erstwhile Royal family of Nepal, which enjoys special service and rituals in the Shree Jagannath Temple, was providing musk. The temple, which was getting the precious 'Kasturi' from Nepal during the monarchy, has been facing its scarcity after its fall in 2008.

Earlier in April 2017, the temple administration had apprised Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari of the acute shortage of musk during her visit to the shrine. The state government had also earlier urged the External Affairs Ministry to take up the matter with Nepal, official sources said.

Bir Bikram Shah Dev is scheduled to visit Shree Jagannath Temple on February 11. He will have the special privilege of performing the 'aarati' of the deity atop the Ratna Singhasan of the Srimandir. He will also be allowed to touch the idols of the daities before his departure from Odisha on February 12, officials said.
Israel struck a dozen Syrian and Iranian targets inside Syria on Saturday in "large-scale" raids after an Israeli fighter jet crashed under fire from Syrian air defences in a severe increase in tensions, the military said.



The confrontation was the most serious between arch foes Israel and Iran since the start of the civil war in Syria in 2011.

Israel's raids came after it intercepted what it said was an Iranian drone entering its airspace from Syria, which it labelled an "attack."

It marked the first time Israel publicly acknowledged attacking what it identified as Iranian targets in Syria since the war began.

Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus warned that Syria and Iran were "playing with fire," but stressed that his country was not seeking an escalation.

"This is the most blatant and severe Iranian violation of Israeli sovereignty in the last years," Conricus told journalists in a phone conference.

"That's why our response is as severe as it is."

Israel said its reprisals after the exchange were "large-scale" raids that attacked Syrian air defence systems and Iranian targets.

"Twelve targets, including three aerial defence batteries and four Iranian targets that are part of Iran's military establishment in Syria were attacked," a military statement said.

Israel has repeatedly warned in recent weeks against the presence of Iranian forces in neighbouring Syria.

The Israeli pilots of the crashed F16 were reported alive, although one was severely wounded.

According to the Israeli military, the confrontation began with the drone entering its airspace.

Israeli forces identified an "Iranian UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle)" launched from Syria and intercepted it in Israeli airspace with a combat helicopter, a statement said.

Conricus said it was intercepted well inside Israeli territory over the city of Beit Shean, near the Jordanian border.

He did not say whether the drone was armed or strictly for reconnaissance, but said: "We know it was on a military mission sent by Iranian military forces."

Israeli aircraft then "targeted the Iranian control systems in Syria that sent the UAV into Israeli airspace," according to Conricus.

The aircraft met "massive Syrian anti-air fire," Conricus said, and the F16 crashed afterwards in the Jezreel valley in northern Israel.

It was not clear if the jet crashed as a direct result of the Syrian fire.

According to a separate military statement, "multiple anti-aircraft missiles were fired at IAF (Israel Air Force) aircraft."

"The pilots of one of the aircraft abandoned as per procedure. The pilots landed in Israeli territory and were taken to the hospital for medical treatment."

Conricus said the army had confirmed "accurate hits of (the) Iranian UAV control facility" in Syria.

"Iran is responsible for this severe violation of Israeli sovereignty," Conricus said on Twitter.

Syria said its air defences repelled two Israeli raids on its military bases in the centre of the country, hitting more than one warplane during the first.

"At dawn, the Zionist enemy carried out a new aggression against one of our military bases in the centre of the country," state news agency SANA reported.

"Our air defences repelled it and hit more than one plane."

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor of the seven-year civil war, said the earlier Israeli raids had targeted several military bases in the east of the central province of Homs.

It said the bases are used by both Iranian and Russian military personnel deployed in support of the regime.

Syrian state media said the later raids targeted military positions in the south of the country.

Air raid sirens had gone off in Israel in the early hours of the morning following the UAV interception and raids.

The army said it was "monitoring events and is fully prepared for further action, depending on assessments and necessity."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has held a series of meetings in recent months with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Iran's influence in war-torn Syria and Lebanon.

Netanyahu has been seeking to persuade Russia to limit Iran's presence near Israeli territory and to stop it from entrenching itself militarily in Syria.

Russia, Iran and Lebanon's Shiite Muslim militant group Hezbollah -- which is backed by Tehran -- all support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the civil war.

In a meeting in Moscow last month, Netanyahu reiterated Israel's concerns of what he described as the attempts of Iran to establish a military presence in Syria and produce accurate weapons against Israel there.

"We won't accept either of those, and will act according to our needs," Netanyahu said following the meeting with Putin.

Israel remains technically at war with Syria and occupies a swathe of the strategic Golan Heights that it seized in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed in a move never recognised by the international community.

On Tuesday, Netanyahu took members of his security cabinet for a tour of the Israeli-occupied side, where they were briefed by the military on the situation.

"We want peace, but are prepared for any scenario, and suggest that nobody tries us," he said.

Israel has sought to avoid direct involvement in the Syrian war, but acknowledges carrying out dozens of air strikes there to stop what it says are advanced arms deliveries to Hezbollah.
Syria and Russian airstrikes in rebel-held areas have killed 230 civilians in the past week in some of the conflict's worst violence that may also constitute war crimes, the top United Nations human rights official said on Saturday.



Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, said his office had received reports including video footage of possible use of "toxic agents" on Feb. 4 in the rebel-held town of Saraqeb, Idlib province.

"After seven years of paralysis in the (U.N.) Security Council, the situation in Syria is crying out to be referred to the International Criminal Court, as well as for a much more concerted effort by States to bring peace," Zeid said in a statement.
Intensifying his attack on the Centre over the Rafale fighter jet deal, Rahul Gandhi today alleged it was the biggest issue of corruption in the country and asked the prime minister to reply why he took the contract from HAL and gave it to a "friend".



Launching the Congress poll campaign in Karnataka's Ballari district, Gandhi took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for criticising policies of previous Congress governments saying he is running the country "by looking in just rear-view mirror" which as led to "mistakes like GST and demonetisation".



The Congress chief alleged that Modi had "personally" changed the Rafale contract during his visit to France and said the prime minister had not answered the three questions posed by him on the deal.



"Today Rafale aircraft is the biggest issue of corruption in the country. I want to tell few things about this to you," he told a public rally to mark the start of the Congress' "Janashirvad Yatra".



Gandhi said, "Modiji had gone to Paris in France.In France Modiji personally changed the contract."



He said earlier the Rafale contract was given to defence public sector undertaking Bengaluru-based Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), which has been making aircraft for the Indian Air Force for 70 years.



"If Bangalore is on its feet today, one of the reasons for it is HAL. Modiji took away Rafale contract from Bangalore and HAL and gave it to his friend," he said.



"We have asked three questions to Modi - Modiji on what basis did you give the contract to your friend after taking it away from HAL, for what reason? Why did you take away the future of its youth from Bangalore? Why did you do this to profit your friend?



"Second question, did the price of the aircraft increase or decrease in your new contract?



"Third question- when you took this decision in Paris and when India's defence minister was buying fish in Goa- did you take permission from the Cabinet Committee on Security? Yes or no."



The Congress leader said Modi spoke for one hour in Parliament on the motion of the thanks on President's address but did not utter a word about Rafale.



Gandhi began his four-day tour of northern Karnataka districts of Ballari, Koppal, Raichur, Kalaburagi and Bidar during which he would travel in a bus and address public rallies, hold roadshows and interact with farmers and others, as part of the 'yatra'.



Launching the yatra from the mine-rich Ballari is significant as Sonia Gandhi had made her maiden entry to Parliament from the district in 1999, when she defeated BJP leader Sushma Swaraj in a fiercely fought contest.



Sonia Gandhi later gave up the Ballari seat preferring Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.



In his speech, Rahul Gandhi questioned the Modi government's record in governance. He accused it of making "false promises" and not delivering on generating jobs.



"Modiji speaks about corruption. The world record in corruption was broken by his party's government in Karnataka," he alleged referring to the B S Yeddyurappa rule in the state.



The BJP, which is going all out to unseat the Congress in the state, is projecting state veteran 74-year-old Yeddyurappa as its chief ministerial candidate.



Yeddyurappa had quit chief ministership on graft charge and formed his own outfit, but later returned to the BJP.



Taking potshots at the Prime Minister, Gandhi said he should stop talking about the past and start doing his work.



"...You (Modi) drive the vehicle by looking in the rear view mirror, which will cause accidents. This country cannot be run by looking in the rear view mirror," Gandhi said, as he flayed him for talking only about the past.



"Because of this rear-view mirror driving, he is committing mistakes like GST, demonetisation," the Congress leader said.



Gandhi said in his one-hour long speech in parliament this week, Modi did not speak about the burning issues pertaining to agrarian problem, unemployment, tribals and Dalits. Rather, he chose to speak about the past.



He advised the prime minister "to learn governance" from state chief minister Siddaramaiah "who runs the government looking forward".



"Modiji, this country has not made you prime minister to talk only about the past. This country wants to know your future plans for the country," the Congress leader said.



Gandhi said the prime minister has to work and not give excuses.



"Congress party works and does not give excuses."



He also spoke about his and Sonia Gandhi's long standing relationship with Ballari, saying "I will never forget that you embraced Sonia Gandhi and stood with her. I will not forget this in my life."


Moulana Wali Rehamani, general secretary of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), expressed concern over the threat to Muslim personal law with instant Triple Talaq issue.



The general secretary in his detailed report at the 26th plenary of the Law Board on Saturday covered many issues that concern Muslim community and appreciated the stand of the opposition parties in the Rajya Sabha to not let the bill pass.

Moulana Wali Rehamani urged the plenary to guide the Muslim community in this crucial juncture and to evolve a strategy to stop the Union government from passing the bill. He said Union government is interfering into the personal law matters which are guaranteed by the Indian constitution.

Speaking on the contentious Babri Mashed issue he said, "The apex court is of the view that the case is related to the title of the land and is not the matter of faith". He informed the plenary session that the board has submitted relevant documents and few of the documents needs translation, as per the court's observation. He reiterated that "One's a Masjid is always a Masjid". He said that AIMPLB is ready for negotiations, based on fair justice and equal honour.

Calling the Hyderabad plenary as historic, he said that community is confronted with many issues with the bias attitude of the present government. He said the board is trying to create awareness through a movement called "Tahaffuz e shariyat wo-Ishalahai Mashhira" (Protection of Shariya Law understanding Shariya law and social reforms) and the response is encouraging.

The report said that eleven main issues have been approved for discussion in the working committee meeting as agenda which was presided by Moulana Syed Mohd Rabey Hasani Nadvi, President AIMPLB.
Apparently unable to withstand ignominy and social boycott, the families of the HIV infected people of Bangarmau town in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao district, have started leaving their villages.



According to the reports several families have already shifted to their relatives' homes from their villages where dozens of people were treated by a quack and tested positive for HIV infection.

Reports said that those, who have chosen to stay, have confined themselves to their houses.

Sources in the district administration said that some families have stopped sending their children to the schools after reports of their boycott by other children came.

''We have reports that at least six children have stopped coming to the schools...all these were tested positive for HIV infection,'' said a district official in Unnao.

The officials have now planned to undertake counselling of the families of the victims and other residents of the villages, sources said.

The district administration had clamped down on at least 76 clinics being run by quacks in different parts of the district, sources here said.

The number of the HIV affected people has galloped to 80 after tests were conducted on more people of the town, sources said adding that this number could go up further.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday took a jibe at Narendra Modi-led Union government on demonetisation and Goods and Service Tax saying that Modi is driving the vehicle (administration) looking into the rear view mirror.

Addressing the party's Janashirvad Yatra rally here, AICC president said, "He (Modi) made life difficult for common man by demonetising the higher denomination notes, destroyed the small and medium traders by introducing GST. These backward-looking policies have hurt the economy badly."

Continuing his tirade, Rahul Gandhi said, "Modi allotted thousands of acres to Tata Group to manufacture Nano cars. He changed the Rafale fighter jet deal to favour his corporate friend," he alleged.

"The prime minister does not talk about the burning issues like poverty alleviation, tackling unemployment, instead he utilises all his time to criticise the Congress party and to make the country a Congress-mukt Bharat," he said.

Rahul Gandhi tore into the Union government on the Rafale fighter jet deal, saying that it was the biggest issue of corruption in the country now.

He alleged that Modi had "personally" changed the contract during his visit to France to give it to a "friend", and said the prime minister had not answered the three questions posed by him on the deal.

"Today, Rafale aircraft is the biggest issue of corruption in the country. I want to tell a few things about this to you," he said launching "Janashirvad Yatra" of the ruling Congress in the state.

Gandhi said, "Modiji had gone to Paris in France. In France Modiji personally changed the contract."

He said earlier the Rafale contract was given to defence public sector undertaking Bengaluru-based Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), which has been making aircraft for the Indian Air Force for 70 years.

"If Bengaluru is on its feet today, one of the reasons for it is HAL. Modiji took away Rafale contract from Bengaluru and HAL and gave it to his friend," he said.

"We have asked three questions to Modi - Modiji on what basis did you give the contract to your friend after taking it away from HAL, for what reason? Why did you take away the future of its youth from Bengaluru? Why did you do this to profit your friend?

"Second question, did the price of the aircraft increase or decrease in your new contract?

"Third question- when you took this decision in Paris and when India's Defence minister was buying fish in Goa- did you take permission from the Cabinet Committee on Security? Yes or no."

Gandhi said Modi spoke for an hour in Parliament on the motion of thanks to the President for his address but did not utter a word about Rafale.

In his speech, the Congress chief accused the BJP-led central government of failing to deliver on its polls promise of generating jobs.

"Modiji speaks about corruption. The world record in corruption was broken by his party's government in Karnataka," he alleged referring to the B S Yeddyurappa rule in the state.

The BJP, which is going all out to unseat the Congress rule in the state, is projecting Yeddyurappa, who had quit as chief minister on graft charges, as its chief ministerial candidate.

On a four-day tour, Gandhi will cover Ballari, Koppal, Raichur, Kalaburagi and Bidar districts in Hyderabad-Karnataka, addressing public rallies, holding roadshows and interacting with farmers and others.
The West Bengal CID has issued an arrest warrant against former IPS officer Bharati Ghosh for alleged misconduct and extortion from civilians, a senior officer of the investigating agency said today.



"We have issued an arrest warrant against Ghosh and her (former) security personnel Sujit Mondal. She will be arrested wherever spotted," the officer told PTI.

The arrest warrant against Ghosh was issued after the former IPS officer failed to appear before the investigating officer or furnish any reply, another source in the CID said.

The agency has already started search operations to track the former West Midnapore SP, who has been on the run for the last couple of weeks, he said.

The CID has already arrested two police officers - Inspector Subhankar De and sub inspector Chitta Pal- apparently close to Ghosh, for their alleged involvement in misconduct and extortion.

Pal was the officer-in-charge of Ghatal police station while De was the circle inspector.

The CID had last week raided residences of Ghosh and the two police officers in connection with the case.

Gold jewellery, documents and a large sum of cash were seized from the residences of Ghosh.

The raid was carried out following a court order, after a person complained that some police personnel had forcefully taken money from him last year.

Ghosh, who was the West Midnapore SP, 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 December 2017.
Days after a Budget proposal to repeal PPF Act raised scare among subscribers about the safety of their Public Provident Fund deposits, the government on Saturday clarified that all PPF deposits will continue to enjoy same protection as earlier.



The Finance Bill, 2018 has a provision, which if passed by Parliament and enacted, could jeopardise the interest of new PPF subscribers, meaning those who opened PPF account after the passage of the Act.

The bill sought to repeal of the Government Savings Certificates Act, 1959 and the Public Provident Fund Act, 1968 to bring existing schemes framed under these Acts under the Government Savings Banks Act, 1873.

A major disadvantage of the repeal would be that a subscriber's money in PPF account would be subjected to attachment by a court of law in case he was under any debt or liability which he could not repay otherwise.

The Government Savings Banks Act, 1873, under which the Centre proposes to bring the PPF Act, does not provide any such protection. The PPF Act of 1968 provided the same.

The repeal shall not prejudicially affect the interest of depositors who made deposits or were issued certificates or made contribution to any scheme under the repealed enactments before the commencement of the Finance Act, 2018, the bill said.

However, Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Garg clarified that all existing, as well as new PPF deposits, would continue to get protection after a section of media raised concern on the provision.

"Public Provident Fund (PPF) Deposits enjoy protection from being attached. All existing protections have been saved while consolidating PPF Act under proposed Government Savings Promotion Act. Existing and new PPF deposits would continue to have this protection," Garg tweeted in a major face-saving exercise for the government before Parliament re-assembled on March 5 to discuss the Finance Bill in the second leg of the Budget session.

The Finance Bill also made it clear that the structure of PPF scheme would not change due to its merger in the Government Savings Banks Act, 1873. This implied that interest structure and other things would remain the same.
Egypt's High State Security Prosecution ordered a 15-day detention pending investigation of 14 members of the Hasm terrorist group who were arrested on Friday on charges including carrying out terror attacks and assassinating policemen.

The prosecution charged the 14 defendants with joining an outlawed group that aims to suspend the constitution and the law, hinder the state institutions from carrying out their duties, assault the personal freedoms of citizens and harm national unity and social peace, adopting ideas accusing the ruler of being an infidel and attempting to change the regime by force, as well as assaulting army and policemen with the aim of disrupting public order and jeopardising the security and safety of society through terrorism as a means to achieve its goals.

The defendants were also charged with murder and attempted murder, possession of explosives and unlicensed and banned weaponry and ammunition that they were plotting to use in terror operations to disturb security, public order, national unity and social peace.

The detention order comes one day after Egypt's interior ministry arrested the men during raids on suspected terrorist hideouts in the governorates of Qalioubiya, Daqahliya, Beheira, Menoufiya, Sharqiya, Assiut and Fayoum, as part of a comprehensive security plan to confront terrorism.

Police also said they killed three members of Hasm in a shootout in an under-construction residential building in Cairo during one of yesterday's raids.

Police said the 14 members of Hasm, which the government considers one of the armed wings of the banned Muslim Brotherhood, were found on Friday in possession of nine machine guns, a Heckler submachine gun, four pistols, a locally made shotgun, different types of ammunition, two explosive canisters, a silencer, and two motorcycles used in terror operations, which included a number of assassinations of senior policemen in Qalioubiya and Daqahliya, as well as attacks on police checkpoints.

The police raids against Hasm came on the same day the Egyptian Armed Forces launched Comprehensive Operation Sinai 2018 to eradicate terrorism in north and central Sinai and other parts of the country.

Short link:


Prime Minister Narendra Modi today met Mahmoud Abbas on a historic visit to Palestine during which the Palestinian President sought India's role in achieving a "just and desired peace" with Israel in accordance with the two-state solution.



President Abbas received Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to make an official visit to Palestine, in an official ceremony at the presidential compound, also known as Muqata'a, in Ramallah - the Palestinian seat of government.

They discussed the full range of India-Palestine ties following which the two sides signed six agreements worth around USD 50 million that includes setting up of a USD 30 million super speciality hospital in Beit Sahur.

Three agreements in the education sector worth USD 5 million, one MoU for procurement of equipment and machinery for the National Printing Press and one for construction of a centre for empowering women were also signed.

At a joint press statement with Modi, President Abbas acknowledged that the Indian leadership has always stood by peace in Palestine.

Abbas said he had "fruitfull and constructive" talks with Prime Minister Modi and he updated the Indian leader on the overall developing situation in Palestine and in the region.

He said Palestine is always ready to engage in negotiations to achieve freedom and independence in accordance with the two-state solution along the lines of 1967 and internationally legitimate resolutions so that both Palestine and Israel can co-exist in peace and security, provided that East Jerusalem is the Capital of the state of Palestine.

He said the formation of a multi-lateral mechanism that is produced by an international peace convention is the most ideal way to broker such negotiations with Israel.

"We rely on India's role as an international voice of great standing and weigh through its historical role in the Non-Aligned Movement and in all international forum and its increasingly growing power on the strategic and economic levels, in a way that is conducive to just and desired peace in our region," President Abbas said.

The two-state solution envisions independent Israeli and Palestinian states coexisting side by side peacefully. The Palestinians see East Jerusalem as their future capital.

Prime Minister Modi assured President Abbas that India is committed to the Palestinian people's interests.

"Friendship between India and Palestine has stood the test of time. The people of Palestine have shown remarkable courage in the face of several challenges. India will always support Palestines development journey," Modi said.

The Prime Minister said India hopes for return of peace in the West Asian region.

"We hope for peace and stability in Palestine, we believe a permanent solution is possible with dialogue. Only diplomacy and farsightedness can set free from violence and baggage of the past. We know it is not easy but we need to keep trying as a lot is at stake," Modi said.

Though India has shied away from becoming a party in the Israel-Palestinian conflict, the Palestinian leader on several occasions has stressed on a possible role for New Delhi in the Middle East peace process.

India believes in a two-state solution in which both Israel and a future Palestinian state coexist peacefully.

Modi's visit to Palestine comes amid heightened tensions in the region after US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The unilateral US decision to declare Jerusalem as the capital of Israel was challenged at the UN General Assembly where 128 nations, including India, voted to turn down the move as "null and void".

Trump's decision to declare Jerusalem as Israel's capital angered the Palestinians, sparked protests in the Middle East and raised concern that it could further destabilise the region, marred by decades of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

During his maiden visit to Israel last year, Modi did not travel to Ramallah. His standalone visit to Israel had led to many analysts questioning the future of the Indo-Palestine ties. This time Modi skipped Israel in a clear message that India is de-hyphenating its ties with Israel and Palestine.

President Abbas also conferred the 'Grand Collar of the State of Palestine' on Prime Minister Modi, recognising his key contribution to promote ties between India and Palestine.

The Grand Collar is Highest order given to foreign dignitaries - Kings, Heads of State/Government and persons of similar rank.

Modi thanked Abbas, saying "this is a matter of proud for India. This is also the reflective of the friendship between India and Palestine."

Earlier, the two leaders exchanged hugs and stood for the national anthem of the two countries and then inspected the guard of honour before their bilateral talks.

Archbishop of Catholic Church, Poulos Marcuzzo, and religious leaders of the Al-Aqsa mosque were also at the Muqata'a to greet Modi.

Modi flew in a Jordanian army helicopter straight from Amman to Ramallah, where he was received by his Palestinian counterpart Rami Hamdallah. Prime Minister Modi's chopper was escorted by choppers from Israel Air Force.

Soon after his arrival, Prime Minister Modi visited the Mausoleum of Yasser Arafat in Ramallah and laid a wreath at the grave of the iconic Palestinian leader. He was accompanied by his Palestinian counterpart Hamdallah.

After paying homage to Arafat, Modi took a short tour of the Arafat Museum located adjacent to the mausoleum.
India is likely to raise with the Trump administration the use of US-made anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) by Pakistan Army to target Indian troops along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, defence ministry sources indicated today.



The Pakistan Army had used the ATMGs during heavy shelling on an Indian Army team along the LoC in Rajouri district of J-K last Sunday in which four army men including a captain were killed, the sources said.

Army sources had said that the Pakistan Army used 120mm mortars and the ATGMs in the Rajouri attack, adding usually Pakistan uses 80mm mortars to target Indian posts along the LoC.

The security establishment here is understood to have been concerned over use of US-made ATGMs by Pakistan considering the expanding Indo-US strategic ties.

"We are going to raise the issue with them (the US)", said a source.

The defence and security ties between India and the US have been on an upswing. In June 2016, the US had designated India a "Major Defence Partner" intending to elevate defence trade and technology sharing with India to a level commensurate with that of its closest allies and partners.

The Army last week had clearly indicated that it would take retaliatory action against the killing of four army men.

The sources said that Pakistan has been escalating the hostilities along the LoC and in hinterland in J-K to vitiate the atmosphere ahead of panchayat polls in the state.
The defence ministry has requested the finance ministry to remove the cap of Rs 10,000 per month on the educational assistance given to the children of martyrs or those disabled in action, official sources said on Saturday.



On July 1, 2017, the government had issued an order saying the assistance under the scheme cannot exceed Rs 10,000 per month, triggering widespread discontent among all the three services.

The Chiefs of Staff Committee, consisting of chiefs of the three armed forces, had written to the defence ministry requesting it to remove the cap.

Under the scheme, initially rolled out in 1972, the tuition fee of children of martyrs or those disabled in action was completely waived in schools, colleges and other professional educational institutions.

"The defence minister has requested the finance ministry to remove the cap. We are hoping for a favourable decision," a defence ministry source said.

Approximately 250 students were affected in the current financial year following the government's decision to cap the assistance, according to officials.

Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre last month had said that the annual saving on account of putting the cap would be Rs 3.20 crore per annum.

He had said the highest amount drawn has been reported to be Rs 18.95 lakh per annum per student.
The Centre has appointed Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta as special public prosecutor for 2G spectrum and other related cases.



The appointment is seen as a signal by the Narendra Modi government to pursue the 2G spectrum scam vigorously in the wake of widespread criticism of the acquittal of all accused, including former Telecom Minister A Raja and DMK MP Kanimozhi.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, who argued the matter on behalf of NGO CPIL, criticised the decision saying, "Government brazenly changes special public prosecutor of 2G case appointed by Supreme Court and appoints Modi/Shah's main lawyer Mehta as prosecutor in gross violation of Supreme Court's order."

The Department of Personnel and Training, in a notification issued on February 8, appointed Mehta as special public prosecutor (SPP) for "conducting prosecution, appeals/revision or other proceedings arising out of the cases related to the 2G spectrum allocation", investigated by the CBI.

The notification stated that Mehta would represent the CBI in the court of special judge dealing with 2G spectrum cases, and in all appellate and revisional courts.

No clarity

Notably, senior advocate Anand Grover was appointed as special public prosecutor by the Supreme Court on September 2, 2014 to pursue the 2G cases after elevation of his predecessor, senior advocate U U Lalit, as a top court judge. His name was suggested to the court by none other than senior advocate K K Venugopal, present Attorney General of India, who was appearing as CBI counsel before the apex court. There is no clarity on Grover's status now, with the Centre's decision to appoint Mehta as SPP.

Grover received flak from the special judge O P Saini in the judgement, acquitting all the accused. The CBI prosecution started the trial with great enthusiasm and vigour but its quality deteriorated by the end and it became "directionless and diffident", the trial court had said.

Saini had on December 21 last, termed as "highly unfair" the refusal of Grover to sign the written submissions filed by CBI. "The most painful part is that the special PP was not ready to sign the written submissions filed by him," it had pointed out.

The court had to issue written orders to make him sign the documents, the judge said. The trial court had also found the senior public prosecutor and CBI Inspector, pursuing the case, were moving in "two different directions without any coordination". Subsequently, Grover had rejected the court's findings, saying a senior advocate was not supposed to sign documents.

The CBI and the Enforcement Directorate are yet to file appeal in the case.
BJP Karnataka unit chief B S Yeddyurappa today hit back at Congress President Rahul Gandhi for his rear view mirror comment against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.



In a couple of tweets, Yeddyurappa asked if the rear view mirror helped Gandhi spot Santosh Lad, Anand Singh and remind him of the land, mining and 'rape scam'.

"Still wondering what 'rape scam' means? Are the objects in the mirror closer than they appear?" he asked.

Anand Singh, who was a BJP MLA and joined the Congress recently, had in the past faced charges of illegal mining and Lad land scam allegation, which both had refuted.

Hitting back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for criticising policies of erstwhile Congress governments, Rahul Gandhi said he is running the country by looking just in the rear view mirror, "which will cause accidents."

"You (Modi) drive the vehicle by just looking in the rear view mirror, which will cause accidents. This country cannot be run by looking in the rear view mirror," Gandhi said, taking a swipe at Modi at a rally at Hosapete in Ballari district for the upcoming state assembly polls

Yeddyurappa also came down heavily on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah calling him a "corrupt opportunist."



"Dear 10 percent CM Siddaramaiah, I would like to remind you, your padayatre in 2013 about the mining sector. Now, inducting Anand Singh into the Congress camp has only proved you are a corrupt opportunist. A case of amnesia," he tweeted.

Yeddyurappa was referring to the march by Siddaramaiah as the opposition leader to Ballari against illegal mining.

The reference to 10 percent relates to a charge made by Modi at a rally here recently, where he had called the Siddaramaiah dispensation a "10 percent commission government."
India is likely to take up with Canada the issue of the ban on its officials' entry into some gurudwaras in the country, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host his counterpart Justin Trudeau later this month.



New Delhi is likely to convey to Ottawa its concerns over anti-India extremist elements in Canada, particularly the pro-Khalistani Sikh radicals, sources told the DH.

Modi will host Trudeau in New Delhi. The Canadian prime minister will also visit Agra, Amritsar, Ahmedabad and Mumbai during his maiden visit to India from February 17 to 23.

The management committees of as many as 14 gurudwaras in the Ontario province of Canada recently imposed a ban on the entry of the representatives of the Government of India into the shrines.

They invoked a local law against trespassing to bar "entry to officials of the Indian government, including but not limited to Indian elected officials, Indian consular officials and the members of the organisations which seek to undermine the Sikh nation and Sikh institutions".

They also alleged "interference by Indian consular and Indian government officials in the lives of Canadian Sikhs" to justify the ban.

This was followed by some Sikh organisations of the United States claiming that 96 gurudwaras in America resolved to ban the entry of officials of Indian government into the shrines.

The organisations which proclaimed the ban include the Sikh Coordination Committee East Coast and American Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee.

In Britain, the pro-Khalistan Sikh Federation of United Kingdom also imposed a similar ban on the entry of the diplomats and other officials of Indian government into the gurudwaras.

A M Gondane, High Commissioner of India to Australia, had also faced protests by some youths when he entered a gurudwara in Melbourne in November.

New Delhi, however, dismissed the moves by the Sikh organisations of Canada, US and UK as attempts by "fringe elements" to run a campaign against India.

"The vast majority of the Sikh diaspora shares a very warm emotional bond with India and has worked for the betterment of relations between India and their countries of residence. The government takes no cognizance of statements by fringe elements which spread hate and communal disharmony," V K Singh, minister of state for external affairs, informed the Lok Sabha.

New Delhi "closely engaged" the governments of Canada, the UK and the US to address its concerns on "anti-India activities by the extremist elements".

"The Government also made efforts to strengthen the bonds with the Indian community residing in these countries," Singh stated in a written reply to a query in the Lok Sabha.
A prisoner, lodged in Uttar Pradesh's Basti district jail, on charges of arms smuggling and attempt to murder, sent the officials into a tizzy after he posted a selfie clicked inside the jail with two dreaded convicts, on Facebook.



The prisoner, Vishal Upadhyaya, posted as many as five pictures clicked with murder convicts Arif and Rakesh, on Facebook, according to the jail officials in Basti, about 200 km from here.

Vishal captioned all the pictures "Maafiya". The matter came to light after the pictures appeared on the social networking site on Friday.

All the pictures were clicked inside the jail, which was clearly evident from the background, the officials said.

''It appears that the prisoner took the pictures with a cell phone that may have been given to him by someone, who had met him,'' said a senior jail official.

''We will get the matter thoroughly investigated and ensure stern action in case any laxity was found on the part of the jail guards,'' he said.

Many cases

Earlier, a criminal lodged in Faizabad district jail, had sent a video threatening a businessman with dire consequences if the latter failed to pay 'rangadari' (protection money) to him.

In the past there have been numerous instances, when cell phones, drugs and even arms have been recovered from inside the overcrowded jails in UP.
The AIMPLB has formed a four-member committee to decide on disciplinary action against Maulana Syed Salman Hussaini Nadvi for favouring handing over of disputed land in Ayodhya, for the construction of Ram temple.

The All Indian Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has taken a strong exception to Nadvi's out-of-court settlement proposal and for taking a stand in contravention of the board's traditional stand.

A decision is expected on the expulsion of Nadvi on Sunday as the issue has taken a centre stage at the three-day crucial plenary of the board underway here.

The executive meeting on Friday pulled up Nadvi, a scholar from Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama, a leading seminary in Lucknow, for skipping the crucial plenary meet.

According to sources, Nadvi has reportedly left Hyderabad. While leaving he alleged that executive members Kamal Farooqi and S Q R Ilyas humiliated him. The board has also taken cognizance of Nadvi's allegations on it.

The committee comprises AIMPLB president Rabey Hasani Nadvi, general secretary Wali Rahmani and executive members Arshad Madani and Khalid Saifullah Rahmani.

Speaking to reports Nadvi had said that the formula he proposed will ensure peace and communal harmony. "There is a dictatorship in the board and few people are controlling it," he said.

However, Ilyas, who is the convenor of the Babri Masjid committee, denied the allegations made by Nadvi against him on Saturday. "The land of mosque can't be sold, gifted or alienated. This is an attempt to malign the board," he said.

He took exception of Nadvi talking to the press on behalf of the board. "If he doesn't agree with the board, let him resign and then do whatever he wants," said Ilyas.

Some members see a conspiracy to divide the board with the help of Nadvi. They said he proposed the formula on the eve of the plenary to create confusion.
The director of Egypt's Bibliotheca Alexandrina Mostafa El-Feki met with the Coptic Orthodox Churchs Pope Tawadros II on Saturday where they discussed planned joint projects between the Bibliotheca and the Church, including establishing a "religions museum," a statement by the Bibliotheca Alexandrina said on Saturday.

The museum, which will be established at the Bibliotheca of Alexandria, will encompass all Egyptian history, covering Pharaonic, Greek, Roman, Jewish, Coptic and Islamic heritage, and will reflect the real face of Egypt, and the spirit of tolerance and co-existence, El-Fekki said.

Pope Tawadros II said that the museum will be unique in presenting Egyptian history and the diversity of the Egyptian character, and will include Egypts Christian history between the first and seventh centuries, as well as an archived history of monasteries.

El-Feki and the Pope also highlighted other joint projects, including the already established centre for Coptic studies as well as an ongoing project to restore Coptic manuscripts. The pope said that the centre plays an important role in the research and study of Egyptian and Coptic history, which is part of the Egyptian character.

The pope also met with a number of employees at the Bibliotheca, and visited its centres, museums, and different digital projects, and said that the Bibliotheca is a source of pride for Egypt.

Tawadros also said that reading is important for building personality and for progressive societies, and that a successful person should have an open mind and embrace all cultures.

El-Feki expressed his pleasure with Tawadros' visit, and stressed that Egypt embraces all its sons regardless of their religious beliefs, referring to the role the Coptic Orthodox Church has played in supporting the state, and the role of Copts in education and health, which benefit all Egyptians.

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High drama prevailed at the house of J Deepa, niece of former Tamil Nadu chief minister, the late J Jayalalithaa, as a man posing as an IT department official tried to conduct searches at her house here on Saturday.



Police said Mitesh Kumar, who identified himself as an IT department official, showed his "identity card" and the "search warrant" on arrival at the residence. "He showed the identity card and the search warrant to us. We believed it was true and allowed him," Sami Chinnapillai, advocate of J Deepa Peravai (Forum) told reporters.

No raid

When asked why only one person had come, he said the others would come by 10 AM and paste the search warrant on the door, the advocate said. "But following his suspicious movements, I called up the police," he said. Television channels showed visuals of Kumar trying to cover the camera lens with his hand and also directing some journalists not to enter the premises. Soon after police arrived on the spot, it was confirmed that the Income Tax department had no plans to conduct any raid. TV visuals showed Kumar fleeing the scene on seeing the police personnel and being chased by police and mediapersons. However, he managed to give them the slip. Deepa's husband Madhavan said he had told Kumar that he would extend all cooperation for conducting the search after seeing his "identity card."

A senior police official told PTI a special team has been formed to nab Kumar. "We received a complaint from Madhavan. A four-member team comprising inspectors has been formed. We are on the job," he added.
The Opposition BJP on Saturday used the Congress president Rahul Gandhi's "rearview mirror" expression, which he used to criticise Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to its full advantage.

Calling out on the Congress' 'hypocrisy', BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa used Rahul's utterance to counter the grand old party's stance on corruption. Yeddyurappa, who took to twitter, asked Rahul if he could spot his own party leaders who, he said, were involved in "land, mining and rape" scandals.

Yeddyurappa tweeted, "@OfficeOfRG, did the #RearViewMirror help you spot Santosh Lad, Anand Singh & Venugopal seated behind you and remind you of the land, mining & 'rape scam' (still wondering what it means)? Are Objects in the mirror closer than they appear?"

Directing his next question to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Yeddyurappa asked him if he had developed "selective amnesia".

"@siddaramaiah, I would like to remind you about your Padayatre in 2013 about the mining sector. Now, inducting Anand Singh into your camp has only proved that you are a corrupt opportunist. Case of Selective Amnesia?" read the BJP leader's tweet.

Earlier in the day, Yeddyurappa had aped Siddaramaiah's derisiveness, in welcoming Rahul to Karnataka. When Modi was visiting Bengaluru on February 4, Siddaramaiah had welcomed the prime minister to the "No 1 state".

Yeddyurappa tweeted, "@OfficeOfRG, I welcome you to our great land of Karnataka. I wish that you ask your 10%CM on how the sorry state of affairs in Karnataka have left him unanswerable to the many questions I have asked." Yeddyurappa was referring to the 14 questions he has posed on twitter to Siddaramaiah, on various controversial subjects.

'What's your belief?'
Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Shobha Karandlaje has charged that the Congress-led Karnataka government is the most corrupt government in the country and the public in the state are eagerly waiting for a change.



Speaking to media persons here on Saturday, she alleged that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah can go to any extent for vote bank gimmicks. "He has no ethics. The Congress government has failed utterly to offer pro-people governance," she claimed.

The BJP leaders, including former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, will be stay in slums in different parts of the state. The problems of the slum dwellers will be brought to the notice of the state government, she added.

She ridiculed that Congress government has failed to provide basic infrastructure facilities to the people in slums. There are nearly 2,500 slums in state, she said.

Karandalaje said that she is the first MP to get Rs 316 crore sanctioned under Central Road Funds (CRF) - Rs 133 crore was earmarked for Udupi and Rs 183 crore for Chikkamagaluru district for the year 2017-18. Earlier, Udupi received Rs 182 crore and Chikkamagaluru received 44.5 crore under CRF in the year 2016-17, she said.

She said she has raised the issue with the Union Transport Minister Nithin Gadkari over the slow workson the proposed Malpe-Athradi-Theerthalli national highway.

Regarding the incomplete work of the national highway at Padubidri junction, the MP said that the land acquisition in the area is pending and the deputy commissioner has been directed to complete the formalities at the earliest.

BJP ready for polls

On the BJP's preparedness for the upcoming Assembly election, the MP said that the BJP is working tirelessly to revamp in all possible ways to counter the Congress.

She said the party's leaders, who are popular among the masses, are considered for the party tickets to contest and the party has been strengthened right from the booth level.

Awareness will be created on the failure of the Congress-led government among the voters, she charged.

Coming down heavily on AICC President Rahul Gandhi's state tour, she said, "Rahul Gandhi has finally realised the worth of God in his life. He has started the campaign from the constituency in Karnataka, wherein the candidate Anand Singh has also served the jail term, much to the dismay of Congress leaders who always censure BJP leaders for serving the jail term."

She said BJP national president Amit Shah will be visit the temple town after taking part in various programmes scheduled in Dakshina Kannada on February 20.

Sakhi centre

The MP said that the Union Minister for Women and Child Welfare Maneka Gandhi will inaugurate one-stop centre for women 'Sakhi,' at Udupi, on March 5.
The husband of a 29-year-old woman, who was reported missing, and his associate were arrested for murder, destruction of evidence and misleading the police.



Chandrakanth S Kondali (38) strangled his wife Akshatha at their flat in SMS Elite Apartment in Kempapura on January 6. He tried to dispose of the body by taking it across the border to Tamil Nadu and burning it at a remote place.

Married for 10 years, Kondali and Akshatha fought frequently over his suspicions that she was having an affair. Working as a software engineer for Wipro, Akshatha quit her job in December and had plans to join another IT firm by January 15 and wanted to tour north India with her friends in the meantime.

Kondali ran a bar and restaurant named Silver Spoon in Shantinagar. The couple's four-year-old son stayed with Akshatha's parents.

After strangling Akshatha to death, Kondali called up his associate Rajvir Singh, who worked with him at the bar, with the instruction to rent a car and bring it to the apartment's basement.

When Singh arrived with the car, they wrapped Akshatha's body in a blanket and laid it in the boot. Asking Singh to drive to Tamil Nadu, Kondali spoke to him constantly on the phone, directing him to find a remote place to burn the body. Singh drove to an isolated spot in Shoolagiri in Hosur district, doused the body with diesel and set it ablaze.

Singh then drove to north India with Akshatha's mobile phone, which he turned on regularly. On January 7, the Shoolagiri police received information about a woman's burnt body, and booked a case of murder and attempt to destroy evidence.

Victim's parents suspicious

Kondali gave contradictory information about Akshatha's disappearance to her parents, who live in Sahakara Nagar.

He told Akshatha's mother, Rekha, that she took Rs 50,000 and had gone on a trip to north India. Despite believing it at first, Akshatha's parents grew suspicious when they failed to receive a call from her from January 7. Her brother asked Kondali why Akshatha did not pack her clothes or wore her slippers.

Having not heard from her daughter for 18 days, Rekha complained to the Sampangiram Nagar police, prompted by Kondali, who said Akshatha disappeared after taking Rs 50,000 from him.

During the probe, the police found that Akshatha's phone was active in several states over a period of time. It also appeared odd that only Akshatha's parents were keen about finding the missing woman, while Kondali seemed indifferent.

When Akshatha's family revealed their suspicions about him, the police took Kondali for questioning on February 5, and he confessed to the crime. They took him and Akshatha's parents to Shoolagiri, where they made a positive identification of her body with her clothes and other personal effects.

The police also arrested Singh, and confiscated Akshatha's mobile phone and the car he used for the crime.
Last year ended on a grave note when a Mumbai terrace-top pub was engulfed in fire. More than 14 people were charred to death and several injured in the blaze. Investigations concluded that the place did not have any fire safety measure in place.



The heat of those deadly flames is now felt across Bengaluru, with fire safety measures being scrutinised in restaurants, apartments, schools and malls across the city.

Bengalureans agree that fire safety has never been taken seriously in the city. They feel the tragic Carlton Towers fire back in 2010 should have been a turning point. But sadly, it was not. "I still remember how everyone was shocked when the tragedy struck. It was disturbing. But nothing concrete happened after that. The fire must have jolted the agencies, but nothing has been done," observes Mahesh Kumar, a businessman.

"There was a fire accident in January as well. Restaurant staff died in that accident. What was the BBMP doing? And this accident happened after the Mumbai tragedy. These agencies will not wake up, no matter what," says Kumar, referring to an accident in Kalasipalya on January 8 this year.

The fire had broken out at the Kailash bar and restaurant located on the ground floor of Kumbaara Sangha building. Five workers who were sleeping inside the restaurant died in that accident.

Usha, a city school teacher believes that the only way to avoid these tragedies is by educating the people in the right way. "The least the agencies can do is set up fire exits. I won't be shocked if places that are not fire-safe are given NOC by the BBMP. We should know how to react if trapped in a fire," she says.

Usha emphasises the need to spread critical information on the mishap. "Time and again, we have seen that more deaths are caused by asphyxiation than by actual burns. This little detail may save so many lives if people knew about it," notes Usha.

Usha is convinced that the mock drills in schools, apartments and other places in the city are not up to the mark. They are not good enough to save lives. "Fire personnel do visit schools and show the whole drill. But this will not be useful if students in a school are not given regular mock drills."

Homemaker, Pushpa Mohan says the rise in fire accidents has made her edgy about visiting crowded places. "The apartment complex we live in is decent. There is a fire exit right next to my flat. But I have no idea how it will be in case of an accident. We have never had a fire drill here," she admits.

Safety in city malls, she says, is not good enough. "Garuda mall is my family's favourite place to watch a movie or shop. But since the last few visits, I noticed that the fire exits are very confusing. If I am on the top floors it only gets scarier. I have asked my daughter to meet her friends in open spaces rather than these malls," says the mother of a 17-year-old.

She agrees the anxiety may be too much, but fire safety concerns and awareness is always on her mind. "The recent car fire in a flat was also scary. If only the residents knew how to handle a fire, they need not have waited for the firemen to arrive. They may even have saved the lives of the mother and child," adds Pushpa.

Bengalureans agree that awareness and first-aid in case of fire is of utmost importance. "People must know how to react. The harm caused by fire may not be as much as due to stampede or suffocation. The golden hour must be utilized which can be done only with awareness," elaborates Seema Khan, an interior designer.
Barely had the crisis sparked by Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Al-Hariris sudden announcement of his resignation from Riyadh subsided than tensions flared again, this time between the Amal Movement led by Nabih Berri and the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) founded by Michel Aoun and now led by Aouns son-in-law and current Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil.

The tensions reached a pitch that Lebanon has not experienced for years. Amal members and supporters staged angry demonstrations in various parts of the country, some breaking into violence and including gunfire and arson. The crisis peaked a week ago when a gang of Amal supporters stormed into the predominantly Christian district of Hadath.

The flare-up was sparked by the broadcast of a leaked video in which Bassil in a meeting with supporters referred to Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri as a thug. He accused Berri of threatening to break the head of anyone who took part in the Lebanese Diaspora Conference organised by the Foreign Ministry in Abidjan.

Bassil said this was the behaviour of a thug and not a speaker of parliament. The leaked remarks infuriated Amal supporters, whose angry demonstrations threatened to rekindle sectarian strife.

The incident is an extension of another crisis that erupted over a decree signed by the Lebanese President Michel Aoun granting priority in promotion to a group of officers who graduated from the countrys Military Academy in 1994. The officers are collectively known as the class of Aoun.

The story dates back to the late 1980s when the Academy, under the control of Aouns military government, volunteered the officers who had enrolled in 1989 and 1990 to serve in the army then under the command of Aoun.

When Aoun went into exile in France in October 1990 after being ousted from the Baabda Presidential Palace by the Syrian army that helped reinstate the command of General Emile Lahoud, the officers were not officially discharged. However, they were unable to complete their education in the Academy even though they continued to draw their salaries.

In January 1993 and in accordance with an initiative by Lahoud to reunite the ranks of the Lebanese army, the so-called Aoun officers were reincorporated into the army and were readmitted to the Military Academy. There were 210 such officers in all, 190 of the first category (signifying Christians in the Lebanese military lexicon), and 15 of the second category (signifying Muslims).

The Aoun class graduated in April 1994 after about 14 months of study, or fewer than two academic years of 11 months long. The next class graduated in August 1995, meaning that the graduates of the Aoun class automatically had six months seniority.

According to sources opposed to the decree granting priority to the April 1994 graduating class, this will stir up discontent in the military establishment because 346 officers will likely feel offended if some of their colleagues enjoy a seniority they do not merit but that will entitle them to be promoted from colonel to brigadier-general after only two years instead of the usual four.

Because of the prevalence of Christians in the Aoun class, opponents of the decree argue that it will throw the denominational structure of the army into disequilibrium. There will be hundreds of Christian brigadier-generals, they say, compared to relatively few Muslims.

Sources close to Berri were surprised when Al-Hariri (a Sunni Muslim) signed the decree. Informed sources said that Hizbullah, which supported Berris position, opposed it but did not step in to resolve the dispute. Druze leader Walid Jumblatt also supported Berri.

What angered Berri most was the fact that the decree was signed by the president (a Maronite Christian) and the prime minister (a Sunni Muslim), but not by the finance minister, the highest representative of the Lebanese Shia in the executive branch of government whose signature is normally required to ratify executive decrees.

The dispute over the decree then escalated into bitter recriminations and mudslinging between the Aoun faction and the Amal Movement, and these impacted on the preparations for the Lebanese Diaspora Conference supervised by Bassil, Aouns son-in-law and the current head of the FPM.

Bassil feared that the conference would be under-attended by Shia Lebanese who make up the majority of the Lebanese communities in Africa. This helps explain his offensive remarks about Berri, whom Bassil in the leaked video had accused of attempting to intimidate people wishing to attend. The fact that Bassil acknowledged his remarks after the leak and refused to apologise stoked the anger of Berri and Amal supporters.

Within hours of the video being leaked, Amal supporters took to the streets. Some youths set tyres alight in front of FPM offices, and at one point a gang of young Amal supporters charged into the district of Hadath located on the southern outskirts of Beirut.

Dozens of youths in cars and on motorbikes then raced through the predominantly Christian neighbourhood raising Amal flags and firing guns into the air. In response, dozens of young men from the predominantly Christian area raced into the streets, some carrying guns, according to Lebanese news sites. The army quickly intervened, forestalling an outbreak of violence and restoring calm.

It was only when some FPM members threatened to resort to counter-demonstrations that Hizbullah stepped in. An ally of both sides, it issued stern criticisms of Bassils remarks and brought FPM and Amal representatives together in a meeting in Hadath. The two sides then agreed to put the incident behind them and to abide by the historic Mar Mikhail Accord reached between the FPM and Hizbullah in February 2006.

Hizbullah also engineered a telephone call between Aoun and Berri, using Israeli threats against Lebanese oil and gas fields as a pretext.

While Bassils remarks concerning Berri were sharply criticised by most Lebanese political circles, the behaviour of the Amal supporters provoked harsh condemnation even by Sunni Muslims. The Sunnis were not party to the dispute, but they live together with Shia Muslims in many neighbourhoods of Beirut that sustained the brunt of the crisis and revived memories of the Lebanese Civil War in which Aoun and the Amal Movement were major players.

The incident also threw into relief the weakness of the Lebanese state and the fact that the Shia (Hizbullah and the Amal Movement) hold a virtual monopoly on militia activities, putting the Lebanese army in an awkward position.

It also focused attention on the fraught relationship between Aoun and Berri. Both Amal and the FPM are allies of Hizbullah, but they are not mutual allies. The tenor of their relationship was epitomised by the refusal of the Berri faction to vote for Aoun in the recent presidential elections in Lebanon, in contrast to most other major political forces in the country.

Perhaps the crucial question in the aftermath of the crisis is why Hizbullah took so long to intervene. Why did it allow things to reach such a dangerous pitch? What would have happened if matters had reached a point at which Hizbullah was forced to choose between its two allies, Amal, the fellow Shia movement, or Aoun, the Maronite friend?

Most people might think the answer to that question is a foregone conclusion  Amal. But those familiar with the subtleties of Lebanese politics know that Hizbullah would never put itself in a position where it had to answer such a question. Aoun controls the largest Christian bloc in parliament and the second-largest parliamentary bloc after the Future Movement.

To Hizbullah, he is a strategic ally who offers huge Christian cover without which the Hizbullah-led coalition would become a purely Shia grouping without national legitimacy and without a sufficiently large parliamentary bloc. Without Aoun, Hizbullah would lose the virtual hegemony it has attained in the political sphere, especially after it succeeded in leveraging Aoun into the presidency.

At the same time, Hizbullah cannot afford to abandon Berri, its partner in its domination of the Shia community and in control on the ground through the Amal militias, especially in towns and urban districts inhabited by Shia and Sunni Muslims.

Hizbullah would also risk losing influence through Amals control of the government posts reserved for the Shia. Amal also offers a semi-secular facade and the key to some Arab and international relations that would otherwise be unavailable to Hizbullah.

The reason Hizbullah allowed the tensions to reach the point they did has to do with the Partys tactics in handling Amal and the FPM and the nature of the two allies themselves.

Although Hizbullah is the dominant political group in Lebanon, it tends to remain aloof from meddling in details and to let Lebanese politicians squabble among themselves over political posts and gains, as though it could not be bothered with such petty matters and their consequences for the Lebanese people.

This approach may have brought few immediate gains for the party, but it has allowed it to increase at a slow but steady pace.

When Hizbullah does intervene, it generally does not do so forcefully unless the disputes between others encroach on cetrain red lines it has identified, such as its weapons and militia forces.

On 7 May 2008, for example, when the government headed by Future Movement leader former prime minister Fouad Siniora moved to dismantle Hizbullahs communications network, Amal and Hizbullah supporters rampaged through the streets of Beirut and the Druze municipalities, attacking the headquarters of the Sunni-led Future Movement and the Progressive Socialist Party led by Druze leader Walid Jumblatt.

But the deeper reason for Hizbullahs silence in the recent crisis lies in its relationship with both sides. Its relationship with Aoun is delicate, in large measure due to his personality which is vain, stubborn and ambitious.

Aoun sees himself as a leader of the Christians of the region as a whole, and not just those of Lebanon. When he commanded the Lebanese army during the Civil War, predominantly manned by Christians, he was noted for his rejection of all political settlements, his readiness to do battle with everyone, and his insistence on retaining the post of prime minister even though this office is reserved for a Sunni Muslim under the Lebanese constitution.

Challenging the ambitions of Aoun and the FPM could jeopardise Hizbullahs relationship with the Maronite leader. It therefore left that function to Berri, who performs it willingly in the light of the volatile chemistry between him and Aoun.

Amal is close to Hizbullah, yet independent enough to check the excesses of Aoun and the FPM or to stem any unacceptable deterioration in a difficult relationship. This is what played out after the Bassil leaks. The question is whether such brinksmanship will continue to work as a strategy for Hizbullahs management of its two antagonistic allies.

*This story was first published in Al-Ahram Weekly

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China has commissioned its latest J-20 stealth fighter into its air force's combat service, taking a lead in the region in operating fighter jets designed to avoid detection, state media reported.

The new generation J-20 stealth fighter will help China narrow its military gap with the United States, commentators said.

State-run Xinhua news agency quoted an Air Force spokesman as saying that the stealth fighter has been commissioned into the force. In a short statement, the air force said the J-20 had been commissioned into combat units.

The J-20 will further raise the air force's combat abilities and help the air force better carry out its ''sacred mission'' to defend the country's sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, the air force said.

The J-20 is Chinas fourth-generation medium and long- range fighter jet. It made its maiden flight in 2011 and was first shown to the public at the 11th Air Show China in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, in November 2016.

Its introduction could add a new dimension in the India-China air force balance as India is yet acquire a stealth fighter.

The US air force operates the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor which is the fifth generation stealth air superiority fighter.

Questions remain whether the new Chinese fighter can match the radar-evading properties of the F-22 air-to-air combat jet, or the latest strike jet in the US arsenal, Lockheed's F-35. The F-22, developed for the US Air Force, is the J-20's closest lookalike.

China showed off another stealth fighter it is developing, the J-31, at the Zhuhai air show in 2014, a show of muscle that coincided with a visit by US President Barack Obama for an Asia-Pacific summit.

China hopes the J-31, still in development, will compete with the US-made F-35 stealth aircraft in the international market, according to state media reports.

China's air force is taking an increasingly active role in power projection, with exercises over both the disputed South and East China Seas and near to self-ruled Taiwan, which China claims as its territory.
Syrian air defences repelled an Israeli raid on a military base in the centre of the country on Saturday, hitting more than one warplane, state media said.

The report came after the Israeli military said one of its fighter jets had crashed during strikes against "Iranian targets" in Syria after intercepting a drone.

"At dawn, the Zionist enemy carried out a new aggression against one of our military bases in the centre of the country," Syrian state news agency SANA reported.

"Our air defences repelled it and hit more than one plane."

Israel has carried out dozens of air strikes on the Syrian armed forces and their allies since the civil war broke out in 2011.

Iran with Russia is the main military backer of the Damascus government.

Israel has largely confined its operations to targeting Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shia militant group that is a key ally of Iran.

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Related Syria state media say air defences repelled Israel attack

An Israeli fighter jet crashed on Saturday after coming under fire from Syrian air defences during attacks against "Iranian targets" in the war-torn country, a spokesman said.

The exchange of fire was the most serious between arch foes Israel and Iran since the start of the civil war in Syria in 2011.

It marked the first time Israel publicly acknowledged attacking what it identified as Iranian targets in Syria since the war began.

The Israeli military issued a warning to Tehran, saying it was responsible for the drone that entered Israel.

Israel has repeatedly warned in recent weeks against the presence of Iranian forces in neighbouring Syria.

The Israeli pilots of the crashed F16 were reported alive.

The Israeli military "targeted the Iranian control systems in Syria that sent the UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) into Israeli airspace. Massive Syrian anti-air fire, one F16 crashed in Israel, pilots safe," spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus tweeted.

According to a separate military statement, Israeli forces identified an "Iranian UAV" launched from Syria and intercepted it in Israeli airspace with a combat helicopter.

Police said the F16 crashed in the Jezreel valley in northern Israel.

"During the attack, multiple anti-aircraft missiles were fired at IAF (Israel Air Force) aircraft," the military statement read.

"The pilots of one of the aircraft abandoned as per procedure. The pilots landed in Israeli territory and were taken to the hospital for medical treatment."

Conricus meanwhile said that the army had confirmed "accurate hits of (the) Iranian UAV control facility" in Syria.

"Iran is responsible for this severe violation of Israeli sovereignty," Conricus said on Twitter.

Syria said its air defences repelled two Israeli raids on its military bases in the centre of the country, hitting more than one warplane during the first.

"At dawn, the Zionist enemy carried out a new aggression against one of our military bases in the centre of the country," state news agency SANA reported.

"Our air defences repelled it and hit more than one plane."

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor of the seven-year civil war, said the Israeli raids had targeted several military bases in the east of the central province of Homs used by both Iranian and Russian military personnel deployed in support of the regime.

Air raid sirens had gone off in Israel in the early hours of the morning following the UAV interception and raids.

The army said it was "monitoring events and is fully prepared for further action, depending on assessments and necessity."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has held a series of meetings in recent months with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Iran's influence in war-torn Syria and Lebanon.

Netanyahu has been seeking to persuade Russia to limit Iran's presence near Israeli territory and to stop it from entrenching itself militarily in Syria.

Russia, Iran and Lebanon's Shia Muslim militant group Hezbollah -- which is backed by Tehran -- all support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the civil war.

In a meeting in Moscow last month, Netanyahu reiterated Israel's concerns of what he described as the attempts of Iran to establish a military presence in Syria and produce accurate weapons against Israel there.

"We won't accept either of those, and will act according to our needs," Netanyahu said following the meeting with Putin.

On Tuesday, Netanyahu had taken the members of his security cabinet for a tour of the Golan Heights, where they were briefed by the military on the situation.

"We want peace, but are prepared for any scenario, and suggest that nobody tries us," he said.

Israel has sought to avoid direct involvement in the Syrian war, but acknowledges carrying out dozens of air strikes there to stop what it says are advanced arms deliveries to Hezbollah.

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A Turkish army helicopter was shot down by Syrian Kurdish YPG fighters near the north Syrian town of Afrin, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday.

"One of our helicopters was downed just recently," Erdogan said speaking to members of his AK Party (AKP) in Istanbul. "These things will happen, we are in a war... We might lose a helicopter, but they'll pay the price for this."

He did not mention any casualties.

YPG sources separately confirmed the downing of the helicopter, the first officially confirmed destruction of a Turkish aircraft over Syria during the country's long-running civil war.

Ankara launched an air and ground offensive last month against Kurdish fighters in Syria's Afrin region on its border, opening a new front in the multi-sided Syrian war.

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Israel launched its most intensive air strikes yet against Iranian forces in Syria on Saturday after intercepting what it said was an Iranian drone and the rare downing of an Israeli F-16 warplane.

The incidents marked the most serious confrontations in Syria between Israel and Iranian-backed forces that have established a major foothold in the country while fighting in support of President Bashar al-Assad in a nearly seven-year-old civil war.

Iran's expanding clout during the Syrian civil war, including deployments of Iran-backed forces near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, has raised alarm in Israel, which has said it would act against any threat from its regional arch-enemy Tehran.

But both Israel and Syria signalled they were not seeking wider conflict, even as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rushed to military headquarters in Tel Aviv for consultations and the pro-Assad alliance pledged a strong response to any Israeli "terrorist action".

Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that Moscow, whose forces began intervening on behalf of Assad in 2015, was seriously concerned by the latest developments in Syria. It urged both sides to exercise restraint and avoid escalation.

"My impression is that it seems to be contained at this point," said a Western diplomat in the region. "I don't think anybody wants to escalate further."

The chain of events on Saturday began at 4.30 a.m. when an Israeli Apache helicopter shot down an Iranian drone over the northern town of Beit Shean, the Israeli military said.

The drone had been sighted taking off from a base in Syria, and was intercepted after it crossed into Israeli territory, said Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus, an Israeli military spokesman.

Israeli planes, including at least eight jets, then struck an Iranian installation in Syria which the Israeli military said operated the unmanned aircraft.

One of those planes, a U.S.-made F-16, crashed on its return from that mission, landing in an empty field near Harduf, east of Haifa, in northern Israel.

Both pilots ejected over Israeli territory and were injured, one of them critically. The Israeli military said that early assessments showed it was hit by Syrian anti-aircraft fire, but could not immediately confirm that.

Air raid sirens sounded in the early morning of sabbath in northern Israel and flights at Tel Aviv's international airport were briefly halted. The frontier fell quiet by mid-afternoon.

Iran rejected the Israeli version of events as "ridiculous". The pro-Assad military alliance denied that any of its drones entered Israeli air space.

David Ivry, a former Israeli Air Force chief, told Reuters he believed it was the first time an Israeli F-16 was brought down since Israel began using the jets in the 1980s.

AIR SUPERIORITY

Israel, which also operates drones, has long maintained air superiority in the region. It mounts air strikes in Syria on a regular basis, striking suspected weapons shipments to Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militant group.

Iranian and Iran-backed Shia forces, including Hezbollah, have deployed widely in Syria in support of Assad. Iran's military chief warned Israel last October against breaching Syrian airspace and territory.

Netanyahu, visiting the Golan on Tuesday, peered across the border into Syria and in public remarks warned Israel's enemies not to test its resolve.

But on Saturday, after the downing of the F-16, an official in the pro-Assad alliance said a "message" had been delivered to Israel. But he added: "I do not believe matters will develop to a regional war."

An Israeli military spokesman said Israel did not seek escalation in the region, calling its action a defensive effort triggered by an Iranian act of aggression.

"The tough part is how to continue to walk a tightrope, where neither side wants an all-out war, but no one wants to be the one who absorbed the blow and didn't respond appropriately," Uzi Rabi, director of the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies at Tel Aviv University, said on Israel's Channel 11 television.

In Washington, President Donald Trumps administration has backed Israels hawkish stance on Iran, and declared containing Tehran's influence an objective of its Syria policy. On a visit to Israel last month, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence called Iran the worlds "leading state sponsor of terror."

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is also expected to visit the region in the coming week to discuss the crisis in Syria and other issues, and is scheduled to visit Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon and other countries.

Hezbollah and Israel last fought a major conflict in 2006.

Tensions have also spiked across the frontier between Israel and Lebanon over Israeli plans for border wall, and Lebanese plans to exploit an offshore energy block which is partly located in disputed waters.

In Gaza, the armed wing of the Islamic group Hamas declared full alert among its fighters because of the escalation of violence in northern Israel.

Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 war and has occupied it ever since, annexing the territory in 1981 in a move not recognised by the international community.

There has been an uneasy standoff since a ceasefire deal that followed another war in 1973, with United Nations observer forces manning a buffer zone between the two armies.

In November, Israel said it had shot down a Syrian reconnaissance drone over the demilitarized zone, and on Feb. 8 shots were fired from Syrian territory at an Israeli drone, hitting a house in Majdal Shams, in Israeli-occupied Golan.

*This story was edited by Ahram Online.

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(Photo: Reuters / Thaier Al-Sudan)Iraqi Christian devotees exchange greetings after a Christmas mass at St. Joseph Chaldean Church in Baghdad Dec. 25, 2012.

Red lights will illuminate the Colosseum in Rome later this month to draw attention to the persecution of Christians around the world, and especially in Syria and Iraq.

On Saturday, Feb. 24, at 6 p.m. the red spotlights that will flood the Colosseum will represent the blood of Christians who have been wounded or lost their lives due to religious persecution, Catholic News Agency reports.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/colosseum-to-be-lit-red-for-persecuted-christians-42868.

"Our aim is to break through the indifference, above all that of the international community, and to strive to ensure that after February 24th no one can continue to ignore the persecution of Christians," said Alessandro Monteduro, the director Aid to the Church in Need's Italian office.

He said martyrdom is not a thing of the past.

At a press conference in Rome, Feb. 7, Monteduro announced that the Colosseum - an ancient symbol of Christian martyrdom - will be lit up in red at 6 p.m.

At the same time, the Maronite cathedral of Saint Elias in Aleppo, Syria and the Church of Saint Paul in Mosul, Iraq will do the same.

In the Church of St. Paul, on Dec. 24, the first Mass was celebrated after the city's liberation from ISIS.

Present at the press briefing were Patriarch Louis Raphael I Sako, head of the Chaldean Catholic Church from Iraq, and Franciscan Father Firas Lutfi.

Lutfi is a parish priest at the Church of Saint Francis in Aleppo and is superior of the city's Franciscan community at Terra Sancta College.

Sako said: "Turning on the red light will bring hope to these people who suffered a lot. The Church in Iraq gives thanks to the Western Churches and the charities that made a miracle in Iraq."

Mantovano noted, "So many Christian communities around the world are suffering hunger, poverty and violence on account of their faith.

"On several occasions already, we have illuminated some of the most important monuments in the world in red to draw attention to the martyrdom of our Christian brothers and sisters.

"On this occasion, our intention is to also involve these communities directly, with the help of two of them that have suffered among the most in recent years, namely those in Syria and Iraq."

The event, sponsored by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), follows a similar initiative last year, which lit-up London's Parliament building in red, as well as the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Paris and the cathedral in Manila, Philippines.

In 2016, the famous Trevi Fountain in Rome was lit.

Monteduro, told journalists Feb. 7 that the "illumination [of the Colosseum] will have two symbolic figures: Asia Bibi, the Pakistani Christian condemned to death for blasphemy and whose umpteenth judgment is expected to revoke the sentence; and Rebecca, a girl kidnapped by Boko Haram along with her two children when she was pregnant with a third."

"One of the children was killed," he said, "she lost the baby she was carrying, and then became pregnant after one of the many brutalities she was subjected to by her captors."

Once she was freed and reunited with her husband, she decided she "could not hate those who caused her so much pain," Monteduro said.

Aid to the Church in Need released a biennial report on anti-Christian persecution Oct. 12, 2017, detailing how Christianity is "the world's most oppressed faith community," and how anti-Christian persecution in the worst regions has reached "a new peak."

13 COUNTRIES REVIEWED

The report reviewed 13 countries, and concluded that in all but one, the situation for Christians was worse in overall terms for the period 2015-2017 than during the prior two years.

"The one exception is Saudi Arabia, where the situation was already so bad it could scarcely get any worse," the report said.

China, Eritrea, Iraq, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Syria were ranked "extreme" in the scale of anti-Christian persecution.

Egypt, India, and Iran were rated "high to extreme," while Turkey was rated "moderate to high."

The Middle East is a major focus for the report and it says, "Governments in the West and the U.N. failed to offer Christians in countries such as Iraq and Syria the emergency help they needed as genocide got underway.

"If Christian organizations and other institutions had not filled the gap, the Christian presence could already have disappeared in Iraq and other parts of the Middle East."

The exodus of Christians from Iraq has been "very severe."

Christians in the country now may number as few as 150,000, a decline from 275,000 in mid-2015.

In the early part of 2017 there were some signs of hope, with the defeat of the Islamic State group and the return of some Christians to their homes on the Nineveh Plains.

The departure of Christians from Syria has also threatened the survival of their communities in the country, including historic Christian centers like Aleppo, ACN said.

Syrian Christians there suffer threats of forced conversion and extortion. One Chaldean bishop in the country estimates the Christian population to be at 500,000, down from 1.2 million before the war.

Many Christians in the region fear going to official refugee camps, due to concerns about rape and other violence, according to the report.
Park MGM(NEW YORK) -- What do you do after you have a strong attraction to someone you see on the subway, but get off before you've had the chance to meet or exchange numbers?



When that happened to Brooklyn resident Devin Custalow she took to an online message board with a post that would later be blown up into a 20-foot mural.



Custalow, 25, and her roommate and friend of seven years, Hilary Schumacher, were returning home from Coney Island when the two spotted a "cute guy standing on the platform," Custalow, a media agency associate, told ABC News.



"We kept looking at each other and making eye contact. We were kind of giggling about it," she said.



Schumacher, 25, verified this.



"They kind of were flirting with their eyes for a while," she told ABC News. "The chemistry was unreal. Honestly, it was really funny just seeing them interact."



Eventually however, the two women had to get off at their stop in Clinton Hill while the cute guy stayed on the train.



Schumacher said she saw the unknown guy look back at her roommate. "He was so disappointed," she added.



So Custalow decided to post on the missed connections message board on Craigslist.



"I had no other idea how to try to rekindle or reconnect with him," she said. "I also thought I had nothing to lose. The great thing about New York is if you dont want to see someone again, you never will. That's also the bad thing."



Park MGM, a new Las Vegas hotel, wanted to help Custalow in her efforts to meet that guy on the subway. After reading her post, which was titled, "Yellow shoes guy on the G train," the hotel decided to create a 20-foot mural in Williamsburg to help.



The post concludes with, "If you're out there, meet here on Valentine's Day, 2/14 at 1:00 p.m."



Patrick Miller, President and COO of Park MGM, explained to ABC News why they decided to help Custalow and put up the mural, which is located at North 10th Street and Wythe Avenue in Brooklyn. They also created an online campaign, using their social media accounts, to find her guy.



"We found Devin's story to be equal parts heartwarming and relatable," he said in a statement. "After hearing this, we felt we had to do something, and live up to our romantic ideals, and that's why we put our resources behind Devins story. If it's meant to be, she'll find the guy in the yellow shoes."



Already, Custalow said she's been sent more than 50 direct messages online of photos of yellow shoes. But she hasn't found her guy...yet.



And she has a message for him if he's reading this.



"Hey, this is not meant to come across creepy. This is just following up on a really cool and impactful interaction," she said. "This is still lingering with me."



Custalow is also hoping that by putting herself out there, she can "encourage people to put themselves out there too."



Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Minister of Antiquities Khaled El-Enany, Minister of Tourism Rania El-Mashatte and Suez Governor Ahmed Hamed are set to inspect a development project to make Sinais Moses Springs area more tourist friendly.

The inspection tour will be attended by a number of foreign ambassadors, including those of Brazil, Cuba, Belgium, Chile, Argentina and Greece, as well as top officials from the Ministry of Antiquities.

The project started in late 2015 in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism under the direction of Presidential Assistant for National and Strategic Projects Ibrahim Mahlab.

Mostafa Waziri, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, explains that the Moses Springs area had been suffering neglect and a lack of maintenance, and that the springs were covered in sand.

Waziri said that the project aims to provide the area with more facilities, which includes renovating old kiosks and restrooms and the establishment of restaurants, cafeterias and bazaars for Sinai handicrafts.

Main and side roads in the area have been paved, and a new solar energy lighting system has been installed.

The budget for the project was EGP 8 million provided by the Ministry of Tourism, and the Arab Contractors Company has carried out the development work.

Ayman Ashmawi, head of the Ancient Egyptian Department at the Ministry of Antiquities, explains that the first phase of the project, which has been completed with a budget of EGP 3 million, included the renovation of seven springs ranging between six and eight metres in depth, as well as the installation of sun shades and special lighting systems.

The second phase is set to start immediately and will include the establishment of a ticket station, a wide parking area, shops for handicrafts, and a wall to be built surrounding the area.

Moses Springs is located in Ras Sedr city along the Red Sea in South Sinai, almost 30km south of Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel, and covers almost 164 feddans. The area is composed of a group of hot springs, some sweet and some bitter, forming a small fertile oasis with natural palm trees. It includes seven springs that date to the Byzantine era, a number of clay ovens, and a residential settlement.

The water from the springs is said to have healing properties, particularly for diabetes patients, and can purportedly strengthen the body and help regulate high blood pressure.

The underground spring supplies water to the areas monastery, which is believed to sit on the spot where Moses met his future wife after protecting her and her sisters from an aggressive group of local shepherds. According to the monks at the monastery, the well never dries up and is the monastery's main source of water.

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Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II expressed on Saturday his full support for Comprehensive Operation Sinai 2018 and "the efforts by Egyptian army and police forces in the war against terrorism."

The pope, who made the comments during a visit to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, stressed the importance of supporting efforts to "eliminate the terrorism that has cost Egypt many martyrs, time and obstructed development."

"Terrorism is evil and shall not live, as the darkness precedes dawn, and the sun will rise on Egypt soon, and Egyptians will enjoy safety and security," the pope said, adding that Egyptians support state, police and army efforts against terrorism.

On Friday morning, the Egyptian Armed Forces launched Comprehensive Operation Sinai 2018 to fight terrorism in north and central Sinai and other parts of the country.

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The Kardashians are known to leave no stone unturned, which is why it makes perfect sense for them to discuss what appears in the tabloids on their show.

In the new episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians, the show finally documents Scott Disick's relationship with Sofia Richie. On Friday, Feb. 9, E! News released a quick clip of Sunday's episode where Kris Jenner drills Disick about his new relationship.

If the exchange between the two wasn't already awkward, the discussion occurs at the house of Disick's ex, Kourtney Kardashian.

Jenner jumps right into things and asks Disick if he's only dating one person, which he admits that he is. Then she whispers "Sofia," whom Disick has been rumored to be dating since September 2017.

Amused by the conversation, the momager can't help but point out the age gap between Scott and Richie.

"Wait, so how old is she? Because I really don't know. Is she Kylie's age? 20?" Jenner asks.

The father of three then confirms that Richie is actually 19 years old. The age gap between Richie and Disick makes Jenner recall her own relationship with her first husband, Robert Kardashian.

However, Disick defended his relationship with Richie by explaining that Jenner was underage when she first started dating Robert Kardashian.

"You were underage, she's not," Disick said.

Jenner isn't the only family member who joked about the age gap between the two. Recently, Kendall Jenner threw shade at the couple on Instagram.

When a fan account posted a photo of Disick in the car with Richie and his three children, Kendall commented under the photo, "Awww Scott and his kids."

No More Scourtney

Disick and Richie were first spotted together at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2017 but officially made their first appearance as a couple in December 2017 at Miami's Art Basel. They have been inseparable ever since.

Since their Miami trip the couple has vacationed in Venice in Italy and were recently spotted in Mexico after bringing in the New Year in Aspen, Colorado.

Disick shares three kids with his former girlfriend, Kourtney Kardashian. After nine years of dating, Kardashian and Disick ended their relationship in 2015. Now the mother of three and reality star is currently dating Younes Bendjima. Kardashian and Bendjima began dating in 2016 and have definitely not been shy about their affection for each other.

Keeping Up With the Kardashians returns to E! on Sunday, Feb. 11, at 9 p.m.
Selena Gomez's mom may have recently said that she wasn't happy to see her daughter back with Justin Bieber but she may be ready to move past the issue.

Following weeks of reported estrangement, Mandy Teefy seemingly offered an olive branch to her daughter by gushing over her work on her successful Netflix series, 13 Reasons Why, on Instagram.

The ladies that could!" Teefy wrote of Gomez and the show's lead actress, Katherine Langford. "One from Grand Prairie, One from Perth! Both discovered from worldwide searches for roles that changed their path to have powerful positive influences on the future. Amazing to witness this from Day 1!!! Congrats.

Gomez's mom spoke to Gossip Cop earlier this year and told the outlet that while her daughter was a grown woman and able to make her own decisions, she wasn't thrilled about her recent reunion with Bieber. She also admitted to a number of disputes with her daughter but didn't go into detail about their issues.

Gomez parted ways with The Weeknd after about 10 months of dating in October of last year and quickly reunited with Bieber in Los Angeles. Since then, the rekindled couple have been spotted together frequently all around Los Angeles and also enjoyed recent trips to Seattle, Wash. and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where they rang in the new year.

Following his New Year's trip to Mexico, Bieber traveled to Utah for a guys ski trip before treating his mom, Pattie Mallette, to a fun trip to the Maldives.

A short time after Bieber and Mallette were seen the Maldives, where they shared a number of photos, a source spoke to Hollywood Life, stating that Bieber hoped his family vacation would serve as a demonstration of just how important family is to him.

As the source explained, Bieber was hopeful that Gomez and her mother would see him and his mother enjoying their vacation and realize that their silly feud wasn't worth the time they are losing.

He feels terrible for Selena that her mother wont accept him, and sympathizes with her and what shes dealing with," the source said.

The Hollywood Life report also said that Bieber hoped Teefy would see how close he's become with his mother, despite their past issues, and realize that he has truly matured and changed for the better.
Model Bella Hadid recently endured a scary moment outside of her New York City apartment when she laid eyes on the man who has been stalking her.

According to a new report, the 21-year-old model called police in the Big Apple a number of times, beginning at the end of last year, to report that a man had been stalking and harassing her for several weeks. Then, on Thursday, Hadid caught the man lurking around her apartment and was again forced to call the authorities.

On Feb. 8, People magazine contacted the spokesperson for the New York Police Department who informed them that 37-year-old Ryan S. Perez, who had been sending threatening messages to Hadid on social media, had been arrested at 9:35 p.m. last night.

As the report explained, Perez left Hadid numerous unwanted threatening messages to her on social media and was ultimately charged with aggravated harassment and stalking. However, at this point in time, it is unknown whether or not he is still behind bars.

Although the incident was certainly scary for Hadid, she didn't let the ordeal keep her from enjoying her night on Thursday and shortly after Perez was believed to have been arrested, she was seen spending time with friends in honor of Samuel Krost's birthday.

On Instagram, Hadid shared a special moment from the event with her fans and followers.

Just last month, Hadid spoke about her personal struggles with anxiety, revealing that she used to become so nervous before taking part in interviews that she would start to shake and cry uncontrollably.

My sister [Gigi Hadid] is very bubbly and very out there, and I was always very reserved," she explained to People magazine. "I would literally start crying and shaking if I had to do interviews at red carpet events. It was really nerve-racking and its scary, and its not only you."

Hadid made the comments while speaking about her mother's new Lifetime reality show, Making A Model, which premiered last month.

It gets a lot better once you have to talk to people every day, she continued. Then youre like, Okay, I guess its my job, I have to do it!'

Hadid has yet to speak publicly in regard to her stalker's arrest and her family, including mother Yolanda, father Mohamed, and sister Bella, have remained silent as well.
The internet has transformed ordinary people into viral superstars. However, celebrity vlogger Logan Paul is learning the price of the massive fame

YouTube Speaks Out

The video sharing website decided to remove all ads on Paul's official YouTube channel temporarily.

"After careful consideration, we have decided to temporarily suspend ads on Logan Paul's YouTube channels," a YouTube spokesperson told Enstars. "This is not a decision we made lightly, however, we believe he has exhibited a pattern of behavior in his videos that makes his channels not only unsuitable for advertisers but also potentially damaging to the boarder creator community,"

According to YouTube, they believe that Paul's brand has become toxic to potential partners and his actions have made the YouTube creator's community vulnerable.

YouTube pointed out that creators are free to create material but also advises vloggers that if they wanted to have the opportunity to work with advertisers, they should use their common sense, do not abuse the site, and be respectful of other creators.

Logan Paul's Latest Stunt

The YouTube creator came under fire once again for several disturbing behaviors. He encouraged his 16 million YouTube subscribers to participate in the deadly Tide Pod Challenge, where it has landed a major number of its participants in hospitals.

Also, Paul uploaded another controversial video where he electrocuted a dead rodent. The video-sharing website stated that Paul tried to monetize off of the video.

Paul's actions violated the organization's rules and likely the video-sharing website to temporarily hit pause on advertisements that would come to Paul's channel.

Logan's Citizen Arrest

YouTube's decision to temporarily remove advertisements from Paul's channel comes a few days after Paul received an unwelcome visitor.

The YouTube content creator made a citizen's arrest when an intruder entered his San Fernando Valley area of Encino, California. The intruder knew that he entered Paul's house and charged his phone as he was waiting to meet him. Paul's fellow housemates did not even check for the intruder as they thought that the intruder was Paul himself.

The 'Good Morning America' Interview

As Paul continues to deal with the fallout from the Tide Pod Challenge and electrocuted rat controversies, he might have to face Good Morning America's Michael Strahan once again.

Paul gave his first television interview to the former Live with Kelly and Michael co-host after he uploaded a viral video of him and his friends discovering a dead body in Japan's Aokigahara area.

"I am much more aware of the impact that my actions have on myself and others," said Paul.

He also spoke about his new mission to spread suicide awareness and prevention. Paul pledged that he would donate $1,000,000 to various suicide awareness programs.
As the film's release approaches, the Black Panther cast weighs in on the now-defunct group that planned to sabotage the movie's ratings with negative reviews.

'Black Panther' Cast: No Worries

Facebook quickly shut down the group that once plotted to bombard Rotten Tomatoes with negative audience scores to keep the Black Panther total score down. Now, the stars of the renowned Marvel film are simply shrugging off the threat.

Star Chadwick Boseman, who plays T'challa/Black Panther himself, tells Associated Press that he was informed of the plot against Black Panther.

"I definitely thought about it, and I think you don't really know how big of an impact that's going to be," Boseman says. "So whatever they do online doesn't really matter."

The alt-right group formed in Facebook was dubbed "Down with Disney's Treatment of Franchises and its Fanboys." The group also created an event called "Give Black Panther a Rotten Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes."

Before getting the boot from Facebook, the event drew 3,700 participants, while an additional 1,800 expressed interest in the event as well.

Breakout star Letitia Wright, who plays T'challa's sister Shuri, dismisses the threats, but she does have a few words for them.

"Shame on them," Wright says. "Everybody is just focused forward. Those people are at the back."

Rave Reviews

The cast and filmmakers certainly have no need to worry as the reception for Black Panther has been overwhelmingly positive from the audience to the critics. Debuting at a 100 percent Rotten Tomato score, it is now at 98 percent and still the highest-rating Marvel superhero film on the website.

The stars of the film themselves are aware of the significance of Black Panther, especially in the discussion of representation in cinema.

During the premiere of the film, the cast members talk openly about what it means to them to be a part of a film where black culture is so completely embraced and taken pride in.

"Being in a Trump era right now, how timely it is to actually see black representation onscreen," Denzel Whitaker, who plays Young Zuri, says in Los Angeles Times. "To see pride onscreen. To see different facets of black culture onscreen. To see us in different representations of intelligence, of power, of presence."

The Ryan Coogler film stars Boseman, Wright, Lupita Nyong'o, Michael B. Jordan, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, and Andy Serkis.

Black Panther opens in theaters on Feb. 16.
Introduced in 2013, none of the above (NOTA) option has gradually become a notable part of Indian elections. In the highly charged 2017 Gujarat assembly elections, NOTA gathered 5.5 lakh votes (1.8%), which is more than the votes for the two national parties (National Congress Party and Bahujan Samaj Party), and surpassed the winning margins in over a dozen constituencies. NOTA figured in the round of assembly elections in 2017 with a few peasant organisations in Punjab such as Bharatiya Kisan Union and Naujawan Bharat Sabha urging people to use NOTA in their campaign for raj badlo, samaj badlo (change the system, change the society). Similarly, in Goa, there was an interesting case where the chief electoral officer of the state used his Twitter handle to create awareness about NOTA to increase voter turnout.

Similar pro-NOTA campaigns were part of electioneering in the state elections held in almost all the elections since its introduction. Yet, NOTA polling figures are small. On an average, the maximum NOTA vote share has not crossed 2.02% of the total votes polled in any election cycle. The perceived cynicism of Indian voters against the political class thus seems exaggerated.

An analysis of the limited NOTA voting figures so far indicates four clear patterns. First, reserved constituencies have seen relatively larger number of NOTA votes. This points to the continued social prejudice against political reservation for Scheduled Castes (SCs)/Scheduled Tribes (STs). Second, constituencies affected by left-wing extremism (LWE) have also recorded higher NOTA votes, and here probably it served as an instrument to protest against the state itself.

Third, NOTA figures are comparatively higher in constituencies that have seen a direct contest between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). One may read this as an indication of the peoples disenchantment with the two mainstream political parties. Lastly, against the widely held perception, we see in this article, NOTA need not lead to higher voter turnout. Overall, Indian voters seem to be using NOTA not just to show their disapproval of the candidates in the fray but to express their protest against things they perceive wrong in the political system.

The data used in the analysis is constituency-wise election results made available by the Election Commission of India (ECI). The data of assembly elections since 2013, and the results of Lok Sabha polls 2014 are analysed here.

NOTA in India

NOTA is a choice of negative voting in certain electoral systems to help voters express their dissent for all the candidates competing in an election. It is based on the principle that the spirit of democracy is upheld by giving citizens a platform to voice their dissent while simultaneously participating in the electoral process. Through this provision of negative voting, in principle, it is possible for the voters to send a clear signal of discontent or protest.

NOTAs entry into India was through judicial means. In 2004, Peoples Union for Civil Liberties filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court questioning the constitutional validity of the Conduct of Elections Rules 41 (2 and 3) and 49-O, as these violated the secrecy of a vote. While deciding this petition in September 2013, the Supreme Court directed the ECI to introduce NOTA in electronic voting machines. The court held that:

[T]he fundamental right under Article 19(1) (a) read with statutory right under Section 79(d) of the RP Act is violated unreasonably if right not to vote effectively is denied and secrecy is breached  Article 19 guarantees all individuals the right to speak, criticise, and disagree on a particular issue. It stands on the spirit of tolerance and allows people to have diverse views, ideas and ideologies. Not allowing a person to cast vote negatively defeats the very freedom of expression and the right ensured in Article 21 i e, the right to liberty. (Peoples Union for Civil Liberties v Union of India 2013)

The Court thereby raised negative voting to the status of fundamental right. It also went beyond the primary argument of safeguarding secrecy of voter, emphasising the positive impact negative voting can have on cleaning politics and improving participation in electoral democracy. Pursuant to the Supreme Court directive dated 27 September 2014, the ECI introduced the NOTA option with effect from 11 October 2013. Later, on 18 September 2015, the ECI introduced a specific symbol for NOTA to facilitate the voters to exercise the option (ECI 2015).

It is often misunderstood that NOTA allows the right to reject. Even if a situation arises in which NOTA wins, it is not calculated as a valid vote and hence even if there are 999 NOTA votes out of 1000, the candidate with just one vote would be declared the winner. It is interesting to note that the reason behind the ECIs suggestion to have NOTA was not to institute the right to reject. As expressed by S Y Quraishi, former Chief Election Commissioner, the aim of the ECI through NOTA was to ensure the secrecy of the voter wanting to make a choice that amounts to abstention and also to ensure that nobody casts a bogus vote in his place (Quraishi 2013).

Trends

The NOTA button saw its debut in the 2013 assembly elections held in five states: Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh. In these states 16,82,024 voters opted for NOTA that constituted 1.85% of total votes polled. The average NOTA vote share dropped to 0.95% in the 2014 assembly elections held in the eight states of Haryana, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Maharashtra. It increased to 2.02% in the 2015 assembly elections held in Delhi and Bihar. While Delhi polled a mere 0.4%, Bihar saw 2.49% of NOTA votes, which remains the highest NOTA votes polled so far in any state in assembly elections. In the 2016 assembly elections held in Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Puducherry, and Tamil Nadu, the NOTA vote share dropped again to 1.6% with Tamil Nadu polling the highest of 2.94% and Kerala, the lowest of 0.53%.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, 59,99,247 voters opted for NOTA which was 1.1%

of total votes. Puducherry polled the highest NOTA (3%) in Lok Sabha elections. In 17 states/union territories, the number of NOTA votes was above the national average in Lok Sabha elections. There is variation in the NOTA votes polled by the states in assembly elections in comparison with the NOTA polling of these states in the Lok Sabha elections (Table 1).

Across elections, the number of NOTA votes polled was larger than the winning margin in several of the constituencies. This was the case in 55 out of 629 constituencies across four states that went to the polls in 2013. In 2014, 62 out of 1,079 constituencies across nine states had NOTA exceeding the winning margins. In the 2015 assembly elections, this was true for 21 out of 313 constituencies, and in 2016, for 62 of 824 constituencies. In the Lok Sabha elections, NOTA votes exceeded the winning margin in 24 of 543 constituencies. In these constituencies, the NOTA votes did make a difference to the election results assuming that in the absence of this option, a majority of NOTA voters would have preferred one or the other candidate in the fray.

Early Indications

In general, there has been a higher use of NOTA in the constituencies reserved for SCs/STs. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the top five constituencies in NOTA votes were all reserved constituencies (Figure 1, p 29). These are Bastar (5.03%) in Chhattisgarh, Nilgiris (4.98%) in Tamil Nadu, Nabrangpur (4.34%) in Odisha, Tura (4.1%) in Meghalaya, and Dahod (3.58%) in Gujarat. Four constituencies shown in Figure 1, namely, Nilgiri, Nabrangpur, Tura, and Ratlam are left-wing extremism (LWE) affected areas.

In the 2013 assembly elections, 15 reserved constituencies occupied top slots in NOTA votes (Figure 2). The highest NOTA was recorded in Bijapur (10.15%) followed by Chitrakot (9.09%), Dantewada (8.93%) in Chhattisgarh, Junnardeo (6.05%) in Madhya Pradesh, and Narainpur (5.98%) in Chhattisgarh. In the 2014 assembly elections as well, five reserved constituencies were at the top in NOTA votes (Figure 3). Gadchiroli (10.8%) in Maharashtra polled highest NOTA followed by Jharigam (6.11%) in Odisha, Aheri (4.86%), Kalyan Rural (4.68%) in Maharashtra, and Jagnathapur (4.43%) in Jharkhand. Of the 55 assembly constituencies where NOTA votes exceeded the winning margin in the 2013 elections, 29 were reserved constituencies.

Assembly elections in 2014 saw 26 reserved constituencies among the 62 constituencies where number of NOTA votes were higher than the winning margins. In the 2015 assembly elections two SC constituencies from Bihar, Kusheshwar Asthan (6.18%) and Chenari (5.88%) featured at the top. This trend was not stark in the 2016 assembly elections, but two reserved constituencies, Krishnarayapuram (5.64%) in Tamil Nadu, and Nagarkata (4.37%) in West Bengal, were among the top 15.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, six reserved constituencies figured among 24 constituencies where number of NOTA votes were higher than winning margins. The preponderance of NOTA votes in reserved constituencies seem to be a reflection of the resentment among the general category voters about the requirement of having to choose an SC or ST candidate.

However, in the 2015 and 2016 elections (Figures 4 and 5), the higher percentage of NOTA is not specific to reserved constituencies. In fact, only two and four reserved constituencies in 2015 and 2016 respectively have been present amongst the top 15 constituencies with the highest NOTA votes.

Voters in regions affected by LWE have shown relatively greater preference to NOTA. In the 2013 assembly elections, Bijapur (10.15%), Chitrakot (9.09%), Dantewada (8.93%), Kondagaon (5.98%), Konta (5.91%), Mohla Manpur (4.95%) of Chhattisgarh figured in the top constituencies going by the number of NOTA votes polled. All these constituencies have been affected by LWE. The assembly constituencies of Gadchiroli (10.8%), Jharigram (6.11%), Kalyan Rural (4.68%), Jangnathpur (4.43%), Chatra (4.25%), Umarkote (3.63%), and Chattarpur (3.43%) that figured in the list of top NOTA polling constituencies in the 2014 elections are also from LWE affected regions.

The trend continued in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls elections with Bastar (5.03%), Nilgiris (4.98%), and Nabrangpur (4.34%) polling the highest percentages of NOTA votes polled. In the 2015 assembly elections, there were no LWE constituencies that went to polls. In the 2016 assembly elections, the LWE effected constituencies of West Bengal like Binpur (2.97%), Raghunathpur (2.6%), featured in the top 15 constituencies that had relatively high levels of NOTA.

In the 2016 assembly elections, West Bengal is the only state with LWE constituencies that went to polls. It is worthwhile to note that although voters from these LWE constituencies resorted to NOTA, it has been much lower than in case of other LWE constituencies in prior elections. This pattern could be because of the growing suppression as well as measures that encourage the surrender of Naxalites by the Mamata Banerjee government. Hence, the use of NOTA as a mode of protest might have been low.

Given the disaffection among the people in these areas against the Indian state, these numbers are expected. Interestingly, however, these voters have used the democratic means of NOTA to express their resentment rather than boycotting the polls. They may be using NOTA to remind the state about their presence.

Across elections, there is a higher usage of NOTA in states where the Indian National Congress and the BJP were engaged in a direct contest. The clear examples are Madhya Pradesh (1.89%), Chhattisgarh (3.1%), Jharkhand (1.78%) and Rajasthan (1.9%). Bihar, which registered 2.49% NOTA votes also saw a two-way contest between the BJP and the Congress-backed mahagathbandhan. In contrast, Delhi, which has seen three elections since the introduction of NOTA has consistently polled less than 1% NOTA votes. Here, the Aam Aadmi Party with no baggage of a political past offered an alternative to the mainstream political parties to the voters. This may be an indication of peoples disenchantment with the two mainstream parties and preference for a strong credible alternative.

The analysis of the Lok Sabha election results shows that there is a negative correlation between the number of independent candidates and NOTA votes polled. In the 2013 assembly elections, Manipur, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan showed a similar negative correlation between NOTA polled and the number of independent candidates. This was also true for Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Sikkim, and Maharashtra in 2014. The same is seen in the 2015 assembly elections in Bihar. In 2016, only West Bengal has shown a positive correlation between NOTA and the percentage of independent candidates. Both Kerala and Puducherry have shown a negative correlation between NOTA and the total number of candidates. This could be because a larger number of independent candidates would mean more choices to the voters, leading to decline in NOTA polled.

Higher Voter Turnout?

A popular perception that was also expressed by the Supreme Court in its judgment was NOTAs potential to increase voter turnout. Available literature hardly indicates anything on this. The experience in other countries voting shows mixed results.

Chile discarded compulsory voting in 2013 and voter turnout declined drastically from 87.67% in the 2009 elections to 49.25% in the 2013 parliamentary elections (IDEA 2014). The state of

Nevada in the US which instituted negative voting in 1976 has interestingly seen a decline in voter turnout since the introduction of negative voting (Katju 2013). In Bangladesh, negative voting option was introduced in 2008 with the right to reject. Voter turnout saw a dramatic rise in the subsequent parliamentary elections reaching 85.26% but declined drastically to 51.37% in the 2014 election (IDEA 2014).

Voting trends in India suggest that NOTA need not necessarily drive up voter turnout (Table 2). In the Lok Sabha elections, NOTA had no correlation with voter turnout. In the assembly elections, except Sikkim and Maharashtra, no other state showed any significant relationship between NOTA and voter turnout. While Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh showed a positive correlation, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Haryana showed a negative correlation. In the 2016 assembly elections three statesTamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Puducherryout of five showed a significant negative correlation with NOTA percentage.

Conclusions

The NOTA performance in India has not been subjected to any academic analysis possibly because the numbers are low. As a significant tool to express dissent through electoral participation, it is worthwhile to capture the early indicators and patterns in NOTA usage. The trends so far show that at least a small number of Indian voters have come to see NOTA as an instrument of protest against many things that they believe is problematic with the political system of the country. However, it will become a meaningful means of negative voting only if it becomes a right to reject rather than being a symbolic instrument to express resentment as it is now.

References

Election Commission of India (2015): Symbol of None of the Above (NOTA) Option, New Delhi, http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=127022.

IDEA (2014): Voter Turnout, International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, http://www.idea.int/data-tools/question-view/521.

Katju, M (2013): The None of the Above Option, Economic & Political Weekly, Vol 48, No 42, pp 1012.

Peoples Union for Civil Liberties v Union of India (2013): Writ Petition (Civil) No 161 of 2004,

Supreme Court judgment dated 27 September 2013.

Quraishi, S Y (2013): Pressure of a Button, Indian Express, 3 October.
The debate over the right of individuals to a dignified death has opened up again following the recent appeal for euthanasia by a couple in Mumbai. The possibility that the Medical Treatment of Terminally Ill Patients (Protection of Patients and Medical Practitioners) Bill, 2016 could be passed by Parliament has also provided the context for public discussion on the issue.

On 21 December 2017, Narayan Lavate (86) and his wife Iravati (79) wrote to the President of India seeking permission to end their lives through medical intervention. They declared that they have had a happy life, were in reasonably good health, and had no dependents or liabilities. It would be unfair, they argued, to force them to continue waiting to die of serious ailments, which would leave one of them bereaved and destined to a lonely death. Before this, in 1977, C A Thomas Master had moved the Kerala High Court seeking permission to end his life, arguing that he had fulfilled his lifes mission and had no desire to live any longer. In 2000, the court dismissed the petition. Meanwhile, Karibasamma from Karnataka, in her late 70s and fighting excruciating pain from an intervertebral disc prolapse, waits for a time when the law will allow her an honourable death. All three cases voice a common demand for the right to die with honour.

Euthanasia continues to be illegal in India, though the 2011 Supreme Court judgment in Aruna Ramchandra Shanbaug v Union of India & Ors allowed withdrawal of life support in the case of patients who are permanently in a vegetative state with no chance of recovery. It made a distinction between passive and active euthanasia, the former being withdrawal of treatment while the latter indicating the active process of causing death through medical interventions. The current bill aims to legislate the Supreme Court order into law.

The euthanasia debate in India is predominantly shaped by the question of who owns life and who has the right to decide when to end it. While this debate is likely to continue, a productive way to engage with the issue is to understand what the demand for euthanasia implies for the state of Indias public health. Appeals for euthanasia become particularly pressing given how difficult it is to die with honour in India. The governments discomfort with living willsa will whereby an individual can refuse treatment in the futureand active euthanasia is the possibility of their misuse by relatives who may have a vested interest in hastening the death of the elderly. This is ironical given how little the government does to ensure that illnesses are not misused by the private healthcare industry.

India is one of the worst countries to die in, especially for those suffering from terminal illnesses. In 2015, the Economist Intelligence Unit brought out a Quality of Death Index, which ranked India 67th out of the 80 countries it had surveyed. In December 2017, a joint report published by the World Health Organization and the World Bank revealed that 49 million Indians are pushed into poverty every year due to out-of-pocket expenditure on healthcare, accounting for half of the 100 million who meet such a fate worldwide. Indias Central Bureau of Health Intelligence data puts the figure even higher. This unconscionable situation is the direct outcome of the sorry state of our public health system. Indias spending on health is among the lowest in the world. The Economic Survey 201718 shows that the government spends only 1.4% of its gross domestic product (GDP) on health. The 2017 National Health Policy, which otherwise exudes piety in its abstractions, aims to increase government expenditure to 2.5% of GDP by 2025. By all accounts, this is too little too late.

The situation improves only marginally for the better-off sections. With over 90% of intensive care units in the private healthcare sector, it is largely this section that can access expensive treatments. But this does not improve end-of-life situations for them. Awareness and training in palliative care remain grossly inadequate. For those making profit in the private healthcare sector, there is no incentive to provide such treatment. Instead, treatment for the terminally ill continues to involve prolonging life with expensive, invasive, and painful treatment with very little concern for the patients themselves or their families.

When a government fails to ensure a life with dignity for the sick and the elderly, it loses all moral authority to deny people the right to a dignified death. But the laws of the land make a distinction between right to life, held to be a natural right, and right to death, seen as unnatural. What remains forgotten is that the state in India arrogates to itself the right to death on many occasions; capital punishment is upheld by law, and encounter killings are given legitimacy under sweeping legal provisions in both paramilitary and police operations. However, the demand for the right to death for individual citizens must simultaneously articulate the right to quality and affordable public healthcare, and protection from exploitation by private interests. The current debate on euthanasia should therefore be examined in the light of our crumbling public health system.
pankajk83 said: Hi Auld Yin and Colchar,



I don't mean to be disrespectful. The very fact that you are trying to help means a lot. I read on a few other forums that a few Indians had shown a PF statement when they got the ITA. Once the PR was granted, they liquidated these funds into the bank account. This is exactly what I had in mind. However, if you think even this approach is unacceptable by CIC, it would be really helpful to know. Click to expand...

Have you read the CIC website to see what they require?As they're the ones who will be adjudicating the application, they would and should be your first "go to" source of information about what they require from you to lodge a successful application - after all, ita good chunk of money you're having to part with and your whole future in Canada depends on the outcome of your application and you're not the first person nor will you be the last person from India to apply to come to Canada, so it's very likely they will be able to help you with your query.If I were you, I'd read what they have to say first and then email them for more information, if there is any part of their information that I found unclear.
My wife and I are thinking of moving to Portugal apply to the Golden Visa Program. Can someone help me understand the healthcare situation. How soon can we apply for Portuguese healthcare? I assume 5 years but perhaps not.



If we cannot get their healthcare, what are the best companies to purchase insurance from and what does it cost? I looked at Cigna but it is very expensive.



Thanks.
Josh O'Connor had to stop filming 'God's Own Country' to deliver a lamb.

Josh O'Connor and Alec Secareanu

The 27-year-old actor spent several weeks working on a farm as research for his role as farmer Johnny and immersed himself in the experience as much as he could.

He told heat magazine: "It was part of wanting the whole thing to be authentic.

"I worked with a guy called John for three weeks before filming and during the shoot.

"I'd be doing a scene, they'd yell cut and then John would come and get me and I'd help deliver a lamb.

"So I wasn't in a trailer with my feet up, I was going to the farm and sticking my hand up a cow's a**e."

Josh believes audiences will be able to connect with troubled Johnny, who finds a new way to love when he meets a Romanian migrant worker - who is played by Alec Secareanu - and wanted to show how there is always "hope".

He said: "I think we all have, or have had, a character like Johnny in our lives - someone who is so angry and seems to have no hope.

"He's a hot mess who lets his anger out with casual sex and alcohol abuse.

"Somewhere deep within me is someone like that, and we've all dated someone like that, so I wanted to give the other side of that story.

"I wanted to show how he gets hope in his life. I wanted to see that film."

And the actor is very proud that shooting each scene took so few takes to get right.

He said: "The descriptions of the sex scenes in the script are very vivid and visceral and beautiful and then we choreographed them so we did know what we were going to do.

"Like the sex scene in the mud, which is so mad and dirty and wild, was so carefully choreographed that we did it in two takes. In fact, there's not one scene in the whole film that we did more than twice."
Michael B. Jordan trained for a year-and-a-half before he began filming 'Black Panther'.

Michael B Jordan

The 31-year-old actor stars as villain Erik Kilmonger in the new Marvel Cinematic Universe movie and revealed the intense training regime - which he compared to a "Swiss army knife" - he had to do helped him prepare for the role.

Speaking to the Metro Online at the European premiere of 'Black Panther' at London's Eventim Apollo on Thursday (08.02.18), Jordan said: "I spent a lot of time alone. Erik's a very lonely guy, a very pained character so that's part of it. And also like physically preparing for it, working out, training, it was kind of a Swiss army knife of a lot of different skill sets. So training for about a year and half before we started filming really helped with the preparation for the role."

The motion picture is expected to expand on the storyline that was first introduced in 'Captain America: Civil War' of how T'Challa - played by Chadwick Boseman - becomes the Black Panther.

T'Challa's father T'Chaka is king of the African nation 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.

Other actors in the movie include Forest Whitaker, who takes on the role of Zuri, an elder statesman in Wakanda, Lupita Nyong'o as Nakia and 'The Walking Dead' star Danai Gurira - who portrays Okoye, the head of the Dora Milaje, the Black Panther's personal bodyguards.

Jordan also admitted he thinks the film - which has been praised for having a predominately all-black cast - will have an impact on children growing up.

He told the Daily Star newspaper: "I'd watch films growing up and I'd automatically play make-believe. I watched 'Blade' and I saw Wesley [Snipes] ... I was seeing someone that resembles me. I think about what this movie is going to do to kids growing up."
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DGAP-Ad-hoc: Airbus SE / Key word(s): Legal Matter Airbus SE: Munich Public Prosecutor ends Eurofighter Austria investigation 09-Feb-2018 / 17:45 CET/CEST Disclosure of an inside information acc. to Article 17 MAR, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. *Ad-hoc release, 9 February 2018* *Munich Public Prosecutor ends Eurofighter Austria investigation *  Resolution of legacy compliance cases continues  Administrative penalty notice recognises full cooperation with authorities and major efforts by Airbus to foster compliance processes and organisation since 2012 The investigation of Airbus Defence and Space GmbH by the Munich Public Prosecutor (Staatsanwaltschaft Munchen I) related to the sale of Eurofighter aircraft to the Republic of Austria in 2003 has been terminated. The result of the investigation by the Munich Public Prosecutor, which had been ongoing since 2012, did not confirm the allegations of bribery. In order to conclude the investigation, the Munich Public Prosecutor has issued an administrative penalty notice against Airbus Defence and Space GmbH under the German Act on Administrative Misdemeanours ("Ordnungswidrigkeitengesetz") amounting to EUR 81.25 million. The total amount comprises an administrative fine of EUR 250,000 and a disgorgement of EUR 81 million. Airbus Defence and Space GmbH has accepted this notice. The notice is based on the allegation of a negligent breach of supervisory duties of non-identified members of Airbus Defence and Space GmbH's former management. The notice alleges that certain former management negligently failed to ensure proper internal controls that would have prevented employees from making payments to business partners without proven documented services in exchange. On the other hand, the notice explicitly recognizes the major efforts undertaken by Airbus and its management since 2012, which have resulted in a new Compliance culture and a serious Compliance programme. Since the beginning of the investigation, Airbus has fully cooperated with the Munich Public Prosecutor. This included the provision of an independent fact finding report of the law firm Clifford Chance, which Airbus shared with the Munich Public Prosecutor in 2014. ***** *About Airbus* Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2016 it generated revenues of EUR67 billion and employed a workforce of around 134,000. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners from 100 to more than 600 seats and business aviation products. Airbus is also a European leader providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft, as well as one of the world's leading space companies. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide. *Media contacts* Martin Aguera +49 175 227 4369 Gregor Kursell +49 177 725 3027 Matthieu Duvelleroy +33 629 431 564 09-Feb-2018 CET/CEST The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.dgap.de Language: English Company: Airbus SE P.O. Box 32008 2303 DA Leiden Netherlands Phone: 00 800 00 02 2002 Fax: +49 (0)89 607 - 26481 Internet: www.airbusgroup.com ISIN: NL0000235190 WKN: 938914 Indices: MDAX Listed: Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich, Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange End of Announcement DGAP News Service 653135 09-Feb-2018 CET/CEST

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

February 09, 2018 11:45 ET (16:45 GMT)
The Budget expectations on indirect tax front were already low-spirited, given the little room to tweak indirect taxes.

The Finance Minister Arun Jaitley made it clear in his first Budget that, my aim is to lay down a broad policy indicator of the direction in which we wish to take this country. The steps that I will announce in this Budget are only the beginning of a journey towards a sustained growth.

Fiscal prudence, stable and predictable taxation regime, reducing litigation, easing burden on individual taxpayers, targeting the problem of black money were some of the thrust areas laid down by the Finance Minister. Sab Ka Saath Sab Ka Vikas promised uplift of rural economy by push to the agricultural sector, more employment generation opportunities through the Make in India campaign, support to the weaker sections, etc. These policy statements and some others have found place in his subsequent Budget speeches as well.

Considering that Union Budget 2018-19 has been announced, it is an opportune time to decipher what has been delivered against promises made a little less than four years ago.

On the fiscal front, Finance Minister has delivered a reduction in fiscal deficit at 3.5 percent vis-a-vis the fiscal deficit target of 4.1 percent inherited by him in his first Budget. While this reduction may not appear to be significant as compared to the target of 3 percent fiscal deficit set by him for Financial Year (FY) 2016-17, time taken by the Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenues to stabilise, reduction in central share of taxes, bank recapitalisation are some of the factors that have put pressure on revenues of center over these years.

A moderate reduction to 3.3 percent planned in fiscal deficit may be attributable to increased thrust on socialistic measures before election year. However, the Finance Minister has accepted recommendations made by the Fiscal Reform and Budget Management Committee to bring down the governments debt to Gross Domestic Product (GDP)ratio and as such, shown commitment to fiscal discipline.

The finance minister has taken a bold move to set speculation on long-term capital gains on equity investments to rest by bringing the same in tax net. However, he has grandfathered past gains and as such, delivered on his promise of not resorting to retrospective changes frequently.

There was a post-Budget debate on whether foreign institutional investors would also benefit from grandfathering provisions. The finance ministry was quick enough to come out with FAQs, so as to clear air on the said issue. The readers may remember, the experience was similar with provisions regarding General Anti Avoidance Rule(GAAR) that grandfathered past investments. Clarifications in past on indirect transfer provisions were also aimed to reduce rigor of the provisions. Thus, the government is committed to deliver non-adversarial tax regime, as promised.

Much expected relief has not been granted to working class individual taxpayers except for standard deduction to salaried class taxpayers (largely offset by removal of conveyance and medical benefits). Rather taxes would go up in many cases due to increase in Health and Education cess.

However, the tax liability (after considering various benefits) post Budget 2018-19 for salary class (earning Rs 10 lakh) has reduced to less than half of the tax liability as per tax provisions prevailing at the time when the first Budget was presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

Senior citizens have benefited much more, with non-taxable income limit going up by more than 50 percent in similar period, after considering various benefits.

Intention for removal of various incentives was mooted with a promise of corresponding reduction in corporate tax rates. While doing so, the finance minister also tried removing irony that large corporates had lesser effective corporate tax rates and smaller corporates have higher effective corporate tax rates, by offering tax rate reduction to smaller corporates.

There have been several measures to curb black money, including demonetisation, enactment of the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Act, 2016, launching of Operation Clean Money, etc. Growth rate of personal tax collections and tax buoyancy have gone up post these measures.

Further, renegotiation of Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements (DTAAs) with other countries to bring the article on exchange of information to international standards and expanding Indias treaty network by signing new DTAAs and Tax Information Exchange Agreements (TIEAs) with many jurisdictions to facilitate the exchange of information are expected to bring more transparency and thereby, curb tax evasion practices.

Steps towards e-assessment, greater reliance on advance ruling and advance pricing mechanisms, introduction of limited scrutiny guidelines, thresholds for disputed demand collection, revisions in safe harbour provisions and such other measures over last few years have laid a path for reduction in unwarranted litigation.

On the indirect tax front, it was the first Budget post the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the country's biggest tax reform. Major portion of indirect tax has gone under GST, which is governed by GST council. As such, the Budget expectations on indirect tax front were already low-spirited, given the little room to tweak indirect taxes.

After the implementation of GST, the governments revenue had been declining, which, as stated above, had put pressure on an already strained fiscal deficit target of the government. It now expects GST revenue to rise once matching of invoices and e-way bills come into full swing. Therefore, in achieving its aim for fiscal consolidation in this Budget, a sharp recovery in GST revenue has been factored in.

There were hopes that the government will reveal its intention of bringing the real estate sector under the purview of GST along with petrol, diesel and natural gas. Further, it was expected that the government irons out some issues that are plaguing the GST regime such as export refunds that are stuck with GST department, technological bottlenecks and more. Surprisingly, nothing was touched; rather, it seems that it has been kept for GST Council, which is the right authority on GST.

While there has been lot of criticism that the government is focused only on interests of industrialists, the Union Budget 2018-19 has taken a slew of measures for farmers, rural economy, weaker sections. This was to some extent on expected lines given the upcoming election year. Clean India and medical insurance drives should help improve the health index for the poor sections of the society.

The government continues to back the infrastructure sector by providing it impetus Budget after Budget. This is intended to bridge any shortfall in private investment and boost employment generation. Thus, the finance minister has walked the path laid down by him. It remains to be seen how people of India react next year to the claim made in Budget of Strong, Confident and a New India built over these years.

Click here for full coverage of Union Budget 2018.

(The writer is Partner, Tax, KPMG in India. This piece was co-authored with Chetan Kakariya and Khushboo Kundalia, chartered accountants)
Indian officials said India continued to support the Palestinian cause and that Modis visit is aimed at helping build up the Palestinians capacity in the health, information technology and education areas

New Delhi: After a public embrace of Israel as a strategic partner, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is headed to Palestinian territories and the Gulf countries to bolster long-standing political and economic ties.

India was one of the earliest champions of the Palestinian cause but in recent years turned to Israel for high-tech military equipment and anti-terrorism cooperation.

Under Modi, whose nationalist party sees Israel as a natural ally against Islamist extremism, ties have flourished. Modi made the first trip to Israel by an Indian prime minister last year followed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus visit to India last month.

But Indian officials said India continued to support the Palestinian cause and that Modis visit is aimed at helping build up the Palestinians capacity in the health, information technology and education areas.

We have de-hyphenated our relations with Palestine and Israel and now we see them both as mutually independent and exclusive and as part of this policy the prime minister is undertaking this visit, B Bala Bhaskar, a joint secretary in the Indian foreign ministry, said.

The two sides are building an India-Palestinian technology park in Ramallah, the Palestinians seat of government, which will develop IT expertise and generate employment.

Modi is headed to Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. During his visit to Israel last year, he did not travel to the Palestinian headquarters as is usually the case with visiting leaders.

Looking forward to my discussions with President Mahmoud Abbas and reaffirming our support for the Palestinian people and the development of Palestine, Modi said in a Twitter post.

India was among more than 120 countries to vote in favour of a resolution in December calling for the United States to drop its recent recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital.

But the scale of Indias security and commercial ties with Israel dwarfs the engagement with the Palestinians. Israel is among Indias top three arms suppliers, doing business worth millions of dollars each year.

Modi and Netanyahu are now pushing for cooperation in agriculture, energy, and cybersecurity in addition to defence.

Modi will also travel to the United Arab Emirates, from where India gets half of its oil, and to Oman, with which Indias navy has built close security ties.

The Gulf is home to nine million Indians who remit $35 billion home each year, sustaining millions of families. The UAE committed an investment of $75 billion in India when Modi visited in 2015 and the two sides will be looking to advance that goal, the foreign ministry said.
The defence ministry has sanctioned Rs 1,487 crore to the army to fortify its bases in Jammu and Kashmir, North East and several other places to plug their security gaps and protect them from any terror attacks

New Delhi: The defence ministry has sanctioned Rs 1,487 crore to the army to fortify its bases in Jammu and Kashmir, North East and several other places to plug their security gaps and protect them from any terror attacks, official sources said on Saturday.

Clearing the project, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has set a deadline of 10 months for the army to carry it out. The army headquarters has been told to monitor implementation of the project, they said.

The sanction to the project comes amid heightened hostilities between Indian and Pakistani armies along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir and several terror attack targeting military installations.

Perimeter security will be strengthened at army bases under six commands, the sources said.

A security audit of military bases was carried out on the recommendation of a committee headed by Lieutenant General Philip Campose which was set up after the daring terror attack on the Pathankot air force base in 2016.

The committee was asked to recommend measures to beef up security at the military bases.

Following the security audit, revised standard operating procedures (SOPs) were sent to the commands of all three services to revamp their security management, including putting in place a multi-tier security structure.

A total of 3,000 sensitive bases, including 600 highly sensitive installations of the army, navy and the air force were identified by the forces months after the attack on Pathankot air base.

Separately, in July last year, the government had delegated "substantial" financial powers to the army, the navy and the Indian Air Force to strengthen perimeter security at sensitive bases across the country.
Goa minister Vijai Sardesai, who courted controversy by terming domestic tourists as 'scum of the earth', said a video of a tourist urinating triggered the sentiment.

Panaji: Goa's Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardesai, who courted controversy by terming domestic tourists as "scum of the earth", on Saturday said it was a recent video of a tourist urinating from a bus on to a popular road that triggered the sentiment.

Sardesai, who also now claims that he was quoted out of context, also said that he is unapologetic about his Friday comments about domestic tourists being the "scum of the earth", but clarified that this only applied to a "certain section" of them, not all.

"The people of Goa are disgusted with a few tourists, who come and use Goa as a dumping ground and who create nuisance. There are several instances, one of which is a video which has gone viral of a tourist urinating from the bus on one of Goa's most popular and well done roads from Miramar to Dona Paula. So, I am speaking for Goa," Sardesai said, in a fresh video released to the media on Saturday.

"People of Goa believe that a small section of the 6.5 million tourists who have come to Goa have created the biggest nuisance. These people have no civic sense. They are the ones creating the maximum garbage and maximum nuisance in Goa. So there is a general feeling among the people of Goa that we need to re-orient our tourism to what it was before," he said.

Sardesai has also stoked controversy by denigrating the credentials of tourists visiting Goa and accusing north Indians of trying to convert Goa into another Haryana.
The kingdoms bid to tide over the crisis by diversifying the economy and restricting jobs to its nationals through a nationalisation drive has put the expats in the doldrums.

The financial fraud case involving Benoy Vinodhini Balakrishnan caught headlines in Kerala because he happened to be the son of the state secretary of the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist).

But migration experts view the case as a reflection of the larger crisis businesses face in the Middle East in the wake of falling oil prices. Many Keralites, who built business empires from the petrodollar boom in the 1960s, have fallen by wayside in the slide of the oil-based economy in most Gulf countries.

M Ramachandran, who developed a large chain of jewellery outlets around the world from a tiny showroom he set up in Kuwait City in the 1970s, is languishing in a jail in Dubai along with his daughter for the last two years in a Rs 1,000-crore financial fraud case.

P Mohamed Ali, who was ranked as one of the 10 richest Indians in the Middle East for 10 consecutive years, spent two years in jail in Oman in a corruption case. Ali, the founder of Oman-based Galfar Engineering and Contracting Co., was released in June 2016 as part of the general amnesty declared in connection with the Holy Month of Ramadan.

Benoy, who borrowed nearly Rs 7 crore from a tourism company in a bid to expand his business to Saudi Arabia, Nepal and India, is holed up in Dubai following a travel ban imposed by a court in the emirate. His brother Bineesh Kodiyeri is also a wanted man in UAE in connection with a similar cheating case.

Same is the fate of Sreejith, son of CPM Chavara MLA Vijayan Pillai, who managed to return to Kerala before a court in Dubai sentenced him to two years imprisonment in a Rs 11-crore cheating case.

They are among a large number of Keralites whose business plans have been shaken by the current crisis. A consortium of banks in UAE has filed cases against 22 Keralites, who have absconded after cheating the banks of Rs 1,000 crores, in the Chief Judicial Magistrates Court in Ernakulam.

These men were apparently inspired by the rag to riches stories of Malayali business tycoons like Yusuf Ali, Ravi Pillai, Azad Moopen, PNC Menon, Sunny Varkey and Joy Alukkas who built their business empires in the early days of the oil boom.

The steady fall in oil prices coupled with the global economic crisis have shattered their businesses dreams. The crisis has also hit big and small businesses across the Middle East, rendering thousands of expatriates redundant. While many have packed their bags and returned home, others are pulling on with reduced wages and allowances.

The crisis affected Saudi Arabia, the largest producer of oil in the world, most since its economy was built around oil. The kingdoms bid to tide over the crisis by diversifying the economy and restricting jobs to its nationals through a nationalisation drive has put the expats in the doldrums.

The nationalisation or Nitaqat was introduced in 2011 by the Ministry of Labour with the aim of cutting down unemployment among Saudis from 12.8 percent to 9 percent by the year 2020 and to 7 percent by 2030. The kingdom plans to nationalise 1.2 million jobs now being occupied by expatriates in the private sector by 2020.

Nitaqat requires employers with over nine employees to hire a certain percentage of Saudi nationals, depending on the companys size and the number of their employees. The companies receive incentives or penalties depending on the category they belong to.

The governments next target is public sector, according to Saudi Gazette, an English language daily published from Jeddah. The plan is to get rid of all expatriate workers from government jobs within three years. The Ministry of Civil Service has asked all ministries and government departments to replace 70,000 expatriate workers with Saudi nationals by 2020.

The governments ultimate goal is to transition to a nearly all-Saudi workforce by 2030. Expat labourers account for roughly a third of Saudi Arabias 27 million population. The Indians constitute about 12 percent of the expatriate workforce. About a sixth of this is from Kerala.

Nitaqat will affect Keralites hard since a large number of them are working in the business categories covered by it, says Thomas Mathew, who works in Al Khobar. A large number of them have been working as salesmen, drivers, nurses and office assistants.

He said about 10 percent of Keralites working in Saudi are professionals like doctors and engineers, another 10 percent non-professionals in white collar jobs, while the remainder consists of workers such as technicians, maintenance personnel, maids, drivers, and farm labourers.

"Barring the professionals and highly skilled workers, others will have to leave Saudi sooner or later. A large number of Keralites working in retail outlets have already lost their jobs. The government recent decision to grant driving license to Saudi women will drive out most of the drivers too soon," he said.

Ashraf Vengath, a member of the Loka Kerala Sabha from Saudi, said over 70 percent of Keralites may have to return within a short period if the current pace of Nitaqat continues as it is. He said that the recent government decision to ban expats from 12 job areas will be the last straw for Keralites.

The new areas brought under Nitaqat are watch shops, optical stores, medical equipment stores, electrical and electronics shops, outlets selling car spare part, building material shops, outlets selling all types of carpets, automobile and mobile shops, shops selling home furniture and ready-made office material, sale outlets of ready-made garments, children clothes and men's supplies, household utensils shops and pastry shops, according to Khaleej Times, a daily published from Dubai.

Apart from job loss, many Keralites have also lost small-scale shops and establishments they run under licences in the names of Saudi nationals. They were shut down following the government insistence to have 10 percent Saudi employees. Ashraf said it was not viable to run companies with local employees since they should be paid at least three times more salary than their expatriate counterparts.

Saudis leading English daily, Arab News, reported that over 212,000 business concerns had gone out of business within three years of the implementation of Nitaqat. They were shut down due to their failure to meet the Nitaqat target.

The Kerala government has no data about Keralites who have returned or how many will return from Saudi as a result of Nitaqat. According to new statistics from the kingdoms General Authority for Statistics, more than 94,000 foreign workers left Saudi Arabia in the third quarter of 2017 alone. The statistics showed that the number of foreign workers came down from 10.79 million to 10.6 million between July and September, 2017.

A report by Banque Saudi Fransi, a Saudi joint stock company, has estimated the number of foreign workers to leave Saudi by 2020 at 6.7 lakhs. According to the report, 165,000 expats are expected to leave the country every year.

TM George, who returned from Riyadh recently, said a bulk of these will be Indians since they constitute the largest number of the expatriate community in Saudi. He told Firstpost that the Nitaqat will also affect future recruitments from the country.

Ministry of Labour and Social Development (MLSD) said in its annual report that they had rejected 533,016 applications for work visas in 2016, representing about 62.77 percent of the total foreign recruitment requests. A Saudi Gazette report said that the ministry had approved only 316,212 work visa applications during the year.

Saudi was one of the most preferred destinations of job seekers until recently as it offered scope higher saving. With the introduction of new taxes and increase in rent, medical expenses, school fees, transport and the high cost of essential items living in Saudi has become tough for low paid expats in the kingdom, said George, who decided to call it a day due to rise in the cost of living.
Two foreign journalists, including an Indian national, working for French news agency AFP who were arrested by the Maldivian police for violating immigration rules, have been ordered to leave the island nation facing political turmoil

Male: Two foreign journalists, including an Indian national, working for French news agency AFP who were arrested by the Maldivian police for violating immigration rules, have been ordered to leave the island nation facing political turmoil.

The two journalists, Indian national Money Sharma and British national of Indian-origin Atish Ravi Patel, were handed over to immigration authorities by the police after it was found that they were working in violation of the country's immigration rules, the police said in a statement.

"These individuals were found to be working and reporting as journalists while on a tourist visa, in contravention of the Immigration Act and Regulations," the statement said.

The Maldives police, however, clarified that no legal action will be taken against the two journalists.

"We would like to note that although they have been asked to leave the Maldives, no other legal steps shall be taken against them," the police said.

The action against the two journalists came as a privately-owned television station in the Maldives went off the air, citing threats during the country's current state of emergency.

Rajje TV, which highlights the views of the political opposition, said in a statement that it stopped broadcasting because the country's environment does not allow journalists to report freely and independently, the AFP had reported.

Male, which has seen several political crises since the ouster of its first democratically-elected president Mohamed Nasheed in 2012, plunged into fresh chaos last Thursday when the Supreme Court ordered the release of nine imprisoned Opposition politicians, maintaining that their trials were "politically motivated and flawed".
The Indian Railways has decided to terminate the services of over 13,000 employees in bid to improve the organisation performance of the organisation.

The Indian Railways has decided to terminate the services of over 13,000 employees in a bid to improve the organisation's performance.

In a press release, the Ministry of Railways said that it has "launched the exercise to improve the performance of the organisation and to boost the morale of sincere and diligent employees" under the directions of the union minister Piyush Goyal.

"A massive drive to identify long term absentees in various establishments of Railways has been initiated. As a result of the said drive, Railways have detected more than 13,000 employees out of about 13 lakh employees who have been on unauthorised absence for a long time," the statement read.

It further said that the Indian Railways has initiated "disciplinary action" to terminate the services of such absentees.

The ministry has instructed all the officers and supervisors to begin the process to "weed out" the employees from the pay rolls.
Since its appearance in mid-2014, the Afzal Guru Squad has attacked several army installations in Jammu and Kashmir including the Pathankot airbase and the Uri Brigade

The 'Afzal Guru squad' which the security agencies believe is behind Saturday's attack on Sunjuwan Military Station in Jammu, is emerging as the biggest challenge for security agencies in Jammu and Kashmir. The suicide attackers of the squad have been able to carry out deadly attacks at will on security forces including the Indian Army, who have failed to put a break on their plans.

The militants managed to attack the Sunjuwan Military Station in Chenni, located on the outskirts of the Jammu city, despite a red alert about the possibility of a strike by Jaish-e-Mohammad militants to mark the fifth anniversary of the execution of Afzal Guru. The 2001 Parliament attack convict was hanged inside Tihar Jail and buried there on 9 February, 2013.

The attack also points to significant security lapse as the militants were able to enter the military station from the rear side and managed to reach the JCO quarters, deep inside the camp. And that is despite the fact that the Sunjuwan Military Station is a heavily fortified camp which is a thoroughly monitored and guarded army installation.

"It's almost impossible to breach the security at the front gate. That is the reason why they chose to enter the camp from the rear side. And they must have walked almost 200 meters and reached the JCO quarters, a senior Indian Army officer told Firstpost on the condition of anonymity.

This points at a possible security lapse, he added.

The Indian Air Force para commandos which were airlifted from Udhampur have already reached the site, however, the operation is likely to take longer than expected as they are moving ahead cautiously.

One Jaish-e-Mohammed militant has reportedly been killed, while others are currently holed up near a building in the camp and the army would like to take every move with caution as the family members of the officers are still trapped in nearby buildings, officials said, adding that there's no hostage situation inside the camp.

The operation is being carried out in such a manner that the number of casualties doesnt go up. Two army men have already been killed so far four soldiers have suffered injuries. We don't want to take more casualties, the army officer said.

In Kashmir, security forces have sealed almost all the entry and exit points of Srinagar, when Jaish-e-Mohammed militants struck the Sunjuwan military station at around 4.45 am on Saturday.

Unlike other attacks carried out by the Afzal Guru squad, this one was close to Jammu city, and not along the Line of Control (LoC) or the International Border, as has been the trend with most of the attacks carried out by the group.

This time too, the security agencies were expecting an attack along the LoC or the International Border but not so close to the Jammu city.

How did the militants manage to reach Sunjuwan is a million dollar question that has to be investigated because the nearest International Border fence in RS Pura sector is at least 35 kilometers from the Sunjuwan Military Station," an official said.

The Afzal Guru Squad first surfaced with a series of devastating raids in mid-2014 on army installations along the LoC and the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir. Inside the Indian Army bases, the squad left their signatures in blood. In some attacks, the group also left a terse message  It is revenge for Afzal Guru  on the installations which they targeted. The first raids were carried out by members of the squad against army bases in Mohra and Tangdhar in north Kashmir. They were followed up with attacks in Kathua and Samba of Jammu division. The most devastating attack took place at the Pathankot airbase which put brakes on the fragile India-Pakistan bonhomie.

The announcement of the formation of the Afzal Guru Squad was made by Jaish-e-Mohammad founder and militant cleric Maulana Masood Azhar, whose enmity with India dates back to three decades. Azhar had announced the formation of the Afzal Guru Squad in 2014. The group had more than 300 hundred fidayeen ready to carry out attacks in India, according to a speech delivered by Azhar in January 2014.

The last attack by the Afzal Guru Squad took place at a paramilitary base in the highly fortified Humhama area outside Srinagar city. The three attackers who penetrated the headquarters of the 182 Battalion of Border Security Force were part of a batch of 17 militants who had infiltrated the Kashmir Valley in the midsummer 2017 and established bases in south Kashmir.

Around seven to ten members of the batch  which includes at least one more fidayeen squad  were, according to ADGP Jammu and Kashmir Police Munir Khan, "untraceable".

The attack on the BSF camp came after three militants from the Afzal Guru Squad carried out a similar attack on District Police Lines (DPL) on 26 August, that left eight personnel of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) dead, in Pulwama of south Kashmir.

The biggest attack that the group carried out in Kashmir Valley was the one on Uri Brigade in 2016 that left 19 army soldiers dead. The four attackers were killed as well.

It is quite possible the attackers who stormed the Sunjuwan army camp on Saturday are the same militants who were untraceable since 2017, but how they managed to reach Jammu despite such strict security is a cause of concern.
Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists attacked Sunjwan army camp on the outskirts of Jammu city. 2 soldiers killed and 9 people were injured in the attack

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The terrorists breached the rear side of the Sunjwan army camp near Chenni in the outskirts of the city during the intervening night, officials said.

Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists on Saturday attacked an army camp in the outskirts of Jammu city, leaving three people injured.

"Around 4:55 am suspicious movement was noticed by the santri. The santri bunker was fired upon and they retaliated. Number of terrorists isn't known. They've been cornered in one of the family quarters. Two have been injured: one Hawaldar and his daughter. Operation is on." Jammu IGP SD Singh Jamwal told ANI .

Last bullet fired one and a half hours ago, say reports

Intelligence inputs had warned an attack on the army or security establishment by Jaish-e-Mohammed in view of the death anniversary of Afsal Guru who was hanged on 9 February 2013.

Daughter of junior commissioned officer (JCO) succumbs to wounds while he continues to be critically injured

A group of militants hurled grenades and used heavy volume of automatic gunfire to enter the Sunjuwan Military Station, police sources said.

A red alert has been sounded in Jammu city following the attack on the Sunjwan Army camp on Saturday morning. According to India Today , the terrorists entered the camp through a nallah in the backside.

Militants had attacked the same army station in 2006. Twelve soldiers were killed and seven others were injured in that attack before the two 'fidayeen' (suicide) terrorists were killed.

The Union minister also directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to look into the matter.

Omar Abdullah says Sunjwan attack is disturbing, hopes for no loss to life of security forces

"We have ordered closure of schools in Sunjawan area as a precautionary measure in the wake of the terror attack," a senior official told PTI.

Authorities on Friday ordered closure of schools in Sunjwan belt of Jammu city in the wake of the terror attack on the army camp. Three to four militants stormed the Army camp at Sunjawan, leaving three persons injured.

In the attack that took place at Sunjwan army camp, two people have been killed and four injured, reported The Indian Express .

Two killed, four people have been injured so far

Ruckus in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly following the attack, reports CNN-News18

Four JeM terrorists are holed up inside the Sunjwan army camp. According to India Today, gunfire is going on inside the army camp.

A furor erupted in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly after Speaker Kavinder Gupta said the attack took place because Rohingiya Muslims are living close to the camp in Sujwan, Jammu. Opposition National Conference and Congress members stormed to the Well of the House after Speaker Gupta's remarks. As the ruckus turned intense, Gupta adjourned the house for 15 minutes.

Inspector General of Police (Jammu Range) SD Singh Jamwal said on Saturday: "Around 4.55 am, suspicious movement was noticed by the Santri and his bunker was fired upon, then the fire was retaliated. The number of militants isn't known yet; they've been cornered in one of the family quarters."

Militants cornered in one building, says top police official

Two JCOs killed and six injured in Jammu terror attack, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Abdul Rehman Veeri informs Jammu and Kashmir Assembly.

"Pakistani terrorists have been holed up in a building. They will be eliminated and neutralised," Jammu and Kashmir Deputy CM Nirmal Singh told CNN-News18.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri informed the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly that Subedar Maganlal and Subedar Mohammed Ashraf were killed in the attack by a group of militants.

Colonel Rohit Solanki, Havaldar Abdul Hamid and Lance Naik Bahadur Singh and Neha, daughter of Subedar Madan Lal Chowdhary, got injured who were initially shifted to Military Hospital, Satwari and afterwards to Government Medical College, Jammu for treatment.

Four injured being treated at Government Medical College in Jammu

Attack has been contained, operations still on: Army

Speaking to reporters, Union home minister Rajnath Singh said: "Till operations are not over, it won't be right for me to make any comments. Our army and security officials are doing their responsibility. They will never let our (country) down."

Army and security officials is capable of hitting back, says Rajnath Singh

If Pakistan wants good relations with India, it has to end terrorism, says Farooq Abdullah

Intermittent exchange of firing between militants and forces continues. The information about the attack was received by the police at around 5 am on Saturday. The police personnel were rushed in from a local police station that lies three kilometres away from the Sunjwan army camp. Policemen at Chenni police station were taken unawares as they woke up to gunshots.

Soon after the attack, reinforcements of the armys special forces and SOG rushed to the spot and cordoned off the whole area amid a fierce gunfight, a security official told PTI.

Security forces and police have cordoned off the area around the Sunjwan army camp. The camp falls under the first Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry in 36 Brigade.

Defence PRO RK Anand said to the press that quick response teams have cordoned off the area in the Sunjwan army camp where the terror attack took place. "They have isolated the militants into a limited area," he said. He added that the operation is still on and due to the presence of families in the area, the operations are being conducted very cautiously to minimize casualties.

Indian Army confirms death of one JCO, six others also injured in Sunjwan attack

There is no hostage crisis in Sunjwan army camp, ANI reports. The report adds that 19 of the 26 flats have been evacuated so far and the operation continues.

1 terrorist killed, 3 other terrorists still holed up in Sunjwan army camp, reports Times Now

We have forever embraced peace & have never been aggressors but anybody who has tried to breach our boundaries has been met with the might of India: Union Minister Smriti Irani in Mumbai pic.twitter.com/Zo2znT0ksU

"You can change your friends, but you can never change your neighbours. We as a country are a tolerant nation, cognizant of the fact that we live in a delicate environment. We are today confident enough to have a surgical strike and the world speak about our powers," Union minister Smriti Irani said in Mumbai in light of the Sunjuwan army camp terror attack, according to ANI. "We have forever embraced peace and have never been aggressors but anybody who has tried to breach our boundaries has been met with the might of India," she added.

"Anybody who has tried to breach our boundaries has been met with the might of India," says Smriti Irani

AK-56 assault rifles, army fatigues, grenades and other ammunition recovered from slain militants at Sunjuwan army camp

According to an official spokesperson, the governor spoke to Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General Devraj Anbu and expressed grief over the death of two army personnel, and wished the speedy recovery to those injured in the attack.  PTI

Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra expressed concern over the militant attack at Sunjuwan Army Camp in Jammu on Saturday and reiterated his advise about the need for an uncompromising audit of all security establishments.

Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra condemns Sunjuwan attack, stresses on need for audit of security establishments

#JammuAndKashmir : Locals provide food and water to security personnel at #SunjwanArmyCamp which was attacked by terrorists earlier today. pic.twitter.com/qo5Xh8PNm3

Director General of Police SP Vaid, Inspector General of Police, Jammu IGP SDS Jamwal, senior Army officers and officials of police and civil administration were also present there, he said.

According to an official spokesperson, the chief minister met all the injured and wished them a speedy recovery. She also interacted with the doctors and enquired about the condition of the injured. She assured all support from the state government in their treatment, the spokesperson was quoted as saying in a statement.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti visited the Army Hospital at Satwari in Jammu this evening and enquired about the condition of those injured in Saturday's militant attack on Sunjwan Army camp.

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti meets injured at the Military Hospital in Jammu

Visuals of Jammu and Kashmir chief minister #MehboobaMufti meeting injured soldiers at Military Hospital in #Jammu | #SunjwanArmyCamp Follow updates on #JammuTerrorAttack #LIVE : https://t.co/c1Cq5hrC0P pic.twitter.com/g7JOBiG4lJ

Visuals of Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti meeting injured soldiers at Military Hospital in Jammu

Fourteen soldiers have been killed in the last 31 days, he said. "We appeal to the prime minister, whichever part of the world he is, to personally supervise the operation and ensure that these terrorists are gunned down and give the armed forces every possible help in this regard," he told reporters.  PTI

Congress communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala said it was a matter of deep concern that 14 major terror attacks have taken place on the army in Jammu and Kashmir since 2014, after the NDA government came to power. He said there have been 206 terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir alone and 382 Army personnel were killed in the last four years.

The Congress appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "personally supervise" the operation against the terrorists who attacked an army camp in Jammu.

Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists on Saturday struck at an army camp on the outskirts of Jammu city, killing two junior commissioned officers (JCOs) and injuring six others, including a Major and a daughter of an Army personnel.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri informed the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly that Subedar Madanlal Chowdhary and Subedar Mohammed Ashraf Mir were killed in the attack by a group of militants.

The army, however, maintained that only one JCO was killed.

Briefing media persons at the main entrance of the camp, Jammu-based Army PRO Lieutenant Colonel Devender Anand said, "In the early hours today after a brief exchange of fire with sentry on the periphery, some terrorists entered the family accommodation complex.

"The quick response teams have cordoned off the area and isolated the terrorists, who are holed up in a few houses (inside the camp)," the officer said.

He said in the operation to evacuate families, one JCO was killed while six persons, including women and children, suffered injuries.

"Due to the presence of women and children in the housing colony, the operations is being progressed cautiously to minimise the casualties," he said.

The major has been airlifted to an Udhampur hospital where his condition was stated to be critical, army officials said.

Army helicopters and drones have been pressed into service to ascertain the exact location of the terrorists, officials said.

While there was no action around the main entrance and vehicles were moving along the Jammu-Lakhanpur bypass in front of the camp, Army personnel in bullet-proof vehicles were engaged in the operation to rescue people from the family quarters in the rear side of the base.

A final assault against the holed-up terrorists would be launched once the rescue operation is over, officials said.

Contingents of para-military CRPF and police personnel have been posted outside the boundary wall and were keeping curious onlookers at bay to avoid civilian casualties. Generators and searchlights were brought to the camp, apparently for a night assault.

Though the exact number of militants was not known, officials said preliminary estimates suggested that there could be three to four of them inside the camp.

Inspector General of Police (Jammu) SD Singh Jamwal told reporters in Jammu that "around 4:55 am suspicious movement was noticed by the sentry and his bunker was fired upon. The fire was retaliated. The number of militants is not known. They have been cornered in one of the family quarters."

Soon after the attack, reinforcements of the army's special forces and special operations group (SOG) rushed to the spot and cordoned off the area amid a fierce gunfight, security official said.

Schools in a five-kilometre radius around the camp have been closed by the authorities as a precautionary measure.

A high alert has been sounded in Jammu and security beefed up in and around the city.

Intelligence inputs had warned of an attack on an Army or security establishment by Jaish-e-Mohammed in view of the death anniversary of Afzal Guru who was hanged on 9 February, 2013.

Those injured included an Army officer, Havaldar Abdul Hamid, Lance Naik Bahadur Singh and the daughter of slain Subedar Chowdhary, the minister earlier told the House which witnessed protests by BJP members who raised anti-Pakistan slogans.

With inputs from agencies
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday arrived in Ramallah on a historic visit to Palestine during which he will meet President Mahmoud Abbas and reaffirm India's support for the Palestinian people.

Ramallah: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday arrived in Ramallah on a historic visit to Palestine during which he will meet President Mahmoud Abbas and reaffirm India's support for the Palestinian people.

Modi, the first Indian prime minister to visit Ramallah, arrived on the first leg of his three-nation tour.

Prime Minister Modi and President Abbas will discuss ways to enhance bilateral relations as well as discuss the regional and international situations of common concern.

"We will discuss the recent updates with Prime Minister Modi, and the recent developments in the peace process, the bilateral relations, and the regional situations. And the possible role India can play in enhancing peace in the region, as well as discussing different economical aspects beyond the existing ties we already possess," Abbas had told PTI.

Describing India as a "very respected country in the international arena", the 82-year-old Palestinian president had said that India can have a possible role in creating a multilateral forum of negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis to reach a final agreement.

According to Abbas, Modi's visit to the region reflects India's long-held position of supporting peace and stability in the region.

Modi will begin his engagement by laying a wreath at the mausoleum of iconic Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. He will be accompanied by his Palestinian counterpart Rami Hamdallah.

After paying homage to Arafat, the prime minister will take a short tour accompanied by Hamdallah of the Yasser Arafat Museum located adjacent to the mausoleum.

Modi will then be received by President Abbas before the ceremonial welcome at the Muqata'a.

The two leaders will then have discussions, sign bilateral agreements, hold a joint press conference and share lunch before Modi leaves for Amman in a chopper.

During his maiden visit to Israel last year, Modi did not travel to Ramallah, the Palestinian seat of government. His standalone visit to Israel had led to many analysts questioning the future of the India-Palestine ties.

This time Modi skipped Israel in a clear message that India is de-hyphenating its ties with Israel and Palestine.

Modi's visit to Palestine comes amid heightened tensions in the region after US president Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The unilateral US decision to declare Jerusalem as the capital of Israel was challenged at the UN General Assembly where 128 nations, including India, voted to turn down the move as "null and void".

Trump's decision to declare Jerusalem as Israel's capital angered the Palestinians, sparked protests in West Asia and raised concern that it could further destabilise the region.

Though India has shied away from becoming a party in the Israel-Palestinian conflict, the Palestinian leader on several occasions has stressed on a possible role for New Delhi in West Asia peace process.

India believes in a two-state solution in which both Israel and a future Palestinian state coexist peacefully.

The two-state solution envisions independent Israeli and Palestinian states coexisting side by side peacefully. The Palestinians see east Jerusalem as their future capital.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Saturday as the two sides signed five agreements.

Abu Dhabi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Saturday as the two sides signed five agreements including a historic pact awarding a consortium of Indian oil companies a 10 percent stake in offshore oil concession.

Modi, who arrived in Abu Dhabi from Jordan on the second leg of his three-nation tour, was received by Mohammed Bin Zayed and other members of the Royal family at the airport. The two leaders hugged each other and exchanged pleasantries.

"We warmly welcome our state guest and valued friend, the Indian Prime Minister H.E.@narendramodi to the UAE. His visit reflects our longstanding historical ties and is testament to our friendly bilateral relationship," Mohammed Bin Zayed, also the Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, tweeted.

Prime Minister Modi, who is here on his second visit to the UAE, held wide-ranging talks with and Mohammed Bin Zayed.

Modi had first visited the UAE as prime minister in August 2015.

After their talks, the two sides signed five agreements related to energy sector, railways, manpower and financial services.

An MOU between Indian Consortium (OVL, BPRL & IOCL) and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) was signed for the acquisition of a 10 percent participating interest in the Abu Dhabi's offshore Lower Zakum Concession, a statement issued by the Indian embassy said.

The concession will be for 40 years from 2018 to 2057. Sixty percent of the participating interest will be retained by ADNOC and remaining 30 percent will be awarded to other International oil companies, the statement said.

"This is the first Indian Investment in upstream oil sector of UAE, transforming the traditional buyer-seller relationship to a long-term investor relationship," it added.

To cooperate in the field of manpower, India and the UAE signed an MoU that aims to institutionalise the collaborative administration of contractual employment of Indian workers in the Gulf country.

Under the MoU, both the sides will work to integrate their labour related e-platforms for ending the existing malpractices, combat trafficking and organise collaborative programs for education and awareness of contractual workers.

An MoU for technical cooperation in railways was also signed between the two sides. The MoU aims at cooperation in infrastructure sector especially railways.

"The MoU will facilitate development of joint projects, knowledge sharing, joint research and technology transfer. The MoU envisages formation of a Joint Working Group for institutionalising the cooperation mechanism," the statement said.

To deepen bilateral cooperation in the field of finance, an MoU between Bombay Stock Exchange and Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange was also signed. It aims at enhancing cooperation between both the countries in financial services industry.

The MoU would facilitate investment in financial markets by investors from both the countries.

An MoU between Government of Jammu and Kashmir and DP World was also signed to establish multi-modal logistics park and hub in Jammu comprising warehouses and specialised storage solutions.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a joint press conference with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday during his historic visit to the country.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a joint press conference with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday during his historic visit to the country. Abbas welcomed Modi as a guest to the country and said that the Indian leadership has always stood for peace in Palestine.

He further said that Palestine relies on India's role and great standing on the international stage to facilitate the peace process with Israel. He also asserted the country's commitment to political action and negotiations as means of achieving the national goals of freedom and independence in accordance with the two-states relations along the lines of 1967.

Here I would like to assert our commitment to political action & negotiations as means of achieving our national goals to freedom & independence in accordance with the two states' relation along the lines of 1967: President Mahmoud Abbas pic.twitter.com/eualW6H1RV  ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2018

Modi, in his address, thanked Abbas and Palestine for conferring him with 'The Grand Collar of the State of Palestine', which is the highest Palestinian honour for foreign dignitaries. He called it an honour for India and a symbol of Palestine's friendship with New Delhi.

Hailing the relations between the two countries, he said that India and Palestine's ties have stood the test of time. Talking about the people of Palestine, Modi said that they have shown exemplary courage in extremely tough times and despite an unstable environment. "The way you moved forward in such a situation is praiseworthy," he said.

The prime minister also said that India is helping in the construction of an Institute of Diplomacy in Palestine. "I am happy that we are moving forward with our developmental cooperation during this visit," he added. He also said that a technology park has been started in Ramallah and he is happy to announce that the construction work is progressing quickly.

#ModiInPalestine | India is aiding construction of an Institute of Diplomacy in Palestine. I am happy that we are moving forward with our developmental corporation forward during this visit: PM Modi pic.twitter.com/Im9tzw6Zcv  News18 (@CNNnews18) February 10, 2018

Modi also said that India will double the number of exchange students from 50 to 100 this year. Stating that India been cooperating with Palestine in its efforts at nation-building, he said that budgetary support will continue to be provided in areas such as training, technology, infrastructure development and project assistance.

"India will continue to invest in health and education infrastructure, women empowerment and in the installation of a printing press," Modi said.

He said that during his talk with Abbas earlier, he assured him that India is bound by a promise to take care of the interests of the Palestinian people.

"India hopes that soon, Palestine will come a free country in a peaceful manner," he added. India hopes for peace and stability in Palestine and believes a permanent solution is possible with dialogue, he said. "We know it is not easy but we need to keep trying as a lot is at stake."

We hope for peace & stability in Palestine, we believe a permanent solution is possible with dialogue. Only diplomacy & farsightedness can set free from violence & baggage of the past. We know it is not easy but we need to keep trying as a lot is at stake: PM in Palestine pic.twitter.com/LdtT4CjiBd  ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2018

The two sides signed agreements worth $50 million. The agreement includes setting up of a super speciality hospital worth $30 million in Beit Sahur and construction of a centre for empowering women worth $5 million.

Three agreements in the education sector worth $5 million and for procurement of equipment and machinery for the National Printing Press in Ramallah were also signed.

Earlier in the day, Modi laid a wreath at the mausoleum of iconic Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. He was accompanied by his Palestinian counterpart Rami Hamdallah.

After paying homage to Arafat, the prime minister took a short tour accompanied by Hamdallah of the Yasser Arafat Museum located adjacent to the mausoleum.

With inputs from agencies
The new rules introduced in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) 2018 shows how the authorities don't care much about safeguarding student's interests

"It ends my dream of becoming a doctor. The **** Medical Council of India (MCI) is responsible for everything. They are responsible if I don't wake up the next day," said a chilling comment of a student on our Q&A platform.

As we scampered to talk to him and calm him down, the outrage over the new set of rules for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), conducted by CBSE (and approved by MCI), only grew.

At times, it's heart-breaking to be a counsellor. The NEET notification that every MBBS aspirant looks forward to is finally up after a prolonged delay, and it comes with many unpleasant rules that may cause immense trauma and is likely to crush many dreams.

Rule I. Students with biology/biotechnology as an additional subject can't participate

A student called four times within the hour. He has taken biology as an additional subject in Class XII. He studies and takes the biology exam like any other student. He has been in Kota for two years now, preparing for the NEET. However, the NEET notification disqualified all students who have taken biology/biotechnology as an additional subject. The boy is heart-broken and was crying on the other end. But CBSE doesn't have a heart.

Rule II. NIOS students are disqualified from NEET

They have gone ahead and implemented the threat. Despite all the promises that the Ministry of Human Resources and Development (MHRD) made, MCI went ahead and executed a change in the rules which disqualified students from the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) to participate in NEET with immediate effect. And with that, the objective of NIOS to supplement mainstream education and enable working people to study and aspire went up in smoke.

NIOS claims to be the largest open schooling system in the world with about 2.7 million students currently enrolled in 3,500+ study centres. More than four million students are certified by NIOS. The NEET notification trashes the very idea of establishing NIOS. The argument is that the sciences need practical exams. But if that is the case, why did NIOS even offer Biology or sciences as a subject? Besides, they also have 20 percent marks for practicals, which they complete properly in a regular school. Had they been told two years earlier, they may not have opted for the course. It is a crime to tell them that they can't participate after finishing the course.

Rule III. Age limit re-introduced

The MCI has re-introduced age limit to take part in NEET exams, limiting it to 25 years. And this may lead to a protracted legal battle. Each of these rules is meant to disqualify. They exclude rather than include. And since they are implemented with immediate effect, they crush hopes all of a sudden.

Apathy towards students not new

Very recently, for an exam, it was prescribed that boys must use their right thumb impression and girls use left thumb impression. One student called us on our helpline and cried saying "Sir, I don't have a thumb in my right hand. What should I do?". We took up the issue with the authorities and modified the rule to either thumb. But lo and behold, the current AIIMS examination makes the same mistake, all over again.

The apathy towards students is nothing new. During the year, the National Aptitude Test in Architecture (NATA) application made Aadhaar Mandatory without giving a solution to students from Assam, Meghalaya, and Jammu and Kashmir who do not have an Aadhaar ID. When Careers360 took up the issue, TCS which handles the NATA exam responded: "Thanks for contacting TCS iON Digital Learning Hub. You can fill in default value as 00000000000 in the place of Aadhar card number".

The question that begs an answer is whether or not the student is ever considered when framing rules?

Doesn't the student deserve better planning? Can rules be framed that have a retrospective effect in harming student interests?

CBSE, are you listening?

Maheshwer Peri is the founder of Careers360.com.
The defence ministry has requested the finance ministry to remove the cap of Rs 10,000 per month on educational assistance given to children of martyrs or those disabled in action.

New Delh: The defence ministry has requested the finance ministry to remove the cap of Rs 10,000 per month on educational assistance given to children of 'martyrs' or those disabled in action, official sources said on Saturday.

On 1 July, 2017, the government had issued an order saying the assistance under the scheme cannot exceed Rs 10,000 per month, triggering widespread discontent among all the three services.

The Chiefs of Staff Committee (CoSC), comprising the Army, Navy and the Air Force chiefs, had also written to the defence ministry requesting it to remove the cap.

Under the scheme, which was initially rolled out in 1972, tuition fee of children of 'martyrs' or those disabled in action were completely waived in schools, colleges and other professional educational institutions.

"Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has requested the finance ministry to remove the cap. We are hoping for a favourable decision," a defence ministry source said.

Approximately 250 students were affected during the 2017-18 financial year following the government's decision to cap the assistance, according to officials.

Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre in

January had said that the annual saving on account of putting the cap would be Rs 3.20 crore per annum. He had said the highest amount drawn has been reported to be Rs 18.95 lakh per annum per student.
Omar Abdullah on Saturday termed 'pro-Pakistan' slogans raised by Mohammad Akbar Lone, an MLA of his party, as misplaced, but slammed the BJP for 'obfuscation.'

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Saturday termed 'pro-Pakistan' slogans raised by Mohammad Akbar Lone, an MLA of his party, as misplaced but accused the BJP of obfuscating the issue of the security of the state.

Abdullah, in a series of tweets, said, "You (BJP) let us worry about the MLA. You, on the other hand, should be begging forgiveness of the nation for your abject mishandling of Jammu and Kashmir over the last few years both at the Centre & with your coalition partner (PDP)."

The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister was responding to BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao, who alleged that NC was backing the MLA for his 'pro-Pakistan rants. Rao demanded his expulsion from the party.

We need to focus on the unfortunate developments in #SunjwanArmyCamp & not get distracted by misplaced slogans.  Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) February 10, 2018

You let us worry about the MLA. You on the other hand should be begging forgiveness of the nation for your abject mishandling of J&K over the last few years both at the Centre & with your coalition partner. https://t.co/wPM5s2aIu1  Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) February 10, 2018

Forget about the valley or the border even Jammu city is not safe under you guys (including your allies) so stop obfuscating & start explaining how youve managed to mess things up so spectacularly.  Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) February 10, 2018

Lone on Saturday raised pro-Pakistan slogans in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly after BJP members condemned the neighbouring country over the terror attack on an Army camp in Jammu.

Earlier in the day, Speaker Kavinder Gupta made some remarks which led to high-pitched sloganeering against Pakistan by the BJP members. NC legislators Javed Rana, Ali Mohd Sagar, Akbar Lone, Abdul Majid Larmi and others trooped into the Well of the House seeking an apology from the Speaker.

Talking to reporters, Lone said he had shouted pro-Pakistan slogans only in reaction to the BJP which, he claimed, had shown that they hate Muslims.

"The statement of Speaker Kavinder Gupta shows what they have in their mind," he claimed.

The NC condemned the slogans, terming them unacceptable. Party spokesman Junaid Azim Mattu tweeted, "Just spoke to chief NC Farooq Abdullah sahib. Dr Sahib and entire party is of the unequivocal stand that NC MLA from Sonwari Akbar Lone had spoken out of turn and his slogans in assembly were completely unacceptable to the party."

With inputs from PTI
The original deal to procure 126 fighter jet could not go through during the UPA rule despite reaching the final stage as the then defence minister AK Antony felt there was something wrong in the process and asked for a review, defence ministry sources claimed.

New Delhi: The original deal to procure 126 fighter jet could not go through during the UPA rule despite reaching the final stage as the then Defence Minister AK Antony felt there was something wrong in the process and asked for a review, defence ministry sources claimed.

The sources talked about Antony's intervention while asserting that there was no deal arrived at during the UPA regime to procure 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA).

The Congress has been ramping up attack on the government over the Rafale issue, claiming that the deal negotiated under its rule was much cheaper than the contract signed by the Modi government to procure 36 Rafale fighter jets from France at a cost of Rs 58,000 crore.

The sources said Antony's apprehensions may have been genuine and he may have had bonafide reasons for such an intervention. The price negotiating committee was at that time examining the deal after initially getting approval for it from the then defence minister.

The sources also said that the Eurofighter Typhoon had offered to bring down their prices by 25 percent after Rafale was declared L1 vendor.

"Such a proposal after declaring the winning bidder was not at all acceptable as per laid down procedure. You cannot do that," said a source.

Alleging a "scam", the Opposition Congress has been asking the government whether the per aircraft price of Rafale, according to international bids opened on 12 December, 2012, comes to $ 80.95 million (Rs 526.1 crore) as against the Modi government's per aircraft negotiated price of $ 241.66 Million (Rs 1,570.8 crore) as per current exchange rates.

The UPA government floated a tender in 2007 for purchase of 126 MMRCA for the Air Force and, post negotiations, two of them  Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon  remained in the reckoning. However, the deal could not be finalised by the UPA regime.

Asked why NDA government did not go for Eurofighter Typhoon as it had offered a 25 percent price cut, the sources said several European countries were involved in manufacturing of Eurofighter and France was preferred for the inter-governmental deal.

The Congress had also claimed that Qatar had purchased 12 Rafale fighter jets in November 2017 for $108.33 million per aircraft (Rs 694.80 crore), noting that the per aircraft rate at which the Gulf nation is buying the jet is much lower than the rate at which India will procure them.

The sources said the rates cannot be compared as price depended on the weapons package.

In a detailed statement, the defence ministry had on Wednesday termed as "unfounded" allegations made by the Congress about the Rs 58,000-crore deal, asserting that the demand to disclose details such as its value was "unrealistic" as doing so might compromise India's national security.

It had said giving an item-wise cost and other information would reveal details about weapons systems and customisation of the jet.

The ministry had said that in 2012, the then defence minister exercised an unprecedented personal veto on the laid down institutional process then underway for the procurement of 126 jets.
Heavily armed JeM terrorists struck at an army camp in Jammu, killing two personnel and injuring nine others including a major, nearly 15 months after the Jammu region was hit by a similar attack

Sunjwan (Jammu): Heavily armed Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists on Saturday struck at an army camp in Jammu, killing two personnel and injuring nine others including a major, nearly 15 months after the Jammu region was hit by a similar attack.

Two terrorists, both in combat gear, were gunned down after the army evacuated people from 150 family quarters within the sprawling camp of the 36 Brigade of Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry, an officer said.

The army officer said Subedar Madanlal Chowdhary and Havildar Habibullah Quereshi, both hailing from Jammu and Kashmir, were killed and nine others  four army personnel and five women and children  were injured in the attack.

The condition of two of the injured army personnel was stated to be "critical", he said.

Briefing media persons at the main entrance of the camp, Jammu-based Army PRO Lieutenant Colonel Devender Anand said the operation would continue till "all the terrorists are apprehended or killed".

"The army has killed two heavily armed terrorists who were in combat gear. They were carrying AK-56 assault rifles, a large amount of ammunition and hand grenades," he said.

"A search of their belongings has confirmed that the terrorists were from the JeM. The operation is in progress and extreme caution and restraint are being exercised to safeguard unarmed soldiers, women and children in the camp," the officer said.

The last terror attack in the Jammu region had taken place on 29 November, 2016, when terrorists stormed the army's Nagrota camp on the outskirts of Jammu city, killing seven Army personnel including two officers. Three terrorists were also gunned down.

In Saturday's attack, the terrorists struck before dawn and managed to sneak into the camp from the rear side of the base after a brief exchange of fire with the sentry on its periphery.

"The terrorists entered the family accommodation complex after which quick response teams cordoned off the area and isolated the terrorists, who are holed up in a few houses (inside the camp)," the officer said.

Army officials said a major, who was injured, was airlifted to an Udhampur hospital where his condition was stated to be critical.

Army helicopters and drones have been pressed to service recce the area, officials said.

They said the army was conducting the operation and the Jammu and Kashmir police were not involved. Even senior police officials were not allowed to enter the camp, the officials said.

While there was no action around the main entrance and vehicles were moving along the Jammu-Lakhanpur bypass in front of the camp, army personnel in bullet-proof vehicles engaged in the operation to rescue people from the family quarters in the rear side of the base.

Contingents of para-military CRPF and police personnel have been posted outside the boundary wall and were keeping curious onlookers at bay to avoid civilian casualties.

Generators and searchlights were brought to the camp, apparently for a night assault.

Though the exact number of terrorists was not known, officials said preliminary estimates had suggested that the group comprised three to four of them.

Inspector General of Police (Jammu) SD Singh Jamwal told reporters in Jammu that "around 4:55 am suspicious movement was noticed by the sentry and his bunker was fired upon. The fire was retaliated. The number of militants is not known."

Soon after the attack, reinforcements of the army's special forces and special operations group (SOG) rushed to the spot and cordoned off the area amid a fierce gunfight, the security official said.

Schools in a five-kilometre radius around the camp have been closed by the authorities as a precautionary measure.

A high alert has been sounded in Jammu and security beefed up in and around the city.

Intelligence inputs had warned of an attack on an army or security establishment by Jaish-e-Mohammed in view of the death anniversary of Afzal Guru who was hanged on 9 February, 2013.

Those injured included a major, Havaldar Abdul Hamid, Lance Naik Bahadur Singh and the daughter of slain Subedar Chowdhary, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri had earlier told the Assembly which witnessed protests by BJP members who raised anti-Pakistan slogans.
Does it occur to our policy makers that the timing of the latest attack at Sunjwan is to show to countries being visited by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that India 'absorbs' terrorist attacks while Pakistan plans the next one

Another Indian Army camp has been attacked, this time at Sunjuwan. Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists sneaked into the camp in the early hours of Saturday morning, entered the family quarters of Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) and started firing at 5 am.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh has spoken to DGP of Jammu and Kashmir regarding the incident. Media reports talk about the area being cordoned off; they say the army will talk about an "appropriate response" at the time and place. Another surgical strike may be ordered; the army will call Pakistan's nuclear bluff; so on and so forth. Reporters are demanding to know how the terrorists managed to go so deep into Indian territory  as if this is happening for the first time, as if Pathankot was right on the border. The media is speculating that Pakistan is "using terrorists because it's scared of India". They are calling the terrorists the 'Afzal Guru Squad of the JeM'.

As of 1 pm, the death toll stood at at two jawans killed and six, including the daughter of a JCO, were injured. The district administration has asked schools within 500 metres of the army camp to remain shut. Firing is supposed to have stopped at 6 am, but there aren't any reports about whether the terrorist(s) are still holed up. The army is hoping to catch them alive, but the operation is by no means over. It may take a few more hours, and the possibility of more casualties can't be ruled out.

When the dust settles, the home minister may warn Pakistan again. Pakistan Army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa may perhaps celebrate with Masood Azhar. The follow-up investigations will probably focus on ascertaining how the terrorists crossed the border and traverse the distance to get into the camp, who helped them, etc. Opposition parties will claim India isn't safe anymore, forgetting that despite the heinous beheading at the Line of Control (LoC) in 2013, the then foreign minister had met the Pakistan prime minister when the latter visited Rajasthan on a private visit, while the latter presided over an anti-India resolution in the Pakistan Senate immediately upon his return. One thing is for sure: TV channels will go berserk over the next few days, inviting the same old Pakistani "spokespersons" who will continue to jeer at your predicament.

This isn't the first time an Indian Army security camp has been infiltrated. It's a question of taking the initiative. Besides, when you impose excessive caution on opening fire and start filing cases against security forces for doing so, that motivates them further. There is no need to get overly impressed by these terrorists. They have no compunctions about entering family quarters and massacring innocent women and children.

And it's not even the first time this has happened. Terrorists had entered family quarters of an army camp at Kaluchak and fired indiscriminately, while a bus was also attacked 10 kilometres outside Kaluchak, in which 34 people, including 22 army personnel and their families, were killed. The response by the Indian State was the same then too.

Does it occur to our policy makers that the timing of the latest attack at Sunjwan is to show to countries being visited by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that India "absorbs" terrorist attacks while Pakistan plans the next one?

The million dollar question is where do we go from here? First of all, the most difficult part is for policy makers to acknowledge that assaults and the odd surgical strike cannot make the Pakistan Army see sense. Secondly, it's futile to still root for talks with Pakistan though NSA-level talks are continuing. Third, there is no alternative to developing coherent deterrents against unconventional threats; mere diplomacy has failed miserably and threats have magnified.

Our special forces' potential needs to be maximised and remain central in responding to asymmetric threats. This should be the bread-and-butter principle of the NSA. Not just specific to Pakistan alone, but also regarding all areas of strategic interests. Rest assured, China's special forces and the People's Liberation Army have been deployed in covert manners in the development projects of Maldives and other parts of the region as well, while India still can't think beyond Operation Cactus 2.0.

Fourth, the porosity of the LoC can't be one-way. We must respond quietly respond to such incidents "with interest and in the same coin". Raise interest levels till the measure reaches home. Let the military handle this without political interference and fanfare.

The bottom line is that the hybrid war must be carried inside enemy territory, without which we will continue to remain at the receiving end. We need to control the fault-lines of the enemy. Cross-border artillery firing is no deterrence and we are up against a determined enemy.

Afghanistan, and even Iran to some extent, are deeply impacted by Pakistani terrorism. Islamabad may be immune to diplomatic isolation, but is geographically enveloped by India, Afghanistan and Iran. It's these three countries that must come up with a joint action plan to deal with Pakistan  diplomatically, economically and militarily, including sub-conventionally and through information operations  in conjuction with other friendly nations.

We have to put in place a well-thought-through strategy to deal with the enemy, including selective surgery that will drive the right signal home.

All governments have been complicit in the deteriorating situation in Jammu and Kashmir. The Union home minister in UPA-II had settled 4,000 Rohingya in Jammu despite Article 370 being in place, under the garb of United Nations Human Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). Today, there are 734 Rohingya settled near police lines in Jammu near Channi Himmat, 206 near the army station in Sunjwan which was attacked, and 40 near HQ 16 Corps at Nagrota. So why has the NDA government not moved them to a refugee camp outside the state?

The author is a retired lieutenant-general of the Indian Army.
Rajnath Singh spoke to Jammu and Kashmir Police DGP SP Vaid and took stock of the situation arising out of the attack on Sunjwan army camp by Jaish-e-Mohammed militants

Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday spoke to the chief of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and took stock of the situation arising out of the terror attack on an army camp in Jammu.

During the telephonic conversation, the home minister sought details from Director General of Police SP Vaid on the terrorist attack on the army camp in Jammu, according to a tweet by the Home Minister's Office.

"The DGP has apprised him of the situation. The MHA is closely monitoring the situation," the tweet said.

HM Shri @rajnathsingh spoke to DG Jammu and Kashmir Police, Shri @spvaid regarding the terrorist attack on army camp in Jammu. The DGP has apprised him of the situation. The MHA is closely monitoring the situation.  HMO India (@HMOIndia) February 10, 2018

A group of Jaish-e-Mohammed militants attacked the Sunjwan Army camp in Jammu city in the early hours today, leaving three army men and daughter of an army personnel injured, officials said.

As Firstpost reported earlier, one army jawan succumbed to the injuries after Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists attacked the Sunjwan Army camp on the outskirts of Jammu city. Four people have been grievously injured so far.

However, some news reports claimed that the death toll from the attack could be higher.

Quoting army officials, PTI said that the terrorists breached the rear side of the Sunjwan army camp near Chenni in the outskirts of the city during the intervening night.

Intelligence inputs had warned an attack on the army or security establishment by Jaish-e-Mohammed in view of the death anniversary of Afzal Guru who was hanged on 9 February 2013.

With inputs from PTI

Click here to follow live updates on the Sunjwan army camp attack
Distant booms of the guns broke early morning slumbers of residents of this garrison town on the outskirts of Jammu on Saturday.

Sunjwan (Jammu): Distant booms of the guns broke early morning slumbers of residents of this garrison town on the outskirts of Jammu on Saturday.

And their initial belief of it being usual practice shooting inside the Army camp dissipated as the firing became intense and an alarm was sounded. Soon, it dawned on them  the Army camp has been targeted.

"It all began around 4.30 am with deafening sounds of explosions and gunfire. Initially, we thought it was a routine practice firing but when there was an alarm from inside the camp, we thought something is wrong," said Mohammad Yasir, a resident.

A group of terrorists of Jaish-e-Mohammed has struck on the army camp. Two junior commissioned officers (JCOs) have been killed and six others including a Major-rank officer and daughter of an army personnel injured in the attack, officials said.

The number of militants was not immediately available but preliminary reports suggest that they cut wire fencing on the rear side of the camp and entered into it.

The residents have moved out of their homes as a precautionary measure and are camping at safer places nearby.

Yasir said the heavy exchange of firing stopped at around 08.30 am and later by intermittent exchange could be heard.

Security officials present at the scene said the army initially focussed on rescuing civilians inside the camp, spread over a vast area. The families of army personnel were at the camp.

Police and CRPF have thrown a cordon outside the camp so that no militant manage to escape from the camp.

Groups of BJP and Bajrang Dal activists appeared outside the camp and shouted anti-Pakistan and pro-India slogans.

Carrying the national flag, the protesters held placards denouncing the terror attack and demanding stern action against Pakistan.

"We are here to support the army... The cowardly act of Pakistan to target families of the jawans is condemnable," a BJP activist said.

President of Anti-Terrorist Front Ashok Kumar said he has left for morning walk when he heard gunshots from the camp.

"We are in panic...if army is not safe, how could be the local population. This area usually remains abuzz being the commercial part of the city. If they can enter into an army camp, they can strike anywhere," he said.

Located on the Jammu-Delhi national highway, policemen had a tough time in managing traffic and keeping away the onlookers.
BJP dismissed as 'propaganda' claims that Centre has not done much for Andhra Pradesh's development, and asked TDP to sort out its issues with govt amicably

New Delhi: The BJP on Saturday dismissed as "propaganda" claims that the Centre has not done much for Andhra Pradesh's development, and asked its ally TDP to sort out its issues with the government "amicably".

The state government, run by the TDP, has been attacking the Centre following the presentation of the Union budget, saying it has ignored the state.

At a press conference, BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao and state party president and Visakhapatnam MP K Hari Babu presented a list of institutions, projects and funds sanctioned for the state by the NDA government and asserted that the Centre has taken utmost care of the state.

The state has received priority and the Centre is committed to its development, Rao said.

Referring to the charges made by Andhra MPs representing TDP and YSRCP, Rao said it was all "propaganda".

Hari Babu said that in a meeting held on Friday, two major issues - the revenue deficit the state had inherited at the time of bifurcation and the implementation of special package - have been sorted out and concerns over other proposed projects and institutions were also addressed.

The Centre will bear all revenue deficit for the entire period of the 14th finance commission and a total of Rs 22,113 crores will be paid to Andhra Pradesh as grant for the five-year period.

The Centre has released a sum of Rs 1,269 crore to Andhra Pradesh under different heads in the last few days with the gross grant including Rs 417.44 crore for the Polavaram multipurpose project, one of the contentious issues between the allies TDP and BJP, he said.
Patidar quota activist Hardik Patel said that the country would see 'President's Rule' if the Narendra Modi government manage to remain in power after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections

Kolkata: Patidar quota activist Hardik Patel on Saturday said that the country would see "President's rule" if the Narendra Modi government manage to remain in power after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Patel was not specific in use of the term President's rule but he apparently meant the non-NDA governments would be destabilised if Modi remains in power after the next general elections.

He stressed that all should unite to fight against the power which was trying to divide the country.

"I have clearly said that if the Narendra Modi government comes to power after the Lok Sabha elections in 2019 then it will invite President's rule in the country," Patel said while speaking to a local news channel in Kolkata.

"All parties must come together to fight the power who are trying to divide the country," the Patidar activist said.

Patel also hit out at Modi for his recent caustic comments against Opposition in the Parliament rather than speaking on issues.

"I want to see someone as the prime minister of the country who will speak on education, employment, agriculture, health and security or safety of the country but not someone who spends 90 minutes criticising the opposition in the Parliament. I do not want such a prime minister," he said.

Heaping praise on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her "simplicity" despite being such a popular leader, Patel said he has learnt a lot during their meeting on Friday in Kolkata.

"I have learned a lot from my meeting with Mamata di. I am amazed by her simplicity despite being the chief minister of a state. She has told me how to talk to the people and how to work taking everybody on board. She has advised me how one must have a little bit of attitude and how one should speak," he said.

Patel had met Banerjee at the state secretariat here last night and described the TMC supremo as "lady Mahatma".

"I saw lady Gandhi. She is a simple and selfless person. After Indira Gandhi, she has been the epitome of the struggle for the cause of the people," he reiterated on Saturday.

Stating that Banerjee has invited him to join the TMC and manage its affairs in Gujarat, Patel had opined that the TMC supremo should lead the opposition.

Asked whether he would come to the state if Banerjee calls him again, the activist said "She (Mamata) has described me as her younger brother. And yes as I had said yesterday I will definitely come here to campaign during the Lok Sabha elections in 2019."
Senior BJP leader and Maharashtra minister Chandrakant Patil has advised the party workers to visit houses of voters and give them gifts in order to increase contact with them, drawing flak from the Opposition.

Mumbai: Senior BJP leader and Maharashtra minister Chandrakant Patil has advised the party workers to visit houses of voters and give them gifts in order to increase contact with them, drawing flak from the Opposition.

The revenue minister was addressing BJP workers in Sangli in western Maharashtra on Friday. Election to Sangli Miraj Kupwad Municipal Corporation is due be held in four months.

"Booths have been formed. In the next 15 days, party workers should go to the houses of at least 200 people to increase contact with them. Party workers should meet the voters and give gifts to them," Patil, who is considered number two in the Devendra Fadnavis Cabinet, said.

Latching onto the minister's remarks, the Opposition slammed the ruling dispensation, accusing it of using wrong ways to woo voters.

Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde claimed that in a way Patil had accepted that the BJP, in the past three years, won elections through money power.

"The BJP-Shiv Sena government is corrupt. They have used their ill-gotten money to win elections in the last three years. Chandrakant Patil's comments are nothing but an acceptance of the government's corruption," the NCP leader alleged.

Munde said it was "shameful" that the BJP minister openly supported bribing people and demanded an inquiry into the funds received by the saffron party.

Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson Sachin Sawant alleged that Patil's comments had made a "mockery" of democracy and revealed the "true face" of the BJP.

"Such incidents (of bribing) are bound to increase in the coming days as the popularity of the party decreases among people. His comments are condemnable," Sawant said.
Nagaland home minister Kuzholuzo Nienu exuded confidence that his Naga People's Front (NPF) will retain power in Nagaland by securing more than 30 seats in the 27 February elections while BJP will only get three to six seats

Kohima: Nagaland Home Minister Kuzholuzo Nienu exuded confidence that his Naga People's Front (NPF) will retain power in Nagaland by securing more than 30 seats in the 27 February elections while the BJP will only get three to six in the 60-member assembly.

"Out of the total of 19 nominations filed by BJP candidates, the party could win between three to six seats, while the (BJP's ally) Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) might win a maximum of eight seats out of the 38 seats it is contesting," Nienu said at an election rally.

The BJP forged a pre-poll alliance with the NDPP after dumping its 15-year-old alliance partner, the NPF. The NDPP would contest 40 of the 60 seats in the state assembly while the BJP would field candidates in the remain 20 seats.

"We are sure to form the next ministry too and therefore, I appealed the people to be with the party with the best prospects," said Nienu.

Highlighting the NPF's election manifesto, he said: "Reforms in governance would be the party government's priority so that good and efficient governance can be provided to the people."

Noting that there won't be posts of Parliamentary Secretaries and Advisors in the next ministry, he promised the people of Nagaland that the party's government "shall provide honourable and effective involvement in governance to the legislators without attracting in the least the question of holding an Office of Profit as provided under Article 191 of the Constitution of India."

On the vexed Naga insurgency, Nienu said that any political settlement has to take place under a popular government in the State, adding that the NPF government shall contribute its best to facilitate and early and lasting settlement.

He also declared that the next NPF Government shall cleanse the process of governance from corruption of all kinds and that serious corruption cases with prima facie proofs will be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation to bring the culprits to book.

The NPF leader also added that protection of Naga identity, curbing the menace of illegal immigrants, imparting skills to the youth, quality education and healthcare, will be on the agenda of the next NPF government.
The Centre and the PDP-led government in Jammu and Kashmir failed to bring the displaced people back into the valley as promised, former chief minister Omar Abdullah said.

Hyderabad: The Centre and the PDP-led government in Jammu and Kashmir failed to bring the displaced people back into the Valley as promised, former chief minister Omar Abdullah said.

He said there was also a feeling of "high degree of alienation" among large sections of people of the trouble-torn state.

"We have a huge displaced population, whether it is the Kashmiri Pandits or whether it is a section of the Sikh population. Even some Kashmiri Muslims had to leave the Valley because of this situation," Abdullah said.

He said nothing had been done to bring this section of people back.

"Let's not forget that the BJP promised to take concrete steps to rehabilitate the Kashmiri Pandits and bring them back into the Valley. That has not happened," he said.

"I think whichever way you choose to measure the performances of both the state and the central governments, they have disappointed us more," the National Conference leader said.

He said the roles and responsibilities of interlocutor Dineshwar Sharma were not clear and added that he was not sure what the initiative would do to benefit the state.

To a question, he said all the political parties needed to put more efforts to remove the feeling of alienation among the people of Kashmir.

"The entire population is not alienated, but there is a large section of population," he said.

"The National Conference, the PDP, the Congress, the BJP and other political parties, we need to do more to bring this alienated population back into our fold," said the Leader of Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly.

According to him, there are two facets to the problem in Jammu and Kashmir: the external dimension which is with Pakistan and the internal dimension.

On the external front, he said though Prime Minister Narendra Modi started well by inviting his then Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif for his swearing in ceremony in May 2014, the initiative did not bear any fruit.

Abdullah also claimed that the Jammu and Kashmir government, led by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, has failed to reach out to the people of the state (referring to the internal dimension).

He was in Hyderabad to participate in an event organised by real estate developers' body CREDAI on Friday.
As Congress president Rahul Gandhi kick-started his Karnataka campaign on Saturday, he criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's governance was the result of him looking 'in the rearview mirror.'

As Congress president Rahul Gandhi kick-started his Karnataka campaign on Saturday, he took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying his governance failures were the result of him 'looking in the rear-view mirror.'

Addressing a rally at Hospet in Ballari (earlier spelt as Bellary) district, Rahul criticised Modi for not speaking on national-level issues during his speech in Parliament.

"The country is facing issues related to unemployment, farmers' issues, adivasis, Dalit issues. People in big cities face other issues. But in his entire speech, Narendra Modi did not speak of the coming future. He did not speak on providing employment, helping out the farmers," the Congress leader said.

"The country does not want to listen its prime minister talk about the past, but about the future," he added.

Rahul compared Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah's rule with that of Modi's. "When Siddaramaiah drives the car of Karnataka, he looks in the forward direction. When there's a car approaching, he sees it. Modi ji, instead, looks in the rear-view mirror when he drives a car. He looks in the rearview mirror the entire day. When there's a pothole, the car meets with an accident. Modiji, you have to look forward, not backward," he said.

Rahul lashed out at Modi for using the Congress as an "excuse". "The country has not elected you to have excuses, or to look in the rear-view mirror. Because when you look into rear-view mirror, you make mistakes like GST and demonetisation. When you look into it, you give 'Gabbar Singh Tax' to the nation," he told the gathering.

The Congress president further accused Modi of harming "crores of people", and making small businesses "disappear." He said, "Learn from Siddaramaiah. He looks ahead and doesn't make excuses. He waives off farmer loans, provides Indira canteen and helps the poor and needy," he said.

Rahul then criticised Modi's remarks on bringing change in Gujarat. "Modi ji said that he changed Gujarat. He toured the entire country and claimed that he changed Gujarat. But I saw the reality with my own eyes when I toured the state. If anybody has changed Gujarat, then it is the farmers, small entrepreneurs, and labourers."

Rahul, in his address, repeated his claim that under the Modi regime, the government favoured a handful of industrialists. "One industrialist got 40 acres of land for Rs 1 per acre. In three months, he sold it for Rs 3000 per acre. Modi gave Rs 33,000 crore for Tata Nano factory. Despite giving away thousand acres of land, electricity, water, the factory does not manufacture one Nano now. In the entire country, you will not find Nano anywhere," he said.

"In the amount of money that Modi gave to that one company, Congress ran India through the MGNREGA," the Gandhi scion claimed.

Rahul alleged that the BJP's previous government in Karnataka had "broken the worldwide record of corruption," and praised the Congress for replacing "Modi-(BS)Yeddyurappa" in the state.

Calling the Rafale deal "the biggest issue" in India today, Rahul said, "Modi went to France and changed the contract himself. First the contract was given to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). HAL has been making aircrafts for the country for 70 years. If Bengaluru stands on its feet today, it is because of HAL. He snatched the contract from HAL and gave it to his friends"

Rahul then reiterated the questions raised by the Congress over the deal. "We have three questions: On what basis did you give the contract to your friends and steal the future from the youth of Benglauru?"

"The next question is, did the price of per aircraft increase or decrease in the new contract? And, when Modi took this decision, did he take the permission from Cabinet Committee on Security? His speech went for one hour (in the Parliament), but he did not utter one word on Rafale," he added.

Rahul said that as Modi stands with Yedyurappa in Karnataka, BJP is facing "land scam, medical scam, and mining scam."

"In our ruling, there was no scam in Karnataka. I request you to give support those who are true to you. The Congress has been truthful to you and shown how work can be done. We gave you Article 371J of the Constitution (which provides for special status for the Hyderabad-Karnataka region)."

"But the most important fact is, we drive by looking forward; Modi drives by looking in the rear view mirror," he said.

"The next time Congress comes in power, we'll do more work than we did in the past five years. But we will never credit just only one man for Karnataka's progress. We'll tell you that it is the poor, farmers, small business owners, youth, and the women who make the state progress."

He told the crowd that despite being Karnataka's chief minister, Siddaramaiah "stands with you, uses your power, and together we bring change in Karnataka." "The difference is, we respect your power and we work for you," Rahul said.

As Rahul spoke at the first rally in his Karnataka campaign, he spoke of the support people of the state had shown his mother Sonia Gandhi about two decades ago. "I will never forget that when we needed you, you were there to hug Sonia and support her. Whenever you will need me, just call me and I'll be here. We will all make Karnataka prosper,"

Sonia had similarly landed in the Ballari about 19 years ago to contest her maiden election from the constituency. It was a high-pitched, high-profile and vitriolic campaign, in which she defeated the BJP's Sushma Swaraj by 56,000 votes.
Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said he was 'deeply disturbed' over the way there was utter disregard for parliamentary procedure and the unruly behaviour by members during the Budget Session of Parliament

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said he was "deeply disturbed" over the way there was utter disregard for parliamentary procedure and the unruly behaviour by members during the Budget Session of Parliament.

He urged members to maintain the prestige and decorum of the House and participate in constructive debates in the coming days when the House meets again on 5 March. "I must confess that I am deeply pained at the way this session has progressed... What I am deeply disturbed with is the utter disregard for the parliamentary procedure and the unruly behaviour so unbecoming of the high position we occupy in the society as parliamentarians," he said.

He was speaking just before Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was to give the reply on the debate on the Union Budget.

Naidu said that as chairman, it was his responsibility as he was accountable to the people, to see how the House was conducted and how discussions are done. "Let us not have slanging matches between parties and stoop down to competing with each other on unparliamentary language or behaviour. When we meet again in March, it is my fervent hope and an earnest appeal to each one of you that we shall turn a new leaf in our Parliament's history through orderly, informed and constructive debates," he urged the members.

Naidu asked members to keep the prestige and the decorum of the House and said they should feel privileged to be in this House because of the people's trust on them. "We must use the opportunity wisely by debating, discussing and evolving solutions to a vast number of public concerns," he said.

"Can we ever make our Parliament an effective instrument of change through informed debates, constructive criticisms and orderly proceedings?" he asked.

He hoped that all members would collectively strive to uphold and maintain the dignity, sanctity and supremacy of Parliament as they had pledged in 2012 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the first sitting of Parliament. "I shall still keep hoping that we shall exercise the necessary restraint and behave with appropriate civility and dignity. I find it a sad commentary on our functioning, that we have lost nearly ten hours during this brief Session due to disruptions and forced adjournments," he said.

Naidu added that the Question Hour and Zero Hour could not be held on five days. He asked members not to carry on in this manner any longer and appealed to them to consider the House as a sacred institution which should reflect the hopes and aspirations of 130 crore people.

"This is not aimed at any party  this party or that party. As far as the Chair is concerned, I am concerned about the House. It is an institution that decides the destiny and charts the direction of national development. That is why people have high hopes from us," he said.

After the finance minister spoke and after some clarifications, the House was adjourned and will now meet on 5 March.
IANS

Tech giant Google paid out almost $3 million to security researchers in 2017 as rewards for the vulnerabilities they found in its products and services.

Around $1.1 million each was paid for bug reports specific to Google and Android products while Chrome awards accounted for the rest of the Vulnerability Reward Program.

"We awarded researchers more than $1 million for vulnerabilities they found and reported in Google products, and a similar amount for Android as well. Combined with Chrome awards, we awarded nearly $3 million to researchers for their reports," Jan Keller, a member of Google's Vulnerability Reward Program (VRP) wrote in a blog post late on 8 February.

"We also awarded $125,000 to over 50 security researchers from all around the world through our Vulnerability Research Grants Program and $50,000 to the hard-working folks who improve the security of open-source software as part of our Patch Rewards Program," Keller added.

The largest single payment of $112,500 went to independent researcher Guang Gong for outlining an exploit chain on Pixel phones as part of the Android Security Rewards Program.

The Pixel was the only device that was not exploited during last year's annual "Mobile Pwn2Own" competition and Guang's report helped strengthen its protections further.

"Pwn2Own" is a hacking contest held annually at the CanSecWest security conference where contestants are challenged to exploit widely-used software and mobile devices with previously unknown vulnerabilities.
IANS

The Consumer Affairs Ministry has decided to expand the system of atomic-sync clocks at the regional level to ensure that accurate and uniform time is used across the country especially by banks, mobile and internet service providers.

The move will not just help provide accuracy at the nanosecond level but allow Indian companies in the country to save money as well since they have to pay US' National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for time calibration currently, said Consumer Affairs Secretary A.K. Srivastava on 9 February.

"We have standard atomic-sync clock at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) that matches with the standard Paris time. However, there are no such corresponding time standards at regional level, which can be helpful in adjusting watches, calibrating time by manufacturers, software companies, mobile service providers," he told reporters here.

Srivastava said the time standard set by the NIST using 24 satellites is followed all over the world while India will use six satellites for the same.

Another ministry official said that the service would help in forensic crime investigations as well.

"The plan is pegged at Rs 100 crore and we have sought Rs 20 crore for 2018-19," Srivastava said.

There are five regional centres at Bengaluru, Faridabad, Ahmedabad and Guwahati. "Two new centres are going to come up at Nagpur and Benaras," he added.
tech2 News Staff

While Xiaomi had confirmed that the much-awaited successor to the Mi 6 would be unveiled at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) this year, rumours pointed out that company hit a roadblock and has now postponed the launch of its flagship. Xiaomi is said to be bringing its Mi Mix 2s to the MWC 2018 instead, but now another leaked screenshot has revealed some more details about the mysterious Mi 7 device.

The leaked screenshot comes from Playfuldroid that has revealed new and some known details about the Mi 7.

The new details include the presence of 8 GB RAM alongside the already known Qualcomm Snapdragon 845. Xiaomi is said to be debut the brand-new Qualcomm chipset at the MWC this year which could steal Samsung's thunder at the same event.

Another new detail revealed in the leaked screenshot is a massive battery upgrade over the existing Mi 6 smartphone, the model that never made it to India.

The Mi 7 is said to be fuelled by a massive 4,480 mAh battery which is a big upgrade over the Mi 6's 3,350 mAh unit.

Apart from the above details, the leak also confirmed a bits that we already know about. This would include the 16 MP + 16 MP camera set up, a tall 5.6-inch Full HD+ display and 128 GB of internal storage.

The same source also revealed that smartphone could be launched after the MWC in April.
IANS

To enable astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to analyse biological samples without sending them back to Earth, NASA researchers, including one of Indian-origin, are developing 3D printable tools that could handle liquids like blood samples without spilling in microgravity.

Learning how bacteria affect crew health, or how genes affect aging and disease, can ensure the safety of long-term missions to Mars and beyond, NASA said on 8 February.

The new NASA project, called Omics in Space, aims to develop technology used to study "omics"  fields of microbiology that are important to human health. Omics includes research into genomes, microbiomes and proteomes.

NASA has already studied omics with efforts like the Microbial Tracking 1 experiment, which examined microbial diversity on the space station. But there is no way to process samples on the station right now, so they have to be sent down to Earth.

It can be months between the time a sample is taken and an analysis is done, said Kasthuri Venkateswaran of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, and principal investigator for the Omics in Space project.

"You don't have overnight mail when you go to space," Venkateswaran, an alumnus of Annamalai University in Tamil Nadu, said.

"You have to do all the analysis by yourself. This project will develop an automated system for studying molecular biology with minimal crew intervention," he added.

One of the biggest challenges with preparing samples is handling fluids in microgravity. Astronauts collect a variety of samples, including their own saliva and blood, as well as microbes swabbed from the walls of the ISS.

These samples have to then be mixed with water so they can be injected into instruments for analysis.

Without the proper tools, samples can spill, float or form air bubbles that could compromise results.

In 2016, NASA took a big step by sequencing DNA in space for the first time. Astronauts used a tiny, hand-held sequencing tool called the MinION, developed by Oxford Nanopore Technologies, a private company headquartered at Oxford, England.

NASA said the Omics in Space project will build on this success by developing an automated DNA/RNA extractor which will prepare samples for a MinION device.

A critical part of this extractor is a 3D printable plastic cartridge needed to extract nucleic acids from the samples for the MinION sequencing.

All of this technology has been tested here on Earth, said Camilla Urbaniak, a post-doctoral researcher at JPL and co-investigator on Omics in Space.

"We're taking what's on Earth to analyse DNA and consolidating all the steps into an automated system," Urbaniak said.

"What's new is we're developing a one-stop-shop that can extract and process all of these samples," Urbaniak added.
A second White House staffer resigned in one week over domestic abuse claims, in a widening scandal that called into question the president's judgment and tainted his chief of staff John Kelly and longtime aide Hope Hicks

A second White House staffer resigned in one week over domestic abuse claims, in a widening scandal that called into question the president's judgment and tainted his chief of staff John Kelly and longtime aide Hope Hicks.

White House speechwriter David Sorensen denied his wife's claims of abuse, but resigned  hours after President Donald Trump was criticised for wishing staff secretary Rob Porter a "wonderful career" after he too resigned amid similar accusations.

Porter  who denies abuse alleged by two ex-wives, one of whom released a photo of herself with a black eye  worked at the heart of the White House throughout the first year of Trump's administration, despite being denied full security clearance. He only stepped down from his post on Wednesday after the accusations became public.

Trump, who has himself been accused of sexual harassment or assault by two dozen women, fueled the scandal by praising Porter and suggesting he had a bright future. He made no mention of the ex-wives or the alleged domestic abuse. "We certainly wish him well, and it's a tough time for him," Trump said in the Oval Office.

"He did a very good job when he was in the White House. And we hope he has a wonderful career and he will have a great career ahead of him. As you probably know, he says he's innocent, and I think you have to remember that," he said.

That prompted a sharp rebuke from Democrats like Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, who slammed the White House's "culture of misogyny". Chief of Staff John Kelly was aware of the allegations and also praised Porter's conduct in the White House, maintaining that "every individual deserves the right to defend their reputation".

Hicks, perhaps Trump's most trusted aide, had helped craft the response to the scandal as White House communications director, despite being romantically involved with Porter.

Raj Shah said the White House only learned late Thursday about allegations against Sorensen, the speechwriter. "We immediately confronted the staffer, he denied the allegations and he resigned today," Shah, the deputy White House spokesman, said.

Sorensen's ex-wife Jessica Corbett told The Washington Post that while they were married, he ran a car over her foot, extinguished a cigarette on her hand, threw her into a wall and grabbed her by her hair, but that she did not report the incidents due to her then-husband's connections to law enforcement.

While Sorensen's post as a Council on Environmental Quality speechwriter did not require security clearance, Corbett said she had described his behavior to the FBI as it conducted an ongoing background check of Sorensen in the fall.

"It's alarming that Rob Porter remained in an influential role," said Democratic representative Ann McLane Kuster, "even as revelations about his domestic abuse were apparently known among senior Trump staffers".

Trump confidant and former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski  who was formerly romantically involved with Hicks  pointed a finger of blame at former Marine corps general Kelly. "The general is there to put in policies and processes and procedures. And in this case, those didn't work and we need to find out why," he told Fox News.

The White House was forced to quell rumors that Kelly was ready to resign.

Trump and "many" White House staffers were irritated by Kelly's support for Porter's character, and for falsely insisting he that he aggressively sought to have him fired once the abuse allegations surfaced, according to The New York Times.

Vice-President Mike Pence, who is attending the Olympics in South Korea, tried to distance himself from the issue, but also stressed in an NBC interview that "there is no tolerance in this White House, no place in America for domestic abuse".

Trump was elected promising to bring "the best people" with him to "drain the swamp" in Washington.

In reality, he has struggled to hire high-calibre staff, with many experienced Washington operatives keeping their distance. "A lot of us could have done better," Shah told reporters in a rare show of contrition from the Trump White House.

Shah refused to confirm in detail when and how Kelly in particular became aware of the claims, or Hicks' role in shaping the White House response.

Until hours before the Harvard graduate left his post, the White House was praising him as an upstanding and integral member of staff. "Rob Porter has been effective in his role as staff secretary. The president and chief of staff have full confidence in his abilities and his performance," said spokeswoman Sarah Sanders.

In an interview with CNN, Porter's ex-wife Jennifer Willoughby detailed allegations of abuse, saying that during her marriage she lived under a "low-grade constant terror of not knowing what I might do to set something off".

Trump's administration has been beset by scandal and staff departures. Porter had been a rare staffer inside the White House who knew Washington, was widely respected and was seen as good at his job.
An Israeli fighter jet crashed on Saturday after coming under fire from Syrian air defences during attacks against 'Iranian targets' in the war-torn country.

Jerusalem: An Israeli fighter jet crashed on Saturday after coming under fire from Syrian air defences during attacks against "Iranian targets" in the war-torn country, a spokesman said.

The exchange of fire was the most serious between arch foes Israel and Iran since the start of the civil war in Syria in 2011. It marked the first time Israel publicly acknowledged attacking what it identified as Iranian targets in Syria since the war began.

The Israeli military issued a warning to Tehran, saying it was responsible for the drone that entered Israel.

Israel has repeatedly warned in recent weeks against the presence of Iranian forces in neighbouring Syria. The Israeli pilots of the crashed F16 were reported alive.

The Israeli military "targeted the Iranian control systems in Syria that sent the UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) into Israeli airspace. Massive Syrian anti-air fire, one F16 crashed in Israel, pilots safe," spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus tweeted.

According to a separate military statement, Israeli forces identified an "Iranian UAV" launched from Syria and intercepted it in Israeli airspace with a combat helicopter. Police said the F16 crashed in the Jezreel valley in northern Israel.

"During the attack, multiple anti-aircraft missiles were fired at IAF (Israel Air Force) aircraft," the military statement read.

"The pilots of one of the aircraft abandoned as per procedure. The pilots landed in Israeli territory and were taken to the hospital for medical treatment."

Conricus meanwhile said that the army had confirmed "accurate hits of (the) Iranian UAV control facility" in Syria.

"Iran is responsible for this severe violation of Israeli sovereignty," Conricus said on Twitter.

Syria said its air defences repelled two Israeli raids on its military bases in the centre of the country, hitting more than one warplane during the first.

"At dawn, the Zionist enemy carried out a new aggression against one of our military bases in the centre of the country," state news agency SANA reported. "Our air defences repelled it and hit more than one plane."

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor of the seven-year civil war, said the Israeli raids had targeted several military bases in the east of the central province of Homs used by both Iranian and Russian military personnel deployed in support of the regime. Air raid sirens had gone off in Israel in the early hours of the morning following the UAV interception and raids.

The army said it was "monitoring events and is fully prepared for further action, depending on assessments and necessity."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has held a series of meetings in recent months with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Iran's influence in war-torn Syria and Lebanon.

Netanyahu has been seeking to persuade Russia to limit Iran's presence near Israeli territory and to stop it from entrenching itself militarily in Syria.

Russia, Iran and Lebanon's Shiite Muslim militant group Hezbollah -- which is backed by Tehran -- all support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the civil war.

In a meeting in Moscow last month, Netanyahu reiterated Israel's concerns of what he described as the attempts of Iran to establish a military presence in Syria and produce accurate weapons against Israel there.

"We won't accept either of those, and will act according to our needs," Netanyahu said following the meeting with Putin.

On Tuesday, Netanyahu had taken the members of his security cabinet for a tour of the Golan Heights, where they were briefed by the military on the situation. "We want peace, but are prepared for any scenario, and suggest that nobody tries us," he said.

Israel has sought to avoid direct involvement in the Syrian war, but acknowledges carrying out dozens of air strikes there to stop what it says are advanced arms deliveries to Hezbollah.
Israel's military said Iran and Syria were 'playing with fire' but that it was not seeking an escalation after a confrontation resulted in large-scale Israeli air strikes inside Syria

Jerusalem: Israel's military said on Saturday Iran and Syria were "playing with fire" but that it was not seeking an escalation after a confrontation resulted in large-scale Israeli air strikes inside Syria.

Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus made the comments after Saturday's confrontation, the most serious between arch foes Israel and Iran since the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011.

Conricus told journalists in a phone conference the Syrians and Iranians were "playing with fire" but Israel was "not looking to escalate the situation."

"This is the most blatant and severe Iranian violation of Israeli sovereignty in the last years," Conricus said, referring to what he described as an Iranian drone entering Israeli airspace from Syria.

"That's why our response is as severe as it is."

Earlier on Saturday, an Israeli fighter jet crashed after coming under fire from Syrian air defences during attacks against "Iranian targets" in the war-torn country, an Israeli military spokesman said.

The Israeli military said it later attacked 12 Syrian and Iranian targets in Syria in what it described as "large-scale" raids.

Israel's initial raid that led to the plane crash came after it intercepted what it said was an Iranian drone entering its airspace from Syria.
For India and the US, allowing Maldives to become a Chinese satellite will have grave security consequences for India and may spell an early demise for Trump's Indo-Pacific strategy.

The phone call between Donald Trump and Narendra Modi on Thursday night, with Maldives featuring prominently in conversation, should not be underestimated. We are witnessing here the embryonic architecture of an Indo-Pacific strategy, where democratic forces are converging to resist China's persistent bullying tactics in south Asia. Domestic political turmoil has thrown tiny Maldives into the eye of a giant geopolitical storm.

China is obviously aware of the stakes. The following day, its foreign ministry spokesperson told reporters that the "current situation in the Maldives is its internal affairs" and "non-interference in other countries is an important principle of international relations".

News agency PTI quoted "official sources" to report that Beijing is in touch with India to "discuss a way to resolve the crisis" because it doesn't want Maldives to become the latest "flashpoint". This is equally significant. The fact that Beijing has been forced to come out with rejoinders and clarifications point to its worry.

China obviously sees Trump's Indo-Pacific strategy as a threat to its hegemony and wouldn't want to let go of its growing strategic space in the Maldives. In the international arena, it has emerged as the only backer for Abdulla Yameen, the authoritarian Maldivian president who has jailed the Supreme Court chief justice, key Opposition leaders and has clamped down on democracy by promulgating an Emergency.

China has succeeded in entrenching the Maldivian economy but its political game is still dependent to some extent on propping up the Yameen regime. It fears a swing in India's favour if Opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed returns to power.

Nasheed, a pro-New Delhi former president, has been voicing his concern against China's creeping colonialism, and in a recent interview, he again urged India to step in and check Beijing's aggressive land grab in the Indian Ocean archipelago.

"It's not just our problem; it's your problem as well. In my view, two issues make it India's problem: Radical Islam and land grab," Nasheed told Sachin Parashar of The Times of India, adding, "We know that they have 17 islands now where they are talking about investing $40 million but we don't really know what is the purpose of that."

China's cards were revealed when Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Maldivian "special envoy" Mohamed Saeed that "China will not interfere in the internal affairs of Maldives. This is also an important principle enshrined by the UN charter. We support the Maldives government to properly resolve issues through dialogue and consultation with relevant parties and uphold independence, sovereignty and legitimate rights and interests of Maldives," according to spokesperson Geng Shuang.

Note that in Wang's statement there was stress on the words "independence, sovereignty, legitimate rights and interests", but no mention of "democracy", as that would have put President Yameen under pressure.

Moreover, for a country that has consistently flouted international law and shown blatant and repeated disregard for international rules-based order, China's sudden invoking of "principles of UN charter" is no less than Devil quoting from the scripture.

Wang also reportedly claimed that "China has offered selfless assistance to Maldives for its social development". Once the laughter has died down, let's consider that China's actions in the island nation have been so benign and well-meaning that the Maldivian Constitution was amended by a pliant president to allow foreign ownership of land and a controversial free-trade agreement was rushed through to avoid parliamentary scrutiny.

For India and the US, therefore, the strategic objectives are clear. Allowing Maldives to become a Chinese satellite will have grave security consequences for India and may spell an early demise for Trump's Indo-Pacific strategy.

The readout put forward by the White House therefore stressed that both "leaders (have) pledged to continue working together to enhance security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region". Also, "both leaders expressed concern about the political crisis in Maldives and the importance of respect for democratic institutions and rule of law". Just as China deliberately omitted the word 'democracy', India and the US were careful to stress on it.

The importance of the developments in Maldives cannot be overstated. The delicate geopolitical balance arising out of Chinese geostrategic initiatives in Indian Ocean and Indo-US response may be decided in one favour or another depending upon how India, above all, responds.

In his piece for The Print, author Andrew Small, senior trans-Atlantic fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, writes, "Maldives is likely to emerge as a test case  for India's strategic economic agenda in its neighborhood; for the Trump administration's Indo-Pacific strategy, which is supposed to have precisely these cases in its sights... A success story for the democratic powers would begin to change the narrative around Chinas Belt and Road initiative in the region... A failure to find ways to bolster the region's smallest country would instead validate the counter-narrative... that the talk in New Delhi and Washington is not being backed up with resources and that, whether you like China or not, there is no alternative."

India is trying to explore diplomatic options. In a departure from usual practice, the Ministry of External Affairs' spokesperson issued a release from Jordan  where Prime Minister Modi, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval were headed en route to Palestine  while reacting to Chinese statements on Maldives.

"China has said that the Maldives government has the ability to protect the security of Chinese personnel and institutions in the Maldives. We hope that all countries can play a constructive role in the Maldives, instead of doing the opposite," the release said, according to The Indian Express.

India is also reportedly soliciting the United Nations to send a "fact-finding mission of impartial observers" to assess the situation on the ground and nudge the Abdulla Yameen government into restoring democracy", reported The Times of India.

It is clear that India is keen not to let go of its strategic hold to China. New Delhi's objectives tie neatly with Trump administration's vision for a "free and open Indo-Pacific". During his address at the APEC CEO Summit in Vietnam last November, Trump had reiterated that it is in "America's interests to have partners throughout this region that are thriving, prosperous, and dependent on no one. We will not make decisions for the purpose of power or patronage. We will never ask our partners to surrender their sovereignty, privacy, and intellectual property, or to limit contracts to state-owned suppliers".

The problem for India is that its diplomatic initiatives lack an institutional framework and an overarching grand design, in absence of which its regional influence remains stunted. It also suffers from bureaucratic inertia in delivering on projects and promises. Maldives will test Indias resolve and reach as a regional power.
India on Friday, reacting to reports that China hoped that the Maldives government can resolve the raging internal political crisis on its own, said that all countries can play a constructive role in the Indian Ocean archipelago nation.

New Delhi: India on Friday, reacting to reports that China hoped that the Maldives government can resolve the raging internal political crisis on its own, said that all countries can play a constructive role in the Indian Ocean archipelago nation.

"We note that China has said that Maldives government has the ability to protect the security of Chinese personnel and institutions in Maldives," the external affairs ministry said in a statement.

"We hope that all countries can play a constructive role in Maldives, instead of doing the opposite," it added.

Earlier on Friday, a Chinese official said that China did not want the Maldivian political crisis to become another thorny issue with India

The official told IANS that China was in touch with India over the issue.

The Maldives has plunged into a crisis with its President Abdulla Yameen declaring a state of emergency and arresting the Chief Justice and a former head of state.

India has traditionally held influence in the Indian Ocean atoll nation where China has been trying to make inroads because of the country's strategic location.

The archipelago in the Indian Ocean is of immense strategic importance to India and China, the world's two most populous countries dependent on energy imports.

Experts say the Maldivian crisis could well become a new power struggle between India and China.

Yameen has sent special envoys to China, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia even as New Delhi politely declined to host the Maldivian foreign minister.

It all started when the Maldives' Supreme Court termed as unjust the imprisonment of nine MPs and former President Mohamed Nasheed, who is in exile.

The court ruling of 1 February  if implemented  would have restored Nasheed party's in majority and threatened Yameen's presidency.

Nasheed, perceived to be close to New Delhi, has urged India to intervene militarily, a move which China has warned will only complicate the situation.

"Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with the Maldives' President's special envoy, (Maldivian) Economic Development Minister Mohamed Saeed. He introduced the current situation in the Maldives and said that the government is committed to upholding the rule of the law and social order and independently achieving national stability and development," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said in Beijing.

Geng also reiterated that China would not interfere in the Maldives' internal affairs and oppose any outside intervention.

Wang told Saeed that China was closely watching the situation and was confident that Male had the wisdom to solve the crisis by itself.
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This week there were several smartphone launches in India from HTC, Sony, Infinix, Panasonic, Tecno Mobile and there were also launch of accessories from Bose, Harman and Zebronics. Ahead of Valentines day next week, Vivo and Intex launched Red Edition smartphones. Check out all the launches and announcement from this week in our weekly roundup.

This week launched the U11+, the companys latest flagship smartphone that was announced back in November last year. It comes with a 6-inch Quad HD+ 18:9 Full Screen display with 82% screen-to-body ratio and is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 coupled with 6GB of RAM. Like the original U11, it comes with Edge Sense technology.

It runs on Android 8.0 Oreo with Sense U.I on top, is rated at IP68 for water and dust resistance and comes with a single 12MP camera. There is no 3.5mm audio jack but the company is bundling USB Type-C headphones with active noise cancellation. Itcomes in Amazing Silver color, is priced at Rs. 56,990 and is available exclusively from Flipkart.

Sony Mobile launched Xperia L2, the companys latest smartphone in the L series in India. It was introduced at the CES 2018 last month and packs a 5.5-inch display with Corning Gorilla Glass protection, is powered by quad-core MediaTek SoC and runs on Android 7.1.1 (Nougat). It has a 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and an 8-megapixel front camera with 120-degree super wide-angle lens.

It comes with dual SIM support with dedicated SIM and microSD slots, features a fingerprint sensor on the back and packs a 3300mAh battery with Qnovo Adaptive Charging tech. It comes in Black and Gold colors, is priced at Rs. 19,990 and is already available from retail stores across India.

Infinix launched Hot S3, the companys latest mid-range smartphone in the Hot S series in India. It has a 20-megapixel front camera with dual LED flash and features a 5.65-inch HD+ 18:9 display, which are the main highlights of the phone. It is powered by Snapdragon 430 with up to 4GB RAM, runs Android 8.0 Oreo with the companys own XOS Hummingbird V3.0 on top.

It has a 13-megapixel rear camera with dual LED flash, come with dedicated dual SIM and microSD slots, features a fingerprint sensor on the back and packs a 4000mAh battery. It comes in Sandstone Black and Brush Gold colors and is priced at Rs. 8999 for the 3GB RAM with 32GB storage version and the 4GB RAM with 64GB storage version costs Rs. 10,999. It will be available exclusively from Flipkart starting from February 12th. Check out our first impressions here.

China-based Transsion Holdings TECNO Mobile launched Tecno Camon i Air, the companys latest smartphone in India. It has a 5.65-inch HD+ 18:9 FullView display, is powered by quad-core MediaTek processor and runs on Android 7.0 (Nougat) with the companys own HiOS on top along with a 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash quad-LED flash, similar to the Camon i, but this has a 8-megapixel front-facing camera instead of a 13-megapixel camera.

It has 2GB RAM and 16GB storage compared to 3GB RAM and 32GB storage on the Camon i. It comes in Champagne Gold and Midnight Black colors, is priced at Rs. 7999 and will be available from offline stores.

Panasonic launched P100, the companys latest budget smartphone in India. It has a 5-inch 2.5D curved glass screen with Corning Gorilla Glass protection, is powered by a quad-core MediaTek SoC with 1GB/2GB RAM depending on the model, runs Android 7.0 (Nougat), has an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera, both with LED flash.

It has dedicated dual SIM and microSD slots, has a fingerprint sensor on the back and packs a 2200mAh removable battery. It comes in Blue, Black, Gold and Dark Grey colors, is priced at Rs. 5299 for the 1GB RAM version and the 2GB RAM version costs Rs. 5999. It is available exclusively from Flipkart.

Vivo launched V7+ mid-range selfie-focused smartphone in new Limited Edition Infinite Red color variant in partnership with designer Manish Malhotra ahead of Valentines Day next week. It is priced at Rs. 22,990 and is available through offline stores across India as well as Amazon.in online with exclusive offers.

Intex launched the ELYT Dual smartphone with dual selfie cameras in new Limited Edition Royal Red version ahead of Valentines Day next week. Dual front cameras in the smartphone offers Bokeh effect for portrait selfies with Re-Focus to edit the picture later and Background Effect to easily add, change or edit photo background or foreground. It is available from retail stores for Rs. 6,999.

Bose launched Soundsport Free earbuds and SoundLink Micro Rugged Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker in India. The Soundsport Free earbuds weigh just 10g each and measures just 2.8cm high x 3.0cm deep. They house a new antennae system to maintain a strong and reliable connection between each other, and the phone or tablet theyre paired to  whether the device is 9m away. It promises up to 5 hours of listening time on a single charge, while the case provides 10 hours of battery life. It also has IPX4 ratings for water-resistance.

The Bose Soundsport Free comes in Black, Midnight Blue and Bright Orange colors, is priced at Rs. 18,990 and is available from Amazon.in. The Bose Sound Link Micro comes in Black, Midnight Blue and Bright Orange colors, is priced at Rs. 8990 and is available from Amazon.in.

HARMAN launched the JBL Boombox Bluetooth speaker in India. The speaker is capable of delivering exceptional sound and hard hitting bass. It is also IPX7 rated for Waterproof. It comes with a 20,000mAh rechargeable Built-in rechargeable Li-ion battery.

It is priced at Rs. 34,990 and will be available in black color through HARMANs e-commerce platform, various online and retail channels and at 350 key Samsung brand stores across in India.

HP this week unveiled new Elitebook 800-series, HP ZBook 14u, and HP ZBook 15u laptops. These commercial devices are designed for todays constantly on-the-go modern workforce. These laptops are powered by the Windows 10 with support for Cortana, cameras, optional fingerprint readers with Windows Hello for fast and secure login, and Windows Ink.

These laptops feature new chiseled linear wedge profiles and anodized aluminum covers. The EliteBook 800 series packs an ultra-bright display that automatically adapts to changing light conditions. The EliteBook 800 series and the ZBook 14u/15u passed the MIL-STD-810G testing to ensure durability and also have Thunderbolt 3 ports. HP also introduced the new HP Thunderbolt Dock G2
World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim this week joined other business leaders in expressing skepticism about cryptocurrencies, likening digital currencies to Ponzi schemes.

In terms of using bitcoin or some of the cryptocurrencies, we are also looking at it, but Im told the vast majority of cryptocurrencies are basically Ponzi schemes, Kim said Wednesday during an event in Washington, according to Bloomberg. Its still not really clear how its going to work.

Top cryptocurrencies, including bitcoin, ethereum and litecoin, saw their values soar in recent months amid increased interest from the public and some business leaders. Bitcoin rose from below $1,000 last February to a peak of more than $19,200 last December, only to plunge below $9,000 as of Friday.

Kim added that the World Bank is looking really carefully at blockchain technology, the platform through which cryptocurrency transactions are tracked and legitimized.

Cryptocurrencies allow users to transfer value and make secure transactions without use of banks or other centralized institutions. The digital currency marketplace is not regulated by any government or central bank, though some countries, including China, have imposed restrictions on their usage.

Critics argue that digital currencies are a bubble prone to volatility and susceptible to hackers and other types of fraud. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon called bitcoin a fraud last September, only to clarify his stance on cryptocurrencies in an interview with FOX Business.

The blockchain is real. You can have crypto yen and dollars and stuff like that, Dimon said.
Cox Enterprises said Wednesday the majority of its employees will receive bonuses of up to $2,000 following the passage of tax reform.

The Atlanta-based company, which owns the Cox cable provider among other businesses, announced that bonuses of $1,000 to $2,000 will be distributed on Tax Day to employees who have worked at Cox Enterprises for at least a year and are not part of an executive incentive plan. The move impacts most of the companys nearly 60,000 employees.

The $1.5 trillion tax bill reduces the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% and changes the way the U.S. government taxes companies that also operate internationally.

FOX Business is keeping track of the tax benefits that have reached over 3 million Americans so far.

Updated 3/7/18

Anthem

Anthem Inc. (NYSE:ANTM) said it would contribute retirement savings for more than 58,000 current and former employees, joining other major corporations in rewarding workers after the passage of a GOP-backed tax reform package.

The Indianapolis-based health insurance company said its associates and recent retirees will receive $1,000 toward their 401(k) accounts, for a total investment of more than $58 million. Anthem said other tax reform-related savings would be used to reduce the cost of healthcare for customers.

Apple

The California-based tech giant gave employees below the senior level title of "director" bonuses worth $2,500. The awards were composed of restricted stock units, a source familiar with the situation told FOX Business.

AT&T

The telecom giant said in late December that more than 200,000 of its employees, including union-represented and non-management workers, will be eligible for a $1,000 bonus. The checks will be in the mail in time for the holidays if Trump finalizes the tax bill with his signature before Christmas. AT&T (NYSE:T) also said it will invest $1 billion more than expected in the U.S. in 2018, once the cuts are final.

Congress, working closely with the President, took a monumental step to bring taxes paid by U.S. businesses in line with the rest of the industrialized world, AT&T Chairman and CEO Randall Stephenson said in a statement. This tax reform will drive economic growth and create good-paying jobs.

BNY Mellon

Starting on March 1, Bank of New York Mellon Corp. will raise minimum wage to $15 per hour for roughly 1,000 of its 52,500 employees, the Wall Street Journal reported.

BNY Mellon executives noted the new tax code will allow for savings of roughly $250 million per year, which will be used on technology upgrades.

Boeing

The aerospace and defense company immediately announced $300 million in investments after the bill passed, with $100 million toward corporate giving including employee gift-match programs, $100 million toward workforce development, training and education and $100 million toward enhancing Boeings workplaces.

"On behalf of all of our stakeholders, we applaud and thank Congress and the administration for their leadership in seizing this opportunity to unleash economic energy in the United States," Boeing (NYSE:BA) President and CEO Dennis Muilenburg said in a statement. "It's the single-most important thing we can do to drive innovation, support quality jobs and accelerate capital investment in our country."

Charter Communications

Charter, which owns the Spectrum cable brand, says all of its employees will be paid at least $15 per hour within the next year. The company cited tax reform and the repeal of net neutrality rules for its decision.

"Charter's workforce is key to the success of our company," Charter CEO Tom Rutledge said in a statement. "Our commitment to pay every employee at least a $15 per hour income will enhance our efforts to develop our highly-skilled, diverse and locally based workforce, improving their lives and the lives of the customers they serve."

Chipotle Mexican Grill

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) is rolling out benefits reaching all of its 71,000 employees, including special cash and stock bonuses and enhanced paid and parental leave.

Qualified hourly employees and salaried restaurant employees will receive a special one-time cash bonus of up to $1,000, and some staff employees will receive a one-time stock grant.

Other offerings will include accelerated training programs, and additional paid parental leave for everyone, from hourly managers to salaried employees.

The company also added life insurance and short-term disability insurance coverage for hourly restaurant managers.

According to the company, the tax cut and the jobs cut made the sweetened compensation and benefits possible. The company will invest more than one-third of its anticipated savings from tax law changes on behalf of its employees, and the remainder will be used to improve its restaurant facilities and operations.

The company said it has already started rolling out these new benefits.

Comcast

The Philadelphia-based telecom corporation said it would award $1,000 bonuses to more than 100,000 non-executive employees. In addition, Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA) NBC Universal Chairman and CEO Brian L. Roberts said the company plans to spend more than $50 billion in the next five years on infrastructure investments that are expected to create "thousands of new direct and indirect jobs."

In a press release, Comcast said the initiatives were "based on the passage of tax reform and the FCC's action on broadband."

CVS

Hourly employees of CVS Health (NYSE:CVS) will see their wages increase to $11 per hour from $9, effective April 2018. The company also plans to adjust pay ranges and rates for many of its retail employees later in the year.

The company is creating a new paid parental leave program. Effective April 1, 2018, full-time employees who become parents can take up to four weeks away from work at 100% of their pay.

Fifth Third Bancorp

The Cincinnati-based banking corporation said it would raise the minimum hourly wage for all employees to $15 per hour and dispense $1,000 bonuses for more than 13,500 workers. The company says tax reform was directly responsible for the initiatives.

It is good for our communities, employees and Fifth Third Bank (NASDAQ:FITB), Fifth Third President and CEO Greg Carmichael said.

Home Depot

Home Depot (NYSE:HD) announced it will pay its U.S. hourly workers a one-time bonus of up to $1,000 tied to President Trumps tax reform.

"This incremental investment in our associates was made possible by the new tax reform bill," Craig Menear, chairman and CEO of the company, said in a statement.

The Home Depot bonus will be paid in addition to the retailers existing bonuses. It employs more than 400,000 associates.

JPMorgan Chase

The country's largest bank said it will raise wages for roughly 22,000 workers to between $15 and $18 per hour. JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM) employees are also set to receive a $750 bonus this month.

JetBlue

The New York-based airline said on Jan. 4 that it would grant a $1,000 to each of its 21,000 crewmembers, with the exception of its CEO and other executives.

"We believe these tax changes will be positive for our company, and provide us the opportunity to do good things for our crewmembers, customers and shareholders," JetBlue President and CEO Robin Hayes said in a letter to company employees.

J.M. Smucker

J.M. Smucker Co. will offer one-time $1,000 bonuses to thousands of its employees, joining other major companies in rewarding employees due to savings tied to the recent passage of GOP-backed tax reform.

The Ohio-based company said last week that nearly 5,000 employees will receive bonuses. In addition, Smucker announced $1 million in charitable donations and $20 million in investments toward employee pension plans.

Lowe's

The retailer said it's giving more than 260,000 of its hourly employees bonuses of up to $1,000 as well as expanding its benefit plans to include adoption assistance and paid parental leave.

In addition, Lowe's said it plans to shorten its eligibility time for new employees who want to enroll in the company's health plans, giving them the option to sign up in the first 30 days of service.

McCormick

McCormick & Company (NYSE:MKC) will use a portion of its savings from tax reform to pay out $1,000 bonuses in May to eligible U.S. hourly employees and will accelerate wage increases, adding that the majority of hourly employees will benefit from the changes.

McCormick said in a statement that in addition to employee bonuses and wage increases, the company will use its tax benefits to make strategic investments to drive growth, return cash to shareholders and pay down debt.

MetLife

The New York-based insurance company (NYSE:MET) said it will increase its minimum wage to $15 per hour, enhance employee benefits and boost retirement plan contributions for all of its workers. MetLife also said it plans to create a new $10 million skills development fund to help its employees around the world upgrade their workplace skills.

Starbucks

Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) is giving all of its U.S.-based hourly and salaried workers an unspecified raise in April, in addition to a wage increase already dispersed earlier in the fiscal year, which began last October. Starbucks says it is investing roughly $120 million in the wage increases.

The company is also awarding workers stock grants worth a total of more than $100 million to those employed by the chain as of Jan. 1, 2018. Retail employees will receive at least a $500 grant, while store managers will receive grants of $2,000, the chain said.

Southwest Airlines

The Dallas-based airline is awarding a $1,000 cash bonus to all of its full-time and part-time employees. The bonuses will be distributed on Jan. 8. In addition, Southwest said it will donate $5 million toward charitable causes and partner with Boeing to modernize its fleet of planes.

We applaud Congress and the President for taking this action to pass legislation, which will result in meaningful corporate income tax reform for the transportation sector in general, and for Southwest Airlines, in particular, Southwest Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Gary Kelly said in a statement. We are excited about the savings and additional capital, which we intend to put to work in several formsto reward our hard-working employees, to reinvest in our business, to reward our shareholders, and to keep our costs and fares low for our Customers.

Tyson Foods

The Arkansas-based food company said it will award $1,000 bonuses to full-time employees and $500 to part-time employees who did not already receive an annual bonus. Tyson CEO Tom Hayes said in an email to employees that the companys total savings from tax reform will top $300 million, with leftover cash from the bonuses used to improve training and education, the Associated Press reported.

U-Haul

U-Haul said it will issue bonuses to its full-time and part-time employees, joining other corporations in rewarding employees after the passage of tax reform.

The Phoenix-based moving and storage company, which is a subsidiary of AMERCO, said full-time employees will receive a one-time bonus of $1,200 and part-time workers will receive a bonus of $500. The bonuses will be issued by the end of February and amount to more than $23 million in payments to nearly 29,000 team members, U-Haul said.

U.S. Bank

U.S. Bancorp, the parent company of U.S. Bank, is distributing $1,000 bonuses to roughly 60,000 of its employees and raising minimum wage for hourly workers to $15 per hour. The Minneapolis-based company is also donating $150 million to the U.S. Bank Foundation, upgrading health care packages for its employees and investing in better customer service capabilities.

"We believe that tax reform is positive for the U.S. economy because it provides an immediate opportunity to benefit our employees, our communities and our customers, said Andy Cecere, U.S. Bank's president and CEO. We are proud of our people and their commitment to our customers and communities. We felt it was important to reward their hard work and dedication with this special bonus, the minimum wage increase and the health care enhancements.

Verizon

The telecom giant will give nearly all of its employees 50 shares of restricted stock, worth roughly $53 each as of this week, a source with knowledge of the equity award confirmed to Fox News. The share prices will be set on Feb. 1.

Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT), the world's largest employer, boosted pay for U.S. hourly workers to $11 per hour. Additionally, the retailer is giving one-time $1,000 bonus payments to workers, depending on length of service. It is also extending maternity and parental benefits for workers. The changes take place in February.

The Walt Disney Co.

More than 125,000 Disney employees will receive $1,000 cash bonuses, the company announced on Jan. 23. The bonuses will be dispersed in two payments, one in March and another in September. In addition, Disney invested $50 million in an education program to cover tuition payments for hourly employees.

I am proud we are directing approximately $125 million to our cast members and employees across the country and making higher education more accessible with the launch of this new program, Disney CEO Bob Iger said in a statement. I have always believed that education is the key to opportunity; it opens doors and creates new possibilities. Matched with the $1,000 cash bonus, these initiatives will have both an immediate and long-term positive impact.

Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) said it would raise the minimum wage for its team members to $15 per hour and earmark $400 million for philanthropic initiatives in 2018. Some $100 million of that total will be committed to boosting small businesses, while $75 million will support neighborhood revitalization efforts.

We believe tax reform is good for our U.S. economy and are pleased to take these immediate steps to invest in our team members, communities, small businesses, and homeowners, said Wells Fargo President and CEO Tim Sloan. We look forward to identifying additional opportunities for Wells Fargo to invest, as we continue to execute our business strategies and provide long-term value to all our stakeholders.
Turkish warships on maneuvers in the Mediterranean Sea have blocked a rig belonging to the Italian energy firm ENI from reaching an area off Cyprus to start searching for gas, officials said Saturday.

Cyprus' Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides told state broadcaster RIK that the rig has halted its journey heading south of Cyprus and was waiting for directions from ENI. He says Cypriot authorities are in contact with the company and the Italian government.

The Saipem 12000 rig was stopped Friday by Turkish military ships and told not to continue "because there would be military activities in the destination area," an ENI spokesman told The Associated Press. "The vessel has prudently executed the orders and will remain in position pending a development of the situation."

The ENI official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with company policy.

The rig was on its way to drill an exploratory well at Block 3, an area southeast of the island nation, where ENI is licensed to search for hydrocarbons beneath the seabed.

On Thursday, Cyprus said ENI and partner TOTAL of France had discovered a potentially sizeable gas deposit at another block south of the island.

Turkey opposes the drilling, saying it flouts the rights of the breakaway Turkish Cypriots to ethnically-split Cyprus' natural resources.
John Gavin, the movie star who graced the big screen in Psycho, Imitation of Life" and Thoroughly Modern Millie has died at age 86, Fox News confirmed Friday.

"He died this morning after a long illness," Budd Burton, the manager of Gavin's wife actress Constance Towers, told Fox News.

TMZ claimed Gavin succumbed to complications from pneumonia after battling leukemia. He was reportedly first hospitalized just days before Christmas before he later passed away surrounded by his family in his Beverly Hills home.

The tall, strikingly handsome entertainer had led a decades-long career in Hollywood. He won a Golden Globe for 1958s A Time to Love and a Time to Die, appeared alongside blonde bombshell Lana Turner in 1959s Imitation of Life and starred as Julius Caesar in 1960s Spartacus with Kirk Douglas, among others.

He famously played Janet Leigh's divorced lover Sam Loomis in the 1960 Alfred Hitchcock thriller Psycho.

The Hollywood Reporter claimed Gavin was signed on to play James Bond in 1971s Diamonds Are Forever before Sean Connery reclaimed the role of the suave superspy.

President Ronald Reagan appointed Gavin as Mexico's ambassador in 1981, a country he already had ties with. His father had invested in the country's mines, and ancestors of his Mexican-born mother had been among California's first Spanish settlers. Gavin had often visited Mexico in his youth and was fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.

Director William Friedkin tweeted, A sad day, my great friend John Gavin died This morning. One of the finest men I knew And like a brother to me. May he Rest In Peace.

Gavin and Towers married in 1974. He leaves behind two children.

Associated Press contributed to this report.
Thanks to President Donald Trumps recent call for a military parade in Washington, comedian Bill Maher had some material for Friday's edition of his HBO show.

The host of Real Time With Bill Maher said there was one item Trump still hadn't checked off on the Dictators Checklist that Maher introduced last season, Deadline reported.

Military costume, Maher said.

Mocking things military is nothing new for Maher. In 2005, he referred to those who enlist in the armed forces as "low-lying fruit," a remark that an Alabama congressman responded, "borders on treason."

This time, Mahers comic bit followed a recent story in the Washington Post that the Pentagon was preparing plans to meet Trump's request for the military parade. The president reportedly said he got the idea after attending Frances Bastille Day parade last July.

Meanwhile, Maher also made a list for House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., the Wrap reported.

Titled 25 Things You Didnt Know About Me, the list mocked Nunes, who released a memo earlier this month that detailed alleged surveillance abuses by FBI and Justice Department officials.

When they told me they were putting me on the Intelligence Committee my first reaction was, Ha-ha, guys, good one, one read.

Ha-ha, Bill. Good one.

Fox News' Bradford Betz and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Montana wildlife officials announced Thursday that they would recommend against hosting a grizzly bear hunt near Yellowstone National Park, but the door is still open to future hunts.

An area near Yellowstone shared by Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho would be the potential hunting site for the formerly endangered animal. Wyoming Game and Fish Department asked permission to begin drafting hunting regulations in January, Jackson Hole News & Guide reported.

We are dang sure supportive of hunting them, Jeff Smith, the president of Wyoming Outfitters and Guides Association, told Jackson Hole News &Guide. Because we hunt everything else in Wyoming.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service took Yellowstone grizzly bears off the endangered list in June 2017 after 42 years of federal protection. The population of grizzlies in or near Yellowstone had grown from less than 150 in the mid-1970s to 690 in 2017, according to the National Park Service.

The change did not affect the protected status of other groups of grizzlies in 48 states, though their status could soon change as well, The New York Times reported at the time.

Now that Yellowstone's grizzlies are not protected by the federal government, their population management falls to the three neighboring states' discretion, paving the way for hunting as soon as this fall. The hunting would take place outside of the park itself but would affect the grizzlies who make their home in the park and its surrounding area.

Debate has raged over the question of hunting grizzlies, with some saying the grizzly population will need to be managed with hunting in the same way that other large carnivores have required. Trophy hunting is a concern, however, particularly for animal rights' groups.

A petition against the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission's hunting proposal garnered more than 215,000 signatures.

This story originally appeared in Travel + Leisure.
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The case against Big Tech seems to be building by the week. And interestingly, some of the most powerful evidence is being provided by those who really know what theyre talking about: tech insiders.

Full disclosure: I am a tech insider myself. I run a tech company in Silicon Valley. My wife is a senior executive at Facebook and many of our closest friends have senior roles in companies like Google.

Chamath Palihapitiya, a former Facebook executive responsible for growing the social networks user base, recently argued that Silicon Valley had created tools that are ripping apart the social fabric of how society works.

Palihapitiya lamented Big Techs role in our democratic debates: No civil discourse, no cooperation; misinformation, mistruth. And its not an American problem  this is not about Russian ads. This is a global problem.

He cited the role of mobile messaging service WhatsApp (owned by Facebook) in the killings of seven innocent men in India after hoax messages about strangers abducting children were shared.

Thats what were dealing with, Palihapitiya said. And imagine taking that to the extreme, where bad actors can now manipulate large swathes of people to do anything you want. Its just a really, really bad state of affairs. He said he tries to use Facebook as little as possible, and that his children arent allowed to use that s---.

His comments are in line with another huge figure in tech, early Facebook investor Sean Parker, who blasted the addictive properties of Silicon Valleys technology: God only knows what its doing to our childrens brains.

Parker argued that Facebook literally changes your relationship with society and probably interferes with productivity in weird ways.

Parker said that because the whole point of Facebook is to keep people using it. He said the thought process  was all about: How do we consume as much of your time and conscious attention as possible? Thats why the inventors of tech services like Facebook give their users a little dopamine hit every once in a while, for example through likes and comments: Its a social-validation feedback loop ... exactly the kind of thing that a hacker like myself would come up with, because youre exploiting a vulnerability in human psychology.

Parker went on to say that the men who designed and built these social media platforms, like Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg and Instagrams Kevin Systrom, understood consciously what they were doing. And we did it anyway.

Many commentators have made the comparison between these insider admission and the moment when the tobacco companies finally admitted that their products kill people. No one has suggested that technology actually kills people by design. But in other ways, the case against Big Tech is even more damning than the case against Big Tobacco, simply because Big Tech is so much more powerful and plays so much greater a role in our modern world.

The tech companies love the fact that they have risen to the apex of the business pile. Facebook, Google, Amazon, Apple and Microsoft top the list of the worlds most valuable corporations.

The companies love to boast in high-minded terms about how their mission is not something as mundane as making money. No, they are all about changing the world, as Apple CEO Tim Cook recently claimed. Well, with all that wealth and power comes influence. And increasingly, despite our Silicon Valley overlords self-regarding and cloyingly sanctimonious smugness, its not for the good.

Lets look at the charge sheet. It goes well beyond the addiction admissions of whistleblowing insiders like Sean Parker and Chamath Palihapitiya.

Because the business model of many of these tech firms relies on selling ads, their relentless focus is on gathering data on their users  that would be you  to enable advertisers to better target their messages.

With a phone in everyones pocket, these companies can now literally track your every move. And the creepiness seems to get worse by the day. Only this week we heard that clothing company L.L. Bean said it is planning to install sensors into some of its boots and coats to track how theyre used.

This intense data-gathering of your most intimate decisions  where you go, who you talk to, what you like or dont like  is only going to get worse. With new home assistants like Amazons Alexa and Google Home, Big Tech is now right at the heart of family life.

Children are growing up talking to Alexa as if she is a member of the family. Silicon Valley is actively exploring computer chips that would be inserted into peoples brains, so that artificial intelligence software can be merged with human thought.

Who owns all this data and what will happen to it? Quite apart from the sheer creepiness of tech companies wanting to invade your brain, we know from recent experience that literally everything can be hacked  whether by criminals or foreign governments like China that hacked our own government and stole millions of Americans most personal data.

Silicon Valleys surveillance capitalism has killed off human privacy. Did anyone ask them to do that? They say people want the convenience of data-enabled services  but for most people, theres no alternative. If everyone else is on Facebook you have to be there too, and you can only do that if you tick the box that signs away your privacy forever.

Artificial intelligence, of course, is not just about invading your privacy: its assaulting our economy too. Studies predict that huge swaths of jobs will be destroyed by Big Tech as it advances into new areas of economic activity and automates jobs from truck driving to accounting.

Silicon Valleys only response to the economic devastation its about to unleash on American workers is to push forward the idea of a Universal Basic Income  a government wage regardless of whether you work.

Translation: We, your tech overlords will be doing all the interesting work. Sadly, there wont be any jobs left for you serfs  but dont worry, well makes sure the government gives you some money so you can sit around all day and make the most of your newfound leisure time. Enjoy, little people!

Big Techs baleful economic impact extends to another disastrous feature of our modern economy: a stifling of competition. This has contributed to the lowest level of start-ups in decades, and the wage stagnation that has hurt American workers so badly.

When sector after sector in our economy ends up being dominated by a handful of giant corporations, workers lose their bargaining power. This trend is made worse by the growing dominance of the tech companies that are not only dominating their own markets  whether thats in media, through ad sales, or book retailing  but in fundamental aspects of business life. Just try starting a business these days without using Google, Facebook or Amazon products.

The one marketplace that Silicon Valley has not yet managed to dominate, however, is China. But its not for want of trying. Companies like Apple and Google are desperately sucking up to the brutal authoritarian communist regime in China in order to gain access to the vast market.

But in the process, our own leading companies are aiding and abetting Chinas plan for world domination by handing over technology  like artificial intelligence  that China will use against us.

And finally lets not forget the role of Silicon Valley in shaping our culture and the way we think. Sometimes you see it in pernicious side effects of automated systems for getting users to consume content.

We saw this this week with the Wall Street Journals expose of YouTubes role in pushing its users towards extreme videos and conspiracy theories. But frankly, we can also see this in the manifestation of the liberal bias that pervades Silicon Valley and the tech industry.

We will reveal shocking new evidence of Big Techs anti-conservative and even anti-religious bias on The Next Revolution this Sunday as we put Big Tech on Trial. Hope you can join us at 9 p.m. EST on Fox News Channel!
The White House on Friday told Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee to redraft their rebuttal to a controversial GOP memo alleging government surveillance abuse during the 2016 campaign, saying sensitive details need to be stripped out before the document can be made public.

The message was sent to the committee Friday in a letter from White House Counsel Don McGahn.

"Although the president is inclined to declassify the February 5th Memorandum, because the Memorandum contains numerous properly classified and especially sensitive passages, he is unable to do so at this time," McGahn wrote.

"However, given the public interest in transparency in these unprecedented circumstances, the President has directed that Justice Department personnel be available to give technical assistance to the Committee, should the Committee wish to revise the February 5th Memorandum to mitigate the risks identified by the Department," McGahn continued. "The President encourages the Committee to undertake these efforts. The Executive Branch stands ready to review any subsequent draft of the February 5th Memorandum for declassification at the earliest opportunity."

A letter signed by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and FBI Director Christopher Wray accompanied McGahn's response. In that accompanying letter, the two men noted "a version of the document that identifies, in highlighted text, information the release of which would present such concerns in light of longstanding principles regarding the protection of intelligence sources and methods, ongoing investigations, and other similarly sensitive information.

"We have further identified, in red boxes, the subset of such information for which national security or law enforcement concerns are especially significant. Our determinations have taken into account the information previously declassified by the President as communicated in a letter to HPSCI Chairman Devin Nunes dated February 2, 2018."

Earlier this week, the House Intelligence Committee approved the release of the Democrats' memo, giving Trump five days to consider whether he should block publication for national security reasons.

For the moment, the White House letter halts the release.

Here's how U.S. Rep. Devin Nunes, chairman of the House Inteligence Committee, responded to the president's decision:

The Presidents double standard when it comes to transparency is appalling," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement after the release of McGahn's letter. "The rationale for releasing the Nunes memo, transparency, vanishes when it could show information thats harmful to him. Millions of Americans are asking one simple question: What is he hiding?

Added House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.: "Americas intelligence and national security are being politicized. Why wont the President put our country before his personal and political interests?

Democrats have been expected to use their memo to try to undermine Republican claims that the FBI and DOJ relied heavily on the anti-Trump dossier to get a warrant to spy on a Trump associate -- and omitted key information about the document's political funding. Democrats claim the GOP memo was misleading.

"We think this will help inform the public of the many distortions and inaccuracies in the majority memo," California Rep. Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the panel, said Monday.

But it had been expected that the Democrats' memo might raise red flags during the review period.

A source who read the FISA rebuttal memo told Fox News earlier this week that it is filled with sources and methods taken from the original documents. The source argued that this was done to strategically force the White House to either deny release of the memo or substantially redact it, so that Democrats could accuse the White House of making redactions for political reasons.

INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE APPROVES RELEASE OF DEMS REBUTTAL TO FISA MEMO

U.S. Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., a member of the committee, said during an interview this week on Fox News The Story with Martha MacCallum that Democrats are politically smart enough to put things in the memo that have to be redacted.

Therefore, it creates this belief that there's something being hidden from the American people, Gowdy said.

Last Friday, Republicans on the intelligence committee released their much-anticipated memo from Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif.

It also said the FBI and DOJ ignored or concealed dossier author Christopher Steeles anti-Trump financial and ideological motivations" when asking the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court for permission to eavesdrop on former Trump adviser Carter Page.

Democrats have been pushing back against those claims and accusing Republicans of exaggerations.

CRIMINAL REFERRAL BACKS UP NUNES ON DOSSIER CLAIMS, AS DEMS PUSH REBUTTAL MEMO

Earlier this week, a newly released version of a letter from Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., appeared to support key claims from the GOP memo.

The surveillance applications, they said in a criminal referral for Steele sent in early January to FBI Director Christopher Wray and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, relied heavily on Mr. Steeles dossier claims.

Further, they said the application failed to disclose funding from the Clinton campaign and DNC.

The referral also helped explain a point of contention in recent days, after Nunes seemed to admit on Fox & Friends that the FBI application did include a footnote acknowledging some political origins of the dossier. This admission helped fuel Democratic claims that the dossiers political connection was not concealed from the surveillance court as alleged.

According to Grassley and Grahams referral, the FBI noted to a vaguely limited extent the political origins of the dossier in a footnote that said the information was compiled at the direction of a law firm who had hired an identified U.S. person  now known as Glenn Simpson of Fusion GPS. A subsequent passage in the letter is redacted. But they said the DNC and Clinton campaign were not mentioned.

Republicans have seized on the Nunes document to make the accusation of widespread anti-Trump bias at the top of the FBI and DOJ that sparked inquiries into Trump campaign relations with Russia during the election.

The president has repeatedly said there was no collusion between his campaign and Russia. The White House responded to the Republican memo last week by saying it raises serious concerns about the integrity of decisions made at the highest levels of the Department of Justice and the FBI to use the governments most intrusive surveillance tools against American citizens.

Fox News Judson Berger and John Roberts contributed to this report.
The fate of an estimated 700,000 illegal immigrants from Mexico and elsewhere around the world is quickly growing from a largely Washington policy debate into a politically charged 2018 election matter, with President Trump now saying Democrats are merely using efforts to protect such immigrants from deportation as a campaign issue.

Washington lawmakers have tried for years to fix the countrys immigration system and agree on what to do with the tens of thousands of immigrants brought illegally to the United States by their parents and known as "DREAMers."

But the debate has intensified since last fall, when Trump announced that by March 5 he would end the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program, which has allowed the DREAMers to work in the U.S. and avoid immediate deportation.

The bipartisan wrangling over what to do next led to a three-day government shutdown last month and played a role in this weeks overnight shutdown.

Republicans want to fix DACA far more than the Democrats do, Trump tweeted Saturday. The Dems had all three branches of government back in 2008-2011, and they decided not to do anything about DACA. They only want to use it as a campaign issue. Vote Republican!

Top congressional Democratic like House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, of California, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, of New York, have disagreed with such comments.

But at least some rank-and-file Democrats have quietly raised similar arguments, while liberal-minded political groups have openly criticized the leaders for not doing enough recently to get immigration reforms in exchange for their support of spending bills to keep the government running.

"What are they thinking? They're giving up their leverage," Angel Padilla, policy director for the liberal group Indivisible, asked between the first and second shutdown.

Schumer was skewered by Indivisible and similar groups after the first shutdown for supplying votes to reopen the government, after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., vowed to hold a full floor vote on DACA, with the expectation of a bipartisan agreement before the fast-approaching March deadline.

Pelosi faced similar criticism, even from within her own party, despite an eight-hour floor speech Wednesday to demand a promise like Schumer got, in exchange for supporting the two-year budget deal that passed Friday.

If I said something on the floor for eight hours and then didnt do something about it, well, the speech is nice, said Democratic Rep. Luis Gutierrez.

The retiring Illinois lawmaker, perhaps the most outspoken of the rank-and-file House Democrats on the immigration issue, also has purportedly complained that party leaders put issues like health care reform and climate change ahead of the DREAMers, despite, as Trump argued, having controlled the White House and both chambers of Congress from 2008 to 2011.

Neither Pelosi nor Schumers office responded Saturday to a request for comment.

"The president is correct that Democrats haven't done enough, but we have a chance to right that wrong now," California Democratic Rep. Lou Correa, a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, said Saturday. "Whether Democrats or Republicans take credit is secondary to helping these young people. If it means giving DREAMers a pathway to citizenship, I'll be happy to let my Republican colleagues take credit.

One argument about why Democrats have not made immigration reform a priority is that the issue is a major concern largely to just California and Texas voters, not a national issue. Another is that Hispanics typically don't turn out in large numbers on Election Day.

Exit poll information gathered by the Pew Research Center shows that less than half of Hispanics eligible to vote in 2016 cast ballots --- roughly 12.7 million of the estimated 26.7 million.

Pew reports also show that 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton got roughly 66 percent of the Hispanic vote, compared with 28 percent for Trump.

The numbers were essentially the same as those in the 2012 White House race between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney, and in the 2008 contest between Obama and Republican John McCain, who got 31 percent of the vote.

About 90 percent of DREAMers came from Latin America, with roughly 79 percent of them from Mexico. And nearly half live in either California or Texas.

Democrats have high expectations about taking control of the House this year and have set their sights on winning GOP-held seats in Californias Orange County, where the states Hispanic population is growing. Two GOP House incumbents from that region -- Reps. Ed Royce and Darrell Issa -- have already announced they will not seek re-election this year.

Democrats need to win a totally 24 House seats to control the chamber, with historical data showing the political party that controls the White House loses about 32 seats in the following midterm election.
Leading state Republicans in Pennsylvania on Friday night submitted a proposal to Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf for redrawing the states congressional map -- just hours before a court-ordered deadline.

State Democrats, however, called on Wolf to reject it.

The states Supreme Court had ordered Jan. 22 that a new map of the state's 18 congressional districts be drawn after ruling that the current map -- created in 2011 by the state's GOP-controlled General Assembly -- was unconstitutionally gerrymandered to favor Republicans.

The GOP dominates Pennsylvania's congressional delegation, 12-5, with one seat currently vacant. Republicans also lead both chambers of the state's General Assembly: They lead the Senate, 34 seats to 16, and the House, 121 seats to 82.

Friday's proposal came after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an emergency appeal of the state high court's 5-2 ruling earlier this week, claiming the current district lines violate the states constitution, Reuters reported.

Pennsylvania Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson, and House Speaker Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny, who submitted the proposed new map, said in a joint statement that it complies fully with the courts request.

The new proposal keeps more municipalities and counties within a single congressional district, PennLive.com reported.

"It's decent map. It's good. And most importantly, it hits all the constitutional markers," Drew Crompton, chief of staff to Scarnati, told PennLive.com.

It was unclear Friday if Republicans sought or received any help from Democrats in preparing the new map.

Wolf said he would review the proposal, but a spokesman for the governor seemed to suggest it wouldnt pass.

Wolf has until Thursday to decide whether to approve the proposal, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. If an agreement cannot be reached next week, the states Supreme Court said it would create a new political map.
President Trump on Saturday defended his decision to send the Democrats' memo on the Russia probe back for edits -- accusing them of playing politics for submitting a document laden with sources and methods too sensitive to make public.

The Democrats sent a very political and long response memo which they knew, because of sources and methods (and more), would have to be heavily redacted, whereupon they would blame the White House for lack of transparency, Trump tweeted early Saturday morning. Told them to re-do and send back in proper form!

Trumps remarks came a day after the White House notified the House Intelligence Committee that the president was unable to declassify the memo, citing national security concerns.

In a letter to the committee, White House counsel Don McGahn said the memo contains "numerous properly classified and especially sensitive passages and asks the committee to revise it with the help of the Justice Department.

McGahn said Trump is still "inclined" to release the memo in the interest of transparency, if revisions are made.

Trumps decision to withhold declassifying the memo was met with strong criticism from top congressional Democrats.

President Trumps refusal to release (the) memo is a stunningly brazen attempt to cover up the truth about the Trump-Russia scandal from the American people, said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. The presidents decision to block the Democratic memo from release is part of a dangerous and desperate pattern of cover-up on the part of the president.

The Democrat memo counters a document in which Republican leaders of the GOP-controlled committee allege government abuse in the Russian probe. Trump declassified the GOP memo last week, allowing its publication despite objections from the Justice Department.

The memo argues the FBI and Justice Department, at least in part, used a loosely-vetted, Trump opposition-research dossier by former British spy Christopher Steele and financed in part by Democrats, to apply for a surveillance warrant from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance, or FISA, court on former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page.

California Rep. Adam Schiff, the committees top Democrat, on Friday argued that Trump is treating the two memos differently, saying the president is now seeking revisions by the same committee that produced the original Republican memo.

Still, Schiff said Democrats look forward to conferring with the federal agencies to determine how we can properly inform the American people about the misleading attack on law enforcement by the GOP."

GOP California Rep. Devin Nunes, the House Intelligence Committee chairman, encouraged Democrats to accept the Justice Department's recommendations and "make the appropriate technical changes and redactions."

Committee members vote unanimously Monday to have the Democrats memo released. However, several Republicans said they thought it should be redacted.

House Speaker Paul Ryan has said the Democrats memo should be released.

After the release of the GOP memo, Trump said its release "vindicates" him in the ongoing Russia investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller. But congressional Democrats and Republicans -- including Ryan, R-Wis., and fellow GOP Rep. Trey Gowdy, of South Carolina, who helped draft the GOP memo -- have said it shouldn't be used to undermine the special counsel.

Before Trumps decision on the Democratic memo was released Friday, White House spokesman Raj Shah said the president was discussing the document with the White House counsel's office, FBI Director Christopher Wray and another top Justice Department official.

The president had until Saturday to decide whether to allow the classified material to become public.

The White House has sent lawmakers a letter signed by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Wray, as well as a marked-up copy of the memo, laying out sections it considers too sensitive to make public.

Among those passages are some that the Justice Department says could compromise intelligence sources and methods, ongoing investigations and national security if disclosed.

Democrats accused the White House of releasing the GOP memo to distract from the probe, which is looking into whether Trump's campaign was in any way connected to the Russian interference in the 2016 elections.

California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, has read the classified information on which both memos are based. She tweeted that Trump's blocking the memo is "hypocrisy at its worst."

Republicans have argued that the reliance on Steele's material amounted to an improper politicization of the government's surveillance powers.

Democrats have countered that the GOP memo was inaccurate and a misleading collection of "cherry-picked" details.

They noted that federal law enforcement officials had informed the court about the political origins of Steele's work and that some of the former spy's information was corroborated by the FBI.

They also noted that there was other evidence presented to the court besides Steele's information, though they have not provided details.

The Democrats' memo is expected to elaborate on these points.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The House Intelligence Committee officially released the Democratic rebuttal to the controversial GOP memo that purported to show improper use of surveillance by the FBI and Justice Department (DOJ) during the 2016 presidential campaign.

The Feb. 24 release came after the White House initially instructed Democratic lawmakers to revise their rebuttal memo regarding the Russia investigation, saying the document required certain redactions before it could be made public.

Earlier this month, Trump made public  without redactions  a memo written by Republicans on the committee that detailed alleged surveillance abuses by the FBI and DOJ in its probe into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Trump further stirred controversy when he said the memo totally vindicates him of any wrongdoing.

Heres a look at what the Democrats partially blacked out 10-page memo contained.

Redactions

Unlike the Republican memo, largely authored by Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., the Democrats' rebuttal was released with many blacked out portions.

Most of the redactions appear to be related to intelligence regarding Russian activities, including contacts former Trump adviser Carter Page had with Russian-linked individuals. One section with multiple redactions is titled Pages connections to Russian Government and Intelligence Officials.

Page was the subject of a surveillance warrant obtained by the FBI and DOJ as part of their probe, according to the GOP version.

One redaction appears to involve former Trump aide George Papadopoulos. And another appears to block out information related to compensation the FBI considered giving to dossier author and former British spy Christopher Steele.

Even before the memos release, Rep. Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said he was wary of the redactions Trump would require for political purposes.

Contradicting the Nunes memo

The rebuttal released on Feb. 24 claims officials at the FBI and DOJ did not abuse the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) process, omit material information, or subvert this vital tool to spy on the Trump campaign.

The GOP memo alleged Steeles controversial dossier  a 35-page document compiled for the firm Fusion GPS  "formed an essential part" of applications by the FBI and DOJ to spy on Page.

The surveillance warrant and renewals did not mention that the dossier was paid for, at least in part, by the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the campaign for Hillary Clinton, according to the GOP memo.

But the Democratic memo contends the DOJ did disclose the assessed political motivation of those who hired him and that Steele was likely hired by someone looking for information that could be used to discredit Trumps campaign.

The Democrats say the FBI made only narrow use of Steeles sources in the request for the FISA application.

Republicans have said that is not enough, however, because the Clinton campaign and DNC were not named.

Dem Memo: FBI did not disclose who the clients were - the Clinton Campaign and the DNC. Wow!" Trump tweeted shortly after the Democratic document was released.

Further politicization of the probe

The Democrats memo, seen as a rebuttal to the GOPs document, was deemed a politically driven document by the White House following its release.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said the memo fails to even address the fact that the Deputy FBI Director told the Committee that had it not been for the dossier, no surveillance order would have been sought.

Bolsters FBI credibility

Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., previously told Fox News the Democrats document bolsters the FBIs credibility in the Russia probe. He said the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court was given a voluminous amount of evidence to obtain the warrant to spy on Page.

The memo contended the FBI had an independent basis for investigating Pages motivations. It also said the DOJ repeatedly informed the Court about Steeles background, credibility and potential bias.

The FBI had ample reason to believe that Carter Page was acting as an agent of a foreign power based on his history, including the fact that he had previously been a target of Russian recruitment, his travel to Russia, and other information, Schiff said in a statement. The renewals of FISA were also appropriate and based on new information obtained by law enforcement.

Additionally, the Democrats memo challenged the Republican claim that the FBI authorized payment to Steele, saying it neglected to include that the payment was cancelled.

However, the new memo said the dossier was corroborated by multiple sources  the opposite of what former FBI Director James Comey told the Senate Intelligence Committee in June 2017. He said then, three months after the warrant had been granted for Page, that the dossier was considered salacious and unverified when he briefed incoming President Trump in January 2017.

Points of agreement

The two memos werent in complete opposition to one another.

Both memos said the Steele dossier was not the catalyst for the FBI opening its counterintelligence investigation into links between the Russia investigation and the Trump campaign. And both memos showed the investigation was prompted by concerns about contacts between Papadopoulos and individuals linked to Russia.

Fox News Madeline Farber, Adam Shaw and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, has been leading the charge against the GOP's memo, calling it a "political hit job" on the FBI.

"If the memo was really about oversight, committee members would want to read the underlying documents and bring in the FBI. Republicans voted against both," Schiff tweeted on Feb. 4, two days after the panel released the "surveillance" memo.

The four-page memo, released by the House Intelligence Committee chairman Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., on Feb. 2 claimed the infamous Trump dossier "formed an essential part" of applications by the FBI and Justice Department to spy on onetime Trump campaign adviser Carter Page.

Schiff has called the Republicans' memo "shoddy" and "misleading," claiming it was released only to undermine Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation.

"The presidents decision to publicly release a misleading memo attacking DOJ & FBI is a transparent attempt to discredit these institutions," Schiff added. "We'll fight to release our classified response."

Schiff requested the committee release Democratic members own 10-page memo, with the promise to send it to the Justice Department for redactions  and the committee did just that on Feb. 24.

In a statement, Schiff said the Democratic memo should "put to rest" any concerns about conduct by the intelligence agencies.

"Our extensive review of the initial FISA application and three subsequent renewals failed to uncover any evidence of illegal, unethical, or unprofessional behavior by law enforcement and instead revealed that both the FBI and DOJ made extensive showings to justify all four requests," Schiff said.

The memo's release comes after the White House told Democratic lawmakers the memo required certain redactions before it could be made public.

"The Democrats sent a very political and long response memo which they knew, because of sources and methods (and more), would have to be heavily redacted, whereupon they would blame the White House for lack of transparency. Told them to re-do and send back in proper form!" Trump tweeted after the rubuttal's release was halted earlier this month.

Here's what you need to know about Schiff, his notable career moves and his recent Twitter exchanges with the president.

Who is Adam Schiff?

As a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Law School, Schiff started his career in law. He spent six years working in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles.

During his time as assistant U.S. attorney, Schiff prosecuted the first FBI agent ever to be convicted of espionage for passing secret documents to the Soviets.

"This is a betrayal tinged with hypocrisy," Schiff said at the trial for former FBI agent Richard Miller, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison, The New York Times reported. "We have here an agent who did just exactly what he was supposed to protect against."

Eventually, Schiff moved on to politics.

He was elected to the California State Senate in 1996, serving four terms before heading to the House of Representatives. The Democrat has been serving in Congress since 2001.

In recent years, Schiff has shifted his focus to foreign policy and national security. He now sits as a ranking member on the House Intelligence Committee and was a member of the Benghazi Select Committee, according to a biography on his official website.

Schiff's reaction to the FISA memo

Schiff recently said he believed the White House may have been behind the memo in an attempt to interfere with the Russia probe.

"I think its very possible his staff worked with the White House and coordinated the whole effort with the White House," Schiff said in an interview with ABC's "This Week."

The president said the memo completely "vindicates" him in the Russia investigation, though he said the "Russian witch hunt" would most likely continue.

"There 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)," Trump tweeted on Feb. 2. "This is an American disgrace!"

But Schiff said, while misleading, the memo was proof there was collusion with the Russians.

"Quite the opposite, Mr. President," Schiff replied on Twitter. "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."

Schiff versus Trump: The Twitter war continues

Trump targeted "Little Adam Schiff" on Feb. 5, calling him one of the "biggest liars and leakers in Washington," as both parties continued to argue over the newly released FISA memo.

"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!"

Within minutes, Schiff fired back, 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."

Trump's tweet came shortly before Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., told "Fox & Friends" that there have been "almost 100 leaks" by Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee related to the Russia investigation.

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.

When the Democratic rebuttal memo was released on Feb. 24, Trump, once again, took to Twitter to criticize the document.

"The Democrat memo response on government surveillance abuses is a total political and legal BUST," Trump wrote. "Just confirms all of the terrible things that were done. SO ILLEGAL!"

Schiff countered by saying it confirmed that intelligence officials acted appropriately.

"Wrong again, Mr. President. It confirms the FBI acted appropriately and that Russian agents approached two of your advisors, and informed your campaign that Russia was prepared to help you by disseminating stolen Clinton emails," he replied.

Fox News' Brooke Singman and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The head of an influential North Carolina conservative Christian group says the state would be better off not landing Amazons second headquarters because the company could try to shape policy in a pro-LGBTQ direction, according to report.

Rev. Mark Creech, of the Christian Action League, told the Raleigh News & Observer that Amazon is a huge company and that would make me nervous.

The paper reported Friday that Creech said his organization has not taken a stand on whether it wants the tech giant to come to the state.

Im just stating what the political landscape would be if they come, he said. Amazon is a huge corporation and its plausible to think that with as many jobs as they would bring, they could possibly bring considerable political leverage along with them.

Amazon last month announced a short-list of 20 cities it is considering for its second headquarters.

Raleigh, North Carolinas second largest city, is one of the finalists.

Amazon is promising to spend $5 billion on building costs and to hire 50,000 workers for good-paying jobs. In return, the firm wants big tax subsidies.

Gay groups are urging Amazon to avoid selecting a city that is in a state like North Carolina that doesnt have laws specifically protecting LGBTQ people from discrimination, the paper reported. They have organized a #nogaynoway campaign on social media as part of the effort.

Amazon, like many tech companies, has a long history of supporting gay rights and anti-discrimination legislation and has its own gay and lesbian employee group, the News & Observer reported.

According to the paper, Creech said in article Thursday on the Christian Action Leagues website that making sexual orientation and gender identity specially protected classes who could sue if they feel discriminated against is essentially anti-business.
From time to time, parts of California are at risk of powerful mudslides as flooding causes mud and debris to slide down hillsides into communities.

A weather system known as an "atmospheric river" can help trigger mudslides in California. An atmospheric river, or a huge plume of subtropical moisture, can bring inches of rain in foothills and mountains. The flooding caused by such weather events can send mud and debris sliding down from wildfire-charred hillsides that are stripped of vegetation, eventually reaching the communities below.

LAKE EFFECT SNOW: HERE'S HOW IT IMPACTS THE GREAT LAKES

In 2018, some 21 people died from the mudslides that swept over parts of the states southern region, mainly in Montecito, Santa Barbara County  an area northwest of Los Angeles thats home to celebrities such as Ellen DeGeneres, Rob Lowe and Oprah Winfrey, among others. Several homes were destroyed because of the mudslides, which were sparked after torrential rains caused flash flooding in the Santa Ynez Mountains.

Heres what you need to know about mudslides.

Why do mudslides occur?

Mudslides, also known as debris flows, are a type of landslide that can occur after a natural disaster, such as a wildfire. Debris flows often contain mud, rock and other materials.

Human modification of land can make certain slopes and steep areas vulnerable to landslides during and after heavy rains, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which estimates that roughly 25 to 50 people die each year in the United States because of land and mudslides.

But mudslides can also occur without a wildfire preceding it, according to Francis Rengers, a research geologist at the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the science agency for the Department of Interior.

In January 2018, you had a large amount of rain and a burn area that didnt need much to get going in the first place, Rengers said.

A few different factors contribute to debris flows in Southern California, David Peterson, a professor of forest ecology at the University of Washington, told Fox News.

The Thomas Fire, which burned more than 280,000 acres and primarily affected Ventura, Montecito, Carpinteria and Santa Barbara Counties, removed all of the living and dead vegetation that protected the soil beneath, Peterson said. The land quickly eroded when there was no vegetation to hold it in place.

The fire was also hot enough to cook out the organic matter in the soil, which helps the earth to absorb water when it rains.

When you have five or more inches of water in a day or two, it doesnt buffer the impact of the rain on the soil, he said, adding that the soil also became very hot from the wildfires. This results in the so-called hydrophobic effect, which causes the soil to repel water.

Different soil texture can also affect the severity of mudslides, Peterson said. As for the January 2018 incident, however, Peterson added that the upper layer of soil got so saturated [by the rain] that it became like Jell-O and just flowed downhill.

Where do they occur?

Mudslides typically occur in areas with steep hillsides, gullies and other narrow channels that make it easy for rain, mud and debris to flow through -- much like the terrain in Southern California, Peterson said. These gullies and other passageways form over millions of years.

In the West, the rains always come in the winter, flow downhill and create these big drainages, he said.

LIGHTNING SAFETY: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

While Peterson acknowledged the devastation that mudslides have caused, he said that the occurrence is a natural phenomena."

"Big mudslides are normal. This has happened for millions of years, he said.

Is there anything that can be done to prevent or stop mudslides?

The short answer: no.

Theres nothing to prevent the magnitude of these events, Peterson said. While dams might catch some of the sediment, he said, the structures wouldnt be of much use for a large mudslide.

Its unclear if the Thomas Fire made the mudslides worse. Peterson suspects not. But Rengers said the USGS is continuing to research the phenomena.

Basically, the really high rainfall rates are what controlled the really large response that we saw. And the damage inflicted by the debris flows is proportional to the rainfall, Rengers said in January.

What can people do to protect themselves?

Peterson cautioned those who choose to live beneath steep hillsides in Southern California.

There are many homes at the bottom of these steep drainages. But at some point mudslides will happen, he said.

He explained that when people choose to build their homes at the bottom of these steep drainages, they decide to take on the risk because they think its a low probability it [mudslides] will happen to them.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE WEATHER COVERAGE FROM FOX NEWS

Most of the stucco-style homes that are popular in California dont have basements or subfloors, meaning they have relatively little defense against the powerful mudslides.

Since many of the stucco homes are placed on top of a cement slab, the soil from the mudslide weighs more than the house. The result? The homes become like a little boat in the bathtub, he said. These are natural risks that people need to think about.

Peterson said most people would have better luck defending their home from fire than a mudslide. In 2014, debris and mud from a mudslide in Oso, Wash., covered a square mile in roughly 20 seconds, Peterson said.

Rengers cautioned people who do have homes in these areas to heed all evacuation warnings.

If they dont evacuate and are stuck, they should try contacting local authorities, he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The president's plan to build a wall along the southern border could come crumbling down before the structure is even built, thanks to a lawsuit filed by the State of California being argued Friday in San Diego.

The wall's first substantial legal challenge will be heard by a federal judge, Gonzalo Curiel, whom President Trump criticized during the 2016 campaign over the judge's Mexican heritage.

"Now, he is Hispanic, I believe. He is a very hostile judge to me," Trump said on "Fox News Sunday" back on Feb. 28, 2016, referring to Curiel's handling of a class-action case against the now-defunct Trump University.

Curiel could halt construction of the wall or any fencing along the U.S.-Mexican border, should he decide that California's complaint has merit and can proceed to trial.

"If he does that, it could definitely put a wrench in the works as far as the administration is concerned," said former Justice Department lawyer Thomas Dupree.

California filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, claiming its proposed wall would cause "irreparable harm" to the state.

The administration must follow up to 30 different state and federal environmental regulations before constructing any barrier along the border, including the National Environmental Policy Act, which would require a lengthy Environmental Impact Statement before contractors can initiate any fence building.

"Will it end the whole debate on the fence or the wall? No. But it could be a significant victory for one side or the other," said Andrew Gordon, a former Department of Homeland Security lawyer during the Obama administration.

The Trump administration argues its authority over border construction is absolute, based on a 1996 law that allows the federal government to "take such actions as may be necessary to install additional barriers ... to deter illegal crossings in areas of high illegal entry into the United States."

The president also argues that Congress, through the Real ID Act of 2005 and the Secure Fence Act of 2006, gave the Department of Homeland Security a waiver from any environmental rules to build that barrier. Government lawyers claim the waiver remains in effect.

"When Congress gave them the waiver authority, the waiver authority was supposed to encompass not just the projects that were on the books at that moment but any other projects that could have been done under the act," Gordon said.

The act called for 800 miles of double reinforced fencing, although today less than 100 miles of double fencing exists. Regardless, California argues that the waiver authority expired in 2008 and does not last forever.

"What the challengers are arguing is that when Congress passed this law, it didn't intend to give the DHS a blank check to make whatever border security improvements it wanted," Dupree said. "If Congress wants this administration to streamline the process to build the wall, it can pass legislation to that effect. But don't try to cite this statute that was passed years ago in furtherance of that goal."

Dupree and Gordon said both sides have a strong case.

"Fundamentally, and ultimately, the question is: How broad is the waiver authority Congress gave Homeland Security?" Gordon asked.

The California challenge is already slowing down Trump's border security effort. State lawmakers are considering a bill to blacklist any company that bids on the border wall or any other border project, including a plan to replace 14 miles of old, rusting, eight-foot-high primary fence outside San Diego.

The project, approved under the Obama administration, replaces a Vietnam-era steel landing mat starting near the Pacific Ocean and heading 14 miles east.

According to those familiar with the project, construction was to have begun in March but several contractors backed out for fear of losing future business with the state of California.

"Some of members have opted not to bid on these projects," said Peter Tateishi, CEO of the Associated General Contractors of California. "Penalizing the contracting community is not the right direction to go. Having fewer bids means fewer options and when we have less competition in these spaces, we tend to have higher prices."

The Border Patrol said the replacement fence is needed to protect the safety of its agents.

"Right now, the existing primary fence is almost like no fence at all," said Chris Harris, a spokesman for the agents' union. "It's eight feet high and, in some places, even less. We get rocked by the Mexican side. I've been hit. Other agents have suffered serious injuries. Why the state of California would want to endanger agents by objecting to a fence where one already exists is beyond me."

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra did not respond to inquiries this week from Fox News.
The Trump administration could be forced to re-examine its border wall plans and more actively engage with local, state and federal environmental agencies before construction begins, based on questions asked by a federal judge on Friday afternoon.

After two and half hours of arguments, U.S. District Court Judge Gonzalo Curiel said he wanted additional written briefs before making a decision  likely next week.

This case comes as President Trump and Congress continue negotiations over immigration reform -- a high-stakes political issue not addressed during the court hearing. If Curiel ultimately decides the Department of Homeland Security does not have authority to waive several dozen laws to expedite wall construction, then that could raise a question: Why would the Trump administration legalize 1.8 million DACA recipients in exchange for $28 billion in wall funding if that money could not be spent in a timely manner?

While Curiel said nothing to give a strong indication of which way he may ultimately rule, he did ask pointed questions about whether the feds gave state and local authorities short shrift in its border wall plans.

Curiel inquired about the level of congressionally mandated consultation Homeland Security solicited from the state of California and local entities about ways to mitigate environmental and other harms associated with wall construction.

Curiel seemed particularly bothered that DHS issued waivers in September to allow construction crews to ignore several dozen federal and state environmental laws months before reaching out to other stakeholders.

When must it happen for waivers to be issued? Curiel asked. DOJ lawyer Galen Thorp said Congress didnt specify the exact timeline of the consultation  only that it needed to happen, even if after the waiver has been issued.

By the end of the hearing, the judge returned to the issue and asked each side for additional written briefs on the matter. Curiel expressed interest in issuing a ruling before Thursday, when new border construction in Calexico, California, is expected to start.

California argues the federal government is overreaching in its authority to construct any new fencing along the border. Congress allowed DHS to expeditiously construct up to 700 miles of double reinforced steel fencing, but that was back in 2006. The state argues that authority has expired and any new construction would require new congressional authorization.

Congress wasnt interested in a deferred maintenance plan, said lawyer Michael Cayaban, representing the California attorney general.

Environmental groups, including the Center for Biological Diversity, the Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife and the Animal Legal Defense Fund, claim any new construction would damage sensitive habitat, and violate the Endangered Species Act and a dozen other state and federal environmental protections.

Lawyers for the administration say the federal governments authority over border security is absolute and longstanding. Dating back to the Immigration Reform Act of 1996 and again in the Real ID Act of 2005 and the Secure Fence Act of 2006, Congress gave the executive branch the power to override state and environmental protections to protect national security and control illegal immigration at the border.
Las Vegas gunman Stephen Paddocks autopsy records were released by the coroners office Friday but reportedly dont provide an explanation into what drove him to shoot at a crowd of concertgoers on Oct. 1, 2017.

The documents, obtained by The Associated Press, said that traces of anti-anxiety medication were found in the shooters system. But because the drug was found in his urine, rather than in his blood stream, he was not under the influence of the medication, the report said. Paddocks body also reportedly wasnt affected by disease or anything that could have led to aggressive behavior.

However, the autospy did reveal that Paddock's brain was dotted with an unusually large number of small deposits that can accompany neurological disorders, the New York Times reported.

The autopsy showed Paddock, who was just more than six feet tall, was considered to be slightly overweight at 224 pounds, had high blood pressure and bad teeth. But he appeared to be healthy and nothing out of the ordinary was uncovered in his physical condition, even after experts at Stanford University conducted a microscopic brain examination, according to the documents.

DR. MICHAEL BADEN: NO REASON TO HIDE LAS VEGAS SHOOTERS AUTOPSY FROM PUBLIC

From his suite on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Paddock, 64, fired bullets into a sea of people attending the Route 91 country music festival on the Las Vegas Strip. Fifty-eight people were killed and hundreds others were injured in what is considered the worst mass shooting in modern American history.

Before he could be reached by authorities, Paddock fatally shot himself in his hotel room. He did not leave a suicide note and investigators believe he was the only shooter.

Police found 23 rifles and a handgun in his hotel suite and more than a dozen of the rifles were fitted with "bump stock" devices that allowed rapid-fire shooting similar to fully automatic weapons.

LAS VEGAS SHOOTING VICTIMS AUTOPSY INFO RELEASED; GUNMANS DATA EXCLUDED

Paddocks body was eventually cremated and his ashes were given to a family member in Florida.

The autopsy report was released, in accordance with a court order, by the Clark County coroners office. Also released last week were the autopsy reports of the victims killed in the shooting.

On Friday, a judge ordered the Associated Press and the Las Vegas Review-Journal to destroy their copies of an autopsy report for an off-duty police officer who was killed in the massacre, citing privacy concerns, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.

That report was one of 58 that another judge had ordered released by the Clark County coroner in response to a different lawsuit.

The outlets were also barred from further reporting on the details in the autopsy report.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Authorities in Georgia on Friday night updated the medical conditions of two Henry County sheriff's deputies who were injured earlier in the day in a shooting that left a Locust Grove police officer dead.

Georgia Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Nelly Miles said that Henry County Deputy Michael D. Corley was released from the hospital hours after Friday's shooting, and Deputy Ralph Sidwell "Sid" Callaway was listed in stable condition at a hospital.

The agency said Locust Grove police Officer Chase Maddox was killed. The city's mayor said the 26-year-old Maddox left behind a wife who is pregnant and expecting their second child any day.

The male suspect who was killed was identified as 39-year-old Tierra Guthrie.

Henry County Sheriff Keith McBrayer said gunfire broke out as the officers were serving an arrest warrant around 11 a.m. at a home in Locust Grove, about 40 miles southeast of Atlanta.

Locust Grove Mayor Robert Price said Maddox had been with the department since he was 22.

"His wife is expecting their second child any day now, I'm told. We just need a lot of prayers for he and his wife and the baby that's coming into this world without a daddy because of somebody ..." the mayor said, choking up. "We got to pray for the two county officers that's wounded. One's not doing so hot and the other is better."

Gunshots were fired inside the house as the deputies were trying to take a male suspect into custody on a warrant from the municipal court in Locust Grove, McBrayer said. He wouldn't say who fired first or give other details about how it happened.

The sheriff said that "after about 10 minutes of talking with him (they) realized they were going to be making an arrest, and they were going to have issues placing him in custody." At that point they called Locust Grove for backup from an officer.

He said they had no reason to believe when they arrived that the suspect would be violent.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has been called in to investigate the shootings. The GBI identified Guthrie as the suspect on its Twitter page Friday night, but released no other details about him.

Police blocked off multiple entrances of a subdivision not far from an outlet mall, and turned away people who don't live in the neighborhood.

Yellow police tape cordoned off a section of one home's front yard. Nearby Locust Grove Elementary School was put on lockdown.

Juankeena Rodgers, 36, lives in the subdivision but police weren't allowing her to go back home.

"It's quiet. I've never had any issues and I pray I don't have any, said Rodgers, who has lived there nearly two years.

"It's scary because you never know who is in your neighborhood."
Officials say the remains of three children found in Montana last year are not those of three Michigan brothers who went missing in 2010.

The Missoula County Sheriff's Office says in a news release that after scientific testing and comparisons of teeth found in September to dental records, scientists determined the remains are not those of Andrew, Alexander and Tanner Skelton. In fact, the testing indicates that the samples found in Missoula were at least 99 years old.

The boys, ages 9, 7 and 5, were last seen at their father's southern Michigan home. The father, John Skelton, is serving 10 to 15 years in prison after pleading no contest to unlawful imprisonment in connection with his sons' disappearance. He's told police he didn't harm the boys.

Even though there was no connection between the Michigan boys' disappearance and Montana, authorities tested the remains because an anthropologist estimated that the remains were from children of similar ages to the brothers.
Colorado authorities are wondering if a missing 19-year-old woman who was found dead a few weeks ago hired her killer after posting a Craiglist ad that said, I want to put a hit on myself.

That bizarre hit-man scenario is spelled out in an arrest affidavit unsealed Friday. Joseph Lopez, 22, arrested late Thursday, is charged with the execution-style slaying of the teenager, Natalie Bollinger, in Adams County.

The affidavit states that Lopez confessed to killing Bollinger, of Broomfield, after claiming that she hired him to whack her, KMGH-TV reported.

Bollinger was found dead on Dec. 29, a day after her boyfriend reported her missing. The cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head, but she also had a potentially lethal level of heroin in her system, according to reports.

The station reported that investigators spoke to Bollinger's friends and relatives, and some said she had a a history of suicidal thoughts. Others said she was happy and looking forward to going to school.

KMGH quoted the affidavit as saying that Lopez told investigators he contacted Bollinger using a fake hit-man persona after he spotted her Craigslist ad.

The affidavit goes on to say that when Lopez went to her apartment on Dec. 28, she told him that she wanted to be killed on her knees  executed from behind, the station reported.

BODY OF MISSING COLORADO WOMAN, 19, IS FOUND; POLICE SPEAK WITH ALLEGED HARASSER

The court document further quotes Lopez as saying that after they drove to a secluded spot, he shot Bollinger after they both got down on their knees and said a prayer, the station reported.

The affidavit says Lopez initially denied carrying out the hit but admitted pulling the trigger when confronted with GPS data from his phone showing his whereabouts at the murder spot, the station reported.

Sheriff Michael McIntosh said Friday at a news conference that detectives wanted to question Lopez after they examined Bollingers cellphone. She and Lopez texted each other 119 times on Dec. 28.

He did make comments that he thought that he might know why we wanted to speak to him, the sheriff said.

He said Lopez and Bollinger hadn't known each other that long.

At the news conference, McIntosh never discussed the affidavit.

During the investigation, investigators questioned a man whom Bollinger accused of stalking her before she was killed.

That man had nothing to do with the murder, McIntosh said.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus motorcade was involved in a car crash Friday evening that left at least three people injured, including a California Highway Patrol officer.



Trudeau, who was traveling in the motorcade at the time of the crash was not injured, officials said. His car was not involved in the collision, the CBC reported.

The prime minister was in California giving a speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, Calif., before the incident.

TRUDEAU THREATENS NO DEAL ON NAFTA, CLAIMS PEOPLEKIND COMMENT WAS A JOKE

A California Highway Patrol officer, who was leading the motorcade, attempted to stop a vehicle but the car made a left turn colliding with the officers motorcycle, CBC reported.

The unidentified officer was taken to the hospital with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries.

Simi Valley Police Sgt. Chris Johnson said the officer was thrown off the motorcycle.

The vehicle involved in the crash was not part of the motorcade, Johnson said.

CANADAS TRUDEAU CORRECTS WOMAN FOR USING MANKIND AT TOWN HALL

The driver of the car and her child were taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure.

The crash is under investigation.

Sgt. SauL Gomez of the California Highway Patrol said the driver could be charged if she is found to be at fault for the collision.

The Canadian prime minister was in the U.S. to talk about trade, jobs, and economic growth. On Saturday, Trudeau will join the mayor of Los Angeles Eric Garcetti for a media event before traveling home to Canada.
Two Ohio officers, referred to by peers as "two of the best we have," died while responding to a call in Westerville on Saturday, police said.

The slain officers were identified as Anthony Morelli and Eric Joering by Chief Joe Morbitzer of the Westerville Police Department during an emotional news conference Saturtday afternoon.

"Both officers gave their life in the protection of others," he said. "Those are true American heroes."

The Westerville PD received "a 911 hang-up call," authorities told Fox News, at 12:02 p.m., and responded to a potential domestic situation, Morbitzer said.

Officers arrived at the scene less than 10 minutes later and were "immediately met with gunfire" when they entered the apartment, he said. Both were shot.

Officer Joering died at the scene, Morbitzer said, while Officer Morelli died after being taken to the hospital.

FOX 28 Columbus reported that a suspect is in custody. Reports say the suspect was also shot but that person's condition was not immediately known.

"These were two of the best we have," the chief said as he paused to wipe away tears. "This was their calling, and they did it right. They knew how to do policing the right way, both of them. As I said, both gave their life in protection of others and that's what they lived and breathed."

He described the two slain officers as "pillars in our department" who were always willing to help out. The officers "literally dedicated their life," Morbitzer said, adding that they would be missed.

He asked that the officers' families, the department and law enforcement across the country be kept in the public's thoughts.

President Trump tweeted his "thoughts and prayers" for the downed officers, their relatives and the police force on Saturday afternoon.

Columbus Ohio Police, which was assisting Westerville police and are handling the investigation, according to Morbitzer, asked the public to keep the Westerville department "and its officers in your thoughts & prayers."

Westerville is where Ohio Gov. John Kasich resides. In a tweet, the governor called the officers' deaths "a terrible tragedy."

"The finest among us are those who risk it all everyday for our safety, and Officers Anthony Morelli and Eric Joering were those people," Kasich said. "Their deaths are a terreible tragedy for my hometown of Westerville and all of Ohio."

"We extend our prayers and deep condolences to their families and fellow officers."

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
A 19-year-old Washington state man, who police say raped a high school student as she died from a drug overdose and texted semi-nude photos of her, has been charged with manslaughter.

Brian Roberto Varela of Lynnwood was also charged Friday in Snohomish County Superior Court with second-degree rape and controlled substance homicide in the death of 18-year-old Alyssa Mae Noceda.

According to court documents, Varela told detectives that Noceda snorted Percocet and also ingested liquid marijuana before collapsing in his room the previous weekend.

Authorities say Varela never sought help for Noceda, instead sending semi-nude photos of her to friends and texting "LOL, I think she od'd, still breathing."

Authorities say his co-worker contacted police Tuesday after Varela said he didn't know if Noceda was still alive when he was having sex with her. Court records say he told a friend that "she died having sex with me."

Police arrested Varela later that day after executing a search warrant and finding Noceda's body in a plastic crate at the suspect's home.

Varela told investigators he planned to bury Noceda with onions to minimize the odor, police said. He also told detectives that after Noceda died, he used her thumb to unlock her phone Feb. 4 and send messages to make it appear she had run away.

Friends of Noceda, a student at Mariner High School, held a vigil for her on Friday with more than a hundred people taking part, including her mother.

"The night that she left she told me, she said, 'Mom, I love you,'" said Gina Pierson.

Online jail records did not show if Varela has an attorney to comment on his behalf.
Mexico hopes fish farming can help weaken the illegal market for the totoaba fish and help save the critically endangered vaquita porpoise, of which less than 30 survive.

Poachers in Mexico have long caught vaquitas in nets set for totoaba, which is itself an endangered species. Totoaba swim bladders are a prized delicacy in China.

Mexico's environment department said Friday it plans to invest in three fish farms to raise 300,000 juvenile totoaba to "control the illegal trafficking" of the species.

At least one company currently raises Totoaba from hatchlings in the Gulf of California, also known as the Sea of Cortez, the only place both species are found.

Fishing for totoaba is prohibited in the Gulf of California, but the high prices traffickers pay make that hard to enforce.
A rival to Russian President Vladimir Putin in this years upcoming election said it would be her dream for Russian women to hold a Womens March, despite the countrys conservative kind of thinking about women.

Ksenia Sobchak, a 36-year-old celebrity TV host, told Buzzfeeds AM to DM on Friday she hopes her run for president will inspire women to break the culturally conservative mold and organize a womens march similar to the ones held in January throughout the U.S., The Hill reported.

"I have a dream. I want one day to see a big women's march as it was here in America, she said.

But Sobchak acknowledges that she faces an upward battle as woman in politics.

"In Russia, unfortunately, we have a conservative kind of thinking about women, and for many, it's totally unacceptable that a woman can be a politician and can run for [the] presidency," she said.

Sobchak is one of Putins top rivals, however it is unlikely she will be able to unseat a man who enjoys a job approval rating of more than 80 percent and who receives only positive coverage on state-run national TV.

Sobchak said in her interview that being underestimated by Putin could be beneficial for her.

"He underestimates me, and that's good for authoritarian rule because that gives me an option to come legitimate to Russian politics, to create a party, to do something that will really change the situation.

Sobchak is one of eight candidates registered for Russias March 18 presidential election.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Mali's army says at least four people have been killed and several others wounded after their vehicle hit an explosive device in the central Mopti region.

The army said the civilians were returning from a village market Friday afternoon when their vehicle hit a land mine between Kontza and Dera in the West African nation's central region.

This attack on civilians comes weeks after 26 people, including women and children, were killed after their vehicle hit a land mine near the border with Burkina Faso on the way to a market in Mali.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks, although al-Qaida-linked jihadist groups regularly lay mines targeting Malian soldiers.

Islamic militants also stormed an army camp on Jan. 27 in northern Mali, killing at least 14 soldiers.
The US government is demanding Iran release an 81-year-old American it returned to prison this week  after giving him a 4-day leave for health reasons.

The family of Baquer Namazi says he is a political pawn along with his son Siamek, a 41-year-old American businessman, imprisoned by Iran following the nuclear deal, while on vacation in Tehran.

In a cruel twist, the Iranian regime released the father for 4 days late last month because his health was failing. This week authorities sent him back to Iran's notorious Evin prison.

"I was stunned when the prison officials out of the blue called my Mom and demanded my father report back immediately," Babak Namazi, who grew up in White Plains New York, told Fox News during a visit to Washington to lobby Congress for help in securing the release of his father and brother.

He said his father faces a virtual death sentence and described his brother's torture in solitary confinement.

He has been shot by tasers. Wires have been tied to him with the threat of electric shock, Namazi said.

Siamek is often told by his captors his father is dying and if he wishes to see him there are certain things he must do.

State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert called for Namazis release.

We're deeply disappointed in the fact that he has been returned to prison. We're concerned about his health. We call for his unconditional release from his unjust detention in Iran, and that renews our calling for all Americans who are being held in Iran and being held unjustly to be returned to the United States.

Baquer Namazi was lured back to Tehran during a visit abroad with the promise of seeing his son who had been nabbed by authorities a year before on what his family says are trumped up charges.

I have no doubt that them being American is the reason they've been detained, Babak Namazi said.

Baquer Namazi worked for UNICEF for more than two decades. His colleagues released a statement after he was sent back to prison on Tuesday:

"The entire UNICEF family is deeply saddened to learn that our former colleague Baquer Namazi was returned to prison today, Najwa Mekki, a UNICEF spokesperson, wrote. We continue to be very concerned about his deteriorating health and plead with the Iranian government to grant him a full and unconditional release on humanitarian grounds."

The Namazis are not the only Americans being unjustly detained by Iran  retired FBI agent Robert Levinson has been held since 2007.

Princeton graduate student Xiyue Wang was arrested in 2016 while conducting research for his dissertation. Another American, Karan Vafadari, who ran an art gallery in Tehran, was just sentenced for 27 years because of his religious identity.

President Trump has vowed to impose sanctions on Iran if these American prisoners are not released immediately.

The White House issued a statement this week:

[T]he United States Government holds Iran fully accountable for [Mr. Namazis] well-being, press secretary Sarah Sanders wrote in a statement. The Trump Administration again calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all unjustly detained and missing United States citizens in Iran, including Baquer Namazi, his son Siamak Namazi, Xiyue Wang, and Robert Levinson.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will protect itself from any threat or any attempt to harm its sovereignty after its military downed an Iranian drone that infiltrated the region.

Israel is seeking for peace, but we will continue to defend ourselves against any attack against us, and against any attempt by Iran to establish military bases in Syria or anywhere else, Netanyahu said Saturday after meeting with top brass at military headquarters in Tel Aviv.

He said had spoken with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson about the recent involvement.

The State Department issued a statement Saturday stating that the U.S. "strongly supports Israel's sovereign right to defend itself."

"Iran's calculated escalation of threat and its ambition to project its power and dominance, places all the people of the region - from Yemen to Lebanon - at risk. The U.S. continues to push back on the totality of Iran's malign activities in the region and calls for an end to Iranian behavior that threatens peace and stability," the statement read.

Israels military launched a large-scale attack after shooting down the infiltrating drone and struck Iranian targets deep in Syrian before one of its own jets was downed.

The raids hit at least 12 targets, including three aerial defense batteries and four targets that were part of Irans military establishment in Syria. The offensive marks Israels most substantial involvement in Syria to date.

Israel has issued several stern warnings of late about the increased Iranian involvement along its border in Syria and Lebanon.

Israel called the drone infiltration a severe and irregular violation of Israeli sovereignty and warned that Iran would be held accountable for its meddling.

"This is a serious Iranian attack on Israeli territory. Iran is dragging the region into an adventure in which it doesn't know how it will end," Israel's chief military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis, said in a special statement. "Whoever is responsible for this incident is the one who will pay the price."

Israel would not confirm whether the aircraft was actually shot down by enemy fire, which would mark the first such instance for Israel since 1982 during the first Lebanon war.

According to Syrian state TV, which quoted a military official, Syrian air defenses struck more than one Israeli plane, and called the Israeli raids that hit a base a new Israeli aggression.

Military spokesman Jonathan Conricus said the drone was "on a military mission sent and operated by Iranian military forces" and that Iran was "responsible for this severe violation of Israeli sovereignty."

The drone was in Israel's possession, the military said.

Although Israel has shot down several drones from Syria that have infiltrated the countrys territory in the past, the attack on an Iranian site in response to Saturdays incident signals an escalation in the Israeli retaliation.

The military confirmed the Syrian target of the drones launch components were destroyed.

Iran denied Israel's shooting down of a drone, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasem calling the account "ridiculous," while the joint operations room for the Syrian military and its allies insisted the drone had not violated Israeli airspace and was on a regular mission gathering intelligence on Islamic State militants.

Iranian involvement along Israels border in Syria and Lebanon has been a growing concern as it fears Iran could use the region to position attacks or develop a land route from the country to Lebanon in an effort to deliver weapons to Hezbollah more efficiently.

But Israel has refrained from striking Iranian sites directly. Syria has also repeatedly said it will respond to Israeli airstrikes but has rarely returned fire. Both of those trends came to an abrupt end Saturday as a rapid escalation played out in the early morning hours.

Israel's chief military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis, said Israel held Iran directly responsible for the incident.

"This is a serious Iranian attack on Israeli territory. Iran is dragging the region into an adventure in which it doesn't know how it will end," he said in a special statement. "Whoever is responsible for this incident is the one who will pay the price."

However, the joint operations room for the Syrian military and its allies denied the drone violated Israeli airspace, saying it was on a regular mission gathering intelligence on Islamic State militants.

Russia, which backs Assad and maintains a large military presence in the country, called for restraint and appeared to criticize Israel's actions.

"It is absolutely unacceptable to create threats to the lives and security of Russian servicemen who are in Syria at the invitation of its legitimate government to assist in the fight against terrorists," Russia's foreign ministry said.

Fox News' Yonat Friling and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Saturday invited South Korean President Moon Jae-in to the North as dialogue between the rival countries countinues during the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Kims special envoy, his sister Kim Yo Jong, delivered the verbal invitation during a lunch meeting with Moon at Seouls Blue House, spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said.

The spokesman said Moon replied that the two countries should continue to work toward improving their relationship so a summit could take place.

He said Moon also called for the U.S. and North Korea to renew communications.

Moon has said he would be willing to visit Pyongyang to talk directly with Kim Jong Un about cooling off the countrys nuclear program.

North Korea last year conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test to date.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A possible thaw in diplomatic relations between North and South Korea continued over lunch Saturday at the Blue House in Seoul, residence of South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

Moon's guests were Kim Yo Jong, younger sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and other senior delegates from Pyongyang, whose visit to South Korea is coinciding with the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

On Friday, Kim Yo Jong, 28, became the first member of the Kim family to cross into the South since the 1950-53 Korean War. The lunch marked the first time a North Korean delegation was hosted at the Blue House since November 2007.

South Korean television showed Kim Yo Jong and other officials, including the Norths nominal head of state Kim Yong Nam, smiling and shaking hands with Moon in the presidential palaces reception room.

I appreciate you stayed late out in the cold. Are you all well? Moon asked the delegation.

Moon and Kim Yo Jong first came face-to-face at Fridays Olympic opening ceremony, where they shook hands and praised athletes from the two Koreas as they marched holding a blue-and-white flag symbolizing a unified Korean Peninsula.

At Saturdays meeting, Kim Yo Jong held what appeared to be a blue folder, which local media speculated may have contained a personal message from her older brother.

If there is a message to be conveyed to South Korea or the U.S., she is amply well positioned to convey it, Christopher Green, a senior adviser on Korean affairs at the International Crisis Group think tank, told Reuters.

Kim, one of the few people considered to have earned her brothers absolute trust, serves as first vice director of the Central Committee of the countrys ruling Workers' Party. She is considered more important than Kim Yong Nam in North Korea even though she ranks diplomatically lower, Reuters reported.

Moon, meanwhile, has hoped use the Olympic Games to restore regular communication with the North and create an opportunity to resolve the tense international standoff over its nuclear program.

Moon had offered during his inauguration speech last year to attend a summit with Kim Jong Un if that would help solve the nuclear dilemma. However, it was unclear if Saturdays meeting could be used as a foundation for larger meetings between the two countries.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence have warned Moon against falling for North Koreas smile diplomacy during the Olympics.

The luncheon was the first time a member of the Norths ruling family member ever visited the Blue House, where in January 1968 North Korean President Kim Il Sung sent a commando squad in a thwarted assassination attempt on South Koreas then-President Park Chung-hee.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Gerry Adams' three decades at the helm of the Sinn Fein party have come to an end with Mary Lou McDonald taking over as leader.

McDonald, the first woman to lead the party, is also the first Sinn Fein leader with no direct connection to Ireland's period of violence known as the Troubles. Her confirmation came at a conference Saturday in Dublin attended by 2,000 delegates.

The end of Adams' tenure marks a new era for the political party, which wants to unite the United Kingdom's Northern Ireland with the republic to the south.

Adams, who announced in November he was stepping down after 34 years, was the key figure in the peace process that saw the signing of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement and the formation of a power-sharing government in Northern Ireland.
An adviser to Poland's president has said that Israel's reaction to a law criminalizing some statements about Poland's actions during World War stems from a "feeling of shame at the passivity of the Jews during the Holocaust."

Andrzej Zybertowicz made the remark in an interview published Friday in the Polska-The Times newspaper. Zybertowicz tweeted a link to the article on Friday.

Polish President Andrzej Duda signed legislation Tuesday that imposes prison terms of up to three years for falsely and intentionally attributing Nazi crimes to German-occupied Poland.

The law has sparked anger in Israel, where Holocaust survivors and others with roots in Poland fear it will allow the government to whitewash the role some Poles had in killing Jews during World War II.
A giant amount of young eels - 683 pounds to be precise - were confiscated by Spanish police this week before they were smuggled out of the country and shipped to Asia.

The Civil Guard announced Saturday that officers and customs agents at MadridBarajas international airport impeded two shipments of eels during the past week.

The agents discovered 551 pounds of young eels hidden in packages labeled as carrying barnacles destined for Vietnam. Officials later found four bags of the slimy fish weighing about 132 pounds destined for Hong Kong.

The European Union prohibits the import or export of the European eels, which is considered a species at risk of becoming endangered without trade controls.

The Civil Guard released a video on Twitter showing the small eels in bags before dumping the fish into the Oiartzun and Oria rivers.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Suzy Cairns, a woman in Scotland who made graphic home video with her Golden Labrador involving whipped cream, claims she "didnt have sex" with her dog, and that accounts to the contrary have been "exaggerated," said a report in The Sun.

She said: There was no intercourse with the dog, and that is what was implied. Whats said is that I had sex with the dog and I didnt.

Cairns, 39, was speaking after her sentencing at Livingston Sheriff Court. The Sun reported on the sentencing on Saturday.

She earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing pornographic material between February 2016 and April 2017.

She admitted having indecent photographs of children.

She also pleaded guilty to possessing extreme pornographic images depicting in an explicit way a female engaging in sexual activity with a dog.

Cairns was placed under social work supervision for three years under a community payback order as an alternative to prison.

She was also told her name would stay on a sex offenders' register for three years. She faces strict conditions about access to children under 16 and internet-capable devices, said the Sun report.

And she will have to attend appointments with her supervising officer to promote her rehabilitation.

Neil Stewart, defending, said the background report on his client was very positive, she had no previous convictions and she showed insight into her offending. The U.K. publication quoted him as saying, She now has the ignominy of having a conviction like this to her name.

Sheriff Martin Edington told Cairns: Your solicitor has made it very clear how ashamed and embarrassed and remorseful you are.

Im prepared to take into account there were not a large number of images and youve got no previous convictions, so I am not today going to deprive you of your liberty.

At an earlier hearing it was revealed that detectives from Police Scotlands Cyber Crime Unit got a tip that her internet IP address had been used to access indecent images of children.

Officers got a search warrant and went to her home in Livingston, West Lothian, a council area of Scotland. That's when her mobile phone was seized and examined. The indecent images and other images were found on the phone, The Sun reported.
News

Accused killer: Mother beat child with stiletto shoe

The League City man accused of beating his stepdaughter to death in 2016 told jurors Friday he saw the girls mother beat her with a stiletto heel shoe.

Evan David Nolans testimony came on the fifth day of a capital murder trial in which he is accused of beating Whitney Williams, 6, while he was watching her and his 1-year-old daughter in the familys apartment.

Prosecutors have argued the child was injured and died in a very narrow window of time when only Nolan could have been responsible, but his testimony Friday struck back against the accusations.

I did not kill that girl, Nolan said.

Prosecutors, meanwhile, grilled Nolan about his behavior the day Whitney Williams was rushed to the hospital.

Whitney died from severe injuries, including brain trauma, a lacerated liver and internal bleeding.

Brithony Williams, the childs mother, arrived at the family home on the evening of Aug. 16, 2016, after hearing about Whitney misbehaving and took the girl into the bedroom and closed the door, Nolan said.

After hearing several deep thuds, which he said were not what youd expect from a spanking, Nolan opened the door to find Brithony Williams kneeling over her daughter with a stiletto heel shoe in her hand, Nolan said.

I walked in and I said thats enough, Nolan said.

Brithony Williams kept Whitney in the room and Nolan heard about five more thuds after he left, he said. The two came out of the room a little later and Whitney got in the shower, Nolan said.

The child had several marks on her body, Nolan said.

That wasnt the first time I saw her whip Whitney, Nolan said. But I loved that woman. I probably should have called the police, looking back on things. But I figured she had it under control.

The next day, Nolan was watching the two children when Whitneys left leg collapsed and she hit a door with her head, triggering a seizure, Nolan said.

The defense first introduced the possibility of Whitney having a seizure when they called Paul Radelat, a clinical pathologist, Thursday to discuss the childs injuries.

Whitney had suffered a head injury several days before Aug. 16, 2016, and that first injury caused a slow bleed, which led to a seizure, Radelat testified.

The girl seemed to recover after the seizure and took a shower and laid down for a nap, but did not wake up again, Nolan said.

Chief Assistant District Attorney Adam Poole disputed Nolans testimony, however, honing in on the timeline of Aug. 17, 2016, when Nolan was watching the children.

Nolan said Whitneys seizure happened about lunchtime, but he continued to exchange mundane text messages with Brithony Williams until about 4:30 p.m., Poole said.

You skipped telling her about the seizure and just told her she was taking a cold shower? Poole asked.

Nolan texted Brithony Williams to come home about 4:30 p.m. She arrived home to find her daughter unconscious on a blanket and rushed her out the door before speaking with anyone else, Brithony Williams testified earlier in the trial.

Nolan said he didnt realize anything was wrong until Whitney didnt wake up from a nap.

After Brithony Williams left for the hospital, Nolan stayed with the 1-year-old daughter before taking her to Kroger, where a friend picked him up and they went to the friends apartment, Nolan said.

Police went to that apartment several times that evening, but Nolan didnt speak with them because he was waiting to get an attorney, he said.

Poole asked why Nolan had not just driven Whitney to the hospital himself and why he took so many steps to avoid the police.

Looking back, thats what I should have done, Nolan said. She said she would take care of it.

A League City police officer driving to work the evening of Aug. 17, 2016, spotted a motorist driving recklessly and stopped the vehicle in the 1500 block of East Main Street.

Brithony Williams got out of the vehicle carrying her unconscious daughter, police said.

Emergency medical personnel attempted CPR on the girl before taking her to Clear Lake Regional Medical Center, and later to Texas Childrens Hospital in Houston, where she died the next day.

Williams initially told detectives a baby sitter had been watching her children, but she could not provide police with a phone number, according to police affidavits.

Williams told police the baby sitter had called her at work to tell her Whitney had suffered a seizure and hit her head, according to the affidavits.

When detectives questioned Williams about text messages with Nolan, indicating he was watching the girl, she told investigators Nolan had been watching her daughters at the couples League City apartment, according to the affidavits.

League City police and U.S. Marshals arrested Nolan after a traffic stop the day after officers encountered the girl, police said.

The jury began deliberating a verdict Friday, but adjourned for the weekend. Deliberations are scheduled to resume Monday.
Galveston, TX (77553)

Today

A wind driven heavy rain. Potential for flooding rains. Low near 75F. Winds SE at 40 to 60 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 2 to 3 inches of rain expected..

Tonight

A wind driven heavy rain. Potential for flooding rains. Low near 75F. Winds SE at 40 to 60 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 2 to 3 inches of rain expected.
JERUSALEM, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli army launched a large-scale attack against the Syrian aerial defense system and Iranian targets in Syria in response to an Israeli F-16 fighter shot down by missiles from Syria on Saturday morning.

Twelve targets, including three aerial defense batteries and four Iranian targets that are part of Iran's military establishment in Syria were attacked, said a statement issued by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).

During the attack, anti-aircraft missiles were fired towards Israel, triggering alarms that were heard in northern Israel, said the Israeli army.

The IDF will "act determinately against such severe violations of Israeli sovereignty by Iran and Syria and will continue to act as necessary," said the IDF in the statement.

The IDF is "ready for various scenarios and will continue to act according to situation assessments," added the IDF.

Israel aircraft attacked a number of Iranian targets in Syria in response to an Iranian Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) that was launched at Israeli territory and was intercepted by the Israeli army earlier Saturday.

The IDF confirmed with Xinhua that during the attack one Israeli F-16 fighter was hit and crashed. The two pilots of the fighter forced to abandon the fighter by parachute after the aircraft was hit. One pilot was in serious condition the other was lightly wounded.

Earlier, the IDF said that a combat helicopter successfully intercepted an Iranian UAV that was launched from Syria and infiltrated Israel. In response, the IDF targeted Iranian targets in Syria.
xspraise at 10-02-2018 12:51 AM (3 years ago) (m)

Apparently taking advantage of the delay by Nigeria to intervene in the alleged drug deals undertaken by Nigerians in the country, Saudi Arabia has executed one more Nigerian for drug-related offences.

Apparently taking advantage of the delay by Nigeria to intervene in the alleged drug deals undertaken by Nigerians in the country, Saudi Arabia has executed one more Nigerian for drug-related offences.

Impeccable Vanguard sources confirmed that the suspect, whose name was given as Adam Idris Abubakar, was killed by the authorities on Tuesday, bringing the number of Nigerian drug detainees so far executed in the last four months to four.



Two of the suspects were killed last November. A source close to the suspects told Vanguard that the Nigerian Embassy in Riyadh had been informed of the latest execution and that the embassy was embarrassed by the action of the Middleeast country, having begun discussions with them to spare the lives of the suspects.



The killing of Abubakar has reduced the number of Nigerian drug suspects to 13 out of the 15, who are being detained in Medinna Prison in Saudi Arabia.



Last year, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, gave the assurance that the Nigerian Government had begun discussions with the foreign country to save the lives of the embattled Nigerians.



Last week, Onyeama said, We have made very strong intercessions with the government of those countries to review the cases and of course, not to execute those prisoners. But there is a limit, these are sovereign countries and they have processes and laws.



As far as Saudi Arabia is concerned, it has been ongoing, we have been intervening at various levels with the Saudi government to spare the lives of those citizens and a number of NGOs have been working with us in order to get those Nigerian citizens off the death row, the minister said.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAzy6G-L97s Impeccable Vanguard sources confirmed that the suspect, whose name was given as Adam Idris Abubakar, was killed by the authorities on Tuesday, bringing the number of Nigerian drug detainees so far executed in the last four months to four.Two of the suspects were killed last November. A source close to the suspects told Vanguard that the Nigerian Embassy in Riyadh had been informed of the latest execution and that the embassy was embarrassed by the action of the Middleeast country, having begun discussions with them to spare the lives of the suspects.The killing of Abubakar has reduced the number of Nigerian drug suspects to 13 out of the 15, who are being detained in Medinna Prison in Saudi Arabia.Last year, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, gave the assurance that the Nigerian Government had begun discussions with the foreign country to save the lives of the embattled Nigerians.Last week, Onyeama said, We have made very strong intercessions with the government of those countries to review the cases and of course, not to execute those prisoners. But there is a limit, these are sovereign countries and they have processes and laws.As far as Saudi Arabia is concerned, it has been ongoing, we have been intervening at various levels with the Saudi government to spare the lives of those citizens and a number of NGOs have been working with us in order to get those Nigerian citizens off the death row, the minister said.

Post Reply I am Victor, I write reportage on sport news and latest metro happenings in Nigeria. Posted: at 10-02-2018 12:51 AM (3 years ago) | Hero
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It was a joyous event last Sunday at the Benin Central Hospital, when one of the Libyan returnees, 24 year-old Augustina Omorodion was delivered of a baby girl few hours after she alongside others arrived Edo state from Port Harcourt. It was the first baby delivered by one of the pregnant ladies who were evacuated from Libya. Relatives and women organizations stormed the hospital when they heard the news.

It was a joyous event last Sunday at the Benin Central Hospital, when one of the Libyan returnees, 24 year-old Augustina Omorodion was delivered of a baby girl few hours after she alongside others arrived Edo state from Port Harcourt. It was the first baby delivered by one of the pregnant ladies who were evacuated from Libya. Relatives and women organizations stormed the hospital when they heard the news.

The good news was timely particularly when the returnees were mourning the death of six of their colleagues who were said to have been burnt to death in an accident which occurred along the Ore-Lagos road last week. Apart from those who died, seven were said to be receiving treatment in a hospital in Ogun state. The returnees were said to be on their way to Lagos to solicit both spiritual and financial assistance from Prophet T B Joshua who had been assisting returnees who came to see him.





The first Lady of Edo, Mrs Betsy Obaseki, carrying the baby delivered by a Libya returnee, Augustina Omorodion, at the Central Hospital, Benin, while the Chairperson of the State task force on anti-human trafficking, Prof Yinka Omoregbe looks on.



Augustina had every reason to give thanks to God for seeing her through what she regarded as hell in Libya. It was an experience she would not wish for her enemies. Narrating her experience to Saturday Vanguard, she said, I had to drop out of school because I had no money to further my education and we could hardly feed. I also learnt catering but there was no money to start the business. I therefore had to travel due to my family background. It was one of my friends in school who assisted me to travel. When I travelled I did not know I was pregnant. I passed through the Sahara desert when I left and that was another hell. There was no water and the sun was very hot. I felt I was dying but death did not come. My plan was to stay in Libya and work for few months to enable me make enough money with which to cross over to Europe. While in Libya, the Libyan police came to arrest me. We were in the house when they came at midnight, shouting that we should open our gate. Our people refused to open the gate but they started shooting and forced the gate open. We all came out running to nowhere, but they arrested all of us and took us to their own prison. In Libya, different sets of people have their own prison. Libya is an evil place. In prison, they were giving us little macaroni and they would even put drug in our food or water and after eating the food we would start feeling very weak and drowsy. And I was pregnant but I had no choice but to persevere. They would shout at us, beat us and do all sorts of harsh things to us. When she was asked who impregnated her and when it happened, Augustina said, I got pregnant here in Nigeria before I travelled but I did not know. My boyfriend got me pregnant, my family knows him and he knew I am back but I am surprised he has not come to see me. I want to go home and continue my work. I want government to assist me with money so I can open a store, that is my appeal now. That will help me take care of this child that God has given me. I had the baby in a hard way so I will want her to live a good life. Explaining how she started having the feelings that the baby was coming, she stated that, it was when we arrived Benin from Port Harcourt that I started feeling it. And I thank God it did not happen in the plane from Libya, it would have been difficult. When it was disturbing me they rushed me to the hospital. And that was why I gave my child the name Miracle because she is a miracle child.. I named her Miracle because it was God who helped me, I would not have been able to have her with what I passed through at the age of 24. A lot of people died in my presence and being a pregnant woman with no care from anywhere, I would have died but God saved me and that is why I am alive today. I will never go to Libya again in my life. People should not bother to think about it because it is not a place to go. I thank God I am alive and my baby is alive. Among the dignitaries who visited the baby and mother at the hospital was the first lady of Edo state, Mrs Betsy Obaseki. The first lady danced joyously with other women at the hospital and showered the baby with gift items worth thousands of naira, reiterating the resolve of the state government to support the rehabilitation and resettlement of indigenes of the state who returned from Libya. The first lady who disclosed that she was elated with the news of the delivery said that the life of every indigene of the state was of utmost importance to the government and as such, would be jealously protected by the state. Speaking at the hospital, Mrs Obaseki pointed out that It is an exciting moment for us all and we are here to rejoice with the mother who just told me she was in prison for two months with her pregnancy before being brought back home to Nigeria last week. We thank God that she was brought home just few days before the baby arrived, it would have been a terrible experience if she had the baby in prisons. We also thank our government for being an instrument to deliver and bless these people. I want to also commend the wonderful job the Task Force is doing as regards the returnees. Also speaking, the Chairman of the state task force on Anti Human Trafficking and Illegal Migration, Prof Yinka Omoregbe, who was with the first lady described the birth of the baby as a Prophetic Sign. She said, we have been taking good care of those of them that are pregnant. We ensure that they are brought to the hospital where all attention is paid to them to ensure safe delivery. We are very much happy to have our first baby and we think it is a very beautiful prophetic sign. It is also good that she is healthy. They are returnees, so we have the same plan for them and their babies as we have for others. We thank the first lady for showing love and concern for these people and I believe this will help boost their morale and give them a sense of belonging in their own land. Also speaking on the issue, the Special Adviser to the governor on Anti Human Trafficking and Illegal Migration, Comrade Solomon Okoduwa, said the care being given by the state government to the returnees will encourage others to come back and settle in their fatherland. He said: It is a thing of joy for all the families, for those who will be coming home out of frustration. Now they are coming home with joy knowing that government will take care of them. Being a returnee is no longer a stigma in Edo state. We were happy she had the baby in a very safe environment. She was among the three pregnant women that we rushed to hospital, she has gone through a lot in that hospital. We still have others who we are expecting will give birth soon. Most of them who came were pregnant and were due for delivery by the time they arrived. The Edo state government will give them the medical attention they require and enlist them for the programmes we have for children and mothers. The good news was timely particularly when the returnees were mourning the death of six of their colleagues who were said to have been burnt to death in an accident which occurred along the Ore-Lagos road last week. Apart from those who died, seven were said to be receiving treatment in a hospital in Ogun state. The returnees were said to be on their way to Lagos to solicit both spiritual and financial assistance from Prophet T B Joshua who had been assisting returnees who came to see him.Augustina had every reason to give thanks to God for seeing her through what she regarded as hell in Libya. It was an experience she would not wish for her enemies. Narrating her experience to Saturday Vanguard, she said,She said,. Also speaking on the issue, the Special Adviser to the governor on Anti Human Trafficking and Illegal Migration, Comrade Solomon Okoduwa, said the care being given by the state government to the returnees will encourage others to come back and settle in their fatherland. He said:

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 10-02-2018 02:42 PM (3 years ago) | Addicted Hero
http://vv.chinamil.com.cn/asset/category3/2018/02/10/asset_313542.mp4

An undated file photo shows a J-20 stealth fighter. China's latest J-20 stealth fighters have been commissioned into air force combat service, a spokesperson confirmed Friday. (Xinhua)

BEIJING, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- China's latest J-20 stealth fighters have been commissioned into air force combat service, a spokesperson confirmed Friday.

"It marks an important step for the J-20 to have comprehensive combat capabilities," said Shen Jinke, spokesman for the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force.

Since the fighters have been commissioned into the combat units, the air force has made steady progress in the training of pilots, he said.

According to the spokesman, J-20 played a vital role in the air force's Red Sword 2017 exercise and laid a foundation for the enhancement of its new war capacities.

"The stealth jets will improve the air force's comprehensive fighting ability and enable it to better safeguard China's sovereignty, security and territorial integrity," Shen said.

The J-20 is China's fourth-generation medium and long-range fighter jet. It made its maiden flight in 2011 and was first shown to the public at the 11th Airshow China in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, in November 2016.

The fighters made their parade debut when the PLA marked its 90th anniversary in July 2017 at Zhurihe military training base in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

An undated file photo shows pilots of J-16 and J-20 fighters taking an oath together. China's latest J-20 stealth fighters have been commissioned into air force combat service, a spokesperson confirmed Friday. (Xinhua)
Budget airlines are offering special discount tickets to Japan that cost less than the W119,600 round-trip bullet train ride from Seoul to Busan. Jin Air recently offered round-trip tickets to Fukuoka for just W95,900 excluding fuel surcharge.

Now many products are cheaper in Japan than in Korea. For instance, a 500-mL bottle of Coca Cola costs 129 yen or W1,280 in Japan but W2,000 in Korea, while a tall cup of Starbucks Americano costs 320 yen or W3,190 there but W4,100 here (US$1=W1,090).

The won has strengthened from over W1,100 for 100 Japanese yen two years ago to below W1,000 since last October and narrowed price differences between the two countries.

The number of Korean tourists visiting Japan is soaring as the strong won is making a holiday there cheaper.

Office worker Kim Jin-woo (37) traveled overseas 35 times last year, and 25 of the trips were to Japan. "It only takes about an hour and 10 minutes to fly to Fukuoka, and the airport is close to the city center so I went there 15 times last year." Kim flies to Japan over the weekend to do just one thing, like sample ramen or beef restaurants, buying his tickets well in advance to get the best price and planning his life around the trips.

The superb services in Japan prompt many Korean visitors to return again and again. Kim Wan-kyu (28) went to Tokyo last month and said, "Restaurant staff are so friendly and attentive even if you order a 600 yen bowl of ramen. That level of service is unheard of in Korea for that price."

By the same token, Japanese tourists in Korea complain that everything is too expensive. Tomoko Matsuda (34) visited the Myeong-dong shopping district in downtown Seoul last week and said, "This is my fifth visit to Korea, and I used to buy luxury goods here, but now I only buy budget cosmetics."

Shotaro Ito (23) said, "The price merit compared to Japan has declined, so I primarily go sightseeing rather than shopping now."

Some 7.14 million Koreans visited Japan last year, over three times more than the 2.31 million Japanese who came here. In 2013, the ratio was the obverse at 2.46 million to 2.75 million. The tables turned in 2014 and the gap has been widening since. Japan overtook China in 2015 as the most popular travel destination for Koreans.

The KTO estimates the number of Koreans traveling overseas this year will surpass 30 million for the first time ever, while the number of tourists visiting Korea is expected to shrink 7.2 percent from the peak of 17.24 million in 2016 to 16 million.

Travel industry insiders say a growing number of young travelers are becoming especially picky about prices, which is expected to be a boon for Japan.
UTSA Results

Freshmanclaimed her first collegiate event title with a first-place showing in the triple jump at Friday's Howie Ryan Intercollegiate. In all, Spence led a contingent of nine Roadrunners that combined for six top-10 event showings.Spence, who hails from Jamaica, leapt a UTSA season-best 11.96m on her third attempt of the day. She opened with an 11.83m jump, then recorded an 11.90m leap before claiming the fifth-best leap in UTSA history with her 11.96m.opened UTSA's day on the track with a first-place heat finish in the 60m hurdles. Rausch's personal-best time of 8.53 advanced the junior to the semifinals with the No. 1 seed. In the semifinals, Rausch again won her heat with the round's second-best time of 8.60 to advance to the meet final, which she opted not to run. The Luxembourg native's 8.53 time in the preliminary round ranks third on the UTSA all-time list.In the men's 60-meter hurdles freshmanadvanced from the preliminary round with a personal-best 8.58, which was good for 17th overall. In the semifinals he lowered his PR even further to an 8.40 to place 13th overall.stopped the clock in a season-best 6.99 in the 60-meter dash to place 13th in the preliminary round. In the semifinals, the senior posted a 7.01 to place 14th overall.In the women's pole vault,placed 10th with a cleared height of 3.55m and13th with a vault of 3.25m. Bellows' height was a season-best. Sophomoreplaced seventh in the men's pole vault with a final height of 4.60m, which was 0.05m shy of his collegiate best.led UTSA's efforts in the shot put with a final distance of 15.38m to place sixth. Sophomorefinished millimeters behind Fenton in seventh with a personal-best hurl of 15.34m.UTSA travels to Birmingham, Ala., for the 2018 Conference USA Indoor Track & Field Championships. The championship meet commences on Sat., Feb. 17 and concludes on Sun., Feb., 18.1. 8.532. 8.60-- DNS17. 8.5813. 8.4013. 6.9914. 7.0110. 3.55m13. 3.25m7. 4.60m1. 11.96m6. 15.38m7. 15.34m
The marine environment is critical to Grenadas economy and closely linked to the islands income generating tourism sector. Grenadas tri-island ocean state is not just a hub of maritime activity, but also home to unique marine biodiversity
That slow-moving stalwart of investing, the old municipal bond, is about to meet the trendiest tech in the country right now: blockchain The mayor and one councilmember in Berkeley, Calif., announced this week that they are partnering with the startup Neighborly and the Blockchain Lab at the University of California, Berkeley to attempt the first-ever tokenized municipal bond. They hope to make the process faster, cheaper, more transparent and more accessible to community members.Basically, they want to sell city debt the same way cities always have  to fund projects that the regular budget cant or wont cover  but they want to digitize the process and record it on the blockchain. That means recording it digitally in a public ledger constructed with mathematical proof backing up every transaction. The people behind the initiative want to open the bond to investors using both U.S. dollars and some as-of-yet-unspecified cryptocurrency.Its not an initial coin offering, exactly. It will be explicitly labeled as a security, and follow all the regulations that govern municipal bond issuances.Since its just an idea at this point and still needs more support from the city, the details arent all clear yet. But Ben Bartlett, the councilmember pushing the project along with Mayor Jesse Arreguin, wants to put the money toward programs to help the homeless.An early 2017 estimate put the citys homeless population close to 1,000. Bartlett believes its about to get worse.That number is going to grow exponentially due to the federal budget and the corporate tax cuts, said Bartlett, who is running for the state Assembly. Because corporate tax equity is used to fund affordable housing.Kiran Jain, Neighborlys chief operating officer and the former chief resilience officer for the city of Oakland, said there are a lot of reasons blockchain-based municipal bonds (munis, in investor-speak) might be better than the status quo.One simple reason: The traditional process is slow.Its a paper-based, laborious process, and were saying lets digitize that process and put it on the blockchain, she said.Making the process faster might also drive down the cost to the city of issuing a bond.The issuance and underwriting process for municipal securities is often done in negotiated deals with very little transparency, wrote Neighborly Chief Executive Officer Jase Wilson in a 2017 letter to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. Neighborly believes that (blockchain) could be used to involve direct participants in the pricing decisions for municipal bonds, potentially dramatically increasing transparency in issuance. Neighborly believes that a more competitive and transparent underwriting and issuance process can lead to greater transparency and reduced costs in government borrowing.A 2017 research paper from UC Berkeleys Haas Institute found that cities pay issuance costs of about 1.7 percent for their bonds. For a $1 million bond  a pretty small muni bond  thats an expense of $17,000. And many pay issuance costs higher than that, perhaps more in the 7 to 8 percent range.All told, the researchers estimated that governments selling municipal bonds probably pay $3 billion to $4 billion per year in issuance costs. They also found that issuance costs, as a percentage of the bonds value, tended to be higher for smaller bonds.Bartlett and Jain think a blockchain-based muni bond issuance would also open the door for cities to pursue smaller bonds, and to break those bonds up into smaller chunks so the average person can afford to invest in them.The average [muni bond] investment is $5,000, Jain said. With a tokenization of a municipal bond we can lower that.Although the pilot project is aimed at homelessness in one city, blockchain is a technology Neighborly is looking to for strategic growth, so the company will be looking for more ways to do this in more places in the future.Bartlett also hopes to use it for other things. After all, if blockchain enables the city to pursue smaller bonds with lower issuance costs, it could make debt a more attractive route for funding projects.We can get more trees in a single park, or a single ambulance, and its faster, Bartlett said.Theres one more reason the councilmember is excited about the idea. If a person were able to buy into a municipal bond issuance for, say, $1,000 instead of $5,000, it would open the door for Berkeley citizens to invest in the issuance rather than just wealthy people and institutional buyers.Its more fun because it involves community, Bartlett said.
Wyoming is famous for its national parks, like Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons, but it may soon be known as a place to fund and grow a blockchain startup.According to Republican state Rep. Tyler Lindholm, there are four bills to be introduced mid-February when the Wyoming Legislature goes into session that will impact the states growing tech sector. One, Lindholm believes, should excite the blockchain community.This legislation, House Bill 0070 , exempts initial coin offering [ICO] tokens issued on an open blockchain from Wyomings money transmitter and securities laws, as long as the token has not been marketed as an investment and is exchangeable for goods or services, he said. This bill would also exempt token exchanges from being deemed broker/dealers under Wyoming law.Startups issue ICOs to fund their companies by selling company tokens for cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ethereum. Sometimes these are treated as shares in the company, and may be subject to taxation by the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (SEC). At other times startups issue what are called utility tokens, which give the bearer the right to software the company produces or a service the company will provide. The Wyoming legislation would classify utility tokens as a non-security investment, which could be looked at by the blockchain community as a hedge against SEC taxation.According to Lindholm, the magic of this bill has already worked for the state. In January, a small Canadian company, BlockCrushr Labs, opened a corporate subsidiary in Cheyenne to take advantage of the enhanced technology environment. The company offers a product called TokenClub, a monthly ICO subscription service, and last year won an award at the UAE Blockchain Virtual GovHack competition for a proposed product called Hypergive, a system that enables crowdfunding of secure digital food wallets for homeless and hungry people.According to BlockCrushr CEO Scott Burke, the company decided to open a BlockCrushr office in the state because of its progressive approach to blockchain and cryptocurrencies.Wyoming is one of the best places in the U.S. to do business, Burke said. Between low startup costs, the most business-friendly tax system in the country and lawmakers who are focused on supporting and fostering the growth of innovative fintech business and technology, Wyoming just makes sense.Lindholm hopes that other companies like BlockCrushr will relocate to Cheyenne because of these bills. We are trying to figure out how we can keep our kids in the state, he said. We need to make it appealing to stay, he said, noting that innovative companies that are bent on developing cutting-edge technologies could be the ticket. In a state with a small population of just over half a million, adding even 100 jobs from those companies could make a big difference.The second bill, House Bill 0101 , sponsored by Rep. Jared Olsen, R-District 11, would enhance the ability of autonomous vehicle and Internet of Things (IoT) companies to easily file LLCs.Filing an LLC can be a burdensome process, said Lindholm, and this bill would streamline it.He describes the other two bills as cleaning up statutory language to utilize new technology. According to Lindholm, House Bill 0019 would exempt virtual currencies from Wyomings money transmitter laws. The antiquated law requires money transmitters to hold 25 percent of the value of the tender to be transmitted.In 2015, this bill became an issue when San Francisco-based Coinbase pulled out of Wyoming because of it, leaving the state without access to kiosks with which to purchase cryptocurrencies. When bitcoin began to rise in value last year, Lindholms constituents complained, but he said this bill should rectify the problem.The final bill, which has yet to be introduced and given a number, allows the state to store company ownership and ownership changes on blockchain. It is also Lindholms hope that official records, like deeds, titles and receipts for the state, would be stored on blockchain.Behind all these legislative efforts is a savvy group of business, political and academic leaders calling itself the Wyoming Blockchain Coalition . Not only has the organization helped legislators improve statutes to enhance the business environment for startups in Wyoming, but it is also made up of many of the states politicians and prominent business leaders. The group includes former Wyoming Gov. Jim Geringer; current Cheyenne Mayor Marian Orr; Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne; and Caitlin Long, chairman and president of Symbiont, an enterprise blockchain company; among others.At least 11 states introduced laws in January to regulate cryptocurrencies and blockchain.
(TNS)  Government contractor Noblis, a research and technology nonprofit, is looking to expand in San Antonio  home to the 24th Air Force Cyber Command, the University of Texas at San Antonio and outposts of several federal agencies.The group plans to expand its staff of 21 in San Antonio to about 125 over the next few years, said Mike Cameron, director of cybersolutions at Noblis. The Virginia-based contractor is hoping to grow its work in San Antonio around artificial intelligence, data science and cybersecurity, he said.Its just a goal  not a commitment  but over the next two to three years, wed like to build a technology business down there thats maybe 100, 125 people, Cameron said. Wed be thrilled if it was more than that, but I think if we can get to 125 people over the next three years, that will be growth that we can manage.The groups current staff in San Antonio primarily works on environmental science projects.Noblis may transfer some employees to the area, but the contractor hopes to hire the vast majority of them in San Antonio, Cameron said.We have a cyber and data science center of gravity in our company, Cameron said. San Antonio bills itself as Cyber City USA, so theres that part alone, but the real reason is that the business ecosystem down there very closely mirrors the Washington, D.C., area.The universities and government organizations here who all buy what we do, make San Antonio attractive, said Cameron, who also noted the way the municipal and county and state government get behind the tech industry and support it.Cameron said he was very confident that the company would start hiring in San Antonio this year.It really depends on how quickly we can begin building business in San Antonio, he said, but he also said Noblis is very encouraged by the reception its had from several government agencies in San Antonio.And its in the process of working out a research agreement with the UTSA that will allow us to collaborate fairly broadly with the university in a number of technology areas, Cameron said.Noblis has also already given UTSA a letter saying its interested in participating in its future National Security Collaboration Center, Cameron said. UTSA is planning for the center to be a place to advance research, education and workforce development in the areas of cybersecurity, data analytics and cloud computing, according to its website.When Cameron was hired on at Noblis to grow a cyberbusiness, he was asked where the major cybermarkets are, to which he says he answered: San Antonio, Fort Gordon in Georgia and Huntsville, Alabama.We talked it through and it seemed clear to us that for what we wanted to do, and the time frame that we had, that San Antonio was a more mature and receptive market than the other two, Cameron said.Noblis describes itself as a nonprofit organization with  the highest caliber of scientific and technical excellence. Our work makes an impact on the civil, defense and intelligence missions that ensure our nations vitality and security.The news was reported earlier by the San Antonio Business Journal.
Several lawmakers on the left and right opposed the bill, including conservative Republicans who objected to the large spending increases. Progressive Democrats protested the omission of language that would end the threat of deportation for more than one million young undocumented immigrants, known as "Dreamers," who were brought to the United States as children.

The deal gives appropriations committees in both houses of Congress time to craft a detailed spending plan that will fund the government through September of 2019.

The House voted in the wee hours of the morning, 240-186, to approve the measure, which funds the government through March 23. Hours earlier, the Senate had voted 71-28 in favor.

White House officials said the lack of a signing ceremony indicated Trump's displeasure with the last-minute additions that will further add to the government's ballooning deficit. In two subsequent morning tweets, he took aim at Democrats, who had demanded more domestic spending in return for the votes needed to win enough bipartisan support to pass the deal.

Trump signed the measure without fanfare after it received final congressional approval in the early hours of Friday morning.

U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a sweeping bipartisan budget bill, ending a brief government shutdown and adding hundreds of billions of dollars in spending on domestic programs, disaster aid and the military.

Trump ordered an end to the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program last year. Participants face deportation when the program expires March 5 unless Congress takes action. Trump, in his third tweet of the day, applauded the exclusion of the Dreamers, or recipients of the DACA provision, from the spending bill. "Fortunately, DACA not included in this Bill, negotiations to start now!" he wrote.

Republican and Democratic legislative leaders praised the deal. "This is a great victory for our men and women in uniform. Republicans and Democrats joined together to finally give our troops the resources and our generals the certainty to plan for the future," said House Speaker Paul Ryan.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who had opposed earlier versions of the bill that cut domestic and disaster relief spending, also claimed victory.

"What makes Democrats proudest of this bill is that after a decade of cuts to programs that help the middle class, we have a dramatic reversal," Schumer said. "Funding for education, infrastructure, fighting drug abuse, and medical research will all, for the first time in years, get very significant increases, and we have placed Washington on a path to deliver more help to the middle class in the future."

 Dreamers' Plight

While Schumer and the Democrats yielded on the DACA issue, Republican leaders gave assurances that overhauling America's immigration system remains high on their agenda. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has promised to start Senate floor debate on immigration reform, including a fix for DACA recipients, as soon as spending issues are resolved.

Speaker Ryan gave a similar assurance Thursday, saying, "To anyone who doubts my commitment to solve this problem and bring up a DACA and immigration reform bill, do not. We will bring a solution to the floor, one that the president will sign."

A single Republican senator had held up passage of the budget bill Thursday, forcing the brief government shutdown, to underscore his fear that increasing spending by hundreds of billions of dollars would explode America's already rising federal deficit and add to the nation's more than $20 trillion national debt.

"The reason I'm here tonight is to put people on the spot," Kentucky Senator Rand Paul said in a fiery floor speech that went on for hours. "I want people to feel uncomfortable. I want them to have to answer people at home who said, How come you were against President [Barack] Obama's deficits and then how come you're for Republican deficits?'"
Research finds long COVID may spike early risk of dementia

Apart from neurological symptoms like the loss of taste and smell, those who have long COVID should also be on the lookout for mental fog, problems with attention and concentration.
San Diego Metropolitan System (MTS) has awarded New Flyer with a new contract for up to 50 Xcelsior compressed natural gas (CNG) sixty-foot, heavy-duty transit buses.

MTS currently has 220 forty-foot CNG New Flyer buses and 70 sixty-foot CNG articulated New Flyer buses in operation. The 50 New Flyer buses will replace existing buses in the fleet over the next five years.

MTS plans to use 17 of the articulated buses currently in production for its new South Bay bus rapid transit service expected to open later this year. South Bay Rapid is a new $128-million project that includes 12 stations along a 26-mile route from the USMexico border to Downtown San Diego via eastern Chula Vista, connecting to employment and activity centers in Downtown San Diego and South County.

The contract includes 30 firm orders (60 equivalent units) with options to purchase an additional 20 compressed natural gas (CNG) sixty-foot, heavy-duty transit buses (40 equivalent units). The order will support MTS state-of-good-repair efforts, commitment to clean fuels for its bus fleet, and its growing BRT system called Rapid.

The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) provides public transportation for Central, South, Northeast and Southeast San Diego County in California, generating 88 million annual passenger trips with approximately 800 buses and 128 electric light rail vehicles in a service territory spanning 570 square miles.




Haiti - FLASH : Scheduled power outage





The Electricity of Haiti (EDH) informs its customers and the general population that in order to carry out maintenance work and pruning on the 69,000 volts line for the preparation of carnival festivities, cuts are scheduled from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm on Saturday, February 10, 2018 in the following areas: Boulevard la Saline, Bel Air, Cite Soleil, Airport Road, National Road #1, Butte Boyer, Route 9, Gayou Guinou Street, Saint Joseph Portal, Pont Rouge, Cite Militaire in particular.



EDH understands that this work will be a disadvantage for its customers and asks for the collaboration of all to achieve them in the best conditions and in the time allowed



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - FLASH Carnival National : D-1, Everything is ready, important informations





Friday the National Carnival Committee gave a final press conference at 48 hours of the beginning of the 3 fat days and assured that everything was ready for the smooth running of the National Carnival 2018, the largest cultural and popular event in Haiti that will take place on Sunday 11, Monday 12 and Tuesday 13 February in Port-au-Prince around the theme "Ayiti sou wout chanjman". The national carnival will end at 2:00 am on the first two days and at 3:00 am on the third and last day



Stands :

125 secure stands were built all along the route. The Carnival parade will be divided into 6 sequences and 7 paintings with the participation of about 3,000 people. It will start at the Sylvio Cator stadium at 3:00 p.m.



Animation :

A dozen bands will march on the course among the 25 official bands : 620 Ans Band, An Gran Jan, Beseba, Bizou Bizou Band, Blood Band, Chouchou Band, Diagolo, Family Rara, Fashion Matte, Grappe Plaisir One The Moove, Jaguar's Band, Louloup Party Cool, New-York New-York, No Limit Rara Fanm, Original Bel Bebet, Original Cash Band, Raram, Relax Band, Rosa Band, Silibo, Soul Rasta#1, Tabou 4X4 Band, Vice Band, Vodoula and Rara Fanm https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23451-haiti-flash-d-9-more-information-on-the-national-carnival-2018.html



20 musical groups were selected for the 3 days of the carnival : Barikad Crew, Boukman Eksperyans, Brothers Posse, Chale, Djakout # 1, Enposib, Eya Eya, Rev La, K-Zino, Kai & Mikaben, Kanpech, King Posse, Kreyol La, Maestro & Vayb, Mass Kompa, Ram, Rock Fam, Roody Roodboy, Sweet Micky, T-Vice, and Zikos are the musical groups selected for the three fat days.



Exhibition :

The exhibition on the gates of the National Palace https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20291-haiti-culture-exceptional-exhibition-women-build-another-haiti.html and the exhibition at the National Bureau of Ethology on the Carnival https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23523-haiti-news-zapping.html , are some innovations of Carnival 2018.



Security :

On the route, there will be 7 evacuation points to allow ambulances to travel to and from the 21 ambulance stations. 13 care stations: single stations, emergency care posts and Advanced Medical Post (PMA) will be set up to respond to incidents. PMAs aim to take care of major cases. Cases beyond the competence of the PMAs will be transferred to the reference hospitals including the Hospital of the State University of Haiti (HUEH), the University Peace Hospital in Delmas 33, the OFATMA and the Bernard Mevs Hospital. .



An PMA will be established on the stand of the First Lady and a special space will be dedicated to the reception of all the lost children on the course. Strict prohibition of the carrying of weapons, the use of glass bottles, the movement of wheelbarrows and knives on the National Carnival route.



Michel-Ange Gegeon, the Director General Directorate of the National Police of Haiti reminds all police personnel, that it is formally forbidden for any police officer to enter with a firearm in the spaces where the carnival festivities take place, if it is not part of the official safety device. This measure applies to officers assigned to the close security of VIPs. Any person contravening this provision will be liable to the penalties provided for in the General Discipline Regulations Manual.



In terms of security, a Command Center has been set up and will be coordinated by the Minister of the Interior St Albin who will act in concert with the Office of the Secretary of State for Public Security, the PNH, the Ministry of the Justice and the Directorate of Civil Protection (DPC). The latter will be responsible for inspecting the compliance and safety of tanks and stands during the three fat days. 500 volunteer brigadiers will be deployed all along the route to accompany the carnivals.



The 125 stands along the course are secured by the PNH.



4 type of police surveillance will be effective :

Static security will be put in place at the gates, made up of members of the specialized team of the Road Traffic Directorate (DCPR) and the Mobile Intervention Brigade (BIM).



There will also be units posted at fixed points on the course and dynamic security with mobile teams that will patrol.



Finally, there will be video surveillance security where the police officers responsible for viewing the images will guide the intervention teams.



Remember that nearly 7,000 police officers will be deployed during these 3 days to ensure the smooth flow of festivities and the safety of festival-goers.



Numbers for emergency calls : 114 ; 3821-1111 ; 3820-1111 ; 3338-111 (24/24)



Jours feries :

In Le Moniteur N  26 of Friday, February 9, 2018, was published a decree specifying the holidays for Carnival 2018, signed by President Jovenel Moise, Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant, Minister of Tourism Dove Emilie Jessy Menos and the Minister of Culture Limond Toussaint.



"Article 1. - Are declared as public holidays and for the purposes of the festivities of the national carnival:



1) The day of Monday, February 12, 2018, from noon;



2) The day of Tuesday, February 13, 2018 and that of Wednesday, February 14, 2018 in their entirety.



Article 2. Public services, schools, commerce and industry will not work Article 1. - Are declared as public holidays and for the purposes of the festivities of the national carnival:



1) The day of Monday, February 12, 2018, from noon;



2) The day of Tuesday, February 13, 2018 and that of Wednesday, February 14, 2018 in their entirety.



Article 2. Public services, schools, commerce and industry shall be unemployed in accordance with the provisions of Article 1."



HaitiLibre as every year, give you an rendezvous on www.haitilibre.com from Sunday to follow the live broadcast of the Carnival National 2018 during the 3 Fatty Days. Happy Carnival to all and be careful.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23487-haiti-national-carnival-2018-d-6-special-conference.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23451-haiti-flash-d-9-more-information-on-the-national-carnival-2018.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20291-haiti-culture-exceptional-exhibition-women-build-another-haiti.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23523-haiti-news-zapping.html



HL/ S/ TB/ HaitiLibre


















Good intentions dont always equal good policy

Just because some ideas are motivated by good intentions doesnt mean they should be approved by the Hawaii Legislature.

In the current legislative session, such a proposal is SB2291 , which would raise the minimum wage in Hawaii to $15 an hour by 2020.

For several years, the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii has offered comments to the Legislature on why such well-intended proposals would be a mistake, but so far, they just keep coming back.

If you want a snapshot of how hard it is to run a small business in Hawaii, just look at who weighed in on this bill during the hearing before the Senate Committee on Labor: mostly unions and social advocacy groups.

Compared to this avalanche of special interests, the lonely voices of the entrepreneurs and chambers of commerce were easily overwhelmed. But as the ones with the clearest idea of how a higher minimum wage would affect their businesses and labor pools, their concerns should be front and center.

The unfortunate truth is that higher minimum wage laws dont do as much to help low-wage workers as their supporters claim. Research demonstrates that higher minimum-wage laws reduce teenage employment and raise the cost of low-skilled labor while benefiting only a small proportion of low-income families.

A recent study from the National Bureau of Economic Research found that the 2016 minimum wage increase in Seattle, to $13 an hour, actually lowered the amount of money workers were taking home. Thats because wages increased 3 percent, but hours worked decreased 9 percent. So the higher minimum wage actually lowered the employees earnings by about $125 per month.

Hawaii's current minimum wage currently is $10.10 an hour, and is one of the factors contributing to the state's poor ranking (43rd) in the American Legislative Exchange Councils 2017 Rich States, Poor States forecast of economic outlook.

Add in Hawaiis regulatory overload, high marginal tax rate, worst-in-the-nation excise tax and other tax schemes currently being weighed at the Legislature, it almost looks like policymakers here are trying to limit our state's economic competitiveness, not improve it.

If Hawaii legislators are serious about helping low-wage workers, they need to think differently. Raising the states minimum wage would only create more barriers to business and enterprise in the islands, thus harming the very folks these well-intended policies are meant to help.

Enacting policies that encourage investment and entrepreneurship instead would raise everyones standard of living, including those struggling the most, without attaching an anchor to the states economy.

E hana kakou (Lets work together!),

Keli'i Akina, Ph.D.
Will Indonesias new shipping law impact Hawaii coal imports?

by Michael Hansen, Hawaii Shippers Council, February 9, 2018

Reuters published on February 7, 2018, the news article, Coal buyers spooked by Indonesia's new shipping rules: Assoc, reporting that the Indonesian national government issued new regulations in October 2016 requiring coal and raw palm oil exporters to ship on Indonesian flag ships and insure the cargo with Indonesian underwriters. These regulations take effect at the end of April 2018.

The Indonesia Coal Mining Association (ICMA) announced on Thursday, February 8, 2018, that foreign buyers of Indonesian coal are putting on hold making any new contracts, as the new regime will make exports more expensive and there is uncertainty regarding the availability of Indonesian flag ships.

The ICMA anticipates that the export of coal will change from the existing free on Board (FOB) system whereby foreign buyers arrange shipping and insurance to a cost insurance and freight (CIF) system whereby the Indonesian exporters would have to arrange shipping and insurance.

Indonesian coal is imported by and used exclusively by AES Hawaii Inc. (AES) to fuel their coal-fired electrical power plant located at Kalaeloa, Oahu Island, Hawaii, which generates approximately 20% of the island's electrical power supply.

The coal cargoes are discharged at the States Kalaeloa Barbers Point Harbor (KBPH) from bulk carriers using an bulk unloading system.

Some commenters have referred to these Indonesian regulations are a form of cabotage, such as the Jones Act.

However, that is not correct, as cabotage refers to domestic shipping, and these new Indonesian regulations apply to the foreign trade and are known generically as cargo reservation, flag reservation and commercial cargo preference. Both cabotage and cargo reservation are forms of protectionism.

Key excerpts from Reuters:
With Utahs uncharacteristically mild winter, Utah County has not experienced too many of those dreadful inversion days. But that is not stopping local companies and legislators from still being proactive about air quality.

Just before the onslaught of crowds during the Sundance Film Festival, Rocky Mountain Power, Summit County and Salt Lake City cut the ribbon Jan. 17 on the installation of new electric vehicle fast-charging stations in Kimball Junction. The installation is part of the Rocky Mountain Powers Live Electric campaign to improve air quality between Salt Lake City and Park City. The Live Electric campaign will install more than 700 stations in the Intermountain West region over the next three years.

The goal of the Live Electric campaign is to incentivize the move toward electric vehicles, and the installation of these charging stations is one way of doing that, said Cindy Crane, president and CEO of Rocky Mountain Power, in a press release about the event. Were working hard to put in place the policies and infrastructure needed to support 50,000 more electric cars on Utah roads in the next 10 years. Doing so will drastically improve our air quality  and ultimately, our quality of life.

Utah Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox said in a phone call with the Daily Herald that this is just the start of important infrastructure for the state. Its no secret Utahs air quality is not always the best. And 50 percent of dangerous pollutants come out of our tailpipes, he explained.

But unless we have infrastructure, people wont buy electric vehicles. Having infrastructure is a game changer, and will help people invest in electric vehicles, he said.

Cox explained further that Utah is looking at more infrastructure needs along travel corridors around the state. Connecting tourist areas are a priority so people can travel longer distances.

The goal is to have them spaced almost as frequently as gas stations, Cox said.

The majority of Utah County residents travel, though, is along the Wasatch Front. This is where companies are stepping in to enact change. Many tech companies around the county have instituted ride-sharing programs, shuttle systems, and located themselves close to transit options  all with the goal of minimizing commuting and stuck-in-traffic times for their employees.

Homie, the Utah real estate tech company, also utilizes these same programs. Johnny Hanna, Homie CEO, said they chose to locate their headquarters right next to the South Jordan FrontRunner train stop specifically to give employees that option for getting to and from work.

The stop is literally in our parking lot. And its way more expensive to buy space right near FrontRunner, but weve chosen to pick up that tab, to help Utah have clean air, Hanna said in a phone interview.

The company has also been taking air quality preservation a step further. He explained his companys Work from Home Wednesday program, which encourages teams to choose a day of the week to work remotely. Some groups have chosen Wednesday, other teams utilize a different day.

Hanna said he is also looking at an app that will help employees carpool to work. Hanna himself commutes from Orem, and with 75 employees traveling to their office from as far away as Ogden and Spanish Fork, he hopes to adopt something that will connect employees who live near each other.

If all of us were able to adopt something like that, wed make a big difference, he said.

Outside the office, Vivint Solar, the Lehi-based full-service residential solar provider, recently announced a strategic agreement with ChargePoint, the worlds largest electric vehicle charging network, to offer ChargePoint Home charging solutions directly to its residential customers. ChargePoint Home offers an innovative home charging solution for electric vehicle drivers, right in their own garages.

Were committed to getting everyone behind the wheel of an electric vehicle with solutions that enable drivers to charge everywhere they live, work and play, said Colleen Jansen, chief marketing officer for ChargePoint, in a press release about the partnership. Along with unprecedented EV adoption, were seeing growing interest in solar among drivers, so were excited to partner with Vivint Solar to offer a complete solution that not only enables people to choose to drive electric, but also charge up conveniently at home with solar energy.

Two bills, House Bill 101 and House Bill 331, have been introduced in the 2018 General Legislative Session dealing with air quality in Utah.
Monday Close-Up: Westridge fourth grader donates books to promote racial understanding

Can books and a lemonade stand change the world? Westridge fourth-grader Emi Kim thinks they can  and she's proving it. Her effort began with two desires: To make a difference and to run a lemonade stand. "My mom and my aunt were talking and they asked me what I thought was a problem currently in the world," Kim said during an interview at the end of August. "I said racism." Kim  who has Japanese, Chinese, Hawaiian and Korean heritage  had heard of a lot of racial incidents but she has also seen and experienced racism herself. Including once when her mother was at a grocery ...
The Pentagon has confirmed that it is in the preliminary stages of planning a military parade down Pennsylvania Avenue  one of President Donald Trumps fondest desires.

Trump was, understandably, impressed in a visit to France last July by the pageantry of the Bastille Day parade. The parade dates back to the 1880s. Nothing the United States comes up with will match its resonance or its beloved, unifying nature.

Trumps motivation for ordering up a parade anyway is pretty obvious. He likes big, brassy displays, and he gets a kick out of being the commander in chief of the most impressive military on the planet.

The presidents impulse itself shouldnt be enough to roll the armor down Pennsylvania Avenue, but we dont lack for reasons to honor our military. The Pentagon has already floated the idea of a parade on Veterans Day to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, an epic event by any standard. Were also overdue to honor on a large scale the sacrifice of our troops over the past 15 years in the war on terror.

Trumps critics sniff a dangerous authoritarianism afoot.

We have a Napoleon in the making here, pronounced Rep. Jackie Speier. Of course, coming to power in a coup, literally crowning himself emperor of France and conquering a swath of Europe tell us much more about Napoleons political character than any of his parades.

A columnist for the New York Daily News harrumphed that Trump has no sense of American exceptionalism. Its odd to locate American exceptionalism not in the Bill of Rights or Declaration of Independence, but in the (relatively recent) absence of military parades.

Its not obvious when it became untoward or dangerous for the United States to hold military parades. Are we supposed to believe that the integrity of American character has depended on having no military parades since 1991, when there were big honking ones in Washington and New York to celebrate the end of the Gulf War?

The unsatisfactory outcomes of the Vietnam and Korean wars meant we didnt have parades to mark those conflicts (we should have). But it didnt occur to anyone that it was inappropriate or undemocratic to display military hardware.

During World War II, there were big military parades in New York City, and self-propelled howitzers drove by the New York Public Library. Dwight Eisenhowers first inaugural showcased an 85-ton atomic cannon, and the second, a Redstone ballistic missile. They broke out four nuclear missiles for JFKs inauguration, along with an impressive battery of tanks, armored vehicles and self-propelled howitzers.

Its true that leaders of Russia, China and North Korea exult in military parades. But its not military parades that make these regimes dangerous.

The parade controversy is another sign that the place of patriotism in our national life, and what that patriotism should consist of, is a Trump-era flashpoint.

Trumps critics tend to think patriotism itself is atavistic, or that its locus should be only in our ideals. Trumps patriotism is more grounded, and insists that we are a nation, not just an abstraction.

This is why a military parade once in a while is a healthy thing: We should be proud, not just of our troops, but of our military as such. We should be proud of our strength. We should be proud of our weaponry, highly proficient machines fashioned by the most technically adept society the world has ever known.

Ideally, everyone would realize this. Once upon a time, we did. But now the best argument against Trumps parade is that it will become a cultural-war flashpoint and the resistance will try its utmost to ruin the affair. Just imagine a protester in a pussy hat in a Tiananmen Square-style standoff with an M1 Abrams tank.

Meanwhile, on July 14, the Bastille Day parade will in all likelihood come off once again without a hitch.
The July 30, 1864, Battle of the Crater is recorded in the history of the American Civil War as a stupendous failure. The Union Army suffered nearly 4,000 casualties and wasted a spectacular opportunity to capture the vital railroad junction at Petersburg, Va., and end the war before Christmas.

The Army of the Potomac had fought its way south at terrible cost, only to be stopped by Petersburgs impregnable trench lines. A regiment of Pennsylvania coal miners in Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnsides IX Corps created the opportunity for a breakthrough. Directed by Lt. Col. Henry Pleasants, a mining engineer in civilian life, they dug a 511-foot tunnel right up beneath a Confederate strongpoint and packed four tons of blasting powder into galleries at the tunnels end. Burnside planned to send infantry through the breach created by the exploding powder. To spearhead the assault, he chose the nine regiments of United States Colored Troops that comprised his 4th Division. Unlike Burnsides white divisions, the 4th had not suffered heavy losses, and troop morale was high.

But on the eve of the battle, Maj. Gen. George Meade, commander of the Army of the Potomac, forbade use of the colored division as the spearhead. He did not think blacks were good enough soldiers, and he feared political repercussions if he gave them so important and dangerous a task. Burnside went into a funk. Instead of making a new plan, he had the commanders of his other three divisions draw lots for the spearhead mission. Chance decreed that alcoholic Brig. Gen. James Ledlies exhausted 1st Division should lead the charge through the breach and attempt to take the high ground along Jerusalem Plank Road. If they succeeded, General Robert E. Lees army would be split, and Federal guns would command Petersburg. But Ledlie never passed along those orders to his brigade commanders. Instead he told them to hold the ground around the breachand wait for the 4th Division to assault the heights. It is not clear whether Ledlie misunderstood his orders because he was drunk or deliberately falsified them to evade responsibility for leading the assault.

At 4:45 a.m. the earth below the Rebel strongpoint erupted. The explosion blasted a crater 130 feet long, 75 feet wide and 30 feet deep, with sheer clay walls. Yet the effect of the explosion was not what Burnside had hoped. The crater itself formed an impassable barrier, and debris-clogged trenches on either side hampered swift forward movement. While the blast destroyed a third of the South Carolina brigade defending the lines, Rebel infantry rallied behind the main line in a labyrinth of communication trenches. Well-placed Confederate artillery pinned Ledlies division in the breach, and advancing Federal troops compounded the logjam.

In a last attempt to avert disaster, Burnside ordered the 4th Division to carry out its original mission. The two leading regiments drove back the Rebel defenders, capturing 150 prisoners and a clutch of battle flags. Following black regiments also worked their way through the mob and sought to advance in conjunction with rallying white regiments. But Rebel reinforcements under Brig. Gen. William Mahone counterattacked, breaking up the attempted Union advance. Between 800 and 1,000 fleeing Federals gathered in and around the crater, unable to fight but vulnerable to mortar fire. A thin line of riflemen defended the crater berm and the trenches to either side. Officers who commanded in the crater later testified that black troops were the mainstay of this last-ditch defense.

The battle then degenerated into a combination massacre and race riot, as white troopsboth Union and Confederate turned against the black soldiers. Some white Federal soldiers killed their black comrades because they believed Rebel troops would execute armed blacks and any whites serving with them. In the aftermath of the Confederate victory, Rebel soldiers did shoot, bayonet or club to death black wounded and POWs under escort. In a letter home, Confederate Lt. Col. William Pegram termed it perfectly right that captured blacks be killed and commented that scarcely half the blacks who surrendered that day ever reached the rear. You could see them lying dead all along the route.

The National Park Service has largely preserved the Petersburg battlefields from suburban encroachment, but the gap between the original scene and what nature has reclaimed is greater here than at any other major battlefield park. In period photographs, Petersburg, crisscrossed with trenches, looks like a junkyard. Grass now covers that earthen jumble, and the crater has slumped into a sloping depression.

The Battle of the Crater was about more than the tunnel and the Union officers blunders. The flash of that explosion illuminated the depth of racial animosity that would shape American history over the next 100 years. What the battlefield most conspicuously lacks today is any monument to the U.S. Colored Troops who served their country there; men who, despite the hatred and contempt they faced from friend and foe alike, fought like bulldogs, as one Rebel soldier said, and died like soldiers.

Originally published in the March 2010 issue of Military History. To subscribe, click here.
The comedian and star of Catastrophe, the comedy series also starring Irish actress Sharon Horgan, shared the sad news on Facebook today.

Delaney, known for his hilarious Twitter account, stand-up comedy and role as Rob in the series Catastrophe, shared a Facebook post in which he detailed his son Henry's battle with a brain tumour. The American comedian, who now lives in the U.K., also used the post to praise the NHS and their support during Henry's illness.

Delaney's statement is below.

"I have very sad news. My two and a half year year old son Henry has passed away. Henry had been diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2016, shortly after his first birthday, following persistent vomiting and weight loss. He had surgery to remove the tumor and further treatment through the early part of 2017. Then the cancer returned last autumn and he died in January.

My wife and Henry's older brothers and I are devastated of course. Henry was a joy. He was smart, funny, and mischievous and we had so many wonderful adventures together, particularly after he'd moved home following fifteen months living in hospitals. His tumor and surgery left him with significant physical disabilities, but he quickly learned sign language and developed his own method of getting from A to B shuffling on his beautiful little bum. His drive to live and to love and to connect was profound.

I am astonished by the love-in-action displayed by Henry's mom and his brothers. They are why I will endeavor to not go mad with grief. I don't want to miss out on their beautiful lives. I'm greedy for more experiences with them.

The NHS nurses and doctors and the home carers and charity workers who helped our family survive Henry's illness will be my heroes until the day I die. I am desperately sad right now, but I can say with authority that there is good in this world.

If you'd like to help other families in the UK with very sick children, please make a donation to Rainbow Trust (https://rainbowtrust.org.uk) or Noah's Ark (https://www.noahsarkhospice.org.uk) in Henry's name or in the name of someone you love. Our family would be in much worse shape right now if it weren't for them. I would also urge you to take concrete and sustained action to support the NHS, however you can. Do not take it for granted.

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Finally, I ask that you respect my family's privacy regarding this matter. I have nothing else to say that I haven't said here.

Thank you, beautiful Henry, for spending as much time with us as you did. We miss you so much."
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Kansas City has deemed itself the worlds most connected smart city  a moniker it deserves. In August of last year, I visited the city for the Gigabit City Summit, hosted by KC Digital Drive. I was blown away at the progress it had made on smart city projects.

The results speak for themselves. Whether its the KC Streetcar or the Living Lab smart city development workshop, the private and public sectors are dedicated to improving everyday experiences for residents. And by investing in connected technology, transit and high-speed broadband, the city has generated almost $2 billion in economic improvements.

Since that initial visit, I have shared how this Midwestern city is one of the top performers in the country when it comes to smart city innovation. So what can Kansas City teach leaders in the other 20,000 cities across the nation? Here are the two big lessons.

 First, prioritize investment in your citys digital infrastructure. Kansas City was well ahead of the curve when it decided to encourage private sector companies to build out the citys mobile broadband infrastructure. Creating a welcoming permitting and regulatory environment and a fair competitive process were critical steps. As a result, there are now 29 companies providing internet service to residents and businesses.

A majority of smart city innovation rests on the network, which ensures these revolutionary technologies can be supported and powered. Its critical to streamline processes at City Hall that can enable continued build out and ensure Kansas City remains one of the smartest metropolitan areas.

 Second, city leaders must continue to encourage public and private sectors stakeholders to work together. In Kansas City, large corporations, nimble startups, community advocates and government all find a way to collaborate in order to move big projects forward .

This willingness and collaborative mindset is a beacon to other tech and business leaders who scan the country in search of communities that are open to new ideas and economic opportunity. The cities that enable and work with the private sector on projects large and small are the ones that will continue to reap the benefits of a smarter city for their constituents.

Kansas City has clearly scored some wins in the smart technology arena. So, its no surprise that now, the city is rightfully wondering: whats next? At this crossroads, City Manager Troy Schulte is ahead of the issue, rallying the community for input to better inform the citys smart city strategy. Next, they will produce a document that will serve as a guide for future leadership. This is exactly the kind of process and thinking that will set the city up for success yet again.

This city has a bright future, but the journey isnt over yet. My hope is that elected officials continue to pursue public-private partnerships and ensure the coming iterations of Kansas Citys next big push into the future.

Chelsea Collier is the founder of Digi.City, a platform designed to discuss the policy behind deploying and supporting smart city technology. Digi.City is partnering with KC Digital Drive to host a day-long roundtable to discuss the policy implications of smart city technologies on Friday, Feb. 16 at PlexPod Westport Commons.



Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/opinion/readers-opinion/guest-commentary/article199154749.html#storylink=cpy

Source: http://www.kansascity.com/opinion/readers-opinion/guest-commentary/article199154749.html
s there e-democracy in e-Estonia?

"There is no e-democracy in Estonia!" has said Robert Krimmer, the Professor of e-Governance at the Tallinn University of Technology. Can that provocative quote hold true in the digitally witty and globally known e-Estonia? Unfortunately it can, as has shown the two years of maintaining the citizen initiatives platform rahvaalgatus.ee, along with the citizen education work around it. The thing is that the e-state is so far only service-based  e-elections, e-government, e-health and so on , but e-democracy as described through everyday relationships between citizens and public servants, using crowd wisdom in policy-making, engaging more people in solving societal issues, protecting the rights of the underprivileged, contributing to openness and transparency of state and local governance is much more than a public service. There are also voices saying that the outdated model of public service hinders the further success of e-Estonia. Nevertheless, the yet unrealised potential of e-democracy can be taken as an opportunity for deepening collaboration between the government sector, openness advocates and social innovators working towards the common goal of renewing governance and democracy.

Here are some proofs of the poor state of e-democracy of Estonia through the lenses of the platform rahvaalgatus.ee, set up and maintained by the non-government competence centre Estonian Cooperation Assembly.

Rahvaalgatus.ee (direct translation: citizens initiative) is a digital infrastructure for collective proposals addressed to Riigikogu, the Parliament of Estonia. The collective addresses right emerged in 2014, deriving from Peoples Assembly back in 2013. One of the aims of the nation-wide deliberative democracy experiment was to propose more possibilities for citizens to engage into policy-making between (and in addition to) elections. Rahvaalgatus.ee, enabling to discuss on and co-create initiatives, collect digital signatures, send initiatives to Riigikogu, and follow-up what happens to them, was set up by the state-funded foundation Estonian Cooperation Assembly in collaboration with the Chancellery of Riigikogu two years later, in 2016.

In last (local) elections in Estonia, 14% out of the population e-voted. Rahvaalgatus.ee has beaten that number: it has had 240,000 visits (not unique since we do not handle personal data), meaning that 18% of the population of Estonia has used the platform. During the two years of operations, 16 initiatives have reached the parliament through the platform (in total 31 since 2014), more than 30 proposals still gathering signatures. While many discussions are in progress, one collectively proposed problem has been solved with the help of the Parliament: protecting the habitat of the flying squirrel. Some of the other raised issues have been solved by ministries or are still under discussion. At rahvaalgatus.ee we do not count the success rate by draft acts initiated or changed but by assessing whether the problem raised was solved or whether the submitted proposal got adequate feedback.

In the world of e-participation, rahvaalgatus.ee is nothing special: a simple beta-platform that is constantly developed on the basis of user feedback. Around the technical features we work with spreading the word about this civic right as well as reach out to important engagement and co-creation processes that result with proposals or manifests to the parliament. Among others these kinds of bee nests are the annual Opinion Festival gathering hundreds of discussions on vital topics, advocacy networks like the youth and environmental organisations. We collaborate with researchers, public servants, think tanks and civic organisations to find solutions for identified systemic gaps, like the low digital literacy of young people, in the never-ending work with (e-)democracy.

If compared to other participation platforms  the public consultation platform, the governments engagement platform or the popular petitioning platform set up by OwnersAssociation  no other e-tool has that kind of user-friendly approach supported with systemic work with (potential) users and stakeholders responsible for inter-linked processes. This is why it is easy for rahvaalgatus.ee to be the forerunner of (e-)democracy in Estonia, Europe and the world (modesty does not suit Estonians). We dare to say that because of the endless admiration by the international audience, take for example Nestas report Digital Democracy.

Achievements of rahvaalgatus.ee in two years

Starting point for rahvaalgatus.ee:

low trust towards the parliament and public participation platforms since they either run on auto-pilot, usual suspects use them, or they are not user-friendly and do not provide any value nor transparency for democracy

petitioning culture instead of discussion culture, increasing hate speech and false facts instead of arguments and data

low belief in the use of e-tools, no results seen after sending collected signatures, petitions or proposals to policy- and decision-makers, feeling of sending them to black hole

Achievements of the work with and around rahvaalgatus.ee within two years:

exemplary public participation platform created (automated information exchange, follow-up of initiatives, everyday user support and advice to campaigners, communicating results of initiatives)

critical mass of users and diverse mix of topics ranging from environment, spatial planning to citizenship and ageing society issues

contributing to argument-based discussions by offering idea calls, co-creation of proposals

spreading trust: keeping the platform and the processes as open as possible, zero moderation needed so far, no hate speech nor personal insults

openness in communication: communicating honestly about technical errors after the launch of the beta-version of rahvaalgatus.ee

lowering the threshold for policy-making: inserted proposals should be as simple texts as possible (write so that your grandma would understand!), structured text by default;

using the platform and the collective addresses right for high impact processes, like the Peoples Assembly on the Future of Ageing)

integrating the platform with discussion culture initiatives, like the annual Opinion Festival

collaboration with e-governance experts, other platforms, government bodies, civic educators  raising awareness on civic rights and offering the platform as an advocacy tool

promoting discussion culture and argumentation  good conduct code of rahvaalgatus.ee is copied from the Opinion Festival

negotiating with MPs about the increasing amount of collective proposals and how to eliminate the vicious circle of disappointed citizens (by actually solving the proposals)

[watch statistics of ra.ee, from 2016 to 2018]

Where to next?

As the most fulfilled commitment of the Estonian OGP during 2014-2016 (lets hope there will be more!), we continue setting example with rahvaalgatus.ee.

Currently we are working on spreading rahvaalgatus.ee to the local level for enabling the existing right of the 1% of voting-age citizens to submit a proposal that the local council needs to address. Participatory budgeting has spread to more than 15 municipalities in Estonia, so the timing is right for more user-friendly possibilities for civic co-creation and crowd wisdom in communities and localities.

What is hindering the public participation innovation is the vicious circle of distrust. The collective addresses can result in solving the issue by the Parliament or concerned ministries, in a state-wide important discussion, in new proposals, draft acts or suggestions to change existing legislation. Still, so far the 30+ collective addresses have not had a measurable impact on how the Estonian society is being governed or problems solved.

That is we  the tiny office of the Estonian Cooperation Assembly together with many partners  are now working with the results monitoring. We are currently setting up a follow-up mechanism of initiatives. This means engaging advocacy groups working with the topics of initiatives, trying to automate the parliaments info exchange, knocking on the conscience of parliaments commissions before the discussions of proposals, attracting data journalists attention to reflect upon the results of collective initiatives, encouraging advocacy groups and engagement experts to evaluate the proceeding of citizen initiatives.

Now processing of citizen initiatives ends like shown below. Lets hope we will manage to get it further illustrated, showing the real results and impacts.

While working on strategic models for rahvaalgatus.ee, we have initiated a wide collaboration network of change makers and openness advocates. The common purpose is to renew the governance models, educate citizens on everyday democracy and facilitate systemic changes based on crowd wisdom. Check and support the Democracy Lab idea on the Advocate Europe call for ideas!
Berkshire Museum, AGO Agreement Would Allow Art Sale to Proceed



An American museum is interested in purchasing 'Shuffleton's Barbershop' but would loan it to the Norman Rockwell Museum first for up to two years. PITTSFIELD, Mass.  A U.S. based museum is waiting in the wings to purchase Norman Rockwell's famed "Shuffleton's Barbershop" if an agreement between the Berkshire Museum and the Attorney General's Office is approved by the Supreme Judicial Court.

Under the agreement, the painting, donated to the museum by Rockwell in 1958, would first spend 18 to 24 months on display at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge and then possibly at museums in Massachusetts before being put on prominent display at the unnamed museum.

The joint filing made on Friday would also allow the museum to sell up to 40 works -- but only up until it captures the $55 million it says it needs to improve the century-old institution and provide for an endowment.

"For the people of Berkshire County who rely on our museum to engage with the arts, history, and science, this agreement is the promise of a long future for our small but extraordinary museum and its collection," Elizabeth McGraw, president of the board of trustees of the Berkshire Museum, said in a statement. "We hope it will also mark the beginning of a time when our community can come together again."

The Berkshire Museum announced a "reinvention plan" back in July aimed to turn around annual deficits that it says have topped $1 million annually. The museum opted to auction off the pieces of art to generate $50 million. Coupled with fundraising of $10 million, the plan is to create an endowment of $40 million to sustain the museum into the future and $20 million in renovations.

The announcement caused a firestorm of controversy with a group including Rockwell's three sons filing suit against the museum in Superior Court. There have numerous protests outside the museum and editorials against the deaccessioning by museum directors and art lovers around the nation.

Attorney General Maura Healey stepped into the fray in the fall seeking an injunction to delay the auction set in November so her office could began an independent review of the sale under her purview of laws governing charitable assets.

Four days ago, in a joint status report, Healey's office said it had concluded its investigation after reviewing more than 1,500 documents and interviewing museum employees and board members. It determined that the museum had demonstrated a need modify restrictions that had prevented it from selling the works and using the proceeds to sustain itself.

"The AGO believes that the 40 works at issue are subject to restrictions, which the Museum does not believe exist. The AGO and the Museum have agreed to resolve these differences and will file a petition for judicial relief" with the Single Justice of the Supreme Court, the report stated.

No sale can go forward until the Supreme Judicial Court acts on the petition and Berkshire Superior Court enters final judgement on the current complaint. Healey said she will not "seek any further injunctive relief or stay the Superior Court proceedings at this time."

"This agreement helps secure the future of the Berkshire Museum for years to come, while preserving 'Shuffleton's Barbershop' for public view, in keeping with the wishes of Norman Rockwell," Healey said. "We are pleased that this agreement will allow the Berkshire Museum to thrive, ensures that no more art than necessary will be sold, and honors the legacy of Norman Rockwell and his masterpiece, 'Shuffleton's Barbershop.'"

The sales would go through Sotheby's as originally intended but in three lots, or tranches, structured so that not all of the works might be sold. For instance, if the first two lots brought in enough, the third would not be sold. The museum will be unrestricted in use of the first $50 million in net proceeds, including the sale of "Shuffleton's," but revenues over that will be put into a separate account for acquisitions and to support the collection, including its "New Vision" collections.

The agreement also allows the museum to sell works at a lower price to private collectors if it means those pieces will be publically available.

The museum has declined to identify the museum interested in "Shuffleton's," citing confidentiality until the court proceedings are concluded and the sale can be announced. However, the proposed purchaser has indicated it would be open to loaning the painting to other museums around the country in the future so that the work can be seen by many, said officials.

"It is in the best interests of both sides, and particularly the people of Berkshire County, that these issues be resolved to allow the Berkshire Museum to continue to be an invaluable resource in the culture, education, and economy of the region long into the future. Our hope is that this represents the end of a legal dispute and a new beginning that brings together those divided by that dispute," said William Lee of WilmerHale, lead counsel for the Berkshire Museum.

Summary of Museum Settlement Agreement by iBerkshires.com on Scribd
SkillsUSA officers ran a schoolwide gift drive for the Louison House.

SkillsUSA Officers at McCann School Gives Back to Community



Dakota Hurley, Madison Harrington and Bree Gazaille are part of the SkillsUSA officers team charged with organizing community service projects. NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  SkillsUSA officers at McCann Technical School have spearheaded a variety of fundraising and community service projects this school year.

Madison Harrington, Bree Gazaille and Dakota Hurley have been busy this year as part of a 14-member SkillsUSA Officers squad finding ways to give back to the community.

"We kind of just look around the community for people that might need help even if they arent asking for it," Harrington, who is a junior, said. "Not everybody can have the same things as you and it kind of makes you feel good knowing you are helping someone out."

Adviser Cynthia Bishop Tinney said this is not a requirement of SkillsUSA, or even McCann, but just something students do.

This year, the school's SkillsUSA chapter focused its efforts on PopCares, a non-profit organization helping local cancer patients.

The students helped PopCares during its Christmas trees sale this holiday season and handed out hot cocoa and other treats. The officers even held their own fundraiser at the school. Students could pay $2 to wear sweat pants to class.

SkillsUSA adviser Lisa Collins said PopCares fundraising efforts will be ongoing throughout the year.

"We got in touch with them and they were thrilled to have our support we had signs made to help sell Christmas trees," she said. "Carpentry and CAD helped with that. This will be ongoing."

Gazaille, who is a sophomore, said SkillsUSA is also part of other civic endeavors such as bringing holiday cards to nursing homes.

She added that the Louison House is another target of theirs and they organized a schoolwide gift drive for the family support center.

"We collected gifts for the children at the house, and we had a tree in our main office," she said. "Everybody could pick a star that had a name of a child and ... we wrapped all of the gifts and bought them."

Harrington added that the school and larger community always heed the call.

"People may not seem like it all of the time, but they really do care about this community," she said. "They want to get involved."

Hurley, who is a junior, said the group also participated in the Buddy Walk to raise Down syndrome awareness and donated their time to the Meals on Wheels program.

She added that the community service is empowering.

"We see how much we can actually change things that need to be changed as students," she said. "We may not have a lot or be able to do certain things, but we can always give back somehow and make the change."

Harrington said SkillsUSA really jump-started her civic awareness and admitted that without SkillsUSA she may not have participated as she does now.

"I wouldnt have felt as though I could do it or have the confidence to see if I can go in and make cards or ask if we can start a fundraising campaign," she said.

Hurley agreed and added that SkillsUSA has shown her how easy it really is to give back.

"Its definitely a lot easier to get involved in community service then people think," she said. "You really just have to show up."

SkillsUSA is a national program for mentoring career, trades and technical students for the work force with chapters across the country.

Bishop Tinney said there is still a lot of school year left and the SkillsUSA members have been brainstorming new ideas. She said they plan to make Easter cards for the nursing home and are especially excited about walking dogs for Berkshire Humane Society.

"Its great how happy and how eager it makes these guys doing these things," she said. "It is just wonderful. It is gratifying and ... they are pumped up to do it."
Television acting titan Reg E. Cathey has died at the age of 59.

The baritone-voiced star, best known for his roles in The Wire and House of Cards, had reportedly been battling lung cancer.

Cathey's extensive list of TV credits included Oz, Grimm, E.R. and horror series Outcast.

Reginald Eugene Cathey is perhaps best known for his recent performance in Netflix political drama House of Cards in which he played Freddy Hayes. He scored an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in 2015 as well a further two nominations for the role.

He also starred in seasons four and five of HBO series The Wire playing professional political operative Norman Wilson.

The latter's showrunner David Simon led the tributes for Cathey which have poured in overnight from numerous notable figures in Hollywood including Samuel L. Jackson, Westworld star Jeffrey Wright and Bobby Cannavale.



Netflix released a statemet, reading: We are heartbroken by the passing of our friend and House of Cards colleague Reg E. Cathey. Reg was the kindest man, the most giving actor, a true gentlemen. Our sympathy goes to his family.

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

Alabama-born Cathey's first role arrived in television movie A Doctor's Story in 1984 having attended both University of Michigan and the Yale School of Drama.

He performed on London's West End in a 2009 production of The Shawshank Redemption playing Ellis Boyd Red Redding and had small film roles in The Mask, Seven, American Psycho and 2015's Fantastic Four reboot.
A state school in Tokyo is facing criticism after announcing its decision to swap old school uniforms in favour of ones designed by Giorgio Armani.

Located in the upscale Ginza district, a fashionable neighbourhood in Japan, the Taimei Elementary School wanted new uniforms that would reflect the schools status as a landmark in Ginza, which the school explained in a letter to parents, according to Huffington Post Japan.

But parents of the students werent on board with the new duds when they found out the prices.

Recommended High price of school uniforms leaves children at risk of bullying

According to Huffington Post Japan, the new designer uniforms would cost parents a whopping 80,000 yen (525, $730) - three times the amount of the previous uniforms.

And while the price does include a hat and a bag, parents were quick to complain.

One parent told Huffington Post Japan: I was surprised. Why has a luxury brand design been chosen as the uniform of a public elementary school?

Why Armani? asked another parent, according to the local education board.

As Taimei is a state-funded school, many are confused as to why the school would choose such overpriced uniforms.

Taimei Elementary school has switched out old uniforms for Armani ones

And although school uniforms are technically considered optional in Japan, they are generally worn to develop a sense of school identity.

But by choosing these pricey uniforms, the elementary school has parents worried about the ramifications of being unable to afford the uniform - and what it would mean for their child to show up to school without it.

On Twitter, one person pointed out: "I heard that school uniforms were originally invented so kids from different income families wouldn't face discrimination.

The Taimei Elementary School is located in the upscale Ginza district, close to the Armani store

The backlash over the Armani school uniforms eventually reached the House of Representatives' Budget Committee, where Party of Hope lawmaker Manabu Terada noted the new uniforms were more expensive than business suits for adults, and said, as Taimei is a state-funded school a certain range (regarding parents' financial burden) needs to be considered," according to Kyodo News.

However, despite the criticisms, it looks like Taimei students will be dressed in Armani come spring.

According to Kyodo News, principal Toshitsugu Wada told the school board that he will humbly accept criticisms that there was not enough explanation, but the old uniform is no longer being produced.

The Armani uniforms are set to be introduced in April.
Brexit represents an opportunity for the UK to overhaul and standardise its approach to food labelling and make nutritional information mandatory across all products, local councils have said.

Currently, the EU is responsible for regulating product labelling, advising consumers on the fat, sugar and salt content of their purchases.

However, only two-thirds of food items on sale in the UK currently carry the traffic light warning system which the Department of Health introduced in 2013, according to the Local Government Association (LGA), which has ultimate responsibility for public wellbeing.

This erratic approach makes it difficult for shoppers to make informed choices about healthy eating, according to Izzi Secombe, chairwoman of the LGAs community wellbeing board.

The traffic light food labelling system is clear, effective and popular with shoppers, she said.

While many retailers and manufacturers have different methods of displaying nutritional content, this can be confusing. As a result, shoppers are unwittingly buying products which are laden with fat, salt and sugar.

Ms Secombe blamed the inconsistency for fuelling Britains obesity crisis.

How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Show all 8 1 /8 How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Weetabix Chief executive of Weetabix Giles Turrell has warned that the price of one of the nations favourite breakfast are likely to go up this year by low-single digits in percentage terms. Reuters How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Nescafe The cost of a 100g jar of Nescafe Original at Sainsburys has gone up 40p from 2.75 to 3.15  a 14 per cent risesince the Brexit vote. PA How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Freddo When contacted by The Independent this month, a Mondelez spokesperson declined to discuss specific brands but confirmed that there would be "selective" price increases across its range despite the American multi-national confectionery giant reporting profits of $548m (450m) in its last three-month financial period. Mondelez, which bought Cadbury in 2010, said rising commodity costs combined with the slump in the value of the pound had made its products more expensive to make. Cadbury How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Mr Kipling cakes Premier Foods, the maker of Mr Kipling and Bisto gravy, said that it was considering price rises on a case-by-case basis Reuters How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Walkers Crisps Walkers, owned by US giant PepsiCo, said "the weakened value of the pound" is affecting the import cost of some of its materials. A Walkers spokesman told the Press Association that a 32g standard bag was set to increase from 50p to 55p, and the larger grab bag from 75p to 80p. Getty How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Marmite Tesco removed Marmite and other Unilever household brand from its website last October, after the manufacturer tried to raise its prices by about 10 per cent owing to sterlings slump. Tesco and Unilever resolved their argument, but the price of Marmite has increased in UK supermarkets with the grocer reporting a 250g jar of Marmite will now cost Morrisons customers 2.64 - an increase of 12.5 per cent. Rex How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Toblerone Toblerone came under fire in November after it increased the space between the distinctive triangles of its bars. Mondelez International, the company which makes the product, said the change was made due to price rises in recent months. Pixabay How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Maltesers Maltesers, billed as the lighter way to enjoy chocolate, have also shrunk in size. Mars, which owns the brand, has reduced its pouch weight by 15 per cent. Mars said rising costs mean it had to make the unenviable decision between increasing its prices or reducing the weight of its Malteser packs. iStockphoto

Any post-Brexit review of EU food laws gives the Government the opportunity to introduce legislation to standardise food labelling.

At a time when two thirds of adults and more than a fifth of four and five year olds are obese or overweight, helping people make more informed choices about what they eat will clearly also help tackle the obesity crisis we face as a nation.
Britains economy is becoming increasingly reliant on agency workers, with 800,000 temporary staff now part of the workforce, a new report has found.

This marks an astonishing 40 per cent rise over the past 10 years, according to research carried out by the Resolution Foundation.

The think tank surveyed 500 managers across a range of industries and found that a third hired agency employees on the understanding that they would prove cheaper than full-time staff, although the accuracy of this perception is open to doubt. Another third believed the opposite.

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The most common reason cited for reaching out to an agency for cover was to plug short-term gaps caused by holidays or illness.

Seasonal demand was also found to prompt a spike in agency hiring, while the outsourcing of traditionally in-house responsibilities, such as training or payroll management, was another common reason for taking on new short-term contractors.

One in four of the companies questioned by the foundation said that they expected to increasing agency hiring over the coming years. And reduced immigration, as a result of Brexit, could accentuate the trend further.

Business news: In pictures Show all 13 1 /13 Business news: In pictures Business news: In pictures Flybe collapses Airline Flybe has collapsed. All future flights on the Exeter-based airline have been cancelled  leaving more than 2,300 staff facing an uncertain future, and wrecking the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. The chief executive, Mark Anderson, said: Europes largest independent regional airline has been unable to overcome significant funding challenges to its business. AFP via Getty Business news: In pictures Future product placement will be 'tailored to individual viewers' Marketing executives say that product placement in films and televison shows on streaming services such as Netflix may be tailored to individuals in future. For instance, if data shows that a viewer is a fan of pepsi, a billboard in the background of a shot would host an advert for pepsi, while for a viewer known to have different tastes it could be for Coca-Cola Paramount Business news: In pictures Corbyn wishes Amazon a happy birthday In a card sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the company's 25th birthday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn writes: "You owe the British people millions in taxes that pay for the public services that we all rely on. Please pay your fair share" Business news: In pictures No deal, no tariffs The government has announced that it would slash almost all tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Notable exceptions include cars and meat, which will see tariffs in place to protect British farmers Getty Business news: In pictures Fingerprint payment NatWest is trialling a new bank card that will allow people to touch their hand to the card when paying rather than typing in a PIN number. The card will work by recognising the user's fingerprint NatWest/PA Wire Business news: In pictures Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019 Mahabis Business news: In pictures Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid 3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant PA Business news: In pictures RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30 PA Business news: In pictures Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks Getty Business news: In pictures Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rues contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. Business news: In pictures Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped 4m off of Flybes revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airlines estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year.

Demand for agency workers grew significantly over the past five years  particularly among firms who use them as a core part of their business model and have become agency worker-reliant, said Lindsay Judge, a senior policy analyst with the Resolution Foundation.

Agency workers are still used largely as a stop-gap measure, but for a significant minority of firms, costs, convenience and control all play an important part in explaining their reliance on agency workers, she said.
Soft ultraviolet (UV) lights installed in public spaces can control the spread of seasonal flu and other diseases by safely sterilising the air, researchers have shown.

The technology could allow lights to be installed in hospital corridors, schools, planes and other public spaces without posing a health risk to humans.

The development comes as the UK is wracked by its worst flu outbreak since 2011

Among the surge in flu cases was the tragic death of 18-year-old student Melissa Whitey, whose family said she had failed to seek help after repeated NHS messages asking patients to stay home if they had flu to prevent it spreading.

Powerful UV lights are regularly used to decontaminate empty operating rooms and surgical equipment but have the unfortunate downside of being harmful to humans.

Unfortunately, conventional germicidal UV light is also a human health hazard and can lead to skin cancer and cataracts, which prevents its use in public spaces, said the leader of this latest work, Professor David J Brenner, director of the Center for Radiological Research at Columbia University Medical Center.

These germicidal lights use broad spectrum UV-C rays, which have a wavelength from 200 to 400 nanometers, to kill bacteria and viruses by breaking down the molecular bonds of their DNA.

But the Columbia team have shown that special lights which focus on the far end of this UVC wavelength spectrum, in the region of 222 nanometres, can have the same effect without harming humans.

The paper, published in the journal Scientific Reports, noted: This is because, due to its strong absorbance in biological materials, far-UVC light cannot penetrate even the outer (non-living) layers of human skin or eye; however, because bacteria and viruses are of micrometer or smaller dimensions, far-UVC can penetrate and inactivate them.

They fitted the far UVC lamps overhead in a mock-hospital corridor and replicated an infection-spreading sneeze by spraying an aerosol containing the common flu strain, H1N1.

Science news in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Science news in pictures Science news in pictures Pluto has 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen Pluto has a 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen that is doing strange things to its surface, Nasa has found. The mysterious core seems to be the cause of features on its surface that have fascinated scientists since they were spotted by Nasa's New Horizons mission. "Before New Horizons, everyone thought Pluto was going to be a netball - completely flat, almost no diversity," said Tanguy Bertrand, an astrophysicist and planetary scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center and the lead author on the new study. "But it's completely different. It has a lot of different landscapes and we are trying to understand what's going on there." Getty Science news in pictures Over 400 species discovered this year by Natural History Museum The ancient invertabrate worm-like species rhenopyrgus viviani (pictured) is one of over 400 species previously unknown to science that were discovered by experts at the Natural History Museum this year PA Science news in pictures Jackdaws can identify 'dangerous' humans Jackdaws can identify dangerous humans from listening to each others warning calls, scientists say. The highly social birds will also remember that person if they come near their nests again, according to researchers from the University of Exeter. In the study, a person unknown to the wild jackdaws approached their nest. At the same time scientists played a recording of a warning call (threatening) or contact calls (non-threatening). The next time jackdaws saw this same person, the birds that had previously heard the warning call were defensive and returned to their nests more than twice as quickly on average. Getty Science news in pictures Turtle embryos influence sex by shaking The sex of the turtle is determined by the temperatures at which they are incubated. Warm temperatures favour females. But by wiggling around the egg, embryos can find the Goldilocks Zone which means they are able to shield themselves against extreme thermal conditions and produce a balanced sex ratio, according to the new study published in Current Biology journal Ye et al/Current Biology Science news in pictures Elephant poaching rates drop in Africa African elephant poaching rates have dropped by 60 per cent in six years, an international study has found. It is thought the decline could be associated with the ivory trade ban introduced in China in 2017. Reuters Science news in pictures Ancient four-legged whale discovered in Peru Scientists have identified a four-legged creature with webbed feet to be an ancestor of the whale. Fossils unearthed in Peru have led scientists to conclude that the enormous creatures that traverse the planets oceans today are descended from small hoofed ancestors that lived in south Asia 50 million years ago A. Gennari Science news in pictures Animal with transient anus discovered A scientist has stumbled upon a creature with a transient anus that appears only when it is needed, before vanishing completely. Dr Sidney Tamm of the Marine Biological Laboratory could not initially find any trace of an anus on the species. However, as the animal gets full, a pore opens up to dispose of waste Steven G Johnson Science news in pictures Giant bee spotted Feared extinct, the Wallace's Giant bee has been spotted for the first time in nearly 40 years. An international team of conservationists spotted the bee, that is four times the size of a typical honeybee, on an expedition to a group of Indonesian Islands Clay Bolt Science news in pictures New mammal species found inside crocodile Fossilised bones digested by crocodiles have revealed the existence of three new mammal species that roamed the Cayman Islands 300 years ago. The bones belonged to two large rodent species and a small shrew-like animal New Mexico Museum of Natural History Science news in pictures Fabric that changes according to temperature created Scientists at the University of Maryland have created a fabric that adapts to heat, expanding to allow more heat to escape the body when warm and compacting to retain more heat when cold Faye Levine, University of Maryland Science news in pictures Baby mice tears could be used in pest control A study from the University of Tokyo has found that the tears of baby mice cause female mice to be less interested in the sexual advances of males Getty Science news in pictures Final warning to limit "climate catastrophe" The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has issued a report which projects the impact of a rise in global temperatures of 1.5 degrees Celsius and warns against a higher increase Getty Science news in pictures Nobel prize for evolution chemists The nobel prize for chemistry has been awarded to three chemists working with evolution. Frances Smith is being awarded the prize for her work on directing the evolution of enzymes, while Gregory Winter and George Smith take the prize for their work on phage display of peptides and antibodies Getty/AFP Science news in pictures Nobel prize for laser physicists The nobel prize for physics has been awarded to three physicists working with lasers. Arthur Ashkin (L) was awarded for his "optical tweezers" which use lasers to grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells. Donna Strickland and Gerard Mourou were jointly awarded the prize for developing chirped-pulse amplification of lasers Reuters/AP Science news in pictures Discovery of a new species of dinosaur The Ledumahadi Mafube roamed around 200 million years ago in what is now South Africa. Recently discovered by a team of international scientists, it was the largest land animal of its time, weighing 12 tons and standing at 13 feet. In Sesotho, the South African language of the region in which the dinosaur was discovered, its name means "a giant thunderclap at dawn" Viktor Radermacher / SWNS Science news in pictures Birth of a planet Scientists have witnessed the birth of a planet for the first time ever. This spectacular image from the SPHERE instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope is the first clear image of a planet caught in the very act of formation around the dwarf star PDS 70. The planet stands clearly out, visible as a bright point to the right of the center of the image, which is blacked out by the coronagraph mask used to block the blinding light of the central star. ESO/A. Muller et al Science news in pictures New human organ discovered that was previously missed by scientists Layers long thought to be dense, connective tissue are actually a series of fluid-filled compartments researchers have termed the interstitium. These compartments are found beneath the skin, as well as lining the gut, lungs, blood vessels and muscles, and join together to form a network supported by a mesh of strong, flexible proteins Getty Science news in pictures Previously unknown society lived in Amazon rainforest before Europeans arrived, say archaeologists Working in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, a team led by archaeologists at the University of Exeter unearthed hundreds of villages hidden in the depths of the rainforest. These excavations included evidence of fortifications and mysterious earthworks called geoglyphs Jose Iriarte Science news in pictures One in 10 people have traces of cocaine or heroin on fingerprints, study finds More than one in 10 people were found to have traces of class A drugs on their fingers by scientists developing a new fingerprint-based drug test. Using sensitive analysis of the chemical composition of sweat, researchers were able to tell the difference between those who had been directly exposed to heroin and cocaine, and those who had encountered it indirectly. Getty Science news in pictures Nasa releases stunning images of Jupiter's great red spot The storm bigger than the Earth, has been swhirling for 350 years. The image's colours have been enhanced after it was sent back to Earth. Pictures by: Tom Momary

The experiment showed the flu strain was inactivated as effectively by the far UVC light as it was by the harmful broad spectrum light used in disinfection.

While the lamps currently retail at around $1,000 (726) each, this would likely come down if they were more widely adopted and they have the benefit of working against all airborne viruses  unlike vaccines which are specific to each flu strain.

It would also work similarly on bacteria on skin and surfaces that might otherwise be resistant to antibiotics.

If our results are confirmed in other settings, it follows that the use of overhead low-level far-UVC light in public locations would be a safe and efficient method for limiting the transmission and spread of airborne-mediated microbial diseases, such as influenza and tuberculosis, said Dr Brenner.
Human eggs with the potential to become fertilised embryos have been grown in a laboratory for the first time in a breakthrough that could unlock future fertility treatments.

In a landmark development, scientists have been able to replicate the process where egg cells mature in the ovaries outside of the body.

Using strips of ovarian tissue removed in a biopsy, it represents an advance on IVF (in vitro fertilisation), where a mature egg is fused with a sperm in the lab and the fertilised embryo is implanted.

Science news in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Science news in pictures Science news in pictures Pluto has 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen Pluto has a 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen that is doing strange things to its surface, Nasa has found. The mysterious core seems to be the cause of features on its surface that have fascinated scientists since they were spotted by Nasa's New Horizons mission. "Before New Horizons, everyone thought Pluto was going to be a netball - completely flat, almost no diversity," said Tanguy Bertrand, an astrophysicist and planetary scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center and the lead author on the new study. "But it's completely different. It has a lot of different landscapes and we are trying to understand what's going on there." Getty Science news in pictures Over 400 species discovered this year by Natural History Museum The ancient invertabrate worm-like species rhenopyrgus viviani (pictured) is one of over 400 species previously unknown to science that were discovered by experts at the Natural History Museum this year PA Science news in pictures Jackdaws can identify 'dangerous' humans Jackdaws can identify dangerous humans from listening to each others warning calls, scientists say. The highly social birds will also remember that person if they come near their nests again, according to researchers from the University of Exeter. In the study, a person unknown to the wild jackdaws approached their nest. At the same time scientists played a recording of a warning call (threatening) or contact calls (non-threatening). The next time jackdaws saw this same person, the birds that had previously heard the warning call were defensive and returned to their nests more than twice as quickly on average. Getty Science news in pictures Turtle embryos influence sex by shaking The sex of the turtle is determined by the temperatures at which they are incubated. Warm temperatures favour females. But by wiggling around the egg, embryos can find the Goldilocks Zone which means they are able to shield themselves against extreme thermal conditions and produce a balanced sex ratio, according to the new study published in Current Biology journal Ye et al/Current Biology Science news in pictures Elephant poaching rates drop in Africa African elephant poaching rates have dropped by 60 per cent in six years, an international study has found. It is thought the decline could be associated with the ivory trade ban introduced in China in 2017. Reuters Science news in pictures Ancient four-legged whale discovered in Peru Scientists have identified a four-legged creature with webbed feet to be an ancestor of the whale. Fossils unearthed in Peru have led scientists to conclude that the enormous creatures that traverse the planets oceans today are descended from small hoofed ancestors that lived in south Asia 50 million years ago A. Gennari Science news in pictures Animal with transient anus discovered A scientist has stumbled upon a creature with a transient anus that appears only when it is needed, before vanishing completely. Dr Sidney Tamm of the Marine Biological Laboratory could not initially find any trace of an anus on the species. However, as the animal gets full, a pore opens up to dispose of waste Steven G Johnson Science news in pictures Giant bee spotted Feared extinct, the Wallace's Giant bee has been spotted for the first time in nearly 40 years. An international team of conservationists spotted the bee, that is four times the size of a typical honeybee, on an expedition to a group of Indonesian Islands Clay Bolt Science news in pictures New mammal species found inside crocodile Fossilised bones digested by crocodiles have revealed the existence of three new mammal species that roamed the Cayman Islands 300 years ago. The bones belonged to two large rodent species and a small shrew-like animal New Mexico Museum of Natural History Science news in pictures Fabric that changes according to temperature created Scientists at the University of Maryland have created a fabric that adapts to heat, expanding to allow more heat to escape the body when warm and compacting to retain more heat when cold Faye Levine, University of Maryland Science news in pictures Baby mice tears could be used in pest control A study from the University of Tokyo has found that the tears of baby mice cause female mice to be less interested in the sexual advances of males Getty Science news in pictures Final warning to limit "climate catastrophe" The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has issued a report which projects the impact of a rise in global temperatures of 1.5 degrees Celsius and warns against a higher increase Getty Science news in pictures Nobel prize for evolution chemists The nobel prize for chemistry has been awarded to three chemists working with evolution. Frances Smith is being awarded the prize for her work on directing the evolution of enzymes, while Gregory Winter and George Smith take the prize for their work on phage display of peptides and antibodies Getty/AFP Science news in pictures Nobel prize for laser physicists The nobel prize for physics has been awarded to three physicists working with lasers. Arthur Ashkin (L) was awarded for his "optical tweezers" which use lasers to grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells. Donna Strickland and Gerard Mourou were jointly awarded the prize for developing chirped-pulse amplification of lasers Reuters/AP Science news in pictures Discovery of a new species of dinosaur The Ledumahadi Mafube roamed around 200 million years ago in what is now South Africa. Recently discovered by a team of international scientists, it was the largest land animal of its time, weighing 12 tons and standing at 13 feet. In Sesotho, the South African language of the region in which the dinosaur was discovered, its name means "a giant thunderclap at dawn" Viktor Radermacher / SWNS Science news in pictures Birth of a planet Scientists have witnessed the birth of a planet for the first time ever. This spectacular image from the SPHERE instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope is the first clear image of a planet caught in the very act of formation around the dwarf star PDS 70. The planet stands clearly out, visible as a bright point to the right of the center of the image, which is blacked out by the coronagraph mask used to block the blinding light of the central star. ESO/A. Muller et al Science news in pictures New human organ discovered that was previously missed by scientists Layers long thought to be dense, connective tissue are actually a series of fluid-filled compartments researchers have termed the interstitium. These compartments are found beneath the skin, as well as lining the gut, lungs, blood vessels and muscles, and join together to form a network supported by a mesh of strong, flexible proteins Getty Science news in pictures Previously unknown society lived in Amazon rainforest before Europeans arrived, say archaeologists Working in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, a team led by archaeologists at the University of Exeter unearthed hundreds of villages hidden in the depths of the rainforest. These excavations included evidence of fortifications and mysterious earthworks called geoglyphs Jose Iriarte Science news in pictures One in 10 people have traces of cocaine or heroin on fingerprints, study finds More than one in 10 people were found to have traces of class A drugs on their fingers by scientists developing a new fingerprint-based drug test. Using sensitive analysis of the chemical composition of sweat, researchers were able to tell the difference between those who had been directly exposed to heroin and cocaine, and those who had encountered it indirectly. Getty Science news in pictures Nasa releases stunning images of Jupiter's great red spot The storm bigger than the Earth, has been swhirling for 350 years. The image's colours have been enhanced after it was sent back to Earth. Pictures by: Tom Momary

Under the new process, in vitro maturation (IVM), the maturation of eggs takes place in the lab, raising the prospect of new hope for women who lose their fertility.

The studys senior author, Professor Evelyn Telfer of the MRC Centre for Reproductive Health at the University of Edinburgh, told The Independent: If we can show these eggs are normal and can form embryos, then there are many applications for future treatments.

Simply having a process to study egg development in the lab is a major benefit for researchers, and her team is now focused on optimising their technique and seeing how healthy the embryos are.

If shown to be effective, it could help women who do not not ovulate naturally and therefore do not respond to IVF, and could preserve fertility in cancer patients.

Young girls, in particular, have very few options for preserving their fertility before chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

Currently the ovarian tissue is stored in the hope that this could be transplanted back when theyre in remission to restore some fertility.

That could be a risky business, said Prof Telfer. Many of these young girls have blood-borne cancers and if some of the abnormal cells are there youd never take the risk of transplanting it back.

So this kind of technology could then be applied.

Theoretically it could even be applied in post-menopausal women, though it would be difficult to get a piece of ovary that contains enough egg cells.

The honest answer is we really dont know at this stage, said Prof Telfer. Its proof of concept at the moment, we have a lot of work to do and safety always has to be the priority.

While the eggs in the study are at the final stage of maturation, it is not known whether they could form a healthy embryo. Prof Telfer said they have a significant ethical and regulatory process ahead before they can attempt fertilisation.

Independent experts agreed there would be several years before this treatment would appear in fertility clinics, but said it may be looked back on as a seminal advance.

The research effort is the culmination of 30 years of international collaboration, which has previously only demonstrated start-to-finish IVM in animals, where ovarian tissue samples are much more plentiful.

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Several teams, including Prof Telfers, have previously been able to complete parts of the maturation process.

The latest advance, published in the journal Molecular Human Reproduction today, began with ovarian tissue from 10 women, aged between 25 and 39, who were giving birth by caesarean section.

Women are born with millions of immature eggs, contained within follicle cells in the ovary, but only a few hundred are released over a lifetime.

These follicle cells, and the eggs within, are very sensitive to hormone levels and other environmental factors at each stage of development.

So, in conjunction with medical experts, the Edinburgh team had to replicate these conditions.

The biopsied ovarian tissue was first examined to remove any follicles that had already begun the maturation process, before the growth phase began.

When the follicle had matured sufficiently, the egg was squeezed out under gentle pressure for the final stage of development.

From numerous primary follicles they matured just 54 eggs and were able to get nine that might be capable of forming a healthy embryo and growing a baby.

Step one: very small, immature human eggs within ovarian tissue are placed in culture in the lab, and begin to develop; Step two: after initial development, eggs have grown and are more than double their initial size. The ovarian follicles that contain the eggs are separated before further growth and monitoring; Step three: eggs and their surrounding cells are removed from liquid culture to undergo further development in a nutrient-rich membrane (Prof Evelyn Telfer and Dr Marie McLaughlin, the University of Edinburgh)

While this remains a lot less efficient than IVF, where women take regular follicle stimulating hormone injections to mature multiple eggs and give them the best chance of pregnancy, it could be another route where IVF isnt an option.

This is an elegant piece of work, demonstrating for the first time that human eggs can be grown to maturity in a laboratory, said Dr Channa Jayasena, a member of the Society for Endocrinology and clinical senior lecturer at Imperial College London, who was not involved with the research.

It would take several years to translate this into a therapy. However, this is an important breakthrough, which could offer hope to women with infertility in the future.

Professor Daniel Brison, scientific director of the Department of Reproductive Medicine, University of Manchester, agreed, saying: This could pave the way for fertility preservation in women and girls with a wider variety of cancers than is possible using existing methods.

But Professor Robin Lovell-Badge, group leader of the Francis Crick Institute, said the results showed limitations in the technique at present.

There were signs the embryos might be abnormal and their chances of being fertilised are unknown, and the ovaries of girls pre-puberty will be at an early stage and perhaps quite different from those in an adult, he said.

He added: While this work may contain an important step, many more will have to be taken to reach the destination. But you cant make an omelette without breaking eggs.
A Nazi-sympathiser who threatened to petrol bomb mosques after the Manchester Arena attack and who had an array of medieval weapons at his home has been jailed for eight years.

Hitler-obsessive Liam Seabrook, 31, told his probation officer he planned to kill Muslims in a series of text messages four days after 22 people were murdered at the Ariana Grande concert last May.

The judge at Teesside Crown Court branded him dangerous and imposed an extended sentence.

When police went to his home in Thornaby, Teesside, they found petrol in washing-up liquid bottles and crude home-made wooden weapons with screws and razor blades sticking out of them.

One was likened by Paul Abrahams, prosecuting, to a fasces  a weapon carried by Roman magistrates made from sticks with blades attached.

He said the weapons were adapted to cause significant injuries and were medieval-style weaponry.

Some were located close to his front door, the court heard.

When cable ties were found at Seabrooks flat, he explained he had them in case he needed to kidnap somebody, Mr Abrahams said.

The chilling texts were sent in response to a routine inquiry from his probation officer.

He told her: After Monday [the day of the Manchester bombing], Muslims and mosques need to be petrol bombed.

She asked if he intended to carry out the threat, and Seabrook replied: If something happens, something happens. By that time it would be [too late] to be stopped, like the Muslim attack on Manchester.

Manchester explosion in pictures Show all 37 1 /37 Manchester explosion in pictures Manchester explosion in pictures People running down stairs as they attempt to exit the Manchester Arena after a blast, where U.S. singer Ariana Grande had been performing, in Manchester Twitter/@ZACH_BRUCE/ via REUTERS Manchester explosion in pictures Helpers attend to people inside the Manchester Arena after a suspected suicide bomber detonated an explosive device at the end of an Ariana Grande concert, killing 22 people PA wire Manchester explosion in pictures Armed officers guard outside a hotel near the Manchester Arena following reports of an explosion, in Manchester, Britain EPA Manchester explosion in pictures Police officers are seen outside the Manchester Arena, where U.S. singer Ariana Grande had been performing, in Manchester, northern England Reuters Manchester explosion in pictures Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures AFP/Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Police and fans close to the Manchester Arena, after reports of an explosion Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures There have been reports of explosions at Manchester Arena where Ariana Grande had performed Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Police deploy at scene of explosion in Manchester, England, at a concert in Manchester Arena AFP/Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Police stand by a cordoned off street close to the Manchester Arena Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Police deploy at scene of explosion in Manchester, England AFP/Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Police deploy at scene of a reported explosion during a concert in Manchester, England, on May 23, 2017. British police said early May 23 there were "a number of confirmed fatalities" after reports of at least one explosion during a pop concert by US singer Ariana Grande. Ambulances were seen rushing to the Manchester Arena venue and police added in a statement that people should avoid the area AFP/Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures An ambulance drives away from the Manchester Arena, where U.S. singer Ariana Grande had been performing, in Manchester Reuters Manchester explosion in pictures Police escort members of the public from the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England. Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures A woman sits in the street in a blanket near the Manchester Arena as police guard the area following reports of an explosion, in Manchester, Britain EPA Manchester explosion in pictures Two women wrapped in thermal blankets stand near the Manchester Arena, where US singer Ariana Grande had been performing, in Manchester Reuters Manchester explosion in pictures A Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) bomb disposal robot is unloaded outside the Manchester Arena following reports of an explosion, in Manchester. At least 19 people have been confirmed dead and others 50 were injured, authorities said. It is being treated as a terrorist incident until police know otherwise EPA Manchester explosion in pictures A Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) bomb disposal robot is unloaded outside the Manchester Arena following reports of an explosion, in Manchester EPA Manchester explosion in pictures Members of the public receive treatment from emergency service staff at Victoria Railway Station close to the Manchester Arena on May 23, 2017 in Manchester, England. There have been reports of explosions at Manchester Arena where Ariana Grande had performed this evening. Greater Manchester Police have have confirmed there are fatalities and warned people to stay away from the area Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Armed police after a suspected terrorist attack at the Manchester Arena at the end of a concert by US star Ariana Grande left 19 dead PA wire Manchester explosion in pictures Emergency services arrive close to the Manchester Arena in Manchester Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures An amoured police vehicle patrols near Manchester Arena in Manchester Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures A man carries a young girl on his shoulders near Victoria station in Manchester AFP/Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Police officers stand at the Miller Street and Corporation Street Crossroads, in front of the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Police block a road near to the Manchester Arena in central Manchester, England AP Manchester explosion in pictures Armed police patrol near Victoria station in Manchester, northwest England. Twenty two people have been killed and dozens injured after a suspected suicide bomber targeted fans leaving a concert of US singer Ariana Grande in Manchester Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Police forensic officers leave the Manchester Arena as they investigate the scene of an explosion in Manchester Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures A forensic officer collects evidence on a walkway between Victoria station and Manchester Arena following a deadly terror attack in Manchester, Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures A woman and a young girl wearing a t-shirt of US singer Ariana Grande talks to police near Manchester Arena following a deadly terror attack in Manchester, Getty Manchester explosion in pictures EPA Manchester explosion in pictures Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and Manchester City Council Leader Sir Richard Leese speak to the media outside Manchester Town Hall after a suicide bomber killed 22 people, including children, as an explosion tore through fans leaving a pop concert in Manchester Dave Higgens/PA Wire Manchester explosion in pictures The media gather behind a police cordon in Manchester Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Flowers left close to the Manchester Arena, the morning after a suicide bomber killed 22 people, including children, as an explosion tore through fans leaving a pop concert in Manchester Danny Lawson/PA Wire Manchester explosion in pictures Ariana Grande concert attendees Karen Moore and her daughter Molly Steed, aged 14, from Derby, leave the Park Inn where they were given refuge after last night's explosion at Manchester Arena Getty Manchester explosion in pictures Signs saying 'We love Manchester' are displayed in a window in Manchester, England Getty Images

Bizarrely, he then told her he had passed a forklift drivers course.

Mr Abrahams said Seabrook sent racist texts and expressed views about killing Muslims.

Psychiatrists found later he was fascinated by the Third Reich and Hitler in particular.

He had a previous conviction for arson, writing racist graffiti and leaving a note in a library calling for immigrants to be banned from using it.

Alex Bousfield, defending, said there was no suggestion Seabrook had ever taken his weapons out of his flat and that they were more like bizarre ornaments.

Seabrook was isolated and stockpiled goods so he would not have to leave his home, the court heard.

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Mr Bousfield said: He has really seen the outside world through media reports and he has picked and chosen those he has taken on board.

He has become fearful of almost anyone except white males, really.

Seabrook, who has been diagnosed with a mixed personality disorder, admitted making threats to kill, malicious communication, making threats to destroy property and having articles with intent to destroy property.

He was sentenced via a videolink from prison.

Judge Simon Bourne-Arton sentenced Seabrook to eight years custody with an extended two-year licence period.

After deeming him dangerous, the judge said: The weapons were very basic, nevertheless of a very violent type which could have resulted in extreme injury, if not death, if put to use.

He made an order banning Seabrook from going within 200 metres of a mosque when he is released and said Seabrook had a long history of espousing right-wing ideology.

Press Association
The Government has announced it is reviewing all of its work with Oxfam, after the charity was accused of covering up the use of prostitutes by its aid workers in Haiti.

Oxfam said it had publicly announced an investigation into the allegations when they surfaced in 2011 and has denied a cover-up.

Oxfams staff had been on the Caribbean island as part of relief efforts, following the devastation 7.0 magnitude earthquake which killed more than 200,000 people in 2010.

Oxfam said four members of staff were dismissed, while three, including Roland van Hauwermeiren, who served as the country director for Haiti, were allowed to resign before the end of the investigation.

The Department for International Development (DFID) said the charity had serious questions to answer. Oxfam is a beneficiary of the DFID and received nearly 32m from the governmental department during the last financial year.

A DFID spokesman said: We often work with organisations in chaotic and difficult circumstances. If wrongdoing, abuse, fraud or criminal activity occur we need to know about it immediately, in full.

 Andrew Mitchell MP: 'Oxfam must respond with complete transparency'

The way this appalling abuse of vulnerable people was dealt with raises serious questions that Oxfam must answer.

They added: We acknowledge that hundreds of Oxfam staff have done no wrong and work tirelessly for the people they serve, but the handling by the senior team about this investigation and their openness with us and the charity commission showed a lack of judgement. We have a zero tolerance policy for the type of activity that took place in this instance and we expect our partners to as well.

The Secretary of State is reviewing our current work with Oxfam and has requested a meeting with the senior team at the earliest opportunity.

A Downing Street spokesperson said: The reports of what is unacceptable behaviour by senior aid workers in Haiti are truly shocking.

Charities should have robust systems in place to ensure the highest standards of transparency and safeguarding procedures to protect vulnerable people  and ultimately must maintain public trust.

We want to see Oxfam provide all the evidence they hold of the events to the Charity Commission for full and urgent investigation of these very serious allegations.

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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. 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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. 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Oxfam chief executive Mark Goldring told BBC Radio 4s Today programme that any references given to staff involved in the scandal, who later found other jobs, had not been officially sanctioned.

He said: When the staff involved resigned in 2011, all were fired, Oxfam was very clear that we would not give them references. We recorded that on our own system, and we wrote to all of our offices across the world.

But, there is a real difference between an organisation giving a reference and individuals that have previously worked for an organisation giving references in individual capacities, and thats what we believe will have happened.

Mr Goldring denied a cover-up, he said: With hindsight, I would much prefer that we had talked about sexual misconduct, but I dont think it was in anyones best interest to be describing the details of the behaviour in a way that was was actually going to draw extreme attention to it.

Additional reporting by PA
Grieving family members of one of the Grenfell Tower fire victims have accused the Home Office of blocking them from participating in the public inquiry as their applications to enter the UK remain pending after 45 days.

Moroccan national Karim Khalloufi, whose sister Khadija died in Junes tragedy, said his mother and other sister have been waiting since December to hear back from the Home Office after applying for visitor visas.

He claims both were required to relinquish their passports and pay more than 400 in total to have their applications processed at the British visa centre in Rabat. But the family say they have had no communication from the department  and their passports have not been returned  since their appointment over eight weeks ago.

Most visa applications from Rabat are processed within 30 days, according to Decembers data published by the Home Office, but a disclaimer on the departments website notes that times may vary depending on a range of factors.

The Khalloufi family has been granted core participant status in the upcoming inquiry into the fire. The next hearing is expected to be held at the end of the month, but Mr Khalloufi is seriously concerned his family will be blocked from providing important testimony  and coming to terms with their grief  if they are unable to enter the UK.

I dont want to stay in London I have my life in Morocco but as a core participant I was told, You and your mum should always be able to come and go because we need you for the investigation, he said. When I gave them the papers over 40 days ago they kept the passports and no one is telling me what I should do.

Khadija Khalloufi, 52, died from smoke inhalation after escaping from the 17th floor of the burning building in north Kensington on 14 June. Her husband of 25 years, Sabah Abdullah, survived.

The family of Khadija Khalloufi (above) have seen a traumatic situation made even worse (Met Police)

Mr Khalloufi said his mother, Zohra Rabbae, had been unable to come to terms with his sisters death. He believes attending the inquiry will be fundamental in helping her accept what happened to her eldest daughter.

Khadija was with us just 10 days before, her and her husband, so the inquiry will help our family to be at peace and to rest and to see that something was done right by my sister. Now my mother is still telling herself that Khadija is lost somewhere, he said.

The formal opening of the inquiry, which will aim to establish the causes of the fire that claimed 71 lives, took place in September and two procedural hearings went ahead in December, which Mr Khalloufi attended. The next procedural hearings were meant to be held on 30 and 31 January but have been delayed until the end of February.

Mr Khalloufi said the familys visa woes had made their traumatic situation even worse. He is now too afraid to submit his own application as he is concerned his passport will also be seized.

There is no special treatment for the bereaved. My mother is an old woman, she lost her baby and she is still suffering but they dont consider that, they dont have any human consideration, they dont care about if she lost her baby or not, he said.

If the inquiry needs my mum to come, if I want to come and see my lawyer to see what is going on, are they going to keep my passport now? We are suffering from something we never anticipated. We are a bereaved family but they are not helping us, they are just making it worse.

Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott called on the Home Office to urgently remedy the situation for families of the deceased, adding immigration status should not be a barrier to the truth.

This is exactly the kind of arbitrary barrier that could affect the credibility of the inquiry she said.

The public were assured that no stone would be left unturned. But how much confidence can they have when core participants cant even enter the country essentially blocked by the same Government that called the inquiry!

The victims, survivors and their families deserve better. The Government must take meaningful action to ensure that immigration status is not a barrier to the truth about Grenfell.

In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Show all 51 1 /51 In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Police have released images from inside the tower where at least 58 people have died Metropolitan Police In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A still from a video shared by polices what appears to be a stationary bicycle sitting among the ashes In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A still from a video shared by police shows the remnants of a burnt-out bathroom In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Picture showing the lifts on an unknown floor Metropolitan Police In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Emergency crews outside the front entrance to the tower Metropolitan Police In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Fire crews inspecting flats in the burnt out tower London Metropolitan Police In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Grenfell Tower is seen in the distance PA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A drone flies near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire 'Theresa May Stay Away' message written on the messages of support at Latymer Community Church for those affected by the fire Ray Tang/REX In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire An aerial view of the area surrounding Grenfall tower Getty In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Donated shoes sit in the Westway Sports Centre near to the site of the Grenfell Tower fire Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Messages of support for those affected by the massive fire in Grenfell Tower are displayed on a well near the tower in London AP In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A local resident stands on her balcony by the gutted Grenfell Tower in Latimer Road Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Messages of condolence are left at a relief centre close to the scene of the fire that broke out at Grenfell Tower, EPA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A police officer stands by a security cordon outside Latimer Road station Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Firemen examine the scorched facade of the Grenfell Tower in London on a huge ladder AP In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A search dog is led through the rubble of the Grenfell Tower in London as firefighting continue to damp-down the deadly fire AP In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn comforts a local resident (name not given) at St Clement's Church in west London where volunteers have provided shelter and support for people affected by the fire at Grenfell Tower David Mirzoeff/PA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn hugs councillor Mushtaq Lasharie as he arrives at St Clement's Church in Latimer Road, where volunteers have provided shelter and support for people affected by the fire at Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn meeting staff and volunteers at St Clementis Church in Latimer Road David Mirzoeff/PA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Firefighters with a dog walk around the base of the Grenfell Tower REUTERS/Peter Nicholls In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Emotions run high as people attend a candle lit vigil outside Notting Hill Methodist Church near the 24 storey residential Grenfell Tower block in Latimer Road, West London Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Debris hangs from the blackened exterior of Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A woman speaks to Mayor of London Sadiq Khan outside Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower in west London after a fire engulfed the 24-storey building Yui Mok/PA Wire In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A woman holds a missing person posters near the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Sadiq Khan speaking with a resident James Gourley/REX In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Ken Livingstone walks near the scene of the Grenfell Tower fire Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Mayor of London Sadiq Khan is confronted by Kai Ramos, 7, near Grenfell Tower in west London after a fire engulfed the 24-storey building Yui Mok/PA Wire In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Mayor of London Sadiq Khan speaks to a woman outside Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower Yui Mok/PA Wire In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Volunteers distribute aid near Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Family and friends of missing Jessica Urbano, 12, wearing photographs of Jessica pinned to their t-shirts gather near Grenfell Tower EPA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Family and friends of missing Jessica Urbano, 12, wearing photographs of Jessica pinned to their t-shirts gather near Grenfell Tower EPA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Family and friends of missing Jessica Urbano, 12, wearing photographs of Jessica pinned to their t-shirts gather near Grenfell Tower EPA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire People attend a vigil at Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire People gather to observe a vigil outside St Clement's Church following the blaze at Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire People light candles as they observe a vigil outside St Clement's Church following the blaze at Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire People attend a vigil at Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A man distributes food from the back of a van near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Paul Hackett In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A firefighter is cheered near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Paul Hackett In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A T-shirt with a written message from the London Fire Brigade hangs from a fence near The Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A young girl on her way to lay flowers near Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire The remains of residential tower block Grenfell Tower are seen from Dixon House a nearby tower block Getty In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Volunteers prepare supplies for people affected by the Grenfell Tower block which was destroyed in a fire REUTERS/Neil Hall In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Volunteers move a car to make space for a lorry picking up supplies for people affected by the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire People distribute boxes of food near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower bloc REUTERS/Paul Hackett In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A woman touches a missing poster for 12-year-old Jessica Urbano on a tribute wall after laying flowers on the side of Latymer Community Church next to the fire-gutted Grenfell Tower AP In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A man looks at messages written on a wall near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Paul Hackett In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Candles and messages of condolence near where the fire broke out at Grenfell Tower EPA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Police carry a stretcher towards Grenfell Tower Rick Findler/PA Wire In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Emergency services at Grenfell Tower Rick Findler/PA Wire In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Police carry out a body from Grenfell Tower in west London after a fire engulfed the 24-storey building Rick Findler/PA Wire

Mr Khalloufi was first granted a visitor visa in June, two weeks after the tragedy. His mother, Ms Rabbae, was also granted a visitor visa in July  one month after applying.

Both came to the UK seeking answers and applied to extend their visitor visas in September 2017 when it became clear the inquiry would not have reached any conclusions by December  when Mr Khalloufis visa expired.

But he claims he was forced to return to Morocco with his mother after hearing nothing about an extension until the day before his visa expired.

After boarding the plane to return to Rabat, Mr Khalloufi said he received a call from Home Office officials to say they acknowledged his request and he could remain while it was being processed, by which point it was too late.

Its just such a pity to know this is coming from a British institution. I know British people, they are very kind and helpful, I met a lot of citizens who were very kind to me but when I knock on the door of the institutions, it is locked everywhere, he said.

 How the Grenfell Tower fire happened, explained

He also accused authorities of exacerbating the familys suffering during the time they spent in the UK in the aftermath of the fire.

When I went there I didnt ask for anything, I went there to find out how my sister died, I was suffering, he said. I didnt have good treatment, they put me in a hotel and they forgot me. My mum was really suffering, she was crying all the time, she didnt expect that she would be as badly treated like this. Really we are still suffering, we are still grieving and no one is helping us to get over this.

The familys lawyer Balvinder Khan has made repeated attempts to contact the Home Office about the familys applications, but had received no clarification at the time of publication.

One of the purposes of the inquiry is to help families of the deceased to understand what happened on 14 June and why so many deaths occurred within 15 minutes of the fire starting, she said. However, how is that to be achieved when families of the deceased are not being allowed short visas to attend the inquiry?

The same Home Office department on the one hand has granted deceased relatives like Karim and his mother core participant status, and with the other hand is delaying or denying them visas to attend.

Recommended Grenfell survivors could now be deported as immigration amnesty ends

It follows criticism of the Government after The Independent revealed survivors and their families could now be deported.

Residents of the tower block who did not have leave to remain in the country at the time of the fire were offered a 12-month amnesty by the Home Office. But the deadline to apply expired on 31 January, prompting fears the public inquiry could be deprived of key testimony if certain survivors are forced to leave the country.

The Home Office insisted any survivor applying after the deadline elapsed would still be considered for leave outside of the immigration rules.

Separately, Labour MP Emma Dent Coad said at least six families in her constituency needed to extend their visas and were living in limbo as they anxiously waited to hear if the Home Office will accept their applications.

When contacted about the Khalloufi family, the Home Office said it did not comment on individual cases.

A spokesperson added that the Government would help support the Grenfell inquiry by ensuring visa applications were dealt with "in a timely manner".
The two British Beatles jihadists captured in Syria should be made to face trial in The Hague rather than be taken to the notorious Guantanamo Bay prison camp in Cuba.

Alexanda Kotey, 34, and El Shafee Elshiekh, 29, were two members of the notorious Isis execution cell  which included Mohammed Jihadi John Emwazi  who became known as the Beatles for their British accents.

They were captured by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) last month while they were reportedly trying to flee over the Turkish border disguised as refugees.

The SDF said on Friday evening that they had not received a request from any foreign government to hand them over though officials from the US-led coalition fighting Isis in Syria did take part in questioning the terrorists.

It is also believed members of the CIA have been able to question them and members of the British intelligence services have had access to them.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has already indicated that the UK will not oppose any attempt by the US to extradite them to face charges for the murders of at least 25 hostages  including David Haines and Alan Henning.

He said: I dont think they should ever set foot in this country again.

But concerns have been raised after US President Donald Trump said he would keep the notorious prison camp open to house terrorists in his State of the Union address  despite his predecessor Barack Obama vowing to close it.

The UK is believed to strongly oppose the use of the facility, where detainees are held for years without trial in appalling conditions, and has already paid out 20m in compensation to UK citizens and residents who were held there after 9/11.

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Now Defence Minister Tobias Ellwood has called for the pair to face international justice rather than imprisonment.

He told The Daily Telegraph: We have robust rules of engagement which legitimise the killing of terrorists in theatres of operations, but once captured they must answer  and be judged [by]  to a legitimate authority.

The horror of 9/11 meant we briefly lost sight of the standards and rule of law that took centuries to develop and fundamentally distinguish us from the terrorist.

Given the scale of foreign fighters we should consider an agreed international process involving The Hague, which ensures terrorists from any origin are transparently and fairly held account for their actions.
A manhunt has been launched for a convicted killer who has gone on the run after being released from prison on licence.

Mark Woolley, 52, was jailed for life in 2001 for the murder of costume designer Elizabeth Sherlock who smiled as he ran over when she tried to stop him stealing her handbag at London's Euston Station.

He was last seen on 31 January at a probation meeting in Hackney, east London, and is now on the run after breaching his licence conditions.

London's Metropolitan Police have warned the public not to approach Woolley if they spot him and instead call 999.

Woolley, is described as white, slim, 5ft 4ins tall, with greying hair and tattoos and scars on his forehead, jaw and left ear.

Mrs Sherlock was waiting for a train with her husband Peter, 48, on Easter Sunday 2001 when Woolley's girlfriend Jackie Moorehouse snatched her bag containing just 20 in cash and her bank cards.

She was captured on CCTV chasing Moorehouse out of the station while shouting: "Stop thief, she has got my handbag".

Mrs Sherlock then threw herself onto the bonnet of Woolley's Ford Fiesta as he tried to drive Moorehouse away from the scene.

She hung on to the windscreen wipers as Woolley drove off before being thrown off the car and under the wheels.

As their victim lay dying from multiple injuries, Woolley and Moorehouse dumped the Fiesta and used Mrs Sherlocks bank card to withdraw 100 to buy crack cocaine and heroin.

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Woolley was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment after a trial at the Old Bailey while Moorehouse was jailed for three years after admitting theft.

"You killed her by deliberately driving over her at a time when you were eking out a worthless existence by thieving to buy drugs," the Recorder of London, judge Michael Hyam, told him. "It was a wicked act without pity and without remorse. You were seen to smile after you had done it.

"Every one who understands what you did was sickened by it and every one who has heard or read about it since must have been appalled by your apparent lack of human feeling for the woman who had every right to try and stop you from getting away with her property."

Woolley was released from HMP Ranby in Nottinghamshire on 16 November 2001.

Anyone with information on Mark Woolley's whereabouts should call police 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
The Oxfam staff who were accused of hiring prostitutes in earthquake-torn Haiti were able to go on and work for other aid agencies, who claimed they were not informed about their behaviour.

Roland van Hauwermeiren, 68, went on to become the head of a mission for Action Against Hunger in Bangladesh after he resigned as Oxfams Haiti country director in 2011.

He had admitted that prostitutes had visited his Oxfam-funded villa.

But the French charity told The Independent that they conducted references checks as per French labour law regulations and internal procedures before employing, him.

It said: During this process Action Against Hunger received no information regarding the inappropriate and unethical behaviours of Roland van Hauwermeiren when he was with Oxfam in Haiti nor any warning on the risks of employing him.

It added: Action Against Hunger has a zero tolerance policy regarding unethical behaviour, fraud, abuse of power or sexual exploitation. There are strict internal mechanisms in place at both Country Office and HQ levels to detect and prevent any breach of Action Against Hungers code of conduct and core values and principles.

Mr van Hauwermeiren worked as Action Against Hungers Country Director in Bangladesh from the 6 August 2012 to 5 August 2014, it said.

His misconduct was separate from that of the other accused men, who were said to have been involved in sex parties like a full-on Caligula orgy, sources told The Times, which originally reported the story.

Mercy Corps reportedly employed one of the men dismissed in Haiti for downloading pornographic and illegal material. The company told the newspaper that it received a positive reference from Oxfam in 2015.

Other charities also hired employees involved in the scandal. They said that they had not been alerted by Oxfam of any concerns.

The Government ordered Oxfam to provide the Charity Commission, which regulates the sector, with files on implicated staff.

Theresa May also called for a full and urgent investigation into the organisation, which receives tens of millions of pounds in aid. Only last year, Oxfam received just short of 32m from the governments Department for International Development (DFID).

The Charity Commission has described the allegations as shocking. An internal Oxfam report concluded: It cannot be ruled out that any of the prostitutes were underaged.

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. 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Dame Barbara Stocking, the head of Oxfam at the time the allegations emerged, said during an interview that her biggest mistake had been not getting rid of people soon enough, she added I give people too many chances.

The charity said it had publicly announced an investigation into the allegations when they surfaced in 2011 and has denied a cover-up.

Its current chief executive Mark Goldring told BBC Radio 4s Today programme that any references given to staff involved in the scandal, who later found other jobs, had not been officially sanctioned.

He said: When the staff involved resigned in 2011, all were fired, Oxfam was very clear that we would not give them references. We recorded that on our own system, and we wrote to all of our offices across the world.

But, there is a real difference between an organisation giving a reference and individuals that have previously worked for an organisation giving references in individual capacities, and thats what we believe will have happened.

Mr Goldring denied a cover-up, he said: With hindsight, I would much prefer that we had talked about sexual misconduct, but I dont think it was in anyones best interest to be describing the details of the behaviour in a way that was was actually going to draw extreme attention to it.
Boris Johnson has demanded a safe, dignified return for Rohingya refugees trapped in Bangladesh, ahead of meeting with Myanmars de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Visiting a border refugee camp, the Foreign Secretary said such a return would only be possible if a political solution could be found to make safe a return to the Rakhine state.

That is what they want. They do want to go back  but they dont feel safe, Mr Johnson said.

Recommended Myanmar forces and Buddhist villagers torched Rohingya homes

He insisted the refugees were receiving huge support from the UK  about 59m  but added: Its not just a question of humanitarian aid.

Its about finding a political solution, finding an answer in Myanmar, from Burma, creating the conditions for a safe, dignified return for these people.

The Foreign Secretarys trip to Bangladesh  the first such official visit in a decade  comes after nearly 700,000 Rohingya Muslims fled a military crackdown which began last August.

The United Nations has described the exodus from Rakhine state, and the military offensive which provoked it, as a textbook example of ethnic cleansing.

Neighbouring Bangladesh has agreed a timeframe with Myanmar for repatriating Rohingya people, at a rate of 1,500 each week.

But aid agencies have joined the refugees themselves in expressing fears about conditions and their rights and safety upon their return.

The Burma Human Rights Network, while praising Mr Johnsons visit to see the desperate situation, said a return was unthinkable without accountability for Myanmars oppression.

It is not a good idea for them to return to Burma in these conditions, Kyaw Win, the organisations executive director, told Sky News.

The root cause of the problem is Burma side  because Burma has committed genocide on the Rohingya people.

When a country is committing genocide, we cannot look for a political solution. We need to have accountability for this to ensure this kid of condition is not repeated again.

Earlier, Mr Johnson met Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmud Ali, to discuss how to resolve the crisis.

I was really struck by how Bangladesh and the UK really share a common analysis of what needs to be done. We need to make those points together to the government in Naypyidaw, he said.

The government of Bangladesh has shown immense compassion and speed and mercy in dealing with a challenge that I think any government would have found very daunting indeed.

Mr Johnson was also due to meet the chairman of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State, Surakiart Sathirathai. It is looking at the problems in Rakhine state.

The Foreign Secretary will go on to Bangkok, Thailand, for talks with Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
The British economy will suffer a 252bn hit if Theresa May carries out her threat to leave the European Union with no deal, a new analysis of official forecasts shows.

A no-deal Brexit would see GDP plunge by more than a quarter of a trillion pounds over 15 years, according to the study shared with The Independent.

Less damaging exit terms, under which Britain would secure a free trade agreement with the rest of the EU, would still result in national output being 131bn lower over the same period.

And even a Government U-turn  leaving the UK in the EU single market and customs union  would swipe 52bn from economic growth, the calculation says.

The Best for Britain Group, which is campaigning to halt Brexit, said its research  based on the Governments own leaked analysis  fully exposed the Brexit black hole at heart of the economy.

Sadly, now we are seeing the economic analysis becoming project fact and it means that we are facing a massive Brexit blow, said Lord Mark Malloch-Brown, the organisations chairman.

Losing billions means we will have less cash for the NHS, our schools and our public services. This all shows the best option for communities up and down the country is to stay in and keep the deal we have.

The calculation is the most comprehensive attempt yet to put a price on the economic damage forecast in the Treasury Brexit analysis which the Government was  eventually  forced to release to MPs.

It predicted a no-deal Brexit, leaving Britain trading with Europe on World Trade Organisation terms, would reduce growth by 8 per cent over 15 years.

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

Based on average GDP growth over the past 5 years, that would cut output from 2.62 trillion by 2033 to 2.36 trillion, Best for Britain calculated  a loss of 252.4bn.

This week, Theresa Mays spokesperson insisted the Prime Minister was committed to Brexit even if MPs vote down any deal she brings back, saying: We are definitely leaving the European Union.

Leaving with a Canada-style free trade agreement would see growth cut by 5 per cent which, the study says, which would mean a GDP loss of 130.8bn.

Meanwhile, staying inside the single market would reduce growth by 2 per cent  or GDP by 52.3bn, Best for Britain calculated.

Lord Mallach-Brown added: This Government are not competent to deal with the challenges ahead. They are going to hit people in the pocket through their hapless handling of Brexit. Starkly, we are facing a Brexit bombshell for the economy.

The organisation  which hit the headlines when it was revealed it is partly funded by billionaire financier George Soros  also calculated the hit to the public finances implied by the Governments analysis.

It found tax revenue would plunge by 82.4bn over 15 years under a no-deal Brexit, by 42.7bn with a free trade agreement and by 17.1bn if there is a soft Brexit.

The first figure is almost identical to that set out in the Whitehall papers, according to some MPs who viewed them, bolstering the case for the Best for Britain projections.

The document also set out which regions will be hit the hardest, with the Leave-voting North-east of England and West Midlands expected to be the worst affected.

In a further blow to the Government, it also warned that the gains from free trade deals with other big countries would fail to compensate  a boost of just 0.2 per cent over 15 years from a deal with the US, for example.

A Government spokeswoman said the document was a "provisional internal analysis, part of a broad ongoing programme of analysis, and further work is in progress".

She added: "We are seeking an unprecedented, comprehensive and ambitious economic partnership - one that works for all parts of the UK. We are not expecting a no deal scenario."
Britain is being kept in the dark about Brexit with the vast majority of people having little or no understanding of what the Government wants to achieve, a new poll has revealed.

The exclusive BMG Research survey for The Independent suggests around three-quarters of the public have little idea as to what Theresa May wants overall, but also specifically in relation to critical areas like trade and immigration.

There is acute confusion over the Governments approach to the land border in Northern Ireland, ironically an issue supposed to have been settled already, which more than 80 per cent of the public said was unclear.

Recommended Relations between Britain and the EU sink to a new low in Brexit talks

The results undermine repeated claims by ministers that the Government has a clear plan for Brexit, pointing instead to a deep lack of public understanding about Ms Mays ideas just months before the final deal is supposed to be agreed.

They are also likely to be leapt upon by MPs and campaigners pushing for the British public to be given a further say on the final Brexit deal, once they have an understanding of what it looks like.

The poll asked respondents to consider a series of different areas of the UKs withdrawal negotiations and whether the Governments plans are clear or unclear.

On overall plans for Brexit 74 per cent said Ms Mays plans were unclear (not very, 35 per cent, not at all, 39 per cent), while just 17 per cent said they were clear (very, three per cent, somewhat, 14 per cent).

 Labour MPs have asked the NEC to let party members have a say on the approach to Brexit

Trade is the most important area of negotiations economically, but the poll suggested 74 per cent of the public are in the dark about what the Government is trying to achieve (not very clear 36 per cent, not at all, 38 per cent), while just 15 per cent thought it is clear (very, three per cent, somewhat, 12 per cent).

The poll pointed to a similar level lack of understanding over what Ms May is really gunning for in her future policy for immigration, which was the defining issue of the 2016 referendum on Britains membership.

Some 75 per cent said plans for post-Brexit immigration are unclear (not very, 36 per cent, not at all, 39 per cent), while just 14 per cent felt there were clear (very, three per cent, somewhat, 11 per cent).

At the EU Council Summit in December the Government agreed a settlement in principle to address withdrawal issues, including EU citizens rights and what will happen in regards to the land border in Northern Ireland.

But despite Ms Mays claims to have reached a deal, the BMG poll suggested the British public are none the wiser as to what it means.

In total, 82 per cent of those questioned said plans for the border are unclear (not very, 37 per cent, not at all, 44 per cent), while 18 per cent said they are clear (very, three per cent, somewhat, 15 per cent).

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

In relation to EU citizens rights, 62 per cent thought plans are unclear and a total of 25 per cent thought plans clear.

The last week has seen the Conservative Party tearing itself apart over what kind of customs arrangements the UK will have with the EU after Brexit.

Ms Mays spokesman answered questions about the Governments stance by referring to options set out in a positioning paper past year.

It suggested that instead of the EU Customs Union, the Government wanted either a highly streamlined customs arrangement or a customs partnership  but almost two-thirds questioned in the poll said they failed to understand what the options meant, or the different between them.

 Michel Barnier: Brexit transition deal 'not a given'

Some 62 per cent said: I dont understand these terms and the difference between them, while 22 per cent said they did, and 17 per cent said they did not know.

Senior figures from across the political spectrum, including Nigel Farage, Peter Mandelson, Vince Cable and Michael Heseltine, have suggested the British public should be given another chance to vote on Brexit.

Remainers have long argued that the British public voted in the 2016 referendum without a full understanding of what Brexit would mean.

The polling now indicates that despite being a year and a half on from the referendum, people still do not by and large comprehend what Brexit will look like.

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

At the election, the Conservatives made a big play of promoting Theresa Mays Clear Plan For Brexit  saying that whoever becomes prime minster should be ready to start negotiating.

The very first item in the 12-point plan was to provide certainty and clarity, but business groups, Tory and opposition politicians and the EU have constantly found themselves asking for more clarity about the Governments position.

Last week the top figures in Ms Mays Cabinet failed to reach an agreement on how the Government should approach negotiations for a final deal, with further meeting expected in the weeks to come.

On Thursday, Japans ambassador to the UK Koji Tsuruoka said companies from his country that are operating in Britain badly needed clarity and certainty.

Source Note: BMG Research interviewed a representative sample of 1,507 GB adults online between 6-9 February. Data are weighted. BMG are members of the British Polling Council and abide by their rules
Jeremy Corbyn has vowed to make averting climate catastrophe a central aim if he wins power, arguing it can only be achieved with public ownership of Britains energy system.

In his most pro-environment speech, the Labour leader said his government would be at least as radical as the post-war Clement Attlee administration which built the NHS and the welfare state.

Labour would sweep away the centralised system of energy delivery, dominated by the much-criticised Big Six private firms, in favour of one with new sources of energy large and small, Mr Corbyn said.

Locally accountable operators would set up in every region to rival the Big Six, with the power to buy infrastructure from the National Grid, to deliver gradual public ownership.

The party has also pledged to ban fracking, insulate 4 million homes, deliver 60 per cent of energy from renewable sources by 2030 and plant a million native trees.

Speaking at a conference in London, Mr Corbyn said: The challenge of climate change requires us to radically shift the way we organise our economy.

In 1945, elected to govern a country ravaged by six years of war, the great Attlee Labour Government knew that the only way to rebuild our economy was through a decisive turn to collective action.

Necessary action to help avert climate catastrophe requires us to be at least as radical.

The current, privatised system was so inflexible it left people queueing up for years to connect renewable energy to the national grid, the Labour leader protested.

With the national grid in public hands, we can put tackling climate change at the heart of our energy system. To go green, we must take control of our energy, he added.

At the conference on alternative models of ownership, Mr Corbyn also attacked the Governments environmental record for leaving a trail of environmental destruction.

Nobody is fooled by Michael Goves reinvention of himself as an eco-warrior, he told the audience.

This is a Government that has licensed fracking, declared a moratorium on renewable levies, while massively subsidising fossil fuels, dithered over tidal, held back onshore wind, U-turned on making all new homes zero carbon and is failing to take the necessary measures to meet our legal commitments to reduce CO2 emissions.

The speech delighted Greenpeace, whose UK senior political adviser, Rebecca Newsom, said: Its good to see the Labour leader recognising the importance of protecting the environment and tackling climate change.

The Labour leader also promised a safety net for workers who lose out under his energy shake-up, similar to the one given by the US government to unemployed veterans after the Second World War.

They would be offered retraining, a new job on equivalent terms and conditions, covered by collective agreements, and fully supported in their housing and income needs through transition, he pledged.

Earlier, the Shadow Chancellor, John McDonnell, defended his plans for public ownership of a wider range of public services, insisting they would not cost the taxpayer a penny.

Liz Truss, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said: Independent reports show Labours renationalisation plan will cost taxpayers billions and lead to worse services for people.

But Mr McDonnell told Sky News: It would be cost-neutral because you would be bringing into public ownership an asset.

In addition to that, you would not just have an asset  that asset would give you income. Instead of that income going to shareholders, it would come to the taxpayer.

Asked if public ownership would cost absolutely nothing, he replied: Exactly that.
With South Africas ruling party in tense talks over the early exit of Jacob Zuma from the presidency, there are growing concerns over what the deeply unpopular leader may be promised in order to leave power.

Mr Zuma has dug in his heels, refusing to step down even when the top leadership of his party, the African National Congress, asked him to do so.

Facing chaos at the annual State of the Nation address to open parliament on Thursday, the party took the unprecedented step of postponing what would have been a showpiece speech for Mr Zuma.

At the centre of the impasse is a power struggle between Mr Zuma, who is facing corruption charges and Cyril Ramaphosa, a market-friendly, anti-corruption reformist who was narrowly elected leader of the ANC at a conference in December.

Mr Zuma has retained enough support among party officials to make it difficult for Mr Ramaphosa to swiftly see him out.

Negotiations are underway between Mr Zuma and Mr Ramaphosa, as well as the ANCs top six leaders, in an attempt to reach an agreement that will see him willingly leave office. Mr Ramaphosa is due to address a rally on Sunday in Cape Town to mark a countdown to centenary celebrations of Nelson Mandelas birth.

Gwede Mantashe, the ANCs national chairperson, told a crowd of party supporters on Saturday that South Africans should be patient and that there is no disagreement about where we want to go with Mr Zuma.

But Ralph Mathekga, a political analyst and the author of the book When Zuma Goes, said the country is growing frustrated with the lack of clarity on when the President will leave power.

Legally, we still have a President, whose name is Zuma and everyone hates him. That much is clear. But there is a plethora of misinformation and no certainty from the ANC. This is not fair to South Africans.

He added: Zuma was so full of surprises that we as a nation got numb to it all. Now the last surprise is him hanging on.

Mr Zuma has faced near-constant scandals during his nine years as president and is the ANCs biggest liability ahead of elections in 2019.

Most worrying for him is the expected reinstatement of 783 counts of corruption and fraud related to an arms deal. A court ruled last year that the decision to drop the case  on the eve of Mr Zumas election as South African president in 2009  was irrational and the charges should be reinstated.

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 Zuma may also be called to testify in an upcoming judicial commission of inquiry into state capture, a sprawling scandal in which the Gupta brothers, close friends of Mr Zuma and business associates of his son, are accused of exerting improper influence on cabinet appointments and lucrative contracts from state-owned enterprises.

Mr Ramaphosa has reportedly told ANC MPs that it is impossible to offer Mr Zuma immunity from prosecution.

The opposition Democratic Alliance has warned it will rush to court if there is any attempt to grant Mr Zuma immunity.

We cannot condone or allow Zuma to escape accountability for breaking his oath of office and putting his friends and family above the best interests of the people of South Africa, said James Selfe, the partys federal council chairperson.

South Africans have repeatedly taken to the streets in recent years demanding that Mr Zuma resign. Under his leadership South Africa has seen anaemic economic growth, as well as rising unemployment and poverty levels.

The ANC considers its elected officials, even the president, as deployees of the party who must stand down if asked. Mr Zumas predecessor as ANC leader, Thabo Mbeki, quit the presidency in 2008 after the ANC took the decision to recall him in a campaign led by Mr Zuma.

But Mr Zuma has flouted party tradition by refusing to go. Should he continue to refuse, he could be removed in a 22 February non-confidence motion brought to parliament by the opposition.

As the impasse drags on, one of the polygamous Mr Zumas four current wives, Thobeka Madiba-Zuma, has provoked controversy by posting an Instagram photo of herself with her husband and a comment that the fight was about to get ugly.

Robert Besseling, executive director of EXX Africa, a political risk advisory firm, said that control over the national prosecuting authority and state-owned enterprises will be crucially important in the negotiations over Mr Zumas ouster.

Once he secures the national presidency, Cyril Ramaphosa is likely to announce a wide-ranging and high-profile anti-corruption campaign in order to weaken his political rivals and consolidate his authority over the ANC and the government, Mr Besseling said.

Meanwhile some South Africans are planning the celebrations for when Mr Zuma falls at long last. On Twitter, the #ZumaIsGoneParty hashtag imagines dancing and partying in the streets.

This is moving in one direction, said Daniel Silke, director of the Cape Town-based Political Futures Consultancy. Whether it takes a week or just a few days, the end is nigh for Jacob Zuma.
A Nigerian airline has blamed passengers after a plane door fell off shortly after landing.

The Dana Air flight from Lagos was taxiing on the runway at Abuja airport when the emergency exit door came away.

Passengers told of hearing a rattling throughout the flight and described what happened as scary.

Recommended Dramatic video shows moment fire breaks out on passenger plane

The airline insisted there was no way the door could have fallen off without a passenger making a conscious effort to open it.

But passengers said everyone on board had denied tampering with the aircraft

Dapo Sanwo, from Lagos, told the BBC: The flight was noisy with vibrations from the floor panel. I noticed the emergency door latch was loose and dangling.

When we landed and the plane was taxiing back to the park point, we heard a poof-like explosion, followed by a surge of breeze and noise. It was terrible.

He added: The cabin crew tried to say a passenger pulled the hatch which everyone denied. They also tried to get us to stop taking videos or pictures.

Another passenger, Ola Brown, a doctor from Lagos, said the door was was unstable throughout the flight.

As we touched down it fell off, she added. Scary stuff.

In a statement, Dana Air said categorically that this could never have happened without a conscious effort by a passenger" to open the door.

It added: By design, the emergency exit door of our aircraft are plug-type backed by pressure, which ordinary cannot fall off without tampering or conscious effort to open by a crew member or passenger.

When an aircraft is airborne, it is fully pressurised and there was no way the seat or door could have been shaking as insinuated.

The airline said its engineers and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority inspected the plane upon landing and found there was no issue and no threat to safety at any point.

It added the aircraft later made the return flight to Lagos.

Dana Airs licence was suspended in 2012 and again in 2013 after two deadly crashes. It resumed flying in January 2014.
For many people, rain is bad news, but for the residents of drought-hit Cape Town in South Africa, it was cause for celebration.

Winter rains have failed to arrive for three successive years and the city has been edging closer to Day Zero when taps will be switched off.

Capetonians are currently limited to 50 litres of water per day and one rainfall is unlikely to change that. Day Zero is currently projected to arrive on 11 May.

But citizens welcomed Friday nights 8mm (0.3 inches) of rain as a chance to gather extra water - and to simply enjoy a respite from the drought.

"Bless everyone that prayed," wrote one Twitter user. "Let it rain, let it rain, let it rain...".

Robyn Smith posted this picture of rain over Cape Town.

One Instagram user posted a picture of raindrops with the hashtag #blessings.

Cape Town resident Palesa Morudu welcomed the rain using the hashtag #DefeatDayZero.

Social media was full of anticipation in the hours before the rain fell.

"Praying for rain and rainbows," wrote Kerry Kopke.

Afterwards, there was disappointment that the rain had departed so quickly.
A crash involving Justin Trudeaus motorcade left a police officer requiring hospital treatment.

Officials said the Canadian Prime Minister's vehicle was not involved and he was not hurt.

The incident happened was on the second day of his visit to California.

The incident involving California Highway Patrol Officers happened shortly after the motorcade left the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, southern California, where Mr Trudeau gave a speech, according to the Ventura County Fire Department.

One officer was taken to hospital with moderate injuries.

The cause of the crash has not been confirmed, but local media reported that the motorcycle collided with a Toyota SUV.

The vehicle's driver of the vehicle and her son were also taken to hospital, news channel KABC reported.

The drivers husband, Michael Sternberg, who was also in the car, said that his wife had not seen the motorcycle.

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

She saw one motorcycle pass and she was not aware of the other motorcycles, he said.

Mr Trudeau is expected to continue with his California tour, where he is set to appear in Los Angeles.

Agencies contributed to this report
An autopsy report on the Las Vegas gunman who carried out the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history has offered little evidence as to what triggered his violent behaviour.

Documents revealed Stephen Paddock had anti-anxiety drugs in his system when he opened fire on crowds at the Route 91 Harvest music festival in October 2017.

However, the report found the medication had not affected his actions and ruling the 64-year-old was sober and healthy at the time of the shooting.

Paddock unleashed a deadly barrage from a high-rise room in the Mandalay Bay Hotel on the Vegas strip, killing 58 people and injuring more than 800 others attending the concert below.

The autopsy showed the 6ft 1ins shooter was slightly overweight at 224 pounds (16 stone), had high blood pressure and bad teeth.

But, there was nothing unusual in his physical condition, even after a microscopic brain examination conducted by experts at Stanford University.

His cremated remains were released to his brother in January.

The motivation for the shooting has remained a mystery, despite intensive investigation by local police and federal authorities.

A preliminary report released last month by Las Vegas police said the high-stakes gambler had been on a losing streak, was obsessed with cleanliness, possibly bipolar and was having difficulties with his live-in girlfriend.

Investigators believe Paddock acted alone and he did not leave a suicide note or manifesto before he was found dead in the room.

Police found 23 rifles and a handgun in his hotel suite and more than a dozen of the rifles were fitted with "bump stock", devices that allowed rapid-fire shooting similar to fully automatic weapons.

His live-in girlfriend, Marilou Danley, told investigators that Paddock had become "distant" in the year before the shooting and their relationship was no longer intimate, according to the preliminary report released in January.

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

Danley had described him as germophobic and told investigators he had reacted strongly to smells.

Paddock told his friends and relatives that he always felt ill, in pain and fatigued, the report said.

His doctor suspected he may have had bipolar disorder but Paddock had refused to discuss that possibility, he told police.

The doctor also revealed to investigators he had offered him antidepressants, but Paddock would only accept a prescription for anxiety medication as he was fearful of medication.

Additional reporting by Associated Press
Workers in Maine no longer have to worry about getting in trouble at work for smoking marijuana in their off time.

Employers in the state will no longer be able to discriminate against employees for using marijuana or marijuana by-products outside after new laws went into effect, and the states Labour Department has removed the drug from its list of substances that employers can test applicants for, according to the employment law firm Littler Mendleson PC.

The new law applies only to individuals 21 or older, and prohibits refusing to hire someone who uses marijuana in their off time as well as simple discipline for pot use.

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Individuals who use marijuana during work hours and at the work place can still be disciplined by their employers for being under the influence at work. A positive test result, however, wont be enough to prove an employee was or is under the influence, according to a state labour department spokesperson.

The US has seen a growing tolerance for marijuana use in the past several years, with a handful allowing for recreational marijuana use, and even more allowing for medicinal marijuana uses.

That includes at least eight states in the union that have legalised recreation marijuana use, alongside the District of Columbia. At least 21 states have legalised medicinal marijuana use.

In pictures: 4/20 Marijuana world rallies Show all 26 1 /26 In pictures: 4/20 Marijuana world rallies In pictures: 4/20 Marijuana world rallies A man wears a marijuana leaf mask during the annual 4/20 cannabis culture celebration at Sunset Beach in Vancouver, British Columbia AP In pictures: 4/20 Marijuana world rallies A lady smokes marijuana on Parliament Hill on 4/20 in Ottawa, Ontario Getty Images In pictures: 4/20 Marijuana world rallies James Reed smokes a joint during the Denver 420 Rally at Civic Center Park in Denver, Colorado Getty Images In pictures: 4/20 Marijuana world rallies People sign a 4/20 sign on Parliament Hill on in Ottawa, Ontario Getty Images In pictures: 4/20 Marijuana world rallies A woman smokes marijuana on Parliament Hill on 4/20 in Ottawa, Ontario. Polling released showed strong support in Canada for a government drive to legalise recreational use of marijuana, but many would like the proposed minimum age for consumption to be raised. Sixty-three percent of respondents told the Angus Reid Institute they support legalisation Getty Images In pictures: 4/20 Marijuana world rallies A man smokes marijuana during the annual 4/20 marijuana rally on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Reuters In pictures: 4/20 Marijuana world rallies Demonstrators smoke marijuana during the '4/20 Santiago' rally in favour of legalisation in front of the La Moneda presidential palace in Santiago, as part of the Global Marijuana March which is being held in hundreds of cities worldwide Getty Images In pictures: 4/20 Marijuana world rallies People play with a mock marijuana joint during a 4/20 party to demand legalisation and to celebrate marijuana culture outside the Senate building in Mexico City, Mexico Reuters In pictures: 4/20 Marijuana world rallies Adam Eidinger, co-founder of DCMJ, hands out free marijuana joints to DC residents who worked on Capitol Hill as part of the 1st Annual Joint Session to mark '4/20' day and promote legalising marijuana on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC Getty Images In pictures: 4/20 Marijuana world rallies In pictures: 4/20 Marijuana world rallies Police arrest Rachel Ramone Donlan after she handed out free marijuana joints to DC residents who worked on Capitol Hill as part of the 1st Annual Joint Session to mark '4/20' day and promote legalising marijuana on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC AFP/Getty Images In pictures: 4/20 Marijuana world rallies Police arrest Rachel Ramone Donlan after she handed out free marijuana joints to DC residents who worked on Capitol Hill as part of the 1st Annual Joint Session to mark '4/20' day and promote legalising marijuana on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC Getty Images In pictures: 4/20 Marijuana world rallies Thousands of people gather to smoke marijuana during the '420 Santiago'rally in front of the La Moneda presidential palace in Santiago Getty Images In pictures: 4/20 Marijuana world rallies People attend the Denver 420 Rally at Civic Center Park in Denver, Colorado Getty Images In pictures: 4/20 Marijuana world rallies Kevin Barron and Lasean Moore of Raleigh, North Carolina, share a joint during the Denver 420 Rally at Civic Center Park in Denver, Colorado Getty Images In pictures: 4/20 Marijuana world rallies Nic Ruhl takes a pull on a giant hand rolled joint at precisely 4:20pm MDT during the Denver 420 Rally at Civic Center Park in Denver, Colorado Getty Images In pictures: 4/20 Marijuana world rallies Various cannabis paraphernalia on display at a vendor's stall during the Denver 420 Rally at Civic Center Park in Denver, Colorado Getty Images In pictures: 4/20 Marijuana world rallies Mo Banez, of Austin, Texas, lights a joint during the Denver 420 Rally at Civic Center Park in Denver, Colorado Getty Images In pictures: 4/20 Marijuana world rallies A man displays a large container of cannabis during the Denver 420 Rally at Civic Center Park in Denver, Colorado. The rally, held annually, is a celebration of both the legalisation of cannabis and cannabis culture. Colorado is one of twenty-six U.S. states along with the District of Columbia that has legalised the use of cannabis either recreationally or medically AFP/Getty Images In pictures: 4/20 Marijuana world rallies Sitting in small groups on mats shaded by trees in the Rose Garden just across from the Knesset, participants lit up as the clock struck 4:20 for the local version of the traditional worldwide April 20 pro-marijuana events, known as '420' rallies Getty Images In pictures: 4/20 Marijuana world rallies An Israeli smokes a marijuana joint in Jerusalem during a rally at the Rose garden Getty Images In pictures: 4/20 Marijuana world rallies Sitting in small groups on mats shaded by trees in the Rose Garden just across from the Knesset, participants lit up as the clock struck 4:20 for the local version of the traditional worldwide April 20 pro-marijuana events, known as '420' rallies Getty Images In pictures: 4/20 Marijuana world rallies An Israeli girl poses with a mock marijuana joint in Jerusalem during a rally at the Rose garden, to celebrate 420 and to express their defiance of current laws Getty Images In pictures: 4/20 Marijuana world rallies aelis pass around a marijuana joint in Jerusalem during a rally at the Rose garden, to celebrate 420 and to express their defiance of current laws Getty Images In pictures: 4/20 Marijuana world rallies An Israeli smokes a marijuana joint in Jerusalem during a rally at the Rose garden, to celebrate 420 and to express their defiance of current law Getty Images In pictures: 4/20 Marijuana world rallies An Israeli smokes a marijuana joint in Jerusalem on April 20, 2017 during a rally opposite the Knesset to celebrate 420 and express defiance of current laws AFP/Getty Images

Maine is one of those states to have legalised recreational uses of pot.

California became the largest state to legalise the drug earlier this year, after watching states like Colorado and Washington rake in millions of dollars in tax revenues from their legalised marijuana.

Maine legalised marijuana at the same time as California, during the 2016 election, through a ballot initiative posed to the voters. The governor of the state recently vetoed legislation to regulate and tax marijuana in the state. So, in the absence of that regulation, the drug will not be available in a commercial setting.

The governor, Paul LePage, said that he had vetoed the measure because he was unsure how the federal government would target marijuana vendors, or not, under the Trump administration. Marijuana is still technically an illegal substance according to state law.
US Vice President Mike Pence has told reporters that the US and South Korea are united in their approach to North Korea's nuclear programme after the Olympic opening ceremonies in Pyeong Chang featured a joint appearance between the two Koreas.

"There is no daylight between the United States, the Republic of Korea and Japan on the need to continue to isolate North Korea economically and diplomatically until they abandon their nuclear and ballistic missile program," Mr Pence told reporters on a flight back to the US from South Korea.

The Olympic opening ceremonies emphasised the joint North and South Korean presence, and the announcers on the American broadcast of the event frequently noted the approach.

The United States has spearheaded efforts to marginalise North Korea over the past year, championing economic sanctions from the majority of the world aimed at cutting the country's ability to raise funds.

Those sanctions have resulted from North Korea's continued efforts to develop nuclear weapons capabilities that could hit the United States. The country conducted several weapons tests last year, sparking a war of words between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

North Korean and South Korea athlete walked and sat together during the opening ceremonies in Pyeong Chang in a rare statement of unity there. The seeming message sparked a wave of speculation about the relationship between the two countries.

Great Britain athletes heading to the Winter Olympics Show all 10 1 /10 Great Britain athletes heading to the Winter Olympics Great Britain athletes heading to the Winter Olympics Biathlon Amanda Lightfoot will be competing in the Biathlon at the Winter Olympics Adidas Great Britain athletes heading to the Winter Olympics Bobsleigh Montell Douglas is part of the GB women's Bobsleigh team Adidas Great Britain athletes heading to the Winter Olympics Bobsleigh Bradley Hall, Joel Fearon and Lamin Deen will be competing in the Bobsleigh for GB Adidas Great Britain athletes heading to the Winter Olympics Short Track Speed Skating Elise Christie is a short-track speed-skater and will be competing in several events in this year's Winter Olympics Adidas Great Britain athletes heading to the Winter Olympics Short Track Speed Skating Speed Skater Farrell Treacy will be representing Team GB in the short track event Adidas Great Britain athletes heading to the Winter Olympics Skeleton Reigning Olympic champion Lizzy Yarnold will be heading to Pyeongchang to defend her skeleton title Adidas Great Britain athletes heading to the Winter Olympics Skeleton Dominic Parsons will be competing in the men's skeleton at the Winter Olympics Adidas Great Britain athletes heading to the Winter Olympics Curling Anna Sloan is part of the women's British curling team Adidas Great Britain athletes heading to the Winter Olympics Ski Cross Eight-time British Ski Cross Champion Emily Sarsfield will represent GB at the Winter Olympics Adidas Great Britain athletes heading to the Winter Olympics Snowboarding Snowboarder Katie Ormerod is heading to the winter Olympics for Team GB Adidas

Mr Pence, during those ceremonies, did not stand when the two countries came in, nor did he clap to applaud those athletes. He did, however, stand and applaud the American athletes when they arrive.

Even with Mr Pence's insistence that the US and South Korea are unified in their opposition to North Korea and its nuclear programme, relations between the two Koreas has appeared to thaw recently.

In addition to the joint appearance in the Olympics, South Korean President Moon Jae-in has reportedly been invited to North Korea for a visit.

If Mr Moon accepts the offer, it would mark the first tine since 2007 that leaders from the two countries meet.

Mr Kim took over as leader of the country in 2011.
Donald Trump will not at this time authorise release of a Democrat-authored memo that seeks to rebut Republican claims of abuse and anti-Trump bias at the Justice Department and the FBI.

In a letter to the House Intelligence Committee, White House Counsel Donald McGahn said Mr Trump was inclined to declassify the document, but he could not because of numerous properly classified and especially sensitive passages. Mr McGahn wrote that the President would consider releasing a revised version.

Earlier in the day, Mr Trump told reporters that the Democrats' memo was going to be released soon.

The document in question emerged out of a protracted dispute over another memorandum, compiled by Republicans on the intelligence panel, which questioned the legitimacy and legality of the FBI and the Justice Departments application to surveil former Trump campaign aide Carter Page.

In that case, Mr Trump overruled warnings about the consequences of exposing sensitive information.

After Republicans voted to declassify the memo, Mr Trump moved to make it public despite a senior justice department attorney warning that doing so would be extraordinarily reckless and the FBI releasing a rare statement highlighting its grave concerns about material omissions of fact that fundamentally impact the memos accuracy.

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 top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee called out those divergent responses.

After ignoring urging of FBI & DOJ not to release misleading Nunes memo because it omits material facts, @POTUS now expresses concerns over sharing precisely those facts with public and seeks to send it back to the same Majority that produced the flawed Nunes memo to begin with, California Democrat Adam Nunes said on Twitter.

Mr Trump has trumpeted the Republican memo as evidence of abuse that corroborates his frequent accusations that a probe of potential linkages between his presidential campaign and the Russian government is unfounded and compromised by a partisan agenda.

 Donald Trump overheard saying he will '100 per cent' release FBI memo

But Democrats have assailed the memo as an incomplete accounting that omits key information in an effort to distract from the Russia investigation. They argue their memo in response provides the full picture.

We think this will help inform the public of the many distortions and inaccuracies in the majority memo, Rep Adam Schiff of California, Mr Nunes said after the panel voted to release the Democrats' memo.
Multiple elected officials have called for Donald Trumps chief of staff, John Kelly, to resign amid a mounting backlash to the White Houses handling of domestic violence allegations against a top aide.

The former White House staff secretary, Rob Porter, resigned this week after it publicly emerged that multiple ex-wives had accused him of abuse. Mr Porter has called those accusations outrageous and false, saying in a statement: I have been transparent and truthful about these vile claims, but I will not further engage publicly with a coordinated smear campaign.

The Trump administration has faced amplifying questions about when officials became aware of the allegations against Mr Porter, with multiple reports that chief of staff John Kelly knew Mr Porter would be denied a permanent security clearance.

Amid evidence that senior officials kept Mr Porter on despite the allegations against him, calls for Mr Kelly to step aside began surfacing.

New Mexico Democrat Martin Heinrich said on Twitter that if the reports were true, "he should resign immediately".

Representative Ted Lieu, a Democrat from California, said on Twitter: Domestic violence is a serious issue & Chief of Staff John Kelly should resign for mishandling it.

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 Kelly has also faced condemnation for initially responding to the allegations against Mr Porter with a statement lauding him as a man of true integrity and honour, later releasing a follow-up statement saying he was shocked by the allegations against Mr Porter and saying there is no place for domestic violence in our society.

Tapped as chief of staff to help bring order to a White House riven by internal conflict and high turnover, Mr Kelly  a retired general  initially drew praise for helping to instil more stability.

But his remarks have also set off fresh controversy, including when he made a false accusation against a Congresswoman who had amplified a war widows criticism of Mr Trump and, earlier this week, when he said some immigrants were too lazy to get off their asses and apply for legal status.

 John Kelly coached Trump to use the phrase "he knew what he was getting into" to bereaved widow

The President also helped fuel the outcry when he reacted to Mr Porters departure with mostly praise, saying the situation was very sad but that Mr Porter did a very good job.

We hope he has a wonderful career, Mr Trump said, adding that you have to remember that he said very strongly yesterday that hes innocent.
A top justice department attorney who would be next in line to oversee a probe into Russian election interference is stepping aside.

Associate attorney general Rachel Brand is planning to leave after less than a year on the job. The move is particularly significant because she would be in position to take over from deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein should he resign or be dismissed.

I know the entire Department of Justice will miss her, but we join together in congratulating her on this new opportunity in the private sector, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement.

Recommended Trump refuses to rule out firing Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein

Mr Rosenstein is overseeing special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into whether the Russian government sought to work with Donald Trumps presidential campaign.

After Mr Sessions recused himself from any involvement, which came in response to revelations he had previously undisclosed contact with Russian ambassador Sergei Kislyak, responsibility for overseeing the probe fell to Mr Rosenstein.

As Donald Trump has derided Mr Muellers investigation as a needless fishing expedition tainted by a partisan agenda, Mr Rosenstein has been a target of the Presidents ire.

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 President reportedly asked Mr Rosenstein if he was on my team and has mulled firing him. Asked last week if he still had confidence in Mr Rosenstein, Mr Trump told reporters you figure that one out.

With Republicans in Congress increasingly backing him up, Mr Trump has lashed out at justice department leadership for what he calls a biased and irredeemably tainted investigation.

He has blasted a memo released by House Republicans, over the Justice Department's objections and with Mr Trump's blessing, that accused the FBI and the justice department of misconduct in seeking to surveil a former Trump campaign aide.

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  something which would have been unthinkable just a short time ago, the President said on Twitter recently.

Mr Rosenstein also faced pointed questions from Republicans in Congress about anti-Trump text messages sent by an FBI agent, Peter Strzok, who was formerly part of Mr Mueller's team.
A double-decker bus has toppled over in Hong Kong killing 18 people and injuring nearly 50 more.

The bus was full and driving at speed when it crashed in the New Territories area, authorities said.

Spectators and workers from a horse racing event were aboard when the accident happened.

At least 15 men and three women died and another 47 people were injured, with 19 in a serious condition, the region's Hospital Authority said.

Photos and videos published by local media or posted by users on social media showed the gold-coloured bus lying on its side while emergency workers treat injured passengers nearby.

Footage of rescue workers cutting open the roof of the bus was shared widely on Facebook.

The bodies of dead passengers can be seen laid out on the ground covered in white sheets.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. 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In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. 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Representatives from the bus operator said the driver in question had a good track record and knew the route well, the BBC reported.

The South China Morning Post newspaper said it was the Asian financial centre's deadliest traffic accident since a 2003 bus accident that killed 21 people.

Agencies contributed to this report.
Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil might have grown up in a vast and opulent rococo palace in prosperous Gujarat with servants responding to his every beck and call but it would be wrong to assume his life has been free of problems.

The Indian prince, who is the son and probable heir of the Maharaja of Rajpipla in Gujarat in western India, was forced to shroud his sexuality from public view for years. Marrying a princess of Jhabua State in Madhya Pradesh in 1991, Prince Manvendra lived a lie and his matrimony remained unconsummated for its entirety.

Unable to endure the secrecy, he eventually confided in his wife about his sexual orientation. Barely a year after the wedding she filed for divorce despite separation being virtually unheard of in India at the time and still massively taboo now.

Like many in India  where sex between people of the same gender is punishable by law  the 52-year-old kept his homosexuality a secret from everyone for many years after the divorce. Fortunately his wife kept her promise to never divulge his sexuality.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

But this was not easy and in 2002 Prince Manvendra had a nervous breakdown and found himself in hospital. It was there that his psychiatrist told his parents he was gay. This did not go down well and his parents insisted his sexuality must be kept a secret. They tried to cure him with both medical and religious measures.

If this was not bad enough the princes life was thrown into yet further disarray and chaos after he publicly came out as gay. The revelation was not only breaking news all over India but also grabbed headlines worldwide. In his home state of Rajpipla, effigies of the prince were burned and people called for him to be robbed of his title and ostracised. His parents brought out public notices saying they wanted to publicly disown him and disinherit him from the ancestral property.

Coming out in India is very difficult. There is so much stigma. Society doesnt allow parents to accept it, the prince, who is the first and only openly gay royal in India, tells The Independent.

Parents blackmail their children and force them to get married to the opposite sex. People in the community tell me their mothers have threatened to kill themselves if they are gay. They do not want their mother to jump into a well so they are pressured to get married.

The royal said homelessness is a massive problem in the LGBT+ community in India. People in India are so attached to their parents they are not able to live without them. When they try and come out parents do not understand and disown their children and throw them out of the home. The children dont know where to go and are homeless, he said.

I need to rescue these people who have been rendered homeless otherwise they will die, commit suicide, or get depressed.

Prince Manvendra is not talking in vague, nebulous terms and actually has a solution in mind. The royal is going so far as to transform his 15-acre pink palace into a centre for vulnerable LGBT+ people.

The centre aims to deliver clinical services, financial support and skills training for young LGBT+ people so they are able to become financially independent from their families. He will run the centre with his community-based organisation The Lakshya Trust which he started to support gay men and educate people about the prevention of HIV/Aids.

There are two aims. One is social empowerment and the other is economic empowerment, he explains. The idea is to teach people how to become self-reliant so they can earn their own living based on their skills and talents. There is a lot of discrimination which the community faces so we want people to feel confident.

The royal, who says he has been thinking about the idea for 15 years, also plans to use the centre to offer free safe-sex seminars to young LGBT+ people across India and run workshops with parents who have accepted their childrens sexuality. He is constructing more buildings to house visitors to the centre who will be able to stay in shared accommodation.

The aptness of the palace being pink is not lost on Prince Manvendra. Our city is called the pink city of Gujarat and most of the buildings are painted pink, he explains. It has been pink for almost 300 years now and I always say maybe one of my ancestors painted it pink because they knew one of their relatives would like it.

He says the palace was visited by many Hollywood stars back in the day and that Ian Fleming, who wrote the James Bond series of spy novels, visited the palace as he was a friend of his great-grandfathers.

But the prince is not getting the centre up and running on his own and has procured the support of Kanwar Amarjit Singh  a 28-year-old Indian royal who is also an LGBT+ activist.

Prince Manvendra is so appreciative of Mr Singhs decision to help with funding he has named the centre after him  it will be called Hanumanteshwar Amar 1927. Mr Singh, who divides his time between India and London, describes the prince as his mentor and explains their ancestors were great friends.

Mr Singh, who runs a feminist art gallery near Kings Cross in London called Amar Gallery currently showing Guerrilla Girls artwork, was driven out of India at the age of just 20 after he spoke out about supporting gay rights  though he himself is heterosexual. The activist, who is the main funder and support of Prince Manvendra's LGBT centre, runs a grassroots network of activists in India that confronts the oppression of the LGBT+ community and women through education.

We work on advocacy for LGBT+ and womens rights, Mr Singh says. It makes me so angry the police in some townships are beating gay men and people for handing out condoms, and girls as young as four being forced into prostitution".

We connected a decade ago and he has been a champion for LGBT+ rights since I have known him. I consider him as an ally, Prince Manvendra chips in.

Kanwar Amarjit Singh and Prince Manvendra (from left to right)

Over in India Prince Manvendra also emphasises the importance of education and uses his platform to speak to university students about LGBT+ issues. In fact, the royal has had something of a turnaround since coming out and being shunned by society after coming out.

He has not only been accepted by his family but has been on The Oprah Winfrey Show three times and even appeared on Keeping Up With The Kardashians.

Oprahs interview was a big turning point in my life, he reflects. The whole of society had turned against me but the moment I got invited on things changed. She was extremely nice to me, said she had interviewed many people in the last 25 years, but I was one of the most honest people she had ever met.

Despite the progress Prince Manvendra has made and continues to make in India, it is worth remembering that Indian law continues to criminalise sexual acts between members of the same sex and homophobia remains deeply culturally ingrained. Nevertheless, the Supreme Court of India has ordered a review of the legislation later this year.

In Prince Manvendras view, the problem is rooted in Indian societys attitude to sex as a whole. It is a taboo to even speak about sex and there is no sex education in schools, he says.

Ironically the prince, who campaigns for the reform of Indias anti-LGBT+ laws, says homosexual behaviour is far more accepted than heterosexual behaviour in the country. Men are affectionate with each other but heterosexual behaviour is not accepted, he explains. Our country is a paradox in that way. It is very easy to get a room for same sex at a hotel but if a male and female want a room you have to prove the relationship.

There are so many people in the closet living a double life; youre supposed to live the way society wants you to live.
Indonesian authorities have lowered the alert status of Bali's Mount Agung volcano after scientists found a reduction in its activity.

More than 140,000 people have fled the area surrounding the mountain after authorities warned an eruption may be imminent in September.

However, the decision was taken on Saturday to downgrade Agungs status after several scientific indicators showed a decrease in activity over the past month.

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"People's activities as well as tourism in Bali has been declared safe and there will no more disruption related to the volcano at this time," Indonesian energy minister, Ignasius Jonan, said in a statement.

Indonesias volcano agency said smoke and tremors from the 3,031-metre-tall volcano, which indicate rising magma, have reduced significantly, but Agung remained on the second-highest alert level.

The agency said villagers living on the mountains slopes could return home, but warned them not to venture close to its crater, which was still emitting smoke.

The radius of the volcano's danger zone has also been reduced from 3.7 miles to 2.4 miles from its crater.

Indonesian officials first raised the eruption alert to its highest possible level five months ago, when seismic activity increased at the mountain.

The activity decreased by late October, and the alert was lowered before being lifted to the highest level again in late November, forcing more than 55,000 people out of their homes and into temporary shelters.

Tourists, who were stranded when the island's only airport closed for nearly three days, joined the rush to leave the area.

Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Show all 22 1 /22 Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures A fisherman drives a traditional boat as Mount Agung erupts AFP/Getty Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Police evacuate a villager from inside the exclusion zone REUTERS Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Villagers watch a river overflowing with water mixed with volcanic ash REUTERS Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures A flight information board shows cancelled flights at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar, Bali AP Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures A villager takes his cows to a field with Mount Agung volcano erupting in the background AP Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Police officers wear masks as they patrol in a village in Karangasem AP Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Clouds of ashes rise from the Mount Agung volcano AP Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Passengers talk to airline workers as their flights are cancelled AP Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Mount Agung AP Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures A boy takes pictures during Mount Agung's eruption AFP/Getty Images Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Mount Agung volcano is seen spewing smoke and ash in Bali EMILIO KUZMA-FLOYD/via REUTERS Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Balinese Hindus take part in a ceremony, where they pray near Mount Agung in hope of preventing a volcanic eruption AFP/Getty Images Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Mount Agung volcano erupts for a second time in less than a week REUTERS Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Balinese Hindus take part in a ceremony AFP/Getty Images Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Mount Agung volcano is seen erupting from Glumpang village REUTERS Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures A Balinese farmer works as Mount Agung volcano spews volcanic ash EPA Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Mount Agung during an eruption seen from Kubu sub-district in Karangasem Regency AFP Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures A villager walks near a rice field following the eruption of Mount Agung AP Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Mount Agung volcano spews volcanic ash Rex Features Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures An officer with the disaster management agency BPBD places a mask on child at a shelter for residents sheltering from Mount Agung volcano Antara Foto/Nyoman Budhiana/ via REUTERS Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Mount Agung volcano erupts REUTERS Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Mount Agung's eruption is seen between Balinese temple at Kubu AFP/Getty Images

Agung, located around 45 miles northeast of Bali's tourist hotspot of Kuta, last erupted in 1963, killing about 1,100 people.

It is one more than 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia, which is prone to eruptions and earthquakes due to its location on the "Ring of Fire", a series of fault lines stretching from the Western Hemisphere to Japan and Southeast Asia.

Additional reporting by Associated Press
Bound together, the 10 Rohingya captives watched their Buddhist neighbours dig a grave. Soon afterwards, on the morning of 2 September, all 10 lay dead. At least two were hacked to death by Buddhist villagers. The rest were shot by soldiers, two of the gravediggers said.

The killings marked another episode in the violence sweeping Myanmars northern Rakhine State. The Rohingya accuse the army of arson, rapes and killings. The United Nations has said the army may have committed genocide. Myanmar says its clearance operation is a legitimate response to attacks by insurgents.

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Rohingya people trace their presence in Rakhine back centuries. But most people in majority-Buddhist Myanmar consider them to be unwanted Muslim immigrants from Bangladesh. The army refers to the Rohingya as Bengalis, and most lack citizenship. In recent years, the government has confined more than 100,000 Rohingya in camps where they have limited access to food, medicine and education. Nearly 690,000 Rohingya have fled their villages and crossed the border into Bangladesh since August.

What happened in the days leading up to the killings in Inn Din has now been pieced together, drawing for the first time on interviews with Buddhist villagers who confessed to torching Rohingya homes, burying bodies and killing Muslims.

The treatment of Rohingya Muslims has created a humanitarian crisis, with 690,000 people fleeing to nearby Bangladesh (Reuters)

This account also marks the first time soldiers and paramilitary police have been implicated by testimony from security personnel. Three photographs, belonging to a Buddhist village elder, capture key moments, from the Rohingya mens detention by soldiers in the early evening of 1 September to their execution shortly after 10am on 2 September.

The Reuters investigation was what prompted police authorities to arrest two of the news agencys reporters, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, on 12 December for allegedly obtaining confidential documents relating to Rakhine. Then, on 10 January, the military issued a statement that confirmed portions of what to be reported, acknowledging that 10 Rohingya men were massacred at Inn Din.

(Reuters)

Journalists Wa Lone (top) and Kyaw Soe Oo are being detained in Yangon. They were arrested for their investigations into the killings (Reuters)

But the militarys version of events is contradicted in important respects by accounts given by Rakhine Buddhist and Rohingya Muslim witnesses.

The military said the 10 men belonged to a group of 200 terrorists that attacked security forces. But Buddhist villagers interviewed for this article reported no attack by a large number of insurgents on security forces in Inn Din. And Rohingya witnesses told how soldiers plucked the 10 from among the Rohingya who had sought safety on a nearby beach.

Scores of interviews with Rakhine Buddhist villagers, soldiers, paramilitary police, Rohingya and a local administrator further revealed:

The military and paramilitary police organised Buddhist residents of Inn Din and at least two other villages to torch Rohingya homes, Buddhist villagers said.

An order to clear Inn Dins Rohingya hamlets was passed down the command chain from the military, said three paramilitary police officers and a fourth police officer at an intelligence unit in the regional capital Sittwe.

Some members of the paramilitary police looted Rohingya property including cows and motorcycles in order to sell it, according to Inn Dins Buddhist administrator and one of the paramilitary police officers.

Asked about the evidence that has uncovered about the massacre, government spokesman Zaw Htay said: We are not denying the allegations about violations of human rights. And we are not giving blanket denials. If there was strong and reliable primary evidence of abuses, the government would investigate, he said. And then if we found the evidence is true and the violations are there, we will take the necessary action according to our existing law.

When told that paramilitary police officers had said they received orders to clear Inn Dins Rohingya hamlets, he replied: We have to verify. We have to ask the Ministry of Home Affairs and Myanmar police forces. Asked about the allegations of looting by paramilitary police officers, he said the police would investigate.

Human bones found in a shallow grave in Inn Din (Reuters)

He expressed surprise when told that Buddhist villagers had confessed to burning Rohingya homes, then added: We recognise that many, many different allegations are there, but we need to verify who did it. It is very difficult in the current situation.

Zaw Htay defended the military operation in Rakhine. The international community needs to understand who did the first terrorist attacks. If that kind of terrorist attack took place in European countries, in the United States, in London, New York, Washington, what would the media say?

Neighbour turns on neighbour

Events began to unfold on 25 August when Rohingya rebels attacked police posts and an army base in northern Rakhine. Fearing for their safety, several hundred of Inn Dins Buddhist villagers took refuge in a monastery. On 27 August, about 80 troops from Myanmars 33rd Light Infantry Division arrived in the village.

Rohingya Muslim men with their hands bound kneel as members of the Myanmar security forces stand guard at Inn Din village (Reuters)

Five Buddhist villagers said the army officer in charge told them they could volunteer to join security operations. He found willing participants among Inn Dins Buddhist security group, members of the organisation, villagers said.

In the days that followed, soldiers, police and Buddhist villagers burnt most of the homes of Inn Dins Rohingya Muslims, a dozen Buddhist residents said.

One of the police officers said he received verbal orders from his commander to go and clear areas where Rohingya lived, which he took to mean to burn them. A second police officer described taking part in several raids on villages north of Inn Din. Security forces wore civilian shirts and shorts to blend in with the villagers, according to the second police officer and Inn Dins Buddhist administrator, Maung Thein Chay.

After the Rohingya had fled Inn Din, Buddhist villagers took their property, including chickens and goats, Buddhist residents said. But the most valuable goods, mostly motorcycles and cattle, were collected by the commander of the 8th Security Police Battalion and sold, said the first police officer and the village administrator.

Reached by phone, the commander, Thant Zin Oo, did not comment. A police spokesman, Colonel Myo Thu Soe, said the police would investigate the allegations of looting.

By 1 September, several hundred Rohingya from Inn Din were sheltering on a nearby beach, witnesses said. Among them were the 10 men who would be killed. Five of the men were fishermen or fish sellers, two ran stores, two were students and one was an Islamic teacher.

Rohingya witnesses said the Islamic teacher, Abdul Malik, had gone back to his hamlet to collect food and bamboo for shelter. When he returned to the beach, at least seven soldiers and armed Buddhist villagers followed him. Then the military beckoned to the Rohingya, these witnesses said, and picked out the 10 men.

A photograph, taken that evening, shows the 10 kneeling on a path in the village. On 2 September, they were taken to scrubland near a graveyard, Buddhist villagers said, where they were photographed again. Security personnel questioned them about the disappearance of a local Buddhist farmer named Maung Ni, according to a Rakhine elder. Several Rakhine Buddhist and Rohingya villagers said they knew of no evidence connecting any of the 10 to the farmers disappearance.

Three Buddhist witnesses said they watched as the captives were led by soldiers towards the site of their deaths. One of the gravediggers, retired soldier Soe Chay, said Maung Nis sons were invited by the army officer in charge of the squad to strike the first blows. The first son beheaded the Islamic teacher, Abdul Malik, according to Soe Chay. The second son hacked another of the men in the neck.

A Rakhine elder gave the reporters a photograph that shows the aftermath of the killings. Explaining why he chose to share information, he said: I want to be transparent on this case. I dont want it to happen like that in future.

For the full report and graphic images that will be used in evidence of the Inn Dinn massacre, visit www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/myanmar-rakhine-events/

Reuters
Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte has told the International Criminal Court that he would rather face a firing squad than be jailed if he is found guilty of crimes against humanity.

The ICC has launched a preliminary investigation into the controversial leader to determine whether it can charge him over the deaths of thousands of Filipinos in his infamous war on drugs.

Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said there were allegations police carried out extra-judicial killings as part of a campaign to crack down on the sale and use of illegal drugs in the southeast Asian country.

Mr Duterte has since fired back at the court, encouraging it to investigate his actions and questioning if it had the jurisdiction to charge him.

I would ask for the rare privilege of talking to you. Just the two of us in the room, Mr Duterte told a news conference, referring to Mrs Bensouda.

I welcome you. If you want to find me guilty, go ahead. So be it. Find a country where they kill people with a firing squad and Im ready. If you haul me into a rigmarole of trial and trial, no need. Go ahead and proceed in your investigation. Find me guilty, of course. You can do that.

Around 4,000 mostly urban poor Filipinos have been killed by police in Mr Dutertes signature campaign, which has drawn concern from the international community.

Activists have claimed the death toll is far higher than reported figures and have made accusations of a systematic cover-up, a claim the government and police forces deny.

The examination is the first formal step the ICC prosecutor takes when considering whether a situation in a member state could eventually lead to charges. The process may take years.

The complaints to the ICC came from a lawyer and two politicians. They include the accounts of two self-confessed hit men.

The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Show all 9 1 /9 The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte On killing drug addicts These sons of whores are destroying our children. I warn you, dont go into that, even if youre a policeman, because I will really kill you. If you know of any addicts, go ahead and kill them yourself as getting their parents to do it would be too painful The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Message to China I will go there on my own with a Jet Ski, bringing along with me a [Phillipino] flag and a pole, and once I disembark, I will plant the flag on the runway and tell the Chinese authorities, Kill me  AP The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Christmas message to law-breakers If you do not want to stop, and just continue committing crimes, then this would be your last Merry Christmas AP The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte On sex life I was separated from my wife. Im not impotent. What am I supposed to do? Let this hang forever? When I take Viagra, it stands up AFP/Getty Images The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte On the drugs trade None of my children are into illegal drugs. But my order is, even if it is a member of my family, kill him'" AP The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Insulting the Pope We were affected by the traffic. It took us five hours. I asked why, they said it was closed. I asked who is coming. They answered, the pope. I wanted to call him: Pope, son of a wh**e, go home. Do not visit us again AFP/Getty Images The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Joke about rape I saw her face and I thought, 'What a pity... they raped her, they all lined up. I was mad she was raped but she was so beautiful. I thought, the mayor should have been first AFP/Getty The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Insulting Barack Obama "Mr Obama should be respectful and refrain from throwing questions at me about the killings, or son of a bitch, I will swear at you in that forum" REUTERS The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte On Abu Sayyaf Islamic militants "If I have to face them, you know I can eat humans. I will really open up your body. Just give me vinegar and salt, and I will eat you. If you annoy me to the fullest... I will eat you alive. Raw" EPA

The men said they killed at Mr Dutertes behest when he was a city mayor, and public statements he made as president that they say amounted to shoot-to-kill orders.

However, Mr Duterte believes the ICC does not have jurisdiction in the Philippines because its accession to the Rome Statute was never announced in the countrys official gazette, a legal requirement.

He also vented his anger at allegations of extrajudicial killings during his campaign, saying the term could not be defined.

What is extrajudicial killing? he said, There is no provision for extrajudicial killing, it is not defined anywhere.

Additional reporting by Reuters
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A manhunt has been launched for three men who stole up to 23 million from an armoured van in Switzerland, after taking the daughter of a security guard hostage.

The 22-year-old woman was later released unhurt but the men fled the canton of Vaud with the money.

Posing as plumbers, two men kidnapped the young woman from her apartment in Lyon in southeast France, a source close to the investigation told the Agence France Presse news agency.

Accomplices then rang her father  who works for a Swiss money transportation company  to demand a ransom.

He and a second man were carrying out a cash delivery in an armoured van just north of Lausanne, Switzerland at the time and agreed to meet the kidnappers in a car park close to the border with France.

They were met by several armed men, who were dressed in black and wore hoods and gloves. They were forced to hand over the contents of the van, which was reportedly carrying between 20 and 30 million Swiss francs (between 15.4 million and 23 million).

The men fled the scene in a dark-coloured Porsche SUV, Swiss police said.

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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. 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The daughter was later released by her captors and questioned. She was said to be in a state of shock.

No arrests have yet been made.

Appealing for witnesses investigators said they were searching for three men with accented French, perhaps from the south of France or from North Africa.

Agencies contributed to this report
The European Parliament has backed a possible plan to end daylight saving time across the remaining 27 member states.

MEPs have called for the European Commission, the central body which is responsible for proposing EU policy, to consider abolishing DST, which means clocks go forward one hour in Spring and back in the Autumn to ensure extra evening daylight in the summer and extra morning daylight in winter.

The system was first adopted during the First World War in the UK to give factories daylight hours to work in to aid the war effort.

The effect is more noticeable the closer you are to the North Pole. As the Earth tilts on its axis, during winter the Northern Hemisphere is further away from the sun than the Southern Hemisphere and vice versa during summer.

This means the number of daylight hours in countries closer to the equator vary far less than in countries in the far north or far south.

For example in Iceland, from mid-May to mid-August the sun only sets for around three hours a night and there are only around five hours of effective daylight during the winter months.

Supporters of the current system say it saves energy and reduces traffic accidents as fewer people have to travel in darkness, but critics argue it causes long-term health problems.

Current EU law stipulates a common date in Spring and Autumn on which clocks must be put forward and back by one hour in all 28 member states (including the UK).

But opinion remains divided on whether the system is an effective way to the regulate greater use of daylight hours in the north.

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. 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In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. 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

Last month Finland called for the practice to be abolished across the EU after a petition gathered more than 70,000 signatures from citizens asking the state to end the practice, the BBC reported.

During the debate, French MEP Karima Deli said: Studies that show an increase in road accidents or sleep trouble during the time change must be taken seriously.

She added that estimated energy savings were not conclusive.

But Belgian MEP Hilde Vautmans said that changing DST in her country would mean either losing an hour of daylight for seven months in summer or sending children to school in the dark for five months over winter.
Russian authorities have arrested engineers at one of the countrys top-secret nuclear warhead facilities after they allegedly tried to mine bitcoin on its computers.

Several employees have been detained at the Federal Nuclear Centre in Sarov, western Russia, after making "an attempt to use the work computing facilities for personal ends, including for so-called mining", a spokesperson for the centre told Interfax News Agency.

Their activities were stopped in time, they added.

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The Federal Nuclear Centre is overseen by Rosatom, the Russian nuclear agency. In 2011, the centre launched its new supercomputer with a capacity of 1 petaflop, which can undertake one thousand trillion operations per second.

The computer was not intended to be connected to the internet and when scientists attempted to do so, the centres security department were alerted.

Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin do not rely on centralised computers servers. This allows people to provide computer processing power to enable transactions to take place. In return, people can be rewarded in bitcoin.

During the Cold War the USSRs first nuclear bomb was produced at Sarov, during Joseph Stalins rule. The city is still a closed area and residents are under travel restrictions, while other Russians who want to visit must acquire a special permit.
Russia has expressed concern and called for calm after Israeli missile strikes struck 12 Syrian and Iranian targets in Syria, including an aerial defence system.

Israel launched heavy air strikes in Syria and said it successfully hit air defences and Iranian targets, while the Syrian army has claimed to have brought down an Israeli F-16 which crashed in northern Israel.

The Russian foreign ministry has urged all sides to refrain from escalating the situation. In a statement, the ministry said: Of particular concern is the danger of escalation of tension within and around de-escalation zones in Syria, the creation of which has become an important factor in reducing violence on Syrian soil."

The ministry added: We urge all parties involved to exercise restraint and to avoid any actions that could lead to an even greater complication of the situation.

"We consider it necessary to unconditionally respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria and other countries of the region.

"It is absolutely unacceptable to create threats to the lives and security of Russian servicemen who are in Syria at the invitation of its legitimate government to assist in the fight against terrorists.

The raids came a few hours after Israel allegedly shot down an Iranian drone after it entered Israeli airspace.

 Iranian UAV shot down by Israeli attack helicopter

The Israeli military called the drone a "severe and irregular violation of Israeli sovereignty" and said Iran was "playing with fire".

In a tweet, the Israeli Defense Forces said they would act determinately against such severe violations of Israeli sovereignty and was ready for various scenarios.

But, a spokesman later said the country was not looking to escalate the situation and described the air strikes as a defensive effort triggered by an Iranian act of aggression".

Lebanon is protesting against Israels use of its airspace to target Syria and has said it will complain to the UN Security Council.

Additional reporting from agencies
An Iranian drone launched from Syria was shot down by the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) after it crossed over its northern border with Syria.

The force captured the strike on camera.

Israel subsequently launched 12 air strikes on Syrian soil, some of which targetted Iranian forces.

During the attack two pilots were forced to eject from an F-16 fighter jet, which crashed in northern Israel, one was left with serious injuries.
Israel has struck 12 Syrian and Iranian targets in Syria, including an air defence system, the countrys military has claimed.

The raids, which mark a dramatic escalation of tension in the region, came a few hours after Israel allegedly shot down an Iranian drone that infiltrated the countrys airspace.

The Israeli military called the drone infiltration a severe and irregular violation of Israeli sovereignty  and said Iran was playing with fire.

 Iranian UAV shot down by Israeli attack helicopter

In a tweet, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said it would act determinately against such severe violations of Israeli sovereignty and is ready for various scenarios.

But a spokesman later said the country was not looking to escalate the situation.

He described the air strikes as a defensive effort triggered by an Iranian act of aggression.

The Israeli military said two of its pilots had been injured  one seriously  when their F-16 jet involved in one of the raids crashed in northern Israel after facing heavy anti-aircraft fire from Syria.

 Footage from the scene of an Israeli fighter jet crash following offensive in Sryria

According to the Israeli military, the unmanned aircraft shot down inside Israeli territory early on Saturday was on a military mission sent and operated by Iranian military forces.

Iran denied Israels claim that the drone was shot down. We do not confirm any such news from Israel, said General Hossein Salami, acting commander of Irans Revolutionary Guard.

The joint operations room for the Syrian military and its allies said the drone was on a standard mission gathering intelligence on Isis militants and did not violate Israeli airspace.

But IDF spokesman Jonathan Conricus said there had been a blatant violation of his countrys sovereignty and that, in response, Israel destroyed the Iranian site in central Syria that launched the drone.

Subsequent attacks were carried out against four additional Iranian targets and eight Syrian sites.

According to the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the first of two separate and successive waves of air strikes targeted the central desert area where Syrian troops and their Iranian-backed allies, including Hezbollah, are known to maintain bases.

The organisation cited unconfirmed reports of casualties among Syrian government forces and allied militiamen.

The Observatory, which monitors the war in Syria through a network of activists on the ground, said the second round targeted outposts in the southwestern suburbs of Damascus.

The Israeli military claimed that three aerial defence batteries and four Iranian military sites were among the 12 targets. Anti-aircraft missiles were fired towards Israeli jets, triggering sirens across northern Israel, according to the military.

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

Syrian state TV quoted a military official who described the raids as a new aggression. He also claimed that Syrian air defences hit more than one Israeli plane.

Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman was meeting with the top brass at military headquarters in Tel Aviv on Saturday to discuss a further response.

Israel has previously shot down several drones that tried to infiltrate its territory from Syria. But Saturdays raids on Iranian sites marks an escalation in the scale of Israeli retaliation.

Agencies contributed to this report
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Russian President Vladimir Putin that his country will defend itself from any attack and any attempt to hurt our sovereignty after an escalation between Israel and Syria.

Iran attempted to do that today, it violated our sovereignty, it inserted its drone into Israeli space from Syria, Mr Netanyahu reportedly told the two men.

Mr Netanyahu emphasised that, while his country will continue to seek peace, he would ensure that his country responds to any threats.

Speaking with Mr Putin, Mr Netanyahu went on to say that Israel has a right and obligation to defend ourselves against attacks coming in from Syria. We agreed that our militaries will continue security coordination.

Mr Tillerson is in the region on a five day trip.

The US State Department indicated that the United States fully supports Israel's right to defend itself, but noted that the US did not participate in any of the military operations.

The Israeli military announced Saturday that one of their warplanes had been shot down by Syrian forces, sparking the increased tensions between the two countries. The military indicated that the plane was shot down after they launched drone strikes in retaliation to Iran sending a drone into Israeli territory.

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 Iranian drone was shot down by Iranian forces.

Israeli strikes in Syria are not uncommon, but the loss of an Israeli jet has led to increased tensions.

The two crewmen on boar the F-16 that was shot down were able to eject from the plane after taking hits from Syrian anti-aircraft weapons. They were both taken to the hospital after their emergency exit, and one of them was reported to have serious injuries from the ejection.

Israel hasnt lost an aircraft since 2006, when a helicopter was shot own in Lebanon by a rocket launched by Hezbollah. All five of the crew members on board that aircraft were killed in the incident.
A senior member of the top Muslim clerical body in Saudi Arabia has said women need not wear the loose-fitting, full-length robes symbolic of the Muslim faith known as the abaya.

During his radio programme, Sheikh Abdullah al-Mutlaq, who is a member of the Council of Senior Scholars, said Muslim women should dress modestly, but this did not mean they needed to wear the religious clothing.

Saudi women are currently required to wear the garment by law.

More than 90 per cent of pious Muslim women in the Muslim world do not wear abayas, Sheikh Mutlaq said on Friday. So we should not force people to wear abayas.

Although, the statement does not signal a change in the law, it is the first of its kind from a senior religious figure. The move follows the recent shift in political consensus within the deeply conservative religious state.

The crown prince Mohammad bin Salman recently initiated an anti-corruption purge and temporarily detained many of the countrys most senior business figures including billionaire Alwaleed bin Talal, who was released in January.

Only government-appointed clerics associated with the Council of Senior Scholars are allowed to issues fatwas or Islamic legal opinions, with their interpretations of Islamic law forming the basis of Saudi Arabias legal system.

The country has seen an expansion in womens rights over the last year, with women being granted permission to attend mixed public sporting events and the announcement of them being given the right to drive.

These are some of the changes the country has experienced in recent months, which have been appraised as a new progressive trend within the nation.

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

However, activists have recently lamented the countrys guardianship system which requires a woman to seek permission from a male family member before going to apply for a passport, travel outside the country, study abroad on a government scholarship, get married or even exit prison.

On Thursday, a London-based Saudi rights group, ALQST, reported the detention of activist Noha al-Balawi, who was detained last month and questioned by Saudi authorities on her involvement with womens rights and human rights movements.

Saudi Arabia is currently diversifying its economy in an attempt to modernise the nation and to reduce its dependence on oil.

The country intends to invest $500bn (360bn) into its planned city, Neom. The investment also aims to improve public services and to attract more tourists to the country.
A Turkish military helicopter has been shot down in northern Syria during an operation against Kurdish forces, killing two soldiers, according to Turkey's President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Speaking in Istanbul, Mr Erdogan did not mention the name of the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units or YPG but said those responsible would pay for their actions.

The Turkish military has not made a statement but a spokesman for the Kurdish militia, Mustafa Bali, confirmed his fighters downed the chopper in Raju, northwest Afrin.

"A military helicopter was downed. We will have losses, but they [perpetrators] will suffer the consequences, Mr Erdogan said, according to YeniSafak.

"Our security forces are engaging in a great fight. We destroyed many of their missile depots yesterday," he added.

Syrian democratic forces released what they claimed was footage of the incident in which smoke can be seen rising from area where the helicopter was downed.

Turkey launched a military offensive on 20 January to uproot the YPG from Afrin in what has been dubbed Operation Olive Branch.

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 YPG are considered by Turkey to be an extension of an insurgency within its own borders.

Nineteen Turkish soldiers have died since the operation started.
The United Kingdom has responsibility for the current crisis in Yemen after exporting weapons to Saudi Arabia, Nobel Peace Prize winner Tawakkol Karman has said.

The Yemeni Nobel Laureate has called on a number of countries, including the US and Iran, to stop supplying both the Saudis and the rebel militias with weapons, as Yemens devastating famine continues amid civil war.

Ms Karman, a politician and activist, is known in Yemen as the mother of the revolution after she took a prominent role in the uprising during the Arab Spring.

She has also urged the UK to put pressure on Iran to cease their interference in Yemen as the death toll surpasses 12,000.

The UK, the US and all the countries that support and sell weapons to Saudi Arabia are part of all the killing in Yemen, Ms Karman told The Independent. We should also talk about Iran. Being silent about Iran interfering in Yemen and Iran supporting and exporting weapons to Houthi militia would be a mistake.

Tawakkol Karman speaking at the Warwick Economics Summit (Gabriele Stravinskaite)

Ms Karman has also called for Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, and Mohammed bin Zayed, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, to be tried at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for what she described as the massacres that have taken place in Yemen.

I am calling the humans rights defenders to start a trial against them. We want trials in the local courts in Europe and in the ICC. They have committed massacres in Yemen and have caused the war, she said.

The Saudi-led coalition is waging war in Yemen in a bid to defeat the guerrilla group, the Houthis.

The bombing campaign is believed to have resulted in the deaths of thousands of civilians, and since the war started in 2015 an estimated 18.8 million people, 69 per cent of Yemens population, have needed some sort of humanitarian aid or assistance, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

A trial at the ICC is highly unlikely because the court has no jurisdiction over countries that have not signed the Rome Statute.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen have all not signed the statute, and because of this it would require the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to refer the case to court for any criminal proceedings to take place.

Geoffery Robertson QC, the former president of the UN war crimes court in Sierra Leone, said initially an investigation would need to be set up by the human rights commission to determine if there had been any crimes against humanity.

If this is shown to be prevalent, the UNSC would pass the issue onto a prosecutor, who would then start their own investigation, before taking the case to the ICC.

Britain would be put in a difficult position if there was evidence from a UN investigation that demonstrated that the weapons the UK has sold were used for crimes against humanity, Mr Robertson told The Independent.

The composition of the UNSC means this is unlikely, with Russia and China both intervening in the past to prevent investigations.

Russia has used its veto power to block action targeting its ally Syria on nine occasions, and China has also intervened to ensure the Middle Eastern nation does not face sanctions.

Andrew Smith of Campaign Against Arms Trade said the Saudi-led coalition had inflicted an appalling humanitarian catastrophe on Yemen.

Over the last three years, a coalition of human rights abusers and dictatorships, including those in Saudi Arabia and UAE, has waged a three year bombing campaign that has killed thousands of people and destroyed vital infrastructure all across Yemen, Mr Smith told The Independent.

The bombardment has been totally immoral, and it is civilians that have paid the terrible price. Those that have carried it out need to be fully investigated and held to account for the destruction that they have unleashed.

The brutal bombardment has only been possible because of the complicity and support of politicians like Theresa May and her colleagues, who have prioritised arms company profits over the rights and lives of Yemeni people.

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

A spokesperson for the Department for International Trade said: The UK Government takes its export control responsibilities very seriously and operates one of the most robust export control regimes in the world. We rigorously examine every application, including those from Saudi Arabia, on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria.

We will not grant a licence if doing so would be inconsistent with these criteria, and have suspended or revoked licences when the level of risk changes.

Ms Karman was in the UK talking at the Warwick Economics Summit where she accused Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates of backing a campaign to divide Yemen by supporting separatists against the internationally recognised government.

The comments led to her being suspended from her political party in Yemen, al-Islah, which said her statements were not in line with the partys positions.

Ms Karman responded to the claims on her Twitter account and criticised the leaders of al-Islah, calling them prisoners and slaves to Riyadh and Abu Dhabi.

The Independent has contacted representatives of the Saudi Arabian government for comment.
A US Sheriff was caught on camera ordering his officers to "take out" a suspect who was shot in the head.

Sheriff Oddie Shoupe boasted "I love this shit" after he arrived on the scene of the killing of Michael Zennie Dial II in White County, Tennessee.

"They said we're ramming him," he was recorded saying. "I said don't ram him, shoot them... Ain't going to tear my cars up. If they don't think I'll give the damn order to kill that mother f*** they're full of sh*t."

Apparently unaware he was being filmed by a deputy's body camera, he added: "I love this sh*t. God I tell you what I thrive on it."

He later told his officers: "I made the decision. Don't have to worry about it. I took that away from y'all. You don't have to worry about nothing."

The Sheriff's department is being sued by Mr Dial's widow Robyn Dial, who claims excessive force against her unarmed husband rather than risk damaging patrol cars.

Her suit, which also names the county, the city of Sparta and the two officers who fired their weapons, claims it was 'inappropriate and unconscionable' for Sheriff Shoupe to give the order to use deadly force.

The comments as seen on the video are extremely disturbing. Im not sure how anybody can thrive on the taking of a life, let alone somebody in law enforcement, Dials attorney David Weissman told The Guardian.

 Sheriff Oddie Shoupe caught on body camera during chase saying 'Take him out'

The chase began in April last year when DeKalb County deputies tried to pull over Dial for driving a pickup truck with a trailer on a suspended licence.

White County deputies took over the pursuit when Dial crossed over on Highway 111 and initially tried to force his vehicle off the road by ramming it from the side. 

But Sheriff Shoupe radioed his officers to tell them to "take him out by any means necessary including deadly force."

Dial was successfully forced off the road and into a ditch as Reserve Deputy Adam West fired three shots.

When Sheriff Shoupe arrived at the scene he was recorded on a deputy's body camera saying: "I told me I said take him out. I don't give a shit."

Recommended Video shows police shooting unarmed man as he begs for life

The shooting was ruled justified by the county's district attorney Bryant Dunaway in June last year.

Mr Dunaway said Dial ignored stop lights and drove into oncoming traffic before repeatedly ramming into the side and rear of police cars during the pursuit.

A toxicology report revealed that the suspect's blood tested positive for drugs, including methamphetamine, amphetamine and carboxy-THC.

The investigation concluded that Dial was a dangerous and unstable subject who posed a serious and immediate risk of serious bodily injury or death to both law enforcement officers as well as other citizens in the immediate area.
The mysterious Maya city of Tikal in north-east Guatemala has been on the Central American tourist trail for decades, and swells with visitors during the day. But it is 5am, and I am part of a television crew with permission to explore the ancient site before dawn.

The stars sparkle as, soupy from tiredness, we navigate with the help of headlamps. The background score is dominated by the tenors and sopranos of the insects and amphibians. We load up cameras and set off into the jungle, heading for the ancient city.

In its heyday, the Maya civilisation covered northern Guatemala, Belize, parts of Honduras and north-western El Salvador, plus all of south-eastern Mexico. The civilisation flourished for some 700 years, until the middle of the 10th century, when Maya city-states began to self-destruct. But their ruins still decorate the region, with Tikal a prime site.

From the gloom, moss-clad pyramids rise above us; 1,500 years ago these architectural marvels represented the very apogee of the Maya civilisation.

At the top of the highest, above the jungle canopy, we film dawn  all milk and turmeric. As howler monkeys roar, the limestone obelisks of Tikals other pyramids pierce through the canopy like sharks fins through an ocean of dark jade.

Within hours the light will be harsh, the heat intense, the crowds overwhelming but right now its utterly intoxicating.

Were here to make a documentary about a new research project which is transforming how the world sees the Maya. Because it turns out the same jungle that makes visiting sites like Tikal so beguiling has been concealing a civilisation far bigger than previously believed.

The project was born out of a realisation among archaeologists working in Guatemala that aerial laser technology, called LiDAR, could be used to see beneath vast tracts of unexplored jungle. Light Detection And Ranging works by firing billions of laser beams from a plane flown above the trees and measuring the time it takes the beams to bounce back.

Search party: the team filming the secrets of the Maya (Ben Crichton)

The largest study of its kind ever conducted surveyed a swathe of northern Guatemala jungle the size of, yes, Wales.

What would have taken decades using traditional techniques on the ground was done in just 50 hours from the air. With a lot of computing muscle and human expertise, scientists create a map of the jungle floor.

Stripped of the jungle canopy, two millennia of Maya civilisation have been laid bare for the first time. The results are simply jaw-dropping; so far more than 60,000 previously unknown structures have been identified; entire cities found hiding beneath the jungle and an extensive transport network revealed linking the cities.

Even at Tikal, the Maya site studied more than any other, there have been surprises. Just yards from a path trodden by dozens of tourists, what was thought to be a natural hill is now revealed as a pyramid. Its position and shape suggest to the archaeologists that it could contain the tomb of a high-ranking Maya noble.

But perhaps the most eye-catching of all the discoveries to come out of the LiDAR survey is the sheer scale and density of the settlement.

Tikal is revealed to be at least four times bigger than previously thought. It was a Maya megacity. For years, archaeologists have believed that population in the Maya world peaked at perhaps two million. That has been revised upwards by a factor of 10.

Science has created a treasure map, pointing the way to new discoveries on the ground. For the Guatemalan authorities there are the challenges and opportunities embodied in becoming custodians of an ancient civilisation bigger, more sophisticated and more complex than anyone previously thought.

For travellers, the next few years will be full of revelations, enticing more tourists than ever to discover Tikal. So a word of advice: come to the ruins at the bookends of the day when the light is soft, the temperature kind, the crowds sparse and the magic close.

The archaeological site of Tikal opens 6am-6pm daily. It is most easily reached from Belize by road or from Guatemala City by air

Ben Crichton is director of Lost Cities of the Maya: Revealed  Sunday 11 February, Channel 4, 8pm
The scandal of Oxfam staff using sex workers in Haiti is an urgent prompt to reset our assumptions about both charities and international aid. For many a liberal reader of The Independent, the default setting is that a charity worker is morally upstanding and that international aid is self-evidently a good thing.

It is time to test these assumptions more rigorously. For too long, doing something for charity has been a way of muffling potential criticism. The Presidents Club dinners exposed by the Financial Times last month, used as an excuse for rich men to sexually harass young women, carried on for years because they raised money for good causes.

Oxfam is obviously acutely aware that its ability to raise money depends on a bond of trust, a bond underpinned by the assumption that its staff are guided by altruism. If Oxfam sought to cover up the behaviour of some of its workers in Haiti, we can understand that this might have been a misguided attempt to preserve the organisations reputation. If so, it was a disastrous misjudgement.

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

Oxfam will be able to maintain its reputation only if it adopts a policy of complete openness and a determination to put right its mistakes. As we report today, the UK Government is reviewing its contracts with the charity, worth 32m last year. This is right, but the contracts should not be continued until Oxfam has shown that it holds itself to a higher standard than normal commercial contractors.

This is the crux of the matter. Where charities might have been given the benefit of the doubt in the past it is vital that they should now be held to a higher standard than everyone else. As Andrew MacLeod, a former aid worker and United Nations official, writes for The Independent today, all organisations working in disaster, conflict and extreme poverty areas ought to be under a higher than normal obligation to guard against exploitative behaviour.

Recommended The Oxfam revelations are just the tip of the iceberg

Mr MacLeod has done good work to warn the world that sexual exploitation, including of children, is a bigger problem in aid and UN peacekeeping operations than governments, non-governmental organisations and the UN itself have been prepared to accept.

The Independent believes that most charities are engaged in noble endeavours, and that the UK Government is right to set a target of spending 0.7 per cent of national income on aid. But that means that charities must be judged by a more demanding standard than anyone else, not given a free pass, and that the international aid budget must be scrutinised more closely than other public spending.
Youd think there wouldnt be much to fight about if you live in Greenwich, a Connecticut town that is just 20 minutes from the gritty streets of the Bronx yet might as well be on a different continent. Grittiness, in fact, is not a characteristic common to its residents, except when duelling for parking space outside Saks Fifth Avenue on its swanky main avenue.

Its stale privilege was punctured last November when a wave of local women, enraged by the election of Trump, ran for the towns 230-member governing assembly, many successfully, upending decades of white male domination. It was a sort of pink revolution powered by two women-led, anti-Trump groups, March On Greenwich and Indivisible Greenwich.

That that happened wasnt so shocking. Greenwich has its conservatives, but thanks to its high-prosperity, high-education quotients, it is a place more or less of social enlightenment too. And after all, the town and the surrounding district voted 57 to 40 per cent for Clinton in 2016.

But that it would be embroiled this weekend in a fierce local fracas about abortion rights, involving a local second-year high school student who is facing expulsion because she dared to show up for classes with a Planned Parenthood sticker on her laptop, seems a bit unexpected.

But perhaps it shouldnt be. Why should Greenwich be immune to the emotionally-charged tug-of-war that rages perpetually in America over a womans ability to control her own reproductive destiny and which has only intensified since Trumps election?

On his first day in office, Trump barred US funding for foreign charities offering abortions or education about them, the so-called Global Gag Rule. Meanwhile Republican-majority states are racing to impose new restrictions on abortion, finding ways to close down clinics that offer the procedure or lowering the limit, in terms of weeks of pregnancy, when terminations are legal.

Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood, applauded the Greenwich schoolgirl (AP)

The Mississippi House passed a bill one week ago that would make the state the only one to ban all abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. In Ohio, lawmakers are expected shortly to consider a law that would allow the most common type of terminations only up to the 13-week mark and oblige women who undergo them to bury or cremate all fetal remains. At 13 weeks some women dont even know that they are pregnant.

It is a drive back into the dark ages that may soon compel the US Supreme Court to revisit the landmark Roe vs Wade ruling of 1973 that protected women and doctors practising terminations so long as they occur before the third trimester, about 27 weeks. Pressures are also growing in Congress. A House bill passed last October that would make almost all terminations beyond 20 weeks illegal, with only limited exceptions to protect the life of the mother, and provisions to fine and imprison doctors who perform them. It is, for now anyway, stalled in the Senate.

It is in that grisly context that the teenager in Greenwich, Kate Murray, is coming under a national spotlight not just as undeserving roadkill in the national political fight over reproductive rights but also as a new and unlikely hero of the under-siege pro-choice movement. She and her parents were informed by the school last Wednesday that either she remove the sticker or expulsion was nigh. She could leave straight away or at the end of this academic year.

She has been hailed by Cecile Richards, the lightning-rod president of Planned Parenthood, which runs womens clinics countrywide offering an array of health services that include, but are certainly not restricted to, abortions. It has been in the cross hairs of conservative Republicans for years who want it deprived of future federal funding. Kate, Planned Parenthood is so proud to count you as a supporter, she wrote in a statement, echoing the words on the offending sticker: I stand with Planned Parenthood. Keep fighting for what you believe in. #IstandwithKateMurray. The hashtag was quickly populating the Twittersphere by weeks end. Meanwhile an online petition demanding that anyone giving funds to Sacred Heart should redirect them to Planned Parenthood had attracted over two thousand signatures.

Located in the Greenwich back country, a bucolic swathe of picturesque stone walls, ancient trees and sprawling private estates, Sacred Heart is a Catholic institution, although students of all religions are enrolled there and is not run by the Church itself. It sells itself as a place, where young women become global leaders. That does not, apparently, extend to allowing them freedom of speech on an issue that is at the heart of the countrys cultural wars.

It seemed an extreme reaction to a very small sticker, which puts forth a political point of view about a government funding matter and does not, at least the way I read the sticker, violate church doctrine or specifically advocate the murder of innocent babies, Brian Murray, the girls father, told Greenwich Time, the towns paper.

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At the time of writing, the school was holding its ground and had received backing from the Catholic dioceses of nearby Bridgeport. The Catholic Churchs opposition to abortion is almost universally understood, as is its consistent pro-life ethic, which defends the right to life of all those among us, particularly the most vulnerable in our society, it said in a statement.

Murray, who unpeeled the sticker in midweek so she could still attend classes, hadnt decided whether to bow to the edict or opt to find another school to attend. Her future in politics may be assured though. Last week turned out to be the kind of initiation youd want to shield most young teenagers from. Especially teenagers in a town as genteel  normally  as Greenwich.
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Starring Parmeet Sethi (left) and Govind Namdeo in key roles, Phir Usi Mod Par is set to be released in March. The film, which is the late filmmaker Lekh Tandons last directorial venture, will be exhibited at the Berlin Film Festival on Feb. 24. (photo provided)
A pro Donald Trump protester (right) holds up a sign calling for deportation as dozens of immigration activists, clergy members and others participated in a demonstration against the imprisonment and potential deportation of immigration activist Ravi Ragbir in front of the Federal Building on Jan. 29 in New York City. A federal judge Feb. 8 granted Ragbir a temporary stay of deportation, who has received a huge amount of support from Indian American and other immigrant rights organizations and local politicians. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Im only 16 and my boyfriend is a 24-year old graduate working for a PR company in Lagos. We started dating 8 months ago and we have done all sorts as regards sex in the relationship including sending nudes back and forth and having one sex tape.

I just gained admission into the university and told my boyfriend we needed a break so I could focus on my studies in school since the school is outside Lagos. At first, he said it was OK, we even made love and I went home. He later called me and said he wasnt cool about breaking up. He said the breakup wasnt necessary, that he could come see me in school even if I dont want to come home.

I refused because even though I love him, I dont want anything standing in the way of my studies. He has been calling and threatening to show everyone that knows me the sex video we made a couple of months ago.

Please what do I do?, because if my folks find it, Im as good as dead.

Please send your stories and we will gladly publish them for us and our readers to offer advise

Editor@informationnigeria.org
Roman Goddess doesnt subscribe to the idea of ditching work for honeymoon.

Recall that two weeks ago, the buxom model took to her Instagram to share the photos from her alleged wedding to a Dubai-based man. First, she shared her engagement photos, and later the photos of her wedding band, followed by their intimate wedding.

This news triggered frenzied reactions on social media; the model, who had no qualms disgracing folks like Don Jazzy, has finally married. However, days later, when she kept making regular updates on her social, folks wondered why she and her hubby arent on honeymoon yet.

Well, she finally has some answer for you all.

Thank you for congratulating me on my marriage but I am not going for a honeymoon because I am busy working on a movie set and I dont have time for that, she told Punch in a new chat, adding, Probably when this production is wrapped up, we would have time for that.

Apparently, she belongs to the class of ladies who will never let marriage stop them from securing their bags. Perfect!

Meanwhile, check out the photos from her wedding.
Punch

An Abuja-based civil society organisation, the Sanctity Transparency Peace Initiative, has told the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, that nothing negative must happen to the Governor of Benue State, Mr. Samuel Ortom.

Vanguard

ALL Progressives Con-gress (APC) has faulted Governor Nyesom Wike on his administrations compassionate donation of N200Million to victims displaced by herdsmen menace in Benue State, describing the action as a show of primitive hypocrisy

The Sun Obasanjos coalition: Why we dare Buhari  Oyinlola Former governor of Osun State and a leader of the Coalition for Nigeria Movement, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has opened up on why people of like minds, came together to challenge Nigerias current leadership structure headed by President Muhammadu Buhari. Thisday My Life is in Danger, IBB Spokesman, Afegbua, Cries Out The Spokesman to former President Ibrahim Babangida, Mr. Kassim Afegbua yesterday said his life was under threat following a statement he issued and authorised by IBB.

Daily Times

The Supreme Court on Friday held that a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),Chief Olisa Metuh and his firm, Destra Investment Limited, have case to answer in the seven-count charge before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja

Guardian

The Supreme Court, yesterday, upheld the judgment of the Court of Appeal on the no-case submission filed by former national publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh.

Daily Trust

Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, yesterday, tactically asked his counterpart in Benue State, Samuel Ortom, to leave the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Nation

2019: IBBs camp split over Obasanjos coalition There is anxiety in the camp of ex-President Ibrahim Babangida as the ex-military leader and political associates consider if he should join the Coalition for Nigeria Movement (CNM) or not.

Tribune

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the compulsory retirement of Honourable Justice A.F.A. Ademola of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court and the dismissal from office of Honourable Justice O.O. Tokode of the Benin Division of the Federal High Court.
A 24-year-old woman, Bimpe Adeite, who allegedly stole a generator valued N70,000 belonging to a male friend, risks three-year imprisonment if found guilty. The court heard that Adeite sold the generator and spent the proceeds on hair and skin creams.

The accused was, on Friday, brought before a Badagry Chief Magistrates Court, Lagos State, on a charge of stealing. Her address is unknown.

Akpan Uko, the police prosecutor, told the court that the accused committed the offence on January 26 at No. 13, Adamu St., Itoga, Badagry. He said the generator belonged to Mr. Denis Akanbi, a friend of the accused.

The accused went to spend time with the complainant, so when he was not around on this particular day, she decided to steal the generator and sell it.

She spent the money on her hair and cream products, the prosecutor said.

Uko said the offence was punishable under Section 285 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State, Nigeria 2011.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the offence.

Chief Magistrate Jimoh Adefioye granted bail to the accused in the sum of N100,000 and a surety who must provide evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

He adjourned the case until March 1 for further hearing.

(NAN)
Two officers were shot and killed Saturday in Ohio, police said.

The Westerville Police Department officers were shot while responding to a 911 hang-up call in the suburban city about 20 miles north of Columbus.

One officer died on the scene, and the other at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, police said.

Gov. John Kasich tweeted his condolences.

"We are deeply saddened to report that one of our officers has been killed in the line of duty," the city government of Westerville tweeted.

The city later added in an updated tweet: "It is with a heavy heart we report a second Westerville officer has been killed in the line of duty."

A suspect is in custody and has been transported to a local hospital, according to police.
MEDFORD, Ore. -- A 25-year-old Medford man was arrested in Maryland, and extradited back to Jackson County after police say he shot another man during a robbery.

Police say Terell Stembridge and another man met at a residence on South Foothill Road in Medford on Wednesday, November 8, 2017. Police say the male and Stembridge were acquaintances, and met for a marijuana deal.

During the meeting, police say Stembridge pulled out a .40 caliber handgun and pointed it at the male, threatening to kill him.

Stembridge ordered the man to put the marijuana in a bag, which Stembridge provided, as he was conducting an armed robbery, according to police.

That's when the male grabbed the gun, and started to fight for control of it. During that fight, police say Stembridge fired several rounds, hitting the man three times. The man grabbed his own .45 caliber handgun and fired two rounds back at Stembridge, but did not hit him. Stembridge ran from the residence with the marijuana.

Police say the man drove himself to Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center, where he went into immediate surgery.

On November 14, 2017, a Jackson County Grand Jury indicted Stembridge on Attempted Murder, Assault in the first degree, and Robbery in the first degree. A nationwide search was issued for Stembridge.

Then, on December 12, 2017, a United States Marshal's Service fugitive task force located Stembridge in Baltimore, Maryland. Investigators believe the suspect committed the robbery to sell the marijuana illegally on the East coast.

Stembridge is now in the Jackson County Jail.
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EUGENE, Ore. -- A church in Eugene is taking safety into their own hands, by having a team at ready to respond to any type of situation. They're hoping to share what they know to help churches across western Oregon have peace of mind.

The Safety Team at New Hope Eugene is at every church service, ready to respond to any type of situation.

"I nickname ours the sheepdogs. We're a bunch of sheep and they're dogs looking out for us," said New Hope Eugene Pastor Aaron Sutherland.

They want to help other churches be ready too.

"This is something that we do out of our love for our church and we want to spread that to other churches," said New Hope's Safety Team Co-Director Tom Eichhorn.

He said they're providing free classes to churches across western Oregon, showing them how help people in crisis and those suffering from medical emergencies.

"Practice is so important, because it puts stress on you...the same type of stress that you would have in real life," said Eichhorn.

He said the class they taught Thursday night was based on scenario training. It focuses on awareness and intervention, to prevent a violent incident from occurring.

"We have actors who create actual scenarios that we've encountered through our church here," said Eichhorn. One of those scenarios is someone coming into the church after having too much to drink.

The Safety Team in traing is tasked with finding him, but there are added obstacles. Eichhorn said they have people approaching them during the scenario, causing distractions.

During each of the scenarios, the Safety Team's goal is to not let a person of crisis into the sanctuary, where hundreds of people sit during weekend services.

Another scenario they ran through, was someone with a backpack who was acting suspicious.

"It used to be something you didn't think about, but our world has changed," said Sutherland. He said the concern of violence inside a church has become all too real.

"The shooting in Texas really sparked the situation that we need to have our people safe," said Marc Strobel, the Pastor at River Road Baptist Church.

After the deadly shooting inside a Texas church last November, Strobel decided it was time for his church to have a Safety Team. He said that's when they began training with New Hope Eugene.

"This program is just amazing and we're just really grateful that this is available," said Strobel.

It's a program that the congregation at New Hope said they're also grateful for.

"I have the utmost confidence in these guys and I feel safe every Sunday knowing that they're here," said Winston Arblaster, a member of New Hope.

"I think every church could use some sheepdogs around," said Sutherland.

If you're interested in attending a class, all you have to do is get in touch with New Hope Eugene, (click here for more information).
EUGENE, Ore.  The University of Oregon has announced new details about the Black Student Center they are building on campus.

The new building will go up in a what is currently a vacant lot near 15th Avenue and Villard Street.

Dr. Kevin Marbury, vice president for student life, said the project will cost approximately $3 million and is being funded by private donors.

It takes us from having a black history month to a black history year because this structure will be there every month, every week, every day, he said.

Marbury said the structure will feature a variety of opportunities for students. He said it will serve as a space for students to receive academic support such as tutoring and advising services.

He said they also plan to use the space to promote black culture through art and historical artifacts. The building will feature spaces for social gatherings and even classroom use.

Jojo Norman is a recent transfer student who said she is excited to learn the university is working on this initiative.

Racial relations is pretty tough and campuses of all places should embrace and include everyone in all aspects of diversity so to have a place built for that on this campus is awesome," she said.

Another student, Cahill Shpall, also supports the universitys investment in this project.

I want people to feel safe, Cahill said. I think academics should be accessible and it should be something that people dont feel uncomfortable in pursuing.

Marbury said the project was born out of demands the Black Student Task Force presented to UO President Michael Schill a number of years ago, asking for a space where they could gather. That request led Schill to starting a fundraising campaign.

The groundwork for the project is expected to start summer 2018, according Marbury. He said they expect the project to be completed before the 2019-2020 academic school year.
SARTELL, Minn. (AP)  It didn't take police long to catch up with a man who stole a woman's SUV from the Walmart parking lot in Sartell.

Authorities say the Sauk Centre man took the Jeep Grand Cherokee left running in the parking lot Monday and drove to Isle, about an hour away. Police say a woman later called the vehicle's owner and said a man was asking questions about the SUV. Then she put the man on the phone with the owner. He said he was with an auto glass company and repaired the vehicle and just needed to get it started again.

WJON reports the man gave the owner an address where OnStar could find the vehicle and start it. Isle police went to the address and arrested the man for stealing the SUV.
CHARLES CITY, Iowa  A holiday season robbery is sending a Floyd County man to prison.

A jury convicted 37-year-old Donald Edward McIntyre of Charles city of 1st degree robbery. Authorities say that he attacked a man in the 1200 block of E Street in Charles City on December 27, 2015. A criminal complaint was not filed, however, until December 2016. McIntyre was accused of hitting the victim in the head with a club and then choking him with the club until the victim almost passed out.

Police say the victim got McIntyre to leave by offering him $100.

On Friday, McIntyre was sentenced to up to 25 years in state prison and was ordered to pay $3,942.58 in restitution.
(Adds attempt to contact LJM, background on market action)

By Trevor Hunnicutt

NEW YORK, Feb 9 (Reuters) - An investor on Friday filed a lawsuit against managers of a U.S. mutual fund that relied heavily on a strategy that profits from calm markets but lost four-fifths of its value in turmoil this week.

In a complaint seeking class-action status filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago, investor Leonard Sokolow said he owned shares of LJM Preservation and Growth Fund, a once-$800 million fund that lost most of its value despite touting its ability "to deliver solid returns while maintaining risk parameters" in its most recent annual report to shareholders. "In truth, however, [the fund] was not focused on capital preservation and left investors exposed to an unacceptably high risk of catastrophic losses," the complaint said.

A spokesman for Chicago-based LJM Partners Inc, parent of the fund's operating unit, could not be reached.

The LJM fund appeared to be the latest casualty in a series of spectacular blow-ups of investment strategies that effectively bet on low or falling volatility.

Investors hungry for greater returns piled into options, futures, swaps and exchange-traded products that made such bets, in some cases earning triple-digit annual returns in recent years.

Credit Suisse said on Tuesday it would terminate the second-largest publicly traded product betting on future swings in the S&P 500 after its value plunged nearly 93 percent in one day during the global market rout. LJM Preservation and Growth Fund had been run by Anthony Caine, a veteran of the 1990s technology boom who later founded LJM, and Anish Parvataneni, a former trader for well-known investor Ken Griffin's Citadel.

In an environment that has been tough on high-cost fund managers, the LJM fund took in $393 million in new cash from investors in 2017, its best sales since launching in 2013, according to the Lipper unit of Thomson Reuters, despite fees as high as 3.34 percent a year.

LJM closed the fund to new investment this week, a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission showed.

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Leslie Adler and Matthew Lewis)
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An estimated 81 percent of Iowa families would face economic hardship if they needed to take time off work to care for a newborn, themselves or another family member. (ca.gov)
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By Oh Young-jin



The U.S. television network NBC identified PyeongChang as being in North Korea in a subtitle during its broadcast of the Olympic opening ceremony. A capture of the footage went viral.



The subtitle stated, "Opening Ceremony Tonight" in a big font at the bottom of the screen, underneath which read, "PyeongChang, North Korea."



At the ceremony, President Moon Jae-in was on hand with North Korea's dictator Kim Jong-un's sister, Kim Yo-jong, and its ceremonial head of state Kim Yong-nam.










By Oh Young-jin







Cheong Wa Dae offered a table of food representing all eight provinces of the old Korea to the North Korean delegation including its leader Kim Jong-un's sister Kim Yo-jong and its ceremonial head of state Kim Yong-nam.







The presidential office said that the main dish was made from dried pollack from Gangwon Province, home to the ongoing Olympic host city PyeongChang. Although it didn't elaborate, hwangtae, pollack that is dried until it turns yellow, is used for a variety of dishes but since it was served for lunch, the likelihood is that it was steamed or boiled with spicy or salty seasoning.







The traditional liquor, "soju," from Jeju Island was served for toasts.







Moon had talks with the North Korean delegation and their talks extended into lunch.







For dessert, walnut cookies from Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, and dried persimmons from Sangju, North Gyeongsang Province, were served.







North Korea-flavored white kimchi, in which red peppers are not used, was also served.










By Oh Young-jin







Kim Yo-jong, the younger sister of North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un, carried a file that observers speculate contains a letter from her brother, into her meeting with President Moon Jae-in at Cheong Wa Dae, Saturday.







Kim later held the file, blue in color with a gold seal in the middle, with two hands







It was hard to tell what the seal signified. She has the official title of director of the Propaganda and Agitation Department under the Workers' Party of Korea.







A commentator on YTN said that it was the North's official national seal composed of a red star, Supung Dam located on the Yalu River, and ears of rice.







The file was thin and looked as if it contained containing a sheet or two of paper.







The fact that Kim's sister carried it rather than Kim Yong-nam, leader of the delegation, increased the possibility that it was a letter from the North Korean leader.







CNN and some media outlets speculated that Kim Jong-un had sent a letter inviting President Moon to visit the North.






By Lyman McLallen

That U.S. Vice President Mike Pence snubbed Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un, and the nominal head of North Korea, Kim Yong-nam  for whatever Pence's reasons  does not reflect well on him or on the U.S.True enough, Washington and Pyongyang are not on good terms right now, but they are not at war either. A leader of a strong nation such as the U.S. should do all he or she can do to promote peace, regardless of how other countries behave. It doesn't mean the U.S. should lay down and do nothing, but a country as strong as the U.S. can and should rely on its strength to be more than merely tolerant of a country such as North Korea. It can be strong enough and wise enough and generous enough to be understanding, to give peace a chance.What good did it do Pence, the U.S., the Koreas and the rest of the world, though, for him to be rude as he was to South Korea's guests from the North in the presence of his and their host, Korean President Moon Jae-in? Moon is doing all he can to pursue peace on the peninsula, which is difficult enough as it is. Pence, being hostile as he was, did not make it any easier for Moon.It is as if Pence came to Korea to deliberately agitate things with North Korea, which is not only an insult to Moon and the South Koreans, but is putting peace in the region in jeopardy. It's as if Pence  who is "just a heartbeat away from being the President of the United States," as an old saying goes  wants to have a war, and who would win?Probably and hopefully, nothing will come of this, except that as an American, I am dismayed at the vice president's behavior. It would have been easy for him to have been gracious. Instead, he indulged in mean-spirited and stupid arrogance, making America look bad in the eyes of the world. Despite all of Kim Jong-un's boasting, North Korea is no threat to the United States, and everybody knows that  especially Kim Jong-un.Pence should have known it too.McLallen is a copy editor at The Korea Times.




Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un, has freckles on her face in a photo taken during her meeting with President Moon Jae-in at Cheong Wa Dae, Saturday. / Yonhap

Kim Yo-jong has a hint of smile on her face before meeting President Moon Jae-in. / Yonhap



By Oh Young-jin



Kim Yo-jong, the younger sister of North Korea's dictator Kim Jong-un, has hijacked the media's attention after the PyeongChang Winter Olympics started Friday.



During her two-day stay by Saturday, Kim, believed to be 31 years old, showed a kaleidoscope of facial expressions captured on video and in photos. Often, she looked cheerful and was caught suppressing a smile, and at other times humble. Rarely did she look haughty or arrogant.



According to some North Korea watchers, she did wear heavy makeup, just her usual light style. Some close-up footage showed she had freckles on both cheeks.



She looked fit and appeared nimble, compared to her brother and other male members of her family who are fat. Kim Yo-jong and her brother, Kim Jong-un, were born to Kim Jong-il, the previous North Korean leader, and his mistress Koh Yong-hui, a Japanese-born dancer.



Kim Jong-un returned to Pyongyang in the early 2000s after five or six years in Switzerland. There is a supposed photo of Kim as a chubby child, posted by the Washington Post's Anna Fifield on Twitter.



Kim Yo-jong, center back row, is seen with President Moo Jae-in, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during the opening ceremony for the PyeongChang Olympics. / Yonhap





Kim Yo-jong is all smiles as she talks with Kim Yong-nam, North Korea's ceremonial head of state, in the VIP reception room at Incheon International Airport after they arrived in South Korea, Friday. / Yonhap
After a trip to France last summer when President Emmanuel Macron invited him to observe the Bastille Day Parade, President Donald Trump started musing about doing the same thing in the United States, only bigger and better.



But President Trump says a lot of stuff, and it's hard to know which bad ideas to take seriously. This one, apparently, he actually intends to follow through on. The Washington Post reported today that in a meeting attended by the nation's top military leaders, Trump made clear that he considers the parade idea a presidential directive, and now both the White House and Pentagon acknowledge that they're working on making it a reality.



It would, of course, be a tremendous waste of money to ship tanks and armored personnel carriers and _ who knows? _ ballistic missile launchers to Washington, but that's not our chief concern. It's that such a display sends the wrong message to Americans and to the world about what the United States stands for.



The Bastille Day Parade in Paris is a tradition dating back to the 19th century that was cemented in the national culture as a commemoration of the French victories in the two world wars. In recent years, it has been used as a symbol of reconciliation, for example with the inclusion of some German troops in 1994 or soldiers from former French colonies in Africa upon the 50th anniversary of their independence in 2010.



But mainly, such events have come to be associated with despots, dictators and totalitarian regimes. Military parades were a staple of the Nazi regime, and the spectacle of tanks and missile launchers rolling through Red Square is a defining image of the Cold War. Such events have taken on a newly ominous tone under the nationalistic and expansionist leadership of Russian President Vladimir Putin.



Trump has said he wants such a parade to display the dominance of American military muscle. That's generally been the motivation of dictators like North Korea's Kim dynasty, and more often than not, the shows have been an exercise in Potemkin fakery and overcompensation. Those who really do have unparalleled military might don't have to put it on display.



On the contrary, those who make a show of military parades often believe the key to maintaining power is through fear, intimidation and shows of force. Such displays are often closely associated with uniformed strongmen like Fidel Castro, Moammar Gadhafi and Idi Amin.



It is not totally unprecedented for the military to march through Washington, D.C.; such an event took place during George H.W. Bush's presidency after the first Gulf War. And an American military parade has become mixed with presidential politics from time to time. Troops have marched in a handful of inaugural parades in modern times _ mainly during the early days of the Cold War, including in Dwight Eisenhower's first inaugural parade in 1953.



But Eisenhower, the supreme allied commander in World War II, was the president who warned America in his farewell address of the necessity for maintaining a strong military but also the dangers of allowing it to dominate the nation's government, economic and spiritual life.



"In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals so that security and liberty may prosper together."



The idea that ours is a nation in which the military is subordinate is as old as the Republic itself. That principle was symbolically sealed in Annapolis in 1783 when George Washington resigned his commission as head of the Continental Army to return to private life.



Not only did he do so voluntarily, but he did so in a way that reinforced where America's true power lies _ in the strength of its democratic institutions, not in its army. It was he who stood to bow to Congress, meeting in the Old Senate Chamber of the State House, not the other way around.



The greatest former generals to serve as commander in chief understood that. But our current president, a draft dodger who claims it was treasonous for Democrats not to clap at whatever he said during a State of the Union address, clearly does not. We celebrate those who have served in the armed forces, no question. But it is not their strength we venerate but their willingness to sacrifice to safeguard those principles we hold so dear.



Our national holiday is the Fourth of July, independence day. It is not the day our war to free ourselves from England began nor the day of our victory. On the contrary, it is the day when we declared our belief in our inalienable rights to freedom and self-determination. That is what makes America a beacon to the world. Sending tanks down the streets of the capital to flaunt or might does not.





The above editorial appeared in the Baltimore Sun. It was distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.




By Sim Chang-hyun





I got my first job at a social venture in 2010. Social ventures, also known as social enterprises, are a new type of business that aims to create social value as well as economic value.



The Social Enterprise Promotion Act (SEPA) came into force in 2007 as public attention on this business type started to grow, increasing the chances of success. The Korean government strived to promote this type of business by providing grants.



Under these circumstances the other co-founders and I were very eager to make an innovative change in this nascent sector, which we believed could become a future growth engine. Our company provided research and consulting services to other social enterprises, government agencies or corporate philanthropy organizations. We even had a joint venture with Gongsin, a Korean welfare company that supports underprivileged students with their educational needs, to publish a half-price workbook for high school students, having secured early stage investment from a venture capital fund.



After struggling for two years to survive, however, I found that the market fostered by SEPA had grown contrary to expectations. New social enterprises still lacked human resources and finance, and older ones stagnated and failed to continue their early momentum. I realized at that time that even legislation or rules could not always help create a new market and increase that market's growth.



The concept of a "sharing economy" reminds me of social enterprise when it comes to the relationship between new businesses and regulations. In this case, the market exists, and Korean regulators are now busy playing catch-up. They forced Airbnb Korea to focus only on rural areas and foreign tourists, and prevented Uber and other car-sharing businesses from fully fledged business operations. The government says that this is for the benefit of both the new business sector and existing ones that might be affected by the sharing economy, but I am concerned that regulations would have the effect of discouraging any business innovation that the sharing economy might spur.



Sim Chang-hyun works for HMP Law as a lawyer. He is interested in finance and business. The thoughts expressed in this column do not necessary reflect those of HMP Law.


Casey Lartigue Jr., co-founder of the Teach North Korean Refugees Global Education Center, compiled these statements from interviews with the refugees.



Choi-rin, male, arrived in South Korea in 2011



I think that it is good that Vice President Pence has come to South Korea. He is from an important country in the world; it makes the Olympics look bigger. Because he is here, we can be sure that North Korea won't attack.



It does seem like it has become the North Korean Olympics. There has been so much attention on the cheerleaders, the dance troupe and now on Kim Yo-jong. South Korea seems like the little brother in the relationship. I guess that Kim Jong-un sent his sister because he wants to send a signal that he is seeking better relations with the United States.



Kim Un-kyung, female, arrived in 2009



I wish I could meet Vice President Pence. I would like to ask him if North Korean refugees can immigrate to the U.S. through Thailand or South Korea. They invited refugees to the White House, but it is important for them to welcome refugees to the country to live, not just to visit for political purposes.



I am impressed that North Korea sent many women this time. It is still a male-dominated country. Has there been a change internally in North Korea? Is it that they guessed that the West could be fooled into thinking there has been change by highlighting women? Or could it be that they have killed the influential older men who could challenge him?



I was unfamiliar with Kim Yo-jong before this, and I have heard the same from other North Korean refugees who arrived recently. So some people are curious about who she is.



One thing I find ironic is that the North Korean orchestra is singing South Korean songs -- in North Korea, they would be executed for doing that.



Lee Jin, female, arrived in 2006



I'm worried about Pence coming here. He is conservative and provocative like Trump. This is a clear signal that they will push North Korea on human rights. This could be a chance to have peace. Kim Jong-un may be showing that he realizes his nuclear strategy has succeeded but that he needs dialogue.



He is sending so many people, including his sister, to influence South Korea, so this could be a new start. He also may have seen the strong response to the dance troupe and realized that the South Korean media would focus on his sister.




Florida improves to 33-5 overall with its 14 th consecutive opening day win. It's also the second consecutive opening day one-hitter victory against Illinois State.

consecutive opening day win. Florida produced its 23 rd combined one-hitter in program history behind the performances of Aleshia Ocasio , Katie Chronister and Kelly Barnhill . The last time the Gators threw a combined one-hitter was Feb. 26, 2017 against Lehigh at the Diamond 9 Citrus Classic. It's only the second time in program history that three pitchers combined for a one-hitter.

combined one-hitter in program history behind the performances of , and . Freshman Jordan Matthews tallied her first career collegiate hit in the seventh inning. The three run home run pushed the Gators lead out to 9-0.

tallied her first career collegiate hit in the seventh inning. Freshman Hannah Adams received her first career start as she led off and played second base for the entire game. Adams recorded her first collegiate hit in the fourth via an RBI double to left center.

received her first career start as she led off and played second base for the entire game.

The No. 2 University of Florida softball team opened the 2018 season with a 9-0 victory over Illinois State Friday afternoon at the USF Softball Stadium.Seniorcombined with sophomoreand juniorin the circle to hurl the program's 23combined one-hitter. The last time the Gators achieved the feat was Feb. 26, 2017 against Lehigh at the Diamond 9 Citrus Classic.That was accomplished by the duo of Barnhill and former Gator Delanie Gourley.Ocasio was in complete control against the Redbirds throughout her five innings of work. The 2016 NFCA All-American was perfect as she didn't allow a single runner to reach base and went on to finish her night with eight strikeouts over 63 total pitches.Offensively, Florida cranked out four doubles, two triples and a home run in route to the victory.The scoring for the Gators started in the second inning.singled through the left side of the Illinois State defense, while sophomorefollowed up with a sacrifice fly to right field that plated juniorfor a 2-0 lead.Reynoso ended the game with a very productive 3-for-3 performance at the plate with a pair of RBI and a run scored.Florida went on to score one run in the fourth on a double from freshman. The Hoschton, Ga. native ripped her first collegiate hit to the gap in left center field to score Voss which extended the UF lead to 3-0.pushed the Gators lead out to 4-0 via a sacrifice fly to left field that allowed seniorto streak home from third base. DeWitt put herself into scoring position via a one-out triple to the gap in left center.Lorenz capped her night with a pair of hits in three at-bats with an RBI, a run and a walk.The Gators saved the best for the final inning of play. Four consecutive extra-base hits to start the frame, highlighted by a three-run home run from freshman, resulted in a four-run inning. Roberts produced an RBI-double to score Ocasio to start the big inning.The Gators return to action Saturday morning with a pair of games against No. 18 Michigan (11 a.m.) and Georgia State (1:15 p.m.).On the team's performance for the first game of the season"I thought we played well. The pitching staff did a really good job,set the tempo for us  especially after the first inning. I think we had three quick ground ball outs and then she started striking people out  her stuff really improved as the game went on."On Ocasio's five perfect innings "Let us get a little deeper into the season and we'll let her finish that game (in the circle). I think that is something that is worthy of recognition and noteworthy as well but it's early in the season and we have a lot of games ahead of us in the next three weeks. So, I don't want to just go out there and pitch for those awards so to speak. I rather us be fresh, healthy and be able to continue this long ride through the season."On the impact of freshmenandin their first collegiate gameobviously led off for us tonight. She hit a hard ground ball in her first at-bat, then a nice walk later on to get our offense going for us and then got her first extra-base hit. Thencomes off the bench and does the same thing. She's a kid that didn't play the whole entire fall for us and finally got released (to play) after Christmas break. Jordan was out there playing a new position and looked good. She had two at-bats where she took a hack, hit hard line drive to third, and then hit a three-run home run.""I have to be honest, I've recruited Jordan for such a long time and have known her family for a long time too. That just has to be a special moment to finally see her play college softball, and for her to get a home run in her first collegiate game is pretty special."
By Michael Hurt



It is high time to rethink the concept and metaphor of the "Korean wave." Originally conceived in 1999 as a metaphor of water crashing, inexorably, onto the shore, the main power and crux of the metonymic use of the "wave" as a stand-in for culture crashing, unstoppable in its force and persistency, upon a (foreign) shore is rhetorically as useful as it is logically unsound and, when considered to its logical conclusion, a poorly constructed mixed metaphor.



When land and water possessed of waves meet, the land and water are seldom strangers, as the metaphor tends to suggest, and waves are rarely singular, but are generally repeating phenomena if considered as a procession of individual waves. The only singular, wholly unique types of waves that would actually fit to do the descriptive job would be that of a tsunami, which is a Japanese term for the truly unique shock wave caused by a sudden shift in land under or around the sea, generally caused by an earthquake or landslide.



When considered this way, the tsunami as a shock wave created by jarring shifts in the underlying structures of the earth that causes an (initially invisible) shock wave out in all directions and can unleash staggering amounts of pressure and kinetic power when it reaches land, is a great rhetorical device. Its rhetorical downside is the tsunami's inevitably destructive effects. However, since the bulk of the metaphor's rhetorical power lies in the unstoppable physical power of the referent and the tsunami-as-culture's inexorability, it would likely work just fine in most everyday usages. Similarly, the American colloquialism for someone possessed of an unbelievable amount of skill, especially as expressed through physical prowess, is that of a beast. A person who impresses through an incredible display of style is similarly known to slay.



The "Korean tsunami"?



Given how easily other colloquial metaphors have eschewed the negative connotations of their original referents, it is not difficult to imagine the Korean "tsunami." Although the Chinese character root words that made up hallyu would likely not have worked out in as verbally a facile way in the case of han ("Korean") grafted onto tsunami to yield a han-nami, it could have worked. But it is not the etymology of these words that would have likely posed a problem; the logical issue arises from the casually haphazard way the term was coined and stuck over time as a rhetorical signifier for the products of a complex socio-structural process for which the term itself was ill-equipped to properly describe. And beyond just the metaphorically/logically awkward fit, the "Korean wave" fails to define within itself the key unit of meaning that should be common to everything the term is used to describe: What is Korean about the "wave" or its constituent parts? And another problem here is that what people on the street might choose to even describe Korean to be/mean in the colloquial sense seems to change drastically as time passes.



The problem is that almost nothing has been done to define a) what is Korean about it (besides the fact it describes cultural products from Korea, which has limited utility if you really push the concept to its logical boundaries, and b), how this metaphor could/should be extended to explain how the wave propagates. Essentially, this essay is about developing a theory of Korean style with the hope that the theoretical framework can be extended to describe the Korean style? -- ?Koreanness? -- ?in its essential, fundamental form by tracking how/where it propagates as a Korean thing.



One possible way to do this is by looking at the question of Korean style in the sartorial realm? -- ?in so-called "K-fashion." Since the very currency of fashion is style, it is logical to look for a definition of a Korean mode of doing things by looking at Korean mode. In this way, one can better address the question of what is essentially Korean about things in a field such as K-pop, since the notion of what is "Korean" and what is "Korean culture" and explains its worldwide propagation and popular, positive regard has changed so fundamentally since before and after the idea of the "Korean wave" came into common use just about two decades ago. It is also worth noting that Korean style, as defined in the sartorial sense, is the most cross-field permeating, inter-wreathing, protean skein of mediation of all the fields of putatively Korean media.



Put quite simply, fashion permeates many K-things. Inside K-pop, K-cinema and K-drama is the ever-present influence of Korean fashion as a constitutive element of that particular "K." The converse cannot be so easily said to be true. In this way? -- ?by identifying the particularities and peculiarities of Korean mode and fashion -- it should become easier to articulate a Korean mode or fashion in which other fields also tend to function. For example, if one can argue that Korean street styles are engendered and enabled by a certain kind of postmodern or even hypermodern genre mixing and this defines a Korean style of textual mixing-as-creation in itself, then might this not be a reason to think of K-pop? -- ?which itself is a kind of performance of postmodern pastiche-in-motion? -- ?as a natural, homologous cultural formation among many that took form after the alignment of certain key changes in the infrastructural conditions of certain cultural industries? In short, this is the way that many define hip-hop, as both a genre and a mode of thinking/doing things. And this may be the reason hip-hop music, fashions, and even attitudes show up in so many genres and fields that also share hip-hop's base aesthetic/attitude/mode.









Reference: "The social mediascape of transnational Korean pop culture: Hallyu 2.0 as spreadable media practice"



What is interesting in the CL video above is the degree to which it successfully appropriates all kinds of cultural elements that are indeed alien to anything going on in Korean society and are loaded with meaning from value systems that are at least somewhat completely incompatible with Korean society. Having a gold "grill" (with fangs, no less!), lascivious play with and brandishing of a riding crop, a mainstay of S/M sexual subculture, the obvious nod to chola gangster culture with the lowrider bicycle and the apparent moment of arrest by the police? -- ?which all adds up to a nod in the direction of LA gang culture, as well as urban life in LA? -- ?especially as punctuated by the allusion to actual biker gangs, followed by the performance of a dance "gang" with masks and apparently "dangerous" wear and moves. It is all topped off by a shot of adidas shoes tied together and thrown over a wire, which is a staple in urban, gang culture as a monument to someone dearly departed. None of these elements are familiar to the average Korean viewer and in fact likely feel quite foreign objects that mark themselves as foreign practices from foreign? -- ?nay, American? -- ?cultural contexts.



The fact of the foreignness of these objects is not lost on a Korean viewer. Indeed, in the overlapping historio-psychological modes of Korean thinking of sadaejuui and modern Korean post-coloniality, it is the particular way in which they are foreign that is important.





Put simply, Korean people are quite used to bright and shiny, obviously and incongruously foreign things sticking out from Korean cultures, aesthetics and things, from Koreanness itself. And the way the sticking out happens is, for the most part, shot through with positive feelings, positive connotations. Ever since the beginning of Korean modernity itself? -- ?and one shouldn't forget that the very ideas of progress, enlightenment and modernity themselves were initially foreign concepts from outside, mostly filtered through Japan? -- foreign things have always been associated with things that were generally understood to be good. (see Andre Schmid's Korea Between Empires here.)



Then Korea enters its quite accidental encounter with America in the 1950s and ends up under the control and in the thrall of the notion of America and her things: American technologies, buildings, fashions, music, aesthetics, ideas and even American English. And things American are not only obviously superior, but they are good.



Americans, on the other hand, are generally used to a different relationship with foreign otherness within the realm of popular culture and aesthetic concerns. Americans generally don't like to watch subtitled films, listen to pop music in languages they don't understand, or wear fashions that obviously come from specific other places. Now, when one adds on the historically specific encounter with an entity such as Frenchness, the feelings become suddenly, starkly (and perhaps even viciously) negative. The French language itself sounds effeminate and offensively foreign to American ears in a way that Italian or Spanish do not (those languages are a whole separate set of stories), the idea of sporting French fashions seems pompous and even ostentatious, and one must consider the way that the descriptor French itself carries the notion of something done wrong or even perversely. The "French kiss" is a lewd, tongue-filled version of a normal, decent kiss, since the French were known for doing things more lasciviously and decadently? -- immorally? -- ?than Americans thought of themselves as doing.



This is the particular way that Americans constructed Americanness against this particular other. Whatever the reasons or particular examples, the general Korean cultural attitude toward a certain kind of otherness vis-a-vis the great powers that have at different times exerted great influence over Korea has historically been one of deferential respect, especially as other great powers have carried with/through their influence ideas such as Enlightenment, Progress, or Modernity. Clear examples of how certain attitudes and positive "gusts of popular feeling" rode along with the concrete objects or technologies that marked these concepts were the newspaper, the idea of national history and the department store, respectively. (Scholar Katarzyna J. Cwiertka has brilliantly talked about this in an essay called "Dining Out in the Land of Desire: Colonial Seoul and the Korean Culture of Consumption").



Indeed, as several top Korean studies scholars of modernity in Korea have argued elsewhere, even the very notions of modern identity and subjectivity themselves found expression and focus through now-seemingly mundane things/places/concepts such as the department store, the radio, the movie theater, the public school, or even popular notions, such as the "modern girl" or "culture"? -- ?and it should not escape the astute reader's notice that many of these concepts revolve centrally around new forms of modern media and modern modes of economic consumption. None of this relationship between what "historical materialist" historians such as the infamous Karl Marx call the fundamental and concrete, economic base of society (you could think of this as one might the hardware of a computer, which is one way I tell my students to think about it) that largely creates/controls/influences the malleable, less concrete stuff atop it (one might think of this as the "software"), called the superstructure, has changed much. This is what cultural studies folks believe, and how such scholars think? -- ?that the stuff in our heads, or that comes from our heads, such as found in ideas or beliefs (ideology), things with messages such as novels, movies and music videos (cultural texts), or even practices (say, like bowing to one's elders, trends in popular dance) all exist within the bounds of social norms (rules to live by) that support the smooth operation of the base.



Yes, even? -- ?and perhaps especially? -- ?everyday fashion. If, say, one lives within an economy defined by consumer capitalism that encourages?, ?nay, relies upon,? ?people consuming things to keep the fires burning and the wheels turning, and one of the popular impetuses of buying is argued to be that one's identity can best be defined through what one buys (such as in cell phone cases, T-shirts, or even the clothing one buys that define "looks" that identify our affinities, such as in "punk" or "goth"), it is easy to see why this kind of behavior bolsters a value that helps keep all kinds of consumption happening and is seen as a positive social good.



This is a cultural studies way of looking at, say, Korean street fashion as a cultural text, as a social and economic activity that helps keep the machine of the base humming and thrumming and helps everything in society just make sense. So, in this way, some very Korean pop culture characteristics that seem to describe Korean cultural products across different fields are those of textual impurity, cultural hybridity, and even the state of being quite comfortable with postcoloniality. (Jin et al.)















Indeed, one can understand this to mean "style" in the sartorial, which-clothes-do-I-want-to-wear sense in which it often finds colloquial use, or one might understand this in the sense of a fashion of doing things, a way or manner in which something is done.

And while the word "style" isn't all too hard to define, a particular style itself is. And how a particular style can be seen as Korean most definitely is.



To demonstrate this, take a gander at the picture below.



Some modes I'm picking up: dark/light contrasts, echoing striping/strapping, cascading layers, asymmetry.



What style is this? Does it have a name, or enough particularity that it can be assigned a name? Does it come from somewhere? What is going on here? Just what is it that she's doing? I do not have the answers to these obviously rhetorical questions, which is why I pose them and will leave them temporarily unanswered.



I would, however, venture to guess that many people would call her "stylish," which means she is seen as being possessed of a certain sense of style; and possessed of a certain particular style here, and likely possessed of different, distinct looks on other days that define her particular style.



It is easy to see that what is going on here has to do with layers. And possibly light against dark stripes/straps, from her ankle straps on her shoes, the dark and strong line of her outer hem, the white pinstripes on her coat, the stark, stenciled white letters on its sleeves, the black-and-white stripes of her clutch purse, and the same alliteration of stripes and straps all the way up to her black choker. And it occurs in cascading, enveloping layers.



But what the pattern seems to be establishing is an echoing symmetry in all this strapping and striping. And it's a symmetry that is broken by the diagonal swoop of her asymmetrical inner hem, something which she accentuates by wearing her jacket asymmetrically for the picture. Half-wearing it, actually, which adds to the extreme layering effect of her look. In sum, from the macro-level of this picture and her look alone, I'm able to pick up dark/light contrasts, echoing striping/strapping, cascading layers and asymmetry as constituent aspects of her look. It's the stuff I believe she did on purpose, as part of her plan. And how that fits into her plan elucidates the clear sartorial logic of why she chose not to wear any stockings. Of course, her rationale in the moment was probably "it doesn't look right," but this doesn't mean there was no fundamental logic here.



But it is at the macro level this becomes interesting, where one begins to notice patterns of resonance; patterns of sartorial thought that are part of a system of communication that negate the idea that these are mere coincidences. Consider for a moment the following examples:





Modes I see: extreme layering, contrasting tan (his skin tone and green/blue, which has the same word/signifier in Korean), asymmetry.









I'm picking up: extreme layering, extreme contrasting/mismatching of colors and other style modes, asymmetry.





With the girl on the right (why I took this picture), modes I'm seeing: extreme layering, contrasting girlish and formal against sporty/boyish and casual.



It should be easier to see where I'm going with this with concrete visual data from actual examples to ground the discussion, which is about to get a bit theoretical. Let's just dive into it, shall we? Watch both videos, which are more interesting than you think right now.

















So, understood simply, the fundamental modes in a standing wave of stylistic interconnected communication across not one medium but many media (Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, etc.) would be these complete waves, defined from node to node. Each blue or green section would be a wavelength that is a part of the fundamental mode in a standing wave. In physics talk, this is described as lambda (). Now, remember, a standing wave is the end result of multiple waves resonating up against one another until it looks like there's a single, non-moving, standing wave. But all that action of multiple fashion modes bouncing around together results in clear patterns that are like the visible peaks between seemingly dead nodes.







In the end, those crazy kids at fashion week are the peaks or antinodes in a standing wave, while all of us normal-looking civilians are nodes in the same wave. Can't have one without the other. And all these motions in the fashion media create resonances, which can combine to create larger amplitudes or cancel each other out, or create more, different changes to the mode. I think this is one way to understand how trends "travel." Because they do, and don't? -- ?move through space. Once fundamental modes-as-styles get out there and start bouncing around in the media space, they combine, cancel and reinforce to create clear patterns in standing waves of style.

A MORE PRECISE METHODOLOGY





What is a fundamental mode and what is a constitutive trend? I've checked what I think are modes in red.





I've figured out when the peacocking paepi I stop and photograph at Seoul Fashion Week are socially unusual antinodes, who themselves define and are defined by normal, non-peacocking people who are the nodes. The paepi are the peaks, and the nodes are definitely not the peaks. They are not one and the same, but they are intimately related and co-dependent. So if you take fishnets (or perhaps even fishnets worn "wrong") as the lambda () that makes up the mode, you see it reflected/reinforced in all kinds of places, slightly tweaked in myriad ways, because that's what people do.



The important change I've decided to make based on this typology/methodology/tool of analysis is listing what I consider to be fundamental modes of the standing wave of style. The key thing to do is to identify these base harmonics that get repeated across space and echoed across time? -- ?and distinguishing them from the constitutive trends that define them. So are fishnet stockings the mode? Or fishnets worn in combination with other things?





What's the ? Maybe not just fishnets. Maybe fishnets+leather hotpants, or perhaps "fishnets+leather hotpants+denim jacket?





Maybe  = fishnets+? Also, maybe  = exposed, dangling garters?  = accessorized garters?  = lingerie/intimate wear worn outside?  = flipping sexy innerwear and outerwear? That's where the fun (and the tricky part) lies.















Let's keep going.















I see resonances with other modes, multiple lambdas (). Let's keep going.



















I'm still figuring out how this all will affect my methodology next fashion week, but I've figured out that the key to understanding Korean culture through fashion style? -- ?or Korean style as a definable thing unto itself? -- ?is to look at a the modes, not their constitutive trends. After all, the picture above does not record the first time a girl has worn a necktie, but if one sees her gender code-crossing as part of a bigger pattern of gender code-switching in fashion and style in Korea, it is easier to make this all make sense, to see what's going on in the culture. And to be able to understand that the boy in the picture below is not just cross-dressing.





If lambda () = fishnets or fishnets-as-layering, it's reinforcing with other modes to define a newer, bigger one. Lambda () = gender code switching? These lambda wavelengths are not mutually exclusive but are, rather, mutually constitutive.




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They say 19-year-old Lamarcus Pratt fired a handgun multiple times at another person.

No one was hit.

19-year-old Jordan Robles and 18-year-old Tyreak Lyons were present at the scene.

Police arrested all three men at a house on SW 19th street, where they also found two stolen guns.

All three face assault, burglary and theft charges.

Lyons faces additional charges related to an aggravated robbery and another burglary, both last year.
Pavia, February 8 - A 79-year-old Italian farmer who fired his shotgun into the face of a 46-year-old man was arrested on Thursday at Miradolo Terme near Pavia. The man is in serious but not life-threatening condition in hospital. The motive for the shooting was unclear.
This article appears in the February 9, 2018 issue of Executive Intelligence Review.

The British Sabotaged

the Second Attempt

for an SDI with Russia

by Dean Andromidas

[Print version of this article]

Feb. 2In 1992 the British government of then Prime Minister John Major intervened to sabotage efforts by Russian President Boris Yeltsin and U.S. President George H.W. Bush to conclude agreements that would have led to cooperation on ballistic missile defense. Such an agreement to end the Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) doctrine, would have led to the revival of President Ronald Reagans original Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), proposed in 1983. Lyndon H. LaRouche was one of the key architects of that project.

Secret cabinet documents released last month by the British National Archives, reveal that Bush was prepared to discuss sharing that technology with Boris Yeltsin, after they met at Camp David in February 1992, and declared a formal end to the Cold war. Material in the disclosed files includes descriptions of what the program would entail, including a mixture of land-based and space-based systems, and particle beam, lasers, and even chemical lasers to knock out incoming missiles.

The British documents expressed grave concern over Bushs communication with U.S. allies, in which he proposed that there be a NATO-led system, with Russia as the principal partner. In response, Sir Stephen Wall, Private Secretary for Foreign Affairs in Prime Minister John Majors government, wrote to the Foreign Office, warning that America assumed Russia would permanently be a good guy, adding, We could not make that assumption.

A briefing note by British diplomats stated that their real concern was the end of the policy of MAD: Any significant increase in Russian ability to detect and intercept our Trident missiles would make it more difficult and more costly to meet our deterrent criteria.

British diplomats noted that Washingtonclearly under British pressurehad taken to heart the inherent problems of the East and West sharing defense systems, and backed off from the proposal.

British Feared Second SDI

Her Majestys government had good reason to fear a new SDI agreement between the United States and Russia, because the Russiansby 1992had fully accepted the proposals made by Lyndon LaRouche which they had rejected in 1983.

In a speech delivered in Washington on Feb. 17, 1982, LaRouche launched a campaign to ditch the so-called Deterrent nuclear strategy. MAD, which had brought the world to the brink of nuclear Armageddon, and to replace it with a strategy of mutually assured survival through the joint U.S.-Soviet development of anti-ballistic missile systems based on new physical principles. LaRouche asserted that such a policy would serve as a science driver, bringing new technologies into the civilian economy and creating a foundation for unprecedented rates of economic growth and development. LaRouches effort bore fruit on March 23, 1983, when President Ronald Reagan announced a Strategic Defense Initiative based on the principles laid out by LaRouche.

Parallel to this public campaign in 1982, LaRouche engaged in a back channel with Soviet officials to promote the policy on behalf of the Reagan Administration. While there had been significant agreement between LaRouche and his Soviet interlocutor on the feasibility of such systems, when Reagan announced the SDI, the Soviet leadership, under General Secretary Yuri Andropov, rejected it. The Soviet Unions leaders, LaRouche was informed, feared that the U.S. economy could readily absorb these new technologies, while the Soviet system would lag far behind, giving the United States the strategic advantage. Thus they refused to cooperate or to share these technologies with the United States, but would develop their own system.

In response, LaRouche warned the Soviets that if they refused the SDI offer and tried to develop their own system and engage in a military buildup, the entire Soviet economy would collapse within five years.

When the Soviets launched a campaign against the SDI, they found ready allies in Britain and America who were committed to the MAD doctrine.

At a meeting with President Reagan in 1984, then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher made clear that her government would support research but would not support any deployment or cooperation on ballistic missile defense with the Soviet Union. Thatcher clearly feared that such a policy would render Britains own nuclear weapons obsolete. It should be noted that Sir Steven Wall, mentioned above, the Permanent Secretary to Prime Minister Major, who advised against a second SDI, had been stationed at the British Embassy in Washington in 1983.

As part of the effort to kill the SDI, a campaign was conducted personally targeting LaRouche. In the United States this was spearheaded by none other than Robert Mueller, the same Mueller who is today leading the coup effort against President Donald Trump. The frame-up tactics of Mueller, a member of the team of U.S. Attorneys, put LaRouche in prison in 1989.

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EIRNS/Dean Andromidas

The SDI all but died after the Reagan Administration. Nonetheless, by 1989, as LaRouche had forecast, the Soviet Union and its economy collapsed.

The Russian Reversal

By October 1991, two years into the collapse of the Soviet economy, the Russian security establishment made a 180-degree turn on the SDI. The Russian government then was ready to propose its own initiative for U.S.-Russian cooperation, based on LaRouches original design.

By October 1991 Yevgeny P. Velikhov, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Academy of Sciences and formerly a well-known Soviet critic of the SDI, and also of Russian ballistic missile defense, had changed his view. When asked if there was still Russian opposition to the SDI, he replied: There are practically none among either designers or the military. The critics of such a proposal in both Russia and the United States are rather maniacs obsessed with old ideas and they have no influence. (See K.B. Payne, L. Vlahos and W. Stanley, Yeltsins Global Shield: Russia Recasts the SDI Debate, Policy Review, No. 62, Fall 1992, page 79.)

In January 1992, at a special United Nations Security Council meeting of heads of state and government, President Boris Yeltsin proposed a global defense system for the world community, to be based on a reorientation of the United States Strategic Defense Initiative, to make use of high technologies developed in Russias defense complex.

At that same session of the UNSC, President George H.W. Bush said he noted the constructive comments of President Yeltsin here today, and tomorrow in my meeting with him we will continue the search for common ground on this vitally important issue. He responded with some very serious proposals just the other day.

Further discussion ensued at Camp David in February 1992, during Yeltsins official visit and summit with Bush. Yevgeny P. Velikhov, a member of the Russian delegation, no doubt made a full presentation of the Russian proposals.

In June 1992 Velikhov penned an article in Nezavisimaya Gazeta outlining a potential proposal for a supra-national ABM system, which would be initiated jointly by Russia and the United States, and later be opened to other countries. The first step could be the establishment of a joint early warning system to be followed by cooperation in defense technologies and development.

Later, that same month, at yet another summit between Bush and Yeltsin in Washington, Yeltsin proposed the creation of a Global Protection System (GPS). It was agreed to form a high-level group led by Dennis Ross, then head of the State Departments Policy Planning Staff and Bushs chief adviser on Russia, and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Georgi Mamedov.

This high-level group met in Moscow on July 13-14. As a result, an agreement was reached to create three working groups which would develop the GPS concept, areas of technological cooperation, and non-

proliferation issues. These groups again met in Washington on September 21-22.

By November 1992 Bush had lost the election and the proposals died with the end of his Administration.

Why It Failed

We now know the British role in sabotaging that 1992 effort, which included orchestrating the collapse of Yugoslavia, which led to the subsequent Balkan wars, resulting in the poisoning of Russian-American relations.

The Russian proposal was doomed to failure by the shock therapy policy forced on Russia, the former Soviet republics, and the eastern European countries. The key target of this scorched earth policy was the scientific capabilities of the very military-industrial complex that Russia was offering to open up for cooperation with the West. The British-orchestrated strategic policy of NATO became the destruction of Russia.

If Bush had been seriously committed to the Russian GPS offer, he would have pardoned Lyndon LaRouche, releasing him from prisonand taking his advice, as President Reagan had done. Already in 1990, LaRouche had launched his Productive Triangle proposal to link the high tech machine tool capacity of Europes industrial heartlandin the region bounded by Berlin, Paris and Viennato all of Eurasia by building a network of transport and development corridors, which would have created a Eurasian land-bridge. Such a policy would have transformed Russias high tech military industrial complex into a science driver for a blossoming Eurasian economy.

To prevent the significant interest in LaRouches Productive Triangle policy throughout the 1990s from leading to its implementation, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher ensnared President Bush in a war against Iraq, which sabotaged the initial momentum. Thatcher then further undermined U.S. relations with Russia by pushing the notorious economic and financial shock therapy policy.

Two decades later, China launched LaRouches policy, but instead of going from West to East, the policy went from East to West, first as its New Silk Road and now as its Belt and Road Initiative.

A Third Offer for a New SDI

In April 1993, at his first summit in Vancouver with President Bill Clinton, Yeltsin once again made a proposal for cooperation for a new SDI. The proposal called for a joint development of a powerful, ground-based Joint Plasma Weapon Experiment. This detailed proposal was made public in an article published in Izvestia on April 2, 1993, just days before the summit. The fact that this proposal was presented at Vancouver was confirmed by a senior Russian official, Dr. Leonid Fituni, of the Center for Global and Strategic Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. He revealed it on April 20, 1993 before an international conference in Rome on anti-missile defense for Europe.

Although the proposal did not appear in the final summit communique, its presentation was again confirmed in an article appearing in the June 19, 1993 issue of Nezavisimaya Gazeta, entitled Bill Clinton Has Shut Down Star Wars: How This Could Threaten Conversion of the Military Industrial Complex of Russia. Author Andrei Vaganov stated that, according to Russian economists, the Clinton Administration decision to shut down the SDI program, and its failure to accept the Russian proposals, threatened to further undermine the Russian Military Industrial Complex (MIC). The economists, in almost the precise terms LaRouche has always asserted, said that economic breakthroughs, paradoxical as it may be, lie in the internationalization of defense industry efforts and, to an even greater degree, defense-linked science, by posing for them a qualitatively new, single super-task. Many analysts in recent years have leaned toward the view that a variant of the well-known Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), which acquired the unofficial name of the Star Wars program, could be such a super-task.

Elaborating on the Yeltsin proposal, Vaganov said The civilian economy and the MIC are Siamese twins: two individuals, united by a single circulatory system. The main economic interest of the MIC (under both socialism and capitalism) consists of guaranteed subsidies for the production of technologically complex products. . . . The creation of a global system of strategic defense . . . would automatically presume the creation of a channel of guaranteed financing, without which the MICs cannot survive among nations. He said that an international supervisory agency was envisioned, which would have overseen the gradual orientation of Star Wars from a military-political task to the tasks of the civilian economy, those of pure science, and the tasks of civil society.

Commenting at the time on the above article and Russian proposal, LaRouche said, What you see in this article, is that Russian circles which are tied to the high-tech section of the military-industrial complex, and others, are offering exactly what I offered tentatively on behalf of the Reagan administration back during 1982 through February 1983, and what the President offered in his televised address on March 23, 1983. And they have come around to that. It is very interesting.

This 1993 attempt to revive the SDI has been all but written out of the history books, at least in the West, despite the fact that the LaRouche movement launched a major campaign in support of it.

Putin Takes Up LaRouches SDI

In 2007 Russian President Vladimir Putin made a third effort to revive SDI during his summit meeting with President George W. Bush at Kennebunkport, where former President George H.W. Bush was also present. Putin proposed that the United States and Russia jointly create a regional European missile shield, instead of the unilateral deployment of ABM radar facilities by the United States to Poland and other countries, a decision which plagues U.S.-Russian relations to this day. While the proposal was taken seriously, it was never fully accepted by the George W. Bush Administration.

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White House/Eric Draper

In 2011, during the Obama Administration, Dmitri Rogozin, then Moscows ambassador to NATO and now Deputy Prime Minister, transformed the proposal for a new SDI into a call to create a joint program for the Strategic Defense of Earth, using the same technologies, based on new physical principles, to defend the planet from threats from space, including meteors and asteroids.

It is now known that Her Majestys government had been working all along to sabotage all of these golden opportunities to transform relations between America and Russia from the doctrine of Mutually Assured Destruction to Mutually Assured Survival and cooperation. The documents confirm that Her Majestys government has been driving a wedge between Russia and the United States.

These same documents confirm that Russia had completely accepted LaRouches design for SDI as a joint U.S.-Russian project to shift strategic doctrine from MAD to strategic cooperation on building systems of defense based on new physical principles. They also show that there were policy makers prepared to discuss and even accept these proposals.

The threat of nuclear Armageddon that existed in 1983 continues to persist, with enough nuclear weapons to destroy the planet several times over, and nuclear disarmament talks are as futile now as they were then. The implementation of LaRouches proposal for a U.S.-Russian SDI is as urgent now as it was three decades ago.

Unlike three decades ago, Chinas implementation of its Belt and Road Initiative has concretely put into place the economic development policy LaRouche has always advocated as the major complement to SDI. A new SDI will eliminate the danger of nuclear war while developing the science and technology required for the global development promised by the Belt and Road.
This article appears in the February 9, 2018 issue of Executive Intelligence Review.

DEFYING THE BRITISH COUP

Trump Negotiates with Russia

To Solve Crises

EIR Intelligence Team

[Print version of this article]

Feb. 5This past week, President Donald Trump has demonstrated that he refuses to allow any continuation of the reckless policies of President Obama, whose confrontation against Russia took the world to the brink of thermonuclear war. In one week, Trump has: refused to impose the new sanctions on Russia which had been mandated by an out-of-control Congress; approved the release of the House Intelligence Committee Nunes memo, exposing the criminal actions of members of the FBI and the Department of Justice in retailing British intelligence lies about Trumps ties to Russia; and, most important, he invited the heads of the three primary Russian intelligence services to Washington, to meet with their counterparts in Trumps intelligence team, discussing the war on terror and other crucial areas of cooperation, as well as areas of potential conflict.

This last point came as a shock to many Americans. It was announced first by Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov on Jan. 30, who said that the director of Russias Foreign Intelligence Service, Sergey Naryshkin, had been in Washington the previous week for meetings with unnamed U.S. intelligence chiefs. The same day, that meeting was confirmed by U.S. Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman, indicating that CIA Director Michael Pompeo was one of the people who met with Naryshkin. Huntsman, speaking to the Echo Moskvy radio station in Moscow, called the meetings probably the most important meetings on counterterrorism that weve had in a very, very long time, at the senior levels.

Also on the same day, Jan. 30, CIA Director Pompeo gave an interview to BBC. He was asked about Russian interference in U.S. and European elections, and he gave the official response, I havent seen a significant decrease in their activity. I have every expectation that they will continue to try and do that, but Im confident that America will be able to have a free and fair election [and] that we will push back in a way that is sufficiently robust, that the impact they have on our election wont be great. This was reported around the world as a warning of retaliation against supposed Russian meddling.

In that BBC interview, Pompeo also said: We are going to go out there and do our damnedest to steal secrets on behalf of the American people! So, we know that Pompeo wanted to make clear that the Trump Administration takes seriously its responsibility to counter any adverse Russian intelligence efforts.

The more significant news, however, is that Pompeo was in fact holding intense discussions with the leading Russian intelligence professionals, to cooperate in solving problemsreal problems, that threaten the future of mankind, including terrorism, drugs, and conflicts that could spark global war, rather than the absurd claims of Russian meddling and collusion.

In fact, as confirmed by both the CIA and the State Department on Feb. 2, not only was Foreign Intelligence Director Naryshkin in Washington, but also Alexander Bortnikov, Director of the Federal Security Service (FSB, the successor of the KGB), and Igor Korobov, Chief of the Russian General Staffs Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU). They held meetings with Pompeo as well as Dan Coats, Trumps Director of National Intelligence (DNI), and other U.S. intelligence officials. A Moscow-based senior U.S. intelligence official was also called back to Washington to participate in the meetings, according to the Washington Post.

The Russiagate mob went wild, frantic that their coup attempt against the U.S. government is falling to pieces. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), in a Jan. 29 press conference, ranted: We sanctioned the head of their foreign intelligence, and then the Trump administration invites him to waltz through our front door. This is an extreme dereliction of duty by President Trump. He said the meetings were likely to have had something to do with President Trumps decision not to impose the new sanctions mandated by the Congress on Russia.

Pompeo, in a letter responding to Schumer, calmly, but sharply, put the hysterical Schumer in his place, referencing the latters suggestion that there was something untoward in officials from Russian intelligence services meeting their U.S. counterparts. On the contrary, Pompeo wrote, we periodically meet with our Russian counterparts for the same reason our predecessors didto keep Americans safe. While Russia remains an adversary, we would put American lives at greater risk if we ignored opportunities to work with the Russian services in the fight against terrorism. He went on to state he was very proud of that counterterror cooperation, including CIAs role with its Russian counterparts in the recent disruption of a terrorist plot targeting St. Petersburg, Russiaa plot that could have killed Americans. . . .

Pompeo also made clear that the discussions included efforts to resolve other areas of tension between the two superpowers, not just cooperation on counter- terrorism. You and the American people, he wrote, should rest assured that we cover very difficult subjects in which American and Russian interests do not align. Neither side is bashful about raising concerns relating to our intelligence relationships and the interests of our respective nations. Security cooperation between the U.S. and Russian intelligence agencies, Pompeo concluded, has occurred under multiple administrations. I am confident that you would support CIA continuing these engagements that are aimed at protecting the American people.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert made the same point in her Feb. 2 press briefing: I can tell you in a general matter, if something is considered to be in the national security interest of the United States, just like other countries, we have the ability to waive [the sanctions], so that people can come in to the United States. It is no secret that despite our many, many differences . . . with the Russian government, we also have areas where we have to work together, and one of those is combatting terrorism and ISIS.

Russias Sputnik, in reporting on the intelligence cooperation, made the point that the visit could be seen in the context of statements made by Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov last month, when he said Russia is interested in increasing U.S.-Russian cooperation in the context of Russian President Vladimir Putins initiative to establish an international counter-terrorism coalition. Antonov added that the U.S. and Russia have no obstacles for such cooperation against terrorism, and drafting the necessary regulatory framework for agreements would ensure national security of both states.

It should also be noted that one of the most dangerous points of conflict between Washington and Moscow, that of Ukraine, has also taken a significant turn in the past weeks. President Putins aide, Vladislav Surkov and U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker met in Dubai on Jan. 26 to discuss a so-called Dubai Package, in which the U.S. and Russia would work with the UN to deploy a UN mission in Ukraines Donbas region, to facilitate a ceasefire and measures to implement the Minsk agreements, this time with U.S. support. Under Obama, the U.S. was not part of the Minsk process and undermined any positive efforts by supporting the blatant sabotage by the Kiev government and the neo-nazi militias on the front lines.

Surkov was quoted by TASS: The talks key topic was once again a discussion of the Russian initiative to deploy in Ukraines southeast a UN mission. This time, the U.S. has brought more constructive suggestions. The U.S. Dubai Package, unlike the Belgrade suggestions, seems quite doable, at least at first glance. We shall study it closely and will give a response in due course. After that, we shall invite Kurt [Volker] and his colleagues to a new meeting.

President Trump has also initiated frequent exchanges between the U.S. and Russian Chiefs of Staff, which were totally shut down by Obama.
Treasured family heirlooms drove the design of the nursery in actor Sam Dalys home.

Upon moving to the Mar Vista area in May, Daly and wife Marissa knew they wanted newborn son Owens room to be filled with nostalgia. Theres the rocking chair that Marissa inherited from her grandmother, and the original cel art from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles that Daly was given as a baby from his father, actor Tim Daly.

One of the main reasons we wanted to buy a house is to be able to set our roots and have a welcoming, loving room for Owen, said Sam, 33, who next appears in the zombie movie Office Uprising and the post-Katrina heist film Cut Throat City.

They also liked the homes proximity to Marissas job at Yahoo. The family shares the 1,440-square-foot home with golden retriever Kobe Bryant.

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1 / 7 Sam Daly with his wife, Marissa, and their son Owen, in the nursery. The actor wanted a place where the trio could sprawl out on the floor and make a mess and grow up together. (Jesse Goddard / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 7 A gift for Owen from his grandfather is made of tiny rolls of paper. (Jesse Goddard / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 7 The room has lots of blue decor. (Jesse Goddard / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 7 A variety of items make up the decor. (Jesse Goddard / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 7 The blue chair on the right was Marissas grandmothers. (Jesse Goddard / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 7 The trio have a ritual where they bid goodnight to things in the room, including the books. (Jesse Goddard / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 7 Marissa describes the black-and-white animal photos on the wall as jungle neutral, Sam says. (Jesse Goddard / Los Angeles Times)

Why is this your favorite room?

Its my sons room, and hes my favorite. I love my wife too, but wed say that our son is our favorite. It was the first room we put all our effort into because we wanted it to be a place where we could sprawl out on the floor and make a mess and grow up together.

What were you going for design-wise?

Its an eclectic hodge-podge. We didnt want to go too hard on one color. The room has lots of blue and gray tones with wood mixed in.

What are some of the elements that make the room distinctive?

Marissa describes the black-and-white animal photos on the wall as jungle neutral. The door hanging is something my dad got for Owen from a little shop in Vermont and is made from tiny rolls of paper.

What about the furniture?

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The crib is on rollers and folds in to a quarter of its size. My parents laugh about it; my crib when I was a baby was a laundry basket in the closet with a sheepskin.

The rocking chair from Marissas grandmother is a nice touch.

We restored it, put these new brass [grommets] in, and I chose the blue fabric.

You seem big on recycling.

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We have friends with sons about the same age, so its a hand-me-down factory. Our nanny, Stacy, will go to yard sales in Brentwood and Santa Monica where people give away brand new toys and books. We wipe them off, and Owen shoves them in his mouth and plays with them forever.

What are some of the memorable times youve had in here?

We do a routine every night that is so lovely. We say goodnight to the animals, the books, the five different Kobe Bryants, Buddha and the Ninja Turtles. Weve had a lot of good memories in the short time weve been here.

hotproperty@latimes.com

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Rembrandt van Rijn painted, etched or drew about 100 self-portraits in his life. One of the most captivating, Self Portrait at the Age of 34, is on display for the first time in the U.S. at the Norton Simon Museum, a loan from the National Gallery in London that captures the artist at the peak of his fame.

Look carefully, and a plethora of details begin to emerge from the 1640 painting.

Rembrandt's "Self Portrait at the Age of 34," 1640. Oil on canvas, 102 centimeters by 80 centimeters. Ryan Miller / Capture Imaging

The first thing you notice is how opulently dressed he is, Norton Simon curator Gloria Williams Sander said. The painter was known to experiment with different personas, and here he wears a tabard, a long, sleeveless coat with a beautiful fur-lined velvet panel along the neckline. The brown and gold-striped silk sleeves carry a sheen. Its very capacious, Williams Sander said.

Layered underneath is a jerkin, a close-fitting jacket, with a red horizontal brocade and doublet. A vest peaks out with a high embroidered collar accenting a ruched linen shirt. Instead of a beret, he wears an exuberant hat with a scalloped gold border.

The influence of the Italian masters, particularly Raphaels portrait of courtier Baldassare Castiglione painted in the prior century, is apparent. Theres a strong resemblance to the scalloped hat, turn of the body and huge opulent sleeves, Williams Sander said.

Rembrandt began signing his paintings with his first name only, like the Italians did. In the bottom right corner, one can faintly make out the Dutch painters large signature followed by f, short for fecit, a Latin notation for identifying the creator.

Rembrandt's signature on his "Self Portrait at the Age of 34." The National Gallery, London

Ultimately the dark palette of charcoal grays, reds and ochres yields to white and vermilion in the face and hands.

The light, fluffy way he depicted his hair and mustache with a little tuft under his lips adds a bit of drama by focusing attention on his face, Williams Sander said. Here his gaze is unflinching, direct and full of confidence.

The details in his hair and mustache accentuate's Rembrandt's direct gaze in this detail from his "Self Portrait at the Age of 34." The National Gallery, London

         

Self Portrait at the Age of 34

Where: Norton Simon Museum, 411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena

When: through March 5; closed Tuesdays

Admission: $12-$15; free for ages 18 and younger

See all of our latest arts news and reviews at latimes.com/arts.
Border walls as art and Hamlet with dogs. Southern California can never be accused of being boring. Im Carolina A. Miranda, staff writer at the Los Angeles Times, with your weekly dose all things blazing in the world of culture.

BORDER PROTOTYPES AS ART?

Swiss-born artist Christoph Buchel ignited controversy last month when he launched a petition to turn President Trumps border wall prototypes into a national monument. In response, 25 California artists and writers signed an open letter describing the project as the promotion of white supremacy. Buchels gallery, Hauser & Wirth, said in a statement that the purpose of the project is to stand as evidence of bigotry and fear. I traveled to the site on a Buchel-organized tour and note that its too early to talk about turning the prototypes into monuments: History is still being written. The border prototypes could become monuments to racist folly or reawakened white supremacy. Los Angeles Times

A participant in Christoph Buchels tour of the border wall prototypes on the Mexican side of the border. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times )

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Plus, Design & Architecture has devoted an entire episode to borders. KCRW

Plus, plus: Architect Teddy Cruz, whose work engages the social and political issues of the U.S.-Mexico border, has won the $100,00 Vilcek Prize in Architecture. ARTnews

READING UNREADABLE L.A.

Last week, an article about Los Angeles in the New York Times drew heaps of derision from Angelenos (myself included) for how it reduced our city to tropes. Times critic Christopher Hawthorne uses this as a jumping-off point to discuss why cities such as L.A.  as well as Houston, which he recently visited  can be so difficult for outsiders to understand. He offers this insightful quote by architectural scholar Lars Lerup: The old city was a discrete object sitting on a Tuscan hill surrounded by a collectively constructed wall; the new city is everywhere. Only when we accept that we can only attain a partial understanding can work begin. Los Angeles Times

Downtown L.A., seen from the Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times )

L.A. PHILS AMBITIOUS 100TH SEASON

The Los Angeles Philharmonic has announced programming for this special anniversary, and it sounds like its gonna be batons-to-the wall. It will include more than 50 special commissions, projects involving former music directors, including Zubin Mehta and Esa-Pekka Salonen, and explorations of California music, special ballets, and a special investigation of African American composer William Grant Still. Times classical music critic Mark Swed has the many, many deets  including the surprise involvement of Andre Previn, who hasnt set foot in L.A. since his feud with the L.A. Phils management in the 1980s. So much drama! Los Angeles Times

Gustavo Dudamel at Walt Disney Concert Hall in November. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times )

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CLASSICAL NOTES

Times contributor Catherine Womack checked in on a special performance by soprano Renee Fleming at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, where she dedicated a song from West Side Story to DACA recipients, while Rick Schultz checks in with British pianist Stephen Hough, who has a show at the Wallis on Saturday.

ARTISTIC BULLS-EYE

The highly anticipated art show of the weekend is the exhibition of Jasper Johns work landing at the Broad museum on Saturday. His work has doggedly torn apart cherished artistic assumptions while managing at the same time to convey profound, often tender regard for them, writes Times critic Christopher Knight of his work. Death, the specter of mortality, is here essential to making art that lives. The show isnt comprehensive, he notes, but it nonetheless offers plenty to study. Los Angeles Times

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Plus, staff writer Deborah Vankin reports on some of the rare works by Johns that are going on view at the Broad this weekend  some of which rarely travel. Los Angeles Times

A detail of Three Flags, 1958, by Jasper Johns. (Broad )

MUSEUM STRIP TEASE

The Hammer Museum has a highly conceptual exhibition about highly conceptual art called Stories of Almost Everyone that looks at the narratives (often created by galleries, curators and museums) around much contemporary art. Christopher Knight is not entirely sold. Few of these works really require the explanatory textual interventions that the curators assume they do, he writes. And obliging viewers to read the labels adds an unhappily coercive element. But he was intrigued by a strip tease performance in one of the galleries  and offers some ideas for how the curators might have made it a little more shocking. Los Angeles Times

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A performer at the Hammer Museum in Tino Seghals Selling Out (2002). (Christopher Knight / Los Angeles Times )

A MASTER OF LIGHT AND SPACE

Am I having a moment? No. Ive been here all my life. Thats California artist Robert Irwin, chatting with Deborah Vankin about the many projects he has cooking  a dazzling, light-inspired show at Spruth Magers, a museum survey at the University Art Museum at Cal State Long Beach and evolving projects at LACMA and the Academy Museum  at the age of 89. Los Angeles Times

Light and Space artist Robert Irwin in his favorite chair at home in San Diego. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times )

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IN THE GALLERIES

Times reviewer David Pagel has been making the rounds and has reports on: paintings by Patrick Wilson at Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects that make visual magic, the pictographic works of Yevgeniya Baras at the Landing and pointillist paintings by Xylor Jane at Parrasch Heijnen Gallery that are a tour de force of delicacy and nuance.

TRILOGY OF WAR

It will be possible to see all three plays in Pulitzer Prize-winner Quiara Alegria Hudess so-called Elliot trilogy in Los Angeles this month. The trilogy, which examines the experiences of several generations of military veterans in a Puerto Rican family, includes performances at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, the Mark Taper Forum and at the Los Angeles Theater Center. Each play is a standalone work. You dont have to see them all, writes Times theater critic Charles McNulty, but why would you pass up an opportunity to become acquainted with one of the leading voices of this thrilling new generation of American playwrights? Los Angeles Times

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Peter Mendoza and Ruben Garfias in Quiara Alegria Hudes Elliot, A Soldiers Fugue. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times )

DOGGIE HAMLET

The setting: Will Rogers State Historic Park. The scene: A crew of actors  human, canine, ovine  performing in a field as an audience, seated on hay bales, watched. Doggie Hamlet was staged with a flock of sheep, three dogs and six humans by director Ann Carlson and the Center for the Art of Performance at UCLA. Of the experience, writes Charles McNulty: There was no need to contrive a story. The cycle was meaning enough. Ritual unfolded in nature, which enveloped the experience. A growing consciousness of our place in the wider world was unavoidable against the verdant backdrop. Los Angeles Times

Diane Frank and the sheep of Doggie Hamlet. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times )

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ALL THE WORLD ON STAGE

Twelve actors from around the globe depicting stories about their family and friends  real immigration stories  is the idea behind The New Colossus. Its the new production from the Actors Gang, and its directed by founding artistic director Tim Robbins. Tim Greiving talked with the cast and Robbins, who said of the plays origins, I asked everyone to really think about their own families and how they found their way here. . . . We try to physically manifest what the struggle is, to go from one place to another, and the difficulty of that, and the danger of that. Los Angeles Times

The New Colossus cast members Kayla Blake, left, Onur Alpsen, Paulette Zubata, Jeanette Horn and director Tim Robbins at the the Actors Gang. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times )

IN THE THEATERS

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It has been a supremely busy week theater-wise. The Times Daryl H. Miller caught a staging of Chaim Potoks The Chosen at the Fountain Theatre and Orson Bean and Alley Mills autobiographical show Alright Then.

In the meantime, F. Kathleen Foley has a look at Culture Clashs wickedly subversive Sapo at the Getty Villa, full of madcap energy while exploring serious themes about immigration.

IN OTHER NEWS

 Art collector and philanthropist Harry W. Hunk Anderson, whose collection forms the basis of a museum bearing his name at Stanford, has died. San Francisco Chronicle

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 Your weekend long read: a nice big profile of feminist art pioneer Judy Chicago. T Magazine

 Maximiliano Duron has written a good overview of how PST: LA/LA has engaged queer Latino identity. Artillery

 A group of prominent art world women, including Barbara Kruger, Miranda July and Cindy Sherman, is demanding a boycott of Artforum in the wake of the Knight Landesman sex harassment allegations. Artnet

 Plus, Hrag Vartanian looks at how the magazine has fought the lawsuit against Landesman, who still remains part owner. Hyperallergic

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 The L.A. Clippers have been hanging out at the California African American Museum. Los Angeles Sentinel

 An oral history of Tony Kushners Angels in America. New York Times

 Community theater Casa 0101 in Boyle Heights faces a fiscal crunch. The theater is seeking 350 donors that can commit $25 a month to help keep its doors open. Los Angeles Times

Josefina Lopez, founder of Casa 0101 theater in 2013. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times )

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 How viral imagery of Balkan monuments strips them of context. A terrific essay by Owen Hatherley. Calvert Journal

 Things are tense between dancers and management at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. In the midst of union negotiations, dancers skipped the companys gala. Washington Post

 On a happier note: that Eli Manning/Odell Beckham Jr. Dirty Dancing spoof that aired during the Super Bowl is something we could use more of. Dance Magazine

AND LEAST BUT NOT LEAST

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Seth Meyers Newspaper Movie is the realest really real newspaper movie you will ever watch. Vulture

Sign up for our weekly Essential Arts & Culture newsletter 

carolina.miranda@latimes.com

@cmonstah
A host of stars including Miranda Kerr, Ricky Martin and Karlie Kloss were among the lucky dozens of people to get a preview of the Broads new Jasper Johns: Something Resembling Truth exhibition Thursday night during a VIP cocktail reception and dinner. The exhibition, which opens to the public on Saturday, is supported by French luxury brand Louis Vuitton, which Kerr and Kloss wore for the occasion.

My son loves it here, said Kerr, who held hands with husband Evan Spiegel as she made her way through the downtown Los Angeles museum. My son was asking me last night, When can we go back? I didnt have the heart to tell him that we were coming here tonight because he would not have let me leave. I told him, Were going to a work dinner. Under my breath, I was, like, What a coincidence.

"Three Flags," 1958, by Jasper Johns  from an exhibition at the Broad museum. Whitney Museum / VAGA, New York

The event

Billionaire philanthropist Eli Broad and his wife, Edythe, were on hand for the black-tie affair. Its a great opportunity to have a retrospective, Eli Broad said, adding that he and Edythe have collected Johns work for 35 to 40 years. No question, hes the most important living artist of our time, Broad said about the 87-year-old American icon.

The exhibition features more than 100 works from Johns 60- year career. Open to the public through May 13, it includes notable paintings, sculptures, prints and drawings, many of which havent been previously shown in Los Angeles. Were delighted to have such a wide array of his work, Broad said.

The museums founding director, Joanne Heyler, and co-curators Edith Devaney and Ed Schad also attended the VIP affair.

One of the most amazing things about holding this show was knowing that its been over 50 years since theres been a Jasper Johns survey in Los Angeles, Heyler said. I really believe that young artists who go to all the great art schools in L.A. are going to come to this show and have a revelation at just the right moment in their lives and careers.

Eli and Edythe Broad at the VIP event celebrating the new Jasper Johns exhibition at the Broad in downtown Los Angeles. Billy Farrell / BFA.com

The crowd

Newlyweds Ricky Martin and artist Jwan Yosef arrived just as guests were taking their seats for dinner. The evening also drew artists David Hockney, Jeff Koons, Alex Israel, Mark Bradford and Ed Ruscha as well as additional attendees Mark Ridley-Thomas, Michael and Eva Chow, Sherry Lansing, David Gersh, Maurice Marciano, Devendra Banhart, Michael Govan, Katherine Ross, Philippe Vergne and Scott Rothkopf.

Im thrilled to be here to celebrate Jaspers work, Koons said. Its work that connects very personal inner meaning. It connects to the universal. Its extremely thoughtful. Its philosophical.

The East Coast-based artist said that hed be in town only for two days and that his trips to L.A. are usually too short, but that he was enjoying himself. I used to stay in Beverly Hills, but Im staying downtown, said Koons, who recently collaborated with Louis Vuitton. You walk around downtown and the whole area is really transformed. There are so many young people here and different restaurants and cafes and museums. I think the Broad is really connecting to the community, and people are celebrating Los Angeles.

Mark Bradford on the red carpet at the Broad. Billy Farrell / BFA.com

The scene

During cocktail hour, guests were able view the exhibition and were treated to a performance by composer William Basinski. Shortly after, the group sat down for a three-course meal prepared by Otiums chef Tim Hollingsworth that included an avocado and beet salad, glazed short rib, vegan risotto, and an assortment of desserts such as chocolate truffles and raspberry cream puffs.

Karlie Kloss, left, chats with Vogue's Lisa Love. Billy Farrell / BFA.com

The quote

Kerr discussed her 7-year-old son Flynns love of art. He really is an artist, she said. He loves to draw. Its his favorite thing. He loves to paint. He also loves to play the piano. Hes very artistic. Hes naturally gifted like that. Its good to expose him to different art.

Kerr also alluded to her current pregnancy when discussing her beautiful Louis Vuitton dress. Luckily, it fits, she said, with a laugh. Its a nice, stretchy material. So I was thrilled about that. Its very comfortable and simple. It looks like I chose the right color. Everyone is in black.

Miranda Kerr on the red carpet at the Broad. Jonathan Leibson / BFA.com

         

Jasper Johns: Something Resembling Truth

Where: The Broad, 221 S. Grand Ave., L.A.

When: Opens Saturday, ends May 13

Tickets: $25; free for ages 17 and younger; reservations recommended

Support our journalism Please consider subscribing today to support stories like this one. Get full access to our signature journalism for just 99 cents for the first four weeks. Already a subscriber? Your support makes our work possible. Thank you.

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A lot has been happening here at the L.A. Times; if you havent heard, we have a new owner, Patrick Soon-Shiong. Once all the paperwork is done and hurdles cleared, the paper will return to local ownership for the first time in 18 years. Im Carolyn Kellogg, our books editor, and heres what weve got in store for you this week.

THE BIG STORY

Now a classic of the literature of the West, Edward Abbeys Desert Solitaire was published 50 years ago to little fanfare. It has had a life of its own, thanks partly to the prose, partly to the irascibility of its author and partly to his keen sense of the deserts ecosystems. Ken Layne, proprietor of the Desert Oracle magazine and podcast, has this appreciation.

Edward Abbey in the desert near Tuscon in 1987. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times )

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THE BIG REVIEW

It always interests me when a reviewer gets excited about a work, and thats why I gave extra print space this week to Walton Muyumba, who reviews Feel Free by Zadie Smith. Id seen another newspaper glancingly discuss this essay collection, but Muyumba digs in. He meets her ideas about art and questions about music and blackness head-on, finding it a tremendous, enthralling book

Zadie Smith (Tobias Schwarz / AFP/Getty Images )

BESTSELLERS

Continuing its domination of the nonfiction list is Michael Wolffs book Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, the No. 1 L.A. Times bestseller for the fourth week in a row.

Shaping up to be a long-lived crowd-pleaser is Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng. Its been on the fiction list for 20 weeks and returns to the No. 1 L.A. Times bestseller spot.

See all the books on our bestseller lists here.

Celeste Ng (Kevin Day / The Penguin Press )

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MORE IN BOOKS

For the second year, the Believer Festival will take place in Las Vegas, and we have the exclusive lineup announcement.

Anne Raeffs Winter Kept Us Warm is an unexpected family story that twists back to World War II. Ilana Masad has our review.

Agatha French talks to Rachel Lyon about her debut novel, Self-Portrait With Boy.

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Oprah selected a new book for her semi-regular, always-a-surprise Book Club 2.0: An American Marriage by Tayari Jones.

Tayari Jones at the L.A. Times Festival of Books in 2012 (Ringo H.W. Chiu / For the Times )

carolyn.kellogg@latimes.com

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@paperhaus
A large majority of Americans, including Republicans, recognize that the Dreamers are in an immigration bind of their parents making, and that it would be unfair and inhumane to kick them out of the country in which they were raised. The vast majority of the Dreamers are law-abiding, productive members of society, and their ranks include doctors, priests and teachers as well as police, firefighters, and paramedics.

What possible public benefit comes from kicking these people out of the country now? In fact, ending DACA and withdrawing permission for the Dreamers to work could cost the economy from $200 billion to more than $400 billion, depending on whose estimate you buy.

As The Times editorial board has pointed out, this problem is fixable. But it has become a crisis for two reasons: Trump blew up the status quo by ending DACA, and Republican congressional leaders refuse to move a clean bill to resolve the Dreamers status.

Instead, they  following Trumps lead  are using the Dreamers to push an immigration agenda that does not have enough political support to get through on its own.

Compromise is, indeed, the heart of the democratic process. But this isnt an exercise in horse-trading  you give us X, well give you Y  as much as it is a hostage-taking of the Dreamers.

>> Click here to read more
When the Century Freeway opened in 1993, officials said it would almost certainly be the last of the great Southern California freeways, the final chapter in a romance with fast lanes that began just before World War II.

It offered a good example of why the ardor faded. The 105 violated environmental laws, displaced more than 25,000 people and left behind a legacy of noise and pollution in some of Los Angeles Countys poorest neighborhoods. After decades of delays and bitter litigation, its price tag rose to $2.2 billion, making it the most expensive roadway ever built in the United States.

But now, with little fanfare, officials are again laying the groundwork for the construction of a new freeway.

The California Department of Transportation, in cooperation with a joint powers authority, will in June begin buying land to build a 63-mile high desert freeway connecting the Los Angeles County communities of Palmdale and Lancaster with the San Bernardino County communities of Victorville, Apple Valley and Adelanto.

A motorist drives along 50th St., north of Palmdale Blvd in Palmdale, where Caltrans is preparing to build an eight-lane freeway in the undeveloped Mojave Desert. Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times

Officials say the $8-billion project north of the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains would relieve anticipated traffic congestion in the fast-growing region by creating a link between State Route 14 and Interstate 15, and reduce gridlock on Los Angeles-area roads including the 210, 10 and 60 freeways.

But like its predecessor, its already raising questions about its environmental toll, impact on communities and funding.

The countys first new freeway in a quarter-century is something of a throwback, as regional planners have shifted their focus in recent years toward mass transit and infill development to combat snarled traffic and housing shortages. Yet it serves as a reminder that even as Los Angeles moves to encourage more density in its urban neighborhoods, development continues to push into the scrublands on the countys fringes.

Since the completion of the 105, Palmdale and Lancaster have seen their populations surge  even landing among the nations 10 fastest-growing cities in 2007, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Though the Great Recession slowed their boom, the expanse of desert has the most space and long-run growth potential in the county, said Robert Kleinhenz, executive director of research at Beacon Economics, a consulting firm whose clients include UC Riverside.

@latimesgraphics

The freeway would be part of a High Desert Corridor with a rapid-transit rail, linking to a proposed high-speed rail to Las Vegas, and a bikeway. Funded with public-private partnerships, it could be in operation within 20 years, Ryan McEachron, coordinator of the joint powers authority, said.

This is an exciting, high-priority project, McEachron said. Some would argue we need it immediately, given the traffic congestion on existing freeways, which is only going to get worse.

The environmental impact report has already been approved, paving the way for right of way agents to begin acquiring land this spring with $274 million generated by Measure M, a sales tax increase approved by Los Angeles County voters in 2016 to build transportation projects over the next 40 years.

How much of the Mojave Desert terrain in the vicinity of the project would survive as it is today  fragile ecosystems interspersed with ranches and isolated communities far removed from the confines of city life  is an open question. Critics argue the project would induce sprawl, traffic congestion and air pollution. Developers, they say, want to build up the area for profit and not necessarily to reduce commute time.

Bryn Lindblad, associate director of the nonprofit environmental group Climate Resolve, in the Mojave Desert in Palmdale, where Caltrans is preparing to build a freeway between Palmdale and Victorville. Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times

On a trail wending under canopies of angular Joshua tree branches a few miles east of Palmdale, Bryn Lindblad, associate director of the nonprofit Climate Resolve, lamented the ecological destruction that would come with freeway construction.

The area is part of an arid empire of Joshua trees, cactus, bobcats, tortoises and kangaroo rats hemmed by steep slopes, dry lakes and arroyos fringed with creosote bush.

It is also within proposed right of way for the freeways six to eight lanes.

Youre looking at the proposed site of a freeway off-ramp, Lindblad said, nodding further up the trail. It would be one of several that would overnight become hives of gas stations, fast-food restaurants and motels.

It would destroy some of our last open space to create more suburban sprawl, undermining efforts to reduce congestion and making climate goals a farce.

A lawsuit filed by Climate Resolve in Los Angeles Superior Court challenging the validity of corridors environmental impact report is expected to go to trial later this year.

However, the most serious obstacles in the path of the project seem to be financial.

How or when San Bernardino County would be able to pay for its stretch of right of way, which must be 500 feet wide in order to accommodate the freeway and rail, hasnt been settled.

Pearblossom resident Christopher Minsal has mixed feelings about Caltrans' plan to build the 63-mile freeway. Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times

State and county officials say they may decide to build in phases as funding becomes available. Proposals to make certain stretches of the freeway, or its entire length, a toll road are also under discussion, officials say.

Whether or not the freeway gets built at all, they say, may hinge on the pork-barrel largesse and private investment spurred by the Trump administrations highly touted plan to renovate the nations crumbling roads, airports, bridges and railways.

Private investors probably wont want to put their money into the corridor without assurances of significant federal support, McEachron said.

In a letter to Trump in April, Robert Lovingood, a San Bernardino County supervisor and chairman of the joint powers authority, was more blunt: The corridor will not succeed, he said, without credit assistance from Department of Transportation loan programs.

The administration has yet to respond. But Brian Taylor, director of UCLA's Institute of Transportation Studies, described the situation as the freeway builders dilemma: Construction in advance of anticipated demand is a risky proposition, and investors want to see immediate returns.

Still, Taylor said he was surprised that things have progressed so quickly on this project up to this point.

Now, high desert cities are jockeying for control of adjacent land where off-ramps and rail stations could produce lucrative income streams.

In unincorporated, low-income areas with little clout in the speculative maneuvering, residents worry their proximity to the corridor will make them attractive to developers, leading to the displacement of neighbors. Others look forward to new development and jobs fanning out across an arid landscape they say has been largely ignored for decades by county agencies.

The route would run roughly parallel to State Route 18 and State Highway 138, also known as Pearblossom Highway. Congestion is a problem on Highway 138 thanks to big rigs, commuters and travelers to Las Vegas.

The town of El Mirage as seen from the intersection of El Mirage and Mt View Road. Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times

These tensions converge in El Mirage, a solitary enclave of 1,000 surrounded by barren hills, about 10 miles west of Adelanto. Its convenient desolation has made it a place where city dwellers come to run wild, myriad movies and commercials are filmed and experimental military drones soar in the sky.

But thats not what Jessie Flores, economic development director for Adelanto, saw through the windshield during a tour in November.

El Mirage is a land of opportunity for Adelanto, he said.

Adelanto wants to annex El Mirage and 62 square miles surrounding it because it may eventually provide new economic opportunities, including millions of dollars in corridor-related development surrounding as many as three offramps, Flores said.

In El Mirage, where the median price of a home is $120,000, compared with $200,000 in Adelanto, community activists are fighting for the best deal we can make, said Debra Hill, a spokeswoman for the El Mirage Improvement Assn.

Suddenly, were seen as a cash cow for Adelanto  and thats our leverage, Hill said. This could be our chance to land some local development and jobs, and maybe even make enough money on rising property values to move someplace else.

However, preliminary annexation discussions came to an abrupt halt in November after Adelanto Mayor Pro Tem Jermaine Wright was arrested for allegedly accepting a bribe from an undercover FBI agent and plotting to burn down a local restaurant. Wright, 41, pleaded not guilty to the federal charges and is awaiting trial.

In the meantime, Were cooling our jets on annexation until we figure out whether the FBI has completed its investigation at Adelanto City Hall, she said. But overall, Id say things are finally looking up a bit for El Mirage.

Flores would not argue with any of that. Hes seen what a new freeway can deliver. Though transportation experts caution that adding automotive lanes doesnt always live up to its traffic-taming promise, he is a believer in the allure of an open road.

Let me tell you a story, he said. On a spring day 25 years ago, I was in my first car  a blue 1964 Volkswagen  and at the head of a line of vehicles waiting for the Century Freeways grand opening ceremony to end.

Moments after officials cut the red ribbon, he recalled with a smile, I put my car in gear and rolled onto the new freeway thinking, Thank God, Ill get home on time.

Louis.Sahagun@latimes.com

@LouisSahagun

UPDATES:

For the record:

11:54 a.m. An earlier version of this article said Bryn Lindblad was a resident Apple Valley. She lives in Los Angeles.
A Glendale pastor suspected of sexually assaulting a minor in a Covina hotel room surrendered himself to authorities Sunday morning after days of hiding.

Douglas Rivera, of Baldwin Park, and his attorney showed up at the Covina Police Department about 11 a.m. and Rivera turned himself in, Sgt. Ray Marquez said. Rivera was arrested and booked on multiple charges, including sexual assault, indecent exposure and burglary with intent to commit a crime, Marquez said.

Riveras bail is set at $280,000.

On Friday, Rivera posted an Instagram video clip in which he addressed the camera, denied the allegations against him and said he planned to surrender to authorities next week, according to KTLA news.

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I did not do nothing wrong. I was at the wrong place at the wrong time, Rivera says into the camera. Something happened in that hotel and thats the simple answer.

Rivera, 40, is suspected of driving to the Vanllee Hotel and Suites in Covina just after 8 p.m. Wednesday, where he spotted a lit room with its drapes open and spied on two minors who were inside, police said. Rivera then proceeded to masturbate in his vehicle as he watched the minors, police said.

He then got out of his car and stood outside the hotel room window, where he pretended to be on his phone, police said. After 30 minutes, Rivera went inside the hotel and forced his way into the room where the minors were staying, police said.

Covina police said the minors, reported by KTLA to be part of a tourist group from China, opened the door for him thinking it was their chaperone.

He assaulted one of the minors and then fled from the area in his car, authorities said.

Rivera is listed as a pastor of Gods Gypsy Christian Church, which worships out of Glendale City Church.

On Friday evening, Glendale City Church released a statement on Facebook distancing itself from Rivera. It said the relationship between the city church and Gods Gypsy Christian was simply lessor to lessee.

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Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families, with the RYMM congregation, with law enforcement and with Rev. Rivera, according to the statement, which refers to Renewing Your Mind Ministries, words on the Gypsy Christian Churchs website. We pray for justice and healing to win the day.

cindy.carcamo@latimes.com

andy.nguyen@latimes.com

UPDATES:

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3:25 p.m.: This article was updated with new information from police.

This article was originally posted at 12:20 p.m.
While politicians are embroiled in a polarized national debate over immigration, an iconic road sign cautioning drivers near the San Diego border to watch for migrants running across the freeway has quietly disappeared.

The immigrant crossing signs have become obsolete, said Cathryne Bruce-Johnson, a spokeswoman for Caltrans. The transportation department stopped replacing the signs years ago because it constructed fences along medians to deter people from running across highways.

The last sign, which stood on the side of the 5 Freeway near the San Ysidro border crossing, vanished in September.

Its gone, Bruce-Johnson said. Caltrans crews did not remove it, so its assumed stolen.

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Signs are more often damaged or vandalized than stolen, according to Bruce-Johnson, but when they are taken, there isnt much Caltrans can do to get them back.

California Highway Patrol Sgt. Dan Kyle said that officers who worked during the years before the fences were added recalled responding weekly to fatal collisions between cars and immigrants on the freeway in San Ysidro.

Fewer people have tried to sneak into the U.S. over the last two decades, further decreasing the need for the immigrant crossing signs.

Both in San Diego and across the Southwest border, the number of people caught crossing into the U.S. has dropped dramatically in the 21st century. The federal government estimates the number of people trying to cross into the U.S. based on the number of people caught entering illegally, so fewer apprehensions means that fewer people are trying to slip in.

In San Diego, Border Patrol agents apprehended 26,086 people in fiscal 2017, an 83% drop from the 151,681 people caught in fiscal 2000.

Across the Southwest, the Border Patrol apprehended 1.6 million people in fiscal 2000, according to data from the agency.

In fiscal 2017, agents apprehended 303,916 people, an 82% decrease.

The yellow caution signs image has been the source of controversy, with some seeing it as an offensive caricature of Mexican immigrants.

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Justin Akers Chacon, a professor of Chicano studies at San Diego City College, said critics of the signs imagery felt that it dehumanized migrants by likening them to animals.

Critics also were bothered by the way the signs message fit into the immigration enforcement system.

The deaths of migrant crossers was treated as an acceptable consequence of the enforcement model, not a reflection of the failure of the model, Akers Chacon said.

An early version of the sign was entirely text: Caution watch for people crossing road.

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Motorists werent able to read and process that sign quickly enough, so Caltrans asked artist John Hood to design an image to convey the message.

It doesnt just mean they are running across the freeway, Hood told the Union-Tribune in 2005, describing his choice of imagery. It means they are running from something else as well. I think its a struggle for a lot of things  for opportunities, for freedom.

Caltrans installed 10 signs, focusing on areas like San Ysidro and the San Clemente checkpoint, where migrants were known to cross the interstate on foot frequently.

The silhouette of a man with a mustache and a woman in a dress running with their young daughter, her hair in pigtails flying behind her, has been repurposed by different sides of the immigration debate over the years.

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Those on the restrictionist side use the image to symbolize an unruly border, adding guns or nuclear bombs to political cartoons of the sign.

Those who advocate for migrants have reworked the sign as a family of pilgrims or college graduates.

Theres only a handful of really iconic images that have been successfully mobilized for the purposes of immigration politics, said Everard Meade, director of the Trans Border Institute at the University of San Diego. The thing with these symbols is that the response is 50-50.

Some people see that sign and think, My God, this is a sign that represents how our immigration policy has just failed, and weve put people in this vulnerable position such that we have to have a road sign so people dont run them over on the highway,  Meade added.

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Others take it as a sign of an out-of-control border, Meade said, and that perception contributed to support for movements like Californias Proposition 187, which barred unauthorized immigrants from the public education system and from public health services, except for emergency care required by federal law. A federal judge blocked the proposition from taking effect.

Even the signs disappearance caused split reactions among those in the political debate.

Joshua Wilson, vice president of the San Diego chapter of the National Border Patrol Council, has supported President Trumps restrictionist immigration policies.

Wilson said he sees not needing the signs anymore as a positive thing. It shows what investing in border security can do, he said.

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I grew up in Los Angeles, and I remember those signs as a kid coming down here, Wilson said. What it symbolizes to me is how out of control things were before we put in the infrastructure with Operation Gatekeeper.

Operation Gatekeeper, a ramped-up enforcement strategy implemented along the San Diego border in the mid-90s, shifted migrant routes east over mountains and through deserts.

Pedro Rios, director of the U.S.-Mexico Border Program for the American Friends Service Committee, advocates for migrant rights and opposes Trumps immigration policies.

Rios said he remembered clearly when the signs were installed and the deaths that were happening along the border.

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If there are no more Caltrans immigrant crossing signs left, I think it will reflect a reality about immigration that overzealous politicians fail to acknowledge when advocating for increasing border enforcement measures  that migration into the United States has been at a decline since at least the year 2000, and perhaps longer than that, Rios said.

He pointed out that Operation Gatekeeper didnt mean that fewer migrants were dying trying to cross the border. The number of border crossing deaths increased significantly, but they were away from major cities and out of public view.

Ironically, as Operation Gatekeeper pushed migrants into less-populated desert and mountainous areas, fewer migrants died crossing in the San Diego region, but this meant more migrants were in peril in the less-visible treacherous crossing routes, Rios said.

The shift of migrant routes to more remote locations has contributed to the political divide, Meade said.

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So much of what actually happens is invisible, Meade said. The anecdotal story, whatever does become visible gets exaggerated.

For Meade, the last signs disappearance isnt the end of an era. He noted that immigration from Mexico has had a net of zero since 2005, meaning as many people are going back to Mexico as are coming here.

I think it already passed, Meade said. Its late to be talking about the sign.

Morrissey writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.

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kate.morrissey@sduniontribune.com
On his last stop in a three-day visit to California, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti at Griffith Park on Saturday for an early morning hike.

The two men, wearing shorts and T-shirts, met briefly with reporters at Griffith Observatory. Garcetti noted that Canada was a major trading partner with the city.

Mr. Prime Minister, its such an honor to receive you here in Los Angeles, Garcetti said, amid overcast skies and cool temperatures. We brought a little Canadian weather to make you feel right at home.

This isnt Canadian weather, Trudeau said with a laugh, not bothering to mention that the overnight low back in Ottawa was 16 degrees.

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Garcetti thanked Trudeau for the time he spent connecting with key industries in California, emphasizing that the friendship with Canada is critically important to us.

This is the largest collection of Canadians outside of Canada here in Southern California and were very proud of that, Garcetti said. It shows why these relationships are so important at a time when we need to have more bridges and more connections and not more divisions.

Trudeau, alternating between French and English, answered a few questions from reporters. At one point he touched on immigration, calling it a source of strength.

Canadians know that having a strong [immigration] process  where we ensure security, ensure that people coming are going to be able to be successful  is integral to keeping a strong system, Trudeau said. So thats continuing to be my message on immigration, that we are are an open and welcoming country, because its our strength.

Amen, Garcetti responded.

Trudeau emphasized that there has always been a strong relationship between Canada and the U.S.

I continue to engage regularly and constructively with President Trump, Trudeau said. Theres things we dont agree on, but theres a lot we do agree on as well, and looking for common ground and trying to build shared prosperity here in North America is something we agree very much on.

Afterward, Trudeau joined Garcetti for the weekend hike the mayor usually takes with friends and family. As the pair made their way toward the Mt. Hollywood hiking trail, starstruck hikers and residents snapped photos.

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Monica Santino, along with Ron Basical and his wife, Kira, were outside the observatory when Trudeau passed and greeted them with a wave and a hello.

He was super friendly, said Santino, a Pasadena resident. He seems very personable and very unassuming.

Nicholas Rachowicz, a St. Louis resident, saw the prime minister on the hiking trail. Hes a real charismatic leader, he said, someone really to look up to. We need more of that today.

On Friday night, Trudeau spoke at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley. A California Highway Patrol motorcycle officer accompanying his motorcade was injured in a crash after Trudeau left the library.

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The officer was sent to a local hospital, where he was treated for moderate injuries. Trudeau and Garcetti told reporters Saturday that the officer was doing well.

The mayor said the officer suffered a broken clavicle, but hes going to heal, hes going to be OK.

On Friday, Trudeau met privately with Gov. Jerry Brown and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom in San Francisco to discuss economic, healthcare and environmental issues. The day before, the prime minister lobbied Silicon Valley tech companies to invest more in Canada.

On the hike, Trudeau and Garcetti got a good workout and learned that they had a lot in common, Garcetti said. The mayor also managed to snag an invite to visit Trudeau in Canada.

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I might just take him up on that, Garcetti said.

brittny.mejia@latimes.com

UPDATES:

11:50 a.m.: This article was updated with additional comments from Trudeau and Garcetti and other hikers.

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10:20 a.m.: This article was updated with additional comments from Trudeau and Garcetti.

This article was originally posted at 9:30 a.m.
A former Guatemalan police chief is facing charges that he failed to disclose on immigration documents that he was facing kidnapping and murder charges back home when he entered the U.S. in 2013, prosecutors said Friday.

In a one-count indictment returned by a grand jury this week, prosecutors say Catalino Esteban Valiente Alonzo failed to reveal that he had been arrested and tried for kidnapping and murder in his home country when he successfully applied for a lawful permanent resident card, commonly known as a green card, and entered the United States.

Valiente, 77, who lives in Fontana, was chief of the National Police in Guatemalas second-largest city, Quetzaltenango. In 1987 he was charged with the kidnapping and murder of two people affiliated with the Agronomy Department at the Centro Universitario de Occidente, according to prosecutors.

He was twice convicted and sentenced to two 30-year sentences, but both were overturned on appeal and sent back to trial court for further proceedings in 1993, officials said. An arrest warrant was issued for Valiente in Guatemala that year.

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Prosecutors said he entered the United States with a green card in 2013 while the warrant was still in effect. The warrant was ultimately rescinded in 2015, and its not clear what charges remain outstanding against him in Guatemala, officials said.

A request for comment from his defense attorney was not immediately returned Friday afternoon. He faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Valiente is not the first person federal authorities have dealt with in the U.S. who apparently fled Guatemala while facing serious charges.

In 2016, Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced they had arrested and deported Santos Lopez Alonzo, a former member of the Guatemalan army who witnesses said participated in the 1982 massacre at Las Dos Erres that left more than 200 men, women and children dead.

Last year, another suspected participant in that massacre, Jose Mardoqueo Ortiz Morales, was arrested by agents from Homeland Security Investigations Baltimore office.

Two other alleged participants in that massacre are serving 10-year federal prison terms for naturalization fraud  similar to what Valiente was charged with this week.

joseph.serna@latimes.com

For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna on Twitter.
California must consider earlier parole for potentially thousands of sex offenders, maybe even those convicted of pimping children, a state judge said Friday.

Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Allen Sumner preliminarily ordered prison officials to rewrite part of the regulations for Proposition 57. The 2016 ballot measure allows consideration of earlier parole for most state prison inmates, but Gov. Jerry Brown promised voters all sex offenders would be excluded.

That goes too far, Sumner said in rejecting Deputy Atty. Gen. Maria Chans argument that the ballot measure gave state officials broad discretion to exclude any class of offenders whose release might harm public safety.

If the voters had intended to exclude all registered sex offenders from early parole consideration under Proposition 57, they presumably would have said so, Sumner said.

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He said the scope of exclusions should be narrowed to only those now serving time for a violent sex offense. And he said the Corrections Department must better define what falls into that category.

The judge said those who already served their time for a sex crime, even a violent one, and now are imprisoned for a different crime should be eligible for early release.

That could allow earlier parole for more than half of the 20,000 sex offenders now serving time, said Janice Bellucci, a Sacramento attorney and president of California Reform Sex Offender Laws. Her lawsuit on behalf of sex offenders argued that the rules conflict with the ballot measures language and voters intent in approving Proposition 57.

Bellucci argued the measure requires earlier parole consideration for any sex crime not on the states narrow list of 23 violent felonies, which includes murder, kidnapping and forcible rape.

That could allow earlier parole for those convicted of raping a drugged or unconscious victim, intimately touching someone who is unlawfully restrained, incest, pimping a minor, indecent exposure and possessing child pornography.

The judge said corrections officials can make the case for excluding those offenders as they rewrite the regulations, but Bellucci said she will sue again if officials go too far.

Until they figure something else out, they have to consider anybody convicted of a nonviolent offense even if it was a sex offense, Bellucci said outside the courtroom. We believe weve won a battle, but the war continues.

Opponents of Proposition 57 had argued the language was so broad it could include sex offenders among those eligible for early release. They used the example of Brock Turner as someone who could benefit from a loose interpretation of violent crimes.

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The former Stanford swimmer was convicted of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman outside a campus fraternity party. He was given a prison sentence of three months, which critics said was far too lenient.

Santa Clara County Judge Aaron Persky, who imposed Turners sentence, is now facing a recall election in June over his handling of the case.

Corrections officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment or say whether they plan to appeal. They also did not provide an estimate of how many offenders might be affected.
Before daybreak one morning this week, 61-year-old Douglas Schifter posted a note on Facebook in which he excoriated politicians and corporations for deregulating his industry and destroying his ability to make a living as a car-service driver in New York.

I will not be a slave working for chump change, he wrote. I would rather be dead.

Then he drove his rented gray Nissan sedan to the east gate of New Yorks City Hall, and minutes after the sun came up, without leaving his seat, shot himself in the head.

Schifter was at least the second New York driver-for-hire in recent months to commit suicide, motivated, at least in part, by economic desperation. His death on Monday has become a rallying cry for taxi and livery drivers whose livelihoods have been swept away by the forces of the modern economy.

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In the days after the suicide, drivers have amplified their calls for government regulation aimed at reducing competition to boost their wages. They held vigils and news conferences. Black Car News, the trade publication for which Schifter had penned columns for several years, announced it would dedicate its March issue to him.

In New York, the city that made the yellow taxi a global icon, being a cabbie simply doesnt offer the living it used to.

Theres no money in driving anymore, said John McDonagh, 63, one of New Yorks most well-known taxi drivers, who started out in 1977 and today performs a one-man, off-Broadway play about life behind the wheel.

Under a system that originated during the Depression, the city caps the number of medallions  each taxi is required to have one  at 13,587.

The citys Taxi and Limousine Commission issues licenses, sets fare rates and other rules, and oversees the sale of medallions. In addition to yellow cabs, it regulates private car services known as liveries; black cars; luxury cars; limousines; and green cabs, for street hails outside of Manhattan.

Being a hack has always required hustle. Cabbies who dont own medallions start out in the red, forking over as much as $132 each day just to lease a yellow taxi. With gas and tolls, they might have to earn $175 before breaking even, which sometimes they dont. The hours are long, and the job can take a toll on health and family life.

But up until just a few years ago, drivers could still take home $150 or $200 after a 12-hour shift.

Those earnings offered a way out of poverty for many immigrants, who make up the vast majority of cab drivers in New York City.

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You say, Were going to make a better life. And it used to work, said Saibou Sidibe, 47, who immigrated to the U.S. from Ivory Coast in 2000. Im telling you, people used to take care of their families and even try to invest.

Before becoming a yellow cab driver in 2002, Sidibe struggled to find good-paying work, because he spoke poor English.

When I started, the business was really good and we were making money  money to feed family, pay your bills, Sidibe said.

Now hes looking for a new job. The industry has changed dramatically in recent years, as mobile apps for private rides have proliferated.

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Uber began operating in New York in 2011. Though the company was the subject of legal disputes, including whether its technology could be used to hail yellow cabs and its role in diminishing the value of taxi medallions, it has largely prevailed.

In 2015 Mayor Bill de Blasio proposed a cap on Ubers growth, pending a study of traffic patterns, but he backed down after the company blitzed local airwaves with ads and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo intervened to oppose the bill.

Today, there are more than 100,000 for-hire vehicles in New York, according to the Taxi and Limousine Commission. Thats up from just under 40,000 in 2011. Yellow cab drivers now say theyre lucky if they come off a shift with $100 in their pocket.

Neil Weiss, editor and publisher of Black Car News, said that not only are more drivers competing for passengers, but the extra traffic means fewer trips a day.

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Its not just yellow cab drivers who have been affected. Livery, black car and luxury vehicle drivers are having a hard time too, as are the drivers for mobile apps.

Sonam Lama, 34, an immigrant from Nepal, started driving a yellow taxi in 2014 but shifted to Uber less than a year later. At first, he said, he could work 40 or 50 hours a week and make up to $2,000 before expenses.

Then Uber started lowering its rates, and more and more drivers came on board, limiting how much Lama could make.

This morning, I drove six hours, Lama said on Tuesday. I only got one fare.

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His total earnings: $46.74.

Driver after driver said the money they can earn today is not enough to live on.

What we have seen in the gig economy is the destruction of full-time work, said Bhairavi Desai, executive director of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, at a vigil Tuesday for Schifter.

Desai said that about a year and a half ago she began receiving phone calls from drivers who were depressed, and she started giving out the number for a suicide hotline.

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Danilo Corporan, 57, a for-hire driver in Harlem, jumped off the roof of his apartment building in December after facing the revocation of his license for accepting illegal hails. The charges were dropped, but Corporan didnt know it then.

At around the same time Schifter became increasingly desperate.

A lifelong bachelor and Brooklyn native, he had started out driving a yellow cab but eventually turned to luxury chauffeuring, according to his brother George. In recent years, he had been living out of his vehicle on weekdays, showering at truck stops and gyms and alternating dry-cleaned suits to work as much as possible.

When Schifters 2016 Yukon Denali XL engine failed for the second time last October, he didnt have the money to fix it.

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That was the straw that broke the camels back, George said.

His brother couldnt work anymore, and stopped making payments on his home in Thornhurst, Pa., a Pocono Mountains retreat where Schifter liked to keep the cupboards stocked, fire up the grill and make his own ice cream.

He began spending more time in Florida, where two brothers and his mother live, but he talked about ending his life.

Schifter loved being a chauffeur because he enjoyed the independence and the chance to meet interesting passengers, especially musicians, actors and politicians, according to George.

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Douglas wanted to keep driving, he said.

nina.agrawal@latimes.com

Twitter: @AgrawalNina
They were getting married Sunday at noon, but their Friday morning Spirit Airlines flight to Las Vegas from Tampa Bay, Fla.  with a connector in Detroit  had been canceled. Stormy weather, they were told.

Quickly, they booked a direct flight on Southwest Airlines. Chapel of the Flowers was expecting them, and there was no way Davis Clayton and Ashley Delong were going to let flight complications delay a lifetime of wedded bliss. Or incur the chapels rescheduling fee.

Spots were scarce. Middle seats only for the long flight. So they settled into separate rows. Clayton said he figured some good karma had to be coming their way.

When they landed, their friend, Colin Means, spotted good fortune just beyond the Hot Roulette penny slot machine, baggage carousel No. 5 and the currency exchange booth: a pop-up marriage license office. Outside, a pair of floor waxers glided like Zambonis past rows of chairs and loud ads for David Copperfield, Chicago and a Beatles tribute show blared across the airport floor.

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All credit to me, Means said. They can thank me later.

The couple walked past the cardboard cutout of a happy bride and groom and into the small office. A row of clipboards, pens adorned with roses and glass trays filled with chocolates rested on the counter. Heart-shaped balloons floated inside the office. Bring your own baggage to the marriage, however.

Identifications were checked. Signatures were given. The credit card payment of $79.79  no cash allowed  made it official. Within 15 minutes, Clayton and Delong were legal to be married. All that was left was the ceremony at Chapel of the Flowers.

Las Vegas and weddings may be one of the citys strongest marriages of economics and marketing. The Clark County Marriage License Bureau issues about 80,000 marriage licenses a year, and the agency is one of the busiest in the nation. Around Valentines Day  on the holiday and a few days leading up to it  the volume of marriage licenses issued doubles, with about 1,500 doled out.

And Vegas doesnt scrimp on the ways couples can get married, either. Conveniently  and obviously not unaware of this  the pop-up office offered brochures from the Elvis Chapel, Little Church of the West (complete with a coupon for a free bottle of champagne) and the Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel.

The licenses are accepted everywhere, however, and are valid for weddings within a year of issuance. So go ahead and take that license to the Cannibis Chapel for one of its weedings  if thats your thing. (Tie the knot in October and you can book weddings with romantic vampire themes.)

County Clerk Lynn Goya said the temporary office, which opened Friday, was looking for a way to help ease the volume of license seekers downtown while also offering convenience for couples during the busy Valentines season. It will close Feb. 19, but officials said the office is considering opening it up for other special occasions and holidays, including New Years Eve.

The temporary office certainly fed the image of Las Vegas being a place where love, convenience and quirkiness are mashed together like replicas of great world landmarks on the Strip: Hit the Eiffel Tower, the Brooklyn Bridge and the Venetian canals all before grabbing an In-N-Out Burger  all with a drink in your hand.

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The licensing office did not go unnoticed by bemused travelers who happened past it Friday morning.

Want to get married? a middle-aged woman said to the man walking with her. Couple of witnesses and there you go. He laughed. They opted to catch a taxi instead. A few people stopped to take pictures of it with their phones. One man wondered aloud if a divorce kiosk would be coming soon.

Freddie Kelley and Tamika Orr had just flown in from Detroit and were planning to get married Saturday. Orr said shed seen something about the marriage licensing at the airport and figured it made more sense than going to the clerks office downtown.

They had been together for seven years and there was no reason to delay things any longer than necessary. By their feet, their 3-year-old son played with a smartphone. Overhead, a voice was paging someone to a courtesy phone. The floor Zambonis waxed on in the background. The ads for Vegas shows replayed over and over. Copperfield. Chicago. Beatles.

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Kelley and Orr paid the fee and signed the forms while a voice from the public address system reminded people not leave bags unattended.

By noon, the office had issued licenses to four couples. Officials said they expected the volume to pick up over the weekend and on Valentines Day as word got out.

Blake Seddens, 21, and his fiance, Mandy Georgeson, 24, said they were going to be married on Saturday and had driven in from Clovis, Calif., to exchange vows. Because they had to pick up relatives flying in from Texas for the wedding, they pop-up office was a way to take care of two things at once.

But their relatives werent flying in until later in the afternoon, so they had time to kill in the airport. The slot machines  already an airport mainstay  beckoned. Vegas was built by promising a chance at quick wealth. Now it would try its hand at speeding up the road to everlasting love.

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david.montero@latimes.com

Twitter: @davemontero
Washington reporters are accustomed to document drops on Fridays, but it was President Trumps decision not to drop a document that made news this week.

Late Friday, the White House announced that Trump wouldnt approve the immediate release of a memo prepared by Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee. The memo rebuts the now-famous Republican memo prepared under the direction of Rep. Devin Nunes, the committee chairman.

Yet Trump had no problem on Feb. 2 approving the release of the Nunes memo, which purported to demonstrate a partisan taint in the surveillance of former Trump campaign advisor Carter Page.

Why was Trump so determined to get the Nunes memo into circulation? Maybe the answer can be found in the tweet he posted the next day: This memo totally vindicates Trump in probe. (It didnt, but that was what Trumps supporters had been saying, and apparently the president believed it.)

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Fast-forward to Friday night. In a letter to Nunes, White House Counsel Donald McGahn said that, although Trump was inclined to declassify the Democratic memo, he couldnt because it contained numerous properly classified and especially sensitive passages. The memo might be released, McGahn suggested, if the committee edited the document to mitigate the risks.

Attached to McGahns letter was a letter to him from Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein (recently the target of Trump loyalists) and FBI Director Christopher Wray. In their letter Rosenstein and Wray refer to problematic passages in the Democratic memo that might compromise intelligence sources and methods and ongoing investigations.

So maybe Trump is just deferring to intelligence and law enforcement professionals? But wait a minute. He released the Republican memo despite a statement by the FBI expressing grave concerns about material omissions of fact that fundamentally impact the memos accuracy.

Also, when Trump approved release of the Nunes memo on Feb. 2, McGahn wrote that the White Houses declassification review included input from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Department of Justice. Thats not the same thing as saying that Trump followed their advice.

Even without getting their 10-page rebuttal memo into public circulation, Democrats have done an effective job of portraying the Nunes memo as a misleading hit job. Trumps refusal to release their memo gives the Democrats a new argument: that the president is a hypocrite.

As Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer put it: The presidents double standard when it comes to transparency is appalling. The rationale for releasing the Nunes memo  transparency  vanishes when it could show information thats harmful to him.

If only the Democratic memo had contained the words Trump vindicated.

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To the editor: The economic and living conditions in the Gaza Strip have reached their lowest point since Ive been alive  and Ive lived most of my life in Gaza. (Neither Israel nor Hamas wants another war in Gaza. That might not be enough to stop one, Feb. 7)

There seems to be a consensus among the people of Gaza that this is the worst it has been by far. The reason for that is the cumulative effect of a 10-year-old blockade and three Israeli wars here, a situation that has been exacerbated by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas sanctions against Gaza to pressure Hamas out of power. Things will definitely get worse because of a critical cut in the funding the United States supplies the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.

If the extreme suffering here continues, the protests along our border with Israel will grow substantially. The situation is so dire that I wouldnt rule out the possibility of thousands of disadvantaged and destitute Gazans storming into southern Israel.

After all, desperate people have poured across borders before.

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Ali Adam, Gaza City

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
The White House has delayed the release of a Democratic memo on the government surveillance of a former Trump campaign advisor, saying that it contains sensitive information that would compromise national security.

In a letter sent Friday evening to the House Intelligence Committee, White House Counsel Donald McGahn said that Trump was inclined to declassify the Democrats 10-page document, but was holding back because of requested redactions from the Justice Department and the FBI.

Given the public interest in transparency in these unprecedented circumstances, the administration said Justice Department officials would consult with the committee on releasing a new version, McGahn wrote.

The decision came after FBI Director Christopher A. Wray and Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein sent a letter to the White House pointing out specific parts of the Democratic memo they said might compromise national security or intelligence sources.

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The letter says they enclosed a version of the memo, which was not released, marked to highlight information they thought could endanger protection of intelligence sources and methods, ongoing investigations and other similarly sensitive information.

The decision drew harsh criticism from Democrats and seems likely to exacerbate a deepening partisan divide on the House Intelligence Committee over the investigation into the Trump campaigns possible cooperation with a Russian scheme to interfere in the 2016 election.

The Senates senior Democrat, Charles E. Schumer of New York, said Trump had no such security concerns when he decided to release the Republican version of the memo.

The Presidents double standard when it comes to transparency is appalling, Schumer said in a statement. The rationale for releasing the Nunes memo, transparency, vanishes when it could show information thats harmful to him. Millions of Americans are asking one simple question: what is he hiding?

Republicans on the Intelligence Committee, led by the chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes of Tulare, have devoted much of their attention to questioning decisions made by the FBI and Justice Department in the course of the investigation.

Over the objections of the FBI and Justice Department, Republicans on Feb. 2 released a memo  written by Nunes staff  that criticized investigators actions in obtaining a secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act court warrant on Carter Page, a onetime Trump campaign advisor and energy businessman with ties to Russian authorities. He has not been charged.

The warrants were renewed three times, at 90-day intervals. The Nunes memo said all four FISA court applications were flawed because they relied heavily on intelligence gathered by Christopher Steele, a former British spy then working for an opposition research group under contract to lawyers for Hillary Clintons campaign. The GOP memo says FBI and Justice Department officials held back information about Steeles Democratic connections, and did not reveal Steeles personal loathing of Trump.

The president seized on the memo to discredit the special counsel investigation led by former FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III, claiming it totally vindicates him. Other Republicans said the Nunes memo had little relevance to the overall inquiry, which has so far produced two indictments and two guilty pleas, and includes an examination of whether Trump tried to obstruct justice.

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Democrats say the GOP version of events omitted key details to paint a misleading picture. The committees top Democrat, Rep. Adam B. Schiff of Burbank, said the Democrats memo contained additional facts that were necessary for the public to see that the FBI acted properly in seeking the warrants on Page. The Intelligence Committee voted Monday to release the memo, pending the security review.

Schiff said the Democrats take the concerns of Justice Department officials seriously and hope to work with them to get the document cleared for release.

The letter from the White House came after the Intelligence Committee released a transcript of the Monday meeting that showed how the tensions on the committee have boiled over into sometimes hostile sniping. When Schiff asked about making the transcript public, Nunes responded by asking whether he wanted to question the stenographer.

I have every confidence in the stenographer, Schiff said. She is not the one I am worried about in this room.

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joseph.tanfani@latimes.com

Staff writer Chris Megerian contributed to this report.

UPDATES:

7:45 p.m.: This article was updated with reaction from Democrats and background on the Nunes memo.

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This article was originally published at 5:55 p.m.
Allies balk at Trump administration bid to block Chinese firm from cutting-edge telecom markets By David S. Cloud Britain and Germany are balking at the Trump administrations call for a ban on equipment from Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, threatening a global U.S. campaign to thwart Chinas involvement in future mobile networks. Both countries are expected to limit Huawei and other Chinese companies from providing core components including routers. But other types of Chinese equipment for next-generation, high-speed communications could still be installed on British and German networks, officials and analysts say. The U.S. push to ban Huawei has provoked a global dispute in recent weeks, with senior U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo, publicly urging NATO allies in Europe to exclude the company and warning that the United States might limit its military presence in countries that did not do so. Read More Facebook

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Confucius Institutes: Do they improve U.S.-China ties or harbor spies? By Don Lee Hanging red lanterns welcome visitors to the University of Marylands Confucius Institute, the oldest of about 100 Chinese language and cultural centers that have popped up over the last 15 years on American campuses, subsidized by millions of dollars from Chinas central government. But last fall, when four U.S. Senate investigators walked into the Confucius offices in Maryland and spent hours questioning staff, they werent looking for an educational exchange. The committee has been seeking detailed information from the university about the program, including contracts, email exchanges and financial arrangements that school administrators have kept under wraps since it started in 2004. American colleges once viewed these jointly funded institutes as an economical way to expand their language offerings  one that could also bring warmer ties with China and, importantly, an influx of Chinese international students paying full tuition. Read More Facebook

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U.S. policy toward China shifts from engagement to confrontation By David S. Cloud For decades, China had no closer American friend than Dianne Feinstein. As San Francisco mayor in the 1970s, she forged a sister-city relationship with Shanghai, the first between American and Chinese communities. As U.S. senator, she dined with Chinese leaders at Mao Tse-tungs old Beijing residence. And in the 1990s, she championed a trade policy change that opened a floodgate of Western investment into China. Today the Democratic senator sees China as a growing threat, joining a broad array of Trump administration officials, national security strategists and business executives who once favored engagement with Beijing and now advocate a confrontational approach instead. Read More Facebook

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Mnuchins attempt to calm markets backfires as Trump takes another shot at the Federal Reserve By Jim Puzzanghera An attempt by Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin to calm plunging financial markets backfired Monday, further rattling investors with new fears about whether major U.S. banks have enough cash on top of worries about interest rates, political instability in Washington and a slowing global economy. Adding to the volatile mix was a fresh attack on the Federal Reserve by President Trump, who declared that the central bank was the U.S. economys only problem and that it didnt have a feel for the market. The Fed is like a powerful golfer who cant score because he has no touch -- he cant putt! Trump said on Twitter. Read More Facebook

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He speaks to Democratic hearts. But is Beto ORourke a serious White House contender? By Mark Z. Barabak Hes a failed U.S. Senate candidate with an undistinguished congressional record who, for the moment, is a blazing-hot 2020 presidential prospect  despite the fact that he may not run and faces long odds if he does. Beto ORourke suggests the will-he-or-wont-he speculation is something he himself cant quite fathom. I think thats a great question, he responded in a Dallas Morning News interview when asked whether his unsuccessful November Senate bid merited a promotion to the White House. I ask that question myself. Read More Facebook

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Russian disinformation teams targeted Robert S. Mueller III, says report prepared for Senate By Craig Timberg, Tony Romm, Elizabeth Dwoskin Special counsel Robert S. Mueller III. (Associated Press) Months after President Trump took office, Russias disinformation teams trained their sites on a new target: special counsel Robert S. Mueller III. Having worked to help get Trump into the White House, they now worked to neutralize the biggest threat to his staying there. The Russian operatives unloaded on Mueller through fake accounts on Facebook, Twitter and beyond, falsely claiming that the former FBI director was corrupt and that the allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 election were crackpot conspiracies. One post on Instagram  which emerged as an especially potent weapon in the Russian social media arsenal  claimed that Mueller had worked in the past with radical Islamic groups. Such tactics exemplified how Russian teams ranged nimbly across social media platforms in a shrewd online influence operation aimed squarely at American voters. The effort started earlier than commonly understood and lasted longer while relying on the strengths of different sites to manipulate distinct slices of the electorate, according to a pair of comprehensive new reports prepared for the Senate Intelligence Committee and released Monday. Read more Timberg, Romm and Dwoskin report for the Washington Post. Facebook

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President Trump announces Mick Mulvaney as acting White House chief of staff By Associated Press President Trump says budget director Mick Mulvaney will serve as acting chief of staff, replacing John F. Kelly in the new year. I am pleased to announce that Mick Mulvaney, Director of the Office of Management & Budget, will be named Acting White House Chief of Staff, replacing General John Kelly, who has served our Country with distinction. Mick has done an outstanding job while in the Administration....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 14, 2018 Facebook

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It aint over when its over: In Michigan, Wisconsin and elsewhere, losers seek to undermine election results By Mark Z. Barabak Democrat Gavin Newsom has yet to become California governor, but already a candidate for state Republican Party chairman is promoting a recall effort. In Michigan and Wisconsin, GOP lawmakers have rushed through legislation to thwart their incoming Democratic governors and hamper others in the opposing party from doing the jobs voters chose them to do. In Congress, GOP leaders have echoed President Trump and sought to undermine the legitimacy of Democrats strong midterm performance, raising unsubstantiated allegations of fraud and political malfeasance. Read More Facebook

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New CFPB Director Kathy Kraninger says she wont be a puppet of Mick Mulvaney By Jim Puzzanghera On her first full day leading the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Kathy Kraninger said she wont be a puppet of Mick Mulvaney, the controversial acting director whom she replaced in the powerful regulatory position. To underscore that point, the former White House aide said she would even reconsider a Mulvaney action that critics saw as a gratuitous jab at Democrats who championed the agencys creation: changing its name to the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. Kraningers declaration during a meeting with reporters Tuesday addressed one of the main criticisms of her selection. She is considered a protege of Mulvaney, her boss at the White House Office of Management and Budget who has executed a dramatic, industry-friendly shift at the watchdog agency. Read More Facebook

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Trumps pick for chief of staff, Nick Ayers, out of running By Associated Press Nick Ayers, right, with Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, at the funeral service for George H.W. Bush on Dec. 3. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Associated Press) President Trumps top pick to replace John F. Kelly as chief of staff, Nick Ayers, is no longer expected to fill that role. Thats according to a White House official who is not authorized to discuss the personnel issue by name and spoke on condition of anonymity. Ayers is Vice President Mike Pences chief of staff. The official says that Trump and Ayers could not agree on Ayers length of service. The father of young children, Ayers had agreed to serve in an interim capacity though the spring, but Trump wanted a two-year commitment. The official says that Ayers will instead assist the president from outside the administration. Trump announced Saturday that Kelly would be departing the White House around the end of the year. Thank you @realDonaldTrump, @VP, and my great colleagues for the honor to serve our Nation at The White House. I will be departing at the end of the year but will work with the #MAGA team to advance the cause.  #Georgia  Nick Ayers (@nick_ayers) December 9, 2018 Facebook

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U.S. hiring slows to 155,000 jobs, unemployment rate holds at 3.7% By Jim Puzzanghera Job growth slowed significantly in November but still was solid, indicating the economy remains in good shape but not expanding so quickly that it will lead to sharply higher interest rates. U.S. employers added 155,000 jobs last month, well below analyst expectations and a steep decline from Octobers strong 237,000 figure, the Labor Department reported Friday. Still, monthly job gains are averaging 206,000 this year, the best since 2015. Even the slower pace of 170,000 over the last three months is close to last years average of 182,000 and well above the amount needed to keep up with population growth. Read More Facebook

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Trump is expected to pick State Department spokeswoman for U.N. ambassador By Associated Press Heather Nauert at a briefing at the State Department on Aug. 9, 2017. (Alex Brandon / Associated Press) President Trump is expected to nominate State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert to be the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Two administration officials confirmed Trumps plans. A Republican congressional aide said the president was expected to announce his decision by tweet on Friday morning. The officials were not authorized to speak publicly before Trumps announcement. Trump has previously said Nauert was under serious consideration to replace Nikki Haley, who announced in October that she would step down at the end of this year. Trump has been known to change course on staffing decisions in the past. Nauert was a reporter for Fox News Channel before she became State Department spokeswoman under former Secretary Rex Tillerson. Facebook

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Senate confirms new consumer financial protection chief: Kathy Kraninger, protege of industry-friendly Mick Mulvaney By Jim Puzzanghera The Senate, in a party-line vote Thursday, confirmed White House aide Kathy Kraninger to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and experts predicted a continuation of the industry-friendly shift it has taken since President Trump installed an acting director last year. Kraninger is a protege of acting director and White House budget chief Mick Mulvaney, an outspoken critic of the agency that was created in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis to prevent predatory lending and other abuses that led to it. Democrats and consumer advocates have denounced him for sharply departing from the aggressive watchdog role the bureau had pursued under its first director, Obama-appointee Richard Cordray, including scaling back enforcement and moving to reassess tough new rules on payday loans and narrow the definition of abusive practices by banks and other firms. Read More Facebook

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Shutdown postponed by two weeks under plan approved by Congress By Erik Wasson Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), shown at the Capitol on Tuesday, says President Trumps border wall is a waste of money. (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) Congress passed a two-week stopgap spending bill that will delay the chance of a partial government shutdown until Dec. 22 as lawmakers and President Donald Trump negotiate over his demands to pay for a wall on the southern border. The House and Senate passed the measure Thursday without dissent, and Trump has indicated hell sign the bill before the current shutdown deadline of midnight Friday. Negotiations were delayed by memorial services this week for former President George H.W. Bush. The temporary measure gives Democrats and Republicans more time to find a resolution to their biggest hurdle: funding a wall on the U.S. Mexico border wall. Trump says he wants $5 billion for parts of a concrete wall on the southern border and is willing to shut down the government if he doesnt get it. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York has said Democrats will provide no more than $1.6 billion for border security, because the wall is a waste of money. The presidents demands for wall funding from Congress come after he said during the campaign that Mexico would pay for it. This week he said on Twitter that a $25 billion border wall would pay for itself in two months, without providing evidence. Most of the U.S. governments $1.2 trillion discretionary budget has been appropriated already by Congress for the fiscal year that began on Oct. 1. Departments at a risk of a partial shutdown late this month include the departments of State, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Treasury and Homeland Security. Talks to resolve the differences have been on hold since a meeting among Trump, Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California originally slated for Dec. 4 was postponed due to Bush memorial events. The three are scheduled to meet on Tuesday, according to a person familiar with the matter. Senate Appropriations Chairman Richard Shelby of Alabama told reporters the rest of the seven-bill spending package being negotiated is basically done. Shelby in recent weeks had tried to broker a compromise in which Trumps $5 billion request would be split over two years, but Schumer has rejected that. Some Democrats have been willing to trade border wall funding for deportation protections for young undocumented immigrants. Pelosi ruled out such a deal in remarks to reporters Thursday. The stopgap government funding measure also would extend the National Flood Insurance Program, which provides subsidized coverage for homes in flood-prone areas, to Dec. 21. Facebook

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Bipartisan Senate group wants to formally blame Saudi crown prince for journalists killing By Karoun Demirjian Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the G-20 summit in Buenos Aires. (Associated Press) A bipartisan group of senators filed a resolution Wednesday condemning Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as responsible for the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, directly challenging President Trump to do the same. This resolution -- without equivocation -- definitively states that the crown prince of Saudi Arabia was complicit in the murder of Mr. [Jamal] Khashoggi and has been a wrecking ball to the region jeopardizing our national security interests on multiple fronts, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said in a statement accompanying the release of the resolution. It will be up to Saudi Arabia as to how to deal with this matter. But it is up to the United States to firmly stand for who we are and what we believe. The resolution put forward by Graham and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who are expected to lead the Judiciary Committee together next year, comes just one day after CIA Director Gina Haspel briefed leading senators about the details of the agencys assessment that Mohammed ordered and monitored the killing and dismemberment of Khashoggi in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. Senators emerged from that closed-door briefing furious not only with Saudi Arabia, but Trump as well for dismissing the heft of the CIAs findings. You have to be willfully blind not to come to the conclusion that this was orchestrated and organized by people under the command of MBS and that he was intricately involved in the demise of Mr. Khashoggi, Graham said following the briefing, referring to Mohammed by his initials. He added that Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and Defense Secretary James N. Mattis, who briefed senators last week, were at best being good soldiers and at worst were in the pocket of Saudi Arabia for presenting the evidence of Mohammeds involvement as inconclusive. The release of the resolution condemning Mohammed also comes as the Senate is preparing to move ahead with debate on a resolution to curtail U.S. support for the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen. Though the Yemen resolution does not directly address Khashoggis murder, its popularity is a sign of how strained the United States patience with Saudi Arabia is on multiple fronts, including its role in worsening the civilian cost of the war in Yemen, cited by the United Nations as the worlds worst humanitarian crisis. Last week, the Senate voted 63 to 37 to advance the Yemen resolution past an opening procedural hurdle. But Graham and Feinsteins resolution on the crown prince has the potential of drawing broader support, especially from Republicans, who are deeply divided about how fiercely to punish Saudi Arabia over Khashoggis killing. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who has been an outspoken advocate for human rights and is seen as one of the more influential foreign policy voices in the GOP, did not vote for the Yemen resolution last week or sign on to a bipartisan measure last month to sanction Saudi officials and cease weapons transfers to the kingdom. But he is an original co-sponsor of the resolution condemning Mohammed over Khashoggis death. So is Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), who represents the other end of the GOP spectrum in terms of recent Saudi-related votes and endorsements. Young was an initial co-sponsor of the bill Graham wrote with Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) to sanction Saudi officials deemed responsible for Khashoggis killing and stop the sale of anything but exclusively defensive weapons to the kingdom until it ceased hostilities in Yemen. Young also voted to advance the Yemen resolution  something Graham did as well, though Graham has signaled he will not be lending any similar support to the measure, fearing it may establish a precedent of invoking the War Powers Act too broadly. Sens. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) are listed as original co-sponsors of the resolution condemning Mohammed, which also urges Saudi Arabia to negotiate with Houthi rebels to end the Yemen war, work out a political solution to its standoff with Qatar and release political prisoners. But how much sway the resolution has probably comes down to how forcefully the administration decides to heed it -- and thus far, Trump has not shown any interest in condemning the crown prince the way the senators hope he will. Demirjian reports for the Washington Post. Facebook

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Los Angeles County offices and U.S. Postal Service closed Wednesday in honor of George H.W. Bush By Brian Park The Honor Guard carries the casket of former U.S. President George H. W. Bush following his funeral on Dec. 5 in Washington, DC. (Doug Mills - Pool/Getty Images) The U.S. Postal Service will suspend regular mail delivery Wednesday, which President Trump has declared a national day of mourning in honor of former President George H.W. Bush. All retail postal outlets will be closed, and package delivery will be limited. In Los Angeles, all nonessential county departments, offices and libraries will be closed for the day, L.A. County officials said. The Los Angeles County Library said no overdue fines will be assessed for books, and due dates will be moved forward one week. Los Angeles County Department of Public Health offices also are closed Wednesday. The Sheriffs Department, Fire Department, clinics and hospitals will continue to operate, the county said. The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health clinics are being operated with reduced staffing, and the department asked patients to confirm or reschedule any appointments. All county courts and the disaster recovery centers for the Woolsey fire in Malibu and Agoura Hills will remain open. Larger federal government operations will be closed Wednesday. To honor the life and legacy of President Bush, the Postal Service will observe the National Day of Mourning. Learn how Postal operations will be affected. https://t.co/Mffch7bPCh pic.twitter.com/vG46BsIOpm  U.S. Postal Service (@USPS) December 4, 2018 L.A. County offices and libraries will be closed tomorrow (Dec 5) in observance of the #NationalDayOfMourning for President George H. W. Bush.



The Countys Disaster Recovery Centers in Malibu & Agoura Hills will remain open from 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. pic.twitter.com/Sv1J7GoJ7T  Los Angeles County (@CountyofLA) December 4, 2018 @LAPublicHealth offices will be closed tomorrow December 5 in observance of the national Day of Mourning for President George H. W. Bush. Essential Services including clinics and other services will remain open: https://t.co/tZGoGGHRlg pic.twitter.com/ypXsV6vlYY  LA Public Health (@lapublichealth) December 4, 2018 Facebook

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Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick to skip 2020 White House race, sources say By Associated Press Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick speaks during an interview in Boston on Dec. 15, 2014. (Elise Amendola / Associated Press) Former Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts will soon announce he wont launch a 2020 presidential campaign, according to three sources familiar with his plans. They did not say why the Democrat decided against a run. A formal announcement was delayed as the country observed a day of mourning for President George H.W. Bush, one source said. News of Patricks plans was first reported by Politico. Patrick, 62, served two terms as governor, from 2007 to 2015, was assistant attorney general for civil rights in the Clinton administration and since leaving the governors office has been a managing director for Bain Capital. Patrick traveled the country in support of Democratic candidates in the recent midterm election. Earlier this year, some of Patricks supporters and close advisors started the Reason to Believe political action committee, a grassroots organization dedicated to advancing a positive, progressive vision for our nation in 2018 and 2020. Reason to Believe PAC had been holding meetups across the country, including in early presidential primary states. While Patrick is opting against a 2020 run, dozens of Democrats are considering jumping in, including nearly a half-dozen members of the Senate, several House members, and other Massachusetts politicians. On Tuesday, Michael Avenatti, the attorney for adult film star Stormy Daniels and a vocal critic of President Trump, said in a statement that he would run. Patrick had previously expressed some concerns about breaking through if he sought the nomination, telling David Axelrod, a former advisor to President Obama, that he wasnt sure he could stand out in such a large field. Its hard to see how you even get noticed in such a big, broad field without being shrill, sensational or a celebrity, and Im none of those things and Im never going to be any of those things, Patrick said in a September interview with Axelrod. Facebook

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Former Trump adviser Roger Stone invokes 5th Amendment right and wont testify before Senate Judiciary Committee By Associated Press Roger Stone in 2017. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) Roger Stone, an associate of President Trump, says he wont provide testimony or documents to the Senate Judiciary Committee. An attorney for Stone said in a letter to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the committees top Democrat, that Stone was invoking his 5th Amendment right against self-incrimination in refusing to produce documents or appear for an interview. Stone has been entangled in investigations by Congress and special counsel Robert S. Mueller III about whether Trump aides had advance knowledge of Democratic emails published by WikiLeaks during the 2016 election. Stone has not been charged and has said he had no knowledge of the timing or specifics of WikiLeaks plans. In the letter to Feinstein, Stone said the committees requests were far too overbroad, far too overreaching and far too wide-ranging. Facebook

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Watch live: Vice President Pence and lawmakers honor George H.W. Bush at the U.S. Capitol before he lies in state Facebook

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Rebuilding crumbling infrastructure has bipartisan support. But who gets to pay for it? By Jim Puzzanghera The grades for major U.S. infrastructure would give any parent indigestion if they were on a childs report card. Roads: D; bridges: C+; dams: D; ports: C+: railways: B; airports: D; schools: D+; public transit: D-. The nations overall grade: D+, which translates to being in fair to poor condition and mostly below standards with significant deterioration and a strong risk of failure, according to an evaluation last year by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Read More Facebook

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Trump calls former lawyer Michael Cohen a weak person who is lying By Associated Press President Trump says his former lawyer Michael Cohen is lying to get a reduced sentence. The president is reacting to Cohens guilty plea Thursday to lying to Congress about work he did on a Trump real estate project in Russia. During a surprise court hearing, Cohen admitted to lying in testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee about a plan to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. Cohen in his guilty plea said he made the false statements to be consistent with Trumps political message. Cohens lawyer says he continues to cooperate with special counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs investigation into Russian election interference and possible coordination with Trump associates. Facebook

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As California Republicans confront a congressional wipeout, GOP leader Kevin McCarthy faces a reckoning By Mark Z. Barabak When the House voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Kevin McCarthy trooped with other Republican lawmakers to a splashy Rose Garden celebration, smiling alongside President Trump as they celebrated the moment. As majority leader, McCarthy had helped round up the votes to narrowly pass the hard-fought legislation, convincing 13 other California Republicans to go along, even though several faced tough reelection fights. Fewer than half will be returning in January. Read More Facebook

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As California Republicans confront a congressional wipeout, GOP leader Kevin McCarthy faces a reckoning By Sarah D. Wire When the House voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Kevin McCarthy trooped with other Republican lawmakers to a splashy Rose Garden celebration, smiling alongside President Trump as they celebrated the moment. As majority leader, McCarthy had helped round up the votes to narrowly pass the hard-fought legislation, convincing 13 other California Republicans to go along, even though several faced tough reelection fights. Fewer than half will be returning in January. Read More Facebook

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Michael Cohen, President Trumps ex-lawyer, pleads guilty to lying to Congress about Trump real estate project in Russia By Associated Press Michael Cohen, President Trumps former personal lawyer, pursued a Russian real estate project on candidate Trumps behalf well into the 2016 campaign, he said Thursday while pleading guilty to lying to Congress. Cohen had previously said that the project was abandoned in January 2016, but he now admits he continued to pursue a deal and says he updated Trump and members of his family about the negotiations, according to a new court document. Read More Facebook

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James Comey says acting Atty. Gen. Whitaker may not be the sharpest knife in our drawer By John Wagner Acting Atty. Gen. Matthew Whitaker speaks at the Justice Department in Washington on Nov. 14. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais / Associated Press) Former FBI Director James B. Comey apparently isnt too impressed with the mental prowess of President Trumps acting attorney general. Matthew Whitaker may not be the sharpest knife in our drawer, Comey said during a radio interview on Monday night in which he sized up the man Trump installed this month to replace ousted Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions. Comey was asked by WGBH News in Boston if he thinks Whitaker could derail the investigation of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Whitaker has spoken critically of the probe, and Trump  as recently as Tuesday  continues to call it a witch hunt. I think its a worry, but to my mind not a serious worry, Comey said. The institution is too strong, and [Whitaker], frankly, is not strong enough to have that kind of impact. He may not be the sharpest knife in our drawer, but he can see his future and knows that if he acted in an extralegal way, he would go down in history for the wrong reasons, and Im sure he doesnt want that, added Comey, who was fired by Trump last year and later wrote a book that portrays the president as an ego-driven congenital liar. Whitaker, a former U.S. attorney in Iowa, was Sessions chief of staff before being picked by Trump to lead the Justice Department. Trump has called Whitaker a very smart man. Earlier this year, Trump called Comey an untruthful slime ball. Wagner writes for the Washington Post. Facebook

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Interior Department watchdog clears Zinke in investigation of Utah national monument By Juliet Eilperin Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, third from the left, and Gov. Jerry Brown tour fire damage in Paradise, Calif., on Nov. 14. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) The Interior Departments Office of Inspector General has cleared Secretary Ryan Zinke in a probe of whether he redrew boundaries of a national monument in Utah to aid the financial interests of a Republican state lawmaker and stalwart supporter of President Trump. In a Nov. 21 letter to Zinkes deputy, David Bernhardt, Deputy Inspector General Mary Kendall wrote that her office found no evidence that the secretary or his aides changed the boundaries of Utahs Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in an effort to help former Utah state representative Mike Noel, who serves as executive director of the Kane County Water Conservancy District. Last December, Trump shrank the monument, first established by President Clinton in 1996, by 46% based on Zinkes recommendation. Noel owns 40 acres that had been surrounded by the monument, but now lies outside its boundaries. The new boundaries also would make it easier to construct the proposed Lake Powell Pipeline, which would deliver water to sites in Kane County that include Noels property. Earlier this year, the Interior Department had proposed selling off 120 acres of federal land from the former monument that lay adjacent to some of Noels land holdings, but later reversed the plan. We found no evidence that Noel influenced the DOIs proposed revisions to the [monuments] boundaries, that Zinke or other DOI staff involved in the project were aware of Noels financial interest in the revised boundaries, or that they gave Noel any preferential treatment in the resulting proposed boundaries, Kendall wrote. Neither the Interior Department nor the inspector generals office would release the actual investigative report. In the letter, Kendall writes that her office will provide the report to Congress no sooner than 31 days from Nov. 21, when it is provided it to Zinkes office. The Associated Press first reported the inspector generals conclusions Monday night, but did not provide details from the report itself. Noel emailed Zinke about the effort to alter Grand Staircase-Escalante, according to emails released by Interior under the Freedom of Informational Act. But those emails do not make references to Noels land holdings. Noel also pushed to rename a Utah highway in honor of Trump, but abandoned that effort in March after some of his fellow Republicans objected to the idea. Noel did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday. The inspector generals office still has at least two ongoing probes of the secretary, including one focused on his real estate dealings in Whitefish, Mont., and another regarding his decision to deny a permit to two Connecticut tribes who were hoping to jointly run a casino after MGM Resorts International lobbied against it. Interior Department spokeswoman Heather Swift welcomed the watchdogs conclusions. The report shows exactly what the secretarys office has known all along  that the monument boundaries were adjusted in accordance with all rules, regulations and laws, she said in an email. This report is also the latest example of opponents and special interest groups ginning up fake and misleading stories, only to be proven false after expensive and time consuming inquiries by the IGs office. But Kendalls spokeswoman, Nancy DiPaolo, defended the inquiry, even though she said the report has not been publicly released and we will not be speaking specifically about the matter at this time. The OIG opens investigations based on credible allegations and reports our findings objectively and independently, DiPaolo added. Any time or resources spent investigating conduct or activity that may be a violation of law, regulation or policy is a service to the public, Congress and the Department. Rep. Raul Grijalva of Arizona, the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, said in a statement that he still intended to investigate the way Zinke and his colleague redrew the boundaries for Grand Staircase-Escalante and another Utah national monument, Bears Ears, next year. I have great respect for the inspector general, and I accept these findings, but Secretary Zinke should have known the people he listened to while destroying our national monuments had disqualifying conflicts of interest, he said. Should I chair the Natural Resources Committee in the next Congress, the process he and President Trump used to destroy Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante will be front and center in our oversight and investigations efforts. We need to know why they ignored overwhelming public expressions of support for both Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante, why they ignored Native American tribes throughout their decision-making, and why they removed protections on parcels of land with known mineral deposits. Eilperin and Rein report for the Washington Post. Facebook

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Trump advisor Larry Kudlow says China must do more to end trade war By Jim Puzzanghera Larry Kudlow, President Trumps top economic advisor, said Tuesday that Chinas response to U.S. efforts to rework the two economic superpowers trade relationship has been extremely disappointing but the planned meeting this weekend between the nations leaders is an opportunity for a breakthrough. They have to do more. They must do more, Larry Kudlow, director of the White House National Economic Council, told reporters ahead of a Saturday dinner between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Group of 20 Summit in Argentina. I think the president is exactly right  to show strong backbone when prior administrations did not, to break through these Chinese walls, Kudlow said. Theyre so resistant to change. We have to protect the country. We have to protect our technology, our inventiveness, our innovation. Read More Facebook

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Watch live: White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders holds a media briefing amid tensions at the border By Los Angeles Times Staff Facebook

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Democrat TJ Cox grabs lead over Republican David Valadao in nations last remaining undecided House race By Maya Sweedler Democrat TJ Cox slipped past Republican incumbent David Valadao on Monday to take the lead in the countrys sole remaining undecided congressional race, positioning Democrats to pick up their seventh House seat in California and 40th nationwide. Cox, who trailed by nearly 4,400 votes on election night, has steadily gained as ballot counting continues nearly three weeks after the Nov. 6 election, a pattern consistent with the states recent voting history. On Monday, he pulled ahead by 438 votes after Kern County updated its results. Read More Facebook

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Former CIA director Michael Hayden hospitalized after suffering a stroke By Deanna Paul Then-CIA Director Michael Hayden testifies before a Senate committee in 2008. (Saul Loeb / Getty Images) Former CIA Director and retired Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden has been hospitalized after suffering a stroke, his family said Friday. He is receiving expert medical care for which the family is grateful, according to a statement issued by his namesake organization. The General and his family greatly appreciate the warm wishes and prayers of his friends, colleagues, and supporters. Hayden, 73, served as director of the CIA and National Security Agency during the George W. Bush and Obama administrations. He retired from the CIA in 2009. Hayden has been a vocal critic of Donald Trumps campaign and presidency. Earlier this year, after Trump decided to revoke the security clearance of former CIA director John Brennan, Hayden was one of several former intelligence leaders who signed a statement in opposition. Criticizing the president for crossing a line, he quickly became one of the individuals whose security clearance Trump threatened to review. Deanna Paul writes for the Washington Post. Facebook

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Trump tells troops hes thankful for what hes done for the U.S. and rails against courts and migrants By Associated Press President Trump talks with troops via teleconference from his estate in Palm Beach, Fla., on Thanksgiving. (Susan Walsh / Associated Press) President Trump used his Thanksgiving Day call to troops deployed overseas to pat himself on the back and air grievances about the courts, trade and migrants heading to the U.S.-Mexico border. Trumps call, made from his opulent private Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Fla., struck an unusually political tone as he spoke with members of all five branches of the military to wish them happy holidays. Its a disgrace, Trump said of judges who have blocked his attempts to overhaul U.S. immigration law, as he linked his efforts to secure the border with military missions overseas. Trump later threatened to close the U.S. border with Mexico for an undisclosed period of time if his administration determines Mexico has lost control on its side. The call was a uniquely Trump blend of boasting, peppered questions and off-the-cuff observations as his comments veered from venting about slights to praising troops  You really are our heroes, he said  as club waiters worked to set Thanksgiving dinner tables on the outdoor terrace behind him. It was yet another show of how Trump has dramatically transformed the presidency, erasing the traditional divisions between domestic policy and military matters and efforts to keep the troops clear of politics. You probably see over the news whats happening on our southern border, Trump told one Air Force brigadier general stationed at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, adding: I dont have to even ask you. I know what you want to do, you want to make sure that you know who were letting in. Later, Trump asked a U.S. Coast Guard commander about trade, which he noted was a very big subject for him personally. Weve been taken advantage of for many, many years by bad trade deals, Trump told the commander, who sheepishly replied, Mr. President, from our perspective on the water  we dont see any issues in terms of trade right now. And throughout, Trump congratulated himself, telling the officers that the country is doing exceptionally well on his watch. I hope that youll take solace in knowing that all of the American families you hold so close to your heart are all doing well, he said. The nations doing well economically, better than anybody in the world. He later told reporters, Nobodys done more for the military than me. Indeed, asked what he was thankful for this Thanksgiving, Trump cited his great family as well as himself. I made a tremendous difference in this country, he said. Facebook

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Trump contradicts CIA assessment that Saudi crown prince ordered Jamal Khashoggi killing By Josh Dawsey | Washington Post (Susan Walsh / Associated Press) President Trump on Thursday contradicted the CIAs assessment that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had ordered the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, insisting that the agency had feelings but did not firmly place blame for the death. Trump, in defiant remarks to reporters from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, defended his continued support for Mohammed in the face of a CIA assessment that the crown prince had ordered the killing. He denies it vehemently, Trump said. He said his own conclusion was that maybe he did, maybe he didnt. I hate the crime .... I hate the cover-up. I will tell you this: The crown prince hates it more than I do, Trump said. Asked who should be held accountable for the death of Khashoggi, who was killed at the Saudi Consulate in Turkey, Trump refused to place blame. Maybe the world should be held accountable because the world is a very, very vicious place, the president said. He also seemed to suggest that all U.S. allies were guilty of the same behavior, declaring that if the others were held to the standard that critics have held Saudi Arabia to in recent days, we wouldnt be able to have anyone for an ally. Trumps remarks came after he held a conference call with U.S. military officers overseas, during which he repeatedly praised his administration and sought to draw the officers into discussions of domestic policy. Facebook

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Former FBI Director James Comey gets subpoena from House Republicans By Bloomberg Former FBI Director James B. Comey said he has received a subpoena from House Republicans, according to a Twitter post on Thursday. Bloomberg News reported last week that Comey would be receiving a subpoena alongside former Atty. Gen. Loretta Lynch as part of continuing probes into their handling of investigations into Hillary Clinton and Russian election meddling, according to a top House Democrat. Happy Thanksgiving. Got a subpoena from House Republicans. Im still happy to sit in the light and answer all questions. But I will resist a closed door thing because Ive seen enough of their selective leaking and distortion. Lets have a hearing and invite everyone to see.  James Comey (@Comey) November 22, 2018 Read More Facebook

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Republican David Valadaos lead slips to 447 votes over Democrat TJ Cox in still-undecided Central Valley House race By Mark Z. Barabak Rep. David Valadao (R-Hanford), right, finds himself in an increasingly harrowing cliffhanger against Democrat TJ Cox. (Bill Clark / CQ Roll Call) On election night, it looked like Rep. David Valadao had survived a close shave and was destined to return to Washington for his fourth term. But on Wednesday, when Fresno County announced its latest vote totals, the Hanford Republican found himself in an increasingly harrowing cliffhanger against Democrat TJ Cox, with his lead in the Central Valley district shrunken to 447 votes. Thousands remain to be counted. Valadao, a repeated Democratic target, finished election night with a lead of nearly 4,440 votes. Cox, an engineer and a business owner who unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 2006, has steadily gained ground in the 21st Congressional District ever since. The trend is consistent with historic patterns showing Republicans in California tend to vote early and Democrats later, meaning their mail ballots continue to stream in past election day. Under California law, ballots postmarked up to midnight on Nov. 6 will be counted. Democrats have already picked up six House seats in California. They ousted Reps. Dana Rohrabacher, Mimi Walters, Steve Knight and Jeff Denham and won the seats of retiring Reps. Ed Royce and Darrell Issa. All six represented districts that backed Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump in 2016. Valadao was the seventh California Republican in a district Clinton won, though his previous successes  he last won reelection by a 14-point margin  suggested his ouster was a longer shot for Democrats. If Cox prevails, it would give Democrats a 40-seat gain nationwide, far more than the 23 seats needed to take control when Congress reconvenes in January. Facebook

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Trump says no new punishments against Saudi Arabia in Jamal Khashoggi murder By Eli Stokols In this Oct. 25 photo, candles are lit in front of a photo of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. (Lefteris Pitarakis) President Trump made it clear on Tuesday that he does not intend to punish Saudi Arabia or Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, an American resident killed by Saudi officials in Turkey in October. In a remarkable statement replete with exclamation points, Trump cast doubt on the CIAs reported conclusions that it has a high degree of confidence that the crown prince ordered Khashoggis murder and sent his closest allies to Saudi Arabias consulate in Istanbul to carry it out. Read MoreThis article has been updated with staff. Facebook

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Sixteen House Democrats vow to oppose Nancy Pelosi as next speaker By Mike DeBonis | Washington Post House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) Sixteen House Democrats said Monday that they will vote to deny Rep. Nancy Pelosi another stint as House speaker, a show of defiance that puts her opponents on the cusp of forcing a seismic leadership shake-up as their party prepares to take the majority. Their pledge to oppose Pelosi (D-San Francisco), both in an internal caucus election and a Jan. 3 floor vote, delivered in a letter sent to Democratic colleagues, comes as Pelosi has marshaled a legion of supporters on and off Capitol Hill to make her case. But her opponents said Monday they are convinced it is time to select a new leader. We are thankful to Leader Pelosi for her years of service to our Country and to our Caucus, they wrote. However, we also recognize that in this recent election, Democrats ran on and won on a message of change. Pelosi has expressed complete confidence that she will retake the speakers gavel in January  eight years after she lost it following massive Republican gains in the 2010 midterms and 16 years after she was first elevated to the top Democratic leadership post in the House. Come on in, the waters fine, she said Friday about a potential leadership challenge. The signers might not be able to force Pelosi out themselves. The size of the Democratic majority remains in flux, but Democrats have already won 232 seats, according to the Associated Press, with five races still undecided. All those races have Republican incumbents, but the Democratic challenger is ahead in only one of them. If the leads hold in the uncalled races, Democrats would have won 233 seats, a 16-seat majority. That means Pelosi could lose as many as 15 Democratic votes when she stands for election as speaker on Jan. 3. Read More Facebook

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Democratic senators sue over Whitakers appointment as acting attorney general By Associated Press Acting U.S. Atty. Gen. Matthew Whitaker (Nicholas Kamm / AFP/Getty Images) Three Senate Democrats filed a lawsuit Monday arguing that Acting Atty. Gen. Matthew Whitakers appointment is unconstitutional and asking a federal judge to remove him. The suit, filed by Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, argues that Whitakers appointment violates the Constitution because he has not been confirmed by the Senate. Whitaker was chief of staff to Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions and was elevated to the top job after Sessions was ousted by President Trump on Nov. 7. The Constitutions Appointments Clause requires that the Senate confirm all principal officials before they can serve in their office. The Justice Department released a legal opinion last week that said Whitakers appointment would not violate the clause because he is serving in an acting capacity. The opinion concluded that Whitaker, even without Senate confirmation, may serve in an acting capacity because he has been at the department for more than a year at a sufficiently senior pay level. President Trump is denying senators our constitutional obligation and opportunity to do our job: scrutinizing the nomination of our nations top law enforcement official, Blumenthal said in a statement. The reason is simple: Whitaker would never pass the advice and consent test. In selecting a so-called constitutional nobody and thwarting every senators constitutional duty, Trump leaves us no choice but to seek recourse through the courts. The lawsuit comes days after a Washington lawyer challenged Whitakers appointment in a pending Supreme Court case dealing with gun rights. The attorney, Thomas Goldstein, asked the high court to find that Whitakers appointment is unconstitutional and replace him with Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein. Rosenstein, the second-ranking Justice Department official, has been confirmed by the Senate and had been overseeing special counsel Robert Muellers Russia investigation. Whitaker is now overseeing the investigation. The Justice Department issued a statement Monday defending Whitakers appointment as lawful and said it comports with the Appointments Clause, the Federal Vacancies Reform Act and legal precedent. There are over 160 instances in American history in which non-Senate confirmed persons performed, on a temporary basis, the duties of a Senate-confirmed position, Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said. To suggest otherwise is to ignore centuries of practice and precedent. Facebook

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Gov. Rick Scott says Sen. Bill Nelson concedes Florida Senate race By Associated Press Republican Senate candidate Rick Scott speaks with his wife, Ann, by his side at an election watch party in Naples, Fla., on Nov. 7. (Wilfredo Lee / Associated Press) Floridas Republican Gov. Rick Scott says incumbent Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson called him to concede defeat in their extremely tight race. Scott issued a statement Sunday saying Nelson graciously conceded their Senate race shortly after the states recount ended. The final results show Scott defeated Nelson by just over 10,000 votes out of 8 million cast. Nelson is scheduled to release a videotaped statement later Sunday. The defeat ends Nelsons lengthy political career. The three-term incumbent was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000. Before that he served six terms in the U.S. House and as state treasurer and insurance commissioner for six years. Scott spent more than $60 million of his own money on ads that portrayed Nelson as out-of-touch and ineffective. Nelson responded by questioning Scotts ethics and saying he would be under the sway of President Trump. Facebook

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Orange County goes blue, as Democrats complete historic sweep of its seven congressional seats By Michael Finnegan Gil Cisneros defeated Republican Young Kim on Saturday in the last of Orange Countys undecided House races, giving Democrats a clean sweep of the states six most fiercely fought congressional contests and marking an epochal shift in a region long synonymous with political conservatism. With Cisneros victory, Democrats will constitute the entirety of Orange Countys seven-member congressional delegation, the first time since the 1930s that the birthplace of Richard Nixon, home of John Wayne and spiritual center of the Republican Party will have no GOP representative in the House. Sitting back in the 1960s, I would never have believed this would happen, said Stuart K. Spencer, a party strategist who spent more than half a century ushering Republicans, including President Reagan, into office. Read More Facebook

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Going, going ... with midterm wipeout, California Republican Party drifts closer to irrelevance By Michael Finnegan For a party in freefall the last two decades, California Republicans learned that its possible to plunge even further. The GOP not only lost every statewide office in the midterm election  again, in blowout fashion  but Democrats reestablished their supermajority in Sacramento, allowing them to legislate however they see fit After major defeats in Orange County and the Central Valley, two longtime strongholds, Republicans will have a significantly smaller footprint on Capitol Hill. (Democrats hold both Senate seats.) When the vote-counting is finished, the GOP may not even have enough lawmakers in Californias 53-member House delegation to field a nine-person softball team. Read More Facebook

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Congresswoman-elect Katie Porter says she will support Rep. Nancy Pelosi for speaker By Maya Sweedler Democratic Rep.-elect Katie Porter is congratulated by volunteers at her campaign headquarters in Irvine. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Congresswoman-elect Katie Porter said she plans to support Rep. Nancy Pelosis bid for speaker of the House and will make campaign finance reform her top priority when she enters the chamber in January. Im going to continue to have conversations, but so far I feel like Leader Pelosi is definitely making the things that were a priority to the families that elected me her priorities, including announcing her support for campaign finance reform and anti-corruption as HR1, Porter said in her first public appearance since being declared the winner in Californias 45th Congressional District on Thursday evening. It means a lot to me that she is a Californian. She understands our state, Porter added. When we talk about environmental protections, this is a person who understands as a Californian how fragile our environment is and whats at risk in things like drilling off our coasts. Porter, a law professor at UC Irvine, defeated two-term Republican Rep. Mimi Walters. The 45th District, covering inland Orange County, has never been represented by a Democrat. Porter became the third Democrat to claim a Republican-held seat in Orange County, following the victories of Harley Rouda in the 48th District and Mike Levin in the 49th. A fourth, Gil Cisneros, is running slightly ahead of his Republican opponent in the race for the open seat in the 39th District, which extends into Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties. Porter attributed the massive political shift in the county, for decades a conservative stronghold, to increased levels of political engagement. Folks here care about education, they care about the environment, they believe climate change is real, they want healthcare that protects preexisting conditions, they want a tax system that doesnt punish California, they want our schools and places of worship to be safe from gun violence, she said. Those are the issues we campaigned on, and to the extent that Donald Trump and Mimi Walters were on the wrong side of those issues, the voters have made clear what direction they want us to go. Porter was flying back from the East Coast when her race was called, she said. She turned on her phone to find 167 text messages from friends and supporters. Among them was Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who was one of Porters teachers in law school and with whom she has remained close. The pair spoke via FaceTime this morning, she said. Facebook

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Bitter battle for Senate seat in Florida goes to hand recount By Associated Press Employees look through damaged ballots during a recount Thursday in West Palm Beach, Fla. (Wilfredo Lee / Associated Press) Floridas acrimonious battle for the U.S. Senate headed Thursday to a legally required hand recount after an initial review by ballot-counting machines showed Republican Gov. Rick Scott and Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson separated by less than 13,000 votes. But the highly watched contest for governor between Republican Ron DeSantis and Democrat Andrew Gillum appeared to be over, with a machine recount showing DeSantis with a large enough advantage over Gillum to avoid a hand recount in that race. Gillum, who conceded the contest on election night only to retract his concession later, said in a statement that it is not over until every legally casted vote is counted. The recount so far has been fraught with problems. One large Democratic stronghold in South Florida was unable to finish its machine recount by the Thursday deadline due to machines breaking down. A federal judge rejected a request to extend the recount deadline. We gave a heroic effort, said Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher. If the county had three or four more hours, it would have made the deadline to recount ballots in the Senate race, she said. Meanwhile, election officials in another urban county in the Tampa Bay area decided against turning in the results of their machine recount, which came up with 846 fewer votes than originally counted. Media in South Florida reported that Broward County finished its machine recount but missed the deadline by a few minutes. Counties were ordered last weekend to do a machine recount of three statewide races because the margins were so tight. The next stage is a manual review of ballots that were not counted by machines to see whether there is a way to figure out voter intent. Scott called on Nelson to end the recount battle. Its time for Nelson to respect the will of the voters and graciously bring this process to an end rather than proceed with yet another count of the votes  which will yield the same result and bring more embarrassment to the state that we both love and have served, the governor said in a statement. The recount has triggered multiple lawsuits, many of them filed by Nelson and Democrats. The legal battles drew the ire of U.S. District Judge Mark E. Walker, who slammed the state for repeatedly failing to anticipate election problems. He also said the state law on recounts appears to violate the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that decided the presidency in 2000. We have been the laughingstock of the world, election after election, and we chose not to fix this, Walker said during a morning hearing. Walker vented his anger at state lawmakers and Palm Beach County officials, saying they should have made sure they had enough equipment in place to handle this kind of a recount. But he said he could not extend the recount deadline because he did not know when Palm Beach County would finish its work. This court must be able to craft a remedy with knowledge that it will not prove futile, Walker wrote in his ruling turning down the request from Democrats. It cannot do so on this record. This court does not and will not fashion a remedy in the dark. The overarching problem was created by the Florida Legislature, which Walker said passed a recount law that appears to run afoul of the 2000 Bush vs. Gore decision by locking in procedures that do not allow for potential problems. A total of six election-related lawsuits are pending in federal court in Tallahassee as well at least one lawsuit filed in state court. Walker also ordered that voters be given until 5 p.m. Saturday to show a valid identification and fix their ballots if they have not been counted due to mismatched signatures. Republicans appealed the ruling, but an appeals court turned down the request. State officials testified that nearly 4,000 mailed-in ballots were set aside because local officials decided the signatures on the envelopes did not match the signatures on file. If those voters can prove their identity, their votes will be counted and included in final official returns due from each county by noon Sunday. Walker was asked by Democrats to require local officials to provide a list of people whose ballots were rejected. But the judge appointed by President Obama refused the request, calling it inappropriate. Under state law, a hand review is required with races that have a margin of 0.25 percentage points or less. A state website put the unofficial results showing Scott ahead of Nelson by 0.15 percentage points. The margin between DeSantis and Gillum was at 0.41 points. The margin between Scott and Nelson had not changed much in the last few days, conceded Marc Elias, an attorney working for Nelsons campaign. But he said that he expected the vote tally to shrink due to the hand recount and the ruling on signatures. The developments fueled frustrations among Democrats and Republicans alike. Democrats want state officials to do whatever it takes to make sure every eligible vote is counted. Republicans, including President Trump, have argued without evidence that voter fraud threatens to steal races from the GOP. Facebook

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Democrat Gil Cisneros pulls ahead of Republican Young Kim as more votes are tallied in Orange and San Bernardino counties By Michael Finnegan Congressional candidate Gil Cisneros (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Democrat Gil Cisneros pulled ahead of Republican Young Kim in one of Californias undecided congressional races Thursday, an ominous sign for a GOP already reeling from its loss of four House seats in the state. In updated vote counts released by the registrars for Orange and San Bernardino counties, Kim fell 941 votes behind Cisneros in the contest to succeed Republican Rep. Ed Royce in Californias 39th Congressional District. The 39th straddles Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Orange counties. In another unresolved House race, Democrat Katie Porter pulled further ahead of Republican incumbent Mimi Walters in the 45th District, which includes Mission Viejo, Tustin, Irvine, Rancho Santa Margarita and Laguna Hills. Porter, a consumer attorney and UC Irvine law professor, is now 6,203 votes ahead. The Nov. 6 midterm election has been devastating to Republicans in California. If Cisneros and Porter win, the party will have lost six of its 14 House seats in the state, essentially a wipeout in every contest that both parties spent heavily to win. The three Republicans already bounced from Congress are Reps. Dana Rohrabacher of Costa Mesa, Steve Knight of Palmdale and Jeff Denham of Turlock in the San Joaquin Valley. Democrat Mike Levin won the seat of retiring GOP Rep. Darrell Issa of Vista in the fourth district flipped so far. Facebook

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Florida Senate race likely headed to second recount By Associated Press A Palm Beach County Sheriffs deputy walks past boxes of ballots before a recount on Nov. 15 in West Palm Beach, Fla. (Wilfredo Lee) Unofficial Florida election results show that the governors race seems to be settled after a machine recount but the U.S. Senate race is likely headed to a hand recount. Republican Ron DeSantis is virtually assured of winning the nationally watched governors race over Democrat Andrew Gillum. Florida finished a machine recount Thursday that showed Gillum without enough votes to force a manual recount. Unofficial results posted on a state website show the margin between U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and Gov. Rick Scott is still thin enough to trigger a second review. State law requires a hand recount of races with a margin of 0.25 percentage point or less. Counties have until Sunday to inspect the ballots that did not record a vote when put through the machines. Those ballots are re-examined to see whether the voter skipped the race or marked the ballot in a way that the machines cannot read but can be deciphered. The election will be certified Tuesday. Read More Facebook

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Pelosi says she has the votes to become the next House speaker By John Wagner Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi speaks during a news conference in Washington on Nov. 14. (Susan Walsh) House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi insisted Thursday that she has the votes to become the chambers speaker despite solid opposition from more than a dozen Democrats who want fresh leadership when the party takes control next year. I have overwhelming support in my caucus to be speaker of the House, the San Francisco lawmaker told reporters. I happen to think at this point, Im the best person for that. A vote within the Democratic caucus is scheduled for Nov. 28. The full House votes on Jan. 3 to elect a new speaker. During her remarks, Pelosi touted the size of the Democratic victory in the midterms, which she called almost a tsunami. With a few races still to be decided, Democrats are poised to pick up close to 40 seats in the chamber. Pelosi called that the biggest victory for the Democrats since 1974, when the Watergate babies came in. Pelosis comments come as she faces solid opposition from at least 17 Democrats, setting the stage for a battle over who will ascend to one of the most powerful positions in Washington. After a campaign in which some Democrats prevailed in competitive districts by promising to oppose her, a coalition of incumbents and newly elected members has denied her a smooth path to the speakership. The defections, if they stand, would leave Pelosi, who has led the Democrats for more than 15 years, several votes short of the 218 she would need when the full House votes for speaker Jan. 3. However, no Democrat has stepped forward to run against her for a job she held from 2007 through 2010. Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) told reporters Wednesday that shes being encouraged to stand for speaker if Pelosi doesnt have the votes. In an interview with the Washington Post on Thursday, she said she has been overwhelmed by the support from many of her colleagues for her possible entry into the race for House speaker. Over the last 12 hours, Ive been overwhelmed by the amount of support Ive received, Fudge said, adding that there are probably closer to 30" Democrats who have privately signaled that they are willing to oppose Pelosi. Things could change rapidly, Fudge said. Fudge, 66, a former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, said she is building a diverse coalition as she mulls a speaker run, talking with allies in the caucus, moderate Democrats and newly elected members. To this point, Pelosi has enjoyed the strong backing of the Congressional Black Caucus. On Thursday, Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), one of its members, wrote a letter to colleagues praising her insight, fortitude and strategic thinking and urging support for her speakership bid. Former Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr., an African American who is contemplating a 2020 presidential bid, also voiced support for Pelosi, praising her in a tweet as an architect of the recent midterm success. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), a leader of the resistance to Pelosi, said during an interview on CNN on Thursday that Fudge is the kind of new leader that we need in this party. Shes in touch with middle America. She understands what the American people want. Shes a next-generation leader that people will look to and say, Thats the future of our party, thats the future of our country, and thats exactly the kind of leader that I want to see as our next speaker. Wagner reports for the Washington Post. The Posts Robert Costa, Erica Werner, Mike DeBonis, Paul Kane and Elise Viebeck contributed to this report. Facebook

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GOP Rep. Jeff Denham concedes to Democrat Josh Harder in Central Valley race By Maya Sweedler Rep. Jeff Denham (Bill Clark / CQ Roll Call) Republican Rep. Jeff Denham has conceded to Democrat Josh Harder in the race to represent Californias 10th Congressional District in the San Joaquin Valley. It has been an absolute honor to serve our community and represent the Central Valley in Congress over the past eight years, the 51-year-old congressman said. The enormity of the responsibility was never lost on me. My wife Sonia and I look forward to starting the next chapter of our lives. Harder said he had spoken with Denham and the two were committed to a productive transition. Denham, an Air Force veteran, previously represented the region in the state Senate for eight years and founded a company specializing in plastic packaging used in agriculture. While a member of Congress, he sat on the Transportation and Infrastructure, Veterans Affairs and Agriculture committees. First-time candidate Harder was born and raised in the district. After graduating from Stanford University, he served as vice president of a Silicon Valley venture capital firm. Since moving back, he has been teaching at Modesto Junior College. Denhams House seat is one of four in California that Republicans lost in the Nov. 6 election, with two contests in Orange County still undecided as of Thursday morning. Jeff Denham called me this morning and we had a very productive conversation. I'm honored that I've been chosen to serve our community in Congress, and we're both looking forward to a productive transition that best serves the people of District 10.  Josh Harder (@JoshHarder) November 14, 2018 Facebook

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Democrat Katie Porter now nearly 3,800 votes ahead of GOP Rep. Mimi Walters By Maya Sweedler Rep. Mimi Walters thanks all of her supporters as she watches election results in Irvine on Nov. 7, 2018. (Alex Gallardo / Associated Press) Democrat Katie Porter opened a 3,797-vote lead Wednesday over Republican Rep. Mimi Walters in Orange Countys 45th Congressional District. In the neighboring 39th, Democrat Gil Cisneros has nearly tied the race against Republican Young Kim. Cisneros now trails Kim by a razor-thin margin of 122 votes. The 39th District straddles Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties; Wednesdays updated ballot counts came from the latter two. There are more than 202,000 ballots left to count in Orange County, which includes parts of seven congressional districts. The 45th is entirely in inland Orange County. In California, the ballots counted first tend to lean Republican and those tallied later skew Democratic. In the Central Valleys 21st Congressional District, Democratic challenger TJ Cox has pulled within 2 percentage points of Rep. David Valadao, who is serving his third term. The Associated Press had projected a win for Valadao on election night, but his 4,839-vote advantage has shrunk to 2,090. Back in CA-21, Valadao (R) wins a batch of ballots from his stronghold in Kings Co., but by a considerably smaller margin (14 points) than his previous ~30-point margin in the county. We're moving to Lean R from Likely R; today a bit scary for Valadao.https://t.co/WqJVUVkqGW  Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) November 15, 2018 A spokesman for Valadao told the Fresno Bee that the changes were expected and that [s]tatistically, David Valadao has won this race. Democrats in California have already flipped four House seats, defeating three Republican incumbents and claiming an open seat previously held by the GOP. Reps. Steve Knight of Palmdale, Dana Rohrabacher of Costa Mesa and Jeff Denham of Turlock have already lost their races, and retiring Rep. Darrell Issas San Diego County seat was claimed by Democrat Mike Levin. Facebook

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Trump aide departs West Wing after rebuke from Melania Trump By Associated Press First Lady Melania Trump. (Alain Jocard / AFP-Getty Images) Deputy national security advisor Mira Ricardel is leaving the White House, one day after First Lady Melania Trumps office issued an extraordinary statement calling for her dismissal. No replacement was named. Aides said Ricardel clashed with the first ladys staff over her visit to Africa last month. Yet it is highly unusual for a first lady or her office to weigh in on personnel matters, especially the presidents national security staff. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Ricardel would have a new role in the administration. On Tuesday, Stephanie Grisham, the first ladys spokeswoman, released a statement saying, It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House. President Trumps White House has set records for administration turnover. Ricardel was the third person to hold the post under Trump. An ally of national security advisor John Bolton, Ricardel began her service in the Trump administration as associate director in the White House Office of Presidential Personnel, then moved to the Commerce Department last year. Bolton brought her into the West Wing shortly after taking the job in April. He is traveling in Asia this week alongside Vice President Mike Pence. Facebook

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Race for House Minority Leader is Kevin McCarthys to lose By Associated Press (Bill Clark / CQ Roll Call) House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy is running to take over next years shrunken caucus in closed-door elections that will set the tone for the new Congress. The race for minority leader is McCarthys to lose Wednesday. But the California Republican, who is an ally of President Trump, must fend off a challenge from conservative Jim Jordan of Ohio. Jordan is a leader of the House Freedom Caucus. The two encountered questions and finger-pointing during a private meeting with lawmakers Tuesday night as the GOP sorted through the midterm defeat that put Democrats in the majority next year. Elections Wednesday will also determine party leadership in the Senate. Voting for the biggest race, Nancy Pelosis bid to return as the Democrats nominee for speaker, is later this month. Read More Facebook

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Melania Trump calls for the firing of deputy national security advisor By Justin Sink First Lady Melania Trump arrives at the Chateau de Versailles outside Paris on Nov. 11. (Alain Jocard / AFP/Getty Images ) First Lady Melania Trumps office said she wants Mira Ricardel, the deputy national security advisor, ousted from the White House. It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House, Trumps spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, said in a statement in response to a question about reports the first lady had sought Ricardels removal. Ricardel is the top deputy to national security advisor John Bolton. She drew the first ladys wrath after threatening to withhold National Security Council resources during Melania Trumps trip to Africa last month unless Ricardel was included in her entourage, one person familiar with the matter said. Grishams statement comes as several media outlets have reported that President Trump is considering a broader shakeup of his administration, including ousting Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. Sink and Jacobs report for Bloomberg. Read More Facebook

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CNN sues Trump over the suspension of Jim Acostas White House press credentials By Jim Puzzanghera CNN said Tuesday that it is suing President Trump and other administration officials over the decision to suspend the White House press credentials of correspondent Jim Acosta after a conflict at a news conference last week. The suit, to be filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, escalates an ongoing battle between Trump and the cable news outlet that he frequently accuses of disseminating fake news for its aggressive coverage of him and his administration. The wrongful revocation of these credentials violates CNN and Acostas 1st Amendment rights of freedom of the press, and their 5th Amendment rights to due process, CNN said in a written statement. If left unchallenged, the actions of the White House would create a dangerous chilling effect for any journalist who covers our elected officials. Read More Facebook

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Maxine Waters to take aim at Wells Fargo and Deutsche Bank as new head of House Financial Services Committee By Jim Puzzanghera Rep. Maxine Waters plans to zero in on two big banks  Wells Fargo & Co. and Deutsche Bank  when she becomes head of the powerful House Financial Services Committee. The Los Angeles congresswoman, now the committees top Democrat, is widely expected to gain the gavel after her party won control of the House in last weeks elections. While Waters has outlined a wide-ranging agenda, she said her focus on bank oversight will target two large institutions she has been tangling with for a while  including one, Deutsche Bank, that spills into her bitter feud with President Trump. With Trump in the White House, I know that our fight for Americas consumers and investors will continue to be challenging. But I am more than up to that fight, Waters wrote in a letter last week to her Democratic colleagues on the committee that was obtained by The Times. Read More Facebook

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Heres how a controversial voting system will decide a congressional race in Maine By Kurtis Lee For the first time in U.S. history, a controversial voting system known as ranked choice is being used to decide a federal election. Its happening in Maine, which adopted the system in 2016. Rather than marking a single candidate, each voter ranks them all, assigning a first-place vote, a second-place vote and so on down the ballot. Read More Facebook

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ACLU files suit to stop Trumps new asylum limits By Associated Press A group of Central American migrants march to the office of the U.N.'s humans rights body in Mexico City on Nov. 8. (Rebecca Blackwell / Associated Press) The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a legal challenge to President Trumps order denying asylum to migrants if they cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally. The lawsuit was filed Friday in federal court in San Francisco and argues the new rules are against the law. Attorney Lee Gelernt said the regulations will put families in danger. The suit seeks to declare the regulations invalid and wants a judge to stop the rules from going into effect while the litigation is pending. The new rules were spurred in part by caravans of Central American migrants slowly moving north on foot, but officials say they will apply to anyone caught crossing illegally. Officials say about 70,000 people who enter the country illegally claim asylum. The order invoked the same national security powers Trump used to push through his travel ban. Read More Facebook

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Trump on new acting AG: I dont know Matt Whitaker By Associated Press President Trump talks with reporters before departing for France on the South Lawn of the White House on Nov. 9. (Evan Vucci / Associated Press) President Trump is moving to distance himself from Matthew Whitaker as he faces criticism over his choice for acting attorney general. Trump told reporters Friday that I dont know Matt Whitaker and said he didnt speak with Whitaker about special counsel Robert Muellers Russia investigation. Whitaker has made public comments critical of Muellers investigation, and critics have called on Whitaker to recuse himself from oversight of the inquiry. Under former Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions, the investigation was overseen by Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein. Of the scrutiny Whitaker is facing, Trump said: Its a shame that no matter who I put in they go after. He also called Whitaker a very highly respected man. Whitaker was Sessions chief of staff before Trump made him Sessions interim replacement. Facebook

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Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg out of hospital after fall By Associated Press The Supreme Court says 85-year-old Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is home after being released from the hospital. She had been admitted for treatment and observation after fracturing three ribs in a fall. The court said Ginsburg was released Friday. Supreme Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg says she is doing well and working from home. The court had previously said the justice fell in her office at the court on Wednesday evening and went to George Washington University Hospital in Washington early Thursday after experiencing discomfort overnight. Ginsburg broke two ribs in a fall in 2012. She had two prior bouts with cancer and had a stent implanted to open a blocked artery in 2014. Facebook

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Gun-control activist Lucy McBath defeats GOP Rep. Karen Handel in Georgia By Associated Press Lucy McBath speaks during a rally for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams on Nov. 2 at Morehouse College in Atlanta. (Alyssa Pointer / Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) Democratic gun-control activist Lucy McBath has defeated Republican Rep. Karen Handel of Georgia in a suburban congressional district long considered safe for the GOP. Handel had to seek reelection after winning her seat last year in a close special election race against Democrat Jon Ossoff. McBath became an advocate for stricter gun laws after her son, Jordan Davis, was fatally shot at a Florida gas station in 2012 by a man angry over loud music the teenager and his friends were playing in a car. McBaths margin of victory was narrow enough for Handel to have requested a recount. The Associated Press declared McBath the winner Thursday after Handel conceded. Handel conceded in a statement Thursday morning, stating that after reviewing all of the election data, its clear she came up a bit short in Tuesdays vote. Handel congratulated McBath, offering good thoughts and much prayer for the journey that lies ahead for her. McBath, who is African American, declared victory Wednesday. Facebook

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Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg hospitalized after fracturing 3 ribs in fall By Associated Press Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Jacquelyn Martin / Associated Press) The Supreme Court says 85-year-old Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg fractured three ribs in a fall in her office at the court and is in the hospital. The court says the justice went to George Washington University Hospital in Washington early Thursday after experiencing discomfort overnight. The court says the fall occurred Wednesday evening. Ginsburg was admitted to the hospital for treatment and observation after tests showed she fractured three ribs. Ginsburg broke two ribs in a fall in 2012. She has had two prior bouts with cancer and had a stent implanted to open a blocked artery in 2014. Facebook

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White House suspends press pass of CNNs Jim Acosta after heated exchange with Trump By Associated Press The White House on Wednesday suspended the press pass of CNN correspondent Jim Acosta after he and President Trump had a heated confrontation during a news conference. They began sparring after Acosta asked Trump about the caravan of migrants heading from Latin America to the southern U.S. border. When Acosta tried to follow up with another question, Trump said, Thats enough! and a female White House aide unsuccessfully tried to grab the microphone from Acosta. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders released a statement accusing Acosta of placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern, calling it absolutely unacceptable. The interaction between Acosta and the intern was brief, and Acosta appeared to brush her arm as she reached for the microphone and he tried to hold onto it. Pardon me, maam, he told her. Acosta tweeted that Sanders statement that he put his hands on the aide was a lie. CNN said in a statement that the White House revoked Acostas press pass in retaliation for his challenging questions Wednesday, and the network accused Sanders of lying about Acostas actions. This conduct is absolutely unacceptable. It is also completely disrespectful to the reporters colleagues not to allow them an opportunity to ask a question. President Trump has given the press more access than any President in history.  Stephanie Grisham (@PressSec) November 8, 2018 Contrary to CNNs assertions there is no greater demonstration of the Presidents support for a free press than the event he held today. Only they would attack the President for not supporting a free press in the midst of him taking 68 questions from 35 different reporters...  Stephanie Grisham (@PressSec) November 8, 2018 As a result of todays incident, the White House is suspending the hard pass of the reporter involved until further notice.  Stephanie Grisham (@PressSec) November 8, 2018 Sanders provided fraudulent accusations and cited an incident that never happened. This unprecedented decision is a threat to our democracy and the country deserves better, CNN said. Jim Acosta has our full support. Journalists assigned to cover the White House apply for passes that allow them daily access to press areas in the West Wing. White House staffers decide whether journalists are eligible, though the Secret Service determines whether their applications are approved. Facebook

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Trump spars with reporters at post-election news briefing, ordering several to sit down By Associated Press  President Trump assails CNNs Jim Acosta at a White House news conference. President Trump sparred with reporters at his post-election news conference, ordering several to sit down and telling another hes a rude, terrible person. He told another reporter hes not a fan of yours, either. The presidents mood turned sour Wednesday after reporters pressed him on why he referred to a migrant caravan making its way to the U.S. on foot through Mexico as an invasion. Trump ramped up his anti-immigrant rhetoric against the caravan in the final days of the midterm elections. Trump was also pressed on why his campaign aired an ad featuring a Mexican immigrant convicted of killing American police officers and linking the mans actions to the caravan. Several television networks pulled the ad after airing it or declined to air it at all. Facebook

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Im living one hour at a time at this point By Christine Mai-Duc Republican congressional candidate Young Kim and gubernatorial candidate John Cox campaign in Rowland Heights. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Republican congressional candidate Young Kim greeted gubernatorial candidate John Coxs giant campaign bus, the words HELP IS ON THE WAY emblazoned across it, as it rolled into the parking lot outside her Rowland Heights field office. Standing beside Cox on Saturday, Kim predicted that a string of GOP victories Tuesday would start with voters repealing the gas tax hike. Can you imagine Gavin Newsom being our governor? Can you imagine Gil Cisneros being your representative? Kim asked the crowd, to loud boos and cries of Nooo! The former state assemblywoman who worked for retiring Rep. Ed Royce (R-Fullerton) is vying for his seat with Democrat Gil Cisneros. She led the crowd in chants of Enough is enough! and, though short-lived, Drain the swamp! Ive served you in Sacramento and Ive seen dysfunction personally, Kim continued. We cannot continue that route. She urged her supporters to stay and help make phone calls or walk neighborhoods. Lets get out there  the 72 hours is really critical. Its all going to come down to a few votes, it could be your vote, she said pointing to her left, then pivoting right, it could be your vote. So dont sit back and do nothing. Every night I go to sleep thinking, OK, how many more votes can I get or how many more people can I call tomorrow? Kim said. It can be physically exhausting but Im mentally, emotionally very energized. She listed off her events so far that day  and the next one she was heading to. Thats just what I can remember, she said. Im living one hour at a time at this point. Kims campaign invited press to two of her events on Saturday. After she was whisked away to her next event  a high tea fundraiser in Walnut, a couple dozen volunteers remained. John Freeman, a statewide field manager for the state Republican Party, tried to pump them up. This is the Super Bowl. Were not in an NFL stadium, were not getting paid millions of dollars, but you know what? Freeman said. Were walking on the field right now. This is that high-stakes-level game. Facebook

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Its going to be tough out there Democratic candidate Katie Porter speaks to volunteers in Mission Viejo. Jon Bauman, Bowzer from the band Sha Na Na, is in the background. (Victoria Kim / Los Angeles Times ) Judging from the cheers in the crowd, about half those assembled at Katie Porters campaign headquarters in Mission Viejo Sunday morning were old enough to remember 70s rock n roll star Bowzer from the band Sha Na Na. Jon Bauman, as Bowzer is known off stage, said it was her position on senior issues including retirement and social security that has him out supporting Porter over her opponent, incumbent Rep. Mimi Walters. I want you to make sure every phone is called and every door is knocked, he told the crowd of about 80 volunteers. There has never been a more important election. Both Bauman and his nephew, California Democratic Party Chairman Eric Bauman, were interrupted by yells from Trump supporters coming from an adjoining hillside. We love Trump, the voice cried out. We love him too, he makes great fodder, the younger Bauman retorted, before introducing Porter. Porter, a UC Irvine law professor and first-time candidate, acknowledged the uphill battle some of her canvassers might face in this more conservative end of the long-red Orange County district. I know its going to be tough out there, she said, motioning to the hillside. But she said the attacks meant the other side viewed her campaign as a significant threat. This election is going to be close, she said. If we dont fight all the way to the finish line, until 8 oclock on Tuesday, this could slip away. Bowzer then took to a keyboard piano to lead the crowd in a reworded rendition of the song Good Night Sweetheart: Good night, Mimi Walters, he crooned. A woman in a black tank top, jeans and flip flops holding a cup of coffee later joined the crowd with her two sons, 17 and 14, the younger one wearing a Trump 2016 T-shirt. She declined to give her name, saying she was concerned about being attacked, but said she lived up the hill and said she had been the one yelling. She said she was encouraging her sons to talk to people on both sides and make up their own minds. We need to have a government that runs the way government teachers are telling kids its supposed to be run, said the woman, a retired registered dental assistant who voted early for Mimi Walters. Referring to Democrats, she said: Theyve had control over all these years and Californias gone to crap. Among those canvassing was Stacie Campbell, 37, who was at the launch with her husband Jerome and three children, the youngest of whom was 2 months old. Campbell, a Mission Viejo resident who runs a business, had never canvassed or volunteered for campaigns before, and her husband is a French citizen and unable to vote. She said they had been talking to their children  the older ones are 5 and 2  about the presidency and the government since Trumps election. Together, they worked on homemade Katie Porter lawn signs and put them up around town. This is the first time its felt like a big deal and there isnt a president up for election, she said. Because her city is a mix of conservatives and liberals  her next-door neighbor is an NRA-supporting Republican  she the race felt m
With LGBTQ characters showing up more and more in television shows, movies, even comics, and more personalities and athletes coming out, gay youth are increasingly accepted, according to a university professor who spoke at Buena Vista Branch Library Wednesday.

However, many young people still fear coming out to their parents, added Ritch Savin-Williams, a professor of human development and director of the Sex and Gender Lab at Cornell University.

His program, titled Gay Youth Today, Are They Us? was coordinated by Burbank librarian Hubert Kozak, and the title was suggested by Savin-Williams.

I like [the title] because the us is broad enough that it could refer to any of us, an older gay generation, parents, straight people and even gay youth today, Kozak said before the event, which was sponsored by the Burbank Public Library, Burbank Unified School District and the new Burbank PFLAG.

Are they us? is also a question that suggests why we are all here tonight. Curious to know if our own life experiences represent the continuity of experience, outlook and feelings with a new generation of gay youth, and I hope that some of those young people who are here tonight were wondering if their experiences are the same as the gay generation that came before them.

Many young people are afraid to come out to their parents because they fear being kicked out of their home, Savin-Williams said, but that rarely occurs.

I just think that parents get an incredibly bad rap in some of this, as if they were so shallow as to suddenly unlove their kid, he said.

Savin-Williams talk was based on research he conducted as part of several projects from 2008 to 2014. He interviewed men between 17 and 30 years old  with the average age being 21  across the country.

He interviewed men who were gay, straight and bisexual.

He said most young people know deep down how their parents are going react, because its not like theyve been raised by strangers, Savin-Williams said.

He said men usually come out to their mothers first, and the moms usually suspect their child is gay. But its mothers who often have the most extreme reactions.

Young men usually wait to tell their fathers, if they ever tell them at all.

He said most parents arent upset that their child is gay, but theyre afraid their childs life is going to be harder than if he were straight.

Savin-Williams said most of the fear of coming out comes from the gay community, particularly gay activities, who share their traumatic stories of coming out.

These are horrific stories, and I think part of it is the Internet, unfortunately, sort of delivers this message, he said.

So then many young people dread coming to their families, but their reaction is almost always acceptance  a totally different response than what the troubling stories had led them to expect.

But overall, research shows that acceptance of the LGBTQ community is high among all ages and keeps increasing.

Its a revolution, Savin Williams said. I never would have imagined that when I was growing up.

mark.kellam@latimes.com

Twitter: @lamarkkellam
A North Hollywood man was arrested by Burbank Police last Friday after he reportedly exposed his genitals to a group of students at John Burroughs High School.

Eric Beal, 31, is accused of exposing himself to four students in the girls locker room at the school. Sgt. Derek Green, a spokesman for the Burbank Police Department, said the incident occurred around 8:10 p.m., following a girls water polo practice.

A man allegedly entered the locker room, flashed his genitals and fled the area.

Officers were able to locate a man matching the flashers description walking away from the school. He was identified as Beal and placed under arrest.

He has since been charged with four counts of annoying a child and indecent exposure. He is being held in lieu of $26,000 bail.

andy.nguyen@latimes.com

Twitter: @Andy_Truc
Sean Sigler, a Burbank teacher accused of engaging in unlawful sexual intercourse with a former student, pleaded not guilty Friday of engaging in any such contact with the girl.

The 53-year-old was arrested last month after the 17-year-old ex-student accused him of engaging in inappropriate sexual contact with her when she was 15. He now faces 21 felony charges including four counts of using a minor for sex acts, three counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a person under 16 and one count of possessing over 600 images of child pornography, according to the Los Angeles County district attorneys office.

Sigler faces more than 16 years in prison if convicted and is currently being held on $550,000 bail.

According to the Burbank Police Department, Sigler met the girl when he was employed by the Los Angeles Unified District as a teacher at Gardner Street Elementary School and she was his fifth-grade student. Sigler and the student had maintained a personal relationship over the years since then, the department said.

The district attorneys office said the alleged crimes took place between September 2016 and last December. There is no information to suggest that anything sexually inappropriate happened earlier, according to authorities.

Sgt. Derek Green, a spokesman for Burbank police, said last month there is nothing to suggest the incidents happened on a Burbank Unified School District campus. However, theyre believed to have occurred within the city.

Sigler, a Burbank resident, worked for Los Angeles Unified from March 1998 to June 2016. Since 2016, he has been employed as a fifth-grade teacher at Bret Harte Elementary in Burbank.

He has been on leave from Burbank Unified since his arrest. Matt Hill, Burbank Unifieds superintendent, said last month the district will cooperate with authorities and conduct its own internal investigation of Sigler.

andy.nguyen@latimes.com

Twitter: @Andy_Truc
Prada Spirit, a pop-up store, will offer exclusive products at South Coast Plaza through Feb. 19.

Company representatives say the 26-square-meter store represents a new step forward in the exploration of alternative shopping experiences.

Z Supply opens first store in Newport Beach

Z Supply, an online clothing brand, has opened a temporary store in Fashion Island.

The location is the first dedicated space for the label, which focuses on wardrobe basics.

Vessel documentation company opens

Reliable Documentation recently opened an office at 1901 Newport Blvd., Suite 27, in Costa Mesa.

The company run by Kathi Ford provides vessel documentation and registration services.

Costa Mesa circuit board maker buys N.Y. firm

TTM Technologies, a Costa Mesa-based circuit board manufacturer, is buying Anaren Inc. for $775 million, according to a news release.

New York-based Anaren makes radio frequency components and subsystems for the aerospace, defense, networking and communications markets.

The sale is subject to regulatory approvals.

Costa Mesa-based Mothers Market expands to Signal Hill

Mothers Market and Kitchen, a Costa Mesa-based natural and organic foods retailer, has opened a new store in Signal Hill.

The 13,000-square-foot store will employ 100 workers. A grand opening is planned for Feb. 17.

Learning Center opens in Newport Beach

Mathnasium has opened a new franchise learning center at 2610 E. Coast Hwy. in Newport Beach.

The center serves children in grades 2-12.

Newport Beach firm buys Las Vegas buildings

Newport Beach-based BKM Capital Partners has acquired a cluster of industrial buildings in Las Vegas near McCarran International Airport, according to a news report.

The sale for 13 buildings and a 4-acre parking lot was $92 million  the biggest in terms of size and price in the companys history, according to a director who spoke with the Las Vegas Review Journal. BKM plans to make various upgrades to the buildings.

Pasadena firm acquires Newport-based Bridgenet

Bridgenet International, a Newport Beach-based airplane noise and airspace issues consultant, has been acquired by Tetra Tech.

Tetra Tech, a Pasadena-based construction and engineering management firm, did not disclose terms of the transaction.
A claim filed by a former Newport Beach assistant city attorney accuses her one-time boss, City Attorney Aaron Harp, of discrimination and creating a hostile workplace.

The City Council is scheduled to take up the matter Tuesday in the closed portion of its meeting under the agenda heading anticipated litigation. A claim is a precursor to a possible lawsuit.

In her complaint, lodged in May with the state Department of Fair Employment and Housing, Leonie Mulvihill, who worked for the city from December 2009 to January 2017, alleged ageism and sexism during years of mistreatment and retaliation from Harp.

She also accused the city of failing to investigate allegations she made against Harp in 2016, which she said prompted her to leave for a similar job with the city of Anaheim.

Mulvihill, who is older than 40, detailed work reassignments and exclusion from previous duties, along with deteriorating performance reviews and a pattern of abuse that she said caused other employees to leave.

The claim did not request damages. Mulvihill has one year from the date of the filing to sue.

Harp denied wrongdoing in a statement Thursday night.

I was surprised and disappointed that Ms. Mulvihill decided to file a claim against the city of Newport Beach, he said. I always thought we had a mutual and professional respect for each other. The allegations in her claim are untrue and do not reflect my understanding of Ms. Mulvihills experience working at the city.

Harp became Newports city attorney in September 2011 after a stint in the Anaheim city attorneys office.

Early on, Mulvihill said, Harp told her that his approach to handling problem employees was to ride them until they quit or get fired.

In 2012, she said, she was no longer invited to interview potential counsel, as she had previously, after she challenged Harp on his statements about projects she was working on. Apparently, Harp could not understand her projects, according to the claim.

Coincidentally, the claim stated, she received a performance evaluation two months before her usual annual review. Two months later, her regular review said she was only meeting expectations, in contrast to her evaluations before Harp, which she said were always excellent.

In 2013, according to the claim, Harp went on vacation and did not assign her the duties of acting city attorney, instead assigning them to a lower-ranking deputy city attorney.

In 2014, Harp reassigned her from land use and planning to risk management and litigation, giving planning assignments to a male attorney with less experience in the area, she said.

When Mulvihill was named Employee of the Year in 2015, Harp did not attend the award presentation, she said.

Mulvihill said she spoke to Harp in 2016 about the way attorneys in the office were treating support staff. Mulvihill told Harp she was concerned about bullying and a hostile work environment for women.

According to the claim, he started questioning her about her work hours, which she said he did not do to younger male attorneys, and gave her a letter that summer saying her job performance was a problem. She wrote a grievance to the city and was interviewed by an outside investigator in August 2016, but said she never heard anything further.

She said she also complained to the city in 2014 and got no response.

Ultimately, the claim stated, Mulvihill saw the writing on the wall as other women had seen and starting looking for a job elsewhere.

The city said in a statement that the 2016 investigation closed after months of work with the conclusion that Mulvihills allegations were unsubstantiated. He said she voluntarily resigned during the investigation.

Mulvihill also recounted female colleagues issues, including being transferred to another department after harassment from Harp, being suspended without sufficient cause and eventually leaving, though its unclear how many employees the claim was referring to because the document is redacted.

The claim also included an allegation of harsh treatment that led to the retirement of an attorney. Redactions make it unclear whether the attorney was a man or a woman.

hillary.davis@latimes.com

Twitter: @Daily_PilotHD
Huntington Beach Mayor Mike Posey held a town hall meeting Saturday focusing on housing issues, particularly legislation in Sacramento meant to encourage affordable options statewide.

The session featured presentations from Heather Stratman, chief executive of the Orange County chapter of the Assn. of California Cities; Cori Williams, Southern California director of Townsend Public Affairs, a legislative advocacy group; and Michael Ruane, executive vice president of National Community Renaissance, a Rancho Cucamonga-based nonprofit affordable housing developer.

The panelists summarized some of the 15 bills passed last year in the state Legislature meant to increase the supply and affordability of housing in California.

Analysts say California needs 180,000 new homes each year to keep up with its population increases. Last years slew of bills is expected to result in a fraction of that amount, but thats better than nothing, Williams said.

She said a bond going before voters in November and a new real estate fee could produce 14,000 new homes a year.

Posey, who became mayor in December, said he felt the Legislatures recent moves are hurting Huntington Beach by loosening the citys control on how it approves development. He didnt go into specifics but characterized the bills as the first shot across the bow toward Surf City losing local control as a charter city.

Stratman said affordable housing is a common issue among Orange County cities. She said an estimated 26,000 children in the county live without secure housing, instead living in garages, cars or going couch to couch.

Orange Countys high cost of living and strong job market continually cause many people to commute in from neighboring areas such as San Bernardino, Riverside and San Diego counties. The long commute takes a toll on employers and employees, Stratman said.

She urged the community to support a YIMBY sentiment  Yes in my backyard  as opposed to the more traditional NIMBY viewpoint.

Stratman said her group is working on a model ordinance for Orange County cities to support short-term rentals, which some property owners say are essential for them to afford their properties.

bradley.zint@latimes.com

Twitter: @BradleyZint
Ronald Spurlock, a pimp who goes by the moniker Ro Dinero, was sentenced Friday to 20 years and eight months in state prison for human trafficking, pimping and pandering involving more than a half-dozen women working in the sex trade across Orange County.

A jury found Spurlock, 39, guilty in March of two felony counts of human trafficking, four felony counts of pimping, eight felony counts of pandering  a legal term for recruiting someone to work in prostitution  and one felony count of conspiring to dissuade a witness from testifying, according to Orange County Superior Court records.

Spurlock also pleaded guilty in February 2017 to one felony count of possession of a firearm by a felon, according to the Orange County district attorneys office.

Newport Beach police detectives arrested Spurlock on July 17, 2014, in his $3,500-a-month, two-bedroom luxury apartment in a high-rise near John Wayne Airport.

In the months before his arrest, Newport detectives had pegged Spurlock as a key player in a lengthy drug investigation. They eventually determined that he was at the center of what appeared to be a lucrative sex trafficking and pimping operation, authorities said.

Investigators said they noticed that multiple women were frequently in Spurlocks company. They said they were able to identify some of them and match them to pictures found on a website known for prostitution advertisements. They said they watched while Spurlock and his 29-year-old girlfriend shuttled the women to and from appointments with prostitution clients.

One woman, who was in her 20s, told police that Spurlock knocked her down, savagely beat her and tried to strangle her when she declined to work at a strip club, according to a detectives testimony.

The woman said Spurlock followed her to Las Vegas in March 2014 and forced her into his car, Newport Beach Det. Elijah Hayward testified.

Hayward said the woman described the car peeling out of a hotel parking lot toward the desert while Spurlock flailed at her head and arm as punishment for hoing behind his back.

Orange County prosecutors contended that Spurlock was not just a pimp but a trafficker who controlled his victims through abuse.

Spurlocks attorney argued during his trial that the women could come and go as they pleased.

hannah.fry@latimes.com

Twitter: @HannahFryTCN
Authorities are searching for a Glendale pastor they suspect sexually assaulted a minor Wednesday night at a Covina hotel room.

Douglas Rivera is suspected of driving to the Vanllee Hotel and Suites just after 8 p.m., where he reportedly spotted a lit room with its drapes open and spied on two minors who were inside. Rivera, a 40-year-old resident of Baldwin Park, then proceeded to masturbate in his vehicle as he watched the minors, according to the Covina Police Department.

He then got out of his car and stood outside of the hotel room window, where he pretended to be on his phone. After 30 minutes, police said Rivera went inside the hotel and forced his way into the room where the minors were staying.

Covina police said the minors, reported by KTLA to be part of a tourist group from China, opened the door for him thinking it was their chaperone.

He assaulted one of the minors and then fled from the area in his car, authorities said.

Rivera is described as bald, having a stocky build with hair around his ears, a short beard and glasses. He was last seen wearing a tan or brown-colored suit with a blue and white striped shirt.

His vehicle is a new model Dodge 4500 Ram truck thats either black or dark colored with a flat bed and a large metal ramp.

Douglas Rivera was identified by police as a man they say sexually assaulted a minor in a Covina hotel room. (Covina Police Department)

Rivera is listed as a pastor of Gods Gypsy Christian Church, which worships out of Glendale City Church.

KTLA reported that police told the station that Rivera is a pastor.

On Friday evening, Glendale City Church released a statement on Facebook distancing itself from Rivera.

It said the relationship between the city church and Gods Gypsy Christian was simply lessor to lessee.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families, with the RYMM congregation, with law enforcement and with Rev. Rivera, according to the statement. We pray for justice and healing to win the day.

Anyone with information about Riveras whereabouts can contact Covina police at (626) 384-5665 or call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

andy.nguyen@latimes.com

Twitter: @Andy_Truc
About 500 protesters, requests for additional studies and more than six hours of deliberation could not temporarily stop plans to evaluate the renovation of the Grayson Power Plant, with City Council advancing toward a March 27 review of the projects final Environmental Impact Report, or EIR.

At a status update meeting Tuesday, council members voted 4-1 to keep the date because the EIR will provide council and the public with a full scope of data to make the best decision on whether to adopt the plans, pursue alternatives or halt the renovation altogether.

The final EIR will incorporate answers to about 1,200 written and voiced public comments about the proposed renovation.

The March review does not guarantee EIR certification and, depending on how the report is received, council members can still vote to pause the project if it doesnt meet their expectations.

If council votes on a temporary suspension, they could request that city staff arrange for a study on renewable alternatives independent of consultants Stantec, which is based in Canada, and Pace Global, which is based in Fairfax, Va.

Glendale Water & Power is pursuing a $500-million renovation of the nearly 80-year-old, gas-powered plant, which Steve Zurn, the utilitys general manager, has repeatedly said is currently inefficient and unreliable with seven of its eight electrical-generation units in need of replacement.

The project would provide about 250 megawatts of electricity to meet the utilitys peak load of 350 megawatts. The utility has reported 40 unplanned outages since May 2015.

Grayson also faces an air-quality risk assessment on current operations by the South Coast Air Quality Management District, which could result in a plant shutdown if the Glendale utility does not begin to mitigate its pollution by 2020, according to Karl Lany, an air quality consultant.

Still, according to the utility, the permitted emissions from the repowered plant would be greater than recent historic actual emissions from the existing plant but are below the mass emission levels that SCAQMD considers to be significant.

A coalition of residents

An investment on natural gas power at Grayson has not sat well with a number of Glendale residents, many of whom have assembled outside Glendale City Hall before the last two city council meetings at the urging of the Glendale Environmental Coalition.

A majority of the 93 public comment cards at Tuesdays meeting were from people opposing the renovation for reasons that included concerns that the city is prioritizing natural gas over clean-energy alternatives.

A smaller number of speakers represented local unions and showed support for the renovation.

Daniel Brotman, leader of the coalition, invited James Caldwell  a renewable technology specialist and former assistant manager of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power  as an extra voice in the debate.

Caldwell said many other cities are wrestling with whether to build a new gas plant or shut down an existing one and what to replace it with for the purposes of reliability.

Its not a matter of economics, its not a matter of supplying the energy  that game is over, Caldwell said. The cheapest energy today is renewables. The issue is the reliability.

Of the 40,000 megawatts of gas plants in the state right now, we will only need 20,000. So the retirements in the gas fleet over the next 10 years arethe real issue. It doesnt mean we can get rid of gas altogether  but it does mean that were going to be burning roughly half the gas, he added.

Throughout the six-hour discussion, Zurn addressed repeated concerns from the public and council members about potential energy rate hikes to offset construction costs, suspicion that the project is motivated, in part, by the sale of energy and that the repower is an outright rejection of renewable alternatives.

The utility has proposed to pay for the renovation through revenue bonds, and Zurn said there will not be an energy-rate increase associated with the repower. Also, utility officials said they do not expect to generate additional revenue from Grayson.

Theres been a lot of accusations that we built an oversized plant in order to sell power so that we could pay for it  Was it discussed? Absolutely  I was asked by council members, so I answered that question, Zurn said.

A purchase power agreement, which outlines terms for the sale of electricity between two parties, has not been brought to the council, and Zurn said he does not intend to introduce one.

The draft EIR, which is still subject to change, lists project alternatives that include renewable and alternative energy options.

However, a repowering that relies heavily on rooftop solar and storage has been all but ruled out by project consultants who said that solution would be too costly and could not generate enough megawatts to preclude the proposed natural-gas project.

Conflict of interest allegations

There was pushback from Councilman Zareh Sinanyan, who requested the status update meeting in December over concerns that the increase of greenhouse gas emissions from the Grayson project would clash with councils recent support of the United Nations Paris Agreement.

Although Councilman Vrej Agajanian raised similar concerns over long-term investment in a natural-gas facility  saying he could not imagine what his children would think decades from now  it was Sinanyan who cast the dissenting vote on Tuesday.

Sinanyan said he found the analysis in the draft EIR flawed because Pace Global  the consultant hired to prepare the Glendale utilitys plan for providing electric service to its customers and later influenced the draft EIR  is a subsidiary of Siemens, a global industrial manufacturing company.

City Council hired Pace Global in 2014 to create the plan and, in 2017, entered into a contract with Siemens Energy Inc. for supply of gas-powered electrical generation units.

I think in any other sphere of business that would be a clear conflict of interest and, therefore, any conclusions reached by Pace Global or Siemens would be suspect, Sinanyan said.

Sinanyan made a motion requesting that the utility suspend all work on the Grayson project until a third-party consultant complete a report with proposals for clean-energy alternatives that both meet reliability obligations and avoid further investments in natural gas.

He also sought for the creation of an ad hoc committee to give advice on the project.

I cant rely on a study that is not absolutely impartial and unbiased, Sinanyan said.

The motion was met with no support as council members Agajanian, Paula Devine, Ara Najarian and Mayor Vartan Gharpetian preferred to see the final EIR before making any further decisions on the project.

jeff.landa@latimes.com

Twitter: @JeffLanda
The diplomatic opening created for North and South Korea by the Winter Olympics widened  and perhaps got even more complicated  on Saturday as the totalitarian states leader proposed the first inter-Korean summit in a decade.

The invitation came during a lunch meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong Uns emissaries, including his sister, Kim Yo Jong, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.



For the record: An earlier version of this story said the combined Korean womens hockey team lost to Sweden in its first game on Saturday. It lost to Switzerland.

Moon, a progressive who has sought to improve relations with the North, especially ahead of the Games, seemed open to such a meeting after the two countries fulfill conditions to arrange it, his office said.

The terms, timing and location of any such meeting were unclear. The potential reaction from Washington, a key South Korean ally on security issues, which has sought to maximize pressure on the North to abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, also remained uncertain.

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On Saturday, while returning to the U.S. from South Korea, Vice President Mike Pence said there is no daylight separating the U.S., the South and Japan on their view of the North and its efforts on nuclear arms and missiles, the Associated Press reported. Pence, while aboard Air Force Two, said he left Asia encouraged that we will continue to work very closely to continue and intensify the maximum pressure campaign against the North.

If an inter-Korean summit does take place, it would be the first such gathering since 2007. During the ensuing decade-long gap in communication, the North has advanced as a nuclear state despite efforts by the international community and Seoul to curb its ambitions.

After inviting the Norths officials, including Kim Yo Jong, to the opening ceremony on Friday night, Moon seemed to sense the opportunity. He offered a toast to open the lunch meeting at the Blue House, the presidential complex named for its distinctly colored tile roof.

The worlds attention is on todays meeting, and there are high hopes for the North and the South, said Moon, according to remarks released by his office. We have a heavy responsibility.

The invitation comes as Pence visited Seoul in an effort to keep the world  and, perhaps, Moon  focused on the Norths provocative actions in 2017, which included an underground nuclear detonation and the testing of three long-range missiles capable of striking the American mainland.

Members of the Norths delegation sat just behind Pence at the Olympic stadium for the festivities in Pyeongchang, though the vice president didnt greet them publicly or in private  even as rumors swirled in Seoul about that possibility.

Pence left Seoul for Washington after a two-nation tour of Asia as the news about the summit invitation broke.

Also attending the ceremony with Moon was Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who like Pence has encouraged a tougher position on the North.

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The Norths involvement in the Games only became possible in the last month after Kim Jong Un delivered a conciliatory message, with themes of Korean solidarity, during a New Years Day address. That led Moon to propose talks, and the two sides negotiated terms allowing the entry of a large North Korean delegation  including two dozen athletes but also hundreds of musicians, cheerleaders and taekwondo performers  for the Games.

The invitation could have been predicted immediately after Kims address, said Bong Young-shik, a visiting research fellow at Yonsei University in Seoul.

Bong, who doesnt favor such a meeting, said its a sign that the international pressure placed on the North forced it to act with diplomacy. He clearly stated his intention to go all-out to engage South Korea, he said of Kim Jong Un. The economic sanctions are finally beginning to really work. They have hit the North Korea leadership where it hurts.

Dialogue with the North could be complicated for Moon because of potential objections from Washington and Tokyo, but also from his own citizens.

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The North and South have been divided for more than six decades and remain technically at war under an uneasy cease-fire agreement signed in 1953. South Koreans, especially older generations who still remember being separated from relatives, have for years felt an instinctive tug toward unification.

But that sentiment is changing as the population has grown more skeptical of the Norths empty diplomatic overtures  and as younger generations have emerged with fewer cultural ties to the totalitarian state.

That divide is evident in the reaction to the Olympics deal, which included a joint march during the opening ceremony and a combined womens hockey team, which lost to Switzerland in its first game on Saturday. Protests and online petitions have sprouted in the month since the parties began their negotiations.

Bong, the Yonsei fellow, said any Moon summit might be seen as a prelude to a settlement that includes peace with nuclear weapons for the North. A high-level meeting now, he said, would reduce the pressure on the regime to denuclearize.

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Any diplomatic discussion of denuclearization  still the official policy of Moon and the South  would probably involve the United States, which has 28,000 troops on the peninsula. It remained unclear how the Trump administration would react to the invitation.

Moon stressed that an early dialogue between the U.S. and North Korea is essential for improvement in the inter-Korean relationship and asked that the North more actively pursue dialogue with the U.S., his spokesman said.

The invitation came as the Games began in earnest Saturday after a night of diplomatic suspense involving the Norths delegation at the opening ceremony. It was part of a flurry of activity off the ice and ski slopes that captured much of the attention.

Kim Yo Jong is a party official thought to be an influential advisor to her brother. Saturdays meeting was the first high-level visit between the two countries at the presidential complex in nearly a decade.

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It was also the first time a member of the Kim dynasty  which began with the nations communist patriarch, Kim Il Sung, the current leaders grandfather  has set foot on South Korean soil since the countries divided.

I hope to see you soon in Pyongyang, she said.

UPDATES:

2:45 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from Vice President Mike Pence.

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7:50 a.m.: This article was updated throughout with additional background and analysis.

Feb. 10, 12:25 a.m.: This article was updated throughout with staff reporting.

This article was originally published Feb. 9 at 11:20 p.m.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed cooperating more closely to resolve the Syrian crisis in a phone call Friday, as France tries to smooth ties with Russia and move beyond years of tensions over Syria and Ukraine.

Macron is making his first presidential trip to Russia in May. The two leaders talked Friday about preparations for the visit, where Macron plans to attend the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum and to meet with Putin.

The Kremlin said in a statement that Putin and Macron underlined during their call the need for developing closer cooperation on Syria. The statement did not elaborate.

Macrons office said he pushed for more robust Syrian peace talks  notably after a Russia-sponsored effort last month boycotted by the Syrian opposition.

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Macron also pressed Putin to stop intolerable degradation of the humanitarian situation in regions of Syria that were pummeled by Syrian and Russian airstrikes in recent days, according to a statement from his office.

The presidents discussed another sore point in relations: the conflict in Ukraine. They stressed the need to enforce the 2015 Minsk peace agreement that was sponsored by France and Germany.

Putin and Macron also hailed a potentially problematic project launched Friday to encourage contacts among Russian and French citizens. Called the Trianon Dialogue, the initiative appears aimed at minimizing European sanctions against Russia for its support of separatists in eastern Ukraine.

The French-Russian project is aimed at encouraging interactions through joint theater productions, school trips, sister city agreements and real estate investments.

Yet geopolitical tensions threaten to complicate the effort.

Among the Russians overseeing the Trianon Dialogue are magnate Gennady Timchenko, a longtime associate of Putins, and former railways chief Vladimir Yakunin  both targets of U.S. sanctions over Russias actions in Ukraine. A former ambassador who is an outspoken supporter of Russias bombings of Syria and annexation of Crimea also is involved.

An official in Macrons office acknowledged that we may run into difficulties in juggling the projects open-arms mission with todays East-West tensions. The official said the French side would remain vigilant to prevent Putins administration from using the event for political ends.

Macron has remained publicly committed to the European Unions sanctions on Russia, but the Trianon Dialogue could be seen as undermining them.

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Aides said he pushed for the project to encourage Franco-Russian economic relations despite curbs on trade prompted by the sanctions and a Russian embargo.

The French members of the projects board all are from outside politics. They include an astronaut, a ballet star, the director of the Palace of Versailles and the CEOs of oil giant Total and car-sharing company BlaBlaCar.
A drone incursion into Israel early Saturday spiraled into a major confrontation that included the downing of an Israeli fighter jet and an extensive attack on Iranian military assets in Syria  the first known time that Israel has used force against Iran.

The attacks and counterattacks also mark the first time since 1982 that Israel and Syria have engaged in direct combat.

The chain of events threatened to escalate into active combat between Syrian government forces and Israel, which has remained an outsider in the 7-year-old Syrian civil war.

The first hint that anything was amiss came at 4:15 a.m. Israeli time, as air raid sirens wailed over the communities of the Beit Shean Valley in the lower Galilee.

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An automatic warning system was triggered by an Iranian drone  launched from Syria  that penetrated Israeli airspace in what appeared to be an attempt to collect intelligence.

The Israeli army released a video showing the incursion. The drone, which was shot down by Apache helicopters, was an advanced, low-signature model Israel has never before captured, said Brig. Gen. Tomer Bar, second in command of Israels air force.

In retaliation for the incursion, four Israeli F-16 fighter jets bombed the Iranian drone control site in Syria.

Returning from that mission, one jet was downed over Israeli territory by Syrian anti-aircraft missiles. The Israeli army said the plane did not suffer a direct hit but was struck by shrapnel from a missile that blew up next to it.

The pilots ejected and were injured but survived.

The jet crashed next to a high school in the Galilean kibbutz community of Hardouf. The school was empty early on the weekend morning.

Syrian state media reported that the downing of the aircraft was a strategic decision of Syria and the axis of resistance to Israel.

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In retaliation, Israel carried out what the army called a large-scale operation into Syria targeting 12 Syrian and Iranian military sites.

Syria and Iran are playing with fire, said Israel Defense Forces spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus.

Syrian state television described the attack as a new Israeli aggression in the form of explosions close to the Syrian capital of Damascus. A community Facebook page that tracks attacks there reported strikes on military sites near the suburbs of Kiswah and Dimas.

The Iranian foreign ministry said the claim by Israel that it intercepted a drone was ridiculous.

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Reports of downing an Iranian drone flying over Israel and also Irans involvement in attacking an Israeli jet are so ridiculous .... Iran only provides military advice to Syria, foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi was quoted as saying on Iranian television.

A statement issued by the joint Syrian-Iranian operations room said the drones had been on a routine mission over eastern Syria for operations against remaining Islamic State pockets in the area when the Israeli warplanes struck the control center at the Tiyas airport, a military air base also known as T4, roughly 55 miles southeast of the Syrian city of Homs.

This action by the Zionist entity is a condemnable terrorist attack  and any new aggression will face a harsh and serious response, it said.

Meanwhile, commentators on news channels supportive of the Syrian government hailed the downing of the F-16 as a major turning point in its relationship with Israel.

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The Israeli entity is now convinced it is unable to bear the consequences of a confrontation, said Ghassan Mohammad, an analyst on the Syrian Ikhbariyah news channel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long warned of the danger of Irans growing military presence along Israels northern border.

In a video released by his office Saturday, he said: Israel holds Iran and its Syrian hosts responsible for todays aggression. We will continue to do whatever is necessary to protect our sovereignty and our security.

Russia, Syrian President Bashar Assads most stalwart ally, which has established several military bases in Syria during the course of the civil war, said in a statement issued by the foreign ministry that it urged all sides to exercise restraint and to avoid any actions that could lead to an even greater complication of the situation.

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It is necessary to unconditionally respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria and other countries in the region.

The downing of the Israeli jet by Syria represents a sobering juncture in Netanyahus intense efforts to avoid military entanglements with Russia through a deconfliction mechanism.

At a Jan. 30 meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Netanyahu said: The most important thing I think is to make sure that we understand each other and that we dont shoot down each others planes. And we decided to do what is called in this awful jargon deconfliction, which means not shooting each other. And we established a mechanism to do that, and that mechanism holds secure.

In a statement Saturday, the Pentagon said that the U.S. did not participate in the Israeli military operation in Syria and that it fully supports Israels inherent right to defend itself against threats to its territory and its people.

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It called for greater international resolve in countering Irans malign activities.

In a separate statement, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said, Irans calculated escalation of threat and its ambition to project its power and dominance, places all the people of the region  from Yemen to Lebanon  at risk.

The U.S. continues to push back on the totality of Irans malign activities in the region and calls for an end to Iranian behavior that threatens peace and stability, the statement said.

Daniel Shapiro, a former U.S. ambassador to Israel, said in an interview that the U.S. appears to be ceding all the diplomacy to Russia and in doing so, was making a mistake.

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Thus far, the U.S. seems absent from the playing field, which does not serve its own interests or that of its closest regional ally, Israel.

Normally, in a moment of crisis or of potential escalation, American diplomacy coordinates very closely with Israel and is critical for containing these situations and deterring Israeli and U.S. enemies from acting aggressively, said Shapiro, currently a visiting fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv.

In an official statement, Hezbollah, the Lebanese-based militia and a close Iranian ally, announced that the downing of the Israeli jet represents the start of a new strategic era.

The last time Israeli and Syrian forces engaged in direct combat was in June 1982, when Israel entered the south of Lebanon to uproot Palestinian guerrillas using the area as a staging ground for attacks into Israel.

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Amos Yadlin, a former Israeli air force general who once headed Israels military intelligence, said the downing of the plane Saturday in northern Israel raised the possibility that Syria may have used a long-range missile that Israel has been worried about.

In an interview, he added, This means Israeli jets are exposed and vulnerable within Israeli borders.

Israeli observers noted that if there was any good news, it was that the pilots were not forced to eject over Syrian territory, where they could have been captured by Islamic State militias or the Syrian army. Although the militants and the Syrian army are fighting each other, they share a common enemy in Israel.

On Feb. 3, a Russian fighter jet was shot down in a rebel-held area of northern Syria. The pilot survived the initial attack by ejecting but was killed by militia fighters on the ground.

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In a further indication of regional volatility, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced Saturday that one of his armys helicopters was shot down in Syria during a mission against U.S.-backed Kurdish forces. Turkey and the United States are NATO allies.

Special correspondents Tarnopolsky and Bulos reported from Jerusalem and Amman respectively.

UPDATES:

2:30 p.m.: This article was updated with a statement from the U.S. State Department.

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12:45 p.m.: This article was updated with a statement from Netanyahu.

10:55 a.m.: This article was updated with details about the various military actions, analysis and comment from the U.S., Syria and Iran.

9:25 a.m.: This article was updated throughout with staff reporting.

12:50 a.m.: This article was updated with details about the pilots and background information.

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Feb. 10, 12:20 a.m.: This article was updated with Syrians reporting two airstrikes.

This article was originally published Feb. 9 at 10:30 p.m.
Bethlehem police say one man was in custody and two women were being sought in a multi-state "grandparent scam."

Working with police in Christianburg, Virginia, and Crystal, Minnesota, Bethlehem police identified the three perpetrators of a scam targeting the elderly, police Chief Mark DiLuzio said in a news release.

"This type of scam targets the elderly and usually consists of a scammer contacting the victim via phone and telling them their granddaughter or grandson is in trouble and needs large sums of money," DiLuzio says in the release. "The two elderly victims in this scam loss a total of $32,500."

Christianburg police said one victim sent a large sum of money via FedEx to perpetrators in the Lehigh Valley. Alerted to the scam, detectives in Virginia then FedEx'd fake money to the perpetrators in Bethlehem after they demanded an additional $9,000, DiLuzio said.

Bethlehem police were then able to stop a man who was attempting to pick up the decoy FedEx package using a false identification, police said. He is identified as Johnnie Vicente, of the 1200 block of Marvine Street in Bethlehem.

"Located in Vicente's vehicle was another FedEx envelope containing $10,000 cash," sent from the second victim, in Minnesota, DiLuzio says. Vicente was arrested on charges filed in Virginia and sent to Northampton County Prison to await extradition to Virginia, police said.

Bethlehem detectives tracked down surveillance video of two FedEx packages being picked up at two different Lehigh Valley locations and asked for the public's help in identifying two women who were working with Vicente on the scam, according to police.

DiLuzio released surveillance images said to show the women and a vehicle they were using.

Police asked anyone with information to contact Detective Michael DiLuzio at mjdiluzio@bethlehem-pa.gov or 610-997-7682.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
A former 19th century industrial property in West Easton offers the right setting for people battling drugs or alcohol to seek treatment, developer Abraham Atiyeh says.

Atiyeh's West Easton Two LP proposes converting 92 Main St. into a 176-bed, residential drug-and-alcohol treatment center. Borough council is scheduled to review the plan Monday night for conditional use approval.

"This is to see can they do (the project) they want," borough Manager Joan Heebner said. With approval, the plan would require further approval from the borough zoning hearing board before it becomes reality.

Atiyeh owns the entire Chipman's Sons Knitting Mills property at Main and East streets in the borough. Signs posted throughout bear his phone number, and declare the property as available. The late filmmaker Lou Reda converted the buildings, which date to the 1800s, to the Reda Corporate Center in 2001 to house his archive and his family's sportswear and furniture companies.

"It's a nice environment in West Easton," Atiyeh said. "It's like you're out in a rural environment but right in West Easton."

The 92 Main St. property is 3.2 acres, according to borough records. Ducks and a swan frequent a pond beside parking on site, he noted.

"I go down there myself and feed and the ducks and the swan," Atiyeh said. "It's loaded with fish."

The proposal is similar to Atiyeh's 48-bed, state-licensed Pyramid Healthcare Lehigh Valley Detox and Inpatient Treatment Center at 124 Bridge St. in Catasauqua.

In-patient treatment ranges from 21 to 28 days, and offers care for area residents close to family and friends, Atiyeh said.

"There's enough of a population of 800,000 people in the Lehigh Valley to basically substantiate another treatment center," he said. "We want to be able to offer good treatment, good care in a nice environment."

"A lot of people in the Lehigh Valley need treatment," Atiyeh said. "A lot of them are going to Reading or they're going to the Philadelphia area and to New Jersey and up to the Poconos. If you live in the Lehigh Valley, why not get treatment in the Lehigh Valley?"

The three-story 92 Main St. building is attached to 90 Main St., home to the West Easton Treatment Center, a Northampton County work-release facility. County Executive Lamont McClure said the county has not discussed partnering with Atiyeh on the new facility.

"Certainly fighting all addictions, especially opioid addiction right now, is the highest priority of the county," McClure said Friday. "However, no one in the county has seen any plans that Mr. Atiyeh may or may not have.

"We're looking forward to doing that, but at this juncture we couldn't say whether this would be something we would be interested in or not."

Borough council opened the conditional use hearing Jan. 8, and it was continued to 6:30 p.m. Monday in borough hall at 237 Seventh St.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
We all know who won the Super Bowl, but what about that Sunday's chili competition?

In the 23rd annual installment of the Pearly Baker's Alehouse Chili Cook-off, this year's judge's choice was the chili from the Strange Brew Tavern in Allentown.

For the second year in a row, the people's choice was cooked up by the Spinnerstown Hotel in Quakertown.



In the battle of AFC vs. NFC, the result was the same as in the big game, where the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the New England Patriots. The Easton restaurant's sous chef made Philly style chili, which took the prize over New England style chili made by Pearly Baker's head chef.

Pearly Baker's holds the event each year to benefit a local charity. This year's beneficiary was the Easton Ambassador program. The red-shirted ambassadors pick up trash, pull weeds and greet tourists in a 26-block area in Downtown Easton. And starting Jan. 1, they expanded into the West Ward.

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.
Police say an extremely simple sketch helped investigators identify a suspect in a theft from a Pennsylvania farmers market.

Lancaster police say the suspect pretended to be an employee before stealing an undisclosed amount in cash from a stand inside Central Market last month.

A witness provided the minimalist black-and-white drawing to officers. Police say while the sketch was cartoonish, it helped remind an investigator of a potential suspect.

A photo of the suspect was given to the witness, who made a positive identification.

Police are searching for 44-year-old Hung Phuoc Nguyen, who is facing two counts of theft.

A spokesman for the police department says that as of Friday afternoon, Nguyen still hadn't been arrested.

Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Police departments in Warren and Northampton counties were looking for the same two people as part of a credit card theft investigation.

Phillipsburg police shared photos of the male and female "persons of interest" on Friday night, followed by Colonial Regional police doing the same thing Saturday morning.

"We see you're looking for the same two," Phillipsburg police wrote in a comment to their Nazareth area counterparts. "If you ID these two first, can you please let us know? Thanks. We will return the favor."

Colonial Regional police say the pair are suspected of stealing a credit card and trying to use it Feb. 1 at Target in Lower Nazareth Township. They ask that anyone with information contact officer Jeff Waselus at waselus@colonialregionalpd.org or via private message on Facebook. The department may also be reached via the Northampton County 911 non-emergency line at 610-759-2200.

CRPD is looking for help in identifying this pair. They are suspected of stealing a victims' credit card and attempting... Posted by Colonial Regional Police Department on Saturday, February 10, 2018

Phillipsburg police also said they were investigating the two for fraudulent use of a credit card on Feb. 1. That department asks anyone with information to contact Patrolman Steven Fielding at sfielding@pburg.org or 908-454-1121.

We are currently investigating an incident involving the fraudulent use of a credit card that occurred on February 1,... Posted by Phillipsburg Police Department, NJ on Friday, February 9, 2018

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Catrin Turner 168

Managing Intellectual Property held its 4th annual International Womens Leadership Forum at the Waldorf in London this Tuesday. Many in-house and private practice IP professionals were in attendance ready to discuss hot-topics in IP and give practical advice on managing portfolios.

After a quick coffee and croissant the morning kicked off with a subject never too far from mind: Brexit. Lara Elder, senior associate at Carpmaels & Ransford, led the Brexit clinic giving an insight into the present situation and the impact that leaving the EU may have on trade mark rights. A wait-and-see approach was the advice the panel settled on. They recommended preparing a strategy to protect key marks, but conceded that it would be a resource burden to re-register marks preemptively. On a more positive note, Elder pointed out that the uncertainty is forcing brand owners to audit portfolios and look at what really matters.

Social media, brands and infringing fans

Following the Brexit talk, Helen Saunders, chief operating officer at INCOPRO, led a lively panel on social media and online infringement. She began by examining the history and development of social media across the world.

Catrin Turner (left), head of global IP at Dr Martens, then took the podium to review the practicalities of enforcing IP rights in a global e-commerce sphere. She cautioned that hurting fans hurts the brand and so infringement in this context should be handled more personally instead of jumping to injunctions. She illustrated this point with an example of a resolution struck with a fan site through direct communication. She added that different jurisdictions provide different copyright protections and so it does a brand no favours to take an inflexible approach.

Trade secrets

After a coffee and networking break, the afternoon continued with a focus on protecting and defending IP rights. Shaoni Mitchel, senior counsel at Edwards, led a discussion on protecting trade secrets. Sarah Wright, partner at CMS, described trade secrets as an area that often gets forgotten and advocated training as a way to remind people of the importance of retaining confidential information and reducing internal risks.

Petra Simoncic agreed but added that external risks were more pertinent to her business at austriamicrosystems AG (AMS). This began a discussion with the audience as to when it is better to file a patent and make the information public and when it is best to keep the information internal but unprotected.

The DSM  a utopian vision?

Lorna Brazell, partner at Osborne Clarke, led a talk on the Digital Single Market (DSM) and critiqued the utopian vision on which it is being based. She argued that the DSM is trying to coordinate opposing member state views of authors rights under copyright law and added that the reworking of copyright under the DSM has not progressed very far because it is bogged down in technicalities.

However she did examine one part of the DSM that has passed, the portability of content regulation. It comes into effect in April 2018 and will allow access to online copyrighted content that a resident would have access to in their member state while they are temporally in another member state. She was sceptical about how it will be known if someone is a resident in a particular member state and when they are only temporarily in another member state. The panel agreed that there was still much work to be done on the DSM and that it may not be as cohesive the EU initially envisaged.

Career development and work-life balance

To end the day, the panel and audience participated in a discussion on work-life balance and career management.

The panel discussed different attitudes they have experience towards part-time workers. Sofia Arenal, partner at Mewburn Ellis, said: I think it is really important to decide your balance and limits ... You have to be realistic. Dont be afraid to ask for and use flexibility in the way you work. She went on to add that, although she had worked part-time for many years, she never felt this stunted her career progression.

Ruth Stone, general counsel at SCB, agreed with this and added that its important to not let self-care drop off the bottom of priorities.

The panel went on to discuss developing careers and focused on pivoting to happiness. To develop in business you must be willing to move around if you are not happy and repackage your skills, advised Veena Marr, global head of IP at eBay.

Our next event, Managing IPs International Patent Forum, will be taking place on March 7-8 at the Waldorf Hilton Hotel in London. If you would like to attend, please visit our events page for more details.

To stay up to date, follow us on Twitter @ManagingIP. You can also find more information about the network at #ipwomen and our Women in IP website.

Key takeaways

The Forum is a development opportunity for the next generation of women leaders with the aim of providing an inclusive debate around building the talent pipeline as well as discussing the latest developments in IP. If you missed this year's event, view the key takeaways below.

For more information on the MIP Women in IP Global Network, email registrations@managingip.com.

Brexit and the short-to-medium implications on your IP portfolio

 The panel discussed the potential transfer of EUTM to UKTM.

 Panellists speculated that businesses should adopt a wait and see approach unless it is a key mark as there could be some auto-transfer or opt-in system put in place.

 They recommended doing an audit to see how affected the business will be in any eventuality as presently it is hard to predict.

Social media, brands and trade mark infringement

 One question the panel discussed was whether social media platforms could or should be liable for user infringement.

 Recent cases around this issue came up including Ziggo, LOreal v eBay and Google France.

 Rachek Alexander (partner at Wiggin) propositioned that the safe harbour defence could breed hosting sites that are inactive in infringement prevention through fear of losing their safe harbour.

 Catrin Turner (head of global IP at Dr Martens) gave a talk on infringement strategy and advised that businesses should be flexible in the e-commerce sphere.

 She recommended use of the take-down methods provided by sites and direct contact with infringing fans as a way to resolve issues without hurting the brands reputation.

 She also suggested that businesses should pick and choose where to take action based on the copyright protection provided in that jurisdiction.

Strategically managing your trade mark and design portfolios

 This panel spoke about changes to the EUTM regulations.

 Since October 2017 graphical representation is no longer a requirement and five new types of trade mark have been added as registerable marks.

 Elizabeth May (lead IP counsel at Richemont International) provided some key points for protecting brands, which included using the double filing strategy to cover trade mark and copyright protections if a business budget permits.

 She also recommended building up a bank of evidence to prove use of designs and trade marks.

Industry 4.0 and the digital revolution of IP

 The panel discussed what IP rights can safeguard big data.

 Emily ONeil (IP and litigation counsel at Spectris) advised that, although copyright cannot be used to protect individual data, it can be used to protect a larger base of data, thus companies should go through the individual factors needed for protection and establish whether it is likely to warrant protection.

 Cordula Schumacher (partner at Arnold Ruess) then spoke about IP litigation and FRAND licencing post Huawei v ZTE.

 She examined the case studies that have followed and suggested that there are still open questions that will be considered as more industries create a standard-essential patents (SEPs).

Protecting your software patents in EU and US post-Alice

 The panel discussed Alice and other cases surrounding software patentability.

 Panellists went on to examine the 2018 case of Finjan v Blue Coat where the software constituted an improvement in computer functionality that provides more than a mere result differentiating it from the abstract idea of virus screening and making it patentable.

 They then reviewed the 2018 case of Core Wireless Licensing where again the software was particular and improved efficiency enough to be more than an abstract idea.

 The panel also discussed the European view of software patents. Hellen Wallis (partner at CMS) reiterated that due to the inventive step, as clarified in Comvik, software must solve a problem and so the technical benefits and effects need to be described clearly for software to be patentable.

Identifying, protecting and defending your trade secrets

 The panel strongly advocated companies providing training on trade secrets as these are often a big asset.

 Petra Simoncic (IP manager at AMS) added that external risks were an issue and businesses should have a plan in place for if a secret is about to or does get out.

 The audience also participated in a discussion about when it is better to keep a trade secret internal and unpatented and when its best to file a patent and make it public.

Copyright protection and Digital Single Market

 Lora Brazell (partner at Osborne Clarke) critiqued the Digital Single Market (DSM) and commented that it has not yet progressed very far.

 She evaluated one part of the DSM that has passed, the portability of content regulation.

 The panel commented that the regulation is not necessarily well-defined enough to police as it does not define when someone is only temporarily in another member state.

 They agreed that the DSM still has a long way to go and may not be the utopian vision the EU had hoped for.

Leadership through the keyhole

 To end the day, Emma Graham (partner at Mewburn Ellis) led a discussion on career development and attitudes towards part-time workers.

 The audience and panel spoke about management attitudes towards part-time workers and working overtime and how this impacts employees.

 On career development Veena Marr (global head of IP at eBay) suggested that if you are unhappy in a job then its time to move on and progress your career. She remarked that you have to repackage your skills and pivot to happiness.

For more information on the MIP Women in IP Global Network, email registrations@managingip.com.

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.

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United's pre-match press conference Video

See what Solskjaer and De Gea said to the media, on the eve of our Champions League game against Young Boys...
BOSTON - Boston police arrested two Dorchester teens Friday in connection with the January 14 shooting death of Chad O'Connor.

In a press release, Boston police said the Homicide Unit arrested Rishaard Sheppard and Branden Singleton, both 18 and both from Dorchester.

Police reports indicate that officers responded to a report of shots fired at the intersection of Kenwood and Washington street the afternoon of January 14. First responders found O'Connor suffering from at least one gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Over the course of the past four weeks, detectives developed information implicating the two suspects and with the aid of the Boston Police Fugitive Apprehension Unit, took Sheppard and Singleton into custody. They are being held pending arraignment on murder charges in Dorchester District Court Monday.
A Framingham police officer responding to a large house party Thursday night sustained serious injuries after his pickup truck was struck by driver believed to be coming from the party.

Late on Thursday night multiple fights broke out at a 200-person house party in Framingham, prompting police to request backup from neighboring towns and the Massachusetts State Police, according to the MetroWest Daily News.

The party was taking place at a house rented on Airbnb, WCVB reported.

The three-year veteran of the force, who has not been identified, was on a detail when he responded to the request for help, the MetroWest Daily News reported.

As the officer was driving near Central Street and Edgell Road, he was struck by a motorist believed to driving from the party.

The officer suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to UMass-Memorial Medical Center in Worcester. He required surgery on his leg, the MetroWest Daily News reported.

No charges have been filed in the crash, which remains under investigation.

Two people were arrested at the scene of the party. Keith Worthy Jr., 21, of Springfield is facing charges of assault and battery on a police officer, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, while Devante Santiago, 23, of Hyde Park, was charged with disorderly conduct, WCVB reported.
A Maine man has been arrested after allegedly stabbing another man seven times during a fight at a Bridgewater home.

Adam Martinez, 41, of York, Maine has been charged with armed assault with intent to murder. The victim, a 40-year-old Bridgewater resident, was taken to a local hospital and is expected to survive.

Around 11:55 p.m. on Friday night, Bridgewater police responded to a South Street home after receiving a report of a stabbing from a 911 caller.

At the scene, they found the aftermath of a fight between Martinez and the victim, who had been stabbed seven times, police said.

The victim was stabbed in his back, neck and arm, police said. Martinez suffered cuts on his hands, which police believe resulted from his use of the knife.

A folding knife with a four inch blade was found at the scene, according to Bridgewater police.

After being treated at a hospital, Martinez was taken into custody by Bridgewater police. He is scheduled for arraignment in Brockton District Court on Monday and is being held on $15,000 bail.

The investigation into the fight is ongoing, police said.
NORTH ADAMS - The death of Christa Leigh Steele-Knudslien, a transgender woman and Pioneer Valley activist who was murdered earlier this year, has rocked many throughout Western Massachusetts.

One of those who has been affected by Christa's passing is Ben Power, a Holyoke resident and longtime friend of Steele-Knudslien. "I decided when my friend was killed that it was time to make some noise," said Power Friday in a phone interview.

Power has organized a large rally to bring attention to the issue of violence against people within the transgender community. It will be held in North Adams, on Feb. 24.

A number of large LGBTQ and anti-domestic violence organizations will be taking part in the event, including Berkshire Pride, the Elizabeth Freeman Center, the Trans-Caucus of Workers World Party in Boston, Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD), Network La Red, and UniTy of the Pioneer Valley.

The Sexual Minorities Educational Foundation, which Power has long been involved with locally, will also be involved.

The day will include speeches from a number of figures from the organization, including Mason Dunn, executive director of the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition, Power said.

Steele-Knudslien was murdered at her home in North Adams on Jan. 5, making her the first transgender person to be slain in the U.S. in 2018.

Steele-Knudslien's husband, Mark Steele-Knudslien, allegedly admitted during a police interview that he had killed her but later pleaded not guilty when arraigned in Northern Berkshire District Court on Jan. 8

The case has since been transferred to the Berkshire Superior Court in Pittsfield.

Power called the murders an "epidemic" for the transgender community. "We're a small community," he said. "The thing is these killings are escalating. Every year there are more."

A number of forces actively contribute to the deaths of transgender people, Power said. Poverty, misogyny, and isolation are all contributors to these tragic events, things Christa struggled with, he said.

Isolation is a crushing problem for people in the transgender community, Power said. They lack support networks and people to turn to in times of adversity. "Trans people are often rejected by their biological families," Power said. "Christa was. She was rejected by her family and disowned by her biological father."

In addition to a lack of social support, transgender people generally lack financial support as well.

"Trans-women cannot get work," Powers said. "No one will hire them." Many inevitably turn to sex work, which ultimately leaves them vulnerable to assault and murder, he said.

In Christa's case, she was often unemployed. "She would have liked to have more work," Power said, explaining that she had been interested in fashion and costuming and had tried, for a time, to make a business of her transgender pageants.

Lack of employment leads to significant problems in other aspects of their lives.

"Christa was homeless when she came to the Pioneer Valley," Power said, who remembers meeting Steele-Knudslien when she was living out of a van. "I told her park it in my driveway," he said, laughing.

Racism and sexism, too, Power believes, are powerful factors, since the majority of murdered transpeople are women of color.

"The people who are killing them are men. They're being killed by their intimate partners--by their husbands, boyfriends, and Johns," Powers said.

He also said he felt the Trump administration had contributed to an atmosphere conducive to harassment and violence against transgender people.

"The rate of murder is the highest it's ever been," he said, offering a statistic that has been quoted by a number of other news outlets.

Lack of public awareness about the adversity that members of the transgender community face is a large part of the problem--something the rally planned for later this month will hopefully help to fix.

The rally will begin in front of the Northern Berkshire District Court in North Adams on Feb. 24 at noon. It will last until 3 p.m. For more information, go to the rally's Facebook page.
Editor's note: This is the final story in a three-part series on Project HOPE, an effort by Springfield police and Behavioral Health Network to aid homeless people in the city. Part one appeared Thursday and part two appeared Friday.

The Connecticut River Bikeway at night is a kind of homeless highway.

"This is a heavy footpath for all things homelessness and addiction," says Springfield police Sgt. Brian Elliott. People walk along the path between the North End to downtown or the South End, score drugs and then head back, he says.

A man emerges from the darkness of the unlighted path and into the headlight beam of Elliott's cruiser. He's bundled up against the cold, carrying a convenience store bag and drinking from a 40-ounce beer bottle.

Seeing the cops, he moves to pour out the bottle, but Elliott tells him he doesn't have to. Instead he and Officer Carla Daniele begin asking him questions, like if he has a place to stay, if he's eaten and how long he's been in town.

The man, whose name is Glenn, tells them he's renting a room in Old Hill. He missed his bus in the North End and is walking downtown to catch another one that will take him up State Street. He's working under the table somewhere and has been in Springfield for two years. He says he's originally from down south, but the way he speaks, with a slow, deliberate drawl, is like a parody of how Americans think French Canadians speak.

Daniele asks him if he is in need of any help. "If you want to talk, we got people out here tonight," she says.

"No, sweetie. I've been there and done that somewhat," Glenn says.

When Elliott prods him for what he is diagnosed with, Glenn replies, "A little bit of the sauce."

He shakes his head when Elliott asks if he's interested in a sobriety program.

"OK. I'm going to keep my eye out for you," Elliott says. "Just flag me down if you're interested and we can make it happen."

And then they let him go on his way, but only after getting him to promise to put a cap on the beer bottle before he gets on the bus.

The officers' homeless outreach efforts are part of Project HOPE, a partnership with Behavioral Health Network that aims to connect those in need with mental health and addiction services.

One of the things that has stuck with Daniele in her time with Project HOPE is what she calls "the face of addiction." For some it's an addition to alcohol, for some it's heroin. For others it's both.

Underneath that addiction is usually layer upon layer of trauma that the addiction is being used to batten down, she said. Not feeding the addiction means unleashing all this other pain, and that is why it can be so difficult to get someone into treatment.

"It's their trauma past and that's a place that they are just not going to go. That is a whole other animal. It's things long buried that the alcohol and drugs allow you to get some peace from," she says.

"Some of their stories are heartbreaking," she says. "Like from a true-crime book."

Many homeless people are acutely aware that they are on the "outskirts of society," says Matt Leone, a crisis services program coordinator for Behavioral Health Network. They spend large parts of their days having people forcing them to move, or yelling at them, or seeing people cross the street to avoid them. Gaining their trust is not easy, he says.

"Their defense mechanisms are built up to kind of keep people at a distance," he says. "Because people equal hurt and pain."

Sometimes the simplest way to reach them is by asking their name, he says.

"Starting them from there and letting them know that it doesn't have to be this way forever," he says. "They can get help and we're offering it to them. But it doesn't have to be this second."

There have been many cases where he has left his contact information with someone who was not ready to come in for help, but in a few weeks the person changes their mind, he says.

Some don't change their mind.

A short time later, Elliott and Daniele spot a homeless man named Harley at Mill and Locust streets. Harley is a longtime homeless man, and by Elliott and Daniele's account a longtime nuisance. They can generally track his movements through 911 calls from merchants, residents and motorists who encounter him.

"He's one of our biggest problems down here. He exists minute to minute," Elliott says. "If he wants something and reaches into his pocket and it's not there, he'll go steal it."

Elliott and Daniele tell Harley he is on "the short list," that they are watching his every move, and have no problem arresting him if he gets out of line. They offer him help if he wants it, but tell him he has to want it. Harley hangs his head and his response is too low to be heard over the sound of passing traffic.

Daniele tells him she's known him for three years and he has practically done that much time in separate stays at the Ludlow jail. None were for longer than 90 days.

"You're going to be doing three years in installments. You're like a jail layaway," she says.

Offered a chance to come in and try to clean up, he refuses. They urge him to think of his future, to think beyond just right now. "We can connect you if you want it," Daniele says. Harley remains silent.

Reaching his limit, Elliott tells him to grab his stuff and get moving.

"Harley, you've been told. Be on your way."

Back in the car a few moments later, Elliott says the idea is to regularly get in Harley's face, to make him uncomfortable to the point where he either cleans up or leaves town. His cost to the city in 911 calls, police responses and ambulance runs is easily in the thousands of dollars, Elliott says.

"Individually it's a nuisance, but collectively it adds to an element of crime and disorder -- and we're not having it," he said. "We've had it long enough and we're not any more."
The Pittsfield School Committee has unanimously voted to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day on its school calendars, the Berkshire Eagle reported this week.

"Hundreds across the nation have endeavored to recast this day as a day about the people who were already here rather than the one of many who explored the region," Superintendent Jason McCandless told the Eagle. "There were people in the Americas who were not waiting around to be discovered, quote unquote. They had a way of living that was their own."

With the renaming, Pittsfield joins a growing number of states and cities that have replaced Columbus Day in recognition of the history of Native Americans and the violence associated with European colonization of the Americas.

At least 55 cities and towns in the United States celebrated Indigenous Peoples' Day in 2017, TIME reported, including Northampton, Amherst and Cambridge in Massachusetts.

Four states have also scrapped recognition of Columbus Day, with Minnesota, Alaska and Vermont celebrating Indigenous Peoples' Day and South Dakota celebrating Native American Day.

While South Dakota, Berkeley, Calif. and Santa Cruz, Calif. replaced Columbus Day in the early 1990s, the movement has become far more widespread in recent years. Both Amherst and Northampton voted to replace the holiday in 2016.
SPRINGFIELD - Springfield police officers arrested three men and a woman Friday afternoon in three separate raids and seized heroin, crack cocaine, powdered cocaine and marijuana, along with two illegal handguns.

Springfield police spokesman Ryan Walsh said Ricardo Collazo and Chamera Henson were taken into custody at 659 State St., where police confiscated 28 grams of crack cocaine, 5 grams of powdered cocaine and a quantity of marijuana and heroin.

Both are being charged with trafficking in cocaine, possession of Class A, B and D substances with the intent to distribute.

A second search warrant was executed at a Leslie Street residence where police said they seized crack cocaine and marijuana. Omega Walker, 21, was arrested and faces charges of carrying a firearm without a license, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (a firearm), possession of a Class D substance with the intent to distribute, possession of ammunition, and receiving stolen property valued greater than $250.

The Narcotics Unit served a third warrant at an address in the 300 block of St. James Ave. and arrested 20-year-old Jahsef Edwards. He was charged with possession of a Class B substance with the intent to distribute, possession of a Class D substance with the intent to distribute and resisting arrest.

Officers allegedly seized 170 grams of marijuana, a quantity of crack cocaine and an illegal, stolen handgun, along with $500 in cash.
SPRINGFIELD -- Police are looking for help in identifying a suspect in the Jan. 17 armed robbery of a Subway sandwich shop on Boston Road.

The man entered the shop at about 5:40 p.m. that day and threatened to shoot an employee, implying he had a gun. Afterward, he fled with an undisclosed amount of cash, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Springfield Police Department Major Crimes Unit at 413-787-6355, or send information to Text-A-Tip by texting the word CRIMES then typing SOLVE and your tip. Information also can be sent via the Springfield Police Department Facebook page.
First, they had to save her life.

Then they had to charge her.

Worcester police administered Narcan to a woman who allegedly crashed into a parked patrol car while suffering from a suspected heroin overdose on Friday, the department said in a Facebook post.

Around 2:12 p.m. yesterday, two Worcester officers arrived in their squad cars to respond to a disturbance call at 531 Main Street, police said. They parked their cruisers nearby and entered the building.

"The officers had just entered the building when someone notified them that a car had just crashed into one of the cruisers," Worcester police said in a statement. "The officers looked outside and observed a blue Ford Escape smashed head on into the driver's door of one of the cruisers."

When the officers rushed to the crash scene, they saw a young woman slumped over and apparently unconscious in the driver's seat of the Ford Escape. After she did not respond when they knocked on the car's windows, an officer smashed out one rear door window to unlock the vehicle.

Once inside, the officer saw hypodermic needles in the car and suspected the woman had overdosed while driving, police said. The driver was given several doses of Narcan, the anti-overdose drug that can revive people from near-fatal overdoses in seconds, and regained consciousness at the scene.

Worcester police successfully treated 73 overdoses with Narcan last year, the Worcester Telegram & Gazette reported.

The driver, later identified as 24-year-old Melissa Cain of Worcester, was taken to a local hospital for observation and arrested on charges of operating a motor vehicle negligently so as to endanger and operating under the influence of drugs.

Cain is scheduled for arraignment in the Worcester County District Courthouse on Monday.
File photo / The Republican

Massachusetts House and Senate lawmakers cast ballots on measures ranging from instating a Senate president for all of 2018 to authorizing billions in bonds funding, as they met for various legislative sessions this week.

Here's how members from the Western part of the state voted on those proposals:

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SENATE:

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Megan Bard I MassLive.com

2018 Senate president

The Senate, on a 37-to-0 vote, approved a motion to remove the word acting from Acting Senate President Harriette Chandlers title and to make the Worcester Democrat the permanent Senate president for the remainder of 2018.

Chandler, 80, was the majority leader and second-in-command before former Senate President Stan Rosenberg, of Amherst, resigned from the role on Dec. 4 amid allegations that his husband, Bryon Hefner, groped three men and kissed another one against his will.

The Boston Globe story also included claims that Hefner said he speaks for Rosenberg and talks about Senate business with legislators and their staffs. The Senate Ethics Committee is currently investigating the matter.

"I did not allow Bryon Hefner to influence my actions and decisions as Senate president, or to influence the Senates actions and decisions, despite any suggestions to the contrary, said Rosenberg. I continue to rely on the Senate Ethics Committee investigation to determine all the facts, and I look forward to its completion.

Chandler was elected to fill the spot temporarily until the investigation was over and Rosenberg or another senator is elected president. Chandler has said repeatedly that she does not want to be the permanent Senate president for a long period of time and will not be a candidate for the position in January when the new Senate is scheduled to elect a new leader.

A handful of senators are said to be already jockeying for votes to serve as the next chamber president, including: Sens. Sal DiDomenico, D-Everett; Karen Spilka, (D-Ashland; Eric Lesser, D-Longmeadow; and Eileen Donoghue, D-Lowell.

Chandler plans to soon move into the office of the Senate president and will also name a new majority leader. She said that her focus continues to be on policy, the budget and the business of legislating.

We have now reached a point where we are into the business of doing what we're here to do, which is legislating, said Chandler. "We have a budget  We have work to do for the people who have elected us, and acting doesn't quite do it anymore. We are now at the point where we need a president who has the full responsibilities and the full authority of a president of the Senate.

Both Chandler and Rosenberg intend to run for re-election in November.

Voting " Yes, or for making Chandler the president through the end of 2018, were: Sens. Anne Gobi, Adam Hinds, Donald Humason, Eric Lesser, Stanley Rosenberg and James Welch.

No one voted against the measure.

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Staff-Shot

$3.65 billion for repairs and improvements

The Senate, on a 37-to-0 vote, approved authorizing up to $3.65 billion in bonds for repairs and improvements of capital facilities across the state, including: $475 million for improvements to state university and community college campuses; $475 million for campus improvements to the University of Massachusetts; $85 million for clean energy and efficiency programs at state-owned facilities; $675 million for trial court facility improvements; and $500 million for public safety and security facilities.

This bill invests in capital projects across the state, to ensure our state facilities are well-maintained and well-equipped to best serve our residents and communities, said Sen. Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. These bonds are a strong step in our continued work with the governor and the House to support projects in a range of areas, including health, safety and education, that are critical for our cities and towns.

Long-term capital investment in these facilities is critical, and this bond ensures that necessary planning and investment will continue without interruption, said Sen. John Keenan, D-Quincy, chair of the Senate Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets.

The House approved a different version of the package in November. A House-Senate conference committee will work out a compromise.

Voting, yes, or for the $3.65 billion in repairs and improvements were: Sens. Anne Gobi, Adam Hinds, Donald Humason, Eric Lesser, Stanley Rosenberg and James Welch.

No one voted "no," or against the measure.

Don't Edit

Last week's votes

How they voted: Western Mass. lawmakers weigh in on early voting costs, combatting Alzheimer's

Don't Edit
Although State Sen. Eric Lesser, has yet to officially announce a bid to lead the Massachusetts Senate, the Longmeadow Democrat said this week that he would make focusing on the future a top priority if selected to serve as the chamber's next president.

Lesser, who is among several state lawmakers reportedly vying to run for the leadership post, offered his vision for the Senate presidency during a Friday interview on WGBY's "The State We're In."

The 32-year-old state senator said he believes he could bring a new perspective and forward-thinking approach to the position -- that is, if he decides to run for it.

"I think what I could offer was just looking at things a little differently, and I would want my candidacy -- if I do it, I haven't made a decision yet -- to really be about the future," he said.

Lesser, for example, said he'd look at how the Massachusetts legislature can be thoughtful about its approach to marijuana policy, ensure gains in Boston are spread out across the state and handle new technologies that could change things like transportation.

"Those are big questions that I think we need to be focused on in the future, and that's what I would try to make my campaign about," he said.

Lesser, who stressed his support for sitting Senate President Harriette Chandler, D-Worcester, added that any such decision about pursuing the Senate presidency "is a long ways off."

Noting that lawmakers will not vote on selecting a new Senate president until January 2019 -- the start of a new legislative session, the Democrat said any announcement from him would come "sometime probably in the next several months."

State Sens. Eileen Donoghue, D-Lowell; Karen Spilka, D-Ashland; and Sal DiDomenico, D-Everett; have already reportedly expressed interest in running for the leadership post.

Chandler, who had been the chamber's majority leader, took over the Senate presidency in December after Stan Rosenberg, D-Amherst, stepped down from the post amid an investigation into whether he broke any Senate rules relating to his husband, Bryon Hefner's, alleged sexual misconduct.

The state Senate voted this week to ensure Chandler remains the chamber's leader through the end of 2018.

Chandler has said she does not plan to seek re-election to the Senate presidency in 2019.
One state tries to close the odd divide between what students learn and employers need

The $60 million collaboration is meant to help solve the confounding disconnect between what colleges teach and what graduates need to know to fill jobs that are sitting empty in some of the nations fastest-growing industries.

by Jon Marcus
Culture defines any business, but its one of the hardest things to manage. In this extract from her new TED Book, Margaret Heffernan lays out the often-overlooked element necessary to build an effective, efficient organization: social capital.

Margaret Heffernan

The secret ingredient that makes some teams better than others
At some point in our lives, almost every one of us will experience deep heartbreak. In this thoughtful talk based on years of practice, psychologist Guy Winch offers wise, practical advice on how to move on from this deep emotional pain. Our hearts might sometimes be broken, he says, but we dont have to break with them.

Watch now  https://ted.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=07487d1456302a286cf9c4ccc&id=62374f33df&e=d3135666a2
As communities across the United States wait to learn how high-speed mobile networks will figure in a long-promised infrastructure plan, some cities are already attracting private investment in next-generation 5G networks. They are doing so by finding new ways to collaborate with network and equipment providers, creating a set of "best practices" that other local governments can follow.

By Blair Levin and Larry Downes

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/innovations/wp/2018/02/08/how-some-cities-are-attracting-5g-investments-ahead-of-others/?utm_term=.e6a0b7675bbe

Many thanks to Brett for sharing.

Brett Doney, President & CEO

Great Falls Montana Development Authority

High Plains Financial

1-406-750-2119

http://www.GFdevelopment.org
Following the jointly hosted Forum on the African Continent Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) on August 25, held with representatives of the governments of Ghana and Senegal, the Canada-Africa Chamber of Business (www.CanadaAfrica.ca) and McGill University have announced a new partnership.

The announcement sees McGill University collaborating with The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business (CACB) in training, research, advisory and consultancy activities, mentorship, networking and information sharing. All toward contributing to sustainable development efforts across multiple countries in Africa and globally.

The role of policy research and scholarship on Canada-Africa affairs is vital to delivering our information-sharing mandate, through world-class events and programs, says Garreth Bloor, President of The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business. From early-stage entrepreneurs to established corporations, our members are set to benefit to immensely from a new initiative to which we are proud partners with McGill University.

Professor Fabrice Labeau, McGills Deputy Provost, Student Life and Learning notes, The long-term engagement of McGill with Africa is exemplified by our African Studies program. Established in 1969, it is the first of its kind in Canada. Additionally, with 200 years of McGill history, our very extensive network of alumni continues to make an impact in Africa and globally. An example of McGills current Africa partnerships is the Mastercard Foundation (MCF) Scholars Program (https://bit.ly/3gMBOj4) that has invested in over 100 African Scholars since 2013, and since 2020 includes a Transitions Project (https://bit.ly/3zxr1R3), with a focus on facilitating Scholars transitions to entrepreneurship or employment for impact in Africa.

As part of the Transitions Project, there is an opportunity for businesses, governments and NGOs, including Canada-Africa Chamber members, to work with McGill on internships for MCF Scholars and recent graduates seeking experiences back home, or in African countries other than their own country of origin, contributing to greater mobility in line with AfCFTA. Also, through a pilot McGill MCF Transitions Fund (MCF-TF), partners can provide matching contributions for co-creating or scaling entrepreneurship and employment-creation projects with funded Scholars and recent graduates, highlights Dr. Nii Addy, McGills Associate Director, Africa Outreach.

Sebastian Spio-Garbrah, Chair of The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business and its Special Envoy to the AfCFTA Secretariat in Ghana, says Canada is Africas trusted third party and an honest broker.

The role of academia and think tanks is thus vital in not only working with the private sector directly, but extends to creating an enabling environment for trade and investment in partnership with Canadian and African leaders. The foresight and vision of McGill and Dr. Nii Addy in particular is applauded  as we ensure an exciting era in Canada-Africa trade and investment is upon us.
 Continuing to support education and youth under the umbrella of its flagship Miraisha Programme (https://bit.ly/3sYHI5e), Canon EMEA (www.Canon-europe.com)  a world leader in digital imaging solutions, announced today of its sponsorship participation for the tenth anniversary edition of Uganda Press Photo Awards 2021. Canon has been collaborating with UPPA for several years now with this year being the seventh consecutive year. Building further on the companys corporate philosophy of Kyosei that means living and working together for the common good, Canon first collaborated with UPPA in the year 2015 and has since been working in alliance to promote the spirit of creativity and visual arts amongst the budding talent in Uganda and East Africa.

We are always delighted to support UPPA in their noble endeavor to make photography and photographic education accessible to everyone in East Africa. Our constant effort at Canon right from the start has been to ensure we engage in giving back to the communities that we operate in, this association with UPPA began with the same vision years ago and we are proud of what it has advanced into. We are excited about the numerous activities designed for the next few months for students to partake in, as it offers them a chance to interact with industry aficionados, try and test professional equipment as well as learn tricks of the trade from the experts themselves. It is truly a dream come true for any aspiring photographer to even stand a chance to win these amazing high-end cameras and equipment that is up for grabs. We wish all students the very best for their future ahead, stated Amine Djouahra, Director of Sales and Marketing  Canon Central and North Africa.

Based in Uganda, UPPA will organize and host the awards ceremony in collaboration with Canon in Kampala on 21st October, 2021. The Uganda Press Photo Award (UPPA) initially launched in 2012, began as a competition for Ugandan photojournalists and photographers who go all-out to keep the public informed of the daily news, even in dangerous and unsafe situations. Over the course of years, UPPA has evolved into a platform that not only promotes the best of todays photojournalism in Uganda but also supports a broad programme of visual literacy and education for photographers in East Africa, thus creating opportunities for people to connect, learn, and grow

Canon and UPPA will conduct several training workshops in the run up to the awards as well as in the month of the actual awards ceremony, for visual artists in the Ugandan community. The series will kick-start with a storytelling hybrid workshop with expert Georgina Goodwin from August 16th to August 21st 2021, where students have the opportunity to get their hands on exclusive Canon camera gear for in-person practice and training. This activity will be followed by the Canon & UPPA universities and media house roadshow, a virtual workshop of four days starting on September 20th, 2021.

October will bring a series of power-packed activities for the students including panel discussions esteemed industry panels. The first panel discussion will be held on October 23rd and will involve a previous mentee and their mentors in the Young Photographer Mentorship Programme panel discussion, something Canon has been part of since its inception.

The hybrid webinar will focus on understanding from previous mentors and mentees how the initiative has aided their journey. The second webinar to be held on October 26th will give students an opportunity to indulge in a thought-provoking conversation on DSLR vs Mirrorless cameras with Canon professional photo and video expert, John Wambugu. On October 22nd and 23rd, Canon users will also receive a chance to get their equipment checked and clean by registering online for the complimentary service.

The much-awaited 10th anniversary award celebration ceremony will take place on October 21st when the winner of the Uganda Press Photographer of the Year category will be announced, followed by a month of visual arts workshops in November. Winners from the contest stand the chance to win elite Canon cameras and photography equipment. The winner of the Uganda Press Photo Award will be taking home a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV (https://bit.ly/3yyv9yR) DSLR with an EF 24-105mm lens (https://bit.ly/2WENQ6Q), whereas the winner of the East African Photography Award will take home a Canon EOS R (https://bit.ly/3sZHKtL) with a 24-105mm lens (https://bit.ly/38oQUXe) and a lens adapter. More so, the winner of the Young Photographer of the Year Award can get their hands on the highly-acclaimed Canon EOS 90D (https://bit.ly/3Dzmi3K) with 18-55 mm lens (https://bit.ly/3zzkXHD) as well as the note-worthy opportunity to participate in a seven-month mentorship programme and to exhibit their resulting work in 2022. However, the icing on the cake remains the two additional prizes that have been particularly added for the 10th anniversary of UPPA with the prizes being Canon EOS RP (https://bit.ly/3zrB2iB) with EF 24-10MM kit lens (https://bit.ly/3mNRmqg) and lens adapter as well as Canon M50 Mark II (https://bit.ly/38opocx) with 15-45MM lens (https://bit.ly/3zwaSvf) kit which will go to the winners of peoples choice awards: Ugandas Favorite Photojournalist and Audiences Favorite Winning Image.

Speaking on the occasion, Anna Kucma, Director and Curator of UPPA says, Our partnership with Canon gives us the resources we need to further our goals of promoting talent in the field of visual arts, and it also provides us with the right expertise needed to help young photographers develop. The series of activities leading up to the awards is aimed at providing students with different tools that can enhance their skills and professional know-how. UPPA strives to offer a truly supportive platform for photographers in East Africa while creating opportunities for people to connect and share their knowledge. By partnering with an industry leader like Canon we are able to achieve much more.
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Chatarina A. Lofqvist, Svetlana Najm et al. Association of Retinopathy of Prematurity With Low Levels of Arachidonic Acid A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial, JAMA Ophthalmology doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2017.6658

"What we believe and hope is that providing the children with arachidonic acid will raise the levels and reduce the amount of ROP to minimize the risk of children becoming blind," she continues.Every year thousands of children in Sweden are screened for ROP, a disease that afflicts extremely premature babies whose retinal blood vessels have not fully developed. The children can be visually impaired, and in the worst cases become blind, due to retinal detachment.Consequently, finding biomarkers for the disease has been an important goal. In the current study, the research team investigated the levels of about twenty different fatty acids in the blood of ninety children born before twenty-eight weeks of pregnancy at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg.The fact that arachidonic acid so clearly stood out surprised the research team led by Professor Ann Hellstrom. The fatty acid belongs to the omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid family, which at high levels is associated with inflammation and heart disease in adults. During the fetal period, however, the situation may be different."Arachidonic acid seems to be of special importance during the whole pregnancy as a building block for membranes," Ann Hellstrom says. "The mother provides the fetus with arachidonic acid, which is at a much lower level in her own blood compared to the fetal levels. Therefore, we believe that it's important that the premature babies receive this fatty acid as a supplement."The hypothesis will now be tested in a new study involving 210 children at neonatal units in three Swedish cities; Gothenburg, Lund and Stockholm. Children will be given a supplement with a combination of DHA, an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, which is also important for the construction of blood vessels and nerve tissue, and arachidonic acid, an omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid. At present the latter is not included in the nutritional supplements that premature babies receive immediately after birth."Many times new treatments are introduced on the basis of intuition and opinion, but the evidence is not always there," Ann Hellstrom observes. "Now we have something entirely new to go on, a fatty acid that we had not at all expected to be important in fetal growth. However we found it by systematically surveying all fatty acids to find evidence of which were involved in development in both healthy and sick infants."Source: Eurekalert
Former Manitoba cabinet minister apologizes after staff allege he tickled themCanadian PressMore from Canadian PressPublished:February 8, 2018Updated:February 8, 2018 3:24 PM ESTA former Manitoba cabinet minister is apologizing after women have come forward alleging he tickled them and made inappropriate remarks while he was in government for over a decade. Manitoba Finance Minister Stan Struthers pauses during a press conference at the provincial legislature in Winnipeg, Tuesday, April 16, 2013.JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESSA former Manitoba cabinet minister is apologizing after women came forward alleging he touched and tickled them and made inappropriate remarks while he was in government.Stan Struthers, who was in cabinet for more than a decade while the New Democrats were in power, says he recently learned his behaviour made former colleagues and staff feel disrespected.I am sorry, he said in a statement Thursday. I apologize for any interactions I have had that have been inappropriate and that have caused any person to feel disrespected or uncomfortable.My intention was never to treat women as anything other than equal and respected.Joelle Saltel-Allard said he used to touch her when she worked for Struthers as his press secretary between 2009 and 2011.I would be working with him in his office and he would come and touch me or tickle me, often in front of other people, she told The Canadian Press.Saltel-Allard said that during a car ride to a news conference, Struthers put his hand on her knee and talked about sex acts he would enjoy. That prompted her to lodge a complaint with her boss who took it up the chain of command.It was relayed back to me that I basically had to shut up and suck it up, she said. They werent going to do anything. There was an election coming up and nobody was going to take any action in regards to my complaint.Saltel-Allard said she became stressed and anxious, and eventually took a three-month mental-health leave. She decided not to return to the legislature.I really felt like I was insignificant and my complaints werent respected or even acknowledged. You really dont feel like working in that type of environment, she said.It becomes very toxic  just the fact that nobody would even acknowledge what I had to say or what I was going through. It was a struggle and it eventually led me to leave.The allegations were first reported by the CBC.Karen Peters, a community activist, told the CBC that Struthers tickled her countless times when he was conservation minister and serving with her on a sustainable development roundtable. She said the touching also happened in front of other people, including other members of the legislatures.Peters said she didnt complain to the party and just tried to avoid Struthers.He should have been disciplined. He should not have been a cabinet minister, she told the CBC. He should have been probably kicked out of the party.Struthers was one of five ministers who resigned from cabinet in November 2014 to protest the leadership of then-premier Greg Selinger. Struthers announced in May 2015 he would not run in the April 2016 election for the good of our family and his Dauphin constituency.He was first elected in 1995 and held various cabinet portfolios that included conservation, agriculture, finance and municipal government.I have been fortunate to work with many strong, intelligent and talented women and have always valued these relationships. I believe its imperative that workplaces be safe and respectful sites for all, he said in his statement.My commitment is to learn from this and do better.
ANN ARBOR TWP., MI - A semitrailer hit a fire rescue truck Friday afternoon on M-14 near Maple Road as it blocked traffic while two other crashed tractor-trailers obstructed the road.

Two Ann Arbor Township firefighters were in the truck, but were not hurt, township fire Chief Mark Nicholai said.

Initially, one eastbound tractor-trailer hit a wall on the snowy highway and a second jack-knifed behind it, Nicholai said. These crashes also did not result in injuries. The Michigan Department of Transportation first reported an issue about 3:25 p.m.

A third tractor-trailer became involved when it lost control and slid sideways. The trailer then struck the back of the rescue truck, causing what Nicholai estimated was $14,000 in body damage.

One or both of the eastbound lanes were closed as emergency personnel investigated and cleaned up the crashes.

By about 7:10 p.m. Friday, the township fire department had handled 24 calls since 7 a.m. Most of them were vehicle accidents, Nicholai said.

Heavy snowfall tangled traffic and kept first-responders hustling Friday in the Ann Arbor area and across the state.

A winter storm warning remains in effect until midnight, according to the National Weather Service.
WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI - The National Weather Service has placed Washtenaw County under a winter weather advisory for Sunday, Feb. 11 as more snow is expected to fall in southeast Michigan.

The advisory is in effect beginning at 4 a.m. on Sunday and ending at 4 p.m., the NWS announced Saturday afternoon.

The NWS is forecasting a mix of snow, sleet and freezing drizzle throughout Washtenaw, Wayne, Lenawee and Monroe counties.

Snow accumulation is expected to range from 1 to 3 inches, the NWS says.

Motorists should plan on icy, slippery road condition and reduced visibility.

The city of Ann Arbor has already gotten 8.5 inches of snow as of early Saturday morning, according to the NWS.

For more winter storm updates, visit the NWS website.
KENTWOOD, MI -- Firefighters are at the scene of an apartment fire in the 3100 block of Creek Drive SE.

Firefighters responded at 4:45 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 10 after residents reported smoke in a building.

The building is part of Wingate Apartments along Shaffer Avenue SE near 36th Street.,

Police officers first arrived at the scene to find at least one third-floor apartment fully engulfed in flames and residents knocking on doors to alert other tenants.

Grand Rapids firefighters assisted Kentwood crews.

Firefighters soon after reported that part of the roof over one apartment had collapsed and flames were in the building's attic.

Most of the flames were knocked down about 30 minutes after the fire was reported.
MIDLAND, MI -- Hope Portal for Mental Health, a new resource for mental health care information, aims to connect Midland County residents with the help they need.

The new website, www.myhopeportal.com, is powered by 211 Northeast Michigan. It is a comprehensive, online database for people in Midland County who are seeking resources related to depression, anxiety, physical and mental abuse, suicide, eating disorders, elder care, veterans' services and more, according to a news release.

Hope Portal is governed by an advisory committee led by Kathy Dollard, director of behavioral health at MidMichigan Health, and Sarah Kile, executive director of 211 Northeast Michigan. The Dow Chemical Co. provided the initial funding for it.

Officials say it is the first such online community resource in the state.

"Our goal in developing Hope Portal was to offer easy, convenient access to mental health care resources in Midland County," Dollard said in a statement.

"The site is designed to quickly identify nonprofit and for-profit professionals and agencies who 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 connects residents with resources to help them meet basic needs, such as paying for utilities, child care and housing. The new Hope Portal expands on that.

"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," she said in a statement.

Jeff Martin, public affairs director for Dow Michigan Operations, said mental health issues affect one in four families in Midland County and the surrounding region.

"Dow was pleased to provide support for initial launch and maintenance because we felt strongly about filling this vital need for residents," he said in a statement.

Visit www.myhopeportal.com for more information.
Boushie and the others weren't on trial, but their actions were. When they rolled into the Stanley yard, the driver testified he had about 30 shots that day, he couldn't even walk, let alone drive. How many miles did he drive on that rim? Why were they trying to steal cars, why were they armed?



Boushie didn't deserve to be shot, but there's no doubt these thugs were playing a very dangerous game. What if they would have run someone over that day, would people still be crying racism or blaming this incident on 150 years of genocide? At one point Stanley thought they ran over his wife, what if they had? How would the average person react to such a situation?



This turned out terribly for all involved, a kid lost his life, families on both sides have been permanently impacted, reconcilliation has taken a big step backward inthis country...nothing good comes out of this. It's too bad a guy felt threatened enough on his own property that he needed to defend himself with a gun. its too bad a group of young adults made some really terrible decisions.
Nitin Gadkari

Union budget for 2018-19 has set aside Rs 5.97 lakh crore for infrastructure development, higher by 21 percent over the previous year.

In an exclusive conversation with Moneycontrol, Nitin Gadkari, union minister of Road Transport and Highways, Shipping and Water resources, River development and Ganga rejuvenation talked about the dire need of infrastructure development in the country and road map for 2018.

Edited excepts:

Finance minister, Arun Jaitley, mentioned in the budget speech that India needs approximately Rs 50 lakh crore for infrastructure development. He allotted Rs 5.97 lakh crore for 2018-19. Being one of the key ministers for infrastructure development, how do you look at this allocation?

Frankly speaking, India definitely needs huge amount of funds for infrastructure development. In our country, we have 52 lakh kilometer of road length, out of which only 96,000 km were national highways, which is just two percent of the road length. Forty percent of traffic runs on this road length. Our automobile growth is 22 percent. Now, we have decided to increase this length from 96,000 km to two lakh km, where 80 percent of traffic will be on national highway.

There is huge potential (in India). We are planning for express highways and next month, we will inaugurate first express highway for the countrythe eastern bypass in Delhi. In the same month, we will be in a position to start first phase of Delhi- Meerut expressway as well. We are planning for 12 to 13 new express highways.

Even if we are not in a position to build more roads, we are expanding existing highways to two lanes; where the traffic volume is more than 10,000 vehicles we are expanding highways to four lanes; for traffic volume of more than 20,000 vehicles we are making six- lane highways. Somewhere, we are even making eight lane roads.

Actually, during the last 15 years, after Vajpayee jis regime and during UPAs governance, no one took the decisions. As a result, five lakh accidents now happen on our roads. Also, we need to develop public transport on electricity. Role of infrastructure is our economy is very big.

Whatever cement is manufactured in India, more than 40 percent is used by roads. Our infrastructure also uses steel. At the same time, construction machinery has grown by 76 percent. So, naturally, we are giving jobs to youth through this.

Apart from that, we are also developing inland waterways. We have 20,000 km of river length which will be converted to inland waterways. We will complete work for national waterways -1 by end of 2018.

The previous fiscal (2017-18) saw a lot of policy decisions coming into play, from the Bharatmala programme to push towards electric vehicles. How will 2018-19 pan out?

From a policy point of view, a lot of decisions have already been taken. Tax on petrol and diesel is 48 percent while GST on biofuel and electric vehicle is 12 percent. Certainly, prices for electric vehicles will be reduced. It is important to realise that we are importing crude oil worth Rs eight lakh crore. But now we have indigenous ethanol from cotton straw, wheat straw and rice straw. All this has potential to boost agriculture economy. We are coming with 100 percent ethanol bikes and auto-rickshaw. In Nagpur, we have 55 buses running on biofuel, we have 200 electric taxis and we have decided to make 800 e-taxis. So, I feel, this is the future.

Cost of one litre of petrol or diesel is Rs 80 or Rs 60 respectively. But one litre of ethanol, with equal calorific value, is approximately Rs 47. So, when you use conventional fuel car, your monthly expenditure is Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000, but the same expenditure is less than Rs 1,000 with electric car. Pollution is a big concern. With taxes coming down, people will definitely adopt it.

How are the projects under Bharatmala shaping up and what is the present situation?

We have 24,800 km of road projects under Bharatmala (Phase I) with cost outlay of Rs 5.35 lakh crore and I feel that by the end of Dec 2018, we will be in position to start projects worth more than Rs 1.5 lakh crore.

How much of highway project award and construction target has been achieved? What will be the target for next year?

Final figure will come by March end. Till now, however, we have touched 28 km per day and we will try to maintain the same pace till the end of this fiscal year. Next year, our target is 40 km per day and I am confident that we will achieve that.

MoRTH had set a target of awarding 25,000 km of national highways. However, as per data on your website, only 2,917 km of highway projects were awarded till November. Why is there such a huge gap between the target and actual result?

We have not been given appointment date for 80 percent of land acquisition. We have, also, not been given appointment date for financial approval and same is for forest and environment clearance. That is the reason, I went to Lucknow about a fortnight ago to hold meeting with the chief minister (Yogi Adityanath) and other officials. I also held meeting with the chief minister of Uttrakhand (T.S Rawat) in Dehradun. Similarly, I met chief minister of Bihar (Nitish Kumar) in Patna and held a meeting. All the meetings were for six to eight hours. I also have a meeting scheduled in Maharashtra to hold project by project review meeting. Things are now moving faster. My target is that, by the end of March, we will increase award target by 1,000 km Y-o-Y. We are working on it, but the procedures for land acquisitions cause the delay.

Talk around Toll Operate Transfer (ToT) has not been very optimistic from corporate point of view. Bidders have said that certain terms and conditions of the model are not investor friendly. Moreover, final date for bidding has been extended twice (From January 9 to February 8 and now February 22). Will the government relook at the terms of agreement?

There has been good response for TOT auctions. As this is the first auction (under the model), we are holding meeting with the bidders. They have given some suggestions and we are working on them.

What is the progress on port development programme, Sagarmala?

Work on Sagarmala is moving very fast now. Its a project worth Rs four lakh crore. We are expecting investments for port modernisation and mechanisation, port rail and road connectivity. Out of Rs four lakh crore, projects worth Rs 2.6 lakh crore have begun. There are 14 industrial clusters and economic zones. We are also developing five smart cities. I am expecting a lot of investment by December. We will also put cabinet note on coastal employment zones. There is huge potential.

Waterways as a means of transport has been very close to your heart with inland waterways, cruise shipping and Ro-Ro services seeing the light of the day. How do you look at future of Indias waterways?

About 15 days ago, we have signed an agreement with the largest ship building company (United Shipbuilding Corporation) in Russia with Cochin Shipyard Limited. We are trying to develop all type of new hovercrafts and sea planes in India through Make in India. Indian industry has huge potential. We have given order to CSL to build roller boats Regular cargo, like cement, is exported through Brahmaputra river.

We have started work in Ganga and hopefully, will complete work on National Waterways 1 (Varanasi to Haldia) by December 2018. There are plans for four multi-modal transit systems, 16 river ports, nine ferry services and eight Ro-Ro services. There are plans for air-based river traffic control system between Haldia and Patna. Repair work on Farakka gate has begun along with dredging of Brahmaputra on National Waterways 2.

For cruise tourism, we received 80 cruises this year in Mumbai and expect the number to grow to 950 over the next five years. We also intend to have four or five star cruise in Ganga.

There is a good start in waterways but still, our ambition is very high. Within six to eight months, the picture will begin to change.

When will sea planes and amphibious buses become a reality in India?

We brought one amphibious bus in Mumbai, but the environment department did not give us permission to run it. We plan to run it across various rivers, including Ganga. As far as seaplane is concerned, we call it flyboat but aviation ministry calls it seaplane. If its flying, they have the control over it, but if its sailing, we will get the control. We are preparing plans for jetties and a committee has been formed for it too. It has various international consultants and within three months, it will be finalized.

Is your ministry on track for Clean Ganga programme?

Out of 180 projects, we have completed 47 projects. Our target is to allot all the projects by March 2018. I am confident that by March 2019, 80 to 90 percent Ganga will be clean.

How is the government planning to take Air Indias divestment ahead?

I cant talk about Air-India right now. The committee is working on it.
Several people in the courtroom yelled "Murderer!" seconds after a Saskatchewan jury found Gerald Stanley not guilty of killing Colten Boushie early Friday evening.As a sheriff's deputy put his hand on his shoulder, Stanley recoiled for a moment before being hurriedly led out of the tense room.Stanley, 56, was charged with second-degree murder in the August 2016 death of the 22-year-old.The Battleford Court of Queen's Bench jury began deliberating Thursday afternoon and returned its verdict Friday evening.Bobby Cameron, the chief of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, spoke at FSIN's North Battleford office at a hastily-called press conference two hours after the trial's conclusion.Cameron expressed deep skepticism about Stanley's assertion that the gun he was holding accidentally went off, killing Boushie."In this day and age, when someone can get away with killing somebody, when someone can get away with saying, 'I accidentally walked to the storage shed, I accidentally grabbed a gun out of the storage box and I accidentally walked back to the car and then I accidentally raised my arm in level with the late Colten Boushie's head, then my finger accidentally pushed the trigger'  what a bunch of garbage," said Cameron before tightly-packed crowd.Trudeau 'can't imagine' family's griefCameron said Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould has promised to meet with the Boushie family in the near future.The high-profile trial has drawn attention across Canada, and both Wilson-Raybould and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau acknowledged the verdict on social media on Friday night.Justin Trudeau@JustinTrudeauJust spoke with @Puglaas. I can't imagine the grief and sorrow the Boushie family is feeling tonight. Sending love to them from the US.12:07 AM - Feb 10, 20181,455835 people are talking about thisTwitter Ads info and privacyJody Wilson-Raybould@PuglaasThank you PM @JustinTrudeau. My thoughts are with the family of Colton Boushie tonight. I truly feel your pain and I hear all of your voices. As a country we can and must do better - I am committed to working everyday to ensure justice for all Canadians. https://twitter.com/justintrudeau/status/962176071201247232 After the verdict was read out and people left the courtroom in shock, many members of the Boushie family went into a private room on the second floor of the courthouse. Loud sobbing and screams  including "Colten! Colten! Colten!"  could be heard through the door."This is not right. Something has to be done about this!" said Alvin Baptiste, Boushie's uncle, after the verdict was read aloud.Alvin Baptiste, Colten Boushie's uncle, says there is no justice for his nephew1:37Outside the courthouse, Baptiste said to reporters the justice system has to change to serve First Nations people."We will not give up our fight for justice," Boushie's cousin Jade Tootoosis said on the courthouse steps, adding that her family has felt uncomfortable and victimized throughout the process.'There was no justice served here': Colten Boushie's cousin Jade Tootoosis reacts to Gerald Stanley's not guilty verdict1:12"I ask you to try and understand the nearly bottomless disappointment" of the family, said Chris Murphy, the Boushie family lawyer, referring to the apparent lack of any Indigenous people from the 12-person jury. (CBC News has no way to independently determine at this time whether any of the jurors have Indigenous backgrounds.)Chris Murphy outside Battleford courthouse after Gerald Stanley verdict'I ask you to try and understand [their] nearly bottomless disappointment,' said Boushie family lawyer Chris Murphy. (Jason Warick/CBC)"There is a darkness that exists in this country," said Murphy. "I believe we are going to have feel our way out of it."'We are all hurting'Kimberly Jonathan, vice-chief of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, said the verdict is a continuation of the atrocities Indigenous people have faced in Canada, citing the residential school system and the Sixties Scoop.Jonathan also urged all First Nations people to be peaceful in the aftermath.FSIN Vice Chief Kim Jonathan after verdictKim Jonathan, vice -chief of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, reacts to the verdict outside the courthouse. (Jason Warick/CBC)"The family called for calm. The family prayed for peace," she said."We're are all hurting. We all face racism. Everyone sees it. I see it as a mother."Catch up on our full coverage of the Gerald Stanley trialHere's what we know about the events of Aug. 9, 2016, according to evidence and testimonyScott Spencer, Stanley's attorney, was not available for comment.Senior Crown Prosecutor Bill Burge did not rule out an appeal. He said they would evaluate their options.Bill Burge Crown prosecutor after Colten Boushie verdictCrown prosecutor Bill Burge did not comment when asked if he was surprised by the verdict. (Jason Warick/CBC)"There's never any winner in a case like this," he told reporters outside the courthouse.When asked if he was surprised by the verdict, Burge declined to reply.
Answer: Nostrum (File imagDivis Laboratories share price performance in FY18: Up 75 percent | FY19: Up 56 percent | FY20: Up 17 percent.e)

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Pharma stocks recovered this past week after budget week lows, despite weakness of benchmark index. The investors took advantage of relatively cheap valuations of pharma shares. The highlights of the week include resignation of Malvinder and Shivinder Singh, promoters of Fortis, from the Board and Q3 results of some major pharmaceutical companies. With exception of Cadila Healthcare, Aurobindo Pharma and Cipla  the rest of pack had posted disappointing Q3 numbers as they struggled with pricing pressures in US market.

The BSE Healthcare index gained 2.9 percent this past week, while the benchmark Sensex dropped 2.1 percent. Fortis Healthcare was the biggest gainer with its shares rising by 23.2 percent.The other gainers include Sun Pharma (7.3 percent), Cipla (7.3 percent), Torrent Pharma (7.6 percent), Dr Reddy's (3.4 percent), Divis (0.7 percent) and Cadila Healthcare (0.2 percent).

Stocks of Glenmark (-7.7 percent), Lupin (-3.1 percent), and Aurobindo Pharma (-1.7 percent) have seen declines.

Promoter-directors Malvinder Singh and Shivinder Singh on late Thursday said they have resigned from the Board of Fortis Healthcare citing to free the organization from any encumbrance ongoing legal fight with Daiichi Sankyo over arbitration award. The investors of Fortis cheered the exit of Singh brothers with the stock moving up 17.6 percent in an intra-day trading on Friday. Fortis later came up with a statement saying that its promoters have took out Rs 473 crore in form of loans, which were later recognized as related party transactions and was agreed to be repaid. The disclosures have raised more questions than answers. The company said its board is going to meet on February 13 to approve the Q2 and Q3 results. The company is yet to declare its Q2 numbers as media report mentioned that the auditor refused to sign the accounts.

In a move that may potentially delay the launch of Dr Reddys much anticipated generic Suboxone film - US drug maker Indivior asserted a new patent to protect the drug from going off-patent. The US unit of Indivior has filed patent lawsuits against generic filers such as Dr Reddys, Actavis, Par, Alvogen and Teva for infringement of United States patent number 9,855,221. Generic version Suboxone film, a combination of Buprenorphine and Naloxone, used in treatment of opioid dependence, is a billion-dollar drug for Indivior, a company spun out of British drug major Reckitt Benckiser in 2014.

Lupin said it aims to address the USFDA warning letter on its Goa and Indore plants by end of FY19. The company said the remediation is underway and is expected to be completed by June, following which the company plans to approach US FDA for a re-inspection.

A major fire broke out at India's largest drugmaker Sun Pharma's intermediate and active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturing site in Ankleshwar GIDC, Gujarat earlier this week. The drugmaker said the fire was put off and there were no casualties

Alkem Laboratories has entered into an exclusive licensing deal with stem cell specialist Stempeutics Research to market latters osteoarthritis (OA) therapy Stempeucel in India. As per the agreement, Alkem will get the exclusive marketing rights for Stempeucel, Stempeutics will manufacturing and supplying the product. The product is expected to be available in Indian market by 2020 after undergoing the Phase 3 clinical trial in India, which is expected to commence in 2018.

Lupin posted 65 percent decline in net profit to Rs 221.7 crore in the third quarter ended December, much below analyst expectations due to slide in US generics business and forex losses.

Aurobindo Pharma said its fiscal third-quarter profit rose 2.8 percent to Rs 595 crore, helped by higher sales of generic drugs in US and Europe markets.

Cipla reported a 4.8 percent growth year-on-year in profit at Rs 403.5 crore in Q3FY18 due to better-than-expected operational performance and tax reversal but restricted due to lower other income.

Cadila Healthcare reported 67.7 percent yoy growth in consolidated net profit at Rs 543.3 crore despite significant rise in tax cost, driven by strong operational and revenue performance.
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On February 9, 2018 Societe Generale bought 38,11,825 shares of Fortis Healthcare at Rs 141.53 on the NSE.

On Friday, Fortis Healthcare was quoting at Rs 148.60, up Rs 22.55, or 17.89 percent.

The share touched its 52-week high Rs 228.95 and 52-week low Rs 107.10 on 03 May, 2017 and 06 February, 2018, respectively.

Currently, it is trading 35.09 percent below its 52-week high and 38.75 percent above its 52-week low.
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Research analysts and fund managers these days have access to various tools and software to analyze a company or to run a query. Within seconds the output throws up companies that meet their conditions.

However, in the good old days when there were no computers, investors had to go through the annual report of every company. Those were the days when meeting management was possible only during Annual General Meetings (AGM) and annual reports and half-yearly reports were the only publicly available information.

There are few analysts and fund managers in the market today who have seen those days.

Bhavesh Premji, who manages a portfolio under the name of Whitestone Financial Advisors, has been in the market for 30 years and has seen it all. Chances of meeting him at the airport are high than at his office in BSE. Thats because often he is busy hopping from one AGM to another. Every year, Bhavesh attends AGMs of nearly 120 companies. This he has been doing for the last 30 years. He meticulously records notes of each AGM that he has attended.

When in Mumbai, if he is not researching a company, he is attending an analyst meet. His obsession with markets and company study is as focused as his love for stocks is deep.

Professor of finance at the New York University Stern School of Business, Aswath Damodaran says that Business valuation is not about numbers, the story is what gives soul to your business valuation. Premji belongs to this school of investing, where he is perpetually in search for the next best story to bet on.

In some respect, Premji is unique: he represents the old school in investing where footwork and financial acumen were equally important but he is equally at home with adoping new technologies for research.

In an interview to Moneycontrols Shishir Asthana, he speaks about his journey and process of investing, and what his advice would for small investors.

Q: Bhavesh can you walk us through your journey from your first trade in the market to the present phase where you manage a portfolio management service (PMS) under Whitestone Financial Advisors

A: I started investing in the markets from my college days by mainly applying for the new issues. Those were the days when Lakme, Tata Steel, ITC among many others came out with their issues. I still hold some of the physical certificates of some of those original issues.

In those days I also attended Annual General Meetings of companies like Hindalco, Tata Steel among some others and was fascinated by the way businesses are run. I used to wonder how JRD Tata and GD Birla could run so many businesses. I used to go to the AGMs even during college hours to listen to them.

By this time, I landed a job with a broker named Jagdish and Shah and used to go to the trading ring on their behalf and traded for our clients. While in those days I used to trade on information flow, there was an appreciation of the fact that the underlying force behind this movement is the fundamentals of the company.

Unlike now, in those days there was very little formal training to many of us in the ring. We learned on the job and by reading.

I learned to study the fundamentals of a company and how to calculate and interpret the various ratios on my own through reading various books. But the whole process took a very long time.

The process would have been longer had it not been to my colleague in JM Financial in Ahmedabad, Jayanto Ghosh who taught me to read companies, how PE (price to earnings) expansion takes place, how to identify companies with pricing power.

Q: How did you finance those investments?

A: Initially I took money from my father. I belong to a business family and we had some spare cash to invest. My father used to encourage me to invest. During my studies, I also managed to get a job with a broker that too helped me finance my investments.

Q: What was the main learning for you from your early days?

A: Till 2004-05, I used to base my investment on earnings (EPS) growth. I was reasonably good in projecting forward earnings. For me, if a company was able to double its earnings in three years was a good investment. My target to double investments in three years.

But then I learned that the big money is to bet on companies where the PE expansion is expected to take place. Understanding the concept of PE expansion took a long time for me and involved a lot of reading. EPS calculation is the easier part, its a mathematical exercise. But PE expansion is dynamic and is likely to take place in new businesses rather than the older ones.

Having said that, conventional or commodity businesses have a faster earnings growth than PE expansion. Learning to catch the commodity cycle is essential here. If the price realization is growing at a faster rate than cost escalation, we will see earnings expansion and it offers us a good trading opportunity. But the big money is in catching companies which has something new to offer. These companies will see a faster PE expansion.

Q: What are the minimum criteria that a company needs to fulfill to come in your portfolio. And what are your portfolio allocation and exit strategy?

A: We would like to identify a company which has a visibility of a minimum topline growth of 15-18 percent and a bottom line growth of upward of 24 percent. But these companies should be growing at or above the sectoral growth rate. If the sector is growing at the same rate, we might not interested in picking up companies from this stable.

We generally allocate 10 percent of the clients money in one company. But if the investment is more thematic, we allocate only 5 percent. In our portfolio, there are generally 14-15 stocks.

Our exit strategy for a brick and mortar company is basically on PE basis. Suppose I buy a company on a 7-8 forward PE and it expands to 14-15 I exit. This might result in me exiting early, but then I use the money to buy a company which is available at 7-8 PE but has similar growth potential as the earlier company. This way I am able to de-risk my portfolio by capturing the profit and do not leave it open to market forces.

Q: This type of investing strategy would mean that you have to track a lot of companies. Also, can you give us some examples to illustrate your style of investing?

A: Yes we track many companies. We have a group of analysts with whom we track these companies. I keep track of 120 companies regularly. I attend their AGMs, analyst meets and conference calls regularly. This helps us to be on top of what is happening in these companies.

We generally track the top two companies of a sector which gives us an idea of what is happening in the space. This has helped us in picking winners. There are also times when we have attended an AGM for many years but the stock has no promising story to tell but we still attend for clues. This helps us identify green shoots early.

There are times when we pick up a company from our basket because we attended meetings of some other company in the same sector. Take the case of Camphor and Allied. I attended the analyst meet of SH Kelkar which was coming out with an IPO (initial public offering) at a valuation of 40 PE. Camphor and Allied, which we have been tracking for years and was in the same sector was available at a fraction of that valuation.

Camphor and Allied had not given any return for the last 15-20 years that I have been tracking. But after the SH Kelkar IPO, we knew India will be a leader in aromatics. By this time Camphor and Allied decided to merge a group company Oriental Aromatic. This company has immense pricing power despite being in a B2B (business-to-business) arena. We bought the company at a price of Rs 600, the stock is currently at Rs 1,100 but there is a huge potential left in it. We will continue to hold it for more time.

Another company that we have been tracking is Weizmann Forex. This too had not done much for a long time. But in one of the AGMs, the promoter explained to his shareholders the advantage its recent collaborations with Wirecard and Moneygram. Growth which used to be erratic and at only 10 percent has nearly doubled and the stock has gone up by four times.

CanFin Homes is another stock in our portfolio. We generally look at companies over Rs 100 crore and Canfin Home came on our radar as its growth rate was increasing sharply. I was in Bengaluru for some AGM and had some time to spare. I called up the CFO of Canfin Home who agreed to meet.

The CFO explained that they had 35 branches and this was going to double in the next 18 months. We discussed the companys plans and was told that each branch can give the company a business of Rs 60 crore. The entire book was asset-backed and relatively safer than a banks book. The stock was available below its book value at a time when Gruh Finance was available at 4.5 times book. It was a no-brainer.

Q: Any examples where the call was wrong

A: One bet on which I went wrong was Ricoh India. The stock was available at Rs 150-160 but there were no earnings in it. But there was a good potential in front of the company. The postal department order could change the face of the company and can result in a PE expansion. The stock did go up to Rs 800. But then there were some internal management issues which led to a decline. The premise was right but on account of certain issues in the company which is difficult to read and foresee, there was an issue.

Another company that we were right in the broad call and invested heavily but did not get rewarded was IMFA. We bought the company in 2011 when chrome ore prices were at Rs 45,000 per tonne. IMFA was an integrated player and any price rise of chrome ore, which I thought was near the bottom and would benefit IMFA the most.

However, IMFA was also invested in coal mines. But then the coal scam broke up and the Supreme Court canceled all licenses. In three years chrome ore prices touched Rs 90,000 a tonne but the stock did not perform.

Q: Bhavesh, suppose if there is a company that you have not tracked earlier, how will you analyze it

A: There are a number of parameters that have to be fulfilled. I would like to look at the addressable market opportunity which will offer growth potential. Then I would like to judge if the management and the company is in a position to exploit the opportunity. The bandwidth of the management and the strength and cleanliness of the balance sheet will determine investment.

If future growth visibility is 30 percent per annum then I do not mind buying the company even at a PE of 20. But if the growth is likely to be only 10 percent then I will not buy it at even 8 PE.

Q: How important is attending AGMs in your investing strategy

A: I started attending AGMs at a time when it was the only time when management used to interact with the shareholders. It used to be generally very boring but that was the time one could get an idea of what the company was doing and what are its plans.

Today, times are different. Management gives a presentation in front of analysts, fund managers, and even high net worth investors.

But in case of smaller companies, it is still important to attend AGMs. You will not get the entire picture by reading the annual report. In order to understand the business model and addressable opportunity, one will have to meet the management at AGMs. Many of these smaller companies are still reluctant to meet analysts of fund managers during other times.

Q: How do you add companies to research or track on a regular basis.

A: I have a habit of reading all newspaper and exchange announcements. Suppose if there is a news that NMDC has increased ore prices by 10 percent. I will go back and see how it will impact the financials. If the number is too big for the current ones, I would put it on our radar and try to meet the management. But in any case, the company will be in our monitor.

Q: Any word of advice to the retail investor.

A: In my experience, an investor with a small corpus should invest through mutual funds and allow the kitty to grow. Only when there is a sizeable corpus should one start investing on their own. During the interim, they can invest in learning about investing.
BJP

Chief Minister Raman Singh today launched a blistering attack on the Congress over several issues in Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly, adding that the BJP was working on a target to win more than 65 seats in the coming assembly polls in the state.

Replying on the debate on the motion of thanks on the Governors address, Singh said the political scenario in the entire country was changing rapidly and the election results of Lok Sabha elections 2014 and subsequent ones in various Assembly elections and bypolls were an eye-opener for the Congress.

It is the result of good governance by the BJP that it is in power in 19 states, he said, adding that the vision of a 'Congress Mukt Bharat' (Congress free India) would soon be fulfilled.

Singh claimed that the condition of the Congress had turned so poor in the entire country that whenever he delivered a speech in the Assembly, a Congress or a Congress-supported government fell.

Today again he was speaking and it seems the Congress government in Karnataka will fall, Singh added.

The Congress had tarnished the dignity of democracy and encouraged caste based politics, and it had misused Section 356 and imposed emergency several times in many states, he said.

Hailing the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Singh today said that country was moving ahead on the path of development due to its strong leadership.

He said that the party was working on "mission 65 seats" for the forthcoming state polls.

Earlier, taking part in the debate, the Leader of Opposition, TS Singhdeo, accused the state government of ignoring the interest of farmers and of weakening panchayati raj institutions.

Singhdeo also alleged that an attempt was being made to snatch land from tribals in the state.
United Nations also extended the Diwali greeting on the occasion. A happy and safe Diwali to all those who are celebrating!, tweeted the UN.

India has initiated a diplomatic drive demanding more transparency in the process of sanctioning terrorists or other entities followed by the United Nations. This campaign is a response to Chinas opposition to the declaration of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar as a terrorist by the world body.

While India is aware that a change like this in the policy of the UN is bound to take at least two decades, an official close to the project told Hindustan Times the objective of the project is to raise the bar for China and not let it block or hold any policy from the safety of anonymity.

Syed Akbaruddin, Indias permanent representative to the UN, said in a debate regarding the matter, unlike the security council, where vetoes are cast in public meetings and explanations made publicly, in the subterranean universe, no such practice exists.

The committee responsible for sanctioning terror listings is among the 14 sanctions committees set up by the Security Council; each has an assigned target. China is said to have been blocking the terrorist sanctions committee from moving in favour of terming Azhar a terrorist.

The principle of these committees is unanimity and every member country has an anonymous veto power. Also, the votes in these committees are not tallied publicly.

In the UN, Akrabuddin argued, This subterranean universe functions in accordance with decision-making methods that are not the same as the normal functioning of this council. In fact, the principles of anonymity and unanimity reign in this subterranean universe.

Without providing any valid reasoning, China has allegedly been in support of Masoor Azhar, along with its allies, the United Kingdom and France. This has led to frustration between the two countries over the years.

Jaish-e-Mohammad is a Pakistan-based terrorist group, which is responsible for several tragedies that have struck India in the past and is particularly active in Kashmir.
Ramallah: Prime Minister Narendra Modi receives the Grand Collar-(the highest order given to foreign dignitaries) by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas after the conclusion of their bilateral meeting in Ramallah on Saturday. PM Modi received the Grand Collar for his contribution to relations between India and Palestine. PTI photo /PIB (PTI2_10_2018_000113B)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today met Mahmoud Abbas on a historic visit to Palestine during which the Palestinian President sought India's role in achieving a "just and desired peace" with Israel in accordance with the two-state solution.

President Abbas received Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to make an official visit to Palestine, in an official ceremony at the presidential compound, also known as Muqata'a, in Ramallah - the Palestinian seat of government.

They discussed the full range of India-Palestine ties following which the two sides signed six agreements worth around USD 50 million that includes setting up of a USD 30 million super speciality hospital in Beit Sahur.

Three agreements in the education sector worth USD 5 million, one MoU for procurement of equipment and machinery for the National Printing Press and one for construction of a centre for empowering women were also signed.

At a joint press statement with Modi, President Abbas acknowledged that the Indian leadership has always stood by peace in Palestine.

Abbas said he had "fruitfull and constructive" talks with Prime Minister Modi and he updated the Indian leader on the overall developing situation in Palestine and in the region.

He said Palestine is always ready to engage in negotiations to achieve freedom and independence in accordance with the two-state solution along the lines of 1967 and internationally legitimate resolutions so that both Palestine and Israel can co-exist in peace and security, provided that East Jerusalem is the Capital of the state of Palestine.

He said the formation of a multi-lateral mechanism that is produced by an international peace convention is the most ideal way to broker such negotiations with Israel.

"We rely on India's role as an international voice of great standing and weigh through its historical role in the Non-Aligned Movement and in all international forum and its increasingly growing power on the strategic and economic levels, in a way that is conducive to just and desired peace in our region," President Abbas said.

The two-state solution envisions independent Israeli and Palestinian states coexisting side by side peacefully. The Palestinians see East Jerusalem as their future capital.

Prime Minister Modi assured President Abbas that India is committed to the Palestinian people's interests.

"Friendship between India and Palestine has stood the test of time. The people of Palestine have shown remarkable courage in the face of several challenges. India will always support Palestines development journey," Modi said.

The Prime Minister said India hopes for return of peace in the West Asian region.

"We hope for peace and stability in Palestine, we believe a permanent solution is possible with dialogue. Only diplomacy and farsightedness can set free from violence and baggage of the past. We know it is not easy but we need to keep trying as a lot is at stake," Modi said.

Though India has shied away from becoming a party in the Israel-Palestinian conflict, the Palestinian leader on several occasions has stressed on a possible role for New Delhi in the Middle East peace process.

India believes in a two-state solution in which both Israel and a future Palestinian state coexist peacefully.

Modi's visit to Palestine comes amid heightened tensions in the region after US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The unilateral US decision to declare Jerusalem as the capital of Israel was challenged at the UN General Assembly where 128 nations, including India, voted to turn down the move as "null and void".

Trump's decision to declare Jerusalem as Israel's capital angered the Palestinians, sparked protests in the Middle East and raised concern that it could further destabilise the region, marred by decades of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

During his maiden visit to Israel last year, Modi did not travel to Ramallah. His standalone visit to Israel had led to many analysts questioning the future of the Indo-Palestine ties. This time Modi skipped Israel in a clear message that India is de-hyphenating its ties with Israel and Palestine.

President Abbas also conferred the 'Grand Collar of the State of Palestine' on Prime Minister Modi, recognising his key contribution to promote ties between India and Palestine.

The Grand Collar is Highest order given to foreign dignitaries - Kings, Heads of State/Government and persons of similar rank.

Modi thanked Abbas, saying "this is a matter of proud for India. This is also the reflective of the friendship between India and Palestine."

Earlier, the two leaders exchanged hugs and stood for the national anthem of the two countries and then inspected the guard of honour before their bilateral talks.

Archbishop of Catholic Church, Poulos Marcuzzo, and religious leaders of the Al-Aqsa mosque were also at the Muqata'a to greet Modi.

Modi flew in a Jordanian army helicopter straight from Amman to Ramallah, where he was received by his Palestinian counterpart Rami Hamdallah. Prime Minister Modi's chopper was escorted by choppers from Israel Air Force.

Soon after his arrival, Prime Minister Modi visited the Mausoleum of Yasser Arafat in Ramallah and laid a wreath at the grave of the iconic Palestinian leader. He was accompanied by his Palestinian counterpart Hamdallah.

After paying homage to Arafat, Modi took a short tour of the Arafat Museum located adjacent to the mausoleum.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves as he embarks on a 4-day visit to Jordan, Palestine, UAE and Oman from New Delhi on Friday. (PTI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today arrived in Ramallah on a historic visit to Palestine during which he will meet President Mahmoud Abbas and reaffirm India's support for the Palestinian people.

Modi, the first Indian prime minister to visit Ramallah, arrived here on the first leg of his three-nation tour.

Prime Minister Modi and President Abbas will discuss ways to enhance bilateral relations as well as discuss the regional and international situations of common concern.

"We will discuss the recent updates with Prime Minister Modi, and the recent developments in the peace process, the bilateral relations, and the regional situations. And the possible role India can play in enhancing peace in the region, as well as discussing different economical aspects beyond the existing ties we already possess," Abbas had told PTI.

Describing India as a "very respected country in the international arena", the 82-year-old Palestinian President had said that India can have a possible role in creating a multilateral forum of negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis to reach a final agreement.

According to Abbas, Modi's visit to the region reflects India's long-held position of supporting peace and stability in the region.

Modi will begin his engagement by laying a wreath at the Mausoleum of iconic Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. He will be accompanied by his Palestinian counterpart Rami Hamdallah.

After paying homage to Arafat, the prime minister will take a short tour accompanied by Hamdallah of the Yasser Arafat Museum located adjacent to the Mausoleum.

Modi will then be received by President Abbas before the ceremonial welcome at the Muqata'a.

The two leaders will then have discussions, sign bilateral agreements, hold a joint press conference and share lunch before Modi leaves for Amman in a chopper.

During his maiden visit to Israel last year, Modi did not travel to Ramallah, the Palestinian seat of government. His standalone visit to Israel had led to many analysts questioning the future of the Indo-Palestine ties.

This time Modi skipped Israel in a clear message that India is de-hyphenating its ties with Israel and Palestine.

Modi's visit to Palestine comes amid heightened tensions in the region after US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The unilateral US decision to declare Jerusalem as the capital of Israel was challenged at the UN General Assembly where 128 nations, including India, voted to turn down the move as "null and void".

Trump's decision to declare Jerusalem as Israel's capital angered the Palestinians, sparked protests in the Middle East and raised concern that it could further destabilise the region.

Though India has shied away from becoming a party in the Israel-Palestinian conflict, the Palestinian leader on several occasions has stressed on a possible role for New Delhi in the Middle East peace process.

India believes in a two-state solution in which both Israel and a future Palestinian state coexist peacefully.

The two-state solution envisions independent Israeli and Palestinian states coexisting side by side peacefully. The Palestinians see east Jerusalem as their future capital.
Representative Image

Congress president Rahul Gandhi today intensified his attack on the NDA government on the Rafale fighter jet deal, alleging it was the "biggest issue" of corruption in the country now.

Launching his party campaign at Hosapete in poll-bound Karnataka's Ballari district, Gandhi alleged that Modi had "personally" changed the contract during his visit to France to give it to a "friend", and said the prime minister had not answered the three questions posed by him on the deal.

"Today Rafale aircraft is the biggest issue of corruption in the country. I want to tell a few things about this to you," he said launching "Janashirvad Yatra" of the ruling Congress in the state.

Gandhi said, "Modiji had gone to Paris in France. In France Modiji personally changed the contract."

He said earlier the Rafale contract was given to defence public sector undertaking Bengaluru-based Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), which has been making aircraft for the Indian Air Force for 70 years.

"If Bangalore is on its feet today, one of the reasons for it is HAL. Modiji took away Rafale contract from Bangalore and HAL and gave it to his friend," he said.

"We have asked three questions to Modi - Modiji on what basis did you give the contract to your friend after taking it away from HAL, for what reason? Why did you take away the future of its youth from Bangalore? Why did you do this to profit your friend?

"Second question, did the price of the aircraft increase or decrease in your new contract?

"Third question- when you took this decision in Paris and when India's defence minister was buying fish in Goa- did you take permission from the Cabinet Committee on Security? Yes or no."

Gandhi said Modi spoke for an hour in Parliament on the motion of thanks to the President for his address but did not utter a word about Rafale.

In his speech, the Congress chief accused the BJP-led central government of failing to deliver on its polls promise of generating jobs.

"Modiji speaks about corruption. The world record in corruption was broken by his party's government in Karnataka," he alleged referring to the B S Yeddyurappa rule in the state.

The BJP, which is going all out to unseat the Congress rule in the state, is projecting Yeddyurappa, who had quit as chief minister on graft charges, as its chief ministerial candidate.

On a four-day tour, Gandhi will cover Ballari, Koppal, Raichur, Kalaburagi and Bidar districts in north Karnataka, addressing public rallies, holding roadshows and interacting with farmers and others.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi is expected to continue his temple visits in election-bound Karnataka during his four-day stay in the state as he had done before the Gujarat Assembly polls, party sources said today.

Gandhi will visit the Huligemma Temple in Koppal district today when he starts his visit to the Congress-ruled state. In the evening, he will visit the Gavi Siddeshwara Mutt in the district, the sources said.

The Congress chief will also address campaign rallies and programmes during the visit.

He will address a public meeting and launch a 'yatra' at Municipal Ground in Hosapete city in Bellari district. He will be given a reception by district Congress committee workers at Munirabad  Huligi Cross in Koppal district at 3 pm today.

In the evening, he will address a meeting at Corporation Ground in Koppal, and a public meeting at Vidhyanand College Ground in Kukanur today.

Ahead of the Gujarat Assembly elections in December, Gandhi had visited several temples in the state, including the Somnath Temple. His temple run in Gujarat had invited criticism from the BJP, which had accused him of playing a "soft Hindutva" card ahead of the state polls.
The logo of Airbus Group is seen on the company's headquarters building in Toulouse, Southwestern France, April 18, 2017. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau - RTS12R69

German prosecutors today said Airbus had agreed to pay a fine of 81.25 million euros (USD 99 million) to settle a corruption probe into the 2003 sale of Eurofighter jets to Austria.

The investigation did not fine evidence of bribery to secure the lucrative contract, the Munich prosecutors said in a statement.

But they said Airbus had failed it its supervisory duty by allowing former management to make multi-million-euro payments linked to the deal for "unclear purposes".

The European aircraft manufacturer said in its own statement it had accepted the fine, meaning that the probed first opened in 2012 "has been terminated".

Authorities in Austria however are still investigating claims bribers were paid to land the two-billion-euro sale of 18 Eurofighter jets to Vienna, a deal long alleged to have been very shady.

The Austrian government last year also launched a lawsuit against Airbus, seeking up 1.1 billion euros in damages. It accuses the aircraft giant of deliberately hoodwinking Vienna over the order.

Current Airbus chief Tom Enders was head of the defence division of European Aeronautic Defence Space Company at the time the deal was struck.

The corruption probes in Germany and Austria, as well separate graft investigations in Britain and France, have long cast a pall over one of Europe's most successful and best known companies.

Airbus announced in December that embattled Enders would not seek reappointment when his current term ends in April 2019.
Rajeev Sharma

February 1, 2018, would go down as a red letter day in the political history of the idyllic islands of Maldives. On this day, the Maldivian Supreme Court ordered the release of nine individuals, which the court dubbed political prisoners.

The court also ordered authorities to restore the seats of 12 legislators who had been sacked for defecting from ruling President Yameen Abdul Gayooms party, adjudging that the cases were politically motivated.

Maldives, a strategically located South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) member country in the Indian Ocean, has been prone to political crises. But the intensity and frequency of these political crises have been on an uptick since February 2012 when Mohammed Nasheed, the countrys first democratically-elected president, had to resign in a huff and took refuge in the Indian embassy in the capital Male for several days seeking Indian intervention which never materialized. Nasheed said he had been forced to resign and called it a coup.

Yameen was this political dramas other protagonist when he seized power in 2013 after a controversial election. Nasheed won the most votes in the first round in that election but the Supreme Court annulled it despite the positive assessment of international election observers, putting Yameen at the helm of affairs.

Shortly thereafter, President Yameen got Nasheed arrested on charges of corruption and sedition and got him sentenced for thirteen years and disqualified for contesting any elections. After months of his incarceration, Nasheed managed to be freed on medical bail for treatment in London, a concession that India was able to extract for Nasheed from the Yameen administration. Nasheed has of late shifted base to Sri Lanka. Since then, the Nasheed-Yameen tug of war has been going on virtually on a daily basis.

The current crisis

Following the Supreme Court ruling earlier this month, the Maldivian media was abuzz with reports that the court was soon going to order impeachment of President Yameen, a clear case of the apex court overreaching itself as the only Maldivian institution that has the power to impeach the President is Peoples Majlis or Parliament.

This, in turn, led to President Yameen fielding his Attorney General Mohammed Anil in warning the Supreme Court against any such move. Any Supreme Court order to arrest the president would be unconstitutional and illegal. So I have asked the police and the army not to implement any unconstitutional order, Anil went on record as saying.

Yameens next move was to send military to barricade parliament. It was a clever move as Yameen didnt want a band of opposition MPs to get inside parliament, quickly hold a brief session of parliament and impeach the President.

Simultaneously, the Yameen government ordered a crackdown on the Supreme Court. By now, both democratic institutions, the parliament and the Supreme Court, were effectively shut down.

This was followed by President Yameen coming up with an unprecedented measure: imposition of a state of emergency on February 5 for a period of fifteen days. This triggered immediate censure of the Yameen government internationally  by the US, European Union, United Nations and India. However, powers like China, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan kept quiet.

Yameen restores SC after arresting top judges

The Yameen government's next crackdown was equally controversial as he got arrested the two SC judges, chief justice Abdulla Saeed and Justice Ali Hameed, for allegedly receiving hefty bribes in lieu of their February 1 order. Soon thereafter, he restored the apex court after getting rid of the two top judges.

On February 6, three Maldives Supreme Court judges annulled their own order to free a group of imprisoned opposition politicians after two of the courts justices were arrested. Yameen described original court ruling a coup and a plot and remarked thus on national television after the February 1 SC order was annulled by the Supreme Court: This is not a state of war, epidemic or natural disaster. This is something more dangerous...This is an obstruction of the very ability of the state to function.

Operation Cactus 2.0 in sight?

After the imposition of emergency, a furious India kept its defence forces on a standby even as former President Nasheed urged for an Indian military intervention.

Many Maldivians as well as Maldives-watchers abroad started wondering if India were going to intervene militarily in Maldives almost three decades after the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had sent 1600 soldiers to Maldives on 3 November, 1988 under Operation Cactus to rid Maldives from the clutches of a ragtag coalition of mercenaries and terrorists who had run over Maldives.

However, the situation today is starkly different from November 1988 when the then President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom had requested Rajiv Gandhi to send military help quickly. This time, Maldives has not been seized by terrorists. Its only the actions of the Yameen administration like throttling of democracy and free expression which are the major bones of contention.

This is too weak an argument for India to intervene militarily in Maldives. India has already burnt its fingers badly by sending military troops in Sri Lanka almost three decades ago to broker peace between Sri Lankan government troops and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) got sucked into the political whirlpool and ended up fighting the LTTE on behalf of Sri Lankan government  something that ended with disastrous results for India. Since then, India has carefully steered clear of sending troops anywhere in the world, except for UN-mandated peace missions. This policy is likely to continue, thus throwing out of the window the possibility of India sending its soldiers to Maldives.

What next?

The annulment of the original SC order, however, doesnt pertain to the 12 MPs who are now free.

Its another clever move by Yameen as he will shortly take another measure to expose the Opposition's claim of majority in parliament. Its quite likely that he will reopen parliament sometime next week with his statutory state of the union address.

The Opposition had claimed having 43 members in the house of 85, thus pipping past the ruling party (42 MPs) by one. But the effective strength of the Opposition currently is 39 only. MP Qasim Ibrahim is in Germany, Ilham Ahmed and Sinan Ahmed are in hiding and police are looking for them, while the fourth Opposition MP Faris Maumoon is in custody. This means there is no immediate danger for Yameen who in due course will take a call when to hold Presidential elections in Maldives due this August.

China factor exacerbates Maldives strategic importance

Maldives is far more strategically important than parameters like area and population would indicate. With a little over four lakh population and an area of 298 sq kms, its the smallest Asian state. Yet, its location in Indian Ocean makes it of high strategic importance.

The China factor has further exacerbated Maldives strategic importance for India and the world. President Yameen has forged closer ties with China, yet another SAARC state to witness growing Chinese influence. Former President Nasheed has accused China of land grabbing in Maldives. The increased Chinese influence in Maldives in a way may well present Maldives with its own Sri Lanka moment. China proved to be a major election plank in the Sri Lankan presidential election in late 2014 that routed the formidable Mahinda Rajapaksa, a blatant China-supporter during his presidency and catapulted to power Maithripala Sirisena, an underdog who eventually won the election with anti-China rhetoric.

China will definitely be the biggest X factor in the Maldivian presidential elections in a few months. Yameen has thus far managed to steady his rocked boat but it remains to be seen if he would be able to weather the China storm in upcoming presidential elections.

Rajeev Sharma is a strategic analyst who tweets @Kishkindha
The remains of an F-16 Israeli war plane can be seen near the Israeli village of Harduf February 10, 2018. REUTERS/ Ronen Zvulun - RC12F047A890

Israel shot down an Iranian drone launched from Syria and in response also struck Iranian targets there on Saturday, the Israeli military said.

"A combat helicopter successfully intercepted an Iranian UAV that was launched from Syria and infiltrated Israel. The aircraft was identified by the Aerial Defense Systems at an early phase and was under surveillance until the interception," the military said in a statement.

"In response, the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) targeted Iranian targets in Syria," the military said. It gave no further details.
Amman: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the King of Jordan Abdullah II Bin Al-Hussein, at Amman in Jordan on Friday. PTI Photo / PIB(PTI2_9_2018_000217B)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday met Jordan's King Abdullah II here and said he had "wonderful" meeting that would further boost India-Jordan ties.

Modi arrived here on the first leg of his tour of three West Asian countries, including Palestine.

"Had a wonderful meeting with His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan. Our discussions today will give great strength to India-Jordan bilateral relations," Modi tweeted after meeting the King.

During the meeting, Modi told the King that he is looking forward to his visit to India in February end.

The King, meanwhile, described the meeting as the beginning of a new chapter in the bilateral ties.

Talks between the two sides covered the Palestinian cause, and Jordan's role in protecting Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, based on the Hashemite custodianship over the holy shrines, Jordan's state-run Petra news agency reported.

The talks, which were attended by Acting Prime Minister Mamdouh Abbadi, focused on coordination and consultation between the two countries in various fields, as the King highlighted the key role played by India in promoting security, stability and fighting terrorism.

"The Prime Minister expressed sincere thanks for logistical support extended for smooth facilitation for his Palestine visit," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

Kumar also tweeted a picture of Modi hugging the King.

"A warm hug between friends reflecting our relationship! PM @narendramodi had a very cordial meeting with His Majesty King of Jordan immediately upon arrival in Amman. In a gracious and personal gesture, the King invited Prime Minister Modi to his residence for the meeting," he said.

On his arrival here, Modi was received by Jordan Prime Minister Hani Al-Mulki.

The Indian community enthusiastically welcomed Modi to Amman.

This is Modi's first visit to Jordan and also the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister in 30 years. India and Jordan enjoy friendly ties since diplomatic relations were established in 1950, Raveesh Kumar, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson, said.

Tomorrow, Modi will leave for Palestine where he is scheduled to hold discussions with President Mahmoud Abbas and reaffirm India's support for the Palestinian people and the development of Palestine.

Modi will be the first-ever prime minister to visit Palestine.

The Prime Minister will leave for the UAE later in the day for a two-day visit.

In the UAE, Modi would hold meetings with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

He said he will also be addressing the 6th edition of the World Government Summit in Dubai, where India is the guest country.

During the visit, Modi said he will engage with leading UAE and Arab CEOs in Dubai on the vast economic opportunities in India and what more can be done to bolster business collaboration.

On the last leg of his trip, Modi would travel to Oman from February 11-12.

Modi will visit Oman for the first time as prime minister and will hold talks with the Sultan of Oman and other key leaders.

He would also interact with leading businesspersons of Oman on developing stronger economic and business links with India.

More than nine million Indians work and live in the Gulf region, of which about one third live in the UAE alone. In Oman, they constitute the largest expatriate community.
February 10, 2018 Syria - Is War With Israel Imminent (Updated)? Around 6 am GMT the Syrian air defense shot downed an Israeli fighter jet that was attacking the country. There is now the chance that a larger war will ensue. (The whole story behind this will surely be covered in Elijah Magnier's upcoming book on Hizbullah.) [This is a developing story that will be updated below as new information comes in. - The latest update (below) is a video interview with Elijah Magnier on the implications of today's developments.] This escalation comes after a series of recent provocations against the Russian forces in Syria, yesterday's U.S. attack on Syrian forces, last week's Israeli threats against Lebanon and dozens of Israeli air attacks on alleged Hizbullah or Iranian installations in Syria. Tonight's events developed after Israel shot down what it called an "Iranian drone" allegedly in air space over the Israel occupied Syrian Golan Heights. Syria denies that its drone violated Israeli air space. Israel then attacked ground targets in Syria. One attacking Israeli F-16 fighter jet was taken down by Syrian air defense. The pilot ejected and parachuted into Israeli territory. He is wounded but survived. It is the first downing of an Israeli jet by Syrian air defense since 1982! Further Israeli "retaliation" followed. This is another paragraph in the long history of Israeli aggression against Syria.

Older map with an approximate timeline of events - Source: LeBeck- bigger There are some unconfirmed vague reports of a second damaged F-16 and a destroyed Israeli Apache helicopter. Today's development as covered in Eljiah Magnier's timeline (emphasis added): Elijah J. Magnier @ejmalrai - 5:06 AM - 10 Feb 2018

Missiles launched over #Damascus; Rockets over the Golan Heights and a drone downed over #Israel: all in the last hour.

Israel said it is "an #Iranian drone". If that is the case, it is a "forced reconnaissance" to exhaust the Israeli defence system, #Hezbollah's style. #Breakingnews:

#Israel F-16 downed by what seems to be #Syria air defence system #BreakingNews: Private source

All Syrian military and intelligence and their allies (#Hezbollah) positions in #Syria and #Lebanon on full alert Source: #Israel recognition of downing an F-16 means Syria is on alert waiting for any Israeli violation, as is #Hezbolah and #Iran. Would Israel be dragged to war? How #Russia will react in #Syria? The front is very hot now. #Israel changing version from "an #Iranian drone" to admit the downing of an F-16 was a first attempt to accuse #Tehran but later had to admit the reality showing a confusion in decision makers in the first hour. #Syria is used to war as its leadership has been engaged in it fully for the last 6-7 years. Therefore #Damascus's Gov is ready for another front following the liberation of #ISIS last pocket in the north (except the one under #USA control). Level of escalation in #Damascus response was a warning to #Israel that #TelAviv didn't take onboard. #Israel may limit itself bombing few Syrian positions from afar (flying over #Lebanon) or be dragged into escalation on a front from #Lebanon to #Syria #Israel can't ignore the downing of its F-16, never happen in the last decades over #Syria and #Lebanon. Therefore what is important is the level of response: will the response bring a retaliation? If so, the long waited war may began. This is a new Rule of Engagement and a new situation where #Israel is finding itself incapable of dominating the #Syria/n air space. It also shows #Damascus freedom (unlike many analysts believed) to respond regardless what #Russia's position is. #Syria/n officials believe more than 1 F-16 were hit by its anti-Air missiles, showing the Syrian air-defence capability and the challenging attitude of #Damascus towards #Israel (not accepting the Israeli version of only 1 F-16 downed). One conclusion: The Sky over #Syria is no longer an #Israeli/i promenade and the Syrian Army is now ready for another confrontation. This blows up all (ridiculous) assessment by analysts that "the Syrian Army stretched..., skinny..., few thousands only...) #Israel admitted, indirectly, of the efficiency of the #Syrian Air-defence system by saying:"We study a retaliation". The question is and remain: How #Russia will behave? Allow #Israel to hit its Syrian ally and remain on the side? Or stop the escalation? It is in the disadvantage of #Russia to see another war in #Syria on the southern front, with a #USA intervention, #Hezbollah #Iran the #Palestinians... all that may lead to a general war unless the Israeli response is limited. #Hezbollah, on full alert in #Syria and #Lebanon, expected the reaction. Its leader Said Hasan Nasrallah warned to open a general war from Naqoura to the Golan Heights in the forthcoming war. This escalation coincide with the approval of #Lebanon to start its oil exploration in Block 9. Just a thought: If this is a #Russian tit-for-tat, we could say that it is #Russia response to the downing of the Russian jet over #Idlib. Russia accused the #USA of providing anti-air missiles to #AQ allies. It is likely that #Damascus issues a communique to confirm its air defence fired the missiles against the F-16 hitting more than one jet to counter the #Israeli version claiming that #Iran is directly involved in this event. It seems #Israel warning Sirens blare in Northern #Israel over the Golan, the Galilee and the northern of Israel, closing the airspace over the north of Israel. 7:35 AM - 10 Feb 2018

#BreakingNews: A second #Israel/i air bombing against #Syria. #Damascus open fire again against Israel Jets and Golan Heights positions. Siren over Israel continue. Escalation (for now). Should Israel escalate to a bigger war it will be covered with hundreds of missiles per hour. Hizbullah has enough reserves to submit Israel to weeks of uninterrupted fire. Normal civil life will come to a stand still. Lebanon and Syria would also be under severe attacks but they are better positioned to endure such a situation. A downed F-16 is already a bloody nose for Israel. It is not in its interest to further escalate. Russia as well as the U.S. could become involved and into direct conflict. This must be avoided at all cost. But the current personal in White House, especially the military triumvirate behind the president, is of dubious quality. Moscow is hopefully aware of this. [Update 12 am GMT] The parties are now deescalating. In the last round Israel claimed to have hit several Syrian air-defense positions and "Hizbullah depots" while Syria claimed to have shot down more incoming missiles. Israel signaled that it is not interested in further escalation and Russia called for both sides to calm down. There has been no statement from Washington. If this outcome persists we can state that there are now new "rules of engagement" and new "red lines". Further Israeli attacks on Syria will be responded to by effective means. The Russian officers who are co-located with the Syrian air defense will not intervene to Israel's advantage. That fact is in itself a message from Moscow to Israel to stop its open and its clandestine provocations. [Update: 1:30 pm GMT] Elijah J. Magnier @ejmalrai - 1:03 PM - 10 Feb 2018

This is the end of it guys: #Israel decided to stand down and de-escalate. #Russia received an Israeli request to mediate to stop the escalation. Israel has lost the first battle against #Damascus when Syria was ready, after eliminating ISIS in central Syria #BreakingNews:

Commander in #Syria confirmed to me: It was not an S-200 that hit the F-16. "It was a prepared ambushed". Read more tomorrow via @AlraiMediaGroup [Update: 7:00 pm GMT] Elijah just gave an interview (video) to 108morris about the implications of today's development. Posted by b on February 10, 2018 at 9:29 UTC | Permalink Comments next page  next page 
The city will not use an acre of property for which they paid$200,000 for a vehicle impound lot.The city will not use an acre of property for which they paid $200,000 for a vehicle impound lot.

Faced with steady opposition from local towing companies, and after months of negotiations between the city and the private businesses, the council unanimously voted Wednesday to abandon a police department proposal to take over the storage of vehicles that are subject to mandatory impound.

Instead, the city will now look into entering a franchise agreement with four local towing companies that have traditionally been called upon to transport and store vehicles whose owners have violated state laws, or have been abandoned or damaged in accidents.

Based on discussion among city staff and council members, the terms of this agreement will allow the full recovery of public dollars spent on police-ordered towing, impound and storage of vehicles in Morgan Hill. At the same time, it will improve the level of related police services.

The companies  California Tow Company, Ponzinis Community Garage, Braccos Towing & Transport, and All Day & Night Towing  complained that a police proposal submitted to the council in June would drown their businesses by taking the profits they now receive from tows and vehicle storage requested by the police. The companies even filed an injunction against the plan. The injunction failed in Santa Clara County Superior Court in July.

The citys initial proposal would have still used the local companies for towing, but vehicles subject to mandatory impound would be stored on a lot next to the police station. The lot would have been staffed by police department employees, and the city would collect the storage fees.

Small business has always been important to me, Councilwoman Marilyn Librers said Wednesday. It was Librers idea to table a vote on the police proposal two weeks earlier so that city staff and the tow-truck companies could negotiate further.

Under the terms of the agreement, the companies will pay the city 20 percent of all revenues they receive from the storage of impounded vehicles, and the sale of unclaimed vehicles ordered to be impounded by police. The agreement would guarantee that the city is fully repaid for staff costs associated with calling the tow companies and processing impounded vehicles.

According to city staff, that annual cost is about $107,255. However, the city and the companies negotiated a guaranteed minimum annual total reimbursement to the city of $102,654.

City Manager Ed Tewes said the smaller figure is based on the tow companies projection of how much a city-owned impound lot that collected storage fees would make in a year.

Furthermore, the companies get an exclusive franchise agreement to be the only towing companies to be called by Morgan Hill Police when a vehicle removal is ordered. The initial agreement will be two years in length.

Brooks Ellison, an attorney representing the tow companies, spoke at length Wednesday about how impressive a compromise the tow truck operators proposal was.

These were some of the quickest, most in depth negotiations Ive ever been a part of. They have made this their No. 1 priority, to make sure the city is able to get its full cost recovery, Ellison said.

Mayor Steve Tate said at the Oct. 14 meeting that when the towing companies were offered a similar franchise agreement in Nov. 2007, they were stridently opposed.

The terms of the agreement still have to be finalized, according to city attorney Danny Wan.

As for the property on Vineyard Boulevard that the city purchased for the impound lot concept in September, staff will not immediately recommend trying to sell the one-acre parcel. The property could be used in the future for police-related purposes, Tewes said.

Towing agreement

The city gets:

-20 percent of revenues from four local tow-truck companies, related to all police-ordered tows (impounded vehicles, abandoned vehicles, and vehicles damaged in accidents);

-20 percent of daily storage fees ($57 per day) on police-ordered tows recovered by their owners;

-20 percent of lien sale price from unclaimed vehicles sold at lien sales;

-20 percent of lien fees paid;

-At least a total of $102,654 per year from the companies, if the above fees are less than this amount designated for recovery of public costs.

The tow-truck companies get:

-$180 per tow;

-Exclusive two-year agreement with the city to only call them when Morgan Hill police order the towing of any vehicle.

By the numbers

-$57: Daily storage fee for vehicles that are impounded due to their owners violation of vehicle codes.

-418: Average number of cars impounded by police per year, over the last three years.

-21: Average number of days each vehicle was in storage.

-$102,654: Minimum guaranteed amount city will collect from private tow-truck operators to recover the costs associated with police-ordered towing.

-$107,255: Estimated annual cost of ordering vehicles to be towed and impounded, including officer and dispatch staff time.

-$200,000: Price the city paid in September for land on Vineyard Boulevard they thought they would use for a publicly-owned impound lot.
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In Focus with Allison Walker is a 30-minute public affairs program, featuring a roundtable of newsmakers representing a range of perspectives, including local officials and expert analysts as they tackle topical issues of importance to Floridians.

In Focus airs Sundays at 11:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m., right after Political Connections.
Prom is about dancing the night away with friends and loved ones. But the downside about prom is that sometimes people with special needs dont get an opportunity to go.

'A Night to Shine' hosts prom-like event for people with special needs



Anyone with special needs age 14 and up can attend

Attendee and caregiver enjoy music, dance and food



I have four older daughters and they all had prom and different things like that. Rachel goes to a small school and they are all on the spectrum, and they dont have a prom or anything and this is just fantastic, said Amy Goodpasture.

She is talking about the prom-like event A Night to Shine. Its the third year the Christ Presbyterian Church has hosted it with the help of the Tim Tebow Foundation.

We get to dance a lot which is one of my favorite activities, and they have karaoke here, and its really fun, and they have really good food, said Rachel Goodpature, 17.

The whole event is just for people with special needs.

I would say last year was probably the best night of the whole year, and actually on the way home we actually started looking forward to tonight, said Amy.

From start to finish, it is all about the special needs guest. They enter the Henderson Building at Embry Riddle University by walking down a long red carpet to cheers. Then are given a tiara or crown to wear for the night, and once inside are able to enjoy food, karaoke, dancing and more.

Anyone with special needs ages 14 and up is able to come with their caregiver. And while the most fun is had by those with special needs, their caregivers are often seen having the time of their lives too.

Its fun for the families to be included, and having fun with our special children. And we feel so included, said Amy.

It made me cry, now I am prepared for it, but its tear jerking for parents, said Lisa Taber, a mother.

Lisas son Ashton has been coming to the event for the last three years. For Ashton, there is one part of the night he looks forward to every year.

Dancing! said Ashton.

For three hours, the stress of life melts away to rhythms of music, family and fun.
Online Desk By

SRINAGAR: A day after fifth death anniversary of parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, the suicide squad militants of Jaish-e-Mohammad stormed the heavily fortified Sunjuwan army camp in Jammu, the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir, on the wee hours of Saturday, killing two Junior Commissioned Officers and injuring nine others while the operation to flush out the militants is going on.

The Army in its response has killed two heavily armed terrorists so far, while recovering large amount of ammunition & hand grenades, said defence sources. [WATCH VIDEO]

The militants barged into the army brigade headquarters at Sunjuwan from the rear side at around 4.45 am today, said IGP Jammu. He said the army men deployed on guard in the camp opened fire on the militants.

FULL STORY IN UPDATES:

#JammuAndKashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti met the injured at Military Hospital in Jammu. #SunjwanArmyCamp pic.twitter.com/RWcNeNqSZ2  ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2018

Armoured vehicles were deployed at Sunjwan Army Camp, according to ANI.

As part of the ongoing operation in Sunjuwan the Army has killed two heavily armed terrorists. The terrorists were wearing combat uniforms carrying AK 56 assault rifle, large amount of ammunition & hand grenades. Search of their belongings confirm the terrorists to be from Jaish-e-Mohammed. So far JCO & 1 NCO both belonging to J&K have been martyred & 9 others are injured. Two of them being critical. Ops will continue till all terrorist are apprehended or killed: Defence PRO

Security heightened in border areas following Sunjuwan Army camp attack.

#Visuals from Sunjuwan Army camp which was attacked by terrorists earlier today (visuals deferred by unspecified time) pic.twitter.com/3O0clEf1Xt  ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2018

Security heightened, checking at entry points intensified in Baramulla district after the Sunjwan Army camp attack.

No hostage crisis in Sunjwan Army Camp, 19 of the 26 flats have been evacuated. Operation continues, reports ANI.

The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly was today rocked by protests with members raising anti-Pakistan slogans after the terror attack on the Sunjuwan camp.

"I don't feel it is fit to comment on it since the operation is still underway. But be assured that our forces & jawans are doing their duty, vo aap logon ka mastak jhukne nahi denge", says Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

No day passes by without such incidents & terrorists are all coming from Pakistan. If Pakistan wants good relations with India, they need to stop terrorism or it will have bad consequences. Sadly, I have to say if it continues India won't stop itself from waging war, says Farooq Abdullah on Sunjuwan attack.

National Conference MLA raises pro-Pakistan slogans in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, Abdullah disowns his remarks

The two slain has been identified as Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) Mohammad Ashraf Mir and Madan Lal.

Sources said two civilians injured in the gunfight have also succumbed to injuries, thus taking the death toll to four. Among the deceased civilian is said to be the daughter of the army officer, who was killed in the fidayeen attack, they said.

2 JCOs killed and six injured in Jammu terror attack, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Abdul Rehman Veeri informs Jammu and Kashmir Assembly.

If Pakistan wants good relations with India, they need to stop

terrorism or it will have bad consequences, says Farooq Abdullah. | ANI J-K Assembly rocked with protests as BJP members raise anti-Pakistan slogans. (PTI)

Deeply disturbed by the terrorist attack in Sunjuwan today. My heart goes out to the injured & their families, Jammu and Kashmir Chief minister Mehbooba Mufti tweets.

IAF para commandos airlifted to Jammu from Udhampur, Saturday morning. Another aircraft is airborne to airlift para commandos from Sarsawa.

Intermittent gunfire and explosions are taking place inside the camp. Army helicopters are also hovering over the area to assistant the security forces on the ground in locating the militants and flushing them out.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to DG Jammu and Kashmir Police, Shri @spvaid regarding the terrorist attack on Army camp in Jammu. The DGP has apprised him of the situation.

Reports claim one Junior Commissioned Officer has been killed in the gunfight.

Gunshots heard inside Sunjuwan Army camp as operation continues. Schools within 500 meters of the camp have been asked to remain closed by district administration. (ANI)

Jammu and Kashmir: Gun shots heard inside Sunjwan Army camp, area cordoned off. (ANI)

News from Jammu & the encounter in #Sunjwan is extremely disturbing. Hoping for an end to the encounter without any loss of life among the security forces & their families.  Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) February 10, 2018

Security forces and police have cordoned off the area around the Sunjuwan Army camp. The camp falls under the first Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry in 36 brigade.

Intelligence inputs had warned an attack on the army or security establishment by Jaish-e-Mohammed in view of the death anniversary of Afzal Guru who was hanged on February 9, 2013.

ALSO READ: After escape of LeT prisoner from SMHS hospital, Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Prisons SK Mishra shunted out

Sources said once inside the camp, militants split into groups and one group forced their entry into the family quarters after firing from automatic weapons and lobbing grenades.

Three army men including a JCO and his daughter were injured in the militant and evacuated to hospital. The critically injured JCO has succumbed to injuries, sources said adding condition of JCOs daughter is critical.

Sources said the Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) of army and police commandos have launched an operation to flush out the militants from the army camp.

Soon after the attack, reinforcements of the Armys special forces and SOG rushed to the spot and cordoned off the whole area amid a fierce gunfight, security official said.

The security forces are meticulously planning the operation to avoid casualties as families of soldiers and officers are present in the residential quarters, sources said.

They said militants may be affiliated to Jaish-e-Mohammads Afzal Guru Squad.

Afzal Guru was secretly hanged and buried in Delhis Tihar jail on February 9, 2013 for his role in 2001 parliament attack case.

The State was on high alert in the wake of Afzal Gurus fifth death anniversary yesterday and there were intelligence reports that militants were planning attacks on security forces camps and installations.

In view of the fidayeen attack, authorities have closed all schools within five kilometers radius of the army camp.

Besides, police, CRPF and army men have launched combing operations in the adjoining areas.

The top security officials are camping in the area.

The attack has taken place at a time when ceasefire violations by Pakistan troops have surged and J&K Assembly is in session in Jammu.

The same army camp was attacked by militants in 2003. At least 12 soldiers were killed in the militant attacks.

It is also the second attack on army installation in Jammu in two years.

Last year, the militants had stormed an army camp in Nagrota in which at least eight soldiers were killed.

According to ANI, Gunshots were heard inside the Sunjwan Army camp on Saturday morning.

Jammu's IGP SD Singh Jamwal said that around 4:55 am suspicious movement was noticed.

Around 4:55 am suspicious movement was noticed by the santri; santri bunker was fired upon & they retaliated. No. of terrorists isn't known, they've been cornered in one of the family quarters. 2 injured, one Hawaldar & his daughter. Operation is on: Jammu IGP SD Singh Jamwal pic.twitter.com/BsPmVpuv0n  ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2018

The number of terrorists inside the camp isn't known. They have been cornered in one of the family quarters.

ALSO READ: Defence Secretary, Army vice chief review security situation in Jammu and Kashmir

Militants had attacked the same army station in 2006. Twelve soldiers were killed and seven others were injured in that attack before the two 'fidayeen' (suicide attack) terrorists were killed.

On a related note, an alert advisory had been issued in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of the death anniversaries of Parliament attack convict Muhammad Afzal Guru and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) founder Maqbool Bhat.

The advisory was issued after the JKLF announced to stage a protest against the hanging of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat on February 9 and February 11.

(With inputs from agencies, ENS)
Fayaz Wani By

Express News Service

SRINAGAR: At a time when the security personnel were engaged in heavy gunfight with Jaish-e-Mohammad fidayeen inside an army camp in Jammu, a lawmaker of opposition National Conference and former Assembly Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone has stirred a controversy by chanting pro-Pakistan slogans in the State Assembly on Saturday.

Lone chanted pro-Pakistan slogans in the Assembly after the ruling BJP members chanted anti-Pakistan slogans after the fidayeen attack on army camp in Jammu in which four people including two JCOs have been killed so far.

After the Assembly met in the morning, Speaker Kavinder Gupta, who is BJP MLA, alleged the presence of Rohingya Muslim refugees near army camp in Sunjwan area of Jammu, led to fidayeen attack on the army camp.

He said the Rohingya Muslims presence in the area poses security threat and there is possibility of their involvement in the attack.

Jammu's Sunjuwan Army camp attack UPDATES

Amidst his statement, BJP members chanted anti-Pakistan slogans to lodge their protest against the fidayeen attack on army camp.

Lone, who is NC MLA from Sonawari and former Speaker, stood from his chair and chanted pro-Pakistan slogans to counter BJP MLAs, who were shouting anti-Pakistan slogans.

I am a Muslim first. My sentiments were hurt when they (BJP MLAs) were shouting anti-Pakistan slogans. I raised pro-Pakistan slogans to counter them and put my point of view on Speakers remarks. The Roghinya Muslims are refugees, Lone told reporters outside the Assembly.

Speaker, however, defended his statement, saying he lives in the constituency where Rohingya Musims are living. The government also accepted that they are security threat after receiving complaints from the people. We have to take serious note of Rohingya presence in Jammu.

Reacting to NC leader chanting pro-Pakistan slogans, NC president and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah said the entire party is of the unequivocal stand that Lone has spoken out of turn and his slogans in the Legislative Assembly are completely unacceptable to the party.

He said the NC MLA should not forget that he belongs to a party that rejected the two nation theory and he should also remember the oath he swears in the name of God at the beginning of his terms.

The party disowns and condemns his remarks, he added.
By PTI

RAMALLAH: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today met Mahmoud Abbas on a historic visit to Palestine during which the Palestinian President sought India's role in achieving a "just and desired peace" with Israel in accordance with the two-state solution.

President Abbas received Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to make an official visit to Palestine, in an official ceremony at the presidential compound, also known as Muqata'a, in Ramallah - the Palestinian seat of government.

They discussed the full range of India-Palestine ties following which the two sides signed six agreements worth around USD 50 million that includes setting up of a USD 30 million super speciality hospital in Beit Sahur.

Three agreements in the education sector worth USD 5 million, one MoU for procurement of equipment and machinery for the National Printing Press and one for construction of a centre for empowering women were also signed.

At a joint press statement with Modi, President Abbas acknowledged that the Indian leadership has always stood by peace in Palestine.

Abbas said he had "fruitful and constructive" talks with Prime Minister Modi and he updated the Indian leader on the overall developing situation in Palestine and in the region.

He said Palestine is always ready to engage in negotiations to achieve freedom and independence in accordance with the two-state solution along the lines of 1967 and internationally legitimate resolutions so that both Palestine and Israel can co-exist in peace and security, provided that East Jerusalem is the Capital of the state of Palestine.

I consider it an honour to be in Palestine. I bring with me the goodwill and greetings of the people of India. Here are my remarks at the joint press meet with President Abbas. https://t.co/lUWKPB9Nxe pic.twitter.com/3uUPtuh4gP  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 10, 2018

The Prime Minister said India hopes for return of peace in the West Asian region.

"We hope for peace and stability in Palestine, we believe a permanent solution is possible with dialogue. Only diplomacy and farsightedness can set free from violence and baggage of the past. We know it is not easy but we need to keep trying as a lot is at stake," Modi said.

Though India has shied away from becoming a party in the Israel-Palestinian conflict, the Palestinian leader on several occasions has stressed on a possible role for New Delhi in the Middle East peace process.

India believes in a two-state solution in which both Israel and a future Palestinian state coexist peacefully.

Modi's visit to Palestine comes amid heightened tensions in the region after US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The unilateral US decision to declare Jerusalem as the capital of Israel was challenged at the UN General Assembly where 128 nations, including India, voted to turn down the move as "null and void".

Trump's decision to declare Jerusalem as Israel's capital angered the Palestinians, sparked protests in the Middle East and raised concern that it could further destabilise the region, marred by decades of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

During his maiden visit to Israel last year, Modi did not travel to Ramallah. His standalone visit to Israel had led to many analysts questioning the future of the Indo-Palestine ties. This time Modi skipped Israel in a clear message that India is de-hyphenating its ties with Israel and Palestine.

President Abbas also conferred the 'Grand Collar of the State of Palestine' on Prime Minister Modi, recognising his key contribution to promote ties between India and Palestine.

The Grand Collar is Highest order given to foreign dignitaries - Kings, Heads of State/Government and persons of similar rank.

Modi thanked Abbas, saying "this is a matter of proud for India. This is also reflective of the friendship between India and Palestine."

Earlier, the two leaders exchanged hugs and stood for the national anthem of the two countries and then inspected the guard of honour before their bilateral talks.

Archbishop of Catholic Church, Poulos Marcuzzo, and religious leaders of the Al-Aqsa mosque were also at the Muqata'a to greet Modi.

Modi flew in a Jordanian army helicopter straight from Amman to Ramallah, where he was received by his Palestinian counterpart Rami Hamdallah. Prime Minister Modi's chopper was escorted by choppers from Israel Air Force.

Soon after his arrival, Prime Minister Modi visited the Mausoleum of Yasser Arafat in Ramallah and laid a wreath at the grave of the iconic Palestinian leader. He was accompanied by his Palestinian counterpart Hamdallah.

After paying homage to Arafat, Modi took a short tour of the Arafat Museum located adjacent to the mausoleum.
By PTI

RAMALLAH: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today arrived in Ramallah on a historic visit to Palestine during which he will meet President Mahmoud Abbas and reaffirm India's support for the Palestinian people.

Modi, the first Indian prime minister to visit Ramallah, arrived here on the first leg of his three-nation tour.

Prime Minister Modi and President Abbas will discuss ways to enhance bilateral relations as well as discuss the regional and international situations of common concern.

"We will discuss the recent updates with Prime Minister Modi, and the recent developments in the peace process, the bilateral relations, and the regional situations. And the possible role India can play in enhancing peace in the region, as well as discussing different economical aspects beyond the existing ties we already possess," Abbas had told PTI.

#WATCH Earlier visuals from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's journey to Palestine's Ramallah via a chopper, which was escorted by Royal Jordanian choppers by the King and Israeli choppers pic.twitter.com/ginxPzBTnV  ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2018

Describing India as a "very respected country in the international arena", the 82-year-old Palestinian President had said that India can have a possible role in creating a multilateral forum of negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis to reach a final agreement.

According to Abbas, Modi's visit to the region reflects India's long-held position of supporting peace and stability in the region.

Modi will begin his engagement by laying a wreath at the Mausoleum of iconic Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. He will be accompanied by his Palestinian counterpart Rami Hamdallah.

After paying homage to Arafat, the prime minister will take a short tour accompanied by Hamdallah of the Yasser Arafat Museum located adjacent to the Mausoleum.

Modi will then be received by President Abbas before the ceremonial welcome at the Muqata'a.

The two leaders will then have discussions, sign bilateral agreements, hold a joint press conference and share lunch before Modi leaves for Amman in a chopper.

During his maiden visit to Israel last year, Modi did not travel to Ramallah, the Palestinian seat of government. His standalone visit to Israel had led to many analysts questioning the future of the Indo-Palestine ties.

This time Modi skipped Israel in a clear message that India is de-hyphenating its ties with Israel and Palestine.

Modi's visit to Palestine comes amid heightened tensions in the region after US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The unilateral US decision to declare Jerusalem as the capital of Israel was challenged at the UN General Assembly where 128 nations, including India, voted to turn down the move as "null and void".

Trump's decision to declare Jerusalem as Israel's capital angered the Palestinians, sparked protests in the Middle East and raised concern that it could further destabilise the region.

Though India has shied away from becoming a party in the Israel-Palestinian conflict, the Palestinian leader on several occasions has stressed on a possible role for New Delhi in the Middle East peace process.

India believes in a two-state solution in which both Israel and a future Palestinian state coexist peacefully.

The two-state solution envisions independent Israeli and Palestinian states coexisting side by side peacefully. The Palestinians see east Jerusalem as their future capital.
Belgian Queen Mathilde made a working visit to Ghana together with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Development and Cooperation between the dates of February 07, 2018 - February 09, 2018. Ghana visit focused on application of Sustainable Development Goals and the Queen visited various local application projects which aim to strengthen women economically. The Queen made that visit as the Defender of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Want some apples? Here's where you can pick your own in Newport County

around-town
lucky-photographer/iStock/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) -- President Donald Trumps comments offering well wishes to former White House staff secretary Rob Porter  who is facing multiple allegations of domestic violence  are drawing scrutiny from lawmakers and politicians.



"He says he's innocent, and I think you have to remember that. He said very strongly yesterday that he's innocent, so you'll have to talk to him about that," the president said in the Oval Office of Porter on Friday.



"It's obviously a tough time for him, he did a very good job when he was in the White House and we hope he has a wonderful career, and hopefully he will have a great career ahead of him, Trump said.



He made no mention of the women who allegedly endured abuse from Porter which they claim ranged from choking to punching in the face to shaking violently.



Porter has denied the claims as "outrageous allegations" that are "simply false" and called them part of a "coordinated smear campaign."



Speaking to thousands of fraternity and sorority leaders in Indianapolis, former Vice President Joe Biden blasted the president for wishing Porter well and saying he was good at his job.



"Over this past week, we have just seen abusers of the highest ranks within the Oval Offic," Biden said. "Translate this into every day terms  is there any other crime  and its a crime  where thered be an explanation the reason why we shouldnt pay attention to the transgression is because theyre good at something?"



Democratic lawmakers weighed in with criticism on Twitter.



No one's surprised that Trump would defend a man who abuses women. But a President publicly empathizing with an abuser rather than the women who came forward will have profound negative effects on how we deal with intimate partner violence in this country. https://t.co/tarklVjxNb  Katherine Clark (@RepKClark) February 9, 2018

#BREAKING: Trump said he's "very sad" #RobPorter lost his @WhiteHouse job after being accused by TWO of his ex-wives of #DomesticViolence.



Americans deserve a president who believes & respects women. Shameful. pic.twitter.com/5tMWmyma7n  Jim McGovern (@RepMcGovern) February 9, 2018

Even after photographic evidence of #RobPorter's abuse emerges, @realDonaldTrump says nothing about the women who have been harmed - and stands by his recently resigned staffer. This is the White House's #CultureofMisogyny  Rep. Nydia Velazquez (@NydiaVelazquez) February 9, 2018

.@realDonaldTrump shows ZERO sympathy for the multiple women Rob Porter is accused of abusing. But hopefully Porter has a great career... Truly sad. Domestic violence cannot be tolerated anywhere. https://t.co/YYv2rxADk1  Ann McLane Kuster (@RepAnnieKuster) February 9, 2018

Vice President Mike Pence did not react to the presidents comments on Porter but said he was "appalled" when he learned of the allegations against Porter and condemned domestic abuse.



"The time that he resigned is when I first became aware of the allegations of domestic abuse and theres no tolerance in this White House, no place in America for domestic abuse, Pence said in an interview with NBC. That being said, I think the White House has acknowledged that they could have handled it better.



He added, When I return to Washington DC, Im going to look into the matter, and Ill share my counsel with the president directly.



Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
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Jammu: Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists stormed an Army camp on the outskirts of Jammu city on Saturday, killing two junior commissioned officers (JCOs) and injuring nine others, including a Major and a daughter of an Army officer. Two terrorists involved in the attack have been gunned down, officials said.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri informed the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly that Subedar Madanlal Chowdhary and Subedar Mohammed Ashraf Mir were killed in the attack by a group of militants.

Jammu-based Army PRO Lt Col Devender Anand said that after a brief exchange of fire with sentry on the periphery early in on Saturday morning, some terrorists entered the family accommodation complex from the rear.

The Army has isolated the remaining terrorists and was going from room to room to pin them down inside the residential building. Officials said that all the families have been evacuated and there is no hostage situation.

"The quick response teams have cordoned off the area and isolated the terrorists, who are holed up in a few houses (inside the camp)," the officer said.

"Due to the presence of women and children in the housing colony, the operations had to be carried out cautiously to minimise the casualties," he said.

The Major has been airlifted to an Udhampur hospital where his condition was stated to be critical, Army officials said.

Army helicopters and drones have been pressed into service to ascertain the exact location of the terrorists, officials said.

While there was no action around the main entrance and vehicles were moving along the Jammu-Lakhanpur bypass in front of the camp, Army personnel in bullet-proof vehicles were engaged in the operation to rescue people from the family quarters in the rear side of the base.

Contingents of para-military CRPF and police personnel have been posted outside the boundary wall and were keeping curious onlookers at bay to avoid civilian casualties.

Generators and searchlights were brought to the camp, apparently for a night assault.

Though the exact number of militants was not known, officials said preliminary estimates suggested that there could be three to four of them inside the camp.

Inspector General of Police (Jammu) S D Singh Jamwal told reporters here that "around 4:55 am suspicious movement was noticed by the sentry and his bunker was fired upon. The fire was retaliated. The number of militants is not known. They have been cornered in one of the family quarters."

Soon after the attack, reinforcements of the Army's special forces and special operations group (SOG) rushed to the spot and cordoned off the area amid a fierce gunfight, security official said.

Schools in a five-kilometre radius around the camp have been closed by the authorities as a precautionary measure. A high alert has been sounded in Jammu and security beefed up in and around the city.

Intelligence inputs had warned of an attack on an Army or security establishment by Jaish-e-Mohammed in view of the death anniversary of Afzal Guru who was hanged on February 9, 2013.

Those injured included an Army officer, Havaldar Abdul Hamid, Lance Naik Bahadur Singh and the daughter of slain Subedar Chowdhary, the minister earlier told the House which witnessed protests by BJP members who raised anti-Pakistan slogans.
New Delhi/Hyderabad: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has ruled out any possibility of an out-of-court settlement in the Babri MajidRam Janmabhoomi dispute.

Babri Masjid Action Committee Convenor and General Secretary of AIMPLB Zafaryab Jilani told News18 that the out-of-court formula hinted towards their surrender and not a settlement. They dont want any settlement, they want us to surrender. Hence, an out-of-court settlement is pointless, said Jilani.

Indian Muslims apex body, AIMPLB, on Friday gave joint approval to Jilanis stand and dismissed the idea of an out-of-court settlement.

Earlier, Maulana Salman Nadvi, a member of the AIMPLBs executive committee, meeting Art of Living Founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in Bengaluru. Nadvi, who was accompanied by other Muslims, met the guru on Thursday to explore a settlement in the dispute.

To this, Jilani said, The board has no such view. Nadvi's meeting with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is in his individual capacity. None of the working committee members were aware of such a thing. Our position, since the 90s, has been settlement via court and there has been no change in that. We have no removal clause in our boards constitution, hence we would just ignore Nadvi.

AIMPLB president Maulana Rabey Hasani Nadvi was presiding over a meeting of the boards 50-member executive committee in Hyderabad to discuss the agenda for the general body meeting scheduled for Friday and Saturday.

The board had reviewed Nadvis statement at its executive committee meeting, held as part of a three-day plenary that started in Hyderabad on Friday evening.

The meeting also discussed key agendas like the Triple Talaq Bill pending in the Rajya Sabha. The board will also deliberate if a clause of prohibited instant talaq should be included in the Muslim marriage contract.

Meanwhile, a CJI Dipak Misra-led bench in the Supreme Court, on Thursday, declared the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi issue as a land dispute, stating that it does not intend to allow any third-party intervention at this stage. The next hearing on the matter was posted for March 14.
Amaravati: The Centre has released a sum of Rs 1,269 crore to Andhra Pradesh under different heads in the last few days amid a strain in ties between the NDA and its ally TDP over allocation given to the state in the Union Budget.

The gross grant included Rs 417.44 crore for the Polavaram multipurpose project, one of the issues of contention between the allies TDP and BJP.

"The release (of Rs 417.44 crore) is towards the amount already utilised by the state against the irrigation component (of Polavaram) after April 1, 2014," an order issued by the Union water resources ministry's senior joint commissioner, R P S Verma, said.

The Centre, through the Polavaram Project Authority, had so far released Rs 4,329 crore for the project while the state government said it spent over Rs 7,200 crore after it was declared a national project.

Andhra Pradesh finance minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu submitted a memorandum to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley last month stating that a sum of Rs 3,217.63 crore, spent on Polavaram, was yet to be reimbursed to the state.

Of this, the Centre has now released Rs 417.44 crore, an official of the water resources department here said.

The Centre, meanwhile, also released Rs 369.16 crore last night under post-devolution revenue deficit grant, as per the recommendation of the 14th Finance Commission, to AP.

The Centre directed that the accounts of the scheme "shall be maintained properly and separately" and submitted as and when required.

"They shall be open to inspection by an officer deputed by the Government of India or the state government," an under-secretary at the Centre said in the release order.

The Centre also released Rs 253.74 crore as 'basic grant' to urban local bodies in the state. This was the second instalment during the current financial year.

Apart from this, a sum of Rs 196.92 crore was released for the anganwadi services scheme and the supplementary nutrition programme and another Rs 31.76 crore was released for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme, a state official said.

The TDP had been at loggerheads with the Centre over the "raw deal" given to AP in the Union Budget 2018-19 and the party MPs protested in Parliament on the issue saying no specific allocations were made to the state.

The party was particularly peeved that the Polavaram project was seemingly ignored in the Central allocations.
New Delhi: The Defence Ministry has requested the Finance Ministry to remove the cap of Rs 10,000 per month on educational assistance given to children of martyrs or those disabled in action, official sources said today.

On July 1 last year, the government had issued an order saying the assistance under the scheme cannot exceed Rs 10,000 per month, triggering widespread discontent among all the three services.

The Chiefs of Staff Committee (CoSC), comprising the Army, Navy and the Air Force chiefs, had also written to the defence ministry requesting it to remove the cap. Under the scheme, which was initially rolled out in 1972, tuition fee of children of martyrs or those disabled in action were completely waived in schools, colleges and other professional educational institutions.

"The defence minister has requested the finance ministry to remove the cap. We are hoping for a favourable decision," a defence ministry source said.

Approximately 250 students were affected during the current financial year following the government's decision to cap the assistance, according to officials.

Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre last month had said that the annual saving on account of putting the cap would be Rs 3.20 crore per annum. He had said the highest amount drawn has been reported to be Rs 18.95 lakh per annum per student.
New Delhi: The Defence Ministry has sanctioned Rs 1,487 crore to the Army to fortify its bases in Jammu and Kashmir, North East and several other places to plug their security gaps and protect them from any terror attacks, official sources said today.

Clearing the project, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has set a deadline of 10 months for the Army to carry it out. The Army headquarters has been told to monitor implementation of the project, they said.

The sanction to the project comes amid heightened hostilities between Indian and Pakistani armies along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir and many terror attacks targeting military installations.

Perimeter security will be strengthened at Army bases under six commands, the sources said. A security audit of military bases was carried out on the recommendation of a committee headed by Lt Gen Philip Campose which was set up after the daring terror attack on the Pathankot air force base in 2016.

The committee was asked to recommend measures to beef up security at the military bases. Following the security audit, revised standard operating procedures (SOPs) were sent to the commands of all three services to revamp their security management, including putting in place a multi-tier security structure.

A total of 3,000 sensitive bases, including 600 highly sensitive installations of the Army, Navy and the Air Force were identified by the forces months after the attack on Pathankot air base.

Separately, in July last year, the government had delegated "substantial" financial powers to the Army, the Navy and the Indian Air Force to strengthen perimeter security at sensitive bases across the country.
Paris: When Lebanese chef Alan Geaam first arrived in Paris two decades ago he found himself sleeping on the streets, lost and penniless with hardly a word of French.

This week Geaam, who began his career as a dishwasher while he was sleeping rough in a Paris park, received his first Michelin star from the French gastronomic bible for his acclaimed new restaurant within a stone's throw of the Arc de Triomphe.

"I never thought the Michelin would be interested in someone like me, who was self-taught, who had to sleep in the street at 19 and who began as a dishwasher," he told AFP.

"I thought the guide was about chefs in big fancy hotels or those trained by the great masters. But it turned out to be the opposite. It's a wonderful surprise," said the 43-year-old, who was born to Lebanese parents in Liberia, before they exchanged one war zone for another by returning to Beirut.

By then Geaam's fascination with food was clear, watching cookery shows on television rather than cartoons after school.

He started cooking while doing his national service in Lebanon, and the colonel of his regiment was so impressed he made him his personal chef.

But Geaam never thought we would be able to cut the mustard in France, and only got his break when the chef of the restaurant where he was washing the dishes was rushed to hospital when he slashed his hand with a knife.

'But you can cook!'

"I worked during the day as a construction worker and at night delivering pizzas and washing dishes. One night the cook cut his hand and had to go to hospital. No one asked me, but I just took over. There were 14 tables and so I just feed the customers and at the end of the night they were delighted.

"The owner said to me, 'But you can cook!' and I said, 'Yes.'"

"The reason I cook is to make people happy," said Geaam. And he has certainly spread joy among restaurant critics with Michelin's rival Gault Millau guide raving about his langoustines and chard and its dark chocolate-coloured sauce tinged with Vietnamese cardamom.

Alexander Lobrano, author of "Hungry for Paris", was even more effusive, declaring this "gentle, shrewd, self-taught chef as one of quiet men of Paris gastronomy... who has a brilliant future ahead of him."

Although Geaam delights in bringing the very best of French produce to his table, Lobrano said he also brings the "tender buds of his very personal cooking that makes references to the lost world of a little boy born to a foreign family living in tropical Africa."

- Pomegranate lacquered foie gras -

And the influence of his Lebanese roots is never far away either.

One of Geaam's favourite dishes at the moment is "an escalope of foie gras lacquered with pomegranate molasses served with a tartlette of beetroot and pomegranate.

"I ate a lot of pomegranates when I was a kid," he said. "I made juice with them, I made lots of reductions with them, and I loved putting this very Lebanese touch with something so French as foie gras."

Since Geaam got his Michelin star on Monday night his restaurant's phone has not stopped ringing.

His said his small, tight team of highly-talented chefs -- whose CVs he admits look far more impressive than his own -- "really feel that something has happened in our lives.

"You can criticise the Michelin guide but I can tell you the effect, a star massively boosts a restaurant."

Within hours the restaurant was booked up for three weeks. "It is quite something," he said.

Geaam, who told how his son boasted to his friends at school that his father got a Michelin star, put his success down to his own parents, who "lost everything" in Liberia only to have to struggle again in Lebanon during the civil war.

He said working with his father in his grocery shop from the age of 10 gave him a taste for business while his mother "taught me how to love people and how to cook".
Islamabad: Pakistan today said India has not responded to its queries on Indian death-row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav's passport and details of his service, calling it "regrettable".

Foreign Office spokesman Dr Mohammad Faisal said that Pakistan arrested "serving Indian Naval Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav", who confessed to his involvement in numerous terrorist incidents in Pakistan.

"It is regrettable that India has so far not given us any reply on how Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav was in possession of the passport of Hussain Mubarak Patel, or any details of his retirement from Indian Navy," he said.

Jadhav, 47, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court in April on charges of espionage and terrorism. The International Court of Justice in May had halted his execution on India's appeal.

Pakistan claims its security forces arrested him from restive Balochistan province on March 3 in 2016 after he reportedly entered from Iran. However, India maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy.

To another question, Faisal confirmed that a Pakistan delegation visited India for talks regarding intelligence and counter-terrorism but added that "it was not a bilateral meeting between Pakistan and India, but was held under the ambit of Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS), counter-terrorism cooperation mechanism under SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation)".

India and Pakistan attended the SCO summit last year in the Russian beach resort city of Sochi as permanent members for the first time.
Ramallah (West Bank): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday batted for a sovereign and independent Palestine in his maiden visit to the country, also the first by an Indian Prime Minister.

"I have assured President Abbas that India is committed to the Palestinian people's interests," Modi said during a joint address.

He said India hopes for return of peace in this region. "We know that it's not easy, but we should keep striving because a lot is at stake," he said.

The two sides also signed agreements worth around USD 50 million that includes setting up of a USD 30 million super specialty hospital after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas received Prime Minister Modi in an official ceremony at the presidential compound, also known as Muqata'a, in Ramallah - the Palestinian seat of government.

On his part, President Abbas acknowledged that the Indian leadership has always stood by peace in Palestine. Abbas said Palestine is always ready to engage in negotiations to achieve its goal of an independent state. He asked India to facilitate the peace process with Israel.

"We rely on India's role as an international voice of great standing and weigh through its historical role in the Non-Aligned Movement and in all international forum and its increasingly growing power on the strategic and economic levels, in a way that is conducive to just and desired peace in our region," said President Abbas.

The two sides signed agreements worth USD 50 million. The agreement includes setting up of a super speciality hospital worth USD 30 million in Beit Sahur and construction of a centre for empowering women worth USD 5 million.

Three agreements in the education sector worth USD 5 million and for procurement of equipment and machinery for the National Printing Press in Ramallah were also signed.

President Abbas also conferred the 'Grand Collar of the State of Palestine' on Prime Minister Modi, recognising his key contribution to promote ties between India and Palestine.

The Grand Collar is the highest order given to foreign dignitaries - Kings, Heads of State/Government and persons of similar rank. Earlier, the two leaders exchanged hugs and stood for the national anthem of the two countries and then inspected the guard of honour before their bilateral talks.

Reached Palestine. This is a historic visit that will lead to stronger bilateral cooperation. pic.twitter.com/PpzN1JaBYO Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 10, 2018

"We will discuss the recent updates with Prime Minister Modi, and the recent developments in the peace process, the bilateral relations, and the regional situations. And the possible role India can play in enhancing peace in the region, as well as discussing different economical aspects beyond the existing ties we already possess," Abbas had told PTI earlier.

Describing India as a "very respected country in the international arena", the 82-year-old had said that India can have a possible role in creating a multilateral forum of negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis to reach a final agreement.

According to Abbas, Modi's visit to the region reflects India's long-held position of supporting peace and stability in the region.

During his maiden visit to Israel last year, Modi did not travel to Ramallah, the Palestinian seat of government. His standalone visit to Israel had led to many analysts questioning the future of the Indo-Palestine ties.

This time Modi skipped Israel in a clear message that India is de-hyphenating its ties with Israel and Palestine.

Modi's visit to Palestine comes amid heightened tensions in the region after US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The unilateral US decision to declare Jerusalem as the capital of Israel was challenged at the UN General Assembly where 128 nations, including India, voted to turn down the move as "null and void".

Trump's decision to declare Jerusalem as Israel's capital angered the Palestinians, sparked protests in the Middle East and raised concern that it could further destabilise the region.

Though India has shied away from becoming a party in the Israel-Palestinian conflict, the Palestinian leader on several occasions has stressed on a possible role for New Delhi in the Middle East peace process.

India believes in a two-state solution in which both Israel and a future Palestinian state coexist peacefully.

The two-state solution envisions independent Israeli and Palestinian states coexisting side by side peacefully. The Palestinians see east Jerusalem as their future capital.

(With PTI inputs)
Ankara: Iran, Israel's regional arch-enemy, rejected as "ridiculous" reports that Israel had intercepted an Iranian drone launched from Syria on Saturday, state TV reported.

Separately, a Revolutionary Guards' official said he could not confirm the report because Israelis were "liars".

Israel said it launched air strikes against air defences and Iranian targets in Syria on Saturday and the Syrian army claimed to have hit an Israeli F-16 that crashed in northern Israel in a major escalation of tension.

"Reports of downing an Iranian drone flying over Israel and also Iran's involvement in attacking an Israeli jet are so ridiculous," state TV quoted Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi as saying.

Shia-dominated Iran is Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's main regional ally and denies having any conventional armed forces in Syria, though it has acknowledged having military advisers and volunteers from its elite Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) in Syria.

"Iran only provides military advice to Syria based on the request of the country's legitimate government," Qasemi said.

The Israeli military said the F-16 jet crashed during a mission to strike Iranian drone installations in Syria, where Iranian and Iran-backed forces have established a major foothold while fighting in support of Assad.

Israel said it had sent its jets into Syria after shooting down an Iranian drone flying over Israeli territory on Saturday. Israel said its warplanes came under fire in Syria, though it was still unclear why the jet had come down.

"Syria's legitimate government has every right to defend its soil and territory against any foreign aggressor," Qasemi said, state TV reported.

Earlier the deputy head of Iran's IRGC declined to comment on the reports, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

"We cannot confirm this report on the drone because Israelis are liars ... if Syrians confirm it, Iran will confirm it as well," Brigadier General Hossein Salami said.
Bhopal: A group of engineering and management graduates held a protest against unemployment in Madhya Pradesh by polishing shoes here on Saturday.

The protest was organised by the Berozgar Sena, a volunteer group formed by youths in the state to highlight the plight of joblessness.

Protesters wearing ties around the neck sat at Jyoti Talkies square with polish, asking passersby to get their shoes polished by them.

They hung placards saying I am unemployed engineer/MBA holder around their necks.

Warning state government that they will not vote if they were not given employment, they sought introduction of an educated youth employment guarantee scheme.

Pradip Napit, one of the youths leading the protest claimed that only such a sheme could end unemployment in the state. Sanjay Mishra, an engineering degree holder with 80% marks, claimed that a helpline number (92854-00639) has been setup for jobless youths to be part of the volunteer group.

Akashay Hunka, founder of Berozgar Sena, referring to government figures to claim that unemployment rose by 53% in last couple of years. The number of jobless youths was 15.60 lakh in year 2015, which surged to 23.90 lakh in 2017, he added.

Underlining the lack of jobs in MP, Hunka claimed that 129 employment offices in the state helped only 129 youths find jobs in the year 2016.

Explaining the reason behind joblessness, he said that population grew by 20% in last ten years while the government jobs decreased by 2.5% in the period.

Berozgar Sena, in a communique, alleged that state government does not have real figures of unemployment while one lakh government posts are lying vacant.

Due to government apathy, the industrial clusters are in bad shape and GST along with demonetisation has adversely impacted the economy, it said.

The act demanded by the organization has the provision of offering employment to students within three months of completing the degree or offer them unemployment allowance of Rs 9, 360 per month if the state government fails to provide them jobs.

A signature campaign is underway to seek support in support of the act, Hunka said, issuing a warning that the Assembly will be gheraoed if the demand is not met.
Mumbai: A 30-year-old man died after allegedly being beaten up by his friend for demanding Rs 10 from him to share the cost of their lunch, police said today.

The victim, Dinesh Laxman Joshi, and his friend Jeevan More (35) consumed liquor at Sai Bangurda village in suburban Powai on Wednesday afternoon.

Thereafter, Joshi went and bought some food for both of them from a hotel nearby, Powai's senior police inspector Anil Pophale said.

However, when Joshi asked for Rs 10 from his friend to share the cost of the food, More allegedly got angry and beat him up severely with a wooden stick, he said.

Joshi, who suffered multiple injuries in the incident, was on Friday admitted to a hospital where he died, he said. Subsequently, the police arrested More and an offence under IPC section 302 (murder) was registered against him, he added.
Panaji: Goa Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai on Friday has said a majority of the domestic tourists visiting Goa are the "scum of the earth" and north Indian tourists want to create a Haryana in Goa.

Speaking at the Goa Biz Fest on Friday, the Minister said it was difficult for a state that was "superior" to the rest of India vis-a-vis most social indices to control "irresponsible tourists" coming from other states.

"Your Chief Minister is pushing to increase tourists coming into Goa. Today, we receive tourists who are almost six times the state's population. Those tourists are not the top-end tourists. They are also the scum of the earth," Sardesai said.

"Are they responsible? Are they conscious? They are not. If You compare Goans to the rest of India, we are very high in per capita income, social and political consciousness, health parameters, and many other parameters. So, we are much superior than people who are coming in. Those people -- how will you control?" the Minister added.

Goa, a beach and nightlife tourism destination, attracts more than six million tourists every year as against its population of nearly 1.6 million.

Sardesai also made scathing comments about tourists from north India, "who were trying to convert Goa into a Haryana".

"We are dependent on north Indians and this is what they do. They are not bothered about Goa. They will like to recreate a Haryana in Goa," Sardesai said.
Ludhiana: National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah on Saturday warned that India would not keep from waging war on Pakistan if it did not stop sending terrorists.

His remark came after Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists attacked an Army camp in Jammu, killing two junior commissioned officers and injuring 6 others, including a Major and a daughter of an Army personnel.

"If Pakistan continued to send militants, India would not stop itself from waging war against it," he said. Abdullah asked Pakistan to stop sending terrorists if it wanted to improve relations with India.

He said "war cannot solve any problem" and could lead to bad consequences.

"Thus to avoid war with India and improve relations with the neighbouring country, Pakistan must stop the daily routine of sending trained militants to it," Abdullah said while talking to the media at Mulanpur Dakha, 25 km from Ludhiana.

The NC leader suggested that representatives of both the countries should sit together and sort out the matter. He said, "Even after war, problems (between countries) are always sorted out through negotiations."
Abu Dhabi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today arrived here on a two-day official visit during which he will hold talks with top leadership of the Gulf nation and witness signing of nearly a dozen agreements to bolster political and economic ties.

Modi, who arrived here from Jordan on the second leg of his three-nation tour, was received by Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and other members of the Royal family at the airport.

"PM @narendramodi arrives in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates to a ceremonial welcome. In a gesture of warmth and goodwill, PM was personally received by Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and other members of the Royal family. UAE is a valued partner in an important region of the world," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

Soon after his arrival, Prime Minister Modi left for the presidential palace for a meeting with Mohammed Bin Zayed, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

"We warmly welcome our state guest and valued friend, the Indian Prime Minister H.E.@narendramodi to the UAE. His visit reflects our longstanding historical ties and is a testament to our friendly bilateral relationship," Mohammed Bin Zayed tweeted.

Prime Minister Modi, who is here on his second visit to the UAE, has several meetings lined up in the evening and will also attend a banquet in the UAE capital.

Various buildings in Abu Dhabi were lit in tricolor as the city was decked up to welcome Prime Minister Modi. Nearly a dozen agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) are expected to be signed between the two countries.

Modi is scheduled to address the Indian community tomorrow in Dubai after witnessing the groundbreaking ceremony of a temple in Abu Dhabi.

Prime Minister Modi will also deliver a keynote address at the World Government Summit in Dubai where India is a guest of honour this year.

On the first leg of his trip, Modi travelled to Ramallah, becoming the first Indian Prime Minister to make an official visit to Palestine. From the UAE, Modi will travel to Oman.
Srinagar: A police officer, who was part of the team formed to trace the eight-year-old Nomad girl, later found raped and murdered in Jammus Kathua district, has now been arrested for committing the crime.

Special Police officer, Deepak Khajuria (28) was arrested by Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the crime branch. The police had initially nabbed a 15-year-old boy, who had confessed to the crime, in the case.

Sources say Khajuria threatened the boy with dire consequences if his name was revealed.

Last month, when a nomad family from Kathua district, 80 kilometres from Jammu, filed a missing report for the eight-year-old daughter, Khajuria was among those appointed to trace her. A week later, the body of the girl was found in a bush and investigations revealed she had been raped and tortured before being murdered.

The girl was kidnapped when she had left her home to herd horses at Rasana village on January 10.

Police say, Khajuria and they boy, both raped and tortured the girl after holding her captive for a week.

We have clinching evidence about his (Deepak Khajuria's) involvement. There was motive and we have evidence as well," said Alok Puri, Additional Director General of Police (Crime Branch) to local news agency GNS.

Special Police officer Deepak Khajuria.

The officer said the accused confessed to the crime when confronted with the evidence. The motive was to spark fear among the nomad community.

Furthermore, Khajuria was part of the police team that had searched the area and nearby villages to find the girl. The girls family alleges that the police officer was the one who started to beat them with his baton when they sat in protest on January 21. Several people were injured after the police action.

He was part of the search party but not the investigating team, said ADGP Puri, before adding that investigations had now found that the kidnapping, rape and murder were well-planned and the girl selected in advance.

Those seeking justice for the girl claim that they knew since Day 1, the involvement of the police officer. We were lathicharged on the day of the girls funeral. This man has hounded and beat up nomads. We have been asking for his arrest since the very first day, said Talib Hussain, an activist, who was arrested during the protest.

Earlier, a juvenile had been arrested for the crime but after allegations of a botched up investigation were levelled against Kathua Police and opposition parties attacked the government in the J&K assembly, the case was handed over to the crime branch.

When asked if this was the final piece of the jigsaw, ADGP Alok Puri said, At this juncture, I cannot rule out the involvement of someone else.
Delhi Police Constable Result 2016 has been released by the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) on its official website - ssc.nic.in. Candidates must clear their cache or open ssc.nic.in in a private window if they still dont see the result.

Staff Selection Commission had organized the Delhi Police Constable Result 2016 CBT written examination for the recruitment of male and female candidates for the post of Temporary Constables in Delhi Police from 5th December 2017 to 8th December 2017 across the country. Candidates who had appeared for the same can now check their result status and marks list by following the instructions given below:

How to check Delhi Police Constable Result 2016?

Step 1  Visit the official website - http://ssc.nic.in

Step 2  Click on the notification that reads,

Scores of candidates in computer based written examination of Temporary Constable (Executive) - Male and Female in Delhi Police Examination 2016

Step 3  Click on the write up given in front of the notification

Step 4  Click on the url given in Point# 7:

Candidates may check their marks on the following link: http://164.100.129.99/constable2016_marks/

Step 5  Enter your Roll Number and check your marks

Step 6  Download the result and take a printout for further reference

The result and mark lists of total 182993 candidates have been released including 148896 male candidates and 34097 female candidates.

Whats Next?

As per the official result notification by Staff Selection Commission, The Commission will process and declare the result of Computer based written examination and the merit list of candidates will be provided to Delhi Police for further Detailed Medical Examination (DME) and Police Verification. Delhi Police will issue call letter and conduct DME and Review Medical Examination (RME).
Syndicate Bank PGDBF 2018 Call Letters have been released on the banks official website  syndicatebank.in. Syndicate Bank had invited applications from eligible candidates for admission to its One-year Post Graduate Diploma in Banking and Finance (PGDBF) Course. After successful completion of this course, the candidates are offered appointment in Syndicate Bank as Probationary Officers (PO) in Junior Management Grade/Scale-I. The examination for admission to PGDBF PROGRAMME 2018-2019 is scheduled to be conducted on 25th February 2018. Candidates who had applied for the same can follow the instructions below and download their admit card on or before 25th February 2018:

How to download Syndicate Bank PGDBF 2018 Admit Card?

Step 1  Visit the official website  syndicatebank.in

Step 2  Click on Career section, given at the footer of the homepage

Step 3  Click on Download Call Letter given in front of PGDBF PROGRAMME 2018-2019

Step 4  Enter your Registration/Roll Number, Password/DOB and captcha code; and click on Login

Step 5  Download your Call Letter and take a printout for further reference

Direct Link - http://ibps.sifyitest.com/syndpgmjan18/cloea_feb18/login.php?appid=9eb3bc0a4775286568960bbfbbbd9efb

The Call Letter will include important details like your Roll Number, User ID, Password, category, date, time and venue for the examination and candidates must carry it on the exam day for hassle free entry in the examination hall. Meanwhile, candidates can read out the Information Handout released by the Syndicate Bank at the below mentioned url: https://www.syndicatebank.in/RecruitmentFiles/PGDBF_HandOut_2018-2019_09022018.pdf

Syndicate Bank PGDBF 2018 Exam Pattern:

The exam will comprise of Objective Tests of 50 marks each for Reasoning, English language, General Awareness and Quantitative Aptitude for 200 marks; and Descriptive Test of English language for 50 marks.
New Delhi: Senior Maoist leader Ramanna and his wife Padma were arrested by the Maharashtra Police on Friday. Both carried big cash rewards on their heads. Ramanna alias Shrinivas Vitthalanna Madru, also known as Tech Ramanna, was an expert gunmaker and has been an active member of CPI (Maoist)s Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee.

He was presently a Divisional Committee Member (DVC). He is the first cadre of such high rank to be caught alive.

Sixty-five-year-old Ramanna, also known as Ravi and Suresh, trains the Naxals in weapon-handling. He headed the insurgents' research and development wing of arms, hence the name Tech Ramanna. He had been an active Maoist for the past 30 years and carried a reward of Rs 25 lakh on his head. His wife, Padma, alias Minti Dobayya Kodape, who was also working with the Maoists since '92, also carried a reward of Rs 6 lakh on her head.

In a statement issued on Friday evening, the police said that it had "intelligence inputs that Ramanna was seen near Chandrapur along with his wife. The Chandrapur district police laid a trap, arrested the couple and handed them over to Gadchiroli police."

He is said to have joined the movement sometime in the early 80s and was given the responsibility of the rebels technical wing in 1995. He worked for the Maoists in Kondagoan, Maad, Tipagarh, Aheri and Bastar area after 1996.

In its statement, the police said, "Ramanna was involved in the manufacture of weapons for the Maoists. He also worked as a trainer to the young Maoist cadres in weapon training. His wife was working for the Maoists since 1992 and carried a reward of Rs 6 lakh and is believed to be involved in violent incidents in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Maharashtra."

According to sources, Ramanna was headed to Telangana, the reasons for which weren't clear at the moment. He had been spotted by police informers, who tipped them off about the location of the couple. Ramanna is said to have been demoted recently on some disciplinary ground.
Panaji: A video showing a tourist urinating from a bus on a popular road was the trigger that made Goas agriculture minister Vijai Sardesai term all domestic tourists scum of the earth, he said on Saturday.

Sardesai, who stirred a row with his remark, claimed he had been quoted out of context but remained unapologetic and said that his comment still applied to a certain section of tourists, not all of them.

Sardesai had also stoked controversy by denigrating the credentials of tourists visiting Goa and accusing north Indians of trying to convert Goa into another Haryana. His comments had led to a war of words on social media websites, with most terming the statement derogatory.

In a fresh video released to the media on Saturday, he said that the people of Goa are disgusted with a few tourists, who come and use Goa as a dumping ground and create nuisance.

There are several instances, one of which is a video which has gone viral of a tourist urinating from the bus on one of Goa's most popular and well done roads from Miramar to Dona Paula. So what I am speaking for, I am speaking for Goa," Sardesai said.

He added that a small section of the 6.5 million tourists who come to Goa have created the biggest nuisance. These people have no civic sense. They are the ones creating the maximum garbage and maximum nuisance in Goa. So there is a general feeling among the people of Goa, that we need to re-orient our tourism to what it was before," he said.

Goa, a beach and nightlife tourism destination, attracts more than six million tourists every year as against its population of nearly 1.6 million.

The minister had on Friday said it was difficult for a state that was "superior" to the rest of India vis-a-vis most social indices to control "irresponsible tourists" coming from other states.

"Today, we receive tourists who are almost six times the state's population. Those tourists are not the top-end tourists. They are also the scum of the earth," Sardesai had said.
Deepika Padukone is the epitome of beauty who stands a notch above all her competitors every time she steps out. The Padmaavat actress is a pro in draping up seven yards of fabric with utmost perfection. With an envious height, dimples to die for and an unparalleled charm, Deepika is a true delight. Recently, the stunner wore a red and white saree to an event and since she has never put her wrong foot forward in making a public appearance in a saree, the diva nailed it again.

The event she graced was a Gala Dinner held at an upscale hotel in Mumbai where Bollywood personalities were felicitated for their contribution to the cinema. Deepika was also honoured by the organisers of the event.

Deepika looked fiery in striped georgette saree with a textured full sleeve blouse and embroidered metallic cuffs from Sabyasachi's upcoming Spring Summer 2018 collection.

Deepika was accompanied by her 'Tamasha' director Imtiaz Ali and music maestro AR Rahman.

Deepika looked absolutely glorious in the fun stripe saree. Instead of a heavy blouse, the actor paired her sari with a black blouse with a broad gold embroidery detail on its sleeves that complemented her drape. When it came to accessories, she wore nothing but crystal drop earrings. To go with her traditional ensemble, nothing would do but the stars trademark combination of winged liner, red lips, dewy skin and hair tied in a sleek bun.

She gave her saree a fun spin by pairing it with a royal lion patch belt.

Searching for some inspiration for the upcoming festive season? Look no further than Deepika Padukones look and choose a quirky and colourful combination of 7 yards of elegance!
There is nothing new about proxy-directing a film. Many leading actors have done it in the past  only that they would never admit it. And the just-opened Tamil work, Savarakathi, credits G R Adithya with direction, and his elder brother, Mysskin, with writing. Probably, the story is Mysskin's as well. Whatever that be, it is a Mysskin movie  out and out  with the helmer, known for films like Onaayum Aattikkuttiyum and Pisasu, playing one of the two pivotal parts (the other by Ram, whose Thanga Meengal was a delightful watch).

There is little doubt that Mysskin  who, once inspired by the protagonist, Prince Myshkin, in Dostoevsky's novel, The Idiot, changed his name from Shanmugha Raja to Mysskin  loves Western literature, and mostly likely European cinema. His Thupparivaalan (2017) was a take on whom he calls his favorite literary character, Sherlock Holmes. Now, I could not miss the strong resemblance that Savarakathi has to Serbian auteur Emir Kusturica's movies like Black Cat, White Cat, Life is a Miracle and others.

Kusturica is a legend of course, and his cinema of the absurd is magical and mesmeric. A mind-boggling number of colors, a sheer variety of characterizations and vivid vibrancy fill his canvas, and out of this rumbling run of events, I have seen great stories emerge, meaningful and mighty. There is nothing frivolous about Kusturica's creations.

Mysskin comes somewhat close to this kind of cinema in Savarakathi, aided by his brother. As the ruthless Manga, Mysskin out on a day's parole from prison, clashes with a foolish barber, Picha (Ram), as he rides his rickety motorbike with his heavily pregnant wife, Subhadra (Poorna), and two young children to attend the marriage of his physically challenged brother-in-law (getting secretly wedded to a rich girl). Picha's bike hits Manga's plush car at a traffic junction, and the barber gets into a war of words with the outlaw. Manga's bruised ego pushes him to chase Picha for a whole day  till the parole ends.

Mercifully, the chase fraught with hilarity does not  like much of Tamil cinema  slip into the shoddy and the silly. Humor has a certain class here, and attracts smiles rather than laughs. The events race, and include the most outlandish: Watch a pregnant Subhadra escape from a hospital, where Manga had forcibly carted her, by jumping over several parapet walls, watch that part where Poorna's brother hurries the marriage registrar to complete the paperwork quickly and watch Ram who after pretending to be a strongman, cowers before the towering, heavyweight of a Manga. There is a lot more of the unexpected here.

The dark comedy kept me engrossed  certainly the first half, with Mysskin, Ram and Poorna putting their best foot forward. Poorna was a revelation to me. As the highly hysterical and stone-deaf mother of two and expecting the third, she is marvelous as a woman who has no clue why the bad men are chasing her family.

However, the second half of Savarakathi had my attention wavering, and I think Mysskin's script here veered into the pathos, and I could see that he had clearly run out of situations. Why cannot a film be just 90 minutes  the time enough to hold one's bladder (and attention), as Alfred Hitchcock once famously quipped. Yes, men like Mysskin must meander into this such mood, and maybe bring about a dramatic change in the Tamil movie scene.

I am going with three stars out of five  for riveting performances and the delightful drama of the absurd.

(Gautaman Bhaskaran is an author, commentator and movie critic)
New Delhi: When Mayawati resigned from Rajya Sabha on July 18, 2017, it threw up a host of questions. Her beef was that she wasnt allowed to have a full say on the violence unleashed against Dalits in West Uttar Pradeshs Saharanpur district by the BJP government.

Ironically, Mayawati woke up to atrocities nearly two months after they were inflicted. The former UP chief minister was fighting a battle against one of her closest aides, Naseemuddin Siddique, who was promptly kicked out of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) after accusing Mayawati of financial irregularities.

Far from plunging herself to rebuilding the BSP that suffered three serial electoral setbacks in the 2012 and 2017 assembly and in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Mayawati retreated into a shell. After the death of its founder, Kanshi Ram, the BSP has not exactly distinguished itself as an aggressive opposition that resorted to street fights and legislative means to corner the government, its principal political turf. Mayawati also did not reach out to the opposition in UP or nationally to explore the prospects of a broad coalition to confront the BJP.

She is not an adept organisational hand. The BSPs structures down to the grassroots were conceptualised, created and strengthened by Kanshi Ram.

So it came as a surprise when on February 8, Rajya Sabha MP and Mayawatis political confidant Satish Chandra Mishra announced that the BSP had forged an alliance with HD Deve Gowdas Janata Dal (Secular) for contesting the Karnataka polls.

The BSP had fought 175 of the 224 assembly seats in Karnataka during the last assembly election in 2013  won nothing, forfeited its deposits in 174 seats and secured a vote percentage of 1.16 percent. Embarrassingly, the vote percentage was nearly half of what it got in 2008 (2.83 percent).

Why then did the JD(S), that apparently fancies itself as a king and not a king-maker, seek out the BSP? Did the move portend the start of a churn in the Opposition, at least within parties that are outside the mainstream circumference defined by the Congress and BJP? Mishra made a distinction between Karnataka and the nation, claiming that while the BSP was ready to offer issue-based support to the Congress in Parliament, its current focus was on Karnataka.

Even if by a long stretch of the imagination, the BSP  whose many layered Dalit politics defy cast-iron calculations and projections  turns in a good showing in Karnataka, Mayawati will count as a serious entity only if she gets her act together in UP. As things stand, the lady is in for a long haul.

Statistics speak up for themselves. From a vote percentage of 30.43 percent polled and 206 (of 403) seats in the 2007 assembly polls, Mayawati was down to 19 seats and a vote share of 22. 23 percent in the BJP-dominated elections of 2017.

The Congress, SPs and BSPs vote percentages in the 2017 UP assembly polls (the Congress polled 22.04 percent and the SP 28.32 percent), add up to a figure that defies credulity and is nearly impossible to attain if the three coalesce against the BJP. Mention words like secularism and inclusiveness to give a veneer for such a regrouping and you have a recipe for disaster.

The prospect of a reverse and instinctual polarisation of Hindus will stare the secular parties in the face. The historical antagonisms between the well-off backward castes (who often align themselves with the SP) and the BSPs Dalits are too well known to bear repetition.

The first challenge before Mayawati, therefore, is reclaiming the BSPs Dalit, backward caste and Muslim base that dwindled when she was perceived as pandering excessively to the Jatavs, her sub-caste. The BSPs backward caste voters found more attractive options in the SP and the BJP while the Muslims, who had gravitated towards her in the 2007 polls despite her three-time dalliance with the BJP, left her as soon as the SP looked winnable.

Over the years, the four-time UP CM has lost credible caste leaders such as Om Prakash Rajbhar (a cabinet minister in the Yogi Adityanath government), Babu Singh Kushwaha (who is embroiled in a mega corruption case but still commands a following among the Kushwahas of Bundelkhand and central UP), Dara Singh Chauhan (a minister in Yogis cabinet), RK Chaudhary, Gayacharan Dinkar, Ramashankar Vidyarthi, Swami Prasad Maurya and Siddiqui.

Mayawati forgot a valuable lesson imparted by Kanshi Ram: the BSP order was built on a nucleus of the Jatavs and Passis but it required to be fortified and replenished constantly with the addition of other castes so that the underpinning remained strong.

The second struggle would be to regain the trust quotient. Like the JD(S), nobody can predict which way Mayawati will go. Her mentor had obliterated the difference between ideology and opportunism when he jettisoned the secular SP and went with the BJP in 1995 so that Mayawati would become the UP CM.

She has remained faithful to Kanshi Rams refusal to make a distinction between communalism and feudalism on the grounds that both are lethal to Dalit interests. When the BSP entered the Gujarat fray in the last assembly polls, it was alleged Mayawati was out to split Dalit votes and help the BJP. The charge was unsubstantiated because the BSP polled just 0.7 percent votes, less than what Independents and NOTA secured. Even in Karnataka, it is insinuated that the BSP-JD(S) combine has been brought together up by the BJP to damage the Congress.

Finally, Mayawati has to wake up to the emergence of a new phalanx of Dalit leaders such as Chandrashekhar Azad Ravan, the Bhim Army founder whos in jail after he was slapped with the National Security Act and Gujarats Jignesh Mevani. Her politics of expediency may have run its course.

Of course, it is arduous for Ravan and Mewani to build a party and make it electorally productive. What Mayawati has going for her is Kanshi Rams legacy that still motivates and inspires the BSP cadre.

(Author is a senior journalist. Views are personal)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a historic two-day visit to Palestine from February 10. The visit, first by an Indian PM, is part of new foreign policy approach being shaped under Narendra Modi, especially in the Middle East.

Modi has been proactive in reaching out to Indias extended neighborhood in the Gulf, where the core of Indian interest lies, but has also engaged extensively with the wider region. Significantly, Modi has de-hyphenated Indias relations with Israel and Palestine through proactive engagement and fine balancing. Hence, he hosted president Mahmoud Abbas before undertaking his standalone visit to Israel (July 2017) and is now visiting Palestine soon after the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

These engagements clearly indicate that New Delhi no longer sees Tel Aviv and Ramallah from the same prism and reinforces the fact that while Indias relations with Israel grows, it will not abandon the traditional support for Palestine. Modis approach is to engage with both Israel and Palestine independently and build Indias relations with both on its own merit.

Indias relations with Israel have been flourishing, evident from the hectic two-way traffic between Tel Aviv and New Delhi since May 2014. The bilateral relations have grown remarkably with traditional focus on defence and security continuing while cooperation in niche areas such as science and technology, agriculture, water treatment, environment conservation and irrigation adding new dimension.

What is new, however, is Modis open embrace of Israel. In the past, despite good relations, India shied away from public display of the bonhomie, mainly due to the convoluted Israeli-Palestinian conflict. PM Modi has not only engaged proactively with Israel but has added symbolism to the substance by embracing and travelling with PM Netanyahu during their respective visits.

At the same time, New Delhi has been engaging the Palestinian leadership with a number of bilateral visits taking place in the last four years. India has been steadfast in extending economic and developmental aid to Palestine and continues its political support for a two-state solution to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This was reinforced when India voted in favor of the UNGA resolution condemning the US move to recognise Jerusalem as Israels capital.

With the PMs visit, Indias position of supporting Palestines quest for statehood and its commitment towards development and well-being of Palestinian people has come to the fore. Hence, the focus of the historic visit is to enhance Indias assistance in Palestinian nation building process by extending help to build infrastructure and develop skills in areas of health, information technology, education, agriculture and sports.

Prime Minister Modi is expected to sign five agreements aimed at infrastructure building and employment generation. The emphasis is on nation building through aid and funding developmental projects. Thus, since 2014 India has helped build institutions such as a Techno Park in Ramallah, a Centre of Excellence in ICT in the Gaza Strip, a Digital Learning and Innovation Centre at Al Quds University. India has also committed to extend support in establishing educational facilities and constructed two schools in West Bank and two libraries in the Gaza Strip.

During the visit, PM Modi will inaugurate work on establishing the Palestine Institute of Diplomacy, which India is helping to build through a US$ 4.5 million aid.

The historic visit of the PM reveals Indias new approach toward Israel and Palestine. The two are now dealt separately at bilateral level and independent of each other. India wishes to take the relations with both Israel and Palestine independently without getting complicated by third party prisms.

(Muddassir Quamar is an associate fellow at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA). Views are personal)
Patna: The ruling Janata Dal (United) in Bihar on Saturday announced that it will not to contest the by-elections of one Lok Sabha and two Assembly seats in the state.

This comes just a day after the Election Commission announced that the bypolls in Araria Lok Sabha along with Bhabhua and Jehanabad Assembly seats will take place on March 11.

JD(U) President Bashishth Narayan Singh told News18 that all three seats had fallen vacant after the demise of sitting representatives, so the party has decided not to field candidates.

Just a couple of hours before this announcement, Party's MLA from Jokihat, Sarfaraz Ahmad, a strong contender of a ticket from Araria Lok Sabha seat, quit JD(U) and joined opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). The seat fell vacant after his father Mohammad Taslimuddin's demise, who was elected on RJD ticket in 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Boosted by this defection, leader of opposition Tejashwi Yadav claimed that many more JD(U) leaders were in touch with him and will switch side soon.

On JD(U)'s decision of not contesting election, He said, "It shows Nitish Kumar's abject surrender before BJP which will not allow him to call the shots. What an irony. The ruling party is running away from a contest."

However ,this decision is also being interpreted as an attempt by JD(U) to minimise internal fissures within the NDA for getting a pie in the by elections which it considers not so important.

A rebellious Jeetan Ram Manjhi has demanded ticket for his party Hindustani Awam Morcha from Jehanabad seat which fell vacant after demise of RJD leader Mundrika Singh Yadav. Another NDA constituent, Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) has also laid a claim for the seat in public.

Meanwhile, a senior leader of BJP said the party will contest from Araria Lok Sabha seat, where it lost in 2014, and Bhabhua Assembly seat which fell vacant after demise of Anand Bhushan Pandey who was elected on a BJP ticket.
Lucknow: The BJP, the SP and the Congress on Friday expressed confidence they would win the upcoming bypolls on Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha constituencies, vacated by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and his deputy Keshav Prasad Maurya.

The Election Commission has announced that the bypolls on the seats will be held on March 11. The BJP aims to continue its successful run in the state by retaining the two seats with an improved margin, while the SP seeks to wrest them.

The bypolls will also be a test for the Congress after its impressive performance in Gujarat polls in December and more recently in byelections in Rajasthan.

Exuding confidence that the BJP will sweep the bypolls, state BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi said: "BJP is always ready for elections. We are a cadre-based party. I am confident that the party will improve its winning margin."

"March 11 is a significant date for us, as it was on this day last year that the BJP and its allies bagged 325 out of the 403 Assembly seats in UP. (In 2017) we had banked on the performance of Modi government only. Now, we have the achievements of Yogi and Modi governments (to show to the people)."

Taking a jibe at the Congress and the SP, Tripathi said, "The two opposition parties had forged a pre-poll alliance to contest the Assembly polls. Now, the opposition is virtually scattered. When they could not damage the BJP unitedly, then how can they damage (the BJP) by contesting individually."

The SP, however, claimed that voters will punish the BJP for not fulfilling its poll promises.

"We are sure that people of Uttar Pradesh will teach the BJP a lesson for making false promises during the last election and not fulfill them," SP spokesperson Sunil Singh Sajan said.

"We are ready for polls and will put our best foot forward. In a couple of days, the party will announce its candidates and contest strongly on both the seats on our own strengths."

Sajan said the public mood was not favourable for the BJP-led state government because of the poor law and order situation.

Congress claimed that an atmosphere of fear was prevailing in Uttar Pradesh and the party will highlight failures of the Yogi government before the people.

"We will contest from both parliamentary constituencies, and will definitely put our best foot forward.

"The UP government has failed miserably on the law and order front. An atmosphere of fear is prevailing across the state. The problems of farmers are yet to be resolved," state Congress spokesperson Ashok Singh said.
New Delhi: The Congress on Friday alleged massive corruption by Assam government officials in the distribution of tractors among farmers, a charge denied by the state government.

The leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Debabrata Saikia, at a press meet in the Assembly premises alleged about irregularities in tractor distribution.

"In case of one particular tractor company, named Preet, the government paid a higher amount. The company quoted the price of one tractor in Farmer Portal as 5.83 lakh.

But the Government e-Marketplace portal shows the price of a tractor as 4.53 lakh," Saikia said.

This price difference hints at the "massive corruption" at the top level, he alleged, demanding an all-party House committee probe into the matter.

The scheme had also promised farmers their choice of brand for the tractors, but some "influential people" forced them to accept vehicles of just one particular company, he alleged.

When asked about the people involved in the matter, Saikia said, "Many officials and bureaucrats might have benefited from it.

One of them is building his resort in Himachal Pradesh. You (media) please find out."

Stating that the Congress will raise the issue in the House during the ongoing Budget Session, he said the company in question is also under the scanner of the central government over various fraudulent activities.

On December 10 last year, the Assam government had started distributing tractors across the state as part of its initiative to double farmers' income by 2022, under the Chief Minister Samagra Gramya Unnayan Yojana (CMSGUY).

Talking about CMSGUY at the press meet, Saikia alleged it has become a "money making scheme" for some people in the government.

"In 2016, the government announced this scheme for rural development, envisaging an investment of Rs 30,000 crore over the next five years. So ideally, by the end of the first year, there should have been an investment of at least Rs 5,000 crore and till now, Rs 7500 crore should have been spent for the scheme Nothing of that sort has happened," he said.

Denying Saikia's allegations against the tractor distribution programme, Assam industries minister Chandra Mohan Patowary claimed an internal committee has already looked into the issue and found nothing objectionable in the entire process.

"These allegations were raised earlier and we had formed a five-member committee to look into the issue. It has recently submitted the report, which says no corruption has taken place," the parliamentary affairs minister and government spokesperson told PTI.

The inquiry report has already been approved by the Cabinet, he added.

Talking about the purchase of the tractors, he said, "As the scheme allowed farmers to have tractors of their own choice, it was not done through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal.

Goods or services can be purchased on the portal only when the state government buys them directly," said the minister.
Bengaluru: Sometime in July last year, social media circles in Bengaluru was full of heated debates and discussions on imposition of Hindi by the Centre. The immediate trigger was Hindi signage in the Bengaluru Metro. Initially, it was restricted only to the virtual world and the authorities chose to look the other way. But the campaign gained momentum in a month and the Siddaramaiah government was forced to react.

After local Kannada TV channels made it big, the state government wrote to the Centre informing it that it will remove Hindi signage from all the Metro stations. It made Siddaramaiah a hero among the Kannada activists  both online and offline. After that #StopHindiImposition has been one of the top trending hashtags on Twitter and Facebook.

Contrary to the popular belief, it was not a sudden protest. The new movement for Kannada is now being led by young, well-educated professionals with a world view. Unlike the traditional activists, dubbed as fringe by the mainstream media, these activists are mostly invisible. They are methodical and want to fight for the primacy of Kannada in Karnataka through democratic means.

For the first time in the history of Karnataka elections, these young activists are demanding that all three major players in the state  the Congress, the BJP and the JDS must come out with a manifesto for Kannada. Voluntary organisations and fourms like Munnota, Banasavi Balaga, Kannada Grahaka Koota and a few others have been systematically fighting to safeguard the interests of Kannada and Kannadigas for the past few years.

Vasanth Shetty, one of the leading activists who runs Munnota, said that their efforts have yielded positive results in the last two-three years. Shetty, who works at a technology major, said Kannada movements in the state, especially in state capital Bengaluru, were defamed by some vested interests. There may be some truth in the argument that some are using it to make money. But a strong movement is a necessity of our times. We realized it and started our own movement to reach out to the Kannadigas who were keeping themselves away from traditional activists. Our aim was to explain how Kannada is being systematically killed or sidelined in Bengaluru and the central government sponsored Hindi is making inroads. Now there is awareness among the educated people. It is no longer a symbolic protest. More and more people are joining us and we will continue our fight till Kannada gets its due in Bengaluru and at the national level.

Shetty disagrees with the people who call it an anti-Hindi movement. He explains that it is only against the imposition of Hindi over Kannadigas and they have nothing against Hindi language.

Some vested interests are calling it anti-Hindi movement. That is wrong. What we want is language equality. Hindi alone should not get the privileges other languages also rightfully deserve. There is no need to impose Hindi over non-Hindi states. Let them promote Hindi in Hindi speaking states. We have no objection to it. Do they promote or use Kannada or Tamil in Hindi states? No. Same logic should apply to Karnataka or Tamil Nadu, Shetty said

Unlike the typical, old time Kannada activists who carry a Kannada flag in their hand, the new age Kannadigas are fighting the language war with mobile and other high-end gadgets in their hand. They have created WhatsApp groups, Facebook pages, Twitter accounts and websites to unite the people to further their cause.

Arun Javagal, another prominent activist who is also from IT background, told News18 that the activists who hit the streets for Kannada are also equally important and the role of the organisations like Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KaRaVe) cant be ignored. What we do using new technology to create awareness and build pressure on the government will be carried forward by these groups. They hold protests, organise public meetings, lead delegations to the government etc. Actually we complement each other, he said.

The activists claim that their continuous, sustained campaign has forced private airlines, consumer goods companies, private banks, service sector industries etc to change their attitude towards Kannada. Many of them are now using Kannada as one of their official languages of communication. We want the government of India to understand this and stop imposing Hindi over us, Javagal said.

Their movement has the backing of Kannada Development Authority (KDA) chairman S G Siddaramaiah, eminent Kannada writers Dr Chandrashekhara Patil, famous cine stars Prakash Raj, Prakash Belawadi and many others.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is passionate about Kannada language and culture, has also realised the impact of the movement and has taken many pro-Kannada decisions like no Hindi signage, reservation for Kannadigas in government jobs, Kannada flag, NEET exams in Kannada etc. One more change is increased usage of Kannada in social media engagements by the government and top politicians.

Will Kannada play an important role in the Assembly elections in the changed scenario? Many locals say it can and it will.

Veteran journalist Ramakrishna Upadhya feels Kannada has already become an election topic. He said, Even the politicians know that they cant ignore the legitimate demands of Kannada activists. They are taking these people seriously. All political parties must specify what they are going to do for Kannada if they come to power.

The BJP, which initially tried to brand the activists as Congress agents, has been keeping quiet after realising the seriousness of the issue. Its CM face B S Yeddyurappa has instructed party cadres and leaders not to make negatives comments on Kannada related issues.

One more lie is being peddled that Bengaluru is no longer a Kannadiga dominated city. It is a pure lie. The people who want to turn Bengaluru into another Mumbai are behind it. Bengaluru still has over 60% people whose mother tongue is Kannada and over 75-80% people here speak or understand Kannada. They are slowly realising the threat posed by Hindi. If they unite and openly declare that their vote is only for the parties which genuinely fight for Kannada, all will fall in line, said Chandrashekhara Patil, who had unsuccessfully contested on a Kannada platform in the 2008 Assembly polls.

Along with the usual roads, water, housing, healthcare etc, Kannada is the new demand that those who want to rule Karnataka have to handle with care.
Jammu: A senior lawmaker of the National Conference on Saturday raised Pro-Pakistan slogans in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly after BJP members condemned the neighbouring country over the terror attack on an Army camp here.

The NC distanced itself from the sloganeering by party MLA Mohammad Akbar Lone which came even as the operation to flush out terrorists from the Sunjwan camp was underway. As soon as the House assembled here, the legislators, cutting across the party lines, condemned the terror attack and demanded a statement from the government.

Speaker Kavinder Gupta made some remarks which led to high-pitched sloganeering against Pakistan by the BJP members. NC legislators Javed Rana, Ali Mohd Sagar, Akbar Lone, Abdul Majid Larmi and others trooped into the Well of the House seeking an apology from the speaker.

Meanwhile, the BJP intensified anti-Pakistan sloganeering and in response, an angry Lone stood up on his seat and shouted pro-Pakistan slogans. The situation in the House then became more chaotic and Speaker Kavinder Gupta adjourned the House at 10:15 am.

Talking to reporters, Lone said he had shouted pro-Pakistan slogans only in reaction to the BJP which, he claimed, had shown that they hate Muslims. "The statement of Speaker Kavinder Gupta shows what they have in their mind," he claimed. Later, the speaker expunged his remarks.

The NC condemned the slogans, terming them unacceptable. Party spokesman Junaid Azim Mattu tweeted, "Just spoke to chief NC Farooq Abdullah sahib. Dr Sahib and the entire party is of the unequivocal stand that NC MLA from Sonwari Akbar Lone had spoken out of turn and his slogans in the assembly were completely unacceptable to the party."

Mattu said the NC chief stated that Lone should not forget that he belonged to the party which had rejected the two-nation theory. "The party disowns and condemns his remarks," he said. Party's working president Omar Abdullah, in a separate tweet, said he endorsed the party president's view and the party would not say anything more on the issue. "We need to focus on the unfortunate developments in #SunjwanArmyCamp and not get distracted by misplaced slogans," Omar said in another tweet.
Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel has jumped into the 'pakoda' controversy that was stoked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and opined that selling fritters can be a good career option if one is "skillful" at it.

Speaking at a public function on Saturday, Patel laid out the career path of one who takes up the profession.

"Making pakodas is quite a skillful job as no one would eat them if they aren't tasty. One who remains in pakoda business for two years could go on to open his own restaurant in the third year and could well have his own hotel within the next few years," she said.

Her remarks came as the ruling BJP and opposition Congress in the poll-bound state engaged in a war of words over the Prime Minister's statement that selling 'pakodas' is a viable employment option.

Congress leaders in the state have made several scathing attacks at the PM and the party's youth wing has held numerous protests by selling 'pakodas' on the streets.

To counter this, BJP members decided to march to the Congress headquarters in Bhopal on Saturday with pakoda sellers in tow. They said that the statements made by Congress leaders were derogatory to the vendors selling the snack.

Soon after the Congress leaders learnt about it, they came out of the party office with red roses in their hands to greet the protesters. Some of the leaders also started frying pakodas on a push cart as they wanted to welcome the protesters with some snacks.

Sensing trouble, the police stopped the BJP procession and this led to a scuffle. BJP spokpesperson Rahul Kothari, who was part of the protest, said that PM had voiced the pain of the weaker and deprived section, but the Congress has decided to mislead the public by twisting his statement.

District Congress president PC Sharma, on the other hand, said that BJP had promised two crore jobs after coming to power, but even the existing jobs have decreased. "The jobless youths and farmers are depressed and are being driven towards suicide," he said.
Bengaluru: When Rahul Gandhis aircraft lands at a small runway near Bellary to officially kick off the do or die Karnataka poll campaign on Saturday, Congress leaders will certainly remind him that his mother Sonia Gandhi also arrived at the same airstrip 19 years ago to fight her maiden election. Like Rahul, his mother too was a newly elected leader of the Congress which was looking directionless after series of poll debacles and desertions by some top leaders, including Sharad Pawar and Mamata Banerjee. Like Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee also looked invincible.

In that 1999 election, Sonia Gandhi won from Bellary and brought Congress back to power in Karnataka under SM Krishna. But she had to suffer defeat at the hands of Vajpayee in New Delhi.

Even though situation is not exactly the same today, there are many similarities. The impressive performance in Gujarat Assembly polls and a remarkable turnaround in Rajasthan by-polls have boosted the sagging morale of the Congress.

Partymen in Karnataka think that it is their chance to make big gains ahead of Lok Sabha elections next year. They feel that if Chief Minister Siddaramaiah manages to retain Karnataka for the Congress, it will reverse the fortunes in favour of the grand old party across India.

As a senior Karnataka Congress leader puts it, the party is fighting not just a state Assembly election. This is the semi-finals for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The Karnataka poll campaign will be Rahul Gandhi's first as the Congress president. It will be his real big test too.

After landing at the Jindal airstrip, Rahul will take a helicopter ride to Hospet near Hampi, the world heritage site and the capital of Vijayanagara empire.

Interestingly he will crisscross Hyderabad - Karnataka region for four days by bus. He will address his first rally at Hospet. The state Congress top brass is making all possible efforts to make it a huge success. The sitting BJP MLA from Hospet Anand Singh will officially join the Congress in his presence.

After that he will visit the famous Huligemma temple nearby before crossing the river Tungabhadra to enter Koppal district. In Koppal, he will pay a visit Gavi Siddeshwara mutt before addressing a few public meetings.

The Congress president will reach Raichur by Sunday evening. After spending half a day there, he will cross the mighty Krishna river to enter party stalwart Mallikarjuna Kharge's strongholds of Gulbarga and Yadagiri districts. The party is faction ridden in this Lingayat, Muslim and Dalit stronghold. Rahul may have to handle some tricky situations there.

In Gulbarga, he will visit the famous Khwaja Bande Nawaz Dargah which is a holy place to both Hindus and Muslims.

On the fourth and last day Rahul Gandhi will tour the northernmost district of Bidar before returning to New Delhi. In Bidar, he will visit the Anubhava Mantapa at Basava Kalyana founded by the 12th century social reformer Basaveshwara or Basavanna. On Thursday, PM Modi invoked Basavanna to counter Congress' claim that Nehru is the father of democracy in India. He had mentioned that Anubhava Mantapa was India's first experiment with democracy.

Siddaramaiah and Mallikarjuna Kharge will accompany Rahul during his four day road trail in Karnataka.
Jaipur: Rajasthan stands tops in the execution of many projects, but the opposition will be able to see these developments only if they remove their glasses stuck in "political frames", said Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia on Friday.

Replying to a discussion on Thanksgiving proposal after Governor's address in the assembly, she said that Rajasthan led the country in the successful implementation of several ambitious schemes.

The state government implemented Bhamashah Yojana, constructed toilets, connected largest number of cities with air-route, implemented eMitra schemes and developed Annapurna Bhandars, "but surprisingly, the opposition fails to see all these developments", the Chief Minister said.

Scindia said that her government would stick to the goal of bringing "sushasan" (good governance) and "seva" (service) to the people of state. "W will continue working to this end until our last breath," she added.

She said that during the last four days of assembly session, the opposition continued focussing on their victory on three seats, and the greed to grab the power was very much evident in their discussions.

"However, we are confident of emerging victorious in the coming elections. Lotus will bloom again as people here have put their trust in our party.

"We will meet here again -- you on your seats and we on our seats, after the next assembly elections," she added.

Rajasthan state ranked 26th during the Congress regime in education, but the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government brought it to the third position by improving educational standards, she noted.

"The Congress installed foundation stones for projects worth Rs 51,000 crore during their last months in the government, but it was us who started work on these projects," she added.
Tokyo: A public elementary school in Tokyo's upscale shopping district of Ginza has raised parents' eyebrows with a plan to adopt uniforms designed by Italian fashion brand Giorgio Armani for its students, media said on Thursday.

Taimei Elementary School is introducing the uniforms for incoming pupils, each costing more than 80,000 yen ($729), including optional items, or more than three times as much as current ones, the Huffington Post said.

Armani's Japan head office, located in Ginza, is just 200 metres (219 yards) away from the grade school.

"I was surprised, and wondered why such luxury brand-designed uniforms have been picked for a public elementary school," an unnamed mother was quoted by the Huffington Post as saying.

"I'm worried that a wrong notion that something expensive is good and something cheap is bad could be imprinted on children," said the woman, whose child is set to start at the school in April, when a new school year begins.

In a letter to parents last November, headmaster Toshitsugu Wada said Taimei was a landmark in Ginza, and the decision to adopt the Armani-designed uniforms aimed at creating an atmosphere suitable for such a school, the Huffington Post said.

Taimei officials were not immediately available for comment, but Wada posted a statement on the school's home page, promising to provide sufficient explanation on the plan for new uniforms.

"With humility, I take the criticism that explanation has been insufficient and not well-timed. I will go on explaining carefully to those concerned."
Jakarta: Zulfikar Fahd, an openly gay man, says he flew from Indonesia to Canada late last month and claimed asylum on grounds that he faced discrimination and persecution in his home country, which is poised to criminalise same-sex relations and consensual sex outside marriage.

Fahd, 30, who had worked in public relations, said he had already given up hope that the police would provide him protection against Islamic fundamentalists who have fomented hostility towards the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community in this Muslim-majority country, which is also the world's third-largest democracy.

Police have stood by while vigilantes have stormed "gay sex parties", and have themselves broken up gatherings at spas and hostels, charging some with violating strict pornography laws, and prompting many others to go underground. The authorities have also been clamping down online, blocking many LGBT sites or getting LGBT apps removed by host companies, including dating apps.

Until now, homosexuality has not been regulated by law in Indonesia, except in the ultra-conservative Aceh province where Islamic law bans same-sex relations.

But as lawmakers look to shore up conservative votes ahead of elections, parliament appears on the verge of revising the national criminal code to impose restrictions on same-sex relations and consensual sex between men and women outside marriage.

PRISON SENTENCES

Various drafts of the criminal code have appeared. The latest, though not necessarily the final one, seeks the prosecution of same-sex relations if an act is carried out in public, if there is evidence of abuse, or if a minor is involved.

Unmarried co-habiting couples or those engaging in extramarital sex could be prosecuted only if there is a complaint from a close relative.

Adultery is already a crime in Indonesia.

Under the proposals, those found guilty of a public act of gay sex could be sentenced to up to 18 months in prison, and up to nine years if there is evidence of abuse or video of the act is published. Heterosexual couples found living together without being married could face up to six months in prison, and two years if engaging in sex outside marriage.

Rights activists say the proposed rules could breach basic rights like privacy and could be subject to interpretation by vigilantes, the police and courts so that a party in someone's home could be deemed a public event.

"The police are not doing anything to protect us. In fact, they stand by and let things happen, almost as if they have a deal with the conservatives and vigilantes," Fahd told Reuters by phone from Ottawa. "If they enact this new law, this kind of vigilantism will be out of control."

Fahd says he has been granted temporary residency in Canada and has a final immigration hearing in May.

Cases before Canadas Refugee Protection Division, where all refugee claims in the country are initially adjudicated, are private, said Immigration and Refugee Board spokeswoman Anna Pape.

RELOCATE TO THAILAND?

Concord Consulting, a Jakarta-based risk consultancy, said in a recent report that Indonesia has much to lose from allowing homophobic attitudes to take hold of society, including potentially foreign investment, donor assistance, and vital tourism earnings.

Travel websites aimed at LGBT holidaymakers indicate the gay scene remains vibrant on the resort island of Bali, the cornerstone of Indonesia's tourism industry. But some in the industry fear the new rules could deter gay travellers.

"It will probably force them to go to places like Thailand instead of coming to Bali," said the owner of a Bali guesthouse that caters to LGBT tourists. The foreign owner, who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter, said he would try to relocate his business to Thailand.

Thailand, a predominantly Buddhist country, is home to a liberal LGBT scene and has launched marketing campaigns aimed at attracting gay tourists. The Tourism Authority of Thailand has a gothaibefree.com website aimed at LGBT travellers. It says the Thai people are tolerant and respectful of the LGBT community and also offers discounts for hotels and spas.

In Indonesia that is far from the approach. A parliamentary commission drawing up changes to the Dutch colonial-era criminal code has been consulting with the public and taking the opinions of religious scholars, legal experts, and rights groups.

Its deliberations come against a backdrop of rising anti-LGBT rhetoric, including from senior officials, and a string of vigilante and police raids on places where gay people have gathered.

"MENTAL ILLNESS"

A recent survey found that nearly 90 percent of Indonesians who understand the term 'LGBT' feel threatened by the community, while the Indonesian Psychiatric Association and the Health Ministry state in internal documents seen by Reuters that being LGBT is a mental illness.

Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu has branded homosexuality a national security threat on the basis that it "is a kind of modern warfare that undermines the country's sovereignty".

Last month, 12 transgender women in Aceh were detained by police and forced to cut their hair and dress in 'masculine' clothes, sparking outrage from rights groups.

Most political parties support the changes being proposed, particularly those that outlaw gay sex.

"If someone dares to disagree, does that person want to risk not being elected again?" said Arsul Sani, a lawmaker from the United Development Party, an Islamic party, who has been involved in drafting revisions to the law.

Most Indonesians adhere to a moderate form of Islam under an officially secular system, but there has been a rise of hardline, politicized Islam in recent years, and it has moved from the fringe to the centre of politics.

Islamist groups led mass rallies last year to unseat the then governor of Jakarta, a Christian. Basuki Tjahaja Purnama had said political rivals were deceiving people by using a verse in the Koran to say Muslims should not be led by a non-Muslim. He apologised for the comments, but was later jailed for two years for blasphemy.

Critics say the creeping Islamisation of politics is fostering moral conservatism as Indonesia heads into crucial provincial polls in June and a presidential election in 2019.

"The hateful rhetoric against (the LGBT) community that is being cultivated seemingly for cynical political purposes will only deepen their suffering and create unnecessary divisions," U.N. human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said when visiting Indonesia this week. He said he raised the issue with President Joko Widodo.

SOME DISSENTING VOICES

There are some dissenting voices as the legislative revisions are nudged forward, among them parliament deputy speaker Fahri Hamzah, who has been lobbying lawmakers and the government to apply the brakes.

"I'm warning them on the dangers of criminalisation of our privacy too much. It endangers our future, our freedom and also our economy," he told Reuters.

"You don't regulate the bedroom of the people."

He accused Widodo of being "weak on the issue" and, instead of speaking up, relying on the lobbying of liberal media and non-governmental organisations.

Top officials, including the president, have said that while LGBT people should not face discrimination, Indonesia's cultural and religious norms do not accept the LGBT movement.

A presidential spokesman declined to comment, but a government representative involved in the deliberations said efforts were underway to protect privacy.

"The state cannot enter the private realm. It can only get involved if what people do disturbs public order," said Enny Nurbaningsih of the law and human rights ministry.

Fahd, who is originally from East Java, says he has lost faith in the protection promised to the nation's people in the Indonesian constitution. "I want the Indonesian government to see that we have our voice. It's like I'm saying to them, 'I don't need you: there are other countries that accept me for who I am.'"
A former Virginia Tech student was convicted of kidnapping and murdering a 13-year-old girl after telling the judge overseeing his trial that he wanted to enter a plea of no contest on Friday, a local prosecutor said.

David Eisenhauer, 19, was convicted of abducting, killing and concealing the body of middle-school student Nicole Lovell in January 2016, according to Mary Pettitt, the chief prosecutor in Montgomery County, Virginia. He faces a sentence of up to life in prison.

Lovell's body was found stabbed by a rural North Carolina roadside, about 90 miles south of her hometown of Blacksburg. She had disappeared four days earlier from Blacksburg, where Virginia Tech is located, and the crime left the university and local community reeling.

Eisenhauer may have had an inappropriate relationship with Lovell, the Washington Post has reported. Lovell told a friend she planned to run away with Eisenhauer and start a family, the Post reported.

Under Virginia law, a defendant can plead no contest without admitting to the crime if the defendant agrees that the prosecutor has enough evidence that the court return a guilty verdict. It is treated the same as a guilty plea for conviction and sentencing.

A second former Virginia Polytechnic Institute student, Natalie Keepers, who is charged with being Eisenhauer's accomplice and helping to conceal Lovell's body faces trial later this year after pleading not guilty.

Keepers, 20, became friends with Eisenhauer, a fellow engineering student, before Lovell's abduction, according to police in Blacksburg. Keepers also faces life in prison if convicted.

In brief, emotional remarks made after the hearing on Friday, Lovell's mother, Tammy Weeks, said she was blessed to raise a "bright and beautiful girl."

"We fought every fight together but this last one," Weeks said, clutching a tissue.
Jerusalem: Syrian anti-aircraft fire shot down an Israeli jet on Saturday, the military said, after Israel intercepted an Iranian drone launched from Syria and struck an Iranian target there.

Footage from northern Israel showed what appeared to be white aircraft debris scattered on the ground.

It was one of the most serious incidents involving Israel, Iran and Syria since the start of the Syrian civil war almost eight years ago.

"A combat helicopter successfully intercepted an Iranian UAV that was launched from Syria and infiltrated Israel," the Israeli military said in a statement.

"IDF (Israel Defence Forces) has targeted the Iranian control systems in Syria that sent the #UAV into Israeli airspace. Massive Syrian Anti-Air fire, one F16 crashed in Israel, pilots safe," Israeli military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricos said on Twitter.

Syrian state media cited a military source as saying Syrian air defences had opened fire in response to an Israeli act of "aggression" against a military base and hit "more than one plane".

"The Israeli enemy entity at dawn today conducted a new aggression against one of the military bases in the central region. Our air defences confronted it and hit more than one plane," the unidentified military source said.

Israeli media said the jet crashed in northern Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid a rare visit to the Israel-Syria front on Tuesday and warned Israel's enemies not to "test" its resolve. He did not mention by name Iran or its Lebanese militia ally, Hezbollah, both main players in Syria's civil war.

Netanyahu has been cautioning against any attempt by Iran to deepen its military foothold in Syria or construct missile factories in neighbouring Lebanon.

Israel has seen spillover violence from the Syrian civil war. It has opened fire at times to foil what it deemed deliberate cross-border attacks and has struck suspected Hezbollah arms shipments around 100 times in Syria during the civil war.
Seoul: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has invited the South's President Moon Jae-in for a summit in Pyongyang, Seoul said on Saturday.

The invitation, delivered by Kim's visiting sister Kim Yo Jong, said Kim was willing to meet the South's leader "at the earliest date possible", said a spokesman for the presidential Blue House.

An inter-Korean summit would be the third of its kind, after Kim's father and predecessor Kim Jong Il met the South's Kim Dae-Jung and Roh Moo-hyun in 2000 and 2007 respectively, both of them in Pyongyang.

After months of silence on whether it would even take part in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in the South, which had their opening ceremony Friday, nuclear-armed North Korea has gone on a charm offensive, dispatching athletes, performers, and Kim's sister plus other diplomatic delegates to the South.

Moon met Kim Yo Jong and the North's ceremonial head of state Kim Yong Nam for talks and lunch at the Blue House on Saturday.

"Special envoy Kim Yo Jong delivered a personal letter" from her brother stating his "wish to improve inter-Korean relations", said Moon's spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom.

She verbally conveyed Kim's invitation to Moon "to visit the North at his most convenient time", he added.

Moon has long argued for engagement with the North to bring it to the negotiating table over its nuclear ambitions but did not immediately accept the offer.

Moon called for efforts to "create the right conditions to realise" such a visit, his spokesman said, urging Pyongyang to more actively seek dialogue with the US.

"It is absolutely necessary for the North and the United States to engage in talks at an early date," he cited Moon as saying.

Washington has long insisted the North must show a willingness to denuclearise before any negotiations -- which Pyongyang says it will never do.
Washington: A Russian who offered stolen National Security Agency cyberweapons and compromising information on President Donald Trump bilked US spies out of $100,000 last year, The New York Times reported on Friday, citing US and European security officials.

The money was delivered to a Berlin hotel room in September and was intended as the first installment of a $1 million reward, according to US officials, the Russian and communications reviewed by the Times, the newspaper reported.

The theft of the secret hacking tools was very damaging to the NSA, which was trying to determine exactly what was missing, the Times said.

Several US intelligence officials told the paper they said they did not want the Trump information from the Russian, who was suspected of having ties to Russian intelligence and Eastern European cybercriminals.

He claimed it would link the president and his associates to Russia, the Times said, citing the officials. But instead of providing the hacking tools, the Russian produced unverified and possibly fabricated material involving Trump and others, including bank records, emails and purported Russian intelligence data, the paper cited the officials as saying.

The US intelligence officials halted the deal out of concern it could entangle them in a Russian operation to create discord inside the US government, and potential fallout in Washington from the perception that they were trying to buy compromising material on Trump, the Times reported.

The Central Intelligence Agency declined to comment on the negotiations with the Russian seller, the Times said.

The NSA, which produced the bulk of the hacking tools that the Americans sought to recover, said only that all NSA employees have a lifetime obligation to protect classified information, the Times reported.

The CIA did not respond to a request by Reuters for comment, while NSA officials were not available out of regular business hours for comment.
Peshawar/Dera Ismali Khan: A pair of suspected U.S. missile strikes killed a senior Pakistani Taliban deputy and other militants in the border regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan, officials said on Friday.

Four Pakistani intelligence officials and three Taliban commanders told Reuters on Friday that two separate U.S. missile strikes on Wednesday killed the fighters.

One of the strikes, they said, killed a Pakistani Taliban commander, Khan Said, alias Sajna, and three more people, when missiles struck his pick-up truck in Margha village of Birmal district in Paktika province of Afghanistan.

The NATO-led Operation Resolute Support in Afghanistan said it had no information about the strike.

The officials sought anonymity because they werent authorized to disclose the information. They are based in Pakistans northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and have informants on the ground on both sides of the border.

They said on Friday they have also been picking up militants chatter through phone intercepts in which they were talking about Sajnas killing. Three Pakistani Taliban commanders confirmed their account.

Sajna has been an important militant commander of the Pakistani Taliban and had close links with the Afghan Taliban, the officials said.

Two of the officials said they were trying to confirm reports of another suspected U.S. drone strike in North Waziristan on Pakistani side of the border.

The second strike hit a compound in Gurwek town of North Waziristan, killing seven militants, the three Taliban commanders said.

North Waziristan and Paktika province in Afghanistan are adjacent to the border, and the officials and the militant commanders may have been reporting the same strike as two separate ones.

The border region has long been home to local and al-Qaeda linked foreign militants. It is off limits to journalists and verifying any information independently is difficult.

U.S. drone strikes in the border regions of Pakistan have picked up since U.S. President Donald Trump took office in January 2017, though they are a long way off their peak in 2010.

Relations between Washington and Islamabad have frayed in recent months after Trumps angry tweet on Jan. 1 about Pakistans lies and deceit over its alleged support for the Afghan Taliban and their allies. Last month, the United States suspended about $2 billion assistance to Islamabad.

Pakistan denies sheltering militants and accuses Washington of not respecting Pakistans sacrifices in the war on militancy.

Therere still several drones flying here, one of the three Taliban commanders said on Friday speaking by phone from the Paktika province.
Wakhan Corridor: "Taliban -- what's that?" asks Sultan Begium shyly from her freezing home in Afghanistan's mountainous Wakhan Corridor, a region so remote that its residents are untouched by the decades of conflict that have devastated their country.

The frail-looking grandmother whose harsh life has etched deep lines in her face, is a woman of the Wakhi, a tribe of roughly 12,000 nomadic people who populate the area.

Known to those who live there by its Persian name Bam-e-Dunya, or "roof of the world", it is a narrow strip of inhospitable and barely accessible land in Afghanistan bordered by the mountains of what is now Tajikistan and Pakistan, and extending all the way to China.

Few venture out, even fewer venture in -- but this isolation has kept the Wakhi sheltered from almost forty years of the near constant fighting that has ravaged their fellow Afghans.

"War, what war? There has never been a war," Begium says, poking at a dying fire of yak dung, though she remembers people speaking of Russian soldiers dispensing cigarettes on the border at the other end of the corridor.

Such decades-old anecdotes are all the tribe really know of the Soviet invasion and US-funded mujahideen fightback, a brutal nine-year conflict that may have left as many as one million civilians dead and hundreds of thousands more displaced.

The subsequent civil war, in which tens of thousands more people were killed and uprooted, and the rise of the extremist Taliban regime seem to them like folklore.

"Taliban are very bad people from some other country who rape sheep and slaughter humans," says Askar Shah, Begium's eldest son, who has heard stories about them from Pakistani traders.

There is little knowledge of the US invasion or the bloody resurgence of the Taliban, and more recently the emergence of the Islamic State group, that have killed or injured hundreds of thousands across the nation.

"Foreigners invaded our country?" Askar Shah asks incredulously after being told how America and its allies went to war with the Taliban regime in 2001.

"No, they can't do that. They are good people," he says.

'EVERYONE IS ADDICTED'

Created in the 19th century as a Great Game buffer zone between tsarist Russia and British India, the corridor has since remained untouched by any kind of government.

It can be reached from surrounding countries, but only via treacherous journeys by horse, yak or on foot through the "Pamir Knot", where three of the highest mountain ranges in the world converge.

Known in Afghanistan itself as Pamiris, the Wakhi form the bulk of the corridor's population -- the nomadic Kyrgyz tribe, which numbers just 1,100 people, live separately at its northern end.

The Wakhi are moderate Ismaili Muslims, followers of the Aga Khan. The burka -- which is ubiquitous elsewhere in Afghanistan and is regarded by critics as a symbol of women's oppression -- is unknown.

Their life, largely free from crime and violence, revolves around yaks and cattle, which they barter for food and clothes from the few traders who visit the remote region.

Without electricity they have no internet or mobile phone service, often communicating with one another across the vast terrain by walkie-talkie.

Occasionally they have access to radios, listening to Russian broadcasts or Afghan news -- Iranian music is also popular -- however such opportunities are rare, and once the batteries run down they fall silent until the traders arrive again.

But with temperatures below freezing for more than 300 days a year, this is no rural idyll.

Even minor flu can kill, and childbirth means death nearly as often as it means life. The endless grief helps fuel use of the only drug freely available in Wakhan: opium.

Opium is "the only Afghan identity we have", says Nazar, a Wakhi who goes by one name, adding: "The whole population is addicted to it."

But change may be coming: The Afghan government says it's conducting aerial surveys to assess potential routes to connect Wakhan to the rest of Badakhshan province by road.

The Chinese are also in talks with Kabul to help build a military base at the northern end of the corridor, according to Afghan officials.

If it all comes to fruition, it could bring more trade, tourism, and much-needed medical facilities.

It could also spell the end of the Wakhi's protection from the brutality of war.
Washington: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson faces "difficult" talks next week with NATO ally Turkey on Syria and human rights, his delegation said before a regional tour.

Late last month, Ankara began a cross-border offensive in northwestern Syria against what it calls a "terrorist" Kurdish militia supported and armed by Washington whose troops are back local militias against the Islamic State group (IS).

The Turkish operation further raised tensions between the two countries, whose relations were already complicated.

"We are urging them to show restraint in their operations in Afrin, and to show restraint further along the line across the border in northern Syria," a senior US State Department official told reporters ahead of Tillerson's tour that begins Sunday and will also take him to Cairo, Kuwait City, Amman and Beirut.

"You start with asking for restraint and look for ways that you can help bring it to an end as quickly as possible," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on the US to pull its troops back from Syria's Manbij, which is east of Afrin.

"Obviously we need to work with the Turks to figure out more about what their long-term intentions are," and to try to find a way "to address their legitimate security concerns while, at the same time, minimizing civilian casualties and above all else keeping everything focused on the defeat-ISIS fight, which is not over," the official said.

It will be "a difficult conversation," the official continued, referring to the "very hot" Turkish rhetoric on the subject.

Tillerson's visit is also expected to touch on other sensitive topics.

These include human rights and arrests that the US called "arbitrary" following a state of emergency declared after an attempted coup in 2016.

Turkey last year detained local employees of American diplomatic missions in the country, and arrested Taner Kilic, the president of Amnesty International in Turkey.

"There's no pulling punches on that," a second senior State Department official said.

"We've been very public in our call to the Turks to let these folks go, and we've been very firm in our private conversations with them as well."

He conceded: "The Turks are angry and this is a difficult time to do business."

But Washington believes the two countries share fundamental underlying interests including Syria's stability, the defeat of IS, and countering the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) which both Ankara and the West consider terrorists.
United Nations: The United Nations Security Council is considering demanding a 30-day ceasefire in Syria to allow the delivery of aid and the evacuation of sick and wounded, diplomats said on Friday, although the measure is likely to be resisted by Russia.

A resolution, drafted by Sweden and Kuwait, was circulated to the 15-member council on Friday. It needs nine votes in favor and no vetoes by Russia, China, the United States, Britain or France.

The United Nations called on Tuesday for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Syria of at least a month, a call that was backed by the US State Department on Thursday.

However, Russian UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said on Thursday: Thats not realistic. We would like to see a ceasefire, the end of war in Syria, but the terrorists, Im not sure they are in agreement.

Syrian ally Russia has cast 11 vetoes on possible Security Council action on Syria since the civil war began in 2011, shielding Syrian President Bashar al-Assads government.

The draft UN resolution, seen by Reuters, also calls upon all parties to immediately lift the sieges of populated areas, including in Eastern Ghouta, Yarmouk, Foua and Kefraya.

Council diplomats were expected to discuss the text on Monday. It was not immediately clear when or if Sweden and Kuwait would put the draft resolution to a vote.

Diplomacy is making no progress toward ending a war, now approaching its eighth year, which has killed hundreds of thousands of people and forced half the pre-war Syrian population of 23 million from their homes. Millions have been forced out as refugees.
Then they launched into The Moon, Cryptocurrencies and Me", a stirring anthem incorporating lines such as "Be careful about your password! Don't use the same one!" to warn against the dangers of trading cryptocurrency. (Image: Reuters)
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THE Joice Mujuru-led Peoples Rainbow Coalition (PRC) has refuted reports that exiled G40 members were invited or organised a workshop held in Cape Town, South Africa, where opposition parties met to forge a broad-based alliance to contest elections.





Reports said exiled G40 members who allegedly now front the New Patriotic Front (NPF) wanted to rope in Mujuru, disgruntled MDC-T members and PDP officials among other parties in their bid to challenge Zanu PF in the elections due in a few months.





PRC secretary for administration and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secretary-general, Gorden Moyo, however, accused elements in the MDC Alliance of condescending arrogance and spreading lies to sabotage any efforts to forge a broad alliance.





Mujuru, MDC-T deputy presidents Thokozani Khupe and Elias Mudzuri, PDP officials and Coalition of Democrats (CODE) among other small parties attended the Cape Town event.





MDC Alliance spokesperson Welshman Ncube dismissed the event as a meeting of every Tom, Dick and Harry, but Moyo said the statements were unfortunate and exposed the former and his allies as divisive characters bent on sabotaging any talk of a broad-based alliance to topple Zanu PF.





For the record, the so-called G40 was never invited to the experience-sharing workshop nor was it part of organising the same. The concerted and choreographed disinformation campaign mounted by Zanu PF leadership and elements of the MDC Alliance can only be noted as an unfortunate, but revealing confluence of interests opposed to broad-based political dialogue and coalition building, Moyo said in a statement.





Analysts have argued only an all-inclusive opposition party alliance stands can unseat Zanu PF in the elections, but differences over its composition have collapsed any such initiatives.

As a principle, the organisers could never acquiesce to the condescending characterisation of other Coalitions in Zimbabwe as meaningless Toms, Dicks and Harrys as implied in Professor Ncubes unfortunate statement of February 8.





At a practical level we were unaware on what basis we were being asked to exclude the other invitees. Were we to use actual votes obtained by party principals since 2008? Or is it parliamentary seats won by a party? In the organisers view, a democratic movement should ideally be an inclusive platform not one in which condescension, empty arrogance reign supreme. Newsday
A Mwenezi man has been ordered by a Masvingo magistrates court to pay $300 maintenance arrears to his 27-year-old son or risk imprisonment. Isaac Magaisa (78) of Matake Village under Chief Chitanga was dragged to court by his son, Tavonga Magaisa, a student at Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU), who accused him of reneging on his maintenance obligations.



Magaisa was accused of ignoring a court order for him to pay $150 monthly for the upkeep of his son. Masvingo magistrate Mr Peter Madiba slapped Magaisa with a wholly-suspended three-month prison sentence on condition he settles the arrears.



In his defence, Magaisa, who pleaded guilty to skipping maintenance payment, told the court that his son was in the habit of assaulting him. He said Tavonga was a grown up man who should fend for himself and pay his own fees.





Magaisa said Tavonga once worked for the Zimbabwe National Roads Administration and was in a position to sustain himself. The prosecutor Makaita Chikamhi said on November 29 last year, the Masvingo Civil Court ordered Magaisa to pay $150 every month towards the maintenance of Tavonga.





He was supposed to pay school fees for his son into the Zimbabwe Open University account. During the period between December 1, 2017 and January 31, 2018, Magaisa failed to make such payment, resulting in the accumulation of his arrears to $300. His son reported him to the police, leading to his arrest. Herald




President Mnangagwa ends his speech, and we are going to get a vote of thanks from the Zanu PF National Chairperson, Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri.





14:35- : On hearing the breaking news, scores of women are falling to the ground, wailing to what can be interpreted as a great loss to them.





14:31  So it is now up to you to elect another representative during primary elections, who will represent the party in the forthcoming elections, he added.





14:27  The First Lady has asked me to tell you this message. She will now be concentrating of being the mother of the nation, she will be travelling countrywide initiating developmental and empowerment projects. You have not lost because she will continue with all projects she started here, said Cde Mnangagwa.





14:10  He says that elections will be held this year around July and calls for people to remain peaceful. There is no need for Zanu PF to be violent, there is no reason for any other political party to b violent. President Mnangagwa also promises a free, fair and credible elections, adding that foreign observers are free to come and observe the polls as there is nothing to fear and hide.





14:09  I have had the call of the people of Zimbabwe, I share the vision of the people and I am committed to work for the country. I appreciate the realities of our country. Our industries are stagnant, unemployment rate high. Travelling around the country, I am saddened by the poverty in the communities.





14:03  The President chronicles his re-engagement journey which took him to Davos, Switzerland, and then emphasises that with Zimbabwe now open for business, corruption must stop.





14:01  Cde Mnangagwa says he is overwhelmed by the response by Zimbabweans in the diaspora who want to come back and even invest back home. He says a group of Zimbabweans in South Africa have put together US$400 million towards the revival of the National Railways of Zimbabwe.





13:57  On mining, the President asks the Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Mr Winston Chitando to stand up and he heeps huge praises to him for his efforts to spearhead the revival of the mining sector. He says Zimbabwe will host a mining indaba, which will be attended by the world mining representatives.





13:52  Cde Mnangagwa notes the new government initiative to establish irrigation schemes in all the countrys districts. The model of the project has already been launched in Guruves Siyalima farm. He says the establishment of the greenbelts in the countrys districts as well as the mechanisation of farming activities will ensure food security in the country.





13:45  The President lauds the command agriculture programme, which he describes as his brainchild. He adds that the government command agriculture programme will be complemented by the presidential inputs, which is funded to the tune of $400m. We are saying good-bye to drought.





13:44  Cde Mnangagwa says after the successful and irreversible land reform programme, the government has appointed a Land Commission to look into the land issue, where some pieces of land can be taken away from those with too big farms and others with more than one farm, so that it will be redistributed to those without land.





13:41  No one lives in the past, we live in the present and plan for the future. Now under the new dispensation, we are open for business. For about 18 years, Zimbabwe has been isolated and been under sanctions, says Cde Mnangagwa, further thanking Zimbabweans for remaining resolute and steadfast during the time of hardships.





13:36  The President says Zanu PF is the only party that has a track record of fulfilling the wishes of the people. He adds that Zanu PF will continue ruling while other parties are mushrooming, being divided and crumbling.





13:30  President Mnangagwa says he is in Chirumhanzu at the invitation of the First Lady, noting that it has been long since he last visited the constitution. He says the area has always been a Zanu PF stronghold. He adds that he has worked with the people for a long time, initiating developmental programmes such as building of schools, roads and bridges. He also speaks of the developmental and women empowerment projects in the area.

13:23  Vice President Mohadi takes to the podium to introduce President Mnangagwa and invite him to address the gathering, and indeed it is now time for the man of the moment.

13:13  The ZCC provides a musical interlude, with brass instruments sounding the famous Ndire Ndire song.





13:07  Cde McKenzie Ncube invites the legislator for the area, the First Lady, Cde Auxillia Mnangagwa to greet the gathering. She says she has delivered on the request of the constituency to bring the President to the area. She adds that today is not her day but that of the President.





13:02  Top party and government officials in attendance include Vice President Kembo Mohadi and Cde Oppah Muchinguri Kashiri (Zanu PF National Chairperson).

12:58  Zanu PF Midlands Provincial Chairperson , Cde McKenzie Ncube introduces delegates to the President.





12:56  Chief Chirumhanzu and his team lead in the traditional ritual to welcome the President and dedicate the event to the ancestors.

12:55  After the singing of the National Anthem, school children recite the National Pledge and a representative of the ZCC church gives an opening prayer.

12:44  President Mnangagwa arrives for home coming rally in Mvuma.
Zimbabwe is yet to extract diamonds worth $15 billion from Chiadzwa, putting paid to claims that gems worth that much were looted from there, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission has said.



Rather, Zacc says, gems worth millions of dollars were stolen from vaults of diamond mining companies when Government cancelled their licences and created the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Mining Company. Zacc Commissioner in Charge of Investigations Mr Goodson Nguni said former President Robert Mugabes statement insinuating US$15 billion had been looted was a metaphor to express the magnitude of corruption.



He said: The US$15 billion figure was not factual; it was more of figurative speech. We have investigated the matter and diamonds mined in Chiadzwa are not worth that much.





ZCDC was formed in 2016 when Government cancelled licences of mining houses Marange Resources, Mbada Diamonds, Anjin, Diamond Mining Company, DTZ-Ozgeo and Jinan.

Mr Nguni said former Mines and Mining Development Minister Walter Chidhakwa and his then Permanent Secretary Professor Francis Gudyanga were being investigated over diamonds taken from these companies vaults.





He said investigators found that Government officials disabled the closed circuit television systems and raided vaults containing diamonds whose exact value is yet to be ascertained.





The diamonds were reportedly taken to the Mines Ministry but were unaccounted for.

Zacc investigators said the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, the internationally recognised diamond trade regulator, had no record of the seized gems being sold legally.

The net is closing in on former top officials at the Mines and Mining Development Ministry. The investigation is complete and Chidhakwa and Gudyanga are likely to be charged (this) week over the diamonds which were stolen from diamond mining companies, said Mr Nguni.

Another investigator revealed that diamonds sent to China to be used for training of local cutters and polishers could not be accounted for.





The diamonds were shipped to China through a company owned by a Mines Ministry official who cannot be named at this stage for fear of jeopardising investigations. Sunday Mail
Education sector stakeholders have called for the immediate resignation of Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) management after the shameful leakage of a November 2017 English Language examination paper, with authorities forcing candidates to rewrite the exam.



This comes as despite the outrage, Zimsec yesterday insisted it was forging ahead with the re-writing of the examination, and has already made stop-gap measures to allow pupils to sit.



Candidates are advised of the critical need to retake this examination as results will not be provided on the basis of Paper 1 performance in this subject.



Candidates who have been barred from taking this examination paper have already been informed and should not write this examination, the examinations board said in a statement.



All 26 546 candidates registered at 181 boarding schools are assured that these centres have been engaged to enable single overnight accommodation and associated meals for this limited window. The remaining 243 223 candidates at 2 010 registered day school examination centres are expected to present themselves at 0930hrs at the latest in preparation for the 1000hrs examination, it said.

Affected pupils are expected to re-write the paper on Friday next week.



On Thursday, Primary and Secondary Education minister Paul Mavhima said government arrived at the decision to cancel the examination and order a re-sit within seven days owing to the scale of the leakage.



However, teachers unions and parents yesterday demanded the resignation of the Zimsec board led by University of Zimbabwe vice chancellor Levi Nyagura and its management led by director Essau Nhandara.





Although leakages have become common in annual schools examinations, the latest development is particularly embarrassing since it comes three months after the examination was written.



The Zimsec board . . . must just resign along with the Zimsec management. This is an embarrassing situation and a mockery to our status as Africas most educated nation. Its an absolute shame, said Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe president Takavafira Zhou.



We first raised concerns over safety of the examinations three months ago and they are only taking action now. It is only going to increase government costs and put financial pressure on the parents who have to take their children back to their examination centres. They should just have left it as it was and work on securing the next examinations, said Zhou.



Zimbabwe National Teachers Union urged parents to boycott the re-sit. We are very worried by this 11th hour decision to nullify the paper. We expect some of the parents whose children will not be able to make it having travelled to many diverse destinations, even outside the country, to sue government over this.



Who is going to bear the costs to take pupils to their examination centres? The whole Zimsec board and the directorate must resign in shame over this scandal and let new blood which knows what to do take over, said Nyawo.



Rural Teachers Union president Gibson Mushangwe also added his voice to calls on the Zimsec board and managements resignation.



The current Zimsec leadership, from the board to management is a liability and a disgrace to the nation. They cant keep gobbling taxpayers money when they dont know what they are doing. Its time for them to bid farewell.



In 2015, Nhandara told the world that he had five million dollars meant to put in place systems to secure exams, where did he put that money because as this clearly proves it has not been used for its purpose? queried Mushangwe.



United Kingdom-based lawyer Alex Magaisa raised legal complications emanating from the decision.

The drastic action taken by the minister potentially violates section 68 of the Constitution which guarantees the right to fair administrative conduct. It jeopardises the rights, interests and legitimate expectations of innocent kids, said Magaisa.



Section 68 of the Constitution reads: Every person has a right to administrative conduct that is lawful, prompt, efficient, reasonable, proportionate, impartial and both substantively and procedurally fair.



Magaisa urged parents to approach the courts seeking recourse. Parents should approach the courts on an urgent basis to challenge the ministers directive, which punishes the innocent. If they identified the guilty who are to be banned, why should this affect innocent kids? This is a completely irrational decision, added Magaisa.



Over the years, there have been calls by stakeholders in the education sector encouraging both the parent ministry and the examinations organ to rethink their strategies, chiefly the logistical part of the matrix.



Heads of the countrys 2 118 examination centres collect the papers at their regional offices and from there; the onus is on them to ensure safe delivery of the papers to the centres and store them safely until the day they are written.



While some school heads have their own vehicles which they use to ferry the papers, others use public transport like buses and it certainly does not reflect well that such crucial documents are to be seen transported on a bus rooftop. Two telling incidents happened in 2011 and 2012.



A headmaster on his way from collecting papers in Chinhoyi back to his rural school in Hurungwe decided to put some passengers on the truck only for one of the passengers to disembark taking with him a pack of exams papers. The head only discovered upon arrival at the school that the papers had gone missing.



The other headmaster put the papers on the roof of a bus from Bulawayo only to discover them missing when he reached his destination. President of the Apex Council, the umbrella representative body for civil servants, Cecilia Alexander said the system should not be allowed to continue.



We do not have to face the same predictable problem every year. We are coming to a point where we would say teachers should be paid incentives to re-invigilate the exams or boycott it altogether. They should find a way of solving the issue once and for all. It is governments responsibility to fund the examination process. But what we have seen is the transferring of the responsibility to individual schools, she added.



A country which boasts the highest literacy rate in Africa at about 92 percent should, find a way of arresting the problem. Daily News
The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra), which is contending with widening tax defaults by both individuals and corporates, says it is open to payment plans to prevent ballooning interests and penalties. As at December 31, 2017, Zimra was owed almost US$4 billion in unpaid taxes.



Last year, Zimra opened the year saddled by a US$2,67 billion debt but it shot up 47,57 percent to close the year at US$3,94 billion. A measly US$20,74 million was recovered during the course of last year, indicating the mammoth task confronting Zimra in collecting revenues.





Interestingly, the US$4 billion debt is almost equal to the US$4,3 billion revenue collection target set for this year.





Last week, Zimra head of corporate communications, Mr Canisio Mudzimu told The Sunday Mail Business that if companies and individuals fail to arrange payment plans, they risk having their accounts garnished.





Clients are encouraged to avoid interests and penalties on outstanding amounts which are due to the State by approaching Zimra to agree on payment plans. In the event that taxpayers do not come forward or do not honour payment plans, Zimra will be left with no option but to resort to the recovery measure of appointment of agency (garnishee orders), said Mr Mudzimu.





Garnishee orders, which are unpopular with tax defaulters, are issued in terms of the Value Added Tax Act (Chapter 23:12) and Income Tax Act (Chapter 23:06). Companies, particularly small and medium enterprises, have in the past been critical of garnishee orders saying they threaten the viability of their operations.

Some firms, including Packers International Private Limited  which owns Chicken Slice, Pizza Slice and Creamy Slice  challenged a US$20 million garnishee order in the High Court in 2015.





The High Court provided the relief sought by Packers International but the Supreme Court overturned the ruling, arguing that Zimra was within its powers to carry out tax assessments and enforce payment. Recently, Finance and Economic Planning Deputy Minister Terrence Mukupe insinuated that Government was now caught between a hard place and a deep blue sea, regarding garnishee orders. Deputy Minister Mukupe said if Zimra was to garnishee companies accounts, there could be unintended consequences in the form of job losses as most firms would close.





But Government also wants revenue to oil its machinery. Mr Mudzimu said Zimra uses garnishee orders only as a last resort, where all efforts to recover outstanding taxes would have failed.

As you may be aware, Zimra engages its clients with tax debts to negotiate for payment plans, and if the payment arrangements are adhered to, no garnishee orders are placed.





The Authority, therefore, urges its valued clients to negotiate with the Authority for payment terms and to adhere to the agreed payment arrangements to avoid garnishee orders, which are only used as a last resort in revenue collection, said Mr Mudzimu.





Critics have claimed that many Zimbabweans do not have a culture of paying debts, as evidenced by a debt of up to US$2 billion also owed to local authorities. The banking sector is also battling to arrest non-performing loans (NPLs), which sky rocketed to 20,5 percent in 2015, as some serial borrowers failed to honour their obligations with banks.





NPLs had since come down to 7,08 percent as at December 31, 2017 mainly driven by the coming in of the Zimbabwe Asset Management Company (Zamco)  a special purpose vehicle created by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe to hive off debts from struggling firms. Zamco acquired NPLs amounting to US$987 million.





The internationally acceptable NPLs level is 5 percent, and the latest NPLs figure raises high expectations that the financial services sector is stabilising.

Meanwhile, in terms of revenue collection, Zimra has started on a high note, hitting US$350,97 million in gross collections against a budget of US$325,05 million. All tax heads performed well in January 2018 and it is now expected that revenue collections will steadily rise going forward as more firms purchase fiscal devices. Fiscalisation became legally enforceable in Zimbabwe after Statutory Instrument 104 of 2010 was gazetted on June 8, 2010.





Fiscal tax registers record financial transactions from businesses and transmit the data in real time to Zimra, and are therefore seen by Government as key to widening the revenue base.





However, the high cost of devices  of up to US$1 700  previously affected uptake, and

consequently revenue collection. But with Government approving more fiscal device suppliers, prices have marginally retreated to between US$350 and US$500, and more companies are complying. Mr Mudzimu concurred that there has been an increase in the uptake of fiscal devices due to the marginal decrease in prices of fiscal devices.





The fall in the prices has been necessitated by the increase in the number of approved suppliers of the devices in the market. Fiscalisation promotes correct declarations and assists the Authority to have real-time business data, which will contribute to increased revenue collections.





It is, therefore, anticipated that the fiscalisation programme will continue to significantly contribute to revenue collection in 2018 and beyond, said Mr Mudzimu.





According to General Notice Number 307 published in the Government Gazette of June 23, 2017, the nine fiscal device suppliers announced are Zimra, Just I.T, Global Horizons (Private) Limited, Rumikon Computers (Private) Limited, Microwarehouse (Private) Limited, Axis Solutions (Private) Limited, Cortech Solutions (Private) Limited, Fiscal Revenue Solutions (Private) Limited and Fiscal Support Services (Private) Limited.





The initial list published in the Government Gazette of July 29, 2011, had six approved suppliers.

In terms of the VAT (Fiscal Recording of Taxable Transactions) Regulations, 2010 (Statutory Instrument 104 of 2010), the approved firms are authorised to manufacture, supply or distribute fiscalised electronic tax registers, fiscalised electronic printers and fiscalised electronic signature devices.





The fiscalisation programme entails the acquisition, installation and connection of fiscal devices by business operators to the Zimra server. Sunday Mail
Every Year

Before The Wire,

Williams Posed

the Same Question
(Newser)  There's a gang war brewing at the happiest place on Earth, reports the Los Angeles Times in a fascinating look at a lawsuit between two of Disneyland's burgeoning social clubs. The clubs resemble motorcycle gangs in their sartorial choices (matching biker vests covered in Disney pins) and some initiation rituals, if not in their actual behavior. "We just go to the park and socialize and ride the rides, but we wear vests," says a 49-year-old member of the Nightmare Crew. Oh, they also have names like the Nightmare Crew, Tigger Army, and Neverland Mermaids. Since exploding in 2013, there are now about 100 Disneyland social clubs with anywhere from five to 100 members each. The members are mostly adults who meet up at Disneyland at least once a month. "We are grown-ups but we act like children in the parks," says the Nightmare Crew member.

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But sometimes these children get litigious. A lawsuit filed by the founders of the Main Street Fire Station 55 social club accuses 19 members of the White Rabbits social club of defamation, conspiracy, invasion of privacy, and more. John Sarno says he was planning a Fire Station 55 fundraising walk for Sept. 11, 2016 at Disneyland when he was approached by Jakob Fite, head of the White Rabbits, and four of his fellow club members. Sarno says Fite demanded $500 in protection money for the fundraiser. When Sarno refused to pay, Fite spread harmful rumors about him among other clubs via social media and his podcast, the lawsuit claims. Fite denies the allegations. The lawsuit also blames Disneyland for not cracking down on the White Rabbits. Read the full story here for more on the lawsuit and a peek inside Disneyland social club culture. (Read more Disneyland stories.)
(Newser)  Jurors have convicted a man in the US illegally of killing two Northern California deputies in a case that helped fuel the national immigration debate, the AP reports. Luis Bracamontes was found guilty Friday of shooting Sacramento County sheriff's Deputy Danny Oliver in 2014, then killing Placer County sheriff's Detective Michael Davis Jr. hours later. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Bracamontes, who has repeatedly blurted out in court that he killed the deputies and wished he had killed more. President Trump's re-election campaign recently featured Bracamontes in an ad calling out Democrats on immigration. Defense attorneys argued that Bracamontes is mentally ill and should be spared. He was found competent to stand trial. (Read more California stories.)
(Newser)  Earlier Friday, President Trump spoke to reporters about the 10-page Democratic rebuttal memo to the GOP memo alleging wrongdoing in the FBI and DOJ, noting that the Dem memo is "going to be released soon." "Soon" may be relative, however, as Trump, via a letter sent Friday evening from his lawyer, Don McGahn, to the House Intelligence Committee, said he won't release the memo as is because it "contains numerous properly classified and especially sensitive passages," per the New York Times. McGahn's letter noted Trump was "inclined to declassify" the memo and could change his mind if certain revisions recommended by the DOJ and FBI were made to "mitigate the risks." The ball now lies in the HIC's hands: If the panel decides not to make the requested changes, it would need a full House vote to override the president.

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Per CNN, Rep. Devin Nunes, the GOPer who pushed for the original memo's release, said in a statement "it's no surprise" the Dem memo had to go back for revisions and that he had "warned that the Democratic memo contains many sources and methods." The top-ranking Democrat on the HIC, Rep. Adam Schiff, had worried Trump might push for "political edits" and said in his own statement the committee will now go over the revisions to "address any concerns." Other Dems weren't as reserved in their reactions. Per the Hill, Sen. Richard Blumenthal tweeted Friday night: "Evidence of obstruction of justice by Donald Trump happening in real time." Sen. Dianne Feinstein called Trump's decision "hypocrisy at its worst," while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer used similarly pointed words: "Millions of Americans are asking one simple question: What is he hiding?" (Read more President Trump stories.)
(Newser)  California is under attack from a giant, big-eating, fast-breeding, road-destroying rodent believed to have been eradicated from the state 40 years ago, KCRA reports. According to the Sacramento Bee, state biologists have found nearly two-dozen nutria in Stanislaus, Merced, and Fresno counties since March. The rodents were introduced to California in 1899 for their fur, but officials thought they got rid of the last of them in 1978. It's unclear where this new population of nutria came fromit's possible one colony escaped eradication only to emerge recentlybut officials say their numbers will explode if something isn't done. A single female nutria can give birth to up to 200 offspring a year, and they have no natural predators.

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Nutria are 2.5-feet-long, weigh around 20 pounds, and can eat up to 25% of their body weight a day. "They burrow in dikes, and levees, and road beds, so they weaken infrastructure, (which is) problematic for flood control systems, California Fish and Wildlife spokesperson Peter Tira tells KCRA. Wetlands and levees in the areas where the nutria have been found are needed for flood control and providing water to cities and farms in Southern California. "The issue would be the infrastructure because if we get flooding or if we cant pump water off and cant maintain those levees then, of course, its going to be difficult to farm in those areas, Tim Pelican, agriculture commissioner of San Joaquin County, tells CBS Sacramento. Officials are setting traps for the rodents and asking residents to report sightings. (Read more nutria stories.)
(Newser)  It took nearly 50 years, but a California family was finally able to thank the mysterious man who saved them from an unimaginable tragedy one night in 1971. The Fresno Bee reports 24-year-old Rick Freund was driving home when he saw a women and three young girls standing outside a burning house and stopped. The woman was yelling about her baby. When Freund asked where her baby was, she pointed to a room in the house. Freund climbed through the window, pulled the baby from its crib in the smoke-filled room, and got safely back outside. Minutes later, the ceiling collapsed. By that time, Freund had left the scene without even telling the family his name. "Heroes dont want to be thanked," the baby's mother, Carol Magee, wrote in a letter published in the Bee following the fire. She died in 2003.

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Recently, one of Magee's daughters, Cyndee Farr-Gutierrez, decided to try to find the man who saved her brother all those years ago, and enlisted help from the Bee. That led her to Freund, a former military police officer and current owner of a trucking business. She and her sisters met Freund last month. When someone does something like that, she says, I dont know if they know how much it means to somebody else and the lives they change by a simple act." Freund also met the baby he saved. Robert Mageenow a 47-year-old father of threehas spent the past 18 years paying Freund's act of kindness forward, organizing an annual blood drive that has collected over 18,000 units of blood. Magee says he and Freund plan to stay in contact. Read the full story here. (In more uplifting news, a Texas dad's bakery was saved by a single tweet.)
(Newser)  The much anticipated autopsy report on Las Vegas gunman Stephen Paddock did nothing to help explain why he carried out the deadliest shooting in modern US historyhis body didn't hold diseases or drugs or other substances that could have caused aggressive behavior. In fact, it showed he was a sober, healthy 64-year-old. The reportreleased Friday in response to a lawsuit by the AP and the Las Vegas Review-Journalshowed Paddock had anti-anxiety drugs in his system but wasn't under the influence of them. The autopsy showed the 6-foot-1-inch Paddock was slightly overweight at 224 pounds and had high blood pressure and bad teeth. But there was nothing unusual in his physical condition, even after a microscopic brain examination conducted by experts at Stanford University. His cremated remains were released to his brother in January.

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The motivation for the shooting has been a mystery since Paddock opened fire from the Mandalay Bay casino-hotel on Oct. 1, despite intensive investigation by local police and federal authorities. He fatally shot himself before officers stormed his suite after the shooting. A preliminary report released last month by Las Vegas police said the high-stakes gambler had been on a losing streak, was obsessed with cleanliness, was possibly bipolar, and was having difficulties with his live-in girlfriend, Marilou Danley. She told investigators Paddock was a germophobe and reacted strongly to smells. Paddock told friends and relatives he always felt ill, in pain, and fatigued, the report said. His doctor suspected he may have had bipolar disorder, but Paddock refused to discuss that possibility, the doctor told police. The doctor offered him antidepressants, but Paddock would only accept a prescription for anxiety medication. Paddock was fearful of medication and often refused to take it, the doctor noted.

(Read more Stephen Paddock stories.)
(Newser)  Over the past 60 years or so, more than 31,000 North Koreans have defected to South Korea. Now, North Korea wants to make sure its delegation to the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang doesn't add to that number. CNN has an in-depth report on how North Korea is making sure the nearly 500 members of its Olympic delegation will return home after the competitions are over. The North Korean delegation includes athletes, cheerleaders, reporters, performers, and more. The "more" would include undercover intelligence officers under the guise of "support staff" and other titles, a former North Korean police officer says. He says North Korean athletes will be under surveillance every hour of every day they're in South Korea, not allowed to stay in their rooms or even go to the bathroom alone.

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The ex-North Korean officer says members of the delegation will also be expected to inform on each other. "Not only the leaders but also the rest of the performers will be punished for not reporting suspicious signs of a defector," he says. Members of the delegation would think twice even in the unlikely event an opportunity for defection arises. "They have family back home; they know if they defect, their family will be terrified and punished," says Han Seo-hee, a North Korean cheerleader who defected to South Korea in 2006. She says as much as possible members of the delegation would be loyal to the North Korean regime and seen as unlikely to defect. As a final precaution, the delegation will undergo individual reviews and investigations upon their return. Read the full story here. (Read more Olympics stories.)
(Newser)  The Israeli military shot down an Iranian drone it said infiltrated the country early Saturday before launching a "large-scale attack" on at least a dozen Iranian and Syrian targets inside Syria. Responding anti-aircraft fire led to the downing of an Israeli fighter jet, the AP reports. Israel said the drone infiltration was a "severe and irregular violation of Israeli sovereignty" and warned of further action against unprecedented Iranian aggression. The military said its planes faced massive anti-aircraft fire from Syria that forced two pilots to abandon an F-16 jet that crashed in northern Israel. One pilot was seriously wounded and the other lightly. Syrian officials reported large explosions in the center of the country, and the Syrian counter-fire set off warning sirens throughout northern Israel.

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The Israeli strikes marked its most significant engagement since the fighting in neighboring Syria began in 2011, and Israel said Iran would be held responsible for its outcome. "This is a serious Iranian attack on Israeli territory. Iran is dragging the region into an adventure in which it doesn't know how it will end," Israel's chief military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis, said in a statement. Iran's Foreign Ministry rep called the claim Israel had shot down the drone "ridiculous," while the joint operations room for the Syrian military and its allies denied the drone violated Israeli airspace, saying it was on a regular mission gathering intelligence on ISIS militants. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman were convening top brass at military headquarters in Tel Aviv to discuss further response.

(Read more Israel stories.)
(Newser)  Terry Hillard arrived in Cocoa, Florida, to watch Tuesday's SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket launch. A day later he was dead. The Orlando Sentinel reports an employee of the Dixie Motel called 911 on Wednesday morning after finding Hillard's body in his room. The 65-year-old Hillard checked into the motel late Tuesday with the suspect, according to ABC News. It's unclear how Hillard knew the unidentified suspect, who police say may be "a drifter." We dont know if it was someone that the victim knew or someone they had just met," Ron McCarron of the Cocoa Police Department tells NBC Miami. "Everything is showing us that they were hanging out together at the hotel and during the time just before the hotel." Relatives of Hillard say they had never seen the suspect before.

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Police spokesperson Yvonne Martinez says the suspect left the motel in Hillard's car before abandoning it. The suspect was last spotted on a gas station security camera early Thursday morning. Martinez says he "could be anywhere," and a nationwide manhunt is underway. Somebody knows him, somebody has seen him, somebody has gone past him, McCarron says. While officials aren't saying how Hillard was killed, they're warning the suspect may be armed "due to the nature of the homicide." (Read more murder stories.)
(Newser)  Two Ohio police officers were killed in a shooting Saturday afternoon in a Columbus suburb, CBS News reports. According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, someone called 911 from an address in Westerville around noon then hung up. Police chief Joe Morbitzer says officers Anthony Morelli and Eric Joering were "immediately met with gunfire" when they went to the address to investigate. Joering was killed at the scene, and Morelli later died at the hospital. The suspect was taken into custody, and an investigation into the shooting is ongoing.

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Mobitzer calls the 39-year-old Morelli and 54-year-old Joering "true American heroes." "We will miss both of these officers because they were pillars in our department," he says. "They knew how to do policing the right way, both of them." President Trump sent thoughts and prayers to the officers, their families, and the police department in a tweet. (Read more police shooting stories.)
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Bengaluru:

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday started his four-day tour of poll-bound Karnataka from Hosapete, the Karnataka-Hyderabad region of the state.

At a public rally held in Hosapete, the Congress President welcomed independent MLA B Nagendra to the Congress party.

B Nagendra represents Kudligi Assembly Constituency. Nagendra presented a 1.2 feet long statue of Maharishi Valmiki to Rahul Gandhi.

The statue is said to be made of solid silver, is gold plated and estimated to cost around Rs 60 lakh, although Nagendra didn't divulge the cost of the statue.
New Delhi:

Pakistani Army on Saturday morning shelled civilian areas with mortar shells along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district.

However, no loss of life or injury has been reported said a police official."The Pakistan Army launched mortar shells in Khadi Karmara forward areas in Poonch around 1100 hours today," the official said.

The Pakistan Army also shelled Chakan Da Bagh forward area in Poonch along the LoC. The shells fell deep inside the Indian territory.

Three Indian Army jawans were injured when Pakistani troops opened fire and started shelling along the LoC in Poonch district on Friday while on Thursday a 45-year-old woman was killed in shelling by Pakistani troops in Poonch's KG sector.

Since the start of 2018, 18 people, including 10 security personnel and eight civilians have lost their lives while over 75 injured in Pakistani shelling along the LoC and the International Border in Jammu region.
New Delhi:

Legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan, who was admitted to Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital for a routine check up on Friday was seen hiding his face with a beanie while leaving the hospital.

The check up continued for few hours and Big B went home after his discharge, Ravishankar, CEO of the Lilavati Hospital, told IANS.

Meanwhile, shortly after his release, the 75-year-old actor penned a beautiful poem and described the experience during his visit to hospital. The poem also explains his view about the intrusive paparazzi and was shared by him on his official blog.

The '102 Not Out Star' further described the flashes of those media cams as hazardous at times. However, he also said that he understands that it is their profession and they need to click his photographs to continue the same.

Yes , your excellencies I do go to hospitals, this practice have I kept alive from birth. Was not this the place where they heard my first cry at birth? This was the place where was welcomed my existence of life, Amitabh writes in the translated version.

T 2610 -

To all of them that express concern

I am in wellness you may learn

I wrote a Blog verse last night in refrain,

You may visit it here, from rumour abstain

It is in Hindi, a language I speak

Shall translate in English, but efforts are meek ! https://t.co/A4IgEIWfXp pic.twitter.com/bQDNb4uq7N  Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) February 10, 2018

Also Read: Amitabh Bachchan admitted to Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital for routine check up

The actor was briefly admitted to the hospital after he complained of pain in his lower back on Friday evening. He was given injections and discharged within hours.

On the work front, the actor has collaborated with Rishi Kapoor for '102 Not Out' decades after their last joined project 'Ajooba'.

While Amitabh will be seen portraying the character of a 102-year-old Dattaraya Vakharia, Rishi Kapoor will essay the character of his 72 year-old son Babu.

Going by the first poster of the film, Amitabh looks like a fun loving and happy-go-lucky person while Rishi Kapoor's look is giving us a feel of seriousness.

Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor reunite after almost 3 decades for director Umesh Shukla's #102NotOut... Filming commences in Mumbai... pic.twitter.com/hnaTnpZm1f  taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) May 19, 2017

Also Read: '102 Not Out' teaser out: Amitabh Bachchan-Rishi Kapoors new age father-son story is damn CUTE

Helmed by Umesh Shukla the comedy-drama dropped its teaser on Thursday and will hit the theatres on May 4, 2018.

Post that, he will be seen in Vijay Krishna Acharya directorial Thugs Of Hindostan. Also starring Aamir Khan, Katrina Kaif and Fatima Sana Shaikh in key roles, the action-adventure film will release on November 7.

For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Chennai:

Ruling AIADMK on Friday took exception to top actor Rajinikanths remark that the system in Tamil Nadu needs to be changed, saying such generalised statements are not acceptable.

If there is a mistake please point it out, but making generalised remarks is not acceptable, senior party leader and fisheries minister D Jayakumar told reporters here.

Following up on his system is rotten remark in May last year, Rajinikanth on Thursday said that the system needs to be corrected first in Tamil Nadu.

Asked whether his system is rotten remark referred to Tamil Nadu alone or the nation in general, Rajinikanth had said first of all, in Tamil Nadu you have to correct it.

Jayakumar asked the actor, who is set to join politics, to first work with the government to secure the rights of Tamil Nadu in securing Cauvery water from Karnataka.

He asked Rajinikanth not to provoke AIADMK, and took potshots at the actor, asking him if he was an engineer as it was only they who talk of system.

The minister dared the actor to make this remark in terrorism-hit regions of the country.

Without specifying to any particular state, he said that in view of terrorism in some regions in north India, there was no security in such areas.

Let him set right the system there, he said to a question on the actors system remark.

Targeting Rajinikanth for his spiritual politics, slogan, the minister claimed Tamil Nadu is a haven of peace with a commitment to secularism.

Though Rajinikanth had said spiritual politics meant a polity beyond religion, caste and a commitment to good governance, the minister asked the actor to clarify what he meant by it.

Referring to the Cauvery issue, Jayakumar recalled the long drawn out political and legal battle, steered by the late chief minister Amma, (J Jayalalithaa), to secure Cauvery waters.

Stating that the Tamil Nadu government was working to get the Cauvery waters and secure the rights of the state and delta farmers, he alleged that Karnataka was denying release of Tamil Nadus share of water.

I appeal to Rajinikanth, let him correct the system there (Karnataka)... if he takes efforts with us to secure our right of 205 tmc ft Cauvery water, it will be a good thing.

Asked if Rajinikanth should clarify his stand on the cauvery issue, the Minister said yes for sure, he is not talking about it.... let him clarify.

Rajinikanth had all along faced the ire of pro-Tamil parties, including Nam Tamizhar party, for his political entry in a pointer to his non-Tamil Nadu origin.

On May 19 last year, Rajinikanth had said that Tamil Nadu has good leaders, the system, however, is rotten. Last December, the actor had categorically asserted his political entry ahead of state assembly elect

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Kashmir:

The intelligence agencies have intercepted calls from across the border in Pakistan, which confirms that Jaish-e-Mohammed and Hizbul Mujahideen designed and trained terrorists for Sunjwan attack to take avenge of execution of Afzal Guru - mastermind of 2001 Parliament attack.

The security agencies and intelligence agencies have learnt that Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar and his brother, Rauf Asghar, operational head of the banned terrorist group had held a meeting with Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin at Muzaffarabad and Rawalakot in Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

According to sources in the intelligence agencies the duo terrorist groups had organised terror camps in PoKs Muzaffarabad.

A senior officer of Jammu and Kashmir Police who wished anonymity said, The terrorists who carried out the Sujwan attack were trained at terrorist camps held by Jaish and Hizbul in PoK.

Also read: Watch video | Hizbul Mujahideen dares Indian govt from stopping it to merge Kashmir with Pakistan



Intelligence sources confirmed News Nation that chief of both the terror groups were monitoring the training of the militants to carry out Sunjwan attack. The terror camps were being held at PoKs Muzzaffarabad from January 20, added the intelligence officer.

According to the sources and the intercept, the attack was planned by Hizbul and Jaish to give tribute to Afzal Guru  Parliament attack mastermind, he was executed on February 9, 2013.

Also read| Sunjwan Army Camp Attack LIVE Updates: 2 Jaish-e-Mohammed militant gunned down, armoured vehicles deployed



The officer added that the terrorists who were trained at the PoK terror camps to carry out Suzwan attack were christened Afzal Guru squad.

In the intercept, Jaish operational head Rauf Asghar confirms presence of Azhar and Salahuddin in Muzaffarabad.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Jammu:

The Jammu and Kashmir Police has arrested a special police officer in charges of raping and brutally murdering a 8-year-old nomad girl on Saturday from Kathua, around 80 kilometers from Kashmir.

The arrest has been identified as Deepak Khujaria, 28. He is posted as a special police officer at Hera Nagar police station.

Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Crime Branch Alok Puri said, We have evidence against Khajuria. He was arrested by the Special Investigation Team.

The ADGP added that Khajuria had accepted his crime. "We have lodged an FIR under relevant IPC sections and POSCO Act," added Puri.

The girl was kidnapped, raped and brutally murdered last month. Her mutilated body was recovered on January 17. The victims family had lodged a complaint with the police and were regularly staging protests for her perpetrators arrest.

The Police also said, Khujaria used to move with the investigating team though he was not part of the investigation.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Five soldiers and one civilian were killed while several others including an armymens daughter injured after Jaish-e-Mohammed fidayeen terrorists stormed the Sunjuwan Army camp in Jammu on Saturday.

The terrorists entered from the rear side of Sunjwan Army camp where family quarters are located, DGP S P Vaid said.

Around 4:55 am suspicious movement was noticed by the sentry and his bunker was fired upon. The fire was retaliated. The number of militants isnt known. Theyve been cornered in one of the family quarters, DGP S P Vaid told reporters in Jammu.

At least four RPT four persons, including an Army personnels daughter, have been injured, officials said.

The Four militants, have been killed as the operation continues on day two.

Intelligence inputs had warned an attack on the Army or security establishment by Jaish-e-Mohammed in view of the death anniversary of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat on February 9 and February 11, respectively.

Also Read | PM Modi in Palestine LIVE Updates: Modi to meet President Mahmoud Abbas today

Here are the HIGHLIGHTS on Sunjuwan Army Camp attack:

Entire civilised world is engaged in war with terrorists. When we fight it, sometimes we have to face such unfortunate incidents. But we'll continue to fight against it in J&K & neutralise all terrorists: Ram Madhav, BJP National General Secretary pic.twitter.com/IHlZZzmQyC  ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2018

# The nation should stand united behind our security forces, they should be encouraged. Unfortunate that Congress leaders associate this kind of tragedy with politics. Strongly condemn them for doing politics over blood and sweat of our Army persons, says Railway Minister Piyush Goyal

# Operation is still underway. I think it is not right to comment on it while the operation is on. I am sure that our jawans, who are in the operation, will successfully conclude it: Home Minister Rajnath Singh

Kathua: Family of JCO Madan Chaudhary (who lost his life in #SunjwanAttack) in mourning. #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/O3xAQLsGZi  ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2018

#SunjwanAttack Update: Fourth terrorist gunned down by security personnel. Operation continues. #JammuAndKashmir  ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2018

#SunjwanAttack Update: 2 more security personnel and one civilian have lost their lives, taking the death toll to 6. Operation underway. #JammuAndKashmir  ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2018

# Three terrorists have been killed. Army has taken all precautions because every human life is precious and Army does not want a collateral damage. I'm sure we will be able to finish the operation soon, says SD Singh Jamwal, IGP Jammu

#SunjwanAttack: Two Junior commissioned officers and one Non-commissioned officer of the Army have lost their lives in the terror attack. 3 terrorists killed in the operation. Operation underway. #JammuAndKashmir  ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2018

# Army Chief, General Bipin Rawat, visits Jammu.

# It's a condemnable act. This shows the cowardice of Pakistan who can't face India indirectly & sends its people to attack civilians here. There are family quarters around the Camp, so the Army is taking precaution in cordoning the area, says J&K deputy CM, Nirmal Singh

#SunjwanArmyCamp terror attack: Operation underway for last 27 hours (visual deferred by unspecified time) #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/Bzaw3GFx3U  ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2018

#SunjwanArmyCamp terror attack: Operation still underway, 3 terrorists were killed & two security personnel also lost their lives yesterday (visuals deferred by unspecified time) #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/HKsnQiuhF7  ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2018

# Indian Army sends 4 tanks in camp campus.

# Indian Army to blow off buildings where JeM militants are suspected to be hiding.

# One more JeM terrorist gunned down.

# Army deploys armoured vehicles in camp.

# One terrorist shot dead, AK-17, grenades and ammunition recovered.

# Jammu and Kashmir CM Mehbooba Mufti chairs a high-level security meeting in Jammu. Senior officers of Indian Army, CRPF, BSG and Jammu and Kashmir Police takes part in the meeting.

# Indian Army evacuates 19 of the 26 flats in the camp.

# I live in that constituency, complaints have come from there & in a way govt also accepts that number of Rohingyas & Bangladeshis is increasing & that they are a security threat: J&K Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta on Sunjwan attack

I live in that constituency, complaints have come from there & in a way govt also accepts that number of Rohingyas & Bangladeshis is increasing & that they are a security threat: J&K Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta #SunjwanAttck pic.twitter.com/I07ZKaldDP  ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2018

# Meanwhile, the politics has started to intensify over the attack after a BJP MLC Vikram Randhawa raised the issue of Bangladeshis & Rohingyas living in the surrounding areas of Jammu.

# UPDATE: 2 Army personnel have lost their lives, 4 others, including a daughter of an Army personnel, injured. Operation continues.

# Another aircraft is airborne to airlift para commandos from Sarsawa.

Deeply disturbed by the terrorist attack in #Sunjwan today. My heart goes out to the injured & their families.  Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) February 10, 2018

News from Jammu & the encounter in #Sunjwan is extremely disturbing. Hoping for an end to the encounter without any loss of life among the security forces & their families.  Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) February 10, 2018

# Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to the chief of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and took stock of the situation arising out of the terror attack on Sunjwan Army Camp in Jammu.

# Indian Air Force also springs into action. Para commandos airlifted from Udhampur brought to the campsite.

# One soldier lost his life while two others are injured. Terrorists are holed up in a family quarter and firing with small arms.

#FLASH: One Army personnel lost his life, while two others are injured in Sunjwan Army Camp terror attack #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/rTlNVRUhxl  ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2018

# A high alert has been sounded in Jammu and security beefed up in and around the city.

# Reinforcements of the Armys special forces and SOG rushed to the spot and cordoned off the whole area amid a fierce gunfight.

# Authorities have ordered the closure of schools in Sunjawan belt of Jammu city in the wake of the terror attack on an Army camp.

# Security forces and police have cordoned off the area around the Sunjwan Army camp. The camp falls under the first Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry in 36 Brigade.

# Gunshots heard inside Sunjwan Army camp

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New Delhi:

National Students' Union of India (NSUI), a student wing of Congress on Saturday held apakoda protesta against Prime Minister Narendra Modias remark over the creation of jobs.

Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an Interview to a private news channel had said that anyone earning Rs 200 by selling pakodas (Indian snack) canat be called unemployed.

PM Modias statement was mocked by the main Opposition Congress, which said the Modi govt has failed to create jobs in the country.

The NSUI workers in Madhya Pradeshas Shivpuri prepared Pakodaas by the roadside with a poster in the background reading aPradhanmantri Pakoda Rojgar Yojna (Prime Ministeras Pakoda employment scheme)a.

NSUI workers held 'pakoda protest' in Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri. pic.twitter.com/4TLxmereLM a ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2018

Reacting to Congressas aPakoda Protest,a Madhya Pradesh BJP workers protested outside partyas office in Bhopal and raised slogans.

Bhopal: BJP workers protest outside Congress office over the recent 'pakoda protests' #MadhyaPradesh pic.twitter.com/RZKbNuDKCO a ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2018

BJP President Amit Shah, during his maiden Rajya Sabha speech, had sharply rebutted on Congressas Pakoda jibe and said Pakoda sellers are self-employed.

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New Delhi:

Weeks after giving ceremonial welcome to Israels Prime Minister and close friend Benjamin Netanyahu, PM Modi will visit Palestinian territories on Saturday.

India has been an old champion for Palestinian cause but Narendra Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister to visit the Islamic nation.

Modis visit to Palestine is being seen as an effort to balance warming ties with Israel as India turned to the Jewish state for high-end military equipment.

Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas terming Modis visit as historic sought Indias intervention to resolve conflict with Israel.

Also Read | Modi's visit 'historic', will help resolve conflict with Israel, says Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas

PM Modi is on a three-nation tour of Jordon, Palestine, and UAE starting Friday. This is PM Modis fifth such visit to West Asia and the Gulf region.

Earlier on Friday, Modi arrived in Jordon and met countrys King Abdullah II.

"Had a wonderful meeting with His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan. Our discussions today will give great strength to India-Jordan bilateral relations," PM Modi tweeted after meeting the King.

HIGHLIGHTS | PM Modis visit to Palestine, Sultanate of Oman, and UAE:

# The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi himself and the royal family were present at the airport to receive PM Modi. This is an exceptional honour: Vijay Gokhale, Foreign Secretary

# 6 MoUs were signed between India and Palestine with the value of USD 40 million. This was welcomed by President Mahmoud Abbas and his side: Vijay Gokhale, Foreign Secretary



# This was the first visit to Jordan by an Indian PM in three decades after Rajiv Gandhi: Vijay Gokhale, Foreign Secretary

# To deepen bilateral cooperation in the field of finance, an MoU between Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) was signed and exchanged. It aims at enhancing cooperation between both the countries in financial services industry: MEA

# An MoU for Technical Cooperation in Rail Sector was also signed between Ministry of Railways, India and Federal Transport Authority - Land & Maritime of UAE. The MoU aims at cooperation in Infrastructure sector especially Railways: MEA

# To cooperate in the field of Manpower, India and UAE signed an MoU aiming to institutionalise collaborative administration of contractual employment of Indian workers in UAE: MEA



# MoU between Indian Consortium and ADNOC was signed for the acquisition of 10% participating interest in offshore Lower Zakum Concession from 2018 to 2057. It is 1st Indian investment in upstream oil sector of UAE, transforming buyer-seller relationship to long-term investor relationship: MEA

# The MoUs are related to energy sector, railways, manpower and financial services: MEA

# 5 government-to-government MoUs signed between India and UAE in the presence of PM Narendra Modi and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

# Delegation level talks led by PM Narendra Modi and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

# Members of Committee of the temple which will be inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi presented literature on temple to PM Modi and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi

# Prime Minister will be speaking from the Royal Box in Sultan Qaboos stadium. Royal Box is used by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos only and PM will be the first visiting dignitary who is being given the honour of addressing the community from the box: Indra Mani Pandey, India ambassador to Oman



# Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

# Prime Minister Narendra Modi given ceremonial reception in Abu Dhabi, UAE

# Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaches Abu Dhabi, UAE

# PM Modi will visit Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque on 12th February and attend the community event at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex tomorrow.



# Prime Minister Narendra Modi departs for Jordan from Palestine's Ramallah

# We hope for peace and stability in Palestine. We believe a permanent solution is possible with dialogue. Only diplomacy and farsightedness can set free from violence and baggage of the past. We know it is not easy but we need to keep trying as a lot is at stake: PM Modi in Palestine

# I have assured President Abbas that India is bound by a promise to take care of Palestinian people's interests. India hopes that soon Palestine will come a free country in a peaceful manner: PM Modi in Palestine

# I am happy to announce that we will double the exchange of students from this year taking it from 50 to 100: PM Narendra Modi

# India is aiding construction of an Institute of Diplomacy in Palestine. I am happy that we are moving forward with our developmental corporation forward during this visit: PM Modi

# People of Palestine have continuously shown exemplary courage in extremely tough times, in spite of the fact that there was an unstable environment. The way you moved forward in such a situation is praiseworthy, we appreciate it: PM Modi in Palestine

# India and Palestine's relations have stood the test of time. Palestine has always taken a top spot in our foreign policy: PM Narendra Modi

# This is an honour for India and a symbol of Palestine's friendship. I thank you on behalf of all Indians for this: PM Modi on the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine conferred on him

# It is my honour to welcome you as a great guest, on your first historic visit to Palestine which holds, to you personally and to the people of India, sentiments of love and appreciation. Indian leadership has always stood by peace in Palestine: President Mahmoud Abbas

# Exchange of agreements & press statements of India & Palestine in Ramallah

# The commendation reads In recognition of his wise leadership and his lofty national and international stature, and in appreciation of his efforts to promote the historic relations between the State of Palestine and the Republic of India

# In special recognition of Prime Minister Narendra Modis contribution to relations between India and Palestine, President Abbas conferred the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine on him after the conclusion of their bilateral meeting. (The Grand Collar is the Highest order given to foreign dignitaries- Kings, Heads of State/Government and persons of similar rank).

# Prime Minister Narendra Modi accorded ceremonial guard of honour at Al-Muqata'a, compound of the presidential headquarters in Palestine's Ramallah

# PM Modi lays wreath at Mausoleum of Late President Yasser Arafat in Ramallah.

# Reached Palestine. This is a historic visit that will lead to stronger bilateral cooperation: Modi

# PM Narendra Modi departs for Palestine's Ramallah from Amman, Jordan.

# After that, PM Modi will hold meetings with ministers in Ramallah and exchange several agreements.

# Modi will be received by Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas before the ceremonial welcome in the compound of the Presidential Headquarters, also known as Muqataa.

# After reaching Ramallah, Modi, along with his Palestinian counterpart Rami Hamdallah, will lay a wreath at the Mausoleum of Late President Yasser Arafa.

# PM Modi, who arrived in Jordon on Friday will take a helicopter from Amman to reach Ramallah since there is no active airport in Palestine.

# Hello and welcome to the live updates on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's historic visit to Palestine.

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New Delhi:

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday began partys Karnataka poll campaign with Jana Aashirwada Yatre from Hosapete city in Bellary.

Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gandhi said Modi government promised to deposit Rs 15 lakh in the bank account of every Indian but not a single rupee has been deposited.

He said the Centre has failed to deliver on its promise of providing employment to 2 crore youths. Criticising Prime Minister Modi for not fulfilling poll promises he said, Trust only those who tell you the truth. Those who make false promises and give false hope will not benefit anyone.

Referring to PM Modis hour-long Parliament speech, Gandhi said PM hardly spoke about the future and avoided speaking on giving employment to youth and issues related to farmers. He said the PM is living in the past as he only spoke about Congress and its history whereas the country wants him to talk about the present and the future plans of his government.

You cannot look backward and talk of progress. The country did not elect him to look in the rear-view mirror. When you drive while looking at the rear-view mirror you make mistakes like Gabbar Singh Tax, Note ban, and demonetisation, said Gandhi.

Modi government bought Rafale from a French company. Modi Ji went to Paris, changed the contract himself. The Rafale contract was earlier given to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. He seized the contract from HAL and gave it to his friend, said Gandhi.

Later, Rahul Gandhi visited Huligemma Temple where he performed Pradakshine.

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Jhunjhunu:

Rajasthan Police foiled a bank robbery in Jhunjhunu districts Gudha Gorji area and arrested three people including a constable deployed in President Ram Nath Kovinds security in the early hours of Saturday.

The Rajasthan Police said, During questioning, we learnt one of the arrested is deployed at Presidents security at Rashtrapati Bhavan. He has been identified as Sandeep Singh.

Gudha Gorji police station SHO Ashok Choudhary said, We are verifying the facts.

The officer further added that the arrested jawan was on leave for two days.

The officer added that around 2am in the morning police received an alert call regarding the robbery. A patrolling vehicle was rushed to the crime scene to verify the facts. On seeing the shutter open, more force was rushed to the spot, added the officer.

Also read: Businessman shot, robbed in South Delhis Malviya Nagar

We asked the robbers to surrender but they tried to flee. In a chase we nabbed one of them, who later revealed the details of all involved in the crime. Raiding teams were formed and within hours all were arrested,  added the SHO.

The arrested have been identified as Shakti Singh, Sandeep Singh, Sanju Singh and Vikas.

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Jammu:

A senior lawmaker of the National Conference on Saturday raised Pro-Pakistan slogans in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly after BJP members condemned the neighboring country over the terror attack on Sunjwan Army camp in Jammu.

The NC distanced itself from the sloganeering by party MLA Mohammad Akbar Lone which came even as the operation to flush out terrorists from the Sunjwan camp was underway.

As soon as the House assembled in Jammu, the legislators, cutting across the party lines, condemned the terror attack and demanded a statement from the government.

Speaker Kavinder Gupta made some remarks which led to high-pitched sloganeering against Pakistan by the BJP members.

NC legislators Javed Rana, Ali Mohd Sagar, Akbar Lone, Abdul Majid Larmi and others trooped into the Well of the House seeking an apology from the speaker.

Also Read | Sunjwan Army Camp Attack LIVE Updates: Commandos called in, terrorists holed up in a family quarter; two soldiers killed

Meanwhile, the BJP intensified anti-Pakistan sloganeering and in response, an angry Lone stood up on his seat and shouted pro-Pakistan slogans.

The situation in the House then became more chaotic and Speaker Kavinder Gupta adjourned the House at 10:15 am.

Talking to reporters, Lone said he had shouted pro-Pakistan slogans only in reaction to the BJP which, he claimed, had shown that they hate Muslims.

The statement of Speaker Kavinder Gupta shows what they have in their mind, he claimed.

Later, the speaker expunged his remarks.

The NC condemned the slogans, terming them unacceptable.

Party spokesman Junaid Azim Mattu tweeted, Just spoke to chief NC Farooq Abdullah sahib. Dr Sahib and the entire party is of the unequivocal stand that NC MLA from Sonwari Akbar Lone had spoken out of turn and his slogans in the assembly were completely unacceptable to the party.

Mattu said the NC chief stated that Lone should not forget that he belonged to the party which had rejected the two-nation theory.

The party disowns and condemns his remarks, he said. Partys working president Omar Abdullah, in a separate tweet, said he endorsed the party presidents view and the party would not say anything more on the issue.

We need to focus on the unfortunate developments in #SunjwanArmyCamp and not get distracted by misplaced slogans, Omar said in another tweet.

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New Delhi:

A doctor at Sir Sunderlal Hospital in Varanasi left syringes inside a woman's body while she underwent an operation for surgical sterilisation there in 2017. The woman says that the doctor also left pieces of cotton and flesh inside her when she went there for her child's delivery in 2013.

In 2017, she underwent surgical sterilisation following which she began experiencing pain. We took her to a doctor who operated on her and found two syringes inside her body. Then they asked her to get an X-Ray done and we found there were three more syringes inside, said the husband of the woman.

We received a complaint from a man that a lady doctor in the hospital left needles in the stomach of his wife while she was being operated there. This was detected only recently. We have begun the investigation, said Sanjeev Mishra, SHO Lanka.

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New Delhi:

Tech savvies will be on cloud nine as India's largest telecom operator Bharti Airtel has revised most of its existing prepaid plans to lure more customers.

At a pocket-friendly amount of Rs 93, Airtel is offering a few mouth-watering benefits like 1GB of data, unlimited local, STD and roaming calls and 100 SMS per day for 28 days.

However, the plan is currently valid for a select group of customers and is expected to be rolled out across India anytime soon.

The Rs. 93 plan listed on the Airtel website is applicable for all users though the validity is up to 10 days for most of the customers. The offer has not been listed on My Airtel app and the reason behind the same is yet to be founded.

With the introduction of Reliance Jio in the Telecom market, the competition among country's biggest telecom operators has become a fierce one, leading them to come up with attractive and low-cost plans in order to woo their users.

Also Read: Reliance Jio introduces booster packs to offer more 4G data to its customers

Therefore, Airtel is revising a lot of its tariff plans to sustain its position in the market. From unlimited data offers to Infinity post-paid plans, the telecom giant is offering double benefits at the same cost.

The company is also in talks with a few device makers to introduce a 4G feature smartphone priced at Rs. 500. They are also likely to launch low-cost tariff plans of Rs. 60 or Rs. 70 per month for these phones to disrupt all its competitors in the market.

Also Read: Oppo to launch F5 Sidharth Limited Edition in exquisite Blue tomorrow; Click here for details
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DMG Blockchain Solutions Inc. (formerly, Aim Explorations Ltd.) (TSX-V:AXN.P) (DMG or the Company), is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced qualifying transaction (the Transaction) with DMG Blockchain Solutions Inc. (DMG Blockchain), a full service blockchain and cryptocurrency company. Prior to the Transaction, the Company was a capital pool company (as defined under the policies of the Exchange, as defined below), and had not commenced commercial operations and had no assets other than cash. The Transaction constituted the Companys Qualifying Transaction, as such term is defined in Policy 2.4 of the Exchange.



The Transaction consisted of the acquisition by the Company of all of the issued and outstanding common shares in the capital of DMG Blockchain by way of a three-cornered amalgamation, pursuant to which a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company amalgamated with DMG Blockchain and each DMG Blockchain shareholder received one (1) common share in the capital of the Company for each DMG Blockchain common share held for a total issuance of 46,651,995 common shares of the Company. As part of the Transaction, the Company changed its name from Aim Explorations Ltd. to DMG Blockchain Solutions Inc. Trading in the common shares of the Company is expected to begin on the Exchange on or about February 13, 2018 under the symbol DMGI.

Following the completion of the Transaction, DMG Blockchain is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, and the Company meets the listing requirements for a Tier 2 technology issuer on the TSX Venture Exchange (the Exchange). The Company will continue the business of DMG Blockchain (described in further detail below).

The Company paid a finders fee in the aggregate amount of 2,373,223 common shares of the Company (the Finders Fee) to a group of finders upon the closing of the Transaction which are subject to a four-month hold period expiring on June 9, 2018.

Effective upon the closing of the Transaction, as a result of the reverse takeover of the Company by the shareholders of DMG Blockchain and to align the financial years of the Company to that of DMG Blockchain, the financial year of the Company has been changed from March 31 of each year to September 30 of each year.

Further to the Companys news release dated December 28, 2017, the Company issued 35,076,000 subscription receipts (the Subscription Receipts) for gross proceeds of C$28,060,800 (the Subscription Receipt Offering). The Subscription Receipt Offering was conducted on a brokered basis led by Canaccord Genuity Corp. (the Lead Agent) and Paradigm Capital Inc. (together with the Lead Agent, the Agents). The Company also agreed to pay the Lead Agent a cash corporate finance fee of C$75,000 in cash and 156,250 Corporate Finance Subscription Receipts (the Corporate Finance Subscription Receipts) at C$0.80 per Subscription Receipt. In accordance with their terms, immediately after satisfaction of the escrow release conditions, each Subscription Receipt was automatically converted into one common share of the Company. In addition, the Agents received 2,382,957 Agents subscription receipts (the Agents Subscription Receipts) which converted into agents warrants (each, an Agents Warrant) which are exercisable at C$0.80 per common share for a period of twenty-four (24) months from closing of the Transaction.

The Company also closed the previously announced common share brokered private placement (the Common Share Offering) of 862,500 common shares at a price of $0.80 per share for aggregate gross proceeds of C$690,000. In connection with the Common Share Offering, the Agents received 56,823 common share purchase warrants exercisable at C$0.80 per common share for a period of twenty-four (24) months.

All securities issued pursuant to the Subscription Receipt Offering are subject to a four-month hold period expiring on April 29, 2018 and all common shares issued pursuant to the Common Share Offering are subject to a four-month hold period expiring on June 9, 2018.

The Company has granted a total of 3,500,000 incentive stock options to directors, officers, and consultants of the Company. The options are exercisable at a price of $0.80 per option share until February 8, 2021.

The Company currently has outstanding a total of 93,047,968 common shares, 3,527,052 share purchase warrants and 8,892,000 incentive stock options. An aggregate of 21,380,714 common shares are subject to escrow pursuant to Exchange escrow requirements and an aggregate of 25,221,281 common shares are subject to seed share resale restrictions pursuant to Exchange policies.

As a result of the closing of the Transaction, the directors and officers of the Company are now:

Daniel Reitzik

Ryan Cheung

Sheldon Bennett

Chris Filiatrault

Simon Padgett

Justin Rasekh

Chief Executive Officer & Director

Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Secretary

Chief Technology Officer & Director

Chairman of the Board

Director

Director

A filing statement dated February 6, 2018 describing the Company and DMG Blockchain, as well as the terms of the Transaction, prepared in accordance with the policies of the Exchange, is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com (the Filing Statement). The summary of the Transaction set out herein is qualified in its entirety by reference to the description of the Transaction in the Filing Statement.



This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein in the United States. The securities described herein have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the U.S. Securities Act), or any state securities law and may not be offered or sold in the United States, as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act, unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration requirements is available.

From the Chairman of DMG

This is an important day in the Companys development. We raised over $35 million in 2017 which is a testament to DMGs blockchain technology, cryptocurrency mining and the team behind it, including our investors and customers, said Chris Filiatrault, Chairman and Co-Founder, of DMG Blockchain Solutions Inc. Our pipeline of potential transactions and partnerships and our connection to Japan has us well positioned in the industry.

About the Company

DMG Blockchain Solutions Inc. is a full service diversified blockchain and cryptocurrency company that manages, operates and develops end-to-end solutions to monetize the blockchain ecosystem. DMG intends to be the global leader in bitcoin mining hosting, Mining as a Service (MaaS), bitcoin mining, forensics and diversified blockchain platform development.

For further information please contact:

DMG Blockchain Solutions Inc.

Investor Relations: John Martin

Toll Free: 1-888-702-0258

Email: investors@dmgblockchain.com

Web: www.dmgblockchain.com

Direct: 778-868-6470

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking information based on current expectations. Statements about the date of trading of the Companys common shares on the Exchange, final regulatory approvals, potential transactions and partnerships, and the potential of the Companys technology, among others, are all forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such information can generally be identified by the use of forwarding looking wording such as may, expect, estimate, anticipate, intend, believe and continue or the negative thereof or similar variations. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including but not limited to, business, economic and capital market conditions, the ability to manage operating expenses, security threats, and dependence on key personnel. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, including the demand for its products, the ability to successfully develop software, anticipated costs, the ability to achieve goals and the price of bitcoin. There is no guarantee that new partnerships or potential transactions will be completed as proposed or at all.

Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, failure to obtain regulatory approval, the continued availability of capital and financing, equipment failures, failure to obtain any permits required to operate the business, the impact of technology changes on the industry, competition, security threats including stolen bitcoins from DMG or its customers, consumer sentiment towards DMGs products, services and blockchain technology generally, failure to develop new and innovative products, litigation, increase in operating costs, failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations, government regulations, loss of key employees and consultants, and general economic, market or business conditions. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information.

The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additionally, the Company undertakes no obligation to comment on the expectations of, or statements made by, third parties in respect of the matters discussed above.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Japan's government debt has reached a record high, due to a heavy reliance on government bonds.

The Finance Ministry says the national debt stood at nearly 1,086 trillion yen, or about 10 trillion dollars, at the end of last year.

Nearly 90 percent of the debt consists of government bonds. The total amount grew to around 8.8 trillion dollars. The number of bonds issued was increased to cover the cost of social security for the country's aging population.

Per capita debt was about 78,600 dollars. The ministry compiles data on the national debt every 3 months.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe briefly met with North Korea's second-highest-ranking official on Friday, during their visit to Pyeongchang, South Korea, to attend the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics, Japanese government sources said.

Abe exchanged words with Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea, at a reception hosted by South Korean President Moon Jae-in, according to the sources.

This was the Japanese leader's first contact with a senior official of the current North Korean regime, led by Kim Jong Un.

Abe conveyed to Kim Yong Nam Japan's position on North Korea's nuclear and missile development programs and the issue of Japanese nationals abducted to the reclusive nation decades ago, the sources said, adding that the prime minister urged Pyongyang to resolve these issues.

In talks with reporters at a hotel later, Abe said, "I told (Kim Yong Nam) about our thoughts and position although I can't elaborate."
The expansion of Amazon.com into physical stores is driving partnerships between Japanese retailers and information technology companies looking to withstand the American e-commerce company's growing might in both online and bricks-and-mortar realms.

Aeon, SoftBank Group and SoftBank unit Yahoo Japan look to operate an online marketplace for a variety of shops, including specialized stores from third-party sellers. Negotiations continue, but the three parties likely will announce a deal soon.

Aeon, Japan's largest retailer, began operating Aeon.com two years ago to sell millions of items offered by group companies, such as food, daily necessities and clothes. The company also operates an online supermarket that chiefly delivers fresh food.

But these websites have enjoyed little success in selling products from outside the Aeon group. At the end of January, subsidiary Aeon Mall closed its website where tenants in bricks-and-mortar shopping centers operated by the unit could sell their products online.

"Our marketplace has weaknesses," Aeon President Motoya Okada acknowledged. Aeon cannot satisfy consumers with only its own product lineup when any item from any brand is accessible through a smartphone.

Yahoo Japan also operates an e-commerce site called Yahoo Shopping, where 650,000 individuals and businesses sell an assortment of products. But Amazon holds the advantage in price and other areas since its goods are procured in bulk and sold directly.

The planned partnership would help Aeon and Yahoo Japan address weaknesses in their individual online retail services.

SoftBank's IT expertise also will be put to use. The partners will consider, for instance, collecting and analyzing consumer behavior and purchase data at Aeon's physical locations and using the information to forecast demand and run stores more efficiently.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cascadia Consumer Electronics Corp. (the Company or Cascadia) (CSE:CK) announces that it has disposed of all of its equity interest in its 100% owned subsidiary Beijing Cascadia Technology Ltd. (Beijing Cascadia) in consideration for RMB1 with the assumption of debt of more than $1 million by the purchaser.



Beijing Cascadia was incorporated on February 17, 2016 in Beijing to facilitate the daily operation in China and to further develop and test technologies to create a platform for trading blockchain assets for the Company. The development and the testing of the platform have been completed at the end of 2017. After the sale of Beijing Cascadia, the Company will have a more efficient team to support the ongoing development and enhancement of the platform and other blockchain related projects in the future.

Rachel Wang, CEO of the Company commented the sale of Beijing Cascadia will streamline the Companys plan to focus on developing other blockchain projects and significantly improve our balance sheet as significant amount of the debt will be assumed by the purchaser. Moreover, we are now negotiating with multiple potential customers to license out our newly developed platform which provides users a secured and simple way to trade their blockchain related assets. We believe the Company will start to generate ongoing revenue in 2018 once we secure a licensing agreement with our customers.

About Cascadia

Listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE:CK) and headquartered in Vancouver, BC, Cascadia is a technology company operating from both Vancouver, Canada and Beijing, China.

For further information, please contact:

Cascadia Consumer Electronics Corp.

Rachel Wang

President and Chief Executive Officer

info@cascadiacorp.com

www.cascadiacorp.com

Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information

All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as seek, anticipate, believe, plan, estimate, expect, likely and intend and statements that an event or result may, will, should, could or might occur or be achieved and other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding the expected use of proceeds from the Financing and the Companys intention to file a listing statement with the CSE. Forward-looking statements are subject to business and economic risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results of operations to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, adverse market conditions, the CSE may not approve the Financing, and such other factors beyond the control of the Company. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and opinions of management at the date the statements are made. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by applicable securities laws. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

The CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the contents of this news release.
YouTube has temporarily suspended all ads from video star Logan Paul's channels after what it calls a pattern of behavior unsuitable for advertisers.

In an emailed statement, YouTube said that the videos on Paul's channels are also "broadly damaging to the broader creator community."

Last month, Paul posted video of himself in a forest near Mount Fuji in Japan near what appeared to be a body hanging from a tree. YouTube suspended the 22-year-old at the time for violating its policies. But Paul returned, and has since posted a video of himself using a Taser on dead rats. That video is still up, with an age restriction.

An email sent to Paul's merchandise company for comment was not immediately answered Friday.
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence told Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso this week that he favored a bilateral trade deal - which Tokyo opposes - to fix trade imbalances, sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Friday.

During a 20 minute-meeting in Tokyo on Wednesday, Pence and Aso exchanged views following President Donald Trump's recent remark that he might be willing to rejoin the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), if it were renegotiated to benefit the United States, the sources said.

"We'd like to encourage the United States to rejoin TPP, but we want to prevent the issue of trade imbalances flaring up," one of the sources said on condition of anonymity, because they were not authorised to speak to media.

The two sides did not discuss specific sectoral issues such as exports of automobiles and shipments of beef, on which Washington had pushed for fewer restrictions during working-level talks in late January, they added.
NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until February 20, 2018 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Credit Suisse Group AG (NYSE:CS), if they purchased the Companys American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) between March 20, 2015 and February 3, 2016, inclusive (the Class Period). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.



Get Help

Credit Suisse investors should visit us at https://www.claimsfiler.com/cases/new-york-se-cs or call to speak to our claim center toll-free at (844) 367-9658.

About the Lawsuit

Credit Suisse and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

The alleged false and misleading statements and omissions include, but are not limited to, that: (i) the Company consistently failed to comply with its own risk protocols and control systems governing its investment operations; (ii) the Company acquired risky, highly illiquid securities valued in the billions of dollars; and (iii) as a result of the foregoing, Credit Suisses financial statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.



About ClaimsFiler

ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. ClaimsFiler's team of experts monitor the securities class action landscape and cull information from a variety of sources to ensure comprehensive coverage across a broad range of financial instruments.

To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Abattis Bioceuticals Corp. (the "Company" or "Abattis") (CSE:ATT) (OTC:ATTBF) is pleased to provide the following updates with respect to its previously announced private placement and executive team.



Abattis Cancels Previously Announced $8M Financing and Announces New $6M Financing

Abattis announces that it has cancelled its previously announced $8 million non-brokered private placement of units and will be undertaking a new non-brokered private placement (the "New Private Placement") of units (each, a "Unit") for gross proceeds of up to $6 million.

Under the New Private Placement, the Company will issue up to an aggregate of 13,636,363 Units at a price of $0.44 per Unit. Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company (a "Share") and one half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase an additional Share for a period of 36 months at an exercise price of $0.65 per Share, subject to acceleration in the event that the Shares trade at greater than $0.75 for a period of 10 consecutive trading days.

Each purchaser under the New Private Placement will be required to complete a subscription agreement, which confirms, among other things, the availability of an exemption from the prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws in respect of the sale of Units to such purchaser. Eligible shareholders wishing to participate in the New Private Placement are invited to contact the Company to obtain a subscription agreement.

The Company intends to use the proceeds from the New Private Placement to pursue strategic assets, expand its laboratory business, expand its extraction technology business and for working capital and general corporate purposes.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any Units, Shares or Warrants (collectively, the Securities) in the United States. The Securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the U.S. Securities Act), or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

Abattis Appoints New CFO

Abattis is very pleased to announce the appointment of David Whitney as Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Whitney is a CA, CPA with experience in financial reporting and advisory consulting. Mr. Whitney currently serves as the CFO of RentMoola Payment Solutions, a well known Vancouver-based fintech company. Prior to RentMoola, Mr. Whitney served as corporate controller and secretary at Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee Company Inc. (TSX:TPK) and DHX Media Ltd. (TSX:DHX). Mr. Whitney will replace Anthony Jackson as the Companys CFO.

We wish to thank Mr. Jackson for his dedicated services to the Company and its shareholders during this period of rapid growth. We wish him well in his future iendeavours, stated Rob Abenante, President and CEO of Abattis.

Correction

The Company also announces a correction to the following statement previously made in its press release dated February 8, 2018:

Active Health, located in Duncan, B.C., is the second cannabis cultivation project for its founder and CEO, Jim Money. Mr. Money, recently developed and sold Broken Coast Cannabis Inc., also located on Vancouver Island, for $230-million to Aphria Inc. Broken Coast is now successfully operating as a licensed producer.

This statement should have been as follows:

Active Health, located in Duncan, B.C., has submitted its second licensed producer application to Health Canada. Active Health sold its first application to Broken Coast Cannabis Inc , also located on Vancouver Island. Broken Coast was recently acquired for $230 million by Aphria Inc. and is now successfully operating as a licensed producer.

About Abattis Bioceuticals Corp.

Abattis is a life sciences and biotechnology company which aggregates, integrates, and invests in cannabis technologies and biotechnology services for the legal cannabis industry developing in Canada. The Company has successfully developed and licensed natural health products, medicines, extractions, and ingredients for the biologics, nutraceutical, bioceutical, and cosmetic markets. The Company is also seeking to acquire exclusive intellectual property rights to agricultural technologies to be employed in extraction and processing of botanical ingredients and compounds. The Company follows strict standard operating protocols, and adheres to the applicable laws of Canada and foreign jurisdictions. For more information, visit the Company's website at: www.abattis.com

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF

ABATTIS BIOCEUTICALS CORP.,

"Rob Abenante"

Robert Abenante, President & CEO

For more information, please visit the Company's website at: www.abattis.com or www.northernvinelabs.com

For inquiries, please contact the Company at (604) 674-8232 or at news@abattis.com.

Certain information set out in this news release constitutes forward-looking information, which may include information relating to the size and completion of the New Private Placement and the proposed use of proceeds from the New Private Placement. Forward-looking statements (often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "expect", "may", "could", "anticipate", or "will", and similar expressions) may describe expectations, opinions or guidance that are not statements of fact and which may be based upon information provided by third parties. Forward-looking statements are based upon the opinions, expectations and estimates of management of the Company as at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or outcomes to differ materially from those anticipated or implied by such forward-looking statements. Those factors include, but are not limited to statements regarding the expected size and completion of the New Private Placement, the expected use of proceeds from the New Private Placement, risks, uncertainties and other factors that are beyond the control of the Company, risks associated with the cannabis industry in general, rules and regulations relating to the cannabis industry, operational risks associated with development and production operations, delays or changes in plans and unanticipated costs and expenses, among others. In light of the risks and uncertainties associated with forward-looking statements, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon forward-looking information. In particular, there is no assurance that the New Private Placement will close in the manner or on the terms outlined above. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements set out in this news release are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct. The forward-looking statements of the Company contained in this news release are expressly qualified, in their entirety, by this cautionary statement. Except as required by law, we do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement contained in this news release.

NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATIONS SERVICES PROVIDER HAVE REVIEWED OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.
A couple from Perinton have been missing since late January and police have no new leads even after a helicopter and drone search.

Robert and Mary Ross were reported missing after a social worker at Strong Memorial Hospital notified authorities on Feb. 5 that Robert had missed three appointments for cancer treatment.

Robert, 73, recently was diagnosed with brain cancer. He and Mary, 72, had made arrangements for treatments before they went missing. Robert was last seen at an appointment on Jan. 30.

According to their son Bobby Ross, his father was diagnosed with stage 4 glioblastoma, an inoperable brain tumor. He had between 6 to 18 months to live.

According to the Democrat & Chronicle, police searched the Charlotte area and Lake Ontario shoreline on Friday but ended with no new information. Mary's cellphone last pinged to the Lake Avenue area of Charlotte around 3 p.m. on Jan. 31. But no activity has occurred since.

Family releases new photo in Perinton missing couple case. For the latest developments: http://ow.ly/dZy330ik0Dq Posted by Democrat and Chronicle on Saturday, February 10, 2018

Robert Ross is 6-feet tall, weighs 200 pounds and is bald with brown eyes. Mary is 5-foot-4-inches tall with brown hair and brown eyes. They drive a 2017 white Kia Sorrento with a New York state license plate "BLUSTERY."

Anyone with information about the couple, call 911.

Bobby Ross came to Perinton from the Boston area to help locate his father and stepmother.

"They are just regular people who loved Fairport and the area," said Bobby Ross to the D&C. "They never did anything out of the blue and everything was planned out meticulously."

Foul play is not suspected, according to authorities.

Bobby Ross was planning to help his stepmother take over the family finances and set up medical proxies. His parents also had appointments with an attorney and financial planner, he said.

Robert and Mary have been married nearly 40 years. Robert worked as an engineer for Xerox before retirement. Mary had worked as a nurse at area hospitals and nursing homes.
Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike, has said that the ruling party, APC should not been seen as a political party. He referred to the part...

Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike, has said that the ruling party, APC should not been seen as a political party. He referred to the party as a congregation of people who came together just because they did not want Jonathan to continue in office.

Wike said this when received a letter of nomination as "Independent Newspapers Political Icon of the Year 2017" in his office in Port Harcourt, the state capital yesterday February 9th.





"APC is not a political party in the true sense of the word. It is a congregation of people who did not want Former President Goodluck Jonathan to continue in office for personal reasons. The fight against Jonathan was not in the interest of Nigeria. They have realised their mistakes, but they lack the courage to apologise because of their ego. If you move around, you will see that things are bad ", Governor Wike said





He also alleged that the ruling party, APC, is planning to rig the governorship elections in three state controlled by PDP, that is Akwa Ibom, Delta and Rivers state




The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has alleged that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government deployed Fulani soldiers to ...

The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has alleged that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government deployed Fulani soldiers to Benue State to protect herdsmen and not people of the state.

IPOB said the deployment of Fulani soldiers was to hoodwink the masses into thinking that the current government is serious about fighting the crisis the govetnment created.





In a statement by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, the pro-Biafra group maintained that the the deployment of troops to Benue State was not real.





The statement reads, The deployment of troops to beleaguered Benue communities is a fraud designed to hoodwink the masses into thinking that this Buhari administration is serious about fighting the menace of Fulani herdsmen which they created through their policy of acquiescence and appeasement. An Australian Islamic cleric a few days ago summarized governance in Nigeria by tagging this Buhari regime a terrorist administration.





This is from the mouth of an Islamic cleric not IPOB. These so called troops allegedly deployed to Benue are all staffed by Fulani officers who as usual will provide protection and cover for the tribesmen who are doing the killing. The world witnessed the same scenario in Southern Kaduna in 2016\17 or we have, suddenly forgotten. Did Nigerian Army not supply murderous Fulani herdsmen with arms with which they massacred and sacked non Muslim villages in Southern Kaduna?





This government is currently in the midst of deceit but unfortunately some people are being taken in by their lies. It took pressure from all over the world to get this administration to agree to this paper deployment because we know its not real. A non violent organisation like IPOB had Operation Python Dance unleashed on the entire South East and South South with active connivance of Igbo politicians and Ohaneze Ndigbo leadership.





Have you heard a single word of condemnation from any Hausa Fulani governor or Arewa Consultative Forum against these killer herdsmen? The answer is a capital NO. Maybe there is a lesson here to be learned by Igbo politicians and Ohaneze Ndigbo.




Former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, has again faulted the claim by Professor of History at the Faculty of Humanities, Mai...

Former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, has again faulted the claim by Professor of History at the Faculty of Humanities, Maitama Sule University, Kano, Umar Muhammad Labdo, that Fulanis were first to acquire western education in Nigeria.

Speaking with Punch, the former minister said the don was bereft of history because the first families to acquire western education in Nigeria were southerners.





He said, The Yoruba, for example, had people in the best universities in the world like Oxford and Cambridge as far back as the early 1800 when Usman Dan Fodio was still learning to ride a horse and planning his Jihad.





The Igbo also had many educated and enlightened people then. Do you know how many southern Nigerians were at the great Fourah Bay College in Sierra Leone, which was part of Durham University in the late 1800? What do people like Labdo and his progenitors and forefathers know about that? Do you know how many people in the South who were educated by the great Christian missionaries and the Anglican Church, including my great grandfather, Rev. Emmanuel Adebiyi Kayode, who was one of those that first brought Christianity to Ile-Ife (in Osun State) after finishing at Durham University.





The Fulani are not amongst the most educated in Nigeria and if the truth be told, education came to them very late. They were so uneducated and unenlightened that they were terrified of Nigeria gaining independence from the British in 1953, when the first motion for Nigerias independence was moved because they knew that they could not compete with any of the southern ethnic nationalities in a newly independent Nigeria.





The earliest and most educated families in the North were the Attas and they were Ibira and not Fulani. The earliest and best educated family in the core North were the Walis of Kano, but even they were well behind the Attas and the Abdul Rasaqs. Most of the northern tribes, like their southern counterparts, had thousands of years of rich history, empires and kingdoms in their present locations long before the Fulani came and when they were still plying the trade routes with their camels to North Africa from Futa Jallon in Guinea and herding cattle. The Fulani did not even appear in northern Nigeria until 1797 and the jihad was launched in 1804.




The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, on Thursday called on the Federal Government to stop ruling the country with double standards.

The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, on Thursday called on the Federal Government to stop ruling the country with double standards.Fayose made the call during his visit to Benue State to commiserate with the people of the state over the loss of 73 people to herdsmen attacks.He said, Those who committed less offence like hate speech are made to face the wrath of the law while those unleashing mayhem on others are treated as sacred cows.He described the crisis in Benue State as ethnic cleansing and urged the people not to allow others to cow them, saying, This nation belongs to our forefathers and they bequeathed it to us and we should not allow anyone to chase others away, this country belongs to all of us.I went to the graveside today and I was moved to tears. How can people be slaughtered like cows? There is no terrorism more than what has happened in Benue.I charge the Federal Government to stop ruling Nigeria with double standards. Killing innocent souls, sacking their communities is nothing but terrorism.He urged Ortom not to be weary but to ensure that the anti-grazing law succeeds in the state.In his response, Ortom regretted that the authorities did not heed the warning from Benue, saying if they did, the 73 souls and others would not have died.While reiterating the call for the resignation of the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, Ortom described him and the defence minister as bare-footed people who were not capable of carrying out their responsibilities.
Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello has expressed tremendous respect for the Catholic Community, saying he will not do anything to dispara...

Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello has expressed tremendous respect for the Catholic Community, saying he will not do anything to disparage any religious organization.





He reaction followed condemnation of his attack on christian leaders who had complained of President Buharis style of governance.





The Bishops under the body of Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, had told the President that Nigerians were angry about alleged bad governance and imbalance in the system.





But addressing State House Correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, after the jumaat service on Friday, the governor took a swipe at them.





He said those who had looted the countrys funds that were angry because sources of their free money had been blocked by the current government.





On Saturday, Bello, through his spokesman, Kingsley Fanwo, said reports in the media that he disrespected the Catholic Community and its leaders was another low by his detractors in their desperation to portray him as an irresponsible leader.





My statements to the press were well documented. I was critical of corrupt leaders who have been disconnected from the looting pipes. These are the leaders who are launching campaign of calumny against Mr. President.





These categories of leaders belong to different faith and may attempt to mislead highly respected religious leaders into joining their antagonism towards the anti-corruption crusade of Mr. President. 2019 is a year of determination for our nation and I have no regret leading the charge for the re-election of Mr. President who had given hope to the hopeless in the society.





Governor Bello charged religious leaders to join the Presidents fight against corruption, insisting that no good religion has a place for corruption and corrupt people.




The Chairman Senate Ad hoc Committee on Local Content, Mr Solomon Adeola, has commended the management of Total Upstream Nigeria Limited on its $16bn (N5.76tn) Egina project in Nigeria.Adeola, who gave the commendation during the committees oversight function in Lagos on Friday, promised total support for the local content development initiative.The committee inspected the $3.3bn Floating Production Storage Offloading (FPSO) vessel.The storage facility is for 200,000 barrels per day Egina deep-water oilfield, which is expected from South Korea on Jan. 23.Adeola said the essence of the visit was to see and have first-hand information on the Egina FPSO and to also commend Total for making the huge investment a reality.According to him, the 330-metre long Egina FPSO, the largest FPSO ever installed in Nigeria, by private investors and the Nigerian government was commendable.If Nigeria can attract such huge project estimated at 16.3 billion dollars, it shows we are moving in the right direction and growing our economy, he said.Adeola said this was the first project executed after the passage of the Nigerian Local Content Act, an indication that local content development has come to stay in Nigeria.He promised that the committee would ensure full implementation of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act (NOGIC) passed by the national assembly.Mr Nicolas Terraz, the Managing Director of TUPNI, appreciated the committees support and encouragements toward ensuring that the projected was completed on schedule.He said work had commenced on the FPSO and would undergo the integration of six locally fabricated modules within the next six months.According to him, the integration of the six locally fabricated topside modules before its final sail-away to the Egina field is a remarkable achievement in local content development in Nigeria.The Total upstream boss said several technological feats had been recorded by the various entities involved in the project.Egina is the deepest offshore development carried out so far in Nigeria, with water depths over 1,500 meters, he said.Terraz explained that the EGINA FPSO was designed to operate for 25 years and produce about 200,000 barrels of oil per day.He said the Egina operations would generate significant activities for local contractors in various sectors and would continue to provide avenues for the training and development of Nigerians in various domains.Egina is the largest investment project currently ongoing in the oil and gas sector in Nigeria.
An Israeli F-16 fighter has been shot down by Syrian anti-aircraft fire on a raid to destroy Iranian facilities allegedly responsible for ...

An Israeli F-16 fighter has been shot down by Syrian anti-aircraft fire on a raid to destroy Iranian facilities allegedly responsible for launching a drone into Israel.

The UK Guardian on Saturday said the Israeli military claimed it shot down the drone and struck Iranian targets in Syria after what it called a severe and irregular violation of Israeli sovereignty.





Israels chief military spokesman, Brigadier General Ronen Manelis, said Israel held Iran directly responsible for the incident.





This is a serious Iranian attack on Israeli territory. Iran is dragging the region into an adventure in which it doesnt know how it will end, he said.





Whoever is responsible for this incident is the one who will pay the price.





The military says its planes faced heavy anti-aircraft counter fire from Syria that forced Israeli pilots to abandon an F-16 jet that crashed in the Jezreel valley in northern Israel. It said the pilots were injured and evacuated to hospital. Sirens sounded in northern Israel as a result of Syrian fire.





Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus said on Twitter that Iran was responsible for this severe violation of Israeli sovereignty.





IDF (Israel Defence Forces) has targeted the Iranian control systems in Syria that sent the [unmanned aircraft] into Israeli airspace. Massive Syrian anti-air fire, one F16 crashed in Israel, pilots safe, Israeli military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus said on Twitter on Saturday.





According to a separate military statement, Israeli forces had identified an Iranian UAV launched from Syria and intercepted it in Israeli airspace with a combat helicopter.




An Atlantic County man has been charged with causing the death of his four-month-old son, authorities say.

Jose Rojas, 35, is charged with first-degree aggravated manslaughter, second-degree aggravated assault and second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said Saturday.

Jose Rojas

Police responded to a call of an unresponsive child at the 6000 block of Hoover Drive in the Mays Landing second of Hamilton Township on Jan. 29, officials said.

When they arrived, they found, a 4-month-old boy with no pulse. The child was taken to an area hospital.

Because of his "critical" injuries, authorities said, the child was transferred to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, where after almost a week in the hospital the child died Feb. 4

Rojas, who was home alone with his three children at the time of the incident, originally told police that the child rolled off the bed, which was approximately two feet high, according to authorities.

However, doctors at Children's Hospital said the injuries were so significant that a fall could have only caused them if he had fallen from a height of at least 30 feet.

Doctors stated the child suffered numerous hemorrhages in both eyes, and the pattern of hemorrhages was consistent with severe trauma, specifically abusive head trauma, the prosecutor's office said.

Olivia Rizzo may be reached at orizzo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LivRizz. Find NJ.com on Facebook
A Newark man is headed to prison for the rest of his life for killing the witness to a robbery he committed to keep the man from testifying against him.

Rick King

Rick King, 34, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the killing of store clerk Amit Patel, 28, of Edison. Superior Court Judge Mark Ali also sentenced King on Friday to a consecutive 40-year sentence for the robbery.

A jury in December found King guilty of murder, witness tampering, armed robbery, aggravated assault on a police officer and weapons offenses.

Authorities say that on Feb. 15, 2015 King went to Roseway Liquors on Lyons Avenue and shot Patel in the head at point-blank range as he worked at the counter. He died at the scene.

Patel was the lone witness to a robbery King committed on Halloween 2013 at the same liquor store, owned by Patel's father, and, authorities said, King killed him to keep him from implicating King in the robbery case.

The judge noted that King had 11 prior arrests and five felony convictions, including possession of an illegal weapon and drug possession.

Allison Pries may be reached at apries@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AllisonPries. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Michelle Long's body was found in the swimming pool of the Woolwich Township home she shared with her husband, Norman, on June 17 of last year.

Authorities believe Norman F. Long beat his wife to death and dumped her body in the pool. He was charged with her murder six weeks later and was indicted in October.

Michelle Long's mother, Susan Direso, was devastated, and wants to honor her daughter in a productive way by giving victims of domestic violence a small, but powerful, piece of technology.

Michelle Long (left), with daughters Kerrie Engelhardt and Brittany Maguire, and Kerrie's son, Liam. (Submitted photo)

Direso and her granddaughters, Brittany Maguire and Kerrie Engelhardt, have partnered with a Philadelphia-based tech company called ROAR for Good, which has created a wearable personal safety device that consists of a single button.

With a touch of that button, the device shares the user's location via text alerts to a preset list of contacts, letting the recipients know the user is in trouble. It can also be set to emit a high-frequency alarm to ward off attackers.

Working with ROAR, Michelle Long's family is selling customized versions of the buttons with her nickname, "Chel" on them as part of the "Guardian Angel Chel" program.

How does it work?

All users do is buy the device, download the compatible smartphone app and program contacts. if contacts get an alert, they call 911.Each Chel button costs $100, plus, $10 for shipping.

The device is round, about an inch in diameter and comes in three colors. It can clip onto clothing or a purse.

The Guardian Angel Chel button is a personal safety device that syncs with a smartphone app.

"We partnered with expert designers to create a wearable that is sleek, stylish and as discreet as you like," ROAR notes on its webpage.

In silent mode, users press the button three time to share their location with contacts. In alarm mode, pressing the button for 3 seconds activates a 95+ decibel alarm and contacts are notified.

The designers market this wearable to women concerned about their personal safety, either in public or domestic settings. On its website, the ROAR describes this device as "just the beginning" in a mission to address the root causes of violence against women.

The company donates a portion of proceeds from the sale of each device to educational programs "that have been shown to increase empathy and reduce violence."

Michelle Long's family created a website -- guardianangelchel.com -- to sell the devices, share Michelle's story, provide those facing similar challenges with resources for support, and allow visitors to share their stories.

"We wanted to direct our energy into something positive, meaningful and honor my daughter's life, and leave a lasting legacy for her," Direso said. "Chel was my joy, my little girl, and to lose her in such a brutal way broke my heart forever. This mission to help at-risk victims gives us a purpose to turn our tragedy into a meaningful project."

It gives us a purpose

This is a charity effort, Maguire explained, with any money made from the sale of buttons going toward purchase of more for those who cannot afford them.

We don't make a dime off of this," she said, adding that the family used its own money to launch the project.

They are talking with domestic violence shelters and a local church about distribution of the devices.

"We've gotten a lot of great feedback," Maguire said. "I can only expect this to get bigger."

A big part of the family's mission is helping others understand the warning signs of domestic violence. Mental and verbal abuse often lead to physical violence, Maguire said, and the experience can leave the sufferers feeling trapped.

"There is always going to be a way out," she said. "We want people to know that they are not alone."

In addition to helping others, it's important for her family that Michelle Long is remembered for who she was, rather than the reports about her death.

"She deserves to be remembered as the loving, sweet, amazing person she was, rather than the lady who was beaten and thrown in a pool," Maguire said.

"She was basically the greatest person in the world," Maguire said of her late mother. "She was funny, creative, driven, very classy and stylish. She was just a person you loved to be around. Most importantly, she loved her family."

Maguire and her sister are stepdaughters of Norman Long, who remains jailed at Salem County Correctional Facility.

Along with her parents and two daughters, Long left behind a grandson, Liam.

Maguire feels her mother would be thrilled with the Guardian Angel Chel project.

"I know she would say how proud she was of us," Maguire said. "I know that she would be really excited and happy that we are doing something to help others."

Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us: nj.com/tips.
A Bergen County man was caught trying to shoplift at the Home Depot in Secaucus, town police said.

The 45-year-old Steven Scotti of Bogota man was charged with shoplifting on Jan. 31, and he was also arrested on two outstanding warrants in the amount of $2,000 from Lodi and Bogota. Scotti was transported to Hudson County jail.

Also, on Jan. 31, police on patrol at 12:30 a.m. came upon a vehicle parked away from curb, idling and the person inside appeared to be sleeping, Secaucus police Capt. Dennis Miller said. Felix Colarte, 28, of North Bergen, was charged with possession of marijuana and taken to Hudson County jail, Miller said.

On Feb. 2, police responding to the BP gas station on Paterson Plank Road on the report of a stolen cell phone, charged Matthew Gale, 37, of Westwood, with theft of mislaid property. Didier Alvarez, 33, of North Bergen, was also arrested for a no-bail warrant from the Hudson County Sheriff's Office and two warrants for $491 from West New York.

Both men were taken the the Hudson County jail.
JERSEY CITY -- A Jersey City police sergeant who hit a fleeing drug offender with his police vehicle pleaded guilty to a disorderly persons offense today and will forfeit ever holding public employment again.

"John's a very honorable guy and has been a dedicated police officer for over 28 years," defense attorney Daniel Welsh said after John Ransom pleaded guilty this afternoon to simple assault in connection to the Aug. 6 incident. "It's unfortunate that it has ended this way."

In court today, Ransom, 50, spoke calmly and admitted that on Aug. 6, 2017 he was on duty and driving an unmarked SUV equipped with flashing lights and a siren when he saw an individual later identified as Shiron Cooper, who was suspected of having been involved in a drug deal.

The plea deal by Ransom is the latest black eye for a police department that has seen 11 officers plead guilty in an off-duty jobs scheme, four others charged with offenses related to falsifying time sheets and four officers charged for their role in a high-speed chase that ended in a fiery crash.

Under questioning by Welsh, Ransom admitted that while attempting to place Cooper under arrest, he drove recklessly and struck Cooper with the police vehicle. The officer acknowledged that Cooper suffered an injury as a result of his actions that day.

Ransom was originally charged with assault by auto in the fourth degree in the incident that occurred in Audubon Park and was captured on video. That charge is a criminal offense and carries a possible sentence of up to 18 months in prison upon conviction. A first-time offender would not receive prison time.

The officer will remain suspended without pay until March 16 when he is sentenced by Hudson County Superior Court Judge Paul DePascale in the Hudson County Administration Building. At that time, he will forfeit his job, but will be able to apply for his pension.

Ransom, who has already surrendered his gun, may face some fines but he does not face a period of probation. The officer had a handful of supporters in court. Cooper, 27, was also in attendance.

After his arrest on Aug. 6, Cooper was charged with six offenses, including resisting arrest. He pleaded guilty to one charge from that arrest, third-degree drug possession, and a simple assault charge from a previous incident.

Cooper told The Jersey Journal he was in court today to see Ransom's hearing, but he left shortly afterward and did not comment.

Leaked security video shows Ransom's SUV strike Cooper at least once (prosecutors alleged he hit Cooper twice). Previously, Cooper told The Jersey Journal that Ransom struck him at least one more time and ran over him. Reports filed by police on the day of the incident say Cooper ran into the Ransom's vehicle.
UNION CITY -- A former city man was sentenced to 12 years in state prison for blackmailing underage girls into posing nude and engaging in sexual conduct while recording them on the internet, according to the Office of the Attorney General.

Daniel Derringer III, 29, a resident of Lake Worth, Florida who formerly lived in Union City, was sentenced by Hudson County Superior Court Judge Patrick J. Arre on Friday after pleading guilty to multiple counts of child pornography charges, law enforcement officials said.

Three of the victims were 15 at the time of the offenses, while one was 14 and another 16, authorities said. He will be required to register as a sex offender under Megan's Law and will be subject to parole supervision for life.

"By threatening to expose multiple underage girls to disgrace and embarrassment on the internet, Derringer not only sexually exploited his victims, but also subjected them to incalculable emotional harm," said Attorney General Gurbir Grewal.

Law enforcement agents were able to track Derringer down after one of the girls, residing in Minnesota, reported to local police that she had been coerced into engaging in sexual conduct on a webcam by a person who contacted her online through a social networking site, claiming to be another girl of the same age, authorities said.

The investigation revealed that Derringer convinced the victim to take off her top and expose her breasts in front of her webcam while he recorded the act. He then got on his own webcam, revealing that he had been lying about his identity, and told her that if she didn't do as he told her, he would post the video on the internet. He then ordered the girl to disrobe and demanded she touch herself, authorities said.

The victim used her cell phone to take a picture of Derringer on the computer screen, and local authorities were able to trace the communications to his home in Union City. He was arrested by the Union City Police three days later when he returned from a trip out of state.

He was charged with two counts of manufacturing child pornography, 2nd degree; one count of distribution of child pornography, 2nd degree; and one count of debauching the morals of a child, 3rd degree.

"Were it not for the courage of the Minnesota victim and the diligence of our law enforcement team, he might still be stalking young girls instead of serving this lengthy prison sentence," Grewal said.

Forensic examination of computer equipment owned by Derringer revealed numerous videos of incidents similar to that which the Minnesota girl reported to police.

Detectives working with other law enforcement agencies across the country were able to identify four additional victims in Washington State, Florida, Indiana and Ohio who were subsequently interviewed.

Grewal commended the detectives who conducted the investigation for the New Jersey State Police Digital Technology Investigations Unit. He also thanked the Union City Police Department and the police departments that assisted in Minnesota and other states.

Anyone who has information about the distribution of child pornography on the Internet  or who suspects improper contact by unknown persons communicating with children via the internet or possible exploitation or sexual abuse of children  should contact the New Jersey Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Tipline at 888-648-6007.

Corey W. McDonald may be reached at cmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @coreymacc. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
JERSEY CITY  When Brittany Graziosi gets a package delivered to her family's home, her mom texts her, "Do I need to put this in the freezer?"

See, boxes addressed to Graziosi, who makes jewelry with parts of formerly living things, usually contain a dead animal. Or two.

"Right now I've got guinea pigs, a python, two rabbits and a couple of geckos," she told The Jersey Journal. "I take whatever I can get."

In the last eight years, Graziosi, 28, has turned her jewelry-making hobby into a growing enterprise. She won a cash award from an entrepreneurial group last year and tomorrow the market she runs is hosting its second annual Valentine's Day event.

Her stature may be rising, but she still feels like the Fulton Avenue girl making weird stuff in her basement.

"Whenever people say, we're going to interview you, I'm like, why?" she said.

She grew up a "weird kid" living in the city's Greenville section. She loved science and nature but not paying attention in class. Her first real job was for a marketing company, teaching retail workers how to sell products. She hated it and was fired.

She started making her own jewelry, selling it at a Downtown market and on Etsy and tending bar to pay the bills (she has a four-year-old son). In 2010, she said, "someone gave me deer vertebrae from, like, the '90s that he found on train tracks in Roxbury." Her line of jewelry made from animal parts was born: earrings with cat teeth, talons hanging from necklaces, buttons covered in butterfly wings, all made in a cluttered half of a basement laundry room.

Her family's reaction to Graziosi's new obsession with dead things? Disgust but not shock, she said.

This all may have remained a glorified hobby, but Graziosi stunned herself by beating out other budding entrepreneurs to win the 2017 Start Something Challenge sponsored by local nonprofit Rising Tide Capital.

Graziosi, center, accepting her Start Something Challenge prize with second-place winner Djenaba Johnson-Jones, left, and third-place winner Aeisha Phillips.

Entrants submitted videos pitching their ideas, then promoted the videos to build an audience. Two rounds of online voting led to 10 finalists, who made their pitches live in August in front of a panel of experts.

Graziosi's initial idea was an online shop called Hudson Trading Company, but at the last minute she pitched Jersey City Oddities Market, a pop-up fair she began after she struggled to nab spots at more traditional bazaars. She thought the Hudson Trading pitch would be "more digestible" for the judges but, assuming she'd lose anyway, went with her dead-animal-jewelry-and-taxidermy fair instead. She won the grand prize, $10,000.

"Which is crazy," Graziosi said. "In my speech I said, 'Greenville, stand up.'"

Graziosi has partnered with Liberty Science Center for its "after dark" series and worked with the volunteer group that runs the Harsimus cemetery. Fourth Street Arts and Rock-It Docket are among the market's supporters.

Rising Tide spokeswoman Esther Fraser called Graziosi "fantastic."

"I saw Brittany's pitch twice. I thought to myself, yeah, she's going to do really, really well," Fraser said. "She's authentic. She knows who she is."

Jersey City Oddities Market returns to Cathedral Hall, 380 Montgomery St., tomorrow from noon to 8 p.m.

Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
Much like their jaw-dropping dough-slinging act, brothers Michael and Nicholas Testa are taking their charity work to the national stage.

Michael, 13, and Nicholas, 11, better known as the Jersey Pizza Boys, began giving out pizzas to help feed the homeless in areas around their family-owned pizzeria, Carmine's Pizza Factory.

But after helping the New York-based Slice Out Hunger feed the homeless in Manhattan, the brothers decided to feed those less fortunate across the entire country.

"Last summer our friend Scott Wiener from Slice Out Hunger asked our dad if we wanted to donate some pies to feed the homeless in New York," said Michael. "It was an amazing experience and on the car ride home me, my brother, and my dad, wondered how cool it would be to do this on a bigger basis."

Less than a year later, the boys -- who have dazzled national television audiences with the pizza dough-tossing feats -- conducted their first "Pizza Across America" event this afternoon on National Pizza Day.

More than 250 pizzerias across the country, including Alaska and Hawaii, are participating today, said proud dad Carmine Testa, whose initally set a modest goal of getting one pizzeria from every state to join the effort.

"It's amazing to know that we're feeding a lot of hungry people," said Michael. "We're teaming up with Slice Out Hunger to make this big pizza donation."

Carmine Testa said "Pizza Across America" took off when a company called Slice, an online and mobile pizza ordering platform, agreed to help.

"They have a network of more than 8,000 and they welcomed us with open arms. So going from 50 pizzerias, we now have at least 250."

All pizzerias participating in the nationwide event are donating a minimum of 10 pies to local food banks, soup kitchens and shelters. Carmine Testa said he has been told that some participants have donated 30 to 40 pizzas.

"We thought we were going to end up feeding over 20,000 people today, but I wouldn't be surprised if we actually feed up to 35,000," said Testa, who noted that roughly 25 pizzerias in New Jersey are participating.

Carmine and the boys plans to make this an annual event.

"I'm excited to say that we're going to be doing this every year," said Testa. "I wouldn't be surprised for next year we have 1,000 pizzerias on board and feeding well over 100,000 people."

Besides organizing the national event, Carmine's Pizza Factory delivered 25 pizzas to St. Lucy's Shelter in Jersey City -- 15 of its own and 10 from Prince of Pizza. The shelter feeds up to 170 people a day. Carmine's, along with Prince of Pizza, hopes to feed every one of them.
By Sophie Nieto-Munoz | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

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The travels of Dexter the Peacock

In one week, Dexter the Peacock went from emotional support animal and art piece, into the most talked-about bird in America.

On Jan. 28, Brooklyn artist Ventiko - or as Dexter refers to her, his "human" - attempted to board a United Airlines flight with her unusual pet to no avail. More than 10,000 people now follow the bird on Instagram.

On the social media profile, which is controlled by Ventiko but written in the voice of Dexter, the exotic bird announced that the rejection in Newark was a six hour ordeal. Human friends planned to drive him cross country. He documented his trip, so all of us following this New York peacock could track him across the country.

And of course, that's exactly what we did.

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Dexter's story

Although we reached out to Ventiko multiple times, she did not respond to any of our requests. However, she did an extended interview with the Bushwick Daily this past summer, after Dexter made news riding the New York City subway.

Ventiko told the news site that she adopted the bird, along with its sweetheart Etta, in 2015, for a Miami art show, the newspaper reported. She donated the birds afterward, but after Etta and Dexter had kids, Etta left with them. Ventiko and Dexter reconnected and have been inseparable since.

They live together in Ventiko's Bushwick loft, though its unclear how much Dexter contributes to rent. He still participates in art, though some of it is NSFW. Ventiko feeds the plumed pet Greek yogurt and fresh fruit, even acting as her plus-1 to dinner parties, Bushwick Daily reported.

The artist walks Dexter around the city, accessorizing him with a Chihuahua collar and red leash. According to the Bushwick Daily, Dexter isn't a fan of the subway (like many of us), but he doesn't mind life in a concrete jungle, for the most part.

Here are Dexter's stops on his cross-country journey.

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Sophie Nieto-Munoz | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

First stop: Newark Liberty International

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Second stop: Indianapolis, Indiana

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Third stop: Miami, Oklahoma

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Fourth stop: St. Louis, Missouri

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Fifth stop: Santa Fe, New Mexico

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Sixth stop: Amarillo, Texas

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Final stop: Los Angeles, California

On Wednesday evening, Dexter shared this post, alerting his followers that he safely arrived in Los Angeles, where he'll be featured in an art project. While it's unclear what the project is, it looks like Dexter will fit right in.

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Further reading:

Sophie Nieto-Munoz may be reached at snietomunoz@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her at @snietomunoz. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips
While leaving the Hudson County Board of Freeholders chamber Thursday evening, one elderly woman who was among a crowd hoping to end the county correctional facility's relationship with federal immigration, told me what is the hurdle for activists in ending the partnership.

"The bad guy here is this Tom DeG -ICE," she said, pronouncing the county executive's name like the frozen water in your drinks. It was just a mispronunciation but it seemed more like a presumption of where the county's top official stands with the U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE).

JAILHOUSE BLUES



Mixed groups of anti-ICE residents showed up calling for an end to the county and federal partnership under a pact referred to as "287g." They were also not happy with the county jail's reputation as a place where a seriously ill immigration detainee has a good chance of exiting feet first. There were accusations that the correctional facility lacked proper medical oversight or treatment.

The alleged medical charade supposedly became evident with the June 10 internal bleeding death of immigrant detainee Rolando Meza Espinosa, say activists.

Since then there have been three other inmate deaths that were considered suicides by officials and a fifth succumbed when he collapsed in a recreation area. Sources say the last person may have had serious heart issues and perhaps lifting weights was not such a good idea. The question becomes how much did correctional medical officials know of his condition.

Those attending the freeholder meeting demand that the county break its contract with CFG Health Systems, LLC, which provides medical treatment at the Kearny-based jail.



On Monday, it's expected that an investigative report on the death of the detainee is to be released. An internal debate on transparency is progressing on how much information will be redacted, besides medical records. Nevertheless, sources say there should be enough use of the word "negligence" in the three-part report to indicate that there is a serious problem.

The focus of the evening was on ICE. It was not hard to see what opinion most of the freeholders held.

In a very liberal county, considered one of the most diverse in the nation and where being a Democrat is a religious calling, helping to detain suspected border jumpers may not be a career boost for elected officials. Most of them feel strongly about welcoming almost everyone into the country and county or at least the freeholders gave that appearance Thursday evening.

TAKING IT NEAT

During the public portion of the session, activists calmly voiced their displeasure with ICE. Several of them provided narratives of what they say were unfair incidents, including the pick up of two Hudson County teenagers in Essex County and flying them to immigration facilities in California and never informing frantic parents.

County officials acknowledged not being informed and learning about a 14-year-old being shipped to California after investigating the matter. The ICE officials were not those with whom the county has a 287(g) agreement but rather that the pick up was the action of a special ICE task force, according to Ronald Edwards, director of the Hudson County jail. I take it to mean not all ICE cubes are alike.

Freeholder Bill O'Dea suggested that the county could endeavor to create a communications network with other counties in New Jersey and perhaps nationwide that would keep locals informed of detained immigrants from their jurisdiction. It drew applause.

During their address to the freeholders, several activists expressed their frustration at not being able to secure a meeting with DeGise to discus the detainees. OK, OK for those out there who are seething and insist - you can refer to the detainees as those illegal aliens, dilly, dilly.

O'Dea said that although the activists may not have been able to sit down with DeGise, the freeholder panel members have been actively pursuing the activists' agenda.

"In the past month or so, we've started to have what I see as very meaningful discussions with the county executive concerning us getting out of 287G," he said, drawing loud applause from half of the audience. He added that although it may be a little premature to claim any accomplishments, the freeholders will continue to raise the activists' issues in future meetings with the county executive.

Freeholder Tilo Rivas of Union City and panel members Jerry Walker and Joel Torres, both of Jersey, voiced their objections to the county's agreement with ICE. Walker seemed the most strident. "Being from Jersey City, I travel the world and I always meet people connected to Margaret Hague (the old Jersey City maternity hospital); I believe Jersey City is a world citizen and I think 287(g) is not something representative of our county and I'm against it - just for the record," he said.

Torres said: "... We are not fitting into the culture of the federal government and the false rhetoric." He was specifically talking about the call to end "chain migration," where settled family members sponsor non-nuclear relatives for entry into the United States. Its more familiar reference is "family reunification."

This is proving to be "The Song That Never Ends," but we await a conclusion, possibly in July when the ICE agreement comes up for renewal.

INSIDER NOTE

-- After the freeholders moved their Newark Avenue meeting chambers from the third floor to a new renovated facility on the first, I noticed that they also moved all their dedicated plaques and memorials for past elected officials and organizations with them - save one.

Missing was the county's memorial to Jersey Journal editor and political columnist Peter Weiss who died in 2003 to the shock of many who read his popular Political Whirl column and who personally liked the veteran journalist. I waited for them to restore it but it never reappeared. Some months ago I inquired about it and I was told they'd get right on it.

Annoyed, I asked about it again Thursday evening. I managed to catch Business Administrator Abe Antun in a hallway and he was surprised it was missing, responding that it had been dedicated by the freeholders and should be displayed. Antun said he would make an inquiry. A busy guy, still he is one of the few people I would believe about something getting done.

The new first-floor facility provides more insulation for the elected officials. People once roamed freely from office to office. Now it's like visiting the Pentagon. You can't tell if it's Italian or Latino buffet for the freeholders prior to meetings.

The Weiss memorial had also marked a press row seating area. Perhaps it's missing because under the new seating configuration there is no real area set aside for the media - when they do show up. Perhaps this was the real message.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Agustin C. Torres' columns appear on the nj.com opinion website on Saturdays and occasionally in the print edition of The Jersey Journal. Submit letters to the editor and guest columns at jjletters@jjournal.com.
WASHINGTON -- Two New Jersey lawmakers called on the Trump administration Friday to release three Indonesian Christian unauthorized immigrants while their requests to remain in the U.S. are pending.

Reps. Frank Pallone Jr., D-6th Dist., and Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-12th Dist., said the three represented no threat to the U.S.

"They have raised their families here for decades, becoming important, law-abiding members of their communities who pose no flight risk before or after the conclusion of their immigration proceedings," the lawmakers wrote to John Tsoukaris, director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Newark field office.

U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas earlier this month temporarily blocked the deportations.

Gunawan Liem of Piscataway and Roby Sanger of Metuchen were arrested by ICE while dropping their kids off at school. Both men had pending removal orders and were taken into custody without warning.

A third immigrant, Parlindungan Sinaga of Woodbridge, was arrested in October.

"We believe releasing these individuals while they have a federal stay or are pursuing relief through the immigration system is the humane and commonsense action to take," the lawmakers wrote.

Gov. Phil Murphy and Pallone responded to the arrests by going to the Reformed Church of Highland Park, which has provided sanctuary for immigrants. Rev. Seth Kaper-Dale long has championed the Indonesian Christian community.

The Indonesians fled from religious persecution in the 1990s. They are ethnic Chinese Christians.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
Gov. Phil Murphy on Friday continued pushing a plan he says could help New Jerseyans make up at least some of the money they're set to lose under the federal tax law President Donald Trump recently signed into law.

But the question remains: Will the IRS allow it?

Murphy appeared at a news conference at Marlboro town hall flanked by five mayors who promise to institute the plan, which would allow New Jersey taxpayers to pay property taxes to charitable funds set up by local governments to skirt the $10,000 cap on state and local taxes that people can deduct under the new federal law.

"If we do this right -- and doing it right is important -- working- and middle-class families and seniors could retain most if not all of the deduction and tax benefit they currently enjoy," said Murphy, a Democrat who is less than a month into office.

New Jerseyeans -- who pay the nation's highest property taxes -- have long been able to deduct all their state and local taxes.

But the new law passed by Republican-controlled Congress and signed by Trump, a Republican, caps state and local tax deductions at $10,000. That's nearly half of the $18,000 that the average New Jerseyan used to deduct.

The plan Murphy is touting -- initially proposed by U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-5th Dist. -- would get around the federal law by allowing local governments in New Jersey to set up charitable "support funds" that residents can give money to in lieu of paying property taxes.

That money would go toward government services, and taxpayers can write it off as a charitable donation, skirting the cap because the new law does not change deductions for charity.

Murphy has spent the last two days championing the plan. On Thursday, he called on the state Legislature to pass a bill cementing it into law.

"We think we're on stronger legal footing if we have a state law," Murphy explained Friday.

But Murphy said local governments can also begin setting up these funds now on their own.

He was joined by mayors from Aberdeen, Belmar, Marlboro, Manasquan, and Ocean Township. Mayors from Fair Lawn, Paramus, and Park Ridge have also vowed to launch the proposal, Murphy's office said.

Murphy added that 33 other states have similar programs.

But Murphy and some mayors cautioned that it's unclear whether the Internal Revenue Service will be O.K. with the plan.

"I can't guarantee you success," Murphy said.

Marlboro Mayor Jonathan Hornik, a Democrat, echoed that worry.

"Will this idea work? I don't know. I don't," Hornik said. "But how can we not try? Anybody who's unwilling to try doesn't belong in government."

The IRS notes on its website that charitable deductions apply only to eligible charities. But the agency declined further comment Friday.

Jared Walczak, a senior policy analyst at the conservative-leaning Tax Foundation, told the Associated Press that while the proposal is creative, it's unlikely the IRS will sign off.

"IRS and Treasury officials weren't born yesterday," Walczak said. "They will see right through these proposals, recognizing the contributions for what they are: payment of taxes."

State Sen. Joe Pennachio, R-Morris, criticized Murphy's plan Friday, calling it a "scheme" that "provides false hope rather than real solutions."

"We should focus on real solutions that actually lower the cost of government," Pennachio said.

Murphy admitted Friday that the proposal "will not solve New Jersey's long-festering property-tax crisis."

"That is not going to happen overnight," the governor added. "But ... while we work toward those long-term solutions, this is something we can do now."

NJ Advance Media staff writer Samantha Marcus 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.
Standing near the site of a 2016 fatal commuter train crash in Hoboken Terminal, federal lawmakers said Friday they want President Donald Trump to reverse a roll back of proposed rules that would require sleep disorder testing for train operators and truck drivers.

A letter, sent Friday, urges Trump to reconsider federal rules mandating testing of train operators and truck drivers for sleep disorders after the administration dropped proposed rules in August, said U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, D-NJ, who signed it, with U.S. Senator Cory Booker, U.S. Reps. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-9th Dist., and Albio Sires, D-8th Dist.

The National Transportation Safety Board criticized last year's decision to drop the sleep testing rules on Tuesday, when it determined an NJ Transit engineer's untreated sleep apnea caused the Sept. 29, 2016 commuter train crash that killed a woman walking in Hoboken Terminal and injured 110 people. The train suddenly accelerated to twice the allowed 10 mph speed and shot through a concrete bumper at the end of the tracks.

If Trump doesn't respond to the letter, the lawmakers plan to continue pursuing legislation introduced in September to mandate testing, Menendez said.

"You can't know if someone has sleep apnea if you've never tested them. It's a pretty simple concept," Menendez said. "We certainly hope we don't have to go through an act of Congress to do what we have to do to keep people safe."

The Federal Railroad Administration and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration proposed requiring such testing in March 2016. The NTSB has called for testing since 2001.

"What happened here in Hoboken should never happen again," Booker said. "We have to fight back for the safety of our commuters."

Drivers also are in danger from roll backs of other regulations that limit how many hours truck drivers can drive without a rest, which has caused fatigue that has been blamed for fatal crashes, Booker said.

Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-5th Dist., introduced his own bill Tuesday calling for safety regulations to be put into law rather than be issued as rules that future presidents can modify. It also calls for improving how the Federal Railroad Administration collects data, as recommended by the U.S. Department of Transportation inspector general.

Gottheimer was at a separate press conference on Friday to introduce his plan to increase infrastructure spending in tax donor states such as New Jersey. That plan would change transportation grant formulas to give preference to "net payer states" like New Jersey that are contributing more in taxes than they receive back from the federal government.



Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @commutinglarry. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
As a youngster, Shana "Pinky" Harris scoffed at the idea that being legally blind would stop her from soaring through the stars and exploring space as an astronaut. She'd attended space camps and was smitten by the physics of zero gravity.

Harris is albino and can see colors and shapes, but not details of things. She sees up close with the aid of telescopic lenses.

But she says it was not her poor eyesight that capsized her dreams of space, but calculus and algebra.

"I realized I couldn't do algebra and calculus," Harris said recently with a laugh. "I can't solve for X, so I can't go to space."

Instead, she set out to conquer the culinary frontier, and that pursuit has landed her in a world that even those with the gift of good vision find it difficult to traverse: business owner, or rather businesses - plural - owner.

"Everything that people say I wouldn't be able to do, I've done," Harris said. "Except drive a car. You don't want me driving a car."

Harris is the owner and manager of "Pinky's Cafe," the sandwich shop located at the Jefferson Parish government complex in Gretna, and is part owner of Bayou Throws, a custom Mardi Gras beads and necklace making operation that she recently took over managing.

"If there's something that I want, I have to overcome the fears and just figure out a way to make it work for me," Harris said. "I might not do things the same way that everybody else does, but there's got to be some kind of way I can make it work."

Harris uses a special magnifying lens to help her see. She has a similar telescopic lens mounted into a pair of glasses.

"I have this little telescope that I use for everything," she says. "The cool thing about that is it'll focus for close up, so I can use it to write with and look out into the distance."

The lenses come in handy when she's making beads and having to string them, or is buffing out the rough edges, she says.

Harris' ownership of the sandwich shop is through a federal program called the Randolph-Sheppard Act that gives priority to visually impaired people to operate vending facilities on federal and state property. She was required to submit a bid and business plan for operating the cafe.

The bead business is a private venture.

After being awarded the cafe spot in early 2017, Harris said she was provided a two-week supply of inventory as start-up, then it was "sink or swim."

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"It's all up to you," she said.

Harris, who graduated from Virginia Tech with a degree in hospitality and tourism management, spent nearly 15 years working in the restaurant business - including stints as a sous and pastry chef - which she said gave her an advantage when applying to become part of the Randolph-Sheppard program in 2012.

She moved to New Orleans in 2001 from Blacksburg, Virginia without ever having visited the city. Harris said she felt a kinship to the city and was lured by thoughts of working as a chef in a fancy restaurant.

"My friends thought I was joking when I told them I was moving to New Orleans," she recalled. "It just pretty much called me home. I've always had this total obsession with Mardi Gras and New Orleans."

She came to New Orleans to attend culinary school and to cook, Harris said. But she quit soon after arriving, realizing she was already gaining valuable dining experience working at Bacco's in the French Quarter.

She spent more than a decade working in the restaurant business before leaving when she felt her impairment wouldn't allow her to advance to being a top chef.

"I hit a brick wall, and couldn't get any further, mainly because of my sight," Harris said.

She received her Randolph-Sheppard operating license in 2014 and managed a cafe at the criminal courts building at Tulane and Broad in New Orleans for about a year.

During her cooking years, Harris also nourished a second love: all things Mardi Gras. For years she has ridden in the Krewe of Tucks parade and got her nickname "Pinky" from an outlandish costume she'd created one year that was all pink.

She was introduced to Bayou Throws after catching some of their beads at a parade and fell in love with the hand-crafted product, Harris said.

In October of last year, when the owners of Bayou Throws were looking for a local partner to take over production of the company because they were moving out of state, Harris said she jumped at the opportunity.

Her home in Gretna has recently become the center of business operations and production is in full swing producing custom orders for the Carnival season.

"It just kind of happened," she said of taking on a second business. "Sometimes I'm like petrified, sometimes I'm overjoyed. But I know we can't let this business die, so I'm really happy that somebody's continuing it, and I'm extra happy that it's me!"
Two psychiatrists, one from New Orleans and the other from Kenner, are accused of receiving kickbacks for allegedly referring patients to a home health company for services they didn't need. A marketer who worked with the doctors has also been charged.

Dr. Muhammad Kaleem Arshad, 62, of New Orleans, Dr. Padmini Nagaraj, 60 of Kenner and Joseph A. Haynes, 61, of New Orleans are each charged with three counts of receiving illegal health care kickbacks and one count of conspiracy to receive, the U.S. attorney's office for the Eastern District of Louisiana announced Friday (Feb. 9). The physicians also were charged with five counts each of health care fraud and one count of conspiracy.

The indictment says the three defendants were affiliated with an outpatient psychiatric services company and conspired with a New Orleans home health agency to take bribes in exchange for referring patients for unnecessary services. Haynes' role was to help "negotiate and enforce the bribes and kickbacks for the doctors," a statement from the U.S. attorney's office said. The home health agency then submitted the fraudulent claims to Medicare to receive payment.

Federal prosecutors have already obtained convictions against the home health company operators for a broader Medicare fraud scheme. Kim Ricard and Milton Diaz defrauded the government out of $2 million.

Ricard was found guilty of transferring mentally ill patients to the highest bidder, making $330,000 for her role. In January, she was sentenced to 51 months in prison. Diaz will be sentenced in April.

Read the indictment:
A Jefferson Parish casino dealer and his alleged accomplice are accused of conspiring to steal the roughly $166,400 jackpot of a "Bad Beat" poker game, according to Louisiana State Police Troop B.

The dealer, 66-year-old Ashley Solomon of Metairie, turned himself in to state police detectives Thursday (Feb. 8), while his alleged co-conspirator, 51-year-old Dale Foret of Belle Chasse, was arrested Friday.

Solomon and Foret were both booked into the Jefferson Parish jail with conspiracy to commit theft over $25,000 and attempted theft over $25,000.

The arrests stemmed from an investigation into a Texas Hold'em poker game at a local casino, according to Trooper Melissa Matey, spokeswoman for Troop B.

The investigation kicked off Jan. 19, when casino staff notified detectives of several "inconsistencies" related to a Bad Beat poker game with a jackpot of $166,471, Matey said in a news release. A Bad Beat poker jackpot is awarded to a player with a strong hand that's beaten by an even stronger hand.

Solomon, in his role as the dealer, intentionally stacked the deck of cards for a favorable outcome and then conducted two false shuffles, according to state police. The second false shuffle resulted in a Bad Beat jackpot win for Foret, one of the players at the table.

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Investigators learned that Solomon had plotted with Foret, both before and after the poker game, on the jackpot win.

Detectives with the Louisiana State Police Bureau of Investigations Gaming Enforcement Division on Monday obtained arrest warrants for Solomon and Foret.

Meanwhile, the jackpot remains up for grabs, state police said, as none of the winnings have been paid due to the investigation.

"The jackpot will remain available for future players who win at Texas Hold'em under proper and approved rules of play," according to the Troop B news release.

To report illegal gaming activity, call Louisiana State Police Gaming Enforcement at 225-925-1900.
A man shot during a December gun battle in the Lower 9th Ward is now wanted by police on suspicion he fired a weapon during the fight, New Orleans police said Friday (Feb. 9).

Richard Green, 28, was struck at least once to the body when the occupants of two vehicles began shooting at each other at the intersection of Tennessee and Urquhart streets, police said.

The gunfire occurred about 4:20 p.m. Dec. 19 after the two vehicles, a burgundy sedan and an SUV, crossed paths at the intersection. Green and a 26-year-old man, both inside the burgundy sedan, were wounded and then drove themselves to the hospital.

On Friday, police said physical evidence and witness accounts led investigators to determine that Green, the passenger of the sedan, was firing from the car during the shooting.

As a result, he is wanted on charges of illegal discharge of a weapon during a crime of violence and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

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According to Orleans Parish court records, Green pleaded guilty in 2012 to an amended charge of attempted armed robbery and sentenced to seven years in prison, with credit for time served since his January 2009 arrest. In that case, he was initially charged with armed robbery and unlawful handling of machine guns, court records show.

He also has a 2012 conviction for possessing contraband at a state jail or prison, for which he received a one-year sentence to run concurrent with his other sentence.

In Jefferson Parish, Green has an open charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm in connection with a July 25 arrest, court records show.

Anyone with information on the shooting or the whereabouts of Richard Green is asked to contact NOPD 5th District Detective Chad Cockerham or any 5th District Detective at 504-658-6050. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111 or toll-free at 1-877-903-7867.
A disrupted armed robbery in Algiers ended with one of the fleeing suspects shooting at the person who apparently broke up the crime, New Orleans police said Saturday (Feb. 10). Officers have identified the suspects' car in the case, one of three robbery-related incidents that police reported overnight.

The attempted holdup and shooting happened Friday just after 8:30 p.m. in the 3600 block of Somerset Drive. A preliminary police report said a woman was exiting her car when a man grabbed her from behind and put a gun to her head. The perpetrator and a man accompanying him fled when a person came out of the residence where the woman had parked.

The resident chased the pair, one of whom pulled out a gun and shot at him. Police said the pair fled in a silver or gold Nissan Altima with Louisiana license plate number 467 AJB.

Around the same time, police were responding to a simple robbery in the 800 block of St. Peter Street in the French Quarter. The victim was approached by a woman who forced him to the ground, knocked him unconscious and went through his pockets, taking several items. Police later apprehended the woman, who was not identified.

About three hours earlier, a man in Treme was approached by two men in the 1300 block of St. Philip Street. Police said one of the men placed an unknown object in his back and demanded his wallet and phone. The victim "nudged' one of the subjects and ran away, police said.

On Thursday evening, police said a man approached a 28-year-old woman in the 3800 block of Peoples Avenue in Gentilly and demanded her purse and money. When the woman said she didn't have any money, the man fled.
The final push to transition oversight of McDonogh 35 Senior High School, one of the last remaining schools directly run by the Orleans Parish School Board, is underway. The board this week released a plan that includes a call for a "non-charter" operator to run the school and keep the McDonogh 35 name.

The plan laid out Wednesday (Feb. 7) would see the transition move forward in two phases. The first seeks to find an organization to phase out the direct-run school until all current students have either graduated or transferred elsewhere, according to a news release.

The second step would be finding an organization to operate the school for the long-term, beginning with a 9th grade academy at the 4000 Cadillac Street campus under the same name, the news release said. The new academy would open for the 2019-2020 school year and add a grade each year.

OPSB has been on the path to becoming an all-charter district with every public school under its authorized chartering authority, but the latest proposal calls for organizations interested in running McDonogh 35 under a "non-charter contract." The specifics on what exactly that means are hazy, but it appears to open the door to private organizations to pursue a contract to run the school.

OPSB has unsuccessfully solicited Type 3 charter conversion applications for McDonogh 35 during each of the last three charter application cycles. The latest proposal is intended to broaden the set of candidates "to include providers of educational services in a non-charter school context," according to the release.

An OPSB spokeswoman told NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune that McDonogh 35 will remain open and public whichever organization takes the helm. The board intends to complete the solicitation process and present a full transition plan for the school by the end of the spring.

As the planning process gets underway, McDonogh 35 will be limiting enrollment of new students and transfer students for the upcoming 2018-2019 school year. Decisions regarding what teachers and staff will return in the fall will be left to the selected operators, the release said.

McDonogh 35 opened in 1917 as the city's first public high school for black students. The school celebrated its centennial last year, and the roots of its "rich history" in New Orleans are widespread, with a roster of alumni, including District D City Councilman Jared Brossett and state Sen. Wesley Bishop, D -- New Orleans. Brossett and Bishop released statements applauding OPSB's efforts to maintain the school's presence.

"This is about continuing the legacy of excellence that has always been symbolized by McDonogh 35," Bishop said. "The Roneagle nation deserves the type of school where they can be proud to send their children."

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If the proposal released this week moves forward, it could create a unique scenario for the operators that enter into the contracts. The OPSB contract stipulates that both the existing school that is being phased out and the school run by the long-term operator will share the McDonogh 35 facility starting in the 2019-2020 school year. The contract also says the transition should be complete by fall 2020.

The push to hand McDonogh 35 over to another organization comes after its 7th and 8th grades were completely phased out last year. The school also continues to struggle academically. It dropped 7.3 points to a "D" letter grade in the state's 2016-2017 school performance scores, but OPSB expressed confidence in its ability to succeed going forward.

OPSB board member Sarah Usdin, who represents District 3, where McDonogh 35 is located, championed the new direction for the school.

"We are committed to ensuring McDonogh 35 is a high-quality learning environment that honors this school's proud history and secures its rightful place as a leader in New Orleans' public education landscape for the next 100 years," Usdin said in a statement.

OPSB's remaining direct-run schools include Benjamin Franklin Elementary Mathematics and Science, Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary School of Literature and Technology, and Mahalia Jackson Elementary. Bethune has been approved to become a charter under the management of the Significant Educators charter group, a relative newcomer, beginning next year. Legacy of Excellence will also takeover Ben Franklin Elementary as a charter next year.

OPSB last November voted to close Mahalia Jackson at the end of the current school year, but it remains to be seen who will operate the school in OPSB's place. The Dryades YMCA youth organization, which runs the nearby James Singleton Charter School, had been eyeing a move to the Mahalia Jackson facility, but dropped its bid for the Central City campus amid an investigation into a testing scandal that forced its CEO to resign.

. . . . . . .

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.
Poles have been greased, and beads are flying everywhere as revelers fill the French Quarter for one of the biggest free parties in the world: Mardi Gras. Click through the photo gallery above for scenes from Friday's (Feb. 9) fun in the French Quarter.
In Liz and Poco Sloss' Uptown home, there's no shortage of family and Mardi Gras mementos. Family portraits adorn living-room walls, and framed photographs crowd a nearby tabletop. In the sunlit den, Ann Lee Stephens Sarpy's statuettes of flambeaux bearers seem poised to strut across a sideboard.

The dominant, attention-grabbing figure in this multiroom display - a sizable papier-mache model of the king's float in the Rex parade - sits atop the dining-room table. That replica by Katie Rafferty, flanked by her models of Rex's Boeuf Gras and Butterfly King floats, is an all-too-tangible reminder of the organization's 146-year heritage.

For Poco Sloss, it's also a preview, because he will ride atop the real float on Tuesday (Feb. 13) when he reigns as Rex, king of Carnival.

Even though he has known about this honor since October, Sloss, 64, a man with a bright, open face and an ever-present smile, was still enthusiastic about it a few days before his 24-hour reign.

"It's exciting as hell," he said. "It's a spectacular honor. ... I couldn't be happier about it, but it's all make-believe, and I think that's important, and healthy, to remember."

This is no ordinary year for Rex. Sloss will be Carnival's king when New Orleans is celebrating its 300th birthday, a milestone that has brought extra attention to the city. The parade's theme will highlight the city's first century.

For this role, he is "a perfect choice for the tricentennial because he embodies the best of the city," said Anne Milling, a longtime friend who, with her husband, former Rex King Milling, gave the Slosses the three float models.

Sloss, who never uses his real first name, Lynes, was sitting in the sunroom, next to a small table topped by a Sarpy statuette of a brightly costumed Carnival monarch.

Being Rex in New Orleans' tricentennial year is "extremely significant," he said. "I don't know how many cities in this country are 300 years old, but there can't be many. It's a big deal, and it's exciting."

He'll wear the crown, but being Rex is a joint undertaking for the couple because of the multitude of chores large and small that must be done to ensure a successful reign.

"A king who doesn't have a wife like Liz, I don't know how he does it," Sloss said. "She's a great organizer. She doesn't get flustered."

Liz Sloss went through a version of this pre-Mardi Gras preparation five years ago when their daughter, Nina O'Brien Sloss, was Rex's queen, so she is hardly bowed down by her behind-the-scenes obligations.

"Being Mrs. King is a great place to be," she said, smiling. "I get a new dress."

In the array of memorabilia at the Slosses' home, family and Carnival histories often intersect because there is a tradition of make-believe royalty in this household, with the most recent addition being the Slosses' daughter. Liz Sloss' grandfather, Joseph Merrick Jones, wore Rex's crown and costume in 1958, six years after her mother, Eugenie Penick Jones Huger, was Rex's queen.

While lineage may help a young woman ascend Rex's throne, both Slosses stressed that civic activity is an all-important factor in selecting the king.

Poco Sloss' record on this front is strong. He led the boards that run the Audubon Nature Institute, the Louisiana Children's Museum and the Bureau of Governmental Research. He is a former member of the City Planning Commission, he is president pro tem of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad Commission, and he was appointed last year to the Board of Liquidation, City Debt.

"The guy's truly passionate about helping the city," said Hardy Fowler, a former Rex and friend since they were children. "I wish we had 10 more like him."

Janet Howard, the BGR's former CEO, described Sloss as "one of the most energetic, curious and well-grounded people I've ever met."

"It was an absolute pleasure to work with him because he's a delightful person," she said, "and he was so strongly focused on coming up with the right answer and doing the right things."

Sloss, who has been a member of a long list of boards, had a simple explanation for his activity: "I like to do it."

"I want things to be better," he said. "I'm more Poco than angel, but I enjoy working in nonprofits."

"He's one of those quiet civic leaders," said Mark Romig, president and CEO of New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corp. "Poco doesn't have a giant ego. He's not the one looking for the credit."

Regardless of whether Sloss is with colleagues, fellow board members or friends, "he makes people feel good when they're around him," said August "Rookie" Leopold Jr., a longtime friend. "He brings out the best in them."

"This rude and intolerant world needs more Pocos," Howard said, "because he treats everyone with dignity and respect. If we had more Pocos, the world would be a better place."

A graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology with a lifelong love of electronics and putting stuff together, Sloss got into the computer business after three years at a local brokerage firm.

"I was no good at selling stocks," he said, explaining that he was too empathetic to work with investors who were entrusting their hard-earned savings to him.

So when an offer came to go into what was then the fledgling computer business, Sloss joined friends in buying a ComputerLand franchise. The business grew, and he bought out his partners and eventually was a co-founder of Bellwether Technology Corp., an information-technology services provider. He has been its CEO since 1988.

It's a serious business, and Sloss is serious about it. But he goes through life as Poco, not Lynes.

Poco, which is Spanish for "a little bit," was a nickname he got in childhood from his father because he was born six weeks early and weighed only slightly more than 4 pounds.

The nickname stuck, said Sloss, adding that he started using it full-time when he was in seventh grade and hasn't been called Lynes in 10 years.

He grew up watching parades at friends' houses along St. Charles Avenue, but he said he never entertained visions of royalty when he was watching the colorful floats roll past.

Instead, Sloss said bluntly, "I wanted beads. I wanted to figure out how to get (riders') attention to get some beads."

A 34-year member of the Rex organization who has been chairman of the ball for the past seven years, Sloss has ridden on the Boeuf Gras float and, resplendent in a golden lieutenant's costume, on horseback.

Riding on the float was better, he said, because his equestrian role put him between purple- and gold-clad lieutenants.

"They're right next to the crowd," Sloss said. "The middle's kinda isolating."

But on a float, "You're right there at the crowd; there's a ton of interaction," he said. "It's amazing."

Pointing to a spot in his backyard, Sloss said: "Somebody as far away as that tree out there catches your eye, you communicate with your eyes, and they point at something, and you try to throw something to them.

"I don't know how many times I've tried to throw something to someone on the street, or on a ladder and you miss two or three times. And then, you're, I'm gonna get it to them. And they get it and give you a big thumbs up. It's more intimate than you would think."

By tradition, Rex does not throw anything to the masses. Being careful to keep his legs together, the bewigged and tunic-clad monarch sits on his throne, beaming and acknowledging the adulation of the masses along the six-mile route.

"My friends tell me that I'm not going to believe how fast it goes by," Sloss said. "I will be shocked if I don't think it's one of the best days of my life."

After the parade, the ball, the ritual meeting of the courts of Rex and Comus and the Queens' Supper, the Slosses are heading to Florida for a few days, he said, "and I'll make the hike from the great elevation back to the ground."

Sloss, who also is an instrument-rated pilot, hunter, fisher and dirt-bike rider, is "always ready for the next adventure," Leopold said, "whether it's in the air or on land or sea."
A Folsom man was convicted Friday (Feb. 9) of attempted molestation of a juvenile and a sex crime involving a victim under 13, the North Shore district attorney's office said.

Todd Bennett, 30, faces a sentence of 25 to 99 years in prison when he appears March 27 before state Judge Richard A. Swartz Jr., according to a news release from District Attorney Warren Montgomery's office.

Bennett had been charged with two counts of aggravated rape, but the jury found him not guilty on one of the counts and found him guilty of attempted molestation of a juvenile on the other count. He was found guilty as charged on the other sex crime charge.

Bennett began abusing the victim when she was 10 to 12 years old and he was 18 to 20, authorities said.

On multiple occasions through the years, Bennett touched her genitals, forced her to touch him, and once tried to rape her, the news release said. The victim testified during trial that Bennett twice forced her to perform oral sex on him, it said.

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She said she was afraid to tell anyone because Bennett had made threats.

As a teenager, the victim confided in a boyfriend about some of the abuse, and the boyfriend confronted Bennett on Thanksgiving Day in 2012, according to the DA's office. That's when the victim's parents learned about the abuse and contacted police.

Bennett fled St. Tammany Parish and wasn't arrested until July 2014, when he was picked up in Arkansas on a St. Tammany warrant.

Assistant District Attorneys Jay Adair and Becky Jo Hollen prosecuted the case.
Coming off a six weeks of rain, and coming into what appears to be the beginning of the dog days, its time to change your fishing strategy if you plan to catch fish the rest of the summer.
When someone is deaf, a conventional smoke detector isnt going to cut it, especially in the overnight hours when that person is asleep.

But thanks to a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Administration, a good portion of the 5,500 people with hearing loss in the city of Cape Coral will receive fire alarms designed to accommodate their needs.

The Cape Coral Fire Department has been awarded a $188,572 grant from FEMA for an outreach campaign to increase home fire safety for the citys deaf and hard of hearing community. The CCFD will contribute an additional $9,428, making the total amount available for the project $198,000.

That will be enough for the CCFD to purchase about 1,200 smoke detectors, which will be installed in the homes of residents with hearing impairment, as well as for seniors and others with low income.

Fire Marshal Dave Raborn said he attended a community risk reduction class in Maryland at the National Fire Academy.

One of the assignments was finding a risk in the community. I read Census information and one thing that jumped out at me was that there were 5,500 hearing-impaired citizens in Cape Coral, Raborn said. It got me thinking. I did a questionnaire and sent it out to all the hearing centers in the city and had their clients fill it out.

It was discovered that many of these clients had no smoke detectors. After more work, he brought it to the city and applied for a grant with FEMA last year.

The first attempt failed, which Raborn attributed to thinking too small. This year, he tried again, asking for 1,000 alarms rather than 100, and this time it was a success.

During the bidding process, a company came back and reduced the price so they were able to buy an additional 200 units, Raborn said.

The CCFD did a demonstration of these specialized alarms for the media on Wednesday at Fire Station No. 8, featuring a sign language interpreter from the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Center to help relay the information.

Raborn said these alarms work off the existing smoke detector. These alarms utilize bed shakers, strobe lights and a low-tone signal to warn those who cant hear audible alarms of fire danger.

Most fire fatalities occur between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. while people are asleep. Three out of five home fire deaths happen from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarm, which cut the risk of dying in reported home fires in half.

This grant emphasizes the importance of proper installation and use of special smoke alarms for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Thanks to the grant, the CCFD will be able to install these life-saving alarms in qualifying Cape Coral homes free of charge.

A lot of these people needed them and couldnt afford them. If we save one life, its worth every penny and all the effort were putting into it, Raborn said.

Participation in this program is voluntary and is offered to persons who meet the Americans with Disabilities Act definition of qualified individual with a disability in regards to being deaf or hard of hearing.

The alarms will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis to qualified individuals who submit an application along with all appropriate paperwork.

Applications can be found on the CCFD website at www.capecoral.net/fire or by calling 242-3264.
Elements of the 164th Air Defense Artillery Brigade will be conducting air defense training in the vicinity of Buckingham Airfield today and through the weekend, Feb. 9-11.

According to a release from the Florida National Guard, residents can expect to see military vehicles transitioning to the area and an increased amount of non-military aircraft flying overhead.
Bishop Reuben Kisembo has once again told President Yoweri Museveni to consider retiring for the good of the country, attracting a tough response from the country's number one citizen.



Museveni was in Fort Portal today, Saturday to preside over the commissioning of St Elizabeth Chapel at Kyebambe Girls' School, one of the oldest missionary schools in the region.

Bishop Reuben Kisembo (L) shakes hands with President Museveni

It all started when the Ruwenzori Diocese bishop in his speech thanked Museveni for the achievements in the last 30 years he has been president. Bishop Kisembo cited peace, Universal Primary and Secondary Education and construction of roads.

The bishop then told Museveni to retire peacefully and give a chance to Ugandans to witness a peaceful transfer of power for the good of the country and for his own good.

As Kisembo spoke Museveni took notes in his handbook. Bishop Kisembo also told the president that it was unfortunate that parliament had amended the constitution and removed the presidential age limits.



"Mr president it is unfortunate that the age limits were removed. However, you should prepare for a peaceful transfer of power. Kindly, do not deny the people of Uganda such an opportunity," Bishop Kisembo said amidst cheers from the congregation.



After his speech, Kisembo shook hands with the president. In his response, Museveni said that he does not need lectures on what to do for Uganda. Museveni said that religious leaders have for a long time been provoking him through their comments.



"The religious leaders have been provoking us and me in particular, it should stop. I don't want people to lecture me about what to do for Uganda. A person who wants to lecture me must have the qualifications," Museveni said.



Museveni also told the congregation that leaders should have a disciplined way of addressing issues, saying that it was wrong for Bishop Kisembo to talk about politics at a fundraising event.



"There is time for everything, I have come for a fundraising. There should be a disciplined way of interacting," Museveni said.



Museveni contributed Shs 300 million for the completion of the chapel estimated to cost Shs 3 billion.



Bishop Kisembo has been among religious leaders who were openly critical of the move by parliament to amend Article 102(b) of the Constitution which removed the lower and upper age caps for president and local council leaders.

Before the amendment through the Constitution Amendment Act 2017, which was passed on December 20, 2017 and assented to a week later, the law capped the age of the president at 35 and 75 years.
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NEWS BLOCKS:

A Record Year for Hotels in Cyprus

The Cyprus Tourism Organization (CTO) has published the islands results for 2017. According to it, Cyprus enjoyed a record year, reaching the growth in the number of tourist arrivals by 14.6% compared to 2016. During 12 months of 2017, the number of foreign tourist arrivals exceeded 3.6 million, which is significantly higher than in 2016 (3.1 million).



Tourists from the UK make up a significant share of foreign visitors as more than one million arrivals (1,253,839) were from this country. That is 8.6% higher than in 2016. As of December 2017, the UK and Greece were the main source countries for Cyprus  their portion in the total number of international arrivals is 28.5% and 14.1% respectively. The third and fourth places are occupied by Russia and Israel  they provided 12.4% and 10.2% of total arrivals.



In December 2017, the number of tourist arrivals from the United Kingdom added 8.0% to 28,218, which is significantly higher than the result of December 2016  26,120. The number of tourist arrivals from Greece added 6.9%. Arrivals from Russia were mostly flat and added only 1%, but tourists from Israel were significantly more interested in having a vacation on Cyprus in December  the increase in tourist arrivals from this country estimated 38.7%. Tourist arrivals from Lebanon declined slightly, by 1.4%.



What are the main purposes of visiting Cyprus? The CTO has an answer to this question as well. Based on December 2017 data, more than a half of respondents (51.4%) stated holiday as their primary purpose of the trip. More than a third of foreign visitors, 36.2%, arrived in order to visit their friends and family members. Finally, 12.4% of respondents visited Cyprus for business purposes. Women visited Cyprus slightly more often than men (53.3% vs 46.7%). Also, most of the visitors are young  their age ranges from 20 to 44.



Not surprisingly, July was the most profitable month for Cyprus hotels and tourist infrastructure as the total number of foreign arrivals reached 531,000 (482,132 in July 2016). In August, there were slightly fewer tourist arrivals  523,651. However, more visitors from the UK visited Cyprus in August. In July, the number of tourist arrivals from this country was 176,880, and in August it was 185,831. The CTO is delighted with the results and hopes that this year even more visitors will enjoy a vacation on Cyprus. The island really has much to offer  64 magnificent Blue Flag beaches, delicious cuisine, cultural heritage, and national hospitality.

10.02.2018Stay in touch with the latest news of a worldwide hotel industry. All up-to-date analytics, reports , and news about hotel business trends on OrangeSmile.com.
Reed College President John Kroger will leave his post at the end of June after six years running one of the nation's most prestigious liberal arts colleges, the school said late Friday.

A former U.S. Marine, federal prosecutor and Oregon attorney general, Kroger leaves after a contentious year on the famously liberal, activist campus. But Roger Perlmutter, chairman of Reed's board of trustees, said Kroger's tenure achieved the goals the Southeast Portland college set out for him back in 2012.

"It's been from every perspective an enormously successful time for the college," said Perlmutter, president of Merck Research Laboratories in New Jersey and a member of Reed's Class of 1973.

In a letter to the campus community Friday, Perlmutter highlighted new academic programs, a more diverse faculty, growth in student applications, stronger student financial aid packages, improvement in campus facilities and growth in Reed's endowment  from $457 million when Kroger began to $560 million at the end of the December.

Reed declined to make Kroger, 51, available for an interview, and Perlmutter said he didn't know what the college's outgoing president will do next. He said that Kroger and the college had discussed extending his time as president, but that Kroger notified trustees recently that he had decided to move on.

A recent study by the American Council on Education found that six years is a typical tenure for a college president. Reed paid Kroger $445,532 in total compensation in 2016, according to the most recently available federal tax filings.

In a letter to Reed's community Friday, Kroger wrote that, "Reed in many ways is stronger than ever, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have served with you."

Perlmutter said that Reed will likely appoint an interim president for next school year, likely from within the current administration, while it conducts a search for Kroger's replacement.

Reed is a small, private school, with about 1,450 students, and is regularly cited on lists of the top liberal arts colleges. Annual tuition is $53,900, but Reed says 51 percent of students receive financial assistance and the average aid package is $43,306.

Famous for strong academics and a freewheeling campus life  embodied by its annual, boisterous Renn Fayre celebration, Reed also nurtures a culture of student activism. That has sometimes strained relations among students and between students, faculty and the administration.

Last fall, for example, students protesting racism and Reed investments in Wells Fargo, staged a lengthy occupation of Kroger's office. While Kroger said he welcomed the peaceful protest, the occupation grew contentious when the school sent some students a "no-contact order" barring them from contacting some staff members.

And in November, Reed made national news when The Atlantic reported on protests over a required humanities class that some students claimed "perpetuates white supremacy." Students and some alumni complained online about how Kroger and the school reacted to this year's protests.

As it searches for its next president, Perlmutter said Reed's trustees and faculty will be looking for someone to "continue along the trajectory that John Kroger established." And he said the school will seek to draw from an increasingly diverse pool of potential candidates in college and university administration.

Perlmutter said he expects no shortage of candidates who will embrace Reed's culture of student activism.

"Almost anyone who is eager to take the helm of Reed College, a very special institution, is going to be someone who thrives in an environment where ... ideas are debated and there is a culture of challenging conventional thinking," he said.

-- Mike Rogoway; twitter: @rogoway; 503-294-7699
Update 8:23 a.m. Saturday

A man died Friday after police say he appeared to have steered his bike into the path of an oncoming semi-truck along U.S. 101.

Micah Carmen Rodriguez, 25, of Brookings was identified as the victim of the crash by Oregon State Police Saturday morning.

The crash occurred around 12:20 p.m. Friday near milepost 350 in Curry County, according to Oregon State Police. Rodriguez died after being flown to Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford.

The driver of the semi-truck, 57-year-old Robert Bailey of Coos Bay, wasn't injured, police said. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

-- Everton Bailey Jr.

ebailey@oregonian.com

503-221-8343; @EvertonBailey
The teenage boy accused of setting the Columbia River Gorge ablaze last summer most likely will get community service and probation, not an extended stay in one of the state's juvenile prisons, if he enters a plea next week as expected.

The harshest part of the penalty mostly likely will be an order to pay restitution, which could easily be in the tens of millions of dollars, though he probably would be able to cover only a tiny fraction of the costs.

The Vancouver teen, who was 15 at the time a witness reported seeing him throw a "smoke bomb" into the bone-dry brush along the Eagle Creek trail, is set to appear before a Hood River County Circuit Court judge.

Under juvenile rules, his probation could last a maximum of five years, say experts familiar with the juvenile justice system.

If the judge does decide to sentence him to juvenile detention, it probably would be for no more than eight days. Although sending the teen to one of the state's juvenile correctional facilities for a year or possibly more is an option, legal observers say that's a highly unlikely outcome.

The Oregonian/OregonLive spoke to several legal authorities who reviewed the case but asked not to be named because of the sensitive nature of the case.

Police and prosecutors have withheld the teenager's name, saying he and his family faced an immediate and virulent outpouring of condemnation on social media after detectives announced that they had a suspect in the fire. They said they were worried about his safety and have released few details of the investigation since.

Before charging him last fall, the Hood River County District Attorney's Office had the option of pursuing felony first-degree arson charges in adult court that could have resulted in a mandatory 7  year prison term under Measure 11.

But among other lesser crimes, prosecutors decided to charge him with misdemeanor reckless burning. By its very definition, that crime indicates that prosecutors believe the teen didn't mean to start the fire. Rather, the charge acknowledges their belief that he ignited the blaze by his reckless actions.

The 48,000-acre blaze racked up a firefighting bill of at least $20 million, not including extensive restoration that will take years to complete.

The judge is obligated under state law to order that the teen pay the full amount of restitution, experts say, though it will be virtually impossible for the teen to earn that kind of money in his lifetime.

He will be obligated to pay for the next 50 years, under state law. The Oregon Department of Revenue could garnish his bank accounts or paychecks. If he's due refunds on his tax returns, the state could take those. If he wins the lottery, the state also could collect all of his winnings.

He could work out a payment plan with the court. They're relatively common. One example is a 23-year-old Warm Springs woman who purposely started a brush fire in central Oregon in 2013 to give her "bored" firefighter friends something to do.

She likely will be on the hook for restitution for the rest of her life. The fire spread to more than 51,000 acres. A judge in 2014 ordered Sadie Renee Johnson to start paying the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs $7.9 million in installments of $50 per month.

Oregon law, ORS 30.765, states that parents can be held liable for up to $7,500 for any intentional or reckless act of their children that has harmed people or property. But the law carries a kicker: It appears to allow $7,500 to be collected per "claimant."

Attorneys contacted by The Oregonian/OregonLive said that could mean that any of the thousands of people affected by the Eagle Creek fire could seek $7,500 a piece from the Vancouver teen's parents.

Oregon's juvenile justice system is designed to give minors second chances.

Advocates for juvenile justice system reform said the teen's likely sentence is the type of "consequence" most likely to teach him a lesson and redirect his behavior.

They contend convicting juveniles of felonies in the adult system or incarcerating them can do more harm than good because adolescent brains havent fully developed and young offenders have a greater chance of learning from their mistakes than adults.

Some critics, however, argue that the light-handed touch has been a failure, with Oregon floundering under high rates of juvenile drug offenses and property crimes.

But Bobbin Singh, executive director of the Oregon Justice Resource Center, said he's seen youths who have completely turn their lives around after committing terrible crimes.

Yet, if they were convicted in the adult system as a juvenile and have a felony record, they can have difficulty getting a job or housing, he said. That hinders their progress, he said.

"Do we want to create this second-class citizen at such a young age?" Singh said.

Because the teen accused of setting the Eagle Creek fire is being prosecuted in the juvenile system, his conviction record will be sealed and it won't be available to future colleges or employers.

Jim Ryan of The Oregonian/OregonLive staff contributed to this report.

-- Aimee Green
It's a sad day to be a Duck.

A storied University of Oregon-area bar announced that its closing tradition of blaring Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" for a parting sing-along will include 100 percent less standing on benches due to "atrocious" behavior by patrons over the last few years.

New Max's Tavern owner Ward Fairbairn announced the end to the ritual on Facebook, saying some doofus had tossed "glassware" at another patron recently, knocking the person unconscious.

"We are done with this. There is no more standing on the benches whatsoever. The behavior the last few years has been atrocious. We cannot operate in this manner anymore," the post read.

This comes as the Register-Guard reports that the bar is also the defendant of a $3.7-million lawsuit by a Eugene-area musician who says he suffered severe cuts after a bartender asked him to separate a metal drink shaker and a pint glass, shattering the latter.

Max's has long been a closing-time destination for UO students  it's not uncommon to see lines extending to Patterson Street from the front door on weekend evenings and queues snaking from the rear entrance through the back alley, as well.

Bartenders typically alternate between Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" and Semisonic's "Closing Time" after the Diamond tune plays out, signaling the fact that folks don't have to go home, but they can't stay at the bar much longer. The accommodating sing-alongs to those 20th-century bangers will also be slightly less vertical now that the floor is the only acceptable standing area in the building.

Here's some footage of people following the rules and closing the night out with full bench privileges back in October:

A post shared by Dj Kenny Tekneek (@djkennytekneek) on Oct 31, 2017 at 9:46am PDT

R.I.P. in peace to the tradition.

--Eder Campuzano | 503.221.4344

ecampuzano@oregonian.com
Sen. Jeff Kruse, the subject of a damning sexual harassment investigation, likely will not return to the Oregon Capitol before he leaves office, an official said Friday.

Kruse tendered a resignation Thursday that doesn't take effect until after the remaining four weeks of this year's legislative session are over. That raised the prospect he would continue to interact with female colleagues and staffers at the Capitol. Not so.

"Our understanding is that he will not be in the building, nor will he be attending [Senate] floor sessions," Tayleranne Gillespie, spokeswoman for the Senate Republicans, told The Oregonian/OregonLive Friday.

Still, lawmakers have work to do to make the Capitol a more hospitable workplace for women, said Sen. Sara Gelser, D-Corvallis, one of many women an investigator concluded Kruse touched inappropriately.

Kruse announced his resignation days after the publication of the damaging report concluded he had sexually harassed or groped many women at the Capitol, including four lawmakers. The investigation was sparked by formal written complaints from Gelser and Sen. Elizabeth Steiner Hayward, D-Portland.

The delay in the effectiveness of Kruse's resignation lets the Roseburg Republican and officeholder for 22 years collect his lawmaker's salary while sitting out the legislative session at home.

The day before he announced he'd quit, Kruse was adamant that he would not resign. However, he agreed to stay away from the Capitol until the date of a hearing on the sexual harassment investigation, planned for later this month. Kruse came back to the building Thursday, however, to submit his resignation papers and collect some personal items from his office.

It's unclear if the Senate Conduct Committee will still convene a hearing to assess the investigation and possibly recommend the full Senate discipline Kruse. Beaverton Democrat Sen. Mark Hass, the committee chairman, did not return a request for information about the committee's meeting scheduled for Feb. 22. As of late Friday afternoon, the four-member panel was still scheduled to meet on that date.

Though he'll have no official duties for the rest of the legislative session, Kruse, 66, will collect his legislative pay of $1,964 per month and a $142 per day allowance given to all lawmakers.

Once his resignation takes effect, the commissioners of Curry, Coos, Douglas, Jackson and Josephine counties, which Kruse's district overlaps, will appoint his replacement from nominees selected by local representatives of the Republican Party.

Gelser, the Corvallis Democrat who formally accused Kruse of inappropriate touching, said Capitol officials must do more to make the building a safe workplace. In an interview Thursday, she said the system for handling reports of sexual harassment is too slow to respond and does not ensure good outcomes for accusers.

Gelser and Steiner Hayward first reported Kruse's unwanted touching to legislative legal and human resources officials nearly two years ago.

"My issue is let's have a safe workplace. Let's fix this process," Gelser said. She added, "We have so much work to do."

Accusations against Kruse first went public in October, after women from all walks of life began to speak up about sexual harassment as part of the #MeToo movement. Sexual misconduct allegations have been made against 41 state officials, and Kruse is the 12th nationwide to announce he is resigning because of them, according to Ballotpedia.org, a website that tracks American politics.

-- Gordon R. Friedman

503-221-8209; @GordonRFriedman
Volunteers and staff packed a container full of medical supplies destined for Ukraine in Tigard Friday morning.

Medical Teams donated just over $900,000 worth of crutches, gauze, diapers, towels, diabetic needles, syringes, wheelchairs and more that will go to hospitals and clinics across Ukraine. The organization got the supplies from manufacturers, hospitals and individual donors.

Troutdale-based Ukrainian immigrant Valery Shkurinsky has for the third year organized the delivery in a partnership between Emmanuel Mercy Mission and Medical Teams International.

Ukraine is nearly the the fourth year of an armed conflict with separatists in Eastern Ukraine who've proclaimed independent republics. That conflict has drained the country's resources, Shkurinsky said, and already-impoverished areas are in serious need of basic medical supplies. That's what prompted him, as president of Emmanuel Mercy Mission, to organize the first shipment three years ago.

The container's next stop is Seattle's port. From there it will head by sea to Shanghai, where it will switch ships and continue to Ukraine's port city in the Black Sea, Odessa. It's expected to arrive April 11. From there, Shkurinsky's local contact will take over distributing supplies to Ukrainian hospitals.

-- Fedor Zarkhin

503-294-7674; @fedorzarkhin
A Southeast Portland convenience store owner who paid customers 50 cents for every dollar that they had coming to them in welfare benefits has been sentenced to nearly two years in prison.

Investigators said Nasr Iskander operated his minimart at a Shell gas station on Southeast Powell Boulevard like an ATM by allowing card-carrying recipients in the government's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to receive cash instead of food.

Iskander might charge $200 worth of phantom food to a recipients benefits card, then hand that person back $100 in cash, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Iskander, in turn, would pocket $100 for himself.

Over 3  years, Iskander swindled the state out of $189,000 meant to buy food for low-income Oregonians. But his customers also were willing participants in Iskanders scheme.

Prosecutors believe the customers learned of Iskanders set-up through word of mouth, and they showed up in droves around the first days of the month, right after the state would recharge their SNAP cards.

Investigators with the Oregon Department of Human Services, which administers the benefits program, built their case against Iskander by watching as recipients entered Iskanders store at 16331 S.E. Powell Blvd., were rung up for large dollar amounts of food, then left carrying no groceries.

Investigators also found data showing that he was selling unusually high dollar amounts of food to welfare recipients. A convenience store across the street from Iskanders charged an average of $6.50 per transaction to welfare recipients accounts, while Iskander charged an average of $29 per transaction.

When Iskander, 39, was arrested, he claimed the sales were legitimate. He explained that the high dollar amounts were due to a large amount of Egyptian cheese and pita bread that customers were buying, according to a probable cause affidavit.

The Oregonian/OregonLive this week asked the Department of Human Services for statistics on food stamp fraud by store owners. A spokeswoman for the department said analysts would need more time to gather such data.

Prosecutions in the metro area are relatively rare.

Robert Crow, Iskanders defense attorney, said hes worked on a few cases, but they have involved representing the customers who used their benefits cards to get cash instead of food.

Crow said SNAP card holders often use the cash to buy what the food stamps program wont allow: drugs or alcohol.

Crow said although his client must pay back the state $189,000, he might have pocketed only half of that because the other half walked out the door with the card holders.

While declining to specifically talk about Iskanders case, Crow said the crime of a store owner cashing out SNAP cards is often a crime of desperation.

I think a lot of the time, the store merchant is in dire straits: Ive got bills to pay, my store is failing. Ive got to do something, Crow said. No one is getting rich off of this type of crime.

Iskander pleaded guilty to first-degree aggravated theft, unlawfully obtaining public assistance and unlawfully using a food stamp benefit. He was sentenced in Multnomah County Circuit Court to 22 months last Friday.

As part of his plea agreement, Iskander made his first big payment back to the state: $50,000.

A relative -- Karima Meshreki Hanna, 53 -- is jointly responsible for paying back the money because she worked at the store and took part in the scheme.

Last year, she pleaded guilty to aggravated first-degree theft and first-degree theft. As part of an agreement that included her cooperation in testifying against Iskander, she was sentenced to 90 days in jail and five years of probation.

Prosecutor Ryan Lufkin said she played a much smaller role in the theft than Iskander.

-- Aimee Green
The News-Press reports: The story of Daniel A. Bernath, 68, killed in the crash of his private plane in Bonita Springs, Florida, on Jan. 22, has a long and winding legal path through several states including disbarment, accusations of falsely claiming military honors and a previous plane crash.

Bernath, who lived in Fort Myers, walked away from a September 2013 plane crash after he said his plane ran out of fuel in the skies above Oregon. Read more here from the News-Press.

In 2010, a federal magistrate in Portland ordered Social Security lawyer Daniel A. Bernath to undergo anger-management counseling after an altercation with a judge on a downtown Portland elevator last spring.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul J. Papak found Bernath guilty of disorderly conduct for the March 31 dust-up with Dan R. Hyatt, a judge in Social Security's disability hearing office. Read more here.

-- Staff and wire reports
Dion McKenzie, aka TYGAPAW, is a multi-hyphenate creative (DJ, designer, producer, party promoter) who has created some of the most inclusive parties in NYC nightlife. In addition to graduating from the Parsons School of Design, the Jamaica native is also a self-taught music producer known for her emotional club bangers that lend themselves to the queer, inclusive spaces she's created through parties like Fake Accent and Shottas. We caught up with McKenzie to talk about dancehall's crossover into mainstream music, male-dominated nightlife spaces and what it means to make it as an immigrant in today's America:

Has music always played a big role in your life? When did you know it was something you wanted to pursue full-time?



Yes it has. I think my earliest memory was when I sang Whitney Houston's "The Greatest Love of All" to my family on Christmas when I was around 5 or 6. I knew the lyrics word for word. Even though I wasn't sure why at that point, I understood at that age that music was powerful and it meant a lot to me. It's been a consistent source of therapy my whole life. A lot of my journey has been driven by a ton of self-motivation, being my own mentor, and finding my way without much support. But that changed when I came to NYC in 2002. I met some amazing like-minded people who saw my potential, believed in my vision, and supported me along the way. With this support and friends encouraging me, I gained the confidence to pursue music as a career path. Just recently, I began practicing where I direct my creative energy. It's important to me to focus on projects that I am truly passionate about, and to work with positive people .

Nightlife (and music) can be such a male-dominated space. How have you coped with that?

There were so many times where I reached out to a male DJ friend, asking them if they had any open slots at their parties that I could play. They always gave me the run around, the "soon come" response, and then I would find out that they gave the spot to one of their male friends. That blatant patriarchal structure is why I started my own party called Fake Accent in 2014. That's pretty much how I coped, by starting my own thing.

It definitely wasn't an easy thing to do, but I felt it was necessary if I ever wanted to play outside of my bedroom! It's wild to look back and realize how difficult it was just to start Fake Accent. In the beginning I visited several bars inquiring about doing my party there, but I would get the default response to email them, and when I did, I'd get no response. Finally one venue responded with a yes, and that's all it takes, just one yes, and that was the beginning of Fake Accent.

What goes into curating a party? How do you decide who to book?

For me it's about creating the right vibe, and the right vibe is whatever makes folks enjoy themselves and forget about their troubles for a moment. That usually involves music that compels the body to move involuntarily.

One of my major objectives is to create an intentional space that promotes inclusivity. I aim to select DJs based on skill and talent and not based on how many social media followers they have, since that rarely has anything to do with actual talent! I do my research, I look into DJs that my friends recommend and then I'll find out the next time they will be playing and I'll go check out their set. If I can't help but "carry" on the dance floor during their set, then that person is on my radar after that. There's no substitute for seeing someone play live. That's pretty much how I make my decision on which DJs I want to book.





The climate under the new US administration makes representation feel more vital than ever, but it's always been an issue. How does being queer and being an immigrant from Jamaica inform your work?

My road as an immigrant in the US has been a very long, winding, obstacle-riddled one. I lost a big chunk of my ability to be creatively productive in my twenties due to immigration. Most of the time people are unaware that as a queer black immigrant, I've had to start from scratch, from zero, with little to no support. I've had to work extremely hard to get myself out of the immigration black hole to get to this place where I've built something out of nothing.

I wish people were more aware of how restrictive life can be here as an immigrant. It's especially difficult as a queer artist of color, where all you desire is the freedom to speak freely and openly and express yourself through your work without limitations. One thing that has helped me to get from point A to B is patience. My whole life here has felt like one big deadline after the other. What has really helped me not spontaneously combust from all the pressure, is the feeling that time stands still when I create music. For that moment when I'm creating, I'm not affected by the external. I hold onto those affirming moments when it feels like everything will be alright, knowing I've been through the worse, so it's only up from here.

Shottas is your other party. What are the differences between the two parties, and where did the names come from?

Unfortunately Shottas is no more due to some unresolved issues, it was a good run though. I'm starting a new party under Fake Accent called No Badmind which picks up where Shottas left off. No Badmind is an inclusive club space and platform for Queer and Trans Caribbeans, who are often the most underrepresented and misrepresented group of the LGBTQ community due to the lack of genuine safe spaces and platforms. No Badmind's mission is to rectify all this by providing an authentic queer Caribbean club experience which promotes good vibes and inclusivity.

Jamaican music has been a major player on the world stage of music for a long time, and dancehall in particular has been a popular sound this year in mainstream hip-hop. What's it like to see other cultures interacting with your country's music? Does it feel exciting or appropriative?

It's cool that people love our culture and the music we produce. But what's not cool is taking from and capitalizing on our culture for personal gain and not giving credit to those who have built and represent the culture you are appropriating and claim to love so much. Erasure is a very big problem when it comes to "borrowing" from dancehall. For example, when I hear Assassin's voice on a hip hop feature, giving the illest hook  which made the track in my opinion  and then I check the track credits and his name is MIA, then I know something is very wrong there. I love when dancehall artists and hip-hop artists collaborate, but dancehall artists need to be credited and paid for their work on these top 40 tracks that they contribute their powerful voices to. So this erasure that occurs with appropriation is what I hope will change.

What do you wish people understood about Jamaica? And, do you go back often?

Jamaica is a beautiful country, but I wish we owned that beauty. I wish that beautiful island belonged to us. I wish my country and people weren't indebted. As for me visiting home, you have to have coin in order to travel to Jamaica. I wish I had the coin to go back often. That brings me to the fact that I've sacrificed a lot in order to do what I love for a living, and one of those sacrifices is not being able to visit my homeland as often as I would like. In this line of work you are constantly being tried in regards to getting paid what you're worth, especially if you are black, queer and a womxn. It's an industry that thrives on black culture but doesn't value the people who create the culture. But to answer your question, I would definitely book a flight to JA if I got paid more coin for my work! Where are the reparations? We can start there.

What's your vision for the community you've created in New York?

For disenfranchised and marginalized communities to have the opportunity to thrive. For folks to show more love, support, and consideration for each other. For all black creatives to have a seat at the table, or at least gain access to resources to build our own table and sit there. I just want everyone I love to thrive, and I hope that I can continue to provide platforms that help to elevate my community.

What other projects do you have coming up in the pipeline?

I released my first EP this past November and I'm working on a performance piece for it, which I'll be presenting March 18th at Larrie Gallery in New York. I'm currently collaborating with photographer and filmmaker Ward Roberts on a short film visual representation of Love Thyself, which will premiere before the performance. The next No Badmind will be on my birthday, February 24 at Mood Ring, so I'm really looking forward to that. I'm also aiming to release more music this year. Fake Accent's four year anniversary is coming up in the spring. We'll be releasing Volume 2 of the Yin Yang compilation which will be available for purchase on our bandcamp. After that, I'm going on tour in Europe in May and then back for my residency at Pioneer Works in Red Hook, Brooklyn in July.

Photography: Tonje Thilesen

Art Direction and Styling: Phil Gomez

HMU: Aya Tariq
Patna: Firebrand Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Union Minister Giriraj Singh is in hot water after police in Bihar lodged a case against him and 32 others in a case involving illegal capture of 2.56-acre of land owned by a man in Danapur.

The FIR, lodged with the Danapur police station back in September last year, alleges that Singh, the Union Minister for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, along with 32 other men, had illegally captured land of one Ram Narayan Prasad, age 68, in Asopur village near Danapur.

However, after failing to get any response from the police, Prasad knocked the door of the Special Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe court in Patna last week that directed the Danapur police to re-open the case.

As expected, Singh, an MP from Nawada, denied allegations saying he found out about the FIR through a tweet by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) de facto President Tejaswi Yadav.

"I know Tejaswi Yadav is behind this smear campaign against me but I have nothing to hide and I will cooperate with the investigation to prove my innocence.

Seizing the moment, Yadav, who faces a host of corruption charges himself involving illegal acquisition of properties to the tune of several crore rupees, demanded Singh's resignation saying the BJP minister should be sacked and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who walked out of the Grand Alliance to show his moral high ground on corruption issues, should also resign from his post on the same moral high ground.

"Giriraj Singh is the same man who was caught with several crore rupees in unaccounted money a few years ago. If Nitish Kumar can break alliance with the RJD and Congress following charges of corruption against some members of the coalition then he should also resign from the NDA government after the revelation of case against the BJP minister," the former Deputy Chief Minister said adding Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, who has a history of holding press conferences to accuse others of corruption, was yet to make any comment on charges against the Nawada MP.
Patna: Patna'ites welcomed the introduction of high-speed Duranto Express between Howrah and Delhi that made its first ever stop at Patna Junction on Friday in the presence of several top East-Central railways officials.

As the train prepared to change its pilots who had steered the superfast train from Howrah to Patna in a record time, officials at Patna Junction on Platform No. 4 gave warm send-off to the new pilot R K P Singh and his assistant R K Kashyap wishing them a safe and enjoyable journey to the nation's capital.

Howrah-Delhi Duranto Express train number 12273 will pass through Patna twice a week, officials said.

It will leave Howrah at 8:35 am on Mondays and Fridays reaching Patna the same day at 4:30 pm. From Patna, it will leave ten minutes later at 4:40 pm arriving at New Delhi railway station next day at 6:25 am after making brief stops in Mughalsarai and Kanpur.

On its return from Delhi, the train would leave the nation's capital on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 12:55 pm reaching Patna at 12:50 am the next morning. After a halt of 10 minutes, it would leave Patna Junction at 1:00 am reaching Howrah at 10:40 am.
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Finance Minister Mr Ken Ofori-Atta is leading a government delegation on a study tour of the financial sector of Hong Kong and Singapore.



The tour, from February 9-14, 2018, is in line with Ghanas vision of becoming a world class financial hub in the sub-region.



A statement issued by the Public Relations Unit of the Ministry of Finance, said the Delegation would also undertake a Non-Deal road show with the view of building awareness of new business opportunities in Ghana and to attract Asian fund holders to invest in Ghana bonds.



The road show will therefore afford the delegation the opportunity to study best practices to inform Ghanas policies and programmes for the financial sector.



In the 2018 Budget Statement and Economic Policy, Government gave a strong indication to take steps to position Ghana as the financial services hub in the sub region.



A taskforce was set up to, among other things; ensure that Ghana became the preferred headquarters of all banks operating in the sub-region and the hub of financial technology and payment systems for the region.



Mr Ofori-Atta also indicated in the budget statement that the hub would host international private equity and venture capital firms to support entrepreneurship and assess to long term capital by the private sector in the sub-region.



The delegation includes the Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Deputy Ministers of Finance, Energy and Information, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC); the Director General, Securities and Exchange Commission; and officials from the Central Bank and the Ministry of Finance.



Mr Ofori-Atta recognizing the importance of the tour to Asia noted that, Ghana Beyond Aid calls for a rethink of our trajectory, our systems, and our aspirations. We are looking at creating awareness of business opportunities in Ghana as well as whip up interest in our future bonds for a possible Samurai and Panda bond issuance. This requires us to begin onshore education of Ghana and sell a compelling narrative of our growing fiscal strength and budget sobriety"



While there, the delegation will meet with officials in both the public and private sectors, including portfolio/asset managers and hold round table discussions with officials of the Singaporean Finance Ministry, the Central Bank, and the Singapore Stock Exchange.



They will highlight investment opportunities in the financial services sector, ICT, energy, transport infrastructure, especially railway, real estate, agri-business, manufacturing, and industry.



Ghanas economy out performed other Sub-Saharan African Equity Markets on the back of favourable macro-economic prospects and strong investor confidence.



In the current budget, government has many programmes and policy initiatives with incredible potential to transform the countrys economy and achieve a Ghana beyond Aid in the medium to long term.



It is expected that this mission will strengthen Ghana's investment and trade relations and also lay the foundation for the setting up of an Asia Business Council led by GIPC.



A private sector group from Ghana, organized by the GIPC, will also be in Singapore at the same time to explore business opportunities in the Asian Market.

Source: GNA









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OFFICIAL STATEMENT GHANA MEETS NAIJA (BELGUIM EDITION)



UJ Events, Friend Ent and Empire Ent, the Organizers of Ghana Meets Naija (Belgium Edition) regret to inform the public that the event has been cancelled. The event scheduled for 10th February 2018 in Mechelen, Belgium is called-off due to the sudden demise of our sister and music star Ebony Reigns who was listed as one of the headliners of the show.



We are deeply sorry for all inconveniences caused and we hope you can forgive us for this unfortunate situation. Weve made this decision out of respect for Ebony Reign, the family, fans and friends.



Those with pre-sold/online ticket can contact these numbers (+32 488 394 803) (+32 489 502 594) for more info and refund if possible.



Thank you for your co-operation..



Signed









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Hundreds of Ghanaian children of school going age in Hamile in the Lambusie District of the Upper West Region have been spotted engaging in brisk Donkey Cart business across borders during school contact hours.



The children, mostly under 15, have been carrying passengers and heavy loads with donkey carts along the Ghana-Burkina Faso border towns for several years, according to community mrmbers.



It has created more jobs and income opportunities for teeming unemployed young men and women of school going age in Hamile and its neighbouring communities, Ghana News Agency checks have revealed.



The children who are expected to be in school have abandoned education at the blind side of authorities, and now render cross border services for adults with donkey cart services toping the trade.



The GNA monitoring team along the border established that many school going children briskly engage in selling goods, fetching water, carrying sick people to hospital, carrying passengers and fetching sand and firewood at the borders.



They seem to have the full endorsement of their parents and guardians.



Mr Traoare Abubacar, a Donkey Cart driver, told the Ghana News Agency that the success of the community youth depended heavily on the donkey cart business.



"The Donkey Cart business is highly patronised by most people especially traders," he said: "At this place, if you have Donkey Cart you are like someone with a commercial car or jet."



Donkey Cart operations by persons under 18 in Ghana are classified as minors under the laws and therefore forbidden because it is considered as child labour.



Child labour is defined by experts as persons under 18 who engage in activities that deprive their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development.



What makes it easier for children to engage in the Donkey Cart trade in the border communities, perhaps, is that one does not require any license or certificate before starting it.



"Provided your parents can afford a Donkey Cart, you have the liberty to operate it," Abubacar said.

Children between the ages of seven and 11 living in and around the border towns join the trade in a bid to make some money in order to meet their daily basic needs.



The juveniles caught in the brisk business known in the Ghanaian local language - Waali parlance as "Bonga Toriko" - to earn a living at the expense of receiving free education.



Basic education under Ghanas education system is free and compulsory for children aged four to 15 years - the minimum period of schooling needed to ensure that children acquire basic literacy, numeracy and problem solving skills as well as skills for creativity and healthy living.



Ghana government in September 2017, extended free education services to senior high school in order to empower and change many lives of millions of Ghanaians through education, though not including basic education.



Madam Abubakari Salmata, a Parent, defended the trade saying it enabled farmers to participate in the market economy and helped parents to have some money for the education needs of their children.



"Donkeys have reduced the domestic transport burden of women and have created employment to our children," she said: Also travelling in a donkey cart is cheaper and more easily than relying on public transport or motor vehicles.



The business is lucrative that is why parents allow their children to go into it. Imagine taking someone from Ghana crossing to Burkina Faso either with goods or not, the person will pay not less than GHC10.00 for that short distance.



She also noted: Over here we dont see education to be so much important because everything is about money. Since the children are getting money from it, parents see no need for sending them to school.



You will send a child to school and teachers will ask them to pay school or exams fees, if the parents dont have, meaning the child will concentrate on what will give the family money.



When contacted by the GNA, Upper West Regional Director of Education Mr Evans Kpebah said his outfit was not aware of the trending business among Ghanaian children.



He, however, added that he would get in touch with the Lambussie District Director of education for further briefings.



No, it hasnt come to my notice, but I will find out from the director, he said.



Mr Kpeba expressed worry that though the constitution stipulates free compulsory universal basic education, Ghanas inability to enforce the law has been a major concern that ought to be addressed by actors in educaiton.

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.

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The Minority in Parliament walked out of the August House Tuesday afternoon over the cash-for-seat report.



According to them, they just received the 147 page committee's document and could not have gone through the report thoroughly for discussions to be generated.



Parliament today commenced discussions into the cash-for-seat committee's report as it was laid before the house.



The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, held that under the circumstances, his side of the House could not take part in the deliberations.



The Majority in Parliament has however decided to go ahead with the debate and discussions on the report.



The Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei-Kyei Mensah Bonsu, said the Minority MPs refusal to take part in the debate was borne out of their lack of understanding of Parliamentary standing orders.



A 5-member ad hoc committee of Parliament which was set up to investigate extortion allegations against the Ministry of Trade and Industry cleared the sector Minister Alan Kyerematen and his officials of any wrongdoing.



The Minority led by MP for Asawase, Muntaka Mubarak alleged the Ministry took $100, 000 from expatriates to sit close to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during the Ghana Expatriates Business Awards last year.



Some sections of the 146-page report said:  . . After the hearings and the analysis and evaluation of the evidence adduced before it has come to a conclusion that there is no merit in the allegations leveled against the Ministry of Trade and Industry as contained in the motion and which culminated in the setting up of the Special Committee.



The Committee, however, made the following recommendations: That the Controller and Accountant General and the Ministry of Finance should consider in the formulation of the new Regulation of the PFM Act, adequate provision to cater for public private partnership arrangement and emerging or contemporary issues.



That there is a need to have a second look at the recall mechanism and ensure that it is not needlessly invoked at any time because of its mandatory nature in the Constitution. Upon a recall, Mr. Speaker may have to establish that there is a prima facie case and if Mr. Speaker is not satisfied that there is a good reason for the summoning, he may dispense with the meeting. This test is likely to curtail frivolous and vexatious request for a recall.



That the practice of some Members of Parliament trooping to the media to make allegations against highly placed officials must cease.



"The Committee is of the view that Members of Parliament who indulge in such acts ought not to be heard in Parliament if they should thereafter bring those matters before Parliament for Parliament to deliberate on the matter.



'Minority report'



The bi-partisan committee probing the extortion claims was enveloped by controversy when its Minority members decided to prepare and leak a separate report that indicted some persons of interests in the probe, including the Ministry of Trade and the organizers of the awards scheme, the Millennium Excellence Foundation.



The Minority side of the Committee, comprising of Dr. Dominic Ayine and James Avedzi, concluded that, the Ministry of Trade engaged in multiple infractions including breaches of the public financial management law and multiple ethical violations.



It also said the Millennium Excellence Foundation, among other things, presented forged evidence to the Committee.



Dr. Ayine subsequently called for the withdrawal of the already laid report so that a composite report will be presented to Parliament.



Prior to the walkout, there were reports that the Minority was planning to boycott the debate of the report over the matter.

Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Audio Attachment: Listen to Kwesi Pratt Jnr.

Seasoned journalist and Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt has expressed surprise at the sudden unique bond of cordiality between President Nana Akufo-Addo and Ex-President Jerry John Rawlings.



Before becoming President of the Republic, Nana Akufo-Addo was believed to have a bone of contention to pick with the former President politically, and maybe socially as well.



Both individuals were pictured to be unfriendly sharing no congenial relationship with each other, but there have several occasions witnessed by the general public - beginning a few weeks to the 2016 general polls and later after the elections - where President Akufo-Addo and Mr. Rawlings have been spotted exchanging pleasantries to purport they have a unique compatibility.



This is perhaps what boggles Kwesi Pratt's mind as he sought to find out what really has changed to bring about this new friendship between the two.



On Thursday, February 8, 2018, President Akufo-Addo was at Parliament delivering the State of the Nation Address where he indicated that he draws inspiration from the leadership qualities of Mr. Rawlings.



Speaking on Peace FM's Kokrokoo, Kwesi Pratt was surprised at the President statement wondering how come someone who initially had no ties with Mr. Rawlings would today give indication of him being his source of inspiration.



Mr. Pratt, making his submissions on the programme, kept repeating the phrase "Times change" to suggest that today, Mr. Rawlings and Akufo-Addo are almost best of friends because of a new season.



Do remember what NPP members did to me in this country, Ghana? Why have I gone to his (Rawlings) house? But today, your Presidential candidate is saying he is his inspiration. He inspires him (Akufo-Addo). His principles, his fight and so on inspired himToday, your Presidential candidate says JJ Rawlings is his inspiration. Not that he has gone to his house or shaken his hands, hes his inspiration. Times really change!" he said.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Authorities say a prison guard leaving work for the day has shot and critically injured a just-released inmate who attacked the officer in a parking lot near the prison.

The Philadelphia Department of Prisons says 26-year-old Jamal Bennett attacked the 66-year-old Curran-Fromhold correctional facility guard around 11 p.m. Friday.

The guard fired his personal weapon, striking Bennett in the chest. Bennett was in critical condition at Jefferson Torresdale Hospital but was expected to survive.

Bennett had just been released from custody on a probation violation for a weapons charge. Court documents don't list an attorney representing him.

Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small called the incident "somewhat bizarre." He said it appears Bennett "was starting his life of crime over again within minutes of being released."
CARLISLE - Redd's Smokehouse BBQ, the popular meat house in downtown Carlisle, will be probably closed for the rest of the winter due to a Monday fire that badly damaged the business's kitchen.

But patrons and employees will get to say a proper temporary good-bye to each other Saturday during a very-special, one-time "Last Taste of Redd's" buffet being held next door at Chef Exclusive, 105 N. Hanover St.

That this is even happening is a reflection of a close relationship that has built over the last four years between Redd's owner Nick Mauldin and Dameyon White, who runs a catering business out of the former restaurant next door.

White had already let Mauldin use his space earlier this week to fulfill some pending catering orders in the wake of the fire.

The idea for the 'Last Taste," grew out of that.

"As a chef, I figured he must be sitting on some food," White said Saturday. "So hopefully this will give him enough time to use up the stuff he has, and let his customers get one last taste of their favorites before they close."

The buffet will start at 4 p.m. and run until, as you would understand given the circumstance, the food is gone. The all-you-can-eat price is $13 for adults, and $8 for kids 6-12.

It's an especially timely help to Redd's, who noted on their Facebook page that this particular weekend - Carlisle's Ice Art Festival - was the biggest of the year for them last year.

And White is not the only person stepping up.

The Mauldins also tipped their hat via Facebook to Ben Thorson, of Thor's Hog Heaven, for lending them his smoker for Saturday's event.

Meanwhile, Carlisle resident Karen Showalter has launched a GoFundMe account for the business, aimed at helping the Mauldins with incidental expenses and to support their employees during the unplanned break.

Nick Mauldin told the Carlisle newspaper, The Sentinel, earlier this week that his biggest concern was for his workers, who could be off the job for about six weeks.

"Owners Nick and Lindsey are active and beloved members of our Carlisle community," Showalter wrote. "Let's have their backs, as they've stepped up to help so many others over the years."
Taking a page from the Philadelphia Eagles playbook, endorsed Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Wagner is taking on the challenge of trying to be the one to win this year's governor's race with an underdog mentality.

"We're going to run our campaign like we're 30 points down," he told reporters after receiving the Republican State Committee endorsement on Saturday at the Hershey Lodge.

GOP endorsed candidates Scott Wagner (at left) and Jeff Bartos with their wives Tracy Wagner and Sheryl Bartos.

Standing next to his chosen running mate Jeff Bartos of Montgomery County, who won the state committee endorsement for lieutenant governor over two other candidates, Wagner already sounded as if he is looking past the May 15 primary and ready to take on Democratic incumbent Gov. Tom Wolf in the Nov. 6 general election.

"We're going to appeal for Democratic votes also because this is about change," he said. "This is problem solving time and time for change."

U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta won the endorsement for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate. However, five-term state Rep. Jim Christiana, R-Beaver County, immediately issued a news release indicating that he is remaining in the race to the end to be the candidate who takes on Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Bob Casey in the fall.

Wagner, who was first elected to the state Senate in 2014 representing York County through a historic write-in campaign after railing against the party establishment, said he still doesn't consider himself part of the establishment.

Instead, he sees himself as someone with 40 years of private sector experience who has spent four years inside state government and knows the issues it faces and how it operates right down to where the main water shutoff valve and breaker box are.

"There's no learning curve," Wagner said. "We know the issues. We are so anxious to jump into action and get things done. I'm like chomping at the bit to get things done."

Wagner easily captured the 170 votes needed on Saturday to win the gubernatorial endorsement over retired Allegheny County health care executive Paul Mango, who ended up being the only other Republican vying for the party's backing.

Before the committee held its endorsement vote for governor, House Speaker Mike Turzai of Allegheny County announced he was pulling out of the gubernatorial race to focus on holding the Republican majority in the state House of Representatives and expanding it at the urging of fellow Republicans.

"Sometimes you have to make some decision and I'm at that point," Turzai said. "Our majorities in the House are at stake. We recognize this is going to be a tough election. We know that."

The other GOP candidate running for governor, Pittsburgh attorney Laura Ellsworth, didn't pursue the party's nomination but plans to continue making her case to voters directly.

"The party's endorsement of a professional politician is irrelevant to our campaign, except as a reminder of why we need a new kind of leadership here in Pennsylvania," said Ellsworth's campaign spokeswoman Brianna Buczkowski.

Mango, who left the room shortly after the endorsement votes were cast, is not going anywhere either.

One of his campaign strategist said before the meeting, they saw the writing on the wall but that Mango remains undeterred. Mango said he sees himself as the candidate who "has all the momentum."

State GOP Chairman Val DiGiorgio made it clear to committee members where he stood on what an endorsement means.

"I believe that a vote to endorse is a vote to support the endorsed candidate whether that candidate is yours or some other candidate," he said.

DiGiorgio later said given the Democratic Party's ability to raise money from government unions, it's important for Republicans to be unified. However, he also added he wouldn't discourage anyone from continuing their run without the party's endorsement, which brings manpower and financial resources to a campaign.

News that Wagner won the GOP endorsement was expected, said Beth Melena, a spokeswoman for the state Democratic Party, which was meeting in Harrisburg on Saturday and as expected, gave its endorsement to Wolf and Casey. The Democratic State Committee voted to leave open the seven-way race for the party's nomination for lieutenant governor and let voters decide the party's choice.

"It's no surprise that Pennsylvania Republicans nominated the guy who called Donald Trump a 'mini-Scott Wagner,'" she said. "Wagner will do everything he can to prove he is a right wing extremist committed to stripping women of the ability to make their own health care decisions, gutting Medicaid, and slashing funds to our public schools."

Wagner said as governor, he will work with Democrats to solve the state's opioid crisis. He called for cutting regulations on businesses and making the tax system more favorable to job creators, fixing schools by investing in classrooms and teachers but holding them accountable, retraining workers to address the skilled labor crisis, and eliminating property taxes.

"Governor Wolf and his allies want to protect the status quo - and they will spend tens of millions to keep us from changing it," he told GOP committee members. "That's why it's important we come together as a party and focus on the mission ahead - defeating Tom Wolf and returning our government back to the people. Today is a big first step."
Scott Wagner, a candidate who has distinguished his political career as being an outsider, became part of the party establishment on Saturday by capturing the state GOP endorsement in the governor's race.

Wagner, a one-term state senator from York County, went into Saturday's endorsement meeting having won five of six regional caucus straw votes.

The second highest vote-getter in those regional caucuses was House Speaker Mike Turzai, who announced on Saturday he was suspending his gubernatorial campaign to focus on electing Republicans to the state House of Representatives.

Wagner won the endorsement in a first round of voting, beating out retired Allegheny County health care executive Paul Mango, who also was nominated for the endorsement.

Pittsburgh lawyer Laura Ellsworth, who also is running for the GOP nomination, did not seek the endorsement.

Mango and Ellsworth have indicated they plan to stay in the race to try to capture the party's nomination in the May 15 primary and be the Republican to take on Democratic incumbent Gov. Tom Wolf in November's general election.

Also winning the party's backing was Wagner's declared running mate, Jeff Bartos of Montgomery County, over Lancaster County's Gordon Denlinger and Cambria County's Peg Luksik, who also were nominated for the endorsement for lieutenant governor.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf on Friday ordered counties that plan to replace their electronic voting systems to buy machines that leave a paper trail -- a safeguard against hacking -- but his budget doesn't include any money to fund the replacement of the state's aging, increasingly vulnerable fleet.

The Democrat's administration said the move to require that new systems include a paper backup will increase the security of voting systems and make balloting easier to audit.

"This directive will ensure that the next generation of the commonwealth's voting systems conforms to enhanced standards of resiliency, auditability and security," Acting Secretary of State Robert Torres said in a statement.

The state, however, is not requiring counties to discard their old equipment. The directive only requires them to buy machines with a paper backup if they decide to switch systems. Nor does the Wolf administration's budget plan , released this week, include any new money to help counties replacing their aging systems.

"Governor Wolf will continue to advocate for the federal government to provide more resources to update voting machines, the cost of which will vary by county," said a statement issued by Department of State spokeswoman Wanda Murren.

Marybeth Kuznik, the founder and executive director of VotePA, a nonprofit advocacy group that opposes paperless electronic voting, said counties don't have the money to buy new machines.

"The General Assembly needs to step up to the plate and budget for this," she said.

Nevertheless, Kuznik, a longtime election judge outside Pittsburgh, called Friday's order "a huge step forward for Pennsylvania, for better elections. Just huge."

Pennsylvania is one of 13 states where most or all voters use antiquated machines that store votes electronically without printed ballots or other paper-based backups that could be used to double-check the vote, according to researchers at New York University's Brennan Center for Justice.

So-called direct-recording electronic machines make it almost impossible to know if they've accurately recorded individual votes or if anyone tampered with the count.

Election officials in 41 states plan to use the older machines in the 2018 midterm elections, the Brennan Center said this week. Most election officials surveyed by Brennan Center researchers said they lacked funds to replace machines that are more than a decade old.

The vast majority of Pennsylvania's fleet of more than 20,000 voting machines record votes electronically and leave no paper trail, according to a 2014 tally by state election officials.

In 2006, voters filed suit against Pennsylvania to bar the use of paperless electronic voting machines, contending they were unreliable, lacked adequate safeguards against vote tampering and violated a state law requiring "a permanent physical record" of each vote.

The state Supreme Court dismissed the suit, saying the plaintiffs had not shown that direct-recording electronic machines are more susceptible to fraud or tampering than other kinds of voting systems.

Virginia banned the use of touch-screen voting machines in November's gubernatorial contest over concerns the equipment could be hacked.

The federal government in September told election officials in at least 21 states, including Pennsylvania, that hackers targeted their systems before the 2016 presidential election, but at the time only Illinois reported that hackers had succeeded in breaching its systems.
Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative leader Jamie Baillie participates in a leaders' round table at Saint Mary's University in Halifax on Thursday, May 25, 2017.The president of Nova Scotia's Progressive Conservatives has told party members she believes the party has set a precedent by dealing with an allegation of inappropriate behaviour against former leader Jamie Baillie "head on." THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan
FILE - In a May 10, 2017 file photo, Wyoming Secretary of State Ed Murray meets with members of the Casper Star-Tribune staff in Casper, Wyo. Murray, a potential 2018 candidate for governor, resigned Friday, Feb. 9, 2018, following accusations of sexual misconduct by two women dating from decades ago, marking a sudden fall for one of the state's rising Republican political stars. Republican Gov. Matt Mead issued a short statement saying he supported Murray's decision. (Alan Rogers/The Casper Star-Tribune via AP, File)
Luis Bracamontes looks up as the verdict was read in the killing of two law enforcement officer, in Sacramento Superior Court, Friday, Feb. 9, 2018, in Sacramento, Calif. Bracamontes was found guilty of shooting Sacramento County sheriffAos Deputy Danny Oliver in 2014, then killing Placer County sheriff's Detective Michael Davis Jr. hours later. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
I had to tell you what my daughter just told me. This happened just a half hour ago in a small town east of Lafayette, Indiana. The date is February 7th around 8:45 or so. My daughter and Granddaughter were coming home from shopping in Lafayette and they were going through a small town, not even a town, just a group of homes with the name Edna Mills. My daughter told me that she saw a strange flying object over State Road 26 right over Edna Mills. She said that it was flying lower than a crop duster would but there was no sound. It had lights on the four corners and a very bright light on the front. She also said that it was wider that two hummers side by side. From the account that she gave me it was flying very low with no sound and was flying back and forth across the highway and out over the corn and bean fields like it was searching for something or just watching the cars. At one point she slowed down a little and turned off the radio to listen but could here anything. I thought it would be a good idea to report it just to see if anyone else reported it too. My daughter said that there were cars ahead of her and behind her as well. So there was no way she was the only one who saw it.

I wanted to relay the description of the flying object my daughter saw a few nights ago. She said that it was an oval shape from what she could tell. It was ten to twelve feet wide by fifteen to eighteen feet long. It had bright lights on it two in what she thinks is front and two on what would be the back also in the front between the front lights was another light that was much brighter that seemed to move independent of the four surrounding lights. The color of the craft was hard to make out but she thought it was black. Please let us know if you've had any other reports from that night and area. Thanks again for all you guys do. I believe that you guys perform a service to the community as a whole. Thanks again. LP

Dear Lon,

I am writing you because I was so excited to read the posting dated 12-31-2017 that referenced something that sounded much like what my daughter and I experienced nearly 23 years ago. The writer talks about aliens that he believes "project light sources that resemble fireballs, cartoon characters, snakes, rabbits, dogs, bears, etc. with faint images that mutate and change." This is the part of his narrative that really caught my eye because that is much like what I believe my daughter, 10 years old at the time, watched one cold February (snow on the ground) night in our little town in North Dakota.



I wrote to you about this in the past and related that my daughter called out to me in the morning hours and asked me to get in the empty bottom bunk of her bunk beds and look out the window at the campground that is behind our house. I had gone to her room without turning on any lights so the house was completely dark with just moonlight and street lights coming in the windows. She had her bed pushed up against her bedroom window and had been watching, for almost an hour, what looked like some sort of "projection" of a mother raccoon with two little babies which would climb up on the picnic table and then down. At that time they would "mutate/change" into an old crone type woman, very bent with long hair hanging down around her face. She would walk around the area for a minute or two and then "mutate/change" into three columns that would move about the area in a sort of sliding motion, always staying close together. This group of columns went up into the night sky so far I couldn't see the top of it. The columns were black, unlike the raccoons and old woman which were gray, and like smoked glass, we were able to see through them. They would slide out of the campground, across highway 85, down the alley and out of sight and then come back and repeat the whole raccoon, old lady, column process again. It was like it was on a loop. I watched it repeat this process about 4 times all the while my daughter asking me in whispers, "What do you see now?" She had not told me what to look for so my running narrative of what I was seeing was not tainted by any previous knowledge. She would answer me with, "Yes, just keep watching!" After watching this continuous repetition I whispered, "I'm going to get your dad to see this. I went into our bedroom not turning on any lights, and whispered to my husband, "You have to see this!" I had gone over to the window in our room and pushed the shade aside and could see the event taking place quite clearly as the street lights illuminated the campground quite well. The minute his feet touched our bedroom floor every street light went out and none of the lights in our house would come on. We could no longer see the campground or the "things" we had been watching. My husband said, "well, I guess I wasn't supposed to see that," and lay back down. My daughter's scared little voice called out from her room, "Mom?" I answered that everything was ok and (this is also strange) after telling my husband what we had seen we all just went back to sleep.



I went out the next day and looked at the snow in the area where it took place but there were no tracks, etc. I have never given up looking for an explanation or a similar experience. My daughter moved her bed to the other side of the room. She says she called out to me that night because she was afraid she was losing her mind. We talk about our experience often, even 23 years later it seems like yesterday. ML

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NOTE: We are putting a show together in honor of Jc Johnson. If you were a part of Crypto Four Corners or investigated with Jc and would like to be a part of the show, please contact our producer at http://www.theexistenceofstrangethings.com/contact - Thanks. Lon

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Mothman Dynasty: Chicago's Winged Humanoids

********************At nine-years-old, I was always fascinated by the boiler room in our basement. Growing up in a very haunted 1800s Victorian hotel, I was obsessed with that room. My tummy cramped very badly each time I was near the room, yet I persisted. Staring, my eyes alternated between the actual boiler and the walls, sometimes for hours. The only lighting in this cement room was the glow from the boilers pilot light.Eventually I started seeing random flashes of light. At other times, lights would slowly go across the walls like a spider. Initially when I tried to visually follow the lights, they would suddenly vanish as if someone turned them off. At other times, I was able to follow them until they went around the corner or through a crevice.The more I went into this room, the more frequent these lights became. Eventually, I met my first shadow people. When I first saw the shadow, I thought my parents were behind me; when I turned to look, nobody was there. The basement was not accessible to hotel guests due to the door being locked, and I had access to the only key. Then I thought maybe it was my own shadow, but I was standing still while they were moving.One day I felt as if a shadow man was staring back at me. Obviously, I could not see his face but it felt chilling. Just then my tummy cramped as it always did whenever I was in danger, so I yelled, Go away, leave me alone, and ran out of the room. For a week I avoided the basement unless my mother was with me. Even though I felt scared, my obsession increased.******************************

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At times Thursday, Eagles fans couldn't tweet or talk on their smartphones as Philadelphia's wireless network shuddered under the strain.

AT&T Inc. said on Friday that the data equivalent of 44.5 million selfies traversed its network during the Eagles victory parade, surpassing usage during Pope Francis' two-day visit in 2015.

Not surprisingly, AT&T's usage peaked around the time of Jason Kelce's "hungry dog" speech at the steps to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

"We had some moments of congestion due to the large amount of people using their phones in the same area at the same time, but overall it performed well," said AT&T spokeswoman Brandy Bell-Truskey.

T-Mobile said that it routed 935,000 social media posts during the parade  330,000 Facebook posts, 300,000 Instagrams, 285,000 Snapchats, and 20,000 tweets. Spokeswoman Kaitlin Craig said that Eagles fans used 2 times more data than New England Patriots fans did for their Super Bowl celebration last year.

Sprint said that overall data usage soared 43 percent, with the greatest volume between City Hall and the Art Museum. There were 600,000 text messages sent and received in the area of the parade and 811,000 minutes of phone conversations.

Verizon did not disclose its network usage.

Philadelphia officials had warned that the city's wireless network would be challenged for the parade as the wireless carriers had only had about six days to boost capacity for the crowds. The Inquirer, Daily News, and Philly.com quoted experts who estimated the Eagles crowd at 700,000.

Jimmy Donofrio, 32, a big social media user who was raised in Pitman and now lives in Washington, took Amtrak to come back for the parade. He watched the Eagles caravan pass by at Broad and Lombard Streets. But he said he lost connectivity in the late morning.

"I sent a few Snapchats, but they were stuck in limbo," said Donofrio. "By about 10:30, I couldn't get anything through." Instead of uploaded messages, he took some video and edited and posted it Thursday night.
Just over a year ago, Seattle announced it would be the first American city to open a safe injection site in response to skyrocketing drug overdoses, and promised to stand fast against political fallout.

There still is no site for medically supervised illicit drug use in Seattle. But advocates say there is a lesson for Philadelphia, where officials said 10 days ago they would permit a site:

Don't do as Seattle did.

"Our biggest mistake was not implementing it really quickly," said Shilo Jama, the executive director of the People's Harm Reduction Coalition, which runs several needle exchanges in Seattle and elsewhere on the West Coast. "Once we passed it, we just kind of talked about it, and we didn't have a plan to implement it, and that gave the opposition time to mobilize. It became bogged down in bureaucratic hell."

But Philadelphia health officials' waiting is part of the plan.

"We appreciate the advice. However, we want to do this right," said Alicia Taylor, communications director for the city's Department of Human Services."We're not going to do any outreach until we have some interested parties, and we know what possible neighborhood area we're going to be doing this in."

Residents of the drug-plagued Kensington area, considered a logical location, complain of being ignored by the city. Much as they would like to get the entrenched camps of heroin users off their streets and away from their children, many fear anything that might make the community even more of a drug mecca.

In this climate, academic studies showing the sites save lives and decrease public disorder are getting drowned out. Activists who have mostly focused on reviving overdosing users, caring for their injection wounds, and finding them food and housing, are trying to sell the idea to the public. The Save Our Lives Collective, one such group, plans to host town halls and lobby City Council members, only a few of whom have said they support the sites.

Meanwhile, overdoses continue. In the Kensington area alone, as of Friday there were about a half-dozen suspected fatal opioid overdoses since the site was announced, according to law enforcement records.

"While people are discussing this and working this out, bodies are piling up," said Jose DeMarco, a member of the SOL Collective.

Very little backlash

In Seattle, the plan was to open a site within city limits and one in surrounding King County. The city sat back while towns mobilized to keep sites out. Then came an anti-site ballot referendum that gathered steam for months until a federal judge struck it down.

Even in Canada, safe-site advocates have been frustrated over what they saw as similar foot-dragging. So activists in Toronto just opened one last summer, without city permission or alerting nearby residents, in a tent pitched in a park where drug users congregated.

"We didn't consult with the community, because that's not the community of people who would use it," said Zoe Dodd, an activist. "But we got very little backlash when we opened  people would say stuff to us like, 'You brought this here'  but drug use and open drug use had always been there." She thinks her group's action forced the city to open an official site more quickly.

All that came long after Vancouver in 2003 became the first North American city to open a site. Even there, though, the conversation took about a decade, said Travis Lupick, a journalist who's written a book about the fight. There, people in addiction joined with harm-reduction activists to get the city on board. A nonprofit helmed one of the first public-education campaigns.

"By the time [the site] actually opened, a majority of the city was on board," Lupick said. "There was a mayoral election eight months before it opened, and both of the leading parties competing against each other had an injection site in their platform."

Neighborhood opposition remained, but business owners who had protested came around after their doorways were no longer gathering spots for heroin users, who moved to the safe injection site, he said.

Back then, he pointed out, the opioid problem was nowhere near today's epidemic scale.

"The fight for the establishment of [the site] in Vancouver took a decade," Lupick said. "Philadelphia and any city struggling with the increase of overdose deaths does not have a decade to debate this."

Its not Hamsterdam

When the conversation on WWDB-AM's Mark and Denise in the Morning turned to safe injection sites on Monday morning, Abraham Gutman turned the volume up. Gutman is fairly new to the city, a former medic from Tel Aviv who moved to New York to get a master's degree and now is an analyst at Temple University's Center for Public Health Law Research.

He listened in as the hosts, the Rev. Mark Kelly Tyler, the pastor of Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church, and writer Denise Clay, discussed the sites. The plan sounded like Hamsterdam, the famous anything-goes zone in Season 3 of The Wire, they joked. On a more serious note, they said, it sounded like enabling drug use.

City officials would have scoffed at the idea during the crack epidemic, when people of color were sent to jail, not afforded places to safely use drugs, they agreed.

And so Gutman dashed off a comment on the show's Facebook page: Safe injection sites weren't like Hamsterdam  in fact, he'd just written an essay about it for the Inquirer  and there was significant evidence showing they decreased overdoses and the spread of HIV and hepatitis C, he wrote. The hosts asked him to call.

That led to a few minutes of polite, on-air debate with City Councilman David Oh, who called in to express his doubts about the sites. The next day Gutman went to City Hall with a stack of studies for Oh.

"If you don't like safe injection sites because it rubs you the wrong way, it's your right to have that" as your opinion, Gutman said. "You don't have the right to make this an argument about evidence when there's evidence" supporting the sites.

Oh said later he is open-minded, but remains skeptical about the legal and political implications of sanctioning illegal drug use. He leans toward programs that enjoy more public support, but allowed that he found Gutman's arguments compelling.

That, Gutman figured, was a start.

It will take more than a stack of reports to convince Kensington residents like Genevieve Geer, who is active in several community cleanup initiatives.

"No one has reached out to talk to us about it since" the announcement, Geer said, voicing the frustration many feel over the decades of neglect their community has endured, decay they believe could be reversed if the city really wanted to.

"If Amazon came in and said, 'We want to set up shop in Kensington, and you need to house the homeless and heal the addicted,' " she said, "it would happen in a week."
Dennis M. Niceler, 56, of Galloway Township, .appears before Judge Edward J. McBride Jr. for a first appearance at the Camden County Hall of Justice on Friday, Feb. 2, Niceler was arrested in connection with the burglaries of 14 Camden County businesses. Read more

Methodical, meticulous research made Dennis M. Niceler a respected South Jersey historian, a twice-published author  and, authorities say, a rather adept after-hours burglar of businesses across the region.

The gentlemanly fellow who gave me a memorable tour of the Egg Harbor City Historical Society last summer is said by police to be the suspect a surveillance video shows wearing a hoodie, a ski mask, and gloves during a 2016 break-in at Giumarello's Restaurant in Haddon Township.

The helpful volunteer who reorganized the library and built exhibits at the Egg Harbor City Historical Society was arrested after being spotted on the roof of the Laurel Hill Plaza in Gloucester Township just before 2 a.m. on Christmas Eve last year.

Police said Niceler at first hid and then jumped from atop the single-story structure to get away, fracturing his foot.

He was apprehended sporting attire similar to that seen in the Giumarello video, and tools, including wire cutters, screwdrivers, and a crowbar, were found at the scene. Police say he used such tools to gain entry, disable alarms, and deflect security cameras in several dozen other break-ins in which he has since been implicated.

"It seems so out of character. Almost a Jekyll-and-Hyde thing," said Douglas McVarish, a historian from Collingswood. He got to know Niceler about 10 years ago through local circles of folks proud to call themselves history geeks.

"Dennis is that type of person who knows everything one could possibly know, and is able to answer any question, about certain subjects," McVarish said. "He is very passionate about history. None of us knew that other side of him."

Another friend agreed, saying, "Dennis was an indefatigable historical researcher [who apparently] plied his research skills in his secret life."

The Camden County Prosecutor's office said no arraignment date has been set. Niceler has not entered a plea, much less, been found guilty of committing the 14 break-ins.

Police said the suspect also has been implicated in more than 50 strikingly similar burglaries since 2013 in communities across South Jersey and as far north as Hazlet, Monmouth County.

"I've never seen something like this, where you connect [a suspect] to this number of jobs," said Gloucester Township Police Lt. Jason Gittens a 21-year police veteran.

The arrest stunned those who knew Niceler in his day job.

"When I heard Dennis had been arrested, I couldn't believe it. I thought, 'Are you kidding me?' " said Mark Maxwell, president of the Egg Harbor City Historical Society.

Niceler had alluded to a troubled past.

"Dennis once told me, 'When I was young, I was an idiot,' " Maxwell recalled.

In fact, Niceler's criminal career stretched back nearly three decades  a history of seemingly habitual and even audacious offenses recorded in local newspaper accounts and court records.

In 1989, he made headlines after being charged in a spree of 100 commercial burglaries in South Jersey. Two years later  within weeks of parole eligibility  he slipped away while working with fellow minimum-security prisoners on a roadside litter crew near Vineland.

Niceler stayed on the lam for more than a month until someone at Bally's Atlantic City casino recognized him as a fugitive. By 1997 he was back on the street, and in August of that year he was charged with breaking into a Gloucester County restaurant through a drive-in window and making off with more than $4,700 in cash.

Niceler, who grew up in Northeast Philly and spent most of his adult life in Atlantic County, had held jobs as a delivery driver. But a friend said he lost the last such position several years ago.

"We believe these burglaries were his source of income for the past five years," said Haddon Township Police Capt. Scott Bishop.

Niceler lived with and took care of his ailing father, who died in February 2016. Friends on social media praised his devotion, and Maxwell remembers Niceler bringing his dad to the historical society in a wheelchair.

But for all his industriousness, knowledge, and congeniality, Niceler also could be abrasive, difficult, and opinionated, friends said. He made a few enemies, as the less-than-charitable social media posts after his arrest suggest.

And when not doing historical research, he was busy studying online maps, taking virtual tours of businesses and examining social media photos posted by employees as he allegedly searched for new establishments to victimize, police said, "He was interested in untraceable goods  meaning cash," said Bishop.

Niceler was so thorough with his online research that he allegedly planned some heists without having to leave home. Arriving at his destination, he would carefully park beyond the sweep of surveillance cameras, Bishop said, and outside of what experience taught him would be a likely police perimeter.

That way, he would be better able to disappear into the dark even if law enforcement were summoned to the scene.

"He'd gotten very good at it," the police captain said.

But skillful research and due diligence are not qualities confined to historians (or cat burglars). Law enforcement professionals possess them as well.

After the 2016 Giumarello's break-in and a second, similar burglary four months later, a trio of Haddon Township detectives Timothy Hak, Mark Pagano, and Sgt. Joseph Johnston  started to investigate possible connections with other unsolved South Jersey break-ins.

And upon hearing about Niceler's Christmas Eve arrest at Laurel Hill Plaza, they contacted Gloucester Township police and began a joint effort that resulted in the additional charges.

Local historians weren't the only people startled to hear that the guy with encyclopedic knowledge of Egg Harbor City was a suspect in a rash of break-ins, that the man with what one pal called "a steel-trap mind" had a rap sheet a mile long.

So the other day, thinking I might find a clue or two, I listened again to the interview I recorded with Niceler last summer, for a column about the history of the White Horse Pike.

He spoke with mesmerizing fluency about vanished places and deceased personages, and with palpable reverence for vintage ephemera and arcana of all sorts.

In other words, Dennis Niceler was a very talented storyteller.

But it seems the story he didn't want to tell was his own.
Joe Bednarsky (right) a security officer and volunteer at Bethel A.M.E. Church in Millville, N.J., gets a hug from Sammy Tse after Sammy finished eating at the churchs soup kitchen. Read more

A giant of a man sat quietly on a folding chair by the door of a soup kitchen, trying to go unnoticed, rubbing a small tattoo on his hand almost impulsively, as if it were a bad memory.

Joe Bednarsky Jr. has plenty of both.

People filed into the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Millville with a "Hey, Joe" before heading off to the spaghetti and meatballs, and Bednarsky smiled and said hello with a mastiff's timbre he also couldn't hide.

Mostly, his blue eyes followed the pastor serving food, but when Bednarsky stood to hug a man struggling with depression, his 6-foot-6-inch, 330-pound frame made him look like a marble pillar.

"I love you, brother," he told the man, who clung to him.

Bednarsky, 49, didn't hug black people when he was younger. He hurt them. He burned crosses on their lawns and called them the N-word, and it took him a long time, some of it in jail, to figure out what made him do it.

"I was incapable of loving others because I didn't love myself," Bednarsky said in the church last week. "So many people today are unhappy with themselves and don't love themselves. I had that anger in me. I told people that I'd shoot you, your kids, your wife, and think nothing of it. That's how bad it was."

The simple, crude tattoo on Bednarsky's hand is just three small letters in a circle: KKK.

Today, Bednarsky has an unlikely job for a man who once was a leader in New Jersey's Ku Klux Klan. He's the head of security at Bethel A.M.E, a predominantly black church where he's known by parishioners as "Chaplain Joe," and his closest friend is the church's leader, the Rev. Charles E. Wilkins Sr.

"I was sent here by God to protect Pastor Wilkins," Bednarsky said as he sat beside him. "I would take a bullet for him."

When Bednarsky started showing up at the church's soup kitchen for meals in 2009, everyone noticed.

"Oh yeah, you know, he was eating alone," Wilkins said. "The first thing is that he stuck out, and I'm thinking, 'Oh God, what is this big white boy up to?' I definitely noticed him, and everyone was telling me who he was, but I was thinking, 'He's here, so something's going on.' "

Wilkins, 63, said he was no saint growing up in Chicago, so he talked to Bednarsky and sized him up when most just wanted him gone.

"We started talking, and I think the first time I really took note and realized something was different was when he said, 'Brother, where there's God's grace, there is no race.' And I'm thinking, 'OK, that sounds good,' " Wilkins said. "He told me God changed his heart and if I don't believe that, I need to get another job. I had to take him for his word, until I saw differently."

Wilkins had a backup plan in case Bednarsky hadn't fully shaken the hate.

"I guarantee I would have hit him with a chair before he got to me," Wilkins said.

Both men laughed.

"We're brothers," they said in unison.

Bednarsky said he grew up in the Wade East apartments in Millville, about 45 miles south of Philadelphia, fighting with black teens on and off the bus. An interest in photography led him to take pictures of a Confederate flag on a neighbor's porch. That man was in the Klan, and Bednarsky, who wasn't close to his own father, was slowly pulled in.

"He had children that were my age and I spent a lot of time there and I tell people that's when the brainwashing starts," Bednarsky said. "They tried to sell the Klan as a patriotic thing, as people who were proud of their race that did things for the white community."

The hate came later, he said, after he became a full Klansman at 18. He worked as a general contractor and traveled to rallies all over the country, donning the white hoods, then later, more colorful ones that marked his higher rank. He said he stood in circles in dark fields with other Klansmen and their families, the forest behind them illuminated by a massive burning cross.

For years, Bednarsky's name showed up in the Inquirer and local newspapers in rural Cumberland County. Many of the stories were about a rival who had plotted to kill him. In 2006, Bednarsky told the Daily Journal of Vineland that the Klan would protest the New Jersey State Police after he and another member were arrested handing out pamphlets at a harvest festival.

"We'll show up in our robes," he said at the time. "We're going to have a protest."

Bednarsky had seen the light long before that, but it didn't come from above. It was a flash of pain when a brick thrown through a truck window fractured his skull. He spent months in the hospital, but the attack, in Millville, just made him more angry and left him with short-term memory loss.

One night there in 1996, he shot a black woman in the leg with a slingshot. She was holding a baby. He was later charged with assault and, he claims, was one of the first to be charged with a hate crime in New Jersey. He served just under a year in the Cumberland County prison.

"I was either going to end up dead somewhere or end up in prison for the rest of my life," he said.

God first called to Bednarsky to change his ways in 2005, he said, but it didn't stick and he went back to the Klan, becoming one of its highest-ranking members. It was hard, he said, to give up the power, to realize he had used hate to inflate his ego, when the truth was that he didn't like himself very much.

"You get on this power trip and this hatred inside you grows and grows," he said.

When Bednarsky resigned for good in 2007, he burned most of his KKK gear and sold his purple robe and hood through an auctioneer. "I donated the money to a church," he said.

He has been harassed by other white supremacy groups and has received threats, both to him and the church, after speaking publicly about his change of heart. He says he's not scared.

Bednarsky is a third-degree black belt in tae kwon do. He claims he fought, bare-knuckle, in a meatpacking warehouse in South Philly, bouts that ended "when the other guy didn't get up." Although he's permanently disabled from a bad back, the skull fractures and several surgeries, his frame would be the first thing a gunman storming Bethel would encounter.

"I can still hold my own, I think," he said.

Wilkins said Bednarsky is a living testament to everything he tries to teach his 185 congregants. It's been tough for them, he admits, but if they can forgive a former Klansman, they can forgive anyone.

"I have people in my church who don't trust him. I've got white people in the community who don't trust him. He's got it on both sides. I've got ministers in the community who preach the gospel of forgiveness but haven't been able to get past his past," Wilkins said. "Joe's heart is real. He comes to my home. He eats at my table."

Bednarsky said he has apologized to many people he hurt, though he never again saw the woman he shot with a slingshot. He knows that many in Millville may never trust him, that each day he has to prove himself.

"I know inside that God has forgiven me, but I'm always apologizing," he said. "People want to see a change, though. They want to see the change in action, and I live the same way at home, seven days a week, that I do in church. I'm not a Sunday saint and a Monday ain't."

Bednarsky, who is divorced, passed his biggest test by winning over Wilkins' late wife, Laura. She called him her "Teddy Bear," and they hugged at every service. On his visits with her last fall at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where she was dying of cancer, she'd raise her thumb when he whispered, "Hey, sister."

"She caught Joe off guard and she caught the church off guard. She wasn't afraid of anyone and she taught everyone in this church a lesson every time she interacted with him," Wilkins said. "He was there every day in the hospital for her, as much as my family. He'd sit in the waiting room, alone, and sometimes I'd catch him crying. That meant the world to me. He was there for me. He held me up when I walked out of the hospital."

Both men sat silently for a moment in the pew, looking at each other with tears in their eyes, in the only place where Joe Bednarsky has felt at home since leaving hate behind.
An inmate at the Ocean County (N.J.) Jail has been charged with conspiracy for allegedly offering to pay $30,000 to have his lawyer kidnapped, taken to a wooded area, and shot in the head, and then have the body set on fire and the remains disposed of in a body of water.

Michael Nocera, 43, of Beachwood, N.J., who had been in custody since late August on charges of aggravated sexual assault, child pornography, and endangering a child, all involving a victim under age 13, talked about what he wanted done to his lawyer while he was an inmate, according to Al Della Fave, a spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office.

The investigation began in late December, when the Prosecutor's Office was made aware of Nocera's conversations while he was awaiting trial. He was arrested on the new charges on Thursday, and remains at the jail.

Della Fave declined to identify the attorney whom Nocera allegedly targeted, or discuss the specifics of what Nocera is charged with.
In this Feb. 2, 2017, file photo, used needles litter the ground at an open air drug market along Conrail train tracks in the Kensington section of Philadelphia. Drug overdose deaths in the U.S. have skyrocketed. Read more

Thanks to the 2.7 million death certificates that stream electronically into his office at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention each year, Bob Anderson can see how the most deadly drugs are ravaging America.

He knows that fatal overdoses involving cocaine doubled in 2016. He knows that in more and more of those cases fentanyl was part of the fatal cocktail. And he knows deaths from illicit synthetic drugs are spiking.

But Anderson can't tell if these trends are happening across Pennsylvania.

Because when he looks at death certificates from the state, nearly half of those for fatal overdoses have a gaping omission  the drugs involved. Only Louisiana has a worse record. Among the Pennsylvania counties with available data, Philadelphia ranks last. It specified which drugs led to overdose deaths on just 7 percent of 746 death certificates in 2016, according to the most recent CDC data.

"So many of the drugs aren't specified," Anderson, chief of the CDC's mortality statistics branch, said of PA's numbers. " We have no confidence they reflect reality."

The CDC's mortality data, collected from death certificates submitted by every state, play a critical role in the world of public health. In relation to the opioid crisis, public health workers, researchers, elected officials, journalists, and average citizens use the information in countless ways, such as to track trends over time, compare states, and find emerging threats.

For example, after Kentucky made a push to collect toxicology information on overdose death certificates, officials discovered that a particular prescription muscle relaxer was involved in nearly a third of all overdose deaths. Armed with that information, the state legislature deemed it a Schedule V drug, allowing the state to track prescriptions for it.

The commonwealth lacks critical data at a time when the opioid epidemic shows no sign of slowing. County coroners and medical examiners in Pennsylvania typically maintain such data for fatal overdoses, yet much of the information isn't shared with the state and federal government via death certificates.

Philadelphia's medical examiner, physician Sam Gulino, has defended his approach, which he said is designed to handle death investigations as quickly as possible, largely to give closure to families. The office handled about 1,200 drug overdose cases last year, nearly three times the 2013 toll.

His current system allows Gulino and his office to declare drug intoxication as the cause of death for about 75 percent of the suspected drug cases it receives within about 24 hours. They do so using circumstantial evidence from the scene and a rapid toxicology test that can identify some drugs but not all, and not with enough specificity for a death certificate.

His office still completes full toxicology testing on those cases but said it can take up to 90 days. Waiting for that information before declaring a cause of death would require his office to mark all of those cases  approximately 900 in 2017  "pending." He said doing so would cause a backlog while leaving grieving families in the dark or waiting for documentation needed for insurance claims.

"Some people express they have a really hard time moving forward with their grieving process if they have this question mark hanging over what the cause of death might be," Gulino said.

His office could also go back and amend the death certificate once toxicology information is available. But he said that would burden his already taxed staff. (Anderson, from the CDC, said it is common for many states to amend death certificates.)

Gulino said he would be happy to give the CDC the information directly, but Anderson said his office is only equipped to take mortality data through state death-certificate data.

On the other side of the state, Allegheny County Medical Examiner Karl E. Williams, a physician, has a very different approach. He called it "shameful" that Pennsylvania has nearly the worst record in the country of reporting the information on death certificates.

His county, which includes Pittsburgh, provided drug information on 98 percent of overdose death certificates in 2016, according to the CDC.

That is possible because he issues a "pending" cause of death for nearly every suspected drug case his office handles. When full toxicology is complete he issues a final death certificate, including the contributing drugs.

Williams said in most cases family members know the deceased had a history of drug use or could guess drugs were a factor given evidence found at the scene. He said his own process is driven by a belief that law enforcement, the public, and officials at all level of government can only address the epidemic with data in "as granular a fashion as possible."

"If we want to know how to attack the problem it's going to be driven by data," Williams said. " My overdoses in Allegheny County are very similar to Westmoreland County, right next to us. They are very different than Lackawanna County or Erie County. It happens at a local level. Overdose happens at a neighborhood level."

Pennsylvania's reporting failure comes at a time when overdose deaths are spiking. Gov. Wolf last month declared the opioid epidemic a statewide disaster. The state saw a 28 percent increase in overdose deaths between 2015 and 2016, resulting in the fourth-highest death rate in the country, according to the CDC. Nationally drug overdose deaths were up 21 percent in that period.

Wolf's declaration keyed in on better reporting from first responders about those who overdose and are revived, not more complete death certificates. April Hutcheson, spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania Department of Health, said the department wants more robust data from coroners and medical examiners, and the disaster declaration could open up those discussions.

"The overdose rate is what tells you what the severity of the problem is," she said. "That severity is where we need to target our resources. The overdose deaths are compelling. But we need to get the people who are suffering from overdoses into treatment so they don't become a death."

Hutcheson said officials supplement death certificate information with reports done by outside groups, including an annual report by the Philadelphia division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. But she said officials only have access to the report, not its underlying data.

Patrick Trainor, a public information officer for the Philadelphia DEA, said the office compiles its report using data provided by coroners and medical examiners without the name of the deceased. Trainor said some offices provide the information willingly, while others have to be subpoenaed.

Pennsylvania, while not alone in underreporting toxicology information on death certificates, has been at the bottom of the pack for decades. Other states have improved over time, and in 2016 about 85 percent of the nation's death certificates for overdoses included contributing drug information.

The structure of Pennsylvania's health system  with a state medical examiner who receives death certificates from county coroners and medical examiners  makes finding a solution more complex. A mandate requiring county offices to provide toxicology information on death certificates would have to come through legislation, not from Gov. Wolf, Hutcheson said.

States with coroner systems often have an added challenge, given that coroners are elected and not required to be physicians. Many are funeral directors.

Still, other states with county coroners and medical examiners have made progress.

In South Carolina, for example, Gov. Nikki Haley in 2014 sent letters to county coroners asking them to add drug information for all overdose deaths from the previous year. State staff also attended a meeting of the state coroners association and explained the need for the information. From 2013 to 2014, reporting increased from 58 percent to 94 percent.

Pennsylvania has recently been identified as one of three states that a national public health association and the CDC want to help improve their cause-of-death reporting systems. Christi Mackie, a chief program officer for the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, said Pennsylvania's Department of Health agreed this month to participate.

"Our intent is to step in and say, Where do you see gaps? Do you need us to help you identify what those gaps are?" Mackie said. "And then we can see what kind of bandwidth we can add to support their capacity."

In Pennsylvania, though, some coroners and medical examiners are resistant to the idea.

Kenneth A. Bacha, a funeral director who has been coroner in Westmoreland County near Pittsburgh for 16 years, said he doesn't list drugs in part to protect the deceased's privacy, should they have been taking medication for depression, HIV, erectile dysfunction, or other conditions he considers sensitive. Death certificates are not public in Pennsylvania, but Bacha said they can be used by families to close out bank accounts, file for insurance, or transfer a car title.

"It's not public where anyone can go look at it, but other people are going to have access to it," he said.

Some Pennsylvania coroners and medical examiners said it's unlikely someone would overdose from a drug that treats HIV or erectile dysfunction, so they probably wouldn't include those medicines, focusing instead on the drugs responsible. But Bacha said he does not always feel comfortable deciding the exact drugs that contributed to a person's death.

"We had one the other day, the person had heroin in them, three different types of fentanyl, oxycodone, plus a bunch of benzodiazepine-type drugs, psych drugs.  As far as which ones you pick, one over another, I don't know how they could do that."

Delaware County Medical Examiner Frederic Hellman, a physician, said he makes those calls routinely.

"I look at which drugs I think were the likely players in the person's death," he said. "And that's understanding the nature of the drugs, the concentrations of the drugs, the interactions between the drugs."

Alexander Balacki, first deputy coroner in Montgomery County, said he has listed as many as seven or eight contributing drugs on a death certificate. He called the approach fair to both the family and the public.

"We try not to beat around the bush with the cause of death. If it's heroin and fentanyl, we're going to say it's heroin and fentanyl  or prescription drugs, and we'll list out the prescription drugs," he said. "And I believe that is best for the family and for statistical purposes, both locally and nationally."
HARRISBURG  Facing a deadline imposed by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, the legislature's two top Republicans late Friday submitted to the governor a new statewide map of congressional districts to replace boundaries the justices ruled were unconstitutional.

If approved, the map submitted by Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R., Jefferson) and House Speaker Mike Turzai (R., Allegheny) would result in significant changes for the areas surrounding Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. The proposed map "complies fully" with the court's order, the pair said in a joint statement.

But within roughly an hour of its public release, top Democrats in the House and the Senate were urging Democratic Gov. Wolf to "reject it outright."

"The Republican leadership in both chambers blocked this process, refused to negotiate, and have now submitted a map directly to your office that we have not even seen," Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa (D., Allegheny) and House Minority Leader Frank Dermody (D., Allegheny) said in a joint letter to the governor released Friday evening.

A spokesman for Wolf said Friday that while the map does not appear to comply with the letter of the court's order, the governor would be willing to review it.

The map submitted by GOP lawmakers to Gov. Wolf.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court's ruling last month declared the state's congressional map had been unconstitutionally gerrymandered to favor Republicans, who control 13 of 18 U.S. House seats in Pennsylvania despite winning votes from roughly half the electorate.

The justices, a majority of whom are Democrats, ordered that a new map be put in place in time for this year's elections and gave the General Assembly until Friday to send a proposed map to the governor. Wolf has until Thursday to approve a map and, if he chooses, submit it to the court for consideration.

Any redrawing could have significant implications not only for the state but for national politics as well, as Democrats hope to chip away at a Republican majority in the House.

In normal circumstances, maps would go to the governor only after they have been approved in votes by the Pennsylvania House and Senate. By late this week, it was no longer possible for the full, Republican-controlled legislature to pass a new map in time.

It's unclear whether the court would consider its order fulfilled if just Scarnati and Turzai submit a map without a vote.

"While the court's order did not appear to allow for two individuals to draw a map on behalf of the entire General Assembly, Gov. Wolf will review Speaker Turzai and President Scarnati's submission in consultation with the experts retained by the administration to determine his next course of action," Wolf spokesman J.J. Abbott said in a statement late Friday.

The Wolf administration has enlisted Moon Duchin, a professor of mathematics at Tufts University, to help evaluate any potential maps for fairness. Duchin, speaking Friday before students at the University of Pennsylvania's law school, said she felt her role was to provide guidance on how "neutral" any presented map is.

The map released Friday provided broad outlines of districts. More detailed information that would allow for a further analysis broken down by municipalities or wards could be released in coming days.

Under the proposed map, the infamous Seventh District represented by Republican Pat Meehan would no longer look like "Goofy kicking Donald."

Under the new maps, the city of Philadelphia largely remains split among three congressional districts, similar to how it is under the previous maps. Mapmakers said Friday that they divided it that way to comply with the federal Voting Rights Act and the requirement that the minority vote not be diluted by unnecessary splits.

The First Congressional District, now represented by Democratic Rep. Bob Brady, would continue to cover portions of Philadelphia and Delaware County, and the Second District, represented by Rep. Dwight Evans, would be concentrated within the city limits.

The city's Northeast section would largely remain in Rep. Brendan Boyle's district.

In Western Pennsylvania, the 14th District surrounding Pittsburgh and represented by Democrat Mike Doyle would look similar to its current form. But many of the districts surrounding it would shift more drastically.

The 12th District currently represented by Republican Keith Rothfus would include parts of Lawrence and Beaver Counties, as well as parts of Washington and Allegheny Counties. It would no longer stretch east into Somerset and Westmoreland Counties.

The 18th District, left vacant after the departure of Republican Tim Murphy, would include parts of Greene, Washington, Allegheny, Westmoreland and Fayette Counties. Voters in that district will vote next month in a special election to replace Murphy. The winner of that election will serve the remainder of Murphy's term.

Further north, Erie would no longer be split.

Drew Crompton, chief of staff to Scarnati and the Senate's top attorney, said Friday night that the teams working with the Republican leaders used census data and the court's guidance to draw their map, putting little emphasis on how voters in the districts had cast their ballots in the past.

"If you ask me the R and D split of that map, I have no idea what it was," he said, referring to Republicans and Democrats.

Angela Couloumbis of the Harrisburg Bureau and staff writer Maddie Hanna contributed to this article.
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Ombre Tutus Are About To Be Your New Favorite Rehearsal Wear

Half the fun of Instagram is keeping up with all of our favorite pro dancersand that includes seeing all of their studio wear choices. Lately, those looks have included a lot of ombre tutus. While we first spotted Boston Ballet principal Misa Kuranaga sporting the two-toned look as early as 2016, weve been noticing more takes on the trend sprinkled throughout our feed as of late.

Kuranaga has tried both classical and romantic ombre tutus, and she credits Japanese designer Nui for her custom color combos. But we also found a few other dancers going ombre (we even included one in our mag this past fall). Check them all out, ahead!

Our tutu model Nikita Boris of the Valentina Kozlova Dance Conservatory wore a custom black and navy tutu by Conservatory by Primadonna in our October/November 2017 issue.

San Francisco Ballet principal Ana Sophia Scheller wore a much softer take on the ombre trend with this pale pink and white tutu by Couture Tutu by Miss Miki.

Boston Ballet principal Ashley Ellis went for pale pink and white ombre, too, thanks to Nui.

Also going the pastel route, San Francisco Ballet corps dancer Madison Keesler posted a close-up shot of her turquoise and white ombre by Couture Tutu.

Boston Ballet principal Lia Cirio tried her own ombre out with a little Sugar Plum Fairy (she also tried out blonde hair, which were equally obsessed with).

Pennsylvania Ballet corps member Ana Calderon went for a much brighter blue thanks to Nuishe even matched her leo to the look.

Calderon wasnt the only dancer to color coordinateHamburg Ballet corps member Nako Hiraki paired a cool greige ombre with a matching long-sleeved leo.

And Houston Ballet demi soloist Natalie Varnum went purple on purple for a dreamy combination we want to copy, ASAP.
Part of Jefferson County's Citizens Police Academy involves learning how to shoot a weapon and deciding when to use it. Photo: Ronnie Garrett

Bill Dandoy has been a sheriff's deputy for more than two decades. He became a deputy at the Jefferson County (WI) Sheriff's Office to enforce the law and to help others, but one of the brightest spots in his career has been running the agency's citizens police academy (CPA). So much so, that he often gives his time to it in exchange for a day off, rather than collect overtime pay.

"It brings some positives to what can sometimes be a very lonely job," he explains. "Not only does the CPA help build trust in the department, but it's had a positive effect on our deputies. They get to be reminded that there are people out there who support us and our mission."

He explains that though he's a day-shifter now, he worked second and third shift for many years, where he encountered everything from domestic disputes to situations caused by alcohol and drug abuse. Being exposed to often negative encounters, day in and day out, can wear on law enforcers, but he says this program reminds them they are not alone; that good people stand behind them.

He adds, "It's good for law enforcement officers to share a bit of what they do in a positive environment, such as a citizen's police academy."

No Binder or Desk Required

Jefferson County started its CPA approximately 22 years ago, and Dandoy has headed it for 20 of those years. Over the years, nearly 400 people have taken the class; 16 students at a time. And, some have taken it twice.

"The demand has gotten so high that last year we started doing two academies a year," he says, noting that typically the class is full before he even issues a press release about it taking place.

He explains that though occasionally he lets in one or two extra people, he tries to keep the 11-week classes, which run from 6-9 p.m. one day a week, to 16 students.

"This seems to be a good number to give everyone a good hands-on experience, and keep our hours firm," he says. "People are drawn to the class by a general interest in law enforcement, whether it's because of years of watching cops on TV, seeing the stories in the news, and so on. This gives them a chance to get an inside look at what we do."

The curriculum the department has developed over the years requires classes to be small. Though there is an introduction in a classroom the first night, most evenings are spent engaged in activities that do not require a binder filled with instructional materials or a desk. Instead, participants may find themselves handcuffing a "suspect," driving a patrol car and making a traffic stop, viewing a correctional emergency response team (CERT) or K-9 demonstration, investigating an "accident," collecting evidence at a "crime scene," shooting a firearm, or participating in active shooter training.

Dandoy says he arranges the class in the way he'd want a class to be run if he was using his personal time to take it. He explains, "I want to get out of my chair and do something. We designed our program so that people are not spending three hours sitting in a chair. We want them to take some great memories along with them, and to experience the situations that we do."

He explains they give participants actual scenarios to deal with. For example, a dispatcher might call them to an underground garage and tell them they are being sent there because someone suspicious has been spotted milling around the cars. "The students are on hyper alert because they are fully expecting something terrible to happen, but it might be that someone just dropped their car keys," he says. "Other times they will encounter a suspect and have to take appropriate action."

CPA participants take active shooter training at a local high school to help them understand how officers train. Photo: Ronnie Garrett

An eye opener for many students is the use-of-force and handcuffing demo, where deputies teach participants how difficult it is to handcuff someone when they are standing still, let alone fighting with them. That night also includes a TASER demonstration, and many participants volunteer to get hit by a TASER to see what it feels like.

"I videotape that, and post the videos on YouTube, so they can share them with family and friends," he says.

Dandoy routinely takes participants to Deerfield Pistol & Archery Center in nearby Deerfield, WI, for a night at the range. Here, students shoot a handgun, but they also participate in video simulator training where they answer calls and must decide whether to discharge their weapons. "They have to make a split-second, shoot-or-don't-shoot decision," he says. "The simulator tracks where they point their gun, where their shots were fired, if they hit the assailant and stopped the threat, if they were hit, etc.," he says. "That experience for people is a real eye-opener. They realize the tiny amount of time there is to make that decision, and sometimes they make the wrong one."

Active shooter training was added a few years ago, because Dandoy says it helps participants learn to respond to these situations as both citizens and officers. The scenarios take place at Lakeside Lutheran High School in Lake Mills, WI, and involve an actual simulation with Airsoft guns. "I teach active shooter response to civilians, primarily in our schools, but also in businesses and churches. Studying active shooter events and figuring out effective responses to them has been my world since Sandy Hook," he says. "Teaching CPA participants how we respond to these events opens their eyes to some of the challenges officers face and how we train for them."

Dandoy says students respond in unexpected ways during these simulations. Sometimes, participants are naturals and, once in this tactical situation, they have no problem busting into the area where the shooter is holed up. Other times, participants must be forced to enter the room, even though they know the situation isn't real.

"It is not a natural response for anyone to dive into gunfire, and when they have to do iteven when it's just a pellet from an Airsoft gunthey are petrified," he says. "Sometimes we get a good laugh, like the time we had a participant start firing at everyone in the room. There was only one bad guy, but she shot everyone."

Not every night is action-packed, however. Some nights tug at the heart strings. Dandoy explains that on law enforcement spouse night, husbands and wives of law enforcement officers share how the job impacts their families. When Deputy Mike Williams talks about the murder of his brother, Deputy Bruce Williams of the Green Lake County (WI) Sheriff's Office during a domestic dispute, there is usually not a dry eye in the house.

The course ends with a celebration for participants and their significant others, where the jail cook, a former U.S. Navy chef, prepares the meal, and an awards ceremony follows. Participants receive a plaque, CPA T-shirt, and a 4x6 photo of themselves at the range.

CPA Builds Public Trust

Of course, a class like this costs money, and for many cash-strapped departments this can present an unsurmountable barrier, but Dandoy says Jefferson County Sheriff's Office funds this educational effort because of the benefits it brings.

"Our biggest cost is overtime for the deputies that teach the classes, which can be as many as five deputies some nights. As much as possible we try to use deputies who are on duty," he says. "Of course, the bad guys do not always cooperate with this schedule, and then I have to bring in a deputy to teach the class."

Sometimes other departments visit Jefferson County to see its CPA program in action, and Dandoy welcomes the opportunity. He offers a few suggestions to them when they do. One, if money is an issue, he suggests a shorter program that is easier to fund. He also recommends appointing a person to oversee the program and keep it going. Finally, he recommends finding a way to do it, if they can.

"We are in a battle to build public trust right now, and we don't have a lot of good tools to do that. This is a great tool to build trust," he says, noting that law enforcement has been at a disadvantage since the Ferguson, MO, unrest in 2014. Now officers battle for trust as the media releases unsubstantiated facts before law enforcement has finished their investigation. When this happens, Dandoy says "rumors fester and spread, and trust in law enforcement erodes."

"Our goal is to send away 16 law enforcement advocates at the end of this program. I want people to be able to take that negative news story on the nightly news and be able to critically think about it from a different perspective and engage others in the conversation," he says. "I also want them to know that this is their sheriff's office, and we work for them. We want them to understand what we're doing and why we do it the way we do. If we can engage our citizens here, we can create a partnership with them where they know they can trust us."

Ronnie Garrett is a freelance writer based in Fort Atkinson, WI. She has been writing about law enforcement-related topics for 22 years.
A Wasilla, AK, man accused of killing the first Alaska State Troopers dog to die in the line of duty was convicted by a jury on Wednesday.

The jury found 27-year-old Almando Abarca guilty of harming a police dog, as well as attempted murder for firing shots at his handler and another officer during a September 2016 foot chase, reports the Anchorage Daily News.

K-9 Helo was fatally shot by a fleeing suspect, who was found guilty of harming a police dog. (Photo: Alaska State Troopers)

Abarca was pulled over around 5:30 a.m by Palmer, AK, police for not having tail lights, fleeing at high speeds, and crashing his car into a tree near the Glenn-Parks interchange, charging documents said. He reportedly got out of the car with a pistol in his hand and ran. He shot behind him at a Palmer officer, a trooper, and K-9 Helo, who were following him on foot.

The dog was shot several times and died from his injuries.

Abarca is scheduled for sentencing May 29 and faces a range of five to 99 years for attempted murder and one to four years for several other counts.
The names of the Locust Grove, GA, police officer who was killed and two Henry County, GA, sheriff's deputies who were wounded in a shooting when they tried to serve an arrest warrant Friday have now been released.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation released photos of slain Locust Grove police Officer Chase Maddox and Henry County sheriff's deputies Michael D. Corley and Ralph Sidwell "Sid" Callaway.

The GBI has released the names of the three officers shot in Friday's Henry County, GA, shooting: Fallen Locust Grove Officer Chase Maddox, Henry County Sheriff's Deputies Michael D. Corley (pic 2), and Ralph Sidwell "Sid" Callaway (pic 3). Photo: GBI/Twitter

Officer Maddox, 26, had been working for the department since he was 22. Maddox is the only officer the department hired out of school and was described by Locust Grove Mayor Robert Price as a "smart young man." His wife is expecting their second child.

According to Henry County Sheriff Keith McBrayer, one deputy underwent surgery for serious injuries and another was in fair condition. One of the deputies has now been released from the hospital, according to Channel 2. He was wearing his ballistic vest, which blocked the bullet. The second deputy remained in the hospital after he was shot in the stomach. He was also wearing a vest, reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The suspect was killed, reportedly by fire from one of the wounded law enforcement officers. He has been identified but his name has not been released.

McBrayer said the deputies were serving the warrant when they ran into trouble and called the Locust Grove officer in for backup. The sheriff said all of the shots were fired inside the residence.

The deputies serving the warrant had "no reason to expect the suspect would be violent," McBrayer said.
Sean Malinowski was torn between two cities last year: chief of staff to Los Angeles police Chief Charlie Beck and $250-an-hour consultant to the Chicago Police Department, helping create new, high-tech crime-fighting centers.

I used all of my vacation time and days off to do this, Malinowski says. My family time suffered. Im a little worn out by it.

Invited to Chicago by Supt. Eddie Johnson to lend his expertise after the city suffered one of its bloodiest years in decades in 2016, Malinowski was hired under a $1.1 million contract between the city and the University of Chicago Crime Lab. The labs job: to help build and operate Strategic Decision Support Centers, where officers and civilian analysts monitor gunshot detectors, surveillance cameras and other data to pinpoint where crimes occur and where they might happen next.

In essence, Malinowskis job was to show the Chicago department how to use its own technology to fight crime, L.A.-style, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Chevrolet is already offering semi-autonomous safety systems as an option on the 2018 Tahoe PPV. For future vehicles the features will most likely come standard. Photo: General Motors

Few corporate secrets are more closely guarded than new vehicle designs and features. Even though automotive companies are constantly showing futuristic prototypes at the Los Angeles, Detroit, and Tokyo auto shows, they are extremely tight-lipped when it comes to what they actually plan to produce.

So given that future patrol vehicle models and the features of those models are treated like state secrets by Chevrolet, Dodge (FCA), and Ford, what can we say about the next generation of law enforcement vehicles that will be offered by these companies? Not much that we absolutely know to be true. But we can make some educated guesses based on what is happening in the patrol vehicle market today.

Engine Technology

Patrol vehicle engines are getting more and more sophisticated. And while the Big Three are all producing some very efficient and powerful motors, Ford is really pushing the technology envelope.

Back in 2011 Ford first started showing vehicles with the V6 Ecoboost engine. The Ecoboost, with its turbos and direct injection, is one of the most high-tech gas engines used to power police vehicles. The 3.5-liter V6 Ecoboost used in the Ford Police Interceptor Utility and Sedan packs 365 horses at 5,500 RPM and 350 foot-pounds of torque over a tachometer range that begins at 1,500 RPM and rises to 5,250 RPM. The 3.5-liter V6 Ecoboost on Ford's new pursuit pickup truck, the F-150 Police Responder, produces 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque.

It's likely Ford's next generation of patrol vehicles will include models powered by Ecoboost V6 powerplants, but it's not much of a leap to say that Ford will be extending its use of the hybrid engine into pursuit-rated patrol vehicles. Last year the company rolled out its Hybrid Police Responder, the first hybrid to ever be pursuit rated. Built on the Fusion sedan platform, the Hybrid Police Responder is powered by a 2.0-liter I-4 Atkinson-cycle gas engine combined with an 88-kilowatt A/C motor driven by a 1.4-kilowatt lithium-ion battery.

Ford currently offers a Hybrid Police Responder pursuit vehicle. In the future, we can expect more hybrid vehicles for law enforcement from the Big Three. Photo: Thi Dao

More hybrid police vehicles are probably on the way from all of the Big Three automakers. Still, some might question the need for hybrid engines in law enforcement, given the additional upfront costs for the engines and the relatively inexpensive price of gasoline. Stephen Tyler, police brand marketing manager for Ford, says there's one key aspect of patrol vehicle operations that attracts fleet managers to hybrids as an economical alternative to gasoline engines: idling. The hybrids use the battery when idling and charge it again when the officer starts driving. Tyler says that under typical police operation the money saved by not burning gas idling at scenes pays for the extra upfront cost of the hybrid engine in just one year, even with regular unleaded gasoline selling at a nationwide average of around $2.50.

Electric engines are also a possibility in the next generation of patrol vehicles, but experts say hybrids are more practical for patrol work. Electric-only cars have limitations on how long they can be driven without being recharged, and charging currently takes much more time than filling a tank with gas.

Semi-Autonomous Cars

The next generation of police patrol vehicles will not be self-driving, but they will have semi-autonomous systems designed to help the officer drive more safely, especially while multi-tasking on the radio or computer.

Chevrolet is already offering semi-autonomous safety systems as an option on the 2018 Tahoe PPV. The option called the Enhanced Driver Assist Package consists of collision avoidance technologies and hazard alert systems, including:

Low Speed Forward Automatic Braking: This feature, which Chevy says has never been offered on a pursuit-rated vehicle before, automatically applies the brakes to help prevent collisions and make collisions that do happen less damaging. The system engages if the vehicle is traveling at a low speed and the system detects that a front-end collision is imminent and the driver has not already applied the brakes.

Forward Collision Alert: This system uses radar and a forward-looking camera to measure the closing speeds between a vehicle and objects in its path. If a driver-adjustable threshold is passed, the system triggers a visual alert and audible beeps or seat vibrations.

Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning: This feature provides gentle steering wheel turns to help drivers avoid crashes due to unintentionally drifting out of their lanes when they are not actively steering and the turn signals are not activated.

Safety Alert Driver Seat: The GM-patented Safety Alert Seat gives drivers the option of getting seat-bottom vibration pulses instead of audible crash avoidance alerts.

Dana Hammer, Chevy's product and marketing manager for law enforcement vehicles, says fleet managers are demanding safety features that can prevent minor accidents. They are reporting "many low speed forward accidents," he explains.

Hybrids use the battery when idling instead of burning gasoline, which can save money over the long run. Photo: Ford

Hammer says he realizes officers are not going to want to surrender any control of the vehicles they drive and he emphasizes that Chevy's new safety features can be easily overridden by the driver. "If you are actively steering and braking, you are in control," he says. Chevy also knows there are times when officers need to collide with another vehicle such as in a PIT maneuver. "If you are accelerating or braking, then the active braking will not engage," Hammer says.

Hammer says that adding the Enhanced Driver Assist Package to a new 2018 Tahoe PPV adds $695 to the cost of the vehicle. Customers are surprised at the price, he explains, and adds that Chevy intentionally kept the safety package affordable to make it available to more officers.

Chevy's new safety features for the 2018 Tahoe PPV are optional, but the next generation of patrol vehicles will likely have similar semi-autonomous systems as standard features.

Ford Seeks Patent for Robotic Patrol Car News broke last month that Ford has applied for a patent for a totally autonomous patrol car. As presented in the patent application, the car will not only be able to carry police, but also be a kind of robocop. According to reports from Motor1 and Jalopnik, Ford envisions a vehicle that will be able to perform traffic enforcement duties, either on its own or in conjunction with surveillance cameras and/or roadside sensors. It's possible that such an autonomous patrol vehicle will be able to access the identity of the driver, the driver's license information, the vehicle registration, and the insurance information on the target vehicle, and electronically send a citation to the offender's computer. If an officer is inside the autonomous car, he or she would be able to override the autonomous systems and take control of the vehicle. This may sound like science fiction, but the technology is being developed. The questions that will have to be answered are how the technology will be used and how future courts will view such robotic enforcement systems.

Officer Safety Features

Officer safety features on the next generation of patrol vehicles will go beyond collision avoidance and include attack awareness systems. For the 2017 Dodge Charger Pursuit Fiat, Chrysler teamed with InterMotive Vehicle Controls to produce Rear Cross Path Detection, essentially an ambush warning system that alerts officers to movement at the rear or side of a parked vehicle.

Officers driving Dodge Charger Pursuits equipped with the Officer Protection Package can activate the system whenever they are parked by pressing a dedicated auxiliary button on the steering wheel. All four doors must be closed; the front windows can be up or down.

When someone gets close to the vehicle, the system is activated. An alert sounds, the doors lock, the front windows roll up, reverse lights turn on, and the taillights begin to flash. The system works even if the officer doesnt happen to notice an approaching individual.

Such subject approach alert systems and potential ambush warnings will be common on patrol vehicles in the near future.

Connectivity

Cars and trucks are no longer just vehicles, they are rolling computers, and they are rapidly becoming rolling WiFi hotspots. For 2017, built-in WiFi connectivity was available on the Dodge Charger and the Chevy Tahoe. Ford is adding 4G built-in WiFi into select 2018 models. This may make it easier for agencies to connect their data systems in the vehicles.

Dodge offers a built-in dash display system, Uconnect, to take the place of a laptop in the Charger's driver area. Photo: FCA

Connectivity also means built-in displays for patrol vehicles. The trend in consumer vehicles is bigger, more powerful displays as seen in the new Tesla Model 3 and other makes. There's also movement to add personal assistants such as Amazon's Alexa into consumer vehicles.

These trends are sure to be reflected in the next generation of law enforcement vehicles as well. Since 2016 Dodge has been offering a built-in dash display system, Uconnect, to take the place of a laptop in the Charger's driver area. The 12.1-inch display screen allows agencies to mount their computers in the trunks of their vehicles instead of the cockpit, freeing up valuable real estate and eliminating the possibility of officers being injured by computers during an accident.

Bigger Vehicles

The need for more cockpit real estate and cargo area storage has led many agencies to choose SUVs for their patrol fleets. Big patrol vehicles now rule the road.

Chevy only makes one pursuit-rated police vehicle now, the Tahoe PPV in rear-wheel and four-wheel-drive variants. And Ford's Interceptor Utility based on the Explorer SUV is the best-selling police vehicle in America, far exceeding the sales of the company's Police Interceptor Sedan. Even Dodge, which currently does not offer a pursuit-rated SUV, is expected to introduce a 2019 model year patrol Durango.

At the 2018 Michigan State Police Vehicle Test held last September, Dodge representatives declined to provide full details about how a pursuit-rated Durango would be different from the 2017 Durango Special Service but they did offer some basics. Both vehicles are powered by a 5.7-liter V-8 engine that delivers power via an eight-speed transmission to a rear-wheel or available all-wheel-drive system. "It's a rear-wheel-drive vehicle with an all-wheel-drive option," says David Callery, FCA's program manager for police and emergency response vehicles. "The vehicle has to hold up to the rigors of daily patrol. We believe it's equal or superior to the other vehicles out there."

Does the rise of the SUV necessarily mean patrol sedans will not be available by 2020? Maybe. Chevy's Caprice PPV was discontinued in 2017, and it's not known if the next generation of Dodge Charger will include a Pursuit model. However, Ford says it plans to continue producing patrol sedans, including hybrid engine sedans, maybe even pursuit-rated hybrid sedans.

But currently, all three of the largest American carmakers are focusing on giving law enforcement bigger and more versatile patrol platforms. Nowhere is this better evidenced than in Ford's patrol pickup. Tyler says the pursuit-rated truck was built to answer customer demand. "Customers have told us they need a vehicle that is pursuit capable for the road but with 4x4 capability for off-road," he says.

The 2018 F-150 Police Responder can chase down speeders and tow boats and trailers. Tyler also believes agencies will want to use the F-150 Police Responder for transporting personnel. The pickup has a 145-inch wheelbase with 131.8 cubic feet of interior passenger space, and Tyler says its cab offers the most front and rear hip and shoulder room and most rear leg room of any pursuit-rated vehicle. It has enough room, according to Tyler, to comfortably seat five officers in body armor and carrying duty gear.

Given all the indicators that we see in current and expected vehicles from the Big Three car makers, we can draw the following conclusions about the next generation of law enforcement patrol vehicles: they will be bigger multi-purpose vehicles with high-tech engine systems, advanced semi-autonomous safety features, and high-speed internet connectivity. They won't drive themselves, but that's certainly coming perhaps by the end of the next decade.
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Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) asked what President Trump was hiding upon the Republican Presidents refusal to release the Democratic memo voted on by the House Intelligence Committee.

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The Presidents double standard when it comes to transparency is appalling. The rationale for releasing the Nunes memo, transparency, vanishes when it could show information thats harmful to him. Millions of Americans are asking one simple question: what is he hiding?

Schumer is asking the right question because Trump was happy to release the Republican cherry picked memo that he thought would somehow prove his innocence (it did not). But now that theres more to the story, Trump suddenly is against transparency.

This is the man who allowed a national security meeting to be recorded by fellow diners on Facebook Live. Hes not big on privacy and security. He let the Russians in on our top secrets.

So its very odd that he suddenly has national security fever but only when it comes to the Democratic memo on the Trump Russia probe. Whats in this memo that he doesnt want the public to see?

Trump can refuse to declassify it, but it will come out one way or another.
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On Saturday, Trump expressed support for the belief that he saw on Fox News, that the Russia investigation is an Obama conspiracy to get him.

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Trump tweeted:

My view is that not only has Trump been vindicated in the last several weeks about the mishandling of the Dossier and the lies about the Clinton/DNC Dossier, it shows that hes been victimized. Hes been victimized by the Obama Administration who were using all sorts of.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 10, 2018

.agencies, not just the FBI & DOJ, now the State Department to dig up dirt on him in the days leading up to the Election. Comey had conversations with Donald Trump, which I dont believe were accuratehe leaked information (corrupt). Tom Fitton of Judicial Watch on @FoxNews  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 10, 2018

Trump is mentally fading fast

What is an avid Fox News viewer like Trump to do when the Special Counsel is closing in on him, and the Russia scandal is about to hit the fan? He pulls a page out of the Fox News playbook and blames Obama. The belief that the Russia scandal is a conspiracy against him follows along with Trumps belief that Obama wiretapped him in Trump Tower.

Trump has mentally walled himself off from his own Russia crimes and has convinced himself of his own innocence, even though his refusal to release his tax returns and information about his business dealings.
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Trump, who has never read the Schiff memo, but had people in his White House and Fox News tell him about it, declared it too political for release.

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Trump tweeted:

The Democrats sent a very political and long response memo which they knew, because of sources and methods (and more), would have to be heavily redacted, whereupon they would blame the White House for lack of transparency. Told them to re-do and send back in proper form!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 10, 2018

Donald Trump doesnt read intelligence reports and memos. White House chief of staff John Kelly admitted that Trump didnt read the memo but was briefed on it, and the President gets his information from Fox News. By too political Trump means that the Democratic memo debunks the FBI conspiracy theory that the White House and the staff of House Intelligence Committee chairman Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) cooked up.

The only thing political about the Schiff memo that is too political is that it point by point debunks Trumps memo.

Trumps paranoia keeps shooting the White House in the foot

The refusal to release the Democratic memo is another example of this White House creating a negative story for itself out of nothing because of the paranoid presidents fear of transparency and facts. If the White House released the Schiff memo, everyone would look at it, and move on. Their refusal to release the memo has created controversy where there should be none.
St. Luke's Episcopal Church invites the community to a candlelight Evensong service at 5:30 p.m. Sunday.

Evensong was created in 1549 with liturgy drawn from the Anglican tradition. It includes scripture reading, Psalms and choral singing of the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis (Song of Simeon). English high tea will be served immediately after the service.

All are welcome. There will be a free-will offering.

St. Luke's Episcopal Churchis located at 1884 22nd St. NW in Rochester. For more information, call 507-288-2469.

Book discussion covers 'The Five Invitations'

A book discussion on "The Five Invitations: Discovering What Death Can Teach Us About Living Fully" will begin at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Assisi Heights Spirituality Center.

The book also will be discussed on Feb. 22 and March 1. The author, Frank Ostaseski, has sat on the precipice of death with more than a thousand people.

The facilitator will be Cathy Ashton, who has accompanied many persons during their last stages of life from her family of origin, to individuals at the Federal Medical Center and Mayo Hospice. She completed training with the Spirit Rock Mediation Center, which addresses aging, illness and dying.

Cost is $15 preregistered, $20 at the door.

Assisi Heights Spirituality Centeris at 1001 14th St. NW in Rochester. For more information, call 507-282-7441 or go to www.rochesterfranciscan.org.

Supermarket Saturday opens on Feb. 17

Oasis Church will hold Supermarket Saturday, in partnership with Channel One Food Shelf, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Feb. 17.

You must present a photo ID with birthdate to pick up food at Oasis Church. You can visit only one Channel One food site per month.

If you have any questions, call 289-8596.

Oasis Churchis located at 1815 38th St. NW, Rochester.

Got guilt? A workshop offers help

A workshop entitled "Got Guilt?" will be offered from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, at Assisi Heights Spirituality Center.

What is it that we consider as sin that makes us feel guilty? In the church, some things are forbidden, but everything is forgivable. In society, many things are permitted, but somethings are unforgivable. How are our opinions and consciences shaped by our communities?

Come explore the various dimensions of sin, guilt and forgiveness with Father Jim Buryska, a Mayo Hospital chaplain.

Cost is $15 preregistered, $20 at the door.

For more information, call 507-282-7441 or go to www.rochesterfranciscan.org.

Learn divine seeing at Visio Divina

The first of two Visio Divina sessions will be offered 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, at Assisi Heights Spirituality Center.

Visio Divina, Latin for divine seeing, is a method of praying with images or pictures. Stained glass windows or wall depictions of scriptural stories were used in the earlier days to teach scripture. Today, images are an important way of communicating with God, encouraging us to delve deeper and be called, surprised and transformed.

Led by Sister Marlys Jax, the sessions will have a Lenten theme. The second session will be offered 9 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28

Cost is $10 preregistered, $15 at the door.

For more information, call 507-282-7441 or go to www.rochesterfranciscan.org.
ACCRA, Ghana  Two sisters in Ghana are creating Islamic-friendly fashion from the locally produced fabrics that are wildly popular across West Africa.

Sekina Abam, 27, said it can be difficult for women in Ghana to avoid discrimination when wearing the Islamic headscarf known as the hijab. Muslims make up 18 percent of the population.

She and her 32-year-old sister Nefisa found that many hijab options sold in the markets of the capital, Accra, came from outside the country. None came in the vibrant print fabrics for which Ghana is internationally known.

"I said to myself, 'Why not come up with something from myself that will meet the hijab rules while using African prints?'" she recalled.

Now she and her sister share a workshop where they turn out colorful headscarves and flowing, conservative dresses. Sekina is in charge of the clothing line known as Libaas Hilaan that includes everything from casual wear to special occasion apparel, while Nefisa directs the Nefeesah Hijab brand.

Hijabs sell between 30 ($6.50) and 100 ($22) Ghana cedis, while dresses and abayas can sell for as much as 850 cedis. To meet the steady demand for their product after five years, the sisters are now helped by their mother and two other workers.

In recent years, Muslim women in Ghana have been able to wear the hijab more freely at school and in the workplace. In 2015, former President John Mahama proclaimed freedom of faith, opening the way for more displays of religion in the secular country.

For the Abam sisters, the struggle is to find the right balance between fashion and Islam, being mindful of tradition while making something that younger women will feel comfortable wearing on the streets of Accra.

"A woman naturally wants to look beautiful, and coming from an African setting where is Islam is minimal like in Ghana here, it's difficult for her to wear black or something that is print-less, design-less," Sekina said. "She wants to fit in but she also wants to try to obey God a bit. So I decided to come up with these designs that would meet such needs.

"The idea is to make it easy for our Muslim sisters and mothers to wear their hijab so that they will be always motivated to wear the hijab," Nefisa added.
It's rare for Las Vegas tourism to suffer a down year, but that's what happened in 2017.

While some 42.2 million persons visited the nation's gambling capital in 2017, that total was 1.3 percent less than the number reported in 2016, according to a report from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Bureau.

While Vegas almost always comes up with increasing tourism numbers, last year was different: There was the horrific mass shooting there on Oct. 1, and the LCVA said that was among the reasons  perhaps the main reason  for the decrease. Another factor, it was reported, was a temporary reduction in available rooms as several hotels underwent renovations.

The mass shooting dealt a substantial blow to air bookings, noted Travel Weekly. Air bookings were down somewhat before a gunman killed 58 people from the window of his 32nd-floor room in the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Bookings were down 7 percent for domestic flights and 2 percent for international flights before the shootings but in the three weeks following the incident, bookings plunged much further  domestic bookings down 21 percent and international bookings down 16 percent.

The months ahead may be tough on Las Vegas tourism counts, too: Travel Weekly reports that air bookings are down 14 percent through April.

There was a bright side to convention attendance last year, however. The LVCA reported that convention attendance increased 5.2 percent in 2017, with more than 6.6 million attending, setting a new record. Additionally, revenue per available hotel room shot up to about $115, up about 2.1 percent. And gaming revenue in the Vegas area was up, too  by some 3.1 percent through November to more than $9.1 billion.

TSA expands Pre-Check program

The Transportation Security Administration has expanded its Pre-Check program to five new airlines that will be added to the list of approved carriers.

Pre-Check gives flyers an opportunity to go through security without taking off their shoes, belts or light jackets, and without taking laptops and 3-1-1 liquids out of their bags.

And there is another advantage to the program, which costs $85 for five years  a special line that allows travelers a faster transit through security.

The new airlines added to the program are all foreign carriers: Air France, Brussels Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Philippine Airlines and World Atlantic. With the additions, the TSA has now approved 47 total carriers for the Pre-Check program.
I explained here why I dont think that 2018 will be a Democratic blowout along the lines that 2010, for example, was for Republicans. Today more evidence that November wont be a walk in the park for Democrats came from Minnesota, where 8th District representative Rick Nolan announced that he will not seek re-election:

U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan said Friday that he will not run for re-election this year, an unexpected decision that elevates the stakes in what was already going to be an expensive, all-out battle between the DFL and Republicans for his northeastern Minnesota congressional seat.

The 8th used to be a Democratic Party bastion, but has been turning increasingly red. Nolan won the seat in 2012 and defended it narrowly in 2014 and 2016, both times against Republican Stewart Mills. Donald Trump carried the 8th District by something like 16 points, an indication of how strongly the tide is running against liberalism there.

Nolan had said as recently as last Summer that he would run for re-election. What changed? I can only assume that he was looking at some very bad poll numbers. His Republican challenger will be Pete Stauber, a strong candidate. Stauber is a long-time Duluth police officer who is now a St. Louis County Commissioner. St. Louis County is the chief DFL stronghold in the district, but Stauber has been running there successfully. I was confident that Stauber would beat Nolan; I am even more confident that he will beat whomever the Democrats nominate in Nolans place.

What is going on in northern Minnesota? A big part of the story is mining. Most people dont realize it, but Minnesota is home to some of the worlds largest and most valuable mineral deposits. For twenty years or more, mining companies have been trying to develop mineral resources (mostly copper and nickel) valued in the hundreds of billions of dollars, if not trillions. But the Democratic Party has stalled them, at both the federal and state levels. The people of northern Minnesota have had enough.

The Republicans House majority is relatively slim, and the Democrats might well take control after Novembers election. In that context, opportunities for GOP pickups are crucial. Minnesota has three of the last rural districts in the U.S. still controlled by Democratsthe 1st, 7th and 8thand at least two, the 8th and 1st, probably will swing to the GOP this year. (Democrat Tim Walz, who currently represents the 1st District in southern Minnesota, is leaving Congress to run for governor.) Given the speed with which small-town America is turning red, the Republican nominee may defeat long-time representative Colin Peterson in the 7th, as well.

With two Senate seats up for grabsa historic rarityas well as the governorship, and five House races deemed competitive by the national handicappers, Minnesota will be ground zero in November.
Scott says James Comey may be the least self-aware man in America. I agree. Comey is a legend in his own mind.

Comey is also a legend in the mind of Josh Campbell, his former special assistant at the FBI. In an op-ed for USA Today, Campbell called his former boss a giant of a man with an even bigger heart, whose focus was always on trying to understand and improve the lives of others.

Campbell also wrote an op-ed for the New York Times in which he stated he was leaving the FBI because of relentless attacks on the bureau. Campbell claimed that these attacks undermine not just Americas premier law enforcement agency but also the nations security. Thus, he said, he was reluctantly turning in my badge and leaving an organization I love. (If the ability of a GS-13 FBI employee to get an op-ed published in the New York Times strikes you as odd, you are not alone. It struck retired FBI supervisory special agent James Gagliano that way too).

CNN immediately hired Campbell as its law enforcement analyst, a gig he no doubt had lined up before he wrote his sanctimonious New York Times piece. Indeed, as this report shows, Campbell had been sucking up to CNN since at least the beginning of the year. He is the news networks fanboy, as well as Comeys.

Campbell appeared on CNN the day the Times published his op-ed. He did not disclose that he was about to go on CNNs payroll.

Dozens of news organizations covered Campbells resignation, praising him as a man of integrity for leaving the bureau based on reasons of principle. Fox News Brian Flood observes, correctly, that its safe to assume Campbell wouldnt have gotten so much free publicity if he simply announced he was quitting the FBI to join CNN.

Meanwhile, the FBI held a farewell party for Campbell. The announcement for the event invited co-workers to celebrate [Campbells] new endeavor defending the bureau as an LE analyst at CNN. (Emphasis added) A legitimate news organization would not hire an analyst whose purpose is to defend a government agency he covers.

CNN describes Campbells new endeavor more neutrally. It says he will provide punditry about crime, justice, and national security issues.

The farewell invitation is probably closer to the mark and comports with what Campbell himself says. CNN hired Campbell to bolster its roster of Trump haters. He is there to defend Trumps FBI enemies, especially Comey.

As for crime, justice, and national security, Campbells credentials to provide punditry have been questioned. According to Saagar Enjeti and Joe Simonson of the Daily Caller, CNNs decision to Campbell disturbs some veteran members of the FBI. Former special agent Jack Garcia told them:

What can [Campbell] contribute? I dont think that he would be someone who could offer any type of, really, knowledge about what law enforcement analysts are, because, what is his experience?

According to Garcia and another source, Campbells 10 year career was largely marked by time spent at headquarters. In their view, he lacks field knowledge to accurately represent the bureau.

Enjeti and Simonson also cite unflattering tweets about Campbell from veteran agents. They view him as a political animal and a grandstander. No wonder CNN wants him. No wonder Comey did too.

The bio of Campbell on CNNs website indicates that his credentials are substantial. However, Enjeti and Simonson say individuals who worked at the FBI during Campbells time there dispute this rendition of his credentials. I have no way of adjudicating the dispute.

Whats clear is that CNN didnt hire Campbell because of whatever knowledge and accomplishments he accumulated during his ten years with the FBI. It hired Campbell because hes an ally of Comey and an enemy of the president.
The Associated Press reported a few minutes ago: Trump wont declassify Democratic memo on Russia probe. The article doesnt live up to the headline.

Citing national security concerns, the White House on Friday formally notified the House intelligence committee that President Donald Trump is unable to declassify a memo drafted by Democrats that counters GOP allegations about abuse of government surveillance powers in the FBIs Russia probe. White House counsel Don McGahn said in a letter to the committee that the memo contains numerous properly classified and especially sensitive passages and asked the Democrats to revise the memo with the help of the Justice Department. He said Trump is still inclined to release the memo in the interest of transparency if revisions are made.

McGhans letter, which is entirely reasonable, is here. No doubt the Democrats memo will be released before long. What is most notable about the APs story is the pro-Democrat spin it applies to the facts.

The presidents rejection of the Democratic memo is in contrast to his enthusiastic embrace of releasing the Republican document, which he pledged before reading to make public. The president declassified the document last week, allowing its publication in full.

President Trump declassified the Republican memo after it was revised to meet security objections, as well as objections by the Democrats. The same process is being followed here, at least as far as national security is concerned.

The disagreements have escalated over the last year as Democrats have charged that Republicans arent taking the panels investigation into Russian election meddling seriously enough. They say the GOP memo, led by chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., is designed as a distraction from the probe, which is looking into whether Trumps campaign was in any way connected to the Russian interference.

Actually, the probe was conceived as a distraction from what really happened, i.e., collusion between the Clinton campaign and the Russians, along with improper and potentially illegal efforts by senior Obama law enforcement officials to prevent Donald Trump from winning the election. That is how it looks now, anyway. But the AP is sticking to its story.

Trump declassified the GOP-authored memo over the objections of the FBI, which said it had grave concerns about the documents accuracy.

The APs account is false. The FBI didnt suggest that there was anything in the GOP memo that was inaccurate. Rather, it claimed that there were omissions from the memo that it would like to see filled in. Those are not doubts about the memos accuracy. In any event, the Democrats memo no doubt will incorporate whatever information Democratic Party officials at the FBI and DOJ want added to the record.

In the so-called Nunes memo, Republicans took aim at the FBI and the Justice Department over the use of information from former British spy Christopher Steele in obtaining a warrant to monitor Page under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA. The main allegation was that the FBI and Justice Department didnt tell the court enough about Steeles anti-Trump bias or that his work was funded in part by Hillary Clintons campaign and the Democratic National Committee.

Once again, the APs account is spun to help the Democrats. In fact, the FBI didnt tell the FISA court anything about Steeles obsessive determination to block Donald Trump from becoming president, nor did the FBI tell the court that Steeles research was funded entirelynot in partby the Clinton campaign and the DNC. In fact, the Obama administration told the FISA court nothing at all about the fact that the Steele dossier was entirely the creation of the Democratic Party.

They noted that federal law enforcement officials had informed the court about the political origins of Steeles work and that some of the former spys information was corroborated by the FBI. They also noted that there was other evidence presented to the court besides Steeles information, though they have not provided details.

This, based on what has been reported, is simply wrong. None of Steeles information was corroborated by the FBI, unless you count an article in Yahoo News, which was also based on Steeles fabrications, as corroboration. Nor was there any other evidence presented in support of the FISA warrant application, other than general boilerplate about the Russians.

We could go on, but you get the drift. The Associated Press is doing what it can to help the Democratic Party, but its position is pretty hopeless. We will see, when the Democratic memo is made public, whether it adds anything to our knowledge of Obama administration misdeeds.
Omri Ceren writes from The Israel Project with this backgrounder for journalists. He has folded information derived from wide variety of sources  I have omitted his 24 alphabetized footnotes  into the message. I would add only that the New York Times has just reported: Later Saturday morning, clashes appeared to be continuing. There were new Israeli airstrikes around the capital, Damascus, according to Syrian state media and Damascus residents. Omri writes:

Overnight Iran launched its first direct military operation against Israel, dispatching a drone commanded from the Tiyas Airbase in Syrias central Homs region.

The Israelis used an Apache helicopter to intercept and down the drone, then sent four jets to destroy the command center (an Israeli military spokesperson confirmed accurate hits of Iranian UAV control facility). One of the Israeli F-16s was abandoned by its pilots over Israel, amid what the Israelis describe as massive Syrian anti-air fire. Syrian anti-aircraft fire reached Israeli territory, triggering extended emergency activities in Israels northern communities.

Iran and its proxies had been escalating their threats to attack Israel over the last few weeks. Hezbollah threatened to attack Israel for a range of reasons, from energy resource disputes to the Israelis building a border fence. Iranian cleric Ayatollah Ebrahim Raisi, one of the front-runners to be the next Iranian Supreme Leader, toured the Israeli-Lebanese border and boasted about operations to secure Jerusalems liberation.

A couple of things to watch:

(1) Military  Iran and its proxies have structured their forces in Syria and Lebanon to guarantee mass casualties during their next war with Israel  In Syria, Hezbollah says it has 10,000 fighters ready to attack Israel and to create a single front across all of Israels north and northeast. In Lebanon, Hezbollah has transformed hundreds of villages into military strongholds, according to the AP, effectively conscripting human shields who will become civilian casualties blamed on Israel, according to the NYT. Theyve stockpiled roughly 150,000 rockets and missiles, allowing them to saturation bomb Israeli population centers with 1,500 rockets and missiles per day for over three months, and Hezbollah chief Nasrallah says the group will use those projectiles against Israels civilian nuclear installations and chemical facilities, triggering tens of thousands of casualties. Hezbollah leaders also say their Syrian battle experience will allow them to launch a ground invasion of Israel, in part through advanced hardened military tunnel infrastructure.

(2) DC politics and policy  The exchanges touch nuclear and non-nuclear Iran issues  On nuclear, recent reports confirmed that parts of the windfall Iran received from the nuclear deal flowed to Hezbollah. On non-nuclear, the Trump administration this month targeted Hezbollah with sanctions. Differing proposals to fold missile restrictions into the nuclear deal are at the core of the debate over President Trumps request for Congress and Europe to fix the deal.

Omri adds this note via Twitter.

The Israelis say the military drone used by Iran in last night's attack was highly sophisticated and emulated Western technology. Somehow in the last few years the Iranians got the breathing room, resources, and knowledge to build and deploy these things. https://t.co/xQvTTv700u  Omri Ceren (@omriceren) February 10, 2018

One more later this morning.

After not mentioning initial Iranian attack on Israel in headline or opening graf, Washington Post does he-said-she-said  Israel vs Iran  about whether attack happened at all. Who can tell? The Israelis have published video of the attack. pic.twitter.com/comMwzmGRi  Omri Ceren (@omriceren) February 10, 2018
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Jezeli poszukujesz pracy w branzy Inne / Pozostae, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca Inne / Pozostae

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Udaipur :Cycle Pure Agarbathies, fromNR Group, the agarbathi to aerospace conglomerate, offeredan opportunity to many of its retailers to meet - Mr Amitabh Bachchan(brand ambassador) by participating in their latest mega eventMeetthe Legend., held at Mumbai recently.The contest to qualify for this event was held from Aug 1st, 2017 to Oct 15th, 2017. About 50000 retailers participated and at the end 550 winners were chosen. This is for the very first time, that the brand has on-boarded theirbrand ambassador, Mr Amitabh Bachchan to interact with their retailersThrough this campaign Cycle Pureagarbathiesshowcasedhow they helpedtheir trade partners to meet their all-time favourite hero and a legendary actor.This contest and subsequent event helpedCycle Pure Agarbathies to further cement their trade relations across the country.Commenting on this Arjun Ranga, Managing Director, Cycle Pure Agarbathies said, Cycle Pure has always been helping its partners, be it customers, employees or retailersin various ways possible. As a part of the contest, we got Mr Amitabh Bachchan on board to meet the lucky winners. We will continue to innovate to come up with something new each time which motivates and strengthens our bonds with our customers, employees an distributors and retailers.Meet the legend contest was held for all retailers across India. The contest was conducted State-wise after which Zonal finals,in all the 5 zones (Central, EAST North West & South) were done, and from the zonal finals, the winners for the mega event were selected.
In its commitment to accelerating global space exploration activities, the UAE launches the Space Settlement Challenge; a dedicated seed grant fund that supports ambitious projects from all areas of research pursuing ideas and concepts to unlock the future of human space habitation. The challenge aims to attract brilliant minds from all around the world regardless of discipline, background, or origin.

(Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/639955/MBR_Global_Space_Challenge_Infographic.jpg )



The UAE has announced a dedicated seed grant of AED2 million (approximately 500,000 euro) towards the Space Settlement Challenge. The funds will be used to bankroll proposals that explore novel ideas and develop new business models for living and working in space. The Challenge, which opened today, will solicit project proposals from diverse disciplines through a next-generation platform called "Guaana", whose innovative model dramatically reduces the time and effort required to fund seed ideas.

The Space Settlement Challenge is the first project of the newly established Mohammed Bin Rashed Centre for Accelerated Research, an initiative of the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF).

Dubai Future Foundation's CEO Khalfan Belhoul said: "The UAE has set itself on an ambitious path to lead the global space race, establishing the first city on Mars as per the 2117 Mars Project. Space research is the logical next step in humanity's search for knowledge and survival, and an advanced means to preserve human cultures, societies and economies. The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Settlement Challenge we are launching today is designed to provide support for creative minds, unconventional ideas, innovative designs and research."

The space challenge is composed of three categories, the first of which revolves around Space Settlement - aims to develop plans for locations that could support a thriving sustainable settlement in space accommodating at least 100 people. It explores matters like construction automation, power, food, water, heating and cooling, all the while taking the human factor into consideration.

The second category - Terraforming & Space Ecology - looks into creating livable long-term environments, formulating strategies for the responsible terraforming of off-planet bodies near the Moon, Mars, asteroids and other orbital habitats.

The third category- Economics, Business Model & Governance - seeks to develop business plans for optimal economics and resource utilization, writing scenarios that identify private-sector partners interested in conducting commercial activities in space. The challenge also seeks to ensure good governance by proposing national policies that promote society's awareness of peaceful settlement in space.

Application is open from February 10, 2018, for a month on: http://www.mbrspacechallenge.ae

SOURCE Dubai Future Foundation
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Jaipur, Feb 7 : The Shree Rajput Karni Sena, which has strongly protested against the release of periodic drama "Padmaavat", has decided to back the Sarv Brahmin Mahasabha's protest against the "historical tampering" of Queen Laxmi Bai, also called Jhansi Ki Rani, in the film "Manikarnika" starring Kangana Ranaut.

The film is based on the life of 'Jhansi ki Rani' and allegedly shows the relationship of the queen with a British officer.

Shree Rajput Karni Sena founder Lokendra Singh Kalvi, asked if his outfit is lending support to the Brahmin Mahasabha in its fight against the film, said, "Agar Brahmin ka khoon bahega to Rajput kya chup rahega, jab Rajput ka khoon baha to Brahmin kabhi chup nahi haha (Rajputs will never keep quiet if Brahmins are affected, and vice versa)." He claimed that 10,000 letters were signed with blood by Brahmins to protest the release of "Padmaavat".

On the issue of quashing of FIR against Sanjay Leela Bhansali, producer of "Padmaavat", and against Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone, he said it had to happen as the apex court has already declared that the film should be released and linked it to the matter of freedom of expression.

"The High Court will definitely follow the Supreme Court. There is nothing new in it," he added.

Asked if there is any chance of the film being released in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Gujarat, Kalvi said the "Supreme Court cannot dictate to cinema halls to release the film and depute paramilitary forces outside cinema halls". The four states had earlier decided against releasing the film, and three of them had approached the apex court.

"What we know is that cinema hall owners are not ready to screen the film in any of these states," he said, adding that on February 9, new films are releasing and hence cinema hall owners will be more interested in those.

Film distributor Raj Bansal, who looks after the Rajasthan and Madhya Pradeh market, has refused to release the film in the two states. The Multiplex Association has also refused to release the film in Rajasthan, Kalvi said.

"We have asked the government to set up a pre-screening board to look into issues related to historical tampering of facts. We strongly propose forming a panel to look into the controversies emerging in films as 'Padmaavat' and 'Manikarnika'."

He said the proposal was liked by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and even Vice President Venkaiah Naidu when he was heading the Informatin and Broadcasting Ministry.

"This board should be constituted by the Censor Board, state government or Government of India and should sort out the disputes emerging at any time when any historical tampering is reported. In such times the expert panel's role should come in," he added.

He said the Censor Board had invited three panellists to watch "Padmaavat" but their views were not paid heed to, and added that a pre-screening board will have a legal voice.
Brussels, Feb 8 : Two top officials of Morocco and Belgium met here on Thursday to discuss the important opportunities for cooperation between the two countries in the field of renewable energies.

Chairman of the Board of the Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy (MASEN), Mustapha Bakkoury and Belgian Minister of Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development, Marie-Christine Marghem discussed means to develop bilateral cooperation in energy.

Morocco's assets combined with the Belgian expertise can be used to further develop bilateral cooperation in the field of renewable energies, Bakkoury said at the meeting.

The Moroccan official, who highlighted the projects undertaken in the Kingdom under the leadership of HM King Mohammed VI in the field of renewable energies, said that Morocco plays a leading role in this area.

He added that his country sought through South-South cooperation to strengthen the exchange of expertise, to launch projects and to contribute effectively to electrification efforts in Africa.

For her part, the Belgian Minister hailed the efforts made by Morocco for the development of renewable energies, expressing the wish to set-up an in-depth bilateral partnership in this sector.

"I had the opportunity to observe with admiration Morocco's efforts in the field of renewable energies and sustainable development during my participation in the COP 22 in Marrakech," she said.

On bilateral cooperation, Marghem recalled that Belgian economic actors are present in Morocco with major energy and sustainable development projects, noting that the Kingdom has assets that can attract more Belgian operators.
Los Angeles, Feb 9 : Actor Cody Fern is on board to feature in the hit sitcom "House of Cards".

The Australian star has been roped in to join the sixth and final season of the Netflix political drama for a regular role, reports variety.com.

Fern's role has not as yet been disclosed.

In the final season of "House of Cards", he will join Robin Wright, who is set to take over the leading role in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations against Kevin Spacey.

Besides Fern, Diane Lane and Greg Kinnear were also tapped to play major roles in the upcoming season of "House of Cards", which is said to have eight episodes.

Created by Beau Willimon, "House of Cards" has resumed its production, which was halted after Spacey was accused of sexual misconduct and racism on the set of the show.

"Star Trek: Discovery" actor Anthony Rapp first accused the Frank Underwood depicter of making sexual advance on him when he was 14-year-old. It was later followed by eight anonymous former and current employees of "House of Cards" who came forward with similar accusations against the Oscar-winning actor.
Los Angeles, Feb 10 : Actor Michael B. Jordan, who essays Erik Stevens a.k.a Killmonger in the film "Black Panther" , trained for more than a year for the film.

Jordan, 31, has compared his training to a Swiss army knife, reports metro.co.uk.

Speaking at the European premiere of "Black Panther" on Thursday, Jordan said: "I spent a lot of time alone. Erik's a very lonely guy, a very pained character so that's part of it. And also like physically preparing for it, working out, training, it was kind of a Swiss army knife of a lot of different skill sets. So training for about a year and half before we started filming really helped with the preparation for the role."

Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, "Black Panther" also features Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, Angela Bassett, Forest Whittaker and Martin Freeman.

The film is scheduled to release in India on February 16.
New Delhi, Feb 10 : The government-run Sexual Harassment Electronic box (SHe-Box) has received 34 complaints from various ministries, 19 from various states, and 25 from private organisations since the online portal was launched seven months ago. The maximum number of grievances have come from the Ministry of Communications.

In reply to an RTI application by IANS, the Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) said it was taking action in response to the 77 complaints of sexual harassment by women at their work places.

The portal, launched in July last year to provide single-window access to working women to register complaints related to sexual harassment at work places, was initially limited to only government sector employees. It was however expanded to the private sector from November last year.

Within three months, 25 women working in different private organisations registered sexual harassment complaints.

The WCD Ministry, mandated to run the portal and act on complaints, has received grievances from three of its own employees, according to the RTI reply.

It said eight complaints were received from the Communications Ministry followed by four from the Commerce and Industry Ministry. Three cases each have been received from the ministries of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Defence, Finance and Railways.

Two complaints each have been registered by women working with the ministries of Health, Human Resources Development and Rural Development. One woman in the External Affairs Ministry has also registered a sexual harassment case on the SHe box.

According to the WCD Ministry, women working with different government departments in 13 states have also complained of sexual harassment.

The maximum number of four cases have been received from Kerala, three from Bihar while two are from Telangana. One case each has been registered from Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Odisha, Maharashtra, Punjab, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

The online portal was launched as part of the Protection of Women from Sexual Harassment at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act to create a safe and secure workplace for women free from sexual harassment.

The registration of online complaints requires the complainant to fill in information like her name, designation, cellphone number, email, Aadhaar number and contact details of the organisation and head of the organisation, as well as the name of the offender.

Complaints filed with the internal committee of these organisations can also be re-routed through this portal.

Once a complaint is submitted, it goes to the Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) concerned or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the act. Through this portal, the WCD Ministry as well as complainant can also monitor the status of complaints.

However, a large number of sexual harassment cases at workplaces in India are not reported.

According to a 2017 survey by the Indian National Bar Association, of the 6,047 participants 38 per cent said they had faced harassment at their workplaces but 69 per cent of the respondents did not complain about it.

The main reasons for not reporting the sexual harassment cases include fear of losing jobs, stigma and long-winding procedures in the legal battle for redressal of the complaints.

(Somrita Ghosh can be contacted at somrita.g@ians.in )
Jerusalem, Feb 10 : An Israeli F-16 fighter jet crashed on Saturday in northern Israel after coming under "massive anti-aircraft fire" from Syrian forces, according to the Israeli Army.

The incident was reported after the Israeli combat helicopter came in contact with an Iranian unmanned aerial vehicle that had been launched from Syria, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said in a statement.

The two pilots parachuted to safety before the crash. It is believed to be the first time Israel has lost a jet in the Syrian conflict, BBC reported.

Israeli forces also launched attacks on what they described as Iranian targets in Syria, the IDF said.

"Iran is responsible for this severe violation of Israeli sovereignty," Jonathan Conricus, a spokesman for the IDF, said in a tweet.

"The IDF is striking numerous (12) Syrian and Iranian military targets in Syria, in response to Iranian aggression. More to follow," he said in another tweet.
Pune, Feb 10 : American DJ and record producer Dillon Francis, currently here for the Vh1 Supersonic 2018, has expressed interest in performing with Indian DJ Nucleya.

Francis took some time out at the fifth edition of one of the multi-genre international music festival here to enjoy gigs of other artistes.

"Indian artistes are so kind and nice. The one Indian artist I want to collaborate with is Nucleya," Francis said in a statement to IANS.

Nucleya is one Indian DJ who has revolutionised with his genre-bending productions, combining electronic dance music along with traditional Indian musical instruments and ambient sounds.
Patna, Feb 10 : In a move seen as a setback to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ahead of the Araria Lok Sabha bypoll next month, ruling JD-U MLA Sarfaraz Alam on Saturday resigned from the party and the membership of Bihar Legislative Assembly to join the RJD.

Alam was a Janata Dal-United (JD-U) legislator from Jokihat in Araria district of Bihar and one of the prime aspirants to contest the bypoll to Araria seat, which fell vacant following the death of his father Mohammad Taslimuddin, a Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP.

In a dramatic development, he joined the RJD in presence of senior party leader Shivanand Tiwary here. It was Tiwary who informed the media about the resignation of Alam as JD-U MLA and as the member of Bihar Legislative Assembly.

"After my father's death, my mother was telling me to join the party of which my father was a founder member. It is due to the desire of my mother that I am back to my old home," Alam said after joining the RJD.

Earlier, soon after he resigned from the JD-U, Alam called on Rabri Devi, former Chief Minister and wife of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, at her official residence 10, Circular Road here.

However, after meeting her, Alam said it was just a courtesy call and that there was nothing more to it.

"It is certain that I will contest Araria bypoll but people of the constituency will decide from which party," Alam had told the media.

He said he resigned due to pressure from people. "I have acted in line with the sentiments of people of my constituency."

Soon after Alam resigned from the JD-U, RJD leader and Leader of Opposition in state assembly Tejashwi Yadav said in a tweet that one more legislator of Nitish Kumar had resigned and that more would follow the suit.

In fact, a day before joing the RJD, Alam was seen with Tejashwi Yadav on Friday, fuelling speculation that he was getting close to him.

JD-U spokesperson Ajay Alok, however, said Alam's resignation was not at all a setback for the party.

According to leaders close to Alam, the JD-U ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will contest Araria bypoll and the JD-U does not have guts to challenge it.

"Araria has been a stronghold of Sarfaraz's father Taslimuddin for over three decades. He will have to contest the bypoll to protect his father political legacy. RJD has offered him his father's seat," said an Alam aide.

In 2016, Alam hit the headlines as he was suspended from the JD-U for allegedly misbehaving with a couple on a running train. Later, he was even arrested but released on bail.
Ramallah, Feb 10 : Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday reassured his country's support for the Palestinian cause while Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas said that Palestinians relied on India's role as an international force to bring peace in this region.

"I have assured President Abbas that India is bound by a promise to take care of Palestinian people's interests," Modi said in a joint address to the media along with Abbas following a bilateral meeting here.

"India hopes that soon Palestine will come a free country in a peaceful manner," he stated.

Modi arrived here earlier in the day in first Prime Ministerial visit from India to Palestine.

"The interests of the Palestinian people have always been at the top of our foreign policy," the Prime Minister said.

His comments came after India, along with the rest of the world, voted in the UN General Assembly in December last year against US President Donald Trump's unilateral recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Isreal.

Stating that India hoped for peace and stability in Palestine, he said that a a permanent solution to the Palestinian issue was possible only through dialogue.

"Only diplomacy and farsightedness can get rid of violence and baggage of the past. We know it is not easy but we need to keep trying as a lot is at stake," Modi said.

He said that the people of Palestine have continuously shown exemplary courage in extremely tough times, in spite of the fact that there was an unstable environment.

"The way you have moved forward in such a situation is praiseworthy, we appreciate it," the Prime Minister said.

Stating that India been cooperating with Palestine in its efforts at nation building, he said that budgetary support will continue to be provided in areas such as training, technology, infrastructure development and project assistance.

"India will continue to invest in health and education infrastructure, women empowerment and in the installation of a printing press," Modi said.

He also announced that from this year, the number of exchange of students between the two countries would be doubled from 50 to 100.

Modi also expressed his gratitude for being conferred The Grand Collar of the State of Palestine, the highest Palestinian reserved for foreign dignitaries like kings, heads of state or government and persons of similar rank.

On his part, Abbas said that the people of Palestine relied on India's role as an international force, its role in the Non-Aligned Movement and in other international forums, "in a manner that is conducive for desired peace in our region".

"Here I would like to assert our commitment to political action and negotiations as means of achieving our national goals to freedom and independence in accordance with the two states' relation along the lines of 1967," the President said, and added that Israel and Palestine can co-exist as two states provided East Jerusalem is made the capital of Palestine.

Following Saturday's meeting, India and Israel signed six memorandums of understanding (MoUs), including in the areas of health and education.

This was the fourth meeting between Modi and Abbas after those on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in 2015, at the Paris climate summit later that year and during the Palestinian President's visit to India last year.

The visit also reaffirmed India's foreign policy position that its relationship with one country is independent of its ties with a third country and will de-hyphenate Israel and Palestine after Modi's standalone visit to Israel in July last year.

Earlier in the day, Modi was presented a guard of honour at the Presidential Palace soon after his arrival here from Amman, Jordan.

He also laid a wreath at the mausoleum of Yasser Arafat, the Chairman of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation and the first President of the Palestinian Authority.

Palestine is the first leg of Modi's three-nation tour of West Asia and the Gulf that will also see him going to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman.
Kolkata, Feb 10 : B.K. Birla group company Kesoram Industries on Saturday reported a net loss of Rs 43.17 crore during the quarter ended December 31, 2017 as compared to a loss of Rs 74.67 crore in the year-ago period.

Its revenue from operations, during the third quarter of the current fiscal, stood at Rs 883.01 crore, down by 10.5 per cent from Rs 987.37 crore in the corresponding period of 2016-17.

Of the total revenue from operations during the quarter under review, the tyre business contributed Rs 367.38 crore, down by 2.7 per cent on a year-on-year basis and cement segment's revenue for the quarter was Rs 515.63 crore, as compared to Rs 609.60 crore in the corresponding quarter of previous fiscal.

The company, however, said central excise, value added tax, service tax, etc, which have been replaced by Goods and Services Tax, are not included in the revenue from operations. Excise duty was included in revenue from operations till June 30, 2017.

"Hence, reported revenues for the period up to June 30, 2017 are not comparable with those thereafter," it said.

The company also reported operating loss (loss before tax and interest) of Rs 26.04 crore in tyre business during the December quarter while it posted operating profit of Rs 12.90 crore in cement segment during the October-December period of 2017-18.
Hospet (Karnataka), Feb 10 : Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his recent Parliament speech accusing the Congress of yearning an "old India" of scams, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said Modi's "backward-looking" thought led to note ban.

"The country doesn't want to hear about the past, it is concerned about the future. Narendra Modi is the kind of PM who drives the vehicle looking in the rear-view mirror," Gandhi said addressing a party rally here in Hospet in Bellary district, about 350km from Bengaluru.

In his recent Parliament speech, the Prime Minister chose to speak only about Congress and India's past and not about the future of the country's youth, farmers and labourers, he remarked.

Gandhi asserted that Modi's "backward-looking" thought has caused demonetisation and Goods and Services Tax (GST), which he referred to as 'Gabbar Singh Tax'.

On his first visit to the southern state, where assembly polls are due in April-May, after he took over party chief in December, he kicked off the party's poll campaign from Bellary, the Lok Sabha constitutency from where his mother and former Congress President Sonia Gandhi had defeated BJP leader Sushma Swaraj in 1999 general elections.

Thousands of party cadres and people from different parts of the state attended the rally.

"Unemployment and farmers' crises are two of the major challenges in the country, and dalit atrocities are on the rise, but in his (Modi's) entire speech in the Parliament, he did not utter a single word on these issues," Gandhi said in his 40-minute long speech in Hindi. It was simultaneously translated into Kannada by the state Congress unit's Working President Dinesh Gundu Rao.

The Modi government has also failed in keeping its promises of giving 2 crore jobs to the youth of the country each year, said the Congress chief.

"I ask the PM to learn from (Karnataka) Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who responded to farm crisis by waiving off their loans and kept his promises," he added.

Terming the BJP as a "party of lies", Gandhi asked people to not trust any party that makes false promises. He also accused it of "corruption" in the purchase of Rafale fighter jets from France.

"Bengaluru-based Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd was given the first Rafale contract, and now Modi has given it to a friend of his," he said.

Over the past few days, the Congress has been attacking the BJP for not revealing the price of the fighter aircraft in the Parliament.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told Parliament last week that the details of the deal for the Rafale fighter jets cannot be disclosed as it was "classified information".
Hospet (Karnataka), Feb 10 : Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) saying the previous BJP government in the southern state "broke graft records" with numerous scams.

"While Prime Minister Narendra Modi talks about corruption, he forgets that it was the BJP government led by B.S. Yeddyurappa that broke records in corruption with land scam, mining scam etc.," Gandhi said, addressing a party rally here in Hospet in Bellary district, about 350km from Bengaluru.

Yeddyurappa, the BJP state unit's president, was the Chief Minister of the state from 2008 to 2011, when he was forced to step down from the post over his alleged involvement in a land scam.

Gandhi is on a four-day visit to the poll-bound state, where legislative assembly elections are due in April-May. This was his first visit to the state after he took over as the party chief in December.

He kicked off the party's poll campaign from Bellary, the Lok Sabha constituency from where his mother and former Congress President Sonia Gandhi had defeated BJP leader Sushma Swaraj in the 1999 general elections.

He claimed the Siddaramaiah-led state government was a "clean" administration.

"We are proud that Siddaramaiah's government was a clean administration. When we come to power next, we will work twice as hard," the Congress leader asserted.

The Congress party, however, will not claim that any one party or person has developed Karnataka, said Gandhi.

"Karnataka is not built by any single person, but by its farmers, women, youth and labour," Gandhi reiterated.

Gandhi also met the beneficiaries of Article 371-J under which people from the old Hyderabad-Karnataka region are given employment and seats for education on preference and priority.

"Sonia Gandhi made sure the Hyderabad-Karnataka region got its special status and kept the promise, at a time when the BJP said it was not possible," he recalled.

The region currently receives Rs 4,000 crore, as against to Rs 350 crore grants it earlier got, Gandhi added.

Gandhi later also visited Huligamma temple in the neighbouring Koppal town and Gavi Siddheswara Lingayat Mutt to meet its head priest.

Senior Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, state Congress chief G. Parameshwara, Siddaramaiah were among the others present at the public rally.
Abu Dhabi, Feb 10 : Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here on Saturday on the second leg of his three-nation tour to West Asia and the Gulf.

Modi, who visited Palestine earlier in the day, is scheduled to hold talks with Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Commander of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Armed Forces UAE Armed Forces Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan later on Saturday evening, following which several agreements will be signed.

This is Modi's second visit to the UAE, home to around three million expatriate Indians, after his visit in 2015, which was the first by an Indian prime minister in 34 years.

While it is one of the largest suppliers of crude oil to India, the UAE is also the 10th largest investor in India in terms of foreign direct investment (FDI) having invested an estimated $8 billion.

As of 2016-17, India-UAE trade stood at around $52 billion, making India the largest trading partner of the UAE, while the Gulf nation is the fourth largest trading partner of India.

On Sunday, Modi will meet members of the Indian community here during the course of which he will lay the foundation stone of a temple via video linking.

Thereafter, he will travel to Dubai where he will deliver the keynote address at the Sixth World Government Summit, in which India is the guest of honour country this year.

From Dubai, the Prime Minister will proceed to Oman on the third and last leg of his tour.
Rabat, Feb 10 : Morocco and China discussed here means to bolster bilateral cooperation in the area of infrastructure.

Moroccan Minister of Equipment, Transportation, Logistics and Water Abdelkader Amara and visiting Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Qian Keming on Friday reviewed the current bilateral ventures in infrastructure development, exploring prospects of future bilateral partnership in this field.

Amara commended the level of cooperation between Morocco and China, stressing that the establishment of strategic partnership between Rabat and Beijing in 2016 consolidated bilateral cooperation.

Qian praised the good relations between the two countries, adding that bilateral cooperation resulted in the implementation of important investment projects in several areas, including infrastructure.

He said that the meeting represented a precious opportunity to identify new avenues of cooperation in this field, adding that the talks discussed the project of the development of the port of the northern Moroccan city of Kenitra and Morocco's future high-speed railway between the southern cities of Marrakech and Agadir.

Qian also called for stronger joint ventures between Chinese and Moroccan firms to boost investments for infrastructure projects.
Los Angeles, Feb 10 : Indian director Ritesh Batra will direct "The Handmaid's Tale" star Elisabeth Moss in "A Letter From Rosemary Kennedy", a biopic on John F. Kennedy's troubled sister.

The film, based on a script by Nick Yarborough, portrays the story of John F. Kennedy's troubled older sister who was kept from public view and was eventually institutionalised, reports hollywoodreporter.com.

"The movies about the Kennedy family are deservedly stormy affairs, but here's a story about the storms within all of us. This is why I am excited to tell this story, and to collaborate with Elisabeth, a fabulously talented actor," Batra said in a statement.

Rose Marie aka Rosemary, the daughter of Joseph Kennedy Sr and Rose Fitzgerald, showed signs of mental disability that the family kept hidden.

When she was 23, Rosemary was one of the first people to receive a prefrontal lobotomy, but its failure left her permanently incapacitated.

Jason Michael Berman of Mandalay Pictures, Kevin Turen of Guy Grand Productions and Moss share the producer credits for the movie.

The project will be unveiled to foreign buyers at the Berlin International Film Festival.

Batra is known for films like "The Lunchbox" and Netflix dramas "The Sense Of An Ending" and "Our Souls At Night"
Male, Feb 10 : Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has said that democracy, progress and public security in the crisis-hit Maldives are in a fragile state and called on the government to revert back to the law.

In a statement late on Friday, Annan raised concerns over the actions of President Abdulla Yameen's regime regarding independent institutions, which he claimed were in violation of the spirit of democracy.

Annan also expressed alarm over the government's refusal to comply with the Supreme Court's shock ruling on February 1, in which the five justices had unanimously ordered the release of nine prominent political leaders including former exiled President Mohamed Nasheed, en.mihaaru.com reported.

Annan urged the Maldivian government to stop intimidating judges and to execute the top court's verdict to free the politicians and lift the ongoing state of Emergency.

He further said that the presidential elections slated for this year "must be held with the participation of independent institutions".

"The world must not remain complacent in this issue," the former UN chief said.

India along with Sri Lanka, the US, the UK and Germany and organisations including the Amnesty International and the UN Human Rights Council voiced concerns over the Yameen government's refusal to execute the apex court's order.

Amidst pressure to comply with the ruling unconditionally, Yameen had declared a state of Emergency on February 5 and subsequently arrested Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed, Judge Ali Hameed, Judicial Administrator Hassan Saeed and former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom over bribery accusations.

Following the arrests of Saeed and Hameed, the remaining three judges of the Supreme Court had revised its ruling to revoke the order to free the political prisoners.

The new developments saw an increased barrage of criticism and pressure on the Maldivian government.
Panaji, Feb 10 : Goa, a former Portuguese colony ushered in the Carnival on Saturday, with traditional float parades led by the caricaturish icon, King Momo, to packed audiences.

Thousands of revelers dressed in visibly loud costumes, funny hats or dyed wigs, thronged the streets of Panaji as the Carnival parade moved merrily along the Marine drive near Miramar beach here.

"Carnival is one of the flagship tourism events of Goa. It is a symbol of our culture and tradition," Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar told reporters on the sidelines of the festivities.

Carnival processions are symbolic of Goa's colonial Portuguese legacy and are held here every year before the holy season of Lent, which is marked by fasting and an air of solemnity.

The festival, which involves a public celebration in form of long continuous parades of gaily coloured floats, with masqueraded dancers, is led by King Momo or king of the carnival, who is a locally chosen celebrity, who is given a key to the city.

After the inaugural parade in Panaji, similar float parades will also be held in other cities namely Margao, Vasco, Ponda, Morjim and Curchorem.
New Delhi, Feb 10 : Actress Taapsee Pannu has a special Valentine's Day message for her fans -- someone is waiting for you and wants you to reach home safely, and so focus on road safety by wearing a helmet.

The "Pink" actress spread a social message on road safety at the Auto Expo 2018 at India Expo Mart in Greater Noida on Saturday.

Taapsee joined Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India Pvt Ltd's Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Yadvinder Singh Guleria, to announce Honda's National Road Safety campaign #HelmetOnLifeOn.

Talking about the initiative, Taapsee, who is Honda's brand Ambassador, said: "Every year on Valentine's week, we express love with gifts to our loved ones. This Valentine's week my message to my fans is - someone is waiting for you and wants you to reach home safely."

"This Valentine's Week gift your loved ones a helmet. Because Helmet on, toh life on."

Sharing details of the campaign, Guleria said: "Nearly 18 million new two-wheelers come on roads every year. As a responsible two-wheeler manufacturer, Honda is deeply committed to spread the message of road safety for everyone.

"It is very important to highlight the importance of helmet usage while riding a two-wheeler."

Taapsee also rode Honda's 125cc scooter Grazia and the new 2018 edition of CB Hornet 160R motorcycle in Honda's outdoor road safety zone.
Jammu, Feb 10 : Two soldiers, including a junior army officer, were killed and and nine others, including women and children, injured when a group of heavily-armed JeM militants dressed in army fatigues stormed a military camp here in a pre-dawn attack on Saturday, hurling grenades and spraying automatic gunfire as they entered the family quarters when everyone was asleep, officials said. Three terrorists have been killed so far, while the others are still holed up.

The two killed soldiers were identified as junior commissioned officer (JCO) Madan Lal Chaudhary and NCO (non-commissioned officer) Ashraf Ali, both belonging to the state.

Nine others - five of them women and children including the daughter of the slain JCO who had come to visit her father during school holidays - were injured. Two were in a critical condition.

"As part of the ongoing operations in Sunjuwan, the army has killed two heavily armed terrorists. The terrorists wearing army combat dress were carrying AK-56 assault rifles, large amount of ammunition and hand grenades.

"Search of their belongings confirms the terrorists to be from Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM). Operations are in progress with extreme caution and restraint to safeguard the unarmed soldiers, women and children in the houses," a Defence statement said.

Most of over 150 houses in the complex have been cleared and occupants moved to safety, it said.

"Operations will continue till all the terrorists are apprehended or killed".

Besides recovering arms and ammunition from the slain terrorists, JeM flags have also recovered from them.

Defence sources said that soldiers at the Sunjuwan Military Station close to Jammu city noticed suspicious movement near the camp around 4.45 a.m.

Suspecting they could be militants, the soldiers challenged them. But the gunmen hurled grenades and opened fire from automatic weapons, the sources said.

The militants then entered the JCO family quarters in the vicinity and holed themselves up in one of the houses.

"The attack has now been contained. Most of the families have been evacuated from the junior commissioned officers quarters where the terrorists had entered. Before the final assault on the terrorists, we are making sure that no civilians are harmed in this operation," the statement said.

Sources said room-to-room intervention was going on to pin down the militants inside the JCOs' residential building.

Army sources said the terrorists have been pinned down and the operation is being carried forward cautiously so that no further security force or civilian casualties occur.

There were intelligence inputs that JeM militants were planning to carry out an attack around the 5th death anniversary of Parliament attack convict, Afzal Guru, who was hanged on February 9, 2013 in Tihar Jail, the sources said.

Para commandos were airlifted from the army's Northern Command headquarters in Udhampur town to flush out the holed-up militants, believed to be three to four in number.

The air force has been providing aerial surveillance to the security forces during the operation against the militants who have been surrounded inside one of the buildings.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who spoke earlier to state director general of Police (DGP), S.P. Vaid told reporters in Delhi that security forces were doing their duties and there was no doubt that the operation would be taken to its logical conclusion.

All educational institutions within half a kilometre radius of the camp were shut down for the day.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti expressed her anguish over the terror attack saying, "Deeply disturbed by the terrorist attack in #Sunjwan today. My heart goes out to the injured and their families."

She also presided a high-level meeting to review the security situation in wake of the terror attack, where Northern Command chief Lt Gen. Devraj Anbu, apprised her of the attack and the operation.

NC Working President and former Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah also condemned the attack saying, "News from Jammu & the encounter in #Sunjwan is extremely disturbing. Hoping for an end to the encounter without any loss of life among the security forces & their families."

The attack on family quarters of military personnel was a stark reminder of a similar attack in 2002 when a group of militants in army fatigues killed 30 people and wounded nearly 50 in Kaluchak near Jammu.

Jammu and Kashmir Speaker Kavinder Gupta visited the main gate of the army camp as the security forces carried out the anti-terror operation.

In 2006, a suicide attack carried out at the Sunjuwan camp saw the death of 12 soldiers before two fidayeen militants were killed.
Hyderabad, Feb 10 : AIMPLB President Maulana Rabey Hasani Nadvi on Saturday made it clear that no interference in Muslim Personal Law will be accepted as the community enjoys the Constitutional right to follow and practice Islamic Shariat.

Adressing the plenary of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), which is discussing among other issues a bill currently pending in Parliament to ban instant triple talaq, he told board members from across the country that the government is trying to impose restrictions on Muslims in the matter of talaq.

The apex body of the Indian Muslims is strongly opposing the bill by citing several flaws. It also alleged that the government's real intention is to ban the system of talaq.

The three-day plenary, concluding on Sunday, will evolve a strategy to get the flaws removed.

Stating that the Islamic religious laws are divine guidelines, Maulana Nadvi said they can neither be repealed nor changed. "Amending them or suggesting amendments to them is unacceptable. As India's Constitution is secular, we have the right to practice our religion and not to accept any interference," he said.

The eminent religious scholar said in personal matters like 'nikah' and 'talaq', Muslims have the right to follow the Islamic Shariat. "We will not give up our right under pressure from any majority or minority," he said.

"In a multi-religious country, it's not good that the majority community stops a particular community from following their religious guidelines. This could create uneasiness among citizens and may prove detrimental to the country," he added.

Maulana Nadvi said that Islam is a complete way of life and Muslims can neither change the Shariat at their will nor can allow others to do it.

He said 'nikah' is a mutual agreement between husband and wife and it has religious sanction. If the husband and wife, after exhausting all means of conciliation, feel they can't live together they have the right to terminate the agreement and the process prescribed for terminating this agreement can't be changed.

He stressed the need for unity in the community to counter attempts to bring changes. "As empowered citizens of this country, we should do whatever is practical to tackle the situation," he said.

He noted that for 46 years the board kept all schools of thought united as despite differences they feel protection of Shariat is their combined duty.

The President also touched on the campaign being run by the board for community reforms, to explain the Shariat laws in matters like nikah, talaq and inheritance and to call for their strict adherence.

He noted that objections to Shariat was mostly from those who don't know it and hence the board is also working to explain the Islamic family laws and clear the misunderstandings.

On Babri Masjid, he said for centuries it stood as place of worship for Muslims and changing its status and demolition through "majoritarian force" and the "will" of those in power was an open act of terrorism. Since Muslims and their representative Personal Law Board could not have remained silent over this lawlessness, it is carrying on a legal battle.
New Delhi, Feb 10 : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday directed a senior official to visit five community toilets every day at 6 a.m. from February 11-17, following complaints of shortage of water and electricity in city's community toilets.

The Chief Minister also asked IAS officer Shurbir Singh, CEO of Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), to submit a report within a week, after complaints from MLAs and others.

Kejriwal directed Singh to take immediate remedial steps to redress the situation.

The decisions were taken in an emergency meeting chaired by the Chief Minister here on Saturday.

Locations of toilets for the surprise visits will be decided by the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), whose representatives will accompany the CEO.

The report will include video recordings of the visited community toilets with details of cleanliness, availability of water and electricity among others, according to an official statement.

During the meeting, DUSIB members and MLAs Akhilesh Pati Tripathi, Sahi Ram, and Hazari Lal expressed displeasure over the alleged inaction of DUSIB officials.

"Members expressed dissatisfaction over the CEO's performance in the last few months. The board was of the view that whereas it got huge appreciation earlier, there has been constant negative publicity in the media in the last few months," the statement said.

The members also said that the issues cropped up after the government decided to make the use of toilets free of charge and open for 24 hours.
Johannesburg, Feb 10 : Opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan marked his 100th One-Day International (ODI) with a brilliant 109 to take India to 289/7 in 50 overs in the fourth match against South Africa at the New Wanderers Stadium here on Saturday.

Dhawan, who hit his 13th century, shared a 158-run second-wicket stand with captain Virat Kohli (75) as a ruthless India showed strong intent to clinch the six-match series.

India were cruising at 197/2 in 34 overs when the play was interrupted for nearly an hour due to lightning. After the play resumed, India lost the plot and lost wickets regularly to what looked an under-par total.

Before the interruption, however, Dhawan and Kohli, two of best in-form visiting players in the series, dominated the home bowlers after India won the toss and opted to bat.

They didn't allow India to feel the loss of Rohit Sharma, who fell for five to extend his poor run of 0, 15, 20 in the series. The right-hander drove a full delivery back to paceman Kagiso Rabada, who managed to take a very low catch.

Kohli and Dhawan then steered India to a position of strength. Both matched strokes per strokes as they played sensibly, waiting for weak deliveries.

Kohli stamped his authority as he continued to punish the South African bowlers. For someone coming into the match with scores of 112, 46 not out, 160 not out, batting looked easy. He registered his 46th ODI fifty.

South Africa, playing without any spinners, looked out of ideas to stop the two with no variety in their bowling. Part-time Jean-Paul Duminy delivered four overs of spin but, expectedly, didn't look like taking a wicket.

At the other end, left-hander Dhawan pulled, cut, and drove with ease as the partnership flourished.

The stand was broken when Kohli hit pacer Chris Morris straight into the hands of David Miller at short cover, with India at 178/2 in 31.1 overs.

Later, Dhawan went on to complete his century, with a straight drive off a full toss from Morris crossing the mid-off fence giving him the three-figure score.

India's march was halted by lightening with dark clouds hovering over the New Wanderers Stadium.

When the match resumed, Dhawan was the first to be dismissed, driving Morne Morkel to AB De Villiers at mid-off.

Ajinkya Rahane (8) too perished, with a pull off Lungi Ngidi failing to clear Rabada at deep square leg. With these two wickets, things suddenly looked gloomy for India, who were at 210/4.

The saviour of India was old war-horse, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who remained not out 42 off 43 deliveries.

At the other end, Ngidi and Rabada accounted for Shreyas Iyer (18) and Hardik Pandya (9) to dent India's hopes of a late surge but Dhoni once again showed why he is so important for the side.

Brief scores: India: 289/7 (Shikhar Dhawan 109, Virat Kohli 75, Mahendra Singh Dhoni 42 not out; Lungi Ngidi 2/52, Kagiso Rabada 2/58) vs South Africa.
Kolkata, Feb 10 : Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gujarat's firebrand Patidar leader Hardik Patel on Saturday said there would be "President's rule" if Modi comes back to power after the 2019 General Elections.

He also called for a unity of non-BJP parties to fight against the Modigovernment which was "trying to divide the country".

"If Narendra Modi comes back to power after the next year's Lok Sabha elections there would be President's rule. All non-BJP parties should unite to fight against the government which has been trying to divide the country," he told Bengali news channel ABP Ananda.

Patel also criticised Prime Minister for his comments in Parliament against the opposition.

"I want to see someone as the Prime Minister of the country who will speak on education, health, employment, agriculture and security or safety of the country but not someone who spends 90 minutes criticising the opposition in the Parliament. I do not want such a Prime Minister," he said.

Praising West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her "simplicity", he promised to campaign for her in 2019 Lok Sabha polls in Bengal.

The Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti Convenor had met Banerjee on Friday evening and said he was asked to join her Trinamool Congress.

Referring his meet with Banerjee, Patel said: "I have learned a lot from the meeting with Mamata di and was amazed by her simplicity despite being the Chief Minister of a big state like Bengal. She told me how to talk to the people and how to work listening to everybody."

Describing Banerjee as a "powerful woman", Patel said that she spoke to him about her days of struggle.
New Delhi, Feb 10 : India has secured the release of a Tamil Nadu fisherman, whose son died earlier this week, from Sri Lanka, the External Affairs Ministry said on Saturday.

"Responding to a request for the release of a Tamil Nadu fisherman in Sri Lankan custody, whose son passed away on February 7, we took up the matter with Sri Lankan authorities," the ministry said in a statement.

"He has been released and returning to India shortly," it said.

According to the ministry, the release of more than 100 other fisherman is in process.
Abu Dhabi, Feb 10 : India and the UAE on Saturday signed five agreements, including in the areas of energy and transportation, following delegation-level talks headed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Commander of the UAE Armed Forces Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan here.

Two MoUs were signed on cooperation in the fields of manpower and transportation, it is learnt.

A separate MoU was signed between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Jammu & Kashmir government.

An agreement was also signed between ONGC and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) on offshore oil concessions.

During the delegation-level talks, the issues of security, investment and people-to-people ties figured.

While the UAE is one of the largest suppliers of crude oil to India, it is also the 10th largest investor in India in terms of foreign direct investment (FDI) having invested an estimated $8 billion.

As of 2016-17, India-UAE trade stood at around $52 billion, making India the largest trading partner of the UAE, while the Gulf nation is the fourth largest trading partner of India.

On Sunday, Modi will meet members of the Indian community here during the course of which he will lay the foundation stone of the first Indian temple in Abu Dhabi via video linking.

Following Saturday's agreement signing ceremony, members of the temple committee met both Modi and the Crown Prince and presented literature related to the religious project.

After laying the foundation stone on Sunday, Modi will travel to Dubai where he will deliver the keynote address at the Sixth World Government Summit, in which India is the guest of honour country this year.

Modi arrived here on Saturday evening on the second leg of his three-nation tour to West Asia and the Gulf.

He was personally received by the Crown Prince at the airport here and was accorded a ceremonial welcome.

This is Modi's second visit to the UAE, home to over three million expatriate Indians, after his visit in 2015, which was the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 34 years.

Earlier on Saturday, he visited Palestine in what was the first ever prime ministerial visit from India there.

After completing his engagements in Dubai on Sunday, Modi will leave for Oman on the third and last leg of his tour.
Abu Dhabi, Feb 10 : India and the UAE on Saturday signed five MoUs, including in the areas of energy and railways, following delegation-level talks headed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Commander of the UAE Armed Forces Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan here.

An MoU was signed between Indian Consortium comprising ONGC Videsh, Bharat PetroResources, Indian Oil and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) was signed for acquisition of 10 per cent participating interest in the offshore Lower Zakum Concession, according to the External Affairs Ministry.

The concession will be for 40 years (2018-2057). While 60 per cent of the participating interest will be retained by ADNOC, the remaining 30 per cent will be awarded to other international oil companies.

This is the first Indian investment in upstream oil sector of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), transforming the traditional buyer-seller relationship to a long-term investor relationship.

To cooperate in the field of manpower, the two sides signed an MoU that aims to institutionalise the collaborative administration of contractual employment of Indian workers in UAE.

Under this MoU, both sides will work to integrate their labour related e-platforms for ending the existing malpractices, combat trafficking and organise collaborative programmes for education and awareness of contractual workers.

An MoU for technical cooperation in the rail sector was also signed between Ministry of Railways of India and the Federal Transport Authority - Land and Maritime - of the UAE. This aims at cooperation in infrastructure sector, especially railways and will facilitate development of joint projects, knowledge sharing, joint research and technology transfer.

It envisages the formation of a joint working group for institutionalising the cooperation mechanism.

To deepen bilateral cooperation in the field of finance, an MoU between the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) was signed. It aims at enhancing cooperation between both the countries in financial services industry.

The MoU envisages information exchange, exchange of experts and training for mutual benefit of both the countries. It will facilitate investment in financial markets by investors from both the countries.

A separate MoU was also signed between the Jammu and Kashmir government and DP World to establish multi-modal logistics park and hub in Jammu comprising warehouses and specialised storage solutions.

During the delegation-level talks, the issues of security, investment and people-to-people ties figured, it is learnt.

While the UAE is one of the largest suppliers of crude oil to India, it is also the 10th largest investor in India in terms of foreign direct investment (FDI) having invested an estimated $8 billion.

As of 2016-17, India-UAE trade stood at around $52 billion, making India the largest trading partner of the UAE, while the Gulf nation is the fourth largest trading partner of India.

On Sunday, Modi will meet members of the Indian community here during the course of which he will lay the foundation stone of the first Indian temple in Abu Dhabi via video linking.

Following Saturday's agreement signing ceremony, members of the temple committee met both Modi and the Crown Prince and presented literature related to the religious project.

After laying the foundation stone on Sunday, Modi will travel to Dubai where he will deliver the keynote address at the Sixth World Government Summit, in which India is the guest of honour country this year.

Modi arrived here on Saturday evening on the second leg of his three-nation tour to West Asia and the Gulf.

He was personally received by the Crown Prince at the airport here and was accorded a ceremonial welcome.

This is Modi's second visit to the UAE, home to over three million expatriate Indians, after his visit in 2015, which was the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 34 years.

Earlier on Saturday, he visited Palestine in what was the first ever prime ministerial visit from India there.

After completing his engagements in Dubai on Sunday, Modi will leave for Oman on the third and last leg of his tour.
Islamabad, Feb 11 : Pakistan and Afghanistan had "good discussions" after they concluded two-day talks on important issues on Saturday, an official said.

The talks in Islamabad took place under the Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS) - a joint action plan for cooperation in the key areas of counter-terrorism and reduction of violence, peace and reconciliation, refugees' repatriation and joint economic development, Pakistan Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

This was the second round of APAPPS in a week that reflects determination of both sides to pursue policy of engagement despite differences over certain issues.

The first round was held in Kabul on February 3 following the deadliest Taliban-claimed attacks in Kabul on January 20 and January 27, which had killed nearly 125 people and injured over 250. Pakistan had offered joint investigation into the Kabul's attacks that Kabul had blamed on the Haqqani Network.

Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal seemed upbeat at the discussions. "Pakistan-Afghanistan talks. Two days of good discussions. Some agreements. Further work required," he wrote on his Twitter.

However, the Afghan Foreign Ministry said no progress was made on counter-terrorism issues.

"While some progress was made on the mechanism of cooperation, no progress was achieved on specific, results-oriented, time-bound measures in the APAPPS, particularly in the areas of counter-terrorism, reduction of violence, peace and reconciliation to meet the priorities of Afghanistan," an Afghan Foreign Ministry statement said.

Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai led a high-level delegation to Islamabad comprising of senior civilian and military officials.

Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua headed the Pakistani delegation of senior civilian and military officials at the talks.
Ohio Pools & Spas Award Winner Our goal is to provide the absolute best customer experience in Northeast Ohio

The Territory Dealer of the Year award shows the highest achievement in professionalism, customer satisfaction, sales, marketing, product knowledge and outstanding service. This is the tenth-time Ohio Pools & Spas has been awarded Dealer of the Year by Watkins Wellness, including the 2010 Worldwide Locksin Thompson Hot Spring Dealer of the Yearthe most prestigious award that can be bestowed to a Hot Spring retailer.

This award is an affirmation to our teams commitment to customer service and satisfaction. Our goal is to provide the absolute best customer experience in Northeast Ohio, says Rich Annis, President and Owner of Ohio Pools & Spas. Robert Fickes, Store Manager at Ohio Pools & Spas North Canton location, feels gracious that such a big corporation as Watkins Wellness, takes time to acknowledge their dealer achievements. It holds our sales staff to a higher standard and makes them strive for greatness. "Receiving this award for the second year in a row confirms our team's continued focus on customer service and satisfaction, we are honored to be the 2017 Territory Dealer of the Year Award recipient," adds Darryl Hunt, Ohio Pools & Spas Sales Manager.

About Ohio Pools & Spas

Ohio Pools & Spas has been serving the people of Northeast Ohio since 1957. They have been an exclusive dealer of Hot Spring Spas since 1983. As a family owned and operated business, with three showroom locations in Cleveland and Akron / Canton area, Rich Annis and his daughter Amanda, take pride in the exclusivities of their expanded pool, hot tub and spa, swim spa, sauna, and leisure massage product lines.
We want to make sure consumers can easily locate the doctors who specialize in patient satisfaction, and superior results, in the city of Beverly Hills. - Senior Editor of Cosmetic Town

Cosmetic Town, an online plastic surgery and information community based in Los Angeles, is helping patients in 2018 that are looking to have rhinoplasty which is also known as a nose job. They recently published a list of the Best Rhinoplasty Doctors in Beverly Hills on their website.

According to the senior editor of Cosmetic Town, Beverly Hills is a very popular plastic surgery destination and this includes procedures such as rhinoplasty. Patients that are looking to have rhinoplatsy have often been self-conscious about the appearance of their nose since childhood. While rhinoplasty results can change the outer appearance of the nose, the surgery can also improve the function of the nose to provide better breathing and a positive change in the self-image of a person.

The senior editor went on to say, The first step in the plastic surgery process is conducting proper research to find a doctor that can provide the results desired by the patient. Patients need to make sure their doctor of choice has years of experience in performing the procedure of choice. Our new list includes Beverly Hills doctors with years of hands-on experience, as well as the proper training, to make patients confident they made the correct choice when picking a surgeon.

When asked how the list of rhinoplasty doctors was created, the senior editor described the method used to choose the doctors. He said, Our research team used an intelligent algorithm, focused on the field of cosmetic surgery, to pick the doctors. In addition, extensive consumer research on how satisfied the patients were with the doctors on the list was conducted. We also factor in the number of articles the doctors writes each year in their efforts to educate the public about their medical specialty.

The senior editor pointed out that none of the doctors on the list influenced the decision to place them on the list. He noted that Cosmetic Town does not accept any form of compensation from the doctors in order to be part of our lists. We want to make sure consumers can easily locate the doctors who specialize in patient satisfaction, and superior results, in the city of Beverly Hills.

About Cosmetic Town

Cosmetic Town is an online cosmetic medicine publication that also features doctors who were endorsed and highly recommended by their peers. This reliable and streamlined database allows users to easily navigate the website and access the information they need with just a click of a button. Users can also stay informed and get the latest news on plastic surgery by reading the regularly updated news section. Visiting the forum page is also another way for users to stay engaged and keep each other up to date.
JWC Blockchain Ventures

JWC Blockchain Ventures can be said that the biggest obstacle for start-ups is the fierce competition for funding and the cost of their businesses. Investors always consider and ask for a high chance of successful start-ups. They want them to grow to a certain level before investing money into them. So, capital can be abundant but not for start-ups. The investors indirectly dismiss creative business ideas by focusing solely on the financial figures of the start-up.

Being aware of these challenges, young entrepreneurs use blockchain solution to connect the startup community with potential investors in the market. The blockchain encryption technology born with a high application allowing transactions surpasses the capabilities of traditional currencies. It provides people a new trading method by creating a record of the asset owned recognized by people around as the way to create and maintain trust.

JWC Blockchain Ventures is currently one of the most reputable investment fund and has been involved in many sources of supply and appraisals of potential investment deals. Particularly, JWC Blockchain Ventures is planning to focus its investment in Startup Blockchain to help young entrepreneurs overcome the difficulties of accessing capital.

JWC Blockchain Ventures is open to investing in Blockchain-based startups for decentralized eCommerce ecosystem, those opting for VC rounds and those opting for an ICO. The number of investments is expected to be 25. The fund is designed as a 6-year fund: 3 years of new investments, and 3 years of follow up investments and portfolio management. Typical deal from $250,000-$5,0000,000, for 20-25% equity stake.
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Wall Street is unpredictable by nature, but this is one for the books.

Traders are pouring back into the trade that imploded earlier this week: Short volatility.

The ProShares Short VIX Short-Term Futures ETF (SVXY) and VelocityShares Daily Inverse VIX Short-Term ETN (XIV) blew up in after-market trading Monday, falling from a combined $3 billion to $150 million  nearly 95% of their value in mere minutes. Credit Suisse said it would pull the plug on the VelocityShares fund later this month.

But now traders are hoping back on the short VIX bandwagon. Assets in the ProShares fund have risen sharply from $300 million on Tuesday to $640 million Friday morning, according to Bloomberg data.

The implosion of the two funds  which are designed to return the inverse of the Cboe Volatility Index  followed more than a year of stellar returns fueled by a market stuck in the doldrums.

This week marked a sharp departure from that environment. Not only did the stock market enter an official correction, but the VIX has stayed above 30 points.

Ed Tilly, the head of Cboe Global Markets, the exchange behind the VIX, said much of the hype around the implosion of the two funds was overblown.

"The short VIX strategy isn't going away," he added.

That hasn't mollified investors' concerns about Cboe. The company has been under pressure this week because of its reliance on VIX-linked revenues. Its stock has dipped by more than 22% since the beginning of the week.
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In response to the Nunes memo, which alleges misconduct on the part of the Justice Department and FBI, Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee put forward a memo of their own, which is expected to be released Friday. Nunes has also said he plans to release five more as part of an independent investigation he's been conducting since last year into alleged corruption within the government.

It can be difficult to make sense of the complex array of narratives and events presented in these memos. Here's a rundown of all the Russia investigation memos that we know about so far and what they might contain:

The Nunes memo claims investigators improperly used the unverified Trump-Russia dossier to get a surveillance warrant against Carter Page.

The Nunes memo states that the FBI and DOJ used the infamous Trump-Russia dossier as the basis for seeking an initial surveillance warrant targeting former Trump campaign foreign-policy adviser Carter Page.

Though much of the information in the dossier remains uncorroborated, both the FBI and the Senate Intelligence Committee are using it as a "roadmap" in their Russia investigations.

Its production was funded mainly by the Democratic Party and a law firm tied to former 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. The memo claims investigators never made this connection clear to the court granting the so-called FISA warrant.

Additionally, the memo states that a September 2016 Yahoo News article was used as corroborating evidence for the Trump-Russia dossier in the FBI and DOJ's warrant application. Nunes writes that this was improper because the article had used the dossier's author as a source and thus did not amount to an independent corroboration.

Finally, the memo acknowledges that the FBI's Russia investigation was not triggered by the dossier, but by a conversation former campaign adviser George Papadopoulos had with an Australian diplomat in 2016.

While Republicans say the document is clear evidence of partisan bias at the DOJ and the FBI, Democrats say it contains significant omissions and inaccuracies that mischaracterize the intelligence community's work.

Heres the full memo:

House Democrats' response to Nunes likely fills gaps and adds context to the initial memo.

Moreover, it will

A new memo by Sen. Chuck Grassley backs up some of Nunes's claims and tries to discredit the author of the Trump-Russia dossier.

On February 6, Sen. Chuck Grassley, the Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the declassified version of a January letter in which he and fellow committee member, Sen. Lindsey Graham, referred Steele to the DOJ for criminal charges stemming from his contacts with the media.

While the letter seems to confirm some of the claims made in Nunes's memo about the centrality of the Trump-Russia dossier to the FISC warrant application, it undercuts two key allegations made in it as well.

Whereas the Nunes memo states that the court was unaware that the memo was politically produced, Grassley's letter says investigators did inform the court of that fact, although they did not specifically disclose the Democratic Party and the Clinton campaign's involvement.

In addition, Grassley's letter contradicts Nunes's allegation that a September 2016 Yahoo News article was wrongfully presented as corroborating evidence for the Trump-Russia dossier, and writes that the FBI did not argue the article could be used as supporting evidence for the dossier. The revelations implies the court approved the Page warrant based on information outside of what was in the dossier.

Heres the full memo:

Nunes's 5 additional memos purportedly show misconduct at the State Department and implicate two Clinton operatives.

Nunes is now gearing up to enter the next stage of his independent investigation into alleged corruption at the FBI.

That stage will involve the release of another memo that focuses on purported abuses at the Department of State under former President Barack Obama. It will also focus on a second Trump-Russia dossier compiled by Cody Shearer, a former political activist and longtime ally of the Clintons, according to a Republican familiar with the matter.

The memo will additionally draw attention to Sidney Blumenthal, a journalist and political aide who is close to the Clintons. There is no evidence that Blumenthal was involved in the creation or distribution of the Shearer memo.

Shearer gave his notes to Obama State Department official Jonathan Winer, who then passed it along to Steele, The Atlantic reported. Steele in turn handed the document to the FBI in October 2016 and said that some of its claims aligned with information he had obtained from his own sources.
And if there was a time to believe in this saying, it is now, as Ebony's manager, Ricky Nana Agyemang, aka Bullet, releases WhatsApp chats with the late musician to show various directions and prayers they embarked on in other to prevent her death which was predicted by several prophets.

The chat also shows music producer, Kaywa, given her directions and leading intercession prayers for her.

I have seen videos and heard audios of some people and prophets after the death of my girl Ebony. Can people have a little heart and stop judging her. Kaywa saw this long time and did a lot of directions and prayers for us. I have chats with prophets who also saw this coming. We did what we could but God knows best," Bullet posted on Facebook in addition to the WhatsApp chats.

For instance, in one of the directions suggested by Kaywa, Ebony was asked to make donations to an orphanage home, "do a gospel song and promote it."

Another WhatsApp message released captures the cancellation of a show in Kumasi by Ebony because she had been directed spiritually not to travel to Kumasi.

And when one member of her team by name Allen per the WhatsApp chat said they have already signed the contract, she responded (in pidgin language): "December seff cuz the prophecy in September and said next two months (SIC)."

Seconds later she posted: "Plz we can't (SIC)."

Allen then replied to the message tagging Bullet: "wat we for do (SIC)."

Ebony responded: "We have to refund."

Allen then suggested to Ebony that she will not travel to Kumasi for the show by road.

"Allen he said Kumasi," she replied. "Even if it's plane, it's still Kumasi."

Ghana hasbeen plunged into a state of mourning following the death of Ebony Reigns and two others on the Kumasi-Sunyani road Thursday.

The dancehall artiste who was heading to Kumasi in a black Jeep after visiting her mother in Sunyani collided with a VIP bus that was heading to Sunyani from Kumasi.
READ ALSO: Ebony Reigns A tribute to a young lady whose only crime was sinning differently

The celebrated Dancehall artiste died Thursday evenin through a road accident that occurred at a spot between Kumasi and Sunyani.

Ebony and three others including her driver were returning to Accra after visiting the mother in Sunyani.

News of her death has since shocked the country.

But counselor Lutterodt has called on Ghanaians to blame the witches in Ebonys family as according to him, the witches decided to eliminate her.
Check screenshots of the WhatsApp chats they had with Kaywa:

READ ALSO: Ebony Reigns A tribute to a young lady whose only crime was sinning differently

The dancehall artiste died in an accident on the Sunyani-Kumasi Highway while returning to Accra after visiting her mum in Sunyani.

In an interview with Adom TV, the driver revealed that the accident happened because he had tried to save a Sprinter Bus from crashing.
Below is the official announcement...

OFFICIAL STATEMENT GHANA MEETS NAIJA (BELGUIM EDITION)

UJ Events, Friend Ent and Empire Ent, the Organizers of Ghana Meets Naija (Belgium Edition) regret to inform the public that the event has been cancelled.

The event scheduled for 10th February 2018 in Mechelen, Belgium is called-off due to the sudden demise of our sister and music star Ebony Reigns who was listed as one of the headliners of the show.

We are deeply sorry for all inconveniences caused and we hope you can forgive us for this unfortunate situation.

Weve made this decision out of respect for Ebony Reign, the family, fans and friends.

Those with pre-sold/online ticket can contact these numbers (+32 488 394 803) (+32 489 502 594) for more info and refund if possible.

Thank you for your co-operation..
READ ALSO: Ebony Reigns A tribute to a young lady whose only crime was sinning differently

The dancehall artiste died in an accident on the Sunyani-Kumasi Highway while returning to Accra after visiting her mum in Sunyani.

In an interview with Adom TV, the driver revealed that the accident happened because he had tried to save a Sprinter Bus from crashing.

The four occupants of the Jeep were rushed to the Bechem Government Hospital where Ebony, her friend, Franky Kuri, and her soldier bodyguard were pronounced dead on arrival.
He raised doubt if there was a collaboration between the government and the police service on the kind of vehicles they need for their operation.

READ MORE: Government purchases 100 vehicles for Ghana police

Speaking on Accra-based Citi FM, Anning suggested that the Toyota Corolla cars are ideal for the police service.

He said: Criminals dont use the asphalted roads, they use the bad roads and will be able to escape from the Toyota Corollas procured for the police.

"Anyone on bicycle fit to run will be able to outrun this Toyota Corolla and I wonder if there was a conversation between those who matter on the government side and the Ghana Police Service as to what types of vehicle or vehicles they will need.

100 Toyota Corollas are not fit for purpose. We need the vehicles, but they ought to have been better operationally fitted vehicles. These vehicles are not fit for purpose in terms of operations or the types of operations that the Police Service use vehicles for.

Addressing the press last Tuesday, the Minister of Information Mustapha Hamid announced that the government has purchased 100 Toyota Corolla vehicles worth $8.8 million for the Ghana Police Service.

He explained that this decision was taken after the Akufo-Addo-led government reduced the number of VIP vehicles ordered by the erstwhile Mahama administration from 43 to 34.

We have renegotiated the terms of the contract in the following manner; 1. We have reduced the number of vehicles ordered from 43 to 34, which is 9 short of the original number.

READ ALSO: Man arrested for attempting to bribe Police

In place of the nine, we have acquired 100 Toyota Corolla cars for use by the in line with our commitment to retool the Police Service to enable them to play effectively, their role of protecting the Ghanaian people.
This information was disclosed in a statement issued by the OLX Nigerias Public Relation and Communication Lead, Uche Nwagboso in Lagos on Thursday, February 8, 2018. The company further added that its operation and services will be active in the country.

The companys statement reads: "We made a difficult but important decision in Nigeria to consolidate our operations between some of our offices internationally.

"Our marketplace will continue to operate here - uninterrupted - as it has since 2010, and we remain committed to the many people here who use our platform to buy and sell every month. We continue to be focused on constantly innovating to make sure that OLX remains the top classifieds platform in the country."

OLX was founded in 2006 by Alec Oxenford and Fabrice Grinda to serve as an alternative to Craigslist. The Nigeria office of the company was opened in 2012.

In 2014, a South African media group, Naspers, bought a majority stake in the company in 2010. At present, Naspers owns 95% of the business.

"Of course, we are committed to helping our affected colleagues during this transition and have already offered them meaningful financial and other support.

As we've expressed to them directly, we are extremely grateful for their many significant contributions to OLX's success," the statement added.
Ogundipe who moved from one hostel to the other appealing to the students said the poor water supply and the blackout in the hostels happened because the government is not responding to the demands of the non-teaching staff who have been on strike since December 2017.

''What we have come to do is to apologize to you that you should try as much as possible to bear with us.

We will never want you to live in that type of environment because we have children among you and if we dont have children we have relatives because we want to train leaders that will lead this country in future.

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''So I need to let you know that it is just for some time and I am sure by next week government will respond to their demands, so I am here to apologize and to let you know that we are not happy concerning what is going on. Even the union leaders are not happy about it'', the VC implored.

UNILAG student blamed NASU for black out

Pulse on Thursday, February 8 reported the blackout issue in UNILAG as students complained and blamed the non academic staff of university in UNILAG for the lack of water and power in their hostels.

An anonymous student who spoke to Pulse about the situation said ever since the issue of the NASU strike started, the union has been disrupting school activities by locking up classes, interrupting lectures and tampering with the school power station to leave the halls of residence in darkness.

However, Ogundipe while addressing the students said the non academic staff are only fighting for their rights.

He said, ''I want you to know that it is a national strike, not a local one and the non-teaching staff that are on strike are only demanding for their rights. And you know when you are demanding for something and the government is not responding, you have to go on the extreme.

''I want to say that in all the universities, the non-teaching staff in the University of Lagos have been cooperating but because the Federal Government is not responding to their demands, that is why they had to go to the extreme, and that is why we did not have light for two days''.
Read his post below:

ALSO READ: 5 Nollywood actors who have come out to say they are broke

Femi Ogedegbe, the proud security guard

Barely one week ago, Femi Ogedengbe came out on social media to address rumours about his new life and search for greener pastures in the United States.

The former actor revealed that he has been working as a security guard since he arrived in U.S.A and that he left the country because of poverty.

In the lengthy post, Femi revealed that thungs have were not very easy for him in Nigeria and that he chose to leave the country in search of greener pastures than to be doomed to a life of poverty.

Nigerians react

In the classic Nigerian way, Femi came under heavy criticisms for his choices but the former actor was quick to note that he makes more from working as a security guard in U.S.A than he did while he was in Nigeria.

This is a fact that has been backed up by many others who have gone in search of greener pastures before him.

Femi Ogedengbe also said most African Leaders once did menial jobs before they went on to become greater people.

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 concluded by saying that the only people who should be ashamed of their jobs are Nigerian leaders.

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).

ALSO READ: Comedian respects Femi Ogedengbe for becoming a security guard in US instead of believing hype in Nigeria

Femi says that he made the decision to move after he discovered that the industry was becoming tribalistic.

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.
1. iBoro (PayBac) - Fuck Dino Melaye And Fuck KACH Too

In the words of Paybac: "I'd rather die than be alive when a corrupt politicians son is singing praises to another corrupt politician. The hand shake is way past the elbow and I'll never let it be said that we just let it happen as a people. This is not a diss song. Both of them serve as figure heads. They stuck their neck out."Download.

2. Djinee - 'Find you' (Nwanyi Oma)

is a lovers melody which emphasizes the power of unconditional love to a partner at a time when life's worst storms arrives at our door front and there seems to be absolutely nothing left to hold onto but a commitment once made in the promise of love.Download.

3. Mut4y  Lesekese ft. Timiboy

Mut4y rides on the success of his Wizkid collaboration titled Manya to share a new banger titled Lesekese featuring Timiboy.Download.

4. Ace - 'Wassa Wassa'

Wassa Wassa means naughty and Superstar Ace is set to take the African music industry to new heights with his latest Afrofuturism (African and Future) look and feel. The fun, sexy and young entertainer is a total enigma that blows people away with his style, music and everything that he does.Download.

5. Elveektor - #SonriseEP

Sonrise EP is a strong punch by ElVeektor which will help accelerate his transition from a featherweight rapper to a heavyweight in Nigeria's hip-hop scene.Download.

6. Chike - 'Beautiful People'

The praised story-teller who is backed with an army of fans enlisted Ric Hassani's go-to producer Doron Clinton, to aid him to create a musical masterpiece christened "Beautiful People.".Download.

7. Morell - 'Kallo'

Following his successful debut album, MUSA JIKAN MUSA, Morell releases his first single of the year titled 'Kallo'. This song was produced by SymleBeatz.Download.

8. FSingz - 'How' ft CDQ

Here is a banging new jam by Fingz and CDQ titled 'How'. It's a thematic fusion, traversing the lines between dance music, and inspirational art.Download.

9. Boogey - (Maradona+Wo) Freestyle

Super lyricist  Boogey raps over a combo of Niniolas Maradona and Olamides Wo.Download.

10. Mosa  Doubt It
Falmata narrated how she was first abducted by the insurgents at age 13 and escaped while she was on a suicide mission but ended up in the hands of another sect group after which she was sent on a fresh suicide mission again.

Falmata said she was 13 when the insurgents abducted her and took her to a makeshift camp, where she also met other girls her age.

The young girls were put in the tents. There were nine in mine and we had to sleep on big mats.

At first I wanted to escape but there was no chance, she said.

Continuing she said: "We were scared that soldiers would storm the camp at any time and not spare us, the women, because they would think we were the fighters wives, Falmata said.

Falmata said she was presented with two options: marry a fighter, or go on a mission but she had opted for the mission.

ALSO READ: Suicide bomber refused to blow self up because father was in IDP camp

Her first mission

Falmata narrated that during her stay in the camp of her first abductors, she was approached by armed men who instructed her to prepare herself for an important task.

All I was thinking was, Is it for marriage or what? But you cant ask why youre getting this done. Instead friends just console you and tell you to be patient.

The survivor said she had a bomb strapped around her waist with an instruction to go and kill non-believers and go straight to paradise.

I was so scared that I started crying. But they kept telling me to be patient, to accept that this is what life is about.

(They said) that on reaching paradise, everything would be better, she said.

Falmata said she alongside two other girls were strapped to explosives and were taken to the outskirts of a village.

She further said while armed with homemade detonators, she and the other girls were ordered to walk towards the busy areas for the mission.

The first escape

Falmata narrated that while on their way to her first suicide mission, she and the two other girls had decided against the attack and fled for safety.

ALSO READ: Female suicide bombers attack, kill 2 in Borno

The teenager said she and the two other girls asked a stranger to help her remove the belt, and subsequently went off down a dusty road.

However she ran out of luck few hours after.

Her second abduction

Further sharing her experience, Falmata said she ran out of luck while trying to escape the first suicide mission as she met with two men, who belonged to another sect of Boko Haram.

She was subsequently abducted again by the insurgents.

The survivor explained that at the second camp, life was much similar to the previous one with the same routine, same ideology and same fate.

After about a month, Falmata was again presented with a choice  marriage or mission.

And again, she told the fighters she would go for the mission and shortly after they left her, Falmata successfully escaped.

ALSO READ: Boko Haram used 145 girls for attacks in 7 months

"I met some farmers and asked them to help me remove the belt. I told them I was being forced to carry out a mission, but that I didnt want to do it, she said.

Falmata said the farmers helped her get rid of the belt and she later joined a group of hunters who allowed her to travel with them across the woods.

Falmata's journey home

Trying to find her way back to Maiduguri, Borno state capital, and to her family, Falmata narrated how she and the group of hunters were ambushed by the men of Boko Haram.

Luckily, Falmata managed to slip away into the forest.

Narrating her experience in the forest she said: I didnt know the forest. Every little sound would scare me, so I kept moving. Id sleep on trees when I could.

I think I spent a whole week without food. I would drink stagnated water and also use this water to wash my hands and feet when praying.

I would pray two or three times a day whenever I could find water. I was so scared, but God helped me and I reached a town.
Premium Times reports that the attack on the police was carried out on Saturday afternoon, February 10, 2018.

The suspected herdsmen reportedly opened fire on the police team, who were on a confidence patrol in Tse Akpam village, near Azege town in Logo Local Government Area.

Police commissioner confirms attack on men

The state's police commissioner, Fatai Owoseni has confirmed the attack on his men on Saturday afternoon.

ALSO READ: Police DPO under interrogation over Gboko killings

He said: We had had an encounter around Azege when a team of mobile police went on confidence patrol.

When they were coming back at a point in Azege, they started hearing gunfire from inside the bush suspected to be from the herdsmen. There was a serious exchange of gunfire.

Continuing, Owoseni said: One of our vehicles was set ablaze. So far, on their side, were still trying to ascertain casualties; while were yet to see four of our men.

The police chief said more officers have been dispatched to the areas to comb for the missing officers.

Residents insist attack was masterminded by herdsmen

The residents of Logo LGA have insisted that the attack on the police team patrolling was masterminded by herdsmen.

Enoch Nyikyaa, a chief in Logo LGA, reportedly said the attack occurred in his domain and that the herdsmen who carried out the attack also destroyed farmlands with their cattle.

Nyikyaa said the attack occurred in Tse Akpam village, which is within Azege and that the herdsmen are still reportedly grazing in some remote villages in Benue despite the law that prohibits open-grazing in the state.

ALSO READ: 2 captured as herdsmen shoot at soldiers in another attack

Herdsmen shoot at soldiers in another attack

On Tuesday, February 6, 2018, suspected herdsmen were engaged in a shootout with the 707 Special Forces Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.

The spokesperson of the brigade, Olabisi Ayeni, said the suspected herdsmen had been spotted on a routine patrol and they opened fire on soldiers when they were approached.

Benue attacks

In attacks allegedly carried out by Fulani herdsmen in Guma and Logo Local Government Area of Benue between Sunday, December 31, 2017, and Tuesday, January 2, 2018, 50 people were reportedly killed.

11 other people were killed in a fresh attack on Tombu village of Logo LGA, again by suspected Fulani herdsmen, on Saturday, January 6.
The countrys Director-General, International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), Michael Spindelegger, made this known on Thursday in Abuja at a meeting with the Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama.

Spindelegger said that ICMPD, with its headquarters in Austria, would start the programme with Nigeria as a pilot case before extending to others.

He said that the programme was to prepare the migrants for gainful employment which some Austrian companies were to set up later in Nigeria.

The centre director-general said that the proposed programme would facilitate reversed migration of the irregular migrants, who had no likelihood of being given legal residents in Austria.

It is a new idea of how to combine future investment in Nigeria with the return of irregular migrants.

A lot of companies are interested in investing in Nigeria because of its market.

The idea is to train these irregular migrants before repatriating them so that when they come back, they will have something to do instead of becoming liabilities.

The idea is also to encourage more Austrian companies to come and invest in Nigeria so that they also can contribute to solving the problem of unemployment and irregular migration, he said.

According to him, there is provision for asylum in Europe, but in a situation where an emigrant fails to secure asylum, the person will be deported at the long run.

For them, there is no chance of remaining in the country, because once they are picked, they will not be allowed to take anything, but would be brought back to their country empty.

There are no fewer than 1,000 Nigerians that are not granted refugees status living in Austria.

The programme is starting with Nigeria as a pilot, then, we will see what the experience is before extending it to other countries, he said.

Spindelegger said, though, only few Austrian companies are currently in Nigeria, efforts are being made to convince companies involved in the programme to come and invest in Nigeria.

It is also part of the programme. They can get benefits from the European Union for the investment, which serves as more business security for them, he said.

In his remarks, Onyeama said that the initiative would not only have Nigerians coming back home to contribute to national development, but also stood to benefit from foreign investors.

It can be companies in Austria that are interested in investing in any sector of Nigerian economy.

They will be selecting from Nigerian irregular migrants in Austria, train them and send them down to work with their companies in Nigeria, he said.

The minister, however, dismissed the fears of likely ploy to deport Nigerians in the country through the process.

Remember that those Nigerians are in that country illegally, and do not have any prospect of regularising their stay. As such, they would be deported in any case.

So, instead of being deported with the shame that comes with it, they would be given training and guaranteed employment with the companies that would be coming to invest in Nigeria, he said.

Onyeama said that the present administration had already put in place mechanism to address irregular migration and promote the concept of reverse migration.
In a series of tweets by the Presidency, the lecturers and women, who were abducted in 2017 while on an oil exploration trip in the Northeast of Nigeria, were freed on Saturday, February 10, 2018.

The Presidency's Tweets

"Three University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) lecturers abducted by suspected Boko Haram terrorists in Magumeri, Borno State, and 10 women kidnapped in a raid by the militant group on a military/police convoy on Damboa road, near Maiduguri, have been released.

"Their release followed a series of negotiations as directed by President Buhari, and was facilitated by the International Committee of the Red Cross .

"All 13 rescued persons are in the custody of the DSS and are on their way to Abuja with the assistance of and . In anticipation of their arrival at the DSS headquarters, a team of doctors and psychologists has been placed on standby."

Nigerian army boasts of complete defeat of Boko Haram

The release is coming a week after the Nigerian Army and Joint Task Force boasted of completely defeating Boko Haram.

The theatre commander, operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Rogers Nicholas, boasted of completely defeating the men of Shekau led Boko Haram terrorists in the Northern region of Nigeria.

We have broken the heart and soul of Shekaus group, taking over the camp and its environs," Nicholas boasted while inaugurating the Nigeria-Cameroun Military joint mission.

ALSO READ: Osinbajo to receive 21 girls released by Boko Haram

Red Cross' intervention in freedom of abducted persons

The intervention of the International Committee of the Red Cross ICRC in the freedom of people abducted by the Boko Haram sect can not be overlooked.

In late 2016 as well as 2017 when some girls, who were said to be some of the abducted Chibok girls were released, the process was facilitated with the help of the ICRC.
Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu made the President's order on the termination of the judges appointment known on Friday, February 9, 2018.

Affected Judges

Justice O.O Tokode and Justice A.F.A Ademola are the two affected judges by the decision of President Buhari to rid the judicial system off corrupt practices.

While Justice Tokode is a Federal High Court judge in Benin, Edo State, Justice Ademola is a justice of the federal high court in Abuja.

Tokode was dismissed by the President while Ademola was retired compulsorily.

Following his dismissal, Tokode was asked to refund all salaries and allowances earned illegally from December 2, 2015, when he was sworn in as a judge.

In December 2017, the National Judicial Council had recommended the retirement of the two judges over allegations bothering on professional misconduct.

ALSO READ: National Judicial Council recalls 6 judges accused of corruption

Justice Ademola's corruption controversy

Justice Ademola was one of the judges that were investigated and arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) after a raid on his house in October 2016 on suspicion of corruption.

The judges arrested during the 12 hours raid on Friday, October 7, also included Justices Sylvester Ngwuta and John Okoro, both of the Supreme Court.

Operatives recovered the sum of $800,000 from the simultaneous raid that shocked the nation and dominated headlines.

The DSS disclosed that the sum of N54 million, $171,779, 4,400 Euros, 1,010 Rupees, and 80 pounds was found in the residence of Justice Ademola alone.

President Buhari's stand on judiciary appointees

President Buhari's stand on the allegations against the two judges were made known by his spokesman, Garba Shehu.

Shehu said the President's decision followed the recommendations from the National Judicial Council (NJC) in December 2017.

The president urges judicial officers to be alive to their responsibilities and eschew corruption in the discharge of their duties, the statement read.

He said: The presidents position is in furtherance of the executive powers vested in him under section 5 of the 1999 Constitution, which allows him as the appointing authority to exercise same reasonably, taking all relevant factors into consideration.
Chukwuma filed for the motion through his legal counsel, J.N. Mbadugha on Friday, February 9, 2018 after the EFCC got an arrest warrant for the automobile businessman over alleged fraud charges.

TheCable reports that during the hearing, Chukwumas counsel, dragged the courts attention to a motion pending at the court of appeal challenging the courts jurisdiction to entertain the matter brought forward it by the EFCC.

Chukwuma's counsel had described the charge against the Innoson boss as an abuse of process maintaining that a similar charge on the same subject matter is pending at the federal high court, Lagos division, between the same parties in charge no FHC/l/565c/2015.

In the motion filed by Mbadugha, the legal counsel said it is not within the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case against the Innoson boss.

ALSO READ: I am not afraid of arraignment - Innoson boss says

EFCC has no power to investigate Chukwuma - lawyer

Chukwuma's legal counsel, Mbadugha further said the EFCC has no power to investigate, initiate and prosecute the appellant  Chukwuma  for forgery, uttering and stealing.

In consequence whereof the court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the matter, the learned trial judge failed to determine the aforesaid issue, he said.

Continuing, Mbadugha said: The learned trial judge (also) failed to appreciate that the issue as raised divests the court of the jurisdiction to entertain the matter.

ALSO READ: Full story of how Innoson and GTB fell out

In his conclusion, Mbadugha prayed that the court to set aside the decision of Mojisola Dada, the trial judge, issuing a bench warrant against his client.

EFCC Vs Chukwuma

On Tuesday, December 19, 2017, the chairman of Innoson Motors, Innocent Chukwuma was arrested at his Enugu home by EFCC operatives.

He was arrested for reportedly jumping bail in connection to a case he has with Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), according to Premium Times.
This is coming after an Ikeja Special Offences Court issued a bench warrant for Chukwuma's arrest.

According to Punch, the warrant was issued by Justice Mojisola Dada, because Innoson motors chairman failed to appear in courttwice for arraignment on criminal charges filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Justice Dada said A bench warrant is hereby served on Innocent Chukwuma, he will remain in custody till the next adjourned date.

The case is adjourned till March 14 for possible arraignment.

Innoson boss blows hot

In a statement signed by his spokesman, Cornel Osigwe, the businessman said that he is a law abiding citizen, adding that he must be arraigned properly.

The statement also alleged that Justice Dadas ruling was biased, because he did not give Prof J.N Mbadugha  Chukwumas counsel, a fair hearing.

Also speaking on the case, Mbadugha said that the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the matter, because the third defendant has not been served.

He also listed the motions pending in the matter. They are:

1. That the charge is an abuse of process because a similar charge on the same subject matter is pending at the federal high court Lagos division between the same parties in charge no FHC/l/565c/2015;

2. A motion pending at the court of appeal to stay commencement of proceedings and execution of the court's order of 17th January 2018;

3. A motion that the court recuse or disqualify itself from further conduct of the proceedings; and a motion that EFCC cannot be heard in any application until it withdraws the charge given a pending motion against it praying that it be restrained from filing any charge in respect of the same subject matter of the charge that was struck out until the determination of the appeal against the court's order striking out the previous charge- Charge No. ID/197c/2013.

GTB staff jubilate

Staff of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), who were in court, jubilated when the bench warrant was issued against Chukwuma, Osigwe added.

According to him, It must be stated that based on the submission of Prof Mbadugha, counsel to Innoson, the judge erred in law by making an order to issue a bench warrant against Innoson. The court is bound by law to listen and decide the applications submitted rather than making an order to arraign Innoson in a charge that is an abuse of process.

The EFCC charge which is being instigated by GTB is a gross abuse of process. First, an earlier charge which GTB induced the EFCC to file against Innoson was struck out.

Innoson appealed against the order striking the charge out on the ground that it ought to be a dismissal and not striking out. The appeal, with Appeal No: CA/L/1328CM/2017 is, till date, still pending when EFCC filed or re-filed, in December 2017, the same charge that was struck out.

ALSO READ: Full story of how Innoson and GTB fell out

Secondly, the charge is on the same subject matter and the same party as Charge No: FHC/L/565C/2015 that is pending at the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, in Appeal No: CA/E/249C/2016.

Both charges are smear campaign by GTB and EFCC to destroy Innoson.

EFCC Vs Chukwuma

On Tuesday, December 19, 2017, the chairman of Innoson Motors, Innocent Chukwuma was arrested at his Enugu home by EFCC operatives.

He was arrested for reportedly jumping bail in connection to a case he has with Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), according to Premium Times.
Stock said that his visit was to solicit for the continued support from Nigeria in the efforts to deal with the issue of cyber and other organised crimes globally.

According to him, such support will go a long way in dealing with the menace.

He commended the Federal Government for partnering with the organisation and assured that it was ready to work harder to tackle global crimes.

We are here to strengthen the network of security, and we are willing and ready to work harder, Stock said.

Responding, Dambazau assured Interpol of the countrys continued support, saying that government would not take the issue of organised crime for granted.
He said those benefiting from the funds some individuals have stolen from Nigeria's treasury are also angry because the money is not flowing like it used to.

Speaking to state house correspondents after after observing Ju'mat prayer at the presidential villa, Bello said corrupt politicians are frustrated because they can no longer pay tithe from looted funds as President Buhari has blocked all channels of illicit funds.

The Governor was reportedly reacting to a statement by the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria who visited the President at the villa on Thursday.

The clerics told Buhari that his goodwill is being depleted by "glaring failures".

Bello, however, asked, "The question is who are those Nigerians who are angry?

"The category of Nigerians that are angry are those who used a private jet to cart away Nigerias money, in dollars, out of the country to South Africa (in reference to the case of alleged money laundering involving a former president of Christian Association of Nigeria).

"Im sure you are away that our money is still locked down there, such money if you bring it into the economy, a lot of youth who are unemployed will surely be employed.

"And of course those that have looted the country dry and normally go to the church and mosque to pay tithe are no longing doing so. Of course, this is the category of people who are angry."

He added that there are many people who have become successful and gainfully employed because of the efforts of the APC-led government.

"Among those happy with the current administration are farmers and those with real jobs because the economy is improving.

"Our foreign reserve is increasing. I think those that are benefiting from these crimes and criminality will be angry and they are Nigerians. So it is important to define the category of people who are angry.

"I want to urge Nigerians to continue to appreciate Mr President, pray for him so that the good work he has started he will complete it, so that Nigeria will be not of the woods", Bello said.

Buhari's 'failures'

The opposition and many other prominent Nigerians, including former presidents, have rated the Buhari administration low, claiming that he has failed to fulfill his campaign promise of bringing 'change' to the nation.

ALSO READ: 7 things Catholic bishops told Buhari during courtesy visit

Last month, former president Olusegun Obasanjo, in a lengthy open letter to Buhari, advised him not to seek re-election in 2019 owning to his failures which he highlighted in the letter.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Inga confirmed that the accident occurred on Thursday night.

He said that the accident involved three trucks, a Volkwagen Car and a Honda Civic car.

He said the accident occurred at a point close to Izom village in Gurara Local Government Area of Niger at about 8:30p.m.

He said that one of the trucks involved in the accident was carrying container conveying Cigarette, Touch light, Batteries, Cream, MacLean among others.

The DG explained that the vehicles caught fire shortly after the accident, which made rescue operation difficult.

He added that 5 bodies were recovered, while three corpses were burnt beyond recognition, adding that the bodies had been deposited at the Suleja General Hospital.

He said two persons were criticaly injured in the accident and are receiving treatment at the Suleja General hospital.

He said the cause of the accident could not be immediately ascertained as the truck drivers also died in the accident.

According to him, some of the eye witnesses attributed it to overtaking and speeding.
Afegbua's cross

Afegbua, who has worked as IBB's spokesman for 14years, became the cynosure of all eyes - the security agencies inclusive - after he released a statement credited to the former Military President on Sunday, February 4, 2018.

The statement generated controversies after IBB advised President Muhammadu Buhari not to re-contest in 2019 but pave way for a new era of young and vibrant leadership.

A counter statement had emerged hours after Afegbua released the statement saying the ex-Military president denied giving his consent for such statement.

ALSO READ: IBB dribbles Nigerians like the Maradona he is

In the counter statement, IBB denied urging President Buhari not to re-contest in 2019.

Since this, Afegbua has been in and out of the offices of the police and the Department of State Services (DSS).

Afegbua said on Wednesday, February 7, 2018, after spending seven hours without being told why he was summoned to the DSS headquarters, he was asked to return on Friday, and that an operative interrogated him over the statement after he had spent two hours.

He said at the end of the interrogation, his personal details were taken.

Threat to life

Kassim Afegbua has announced threat on his life following a statement he released on behalf of ex-Military President Ibrahim Babangida.

He said: "Let me state at this point that my life is in danger as we speak. I have been receiving series of unknown phone calls from people threatening me and my family."

Remaining resolute to continue to discharge his duty as IBB's spokesman, Afegbua said: "But I am resolute in the true spirit of a free-born, that threats, intimidation, harassment and psychological torturing has never and will not stop me from exercising my right of free speech as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; as well as carrying out my professional responsibility. I will not submit to intimidation, harassment and threats. Certainly not. I have just a life to live and no one under God will live forever."

ALSO READ: Read full text of Babangida's advice to Buhari

Eyeing elective office

In all of the controversy surrounding Afegbua's statement, the spokesman has already hinted possibility of contesting for an elective office come 2019.

"On a lighter note, the support, accolades and motivation I received during this period have given me added confidence to seek elective public office in no distant future," he hinted in a statement after his release from DSS.

IBB stood solidly behind me

Despite the counter statement denying IBB's consent to Afegbua's statement, the spokesman has said the ex-Military president stood by him and his family all through his ordeal after the statement release.

Afegbua said: "Let me use this opportunity to thank my principal, General Ibrahim Babangida, GCFR and members of his family who were constantly in touch with me to share in my tribulations.

"General Ibrahim Babangida's words of encouragement and assurances further bolstered my resolve to soldier on," Afegbua noted.

ALSO READ: Babangida says Buhari should not re-contest in 2019

Read Kassim Afegbua's full statement

In the last six days, I have gone through traumatic experience when I was declared wanted by the Nigeria Police. By the strength of that unprofessional declaration, I was treated like a common criminal and fugitive until I showed up at the police headquarters Abuja to physically present myself, he said.

After what the police termed a no case issue, they were apologetic and I took my leave. In the evening of that day, Wednesday 7th February, 2018 I got a phone call inviting me to the headquarters of the Directorate of State Security (DSS).

I honoured the invitation on Thursday and spent 7 hours waiting for attention. I left the office at 6.50pm when it became clear nobody was ready to tell me what the invitation was meant for. I was informed to report back on Friday 9th February, 2018 at 11am. On arrival on Friday, having spent 2 hours, I was attended to by the Director of Operations and two others who interrogated me on the said statement I issued. My interrogation was recorded electronically and was made to write a statement affirming the issued statement, having collected all my personal details; house address, account number, international passport number and other information.

I find this whole episode quite nauseating and utterly condemnable. I cannot rationalise why just a statement would amount to subjecting me to rigorous interrogation especially when there was no complainant. The action of the Nigeria Police coupled with that of the State Security Service is at best that of a meddlesome interloper and sheer bullying, leaving serious developmental issues to chasing shadows with a view to intimidate, harass and embarrass me.

Let me state at this point that my life is in danger as we speak. I have been receiving series of unknown phone calls from people threatening me and my family. But I am resolute in the true spirit of a free-born, that threats, intimidation, harassment and psychological torturing has never and will not stop me from exercising my right of free speech as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; as well as carrying out my professional responsibility. I will not submit to intimidation, harassment and threats. Certainly not. I have just a life to live and no one under God will live forever.

"Let me use this opportunity to thank my principal, General Ibrahim Babangida, GCFR and members of his family who were constantly in touch with me to share in my tribulations. General Ibrahim Babangida's words of encouragement and assurances further bolstered my resolve to soldier on. I am eternally grateful to Nigerians especially the Media for their solidarity, support and espirit de corps. Words are not enough to convey my deep and profound gratitude. My thanks also go to my very adorable and supportive wife who stood by me throughout the whole process without betraying any sentiments. And to members of my larger Afegbua family, my reliable friends, associates and compatriots, I record my thanks and appreciation in million ways.

"And to my very dependable and reliable lawyer, Dr. Kayode Ajulo and other lawyers who offered their voices to prosecute this case, I am eternally grateful. To take a Kayode Ajulo out on a stressful five days legal engagement without collecting a dime, is to me, the height of humanity. I am not only touched but humbled by this show of support and uncommon generousity. And my good friend, Emmanuel Ajibulu, such an efficient, and proactive media networker, I cannot thank you enough.
The Pontifical Bolivarian University, known as UPB, had last month posted advise for female students, asking them to avoid wearing miniskirts to class so that they would not distract classmates and teachers.

Students started an online campaign with the hashtag #UPBEnFalda, UPB in miniskirts.

A student, Helena Munera, tweeted that they were protesting not for the right to wear miniskirts but to put an end to messages that encouraged disrespect of women.

After the outcry across the campus, the UPB deleted the advice, saying it had been meant only as a general suggestion and advice.
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High-magnification variable-power scopes are often huge, especially when they have a front focal plane reticle. The latest offering in the Vudu line from EOTech reduces this long footprint into something a bit more manageable; this is particularly important with a smaller rifle or those who use a clip-on thermal or night vision device. The new Vudu 5-25x50mm Super Short is just over 11 inches long,making it one of the shortest magnified optics of its kind. Its a first focal plane, illuminated optic featuring locking turrets with EOTech EZ Chek zero stops, with 0.1-mil clicks. EOTech will offer the Super Short with two reticle patterns initially when it ships to dealers this spring.

Make: EOTech

Model: Vudu Super Short 5-25x

Tube Size: 34 mm

Focal Plane: First Focal Plane

MSRP: $1,999 to $2,199

URL: eotechinc.com

Steep and rocky on your horizon? Salewa loaded its new Mountain Trainer Mid Leather hikers with serious alpine chops. The boot features a full-grain leather lining that breaks-in and molds to your foot like only a leather boot can. The mid-height cut offers scrambling protection and the Vibram Lynx C soles give talon-like grip on scratchy paths, and still sheds mud and dirt on tamer terrain. The soles are stiffer than your average hiker, providing a lot more stiffness and climbing efficiency, and the ankle is tuned for descents with its notched Achilles area. Like a climbing shoe, the lacing system goes all the way to the toe for precise fit and feel up front. Salewa is so confident youll like these boots, they offer a blister-free guarantee.

Make: Salewa

Model: Mountain Trainer Mid Leather

Lining: Full grain leather

Upper: Full rubber rand with 1.8mm Nubuk leather

MSRP: $270

URL: www.salewa.com

SureFires new Optimized Bolt Carrier group is a drop-in reliability upgrade for any AR-15 pattern rifle. Jim Sullivan, the guy who made Eugene Stoners gas system work in the AR-15, applied decades of hindsight to the BCG to develop the concept for the OBC  which SureFire now brings to reality. Theres quite a bit going on here, and were going to have an in-depth look at the system in an upcoming issue, but heres the big blue arrows description: The system uses new bolt carrier geometry, a rebounding counterweight and redesigned gas key, a shorter buffer, a new buffer spring, and some other voodoo to slow the BCG and increase the time the system has to strip and load the next round. Aside from improved reliability, the OBC reduces wear and increases the service life of the host rifle. It also increases controllability of full-auto ARs by smoothing and slowing the rate of fire by about 30 percent.

Make: SureFire

Model: Optimized Bolt Carrier Group

MSRP: $399

URL: www.surefire.com

Tools for tuning and cleaning AR-15s have become quite popular in recent years, but few are as small as the AR Key. Almost every part of this laser-cut stainless steel one-piece functions to clean out the carbon buildup in your rifle, with six scrapers to scrub all surfaces of an AR bolt and bolt carrier group. It also has an integrated -inch hex bit, a bottle opener, and a key ring slot. The AR Keys profile is based on a common car key, making it a compact tool that can be carried on a keychain or in a range bag without taking up nearly as much space as more conventional multi-tools. Made in the USA.

Make: Guardian Defense Inc.

Model: AR Key

DIMENSIONS: 3.625 by 1.25 inches

MSRP: $35

URL: www.guardiandefenseinc.com

Kempter Kustoms is a sibling-run business in Alabama that  in addition to crafting handmade knives and custom guitars  produces trailer hitch covers that depict everything from comic book icons to college logos. The covers shown here are from Kempters three popular lineups: Punisher, Spartan, and Military. Each series has a wide variety of options, from different colors to more intricate details (such as the Stars and Stripes or the Thin Blue Line). Each cover is laser cut from 3/16-inch-thick steel, welded onto custom-made tubing, then powdercoated. They fit 2-inch receivers. Made in the USA.

Make: Kempter Kustoms

Model: Assorted Punisher, Spartan, and 101st Airborne trailer hitch covers

MSRP: Starting at $40 each

URL: www.kempterkustoms.com

Founded by veterans, Ranger Proof Swag is a relatively new company thats making a name for itself by putting out quality U.S.-made products. For example, the Marsh Rifle Sling is an adjustable two-point sling that uses 1.5-inch-wide nylon designed to stay where you need it to be. It shouldnt get tangled up while distributing weight evenly. If youre looking for a skinnier version, the Kapp Rifle Sling might just be the one. Though the webbing is an inch wide, its designed not to roll or twist. Plus, its friction adjustment system lets you loosen or tighten the two-point sling quickly without leaving behind a tail of webbing.

Make: Ranger Proof Swag

Model: Kapp Rifle Sling, Marsh Rifle Sling

MSRP: $70 to $88 each

URL: www.rangerproofswag.com

Zero Tolerances 0055 caught our eye because it features a hidden flipper tab called the SLT, an innovative design from custom knifemaker Gus T. Cecchini. Rather than a large tab protruding from the blades tang like a dorsal fin, the 0055s SLT is more like a tiny rounded lever that sits almost unnoticed at the top of the handle. The knife flicks open once the SLT is pulled back completely, feeling much like a two-stage AR-15 trigger. Once the 3.75-inch S35VN stainless steel blade deploys, the tab disappears into the 3D-machined framelock handle. The 8.75-inch-long knife comes with a reversible titanium pocket clip for righties and lefties. Made in the USA.

Make: Zero Tolerance Knives

Model: 0055

MSRP: $275

URL: zt.kaiusaltd.com

Whether hunting for some whitetail, spotting for your sniper team, or peeping on that hot neighbor down the street, a pair of binoculars can verify youve identified the correct target. Unfortunately, a pair of high-quality optics can sometimes cost more than your rifle itself. Fortunately, Cabelas Intensity HD 1250 Binoculars offers solid performance in the field for a reasonable price tag. The multi-coated lenses provide excellent clarity in low light and against high-contrast backgrounds. Plus, the binos are shockproof, fogproof, and IPX7 waterproof (meaning it can be submerged up to a meter for 30 minutes). The chassis is made of a magnesium alloy, rather than aluminum, increasing toughness while decreasing weight. This model comes with lens covers and a padded neck strap.

Make: Cabelas

Model: Intensity HD 1250 Binoculars

MSRP: $230

URL: www.cabelas.com

Weve said it before and well say it again, wool is mother natures super fabric. Its exceptional at insulating and can even keep you warm while drenched in water or sweat  unlike cotton, which can kill you if it gets soaking wet in freezing conditions. In balmy weather, it breathes well and is even moisture wicking, despite the common myth that you should only wear wool when its cold. Plus, its naturally odor resistant. These reasons and more make the StrongCore Merino Pocket Tee a kickass base layer during frigid months and a performance T-shirt disguised as a casual top in milder conditions. While wools only disadvantage is that it doesnt last as long as other materials, this shirts merino wool is spun around a strong nylon fiber to increase durability. There might be some sticker shock if youre used to buying three-packs of Hanes shirts, but its worth it if you have the scratch.

Make: Western Rise

Model: StrongCore Merino Pocket Tee

MSRP: $96

URL: www.westernrise.com

We all know that guy. You know, the one whose first AR build looks mall-ninja killer, sporting a gadget-laden quad-rail with barely enough room left to grip it. But, it doesnt take long until the jagged edges of the Picatinny rails on all four sides cheese-grates his hand. Fortunately, plenty of companies now make fore-ends that offer both comfortability and customization. The 14.5-Inch 3RGS Handguard from Brothers & Arms USA is one good example. With a single Pic rail at the top, this handguard features a patent-pending design with a smooth ergonomic body and  depending on which system you pick  multiple M-LOK or KeyMod-compatible attachment points, so you can affix the accessories you want where you want. The handguard comes with a proprietary barrel nut and has a 1.36-inch diameter.

Make: Brothers & Arms USA

Model: 14.5 3RGS Handguard

Colors: Black

MSRP: $230

URL: www.brothersandarmsusa.com

Not all of us are lucky enough to have a garage with a workbench and cabinets filled with tools. Some of us have to get by cleaning, modifying, and repairing our guns using C-clamps and a MultiTasker at the kitchen table. Enter the Ultra Gun Vise from Tipton. This portable fixture is capable of all sorts of duties, thanks to its modularity and well-thought-out features. The center magwell fits AR-style guns while the independently adjustable sliding clamps hold everything from handguns and break-open rifles to crossbows and compound bows. Its four legs can be lowered or raised separately, helping you level your gun when mounting a scope. Plus, its accessory trays are both moveable and completely removable.

Make: Tipton

Model: Ultra Gun Vise

MSRP: $180

URL: www.btibrands.com

When its possible, we prefer to shoot without gloves on. The more of our hands on the gun, the more control well have. But sometimes conditions call for some paw protection. Whether its a little chilly out or youre attending an advanced tactical course with a high round count that heats up your fore-end, a good pair of shooting gloves can keep your digits safe while also letting you maintain a solid grip on your firearm. Mechanix Wear recently redesigned its Specialty 0.5mm High-Dexterity Shooting Gloves to offer even more precision and protection. Each trigger finger has anatomical flex inserts while the working side of the gloves features AX-Suede thats just a half-millimeter thin, providing incredible dexterity and improved sensitivity over thicker materials. Plus, the TrekDry performance fabric on the backside helps cool your hands when the temps get milder.

Make: Mechanix Wear

Model: Specialty 0.5mm High-Dexterity Shooting Gloves

MSRP: $28

URL: www.mechanix.com
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'The world wants India to succeed. It also worries now that India over-promises and under-delivers,' says Shekhar Gupta.



IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra D Modi gestures at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, last month. Photograph: Denis Balibouse/Reuters

After 'India Everywhere' in 2006 and 'India Inclusive' in 2011, this year was India's third coming at Davos.

The big difference: Unlike the two earlier occasions, the Indian prime minister went to Davos.

The last Indian PM to go there was H D Deve Gowda in 1997 and no one took note.

Narendra D Modi is, however, a prime minister with substance and style. He has a sweeping majority in Parliament, his party and allies rule 19 states, and he controls his party in a manner nobody has done since Indira Gandhi and, we should also note, no single leader in a major democracy does today.

Modi, a happy traveller, has also built a formidable equity with world leaders and made his own style contribution to summiteering: The big, lingering hug.

His presence was also a big breakthrough for the World Economic Forum and its founder Klaus Schwab.

As with much else to do with Modi, there is a back story from his Gujarat years to the WEF too.

He embraced the WEF early enough as Gujarat chief minister and even visited its brand-extension, the Summer Davos in Dalian, 2007.

In fact, I had moderated the panel there and noted that despite being asked several questions on domestic politics, he had firmly stated that he didn't come there as a partisan and would not bring our domestic issues there. It was impressive.

Domestic politics, however, visited Davos as his popularity with Indian industry rose and he was sought after for the big global event.

The United Progressive Alliance government let the WEF know that it would not appreciate an invitation to him.

Modi was right to believe that he had been disinvited under political pressure. That is why his government had been lukewarm to Davos the past three years.

The WEF did everything possible to make amends. He was offered the opening plenary that global leaders covet -- last year China's Xi Jinping had it. And the competition this year was more formidable.

The WEF got an unprecedented line-up of world leaders: Donald Trump, Emmanuel Macron, Justin Trudeau, Theresa May, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Angela Merkel.

Modi drew a full hall. He made some significant points on Trump's America, Xi's China, and the rising strategic importance of data. There was also a great deal of advice, based on ancient Indian culture and wisdom.

The speech continued to be a talking point, although with a twist.

For the four days following his opener, every Indian you came across asked you the same question: So what do you think of the PM's speech? And before you could answer, he told you his own view. In superlatives.

So here is the twist: You hardly met any non-Indian who asked you that same question.

Similarly, the international media took no more than fleeting, mention-in-dispatches note of the Modi presence. Many in the sizeable Indian group noted this with resentment and blamed 'Western media biases'.

The facts, however, are to the contrary today. The West is annoyed with China, as is the big, global business community. They all want India as a successful counter and refuge for their capital.

Affection for India has grown over the past few years, particularly as more global businesses get bloody-nosed in China. So has the expectation.

The world wants India to succeed. It also worries now that India over-promises and under-delivers.

With Modi's rise, it had expected much bigger reforms, and economic and strategic stability.

This has been the most optimistic and buzziest Davos in years. The energy is of a different scale now with global growth booming again: 3.9 per cent. There are deals and money to be made.

Davos, behind all the talk of improving the state of the world, is a what's-in-it-for-me club. It is polite and may not say so, but it has no time for sermons, however ancient and sound the wisdom you bring.

This isn't a forum to warm up to even Swami Vivekananda.

There is plenty of India on the Davos equivalent of High Street, the Promenade. The government of India-CII, Chandrababu Naidu's Andhra, Devendra Fadnavis' Maharashtra, TCS, Infosys, and Wipro all have lounges and presence astride it.

The returns for all of this, and the presence of the prime minister, several important Cabinet ministers and chief ministers, are limited.

That is because however good a message and its deliverer (in this case, Modi) may be, ultimately it is the product it is selling that matters.

A growth rate of 7 per cent or thereabouts is good, but has limitations when your economy is one-fifth China's size and population about equal. It's a cruel world.

It also asks you rough questions, like, if you really have a strong government now, how come it still hasn't repealed the Vodafone retrospective amendment?

When India had its first big show here a decade ago, growth was crossing 9 per cent (under the old formula), tech companies were booming, and outsourcing had established Bangalore as the new Silicon Valley.

Even an 'appointed' prime minister like Manmohan Singh, blessed with not a fraction of the oratorical brilliance of Modi, would have made some buzz. That he wanted to come, but was not 'allowed' by the anti-globalisation Left which threatened to walk out (as Rahul Bajaj told the media in Davos) is a tragedy.

Today, we have a strong leader with global stature who knows what message to deliver and how, but the underlying product is jaded.

From 2006 to 2011 to 2018, India's pitch continues to be what it sees as its soft power: Food (plenty of it, including from Naidu's Andhra), Bollywood, crafts, spirituality, and now yoga.

But there are limits to how far such soft power can take a nation of strategic dimensions and ambition. Pure soft power works for a country like tiny Thailand: It counted 36 million tourists last year compared to India's 10.2 million and has become a global hub for medical tourism, from bypasses, transplants to cosmetic surgeries, and de-addiction.

India has, meanwhile, got caught in its own contradictions and self-inflicted social discords.

The world now wants India to speak the language of hard (not military) power.

Since India wants a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, why is it not being more assertive at such forums on global strategic issues?

Freedom of navigation, respect for sovereign nations' maritime and territorial rights, a rule-based order of global justice, and so on. Just a couple of statements on these would have made the headlines India and Modi deserved.

What made it such a fascinating week was that India displayed both its soft (Davos) and hard (10 ASEAN leaders on Republic Day) power at the same time.

It was a brilliant idea and achievement to get leaders of 10 powerful eastern nations on our Republic Day.

A stronger message on rule-based maritime regimes, respect for sovereignty would have harmonised with India's Look-East push.

It would have also neatly linked the Davos message to Republic Day diplomacy. India missed that trick.

To outsiders, it seems that after having over-promised and underperformed on the economy over the past decade, India also did this time something quite atypical of it: It punched below its weight.

The tough fact is, India is still failing the crucial Davos test: India sessions are still as filled with fellow Indians as they were 10 years back.

Unless the world starts lining up to attend these, India won't have arrived on the world scene, never mind our chronic love of self-congratulation.

By special arrangement with ThePrint
Loss takes analysts by surprise, as they were expecting the bank to post a net profit of Rs 19 billion.

State Bank of India (SBI), the countrys largest bank, posted a quarterly loss for the first time in nearly 19 years -- of Rs 24.16 billion in the December quarter of 2017-18 -- owing to a sizeable increase in provisioning for bad loans.

This came after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) asked the lender to reclassify some corporate loans as non-performing assets (NPAs).

The net loss came as a surprise, given that the street was expecting the bank to post a net profit of Rs 19 billion, as predicted by a Bloomberg poll of analysts. The bank also provided for mark-to-market losses worth Rs 34 billion on its investment portfolio.

The operating performance was also slightly lower than the expectations of analysts.

The last time SBI reported a quarterly loss was in January-March 1999. Terming it a disappointing quarter, SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar said the bottom line was hit by lower trading income due to a hardening of bond yields, leading to a significant depreciation in the bank's investment portfolio.

The yield on 10-year government securities increased by 67 basis point from 6.66 per cent on September 29, 2017, to 7.33 per cent on December 29, 2017.

On average, yields were up 45 bps sequentially. Bond prices vary inversely as the rate of interest. On a standalone basis, the bank's net profit was Rs 26.10 billion in the year-ago period. However, the year-on-year performance is not comparable because SBI has merged its associates and banking subsidiaries with itself effective April 1, 2017.

The bigger hit, however, came because the RBI mandated a reclassification of some corporate loans. After completing its annual financial inspection for FY17, the banking regulator asked SBI to reclassify some loans as NPAs for the year ended March 2017. The bank had treated them as stressed loans.

The divergence between NPAs assessed by the RBI and SBIs own assessment made for a difference of more than Rs 230 billion and the burden of provisioning for this was more than Rs 60 billion.

SBI is planning to raise about Rs 200 billion in the next financial year (2018-19) to support credit growth. Chairman Rajnish Kumar said this amount was other than what the government would provide as capital. The bank does not need capital to provision for its stressed loans. SBI will sign a memorandum of understanding with the government on this.

Photograph: Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters.
Calling the Budget 2018 'anti-labour', the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh will observe February 20 as a 'black day'.

Somesh Jha reports.



IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra D Modi inaugurates the 46th Indian Labour Conference in New Delhi, July 20, 2015. Photograph: Kind courtesy www.narendramodi.in

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-affiliated Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh has threatened to boycott the Indian Labour Conference, saying their demands were not met in the Union Budget 2018-19.

Prime Minister Narendra D Modi will inaugurate the conference after a gap of three years.

Other trade unions are also contemplating a similar move after the Union labour and employment ministry did not invite the Congress-affiliated Indian National Trade Union Congress for the conference, considered the highest tripartite forum of the country.

At the meeting of its executive committee on Thursday, February 8, in Gujarat, the BMS decided it would boycott the conference if its demands were not met by February 25.

The 47th ILC will be held in the national capital on February 26 and 27.

The BMS had asked the government to review the proposals announced in the Budget on February 1, by incorporating its demands that included providing social security benefits to anganwadi workers, reimbursing cess to labour welfare boards affected by the goods and services tax, and withdrawing 'anti-labour' reform measures.

'The inter-ministerial committee headed by Union finance minister (Arun Jaitley) had promised that it would fulfil many of the demands raised by the BMS and other central trade unions. But nothing has been mentioned in the Budget 2018-19,' the BMS said in a statement on Friday, 'strongly condemning' the government that had given them assurances after their 'massive rally' in November last year.

The BMS had held a rally after a three-day 'sit-in' of the other 11 central trade unions in the second week of November against the Modi government's economic policies.

The BMS has asked its affiliated units to observe February 20 as a 'black day', hold demonstrations, and wear black badges.

"The protest is against the negligent attitude of the central government towards labour problems... The Union Budget 2018 was silent about any of the issues raised by the unions,: said BMS General Secretary Virjesh Upadhyay.

The BMS also said it would hold a 'huge demonstration' at the ILC venue 'to mount pressure on the central government to resolve labour issues'.

An invitation to the ILC was not extended to the INTUC, which drew the ire of other central trade unions that will meet next week to decide the future course of action.

'Surprisingly, the INTUC, the biggest central trade union (second-biggest according to the records of your ministry) has not been extended invitation for the 47th ILC, which severely undermines the spirit of tripartism and reflects a discriminatory approach of the authority concerned,' Left-affiliated Centre of Indian Trade Unions General Secretary Tapan Sen said in a letter to Labour and Employment Minister Santosh Gangwar earlier this month.

The government had barred the INTUC last year from participating in any tripartite meetings, with industry and unions, following an intra-union legal battle over INTUC's leadership.

At present, there are three leaders within the INTUC claiming to be leading the 70-year-old trade union.

Currently, the matter is pending before the Delhi high court.

However, Sen said the INTUC was allowed to participate in the recent tripartite meeting to discuss the Code on Wages Bill 2017 after protests from trade unions.

"There is a faction of leadership within the Trade Union Coordination Centre as well. But in their case, the government has invited one of their leaders but has not invited the INTUC," said a senior trade union leader.

At the previous ILC held in 2015, then BMS president B N Rai had given a strong speech in the prime minister's presence, denouncing the 'anti-labour' reform measures announced by the Union government.
'What would be questioned next?'

'Will the Copernicus theory of the sun being the centre of the universe, or Newton's theory of gravity?' asks Veena Mani.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

Union Minister Satyapal Singh questioned the authenticity of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.

His statement trashing the theory, which is believed to be one of the earliest by anthropologists in the West, has irked not just scientists but also the masses.

Some have gone to the extent of describing Mr Singh in derogatory terms on social media.

It is shocking to hear such a statement from a minister belonging to a party that claims to be the conservers of Indian culture and tradition.

The government at the Centre has been trying to find Indian parallels to popular Western scientific theories in various fields.

Apart from medicine, the theory of evolution is another area in which India has its own explanation.

Life on earth is a fascinating topic and has been debated ever since Darwin proposed that Homo Sapiens are the result of evolution over thousands of years.

Darwin's theory of evolution suggests that not all living beings co-existed on earth from the beginning.

With changing conditions, those who adapted to these changes survived.

Darwin also propounded that Homo Sapiens evolved through a series of processes, starting from life in water to the amphibian, and then to apes, half-man-half ape, and then Homo Sapiens.

Many thousand years before Darwin could propose such a theory, Hindu mythology came up with a similar theory of human evolution.

This is popularly known as the Dasavataram, which is essentially the 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu, the protector.

According to this theory, life on earth began with the fish (matsya), moving to the amphibian in the form of the tortoise (kurma); then came the boar (varaha), which could walk on its feet but could survive in water.

In this manner, evolution continued till the modern man came into existence.

The order in which the incarnations are placed makes us believe that beings that proved to be the fittest and those who adapted to climate change survived.

Essentially, it is the evolution from marine to amphibian to land-based animals to pygmy to human.

The theory of evolution is not just about physical transformation from ape to man but it also includes mental transformation.

The fully developed man changed from being savage and wild with the axe (Parasurama) to the spiritual man in the form of the Buddha.

Experts on pre-history suggest the same by analysing stone tools used by species. The earliest tools were of the Oldowan variety used to cut carcasses.

Of course, the Dasavataram also emphasises the triumph of good over evil.

The concept is so widely accepted that we find numerous poetic compositions on it. Some of them are Telugu poet Bhadrachala Ramadas">Takkuvemi Manaku and its mention in Jayadeva's Gita Govindam.

In both these compositions among others, stories on each of the 10 incarnations are narrated.

Yes, the second part of Darwin\'s theory of evolution can be challenged and has already been done so by those studying the history of evolution.

Darwin held that traits could be preserved over generations. Those like Gregor Mendel questioned this theory and argued that a trait might disappear in one generation and reappear in another.

While Mendel and other scientists disapproved of Darwin's theory based on research and evidence, the minister's comment is not backed by evidence though he claims there seems to be some research in that direction.

The minister's statement is similar to that of the clergy in 19th century Europe, which refused to accept Darwinism. Except that, even the Catholic Church, later on, agreed that it is a proven fact.

One could even say his statement that there were no apes because nobody has seen them is silly. How would you see an ape when it perished long before the Common Era (CE)?

Primitive men lived many million years ago. Historians state that the earliest signs of humanity can be traced to the Pleistocene epoch.

As a saving grace, the minister, who holds a doctorate in chemistry, has said that an international conference could be held to decide what the truth is.

His statement makes us wonder what would be questioned next.

Will the Copernicus theory of the sun being the centre of the universe, or Newton's theory of gravity? Copernicus' theory was questioned by the Catholic Church in early modern Europe.
VHP leader Pravin Togadia shot a barb at PM Modi on Friday, telling him he had been voted on the Ram temple issue, not triple talaq.

Although the BJP has won the Ayodhya assembly and Faizabad Lok Sabha seats several times since 1991, when the temple issue predominated its discourse, its victory margins have been narrow, discovers Radhika Ramaseshan.



IMAGE: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Governor Ram Naik pose with artistes dressed up as Lord Ram, Sita and Lakshman during Deepawali celebrations in Ayodhya. Photograph: Nand Kumar/PTI Photo

Ayodhya is a millstone the Bharatiya Janata Party has carried around its neck since the Babri mosque was demolished on December 6, 1992.

It is something it cannot disown or distance itself from. Ayodhya brought mixed political results for the party.

Until the deed was done, it gained handsomely in electoral terms by fuelling the 'dispute' around the Ram temple.

The temple plank is resurrected by the BJP when it gets defensive on other issues such as development and the economy, as the temple remains the most potent symbol of Hindutva.

October 18, when Uttar Pradesh was readying to celebrate Diwali, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath travelled to Ayodhya to preside over a spectacle of festivity.

The politically canny mahant of the Gorakhnath Math -- his mentor, the late Mahant Avaidyanath, headed the Ramjanmbhoomi Nyas or trust entrusted with construction of the Ram temple -- cloaked the occasion's religious import in development idiom.

He tweaked the definition of 'Ram Rajya' to signify electricity and cooking gas connections for every home.

Indeed, Lallu Singh, the Lok Sabha member from Faizabad (of which Ayodhya's a part), holds one of the best records in the distribution of the Centre's Ujjwala scheme.

Although the BJP has won the Ayodhya assembly and Faizabad Lok Sabha constituencies several times since 1991, when the temple issue predominated its discourse, its victory margins have been narrow, with exceptions.

In the 1991 assembly poll, Sant Shri Ram Dwivedi won over Nishad Sita Ram of the Congress by only 3,557 votes.

In the next election in 1993, perceived as a 'referendum' on the Babri demolition, the margin improved when Lallu Singh defeated his rival, Jai Shankar Pandey of the Samajwadi Party (in alliance with the BSP), by 9,238 votes.

The BJP's best showing was in the 2017 assembly poll, when Ved Prakash Gupta beat Samajwadi's incumbent MLA, Tej Narayan Pandey, by 50,440 votes.

The issues were Prime Minister Narendra D Modi and the 'surgical strike' the Centre had carried out on the western border.
Intensifying his attack on the Centre over the Rafale fighter jet deal, Rahul Gandhi on Saturday alleged that it was the biggest issue of corruption in the country and asked the prime minister to reply why he took the contract from the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and gave it to a "friend".

Launching the Congress poll campaign in Karnataka's Ballari district, Gandhi took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for criticising policies of previous Congress governments saying he is running the country "by looking in just rear-view mirror" which as led to "mistakes like GST and demonetisation".

The Congress chief alleged that Modi had "personally" changed the Rafale contract during his visit to France and said the prime minister had not answered the three questions posed by him on the deal.

"Today Rafale aircraft is the biggest issue of corruption in the country. I want to tell few things about this to you," he told a public rally to mark the start of the Congress' Janashirvad Yatra.

Gandhi said, "Modiji had gone to Paris in France.In France Modiji personally changed the contract."

He said earlier the Rafale contract was given to defence public sector undertaking Bengaluru-based Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, which has been making aircraft for the Indian Air Force for 70 years.

"If Bangalore is on its feet today, one of the reasons for it is HAL. Modiji took away Rafale contract from Bangalore and HAL and gave it to his friend," he said.

"We have asked three questions to Modi -- Modiji on what basis did you give the contract to your friend after taking it away from HAL, for what reason? Why did you take away the future of its youth from Bangalore? Why did you do this to profit your friend?

"Second question, did the price of the aircraft increase or decrease in your new contract?

"Third question -- when you took this decision in Paris and when India's defence minister was buying fish in Goa -- did you take permission from the Cabinet Committee on Security? Yes or no."

The Congress leader said Modi spoke for one hour in Parliament on the motion of the thanks on President's address but did not utter a word about Rafale.

Gandhi began his four-day tour of northern Karnataka districts of Ballari, Koppal, Raichur, Kalaburagi and Bidar during which he would travel in a bus and address public rallies, hold roadshows and interact with farmers and others, as part of the 'yatra'.

Launching the yatra from the mine-rich Ballari is significant as Sonia Gandhi had made her maiden entry to Parliament from the district in 1999, when she defeated BJP leader Sushma Swaraj in a fiercely fought contest.

Sonia Gandhi later gave up the Ballari seat preferring Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.

In his speech, Rahul Gandhi questioned the Modi government's record in governance. He accused it of making "false promises" and not delivering on generating jobs.

"Modiji speaks about corruption. The world record in corruption was broken by his party's government in Karnataka," he alleged referring to the B S Yeddyurappa rule in the state.

The BJP, which is going all out to unseat the Congress in the state, is projecting state veteran 74-year-old Yeddyurappa as its chief ministerial candidate.

Yeddyurappa had quit chief ministership on graft charge and formed his own outfit, but later returned to the BJP.

Taking potshots at the prime minister, Gandhi said he should stop talking about the past and start doing his work.

"...You (Modi) drive the vehicle by looking in the rear view mirror, which will cause accidents. This country cannot be run by looking in the rear view mirror," Gandhi said, as he flayed him for talking only about the past.

"Because of this rear-view mirror driving, he is committing mistakes like GST, demonetisation," the Congress leader said.

Gandhi said in his one-hour long speech in parliament this week, Modi did not speak about the burning issues pertaining to agrarian problem, unemployment, tribals and Dalits. Rather, he chose to speak about the past.

He advised the prime minister "to learn governance" from state chief minister Siddaramaiah "who runs the government looking forward".

"Modiji, this country has not made you prime minister to talk only about the past. This country wants to know your future plans for the country," the Congress leader said.

Gandhi said the prime minister has to work and not give excuses.

"Congress party works and does not give excuses."

He also spoke about his and Sonia Gandhi's long standing relationship with Ballari, saying "I will never forget that you embraced Sonia Gandhi and stood with her. I will not forget this in my life."

Photograph: Kind Courtesy @INCindia/Twitter
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met Mahmoud Abbas on a historic visit to Palestine during which the Palestinian President sought India's support for a multi-country mechanism to achieve a "just and desired peace" with Israel in accordance with the two-state solution.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi hugs Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas at a joint press conference in Ramallah. All photographs: MEA

President Abbas accorded a red carpet welcome to Modi, the first Indian prime minister to make an official visit to Palestine, in an official ceremony at the presidential compound, also known as Muqata'a, in Ramallah -- the Palestinian seat of government.

They discussed the full range of India-Palestine ties following which the two sides signed six agreements worth around USD 50 million that includes setting up of a USD 30 million super speciality hospital in Beit Sahur.

Three agreements in the education sector worth USD 5 million, one MoU for procurement of equipment and machinery for the National Printing Press and one for construction of a centre for empowering women were also signed.

At a joint press statement with Modi, President Abbas acknowledged that the Indian leadership has always stood by peace in Palestine.

Abbas said he had "fruitfull and constructive" talks with Prime Minister Modi and he updated the Indian leader on the overall developing situation in Palestine and in the region.

"We have never rejected negotiations; we have been and are still ready for negotiations," he said.

IMAGE: The two leaders discussed the full range of India-Palestine ties following which the two sides signed six agreements worth around USD 50 million

Abbas said the formation of a multi-lateral mechanism that is produced by an international peace convention is the most ideal way to broker negotiations with Israel, which is India's strategic partner and among its top arms suppliers.

"We rely on India's role as an international voice of great standing and weigh through its historical role in the Non-Aligned Movement and in all international forum and its increasingly growing power on the strategic and economic levels, in a way that is conducive to just and desired peace in our region," President Abbas said.

The two-state solution envisions independent Israeli and Palestinian states coexisting side by side peacefully. The Palestinians see East Jerusalem as their future capital.

Prime Minister Modi assured President Abbas that India is committed to the Palestinian people's interests.

"The support for Palestinian interests in our foreign policy has always been a priority -- continuous and steadfast," Modi said.

IMAGE: The PM was conferred with the 'Grand Collar of the State of Palestine' by President Abbas, recognising his key contribution to promote relations between India and Palestine.

"Friendship between India and Palestine has stood the test of time. The people of Palestine have shown remarkable courage in the face of several challenges. India will always support Palestines development journey," Modi said, adding that India is hopeful of peace and stability in the region.

India hopes for Palestine to soon become a sovereign and independent country in a peaceful environment through dialogue, Prime Minister Modi said, amid applause.

"We hope for peace and stability in Palestine, we believe a permanent solution is possible with dialogue. Only diplomacy and farsightedness can set free from violence and baggage of the past. We know it is not easy but we need to keep trying as a lot is at stake," Modi said, re-iterating New Delhi's well-known stand on the issue.

Though India has shied away from becoming a party in the Israel-Palestinian conflict, the Palestinian leader on several occasions has stressed on a possible role for New Delhi in the Middle East peace process.

India believes in a two-state solution in which both Israel and a future Palestinian state coexist peacefully.

Modi had hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month and the two leaders had vowed to further strengthen the friendship between Israel and India.

His visit to Palestine comes amid heightened tensions in the region after US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

IMAGE: Modi at the ceremonial welcome at the presidential compound, also known as Muqata'a, in Ramallah -- the Palestinian seat of government.

The unilateral US decision to declare Jerusalem as the capital of Israel was challenged at the UN General Assembly where 128 nations, including India, voted to turn down the move as "null and void".

Trump's decision to declare Jerusalem as Israel's capital angered the Palestinians, sparked protests in the Middle East and raised concern that it could further destabilise the region, marred by decades of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Prime Minister Modi had visited Israel in July 2017 to commemorate 25 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries, becoming the first Indian Premier to do so.

During his visit to Israel, Modi did not travel to Ramallah. His standalone visit to Israel had led to many analysts questioning the future of the Indo-Palestine ties.

This time Modi skipped Israel in a clear message that India is de-hyphenating its ties with Israel and Palestine.

The announcement regarding Modi's visit to Ramallah took many by surprise given the growing bonhomie around the Indo- Israel ties. However, senior sources in Israel said on condition of anonymity that India had sounded them off about it long time back, much ahead of Netanyahu's visit to Delhi.

IMAGE: Abbas seeks India's role in peace process.

President Abbas also conferred the 'Grand Collar of the State of Palestine' on Prime Minister Modi, recognising his key contribution to promote ties between India and Palestine.

Modi, on his part, said, that bestowing the honour on him was a matter of proud moment for India. This was also the reflective of the friendship between India and Palestine.

Earlier, the two leaders exchanged hugs and stood for the national anthem of the two countries and then inspected the guard of honour before their bilateral talks.

IMAGE: Modi lays a wreath at Mausoleum of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in Ramallah.

Archbishop of Catholic Church, Poulos Marcuzzo, and religious leaders of the Al-Aqsa mosque were also at the Muqata'a to greet Modi.

Modi flew in a Jordanian army helicopter straight from Amman to Ramallah, where he was received by his Palestinian counterpart Rami Hamdallah. Prime Minister Modi's chopper was escorted by choppers from Israel Air Force.

Soon after his arrival, Modi visited the Mausoleum of Yasser Arafat and laid a wreath at the grave of the iconic Palestinian leader. He also took a short tour of the Arafat Museum located adjacent to the mausoleum.
A junior commissioned officer and a non-commissioned officer were martyred after heavily-armed terrorists wearing combat uniforms attacked the Sunjwan Army camp in Jammu city on Saturday.

IMAGE: Security personnel take positions during a terror attack on Sunjuwan Army camp in Jammu. Photograph: PTI Photo

Two terrorists have also been killed in retaliatory action.

The operation is still on.

The army in a media briefing confirmed that two terrorists have been killed in the counter-operations. Arms and ammunitions, including AK-56 rifles and hand grenades have been recovered from their possession.

Nine people, including five women and children received injuries in the attack. Two of them are in hospital in critical conditions.

IMAGE: Security personnel take position around the family quarters of 36 Brigade army camp where terrorists are believed to be hiding. Photograph: PTI Photo

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri informed the Jammu and Kashmir assembly that Subedar Madanlal Chowdhary and Subedar Mohammed Ashraf Mir were killed in the attack by a group of terrorists.

Those injured included a Colonel rank army officer, Havaldar Abdul Hamid, Lance Naik Bahadur Singh and daughter of Subedar Chowdhary, he said amid protests by Bharatiya Janata Party members who raised anti-Pakistan slogans in the House.

Director General of Police S P Vaid said the terrorists entered from the rear side of Sunjwan Army camp where family quarters are located.

IMAGE: Security forces and police have cordoned off the area around the camp. Photograph: PTI Photo

The terrorists have been isolated, officials said.

Inspector General of Police S D Singh Jamwal told reporters that "around 4:55 am suspicious movement was noticed by the sentry and his bunker was fired upon. The fire was retaliated. The number of terrorists isn't known. They've been cornered in one of the family quarters."

Security forces and police have cordoned off the area around the Sunjwan Army camp. The camp falls under the first Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry in 36 Brigade.

IMAGE: Security personnel set up barbed wire outside the army camp. Photograph: PTI Photo

Soon after the attack, reinforcements of the armys special forces and SOG rushed to the spot and cordoned off the whole area amid a fierce gunfight, security official said.

Schools in the entire area around the camp have been closed by authorities as a precautionary measure.

A high alert has been sounded in Jammu and security beefed up in and around the city.

Intelligence inputs had warned of an attack on the army or security establishment by Jaish-e-Mohammed in view of the death anniversary of Afzal Guru who was hanged on February 9, 2013.
Harish Kapadia is the only Indian to win mountaineering's most prestigious award, reports Sadiya Upade.

Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com

Early in November Harish Kapadia was conferred the Piolets d'Or Asia Lifetime Achievement Award from the Union of Asian Alpine Associations, which hands out the 'Oscars of climbing'.

How did he celebrate? By climbing another mountain, of course. This time, he and his group headed out to explore Incheon in South Korea.

"It was just a day-long trek," clarifies Kapadia, the only Indian to win the prestigious award.

The self-deprecating remark is completely in character for the unassuming 72 year old. But his achievements are staggering: hHis major ascents include Devtoli (6,788 m), Bandarpunch West (6,102 m), Parilungbi (6,166 m) and Lungser Kangri (6,666 m), the highest peak of Rupshu in Ladakh. And that is a very partial list.

Kapadia's tryst with the Himalayas began in 1962 with the Pindari glacier.

Over his five decades in the field, Kapadia has mapped unknown areas and opened up climbing opportunities in the Himalayas.

"Many people trek or climb mountains. Harish does more, he chronicles stories and histories, gathers information and makes it accessible to others. So his contribution is more than his personal achievements, of which there are many. They have advanced our knowledge and understanding of the high hills and made it easier for others to follow in his footsteps," says Suman Dubey, former president of the Himalayan Club, who has made many visits to Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, including the Nanda Devi Sanctuary and the Pangi valley, with Kapadia.

For all his Himalayan achievements, Kapadia's fascination with the mountains began closer to his home in Mumbai -- in the Western Ghats.

As a school kid, he would go trekking with friends on weekends.

As an adult, the Gujarati businessman would plan his expeditions for the off season.

"The wholesale cloth business is dull from May till September. So I could go on my expeditions then," he says.

The only glitch in this plan was that the trekking season in Arunachal coincides with Diwali, which meant the north eastern state remained out of bounds till he retired at 55.

He has since remedied the omission, adding it to his yearly calendar, uncovering and documenting new paths.

The quest has already helped unravel the mystery of the Tsangpo.

"It was not known whether the Tsangpo (as it is called in Tibet) went further east to Burma or into Assam to become the Brahmaputra. Pandit Nain Singh Rawat was among the people tasked to find answers. But despite the many explorations, no one had actually seen the spot where the Tsangpo enters India," he says.

"A stretch of 100-odd kilometres through densely forested mountains remained undocumented all these years. Moreover, nobody had attempted to try the southern side because of political concerns. In 2003, we mapped the exact point where Tsangpo enters India."

That is not the only instance of the names of the two explorers cropping up together. Kapadia was only the second Indian to win the Royal Geographical Society's Patrons Medal for exploration in 2003 after Rawat.

The latter was honoured for being the first to survey Tibet and map Lhasa for the British, disguised as a monk, in the 1860s.

Kapadia has been to Tibet thrice -- with proper documentation.

Given the number of explorations over harsh terrain, Kapadia has seen his share of nature's wrath.

In 1970, while attempting the main peak of Bethartoli Himal, he lost four members in an avalanche.

A few years later, in 1974, returning from the successful first ascent of Devtoli peak in the Nanda Devi Sanctuary, he fell into a crevasse and dislocated his hip. It took 13 days for his companions to carry him back to base camp.

"It was a case of avascular necrosis, but there was a possibility the bone tissue could be revived after two years on crutches," says Kapadia. That slender hope was enough for him and, soon, he was back among the mountains he loved.

But Kapadia suffered a profound personal blow when his son, Nawang Kapadia, a lieutenant in the Indian Army, died in 2000 -- ironically in his beloved mountains -- fighting terrorists in Srinagar.

Since then, Kapadia has been vocal about the conflict, and been at the forefront of pushing for a peace park at the Siachen Glacier.

Despite his many forays across the Himalayas, Everest has never attracted Kapadia.

"Everest is too commercial. People spend crores on expeditions there to make a name for themselves, but the simple fact is that the same money could support 10 other expeditions."

The cynicism fades when it comes to Tenzing Norgay, the first person to summit Everest with Edmund Hillary in 1983.

"Norgay was a very simple person. He was my instructor at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute," he smiles.

Other heroes: Jagdish Nanavati, who taught him to read maps and study the mountains; and British explorer Chris Bonington, for the much-needed art of diplomacy.

Another friend for life -- Pan Singh, a village dweller from Harkot in Kumaon, who has been part of his core group since 1962.

If forging close relationships are among the rewards of a lifelong commitment to the mountains, a deep understanding of the natural world has engendered some sadness about the state of the global environment.

"One major impact of climate change is the uncertainty. You never know when the weather will be good, when not. Earlier, you knew June was the best month for pre-monsoon climbs."

Yet, he is not in favour of restrictions. "Blanket ban is no answer. The Nanda Devi Sanctuary has been closed since 1983. On an IMF mission there, we gave a detailed report for it to be reopened. You can place a cap on visitors, appoint liaison officers and take other steps," says Kapadia.

The explorer has conquered quite a few milestones in ink too. His first book, Trek the Sahyadris, published in 1977, is a classic.

Since then, he has penned over 15 books -- four on the Himalayas and The Battle of the Roses about Siachen.

Kapadia has also served as the editor of the Himalayan Journal, one of the oldest mountaineering journals in the world, for over 30 years.

Little wonder then that his library-cum-writing space is chock-full of books. When not reading or writing yet another definitive volume on the mountains, he likes to watch art films.

While he has never wanted to move out of Mumbai, his life seems to have been shaped by the mountains.

Both his children were named after sherpas and, yes, he met his wife Geeta on a trek.

Showell Styles wrote in On Top of the World, 'There is no material gain in climbing a mountain. The thing is useless, like poetry, and dangerous, like love-making. To some people -- only a very small percentage of people -- mountaineering appears to be as essential and satisfactory as poetry or love-making are to some others.'

That could have been written for Kapadia.

The IMF Gold Medal, the Joss Lynam Medal in Ireland, the King Albert I Mountain Award in Switzerland and the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award in India all attest to his elemental connection with the mountains.

The 'golden ice axe' is only the latest honour, and it is yet to find a spot on the white walls that frame pictures of his major expeditions.

Perhaps because Kapadia is already busy -- planning his next foray into the hills.
Rediff.com Reporter Anita Aikara spotted a Mumbai constable violating the rules on Sunday, February 4.

When, like a good citizen, she objected, she was abused and manhandled by the constable.

Her PAN card was taken away and she was then charged with a false crime.

This is what Anita experienced -- all for being right.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

Over the last five days I have gone through a lifetime of stress.

I have forgotten the number of times I skipped meals. It is surprising, but I don't feel hungry anymore.

Earlier every time I saw a cop, I felt a sense of warmth and protection. Now when I see one, a chill runs down my spine.

I have made a list of people who my husband needs to call in case I suddenly get arrested.

I am Anita Aikara, the journalist who reported the misdeeds of a constable who was encouraging ticketless travel and ended up booked under Sections 145B and 146 of the Railway Act (See box).

Sections 145B and 146 of the Railway Act 145B: If any person in any railway carriage or upon any part of a railway:

(a) is in a state of intoxication; or

(b) commits any nuisance or act of indecency or uses abusive or obscene language; or

(c) wilfully or without excuse interferes with any amenity provided by the railway administration so as to affect the comfortable travel of any passenger.

146: Obstructing a railway servant in his duties.

Sounds strange, doesn't it?

I was only doing my job as a responsible citizen.

I ended up appearing like a criminal.

Something I doubt I will ever fully digest.

I have always believed -- and would want to continue to believe -- that law enforcement representatives are meant to protect citizens. Not take the law in their own hands.

But the ordeal I went through Sunday February 4 has robbed me of that belief.

I was travelling, in Mumbai, in the first class compartment of a Virar fast, heading home, late afternoon, by local train, from a reporting assignment.

Mention 'Virar' and it will raise eyebrows in Mumbai.

It is no cakewalk getting into one of these trains that travel to north Mumbai.

Even on weekends they are extremely crowded. Passengers with valid first class tickets end up standing all the way. There are never vacant seats.

That day I got lucky. Seated with us was a woman home guard in uniform.

At Bandra, a group of women boarded the first class compartment.

They claimed to have second class tickets. Much to the disbelief of the passengers, the home guard encouraged them to come inside and sit.

At Andheri, north west Mumbai, these women decided to get off and change compartments.

The minute they stepped onto the platform, the home guard got off the train and in a split second was back in first class with them in tow.

The disbelief of the women passengers quickly turned to anger.

Soon women started heatedly questioning the off-duty home guard. They reminded her that despite owning first class passes they still ended up standing all the way home usually.

I began to document this chaos and commotion.

Fellow passengers saw my press card badge hanging about my neck. They asked me to ask the home guard why she encouraged ticketless rail travel.

When I got off at Borivali, she did too.

I walked up to her and tried to talk to her. That didn't go down well with her.

The constable came charging towards me and tried to grab my phone. I refused to let go of it.

I ended up being dragged all the way from the first class woman's train compartment to the Borivali station's RPF thana or police station (in northwestern Mumbai).

Scared of falling and hurting myself, I held on to her hand, while trying to ensure she didn't drop my phone.

She kept threatening me with dire consequences and said she would teach me a lesson, while I struggled to keep up with her pace.

The constable made me rush down a flight of steps. I prayed I wouldn't fall.

Then, she dragged me up two floors. I almost lost my breath.

Huffing and panting, I was brought to a room filled with surprised-looking RPF staff.

I tried to pry away her fingers that were clasping my phone. But in vain.

I was then dragged to her senior's office.

At this point, I was certain my ordeal would end.

I expected the senior officer to hear me out.

Within minutes I was proved wrong.

The woman home guard kept yelling and abusing me.

A huge crowd of officers from the Borivali RPF thana gathered.

I pleaded with them to hear my side of the story. They would not.

They started yelling at me.

I was petrified.

The woman home guard kept up her stream of abuse, trying to damage my phone. While a sub-inspector just stood there watching.

I seriously wondered if I would come out safe from this thana.

I had to call my husband urgently, in case anything happened to me

I told them I had to call him.

They asked me to use a landline.

I said I didn't remember my husband's number and was quickly judged for that.

They wanted to know what kind of woman I was who couldn't remember her husband's phone number.

The RPF personnel at this thana began to file a chargesheet against me under some provision of the railway law (145B and 146).

Another constable came across and started talking politely.

The woman home guard quickly jumped up out of her seat and started yelling at the constable. Her abuse of me continued.

When she was asked by her seniors to be quiet she got even more angry, slammed a chair and banged the desk.

Under her breath, she cursed me again, using filthy language.

Net result: If I don't show up at a court hearing, a warrant could be issued against me.

Anyone who has an idea of the law will know that usually an NC (non-cognisable offence) or FIR (first information report) is filed against the person.

In a bid to perhaps harass me further they directly filed this chargesheet.

They demanded my original PAN card, which I am told is unlawful, forced me to sign on the back of the said chargesheet.

Later I was told signing on the back of the chargesheet meant I was accepting I was guilty.

Throughout I was subtly told by these cops that if I went to court and pleaded guilty, then I could pay a fine and leave.

Pursuing the matter only meant unnecessary trouble.

One of the lady constables also told my husband that action will be taken against the home guard, who they said was known to have a bad temper, and she would end up losing her job. But I had to plead guilty in court.

On Monday, February 5, I was called to the Andheri metropolitan magistrate court in Andheri east, at noon.

I was there at 11. I waited till 1 pm, only to be informed that the Borivali RPF unit had forgotten to bring my papers to court.

When I was about to leave, a constable from the unit told my lawyer to ask me to wait.

The hearing was then pushed till 3. But at around 2.30 pm I was told to appear in court the next day.

The next day when my husband walked with me into court, he wasn't sure if I would return home with him.

Somebody told him that his wife might be taken into custody and a bail application had to be kept ready.

We didn't take the advice seriously.

Later, we realised we should have paid greater heed to the advice.

I had to quickly submit a bail application.

I'm out on bail and the next court hearing is in June.

My bail ends in two months and by then I will need to get a surety bond made.

I feel my freedom has been compromised.

Just because I chose to highlight something going wrong in our system.

The simplest thing would have been for me to go before the magistrate and plead guilty for an action I never committed, pay a fine and return to my daily routine.

That would have been the easy way out.

But not the right way.

I am blessed to have a supportive family. They firmly instructed me: Come what may you should not plead guilty for a crime that you have not committed.

My family promised they will get me out of this mess. I take their word for it.

My office didn't blink an eye before lending me their support.

What if I was not fortunate enough to have that supportive family? Or a supportive company?

Or the resources to fight a false charge?

Would my side of the story ever come out?

Would I have had to say "Kabool hain (I agree)" and then carry the guilt of taking the blame for something I didn't do throughout my life?

So here I am, on bail, for reporting the misbehaviour of an off-duty home guard in uniform encouraging ticketless travelling.

My mother-in-law told me to avoid going by train for a few days. Her fear is justified.

Another worried aunt asked me, "Tomorrow if the cop spots you at the station and decides to attack you in vengeance, will they slap a criminal case against you and lock you in custody?"

After what I faced in recent days, all I can tell her is, "Who knows!?"

I pray that one day justice will be served.

The right to share their side of the story should be given to every citizen of India, regardless of who they are complaining against.

I hope through my fight I can make a difference to society.

Afterword: I was able to retrieve my PAN card on Wednesday with special help from a lawyer.
Novartis AG (NVS) has come under investigation in Greece on allegations that the Swiss group bribed officials and doctors to fix drug prices and boost its sales to public hospitals, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Greek prosecutors published a report Friday alleging that Novartis officials paid tens of millions of euros in bribes to doctors and politicians in order to fix the price for its drugs at artificially high prices. The report alleges that the illegal arrangement cost the Greek state billions of euros.

According to the prosecutors, the activity allegedly occurred between 2006 and 2015, covering the period during which Greece was bailed out and was living under tight scrutiny of its international creditors.

Deputy Justice Minister Dimitris Papangelopoulos described as "the biggest scandal since the establishment of the Greek state."

A Novartis spokesman reportedly said that "If any wrongdoing is found we will take fast and decisive action and do everything possible to prevent future misconduct." He added that the company has been cooperating with Greek authorities for more than a year.

Neither Novartis nor any of its current associates have been indicted, the company reportedly said.

The Greek prosecutors have named 10 officials among those implicated in the scandal. They include two former prime ministers, Antonis Samaras and Panagiotis Pikrammenos, as well as the European Union's current migration commissioner, Dimitris Avramopoulos. All the officials denied any wrongdoing.

In October 2015, the Basel-based drug maker said it had agreed to pay $390 million as part of a settlement with the U.S. Justice Department regarding claims that the company induced specialty pharmacies to boost prescriptions for Novartis drugs by paying kickbacks in the form of rebates.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Report: Army kills, injures dozens of Saudi soldiers, mercenaries in attacks over Thursday [09/February/2018]



SANAA, Feb. 9 (Saba)  Army and popular forces have launched unique military operations, causing huge casualties and the destruction of sites , gatherings, and 18 military vehicles of the US-backed Saudi aggression coalition enemy and its mercenaries during one day, military officials told Saba News Agency.



In the northeastern border Yemen province of Jawf, the army and popular forces launched a large-scale offensive against Saudi-paid mercenaries in Khab Washaaf district. The operation ended with the army recaptured Salabah valley, Habash mountain and surrounding hills, killing and wounding dozens of Saudi-paid mercenaries, while 21 others were arrested in the operation.



Furthermore,11 military vehicles of the enemy were burned and large quantities of weapons were seized in the operation.



Also in Jawf, commander of the border guards in the 1st Brigade, Brigadier Haykal Hantaf was seriously wounded along with the Brigade's operations commander. While the commander of the 2nd Battalion in the same Brigade Nafie Jarad was killed in the army's attacks in Yatamah front of Khab Wa Shaaf.



In southwestern province of Taiz, infiltrations attempts of Saudi-paid mercenaries were foiled toward sites in Osayfra, killing and wounding dozens of them.



In Moazea district of Taiz, two military vehicles were destroyed in the north of Khaled camp, killing their crews.



Also in Taiz, the army and committees carried out a surprise attack against mercenaries' sites in Salw district, resulting in dead and wounded in their ranks and destroying two military vehicles, while a bulldozer was burned by a guided rocket in northern Yakhtel of Makha district.



Furthermore, the mercenary leader, Faisal Hassan al-Makhlafi, deputy commander of the so-called Northern Front in Taiz, was killed fire of the army and committees.



In Marib province, the mercenary leader Captain Mohammed Hassan was killed by the fire of the army and committees in the front of Sarawah district.



In Bayda province, the mercenaries inflicted heavy causalities in attack that was carried out against their sites in Ajradi area of Zahir district.



In Hajjah province, artillery shelling of the army and committees targeted mercenaries gatherings in north of Medi desert.



In the border province of Asir, Saudi soldiers' gatherings were shelled by artillery in Majaza.





In Jizan border Saudi province, dozens of Saudi army were killed and injured by artillery shells that targeted their gatherings in the eastern Om-Qateb area, while a Saudi soldier was sniped in Khazan hill of Qewa village.



Also in Jizan, a military bulldozer was smashed by artillery in Khuba area.



In Boqea front, artillery shelling targeted gatherings of Saudi-paid mercenaries in front of Aleeb mountains and the desert of Boqea, while an offensive operation was carried out on Hamer-Said east of Ajasher, killing and wounded many of mercenaries.



Also in Boea front, a mercenary leader, Abdul Khubair Qaid Saad al-Redmani, was killed by fire of the army and popular committees.





Writing by Sameera al-Mahdi Editing by Zak

.



Saba
Saturday sees the Volvo Ocean Race fleet continuing the perverse scenario of sailing away from the finish line in New Zealand. While the fleet is split in two, reflecting differing tactical choices, all six boats have pushed well to the north, with the finish line in Auckland far to the south.

The reasoning behind the northerly routing is weather based, a classic trade-off of sailing more miles in exchange for better conditions and speed . The calculation the navigators have made is that the increased speed will more than compensate for the extra distance.On board MAPFRE, the team is taking a light-hearted view of the situation where the boat has been heading northeast to get to a finish line in New Zealand, which is far to the south."Are you sure we're heading to Auckland? If we're heading northeast?" asks Louis Sinclair, getting the joke started"Yes, it's that way, it's on the bow. We cannot be wrong, they're following us," replies Pablo Arrarte from the helm, gesturing at the other boats in view."Pablo, I'm pretty sure New Zealand is that way - southeast," retorts Blair Tuke, his arm outstretched and pointing. "It's my home, mate. I'd know!"Eventually, the fleet will turn to the south, negotiate the doldrums, and push into the tradewinds that will carry them to Auckland.But not just yet. There is still plenty of intense, close racing ahead.As of 1300 UTC on Saturday, the leading group of four was separated by less than seven miles, with MAPFRE leading Dongfeng Race Team, Team Brunel and Turn the Tide on Plastic."It's been intense since the beginning," said Dongfeng navigator Pascal Bidegorry. "I have the impression that we have not stopped working. Many manoeuvres, even last night, we may have been a bit too greedy with the sail changes."But things are going well. There was an important decision to make earlier and we did not make the mistake of tacking too early after Taiwan. Now, we are going around the anticyclone, with a front and a second anticyclone coming closer to us, but that will be for tomorrow"The important decision Bidegorry is referring to was the tactical choice to tack hard north immediately after passing the southern tip of Taiwan. Both SHK/Scallywag and team AkzoNobel made this choice and for the moment, it has left them over 100 miles behind the leading pack, who waited to tack and appear to have escaped light winds close to the east side of Taiwan.However, the trailing pair has finally picked up the favourable northerly shift they'd been looking for. For most of the day, they've been sailing in stronger winds and the deficit has come down by 20 miles over the past five hours. Whether that trend continues for long enough to make up for the early losses is something we'll know by this time tomorrow.
Dear Editor

Re: Beware of false hopes

The problem with people like you is that you blame the government for the complete failure of leadership and lack of ethics within samoan families.

The reason why the Land and Titles court is the busiest and most bogged down court in the country is because of the complete failure of leadership and unity at the family level.

This is the reason why so many people are moaning about things like the Land Titles Registration Act 2008. It is because they dont actually trust their own families. Lol

PS Jeffery
Flying from half way across the globe are Simon and Rose Schmid from Germany.

Simon and his mother arrived into the country on New Years Eve and they are here for three weeks.

The Dear Tourist team learned that this is Simons third visit to our shores. But for Rose, she is here for the first time.

I work in Switzerland which is quite close to Southern Germany, Simon said.

2016 was my first time here in Samoa just for vacation, so I was like randomizing on the map because 2014 I was in Tahiti and I was looking for another nice island, so I found Samoa and came here just for 10 days.

Then I met lets say my Samoan family and I returned last year to Samoa with my dad and this year its mums turn.

So we have a farm in Germany and we cant travel together with my husband. So last year I had to feed the cattle and this time my husband has to feed the cattle, Rose added.

Thats the reason we cant travel together because someone has to stay at home and look after the farm, its a small farm but someone has to feed the cattle, Simon said.

They also attended the wedding of their Samoan family member last week Friday.

I met my Samoan family when I was here first time; last year with my dad we visited them and also this year with mum. So it was our first Samoan wedding. Were excited about it because weve only attended European weddings and weve no idea about Samoan wedding.

Being a regular visitor to our shores, Simon has become accustomed to the Samoan way of living.

I think I understand the local culture, especially the local custom much more better than the first time where I was like a typical tourist, staying more in the rental car or a resort or on official tour, for my second time, we chose to go wherever we want, so now I think I know every waterfall on both islands.

Last time, we spent most of our time in Savaii, and this time we went only for three days, driving around the island, blowholes, waterfalls, lava fields and also in Upolu, Ive been to the trench, all the sandy beaches, Ive driven around the island once, so I think when it comes to the sightseeing spots, Ive seen most of it.

Hes description of our island, is the reason his mother accompanied him on this trip.

When I returned home the last time, I was telling them about Samoa and they were quite excited about it. Its a very long distance to travel, 24 hours in the air without changing planes, and so we have to really plan for it, at least three weeks because otherwise we wouldnt be able to enjoy our holiday, because when you arrive theres the time difference, now in Europe, its winter time, so its 13 hours time difference compared to here and this is why we chose to stay here for three weeks.

As a first timer, Rose was surprised by Samoas weather.

Oh its very hot for Europeans, she said.

We thought it would be raining all day, but as you can see, the sun is out, but its also good because everything just cools down, so I like it very much because I am not a very winter person, Simon added.

Rose was also mesmerized by the colour of the sea.

I was very surprised by the colour of the sea, I know its only from TV and postcards, but in reality its beautiful and amazing. I havent been out swimming, not yet, but we will definitely do that, she said.

Most people think that when we take pictures, it is photoshop, but when you go around the island and the sun is at the right spot, its just like that. Many people wont believe it, Simon added.

As a first timer, I like Samoa very much, I like the various plants and its amazing. I want to return, but maybe not next year, Rose added with her experience so far.

However she misses her German dish.

I miss German food, we have a lot of salad, vegetable and beef and here we have a lot of fast food, Rose said.

The problem here with the hotels and the restaurants is that they all try to be like palagi food, but when you have traditional Samoan lunch, then you get salad, and taro and fruits. I like it very much, whereas here in the hotels, we have beef burger, fish and chips, chicken burger and thats the problem, Simon added.

Developing the local industry has its pros and cons and it depends on the Samoans.

There are always two sides of the coin, for the people of Samoa and the economy, they have to develop, and there are people like me, tourists, Simon said.

I like it like this, not too many tourists, white beaches, not too many people from overseas running around. Compared to Tahiti, Samoa is very rooted to its traditional values whereas Tahiti, people dont speak their native Polynesian language, they speak French, you see tourists everywhere, this is why I like Samoa, people dont try to be like European or palagi and this is the difference.

Despite the distance, Simons love for our country will see him return to our shores in the near future.
After over 30 years, the Marist International Sevens Tournament continues to grow.

The 31st annual tournament was launched at Tanoa Tusitala Hotel on Thursday night, with the games themselves to be played on the 15th and 16th of February.

Tournament director Fata Brian Kaio said that the three objectives of the tournament are to identify new rugby talent, prepare players for international representation and promote social stability through the empowerment of youth and women.

2019 will be the second year in which a womens tournament is run alongside the mens.

Just one womens team from overseas made the trip to Samoa last year, whereas this year New Zealand teams Marist Auckland (defending champions from 2018), Te Tai Tokerau (led by former Black Fern Rawinia Everitt) and Christchurch Womens Rugby (led by Manusina captain and Kiwi Fern Sui Pauaraisa, last years top scorer with Marist Auckland) are all taking part.

Fata said that having overseas-based talent come to Samoa would be a good opportunity for the local players.

We need to take the lead, the Samoa Rugby Union is trying to develop women.

He said Marist started the tournament last year to back that up, since rugby starts at the grassroots level.

It became a crowd favourite, so were looking to build that and have a lot of womens teams.

He said the womens tournament brought in more spectators than the mens last year.

Eight womens teams in total will compete for the $5000 tala first prize, with the three New Zealand sides joined by locals Marist Invitational, Aana Blues, Apia Maroons, Aleipata and Taga from Savaii.

For the first time, the mens teams will compete for the Tupua Fred Wetzell Cup, as well as a cash prize of $20000.

24 teams including five from Savaii, three from New Zealand (including defending champion Marist Auckland) and one from Fiji, will compete for the cup, named in the memory of one of the tournaments great supporters.

Marist St Josephs Sports Club president Faimalomatumua Mathew Lemisio said it was only fitting that the late Tupua be honoured in that manner.

You guys [the Wetzell family] have been the number one, day one supporters for us

In his remarks at the launch, Faimalomatumua was also grateful to the Chinese Ambassador Wang Xuefeng, New Zealand Acting High Commissioner Nick Hurley, and Australian High Commissioner Sara Moriarty for their presence and financial support.

Thank you for believing in what we are trying to do here, with the development of our young people using sports as a tool.

The New Zealand High Commission donated 40,000 tala to Marist for the tournament, to pay the costs of flying referees over from New Zealand.

Fata said those referees were supplied by the New Zealand Rugby Union, and their presence would make the games more professional.

Its all trying to develop the capacity.

You have your locals but its a different feel when you play with an international referee.

He said that fit with another of their tournament objectives, to prepare players for international selection.

This is a platform where you showcase your talent.

Our national team is coming along well, we have our bad days, but we cant be complaining without doing something about development.

Fata said the tournament has long been an opportunity to discover talent from the rural areas and Savaii.

You always find a unique talent thats never been discovered before at Marist.

He said he was especially happy with a strong turnout from Savaii, who will have a team in the womens tournament as well as five in the mens.

Frankie Tama Uli Salelologa won the Bowl competition last year, and followed that up by winning the Samoa Rugby Union national Sevens Series.

They also have two players in the current Manu Samoa 7s squad for the Sydney round of the World Rugby Sevens Series: Kerisimasi Savaiinaea and Elisapeta Alofipo.

That was an opportunity for [Manu Samoa 7s coach] Sir Gordon Tietjens to see the players, said Fata.

He said they were still looking for sponsors for what is a costly event.

Upgrading the facility, especially to cater for the around 10-15 000 that turn up to Marist every year.

He said they will have better grandstands, medical facilities and sound systems this year.
TIJUANA, Mexico (AP)  A chaotic border clash with choking tear gas fired by U.S. agents left Central American migrants sullen and dejected, with some opting Monday to leave and others worrying the incident may have spoiled their chances at asylum.

Mexican security forces stepped up their presence at a Tijuana sports complex where thousands from the migrant caravan have been sheltered, apparently seeking to avoid a repeat of Sunday's ugly scene. Police blocked the migrants from walking toward the border in the morning, though later on they allowed them to move about freely.

Isauro Mejia, 46, from Cortes, Honduras, went looking for a cup of coffee to shake the morning chill following another night sleeping outside after being caught up in the clashes. Before, he had hoped to be able to press an asylum claim, but now he wasn't so sure.

"The way things went yesterday ... I think there is no chance," Mejia said. "With the difficulty that has presented itself because of yesterday's incidents ... that's further away."

Migrants hoping to apply for asylum in the United States must put their names on a waiting list that already had some 3,000 people on it before the caravan arrived in Tijuana. With U.S. officials processing fewer than 100 claims a day, the wait time for the recent arrivals stands to take months.

That has instilled a sense of desperation among many after their grueling trek from Central America. Sunday's incident began after hundreds marched to the border to try to call attention to their plight. Some attempted to get through fencing and wire separating the countries, prompting volleys of stinging gas.

Cindy Martinez of San Vicente, El Salvador, said she had been about to cross the concertina wire to the U.S. side when the tear gas was launched. She estimated about 20 people had already passed in front of her, and parents begged agents not to unleash the gas because there were young children present.

"I see it as impossible for them to want to give us asylum," she said. "Because of the words that President Donald Trump has said, I think this is impossible."

Martinez, 28, said she was now considering getting work in Tijuana.

Mexico's National Migration Institute reported that 98 migrants were being deported after trying to breach the U.S. border. The country's Interior Department said about 500 people attempted to rush the border, while U.S. authorities put the number at 1,000.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said 69 migrants who tried to cross illegally were arrested on the California side. He said the Border Patrol's use-of-force policy allows agents to use tear gas and other non-lethal methods, but the incident would be reviewed.

"As the events unfolded, quick, decisive and effective action prevented an extremely dangerous situation," McAleenan said.

Migrant Yanira Elizabeth Rodriguez Martinez said she, her daughter and her sister had stayed away from Sunday's demonstration because they feared it could turn dangerous. Sitting in their makeshift camp at a sports complex Monday, the 38-year-old asked what the process would be if she decided to return to El Salvador.

"Because of (the actions of a few), we all pay," said Romario Aldair Veron Arevalo, a 20-year-old friend sitting with her. He said he still hoped to cross to the United States and work, but conceded it could be more difficult now.

In a rare criticism, Mexico's National Human Rights Commission admonished migrants that they "should respect Mexican laws and not engage in actions that affect the communities they pass through."

"It is important to note that the fact the Mexican government protects their rights does not imply a free pass to break the law," it said.

Commission official Edgar Corzo Sosa said after visiting the shelter Monday that the space intended for 3,500 is now crowded with more than 5,000 people.

He said officials were receiving more requests from migrants wanting to return to their countries, but did not have a number. He said a beefed-up police presence was for the migrants' safety.

"There is nothing to prevent them from leaving," Corzo said. "They are free to come and go."

The clash also led U.S. authorities to shut down the nation's busiest border crossing at San Ysidro, California, for several hours Sunday.

"Mexico should move the flag waving Migrants, many of whom are stone cold criminals, back to their countries," Trump tweeted Monday. "Do it by plane, do it by bus, do it anyway you want, but they are NOT coming into the U.S.A. We will close the Border permanently if need be. Congress, fund the WALL!"

Trump has repeatedly suggested without evidence that the migrant caravans are full of hardened criminals, but they appear to be mostly poor people with few belongings fleeing poverty and gang violence.

U.S. and Mexican officials have been wrangling over migration and how to deal with asylum-seekers at the border as Tijuana, a border city of 1.6 million resident struggles to accommodate the crush of migrants.

Mexican President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who takes office Saturday, declined Monday to comment on the border incident.

Asked about Trump's warning that the U.S. could close the border "permanently"  which would disrupt billions of dollars in trade  Marcelo Ebrard, who is to be Lopez Obrador's foreign relations secretary, said, "Let's hope we can keep that from happening."

Baja California state Gov. Francisco Vega said almost 9,000 migrants were in his state  mostly in Tijuana, with a smaller number in Mexicali  and called it "an issue of national security." Vega issued a public appeal to Mexico's federal government to take over responsibility for sheltering the migrants and deport any who break the law.

Alex Castillo carried a red bedroll slung over his shoulder as he walked away from the Tijuana shelter Monday, saying he would head to the industrial city of Monterrey to look for work and try to cross into the United States next year.

The 35-year-old electrician from Tegucigalpa, Honduras, said he wasn't at the border clash. He heard about it from others and decided to leave "to avoiding getting beaten."

"If they're launching tear gas," Castillo said, "it's better to head somewhere else."
Dear Editor

Re: Mother questions duties of Police

Its an ongoing problem with the police. I myself called the police for a fight that was going on the seawall in front of the EFKS church in Apia but they only showed up 20 minutes later and started to ask questions.

One of the fighters was seriously injured from a beer bottle and was lucky to survive. I had been calling them a lot of times for the same reasons as Paeses and ended up with the same result but if we take the matter in our own hands, then they want to take us to jail. Police should know that we are all human, they themselves do not want people to swear while your kids, parents, sisters or your family are listening so what makes them think that other people do?

farmer boy

Galufatioo Tautuailevao
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Donald Trump said Sunday that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was "wasting his time" trying to negotiate with North Korea over its nuclear and missile programs, raising speculation about whether Trump could be undermining efforts to maintain channels of communication or somehow bolstering the diplomat's hand in possible future talks.

It was not immediately clear what prompted Trump's two tweets, among a series of weekend posts that ranged from hurricane recovery efforts in Puerto Rico to NFL players' allegiance to the national anthem, and at whom they were aimed: Tillerson, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, those pushing for continued diplomacy, those favoring a military response to repeated provocations.

Tillerson had acknowledged on Saturday, after meetings in Beijing with Chinese leaders, that the Trump administration was keeping open direct channels of communications with North Korea and probing the North's willingness to talk.

He provided no elaboration about those channels or the substance of any discussions. After he left China, his spokeswoman issued a statement saying that North Korean officials "have shown no indication that they are interested in or are ready for talks regarding denuclearization."

And then Trump weighed in the next day with tweets that included his usual personal dig at Kim.

"I told Rex Tillerson, our wonderful Secretary of State, that he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man ... Save your energy Rex, we'll do what has to be done!"

Trump offered no further explanation, but last month he told the U.N. General Assembly that if the U.S. is "forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea."

U.S.-North Korean communications are long-standing. They include the two nations' U.N. missions, regular exchanges between senior diplomats, and unofficial discussions between North Korean officials and former U.S. officials. Diplomats say there have been no new channels established recently, or any dramatic shift in Trump administration policy.

Some commentators seized on Trump's tweets as evidence that he was either undermining Tillerson personally or his diplomacy, or both. Others said the tweets might represent a "good cop-bad cop approach" to North Korea that may or may not be misguided or bear fruit.

Still others saw Trump's words as an attempt to give Tillerson diplomatic cover and potentially strengthen his hand in persuading North Korea to come to the table by declaring the effort a "waste of time" that the U.S. could abandon at any time in favor of tightening sanctions even further or a military response.

Sen. Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the U.S. "absolutely" should step up diplomatic efforts. "We're moving to a place where we're going to end up with a binary choice soon," Corker told NBC's "Meet the Press" in an interview before Trump had tweeted.

"I think Tillerson understands that every intelligence agency we have says there's no amount of economic pressure you can put on North Korea to get them to stop this program because they view this as their survival," Corker said.

He added: "If we don't ramp up the diplomatic side, it's possible that we end up cornered."

The main goal of the initial contacts through the diplomatic back-channel between the Trump State Department and North Korea's mission at the United Nations was the freedom of several American citizens imprisoned in North Korea, although U.S. officials have told The Associated Press there were broader discussions about U.S.-North Korean relations.

Those contacts, however, have failed to reduce the deep mistrust between the adversaries.

North Korea has in recent months tested long-range missiles that potentially could reach the U.S., and on Sept. 3 conducted its largest nuclear test explosion to date. The standoff has entered a new, more dangerous phase since then as Kim and Trump have exchanged personal insults and threats of war.
Michael Jordan has made another major donation, pledging $5 million to the Smithsonian's new African-American history museum on the National Mall.

Officials at the National Museum of African American History and Culture announced the gift from the basketball great Monday. The museum is set to open Sept. 24.

In recognition of the gift, the museum will name a section of its sports gallery after Jordan. He also donated a jersey he wore during the 1996 NBA Finals to the museum's collection.

"I am grateful for the opportunity to support this museum," Jordan said in a statement. "I also am indebted to the historic contributions of community leaders and athletes such as Jesse Owens, whose talent, commitment and perseverance broke racial barriers and laid the groundwork for the successful careers of so many African Americans in athletics and beyond."

Museum Director Lonnie Bunch said the gift will aid the museum's vision of exploring how black athletes changed sports and changed American society.

"We are extremely grateful to Michael Jordan for his game-changing support," Bunch said in a statement. "His gift will enable our visitors to explore how sports were used to break barriers as a way to gain full participation in American society."

Last month Jordan spoke out on racial tensions in America in hopes of easing conflicts between blacks and law enforcement.

The NBA great and Charlotte Hornets owner also announced he was giving $1 million to the Institute for Community-Police Relations and another $1 million to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. The aim is to help build trust after several shootings across the country.

-AP
To provide A.P.T.C students with opportunities to auxiliary widen their vocational, employment and life goals was the main focus of the Work Skills Forum that was held yesterday at the N.U.S Fale.

It intends to prepare graduates with the ability and understanding to start a small business utilising occupational expertise attained or through hidden talents recognized during training.

It supports the apprentice in their profession preparation and develops their employability skills.

The Forum complements the work skills programme that is delivered throughout the semester as a response to skill needs of local industries and to prepare the students in their transition back to their work places.

Throughout the presentations from the special guests, students will engage with employers on expectations from A.P.T.C graduates when returning to work.

The forum was divided into two phases, the continuity of the A.P.T.C to Work End of the Course Forum and the Introduction of the Small Business Workshop.

A.P.T.C invited not only representatives of the industries of courses offered at the A.P.T.C to share their employer perspectives with the students, but business related organisations and individuals to share their views and services in operating small business.

The aim is for these representatives to indicate additional, rational and harmonizing information to what was delivered in the work skills programme.

Various speakers covered a range of areas and offered advice to students in preparing them in their transition back to work and address any inquires on employment expectations and self-employment.

The A.P.T.C students will benefit from this enormously.

It will greatly enhance the work skills of the graduates and provide them with the skills and knowledge that the industry expects them to get back in the workplace.

Furthermore, it will also present them with the assurance to set up their own businesses if they choose this path of employment.

The graduates could also go and operate successful small enterprises in the future.

This in turn will produce employment and produce profits for the general nation.

In addition to their vocational training, A.P.T.C also reinforces the learners journey in providing pathways for returning to employment, new employment, self employment, voluntary work and future learning post A.P.T.C.

The programme is delivered throughout the semester alongside vocational training with work orientated areas including an overview of the Australian Core Skills Framework.

This forum will not only engage the student with industry representative but provide them with an opportunity to venture into self-employment at the completion of their vocational studies.
The work of two senior reporters for the Samoa Observer were recognised by the International Labour Organisation (I.L.O.) for their contribution in covering Child Labor in the Country.

During the commemoration of World Day Against Child Labour and the World Occupational Safety and Health Day, with the launching of Light Work and Hazardous list event at the United Nations Conference room yesterday, the late Ilia L. Likou, Samoa Observer Senior Reporter, was recognised.

Chief Reporter Joyetter Luamanu was also presented with a Recognition award for their reporting on street vendors.

Ms. Likous articles highlighted the dangers of street vending for child vendors as young as four years old having to sleep on the streets and selling wares until late. She gave a voice and a face to the young vulnerable children that many in Samoa turn a blind eye to.

The local I.L.O. Coordinator, Tomasi Peni pointed out that in the light of the above  I.L.O has recognised the great contribution of the Samoa Observer through Ms. Ilia and Ms. Luamanus efforts.

About the late Ms. Ilia Likou, Mr. Peni said: This year we remember her good works as you can see all the articles around the room and the banner we prepared for her works. I.L.O. with much appreciation would like to remember her.

A moment of silence in remembrance of Ms. Likou and her service to the cause; was observed.

Guests were then invited to view a display of her written contributions through the Samoa Observer for raising awareness on the issue of street vending.

For Ms. Luamanu, Mr. Peni said: In this year  on the Media Spotlight Recognition Awards  again through Samoa Observer, we have Ms. Joyetter Feagaimalii Luamanu as the recipient of this year Media Spotlight awards."

So from the Media  we have Samoa Observer as the recipient of this recognition award along with few other partners from different sectorial.

The awards were presented by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labor Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Samoa National Tripartite Forum, Pulotu Lyndon Chu Ling.

I feel honoured to receive this award on behalf our colleague whom we dearly miss, friend and sister Ilia.

I feel a mixture of sadness and pride at this time knowing that in her lifetime, Ilia used her God-given talents to help make a difference to so many different communities in our country.

She has left a lasting legacy for someone so young and while we are still devastated at the loss of our colleague, we feel comfort in knowing that she continues to live through her written work.

Ms Luamanus work in recent times highlighted the development and assessment of policies concerning Samoas progress in addressing child human rights and Labour laws.
TOKYO (AP)  Looking almost banker-like in a business suit and sitting in an upholstered leather armchair, Kim Jong Un gave his annual televised New Year's address on Tuesday.

The North Korean leader's big curtain-raiser for 2019 comes after a couple of very tumultuous years. In 2017, his rapid-fire missile tests brought him to the brink with President Donald Trump and 2018 saw his sudden rise on the world stage with hints of detente, summits with China and South Korea and an unprecedented meeting with Trump in Singapore.

What's ahead in 2019? Here are four big takeaways.

___

IT'S STILL ABOUT THE ECONOMY

About two-thirds of the entire speech was devoted to the economy.

Kim last year jettisoned his signature slogan of "simultaneous tracks"  developing nuclear weapons and the economy at the same time  in favor of claiming to focus everything on the economy, which is now the national buzz phrase.

Kim hasn't given up on his nuclear weapons, he just says he has perfected the arsenal enough to shift the focus of "socialist construction" elsewhere. Kim also didn't commit to anything in the speech like the kind of major, structural economic changes that might generate sustainable growth, but which could also undermine his own power.

Even so, he does appear to genuinely want to boost the standard of living of his nation and to grow the country's economy. He underscored that desire by calling for an increased electricity supply and pointed to the possibility of developing nuclear power, along with the need for modernization and innovation across the board.

Despite repeated mentions during the speech of the North's cherished principle of "Juche," or self-reliance, Kim understands his country's economic realities. He is openly seeking more foreign investment and trade.

And he's hoping to enlist Seoul's help in that endeavor.

___

KIM WANTS THE KOREAS TO BE TAKING THE LEAD

Though the attention was on his relationship with Trump, Kim's biggest moves in 2018 were toward South Korea.

Kim's pitch has been that it is high time Pyongyang and Seoul were leaders in determining their own fate, which is also a shot at the role of the United States on the peninsula.

Kim's speech was broadcast simultaneously in South Korea.

Addressing both nations at once, he called on all Koreans to  in his decidedly North Korean manner  to "uphold the slogan "Let's usher in a heyday of peace, prosperity and reunification of the Korean Peninsula by thoroughly implementing the historic North-South declarations!"

Those declarations include a good deal of joint efforts to help Kim with his economic goals, including the renovation and reconnection of the North's railways to the South. He said he would support the reopening of an industrial park that relies on South Korean capital investments and a tourism zone on the North's Mount Kumgang, or Diamond Mountain.

Such efforts can't go very far until sanctions are lifted. Seoul is a lot more willing to forge ahead than Washington.

Pyongyang is also seeking an end to joint U.S.-South Korea military exercises, while Washington is pushing the South to pay more of the cost of keeping its troops there.

The growing Washington-Seoul discord is an added bonus for Kim.

Expect him to keep pushing those buttons.

___

THE NUKES AREN'T GOING ANYWHERE ANYTIME SOON

In the most tantalizing sentence of the speech, Kim hinted at a possible cap on nuclear weapons production if the U.S. takes equivalent steps, whatever that might mean.

He also stood by his commitment to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, which, contrary to some wishful thinking in Washington and Seoul, does not mean the unilateral denuclearization of North Korea.

Both areas need to be further clarified in negotiations.

Kim's calculus has never been to throw away his nuclear arsenal and hope for the best from a newly friendly and supportive administration in Washington. It has from the start been an effort to play the nuclear hand to its greatest advantage.

Kim sees nuclear weapons as a valuable deterrent to a U.S. military strike. Unless that threat is eliminated, he won't give them up. He also believes his weapons put him in a position of strength from which he can make demands and extract concessions.

The North has been pretty clear about these points. But Kim spelled them out once again.

His message to Trump: Start addressing his concerns about security and sanctions relief soon or he will have no choice but to try a different, less friendly approach. And he is warning that he will be able to make a case to China, Russia and possibly even Seoul that if things fall Washington will be the one to blame.

___

KIM WANTS TO BE SEEN AS HIS OWN MAN

This year's 30-minute speech was an exercise in making Kim look worldly, firmly in charge and comfortable in his own skin  as opposed to the caricatures of him that are so popular in the West.

Though not a stirring public speaker, Kim confidently delivered the pre-recorded address in a study with dark-wood paneling and the national and ruling party flags.

He was flanked by big portraits of his charismatic grandfather, national founder Kim Il Sung, and his father, the late leader Kim Jong Il, who was famously speech-averse and never spoke like this on New Year's.

That lineage is as important as ever.

But the images beamed to the nation and to the world Tuesday of Kim delivering the speech were engineered to have a freshness to them that is uniquely his  and to leave the impression that Kim Jong Un is his own man, a modern, respectable leader who belongs on the world stage.

He may very well be sharing that stage next with Trump, for their second summit.
A local businessman who had asked the Ombudsmans Office to investigate the Ministry of Revenue over questions with regards to import and duty compliance is not a happy man.

Manu Meredith, the Owner of Le Well Company Ltd, whose correspondences with the Ministry of Revenue over the issue had previously been leaked to the Samoa Observer, has finally decided to break his silence.

He has decided to speak out saying he is frustrated that the Ombudsmans Office has yet to launch an investigation into his concerns.

As of yesterday, I can tell you that no investigation has been launched, he said. All Ive had is just emails back and forth.... emails that was answered months or weeks at a time.

Earlier this year, Manu had asked the Ombudsmans Office for an investigation in a letter dated 13 February 2017. That letter followed efforts by Manu to raise concerns about alleged unfair practices involving liquor taxes and prices within the Ministry of Revenue.

Information obtained by the Samoa Observer indicated that the correspondence between Le Well Company Limited and Ministry of Revenue's Customs Department have been going on for more than a year.

Not happy with the answers from the Ministry, Manu raised the matter with the Office of the Ombudsman.

We feel it is necessary that an external investigation should be made into these practices so that we feel we are being treated fairly and will not have to question the integrity of this very department, Manu wrote.

That was at the beginning of the year.

It has been six moths since I submitted a formal complaint with a request for an investigation into the Customs directly to the Ombudsman, Manu said yesterday.

So far my plea for help is not getting anywhere. I dont know who I can ask to look into this delicate yet important issue anymore.

I had contacted the Ombudsman with the hope that they will act in accordance with their mandate... but that doesnt appear to be the case.

According to correspondences obtained by the Samoa Observer, Manu claims there are Customs officers that purposely overlook the correct quantities on certain alcoholic beverages orders by some of our local competitors, in order for those companies to pay less than the required duties, thereby making the retail prices lower than they should be.

The businessman has written to the Ministry of Revenue C.E.O Avalisa Viali-Fautua'alii many times. Correspondence that started in late 2015 between Manu and the Customs C.E.O were also obtained by Samoa Observer.

In November last year for example, Manu wrote to Avalisa Fautua'alii about the issue of fair competition.

The intent of my communications with your department is reassurance that there is fair competition across all suppliers of liquor imported as well as produced locally, the letter reads.

Manu pointed out to the C.E.O that local spirits with 30% over alcohol content should have a tax of $19.96 per liter plus 15% V.A.G.S.T [Value Added Goods and Services Tax] (not including labor, materials and profit etc).

He said the selling prices for liquor 1liter claiming to have 45% alcohol content is $21.00 including V.A.G.S.T. According to Manu, the prices they have researched assumes these local liquor products have less than 30% alcohol content, then the pricing would be in line with local tax requirements.

He also directed the C.E.O to a local wholesale who has been selling wine reportedly from Europe yet the local price is very cheap for European improved wines.

I do not want to assume that your office or some officers are overlooking these matters but I want to be reassured the competition from local businesses are all treated fairly, Manu wrote then.

Today, Manu said he is tired of being given the run around.

He said he would seek an appointment with Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi to further raise his concerns.

I have evidence that was submitted directly to Customs and to the Ombudsman about what I uncovered, he said.

Since 26 June 2017, the Samoa Observer has been sending emails to the Ombudsmans office to follow up on the progress of Manus complaint.

The emails were followed by visits to the Ombudsmans office in bid to get an update.

The Samoa Observer met with Ombudsman, Maiava Iulai Toma, who referred the inquiries to Deputy Ombudsman, Maualaivao.

When the Samoa Observer contacted Maualaivao, he said the issue is confidential and he cannot discuss it.

He told the Samoa Observer to go back to Manu to ask for an update.

Or maybe you [reporter] can go an investigate his claim.

Everything pertaining to this matter is confidential.
samoa

Party returned to Petesa after 2 hours

Two hours after supporters of the Human Rights Protection Party (H.R.P.P.) converged on Mulinuu as Samoas new parliament sat, party leader Tuilaepa Dr. Sa'ilele Malielegaoi and his members have left the scene and returned to their party's headquarters.
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP)  Uruguay's government on Tuesday offered to bring the family of a hunger striking former Guantanamo prisoner to the South American country.

Syrian native Abu Wa'el Dhiab has been on a hunger strike for more than two months to press his demands to leave Uruguay, which took him in along with five other former Guantanamo prisoners in 2014. He wants to join his wife and children in Turkey, where they are refugees, or in another nation.

The Uruguayan foreign ministry said in a letter Tuesday that the visas to bring Dhiab's family have been approved and that they will be offered a place to live. But Dhiab's friend, Andres Conteris, said the government proposal makes no sense because Dhiab and his family want to meet abroad after broken promises to reunite them by Uruguay.

Conteris also said Dhiab is getting rehydration solution after he lost consciousness Monday in the apartment where he's living in Montevideo.

"He has asked the government for letters that he can present to Venezuela, Turkey, Lebanon and Qatar stating that Uruguay has no inconvenient with these countries taking him in," Conteris said. "If he gets the letters, he'll lift the hunger strike."

Uruguay's liaison with the six resettled detainees has said that Lebanon, Qatar and Turkey have all rejected taking in Dhiab.

Dhiab grabbed international attention through hunger strikes during his 12 years of confinement. He was released from Guantanamo in December 2014, but he could not return to his war-torn homeland and was taken in as a refugee by Uruguay. In July, he set off alarms when he vanished for several weeks, before turning up in Venezuela, which sent him back to Uruguay.
The painkiller acetaminophen, sold as Tylenol, may cause harmful sex hormone abnormalities, according to a study led by San Diego researchers.

Animal studies have found abnormalities linked to use of acetaminophen during pregnancy

The new study provides plausible explanations for these abnormalities, and potential for human harm

In adults, levels of certain sex hormones fell to levels equal to 35 years of aging

Potential risks from acetaminophen : Heres the full story

Use of the painkiller acetaminophen during pregnancy may cause harmful sex hormone abnormalities, according to a study led by San Diego researchers.

The study adds to concerns about the drug, sold under the brand name Tylenol. Previous studies have found potential for harming offspring exposed to acetaminophen during pregnancy.

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In this study, researchers found an association with use of the drug and lower levels of sulfated forms of sex hormones in men and women. Also called neurosteroids, many of these hormones are active in the brain. One of these hormones, DHEA-S, is well known to be important for placental health.

The lowered levels roughly equated to the natural effect of 35 years of aging in adults, potentially affecting their health. But the greatest risk appears to be to the developing fetus. Acetaminophen may reduce the placentas ability to regulate hormone levels, the study said.

The study was published Feb. 5 in the journal EBioMedicine and can be found at j.mp/acetahormone. It builds on previous research in mice and human tissue on prenatal exposure to acetaminophen, also called paracetamol.

A 2017 study found that exposure is associated with male urogenital malformation and altered male brain masculinization, which controls gender-linked behavior in mice, such as the frequency of intercourse and aggression toward rival males.

A 2015 study found evidence that prenatal exposure to acetaminophen may reduce the ability of the male fetus to produce testosterone. Testosterone production was reduced in human fetal testicular tissue that had been transplanted into castrated mice given acetaminophen for a week.

This new study referenced those previous findings as a reason to more fully explore the effects of acetaminophen.

Research published last month has linked Tylenol use during pregnancy to language delays in baby girls. That research was published too recently to be included in this study.

Acetaminophens newfound ability to affect both placental health and the nervous system through reduction in neurosteroid production may explain these findings, said study leader Isaac Cohen of Human Longevity in La Jolla. Established by genomic researcher J. Craig Venter, Human Longevity sells comprehensive health assessments.

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The research also indicates a possible new path toward developing new drugs.

No drugs have been approved to specifically target neurosteroid metabolism, said Cohen, who is also a doctorate of pharmacy candidate at UC San Diego. Drugs that do so could potentially help relieve chronic pain and depression.

The study was observational, not a randomized clinical trial designed to definitively determine cause and effect. Cohen said the study was designed that way for safety  nobody was intentionally exposed to acetaminophen to test for possible harm.

Still, the study results are strong enough that further research into acetaminophens effects is warranted, Cohen said.

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The linkage was originally found in data from people who had undergone health assessments at Human Longevity. The data is aggregated and used anonymously for research.

We have all this data from Human Longevity, and what we do is we look back at all the data that we already have, instead of putting new people at risk, Cohen said.

Researchers looked at data from thousands of subjects. This includes their genetic profiles and the presence of metabolites, which are biomolecules produced during metabolism. In particular, they identified biomarkers characteristic of acetaminophen use.

The data came from multiple sets of subjects with varying ethnic backgrounds. By using multiple unrelated groups, researchers gained confidence that the findings were real and not a one-time coincidence.

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The correlation was first established in data from 455 people over 18 examined at Human Longevity. To validate the early findings, researchers then examined data from two additional groups.

They included 1,880 twins of European ancestry from the TwinsUK study; and 1,235 individuals of African American and Hispanic ancestry from the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study.

In addition to Human Longevity, the study included authors from J. Craig Venter Institute and University of California San Diego in La Jolla; along with Metabolon, Durham in NC; and Kings College London in the UK.

The study was funded by Human Longevity.

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Related reading

New Study Links Pregnant Women Taking Acetaminophen with Language Delays in Baby Girls

Prenatal exposure to acetaminophen and childrens language development at 30 months

Prenatal exposure to paracetamol/acetaminophen and precursor aniline impairs masculinisation of male brain and behaviour.

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Prolonged exposure to acetaminophen reduces testosterone production by the human fetal testis in a xenograft model

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Science Playlist  On Now In a first, scientists rid human embryos of a potentially fatal gene mutation by editing their DNA On Now Space station flyovers visible from San Diego this week 0:55 On Now UCSD's 'ghost drivers' begin testing people's reaction seemingly empty cars 1:29 On Now 10 interesting facts about Mars On Now Kids can add years to your life On Now LA 90: SpaceX launches recycled rocket On Now Big passions, big giving: Malin Burnham 2:30 On Now Big passions, big giving: Darlene Shiley 2:40 On Now Big passions, big giving: Joan and Irwin Jacobs 2:45 On Now Ocean temperatures warming at rapid rate, study finds

bradley.fikes@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1020
Q:Can an owner within a homeowners association request in writing from the board that copies of association financial statements be provided on a monthly basis to the homeowner? Or, does the request for the financial statements have to be made monthly? Thank you in advance for your answers. D.G., Redlands

A:The main statute giving California HOA owners the right to see certain association financial records is Civil Code 5200. Financial statements are included in the list of financial records which can be inspected or copied by members. A member must request copies in writing, and the HOA has ten business days (two calendar weeks) from its receipt of the request to provide the copies. The HOA can charge for copying and mailing the copies.

The law does not provide for a standing monthly request for documents, so if you want to see the financial statement monthly, you will need to request it monthly. If you want to review financial records that regularly, run for the board. Youll get them, most likely, in your board packet each month.

An increasing number of associations post financial information on their web sites, in the members only area. This provides for transparency, at little cost.

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Q:I have been charged with looking into the possibility of establishing an endowment fund for our HOA. We believe there are members of our community who would be willing to make donations and/or include our community in their estate planning. Can you give me your thoughts on such an endowment fund? J.V., Oceanside

A:I applaud your associations creative thinking, but suggest you discuss this with an accountant before going much further on this idea. I am not sure that improving the association property would be a tax-deductible donation, but I am not a tax guy. Civil Code 5600 only allows associations to assess for their actual expenses. If some owners want to contribute their money to help the rest of the owners, that certainly offsets all the situations I see where certain members dont pay their monthly assessments at all!

Q:Our HOA treasurer is a tax preparer and an enrolled agent and is quite capable maintaining the financial records. Are we required by law to submit our financial records to an outside accountant for review. L.S., Yorba Linda

A:Pursuant to Civil Code 5305, if the associations gross income exceeds $75,000 it must have a certified public accountant (CPA) review the year-end financial statement. That review must then be sent to members within 120 days after the end of the associations fiscal year. Reviews are different than audits. A review does not question the accuracy of the numbers stated, but examines how the numbers are presented (and if they add up). Audits are quite expensive. It is great that your treasurer can prepare the financial reports, but it is probably better for the association and the treasurer if they are prepared by an outside source.

Kelly G. Richardson, Esq. is a Fellow of the College of Community Association Lawyers and Senior Partner of Richardson Ober PC, a California law firm known for community association expertise. Submit questions to Kelly@RichardsonOber.com. Past columns at www.HOAHomefront.com.
Q: Is the $1.5 trillion Trump infrastructure plan the right way to tackle the nations backlog?

Phil Blair, Manpower

NO: The Trump plan is simply smoke and mirrors. If he is reversing the past (ratio) 80 percent federal money/20 percent state money for key infrastructure then just say so. Doesnt sound like a major benefactor appropriation (and another $1.5 trillion dollar debt) and then tell the states and cities they have to come up with the vast majority of the money.

Kelly Cunningham, San Diego Institute for Economic Research

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YES: The Trump plan envisions a major shift in financial responsibility towards public-private partnerships. The federal governments current role in infrastructure investment would be reversed from complicated, costly middleman of revenue collection and expenditure of the funds to states and localities. The distinction is for-profit projects, by definition, having positive returns on investment, while public infrastructure projects all too often entail negative returns with little revenue generation, such as massively overpriced, little used bullet trains or bridges-to-nowhere boondoggles.

David Ely, San Diego State University

NO: Given the significant backlog, the Trump administration is correct in aiming for a high target for infrastructure investment. And, along with federal funding, repairing and expanding the countrys infrastructure should be funded using private and state and local government sources. However, the burden will fall heavily on non-federal sources. Investment is likely to be limited except in places where state and local governments can generate new funding and private partners can earn an attractive return.

Gina Champion-Cain, American National Investments

NO: Whether the infrastructure requirements are new needs, repairs or replacements, these are major projects that must be part of long-term planning with defined funding sources. None of the nations major infrastructure needs are a surprise. Just as the private sector does, down to even homeowner associations, budgeting reserves for future maintenance and capital improvements is prudent and necessary. Infrastructure spending is like dollar-cost averaging; it must be implemented continually, not in a reactionary fashion.

Alan Gin, University of San Diego

NO: While it is listed as a $1.5 trillion program over 10 years, the federal portion is only $200 billion over that period. The remainder is to come from state and local governments and also the private sector. Given budget problems, it is unlikely that those governments will be able to provide significant funds for upgrading infrastructure. If the private sector participates, it will want to recoup its investment through the use of tolls, which many consider undesirable.

James Hamilton, UC San Diego

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He is not participating this week.

Gary London, London Group of Realty Advisors

YES: I am going with yes because Trump is a builder. This is what he does best. (It may be the only thing that he does best!) I have to assume that the number is right, and that the money has to come from a combination of federal and state taxes, private/public partnerships and user fees. I would encourage the use, wherever possible, of the aforementioned user fees because, at least for the road and bridge projects, the user should pay, and the overall plan should include congestion pricing.

Norm Miller, University of San Diego

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He is not participating this week.

Jamie Moraga, IntelliSolutions

YES: It may not be the best plan, but the bottom line is that our decaying infrastructure needs to be addressed. Having all parties in the process  federal, state, and local - may be the way to get all invested and involved for long-term solutions. Any state or local taxes (or monies) that are designated for infrastructure repair and improvement should be used for that specific purpose and not allocated or diverted to other areas/uses. Many agree that infrastructure must be addressed; now its time to work together to make it happen.

Austin Neudecker, Rev

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NO: Trump is proposing an inversion of the usual federal-state funding split for infrastructure projects (from 80:20 to 20:80), further stressing Californias budget. Meanwhile, our budget already struggles to keep our schools, safety, justice system running. The recent tax reforms place a long-term burden on Californias ability to raise money by eliminating the SALT deduction. Yet, we continue to increase defense budgets, cut corporate taxes, undercut public schools, etc. Do these changes reflect our collective priorities?

Bob Rauch, R.A. Rauch & Associates

NO: The time required to complete an environmental review process of our highways is over five years and were too close to automated driving technology and electric vehicles already. Qualcomm is working on wireless induction technology that can be embedded in the pavement, allowing cars to be automatically charged and President Trumps plan does not mention trying to speed the rollout of EV charging networks.

Lynn Reaser, Point Loma Nazarene University

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YES: The administration believes that more federal funding, on its own, will not solve our infrastructure problem. Fundamental changes in priorities, procedures and policies will be necessary at all levels of government. The impact of new technologies, such as driverless cars, needs to be analyzed. Requiring state and local governments, along with the private sector, to secure all but $200 billion of the total proposed funding will be a stretch, but it is a start.

John Sarkisian, SKLZ

YES: The nation must start somewhere to address needed infrastructure improvements and repairs. Federal, state and local governments combined must budget, fund and contract the work that is deemed critical to our economy and our health and safety. We must balance our budgets to provide protection of our environment, social welfare, and national defense along with infrastructure improvements. This is not easy work and it requires compromise and discipline. Do we have that ability in this political environment? I hope so.

Chris Van Gorder, Scripps Health

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NO: While I would love to see more money going to repair our infrastructure, I dont believe the plan will be a catalyst for spending more on it, other than the incremental amount of funding available from the federal program. To do more would almost certainly necessitate some type of tax increase. States that need it the most -- like California -- already have the highest taxes in the country. I suspect that the state Legislature would balk at raising them even higher. But we are going to have to find a solution at some point.

Have an idea for an EconoMeter question? Email me at roger.showley@sduniontribune.com

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roger.showley@sduniontribune.com; (619) 293-1286; Twitter: @rogershowley
Another emotional support animal is making headlines and causing grief for airlines.

United Airlines turned away a woman last month who was trying to fly out of Newark Liberty International Airport with a peacock, which she claimed she brought to give her comfort and support during the flight.

Spirit Airlines is now embroiled in a controversy over an emotional support hamster, which ended up being flushed down a toilet after the carrier refused to let it on a plane at the Baltimore-Washington International Airport.

The hamsters owner, Belen Aldecosea, a college student who was flying home to Miami, said she called Spirit Airlines before her Nov. 21 flight and was assured she could bring along her miniature hamster, Pebbles, according to her attorney Adam Goodman.

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When she got to the airport, a Spirit employee told her she could not bring the hamster on the plane and suggested she either release it outside of the terminal or flush it down the toilet, Goodman said.

Aldecosea flushed the creature, because she felt she had no other option, according to Goodman, who is considering legal action against the carrier.

In a statement, Spirit acknowledges that it erroneously told Aldecosea that she could bring the hamster but denied that anyone suggested she harm the animal.

We can say confidently that at no point did any of our agents suggest this guest (or any other for that matter) should flush or otherwise injure an animal, Spirit Airlines spokesman Derek Dombrowski said.

hugo.martin@latimes.com

To read more about the travel and tourism industries, follow @hugomartin on Twitter.
Little Italy, which has become the undisputed go-to destination for dining, will be getting its first food hall as part of a soon to debut piazza in the heart of the downtown San Diego neighborhood.

Little Italy Food Hall, as its being called, is conceived as a mini version of the foodie-friendly public markets that have mushroomed in popularity across the U.S. It will have six vendors in all, from Milan-inspired pizza and roasted meat sandwiches to New England seafood, along with a bar featuring craft cocktails, beer and wine.

Rendering of Little Italy Food Hall (Courtesy of Grit & Grain Collective )

It is one of several food and beverage concepts that will populate the 10,000-square-foot, European-style Piazza della Famiglia on West Date Street between Columbia and India streets, which will open in stages beginning in March. The overall project is being developed by H.G. Fenton and will include 125 apartments over 16,000 square feet of retail and restaurants.The food hall is not expected to open until early to mid-summer.

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Marco Li Mandri, chief executive of the Little Italy Association, acknowledges the explosion of restaurants in the rapidly redeveloping neighborhood, but believes the food hall fills a needed niche for grab-and-go options.

Were getting close to a saturation point on restaurants, and Im not one to encourage a lot of new restaurants, so its good were shifting more to residential and office, he said. But that type of convenience food related to the piazza makes a lot of sense. We have plenty of sit- down places so the idea that you can get something to eat really quickly and then go out into the piazza is conducive to what the piazza is all about.

That was Mike DiNorscias thinking, too, after his restaurant investment company, Sweet 100, was brought on to help Fenton lease up the piazzas retail space. As they were brainstorming, the notion of a food hall came up, and while it sounded enticing, they first spent months researching the idea and looking at other projects before launching their own, said DiNorscia, co-founder of Sweet 100.

San Diegans quickly fell in love with the citys first large-scale food hall, Liberty Public Market, which opened two years ago and features more than 30 vendors. Two of them  Wicked Maine Lobster and Roast Meat & Sandwich Shop  will also be setting up shop in the Little Italy market.

We wanted variety. We wanted people who were the best in their craft and vested in the day-to-day operation of the business, said DiNorscia, whose company formed a spin-off entity called Grain & Grit Collective that will manage the food hall and future restaurant investments.

We identified categories. Pizza was one of the early concepts, and we also wanted seafood, which is something thats important to Little Italys history and culture. All of these tenants are going to be counter service, and there really is a limited offering of fast casual counter service places.

Giacomo Pizzigoni, co-founder of Ambrogio15, said he was excited about bringing a smaller version of his Pacific Beach restaurant to the Little Italy Food Hall. Its also part of his larger plan to begin exporting his brand to other locations. People will be able to try his 12-inch pizzas made with flour, porcini and mozzarella that are imported directly from Italy.

We have a lot of things planned, cooking shows, wine tastings, Pizzigoni said. We can show how we make the dough, and we can have our chef spin the pizza, and you can have a 20-minute lunch break with an upscale pizza.

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Similar to the original business plan for Liberty Public Market, the Little Italy Food Hall offers food vendors the opportunity to open a smaller version of a brick-and mortar restaurant without having to invest the significant sums of money that such a venture would normally require.

The project is estimated to cost $2 million to build out, and the individual tenants will be responsible for the equipment, signage and branding, DiNorscia said. Their rent will largely be tied to a percentage of their sales, he added. DiNorscia said he is looking for one last tenant to fill out the emporium.

Sam Zien, of Sam the Cooking Guy, is partnering with Grain & Grit Collective to develop his new Not Not Tacos concept (tortillas filled with unconventional taco fillings like meatloaf, salmon, pastrami). While he has long toyed with the idea of opening a restaurant, he wasnt quite ready to undertake such a formidable project, he said.

The variety part of this is what I really like, and it fits perfectly into the idea of lets make Little Italy super eclectic, said Zein, who will also serve as a kind of ambassador for the food hall and help enliven it with the occasional live cooking show. I know my strengths and weaknesses, and I know I dont know how to run a full-on restaurant, so this works for me because its tipping my toe in the water to take the temperature.

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In addition to the food hall, Piazza della Famiglia will include a couple of restaurants, one of them Italian and the other to be developed by Consortium Holdings, responsible for the recently opened Born & Raised steakhouse in Little Italy. Also coming to the piazza is Frost Me Cafe and Bakery, an expansion of its existing Frost Me Gourmet concept, known for its award-winning cupcakes. There is still a 1,640-square-foot space yet to be filled, DiNorscia said.

The entire Piazza della Famiglia is expected to be completed by November. Representatives of Fenton declined to comment on the project.

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lori.weisberg@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-2251

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Twitter: @loriweisberg
A 64-year-old woman who had been living on the streets of El Cajon since last fall is starting a new life in Riverside County.

The plight of Carol DeLaurentis, featured in a Feb. 5 story in The San Diego Union-Tribune, captured the heart of a Temecula-based developer.

Ginger Hitzke, who has built a steady stream of low-income housing in Lemon Grove and other parts of the county with her Hitzke Development Corp., started making arrangements on Tuesday to get DeLaurentis sheltered.

By Wednesday afternoon, Hitzke had found both lodging and a job for DeLaurentis, who has been homeless since Oct. 9 when the landlord decided to take back the Lakeside property she and a roommate had been renting for five years.

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The last few days have been really nice, DeLaurentis said by phone on Thursday. Ginger is so down-to-earth with a genuine heart. Tuesday night, she put me up in a hotel in El Cajon. I took a shower and two hot baths. It was relaxing.

Where Im living is a really nice house. And Ginger is helping me with food, really healthy, good food. It is so good to see that there are some compassionate people out there willing to help a perfect stranger. It really touches me and makes me want to do the same for others, when and if I can.

Hitzke said she saw a link to the Union-Tribune story on Facebook on Monday night and was struck by a photo of DeLaurentis taken by photographer Eduardo Contreras.

Visually, her face is captivating, Hitzke said. It is a really beautiful face and it grabbed my attention. Once I read the story about how she had gotten a ticket for illegal lodging, then i got really pissed off and I wanted to pay for it.

The fact that sleeping is a criminal activity is absurd. If its not exactly how the government told you can sleep, so what? So, sleeping inside of my house is legal but is sleeping in my front yard an illegal activity? Criminalizing that just pushes people who dont have money to pay the ticket further down the hole.

Hitzke said she met DeLaurentis for dinner on Tuesday night along with Crisis House Program Director Patricia Zamora at On The Border in El Cajon. Over Mexican food, they discussed a plan of action.

Crisis House is a social services agency in El Cajon that helps the homeless and others in need. DeLaurentis was the centers unofficial bathroom cleaner and landscaper.

Zamora said she had been trying for nearly three months to find a place for DeLaurentis, but was stymied at every turn. Even though her income is around $300 a month from Social Security, DeLaurentis doesnt fit the specific needs for affordable housing.

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The system makes it really difficult for people like Carol, and there are lots of people like her, Zamora said. She doesnt have any apparent mental illness, isnt addicted to drugs or an alcoholic, shes not a veteran, shes over 55. She kept falling into this gap and that gap got smaller and smaller. Thats the way the system works sometimes. She was eliminated for so many supportive services.

Zamora said that while El Cajon has some comprehensive services for homeless, housing is not one of them.

Most affordable housing developments are based on 30 percent, 40 percent, and 60 percent of area median income, Zamora said. This is a problem for our homeless here in El Cajon... considered below 30 percent of AMI, or very low income.

The story on DeLaurentis prompted emails and phone calls to the newspaper from friends and teachers who remembered her from Hilltop High School. Facebook posts pushed out offers of clothing, food and gifts. There was even a note from a older man unabashedly looking for companionship and a roommate.

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All were taken by DeLaurentiss situation.

One of her classmates from Hilltop High School in Chula Vista, Laurie (Young) Geoffroy, said that there was a tremendous outpouring of support for their high school classmate on a Facebook page dedicated to their 1971 graduating class.

This was so heartbreaking to those of us who went to school with her, Geoffroy said. She was vibrant, a tall, beautiful woman. And her eyes were as crystal blue then as they are in the article photo of her.

Geoffroy, a human resources director who works with veterans, broke down and cried while discussing DeLaurentis.

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I havent seen her since high school, she said. We were all so disheartened when we saw that story and we wanted to reach out and make an impact. We have had some very vibrant people in our class whose lives took a different path and they are no longer with us. We wouldnt let her go down that road.

DeLaurentis returned to Crisis House this week to say goodbye to the people who work there and farewell to the group of homeless people who became like family during the time she lived on the streets of El Cajon.

Zamora told DeLaurentis that people had been calling and stopping by the center to ask how they could help her, some dropping off gifts. DeLaurentis gave Zamora permission to open any letter that comes for her at Crisis House, which offers a mailing address for those without a home.

DeLaurentis also penned a letter that she hoped Zamora would share with people:

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Dear friends and supporters,

Thank you so much for your donations. At this time since I am now housed, I am asking that you give your donation in my name to Crisis House. Crisis House will in turn help other homeless individuals with gift cards, bus cards and bus tokens.

I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with Crisis House. They have been crucial in me finding help in my time of need. So please let me pay it forward.

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karen.pearlman@sduniontribune.com
Do you wish your school had afternoon tutoring? Could it offer more opportunities for parents to get involved?

This is the time to raise those issues as school districts seek feedback from parents, teachers, students and community members about the way they plan their programs and spend their money.

We only have so many dollars, so we have to triage which priorities we focus on, Oceanside spokeswoman Lisa Contreras said.

Districts are collecting input through online surveys and in-person workshops designed to sort out what their schools are doing well, and what they could do better. Its part of the Local Control and Accountability Plan, through which schools sort out local needs and spending priorities.

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In 2013, Gov. Jerry Brown oversaw passage of the Local Control Funding Formula, a law that removed many state education mandates, freeing up local districts to focus on the unique needs of their students. It established base funding for all school districts, and dedicated extra resources to schools with higher numbers of English-language learners, foster children and students from low-income families.

The law requires schools to develop Local Control Accountability Plans, three-year documents that describe their goals, actions and spending plans. And they must seek suggestions from all those affected, through surveys, meetings and workshops. Those surveys and meeting notices can be found on most school and district websites. A list of all districts and links to their LCAP plans are available through the San Diego County Office of Education.

A lot of them do community forums, where anybody can come, said Nancy Sedgwick, LCAP director for the San Diego County Office of Education. Some of the elementary schools do it through a coffee with the principal, where anybody can come and discuss the LCAP. Some do Thoughtexchange, a software program that does that.

In Oceanside, the effort involves community forums and separate meetings for parents, students and staff to seek input on their plans. The district also posts online surveys where people can submit suggestions to improve the schools.

Were trying to make it more engaging for them by getting input, so we can do things better, Contreras said. It could be improved transportation, to better playgrounds, to more AVID classes, to more ESL (English as a second language) classes for parents.

In previous years, Oceanside schools responded to those recommendations by adding intervention teachers for English learners to lower class sizes for reading and learning instruction, restructuring its special education department and services, introducing an extended school year and expanding its career technical education pathways.

Escondido Union High School District is conducting parent surveys now, and will schedule meetings, as well. For the first time this year, the two student members of the school board decided to hold forums to gather input from their peers, including English learners, foster children, special education students and club leaders.

They spoke, student to student, and it was truly profound, said Janet Hwang, interim director of assessment and accountability. They were able to articulate, so effectively, what were the strengths and areas of improvement.

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At the Sweetwater Union High School District in Chula Vista, officials hold feedback sessions at the State of the District speech, Sedgwick said. Audience members, including parents, business owners, along with local city officials and state legislators, break into small groups, and students lead the discussions about spending priorities, she said.

Im seeing much more transparent, creative, inclusive ways to get people involved, in whatever fun ways they can think about, she said. So its kind of exciting to see where its going.

The LCAP process has its critics. A report by Canadian education scholars on Californias Local Control Funding Formula raised concerns that LCAP was a rote exercise in information gathering, with little impact on school accountability.

Sedwick agreed that some of the early efforts to seek school feedback in 2013 were lackluster, but said that as districts and their students, families and communities became familiar with the process, they recognized its potential to tailor education systems to local needs.

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This really allows districts to think outside the box more, she said. You have to look at the whole kid and look at the whole program. I think were on the right path, and compared to the way things used to be, it allows districts to do what they want to do, which is help their students.

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deborah.brennan@sduniontribune.com Twitter@deborahsbrennan
A principal who is set to be dismissed from his post claims San Ysidro School District administrators looked into unsubstantiated allegations made against him in two previous jobs.

The San Ysidro school board voted 3-2 Thursday night to authorize the district to dismiss Joel Tapia after the current school year. Board members Antonio Martinez and Irene Lopez voted against the decision.

It is unclear if Tapia, who has been working at the districts office since Jan. 16, will return to Smythe Elementary for the remainder of the school year.

The vote came after dozens of parents, teachers and students urged school board members to keep Tapia as principal of Smythe.

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Tapia attended the meeting at Sunset Elementary School, joined by his wife and toddler son. He received a warm welcome when he arrived, with supporters giving him a standing ovation and cheering his name. Children, meanwhile, ran to him and hugged him.

Following the school boards decision regarding his employment status, Tapia shed some light on the matter that led to his relocation.

He said school district administrators began to look into allegations made against him when he was principal in Chula Vista and Solana Beach after he informed San Ysidro Interim Superintendent Mary Willis that the news organization Voice of San Diego had made a public records request to the Solana Beach School District.

He said the allegations against him in his two former jobs as principal were found to be unsubstantiated.

Tapia said the allegations made when he was principal of Burton C. Tiffany Elementary School in Chula Vista were investigated by school district administrators.

At Solana Vista Elementary School, an employee claimed Tapia made uncomfortable and unwanted attention toward her, Tapia said.

In a letter addressed to San Ysidro school board President Rosaleah Pallasigue and obtained by the Union-Tribune, Tapias wife dismissed the allegations, calling them ridiculous.

Tapia said the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing found no wrongdoing, while his wife, Priscillia Contreras, said in the letter, The state  exonerated him.

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Tapia said he resigned from the Chula Vista Elementary School District in 2015 to pursue the principal position in Solana Beach, then resigned in June 2016 to pursue the post in San Ysidro.

San Ysidro school district officials said reference checks are part of the districts hiring process, but have not said whether that step was taken in hiring Tapia.

Tapia  who has a valid credential to work as a school principal, according to online records  said he was fully transparent about his employment history with former Superintendent Dr. Julio Fonseca, who was at the helm when Tapia joined the district in 2016.

In what became an emotional day for the Smythe Elementary community, parents and students rallied for Tapia outside the campus Thursday morning. They held signs that read, We want our principal back and God bless you, Mr. Tapia. We are praying for your return.

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Just before the school bell rung, the two dozen or so parents and students marched to the school districts office.

Olga Espinoza was among a small group of mothers who showed up to speak out against Tapia. She said he had not taken appropriate actions to protect children like hers who have been bullied.

Hours later, about a hundred parents, students, teachers and community members attended the school board meeting. Almost all turned out to support Tapia.

I come to ask about what direction do you want for our district, Smythe teacher Juanita Nunez told the school board. I would expect that you would want and keep the best educators, the best leaders at our district.

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We need a competent, caring, smart, effective, efficient and a good instructional leader, and we already have him. Its Mr. Tapia.
Forgiveness, and its limits, are at the heart of Cardboard Piano, Hansol Jungs probing, tough-minded story of love and intolerance amid civil war in Uganda.

That central theme manifests on multiple levels in the play, which is now getting a powerful, often searing West Coast premiere at Diversionary Theatre: between romantic partners, between parent and child, between persecutor and victim.

But its at its most intense  and heart-rending  in the case of a central figure whose struggle for self-forgiveness triggers much of the tragedy in the piece.

While the first half of the two-act, one-intermission show has its fits and starts, it sets the stage for an incendiary second act, directed by Jacole Kitchen with a visceral feel for the stakes involved but also an ever-present sense of humanity.

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The work of the rising playwright Jung was last seen locally a few months ago with Wild Goose Dreams at La Jolla Playhouse. While that piece had its dark corners, its sometimes whimsical touches feel a long way from the grittier realities of Cardboard Piano.

At Diversionary, Andrea Agosto plays Adiel, a devout Ugandan girl who has formed a deep romantic bond with Chris (Kate Rose Reynolds), daughter of an American missionary.

Theres an innocence to the way the two teen-agers bicker over their self-styled marriage vows as they meet secretly in the village church to consecrate their relationship on New Years Eve 1999.

Chris is a skeptic about nearly everything  her parents and the church in particular  while Adiel is the more hopeful of the pair. But theyre soon to be reminded in excruciating ways how much hate is out there, as they take in a child soldier named Pika (John Wells III) and try to fend off a menacing gunman (Wrekless Watson), only to be betrayed.

The shocks of the first act give way to agonized attempts at reconciliation in the second, set 14 years later, with the same actors playing a mix of new and previously seen characters. (To say more would risk giving too much away).

The four excellent actors really find their rhythm in the latter half: Reynolds brings a fiery intensity to her broken but determined character, while Agosto is the personification of forbearance and forgiveness, and Wells  so affecting in his quest for absolution in Act 1  comes to represent a different fight for liberation later, as homophobia continues to plague these peoples lives.

And near the end, Watson  increasingly a talent to watch on San Diegos stages  turns in an absolute stunner of a scene, conveying an arresting sense of a soul and mind shattered both by what he has done and what was done to him.

The rustic and understated set by Kristen Flores  one of those designers who consistently find the right notes without calling attention to their work  serves the piece well, as do Jennifer Brawn Gittings costumes, Curtis Muellers lighting and Haley Wolfs sound (a key to several scenes).

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The plays title derives from a bittersweet story Chris tells of how the damage wrought by acts of anger or hatred still can carry with it some hope of repair and redemption.

Whether that ultimately will prove true for the people of Cardboard Piano is a tune thats still being written.

Cardboard Piano

When: 7 p.m. Thursdays; 8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. Through Feb. 25.

Where: Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Blvd., University Heights.

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Tickets: $15-$50.

Phone: (619) 220-0097

Online: diversionary.org

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jim.hebert@sduniontribune.com

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Twitter: @jimhebert
Katie Sawyer says she entered non-profit work at what was considered a terrible time to do it: during the 2008 financial crisis. Organizations were struggling because they werent getting funding.

Community problems dont go away just because theres no money, so people rolled up their sleeves, came together and got to work. It was exhausting, inspiring and immensely gratifying. It still is, she says. At every step of my career so far, Ive felt like Ive been exactly where I need to be to learn, grow and have the greatest impact that I personally can. Thats certainly true in my current role.

And that role is as executive director of the San Diego Womens Foundation, a local non-profit that engages women in collective giving, educating each other about social issues and local programs that need assistance and then pooling their financial resources to give to selected organizations and programs.

Sawyer lives in North Park with her husband, Erik, and took some time to talk about her work with the foundation, her longtime non-profit work focused on helping women and girls, and her love of outdoor adventures.

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Q: Tell us about the San Diego Womens Foundation.

A: Our mission is to educate and inspire women to engage in collective philanthropy. The foundation was founded in 2000, with the vision that women united together can accomplish more than any of us can alone. We are a membership organization with about 220 members. Since our founding, we have granted over $3.2 million to 85 non-profit programs. We also provide philanthropic education for our members to help them understand the major issues facing San Diegans and to help them become more savvy and effective philanthropists.

Q: Why did you want to work with them?

A: I was drawn to this role at SDWF because I believe strongly that a group of determined women can accomplish nearly any goal, and I see incredible opportunity for our network of philanthropists to improve lives across the region. Selfishly, I also knew that I would love working with the foundations members because so many of them are women that I respect and admire.

Q: How does the foundation operate?

A: Our mission is really twofold: The most well-known way that we engage women in philanthropy is through our annual grant-making process. Each year, we grant about $200,000 to non-profits benefiting underserved communities in San Diego County. Members drive every step of our grants process, from determining our annual focus area, to reviewing proposals and going on site visits, to voting on our final funding decisions.

The other way that we fulfill our mission is by providing education to help our members become more effective philanthropists. We provide topic-specific education each year to help members understand the issue that well be funding that year, as well as more general education around philanthropy and non-profit best practices.

What I love about North Park ...

Ive lived in North Park with my husband for four years and we love it. We love the diversity of our neighborhood, the ever-changing restaurant options, and that there is always something new to explore.

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Q: How does your work impact people in the community who are in need?

A: Our grants always support underserved communities in the county. Most recently, we granted just over $200,000 to combat youth homelessness. We have also funded programs to develop community leaders, offer career training, improve our local environment, provide literacy and other educational services, and much more. Each year, our discovery committee undertakes an extensive research project to determine priority areas of community need for our next grants cycle.

Q: What are some examples of the ways organizations and the people they serve having been improved through grants from SDWF?

A: In our most recent grants cycle, we funded three programs that would prevent transitioning foster youth from becoming homeless. The transition out of the foster system is one of the most high-risk times for a young person to become homeless. Our funding provides much-needed resources to make sure that young people successfully make the transition from foster care into adulthood.

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In previous years, weve funded the National Foundation for Autism Researchs program to provide skills training and help launch careers of adults with autism. Thirty people graduated from the program during our funding period, and one of those graduates is finishing his community college degree with plans to transfer to a four-year college next year. Weve funded South Bay Community Services Promotora program, which trains bilingual parents as community leaders and volunteers. Theyve been able to train 183 parents in these roles, and several have been recognized with community leadership awards. Weve also funded the San Diego Medical Society Foundation to provide low-income, uninsured adults access to specialty care. That program has reduced the burden on our emergency rooms and hospitals, serving 438 patients with specialty care, and 1,500 uninsured women with breast cancer screenings and mammograms.

Q: Youve spent your career working with organizations like SDWF, Girls on the Run in New Orleans, and The Womens Connection in Cincinnati. What led you to choose work that focused on helping women and girls?

A: I was drawn to the work because working with women and girls is the best way to create lasting change. With direct service work, this approach matters because women and girls are disproportionately affected by issues like poverty, access to health care, education, etc. Research shows that supporting women and girls, both domestically and globally, is the single most effective way to lift entire communities out of poverty.

When it comes to philanthropy, engaging and empowering networks of women is also an effective way to create change because of the specific ways that women give. Recent research that shows what we already instinctively knew about womens philanthropy: women, across all demographics and income levels, give more generously than men, and we give differently. We dont just write a check; we want to get involved and use all the tools at our disposal to lift up causes that we care about. We use our voices as advocates and we use our talents as volunteers.

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Q: Whats been challenging about your work over the years?

A: The constant challenge in non-profit work is that there are limited resources to meet seemingly unlimited community need. Whether youre fundraising, mobilizing volunteers or making funding decisions, its a challenge. Youre always a little bit understaffed and a little bit underfunded, but somehow the work has to get done.

Q: Whats been rewarding about your work?

A: Its immensely rewarding to do work that is in such perfect alignment with my values and my goals for the community. Its easy to get up in the morning when you know that the work you do changes lives.

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Q: What has it taught you about yourself?

A: This work has taught me that, to be the most effective leader I can, I need to take time to unplug. When you do important work that you love, it naturally seeps into your personal life. That can be good, to an extent. I love what I do, and I admire and enjoy spending time with the people that I work with. But its easy to burn out in non-profit if you never take time for yourself. To be fair to myself and the people that we serve  and to my husband!  I make sure to make time to recharge.

Q: What is the best advice youve ever received?

A: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

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Q: What is one thing people would be surprised to find out about you?

A: I love outdoor adventures: Running, hiking, camping, you name it. Its my favorite way to spend time with friends and family, and to unplug and recharge. When I spend a weekend with no cell service, I come back energized and with fresh ideas.

Ive also been robbed in five different countries, but thats a longer story.

Q: Describe your ideal San Diego weekend.

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A: I would enjoy a good book over coffee, go for a run or hike with girlfriends, have friends and family over for brunch on our patio, and try somewhere new in North Park with my husband.

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Email: lisa.deaderick@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @lisadeaderick
A federal judge in Los Angeles has ruled that police departments violate the Constitution if they detain inmates at the request of immigration agents, marking the latest legal setback for the Trump administrations plans to identify and deport immigrants in the country illegally.

In his order issued Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Andre Birotte Jr. found that a now-defunct policy of the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department violated the constitutional rights of inmates who were kept in custody at the behest of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.

Birottes strongly worded order bolstered similar previous court rulings, which found police cannot legally honor such detainer requests from ICE.

The LASD officers have no authority to arrest individuals for civil immigration offenses, and thus, detaining individuals beyond their date for release violated the individuals Fourth Amendment rights, Birotte wrote.

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The Sheriffs Department has not delayed releasing inmates on ICEs behalf since 2014 and none of Californias 58 sheriffs are willing to fulfill the ICE requests. Police in other parts of the country, however, continue to hold inmates to allow ICE agents time to take them into federal custody for possible deportation. Judges elsewhere could look to this weeks decision for guidance when deciding future cases.

In the 48-page ruling, Birotte found other old ICE and Sheriffs Department policies had run afoul of the Constitution as well.

Though many of the issues raised in the case have been addressed in previous cases or dont apply to new ICE and Sheriffs Department policies, Birottes order bars either agency from returning to old practices and will add to the growing set of cases impeding Trumps plans to aggressively ramp up the number of deportations.

As part of the administrations plans, ICE officials have increased the number of detainer requests the agency issues to local police departments. And Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions has tried to ratchet up pressure on local law enforcement agencies across the country that have refused to honor the detainer requests and cooperate with ICE in other ways.

This is a significant ruling, especially considering the national debate around immigration and the efforts of the Trump administration to strong-arm localities to honor immigration detainers, said Jennie Pasquarella, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, one of several groups involved in the lawsuit. Here is yet another court saying that any police department that does go along with detainer requests can be held liable.

Under Birottes order, an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 people who were improperly held in L.A. County jails on ICE detainers between 2010 and 2014 may be entitled to monetary awards, said Pasquarella.

Along with his finding that local police cannot legally hold people in custody at ICEs request, Birrotte ruled on other aspects of the detainer process.

He ruled, for example, that ICE was wrong to issue detainers for people who were born overseas but were not found in the massive databases federal agents rely on when determining a persons immigration status. ICE officials said in court filings that the agency stopped the practice in June 2015, although Pasquarella said she doubts the agency has changed its ways.

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And an ICE practice of issuing detainers for people without a warrant when there was no evidence that the subject was a flight risk was illegal, the judge ruled.

Under the terms of the lawsuit, the ruling voids any pending detainer requests that were issued by ICE officials in Southern California. That designation is important since ICE officers working out of a facility in Orange County issue detainer requests to police departments in dozens of states around the country.

Birotte also concluded that the Sheriffs Department practice of booking people with ICE detainers into jail even if their bail had been set at less than $25,000 was improper, Birotte said. Typically, the department did not put someone with bail under that amount behind bars. The department said the policy was changed in 2014.

For years, the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department ... callously denied immigrants constitutional protections that universally apply to all other jail detainees  unjustifiably holding them without cause as prisoners, said Lindsay Battles, one of the attorneys involved in the case. This decision holds law enforcement agencies accountable for their anti-immigrant abuse of their authority.

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ICE and sheriffs officials declined to comment, citing the ongoing lawsuit.

The order came in a class-action lawsuit that challenges several aspects of detainer requests  electronic alerts that ICE officers commonly issue when a local police department has custody of someone ICE believes should be deported. The notices, among other things, ask police to keep targeted inmates beyond when they would otherwise be released in order to give ICE agents time to take custody of them.

The lawsuit, which combined two separate cases, is being waged by several groups and law firms and has been winding its way through the court since 2012. One of the original cases was filed by U.S. citizens who were in Los Angeles County jails when ICE wrongly issued detainers for them. The other was brought by immigrants challenging the Sheriffs Departments cooperation with ICE.

Finding that some issues needed to be hashed out in front of a jury, Birotte did not rule on all aspects of the case.

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joel.rubin@latimes.com

Twitter: @joelrubin

UPDATES:

4:40 p.m.: This article was updated with a comment from ACLU attorney Jennie Pasquarella and additional details about the ruling.

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This article was originally published at 1:20 p.m.
Federal prosecutors have quietly dismissed the case against a man accused of smuggling 77 immigrants in the back of a fake UPS truck.

In its request to drop the felony charge, the U.S. attorneys office cited certain factual issues, saying the interests of justice warrant dismissal of this case. No further details were given.

Its an ongoing investigation, and were not going to comment, U.S. attorneys office spokeswoman Kelly Thornton said.

A magistrate judge approved the dismissal Thursday and authorized the release of Shawn Lee Seiler, 25, from custody.

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The case was dismissed without prejudice, meaning prosecutors could bring charges later if they so choose.

Seilers attorney did not respond Friday to a request for comment.

A spokesman with U.S. Customs and Border Protection deferred comment to prosecutors, as did the California Highway Patrol, which also was involved in the arrest.

The discovery of so many immigrants being transported into the country would normally trigger a news release from authorities, but the arrest was never publicized.

According to the complaint, a CHP officer pulled over what appeared to be a brown UPS truck about 5 p.m. Jan. 29 in southeastern San Diego County. The truck had been weaving and had no tags, the document states.

A Border Patrol agent driving by came upon the stop and asked the officer if he needed help. Seiler was in the CHP vehicle by then, the complaint states.

The agent observed the truck was riding extremely low and had fresh paint on the rear, the complaint says. He also smelled body odor mixed with the scent of a soap popular in Mexico.

Seiler, a U.S. citizen, said the truck was his and gave permission to search, the complaint states. The agent found 77 people  including five minors  inside, sweating heavily and standing shoulder to shoulder.

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The complaint says Seiler waived his Miranda rights and agreed to talk to investigators. He said that he was to be paid $100 for each immigrant he transported and that he was expecting 50 people that night, the court record says.

A UPS spokesman said that Seiler has never worked for the company and that the truck was not a company vehicle.

Seiler was granted $35,000 bond during a detention hearing in San Diego federal court last week  an amount that prosecutors and his defense attorney already had agreed upon and presented to the judge  but he did not post it before the case was dismissed.

The government also charged two immigrants with illegally reentering the U.S. after being previously deported. Those charges were dismissed last week, indicating trouble with the cases.

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The rest of the immigrants were being held as material witnesses.

Davis writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune

kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com
During the Super Bowl, an E*Trade advertisement mocked seniors working beyond their employment expiration dates.

Blatant ageism? Sure. Old people have always been rich targets for ridicule. (Especially among old people.)

The ads message is geared not to the old but to the young:

Buy stocks online, grow a retirement fund, and youll be spared the indignity of working when youre worn out.

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The spot begins with the familiar Day-o, day-o of The Banana Boat Song, the Calypso shanty popularized by Harry Belafonte.

The leadoff character appears to be an airline pilot combing over his thinning white hair to these lyrics:

Wake up early

Put on some cologne

Im 85 and I want to go home.

Following comic shots of harried senior workers, a six-packed Adonis and a sinewy Amazon are jogging on the beach as the camera pans to a wheezing fellow whose breasts are jiggling like oatmeal Jell-O.

Just got a job

As a lifeguard in Savannah

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Im 85 and I want to go home.

The ads visual capper is a geriatric firefighter getting whipped around like a rag doll by the spraying fire hose.

In the real world, however, people working into their 70s and beyond, from Walmart greeters to Supreme Court justices (not to mention presidents and billionaires), deliver the goods, often with a sagacity thats beyond the grasp of the tech-savvy young.

Even in retirement, old people popularly framed as senescent fools are, in large measure, living high on the hog while young people are getting the shaft.

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The ads final admonition speaks soothingly to youthful anxieties over the mass shafting: Dont get mad, get E*Trade, kiddo.

This play on dont get mad, get even is mischievous Mad Men genius.

The last thing older Americans, many of whom went to college for practically nothing and bought real estate when it was widely affordable, want is for young people to get even.

Thanks to Proposition 13, anyone who bought a California home decades ago enjoys property taxes less than what millennials spend on coffee and cocktails. As a result, seniors are sitting pretty on billions in subsidized home equity.

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Whats more, Boomers are flooding into Medicare and Social Security, enjoying the fruits of socialism. Throw in defined-benefit pensions (yes, they were once standard in the private sector) as well as 401(k)s and, lets be honest, the elderly are by and large living the dream.

They may grouse about creaky knees and the specters of disease and death, but financially theyve made out like Rockefellers compared to their debt-ridden offspring. (Blessed are the young, said Herbert Hoover, for they shall inherit the national debt.)

Progressives keen over the net wealth gap in America, the 1 percent vs. the 99 percent.

The generational wealth gap, however, is the systemic inequity that offends aging sensibilities far less.

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Thirty years ago, according to a November New Yorker article on ageism in Silicon Valley, households headed by those over 65 were 10 times as wealthy as those under 35; now theyre 50 times as wealthy.

Well, there is one sure way to even the generational field but its, well, a bit on the dark side.

In Boomsday, a 2007 political satire by Christopher Buckley, a blog-driven youth movement springs up to claw back from Wrinklies the government lucre theyve cornered for themselves.

The 29-year-old protagonists Swiftian proposal, a modest variant on grilling Irish babies during a famine, is to forgive estate taxes for altruistic 70-year-olds who agree to commit suicide. (A bonus and free two-week farewell honeymoon for oldsters who voluntarily transition at 65.)

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The upside of this mass undertaking?

Social Security and Medicare, would be solvent.

At long last, the grass-clearing Boomer herd would thin out and youth could be served something more sustaining than overpriced coffee, cocktails and day-o trading on a banana boat to government bankruptcy.
President Donald Trumps vision for a big, beautiful wall along the U.S.-Mexico border faced its first substantial legal challenge in a San Diego federal courtroom Friday.

At the center of the case  three lawsuits that have been consolidated into a single matter  is whether the federal government had the authority to waive its compliance with a host of laws in order to rush border construction projects in San Diego and Calexico, including the eight border wall prototypes that have already been completed on Otay Mesa.

In a 2-hour afternoon hearing witnessed by a packed courtroom, the California Attorney Generals Office and environmental protection advocates teamed up against the government, arguing that the Department of Homeland Security abused its discretion by broadly interpreting a law that has allowed such waivers.

Attorneys for the government argued that the authority was still valid  and that much of the lawsuit was moot anyway because the law clearly states only constitutional challenges can be brought against it.

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U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel, who posed several questions to the attorneys throughout the hearing, held off on making a ruling from the bench and instead asked for additional briefing on a narrow legal issue, due Tuesday. He said he expects to issue a written order a few days after that.

Curiel said the case raises a number of novel theories and later acknowledged, This law isnt a model of clarity. Its been amended over and over and there are a number of inconsistencies and discrepancies.

Curiels role in the case adds to the public interest  and likely scrutiny  as he was the judge who recently presided over a pair of Trump University lawsuits in San Diego and was openly criticized by Trump during the campaign.

Look, hes proud of his heritage, OK?, Trump said in a CNN interview in 2016. Im building a wall. Hes a Mexican. Were building a wall between here and Mexico.

Curiel, a former federal prosecutor who battled Mexican drug cartels, was born in Indiana. He has not publicly responded to the remarks, and the irony of him now presiding over this wall challenge was not mentioned in court Friday.

While Trumps grand vision for a 2,000-mile contiguous border wall  outlined in an executive order issued shortly after taking office  hasnt received funding from Congress, his administration has taken some first steps using existing funding.

Those are the projects that the state  as well as the Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, the Sierra Club and the Animal Legal Defense Fund  are challenging in this case. Besides the prototypes, which were completed in October and are currently undergoing testing, there is a plan to replace 14 miles of existing fencing in San Diego that had been mostly erected in the early 1990s with a design that the government says is no longer optimal for Border Patrol operations.

Construction on that isnt slated until at least June, but another project to fix a 3-mile stretch of border barrier in Calexico is supposed to begin this month.

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The San Diego projects would significantly impact vernal pools in the area and habitat to several listed threatened and endangered species, including the Quino checkerspot butterfly and San Diego fairy shrimp, the lawsuits contend.

1 / 8 Carol Conroy was one of a crowd of about 50 protesters showed up in front of the Federal Courthouse in San Diego to protest the Trump administrations ignoring of environmental safeguards in place in their building of prototypes and other construction along the US-Mexico border. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 2 / 8 A crowd of about 50 protesters showed up in front of the Federal Courthouse in San Diego to protest the Trump administrations ignoring of environmental safeguards in place in their building of prototypes and other construction along the US-Mexico border. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 3 / 8 Peter Galvin, co-founder of the Center for Biological Diversity, was one of a crowd of about 50 protesters showed up in front of the Federal Courthouse in San Diego to protest the Trump administrations ignoring of environmental safeguards in place in their building of prototypes and other construction along the US-Mexico border. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 4 / 8 Jean-Huy was one of a crowd of about 50 protesters showed up in front of the Federal Courthouse in San Diego to protest the Trump administrations ignoring of environmental safeguards in place in their building of prototypes and other construction along the US-Mexico border. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 5 / 8 Anne Clorite stood with a crowd of about 50 protesters showed up in front of the Federal Courthouse in San Diego to protest the Trump administrations ignoring of environmental safeguards in place in their building of prototypes and other construction along the US-Mexico border. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 6 / 8 Marley Ramirez, with the group Indivisible Downtown stood with a crowd of about 50 protesters showed up in front of the Federal Courthouse in San Diego to protest the Trump administrations ignoring of environmental safeguards in place in their building of prototypes and other construction along the US-Mexico border. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 7 / 8 Federal police walked through a crowd of about 50 protesters showed up in front of the Federal Courthouse in San Diego to protest the Trump administrations ignoring of environmental safeguards in place in their building of prototypes and other construction along the US-Mexico border. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 8 / 8 Alicia Guile checked her phone while standing as part of a crowd of about 50 protesters showed up in front of the Federal Courthouse in San Diego to protest the Trump administrations ignoring of environmental safeguards in place in their building of prototypes and other construction along the US-Mexico border. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune)

In both projects, the government invoked a law that allows the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to waive complying with federal laws to speed along border security infrastructure.

The law was first passed in 1996, then revised as part of the REAL ID Act of 2005.

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The lawsuits claim the act was meant to narrowly cover specific projects  at the time, the completion of double- and triple-layer border fencing in San Diego at the time  and not to be used in an unlimited capacity.

The waiver was used again in 2007 and 2008 to expedite construction of more border barriers under the 2006 Secure Fence Act, which called for additional fencing. In one iteration, the act specified certain areas and priorities, but it was then scaled back to give authorities more discretion, calling for no less than 700 miles of fencing where most practical and effective.

The section also gave a deadline in which to complete the expedited projects: December 2008.

The Center for Biological Diversity argued that the governments waiver power also expired with that deadline. Plus, as of last February, DHS had constructed 704 miles of border barrier, meaning the requirements under the law had been fulfilled.

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The deadline expired nine years ago, said Deputy Attorney General Michael Cayaban.

The Center for Biologlical Diversity, a Tucson, Ariz.,-based nonprofit, argued further that the governments expansive and unbounded interpretation of the waiver is not what Congress intended, and would bestow a truly extraordinary and unprecedented free pass upon DHS to bypass any laws for any border barrier or road construction project at any time, with such authority to persist into the future in perpetuity, the attorneys argued in its motion for summary judgment.

If DHS is permitted to utilize the authority in 2017, then what is to prevent future administrations from waiving legal requirements in 2027, or 2057?

The attorneys pointed out that they arent challenging the existing discretion of DHS to secure the border and build infrastructure, but that the department has no authority at this point to waive laws to make it happen.

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U.S. Department of Justice attorney Galen Thorp argued that the Center was interpreting the law too narrowly, and that the revisions referring to specific border projects and the 2008 deadline was merely an application of the general provision.

Much of the argument Friday parsed the language of the law. For example, what exactly does additional fencing mean? The government interprets it to mean more and includes replacement fencing. The plaintiffs contend it applies only to brand new miles of fencing.

The constitutionality of the waiver provision was also examined, with the state calling it an extensive overreach by the executive branch and the government likening the authority to the presidents pardon power or prosecutorial discretion.

The judge focused a good deal of his questions on an area that was not well briefed by either side: the requirement of the government to consult with other local, state and federal parties that might be impacted by border construction, such as tribal authorities, environmental agencies, property owners and governments. The requirement is what Curiel has asked for additional written briefing on before making his ruling.

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Thorp argued that the duty to consult with other stakeholders has nothing to do with whether the government decides to use its waiver power. Instead, it is merely a chance to communicate with other parties so potential problems can be mitigated during construction. For example, U.S. Customs and Border Protection worked with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and conducted site surveys for environmental and endangered species concerns for the prototype project, government attorneys noted.

But the deputy attorney general pointed out that consultation on the Calexico project came too late to be meaningful  just weeks before construction was to begin.

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kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @kristinadavis
One unexpected wrinkle in the emerging market for legal cannabis  rising interest among seniors.

While most seniors do not use marijuana, the population of older users is rapidly growing.

Researchers say cannabis has legitimate medicinal uses, yet worry that patients do not receive the right products or doses.

Some elders have been toking since adolescence, while others are returning to pot after decades of abstinence.

Products with CBDs, a chemical compound found in cannabis and hemp, are popular with people suffering from arthritis.

While some seniors use cannabis for pain relief, others are chasing the mellow buzz of their youth.

Green buds, gray consumers: Heres the full story:

While legal marijuana is new to California, cannabis is an old companion to Lee.

Ive been using since I was a junior in college in, what, 1966? said the 70-year-old real estate broker, browsing in Torrey Holistics, a Sorrento Valley cannabis dispensary. I never thought Id live to see the day it was legal.

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Even before Jan. 1, when California legalized recreational weed, pot was enjoying a gray renaissance. Between 2006 and 2013, the National Survey of Drug Use and Health reported a 250 percent rise in marijuana use by Americans 65 and older. This is still a small number, climbing from 0.4 percent to 1.4 percent of that population, but local dispensaries see plenty of silver-haired shoppers.

This is probably the most interested  and wariest  group, said Lincoln Fish, CEO of Outco, noting that the average customer at his Outliers Collective in El Cajon is over 58 years old.

Older consumers add a new wrinkle to the legal cannabis trade. Retirees tend to be less interested in getting high and more interested in getting relief from pain, anxiety and insomnia. Many are skittish about being identified as a user. (Lee and most other seniors interviewed for this story declined to be photographed or give their full names.)

Theres a stigma around marijuana use, said Michelle Sexton, a naturopathic doctor assisting in a medical cannabis study at UC San Diego School of Medicine. Its got this whole negative connotation. They think theyll be viewed as druggies or hippies.

Moreover, a fog of mystery clouds this topic. More research is needed into cannabinoids, marijuanas active chemical compounds, said Dr. Mark Wallace, chair of the Division of Pain Medicine at UC San Diego Health. Effects vary depending on strains, delivery methods  whether its smoked, consumed in brownies and gummies, or administered in tinctures  and the users age.

Wallace has no qualms about recommending medical cannabis to his patients. Im completely comfortable that it is safe, he said.

Yet he notes that buying products from a dispensary is a crapshoot. The clerks or budtenders are not medical professionals, and seniors often buy products that are too strong or ineffective.

Still, older users  like their younger counterparts  are not exclusively focused on therapy. Some just want to recapture the sweet buzz of youth.

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I smoke every night, said Terri Graham, 61, a visitor from Wisconsin who had stopped to admire the Cannabus, a black bus with tinted windows that runs from Ocean Beach to a dispensary in Bay Park. Why not?

Why?

Its the high!

Endless Christmas

On a recent morning, half the customers inside Torrey Holistics were in their 60s and 70s. Some attended a free Cannabis 101 class on how marijuana products can combat insomnia. Others hoped to ease nagging aches and pains.

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That search can be complicated and frustrating. Beth, a 73-year-old Carlsbad resident, originally bought a vape pen to treat her spondylitis, a form of arthritis that targets the spine.

It was too strong for me, she said. I dont want to get high, I just want to be able to get out of pain.

This was her second trip to Torrey Holistics, and this time she was considering its edible offerings. If this doesnt work, she said, I am through.

Bill, 71, hadnt bought or used weed for 50 years. That streak ended on this morning, when he purchased cannabis-infused soda, brownies and gummies. He hoped they would reduce the inflammation around his eyelids, a condition known as blepheritis.

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Making his dispensary debut, he looked as jittery as a teen buying condoms. But the green buds and sweet fragrance stirred old memories.

It was hard to go through college in the 60s without using marijuana, he said with a laugh.

Thats no exaggeration. In the 1960s and 70s, Gallup surveyed college students about marijuana usage. Between 1967 and 1971, the number of undergraduates who admitted trying the then-illegal substance zoomed from 5 to 51 percent.

For some, this kindled a lifelong passion.

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Walking into Urbn Leaf wearing a faded T-shirt with psychedelic Yellow Submarine images, Kerry Durrell looked like Central Castings Aging Hippie. Now 61, shes been smoking pot off and on  Ive gone through phases  since 1969.

It helps me sleep, she said, inspecting buds at Urbn Leaf. And its recreational.

For some veteran users, the advent of legal marijuana is like an endless Christmas. Joe, 60, said hes been smoking weed since his teens. This week, the semi-retired truck driver from Encinitas was thrilled by his first visit to Torrey Holistics.

Like a kid in a candy shop, he said. I just love it.

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Lee, the 70-year-old real estate agent, was equally enthusiastic. Although he grows marijuana at home, he happily bought a pocket-sized pack of edibles for $18.

The thing I like about buying it here, he said, you know what you are getting. When you grow it, sometimes you dont get high and sometimes you get too high. Here, the quality and consistency seem better.

Lees peers, though, generally frown upon marijuana. In 2010, the Pew Research Center found that only 22 percent of Americans 65 and older favored legalization of marijuana. That number had grown to 30 percent by 2017, but its still a minority of seniors.

Among those who disapprove: Bills wife. While eager to treat his blepheritis with cannabis-laced soda, he doesnt expect his spouse to take a sip.

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My wife is too conservative, he said. I dont think shed indulge.

Beyond Easy Rider

In a classroom at St. Lukes Episcopal Church in North Park, a dozen men and women formed a circle and reached out to each other.

I put my hand in yours and together we can do what we could never do alone, they said in unison. No longer is there a sense of hopelessness...

This was the Tuesday night Beginners Meeting of Marijuana Anonymous, a 12-step program for people whose own marijuana use has become a problem. Getting high, they say, became more important than careers, relationships, responsibilities.

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The leader of this meeting was Henry, 58. Before hitting bottom, Henry said, marijuana was the center of his life. Some months, he spent his mortgage money on weed. He credited MA with helping him to recover his self-respect and sense of purpose.

Ive been sober for eight years, four months and about 16 days, he said.

Studies have not shown cannabis to be physically addictive, said Markus Roggen, a chemist and Outcos vice president of extraction. But there might be signs of mental addiction, he said.

When properly dosed, UC San Diegos Dr. Wallace said, cannabis is often a better choice than more traditional painkillers. I see medical cannabis as a more conservative treatment than opioids, he said.

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At the universitys pain clinic, he urges patients to shelve any mental images of Grateful Dead concerts or Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper toking in Easy Rider. Instead, he said, cannabis should be seen as another pharmaceutical.

He starts clients on microdoses, then adjusts the amount. This is a gradual process, he said, because it is easy to over- and under-prescribe THC, a mood-enhancing and pain-killing compound in marijuana.

As THC levels go up, the pain will reduce, he said, until you get too much THC and then the pain will increase.

CBD, another cannabinoid or chemical compound within cannabis, has a strong following among seniors, in part because it has no intoxicating effect.

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Its not about smoking a joint any more, said Ruthie Edelson, marketing director at Torrey Holistics. That companys CBD-infused rubbing creams have been embraced by people afflicted by arthritis. All of our products have a high content of CBD and a very low content of THC. Thats where you get the best medicinal benefit.

Because CBDs are also found in hemp, products with these cannabinoids have been legal for years. San Diego-based KB Pure Essentials sells CBD-rich massage oils, pain salves, tinctures, deodorants and pet shampoos since 2015.

We have a bunch of older lady customers, said KB Pure Essentials co-founder Brooke Brun, who takes a CBD tincture with prescription medicines to control her epilepsy. A lot of them use it for inflammation, arthritis. A lot take it every day as a wellness supplement.

Yet Urbn Leaf head buyer Josh Bubeck advises customers theyll get better results with products containing both CBD and THC. And no matter what seniors buy, he cautions them to go slow.

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The older consumer, some of them havent tried cannabis for 30 years, Bubeck said. They should start with microdoses. The five milligram gummy has been very popular with the older consumer.

The family stash

Seniors who are new to cannabis, or returning after a long absence, are vulnerable to overdosing, said Sexton, the naturopathic doctor. Because it takes time to feel marijuanas full effect, rookies are susceptible to couch lock.

Thats where you dont want to move, she said.

While studies indicate that cannabis pain-relieving properties are best with a mild 3.4 percent THC content, Sexton said, commercial products are often stronger.

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My patients cant tolerate 10 milligrams and they dont need it, she said. The doctors arent driving this change or deciding whats available for patients. Its the people making the products.

Cannabis isnt for everyone, which is true for former users as well as marijuana virgins. Researchers have found ones tolerance for weed changes with age.

Remember Terri Graham, the 61-year-old tourist from Wisconsin who is a nightly user? She made the trip here with her husband, George Graham, who is also 61.

We probably did all of it at one time or another, he said. Bongs, joints.

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These days, though, the family stash is Terris alone. The weed is too strong for me, George said. I get too paranoid and think of all the stuff I should be doing.
Frustrated with traditional therapies for chronic pain and post-combat stress disorders, a growing number of military veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are turning to medical marijuana for their treatment, a move that has put them at sharp odds with the Trump administration.

The White House has resisted calls from Democrats in Congress, pro-reform activists and even the American Legion, the nations largest wartime veterans service organization, to support research into whether marijuana can help veterans, apparently fearing that any move by the Department of Veterans Affairs to study its effectiveness will be another step toward nationwide legalization.

The VA thus becomes the latest flashpoint in the national debate over marijuana legalization, pitting proponents of greater study or medical use against an administration that has tried to halt or roll back a steady movement toward greater tolerance of marijuana.

We all understand that if the VA is able to prescribe medical cannabis and they determine this is the right way to go, then all of a sudden it is available in all 50 states and territories and the calculus changes dramatically, said Rep. Tim Walz (D-Minn.), a 24-year Army veteran who is the top Democrat on the House Veterans Affairs Committee.

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In December, VA Secretary David J. Shulkin refused a request by Democrats on the House committee to launch a study of marijuanas effects on chronic pain and post-combat stress, asserting that federal law restricts VAs ability to conduct research involving medical marijuana or to refer veterans to such projects.

In a letter to the Democrats, Shulkin claimed a review of previous research found links between marijuana use and suicide, mania and psychotic symptoms.

The VA is saying, We dont even want to investigate whether medical marijuana is valid,  said Rep. Mark Takano (D-Riverside), another member of the House committee. But veterans continue to suffer in large numbers and we should be exploring all the possible alternatives out there.

Post-traumatic stress disorder, a sometimes severe psychological condition that stems from exposure to combat and other disturbing events, afflicts an estimated 9% of VA patients and at least 20% of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, according to the VA.

VA doctors treat PTSD, as the disorder is known, with therapy and prescription drugs, as well as yoga, acupuncture, and other nontraditional therapies.

But some soldiers say those treatments are inadequate or produce undesirable side effects. Some former service members move on to abuse alcohol or illegal drugs, and even attempt suicide.

Twenty-six states, including California, offer access to medical marijuana for patients who obtain a physicians recommendation. Neither the VA nor the Defense Department, however, uses marijuana therapy or allows their healthcare providers to recommend it for medical purposes.

Under federal law, marijuana is still classified in the same category as heroin, and repeated efforts since the 1970s to reclassify it have failed.

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The American Legion, with about 2 million members, traditionally has been a conservative voice on social and political issues. But it stepped up its push for the VA to undertake research into the medical benefits of marijuana after commissioning a poll last year that found 92% of veteran families favor more study.

At the groups national convention last August, it adopted a resolution calling on the VA to allow its physicians and other health providers to discuss the use of medical marijuana with veterans, and to recommend it in states where it is legal  steps that are prohibited at the VA.

Dan Schmink, a 31-year-old former Army infantryman, said he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and a herniated disc in his back after a combat tour in Iraq in 2006 and 2007, one of the most violent periods of the war.

After leaving the Army and returning home to Arizona in 2009, Schmink received opioid painkillers from the VA for his back pain. He resisted taking prescription medication for his depression, insomnia and bouts of hyper-alertness, which are frequent symptoms of traumatic stress.

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Attending nursing school, he found himself unable to cope with routine daily situations. Id sit in the back in class and keep my eyes down to avoid talking with anybody, he said in a telephone interview. I drank a lot. Sometimes that was the only way to turn it off.

After a friend offered him marijuana  which he says he had never tried before  his back pain eased and he felt less anxious. In 2012, Schmink got a prescription for medical marijuana and began smoking it regularly.

I didnt have the hyper-awareness. I wasnt having hundreds of thoughts at once, he said. You got to a really good meditative state.

When he told his VA psychologist he was using marijuana, the reaction was completely negative, Schmink said. A notation was put in his medical record and he was placed on a watch for possible substance abuse.

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Another VA doctor was more receptive, allowing Schmink to ask questions about cannabis use. But when he sought another prescription for medical marijuana, the doctor refused, saying it was against the law.

Now living in San Diego, Schmink says he smokes marijuana every morning, and has figured out the right dose to avoid lethargy and anxiety. Its allowed me to become more of the person I was before I went into the service and started playing war, he said.

Demonstrating the benefits of marijuana with scientific data has proven more difficult, in part because of the VAs reluctance to participate, researchers say.

The challenge has been clear in Phoenix, where researchers have been unable to complete a $2.1-million clinical trial that was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2011. It is the first study to try to determine whether marijuana can effectively treat PTSD.

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For the findings to be statistically valid, the researchers needed to enroll 76 combat veterans who had suffered post-traumatic stress symptoms, were resistant to other treatment protocols and were not abusing marijuana. But only 38  half the total  have agreed to participate so far.

Marcel Bonn-Miller, a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania who is overseeing the study, said the research has been slowed, in part, because the Phoenix VA hospital refused to allow its doctors and therapists to mention the study to patients or let researchers put up fliers seeking participants, citing federal restrictions on marijuana research.

That forced researchers to comb through social media and make telephone cold calls to search for potential participants. The study required the patients to visit a private Phoenix clinic 10 times over 18 weeks, followed by six months of follow-up visits.

Asked about the study, Curt Cashour, a spokesman for the VA in Washington, said that federal law restricts the agencys ability to conduct research involving medical marijuana, or to refer veterans to such research projects. But researchers, he added, are free to work with veterans service organizations and state veterans officials who may not face such restrictions.

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Bonn-Miller said the VA is confused about federal restrictions on marijuana research. But the Phoenix study is politically explosive because it could establish for the first time whether marijuana has beneficial effects for veterans, he said.

If [the VA] were to cooperate it would make things easier, said Bonn-Miller. The VA cant recommend, give or prescribe cannabis for veterans, regardless of whether its legal in the state or not, but research is a separate thing.

david.cloud@latimes.com

Twitter: @davidcloudLAT
As a lawyer who specializes in sexual harassment law and workplace investigations, I have been asked a lot lately if my practice has picked up. The answer  yes. The reason  the Me Too movement. Ive always been a busy lawyer, but with the current movement, there has been an undeniable increase in calls from people wanting to tell their story and ask what rights they have. And companies, too, are receiving more complaints from employees and looking into these issues with heightened awareness.

Related: Founding We Said Enough just a start for Adama Iwu

Register today: U-T Forum on Sexual Harassment

When: 6 p.m - 8 p.m (5:30 p.m. registration); Tuesday, Feb. 13 Where: Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice at USD campus,5998 Alcala Park, San Diego, CA 92110 Reservation: The event is free but space is limited and seats must be reserved. Reserve your seat by visiting sdut.usd/harassmentforum.

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So, what is sexual harassment under California law? Sexual harassment is the unlawful practice of harassing a male or female employee, job applicant, person providing a contract for services, unpaid intern, or volunteer because of their sex.

This includes harassment based on ones gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition (such as breastfeeding); sexual harassment includes same gender harassment and need not have anything to do with sexual advances, nor be motivated by sexual desire.

Sexual harassment can take one of two forms: quid pro quo harassment and hostile environment harassment. Quid pro quo means something for something in Latin. In the harassment context, quid pro quo means harassment happens when a boss or supervisor requires some form of unwelcome sexual favor from a subordinate as a condition of a job benefit, such as a promotion, or from a job candidate such as a precondition to their hiring, or in lieu of a job detriment, such as a demotion or termination. Hostile environment harassment happens when the persons work environment is made so offensive or abusive by the unwelcome sexual conduct of another that it is sufficiently severe or pervasive to disrupt the work environment.

Examples of sexual harassment include: being sexually propositioned, commentary on the employees body, looks or dress, commentary about sexual activity, touching of the employees body in a sexual or offensive nature, touching or exposing of the harassers genitalia or body in a sexual or offensive nature, unwelcomed graphic discussion of sexual or lewd acts, impeding or blocking movement, leering looks, offensive sexual gestures, drawings or jokes, conduct affecting an employees ability to perform their job as usual, or otherwise interfering with their personal sense of well-being in a manner that is related to their gender.

California employers are required to maintain a harassment-free work environment which allows employees to work without the fear or pressure of being harassed. This requires companies to specifically do the following: 1) Provide employees with information (educational materials including posters and handouts) describing what constitutes sexual harassment, and other forms of unlawful practices, and how to make a complaint. 2) Provide sexual harassment training to all supervisors every two years (for companies employing 50 or more), including instruction on the prohibition against and the prevention and correction of sexual harassment and the remedies available to victims of sexual harassment in employment. 3) Provide prompt remediation of unlawful sexual harassment if it is indeed occurring, deter future unlawful conduct and ensure there are no negative consequences for any employee who brings a complaint of sexual harassment or participates in an investigation regarding sexual harassment.

Employees, dont be afraid. If you believe you have been a victim of sexual harassment, you should report the harassment to your employer  promptly, in writing and in your own words. Its easier said than done  but, if you do speak out, the law is designed to protect you; you are protected legally to report sexual harassment in the workplace, without penalty. It is unlawful for an employer to retaliate against an employee who makes a complaint of sexual harassment or participates in an investigation by the employer related to a complaint of sexual harassment. Employees should follow the company protocol when making a complaint, and if not known, inquire of human resources (or if the company does not have HR, inquire of a manager).

Employers, dont underestimate the complaint process. With the Me Too movement, you can expect more employees to come forward. And they may do so after talking with co-workers or lawyers. You should anticipate employees will have some fear and/or distrust of the process. Dont forget  while you might be experienced in hearing complaints, this may very well be their first time reporting an incident of this nature and they are likely to be feeling many emotions. You should be prepared to listen, receive the complaint and determine appropriate follow-up. Have your human resource professional and/or your legal representative in place for next steps, if needed. Not all complaints will require prompt action, but allegations of sexual harassment do require an immediate investigation, and if substantiated, swift action to remedy the conduct must be taken.

To have real change in workplace culture, action is needed by both employees and employers. The Me Too movement is inspiring victims of sexual harassment to speak up, co-workers and friends to stand up in support, and companies to respond with more significant action to eliminate and prevent against harassing behavior. Together, we are working to change culture by improving transparency, communication and remediation of unlawful harassment in the workplace.

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Rizzo is an employment lawyer who specializes in harassment, discrimination, retaliation, workplace investigation and mediation. She is current president of the San Diego County Bar Association.

The content of this article is written to provide general information only and does not constitute legal advice. If you believe you need legal advice, you should consult with an employment lawyer.
The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board has always greatly admired and strongly advocated for our armed forces. The men and women of the military deserve our deepest gratitude for their willingness to put their lives on the line to protect their fellow Americans every day. But we suspect many service members agree that having the Pentagon spend millions of dollars on a military parade  as President Donald Trump has made plain he wants to do  is dubious when the military and military veterans have so many obvious needs. That defense funding is going up under the spending plan approved this week doesnt mean all the problems left from years of tight budgets will be answered.

In October, for example, the Orange County Register reported on a surge in military deaths and injuries off the battlefield that Defense Secretary James Mattis attributed in part to a lack of funds for readiness training. Its a particularly acute problem with military aviators. Another higher priority than a military parade? The needs of tens of thousands of homeless veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse problems.

Writing for Politico, former George W. Bush speechwriter Matt Latimer suggested that Trump has laid a trap for his critics, whose denunciation of the parade will be seen by patriotic Americans as anti-military sentiment. But its not just Trump foes who think the cost of preparing for and staging a parade is hard to justify. Plenty of veterans do as well. They understand better than anyone that the military has far more important issues to address.

Related: Yes, Congress passed a budget deal. But its debt addiction has consequences

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Twitter: @sdutIdeas

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Twitter: @sdutIdeas

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Thanks to everyone who sent in captions this week. We wish we could runem all! The judges picked Shirley Miller for the top spot. You go, Shirl! She will receive Steve Breens signed original in the mail.

Next weeks cartoon is below. Please remember to limit your submissions to three and keep em brief. Good luck!

Winner

It gives a whole new meaning to photo bomb. Shirley Miller, San Diego

Finalists

Why did you title this piece 3,2 ... Hector Holguin, San Diego

I have a feeling this will be called Unfinished Work. Tom Parisi, Del Mar

 Smithereens ... catchy title. Gene Basye, San Diego

... catchy title. I predict your work will be hanging in high places very soon.

Wayne Zucker, Rancho Penasquitos

Meeting a deadline, are you. Vincent Noto, San Diego

I knew your work would be a blast. Tiny Sluka, Tierrasanta

What an explosive use of color. Jesse Cohen, La Jolla

Most artists require a muse for inspiration. You only require a fuse. Peter Wilkinson, online submission

Itll be worth a lot more in about 30 seconds. Marla Gilmore, San Diego

You know smoking is dangerous, right? Deborah Attwood, Kensington

Youre gonna need a bigger canvas. Andy Attwood, Kensington

Let it blow. Most artists dont get discovered until after theyre dead. Diane Fulham, San Diego

You may lose more than an ear this time. Chuck Williams, Poway

Theres no time to finish ... lets Gogh! Stu Hamel, Carlsbad

K-12

This painting will be so lit . Cole Fisher, sixth grade, Dana Middle School

. And now is the time I leave you alone. Caspar Lightner, sixth grade, Dana Middle School

This painting is going to blow the others out of the water. Ravel Cato, seventh grade, Wangenheim Middle School

This will blow up the art world. Preston Miller, sixth grade, Dana Middle School

I like how this subject sparks your imagination. Grant Williams, fifth grade, Torrey Pines Elementary

Next weeks cartoon

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(Steve Breen )

To enter, email entries to cartooncontest@sduniontribune.com by 10 a.m. Tuesday. Please remember to limit your submissions to three and keep em brief. View last weeks winners.
San Diego-based freelance journalist Kelly Davis has spent years reporting on dozens of deaths that have occurred in San Diego County jails. Shes spent the past several months the target of San Diego County government.

The veteran reporter landed in the crosshairs of county attorneys last year when they began to pressure her to give up the information she discovered in her reporting to a court.

In 2013, Davis reported for San Diego CityBeat that the countys average mortality rate over six years was the highest among Californias 10 largest jails. In 2017, Davis was subpoenaed to appear in court and hand over any documents, notes and recordings she used over the course of her investigative work, including emails.

The county is being sued by the widow of inmate Kris Nesmith, and attorneys for the county attempted to pull Davis into the case with their subpoena in November 2017. But on Feb. 2, as first reported by NBC San Diego, a judge ruled that Davis wont have to hand over her notes and research.

County spokesman Michael Workman declined to comment on what happened citing pending litigation.

Davis, who told NBC she wondered if they are trying to intimidate me, answered a few questions for us via email.

What went through your mind when you first saw the subpoena?

It was right before Thanksgiving and I was cleaning the house before relatives arrived. There was a knock on the door and when I opened it, I immediately saw subpoena and Nesmith  the name of the case. I was focused on cleaning the house, but I made a digital scan of the subpoena and emailed it to Dave Maass, my former colleague who co-wrote the initial investigation with me. He's the one who pointed out that they wanted literally everything I had on jail deaths  including information on cases I'd never written about, and copies of all email communication Id had with the attorneys working on the Nesmith case. Thats when I kind of flipped out.

What message does that sort of subpoena send to journalists in general?

I cant speak for other journalists, but since Im a freelancer, Im on my own if Im sued or subpoenaed. I emailed Guylyn Cummins from Shepard Mullin  she's the go-to person for media law  and she agreed to take the case pro bono. She also brought in attorneys Matthew Halgren and James Chadwick. They put so much time into this case; it really blew me away. But, because I didn't want to make things more difficult for them, I shelved a couple stories I was working on about jail deaths. So, the subpoena definitely had a chilling effect.

Howd you feel when the judge sided with you?

Stoked, of course. And thrilled for Matthew, who wrote the opposition to the county's motion to compel me to testify, and James, who argued it in court. They did a fantastic job. They're such an asset to the San Diego journalism community.

Do you think the county will appeal the judges decision?

I have no idea. I hope not because it'll just be a waste of county resources.

How are you handling all of this?

Im good now, but there was a point when I was concerned about what might be required of me if a judge ordered me to testify. I wondered if Id done something wrong. And, of course, I felt bad that the Sheppard Mullin folks were working on my behalf for free.

Will this affect your reporting going forward?

Id like to say it wont, but it might. Ill try not to let it.

Any final statement on this whole experience?

Most states  including California  have shield laws to protect reporters from being forced to testify in court or hand over source information. Since this is a federal civil rights case, Californias shield law didn't protect me. Congress needs to pass a federal shield law.

As news spread of Davis experience with county government this week, the San Diego journalism community banded together behind her. Voice of San Diego freelance contributor Randy Dotinga wrote an op-ed decrying the countys outrageous targeting and the San Diego chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists issued a statement calling the countys actions unconscionable.

Friday, Davis was again calling attention to the countys problems. She tweeted out many of the stories shes written to put a spotlight back on what she said were all the terrible ways people have died in San Diego jails.

Editors note: The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial and Opinion Director Matthew T. Hall serves on the board of the San Diego chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists along with Davis.

Email: abby.hamblin@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @abbyhamblin
Maranatha Christian Schools will welcome members of the community next week to see its new creative learning space dubbed The Makery.

The elementary open house plus junior high and senior high information night will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15 on the campus, 9050 Maranatha Drive in Santa Fe Valley (west of 4S Ranch).

Creating The Makery at the campus was a process that took two years and part of a growing trend among elementary schools to emphasize their science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) curriculum and programs, officials said.

Maranathas elementary STEAM program starts in its preschool and continues through fifth grade as it tries to give students a foundation that will spark interest and build confidence in the sciences throughout K-12 education, officials said in a press release. The goal is to ensure students are well-prepared for college, and this includes the ability to be accepted to universities that have strong science, technology, engineering, arts and math programs.

In The Makery, which opened in September, students are encouraged to explore, design and share STEAM education in a custom-made classroom that has a fun and creative environment, officials said. Its design components allow the room to be quickly reshaped to meet a wide variety of learning conditions, including digital space so students can be connected to the classroom cloud plus utilize storage areas. It has eight learning centers for students that include 3-foot square tables for their activities.

Children are naturally curious, creative and like to figure out how things work, said MCS Elementary Principal Mary Cook. When given a fun classroom full of stuff to build with, glue together, draw and measure  student learning and enthusiasm takes off.

Email: rbnews@pomeradonews.com


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ENSURE JOBS, LIVELIHOOD ASSISTANCE FOR RETURNING OFWS FROM KUWAIT -ANGARA

Senator Sonny Angara has called on the government to ensure that there are jobs and livelihood assistance awaiting back home for distressed Filipino workers who will be repatriated from Kuwait.

President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the Department of Labor and Employment to bring home overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in 72 hours following the discovery of a Filipina's body in a freezer in the Gulf State.

"Bukod sa pagsiguro sa kanilang kaligtasan, dapat ay may trabaho at tulong pangkabuhayan na naghihintay para sa ating mga kababayan mula sa Kuwait," said Angara, sponsor of the law strengthening the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

The new OWWA law or Republic Act 10801 has improved the government's capacity to assist OFWs who lost their jobs or those who decided to return to the Philippines by providing funding for OFW programs and services from the national budget.

OWWA's reintegration program includes employment and livelihood training, access to credit, and grant money to start their own business.

Under its Balik Pilipinas, Balik Hanapbuhay Program, beneficiaries can get cash grants amounting to P20,000.

OWWA, together with Landbank, also provides P100,000 to P2 million loan with collateral requirement for those who want to establish businesses.

Aside from repatriation and reintegration, OWWA offers legal assistance, placement and remittance assistance, insurance coverage, social benefits, and educational assistance for OFW dependents.

Meanwhile, the President has declared that the suspension of deployment of Filipino workers to Kuwait will not be lifted.

Some 300 Filipinos apply for work in Kuwait every day.

"We support the President's ban on OFW deployment to Kuwait. Our kababayans do not deserve this kind of inhumane treatment. Sa halip na disenteng trabaho, pang-aabuso ang napala nila doon," said the vice chairman of the Senate labor committee.

An estimated 250,000 Filipinos work in Kuwait, 75 percent of which are domestic helpers. Many OFWs there have complained of being treated badly, receiving no salary and other forms of abuse.

"We should intensify our job creation programs. Kung may sapat na trabaho sa bansa, hindi na nila kailangang magtrabaho abroad at iwan ang kanilang pamilya," added Angara, who shepherded the passage of nine labor laws to address unemployment in the country.
Press Release

February 10, 2018 Sen. Bam fears TRAIN is killing jobs, livelihood opportunities Apart from rising prices of goods and services, a senator is dismayed that the Tax Reform Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law is leading to less jobs for Filipinos, according to Sen. Bam Aquino. "We are now feeling the effects of TRAIN, not just on prices of goods, but also on jobs of thousands of Filipinos. The government is duty bound to cushion the blows of heavy taxes on jobs and employment," said Sen. Bam. "Natatakot ako para sa kabuhayan ng pamilyang Pilipino. Kailangan solusyunan ito ASAP," Sen. Bam added. Recently, Coca-Cola FEMSA Philippines Inc. announced that it will trim down its workforce in light of the passage of the TRAIN Law that imposes P6 per liter excise tax on beverages using caloric and non-caloric sweeteners and P12 per liter on beverages using high-fructose corn syrup. Reports have it that 600 workers from various units of Coca-Cola will be laid off. Also, Sen. Bam said that several BPOs are relocating, aborting expansion, or re-shoring workers due to the effects of the TRAIN Law. To safeguard livelihood for Filipinos working in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, Sen. Bam pushed for the retention of a special tax rate for regional operating headquarters and regional headquarters (ROHQs/RHQs) during the TRAIN's period of amendments. However, the provision was vetoed by Malacanang, much to the dismay of the BPO sector. The veto will lead to an increase in cost of doing business, which will affect the status of 5,000 workers and will prevent other BPOs from setting up shop to provide more jobs for Filipinos. "These RHQs invested in the Philippines because of these tax incentives, which were suddenly removed by our government. Bakit pa sila mamumuhunan dito at paano pa sila magtitiwala sa gobyerno," Sen. Bam questioned. Among those who aborted expansion plans upon the removal of the preferential tax rate is a large global outsourcing hub for technology services. The expansion would have provided up to 400 fresh job to Filipinos. Sen. Bam also mentioned that a big ROHQ will close its operations in the Philippines this coming year. Instead of focusing solely on revenue-generation, Sen. Bam said the government must work with the private sector to boost job creation and strengthening job security, especially with rising prices due to their new tax policies. "Importanteng ipatupad na ang cash transfer, pero pansamantalang solusyon lang ito. Livelihood, jobs, sapat na kita para sa bawat pamilyang Pilipino ang nararapat na prayoridad ng pamahalaan," said Sen. Bam. Sen. Bam is the former chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship and passed several measures to provide livelihood by supporting small, local businesses in the country. He is also the principal sponsor of the free college law passed last year. Sen. Bam voted no to the ratification of the Tax Reform Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law.
Sen. JV Ejercito: Hearings show there is consensus for peace in Mindanao

SENATOR JV Ejercito yesterday lauded the emerging "consensus for peace" and expressed confidence that there is bipartisan support in the Senate that would allow it to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

Ejercito made the statement after the conclusion of a series of public hearings in Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Zamboanga City.

The Senate has started public hearings on the BBL since December 2017.

"The public hearings allowed us to listen to the voices of our Muslim sisters and brothers. Their inputs would certainly help us as we put together the final touches of the bill," he said.

The BBL was drafted by the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) and was turned over to President Duterte on July 2017.

A month later, it was immediately transmitted to the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Both Houses are now tasked to come up with a law for the emergence of the Bangsamoro political entity.

Ejercito said that he was elated to see that despite some differences, "everyone seems to be working towards the path to genuine and lasting peace."

He added: "Probably five decades of fighting made everyone realize that armed conflict will not solve the problems of Mindanao."

He said that his visit to Muslim Mindanao gave him mixed emotions.

"I was at awe at the beauty of Mindanao, its prospects for tourism and growth. But conflict has deprived our people of the peace and development they deserve," Ejercito said, pointing out that the BBL is "the first step to harness the full potential of Mindanao's economic development".
Senator JV Ejercito condemns OFW maltreatment, urges review of all OFW deployment

Senator JV Ejercito condemned the death of a Filipina worker in Kuwait and urged government to review all deployment policies for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

"I condemn the death of Joanna Daniella Demafelis in Kuwait as well as the reported 82 other OFW deaths in Kuwait in 2016," the senator said on Saturday.

Ejercito added that he supports the decision of President Rodrigo Duterte to ban OFW deployment to Kuwait.

He also urged the Kuwaiti government to investigate the deaths of Filipino workers and ensure the protection of all migrant workers in their country.

"We value our foreign relations with the people of Kuwait but we cannot stand idly by as our kababayans suffer from inhuman treatment," added Ejercito who also called upon government agencies to provide assistance to the families of the victims.

Ejercito added that the Philippine government should review policies concerning the deployment of OFWs in all countries.

"Let us review bilateral agreements in order to make sure that our countrymen are protected by their host countries and where there are no assurance of protection let us rethink our deployment policy," he explained, adding that Kuwait has not yet signed the memorandum of understanding (MOU) designed to protect Filipino migrant workers.

"This unfortunate development lends urgency to our task of sustaining economic growth and providing more employment so that our people would not have to risk their lives working in other countries," he said.
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Sify.com Movies Reviews Telugu Tholi Prema

Tholi Prema Review: A romantic comedy with catchy music

Offers some fun scenes and some good romantic moments

Source: SIFY By: Telugucinema.com Critic's Rating: 3/5 Saturday 10 February 2018

Movie Title Tholi Prema Review: A romantic comedy with catchy music Director Venky Atluri

Star Cast Varun Tej, Raashi Khanna, Sapna Pabbi, Suhasini Maniratnam, Priyadarshi, Vidyullekha Raman, Viva Harsha

A boy and girl meet first when they are coming from Vizag to Hyderabad via a train. It is love at first sight for the hero. He proposes to her immediately but she refuses. They become friends but the next day she leaves without informing him. They are Aadi (Varun) and Varsha (Raashi).

As luck would have it, he meets her again when he joins an Engineering college in Hyderabad as she too joins the same college. Though she likes him, she doesnt want to say yes to him immediately. Why? It is girl thing, she says. Few days later, she accepts his love and they have their first kiss. The next day an incident in college creates rift between them. Misunderstanding her, he breaks up with her.

Pad Man review: Akshay shines in this public service film | Savarakathi review: A warm and welcoming film | Boy and the World review: A vibrant and dazzling marvel | Inttelligent review: Doesn't have a single sequence that can be appreciated | Kalakalappu-2 review: Will take you to a happy zone

The star-crossed lovers meet again six years later and this time in London. He is now working in architectural firm; she is the site manager. Will they finally unite? Will they break the transparent wall built between them?

Romantic comedies work excellently when the chemistry between the lead pair is very cute or music is catchy and melodious or the situations and dialogue are resolutely contemporary and is full of vigor. New director Venky Atluri has got some of these elements right in his maiden movie Tholi Prema starring Varun Tej and Raashi Khanna.

He has not written any situations but he made familiar scenes look fresh, he created beautiful moments to like, he brought out good chemistry between the lead pair.

Well, the story that he has narrated is inspired by a Turkish drama called Love Likes Coincidences (2011) that spoke about star crossed lovers whose lives are intertwined by a series of coincidences. One must remember that recently released Sumanth starrer Malli Raava was also copied from the same movie.

The basic plot  lovers crossing their paths in three phases/times  is a common feature in all these three movies and each of them are also different in their own way.

Director Venky begins the story in a way that we generally see in an Imtiaz Alis film  love during the journey. Journey, phases, chasm, breaking up and meeting again all these are Imtiaz Alis tropes. Venky Atluris Tholi Prema follows the same path, but the young director leaves a mark of his own by telling the story of Aditya and Varsha, who love each other deeply but their fierce individuality holds them back.

The film has many funny and cute scenes in the first half. Highlight sequence is the first kiss episode. The directors creativity is visible here. He has narrated this story with right music and beautiful visuals. Thamans songs are a huge strength.

After their break up at interval, the movie starts in London and the narration turns a bit flat as there are not much surprises here. And many predictable situations keep happening. However, Hyper Aadis comedy and some good songs here help the movie. Also dialogue writing is very good here.

This will be another good film in Varuns career. He is quite good here. He has shown ease in all the scenes.

Raashi Khanna steals the show in her author-backed role. She has shown so much maturity here and has come with some sharp expressions that melt the hearts of the youth. This will be her best role in her career. Comedian Priyadarshi gets a lengthy role but he generates fewer laughs. Hyper Aaadhi evokes better laughs. Naresh as NRI uncle and Suhasini as Varuns mother are okay.

Music director Thaman is the soul of this romantic drama. Tholi Prema, Allasani Vaari, and Vunnanule Vinnanule are the pick of the lot. Thaman has also used these tunes for the background score to evoke further feel. After music, it is camera work that stands out. George C Williams camera work is a huge plus. Dialogues like Jnapkalu Manchivaina Cheddavaina Moyaka Tappudu have created required mood. Vidyu as college akka is funny.

Editing needs to be a bit crispier when the narration turns too flat in the second half. There are many scenes in the second half that give deja vu feeling.

As a first time director, Venky Atluri has shown so much spark. Venky has shown his mark in many places as a director. His knack for creating funny situations is good.

Tholi Prema is a cool-breeze romantic comedy pepped with catchy music and good locations. The film has familiar situations but they look quite fresh and the lead pairs chemistry has made it a good watch. Offers some fun scenes and some good romantic moments despite cliched sequences in the second half. Watch it.

Tholi Prema review: 3 stars
: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday became the first Indian Prime Minister to make an official visit to Palestine. He was conferred the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine by President Mahmoud Abbas today, recognising his key contribution to promote relations between India and Palestine. On his felicitation, PM Modi said: This is an honour for India and a symbol of Palestines friendship. I thank you on behalf of all Indians for this.

PM Modi is on a three-nation trip to the Gulf and West Asia from February 9 to 12. He arrived in Ramallah, Palestine today via Jordan.

I consider it an honour to be in Palestine. I bring with me the goodwill and greetings of the people of India. Here are my remarks at the joint press meet with President Abbas. https://t.co/lUWKPB9Nxe pic.twitter.com/3uUPtuh4gP  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 10, 2018

Subsequently, both PM Modi and President Abbas exchanged several agreements and issued a joint statement. In his speech, PM Modi said that India hopes that soon Palestine will become a free country in a peaceful manner.

I have assured President Abbas that India is bound by a promise to take care of Palestinian peoples interests. India hopes that soon Palestine will become a free country in a peaceful manner, said PM Modi, adding that diplomacy was the way forward to achieving regional stability and peace. We hope for peace and stability in Palestine, we believe a permanent solution is possible with dialogue. Only diplomacy and farsightedness can set free from violence and baggage of the past. We know it is not easy but we need to keep trying as a lot is at stake, he added.

Highlighting Indias resolve to keep Palestine as a foreign partner, PM Modi said: India and Palestines relations have stood the test of time and that Palestine has always taken a top spot in our foreign policy. PM Modi, who is on his maiden visit to Palestine, exchanged several agreements with the Palestinian government and announced several partnerships in areas like diplomacy, education as well as a promise to take care of the interests of the people of Palestine.

PM Modis visit to Palestine comes a month after he hosted his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu in New Delhi. In that respect, it assumes greater significance. Historically, India had been a supporter of Palestine. However, strategic interests led to India building stronger ties, primarily military ties, with Israel, the country at conflict with Palestine.

Reasserting Indias position to keep Palestine as a key party in its foreign policy matters, PM Modi said, India and Palestines relations have stood the test of time. Palestine has always taken a top spot in our foreign policy.

People of Palestine have continuously shown exemplary courage in extremely tough times, in spite of the fact that there was an unstable environment. The way you moved forward in such a situation is praiseworthy, we appreciate it, he said.

PM Modi made announcements in his speech highlighting Indias intent to partner in Palestines development, educational engagement and regional stability. India is aiding construction of an Institute of Diplomacy in Palestine. I am happy that we are moving forward with our developmental corporation forward during this visit, he said, adding, that India will double the exchange of students from this year taking it from 50 to 100.

Prior to PM Modis address, President Abbas had said: It is my honour to welcome you as a great guest, on your first historic visit to Palestine which holds, to you personally and to the people of India, sentiments of love and appreciation. Indian leadership has always stood by peace in Palestine.

Indicating that Palestine would welcome a non-aligned position by India with respect to Israel and Palestine, Abbas said, We have said and will say we are ready to engage in negotiations. We rely on Indias role as an international force and its role in the non-alignment movement and in the international fora, in a way that is conducive to desired peace in our region.

Here I would like to assert our commitment to political action and negotiations as means of achieving our national goals to freedom & independence in accordance with the two states relation along the lines of 1967, he added.
President Abbas conferred the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine on Modi after the conclusion of the bilateral meeting between the two leaders.

: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on Saturday conferred the 'Grand Collar of the State of Palestine' by President Mahmoud Abbas, recognising his key contribution to promote relations between India and Palestine.

Modi is the first Indian prime minister to make an official visit to Palestine.

The Grand Collar is Highest order given to foreign dignitaries -- Kings, Heads of State/Government and persons of similar rank.

It has in the past been awarded to King Salman of Saudi Arabia, King Hamad of Bahrain, President Xi Jinping of China, amongst others.

The commendation reads "In recognition of his wise leadership and his lofty national and international stature, and in appreciation of his efforts to promote the historic relations between the State of Palestine and the Republic of India; in acknowledgment of his support to our people's right to independence and freedom so that peace prevails in the region."
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A South Beach man who fought with cops after they removed him from the tracks near the Old Town train station, could avoid jail under a plea agreement reached with prosecutors.

Edon Krajar, then 22, was spied walking the tracks at about 3:05 p.m. on Aug. 18 of last year.

Two MTA police officers sent to help Krajar removed him to the station's platform, said authorities.

The defendant, who stands 6-feet-3-inches tall and weighs 240 lbs., became combative and tussled with the officers, injuring them, authorities allege.

One officer suffered a torn finger ligament, lacerations to the arm, and a concussion after Krajar hit him in the back of the head with a Motorola radio, a criminal complaint said.

The other officer suffered sprains to his right ring and pinky fingers, said police.

Krajar fled, but was nabbed on the grounds of the nearby Academy of St. Dorothy, authorities said.

Krajar, who was admitted to the hospital as an emotionally disturbed person, was later indicted on charges of assault, obstructing governmental administration, criminal weapon possession and resisting arrest.

The defendant recently pleaded guilty in state Supreme Court, St. George, to second-degree assault, a felony, and to the obstruction charge, a misdemeanor.

Under his agreement, Krajar must enter a treatment program.

If he completes treatment, the felony conviction will be vacated, and he'll be sentenced on the misdemeanor conviction to three years' probation.

If Krajar fails to finish treatment, he could be sentenced to up to seven years in prison on the assault conviction.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Ramsey Orta, the man who filmed Eric Garner's death in police custody nearly four years ago, has sued former District Attorney Daniel Donovan, alleging Donovan sought to discredit him to advance his own political ambitions.

The suit, filed this week in Brooklyn federal court, alleges Donovan, now Staten Island's congressman, falsely told the Daily News and New York Post after Orta's arrest on felony drug charges in February 2015 that Orta had a prior rape conviction.

Donovan's office later told the News in July 2015 that Orta had pleaded guilty to endangering a child's welfare, a misdemeanor, stemming from a 2010 charge that he had sex with a 12-year-old girl when he was 18, the News reported.

Orta, 26, is currently serving a four-year prison sentence on the 2015 drug charge and an August 2014 weapon-possession case. He pleaded guilty to those charges in July 2016 in state Supreme Court, St. George.

Garner died on July 17, 2014, in Tompkinsville, when police tried to arrest him for allegedly selling loose, untaxed cigarettes on the street.

With his cell phone, Orta videotaped the confrontation, in which P.O Daniel Pantaleo was seen bringing down Garner, 43, from behind.

In December 2014, a Staten Island grand jury declined to indict Pantaleo on criminal charges, sparking protest.

Orta's civil complaint alleges Donovan prosecuted him to impeach his credibility as a witness with the Pantaleo grand jury.

"(Donovan's) ultimate intention was to win voters in Richmond County, so that he could become the Republican Congressman ... in a May 2015 election following the resignation of Michael Grimm on Jan. 5, 2015," said the complaint.

Staten Island voters "would not look favorably upon a congressional candidate who prosecuted a police officer," the complaint alleges.

But voters here would support Orta's prosecution, "especially if he had been convicted of rape," alleges the complaint.

Donovan's statements about a rape conviction denied Orta's right to a fair trial, the complaint contends.

A spokeswoman for Donovan said he doesn't comment on pending litigation.

Orta currently has suits pending against the city in Manhattan state Supreme Court alleging retaliation and malicious prosecution resulting from his filming of the Garner incident.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A Tottenville man viciously attacked his disabled friend and called him a "crippled f---" during a Super Bowl party at his home, authorities allege.

William Maguire, 22, struck Thomas Fontaino, 20, with a metal towel rack on the neck, back and chest while he was lying in the bathroom at around 8:45 p.m. Sunday, according to allegations in the criminal complaint and the victim.

"He just snapped and senselessly beat me," Fontaino said. "I didn't think he was capable of doing something like this."

Fontaino, who has cerebral palsy from the waist down and uses crutches, said he was protecting his head when he was hit on the back, face and chest.

He suffered a couple of cuts on his face and red marks on his back and chest.

"I'm banged up pretty bad," he said. "I couldn't defend myself."

Fontaino claims Maguire yelled hurtful things during the alleged assault, including "crippled f---."

"We were very close friends," he said. "I was in shock."

The Charleston resident said he and his buddies were drinking beers in the basement when he began feeling sick and went to the bathroom.

While in the restroom, he tripped and when another friend came over to help him, he broke the towel rack.

During the incident, another adult at the party came over and stopped Maguire, and brought Fontaino upstairs, he said.

He then called an Uber and went home.

Fonatino's parents then called police and an ambulance, and he was taken taken Staten Island University Hospital in Prince's Bay for his injuries.

"I'm very hurt because he was a friend I trusted," Fontaino said. "I was having nightmares about it."

Maguire, of Chelsea Street, is charged with felony assault, misdemeanor assault, criminal possession of a weapon and harassment, police said.

There is also an order of protection barring him from contacting the victim.

Fontaino said he and the suspect work together at the Target in Charleston, but the two have not seen or spoken to each other.

Maguire was arraigned Thursday in Criminal Court and released on his own recognizance, according to online state court records.

He is due back in court April 24.

His attorney did not respond to a request for comment.

Maguire could not be reached Saturday.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A missing person search prompted a large NYPD and FDNY response on Scarboro Avenue in Rosebank Friday night.

At approximately 6:30 p.m., NYPD and FDNY responded to Scarboro Avenue and closed off the street for approximately 30 minutes.

According to a police spokesperson, police are searching for a 33-year-old white male.

The search is still ongoing, according to the police spokesperson.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- With the tax deadline looming, the city will hold the first ever free "Tax Prep-a-Thon" at Curtis High School on Saturday.

The event will run from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and will take place at several other schools across all five boroughs.

If you earned $54,000 or less in 2017 you can have your taxes filed for free by an IRS certified VITA/TCE volunteer preparer at the event who can help you claim deductions and tax credits.

Attendees will also have access to free financial counseling with a financial counselor from the NYC Financial Empowerment Centers. Counselors will assist filers with making a plan to manage their refunds, create a budget, reduce debt and more.

Free screening for local, state, and federal health and human service benefits will also be available to help attendees see if they are eligible for the programs.

"This is a great opportunity for Staten Islanders to not only get help filing their taxes, but also start planning for the future," Borough President James Oddo, said in a statement. "I encourage all eligible residents to take advantage of this free service, which may even help them get money back in their pockets.

This year the city's network of free tax preparation providers has opened 20 new sites with locations in every borough, including the North Shore of Staten Island, in an effort to better serve New Yorkers in communities identified as being in need of free tax preparation services and likely eligible for tax credits.

"Tax season is here, and with tax season comes a host of city resources to help New Yorkers," Councilwoman Debi Rose (D-North Shore), said in a statement. "You can not only have your returns prepared and filed, but also receive financial counseling, screening for benefits and more. I hope my constituents take advantage of this year's Tax Prep-a-Thon at Curtis High School this Saturday."

To learn more about the NYC Free Tax Prep-a-Thon visit the Department of Consumer Affairs' event calendar to find a location near you.

For more information about NYC Free Tax Prep, visit

or call 311. You can also text "Taxes" to 42033 to find the nearest location and receive tax season updates and reminders.
China wants 11 Uighurs back, says Malaysia



Kuala Lumpur, Feb 10 (AFP) Feb 10, 2018



China has asked Malaysia to deport 11 ethnic Uighur Muslims who were part of a group that escaped from Thailand's immigration detention center, the Malaysian deputy premier said Saturday.

In the dramatic breakout last November, a group of 25 Uighurs used blankets to climb out of their cells in a daring pre-dawn escape from their cell in southern Thailand.

Southern Thailand and Malaysia share a common border which is easily penetrable.

It is the first time Kuala Lumpur has confirmed that detained the escaped Uighurs after human rights groups and the United States urged the predominantly Muslim Southeast Asia country against sending the Uighurs back to China.

The Uighurs are a Muslim minority that faces repression in western China.

Deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also the minister for internal security, said China, a close economic and political ally of Malaysia has made request for the 11 Uighurs.

"We have received an official request from China to extradite the 11 Uighurs," he was quoted as saying by the official Bernama news agency in the southern Johor state.

"Our principle is that if a country requests that their people be extradited, we (will consider it) based on the extradition agreement," he added.

Ahmad Zahid said Malaysia will consider China's request upon completion of police investigations into the 11 Uighurs if they were involved in terror activities.

On Friday, Human Rights Watch (HRW) urged Malaysia not to deport the 11 Uighurs.

"Uighurs forcibly returned to China face credible threats of imprisonment and torture, so it's critical that Malaysia does not forcibly expel to China anyone the Chinese claim is a Uighur," HRW Asia director Brad Adams said in a statement.

In 2017, Malaysia said it had deported 29 Uighurs suspected to be involved with Islamic militants.

Two years earlier Thailand deported more than 100 Uighurs back to China sparking an outcry.
"But is this the right time?" The question follows every push for an Australian republic. From colonial times to today, there have always been excuses for putting it off. The transition to a republic is not simply a legal change but a philosophic one, too. It requires hard work, wide debate and deep thought.

Who are we as Australians? What are our national values? Are we really committed to democracy, egalitarianism and community? Do we have faith that we can not only survive but thrive with a truly independent constitution? These are nation-shaping questions and it's always the right time to discuss them.

A poster urges voters to back a republic before the unsuccessful 1999 referendum. Credit:DAVE THOMSON

The first book arguing for an Australian republic was published in 1852. John Dunmore Lang's Freedom and Independence for the Golden Lands of Australia shocked and delighted contemporary audiences with its radical proposal. The Australian colonies should unite and form "one great nation  one mighty power in the Pacific".

Although Lang called for a republic, his book was not anti-British. He wrote affectionately of the mother country and the queen. He also captured the democratic zeitgeist of the mid-19th century. Enriched by gold and unburdened by Europe's entrenched class system, in Australia, he argued, the people were the only legitimate source of power.
People tend to delay preparations to defend themselves or confirm the need to leave before a bushfire until they can observe the blaze directly, research into three major fires has found.

In addition, the work by the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC and commissioned by the NSW Rural Fire Service found greater reliance on mobile phone warnings. With carriers offering differing coverage, however, residents were getting uneven service of those alerts.

The blazes studied included the Sir Ivan fire that began during a day of catastrophic fire danger rating last February. It burned more than 55,000 hectares and destroyed 35 houses, a church and other buildings. A coronial inquest into the event was announced this week.

Farmers race the front of a fast grassfire ahead of the huge Sir Ivan fire near Cassilis. Credit:Nick Moir

The other two events examined were the Currandooley fire, 40 kilometres north-west of Canberra and the Carwoola fire 20 kilometres south east of Canberra. Both burned more than 3000 hectares, and began on days of severe fire danger in January and February 2017, respectively.
Former treasurer Wayne Swan, who helped steer Australia through the global financial crisis, will retire from Parliament at the next election to allow for a "fresh, energetic, young" successor in his seat of Lilley in northern Brisbane.

First elected in 1993, Mr Swan, 63, said he had reached a stage in life where he could not be 100 per cent committed to his work as an MP while meeting personal obligations and "maintaining the fight against inequality".

Announcing the decision, the Labor elder said he was proudest of his work as treasurer in the Rudd and Gillard governments "to avoid recession during the global financial crisis, saving our people from the economic devastation and social dislocation that ravaged so many other world economies".

Former treasurer Wayne Swan in his office at Parliament House. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten thanked Mr Swan for giving to the Labor Party "every bit of his legendary work effort, every measure of his tremendous intellect, every ounce of his passion for a fairer Australia".
Bloody hell. Talk about a minefield. Since the revelations about the Deputy Prime Ministers complicated private life, there has been a great deal of criticism of us in the media for sitting on the story, when it was actually in the public interest to run a story about a powerful politician living a lie, while running on family values, the sanctity of marriage and the virtues of a conservative religious life.

In response, I say two things. Of course I heard the rumours. We all did. But the rumours I heard, and many of us heard, were much worse, and didnt turn out to be remotely true at all.

But yes, even if I had received a dossier with proof of the whole thing a month ago, I would still, frankly, be inclined to burn it as none of my damn business.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has found himself caught in a storm of controversy. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

I dont, however, criticise the Tele for breaking the story, once it had the actual story locked down. Their defence, that it was all going to come out anyway, is valid, though the photo of Joyces pregnant partner was, of course, beyond intrusive.
Queensland Health is taking too long to turn recommendations to prevent suicide into practical health treatment, according to the state's new Mental Health Commissioner.

Coroner Kevin Priestly this week revealed it took Queensland Health two years to turn recommendations from an investigation in Townsville into statewide guidelines.

Queensland Health is too slow is changing hospital care to tackle suicides: new Mental Health Commissioner

Mental Health Commissioner Ivan Frkovic said Queensland Health was too slow, in some cases, in taking recommendations from coroners and using them in practical mental health care to reduce suicide.

Obviously where we are talking about people losing their life then I think those recommendations need to be implemented much quicker, he said.
Many years ago, I worked tirelessly on the perfect romantic meal. It was meat and three veg, with each item carved into the shape of a heart. Even the tiny rounds of carrot were crafted into the ultimate symbol of everlasting love. With a dramatic flourish, I placed the plate in front of my beloved. He took one look and asked, "What on earth is that?" "It's a meal, cooked with love, from me to you," I replied. "You've really lost it now," he laughed. It was the last time I made a meal on Valentine's Day.

Kathy Lette

 Clearly, if a girl wants to find her prince, she's gotta kiss a lot of frogs  and Valentine's Day can get quite amphibious. Women all want to be head-over-heels in love. But one bloke I fell for in my 20s clearly just wanted the heels-over-the-head bit. It was Valentine's Day and I was so sure he was going to propose that I rummaged through his coat for a ring when he went to the restaurant loo. I did find a ring  a teething ring. Turned out the lowly worm was married. He wore the rest of the meal home to his poor wife.

Jane Caro

Maybe it's because I worked in advertising for so long but I can't take manufactured celebrations like Valentine's Day seriously. Ditto Mother's Day and Father's Day. My family has always ignored all three. They're designed to sell people stuff, and most of us have enough stuff as it is. However, my husband has sent me flowers out of the blue for no reason. He doesn't do it often, but there is honestly nothing nicer. No obligation, no expectation, just a delightful and completely unexpected surprise.
On Friday, November 5 in 2010, Leola Rose headed into her office for what she had assumed would be an ordinary day at work. It wasn't. That afternoon the then 28-year-old marketing executive suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm and would spend the next three months in hospital, and another three months after that as an outpatient.

"People can live with [brain aneurysms] and be fine for their whole lives but when they rupture, it's potentially fatal," she says.

After the hospital stay, Leola Rose spent another three months as an out-patient relearning to walk and talk.

She fell over in the bathroom at her office and was unconscious for about 15 minutes before she regained consciousness. She was rushed to hospital and it took several hours of exploratory surgery to discover the bleed in her brain.

"They told my parents and my now-husband that I was bleeding from the brain and would die if they couldn't stop it."
Just a couple of weeks ago, Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Education Minister Rob Stokes were proudly showing off a "pop-up" school at Wentworth Park on Wattle Street, Ultimo.

The temporary school will house about 300 students this year, as a bigger, more permanent facility for 800 is built nearby, providing a photo opportunity for the politicians to show the public just how clever and innovative they are.

Rob Keldoulis holding his son, Archie, with other students from Bondi Beach Public School, is unhappy there are not enough classrooms to accommodate the larger intake of students this year. Credit:Janie Barrett

Unfortunately, as our story by Pallavi Singhal reveals today, the return to school was not so comfortable for hundreds of other students, when they discovered there were no classrooms for them. The Department of Education is now scrambling to get at least 46 demountables into overcrowded schools as they battle burgeoning student numbers.

According to the department it received 336 orders for demountables and 290 were in schools by February 5. A spokesman said that many of the delays were due to applications being made after last year's November deadline.
They were once heaving party joints, filled to the brim with cheap grog and bad manners.

But the once thriving bikie clubhouses that were scattered by the dozens across the state's suburbs and towns have become an endangered species.

Before: The Life and Death bikie gang's headquarters in Lake Macquarie before it was raided by detectives from Strike Force Raptor. Credit:dproudman@fairfaxmedia.com.au

Their unrelenting predator is a group of no-frills cops using a 75-year-old piece of legislation brought in during World War II to stop spies from learning the nation's secrets via Sydney's brothels and sly grog shops.

Then justice minister Robert "Reg" Downing, the man whose name now adorns the city's Downing Centre court precinct, told NSW Parliament in 1943 that authorities needed extra powers to shut down the dens of debauchery in the interests of national security.
An inmate at a maximum security correctional facility in Sydney's west has died after he was allegedly assaulted by another inmate on Friday afternoon.

Officers at the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre in Silverwater found the 54-year-old man unconscious in his cell after responding to an alert around 2.15pm.

An inmate has died after allegedly being assaulted by another inmate in a western Sydney prison. Credit:Greg Henderson

"The man was taken to Westmead Hospital and later died," a spokeswoman for Corrective Services NSW said.

Police were called to the facility on Holker Street at about 3.30pm on Friday, after the man was allegedly assaulted by another inmate, a police statement said.
Emergency services have found the body of a man who went missing on Friday evening while trying to rescue a nine-year-old boy from a dam in the state's central west.

The man tried to help the boy who struggling in the water at Wyangala Dam, about 40 kilometres east of Cowra, when he got into trouble himself.

The boy was rescued by a kayaker about 6pm but the 38-year-old swimmer was seen to "disappear underwater and not resurface", police say.

The man's body was recovered from the Lachlan River on Saturday about 1pm.

Police could not confirm whether the man and the boy were related, and the man has yet to be formally identified.
Hundreds of students arriving for their first day of the year at NSW public schools last week found out there were no classrooms for them, as the Department of Education scrambles to get 46 demountables into overcrowded schools.

At Bondi Beach Public School, two classes are being held in the school's library and learning centre after students returned on January 30 to find the demountable classrooms needed to house its growing population would not arrive for at least several more weeks.

A year 1 class and a year 5 class at Bondi Beach Public School are currently being held in the library and learning centre as students wait for much-needed demountable classrooms to arrive. Credit:Janie Barrett

Six classes at Carlingford West Public School are being held in the school hall and library or students are sharing classrooms, as the school waits for demountables that were only delivered on the first day of school to be fully installed.

"We're still waiting for the stairs to be put in so the demountables can't be used yet," Carlingford West Public's P&C vice-president Bettina Corbo said.
A body, believed to be that of a missing north Queensland man, has been found on an isolated cattle property near Mount Isa after a land and air search on Friday.

Dallas Pyke, 37, was reported missing after he left Cairns on December 30 but never arrived in Mount Isa as planned.

A body, believed to be missing north Queensland man Dallas Pyke, has been found near Mount Isa. Credit:Facebook

He was last heard from by a truck driver, who made contact with Mr Pyke via radio on New Year's Eve.

On Wednesday, his Toyota Landcruiser was spotted by a local helicopter pilot on an isolated cattle property, about 14 kilometres north-east of Mount Isa.
If you thought that was bad, spare a thought for those living in the likes of Birdsville and Longreach. They were forecast to climb to highs of 44 and 45 degrees next week.

Brisbane was predicted to reach maximum temperatures of 36 degrees on Sunday and Monday, about six degrees above the monthly average, while Gatton was expecting a top of 41.

The weather bureau said a refreshing sea breeze would be the 'only saving grace' as the heatwave set in. Credit:Glenn Hunt - Fairfax Media

The central interior and northern Queensland are expecting to hit tops of 45 degrees in the coming days, while parts of the south-east are set to surpass the 40-degree mark.

The Bureau of Meteorology said the "only saving grace" was the refreshing sea breeze for those near the coast, otherwise, temperatures in many parts of the state were expected to be eight to nine degrees above average.

BoM meteorologist Lauren Pattie said a stagnant air mass was forecast to linger over Queensland until the end of next week, with the heat expected to intensify from Saturday onwards.

To make matters worse, the humidity was also expected to climb, with "sticky" conditions ahead, according to Ms Pattie.

There was also the chance of showers and storms next week over inland areas near the border, but the rain was then expected to move towards the coast and deliver the odd storm to the south-east.

The week of heat was forecast to ease by Friday, with Brisbane dropping to a top of 31 degrees and expecting a similar maximum on Saturday, Ms Pattie said.
She was taken to the Northern Hospital with a minor hand injury. The residence in Callistemon Rise, Mill Park, where the stabbing is alleged to have occurred on Friday afternoon. Credit:Chris Hopkins Ambulance officers treated the man, who is known to neighbours as "Roger", at the scene and transported him to the Royal Melbourne Hospital with injuries to his neck and shoulder. He was due to undergo surgery on Saturday and is in a serious but stable condition. 'There was blood everywhere': neighbour

On Saturday afternoon, police opened the garage door at the Callistemon Rise address, which revealed bloodstains on the floor of the garage. A neighbour who provided assistance after the stabbing said the woman was calm and did not try to escape or put up a struggle when police arrived. "When I got there there was blood everywhere and a neighbour was putting pressure on the wound," he said. "She was still there and I talked to her. She was very calm but didn't tell me anything." He said the victim was a man named Roger who had lived in the street for many years.

He said the woman had been living at the home for the past two days and that Roger regularly housed student lodgers. The neighbour, who did want to be named, said Roger was a "good man". Blood stains could be seen in the garage of the property at Callistemon Rise. Credit:Chris Hopkins Another neighbour, Mary, said Roger had stumbled out of the garage, covered in blood and carrying the kitchen knife his house guest had used to stab him. She said she called triple zero and followed instructions on how to treat Roger's wounds until paramedics arrived.

During this time Roger recounted what had happened, she said. "He said he was asleep on the mattress and when he woke up, she was standing over him with the knife still at his face. He tried to take the knife off her and he had a wound on his thumb," she said. She said the woman who stabbed him had been staying at Roger's address for the past two days and was due to attend classes at La Trobe University. She said an agency had asked Roger to house the woman at his property for 10 days until permanent accommodation could be found for her. A second university student had also been living at Roger's address for several months. "He hesitated and said there was something about her that made him uncomfortable," she said.

She said the woman started shouting when she was taken away by police, and was wearing a burqa when she was arrested. Australian Federal Police Acting Deputy Commissioner National Security Ian McCartney (Left) and Victoria Police acting Deputy Commissioner Ross Guenther brief the media on the incident. Credit:AAP Suspect had become 'self-radicalised' Deputy Commissioner Guenther said it appeared the woman had become self-radicalised over a period of time. Asked why police suspected that was the case, he said: We know things like Inspire Magazine and some of the online publications of both al-Qaeda and ISIS can be a source of inspiration.

When asked if police found evidence of the material, Deputy Commissioner Guenther said: We will investigate all of those materials ... we look at social media, whether thats on computer or phones that will be part of the investigation. Police did not believe that this was part of a broader threat, the Deputy Commissioner said. We are confident at this stage that this person acted alone and it was an inspired by a person who had become self-radicalised over a period of time. The incident, as it will be alleged ... appeared to be directed just at that one person. 'An isolated incident': police

Australian Federal Police acting Deputy Commissioner (National Security) Ian McCartney said the woman was inspired by ISIS, and designed to cause harm to the community, but confirmed that police would allege that this was an isolated incident. We will allege before court that shes ISIS inspired, so shes been inspired by the doctrine of ISIS, he said during a press conference on Saturday afternoon. The exact time when the student became radicalised, why she was radicalised and whether she was radicalised before she arrived in Australia would form part of the investigation. When that radicalisation occurred is the subject and real focus of the investigation, he said. The case highlighted "that the threat in relation to terrorism in Australia is real and ongoing".
Thousands of pink snapper will be released into the waters off Cockburn Sound on Saturday to safeguard one of WA's most popular fisheries.

5000 juvenile fish will be sent into the wild after being raised in a laboratory as part of the Snapper Guardians project by Recfishwest and the Australian Centre for Applied Aquaculture Research.

Snapper being released into the wild. Credit:Recfishwest

Known as 'insurance snapper,' the project began in 2015 as a crowd-funded effort after a large fish kill hit the species during its vulnerable spawning time in Cockburn Sound.

Since then, the Snapper Guardians program has released 100,000 baby pink snapper back into the wild, an effort Recfishwest Research Officer James Florisson said has been very effective.
Designs for a 33-storey tower proposed in South Perth, which was set to wall in neighbours at the three-storey block of flats next door, have been sent back to the drawing board by the local planning panel.

The 107-metre Sky Residences proposal featured a podium (base) more than 20 metres high, almost double the height of the neighbouring block of one-bedroom flats.

Artist's impression. Credit:Hillam Architects.

The design, assessed on Friday in a three-hour planning meeting, would have plunged the living areas of most of the neighbouring one-bedroom flats into darkness from 1pm.

A group of owners from the neighbouring flats, alongside other locals, attended to voice their concerns about the design.
Rainsy said we are counting on Facebook to help shed light on (Hun Sens) manipulation of technology. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. Credit:AP Hun Sen turned to Facebook after opposition parties used social media to organise the strongest challenge to his three decade-long reign at elections in 2013. Rights advocates say his regime has developed expertise in using Facebooks anti-abuse systems to purge his critics from the network while closing down much of the countrys independent media outlets, including the Cambodia Daily and 18 news radio stations. Sam Rainsy Credit:AP

Facebook has now overtaken television as Cambodians most popular source of news, especially among young people, with 4.8 million of Cambodias 15.8 million people connected to the internet, surveys show. Cambodian political analyst Ou Virak said last year that Cambodians trust in Facebook was misplaced given the rampant amount of fake news and conspiracy theories that are posted. They dont distinguish the source or credibility of information, he said, estimating that seven out of 10 stories on his Facebook news feed are false or exaggerated. Much of that news comes from pro-Hun Sen news sites such as Fresh News which claimed in a series of recent stories that Rainsys Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) has plotted to overthrow the government in a US-backed conspiracy. A supporter of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, wears party president Kem Sokha portrait poster reading"Free" as she stands outside the Supreme Court in Phnom Penh, Cambodia in October. Kem Sokha was targeted by a wave of misinformation on social media, before being jailed for alleged 'treason.' Credit:AP

Diplomats and analysts in Phnom Penh say the claim is to give Hun Sen cover to wage a sweeping crackdown on his critics ahead of elections scheduled for mid-year. He often uses social media to echo US President Donald Trumps claims about the fake news media to cast doubt on reports critical of him or his regime. A spokesman for Facebook declined to comment on Rainsy's petition, saying the network makes ever possible effort to identify and eliminate click farms and fake pages.Huy Vannak, a Cambodian Interior Ministry official, said Facebook is a level playing field where both the government and opposition are free to promote their pages and make appeals to voters."Facebook has room for everyone to pay and boost their Facebook 'likes'," he said. "This is reality." A spokesman for Facebook declined to comment on Rainsy's petition, saying the network makes ever possible effort to identify and eliminate click farms and fake pages.Huy Vannak, a Cambodian Interior Ministry official, said Facebook is a level playing field where both the government and opposition are free to promote their pages and make appeals to voters."Facebook has room for everyone to pay and boost their Facebook 'likes'," he said. "This is reality." Anonymously operated Facebook accounts have also been the source of leaks republished by Fresh News, including alleged recordings entangling opposition officials in infidelity. Hun Sens regime has relentlessly pursued Rainsy over his Facebook posts resulting in several convictions relating to online speech.

Rainsy faces at least five years jail if he returns to the country. Two other opposition MPs were sentenced to years in prison, their parliamentary immunity from prosecution rescinded, because their allegedly defamatory posts remained available online. Cambodian officials have told journalists they regularly ask Facebook to take down accounts because of language used in posts or because they do not appear to be registered in real names. Facebook, which often compiles with the requests, says it removes credible threats, hate speech and impersonation profiles when were made aware of them. According to a report by the Washington-based NGO Freedom House internet freedom deteriorated in Cambodia in 2017 with prison sentences and new arrests for online speech.

Opposition figures, many of whom have fled the country, are in hiding or in jail, have warned their followers to avoid expressing criticism of the government on Facebook and other social media networks. As democratic progress has stalled elsewhere in Asia, grassroots social movements are faltering as they face attacks from powerful pro-government forces using online armies of trolls who target government critics. In the Philippines an intense campaign of fake news aimed at the independent on-line news outlet Rappler played a key role in a regulator invoking its licence. Rappler often published stories critical of President Rodrigo Duterte. Facebook was already under fire for publishing inaccurate stories favouring Duterte during 2016 elections.

In Myanmar, Facebook has become a key medium for anti-Muslim speech stoking widespread support among the Buddhist-majority for the ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslins in Rakhine State. In Malaysia a cyber-warfare unit linked to the long-ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) is reportedly ready to bombard Facebook and other social media when Prime Minister Najib Razak calls elections before August. Najibs government, which is engulfed in one of the worlds biggest corruption scandals, already exerts control over the countrys mainstream media. Concern is rising in Indonesia about fake-news generators paid to sow social divisions for political gain ahead of general elections in 2019. Communist Vietnam has also harassed and jailed a wave of bloggers critical of government policy, many of them in relation to Facebook posts.
The terrorists who killed eight people, including two Australian women, in last year's London Bridge and Borough Market attack were pumped up on steroids, a pre-inquest hearing has heard.

Brisbane nanny Sara Zelenak, 21, and Loxton, South Australia, nurse Kirsty Boden, 28, died when the three men ploughed into pedestrians in a white van on the bridge then stabbed evening revellers in the nearby market with 12-inch ceramic knives.

Kirsty Boden, 28, died in the London terror attack. Credit:Metropolitan Police

Khuram Butt, 27, Rachid Redouane, 30, and Youssef Zaghba, 22, had all taken a substance called DHEA shortly before the attack on June 3 last year, London's Old Bailey court was told on Friday.

A toxicologist will be called to give evidence at their inquest next year after it was found levels in their systems were above the acceptable physiological range.
London: A $7 billion urban renewal project in north London which was to have been run by Australian developer Lendlease has stalled after fierce political opposition from activists who branded it "social cleansing".

Despite winning a court battle this week over the project's future, Lendlease must now wait until after local elections in May to find out if their plan to demolish and rebuild huge swaths of Haringey - including one of the most deprived council wards in the UK - can go ahead.

Gerard McGrath protesting plans by Lendlease to participate in a redevelopment in North London Credit:Nick Miller

Lendlease has been caught in the middle of a bitter battle between rival Labour factions and local groups, which led to Haringey Council leader Claire Kober resigning over what she said was a misogynistic campaign of intimidation.

Kober said the Lendlease project was desperately needed in a borough where 9000 families were on social housing waiting lists, but government cuts had left councils without the resources to tackle housing crises without private sector help.
Seoul: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un invited South Korean President Moon Jae-in to Pyongyang "at an early date", the presidential Blue House in Seoul said on Saturday, potentially setting up the first meeting of Korean leaders in more than 10 years.

The invitation came during talks and a lunch Moon hosted with Kim Yo Jong, the younger sister of the North Korean leader, at the presidential Blue House in Seoul.

Any meeting would represent a diplomatic coup for Moon, who swept to power last year on a policy of engaging more with the reclusive North.

The recent detente, anchored by South Korea's hosting of the Winter Olympic Games, came despite an acceleration in the North's weapons programme last year and pressure from Seoul's allies in Washington.
Thirteen months into his presidency, Donald Trump has formally announced his pick for US ambassador to Australia - Admiral Harry Harris, a tough-talking military man who has irritated the Chinese government but has the respect of the foreign policy and defence establishment in Canberra.

Speculation had been swirling for the past six months that Admiral Harris, the commander of US forces in the Pacific, was lined up for the diplomatic posting.

His nomination by Mr Trump is likely to enjoy an easy confirmation in the US Senate and is a strong signal to China and the Asia-Pacific of America's intentions, experts said.

A statement from the White House describes him as a "highly decorated, combat proven naval officer with extensive knowledge, leadership and geo-political expertise in the Indo-Pacific region".
Death and taxes might be two great certainties in life, but I reckon we could safely add another one: the motherhood penalty.

We all know the reason for this: women the world over tend to spend much more time caring for children than men do and that, in turn, means women can't work as much as men.

The financial and career costs of motherhood, especially over a lifetime, are typically huge despite decades of sweeping social change.

Now there's striking new evidence underscoring how deeply entrenched and pervasive the motherhood penalty is. Even in Denmark, one of the world's most progressive societies, that penalty is increasing.
Washington: President Donald Trump on Friday declined to release a House Democratic rebuttal of Republican memo alleging bias and misconduct by the FBI and Justice Department early in their investigation of Russian election interference.

Trump is unable to do so because it contains "numerous properly classified and sensitive passages," White House counsel Donald McGahn wrote in a letter to the House Intelligence chairman, Republican Representative Devin Nunes of California. McGahn said the Justice Department concluded that portions of the memo were highly sensitive.

U.S. President Donald Trump Credit:Bloomberg

"The president would consider releasing the Democratic memo if changes were made 'to mitigate the risks' determined by the Department of National Intelligence and Justice Department of releasing those sensitive parts," McGahn wrote.

There was no immediate response from the panel's top Democrat, Adam Schiff of California, who wrote the memo countering the Republican version, which was released last week and was commissioned by Nunes.
When your house is on fire you do not fight about who is to blame or how the fire may have started. Before you do anything else, you try to minimize the damage and then you try to extinguish the fire.

Burning houses. That seems the best way to describe the current situation on Sint Eustatius (Statia) and Sint Maarten: Caribbean parts of our Kingdom. The Statian government has been sent home by Secretary of State Knops. According to the Dutch government, this is due to an administrative culture best characterized as lawless and severe financial mismanagement. Politicians on sister island Sint Maarten are similarly accused of corruption and bribery by the Mafia, not only by other politicians but also by their own electorate. A well-known example is that of the Italian chief of gambling Francesco Corallo who is accused of maintaining close ties with Theo Heyliger, one of Sint Maartens political leaders. At their turn, these and other local politicians accuse The Hague of neo-colonial intentions. The house is on fire. Poverty and unemployment on Statia and Sint Maarten are increasing while those in charge on both sides of the ocean are fighting about who is to blame. They conveniently forget what their task is: making sure that all Dutch citizens can lead a decent and dignified existence. For good order: citizens of these islands are also citizens of the Dutch Kingdom.

What makes the situation even more horrifying is the literal fire that is burning on the dump at the center of Sint Maarten. Schools and corporations have had to shut down while local residents have to keep their doors and windows closed. A dark cloud is covering the sunny island. And again people are discussing who is responsible: who or what caused the fire? Was it done intentionally? But as we already indicated, the fire needs to be extinguished before this discussion can take place.

This fire can only be doused when representatives from different departments (the departments of Environment, Public Health, Infrastructure, and Finances) from Curacao, Sint Maarten, Aruba and the Netherlands, work together. Such a Kingdom-wide, management group, based on equity and solidarity, should also include experts from the corporate and the academic worlds. The management group is tasked with wisely spending the money that has been made available for the reconstruction of Sint Maarten in public-private partnerships. This sustainable development will transform Sint Maarten into an environmental friendly and financially profitable, tourist island.

But this plan does not only concern Sint Maarten. This cooperation should lay the foundation for a Dutch Caribbean that takes the lead in social, ecological and economic development, both regionally and internationally. Under the guidance of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, the Netherlands has become renowned for its abilities to adjust landscapes to the force of water and to protect her people. Their knowledge and expertise should now be made available to also make the Caribbean infrastructure resistant to the destructive forces of hurricanes and earthquakes.

A similar approach shall extinguish the figural fire that is burning on Statia. Professionals and politicians of the BES-islands, Aruba, Curacao, Sint Maarten and the Netherlands should be selected to collectively fight poverty and develop a well-functioning daily administration. Experts from the island itself should play a prominent role in this. Selection and strategy development lay with the Kingdom Government: The Dutch Cabinet complemented with the plenipotentiaries from Aruba, Curacao and Sint Maarten. This Kingdom Government is accountable to a Kingdom Parliament that is in dire need of being established. It will emanate from the Inter-Parliamentary Kingdom Consultation (IPKO), through which Caribbean and Dutch parliamentarians now meet each other twice a year. This is not nearly often enough. Moreover, the Kingdom Government is currently not accountable to the IPKO which leaves this institution rather powerless. By collectively extinguishing the fires on both Sint Eustatius and Sint Maarten, we can finally give shape to an equal and democratic Kingdom.

Dr. Francio Guadeloupe (University of Amsterdam).

Jordi Halfman (University of Amsterdam)

Nicole Sanches (University of Utrecht )

Co-signed by:

Prof. Dr. Monique Volman (University of Amsterdam)

Dr. Yvon van der Pijl (University of Utrecht)

Dr. Guiselle Starink-Martha (University of Amsterdam)

Sanne Rotmeijer (KITLV, Leiden)

Lisenne Delgado LLM (University of Curacao)

Oldine Bryson (former head of the SER, Sint Maarten)

Benjamin Ortega (head of the St. Maarten Development Movement)
St. Eustatius:--- The Caribbean Progressive Alliance (CPA), an association formed during a meeting of COPPPAL on St Maarten, in May 2017, with as members organizations from the remaining non-self-governing countries in general, globally and regionally, with a particular emphasis on the islands of the former Netherlands Antilles.

Counted among our growing members are Puerto Rico, San Andres, Providenciales and U.S. Virgin Islands, B.V.I., The French and Dutch overseas territories.

The CPA has followed with consternation and disbelief the treatment meted out by the Dutch government on the people of the former Netherlands Antilles, especially the BES islands of Bonaire and St. Eustatius. Over the past seven years, the Dutch government has done everything within its power, to frustrate and obstruct the proper functioning of the duly elected governments on these islands.

Through instruments such as but not limited to instructions to the Lt. Governor, overreach by an appointed Kingdom Representative, who is a civil servant, with authority bestowed by the Dutch government to block and or delay any legitimate actions of government that the Dutch dont approve of.

Additionally, the Dutch government has proceeded to anchor these islands into the Dutch constitution against the wishes of the peoples as expressed in referenda held on both islands.

The Dutch government while not living up to any agreement or complying with its obligations vies@vies the islands socially, economically or politically, have decided unilaterally without dialogue or consultation with the duly elected government of St Eustatius to put aside the will of the people, via a measurer of higher supervision and administer the island by an administrative commissioner appointed by the Dutch.

This action is not keeping with the principles of democracy or in accordance with the United Nations Charter which prescribes a full measure of self-government.

The CPA vehemently opposes this undemocratic and draconian action of the Dutch government, in the unjust take-over of the St Eustatius government and the setting aside of the duly elected members of the island council and the appointed commissioners.

For the good order we wish to perfectly make clear, we condemn and reject this action as illegal, draconian and without merit or justification, and we stand in solidarity with our sister island in its struggle for justice and the right to a full measure of self-government.

We shall, therefore, seek redress in cooperation with St Eustatius by all legal means available to us.
Syria state media say air defences repelled Israel attack



Damascus, Feb 10 (AFP) Feb 10, 2018



Syrian air defences repelled an Israeli raid on a military base in the centre of the country on Saturday, hitting more than one warplane, state media said.

The report came after the Israeli military said one of its fighter jets had crashed during strikes against "Iranian targets" in Syria after intercepting a drone.

"At dawn, the Zionist enemy carried out a new aggression against one of our military bases in the centre of the country," Syrian state news agency SANA reported.

"Our air defences repelled it and hit more than one plane."

Israel has carried out dozens of air strikes on the Syrian armed forces and their allies since the civil war broke out in 2011.

Iran with Russia is the main military backer of the Damascus government.

Israel has largely confined its operations to targeting Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite militant group that is a key ally of Iran.
Israel says attacks 12 Syrian and Iranian targets in Syria



Jerusalem, Feb 10 (AFP) Feb 10, 2018



Israel's military attacked 12 Syrian and Iranian targets in Syria on Saturday in what it described as "large-scale" raids following an exchange of fire earlier in the day.

"A few minutes ago, (Israeli aircraft)... targeted the Syrian Aerial Defence System and Iranian targets in Syria," a military statement said.

"Twelve targets, including three aerial defence batteries and four Iranian targets that are part of Iran's military establishment in Syria were attacked."

It added that "during the attack, anti-aircraft missiles were fired towards Israel, triggering alarms that were heard in northern Israel."

Earlier Saturday, an Israeli fighter jet crashed after coming under fire from Syrian air defences during attacks against "Iranian targets" in the war-torn country, an Israeli military spokesman said.

The Israeli pilots of the crashed F16 were reported alive, though one was severely wounded.

Israel's initial raid came after it intercepted what it said was an Iranian drone entering its airspace from Syria.

The confrontation was the most serious between arch foes Israel and Iran since the start of the civil war in Syria in 2011.
Iran denies Israeli 'lies', says Syria acting in 'self-defence'



Tehran, Feb 10 (AFP) Feb 10, 2018



Iran denounced Israeli "lies" on Saturday and said Syria had the right to "legitimate self-defence" in response to air strikes launched by Israel after an alleged drone incursion into its territory.

"Iran believes Syria has the right to legitimate self-defence. To cover their crimes in the region, Israeli officials are resorting to lies against other countries," foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi told AFP.

Israel struck targets inside Syria on Saturday after intercepting what it said was an Iranian drone entering its airspace from Syria, which it labelled an "attack."

An Israeli fighter jet crashed under fire from Syrian air defences.

That prompted Israel to unleash a dozen retaliatory strikes on both Syrian and Iranian targets inside Syria.

"The allegations regarding surveillance by an Iranian drone are too ridiculous for words," said Ghasemi.

Iran issued a joint statement alongside the other main allies of the Syrian regime, Russia and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, vowing a "relentless response" to Israeli "aggression".

The statement said the Israeli air strikes had targeted drones used in the fight against "terrorist organisations, primarily Daesh", referring to the Islamic State jihadist group.

"Iran does not have a military presence in Syria, and has only sent military advisers at the request of the Syrian government," Ghasemi told AFP.

"We deny all unfounded allegations by the Zionists. The government and Syrian army are only defending themselves against Israeli aggression."

Lebanon also criticised the Israeli strikes, and said it would write a letter of protest to the United Nations over the use of its airspace for the raids, according to a statement from its foreign ministry.

burs-er/dr
Major Israeli air raids hit 'Iranian targets' in Syria



Jerusalem, Feb 10 (AFP) Feb 10, 2018



Israel struck what it said were Iranian targets inside Syria on Saturday in "large-scale" raids after an Israeli warplane crashed under fire from Syrian air defences in a severe increase in tensions, the military said.

The confrontation was the most serious between arch foes Israel and Iran since the civil war in Syria began in 2011.

Israel's raids came after it intercepted what it said was an Iranian drone entering its airspace from Syria, which it labelled an "attack".

It was the first time Israel has publicly acknowledged attacking what it identified as Iranian targets in Syria since the conflict started.

Iran denounced Israeli "lies" and said Syria had the right to self-defence in response to Israeli strikes.

Separately, Iran issued a joint statement with the Syrian regime's other main allies -- Russia and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah -- denying the allegations regarding the drone.

Russia's foreign ministry called for "restraint" from all parties, adding it was "unacceptable to create threats to the lives and security of Russian soldiers" in Syria.

Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus warned that Syria and Iran were "playing with fire", but stressed his country was not seeking an escalation.

"This is the most blatant and severe Iranian violation of Israeli sovereignty in the last years," Conricus told journalists.

Israel said its reprisals after the exchange were "large-scale" raids that attacked Syrian air defence systems and Iranian targets.

"Twelve targets, including three aerial defence batteries and four Iranian targets that are part of Iran's military establishment in Syria were attacked," a military statement said.

Israel has repeatedly warned in recent weeks against the presence of Iranian forces in neighbouring Syria.



- 'Massive' fire -



The two Israeli crew of the crashed F16 were alive, although one was severely wounded, the military said.

Israel's military said the confrontation began with the drone entering its airspace before being intercepted by a combat helicopter.

Conricus said it was intercepted well inside Israel over the city of Beit Shean, near the border with Jordan.

He did not say whether the drone was armed or for reconnaissance, but alleged it "was on a military mission sent by Iranian military forces" from an "Iranian base" in the Palmyra area.

Eight Israeli aircraft then "targeted the Iranian control systems in Syria that sent the UAV" and confirmed hits, Conricus said.

He said the aircraft met "massive Syrian anti-air fire", and the F16 later crashed in northern Israel's Jezreel valley.

Conricus said the jet probably crashed as a result of the anti-aircraft fire, without saying definitively.

According to the military, the pilots ejected, landed in Israel and were taken to hospital.

Syria said its air defences repelled two Israeli raids on its military bases in the centre of the country, hitting more than one warplane during the first.



- 'Nobody tries us' -



The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor of the seven-year civil war, said the earlier Israeli raids had targeted several military bases in the east of the central province of Homs.

It said the bases are used by both Iranian and Russian military personnel deployed in support of the regime.

Syrian state media said the later raids targeted military positions in the south.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said that "to cover their crimes in the region, Israeli officials are resorting to lies against other countries".

He said "Iran does not have a military presence in Syria, and has only sent military advisers at the request of the Syrian government".

Iran, Russia and Hezbollah -- the Syrian regime's main allies -- issued a statement calling Israel's drone allegations "lies".

It said Israel's strikes had targeted drones used against "terrorist organisations", mainly the Islamic State group.

The statement vowed a "relentless response" to "all further aggression".

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met officials including Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman and military Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot later Saturday.

He has held a series of talks in recent months with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Iran's influence in Syria and Lebanon.

Netanyahu has been seeking to persuade Russia to limit Iran's presence near Israel and to stop it from entrenching itself militarily in Syria.

In Moscow last month, Netanyahu reiterated concerns over what he called attempts by Iran to establish a military presence in Syria and produce weapons against Israel there.

"We won't accept either of those, and will act according to our needs," he said.

Israel remains technically at war with Syria and occupies a swathe of the strategic Golan Heights that it seized in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed in a move never recognised by the international community.

On Tuesday, Netanyahu took members of his security cabinet for a tour of the Israeli-occupied side, where they were briefed by the military.

Israel has sought to avoid direct involvement in the Syrian war, but acknowledges carrying out dozens of air strikes there to stop what it calls advanced arms deliveries to Hezbollah.

Analysts said they did not expect a further escalation for now, but suggested the heavy anti-aircraft fire showed Syria was more emboldened to stop Israel's strikes.

Ofer Zalzberg of the International Crisis Group said Russia should mediate since "it is the only stakeholder which has strong relations with all sides today".

But he said "this incident signals a new phase in a way of the war in Syria".
Major Israeli air raids hit 'Iranian targets' in Syria



Jerusalem, Feb 10 (AFP) Feb 10, 2018



Israel attacked what it said were Iranian targets inside Syria Saturday in "large-scale" raids after an Israeli warplane crashed following hits from Syrian air defences in a severe increase in tensions, the military said.

The confrontation was the most serious between arch foes Israel and Iran since Syria's civil war began in 2011.

Israel's raids came after it intercepted what it said was an Iranian drone entering its airspace from Syria, calling it an "attack".

It was the first time Israel has publicly acknowledged attacking what it identified as Iranian targets in Syria since the conflict started.

Iran denounced Israeli "lies" and said Syria had the right to self-defence in response to Israeli strikes.

Separately, Iran issued a statement with Syria's other main allies -- Russia and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah -- denying Israel's drone allegations.

Russia's foreign ministry urged "restraint" by all parties, adding it was "unacceptable to create threats to the lives and security of Russian soldiers" in Syria.

Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus warned that Syria and Iran were "playing with fire", but stressed his country was not seeking an escalation.

"This is the most blatant and severe Iranian violation of Israeli sovereignty in the last years," Conricus told journalists.

Israel said its reprisals after the exchange were "large-scale" raids that attacked Syrian air defence systems and Iranian targets.

"Twelve targets, including three aerial defence batteries and four Iranian targets that are part of Iran's military establishment in Syria were attacked," a military statement said.

Israel has repeatedly warned against the presence of Iranian forces in neighbouring Syria.



- 'Massive' fire -



The two crew from Israel's crashed F16 were alive, although one was severely wounded, the military said.

Israel's military said the confrontation began with the drone entering its airspace before being intercepted by a combat helicopter.

Conricus said it was intercepted well inside Israel north of the city of Beit Shean, near the border with Jordan.

He did not say whether the drone was armed or for reconnaissance, but alleged it "was on a military mission sent by Iranian military forces" from an "Iranian base" in the Palmyra area.

Eight Israeli aircraft then "targeted the Iranian control systems in Syria that sent the UAV" and confirmed hits, Conricus said.

He said the aircraft met "massive Syrian anti-air fire", and the F16 later crashed in northern Israel's Jezreel valley.

Conricus said it probably crashed as a result of the anti-aircraft fire.

According to the military, the pilots ejected, landed in Israel and were taken to hospital.

Syria said its air defences repelled two Israeli raids on its military bases in the centre of the country, hitting more than one warplane during the first.



- 'Nobody tries us' -



The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor of the seven-year civil war, said the earlier Israeli raids had targeted several bases in the east of the central province of Homs.

It said the bases are used by both Iranian and Russian military personnel deployed in support of the regime.

Syrian state media said the later raids targeted positions in the south.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said that "to cover their crimes in the region, Israeli officials are resorting to lies against other countries".

He said "Iran does not have a military presence in Syria, and has only sent military advisers at the request of the Syrian government".

The statement from Iran, Russia and Hezbollah dismissed Israel's drone allegations as "lies".

It said Israel's strikes had targeted drones used against "terrorist organisations", mainly the Islamic State group.

The statement vowed a "relentless response" to "all further aggression".

Danny Danon, Israel's ambassador to the UN, said in a letter to the Security Council that Saturday's events prove Israel's warnings about "Iran's dangerous actions that undermine the situation in our region".

"I call on the Security Council to condemn this dangerous act and to put an immediate end to Iranian provocations," Danon said.

Earlier, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met officials including Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman and military Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot.

The premier has held a series of talks in recent months with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Iran's influence in Syria and Lebanon.

Netanyahu has sought to persuade Russia to limit Iran's presence near Israel and to stop it from entrenching itself militarily in Syria.

Israel remains technically at war with Syria and occupies a swathe of the strategic Golan Heights that it seized in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed in a move never recognised by the international community.

Israel has sought to avoid direct involvement in the Syrian war, but acknowledges carrying out dozens of air strikes there to stop what it calls deliveries of advanced weaponry to Hezbollah.

Analysts said they did not expect a further escalation for now, but suggested the heavy anti-aircraft fire showed Syria was more emboldened to counter Israel's strikes.

Ofer Zalzberg of the International Crisis Group said Russia should mediate since "it is the only stakeholder which has strong relations with all sides today".

But he said "this incident signals a new phase in a way of the war in Syria".
Syria eases strikes on rebel enclave after deadly campaign: monitor



Douma, Syria, Feb 10 (AFP) Feb 10, 2018



Syrian regime air strikes on the rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta eased on Saturday after five days of heavy bombardment that killed more than 240 civilians, a monitoring group said.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 30 people were wounded by air strikes and artillery fire but that the intensity of the bombardment targeting the Eastern Ghouta region near the capital had lessened from Friday night.

"There have (since) been practically no air raids and even artillery fire is less intense," Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP, although warplanes had struck areas near Douma, the region's main town.

Rebel shelling triggered a fire at a power plant in the capital, the official news agency SANA said.

The sharp drop in violence came as regime forces and their allies were targeted by major Israeli air raids Saturday after an Israeli warplane crashed after being fired on by Syrian air defences.

Five straight days of bombardment by regime warplanes and artillery from Monday to Friday killed more than 240 civilians, including 60 children, and wounded 775 people, the Observatory said.

The offensive had trapped thousands of families in makeshift bomb shelters and overwhelmed rescue workers, but on Saturday life in Eastern Ghouta appeared to be returning to normal in some areas.

Some shops reopened in Douma, Erbin and Hammuriyeh, and residents were seen sweeping up rubble outside their homes as others salvaged what they could from destroyed houses, AFP correspondents said.

The UN Security Council is considering a draft resolution demanding a 30-day ceasefire in Syria to allow for urgent deliveries of humanitarian aid, according to the text seen by AFP on Friday.

Sweden and Kuwait presented the measure that would also demand an immediate end to sieges, including in Eastern Ghouta.

Negotiations on the proposed measure are to begin on Monday, and diplomats said it could quickly come to a vote at the council.

Western powers have expressed alarm over the government's campaign against rebel-held Eastern Ghouta, where 400,000 people have been besieged since 2013.

UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein on Saturday accused Syrian forces of carrying out "no-holds-barred" military offensives.

He denounced "wave after wave of deadly air strikes leading to civilian casualties" in Eastern Ghouta and the opposition-controlled northwestern province of Idlib.
Israel targets 'Iranian' positions in Syria after F16 downed



Jerusalem, Feb 10 (AFP) Feb 10, 2018



Israel attacked what it said were Iranian positions inside Syria on Saturday in "large-scale" raids after one of its warplanes was targeted by Syrian air defences and crashed.

Following the most serious confrontation between arch foes Israel and Iran since Syria's civil war began in 2011, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to prevent Tehran from establishing a threatening military presence in the Arab state.

Israel's raids came after it intercepted what it said was an Iranian drone entering its airspace from Syria, calling it an "attack".

It was the first time Israel has publicly acknowledged targeting what it identified as Iranian positions in Syria since the conflict started.

Iran denounced Israeli "lies" and said Syria had the right to self-defence in response to the strikes.

Separately, Iran issued a statement with Syria's other main allies -- Russia and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah -- denying Israel's drone allegations.

Russia's foreign ministry urged "restraint" by all parties, adding it was "unacceptable to create threats to the lives and security of Russian soldiers" in Syria.

Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus warned that Syria and Iran were "playing with fire", but stressed that his country was not seeking an escalation.

"This is the most blatant and severe Iranian violation of Israeli sovereignty in the last years," Conricus told journalists.



- '12 targets attacked' -



Israel said its reprisals after the exchange were "large-scale" raids that attacked Syrian air defence systems and Iranian targets.

"Twelve targets, including three aerial defence batteries and four Iranian targets that are part of Iran's military establishment in Syria were attacked," a military statement said.

Israel has repeatedly warned against the presence of Iranian forces in Syria.

The two crew from Israel's crashed F16 were alive after ejecting, although one was severely wounded, the military said.

They landed inside Israel and were taken to hospital.

Israel's military said the confrontation began with the drone entering its airspace before being intercepted by a combat helicopter.

Conricus said it was intercepted well inside Israel north of the city of Beit Shean, near the Jordan border.

He did not say whether the drone was armed, but alleged it "was on a military mission sent by Iranian military forces" from an "Iranian base" in the Palmyra area.

Eight Israeli aircraft then "targeted the Iranian control systems in Syria that sent the UAV" and confirmed hits, Conricus said.

He said the aircraft met "massive Syrian anti-air fire", and the F16 later came down in northern Israel's Jezreel valley, probably as a result of the anti-aircraft fire.

Damascus said its air defences repelled two Israeli raids on its military bases in central Syria, hitting more than one warplane during the first.



- 'Israel wants peace' -



The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, said Israel had targeted several bases in the east of the central province of Homs.

It said the bases are used by both Iranians and Russians deployed in support of the regime.

Syrian state media said the later raids targeted positions in the south.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said that "to cover their crimes in the region, Israeli officials are resorting to lies against other countries".

"Iran does not have a military presence in Syria, and has only sent military advisers at the request of the Syrian government," he said.

The statement from Iran, Russia and Hezbollah dismissed Israel's drone allegations as "lies".

It said Israel had targeted drones used against "terrorist organisations", mainly the Islamic State group.

Hezbollah in a separate statement said the F16's downing marked the start of a "new strategic era".

Danny Danon, Israel's ambassador to the UN, called on the Security Council "to condemn this dangerous act and to put an immediate end to Iranian provocations".

Speaking after meeting defence officials, Netanyahu reiterated that Israel would not allow Iran to establish itself militarily in Syria.

"Israel wants peace but we will continue to defend ourselves with determination against any attack on us and against any attempt by Iran to entrench itself militarily in Syria or anywhere else," he said late Saturday.

Netanyahu also said he had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"I reiterated our right and duty to defend ourselves against attacks from Syrian territory," Netanyahu said, adding that they agreed to continue their coordination on Syria.

The Kremlin said Putin had stressed to Netanyahu the necessity to "avoid any measure that could lead to a dangerous escalation".



- Still at war -



Netanyahu said he also spoke to US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who is about to embark on a visit to the region.

The premier has held a series of talks in recent months with Putin in a bid to persuade Russia to limit Iran's presence near Israel.

Israel is technically at war with Syria and occupies a swathe of the strategic Golan Heights that it seized in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed in a move never recognised by the international community.

Israel has sought to avoid direct involvement in the Syria conflict, but acknowledges carrying out dozens of air strikes there to stop what it calls deliveries of advanced weaponry to Hezbollah.

Analysts said they did not expect a further escalation for now, but suggested the heavy anti-aircraft fire showed Syria was more emboldened to counter Israel's strikes.

Ofer Zalzberg of the International Crisis Group said Russia should mediate since "it is the only stakeholder which has strong relations with all sides today".

But he said "this incident signals a new phase in a way of the war in Syria".
Brussels, Feb 9, 2018 (SPS) - Following recent discussions with officials from the European Commission, Representative of Frente POLISARIO to Europe Mohamed Sidati commented:

The discussions covered a wide range of issues, from the ongoing attempts to include Western Sahara in EU-Morocco trade agreements without the consent of the Saharawi people via their legitimate Representative Frente Polisario, to the need for the EU to play a more proactive role in supporting efforts to revitalise the UN peace process. We welcomed the European Commission's invitation to discuss these issues; and hope it signals the first step to a more constructive approach by the Commission.

During the meeting, we made clear our deep concerns at the ongoing negotiations to include Western Sahara in EU trade agreement with Morocco, and the absence of a transparent, legal, and credible process to obtain the consent of Frente Polisario, the legal Representative of the Saharawi people. Any economic agreement between the EU and Morocco that does not explicitly exclude Western Sahara will continue to strenghen Morocco's illegal occupation. To this extent, we stressed our confidence in EU law, and our preparedness to return to the European Court of Justice concerning any such matters.

In parallel we reiterated our unequivocal commitment to the UN peace process through our ongoing, constructive engagement with the efforts of the UN Secretary General's Personal Envoy H.E Horst Kohler. In this context, we reminded the Commission of the relevance of developments at the EU to the UN political process, and the need to ensure no obstacles are presented to the efforts of Mr Kohler.

Frente Polisario remains open and ready for constructive engagement, trade, and cooperation with the EU within the framework of international and EU law. A sustainable, stable, and prosperous future for the Maghreb is only possible through mutual respect for international law, justice, the principle of Self-determination, fundamental human rights and values. (SPS)

062/SPS




English09/02/2018

POSITIVE ATMOSPHERE, COMMITMENT TO MAINTAINING IMF ARRANGEMENT

WASHINGTON, February 9 /SRNA/ - Prime Minister of Republika Srpska Zeljka Cvijanovic says it is important that the International Monetary Fund Board of Directors gave a positive opinion about a future arrangement with Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday.



Cvijanovic, who is visiting Washington, told Srna over the telephone that during her visit to the United States she met with IMF officials twice, that the atmosphere was positive and that commitment was shown for working together and maintaining the arrangement in the challenging, election year in BiH.



Stating that the first review of the arrangement had been concluded successfully and that there was a chance to withdraw the second tranche, Cvijanovic pointed out it was good that the Srpska Government and other institutions, including the parliament, are committed to working on the Reform Agenda and meeting the requirements from the Letter of Intent sent to the IMF.



She underlined there was great similarity between the Reform Agenda with the EU and the Letter of Intent with the IMF because the documents were designed with a view to implementing certain reforms.



Cvijanovic added that the reforms could not be realised without the financial support, that they needed to be backed by international financial arrangements of which one was the IMFs and the other was a very important arrangement with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development /EBRD/.



According to her, the arrangement with the EBRD will be used to build roads and motorways, especially now that the requirements have been met, i.e. the laws which needed to be passed were indeed passed.



This secures extensive amounts coming from the EU through grants or different arrangements we will implement in the time ahead, said the prime minister.



Cvijanovic added she had a chance to attend the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington on Thursday where US President Donald Trump held a speech, saying that the event was extremely important because it gathered the people from around the world who had good cooperation with the United States or were recognised for their good activities and made the guest list.



Its a great pleasure since I have attended the Prayer Breakfast for eight or nine times and it is always a good opportunity to talk to the people from the Congress and other US public figures, as well as people from around the world, added Cvijanovic.



The prime minister said she was going to attend a significant humanitarian event in Washington on Friday.



Its an event that involves our Diaspora in Washington and is supposed to have a humanitarian character. Its goal is building a new cathedral church in the American capital, said Cvijanovic.



The Srpska Government, she said, in cooperation with Serbs in Washington, specifically with the help of connections with the Serbian Orthodox Church in the State, managed to carry out some major projects and remains committed to the cooperation in the future.



The IMF Executiv Board made a decision to disburse the second tranche of the extended arrangement with BiH on Friday. /end/ds
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EDB, gem/jewellery industry to jointly encourage designers View(s):

The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) and the Sri Lanka Gem and Jewellery Association (SLGJA) in collaboration with the Academy of Design (AOD) has launched a 12-month Diploma in Jewellery Designing to develop the jewellery designer pool by attracting young and talented designers towards the industry.

An EDB media release said the gem and jewellery industry remains one of the countrys main foreign exchange earners and is the fifth largest industry in terms of receiving foreign exchange revenue to the country.

However annual foreign exchange earnings from jewellery are minimal compared to that of gem exports during the past few years. At present, Sri Lankas main markets for jewellery are the US, UAE, Singapore, Hong Kong, Germany, Japan and Switzerland.

The main factors hindering the progress of the industry are the lack of awareness on the benefits of using design as a differentiator in the international market and inadequate number of designers who are capable of producing exquisite designs to attract the high-end segments in the international markets.

The limited local designer pool and the limited capacity of designers to visualise and conceptualise the jewellery designs according to the consumer requirement and produce designs that have a global appeal, has affected the industry in promoting high end jewellery internationally, said Indira Malwatte, Chairperson and Chief Executive, EDB.

The development of design in the industry will help to produce directly to the consumer market especially to the high-end and attract more international buyers to Sri Lanka for higher value-added products, she added.

SLGJA, the key private sector association for the development and promotion of gems and jewellery industry, also places high priority on developing the skills of jewellery designers in the country.

A long term approach to teaching design skills is perhaps the most prudent way to address this need. This objective perhaps is best achieved by attracting young people with a fresh mindset and the ability to apply themselves unconventionally, in to the industry, said Sellakumar Kandasamy, Vice Chairman  Jewellery Segment, SLGJA .

The new diploma programme will run for total of 15 months including three months compulsory industry internship where the students will be provided an opportunity to work in the jewellery manufacturing units in order to gain practical exposure to the industry.

As this is the first endeavour of this nature and given the importance of retaining the designers in the sector, the EDB and SLGJA have selected five students on the basis of merit and their commitment to work in the jewellery industry for a minimum period of two years.
Lazard, worlds top investment bank, explores Sri Lanka; works with MTI View(s):

Recognised as one of the worlds preeminent financial advisory and asset management firms, the 170 year-old Lazard has shown interest in Sri Lanka, with a visit last week by an international delegation, in co-operation with MTI Consulting.

The global financial advisory firm, in conjunction with MTI Consulting, was due to meet officials of the Sri Lankan Government and discuss how Lazard could work with the government in its attempt to divest and attract foreign investments for its large non-strategic assets like hotels.

A media release from MTI said Lazard is a leading international investment bank dedicated to financial advisory and advises on many of the largest and most complex transactions, including advising Starwood Hotels on its sale to Marriott and Hotel Investment Partners on its sale to Blackstone.

MTI Consulting is Sri Lankas leading strategy consultancy and part of an internationally-networked, boutique consultancy network.
Sri Lankas special Port City legislation to be presented soon By Bandula Sirimanna View(s): View(s):

Sri Lankas special Port City legislation will be presented in parliament soon, as new laws and regulations are essential for a mega project of this nature, a frontline Deputy Minister of the government disclosed.

Multiple emerging opportunities have been considered in drafting this new legislation in consistency with the constitution creating an oasis for businesses to be established here to serve the South Asian region, Deputy Minister of Policy Planning and Economic Development, Dr. Harsha de Silva told the Business Times.

The Colombo International Financial City (CIFC) legal division headed by former Attorney General Yuvanjana Wijethilake with a cadre of supporting staff has been engaged in preparatory work of the legislation.

A fully transparent Request for Proposals has been made from reputed UK based law firms to evaluate the draft CIFC law and the selected British law firm is being involved in drafting the detail rules regulations of the CIFC in accordance with the common law and in line with the constitution, he revealed.

Finally, the legislation will be drafted by the legal draftsman department in consultation with the Attorney Generals Department.

The financial city will function as a special jurisdiction area with its own economic and commercial laws to facilitate operations of global multinational corporations and grow as a business and financial hub, he pointed out.

According to the new tripartite agreement on Port city, the president will gazette filled lands under the Lands Ordinance and thereafter be allocated to the Urban Development Authority (UDA).

The UDA will declare them as a development area under the UDA Act. This will take place before land is leased on 99-year basis to the project company.

The Chinese investment company CHECL expressed its willingness to invest a further US$ 1 billion in the construction of the first building complex on reclaimed land.

It will launch this project to construct three high rise buildings with 60 floors each.

In a latest development, two MOUs were signed between the Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development (MMWD), UDA and CHEC Port City Colombo, in Beijing for funding of the Colombo International Finance City (CIFC) Building Complex on the reclaimed land of the Colombo Port City Development Project and the Underground Marine Drive Tunnel.

The Cabinet of ministers has given its approval in principle to the project connecting from Chaithya at the airport highway and Marine Drive in Kollupitiya by the project company making a further investment on a Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis.

The project has been designed to expand the existing Marine Drive through this underground tunnel through the Galle Face Green which will then be connected to an elevated highway on the Port City, which will link up to the New Kelani Bridge.

There would also be an extension of the Galle Face Green promenade when the project reaches completion.

The project company has hired AECOM, international engineering consultants and the technical feasibility study is now being conducted in liaison with MMWD, Road Development Authority (RDA), Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) and Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA).

Upon completion of the technical feasibility study and cost estimates, the project company proposes to hire another international consultancy firm to carry out financial and operational feasibility study on a PPP/BOT structure.

When complete, the city will have reclaimed 269 hectares with 116 hectares being handed over to China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), which is the parent company of China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC).

The remaining land will be owned by the Sri Lankan Government and will be divided with 62 hectares to be used to set up a financial city and 91 hectares to be used as public spaces.
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I invite anyone who wishes to comment on this blog to do so. I enjoy the comments, whether you agree with what I have said or not. But some people want to abuse the right to comment, and since this is my blog, I have decided to lay down the following rules. If your comment violates these rules, it will not be published.
A fresh round of funding aimed at building Maori capacity in the digital technology space is underway.

Maori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta says its about helping Maori participate in the modern digital economy.

Already, some $3.6 million is helping 20 projects around the country develop under the Ka Hao Maori Digital Technology Fund. The new funding round will expand this, with applications open since February 9.

Ka Hao aims to create high value jobs and opportunities that advance Maori in digital technologies. Applications must demonstrate how an initiative achieves this aim, and aligns with at least one of the Funds priorities:

 Improving digital skills and pathways for Maori in digital technologies

 Growing digital technologies businesses

 Enhancing new Maori language and culture initiatives through digital technologies.

We want more Maori involved with technology and innovation, says Nanaia. Ka Hao supports Maori to develop skills that are key to participating in our digital future.

Research, Science and Innovation Minister Dr Megan Woods says technology and innovation are important pillars of New Zealands economic, environmental, social and cultural wellbeing.

For Maori to succeed in the 21st century we must foster and build capability in digital technology and support a diverse, knowledge-intensive economy that will create new jobs in new industries.

Ka Hao (previously known as the Maori ICT Development Fund) is a joint programme between Te Puni Kokiri and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

By providing direct support through the Ka Hao Fund, Maori will have even greater access and success in the digital technology industry, says Nanaia.

Applicants have until March 9 to submit a short proposal. Selected applicants will then be invited to submit a more detailed proposal to determine which projects will receive funding.

The government is interested in broadening the ambition of the Ka Hao Maori Digital Technology Fund and they say there may be additional focus areas in future funding rounds.

More information on Ka Hao, the application process, and successful applicants to date, is available at: https://www.tpk.govt.nz/en/whakamahia/it-and-innovation/ka-hao-maori-digital-technology-development-fund/.
National heir apparent Simon Bridges has sent a strong message to the party about his popularity amongst deep-pocketed supporters after hauling in $120,000 in donations.

This is on the back of the Tauranga MP hosting the National Party caucus retreat in his hometown during the week.

Last week, candidates declared donations of $11.4 million. National candidates led the way with $5.2m between them, while their Labour opponents attracted $4m.

Simon received twice as much in donations as any other candidate in New Zealand.

He says his donation haul is a reflection of how hard he worked and lobbied for his home turf. "You know, sausage sizzles and Christmas cake raffles dont cut it any more for fundraising."

"The value that [the community has] gotten out of the last government, that they have put their money where their mouth is. I appreciate that and I appreciate that they place that value in me."

Candidates could only spend a maximum of $26,200 on campaigning. The money raised would be put to good use, he says.

He says some of the money was funnelled back to the party, however some of it will be used over the next three years to support Nationals activities in the region.

Tauranga being one of the fastest growing electorates in the country, sustainable development is a key issue for the electorate, according to Simon.

Thats why he believes businessmen like Paul Adams support him.

"He is a prominent Tauranga business identity and he understood what National was doing and what I was doing locally."

Companies connected to Bay of Plenty rich-lister Paul Adams, who last year had an estimated worth of $135 million, donated $31,000 to Simon to contest the safe Tauranga seat, and $50,000 to the National Party. Regional roading concerns were top of mind for Paul when he made his decision to donate.

"As the Minister of Transport we wanted to make sure he was doing his bit for our region," says Paul. "Weve got another government now so weve got to start working on other people."

Family-owned fishery company Talleys Group was the second highest donor, funding candidates from three different political parties.

In total the company doled out $49,000 to 10 politicians. New Zealand First MP Shane Jones was the biggest winner, getting $10,000 from Talleys.

When called on Saturday, Sir Peter Talley said he was not interested in talking about the donations.

The company gave $5000 a piece to Nationals Amy Adams, Sarah Dowie, Paula Bennett, Todd McClay, Stuart Smith, Maureen Pugh and Nikki Kaye, while Labours Rino Tirikatene and New Zealand Firsts Fletcher Tabuteau picked up $2000 each.

It was the first donation Amy Adams had ever received from the company. "They have some facilities in my area," she gave as the reason for the money.

It was not Talleys first donation to Kaikoura MP Stuart Smith. He says Talleys motivation for the donation was due to having businesses in his electorate.

Former MP and United Future leader Peter Dunne downplays the influence of donors on politicians, saying New Zealand is still a place where "sausage sizzles, barbecues and those sort of things are still tried and true fundraising methods".

However, Peter says the role of donations raises the question of whether elections should be entirely state-funded, something which he by no means agreed with: "to go out and solicit that funding in support of their ideas is appropriate with proper disclosure laws which I think weve got at the moment."

- Sunday Star Times
A protest was held outside a Marbella court on Wednesday by a group of foreign pensioners, most of them British, who lost large amounts of money after a bank sold them a financial product that turned out to be toxic.

Some 200 retirees, most of whom live on the Costa del Sol, have come together to coordinate legal action against Landsbanki, an Icelandic bank that used to have offices in Marbella and which collapsed in 2008 during the financial crisis.

One affected couple are the Bowdens, a former carpenter and teacher, who had chosen to retire to the Velez-Malaga area from the UK.

Some had travelled a long way and spent the night in a hotel nearby

Home repossession

They sought a loan of 6,000 euros for urgent cancer treatment but instead were offered a complicated financial product that involved having their home remortgaged and most of the loan going into a supposedly high-earning investment fund. All the money was lost and with costs the couple now owe 300,000 euros and have also lost their home.

Although the case of the Bowdens is the most extreme, many others across Spain were caught out by the product the bank was offering and the group of almost 200, making up most of those affected, have come together under local lawyer Ignacio Infante to organise joint legal action. So far the group have managed to stop around a dozen home foreclosures.

On Wednesday the victims of Landsbanki launched a class action counter claim in defence of one of their members in Marbella. Around 30 of them made a noisy protest at the doors of the court during the hearing. Some had travelled a long way and spent the night before in a hotel nearby. Placards in English and Spanish read, Victims of Landsbanki seek and demand justice.

One of those affected, 71-year-old Lesley Milton, originally from London but now living in Alicante, couldn't hide her anger at a situation which has seen her also lose around 300,000 euros. The same feeling was expressed by fellow-Briton, John Kohli. We want to get our money back. We want justice, they said outside the court.

Class action

All of them have launched a class action against Landsbanki for making them mortgage their homes and using most of the money from the loans to invest in funds, going on to lose them all their money.

The financial product that caused so much unhappiness was called Spria II or Sitra II and was sold in Spain by Lex Life via Landsbanki (or its subsidiary in Luxembourg). According to Ignacio Infante, the details of the product were very complicated and the bank didn't carry out any analysis or questionnaire to understand the profile of the person investing, nor did they provide any information on the product.

Lawyers for the bank and its liquidators have argued that it was Lex Life that sold the product and that Landsbanki was an intermediary.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A Syracuse teen was arrested and charged in connection with a shooting earlier in the week in the Near West Side, according to police.

Dwight J. Murray, 17, of Syracuse, faces a criminal possession of a weapon charge, but the shooting that caused the death of 18-year-old Niko Santana was deemed accidental, police said.

Officers responded to a shooting call at 443 Shonnard Street on Wednesday at 6:02 p.m., according to police. After arriving at Shonnard Street, police were told the victim was taken to Upstate University Hospital in a private vehicle, Syracuse police said.

Santana suffered a gunshot wound to his abdomen and later died from his injuries, according to police.

Police are continuing their investigation and ask anyone with information to contact the Syracuse Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at 315-442-5222. All calls are confidential. Anonymous tips may also be submitted using the SPD Tips app.
WATERTOWN, N.Y. -- A pair of people have been arrested and charged with robbery after stealing money from a 19-year-old during an arranged drug deal, according to New York State Police.

On Nov. 12, 2017, a 19-year-old man set up a drug deal in the town of LeRay to buy marijuana from Kadi E. Schroy, 19, of Watertown, and Ormi C. Fermin, 22, of Brooklyn, police said. When he tried to pay Schroy and Fermin, the two took his money and drove away while the man's arm was stuck in the car, according to police.

The victim ran next to the car until his feet dragged across the ground, police said. Fermin, the passenger, punched the victim in the face, according to police. The victim fell after the punch and the car hit him, police said.

Schroy was charged with felony robbery on Jan. 10 and was arraigned in town of Pamelia Court, police said. She was returned to the Jefferson County Public Safety Building in lieu of $5,000 cash bail or $10,000 bond, according to police.

Fermin was charged with felony robbery on Feb. 8 and was arraigned in city of Watertown Court, police said. He was returned to the Jefferson County Public Safety Building in lieu of $1,000 cash bail or $2,000 bond, according to police.
OSWEGO COUNTY, N.Y. -- A Fort Drum man had to be revived with an opioid overdose reversal drug after a crashing his truck on Interstate 81 in Oswego County, New York State Police said.

Jeremiah P. Davis, 33, of Fort Drum, was arrested and charged Thursday with driving while ability impaired by drugs and criminal possession of a controlled substance, according to police.

When troopers arrived to the crash in the town of Hastings, a 2014 Toyota Tacoma had crashed into the guard rail of the highway, police said. Davis was unresponsive in the truck and administered naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal drug, according to police.

Police found eight glassine envelopes with heroin powder on Davis, police said. After Davis became alert, he admitted to using heroin while driving the SUV, according to police.

He was issued an appearance ticket and is scheduled to appear in town of Hastings Court on Feb. 14, police said.
To the Editor:

This year marks the 27th anniversary of the opening of Francis House in Syracuse. Founded to serve people at the end of life, Francis House has been the final home for almost 3,000 people, providing comfort and support to those individuals and their families and friends.

I have the honor of working with Francis House as a hospice and palliative care physician and have served on its medical advisory committee. I have seen firsthand how the staff and volunteers partner with Hospice of Central New York to provide a home and excellent care at the end of life.

The Francis House mission goes beyond caring for individuals and their circle and extends its experience as a resource to other communities looking to provide a home for people at the end of life.

On March 9 at the Genesee Grande Hotel, Francis House will present

" its second annual symposium for healthcare professionals and the general public. Discussions about personal wishes at the end of life, coping with family and caregiver stress, and how to have difficult conversations with and about loved ones, are topics that have gained national interest.

Local and national experts are scheduled to present, including Dr. B.J. Miller, whose TED talk,

ranked among the top 15 most viewed talks in 2015, and Dr. Sharon Brangman, chief of geriatrics at SUNY Upstate Medical University.

For more information visit the Francis House website:

.

Dr. Pamela S. Horst

Fayetteville
JERUSALEM - Israel's army said it had launched a "large-scale attack" inside Syria on Saturday after one of its jets was downed under Syrian anti-aircraft fire, in a series of cross-border incidents that threatened to destabilize the volatile region between the two countries.

Israel says the situation started with an Iranian drone crossing into its territory from Syria at around 4:30 a.m. It was shot down by an Israeli attack helicopter.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahran Qasemi, however, described the Israeli claim as "ridiculous."

Israel later dispatched eight fighter jets to bomb the T4 military base near the Syrian city of Palmyra, from where it says the drone was dispatched and controlled. Syria responded with "substantial Syrian anti-aircraft fire" under which two Israeli pilots ejected from their F-16, which crashed inside Israel, according to the Israeli military. One of the pilots was severely injured, it said.

"The Syrians are playing with fire that they are allowing the Iranians to attack Israel from their soil," said Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces. "The IDF is ready and capable to inflict a heavy price on anyone that attacks us. This is a severe attack and a breach of Israeli sovereignty perpetrated by Iran."

After its fighter jet crashed, Israel responded by targeting 12 military sites in Syria - eight Syrian and four that it said were Iranian. The stated targets included three air defense batteries and a base belonging to the Syrian army's 4th Division on the outskirts of the capital, Damascus.

Qasemi said that the Syrian government had the right to defend itself "against any foreign aggression" in reference to the Israeli jet being targeted.

The Israeli military said it was investigating whether its jet was hit directly.

The Syrian state news agency said more than one plane was hit, describing the bombing of the base as a "new Israeli aggression."

A military alliance backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said that any other incursion by Israel would be met with "serious and fierce" retaliation.

Russia, which has troops based at T4 military base, reacted with anger.

"The creation of any threat to the lives and safety of Russian military servicemen currently in Syria on the invitation of its lawful government to help fight terrorists is absolutely unacceptable," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Israel has looked on with alarm as its arch-enemy Iran has extended its reach in the region during conflicts in Iraq and Syria. Along with its Lebanese proxy Hezbollah it has provided military support for Assad during the country's nearly seven-year-long civil war, while backing Shiite militia forces in Iraq in their fight against the Islamic State.

In an attempt to contain Iran and its proxies, Israel has regularly carried out airstrikes inside Syria, though it has in the past refrained from acknowledging its responsibility for specific bombings. Syria's response in the past has been limited, but it appeared to be sending a message on Saturday that it would not remain that way.

"Israelis must realize that they no longer have superiority in the skies nor on the ground," Fares Shehabi, a member of the Syrian parliament for Aleppo tweeted. He said that Syria fired more than 24 surface-to-air missiles at Israeli jets. "Much more will be fired in the future at Israeli airports if Israel continues its aggressions."

Conricus, the Israel Defense Forces spokesman, confirmed that between 15 and 20 surface-to-air missiles were launched by Syria as Israel launched the second round of attacks. The pro-Syrian military alliance, which includes Hezbollah and Iran, released a statement describing the Israeli claim that an Iranian drone had entered its airspace as a "lie and fabrication."

But Conricus said Israel was in possession of the remains of the drone and that Israeli officials were certain was Iranian. It did not cross randomly but was "on a mission" he said, though he declined to give more details or comment on whether the drone was armed.

Civilians on both sides of the border were awoken to the military exchange.

"We can hear the sounds of the explosions," said one Damascus resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity. He said the sound of Syrian anti-aircraft missiles is louder than usual. Air raid sirens were triggered in residential areas on Israel's northern border.

Shlomo Mishal, 55, from Beit Shean in northern Israel, said that he was woken by the sirens at around 4:30 a.m.

"We heard a loud bang but we did not know what was going on and ran downstairs to the shelter, a safe room in our home," he said.

Mishal said that his friends and neighbors in the town started sharing text messages and social media posts, with rumors flying around about what had happened, until 8 a.m. when the news stations gave details of the Iranian drone being shot down.

"The fact that this happened not far from our home, the fact there was an Iranian drone overhead is not nice and makes us uncomfortable," he said.

Brig. Gen. Hossein Salami, deputy head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, refused to comment. He was speaking on the sidelines of a conference marking the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, Iran's Tasnim news agency reported. Salami added: "We have no military presence in Syria."

The Israeli military said it was not looking to escalate the situation but was ready for various scenarios. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was holding an emergency meeting with his Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman at Israel's military headquarters in Tel Aviv on Saturday morning.

Members of Israel's security cabinet, including Netanyahu, toured the Golan Heights on Tuesday and were briefed by the general chief of staff of the army Gadi Eizenkot and other top military commanders.
Tama County Ag Outlook, Sept. 3

August rain grows the grain. Throughout the last half of August, northeast and central Iowa has been blessed with timely rains just as the ...
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Re: Okinawa Scooters @ Auto Expo 2018





Okinawa claims that its vehicles are approved for Indian roads by the International Center for Automotive Technology (ICAT):





Digitial instrument cluster:





Drum brakes at both ends:





Charging point is found on the body just under the seat. Charging time = 80% in 45 minutes:





Charger is stored in the underseat storage bin just above the battery:





To access the battery, one has to lift the seat and remove the storage bin:





Charging points may not always be available where the scooter is parked. Here the detachable battery is useful. One can simply take it to a charging point along with the charger (seen above) and plug it in for charging. Battery has a meter indicating the charge and a socket for the charger to plug into:





Ridge e-scooter with VRLA battery. Charging time = 4-6 hours. Top speed and range are rated at 55km/h and 80-90 km respectively:

Ridge e-scooter has been introduced with a detachable 60V 24AH lithium-ion battery. It is powered by an 800 W brushless DC motor and top speed of 55 km/h with a range of 110-120 km:Okinawa claims that its vehicles are approved for Indian roads by the International Center for Automotive Technology (ICAT):Digitial instrument cluster:Drum brakes at both ends:Charging point is found on the body just under the seat. Charging time = 80% in 45 minutes:Charger is stored in the underseat storage bin just above the battery:To access the battery, one has to lift the seat and remove the storage bin:Charging points may not always be available where the scooter is parked. Here the detachable battery is useful. One can simply take it to a charging point along with the charger (seen above) and plug it in for charging. Battery has a meter indicating the charge and a socket for the charger to plug into:Ridge e-scooter with VRLA battery. Charging time = 4-6 hours. Top speed and range are rated at 55km/h and 80-90 km respectively: Last edited by Aditya : 10th February 2018 at 12:43 .
Last Feb. 2, tragedy struck a neighborhood in St. Louis when a family of three was found dead in their home in an apparent case of murder-suicide. Could this tragedy possibly be linked to postpartum depression or even postpartum psychosis?

Tragedy In St. Louis

In the afternoon of Feb. 2, a quiet neighborhood in St. Louis was struck with tragedy when the lifeless bodies of the Trokey family were discovered in their home. Young couple Matthew and Mary Jo Trokey, their young daughter Taylor Rose, as well as their dog were found to have been shot some time during the previous evening. According to authorities, there was no sign of forced entry and no sign that there was someone else at home when the shooting happened. Early investigations so far point to their deaths as a murder-suicide.

Just last December, the Trokeys celebrated the baptism of their months-old daughter. According to their parish priest who incidentally also performed three-month-old Taylor Rose's baptism, the couple was friendly and regularly attended mass and that he noticed no signs of trouble. However, some local reports state that during the funeral last Wednesday, family members revealed that Mary Jo had been suffering from postpartum depression (PPD).

Postpartum Depression And Postpartum Psychosis

Could it be possible that the shooting occurred as a result of postpartum depression or even postpartum psychosis? According to the American Psychological Association (APA), PPD is completely different from "baby blues," which many mothers experience after birth. Furthermore, postpartum psychosis is a separate pregnancy-related mood disorder that may involve psychotic symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations. It is, however, quite rare, whereas PPD is pretty common as it can happen to 1 in 7 women.

PPD does not go away on its own and may leave the mother with anxiety, mood swings, scary thoughts, misery, excessive irritability, anger, inability to sleep, and even thoughts of harming the self or the baby. Its symptoms may occur within days or months after delivery and may last for months if left untreated.

For The Family's Safety

According to clinical psychologist Dr. Susan Benjamin Feingold, it is important to get all the facts first before associating the Trokeys with postpartum psychosis. As stated, it is quite rare, and according to her, only 1 to 4 percent of postpartum psychosis cases lead to infanticide. However, she does point out the importance of seeking immediate help for the mother in cases of postpartum psychosis because it may put both her and her entire family's safety in jeopardy.

"These women are experiencing mania, hearing voices, [and] having delusional thoughts. Because they are psychotic, they need immediate hospitalization  both for their safety and their family's," stated Dr. Feingold.

Incidentally, Mary Jo was evidently a volunteer for an organization wherein her responsibility is meeting the social and emotional needs of patients. So far, the investigation is still under way, and authorities still have not named who the likely shooter was.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Hummingbirds are very interesting creatures, especially with regard to their incredible flight skills. Researchers of a new study have uncovered some of the mechanisms that make the hummingbird the agile flier that it is.

Catching Hummingbirds In The Tropics

In the past, studies of other flying creatures such as bats and other birds showed that size actually has an effect on the flight capability of the creature, wherein bigger sizes may result in detriments to flight. However, a new study conducted by researchers from the University of British Columbia found that hummingbirds may be an exception.

In order to gather their wealth of data, researchers captured over 200 hummingbirds of 25 different species from Central and South America and used computer vision technology to record the inflight movements and maneuvers of the birds. Over 330,000 maneuvers were recorded, including repeated maneuvers for each bird. Once the recording was done, the birds were released back into the wild.

The data gathering wasn't quite as easy as simply capturing the birds because of the conditions the researchers were in. In fact, they even had to leave their improvised laboratory in Peru for two days because it was overrun by army ants. Still, they were able to gather the data that shed light into the hummingbirds' impressive flight skill and agility.

Of Wings And Muscles

As it turns out, larger species of hummingbirds are able to adapt to their size and are even able to outmaneuver the smaller species despite their larger size. Unlike other animals, the larger size did not hinder the creatures' flight at all. Further analysis revealed that their flight agility is thanks to the birds' development of increased muscle mass, which compensates for their larger size.

Specifically, the larger muscle mass, which allows the birds to lift more weight, was found to be the key in fast acceleration, whereas the birds' body mass to wing ratio proved crucial in making quick rotations and sharp turns. Furthermore, they found that the birds are capable of adjusting to effects of altitude when they were studied at both high and low elevation. With the exception of making complex turns, it seems the birds are able to easily compensate for the effects of altitude.

The find is interesting especially since different hummingbird species vary greatly in size. As if the hummingbirds are not fascinating enough, the researchers' data reveals how, with evolution and skill, even the larger hummingbirds can adapt to perform incredible feats of flight.

"The hummingbirds tend to play to their strengths, especially with complex moves. For example, species that have the ability to power through turns tend to use more arcing trajectories, and they shy away from performing turns in which they decelerate to turn on a dime," said senior author Douglas Altshuler. Essentially, hummingbirds are able to maximize their inherent traits with learned skills.

The study is published in the journal Science.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Millions of mosquitoes were released in Miami, a sight that should be something straight out of a horror movie. However, in this case, it is actually good for the community.

The mosquitoes, released in South Miami's Brewer Park, are seen as a potential solution to the rising mosquito population and the diseases that the insects are known to carry.

Mosquitoes Infected With Wolbachia Bacteria

Miami-Dade County Mosquito Control and Habitat Management Division released millions of mosquitoes that were bred by MosquitoMate as part of an initiative to kill off mosquitoes that may spread the dreaded Zika, dengue fever, and chikungunya.

Isn't it counterproductive to try to control the mosquito population by releasing more of the insects into the wild? The answer is no, because the mosquitoes come with several special characteristics. For one thing, they are all male and are infected with the naturally occurring Wolbachia bacteria.

The bacteria are not harmful to humans, but when the male mosquitoes infected with it mate with female mosquitoes in the wild, the offspring that will be produced will not survive to adulthood. The people behind the plan are hoping that this will lead to lower populations of the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which live in in urban and suburban environments and are known to be carriers of disease.

The initiative used funding of $4.1 million, from federal money that was allocated to address the Zika virus outbreak. The plan, which will involve the release of 6 million of the mosquitoes over six months, if successful in South Miami, may be rolled out to other hot spots where the mosquito population needs to be addressed.

Are The Mosquitoes Safe For Humans?

MosquitoMate received approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in November last year to release the Wolbachia bacteria-infected mosquitoes into several regions of the country. This means that the procedure is safe, and residents of Miami should not worry about it.

The laboratory-bred male mosquitoes also do not bite, which should quell people's concerns that more insects will be snacking on them when they are out.

"Don't swat these guys. They're important," said MosquitoMate field manager Patrick Kelly.

Verily, previously known as Google Life Sciences, worked with MosquitoMate and Consolidated Mosquito Abatement District in developing the Debug Project. The initiative also looked to release millions of Wolbachia bacteria-infected mosquitoes and started in June 2017 in Fresno.

The Wolbachia bacteria could not be transmitted through the saliva of mosquitoes, which means that humans will not get it by being bitten by the insects.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Lucas Warren, an 18-month-old with Down Syndrome and a contagious smile, has been chosen by Gerber to represent its brand this 2018.

The annual search for the Gerber "spokesbaby" is a modern version of a logo competition that the baby food company started in 1928. People were invited to submit portraits of baby faces and among them, a charcoal sketch made by Dorothy Hope Smith was selected as the winner. Her drawing is still used as the logo on all Gerber products.

In this year's search, more than 140,000 entries were sent in and Gerber made a decision that it has never done before. The company's president and chief executive Bill Partyka says that Gerber chooses the baby who best embodies its long history of recognizing that any kind of baby is still a Gerber baby, emphasizing that Lucas is the "perfect" candidate.

As the new "spokesbaby," Lucas's image will appear on all of the company's advertising campaigns this year. His parents are also receiving a cash prize of $50,000.

The Struggle With Society's View Of Down Syndrome

Gerber is expecting that this selection would help society accept those who are struggling with disabilities, most especially that some countries have already implemented severe policies on unborn babies that test positive for Down Syndrome.

Two years ago, Denmark announced that 98 percent of unborn babies that tested positive for the disability was aborted. In 2016, only four children with Down Syndrome were born in the country.

Iceland adopted the similar policy. Last year, it also announced that it has almost completely eradicated the Down Syndrome birth rate in the nation also through abortion.

Mary Vought, a contributing writer at the Washington Examiner, considers both news devastating as it sends a wrong message to those with disabilities that in order to fit in, they must conform to society's concept of "normal."

In a report, she thanked the company for giving a "special boy" a very special opportunity and for proving that each person is still worthy even when struggling with a disability.

Meet The Parents Of Lucas Warren

After a family member showed her an ad from Gerber indicating its search for a new spokesbaby, Lucas's mother Cortney posted a photo of her baby on Instagram with the competition's hashtag. Eventually, she and her husband were contacted about their son's win.

"We're hoping this will impact everyone  that it will shed a little bit of light on the special needs community and help more individuals with special needs be accepted and not limited," shares Lucas's father Jason. "They have the potential to change the world, just like everybody else."

Moreover, Cortney does not want Lucas to be seen only for his disability. She pointed out that he is also a funny and energetic child, with a love for music and making others laugh.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Obesity, unlike other health conditions, can only be overcome with lifestyle changes that are tough to sustain, especially when feelings of hunger heighten after losing weight.

Unfortunately, a recent study has found that people who were formerly obese will have to deal with increased hunger throughout their lifetime and it's something that can't be considered as "all in the head" as there are physical mechanisms at play.

A team from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology uncovered the specific cause of this problem. They observed the participants of a comprehensive weight loss program, which lasted for two years.

By the end of the program, results published on Jan. 23 in the American Journal of Physiology, Endocrinology, and Metabolism shows that all 34 participants lost a substantial amount of weight but felt even more hungry than when they first entered the program.

The team of scientists believes that such is caused by an imbalance of the hunger hormone after losing lots of weight and the body's natural ability to conserve.

Hunger Hormones And The Body's Natural Response For Survival

At the beginning of the program, its participants weighed an average of 125 kilograms. They were then admitted to a facility that specializes in obesity.

Its gold standard treatment involves regular exercise and tests, education on proper nutrition, and counseling with certified psychologists. This program lasted for three weeks and participants were made to join every six months.

The most significant results were produced during the first three weeks, with participants losing an impressive five kilograms on average. After two years, however, an average loss of only 11 kilograms was recorded, proving that the participants struggled to maintain their new weight because of heightened hunger.

Two physical causes of such hungriness were identified. First, weight loss has been determined to stimulate the excessive production of ghrelin inside the stomach. This is the hormone that regulates a person's feeling of hunger.

Catia Martins, a coauthor of the study and associate professor at NTNU, explains all people have the hormone. However, for an individual who has been obese and then lost a substantial amount of weight, the ghrelin level increases.

Second, the human body's natural response to weight loss is conservation. Because it has become used to producing a large amount of energy to function throughout obesity, it sees weight loss as a threat and goes into survival mode.

Various systems are alerted to try and get that weight back. Basically, these feelings of hunger are the body's way of saving itself.

Obesity Should Be Treated Like A Chronic Disease

The bad news about higher levels of ghrelin is that it would no longer go down. The Norwegian study shows that it has remained high among participants during the entire study period. This means increased hunger is something that formerly obese people would have to manage their entire life.

Obesity should be treated like every other chronic disease, stresses Martins in a report. A patient needs plenty of help and strict follow-ups from physicians for treatment to be successful.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Google Maps Go launched in beta back in January with extremely limited availability, but it's now open to users worldwide.

When it first hit the scene last month, the Google Maps Go beta was available to just a few users with devices running Android Oreo Go. Nearly a month later, the Google Maps Go beta app is ready for a wider rollout and it's available even for non-Go devices, albeit it still hasn't reached all markets worldwide.

Google Maps Go Beta Hits Wider Availability

The Google Maps Go beta app is now available on Google Play in the United States and other markets worldwide, bringing a lighter version of Google Maps for devices with lower-end specs. In addition to the United States, the beta is also making its way to the Middle East, Europe, the UK, and other markets.

Google has yet to reveal a clear list of markets where the Maps Go Beta is expanding, so for now, the easiest way to check whether it's available is to head over to the Google Play store and see if the app is ready to install.

Google Maps Go: What Does It Bring?

Google Maps Go is a lighter version of the full-fledged Maps app, delivering the base experience but with slight compromises. The app is designed to run smoothly on lower-end Android devices that don't have much RAM or processing power.

The APK is smaller and the app requires fewer resources than the regular Maps version, but that also means that it doesn't have all of the features of the regular app. That said, those looking for the full Maps experience might want to stick to the full-fledged app if their handset supports it.

While low-end and midrange smartphones now pack more horsepower than they used to, there are still plenty of devices with limited resources. To accommodate such devices, a number of apps are now sporting lighter versions, such as Skype Lite, Facebook Lite, Messenger Lite, YouTube Go, and more recently Google Maps Go.

Although Google Maps Go doesn't include all of the features of the full-fledged app, it still covers the basics such as pinpointing one's location on a map, offering directions, showing saved places, and other such. For those with low-end devices or slow internet connections, the Maps Go beta should more than suffice.

Those who would like to try out the Google Maps Go beta first need to sign up for the testing group before downloading the app from the Play Store. Otherwise, the app will appear as incompatible with your devices.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has declared that kratom contains opioid compounds and warned about the drug's potentials for abuse.

FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb issued the warning on Tuesday, Feb. 6 amid an ongoing opioid epidemic in the United States, which largely involves abuse and misuse of prescription painkillers.

Kratom

Kratom is used to treat pain. It is also used as treatment for heroin or morphine dependence, and possibly to reduce withdrawal cravings. Unfortunately, there are concerns that the supposed herbal treatment for opioid addiction is addictive itself.

Potentially Addictive

In a 2014 study, more than half of those who used the drug regularly for at least six months developed kratom dependency, and suffered physical withdrawal symptoms when they stopped taking the drug.

"The findings from this study show that regular Kratom use is associated with drug dependency, development of withdrawal symptoms, and craving. These symptoms become more severe with prolonged use and suggest a stronger control of the drug," the researchers wrote in their study.

Those who developed addiction may eventually develop compulsive drug taking behavior and find it difficult to stop their intake. In some cases, misuse of the drug becomes deadly.

Linda Mautner, from Florida, claimed that her 20-year-old son committed suicide in 2014 while at the throes of being addicted to kratom. Some deaths occurred from mixing the herbal product with other substances such as chemicals from inhalers and those found in over-the-counter cold and flu drugs.

"Cases of mixing kratom, other opioids, and other types of medication is extremely troubling because the activity of kratom at opioid receptors indicates there may be similar risks of combining kratom with certain drugs, just as there are with FDA-approved opioids," Gottlieb said in his statement.

Other Side Effects Of Kratom

Long-term and repeated use of kratom may also lead to appetite loss, significant weight loss, and even anorexia, an eating disorder that involves extreme restriction of caloric intake, which can be hazardous to the health and can lead to death.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control And Prevention earlier reported that between 2010 and 2015, poison centers received 660 calls related to kratom exposure, prompting the CDC to issue a warning about the potential side effects of kratom use.

"The number of calls increased tenfold from 26 in 2010 to 263 in 2015," the CDC said. "Use this (Buy Kratom locally and it's used) appears to be increasing in the United States, and the reported medical outcomes and health effects suggest an emerging public health threat."

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The Rhode Island Department of Health is probing into nearly three dozen reported cases of students having allergic-type reactions after eating fresh kiwi fruit that was provided as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's fresh fruit and vegetable program.

Students Experience Allergic Reactions After Eating Kiwi Fruit

Health officials said that about 34 students reported of hive, swelling of tongue, and itching of the lips and mouths after eating fresh kiwi fruits on Friday. Some students were given antihistamines at school but some were treated at the emergency room.

The fruits were cut and bagged at Roch's Fresh Foods in West Greenwich. The company is now working with investigators. Health officials, on the other hand, are reaching out to schools to ensure that all of the fruits are discarded.

Although it is unlikely that a delayed allergic reaction will occur from eating kiwis, health officials said that parents should contact their healthcare provider if any of the students experience symptoms.

Nutritious Fruit

The kiwi fruit is packed with potassium. It provides more than the recommended daily dose of vitamin C and has high levels of beta-carotene. It is also rich in vitamins A and E, as well as in alpha-linolenic acid. Kiwi is great for fighting cancer because of its high antioxidant properties.

Kiwi Fruit Fruit Allergy

Despite the nutritional benefits of the kiwi fruit, it can cause problems to people who develop allergies to it. A study conducted by researchers from the University of Southampton revealed that the kiwi fruit is a significant food allergen that can cause severe reactions.

"Our findings clearly show that allergy to kiwi fruit is an important problem, with most severe reactions occurring in young children," said study researcher Jane Lucas.

Symptoms of allergic reactions to kiwi include itching and inflammation of the mouth and throat. Some people, however, may experience more serious symptoms such as vomiting, difficulty in breathing, abdominal pain, and in rare cases, potentially deadly anaphylactic shock.

The immune system of those with kiwi fruit allergy cannot recognize a protein in the fruit as food. This protein triggers the body to react as if were a dangerous intruder causing the body's immune system to release histamine and antibodies to fight what it perceived as a threat to the body.

People with allergic reactions to olives, hazelnuts, avocados, and natural rubber (latex) could also be at risk of kiwi allergy.

"There is now a need for additional studies to explain the apparent increasing prevalence of this allergy and to explain the differences between reactions in children and adults," Lucas said.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The builders of the Bayou Bridge pipeline and the environmentalists trying to stop them will have to wait a few more days for a court decision on whether the project can continue moving forward.

After a day and a half of testimony and arguments, U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick told the two sides she needs more time to weigh their points. Expect a ruling next week, she told them.

Opponents of the pipeline argued Friday that federal regulators didn't perform their due diligence when they decided to allow the project. They failed to require pipeline builders to take meaningful steps to offset the environmental impact of building the pipeline and did not thoroughly weigh the potential destruction of a spill, especially in the Atchafalaya Basin.

Lawyers for the pipeline companies and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said the conservation groups misrepresented the pipeline review, which they said looked exhaustively at potential spills and considered the best way to offset negative impacts on the Atchafalaya Basin. Work that compensates for construction that affects sensitive wetlands is also known as wetlands mitigation.

They also asked the judge to consider the costs to both the company and workers building the pipeline should construction be halted.

Earthjustice brought the federal suit on behalf of the Atchafalaya Basinkeeper, the Louisiana Crawfish Producers Association-West, the Waterkeeper Alliance and the Sierra Club. They allege the Corps acted "arbitrarily and capriciously" when it issued a necessary permit for Bayou Bridge.

The under-construction pipeline will transfer crude oil between Lake Charles and St. James parish. The environmentalists have asked Dick to stop construction on at least the 25 miles of the pipeline that run through the Atchafalaya Basin while they debate whether the Corps' permit should be revoked and reconsidered. The pipeline operators and pipe manufacturers have also signed on the case to argue that the project be allowed to move forward.

While the Corps of Engineers required the oil and gas companies plant trees to mitigate the damage to wetlands, those trees will be planted 55 miles to the north and are not the same types that will be sacrificed to make way for Bayou Bridge, Earthjustice attorney Jan Hasselman said. No one has explained why this hazard mitigation strategy is best. In fact it is an indefensible position, he continued.

The mitigation land in question is located on what at one time were cotton fields and that is now a mitigation bank. Mitigation banks are areas set aside for restoration where developers can buy credits to fund reforestation.

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Bayou Bridge will pay approximately $21 million into the bank, attorneys said. The banks follow certain procedures so everyone knows how much environmental value a given investment will return when a company buys credits. That makes them a perfectly appropriate mitigation strategy, explained attorney Heather Gangee of the Department of Justice, which is representing the Corps.

Some crawfishermen and environmentalists have wanted Bayou Bridge to mitigate its work by removing spoil banks left by other pipeline companies, various attorneys said.

Spoil banks are created when dirt piles up after a trench is dug to sink a pipeline. They can block the natural flow of water in the Atchafalaya Basin, harming water quality and contributing to unwanted sedimentation. However, review of the project determined that investing in the mitigation bank was a better strategy, DOJ and pipeline lawyers argued.

The existence of spoil banks ran like an undercurrent through the entire proceeding. Bayou Bridge's permit requires the builders clear all spoil banks left over after construction. Pipeline opponents argued that if the Corps can't be trusted to regulate oil and gas companies already, the public has no assurance they will fulfill their obligations in the future.

Bayou Bridge pipeline opponents clear legal hurdle, but bigger decision to come Friday A federal judge has kept a fight alive as environmental groups seek to shut down construction of the Bayou Bridge pipeline.

Gangee said that assessment is patently false, adding that it is unfair to hold a new project hostage for the perceived flaws with another company's infrastructure.

Dick, the federal judge hearing the suit, said she needed a few more days to review the arguments but that she hopes to proffer a decision next week.

Her ruling will determine whether construction is temporarily halted in the Atchafalaya Basin. During the work stoppage, the two sides would argue whether the Corps permit should be vacated altogether.
The massive federal spending deal struck by Capitol Hill leaders from both parties came packed with goodies in a buffet designed to let lawmakers of both parties find something they liked.

A majority of Republicans and enough Democrats did, sending the bill sailing through in the wee hours of Friday morning after a spell of drama  and a brief shutdown of the federal government.

But both of Louisiana's U.S. senators cast votes against the package, decrying the deficit-boosting two-year agreement as reckless spending. In the House, half of Louisiana's six congressmen cried "nay" on the bill.

The bill's Louisiana backers  Reps. Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson; Clay Higgins, R-Port Barre; and Ralph Abraham, R-Alto  focused on the boost in funding for the military wrapped into the package. The Pentagon will see more than $160 billion in additional funding over the next two years under the agreement, which scrapped the caps on federal spending that had been imposed in 2011.

Early-morning Congress vote reopens government after another shutdown overnight WASHINGTON (AP)  The House moved swiftly early Friday to reopen the federal government and pass a $400 billion budget deal, overcoming opposi

"For too long, Americas men and women in uniform have faced budget uncertainty that has challenged our military readiness and threatened their ability to safely train for their missions," said Scalise, the majority whip, who helped shepherd the bill through the House.

"I understand and share the concerns about the debt," said Abraham. "I would have written the bill differently, but our military needed long-term funding. Debt has consequences, but so does failing to provide our troops with the resources they need to defend us from our enemies while we sleep safely in our beds at night."

But other Pelican State Republicans pointed to the other side of the ledger in ripping it. The bill tacked on $130 billion in extra domestic spending as well, something that Democrats had insisted on, and will increase the federal deficit.

"Although every big spending deal in Congress has good with bad, the hope is that the good outweighs," said Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana. "In this bill, the bad outweighs. There are fake savings, it grows the size of government and significantly increases the deficit and debt."

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"This isnt Monopoly money," said Rep. Garret Graves, R-Baton Rouge, hours after voting against it. "This is literally mortgaging our childrens future."

U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson, R-Bossier, blasted the agreement as "fiscal insanity" and called it "an immoral and cowardly abdication of our responsibility." Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, also turned his thumb down on the bill.

While a majority of Louisiana's Republicans in Congress turned against the agreement for what was in it, the state's lone Democrat ripped the deal for what wasn't.

New Orleans Rep. Cedric Richmond, the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, had demanded that some sort of legal status for so-called "Dreamers"  immigrants brought to the country illegally as children  be included in any spending deal.

With budget finally squared away, Congress heads into big immigration fight WASHINGTON (AP)  They can all claim wins in the big budget agreement: President Donald Trump, congressional Republicans and Democrats, too. N

But lawmakers left immigration out of the package.

Richmond also joined Graves in criticizing provisions in the $89 billion disaster-relief package tacked on to the massive spending deal. Richmond and Graves had co-authored a revision to the law that would have allowed Louisiana flood victims who had applied for Small Business Administration loans to tap Restore Louisiana recovery grant money.

The disaster-relief package contained a fix to the SBA loan issue  but its terms are much narrower, limited only to those who ended up turning down the loans. Richmond said that left out thousands in Louisiana.
LSU Board of Supervisors member: LSU has given so much to Louisiana, it's time for us to give back
A scene from last year's Krewe of Bacchus parade; this Mardi Gras event celebrates 50 years on Sunday and starts at 5 p.m. along St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans. This year's king is actor J.K. Simmons ("Whiplash"). kreweofbacchus.org.
Carnival revelers didnt have to stake their claims along Endymions Mid-City route as early as usual this year, but those who had done so by Friday evening were buoyed by reports that the spectacular Saturday evening parade might not be as rainy as they once feared.

Whether that was wishful thinking or shrewd meteorology remained to be seen, but worries about reports of thunderstorms were in short supply among the canopies, folding chairs and beer pong tables set up along the Canal Street neutral ground.

Well be fine, Kalonda Jackson said as her husband Eric and friends helped put up their canopy. Either way, well take it as it comes. We wait for this all year, so if it rains, you just go, You know what, thats just more fun in the rain. 

Its the Gentilly couples first time claiming their own spot for Endymion, which said that as of Friday evening it still planned to roll at 4:15 p.m. Saturday.

The news from other Saturday parades as of 6 p.m. Friday was:

Iris and Tucks, both Uptown parades, will roll an hour earlier than planned, at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., respectively.

NOMTOC is still scheduled to roll at 10:45 a.m. on the West Bank.

In Jefferson Parish, Isis plans to roll in Metairie at 6:30 p.m.

In St. Charles Parish, the Krewe of Lul parade in Luling was canceled because of the threat of inclement weather.

Gina Lorio, of Kenner, had come out to Canal Street the night before to mark off her regular spot near Carrollton Avenue and had been there Friday since 6 a.m. Her group has been doing it for 15 years and typically has about 80 people.

Im hoping for at least 50, but were being very optimistic with the weather. We feel like were going to make it, she said as her friend Stephanie Troncoso danced barefooted in the grass to Justin Timberlakes SexyBack.

We told her she needs to stop doing that. Shes making a puddle, Lorio said, laughing.

Lorio said they have tents, umbrellas, ponchos and cars parked nearby if it gets bad, but she thinks that after some morning rains, things will be OK until 6 p.m.

Thats plenty of partying time, she said. And a little rain is not going to melt anyone that comes to this party, I can promise you.

For Neely Caldwell, 47, the tale of Endymion this year is in the tape  the yellow caution tape that marked the territory next to him. His neighbor on the river side of his spot usually has the entire expanse between the light poles, but has only a third of that space marked off this year.

One of the other two thirds is empty. Caldwell roped it off Thursday for the woman who owns a business across the street who usually throws a big party, only to have her call him Friday and tell him she wasnt going to do it this year.

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The other third has been claimed by a regular who usually has to make do with a 10-foot by 3-foot strip in a normal year.

Caldwell, a retired door and window installer who now lives in Mississippi, said he comes every year, despite the roughly three-hour drive. He grew up on Rampart Street and went to Endymion as a kid with his family and said he wouldnt miss it for the world.

Its a family tradition for me, he said.

Some krewes had more than just the weather to deal with.

The budget deal reached early Friday morning in Congress restricted the latest federal shutdown to just a few hours, but the uncertainty over whether nonessential government personnel would be furloughed left its mark on Rex, which rolls on Tuesday.

Rex spokesman King Logan said the last-minute budget deal came too for late for three out-of-town military bands booked to march with the parade this year. Unsure of whether their members would be furloughed with all the other non-essential government employees, they canceled their trips here earlier in the week.

We certainly understand that the uncertainty about the issue earlier in the week led to their decision, Logan said.

He said the parade will still have a significant military presence with a U.S. Marine Corps band from Quantico, Virginia; the 313th Army band from Birmingham, Alabama; and a Marine Corps mounted color guard from California.

Logan also said Rex has filled the three spots with bands from two local schools and the University of West Alabama.

Were very delighted they will be able to join us, he said.

Dan Kelly, president of the Krewe of Endymion, said that as far as he knows, the U.S. Marine Corps band from Algiers is still planning to march with that parade.
New statistics from the Emergency Services Agency show Canberrans across the city and the suburbs should remain vigilant to the threat of fires.

Annual figures show Canberra had more bush and grass fires in 2017 than the year prior, but overall numbers have decreased since 2013.

Canberrans should always be vigilant about the threat of fire in the bush capital.

The most common suburb for bush and grass fires in the ACT was Belconnen, despite it being one of the more central, with 61 recorded between 2013 and October 2017.
It's amazing what you can find at the Lifeline Book Fair.

Among the thousands of books, dvds, board games, vinyls and more, hidden gems can be discovered everywhere.

Jacob Green is eager to find comic books of his favourite superheroes. Credit:Dion Georgopoulos

The scale of the book fair is reflective of an incredible amount of work by the hundreds of volunteers that dedicate their time to host the charity event.

Anne Langston has volunteered at the book fair for four years and said she gets a real thrill from taking donated goods and making them a bit more presentable for someone else to take home and enjoy.
In a recent interview Francis Sullivan, chief executive of the Catholic Church's Truth, Justice and Healing Council, claimed that the recent Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse was "two years too long and 20 years too late." Too long because in the end it suffered from both media and church fatigue; too late because many of the culprits were "either dead or demented".

With the tabling of the final report in December, the question remains just what impact the work of the commission in uncovering high levels of clergy sexual abuse and subsequent cover-up has had on Catholics, particularly those "in the pews". Has their trust in their bishops and priests been eroded and do they think the church is now responding adequately to the crisis the commission has identified?

Some 12 months ago the National Church Life Survey (NCLS) conducted its five-yearly survey of church life in Australia and included a number of questions directly asking church attendees and their leaders on the impact of the commission's work. The NCLS also commissioned the 2016 Australian Community Survey (ACS) conducted by an independent research panel provider. The figures for the NCLS indicate that, broadly speaking, churchgoing Catholics are polarised when assessing the impact of the commission on their trust in the church.

When asked whether "cases of sexual abuse by clergy have damaged my confidence in church authorities", 48 per cent of churchgoing Catholics agreed or strongly agreed, while 34 per cent disagreed or strongly disagreed. Keeping in mind here that for Catholics "church authorities" means bishops and perhaps senior diocesan officials, this is a serious erosion of trust in the hierarchical leadership of the church. Figures from the ACS confirm this trend, with 59 per cent of Catholics more generally having diminished confidence in their bishops. Worryingly for the church, the NCLS figures are higher in those older age brackets (50+) who make up the majority of churchgoers.
Tuesday is the 10th anniversary of one of the most cathartic and emotional events in our nation's history, the official apology by then newly elected prime minister Kevin Rudd to the Stolen Generations of Indigenous Australians. The widespread optimism  so evident in the photographed faces of the crowd gathered outside Parliament House  was also fuelled by Mr Rudd's simultaneous introduction of the Closing the Gap campaign, which was to be a well-funded, co-ordinated national strategy to ameliorate the plight of our First Peoples. Crowds of people gathered on the lawns in front of Old Parliament House to listen to Kevin Rudd's speech. Credit:Justin McManus The Closing the Gap decade has been a disappointment, with minimal improvement in the lot of Indigenous people. The worst blot on Australia, where we experience a standard of living coveted by so many less-fortunate nations, is the gulf between the situation of Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander people and that of the rest of the population. Indigenous Australians experience shocking outcomes, to the point where they are the most disadvantaged and vulnerable group in the land. This is tragically transparent across the areas Closing the Gap was to fix, including health, education, child abuse, alcohol and drug misuse, income, employment, life expectancy and incarceration. The sole significant improvement has been in the number of children finishing secondary school.

The extent of failure was underscored in recent days in a damning report by the independent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, June Oscar. She excoriates successive administrations for "abandoning" its commitment, and for failing to execute and adequately fund Closing the Gap. "The nation is now in a situation where the Closing the Gap targets will measure nothing but the collective failure of Australian governments to work together and stay the course." She says that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull missed the opportunity last year to use the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which came after an 18-month consultation process with Indigenous communities, to partner with communities in designing policies. Mr Rudd's apology and Closing the Gap came a decade after the release of the groundbreaking Bringing them Home report, which estimated that one in five Indigenous children were forcibly taken from their families during the 60 years to 1970. Most of the recommendations in Bringing them Home have not been adopted. There is a pattern to the policy impotence. A quarter of a century ago, the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody delivered a report the commissioners described as "an indictment of the operation of the legal and corrective services system in respect of the most disadvantaged group in Australian society". The incarceration rate of Indigenous people has doubled since then. The injustice is unsustainable, not intractable. It would be helped by renewed efforts at reconciliation and to, as other nations have done with success and healing, negotiate a treaty with the First Peoples. It is crucial that Indigenous people are always at the centre of the policymaking, rather than being told from on high what to do.
Along with the shrine and parkland it includes Government House and the Melbourne Observatory. Mr Frydenberg said the removal of trees on St Kilda Road had "brought an urgency" to the listing  but that these places had been on the radar of the heritage council for some time. The precinct is now the 114th place on the national heritage list. Asked what sort of development the listing would prevent, the minister said future projects would have to be analysed on a case-by-case basis. But he said it would have made the approval process which allowed the Melbourne Metro Rail Authority to chop down the trees  including elms dating back to the 1800s  more difficult and the assessment process "more extensive".

This absolutely adds an additional layer of oversight and protection at the federal level on the approval process for any actions that would interfere with the environmental, historic, cultural and Indigenous values of the site, Mr Frydenberg said. Parts of the precinct  including the shrine, observatory and Government House  are already listed on the Victorian Heritage Register. But Australian Heritage Council member Dr Lyndon Ormond-Parker said the national listing would offer greater protection for the area in future. He said a report on the site commissioned last February and publicly released on Sunday examined concerns about the impact of the Metro project on the precinct. "It is very disappointing that some trees will be lost, but this national heritage listing gives permanent protection to the 109-hectare area," Dr Ormond-Parker said.

The Alyawarr man said it was "terrific" to see all of the memorial sites in the precinct recognised together. He said it would be particularly important for the Aboriginal community given the inclusion of the King's Domain Resting Place  a commemorative burial place for the remains of 38 Victorian Aboriginal people who were repatriated from the Museum of Victoria in 1985. Shrine of Remembrance chief executive officer Dean Lee said the organisation welcomed being included in the national heritage listing, five years after its submission to do so was turned down. "We're delighted the site is being recognised for its memorial values for the past 84 years of honouring community service and sacrifice," he said. "It's entirely fitting in the final year of the Anzac centenary for the value of this shrine to be recognised."

Mr Lee declined to comment on the metro rail project but said the authority had been "respectful of the shrine and its needs". A nearby underground station to be built at the intersection of Albert Road and Domain Road, called Anzac Station, will feature a "floating" timber canopy that sits below the tram interchange. The Melbourne Metro Rail Authority has promised to plant an extra two trees for every one removed, and suggests that they would be planted in improved soil conditions and with better irrigation. Construction is slated to begin early this year and the authority estimates building the Anzac Station precinct will take about five years with surface disruption expected to be shorter than the overall construction time. Last year's interim heritage listing drew an angry response from Victorian Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan, who said the Turnbull government was "teaming up with the state Liberals to try to stop the Metro Tunnel".
Labor has ramped up pressure on the government over allegations surrounding Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce's affair, demanding Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull explain the creation of a series of well-paid jobs for Mr Joyce's partner.

Malcolm Turnbull and Barnaby Joyce in Parliament this week. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Vikki Campion, a former staffer for the Nationals leader who is now expecting a child with him, was moved to the office of Resources Minister Matt Canavan and then, after his temporary resignation last year over dual citizenship concerns, to the office of Nationals MP Damian Drum.

Mr Joyce's relationship with Ms Campion, 33, had caused dysfunction in the Deputy Prime Minister's office and saw her shifted to the specially-created position with Senator Canavan, the first of two appointments personally approved by the Prime Minister, The Daily Telegraph reported this week.

"I think it is time for Malcolm Turnbull to give a proper statement about what's happened there," Labor's finance spokesman Jim Chalmers said on Saturday.
On Saturday, James took her place in the Commonwealth Games Queen's Baton Relay in Melbourne in her role as an ambassador for the luxury watch company, Longines.

The 26-year-old posted a photo of Myles pushing a pram to her Instagram account, prompting a flurry of well-wishes from her followers.

Actress Tessa James at Victoria's Government House before her run in the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games Queen's Baton Relay on Saturday. Credit:Mike Tarr

On Friday, the Love Child star, who has beaten cancer, announced she and her husband, former NRL player Nate Myles, had given birth to their first child.

She told Fairfax Media that she gave birth to the baby late last year but was choosing to keep the baby's sex and name a secret for now.

"It's really wonderful. Things are going really well and we're all really content and healthy and happy," she said.

James, 26, said she didn't purposely set out to be a role model for women battling illness, saying, "I'm very grateful for my health and what other people take out of that is for them. I am just trying to look after myself and be happy and healthy."

James has been an ambassador for Longines since 2016 and said she looked forward to returning to acting after the birth of her baby.

"It's a wonderful time to be an actress; there are so many wonderful opportuntiies with powerful women's roles," she said.
"And when I first met him at work he seemed rather aloof. But then we started chatting and we had these amazing conversations." Not until their second date did Audrey realise that Osher liked her. "There's a lot of bravado that's required in front of the camera, but he was quite shy and timid  a very self-deprecating and endearing side," she says. The relationship has been a revelation for Audrey. "I think I realised I needed someone like Osher," she says. "He is such a nice, considerate guy and I had never had that before, and you need to allow yourself to be treated so nicely." Osher has found being stepdad to Audrey's 13-year-old daughter Georgia extremely rewarding. "You have to not only respect their relationship, but make sure you're not damaging it while growing an entirely new one," he says, referring to his relationship with Georgia. There is a certain irony, too, that it was crew, not the cast, who found love. "I think it's amazing that we are the only successful couple from the Blake [Garvey] season," Audrey says.

"It's pretty funny," agrees Osher. "But we're not the first people to meet at work, and we won't be the last." "I fell for my friend of 32 years" Susan Pierotti, 59, was a classical violinist working in London when she met her husband-to-be Peter Orr, 60. Susan Pierotti and Peter Orr. When Susan met Peter in London in 1979, she liked him immediately. "He was conservative and nice and not competitive or into one-upmanship," she recalls. Unfortunately for Susan, Peter liked her friend.

Susan and Peter both returned to Melbourne at about the same time, but lost touch. Ten years later, Susan ran into an acquaintance who told her that she had met this "great guy". "She told me his name and I realised it was Peter," says Susan. "I was really happy for her, though, because I knew she wanted kids and to get married." Susan saw Peter and his wife socially from time to time during their 17-year marriage. But far from pining for him, she got on with her life. "There were times when we were all together that it seemed that Peter and I had a lot more in common than he and his wife, but I never worried about it," she says. "They were married so he was completely off-limits." After Peter's marriage broke down, he moved to rural Victoria and Susan occasionally visited him. "I could see that he was trying to grow from the divorce, that he was turning his life around," she says. "I really admired him for that."

In 2008, more than 10 years after Peter's marriage ended, the pair got together. Peter was keen to get married, but Susan baulked. "I was 53 and had never been married, and I guess I was comfortable in my life and I didn't want to change," she explains. "I took a bit of time to think about it. I realised that I was being given an opportunity, that it won't just be me making it work  it will be him, too." Not long after the wedding, seven years ago, Susan's hunch was confirmed: she had indeed married the right guy. "I had some work stresses and changed careers, and Peter supported me 100 per cent. My parents also got sick and I had to put them into care and Peter was very supportive through that. I honestly don't think I could have got through the last six years without him. He's a wonderful companion." Peter attributes the strength of their relationship to their long friendship. "It was clear that we each cared equally about the triumphs and tragedies of the other," he says. Married life clearly suits Susan, something she attributes to waiting until she was older. "I honestly don't think I was marriage material until my 40s," she says. "It took me a while to realise that my Mr Right might not be Mr Perfect. And I wasn't going to marry just anyone."

"I fell in love with my dance instructor" Arts worker Susan Doel, 35, met her dancer husband Julius Sackey, 35, at a class he was teaching in Ghana. Susan Doel and Julius Sackey. Susan was in her early 20s when she made a snap decision that changed her life. While studying contemporary dance at Melbourne's Deakin University, she chanced upon a campus poster for a five-week drumming and dance course in Ghana. "I decided then and there that I would go," says Susan. "I am not a very superstitious person, but I just knew I would go."

And go she did, straight into the arms  literally  of Ghanaian dance teacher Julius Sackey. "I just remember thinking that he was an incredible dancer," Susan recalls. A strong friendship grew between them which quickly developed into a romance. "I remember getting on a bus one day and hoping he would come and sit next to me and I couldn't stop smiling and I turned my face away so he wouldn't see me, but he took my face and turned it back towards him and, well, that was it." Julius says dancing with Susan, and spending so much time with her, made falling in love easy. "I loved how authentic and transparent she was," he says. "I also loved the fact that she was so passionate about what she did." Susan returned to Australia five weeks later, smitten and committed. The couple were intent on being together, but Julius was unable to secure an Australian visa. After a while, they both started seeing other people. "A lot of people were saying that the cultural divide was too great, that he just wanted a passport and so on," says Susan. "I wanted to test my commitment, so I dated other people. But no one made me feel the way Julius did."

Three years after she met Julius, Susan returned to Ghana. "I emailed him and told him I wanted to come and see him," she says. "He was dating someone else at the time, so he called it off. He didn't want to mess anyone around. It is one of the reasons I love him  because he is such a good guy." After living in Ghana for seven months, the couple moved to London. Eventually, Julius got an Australian visa and they relocated to Melbourne seven years ago. But the adjustment was hard. "Going from this romance to life in Australia was a challenge and there were a fair few arguments in the first few years," Susan says. "There was a part of me that didn't want to give up on the fantasy aspect of meeting Julius, the years and years I spent romanticising this person." Susan says the life she's created with Julius  they have a three-year-old daughter, Estelle Efua, and have been together for 12 years  has taught her that true love has nothing to do with grand romantic gestures or surprise bunches of flowers, but consists of the day-in, day-out commitment. "It's not romantic, but it's steadfast and we're committed and we challenge each other because we are constantly changing and evolving," she says.
Who knew that hiring out jumping castles for kids' parties could be such a cut-throat industry?

One of Melbourne's biggest party-hire operators has faced allegations of arson, insurance fraud and launching cyber attacks on competitors during a committal hearing in the Melbourne Magistrates Court last week.

Awesome Party Hire owner James Balcombe, 53, is accused of inciting and paying two men to torch five rival businesses between December 2016 and February last year.

According to a former employee, Mr Balcombe was desperate to dominate the jumping castle market, which had been flooded by copycats who he accused of stealing his ideas and offering cheaper rates.
A letter to traders from Queen Victoria Market Pty Ltd states: "I agree that I shall not disclose, for whatever reason, to any other person, any details discussed in this meeting without the written permissions of Queen Victoria Market Pty Ltd. "The information discussed in this meeting is confidential and between QVM management and the licence holder." Traders are allowed to use a support person during their talks with management, but that person must also sign the confidentiality agreement. Queen Victoria Market management said the confidentiality agreement was a request, not a demand, and for the good of traders to minimise confusion during the lengthy meeting process. Queen Victoria Market Pty Ltd chief executive Stan Liacos said: "We recognise that traders will want to share information from their meetings with their community, however, we want to ensure that traders receive information related to their individual stalls directly from market management.

Queen Victoria Market, which attracts 9.5 million visitors a year, is the top destination for international tourists to Melbourne Credit:Eddie Jim "So out of the respect for all of our traders, we have asked traders who have attended meetings to keep their relocation information confidential. "It is the traders choice whether they consent to signing the confidentiality agreement. "Traders who refuse to sign a confidentiality agreement will in no way be unfavourably treated throughout the relocation process  [and] will be briefed once all other meetings have taken place. "Currently, all traders who have attended meetings have willingly signed the agreement in the understanding that it is to protect the commercial information that relates to their business and those of their fellow traders."

He did not answer when asked if the market had sought confidentiality agreements from traders before, but one trader said this was the first in their decades at the market. With 9.5 million visitors a year, Queen Victoria Market is the top destination for international visitors to Melbourne and the longest surviving marketplace of its size and diversity in Australia, according to consultants SGS Economics and Planning. Owned by the City of Melbourne, it posted a loss for the first time in the 2016-17 financial year, due to falls in customer receipts, rents and car park fees, combined with rising costs including consultancy fees. Queen Victoria Market Pty Ltd says a redevelopment is essential to enable the market to operate more efficiently, improve safety, decrease costs and create more opportunities for business. The redevelopment follows half a decade of planning, more than 7500 submissions and more than 60 comprehensive studies, then Melbourne lord mayor Robert Doyle said last year. Under the plans, the market's heritage-listed sheds that house the fruit and vegetables stalls and souvenir stalls will be partly demolished and then reconstructed once lifts, ventilation shafts, 220 customer parking spaces and refrigeration areas have been constructed.

In addition, on Therry Street, near the corner of Elizabeth Street, there be a tower 125 metres high - about 42 storeys - with apartments, retail, a hotel and 500 car parks undernearth. On the same site there will be 56 low-cost units, a 120-place childcare centre, a community centre, artists studios, a gallery, and a retail space. In a business case for the redevelopment, SGS said "only renewal will ensure the future viability of the market" and a "business-as-usual approach will result in a continued loss of profitability and a requirement for council to subsidise Queen Victoria Market Pty Ltds operations over time". But the project has had problems, including the Wurundjeri Land Council withdrawing its support for the project due to fears it would disturb a burial ground, and Heritage Victoria seeking more time to rule whether Sheds A to D be dismantled and rebuilt, and a below-ground car park and storage area built. A temporary pavilion housing traders disrupted by the development was supposed to start in October last year but will not start until this year. In an email to traders last week, Queen Victoria Market Precinct Renewal program director Joanna Wandel said: "With a number of key renewal projects awaiting planning process outcomes, a full view of the operation of the transitional market will not be available until around May 2018, with major trader relocations associated with renewal unlikely to occur until late 2018.
A young girl is fighting for life after a two-car collision about 110 kilometres south-east of Melbourne on Saturday.

Five people were injured after two cars crashed on the Drouin-Korumburra Road, Athlone, just before 1.30pm.

A primary school-aged girl was flown to the Royal Children's Hospital, where she remained in a critical condition on Saturday night.

A preschool-aged boy was also flown to the hospital with facial injuries. His condition is stable.

Ambulance Victoria spokesman John Mullen said a woman in her 60s was airlifted to The Alfred hospital with back and chest injuries. She is in a serious but stable condition.
Textile Traders, the fabric and sewing business that has been a household name in Western Australia for more than three decades, is closing its bricks and mortar locations, blaming the "worst retail environment the business has experienced".

"The decision has been made to exit the retail stores and move to an online retail model. A full retail store closure is aimed for August 2018 and Textile Traders will work with landlords to exit these premises," the company said in a statement.

Textile Traders has been a fixture of Perth's retail scene. Credit:Textile Traders

"The family-owned business has 11 WA stores, a national online website and employs about 70 employees in its retail stores, including full-timers, part-timers and casuals," it said in a statement.
Bangkok: The United Nations and United States have demanded an independent investigation into a massacre in Myanmars violence-wracked Rakhine State that has been revealed in an explosive investigation by Reuters news agency.

The investigation prompted Myanmar police to imprison two Reuters reporters who face 15 years jail on a charge of violating the countrys colonial-era Official Secrets Act.

In a 4662-page report Reuters reveals the reporters Wa Lone,31, and Kyaw Seo Oo,27, helped uncover evidence, including photos, that police ordered villagers to assist in the killing, dismemberment and burial of 10 Rohingya Muslims in a mass grave in Inn Din, a fishing village 50 kilmetres north of the Rakhine capital Sittwe.
Monday 05 September, 2016 Reliable information reaching Biafra writers desk has it that the life of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indi...
Medicines to treat HIV can eliminate the risk of sexual transmission. In August 2016, the New York City (NYC) Health Department agreed with other public health and medical organizations that people with HIV who maintain an undetectable viral load for at least six months do not transmit HIV through sex. In September 2017, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the New York State Department of Health (PDF) agreed with this finding, which is known as "Undetectable = Untransmittable," or "U = U".

How Does HIV Treatment Prevent HIV Transmission?

Antiretroviral medicines are very effective at controlling HIV. They do not cure HIV infection or remove the virus from the body, but if taken every day, as prescribed, HIV medicines stop the virus from multiplying. This prevents the virus from damaging the immune system and stops sexual transmission to others.

What Does "Undetectable" Mean?

"Undetectable" means that the level of HIV in a person's blood is so low that it doesn't show up on a viral load test. If a person is undetectable, HIV can still be hiding in their body, but the amount is so low that HIV cannot be passed to others through sex.

How Do We Know That "Undetectable = Untransmittable"?

Three recent studies -- HPTN 052, PARTNER and Opposites Attract -- followed male couples and heterosexual couples in which one partner was HIV-positive and the other HIV-negative. During these studies, not one HIV-positive person who was taking antiretroviral medicines and was virally suppressed passed HIV to their negative partner. In the PARTNER and Opposites Attract studies, male couples had anal sex without condoms more than 34,000 times and heterosexual couples had vaginal or anal sex without condoms more than 36,000 times without a virally suppressed partner ever passing HIV to the negative partner. This is strong evidence that people do not sexually transmit HIV if they have an undetectable viral load.

Related: Celebrate U=U! What Undetectable = Untransmittable Means for the HIV Community

How Do I Get My Viral Load to Be Undetectable?

If you have HIV, take antiretroviral medicines as prescribed by your health care provider. After you start your medicine, your provider will take blood samples to determine when the level of HIV virus in your blood has become undetectable. Once you have been undetectable for six months, you will not be able to sexually transmit HIV as long as you take your antiretroviral medicines and keep your viral load undetectable.

Programs in NYC can help patients start or stay in HIV care and take their medicines every day. These include the Undetectables, the Positive Life Workshop and, for those eligible for Ryan White services, the NYC Ryan White Care Coordination Programs.

If I Am HIV-Negative, Should I Avoid Having Sex With People Who Have HIV?

Having sex with someone who knows they have HIV but is on treatment and has an undetectable viral load is much safer than having sex with someone who has HIV and does not know it, or someone who knows they have HIV but is not on treatment.

A person who was recently infected with HIV can have a very high viral load and can easily pass HIV to their partners.

A person with HIV who has kept their viral load undetectable for six months will not pass HIV to their sexual partners, even if they have sex without condoms.

If My Partner Tells Me They Have an Undetectable Viral Load, Should We Still Use Condoms?

Having an undetectable viral load only prevents HIV transmission. Condoms protect against HIV, other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unintended pregnancy.

If you are unsure about whether your partner is undetectable, take steps to protect yourself from HIV, such as using condoms or taking daily PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis).

You should never feel pressured to have sex without condoms.

If I Am on HIV Treatment, Should My Partner Be on PrEP?

Couples share the responsibility of preventing HIV. HIV-positive people and their partners should discuss how they can have a healthy, fulfilling and worry-free sex life, including using condoms, HIV treatment, PrEP or emergency PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis).

You and your partner may decide that antiretroviral treatment for the HIV-positive partner provides enough protection against HIV. HIV-negative partners may choose to take PrEP, especially if they have other sexual partners; are unsure of their partner's viral load or their partner's ability to keep their viral load undetectable; or feel more secure in their sex lives with the added protection of PrEP.

What Else Can I Do to Prevent Getting or Passing HIV and Other STIs?

Get an HIV test. A positive test is an opportunity to treat HIV, stay healthy and prevent HIV transmission. A negative test gives you the chance to discuss ways to stay negative, like using condoms, taking daily PrEP or taking emergency PEP.

Get tested regularly for other STIs. STIs may not show symptoms, but they can increase an HIV-positive person's viral load, or make it easier for the virus to enter an HIV-negative person's body.

More Information

[Note from TheBody.com: This article was originally published by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in Dec., 2017. We have cross-posted it with their permission.]
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Linkedin Imanuddin Razak (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, February 10, 2018 11:07 1311 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c4de70c 2 Opinion terrorism,ReconciliationMeeting,survivors Free

A breakthrough in the countrys counterterrorism efforts came to pass on Monday, after a security ministerial meeting recommended a reconciliation meeting between survivors of terror attacks and former terrorism convicts be held in the capital by the end of this month. The aim is to afford the ex-terrorism convicts  all of whom have participated in the governments deradicalization program  the opportunity to apologize to the survivors for their deeds.



As Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto explained, the meeting is expected to help end hatred and calls for vengeance. Thus the planned reconciliation is designed to end the harrowing chain of reciprocal acts of revenge, particularly among the survivors, in the aftermath of terror attacks of the past.



As an idea and concept, the proposed conciliatory meeting is good, and a successful outcome is not unthinkable, as most of the perpetrators and the survivors or their relatives are still alive.



However, as they say, Its easier said than done. There is no simple roadmap for reconciliation, as there is no shortcut or simple prescription for healing the wounds and social divisions in the aftermath of sustained violence or terror.



One key challenge is how to create trust and understanding between the opposite groups. Examining the painful past of acts of violence or terror, acknowledging and understanding them, and above all, transcending them together is the best way to guarantee that such violence or terrorism does not  and cannot happen again.



Another challenge is determining the eligible attendants of the meeting, as one important aspect to a successful meeting is that all parties involved are present. Failure to include any of them will only lead to accusations that the event cannot claim to represent all parties affected by the terror acts.



One major question is whether there is any guarantee that all perpetrators will regret their wrongdoing and will not recommit. There has been rising concern about those who refuse to admit guilt in terrorist acts while reconciliation only stands a chance of succeeding if both perpetrators and survivors  rather than just one of them  agree to sit together, to forgive and to eventually move on. Readers might still remember Imam Samudra, the executed Bali Bomber, who admitted to his terror act but declined to plead guilty, claiming he was following Islamic teachings through jihad.



A related question is whether there is any guarantee that survivors would be willing to forgive the perpetrators. Again, if either of the opposite groups declines to follow the proposed roadmap for reconciliation, then the whole process is a failure, or at least invalid.



One final question is whether the meeting, if it happens, will bring a permanent solution to violence and/or terrorism. As anticipated, the way to reconciliation will be a very long and painful journey, as it will address the pain and suffering of the victims, examine the motives of the perpetrators, bring together the estranged communities and try to find a path to justice, truth and, ultimately, peace and harmony.



Aside from all the legal and technical aspects, the planned reconciliation meeting is indeed only one measure in counterterrorism efforts.



One important factor in terrorism, as experts have said, is economic hardship. Court testimony of many convicts and written accounts of slain terrorists have shown claims that they committed terrorist acts for financial reasons. In an online advertisement, the international terrorist group Islamic State offers regular income to anyone worldwide interested in joining their movement, with the amount said to be much higher than the minimum wage in the respective countries.



It is therefore becoming an increasingly serious challenge for all stakeholders, not only the government, to generate and ensure employment for all and to overcome economic hardship as one of the drivers of terrorism.



Another measure, as many have pointed out, is for Indonesias major religious organizations, particularly Muslim organizations, to be more active in propagating true and peaceful Islam, as it is widely believed that terror acts are inspired by wrong interpretations of Islamic teachings.



Counterterrorism campaigns and efforts to prevent a new breed of terrorists should include explanations that several international terrorist organizations, which many Indonesians have associated themselves with, have been disingenuous in their motives of religious struggle. An account by former United States first lady and former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton that the US funded, armed and supported the mujahideen during the war in Afghanistan to force the Soviet Union out of Afghanistan in the late 1980s could perhaps be used as a reference.



The people we are fighting today are the people we were supporting in the fight against the Soviets, Clinton said in a televised interview ahead of the 2016 US presidential election.



Despite the challenges and potential hardship in the roadmap for reconciliation, hopes are high that the planned conciliatory meeting will reach a degree of success. Who knows, successful reconciliation between survivors and former terrorism convicts may pave the way for similar reconciliation related to past cases of mass violence and human rights violations in the country, which are still far from settled.
Replacing mobile phones every one or two years is common practice today. New products with advanced technology and software updates are released several times a year by different brands.

It is no surprise, therefore, that mobile phones tend to be considered outdated after a year or two.

At the same time, however, some devices dating back as far as 1984 are now viewed as collector items. If the phones are in good condition, they can be sold at significant prices.

Below are seven such mobile phones, as compiled by kompas.com.

Nokia 8110

A post shared by   (@dansergey) on Feb 22, 2013 at 4:49am PST

This mobile phone released in 1996 was rather unique at the time, with a design that employed a slider to cover the dial pad. When opened, this phone is slightly curved, earning it the nickname "banana phone."

The Nokia 8110 made had its on-screen debut in the 1999 action blockbuster The Matrix, and it has become part of movie history as one of a few memorable phones to appear in a movie.

Couple that with the fact that this iconic phone made cell phone history when the famous Finnish company spurred the mobile phone revolution. Consequently, the Nokia 8110 entered the collectors' market smoothly.

A Nokia 8110 in good condition on eBay, brand new, never opened, is worth around US$500. Meanwhile, second-hand devices sell for $55 to around $200 depending on their condition.

Read also: Competition heats up for budget smartphones

Motorola DynaTAC

A post shared by SACA Technologies (@sacatechnologies) on Feb 13, 2014 at 11:09am PST

When speaking of iconic phone designs, the Motorola DynaTac must not be overlooked. It is known as the original 'brick' phone, due to its immense size.

Design aside, this device has made its mark in history as the first cell phone sold commercially. DynaTac also made it to big screen with an appearance in the television show Saved by the Bell.

Several versions of the DynaTac were produced, including the DynaTac 8000X that became the first commercially available mobile phone back in 1984. Now a vintage piece of technology, this phone can fetch up to $500 in the market, the same as some high-end modern smartphones. Collectors may not want to place a call using the vintage device, but they are presented with an investment opportunity.

Nokia 808 Pureview

A post shared by Clinton Williams (@photography_lovermd) on Dec 7, 2017 at 5:08pm PST

Collectors might need to wait a little until the value of this vintage device increases, considering that the Nokia 808 Pureview is still young in the vintage league, having been released in 2012. The reason why the phone is in the list is none other than its impressive camera -- a monstrous 41-megapixel 1/1.2" sensor with an f/2.4 Zeiss all-aspherical 1-group lens. Its capability of capturing sharp stills can compete with the best devices released today.

The Nokia 808 Pureview at the moment doesn't fetch as much money as most other phones on this list, but $200 to $300 for working models in good condition is not to be sniffed at for a six-year old device. As for its prospects for investment, only time will tell.

Read also: Nokia's Android smartphones launched in Indonesia

Samsung SPH-N270

The Matrix trilogy has proven to work magic for introducing cell phones.

The Samsung SPH-N270 gained popularity with its appearance in 2003's The Matrix Reloaded, following the success of the Nokia 8110 in the original The Matrix movie. The Samsung SPH-N270 features the same spring-loaded action with both the prop and actual model, unlike the Nokia 8110, where the prop action differed from the actual model.

While not excelling in terms of design or technology among its contemporaries, its correlation with the movie added value. The fact that the phone was manufactured in a limited batch of 10,000 also increased its price.

The Samsung SPH-N270 sells for $750 on average.

Apple iPhone (2G first generation)

A post shared by     (@fichand) on Oct 24, 2016 at 11:47am PDT

The original Apple iPhone, released in 2007, was notable for all of its revolutionary features, a bold answer to other smartphones that were clunky looking, slow in performing and far from intuitive. The $600 price tag for the iPhone 2G didn't deter buyers.

The phone is regarded one of the all-time great gadgets around, easily entering the ranks of collector items. A relatively high price is considered acceptable for an iPhone 2G in excellent condition nowadays, yet the ones still in their original packaging have gone on to fetch thousands of dollars.

Read also: Lenovo introduces premium Motorola smartphones

Motorola Aura R1

A post shared by @tian_varna on Aug 22, 2017 at 8:18pm PDT

Dubbed the Rolex of cell phones, the Motorola Aura R1 employed such premium materials as stainless steel and sapphire in its design. It has a unique swivel-type opening mechanism and a high-resolution circular display.

The Swiss-made gear inside the phone are composed of Rockwell hardened steel and ball bearings, similar to what we see in most luxury watches. Along with the standard version of the Aura R1, some limited editions, like one adorned with diamonds, were also released. The most sought after is still the standard version, at a price of around $1,000.

Nokia 8800 Arte Carbon

A post shared by Original Nokia 8800 Worldwide (@8800_boutique) on Mar 11, 2016 at 10:23am PST

Rareness, a timeless design and a premium feel are the three qualities that describe the Nokia 8800 Arte Carbon. This 2008 release features premium materials such as stainless steel, carbon fiber and titanium.

The sliding motion that uncovers the phone's numeric dial pad is comprised of ball bearings, similar to that of the Motorola Aura R1.

This phone is valued at $500 on average, but in excellent condition with the original packaging it is offered at $1000 at various vendors and resellers. (mut/kes)
Behind the noisy aerobatic flight displays and lines of visitors ogling fighter jets and missiles on the tarmac, the future of aviation is on display in a cavernous exhibition hall at Asias largest airshow. And its drones.

Amid crowds of media, military and marketing execs, theres a drone, or unmanned aerial vehicle, almost everywhere you turn. From Northrop Grummans monster spy plane Global Hawk, which flew in from the U.S. Air Force base on Guam, to a small, battery-powered quadcopter from local start-up AeroLion Technologies Pte. that can fly through underground tunnels without GPS, theres a drone for everything.

Well, almost everything. Executives at the big airliner makers are still coy when it comes to pilotless passenger jets. Autonomous travel has a long way to go before most members of the public will be happy to get on a plane with no one up at the front.

There are many steps to be taken before Boeing can fly an autonomous airplane but we are taking the first steps, said Charles Toups, vice president and general manager of Research & Technology at Boeing Co. which last month unveiled a huge unmanned air-refueling plane for the U.S. Navy.

But as long as there arent too many passengers in the back, its clear that everyone in the aviation business knows UAVs are up next. There are stands touting drones to deliver packages, film 4K panoramic video, dust crops, get you to work, spy on your neighbor, bomb terrorists, fight fires and dozens of other tasks. Airbus exhibited its Skyways octocopter, saying it would begin testing an automated package delivery system In Singapore in the first half of this year.

Autonomy will completely reshape the world economy, Guillaume Thibault, partner at management consultant Oliver Wyman, told a packed conference room at the show, entitled The Autonomous Revolution - The Race Is On.

Read also: Flying taxis will be more like taking the bus

With all these pilotless craft in the air, a lot of talk was about how to manage the coming onslaught, particularly around airports. Thibault pointed out that in 2015 there were about 320,000 planes in active use around the world, while customers bought 4.5 million drones. The media announcements coming out every day are, he said, just the tip of the iceberg.

A favorite and somewhat chilling catch-phrase among military and civilian showgoers was drone swarms -- fun if youre lighting up the night sky over a rock concert, not so much fun if theyre carrying bombs.

British firm Aveillant, bought by Thales last year, offered its Gamekeeper holographic radar for those worried about armies of airborne robots. Unlike the usual rotating radar, Aveillants system uses an always-on, scanned array that the company says can spot a device the size of a sugar cube 5 kilometers away.

For those more concerned with privacy, or providing portable security, local Singaporean firm TRD Consultancy Pte. drew attention to its tiny stand with a rifle-shaped device that can electronically jam an unwanted drone. Its Orion system can disable a UAV and either bring it down or send it home, according to Business Development Director Ben Heng. The device costs around $20,000, but as more companies enter the market, expect drone-zappers to top the Christmas shopping list in the next few years.

For both piloted and autonomous craft, the show dedicated plenty of space to how to power all these new aircraft. Like the automotive industry, aerospace is grappling with how to steer away from petroleum, and more than one company was touting electric or hybrid aircraft, usually with vertical take-off, that could be used as an air taxi or corporate plane.

For most of these companies, these plans are either still on the drawing board or in scale prototype. Samad Aerospace, in the shows Whats Next? section, has a 1/10th size prototype of its Starling vertical take-off plane, the full-version of which would carry 10 passengers up to 1,000 miles.

CEO Seyed Mosheni says the potential clients are high-net-worth individuals, politicians, big corporations -- whoever owns business jet and helicopters. His U.K.-based company is developing three models, ranging from the hybrid electric-turbofan jet to an unpiloted battery-powered UAV with a 10kg payload.

Read also: Why drones are not enough: A serious air force for the 21st century

At a small corner of the hall, in a space dedicated to start-ups, 31-year-old Jogjaman Jap has an alternative solution. His company, Spectronik, offers a hydrogen fuel cell that can power a small drone for about 10 times as long as a typical lithium battery model and can be refueled in a few minutes.

We are scaling it up for the automotive industry, he said.

Hand in hand with the rise of UAVs is the growing reach of surveillance and security, with more than one exhibitor stressing the use of its systems in border control.

The large, densely packed stand of Singapore government-controlled ST Engineering showed that those issues arent just focused around airborne spy devices. No show in 2018 could be complete without a wall to keep out unwanted visitors and unit ST Electronics had one in the middle of the exhibition hall. Clipped to sections of metal fence is its AgilFence security system, which retrofits a fiber-optic wire to any perimeter and can identify precisely where your miscreant is trying to get in.

Tucked away at the back of STs stand, among the counter-drone and cybersecurity systems, however, is a black box that may offers a glimpse of the future we could all use. Called the Black Computer, it promises to guard against any exploitation such as ransomware.

It looks like the global electronic game of hide and seek is only just getting started.

 With assistance by Kyunghee Park
The Duchess of Cambridge could face a tricky decision at Britain's BAFTA film awards, a newspaper reported Friday, if female attendees decide to wear black in protest at sexual harassment.

If the red carpet "blackout" at last month's Golden Globes is copied at the February 18 ceremony in London, Prince William's wife Kate may have to decide whether to be seen to be joining in or standing apart.

Royal women traditionally do not wear all-black unless in mourning, and the monarchy avoids public protest.

The Daily Telegraph newspaper said Kate "will be left in a diplomatic minefield... a trickier dilemma than ever" when she accompanies William, the president of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, to the BAFTA bash.

Kate, 36, who is expecting her third child in April, wore a black dress with white flowers at last year's ceremony.

Her Kensington Palace office declined to comment.

The Hollywood Reporter magazine said it had seen a letter addressed to BAFTA guests inviting them to wear black like "our sisters" at the Golden Globes in Los Angeles.

Read also: Globes kick off introspective post-Weinstein awards season

"We feel it is important to make a statement to show global solidarity and that the issue is not being forgotten," it said.

"Wearing black is a strong, unifying and simple statement -- a physical and visual representation of our solidarity with people across all industries who have experienced sexual harassment and abuse."

At the Globes, Hollywood's A-listers turned out en masse wearing black outfits, with only the slightest hints of colour.

It was a sartorial show of force to draw attention to the issue in show business and beyond, a culture of abuse revealed in the downfall of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein and others.

Britain's Daily Mail newspaper described the reported BAFTA plan as "virtue signalling, the sequel".

The best actress nominees are Annette Bening, Sally Hawkins, Frances McDormand, Margot Robbie and Saoirse Ronan.

Allison Janney, Lesley Manville, Laurie Metcalf, Kristin Scott Thomas and Octavia Spencer have been shortlisted for the best supporting actress gong.

"The Shape of Water" leads the BAFTA nominations with 12 nods, ahead of "Darkest Hour" and "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" with nine.
New York Fashion Week day two saw first lady favorite Carolina Herrera signal the end of an era by stepping down from her four-decade-old label, while Tory Burch showcased breezy optimism in a sea of carnations for a post-#MeToo world.

The Venezuelan-born 79-year-old Herrera said she had appointed US designer Wes Gordon to take over as creative director after she takes the bow at her fall/winter 2018 fashion show at the Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan on Monday.

But if she's waving goodbye to the runway, she insisted in an interview with The New York Times that she was not retiring. Instead she will become a global brand ambassador for her fashion label, which has a reported $1.4 billion in annual sales.

"I am so pleased Wes is now part of the Herrera House -- he's the right one for this position to further build on our great momentum," she said in a statement.

Gordon, who studied in London, and from 2010 to 2016 presented his eponymous womenswear collection in New York, has been creative consultant at Carolina Herrera for a year.

Herrera founded her namesake fashion house in 1981, going on to dress first ladies from Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis to Michelle Obama and Melania Trump, as well as Hollywood actresses like Renee Zellweger, not to mention generations of society women.

"Fashion has changed a lot," Herrera told the Times.

"Women dress in a very strange way. Like clowns. There is a lot of pressure to change all the time. But it's better to wear what suits you."

Tory Burch also knows what suits her, transforming a market space under a flyover into a field of pink carnations sprouting from springy moss, light streaming through the windows and the Chamber Orchestra of New York playing Vivaldi.

Pink perfection #ToryBurchFW18 @selenaforrest A post shared by Tory Burch (@toryburch) on Feb 9, 2018 at 5:23pm PST

Her fall/winter 2018 collection was romantic, whimsical and partly inspired by Lee Radziwill, the 84-year-old indomitable American socialite and younger sister of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

And if there was a hot pink pussy bow blouse and matching skirt, any allusion to the pink pussy hats worn by women marching against the Trump administration was pure coincidence: turns out Radziwill has a hot pink couch in her Paris living room.

Read also: Show must go on: NY Fashion Week weathers #MeToo storm

- China market -

"I promise that wasn't in my mind. It really wasn't," laughed 51-year-old Burch, worth an estimated $600 million according to Forbes.

"I'm a big supporter of women and women's issues but that is probably not how I would demonstrate that," she added. "I love the color and pink, we were referencing Lee Radziwill... she had a pink couch."

But she is only too happy to see positivity blowing in the winds as the United States navigates the sexual harassment watershed.

"You can read optimism into the whole mood of the collection," she told AFP. "That is a definite direction," she said.

"Women's rights is the reason I started my company... this has been ingrained in our conversation for 14 years so to see a sea change is pretty spectacular."

Her collection showcased feminine layers mixed with classic tailoring, chintz reimagined and made modern into a floaty dress, scarf hemlines paired with clean-cut tomboy jackets and a blanket poncho reflecting the boho vibe of the label.

There was a handbag named after Lee. Colors were ivory, pale pink, green and navy, with patchworks of florals and stripes, delicate lace and organza, pointy-toed booties.

If New York Fashion Week is struggling to excite buyers and editors as big names sit out the schedule or flee to Europe, Burch is not one of those to defect.

"I love showing in New York," she said. But she is thinking about "more seasonless dressing" -- reflected in the layering, making the clothes wearable in any clime.

It's very useful for a global business: "They're very interested in fashion and also they're traveling a lot," said Burch of the Chinese client. "The China market is very important for us."
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, February 10, 2018 08:00 1312 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c4db94e 1 City railway-work,incident,suspect Free

The East Jakarta Police have named a girder launcher operator, Ahmad Nasiki, a suspect on Friday in the case of the launcher collapse that killed four workers at the construction site of a quadruple railway track project in Matraman, East Jakarta, earlier this month.

After investigating, today we name one suspect in the incident [that resulted in the deaths of] four individuals, East Jakarta chief Sr. Comr. Tony Surya Putra said on Friday as quoted by kompas.com.

Tony said Ahmad was the operator of the girder launcher, and that he allegedly had performed his duty negligently. He explained that Ahmad allegedly did not pay attention to the workers at the site during the operation of the girder launcher.

There should have been no workers [in the area] when he moved the launcher. The operator should've warned the workers first and made sure that the site was empty while operating the launcher, Tony said, adding that they were still investigating whether other suspects would be named.

The incident that killed four workers and injured five others took place early on Feb. 4. The launcher, which was used to lift rail pads for a four-track railway project that will link Jakarta to Cikarang, Bekasi, West Java, collapsed at 5 a.m. near Jl. Matraman Raya.

The deceased were taken to Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital in Central Jakarta, while the injured were taken to Premier Hospital in East Jakarta.

The police reported previously that five workers were operating the launcher.

Last month, a box girder at the construction site of the light rapid transit (LRT) project in Utan Kayu, East Jakarta, fell in the early hours of the morning, injuring five workers. (vny)
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, February 10 2018

A university student in Yogyakarta has been reported to police for allegedly abandoning her newborn baby in Bekasi, West Java.



The student reportedly handed her baby over to a midwife who works in Kayuringin Jaya, South Bekasi, on Sunday.



Bekasi Police deputy chief Sr. Comr. Wijanarko said on Thursday they were tipped off by residents who had discovered that the baby was in the care of the midwife.



The baby was in the care of the midwife at the request of its mother who is a friend of [the midwifes]. The baby was approximately 3 days old when put under the midwifes care, said Wijanarko, as quoted by kompas.com.



According to Wijanarko, the student promised to come back for her baby once she returned from Yogyakarta.



She only returned to Bekasi after local residents had reported her to the police. She told the police that she did n...
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, February 10 2018

The Depok Polices Jaguar Team, tasked with combating street crime, recently arrested two teenagers suspected of selling sharp weapons. The suspects, a 16-year-old male and a 17-year-old female, were arrested at Universitas Indonesia bus stop on Jl. Margonda in Depok, West Java, as they were reportedly in the process of handing over a celurit (traditional machete) to a buyer.



Jaguar Team chief First Insp. Winam Agus said his team had gathered information from Instagram that suggested the transaction would take place at the bus stop on Thursday morning.



When arriving at the bus stop at around 3 a.m., the team members, who were in disguise, reportedly found the teenagers sitting there. They then searched them and found a large celurit in a bag.



A nearly 1-meter-long celurit was found in a bag they had with them, Winam said, as quoted by tempo.co o...
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Linkedin Rachmadea Aisyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, February 10, 2018 13:38 1311 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c4e18f5 2 Business bali,World-Bank,IMF-WB-meeting,Indonesia Free

The World Bank has expressed its appreciation toward the readiness of the government to host the upcoming 2018 IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings, set to take place from Oct. 12-14 in Bali.

A total of 189 member countries of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund are slated to attend the meetings, with attendees estimated to number between 15,000 and 20,000 comprising high-ranking government officials, businesspeople, academics and civil society organizations.

Press secretary for the World Bank, David Theis, said its representatives had met with the government to discuss the events preparations in the past few days, saying that the talks have showcased the governments commitment to organizing the event.

We all sensed the [governments] commitment to living up to the highest standards possible, Theis told reporters at a press conference in Jakarta on Friday.

Theis noted that unlike some countries that had hosted the meetings in the past, Bali, a world renowned tourist destination, has an advantage because all the necessary facilities already exist, from meeting halls to airports.

You have all the hotels on [Balis] coast becoming part of the meetings [...] there have also been transformations at [Ngurah Rai] airport, he added.

The World Bank, he further explained, also appreciated that the government had shown good management regarding the risk of volcanic eruption, which had concerned many parties since the eruption of Mount Agung late last year, resulting in Bali losing a large chunk of its tourism revenue.

The government has shown that it is really clear and serious when it comes to monitoring volcanic activity, Theis said, adding that the government had also told World Bank representatives about a contingency plan, though he did not elaborate on the matter.

Despite having tens of thousands of guests coming from all over the globe to attend the event, the government and the World Bank have agreed that transportation-related issues are not something to be concerned about because the venues have prepared various arrival and departure points.

Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said earlier this month that the ministry had prepared several airports close to Bali as alternative transportation points, such as Juanda Airport and Banyuwangi Airport in East Java, Adi Soemarmo Airport and Ahmad Yani Airport in Central Java, Lombok Airport in West Nusa Tenggara, Hasanuddin Airport in South Sulawesi and Syamsudin Noor Airport in South Kalimantan.

Over the course of the meetings, activity at Ngurah Rai Airport is estimated to increase to 35 takeoffs or landings per hour from the current 28, with a daily capacity of up to 300 movements, the minister added.

Furthermore, the meetings could bring even more revenue from tourism, especially for Bali, Theis said.

You will have these 20,000 people [attending the meetings] to help you advertise Bali, he said, adding that the government had told the World Bank that it would offer leisure packages for participants during their free time.

Indonesia was chosen three years ago to host the 2018 IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings as it is held once every three years outside the IMF and World Banks headquarters in Washington D.C.

The meetings outside the headquarters last took place in Lima in 2015. The upcoming event would make Indonesia the third Southeast Asian country to host the conference after Thailand in 1991 and Singapore in 2006.

Organized by a developing yet emerging economy, the 2018 meeting will discuss issues such as capital mobilization, poverty eradication and aid effectiveness.
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Denpasar  Sat, February 10 2018

Ngurah Rai International Airport customs officers have thwarted an attempt to smuggle 24 human skulls to the Netherlands via a shipping service.



It is suspected that the human skulls, which have been carved, are the skulls of Dayak people in Kalimantan or Papuans that died decades ago.



Bali and Nusa Tenggara Customs Office head Syarif Hidaya told a press conference on Friday that the human skulls were packed in four cardboard boxes. The shipping service was told that the human skulls were...
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Banyumas  Sat, February 10 2018

The Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BBPOM) in Semarang confiscated thousands of packages of jamu (herbal beverage), which contained chemical substances, during an operation in Banyumas, Central Java, on Thursday.



Two buildings suspected to be illegal jamu manufacturing plants located in Tunjung village in Jatilawang district, Banyumas, were raided on Thursday evening.



They are accused of producing traditional medicines without a permit, and there is a strong indication that the medicines are chemically tainted. It is proven from chemical substances found in the capsules, BBPOM Semarang head Endang Pudjiwati said on Friday.



She said the illegal traditional medicines, which included jamu for curing rheumatics and for enhancing sexual performance, contained chemical-based drugs such as paracetamol, sildenafil, levorphanol and mef...
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Linkedin Jonah Mandel (Agence France-Presse) Jerusalem  Sat, February 10, 2018 15:13 1311 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c4e57a6 2 World Israel,jet,Crash Free

An Israeli fighter jet crashed on Saturday after coming under fire from Syrian air defences during attacks against "Iranian targets" in the war-torn country, a spokesman said.

The exchange of fire was the most serious between arch foes Israel and Iran since the start of the civil war in Syria in 2011.

It marked the first time Israel publicly acknowledged attacking what it identified as Iranian targets in Syria since the war began.

The Israeli military issued a warning to Tehran, saying it was responsible for the drone that entered Israel.

Israel has repeatedly warned in recent weeks against the presence of Iranian forces in neighbouring Syria.

The Israeli pilots of the crashed F16 were reported alive.

The Israeli military "targeted the Iranian control systems in Syria that sent the UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) into Israeli airspace. Massive Syrian anti-air fire, one F16 crashed in Israel, pilots safe," spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus tweeted.

According to a separate military statement, Israeli forces identified an "Iranian UAV" launched from Syria and intercepted it in Israeli airspace with a combat helicopter.

Police said the F16 crashed in the Jezreel valley in northern Israel.

"During the attack, multiple anti-aircraft missiles were fired at IAF (Israel Air Force) aircraft," the military statement read.

"The pilots of one of the aircraft abandoned as per procedure. The pilots landed in Israeli territory and were taken to the hospital for medical treatment."

Conricus meanwhile said that the army had confirmed "accurate hits of (the) Iranian UAV control facility" in Syria.

"Iran is responsible for this severe violation of Israeli sovereignty," Conricus said on Twitter.

Syria said its air defences repelled two Israeli raids on its military bases in the centre of the country, hitting more than one warplane during the first.

"At dawn, the Zionist enemy carried out a new aggression against one of our military bases in the centre of the country," state news agency SANA reported.

"Our air defences repelled it and hit more than one plane."

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor of the seven-year civil war, said the Israeli raids had targeted several military bases in the east of the central province of Homs used by both Iranian and Russian military personnel deployed in support of the regime.

Air raid sirens had gone off in Israel in the early hours of the morning following the UAV interception and raids.

The army said it was "monitoring events and is fully prepared for further action, depending on assessments and necessity."

- 'Nobody tries us' -

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has held a series of meetings in recent months with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Iran's influence in war-torn Syria and Lebanon.

Netanyahu has been seeking to persuade Russia to limit Iran's presence near Israeli territory and to stop it from entrenching itself militarily in Syria.

Russia, Iran and Lebanon's Shiite Muslim militant group Hezbollah -- which is backed by Tehran -- all support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the civil war.

In a meeting in Moscow last month, Netanyahu reiterated Israel's concerns of what he described as the attempts of Iran to establish a military presence in Syria and produce accurate weapons against Israel there.

"We wont accept either of those, and will act according to our needs," Netanyahu said following the meeting with Putin.

On Tuesday, Netanyahu had taken the members of his security cabinet for a tour of the Golan Heights, where they were briefed by the military on the situation.

"We want peace, but are prepared for any scenario, and suggest that nobody tries us," he said.

Israel has sought to avoid direct involvement in the Syrian war, but acknowledges carrying out dozens of air strikes there to stop what it says are advanced arms deliveries to Hezbollah.
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Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, February 10, 2018 11:19 1311 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c4deddf 2 City startup,jakarta,digital Free

While Jakarta may still lag behind other major cities in terms of internet infrastructure, a recent survey revealed that the capital is one of the worlds leading cities for digital businesses.



According to the Economist Intelligence Units Connecting Commerce report, Jakarta ranked 8th among 45 cities in the world with the highest confidence in the environment for digital transformation, beating London, Madrid, New York, as well as its closest neighbor, Singapore.



Based on a survey of 2,620 business executives in 45 cities worldwide, the city performed best in development of new technologies as well as innovation and entrepreneurship.



As a thriving economy and home to four startup companies valued at over US$1 billion, also known as unicorns, the city fared better in the two categories compared to Singapore, which is more connected as a city.



Jakarta was below Shanghai, Manila and Bangalore, among other Asian cities to top the list.



Many respondents believe policies pursued at a city level have greater influence on businesses digital success than those originating at the national level. This view is especially strong in Asian metropolises such as Shanghai, Beijing, Bangalore and Jakarta, but also in Barcelona and New York, the report said.



The Indonesian Fintech Associations director of public policy, Ajisatria Suleiman, said Jakarta is indeed not San Franciscos Silicon Valley, where many world-class tech companies and skilled professionals reside.



Its strength, he said, came from startup communities and coworking spaces, in which digital entrepreneurs could meet and share their ideas.



Tech and digital development in Jakarta is very fast at the moment. It is dubbed the next China from Southeast Asia. Venture capitals directly contact these communities, Ajisatria told The Jakarta Post on Friday.



He said about 80 to 90 percent of 235 fintech companies currently resided in the capital.



Rieka Handayani, the head of public relations for the Indonesian E-Commerce Association (idEA), said the Jakarta administration had eased the business licensing process for startups.



The process to obtain permits is not as complicated as in the past, when the administration asked for so many documents. Now, as long as we have a business plan and a revenue model, we can get permits, Rieka said.



Some members of idEA said the licensing process in Jakarta and other big cities, such as Bandung and Yogyakarta, was getting easier because of the governments support for digital businesses, she said.



There are many city-owned and private coworking spaces, as well as virtual offices that digital professionals can use.



The city administration itself currently manages two coworking spaces  JSC Hive, in Kuningan, South Jakarta, and Jakarta Creative Hub in Kebon Melati, Tanah Abang.



The commitment to reduce the period of business licensing came directly from President Joko Jokowi Widodo, who had targeted to improve the countrys ranking in the World Banks annual Ease of Doing Business survey



Jakarta was among the cities surveyed in the study.
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, February 10 2018

Hundreds of residents of Kapuk Poglar in West Jakarta have insisted on remaining on their property despite a planned eviction announced by the Jakarta Police.



The police have told the residents to leave, and a banner that has been up since Jan. 6 reads: This land belongs to the National Police. Residents please leave the area before Feb. 8.



The eviction was postponed on Thursday, but residents, including senior citizens and small children, raised signs reading Land for the people and We are not illegal residents in protest.



The protest was joined by civil society groups, such as the Alliance of Agrarian Reform Movement (Agra), the Indonesian Women Federation (Seruni) and various university student alliances, to help Kapuk Poglar

residents fight for the rights of their land.



Menik Rahayu, 19, born and raised in Kapuk Poglar and the lea...
Mark Wilson/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- A source familiar with the matter confirms that Rachel Brand, associate attorney general and number three in command at the Justice Department, will be soon stepping down with only nine months on the job after receiving another offer of employment.



Her pending departure comes as the agency faces criticism after a controversial memo authored by the Republican staff on the House Intelligence Committee was released alleging abuses of government surveillance powers at the FBI and Justice Department.



Brand remains on the job at DOJ, but has accepted a job as general counsel at a Fortune 50 company.



Brand has kept largely a low profile at DOJ and is known primarily pushing for the renewal of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. She could have become more prominent if Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein had recused himself from the Robert Mueller special counsel probe.



Brand would likely have taken over since Attorney General Jeff Session has recused himself from the investigation.



Brand is also the first woman to serve as associate attorney general. Former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama both previously appointed her to federal government positions.



She grew up in Iowa and attended the University of Minnesota, Morris and graduated from Harvard Law School.



She once clerked for Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy and also once worked on former North Carolina Republican Sen. Elizabeth Doles presidential campaign, according to a 1999 article in the Legal Times.



Her executive branch experience came after she joined the Bush administration, first as an assistant counsel under Alberto Gonzales, then later as the principal deputy assistant attorney general in the Office of Legal Policy, where she focused on issues related to the war on terror.



In 2005, she was confirmed by the Senate as the assistant attorney general for the Office of Legal Policy, a position she left two years later.



She then went to work for the law firm Wilmer Hale  a firm that also once employed Mueller and other attorneys on his team.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
3 children die in Rasuwa house fire

Three children, including two of a single family, were killed when their house caught fire at Sisneri in Nau Kunda Rural Municipality of Rasuwa district.
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Linkedin Ni Komang Erviani (The Jakarta Post) Karangasem  Sat, February 10, 2018 13:49 1311 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c4e227a 1 National bali,Mount-Agung,alert-status,tourism Free

The Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center (PVMBG) has lowered the alert status of Mount Agung from the highest level, while reducing the exclusion zone from 6 kilometers to 4 km from the crater.

The decision was made at an evaluation meeting at the Mount Agung Observatory in Rendang village, Karangasem, Bali. The meeting was led by Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Ignasius Jonan and attended by related agencies including PVMBG, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) and Bali Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD).

"After monitoring the volcanic activity of Mount Agung in the past month, the PVMBG recommend downgrading Mount Agungs alert status from beware [fourth level] to alert [third level]. The hazard zone will also decrease to only 4 km from the crater," Jonan told the press conference after the meeting.

Jonan said the decision was made following the decreasing seismic activity of Mount Agung.

Jonan added that displaced people living in shelters could go home. "All of our brothers and sisters who have fled their homes can now return to their villages. This also means that all tourist activities in Bali are declared safe," Jonan said.

BNPB head Willem Rampangilei said the agency will focus on assisting displaced people to return to their villages.

"We also need to carry out other preparations, especially for displaced people whose homes or surrounding infrastructure have been damaged. We will help to repair it," Willem said. (ahw)
A group of robbers broke into a turtle egg hatchery on Sangalaki Island, Berau, East Kalimantan, and took a number of eggs.

There were five of them and they all had machetes, Aganto Seno, the head of Berau conservation area said on Saturday.

According to Aganto, the robbers threatened the conservationists with machetes, seized the eggs and escaped by climbing a two-meter high wall that surrounded the hatchery.

Despite efforts to protect turtles, eggs are prone to theft and often sold as food. Turtle eggs are traditionally consumed as a tonic because they are considered to have higher amounts of protein than chicken or duck eggs.

Until 2013, turtle eggs were openly sold in Kalimantan's coastal areas, especially in Banjarmasin and Kotabaru in South Kalimantan, as well as Samarinda and Berau in East Kalimantan.

The effort to conserve turtles in Kalimantan has made Sangalaki in the Derawan Islands a tourist destination. Conservationists focus on hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelis imbricata) and green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas), who lay eggs on the beach every night. Conservationists relocate the eggs from the beach to the hatchery so that the baby turtles are protected from hawks, monitor lizards and poachers.

Lipu, a staff member of Berau conservation area, said the number of turtles coming to lay eggs in Sangalaki had decreased significantly in the past few decades.

In the 1970s, every night there were hundreds of turtles coming to lay eggs. Now, 15 turtles are considered many, he said. (gis/ahw)
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Linkedin Andrew BEATTY (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States  Sat, February 10, 2018 07:38 1312 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c4db036 2 World trump,scandal Free

Donald Trump praised Friday a former aide accused of battery, amid a scandal that called into question the president's judgment and tainted his chief of staff John Kelly and long-time aide Hope Hicks.

Allegations against ousted staff secretary Rob Porter prompted a litany of questions about the president's recruitment and the ethics of those running the world's only superpower.

Porter -- who denies abuse alleged by two ex-wives, one of whom released a photo of herself with a black eye -- worked at the heart of the White House throughout the first year of Trump's administration, despite being denied a full security clearance.

He only stepped down from his post Wednesday after the accusations became public.

Trump fueled the scandal Friday by praising Porter and suggesting he had a bright future.

"We certainly wish him well, and it's a tough time for him," Trump said in the Oval Office.

"He did a very good job when he was in the White House. And we hope he has a wonderful career and he will have a great career ahead of him.

"As you probably know, he says he's innocent, and I think you have to remember that."

That prompted a sharp rebuke from Democrats like Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, who slammed the White House's "culture of misogyny."

Chief of Staff John Kelly was aware of the allegations and also praised Porter's conduct in the White House, maintaining that "every individual deserves the right to defend their reputation."

Hicks, perhaps Trump's most trusted aide, had helped craft the response to the scandal as White House communications director, despite being romantically involved with Porter.

"It's alarming Rob Porter remained in an influential role" said Democratic Representative Ann McLane Kuster, "even as revelations about his domestic abuse were apparently known among senior Trump staffers."

"Photos of his battered ex-wife are deeply disturbing. We must know who knew what when," Kuster added.

Trump confidant and former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski -- who was formerly romantically involved with Hicks -- pointed a finger of blame at former Marine corps general Kelly.

"The general is there to put in policies and processes and procedures. And in this case, those didn't work and we need to find out why," he told Fox News.

The White House was forced to quell rumors that Kelly was ready to resign.

Vice President Mike Pence, who is attending the Olympics in South Korea, tried to distance himself from the issue.

"The time that he resigned was when I first became aware of the allegations of domestic abuse," Pence said.

"I think the White House has acknowledged they could have handled it better and when I return to Washington, DC, I'm going to look into the matter and I'll share my counsel with the president directly."

- 'Could have done better' -

Trump was elected promising to bring "the best people" with him to "drain the swamp" in Washington.

In reality, he has struggled to hire high-caliber staff, with many experienced Washington operatives keeping their distance.

"A lot of us could have done better," deputy press secretary Raj Shah told reporters when asked about the situation -- a rare statement of contrition from the Trump White House.

Shah refused to confirm in detail when and how Chief of Staff Kelly in particular became aware of the claims.

"He became fully aware about these allegations yesterday," said Shah. "I'm not going to get into the specifics, regarding who may have known what pieces of information."

Shah also would not detail the involvement of Hicks in shaping the White House response.

Until hours before the Harvard graduate left his post, the White House was praising him as an upstanding and integral member of staff.

"Rob Porter has been effective in his role as staff secretary. The president and chief of staff have full confidence in his abilities and his performance," said press secretary Sarah Sanders.

In an interview with CNN, Porter's ex-wife Jennifer Willoughby detailed allegations of abuse, saying that during her marriage she lived under a "low-grade constant terror of not knowing what I might do to set something off."

Asked if she thought allegations against her ex-husband should have stopped him from working in the White House, Willoughby called it a "greater question... for society today."

"Can we separate a man's work from his private life?" she asked, calling it "concerning" that the central discussion had been around Porter's professional contributions to the White House.

"This is a troubled man with issues that needs help."

Trump's administration has been beset by scandal and staff departures.

Porter had been a rare staffer inside the White House who knew Washington, was widely respected and was seen as good at his job.
The Komodo dragon is not the only interesting thing to see when you travel to Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

The picturesque town on the island of Flores offers the following attractions worth exploring, as compiled by kompas.com:

Gili Laba

A post shared by Adhe Rahamauw (@adhe.rach_ateloh) on Feb 1, 2018 at 10:46pm PST

Situated in Komodo National Park, Gili Laba boasts enchanting panoramic views, as well as breathtaking beaches and underwater scenes.

Do make the effort and time to reach the top of the hill for a breathtaking view of the surrounding azure-blue ocean and NTTs signature hills. Arrive at 3 p.m. and youll get the bonus of catching a beautiful sunset.

Batu Cermin Cave

A post shared by Nurul Fauziah (@nurulfauziahnu) on Aug 3, 2016 at 9:52pm PDT

Though some parts of Batu Cermin Cave are man-made, it is still a fascinating place to visit for nature lovers, featuring fossils of sea creatures its walls that prove it once rested at the bottom of the ocean.

The name of the cave itself means "mirror stone," because its walls reflect sunlight streaming through an opening in the ceiling, creating a mirror-like effect.

Read also: Labuan Bajo faces challenges with rising tourism

Cunca Wulang Waterfall

A post shared by Labuan Bajo Yuukk! (@labuanbajoyuk) on Jan 24, 2018 at 6:21am PST

Take a cooling dip in the fresh-water pool of Cunca Wulang Waterfall, located some 30 kilometers from Labuan Bajo, and enjoy its lush surroundings.

Cancar village

A post shared by theresia surbakti (@tsurbakti) on Aug 4, 2016 at 6:05am PDT

Expect to marvel at paddy fields uniquely formed like a giant spiderweb in Cancar village. Travelers usually climb a hill named Puncak Weol to take in a fantastic view.

Kampung Melo

A post shared by Muhammad Hanif (@hanifloka) on Jul 3, 2017 at 6:51pm PDT

Labuan Bajo also has a tourist destination for culture enthusiasts named Kampung, where visitors are welcomed with a traditional Manggarai caci dance.

Kampung Melo also offers a gorgeous view that is perfect for photos. (kes)
We have known the day was coming, but it wont soften the blow for many Lower East Side residents still seething over the Rivington House fiasco.

This afternoon, Slate Property Group filed work permits with the Department of Buildings for its luxury condo conversion of the former nursing home.

A stop work order has been in place at 45 Rivington St. since April of 2016, although the city allowed the developers to perform exploratory work on sections of the historic former school building. The renovation project was on hold while various agencies investigated the controversial $116 million sale of the onetime community facility. That sale was, of course, made possible by the de Blasio administrations decision to lift deed restrictions on the building for $16 million.

Last month, State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman reached a settlement with the Allure Group, Rivington Houses former owner. So now, it appears, the luxury conversion is back on track. A spokesperson for the Department of Buildings tells The Lo-Down that the applications submitted today will go through the agencys plan exam process, where they will be reviewed for compliance with the citys construction codes and zoning regulations. A partial stop work order remains in place, but DOB can rescind it as needed to accommodate approved work.

Theres not much detail available just yet in the online file. The application simply notes that the owners are filing for renovation of the existing building and conversion to residential use. The total square footage of the project is about 122,000 square feet. A lounge and wine cellar are planned in the basement. The owner rep listed on the permit is Martin Nussbaum of the Slate Property Group.

It first became publicly known in February of 2016 that Slate, China Vanke and Adam America Real Estate had acquired the building. At the time, they said about 100 luxury apartments would be created in the former AIDS nursing home. While the mayor said his administration should never have lifted deed restrictions, there was no legal recourse to reverse the sale. Over the summer, he promised City Councilmember Margaret Chin that he would try to set up a meeting with the new owners, in the hopes that they might consider a community use for the building. That never happened.

The agreement with the attorney general requires Allure to hand over $1.25 million to local non-profits and to open a new health care facility on the Lower East Side. The city recently announced it would replace 60 of the 219 nursing home beds at Rivington House (those beds will be located at Gouverneur Health). The mayors office reneged on a promise to create a senior housing and health care facility on Pike Street.

UPDATE 5:29 p.m A spokesperson for Councilmember Chin, Marian Guerra, said tonight, Our office is actively looking for ways to fight the conversion. Rivington House has been a community facility for decades, and we are not giving up on efforts to create a 21st century nursing facility in the building.

UPDATE 2/10 Heres a statement from Neighbors to Save Rivington House:
5 of 7 CM candidates named

The process to form provincial governments has moved a step forward with chief minister candidates decided in five out of the seven provinces so far. On Friday, the CPN-UML elected its parliamentary party (PP) leaders in province 1 and 3 through vote to lead two provincial governments.
A fresh face for Patan Dhoka

If you happen to pass in or out of Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur, of late, you are bound to encounter at least a few artists busy working on either one of the facades of the gate, painting.
Known for breaking stereotypes with her roles in The Good Wife, The Fall, and of course Bend it like Beckham, Archie Panjabis latest TV outing in ITVs Next of Kin falls pretty flat in comparison.

A show in which most of the faces are brown seems like a progressive step, but the subject matter and attitudes presented in the programme are more suited to 2004 than 2018.

Its a funny internal struggle for brown audiences in the West who are so thirsty for representation that well watch anything with brown people in it, but more often than not we end up having to watch terrorist dramas over and over again.

Riz Ahmed developed a theory in his now-iconic Typecast as a Terrorist essay, published in The Good Immigrant back in 2016, detailing three stages of minority representation in mainstream media, speaking specifically of his experiences as a British-Pakistani Muslim actor.

Stage one is the two-dimensional stereotype  the minicab driver/terrorist/corner shop owner

"Stage two is the subversive portrayal, taking place on ethnic terrain but aiming to challenge existing stereotypes

And stage three is the Promised Land, where you play a character whose story is not intrinsically linked to his race. There, I am not a terror suspect, nor a victim of forced marriage. There, my name might even be Dave.

Next of Kin seemed to start out as a Stage 2 show, with the spotlight on how British Muslims are victims of terrorism as much as anyone else, if not more so. The story revolves around Mona, a doctor, whose brother Kareem (Navin Chowdry) is killed by militants while providing medical aid in Pakistan.

Mona and her white husband Guy (Jack Davenport) live with their son and Monas mother, played by the ever-steely Shabana Azmi. Monas other brother Omar (Mawaan Rizwan) is divorced, her sister (Kiran Sonia Sawar) is gay, and they all gather under one roof to dance to old Pakistani songs and top 40 tunes alike. Look, were just like you, the show seems to be screaming. Its a damning indictment of the current xenophobic and Islamophobic climate in the UK that these characters must prove their humanity, and it begs the question whether this show going to such lengths to do so actually has the opposite effect.

It is revealed early on that Kareems teenage son Danish, Danny (Viveik Kalra), has been radicalised, and Mona must fight to get him home safely from the clutches of extremists in Lahore. Tangled in a racially motivated police investigation, Mona relies on solely herself in this huge undertaking. One thing that the show does right is the portrayal of the inherent mistrust that goes both ways between the police and ethnic minorities. Racial profiling leaves minorities feeling like they cannot trust the authorities, which is exactly what pushes Mona to make some of the rash decisions she does.

For self-proclaimed smart characters, everyone in this show seems to make a lot of terrible decisions. Its the product of lazy writing, and its frustrating as a viewer to watch Mona, under police surveillance, transfer thousands of pounds to her terror-suspect nephew in Lahore, and not expect anyone to notice. Again and again, the decisions made and the information withheld are inexplicable with regards to the characters, but the events simply have to play out that way for the plot to make any sense. Its infuriating!

Leading the anti-terror operation is DCI Vivien Barnes, played by Claire Skinner, who is as far from her maternal role in Outnumbered as she could possibly get. She is possibly the most abrasive character on TV in the last decade, and consistently messes up her job, and puts her operatives at risk, yet we are supposed to believe that despite her obnoxious demeanour, she really does have everyones best interests at heart.

After a frankly exhausting number of life-changing revelations, emotional phone-calls, and implausible life-threatening situations, the show comes to its utterly predictable conclusion. Jack Davenport even gets to punch a racist to defend his wifes honour - its all very progressive, really.

I cant even fault the predictable ending  they wrote themselves into such a corner that there really wasn't anything else they could do. The most insulting thing really was the last five minutes of the finale, which showed the whole family in some sort of family-of-terrorists support group. Its like an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, but for terrorist-adjacent Muslims. The final dialogue is Mona practically staring directly into the camera and preaching about how if only we talk to our kids, maybe there wont be a next time.

The narrative lays the blame (which is reductive in itself) squarely at the feet of Muslim families not being communicative enough with their wayward sons. Its offensive, and Riz would categorise it as Stage 1.

It's 2018: Muslims deserve better representation. Maybe leave terrorism out next time.

Next of Kin originally aired on ITV 1 and will be available on DVD from 19th February.
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Body of woman retrieved from Trishuli River, rescuer injured

The body of a woman, who was among the two persons missing after a jeep they were travelling in plunged into the Trishuli river at Salangghat, Dhading on Saturday morning, has been retrieved from the submerged vehicle.
China marks Spring Festival

China organised a programme in Kathmandu on Friday to mark its New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, on Friday. President Bidya Devi Bhandari inaugurated the programme by lighting a lamp at Hotel Yak and Yeti.
Dr KC demands resignation of CJ Parajuli

Senior orthopedic surgeon at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) Dr Govinda KC has demanded resignation of Chief Justice (CJ) Gopal Parajuli and investigation into the authenticity his citizenship certificate.
 Kyle Edward Heaverin, of Brandenburg, Ky., pleaded guilty to B misdemeanor charges of hunting on posted land and hunting waterfowl in unharvested crops without permission. He was ordered to pay a $250 donation to the Report All Poachers (RAP) program; not hunt in North Dakota until after Nov. 20; and pay $250 in fees. He was placed on 360 days unsupervised probation.

 Austin Tyler Lancaster, of Brandenburg, Ky., pleaded guilty to hunting on posted land and hunting waterfowl in unharvested crops without permission. He was ordered to pay a $250 donation to the RAP program; not hunt in North Dakota until after Nov. 20; and pay $250 in fees. He was placed on 360 days unsupervised probation.

 Joshua Dean Roberts, of Vine Grove, Ky., pleaded guilty to hunting on posted land and hunting waterfowl in unharvested crops without permission. He was ordered to pay a $250 donation to the RAP program; not hunt in North Dakota until after Nov. 20; and pay $250 in fees. He was placed on 360 days unsupervised probation.
After three long, agonizing months in and out of intensive care unit in a Minneapolis hospital battling pancreatitis and fighting for his life, my dad is set to come home to the ranch in a few weeks.

Friends are calling wondering what they can do, making plans to clear the driveway, buy groceries and welcome him back, and we are so very grateful.

And while I want to say that were all finally able to let that breath out that weve been holding in all this time, Im not so sure that its entirely true yet. When a loved one has gone through such a traumatic, life-threatening experience, Im not sure when you begin to trust that that its truly over. Hes coming home, but hes got a long road to recovery, one that will be done out here, so far from the team of experts that saved his life.

Its times like these the isolation of rural living sinks in. And it can scare you if you let it. The fact that my dad made it all those miles between the cold buttes and coulees of the ranch to a place with skyscrapers and sidewalks that could save him is truly a miracle that wouldnt be possible in a different time. And now, somehow, it feels like years since we had him here, home and healthy with us. These months have passed slowly.

Last weekend my great uncle stopped by the house to visit. Hes one of the three remaining children of 12 born just down the road from the ranch.

Come on in, its a mess, but thats life, I said as I hugged him with my free arm, my sleeping baby in the other, my toddler behind us with the door open sitting naked on the potty.

I replayed those words in my head for days since I blurted them. Its a phrase Id never uttered before and one that may have resonated with him had I not said it with such haste in an attempt to explain away my housekeeping skills.

Because he just recently lost his wife after a long health battle and he came home for a visit with his brothers.

Its a mess, but thats life 

He stood in my kitchen, surrounded by the remnants of breakfast and Edies art project and our small talk about weather turned to a story about his immigrant father and how he rode his bike 80-some miles across the prairie to borrow a wagon to pick up his bride.

Can you imagine what my mother was thinking? I dont know if she knew what she was getting into 

I couldnt help but think then, that what she got herself into brought us to that moment in my kitchen that day, comforting one another, worrying about Dads homecoming and smiling as that man, who has known much more mess in this life than stray socks and spilled orange juice, called my daughters beautiful.

These are the reasons we stay here, standing brave, holding our breath, in this mess of a life.

Jessie Veeder is a musician and writer living with her husband and daughter on a ranch near Watford City, N.D. She blogs at veederranch.com. Readers can reach her at jessieveeder@gmail.com.
Ive been having a lot of conversations with liberal friends of mine about North Dakotas 2018 Senate race.

Theyre awfully confident. So much so they remind me of another group of people.

Republicans in the 2012 election cycle (including this right-of-center observer, I must sheepishly admit).

We were so very confident back then that Rick Berg, fresh off the 2010 cycle where he upset 10-term incumbent Earl Pomeroy for North Dakotas at-large U.S. House seat, would steamroll Heidi Heitkamp and flip that Senate seat to Republicans too.

After all, Heitkamp hadnt been in the political spotlight in North Dakota for more than a decade at that time, and she was forced to campaign alongside Barack Obama, a deeply unpopular President in this neck of the woods.

The word for our attitude was hubris. We thought Berg couldnt lose. But then Heitkamp out worked him, running a pitch-perfect campaign, and it turned out Berg could lose after all.

Lesson learned.

I wonder if Democrats will have to learn a similar lesson in 2018?

Certainly theyre aware that Heitkamp is vulnerable. Theyre concerned about the various Republican challengers. The orchestrated smear campaign Heitkamps various surrogates ran against Congressman Kevin Cramer, up until he opted not to run for the Senate, is evidence enough of that.

But now that Cramers not running you get the sense that our liberal friends feel theyve already won. You get the feeling Heitkamp thinks shes already won.

A Democratic incumbent in a deeply red state doesnt high-five Chuck Schumer on the Senate floor after voting down a bipartisan abortion bill unless theyre feeling awfully confident.

Perhaps too confident.

I can tell you, after years of watching the North Dakota Republican Party and its candidates battle complacency amid political dominance, thats not a safe place to be.

You can count me among the critics of state Sen. Tom Campbell, the NDGOPs first announced Heitkamp challenger. Im still not convinced that he can articulate a winning message against some as skilled in the art of politics and mudslinging as Heitkamp is.

He could surprise us, though.

Gary Emineth, on the other hand, is an intriguing candidate. Can he raise enough money to beat Heitkamp? Can he rebuild some of the bridges he burned with his own party back when he was the chairman of the NDGOP?

Well see.

We may even see more Republican candidates come out of the woodwork. Now that Cramer has made his decision, it wouldnt surprise me if other candidates (including some who have already said they wouldnt run) decide to join the fray.

My point is, despite the cloud of smug currently surrounding Heitkamp and her followers, she does still need to win an election before she gets another term in office.
Prithvi Man Shrestha is a political reporter for The Kathmandu Post, covering the governance-related issues including corruption and irregularities in the government machinery. Before joining The Kathmandu Post in 2009, he worked at nepalnews.com and Rising Nepal primarily covering the issues of political and economic affairs for three years.
After a surprise announcement, hundreds of Rugbys Ely Elementary students gathered with Rugby Superintendent Mike McNeff to surprise Principal Jason Gullickson with the award for the National Distinguished Principal 2017-2018 representing North Dakota.

Ely Elementary put together a video of how they felt about Gullickson, and each child spoke of what he meant to them. As the 100-plus children gathered in the gym February 4, they cheered and jumped up and down, surprising Gullickson as he entered the gym. Each child was wearing a cut-out hand decorated tie for their shirts with a big letter G at the top.

Kudos to all the kids for doing this, I appreciate it so much, Gullickson said. I was so surprised because Dr. McNeff called me and said I had to get over here and fix the boiler! I thought, the boiler, what do I know about the boiler?

So I called the custodian and we headed over here. It was a total surprise to me, he continued. Gullickson was crowned with a gold crown as hundreds of small children jumped in the air yelling. They had been contained long enough.

I have to thank all the teachers, and people who help me day to day. I couldnt do it without all of you, and I thank you, Gullickson said.

McNeff presented the award, which is made by the North Dakota Council of Educational Leaders. Its a lengthy process to go through, he said. First, the principal must be nominated by his peers and then fill out an application which is the beginning of a lengthy process.

Gullickson will now be invited to Washington, D.C. for the finals competing with winners from all 50 states this year.

One little third grader said, I really like him, hes even nicer than my dad!
Southern Pines, NC (28387)

Today

Clear skies. Low around 65F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Clear skies. Low around 65F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
SDSU's Frost Arena to become First Bank & Trust Arena with $50M renovation

The renovation, which will have an estimated total cost of $50 million, is expected to take two years and will be done in phases to avoid interruption of SDSU events.
Fire rages in Badipakha

Fire-fighters are battling to control a blaze at Badipakha Community Forest near the Ramechhap District Hospital. The fire started at the community forest on Thursday, leaving the hospital at risk.
Fourth Buildcon, Wood expo welcomes visitors

Nepal Buildcon and Wood International Expo 2018 kicked off on Friday at Bhrikuti Mandap, Kathmandu.
From dust The fan needs cleaning. On top of each blade, a...

By Jerry Pinto
Government extends deadline for second tranche of grant

The government has decided to extend the deadline for receiving the second installment of the financial grant meant for earthquake affected families by mid-April.
Govt staff yet to report to work in Province 4

A majority of the employees assigned to the provincial ministries and government offices in Pokhara, the temporary headquarters of Province-4, have not reported to work so far.
Irrigation Secretary killed in Trishuli jeep plunge

Secretary at the Ministry of Irrigation, Ramananda Prasad Yadav, died after a jeep he was travelling in plunged into Trishuli River near Salanghat of Dhading along the Prithvi Highway on Saturday morning.
The the (VIDEOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE)

An Israel Air Force fighter jet was targeted by Syrian anti-aircraft fire, forcing the pilots to bail out. The plane crashed near Kibbutz Harduf in the Lower Galil south of Shfaram on Shabbos. Bchasdei Hashem the crashing plane did not result in injuries or damage. One member of the crew sustained serious injuries and the second light, as they parachuted to safety.

An air force chopper picked up the wounded crew and transported them to the trauma unit of Rambam Medical Center in Haifa. Officials at Rambam report the condition of the seriously injured crew member has stabilized and the medical team remains optimistic. The second crew member is likely to be released from the hospital in a day or so.

The escalation began with an incursion into Israeli air space by an Iranian pilotless aircraft (Drone), which officials report appears to have crossed the border from Jordan. Israel retaliated by targeting the location the drone originated from, as well as several other Iranian locations deep in Syria.

The following ideo shows the IAF pilot downing the drone:

The sudden escalation offers what could be a harbinger of what lies ahead as the Syrian fighting winds down and an emboldened Iran establishes a military presence that Israel vows it will never accept. Syria over recent months has accused the IAF of invading its airspace and operating without authorization.

Israel has issued several stern warnings of late about the increased Iranian involvement along its border in Syria and Lebanon. The Israeli Cabinet just held a meeting near the Syrian border to highlight the new threats, which it attributes to Irans growing confidence given the success of the government of Bashar Assad in the Syrian civil war thanks to their support.

Israel called the drone infiltration a severe and irregular violation of Israeli sovereignty and warned that Iran would be held accountable for its meddling, raising the specter of a larger confrontation in an area that has remained largely stable since a monthlong war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon in 2006.

This is a serious Iranian attack on Israeli territory. Iran is dragging the region into an adventure in which it doesnt know how it will end, Israels chief military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis, said in a special statement. Whoever is responsible for this incident is the one who will pay the price.

IAF Brigadier-General Tomer Bar said that the drone, which was shot down in the Beit Shean area on Shabbos, entered Israel via Jordan and did not directly cross the Syrian-Israeli border, adding that the Iranians were trying to outwit the IDFs detection and defense systems. They estimated that we would not discover them, said Brigadier-General Bar.

This is the Iranian UAV that infiltrated Israeli territory early this morning pic.twitter.com/R1cfL4v5dF  IDF (@IDFSpokesperson) February 10, 2018

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman and IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-General Gadi Eizenkott convened top intellegence and military brass at military headquarters in Tel Aviv for long hours of emergency consultations throughout Shabbos to discuss their next steps.

Netanyahu said he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and vowed to strike back hard.

Iran seeks to use Syrian territory to attack Israel for its professed goal of destroying Israel, he said. Israel holds Iran and its Syrian host responsible for todays aggression. We will continue to do whatever is necessary to protect our sovereignty and our security.

Video of F-16 crew parachuting to safety inside Israel:

Chopper transporting wounded crew arrives at heliport of Rambam Medical Center:

Israel also appealed to the United Nations Security Council to denounce Irans aggression and put an immediate end to Iranian provocations.

Israel would not confirm whether its aircraft was actually shot down by enemy fire, which would mark the first such instance for Israel since 1982 during the first Lebanon war.

Photos of the downed F-16:

Israel fears Iran could use Syrian territory to stage attacks or create a land corridor from Iran to Lebanon that could allow it to transfer weapons more easily to Hezbollah  Lebanons Iranian-backed political party and militant group sworn to Israels destruction. Though Israel has largely stayed out of the Syrian conflict, it has struck weapons convoys destined for Hezbollah  which is fighting alongside Syrian forces  almost 100 times since 2012.

But Israel has refrained from striking Iranian sites directly. Syria has also repeatedly said it will respond to Israeli airstrikes but has rarely returned fire. Both of those trends came to an abrupt end Saturday as a rapid escalation played out in the early morning hours.

At dawn, Israel said it shot down an Iranian unmanned aircraft that penetrated its airspace and then destroyed the Iranian site in central Syria that it said launched it. Upon their return, Israels jets came under heavy Syrian anti-aircraft fire and the pilots of one of the F-16s had to eject and the plane crashed in northern Israel.

In subsequent attacks, the Israeli military said it struck four additional Iranian positions and eight Syrian sites, causing significant damage. The Israeli jets again faced a heavy barrage of anti-aircraft missiles but returned home safely, as large explosions were reported in Syria and warning sirens blared in northern Israel.

Israel says the strikes destroyed the main command and control bunker of the Syrian military and marked its most devastating assault against Syria in decades.

Iran denied Israels shooting down of a drone, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasem calling the account ridiculous, while the joint operations room for the Syrian military and its allies insisted the drone had not violated Israeli airspace and was on a regular mission gathering intelligence on ISIS militants.

Regardless, Hezbollah said Saturdays developments signaled a new strategic phase in engaging Israel, which has been mostly off the guerrilla groups radar as it has been knee-deep in the fighting in Syria.

Former Syrian lawmaker and political commenter Sharif Shehade said the anti-aircraft fire marked a political decision in Syria to respond to Israeli strikes, and that tensions would continue to rise unless Washington and Moscow intervened to calm the situation.

It is a decisive decision to confront the Israeli air force and its careless behavior, he told The Associated Press in Damascus, I think what happened today is a lesson for Israel.

However, a former Israeli Air Force pilot, retired Lt. Col. Reuven Ben-Shalom, said the fierce Israeli response actually sent very clear messages to the other side, showing Iran how deep Israels knowledge was of its activity in Syria.

The fact that a drone like this is identified, tracked and intercepted so smoothly by the Israeli air force demonstrates our capabilities, demonstrates our resolve not to allow the breach of Israeli sovereignty, he said. I think its good that our enemies learn and understand these capabilities.

Military spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus said Saturdays incident marked the most blatant and severe violation of Israeli sovereignty yet. He said while Israel had no interest in further escalation it was prepared to extract a heavy price for such aggression.

By directly sending the drone into Israel on a military mission, Conricus said Iran was playing with fire.

Russia, which backs Assad and maintains a large military presence in the country, called for restraint and appeared to criticize Israels actions.

It is absolutely unacceptable to create threats to the lives and security of Russian servicemen who are in Syria at the invitation of its legitimate government to assist in the fight against terrorists, Russias foreign ministry said.

Israel has long complained about the involvement of archenemy Iran, and Iranian proxy Hezbollah, in the Syria war. Both have sent forces to back Assad, who appears headed toward victory after years of fighting. Israel has said it will not accept a permanent military presence by Iran and its Shiite allies in Syria, especially near the Israeli border.

Israel has shot down several drones that previously tried to infiltrate its territory from Syria. The capture of an Iranian drone and the targeting of Iranian sites in response, however, marked a dramatic escalation in the Israeli retaliation. Israel said it had recovered the remnants of the drone, which proved that it belonged to Iran.

The drone was a sophisticated pilotless aircraft

According to experts, this is a UAV with a piston wing that resembles the US RQ-170, a stealth-capable drone and a jet engine that Iran fell in 2011. In October 2016, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards displayed copies of the RQ-170 that they had produced. The drone was downed by an IAF Apache chopper, as seen in the accompanying video.

The downing of the Iranian UAV is a technological and operational achievement for the IDF, which chose to bring it down in the Jordan Valley and not across the border to understand the characteristics of the aircraft and to know the technologies that the Iranians were able to develop or acquire. According to Brigadier-General Bar, the UAV demonstrates technological progress.

Israeli experts also estimated that the drone would be of great interest to the American defense establishment in particular and to Western countries in general, which are closely monitoring the Iranian defense industries.

(AP/ YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
Older people are being tricked out of thousands of pounds by fraudsters who ask them to pay off nonexistent tax debts in Apples iTunes vouchers.

HM Revenue and Customs said hundreds of vulnerable and elderly people have fallen victim to the scam, which sees fraudsters cold calling people pretending to be HMRC members of staff.

Victims are told they owe large amounts of tax which they can only pay off through Apples iTunes vouchers. Fraudsters ask them to go to a local shop, purchase these vouchers and read out the redemption code, which they then sell or use to buy high-value products.

HMRC is raising awareness of an iTunes scam by writing to major retailers (Chris Radburn/PA)

Victims have lost on average 1,150 so far, although for some the loss has been significantly higher.

Over 1,500 reports of this scam have been filed since 2016, according to figures from Action Fraud, with the vast majority of victims aged over 65.

HM Revenue has written to the chief executives of major UK supermarkets, asking them to tell its staff about the scam so that they can help protecting their customers.

Angela MacDonald, HMRCs director general of customer service, said: 'Supermarket staff are often the last line of defence against these fraudsters.

'Thats why Ive written to the chief executives of major UK retailers to urge them to make their staff aware of this scam so they can help protect unsuspecting customers.'

HMRC said that, as well as raising awareness, its action to shut down scamming operations includes identifying and initiating the takedown of website links being used by criminals.
Making the headlines: Emma Walmsley is in charge of 100,000 employees worldwide

When Emma Walmsley was growing up, her family would hold an annual debate as to where they should spend their summer holidays.

Little Emma would present her choice, listing the advantages, and pointing out why the other options were rubbish. She always won.

Walmsleys early aptitude for winning people over through well-researched analysis has set the tone for much of her soaring career. She is chief executive of GlaxoSmithKline, the 80bn pharmaceuticals giant. It is a role which makes her, at just 48, the most powerful businesswoman in Britain, if not the world.

Steely, sharp-as-a-tigers tooth, with a slightly haughty head girl demeanour, what Walmsley lacks in warmth she more than makes up for in gritty determination.

Nice but utterly ruthless, is how one ex-colleague described her to me this week, with skin as impenetrable as sheet metal.

Scour You Tube and youll find a wonderfully combative performance from her years ago on BBCs Watchdog, presenter Anne Robinsons customary exocets bouncing off her like ping-pong balls.

As well as being in charge of 100,000 employees worldwide, for which she could earn as much 8.8m this year, Walmsley is also the mother of four children.

Husband David Owen is a former businessman whom she met at a party in her mid-20s. Friends say she spent the morning after their first meeting avoiding his calls, reluctantly relenting to his requests for a date almost through guilt. They married a year later.

Her global jet-setting means squeezing in school plays and parent evenings can be a struggle, but then Walmsleys own upbringing was somewhat higgledy-piggledy.

Born in Cumbria, the eldest of three, her fathers occupation as a naval vice-admiral meant the family was often relocating. In her early life, the Walmsleys moved four times in six years. School was St Swithuns, a brainy boarding school in Winchester, where teachers remember her as her years stand-out pupil. She developed a passion for classics, which she studied at Oxford, but not before taking time out to travel through China.

After graduation, Walmsley landed a marketing job with French cosmetics giant LOreal. She performed management roles in London, Paris and New York, before heading back east in 2007 to run the consumer products division in Shanghai. With four young tots now in tow, she made a point of not living in an expat community in order to immerse her family in the Chinese way of life.

She appeared destined for a global role at LOreal until 2010, when she met with Glaxos then boss Sir Andrew Witty. What she assumed was a networking lunch turned out to be an offer to run the firms European business. She was reluctant at first. Her reassuring hubby intervened, however, offering to step back from a business hed set up in China to allow her to take the job. In a rare moment of public tendresse, she described joining Glaxo as the second best decision I have made  after marrying David.

Her elevation last year to Wittys job took many by surprise. The role has traditionally fallen to a pharmaceuticals expert, whereas Walmlsey hails from the consumer side, flogging products such as Horlicks and Aquafresh toothpaste.

Although it was hailed as a glass ceiling-shattering moment for women, questions were raised as to whether she would be able to apply herself to pharma. The City agreed, with shares dipping on the day of her appointment.

But she has answered the sceptics by overhauling her senior management and bringing in big-hitters from pharmaceuticals rivals while boosting research and development spending. This week, in her first set of results since taking over, GSK reported record 30bn sales.

Just like that precocious young tot with her holiday plans, slowly but surely shes winning the doubters over to her side.
Takeover target GKN is expected to lift the lid next week on a major plan to boost profits.

Chief executive Anne Stevens, 69, who was named boss last month, will outline her so-called Project Boost as the engineering firm battles an unwelcome 7.4bn bid from takeover specialist Melrose.

GKNs share price was knocked late last year by a profits warning and accounting scandal in the US.

Action plan: Chief executive Anne Stevens will outline her so-called Project Boost as the engineering firm battles an unwelcome 7.4bn bid from takeover specialist Melrose

However, management hope to show it remains better off under their leadership than Melroses stewardship, and are expected to set out detailed plans for each arm of the business.

GKN makes parts for the Black Hawk helicopter, F-35 fighter jet, A400m military plane, as well as parts for Mercedes, BMW and other leading manufacturers.

As such, the takeover will need to be approved by the US Committee on Foreign Investment. The UK Government is also under pressure to intervene.

Yesterday GKN bosses said they would consider agreeing to extend the bid deadline to make sure that shareholders know the USs view on the deal before they make their decision.
Notonthehighstreet.com is the biggest online gifting marketplace in the UK, with more than 39 million unique visitors annually.

With so many potential customers, it's easy to understand the site's appeal for the approximately 5,500 creative small businesses - 89 per cent of which are run by women - who pay to trade on the platform.

Over the past decade to May 2017, based on revenue, NOTHS sellers have contributed nearly 600million gross value added to the UK economy, according to research it commissioned from Oxford Economics.

Women at work: 89 per cent of Notonthehighstreet's sellers are run by women, including Joanna Miller's Bespoke Verse

The site now boasts 20 partners with revenues in excess of 1million (17 of them owned by women) and while the mean average turnover of its sellers is a much more modest 28,934, these are still very viable businesses. The average UK annual salary is just shy of 25,000, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics.

Here's the This is Money guide to selling on Notonthehighstreet, packed with insider tips on how to boost your sales.

What can I sell?

NOTHS says it's always on the lookout for 'innovative and original ideas; something a little different'.

It likes to feature products from entrepreneurs who have either designed or sourced good quality, stylish and unique items that can be sold to customers looking to purchasing gifts or indulge themselves.

It tries not to stock too many similar products or services so that partners aren't overly competing with each other. That means the more unique your items, or the more of a gap they fill in NOTHS' offering, the better.

Storefront: NOTHS gives small business access to a vast customer base

Upon joining the site, you'll also be asked to confirm you havent deliberately or knowingly copied the designs, products, name or trading style of another company or business.

How do I get my business on the site?

To get your products or services listed on the site, you must apply to become a 'partner' online.

Your business address must be in the UK or Ireland - although the company says it is looking to expand to include international businesses in the near future.

You will need to provide a summary of your business and your products, including photos of your products - either by providing a link to your website where they can be found, or a link to an online photo sharing application such as Flickr.

Gift tag: NOTHS has become a go-to site for shoppers looking for unique and personalised gifts and treats

After seven working days from submitting your application, you should receive an email from the company informing you of whether it would like to proceed with your application. So remember to add NOTHS to your safe senders list so the email doesn't get lost in your junk folder.

If you're not successful first time, you can re-apply with new product information later on.

NOTHS may request product samples to verify the quality and check your pricing is justified and members of its team may come out to visit you to get a feel for you and your business.

How much does it cost?

If accepted as a partner, NOTHS charges a one-off joining fee of 199. It says this covers account set up costs, the online shop window (your 'storefront'), access to the 24-hour order management system - plus extra partner resources such as SEO, business planning and help with product development.

The marketplace also has an 'inspiration platform', called SPARK, which all partners can access. It is full of 'how to' guides and updates on trends - such as what colours are forecast to be in high demand in the coming months.

NOTHS also charges 25 per cent commission on sales, but individual terms and conditions apply. These can be changed but a NOTHS spokesman says 'whenever we change our terms we give our partners plenty of notice'.

Get your photos spot on

Notonthehighstreet stresses the importance of high-quality photography to all potential and existing sellers.

One of its curators told This is Money that product shots on black backgrounds or with items displayed on mannequins aren't effective.

Instead they urge anyone wishing to sell, or already selling, on the site to invest in 'lifestyle' images - such as photographs of products in use in a home setting, or being worn.

Remember that in an online marketplace, your customers can't touch and feel your products before they buy so your photos have to extra work hard to secure sales.

All about lifestyle: Idyll Home's photos of its 179 Rug Kuba give an idea of how it could look in your home

COTTON CLARA: 'WHY I SELL ON NOTONTHEHIGHSTREET' Chloe Hardisty, 40, runs her Cotton Clara homeware business in Loughborough and joined NOTHS in 2016 after attending two of the site's 'Pitch Up' events for potential sellers. 'It had always been my business goal to get accepted to Notonthehighstreet. I think I saw other partners who were a few years ahead of me in the place I wanted to be and so to be accepted was a real boost to my confidence and a reassurance that I was heading in the right direction with my products. 'I found the Pitch Up events really helpful. The first one I attended I wasn't accepted but I got some really valuable feedback that helped me to go away, do some work and come back and get accepted six months later. Star power: Chloe Hardisty's Cotton Clara's business was visited by author and celeb mum Giovanna Fletcher as part of NOTHS' 2017 Mothers' Day campaign 'Since joining, I've seen a big increase in sales, and I've had the chance to get some great exposure for my brand and products. I've been given some great opportunities with notonthehighstreet, the highlight being Giovanna Fletcher visiting my home for last year's Mothers Day campaign, and I've developed new products which have helped me to reach a wider audience. My experience with NOTHS has been nothing but positive since I joined. 'My advice would be to get along to as many meetups as you can, trawl the site and learn from those partners who have been doing this a long time, how do they write their product descriptions and take their photos? Be willing to make the most of last-minute opportunities and always keep coming up with new ideas.'

What support is available?

NOTHS has a 40-strong network of ambassadors - made up largely of its best and most experienced sellers. They can be found all around the UK and put on events such as masterclasses and Q&As, which often feature visits from the NOTHS team.

These events are great opportunities for sellers - existing, new and prospective - to pick each other's brains and share their experience.

Joanna Miller, founder of Bespoke Verse, is one of the ambassadors. The mum of three, who has an English degree from Oxford University, set up her poetry business at her kitchen table in Berkhamstead after giving her own wedding speech in rhyme.

Mrs Ambassador: Poet and entrepreneur Joanna Miller shares her own successful experience of selling on NOTHS with other partners in the Herts, Beds and Bucks region

She's gone on to have a very successful online store on NOTHS, where she sells a wide range of products - from personalised wedding readings written from scratch to mugs and coasters printed with poems and ditties.

She says her sales increased by 600 per cent in her first year of trading on NOTHS and she's now a NOTHS ambassador for the Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire region. Last week she ran a meeting for 30 sellers, with three of the NOTHS team attending. It was held at her studio and the NOTHS team conducted a Q&A session on new trends for the this year.

'It was really useful for the partners [sellers]. For instance, now they know how they can tailor their photography to match the trends, which is so useful.'

She's part of a 45-strong Facebook group of local NOTHS sellers and every three months she organises meetings that around 25 sellers typically attend. They take place between 11am and 2pm so they fit conveniently between school runs and they're an opportunity for sellers to talk through any problems or challenges and build a network.

'I've learnt so much through the network,' says Joanna. 'For example, I was able to find a good framer through word of mouth, which saved me months of research - and anxiety.'
NAC aircraft heads to Spore for repairs

An Airbus A320 belonging to Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has been flown to Singapore from New Delhi to get an engine replacement, on Thursday.
Our Prime Monsters!

The Bangladesi Court has sentenced the countrys former Prime Monster to five years in prison.
[February 09, 2018] Impartner Announces 3rd Annual Global Awards for Partner Relationship Management Excellence at ImpartnerCON18

SILICON SLOPES, Utah, Feb. 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Impartner, the world's leading provider of pure-play Partner Relationship Management (PRM) solutions, today announces the recipients of its third annual customer awards, which were presented at ImpartnerCON18, the company's annual customer conference held February 7-9, 2018 at the Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City. The theme for this year's conference was Transcend, with the focus being on helping companies grow beyond ordinary limits. Following are the winners of this year's Impartner Transcend Awards and the name of the award they've won for setting the pace for channel operations: FireEye, Transformer Award : For making a complete transformation of their PRM functionality and bringing to life a robust and fully customized portal in record time.

: For making a complete transformation of their PRM functionality and bringing to life a robust and fully customized portal in record time. Fortinet, Magnet Award: For creating a vibrant partner portal experience through pricing, promotions, training, marketing and sales that has driven their customer engagement to the top of the leaderboard for all Impartner customers worldwide.

For creating a vibrant partner portal experience through pricing, promotions, training, marketing and sales that has driven their customer engagement to the top of the leaderboard for all Impartner customers worldwide. Jive Communications, Edge Award: For pushing the boundaries of what is possible in their business and in channel enablement, including a ground-breaking, real-time integration with their Salesforce-based price pricing solution into their PRM, making price quoting available to their indirect channel.

For pushing the boundaries of what is possible in their business and in channel enablement, including a ground-breaking, real-time integration with their Salesforce-based price pricing solution into their PRM, making price quoting available to their indirect channel. Kio Networks, Vanguard Award: For leading the way in implementing PRM for mission-critical IT Services and Infrastructure vendors in Latin America .

For leading the way in implementing PRM for mission-critical IT Services and Infrastructure vendors in . Splunk, Integrator Award : For leadng the way in how PRM is truly integrated in to the flow of their business and business processes.

: For leadng the way in how PRM is truly integrated in to the flow of their business and business processes. Zendesk, PRM Promise Award: For their ability to truly deliver more value to their partners through automation without adding additional staff, powerfully delivering on the promise of PRM.



Brad Pace , VP of Customer Success. "It's a privilege for us to serve these companies and all our customers that share our unwavering commitment to driving the channel forward." This past year has been transformational for Impartner. The company has seen a 70 percent increase in new customers bringing the total number of partners signing into portals using Impartner PRM technology to 5.6 million.

Attendance at the company's annual customer conference doubled since last year. The star-studded speaker lineup featured the who's who of the channel including a keynote from Doug Landis, Growth Partner of Emergence Capital, a leading enterprise cloud venture capital firm. Other sessions were led by market-leading analysts from firms including Forrester, SiriusDecisions, ESG and The 2112 Group. To learn more about ImpartnerCON18, please visit: https://www.impartner.com/impartnercon/overview To learn more about Impartner and schedule a free demo of Impartner PRM, please visit: https://www.impartner.com/ About Impartner Impartner delivers the industry's most advanced SaaS-based Partner Relationship Management solution, helping companies worldwide manage their partner relationships and accelerate revenue and profitability through indirect sales channels. Impartner PRM is the industry's most award-winning PRM technology and one of the industry's only turnkey solutions that can deploy a world-class Partner Portal in as few as 14 days, using the company's highly engineered Velocity onboarding process, which is guided by an individually customized Customer Success Portal. For more information on Impartner, which is based in Utah's tech hotbed, the Silicon Slopes, visit www.impartner.com or in the United States call +1 801 501 7000, for EMEA general call +33 1 40 90 31 20, for London call +44 0 20 3283 4465, and for LATAM call +1 954 364 7883. For media and analyst inquiries, please contact: Kerry Desberg at 425.231.9529 or kerry.desberg@impartner.com Contact:

Kerry Desberg

Impartner

425-231-9529

Kerry.desberg@impartner.com View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/impartner-announces-3rd-annual-global-awards-for-partner-relationship-management-excellence-at-impartnercon18-300596743.html SOURCE Impartner

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Jackson County Early College High School to Host "I Know Where I'm Going!" Event

Jackson County Early College will host its "I Know Where I'm Going" event at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, February 17, 2018 at the school located at 404 College Drive in Sylva. This event will showcase seniors who have made decisions about their college choice and encourage those who are considering college applications.

The event follows National School Choice Week 2018 - the nation's largest-ever celebration of educational opportunities that took place January 21 to 27, 2018. More than 32,000 independently-planned events took place nationwide.

The goal of the event is to celebrate great education choices in North Carolina and raise awareness among parents about school choice.

"School Choice Week gives schools a change to showcase what they offer, like our strong college prep program," said Rebecca Ensley, principal of Jackson County Early College.

Media are encouraged to attend - contact Rebecca Ensley to mke arrangements.







Jackson County Early College is a public college preparatory school serving students in grades 9 to 12. It is located on the campus of Southwestern Community College and provides accelerated education to a wide range of high school students. Learn more about the school by visiting http://www.jcpsnc.org/jcec.

Held every January, National School Choice Week is an independent public awareness effort designed to shine a positive spotlight on effective education options for every child. Through more than 32,000 independently planned events across the country, National School Choice Week raises public awareness of all types of educational choices available to children. These options include traditional public schools, public charter schools, public magnet schools, online learning, private schools, and homeschooling.

Learn more by visiting www.schoolchoiceweek.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180210005001/en/
[February 10, 2018] Sprint to Provide More than 700 Devices and Wireless Service to OCPS Students Affected by Hurricane Maria

ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 10, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Sprint (NYSE: S) is helping more than 700 high school students from Puerto Rico who were displaced after Hurricane Maria and are now enrolled in Orange County Public Schools. Through Sprint's 1Million Project, the students will be receive free wireless devices and free service to complete online homework, tests and other assignments. Students began receiving devices at an event on Saturday, February 10 at Lake Nona High School in Orlando. "Starting over in a new place and a new school would be a huge challenge for any student," said Scott Howat, President of the Foundation for OCPS. "But when you consider that many of these kids lost absolutely everything, we recognized there was an even greater need to help them get a fresh start. Because of Sprint's 1Million Project we had an amazing opportunity to give them the tools and internet connectivity they will need to succeed in school." "Working with OCPS since we launched the 1Million Project with them last year has been such a positive experience that when the opportunity arose to expand the program, we jumpedat the chance to help these very deserving students from Puerto Rico," said Doug Michelman, president of Sprint's 1Million Project. "The Sprint Foundation has been honored to coordinate with Sprint's regional teams and community organizations across the hurricane-impacted region to do what we can to help families get back on their feet."



70 percent of high school teachers assign homework to be completed online, yet more than 5 million families with kids do not have internet access at home. Sprint created the 1Million Project to help close this Homework Gap by providing 1 million free devices and wireless service to high school students who can't complete their schoolwork at home because they lack internet access. In addition to the devices for the Puerto Rican students, Sprint also provided 2,000 OCPS students with free devices and free wireless service during the 2017-2018 school year. Across the state of Florida more than 20,000 devices have been donated this year.

About Sprint: Sprint (NYSE: S) is a communications services company that creates more and better ways to connect its customers to the things they care about most. Sprint served 54.6 million connections as of December 31, 2017 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; leading no-contract brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sprint-to-provide-more-than-700-devices-and-wireless-service-to-ocps-students-affected-by-hurricane-maria-300596775.html SOURCE Sprint

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Radio Kantipur to go provincial with broadcast

Radio Kantipur is preparing to start provincial broadcast, each service catering to the interest and topics relevant to a particular province, Kantipur Media Group Chairman and Managing Director Kailash Sirohiya announced on Friday.
The Kansas chemist or the drunk driver? Guess which immigrant Trump rushes to deport Two Midwestern immigrants - one reviled, the other lauded - are virtually the same to the federal government. They're deportable. Which to bureaucrats within the Department of Homeland Security means they can be hauled off, literally dragged away from their families, handcuffed and flown or bussed back to their native countries.

Tough choices for our favorite token Latina as she offers a unique spin on Democratic Party immigration talking points whilst her critics demand The Wall and La Migra crackdowns on everybody who doesn't fit the demographic profile of. Read more:








MORE IMPORTANTLY, HERE'S HOW ALL OF THIS HITS CLOSER TO HOME . . .

Gov. Eric Greitens says the Missouri National Guard will participate in training exercises with Israeli troops who are part of a special command focused on civilian protection.





The partnership means the two groups will participate in joint training exercises and exchange information on homeland defense tactics and procedures. He says Missouri is only the fourth state to achieve the partnership . . . This relationship was developed during Greitens' trade mission to Israel in 2017.

A shooting war is breaking out in the Middle-East (again) but this time soldiers from the Show-Me State are headed directly into the line of fire on a training mission to protect civilians.Highlights from top headlines the whole world is watching today:Deets:Developing . . .
Sebon issues directives on good governance

The Securities Board of Nepal (Sebon) has issued new directives on good governance that bars companies listed on the stock exchange from providing loans to family members of the members of their board of directors.
Kansas City Saves The Planet???

Curbside compost service expands in KC KANSAS CITY, Mo. - There's a new startup business in town taking a bite out of food waste. Compost Collective KC is taking steps to improve the environment. The company started six months ago and is already expanding their efforts to several more zip codes throughout the metro area.

Meet The New Honcho

Three finalists from St. Louis, Omaha and Rochester up for Shawnee Mission School District superintendent SHAWNEE, Kan. -- The Shawnee Mission Board of Education announced on Friday its three finalists for the open superintendent position in the Shawnee Mission School District. Former superintendent Jim Hinson retired June 30th after 34 years in public education. The three finalists include: Dr. Michael Fulton

Kangaroo Welcome Party Promises

New UMKC Chancellor promises 'something spectacular' for Kansas City With a standing ovation and a new victory chant, the University of Missouri Kansas-City community on Friday welcomed new chancellor C. Mauli Agrawal to campus. Agrawal, now vice president for academic affairs at the University of Texas at San Antonio, was named UMKC Chancellor by University of Missouri System President Mun Choi on Tuesday.

Probation Officer Busts Meth Lady

Kansas City Woman Pleads Guilty to Meth Trafficking - Kansas City infoZine Kansas City Woman Pleads Guilty to Meth Trafficking Kansas City, MO - infoZine - Michelle L. Stevens, 47, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty before U.S. District judge Brian C. Wimes to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Stevens was a federal felon on supervised release for a 2010 conviction for distributing methamphetamine when numerous U.S.

Hard Time For Fireworks Dude

Grandview, Belton men plead guilty to illegal explosives that destroyed business A Belton man pleaded guilty in federal court Friday to illegally trafficking in thousands of illegal fireworks and explosives following an explosion that destroyed a Grandview business last year. Thomas McKeehan, 67, pleaded guilty before to engaging in the business of manufacturing and dealing in explosive materials without a license.

Trading Out Carbs On East Side

On Iconic Kansas City Corner, Cheap Hostess Pies Are Out And Healthy Fruit Smoothies Are In For decades, the Wonder Hostess Thrift Shop Bakery was an institution at 30th and Troost in Midtown Kansas City. People in the neighborhood remember it from as far back as the 1970s, when it was a quick and cheap place to stop by for day-old bread and discounted baked goods.

Fear The Next Snowpocalypse

Snow expected to arrive in Kansas City Saturday night and accumulate We are on the eve of another chance for snow, but this time it's different. "The set up is different. Yet, it looks eerily familiar," StormTrack5 Meteorologist Brett Anthony said. Saturday's chance of snow resembles a storm that hit us just before Christmas.

Tribute toand a look at all of the important Kansas City MSM links right now . . .And this is thefor right now . . .
Occasional unlawful activities do occur in Greece but, overall, the country continues to boast one of the highest safety and security records worldwide

ATHENS  While visiting London, Greek Alternate Minister for Citizens Protection Nikos Toskas said he wants the Hellenic Police to recruit foreigners living in Greece, just as Scotland Yard does in England.

We are obliged to examine such approaches so as to maintain order in the best possible way, Toskas stated according to a report in Ta Nea newspaper on Feb. 9.

It is funny that a police officer who does not speak the language of a group of immigrants or of a minority should try to approach them. We will have to adapt to reality and avoid having any inhibitions based on what we used to think 50 years ago, the minister said.

Greece has more than 64,000 refugees and immigrants in detention centers and camps, including some 15,000 on islands where they were sent by human traffickers in Turkey, after fleeing civil war and strife in the Middle East and other countries.

There are also untold thousands of others, many living in the country unlawfully, who congregate in Athens neighborhoods, hiding from the police after roundups under an earlier government overseen by the New Democracy Conservatives tried to root them out and deport them before the anti-nationalist Radical Left SYRIZA took over in 2015.

Toskas said that, We have to adjust rapidly. For this purpose we will make all legislative interventions necessary. We already have in the police corps Greeks from Albania. In the same fashion we can recruit people from other social groups too. Some issues require an immediate modernization, Toskas stated.

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: Jebulon License: CC-BY-SA

Source: thenationalherald.com
Greek language has a long and well-documented history spanning more than 34 centuries

After years of campaigning by academics, educators and Greeks of the diaspora, February 9 has officially been declared International Greek Language Day.

Beginning in 2018, the day is expected to spark off initiatives to help spread Greek language and culture worldwide.

Greek has a long and well-documented history  the longest among Indo-European languages  spanning 34 centuries.

It holds a significant place in the history of the Western world and Christianity; the canon of ancient Greek literature includes works such as the epic poems of the Iliad and the Odyssey.

Greek is also the foundational language of Western science, including astronomy, mathematics, logic, and philosophy, such as the Platonic dialogues and the works of Aristotle. The New Testament of the Christian Bible was written in Koine Greek.

Along with Latin texts and traditions of the Roman world, the study of ancient Greek writings and society constitutes the discipline of Classics.

13 million speakers

Keeping that Roman link, it was the Greeks of neighbouring Italy who were the first to propose an international day for the Greek language. The Athens government eventually adopted the proposal and the plenary session of the Greek parliament unanimously accepted and institutionalized it.

The specific date coincides with the Commemoration Day of Greeces national poet, Dionysios Solomos, whose lengthy poetic composition To Freedom constitutes the lyrics of the Greek national anthem.

In the modern world, the Greek language has not been restricted by borders. Countless Greek words enrich other languages, culminating in the global medical terminology in which about 80 percent of the scientific terms have a Greek root.

As the official language of two EU member states, Greece and Cyprus, it is one of the 24 official languages of the European Union and by a rough estimate, is nowadays spoken by nearly 13.2 million people in Greece, Cyprus and the Greek diaspora around the world.

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: Tilemahos Efthimiadis License: CC-BY-SA

Source: greekreporter
Greek Americans have always been a very active community in the United States reinforcing the historic ties between the two nations and certainly boosting tourist inflows over the years

The Hellenic American Academy will host its 11th Annual Gala to start its 2018 fundraising initiative The Time is Now on Saturday, February 17 at the Loews Chicago OHare.

Cathy Vlahogiannis, three-time Emmy Award-winning television producer and morning radio co-host and producer, will serve as the mistress of ceremonies.

Proceeds of this years initiative will go to enhancements to the technology program, projectors for every classroom, Chromebooks for each student and technological resources for the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) program.

The Hellenic American Academy is also home of the Socrates Day School, a private institution that provides high-quality bilingual education to students from preschool up to eighth grade.

Every year, its students score in the 90th percentile in national standardized testing. The school also offers Greek language and culture courses on Saturdays for students as well as adults.

Over a thousand Greek-American children have been educated at the Academy during the last decade, making it the largest Greek-American educational institution in the Midwest.

The 11th gala will celebrate the schools evolution and its future. The Time is Now theme indicates that the Academy continues to redefine Greek-American education for the modern times.

The school is housed in a new location in Deerfield and the gala will be a celebration of its growth of over 20% increase in enrollment at the Academys day school.

This year the gala will honor two Hellenic business leaders who have been instrumental in preserving the Hellenic culture:

Heritage Award Recipient: George Behrakis.

George Behrakis is an eminent Greek-American businessman, medical researcher, retired pharmacist and philanthropist, who has contributed to many organizations and establishments.

Service Award Recipient: Peter Maroutsos.

Peter Maroutsos is a finance and operations executive in the financial services industry and argues that it is critical that Greeks preserve their Hellenic culture.

The gala starts at 6 P.M at the Loews Chicago OHare (5300 N. River Road, Rosemont, IL 60018)

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: Rennett Stowe License: CC-BY-SA

Source: greekreporter.com
Greeks are very proud of their history and national heritage and are very eager to share both with the country's visitors

A few days before the huge demonstration in Athens and Thessaloniki for the Macedonian naming issue, Greek Fashion Designer Laskaris presented, for the second season in Paris, his Spring-Summer 18 collection, entitled Olympias, the woman behind Alexander the Great at Paris Fashion Week, greekcitytimes.com reports in the following article:

Some people use their voices in order to be heard, others write articles or books in order to be read, when serious matters occur. But for Laskaris, the runway was his mouthpiece.

We were in the amazing Maison des Centraliens, the first hotel decorated by the Belgian Fashion Designer Martin Margiela. Besides the title, the hall had ancient Greek columns and bursts of Alexander the Great to give an overall feel concerning the theme of Laskaris summer collection. When the music Sirens of Ulysses by Daemonia Nymphe played, we were immediately transported to Ancient Greece. Daemonia Nymphe (Spyros Giasafakis and Evi Stergiou), is an ethereal world music ensemble, the first artists worldwide to compose and perform improvisations with reproductions of Ancient Greek instruments manufactured by Nikolaos Brass.

Laskaris Muse was the dynamic Olympias, Princess of the Molossians of Epirus, wife of King Philip II of the Macedonians, and mother of Alexander the Great. I am very happy to present my collection for the second consecutive season at Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week. Olympias was a very special woman with a timeless range of charm. She inspired me initially for her travelling life. She had a personal power and glamor, and when Philip was absent, was giving her the rule of Macedonia. She was a woman with huge reserves of power. A woman who changed the events with her presence and was tasked with raising this great man. To be honest she reminds me of many ladies dressed in my Fashion House, great women, successful and dynamic who are behind strong men. I believe that a strong man has always behind him a dynamic, intelligent and versatile woman who discreetly pushes and supports him. Why not?

The collection travelled side by side with the life of Olympias. It started by Olympias birth in Pasaronas, an ancient city of Epirus. Olympias, as the myth says, was sleeping with snakes and feeding reptiles. The snake as a symbol, depicted opposing forces: the regeneration, the primordial life-giving momentum but also death, the good and the evil, the light of knowledge and the darkness of the unconsciousness.

Read full article here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: PictureObelix License: CC-BY-SA

Source: greekcitytimes.com
The 24th International Tourism Fair "IMTM 2018" in Tel Aviv was also the epicenter of the tourist B2B sectorThe 24th International Tourism Fair "IMTM 2018" in Tel Aviv was the epicenter of the tourist B2B sector

Spyrou Philoxenia, a hotel management and consulting company, is actively involved in three particularly important International Tourism Exhibitions. The company was present at Tel Aviv IMTM 2018, and is expected to participate in ITTFA , that will take place at Belgrade as well as in ITB which will take place in Berlin.

The 24th International Tourism Fair "IMTM 2018" in Tel Aviv was also the epicenter of the tourist B2B sector. The largest tourism fair in Israel was held on 6-7 February 2018 and attracted a large number of corporate visitors, enabling business meetings between tourism executives. The aim was to highlight tourist destinations and promote new forms of tourism. "Spyrou Philoxenia" participated in the exhibition within the Periphery of Thessaly, representing the privately owned hotels of the Spyrou group in Skopelos, as well as the numerous lodgings it manages all over Greece with the aim of promoting them on the Israeli tourist market and attracting more visitors to unique locations in Greece.

In his statement, Mr. Giorgos Michalis, General Manager of Spyrou Hotels and Spyrou Philoxenia, who participated in Israel exhibition, said: "The economy of Israel, with its 8.5 million population is on the rise. Israeli citizens with $ 35,000 annual income are willing to travel and create life experiences. Greece has a unique opportunity of awareness, branding and ultimately conquering this market. The international circumstances favor us in particular. All three days of intensive work in Tel Aviv, we only received positive impressions and the Greek stand with the Cypriots one held the greatest visibility. Spyrou Philoxenia's hotels were at the epicenter of interest, especially for alternative forms of tourism, 12 months a year. "

here are two more important exhibitions that Spyrou Hotels and Spyrou Philoxenia will be participating dynamically, enhancing their partnerships and promoting the attractive Greek tourist destinations and co-operative hotels. Their second visit will take place at ITTFA in Belgrade on 22-25 February and aims to attract the interest of Serbian visitors both in the region of Thessaly and other interesting destinations in Greece.

They will continue their presence at the ITB International Tourism Fair in Berlin on 7-10 March, where a big amount of visitors is expected to gather from the international tourism market.

Spyrou Philoxenia, a subsidiary of Spyrou Hotels & Companies, with 40 years of presence in the Greek Tourism Market, specializes and serves the demanding travelers, who are looking for attractive hotels and first-class services. The restless, independent hotelier who seeks to improve his hotel services and maximize profitability by using modern methods. Their multi-year experience guarantees for the independent hotelier effective counseling and development while providing added value for guests in the collaborating hotels.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
Iraq is looking to attract $100 billion worth of foreign investment that would help it rebuild its oil refining and petrochemicals sectors and reconstruct crucial infrastructure after it repelled Islamic State out of its territory following a three-year war against the militants, said a report.

In December last year, Iraq declared the war with ISIS over and is now seeking foreign investments in major projects that would help it to revive its economy, reported Oilprice.com.

Ahead of a conference on Iraqs reconstruction that will be held in Kuwait next week, Iraqs National Investment Commission published a list of major strategic projects available for investment, with 157 different opportunities up for grabs.

A total of 18 investment opportunities are up on offer in the chemicals, petrochemicals, fertilisers, and refinery sectors.

Iraq - Opecs second-largest oil producer behind Saudi Arabia - will be looking to attract investment mostly in the downstream, planning the construction of new refineries with different capacities, including one at the Al Faw Port with a 300,000-bpd (barrels per day) capacity.

The other refinery projects are a 150,000-bpd refinery in the Anbar province and a new Al Nasiriy refinery in Thi Qar province with a production capacity of 150,000 bpd.

Iraq also plans oil storage facilities in the provinces Basra, Mosul, and Saladin.

The government will probably find investments into the oil industry and agriculture easiest to attract because of its large crude oil reserves and available land and water, Mudhar Saleh, an economic advisor to Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi, told Reuters.

According to the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Iraq will present at the conference next week feasibility studies for 60 key investment projects with total amount exceeding $85 billion.

Railways, airports, and ports construction, reconstruction, and rehabilitation are also high on Iraqs investment opportunities list, including berths for oil products exports and imports at the $6-billion project for the Grand Port of Al Faw at Basra, it added.
The Ayurvedic Man

Tracking down Nepali artefacts peppered around museums in Europe and beyond can be a treasure hunt of sorts.
The bear necessities

Put your paws together and welcome back Paddington, our favourite furry Peruvian bear who returns in his second film outing after making his debut on the big screen in 2014.
ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

Nitin Jain

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 10

Chandigarh has lost its first position to Lakshadweep and has fallen to second position in the ranking of union territories on health outcomes, indicating deterioration in its local systems that led to its decline among the rest.

Healthy States Progressive India, a NITI Aayog and Health Ministry document, has ranked UTs and states on their health status between 2014-15 and 2015-16 to measure improvements and declines.

The 104-page report, which ranks all UTs and states separately, concludes that only two UTs  Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands  improved their position from the base year (2014-15) to the reference year (201516). Lakshadweep went up from second to first and Andaman and Nicobar Islands scaled from fifth to fourth position. Delhi has retained its third position during the period. Similarly, Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli did not change ranks and were placed sixth and seventh, respectively.

Besides Chandigarh, Puducherry also fell by one position (from fourth to fifth) in the rankings.

While Chandigarh and Daman and Diu registered negative incremental change, five UTs  Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Delhi and Puducherry  registered positive incremental progress. From the base year to the reference year, Chandigarh and Daman and Diu reported negative changes in the Health Index score. Their score declined by 5.22 and 8.67 points, respectively.

Lakshadweep (ranked at the top) observed the highest incremental performance of 9.56 points. Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Delhi saw an increase in the Health Index score of between 2 and 4 points. Puducherry achieved approximately a one-point incremental increase.

Similarly, Chandigarh performed very poorly on first-trimester antenatal care (ANC) registration that fell from 50 per cent in the base year to 37 per cent in the reference year.

In the domain of health outcomes, all UTs, except for Chandigarh and Daman and Diu, have improved their performance from the base year to the reference year. For the health outcomes domain in the reference year, the range of Index scores is very wide and Lakshadweep scored the highest with 74.37 points compared to Daman and Dius lowest 15.89.

In the case of the key inputs/processes domain, the performance of Chandigarh, Puducherry, Daman and Diu and Andaman and Nicobar Islands has fallen whereas three UTs  Delhi, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Lakshadweep  showed improvement in their performances. The range is smaller for the key inputs/processes domain. In this domain, Puducherry scored the highest with 52.99 points while Andaman and Nicobar Islands scored the lowest with 26.75 points. Overall, the range of scores is quite low and indicates that all UTs need to focus on this domain.

Among UTs, Lakshadweep showed both the highest annual incremental performance as well as the best overall performance. In the annual incremental performance, Lakshadweep is followed by Andaman and Nicobar Islands. In the terms of overall performance, Lakshadweep is followed by Chandigarh.

The overall performance based on the Health Index score of UTs for the base year ranged from 31.34 points for Dadra and Nagar Haveli to 57.49 points for Chandigarh.

29% posts of ANM vacant

Against less that 25 per cent auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM) positions vacant in all other UTs and smaller states, Chandigarh has 29 per cent vacant posts of ANMs.

Among the UTs, Chandigarh has the highest proportion of vacant medical officer (MO) positions at primary health centres (69 per cent) followed by Andaman and Nicobar Islands (36 per cent) with no reduction from the base year to the reference year. There was no MO vacancy in Lakshadweep while vacancies in the remaining UTs lay in the range of 7 to 17 per cent.

In several UTs and states, the specified health worker positions were not sanctioned and/or overlapped with other functions. In Chandigarh, in place of sanctioned positions, the required number of specialists was used for the denominator.

City has no 24X7 PHC

The functioning of 24x7 primary health centres (PHCs) is important for providing a basic package of health services to the community and for reducing the workload at higher-level facilities. While Chandigarh, Kerala, Lakshadweep and Puducherry are yet to operationalise a single 24x7 PHC, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Dadra and Nagar Haveli have achieved the target of the required number of 24x7 PHCs. Chandigarh also did not have a single district with functional CCUs in public hospitals.

100% INSTITUTIONAL DELIVERIES

Chandigarh and Puducherry were the only two UTs that achieved more than 90 per cent coverage of institutional deliveries in both public and private institutions during 2015-16. Chandigarh, Puducherry and Delhi have achieved 100 per cent registration of births.

Termed Achiever

Based on the composite Index score range for the reference year (2015-16), the UTs are classified into three categories  Aspirants, Achievers, and Front-runners. Chandigarh, Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Puducherry are grouped as Achievers and also have significant room for improvement.
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Mohit Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 10

The Railway Department apparently played a cruel trick with the man who had approached the Prime Minister for the provision of toilets at the Panchkula side of the railway station. Soon after the matter had reached the PM Office, toilets were built and the complaint was disposed of.

However, the problem of open defecation still persists as the authorities have locked the newly-built toilets.

It was in October last year that an Amritsar-based ENT specialist had lodged a complaint at the Prime Minister Office against the absence of toilets at the Panchkula side of the railway station owing to which, passengers have to defecate in open.

The 81-year-old ENT specialist from Amritsar, Amrit Lal Adlakha, had a similar experience while he was returning from Himachal Pradesh last year. The octogenarian had to climb the stairs and walked all the way to platform no 1 to use the toilet and returned to platform no 4 to board his train.

While returning, he saw men, women and children defecating and urinating in open due to the absence of toilets at the Panchkula side of the station. Peeved at the incident, he wrote a letter to the Deputy Commissioner Panchkula, Chandigarh, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

From Prime Minister Office, his complaint was forwarded to Senior DCM Praveen Gaur Dwivedi. Recently, Adlakha was informed that the complaint has been closed.

Due to the non-supply of water, the toilets were locked for a period. After the restoration of water supply, they were opened for the public use. However, the restoration of the water supply was merely an eyewash as the toilets are still lying closed.

After receiving the response from the authorities, I told one of my friends to visit the railway station to check the veracity of the claim. Shockingly, the toilets were still locked and passengers are continuing to defecate in open, said Dr Adlakha.

One of the railway official said the toilets have been locked due to the shortage of staff for the maintenance of toilets. We have done what we were asked for. But we cannot operate the toilet till the time we do not get adequate number of sweepers for its maintenance, said the official.

While Station Superintendent TP Singh was not available for comments, Station Director Harideep Singh said he would look into the matter.
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New Delhi: A man, 35, was asphyxiated after a fire broke out at a garments factory in the Karol Bagh area Saturday morning. Five fire tenders were rushed to a jeans factory on Tank Road to bring the situation under control, said a Delhi Fire Services official. The fire started in a staircase area on the first floor of the building. On the second floor, the body of one Jumman, a resident of Bhagalpur (Bihar), was found. He died due to suffocation, the official said. The investigation was underway to ascertain the reason behind fire. TNS
shalender@tribune.com

New Delhi, February 9

The Supreme Court today gave a stern warning to those obstructing the ongoing sealing drive in the city and said any interference in the functioning of court-mandated Monitoring Committee would amount to contempt.

Observing that "rule of law must be enforced", the court took a strong note of the committee's report, which said that during the sealing process, BJP MLA Om Prakash Sharma and municipal councillor Gunjan Gupta, along with others, had prevented officials from doing their duties.

A bench of justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta issued show-cause notice to Sharma and Gupta, asking them to explain why contempt of court proceedings be not initiated against them. It also asked both of them to remain present before the court on March 6.

The committee, in its status report on inspection carried out on February 5, said this incident had happened when sealing process of premises where commercial activities were being carried out in violation of the Delhi Master Plan 2021 and Building Byelaws, was being carried out.

The report said there was a gathering of people at the instance of the MLA and councillor and they prevented the officials from performing their duties.

It said the Deputy Commissioner of Shahdara (South Zone) has lodged an FIR against Sharma and Gupta in the matter.  PTI
editorial@tribune.com

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 10

The Centre has assured more companies of the armed police forces to the state in view of Jat quota leader Yashpal Maliks threat to disrupt BJP president Amit Shahs motorcycle rally in Jind on February 15.

On the other hand, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattars media adviser Amit Arya today confirmed that the Chief Minister has invited Jat leaders for talks in Delhi tomorrow to resolve the imbroglio.

We have been invited for talks with the Chief Minister tomorrow at Haryana Bhawan in Delhi, Malik said. His stand would be the same that he was willing to withdraw his call to disrupt Shahs meeting if the government implements its promises made to Jats last year, he said.

Over 300 FIRs are yet to be withdrawn. Those who attacked our rally at Samain, the home constituency of state BJP president Subhash Barala, have not been arrested. No action has been taken against Barala and Finance Minister Captain Abhimanyu has not withdrawn cases related to incidents of arson at his properties, he said.

Meanwhile, state Home Secretary SS Prasad and DGP BS Sandhu met Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba today. IGP (CID) Anil Kumar Rao and senior Intelligence Bureau officers also attended the meeting.

We have briefed the Union Home Secretary about the situation and have also requested him for more companies of the Central Armed Police forces. He has assured us that the Centre would provide additional forces, if need arises, said Prasad. He added that the Central forces would be deployed in districts soon.

The Centre has announced to send 60 companies of armed police forces though the state had demanded 150. Meanwhile, the DGP has called a meeting of SPs of all districts tomorrow to discuss the law and order situation and the strategy to deal with acts of disruption, if any.

Shah is to hold a motorcycle rally and also address a meeting in Jind. Malik has threatened to disrupt the programme with his rally comprising 25,000 tractors.

AAP to welcome Shah with 'pakodas': Jaihind

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will welcome BJP president Amit Shah on his visit to Jind on February 15 with 'pakodas' (fritters) equivalent to his weight in protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks on job creation. AAP state convener Naveen Jaihind, while addresing mediapersons in Chandigarh on Saturday, said that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal would address the 'Haryana Bachao' rally at Hisar on March 25. "Modi has rubbed salt into wounds of jobless youths by suggesting that selling 'pakodas' on roadside is no less a job. According to the state government's own figures, one crore applications from nearly 20 lakh youths have been received for 55,505 vacancies in the past three years. Around Rs 200 crore has been collected as application fees on these applications, but hardly 10,000 youths have been provided jobs against the promise of one lakh jobs every year in Haryana," Jaihind alleged.
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Our Correspondent

Kaithal, February 10

A heated exchange of words between two groups was witnessed during a meeting of the District Grievances Redressal Committee presided over by Health Minister Anil Vij here yesterday.

Ashok Bansal, a resident of Kaithal, raised the matter of delay in sanctioning of the site plan of his proposed shops near a new bus stand. He claimed the matter was pending for long.

When he sought the ministers intervention, some councillors stood up and said that if the Municipal Council sanctions the site plan it would tantamount to violation of rules.

Bansals supporters, however, alleged that those who raised objections were Congress men and supporters of Kaithal MLA Randeep Singh Surjewala.

As the matter became BJP versus Congress, it was kept pending for the next meeting.

Vij, meanwhile, ordered an inquiry against a police officer for not registering an FIR on a complaint lodged by the Kaithal BDPO that the village sarpanch illegally sold soil from a jungle in October, 2017. The police officer was the Sadar SHO.

The minister said if the charges against the police officer were found to be true, he would be suspended.

Vij also directed the police to book the sarpanch and investigate the case. The DDPO, who attended the meeting, said action was being taken against the sarpanch under Section 51 of the Panchayati Raj Act.

The minister also directed the police to inquire into alleged irregularities in the payment made to some labourers under the MNREGA in Kheri Lamba village of the district.

Naresh Kumar, a farmer from Songri village, complained to Vij that he could not get compensation from an insurance company under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana. Bank officials explained to the minister that incorrect spellings of the village uploaded by the company were the reason for the delay. The matter had been taken up with the company, they said.
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BS Malik

Sonepat, February 10

The National Institute of Food Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM) organised its first convocation here today. President of India Ram Nath Kovind was the chief guest on the occasion.

The President asked students of NIFTEM to play an important role in making the life of farmers better.

Millions of farmers toil relentlessly and contribute not just to food security but also to national security, he said, adding that farming is not just an occupation, but a tapasya.

He said that though the food technology and entrepreneurship skills would brighten their professional career, it would also change the lives of farmers.

The President exhorted the young graduates to help in bridging the gap between farm and fork or plough and plate. He hoped that they would serve as focal points linking farmers to science and technology, entrepreneurship and the food processing industry.

Today, India is the largest producer of milk; second largest producer of rice, wheat, fruits, vegetables, sugarcane and tea; third largest producer of eggs and sixth largest producer of meat, he said.

He added food items constituted over 11 per cent of the countrys export and the Indian food and grocery market is the worlds sixth largest.

The government has sanctioned 42 mega food parks to take this sector to the next level of progress, he said.

Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki, Union Minister for Food Processing Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti and Chancellor of NIFTEM and Secretary of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries Jagdish Prasad Meena also spoke on the occasion. NIFTEM Vice-Chancellor Chindi Vasudevappa listed the activities of the Institute.

Haryana Urban Local Bodies Minister Kavita Jain, Sonepat MP Rakesh Kaushik, Chief Secretary DS Dhesi and other officers of the Central and state governments were present.

On the occasion, 594 students of B.Tech and M.Tech were conferred with degrees.
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Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 10

Goa Planning Minister Vijai Sardesais comment that North Indians are scum of the earth and they want to create a Haryana in Goa has raked up a controversy in the state.

While most political parties have condemned Sardesais statement and have sought action against him, INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala has blamed the Congress and the BJP, the disrepute the state has earned.

As per media reports, while addressing Goa BizFest yesterday, Sardesai had called for caution against North Indians who want to create a Haryana in Goa. He went on to add that the domestic tourists are the scum of the earth.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala demanded immediate removal of the minister from the Goa Cabinet. He said that sentiments of not only people of Haryana, but also of the entire North India had been deeply hurt by Sardesais remarks.

He enumerated the contributions of the state to the field of sports, foodgrains production, representation in the armed forces and other fields. Surjewala asked Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to immediately take up the matter with his party and ensure Sardesais removal from the post.

Rohtak Congress MP Deepender Hooda and AAP state convener Naveen Jaihind also deplored the statement and demanded his removal from the Goa Cabinet.

It is highly derogatory to call people of Haryana a scum of the earth. Khattar must act and ensure the ministers removal from the Goa Cabinet, Deepender said. If a minister in the BJP government has such views of the state, it also shows the partys mindset about the people of Haryana, said Jaihind.

Rajiv Jain, media in charge, state BJP, however, said that Sardesai should first visit Haryana before making up his mind about the state.

He seems to have made his perception about the state sitting at a distance. If he comes here, he will come to know what progress Haryana has made in all fields, he said. Ten years of the Congress rule and now three years of the BJP have been an era of misrule in the state, he said.
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, February 10

The Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEB) yesterday raided hotels in McLeodganj that were running despite their power connections being cut on the orders of the High Court.

Executive Engineer, HPSEB, Ajay Gautam said they had acted on the complaints that some hotels, whose power supply had been snapped, were using power illegally. Three hotels were raided and it was found that one hotel had guests too. Cases of theft would be registered against the hotel owners who were using power illegally, he said.

Sources said in Dharamsala, the power supply to about 140 hotels had been cut. However, most of these hotels were still functioning.

The hotels were being run from buildings that also had commercial shops. While the power connections of hotels had been cut, the supply to shops continued. The owners were using power connections of these shops to light up their hotels.

The government, in a decision taken recently to provide relief to hoteliers who have lost their power and water supply due to illegal constructions, had decided that only unauthorised portions of the hotels would be sealed and the approved portions would be allowed to function.

The government will bring in an amendment to the Town and Country Planning Act to implement the decision. However, till then, the hotels will continue to be sealed.
Trishuli bus crash victim found

The body of a child, who had gone missing following a bus accident in Dhading on October 28 last year, was found on Thursday.
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Mandi, February 10

Angry protesters carrying black flags today burnt an effigy of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur at Janjehli in Seraj. Ever since the High Court has quashed the notification of an SDM office and a sub-tehsil at Chhatri, there have been continuous protests.

A large number of people gathered at Janjehli.

They said the Chief Minister was shifting the SDM office to Thunag from Janjehli, which was opened during the Congress regime, on purpose.

More police personnel were deployed in the town to maintain the law and order situation. A police official was injured during stone throwing.

The protesters said the protest would continue until the Chief Minister accepted their demand.

It is not fair to shift the SDM office from one place to another. The government should move the court, they added.

Jagdish Reddi, block Congress president, said: We did not throw stones at the police as they are the ones who provide us security. It was when a police official tried to stop the protesters from burning the effigy, he was injured.

We urge the Chief Minister to take a decision soon, he added.

The Sangharsh Samiti, Seraj, will launch a signature campaign at the panchayat level and protest at Bali Chowki on February 12 and Chhatri on February 16.

Superintendent of Police, Mandi, Gurdev Chand Sharma said some protesters pelted the police with stones. We are investigating the case to find out the real culprit and action will be taken accordingly, he said.
editorial@tribune.com

Dinesh Manhotra

Tribune News Service

Jammu, February 10

Although political groups, cutting across party lines, have strongly condemned the Sunjuwan attack, the PDP-BJP government could not muster the courage to call the attackers terrorists in the official handout.

On the floor of the Legislative Assembly, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri, while sharing the details of the attack, dubbed the attackers, who stormed an Army camp at Sunjuwan, terrorists, but in the official handout, the word was first replaced with militants and then with fidayeen.

The word terrorist was written in the official incident report prepared by the police to brief the government.

In the report, which is in the possession of The Tribune, the word terrorists, used three times, was struck off and replaced with militants when the same was handed over for official release.

Highly placed sources said the word terrorist was replaced with militants on the directions of the higher authorities. Later, it was decided to use the word fidayeen and militants in place of terrorists.

The official handout, which was released this evening, mentioned that the minister informed the House that the whole area had been cordoned off by the Army and the security forces and the operation was underway as militants had taken refuge in a JCO quarters in the area.
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Arteev Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, February 10

Four to five heavily armed Jaish terrorists stormed the Sunjuwan Military Station (36 Brigade) on the Jammu-Lakhanpur highway in the wee hours of Saturday, leaving two officers dead and nine, including a Colonel, five women and two children, injured.

Those killed were a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and a Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO). The Army said two terrorists in combat gear were eliminated in a fierce gunbattle, but Intelligence sources said three militants had been neutralised.

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The Army has rushed diesel generator sets and floodlights to capture the terrorists holed up inside the residential quarters. The operation to eliminate the terrorists is being carried out with extreme caution to minimise collateral damage in view of the women and children inside the family quarters.

Two heavily armed terrorists have been killed. They were carrying AK-56 rifles, ammunition and grenades. A search of their belongings confirmed they were from Jaish-e-Mohammad. Operations are in progress with caution and restraint to safeguard the unarmed soldiers, women and children inside the houses, defence spokesperson

Lt Col Devender Anand said.

He said most of the over 150 houses in the complex had been cleared and occupants moved to safety. So far, a JCO and an NCO, both belonging to Jammu and Kashmir, have been martyred and nine, including five women and children, injured, two of them critically. Operations will continue till the terrorists are apprehended or killed.

The spokesperson said the ultras entered the complex after a brief exchange of fire with the sentry. The Quick Response Teams (QRTs) cordoned off the area and isolated the terrorists, who were holed up in a few houses. During the operation to evacuate the families, a JCO was martyred. Para Commandos were airlifted from Udhampur for the operation. Schools within a radius of 500 metres have been closed.

The spokesman said the Army first focused on rescuing the trapped families even as the CRPF and the police laid a cordon outside to ensure no terrorist escaped.

Rattled by the attack, there was commotion in the J&K Assembly with Speaker Kavinder Gupta blaming refugees belonging to a particular community, residing a few metres from the military station, for the attack. National Conference MLA Mohammad Akbar Lone, a former Speaker, raised pro-Pakistan slogans to counter the BJP legislators Pakistan murdabad slogans.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri informed the House that two Armymen had been killed. He identified them as Subedar Madan Lal Chowdhary and Subedar Mohammad Ashraf Mir. He said as per the initial call received at the Police Control Room at 4.55 am, four to five militants were involved in the attack.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to DGP SP Vaid, while CM Mehbooba Mufti chaired a security meeting in the evening. Intelligence agencies had warned of an attack on a security establishment in view of the death anniversary of Afzal Guru, who was hanged on February 9, 2013, after he was convicted of masterminding the Parliament attack in 2001.

Sunjuwan saw similar attack in 2003

Jammu: The attack on the Sunjuwan military station on Saturday was the second one in 15 years. On June 28, 2003, 12 soldiers were killed and seven injured in a similar attack. The Sunjuwan station is located on the Jammu-Pathankot highway and is densely populated with civilians. Army Chief Bipin Rawat had visited the camp on October 21 last year to present the Presidents Standard to 47th Armoured Regiment. He had then asked the forces to be ready for security challenges. On Saturday, heavily armed JeM terrorists sneaked inside the station from the middle gate near the Gurjar Desh Charitable Trust building in the wee hours. TNS
editorial@tribune.com

Azhar Qadri

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, February 10

The Jaish-e-Mohammeds Afzal Guru Squad, named after Parliament attack convict, has emerged as the most lethal arm of insurgency, choosing targets at will.

In the last three years, the squad has put its footprint in and outside the state and also in foreign land.

From Tangdhar in a remote corner of Kashmir to Srinagar in the heart of the Valley, from Pathankot in Punjab to Mazar-e-Sharif in Afghanistan, the squad attacked vital and fortified army and paramilitary installations and its cadres left deliberate traces of identity: The Afzal Guru Squad.

The squad returned today, a day after the fifth death anniversary of Afzal Guru, when its fidayeen unit stormed an Army camp in the Sunjuwan locality of Jammu city. The attack had an echo of past raids: The Army camps heavily guarded perimeter was breached and the raiding unit barricaded itself in a multi-storeyed building, turning it into a fortified bunker. Its aim: To kill and get killed.

It is the second major fidayeen attack by the Jaish this year. In the January 1 attack, it had reintroduced Kashmiri fidayeen who stormed into a paramilitary camp at Lethpora in Pulwama district.

The Jaish made a lethal re-entry into the Kashmir theatre with a series of fidayeen attacks, the first one on December 5, 2014  the eve of the anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition  when six militants stormed an Army camp at Mohra in north Kashmir and killed 10 soldiers and policemen.

Even as the Jaish was written off as a significant threat by the turn of the last decade, its emergence as the most lethal arm of Kashmir insurgency was established last year when it overshadowed the Lashkar-e-Toiba and the Hizbul Mujahideen.

In 2017, Jaishs fidayeen squads carried out attacks against the Army, paramilitary and police installations in north Kashmirs Kupwara district, in south Kashmirs Pulwama district and outside the airport in central Kashmir  revealing the breadth of its capabilities.

Over the last several months, the Jaish has consolidated its strength in south Kashmir districts where, according to the police, 10-15 of its cadres and commanders are based and are headed by a militant, Mufti Waqas.
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Our Correspondent

Rajouri, February 10

On the sidelines of the fidayeen attack on the Sunjuwan Army Camp in Jammu, the Pakistan army today resorted to unprovoked shelling and firing on Indian forward posts three times in the last 12 hours in Poonch district.

Sources said the firing and shelling were retaliated effectively and strongly by the Army.

They said no loss to life or infrastructure had been reported so far.

At about 11 am, the Pakistan army resorted to heavy firing with automatic and small arms on Indian forward posts in the Krishna Ghati sector.

Later in the afternoon, the Pakistani troops initiated heavy firing on Indian forward posts in Gulpur and Karmara areas.

The firing was once again retaliated effectively by the Indian troops and it was stopped at about 3 pm. At 4 pm again, the Pakistani troops started heavy firing in the same area, said the sources.

For the last many days, the Pakistan army has been targeting Indian forward posts and civil areas in Rajouri and Poonch districts.

On February 8, a woman of Balnoi village was killed due to splinter injuries.

On February 6, the Pakistan army had targeted forward Indian posts in the Tarkundi sector. Four soldiers, including an officer, attained martyrdom in the inicident.

Recent violations

Feb 6: The Pakistan army targeted forward Indian posts in the Tarkundi sector. Four soldiers attained martyrdom

Feb 8: A woman of Balnoi village was killed due to splinter injuries
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Dinesh Manhotra

Tribune News Service

Jammu, February 10

Even as soldiers were busy battling Pakistan-sponsored terrorists who had stormed into an Army camp here, former Speaker and National Conference (NC) MLA Mohammad Akbar Lone today sparked a nationwide outrage by raising pro-Pakistan slogans in the Legislative Assembly.

The Assembly plunged into a pandemonium after Lone raised the slogans to counter Speaker Kavinder Gupta, who had pointed finger of suspicion towards some foreign nationals, settled near the Sunjuwan Army camp for the incident.

Although the NC top leadership immediately disowned Lones remarks, the lawmaker brazenly vowed to repeat similar slogans to counter the BJP and other groups. What is wrong in saying Pakistan zindabad? Lone asked mediapersons, adding,I am first a Muslim and then an Indian.

As soon as the House assembled this morning, the ruling BJP membersraised anti-Pakistan slogans. Amid the din, the Speaker suspected involvement of some foreign nationals settled near the camp in the incident.

Soon after the Speakers observation, NC and Congress members also resorted to sloganeering. They demanded an apology from the Speaker for blaming foreign nationals of a particular community for the attack. The Opposition members trooped into the well of the House and Akbar Lone resorted to pro-Pakistan slogans.

Later, in an official handout, the government said as soon the House assembled here this morning, the legislators, cutting across the party lines, condemned the attack on the Army camp and demanded a statement from the government.

Amid the din, accusations and counter-accusations were made by the treasury and non-treasury benches, leading to heated arguments and contentious remarks by some members.

The remarks were, however, later expunged by the Speaker from the official record and the House unanimously urged the members to desist from making contentious statements on sensitive issues.

Governor, CM condemn attack

Jammu: Governor NN Vohra and CM Mehbooba Mufti have condemned the Sunjuwan attack. The Governor spoke to Lt Gen Devraj Anbu, Northern Command chief, and condoled the death of the Army men. He wished speedy recovery to the injured. Vohra reiterated his advice on the need for an uncompromising audit of all security establishments. The CM took stock of the situation arising out of the attack at a high-level meeting of officers here on Saturday. Condemning the act, the CM described the attack as an effort by elements inimical to peace to break the developmental pace in the state. She appealed to all sections of society to stand together and defeat the nefarious designs of the perpetrators. She paid tributes to the slain Army men and praised their valour. During the meeting, she was briefed about the ongoing operation at the spot to flush out the terrorists. She also reviewed the overall security situation in the state. TNS

Need to probe Rohingya role: BJP

Jammu: The BJP on Saturday condemned the attack on the Sunjuwan Army camp. Sunil Sethi, party chief spokesperson, said circumstances revealed that the attack could have been executed with local help and it was imperative to investigate and apprehend all such persons. He said the role of Rohingiya near the Sunjuwan area required to be seriously investigated.

NC disowns MLAs remarks

Jammu: The NC disowned MLA Mohammad Akbar Lones utterances in the Assembly while terming them completely unacceptable to the party. NC spokesperson Junaid Azim Mattu tweeted, Just spoke to NC president Farooq Abdullah. He and the entire party is of the unequivocal stand that NC MLA from Sonawari Akbar Lone has spoken out of turn and his slogans in the Legislative Assembly are completely unacceptable to the party.
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Dinesh Manhotra

Tribune News Services

Jammu, February 10

Protests rocked the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Saturday after NC member Mohammad Akbar Lone raised Pakistan Zindabad slogans in the House.

Lone, NC MLA from Sonawari Assembly constituency in Bandipora, created an embarrassing situation when he stood up and shouted Pakistan Zindabad slogans when the ruling BJP MLAs were raising anti-Pakistan slogans to condemn the terror attack on Sunjwan Army station.

Lone said he would continue doing so inside and outside the Assembly as he saw no wrong in it.

Yes, I said it. It is my personal view, I said it in the house and I don't think anyone should have a problem with it: National Conference MLA Akbar Lone on shouting 'Pakistan Zindabad' in J&K Assembly pic.twitter.com/JbiwNui0kj  ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2018

This was the first time in the history of the Assembly that Pakistan Zindabad slogans were raised in the House.

NC spokesman, Junaid Mattoo immediately went into damage control by posting on Twitter, "Hon'ble @JKNC_ President has said the NC MLA should not forget that he belongs to a party that rejected the two nation theory and he should also remember the oath he swears in the name of God at the beginning of his term. The party disowns and condemns his remarks."

Hon'ble @JKNC_ President has said the NC MLA should not forget that he belongs to a party that rejected the two nation theory and he should also remember the oath he swears in the name of God at the beginning of his terms. The party disowns and condemns his remarks. 2/2.  Junaid Azim Mattu (@Junaid_Mattu) February 10, 2018

Opposition National Conference (NC) and Congress members stormed into the Well of the House after Speaker Kavinder Gupta said the attack on the Army camp was the reason as Rohingiya Muslims were residing near it.

Opposition members demanded that the Speaker take back his words where he blamed Rohingyas for the attack.

They also alleged that Pakistan was sponsoring terror in Jammu and Kashmir.

Amid the din, the Speaker adjourned the House for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, Omar Abdullah said: "We need to focus on the unfortunate developments in #SunjwanArmyCamp & not get distracted by misplaced slogans."
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Suresh Dharur

Tribune News Service

Hyderabad, February 10

The provisions of the triple talaq bill formulated by the NDA government were a threat to the Muslim personal law, the general secretary of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) Moulana Wali Rehamani said here on Saturday.

Presenting a report on a wide range of issues concerning the Muslim community at the 26th plenary of the AIMPLB, he lauded the stand of the opposition parties in the Rajya Sabha where the bill was stalled. The Lok Sabha has already passed the bill.

Accusing the central government of trying to interfere with the Muslim personal law, Rehamani urged the plenary to guide the community at this crucial juncture and to evolve a strategy to stop the government from passing the bill.

He pointed out that the Muslim personal law was guaranteed by the Indian constitution and the previous court verdicts.

Referring to the contentious Babri Masjid issue, he said the Supreme Court was seized of the matter. He informed the plenary session that the Board had submitted relevant documents to the court. We are ready for negotiations, based on fair justice and equal honour, he said.

Earlier, reaffirming its stand on the Ayodhya dispute, the AIMPLB ruled out any kind of settlement on the land dedicated to the Babri Masjid since such a move would amount to sacrificing the basic tenets of Islam.

A crucial executive committee meeting of the Board held here last night adopted a resolution to this effect. The meeting, chaired by the Board president Maulana Rabey Hasani Nadvi, was part of the three-day plenary of the AIMPLB where triple talaq and Babri Masjid issues dominated the proceedings.

The land dedicated to Babri Masjid cannot be sold, gifted or in any way alienated, the Board said.

The resolutions passed by the board in December 1990 and January 1993 remain unchanged. The land dedicated for the masjid at Ayodhya cannot be sold, gifted or  in any way  alienated. If once dedicated, it vests in Allah, the 50-member executive committee said.

All the previous attempts to arrive at a settlement were infructuous, and there was no proposal that offers a settlement without sacrificing the basic tenets of Islam before the board, it asserted.

The board once again emphasises the basic level of Shariah that the land dedicated for Masjid cannot be sold, gifted or in any way alienated," it said.

Earlier on Thursday, the Supreme Court, which started the final hearings on the Ayodhya dispute, said the case was purely a "land dispute" and would be dealt with in the normal course. The court made it clear that it did not intend to allow any third-party intervention at this stage. The next hearing on the matter was posted for March 14.

While denouncing the instant talaq practice as sinful and unacceptable, the AIMPLB members have, however, opposed the Triple Talaq bill prepared by the NDA government on the ground that it seeks to criminalise Muslim men. The bill envisages three year imprisonment for Muslim men who pronounce triple talaq to divorce their wives.

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 attended the general body meeting at an auditorium of Owaisi Hospital, owned by the family members of Hyderabad MP and Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi.
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Ramallah (West Bank), February 10

Indias improved relations with Israel could actually benefit Palestine, experts said here, underlining that the Palestinian leadership saw an opportunity in Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit in reviving the peace process with Israel.

Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Palestine, is reaching Ramallah amid heightened tensions in the region after US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

India has consistently voted in favour of resolutions supporting the Palestinian cause at international forums, an issue that has bothered strategic partner Israel.

Ahmad Majdalani, a Palestine Liberation Organisation Executive Committee member, said improved relations between Israel and India could help the Palestinians.

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The growing ties between them could be positive, because now India has more leverage with Israel and can press it in our favour, Majdalani was quoted as saying by The Jerusalem Post.

In discussions with several officials in Ramallah, who spoke on conditions of anonymity, it appears that the Palestinian leadership sees in the Indian Prime Ministers visit an opportunity to seek his assistance in pushing forward the deadlocked peace process.

India today enjoys wider acceptance in the global community. The recent participation of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) leaders in its Republic Day function is a clear demonstration of its enhanced status. Its membership in the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) and visibility at several leading international forums, clearly shows that it is today a global player, an official said.

Another official pointed at the moral standing India enjoys in the international community which can be put to good use.

The hype around Indias strategic ties with Israel and the bonhomie around Modis visit to Israel and its Prime Ministers visit to India also do not seem to perturb the Palestinians.

Well even Jordan and Egypt have full diplomatic relations with Israel so why cant India have, said Ayman, a university student.

His friends seem to back the same contention displaying a great degree of acquaintance of international politics. Some appreciated Indias support for the Palestinians at the UN despite all the publicity around the personal chemistry between Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netnayahu.

When asked about Indias growing engagement with Israel, President Mahmoud Abbas himself emphaticlally asserted that any state has the right to establish relations with other countries.

The Indian Prime Minister would be skipping Israel during his tour of the Middle East in a clear message that New Delhi is de-hyphenating its ties with Israel and Palestine.

Modi had visited Israel last year in July in a standalone visit that had led to many analysts questioning the future of the Indo-Palestine ties.

The question that arises out of Abbas effort is if Israel would accept a multilateral forum of the sort being promoted by him to seek negotiated peace. Israel has made it clear that it will only work under a US-led peace process.

India has also consistently voted in favour of the Palestinians at all international forums and Netanyahu clearly expressed his disappointment at New Delhis recent vote at the UN General Assembly where 128 nations rejected US unilateral declaration of Jerusalem as Israels capital.

As Modi embarks on the three-hour hectic trip to Palestine on Saturday, he kickstarts his engagement by laying a wreath at the Mausoleum of iconic Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

The Israeli press has highlighted the event with some reports expressing disappointment over the gesture. Many Israelis see Arafat responsible for the killing of several innocent civilians and stoking violence in the region.

Modi will be accompanied by his Palestinian counterpart Rami Hamdallah during the ceremony.

The Mausoleum of Yasser Arafat was unveiled on November 10, 2007 and is located adjacent to the Palestinian Presidential compound, also known as Muqataa here.

After paying homage to Arafat, the Prime Mminister will take a short tour accompanied by Hamdallah of the Yasser Arafat Museum located adjacent to the Mausoleum.

He will spend some 20 minutes touring the 15-month-old Yasser Arafat Museum, which chronicles the life of the former Palestinian leader.

According to Muhammad Halayka, the director of the Arafat Museum, Modi will be the first Prime Minister to visit the site.

Modi will then be received by President Abbas before the ceremonial welcome at the Muqataa.

The two leaders will then have discussions, sign bilateral agreements, hold a joint press conference and share lunch before Modi leaves for Amman in a chopper following a farewell ceremony.

Modi will then leave for the UAE later in the day for a two-day visit. PTI
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Dubai, February 10

Dubai's iconic skyscraper Burj Khalifa was lit up in the colours of the Indian flag on Saturday to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi's second visit to the country.

The Indian tricolour will be displayed every hour for UAE residents to admire and enjoy, according to the Dubai-based real estate development company Emaar.

"The Indian flag will be showcased on Burj Khalifa tonight every hour from 7.15 pm to 11.15 pm," an Emaar representative was quoted as saying by the Khaleej Times.

The light show will coincide with Prime Minister Modi's second state visit to the UAE. Modi last visited the country in August 2015.

On Friday evening, landmarks in Abu Dhabi and Dubai also lit up to the colours of the Indian flag. Abu Dhabi's Adnoc headquarters and Marina Mall and the Dubai Frame lit up in the Tricolour. PTI
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Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 10

In what could further change the course of the India-US relations, India has flagged its concerns to the US, with evidence, that Pakistan was using US weapons, given to fight Taliban, against the Indian Army.

The recent attacks by Pakistan on Indian Army bunkers along the Line of Control and also on civilian population were carried out using the US-made TOW-2A anti-tank guided missiles given to Pakistan for use against Taliban.

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At least nine Indian soldiers have died in 2018 due to Pakistani fire assaults directed against Indian Army positions along the LoC. In 2007, the US Congress approved the sale of 2,000 pieces of TOW-2A anti-tank missiles for Pakistan purportedly for self-defence and to support US operations against terrorists in Afghanistan.

In 2015, India and the US renewed a 10-year defence framework agreement. A year later, US designated India as a major defence partner. Subsequently, the US Congress voted to bring India on a par with its other NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) allies for sale of defence equipment and technology transfer.

The misuse of the missiles by the Pakistan Army was flagged at appropriate levels in the US government. Remnants of TOW-2A missile recovered after a fire assault were collected and shifted to New Delhi as proof and were shown to US representatives. Flagging the misuse of the missiles is Indias policy to isolate Pakistan in global arena.

US President Donald Trump, in the recent past, has accused Pakistan of deceiving the United States. He said Pakistan was harboring terrorists even as the US poured billions of dollars in foreign aid.

The US has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies and deceit. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more! Trump said on January 1.

Proof submitted
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Smita Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 9

India on Friday hoped that all countries, including China, could play a constructive role amid the ongoing political turmoil in Maldives.

The Ministry of External Affairs responding to queries on media reports about Maldives seeking support from China to maintain security for Chinese investments issued a statement late evening.

We note that China has said that Maldives Government has the ability to protect the security of Chinese personnel and institutions in Maldives. We hope that all countries can play a constructive role in Maldives, instead of doing the opposite, said India.

This came amid arrest of two journalists, including an Indian citizen, reporting for news agency AFP in Maldives on grounds not clear.

Meanwhile, Maldives received backing from friendly countries where President Abdulla Yameen had dispatched off special envoys earlier.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in his meeting with the Maldivian special envoy reportedly assured him of Beijings backing in what is viewed as an internal affair and that Yameen government is capable of handling it.

While Pakistan underlined that what is happening in the island nation is an internal matter and said it supports the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Maldives as per the UN Charter.

Meanwhile, Maldivian envoy Ahmed Mohamed speaking exclusively to The Tribune argued that countries contemplating restrictions or sanctions on Maldives would only aggravate peoples suffering.

Claiming that the situation is calm, the envoy said, The government has recognised the need to have talks with opposition. There has not been a response from the opposition as yet. The government wants to end the impasse. In the best interest of Maldivians, Maldivians themselves need to make a decision.

Asked about former President Mohamed Nasheed living in exile and seeking physical intervention by India, Mohamed argued the scenario now cannot be compared to what transpired in 1988.

In 1988 there was foreign invasion. Here this is an internal matter. There is no bloodshed going on in the country. There is no restriction on movement of people, no curfew, businesses are continuing as usual, children are going to school, transport links are working, the ambassador said.
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New Delhi, February 10

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday spoke to Jammu and Kashmir DGP S.P. Vaid after a group of heavily armed militants attacked an army camp in the state.

The Ministry of Home Affairs is closely monitoring the situation, an official said.

"The Director General of Police has apprised him of the situation," an official Ministry tweet added.

Early on Saturday a group of militants hurled grenades and used heavy volume of automatic gunfire to enter the Sunjuwan Military Station in Jammu.

The police has cordoned off the area and a search operation was on to pin down the militants.

"A soldier and a civilian were injured in the attack," a police officer said.

Militants had attacked the same camp in 2006. Twelve soldiers were killed and seven others were injured then before the two 'fidayeen' (suicide) terrorists were neutralised.

IANS
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Smita Sharma

tribune news service

New Delhi, February 10

A picture that speaks a thousand words  Prime Minister Narendra Modi today flew from Amman to Palestine in a chopper provided by the Jordanian Government and escorted by the Israeli Air Force. Jordan facilitated the transit and the Indian delegation did not pass through Israeli check-points.

Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to travel to Ramallah, completing his governments de-hyphenation policy between Israel and Palestine.

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Accompanied by Palestinian PM Rami Hamdallah, Modi first laid a wreath on the tomb of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and toured the Arafat museum.

Modi was then welcomed by President Mahmoud Abbas and accorded a ceremonial guard of honour at Al Muqataa, the presidential headquarters, before heading into formal talks and a working luncheon.

I would like to reaffirm our commitment to political actions to meet our national aspirations based on the 1967 borders and East Jerusalem as our capital, said President Abbas in his press remarks.

In a special recognition of PM Modis contribution to bilateral relations, President Abbas conferred the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine on him  the highest order given to foreign dignitaries. It has been awarded to King Salman of Saudi Arabia, King Hamad of Bahrain and President Xi Jinping of China, among others, in the past.

Our support for the Palestinian cause has been a continuous thread in Indias foreign policy  unbroken and unwavering. That is why I am here in Ramallah, said Modi.

However, in a departure from practice, he did not mention the two-state solution in his statement, but hoped for a resolution soon to one of the worlds longest conflicts.

We hope for the earliest realisation of a sovereign, independent state of Palestine living in an environment of peace. We must continue the path of talks to find a solution, Modi said.

Six MoUs and agreements were signed with a focus on health, employment and women empowerment. India is aiding the construction of an Institute of Diplomacy in Palestine, setting up a $30 million super-specialty hospital and the construction of two schools.

The PM then flew to Abu Dhabi via Amman. Iconic buildings Burj Khalifa, Dubai Frame and ADNOC (Abu Dhabi National Oil Company) headquarters were lit up in Indian flag colours as Modi arrived in the UAE.

Grand Collar of the State of Palestine

The commendation reads: In recognition of his wise leadership and his lofty national and international stature, and in appreciation of his efforts to promote the historic relations between the State of Palestine and the Republic of India; in acknowledgement of his support to our peoples right to independence and freedom so that peace prevails in the region.
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Ramallah (West Bank), February 10

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday laid a wreath at the mausoleum of iconic Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, in his first engagement on a historic visit to Palestine.

Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to make an official visit to Palestine, flew in a Jordanian army helicopter straight from Amman to Ramallah, where he was received by his Palestinian counterpart Rami Hamdallah.

The Prime Minister, accompanied by Hamdallah, visited the Mausoleum of Yasser Arafat. The mausoleum was unveiled on November 10, 2007 and is located adjacent to the Palestinian Presidential compound, also known as Muqataa here.

After paying homage to Arafat, the Prime Minister took a short tour accompanied by Hamdallah of the Arafat Museum located adjacent to the mausoleum.

The length of each of the mausoleums walls is 11 meters forming a cube, signifying the date of Arafats death on the 11th day of the 11th month.

Adjacent to the Arafat mausoleum is a minaret which is 30 meters high. At the top of the minaret is a laser system that projects a beam of light in the direction of Jerusalem.

Arafat, born in 1929 in Cairo, served as Palestines president for eight years until his death on November 11, 2004.

In 1990, the Palestine Liberation Organisation chief negotiated with Israelis and in 1993 they came up with Oslo Accords that gave Palestinians self rule in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

In 1994, Arafat won the Nobel Peace Prize, together with Israeli leaders Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres, for the negotiations at Oslo. PTI
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Yash Goyal

Jaipur, February 10

Makers of Manikarnika on Saturday assured Sarva Brahmin Mahasabha that neither any historical facts pertaining to queen of Jhansi will be distorted nor an objectionable romantic song, as alleged by the Hindu community, will be picturised.

We have not distorted history. We have also not referred to any writer who wrote about Rani Lakshmibai in a degrading manner, producer Kamal Jain, who submitted a written undertaking to SBM president Suresh Mishra, told the media.

Vijayendra Prasad of Baahubali and Bajrangi Bhaijaan fame has researched the topic and written the story after consulting scholars and historians, Jain said, adding, Prasoon Joshi, chairperson of CBFC, is penning the dialogues and lyrics of the film.

Manikarnika is being made with a great passion and huge respect towards the great woman who is unmatchable in reputation, he claimed.

Mishra said the producer has fully assured him and hence the shooting of the movie, which was interrupted at Bikaner, will continue now.

Earlier, SBM had submitted a separate memorandum to Governor Kalyan Singh and state Home Minister G C Kataria apprehending that the film is based on the controversial book Rani, written by Jaishree Misra. It will hurt the sentiments of Brahmin community at large if the queen of Jhansi is portrayed in a wrong manner, it had said and had demanded stopping of the shooting till a written undertaking was given.
uttara@tribuneindia.com

Ramallah (West Bank), February 10

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday on his historic visit to Palestine and the two sides signed agreements worth around $50 million that includes setting up of a $30 million super speciality hospital.

President Abbas received Prime Minister Modi in an official ceremony at the presidential compound, also known as Muqata'a, in Ramallahthe Palestinian seat of government.

Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister to make an official visit to Palestine.

After their talks, Prime Minister Modi said he has assured President Abbas that India is committed to the Palestinian people's interests.

He said India hoped for return of peace in the region.

"We know that it's not easy, but we should keep striving because a lot is at stake," he said in a joint press conference with President Abbas.

On his part, President Abbas acknowledged that the Indian leadership has always stood by peace in Palestine.

Abbas said Palestine was always ready to engage in negotiations to achieve its goal of an independent state. He asked India to facilitate the peace process with Israel.

"We rely on India's role as an international voice of great standing and weigh through its historical role in the Non-Aligned Movement and in all international forum and its increasingly growing power on the strategic and economic levels, in a way that is conducive to just and desired peace in our region," President Abbas.

The two sides signed agreements worth $50 million. The agreement includes setting up of a super speciality hospital worth $30 million in Beit Sahur and construction of a centre for empowering women worth $5 million.

Three agreements in the education sector worth $5 million and for procurement of equipment and machinery for the National Printing Press in Ramallah were also signed.

President Abbas also conferred the 'Grand Collar of the State of Palestine' on Prime Minister Modi, recognising his key contribution to promote ties between India and Palestine.

The Grand Collar is highest order given to foreign dignitaries - Kings, Heads of State/Government and persons of similar rank.

Earlier, the two leaders exchanged hugs and stood for the national anthem of the two countries and then inspected the guard of honour before their bilateral talks.

Archbishop of Catholic Church, Poulos Marcuzzo, and religious leaders of the Al-Aqsa mosque were also at the Muqata'a to greet Modi.

Modi flew in a Jordanian army helicopter straight from Amman to Ramallah, where he was received by his Palestinian counterpart Rami Hamdallah. Prime Minister Modi's chopper was escorted by choppers from Israel Air Force.

"This is a historic visit that will lead to stronger bilateral cooperation," Modi said shortly after landing.

Soon after his arrival, Prime Minister Modi visited the Mausoleum of Yasser Arafat in Ramallah and laid a wreath at the grave of the iconic Palestinian leader. He was accompanied by his Palestinian counterpart Hamdallah.

The mausoleum was unveiled on November 10, 2007, and is located adjacent to the Palestinian Presidential compound, also known as Muqata'a here.

After paying homage to Arafat, Modi took a short tour of the Arafat Museum located adjacent to the mausoleum.

During his maiden visit to Israel last year, Modi did not travel to Ramallah. His standalone visit to Israel had led to analysts questioning the future of the Indo-Palestine ties.

This time Modi skipped Israel in a clear message that India is de-hyphenating its ties with Israel and Palestine.

Modi's visit to Palestine comes amid heightened tensions in the region after US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The unilateral US decision to declare Jerusalem as the capital of Israel was challenged at the UN General Assembly where 128 nations, including India, voted to turn down the move as "null and void".

Trump's decision to declare Jerusalem as Israel's capital angered the Palestinians, sparked protests in the Middle East and raised concern that it could further destabilise the region.

Though India has shied away from becoming a party in the Israel-Palestinian conflict, the Palestinian leader on several occasions has stressed on a possible role for New Delhi in the Middle East peace process.

India believes in a two-state solution in which both Israel and a future Palestinian state coexist peacefully.

The two-state solution envisions independent Israeli and Palestinian states coexisting side by side peacefully. The Palestinians see east Jerusalem as their future capital. PTI
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Hosapete (Karna), February 10

Intensifying his attack on the Centre over the Rafale fighter jet deal, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi today alleged it was the biggest issue of corruption in the country and asked the Prime Minister to reply why he took the contract from HAL and gave it to a friend.

Launching the Congress poll campaign in Karnatakas Ballari district, Gandhi took a swipe at PM Narendra Modi for criticising policies of previous Congress governments, saying he was running the country by looking in just rear-view mirror, which had led to mistakes like GST and demonetisation.

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The Congress chief alleged that Modi had personally changed the Rafale contract during his visit to France and said the PM had not answered the three questions posed by him on the deal. Today, Rafale aircraft is the biggest issue of corruption in the country. I want to tell a few things about this to you, he told a public rally to mark the start of the Congress Janashirvad Yatra.

Gandhi said, Modiji had gone to Paris in France where he personally changed the contract. He said earlier the Rafale contract was given to defence public sector undertaking Bengaluru-based Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), which has been making aircraft for the Indian Air Force for 70 years.

If Bengaluru is on its feet today, one of the reasons for it is HAL. Modiji took away Rafale contract from Bengaluru and HAL and gave it to his friend, he said.

The Congress leader said Modi spoke for one hour in Parliament on the motion of thanks on the Presidents address but did not utter a word about Rafale. Gandhi began his four-day tour of northern Karnataka districts of Ballari, Koppal, Raichur, Kalaburagi and Bidar during which he would travel in a bus and address public rallies, hold roadshows and interact with farmers and others, as part of the yatra.

In his speech, Gandhi questioned the Modi governments record in governance. He accused it of making false promises and not delivering on generating jobs. Modiji speaks about corruption. The world record in corruption was broken by his partys government in Karnataka, he alleged, referring to the BS Yeddyurappa rule in the state.

The BJP, which is going all out to unseat the Congress in the state, is projecting state veteran Yeddyurappa, 74, as its CM candidate.  PTI

Rajnath hailed Nehru
vinaymishra188@gmail.com

New Delhi, February 10

The Ministry of Defence has requested the Finance Ministry to remove a cap imposed on the education fee paid to children of soldiers killed in action or disabled in action.

In July last year, the Ministry of Defence had capped the educational expenses, impacting some 3,200 students in schools, colleges and professional colleges. The Tribune had first reported the matter on December 1.

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The scheme is applicable to the Army, Navy and the Air Force. The orders were issued on September 13 and were to come into force from July 1 this year. The government received several requests seeking continuation of the old pattern, which had no limits.

The fee cap, recommended in the 7th Central Pay Commission, would have resulted in a meagre saving of less than Rs 4 crore per annum.

The scheme was announced on December 18, 1971, two days after Pakistani forces surrendered in the war to liberate Bangladesh. It gave complete exemption from tuition fee and other fee for education from the lowest class like nursery till the child acquired the first degree (such as BA, MBBS) .  TNS
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New Delhi, February 10

The Defence Ministry has sanctioned Rs 1,487 crore to the Army to fortify its bases in Jammu and Kashmir, NorthEast and several other places to plug gaps and protect them from terror attacks.

Clearing the project, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has set a deadline of 10 months for the Army to carry it out. The Army headquarters has been told to monitor implementation.

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Perimeter security will be strengthened at Army bases under six commands. A security audit of military bases was carried out on the recommendation of a committee headed by Lt Gen Philip Campose, set up after the daring terror attack on the Pathankot Air Force base in 2016.

Following the audit, revised standard operating procedures were sent to the commands of the three services.

A total of 3,000 sensitive bases, including 600 highly sensitive installations, of the Army, Navy and Air Force, were identified. Last year, the government delegated financial powers to the Army, Navy and IAF to strengthen perimeter security.  TNS
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Mumbai, February 10

A senior Maoist leader, Ramanna alias Srinivas Vithalanna Madru, and his wife Padma arrested on Friday may have intentionally walked into a police trap, according to sources.

Madru, 65, has been ailing for some time and had been stripped of his post as divisional committee member in the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee, the apex regional body of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist). Top police sources here feel that Madru walking into a police trap may be part of the recent strategy by the Maoist group to let its senior leaders who are unfit for combat to surrender and subsequently opt for retirement overground.

The government had set a reward of Rs 25 lakh for the capture of Ramanna while his wife had a reward of Rs 6 lakh on her head. Ramanna had joined the rebels way back in the 1980s.The couple was arrested from a village in Chandrapur.  TNS
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Shiv Kumar

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, February 10

A senior Maoist leader, Ramanna alias Srinivas Vithalanna Madru and his wife Padma arrested on Friday may have intentionally walked into a police trap, according to sources here.

Madru, 65, has been ailing for some time and had been stripped of his post as Divisional Committee Member in the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee, the apex regional body of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist).

Top police sources here feel that Madru walking into a police trap may be part of the recent strategy by the Maoist group to let its senior leaders who are unfit for combat to surrender and subsequently opt for retirement overground.

Ramanna, who was also known as Tech Ramanna, for his expertise in manufacturing assault rifles earlier used to train younger cadres of the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA), the armed wing of the CPI (Maoist). The government had set a reward of Rs 25 lakh for the capture of Ramanna, while his wife had a reward of Rs 6 lakh on her head.

Ramanna had joined the rebels way back in the 1980s, according to the Gadchiroli Police.

The couple was arrested from a village in Chandrapur.

Officially, the police said it had arrested the couple after receiving intelligence inputs about the sightings of Ramanna and his wife in Badarshah town in the district.
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Fazilka, February 10

The Border Security Force gunned down a Pakistani smuggler and apprehended another when they tried to smuggle heroin into the Indian territory last night near the Jagannath Border Outpost in the Fazilka sector. The BSF also seized heroin and ammunition from them.

Deputy Inspector General, BSF, Madhu Sudan Sharma said here today that jawans noticed some suspicious movement across the barbed wire fencing at 11.30 pm on Friday. When two persons approached the fence with an intention to push heroin this side, jawans challenged them, but they fired at BSF sleuths. In the exchange of fire, both were hurt. While one of them died, Gaffar Ahmed of Kasur district in Pakistan was arrested. Eight packets of heroin, a 7.63-mm pistol, two loaded magazines, seven live cartridges etc were seized.  OC
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Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, February 10

A man in his 60s, who died of cancer two months ago, has been booked for blocking the national highway and lodging protest in violation of the prohibitory orders of the Additional District Magistrate in Gidderbaha on Wednesday.

Mall Singh, a farm leader and resident of Kakhanwali village in the Lambi segment, had passed away on December 26, but the police booked him along with 14 others and 60-70 unidentified persons under Sections 148, 188, 283, 431 of the IPC and Section 8-B of the National Highways Act.

The farmers seeking complete debt waiver from the state government and implementation of the Swaminathan report had lodged a protest outside the tehsil complex at Gidderbaha on February 7. They were booked in the evening the same day.

The FIR was lodged on the statement of SI Dharampal Sharma, SHO of the Gidderbaha police station.

Gurbhagat Singh Bhalaiana, vice-president, Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan), Muktsar, said, We will challenge the FIR registered against us in the court as one of our colleagues who passed away two months ago has also been booked for lodging protest on February 7.

Similarly, Jasvir Singh, nephew of the deceased, said, We have approached farmer unions to lend us support as my deceased uncle has been booked by the police. We will soon go and meet police officials. The police may now try to concoct a story, but there is no other Mall Singh in Kakhanwali village.

Gidderbaha DSP Rajpal Singh said, After it came to my notice that a deceased has been booked for lodging protest, I have sought a report from the SHO. The special intelligence branch officials had told him that Mall Singh was sitting among the protesters, thus booked.
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Chandigarh, February 10

The Punjab Excise and Taxation Department conducted a raid on the residence of a trader in Mandi Gobindgarh as part of its investigation into an over Rs 100-crore fake GST bill fraud, officials said.

A senior official said a raid was carried out yesterday on the house of the trader, believed to be one of the kingpins of the fraud. More than 200 files of bills and a hard disc were seized during the raid. We found heavy transactions in bank accounts of his three firms and the businessman who was operating from his house is suspected to be involved in bogus GST bill trading, the officer said.  PTI
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Nikhil Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 10

In a rape case of a schoolgirl, the Ludhiana rural police today arrested four more accused, including a government schoolteacher and member panchayat of Nathowal village.

Surjeet Singh, SSP (Ludhiana rural), said the police had earlier nabbed principal Bharat Bhushan and teacher Harjit Singh. Today schoolteacher Sukhbir Singh, Jagtar Singh, employee at Sandhu ultrasound centre, Raikot, member panchayat Jaswinder Singh and Harpreet Kaur, wife of accused Harjit Singh of Gill Patti Sudhar, were arrested.

A 16-year-old student of Class XI was allegedly raped by Harjit Singh in January last year. She also got pregnant. A schoolteacher had lodged a complaint in the case after he came across a four-minute audio clip gone viral on WhatsApp, in which the principal and Harjit Singh were discussing means of abortion.

The victim had also recorded her statement before the Duty Magistrate. During questioning of the nabbed accused, it came to light that Harpreet Kaur, staff nurse at the Raikot Civil Hospital, brought the girl to the ultrasound scan centre and mathematics teacher Sukhbir Singh accompanied them. The scan centre gave a false report that there was a cyst in the gallbladder.

It was also found that Jaswinder Singh, alias Shinda, of Nathowal village took Rs 2.5 lakh from Harjit Singh and Sukhbir Singh and arranged their transfer to Manuke. We today arrested Jaswinder and recovered Rs 1.25 lakh from him, the SSP added.

The SSP said one accused Harwinder Singh, aide of Shinda, was yet to be arrested.

The SSP said whether abortion took place or not was yet to be clear.
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Prabhjot Sohal

Partition and the subsequent migration of population on either side of the India-Pakistan border have had such effects that even after 70 years, these remain indelible. Among tales of human loss and abandonment, fading memories and the elusive weight of historical baggage felt by generations, are also the silent relics and remains of the pre-Partition settlements.

After Partition, as the deserted settlements on either side of the Radcliffe Line were being repopulated with the incoming migrants, structures built for domestic comfort were being readily occupied or rebuilt. However, it was the abandoned places of worship  the temples, gurdwaras, churches and mosques  that posed several awkward questions to the migrants. In the aftermath, the politically spewed hatred for the other clashed with the generations-old tacit rules of respect and reverence. This saw some religious places destroyed to rubbles, while some were carefully avoided and forgotten.

The 70th year since Partition, being an unusual landmark, has witnessed an inexplicable agency  an existential cry, almost verging on the spiritual  in the civil society to unbury the past and preserve experiences of the unfathomable event. Feeling a similar tug at his heart, Sandeep Singh Virk, 42, decided to renovate a historical mosque in his village Rashidan in Jind district, Haryana, on his own last year.

In a state that has recently bred incidents of religious polarisation  Ballabhgarh, Faridabad riots over mosque renovation in 2015, the stabbing of a 17-year-old Muslim boy over a minor dispute and the violence against an imaam in Hisar by activists of the Bajrang Dal in July last  restoring a mosque can be a risky endeavour. But, for Sandeep, who returned to his village a few years ago to take up farming, the pros of connecting with the past outweighed the cons. I spent my childhood playing inside the mosque premises. It was also used as a school once. A couple of years ago, I realised that it was a valuable piece of heritage and should be restored, says Sandeep.

Before Partition, Rashidan was pre-dominantly a Muslim village, with a few Hindus who worked in the farms of the Muslim landowners. Today, it is the Sikhs from the other side of the border who have replaced the landowning class of the village. Situated on Punjab-Haryana border, the peaceful village is bestowed with beauty and prosperity by the Bhakra canal. The villagers retell the secular beginning of the village. This area was a part of the Patiala state. In the mid-19th century, the Maharaja of Patiala gave about 2,400 acres to the maulvi who taught children. The village is named after the maulvis daughter Rashidan. The nearby mazaar is that of the maulvi and his daughter. The mosque was built in the 1860s, informs Amir Singh, 75, a member of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), who migrated from Pakistan after Partition.

When we migrated to this village, Sikhs had no place of worship. We placed Guru Granth Sahib in the mosque and started praying here till we had the resources to build our own gurdwara. The mosque is also a guru ka ghar for us, the villagers have always revered it, adds Amir. The mosque yard was briefly used for the panchayat meetings and it was also an anganwadi centre for some time. Unlike other villages, where abandoned mosques were encroached upon or turned into livestock sheds, the sanctity of the mosque has been maintained.

The village panchayat has appointed Sukhchain Singh as the caretaker of the mosque. As Sukhchain gives a tour of the mosque, one is struck by the recently redone pristine white domes and minarets of the mosque. Cleanliness of the sanctum sanctorum, beauty of the inner dome inlaid with ornate meenakari and Islamic calligraphy are a treat to eyes. We did not have the craftsmen or the resources to restore the art work inside, so we decided to just keep it clean and not mess with it. A lot can be done. I have been trying to get an electricity connection for the mosque as well, adds Sandeep.

In 2012, Sandeep visited his ancestral village in Sheikhupura and Nankana Sahib  the birth of the first Sikh guru, Guru Nanak  in Pakistan. He was moved when he saw how well the locals had taken care of the historic gurdwaras. Among others, he befriended in Pakistan was Bilal Ahmed Virk, a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan from Nankana Sahib. Virk, informs Sandeep, has lobbied for the the upkeep of Gurdwara Janam Asathan  one of Sikhisms holiest sites. When Bilal came to India two years ago, he also visited the village. He saw that the mosque was in a ruined state and asked if we needed help with the restoration process. It was embarrassing to realise that he was doing so much for religious places in Pakistan, while we havent done much. I told him we would rebuild it on our own because the mosque was our heritage too, says Sandeep, who has also been trying to locate the original inhabitants of the village.

When I shared the pictures of the renovated mosque with my friends in Pakistan, they were overwhelmed. I have been searching for them, but have not been able to find anyone, he adds. On a WhatsApp message from Pakistan, Bilal says, People on both sides of the border should respect and take care of the mosques, gurdwaras, temples and churches or any monument that is part of the heritage; it is an act in good faith. With such actions, communities across the border come closer to each other. It is very important for humanity and human development, to have love and respect for all communities.
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Sarah Berry

There is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women.  Kofi Annan

In an ever-changing world, with powerful dynamics constantly at play, gender equality is a growing concern. However, women continue to fight and overcome the patriarchal shackles, making society a better place for not only themselves, but for the community at large.

Finding meaning in the service of others

Rehmani of Karheri village in Nuh district, Haryana, has never studied a school book, but the lack of literacy has not dimmed the fire in her belly to work for the betterment of her village and community at large. An Asha worker, she has joined an NGO to serve even more people around her. I heard about the Block Leadership School (an initiative by the S M Sehgal Foundation) in the nearby village of Ghaghas in Nuh. There, I joined a training programme that focused on good rural governance. The programme updated us on the various schemes that the government offered. The schemes were quite amazing, but the awareness among villagers about these was very low. I wanted to share this knowledge with my fellow villagers so that they, too, can benefit from these schemes. I still recall how the issue of a missing laptop in a school triggered my first movement of getting it back for those it was originally meant for  the students, and not the teacher.

Her efforts towards generating awareness about different government schemes, facilitating delivery of services to the ones who are entitled to these but lack information and access, and ensuring a sustainable deliverance of justice, have been commendable. Rehmani, who doesnt charge a penny for her efforts, has helped built around 100 toilets in her village by motivating others. She has also held about five to six workshops on health and hygiene for around a 100 students and has led several sanitation campaigns  all during the last year. When her village was affected because of irregular ration supply by the depot, approximately four-five kilometres from her own village, she helped one of the village boys procure a licence for a depot, ensuring a proper and regular supply of rations for her village. The age of 55 is not a deterrent for a tireless fight against injustice. I believe in helping others. It gives life a meaning.

Simulating Mother Nature

Her simple attire, serene face and almost bare surroundings are the first to catch ones attention. Why are you spending so much of your money on social causes, when you can spend a comfortable life with your savings? Gulli mai has often been asked this question. Mai means mother and is a salutation given to her as a token of respect for her selfless service. She has no children of her own but has adopted a son. Gulli lives with her husband in Devka Dewra village under Samra panchayat in Alwar, Rajasthan.

My journey started around 35 years ago when I returned from a pilgrimage. I realised that what matters only are blessings; nothing else is transferrable to the next incarnation, whatever and wherever that may be.

Mai has contributed towards the digging of three ponds  a cause close to her heart. She has spent around Rs 50,000 of her savings for this cause. Water is life, be it for plants, animals or humans. Quenching a souls thirst is the utmost karma. That is why I feel this is such an important cause, especially when the earth is parched during summers, and there is no source of water for miles, says Gulli. Besides this, she has actively contributed towards many other causes like planting trees, khaan daan (donation of food), construction of a dharamshala and donation for schools, among others. Why should money be hoarded? So, what next, we ask? The almighty guides and I serve, she smiles.

Fighting spirit

Deepti Gulati was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus or SLE just before her marriage. This chance diagnosis did not stop her and her fiancee from getting married and starting a family together. While the disease challenged her at each and every step, it did not deter her from working for others. I joined the Hunger project in 1998 for implementing a reproductive and child health programme in two blocks of Jhansi district. Somewhere into the assignment, due to possible exposure to a patient, I developed tuberculosis meningitis, slipping into coma for 2-3 days. The doctors said I would never be able to walk again, but defiance and resilience are like second nature to me. I bounced back, not only stronger but with a new outlook towards life. I vowed to volunteer extensively  for diverse causes. That was my calling.

Gulatis passion brought her to work with the UP Science Centre in 1993. She has been actively involved with the National Childrens Science Congress that the centre has been organising for the past 25 years. It has touched the lives of 70,000 children as per Gulati. Sensitisation of students towards science and technology, even in the smallest way possible, can have a large impact, changing their lives forever. Programmes such as science and technology in industries, physics in everyday life, creative writing in the field of journalism, nature camps, low-cost innovative didactic tools, road safety, and many more such social initiatives have been a regular feature at the centre. You cannot imagine the metamorphosis this exposure can result in. IIt is heartwarming to witness lives being transformed through such simple measures."

Gulati and her family moved to the US in 2004. Trouble followed her there too. I developed another condition of Avascular Necrosis or AVN. I came back to India, broken in mind and body, and in a wheelchair. I joined the centre again, pulling myself together, recalls Gulati. She was walking with crutches, but Gulati never lost her fighting spirit  her work being her inspiration. Research led her to a traditional form of medicine treatment in China for AVN. I remember becoming a pioneer for obtaining a mobile planetarium for the UP Science Centre. It was like stepping into Alice in Wonderland each time the students entered it. I lived and relived that sense of amazement time and again, adds Gulati with a deep sense of fulfilment in her voice.

Her next endeavour is to introduce the curriculum for Universal Ethics  being designed by the Ayur Gyan Trust (started by her father)  extensively in all schools. The objective: to introduce values and ethics in order to encourage a more compassionate tomorrow for one and all.

A voice for the voiceless

I was born in a middle class joint family, says Arti Manchanda, a specialist in communications. The atmosphere in which I was brought up was conservative, but not stifling. I was the eldest; taking responsibilities and sharing came naturally to me. My father was my strength  be it professionally or personally. I had an active say in decision making processes in the family, a privilege I earned over the years. Journalism was always my call, though I realised it over time only.

Her actual journey began with the setting up of a community radio at a community centre in Ghaghas village in Mewat district, Haryana, with the help of her supervisor, who was also her mentor in many ways. Alfaz-e-Mewat was to serve as a mouthpiece for all those who never knew of any platform to voice their opinions. It was like giving birth. The cause of adolescents has always been close to my heart. The programmes scheduled at the station have not only upped the awareness index, the courage to express has been constantly encouraged too. Gender equality and sensitisation are burning issues. Hence, we also hold workshops regularly on these subjects."

For Arti, not just writing, but poetry is a powerful medium of expression too. Her poems form a major part of the content for programmes aired is on sexual harassment and eve teasing.

In villages and towns across India, these women are working in their own small ways to bring on the big change.
Saba Naqvi

Saba Naqvi

Lets confess. Most of us who complain about the government, on TV and in print, do not need to use government services such as schools and hospitals. The condition of roads impacts our perception of how a government is performing because our air-conditioned cars occasionally travel on those roads  good or bad. If we see flyovers and malls, our brains may register that as progress being made. Electricity matters to us because no one likes fumbling in the dark but imagine being without AC and TV in summer! The Union Budget interests us only so far as it reduces or increases our taxes and maybe the value of stocks we have purchased in the market.

Most of us who would read this English language column are quite immune to the delivery of government services which is different from responding to politics that results in some of us being abused or even lynched. But most Indians, alas, are not as lucky as us and if their kids go to school, itll be a government school and if they fall ill, itll be a government dispensary (and many Indian children will die from highly curable diseases). We should be ashamed, but we are always talking of national pride.

Thats why I was touched and rejuvenated after visiting a government school in Delhi  somewhere between the crowded ITO crossing and New Delhi Railway Station. Its called Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya and is one of the 54 pilot schools in which Rs 5 to 10 crore have been invested by the Delhi Government. The results are impressive, partly because the education policy of the Delhi Government has addressed the very crucial aspect of teachers being re-educated and motivated and then mentored by select teachers. Till Class VI in Delhi, children go to schools run by the municipal corporation, after which the schools are the responsibility of the Delhi Government. What is also being done at that stage is that children of the same class are being dealt with differently, depending on their reading abilities.

There were some incredible human stories I picked up. A Class V student, Vishal, is the son of a vegetable vendor and he comes from some distance to attend school. He recently came second in a mental mathematics competition held at the state level. Principal Dr Davindera has been at the school for nine years, but it is clear that the last two years have been transformative for the 1,000 children-- some of them come from backgrounds where both parents work as labour. One day, he saw three of his students selling dusters and food at traffic lights. The next day in the school, he checked and realised that the boys were doing okay, getting around 55 per cent in grade 6 and 7. The school would end at 2 pm and the boys would change the uniform and be on the streets selling wares by 3.30 pm. They have to earn their living, the principal told me, but they come to school regularly.

A mathematics teacher told me the story of Shubham Kumar, another child from a working class family, who joined in grade 6 where he was first placed with the students whose reading skills were limited. But the boy kept staring at the maths books in English and the teacher realised that he wanted to be in the English medium section. The child forced himself to learn the alphabets and a year later, he is scoring around 90 per cent. His brother has just entered school, but the teacher says he is not like Shubham, point being that some children have the ability, provided they get the opportunity.

With crores sunk into infrastructure, the school matches that from which my daughter graduated last year, minus the swimming pool. I walked into a science classroom of Class XII and the students were engaged, absorbed, proud to get the opportunity to learn with the best facilities. One little detail: in 2017, 372 children from government schools in Delhi made it to the IIT mains entrance exam, a seven fold increase from last year. Though I do not believing a career in engineering is the path to enlightenment, for kids to aspire to anything and get there is great.

Being at the school reminded me of my old hopes for the country that included better schools and hospitals. And smiling beautiful children. I saw some today who were hopeful of better lives for themselves. They were proud to be at the school.

Somehow our simple expectations have got lost in our battles over identity and religion. We are so consumed by the charges and the counter-charges that we have forgotten the most important things we need to do. The AAP may have made political errors, but they are trying to do right by the vulnerable sections of society in Delhi. As it has tried with the mohalla clinics and polyclinics, in education too it is creating a model that gives primacy to citizens at the bottom of the economic pyramid. Lets go beyond politics and recognise this. Its about all our children.
Jasmine Singh in Chandigarh

Jasmine Singh in Chandigarh

Dealers of certain pesticides/insecticides across Punjab are clueless over how to dispose of hundreds of litres of the stock days after the state government banned sale of these hazardous chemicals. The state governments decision came after the National Human Rights Commission sought a response  a second time since 2011  from the state as well as the Centre over the reckless use of these chemicals being blamed for subsoil and groundwater contamination by heavy metals resulting in a variety of serious diseases among villagers of the Malwa region.

The Sunday Tribune in its Jan 28 edition cited a test report confirming large presence of these metals in the soil and the resultant physical disorders.

A week after the ban, some of the 11,500 licensed dealers say they have no option but to drain the stock in the nearby canals  a step that can cause further damage to the environment. A few other dealers say they may sell the stock to the neighbouring states. States director (agriculture) Jasbir Singh Bains says measures are being taken to handle the present situation. Under the Insecticide Act 1968, we have suspended the pesticides for 60 days. After that we will be sending a report to the Central Insecticide Board that will take a final call on the ban, he said.

Bains says the state government has informed the department of agriculture and farmers' welfare that the sale of insecticides/pesticides mentioned in a schedule may be suspended for two months. The government has acted on the recommendations of the Registration Committee, Punjab Agriculture University and the Punjab State Farmers Commission.

While the ban brings in huge monetary loss for the dealers and distributors, farmers will hopefully not bear the brunt of the situation. They are free to buy the banned pesticides from elsewhere, if they want to. They are also free to use the existing stock. We can only issue an advisory informing them not to use the banned insecticides and how they are harmful for their health and for the environment. Yet we cannot stop them from using it, says Bains. But this does not seem to address the problem of the dealers. They can either sell the stock outside or return it to the company. They wouldn't be allowed to sell it in Punjab. If they are found to be doing so, we will cancel their licence, warns Bains.

Sunil Mundra of Periwal Pesticides Abohar has yet to get in touch with the company from where he bought the stock. It is a loss for us. If the company doesnt agree to take the stock back, we'll have to keep it in the godown.

Another dealer from Abohar, Om Prakash Dhamija of Zamidara Pesticides says he may get billing for another product in lieu of the sold stock. Not all companies have a return policy. In that case, we have to sell it in others states. Even though dealers across Punjab have threatened to drain the banned chemicals in canals, Bains does not see this coming. It is illegal to dispose of insecticides/pesticides like this. So, I don't think they would so something like this as it is punishable under law.

The Insecticide Act lays down a disposal procedure: After segregation of the expired pesticides, such stocks must be stamped not for sale, not for use or not for manufacture. All such stocks then shall be disposed of in an environment-friendly manner as may be specified by the Central government in consultation with the Central Insecticide Board. Though it will take some time to wipe out the banned chemicals from the market, farmers still have alternatives readily available in the market.

Pritpal Singh from Baba Farid Centre for Special Children, Faridkot, says the extra stock should be collected from distribution centres and disposed of in a scientific way. The current scenario does not hold out a guarantee that the ban will help in reducing the toxicity levels in the soil. The solution probably lies in formulation of a new policy/law, which according to Bains, is still in a preliminary discussion stage.
Rachna Khaira in Jalandhar

April 21, 2017: The Jalandhar police arrested three persons, including two Nigerians, and recovered 18 mobile phones with international SIM cards and a laptop from them. The group was part of an international drug cartel having bases in African countries. Most SIM cards recovered from foreign national students involved in drug peddling belong to foreign telecom operators.

May 30: The state police busted an alleged terror module involving nine persons, including a woman, allegedly a drug smuggler, a retired district education officers son and a 17-year-old boy, allegedly radicalized through the internet. They planned to kill senior leaders, including Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar, both accused in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases.

July 1: In A first-of-its-kind case in the state, Ashu Jain, a Banur-based trader, was kidnapped by half-a-dozen men on May 30. The kidnappers demanded 20 bitcoins from Jains family for his release. At the time the kidnappers made this demand, the rate of one bitcoin was Rs 2.05 lakh.

Nov 7: A terror module was busted. It was allegedly backed by Pakistans espionage agency ISI. The members were involved in the killings of RSS leader Brig Jagdish Gagneja and seven others. Investigations revealed that four conspirators had been trained at various places abroad and had been using encrypted mobile software and apps for communication with handlers based in Pakistan and a few western countries. An encrypted message to kill a man in white clothes with a cross around his neck was meant to eliminate Pastor Sultan Masih in Salem Tibri of Ludhiana.

Punjab is known to be of crucial concern for national security: It has a hostile neighbour, techno-savvy radical groups settled abroad, and is a hot-spot for drug cartels for its close proximity with the Golden Crescent route comprising Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Plus, it also has a web of human trafficking networks.

The state remains a hot battle zone for cyber watchdogs from law enforcement agencies and their shady counterparts peeking every now and then from the dark web.

Cyber crime

Twenty-one year-old A was an ordinary youth from a border village of Gurdaspur district. With no regular income to support the family, he was finding it difficult to take care of his ailing parents. He was lured into the gold smuggling by one of his neighbours about a year back. Since gold was cheaper in Pakistan and silver in India, the smugglers interchange both the metals across the fence to earn profits. Later, his handler in Pakistan asked him to smuggle heroin into India. Finally he got into the deadly business arms smuggling.

By communicating with his Pakistan handlers on end-to-end encryption chat applications and Voice over Internet protocol (VOIP), he managed to take the deadly business up to Delhi and Mumbai. Later arrested by the state police, he narrated his story. The main worry for the cops is: His is not the only episode.

Biggest boss: Encryption

Encryption is not a new technology and forms the backbone of secure communication and data transmission over the Internet. Its use was limited to financial transactions and secure data transmissions. The effort was enough to alert security agencies to review their cyber security capabilities which were initially found to be almost negligible.

Cyber crime in India has increased three-fold in the last five years with Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh leading the chart. But the figures are not a true depiction of the ground reality. Ritesh Bhatia, a Mumbai-based leading cyber security expert, says most cases go unreported and those reported do not get transferred into an FIR due to the belief that the police cannot track them.

Also, except child pornography cases, most offences under the cyber laws are bailable. What most state police departments are doing is training an old dog with a new trick which will not serve much purpose. In a border state like Punjab, there is an urgent need to form a separate wing of cyber police that can monitor and intercept any cyber attack even before its gets executed by its handlers, says Bhatia.

While some cops with technical background have managed to access dark web, they cannot use it to chase crime syndicates as they are yet to get expertise to decipher the dark sites. A dark web is a part of the World Wide Web (www) that is only accessible by means of special software, allowing users and website operators to remain anonymous or untraceable to deal with drugs and other crime syndicates. The entire transaction in dark web is being done in crypto currency like bitcoins and Monero and the sellers and buyers on the net give credit ratings to every buyer to enable him to deal further. Also, most syndicates trading on the dark web prefer to deal with people from their own community or who understand their language.

Borderless data

Data monitoring is a tough challenge for the security watchdogs. The borderless nature of information flow over the Internet complicates online privacy, as an individuals data is subjected to different levels of protection depending on which jurisdiction it is residing in.

A senior state police officer gives an instance: while international agencies joined hands to shut down the deadly Blue Whale game from the global World Wide Web in no time; they are reluctant to join hands to address cyber attacks. Laws differ from country to country, so security agencies are hesitant to address it at the global level, he said.

Dr Kamlesh Bajaj, CEO of the Data Security Council of India (DSCI) and former deputy director general, National Informatics Centre (NIC) says that fast evolving technology, without any layer of security laws, is posing a major challenge. While social networking apps like Whatsapp only allow sending message and its decipher code to a particular mobile number without storing it to their server, other apps like Snapchats even erase the message from the receivers devise after one has read it. With no footstep to follow, how can you expect the state enforcement agencies to track and decipher them? asks Bajaj. He has set up cyber forensic labs to provide training to policemen.

He says since servers of social media websites are located outside the country, the government cannot easily retrieve information from them.

More laws?

The Union government has placed stringent cyber laws pertaining to voice communication. But it is yet to formulate them in the field of data communication. Cyber experts say a voice call generates over 140 parameters including origin and place of calls out of which over 13 can be legally scrutinized. However, in data communication, there are no well-defined laws to scrutinize the parameters that get generated with each data communication.

India currently has 60% voice data users. The country is fast moving towards the higher average of data communication users. Cyber crimes in India are being governed by The Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act, 2000. There is a dire need to bring data cyber crime, too, under stringent laws, says a cyber security expert.

Mohali to get top research facility

The Union government is setting up a cyber research facility at Mohali in collaboration with the state police. DGP Suresh Arora says the state police is setting up a cyber investigation technical support unit at 41 places at all district ranges and zonal levels. People must be made aware about cyber frauds. The state police is in the process of updating itself with the ever-evolving technology to counter cyber threats, said Arora. Punjab has a state-of-the-art cyber and mobile forensic lab at Phillaur.
sanjiv@tribunemail.com

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 10

In a shocking incident here, a 21-year-old girl was allegedly murdered by her stepmother.

The incident took place in the Ansari Marg area. The body of the victim, Prapti Singh, daughter of late Ajit Singh, which was chopped into pieces allegedly by her stepmother Meenu Kaur, was recovered from the house by the police.

According to police sources, Meenu had gone to the police saying that her daughter Prapti had gone missing. She told the police that Prapti had left for inter-state bus terminus to go to Delhi for an interview as she aspired to become an air hostess and since then had been missing.

The police got suspicious and tried to track the last mobile location of Prapti, which was found in her house. During interrogation, Meenu broke down and confessed to have killed Prapti and after chopping the body into pieces, had hidden it in the house.

The police investigation revealed that Meenu was not happy with Prapti as Meenus husband Ajit Singh, who had passed away a few years ago, had left all his properties in Praptis name, which infuriated her. As per modus operandi, Meenu first hit Prapti on the head that killed her and subsequently chopped her body with a knife and hid it in her house.

Neighbourers, who knew the family for long alleged that the mother-daughter duo was not on good terms which grew further sour after Ajit Singhs death. The police took the body in their possession for further examination and took Meenu into custody.
gspannu7@gmail.com

Male, February 9

Two foreign journalists, including an Indian national, have been detained in the Maldives for working in the country in violation of its immigration rules, the Maldivian police said on Friday amid political turmoil in the island nation.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Maldives Police have handed over the two journalists, a British national and an Indian National, to immigration authorities, the police said in a statement.

These individuals were found to be working and reporting as journalists while on a tourist visa, in contravention to the Immigration Act and Regulations, the statement said.

We urge all foreign nationals to adhere to immigration guidelines and acquire the relevant visa that corresponds to the purpose of their visit. We note that several foreign journalists are currently working in the Maldives and welcome all those who wish to do so in the future, it said.

India has asked its Embassy in the Maldives to ascertain the details pertaining to the detention of the Indian national.

We have received information about an Indian national, Shri Money Sharma, working as a journalist, who has been detained by the Maldivian authorities. We have asked our embassy to get in touch with the local authorities to ascertain more details of the case, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.

The action against the two journalists came as a privately-owned television station in the Maldives went off the air, citing threats during the countrys current state of emergency.

Rajje TV, which highlights the views of the political opposition, said in a statement that it stopped broadcasting because the countrys environment does not allow journalists to report freely and independently, the AFP news agency reported.

Male, which has seen several political crises since the ouster of its first democratically-elected president Mohamed Nasheed in 2012, plunged into chaos last Thursday when the Supreme Court ordered the release of nine imprisoned Opposition politicians, maintaining that their trials were politically motivated and flawed.

Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen has refused to obey the court orders and declared a state of emergency in the country.

Maldives Supreme Court Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed and another judge, Ali Hameed, were arrested hours after Yameen declared a state of emergency. Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was also arrested.

International community has asked the Yameen government to restore the constitutionally guaranteed rights of the people and institutions.

UN human rights chief Zeid Raad Al Hussein has called the declaration of a state of emergency in the Maldives and the resulting suspension of constitutional guarantees an all-out assault on democracy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump have expressed concern about the political situation in Maldives over a phone call, the White House said today. PTI
pardeepdhull@gmail.com

JERUSALEM/BEIRUT, February 10

Israel said it launched air strikes against air defences and Iranian targets in Syria on Saturday and the Syrian army claimed to have hit an Israeli F-16 that crashed in northern Israel in a major escalation of tension.

The Israeli military said the F-16 jet crashed during a mission to strike Iranian drone installations in Syria, where Iranian and Iran-backed forces have established a major foothold while fighting in support of President Bashar al-Assad.

Israel said it had sent its jets into Syria after shooting down an Iranian drone flying over Is.raeli territory earlier on Saturday. Israel said its warplanes came under fire in Syria, though it was still unclear why the jet had come down.

"Twelve targets, including three aerial defense batteries and four Iranian targets that are part of Iran's military establishment in Syria were attacked," the Israeli military said in a statement.

"During the attack, anti-aircraft missiles were fired towards Israel, triggering alarms that were heard in Northern Israel," the military said.

Syrian state media reported two separate Israeli attacks.

In the first one, a military source said Syrian air defences had opened fire in response to an Israeli act of "aggression" against a military base, hitting "more than one plane".

Later, Syrian state media said air defences were responding to a new Israeli assault and air defences had thwarted attacks on military positions in southern Syria.

Iran's expanding clout during Syria's nearly seven-year-long war, including deployments of Iran-backed forces near the Golan frontier, has raised alarm in Israel, which has said it would act against any threat from its regional archenemy Tehran.

The clashes marked a dangerous new confrontation between the international powers caught up in Syria's seven-year-old war.

Iranian and Iran-backed Shi'ite forces, including Lebanon's Hezbollah, have deployed widely in support of Assad. Iran's military chief warned Israel last October against breaching Syrian airspace and territory.

Massive" anti-air fire

Israel said one of its attack helicopters shot down an Iranian drone at around 4.30 am (0230 GMT) that had come from Syrian into Israel. "In response, the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) targeted Iranian targets in Syria," the military said.

Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus said a "substantial" number of Israeli warplanes on the mission had come under "massive Syrian anti-air fire", and only one Israeli jet was harmed.

The F-16 came down in a field near the northern Israeli village of Harduf, television footage showed, and one of the pilots was injured as they ejected, the military said.

David Ivry, a former Israeli Air Force chief, told Reuters he believed it was the first time an Israeli F-16 was brought down since Israel began using the jets in the 1980s.

"We don't know if the pilots ejected because of the (Syrian) fire," Conricus said. It was also unclear at what stage of the mission they ejected, he said, "but it is of extreme concern to us if they were shot down".

Flights temporarily suspended

Tensions have also spiked across the frontier between Israel and Lebanon over Israeli plans for border wall, and Lebanese plans to exploit an offshore energy block that is partly located in disputed waters.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Israel had targeted areas in the countryside southwest of Damascus, near the Syrian-Lebanon border west of Damascus and in the eastern countryside of Homs province for several hours since dawn.

One set of raids hit positions belonging to the Syrian government and its allies in central Syria around the T4 airbase and in the Homs desert, the Britain-based Observatory said.

It said another set of raids hit southwest of Damascus, and another hit around the Damascus-Beirut highway near the border with Lebanon.

In Israel, uniformed military personnel could be seen gathered around the burnt and tangled metal in Harduf by mid-morning, with what appeared to be white foam on the surrounding grass. Others knelt in the grass, inspecting pieces of the jet.

Rocket alert sirens sounded in the Israeli-held Golan Heights and in northern Israel and there were no reports of casualties.

Flights in to Israel's main airport near Tel Aviv were suspended for about 15 minutes and take-offs were held for about 20 minutes on Saturday morning. "Ben Gurion Airport is now operating as usual," Israeli Airport Authority spokesman Ofer Lefler said.

The airport's online live flight schedule showed flights were departing and landing. Reuters
editorial@tribune.com

Maldives has been in deep political turmoil since February 1 with India disturbed and seeking President Yameen to abide by court orders that sought release of political prisoners, including former President Nasheed. However, Maldives has claimed it is an internal matter and any intervention through sanctions will only make the people of the island nation suffer. In an exclusive interview with The Tribune, Maldivian envoy to India Ahmed Mohamed also invoked the foreign hand behind current developments. Smita Sharma spoke to Ahmed Mohamed.

With the clampdown of emergency, there seems to be no semblance of democracy in Maldives anymore.

To maintain peace, security and law and order, the President has constitutional powers with in the democratic system to declare the state of emergency. Emergency does not mean there is no democracy.

With the arrest of the Chief Justice and a senior judge of the Supreme Court, an ex-President and firing of police chief  it looks like a dictatorship and no respect to democratic values.

For some it may seem like that but we need to go deeper into what led to the situation. Just one fine evening an order came out from Supreme Court saying the Judicial Service Commission has no power to investigate or take disciplinary action against Supreme Court judges overriding the constitution. The constitution clearly says the commission is an independent authority.

There is no opposition voice in this and the government could leverage its influence over the members?

The Constitution came in 2008 that lays down the composition of this commission. There are judges from High Court, Supreme Court, a civilian appointed by Majlis among others. There was a case prior to the February 1 order that was taken up by the commission to investigate some judges of the Supreme Court. So motive of the court order that came out was to nullify that. Then probably in anger they said that all these nine people in jail should be released. But these cases have passed three tiers of justice in lower, higher and Supreme Court. How can the Supreme Court without presenting any evidence or hearing on a case that has already been decided by it in the past say that from today you are free?

Will President Yameen exercise clemency to allow former President Nasheed back into the country?

How can the President allow as the clemency Act also says the person needs to serve at least two-third of the sentence. What is conspiring within Maldives is an internal matter where people have taken law into their hands for their self-interests.

Who is conspiring?

Someone is conspiring. There is suspicion. That is why former President Maumoon has been arrested on charges to overthrow an elected government.

Do these elements have backing of some foreign countries?

Some people say so but I cannot confirm. There has been such strong dislike expressed by few people whom we know. They maybe people within Maldives or from outside. There is a lot of suspicion.

Is there an increased bitterness with India? Maldives said special envoy wanted to visit India first but there were no dates. But Indian government sources say no protocol was followed.

Fact is we requested India as the first port of call for special envoys who were going to India, Pakistan, China and Saudi Arabia. The senior most delegation was heading to India led by Foreign Minister. Yes, it was on short notice. A reaction was received. We also acknowledged the fact that Indian Foreign Minister is out of country. Therefore for us it would be of no issue even if we could meet one of the state ministers or any one appropriate. They could have met the special envoy. We also requested to call on Prime Minister Modi if convenient. But while someone says we do not know the agenda, is it really so? Everyone knows the agenda.

India put out a travel advisory for its citizens. Will it hurt your economy?

Yes, if Indians do not travel to Maldives. Indians are the fifth largest source of tourists in our country. The largest source is China followed by some European nations. For our livelihood, tourism is the most important sector. When a country declares state of emergency, irrespective of the reasons, it is right of other nations to advise their citizens to be vigilant. But there are no restrictions on ground. Airports and transport links are functioning as usual.

Former President Nasheed tweeted to ask India to intervene militarily. Whats your reaction?

This is an internal matter. There is no bloodshed going on in the country, no restriction on movement of people, no curfew, business is on as usual, children are going to school, transport links are working.There is normalcy in Maldives. Why should a foreign country intervene militarily in such a state of affairs? The situation in 1988 was a case of attack on Maldives by foreign mercenaries. The government of the day requested for help from India. India came to protect the people of Maldives. Is there a question of protection of people of Maldives at present? No.

If India exercises some sanctions, how would it impact the bilateral ties?

I dont think India would do that. Things have calmed down to an extent where the Maldivian government has already called for all-party talks. The government wants to end the impasse. We have also invited development partners to come to Maldives and talk to relevant actors within the country. To be engaged rather than imposing sanctions will be a better option as sanctions will hurt the people of Maldives.

Will emergency be lifted in 15 days?

I am sure and have full confidence in the government that it will be lifted.

With China backing you and India criticising, are we seeing a tug of war?

We should have friends. We should not have a tug of war between super powers to put us in a difficult position. Maldives is a very small country but independent and sovereign. Let us do what an independent and sovereign country can do.

Will Nasheed be allowed to come back and fight elections?

Nasheed is not the only Opposition or only leader. He is a convicted criminal and has a sentence to serve. So let Nasheed come to Maldives, serve the sentence, finish it and contest for the presidency. But not the 2018 elections.
editorial@tribune.com

Seoul/Pyeongchang, February 10

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un invited South Korean President Moon Jae-in for talks in Pyongyang, South Korean officials said on Saturday, setting the stage for the first meeting of Korean leaders in more than 10 years.

An inter-Korean summit would be the third of its kind, after Kims father and predecessor Kim Jong Il met the Souths Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun in 2000 and 2007 respectively, both of them in Pyongyang.

The recent detente, anchored by South Koreas hosting of the Winter Olympic Games that began on Friday, came despite an acceleration in the Norths weapons programmes last year and pressure from Seouls allies in Washington.

The personal invitation from Kim was delivered by his younger sister, Kim Yo Jong, during talks and a lunch Moon hosted at the Blue House. Kim Jong Un wanted to meet Moon at an early date and Moon had said lets create conditions to make it happen, Blue House spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said.

The prospect of two-way talks between the Koreas, however, may not be welcomed by the US. US Vice-President Mike Pences efforts to keep North Korea from stealing the show at the Winter Olympics proved to be short-lived, quickly drowned out by the images of the two Koreas marching and competing together, as the South appeared to look favourably on warming ties on the Korean Peninsula.  Reuters
uttara@tribuneindia.com

Washington, February 10

The third-ranking official at the US Justice Department is resigning just nine months after taking the powerful position at the agency that President Donald Trump has been criticising sharply.

Associate Attorney General Rachel Brand would have inherited oversight of a probe into possible Trump campaign links to Russian interference in the 2016 election if the president forced out the Justice Department's number two, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.

Trump and Republican legislators have stepped up attacks on the agency over Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe.

"The men and women of the Department of Justice impress me every day," said Brand, a national security law expert who is due to take up a position in the private sector in the coming weeks.

"I am proud of what we have been able to accomplish over my time here."

Brand, 44, was named to the Justice Department by then president George W Bush in 2003, and left four years later to work in the private sector.

In 2012, president Barack Obamaa Democratappointed her to the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, which reviewed the legality of the National Security Agency's surveillance programs, especially its data collection on US citizens, which Brand defended.

She rejoined the Justice Department in May, appointed by Trump and working directly below Rosenstein and Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who recused himself from involvement with the Mueller probe due to his own work for the Trump campaign.

Sessions praised Brand in a statement, saying she had "shown real leadership over many important divisions at the department".

Trump, frustrated by the Russian investigation, has reportedly considered firing Rosenstein, the only person empowered to dismiss Mueller.

A recent memo from congressional Republicans took aim at Rosenstein for his role in obtaining wiretap warrants on a member of the Trump campaign who had numerous Russian contacts, which the memo described as an abuse of power.

If Rosenstein were forced out, that would have put Brand uncomfortably in the White House's crosshairs, at least until a new deputy attorney general could be nominated and then approved by Congress.  AFP
Artificial intelligence isn't a science-fiction concept anymore, and it is getting ready to play a larger role in trucking. Photo: Creative Commons

When you hear the words "artificial intelligence," you may think of the 2001 Steven Spielberg movie "AI" about a robotic boy, or the 2013 Spike Jonze film "Her," where the protagonist falls in love with his AI personal assistant. But artificial intelligence isn't just a science-fiction movie concept anymore. In fact it and related technologies are getting ready to play a larger role in trucking.

For our March issue, I've been working on the third part in a series on data analytics, focusing on emerging and future technologies, including predictive analytics, blockchain, edge analytics, and more.

While researching these emerging technologies, I kept hearing terms such as deep learning, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. What do those mean, and what do they mean for trucking?

Deep learning and trucking

Tim Leonard, chief technology officer and executive vice president at TMW Systems, says deep learning is one of the cornerstones that will take us to the future, giving us the ability to dive into masses of volumes of data and pick out anomalies weve never seen before, leading to the development of new business intelligence algorithms. In deep learning, he says, algorithms go down deep and interact with huge volumes of data.

For instance, he says, for 12 years Trimble (TMWs parent company) has been building a market rate index. Inside that data is driver data, every dispatch, every invoice, and so on, he says. Cross-indexing that data with news and social media data allows for actionable insights into data patterns around driver recruiting and retention.

Were seeing for example that older generations, 40 and up, tend to stay with trucking companies that offer better benefits and long-term retirement packages," Leonard explains. Some newer drivers are looking for higher pay.

Some algorithms used in time-of-delivery, navigation, and routing software are already a lower form of artificial intelligence.

Machine learning and AI

Machine learning is the science of getting computers to act without being explicitly programmed. Machine learning has given us self-driving cars, practical speech recognition, effective web search, and more.

A related term, artificial intelligence, revolves around intelligent agents, devices that perceive their environment and take actions that maximize the chance of success at some goal. Colloquially, the term AI is applied when a machine mimics cognitive functions that humans associate with human minds, such as learning and problem solving. Its a term that tends to change definition along with advancements in the field.

Brad Taylor, Omnitracs vice president of data/Internet of Things, says some of the cognitive algorithms already in use in time-of-delivery, navigation, and routing software are sort of on the low end of artificial intelligence.

For instance, he explains, the cognitive algorithms decision-making process is a lot like what the driver would have done before navigation systems were invented. And they can learn, he points out. Its not a true kind of self consciousness, AI, but the idea is that if you give me an updated set of data, I can use it in my updated calculations like a human.

Up-and-coming Uber for trucking technologies also use AI. For instance, Loadsmart executives believe that the future lies in deep neural networks that allow any platform to go beyond pricing and sourcing.

Loadsmart relies on machine learning processes to enable shippers to instantly book a truck nationwide, and complex algorithms to, after shipper booking, identify the best truck positioned to move each load, the company noted in a recent press release. As more data becomes available and volume increases, deep neural networks will claim a bigger part of the success on the right pricing and sourcing computational-processes.

More importantly, it says, these neuron-mimicking flows will also change repetitive human responsibilities to computer-generated tasks, without the need for task-specific programming.

Now my head is spinning

But you dont have to understand deep neural networks, machine learning, artificial intelligence, blockchain, or other technical terms to benefit from them, says Eric Witty, vice president of product management at PeopleNet.

What its really all about is, I dont have to know everything and do everything. I have to tell you what it is Im trying to figure out and the problems I'm trying to solve, and the machine will figure it out and be able to provide guidance and the answer to the questions that you need, in near real time.
New to the 2017 top inbound list were Colorado and Alabama, while Massachusetts and Wisconsin were new to the outbound list. Source: United Van Lines 41st Annual National Movers Study

Common sense says a shop owner who locates a business where there is a healthy, growing population is more likely to be successful. However, those population patterns are shifting, and it could mean a change in where you deliver freight.

Americans are moving westward, flocking to the Mountain and Pacific West, while the Northeast and Midwest continue to lose residents, according to United Van Lines 41st Annual National Movers Study, which has been tracking customers state-to-state migration patterns annually since 1977. For 2017, the study is based on household moves handled by United within the 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C.

The study ranks states based on the inbound and outbound percentages of total moves in each state. United classifies states as high inbound if 55% or more of the moves were going into a state, high outbound if 55% or more moves were coming out of a state, or balanced if the difference between inbound and outbound was negligible.

It found that in 2017, more residents moved out of Illinois than any other state, with 63% of the moves being outbound. Vermont had the highest percentage of inbound migration in 2017, with nearly 68% of moves being inbound.

As a region, the Mountain West continues to increase in popularity, with 54% of moves being inbound. The West is represented on the high-inbound list by Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Washington, and Colorado.

The southern states also saw a high number of people moving in, with 52% of total moves being inbound.

This years data reflects longer-term trends of movement to the western and southern states, especially to those where housing costs are relatively lower, climates are more temperate, and job growth has been at or above the national average, among other factors, said Michael Stoll, economist and professor in the Department of Public Policy at the University of California, Los Angeles. Were also seeing continued migration to the Pacific Northwest and Mountain West as young professionals and retirees leave California.

The Mountain West was the most popular destination for retirees, with one in four of those moving indicating they chose to move to this location for retirement. Top regions attracting those taking new jobs included the Midwest and Pacific West.

Even though the South had a high inbound ratio, it was also the region with the largest exodus of residents finding jobs elsewhere. Across all regions, nearly one in five of those who moved in 2017 moved to be closer to family.

The Northeast continues to experience a moving deficit, with New Jersey (62.9% outbound), New York (61%) and Connecticut on the list of top outbound states for the third consecutive year. Illinois (63.4%), which has been in the top five for nine years, moved up one spot on the outbound list to number one, knocking off New Jersey, which had held the top spot for five consecutive years. New additions to the 2017 top outbound list include Massachusetts and Wisconsin.
Two Syrian cjildren collect water at the overcrowded reception centre in Vathy on the Aegean island of Samos.  UNHCR/Yorgos Kyvernitis

GENEVA  Reports of sexual harassment and violence at some overcrowded refugee reception centres in Greece are a cause for concern and one woman said she had not taken a shower for two months from fear of being attacked, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, said today.

It said more than 600 asylum seekers on the Greek Aegean islands reported sexual and gender-based violence in 2017, of whom more than a quarter experienced abuse after arriving in Greece, despite the governments attempts to tackle overcrowding and poor living conditions.

UNHCR spokesperson Cecile Pouilly told a press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva that the situation was particularly worrying at the reception centres of Moria on the island of Lesvos and Vathy on Samos, where thousands of refugees were living in unsuitable shelter with inadequate security.

Even bathing during daytime can be dangerous."

Some 5,500 people live in these centres, double their intended capacity.

In these two centres, bathrooms and latrines are no-go zones after dark for women or children, unless they are accompanied, Pouilly said. Even bathing during daytime can be dangerous. In Moria, one woman told our teams that she had not taken a shower in two months from fear.

Survivors were reluctant to report assaults out of fear, shame, helplessness, concerns about discrimination, stigma and lack of trust. The actual number of incidents was likely to be much higher than reported, she said.

Transfers to the mainland had speeded up and overcrowding had eased in recent weeks, but crowded conditions persisted, hindering prevention efforts.

For example, in Moria, 30 government medical staff, psychologists and social workers shared three rooms, conducting examinations and assessments without privacy.

Police patrols were insufficient, particularly at night, and areas near the reception centres where people lived in tents had no security presence, Pouilly added.
UT Academic Leaders to Travel to Cuba to Build Educational Partnerships

The University of Tampa has been selected as one of 10 schools in the U.S. by the Institute of International Education (IIE) to participate in the binannual Congreso Universidad Cuban International Education Conference.



As part of the program, David Stern, UTs provost; Marca Bear, associate dean of international programs; Frank Ghannadian, dean of the Sykes College of Business; David Gudelunas, dean of the College of Arts and Letters; Jack Geller, dean of the College of Social Sciences, Mathematics and Education; and Paul Greenwood, dean of the College of Natural and Health Sciences, will travel to Havana Feb. 1117.



Engaging in academic and cultural exchange with institutions of higher education in Cuba deepens Tampas international heritage that is a unique part of our communitys history, said Stern.



This is a critical moment for academic cooperation between the United States and Cuba, said Clare Overman, head of higher education initiatives at IIE. We firmly believe in the opportunity to expand bi-lateral exchange. This delegation aims to foster and explore those opportunities for academic collaboration despite challenges.



At the Congreso Universidad, U.S. representatives will meet with their Cuban counterparts, opening opportunities for future academic partnerships and student exchanges between the two nations. IIEs International Academic Partnership Program (IAPP) will lead the delegation.



Since current restrictions limit options for individual travel to Cuba from the United States, this trip represents a unique opportunity to foster educational exchanges and partnerships between the two countries. Moreover, Congreso Universidad will allow representatives of U.S. universities to connect with their counterparts in remote or difficult to access regions of Cuba.



The Cuban Ministry of Higher Education (MES) hosts the Congreso Universidad semi-annually, inviting delegations from Latin America and the world to meet with higher education officials from Cuba.



UT previously attended Congreso Universidad in 2015, which led to the University being named the first U.S. affiliate of the Center for Marti Studies in April 2016.



In May 2016, UT offered two travel courses to Cuba: Government and World Affairs 353: Cuba and the U.S., and Communication 224: Mass Media and Society. In October 2016, seven UT faculty presented research papers during the UNICA Conference, organized by the University of Ciego de Avila in Cuba.



For more information, contact Lisa Shemon, coordinator of international programs education and outreach, at lshemon@ut.edu or (813) 258-7431.
BIM Group's project will be very important in Vietnam's turn towards renewable energy

The project aims to satisfy the increasing energy demand and to replace fossil energy with more sustainable and renewable alternatives, contributing to the countrys economic development and improving living standards.

"With the effort and the determination of the investors to develop the project, only five months after they received the approval of the investment from the province, BIM Group completed all legal procedures to develop the project. BIM's is the first solar power project being constructed in Ninh Thuan. With the determination of the investors and the support from the province authorities, I believe that the construction of the project will be implemented on schedule, meeting the expectations of the province and local residents." Pham Van Hau - Deputy Chairman of the Ninh Thuan People's Committee

The Vietnamese government also stimulates renewable energy investment, especially solar power due to its stability and environmentally-friendly feature, via issuing Decision No.11/2017/QD-TTg on an incentive mechanism to develop solar power projects.

Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan are the two central provinces having the greatest potential for developing renewable energy. These provinces are the areas where BIM Group has implemented its investment and business activities during the past ten years, with Quan The, Tri Hai, and Ca Na Economic Zone project.

According to the plan, the solar farm project, which has a total capital of 30MWp, will cover an area of 35 hectares with a total investment capital of VND800 billion ($35.2 million). By installing 90,000 solar panels and other modern equipment, the plant is expected to generate 50 million kWh per annum once it comes into operation.

According to plan, the solar farm will be connected to the national grid in the third quarter of this year, which is the premise for accelerating other large-scale solar projects with a total capacity of 300MW to generate electricity in the first quarter of 2019.

"Along with contributing to the countrys economic development via investing in real estate, agriculture-food, and commercial services, the group desires to create a stable environment for the next generations via investing into renewable energy." Doan Quoc Viet - Chairman of BIM Group

Doan Quoc Viet, chairman of BIM Group, stated, As one of Vietnams leading diversified groups, BIM Groups business and investment activities always revolve around sustainability."

BIM Groups long-term target is to generate 1,000MW of clean energy by 2025. To achieve this, BIM Group has entered into a co-operation with AC Energy, one of the largest groups of the Philippines, to develop the project in Ninh Thuan.

AC Energy is very concerned about the renewable energy sector in Vietnam and wants to become a pioneer in this sector. The company is pleased to co-operate with BIM Group, and is keen to utilise their massive experience in operating in Ninh Thuan, said Eric Francia, management director of AC Energy.

BIM Group decided to select Conergy Asia & ME Pte. Ltd. as the contractor, trusting in the companys more than 20 years of experience and track record of over 300 solar power plants in Europe, the Middle-East, Asia, and the Americas.

We were pleased to have been selected once again to develop a solar power project in Southeast Asia, especially as this will be our first project in Vietnam, said Marc Lohoff, general director of Conergy.

Recognised as one of the leading business groups in the country, BIMs operations are focused on four main business sectors, including tourism development and real estate investment, agriculture-food,commercial services, and renewable energy. The group is one of the few having the capacity to meet the strict quality requirements of international partners.

AC Energy Holdings, Inc., a subsidiary of Ayala Corp., develops and operates solar, wind, and hydro power generation facilities. It has been recognised as the fastest developing firm in the Philippines. AC Energy plans to expand its operation to Indonesia and other markets in Southeast Asia.
Bosch, a leading global supplier of technology and services, announced its collaboration with Yonah, a project initiated by the alumni and students of National University of Singapore (NUS) that seeks to overcome barriers to accessing healthcare in rural regions through autonomous technologies.

The project was inspired by the founding teams trip to Papua New Guinea in 2016, where they discovered cargo logistics challenges caused by the difficult terrain and lack of road infrastructure. This also inhibited the transport of medical supplies to rural villages, causing a surge in prices for transportation and hindering supervisory medical visits by health community workers. Yonah was thus founded to help time-sensitive medical supplies reach the communities that need them.

From our hospital partner at Papua New Guinea, we learned that health workers conducting immunisation patrols at the various rural health centres have to travel 20 to 30 kilometres on foot, taking up to three days, explained Ong Tian Chang, Yonahs co-founder. A routine immunisation patrol covering multiple sites could even take up to 12 days, which was definitely too long for vaccines to reach the provinces. It was then that we realised the potential of utilising autonomous drones in getting vaccines delivered.

Enabling meaningful projects through innovation

Bosch came to hear of the Yonah project and decided to come on board as Yonahs technology partner, enabling student volunteers through giving sponsorship consisting of financial resources, power tools, as well as expert mentoring, among others.

With the team working on a trial project to implement a cargo delivery service system in the highlands of Papua New Guinea, Bosch tools and technologies, such as temperature guns and drill presses, are utilised to build operationally-ready drone infrastructures to service two dozen remote sites with time-sensitive medical supplies.

Additionally, Bosch provides on-going support to the team with its technical experts providing regular training sessions to ensure the effective use of its tools for the project.

Making a difference and enabling better living through innovation has always been close to the heart of what we do and believe in at Bosch, said Martin Hayes, president of Bosch Southeast Asia. At Bosch, we are committed to addressing social concerns and enabling sustainability through the solutions we offer. We are very glad to be supporting Yonah and to share our technologies with its passionate team. They are a perfect example of the next generation who are effecting positive change in global communities with their skills and educational know-how.

Sustaining transformation and securing the way forward with the completion of the cargo drone infrastructure, Yonah is now setting its sights on local field testing and launching actual flights to deliver vaccinations to the rural villages of Papua New Guinea and beyond.

Even as Yonah seeks to deploy more drone technologies in other rural areas to limit vaccine-preventable diseases, Bosch hopes to continue supporting their vision to make a difference through technology and innovation, added Hayes.

Yonah, a project group of students and alumni of the National University of Singapore aims to overcome access barriers to healthcare in rural areas through cargo drone infrastructure. Beginning with their pilot project in Papua New Guinea, Yonah is working to deliver time-sensitive vaccines to about two dozen remote sites. As a technology partner to Yonah, Bosch is involved in the provision of monetary support and sponsorship of tools and technical expertise.

Bosch and Ricons team up for real estate and construction On January 9, Germany-based multinational group Bosch and Ricons, under the management of Coteccons Group, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for comprehensive co-operation in ...

Bosch adds $67 million to Vietnamese plant Bosch plans to further strengthen its presence in Vietnam with an additional EUR58 million ($67 million) investment in its gasoline systems facility in the southern ...

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Cao Phong district preserves Muong Thang culture

Dung Phong commune in Cao Phong district is boisterous with the sound of gongs and people singing to prepare for the New Crop Festival, which will take place at the beginning of the first lunar month.

The Festival is dedicated to Saint Tan Vien, one of Vietnams legendary Four Immortals, to pray for sufficiency, prosperity, and happiness.

This year about 100 artisans will join the festival to play gongs, sing, and dance.

Gong performer Bui Thanh Meo says that at this important ceremony people express their gratitude to genies, review what they have done, meet people to consolidate relationships, and wish others happiness, a bumper crop, and fertility.

With the support of the authorities, the Muong have collected and preserved our folk songs and literaty works. Im proud of our tradition. Well produce interesting programs for the festival.

The Cao Phong authorities have worked to raise Muong peoples awareness of the importance of preserving and promoting their tangible and intangible heritages.

Bui Van Huong, Deputy Secretary of Dung Phong communes Party Committee, said, Social development has led to cultural change and traditional customs are being lost. We are happy to see Muong people wearing their traditional costumes at wedding ceremonies. Weve organized seminars on Muong costumes to revitalize their culture.

Besides organizing festivals, Cao Phong district is keeping over 3,000 gongs and has opened gong classes for young people.

Bui Yen Minh from the districts Culture-Sports Office said, Cao Phong is home to one of four major Muong communities in Hoa Binh. The large number of gongs here shows that people have preserved and treasured their culture. We have prepared a dossier on Muong culture and gongs to submit to UNESCO.

Cao Phong district has preserved several authentic Muong communities. Sites associated with the districts history and culture have been upgraded, including Thach Yen-Cao Phong military base, Cu Chinh Lan relic site, and Bo temple in Thung Nai.

Vo Ngoc Kien, Secretary of the Cao Phong district Peoples Committee, talked about reviving the Muong Thang festival and teaching folk singing to young people that the district pays special attention to promoting Muong culture. The Muong Thang Spring Festival has been upgraded to honor their core values.
Central bank injects nearly US$573 mln to support liquidity

According to Saigon Securities Incorporate (SSI), the cash was pumped through the bill issue channel to meet the rising capital demands as Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) approaches.

The past week also saw the inter-bank rates inch up by 0.1 - 0.22 percentage points, pushing the overnight rate to 1.57% and the one-week rate to 1.65%. However, the one-month rate inched down by 0.05 percentage points to 3.4%.

Despite the hike, inter-bank rates were still low compared to the same period in previous years. For example, ahead of Tet last year, the inter-bank rates surpassed 2% for overnight and one-week loans.
Vietnam Airlines will start operating direct flights from Taiwan to CanTho and vice versa, said Nguyen Phuc Dien, head of Vietnam Airlines branch in CanTho, on Thursday. - VNS Photo

The direct flights will be introduced to make it easy for passengers to fly to Viet Nam from Taiwan on the occasion of Lunar New Year 2018.

Vietnam Airlines will operate two flights from Taiwan to CanTho and vice versa on Saturday and on Tuesday to bring home more than 200 passengers, mainly Vietnamese workers from CanTho and provinces in the Mekong Delta working in Taiwan.

The first flight on Saturday will depart from Taiwan at 6.45am (local time) and land at CanTho airport at 9.20am (local time).

The second flight on Tuesday will depart from Taiwan at 10.55pm and land at CanTho airport at 1.10am on Wednesday.

Only two return flights from CanTho to Taiwan will operate from February 20.

Every year, Vietnam Airlines introduces flights connecting Taiwan and Can Tho to serve the Vietnamese people living and working in Taiwan. The flights will help people save time and money in returning to their hometowns for the Lunar New Year festival, Dien said.
Vietnamese stocks went through another strong sell-off on Friday morning as investors were worried about the volatility of global markets.

The benchmark VN Index on HCM Stock Exchange plunged 3.34 per cent to close at 989.07 points. It fell 1.66 per cent on Thursday.

The benchmark index had its third worst fall of the week after its decline of 3.54 per cent and 5.1 per cent in the first two sessions.

The HNX Index on Ha Noi Stock Exchange dropped 1.48 per cent to end at 115.21 points. It had lost 2.24 per cent in the previous session.

The UPCOM Index on the Unlisted Public Company Market (UPCoM) was down 1.08 per cent to 55.85 points, extending its loss from the previous decline of 0.53 per cent.

More than 210 million shares, worth VND4.86 trillion (US$216 million), were traded on the three local exchanges.

The number of declining stocks tripled that of gainers by 438 to 143, while 113 other stocks were flat.

Nineteen of the 20 industry indices on the stock market decreased. The worst-performing sectors were financial-banking, real estate, energy, agriculture and food and beverages.

Blue chips, also the leading stock of the market, underperformed. The VN30 Index, which tracks the performance of the 30 largest shares by market capitalisation, fell 3.08 per cent to 982.34 points.

Twenty-seven of the 30 largest stocks saw their values decline, including PetroVietnam Gas, FLC Faros Construction, petrol dealer Petrolimex, Kido Group and insurer Bao Viet Holdings.

The decline of the stock market was attributed to poor investor confidence after global markets had been undergoing strong volatility this week, triggering a massive sell-off from investors to preserve their portfolios.

The afternoon trading session starts at 1pm.
A costumed reveler performs during the street party Chroma Aqui na Minha Mao, which is a play on words to sound like Eat here from my hand, on Thursday in Rio de Janeiro.
Altered Carbon Nora Inu Season 1 Episode 7 Editors Rating 3 stars * * * Previous Next  Photo: Katie Yu / Netflix

In a sense, Nora Inu plays out similarly to the controversial seventh episode of Stranger Things 2. Sure, this one isnt a trip to Pittsburgh inspired by The Warriors, but it is a lengthy flashback episode that fills in the gaps of our knowledge of the backgrounds of Takeshi Kovacs, his sister Reileen, and his mentor/lover Quellcrist Falconer. We learn how Kovacs went from a CTAC soldier to an envoy, and how his sister Rei survived the ship explosion that Takeshi assumed killed her. Its an interesting episode that deviates from the main narrative, but like many of these Netflix shows, its a bit too long. (Sixty-six minutes!) By the end, most fans are probably eager to get back to Poe, Vernon, Ortega, and Bancroft.

At the end of last episode, Ortega and Kovacs were saved by the sudden arrival of his sister Rei, in full assassin mode. Thats basically the lead-in for an extended flashback about how Takeshi Kovacs went from a child hiding in his closet to a soldier to a revolutionary warrior. It starts with the day that a boy killed his abusive father, blowing his stack out in front of his sister. No wonder the modern Kovacs knows a thing or two about patricide in the Bancroft case.

We then learn how a young Kovacs was recruited into the Colonial Tactical Assault Core (CTAC), and how he was promised that Rei would be kept safe. You have my word, his recruiter says. Of course, its a lie. Takashi will go to train on different worlds in different sleeves and become the killing machine that he is today.

After a quick scene in which we learn that Kovacs nearly died in the Fight Drome and Dichen Lachman adds some nice energy to the proceedings  shes warm and human in a show that needs some emotional layering  we go back to Kovacs in the skin in which we first met him. He goes on a mission thats a bit video gamey (think Deus Ex, Halo, or even the futuristic Call of Duty games), and Kovacs discovers that Rei was sold to the Yakuza. CTAC lied about taking care of her.

Of course, this means that Kovacs and his sister have to kill everyone and head out on their own. They team up and go to the forest where they used to believe the Patchwork Man lived. Heres where this episode really starts taking its time, especially given its usually-hectic pace. The Envoys find them wandering in the woods and enlist them in their crew, although its hesitantly. These scenes have a very different energy just by spending so much time in Mother Nature  green trees, snow-covered mountains, blue skies  it feels like a very different world than Bay City. There are long scenes between Falconer and Kovacs that feel very Marvel-ish too. Flashbacks that call to mind Iron Fists origin story arent necessarily a good thing.

Cut to a training montage that feels like Netflix first-season requirement, and then we see some ties back to the scenes in the woods with Falconer. She speaks about the sleeve being a tool and how the person within it is the weapon. From there, its time for some long teaching sequences as rivalries blossom with a guy named Desoto. We also learn that Falconer created a program that will force everyones stack to last only 100 years. Death will no longer be optional. But its a suicide mission. Tak volunteers and gets caught after being separated from the group. Hes tortured a bit, until Falconer and the team rescue him.

Kovacs ends up caught between the two ladies in his life: Rei wants to leave to survive, but hes clearly a follower of Falconer. She admits to him that shes the person who actually developed stacks in the first place. She became a rebel to destroy her creation. They kiss and make love under the moonlight and by the fire. And then Rei finds them together the next morning. Uh-oh.

While Kovacs is looking for Rei, theres an uprising at camp. Actually, its more like a viral mutiny. Kovacs comes back to a horror show. The spirit tree from the Bancroft home is covered in ash  no wonder Kovacs looked at it so poignantly in the first episode. He finds a survivor who shoots another trainee. Its ugly. He tracks down Desoto, who has cut out his own eye. The CTAC soldiers come in and the stronghold is burning. Everyone is dead. Kovacs communicates with Falconer and Rei, who are up on the bridge, and tells them to flee. Hell provide cover as they escape. And he watches their ship goes up in flames. No wonder he thought Rei was dead.

Back in the present day, Kovacs has some questions. He stumbles into another room and finds clones of the ultra-wealthy, including Hemmingway. Why is he here? Is Rei working with the puppet masters of Bay City? We flash back to the spaceship above the stronghold before it exploded. Rei has claimed she doesnt remember what happened. She pulls a knife and fights with Falconer. The ship explodes, and Kovacs realizes that Rei was backed up before it happened  thats why she doesnt remember. (Technically, this means no one could have had that flashback, but now Im getting picky.) Kovacs looks confused and betrayed as she tells him the truth: I did it all for you.

Other Notes

 If youre wondering where youve seen Will Yun Lee, he starred in Hawaii Five-0 and True Blood on TV and appeared in dozens of films, including The Wolverine, San Andreas, Total Recall, and Red Dawn. Hes got a background in Tae Kwon Do, and hes got some serious action skills.

 Its a little strange for a show to expand so much from episode to episode, as Man With My Fact was the shortest so far and Nora Inu is the longest, almost 20 minutes longer. Thats almost a whole sitcom!

 The title translates from Japanese as Stray Dog, which is the name of a 1949 Akira Kurosawa film about a rookie cop trying to find a stolen gun.

 This episodes director, Andy Goddard, is a Netflix Marvel regular, helming episodes of Daredevil, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and The Punisher.

 Lets go a little high-concept with this episodes sci-fi movie recommendation, given this chapters themes about identity and loyalty: Mike Cahill and Brit Marlings Another Earth.
Terry Crews. Photo: Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for IMDb

Terry Crews has already taken legal action against Adam Venit, the WME agent he alleges assaulted him at an industry party in 2016, by filing a lawsuit against him back in December. Now, according to Deadline, Crewss allegation of sexual assault is reportedly being considered for a potential criminal charge. Los Angeles County District Attorney spokesman Ricardo Santiago told the website on Friday, A case was presented to our office on February 6 by the Los Angeles Police Department involving Adam Venit and is under review. The actor reported the incident to the LAPD in November. In his lawsuit, Crews claims Venit repeatedly grabbed his genitals, behavior the actor describes as that of a rabid dog, sticking his tongue in and out of his mouth provocatively. In his lawsuit, Crews alleges Venit called him after the event to apologize. However, in legal documents obtained last week by People, the WME agent reportedly denied each and every allegation made by Crews, claiming his actions were not sexual.
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

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Calloway County Sheriff's Office Arrests Five People Over the Weekend Through Various Investigations
NEW RICHMOND  Mingo Central erased an early 6-0 deficit and went on to claim[Read More]
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Reuters releases a cloud of uncertainty over Herkimer County, reporting on Thursday that Remington Outdoor Company is reaching out to banks for the funding required to file for bankruptcy, on the heels of going into forbearance after a missed coupon payment on its debt.

Remington Arms' designated public relations official didn't respond to our inquiry on Friday. From the United Mine Workers, the union that represents Remington Arms workers in Ilion, "no comment." Corporate-level information isn't flowing into the Ilion mayor's office, either.

"Anything that goes up to the upper level of management at the corporate level, we don't hear any of that at all. I wish we would have more direct line of communications at the high level. What they're thinking, what their plans are," says Mayor Terry Leonard.

As a former Remington employee, Leonard no longer has to worry about the now-volatile industry feeding his family. But, as mayor, he has to worry about it feeding hundreds of families.

"It's disturbing to read those," says Leonard. "I don't pretend to be a financial expert. You look at it again as just a way of restructuring," says a hopeful Leonard.

The head of the Herkimer County Legislature tries to look at recent reports through the same lens.

"Hopefully it's going to stabilize their footing as far as their financial situation," says Bernard Peplinski.
TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. (WFLI)  Tipppecanoe County Sheriff Barry Richard is in the race for re-election.

Richard said he's more excited for this race than he was when he first ran for sheriff.

He faces two other Republicans this May.

West Lafayette Police Chief Jason Dombkowski and Tippecanoe County Lieutenant John 'Woody' Ricks have also filed to run for sheriff.

Richard welcomes other candidates with different ideas, but he believes he is the best for the job.

"I feel I am strongest because people know what kind of quality I represent and they know who I am," said Richard. "It's not like a campaign and that's why I've not had to sign and say I'm going to run a year and a half ago."

Sheriff Richard said he's treating this like a job interview and the community is the employer.

"They're the ones that are going to hire or not hire somebody," said Richard. "So, I feel that we should give the community, our voters, the opportunity to interview us and then make their decision on who they would like to hire as their next sheriff."

He said he would be willing to particpate in an organized debate with his opponents on WLFI. Both Domkowski and Ricks agreed to one as well.

We are still in the process of organizing the details of that debate, but will post the information when it's available.

The primary is set for May 8.
CARROLL COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) - The Monon High Bridge in Delphi has been a local hiking attraction for decades. But now, many know it as the place where the last pictures of homicide victims Liberty German and Abigail Williams were taken. Tuesday marks the one year anniversary of when the girls went missing.

News 18 uncovers what safety improvements are being made to the bridge and trails a year later.

"We all feel a bit responsible for what happened to the girls," said Delphi Mayor Shane Evans. "We ask ourselves if there's more that we could do to keep them safe."

But how was the community to know that the beautiful Delphi trails and the Historic Monon High Bridge would one day lead to such a heinous crime?

"Like everything else, you never know where it's going to happen next," said Shannon Toole, a Delphi resident.

Last year on Feb. 13, Abby Williams and Libby German were last seen on the Monon High Bridge in Delphi. The girls spent a few hours taking pictures on the bridge. But no one could have predicted it would be the last time the two would be seen alive.

News 18 took a walk with one of Libby's childhood friends, Keri Toole. It was the first time she's been on the trails since the tragedy.

"It was hard on everybody," said Keri. "I still have so many questions, circling through my mind."

Keri's father, Shannon Toole, said because of what happened he wouldn't let his daughter walk the trails alone.

"I think I'm like everybody, scared and leary," said Toole.

Abby and Libby's bodies were found less than a mile from the bridge. In light of the tragedy, the city put together a Trail Safety Task Force to make safety improvements.

"It was really a shocker to all of our community because we've more or less felt like we're a rural area and these places we love are all free for us to use anytime and didn't really have a reality check until last February," said Wabash and Erie Canal Association President Dan McCain.

The task force is now in the middle of adding lighting, cameras, informational kiosks, and Wi-Fi. Mayor Evans said there will be cameras at each entry point. But, there won't be any along the trails.

"We can't put a security camera at every hundred feet," said Evans. "So what we have tried to do and the recommendation from the trail task force was, to put those security cameras at the entrance to the trails. So that we know who is coming in and going out."

"To set up a system that would retrieve and record information from the cameras requires a much different array of technology, much more cost," said McCain. "And it isn't something that we felt like even for trail walkers to think that they're being spied on all of the time."

The task force will also be adding trail markers at every tenth mile. That way if someone has to call 911 for help they can tell police exactly where they are."

"I think the added security measures will help people feel safer," said Evans. "And it will help give us further comfort and that we're trying to do everything we can to help keep these trails safe."

Many hope one day more than just the bridge can be restored. They hope this place can eventually go back to being a safe and peaceful spot.

"I think this will be a place for reflection. A place where you can think about the girls and not associate them with the crime that occurred" said Evans.

McCain said most of the cameras will be installed by spring.
INDIANA (WLFI)  Several Meijer brand yogurts are being recalled because they may be contaminated with glass.

The FDA says an investigation at Meijer's manufacturing facility proved the potential risk after a customer returned a yogurt cup after finding two small pieces inside.

They say the risk to customers is low and no other cases have been reported.

The affected products include Meijer Greek Yogurt Zero percent plain, black cherry, vanilla, strawberry and blueberry flavors sold in 5-point-3 ounce cups. Mejier Yogurt low-fat blueberry sold in a 6-ounce cup is also included.

The products have a March 8th expiration date.

Click HERE to see full list and images

If you have these -- throw them away or return them for a full refund.
Despite divisions, Gates optimistic about Americas future

Current events discussion: W&M Chancellor Robert M. Gates '65 (left) talks with President Taylor Reveley Thursday night in the Commonwealth Auditorium. Photo by Stephen Salpukas

Current events discussion: Students, faculty, staff and community members filled Commonwealth Auditorium for the event. Photo by Stephen Salpukas Photo - of - Hide Caption

Although the Washington Post once called him the Eeyore of national security, former Secretary of Defense and William & Mary Chancellor Robert M. Gates 65 is optimistic about the nations future.

Our politics have always been dirty and ugly and polarizing from the beginning  The part thats different now and that does give me a cause for concern is that there has always been a group of people in both of our parties that I always refer to as the bridge-builders, he said. They were center-left, center-right, and they would find ways to cobble together compromises that would address problems and move the country forward and get the peoples business done.

Those people are in very short supply right now, hence our problem in addressing any big problems that our country is facing.

Gates remarks were part of a public forum held Thursday night in the universitys Sadler Center in which the W&M alumnus addressed multiple current domestic and international political issues, including immigration and North Koreas development of nuclear weapons.

W&M President Taylor Reveley moderated the discussion, offering his own questions for about half of the hour-long program before taking audience questions, which ranged from Kurdish independence to climate change as a national security issue.

North Korea

On the topic of North Korea, Gates said he often likes to joke about its leader, Kim Jong Un, but actually thinks hes smart.

I think where hes coming from is understandable if disagreeable, said Gates, noting that Kim has seen the impact of nuclear disarmament on countries like Libya and the Ukraine. He sees nuclear weapons as critical for the survival of his regime and himself.

While economic sanctions are working in some ways, Gates believes that they, alone, will not convince Kim to give up nuclear weapons.

The only way ultimately to get North Korea to begin to back away from its programs is to change the strategic environment, he said, adding that U.S. President Donald Trumps tougher line has helped persuade China and Russia to impose more severe sanctions.

But I think we need to be realistic about why Kim has the nuclear weapons and why he will hang onto them, and I think we can never accept North Korea is a nuclear power because it then creates an environment in which proliferation in Asia becomes highly likely, Gates said.

Diplomatic recognition could be part of a strategy to denuclearize the Korean peninsula, as well as a peace treaty ending the Korean War and an agreement to not seek regime change by force, Gates said. A more robust military presence and exercises could also be a part of that strategy, but a military strike could spell disaster.

Anyone who thinks you can give North Korea a bloody nose with some kind of limited military attack and they wouldnt retaliate I think is being highly unrealistic, he said.

One of the things Ive learned over the last 50 years is that everybody believes every war will be short, and theyre almost always wrong. Wars are always harder to get out of than they are to get into. And this notion of surgical strikes that will deliver a message and then move somebody to do something you want them to do almost never works. And the notion that this guy would absorb a strike and not do anything I think is very unrealistic, and I think the consequences could be devastating.

Military, DACA, FBI

The U.S. military is overexerted and underfunded, Gates said, and both service members and their families are paying the price.

I think we can afford this, and we cant afford not to do this, Gates said of defense funding, adding that it needed to be spent more wisely, not cut. From George Washington on, people have said the surest way to avoid war or maintain the peace is through having a strong military because it deters people. People dont take chances if they know you have overwhelming strength.

The political maneuverings around immigration reform and particularly the repeal of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy is also taking a toll on many in the U.S., said Gates.

What I think the politicians dont take into account is the impact on these young people and their families of the uncertainty of not knowing whats going to happen and being in limbo and not knowing one week from the next whether they are going to be deported to someplace theyve never been, and thats why I think doing something quickly on this is so important to get rid of that uncertainty, he said.

Gates hope is that a deal will be struck that will both involve funding for border security and a solution for people affected by DACA, whether that be full citizenship or Green Cards.

DACA is one of these strange things where almost everybody agrees that we ought to let these kids stay in the country, he said, but the challenge is how do you get there from here with all the politics on the Hill?

While his confidence in Congress to make strides on that issue is lagging, Gates said he has full confidence in the countrys intelligence community and FBI.

These are organizations led and staffed by human beings, he said. They will make mistakes, they will have their biases. They represent the variety of attitudes in the American people. People have their own political views, but in terms of what they do, how they analyze things, I have enormous confidence in the professionals in the intelligence community and the FBI.

Gates, who served as the director of the CIA, said he began working with the FBI in the 1970s and thinks its one of the most honest, law-abiding national police organizations in the world.

And I think we have the best intelligence organizations in the world. They have their flaws. I spent my career trying to address some of those flaws, but in terms of the overall integrity of those institutions, I have great confidence.

With all the issues happening in the country and abroad, Reveley asked whether Gates would recommend careers in government service to todays students.

There are a lot of ways to do public service, and everybody should do public service, he said.

Gates said what gives him hope about the future of the country is its young people who have become increasingly committed to that kind of service, whether in government positions, other careers or volunteer roles.

My hope is that we find a way to keep young people engaged because I think theyre more practical and more open-minded in many respects  and more willing to look for practical solutions, he said, so based on my experience, thats what makes me optimistic.
Governor celebrates W&Ms 325th, pledges support for public education

Charter Day: Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam speaks to faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members at the 2018 Charter Day ceremony on Feb. 9. Photo by Stephen Salpukas

Charter Day: W&Ms first tenured African-American faculty member, Trudier Harris (right), receives an honorary degree at the 2018 Charter Day ceremony. Photo by Stephen Salpukas

Charter Day: Frances G. McGlothlin '66 receives an honorary degree at the 2018 Charter Day ceremony. Photo by Stephen Salpukas

Charter Day: Hunter J. Smith 51 (right) receives an honorary degree at the 2018 Charter Day ceremony. Photo by Stephen Salpukas

Charter Day: Joanne Braxton, the Francis L. and Edwin L. Cummings Professor of the Humanities and director of the W&M Middle Passage Project, receives the 2018 Thomas Jefferson Award. Photo by Stephen Salpukas

Charter Day: Likhitha Kolla '18 (left) receives the 2018 Thomas Jefferson Prize in Natural Philosophy. Photo by Stephen Salpukas

Charter Day: Jordan Gilliard 18 receives the 2018 Monroe Prize in Civic Leadership. Photo by Stephen Salpukas

Charter Day: President Taylor Reveley waves to the crowd after receiving a standing ovation in response to Gov. Ralph Northam's praise. Photo by Stephen Salpukas

Charter Day: Meher Babbar 18 shares her reflections on the university's royal charter. Photo by Stephen Salpukas

Charter Day: Comedian Chloe Hilliard (right) performs as the opener for the 2018 Charter Day comedy show. Photo by Stephen Salpukas

Charter Day: Comedian Roy Wood Jr. performs at the 2018 Charter Day comedy show on Feb. 10. Photo by Stephen Salpukas Photo - of - Hide Caption

As he joined the campus community in celebrating the universitys 325-year history Friday, Virginias new governor, Ralph Northam, said that the story of the commonwealth cannot be told without William & Mary.

I am committed to spend the next four years ensuring that Virginians in every corner of the state have access to good health, a good education and a good job, he said. I want Virginias story in the 21st century to be a story of a place that is open and welcoming and provides equal opportunity for all. Just as it has done for 325 years, William & Mary will continue to be a vital part of that story.

Northam spoke to hundreds of faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members gathered in Kaplan Arena for the 2018 Charter Day ceremony, which celebrated the universitys 325th birthday. The annual tradition honors the day in 1693 that King William III and Queen Mary II granted their namesake university its royal charter. In addition to Friday's ceremony, Charter Day weekend events included a comedy show featuring Roy Wood Jr. and the Gold Rush basketball game in which the men's team bested Delaware, 83-66.

Northam received an honorary degree at the event along with Frances G. McGlothlin '66, Hunter J. Smith 51 and Trudier Harris, W&Ms first tenured African-American faculty member. Several faculty members and students also received awards during the ceremony.

Chancellor Robert M. Gates 65 recalled W&Ms history including, until the last century, its exclusion of people of color and women. This academic year, the university is commemorating the 50th anniversary of its first African-American students in residence and, in the fall, will begin a yearlong commemoration of 100 years of coeducation at W&M.

{{youtube:medium|uLc3C5m1V_A, Robert Gates' remarks}}

While the university continues to work toward fuller inclusion, Gates, who was the first U.S. defense secretary to serve under presidents of different political parties, said that part of the challenge today is learning how to discuss differences civilly.

America faces a lot of challenges. To overcome them requires a willingness to listen and to learn from one another, an ability to see and understand other points of view, and the wisdom to calibrate principle and compromise for the greater good, he said.

These qualities comprise the history and the essence of the William & Mary experience. In the urgent endeavors that lie before us, I have no doubt that the graduates and scholars of William & Mary have a special role and a special obligation to be part of solutions. It will require inclusivity, but also mutual respect, open minds, the conviction that every person has intrinsic value and, as King William and Queen Mary declared 325 years ago, that each person in our William & Mary family is well-beloved.

Education for all

Acknowledging his fellow honorary degree recipients, Northam spoke of the courage of Harris as well as W&Ms first three African-American residential students, who began at the university not too long ago.

Discrimination, segregation and racism are not long past history, he said. They are things that happen to people who are alive and in this room today. Our work to overcome racism and discrimination is not complete. We were reminded of this with the horrific tragedy in Charlottesville last year when a group of white supremacists marched into our beautiful city with torches and weapons, spewing their hatred and bigotry.

We still have a lot of work to do to make sure we eradicate discrimination and build a Virginia in which everyone is welcome, everyone is treated equally no matter where they come from, which religion they practice, who they love, the color of their skin. I promise I will work toward that as governor.

{{youtube:medium|XQwMicHUT3A, Ralph Northam's remarks}}

A product of Virginia public schools and higher education, Northam said he will also work toward making sure that every Virginian has the same educational opportunities, from early childhood programs to higher education, preparing them for 21st-century jobs.

Its critical for our economic growth that we invest in ways that ensure that our workforce can get that training and education, bringing skills to jobs, Northam said. Education is a huge economic driver. Colleges and universities like W&M attract and invest talent into their communities and to the state.

While the cost of higher education has risen, Northam said he is committed to changing the decline of state support that has contributed to that, and he applauded the university for its W&M Promise tuition guarantee program.

I would like to see other state colleges and universities adopt a similar model, he said.

Northam also applauded President Taylor Reveley, who will retire in June, for his leadership of W&M over the past decade, during which time the university has seen a significant building boom, increased resources for things such as mental health and sexual assault prevention and nationally recognized efforts such the Lemon Project.

All of these things are a testament to President Reveleys hard work and leadership, said Northam, leading to a standing ovation for the president.

Awards and honors

Meher Babbar 18 was selected to present her reflections on the charter during the ceremony, recalling the disappearance of the original royal charter.

At another institution, a missing charter might have led to catastrophe, a crisis of character, but I believe our vanished original may have actually left us better off, she said. For the charters parchment may lie in the smoldering ashes of the revolution, but its vision thrives more vividly than those whose hands put to paper the luminous ideal of a liberal arts education could have ever imagined.

{{youtube:medium|RJzI77PI9AU, Meher Babbar's reflections on the charter}}

Several other students as well as faculty members took the stage at the event to receive Charter Days annual awards.

This years Thomas Jefferson Award recipient was Joanne Braxton, the Francis L. and Edwin L. Cummings Professor of the Humanities and director of the W&M Middle Passage Project who has worked at W&M for 37 years. The award is presented to a faculty member for significant service through his or her personal activities, influence and leadership.

Whenever asked about why she has stayed at W&M for so long, Braxton cites the quality of the character of the students I teach, she said.

Teaching is my highest calling, Braxton added. Teaching is also a sacred trust. Whenever I enter a classroom to teach, I know that I am standing on sacred ground.

{{youtube:medium|5GTeuZNNhn8, Joanne Braxton reflects on her time at W&M}}

Jonathan Glasser, associate professor of anthropology, was the recipient of the Thomas Jefferson Teaching Award (although he was unable to attend the event), and Likhitha Kolla received the Thomas Jefferson Prize in Natural Philosophy. Another senior Jordan Gilliard 18 received the Monroe Prize in Civic Leadership.

The 2018 Alumni Medallion recipients were also honored at the ceremony. They included Jill Ellis 88, L.H.D. 16; Janet Rollins Atwater 84; Shelby Smith Hawthorne 67, M.A.Ed. 75; and Ellen R. Stofan 83, D.Sc. 16. The four received the medallions at a separate ceremony on Saturday.

A gift from the president

During the event, Reveley sported a new badge and chain of office that he commissioned as a gift to the university in honor of the presidents who have preceded him in office.

The badge is gold and silver and contains an enameled depiction of W&Ms coast of arms. The names of the universitys 27 presidents are inscribed on the chain of office, which also carries the seals of Virginia and the London Company.

Reveley worked with historian and author Wilford Kale 66 to design the gold and silver badge and chain, which were handcrafted by the 191-year-old English company Thomas Fattorini Ltd., which carries a royal warrant from Queen Elizabeth II to create insignia, honors and awards, Kale said.

Kale previously worked with Rector Anne Dobie Peebles 44 in 1986-87 to create the badges and chains of office for the chancellor and rector.

{{youtube:medium|UgVbY6uI4SA, President Taylor Reveley's closing remarks}}

In closing the ceremony, Reveley discussed the multiple anniversaries that the university is celebrating in its 325th year, including the 50th anniversary of the arrival of W&Ms first African-American residential students  Lynn Briley, Janet Brown Strafer, and Karen Ely  and the 100th anniversary of coeducation, which will kick off in the fall.

Although the university is not celebrating its 325th year as extravagantly as it did its 300th or will likely do for its 350th, the anniversary is still worth noting, Reveley said.

So lets just say well done, Alma Mater of the Nation. Well done, beloved William & Mary, he said. You are magnificent, an iconic American institution, with a past rich with significance for our country and a future of enormous potential for the commonwealth, country and world. We are very proud of you. You have never looked better at 325.

{{youtube:medium|E756Qasuz-Q, No Ceiling sings "Happy Birthday" to W&M}}




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North Wales Police beat their target to raise funds for Guide Dog pup

This article is old - Published: Saturday, Feb 10th, 2018

North Wales Police Officers and staff have raised over 3,000 to help support a guide dog puppy through his first year of training.

The cash boost means that the force were also given the task of naming the puppy  and for the young black Labrador he will now be known as Bobi.

Over the past two years officers and staff have participated in the Guide Dogs Name a Puppy  Change a Life scheme and have raised 3,130 that will assist with food, training and veterinary bills.

Fundraising activities have included cake sales, officers and staff participating in the Zip Wire challenge, sponsored walks, collections from the Emergency Services Carol Service and North Wales Police Open Day, a coffee morning and the sale of second hand books.

Bobi was born on October 12th 2017 and has now been placed with his puppy walker who will start to the skills that he will need as a future guide dog.

Deputy Chief Constable Gareth Pritchard said: We are delighted to hear of Bobis arrival and on behalf of everybody at North Wales Police we wish him all the very best as he begins his journey to becoming a Guide Dog.

We are extremely proud to have been able to raise this money which will help provide independence and freedom for someone who is blind or partially sighted. Id like to thank all officers and staff who contributed towards our target.

North Wales Police decided to participate in the scheme as it has a long-established link with the Guide Dogs. A prominent former Police Constable was shot and blinded whilst on duty during the early hours of August 2nd 1961.

The late PC Arthur Rowlands was patrolling the Dyfi Bridge area when he was confronted by Robert Boynton who was trying to get away on his bike. The officer was shot and left blind in both eyes. Boynton was eventually arrested and jailed.

PC Rowlands was left critically injured and spent months in hospital, but despite his disability he returned to work as a police switchboard operator, bringing his guide dog with him.

Deputy Chief Constable Pritchard said: Mr Rowlands was held in the highest regard by all who knew him because of his extraordinary bravery and courage after being shot whilst just carrying out his duties. Despite his injuries Mr Rowlands returned to work for the Force and was a source of knowledge for scores of officers before retiring in the 1980s. We very much hope that he would be proud of the organisation for fundraising for such a worthy cause.

Jacquie Hughes Jones from the Guide Dogs said: This is a brilliant achievement by North Wales Police and we are so grateful. We very much enjoyed fundraising with the police and had a lot of laughs along the way.

Arthur Rowlands was very important to Guide Dogs in North Wales, founding Cwn Tywys Gwynedd, which celebrated its 40th anniversary last year.

Little Bobby is now starting on a journey which will help to transform the life of a blind or partially sighted person. A name is the first gift that a guide dog puppy receives and by naming Bobby, the generosity of the force will be remembered.

Did you know that it costs around 50,000 over the life of a Guide Dog, so they rely on fundraising to continue to do the wonderful work they do. If you are interested in finding out how you can help please visit http://www.guidedogs.org.uk/
Worldwide walkies for historic Acton Dog!

This article is old - Published: Saturday, Feb 10th, 2018

An iconic symbol from Wrexhams history is up for an award after being dubbed a good boy by fans across the globe.

Closely tied to Wrexhams history, the Acton Dog inspired by the four greyhound statues which stand guard on the Acton Gate, which formerly gave way to the Acton Estate.

In December last year, staff and students at Wrexham Glyndwr University used pioneering 3D technology to scan a replica of one of the Acton Dog statues, allowing a scale model to be reproduced. This was then used to create a mould, and replica dogs were produced in four different colours.

The little models have since proven a big hit with Wrexham people, both at home and further afield.

The replica statues sold well at the Museum, but have also been requested by expats from Wrexham living in places such as Canada and Australia  some of whom have reported not having been home for more than 40 years.

Now the 3D printed dogs are up for a national award, after being picked as finalists in the Best Product Awards by the Association for Cultural Enterprises (ACE).

These annual awards are widely regarded as a badge of excellence in the cultural sector, rewarding the very best of innovation from small and large museums and historic places nationwide.

Only three products are nominated, and the winner will be announced on March 1.

Cllr Hugh Jones, Lead Member for Communities, Partnerships, Public Protection and Community Safety, said: The Acton Dog has proven very popular with residents keen to commemorate historic Wrexham in some way, and it is an instantly recognisable symbol of Wrexham.

We also know that people originally from Wrexham now living elsewhere in the world have had some very happy memories conjured up of their childhood playing near the Acton Gates after buying one of the Acton Dog models for themselves.

As such, Im very hopeful that the Acton Dog goes on to win the ACE award, which will bring it some much-deserved recognition in the culture and heritage sectors.

Models of The Acton Dog are now available at Wrexham Museum at 14.99 each.

For more information, contact the Museum on 01978 297460 or e-mail museum@wrexham.gov.uk.
United Steelworkers (USW) leaders have welcomed a Quebec National Assembly motion calling on the Aluminerie de Becancour Inc. (ABI )a joint venture of Alcoa and Rio Tinto-Alcanto resume negotiations with the 1,030 aluminum smelter workers it locked out January 11.

The union has also touted phony claims of support for the workers from various capitalist politicians, most notably Martine Ouellet, a former Parti Quebecois cabinet minister and the current head of the Bloc Quebecois, the pro-Quebec independence party in the Canadian parliament.

These actions must be taken by the ABI workers and their supporters as a warning that the union leadership is preparing to impose a concessionary agreement, including pension cuts.

Indeed, in interviews USW Local 9700 President Clement Masse has repeatedly insisted that that lock out is unnecessary, because the union had been working with the company to find solutions.

Just before Rio Tinto and Alcoa took the decision to withdraw from the negotiating table, big steps had been made, said Masse recently. Discussions had even taken place on renouncing the actual pension plan and replacing it with a new one according to the exigencies of the employer. We also had just begun to address the issue of respecting seniority when changing work assignments.

In a second interview, with L'aut'journal, a monthly tied to the union bureaucracy and Quebec nationalist circles, Masse said the union was ready to be flexible on the work assignment issue as well, but could not entirely waive seniority rights.

The Local 9700 leadership gave BQ leader Ouellet a rousing reception when she visited the picket lines outside the ABI smelter in Becancour, Quebec on January 29.

The next day, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, the co-leader of the fourth party in the Quebec National Assembly, the pseudo-left Quebec Solidaire, visited the Becancour workers. He called on Philippe Couillards provincial Liberal government to suspend ABIs preferential electricity rate until the corporation returns to the bargaining table, knowing full well that the Couillard government, which has imposed massive social spending cuts on behalf of big business, will do no such thing.

Soon after, Parti Quebecois (PQ) leader Jean-Francois Lisee called for the Liberal government to intervene in the dispute and press for the resumption of contract talks.

According to press reports, Donald Martel of the right-wing populist Coalition Avenir Quebec and the representative for Nicolet-Becancour in the Quebec National Assembly, has been working behind the scenes to encourage the union and management to return to the bargaining table.

Toward that end, the USW is apparently preparing a counter-offer, one containing significant givebacks.

In spreading illusions in Ouellet and her Bloc Quebecois, the Parti Quebecois sister party in federal politics, the USW is continuing the longstanding efforts of the trade union bureaucracy to politically subordinate the working class to the separatist wing of Quebecs ruling elite. For decades, the unions have touted the PQ as a progressive party or at least a lesser-evilno matter that every time the PQ has been in office it has imposed sweeping social attacks and used emergency laws to break strikes and impose concessionary contracts by decree.

The PQ last came to power in 2012, when the ruling elite resorted to elections to help defuse the political crisis provoked by a militant six-month long students strike that at its height threatened to become the catalyst for a broader working class challenge to austerity. The union bureaucracy itself pressed for elections and worked with Quebec Solidaire to promote the election of a PQ-led government.

Predictably, the PQ, after making nominal concessions to the students, quickly pivoted back to imposing austerity. Two months after taking office, it imposed an austerity budget and the following summer it criminalized a province-wide construction workers strike.

To distract attention from its anti-working class policies, the PQ mounted a chauvinist anti-immigrant campaign around its so-called Charter of Quebec values. Soon after, it welcomed none other than Pierre-Karl Peladeau, a billionaire media tycoon notorious for his hostility to unions and worker rights, into the party leadership.

Since falling from power just 18 months after securing a minority government in the September 2012 provincial election, the PQ and the entire separatist movement have passed through an existential crisis. According to recent polls, the PQ is poised to finish a poor third behind the Coalition Avenir Quebec and the Liberal Party in the provincial election slated for this fall. The Bloc Quebecois, which for close to two decades held the majority or at a least plurality of Quebecs seats in the federal parliament, has been reduced to a rump since 2011.

In a cynical attempt to avoid another electoral debacle, the PQ and BQ are now making a feint to the left, claiming to favour reinvestment in public services and to oppose further tax cuts for the rich. It is in this context that Ouellet visited the ABI picket line.

But Ouellet was only able to display her hypocrisy. I think that I dont understand this lockout, blustered Ouellet while in Becancour. This was really a show of force. Its a completely disproportionate measure.

The ABI lockout is far from difficult to understand. It is part and parcel of the assault on the working class being mounted by big business and their governments around the world. In every country, the ruling class is seeking to make the working class pay for the capitalist crisis, through job, pension and wage cuts, speed-up, and the destruction of public services.

With her claims not to comprehend the lockout, Ouellet, with the USW leaderships support, is trying to obscure the role that the PQ, for decades the alternate governing party Quebecs ruling elite, has played in imposing austerity and attacking worker rights.

In reality, the support from Ouellet, Lisee and Nadeau-Dubois for the locked-out ABI workers is entirely empty. They have simply adopted the stance of the union, which calls for the corporation to "return to the bargaining table" to negotiate "in good faith" and jointly decide the concessions to be imposed on the workers.

While the media has gone to great lengths to present the locked out workers as fat cats, they have received significant support from the local population. Only a few kilometers away, in Trois-Rivieres, nurses recently conducted a wildcat sit-in to protest the excessive workload they have to endure because of government cuts to health care.

The ABI workers were locked out after they overwhelmingly rejected the companys final offer.

With a $157 million deficit on its books under the current defined-benefits pension scheme, ABI is determined to replace it with a new member-funded pension plan (MFPP), where all financial risk will fall on the workers. Under such a plan, any long-term deficit would result in pension cuts.

From the beginning of the lockout, the USW has sought to channel workers anger into futile appeals to the shareholders of ABIs parent companies and representatives of the political establishment.

Workers at ABI should oppose these maneuvers and immediately build a rank-and-file action committee to take the leadership of the strike out of the hands of the pro-capitalist USW bureaucracy. This committee should fight to make the current conflict the catalyst for a working-class counter-offensive in Canada and internationally against the corporate assault on workers jobs and social rights and for the development of an independent political movement of the working class against the profit system as a whole.
Among the submissions to the parliamentary committee reviewing the Australian governments unprecedented foreign interference billsmost of which are critical of the anti-democratic features of the proposed lawsone submission stands out.

It complains that the bills do not go far enough in criminalising what it alleges is a massive network of Chinese Australians and non-citizens involved in Chinese Communist Party (CCP) operations aimed at influencing political processes and the exercise of democratic rights in Australia.

The dossier confirms that the governments bills, while supposedly banning all foreign influence activities in general, are designed to target, first and foremost, political activity or opinions that allegedly favour Beijing.

The 48-page dossier submitted by academic and former Greens candidate Clive Hamilton and a student researcher, Alex Joske, casts a pall of suspicion over the more than 1.2 million people of Chinese descent living in the country.

Among the groups accused of being fronts for Beijing are hundreds of student organisations, professional and scientific groups, friendship organisations and business associations. According to the authors, the 130,000 Chinese students in the country function as a virtual fifth column pursuing Beijings interests.

The dossier feeds into a rabid nationalist, and essentially racist, campaign mounted throughout the media and political establishment over the past 18 months to demonise Chinese Australians and anyone linked to them, including politicians and universities.

This has menacing implications for Australias large and diverse Chinese communities, whose members have migrated from a whole range of Asian countries for generations. Some trace their ancestry in Australia back to the gold rushes of the 1850s.

The dossier is in the filthy tradition of the racist White Australia policy, authored by the Labor Party and the trade unions, which depicted Chinese and other Asian people as a yellow peril intent on taking over the continent.

The unmistakeable purpose of the dossier is to poison public opinion against anyone of Chinese origin, whip up right-wing nationalist and anti-Asian elements and help justify Australias frontline involvement in US-led preparations for war against China.

Hamilton, who represented the Greens in a prominent 2009 by-election, told the parliamentary committee: Eighteen months ago I couldnt have imagined me taking this position and defending the US alliance.

In fact, Hamilton epitomises the political trajectory of the upper middle class layer on which the Greens rest. The Greens once attracted votes by opposing Australias participation in the criminal US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. In reality, their objection was that Australias military forces were needed to defend its imperialist interests in the Asia Pacific region.

The sheer scale of the alleged Beijing-controlled network is staggering. The dossier lists 81 organisations accused of affiliation to the Australian Council for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China, which supposedly spearheads the CCPs activities.

This encompasses a huge variety of groups, ranging from the Australian Hokkian Huaykuan Seniors Association to the Australian Chinese Musicians Association. These affiliates allegedly constitute a significant proportion of Chinese community groups in Australia.

Another list identifies 37 Chinese Students and Scholars Associations, accusing them of forming the core of Beijings presence on university campuses. Among these student clubs alleged crimes are organising events to celebrate the 1949 foundation of the Peoples Republic of China.

Some of over 100 hometown associations are also named. The submission admits that these organisations draw together Chinese-Australians on the basis of their city or province of birth with the aim of mutual aid and social networking. Yet this innocuous activity is now suspicious.

A further list identifies the Federation of Chinese Scholars in Australia and 13 affiliated associations, with a total likely membership of over 1,000 scientists and academics. Several leading and prize-winning scientific experts are named, intimating that they pass on vital research results to China or serve subversive purposes.

Australian universities are indicted for research partnerships with Chinese universities, particularly in fields that have military applicationscalling into question entire areas of science and technology. The Australia China Relations Institute headed by ex-foreign minister Bob Carr at the University of Technology, Sydney is denounced for seeking to provide a positive and optimistic view of Australia-China relations.

A proliferation of front organisations in the business world is said to include the China Chamber of Commerce in Australia and the Australian-China Belt & Road Initiative, which the dossier says is linked to former trade minister Andrew Robb.

Full of unexplained contradictions, the dossier alleges that necessarily secretive CCP operations seek to infiltrate Australian society. However, it admits that most pro-Beijing associations in Australia are not overt front organisations for the CCP and it may be misleading to label them as such.

Likewise, the document states that the CCP relies on psychological techniques of manipulation and behavioural control to compel Chinese Australians to do its bidding. Yet, later, the authors say overseas Chinese may simply hold genuinely patriotic feelings towards the motherland.

In sum, the document provides no evidence for its assertions, let alone its incredible conclusion: The strongly pro-Beijing views of much elite opinion testifies to the success of this campaign. Far from pro-Beijing, the predominant elite opinion in Australia remains thoroughly wedded to Washington and its war drive against China.

Significantly, the dossier relies heavily on claims by intelligence agencies. For example, it regurgitates an Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO)-linked report last June that a Chinese-Australian businessman demanded that the Labor Party change its policy on the South China Sea, in return for a $400,000 donation.

It is a matter of record, however, that Labor has remained lockstep with the Liberal-National government in backing provocative US freedom of navigation operations to challenge Chinas territorial claims in that sea.

The dossier also depends on propaganda generated by Washington-based thinktanks, notably the neo-conservative Jamestown Foundation and the US government-funded Woodrow Wilson Center. It hails a ground-breaking study by New Zealand academic Anne-Marie Brady, who is a Global Fellow at the Wilson Center.

Bradys document, released just before last Septembers New Zealand election, claimed, again without substantiation, that the ruling National Party was beholden to Chinese business interests. This fed into a virulent anti-Chinese campaign fomented by the racist New Zealand First party, backed by the Labour Party and the trade unions. Having won the election, the new Labour-led coalition, featuring New Zealand First, has further aligned the countrys defence and foreign policy with Washington.

The governments draconian new bills against foreign interference already contain sweeping definitions that would potentially criminalise the legitimate activities of many of the groups listed in the dossier.

However, the authors want to go further. They declare that the measures will be difficult to enforce because evidence of the intention to interfere in Australias political processes or the exercise of democratic rights will be hard to obtain.

In reality, the bills already overturn the need for authorities to prove intent. They require only recklessness as to whether ones conduct would influence a political issue. Reckless means simply being aware of a risk that influence could occur.

As far as Hamilton and Joske are concerned, many Chinese Australians and other China-linked Australians should automatically be treated as guilty, regardless of any lack of proof or motive.

The authors offer eight stylised cases based on actual CCP operations and complain they may not be outlawed under the proposed legislation. These scenarios mostly involve vague allegations of tacit agreements to generate outcomes sympathetic to China.

The dossier is a foretaste of a book by Hamilton, titled Silent Invasion: How China is Turning Australia into a Puppet State, due to be published next month. By elevating the allegations of interference into accusations of silent invasion, the book will add to the escalating anti-Chinese propaganda aimed at poisoning public opinion and laying the basis for war against China.

In a revealing development, the Liberal Party chair and Labor Party deputy chair of parliaments Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, which is meant to be examining the bills, have indicated their preparedness to publish the book under parliamentary privilege, thus protecting it against defamation lawsuits.

While the Turnbull government is offering to make minor amendments to its bills, in order to protect mainstream media outlets from draconian secrecy provisions, both it and the Labor opposition remain committed to pushing through the foreign interference provisions.

This police-state legislation is preparing the framework for the mass roundup and arbitrary detention of Chinese Australians. During both previous world wars, Labor and conservative governments alike interned, without trial, thousands of Australian citizens and residents of German, Italian and Japanese descent.

As the WSWS has explained, individuals and organisations linked to China are only the first targets. The bills contain far-reaching provisions that could be used to imprison anti-war campaigners, silence dissent and impose sweeping wartime-style political repression.
Lack of sufficient access to nutritious food is a much greater problem for the American working class than previously understood, according to research published in the Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition. In a survey of 663 households in Columbus, Ohio, researchers found that 32 percent were food insecure. This rate of food insecurity is double that of previous estimates based on county-level census data.

The researchers considered about half of food-insecure households to be very low food secure. People in this group are skipping meals, at risk for experiencing hunger, and probably missing work and school and suffering health problems as a result, according to Michelle Kaiser, PhD, an assistant professor of social work at Ohio State, and lead author of the study. Although the current research only examined Columbus, other metropolitan areas likely have similar disparities, she added.

This study exposed the vastly different experiences of people who all live in the same city, said Dr. Kaiser. My suspicion is that most people dont recognize that there are such discrepancies and cant imagine living where they couldnt easily go to a grocery store. Notwithstanding the obliviousness of the more comfortable layers of the population, these data provide further evidence that the countrys deepening social divisions are reaching critical proportions.

For their study, Dr. Kaiser and colleagues surveyed economically and racially diverse households to understand consumer decision-making and food access. They also audited 90 food stores for the availability of items on the US Department of Agricultures Thrifty Food Plan and MyPlate list. The Thrifty Food Plan lists low-cost foods intended to ensure adequate nutrition. This plan is the basis for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which also is known as food stamps. MyPlate offers nutritional advice, such as emphasizing the consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy proteins.

Although African-Americans were overrepresented among the food insecure, the totality of the data indicated that the divide between food security and food insecurity was fundamentally one of class, not of race. Annual income tended to be less than $25,000 among food-insecure individuals and more than $50,000 among the food-secure. Full-time employment was significantly less common in food-insecure households (54.7 percent) than in food-secure households (75.2 percent). More than 20 percent of food-insecure households depended on Supplemental Security Income (SSI), veterans benefits, or other disability benefits, compared with 8.5 percent of food-secure households. About 5 percent of food-insecure households received unemployment benefits, compared with 3 percent of food-secure households. The food insecure were approximately five times more likely to participate in SNAP and nearly four times more likely to participate in the Women, Infants and Children assistance program than the food secure.

As a part of its turbocharged assault on the working class, the Trump administration proposes to cut $193 billion from SNAP over the next 10 years. This proposal goes even further than the $8.7 billion cut to SNAP that President Obama signed into law in 2014. If Trumps proposal is enacted, it would deprive millions of poor and working-class Americans of assistance, forcing many to skip meals.

In Dr. Kaisers study, differences in education coincided with these differences in income. The highest level of education in food-insecure households was more likely to be a high school diploma, GED, two-year degree, or technical degree. But a higher percentage of people with a bachelors degree or graduate degree were food secure.

Previous investigations have linked food insecurity with higher risks of depression, anxiety, and social isolation. Dr. Kaiser and colleagues found that obesity, high blood pressure, and prediabetes were significantly more common among the food insecure than the food secure.

The investigators audits indicated that supermarkets were more likely than specialty markets, partial markets or convenience stores to offer all of the Thrifty Food Plan items and all of the MyPlate recommendations. Yet, compared with food-secure participants, food-insecure respondents were significantly more likely to shop at partial markets and convenience or corner stores, which had poorer selections. One reason is that the food insecure lived closer to partial markets and convenience stores, while the food secure lived closer to supermarkets and specialty stores.

More than 27 percent of food-insecure households had difficulties finding fresh produce, and 26 percent were not at all satisfied with neighborhood food access. The types of food stores most accessible to food-insecure households rarely stock healthy food items, said Dr. Kaiser. In contrast, food-secure households are less likely to have to confront the same environmental challenges as food-insecure households to purchase and consume healthy foods.

Barriers to obtaining food (e.g., access, safety or crime, and affordability) were more common for food-insecure households than for the food secure. Food-insecure participants also had difficulties with transportation. They were less likely to use their own cars and more likely to get rides from acquaintances, ride public transportation, or walk to get food, compared with the food secure.

More and more grocery stores and supermarkets in low-income areas are closing, according to Dr. Kaiser. Companies rarely establish a new grocery store in an urban area, particularly if it would be near a neighborhood with a high rate of poverty. These decisions are based purely on the profit motive. As they chase middle-class and wealthy shoppers, the big supermarket chains shutter stores in poor and working-class areas. Consequently, as Dr. Kaisers study indicates, poor and working-class people are left with fewer options, which leaves them in worse health than their wealthier peers.

Like companies in any other industry, supermarkets extract their profits from the labor of their employees. As shareholders demand greater returns, the supermarket chains abandon less profitable locations and wrest concessions from their workers. The result is a worsening of inequality and continuing assaults on the health and well-being of the working class.
Councillors supporting party leader Jeremy Corbyn have made a rotten deal with Labours right wing over Haringey Councils hiving off land and other assets and destruction of social housing.

The Haringey Development Vehicle (HDV) is a 2 billion privatisation project that transfers council assets from the London council to a holding company in partnership with the global private developer, Lendlease. Council housing is to be demolished and replaced by luxury developments and supposedly affordable properties that are out of the reach of most local residents.

The fight against the HDV was the flagship project of the pro-Corbyn Momentum campaign group. The pseudo-left presented it as the frontline in the battleground between the right and left. They proclaimed Haringey the epicentre of a fightback because most Blairite pro-HDV councillors have been deselected and replaced by Corbyn supporters as candidates in upcoming local elections in May.

However, at an emergency council meeting held on February 7, the fightback turned into an ignominious rout.

Hoping to salvage some credibility as opponents of the HDV, the small Liberal Democrat opposition proposed an emergency motion calling for the scheme to be scrapped. They declared, For too long some Labour Councillors have talked the talk on stopping the HDVit is now time for action. Lets see if they have the courage to turn up to the Extraordinary meeting and stand up and be counted.

A residents group addressed the councillors. They gave some flavour of the depth of opposition to HDV declaring council tenants know that Lendlease will not build social housing and that the company was an unsuitable partner, following their social cleansing activities at the Heygate estate. This was a reference to the 1,200 social homes in South London that were replaced with expensive private apartments and just 82 new social homes.

Residents feel excluded from regeneration planswe will be no longer be able to live in the place we have called home for many years. There is no future for us or our children here.  We feel cheated. The HDV will demolish our homes without asking if we want that. The London Borough of Haringey has allowed our estates to decline and is using this as a reason to knock them down.

Ignoring their pleas and shouts from the public gallery of Looks like the HDV is not dead and Labour unity but locals betrayed, every single one of the 46 Labour councillors present voted against the motion.

If the 22 anti-HDV Labour councillors had voted with the eight Lib-Dems, the UKs most infamous handover of council assets to property developers would have been ended and a bitter blow dealt to Labours right wing. Instead, they lined up behind an amendment proposed by Blairite council leader, Claire Kober, to postpone a final decision on the set-up of the HDV until a new administration is formed following the May elections.

To justify their capitulation, Momentum members said the Lib-Dems were just using the issue to split the Labour Party. In the next breath, they complained the anti-HDV councillors could not vote for the LibDem motion because they would face suspension if they defied the Labour whip. They claimed HDV was dead in the water anyway, because Kober had promised not to sign the HDV deal with Lendlease before the May elections, when she intends to retire. Then there will be a new pro-Corbyn administration because most pro-HDV councillors have been deselected and replaced, and HDV can be halted then. All of which are the excuses offered by the unprincipled for their lack of principle.

Haringey sums up the role played by Momentum in disarming working class resistance with their claims that Corbyns leadership has transformed the Labour Partyand of the pseudo-left groupsthe Socialist Workers Party (SWP) and Socialist Party (SP)who act as apologists for their betrayals.

The SWP and SP insisted that the way to defeat the Kober administration was to win the support of rebel councillors in Haringey and deselect pro-HDV councillors.

On January 26, the SP, in response to the Lib-Dems publication of their proposed February 7 anti-HDV motion, advised councillors to vote in favour, saying, Some anti-HDV activists have said that it is necessary to vote against the HDV in this council meeting. The Socialist Party agrees that if the anti-HDV councillors vote for the HDV scheme it will be seen as a betrayal of the expectations of hundreds and thousands of people 

With a Corbynista majority now on the Labour Party NEC and a Corbynista chair of the disputes committee, are Labour lefts really saying they cant put up a fight against threats to expel them? If that was tried it would create uproar.

The fighting talk was quickly dropped.

On February 7, the Socialist newspaper made no reference to the impending vote that evening or what the councillors should do. Moving onto next business, Paula Mitchell of the London Socialist Party declared, nows our chance for a no-cuts council.

Instead, Mitchell enthused how the crucial question of what a Corbyn council should do was debated at Haringey Labour Partys manifesto conference on 4 Februaryat which she said motions were passed committing the council to stopping the HDV!

Within a couple of paragraphs Mitchell showed just how unlikely is the chance of a no-cuts council emerging when she acknowledged that the outgoing councillors have to agree the manifestoleaving control in the hands of the deselected, discredited right wing.

Proof of the readiness of the Corbynistas to leave control in the hands of the right-wing did not need to wait until May. It was on full display the day Mitchells fluff piece was published.

As for the SWP, they ran a piece following the latest debacle complaining of how a grassroots campaign had pushed the HDV to the brink of defeat. However, Labour councillors had squandered the chance to bury a high-profile redevelopment deal and to strike a blow against social cleansing.

The left councillors had a choice between manoeuvres inside Labour and loyalty to the movement that has broken the HDV. They turned their back on the movement.

Not one word of explanation or apology was offered by the SWP as to their own role in boosting Haringeys left councillors, along with Corbyns leadership of the Labour Party nationally.

The role of the Corbynites in rescuing HDV in order to preserve unity is the real measure of the relationship of left and right in the Labour Party and a sign of things to come throughout the UK.

Scores of other Labour controlled councils are pursuing similar privatisation and social cleansing policies to Haringey. Following the call by Labours pro-Corbyn majority National Executive Committee for Haringey Council to pause the HDV and take part in mediation talks, 68 of the 123 Labour council leaders sent a joint letter to the Sunday Times condemning its intervention as an affront to the basic principles of democracy and describing Kober as inspirational.

At a meeting last weekend of the same council leaders, Corbyn pleaded with them to see the HDV as a unique situation and stressed that he had no wish to interfere.

The author also recommends:

Corbyn prostrates himself before council leaders in the name of Municipal Socialism

[9 February 2018]

Haringey Council leader Claire Kober: The social cleansing agenda of a Blairite martyr

[8 February 2018]

London Labour councils in league with property developers

[9 February 2018]
For the seventh consecutive year, rough sleeping in the UK is on the rise, according to recently published government figures. An estimated 4,751 people were sleeping out on the streets of England for the year 2017. This represents an increase of 15 percent on the previous year and 169 percent since 2010.

The actual figure is estimated by some to be almost double that, possibly as high as 9,100 for the UK.

Figures for London show a rise of 18 percent, and the capital accounts for nearly a quarter of all rough sleepers. Homelessness is no longer confined to the major cities and has become a national crisis. Outside London rough sleeping rose by 14 percent, with the biggest regional increase of 39 percent in the north west, almost doubling in the last two years. Particularly hard hit are Salford, Tameside and Manchester.

Balbir Chatrik, director of policy at the homeless charity Centrepoint, said, These figures are shocking, but they only attempt to count the number of people sleeping rough on one night. We know there are thousands more young people who are hidden homeless, sofa-surfing for months on end, sleeping on public transport or staying with strangers just to find a bed for the night.

The director of policy and external affairs at the Crisis charity, Matt Downie, also urged caution regarding the governments statistics. Speaking on BBC Radio 4s You and Yours, he explained that the government based their figures on an estimate by 83 percent of local councilsonly 17 percent did an actual head count. Academics in the field point to 8,000 rough sleepers in England, 800 in Scotland and 300 in Wales, he said.

World Socialist Web Site reporters recently spoke to rough sleepers on the streets of Manchester.

Neil is 40 years old and from Pontefract, West Yorkshire. He has been homeless for eight months.

Speaking on a cold, damp winters day outside a Co-op supermarket, he explained:

I never expected to be on the streets. When my mum died I moved from Yorkshire to live with my girlfriend, but the relationship broke down.

Neil approached the local council to be rehoused, but the council refused to help as they did not class him as vulnerable: Because Im not originally from Manchester. Im not a criminal, mentally ill, or addicted to substances. The council wont rehouse me.

Making a claim for benefits while rough sleeping is fraught with almost insurmountable problems. Not having a permanent address, or a care of address makes it virtually impossible for the claimant. Job Seekers Allowance and Universal Credit (UC) benefits have conditionality attached to themthe claimant has to prove he or she is actively seeking work with evidence of job searcheswhich is all but impossible when you are on the streets.

Neil explained, I have to earn 12.50 a day to earn enough for a homeless centre, otherwise Ive nowhere to sleep at night. I cant claim Job Seekers Allowance because you have to look for a job to qualify, and I need to spend my time collecting money for food and shelter. So I get no benefits.

The private landlords dont want the bond scheme, (whereby the charity Shelter acts as a guarantor), he said. Youre talking 1,000 to move into private property ... Id love to get a job. I was a bench joiner. Im experienced, Ive got skills, Ive worked in London making counters.

Gemma, 37, from the nearby town of Warrington, used to be a care worker. Asked what Manchester council is doing to get her rehoused, she explained, Ive no local connection. They said Ive got to be seen on the streets for eight months, then theyll work with me. But Ive been on the streets now for 22 months. They want to rehouse people from Manchester first.

Gemma is unable to claim any benefits because, I need an address up here to claim ... My aims for this year are a roof over my head, benefit sorted, and a move into some kind of work.

Barry, 46, has been homeless for four months since his relationship broke down.

He told us that he had heard of homeless people freezing to death, but that this had gone unreported in the media.

The authorities say I made myself intentionally homeless, but my ex-partner had mental health problems. With the arguments it was not a good place to be, he said.

This is embarrassing, degrading. I know a lot of people. I should be asking for money, but I feel down enough as it is. I appreciate it if someone comes up with a hot drink and a sandwich.

Barry can claim benefits as he has a care-of address, unlike many other rough sleepers. He was keeping company with mother of three, Gemma. Gemma is 31 and had just been evicted from a private hostel.

Its driving me crazy, she said. I was on the streets on my own on Christmas Eve, on Christmas Day and New Years Eve. Ive been attacked, kicked while asleep, Ive bruises.

Sarah, 35, has been homeless on and off since she was 18. Wrapped in a sleeping bag, she explained that all her family are in Ireland so they cant help.

I dont claim benefits because I dont have an address and the night shelters are all full.

Night shelters provide emergency accommodation when temperatures plunge. Such are the numbers of homeless that all 41 fire stations in Greater Manchester recently opened their doors to rough sleepers.

Visibly distraught, Sarah broke down in tears, saying Im hoping to get 15I cant stay out here tonight. Once youre wet you cant get dry. Im cold and tired and just want a warm bed.

A few steps away from where Sarah was huddled was a billboard proclaiming, Manchester ending Homelessness. The same message has appeared on posters and billboards all over the city. Labour Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, told You and Yours about Housing First, the latest council homelessness policy and one backed by the Conservative government.

The scheme is based on the lie that homelessness is a result of individual failings.

Housing First, with funding of just 1.8 million backing it, is a drop in the ocean and does not even begin to address the scale of the homelessness crisis. As far back as 2014/15, some 6,000 people approached Manchester City Council asking for advice and assistance with homelessness issues. With the crisis far greater now, Housing First targets just 200 homeless people and offers fixed-term accommodation of six to 12 months. It is slated to last just three years and the only homeless who can qualify are those who have slept rough regularly over the past two years or are well known to homelessness services.

Promoting the scheme, Burnham said, So people can focus on themselves or other challenges they may have, be that addiction or mental health  It will allow people to stop worrying about housing ... so they can deal with other issues stopping them from leading a productive life.

When asked how the scheme would be funded, he said there would be a government backed social impact bondpaid to a consortium of [private] organizations, according to the number of people successfully moved from the streets ... payment by results.

On the same programme, Matt Downie pointed to societal causes of the epidemic in rough sleeping. In every part of the country the housing market is on its knees in terms of affordability, he said. Theres not enough social housing. [And] rents in the private sector outstrip wages, benefits and Universal Credit. The rollout of Universal Credit is aggravating homelessness, according to the charity the Booth centre, as claimants have to wait up to six weeks for housing benefit, by which time they could be evicted.

The author also recommends:

UK: Thousands to see in the New Year sleeping rough on the streets

[28 December 2017]

Bailiffs and police break up another homeless camp in Manchester

[14 July 2016]
Northamptonshire County Council (NCC) has banned all new spending and faces takeover by government commissioners after running out of money.

The council governs the non-metropolitan English county of Northamptonshire. It is the first UK local authority for two decades to resort to a section 114 notice, preventing all new expenditure. The move has dire consequences for the 733,100 people provided essential services by the council.

The council issued a statement saying the notice imposes immediate spending controls on the organisation and means no new expenditure is permitted, with the exception of safeguarding vulnerable people and statutory services.

The seven MPs elected by constituents in Northamptonshireall Conservativedenied any central government involvement in the crisis, issuing a statement that the countys financial problems are self-inflicted.

While the NCC claimed that the notice does not affect staff pay and that the council will continue to meet its statutory functions, the entire functioning of the council is threatened, with the danger that whatever staff and local services it retains will be terminated.

The Conservative-run council issued the section 114 notice on February 2, alongside a budget statement in which its chief finance officer, Mark McLaughlin, projected a 21.1 million overspend for 2017/18. This was, he said, in part caused by NCCs failure to sell housing development land. The council only has enough reserves to meet half of the overspend.

The council is legally bound to set a budget this month. McLaughlins 2018/19 budget statement reads, [M]embers of the county council should be in no doubt that the council faces a financial situation that is grave and which thus places strict limits on the choices available to the county council.

In December, the council had outlined further cuts of 34 million, after millions of pounds of austerity cuts had already been imposed. The budget being finalised imposes cuts of more than 2.7 million. Bus subsidies, trading standards, winter maintenance and library services will all be reduced, while a council tax increase of 5.98 percent will be implemented. The NCC has announced plans to sell off its new headquarters, which cost 53 million and was only first occupied last October.

NCC is predicted to be only the first of many councils to go broke.

Central government council funding has been slashed by 11.3 billion and by 2020, according to the Local Government Association, local authorities will have lost 75 percent of the central government funding they received in 2015. Almost half of all councils, 168, will receive no central government funding by 2019/20 and will be forced to rely on local taxesthe Business Rate and Council Taxand local charges, which are expected to rise sharply and cover a wider range of services. According to the Local Government Association, councils face a funding gap of 5.8 billion by 2020.

This is set to get worse. In the fiscal year starting April 2020, the revenue support grant, the main funding stream from central government for local authoritiesthat has already been slashedwill be phased out entirely. The impact will be devastating. In 2010, almost 80 percent of council expenditure was financed by central government grant.

Nick Golding, editor of the Local Government Chronicle, estimates that up to 10 other councils could soon be forced to follow the NCC. The danger is that councils will only provide an absolute bare minimum in the years to come, he warned.

Among those facing an imminent crisis is Conservative-run Surrey County Council, which has a 105 million funding gap according to research by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism. Commenting on the research, the Times wrote, The council, whose core government grant has been reduced by more than 200 million since 2010, is exhibiting several of the other signs of financial stress demonstrated by Northamptonshire before its warning. Surreys usable reserves will have more than halved between 2013 and 2019, falling from 170.3 million to 63.2 millionfar lower than its funding gap.

It added, Like Northamptonshire, Surrey has a low level of emergency reserves and is overspendingby 11 million this financial year.

With massive cuts in central government funds planned, nine out of ten councils will have budget deficits running into millions of pounds by the end of the financial year. The Bureau analysed the finances of 150 English local authorities and found that their average funding gap is 14.7 million.

This means the gutting of what remains of council services, with the Times reporting, Of the 101 councils that have released their proposed budgets for the coming year, 57 are planning to cut childrens services. Surreys 2018-19 budget includes a 25.6 million cut to its children, schools and families budget and an 18.7 million reduction in its spending on adult social care.

This will be combined with huge increases in Council Tax, with 95 percent of councils set to increase and three quarters planning the maximum 5.99 percent hike. For a resident in an average Band D home, this is an additional cost of 95 a year.

The crisis facing councils is an indictment of the austerity, privatisation and outsourcing that has been the policy of successive central governments and local authorities for more than 30 years.

In Conservative-run Barnet, two years after embarking on its One Barnet Project in 2012, services outsourced to the private sector included: management of council housing, care for people with disabilities, environmental health, procurement, parking, the highways department, legal services, cemeteries and crematoriums, IT finance, HR, planning and regeneration, trading standards and licensing.

The Unison trade union estimated that after the move to Barnets Alternative Delivery Model in 2014widely promoted by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat governmentjust 332 of Barnets 3,200 staff in September 2012, would remain, with the rest employed by the private sector.

Other councils followed suit, including Southampton City Council, Essex, Suffolk and Staffordshire.

Northamptonshire was the jewel in the privatisation and outsourcing crown. In November 2014, NCC announced that 95 percent of services it provides would be outsourced. This would involve the transfer of all but 150 of it 4,000 staff to four new service providers, part-owned by the council but run as private companies, including the payment of dividends to shareholders, further draining the councils limited resources.

In 2015, the Financial Times, noting that the council needed to find 148m in savings during the next four years, headlined an article, Northamptonshire council takes outsourcing to different level.

It explained, In effect, the council is reduced to a role of commissioning body, buying all its services from outside on a profit-sharing basis. Balfour Beatty already handles the street lights, Kier the roads service. But under the plan, statutory services such as social care for the elderly will be delivered by third parties.

The bankruptcy of NCC, following the collapse of Carillionwhich went under last month with tens of thousands of jobs lost, threatening the many public services they ranare only the canaries in the coal mine. Vast sectors of public provision in the UK are run by the private sector.

The largest of the private firms involved is Capita, which runs all administrative support functions for primary care in the National Health Service at a cost of 1 billion, IT services in 6,600 schools and many council services. As part of Barnets mass privatisation of services, Capita were awarded two contracts lasting 10 years apiece and worth around 500 million. Capitas future is uncertain, with its shares plunging 50 percent after issuing a profit warning.

The author also recommends:

Haringey Council leader Claire Kober: The social cleansing agenda of a Blairite martyr https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2018/02/08/kobe-f08.html

London Labour councils in league with property developers https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2018/02/09/lond-f09.html
The bipartisan budget bill passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump Friday morning marks a new stage in the American ruling class drive for social counterrevolution and world military domination.

The deal, which reached Trumps desk only because of support from congressional Democrats, expresses the oligarchic character of American society. Behind the factional mudslinging and mutual recrimination between Democrats, Republicans and Trump, it is the corporations and the military-intelligence agencies that dictate government policy. All sections of the financial aristocracy agree: the desperate social needs of working people must be subordinated to private profit and the preparation of the American military machine for a major war.

The budget agreement provides the military with $1.4 trillion over the course of the next two years, a 13 percent increase from 2017 and 7 percent more than what the White House requested. The size of the year-to-year increase alone$80 billionis larger than the combined annual military spending of every other country in the world except China.

An additional $71 billion is earmarked for overseas contingency operations, i.e., ongoing wars, indicating plans to continue indefinitely the 17-year-old war in Afghanistan and escalate the war in Syria, where US air and artillery strikes killed over 100 Syrian government-backed forces on Wednesday.

In preparation for the possibility that increased US military operations abroad may lead to conflict with a nuclear-armed power such as Russia or China, the budget provides the military with the resources necessary to replace its entire nuclear arsenal. It puts an end to limits placed on military spending in 2013 as part of a bipartisan agreement to cap domestic social spending, paving the way for even more astronomical increases in funding for the Pentagon.

The role of the Democrats in passing this deal exposes the right-wing character of their opposition to Trump. It was the Democrats who ensured that there would be sufficient votes to pass the bill in both houses of Congress after a faction of Republican deficit hawks in the House of Representatives announced its opposition. In the Senate, the Democrats voted four-to-one for the bill, providing more yes votes and fewer no votes than the Republicans. In the House, 73 Democrats voted for the agreement. Without their votes, the bill would have fallen short by a wide margin.

After the Democrats saved the budget bill, Trump signed it, tweeting, Just signed Bill. Our Military will now be stronger than ever before. We love and need our Military and gave them everything. Democratic Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer echoed Trump in praising the deal, saying it gives our fighting forces the resources they need to keep our country safe.

In an effort to lend the war budget a democratic veneer, Schumer claimed that it increases social spending. In reality, the bulk of the non-military spending comes from the limited expansion of several programs that already exist, such as the Community Healthcare Center (CHC) system and the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Prior to this budget, 54 percent of federal discretionary spending, i.e., excluding entitlement programs such as Medicare and Social Security, went to the military. Now this figure will increase to 59 percent.

Little of the new spending will reach people in need. For example, a paltry $2 billion is being made available to fix the electrical grid in Puerto Rico, where one third of the population remains without power more than four months after Hurricane Maria. In contrast, the bill provides $2.3 billion in recovery funds to the Florida citrus industry. Puerto Rico has estimated that fixing its grid would cost $17 billion.

Six billion dollars is allocated for the opioid crisis, a major factor in the ongoing decline in US life expectancy. This is far less than the $45 billion proposed in the 2017 congressional health care debate, which leading advocates called woefully, woefully short.

Much of the $6 billion will go to arming the police and prosecuting users. An unnamed White House official told CNN on Thursday that opioid spending is a law enforcement issue. On Thursday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions placed the blame for the opioid crisis, which killed 63,000 people in 2016, on its victims. I mean, people need to take some aspirin sometimes, Sessions said. Tough it out.

The budget deal provides a mere $20 billion for infrastructure spending. According to the Federal Highway Administration, $328 billion is required just to fix crumbling bridges in the US.

Coming on top of the multi-trillion-dollar tax cut for the rich passed in December, which the Democrats never seriously opposed, the massive increase in military spending will increase the federal budget deficit to $1 trillion or more for years to come. The drive to use the resulting increase in the US debt as justification for dismantling the core social programs from the 1930s and 1960sSocial Security, Medicare and Medicaidhas already begun.

At his weekly press conference, Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan reiterated his pledge to wage war on these entitlement programs. The military is not the reason weve got fiscal problems. It is entitlements, he declared.

After signing the budget bill on Friday, Trump said the social spending in the agreement was waste. He added that costs on non-military lines will never come down if we do not elect more Republicans in the 2018 election and beyond.

Perhaps the most cynical point in the political theater surrounding the bills passage was the eight-hour speech Wednesday by Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who read the stories of young undocumented immigrants who were brought to the US when they were children and have legal status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The bill includes no protection for the 800,000 DACA beneficiaries who face possible deportation beginning March 5, when the DACA program expires.

Pelosis stunt, which followed the announcement of a bipartisan budget agreement in the Senate, was an elaborate attempt to provide political cover for the Democratic Party, which had already agreed behind the scenes to provide the votes needed to pass the measure in the House. In typical fashion, a number of Democrats were allowed to cast meaningless no votes to preserve their progressive bona fides for future elections.

The Democrats have only disdain for those who sought to pressure them to the left. Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown said of constituents who appealed to him to vote against the budget deal, If the suggestion is if Im spooked by them or they affect my voting record, the answer is of course not.

The passage of the budget bill shows the social character and political role of the Democratic Party. It is as much a pro-war, pro-corporate party as its Republican counterpart. It shares the Trump administrations goals of increasing border security, reducing taxes on the wealthy, boosting corporate profits and preparing the military for total warwith its domestic component of internal repression.

The Democratic Partys main differences with Trump are of a right-wing character, aimed primarily at forcing Trump to adopt a more bellicose policy against Russia in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. The Democratic Party-inspired hysteria against Russian interference, including the bogus Mueller investigation into Trump collusion with the Russians, is a central element in this drive. It is accompanied by the reactionary campaign against fake news on social media, aimed at creating the framework for Internet censorship and an escalating attack on free speech.

In the working class, there is broad opposition of an entirely different character, based on anger over poverty, social inequality, police violence, poisoned water, student debt, health care costs and fear of deportation. This tremendous potential social power must be awakened and given an independent, socialist direction. It is only on this basis that the catastrophic war plans of US imperialism can be stopped.
Nearly 3,000 teachers, paraprofessionals and technical/clerical workers working for the Pittsburgh Public Schools are taking a mail-in strike vote. There has not been a strike in the city since the 1975-76 school year, over 40 years ago.

The teachers and the other school employees have been working without a contract since June 30, 2017. Their last contract expired in June 2015. For two years they have worked under a contract extension.

The vote, which does not mandate a strike but merely authorizes the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers (PFT) to call one, will be counted on Monday. The unions executive board will reportedly hold a meeting on Wednesday to review the results. The PFT has stated that it doesnt want to call a strike and that it is hoping that the vote will get the Pittsburgh School Board to negotiate with the union.

There is growing anger among teachers at the massive budget cuts which have been destroying education in Pittsburgh and throughout Pennsylvania.

This is ridiculous, said one elementary teacher. They say they care about the students, but our classes are overcrowded. We dont have the teaching support and many art and music programs are still cut.

We were told to vote for [Pennsylvania Governor Tom] Wolf, but we still dont have the money we need. They can give all these tax cuts for the rich, but we need money for the students.

Pittsburgh schools are functioning at only 88 percent of the state funding level they received before draconian cuts were made on the state level to funding public education in 2011. There are 24,000 students in the Pittsburgh district; 65 percent are considered economically disadvantaged.

In 2011, then-governor Republican Tom Corbett carried out a massive $1 billion cut in funding for public K-12 education and $500 million from higher education. The K-12 cuts forced school districts across the state to eliminate classes, programs and schools. Thousands of teachers were laid off.

Philadelphia, the states largest and most impoverished school district, was cut by nearly $500 per student. Pittsburgh, the states second largest school district, had its funding cut by over $380 per student.

These cuts were pushed by the politicians as necessary as the result of the economic crisis caused by the Wall Street bankers.

The current governor, Democrat Tom Wolf, with the strong backing of both the American Federation of Teachers-Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania State Education Association, won the election in 2014 with the promise to restore the cuts to public education made by his predecessors.

However, since taking office Wolf has only partially restored the cuts and Pittsburgh is still $88 million a year below 2010 state funding levels.

Three days ago, the Wolf administration announced his new budget proposal for 2018-19 that continues the inadequate funding for public education. The budget would increase public education funding by only $100 million, bringing state support to just above the 2010 levels for the first time. However, even this inadequate increase may be offset by the ending of a $250 million block grant to local school districts. While the Wolf budget includes the block grant, it is very likely that both it and $100 million increase will be eliminated during negotiations over the next few months.

Both the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers and the Pennsylvania State Education Association continue to support Wolf.

Pittsburgh Mayor, Democrat William Peduto, who has no direct role in the negotiations, has issued a statement calling upon the school superintendent to negotiate with the teachers and allow him and the Allegheny County Executive to act as mediators. While posing as a friend of the teachers, the Peduto administration has in fact given massive tax breaks to property developers within the city, which have added to the deficits of both the city government and the school board.

If a strike is called the union must give the school board a 48-hour notice and it will be limited to only a few days. State law requires that any strike by school employees cannot prevent students from receiving 180 days of classes by June. Neither the AFT-Pennsylvania nor the PSEA have challenged the law. The union represents 2,400 teachers, 565 paraprofessionals and 20 technical-clerical employees.

Meanwhile, the Greencastle-Antrim Education Association has set an April 4 strike date, after nearly a year of failed negotiations. The union, representing 180 teachers in the south-central part of Pennsylvania, set a date nearly two months in the future in the hopes of avoiding any action. Meanwhile, teachers have been working on a contract extension since September, as both mediation and a fact-finding report have not led to a settlement. Both teacher salaries and proposed cuts in health care benefits are at issue. The local school board also blamed the state budget cuts for putting the schools in an untenable position.
The pillaging and plundering of Puerto Rico reached new heights this week as Governor Ricardo Rossello addressed the US territory Monday to formally announce his intention to dismantle and privatize the public education system on the island.

Rossellos live televised announcement outlined a full-scale assault on teachers, students and the right to free quality public education. Included in his broad education reform bill is the introduction of charter schools, a voucher system, decentralizing the administrative system, massive school closures, and teacher layoffs.

Rossellos announcement is only the most recent inflection point in a decades-long battle over public education on the island which has been greatly accelerated since Hurricane Maria. Despite significant resistance from the working class, youth and students, preparations for Rossellos coming education transformation have steadily advanced over the last decade.

Privatizing Puerto Ricos public education system has been a long sought after goal of the local ruling class, going back as far as Rossellos father in the 1990s. The Puerto Rico Supreme Court struck down a similar voucher program proposed by his father in 1994, saying the islands constitution prohibited using public money to fund privately run schools. How the new plan somehow circumvents this law has not been made clear. Given the steady decades-long decay of democratic forms of rule on the local and federal levels, and the institution of the Obama-era Financial Oversight Board, it can be assumed that the ruling class will have no trouble removing all legal barriers that may prevent the plans from moving forward.

Using a strategy very similar to that employed against the islands electric company, PREPA, the ruling class has starved the public school system of resources and funding with the aim of driving it into a state of such disrepair that massive school closures and privatization efforts could appear justified.

This deliberate destruction of schools has had devastating consequences on an entire generation of youth in Puerto Rico. Between 2008 and 2012, Puerto Rican K-12 schools lost 45,000 students and 5,000 teachers. The dropout rate exploded over this period, with 60 percent of 10th graders failing to graduate high school. Between 2010 and 2015, 100 public schools were shut down.

When Maria hit the island in September it was seen by the local and federal ruling class, backed by various corporate and financial interests, as a golden opportunity to push through these long sought after plans. The education secretary, Julia Keleher, was calling New Orleans school reform efforts a point of reference just one month after Maria made landfall, tweeting in October that Puerto Ricans should not underestimate the damage or the opportunity to create new, better schools and that the aftermath of Maria provides a real opportunity to press the reset button. Keleher is an expert in such endeavors, having been involved through her firm Keleher and Associates in countless attacks on public education, including in the Detroit Education Achievement Authority.

In the months following the storm, hundreds of schools were deemed unfit to reopen without ever being visited by an inspector. Teachers, students and residents accused the department of education and the local government of using the claim of hurricane damage to close the schools previously targeted. To undermine this pretext for school closures, teachers, students and residents throughout the island have worked tirelessly to clean up debris and repair damage to their schools themselves. In a brave act of defiance, many have even reopened their schools and continue to operate without official authorization. However, the teachers resistance has not yet been able to curb the onslaught of attacks.

Just weeks before the governors announcement, Keleher made known her own plans to decentralize Puerto Ricos education department and introduce autonomous schools. Across the board in the US the move towards autonomy, or local control, has meant bringing unions and local businessmen on board the national privatization program and providing them a lucrative niche in the billion-dollar education industry.

The governor reinforced this idea in Mondays speech, saying that the education reform promotes the creation of local educational agencies (LEAs), which are structures with fiscal and administrative autonomy. According to Rossello, this will result in reducing bureaucracy and increasing accountability.

In reality this means that whatever charter organization, non-profit or other education entity that controls the area will have virtually free rein over every aspect of how the schools are run. In New Orleans, LEAs were given control of school programing, curriculum, instruction, materials and texts, yearly school calendars and daily schedules, hiring and firing of personnel, employee performance management and evaluation, terms and conditions of employment, teacher or administrator certification, salaries and benefits, retirement, collective bargaining, budgeting, purchasing, procurement, and contracting for services other than capital repairs and facilities construction, all with little or no oversight.

Many of the criminals responsible for the destruction of public education across the US over the past two decades have their hand in the Puerto Rico crisis. Jeanne Allen, founder and CEO of the Center For Education Reform, who was a major player in the New Orleans school reform efforts, casually announced in November that charter operators across the country and virtual education providers should be thinking about how they can get involved in Puerto Ricos post-Maria landscape. Keleher gave a glimpse into what type of organizations had been listening to Allens November invitation when she announced after the governors proposal that the new plan would allow universities or nonprofits like the Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) to open campuses on the island.

The Knowledge is Power Program is notorious for its practices in inner-city districts. One study released by Western Michigan University in 2014 found that 15 percent of all KIPP students simply disappear from grading rolls each year, with over 40 percent of African-American students in grades 6-8 simply vanishing. After this attrition occurs, students are returned to so-called failing public schools, with KIPP pocketing the remaining per-pupil funds given by the government. Despite this revelation and many others, KIPP went on to win a grant from the Obama administrations Race to the Top program.

Within the litany of attacks laid out in Rossellos Monday appearance, the most contemptuous was the attempt to bribe teachers support with a pathetic $1,500 annual salary bump. The money to pay this bribe would come from laying off hundreds of teachers and closing 300 schools. Teachers in the US territory make an average of $27,000 a year and have not received a raise in 10 years.

The reality of Rossellos agenda will be the ultimate elimination of elected school boards, no transparency in terms of how money is spent, no public meetings on how the schools should be run and, above all, that public funding will be transformed into private profit. The experience in Detroit, New Orleans and Philadelphia should stand as a stark warning to the working class of Puerto Rico as to what is in store if working class opposition is not mobilized against Rossellos plan.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), in a report discussed with the press on Wednesday, concluded that a lack of signal protection and undiagnosed sleep apnea contributed to both a New Jersey Transit train crash at Hoboken Terminal on September 29, 2016 that killed one person and injured more than a hundred passengers, and a Long Island Rail Road crash at the Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn, New York on January 4, 2017 that injured more than a hundred people.

In both accidents, the train engineers accelerated instead of stopping their trains, which resulted in a collision with bumping blocks at the end of the tracks.

In the Hoboken Terminal incident, the train went through the end of the track pillar, and then collided with a wall resulting in the death of a person standing on the platform, the injury of 114 passengers and $6 million in damages.

The Brooklyn crash resulted from the train moving at 13 miles per hour (mph), more than twice the speed limit of 5 mph, injuring 108 people and causing $5. 3 million in damages.

After the Hoboken crash, the NJ Transit engineer, Thomas Gallagher was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, and the investigating agency maintained this condition most likely caused him to be fatigued, resulting in his losing proper control of the train.

The agency also maintained that the LIRR train engineer, Michael Bakalo, fell asleep due to chronic fatigue also resulting from sleep apnea.

The NTSB complained that the LIRR had done nothing to reduce the risks of such end of the terminal accidents despite the fact that there had been four of them since 2007.

NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt also complained that last August, as part of the Trumps administrations drive to reduce regulations, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) aborted its plans to require all railroads to screen train engineers for sleep apnea.

Im very disappointed that the FRA pulled back rulemaking, Sumwalt said.

As a result of the two train accidents, both NJ Transit and the LIRR now require two employees to be in the operating cab when a train enters the final track of the terminal. However, one of the investigators, Ted Turpin, explained that there was there no evidence to support the idea this would make the trains any safer. We have accidents with two people in the cab all the time, he said.

Indeed, the NTSB had just conducted an investigation the previous Sunday of a crash caused by a switch aligned in the wrong direction that caused a train to go right into a standing freight train, killing the operating engineer and a conductor who both were in the front of the moving train.

Since the crash, both railroads have begun screening engineers for sleep apnea. However, this does nothing to solve the problem of the lack of signal protection designed to prevent such accidents. There can be many reasons why a train operator could exceed the designated speed limit other than sleep apnea, such as being distracted by something external to or inside the train, suddenly getting sick, or even collapsing on the controls.

Also, there can be problems with the tracks or the trains that have nothing to do with the condition of the operating engineer.

Recognizing the importance of the signal system, the NTSB has been demanding since 1990 that railroads install Positive Train Control (PTC) technology that slows and stop trains travelling over the allowable speed limit for any given track.

The agency found, for example, that it was the lack of PTC that lead to the May 2015 crash of an Amtrak train near Philadelphia.

The system should already have been installed under a federal law passed in 2008, but at the demand of the railroad industry Congress gave railroads an extension until December 31, 2018. However, that is not a hard deadline. If they show progress, railroads can apply for another two-year extension.

NJ Transit faces a December 31 deadline to install a $320 million PTC system, but the FRA has reported little progress. Just six percent of locomotives had PTC and just 19 percent of the required radio towers have been installed. Only 12 percent of the employees have been trained.

While nationwide only 59 percent of all freight tracks and 68 percent of all freight locomotives have PTC, the numbers are even worse for passenger tracks, which have only 25 percent PTC installed. Fifty percent of passenger locomotives have PTC.

The railroad industry has complained that installing the system is complex and the cost will exceed $13 billion for this year alone. However, this number pales in comparison to the $160 billion boost in military spending contained in the new federal budget enacted by the US Congress. Obviously when it comes to mass destruction cost is no object; however, when it comes to basic safety measures the Democrats and Republicans claim, there is no money.

In an expression of the irrationality of capitalism, according to a 2004 FRA study, PTC could make it possible for the railroad companies to run their systems more efficiently, allowing trains to operate closer together, thus reducing total arrival times. This could actually save railroads from $900 million to $2.1 billion a year.

It has been claimed that PTC probably would not have had any effect in preventing the terminal crashes because of the already reduced train speeds, the complex switching routes and the limits of the GPS technology on which PTC relies. As a result, both the Brooklyn and Hoboken terminals are exempt from the PTC requirements.

However, the safety board noted that the lack of either a device or a safety system that could have intervened to stop the train before the collision was a factor in both crashes, and recommended that some such technology be installed. The technology exists, including wayside signals that have been in use in the subways for many decades.

The purpose of signals is to prevent deaths, injuries and infrastructure damage, irrespective of the condition of the train operator at any given moment. The fact that such technology is readily available and has not been installed is criminal.
Multiple reports indicate that Russian military contractors were among the dead in air and artillery strikes launched Wednesday by the US military in the northeastern Syrian province of Deir Ezzor against forces loyal to the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

The Pentagon unleashed devastating firepower against the pro-government fighters on the pretext that they were mounting an attack against a headquarters of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the US proxy ground force that is dominated by the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia. US special forces troops directing the activities of the Kurdish proxies were stationed at the headquarters in the zone of influence carved out by the US intervention in Deir Ezzor, northeast of the Euphrates River.

Bombs and missiles were rained down upon the force, which reportedly included between 300 and 500 infantry, backed by tanks and artillery. US F15 fighter jets, Apache helicopters, AC-130 gunships and unmanned drones were all called in to attack the force, along with US artillery units.

According to Pentagon sources, 100 of the Syrian fighters were killed in the barrage. The Syrian government reported dozens killed in what it described as an unprovoked massacre and a war crime.

Irans Tasnim news agency quoted Syrian sources as reporting that several Russian military advisors were killed in the attack, which took place in the Khasham gas field in Eastern Deir Ezzor.

In the Washington Post, the newspapers columnist David Ignatius, who is well-connected to the US military and intelligence apparatus and is currently reporting from US-occupied areas in Syria, quoted a Kurdish militia commander working with the US special forces. The Kurdish commander, identified as General Hassan, told Ignatius that the casualties included some Russians, apparently from the mercenaries fighting alongside pro-regime forces.

CNN, meanwhile, quoted Pentagon officials as saying that they were investigating reports of Russian casualties in the US strikes.

Moscow has insisted that it had no uniformed military personnel in the area, but Russian private military contractors have provided significant forces in support of the Assad government.

The attack, comes barely half a week after last Saturdays shootdown of a Russian Su-25 fighter jet over Idlib province. The plane was brought down by a shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missile, or MANPAD, most likely supplied by the CIA or Turkey to the so-called rebels dominated by Al Qaeda. A funeral for the pilot, Maj. Roman Filippov, who managed to eject but was killed on the ground fighting elements of the Al Nusra Front, was held in the southwestern Russian city of Voronezh Thursday, drawing some 30,000 people.

The two incidents have raised tensions in Syria between the two major nuclear powers to an unprecedented level.

The pretext for the illegal US military intervention in the countrythe so-called war against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)has evaporated, and its real motives emerged ever more openly. These include Syrian regime change, sought initially through the support of the CIA and the Pentagon for Al Qaeda-linked Islamist militias against the Assad government, and, more broadly combatting Iranian and Russian influence and continuing the bloody decades-old campaign for US hegemony over the oil rich Middle East.

The US defense secretary, recently retired Marine Gen. James Mattis, gave a press conference Thursday insisting that the US massacre of pro-government forces in Deir Ezzor was an act of self-defense, a claim belied by the fact that the US and its Kurdish proxies suffered not one fatality in the incident and reported a single YPG militia member wounded.

Obviously, we are not getting engaged in the Syrian civil war, Mattis said, describing Wednesdays massacre as a perplexing situation and insisting he could not give any explanation for why the battle had erupted.

The immediate explanation, however, is made obvious by the location of the attack. The pro-government forces were moving into gas and oil fields that had previously been controlled by ISIS and fell under the sway of the American proxies of the Syrian Democratic Forces. As an SDF commander told the Wall Street Journal last September, after the fields were taken, Our goal is to prevent the regime from taking the areas of oil which will enable it to regain control of the country like it was before. In this case, the word our refers to both Washington and its proxies.

US officials, most prominently Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, have made it clear that the US military force, officially consisting of some 2,000 special forces troops, will remain in Syria after the defeat of ISIS with the aim of toppling Assad and imposing a US puppet regime. To that end, Washington is determined to continue its carve-up of Syrian territory and to deny Damascus strategically vital energy resources in Deir Ezzor that are needed to fuel the countrys reconstruction. This is why the attack was unleashed Wednesday.

The US announcement of an indefinite military occupation in Syria, along with its plans for deploying a 30,000-strong border security force consisting in large part of the Kurdish YPG militia, is the principal driving force of the renewed escalation of violence in the country.

The Turkish military has resumed its airstrikes against the northwestern Syrian enclave of Afrin following a four-day hiatus imposed by Russia after the shootdown of the Russian fighter jet. It seems likely that Moscow, which exercises effective control over airspace in the region, gave the go-ahead to Ankara as a means of ratcheting up tensions between the US and Turkey.

Mattis, Tillerson and national security advisor H.R. McMaster are now all scheduled to arrive in Turkey next week for urgent talks with the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan, who has denounced the US plans as tantamount to creating a de facto Kurdish state on Turkeys border, has vowed to extend the Turkish offensive eastward into the town of Manbij, which is currently occupied by the YPG along with its US special forces handlers. This raises the prospect of an armed confrontation between the two ostensible NATO allies.

The British Independents veteran Middle East correspondent Patrick Cockburn, citing sources in the region, reported this week that militia forces that are fighting alongside the Turkish army in the offensive in Afrin have been drawn almost exclusively from former ISIS fighters, who have been rebranded as the Free Syrian Army.

Washington, undoubtedly aware of this fact, has made no move to interfere with the Turkish operation in Afrin, so long as it does not continue eastward into US-occupied territory. There is ample evidence that the Pentagon has made its own use of the former ISIS fighters, thousands of whom were evacuatedalong with their arms and ammunitionfrom Raqqa and other cities besieged by the US and its proxies, in order to redeploy them against Syrian government forces.

Both Washington and the French government of President Emmanuel Macron have issued protests and threats over civilian casualties caused by Syrian government and Russian airstrikes against areas of Idlib province and Eastern Ghouta, outside of Damascus, that are controlled by Al Qaeda-linked militias. Dutifully echoed by the corporate media, these protests are utterly hypocritical, given the slaughter of tens of thousands carried out by the US itself in cites of Raqqa in Syria and Mosul in Iraq.

Unsubstantiated claims from Washington and Paris that the Syrian government, with Russian support, has carried out attacks using chlorine against the civilian population are being used to create conditions for a fresh military intervention against the Syrian government.

Frances Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly declared in an interview with the French broadcaster Inter on Friday that Paris had potential evidence of the use of chlorine by Damascus, but no definite proof.

This virtually echoes the statement made by US Defense Secretary Mattis, who threatened US military retaliation over unverified claims of chemical attacks, while acknowledging we do not have evidence of it, but we are not refuting them.

On Friday, the New York Times prominently carried an article by veteran propagandist Anne Barnard, depicting harrowing accounts of alleged atrocities by the Syrian and Russian militaries, beginning with the line, Half a dozen newborns, blinking and arching their backs, were carried from a burning hospital hit by airstrikes

Reflecting pressure within the US ruling establishment for a more aggressive US intervention against Syriaas well as Iran and Russiathe Wall Street Journal published an editorial Friday, criticizing the Trump administration for having turned, almost Obama-like, to pleading with Russia to make Assad stop his latest assaults. It insisted that it was impossible to negotiate with Moscow, which wants to keep Assad in power, maintain bases in Syria from which to threaten NATO, and thwart US goals in the Middle East.

Insisting that Damascus has violated Washingtons red line, it called upon the administration to send another message to Syria, like the firing of the 59 cruise missiles against the country last April.
VIGO COUNTY, Ind. (WTHI) - Local students are preparing for careers in health fields.

Ivy Tech Community College hosted the Future Health Professionals mock competition. It's part of the Health Occupations Students of America or HOSA group.

100 high school students practiced testing for health and medical skills. There were also interview and presentation sessions.

We talked to one student who is in her second year with the program.

I would like to major in health sciences with a concentration in public health, I would've never even imagined or experience public health without HOSA, explained Olivia Dillion, senior at Terre Haute South. After doing my past public health project for HOSA on the Zika virus, I realized I truly love it. I want to go on to be a physicians assistant.

Fridays event was in preparation for a state competition in April.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - It was a packed house on FAMU's campus Friday as students, faculty, and community members came out for their for the culture address on the state of black America.

The State of Black America address replaced the school's usual Black History Month Convocation. This new avenue allowed more participant inclusion in the dialogue and even allowed the university to see firsthand the issues most important to their students.

"I think it's really good," said Sierra Johnson, a FAMU student. "It's talking about relevancy of HBCU's, of black history month, and the purpose of them and why they're needed in our communities."

The four person panel engaged with the audience on issues such as the meaning of black history month, the future of HBCU's, and the meaning of black culture.
ATLANTA, Ga. (WTXL) - State leaders are working to combat the issue of youth suicide.

Governor Nathan Deal attended a conference Friday in Atlanta about how those struggling can seek help.

State agencies and private organizations produced a public service announcement on suicide prevention. The psa they created features peer groups and lets the youth know they are not alone.

An alarming number of around 150 young suicide deaths have occurred in Georgia in the last 3 years.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A legislative meeting was held Friday morning at the Leon County Commission Chambers.

It's held every year to engage the the community to share legislative priorities.

Florida State is wanting to enhance salaries for the college of engineering by $6 million. FSU was one of many in attendance.

This is the 7th year the meetings have been held.
CHEYENNE  In a prepared statement released late Friday afternoon, Wyoming Secretary of State Ed Murray announced his resignation effective immediately.

CHEYENNE  In a prepared statement released late Friday afternoon, Wyoming Secretary of State Ed Murray announced his resignation effective immediately.

According to his statement, Murray said, "After deep and profound contemplation I am announcing my resignation as Secretary of State, effective [Friday]. I step aside with peace and serenity in order that I may fully focus on what is most imp...
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 02:37:01|Editor: Zhou Xin

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Israeli forces clash with Palestinian protesters following a protest in Bita village near the West Bank city of Nablus, on Feb. 9, 2018. Dozens of Palestinians were injured during clashes with Israeli forces on Friday in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. (Xinhua/Nidal Eshtayeh)

RAMALLAH/GAZA, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Dozens of Palestinians were injured during clashes with Israeli soldiers on Friday in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.

Clashes broke out after Friday prayers in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, where the Palestinian youths threw stones at the Israeli soldiers, who fired back with tear gas, rubber bullets and live ammunition.

Ashraf al-Qedra, the spokesman of the health ministry in the Gaza Strip, told reporters that 27 Palestinians were injured, four of them in critical condition.

Similar confrontations took place in various West Bank areas, mainly the east of the city of Ramallah, near the northern city of Nablus and the outskirts of the southern city of Hebron.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said in an emailed report that 11 Palestinians were injured by live ammunition and around 40 injured by rubber bullets and tear gas.
MEXICO CITY, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Federal forces have captured the head of the notoriously violent Los Zetas cartel, Mexico's national security commissioner Renato Sales said on Friday.

Marines arrested Jose Maria Guizar, alias "Z-43," on Thursday afternoon in Mexico City's trendy Colonia Roma, a centric neighborhood bustling with sidewalk bistros and chic boutiques.

Guizar, who has dual Mexican-American citizenship, was on the list of Mexico's 122 most-wanted criminals, Sales told reporters at a press conference.

"He is suspected of being responsible for the trafficking of drugs from South America to the United States and of being one of the leading instigators of violence in the country's southeastern states," said Sales.

Though it is one of Mexico's newer cartels, the Zetas quickly established a reputation for being one of its most barbaric.

Zetas members were mostly recruited from the ranks of military deserters in the late 1990s to serve as the armed wing of the Gulf Cartel, but they broke off to form their own criminal ring in 2010.

Since 2003, Guizar has led the cartel's operations from the small town of Palenque, in southern Chiapas state, which borders on Guatemala, said the official.

With the cartel's control of the southeast consolidated, in 2013 he "expanded his operations to central Mexico, mainly the state of Puebla," said Sales.

Guizar began his life of crime in 1988 in central Michoacan state, before moving to north Mexico's Tamaulipas state in 2001.

According to Sales, he is also wanted in the United States, which offered 5 million U.S. dollars for his capture.

Sales said no shots were fired in the arrest, which was the result of an investigative effort.
LONDON, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Britain's chief Brexit negotiator David Davis responded Friday after the European Union (EU)'s Michael Barnier warned of talks over a future trade deal failing, with the prospect of customs border posts built between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland.

Barnier, in Brussels, outlined his views of talks in London this week over a deal between the two when Britain leaves the EU in March 2019. His comments prompted a harsh reply in London from the Brexit Secretary Davis.

The Guardian newspaper described the day's events as a war of words between the two over Brexit transition claims. The rival Independent, in its take on a day of cross-channel disagreements, said relations between Britain and the EU had sunk to a new low as Davis and Barnier traded barbs.

Financial commentators reported that sterling dived after Barnier's comments, with the currency closing to 0.8 percent down against the U.S. dollar on Friday afternoon.

Keir Starmer, shadow Brexit secretary for the main opposition Labour Party at Westminster, described Barnier's comments as a wake-up call for Prime Minister Theresa May.

Starmer said: "It's vital the government secures sensible transitional arrangements to prevent a cliff-edge for our economy. Yet with just a few weeks until the March deadline, it's clear the government is no closer to reaching an agreement.

"Businesses and trade unions have been crystal clear that failure to secure strong transitional arrangements will mean companies pulling investment and staff out of the UK."

BARNIER: TRANSITION PERIOD "NOT A GIVEN"

The British government wants to negotiate a transition period of around two years to enable trade with the EU to continue after the two sides part company next year.

Labour's Starmer wants Britain to remain in a customs union with the EU and within the single market during a transition period.

In his media briefing in Brussels Friday, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator Barnier warned that a transition period is "not a given", saying substantial disagreements remained. Barnier also said he had some problems understanding Britain's position.

Barnier said talks over a UK-EU transition period could fail after exposing deep divisions over freedom of movement of EU citizens.

He said: "If these disagreements persist, the transition is not a given. Time is short, very short. We haven't a minute to lose if we want to succeed."

Barnier also said Britain's decision to leave the European single market and the European customs union would make border checks unavoidable between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

DAVIS: "FUNDAMENTAL CONTRADICTION" IN EU'S APPROACH

Davis hit back saying: "Given the intense work that has taken place this week it is surprising to hear that Michel Barnier is unclear on the UK's position in relation to the implementation (transition) period. We are seeking a time-limited period that maintains access to each other's markets on existing terms."

Davis added: "There is a fundamental contradiction in the approach the commission is taking. Today they acknowledged that a way to resolve disputes and infringements is needed. Yet at the same time they dismissed the UK's push for reasonable safeguards to ensure our interests are protected. It is not possible to have it both ways."

Both sides say they want to agree the transition period before the European Council meeting in March, giving them just under two months to make a deal on the issue.

The Daily Telegraph commented that Barnier's comments will spook British and foreign businesses, which have demanded certainty over the status of Britain after the March 2019 deadline.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 08:03:22|Editor: pengying

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WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi met U.S. President Donald Trump here on Friday, urging the two nations to enhance coordination on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

He also said the two sides should manage and control their disputes and sensitive issues properly, and implement the consensus of Trump's meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, in the U.S. leader's China visit in November.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 08:08:23|Editor: pengying

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WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi met here Friday with U.S. National Security Adviser H. R. McMaster and senior White House adviser Jared Kushner.

Yang and the two White House senior officials exchanged views on promoting China-U.S. cooperation on bilateral, regional and international issues.
MEXICO CITY, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Mexico plans to set up three fish farms in a bid to save the endangered vaquita porpoise from extinction, the government said on Friday.

Only around 30 vaquitas are left in Mexico's Gulf of California, where illegal fishing for totoaba, a marine species that is also endangered, has decimated their population, said experts.

"We will not let our guard down in saving the vaquita," Environment Minister Rafael Pacchiano said in a statement.

The three proposed totoaba farms are part of a larger strategy to bring the vaquita back from the brink of extinction, the ministry said.

Vaquitas are accidentally caught in fishing nets designed to capture totoaba, whose bladder, believed to have aphrodisiac properties, can sell for up to 60,000 U.S. dollars per kilo on the black market, according to the government.

The farms aim to curb illegal fishing while still allowing local communities to make sustainable use of the natural resource.

The government also plans to extend the vaquita's protected area, where fishing and sailing are banned, by another 750 square kilometers, and step up surveillance and patrols of the area with the help of the marines.

In addition, it will extend compensation payments to fishermen who use methods to protect the vaquita, the ministry said.

An earlier attempt in October to catch vaquitas to breed in a designated refuge was abandoned after two of the species caught died in captivity.

The plight of the vaquita gained global attention in June, when actor and environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio met with Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto to campaign for stronger protection measures.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 08:18:26|Editor: pengying

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BEIJING, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- China has launched a nationwide campaign against personal information trafficking as part of efforts to create a clean online environment, according to the Ministry of Public Security.

The campaign, which will run until the end of this year, is aimed at locating criminal gangs and staff at public institutions involved in the trafficking of personal information, the ministry said in a statement.

The campaign will focus on hacking activities and illegal acts at the source, it said.

Those who provide promotion and money-transfer services for suspects of online crime will also be a priority in the campaign, according to the statement.

Suspects of online crime often use illegally-obtained personal information to defraud the public and make money.
ISLAMABAD, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Senior Pakistani and Afghan officials opened two-day talks in Islamabad on Friday to explore ways for enhancing cooperation in different areas, focusing on anti-terror cooperation, officials and diplomats said.

Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai is leading a high level delegation in the talks, which is the second round of joint working groups in a week.

The first round was held in Kabul on Feb. 3 despite tensions in the wake of the deadliest Taliban-claimed attacks in Kabul on Jan. 20 and Jan. 27, which had killed nearly 125 people and injured over 250.

Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua led a high level Pakistani delegation of senior civilian and military officials in the Friday's session, a foreign ministry official said.

The discussion is taking place under the Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS) - a joint action plan for cooperation in the key areas of counter-terrorism and reduction of violence, peace and reconciliation, refugees' repatriation and joint economic development.

The talks, which started at the Foreign Ministry in the afternoon, will also continue on Saturday. A joint statement will be issued at the conclusion of the talks.

As a goodwill gesture, Pakistan had offered joint investigation into the Kabul's attacks that Kabul had blamed on the Haqqani Network.

Afghan Interior Minister Wais Ahmad Barmak and intelligence chief Masoom Stanekzai, who had visited Islamabad on Jan. 31, had stated they had "shared information" with the Pakistani officials about the Kabul attacks.

Afghan embassy sources say the Afghan side will like to listen to Pakistani side about the offer to cooperate in the investigation into the Kabul's attacks.
ISLAMABAD, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Army Chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa has confirmed death sentences awarded to seven hardcore terrorists for their involvement in heinous offences related to terrorism, the military said.

An army statement on Friday said the convicts were involved in killing of innocent civilians, attacking Law Enforcement Agencies and Armed Forces of Pakistan.

"On the whole, they were involved in killing of 85 persons and injuring 109 others," a statement from the army's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations said.

Arms and explosives were also recovered from the possession of the terrorists, who were members of proscribed organizations.

These convicts, who admitted their offences before the Magistrate and the trial court, were tried by military courts.

Besides death penalty, five convicts were awarded imprisonment of various duration, the statement said.

The army courts were set up after the terrorist attack on an army school in December 2014 for the speedy trial of the terrorism-related accused.
TRIPOLI, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) Friday condemned the bombing of a mosque in Libya's eastern city of Benghazi, which killed two people and injured 143 others, children included.

"UNSMIL strongly condemns the brutal bombings in alMajouri Benghazi, the second in Benghazi around a place of worship in less than a month. Reports of civilian casualties are deeply concerning," UNSMIL said in a statement.

"Direct or indiscriminate attacks against civilians are prohibited under international humanitarian law and constitute war crimes," the mission added, calling for "prompt, impartial investigations to bring perpetrators to justice."

The UN-backed government in Tripoli also condemned the bombing, advocating "joint efforts to fight terrorism and those who threaten the safety and security of the country, and bring them to justice."

Libya has been plagued by unrest and political division since the uprising that toppled its former leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011.

The city of Benghazi, controlled by terrorist groups until 2017, has been witnessing an escalation of bombings, particularly on mosques. Twin car bomb attacks hit a mosque in Benghazi's Salmani district two weeks ago, killing 34 people and injuring more than 100 others.
ISLAMABAD, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani export surged by 11.11 percent during first seven months of the current fiscal year ranging from July 2017 to June 2018 as compared to exports during the same period of the preceding year, according to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.

The country's exports rose to 12.966 billion U.S. dollars during July 2017 to January 2018 against the exports worth of 11.67 billion U.S. dollars during the same period of the fiscal year 2016-17, according to trade data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics on Friday.

While on the year-on-year basis, Pakistan's exports rose to 1.971 billion U.S. dollars in January 2018 against 1.775 billion U.S. dollars in January 2017 thus registering an increase of 11.04 percent.

However, on monthly basis, the country's exports decreased by 0.3 percent during the month of January 2018 against the same period last years.

The country's imports increased by 14.2 percent in January 2018, thus further expanding the trade deficit to 23.97 percent.

On the other hand, the imports into the country also witnessed an increase of 18.92 percent as it jumped to 34.512 billion U.S. dollars during July 2017 to January 2018 from 29.021 billion U.S. dollars in the same period of previous year.

During the first seven months of the fiscal year, the trade deficit expanded by 24.18 percent to 21.546 billion U.S. dollars as compared to the deficit of 17.351 billion U.S. dollars in the corresponding period of last year.

According to the data, increase in imports was mainly due to the import of heavy machinery and other raw material for industrial and energy sector projects, which are likely to have a long-term positive impact on national economy.
ISLAMABAD, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan and Jordan on Friday agreed to hold negotiations to enhance trade ties next month during meeting of Pakistan-Jordan Joint Ministerial Commission.

The understanding was reached during meeting of the visiting King Abdullah II with President Mamnoon Hussain in Islamabad. Talking on the occasion, Abdullah II said that concrete proposals about trade enhancement with Pakistan would come under discussion next month.

Mamnoon Hussain said that the current bilateral trade failed to present the true reflection of Pakistan-Jordan bilateral ties. He proposed regular exchange of trade delegation between the two countries.

The Jordanian King was in Pakistan on a two-day visit to Pakistan, which concluded Friday.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 09:28:42|Editor: pengying

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WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that U.S.-China relations are very important, and that the United States is willing to strengthen cooperation with China to promote bilateral ties.

Trump made the remarks during his meeting with visiting Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi in the Oval Office of the White House.

Saying his state visit to China last November was a big success, Trump agreed that the two sides should fully implement the consensus reached by Chinese President Xi Jinping and himself during their meeting in Beijing.

Yang, who was on a two-day visit to Washington, also met U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Thursday.

After a year of steady development in China-U.S. ties, boosted by successful face-to-face meetings and frequent phone conversations between Xi and Trump, bilateral relations have been facing several challenges since the end of 2017 after some worrisome moves on Washington's part.
Terror attack on Indian army camp, one dead Source: Xinhua 2018-02-10 09:58:47 NEW DELHI, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Terrorists attacked on an army camp in Jammu's Sunjawan, at least one dead, one defence personnel injured, according to local TV reported. Editor: Zhou Xin
DPRK delegates arrive at S.Korean Blue House to meet President Moon Source: Xinhua 2018-02-10 10:03:49 SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- High-ranking delegates from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) arrived at the South Korean Blue House Saturday to have a meeting and lunch with President Moon Jae-in, local TV footage showed. Editor: Zhou Xin
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 11:08:58|Editor: pengying

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WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi met U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House's Oval Office on Friday, urging the two nations to enhance coordination and cooperation on international issues.

Sending Trump the sincere regards of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Yang said the two nations should manage and control their disputes and sensitive issues properly, and implement the consensus reached by Trump and Xi during their meeting last November in Beijing.

The two presidents agreed in their Beijing meeting that China and the United States have wide-ranging common interests and the significant responsibilities of securing world peace, prosperity and stability, Yang said.

He further said the situation of China-U.S. ties has global relevance, and promoting the bilateral relationship is not only in line with the fundamental interests of the two peoples, but also meets the common aspirations of international society.

Yang said Xi and Trump have mapped out the future direction of bilateral efforts in their close contacts via telephone calls and letters, in which the two top leaders said they wanted to accelerate bilateral cooperation in multiple areas.

He added that the two sides are expected to maintain close communication at all levels, host the second round of the four high-level dialogue channels on the fronts of diplomacy and security, law enforcement and cyber security, social and cultural issues as well as economy.

The senior Chinese official also urged the two nations to expand their cooperation in economy and trade, military, law enforcement, drug control and people-to-people exchanges, among other areas.

Yang also met U.S. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster and senior White House adviser Jared Kushner to exchange ideas on promoting China-U.S. cooperation on bilateral, regional and international issues.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday blocked for now the release of a Democrat-drafted classified rebuttal memo to the previous Republican document alleging FBI and Justice Department surveillance abuses in the Russia probe.

Accompanied by a letter from the White House, the Democrat-drafted memo was sent back to the House Intelligence Committee for changes.

In the letter, White House Counsel Donald McGahn said, "Although the President is inclined to declassify the February 5th Memorandum, because the Memorandum contains numerous properly classified and especially sensitive passages, he is unable to do so at this time."

The House panel voted unanimously on Monday to release the 10-page Democrat-drafted memo, which is expected to lay out a point-by-point rebuttal of the assertions in the previous Republican-drafted one.

According to the Republican-drafted memo, which Trump approved for release last week, a number of top U.S. law enforcement leaders abused their power by inappropriately obtaining a surveillance warrant on Carter Page, a foreign policy adviser to the Trump presidential campaign until September 2016.

Democratic lawmakers have called the memo misleading and part of an effort to undermine Special Counsel Robert Mueller's ongoing probe.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which objects to the release of the Republican-drafted memo, said in a statement last week that it has "grave concerns about material omissions of fact that fundamentally impact the memo's accuracy."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 11:22:27|Editor: pengying

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People shop for plants to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year at a supermarket in Vancouver, Canada, Feb. 9, 2018. Festival atmosphere is flooded in communities as the Chinese Lunar New Year is coming. Chinese Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, falls on Feb. 16 this year. (Xinhua/Liang Sen)
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 11:29:00|Editor: pengying

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BEIJING, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The number of gun crimes in China dropped 81.3 percent from 311 in 2012 to 58 in 2017, the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) has said.

Explosion offences also saw a significant decrease over the past five years, with 58 reported last year compared to 161 in 2012, the ministry said Thursday.

Police across the country have been taking strong action against gun and explosive crimes, and have focused on cracking down on domestic manufacture and trafficking, cross-border smuggling and online sales of guns and explosives, according to Li Jingsheng, an official with the ministry.

The MPS on Wednesday announced that a two-year campaign was staged, targeting the manufacture and sale of guns and explosives in China and the smuggling of related goods from other countries, said Minister of Public Security Zhao Kezhi.

Chinese police will intensify checks along borders and at ports, especially targeting people and goods entering China from major source countries and regions, Li said, adding international cooperation on law enforcement will be strengthened to check guns and explosive offences.

As internet serves as a major channel of gun and explosive offences, online illegal information will be cleaned up timely, illegal deals and clues checked, and websites, microblogs and online instant message groups carrying illicit information punished, he said.

Moreover, Chinese police will carry out rounds of checks to confiscate illegal guns and explosives hidden anywhere in the country, Li added.

Possession of guns by private individuals is illegal in China.
CANBERRA, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Police have alleged that a stabbing in Melbourne's northern suburbs on Friday afternoon was inspired by Islamic State (IS).

Bangladeshi woman Momena Shoma was arrested at the scene on Friday after she allegedly stabbed a 56-year-old man while he slept.

On Saturday she was charged by the Victorian Joint Counter-Terrorism Team, a taskforce made up of officers from Victoria Police, Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO).

The victim on Saturday underwent surgery for injuries police said were no life-threatening. His young child, who was present at the time of the attack, was not injured.

Ian McCartney, AFP deputy commissioner of National Security, said there was no ongoing threat to the community.

"We will allege this was a stand-alone, Islamic State-inspired attack, designed to cause harm to our community," McCartney told News Corp Australia on Saturday.

Shoma, who arrived in Melbourne on Feb. 1 on a student visa, is facing one count of engaging in a terrorist act; a charge which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Ross Guenther said that Shoma was the only person of interest in the case.

"This is an isolated incident and the community can be assured that Victoria Police is doing everything we can to keep the community safe," he said.

"The community can expect to see an increased police presence at a number of events today and at major events in the coming weeks."

If police allegations are proved in court it will be the seventh terrorist attack on Australian soil since 2014 and the first since June 2017 but only the second in that period resulting in zero deaths.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 11:39:03|Editor: Liangyu

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by Xinhua writers Qu Junya, Zhang Xin

BEIJING, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Wang Yuanping, a peasant's daughter, was one of China's 43 million rural poor in 2016 with very limited prospects. Now, she is training to become a geriatric nurse in Beijing and expects to start work in 2019.

Working as a geriatric nurse in China's capital would guarantee her a salary of at least 3,000 yuan (474 U.S. dollars) per month, compared to a bare survival in the rural west below the national poverty line of 344 dollars per year.

Such a leap from poverty would take the 18-year-old three years and is quite a shortcut. It is the BN Vocational School that has given Wang this life-changing opportunity of a job in the city and a better life.

"I feel I'm very lucky," Wang said during a class break last December in the school located in the Wangjing area in east Beijing.

GLIMMER OF HOPE

In September 2016, acting upon the advice of a volunteer, Wang sought the help of the BN Vocational School in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province. It is a long way from her hometown, a mountainous village in the neighboring province Gansu in western China.

A boarding school totally free of charge, the BN school is a charity and open only to poor youth like Wang.

Wang said that after her father passed away six years ago, the burden fell to her mother to support the family, which included her grandmother and a younger brother.

Wang's mother now gives her 200 yuan (32 dollars) each month. In the campus shop, Wang can also buy articles for daily use, including toiletries with the BN school coupons devised to reward the students' good performance.

"I can't spend all the money," said the rosy-cheeked teen, who was wearing a clean and dark blue BN uniform. "There are not many things I need to buy myself."

During her break after a German lesson, Wang also told Xinhua that she is studying the foreign language very hard. "I wish I could go abroad, mom would then be very proud of me," she said.

Once they have reached a certain language level, as many as four in her class can go to Germany for a half-year internship, said Zhang Li, head of the BN Beijing campus.

There are 18 students in Wang's class, coming from different parts of China. Their specialty, elderly care and nursing, also involves courses on traditional Chinese medicine and common geriatric diseases.

"I like being with old people, they can be very kind to you if you do something to help them," said Wang.

Her mother suffers from congenital heart disease, Wang added. "When mom is old, I will be able to take better care of her."

It is a long way from Chengdu to Beijing. Being among China's 14 million junior school graduates in 2016, Wang was lucky to become one of the 46 newcomers to the BN Chengdu campus. But it was not by chance that her whole class was transferred to the Beijing campus in 2017.

THE BN WAY

"It's a special arrangement so that the school's resources can be optimized," head of the BN Beijing campus Zhang said.

Elderly care and nursing is a course launched as early as 2015 in the Beijing and Chengdu campuses in anticipation of an increasing number of empty nest elderly people in China's big cities, he said.

"We adapt school courses to the changing demands of the labor market and the enterprises," BN Vocational School head and founder Yao Li said, referring to the enterprises that are partnering with BN and providing teachers, internships and job opportunities.

For example, the Lijiang campus in the southwestern province of Yunnan runs a clinical nursing class as a joint project targeting ethnic minorities. Among the BN vocational courses that vary from campus to campus according to the local resources available, modern city services, especially hotel services, are especially popular.

The school values high flexibility to ensure a quality, practical vocational education for surviving the rapid changes in modern China, Yao said. To this end, it has opted to keep its size small, with no more than 100 students on every campus, she said.

This may partly explain a 100 percent employment rate for its graduates in China, over 5,400 in total since the BN school was founded in Beijing in 2005. "In fact, we have always not enough graduates in supply," Yao said.

An effective education for the students' long-term development in life is also a key factor. Music, literature, foreign languages and history are among the mandatory courses. School practices and activities are designed to encourage the habits of being clean, honest, hard-working and optimistic, as well as to build self-esteem and instill confidence in the student body that includes dropouts and social outsiders.

The BN way has paid off. The school now has campuses in nine Chinese cities, each with an annual operation cost of about 2 million yuan (316,000 dollars). In 2014, BN opened an overseas campus in Angola, Africa, funded by a Chinese company working there. The BN school is largely funded by an annual charity gala, and the most recent one held in January raised 11.4 million yuan (1.8 million dollars) in funds from institutions, enterprises and individuals.

Meanwhile, the BN school is working to distinguish itself as a charity brand in reducing poverty in China.

PART OF NATIONWIDE EFFORT

Among the latest partnerships the BN school has been offered is a joint project with the International Poverty Reduction Center in China, an organization mainly sponsored by the Chinese government and the United Nations Development Program.

The project was started last July and aims to reduce poverty through vocational education, Yao said.

In China, targeted poverty alleviation has been a focus of nationwide efforts over recent years, lifting more than 10 million people out of poverty annually. It is also an economic priority for the next three years. China has vowed to eradicate extreme poverty by 2020, a move contributing to the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

Vocational education is expected to play a key role in the process and to this end China is opening more vocational schools in poor rural areas.

"Past experience shows vocational education is one of the fastest and most effective means to reduce poverty," Vice Education Minister Sun Yao told an October forum on poverty alleviation held in Beijing.

Therefore it comes as no surprise that the BN approach has been a success story so far.

"We are devoted to providing the best vocational education for the poor kids," Yao said.
SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- An army trooper and his daughter were wounded Saturday morning after militants stormed a military camp in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.

The gunmen, believed to be fidayeen (suicide attackers) militants, indiscriminately used gunfire while making their entry inside the camp at Sunjawan in Jammu, the winter capital city of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"A soldier and his daughter were wounded and they have been removed to hospital," a senior police official S D Singh Jamwal told media.

Following the attack, authorities have rushed contingents of police and military to the area as reinforcements to take on militants.

"Early morning a suspicious movement was noticed inside the camp, following which a gunfire began," Jamwal said. "The gunfire is underway and the militants have take refuge in the area that houses family quarters."

Officials suspect four militants have managed to enter the highly guarded camp.

Locals living in the vicinity of the camp said they heard sound of gunfire and blasts in the morning.

So far no militant outfit has claimed the responsibility of the attack.

A guerrilla war is going on between militants and Indian troops stationed in the region since 1989. However, of late Indian policemen too have been trained to fight them.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan, is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.
HOUSTON, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. rig count jumped 29 this week, with West Texas' Permian Basin added 10 drilling rigs, according to weekly data collected by Baker Hughes released on Friday.

Houston oilfield services company Baker Hughes reported that of the 29 new rigs, 26 were oil rigs and three were gas ones. The overall rig count for the United States increased to 975 in total.

The company said that Texas added 14 rigs, the most of any state. Outside of the Permian, three rigs were added in the Eagle Ford area. The national total is up 234 rigs from 741 counted on Feb. 10, 2017.

In the meantime, oil prices have fallen this week, dipping below 60 U.S. dollars a barrel on Friday during intraday trading. Enditem
HOUSTON, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Governor of the U.S. state of Texas Greg Abbott on Friday proclaimed February as African-American History Month.

The governor said in a proclamation issued by his office on Friday that each February in the future is designated as African-American History Month to remember and learn from the oppression faced by the African-American community, while celebrating its many invaluable contributions.

"At this time, I encourage all Texans to take pride in and discover more about the strength that comes from our diversity," the governor said.

He said that African-Americans have made tremendous contributions to society.

"Having faced slavery, many forms of oppression, deep-rooted adversity and the very real dangers of demanding equality and change, the contributions and achievements of African-Americans are imbued with a unique strength and resilience," he said.

Texas has a population of about 28 million and African-Americans accounted for 12.6 percent as of July 1, 2016.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 12:44:13|Editor: Lu Hui

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WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi met U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House's Oval Office on Friday, urging the two nations to enhance coordination and cooperation on the Korean Peninsula and other international issues.

Sending Trump the sincere regards of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Yang said the two nations should manage and control their disputes and sensitive issues properly, and implement the consensus reached by Trump and Xi during their meeting last November in Beijing.

The two presidents agreed during their Beijing meeting that China and the United States have wide-ranging common interests and the significant responsibilities of securing world peace, prosperity and stability, Yang said.

He further said China-U.S. ties have global relevance, and promoting the bilateral relationship is not only in line with the fundamental interests of the two peoples, but also meets the common aspirations of international society.

Yang said Xi and Trump have mapped out the future direction of bilateral efforts in their close contacts via telephone calls and letters, in which the two top leaders said they wanted to accelerate bilateral cooperation in multiple areas.

He added that the two sides are expected to maintain close communication at all levels, host the second round of the four high-level dialogue channels on the fronts of diplomacy and security, law enforcement and cyber security, social and cultural issues as well as economy.

The senior Chinese official also urged the two nations to expand their cooperation in economy and trade, military, law enforcement, drug control and people-to-people exchanges, among other areas.

For his part, Trump conveyed his sincere regards to Xi, saying U.S.-China relations are very important, and Washington is willing to strengthen cooperation with Beijing to further promote bilateral ties.

Saying his state visit last November to China was a huge success, Trump said he agreed the two sides should fully implement the consensus he had reached with Xi during their meeting in Beijing.

On the same day, Yang also met with U.S. National Security Adviser H. R. McMaster and senior White House adviser Jared Kushner to exchange ideas on promoting China-U.S. cooperation on bilateral, regional and international issues.

The senior Chinese official is on a two-day visit to Washington at the invitation of U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. The two top-level diplomats met on Thursday and reached consensus on holding the four dialogue channels this year to make a bigger cake of cooperation in the economic and trade areas.

Yang urged global support for inter-Korean rapport and the continued easing of tensions on the Korean Peninsula during the meeting.

For his part, Tillerson reiterated the U.S. commitment to the one-China policy, in response to Yang's request that the U.S. side should take China's concerns regarding the Taiwan issue seriously.

After a year of steady development in China-U.S. ties, boosted by successful face-to-face meetings and frequent phone conversations between Xi and Trump, bilateral relations have been facing several challenges since the end of 2017 after some worrisome moves on Washington's part.

In addition, Washington has maintained its so-called "maximum pressure" campaign against Pyongyang, yet so far the strategy has not achieved the expected results.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 12:54:15|Editor: Zhou Xin

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by Willey Penuela

CARACAS, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- With presidential elections set to take place on April 22, the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) appears to have the upper hand, political observers have said.

The government displays unity, consensus and a willingness to find a negotiated solution to the country's political woes, while the right-wing opposition seems divided, contentious and reluctant to engage in dialogue, they said.

This week, perhaps emboldened by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's anti-government rhetoric delivered before his five-nation visit to Latin America, the opposition abandoned a potential agreement on peaceful coexistence at the last minute.

The agreement would have seen both sides select a date for the elections, but with the opposition suddenly spurning any deal, the government was left to make a decision on its own.

The two sides "had come to an agreement" on several issues and "in the end, only the government signed," with the opposition refusing to do so, said Luis Quintana, an expert in international relations.

He added that the opposition's behavior actually gave a boost "to Venezuelan people's desire to have political conflicts resolved through political, peaceful and negotiated means."

The opposition may be shooting itself in the foot with its inflexible refusal to engage in dialogue, which makes it easier for President Nicolas Maduro to be reelected, he said.

Edgardo Antonio Ramirez, a professor at the Central University of Venezuela's School of International Studies, said that with a little more than two months left before the polls, "the opposition is divided."

"On the one hand, you have more extremist and violent sectors (of the opposition) that are not going to participate in the elections," said Ramirez, adding that on the other hand, there are the social democrats who will do the opposite.

Quintana agreed, saying the opposition will be "heading (to the polls) weakened, disunited, divided," and making it "much less likely to win when chavismo (political ideology based on the ideas of late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez) is already gathered around a single leader."

However, both analysts agreed that the threat of stepped-up foreign intervention looms over the elections.

By refusing to sign an agreement with the government, "the opposition is telling the so-called international community that it should intervene with greater force," Quintana said.

He added that "more pressure on Venezuela and more illegal, unilateral sanctions against the government, officials as well as the Venezuelan economy" are likely to emerge.

"On the international scene, I see growing conflicts with Venezuela," Quintana said.

Ramirez also said that the United States "is pressuring other regional governments to intensify their political and economic measures" against Venezuela's government.

Still, the elections present a potential solution to overcoming the South American country's political stalemate, Ramirez said.

"Holding elections signifies that the Venezuelan people support peacefully resolving the major problems. The will and participation of the people will be decisive," Ramirez said.
KABUL, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Six Taliban insurgent suspects were arrested since Afghan Special Operation Forces launched an operation in restive southern province of Helmand overnight, command of special forces said Saturday.

The raid to capture the suspects lasted roughly four hours in Nahri Sarraj district, in northern of provincial capital Lashkar Gah city Friday night, and no weapon was fired during the operation, Operational Coordination Group Afghanistan (MoD-OCGA) said in a statement.

The statement did not provide further information about the arrested, adding that the captured were handed over to concerned departments for further questioning.

Helmand, notorious for poppy growing, is also a known Taliban stronghold.

The Afghan Special Forces killed over 6,100 militants, injured about 3,200 and detained 443 others throughout 2017. They also destroyed 15 militants' command and control posts and 352 bunkers in different places over the period, according to OCGA.

The Taliban insurgent group, which has been waging an insurgency of more than 16 years, has yet to make comments.
PYONGYANG, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Official media of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Saturday highlighted the attendance of Kim Yo Jong, sister of DPRK top leader Kim Jong Un, at the PyeongChang Olympics opening ceremony on Friday.

The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in a report that Kim Yo Jong "took the platform of the opening ceremony" along with South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, and his delegation held a brief meeting with Moon when attending the ceremony, the report said.

The report also highlighted the joint entry by the two teams of the DPRK and South Korea into the stadium.

"Spectators broke into cheers and applause as players of the north and the south of Korea entered the stadium, led by the flag of the Korean Peninsula amid the playing of the song 'Arirang,'" said the KCNA.

"Kim Yong Nam, Kim Yo Jong and President Moon Jae In and his wife all stood up to wave to the players of the north and the south," it said.

Arirang is a Korean folk song that dates back before the peninsula was divided in 1945.

DPRK state television has yet to report on the opening ceremony, but the official daily Rodong Sinmun reported the news on its front page Saturday.

The participation of the DPRK's high-level delegation has drawn worldwide attention as it signaled the thawing of inter-Korean relations and a rapprochement between Pyongyang and Seoul.

The delegation arrived on a special plane Friday from Pyongyang to Incheon, in the first high-level interactions between the two sides of the Korean Peninsula in over a decade.

Moon is scheduled to host a luncheon at the Blue House presidential palace in Seoul Saturday for the delegation.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 13:54:24|Editor: Lu Hui

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WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi met U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House's Oval Office on Friday, calling for the two sides to manage disputes and enhance coordination on the Korean Peninsula and other issues.

Trump expressed willingness to strengthen cooperation with China to boost bilateral ties.

MANAGING DISPUTES

Sending Trump the sincere regards of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Yang said the two nations should manage and control their disputes and sensitive issues properly, and implement the consensus reached by Trump and Xi during their meeting last November in Beijing.

The two presidents agreed during their Beijing meeting that China and the United States have wide-ranging common interests and the significant responsibilities of securing world peace, prosperity and stability, Yang said.

Yang said Xi and Trump have mapped out the future direction of bilateral efforts in their close contacts via telephone calls and letters, in which the two top leaders said they wanted to accelerate bilateral cooperation in multiple areas.

In the meeting, Yang also urged the two sides to increase coordination on the Korean Peninsula and other issues.

The situation on the peninsula has been undergoing positive changes recently as South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) are using the PyeongChang Winter Olympics to resume dialogue.

Washington has maintained its so-called "maximum pressure" campaign against Pyongyang, yet so far the strategy has not achieved the expected results.

Yang is on a two-day visit to Washington at the invitation of U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. The two top-level diplomats met on Thursday, reaching consensus on holding the four dialogue channels this year to make a bigger cake of cooperation in the economic and trade areas.

The dialogues between the largest developing country and the largest developed country are important, said Joseph Nye, professor at Harvard University, in an earlier interview with Xinhua.

"I think the more the Chinese and Americans have contact with each other and understand each other, the less likely they are to have worst case analysis of the other," Nye said.

STRENGTHENING COOPERATION

For his part, Trump conveyed his sincere regards to Xi, saying U.S.-China relations are very important, and Washington is willing to strengthen cooperation with Beijing to further promote bilateral ties.

Saying his state visit last November to China was a huge success, Trump said he agreed the two sides should fully implement the consensus he had reached with Xi during their meeting in Beijing.

After a year of steady development in China-U.S. ties, boosted by successful face-to-face meetings and frequent phone conversations between Xi and Trump, bilateral relations have been facing several challenges since the end of 2017 after some worrisome moves on Washington's part.

There were also reports that Washington is considering tough protectionist measures against China, one of the largest trade partners of the United States, to address the country's rising trade deficit, triggering widespread worries about a possible trade war from which no winner will emerge.

Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Michael O'Hanlon said the Trump administration "has to keep his and America's expectations reasonable on the front" of the trade deficit.

"China has done remarkable things, it's a low-cost manufacturer, and it deserves credit for its progress there. You're not going to eliminate the trade deficit in any way, shape or form," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 14:09:28|Editor: pengying

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HOUSTON, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. firm Cheniere Energy announced Friday that it has struck two long-term deals to sell liquefied natural gas (LNG) to China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC).

According to the announcement, the Houston-based energy company will sell about 1.2 million tons of LNG a year to CNPC, as part of two sales agreements that extend through 2043. Shipments will begin this year.

"We are pleased to announce these LNG contracts with China National Petroleum Corporation, an important global energy player in one of the largest and fastest growing LNG markets worldwide," said Jack Fusco, Cheniere's president and CEO, in a statement.

The statement said that the deals are based on the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) it signed with the Chinese company last November. "We look forward to a successful long-term partnership with CNPC," said the statement.

During U.S. President Donald Trump's first visit to China in November, Cheniere Energy signed an MOU with CNPC for long-term LNG sales and purchase cooperation.

As the owner of the first LNG export terminal in the United States, Cheniere Energy is the leading exporter of U.S. liquefied natural gas.
PHNOM PENH, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Two people were killed and three others got injured as fire swept through a market in northeastern Cambodia's Mondulkiri province early Saturday, according to the National Police website.

The blaze broke out at the Sen Monorom Market in the provincial town at 2:20 a.m. local time and firefighters had taken several hours to control the flames.

"Two people, a 24-year-old man and a 13-year-old boy, were confirmed dead in the fire, as three others sustained injuries," Major General Ouk Samnang, police chief of Mondulkiri province, was quoted as saying by the National Police website.

Kan Penh, police chief of Sen Monorom town, told Xinhua over telephone that besides the casualties, the fire engulfed more than 200 stalls and nearby houses.

He said the cause of the blaze was under investigation, as the cost of the damage has not yet been calculated.
by Mahmoud Darwesh, Nawas Darraji

TRIPOLI, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The recent escalation of terrorist attacks on mosques in east Libya's Benghazi has posed rising security threat to the city, of which the army just gained control from terrorist groups by the end of 2017, experts said.

GROWING ATTACKS ON MOSQUES

Two people were killed and 143 others were wounded, including children, when a bomb exploded inside a mosque in Benghazi during Friday prayers.

Col. Milud Zwai, spokesman for the eastern-based army's special forces, said preliminary investigations indicated that the bombing was carried out by terrorists remotely by placing bags laden with explosives inside the mosque.

The attack came after a twin car bomb attack at a mosque in Benghazi's Salmani district two week ago, killing 34 people and injuring more than 100 others, mostly civilians.

Khalid Turjuman, chairman of the Libyan National Action Group, compared the recent bombings of Benghazi's mosques to the terrorist attacks in northern Sinai in Egypt, where worshipers inside mosques have been targeted with similar bombings, with the intent to cause panic and intimidation and to kill as many as possible.

Turjuman said that he believes these kinds of bombings are an attempt to disrupt security in the city, with the fleeing terrorists trying to still "prove" their presence.

"They are conveying a message to the people of the city that they are still there," Turjuman said. "It is a dangerous development that needs a firm stand to prevent the recurrence of such terrorist operations."

RETALIATION AGAINST ARMY

Later in December, the eastern-based army that controls the city of Benghazi announced the end of a military operation that lasted more than five months in Benghazi to eliminate the "remaining terrorists."

However, the city is now witnessing an escalation of bombings, particularly on mosques.

Mohammed Khoja, a Libyan researcher in militant groups, noted that the terrorists' attacks on mosques are a "natural reaction to their defeat in the city by the army."

"The war against terrorism in Benghazi absolutely has repercussions and implications related to revenge, not only by terrorists, but even by those who sympathize with them," Khoja said.

"All the recent attacks, especially of this kind which reveal organized terrorist operations, were unexpected perhaps even by the security services," he added.

Khalifa Dghari, head of the National Sovereignty Assembly of the eastern-based House of Representatives, or parliament, said the increase of the terrorist bombings of mosques is "a challenge to the security and stability of Benghazi."

Dghari called on all security and military forces to "stand together against these despicable gangs ... and impose the maximum legal and deterrent sanctions against them until they are eliminated completely, wherever they are."

Khoja, in addition, warned against sleeping terrorist cells in the city. Calling for attention to the army's previous revealing of collusion of some of the armed forces with terrorists, he said Benghazi should "not neglect any part of evidence that might lead to those involved in such attacks."

In January, the army's General Anti-Terrorism Department revealed a series of investigations with army members involved in terrorist acts, and others who facilitated provision of information to terrorist groups.

Investigations also revealed military involvement in transfer of foreign terrorists to battlefields against the army.

SECURITY VACUUM

Immediately after Friday's attack, the parliament's interim government announced that it will start installing surveillance cameras for 30 mosques in Benghazi and link them to the Joint Security Chamber, which was established to coordinate and strengthen efforts of Benghazi's security bodies.

Turjuman, while expressing confidence in the Chamber because of its disciplined personnel, said he did not think the installation of surveillance cameras would be effective.

"The security department of Benghazi needs material support more than the security departments of other cities (do). In addition, there is the need to force all the security personnel to show up, work, and not be negative, because Benghazi faces a fierce attack after years of vicious and exhausting war against terrorism," Turjuman explained.

He also noted there is a security vacuum in the city which might lead to the continued targeting of Benghazi.

"Frankly, the interim government does not have serious and effective tools to deal with the security file, because the imbalance was caused by absence of an interior minister, a matter interfered by politicians in order to impede a particular figure," he said.

Turjuman warned against the possibility of the situation of shifting from targeting mosques to targeting schools and other government institutions instead, "even though the terrorists know how difficult it is to target them (government institutions) due to the heavy surveillance."
SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), invited South Korean President Moon Jae-in to visit the DPRK at Moon's convenient time, the presidential Blue House said Saturday.

Kim Eui-kyeom, spokesman for President Moon, told a televised press briefing that Kim Yo Jong, the younger sister of the DPRK leader, delivered a letter of Kim Jong Un to Moon showing Kim's willingness to improve inter-Korean relations.

The younger Kim delivered the DPRK leader's message, saying the DPRK leader is willing to meet President Moon at an earliest possible date. The DPRK leader invited Moon to visit the DPRK at Moon's convenient time.

The invitation was made during an informal meeting between Moon and the DPRK's Olympic delegation, including the younger Kim who serves as the first vice director of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 15:14:45|Editor: Chengcheng

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DAMASCUS, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Syria's air defenses targeted several Israeli warplanes, which had launched airstrikes against a Syrian military base in central Syria on Saturday, the country's state television reported.

The report said that the air defenses hit the Israeli warplanes that have targeted a military base in central Syria, but gave no further details.

Other reports by local media outlets said that an Israeli F16 went down in the northern part of the country as a result of being shot at by Syria's air defenses, adding that the Israelis targeted the T4 airbase in the central city of Homs.
NEW DELHI, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- India has for the first time decided to sack in one go some 13,000 railway employees who are on "unauthorized" leave for a long time.

The state-owned Indian Railways said that it has already identified and also initiated disciplinary action against those absentee employees to terminate their services, a move aimed at sprucing up its performance and giving encouragement to sincere staffers.

"A massive drive to identify long-term absentees in various establishments of Railways has been initiated. As a result of the drive, more than 13,000 employees of 1.3 million employees were found to be on unauthorized absence for a long time," the Railways said in a statement.

A senior Indian Railway official said Saturday that the organization has instructed all its officers and supervisors to stuck off absentee employees from the rolls after following the due official process.

"Supervisors have been asked to keep a tab on the performance of the employees also. The Railways is going through a major transformation, be it its infrastructure or work culture," he said.

The Indian Railways is one of the world's largest train networks, criss-crossing the country from north to south. It operates some 9,000 passenger trains and carries nearly 23 million passengers every day.

This vast public enterprise can be referred to as a semi-state. It runs schools, hospitals, has it own police force and construction companies, and has 1.3 million people on its payroll, making it the seventh biggest employer in the world.

However, train disasters are quite common in India as much of the colonial-era rail infrastructure is out of date. A number of people are killed in train accidents, mostly derailments, across the country every year.

In 2015, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government pledged 137 billion U.S. dollars over five years to modernize and expand the railways.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 15:39:53|Editor: Chengcheng

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DAMASCUS, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian air defenses responded to a second Israeli attack on Saturday near the capital Damascus, state news agency SANA reported.

The Israeli attack targeted military positions in countryside of Damascus, as several explosions were heard in that area, said the report, adding that the Syrian air defenses were triggered by the attack.

It's the second Israeli attack on Saturday against military positions in Syria.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 15:44:54|Editor: Chengcheng

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DAMASCUS, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian air defenses responded to a second Israeli attack on Saturday near the capital Damascus, state news agency SANA reported.

The Israeli attack targeted military positions in countryside of Damascus, as several explosions were heard in that area, said the report, adding that the Syrian air defenses were triggered by the attack.

It's the second Israeli attack on Saturday against military positions in Syria.

At dawn Saturday, SANA said the Israelis attacked a military base in the central region, triggering the Syrian air defenses to respond.

Other reports by local media outlets said that an Israeli F16 went down in northern Israel as a result of the fire of the Syrian air defenses, adding that the Israelis targeted the T4 airbase in the central city of Homs.

The Israelis said they have destroyed an Iranian drone over Israel and retaliated by hitting Iranian targets in Syria.

The attack is the second within three days, as the Israelis launched missile attack from warplanes inside the Lebanese airspace on Jan. 7, targeting a military base near the capital Damascus.

Israel has repeatedly warned that it will not tolerate Iranian influence in Syria or support to the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 15:44:55|Editor: Chengcheng

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DOHA, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Qatar strongly condemned the terrorist attack that took place in the Libyan city, Benghazi Friday, Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported Saturday.

In a statement, Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the brutal bombings as a heinous act, and reiterated the country's firm stance on the rejection of violence and terrorism.

Qatar also expressed its condolences to the families of the victims, the government and the people of Libya, the statement said.

on Friday, Twin bomb blasts struck a mosque in Benghazi which is controlled by the forces of military strongman Khalifa Haftar., killing at least one person and wounding 149.

Libya has been wracked by violence and divisions since Muammar Gaddafi was toppled and killed in 2011.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 15:49:57|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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Indian soldiers arrive at the site of an attack on a military camp at Sunjawan in Jammu, the winter capital city of Indian-controlled Kashmir, on Feb. 10, 2018. At least two Junior Commissioned Officers (JCO) were killed and four others including daughter of a slain officer were wounded Saturday in a militant attack on a highly guarded military camp in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said. (Xinhua)

SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- At least two Junior Commissioned Officers (JCO) were killed and four others including daughter of a slain officer were wounded Saturday in a militant attack on a highly guarded military camp in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.

The gunmen, believed to be fidayeen (suicide attackers) militants, indiscriminately used gunfire while making their entry inside the camp at Sunjawan in Jammu, the winter capital city of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"Two JCOs were killed and three troopers including an officer of the rank of colonel were wounded in today's fidayeen attack," a local minister Abdul Rehman Veeri said. "Besides this daughter of one slain army officer is also wounded."

Officials said the firing inside the fortified camp was underway and army has pressed in helicopters to locate the positions of militants.

Officials suspect four to five militants have managed to enter the highly guarded camp to take on army personnel present there.

"Following their entry, the militants have taken refuge in the area that house family quarters," an official said.

So far no militant outfit has claimed the responsibility of the attack.

In December last year a similar attack on highly fortified paramilitary camp in the region ended with the killing of five Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel and three militants.

A guerrilla war is going on between militants and Indian troops stationed in the region since 1989.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan, is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 15:54:59|Editor: Yurou

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BEIJING, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- China's Chief Justice Zhou Qiang has asked the country's courts to strengthen the anti-corruption campaign and conduct strict self-supervision in 2018.

Zhou, president of the Supreme People's Court (SPC), made the request in a teleconference with representatives from courts nationwide, according to a statement by the SPC.

Courts should following the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the absolute leadership of the CPC, said the statement, adding they should build a team that is loyal, reliable, honest and clean.

The statement stressed that there should be zero-tolerance towards judicial corruption and there should be no exceptional, forbidden, or dead zones during investigation.

The SPC also said courts must stay close with the people and never harm the interest of the public.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 16:00:00|Editor: Yurou

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ST. PETERSBURG, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- The celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year started in St. Petersburg on Friday with the Sichuan Culture Festival.

Hundreds of local residents saw an exhibition of Chinese paper umbrellas, Sichuan embroidery, etc. Many of them participated in various master classes, sampled Sichuan cuisine, and Datusi tea, a well-known tea produced in Sichuan Province, southwest China.

This is the fourth time that the celebration of the Chinese New Year is held in St. Petersburg, with a series of events, which has become an excellent example of the cultural exchange, said Guo Min, consul general of China in St. Petersburg.

Guo said that the participation of Sichuan Province in the Chinese New Year celebration in St. Petersburg is part of the China-Russia inter-regional cooperation.

St. Petersburg is one of the eight cities in the world that received special support from the Chinese government over the celebration of the Spring Festival, with various events, including concerts, exhibitions, master classes, film screenings, lectures, being held until March 2.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 16:15:01|Editor: Chengcheng

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Israeli security personnel guard the remains of an Israeli F-16 fighter near Harduf, Israel, on Feb. 10, 2018. Israel aircrafts attacked Saturday Iranian targets in Syria after intercepting an Iranian Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), and an Israeli fighter jet was shot downed by Syria afterwards. (Xinhua/JINI)

JERUSALEM, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Israel aircrafts attacked Saturday Iranian targets in Syria after intercepting an Iranian Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), and an Israeli fighter jet was shot downed by Syria afterwards.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) attacked the Iranian aircraft's launch components in Syrian territory, said the IDF in a statement.

During the attack, multiple anti-aircraft missiles were fired at Israeli Air Forces aircraft, said the Israeli army.

The IDF also confirmed with Xinhua that one Israeli F-16 fighter was hit and crashed, and the pilots were forced to abandon the fighter.

The pilots landed in Israeli territory and were taken to the hospital for medical treatment. The IDF said one was in serious condition, and the other was lightly wounded.

Earlier, the IDF said that a combat helicopter successfully intercepted an Iranian UAV that was launched from Syria and infiltrated Israel. In response, the IDF targeted Iranian targets in Syria.

The aircraft was identified by the Aerial Defense Systems at an early phase and was under surveillance until the interception, according to the Israeli army.

According to the statement, the IDF sees the Iranian attack and the Syrian response as a "severe and irregular violation of Israeli sovereignty."

The IDF is monitoring events and is fully prepared for further action, depending on assessments and necessity, added the IDF.

The sirens sounded in the Golan Heights are a result of Syrian anti-aircraft missiles, said the Israeli army in the statement.

The IDF will continue to act against "any attempt to infiltrate Israeli airspace and will act with determination to prevent any breach of Israeli sovereignty," said the IDF.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 16:40:06|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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A member of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) looks through binoculars from Mount Bental, an observation post in the Israeli occupied Golan Heights near the ceasefire line between Israel and Syria, on Feb. 10, 2018. The Israeli army launched a large-scale attack against the Syrian aerial defense system and Iranian targets in Syria after an Israeli F-16 fighter was hit by missiles from Syria and crashed on Saturday morning. (Xinhua/JINI)

JERUSALEM, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli army launched a large-scale attack against the Syrian aerial defense system and Iranian targets in Syria in response to an Israeli F-16 fighter shot down by missiles from Syria on Saturday morning.

Twelve targets, including three aerial defense batteries and four Iranian targets that are part of Iran's military establishment in Syria were attacked, said a statement issued by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).

During the attack, anti-aircraft missiles were fired towards Israel, triggering alarms that were heard in northern Israel, said the Israeli army.

The IDF will "act determinately against such severe violations of Israeli sovereignty by Iran and Syria and will continue to act as necessary," said the IDF in the statement.

The IDF is "ready for various scenarios and will continue to act according to situation assessments," added the IDF.

Israel aircraft attacked a number of Iranian targets in Syria in response to an Iranian Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) that was launched at Israeli territory and was intercepted by the Israeli army earlier Saturday.

The IDF confirmed with Xinhua that during the attack one Israeli F-16 fighter was hit and crashed. The two pilots of the fighter forced to abandon the fighter by parachute after the aircraft was hit. One pilot was in serious condition the other was lightly wounded.

Earlier, the IDF said that a combat helicopter successfully intercepted an Iranian UAV that was launched from Syria and infiltrated Israel. In response, the IDF targeted Iranian targets in Syria.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 17:19:48|Editor: ZD

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After the conclusion of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, delegates return to their posts and continue with their work to carry out the mission of serving people wholeheartedly.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 16:45:08|Editor: Chengcheng

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TIKRIT, Iraq, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Three government-backed Sunni tribal fighters were killed Saturday and two others wounded in attack by Islamic State (IS) militants in east of Tikrit, the capital of Salahudin province, a paramilitary tribal leader said.

The attack occurred at dawn when IS militants attacked an outpost of the tribal fighters in Jillam Albu-Ajil area in east of Tikrit, which located some 170 km north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, Sheikh Ali Mohammed al-Ajili, the leader of the paramilitary tribal group, told Xinhua.

The IS militants came from the rugged area of Mteibijah, which has long been a redoubt of IS militants despite repeated anti-IS military operations in the sprawling rugged areas in the eastern part of Salahudin province and extend to the neighboring Diyala province and the nearby Himreen mountainous area.

During the past few months, dozens of IS militants fled their former bases in the predominately Sunni Arab province of Salahudin, Hawijah area in west of Kirkuk, after the Iraqi forces drove out the extremist militants from these areas during anti-IS offensives in the past few months.

On Dec. 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. They still capable of carrying out attacks from time to time against the security forces and civilians.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 16:55:13|Editor: Chengcheng

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ISTANBUL, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Turkish police on Saturday detained 31 foreigners suspected of links to the Islamic State (IS) in Istanbul, local media reported.

Anti-terror teams launched operations in six places in the city over tip-off that the suspects were planning a terror attack, the state-run Anadolu news agency said.

The police also seized many organizational documents and digital equipment during the raids, Anadolu said.

Turkey has been hit by a series of bombing attacks by IS militants over the last two years, and the country has been tightening operations against the group in recent months.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 16:55:14|Editor: Chengcheng

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SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in dismissed a call from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to quickly resume South Korea's joint military drills with the United States, an official from the presidential Blue House said Saturday.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 17:40:23|Editor: ZD

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BEIRUT, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian leadership was set to meet Saturday to discuss the security situation inside the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp following the clashes that erupted Friday, the National News Agency (NNA) reported.

According to the NNA report, the Palestinian leadership will demand an investigation be opened into Friday events and for those responsible be held accountable.

Clashes broke out Friday afternoon after a failed assassination attempt on joint Palestinian security force Brig. Gen. Bassam al-Saad.

Following the failed attempt, fighters exchanged machine gun fire and rocket-propelled grenades in the tight confines of the densely populated camp.

The situation deteriorated further and led to the accidental death of Abd al-Rahim Bsam al-Moqdah, who was standing on his balcony as the clashes broke out.

The violence soon spread to armed clashes between hardline elements in the neighborhood of Safsaf and the Fatah movement.

Houses and shops were severely damaged while generators were burnt.

After the outbreak, the Lebanese army installed more security measures at the entrance checkpoint of the camp and closed many of the gates.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 17:45:25|Editor: ZD

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NEW YORK, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese fashion designer Tao Wang, who has gained an international reputation among powerful, professional and modern women, is to debut the latest collection of her namesake brand TAORAY WANG on Saturday at the New York Fashion Week (NYFW).

According to a press release issued Friday by TAORAY WANG, the collection, inspired by Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia in the late 18th century, blends the classic and the modern, East and West in traditional military olive green and striking Russian red.

The Military uniform, often the symbol of men's power, is now brought back as armored grace with the feminine epaulet softening the bold lines which portrays a sense of freedom as portrayed by TAORAY WANG's signature slogan -- Powerful, Sexy and Edgy, it said.

Wang, a graduate of East China Normal University, has grown from an aspiring designer to one of Asia's most successful female entrepreneurs. She is well-known for putting a feminine touch on masculine work attire.

She said that her brand is created for elite woman leaders, including lawyers, bankers, politicians and entrepreneurs, who "are not afraid of appearing feminine and attractive."

Her most famous U.S. customer is Tiffany Trump, the youngest daughter of President Donald Trump. She wore a Taoray Wang outfit at her father's inauguration in January, 2017.

"I couldn't be happier if she comes," Wang told Xinhua via WeChat on Friday when asked if Tiffany would grace her Saturday's runway show.

Tiffany was there to support Wang in the last two consecutive seasons. The first time Tiffany met Wang was at her Spring/Summer 2017 show on Sept. 12, 2016 in New York.

"Tiffany got to know me from her friend's lookbook and she canceled her flight to Los Angeles to come to my show that day," Wang, who first debuted her brand at NYFW in the fall of 2014, recalled.

Held in February and September of each year, NYFW is a semi-annual series of events. It is one of the four major fashion weeks in the world, collectively known as the "Big Four," along with those in Paris, London and Milan.
File photo shows Republic of Congo's President Denis Sassou Nguesso addressing the 72nd session of United Nations General Assembly on the second day of the general debate at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 20, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

BRAZZAVILLE, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- President of the Republic of the Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso called the media fanfare about China spying on the African Union (AU) "ridiculous" in a Thursday interview with Xinhua.

Sassou Nguesso's comments joined the barrage of criticism by African leaders against the report by the French newspaper Le Monde, which alleged that China had bugged the building it had built and gifted to the AU in 2012.

The new AU building has been deemed a symbol of Sino-African cooperation, and Sassou Nguesso said: "This gesture from China (gifting of the building) has been hailed by all and we continue to salute it."

The president stressed that "the media that shared this ridiculous news should first of all know that when we debate at the African Union, we have no problem to hide."

"If there are diplomatic negotiations or secret negotiations, it does not happen during debates at the AU," he said.

The French newspaper carried "revelations" that microphones were found in the walls and pointed to a spectacular data leak in the building, citing anonymous sources within the pan-African organization.

"According to some information we received, equipments came from different countries, not even from China, you can see how these news are fake and ridiculous," said Sassou Nguesso.

Speaking of the Africa-China cooperation, Sassou Nguesso said the 2015 summit in Johannesburg has given a global perspective of cooperation between China and Africa. "We see that the strategic cooperation between China and Africa has taken a significant step forward."

The Le Monde report has become a subject of criticism from several AU officials including the AU Chairman Paul Kagame and the chair of the AU Commission Moussa Faki.

Faki said Thursday that it was impossible and unnecessary for China to spy on the AU.

Faki said the ties between China and AU were "unshakable," and such reports could not damage their relations.
Chinese State Councilor Wang Yong meets with Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 9, 2018. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Having expressed the conviction that their partnership is an example of solidarity among peoples based on mutual respect and benefits, the African Union (AU) and China have vowed to further strengthen their partnership.

The chairperson of the AU Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, on Friday concluded a two-day visit to China at the invitation of the Chinese foreign minister, Wang Yi.

The chairperson on Thursday held a meeting with Wang, followed by strategic dialogue consultations between the AU Commission and China, according to a statement from the pan-African bloc on Friday.

The AU Commission chairperson on Friday met with Chinese State Councillor Wang Yong, while members of the AU delegation visited the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Huawei Beijing Executive Briefing Center.

The meetings with the Chinese interlocutors have provided an opportunity to review various aspects of the partnership and agree on steps to enhance it, in furtherance of the first 10-year implementation plan of the AU Agenda 2063 and the UN Agenda 2030, the statement.

The two sides have reaffirmed their commitment to promoting multilateralism and the role of the United Nations against the backdrop of evolving and complex global challenges.

They have expressed the conviction that their partnership is an example of solidarity among peoples based on mutual respect and benefits, noting that Africa and China together represent more than one-third of humanity and share a history of external domination.

In this respect, the AU Commission delegation has reiterated its gratitude to China for its support to the liberation of the continent, the statement said.

They have also agreed to proactively work toward a better representation of Africa in the international system, including in the UN Security Council, as part of a new global governance system.

According to the statement, China has welcomed the planned establishment of an AU Office in Beijing to ensure effective and timely follow-up of the China-Africa partnership, and committed to supporting the setting up of the office.

This representation will also support the work of the African Group of Ambassadors in Beijing, to ensure alignment with AU positions, said the statement, recalling that China has established a permanent mission to the AU since 2015.

The two sides have also discussed China's support to the AU Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), and China agreed to expedite the construction and equipping of the Africa CDC, within the framework of the five-year strategic plan developed by the Africa CDC in collaboration with international partners, including China.

The Africa CDC was launched in 2017, with support from China and the United States, and in its short lifespan, it has made commendable contributions, including technical support to member states in response to outbreaks of infectious diseases, the statement said.

The two sides have also commended the results achieved within the Forum on Africa-China Cooperation (FOCAC), and looked forward to the Fourth FOCAC Summit scheduled to take place in Beijing in September 2018.

They have acknowledged the important role of the AU Commission, and agreed to work together in further strengthening the mechanism.

China hailed the launch of the Single African Air Transport Market during the AU summit of January 2018, acknowledging the anticipated increase in the volume of air traffic, flight operations and emergence of new routes.

China has agreed to support Africa's efforts, largely through investing in the development and operation of aviation infrastructure.
Rwandan government officials and Chinese firm executives at the groundbreaking ceremony for the district hopsital on Feb. 9, 2018 in Kigali, Rwanda. (photo by CCECC)

KIGALI, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese firm China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) on Friday formally kicked off the construction of a district hospital in Rwanda's capital city Kigali.

Speaking at the event shortly after laying the foundation stone, Rwandan health minister Diane Gashumba said the hospital will provide faster access to healthcare, closer to home, for people in Nyarugenge district.

"For any country to achieve inclusive economic and social growth, the health of its people is crucial," she said. "This hospital will provide quality healthcare to all Rwandan citizens."

The Nyarugenge district hospital project, jointly financed by the governments of Rwanda and Belgium, is expected to build a 120-bed multi-specialty hospital with a cost of around 7 million U.S. dollars. The hospital will be constructed on a surface area of two hectares.

Upon completion, it will have emergency services, administration rooms, a laboratory and an outpatient department, maternity ward, hospitalization ward and two operating theaters. It will also have a utility block comprising a mortuary, a laundry and a workshop.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 18:35:34|Editor: Chengcheng

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TRIPOLI, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- A car bomb on Saturday hit a military checkpoint of the eastern-based army some 90 km east of the Libyan city of Sirte, destroying military vehicles and injuring a soldier, according to a statement by the army's Sirte Military Operation Chamber.

"A car bomb early in the morning targeted Brigade 165 of the chamber in checkpoint 90, destroying two cars and wounding one soldier," the statement said.

The chamber stressed that the armed forces are continue combing and securing the area.

The operation chamber was formed by the army, led by General Khalifa Haftar, in early 2016 to fight against IS affiliates controlling the city at the time.

However, the forces were not able to enter Sirte, after the forces allied with the UN-backed government of national accord in Tripoli, known as Al-Bunian Al-Marsus, entered the city and waged fierce war against the terrorists for nearly eight months.

The fighting ended in December 2016 with the government forces taking over the city, which is nearly 450 km east of the capital Tripoli. The remnant IS fighters fled to the southern valleys and mountainous areas ever since.

An army source told Xinhua that "the car bomb driven by a suicide bomber suddenly attacked the military checkpoint and hit one of the concrete barriers, causing a large explosion that destroyed a number of military vehicles of the chamber forces."

The source said the attack injured three soldiers of the chamber's Brigade 165.

Haftar's army describes the forces of Al-Bunian Al-Marsus as "armed militias" and demands it to hand over Sirte.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 18:45:37|Editor: Yurou

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Artists from China's Yunnan Province perform on the 2018 Spring Festival Gala to celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year at Kathmandu, Nepal, on Feb. 9, 2018. Chinese Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, falls on Feb. 16 this year. (Xinhua/Pratap Thapa)

KATHMANDU, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- A special Spring Festival gala evening has been held in the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu to celebrate the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year.

The event, hosted by Chinese embassy in Nepal and inaugurated by Nepali President Bidhya Devi Bhandari on Friday evening, gave audience a vivid glimpse of China's rich culture and traditions.

Chinese Ambassador Yu Hong said such events provide an opportunity for the Nepali people to understand better about Chinese art and culture.

The China-Nepal relations have kept going forward in 2017, Yu said, noting that bilateral trade has grown 11.2 percent, while Chinese visitors to Nepal has increased 34 percent. The two sides have also agreed to cooperate under the Belt and Road Initiative, she said.

In the gala evening, a troupe from China's Yunnan Province showed the cultural heritage of their region, including unique customs and art. Jasmine dance, solo acrobatic show and shadow dance themed on China-Nepal friendship among others were the highlights of the event.

The audiences shared that they were amazed by such unique and grand performances by the Chinese artists.

"I am very much impressed by this event. I believe culture connects people, so such cultural exchanges boost the friendship between the people of two countries. The show reflected the history, culture and tradition of China so it helped us to know more about China," Sujata Koirala, Nepal's former deputy prime minister and former foreign minister, told Xinhua.

The show drew over 400 people, including former ministers, political leaders, government secretaries and officials, dignitaries, journalists and Chinese community living in Nepal.

"Culture is the bridge of people-to-people relationship and this event was the perfect example. I am thankful to China for hosting such beautiful event," former minister Hishila Yami told Xinhua.

Various cultural events, including music and dance performance, photo exhibitions, art shows are also being held in Nepal to celebrate the Spring Festival.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 18:50:38|Editor: Chengcheng

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KATHMANDU, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- A senior government official died after a jeep he was traveling in plunged down into the Trishuli River in Dhading District of Central Nepal on Saturday, authorities said.

Local Police Officer Purna Lama confirmed that the dead body of Ramananda Yadav, secretary of the Ministry of Irrigation, was recovered from the crash site during the rescue operation.

"We recovered the dead body of Secretary Yadav, and two others traveling along with Yadav are still missing. The rescue operation is underway," Lama told media.

Yadav, his son Sanjya Yadav and an adolescent girl had gone missing after the jeep en route to the capital of Kathmandu from Narayangadh veered off the Prithvi Highway at Salanghat area of Dhading. The police have rescued the injured jeep driver from the crash site.

Road mishaps are frequent in the Himalayan nation and occur mostly due to poor road conditions and reckless driving, officials said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 19:18:59|Editor: Yurou

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Bridge maintenance workers work under the arch of the Beipanjiang railway bridge in southwest China's Guizhou Province, Jan. 26, 2018. The high-speed railway bridge, 721 meters in length, is a part of the Shanghai-Kunming high-speed railway line, which links the country's prosperous eastern coast with the less-developed southwest. Maintenance workers examine the bridge everyday to make sure the safety of the railway line. (Xinhua/Liu Xu)
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 19:10:42|Editor: Chengcheng

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ANKARA, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- At least nine people were killed, four more injured after a minibus on Saturday crashed into a truck in Turkey's southern province of Kahramanmaras, local Dogan News Agency reported.

The accident took place in Besoluk region on the Kahramanmaras-Kayseri highway early on Saturday.

A large number of ambulances, firetrucks and police rushed to the scene of the accident. The injured were immediately transferred to hospitals nearby.

An investigation into the accident was launched by the provincial prosecutor.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 19:10:43|Editor: Chengcheng

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BEIRUT, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The remnants of an Israeli rocket that was launched at dawn Saturday at Syria, was found in the village of Sarine in Lebanon's eastern Bekaa region while shrapnel were found in the town of Ali Nahri, the National News Agency (NNA) reported on Saturday.

The Israeli airstrike was confronted by a surface-to-air missiles on the border of the Eastern Mountain Range, near the Lebanese-Syrian border, the NNA added.

According to the agency, another surface-to-air missile fired from Syrian territory at Israeli warplanes has fallen in the Hasbani valley in southern Lebanon.

Syria state media said its air defenses repelled an Israeli raid on a military base in the center of the country on Saturday, hitting more than one warplane.

The report came after the Israeli military said one of its fighter jets had crashed during strikes against "Iranian targets" in Syria after intercepting a drone.

Israel has carried out dozens of airstrikes on the Syrian armed forces and their allies since the civil war broke out in 2011, but has largely confined its operations to targeting Hezbollah, the Lebanese group that is a key ally of Iran.
SUVA, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Samoa declared a state of disaster on Saturday after a tropical cyclone hit the South Pacific island state, causing extensive damages but no casualties.

According to the Chinese embassy in Apia, capital of Samoa, cyclone Gita slammed the country from Friday night to Saturday afternoon, bringing heavy rain, strong winds and flooding to most parts of the island nation.

Trees were uprooted, roads were blocked or destroyed, water and power services had been cut and the internet service is out of work.

A Chinese embassy official told Xinhua that to help local Samoans track the progress of the cyclone threatening the country, the embassy presented 50 radios to a village near the capital city. The village chiefs thanked China for their timely assistance.

Authorities warned on Saturday that Gita might be slowly moving away from Samoa but the danger is far from over. The residents were urged to remain vigilant and stay indoors and not to drive around Apia town area or near bridges and rivers.

According to Samoa Observer, the state's newspaper, cyclone Gita also ripped through American Samoa, damaging roads and causing floodings. Businesses and schools were shut down and about 200 people had been staying in evacuation centers.
NEW DELHI, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Up to 1 million students in India's largest state of Uttar Pradesh have skipped this year's 10th and 12th standard board exams, as the state government imposed tough measures against mass cheating.

Education officials said that in the last four to five days, some 1 million of a total of over 6 million registered students failed to appear for this year's Uttar Pradesh State Board exams for Class X and Class XII.

"We have this year taken strict measures to prevent any corrupt practices at examination centers. Closed-circuit TV cameras have been installed at all exam centers and a special task force deployed," Uttar Pradesh Board secretary Neena Srivastava told the media Friday.

Another senior education official said Saturday that the state Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma has made a personal surprise checks at exam centers. "This is what has instilled a fear against mass copying," he added.

The deputy chief minister said earlier that the government was committed to ensuring merit in education system and at no cost copying will be allowed.

The Uttar Pradesh Board exams began on Feb. 6 and will continue till March 12.

Uttar Pradesh's neighboring state of Bihar hogged limelight for mass cheating in 2015 when photos of parents and friends of students climbing school building walls to pass on answers were published in local media.

Some photos even showed policemen posted outside the exam centers accepting bribes to look the other way. Some 750 students were expelled and 300 arrested by Bihar government after the incident prompted ridicule on social media.

Cheating in school exams has been going on in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh for a long time. A mafia, comprising teachers and school authorities, connives with parents who bribe them to rig entire answer sheets. Sometimes teachers even appear at exams on behalf of students.

"This has to stop. Bihar has acted on dishonest students. Now we will not allow any kind of dishonesty in exams in Uttar Pradesh," the education official said.
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- California Governor Jerry Brown said Saturday that he is looking forward to cooperating with China on climate change and pollution reduction.

Brown, who was attending a reception hosted by Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco to mark the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year, which falls on Feb. 16, said California is looking forward to the warmth of spring and a new life "in our relationships between California and China, and America and China as well."

"In this Spring Festival, it is a time for new idea(s), new relationships and ways to cooperate," he told an audience of more than 600 overseas Chinese, American friends, as well as Californian and San Francisco officials who gathered to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year.

Recalling his visit to China last June, Brown said he had spoken with Chinese leaders about climate change, Belt and Road and other conduits of relationships.

California has signed many memoranda of understanding the Chinese sides and were jointly building their ties together, he added.

That is so important because "we are living in a world of not only great opportunity but also great danger, not only great cooperation but also great competition, he said.

China and California are also working together on "climate action, actions to reduce pollution, carbon pollution, menthane, and various pollutants that make people sick and actually kill people," he said.

Climate change is a real challenge, and China is making great strides in pollution regulation, in controlling carbon emission, and is advancing in clean technology like zero emission cars, he noted.

"We have a common threat, we have common technologies. We need to do common research. That's exactly what we can really do," said the Californian governor.

Chinese Consul General Luo Linquan said in a speech that China-U.S. relations have kept on developing fruitfully in 2017.

"The four high-level dialogue mechanisms established between China and the United States have promoted bilateral cooperation in various fields," Luo said.

China-U.S. trade volume grown above 16 percent to some 580 billion U.S. dollars in 2017.

"The two countries keep on being the most important goods-trade partners to each other," Luo added.

The year of 2018 is a crucial year to build on past achievements and open up the future for the development of bilateral relations, which concern not only the well-being of both peoples, but also world peace, prosperity and stability, Luo said.

"We should work together to build an open and inclusive world free from isolation, to build a green, clean and beautiful world," said the Chinese consul general.
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- With the Chinese Lunar New Year approaching, "Happy Spring Festival" came to Los Angeles, United States, on Thursday to bring to local people the "Walking New Year's Eve dinner" and best wishes for the year 2018.

"This is the first time the famous brand 'Walking' (is brought) to Los Angeles. It's a very good opportunity for people here to feel the unique charm of the Chinese food culture," said Zhuang Zhizhe, Chinese deputy consul general in Los Angeles.

"The Walking New Year's Eve Dinner" was presented in Li'Orient by the World Federation of China Catering Industry (WFCCI), which invited "Quan Ju De" and "Dong Lai Shun," two famous Chinese catering companies which jointly organized the dinner together.

During the event, the sophisticated "knife work" of a senior chef from Quan Ju De wowed the audience. With special cutting skills, the chef pulled the cucumber longer and made it look like ancient Chinese raincoats.

In ancient China, Suo Yi means raincoat made by plants. There is a popular cuisine, called Suo Yi cucumber, in China's Shandong Province and in Beijing.

"There is a huge opportunity for Los Angeles to be able to try all the delicious Chinese food," Mary Saunders, vice president of Business Development of Beverly Hills Conference and Visitors Bureau told Xinhua.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 19:30:52|Editor: Chengcheng

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JERUSALEM, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli army launched a large-scale attack against the Syrian aerial defense system and Iranian targets in Syria after an Israeli F-16 fighter was hit by missiles from Syria and crashed on Saturday morning.

Twelve Iranian and Syrian targets inside Syria were attacked, including four Iranian targets that are part of Iran's military establishment in Syria and eight Syrian targets belonging to the Fourth Syrian division near Damascus, said the IDF spokesperson, Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, in a briefing held Saturday noon.

All targets were hit and the Israeli aircrafts completed their mission and returned to base safely, and during the attack between 15-20 anti-aircraft missiles were fired against Israeli aircrafts, said Conricus.

Eight Israeli fighter jets attacked the Iranian and Syrian targets inside Syria. There was massive anti-aircraft fire towards Israeli planes, which indicates that the Syrians decided to get involved even though the attack was against the Iranian facility on their soil, added Conricus.

"This is the most blunted and severe Iranian violation of Israeli sovereignty in the last years and that is why our response is severe as it is," said the IDF spokesman.

The Syrians and the Iranians are "playing with fire from our point of view," said Conricus. "The Syrians are playing with fire when they are allowing the Iranians to attack Israel on their soil."

This was an defensive effort triggered by an "Iranian act of aggression," and "we are willing, prepared and capable to extract a heavy price from anyone that attacks us," he said. However, "we are not interested to escalate the situation," he noted.

According to the briefing, the chain of the events started approximately at 4:30 am on Saturday morning.

An Iranian Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) penetrated into Israeli air space and this UAV was dispatched and controlled by Iranian forces from inside an Iranian base inside Syria, which is located near Palmyra in eastern Syria in the desert, it said.

Earlier the IDF said in a statement that a combat helicopter successfully intercepted an Iranian UAV that was launched from Syria and infiltrated Israel.

The Israeli army intercepted the UAV with an Apache helicopter over Israeli territories, a little bit north of Beit Shean in the Jordan valley, Conricus gave details in the briefing. "We have the remains of the UAV and we know for certain that it is an Iranian UAV," he said.

In response to that violation to Israeli sovereignty, the IDF attacked the control facility of that specific UAV which is an Iranian facility, said Conricus.

Earlier, the IDF said in a statement that the army will "act determinately against such severe violations of Israeli sovereignty by Iran and Syria and will continue to act as necessary." The IDF is "ready for various scenarios and will continue to act according to situation assessments."

During that, a double seated F-16 fighter "Sufa" in Hebrew was hit and crashed in the northern Galilee. The IDF later confirmed with Xinhua that during the attack one Israeli F-16 fighter was hit and crashed. The two pilots of the fighter were forced to abandon the fighter by parachute after the aircraft was hit. One pilot was in serious condition the other was lightly wounded.

A gunshot fired from Syria towards an Israeli military drone hit a house in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights on Feb. 7. Shots were fired from Syria at an IDF UAV, said the Israeli army.

Israel has been reportedly conducting frequent intelligence fly-overs and carried out several air attacks against Syria military targets.

The spokesman of the Foreign Ministry of Israel told Xinhua Saturday noon that they are not commenting at the moment about the report of the Israeli media that Israel has asked for immediate Russian and American intervention.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned many times that Israel will not tolerate Iranian military presence in Syria.

Netanyahu stressed that Israel "strongly" opposes an Iranian foothold on the soil of its northern neighbor and noted that Israel is "taking action against (it)" ahead of Netanyahu's visit to Moscow On Jan. 29 to hold a talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the issue of Iran's actions in the region.

Israel has repeatedly asked Putin and other international leaders not to allow Iran gain a permanent military presence in war-torn Syria.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 19:40:53|Editor: Chengcheng

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DAMASCUS, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Syria's Information Minister Emad Sara said Saturday that Israel was jamming the broadcast of the Syrian official TV channel.

The technicians were working to restore the broadcast of the Syrian official TV, said the minister.

This comes as Israel has carried out several strikes and missile attacks on Syrian military positions on Saturday, prompting the Syrian air defenses to shoot down an Israeli F-16 amid a new escalation between the two arch enemies.

State news agency SANA said the Syrian air defenses hit several Israeli warplanes, which took part in striking several military targets in central and southern Syria on Saturday.

The first Israeli strikes were conducted at dawn Saturday, targeting the T4 airbase in Homs in central Syria.

Later on, the Israeli warplanes struck military positions in the countryside of the capital Damascus, also triggering the air defenses.

The state news agency gave no details over the causalities or losses but said the air defenses largely foiled the Israeli attacks.

Meanwhile, Israeli media reports said the Israelis hit 12 targets in Syria, adding that an Israeli F-16 was hit and went down in northern Israel.

Downing the Israeli warplane is a new precedent in the decades-long enmity between Syria and Israel, which has repeatedly targeted Syrian positions during the nearly seven-year-long war in Syria without major responses from the Syrian side.

Israel claimed it's targeting positions of Iranian and Hezbollah weapon depots in Syria, but the recent attack and the downing of the Israeli warplane proved that Syria will no longer tolerate the Israeli strikes.

The attack is the second within three days, as the Israelis launched missile attack from warplanes inside the Lebanese airspace on Jan. 7, targeting a military base near the capital Damascus.

Israel has repeatedly warned that it will not tolerate Iranian influence in Syria or support to the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The auditorium at Alice Deal Middle School in Washington D.C. was filled Friday afternoon, as an audience of circa 700 waited for the big finale of the show, a chorus of a Chinese song "I love you China."

The song, written in the 1970s, tells the beauties of the Chinese landscape, the virtues of the Chinese people, and expresses the unreserved affection for China. This time, it was sung by two dozens of middle schools students at Alice Deal.

The pronunciation needed polishing, the tune a bit more practice, but the fondness for China and the Chinese culture was genuine.

The students belonged to a group of 2288 students in the DC Public Schools system which has taken up Chinese as a foreign language, and on this occasion, they are celebrating the Chinese New Year in advance with Chinese learners from the other schools.

After two months of preparation, the show they've put together was impressive. There were time-honored classics such as "My Chinese Heart" and "Jasmine Flower," and newer hits such as "little apple" and "Mouse loves rice."

For high school students, combining Taichi and modern dancing may seem cool, for the elementary school children, a poem recital about the twelve zodiacs was equally as enjoyable.

Among the many dancing programs, the audience was presented with a taste of the culture of Chinese minority groups, as Uyghur, Tibetan and Miao dancers were on stage with matching costumes.

Lindsey Miller, a 8th grader at Alice Deal who participated in the chorus, said that it was really fun performing in front of all the students from other schools.

"I've studied Chinese for three years," she said, "Learning Chinese is fun for me, it's also intriguing and unique."

Wearing a pair of baggy silk pants featuring Chinese embroidery was Chidimma Orusakwe, a sophomore from McKinley High school who joined her classmates in putting on a "Chinese fashion show."

"We got to choose the clothes for ourselves," she said, "I really enjoyed myself on stage."

Zhi Yanming, a Chinese teaching at Alice Deal and a main organizer of the event, said this is the second year schools offering Chinese lessons in DC decided to come together for a celebration.

"Last year there was 13 schools, this year all 15 schools attended," a beaming Zhi told Xinhua.

The DC Public School System offers seven language courses, with the number or students learning Chinese trailing that of Spanish and French classes, but far supersede that of Italian, Latin, Arabic and American Sign Language.

Even though Chinese is not the most widely studied foreign language here, only the Chinese program was able to assemble all participating schools together for a event like this, Zhi said.

Zhi attributed the success of the celebration to the enthusiastic support of the teachers, students, parents and the schools.

"Many families here are very supportive of their children learning Chinese, because they have one consensus, that is learning the language can be hugely beneficial down the road," Zhi said.

Allyson Williams, the world languages manager at DC Public School, said it was evident that Chinese language is gaining traction and the idea of offering Chinese courses in more local schools have been actively explored.

To this initiative, Minister Counsellor for Education Affairs at the Chinese Embassy Cen Jianjun pledged his full backing, saying that his office would provide resources to promote Chinese learning here.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 19:55:58|Editor: ZD

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Rescuers work at the damaged Yun Men Tusi Ti building in Hualien, southeast China's Taiwan, Feb. 9, 2018. The search for the five missing mainland tourists has been halted due to the smell of gas, local fire fighting authorities said late Friday, adding that rescue work will be continued after the smell disperses. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

HUALIEN, Taiwan, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Three more mainland tourists were confirmed dead Saturday afternoon in the earthquake in Taiwan's Hualien County, bringing the death toll to 15.

Their bodies, identified as a male, a female and a child, were found in the ruins of a 12-story building in Hualien, according to Taiwan's fire fighting authority.

Two mainland tourists from the same family as Saturday's victims are still missing.

The 15 victims include seven from Chinese mainland, five from Taiwan, one from the Philippines and two from Canada. More than 270 people were also injured in the magnitude 6.5 earthquake which jolted waters near Hualien late Tuesday night.

It was the most severe earthquake to hit Hualien in five decades.

Fu Kun-Chi, head of Hualien County, said the county will help the relatives of the deceased to visit Hualien.

He also expressed gratitude for the concerns and deep sympathy conveyed by Zhang Zhijun, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, and the donations offered by mainland enterprises.

All the mainland tour groups in Taiwan are currently safe, according to the Taipei office of the Association for Tourism Exchange across the Taiwan Straits Friday.

The office has been in touch with the families of the mainland victims and are helping them to visit Taiwan.

The Ministry of Public Security has offered expedited travel certificates for family members of the victims, said the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.
BY AMOS NGWOMOYA

The private city schools which were closed by KCCA over non-compliance with education standards are not aware of the directive.

Some of the standards that precipitated the closure of the 21 schools include; lack of a license, poor hygiene, poor structures, lack of a toilet, lack of trained teachers and a school compound among others.

The closure of the 21 schools is contained in a letter from the KCCA Acting director of education and technical services, Ambrose Atwoko dated February 2 2018.

However, at aleast 5 schools out of the 21 visited by Daily Monitor have denied receipt of the directive, saying that there were still waiting for an official communication from KCCA.

In his letter to the to the KCCA director of legal affairs, Charles Ouma, Atwoko says the authority will continue carrying out operations to crackdown on those schools that might defy the directive because their current status is endangering the lives of learners.

Some of the affected schools are Lawrie Park primary school in Bwaise, ,Kiti Muslim primary school in Kisenyi, Little Arms school and Ebenezer Nursery school among others.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 20:36:06|Editor: Chengcheng

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Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas (R) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attend a joint press conference after their meeting in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Feb. 10, 2018. (Xinhua) RAMALLAH, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Saturday that Palestine counts on the pivotal Indian role in achieving peace and security cooperation between the two countries in combating terrorism, wherever it may be.

Abbas's statements came in a joint press conference he held with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was on his first ever visit to Palestine.

Abbas said "we count on India's role, as a world power with significant weight and status to contribute to achieving just and aspired peace in our region, due to its impact on world security and stability."

Abbas stressed that Palestinians have "never rejected negotiations any day; we were and still are ready for it, and believe that forming a multilateral mechanism of several states is the best approach to overlook those negotiations."

Modi said he is "proud to be renewing friendship and support to Palestine" and that his country "holds on to the nobility of the Palestinian people's interests" and hoped for establishing the independent Palestinian state by peaceful means.

He highlighted that the support for the Palestinian cause has been a steady point in India's foreign policy.

The two countries signed four agreements worth 41 million U.S. dollars in various sectors, including education, health, media and women economic empowerment.

Abbas gave Modi the highest medal of the state of Palestine as a sign of valuing friendship with India.

Prior to this visit, Modi said that he has "de-hyphenated" relations with Palestine and Israel, establishing "mutually independent and exclusive relations with both partners."

India's relationship with Israel has seen a significant development in the past few years, crowned with a recent multi-million dollars deal with Israel in military and hi-tech sectors.

Modi made his first ever visit to Israel in July last year, and Israeli Prime Minister paid back the visit last month.

India was one of the 120 UN member states that voted in favor of Palestine in the UN General Assembly resolution calling on the U.S. to retract its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital last December.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 20:46:07|Editor: ZD

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Israeli security personnel guard the remains of an Israeli F-16 fighter near Harduf, Israel, on Feb. 10, 2018. Israel aircrafts attacked Saturday Iranian targets in Syria after intercepting an Iranian Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), and an Israeli fighter jet was shot downed by Syria afterwards. (Xinhua/JINI)

DAMASCUS, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian air defenses destroyed 70 percent of the Israeli missiles that were launched against Syrian military positions on Saturday, pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV reported, citing Syrian military sources.

The Israelis fired tens of missiles on Syrian military positions, following the downing of an Israeli F-16 warplane by Syrian air defenses, said the report, adding that 70 percent of the missiles were destroyed before reaching their targets.

Earlier in the day, the Israeli warplanes launched airstrikes on the T4 military airbase in Syria's central province of Homs, targeting the drones' station in that facility in response to what the Israeli claimed was an infiltration of an Iranian drone into Israel.

Later, Israel launched another strike on military sites in the countryside of the capital Damascus.

The attacks triggered the air defenses in Syria, which destroyed the F-16, the first time an Israeli warplane is destroyed by Syrian air defenses in decades.

The Syrian army has yet to release a military statement to explain the situation.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 20:46:07|Editor: Chengcheng

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DUBAI, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Arab youth unemployment is the highest in the world, said International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde here on Saturday, warning of dissatisfaction and a rise in social tensions.

Lagarde made the remarks at the third Arab Fiscal Forum, mentioning the Arab youth unemployment at an average of 25 percent. "This could easily lead to dissatisfaction, a rise in social tensions, and a collapse in social trust," he said.

"Over 27 million hopeful young people will join the workplace over the next five years, anxious to be included," she added. However, "so far their aspirations are unfulfilled, and their understandable frustration is compounded by perceived unfairness."

The former French Minister of Finance quoted a survey which "found that more than 60 percent of people believe that connections matter far more than qualifications for getting a job," pointing at the Arabic culture of "wasta," which describes the supportive culture of tribal and family relations.

This system "reduces incentives to invest in skills and knowledge," she said. "It can magnify the sense of dissatisfaction, distrust, and resentment -- and it is ultimately self-defeating."

She urged Arab governments to invest into education and to reduce the public wage bill in order not to miss the global recover.

"As you all know, the global economic recovery has strengthened and growth at a pace of 3.9 percent in 2018 and 2019 is back on, with 75 percent of the world economy sharing in the upturn. Yet this tide is not lifting this region enough," said Lagarde.

She appreciated that government jobs can serve as a significant social "safety valve." Yet she added that when the public sector supports every fifth job, it comes with tremendous costs -- "for fiscal sustainability, for the development of a dynamic private sector, and for governance."

She also urged Arab peoples to get back to their roots as "the Arab nations once led the world in the pursuit of knowledge, in scientific innovation -- and indeed in the idea that inclusion, fairness, and decency are the hallmarks of civilization."

IMF is a Washington-based international organization of 189 countries whose mission is to foster global monetary cooperation and ensure continuous financial stability.

Lagarde has been at the helm of the IMF since July 5, 2011 and started her second term in July 2016.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 21:11:10|Editor: Chengcheng

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ANKARA, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster will visit Turkey on separate crucial trips in the upcoming days, amid strained relations between the two countries over Turkish ongoing cross border operation in Syria.

Tillerson's trip to the region is also set to take him to Jordan, Kuwait, Egypt and Lebanon.

Officials in Ankara said McMaster was expected to arrive in Turkey at the weekend, and Tillerson on Tuesday. Both officials will meet with the Turkish leadership.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis is due to meet his Turkish counterpart Nurettin Canikli next week in Brussels to discuss Syrian issue, amid a huge amount of high-level activity between Turkey and the United States.

"These visits are important because we are in efforts to rebuild trust with the U.S.," said on Thursday Ibrahim Kalin, Turkish Presidential spokesperson. "These are in fact concrete steps to be taken by the U.S. to provide this trust," he added.

TURKISH AFRIN OPERATION ON AGENDA

The trips will focus on Ankara's intervention in the northern Syrian of Afrin, where Turkish troops are targeting U.S.-backed Kurdish forces, the People's Protection Units (YPG), instrumental in defeating the Islamic State (IS) in Syria.

Relations between Washington and Ankara, close NATO allies since 1952, have been highly strained, in part due to U.S. support for the YPG in Syria. Turkey sees the YPG as Syrian offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is designated as a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the EU.

"Our trust is damaged. We have to mend our trust. The contacts between us are important," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in an interview with TGRT Haber.

"When Tillerson comes we will share these ideas with him sincerely, we will share our expectations," he said.

With the Turkish "Operation Olive Branch" in its third week, the United States has raised questions over Turkey's lack of clarity on the goals of the offensive.

Ankara has claimed the campaign jointly conducted with Syrian Rebels is also targeting IS.

The YPG also controls the key strategic town of Manbij to the east, located about 100 km from Afrin, and then a long strip of territory east of the Euphrates up to the Iraqi border.

With the YPG a key ally of Washington in the battle against the IS group, the Turkish campaign has seen the two NATO partners on opposite ends of the spectrum with a possible risk of direct conflict.

Two senior U.S. generals have visited Manbij on Wednesday with outsized U.S. flags on their vehicles, and one of them said: "You hit us, we'll respond aggressively," in response to Turkish threats, according to U.S. reports, clearly a sign of mounting tensions on the war terrain.

Meanwhile, Cavusoglu said "the United States should understand and meet our concerns."

"You are cooperating with this terror organization, knowingly. And this poses a threat to us," he added.

ANKARA VOWS TO EXPAND ITS OFFENSIVE

On Sunday, Turkey threatened to expand its military operations against Kurdish militia in the Syrian town of Manbij, warning that U.S. troops employed there risk being targeted if they wore enemy uniform.

Washington said it wanted to continue the fight against IS and to create a bulwark against Iranian influence in Syria and Iraq. But on the other hand, Turkey wants to cooperate with Tehran in order to prevent any mistrust with its eastern neighbor, also militarily involved in the Syrian crisis alongside the Syrian regime as President Bashar al-Assad's ally.

During a telephone conversation on Thursday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin have agreed to hold their next Syria summit among Turkey, Russia and Iran in Istanbul, said Turkish sources.

The previous summit was held in the Russian Black Sea city of Sochi on Nov. 22.

On Thursday, Erdogan promised to widen revenue with the ongoing Turkish military operation, promising to take it also to Idlib province after completing the current mission in Afrin, without elaborating.

Turkey is currently deploying observation points in Idlib in accordance with Russia and in line with the Astana agreement.

Two Turkish civilian workers and a Turkish soldier have been killed in enemy fire in Idlib during this process.

The Turkish president insisted that the operation in northern Syria intends to secure Turkey's southern border strip of "terrorist threat" and help the return of some 3.5 millions of displaced Syrians that it is hosting.

According to a latest toll announced by the Turkish Armed Forces, nearly 1,100 YPG fighters have been killed in clashes.

Experts in both sides believe that the deterioration of relations are in neither country's interest.

"At the end Turkey and the United States need each other in several fields, not only security or Syria. I personally do not think that there will be a direct conflict between the two countries troops in Syria, a diplomatic way will be found to avert it, even though there are statements raising the stakes," said Oytun Orhan, an expert from the Ankara-based think tank, Center of Middle Eastern Strategic Studies.

The Syrian war is not the only contention in bilateral ties and Turkish-U.S. ties have neared a breaking point over a number of issues, including the U.S.-exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen, accused by Ankara of masterminding a 2016 botched military coup.

Washington has until now refused to extradite the cleric, infuriating Erdogan and his administration.

"Whenever we meet with American authorities, here or Washington, we emphasize the need for the U.S. to extradite this individual for the good of the future of our relations," a source close to the Turkish government said to Xinhua.

"As long as this fugitive stays in the U.S., we won't be able to fully mend our ties," he added, reminding that 200 people were killed in the failed coup and that Gulen had to face the Turkish justice for his crimes.

Last but not least, there is also last month's U.S. conviction of an executive from Turkey's state-owned Halkbank over helping Iran evade U.S. sanctions.

"Let's say it clearly without beating around the bush: Turkey and the U.S. are now foes rather than partners. Their relationship is spiraling downward in an unprecedented manner," wrote prominent Turkish commentator Sedat Ergin in his column in Hurriyet daily on the eve of the U.S. officials' visit.

He added that "the crisis is bound to escalate even further" in the light of the harsh rhetoric of the Turkish government and the offensive of the Turkish army in Syria.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 21:21:13|Editor: Yurou

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HONG KONG, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- At least 18 people were killed on Saturday after a double-decker bus overturned in New Territories in China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

The bus was on its way to Tai Po from Shatin racecourse when it toppled to its left on Tai Po Road Saturday evening, leaving long braking marks and destroying a bus station on roadside.

Police told Xinhua that 15 men and three women were confirmed dead at the scene.

Rescuers cut open the top of the bus to save the passengers trapped inside.

Some of the injured received medical treatment on the site, while others were rushed to nearby hospitals.

The site of the accident has been cordoned off, while an investigation is underway.

HKSAR Chief Executive Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor will visit the injured in Prince of Wales Hospital.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 21:21:14|Editor: Yurou

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BEIJING, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Beijing police said Saturday they have detained more than 80 suspects in five cases for recruitment fraud.

The suspects allegedly published false information about recruiting actors, private nurses, villa tenders or overseas jobs on some popular domestic job-hunting websites such as 58.com and swindled money from victims.

In one case, police arrested 24 suspects, who took about 210,000 yuan (33,000 U.S. dollars) from 43 victims, according to the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau.

The bureau said investigations into the five cases continue.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 21:26:16|Editor: Chengcheng

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TEHRAN, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on Saturday asked the United States to withdraw its forces from Syria.

The presence of U.S. forces in Syria is "illegitimate," Lieutenant Commander of the IRGC Brigadier General Hossein Salami told reporters.

Salami said that Washington should move its forces out of region before sustaining a defeat.

Asked about the military operation of Turkey against Kurdish militants in Syria, he said that Iran does not endorse the presence of any country in Syria unless the Syrian government agrees.

Iran has no military presence in Syria, he said. stressing that Iran provides only advisory assistance to the Syrian army as they are able to defend their own territory.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 21:26:17|Editor: Chengcheng

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ANKARA, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- A Turkish military T129 ATAK helicopter was shot down in Turkey's southern province of Hatay during Operation Olive Branch, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed on Saturday.

"The perpetrators will pay a heavy price for downing the Turkish helicopter, and that losses such as this incident are expected to happen in battle time," he said.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told journalists in southwestern Mugla province that two pilots were killed in the incident, reported local TV channel CNN Turk.

It was not certain at this point whether the incident occurred due to an external impact or not. Investigations were ongoing, Yildirim said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 21:31:18|Editor: Yurou

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TAIYUAN, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Five members of a gang of tomb robbers in north China's Shanxi Province were sentenced to life imprisonment or death sentence with a reprive on Sunday, the court said.

The gang of nine were found guilty of more than 74 crimes in Wenxi County of Yuncheng City since 1993, according to the verdict of Yuncheng Intermediate People's Court.

The defendants, Hou Jinfa, Hou Jinhai, Zhang Chengjun and Li Jinyu, were given life sentences for crimes including organizing gang crime and gambling, tomb robbery, and illegally possession of weapons.

Another defendant Zhang Baomin, was sentenced to death with a two year reprieve for crimes including illegal detention, tomb robbery and drug trafficking.

The other four members of the gang were sentenced to terms of up to 20 years in prison.

In 2017, the province of Shanxi caught 200 suspects involved in 121 cultural heritage-related cases.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 21:51:21|Editor: Chengcheng

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COLOMBO, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- A crucial local government election ended peacefully in Sri Lanka on Saturday as over 15 million voters cast their ballots to elect members to local government bodies, election monitors said.

Voting started at 7:00 a.m. local time and ended at 4:00 p.m. local time.

Election monitors said 15,760,867 voters, or some 70 percent of the total eligible voters, cast their votes throughout the country.

President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and former President Mahinda Rajapakse were among those who voted early on Saturday.

A total of 39 people were arrested during the voting for violating election laws, police said, adding there were no election related deaths or major election violence reported.

Police said those arrested, including eight candidates, conducted minor violations such as pasting election related posters, taking photographs of ballot papers and political party members transporting voters to polling stations.

"It has been one of the most peaceful elections we have had on record," said Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, executive director for the Center for Policy Alternatives.

Voting for the local government elections is the first conducted by the newly-established independent Election Commission as well as the police under the Independent Police Commission.

It is also the first island-wide poll to be held since the coalition government of President Sirisena and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe took office in August 2015. The poll is considered an important test of the government's reform agenda.

The government said 65,758 police officers, 41,178 Special Task Force officers and 7,278 other officers were deployed for the elections.

The local councils are the third tier of governance in Sri Lanka after the Parliament and the Provincial Councils, and are primarily responsible for local affairs such as the development of village access roads, garbage collection, and maintenance of basic local infrastructure.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 21:56:21|Editor: Yurou

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BEIJING, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Some 21.6 million companies were registered in the past five years in China, thanks to the government's push for entrepreneurship and innovation to bolster growth.

Since China introduced mass entrepreneurship and innovation policies in 2014, more than 4,200 new hackspace companies have been created, serving over 120,000 start-up businesses and raising over 5.5 billion yuan (870 million U.S. dollars)

In 2017, online sales increased by 28 percent and express delivery volume grew by nearly 30 percent. A string of new growth engines such as sharing and digital economies have been established.

The government has cut red tape, reduced taxes and slashed fees for enterprises.

Mass entrepreneurship and innovation has been an effective driver for both economic growth and the consistent transition between traditional and new growth engines. It has also significantly contributed to creation of new jobs and increase in income.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 22:06:23|Editor: Chengcheng

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KIGALI, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- At least 270 troops of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) Saturday departed for a rotational peacekeeping mission in Juba, South Sudan.

The contingent is part of a battalion of 920 troops of the mechanized infantry to serve under the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), said Innocent Munyengango, a spokesperson of the ministry of defence, at an event to see off the troops.

The troops, expected to serve a one year mission, will serve in the regional protection force, with a main mandate to protect Juba residents and their property, Munyengango told reporters at Kigali International Airport in the capital city of Kigali.

He urged the troops to maintain discipline in order to meet their mission objective.

Rwanda has over 2,300 UN peacekeeping troops in South Sudan and maintains more than 6,000 UN peacekeeping troops in various countries including Sudan and Central African Republic, said RDF last August.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 22:31:28|Editor: Zhou Xin

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Photo taken on Feb. 9, 2018 shows a goat(Seham) drinking carbonated drink in the city of Suakin, eastern Sudan. (Xinhua/Mohamed Khidir)

PORT-SUDAN, Sudan, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The historical city of Suakin on the Red Sea coast in eastern Sudan is still a city of legends, tales and wonders, which is rising from within its ruins to restore its historical position.

The visit to Suakin is incomplete without passing by al-Qarmoushi Restaurant at the entry of the archaeological city, a restaurant which serves different types of sea fish dishes.

At the restaurant's yard, which is crowded with costumers, a visitor can see Seham. Seham is not a woman, but a goat representing one of the legends of Suakin city and its endless tales.

What makes this goat (Seham) so distinguished from other goats is that it drinks only carbonated water, namely Pepsi and Coca-cola, and feeds on meat and fish. It refrains from drinking natural drinking water or eating what normal goats eat.

According to the owner of Al-Qarmoushi restaurant, the goat Seham is 14 years old.

"This goat has been associated with this place since my father was running this restaurant. Thousands of tourists come to this place to see Seham," Abdalla Al-Qarmoushi, owner of Al-Qarmoushi restaurant, told Xinhua.

"It is a smart goat with strange behaviours. In the past it used to respond to the calls of the costumers, but it is apparent that its addiction to carbonated water has affected its hearing," he noted.

He further explained that many foreign tourists have offered huge sums to buy Seham, noting that he insisted that it was not for sell.

"Seham is priceless. Once a Saudi tourist offered us 2,000 U.S. dollars and a Turkish one 3,000 dollars, but we refused to sell it, because we are connected to it and it has become part of this place," said Al-Qarmoushi.

Meanwhile, inside Sudakin's archaeological island, the place still embodies ancient stories that are almost part of the city's ruins which are still enduring despite the collapse of most of the island's buildings.

The first thing that draws the attention from within the ruins of the archaeological buildings is the spread of fat cats, as no one knows what they eat or why they insist on staying in an abandoned place.

Suakin's cats do not fear the movement of the visitors of the island which is under restoration by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA). These cats do not even avoid the lenses of the photographers.

"There are many stories about the animals of this island," Ibrahim Shungrai, a Suakin resident and a tourist guide, told Xinhua.

"Many people believe that some of these animals are Gins, where it is not familiar to see a cat with two different eyes in color, one is red and the other blue. There is no a scientific explanation, but there are legends that are almost true," noted Shungrai.

The local government in Suakin is trying to utilize these legends associated with the city to make them means for tourist attraction.

"It is true that there are many legends associated with Suakin, and we are trying to make them means to attract the tourists to visit the city," Khalid Sa'dan, Commissioner of Suakin Locality, told Xinhua.

He pointed to the ongoing restoration of the archaeological buildings in Suakin conducted by the Turkish TIKA, saying "there is a deal between Sudan and Turkey to revive the archaeological city in Suakin and make a complete tourist zone."

Suakin lies on the western coast of the Red Sea, some 61 km south of Port-Sudan, the capital city of the Red Sea State, and some 780 km from the Sudanese capital Khartoum.

"Suakin is now gradually rising to restore its historical position as one of the oldest archaeological sites in Sudan," noted Sa'dan.
YANGON, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- A Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year reception was held in Chinese ambassador's residence in Yangon on Saturday with participation of more than 700 guests from the Myanmar government, military and the Chinese community in Myanmar.

In his speech, Ambassador Hong Liang reviewed the great progress in China, Myanmar and their bilateral ties in the outgoing Year of the Rooster.

The ambassador said Myanmar has made steady progress in national transition and new strides in promoting peace and development, noting that the China-Myanmar relations and paukphaw (fraternal) friendship have reached a new height.

He expressed good wishes for both China and Myanmar for the upcoming Year of the Dog.

U Kyaw Tint Swe, union minister for the Office of the State Counselor of Myanmar, extended his greetings and good wishes to the Chinese government and its people for the Chinese Lunar New Year. He expressed appreciation for China's support to Myanmar peace process and for its humanitarian assistance in Rakhine State.

The guests enjoyed singing and dancing performances presented by artists from China and Myanmar, delicious Chinese and Myanmar food, and Chinese lantern show.

"I really enjoy the face-changing show, it's amazing!" a Myanmar guest told Xinhua.

The Chinese embassy and Chinese community in Myanmar are holding various activities to celebrate the biggest festival in a year for the Chinese.
VIENTIANE, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese cultural show was staged in the Lao capital Vientiane on Saturday to celebrate the upcoming Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year.

The "Happy Spring Festival 2018 Temple Fair in Laos" included Chinese classical folk music, dance, magic show, acrobatics, as well as performance by Lao musician Athisack Ratanavong with his popular song "Belt and Road."

On the occasion, Chinese food, quizzes, games, Chinese New Year photo exhibition and a lucky draw were also held.

The event, organized by Chinese Culture Center in Laos, was attended by over 900 Chinese and Lao participants.
BRAZZAVILLE, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- With the Chinese Spring Festival approaching, Wang Jun, a member of China's peacekeeping sapper unit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), misses more than ever his wife and children at home across the sea.

This year's Spring Festival, or the Lunar New Year, falls on Feb. 16, one of the most important holidays in Chinese culture when the Chinese across the world will return home to stay with their families.

When news came last July that the 21st batch of the Chinese peacekeeping mission to the DRC would be established shortly after, Wang did not sign up for enrollment. He had been carrying out an overseas mission when his wife gave birth to his first child, and he would not miss the chance to be with her this time, as his second baby was due to be born in the autumn.

However, the brigade, after taking prudent consideration, decided to send experienced soldiers to carry out the mission.

Responsibility for the greater good finally won over the longing to stay with his loved ones in a fierce inner battle, and Wang set out for his second adventure to the continent of Africa.

When the baby was born, Wang was away from the military camp performing a task with a contingent of the peacekeeping force. He was not able to contact with his wife and see their baby the first time after her delivery.

After nearly four hours, he completed the mission and returned to the base. As soon as he saw the baby through telephone, the strong man can no long hold back his tears, as the feeling of excitement and regret mixed together at that moment.

"It is not easy to find a person having my experience -- I was in Africa when both of my babies were born," Wang said.

He knows well that peacekeepers are ordinary people who miss home and families, but when it comes to national responsibility, they have to bury their feelings for their families deep in their hearts.

In South Kivu province of the DRC where Wang Jun and the other members of the sapper unit are working, violence is caused by locally armed groups. According to a report of the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, 545,000 people are internally displaced in the province.

The sapper unit of the 21st batch of the Chinese peacekeeping mission to the DRC was deployed to South Kivu in September last year, a turbulent time when armed conflicts frequently occurred.

On Dec. 7, an armed group attacked a UN peacekeeping base in the neighboring North Kivu province, killing 12 UN peacekeepers and five DRC soldiers, and wounding 40 others, the worst attack on UN peacekeeping missions in history.

Despite great risks of armed attacks, disease and hostile climates, Chinese "blue helmets" have been committed to restoring peace and stability, reconstruction and reconciliation in the conflict-torn country.

"Actually we are afraid of armed attacks, but bearing in mind our responsibilities, we are not allowed to step back," said Yang Bin, another solider of the Chinese sapper unit.

China first participated in UN peacekeeping missions in 1990, when five military observers were sent to Damascus, the capital of Syria. Since then, China has dispatched a total of about 35,000 person-times of peacekeeping and military personnel to take part in more than 20 UN missions.

For the past 27 years, China has devoted itself to peacekeeping missions and its contribution has earned applause and respect from the international community.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 23:26:38|Editor: Yamei

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File photo shows Su-35 fighter jets are on a training. China has recently sent Su-35 fighter jets for a joint combat patrol mission in the South China Sea area, according to the People's Liberation Army (PLA) air force on Feb. 7, 2018. (Xinhua)

BEIJING, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- China's Su-35 fighter jets for a joint combat patrol mission in the South China Sea area and its latest J-20 stealth fighters' commission in combat service will maintain airspace safety in the new era, a military expert said Saturday.

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force announced on Wednesday that China has recently sent Su-35 fighter jets for a joint combat patrol mission in the South China Sea area.

The deployment is expected to improve the air force's adaptive capacity in complicated situation in the air and on the sea, and enhance its ability to maintain national sovereignty and security and maritime interests in the South China Sea area, said Wang Mingzhi, a professor with the PLA Air Force Command Academy.

The patrol mission is an annual training of combat readiness, embodying the air force's resolution to implement mission in the new era and firmly maintain national sovereignty and security and maritime interests, Wang said in an interview with Xinhua.

The air force will further increase real combat training on the sea and enhance the real combat capability especially under long-distance and high-sea conditions, he said.

Wang said that the air force will often carry out patrol missions and normalize the patrol in the South China Sea area.

On Friday, the air force also announced that China's latest J-20 stealth fighters have been commissioned into air force combat service.

The J-20 signals that China's air force has greatly increased its ability to deal with new security threats in airspace, and made steady progress in the aero equipment system, Wang said.

The stealth jets will enable the air force to improve ability to tackle conventional threat and enhance real combat capacity, he added.

The J-20 is China's fourth-generation medium and long-range fighter jet. It made its maiden flight in 2011 and was first shown to the public at the 11th Airshow China in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, in November 2016.

The fighters made their parade debut when the PLA marked its 90th anniversary in July 2017 at Zhurihe military training base in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 23:26:40|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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Rescuers work at the accident site where a double-decker bus overturned in New Territories in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, south China, Feb. 10, 2018. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)

HONG KONG, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- At least 18 people were killed on Saturday after a double-decker bus overturned in China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

The accident happened at 6:15 p.m. local time (1015 GMT), when a bus on its way to Tai Po from Shatin racecourse toppled to its left on Tai Po Road, New Territories, leaving long braking marks and destroying a bus station on roadside.

Police told Xinhua earlier that 19 people were killed but the death toll was later revised to 18, including 15 men and three women.

Most of the passengers were horse racing fans, as the bus was travelling on a special route for horse racing days.

The bus had been running on high speed before the accident, according to some of the passengers.

Rescuers cut open the top of the bus to save the passengers trapped inside.

The injured have been rushed to hospitals, while the site of the accident has been cordoned off.

Godwin So Wai-kei, general manager of Kowloon Motor Bus Company Limited which the bus belonged to, said the company will offer 80,000 HK dollars (10,256 U.S. dollars) as a condolence allowance for the families of each victim.

The driver of the bus joined the company in 2014. So far there is no sign of fatigue driving when the accident occurred, said the general manager.
SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Two junior-level officers of the Indian army and two militants were killed while nine others, including women and children, wounded Saturday in an ongoing gunfight in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir.

The fierce gunfight broke out early Saturday morning after gunmen believed to be fidayeen (suicide attackers) indiscriminately opened fire and entered a highly fortified military camp at Sunjawan in Jammu, the winter capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"The army has killed two militants in the ongoing operations inside the camp," an army official told Xinhua. "We have also lost two officers. Four soldiers, and five women and children were also wounded."

A statement issued by the Indian army said over 150 houses inside the camp were cleared and their inmates evacuated to safer locations.

Local government minister Abdul Rehman Veeri also confirmed that two officers were killed and three troopers including an officer of the rank of colonel were wounded. The minister said a daughter of a slain army officer was also wounded.

Officials said no sooner the militants entered the camp, they took refuge inside the family headquarters and engaged the troopers in a fierce gunfight.

The army had to rush reinforcements of police and paramilitary to take on militants inside the camp. It also used helicopters to locate the positions of militants. Around 500 meters around the camp have been sealed.

Reports said the stand-off continued.

"The operation will continue until the area is completely cleared of militants," the army official said.

Following the attack, the region's Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti chaired a high level security meeting in Jammu with top police and civil officers attending.

Officials suspect four to five militants have managed to enter the highly guarded camp to take on army personnel present there.

In December last year, a similar attack on highly fortified paramilitary camp in the region ended with killing of five Central Reserve Police Force personnel and three militants.

A guerrilla war is going on between militants and Indian troops stationed in the region since 1989.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.
MOSCOW, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Two terrorists were killed in the Republic of Ingushetia in southern Russia, the country's National Anti-Terrorism Committee said Saturday.

Law enforcement officers besieged two terrorists, including one on the federal wanted list and accused of having connection to the Islamic State group, near the village of Ali Yurt in the Nazran District, the committee said.

"Both criminals were killed" during an exchange of fire, the committee said, adding that weapons, ammunition, explosive devices and other equipment were found at the scene of the operation.

Further investigation is underway, it said.
LONDON, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The British government confirmed Saturday it is reviewing all of its work with Oxfam, one of the country's best known charities.

Oxfam is embroiled in a sex scandal after it was revealed staff had engaged in orgies with prostitutes following the devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010.

British Prime Minister Theresa May has called for a full and urgent investigation into the charity.

A spokesperson for May said: "We want to see Oxfam provide all the evidence to the Charity Commission of these very serious allegations."

"SORDID DETAILS"

The London-based Times newspaper said an investigation it carried out revealed Oxfam staff in Haiti used prostitutes, and downloaded pornographic and illegal material, with claims of bullying and intimidation.

Reports in the Times revealed sordid details after how staff, including its local director, used prostitutes while they were carrying out emergency work after the devastating earthquake in Haiti.

When the allegations first came to light four staff members were fired and three, including the charity's director in Haiti, Roland Van Hauwermeiren, were allowed to resign. A statement at the time by Oxfam did not mention the seven staff had left the charity for sexual misconduct.

The Times reported how prostitutes were used at a villa rented in Haiti by Oxfam for Van Hauwermeiren, a Belgian national.

The Oxfam staff were part of the relief effort following the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that killed more than 200,000 people in Haiti in 2010.

Oxfam received more than 44 million U.S. dollars from DFID last year to help towards its global relief and humanitarian work.

"SERIOUS QUSTIONS"

Britain's Department for International Development (DFID) announced it is reviewing all its work with Oxfam, adding in a statement the charity had to answer "serious questions".

The government's International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt has also requested a meeting with Oxfam's senior team at the earliest opportunity to discuss the allegations.

A DFID spokesperson said serious questions had been raised for Oxfam about the way the appalling abuse of vulnerable people was dealt with.

The spokesperson added: "We have a zero tolerance policy for the type of activity that took place in this instance, and we expect our partners to as well. We often work with organisations in chaotic and difficult circumstances. If wrongdoing, abuse, fraud, or criminal activity occur we need to know about it immediately, in full."

"NO COVERING UP"

Oxfam's CEO Mark Goldring strongly denied Saturday that the charity had covered up the incident.

Goldring said: "We were very open with the public that we were ashamed of the behavior of our staff. We still are."

He said in a radio interview Saturday: "As we speak, aid workers, who are behaving well, are delivering lifesaving assistance with public money across the world and we should be proud of that, whilst we are ashamed of what we got wrong."

In its report Saturday the Times said some of the former Oxfam staff involved in the scandal, including Van Hauwermeiren, went on to work for other aid charities.

Oxfam was founded in 1942 by a group of people including academics from Oxford University, with the aim of providing famine relief following global disasters. It raises more than 400 million U.S. dollars a year in donations, sponsorships and government grants.
A Turkish military helicopter was hot down by Kurdish fighters in Syria's Afrin on Saturday. (AFP Photo)

DAMASCUS, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Kurdish fighters shot down a Turkish military helicopter in the Kurdish-controlled Afrin enclave in northern Syria on Saturday, Kurdish activists said.

The Turkish helicopter was targeted over the town of Rajo northwest of Afrin in the northwestern countryside of Aleppo province.

The state news agency SANA also reported the downing of the Turkish helicopter in Afrin.

Since Jan. 20, Turkish troops, together with allied Syrian rebels, have been conducting a cross-border military operation in a bid to drive the Kurdish militiamen out of Afrin.

The Turkish military campaign led to the displacement of 15,000 civilians from the countryside of Afrin to safer areas in that enclave.
by Wang Chenxi, Lu Rui

SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- All relevant parties should make joint efforts to broaden their dialogue channel so as to maintain peace on the Korean Peninsula, a South Korean expert said.

"Both sides on the peninsula have the good will to improve the inter-Korean relations. The key issue is other relevant parties can have dialogue with each other," Lee Sang-man, researcher at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies, Kyungnam University, said on Saturday.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Saturday met with Kim Yo Jong, the younger sister and special envoy of top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un.

Kim Jong Un has invited Moon to visit Pyongyang, the presidential Blue House said. In response, Moon said, "Let's create conditions going forward and make it."

Moon has also dismissed a call by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to quickly resume the U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises after the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

Lee told Xinhua that all relevant parties should broaden their channel for dialogue and foster a peace agreement on the Korean Peninsula as soon as possible.

"The DPRK has taken a big step forward to send Kim Jong Un's sister as a special envoy who carried his letter and invited President Moon to visit Pyongyang, showing that Pyongyang cares about the peace on the peninsula," he said.

Moon's visit is highly possible, if South Korea and the United States downscale their military exercises, while DPRK agrees to freeze its nuclear program and stop testing missiles, he added.

"If they all step back at same time, then DPRK's 70th anniversary on Sept. 9, or the 11th anniversary of the Declaration for the Development of Inter-Korean Relations, Peace and Prosperity on Oct. 4, is good timing for the historic meeting," said the professor, who is optimistic about the third summit between the DPRK and South Korean leaders.

Late South Korean President Kim Dae-jung held the first inter-Korean summit in June 2000 with late DPRK leader Kim Jong Il, father of the current leader Kim Jong Un.

Late South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun met in Pyongyang with Kim Jong Il in October 2007.

He pointed out that the United States should be more open and active in having contact with the DPRK, especially when Pyongyang had shown willingness to improve the situation.

"It is very important for South Korea to coordinate with the United States to have dialogue with the DPRK," he added.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, who is also in South Korea to attend the opening ceremony of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, on Friday visited wreckage of the Cheonan warship destroyed in an incident in March 2010. South Korea said the warship was sunken by torpedoes fired by the DPRK, a charge repeatedly denied by Pyongyang.

Local media reported that there is no interaction between Pence and the DPRK delegation at a welcome reception hosted by Moon on Friday.

Lee said the current goal for South Korea is not the unification of the Korean Peninsula, but the prevention of war. The priority for the two Koreas is holding meetings between their militaries to eliminate the risk of armed conflict.

"The process of unification could be as long as several decades and we couldn't achieve that in a short time. But realizing peace on the Korean Peninsula is the first step forward," he added.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-10 23:56:46|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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BEIJING, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Gui Minhai, a Swedish national and Hong Kong bookseller, was detained again recently by Chinese police over suspected violations of Chinese law, about three months after his release from a Chinese prison.

Gui was freed on Oct. 17, 2017 after completing a two-year term over his drunken driving which killed a person more than a decade ago. He turned himself in to police in the Chinese mainland in 2015.

As Chinese authorities continued investigation into Gui's suspected illegal business operation, he was not allowed to leave the country according to law.

"When I was released, my illegal business operation case has not been put to an end. I resume an inmate's life, for which to a large extent, my thanks should be given to the Swedish government and you," said Gui in a letter he wrote on Jan. 27 to the Swedish ambassador to Beijing.

After his release, Gui said in a letter of commitment to police in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, that he would continue cooperation with authorities on the investigation into the illegal business case and would inform authorities if he leaves the city.

However, on Jan. 20, accompanied by two Swedish diplomats, Gui suddenly arrived in Shanghai riding a car with a diplomatic plate, and then boarded a high-speed train bound for Beijing.

According to Chinese police, Gui took with him many information materials concerning state secrets and was suspected of illegally providing state secrets and intelligence overseas and endangering state security.

Police contacted him many times and demanded he return and receive investigation, but the accompanying Swedish diplomats asked Gui to refuse cooperation. When the high-speed train stopped at Jinan West Railway Station in Shandong Province, police took Gui away and put him under custody according to law.

Some overseas media and Western countries such as Sweden pointed fingers at China over Gui's case, accusing China of violating international norms and interfering with consular affairs.

On Feb. 9, Gui applied to authorities and asked to speak the truth before media. Xinhua reporters interviewed him at his detention place in Ningbo.

"When I was in Sweden, they paid little attention to me. I felt I was not recognized by local Swedes," said Gui. "The Swedish have done this just out of their political purposes and to meet the need of some political figures for the 2018 elections in Sweden."

Gui said he had a Swedish nationality, but he did not live in Sweden almost in the past decade. Instead, he lived in Germany. It was just after he surrendered to Chinese police and especially his release that the Swedish government began to pay special attention to him, according to Gui.

"I do not want the Swedish side to continue hyping up my case. I have seen through the Swedish government. I may consider giving up my Swedish nationality if it continues to do so," said Gui.

"Under Sweden's continual instigation, I broke the law again. My happy life was destroyed," said Gui. "I just simply hope that my family will not be taken advantage of and I can stay in China to live a peaceful life."

During the three months after his release, Gui lived in a rented house in Ningbo and attended to his aged mother with his three sisters. "I feel like returning to my childhood and the life is really happy."

To accompany his mother, Gui applied for a residence permit to local police and the permit was approved.

Shortly afterwards, the Swedish side contacted Gui frequently and attempted to help him leave China, dispatching consulate staff to Ningbo to persuade him and offering him plans to go with them to Sweden.

"They told me I was just one step away from success. As long as I take the step, I will succeed in returning to Sweden," said Gui.

Gui suffered muscle atrophy in the hands. But the Swedish side claimed he suffered amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), asking him not to receive treatment in China and promising to send him back to Sweden for treatment.

In November 2017, Gui's family contacted a local key hospital in Ningbo to carry out a checkup of Gui. The doctors said his muscle atrophy was caused by cervical spondylosis.

Recently, five senior orthopedics and neurology doctors from Ningbo and Shanghai also ruled out the ALS disease for Gui, giving a diagnosis similar to that of the Ningbo hospital.

"Helping me treat my illness is just an excuse. Their purpose is to bring me back to Sweden as soon as possible," said Gui.

"I have lost trust in the Swedish government. I hope I handle my issue on my own," he said.

On Jan. 20, China's public security authorities informed the Embassy of Sweden of Gui's case through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shortly after Gui's arrest. China's foreign affairs authorities also informed their Swedish counterparts about Gui's case.

On Jan. 30, the Public Security Bureau of Ningbo visited the Consulate General of Sweden in Shanghai to inform Gui's case and his recent condition, and delivered Gui's letter to the ambassador.
| 2018-02-11 06:23:49|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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WUHAN, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Ten people were killed and one was injured after a minibus collided with a truck Saturday afternoon in central China's Hubei Province, said the local government.

The accident occurred at 1:40 p.m. when the minibus with 11 people aboard crashed head-on into a heavy truck on a national highway stretch in Yangxin County.

Ten of the 11 died. The injured passenger is receiving treatment in a local hospital and has no life dangers.

The 11 people on the minibus were natives of Ruichang City in Jiangxi Province. The cause of the accident is under investigation.
ISLAMABAD, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Pakistan Foreign Ministry said Pakistan and Afghanistan had "good discussions" after they concluded two-day talks on important issues on Saturday.

The talks in Islamabad took place under the Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS) - a joint action plan for cooperation in the key areas of counter-terrorism and reduction of violence, peace and reconciliation, refugees' repatriation and joint economic development.

This was the second round of APAPPS in a week that reflects determination of both sides to pursue policy of engagement despite differences over certain issues.

The first round was held in Kabul on Feb. 3 following the deadliest Taliban-claimed attacks in Kabul on Jan. 20 and Jan. 27, which had killed nearly 125 people and injured over 250. Pakistan had offered joint investigation into the Kabul's attacks that Kabul had blamed on the Haqqani Network.

Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal seemed upbeat at the discussions. "Pak-Afghanistan talks. Two days of good discussions. Some agreements. Further work required," he wrote on his Twitter.

However, the Afghan Foreign Ministry said no progress was made on counter-terrorism issues.

"While some progress was made on the mechanism of cooperation, no progress was achieved on specific, results-oriented, time-bound measures in the APAPPS, particularly in the areas of counter-terrorism, reduction of violence, peace and reconciliation to meet the priorities of Afghanistan," an Afghan Foreign Ministry statement said.

Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai led a high-level delegation to Islamabad comprising of senior civilian and military officials.

Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua headed the Pakistani delegation of senior civilian and military officials at the talks.
Israeli security forces examine the remains of an F-16 Israeli war plane near the village of Harduf, Israel February 10, 2018. (Reuters Photo)

JERUSALEM, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli army launched a large-scale attack against the Syrian aerial defense system and Iranian targets in Syria after an Israeli F-16 fighter was shot down by missiles from Syria and crashed on Saturday morning.

Twelve Iranian and Syrian targets inside Syria were attacked, including four Iranian targets that are part of Iran's military establishment in Syria and eight Syrian targets belonging to the Fourth Syrian division near Damascus, said the IDF spokesperson, Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, in a briefing held Saturday noon.

All targets were hit and the Israeli aircraft completed their mission and returned to base safely, and during the attack between 15-20 anti-aircraft missiles were fired against Israeli aircraft, said Conricus.

Eight Israeli fighter jets attacked the Iranian and Syrian targets inside Syria. There was massive anti-aircraft fire towards Israeli planes, which indicates that the Syrians decided to get involved even though the attack was against the Iranian facility on their soil, added Conricus.

"This is the most blunted and severe Iranian violation of Israeli sovereignty in the last years and that is why our response is severe as it is," said the IDF spokesman.

The Syrians and the Iranians are "playing with fire from our point of view," said Conricus. "The Syrians are playing with fire when they are allowing the Iranians to attack Israel on their soil."

This was an defensive effort triggered by an "Iranian act of aggression," and "we are willing, prepared and capable to extract a heavy price from anyone that attacks us," he said. However, "we are not interested to escalate the situation," he noted.

According to the briefing, the chain of the events started approximately at 4:30 am on Saturday morning.

An Iranian Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) penetrated into Israeli air space and this UAV was dispatched and controlled by Iranian forces from inside an Iranian base inside Syria, which is located near Palmyra in eastern Syria in the desert, it said.

Earlier the IDF said in a statement that a combat helicopter successfully intercepted an Iranian UAV that was launched from Syria and infiltrated Israel.

The Israeli army intercepted the UAV with an Apache helicopter over Israeli territories, a little bit north of Beit Shean in the Jordan valley, Conricus gave details in the briefing. "We have the remains of the UAV and we know for certain that it is an Iranian UAV," he said.

In response to that violation to Israeli sovereignty, the IDF attacked the control facility of that specific UAV which is an Iranian facility, said Conricus.

Earlier, the IDF said in a statement that the army will "act determinately against such severe violations of Israeli sovereignty by Iran and Syria and will continue to act as necessary." The IDF is "ready for various scenarios and will continue to act according to situation assessments."

During that, a double seated F-16 fighter "Sufa" in Hebrew was hit and crashed in the northern Galilee. The IDF later confirmed with Xinhua that during the attack one Israeli F-16 fighter was hit and crashed. The two pilots of the fighter were forced to abandon the fighter by parachute after the aircraft was hit. One pilot was in serious condition the other was lightly wounded.

A gunshot fired from Syria towards an Israeli military drone hit a house in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights on Feb. 7. Shots were fired from Syria at an IDF UAV, said the Israeli army.

Israel has been reportedly conducting frequent intelligence fly-overs and carried out several air attacks against Syria military targets.

The spokesman of the Foreign Ministry of Israel told Xinhua Saturday noon that they are not commenting at the moment about the report of the Israeli media that Israel has asked for immediate Russian and American intervention.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned many times that Israel will not tolerate Iranian military presence in Syria.

Netanyahu stressed that Israel "strongly" opposes an Iranian foothold on the soil of its northern neighbor and noted that Israel is "taking action against (it)" ahead of Netanyahu's visit to Moscow On Jan. 29 to hold a talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the issue of Iran's actions in the region.

Israel has repeatedly asked Putin and other international leaders not to allow Iran gain a permanent military presence in war-torn Syria.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-11 00:52:02|Editor: Zhou Xin

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NEW YORK, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Industry elites and style influencers from the U.S. and around the world were thrilled to see a spectacular runway show by leading Hong Kong fashion designers Friday at the New York Fashion Show.

"Hong Kong fashion is spectacular. It needs to be in the mainstream," Dora Chu, a U.S. fashion blogger famously known as Dora Spectacular, told Xinhua when asked her impression of the show staged by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) in America.

Ralph Chow, Regional Director, Americas, Hong Kong Trade Development Council, can agree no more.

"Hong Kong is well known for its unique culture, where both eastern and western culture can be reflected in our city, so you can find the uniqueness and also characteristics of all these design elements in the collections of fashion designers from Hong Kong," Chow said.

Designer Harrison Wong said it's his third time exhibiting on the New York runway. Wong's self-named collection is a contemporary apparel and accessories brand for urban men and women.

His current collection has many oversized sweaters and unisex-looking sweatshirts as well as boxy tops and bottoms made with high-end fabrics and clean lines.

"I would describe my style as understated elegance," said Wong, who received a master's degree from the London College of Fashion.

He said his pieces are made with the highest quality materials and craftsmanship but are also affordable to demonstrate that fine designs are not determined by a price tag.

Self-taught designer Annette Chan has been living in Hong Kong for decades and started her collection 11 years ago. She has since branched out on her own and now sees her clothes carried by Harvey Nichols in Hong Kong and Galeries Lafayette in Beijing. since 2013 she has been selling in the United States.

"I have a large number of customers here in New York. I want to reach out to more by attending the fashion week," she said.

As the theme of Chan's latest collection is L'Opera, the designs are conspicuously more glamorous and flamboyant compared to previous collections. Some unique characteristics include texturized leather that has been twisted or silk inserts to leather on dresses and skirts.

"The collection demonstrates my aesthetic through delicate application of different material combinations," Chan said, adding that she only use the finest lambskin leather with a touch of shearling and silk.

"Westerners used to think all the finest leather clothes come from Italy, now the situation has changed," she said.
Ceremony marking the handing over of heavy military equipments to Ukrainian forces in northeastern town of Chuguev , Kharkiv region on August 22, 2015. (Xinhua/SIPA)

KIEV, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine plans to enhance the mobility of its military personnel as part of a comprehensive reform of the Armed Forces, the country's Defense Ministry said Friday, citing a senior military official.

"Achievement of high mobility of units is our priority task," Viktor Muzhenko, chief of the general staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, was quoted as saying by the Defense Ministry's press service.

To achieve the target, the army intends to carry out military exercises on the redeployment of the troops within Ukraine, Muzhenko said.

In the past, Ukrainian servicemen have undergone the drills on the redeployment using railway, road and air transport, he added.

Kiev has launched a major modernization of the army in 2014, when the conflict between government troops and pro-independence insurgents started in eastern Ukraine.

The comprehensive reform of the Armed Forces, which is set to be completed in 2020, is aimed at the establishment of "effective and mobile defense forces able to provide an adequate and flexible response to military threats."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-11 02:12:13|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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TEHRAN, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Iran preserves the "legitimate" right to develop missiles as the deterrent power, a senior advisor to Iran's supreme leader said Saturday.

To this end, Iran will not seek anybody's permission to develop its missile capabilities, said Ali Akbar Velayati, also the former Iranian foreign minister.

Velayati made the remarks on the sidelines of a meeting with foreign diplomats on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of victory of the Islamic revolution.

He stressed that Iran will not negotiate missile capabilities despite the U.S. pressures and will expand them in the quantity it deems necessary.

Last week, Chief of Staff of Iran Armed Forces Major General Hossein Baqeri said that the Iranian armed forces would keep boosting defense capabilities and deterrent power, including missile program.

The Iranian armed forces would never allow any interference in Iran's defense sphere or missile power, Baqeri said.
CAIRO, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Egyptian air forces carried out raids and pounded terrorist dens in North Sinai province as part of the "Comprehensive Operation Sinai 2018," the Egyptian army said in a statement on Saturday.

"Since last night until early morning, the air forces continued carrying out several intensified air raids against terrorist dens and hideouts detected in North and Central Sinai," said the statement.

The raids targeted warehouses of arms, ammunition and explosives as well as areas of logistic support to the terrorists, the statement added.

Meanwhile, the air forces continued securing the country's border regions "in all strategic directions," while border guards and naval forces were also securing navigation in the Suez Canal international waterway.

"Simultaneously, the armed forces in cooperation with the police carried out several raids in different areas of inside cities in North and Central Sinai," the statement said.

Egypt launched the "Sinai 2018" counterterrorism operation on Friday to eliminate terrorism in North Sinai province bordering Israel and the Palestinian Gaza Strip as well as other parts across the country.

When the campaign started on Friday, the armed forces raided terrorist hideouts in North Sinai's cities of Arish, Rafah and Sheikh Zuweid while the police killed three militants in Cairo and arrested 14 suspects in several provinces.

North Sinai has been the center of terrorist attacks that killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers following the military removal of former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 in response to mass protests.

They later extended to several other provinces including Cairo and started to target the Coptic minority via church bombings and shootings.

Terrorists even attacked a mosque in North Sinai's Arish city last November, killing at least 310 Muslim worshippers and injuring more than 120 others, marking the deadliest terror attack and the first against a mosque in Egypt's modern history.

Most of the terror attacks were carried out by the so-called Wilayat Sinai (Sinai state or province), a Sinai-based group affiliated with the Islamic State (IS) regional terrorist group. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the mosque attack though.

Following the mosque attack, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi ordered the army to restore security and stability in the restive northern part of the Sinai Peninsula within three months.

Egyptian security forces have so far killed hundreds of terrorists and arrested thousands of suspects during the country's anti-terror war declared by Sisi, the army chief then, following Morsi's ouster in 2013.

The comprehensive anti-terror operation "Sinai 2018" comes weeks before Egypt starts its 2018 presidential elections scheduled for late March, where incumbent President Sisi is expected to make an easy win for a second term due to the lack of strong challengers in the race.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-11 02:27:16|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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TEHRAN, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and the spokesman for Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah Movement on Saturday held talks to discuss efforts to end war in Yemen, Tasnim news agency reported.

During the meeting, Zarif stressed the need for an immediate stop to the war and bombing of Yemen by the Saudi-led coalition.

Given the human catastrophe in Yemen, there is a necessity for the international community to send humanitarian assistance to Yemen immediately, he was quoted as saying.

Also, Abdulsalam briefed the Iranian foreign minister the current situation and developments in Yemen.

He underlined the need for what he called an urgent end to the bombardment and siege of the country, Press TV reported.

Last week, Ali Akbar Velayati, an international adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader said that Yemen war could be a "quagmire" for Saudi Arabia.

Saudi's involvement in the war in Yemen could lead to the same catastrophe that the U.S. government experienced in Vietnam. "Saudi Arabia should expect to see Yemen turn into another Vietnam for that country," Velayati said.

The Saudi-led coalition has intervened in the Yemeni conflict since March 2015 to roll back the Shiite Houthi rebels and support President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who was forced into exile by the Houthis.

The war has killed over 10,000 Yemenis and displaced 3 million people, creating one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-11 02:37:17|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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DUBAI, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and France announced Saturday the launch of a new cultural initiative to strengthen the long-standing and fruitful relationship between the two countries, UAE state news agency WAM reported.

The new initiative, UAE-France Cultural Dialogue 2018, was co-inaugurated at the Louvre Abu Dhabi museum by Noura Bint Mohammed Al-Kaabi, the UAE minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, and Visiting French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe.

Philippe took a tour of the museum in the capital city, which was opened to the public in November 2017 after decade-long planning and construction.

The government of oil-rich Abu Dhabi, home to seven percent of the world's known "black gold" reserves, borrowed the name "Louvre" for 30 years and six months under a one-billion euro contract (1.16 billion U.S. dollars) as part of an inter-governmental agreement between the UAE and France in 2007.

The French prime minister also talked about expanding mutual cultural collaborations in line with the UAE's "Year of Zayed" in 2018, which was named after the country's first president Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan.

The UAE-France Cultural Dialogue 2018 will see significant events in the two countries, including the Lyon and Sharjah's Light Festivals, My French Film Festival and Francofilm festival.
By Maria Spiliopoulou

ATHENS, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Greeks joined their Chinese friends living in Athens on Saturday in celebrations ahead of the Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, sending warm wishes to China for a prosperous and peaceful year.

Ahead of the Chinese New Year which starts on Feb. 16 this year, the Chinese community warmly welcomed Greek friends at Technopolis cultural hub in the center of the Greek capital which was decorated with Chinese red lanterns for the occasion.

People strolled along the eight exhibition stands set up to get a taste of Chinese culture and traditions, and have an experience of a Temple Fair.

Children and adults admired the artists showcasing calligraphy and mask making, bought Chinese books, handmade toys, small gifts and enjoyed delicious Chinese snacks and food, before entering the nearby fully packed theater hall which hosted a spectacular performance by visiting Chinese art troupes.

Under the theme "Night of Beijing" artists from the Opera, Dance Academy and National Orchestra of Beijing, along with other troupes, performed traditional dances, theater plays, impressive acrobatics and Chinese martial arts, enthralling the audience.

The show started with a dragon dance and Chinese martial arts performance by young Greek students who were also greeted with applause and cheers from spectators.

The event was jointly organized by the Chinese embassy in Greece and the Beijing municipality with the support of the Chinese cultural center in Athens as well as the Chinese community, businesses and media in Greece.

Until Monday (Feb. 12) Athenians will have the chance to stop by Technopolis to visit the Temple Fair, watch music and dance performances by the Chinese artists and share the joy with the Chinese people.

Chinese and Greeks attending Saturday's event expressed high hopes for the upcoming Chinese New Year and the future of Sino-Greek friendship and cooperation.

"Our countries are very close. We seem like one nation, so when you celebrate the New Year, we think it is our new year also to celebrate. The future we are celebrating," Andreas Potamianos, President of the Greece-China Association, told Xinhua.

"We are very happy being together and we wish a prosperous New Year, a New Year with investments from China to Greece, added Fotis Provatas, President of the Greek-Chinese Economic Council.

Highlighting the many achievements on bilateral relations made by the two countries in 2017, Gao Wenqi, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Greece, said there are great cooperation opportunities to explore for the two countries in the coming years, including major projects such as the Piraeus Port Authority to which China COSCO Shipping holds a majority stake.

Greek Dimitris Patounas, his Chinese wife Xiaoyi Chen and their 18-month-old son Proteus Chen Yuanxi were among the hundreds of people attending Saturday's celebration.

Next week they will be in China to celebrate with their Chinese relatives and friends.

"We came here to get a first taste... It was the first time we see a Chinese performance in Greece and it was marvelous," Patounas told Xinhua, before wishing "always progress, joy and above all peace and a Happy New Year" to Chinese and Greeks.

Terpsi Kremali attended the show with her four year old daughter. Her niece, who is learning the Chinese language, informed her about the festival, she told Xinhua. It was the first time ever she watched Chinese artists performing.

"It was very interesting, very nice. The children enjoyed the performances. They were far more impressive than we had imagined. Congratulations to everybody," she said.

"I wish the Year of the Dog to bring happiness and health," she added.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-11 03:02:23|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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DAMASCUS, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The downing of an Israeli F-16 fighter jet by the Syrian air defenses indicates that Syria will no longer tolerate the repeated Israeli attacks on its military positions, analysts said.

It may not mean an escalation toward a fully-fledged war, but it's a message that Syria will no longer accept the hit-and-run attacks by Israel, which has repeatedly targeted the positions of Syrian forces during the past six years of the civil war, Maher Ihsan, a Syrian political expert, told Xinhua.

"It's not a message that we want war, but it's a message that next time you think about striking us, the response will no longer be mere condemnation, but actual retaliation," he said.

At dawn Saturday, the Syrian air defenses fired anti-aircraft missiles against Israeli airstrikes which targeted an airbase in the central province of Homs on the pretext that an Iranian drone was sent from the base and infiltrated the Israeli airspace.

Israeli media said an Israeli F-16 was hit and crashed in northern Israel by the Syrian anti-aircraft missiles, adding that the tension in northern Israel even made Israel briefly suspend flights to Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv.

Pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV in Lebanon said the Syrian air defenses destroyed 70 percent of the Israeli missiles launched against Syrian military positions on Saturday.

The downing of an Israeli warplane has created a precedent during Syria's nearly seven-year-long war, as the Syrian government always responded to Israel's military attacks with condemnation and retaliation vows.

The situation now has changed. "The Syrian response was different this time. It reflects the change in the rules of engagement, meaning that the Syrian side will no longer accept the Israeli infiltration and strikes on it," Ihsan said.

Meanwhile, the Lebanese Hezbollah group, a key ally of the Syrian army in the civil war, said in a statement that downing the Israeli warplane marks the beginning of a "new strategic stage that puts an end to the Israeli violation of Syria's airspace."

Brig. Gen. Haitham Hassoun, a Syrian military expert, told Xinhua that Saturday's developments mark a new beginning for the Syrian-Israeli conflict.

He said the downing incident was definitely a "shock" to Israel, which could either escalate or halt its violation of the Syrian airspace.

Osama Danura, a Syrian political expert and a member of the government delegation to the Syrian talks in Geneva, also said the Syrian response came after Israel's continuous attacks on it.

"It has two messages: the first is that the Syrian air defenses are now on a high-level readiness in comparison with previous years and the second is about the availability of the political will of the Syrian leadership, reflected by the victories of the Syrian army and its recapture of most of the Syrian areas," Danura told Xinhua.

The new development breaks the stereotype that Israel can violate any Arab airspace with impunity, he noted.

"Today marks the first time that an Israeli warplane has been shot down probably since the downing of an Israeli F-14 in 1986 over Lebanon," Danura said.

Gen. Yahya Suleiman, an expert in the strategic military fields, told Xinhua that as early as the second half of 2017, a strategic decision was made that any Israeli attacks will be retaliated instantly.

"The Israelis have only admitted the targeting of one warplane but the truth is that many warplanes were hit during today's confrontation," he said.

Suleiman, however, said he doesn't think the situation will escalate toward a full-fledged war, citing the internal crisis of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who could face trial on corruption charges.

Additionally, Israel knows that Syria or Hezbollah will not be alone in any confrontation because the "Axis of Resistance," which includes Iran, Syria and Lebanon's Hezbollah, will unite in facing any Israeli threat to any part of the axis, the Syrian general noted.

Israel itself doesn't seem ready to escalate the situation.

An Israeli military spokesman said on Saturday that his country does not seek an escalation in the region.

"We are willing, prepared and capable to exact a heavy price from anyone that attacks us. However, we are not looking to escalate the situation. This was a defensive effort triggered by an Iranian act of aggression and we are defending our airspace our sovereignty and civilians," the spokesman was quoted by the New York Times as saying.

Israel has repeatedly warned that it will not tolerate Iranian presence in Syria or its support to Hezbollah.

But Syria's allied forces, mainly the Iranian-backed ones, slammed the Israeli claims that an Iranian drone was launched into Israel, saying the drones were sent to observe the movement of the Islamic State militants in the Syrian desert.
HELSINKI, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Kai Mykkanen, the new Finnish interior minister, on Saturday called for more equality for refugees trying to get to Europe.

"Now those with money and with ability to travel come in and ask for safety," Mykkanen said to news agency Uutissuomalainen, while complaining "the result of European efforts to share the burden have been modest".

He said he would be ready to increase the quota refugee numbers for Finland ten-fold, if the quota system could become the primary channel of arrival instead of first being smuggled in and then showing up at refugee centers.

Mykkanen said making the quota system the primary way would require an EU-wide decision.

In Finland, the parliament confirms the size of the quota annually. Finland selects the people among those who already have a refugee status, confirmed usually by UNCHR, in areas close to the departure country. In recent years the quota for Finland has ranged from 750 to 1,050 annually.

Mykkanen underlined though that he adheres to the governmental policies adopted in 2015, when the populist Finns Party was part of the ruling coalition. After the Finns Party was split in 2017 and the breakaway Blue Reform party has also opposed an increase, and therefore the quota has been kept at its previous level.

Mykkanen said that the number of asylum seekers to Europe in recent years is not the largest issue. The biggest problem is how to differentiate those who are the most in need of protection from the others.

The second problem is the the handling of those who have been given a negative decision, he added.

Mykkanen expressed optimism for a joint look into the processes and criteria of the refugee intake now that the outer borders have been "quieter than in the past two years".

Mykkanen said he was concerned about the future of the some ten thousand recipients of negative decisions still in Finnish refugee reception centers. He warned against a situation where there would be both legal and illegal residents in Finland.

Meanwhile, he reminded that asylum seekers have been able to apply for a work-based residence permit in Finland.

The Finnish conservative party chose Mykkanen this week as the successor of Paula Risikko to take up the interior ministerial portfolio. Risikko became speaker of parliament. Mykkanen commences his work on Monday.
A picture taken on February 10, 2018, shows the remains of a missile that crashed earlier in Alonei Abba, east of Haifa, in northernIsrael. Israel struck a dozen Syrian and Iranian targets inside Syria in "large-scale" raids after an Israeli fighter jet crashed under fire from Syrian air defences in a severe increase in tensions. (AFP Photo)

DAMASCUS, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The downing of an Israeli F-16 fighter jet by the Syrian air defenses indicates that Syria will no longer tolerate the repeated Israeli attacks on its military positions, analysts said.

It may not mean an escalation toward a fully-fledged war, but it's a message that Syria will no longer accept the hit-and-run attacks by Israel, which has repeatedly targeted the positions of Syrian forces during the past six years of the civil war, Maher Ihsan, a Syrian political expert, told Xinhua.

"It's not a message that we want war, but it's a message that next time you think about striking us, the response will no longer be mere condemnation, but actual retaliation," he said.

At dawn Saturday, the Syrian air defenses fired anti-aircraft missiles against Israeli airstrikes which targeted an airbase in the central province of Homs on the pretext that an Iranian drone was sent from the base and infiltrated the Israeli airspace.

Israeli media said an Israeli F-16 was hit and crashed in northern Israel by the Syrian anti-aircraft missiles, adding that the tension in northern Israel even made Israel briefly suspend flights to Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv.

Pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV in Lebanon said the Syrian air defenses destroyed 70 percent of the Israeli missiles launched against Syrian military positions on Saturday.

The downing of an Israeli warplane has created a precedent during Syria's nearly seven-year-long war, as the Syrian government always responded to Israel's military attacks with condemnation and retaliation vows.

The situation now has changed. "The Syrian response was different this time. It reflects the change in the rules of engagement, meaning that the Syrian side will no longer accept the Israeli infiltration and strikes on it," Ihsan said.

Meanwhile, the Lebanese Hezbollah group, a key ally of the Syrian army in the civil war, said in a statement that downing the Israeli warplane marks the beginning of a "new strategic stage that puts an end to the Israeli violation of Syria's airspace."

Brig. Gen. Haitham Hassoun, a Syrian military expert, told Xinhua that Saturday's developments mark a new beginning for the Syrian-Israeli conflict.

He said the downing incident was definitely a "shock" to Israel, which could either escalate or halt its violation of the Syrian airspace.

Osama Danura, a Syrian political expert and a member of the government delegation to the Syrian talks in Geneva, also said the Syrian response came after Israel's continuous attacks on it.

"It has two messages: the first is that the Syrian air defenses are now on a high-level readiness in comparison with previous years and the second is about the availability of the political will of the Syrian leadership, reflected by the victories of the Syrian army and its recapture of most of the Syrian areas," Danura told Xinhua.

The new development breaks the stereotype that Israel can violate any Arab airspace with impunity, he noted.

"Today marks the first time that an Israeli warplane has been shot down probably since the downing of an Israeli F-14 in 1986 over Lebanon," Danura said.

Gen. Yahya Suleiman, an expert in the strategic military fields, told Xinhua that as early as the second half of 2017, a strategic decision was made that any Israeli attacks will be retaliated instantly.

"The Israelis have only admitted the targeting of one warplane but the truth is that many warplanes were hit during today's confrontation," he said.

Suleiman, however, said he doesn't think the situation will escalate toward a full-fledged war, citing the internal crisis of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who could face trial on corruption charges.

Additionally, Israel knows that Syria or Hezbollah will not be alone in any confrontation because the "Axis of Resistance," which includes Iran, Syria and Lebanon's Hezbollah, will unite in facing any Israeli threat to any part of the axis, the Syrian general noted.

Israel itself doesn't seem ready to escalate the situation.

An Israeli military spokesman said on Saturday that his country does not seek an escalation in the region.

"We are willing, prepared and capable to exact a heavy price from anyone that attacks us. However, we are not looking to escalate the situation. This was a defensive effort triggered by an Iranian act of aggression and we are defending our airspace our sovereignty and civilians," the spokesman was quoted by the New York Times as saying.

Israel has repeatedly warned that it will not tolerate Iranian presence in Syria or its support to Hezbollah.

But Syria's allied forces, mainly the Iranian-backed ones, slammed the Israeli claims that an Iranian drone was launched into Israel, saying the drones were sent to observe the movement of the Islamic State militants in the Syrian desert.
LONDON, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Haitian ambassador to the United Kingdom, Bocchit Edmond, on Saturday said that the Oxfam, an international anti-poverty charity, should publicly apologize for some members of its staff using prostitutes while working in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake.

Edmond, speaking to BBC, criticized the charity for failing to inform the Haitian authorities about what happened and said it should publicly apologize.

"It is really shocking, it is shameful, and it is unacceptable," he said. "I think Oxfam should look into itself deeply if they want to rebuild that trust they had."

The ambassador made the remarks a day after British Prime Minister Theresa May called for a "full and urgent investigation" into the charity, which receives tens of millions of pounds in aid.

The Haitian government is expected to summon Oxfam representative in Haiti, he said, adding that a rented villa in the island country was used for the sex trade.

The ambassador said that he believed that the charity did cover up, but the charity denied the misconduct allegations. Oxfam said that it investigated the allegations in 2011, and fired four people and allowed three others to resign after the probe.

British media reports said Friday that the charity offered its former Haiti country director, Roland van Hauwermeiren, a "phased and dignified exit" after he admitted using prostitutes at a villa rented for him by Oxfam with charitable funds because sacking him would have "potentially serious implications" for the charity's work and reputation.

Media reports also said that the misconduct allegations against seven former Oxfam staff included the downloading of pornography. Oxfam's investigation into the sex abuse claims was hampered by a "determination to keep it out of the public eye".

"The reports of what is unacceptable behavior by senior aid workers in Haiti are truly shocking," a spokeswoman for British Prime Minister Theresa May said. "We want to see Oxfam provide all the evidence they hold of the events to the Charity Commission for a full and urgent investigation of these very serious allegations."

Meanwhile, the British Department for International Development lashed out the charity for its lack of transparency as questions swirled about the cover-up.

"If wrongdoing, abuse, fraud or criminal activity occur, we need to know about it immediately, in full," the British agency said. "The way this appalling abuse of vulnerable people was dealt with raises serious questions that Oxfam must answer."

At the time of the scandal, Oxfam had 230 staff in Haiti, which was recovering from the earthquake that left some 220,000 people dead, 300,000 injured and 1.5 million homeless.

Back in 2011, Oxfam, like many other international aid bodies, was engaged in providing emergency support to Haiti which the previous year was hit by the devastating earthquake.

The disclosure that some men in the scandal obtained jobs in other emergency zones raised alarm about the quality of recruitment processes and background checks in the aid world.

Oxfam suggested that some of those it had disciplined had conspired to produce bogus employment references. A spokesman said, "Oxfam has not and would not provide a positive reference for any of those that were dismissed or resigned as a result of the case."

At present, Oxfam, which receives 300 million pounds (about 414 million U.S. dollars) a year from governments and in public donations, insisted there had been no cover-up, but it was facing growing political pressure to make full disclosure of its evidence from Haiti to the Charity Commission.

Oxfam chief executive Mark Goldring apologised on Saturday, saying he was "deeply ashamed of Oxfam's behavior".

"Everybody -- the 25,000 staff and volunteers -- are compromised by this, the hundreds of thousands of people who support Oxfam every month are compromised by this, and to everybody I apologize," he told BBC.

"What I'm apologizing for is that nine Oxfam staff behaved in a way that was totally unacceptable and contrary to our values, and that led much more responsible staff to make decisions which are now seen by some as being marginal or inappropriate," he said. "But I'm not apologizing for the fact that Oxfam continued its work in Haiti."

Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the Western hemisphere, more than half its inhabitants survive on less than 1 U.S. dollar per day.
JAKARTA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- At least 27 people were killed and 18 others seriously wounded when a bus collided with motorcycle in Indonesia's West Java province on Saturday, according to police and hospital earlier Sunday.

The incident occurred in Cicenang village of Subang district. The bus collapsed after it hit the motorcycles and hit a hill, said a police in Subang district.

"The incident happen today, there are many victims of it," the policeman told Xinhua on late Saturday by phone from the station.

The bus was carrying about 45 people, and police were investigating the deadly incident, he added.

Data from Subang General Hospital revealed that so far 27 people were killed and 18 others suffering from serious wounds.

All the wounded are being treated in intensive care unit of the hospital. Most of them suffered from broken bones and serious injuries at their heads.
HARARE, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean first lady Auxillia Mnangagwa has relinquished her Chirumanzu-Zibagwe parliamentary seat to concentrate on her new role, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said on Saturday.

Addressing thousands of ZANU-PF supporters in the constituency that is in the president's home province of Midlands, Mnangagwa said his wife would now concentrate on her new role as the first lady of Zimbabwe.

Auxillia Mnangagwa took over as member of parliament for the constituency in 2015, replacing her husband, who had been elevated to vice president of the ruling party and state.

The departure of the first lady from parliament and active politics comes amid calls from within and outside the ruling party for her to resign from the parliamentary seat so she can fully concentrate on her new role.
BERLIN, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Germany will switch military support to Iraqi armed forces in fighting against Islamic State, focusing on advice, training, logistics and medical assistance, the German Defense Ministry said Saturday.

German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen announced the plan on her trip to Iraq, where she met with Iraqi President, the Minister of Defense and the Prime Minister.

Germany will switch to another form of support in view of the areas liberated from the IS in Iraq and Syria and at the request of the Iraqi government, said von der Leyen.

Following the defeat of the IS Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, the armed forces in Iraq face reorganization and therefore need advice, training, logistics and medical assistance, the German Defense Ministry said on its website.

"Everyone knows that the IS has beaten, but not completely defeated," said von der Leyen. There are still "pockets" of terrorist militia in the country. This means scattered resistance nests of the IS.

Since the beginning of the war against IS in 2014, Germany has provided around 1 billion euros for development cooperation and humanitarian aid.

The focus of German involvement in Iraq is the training and counseling of the Kurdish and Iraqi security forces in the Erbil area as well as the supply of military equipment.

Now up to 150 German soldiers are stationed to train Kurdish soldiers near Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region. Germany's Tornado fighter jets make reconnaissance flights over Syria and Iraq from Jordan.

The mandates of the German armed forces granted by the German Federal Parliament for the fight against IS in Syria and Iraq are only a few weeks away.

In their coalition agreement reached this week, the Conservatives Union and the Social Democrats will focus on capacity building in the future, including the increased training and advice of security forces in Iraq, and the Bundeswehr wants to continue to make a contribution to the stabilization of Iraq.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-11 04:37:40|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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LOS ANGELES, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Larry Nassar, the former U.S.A. Gymnastics doctor, who admitted to having sexually abused patients and possessing child pornography, started serving a 60-year federal sentence in state of Arizona on Saturday.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons website says Nassar is being housed at the U.S. Penitentiary (USP) in Tucson, a high security federal prison located in Arizona's desert.

A local news channel reported that 54-year-old Nassar will be serving a 60-year sentence for three counts of child pornography after he pleaded guilty to the charges in last July. If he is still alive after that he will be transferred to state of Michigan to begin serving two 40-year state sentences for the sexual abuse of 10 girls.

Nassar, former U.S. Olympic gymnastic doctor, was sentenced last month to 40 to 175 years in prison for molesting young girls under the guise of treatment after a week-long hearing that featured statements from 156 of his accusers.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-11 04:47:41|Editor: Yamei

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A member of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) looks through binoculars from Mount Bental, an observation post in the Israeli occupied Golan Heights near the ceasefire line between Israel and Syria, on Feb. 10, 2018. The Israeli army launched a large-scale attack against the Syrian aerial defense system and Iranian targets in Syria after an Israeli F-16 fighter was hit by missiles from Syria and crashed on Saturday morning. (Xinhua/JINI)

JERUSALEM, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday evening that Israel holds Iran and Syria responsible for the latest "aggression."

"We will continue to do whatever is necessary to protect our sovereignty and security", said Netanyahu in a statement.

The prime minister said he has been warning for some time about the dangers of Iran's military entrenchment in Syria.

"Iran seeks to use Syrian territory to attack Israel for its professed goal of destroying Israel," he noted.

Netanyahu accused Iran of violating Israel's sovereignty by dispatching a drone from Syrian territory into Israel on Saturday morning.

"This demonstrates that our warnings were 100 percent correct," he said.

During an earlier tour of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Northern Command, Netanyahu also expressed Israel's determination to defend itself.

"I am impressed by the major work the IDF is doing to defend our borders and our state. We want peace but we are prepared for any scenario and I suggest that no one test us," he said.

Meanwhile, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin commended security forces for their "firm and resolute defense measures in the face of further proof of the danger of Iranian consolidation in the region."

In a briefing at noon on Saturday, IDF Spokesman Jonathan Conricus warned that the Syrians and Iranians are "playing with fire."

"We are willing, prepared and capable to extract a heavy price from anyone that attacks us" despite the fact that Israel is "not interested to escalate the situation," Conricus said.

Earlier on Saturday, Israel launched a large-scale attack against Iranian and Syrian military targets in Syria in response to the downing of an Israeli F-16 fighter jet by missiles.

Four Iranian targets in Syria and eight Syrian ones belonging to the Fourth Syrian division near Damascus were attacked, according to the IDF.

The chain of events started at about 4:30 a.m. on Saturday, when an Iranian drone penetrated into Israeli air space, said the IDF.

The Israeli army intercepted the drone with an Apache helicopter over Israeli territories, and then launched an attack on the control facility of the drone located in Syria, it added.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C), Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman (R), and Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Gadi Eizenkot meet in Tel Aviv, Israel February 10, 2018. (Reuters Photo)

JERUSALEM, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday evening that Israel holds Iran and Syria responsible for the latest "aggression."

"We will continue to do whatever is necessary to protect our sovereignty and security", said Netanyahu in a statement.

The prime minister said he has been warning for some time about the dangers of Iran's military entrenchment in Syria.

"Iran seeks to use Syrian territory to attack Israel for its professed goal of destroying Israel," he noted.

Netanyahu accused Iran of violating Israel's sovereignty by dispatching a drone from Syrian territory into Israel on Saturday morning.

"This demonstrates that our warnings were 100 percent correct," he said.

During an earlier tour of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Northern Command, Netanyahu also expressed Israel's determination to defend itself.

"I am impressed by the major work the IDF is doing to defend our borders and our state. We want peace but we are prepared for any scenario and I suggest that no one test us," he said.

Meanwhile, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin commended security forces for their "firm and resolute defense measures in the face of further proof of the danger of Iranian consolidation in the region."

In a briefing at noon on Saturday, IDF Spokesman Jonathan Conricus warned that the Syrians and Iranians are "playing with fire."

"We are willing, prepared and capable to extract a heavy price from anyone that attacks us" despite the fact that Israel is "not interested to escalate the situation," Conricus said.

Earlier on Saturday, Israel launched a large-scale attack against Iranian and Syrian military targets in Syria in response to the downing of an Israeli F-16 fighter jet by missiles.

Four Iranian targets in Syria and eight Syrian ones belonging to the Fourth Syrian division near Damascus were attacked, according to the IDF.

The chain of events started at about 4:30 a.m. on Saturday, when an Iranian drone penetrated into Israeli air space, said the IDF.

The Israeli army intercepted the drone with an Apache helicopter over Israeli territories, and then launched an attack on the control facility of the drone located in Syria, it added.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-11 05:22:47|Editor: Liangyu

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WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The recent visit of Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi to the United States will help set course for bilateral engagement and cooperation in the future, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said here on Saturday.

Lu told the media that Yang's two-day visit has enabled the two sides to exchange views on bilateral ties and important international and regional issues of mutual concern.

He said during Yang's visit on Feb. 8-9, the two sides announced to hold the second round of the Diplomatic and Security Dialogue in China during the first half of the year.

Beijing and Washington will also hold the Law Enforcement and Cyber Security Dialogue, the Social and Cultural Issues Dialogue, and the Comprehensive Economic Dialogue in 2018.

During the visit, Yang met with U.S. President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, National Security Adviser H. R. McMaster, senior White House adviser Jared Kushner, as well as important personnel from various U.S. sectors, Lu added.

Yang said during the meetings that progress has been made in the bilateral relations over the past year under the guidance of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Trump, who agreed during their meeting in Beijing last November that China and the United States have wide-ranging common interests and the significant responsibilities of securing world peace, prosperity and stability.

Yang said the two leaders also agreed that the China-U.S. ties have global relevance, and promoting the bilateral relationship is not only in line with the fundamental interests of the two peoples, but also meets the common aspirations of international society.

Yang said that the two sides are expected to implement the consensus reached by the two leaders at their Beijing meeting, maintain close contacts at all levels, make good use of the four high-level dialogue channels, and expand their cooperation in economy and trade, military, law enforcement, drug control and people-to-people exchanges, among other areas.

Yang said the two countries should manage and control their disputes and sensitive issues properly, in a bid to bring more positive elements to the bilateral relations.

According to Lu, the U.S. side agreed that the United States and China have made positive progress in dealing with bilateral ties, and Washington is willing to strengthen cooperation with Beijing to build a fruitful and constructive relationship.

It also said it is ready to work with China to consolidate and expand the win-win cooperation, and properly settle disputes with mutual respect so as to propel bilateral ties.

Talking about bilateral trade, Yang said China and the United States could properly address bilateral trade issue through two-way opening of markets, and "make a bigger cake of cooperation."

He said the China-U.S. economic and trade relations have been proved reciprocal in nature, bringing huge benefits to the two peoples.

For its part, the U.S. side agreed on the significance of China-U.S. trade ties, saying it is willing to work with China to fortify and seek to solve bilateral economic and trade issues in a more effective manner.

During the talks with U.S. officials, Yang also stressed that China has been committed to the peninsula denuclearization, peace and stability, and the ultimate settlement of disputes through dialogue and consultation.

Beijing is ready to keep communication and coordination with Washington on the basis of mutual trust and respect, so as to seek a proper solution to the peninsula issue, Yang said.

The situation on the peninsula is undergoing positive changes recently as South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) are using the PyeongChang Winter Olympics to restart dialogue.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-11 05:22:47|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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ANKARA, Feb 10 (Xinhua) -- Nine Turkish soldiers were killed and eleven others were injured in cross-border operation in Syria's Afrin on Saturday, Turkish military said in a statement.

At least 79 People's Protection Units (YPG) militants, Islamic State(IS) members were killed in Saturday air strikes, raising the total number to 1,141 since the beginning of "Operation Olive Branch" in Afrin, the Turkish general staff said.

On Jan. 20, Turkey launched "Operation Olive Branch" to clear YPG militants from Afrin in northwestern Syria.

Turkey considers the YPG to be the Syrian affiliates of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Two police officers were shot dead in mid-western U.S. state of Ohio on Saturday, local authorities said.

The suspect was wounded and taken to a nearby hospital, according to a CBS News report.

The two officers were responding to a 911 call at the address in Westerville. They were fired upon when they arrived at the scene, said the report.

One officer was killed in the shooting and another died shortly after.

No other information was immediately available.
Flag-wrapped coffin of Ahmet Bayram, a Turkish soldier who was killed during the military operation against Syria's Afrin region, is carried by honour guards during his funeral ceremony in Hatay, Turkey February 4, 2018. (Reuters Photo)

ANKARA, Feb 10 (Xinhua) -- Nine Turkish soldiers were killed and eleven others were injured in cross-border operation in Syria's Afrin on Saturday, Turkish military said in a statement.

At least 79 People's Protection Units (YPG) militants, Islamic State(IS) members were killed in Saturday air strikes, raising the total number to 1,141 since the beginning of "Operation Olive Branch" in Afrin, the Turkish general staff said.

On Jan. 20, Turkey launched "Operation Olive Branch" to clear YPG militants from Afrin in northwestern Syria.

Turkey considers the YPG to be the Syrian affiliates of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-11 05:52:53|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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BOGOTA, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Presumed elements of the National Liberation Army (ELN) carried out two attacks in northern Colombia, destroying a bridge and a section of highway linking the center of the country with the Caribbean area.

The army said that these actions took place after the ELN announced a three-day ceasefire, because President Juan Manuel Santos suspended peace talks with the guerrilla movement.

Military authorities blamed the events on the Camile Torres Restrepo front of the ELN.

A ceasefire struck last year between the government and the ELN during peace talks in Ecuador ended in January, leading the guerrilla group to resume its campaigns of violence.

President Santos suspended the peace talks on Jan. 29 after the rebel group carried out a series of attacks against police, leaving seven officers dead and over 40 injured.

However, the ELN has stated it is ready to return to the negotiating table.
RABAT, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Moroccan Prime Minister Saad Eddine El Othmani announced on Saturday the launch of new developement projects in restive eastern province of Jerada.

The announcement was made during his visit to Oujda, the capital city of the Eastern region, where he met local officials as well as representatives of the private sector and civil society.

Jerada has witnessed a wave of protests since last December after the death of three miners while they were digging in abandoned mines.

The protesters have called for justice for the dead and demanded job opportunities and "economic alternatives."

El Othmani said the government has launched construction projects in Jerada Industrial Zone, which will offer many job opportunities for young people.

The prime minister also said the government will withdraw all licenses for mineral explorations that do not respect legal requirements after the investigation into the mining exploitations in the region is completed.

Jerada had been growing on the back of flourishing mining activities since 1920s, but it suffered a major blow in late 1990s after state-owned coal mines that employed thousands of local people were forced to close down due to rising digging costs and declining coal prices.

However, many local residents have continued illegal mining in the abandoned mines.
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Xinhua file photo

WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The recent visit of Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi to the United States will help set course for bilateral engagement and cooperation in the future, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said here on Saturday.

Lu told the media that Yang's two-day visit has enabled the two sides to exchange views on bilateral ties and important international and regional issues of mutual concern.

He said during Yang's visit on Feb. 8-9, the two sides announced to hold the second round of the Diplomatic and Security Dialogue in China during the first half of the year.

Beijing and Washington will also hold the Law Enforcement and Cyber Security Dialogue, the Social and Cultural Issues Dialogue, and the Comprehensive Economic Dialogue in 2018.

During the visit, Yang met with U.S. President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, National Security Adviser H. R. McMaster, senior White House adviser Jared Kushner, as well as important personnel from various U.S. sectors, Lu added.

Yang said during the meetings that progress has been made in the bilateral relations over the past year under the guidance of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Trump, who agreed during their meeting in Beijing last November that China and the United States have wide-ranging common interests and the significant responsibilities of securing world peace, prosperity and stability.

Yang said the two leaders also agreed that the China-U.S. ties have global relevance, and promoting the bilateral relationship is not only in line with the fundamental interests of the two peoples, but also meets the common aspirations of international society.

Yang said that the two sides are expected to implement the consensus reached by the two leaders at their Beijing meeting, maintain close contacts at all levels, make good use of the four high-level dialogue channels, and expand their cooperation in economy and trade, military, law enforcement, drug control and people-to-people exchanges, among other areas.

Yang said the two countries should manage and control their disputes and sensitive issues properly, in a bid to bring more positive elements to the bilateral relations.

According to Lu, the U.S. side agreed that the United States and China have made positive progress in dealing with bilateral ties, and Washington is willing to strengthen cooperation with Beijing to build a fruitful and constructive relationship.

It also said it is ready to work with China to consolidate and expand the win-win cooperation, and properly settle disputes with mutual respect so as to propel bilateral ties.

Talking about bilateral trade, Yang said China and the United States could properly address bilateral trade issue through two-way opening of markets, and "make a bigger cake of cooperation."

He said the China-U.S. economic and trade relations have been proved reciprocal in nature, bringing huge benefits to the two peoples.

For its part, the U.S. side agreed on the significance of China-U.S. trade ties, saying it is willing to work with China to fortify and seek to solve bilateral economic and trade issues in a more effective manner.

During the talks with U.S. officials, Yang also stressed that China has been committed to the peninsula denuclearization, peace and stability, and the ultimate settlement of disputes through dialogue and consultation.

Beijing is ready to keep communication and coordination with Washington on the basis of mutual trust and respect, so as to seek a proper solution to the peninsula issue, Yang said.

The situation on the peninsula is undergoing positive changes recently as South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) are using the PyeongChang Winter Olympics to restart dialogue.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-11 05:57:55|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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TIKRIT, Iraq, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- A total of seven people were killed on Saturday and six others injured in two violent incidents in Iraq's central province of Salahudin, provincial police sources said.

In one incident, a police patrol found five bodies of shepherds who were kidnapped earlier by unidentified gunmen in the south of the ethnically-mixed city of Tuz-Khurmato, some 90 km east of Salahudin's capital Tikrit, said Col. Mohammed Khalaf from the media office of the provincial police.

The bodies of the victims showed bullet holes in their heads and chests, Khalaf added.

Tuz-Khurmato, largely made up of Turkoman Shiites and sizable Kurdish and Sunni Arab population, has witnessed repeated clashes between Kurds and Shiite militias, as the city and its surrounding areas are part of the disputed areas outside the Kurdistan region, which are claimed by the Kurds, Arabs and Turkomans.

Also in the day, two people were killed and six others injured when a roadside bomb detonated outside a funeral tent in the town of Dujail, some 60 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, a local police source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

Ahmed al-Jubouri, the governor of Salahudin Province, had complained of the regrouping of rebel groups in the vast rugged areas in the eastern part of the province.

During the past few months, dozens of Islamic State militants fled their former bases in the key cities of the predominately Sunni Arab province of Salahudin, after the Iraqi forces cleared them from the region during major anti-IS offensives.
ENSCHEDE, The Netherlands, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- One week before the Chinese Spring Festival starts, Enschede, a 100,000-inhabitant municipality in the eastern Netherlands has savored the energy and joy of the Year of the Dog thanks to a colorful forum and gala staged by Chinese students.

"We are very honored that Chinese students from all over the Netherlands have come to our beautiful city," said Eelco Eerenberg, vice mayor of Enschede Eelco Eerenberg when welcoming nearly 1000 Chinese students and the guests of their gala who filled up the city's Muziekcentrum.

Enschede is the fourth Dutch city to support Chinese students' Talents Forum and Spring Festival gala. Chinese students take this event also as a platform for Sino-Dutch communication. The previous ones, for the Year of Goat (2015), of Monkey (2016) and of Rooster (2017) were staged in Rotterdam, Delft and Wageningen.

"I am proud of you. You are brave, you are smart, you have overcome all barriers and borders and take the challenges to study abroad. This makes a perfect match with our city," said the vice mayor of Enschede, "because Enschede is a smart city because it offers many opportunities for developing and testing smart technologies."

University of Twente (UT), one of the three technical universities in the Netherlands, besides Delft University of Technology and Eindhoven University of Technology, is located in Enschede.

Thom Palstra, Rector Magnificus of the UT, told the Chinese students that China has been an important partner of his university. "We are a very welcoming university and we wish you feel welcomed here," he said.

UT's International Institute for Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation has been active in China for decades. The university now has about 120 Chinese stuff members, mostly PhD students, hundreds of Chinese bachelor and master students, as well as about 1500 alumina working in China.

Rectors from six other Dutch universities including Wageningen, Erasmus Rotterdam, Maasstricht, Tilburg and Radbout celebrated the Spring Festival with the Chinese students via video messages.

"The Netherlands and China have strong relations, not only in the fields of business, economic or science and technology, but also in high education...We strongly believe that academic cooperation is a bridge to further advance the research and education. And you, Chinese scholars and students in the Netherlands, are key to all this," said Drs. Kristel Baele, President of Executive Board of Erasmus.

Before the students stage their three-hour performance of songs, dances, ensemble music and chorus, Mao Xiao, winner of 2017 Rhodes Scholarships for postgraduate study at the University of Oxford, shared her experiences and passion for studies on international crime justice. She now studies at University of Amsterdam.

Around 10, 000 Chinese students are now studying in the Netherlands. The Netherlands is home to one of the world's oldest and highly respected systems of higher education. The QS World University Rankings 2018 includes 13 universities in the Netherlands, all ranked within the world's top 400.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-11 06:38:00|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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ROME, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of people marched in an anti-racism rally in the city of Macerata on Saturday, a week after a far-right extremist targeted African citizens in a racially motivated attack.

An estimated 15,000 demonstrators from all over the country -- some 30,000 according to organizers -- marched all around the medieval walls without entering the city center.

Macerata -- a town of about 41,000 inhabitants in central Marche region -- was on high alert ahead of the rally for fear of possible clashes between demonstrators and neo-fascist sympathizers.

Schools remained closed, many shops shut ahead of the demo, while local transport was halted for some hours.

Mayor Romano Carancini had asked to cancel the demonstration to allow the local community to calm down after the attack occurred last Saturday.

However, after rising pressure from several prominent anti-fascist figures and groups, authorities gave the green light, and the rally was broadcasted live by state TV channel RAI News 24.

Demonstrators were peaceful and marched holding anti-racist placards, chanting slogans against fascism, Ansa news agency reported.

The gathering especially drew people from leftist associations and anti-fascist groups, from NGOs, trade unions, and leftist political parties. Several migrants also joined it.

Tension had run high during all the past week, and national authorities had warned against an increasing climate of hatred, after the unprecedented shooting on Feb. 3, when six African citizens -- five men and one woman -- were randomly shot and wounded in a drive-by attack by far-right sympathizer Luca Traini, 28, who was arrested soon after the shooting.

Traini was arrested soon after the attack, and confessed to it. Police said he claimed his gesture was in retaliation for the death of an 18-year-old Italian Pamela Mastropietro, whose body had been found dismembered and hidden in some suitcases two days earlier.

A Nigerian failed asylum seeker was arrested in the case, and was currently in jail, but not charged with murder for lack of evidence. Authorities later also detained two other Nigerian nationals, including a drug dealer, in connection with the case.

The Feb. 3 attack shocked the country, which was already experiencing a tense campaign in view of general elections set on March 4.

Migration was the top issue in the public debate, as some 630,000 migrants and asylum-seekers have entered Italy from the Mediterranean -- most of them in an effort to reach other European countries -- since 2014.

Far-right and center-right parties based the campaign on strong anti-immigrants messages, and were now trying to capitalize on the gruesome death of the Italian girl.

On Thursday, some 40 supporters of far-right Forza Nuova party tried to hold an anti-immigrant rally in Macerata, defying a ban from the police chief. They clashed with police in riot gear, and were stopped before reaching the town's central square.
By Raimundo Urrechaga

HAVANA, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The 27th Havana International Book Fair is set to come to an end on Sunday. However, China's participation as the nation's guest of honor has left a great impression on Cubans who visited its pavilion to learn about its classic and contemporary literature and traditions.

Some locals have deeply appreciated the 3,000 titles of books in Mandarin, English and Spanish brought over by a delegation of 60 Chinese publishing houses while others formed long lines for volunteers to write their names or dates of birth in Chinese characters.

In the first few days, most books by Chinese authors, particularly novels and short stories, were already sold out and those who visited the fair afterwards left disappointed.

Some were unable to take home reproductions of traditional Chinese paintings printed on rice paper as they vanished within the first three days after the event opened to the public on Feb. 2.

Amidst the tumultuous event, the sharp and patient look of an old man in front of Cuban books translated into Chinese revealed the essence of the cultural exchange.

Luis Toledo, a Cuban author who wrote a biography of the island's national hero Jose Marti (1853-1895), found his text translated into Chinese.

"I came as I was interested in finding good anthologies and selections of novelists, poets and recent Chinese playwrights. But to my surprise and astonishment I see that my biography on Marti has been translated into Chinese," Toledo told Xinhua.

Several years ago, the Caribbean author visited Beijing to present the book but he never expected to see his work exhibited in Mandarin in Havana.

"That is the best thing about this event and we must preserve it as a genuine place for cultural encounters. This year, our people expanded their knowledge of Chinese culture, which for many has been a phenomenal discovery," he added.

The same opinion was shared with Xinhua by Marina Lee, for whom the literary event has a special meaning.

"As a Chinese descendent, it seems to me that I am seeing the memory of my father represented. The books are all very good and the organizers have made a great selection of titles which give us a broad perspective of China," she said.

For Lee, the quality of books on display has been extraordinary, although in some cases a bit expensive for the economic capacity of the average Cuban.

As part of their goodwill participation in the fair, Chinese publishers agreed to lower the prices of books, taking into account the economic situation on the island.

As of Saturday, almost all the texts in Spanish had been sold. Only some in English and Mandarin were left of the more than 7,000 books brought by the Chinese delegation to the fair.

The most popular books sold included Chinese language learning, martial arts, culture, the philosophy of Confucius and Mencius philosophy, Taichi and other health related texts, such as traditional Chinese medicine, Yu Xin, a volunteer at the China pavilion, told Xinhua.

According to Yu, Cubans frequently requested books on Chinese President Xi Jinping, particularly the two volumes of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China."

"In recent years, there has been an expansion of Chinese culture in Cuba. But there is still much to know and as we learn more about their traditional and modern culture, mutual understanding will grow," Rolando Rodriguez, a participant in the fair, told Xinhua.

The young Cuban graphic designer believes China's publishing houses presented a small sample of their work but that Beijing's participation will grow to satisfy the most diverse interests.

"I haven't approached Chinese literature before and I have been impressed by everything I've seen," Rodriguez said.

Daniela Gregory, a student at Havana's Confucius Institute, wished that in upcoming events, China would present poetry books in both Mandarin and Spanish.

This wish was shared by other respondents, who hope that this year's edition of the book fair marks the beginning of a more dynamic and comprehensive literary collaboration.

"I really liked a book about a panda bear but I did not understand much because it was in Chinese. The panda bear is my favorite animal and that's why I would like to go to China and meet a real one," said Alain Fernandez, aged 10.

This is the first time China was awarded guest nation title at Havana Book Fair, and a large-scale cultural event in Latin America and the Caribbean.

A large delegation of 220 representatives of 60 well-known Chinese publishers, writers and intellectuals visited the island from Feb. 1 and exchanged with colleagues and the Cuban public during the 10-day literary event.
Posted Friday, February 9, 2018 4:14 am

The Trump administrations decision to slap a 30 percent tariff on imported solar panels created uncertainty for local solar installers.

President Donald Trump signed the measure to enforce the tariff on solar panels and washing machines Jan. 22 with the intent to protect manufacturers in the U.S and incentivise foreign companies to manufacture in America. He said LG and Samsung promised to build manufacturing plants in the U.S. and the tariff is supposed to motivate those companies to manufacture washers and solar panels in the U.S.

The tariff begins at 30 percent for the first year and will decline by 5 percent every year throughout a four-year timespan. The first 2.5 gigawatts of imported solar cells are exempt from the tariff each year if they are manufactured into solar panels in the U.S.

My administration is committed to defending American companies and theyve been very badly hurt from harmful import surges that threaten the livelihood of their workers of jobs, actually all over this country, many different industries, Trump said before signing the measure.

In 2011, the Office of the United States Trade Representative found that China subsidized solar producers, allowing them to sell their goods in the U.S. for less than market value. The U.S countered and imposed anti-dumping in 2012 but Chinese producers evaded anti-dumping policy by relocating production to Taiwan. The result was a 60 percent price drop for solar cells according to the report.

Kirk Haffner, founder of South Sound Solar in Olympia, said the tariff creates uncertainty for sections of the solar industry. Haffner believes the tariff will have more of an impact on large scale solar farms producing over one megawatt than it will on average residential solar systems of six kilowatts.

If a city is doing a megawatt scale project and has it approved and budgeted for, the price will come back and the increase could delay or force a city to refinance, Haffner said. Installations are competitive and a large number of installers are in the $2 per watt range, cents could add up and make a difference. Its certainly going to have little impact in Washington state because we have an in-house panel manufacturer.

South Sound Solar uses solar panels primarily manufactured by Itek Energy in Bellingham and SunPower out of San Jose, California. Itek Energy manufactures solar panels mainly for residential installers and expects to double production within four weeks.

Karl Unterschuetz, director of business development at Itek Energy, said the tariff will likely help their manufacturing business although it could hurt installers in different states. Washington state incentivises installers to purchase solar panels made within the state according to Unterschuetz and Haffner but not all states offer the same incentives as Washington.

Unterschuetz said he is uncertain of the impact a 2.5 gigawatt limit will have on the industry and said the tariff might slow the solar market across the country. He said projects larger than one megawatt that plan to use cheaper modules will be affected, but the manufacturer could either subsidize the cost or can pass it on to customers.

The measure lacks clarity to which companies are affected by the tariff. Companies based out of other countries would be subject to the tariff while U.S. based companies would be considered safe harbored from the tariff including Renewable Energy Corporation, a company that manufactures panels in Singapore.

The price of solar panels is likely to slightly increase in Washington state but will be almost unnoticeable by customers as the cost of solar manufacturing continues to drop according to Haffner.

He said he is more concerned about SB 6081 in the state Legislature regarding the right for residential and commercial solar generators to use the solar energy they generate. Power companies including Puget Sound Energy currently meter solar generators and sell them back power kilowatt for kilowatt, significantly reducing the electrical bills coming from solar-powered homes.

When a home or commercial property generates energy, the unused power goes back into the system and is bought by the energy provider. Without a law in place, energy companies can buy the power at a discounted rate which lowers the financial gain of generating solar energy.

If they wanted to, they could close the net metering, Haffner said. They have gone over cap but continue to honor agreement which ensures they will honor the agreement in good policy, not in good faith.
SIGNS, SUCH as this one where the snowmobile trail intersects with Ninth Avenue in Hurley, are being installed around Iron County as part of an effort to increase snowmobile safety.

RICHARD JENKINS

[email protected]

Hurley - Those riding snowmobile trails in Iron County may have seen bright signs along some of the trails encouraging riders to be safe.

The signs are the effort of the newly formed Iron County Trail Safety Committee.

The committee consists of representatives from a variety of groups, including the Hurley Chamber of Commerce, Iron County Forestry Department, Iron County Sheriff's Department, Aspirus Ironwood Hospital, Iron County Health Department and the county's motorized trail groups.

The committee, which met for the first time in the last two or three weeks, will work to improve trail safety on both motorized and non-motorized trails as they are developed throughout the county.

Its first initiative has been the signs, which urge snowmobilers to drive safely and drink responsibly.

So far nine signs have been installed on the county's trails, with plans to order six more. Signs are also being put in various local businesses.

The club is seeking to reduce the number of accidents on the trails, and improve communication between law enforcement and the trail groups as a way to also improve safety for those enjoying the county's trails.

Three snowmobilers have been killed in accidents in Iron County this winter.

According to Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources website, two of the three accidents involved alcohol, while results are still pending on the third.
By JAN TUCKER

[email protected]

Ontonagon  The western Upper Peninsula will have an opportunity to compare Republican candidates for Governor when they appear in a town hall session in Ontonagon next Saturday, Feb. 17.

Dr. Jim Hines, Lt. Gov. Brian Calley and Sen. Patrick Colbeck will take questions at the gathering at the Ontonagon High School cafeteria from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The event is sponsored by the Ontonagon County Republican Party. Skip Schulz, chairman of the party, said, It is the only location that I know of in the Upper Peninsula where there will be three candidates for Governor in the same place and the same time.

Hines, Calley and Colbeck will discuss the coming primary election and answer questions from the audience.

A fourth GOP candidate, Bill Schuette, said he is unable to attend.

Ontonagon attorney Ted Baird will be the moderator.

Schulz said it was just luck that he was able to get the three candidates at the same time. I called one and expected him to say no. When he said yes, I thought I would try a second and then a third. We were very fortunate they all agreed, Schulz said.

The Gubernatorial Town Hall will be held at the school at 701 Parker Ave. The doors will open at 10 a.m.

Also in attendance will be Republican candidates for the 38th State Senate district, Ed McBroom and Mike Carey, and the 110th District State House, Kirk Schott and Gregory Markkonen.

Schulz expects a large crowd from around the area.
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...
the smile. Determination. What Severine Tamborero is currently observing on Lil Fernandez is nothing new to her. Posted on Sep 9, 2021 at 6:00 AM Frederic Duchesneau Journalism What we
PANAJI: In comments that are sure to invite criticism, Goa Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai on Friday said that north Indian tourists want to create a Haryana in Goa. "We are dependent on north Indians and this is what they do. They are not bothered about Goa. They will like to recreate a Haryana in Goa," Sardesai said.

He also claimed that most of the domestic tourists visiting Goa are the 'scum of the earth'. "Today, we receive tourists who are almost six times the state's population. Those tourists are not the top-end tourists. They are also the scum of the earth," Sardesai said.

Calling Goa a state "superior" to the rest of India, Sardesai said it is difficult to control "irresponsible tourists" who have been coming from other states. "Are they responsible? Are they conscious? They are not. If you compare Goans to the rest of India, we are very high in per capita income, social and political consciousness, health parameters, and many other parameters. So, we are much superior than the people who are coming in. Those people -- how will you control?" the Minister added.

The minister made the comments while speaking at the Goa Biz Fest organised at a resort near Panaji.

Goa, a beach and nightlife tourism destination, attracts more than six million tourists every year as against its population of nearly 1.6 million.

Meanwhile, speaking at another event, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said he is worried as girls have started consuming alcohol. "I have begun to fear now, because even the girls have started drinking beer. The tolerance limit is being crossed," Parrikar said.
New Delhi:After earning a name for himself in Hindi cinema with 'Ranjhanaa' and 'Shamitabh', Tamil actor Dhanush is all set to make his Hollywood debut with The Extraordinary Journey Of The Fakir. The teaser poster of the film has been unveiled and the movie is slated for release in Summer of 2018.

Noted film critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh took to Twitter to share the poster of the film. He wrote- Dhanushs first international film... Teaser posters of #TheExtraordinaryJourneyOfTheFakir for India and France... Will release in India in English, Hindi and Tamil.

Dhanushs first international film... Teaser posters of #TheExtraordinaryJourneyOfTheFakir for India and France... Will release in India in English, Hindi and Tamil. pic.twitter.com/WkO5lAKuOy  taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) February 10, 2018

Talking about the film, Dhanush had earlier told IANS- Irrespective of the industry I work in, I'm constantly learning from the people I work with. If Bollywood taught me a lot about production, Hollywood has been a revelation in terms of understanding filmmaking better,"

"It's God's grace that I landed this offer. Although I have been offered three Hollywood projects, the script of this one really convinced me to sign it. It's a very strong role. I play a character called Ajatashatru, a street magician," he added.

Based on a bestseller book "The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir Who Got Trapped in an Ikea Wardrobe", the film is an English-French comedy-drama directed by Ken Scott.

(With IANS Inputs)
NEW DELHI: The Union Home Ministry has forwarded the "fresh evidence" against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler submitted by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DGMC) to the SIT headed by Justice S.N. Dhingra that is probing the mayhem.

On Friday, the Ministry in a letter to Justice Dhingra stated that it has received a complaint from the DSGMC regarding fresh evidence along with a CD containing the full video of Tytler`s TV interview to News18 and a report of the Nanawati Commission.

"It has been stated that fresh evidences, new facts and circumstances and new revelations in the case...have surfaced with reference to the involvement of (Congress leaders) Jagdish Tytler, Kamal Nath, H.K.L. Bhagat and Sajjan Kumar in the said interview...," it said.

The Home Ministry`s action comes after DSGMC President Manjit Singh GK on Monday released the video of a purported sting operation recorded in 2011, showing Tytler in conversation with a few people.

The letter also said that the revelations may contain "material evidence/leads having relations with some of the 186 cases to be further investigated by the SIT constituted by the Supreme Court" in January.

"Hence the SIT is requested to examine the issues raised in the letter and the material provided in the CD while undertaking further investigation of the cases entrusted to it," it said.

On January 11, a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by the former Delhi High Court judge was constituted by the Supreme Court to further investigate 186 cases in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

The apex court decided to independently investigate these cases after an earlier SIT appointed by the Centre closed them.

On Friday, a delegation of the Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Sikh leaders led by party Secretary, R.P. Singh met Rajnath Singh demanding Tytler`s immediate prosecution.

In a memorandum submitted by the BJP leaders it said that "Tytler could be seen admitting his involvement in the massacre of hundreds of Sikhs during the 1984 anti-Sikh carnage" following the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Hence, Tytler`s role should be probed again.

Tytler, on his part has lodged a complaint against Manjit Singh GK, accusing him of circulating "doctored" video showing the Congress leader.
NEW DELHI: The Centre has indicated its seriousness in pursuing the 2G Spectrum Scam case despite the recent acquittal of most of the accused by a trial court. Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta has been named the Special Public Prosecutor for the case.

Mehta will take over from Anand Grover, whom the Supreme Court had appointed in September 2014, when the then SPP UU Lalit had been elevated as a judge of the apex court.

The move to name Mehta to the job came through a gazette notification published on Thursday. Mehta had been appointed an ASG in June 2014. He had earlier served as an Additional Advocate General to the Gujarat government since 2008.

The Centre has given the go-ahead to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) to appeal against the verdict delivered by special CBI court judge OP Saini. All the accused in the case, including former Telecom Minister A Raja and DMK MP K Kanimozhi, had been acquitted.

The verdict also came with stinging criticism of the case the CBI and ED had built. The judge criticised the proof as insufficient and circumstantial.

Mehta, who now takes on the mantle of presenting the case built by the CBI and ED, now has till February 19 to appeal against the CBI trail court verdict in the 2G spectrum allocation scam.

Both the CBI and ED have maintained from the time the verdict was delivered that it has not been 'viewed in the right perspective'.

Raja and Kanimozhi were among a number of others, including senior civil servants, who were accused of conspiring to subvert the auction process for the allocation of 2G spectrum licenses. Both have spent time in prison as the allegations rose in tempo and the case was built against them.

Soon after they were acquitted, both Raja and Kanimozhi expressed happiness and said they stood vindicated. They had also alleged a political witch hunt against them and their part, the DMK.
NEW DELHI: A day after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley slammed his predecessor P Chidambaram for being a 'terrible doctor' who lives under false "illusion", the latter has hit back at the Central government. In a series of tweets, Chidambaram questioned the direction of growth under the Central government. "What is the direction of NDA's growth rate? Investments? Savings? Credit growth? All downward," he tweeted.

Comparing it with the term of the United Progressive Alliance government, he claimed that the current growth rate is way less. "What is the average of 4 years of NDA? It is 7.3 under new methodology and lower than UPA's 10-year average," he claimed.

World Bank's former Chief Economist Dr Kaushik Basu said India's growth rate was lower than the 30-year average. FM says that growth rate is better!  P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) February 10, 2018

Hitting out at former UPA government, Jaitley had on Friday claimed that India was named in the fragile five economies in the world when Chidambaram was the finance minister of the country. He had also said that under the Narendra Modi government since May 2014, India has covered the journey from policy paralysis to structural reforms.

Questioning the Modi government, Chidambaram has been saying that the NDA government is in denial over the economic situation of the country. He had termed Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian as a "good doctor" whose advice on the economy was not being heeded by the government who he referred to as 'terrible patient'. "Arvind Subramanian has been a good doctor since his appointment as the CEA in October 2014. The NDA government has been a terrible patient," he had earlier tweeted.
New Delhi: In a major development, the Election Commission on Saturday asked the Supreme Court to give it the power to de-register political parties.

The poll watchdog made this submission in an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court.

The poll panel also reportedly supported a plea that convicted persons should be stopped from forming political parties.

At present, the poll panel is empowered to register a party, but it cannot de-register any political party.

Moreover, the Representation of the People Act, 1951, also has no explicit provision for de-registration of a political party.

The poll panel made its concerns know to the highest court through an affidavit filed by advocate Amit Sharma in response to a PIL that questioned why convicted persons, otherwise disqualified from contesting polls, should be able to form a political party by taking benefits of a dichotomy in the existing legal regime.

The petition, filed by lawyer-activist Ashwini Upadhyay, also demanded that the poll panel should have the power to ensure inner-party democracy.

In the affidavit, the poll watchdog also reportedly lamented that it has been writing to the central government for last 20 years to consider amending the Act and give the Commission the appropriate authority to de-register parties but to no avail.

The Commission, stating that it first wrote to the Union Law Ministry in 1998, urged the necessity of giving it the power in view of the fact that many political parties get registered, but never contest an election.

The apex court is due to hear the matter on Monday.
New Delhi: Green bodies today lauded the launch of the 'clean air campaign'  a joint effort by the Centre and the Delhi government  and said it should be taken as a pilot for other regions to address "rising national health emergency".

Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today launched the 'clean air campaign' to curb air pollution in Delhi-NCR.

Under the campaign, 70 teams comprising officials from various government agencies will fan out and monitor causes of pollution and initiate remedial measures, including on-the-spot penal action against serious polluters.

Terming the campaign a "much-needed step", the Greenpeace India said it was a welcome step considering the severity of air pollution in Delhi-NCR. "As a country, we are well past the stage of discussing what may have caused this nation-wide airpocalypse," it said.

"Air pollution is not a problem that afflicts just Delhi-NCR but also all states across India and specifically northern India.

"The clock is ticking and to deal with the issue, the government needs to bring the draft National Clean Air Program (announced last December) in public domain and should start taking comprehensive, systematic and time-bound actions to curb air pollution levels as soon as possible," said Sunil Dahiya, Senior Campaigner Greenpeace India.

He said this should be a major step towards curbing air pollution across the country as both the central and the state government have started coming on a common platform and are discussing the issue in public domain.

"This should be a pilot for other regions as well to curtail the rising national health emergency," he said.

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said it was encouraging to see the environment ministry taking such an initiative to build public and policy awareness on this critical public health issue.

"Our expectation will be that this is sustained to build momentum for action not only in Delhi and NCR, but also nationally," Anumita Roychowdhury, the CSE's executive director and the head of its Right to Clean Air campaign, told PTI.

The campaign launched today will also include enforcement of pollution-control measures for vehicles, driving discipline, inspection of power plants in Delhi to ensure they comply with the norms on pollution, etc.

Local area development plans to specifically address air pollution will also be worked at and implemented.
RAMALLAH: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hopeful for 'stronger bilateral cooperation' between India and Palestine as he landed in Ramallah on Saturday. Soon after he reached Palestine, he tweeted: "Reached Palestine. This is a historic visit that will lead to stronger bilateral cooperation." He tweeted the same in Arabic too.

Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister to make an official visit to Palestine. He flew in a Jordanian army helicopter straight from Amman to Ramallah, where he was received by his Palestinian counterpart Rami Hamdallah.

Reached Palestine. This is a historic visit that will lead to stronger bilateral cooperation. pic.twitter.com/PpzN1JaBYO  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 10, 2018

During his visit, Modi will hold talks with Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas following which a number of agreements are going to be signed. This will be the fourth meeting between Modi and Abbas after those on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in 2015, at the Paris climate summit later that year and at the Palestinian President's visit to India last year.

After his arrival, he also laid a wreath at the mausoleum of iconic Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat there. The mausoleum was unveiled on November 10, 2007 and is located adjacent to the Palestinian Presidential compound, also known as Muqata'a.

#WATCH Earlier visuals from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's journey to Palestine's Ramallah via a chopper, which was escorted by Royal Jordanian choppers by the King and Israeli choppers pic.twitter.com/ginxPzBTnV  ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2018

After paying homage to Arafat, the Modi took a short tour accompanied by Hamdallah of the Arafat Museum located adjacent to the mausoleum.

Palestine is the first leg of Modi's three-nation tour of West Asia that will also see him going to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman.

His visit to Palestine is likely to reaffirm India's foreign policy position that its relationship with one country is independent of its ties with a third country.
Ramallah: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is currently touring West Asia, on Saturday batted for a sovereign and independent Palestine in his maiden visit to the country.

''I have assured President Abbas that India is bound by a promise to take care of Palestinian people's interests. India hopes that soon Palestine will come a free country in a peaceful manner,'' PM Modi said in Ramallah.

During his speech, PM Modi also said that India's hopes for a return of peace in the region as he wrapped up his "historic" visit to Palestine - the first by an Indian Prime Minister.

"We know that it's not easy, but we should keep striving because a lot is at stake," he said.

The two sides also signed agreements worth around USD 50 million that includes setting up of a USD 30 million super speciality hospital after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas received Prime Minister Modi in an official ceremony at the presidential compound, also known as Muqata'a, in Ramallah - the Palestinian seat of government.

On his part, President Abbas acknowledged that the Indian leadership has always stood by peace in Palestine. Abbas said Palestine is always ready to engage in negotiations to achieve its goal of an independent state. He asked India to facilitate the peace process with Israel.

"We rely on India's role as an international voice of great standing and weigh through its historical role in the Non-Aligned Movement and in all international forum and its increasingly growing power on the strategic and economic levels, in a way that is conducive to just and desired peace in our region," said President Abbas.

The two sides signed agreements worth USD 50 million. The agreement includes setting up of a super speciality hospital worth USD 30 million in Beit Sahur and construction of a centre for empowering women worth USD 5 million.

Three agreements in the education sector worth USD 5 million and for procurement of equipment and machinery for the National Printing Press in Ramallah were also signed.

PM Modi conferred Grand Collar of State of Palestine

In recognition of his contribution to ties with Palestine, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was earlier conferred The Grand Collar of the State of Palestine, the highest Palestinian honour for foreign dignitaries, by Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas here on Saturday.

"In a special recognition of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's contribution to relations between India and Palestine, President Abbas conferred the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine on him after the conclusion of their bilateral meeting," the MEA tweeted.

In a significant gesture, President Abbas conferred PM @narendramodi with Grand Collar Honour, which is Palestine's highest honour, in recognition of PM's wise leadership. PM termed the award as an honour for the people of India. pic.twitter.com/OV9KZiCqjl  Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) February 10, 2018

The Grand Collar is the highest order given to foreign dignitaries - Kings, Heads of State/Government and persons of similar rank.

"In recognition of his wise leadership and his lofty national and international stature, and in appreciation of his efforts to promote the historic relations between the State of Palestine and the Republic of India," the award commendation reads.

"In acknowledgement of his support to our people's right independence and freedom so that peace prevails in our region," it read further.

Earlier in the day, Modi was presented a Guard of Honour at the Presidential Palace soon after his arrival here from Amman, Jordan, in what is the first ever prime ministerial visit from India to Palestine.

He also laid a wreath at the mausoleum of Yasser Arafat, the Chairman of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation and the first President of the Palestinian Authority.

This was the fourth meeting between Modi and Abbas after those on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in 2015, at the Paris climate summit later that year and during the Palestinian President's visit to India last year.

The visit will reaffirm India's foreign policy position that its relationship with one country is independent of its ties with a third country and will de-hyphenate Israel and Palestine after Modi's standalone visit to Israel in July last year.

Palestine is the first leg of Modi's three-nation tour of West Asia that will also see him going to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman.

(With Agency Inputs)
Ramallah: In keeping with India's role as a major development aid partner for Palestine, the two sides on Saturday signed six memorandums of understanding (MoUs), including in the areas of health and education, following a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas here.

A MoU was signed for setting up of an India-Palestine super-speciality hospital at Beit Sahour in Bethlehem governorate at a cost of $30 million.

A second MoU was signed for construction of the India-Palestine centre for empowering women called "Turathi" at a cost of $5 million.

Another MoU was signed for setting up of a new National Printing Press at Ramallah at a cost of $5 million.

Two MoUs worth $1.1 million and $1 million envisage construction of two schools at Tamoon village in Tubas governorate and Muthalth Al Shuhada village respectively.

A sixth MoU was signed for the construction of an additional floor at Jawahar Lal Nehru School for Boys at Abu Dees.

Prime Minister Modi arrived earlier in the day on a three-hour visit, the first ever by an Indian Prime Minister to Palestine.

Palestine is the first leg of Modi's three-nation tour of West Asia and the Gulf that will also see him going to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman.
Hyderabad: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) is likely to take action against its executive member, Moulana Salman Hasni Nadvi, for mooting a proposal to hand over disputed land in Ayodhya, where Babri Masjid once stood, for the construction of Ram temple.

Taking strong exception to Nadvi's proposal, the AIMPLB has constituted a four-member committee to decide what action should be taken against him.

Nadvi, an eminent cleric, had presented what was dubbed as the Ayodhya compromise formula during a meeting with spiritual leader and the Art of Living (AoL) founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

IANS quoted AIMPLB member SQR Ilyas confirming that the board president would take action after a report is submitted to him by the disciplinary committee.

Nadvi was also pulled up for his proposal during AIMPLB's executive meeting on Friday.

He stayed away from the plenary meeting on the second day. Talking to reporters, Nadvi alleged that he was humiliated by two executive members of AIMPLB - Zafar Yab Jeelani and Ilyas.

Ilyas, however, denied the allegation.

"The meeting was held in a democratic manner. There was a unanimous feeling that Salman Nadvi should not have made the offer that is against the known stand of the board," he said.

Ilyas, who is convenor of the Babri Masjid committee of the board, said Nadvi should have raised the issue in the AIMPLB meeting before speaking publicly.

He said Nadvi`s action had damaged the board`s reputation at a time when it is holding a crucial meeting here to discuss various important issues.

After the executive committee meeting on Friday night, the Board issued a statement to rule out a compromise on the land in Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, on which the Babri Masjid stood before it was demolished by a mob December 6, 1992.

The AIMPLB said that when a mosque is constructed, it remains a mosque always and it can`t be sold, exchanged, or alienated in any manner. It also said it will abide by the Supreme Court order, which is presently hearing the case.

On the second day of the three-day plenary, the board is discussing some key issues, including Babri Masjid and triple talaq bill.

(With IANS inputs)
Gaza Strip: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is currently touring West Asia, was on Saturday conferred with the 'Grand Collar' of the State of Palestine.

Ther award was bestowed on him by Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas in recognition of his contribution to strengthening the age-old relationship between India and Palestine.

The award was conferred on PM Modi after the conclusion of a bilateral meeting with President Abbas.

Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas met Prime Minister Narendra Modi & conferred him with the Grand Collar of the state of Palestine pic.twitter.com/AgjFin8Vje  ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2018

Commendation of Grand Collar read,"in recognition of his wise leadership, lofty national and international stature, in appreciation of his efforts to promote historic relations between Palestine and India; in acknowledgement of his support to our people's right to freedom so that peace prevails in region

Commendation of Grand Collar read,"in recognition of his wise leadership,lofty national & intn'l stature,in appreciation of his efforts to promote historic relations b/w Palestine & India;in acknowledgement of his support to our ppls' right to freedom so peace prevails in region pic.twitter.com/mnM6Km7bPy  ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2018

The Grand Collar is Palestine's highest order given to foreign dignitaries.

PM Narendra Modi had arrived in Ramallah this morning on a historic visit, which made him the first Indian Prime Minister to make an official visit to Palestine.

PM Modi flew in a Jordanian army helicopter straight from Amman to Ramallah, where he was received by his Palestinian counterpart Rami Hamdallah.

Prime Minister Modi's chopper was escorted by choppers from Israel Air Force.

"This is a historic visit that will lead to stronger bilateral cooperation," Modi said shortly after landing.

The Prime Minister, accompanied by Hamdallah, visited the Mausoleum of Yasser Arafat in Ramallah and laid a wreath at the grave of the iconic Palestinian leader.

The mausoleum was unveiled on November 10, 2007, and is located adjacent to the Palestinian Presidential compound, also known as Muqata'a here.

After paying homage to Arafat, the Prime Minister took a short tour of the Arafat Museum located adjacent to the mausoleum.

Later, President Abbas received Prime Minister Modi in an official ceremony at the presidential headquarters in Ramallah before starting official talks.

The two leaders exchanged hugs and stood for the national anthem of the two countries and then inspected the guard of honour. They shook hand with Palestinian and Indian officials.

The two leaders then stepped inside the presidential office for official talks.

After the talks, they will sign bilateral agreements, hold a joint press conference and share lunch before Modi leaves for Amman in a chopper.

Archbishop of Catholic Church, Poulos Marcuzzo, and religious leaders of the Al-Aqsa mosque have also come to the Muqata'a to greet Modi.

Describing India as a "very respected country in the international arena", the 82-year-old Palestinian President had earlier said that India can have a possible role in creating a multilateral forum of negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis to reach a final agreement.

According to Abbas, Modi's visit to the region reflects India's long-held position of supporting peace and stability in the region.

During his maiden visit to Israel last year, Modi did not travel to Ramallah, the Palestinian seat of government. His standalone visit to Israel had led to many analysts questioning the future of the Indo-Palestine ties.

This time Modi skipped Israel in a clear message that India is de-hyphenating its ties with Israel and Palestine.

Modi's visit to Palestine comes amid heightened tensions in the region after US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The unilateral US decision to declare Jerusalem as the capital of Israel was challenged at the UN General Assembly where 128 nations, including India, voted to turn down the move as "null and void".

Trump's decision to declare Jerusalem as Israel's capital angered the Palestinians, sparked protests in the Middle East and raised concern that it could further destabilise the region.

Though India has shied away from becoming a party in the Israel-Palestinian conflict, the Palestinian leader on several occasions has stressed on a possible role for New Delhi in the Middle East peace process.

India believes in a two-state solution in which both Israel and a future Palestinian state coexist peacefully.

The two-state solution envisions independent Israeli and Palestinian states coexisting side by side peacefully.

The Palestinians see east Jerusalem as their future capital.

(With PTI inputs)
Here are the top headlines of the day:

1. Terrorists attack Army camp in J&K's Sunjwan, one soldier injured

A group of heavily armed terrorists attacked an Army camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Sunjwan area on Saturday. Two people - an Army havaldar and his daughter - have been injured in the firing by the terrorists. The camp is located on Jammu-Pathankot National Highway. Read full report

2. PM Narendra Modi to arrive in Palestine today, here's his schedule

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a four-day visit to three West Asian countries, will arrive in Palestine on Saturday. The Prime Minister will transit to Palestinian capital Ramallah in what will be the first ever Prime Ministerial visit from India to Palestine. Read full report

3. I've begun to fear as even girls have started drinking beer: Manohar Parrikar

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar is a worried man these days as girls have started consuming alcohol. "I have begun to fear now, because even the girls have started drinking beer. Read full report

4. Donald Trump signs budget deal, bringing end to second US shutdown of 2018

United States President Donald Trump on Friday signed a combined funding and budget bill that was passed by Congress hours earlier and will increase federal spending by hundreds of billions of dollars, bringing an end to the second government shutdown this year. Read full report

5. Teddy Day 2018: Celebrate the occasion in a unique way with these ideas

Valentine's week is here and each day is special in its own way. Today, February 10 is Teddy day! Teddy bears are a symbol of love and there are a lot of ways you can celebrate this day with your beloved. If you want to do something extra special for your girlfriend, here are a few ideas! Read full report
Abu Dhabi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is currently touring West Asia, will on Sunday lay the foundation stone for the first Hindu temple in the capital of the UAE, home to over three million people of Indian origin.

PM Modi arrived here in the evening after which he was given a ceremonial reception.

This is PM Modi's second visit to UAE after his first trip to the country in 2015.

"The first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi will come up on 55,000 square metres of land and the ground-breaking ceremony on Sunday will be a historic event," Indian Ambassador to the UAE Navdeep Singh Suri said.

According to reports, Prime Minister Modi will flag off laying of the temple's foundation stone during the community event.

"On Sunday, you will see a ground-breaking ceremony, which is going to be live-streamed into Dubai Opera House. It's going to be tradition meeting technology," Suri said.

In UAE, PM Modi will hold a meeting with the Indian community at Dubai Opera House.

Representatives of all major organisations and a number of Indian professionals have been invited for the event.

"The occasion is going to be historic for a different reason because it will also see the commencement of the first Hindu Temple in Abu Dhabi. We are very pleased that we have received 55,000 square metres of land near Al Rahba off the Dubai-Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed Highway," Suri said.

The temple, which will be hand-carved by Indian temple artisans and assembled in the UAE, is likely to be completed by 2020, and open to people of all religious backgrounds.

It will be the first traditional Hindu stone temple in the Middle East, said a spokesperson from the BAPS.

Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), is a socio-spiritual Hindu organisation set up in 1907 that runs more than 1,100 temples and cultural compounds around the world.

The temple will incorporate all aspects and features of a traditional Hindu temple as part of a fully functional, social, cultural and spiritual complex.

It will replicate the BAPS temple in New Delhi and the one under construction in New Jersey, a trust member told Khaleej Times.

The investment from the UAE to India exceeds USD 11 billion.

(With Agency inputs)
Abu Dhabi: Shortly after his arrival in UAE, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and held wide-ranging talks with him on Saturday.

In the presence of PM Modi and Al Nahyan, the two sides also signed five agreements including a historic pact awarding a consortium of Indian oil companies a 10 percent stake in offshore oil concession.

Modi, who arrived here from Jordan on the second leg of his three-nation tour, was received by Mohammed Bin Zayed and other members of the Royal family at the airport.

The two leaders hugged each other and exchanged pleasantries.

  .               . @MohamedBinZayed pic.twitter.com/gab7oONGU8  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 10, 2018

The Prime Minister thanked the Crown Prince for the special gesture of receiving him at the airport and said his visit will have a positive impact on India-UAE ties.

"We warmly welcome our state guest and valued friend, the Indian Prime Minister H.E.@narendramodi to the UAE. His visit reflects our long-standing historical ties and is a testament to our friendly bilateral relationship," Mohammed Bin Zayed, also the Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, tweeted.

                  pic.twitter.com/XyQ89xXJ4G     (@MohamedBinZayed) February 10, 2018

Prime Minister Modi, who is here on his second visit to the UAE, held wide-ranging talks with and Mohammed Bin Zayed.

Modi had first visited the UAE as Prime Minister in August 2015.

After their talks, the two sides signed five agreements related to the energy sector, railways, manpower and financial services.

An MOU between Indian Consortium (OVL, BPRL and IOCL) and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) was signed for the acquisition of a 10 percent participating interest in the Abu Dhabi's offshore Lower Zakum Concession, a statement issued by the Indian embassy here said.

The concession will be for 40 years from 2018 to 2057. Sixty percent of the participating interest will be retained by ADNOC and remaining 30 percent will be awarded to other international oil companies, the statement said.

"This is the first Indian Investment in the upstream oil sector of UAE, transforming the traditional buyer-seller relationship to a long-term investor relationship," it added.

To cooperate in the field of manpower, India and the UAE signed a MoU that aims to institutionalise the collaborative administration of contractual employment of Indian workers in the Gulf country.

Under the MoU, both the sides will work to integrate their labour related e-platforms for ending the existing malpractices, combat trafficking and organise collaborative programs for education and awareness of contractual workers.

A MoU for technical cooperation in railways was also signed between the two sides. The MoU aims at cooperation in infrastructure sector especially railways.

"The MoU will facilitate the development of joint projects, knowledge sharing, joint research and technology transfer. The MoU envisages formation of a Joint Working Group for institutionalising the cooperation mechanism," the statement said.

To deepen bilateral cooperation in the field of finance, a MoU between Bombay Stock Exchange and Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange was also signed. It aims at enhancing cooperation between both the countries in the financial services industry.

The MoU would facilitate investment in financial markets by investors from both the countries.

A MoU between Government of Jammu and Kashmir and DP World was also signed to establish multi-modal logistics park and hub in Jammu comprising warehouses and specialised storage solutions.

Various buildings in Abu Dhabi were lit in the Indian tricolour as the city was decked up to welcome Prime Minister Modi, who also attended a state banquet hosted by the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince.

The Prime Minister will visit Wahat Al Karama, the UAE martyr's war memorial here, on Sunday before travelling to Dubai where he will interact with the Indian community at an event at the Dubai Opera House and will witness the ground-breaking ceremony of the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi. The ceremony will be live-streamed to the Opera House.

Prime Minister Modi will also deliver a keynote address at the World Government Summit in Dubai where India is a guest of honour this year.

He will make the inaugural address on the theme: 'Technology for development'.

On the first leg of his trip, Modi earlier in the day travelled to Ramallah, becoming the first Indian Prime Minister to make an official visit to Palestine.

In Ramallah, Prime Minister Modi met Mahmoud Abbas during which the Palestinian President sought India's support for a multi-country mechanism to achieve a "just and desired peace" with Israel in accordance with the two-state solution.

They discussed the full range of India-Palestine ties following which the two sides signed six agreements worth around USD 50 million that includes setting up of a USD 30 million super speciality hospital in Beit Sahur.

From the UAE, Modi will travel to Oman.

(With PTI inputs)
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a four-day visit to three West Asian countries, will arrive in Palestine on Saturday. The Prime Minister will transit to Palestinian capital Ramallah in what will be the first ever Prime Ministerial visit from India to Palestine.

During his historic visit to Palestine, Modi will hold a meeting with the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. He said he was looking forward to discussions with the Palestinian President and "reaffirming our support for the Palestinian people and the development of Palestine".

This will be the fourth meeting between Modi and Abbas after their meetings on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in 2015 and at the Paris climate summit later that year and the Palestinian President's visit to India last year.

The visit will reaffirm India's foreign policy position that its relationship with one country is independent of its ties with a third country and will de-hyphenate Israel and Palestine after Modi's standalone visit to Israel in July last year.

The Palestinian President said that India under PM Modi can play a major role in ending the conflict in the Middle East and establishing peace in the region.

President Abbas also said that he will discuss with PM Modi India's role in the Middle East peace process and the creation of a multilateral forum of negotiations to strike a final deal with Israel.

From Palestine, Modi will reach Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), on Sunday evening in what will be his second visit to the nation since his visit in August 2015.

Here's PM Modi's schedule for today:

10:10 am local time (1.30 pm IST) - PM Modi will arrive in Ramallah

10:15 am - Wreath Laying Ceremony at the Mausoleum of Late President Yasser Arafat and Tour of the Yasser Arafat Museum

10:45 am - Ceremonial Guard of Honour

11:00 am - Meeting with HE Mr Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine

11:45 am - Working Lunch

12:40 pm - Exchange of Agreements/ MOUs and Press Statements

13:10 pm - Depart for Queen Alia International Airport Amman

13:45 pm - Emplane for Abu Dhabi from Amman

18:30 pm - Arrive Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport

19:15 pm - One-to-One Meeting with HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi (Venue: Presidential Palace)

20:05 pm - Signing / Exchange of Agreements

20:30 pm - Banquet dinner hosted by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi
AHMEDABAD: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today said the Army and other security forces were effectively doing their job and would never let any Indian hang his head in shame.

He said it would not be appropriate for him to comment on the attack on an Army camp in Jammu as the operation was still on.

"We have received information that the operation is going on.

I understand that until the operation ends, it will not be appropriate on my part to comment regarding that," Singh told reporters on the sidelines of an event.

"Rest assured...Our Army and security forces are effectively accomplishing their job and handling their responsibility. They will never let any Indian hang his head in shame," he said.

Two junior commissioned officers (JCOs) were killed while a Colonel-rank officer and daughter of an Army man were among four people injured in a militant attack on the Sunjwan Army camp in Jammu early today.

Asked about the casualties in the incident, he said it was a sad news.

Singh earlier spoke to the chief of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and took stock of the situation.

During the telephonic conversation, he sought details from Director General of Police S P Vaid on the militant attack, according to a tweet by the Home Minister's Office.

"The DGP has apprised him of the situation.

The MHA is closely monitoring the situation," the tweet read.

Jammu and Kashmir's Parliamentary Affairs Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri earlier informed the state Assembly that Subedar Madanlal Chowdhary and Subedar Mohammed Ashraf Mir were killed in the attack.

Those injured in the attack included a Colonel-rank officer, Havaldar Abdul Hamid, Lance Naik Bahadur Singh and daughter of Subedar Chowdhary, he said.

Around four to five militants are likely involved in the attack, believed to be carried out by the Jaish-e-Mohammed.
Kulubari: Senior BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain on Saturday labelled Muslims in Tripura as patriots who did not go to Pakistan after the country attained Independence.

''The Muslims in Tripura did not go to Pakistan after Independence even as the state shares a long border with Bangladesh, formerly East Pakistan,'' Hussain said.

Speaking at an election meeting here in Sipahijala district, the BJP leader said, ''Thousands of Muslims were killed while performing 'namaz' at mosques in Pakistan, but not a single such incident had ever occurred in India.''

"BJP is not a party of only Narendra Modi, but also a party of Shahnawaz Hussain. It is a party of the common people and it is a secular party, not a communal party," he said at the meeting.

Hussain also urged for support to the party's candidate in the Muslim majority Boxanagar constituency.

''After the partition of India in 1947, Muslims did not migrate to East Pakistan and chose to stay in Tripura because they are a patriotic force,'' Hussain, who is also BJP spokesman, said.

Hussain continued by saying that when he was the civil aviation minister, he had arranged for a direct flight to Mecca from Guwahati.

He also slammed the ruling CPI(M)-led Left Front for allegedly branding the BJP as a communal party, claiming that Communists are actually communal.

"Before the crumbling of USSR, many provinces of the country were Muslim majorities such as Kazakstan and Uzbekistan. The communist rulers there had demolished mosques," he said.

The former union minister said the BJP had won in various states with a sizeable portion of Muslim population because they supported the party.

He cited the examples of Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir.

"Our best friends are Hindus. We all Muslims should be proud that we were born in India. You would never find friends like Hindus and a country like India," Hussain said.

However, he admitted that in a country of 125 crores there might be some stray incidents of communal violence.

Muslims comprise around 8 percent of the population of Tripura.

The state has a long border with Bangladesh and many Muslims living near the border were evicted or faced various other problems due to the erection of the border fencing, but Chief Minister Manik Sarkar never took up the matter with the Centre, he alleged.

(With PTI inputs)
ABU DHABI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the first-ever Indian premier to visit the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This is not lost on the West Asian nation, given the way the UAE media have covered the event. From full-page advertisements to interviews of the Prime Minister, the newspapers seem to have made it clear that this is the biggest story of the day, with some even calling it 'historic'.



UAE's oldest English language daily, Khaleej Times on Saturday published a full-page ad on its first page welcoming the Prime Minister. The daily published a story with headline - 'Old friends to boost ties'. The news report speaks about the ties between the two countries which are likely to be bolstered with this visit. "A new era in UAE-India ties will begin when 14 agreements are signed during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's second state visit beginning today. Agreements are expected to be inked in space technology, skills development and finance, during the two-day visit," the report read.

Abu Dhabi: Newspapers in UAE heralding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to UAE, later today. pic.twitter.com/y5jMoCjn1r  ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2018

Another newspaper, The National, speaks about the naval exercises that India is due to start on the shores on Abu Dhabi next month. "We're trying today to revive that historical connection between our countries. The kind of conversations we are having in defence or security today would perhaps have been unimaginable a few years back and theres a level of confidence in our leadership to say how we can learn from each other in countering violent extremism and radicalisation," The National quoted Navdeep Suri, Indian ambassador to the UAE, as saying.



Gulf News' hub editor Chiranjib Sengupta, who had joined a UAE media delegation on a brief tour of India this week, called Modi's visit 'historic' in one of his articles, considering it is his second visit to the UAE. Also, because this is the first time an Indian Prime Minister will visit Palestine.



News Xpress published a detailed interview of PM Modi. It headlined it as 'Today is my favourite day: Narendra Modi'. "The UAE is home to over three million people of Indian origin. The Indian community has acted as a bridge between the two countries and I hope my visit will further strengthen these ties," read an excerpt from Modis interview.



PM Modi is on a four-day visit to three West Asian countries - the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Palestine. He is set to reach Abu Dhabi at 5 pm. He will hold a one-to-one meeting with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The meeting will take place at the Presidential Palace. After signing of agreements, the Prime Minister will attend a banquet dinner hosted by the Crown Prince.
JAMMU: At a time when an Army camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Sunjuwan is under attack by terrorists, Pakistan violated ceasefire in Poonch district of Kashmir. The Pakistani troops launched mortars shells on Saturday at civilian areas along the Line of Control (LoC).

There have been no casualties in the shelling. "The Pakistan Army launched mortar shells in Khadi Karmara forward areas in Poonch around 1100 hours today," an official said. The shells fell deep inside Indian territory along the Line of Control triggering panic and fear among the residents.

The Pakistani troops also launched shells along the LoC in Chakan Da Bagh forward area in Poonch.

Pakistani troops have been continuously shelling on the areas along the LoC. On Friday, three Army jawans had been injured in intermittent firing and shelling by Pakistani troops along the LoC in Poonch. On February 8, a 45-year-old woman was killed in shelling by the Pakistani troops along the LoC.

A total of 18 people, including ten security personnel and eight civilians, were killed and over 75 injured in Pakistani shelling along the LoC and the IB in Jammu region this year.
JAMMU: After a group of four-to-five heavily armed terrorists stormed an Army camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Sunjwan area early on Saturday morning, security forces are conducting operations to pin down the attackers. Para Commandos of the Indian Air Force (IAF) were airlifted to Jammu from Udhampur for the operation and another aircraft is also airborne to airlift para commandos from Sarsawa.

The terrorists who have been holed up have been surrounded by the security forces who are conducting a room-to-room search. "Room-to-room intervention is now going on to pin down the terrorists inside the Junior Commissioned Officers' building that they managed to enter," sources in the army said.

In the attack on the army camp, two soldiers have been killed and four others have been injured. A colonel and the daughter of a jawan is among those who have been injured.

The terrorists entered the Sunjuwan Military Station at around 4.45 am on Saturday hurling grenades and using heavy volume of automatic gunfire to attack the Army camp. There were intelligence inputs that Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) terrorists were planning to carry out an attack around the 5th death anniversary of Parliament attack convict, Afzal Guru, who was hanged on February 9, 2013 in Tihar Jail.

Taking stock of the situation, Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) SP Vaid.

Reacting to the attack, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti tweeted: "Deeply disturbed by the terrorist attack in #Sunjwan today. My heart goes out to the injured & their families."

Search and combing operations are underway near the Army camp. Security forces have cordoned off the area and educational institutions within half a kilometre radius of the camp have been shut down for the day.

Jammu and Kashmir Speaker Kavinder Gupta visited the main gate of army camp as the security forces carried out the anti-terror operation against the holed up terrorists.
Sunjwan: The security forces on Saturday killed three terrorists, believed to be associated with Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), hours after they attacked an Army camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Sunjwan area.

According to Defence PRO, at least three terrorists have been killed and the operation is still underway.

Some AK-47 assault rifles and other weapons were also recovered from the terrorists netralised by the security forces.

As part of the ongoing operation in #Sunjwan the Army has killed two heavily armed terrorists. The terrorists were wearing combat uniforms carrying AK 56 assault rifle, large amount of ammunition & hand grenades: Defence PRO pic.twitter.com/b7qhkScJts  ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2018

''Search of their belongings confirmed that the terrorists belonged to JeM. So far, one JCO and 1 NCO, both belonging to J&K, have been martyred and 9 others are injured. Two of them being critical. The operation will continue till all terrorist are apprehended or killed,'' the Defence PRO said.

The security forces are trying to eliminate other terrorists believed to be holed up in the area. Their exact number is not known yet.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti this afternoon chaired an emergency meeting with top state government officials, including the J&K Police DGP SP Vaid, to discuss the situation.

#JammuAndKashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti chaired a high level security meeting in Jammu following attack on Army camp in Sunjuwan, the meeting was attended by J&K police, DGP SP Vaid and other security agencies pic.twitter.com/7OlWqJlw3B  ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2018

Sources said the Army was going from room to room to pin down the other terrorists holed up inside the residential building. Officials further said that all the families have been evacuated and there is no hostage situation.

A group of heavily armed terrorists, believed to be from the 'Afzal Guru squad' of JeM, today attacked the Army camp in Sunjwan, located on the outskirts of Jammu city, in which at least two junior commissioned officers (JCOs) were killed and six others, including a Major and a daughter of an Army personnel, injured.

More #visuals from Sunjuwan Army camp which was attacked by terrorists earlier today (visuals deferred by unspecified time) pic.twitter.com/reBE6KliXh  ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2018

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri informed the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly that Subedar Madanlal Chowdhary and Subedar Mohammed Ashraf Mir were killed in the attack by a group of militants.

The Army, however, maintained that only one JCO was killed.

Briefing media persons at the main entrance of the camp, Jammu-based Army PRO Lt Col Devender Anand said, "In the early hours today after a brief exchange of fire with sentry on the periphery, some terrorists entered the family accommodation complex.

"The quick response teams have cordoned off the area and isolated the terrorists, who are holed up in a few houses (inside the camp)," the officer said.

He said in the operation to evacuate families, one JCO was killed while six persons, including women and children, suffered injuries.

"Due to the presence of women and children in the housing colony, the operations is being progressed cautiously to minimise the casualties," he said.

The Major has been airlifted to an Udhampur hospital where his condition was stated to be critical, Army officials said.

Army helicopters and drones have been pressed into service to ascertain the exact location of the terrorists, officials said.

While there was no action around the main entrance and vehicles were moving along the Jammu-Lakhanpur bypass in front of the camp, Army personnel in bullet-proof vehicles were engaged in the operation to rescue people from the family quarters in the rear side of the base.

A final assault against the holed-up terrorists has been launched as the rescue operation is almost over, media reports from the area said.

Contingents of para-military CRPF and police personnel have been posted outside the boundary wall and were keeping curious onlookers at bay to avoid civilian casualties. Generators and searchlights were brought to the camp, apparently for a night assault.

Inspector General of Police (Jammu) S D Singh Jamwal told reporters here that "around 4:55 am suspicious movement was noticed by the sentry and his bunker was fired upon. The fire was retaliated. The number of militants is not known. They have been cornered in one of the family quarters."

Soon after the attack, reinforcements of the Army's special forces and special operations group (SOG) rushed to the spot and cordoned off the area amid a fierce gunfight, security officials said.

Schools in a five-kilometre radius around the camp have been closed by the authorities as a precautionary measure.

A high alert has been sounded in Jammu and security beefed up in and around the city.

Intelligence inputs had warned of an attack on an Army or security establishment by Jaish-e-Mohammed in view of the death anniversary of Afzal Guru who was hanged on February 9, 2013.

Those injured included an Army officer, Havaldar Abdul Hamid, Lance Naik Bahadur Singh and the daughter of slain Subedar Chowdhary, the minister earlier told the House which witnessed protests by BJP members who raised anti-Pakistan slogans.

(With PTI inputs)
Jammu: In what is no less than a miracle, a pregnant woman, who was seriously injured during the terror attack on an Army camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Sunjwan area, delivered a baby girl following a Caesarean surgery.

According to reports, the 35-week pregnant lady was shot in her lower back after the terrorists opened indiscriminate fire targeting the security forces and civilians.

The woman was then immediately evacuated by an Army chopper and rushed to a military hospital where a C section was performed on her.

The woman later delivered a baby girl weighing 2.5 kgs.

A Twitter user shared a picture of the baby girl on the social networking website, terming the incident as no less than a miracle.

A story of a miracle from today's #SunjuwanAttack

A 35 week pregnant lady shot in the lower back was evacuated by chopper to the military hospital and immediate C section was performed. Baby girl weighing 2.5 kgs delivered. Mother and child both are safe. pic.twitter.com/Z5LSfAFDWm  kaveri (@ikaveri) February 10, 2018

Both mother and child are said to be safe and healthy.

The security forces today killed at least three terrorists, believed to be associated with Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), several hours after they attacked an Army camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Sunjwan area.

According to Defence PRO, at least three terrorists have been killed so far and an operation to kill those remaining is still underway.

Some AK-47 assault rifles and other weapons were also recovered from the terrorists neutralised by the security forces.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti this afternoon chaired an emergency meeting with top state government officials, including the J&K Police DGP SP Vaid, to discuss the situation.

The terrorists, who attacked the Army camp in Sunjwan, located on the outskirts of Jammu city, were believed to be from the 'Afzal Guru squad' of JeM.

At least two junior commissioned officers (JCOs) were killed and six others, including a Major and a daughter of an Army personnel, injured in the brazen attack.
JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir Assembly speaker Kavinder Gupta hinted at the role of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas in the terror attack that took place at an Army camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Sunjwan area on Saturday morning. The Speaker said: "I watched a live video, one can see Army area from rooftops there (where Rohingyas and Bangladeshis live), there is drug mafia running in those areas. For money, some people have given them space to stay. The government must take note of this."

While the security forces are trying to nab the terrorists holed up at the Army camp, Gupta visited the main gate of Army station. Claiming that the increasing number of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas are a security threat, he said that the government has also accepted the issue. "I live in that constituency, complaints have come from there and in a way galso accepts that number of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis is increasing and that they are a security threat," the J&K Assembly Speaker added.

Adding to Gupta's statement, BJP MLC Vikram Randhawa said, "I have been raising the issue of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas living in surrounding areas of Jammu, illegally. They are increasing. If not stopped, they will act as a shelter for terrorist organisations. Investigations must be done."

Earlier in the day, a group of three-to-five heavily armed terrorists stormed the Sunjwan Army camp in Jammu and Kashmir. Security forces are conducting operations to pin down the attackers.

In the attack on the army camp, two soldiers have been killed and four others have been injured. A colonel and the daughter of a jawan is among those who have been injured.

Para Commandos of the Indian Air Force (IAF) were airlifted to Jammu from Udhampur for the operation and another aircraft is also airborne to airlift para commandos from Sarsawa.

The terrorists entered the Sunjuwan Military Station at around 4.45 am on Saturday hurling grenades and using heavy volume of automatic gunfire to attack the Army camp. There were intelligence inputs that Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) terrorists were planning to carry out an attack around the 5th death anniversary of Parliament attack convict, Afzal Guru, who was hanged on February 9, 2013 in Tihar Jail.

Search and combing operations are underway near the Army camp. Security forces have cordoned off the area and educational institutions within half a kilometre radius of the camp have been shut down for the day.
JAMMU: Following the terror attack that took place at an Army camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Sunjwan area on Saturday morning, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that the Army and other security forces were effectively doing their job and would never let any Indian hang his head in shame. He said it would not be appropriate for him to comment on the attack on an Army camp in Jammu as the operation was still on.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti took to Twitter and expressed condolence over the attack. "Deeply disturbed by the terrorist attack in Sunjwan today. My heart goes out to the injured and their families," read her tweet.

Accusing Pakistan over the Army camp attack, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah said, "No day passes by without such incidents and terrorists are all coming from Pakistan. If Pakistan wants good relations with India they need to stop terrorism or it will have bad consequences. Sadly, I have to say that if it continues, India won't stop itself from waging war."

Jammu and Kashmir Assembly speaker Kavinder Gupta hinted at the role of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas in the terror attack. "I watched a live video, one can see Army area from rooftops there (where Rohingyas and Bangladeshis live), there is drug mafia running in those areas. For money, some people have given them space to stay. The government must take note of this," he said.

While the security forces are trying to nab the terrorists holed up at the Army camp, the J&K Assembly speaker visited the main gate of Army station. Claiming that the increasing number of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas are a security threat, he said that the government has also accepted the issue. "I live in that constituency, complaints have come from there and in a way government also accepts that number of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis is increasing and that they are a security threat," the J&K Assembly Speaker added.

Adding to Gupta's statement, BJP MLC Vikram Randhawa said, "I have been raising the issue of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas living in surrounding areas of Jammu, illegally. They are increasing. If not stopped, they will act as a shelter for terrorist organisations. Investigations must be done."

Earlier in the day, a group of three-to-five heavily armed terrorists stormed the Sunjwan Army camp. Security forces are conducting operations to pin down the attackers.

In the attack on the army camp, two soldiers have been killed and four others have been injured. A colonel and the daughter of a jawan is among those who have been injured.

Para Commandos of the Indian Air Force (IAF) were airlifted to Jammu from Udhampur for the operation and another aircraft is also airborne to airlift para commandos from Sarsawa.

The terrorists entered the Sunjuwan Military Station at around 4.45 am on Saturday hurling grenades and using heavy volume of automatic gunfire to attack the Army camp. There were intelligence inputs that Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) terrorists were planning to carry out an attack around the 5th death anniversary of Parliament attack convict, Afzal Guru, who was hanged on February 9, 2013 in Tihar Jail.

Search and combing operations are underway near the Army camp. Security forces have cordoned off the area and educational institutions within half a kilometre radius of the camp have been shut down for the day.
SRINAGAR: Two soldiers were on Saturday killed after a group of heavily armed terrorists attacked an Army camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Sunjwan area. The Army, however, has confirmed the death of one JCO.

Six others, including women and children, have been injured in the firing by the terrorists. The camp is located on Jammu-Pathankot National Highway.

#Visuals deferred by unspecified time: Operation underway after terrorists attacked Sunjwan Army camp. One Hawaldar & his daughter injured. pic.twitter.com/X7BuGrn8WZ  ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2018

The armed men hurled grenades and used a heavy volume of automatic gunfire to enter the military station. The firing started at around 5 am.

Schools within 500 meters of the camp have been asked to remain shut by the district administration.

The terrorists are said to be still inside the military camp but their number is yet to be ascertained. They reportedly belong to the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror outfit.

Intelligence inputs had warned an attack on the army or security establishment by JeM in view of the death anniversary of Afsal Guru who was hanged on February 9, 2013.

#Visuals Jammu and Kashmir: Gun shots heard inside Sunjwan Army camp, area cordoned off. More details awaited. (visuals deferred by unspecified time) pic.twitter.com/idDwJa3XMU  ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2018

"Around 4:55 am suspicious movement was noticed by the santri; santri bunker was fired upon and they retaliated. The number of terrorists is not known, they've been cornered in one of the family quarters. Two people have been injured, one Hawaldar and his daughter. The operation is on," Jammu IGP SD Singh Jamwal said.

Around 4:55 am suspicious movement was noticed by the santri; santri bunker was fired upon & they retaliated. No. of terrorists isn't known, they've been cornered in one of the family quarters. 2 injured, one Hawaldar & his daughter. Operation is on: Jammu IGP SD Singh Jamwal pic.twitter.com/BsPmVpuv0n  ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2018

Meanwhile, the area has completely been cordoned off by security forces. Drones and helicopters are being used by the security forces to track the terrorists.

Speaking to J&K DGP over the attack, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh directed officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to look into the matter.

Militants had attacked the same army station in 2006. Twelve soldiers were killed and seven others were injured in that attack before the two 'fidayeen' (suicide) terrorists were killed.

(With agency inputs)
BELLARY: On the first day of his four-day visit to Karnataka, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday attacked the Narendra Modi government for making false promises. "Don't trust those who make false promises and show you false dreams," he said while speaking at a public meeting in Bellary in Karnataka.

He also claimed that unlike the Modi government, Congress fulfils the promises that it makes. "The words of Narendra Modiji do not have any substance. He never does what he promises,"Rahul added.

Commenting on the recent speech of Narendra Modi in Parliament, Rahul said that the Prime Minister did not talk about the future or the progress of the country. "Narendra Modi didn't speak about future, or giving employment to youth, or help to farmers in his one-hour long speech in Parliament. He spent one hour talking about Congress party and the past. The country wants to listen about the future from the PM," Rahul said.

During his visit to poll-bound Karnataka, Rahul will connect with people through a series of public interactions, road-side meetings and public rallies over the next four days. He is also scheduled to visit Huligamma temple in the neighbouring Koppal town and Gavi Siddheswara Lingayat Mutt to meet its head priest. He will address a public meeting at Kukanur near Yelburga in Koppal district in the evening.

On the second day of his visit, Gandhi will travel on road for public receptions at Kushtagi, Kankagiri and Gangavati, followed by a public meeting at Karatagi in Koppal. On the third day, he will visit Raichur, Yadgir and Kalaburgi districts for public receptions, participate in a tribal rally at Devadurga in Raichur district, interact with youth and students at Shahpur in Yadgir district, followed by public meetings at Jewargi and Kalaburgi towns.

On the fourth and final day, he will interact with professionals and business community at Kalaburgi and fly to Basavakalyan by a chopper to visit Anubhava Mantapa in Bidar district.
LUCKNOW: The BJP, the SP and the Congress today expressed confidence they would win the upcoming bypolls on Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha constituencies, vacated by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and his deputy Keshav Prasad Maurya.

The Election Commission has announced that the bypolls on the seats will be held on March 11.

The BJP aims to continue its successful run in the state by retaining the two seats with an improved margin, while the SP seeks to wrest them.

The bypolls will also be a test for the Congress after its impressive performance in Gujarat polls in December and more recently in byelections in Rajasthan.

Exuding confidence that the BJP will sweep the bypolls, state BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi said: "BJP is always ready for elections.

We are a cadre-based party. I am confident that the party will improve its winning margin."

"March 11 is a significant date for us, as it was on this day last year that the BJP and its allies bagged 325 out of the 403 Assembly seats in UP. (In 2017) we had banked on the performance of Modi government only.

Now, we have the achievements of Yogi and Modi governments (to show to the people)."

Taking a jibe at the Congress and the SP, Tripathi said, "The two opposition parties had forged a pre-poll alliance to contest the Assembly polls. Now, the opposition is virtually scattered. When they could not damage the BJP unitedly, then how can they damage (the BJP) by contesting individually."

The SP, however, claimed that voters will punish the BJP for not fulfilling its poll promises.

"We are sure that people of Uttar Pradesh will teach the BJP a lesson for making false promises during the last election and not fulfilling them," SP spokesperson Sunil Singh Sajan said.

"We are ready for polls and will put our best foot forward. In a couple of days, the party will announces its candidates and contest strongly on both the seats on our own strengths."

Sajan said public mood was not favourable for the BJP-led state government because of the poor law and order situation.

Congress claimed that an atmosphere of fear was prevailing in Uttar Pradesh and the party will highlight failures of the Yogi government before the people.

"We will contest from both parliamentary constituencies, and will definitely put our best foot forward.

"The UP government has failed miserably on the law and order front. An atmosphere of fear is prevailing across the state.

The problems of farmers are yet to be resolved," state Congress spokesperson Ashok Singh said.
New Delhi: Legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan visited Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital on Friday for a routine checkup.

The actor had been complaining about shoulder and spine pain for some time and therefore went for a routine checkup to the hospital. As per reports, he had arrived at the hospital at around 6:30 pm and a team of doctors evaluated his health.

Since then, Big B's fans have been worried about his health condition. However, there is no need to panic as the actor is absolutely well!

Mr Bachchan took to Twitter to share a heartfelt poem that he wrote on his blog. In the Twitter post he wrote yet another small piece of poetry which says- 'T 2610 - To all of them that express concern I am in wellness you may learn I wrote a Blog verse last night in refrain, You may visit it here, from rumour abstain It is in Hindi, a language I speak Shall translate in English, but efforts are meek !"

T 2610 -

To all of them that express concern

I am in wellness you may learn

I wrote a Blog verse last night in refrain,

You may visit it here, from rumour abstain

It is in Hindi, a language I speak

Shall translate in English, but efforts are meek ! https://t.co/A4IgEIWfXp pic.twitter.com/bQDNb4uq7N  Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) February 10, 2018

Yesterday, the teaser of his film '102 Not Out' with co-star Rishi Kapoor was released. In the film, Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor will share screen space after a gap of 27 years. The movie is based on a Gujarati play by the same name and is touted as the most unusual father and son love story.
Mumbai: Actress Sonam Kapoor is riding high with her lauded performance in PadMan. She says it is important for her to play roles that reflect the social conscience in these "difficult times".

Excerpts from the interview:

Q. Congratulations, Sonam. After Neerja, PadMan is another high point in your career. Girl, you are evolving fast. So much at such a young age...

A. Thank you. But I am not that young any more... I have only directors like Ram Madhvani (Neerja) and RA Balki (PadMan) to thank for this. I am a director's actor. And I've never shied away taking on a role for its length. Neerja was all mine. But in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, I was there for just a brief playing time.

Now PadMan is definitely not all mine. But it's important for me to be part of cinema that addresses important social issues. There is no point in just doing entertaining cinema any more. That, to me, would be very khokhla (hollow). There has to be a relevance to it beyond just having a good time at the movies.

Q. Why do you say that?

A. Because we are going through very difficult times. It's a really difficult phase for us women. Those of us who have a platform and a voice, must use it to express what we believe in. "Pad Man" addresses itself to the question of menstruation. It's a huge issue for a majority of woman in our country. It didn't take me long to say yes to "Pad Man". And I am so glad I did it.

Q. Farhan Akhtar was telling me he would not do roles that set the wrong precedent in today's troubled times. He wouldn't play a serial rapist or a child molester just to be challenged as an actor. Your take?

A. I wouldn't mind doing a negative role provided it doesn't glorify the character or make her negativity a virtue. As an actor, we are put in a sensitive spot nowadays. I have to showcase my personal ideology while at the same time I need to do parts that challenge me as an actor. My next release "Veere Di Wedding" has me having a lot of fun with my female co-stars.

Q. Were you competitive on the sets of this chick flick with your co-stars Kareena Kapoor Khan, Swara Bhasker and Shikha Talsania?

A. Not at all. I am not competitive at all. If I was, the trajectory of my career would be different. No... And it's not a chick flick. It's a dramedy. We girls had a lot of fun shooting "Veere Di Wedding". I was working with Kareena Kapoor for the first time. I absolutely adore her. She is so beautiful and just not conscious of her looks.

Q. You are also working with your father Anil Kapoor for the first time.

A. Yes, in a Yash Raj Films project that I'm shooting right now. We have done two ads together. But this is the first time we are actually shooting a feature film together. All I can tell you at the moment is that it's a different person I am shooting with as compared with my father at home.

Q. Has he let his beard grow grey to look like your father?

A. Why don't you ask him? You get to speak to him more than I do.

Q. In "Pad Man", your relationship with your father played by actor Sunil Sinha is very special. Did you borrow from your own relationship with your father?

A. No. I didn't have to. The relationship was so beautifully written in the script. And my co-star was such a wonderful actor. I love working with actors who are more accomplished than me. It's the only way to learn on the job.

Q. Your character Pari is the catalyst who propels the protagonist's aspirations. Did you ever realise your role would be so pivotal?

A. I firmly believe there is a woman behind every man's success. And why just a woman? Every successful man or woman has to have a support system.

Q. The menstruation issue is still kept under wraps in our home. The film makes us think about why we need to be so secretive and squeamish about a natural bodily function?

A. It is a social conditioning. We are are so used to talking about these things in hushed tones. We hope to open up a conversation with this film.
CHENNAI: A portrait of Tamil Nadu's former chief minister and iconic AIADMK leader J Jayalalithaa will be unveiled in the state assembly on February 12.

According to ANI, the portrait of Tamil Nadu's iconic leader will be unveiled by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisamy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to attend the event.

PM Modi had been earlier approached by the Palanisamy government with a request to grace the event.

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister had sometimes back visited New Delhi during which he had requested the PM Modi to unveil the portrait of the late AIADMK leader.

In the invite to PM Modi, Palaniswami had said that Jayalalithaa had dedicated her entire life to the cause of Tamils worldwide and left an indelible mark on the Indian political landscape. ''She had made significant contributions by taking up the cause of Tamil Nadu, its language, culture and development,'' it said.

"A towering personality and statesman like you (PM), who has upheld the finest traditions of our vibrant democracy and maintained the cherished values of our Parliamentary system, would be the befitting person to unveil the portrait of our revered leader. The people of TN would be extremely happy if you could kindly consent to unveil the portrait," Palaniswami had said.

However, PM Modi's tight schedule did not allow him to attend the event earlier.

The move then set off strident opposition from the political parties since Jayalalithaa was convicted in a disproportionate assets case.

Lovingly referred as 'Amma' by her supporters, Jayalalithaa passed away on December 5, 2016, after suffering from prolonged illness.

Jayalalithaa was admitted to Apollo Hospital in September 2016 for dehydration.

Later her condition got complicated. On December 5, 2016, there were rumours about Jayalalithaa's death in the evening which Apollo Hospital denied but later it was announced that she died around 11.30 pm on that day.

She was in the hospital for 75 days before she breathed her last.

Her death shattered the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) into factions, and after much unrest, Palanisamy finally assumed the office of the chief minister on February 16, 2017.

Recently on January 12, the Apollo Hospital, where former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa was treated, submitted documents pertaining to her treatment to an inquiry commission set up by the state government to investigate the matter.

According to ANI, the top management of the Apollo Hospital handed over the treatment record of Jayalalithaa, packed in two suitcases, to the one-member commission, formed by the Tamil Nadu government.

The commission had also ordered jailed AIADMK leader VK Sasikala's advocate Raja Senthurapandian to appear before it on January 22. On January 6, Sasikala had sought the copies of testimonies given by various witnesses against her in connection with Jayalalithaa's death. Sasikala, who has been jailed in a multi-crore disproportionate assets case, had filed an affidavit through her lawyer Raja Senthurapandian in this regard.

Earlier on December 22, the commission had summoned Sasikala and Apollo Hospital founder-Chairman Pratap Reddy in this matter. Following Jayalalithaa's death in December 2016, allegations of foul play began to do the rounds and state forest minister Dindigul Sreenivasan later claimed that all cabinet ministers had lied to the people about hospitalisation and death of the former Tamil Nadu CM.

Subsequently, a one-man commission was constituted and a probe under a retired Madras High Court judge, Justice Arumugasamy, was initiated on October 30.

The commission, whose constitution was challenged in the Supreme Court through a plea, which the apex court later rejected, is likely to submit its findings in the first quarter of this year.

(With Agency inputs)
MATHURA: A fast-track court has sentenced two employees of a temple here to 40 years' rigorous imprisonment for raping a woman devotee from Odisha in September last year.

Judge Vivekanand Saran Tripathi also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh each on the two employees -- Kanhaiya and Rajendra -- of Shri Radha Rani Temple in Barsana, according government counsel Praveen Kumar Singh.

The duo raped the widow, who was staying at the temple, at September 11 night inside the guard room, Singh said.

According to him, the victim turned hostile during the course of the trial. After CCTV footage was produced in the court, the woman said that she had pardoned the accused.

The judge, however, sentenced the duo on the basis of the CCTV footage and the woman's statement.

The judge awarded 40 years' rigorous imprisonment to each of the two accused for gang rape under Section 376(d) of the IPC.

He also sentenced both the accuse to five years' rigorous imprisonment for house trespass under section 457 of the IPC and six years' rigorous imprisonment under IPC section 195 (A) for threatening any person to give false evidence.

All the sentences would run concurrently.
Washington: A classified memo by congressional Democrats related to investigations of Russian influence in the 2016 US presidential election is "very political and long" and must be "heavily redacted" before it could be released, President Donald Trump said on Twitter on Saturday.

The release of the memo was blocked by Trump on Friday, kicking off a new skirmish between Democrats and the White House. Written by Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee, is was intended to rebut a Republican document made public last week with Trump`s consent.

The memo by committee Republicans claimed bias against Trump by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Justice Department in the federal investigation of Russia and the 2016 US election.

The Intelligence Committee had voted unanimously on Monday to release the document drafted by the panel's Democrats, contingent on the Republican president agreeing to reclassify it.

"The Democrats sent a very political and long response memo which they knew, because of sources and methods (and more), would have to be heavily redacted, whereupon they would blame the White House for lack of transparency," Trump tweeted. "Told them to re-do and send back in proper form!"

Trump's decision to block the release of the memo infuriated Democrats, who said it showed a double standard on transparency on the part of the Republican president.

Representative Adam Schiff, the senior Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, said in a statement on Saturday that he will review redactions recommended by the FBI and Justice Department.

"We hope this matter can be quickly resolved so the committee can return to its charge - fully investigating the Russian interference in our election and the role of the Trump campaign, and what steps need to be taken to protect against foreign interference in the next election, now only months away," Trump said.

He was referring to November's US elections in which all 435 seats in the US House of Representatives and 34 of 100 Senate seats are in play.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, in a statement posted on Twitter, called on Democrats to accept the Justice Department`s recommendations and "make the appropriate technical changes and redactions" so that the memo can be declassified as soon as possible.

Trump on Feb 2 allowed the release of the Republican document with no redactions, even though the Justice Department and FBI argued against making it public. The FBI expressed "grave concerns about material omissions of fact" in the Republic memo.

Democrats said it mischaracterized highly sensitive classified information and was intended to discredit special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of potential collusion between Trump's 2016 campaign and Russia.

Trump repeatedly has denied any such collusion. Late on Friday, Senator Dianne Feinstein, a senior Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, accused Trump of "hypocrisy at its worst" in blocking, at least for now, the release of the House Democrats' memo.

"Any minor redactions should be made as quickly as possible and the memo should be released, she said.
JERUSALEM: Syrian anti-aircraft fire shot down an Israeli jet on Saturday, the military said, after Israel intercepted an Iranian drone launched from Syria and struck an Iranian target there.

Footage from northern Israel showed what appeared to be white aircraft debris scattered on the ground.

It was one of the most serious incidents involving Israel, Iran and Syria since the start of the Syrian civil war almost eight years ago.

"A combat helicopter successfully intercepted an Iranian UAV that was launched from Syria and infiltrated Israel," the Israeli military said in a statement.

"IDF (Israel Defence Forces) has targeted the Iranian control systems in Syria that sent the #UAV into Israeli airspace. Massive Syrian Anti-Air fire, one F16 crashed in Israel, pilots safe,"

Israeli military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricos said on Twitter.

Syrian state media cited a military source as saying Syrian air defences had opened fire in response to an Israeli act of "aggression" against a military base and hit "more than one plane".

"The Israeli enemy entity at dawn today conducted a new aggression against one of the military bases in the central region.

Our air defences confronted it and hit more than one plane," the unidentified military source said.

Israeli media said the jet crashed in northern Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid a rare visit to the Israel-Syria front on Tuesday and warned Israel`s enemies not to "test" its resolve.

He did not mention by name Iran or its Lebanese militia ally, Hezbollah, both main players in Syria`s civil war.

Netanyahu has been cautioning against any attempt by Iran to deepen its military foothold in Syria or construct missile factories in neighbouring Lebanon.

Israel has seen spillover violence from the Syrian civil war. It has opened fire at times to foil what it deemed deliberate cross-border attacks and has struck suspected Hezbollah arms shipments around 100 times in Syria during the civil war.

Iran denounced Israeli "lies" on Saturday and said Syria had the right to "legitimate self-defence" in response to Israeli air strikes launched after an alleged drone incursion into its territory.

"Iran believes Syria has the right to legitimate self-defence. To cover their crimes in the region, Israeli officials are resorting to lies against other countries," foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said.
JERUSALEM/BEIRUT: Anti-aircraft fire downed an Israeli warplane returning from a bombing raid on Iran-backed positions in Syria on Saturday in the most serious confrontations yet between Israel and Iranian-backed forces based across the border.

The F-16, one of at least eight Israeli planes despatched in response to what Israel said was an Iranian drone`s incursion into its airspace earlier in the day, was hit by a Syrian anti-aircraft missile and crashed in northern Israel, an Israeli official told Reuters.

Both pilots ejected and were injured, one critically.

Israel then launched a second and more intensive air raid, hitting what it said were 12 Iranian and Syrian targets in Syria, including Syrian air defence systems.

Lebanon`s Iran-backed Hezbollah group said the downing of the plane marked the "start of a new strategic phase" which would limit Israel`s ability to enter Syrian airspace.

Iran`s involvement in Syria in support of President Bashar al-Assad in a nearly seven-year-old civil war - including the deployment of Iran-backed forces near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights - has alarmed Israel, which has said it would counter any threat.

But both Israel and Syria signalled they were not seeking wider conflict, even as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rushed to military headquarters in Tel Aviv and the pro-Assad alliance pledged a strong response to any Israeli "terrorist action".

Russia, whose forces began intervening on behalf of Assad in 2015, expressed its concern and urged both sides to exercise restraint and avoid escalation.

A Western diplomat in the region said: "My impression is that it seems to be contained at this point. I don`t think anybody wants to escalate further."

CHAIN OF EVENTS

Saturday`s chain of events began at 4:30 a.m. (0230 GMT) when an Israeli Apache helicopter shot down an Iranian drone over the northern town of Beit Shean, the Israeli military said.

The drone had been sighted taking off from a base in Syria, and was intercepted after it crossed into Israeli territory, spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus said.

Israeli planes then struck an Iranian installation in Syria from which, the Israeli military said, the unmanned aircraft had been operated.

The Israeli military released grainy black and white footage of what it said was the drones control vehicle in Syria being destroyed.

The F-16 crashed on its return from the mission, coming down in an empty field near Harduf, east of Haifa.

"We heard a big explosion and then sirens. We didn`t know what was happening, we heard helicopters and planes in the air, said Yosi Sherer, 51, who was staying at a hostel near Haifa.

Flights at Tel Aviv`s international airport were briefly halted.

The area was quiet by mid-afternoon.

Conricus said missile remnants were found near the crash site: "We don`t know yet if it`s an SA-5 or SA-17, but it`s a Syrian anti-aircraft missile."

Israel then launched a second bombing raid in Syria.

The pro-Assad military alliance said Israel had attacked a drone base in central Syria but denied any of its drones had entered Israeli air space. Iran rejected the Israeli version of events as "ridiculous".

David Ivry, a former Israeli Air Force chief, told Reuters he believed it was the first time an Israeli F-16 was brought down since Israel began using the jets in the 1980s.

AIR SUPERIORITY

Israel has long maintained air superiority in the region, mounting air strikes in Syria on a regular basis, targeting suspected weapons shipments to Hezbollah.

Hezbollah said in a statement: "Today`s developments mean the old equations have categorically ended."

Iranian and Iran-backed Shi`ite forces, including Hezbollah, have deployed widely in Syria in support of Assad. Iran`s military chief warned Israel last October against breaching Syrian airspace and territory.

Netanyahu, visiting the Golan on Tuesday, peered across the border into Syria and in public remarks warned Israel`s enemies not to test its resolve.

An official in the pro-Assad alliance said after the downing of the F-16 that a "message" had been delivered to Israel. But he added: "I do not believe matters will develop to a regional war."

The Israeli military said it did not seek escalation, calling its action a defensive response to an Iranian act of aggression.

"The tough part is how to continue to walk a tightrope, where neither side wants an all-out war, but no one wants to be the one who absorbed the blow and didn`t respond appropriately," Uzi Rabi, director of the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies at Tel Aviv University, told Israel`s Channel 11 television.

The U.S. administration has backed Israel`s hawkish stance on Iran, and declared containing Tehran`s influence an objective of its Syria policy. On a visit to Israel last month, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence called Iran the world`s "leading state sponsor of terror".

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is expected to visit the region in the coming week to discuss Syria and other issues, and is scheduled to visit Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon and other countries.

Tensions have also spiked across the frontier between Israel and Lebanon over Israeli plans for border wall, and Lebanese plans to exploit an offshore energy block partly located in disputed waters.

Hezbollah and Israel last fought a major conflict in 2006.

In Gaza, the armed wing of the Islamist group Hamas declared full alert among its fighters because of the escalation of violence in northern Israel.

Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 war and has occupied it ever since, annexing the territory in 1981 in a move not recognised internationally.

There has been an uneasy standoff since a ceasefire that followed a war in 1973, with United Nations observer forces manning a buffer zone between the two armies.

In November, Israel said it shot down a Syrian reconnaissance drone over the demilitarized zone, and on Feb. 8 shots were fired from Syrian territory at an Israeli drone, hitting a house in Majdal Shams, in Israeli-occupied Golan.
SINGAPORE: Nepal hopes to get approval from India for an inbound flight route from the west, according to a senior civil aviation official of the country, which has two airports under construction and another being planned.

Currently flights into Nepal from India are over Patna in Bihar state, from the eastern part of the landlocked country, said Sanjiv Gautam, Director Deneral of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal.

India allows outbound flights from both the western and eastern sides.

"We have been in dialogue with the Indian authority and hope to get approval (for the route) this year," he told PTI at the Singapore Airshow this week, adding that inbound flights from western side will reduce the flying time.

Nepal, he said, is preparing airport infrastructure to host five million tourists a year by 2025, up from the current average of one million a year.

The Kathmandu airport is already congested, he pointed out.

Nepal is preparing to complete its USD 80 million Gautam Buddha airport by end of this year in the southern part of the country, he said.

Gautam said Nepal is also building a USD 260 million airport at Pokhara, a popular tourist destination, which would be completed by July 2021.

Also, a bigger, second international airport is in the planning stage. Located some 70 km from Kathmandu, it would cost USD 1.2 billion, he said.
Wakhan Corridor: "Taliban -- what's that?" asks Sultan Begium shyly from her freezing home in Afghanistan's mountainous Wakhan Corridor, a region so remote that its residents are untouched by the decades of conflict that have devastated their country.

The frail-looking grandmother whose harsh life has etched deep lines in her face, is a woman of the Wakhi, a tribe of roughly 12,000 nomadic people who populate the area.

Known to those who live there by its Persian name Bam-e- Dunya, or "roof of the world", it is a narrow strip of inhospitable and barely accessible land in Afghanistan bordered by the mountains of what is now Tajikistan and Pakistan, and extending all the way to China.

Few venture out, even fewer venture in -- but this isolation has kept the Wakhi sheltered from almost forty years of the near constant fighting that has ravaged their fellow Afghans. "War, what war? There has never been a war," Begium says, poking at a dying fire of yak dung, though she remembers people speaking of Russian soldiers dispensing cigarettes on the border at the other end of the corridor.

Such decades-old anecdotes are all the tribe really know of the Soviet invasion and US-funded mujahideen fightback, a brutal nine-year conflict that may have left as many as one million civilians dead and hundreds of thousands more displaced.

The subsequent civil war, in which tens of thousands more people were killed and uprooted, and the rise of the extremist Taliban regime seem to them like folklore. "Taliban are very bad people from some other country who rape sheep and slaughter humans," says Askar Shah, Begium's eldest son, who has heard stories about them from Pakistani traders.

There is little knowledge of the US invasion or the bloody resurgence of the Taliban, and more recently the emergence of the Islamic State group, that have killed or injured hundreds of thousands across the nation. "Foreigners invaded our country?" Askar Shah asks incredulously after being told how America and its allies went to war with the Taliban regime in 2001. "No, they can't do that. They are good people," he says.

Created in the 19th century as a Great Game buffer zone between tsarist Russia and British India, the corridor has since remained untouched by any kind of government. It can be reached from surrounding countries, but only via treacherous journeys by horse, yak or on foot through the "Pamir Knot", where three of the highest mountain ranges in the world converge.

Known in Afghanistan itself as Pamiris, the Wakhi form the bulk of the corridor's population -- the nomadic Kyrgyz tribe, which numbers just 1,100 people, live separately at its northern end. The Wakhi are moderate Ismaili Muslims, followers of the Aga Khan. The burka -- which is ubiquitous elsewhere in Afghanistan and is regarded by critics as a symbol of women's oppression -- is unknown.

Their life, largely free from crime and violence, revolves around yaks and cattle, which they barter for food and clothes from the few traders who visit the remote region. Without electricity they have no internet or mobile phone service, often communicating with one another across the vast terrain by walkie-talkie.

Occasionally they have access to radios, listening to Russian broadcasts or Afghan news -- Iranian music is also popular -- however such opportunities are rare, and once the batteries run down they fall silent until the traders arrive again.

But with temperatures below freezing for more than 300 days a year, this is no rural idyll. Even minor flu can kill, and childbirth means death nearly as often as it means life. The endless grief helps fuel use of the only drug freely available in Wakhan: opium.

Opium is "the only Afghan identity we have", says Nazar, a Wakhi who goes by one name, adding: "The whole population is addicted to it."

But change may be coming: The Afghan government says it's conducting aerial surveys to assess potential routes to connect Wakhan to the rest of Badakhshan province by road.

The Chinese are also in talks with Kabul to help build a military base at the northern end of the corridor, according to Afghan officials.

If it all comes to fruition, it could bring more trade, tourism, and much-needed medical facilities. It could also spell the end of the Wakhi's protection from the brutality of war.
Open source

From the beginning of the day, one attack on the positions of Ukrainian defenders from the Russian-occupation troops was reported in Donbas. This is reported by the press center of the Donbas conflict headquarters on Facebook.



"Today, the tension along the contact line has weakened somewhat: from the beginning of the day, one firing of the positions of Ukrainian defenders by the Russian-occupation forces has been reported," the headquarters said.



Thus, in the Luhansk direction, an enemy of 82-mm mortar shells and grenade launchers of various types fired at the strong points of the Ukrainian forces in the vicinity of Luhanskoe settlement for more than an hour. As a result of the shelling, no Ukrainian soldiers were injured.



In other areas of defense of the Ukrainian forces violations of the ceasefire were not reported.



Related: UN Peacekeeping Mission in Donbas can become firm guarantor of peace, - Poroshenko
According to the court, she violated the regulations of the entry and stay in Russia

Madeline Roach, the freelance journalist from England who specialized at the coverage of the violation of the human rights in post-Soviet countries was fined by Central District Court of Simferopol and was expelled from occupied Crimea as Radio Liberty reported.

It is noted that the officers of the law enforcement bodies detained Roach on February 7 in the hostel in Simferopol where she stayed during her visit to the peninsula. She was accused of the journalist activity in Crimea without the accreditation by the Russian Foreign Ministry and absence of medical insurance.

The advocate provided to the journalist recommended Roach to admit the guilt, pay the fine and leave Crimea. Roach insisted in the court that she did not fulfill any editorial task and came to Crimea to get acquainted with the heroes of her articles.

According to the police, she shot and sent the video of the meeting of the political prisoners with Crimean Tatar families by phone.

Roach supposes that the officers of the law enforcement bodies set up a watch after her and it is likely that they monitored her activity on the internet. Also, the police claimed at the court about the witnesses who spoke on the meetings with Roach but refused to call them or question them. Roach also claimed about the present medical insurance that she executed before the issuance of the Russian visa but the law enforcers answered that she needed a special medical insurance for Crimea. The journalist was fined by 68.5 dollars and left the peninsula the same day.

Emine Dzhalarova, the First Deputy Minister of Information Policy of Ukraine commented on the incident with the journalist on Facebook. According to her, Roach did not appeal to the Ukrainian ministry for the permission to entry Crimea.

'Madeline Roach, the freelance journalist from England who was fined in occupied Crimea did not appeal to the Information Policy Ministry for the issuance of the permission to entry Crimea through the territory of Ukraine', she wrote.

Madeline Roach published the materials about the violation of the human rights in Crimea and prosecution of Crimean Tatars in such editions as The Moscow Times, Newsweek, The Globe and Mail and others.
Open source

The Ukrainian soldier that had been wounded on Feb. 9 in the Donbas conflict zone, was taken to the hospital, his health is in serious condition, spokesperson of the Defense Ministry Dmytro Hutsuliak said during the briefing in the Ukrainian Crisis Media Centre.

As a result of enemy attacks, one Ukrainian serviceman was wounded on Feb. 9, he was evacuated to a medical facility, the health condition of our defender is serious, Hutsuliak said.

Overall, 11 aimed militant attacks on the Ukrainian Army were reported over 24 hours. The Ukrainian soldiers opened return fire 5 times from the weapons not forbidden by the Minsk agreements.
First City Channel Odesa

Director of the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory Volodymyr Vyatrovych declares that the process of decommunization in Ukraine has actually been completed. This he said in an interview with Radio Liberty.



"Decommunization in the context of the deprivation of the symbols of totalitarian regime has actually been completed, we have renamed settlements - about a thousand, almost all of them. I say "almost" because after the renaming we have 9 or 10 non-obvious Communist names, nevertheless they fall under the law about decommunization," Vyatrovych said.



According to him, almost all the monuments to Lenin were dismantled in Ukraine.



"There are about 2,500 monuments not only to Lenin but also to other Communist leaders, but we can not say that this is exactly everything, because a significant part of these monuments is simply not mentioned in any records. So we can react only on the fact of revealing these monuments," said Vyatrovych.



Note that the Verkhovna Rada in April 2015 adopted a government bill to condemn the communist and Nazi totalitarian regimes, banned their propaganda and symbols. According to the law, the symbols and propaganda of Nazism, National Socialism, their values, any activity of Nazi, fascist groups in Ukraine are prohibited.

Related: Ukrainian UN peacekeepers return from Liberia after 14-year mission

Related: Winter Olympics 2018: Ukrainians failed biathlon sprint, German athlete won
Ukraines Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin commented on the proposition of three former Presidents of Ukraine, saying that endorsing the Ukrainian language will take over a year, as he wrote on Twitter.

Three former Presidents of Ukraine Leonid Kravchuk, Leonid Kuchma, and Viktor Yushchenko addressed the current President, Petro Poroshenko, with an appeal to make 2018 the year of endorsing the Ukrainian language.

Commenting on this, Pavlo Klimkin said it would take more than a year and instead, its possible to dedicate the year to history.

Its a worthy initiative of three Presidents. But endorsing the Ukrainian language should rather be a national project, which wont fit into just one year. We can dedicate the year to history - there are things to do, the Foreign Minister said.

As it was reported earlier, Ukraine is trying to strengthen the position of the Ukrainian language in the country, including through education law, which envisages increasing the number of subjects taught in Ukrainian in schools.
Open source

Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz expressed the hope that the historic dispute with Ukraine would be resolved. This he said after a meeting with the head of Estonian diplomacy in Warsaw, reports "Polish Radio".



He mentioned an amendment to the law on the National Memory Institute, which caused criticism both in Israel and Ukraine, as well as the ban on exhumation, which was to be held by the Polish Institute of National Remembrance.



The Foreign Minister hopes that the dispute will be resolved at the meeting of vice-premiers of Poland and Ukraine, which is to be held next week.



"I hope that this meeting will be held, at least we got confirmation, we planned a discussion on the historical relations between our countries, we also intend to obtain permission from the Ukrainian authorities to conduct exhumation work," the minister said.



We recall, on February 6, Polish President Andrzej Duda signed amendments to the law on the Polish National Memory Institute, providing for criminal liability for denying the Volyn tragedy, promoting "Bandera ideology," as well as public accusations against Poland of crimes committed during the Holocaust, war crimes or crimes against humanity. For the use of the phrase "Polish death camp" in describing the concentration camps that existed in the territory of occupied Poland, any citizen of the country, as well as a foreigner, may be sentenced to a fine or imprisonment for up to three years.



The law caused sharp criticism from Ukraine, Israel and the United States.

Related: OSCE observers report over 700 explosions in a day in Donbas
A Normandy Four meeting at the level of Foreign Ministers will also be held

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko is to give a speech at the Munich Security Conference, as Deputy Head of Ukraines Presidential Administration Kostiantyn Yelisieiev told Inter.

The President of Ukraine will participate in the Munich Security Conference. The President will be able to give a speech dedicated to European security, he said.

Yelisieiev also noted that Poroshenko is to participate in many other events, including meetings with American officials, Presidents of other EU-member countries and other countries.

He also noted that in Munich, therell be a first in the last couple of months meeting of the Normandy Four at the level of Foreign Ministers, and the preparation for the meeting is underway now.
112 Agency

The peacekeepers who had been with the UN mission in Liberia for 14 years began to return to Ukraine. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.



The main contingent of the helicopter detachment arrived in Ukraine. In Liberia, there are still Ukrainian soldiers, led by the commander, Colonel Vitaly Panasyuk, who are involved in the process of curtailing the mission. In the near future, they must organize the loading of property and equipment for aviation and maritime transport and finish the mission. After completing this assignment, they will return to Ukraine.



Thus, the UN peacekeeping mission of the 56th separate helicopter detachment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will be completed.



According to the resolution of the UN Security Council, in April this year the mandate of the UN mission in Liberia is being completed, therefore all military and police units will be withdrawn from the country.



On January 24, 2018, the Ukrainian crew of the Mi-8 helicopter performed the last flight over the city of Monrovia. Thus, one of the longest peacekeeping missions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was completed.



Note that in Liberia, Ukrainian peacekeepers carried out aviation support for the ground forces of the UN mission, patrolled the borders of Liberia with neighboring countries, transported goods, transported food and medicine to hard-to-reach places of the country, evacuated patients who took part in search and rescue operations, etc. In total, during the whole period of the UN mission in Liberia, in the detachment worked more than 5,000 Ukrainian servicemen.

Related: Militants shell in Donbas from mortars, one soldier wounded
Open source

President Petro Poroshenko expressed confidence that the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Donbas can become a firm guarantor of peace. This is stated in a message on his Facebook page.



"I am confident that this mission can be a firm guarantor of the ceasefire regime, the disarmament of illegal armed formations, encourage the withdrawal of Russian troops from the occupied territory and ensure a reliable closure of the border of the uncontrolled section between Ukraine and Russia," the president wrote.



Let us recall that today, on February 10, our peacekeepers began to return to Ukraine from Liberia, who has been there with the UN mission for 14 years.



Earlier it was reported that the President of Ukraine Poroshenko hopes that the UN peacekeeping mission in Donbas will be deployed throughout the territory and block the supply of troops and weapons to militants. He also said that the Verkhovna Rada law on peacekeepers proclaims a key peaceful and political-diplomatic path, despite the fact that it regulates the military aspect as well.

Related: Polish Foreign Minister hopes for settlement of historic dispute with Ukraine

Related: Ukrainian UN peacekeepers return from Liberia after 14-year mission
75 schools have already been closed in Kyiv due to influenza and ARVI. This was announced by the first deputy chairman of the Kyiv City State Administration Mykola Povoroznyk in Facebook.

"Currently, the educational process has been completely suspended in 75 schools (2,127 classes) and in 59 schools only in some classes (386 classes in total). The largest number of absent schoolchildren are in Desniansky, Obolonsky and Svyatoshinsky districts," Povoroznyk said.

Not a single school was closed in Shevchenkivsky district, he added.

According to the updated data, 6 schools are completely closed in Holosiivsky district, in 10 schools - in some classes.

In total there are 429 communal schools in the capital, which is 272,200 pupils.

6,509 children were absent from schools due to flu and ARVI as of February 8.

AS it was reported earlier in Kyiv, the number of patients with influenza and URI is growing, but it is too early to speak about the epidemic. At the same time, the educational process has already been suspended in several schools. Mykola Povoroznyk said this during the briefing on February 5.

According to him, children suffered the most - about 70% of the total number. 213 people were hospitalized in medical institutions, 137 of them are children.

27,000 people were vaccinated against influenza, among them - 6,500 children, he noted.
Pecheskyi district court of Kyiv chose the preventive measure for ex-MP Oleksandr Shepelev on Feb. 10, as Unian reports.

He is to be detained until April 8. Shepelev can appeal to this decision in the next 5 days.

The prosecution noted that this decision was made according to the court decision of March 2015, as a preventive measure had been chosen for him then before he fled.

The hearing was partly closed. Before it, Shepelev said that he had been kidnapped a few days before and tortured to give away information about Ukrainian politicians and oligarchs, and then - that he allegedly was left near Kyiv, where the police arrested him.

As we reported earlier, former MP Shepelev was detained on Feb. 8. When searching him, the police found an ID badge of the so-called ministry of state security of the DNR.

Back in 2012, he was accused of embezzling funds of Rodovid Bank in the sum of over $8 million, as well as participating in the embezzlement of $11,6 million allocated for re-financing the National Bank in March-May 2009. Moreover, he is suspected of an attempted murder of former shareholder of Rodovid Bank Serhiy Didchenko.

He was detained in Hungary in July 2013, and then extradited to Ukraine. On June 6, 2014, he ran away from the hospital where he was detained and treated after extradition. Interpol started looking for him in September 2014. In less than a year, he was found not far from Moscow and detained by a Moscow court.

In April 2015, the Prosecutor Generals Office of Ukraine addressed their Russian counterparts inquiring to extradite the former official. However, in August 2016, the Russian Prosecution officially refused to extradite Shepelev and released him.
Ukraines Defense Ministry will spend more than 150,5 million dollars on the construction and repair of Armed Forces objects of the in 2018. Oleksandr Cherhinets, Colonel and Deputy Director of Armys Main Apartment Management Unit said this during the briefing, ministrys press service reported.

Financing increased fourfold in 2018 compared to 2017. And compared to 2014, the financing increased by 30 times  from less than 4 million to over 150 dollars,  Cherhinets stressed.

He added that the funds will be allocated for three purposes.

Over 110 million dollars from the Defense Ministry general fund will be provided for construction, reconstruction and capital repair of the military facilities and for the construction of better barracks for the military servicemen under contract. Over 36,980 dollars of the special fund covered by the ministry due to selling the confiscated property is provided for the construction of better barracks for the contract servicemen.

In addition, 2 billion dollars from the general fund of the Defense Ministry will be provided within the program for the reconstruction of buildings into custom-built barracks for the contract soldiers.

As it was reported earlier, Defense Ministry plans to build 184 hostels for the contract military servicemen.

As it was reported earlier US Secretary of Defense James Mattis considers the law on national security of Ukraine to be a priority and calls on the authorities of the country to adopt this legislative initiative as soon as possible. In particular, the head of the Pentagon noted this during a meeting with the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Stepan Poltorak.

It is added that Mattis also noted the importance of the US-Ukraine partnership in the field of security. He praised Stepan Poltorak for the courage of the country in the face of Russian aggression and reaffirmed US support for the Ukrainian defense reform.
The civilian was shot from a service weapon and the wound was lethal

Open source

At around 1 am, an employee of the National Police of Ukraine shot a civilian, as the press service of Ukrainian Army HQ informed on Facebook.

According to the preliminary information, the incident occurred during an argument.

The National Police officer used a service weapon against a civilian. The wound was lethal.

The details and causes of the incident are being investigated by the police. It is not specified where the incident happened.
President of Austria Alexander Van der Bellen is to visit Ukraine in the middle of March, and representatives of business will also be a part of the delegation, as Ukraines Presidential Administration informed, according to Interfax-Ukraine.

The agreement on the visit of the President of Austria to Ukraine in the middle of March was key (during Poroshenkos visit to Austria). It will be an official visit, as Deputy Head of Ukraines Presidential Administration Kostiantyn Yelisieiev told Inter.

It has also been agreed that in its politics, Austria, which will have Presidency of the Council of the European Union starting July 1, will help us integrate into the EU over time, he added.

Yelisieiev also said that a big business forum will be held during the Austrian Presidents visit, as he is to travel with a powerful delegation of businessmen. The forum is to be opened by both Presidents.
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Come back again sometime. Thank you for visiting.
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Due to the March 23, 2020 NM DOH Public Health Order, These Event Listings Are Not Accurate!

All non-essential businesses are closed, public gatherings are prohibited!

(One day some of these events will be rescheduled or will resume, but they are not happening now!)
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 10, ARMENPRESS/ARTSAKHPRESS. The final settlement of the Artsakh conflict should be reached only through negotiations, Armen Sarkissian, candidate for the President of Armenia nominated by the ruling party, told reporters in Stepanakert after the meeting with President of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan, Armenpress reports.

He stated that its necessary to continue the process of peacefully settling the conflict under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group.

Commenting on his visit to Artsakh, Armen Sarkissian said he was informed from the President about the recent achievements recorded in Artsakhs life, economic development and existing issues. I had a chance to have a long talk with the President and I got the answers to the questions I was interested in. I want to state that Ive created many occasions to visit Artsakh and tour there as a free citizen, but this visit was qualitatively different, and I am very happy for that, he said, adding that in addition to the meetings with the Artsakh President and high-ranking officials, he also plans to visit educational institutions.

According to him, providing high-quality education is an important issue both for Armenia and Artsakh. And if elected as President of Armenia, he will focus on creating higher education system.

On February 9 President of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan received Armen Sarkissian.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 10, ARMENPRESS. Thanks to the operations of officers of Armenias Mush Police department and Mush passport department, Levon O., born in 1963, was detected in the Mush passport department on Feburary 9, at 16:20 and was detained to the Police, the Armenian Police told Armenpress.

The Ukraine Police declared Levon O. wanted since July 2, 2015 on charges of drug trafficking.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 10, ARMENPRESS. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan on February 10 signed Constitutional laws adopted by the Parliament, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

The laws are the followings: the Constitutional law on Judicial Code of Armenia and the Constitutional law on making changes in the law on Rules of Procedure of the Parliament.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 10, ARMENPRESS. Ilham Aliyevs statements according to which Yerevan is a historical Azerbaijani land are interesting in a sense that they are not only totally absurd from historical perspective, but also the marginal historiography and mythology can sometimes lead to dangerous consequences, Russian Vzglyad () newspaper published an article on Azerbaijani Presidents recent ridiculous statement, Armenpress reports.

It is clear that Ilham Aliyev makes such loud statements on the eve of the presidential elections to be held in April 2018. From the practical point of view, they, of course, are directed to the domestic audience and will not bring any result in the future. There is also no need to expect escalations of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, but such loud formulation of military-political issues by the countrys leader should be studied, the author of the article Evgeni Krutikov said.

The author states that perhaps such rhetoric can be useful for Aliyev in everyday life, but it in no way can affect the real life, it just can promote unhealthy imagination in terms of the place of that country in history, xenophobia and racism. Unfortunately, in practice, we see that since the second half of 1980s such marginal judgements are typical to a small number of half-educated people, but they can lead to wars, and the everyday behavior can be transformed into xenophobia towards other people. Because foolishness is a similar source of human tragedies, like the bad will, the author said.

He at the same time notes that the marginal historiography is not so harmless phenomenon as it may seem at first glance. Everything can be much worse, Evgeni Krutikov concludes the article.
Bird Group has joined hands with Sweden based electric carmaker, Uniti, to launch an electric city car in India by 2020. While the EV is yet in nascent stage, it is expected to be priced upwards of Rs 7.14 lakh, which approximately equates to 9,000. Both the companies held a press conference on February 8th at the Auto Expo 2018 and the enthusiasts can witness the Uniti One Up, which has been displayed at the Delhi Auto Expo.

Also Read:Top 5 Electric Cars At Auto Expo 2018

Our vehicles are optimal for the Indian market and well aligned with the nation's strong demand for clean mobility. Bird Group was identified as an ideal partner due to their experience in the mobility sector, along with their capacity for local assembly and mass distribution of our vehicles, said Lewis Horne, CEO of Uniti.

a

For the Indian market, Uniti is considering the 5-seat version of its EV, with a single-charge range of around 200km. The enthusiasts at Auto Epxo can get a virtual demonstration of the 5-seater. Currently, the 2-seat, European model has been displayed at the Expo, which was first previewed in Landkrona, Sweden in December 2017. Interested customers can pre-book the EV for Rs 1000, which will be refunded in case of cancellation. Further details and purchase options are available online at www.uniti.earth.

"With our immense experience in various businesses, including automotive, and our footprint in almost every geographical part of our country, we hope our initiative will bring the best of affordable, yet very high-tech cars into every household and change the way people drive. We are also glad that our diversification into the manufacturing of EVs will contribute to the drive against pollution, which is now affecting almost every major metro in our country, said Dr. Ankur Bhatia, Executive Director at Bird Group.

"This initiative will not only create huge opportunities and numerous jobs in our factories and dealership network, it will also help boost the Indian economy through large-scale exports manufactured by our JV Company into the markets of the Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa," added Bhatia.
Visitors to this web site know that Civitas has been outspoken in its opposition to the use of tax breaks and incentives to woo big companies to North Carolina.Such practices constitute nothing less than corporate welfare and cronyism. How does it work? The state doles out the perks for big business, the state picks the winners - and losers; and the state leaves taxpayers and the businesses on Main Street to pick up the tab.If you think corporate incentives are only used to attract businesses, think again.Earlier this week Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin, called for legislators in that State to come up with a "FoxConn type" incentives package for Kimberly-Clark Corporation, a company with deep roots in Wisconsin but had recently announced it would be closing two plants in the state and laying off 600 employees.Last fall, Walker and the state legislature offered FoxConn, a Chinese electronics manufacturer, $3 billion in tax breaks and credits to locate a large manufacturing plant in Southeast Wisconsin. FoxConn pledged $10 billion in investment and said it would bring 13,000 jobs, with an average salary of $54,000. By the time the negotiating stopped an additional $1.5 billion in infrastructure and local costs were included, raising the total value of the tax and incentives package to $4.5 billion. The numbers helped to make the FoxConn deal one of the biggest incentive packages ever promised to a company to locate in the United States.While the numbers are boggling, the deal wasn't a slam dunk. Significant opposition emerged in Wisconsin. Nevertheless, the deal was passed by the State Legislature - with a lot of kicking and screaming. Opponents say it will take until 2043 for the state to recoup all the lost revenue. Moreover, with Wisconsin's unemployment rate at 3 percent, there is concern that there won't be a large enough labor pool. To address those concerns Wisconsin is spending $7 million to attract workers to the state.Of course, we could talk about the wisdom of that decision, but I simply ask: Where does it all end?Some friends of mine say,Believe me they will -and doing so won't require an economic downturn either.General Electric recently moved its headquarters from Fairfield, Connecticut to Boston, Massachusetts. The jockeying among states to house a Fortune 500 corporate headquarters was fierce. Ultimately, GE chose Boston over other candidates. After you review all the aid packages , you can easily see that the incentives Massachusetts offered were considerably less than those offered by other states.So why did GE re-locate to a place locals refer to as "Taxachusetts"? One word, millennials . Millennials want to live and work in large cities. They don't want to commute. And they want to live and work in places where there is plenty to do. No amount of money would change the fact that Fairfield, CT is an affluent, sleepy little suburb 90 minutes from New York City.Much as we like to think so, decisions to build or relocate companies don't always turn on economic considerations. Earlier this week it was announced that North Carolina lost out to Alabama as the site for a new Toyota assembly plant, even though the aid package Alabama offered Toyota was far less than what North Carolina had put together. Still it appears the decision came down to a number of things Alabama had that North Carolina did not: lower energy costs, proximity to auto suppliers and better access to a distribution network.Citizens are constantly told about the importance of the aid package to lure companies like Toyota or Amazon to North Carolina. Don't listen to them. Such proposals amount to corporate welfare. They put local businesses at a severe disadvantage, ask local taxpayers to shoulder the costs for big business tax breaks and seldom if ever prove to be the most important factors for company's choosing to relocate.All compelling reasons why North Carolina should end this policy as soon as possible.
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.
The two-year budget deal would lift caps on defense and non-defense spending by $300 billion over two years. It also includes: $6 billion to fight the opioid crisis; $5.8 billion for child care development block grants;$4 billion for veterans medical facilities; $2 billion for medical research; $20 billion to augment existing infrastructure programs; and $4 billion for college affordability. The measure would extend government funding at current levels until March 23 to allow lawmakers to finalize details on the spending in a separate measure.

I hope all of you who were fighting for fiscal conservative principles realize what this means, not just today, but in the long run. You can forget about ever wagging your fingers at the Democrats on spending from here on out. That ship has sailed. The next time the GOP loses control of Congress and the White House (and that day is coming sooner or later, believe me), don't bother yelling about what they're going to do to the national debt. That particular tool is gone from our arsenal. The GOP has finally been exposed as a group of limacine charlatans who talk a good game on fiscal probity but are unable to walk the walk.

The process matters. The fact is we will not always come to an agreement as to how much we ought to spend or what to spend it on. But I think we should be able to agree that the American people deserve a process that is open, transparent, and can be observed by the American people.

A two-year spending deal means Republicans probably won't go to the trouble of passing a formal budget for 2019. That would mean no chance for a so-called reconciliation process that could allow them to enact meaningful legislation with only 50 votes in the Senate.

Unicorns.Leprechauns.Fiscal conservatives.All of these are figments of the imagination. But fiscal conservatives continue to haunt the darkened hallways of American politics, every so often materializing to shout "BOO!" at the party in power, only to recede into the shadows as soon as they are called upon to actually govern. How else to explain the sheer cowardice of a Republican Party that just passed a massive budget increase, then cheered it as the very model of a modern budget victory?ABC News breaks down the bill:As part of the deal, lawmakers would also raise the nation's debt limit into 2019, avoiding the risk of a potential default.Overall, the new spending bill returns us to the bad old Obama days of trillion-dollar deficits.Jazz Shaw at HotAir rightly fulminates over this betrayal by GOP higher-ups:All those fiscal conservatives of days past - Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI), Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) - voted for the new budget. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) attempted to block the bill by refusing to give the go-ahead to a vote on it sans an amendment process, complaining, "Every one of these Republicans complained about President Obama's deficits." But he was shut down. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) slammed the process as well:Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-TX) lashed out at Paul for his temerity:There's a problem with this logic: it's always an emergency situation. If we can't handle four hours of a government shutdown in order to leverage cuts, we're never going to cut anything - until it's too late to prevent European-style austerity measures.Worse, the new spending deal doesn't actually count as a budget, as the editors at National Review point out:So not only are Republicans blowing out spending, they're unlikely to be able to pass any new legislation with 51 votes in the Senate.Well done, GOP.But the truth is that the Republicans are bowing to the inconsistency of the American people, who routinely tell pollsters they want government cut, but never want to actually cut government programs, and get angry when legislators shut down the government in order to try to do so. So long as the American people demand that their lawmakers lie to them, their lawmakers will continue to do so.And Republicans are just politicians like any others, pretending fiscal conservatism when convenient, and abandoning it when it means educating voters rather than pandering to them.
Contact: White House

White House



Press Office

West Sea Protection HallSeoul, Republic of KoreaWell, thank you all for being here. We're very grateful for your presence. We're very grateful for your courage. And on our second visit to Korea, my wife and I wanted the honor of meeting with men and women who fled the tyranny of North Korea, to hear your stories, and today, to make sure that the world hears your stories as well.We've been inspired by your bravery. We ourselves have stood and looked across the demilitarized zone, the line across which you fled, and you fled to freedom. And let me just say that the American people stand with you for freedom, and you represent the people of North Korea, millions of which long to be free as well.As we've said in other venues, as we speak, 100,000 North Koreans today labor in modern-day gulags. Seventy percent of North Koreans need food aid to be able to survive. Children face malnourishment and deprivation. But we want to hear your stories.And I'm honored to be joined today by a fellow American whose family endured the harsh reality of North Korea. Fred Warmbier and his family have told the story of their wonderful son, Otto Warmbier, who was imprisoned in North Korea and released in such a condition that, by the time he made it home, he would pass way.Fred is now a great champion for the North from which you fled and the freedom of the people there. And it's an honor to be with you today.Thank you. It's an honor to be here.With that, I'm pleased to recognize four courageous people who are with us today: Hyesook, Hyeon-a, Hyeon-seo, and Seong-ho.We look forward to a dialogue with you about tyranny from which you fled. But beginning with Hyesook, maybe you could share briefly, before the media leaves, your story and your flight to freedom.(As interpreted.) I was incarcerated in a political prison, known as Number 18, for 28 years, without knowing as to why I was there. And I survived from there. But when I tried to escape, I was caught by a North Korean security guard, and that security guard sold me to a Chinese restaurant. So I was forced to work there for three years and seven months, and then I was repatriated.And so on my second attempt to flee - escape North Korea, I hired a North Korean broker. And then, through that broker, I managed to come to South Korea back in 2009.: Thank you. Hyesook, would you share with us your story?Hyeon-so. Mr. Vice President, my name is Hyeon-so.Hyeon-so.First of all, I'm very pleased to be here. Life as a North Korean defector is arduous. After I escaped from North Korea, I was hiding in China for 11 years, almost, and I found my freedom finally eight years ago by seeking asylum to my divided country.But before - first, I want to say that although the media is currently focusing on North Korea's participation in these Olympics, but what we should never forget is the millions of North Korean people who are struggling to survive in this extremely cold winter in the north. That's my message today.Thank you. Thank you for being here. Seong-ho. America heard your story and the world heard your story, but maybe you'd share with us again.(As interpreted.) My name is Ji Seong-ho. I used to be a street beggar in search of the food, and then I survived by trading coal for food. And in 1996, I was trying to get coal, but I fell from the train. And as a result, I lost my hand and my leg, and I had to go through a surgery with extreme pain.And in 2006, I escaped North Korea, but the reason why I decided to flee from my own country was - prior to this attempt, I had escaped from North Korea, but I was repatriated to North Korea. But at the time, I was severely tortured because I disgraced North Korea's leader, because as a handicapped person, I disgraced North Korea's leader. So when I was told that, told of such a story, I decided to flee my country. And then I traveled 10,000 kilometers on crutches.Well, thank you for being here, and thank you for your courage. It's inspired millions across our country and across the world.Hyeon-a, maybe you'd share your story as well.(As interpreted.) I'm a Christian, and when I was in North Korea, I came across a Bible. And because I read the Bible, I was taken by the national security agency, and as a result, I decided to escape North Korea. And it was back in 1998. Afterwards, I made three more attempts, but every time I was forced to send back - forced to be back to - sent back to North Korea. And I was successful on my fourth attempt.But during my attempts to escape North Korea, I was trafficked by a human trafficker, and I got pregnant. And because I got pregnant outside of North Korea, when I was repatriated to North Korea, I was forced to abort my baby without any anesthetics. So I was - I spent some time in prison camp. And it was only 2007, finally, I was able to escape North Korea and was able to come to South Korea. It took 10 years for me to be able to do so.Well, thank you for your testimony and faith, and for your courage.Thank you very much.I want to thank these courageous people for being with us today and help us to tell a story of a nation that much of the world will see tonight in the midst of a charm offensive by North Korea.But today, we thought it was important to make sure that the truth was told. As President Trump has said, the cruel dictatorship of North Korea is little more than a prison state. And as these people and their lives have testified, it is a regime that imprisons, tortures, and impoverishes its citizens. And I can assure you that your witness of that truth today will be heard across the world. And we thank you for your courage, and we look forward to discussing - discussing it further. Thank you all.Mr. Warmbier is with us today, and he's with you in spirit. And maybe you'd like to share your thoughts.I would. I would. I'm so proud of you. And your strength, it's - I really appreciate that. It's hard - evil is hard to accept. And I've experienced evil, and you have too. And I just feel so much love and warmth for you all. And I just can't tell you how proud I am to be here with you.So I have some things that I'd like to - if you would like, we can have a little fun, because I think it's important to have fun, okay?


Yahoo! JAPAN



Yahoo! JAPAN
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Opinion / Columnist

African leaders after being told what the US President thinks of our continent were planning to gang up and ask the US administration to condemn the statement. This is the only time they find common voice albeit for protecting their blotted bruised egos.Israel as we speak is planning to deport thousands of African immigrants mostly from Dafur region,Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan regions.These regions are engulfed in serious human atrocities that are causing deaths of innocent people in thousands.No African leader has condemned the Sudanese President who is a monster devouring his people serve for the Botswana President Ian Khama who has promised to arrest him should he set foot in Botswana.The rest of African leaders view the International Criminal Court as a court meant for only African leaders hence they cant arrest one of their own.An African leader is seen as a hero if he proposes to be not part of the signatory that supports ICC.This adoption serves nothing else but to support each other in gross human violations against its citizenry.African leaders can rush to defend themselves but not the people they made an oath to protect and serve no wonder there has been silence on Israel's actions which are ironic in that they were refugees in other states but can not tolerate blacks in their country who are running from dictators in their homelands.The Chinese ill treat blacks here in Africa and our African leaders look the other way.These same Chinese who pretend to be close to Africa yet they are looting resources in Africa with our leaders turning a blind eye to these shenanigans. Recently it was reported China was spying on African leaders gathered annually at AU headquarters in Addis Ababa but our leaders still see them as heaven sent.DRC is so rich in resources but remains one of the poorest because its leader wants to stay in power for long. Is it a competition to lead a country for a long period, this seems to be the case when some leaders think the highest office was God ordained. It is funny they believe they are God sent-what hypocrisy!As long as our people live Africa for other countries our heartless leaders must be saying why why instead of being cry babies. As long as you seek good health facilities abroad, education for your kids you are a shame when you attend those world forums wearing Western design suits ask yourselves why you are there. Whose interests are you serving?
Best Natural Hair Products for Black Men

The Best Options to Groom, Style, and Repair Your Hair

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.

Product photos from retailer site.

Natural hair remains to be one of the most misunderstood hair types. Its widely perceived as difficult to maintain. Many men with natural hair share similar concerns. Maintaining natural moisture and battling dry scalp among them. These can result in damaged hair that is prone to irritation and breakage. Most men think its too expensive to take proper care of their hair (not to mention time consuming). However, healthy hair is more accessible than some may think.

RELATED: Best Razors for Men

Natural hair care doesnt have to be complicated or costly. Don't believe us? We gathered 25 of the best (and most reasonably priced) products you can find for afro hair just to prove the point. You're welcome.

TL;DR: These are the best natural texture hair care product for Black men, and your specific needs, sorted by category. You may already own some of these, or perhaps you've been shopping around for a new hair product of late. With consistent use of your hair care lineup, you will see an improvement in the state of your hair in record time.

Keep reading for our full product reviews and more hair care products and tips for Black men.

What Hair Type Are You?

Black men typically have more coily or curly hair type. This of course differs for every Black man, depending on his genetics. Learn more about your hair type in the graphic below.

Type 1  Straight Hair: Normally grows without bending and begins to lay down after a certain length

 Straight Hair: Normally grows without bending and begins to lay down after a certain length Type 2  Wavy Hair: Bendable hair that ranges from fine to coarse and shapes into waves typically in an S pattern

 Wavy Hair: Bendable hair that ranges from fine to coarse and shapes into waves typically in an S pattern Type 3  Coiled Hair: Takes on a loose or corkscrew curl or curly hair definition and usually more susceptible to frizz

 Coiled Hair: Takes on a loose or corkscrew curl or curly hair definition and usually more susceptible to frizz Type 4  Kinky Hair: Most known as afro-textured hair that forms very tight and small curls right from the scalp

Hair Care Tips for Black Men

Were witnessing an evolution in African American hair styling, with men sporting bolder and more natural styles. Regardless of how a man chooses to wear his hair  the key to maintaining it lies in his haircare routine. Take some of these tips into account when treating your locks.

Shampoo less: Chemicals and soaps used in many hair cleansers strip hair of natural oils produced from the scalp, so consider shampooing once a week.

Chemicals and soaps used in many hair cleansers strip hair of natural oils produced from the scalp, so consider shampooing once a week. Condition more: The right conditioner will help you to maintain shiny, balanced, and hydrated hair. It will also help to avoid damage and breakage.

The right conditioner will help you to maintain shiny, balanced, and hydrated hair. It will also help to avoid damage and breakage. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize: Since harsh weather conditions can dry out hair, hydrating daily will make it easier to maintain and keep healthy.

Since harsh weather conditions can dry out hair, hydrating daily will make it easier to maintain and keep healthy. Priorities scalp care: A healthy scalp is essential to maintaining good healthy hair. A clarifying treatment or scalp exfoliating scrub are suggested.

A healthy scalp is essential to maintaining good healthy hair. A clarifying treatment or scalp exfoliating scrub are suggested. Use the right hair products for you: Depending on the texture of hair and condition, certain products will save your scalp and keep your hair healthy and nourished.

How Do You Keep Black Hair Moisturized?

If dry hair and scalp are keeping you from healthy natural hair, we feel your pain. Aside from caring for your strands (and the delicate skin beneath it)  you may need to drop some common bad habits. Are you forgetting to protect your hair before bed? Are you applying too much heat to your hair? Using products that cause buildup? These may seem like small issues, but the truth is that they're damaging your hair, and you're going to need to change things if you want to see positive results.

On the flip side, there are things you can actively do to help repair your hair. Start using a moisturizer or leave in treatment. These allow you to lock in moisture longer. Choose a shampoo that contains olive oil, coconut oil, emu oil or jojoba oil, as these ingredients help lock in moisture. If you don't already, start using a conditioner, preferably one that contains healthy fats or oils (shea butter, argan oil, and coconut oil are common choices). Regular deep conditioning treatments are also encouraged.

Keep reading below to see our picks for the best hair products for Black men.

Best Scalp Care for Black Men

Best Scalp Serum

Briogeo Scalp Revival Charcoal + Tea Tree Treatment Serum

You cant achieve healthy hair without maintaining a healthy scalp. Natural hair wearers are more prone to dryness, itchiness, and irritation. Briogeos treatment serum is a scalp saver. It works for coiled and tightly coiled hair. Ingredients like binchotan charcoal, peppermint, and witch hazel clarifies the scalp and removes product buildup. Youll find relief from that dry flakiness with this formula. The dropper applicator makes it easy to use on any hair length.

Promising Review: "I have dry scalp really bad in just two areas of my head and I scratch so bad because it is itchy, my dermatologist gives me shots to help me when it flares up. I used this as soon as I got it, two days later it is no longer itchy and I am hoping to see hair growth in those areas. I just wish it wasn't so expensive."  Duke

$32 at Amazon.com

Best Scalp Treatment

Design Essentials Therapeutics Anti-Itch Treatment

Design Essentials is a brand known for taking care for all hair types. Their lightweight treatment oil delivers relief and moisture directly to the scalp. Its main ingredient, salicylic acid, treats skin conditions such as dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis. This is best used between washes on parted or sectioned hair This treatment is great for a protective hairstyle, like braids. This brand has long been a salon staple for treating dry hair and scalps for a reason.

Promising Review: "It doesnt weigh my hair down. It helps with my dry scalp and keeping the flakes away. My hair stays shiny and moisturize after one time use for the week."  TP

$13.59 at Amazon.com

Best Scalp Cleanse

TPH Haircare Master Cleanse

Natural hair is one area where celebrity brands are thriving lately. Taraji P. Hensons recently launched line has been buzzing. The Master Cleanse using tea tree oil and witch hazel, known for their scalp clarifying properties. Enjoy the cooling and tingling sensation as you cleanse. The triple pointed applicator is designed to work with any hair type. Gentleman, meet your new weekly hair and scalp treatment.

Promising Review: "I usually dont write reviews but this is amazing. It is so tingly and feels so clean. When sis said detox she meant it! It is a little intense feeling but I loved it."  Tiana

$14.99 at Target.com

Best Natural Hair Shampoo for Black Men

Best for Hair Growth

Pura DOr Anti-Hair Loss Shampoo

Search for sulfate-free shampoos rich in oils such as argan oil, which is an effective ingredient for preventing breakage and hair loss resulting from weak hair. This Amazon best seller, as well as our Editors' Choice, takes full advantage of the additive, along with Moroccan oil to nourish the hair shaft as well as the follicles with nutrients that help reverse damage and are known to trigger hair regrowth. Hair loss? Not here.

Promising Review: "Losing my hair as of my early 30's. About a year ago I found this product and will not go back. It smells great, it last a long time and yeah... It freaking works!! It's not going to grow all hair back, nahh. If you are looking for a product to strengthen your hair and make it actually give a thick feel and look this is for you. Try it, what's the worst that happens you have to send it back? The upside is you never go back to anything else!"  Customer

$39.92 for set at Amazon.com

Best Hair Moisturizer

Scotch Porter Hydrating Hair Wash

Scotch Porter's beard care collection remains its most popular, but dont sleep on its shower care offering. This hydrating hair wash uses a complex infused with natural ingredients, botanicals, and vitamins, including vitamin B5, shea butter, coconut oil, and silk amino acids which deeply conditions the hair cuticle, resulting in a softer and silkier look. The woodsy scent serves as a pleasant wakeup call when stumbling into the shower on rough mornings.

Promising Review: "Makes your hair feel soft and untangled. Works good for natural curly hair."  DF

$11.97 at Amazon.com

Best Moisturizing Shampoo

SheaMoisture Intensive Hydration Shampoo

Known for its organic approach to haircare, SheaMoisture packs its hydrator with manuka honey to soothe the scalp, along with African rock fig, which comes loaded in vitamin C to keep dry hair looking soft and smooth. Plus, its free of unnecessary and potentially damaging hair harsh chemicals such as phthalates, parabens, and sulfates.

Promising Review: "I love this shampoo it gives me a clean feeling without stripping all the moisture in my hair. It also smells lovely, and a little goes a long way, it doesn't take much for it to lather. I highly recommend!"  Gee

$8.50 at Amazon.com

Best Natural Hair CoWash

Eden Bodyworks Coconut Shea Cleansing CoWash

Many men dont enjoy the hassle of regular washes. While we dont suggest frequent shampooing, a cowash is an effective way to maintain hair between wash days. This creamy treatment looks like a great moisturizer, but gently cleanses the scalp of debris and buildup as well. Coconut oil, shea butter, aloe, and avocado oil deeply treat dry hair, keeping it fresh and balanced. It also helps keep hair moisturized and tangle free. Who knew skipping shampoo could be so good.

Promising Review: "I have used two other cowashes on my natural, 4c, dense, low porosity, gray hair and this is now a favorite. It smells great. After using it my hair felt cleansed and was super soft and not stripped. You get a generous amount in the jar and I feel it was worth the cost. I highly recommend this product. I will be purchasing it again."  jclvnlife

$7.76 at Amazon.com

Best Conditioners for Natural Hair

Best Hair Softener

Oyin Juices

Sometimes simpler is better when it comes to Black hair styling, and Oyin makes simple easy with its popular collection of moisturizer hair tonics. Known as The Juices, these moisture bombs are composed of naturally preserved grapefruit seed extract and citric acid, both excellent ingredients that aid in smoothing out tresses when taking a comb to your head. Applying it will improve pH balance, a vital component that fights dry hair to boost stronger hair production. It works wonders on locks and cornrows when used daily.

Promising Review: "what I like is that it's not cloying or overzealous. Same is true for the moisturizing. Makes my roots (I'm locked) feel soft but without the feeling of residue."  ReadWriteRepeat

$13.20 at Amazon.com

Best Scalp Healer

SheaMoisture Intensive Hydration Deep Conditioner

Raw organic shea butter, sea kelp, and argan oil and the moisturizer trio found in this rich apres wash treatment. Shea butter, which has both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, will moisturize and repair damage to your hair and scalp. Sea kelp detoxifies and argan oil nourishes. All of this comes in a creamy texture that can be rinsed out as usual, or left if after a shower for more treatment.

Promising Review: "I have natural 4b hair. Unlike the deep conditioner version, this version makes my hair feel so soft and moisturized. After rinsing out I have unbelievable curls, definition and shine. It's weird that the deep conditioner version doesn't work as well. Would recommend buying this regular conditioner version. I use it with every wash day." FitConvert

$8.50 at Amazon.com

Best Hair Health Promoter

Carols Daughter Hair Milk Leave-in Moisturizer

Leave-in conditioners dont only moisturize hair, but also lock in essential oils to stop breakage, while leaving hair feeling fully nourished and hydrated. Carols Daughter has a product that delivers such results for the curly hair, coily hair, kinky hair, and wavy hair crowds. Its blend of soybean and sweet almond oils, cocoa and shea butters, and wheat germ oil maintain moisture without stripping and add healthy shine.

Promising Review: "I adore the Curl Milk collection. I have thick, low-medium porosity 3c and 4a curls for reference. It works wonders keeping my hair moisturized and easy to detangle. It easily dethroned my previous favorite products after one use!."  B

$11.97 at Amazon.com

Best Hair Masks for Black Men

Best Follicle Strengthener

Phyto Phytojoba Moisturizing Mask

Backed by an exceptional concentration of angelica root extract, sweet orange essential oil, and wheat micro-proteins, this hair moisturizer boasts massive hair care benefits for guys with short curly hair to long hair no problem. Aside from nurturing hair health, it also helps hair regain elasticity and softness, seals in moisture to revitalize follicles and straightens hair for seamless styling.

Promising Review: "I was experiencing build up from cheap shampoo and conditioner. It was so bad. My hair was gummy and I couldnt brush through it, wet or dry. It was brittle and breaking. When dry, my hair felt like I had soaked it in Aquanet and brushed through it. ONE USE of Phyto shampoo and conditioner and I instantly said to myself, Whose hair is this?!?! Absolutely life changing for me!! Ill never use anything else now."  Swarthout Family

$26 at Amazon.com

Best Natural Hair Hydrator

SheaMoisture Manuka Honey and Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Treatment Masque

SheaMoistures lightweight hair moisturizer hosts several exotic ingredients  coconut oil, manuka honey, and raw shea butter  heals and hydrates damaged hair. Spreading it through hair enhances definition and protect them from environmental factors. Lastly, its creamy texture instantly penetrates strands and provides slickness for effortless comb-throughs.

Promising Review: "First off, I am not associated with this brand economically nor did I receive the product in exchange for my review ... This is a smooth, creamy hair moisturizer / pack. Ive used a great many over the years and this rates second to only one other, and that one cost $45! My hair is very fine and thinning. Yet I can use from my scalp down. Makes hair soft and thick feeling, with no weight on my roots. Additionally I have a regularly irritated scalp and this helps. Highest recommendation."  KLF

$10.33 at Amazon.com

Best Hair Strengthener

Taliah Waajid Repair and Restore Hair Strengthening Masque

This natural hair loving treatment uses shea butter, honey, and banana to deeply penetrate strands. Youll see shinier, more lustrous hair with regular use. It also locks in moisture, ideal thirsty hair in need of serious TLC. For best results, use weekly after shampooing. Leave on with a plastic cap for 20 minutes and rinse with lukewarm water. This is a great product for repairing dry hair, brittle hair, and damaged hair. Get used to having much happier hair.

$22.99 at Amazon.com

Best Hair Styling Products for Black Men

Best Pomade for Black Hair

Rudys Shine Pomade

If youre in the market for a water-based smear with medium-light hold and non-greasy shine, Rudys has something worth pursuing. The pomade spreads easily through the coarsest of threads, giving it a wet, stylish appearance that reshapes your hair to meet your styling needs. No residue left behind, and it can be easily rinsed out in the shower.

Promising Review: "It lasts all day but doesn't feel too greasy or too thick. Probably the best product I've used so far! Smells pretty good, as well."  Luis

$19 at RudysBarberShop.com

Best Styling Cream for Black Hair

Bumble and bumble Grooming Creme

Bumble and bumbles styling salve comes highly recommended for guys struggling with curly locks. Packed with a special blend of jojoba, sweet almond, avocado, and safflower oils, this cream helps maintain natural softness and leaves hair with a smooth matte finish. The solution also works great on color-treated hair and plays nicely with other hairstyling products to boost volume and curls.

Promising Review: "I have thick, coarse hair that is dry and difficult. This cream, which I've been using for 20 years, keeps my hair manageable and attractive."  Corey

$28.90 at Amazon.com

Best Styling Gel for Black Hair

Afro Sheen Texture Setting Cream Gel

This isnt the sticky hair gel or curl cream you might be familiar with. Afro Sheens cream gel gives you strong hold without the hard, flaky finish. Define curls, twists, and other textured styles. Formulated without mineral oil, this was made to work best on natural hair. Flaxseed oil, coconut oil, and shea butter provide added moisture and nourishment. Use as a daily styler to keep your look fresh and hair at its best.

Promising Review: "This works really well, I tried it on my father-in-law and my son and their hair literally curled right up. They have similar curl patterns, on the looser side. I believe it will work with tighter curl patterns if the hair is longer, maybe at least 7 inches."  JC

$13.50 at Amazon.com

Best Oils and Treatments for Black Men

Best Scalp Nourisher

Poppy Austin Pure Argan Hair Oil

This moisturizing oil offers a wealth of skincare benefits, from anti-aging results to scalp nourishment, and doubles as a great beard oil for facial hair too. Hair frizz and split ends become an afterthought, as the solution softens and protects strands from environmental damage. The use of argan oil as its main ingredient increases the mixtures potency, doing wonders for not only hair, but skin and nails as well. Consider it a great fit for men who prefer a lubricant texture over creams.

Promising Review: "I use this for my hair and I love it. just two or three dabs on my palm is enough for my hair leaving it slick. It lasts for the whole day and won't dry. I used this for a few weeks before doing a review."  Luis

$22.49 at Amazon.com

Best Scalp Detox

Act + Acre Scalp Detox

Act + Acre's Scalp Detox is super-effective as a scalp treatment, feeding hair stimulant-based oils that generate moisture and strength for a fresher look. Not only will it promote stronger, healthier hair over time, all the way down to the root, but it will instantly give your hair a shine that radiates health and vitality.

Promising Review: "My hair was showing signs of breakage and damage, this has helped stop breakage. Works not just for scalp but ends too. No smell, just a good clean product."  Vince

$42 at Amazon.com

Best All-Purpose Treatment for Black Hair

Agave Healing Oil Treatment

Spoil your scalp, rebuild damaged hair, and rejuvenate roots with sunflower and safflower oils and allow Madagascar baobab seed oil to transform hairs outer layer. This treatment should instantly add back shine, relieving you of any residue while also blocking out humidity.

Promising Review: "Best oil for thick hair. Have been using this product of years and my hair loves it! Quickly absorbs and leaves my hair silky with great flow. Again great for THICK hair."  A. Morison

$24 at Amazon.com

Best Straighteners and Relaxers for Black Men

Best Straightener for Black Hair

Phyto Phytodefrisant Botanical Straightening Balm

Phyto Phytodefrisant comes as a 99% natural formula loaded with ferula, horseradish, and garlic extracts (wild ingredients, we know, but trust us) to coat and straighten things out on the head. Application is simple, as you can distribute the thin runny gel throughout your hair quickly and easily, and since it comes heat-activated, blow-drying your hair after running product through it makes for a smooth and healthy look.

Promising Review: "Love this product. I have long wavy hair and lots of it. I prefer to air dry with minimal to no styling and this is the only product I've found that lets me get away with this. Especially appreciate that there is no scent."  Zoe's Mom

$55 at Amazon.com

Best Frizz Eliminator

Mizani Butter Blend Medium Normal Relaxer

Mizani chose to create a relaxer with shea butter, cocoa butter, and honey, serving as a rich relaxer with nourishing properties that eliminate frizz instantly. Available for fine, medium, and coarse hair, this softens coils of different textures without scalp flaking or irritation. Faithful users recommend taking precaution with the product, though, for its contents can be hazardous if misused, so consider reading the label or having your personal hairstylist apply it to your hair.

Promising Review: "As a 25 year old guy with curly hair, I've tried my share of hair straightening treatments. The soothing experience of the Mizani Relaxer is the solution to my usual concern of hair damage and discomfort when straightening. My hair was left manageable and healthy. I recommend investing in a good leave in conditioner too! Of course, I credit my stylist for knowing her stuff!"  Brae

$30 at Mizani.com

Best Hair Relaxer

Softsheen Carson Optimum Care Multi-Mineral Relaxer

Softsheen Carson has carved its own lane and produces a great line of haircare products for men of color. Its Multi-Mineral Relaxer system uses a formula containing three mineral hydroxides that cultivate free-flowing locks and perfect balance.

$13.42 at Amazon.com

Best Hair Dyes for Black Men

Best Subscription Hair Dye

True Sons Hair Dye Foam

True Sons relies on an oxidizing hair foam thats easier to spread through hair via the provided comb and takes as little as 15 minutes to work its magic. No nasty harsh chemical smells and no mess. From there, you jump in the shower and rinse off the solution to enjoy darker results. Choose from six different colors and monthly or quarterly plans.

$30 monthly at TrueSons.com

Best Easy-to-Use Hair Dye

Just For Men Autostop Jet Black

A brand most of us poke fun of when basking in full-flourished locks, yet cant live without when spotting ages threads, Just For Men is still one of the best for combating gray hair. This brush-in solution offers a no-mix, no-mess system with fool-proof, comb-in applicator that easily targets troubled gray areas. The solution is designed to shut off at a target color after 10 minutes of use, ensuring your natural shade doesnt get discolored.

Promising Review: "Great for beards. I use this stuff for my beard. I only leave it on for about two minutes so some of the grey is still visible. Otherwise I'd look like an idiot with s&p hair and a jet black beard. The screw on comb attachment makes it easy to keep the product only on the beard area. Much easier than using the messy mix-and-brush Just for Men beard products, plus you get more oz. for your money. I would buy again."  MikeyFTL

$7.50 at Amazon.com

Best Facial Hair Dye for Black Men

Henna King Manly Guy Hair, Beard, and Mustache Color

Facial grays can be sexy on some men. For others, its more of a deal-breaker. If you fall under the latter, Henna King guides your mug on the right path by enhancing its appearance with the natural hair color it deserves. Pure Henna plant dye coupled with all natural herbs engage to cover up all grandpa strands. The brand also promises no burning, itching, stinging, or other uncomfortable reactions when applied to the head or face.

Promising Review: "I've searched for years for a product that works. Look no further! It take a few hours for me to achieve the color I want but it worth the wait knowing its an all natural product"  Boss

$16.95 at Amazon.com

With these hair styling tips, tricks, and natural hair care products, you'll be on your way to detangling that wet hair and healthy hair follicle making sure you have the best hair you've had in a long time.

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United Nations investigators are looking into reports of new chemical weapons attacks on civilians in Syria.

Paulo Pinheiro, chair of the UNs Commission of Inquiry on Syria said in a statement that the commission has received multiple reports, now under investigation, that bombs allegedly containing weaponized chlorine have been used in the town of Saraqeb in Idlib and in Douma in Eastern Ghouta.

In a statement issued February 5th, U.S. State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said the United States is gravely alarmed by continued allegations of the use of chlorine gas by the Syrian regime to terrorize innocent civilians.

After a meeting in January for the launch of the International Partnership against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson noted that Russia ultimately bears responsibility for the victims of chemical weapons in Syria, since Russia in 2013 committed to guaranteeing that its Syrian ally cease all use of chemical weapons. But, as Ms. Nauert said, Russia has not lived up to its commitments.

Instead, Russia has shielded Syria from accountability for its continuing use of chemical weapons. Several incidents were attributed to the Syrian regime by the Joint Investigative Mechanism, or JIM, an independent panel of impartial experts established in 2015 by the UN Security Councils Resolution 2235, with the full support of Russia. The JIM mandate expired in November 2017 after Russia vetoed three UN Security Council resolutions to extend the mandate of the Joint Investigative Mechanism and another resolution to establish a sanctions regime to designate those responsible for chemical weapons use in Syria.

There are more cases of confirmed chemical weapons use in Syria that, in the absence of JIM, have not been investigated to determine attribution.

In recent remarks to the Security Council, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations Nikki Haley said, Its a true tragedy that Russia has sent us back to square one in the effort to end chemical weapons use in Syria. But we will not cease in our efforts to know the truth of the Assad regime and ensure that the truth is known and acted on by the international communityWe are motivated by the urgent need to end the unique and horrible suffering chemical weapons inflict on innocent men, women, and children of Syria. The Syrian people are counting on us.
On his recent trip to Mexico, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson stressed that Mexico, Canada, and the United States can make a positive difference in the Hemisphere and around the world. He said, When we are unified in our positions and our voice, we have significant influence on the events not just in our hemisphere, but elsewhere.

The Secretary pointed out that North Americas economic prosperity is interconnected: I cannot emphasize enough the importance of our economic relationships. Canada and Mexico rank as the first or second-largest export market for 42 U.S. states and support nearly 3 million U.S. jobs.

We continue to employ a coordinated and multilateral approach to diminish the influence of transnational criminal organizations and rid our hemisphere of the violence they promote.

North America is also a major player in world energy markets. As such, the United States, Canada, and Mexico discussed opportunities to promote market-based energy development and to further energy integration.

The United States, Canada, and Mexico also discussed the threat posed by transnational criminal organizations. "We continue to employ a coordinated and multilateral approach to diminish the influence of these groups and rid our hemisphere of the violence and devastation they promote," said Secretary Tillerson.

Turning to the subject of opioids, Secretary Tillerson stressed the need to "do more to attack the business models of those who traffic drugs and guns."He called for "deploying new strategies to disrupt and dismantle these deadly networks that smuggle drugs, [and] that participate in human trafficking and other illicit activities."

In June of last year, Canada participated in a conference co-hosted by the United States and Mexico to promote prosperity and security in Central America. They discussed how to follow up on commitments to improve economic, energy, security, and governance in the Northern Triangle.

Secretary Tillerson expressed grave concern over the deadly humanitarian and political crisis that has unfolded in Venezuela. He "urged the Maduro regime to return to free, open, credible, [and] democratic elections, and to allow the Venezuelans a voice in their government. Our three countries will work with all members of the Lima Group to assist the Venezuelan people during this time of crisis," he added.

The Secretary concluded that as challenges become more complex, the United States, Canada, and Mexico will continue to work together to find solutions.
In early February, the United States imposed restrictions on the export of defense articles and defense services into South Sudan. The United States does not directly sell arms to South Sudan, but the ban will prevent any U.S. company or citizen from providing military equipment or defense services to the warring factions.

Exports of weapons and ammunition into South Sudan undercut efforts to protect civilians and prohibiting the sale or transfer of arms pressures the Government of South Sudan and the armed opposition to implement the December 21 Cessation of Hostilities and start to end the trauma and displacement that millions of innocent South Sudanese have suffered.

South Sudan gained its independence from Sudan in 2011. Peace lasted less than 18 months. In December 2013, a power struggle between President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar erupted into civil war. The warring parties agreed to a peace accord in 2015, and to cease-fires on a number of occasions. All were broken before the ink was dry on the agreement. The continued fighting has cost the lives of thousands of people and led to a cut-back in oil production, a devastated economy, human rights abuses, hunger, and malnutrition.

The United States is appalled by the continuing violence in South Sudan that has created one of Africas worst humanitarian crises, said State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert in a written statement. One and a half million people are now on the brink of famine, despite enormous efforts by the United States and other donors since the conflict began in 2013 to stave off famine and save lives, she said.

We urge all countries, including South Sudans neighbors, to promote peace and save innocent lives by cutting off the flow of defense articles and defense services to South Sudan and to halt support to actors who are working to destabilize the country. We encourage the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the African Union to consider sanctions measures against those who undermine the peace process.

Additionally, the United States is seeking support for a UN Security Council embargo on all arms flows into South Sudan and we urge all UN Security Council members to join us in supporting this action. The message must be clear  the United States, the region, and the international community will not stand idly by as innocent South Sudanese civilians are murdered.
Kavous Seyed-Emami, A university lecturer and a Canadian-Iranian environmental activist, has died while in custody at a Tehran prison.

Dr Emamis son, Ramin, on February 10 twitted the news of his fathers death, adding that prison officials have said that he has committed suicide.

The news coincided with an announcement by Tehran Prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi on the same day about the detention of a number of environmental activists on charges of espionage in the area of environment.

Those under arrest were collecting classified strategic information under the cover of scientific environmental projects, charged Dolatabadi.

The prosecutor did not mention the death of one of the inmates in custody, but added that the activists were arrested by an intelligence organization.

Dr Kavous Emami was a sociologist and a lecturer at Tehrans Imam Sadeq University. He was also the managing director of a wildlife protection institute in Tehran.

Dr Emamis sons tweet further stated that he was arrested on 24 January, and that the Prosecutors Office summoned Emamis wife on Friday February 9, broke the news of her husbands death, explaining, He has committed suicide.

Ramin Seyed-Emami said in his tweet that he cannot believe that his father has taken his own life.

Londons Keyhan newspaper has published more details on February 9 about the arrests disclosing that two of Emamis colleagues at his wildlife protection institute have also been detained.

According to Keyhan, Hooman Jokar who leads the institutes Asian leopard project, and Morad Tahbaz, an environment and cultural heritage protection activist and a Iranian American dual citizen, are also among those detained by Iranian security forces.

Niloofar Bayani, Jokars wife and a former UN environment adviser is also among the inmates, Keyhan of London reported.

The daily wrote that officials have denied the inmates their right to have legal representation and meet with their family members. Keyhan added that the inmates computers have been confiscated and security officers have searched their homes and those of some of their friends and relatives.

The three were arrested after IRGC-linked news agency Tasnim had criticized the Iranian Environment Agency for holding a meeting with Tahbaz, while portraying him as an international businessman who has worked in Israel and the United States.

Several dual nationals are in jail in Iran, including the Iranian American Baqer Namazi and his son Siamak, and Iranian Swedish citizen Ahmad Reza Jalali whose death sentence has been recently over-ruled by the Iranian Supreme Court.

Iranian prison officials have recently stated suicide as the cause of death of some imprisoned activists who were arrested during the early January protests.

International human rights organizations have demanded independent investigation of the alleged suicides.
The Pentagon says Iran-backed militias fighting Islamic State (IS) extremists in Syria used Abrams tanks that the U.S. military had originally provided to the Iraqi army.

However, Pentagon spokesman Eric Pahon said on February 9 that the estimated nine tanks were later returned to the Iraqi military.

The Iran-backed Shiite Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) are legally considered by Iraq to be part of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), Pahon said.

But he added that the United States had never supplied defense articles to the militia. "We have discovered incidents where some U.S.-origin equipment, including M1 Abrams tanks, came into the possession of certain PMF groups.

This equipment was subsequently used by these groups" in the fight against the IS extremists. "All of these tanks were recently returned to Iraqi Security Forces custody," Pahon added. Iraqi Kurdish official contend that the Shi'ite paramilitary groups used Abrams tanks against Sunni Kurds in northern Iraq last year.

That led U.S. officials to threaten to curtail military aid to Baghdad until the tanks were returned to Iraq control, a quarterly report by the U.S. Inspector General said.

The Sunni-led IS fighters seized large parts of Syria and Iraq in 2014, declaring an Islamic "caliphate" and committing widespread atrocities. But they have been steadily pushed out nearly all of the territory they had controlled in both countries.

The United States has approved sales of more than $22 billion in arms and equipment, including at least 150 Abrams tanks, to Iraq since 2005.

Based on reporting by Stars & Stripes and AFP
A deputy commander for the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC) has boasted that Iran is capable of a military confrontation with its archenemy, the United States.

Speaking with Irans state television on February 2, Hossein Salami also said it was during the war with Iraq in the 1980s that Iran discovered it had no political allies.

During the interview, Salami spoke of the IRGCs progress, its military capabilities, and its familiarity with what he called Americas military weaknesses in the region. He also called Iraq and Syria Irans strategic depth.

It appears Salami made these claims on the occasion of the anniversary of Irans 1979 Islamic Revolution, in reaction to a new shift in U.S. military strategy in the Middle East that attaches priority to confronting Irans imminent threat against the stability of the region.

The simplistic statements by IRGC commanders ignore the fact that there are some 35,000 U.S. military personnel and seven major U.S. military bases, including the fifth fleet base in Bahrain.

Salami has made such claims before. In May 2015, he said, The Islamic Republic is prepared for victory over the U.S. in long and widespread confrontations.

His statements indicate that, like many other IRGC commanders, his exaggeration of Irans military capabilities is based on misinformation, incorrect political analysis, and a laymans understanding of U.S. military might and technology. This wrong self-confidence among IRGC commanders could have catastrophic consequences.

Salamis evaluation of Irans various defensive packages, as he explained in October 2014, is based on employing cruise and ballistic missiles and drones, precision intelligent missiles, as well as mines, speedboats, and missile launchers in the Persian Gulf area.

In his recent interview, Salami talked about reverse engineering of RQ170 drones and high-flying, radar-evading drones being part of the IRGCs capabilities.

Iran has manufactured low-profile drones such as Shahed 129, but its access to radar-evasion technology similar to that of RQ170 is debatable and unreliable.

There is no evidence to support Irans access to Stealth technology currently available only to the United States, Russia, and China.

Salami also said in his February 2 interview that the United States fears starting an endless war with the first bullet or missile fired at Iran, and that is why America has not resorted to a military option against Iran.

We can bring all of the enemy bases in the region under heavy strikes. We can confront the enemy in the sea at any level, he added.

IRGC Navy Commander Ali Fadavi also made similar claims in September 2012.

Nevertheless, some former IRGC commanders such as Mohsen Rezai are still in denial and think their experience of a 1980s war can help them run the country for another 200 years.

The simplistic statements by IRGC commanders ignore the fact that there are some 35,000 U.S. military personnel and seven major U.S. military bases, including the fifth fleet base in Bahrain.

There are also U.S. bases in Afghanistan and Djibouti as well as a UK naval base in Bahrain and French bases in the UAE and Abu Dhabi.

The Unite States also has an aircraft carrier in the region to thwart possible threats.

Nevertheless, Salami said in a February 5 speech that the enemy would most certainly be defeated in a confrontation with us.

During the same speech, he talked about an Iranian ballistic missile that can hit moving vessels with 100 percent precision, adding, The technology used in this missile is matchless in America and Russia.

This is most likely the same as the Persian Gulf Ballistic Missile or copied from Fateh -110 with a range of 300 kilometers. Experts have doubted its performance although other IRGC commanders have boasted of its features.

Following the terrorist attack on the Iranian Parliament in June 2017, Iran fired six ballistic missiles to pound an Islamic State base 650 kilometers west of Iran in Deir ez-Zor in Syria. According to Israeli experts, two of the missiles landed in Iraq and the other four never reached their target.

Other elements of Salamis defensive power package seem to be less than real. Iran is incapable of minesweeping the Persian Gulf; its two or three RH-53 helicopters capable of tackling mines from the air are more than 40 years old.

Iranian military commanders delusion of power and their bloated rhetoric are mainly based on miscalculations, simplistic thinking, and false self-confidence. This could spell catastrophe for Iran and its people.

Meanwhile, the idea of strategic depth in Syria and Iraq is overtly against Irans national interests. Irans presence in Syria is extremely costly and elicits Israels sensitivity. And Iraq cannot be part of Irans strategic depth. This is another illusion considering that there are some 9,000 U.S. troops in that country, and the Iraqi government is adamant to reduce Irans influence in order to strike a balance between ties with the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Iran.

Salami, Fadavi, and other IRGC commanders believe their experience of the war with Iraq in the 1980s is their point of strength, and they try to link it to present-day regional developments. In other words, they are living in the past.

Most of those present in that war are retired now, and most of the current population is younger than 25. The region has changed. There are new players and new alliances.

Nevertheless, some former IRGC commanders such as Mohsen Rezai are still in denial and think their experience of a 1980s war can help them run the country for another 200 years.

A victory by the IRGC or the Iranian armed forces over the United States or even GCC countries looks impossible. Regardless of its missile power and relative naval supremacy, Iran is obviously vulnerable in front of Saudi Arabias air force. Irans fighters and bombers are outdated, although Irans air force had more aircraft than all of the Persian Gulf states in 1971.

As Salami has attested, Iran is isolated, while the Persian Gulf states enjoy the backing of the United States and each other.

Iranian military commanders delusion of power and their bloated rhetoric are mainly based on miscalculations, simplistic thinking, and false self-confidence. This could spell catastrophe for Iran and its people.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb.10

By Nigar Guliyeva  Trend:

Uzbekistan intends to cooperate with Korean company GEOTWO CO LTD in the development of geo-information systems.

The Uzbek Ministry for Development of Information Technologies and Communications held a meeting with representatives of the Korean company, where the sides mulled cooperation in the field of developing the national geo-information software, based on its own decisions, the ministry said.

The parties agreed to cooperate in the development of geo-information systems, drastically reducing dependence on foreign products, localizing and creating national information systems with possible exports of software and relevant services.

GEOTWO CO LTD , founded in 2000, is a leader in the land management and spatial information industry in Korea.

The uniqueness of GEOTWO's solutions is that they are an analog of the well-known ArcGIS software product, from the American manufacturer ESRI, and successfully implemented in the state bodies of Korea and other countries.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 10

Trend:

Azerbaijans defense minister, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov chaired an official meeting on Feb. 10, the Defense Ministry told Trend.

The meeting held with participation of the deputy ministers of defense, the commanders of the types of troops, the chiefs of the main departments, departments, services of the ministry and commanders of formations also involved the responsible officers of formations stationed on the frontline zone.

Noting the speech of Azerbaijani President, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev at the 6th Congress of New Azerbaijan Party, including his statements on the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the Azerbaijani Army, the minister spoke about the tasks to be fulfilled this year.

Highlighting the President's words about army building as a priority issue, the arming of the country, as well as the glorious victory of the Azerbaijan Army during the April battles in 2016, the minister stressed that the state and people invariably appreciate the Azerbaijani soldier.

Analyzing the latest operational situation on the front line, the minister gave relevant instructions to the command staff to ensure the constant readiness of the troops to carry out combat missions, to provide the security of military personnel, to raise the level of their moral-psychological readiness, knowledge and skills, as well as in other areas.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 10

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

Azerbaijan achieved considerable success in foreign policy thanks to President Ilham Aliyev, Metin Kulunk, MP from Turkeys ruling Justice and Development Party, told Trend.

Kulunk noted that President Ilham Aliyev has been a political figure who has served Azerbaijani people since 2003 and was elected by the vast majority of the countrys citizens.

Considering the political dynamics of the region, Ilham Aliyevs re-nomination for the presidential election to be held on April 11 is very important, Kulunk said.

He noted that President Ilham Aliyev is a beloved leader not only in Azerbaijan, but also in Turkey.

Guided by the principle one nation-two states, Ilham Aliyev defended Turkeys interests in all international events and platforms, Kulunk added.

He also noted that in recent years, Azerbaijan has made significant progress from the political and economic point of view.

Creation of new jobs, attention paid to human resources in Azerbaijan, billions of investments in the energy sector are important for the stable and sustainable development of the countrys economy and, of course, all this is the result of Ilham Aliyevs policy, the Turkish MP said.

As a result of balanced policy pursued by Ilham Aliyev, serious opinion in favor of Azerbaijan was formed in many countries over the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and this is one of the most important factors, the Turkish MP added.

Ilham Aliyevs serious diplomatic relations with other countries are very important both for Azerbaijans recognition and the political and economic well-being of the country, Kulunk said.

The MP noted that domestic stability is one of the most important issues for Azerbaijan, which has serious energy resources.

He said that Azerbaijan has achieved serious progress in energy security, established relations with the Euro-Atlantic region, adding that the country pursues realistic policy towards regional integration, stability and peace, as well as mutually beneficial relations.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 10

Trend:

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has signed an order on additional measures related to the construction of Gobustan District Central Hospital.

Under the presidential order, 15.52 million manats were allocated from the state budget for 2018 to the Ministry of Health.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb.10

By Samir Ali  Trend:

Chairman of the Modern Musavat Party Hafiz Hajiyev has been nominated for the upcoming presidential election in Azerbaijan.

Hajiyev, addressing a meeting of the Political Council of the Party, first spoke about the upcoming presidential election.

He noted that holding presidential election in April corresponds to the legislation. Hajiyev noted that some opposition circles, including foreign ones, along with Armenians, are holding slander campaign against Azerbaijan.

"The election will be held in accordance with the Constitution of Azerbaijan" he said.

Then the agenda of the meeting was approved. Later, nomination of candidates for the presidential election from the Modern Musavat Party was discussed. After the discussions, the party members proposed to nominate Hajiyev for the post of the president.

The proposal was put to the vote, and Hajiyev was nominated for the presidency from the Party.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb.10

By Elchin Mehdiyev  Trend:

People, by supporting Ilham Aliyev in the upcoming election will vote for Azerbaijan's social-economic development in the next seven years, Ali Ahmadov, the countrys deputy prime minister, deputy chairman and executive secretary of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party, said.

He made the remarks addressing the republican meeting of the New Azerbaijan Party (NAP) in Baku Feb.10.

"We believe that the overwhelming majority of Azerbaijani voters will vote for Ilham Aliyev on April 11. The main reason for such a conclusion is that during the years of the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev the country has passed a big stage of development in the economic, social and other spheres, the well-being of people and the living conditions have improved, the image of Azerbaijan has radically changed, and the positions of our country on the international arena have significantly strengthened. These realities raised the political rating of Ilham Aliyev to a fairly high level," he said.

He noted that these realities are the largest resource of the NAP election campaign.

"The people of Azerbaijan strongly support the policy of President Ilham Aliyev. We know the mood of the people and, based on this, we know that people will vote for Ilham Aliyev. People, voting for Ilham Aliyev, will vote for the social and economic development of Azerbaijan over the next seven years , for the development of their families. The development of Azerbaijan means the development of each family, "Ahmadov said.
Details added (first version posted on 11:38)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 10

Trend:

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received a delegation led by Secretary for Relations with States of the Holy See Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher.

Gallagher extended the greetings of Pope Francis and Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin to President Aliyev.

Saying this is his first visit to Azerbaijan, Gallagher thanked the head of state for the high hospitality shown to them.

Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher noted that he is well aware of Azerbaijan and expressed his pleasure with his visit to the country. He described this as an interesting fact to see development in Azerbaijan.

Hailing the promotion of the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Church's Apostolic Prefecture in Azerbaijan Vladimir Fekete to the bishop's rank under the order of Pope Francis, Archbishop Gallagher described this as manifestation of the importance the Pope attaches to the Catholic community in Azerbaijan and relations with the country.

President Aliyev described Pope Francis' visit to Azerbaijan two years ago as an historic event, saying he bears warm memories about the trip. The head of state also recalled his official visit to the Vatican, and hailed the importance of the meetings he held with Pope Francis and Secretary of State Pietro Parolin. The president described this kind of high-level reciprocal visits as an indicative of close relations between Azerbaijan and the Vatican.

President Aliyev expressed his hope that the visit of Gallagher to Azerbaijan will be fruitful, saying he is confident that the trip will contribute to the strengthening of current partnership between the two states.

Azerbaijan's great contribution to inter-religious and intercultural dialogue as an exemplary multicultural and tolerant country was pointed out at the meeting.

President Aliyev thanked for the greetings of Pope Francis and Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and asked the Archbishop to extend his greetings to the Pope Holy and the Vatican Secretary of State.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 10

Trend:

Russias Ingushetia is discussing possible ways of transporting drinking water to Qatar, Yunus-bek Yevkurov, head of Ingushetia, who is on a working visit to St. Petersburg, told TASS news agency.

Yevkurov noted that deliveries by air, sea and also by rail via Azerbaijan and Iran are possible.

He added that during his visit to Qatar, investment in the creation of an international airport terminal in Magas town was negotiated.

The Emir of Qatar gave instructions to set up a working group, Yevkurov said. The working group will be established, and then a decision will be made. For now, one of the investors agreed for investing in the construction of the terminal.
Details added (first version posted on 12:51)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 10

Trend:

Azerbaijans State Security Service and the Interior Ministry seized weapons in the countrys Agdam district, the Interior Ministry said in a message Feb. 10.

As a result of operative investigation measures by the State Security Service and the Aghdam district police department, two rifles, one pistol, two grenades, one projectile, three machine gun cartridges and 18 bullets of various calibers have been seized from Polad Zeynalov, resident of the Birinji Yuzbashli village.

Police officers of the Ujar district seized a hunting rifle from Elvin Alasgarov, a resident of Alpout village.

As a result of preventive and legal education measures carried out by the police among the population, Rustam Mammadov, a resident of Baku, voluntarily handed over a Makarov pistol and 13 bullets to the Khazar district police department.

Meanwhile, Sabir Babayev, a resident of Nardaran settlement of Baku, voluntarily handed over a hunting rifle to the Sabunchu district police department.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 10

By Maksim Tsurkov - Trend:

A plane of Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) performing a flight en route Moscow-Baku has returned to the Vnukovo International Airport due to a technical problem, AZAL said in a message on Feb. 10.

The AZAL J2-808 Moscow-Baku flight has been delayed, the message said. A technical problem was revealed after the planes departure, and the aircraft commander decided to return to the Vnukovo International Airport.

The passengers of this flight will be sent to Baku by todays flight J2-809, which will be carried out by a more spacious aircraft. The plane is scheduled to depart at 16:30 (GMT +4) and arrive in the Vnukovo International Airport at 18:40 (GMT +3).

If needed, passengers of the delayed flight will be provided with everything necessary in accordance with the rules of the airline, AZAL said.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 10

By Azad Hasanli - Trend:

The first stage of creation of the Sabirabad industrial zone in Azerbaijan will end in July this year, the countrys Deputy Economy Minister Niyazi Safarov said at a meeting with entrepreneurs.

He said that the industrial zone will be commissioned once the first stage is completed.

Safarov noted that all necessary infrastructure of the Sabirabad industrial zone is being created by the Azerbaijani state. In accordance with the economic potential of the Sabirabad district, facilities for refining and procurement of cotton, production of plastic and building materials, processing of agricultural products and a logistics center will be created in the industrial zone, he added.

During the meeting, the deputy economy minister also stressed importance of the events held under the leadership of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to diversify the economy, develop industry and increase its competitiveness, strengthen the state support for entrepreneurship and constantly improve business and investment environment.

In turn, Rovshan Najaf, executive director of the Azerbaijan Investment Company, noted that three production sites with an area of 7,605 square meters, an office building with an area of 1,060 square meters, as well as technical and auxiliary buildings will be commissioned as part of the first stage of creation of the Sabirabad industrial zone in Azerbaijan.

Meanwhile, Head of Sabirabad District Executive Authority Nazim Ismayilov spoke about the attention and care the Azerbaijani president pays to the development of districts. He noted the importance of the industrial zone for the development of the Sabirabad district as a whole, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises and for the employment of the population.

Presently, there are five industrial parks (the Sumgait Chemical Industrial Park, industrial parks in Garadagh, Balakhany, Mingachevir and Pirallakhi settlements), as well as Neftchala, Hajigabul and Masalli industrial zones, in Azerbaijan.

A number of agricultural and high technology parks also operate in Azerbaijan.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 10

By Azad Hasanli  Trend:

The Czech Republic invites Azerbaijani companies to invest in petrochemical, electrical and mechanical industries, Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic Tomas Huner said in an exclusive interview with Trend.

"It is appropriate to add that the time is now very convenient for investing in the Czech Republic. Our economy has been steadily growing since 2015 and has been creating many opportunities for foreign investors, whether in existing companies or start-ups. The Czech government offers foreign investors assistance through the CzechInvest business and investment promotion agency," said Huner.

"Due to its enormous mineral wealth, Azerbaijan enjoys a great interest from foreign investors, including Czech companies. They already invest in Azerbaijan and, in cooperation with the Czech Export Bank, are involved in major projects in the country, such as the construction and reconstruction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line. From 2005 to 2015, Czech banks provided export credits to Azerbaijan amounting to $2 billion. The Czech Republic thus became one of the largest foreign investors in the country (9th place in 2015). At present, 19 companies with the Czech capital operate in Azerbaijan," noted the minister.

On the other hand, Azerbaijani investments in the Czech economy are relatively smaller and amount to a maximum of two per cent of all foreign investments, he continued.

"The largest investments of Azerbaijani entrepreneurs have so far been implemented in the field of real estate and hotels. This is related to tourism, which benefits from direct air links between Prague and Baku," said Huner.

"The current state of our economic cooperation is based primarily on oil trade. However, there are broad possibilities of developing economic relations in other fields whose potential has not yet been fulfilled. The fields that are activated in the efforts of the Azerbaijani Government to diversify the economy and support the development of the non-oil sectors of the economy can be an opportunity for Czech companies," said the minister.

"These include agriculture, the chemical and processing industry, engineering, services (especially the transport, logistics and tourism) and IT. The same applies to both ongoing and new projects for the modernization of the transport infrastructure, e.g. the reconstruction of the road and railway network together with the supply of means of transport. Czech companies can also succeed as suppliers in the field of pharmaceuticals, electrical engineering, consumer industry and environmental technologies," added Huner.

"There is also a great potential for the future cooperation in the field of renewable energy sources. The technology of Czech companies can be used in the field of wind and water energy and in improving the efficiency of the energy industry," said the minister.

The mutual cooperation at regional level also creates potential for Azerbaijani investment projects, said the Czech minister.

"Given the huge economic potential of Azerbaijan, Czech companies are interested in creating joint ventures in the future. Meanwhile, Czech companies as suppliers have been successfully involved in various projects in the country, totalling $16 billion. A recent example is the signing of a memorandum between Tatra Trucks and the Ganja Auto Plant, according to which the Tatra trucks will be produced in Azerbaijan from 2018 onwards," added Huner.

According to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee, trade turnover with the Czech Republic amounted to $664.5 million that is by twofold more than in 2016 ($316.3 million). Azerbaijani exports to the Czech Republic totalled $556.86 million in 2016 (an increase of 2.6 times).
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb.10

By Nigar Guliyeva  Trend:

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a decree on measures to increase fish production in 2018, Uzbek media reported.

Under the decree, in 2018 Uzbekistan plans to produce up to 150,000 tons of fish. Also, in accordance with the document, the import of mixed fodders for fish is exempt from customs payments until January 1, 2020.

In Uzbekistan there are more than 3,000 farms that specialize in fish farming. Last year about 100,000 tons of fish were breaded in Uzbekistan.

The weakest link in the fishing industry of Uzbekistan is the production of fish planting material and the inefficient use of natural ponds and artificial ponds. The productivity of artificial ponds does not exceed 20 percent per hectare, which is below the world average.

In late 2017, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the program of measures on development of the fishing industry in 2017-2021 and the target parameters for the development of the fishing industry in 2017-2021.

Earlier, the President of Uzbekistan signed a decree on the establishment of the Uzbekbaliksanoat Association. The Association was tasked to create an organizational and technological chain for the production of fish products, reproduction of fish and planting material and strengthen the forage base, ensure rational use of natural reservoirs and artificial ponds resources, as well as to introduce scientifically based methods and intensive technologies in the process of growing fish.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 10

By Anvar Mammadov - Trend:

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), just like the World Bank (WB) Group in general, will continue to support reforms in Azerbaijan in order to attract foreign direct investments (FDI) to the non-oil sector of the country, Jan van Bilsen, IFC regional manager for the South Caucasus, said in an interview with Trend and Azernews.

For many years, IFCs investments have been complemented by a range of advisory projects aiming to support private sector growth, he said. These projects have supported investment climate reforms, helped build capacity within the banking sector in various areas, including on-lending to MSMEs, supported the development of financial market infrastructure and promoted good corporate governance. In response to increased government efforts to improve the business-enabling environment and make the country more attractive for FDI in the non-oil sector, IFC and the WB Group aim to continue supporting investment climate reforms.

He said that the IFC is also committed to supporting the government in structuring pilot public-private partnership projects (PPP).

We can help attract private investment through PPP transaction advisory support, as well as structure pre- and post-privatization investments, offering our vast global experience in structuring PPP projects in various sectors, he noted.

It is also important to continue reforms aimed at improving trade and the investment climate to better integrate Azerbaijan into global value chains, he said. This includes creating a level playing field for all investors, simplifying the regulatory framework, and deepening tax, judicial and financial sector reforms.

Azerbaijan became an IFC member in 1995. Since the beginning of cooperation, the IFC has allocated $473 million for projects in Azerbaijan that cover financial services, infrastructure and production.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 10

By Anvar Mammadov - Trend:

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is ready to invest in competitive businesses in various productive sectors of Azerbaijan, including export-oriented industries, Jan van Bilsen, IFC regional manager for the South Caucasus, said in an interview with Trend and Azernews.

Building a competitive non-oil economy is key for the countrys future economic growth and job creation, he said. This can only be achieved by leveraging the power of the private sector to boost investment, efficiency, and sustainability. We are open to investing in competitive businesses that are transparent and well managed in various productive sectors, including export-oriented industries.

While we are open to investment projects in different sectors, we welcome the governments strong focus on improving infrastructure and enhancing connectivity within the country and internationally, he added. In an environment of shrinking fiscal space, private sector investment and experience in infrastructure is vital, particularly through public-private partnerships (PPP). IFC is ready to work in infrastructure in Azerbaijan, especially in energy and transport, as long as there is interest in opening these areas to the private sector and introducing PPP mechanisms.

Azerbaijan became an IFC member in 1995. Since the beginning of cooperation, the IFC has allocated $473 million for projects in Azerbaijan that cover financial services, infrastructure and production.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb.10

By Nigar Guliyeva - Trend:

Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov will today leave the country for a working visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran, India and Pakistan, the Uzbek Foreign Ministry said in a message on Feb.10.

During the meetings and negotiations with foreign ministers of Iran, India and Pakistan, Muhammad Javad Zarif, Sushma Swaraj and Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Kamilov will mull topical issues of bilateral relations, as well as exchange views on regional issues.

The parties also intend to discuss the preparations for the forthcoming international conference entitled "Peace process, cooperation in the field of security and regional cooperation on Afghanistan " to be held in Tashkent.

On the outcomes of the conference, it is planned to adopt the Tashkent Declaration, which will define the basic principles and conditions for a peaceful settlement, specify the obligations of the Afghan government and the armed opposition, as well as the international community in terms of launching the negotiation process and its support.
China temporarily closes the border with Kyrgyzstan, Kabar with reference to the press service of the State Border Service (SBS) of the Kyrgyz Republic reported.

"At the initiative of the Chinese side, in connection with the Spring Festival in the People's Republic of China, the checkpoints Torugart-road and Irkeshtam-road on the Kyrgyz-Chinese section of the state border will be temporarily closed from Feb. 15 to 21, 2018, " the SBS said.

Passing of persons, vehicles and cargo will be resumed from Feb.22.

"Whereby, on Feb.14, the Irkeshtam-road highway will carry out the passing of persons, vehicles and cargoes until 10:00 p.m.

On Feb.24, on Saturday, the Torugart-road and Irkeshtam-road checkpoints will work in routine operation," the report said.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 3

By Fatih Karimov  Trend:

Iran's non-oil exports, including gas condensate, reached $35.61 billion during the first 10 months of the current fiscal year (started March 20, 2017).

The figure indicates a fall by 2 percent, compared to the same period of the preceding year, according to Iran's Customs Administration data.

The volume of the exported goods reached 99.31 million tons in the 10-month period, 7 percent less year-on-year.

Iran includes gas condensate and some raw hydrocarbon products, like propane, butane, etc. in its non-oil export basket.

During the period, the country exported 14.48 million tons of condensates, worth $5.68 billion, making 16 percent of Irans overall non-oil exports in terms of value.

Irans condensate exports witnessed fall by 8 percent in terms of volume and value, year-on-year.

The countrys petrochemical exports reached 22.45 million tons in the period, 15 percent less compared to the same months of the preceding year. The value of Irans petrochemical exports accounted to $10.67 billion, showing a 9 percent fall on a yearly basis.

Liquefied propane (worth $1.21 billion), light oils and products (excluding gasoline) - (worth $997 million), methanol (worth $984 million), and iron ore (worth $845 million) were the other top exported goods in the 10-month period (March 20, 2017-Jan. 21).

China was the main importer of the Iranian goods during the period. Irans non-oil exports to China registered a rise by 11 percent and stood at $7.42 billion.

The volume of exports to China was 28.19 million tons, 5 percent less year-on-year.

The United Arab Emirates ($5.135 billion, fall of 19 percent), Iraq ($5.04 billion, fall of 1 percent), South Korea ($3.4 billion, an increase of 33 percent) and India ($2.28 billion, fall of 3 percent) were other top importers of Iranian non-oil goods during the first 10 months of current Iranian fiscal year.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 10

By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:

Governor of Central Bank of Iran Valiollah Seif has urged Europe to protect a landmark nuclear deal between Tehran and the world powers known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

We believe that the Europe is capable of finding the best solution to protect its stances regarding the JCPOA, he told second Euromoney Iran Conference in Paris through a message on Saturday.

Iran has not fully achieved its interests promised by the JCPOA, so far, official IRNA news agency quoted him as saying.

Speaking about Irans cooperation with international financial community and the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF), he pledged to continue the cooperation with the intergovernmental organization but he urged for removing Iran from the public statement of the FATF.

The official further echoed Irans plans to implement the regulatory accord of the Basel III (the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision), adding that the countrys financial regulatory has put increasing the capital adequacy of banks and reforming risk management methods on the agenda.

Euromoney launched its second Euromoney Iran Conference in Paris on Thursday, co-hosted by the Central Bank of Iran.

The event two years after the implementation day of the JCPOA brought together Iranian bankers and industrial leaders with their international counterparts to discuss and debate the key issues around the Middle Eastern countrys reintegration into the global economy.

The nuclear pact between Tehran and the six major powers lifted nuclear-related sanctions on the Islamic Republic in exchange for curbing its nuclear program.
Tehran, Iran, Feb. 10

By Kamyar Eghbalnejad  Trend:

Two senior officials with the Central Bank of Iran say that the country has already presented its proposal for integrating bank card systems with Azerbaijan, expressing optimistic views on the possibility to materialize the plan.

The issue of the integration of bank card systems between Iran and Azerbaijan is possible as the Azerbaijani authorities have taken measures in order to create an independent payment system, Nasser Hakimi deputy for information technology at CBI told Trend.

Talks are underway with those countries that enjoy domestic interbank information transfer networks to integrate bank card systems with Iran, he added.

According to the official, most of popular debit cards in the world are linked to the US financial system which poses serious restrictions to cooperation with Iran.

The head of Payment System department of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) Davoud Mohammad-Beigi also told Trend that it is possible to integrate the payment systems of the two countries, if Azerbaijan finalizes the efforts on creating its own payment system.

However, he cautioned that the admission of Mastercard and Visa in Iran is impossible.
Tehran, Iran, Feb. 10

By Kamyar Eghbalnejad  Trend:

Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE) has taken measures to promote serious cooperation with Borsa Istanbul.

The CEO of the TSE, Hassan Qalibaf-Asl, has told Trend that the sides are now following up on the issue of enlisting two companies in the TSE and Borsa Istanbul.

He described the corporate governance reporting and the international financial reporting system (IFRS) as the obligations to enlist Iranian companies at Borsa Istanbul .

The official added that Iran needs to adopt the two mentioned standards in order to pave the way for enlisting Iranian companies in the Turkish stock exchange.

The CEO further expressed interest in luring foreign investment to the country through the stock exchange.

Main index of the Tehran Stock Exchange, the largest equity market of the country, surged by 12 percent over the first eight months of the current Iranian calendar year, compared to the same period of last year.

According to the latest statistics released by the Central Bank of Iran, the main index reached 88775 points in the eight-month period ending Dec. 21.
The Israeli army said Saturday morning that it intercepted an Iranian drone launched from Syria into Israeli territory. In response, the IDF attacked Iranian targets in Syria, Hareetz reported.

Due to Syrian anti-aircraft fire, says the army, red alert sirens sounded in multiple areas of northern Israel, first in the northern Israeli town of Beit Shean and later in the surrounding areas and Golan Heights.

Residents reported hearing many explosions in the last half hour and heavy aerial activity in the area near Israel's borders with Jordan and Syria.

The Syrian army and rebels in the Syrian Golan Heights are currently exchanging heavy fire.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 10

By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:

Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi has dismissed Israels allegations accusing the Islamic Republic of involvement in the shooting down an Israeli fighter jet and also flying an Iranian drone over the sky of Israel.

The claims on the flight of the Iranian drone and Iran's involvement in shooting down the Israeli jet is so ridiculous that should not be addressed, because the Islamic Republic of Iran basically has an advisory presence in Syria which is at the request of the legitimate government of that country, IRNA news agency quoted him as saying.

The Syrian government and its army as an independent state have the legitimate right to defend the territorial integrity of the country and combat any kind of foreign aggression, he added.

The Israeli military earlier announced that Syrian anti-aircraft fire shot down an Israeli fighter jet on Saturday and Israel struck an Iranian target that had launched an unmanned aircraft into its airspace from Syria, Reuters reported.
Lieutenant commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has warned Israel of a hell that Iran could create, saying all American military bases in the region are within range of Iranian strikes, Tasnim news agency reported.

The Iranian forces can destroy all American bases across the region by launching attacks from inside the country, Brigadier General Hossein Salami said on Saturday.

His comments came after reports of downing of an Israeli warplane by the Syria Army.

An Israeli F-16 fighter jet was shot down by Syrian military on Saturday while targeting what it called Iranian sites responsible for launching a drone into occupied Golan Heights.

Pro-government military alliance in Syria said in a statement on Saturday that Israel would see a severe and serious response to its "terrorism" from now on.

The statement also said the drones -one of which Israel claims to have shot down- were being used against ISIS terrorist group.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 10

By Gazenfer Hamidov  Trend:

Irans security forces have arrested several people on espionage charges, Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, Tehrans prosecutor, said.

Dolatabadi told reporters in Tehran on Feb. 10 that the arrested people were collecting the countrys classified information in strategic areas.

The defendants were working under the coverage of scientific and environmental projects, the official added.

Dolatabadi said that the suspects who were arrested by one of the countrys intelligence organizations were put under custody by Tehrans prosecutor.

No further details about the identity of the arrested people were unveiled.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 10

By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has described the possible decision by the US on walking away from the Joint Comprehensive Plan on Action (JCPOA aka nuclear deal) as a major strategic mistake.

I clearly state that would be a major strategic mistake if the US walks away from the JCPOA, President Rouhani told a group of ambassadors in Tehran, State-run broadcaster aired live his speech.

The president further expressed hope that the landmark agreement will remain intact and it will turn into a sample for resolving regional and international problems.

The 2015 nuclear pact between Tehran and the six major powers lifted nuclear-related sanctions on the Islamic Republic in exchange for curbing its nuclear program.
The government of Georgia has announced changes in the law that will introduce tougher sanctions against Georgian citizens violating the Georgia-EU visa-free travel agreement, Agenda reports.

The announcement came after special meeting at the government of Georgia headquarters, with the presence of Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia, Justice Minister Thea Tsulukiani, Chief Prosecutor Irakli Shotadze, Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze and the head of the State Security Service Vakhtang Gomelauri.

The meeting aimed to take steps to prevent the increase of Georgian asylum seekers in EU countries, in order to ensure that the issue will not become an obstacle in future relations with the EU, the government of Georgia press office stated.

"The Government of Georgia pays due attention to the concerns of its partner states and plans to take important steps in terms of enforcing tougher legislation, intensifying cooperation with partner states, and conducting an active information campaign throughout the country," the press office stated.

The amendments include shifting the responsibility of readmission expenses onto Georgian citizens who violate the visa-free regulations, as well as complicating procedures for the changing of surnames.

"More amendments will be presented at the upcoming governmental meeting, the government of Georgia press office reported.

Justice Minister Tsulukiani stated that the sanctions are likely to deter people who may be thinking of violating the visa liberalization rules.

"We are taking steps to preserve the success Georgia has achieved through enormous effort, Tsulukiani stated.

The Georgia-EU visa waiver came into play on March 28, 2017.

Georgian citizens holding biometric passports can travel to the EUs Schengen Zone for a period of 90 days within any 180-day period for purposes other than working.
Gerry Adams tried to turn the page on a troubled period in Irish history on Saturday when he passed the presidency of Sinn Fein to his deputy, Mary Lou McDonald, who becomes the partys first female leader, New York Times reports.

Mr. Adamss retirement after 34 years as party leader is seen as an opportunity for Sinn Fein, until recently the political wing of the banned Provisional Irish Republic Army, to reposition itself closer to the political mainstream in southern Ireland.

It has a strong chance of entering a coalition government for the first time after the next election.

Unlike Mr. Adams, 69, who came to prominence in his native West Belfast in the early 1970s, during the worst days of Northern Irelands sectarian Troubles, the Dublin-born Ms. McDonald, 48, has no personal links to what Irish republicans call the armed struggle but which opponents of the I.R.A. denounce as terrorist violence.
Syrian anti-aircraft fire shot down an Israeli fighter jet on Saturday and Israel struck an Iranian target that had launched an unmanned aircraft into its airspace from Syria, the Israeli military said, Reuters reports.

IDF (Israel Defence Forces) has targeted the Iranian control systems in Syria that sent the #UAV into Israeli airspace. Massive Syrian Anti-Air fire, one F16 crashed in Israel, pilots safe, Israeli military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus said on Twitter.

Israeli media said the jet crashed in northern Israel.
Unverified reports have surfaced claiming that China may be in the process of acquiring land in Pakistan to build its second-ever military base outside of its sovereign territory. Beijing has denied that they have any such plans, Sputnik reported.

The Washington Times reported that Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) officers met with their Pakistani counterparts to finalize plans for the base. It is to be located in Jiwani, a port town in southwest Pakistan that is about 50 miles west of the port city of Gwadar.

The reports further indicate that starting in July, China would begin to expand Jiwani's airport to handle large military aircraft. Large-scale construction activity might disrupt the local population, however, which could wrap China up in the ongoing Balochistan insurgency. The province is host to numerous separatist groups who have engaged in a low-level insurgency since 2012.

Beijing already maintains a maritime presence in Gwadar for both commercial and military purposes. China has made the port key to their China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a $62 billion economic initiative to modernize Pakistani infrastructure.

In an analysis of Chinese naval movements, The Diplomat suggested that Beijing was intent on preventing a naval blockade from damaging their economy by opening a variety of shipping lanes.

On Pakistan's part, their increased pivot to the Chinese camp may be a response to freezing relations with the US. After US President Donald Trump loudly accused Pakistan of harboring terrorists and militant groups, Islamabad accused Washington of "abandoning" them.

hina denied the reports as "unnecessary" and said it had no plans to build such a base.

China formally opened their first overseas base in August 2017, a naval base at the Port of Doraleh in the East African nation of Djibouti. France, Italy, Japan and the US have all similarly taken advantage of Djibouti's political stability and strategic location to set up permanent military encampments in the tiny country.

China has also secured a 99-year lease to the Hambantota port in Sri Lanka. In July, a Chinese state consortium purchased a controlling interest in the deep-water port currently under construction. However, Colombo promised India that they would not allow China to militarize the base and it would solely be used for commercial purposes.

"Going back a decade, a lot of Indian strategists were concerned about and publicly complaining about the possibility China would build a string-of-pearls of port facilities and logistics facilities along the Indian Ocean rim and those concerns were sort of downplayed at the time," said Jeff Smith, a research fellow for South Asia at the Heritage Foundation, during a House Foreign Relations hearing on Pakistan.

"But I think they may have just come a decade too early, because what we have seen in recent years is that China does have plans for military facilities and installations."
Four men were wounded early on Friday when a motorcyclist opened fire on a coffee shop in an outlying neighborhood of the Tuscan city of Pisa after an argument, Xinhua reported referring Italian media.

Police are searching for the attacker, a 21-year-old Italian with a rap sheet for robbery who lives with his mother not far from the site of the shooting, according to RAI public broadcaster.

The shooter named as Patrizio Iacono has a criminal record for robbery and "other property crimes", according to Sky TG24 private broadcaster.

"The man could still be armed and is being sought by police and Carabinieri (military police), who are searching the city inch by inch," Sky TG24 reported.

The shooter targeted the crowded coffee shop after clients there reprimanded him for doing noisy "wheelies" on his motorcycle on the street outside the premises, according to local paper Il Tirreno.

Eyewitnesses told Il Tirreno that Iacono initially left on his motorcycle, then returned with a gun and started shooting.

The paper said none of the wounded men, all of them in their early 30s to early 40s, suffered life-threatening injuries.

They include three Italians who were shot in the legs and one Tunisian who was shot in the arm, Il Tirreno reported.

One coffee shop client was "saved" by a button on his jeans, which acted as a shield from the bullet, according to the paper.

Italy is still shaken from a drive-by shooting last Saturday in the southern city of Macerata, where an Italian rightwing extremist opened fire on African people on the streets in broad daylight to "avenge" the death of an Italian woman, in which a Nigerian immigrant is being held as a suspect.
Narendra Modi has arrived in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah on a landmark visit - the first ever by an Indian prime minister - that Palestinian leaders have hailed as "historic", Al Jazeera reports.

After holding talks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Prime Minister Modi said India hoped to see an independent Palestinian state through dialogue.

Earlier he met Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah and visited the Yasser Arafat Museum where he laid a wreath.

In a Twitter post on Friday, Modi noted looking forward to "reaffirming our support for the Palestinian people and the development of Palestine".

The official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that the two leaders will discuss means of enhancing "bilateral relations", and are set to sign a memorandum of understanding.
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu is to pay an official visit to Kuwait from Feb. 12 until Feb 14, according to Anadolu.

Cavusoglu is expected to attend the International Counter-Daesh Coalition Foreign Ministers Meeting on Feb. 13 and the International Conference for Reconstruction of Iraq on Feb. 14, said a statement by the ministry on Friday.

He is to address to the Coalition Foreign Ministers Meeting and the Iraq Reconstruction Conference, also conduct bilateral meetings on the sidelines of these two events.

"At the Coalition Foreign Ministers Meeting, Turkeys counterterrorism contributions and its expectations from the international community in the fight against Daesh, PKK/PYD and other terrorist organizations will be emphasized. At the International Conference for Reconstruction of Iraq, the efforts that Turkey has so far made for the stability and prosperity of Iraq and the steps it further envisages will be highlighted," said the statement.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 10

Trend:

Turkish Armed Forces are bombing the positions of PYD/YPG, PKK and IS ("Islamic State") terrorists in Afrin, Turkish media reports.

Operations are conducted both from the air and from the ground. Turkish fighters and tanks take part in the operation.

On Jan. 20, the Turkish Armed Forces, together with the Free Syrian Army, launched the Operation Olive Branch in Afrin, Syria.
KYODO NEWS - Feb 10, 2018 - 08:00 | Feature, All

Day care centers in Japan's metropolitan areas have begun introducing sensors to monitor sleeping infants and prevent sudden deaths amid a serious staff shortage.

The use of information and communication technology is intended to help caregivers detect abnormalities early and reduce the psychological pressure of constantly checking the breathing and sleeping posture of children.

In 2016, there were 13 cases of children dying at nursery schools in Japan, of which 10 occurred during their sleep, according to the Cabinet Office.

The health ministry data also show Japan has roughly 100 cases every year of sudden infant death syndrome -- or unexplained death usually during sleep -- of a seemingly healthy baby less than a year old.

Although the cause of such deaths is unknown, the ministry urges caregivers to make sure children sleep on their back to lower the risk of death.

"It is helpful that (a device) accurately takes a record every five minutes," Misako Higuchi, head of a Global Kids nursery school in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward, said in January.

A tablet device held by one of the school's staff members showed the posture of each child taking a nap at the facility with arrows indicating whether the child was "face up" or "on (his or her) side."

The day care center is taking part in an ICT experiment at nursery schools organized by a study group involving the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

Once attached to children's inner shirts, the round, flat sensors measuring about 4 centimeters in diameter will monitor their body movements while asleep and the tablets will alert caregivers if a child stops breathing or starts sleeping face down.

There are other types of sensors, including one that can be placed underneath bed sheets.

At the Global Kids nursery school in Shinjuku, staff members check and record the breathing and posture of the children every five minutes with or without sensors.

"It provides us with reassurance to know the machine is supporting us," said Higuchi. "Although we will not reduce the number of times our staff check the children, (the sensors) give us some relief psychologically."

The facility operator said it will consider whether to introduce the monitoring system after receiving feedback from its staff.

Some local governments are also promoting ICT introduction at nursery schools through subsidies. The Tokyo government decided last September to shoulder up to 1 million yen ($9,090) per facility for the purchase of sensors and other related devices.

The decision came after a 1-year-old boy died at a nursery school in Tokyo's Chuo Ward in March 2016 after staff failed to check on him for at least 50 minutes.

The parents of the boy have since urged nursery schools to try and make sure children sleep on their back.

"We have received a very large number of applications, although we are yet to finalize the total," said the Tokyo metropolitan government official in charge of the subsidy program.

Separately, Tokyo's Adachi Ward and the city of Kawaguchi in neighboring Saitama Prefecture are financially assisting the introduction of the monitoring system, while the health ministry has earmarked 310 million yen in the fiscal 2017 extra budget to help support the purchase of equipment to prevent accidents.

The government has been pushing ICT introduction at day care centers to reduce the amount of handwritten notes. Caregivers currently record and keep track of each child's attendance and communicate with their parents on how the children spent time at the nursery schools using notebooks.

By streamlining tasks through ICT, the government aims to alleviate the caregivers' workload in the hope it has a knock-on effect of increasing the capacity of the facilities, which in turn will allow more women to return to the workforce in a country struggling with labor shortage.

Many qualified nursery school teachers in Japan have left the industry due to the heavy workload and low wages that they believe do not match their responsibilities.

The average monthly wage of a nursery school worker was 216,000 yen, some 90,000 yen less than the average of all industries, according to a 2016 survey by the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry. The central and local governments have taken steps to narrow the wage gap.

Still, some nursery school staff members say ICT devices are not a panacea. "Sensors cannot fix the posture of children. Only humans can respond to various situations by looking at their faces," a caregiver said.

"The sensors merely play a supplementary role. Basically it is necessary to check (the situation) with human eyes," said a welfare ministry official.
KYODO NEWS - Feb 10, 2018 - 19:44 | World, All

Progress in communication between North and South Korea on Saturday prompted concern in the Japanese government that Seoul may rush into dialogue with the North at the expense of the pressure campaign espoused by Japan and the United States.

"South Korea might run off ahead on a course of dialogue," a senior Foreign Ministry official said in the wake of talks in Seoul between South Korean President Moon Jae In and a high-level North Korean delegation sent to attend the opening ceremony of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics the day prior.

The delegation gave Moon a letter from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inviting him to visit the North, a day after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he and Moon had affirmed their shared stance of maximizing pressure on Pyongyang until it scraps its nuclear program.

Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera told reporters in Saga Prefecture, southwestern Japan, that dialogue between the two Koreas must be "based on the premise that North Korea will change its basic nuclear and missile policies."

Officials in Tokyo suspect North Korea is trying to chip away at the united front of the United States and its East Asian allies as international sanctions bite the hermit country. Japan's focus is now likely to be on fortifying trilateral cohesion with South Korea and the United States.

The Abe administration is in favor of maintaining the diplomatic and economic pressure campaign regardless of the thaw between the two Koreas over the Olympics, arguing that yielding to dialogue on North Korea's terms would mean effectively accepting it as a nuclear power.

"North Korea seems to have no intention of abandoning its nuclear (program)," a Japanese government official said.

While Tokyo has not condemned recent talks between the two Koreas insofar as they concern participation in the Pyeongchang Games, it has also warned against North Korea's "smile diplomacy."

North Korea's overtures to the South have included sending as part of its delegation Kim Yo Jong, the current leader's younger sister, who is thought to be one of his closest aides.

"It's clear to see that Kim Jong Un's agenda is to get a dialogue offensive under way," a Japanese government source said.

"By sending the sister to South Korea and seeking a visit by the president, North Korea is probably trying to give the impression that it's taking the lead on dialogue," another source close to the government said.

According to a diplomatic source, some in the Abe administration "would not oppose the very idea of talks" between Moon and Kim "if they would entail (Moon) pressing North Korea to denuclearize."

But most, a source close to the prime minister's office said, feel that "dialogue is meaningless unless North Korea says it will abandon nuclear weapons in a verifiable and irreversible manner."
By Ko Shu-ling, KYODO NEWS - Feb 10, 2018 - 21:14 | World, Urgent

Three more bodies were retrieved Saturday from a building that collapsed in this week's 6.4 magnitude quake that struck eastern Taiwan, raising the death toll to 15.

The bodies of a man, woman and boy were found in a hotel that occupied the lower floors of the 12-story building in Hualien city. They are believed to be members of a Chinese family of five that was staying at the Beauty Inn.

Nearly all the fatalities occurred at the inn, which occupied the first to third floors of the Yun Men Tsui Ti building, a large commercial-residential complex now leaning at a steep angle.

The bodies of two people identified as a Canadian couple of Hong Kong origin, as well as four Chinese, two Taiwanese and a Filipino, all tourists, were earlier recovered.

Three Taiwanese died elsewhere in the city, including an employee of the Marshal Hotel who was killed when the bottom level of the 11-story building caved in.

The powerful quake, which struck around 11:50 p.m. Tuesday roughly 18 kilometers northeast of Hualien, left two other buildings collapsed.

Nine Japanese are among the 272 injured but their injuries are not life threatening, according to the Taiwan Foreign Ministry.

While power has been fully restored, about 6,600 families are still left without fresh water.

More than 290 aftershocks, many of them strong, have been recorded since Tuesday's main quake.

Situated at the convergence of two major tectonic plates on the western Pacific Rim, Taiwan is prone to seismic activity.

On the same day in 2016, a magnitude 6.6 quake hit the southern city of Tainan in the predawn hours, killing 117 people, including 115 from the collapse of a 16-story apartment building in the downtown area.

A magnitude 7.7 temblor hit the central county of Nantou in September 1999, killing more than 2,400 people.

Japan was the first country to dispatch a team to help with relief. The team of experts who brought advanced equipment arrived on the scene Thursday afternoon to assist in the search and rescue mission. They left at around noon Saturday.

In addition to sending a team of experts, Japan has raised more than 80 million yen (about $735,000) from individual donors on Yahoo! Japan.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who wrote an open letter to President Tsai Ing-wen on Thursday to express words of sympathy, tweeted on Friday, "Dear friends in Taiwan, Japan now stands with you."

However, the move angered Beijing, which lodged stern representations with the Japanese government over what it called Japan's violation of the "one China" principle by addressing Tsai as "president" in the letter.

Despite China's displeasure, Tsai on Saturday thanked Japan for its speedy assistance, which she said reflected the friendship and values commonly cherished by Taiwan and Japan.

Other countries are also assisting the relief efforts in different forms. Singapore sent a military plane to provide relief materials such as tents and medical supplies.

China's Red Cross has pledged NT$4.6 million (about $157,000) in emergency funds, while the central government's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits and its coastal province of Fujian, which lies just across the Taiwan Strait, have each pledged equivalent amounts.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The remote forests of Africa's Congo Basin have long been a blind spot for scientists working to understand how Earth's natural cycles respond to the environmentally unique characteristics of different regions.

Now, two Florida State University researchers are part of a global team of scientists revealing the unexpected role that large-scale fires and high nitrogen deposition play in the ecology and biogeochemistry of these lush Central African forests.

Their findings, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could signal a fundamentally new understanding of these forests' structure, functioning and biodiversity.

"We have been working in the Congo Basin for a decade and discoveries like this provide novel insights into how our planet works and remind us how much we still have to understand about the world around us," said Rob Spencer, associate professor in the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science.

In collaboration with their Belgian and Congolese colleagues, FSU scientists conducted extensive field research throughout the densely forested Congo Basin -- a region whose inaccessibility and political turmoil has rendered it critically understudied and data poor.

Samples collected during the fieldwork were processed using an ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometer housed at the FSU-headquartered National High Magnetic Field Laboratory. This sophisticated analytical tool provides detailed molecular signatures of the organic material in a given sample.

Researchers were particularly interested in sifting through the samples for a group of fire-derived compounds called condensed aromatics, which indicate the role of fire as a source of organic material.

"Sure enough, we found that the fire-derived condensed aromatics were connected to the high levels of nitrogen in the samples," said FSU doctoral candidate Travis Drake, a co-author of the study. "The atmospheric modeling already suggested that these elevated depositions of nitrogen were linked to fire, but now we had some molecular evidence to back it up."

The forests of the Congo Basin are bordered on their northern and southern sides by vast mosaics of dry savannas and grasslands. When fires ignite in these drier regions as a result of slash-and-burn agriculture or natural causes like lightning, massive tracts of biomass go up in smoke. Much of the organic nitrogen from those fires, researchers have now found, is swept up into the atmosphere and deposited on the forests.

In tropical ecosystems like the Congolese forests, nitrogen can often act as a limiting nutrient -- a naturally occurring element whose scarcity may curb biological growth. When surpluses of a limiting nutrient are pumped into an ecosystem, it can stimulate and accelerate growth in a selection of enterprising species.

On its face, this process may seem harmless. But, Drake said, nutrient saturation can actually have the effect of curtailing biodiversity.

"Each organism in an ecosystem specializes and tries to find its small place in the cascade of nutrients," Drake said. "But if the forest is being flooded with nutrients, certain plants and organisms will benefit much more than others, and that can lead to less biodiversity."

Drake said these findings raise a major question about the ecology of the Congo forests: If these high rates of nitrogen deposition have been going on for hundreds, thousands or tens of thousands of years, how might that have affected the forests' long-term growth and development?

"There are some amazing ecological differences between the Congo forest and other rainforests like the Amazon," he said. "The Amazon doesn't have the expansive, arid savannas or the significant fire inputs that are found in the Congo, and there is far less biodiversity in the Congo than in the Amazon. If fires have been plowing the atmosphere with nitrogen for years, it's possible the Congo may just be an extremely over-fertilized forest."

In the past, little research had been conducted on the ecology and biogeochemistry of the Congo forests. In fact, in many cases, models of the region relied on decades old data, speculation or rates crudely grafted from other rainforests around the world.

Now, scientists are working with a renewed appreciation of Central Africa's unique ecological characteristics. Drake said these most recent findings help to signal a new age of research in the forests of the Congo Basin.

"People are now seeing the Congo as an important hotbed for research," he said. "It's an encouraging time to be a scientist working in the Congo."

###

National High Magnetic Field Laboratory researchers Phoebe Zito and David Podgorski also contributed to this research, as well as Marijn Bauters, Hans Verbeeck, Samuel Bode, Pedro Herve-Fernandez and Pascal Boeckx from Ghent University; Faustin Boyemba and Isaac Makelele from the Universite de Kisangani; and Landry Cizungu Ntaboba from the Universite Catholique de Bukavu. The research was supported by the Belgian Development Cooperation, the National Science Foundation and the Winchester Foundation.
Modernization

Challenges facing the new CIO

Suzette Kent faces a range of challenges in her role as federal CIO.

Like its predecessors, the Trump administration arrived in Washington with ambitions of reorganizing, reinventing and modernizing government.

Within the first four months of its tenure, the Trump White House established two offices to do so -- the Office of American Innovation, headed by the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner, and the American Technology Council, led by former Microsoft executive Chris Liddell -- seemingly giving cybersecurity and technology a prominent place in government management.

However, White House went an entire year without a presidentially appointed federal CIO, a key point person to execute on IT management goals. Acting CIO Margie Graves, who served as deputy to the Obama administration CIO Tony Scott, held the fort until Suzette Kent's appointment in late January.

Matt Lira, a presidential advisor on tech issues and a leader in the Office of American Innovation, told FCW that coordination across agencies and offices is "one of the opportunities that exists for the office of the federal CIO."

Lira said the addition of a permanent federal CIO presents an opportunity to help these groups carry out modernization goals -- not a potential conflict or redundancy.

"We're strong believers, this administration, in the office of the federal CIO and  supportive of CIOs in general, across government," Lira said. "This is a role we believe in, and we want to help validate it as a strong leader in this space and also even strengthen it going forward."

Kent's resume includes executive stints at Accenture, JPMorgan and most recently Ernst and Young. Notably absent is any CIO or government experience.

"To me, the biggest thing  anybody from private industry coming into federal service has to get a handle on and understand [is the] budget process," said Karen Evans, who served as the federal CIO -- then called the administrator of the Office of Electronic Government -- under the George W. Bush administration.

"Getting a handle on that and being able to use all the levers is what's important," she continued. "You have a bunch of tools in your quiver, but you got to be able to know how to use them."

"That's a hell of a learning curve," said Steve Cooper, a longtime private- and public-sector CIO, whose federal experience includes service at the Departments of Homeland Security and Commerce.

Kent, who did not respond to FCW's interview request, may not be afforded much time to adjust. As soon as she steps into the office, Kent faces a host of pressing tech, management and policy challenges.

Former Federal CIO Tony Scott said that implementation of the Modernizing Government Technology Act is the biggest priority facing Kent.

"That's probably first and foremost on everyone's mind, including the agencies," he said.

Agencies are also faced with ballooning costs of maintaining legacy systems and concerns about cyber threats without adequate money to defend against them.

In addition to the cybersecurity executive order signed in May 2017, agencies also have to tackle the priorities laid out by the Office of Management and Budget's final Report to the President on Federal IT Modernization. The wide-ranging plan directs agencies to work on shared services, Trusted Internet Connection policies, the security of high-value assets, acquisition of network services and cloud migration throughout 2018.

Cooper said that from his experience, "an agency CIO really does want to do and follow the policy guidance set by OMB. But that comes with no funding, which means you've got to find the money in your own budget -- that's never easy to do."

Insufficient collaboration between OMB and agencies "is the thing that drove me up a wall the most," Cooper added. "No money and no practical understanding of OMB of the impact of the policy they just sent out."

Evans said the crux of the federal CIO role is making sure agencies have those resources and oversight they need and generally building relationships to serve as agencies' "conduit directly back in to the White House."

"The White House doesn't do the work," she said. "The agencies do the work, so it's about establishing a good working relationship" with deputy secretaries and agency-level IT staff.

Evans added that especially because a lot of the agency-level CIOs are either new in their roles or acting, "if you listen to career staff down lower in the ranks, they usually have a lot of the answers for the problems you're trying to solve."

At the agency level, the Trump administration has proposed significant budget and staffing cuts to government's civilian side and has been historically slow on filling politically appointed positions, with many CIO positions remain occupied by acting personnel.

With the persisting vacancies in appointed positions across government, Scott said, "one of the key roles" for Kent will be "to help recruit agency CIOs into those slots that are now vacant."

"It's hard to get a lot of things done if you've got those positions being vacant at the end of the day," he added.

And for the CIO to be successful, the position has to have support from the top levels of government.

Lira emphasized Kent enjoys that level of support, pointing out that OMB Director Mick Mulvaney and the OMB team "were the lead" on her selection.

Alex Howard, deputy director of the Sunlight Foundation, said there's reason to wonder how high a priority using technology to change the way government operates truly is. He noted the length of time it took to appoint Kent and the understaffing and sidelining of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

"What I'm looking for," Howard said, "is, does she talk about what's done before, what was done well, what's she going to do that's in line with the current strategies and circulars and existing policies and procedures, and what's she going to do differently in terms of addressing systemic problems" that have plagued past large-scale modernization projects.

An additional wrinkle will be how a CIO carves out a role in an administration that plans to lean on more private sector involvement and has set up multiple offices to perform similar functions.

While Scott expressed confidence in Kent's ability to adapt to her new role, he noted the general urgency facing government -- and the federal CIO.

"This is a transformative time," Scott said. "I think we can't waste any time in upgrading and modernizing the federal government."
Infrastructure

How NTIA is trying to push 5G

The federal government is a critical partner for the wireless industry's expansion of next-generation 5G wireless services, a senior leader at the federal agency charged with managing civilian spectrum resources stressed in recent remarks.

"We must do everything we can to encourage infrastructure development," said David Redl, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's assistant secretary for communications and information and administrator, in a Feb. 6 speech.

Redl was confirmed at NTIA's head last November.

His remarks followed a late-January kerfuffle over a leaked draft of a plan to nationalize commercial 5G networks because of security concerns. The White House quickly distanced itself from the presentation, however, and the official who authored the memo, Air Force Brig. Gen. Robert Spalding, has since exited the National Security Council..

Redl, in his Feb. 6 remarks at a broadband, media and Internet conference, said the federal government's role in 5G networks should be opening up more spectrum and facilitating infrastructure construction, including making it easier to place such infrastructure on federal land.

NTIA, he said, is "working with industry to help remove obstacles to deploying the network infrastructure that's needed for 5G to flourish." As the largest landowner in the country, the federal government can be a critical resource for companies looking to expand broadband services, especially into rural areas, Redl said.

Among those obstacles is a patchwork of federal permitting, siting and regulations that should be streamlined, Redl said. Those obstacles, he said, stand in the way of the build-out of backhaul connections as well as infrastructure that would support the small cells on which 5G will rely, such as poles, streetlights, rooftops and other structures.

An integral part of that streamlining, according to Redl, rests on an Executive Order and Presidential Memorandum issued by the White House in January supporting broadband tower facilities on federal properties.

The executive order calls for the continued implementation of the provisions in the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012. That law requires the General Services Administration to develop a common master contract for wireless facility siting on buildings and other federally owned property.

The order said those common contracts would allow the government to more efficiently process wireless facility siting requests and provide more predictability for site availability to broadband providers. It gave GSA 180 days to evaluate the effectiveness of the Common Form Application with federal property managers and to report back.
SAN FRANCISCO  No more Wall Street references. No more Alsup-isms. No more marching hordes of lawyers filing into 450 Golden Gate before sunrise each morning. What will we all do with ourselves now that Waymo v. Uber is over? It was definitely the trade secret trial of the century, said Robert Milligan, Los Angeles-based co-chair of Seyfarth Shaws trade secrets, computer fraud and noncompetes practice group who was watching the trial from afar. Just for the prurient interest Im sad to see it go away, he added. Milligan was far from alone among lawyers in the labor and employment and intellectual property bars that The Recorder reached out to in the wake of Friday mornings settlement news. The parties announced that theyd reached an agreement to settle the case early Friday morning in U.S. District Judge William Alsup of the Northern District of Californias courtroom. As part of the deal, Waymo received a 0.34 percent equity stake in Uber Technologies Inc., or about $245 million based on a $72 billion valuation of the ride-sharing giant. Perhaps more valuably, Waymo got assurances that Uber will not incorporate any of Waymos confidential information into its hardware and software. Now that the case itself is, as Alsup said Friday morning, ancient history, here are three things for lawyers to take away from the whole saga. Trade Secrets Are the New Black The details might not be quite as dramatic as they were in Waymo v. Uber, but lawyers expect trade secrets to continue to be a fertile source for litigation. Milligan said that in regards to high-level employees, the lesson for employers is simple: You have to read them the riot act as far as not bringing over any of their former employers data. Milligan said that goes double for high-level engineers, who tend to have an ownership psyche and may regard know-how that they carry in their brains as fair game, even when it's likely to be trade secret-worthy. Typically that know-how belongs to the former employer rightly or wrongly. Thats where you have to be even more carefulparticularly where there are strong personalities and strong emotions involved, Milligan said. Digitial Fingerprints Are Everywhere The digital age has made it easier than ever for an employee to walk out the door with massive amounts of data, as former Google engineer Anthony Levandowski is alleged to have done with 14,000 company files related to driver-less car technology. Even though Levandowski stayed mum, asserting his Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate himself in the case, the digital breadcrumbs left in his hardware allowed Waymos lawyers at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan to lay out a compelling case. Everything has a digital footprint, said Santa Monica-based employment lawyer Daniel Handman of Hirschfeld Kraemer. [Technology companies] know when their things have been taken, accessed, stolen better than anyone else. "Its not like the good ole things where you just stuff something in a briefcase," he said. Jason Geller, a management-side employment lawyer at Fisher & Phillips in San Francisco, said that even with the modern ways of tracking company data, it's important for companies to take stock of exiting employees through thorough interviews. He said its also a good practice to get written representations from departing employees that they arent taking any company data or trade secrets with them. For employees, Seyfarth Shaws Milligan said the lessons of the case are simple: Never ever take the data and if you do take the data make sure you have something in writing that says its OK. What Becomes of Anthony Levandowski? Well have to wait and see. His lawyers at Ramsey & Ehrlich didnt respond to an email seeking comment Friday. But since Alsup referred the case to the U.S. Attorneys Office last year, Levandowski has lost his job and, according to testimony from his Otto co-founder at trial, the driver-less car company he left behind at Uber has missed out on all kinds of milestone-based payouts. The U.S. Attorneys Office acknowledged that its criminal investigation was ongoing earlier this year in a letter to Alsup. Just if and when federal prosecutors might move to press charges against Levandowski is unclear. I always thought that part of the problem when youre dealing with these types of cases is being able to separate what is criminal and what is civil between sophisticated players in the industry, said former federal prosecutor Jeffrey Bornstein, now at Rosen Bien Galvan & Grunfeld. It wouldnt surprise [me] if in these circumstances, [prosecutors] say theres no need for us to get involved, which in many ways is the right decision. Since Waymo v. Uber didnt make it to the jury, no trier of fact has determined that the trade secrets Levandowski is allege to have taken were actually protectable. But Seyfarths Milligan points out prosecutors did get the benefit of seeing the evidence that came in at the civil trial and will be able to rely on the assessments of some of the experts for both sides in the case before they take action. Said Milligan, I think the key thing to keep in mind is the government will decide to do with the criminal case regardless of what the parties decide to do in the civil case.
amazon

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Amazon will launch a package-delivery service called Shipping with Amazon, or SWA, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The service is designed to compete directly with UPS and FedEx.

SWA is expected to roll out in Los Angeles over the next few weeks, then spread to other cities in the US during the year.



Amazon is planning to debut a package-delivery service for businesses that's designed to compete directly with FedEx and UPS, according to a new report.

The Wall Street Journal's Laura Stevens reported Friday that the e-commerce giant would roll out the service, called Shipping with Amazon, or SWA, in Los Angeles over the next few weeks. The service is expected to then spread to other cities around the US during the year.

The company would send SWA drivers directly to retailers and warehouses to pick up parcels, cutting out other delivery services. Amazon would then take the packages directly to consumers in the 37 cities where it currently delivers, according to the report.

The plan is to start with registered third-party Amazon vendors to undercut the costs of the other delivery giants.

The move expands Amazon's recent push into logistics and delivery, following the company's leasing of aircraft and ocean freight equipment.

The company has also been pushing into new avenues of business, including the acquisition of the grocery chain Whole Foods last summer and a recently announced joint healthcare venture with JPMorgan and Berkshire Hathaway.

In response to the news, UPS's stock declined about 6.5% in premarket trading, while FedEx's stock fell by just over 5%. Amazon shares were little changed.

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To convince journalists about the audio quality of its new HomePod smart speaker (heres my review), Apple did something smart: Before we were given our review units, we were required to attend a listening session. Mine was held in Apples New York City public-relations loft, a mockup of an apartment.

Four speakers were on a counter against a wall: Sonos One ($200), Google Home Max ($400), the HomePod ($350), and the Amazon Echo Plus ($150).

The PR person could switch playback from one speaker to the other without missing a beat. They even had a halo light rigged to turn on behind whichever speaker was playing, so youd know which was which.

There was not a shred of doubt: In this side-by-side comparison, the HomePod sounded better than its competitors.

Most of the reviews, including mine, said the same thing: that the HomePod isnt as smart as the other smart speakers (among other problems, its voice control is limited to iTunes and Apple Music  no Spotify), but that it sounds amazing.

What Hi-Fi (a British audiophile site): The HomePod is the best-sounding smart speaker availableand by quite a margin.

Pocket-Lint (tech site): The best sounding speaker of its type.

The Verge: It sounds far better than any other speaker in its price range.

Tech Crunch: HomePod is easily the best sounding mainstream smart speaker ever. Its got better separation and bass response than anything else in its size.

Still, when I tweeted about the test, a couple of people were suspicious of the setup, which of course was entirely controlled by Apple. What was the source material? What was the wireless setup?

An Apple rep told me that the test songs were streaming from a server in the next room (a Mac). But each speaker was connected to it differently: by Bluetooth (Amazon Echo), Ethernet (Sonos), input miniplug (Google Home), and AirPlay (HomePod), which is Apples Wi-Fi-based transmission system.

Since the setup wasnt identical, I wondered if it was a perfectly fair test. (Bluetooth, for example, may degrade (compress) the music its transmitting, depending on the source and the equipment.)

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So I decided to set up my own test at home.

The setup

I hid the four speakers behind a curtain  a sheet of thin, sheer fabric that wouldnt affect the sound. It took me a Sunday to figure out how to get the A/B/C/D switching to work seamlessly, but I finally managed it: All four speakers would be streaming from Spotify, all four over Wi-Fi. Id use the Spotify apps device switcher to hop among speakers without missing a beat.

The speakers hidden.

I chose five songs, each with different styles, instrumentation, and sonic demands:

Star Wars: Imperial March. Full orchestra, full volume, full of brass.

Havana (Camila Cabello). Current pop hit. Distinct bass, drums, piano, and voice. Lots of rhythm.

Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major. All strings, full range of pitches and dynamics.

Hallelujah (Pentatonix). A cappella ballad, five voices, very exposed and close to the mikes.

Helpless (from Hamilton). Broadway pit band, pop sound, female harmonies.

In these kinds of tests, volume matching is incredibly important, for a couple of reasons. As Toms Hardware puts it: First, if sources are at different levels, theyre easy to tell apart. From there, the test is no longer blind. Second, us humans tend to prefer (all other factors being equal) louder sources.

For my dress rehearsal the night before, I volume matched them as best I could by ear.

The panelists at the dress rehearsal were my wife Nicki and my friend Mike, a professional guitarist who spent years as an audio technician for big-name touring bands.

I gave each panelist a score sheet, with room for notes, and asked them to rank the four speakers, 1 through 4, after each listening test. I sat at the laptop to control the tests; I played the same section of each song for about 20 seconds on each speaker. Panelists were free to ask for re-plays, or to hear any speaker again, or to hear two speakers in a different succession.

At the end of the rehearsal, I asked the listeners to choose a winner, based on how many first-place finishes theyd marked down. Both Nicki and Mike declared the HomePod to have the best sound, hands down.

The test

The next day, the Yahoo film crew arrived. Our sound recordist, Dave, used level meters to help me volume-match the speakers more precisely.

My five panelists included Darwin, a professional violinist who spends a lot of time listening to recordings on nice gear; Julie, an entrepreneur and homeowner who is precisely the target market for these speakers; Dana and Tori, high-schoolers who havent yet begun to lose their ability to hear high frequencies; and Rob, a sound technician for Yahoo.

I didnt tell them which speakers would be involved. I said only that there were four of them behind the curtain, and Id refer to them as speakers A through D.

I handed out their score sheets and began the test. Five songs, 20 seconds each, free replays when requested. For each song, I played the speakers in a different order (A to D sometimes, D to A sometimes).

The results

Of course, I knew what the results would be. Id heard them myself in the Apple demo; Id read the other reviews; and Id done the dress rehearsal the night before. Every time, the HomePod won the match easily.

At the end of my own listening test, then, I handed out signs that said A, B, C, and D, and asked the panelists to hold up their winners signs on the count of three. I knew what they would say: B, B, B, B, and B (that was the HomePods letter).

Thats not what happened.

They held up their signs. Two of them ranked the Google Home Max (D) as the best. Three of them ranked the Sonos One (A) the best.

Nobody ranked the HomePod the best.

The speakers revealed.

The explanation

I actually have no great explanation for this outcome. Most of the panelists had ranked the HomePod (B) as first on some of the songs  just not most of the songs.

Rob: For me, A, the Sonos, consistently had the most robust sound of all of them.

Tori: The Sonos won two of them for me. B [HomePod] won the Star Wars.

Dana: B [HomePod] won one of mine. I felt like A [Sonos], a lot of times, sounded a lot more sharp.

Julie: I picked between B and D [HomePod and Google Home Max] as being the two best. B and D were pretty clear. And C [the Amazon Echo] came in consistently last for me.

Darwin: I actually found A [the Sonos] to be the one that I hated the most. B [HomePod] did win one for me. It won Havana, because it had a better low end. But I generally picked D [Google Home Max], because it had a clearer, nicer range. As a classical person, I definitely would go with D. But if I were listening to more pop stuff, I could see where A [Sonos] could win.

So what are we to make of this? Why did none of my panelists rank HomePod a solid No. 1, when most critics all do (and so do I)?

Was something wrong with my setup? Well, no, because the night before, using the same setup, Nicki and Mike both ranked the HomePod No. 1.

Here are my theories:

Different music is different. My panelists all conceded that there was some variation depending on the material. Honestly, they were pretty on par, Rob said. I dont know that one stood out that much more than the other. It was much different with different music, Darwin added. It varied a lot for me, depending on the song, Tori agreed.

Different people are different. I said that most professional critics ranked HomePod as No. 1, but not all of them. Buzzfeeds critic Nicole Nguyen, for example, concluded: Ultimately, none of this is a hard science, and audio preferences are highly subjective. Reactions to its audio quality from the four people who listened to it for this review.. were mixed. The HomePod outperformed other speakers in some situations and not others. And the Wall Street Journals Joanna Stern wrote, The HomePods bass is impressive for the size of the speaker, but in many songs, its far too front-and-center in the mix.

Nobody else did blind tests. As far as I can tell, none of the other critics who declared HomePod No. 1 actually set up their own blind A/B/C/D tests. Maybe their conclusions wouldnt have been so emphatic if they had.

Apples setup was different. Remember, Apples four speakers were each connected to the source material differently: Two wired, one over Wi-Fi, one over Bluetooth. Maybe that wasnt an even playing field  and for sure, it wasnt a real-world playing field. Most people, most of the time, just connect these speakers to their Wi-Fi networks and stream music from an online service.

What I can say for sure is this:

To my ears, the Apple HomePod generally sounds better than any other smart speakerbut only somewhat, and only in direct A/B/C/D tests. If you listened to the HomePod, Sonos, and Google Home an hour apart, youd never be able to declare one a clear winner. (Everyone agrees that the Amazon Echo Plus is the loser in this roundup, but then again, its $150 and the size of a Pringles can; its not a fair fight.)

You can get two Sonos Ones for the price of a single Apple HomePod. You can use them as a stereo pair, or put them in different rooms and control them by voice. And you can have your choice of 42 music services (Spotify, Pandora, TuneIn, etc.)  not just Apple Music. And you can use all of Amazons Alexa voice commands (and, soon, Googles commands and even Siris commands!), meaning you can control a vastly larger range of smart-home devices than the HomePod can.

Everybodys different.

Music gear (and listening tests) are famously contentious; theyre probably responsible for triggering more flame wars online than abortion and gun control put together. Id love to hear your thoughts on Apples test and mine in the Comments!

David Pogue, tech columnist for Yahoo Finance, welcomes non-toxic comments in the Comments below. On the Web, hes davidpogue.com. On Twitter, hes @pogue. On email, hes poguester@yahoo.com. You can sign up to get his stuff by email, here.

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Most investors find it challenging to find companies with prospective double-digit growth rates that are also financially robust. These hidden gems also add meaningful upside to a portfolio, should the companies meet expectations. If a buoyant growth prospect is what youre after in your next investment, Ive put together a list of high-growth stocks you may be interested in, based on the latest financial data from each company.

BBI Life Sciences Corporation (SEHK:1035)

BBI Life Sciences Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, and sells various life sciences products used in scientific research in the Peoples Republic of China, North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and internationally. Established in 2013, and run by CEO Luojia Wang, the company employs 1,208 people and with the market cap of HKD HK$1.58B, it falls under the small-cap group.

1035 is expected to deliver a buoyant earnings growth over the next couple of years of 21.54%, driven by a positive double-digit revenue growth of 48.58% and cost-cutting initiatives. Profit growth, coupled with top-line expansion, is a positive indication. This is because net income isnt artificially inflated by unsustainable activities such as one-off cost-reductions expected in the future. This prospective profitability should trickle down to shareholders, with analysts expecting the company to generate a positive return on equity of 11.90%. 1035 ticks the boxes for robust growth generation on all levels of line items, which makes it an appealing stock to dig into deeper. Considering 1035 as a potential investment? I recommend researching its fundamentals here.

SEHK:1035 Future Profit Feb 10th 18

China Medical System Holdings Limited (SEHK:867)

China Medical System Holdings Limited, an investment holding company, produces medicines; and markets, promotes, and sells drugs in the Peoples Republic of China. Founded in 1995, and currently lead by Kong Lam, the company currently employs 3,600 people and has a market cap of HKD HK$39.20B, putting it in the large-cap group.

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867s projected future profit growth is a robust 17.26%, with an underlying 30.81% growth from its revenues expected over the upcoming years. It appears that 867s profitability may be sustainable as the fundamental push is top-line expansion rather than unmaintainable cost-cutting activities. This prospective profitability should trickle down to shareholders, with analysts expecting the company to generate a high double-digit return on equity of 24.05%. 867s impressive outlook on all aspects makes it a worthy company to spend more time to understand. Want to know more about 867? Check out its fundamental factors here.

SEHK:867 Future Profit Feb 10th 18

TK Group (Holdings) Limited (SEHK:2283)

TK Group (Holdings) Limited, an investment holding company, engages in the manufacture, sale, subcontracting, fabrication, and modification of molds and plastic components in the Peoples Republic of China, South East Asia, Hong Kong, Europe, the United States, Mexico, and internationally. Established in 1983, and currently lead by Kin Cheung Yung , the company size now stands at 3,427 people and with the market cap of HKD HK$4.27B, it falls under the mid-cap stocks category.

2283 is expected to deliver an extremely high earnings growth over the next couple of years of 20.23%, driven by a positive double-digit revenue growth of 33.76% and cost-cutting initiatives. It appears that 2283s profitability may be sustainable as the fundamental push is top-line expansion rather than unmaintainable cost-cutting activities. This prospective profitability should trickle down to shareholders, with analysts expecting the company to generate a high double-digit return on equity of 38.29%. 2283s impressive outlook on all aspects makes it a worthy company to spend more time to understand. A potential addition to your portfolio? Have a browse through its key fundamentals here.

SEHK:2283 Future Profit Feb 10th 18

For more financially robust companies with high growth potential to enhance your portfolio, use our free platform to explore our interactive list of these stocks.

To help readers see pass the short term volatility of the financial market, we aim to bring you a long-term focused research analysis purely driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis does not factor in the latest price sensitive company announcements.



The author is an independent contributor and at the time of publication had no position in the stocks mentioned.
FILE PHOTO: A sign on the Qualcomm campus is seen in San Diego A sign on the Qualcomm campus is seen in San Diego, California, U.S. November 6, 2017. REUTERS/Mike Blake/Files

By Sonam Rai and Muvija M

(Reuters) - Qualcomm Inc warned on Friday it could lose two large clients if it accepted chipmaker Broadcom Ltd's revised $121 billion buyout offer and said it saw "no next step" for regulatory approval of any deal.

In a statement responding to Broadcom's new offer, the smartphone chipmaker raised concerns about an unspecified break-up fee and potential antitrust issues if the deal proceeds. (http://bit.ly/2nVvbOU)

Broadcom was prepared to pay a break fee of up to $10 billion, CNBC had reported earlier this week, citing sources.

"Broadcom completely ignores the reality that in the last five years several large, complex international mergers involving multiple regulators have taken over 18 months. And at the moment, there is no "next" step," Qualcomm said.

The statement said two customers worth more than $1 billion annually in chip sales had told Qualcomm they were likely to move designs away from the company if the Broadcom deal went ahead.

"This is due to their lack of confidence in Broadcom's ability to continue to lead in technology."

Separately, Broadcom Chief Executive Hock Tan, said that while Qualcomm had proposed a meeting between the two sides, it was refusing to meet before next Tuesday.

Qualcomm proposed the meeting on Thursday to see whether the two firms can address what it called the bid's "serious deficiencies in value and certainty".

That was part of attempts to strike a balance between continued resistance to Broadcom's takeover attempt and heeding the calls of Qualcomm shareholders who have urged the company to engage with its rival in case it can clinch an attractive deal.

Qualcomm shares rose 1.2 percent to $63.17 in premarket trading.

(Reporting by Sonam Rai and Muvija M in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta and Patrick Graham)
[caption id="attachment_9633" align="alignnone" width="620"]

Rachel Brand, right, sitting next to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. March 2017. Credit: Diego M. Radzinschi [/caption] Rachel Brand, the third-in-command at the U.S. Justice Department, is leaving the agency to become head of global corporate governance at Walmart Inc. It's a perfect fit for her. She didnt seek this out, they sought her out, said Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr partner Jamie Gorelick, who earlier worked with Brand at the Washington law firm. It was something she could not turn down. Brand has served as the associate attorney general since May 2017, reporting to the deputy, Rod Rosenstein, and U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions. The New York Times first reported the news of Brand's departure. The men and women of the Department of Justice impress me every day, Brand said in a statement. I am proud of what we have been able to accomplish over my time here. I want to thank Attorney General Sessions for his leadership over this Department. Ive seen firsthand his commitment to the rule of law and to keeping the American people safe.

Brand would become a top legal officer at Walmart, a move that follows the Jan. 31 retirement of Jeffrey Gearhart. In 2012, Gearhart was promoted to head of global governance. Walmart, the world's largest retailer, had been searching internally and externally for Gearhart's successor.

Brand will oversee Walmart's legal department, in addition to ethics and compliance and global investigations.

We are fortunate to have a leader of Rachel Brands stature join the company, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said in a statement. We have strengthened our governance capabilities and Rachel will help us continue on that journey. Her strong character, capabilities and experience will enable her to contribute broadly as we shape the future of Walmart and strive to serve our customers even more effectively.

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Brand, a former Wilmer Hale partner with prior DOJ experience, joined Main Justice from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where she was chief counsel for regulatory litigation.

In a statement, Sessions called Brand a lawyers lawyer.

Rachel has shown real leadership over many important divisions at the department, Sessions said. I know the entire Department of Justice will miss her, but we join together in congratulating her on this new opportunity in the private sector. She will always remain a part of the Department of Justice family.

Brand's position at DOJ put her next in line to oversee the special counsel, Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein took over that investigation following Sessions recusal and appointed Mueller in May last year.

President Donald Trump reportedly said in recent weeks that he wanted Rosenstein removed from his post. Last week, Trump authorized the release of House Republican memo that showed Rosenstein approved a reauthorization application to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to monitor former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page. Asked by reporters after the release if Trump would fire Rosenstein, he replied "you figure that one out."

With Brand out, U.S. Solicitor General Noel Francisco would take over supervision of Mueller, according to a March 2017 executive order dictating the line of succession at DOJ. Cogan Schneier contributed reporting from Washington. Read more: Who Is Rachel Brand? What to Know About Main Justice's No. 3. Walmart on the Hunt for New Top Legal Officer, as Jeffrey Gearhart Retires From Compliance to Commitment: The Way We Work at Walmart Why Wilmer's Reginald Brown Registered to Lobby for the First Time in 10 years If Rosenstein Goes, Heres Who Takes Over the Trump-Russia Investigation Rachel Brand, Chamber Lawyer Who Challenged Agencies, Prepares to Switch Sides
The price of the digital token XRP rose 32,000% in 2017. You read that correctly: thirty-two thousand percent.

It was a staggering surge, and it happened despite the fact that many people buying up XRP dont know anything about the company behind it, Ripple. (And in the month of January 2018, XRP dropped by 60%.) Ripple, the company, owns 60% of the supply of the token XRP, which leads crypto enthusiasts to criticize XRP for not being truly decentralized, the way that bitcoin and other leading digital tokens are decentralized.

All of this has made XRP extremely controversial. At the Yahoo Finance All Markets Summit: Crypto on Feb. 7, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse addressed the controversy.

Theres a lot of FUD around all digital assets, Garlinghouse said. Thats true of XRP and thats true of bitcoin, for sure.

FUD stands for fear, uncertainty, and doubt. When news outlets run negative headlines about crypto, big bitcoin believers often accuse the media of intentionally spreading FUD.

I actually am long bitcoin, personally, Garlinghouse said. I am not a believer that bitcoin dies some terrible death. I dont think its going to solve a payments problem. XRP is 1,000 times faster and 1,000 times cheaper than a bitcoin transaction.

Ripple, the company, sells two payment products to banks. Theres xCurrent, which is software for settling cross-border payments with other banks. Garlinghouse describes it as enabling real-time messaging, real-time settlement between banks. More than 100 banking clients have signed on to use xCurrent, Garlinghouse says. The xCurrent platform does not use cryptocurrency.

And then theres xRapid, which minimizes liquidity costs for banks doing business in emerging markets, where they typically need to have pre-funded accounts in the local currency. Garlinghouse explains xRapid this way: The Bank of Andy can sell $1, buy XRP. That XRP can then be moved to an Argentinian digital asset exchange, you can sell the XRP and buy an Argentinian peso, and now you have good liquid funds in less than 10 seconds in another market.

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Only xRapid uses the cryptocurrency XRP. Four banking customers are currently testing xRapid: MoneyGram, Mercury FX, IDT, and Cuallix.

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse at the Yahoo Finance All Markets Summit: Crypto on Feb. 7, 2018. (Gino DePinto/Oath)

Garlinghouse even acknowledged, about xRapid, I talk to senior banks, people who are close to the company Ripple, theyre invested in us. And theyre like, Hey look, we love what youre doing around xCurrent not sure yet about xRapid. Thats fine. The xRapid product gives you a faster product at a lower price. Do we really not think that people are going to say, Huh, thats kind of interesting?

Considering that XRP is widely referred to simply as the token of Ripple, when in fact its only the token for Ripples less-widespread product, you can see why some believe its alarming that the value of XRP spiked so greatly at the end of 2017.

When asked about that spike, Garlinghouse said, Ill tell you the exact same thing I tell people inside the company: The price of XRP over three hours, over three days, over three weeks, or even three months, that is not success. Thats not how I measure success. I think about success over the next three to five years.

But later in the discussion, Garlinghouse clarified that he wasnt saying the price of XRP doesnt matter to him. It matters a great dealin the long term.

I try not to check the price of XRP multiple times a day. Sure, I probably check it once a day, he said. I will again point out: Ripple, the company, as the owner of 61% of the tokens today, is the most interested party in the success of the XRP ecosystem. And we will do things to invest in the success of the XRP ecosystem because thats in our best interest.



Daniel Roberts covers bitcoin and blockchain at Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter at @readDanwrite.

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The Supreme Court will hear a digital privacy case this month against Microsoft (MSFT) that could attract international attention and reignite fears that the U.S. government is harnessing tech giants to spy on the rest of the world.

The case, U.S. v. Microsoft, will determine whether the U.S. government can force tech companies to hand over customers emails even if theyre stored on foreign servers.

Foreign countries may be troubled

This conflict has captured the attention of Congress, where just this week a group of bipartisan lawmakers introduced legislation that would clarify the rules on cross-border data searches. If that legislation passes, the case against Microsoft may be rendered moot  if not, the Supreme Court will be forced to weigh in on a thorny topic that could pose negative consequences for Americas image abroad.

Foreign countries may be troubled by the idea that U.S. law enforcement can search the files of any company with a U.S. office, even if those files are located overseas, says Matthew Tokson, an associate professor at University of Utahs College of Law and an expert on digital privacy.

This is especially sensitive territory, he added, in an email to Yahoo Finance, because U.S. surveillance of foreigners for national security purposes has already caused foreign countries to be wary of U.S.-based tech companies, hurting U.S. businesses.

Or, as another associate law professor, Jennifer Daskal of American Universitys Washington College of Law, put it, Theres an ongoing concern about the scope of U.S. surveillance.

Digital privacy and a 32-year-old law

This dispute involves a 1986 law that many privacy advocates argue desperately needs updating. Under the Stored Communications Act (SCA), law enforcement officers in the U.S. can get probable causebased warrants to force service providers to hand over so-called stored electronic communications.

In 2013, the government used this then-27-year-old law as justification to obtain a warrant that would have required Microsoft to hand over information for an email account allegedly being used for drug trafficking. However, Microsoft stored the targeted emails overseas, in Ireland, so the tech giant refused to hand them over. In a Supreme Court brief, the company noted that the U.S. has never suggested that the customer is a citizen or resident of the United States.

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While a district court held Microsoft in contempt for rejecting the governments request, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit unanimously sided with the tech company on the grounds that the law doesnt specify that its warrant provisions can be applied overseas. Microsoft noted in a brief that, when Congress passed the law, it could have scarcely imagined  a world where a technician in Redmond, Washington, could access a customers private emails stored clear across the globe.

Indeed, the SCA was enacted three years before the World Wide Web was born. In the current interconnected world, companies like Microsoft often migrate email content and other data to foreign data centers close to users reported locations to reduce network latency, i.e., delays.

In asking the Supreme Court to reverse the Second Circuit decision, the U.S. government argued that its requests for those emails shouldnt count as a so-called extraterritorial application of the SCA. Thats because Microsoft would be disclosing the emails in the United States, even though its storing them abroad, the U.S. contends.

[T]he warrant requires disclosure in the United States of information the provider can access domestically with the click of a computer mouse, according to the government.

The U.S. contends these warrants serve as a valuable tool to prevent terrorist attacks as well as to investigate other serious crimes such as fraud, drug trafficking, sex trafficking and child pornography.

Tech companies step up to protect privacy

Microsoft is not the only tech company to take issue with the governments contention that it has a right to obtain warrants for overseas data that can be accessed in the U.S.

Last month, some of the nations biggest tech companies  including Amazon (AMZN), Facebook (FB), Google (GOOG, GOOGL) and Yahoo Finance parent Verizon (VZ), among others  filed an amicus brief asking the high court to side with Microsoft.

Its one of several cases where tech companies are stepping in to protect their users privacy, noted Jonathan Manes, an assistant clinical professor at the University at Buffalos School of Law and an expert on the use of emerging technologies in law enforcement and national security. Its the tech companies that are sort of holding the governments feet to the fire with respect to complying with the privacy laws that exist.

Like Microsoft, these tech companies argued that Congress never could have fathomed todays interconnected world when it enacted the SCA. And now its up to Congress  not the courts  to update that law, they contend. Thats because enforcing these warrants overseas could create a conflict between U.S. interests and those of other countries, according to the tech companies.

The tech companies also raised the possibility that enforcing these warrants overseas might provoke foreign governments to seek data within U.S. borders.

Every nation founded on democratic principles has a strong and legitimate interest in ensuring that the security and privacy of the people it is charged with protecting are not improperly or unduly invaded, the tech companies brief noted.

That brief added: Failure to accommodate that legitimate sovereign interest threatens to provoke dangerous reciprocation by foreign governmentsat great potential cost to U.S. citizens and service providers.

A big change following the Snowden disclosures

American tech giants have become more interested in privacy since Edward Snowden leaked files revealing that U.S. tech companies had facilitated the NSAs vast surveillance programs back in 2013. The next year, The New York Times reported that the revelations had eroded trust in those tech giants and cost them significant amounts of money. Microsoft, in particular, lost customers, including the government of Brazil.

Edward Snowden delivers remarks via video link from Moscow to attendees at a discussion regarding an International Treaty on the Right to Privacy, Protection Against Improper Surveillance and Protection of Whistleblowers in Manhattan, New York September 24, 2015. Source: Reuters/Andrew Kelly

Manes, the University at Buffalo law professor, noted that he saw a big change following the Snowden disclosures. He added, Their customers were all of the sudden very concerned about privacy.

In the wake of the revelations, The Times noted, IBM (IBM) spent more than a billion dollars creating overseas data centers to convince customers it was shielding their data from the U.S. government. IBM submitted its own amicus brief in the Microsoft case, noting that it has nearly 60 data centers spread throughout 19 countries, primarily serving enterprise clients rather than individuals.

IBM  is keenly aware that enterprises are sensitive to government overreach, particularly in the wake of disclosures relating to the U.S. governments foreign intelligence surveillance programs, the IBM brief noted.

An uphill battle for Microsoft

Despite the support from IBM and the other U.S. tech companies, Microsoft may be gearing up for an uphill battle when the high court hears the case on Tuesday, Feb. 27. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit already sided with Microsoft in this case, and there are currently no other appeals courts that have issued contradictory opinions.

When appeals courts issue opinions that contradict each other, its known as a circuit split. Since theres no split in the Microsoft case, its likely that the four justices who voted to take on the case did so because theyre interested in overturning the Second Circuit decision and handing the U.S. government a victory.

The court will likely be reluctant to hinder US law enforcement, especially in cases where law enforcement secures a valid search warrant, noted Tokson, the University of Utah law professor. Still, he added, This is a very difficult case and Id expect a divided court and a close decision either way.

A Congressional fix?

The Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data Act, or Cloud Act, introduced in Congress this week, would clarify that U.S. warrants for data apply worldwide. But it would also let tech companies notify foreign governments when they receive requests for such data from the U.S. government. That way, those foreign governments can intervene if they deem requests to be inappropriate, according to a statement from the bills sponsors.

Ideally, Congress would quickly enact the Cloud Act, according to Daskal, the American University professor, who received an Open Society Institute Fellowship to work on issues tied to cross-border data requests. She noted that, remarkably, both the DOJ and Microsoft support the legislation. (The media division of Yahoo parent Verizon, Oath Inc., has also supported the legislation.)

That legislation recognizes that access to data should not depend on location of data, but also takes steps to respect the legitimate foreign government interests in delimiting access to their own citizens and residents data, Daskal noted in an email message.

If Congress doesnt act, the Supreme Court may rule for the government but also direct courts to engage in a so-called comity analysis if the warrant seeks data of a foreigner outside the U.S. and creates a conflict between laws, she noted.

Such a decision would require the U.S. government to consider other countries interests when seeking electronic data of their residents and citizens much as the United States does and should demand when foreign governments seek U.S. citizen data, Daskal noted in her email.

However, if the high court gives the U.S. government carte blanche to demand foreigners data from U.S. tech companies across borders, the privacy rights of U.S. citizens may be in peril, Microsoft noted in its brief.

If this Court declares that unilaterally seizing private correspondence across borders is a purely domestic act, then the United States will have no basis to object when other countries reciprocate and unilaterally demand the emails of U.S. citizens stored in the United States from providers offices abroad, the Microsoft brief noted. If we can do it to them, they can do it to us.

Erin Fuchs is deputy managing editor at Yahoo Finance.

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Supreme Court may overturn decades of precedent in cellphone privacy case

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Federated Investors is one of companies that can help grow your investment income by paying large dividends. These stocks are a safe bet to increase your portfolio value as they provide both steady income and cushion against market risks. Dividends can be underrated but they form a large part of investment returns, playing an important role in compounding returns in the long run. As a long term investor with a short term temperament, I highly recommend these top dividend stocks.

Federated Investors, Inc. is a publicly owned asset management holding company. Founded in 1955, and headed by CEO John Donahue, the company currently employs 1,463 people and with the stocks market cap sitting at USD $3.23B, it comes under the mid-cap group.

FII has a nice dividend yield of 3.14% and is distributing 34.80% of earnings as dividends , and analysts are expecting a 46.10% payout ratio in the next three years. FIIs DPS have risen to $1 from $0.84 over a 10 year period. To the enjoyment of shareholders, the company hasnt missed a payment during this period. The company recorded earnings growth of 39.08% in the past year, comparing favorably with the us capital markets industry average of 18.01%. More on Federated Investors here.

NYSE:FII Historical Dividend Yield Feb 10th 18

Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. (NYSE:HE)

Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the electric utility and banking businesses primarily in the state of Hawaii. Established in 1891, and currently run by Constance Lau, the company currently employs 3,796 people and with the companys market capitalisation at USD $3.45B, we can put it in the mid-cap group.

HE has a sizeable dividend yield of 3.81% and pays 75.91% of its earnings as dividends . While HE have continued to pay a dividend, there has been no increase in the past 10 years. Continue research on Hawaiian Electric Industries here.

NYSE:HE Historical Dividend Yield Feb 10th 18

ALLETE, Inc. operates as an energy company. Started in 1906, and currently run by Alan Hodnik, the company size now stands at 2,021 people and with the stocks market cap sitting at USD $3.50B, it comes under the mid-cap group.

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ALE has a good dividend yield of 3.21% and their payout ratio stands at 61.10% , with analysts expecting a 61.45% payout in three years. ALEs last dividend payment was $2.24, up from its payment 10 years ago of $1.72. It should comfort existing and potential future shareholders to know that ALE hasnt missed a payment during this time. Interested in ALLETE? Find out more here.

NYSE:ALE Historical Dividend Yield Feb 10th 18

For more solid dividend payers to add to your portfolio, you can use our free platform to explore our interactive list of top dividend payers.

To help readers see pass the short term volatility of the financial market, we aim to bring you a long-term focused research analysis purely driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis does not factor in the latest price sensitive company announcements.



The author is an independent contributor and at the time of publication had no position in the stocks mentioned.
FILE PHOTO: Credit reporting company Equifax Inc. corporate offices are pictured in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., September 8, 2017. REUTERS/Tami Chappell/File Photo

By Michelle Price

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A group of 31 U.S. senators said on Thursday they had written to the leadership of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) demanding information on the consumer watchdog's stalled probe into credit reporting agency Equifax Inc's (EFX.N) massive data breach.

The letter adds to mounting pressure on Mick Mulvaney, the interim head of the CFPB, to resume a full-scale probe into the company after Reuters reported that the bureau had pulled back from an investigation into how hackers were able to steal data Equifax had gathered on around 143 million Americans.

The Reuters report prompted a barrage of criticism from Democratic lawmakers and consumer advocacy groups, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who urged the CFPB to launch a full-scale probe.

The letter, which was dated Feb. 7, was led by Hawaii's Democratic Senator Brian Schatz and signed by 29 Democrats, including all those on the Senate Banking Committee, and two independents.

The senators ask Mulvaney and the CFPB's Deputy Director Leandra English to provide detailed information on the status of any probe into Equifax, including whether the agency has issued subpoenas, interviewed Equifax personnel or conducted onsite inspections.

A spokesman for the CFPB confirmed the agency had received the letter but declined to comment further.

Earlier this week, John Czwartacki, senior adviser to Mulvaney said in a statement that Mulvaney takes data security issues very seriously.

"Under his direction, the CFPB is working with our partners across government on Equifaxs data breach and response. We are committed to enforcing the law," he said.

(Reporting by Michelle Price, editing by G Crosse and Cynthia Osterman)
By Alexis Akwagyiram

LAGOS (Reuters) - With Africa's most populous country out of recession, and the wider region on the path to growth, the world's consumer goods companies are looking to cash in.

Last month, Unilever opened a $12 million Blue Band margarine factory in Nigeria's southwestern state of Ogun so that it does not have to import margarine from Ghana, as it has in recent years. It is also in talks with suppliers to switch to a locally-sourced flavouring agent for its toothpaste.

These are examples of how the Anglo-Dutch group, like its global rivals, has been forced to adapt its business to cope with a central bank decision to restrict access to foreign currency for the import of certain products since 2015 to boost the economy.

Another way Unilever is tailoring its operations to the local market is by offering smaller pack sizes of a range of products to appeal to more customers in a country and region plagued by poverty and inequality.

Shops in Nigeria's commercial capital Lagos sell packets containing just two Unilever-produced tea bags or two stock cubes, for example. "These are all packs that we use to gain penetration and to develop the market," said Yaw Nsarkoh, managing director of Unilever Nigeria.

But again, the firm is not alone in such tactics; the same shops stock Nestle cereals ranging in size from 50 grams to 250 grams and 1 kilogram.

Britain's PZ Cussons meanwhile has rolled out a range of small pack sizes over the last three years for products from soap and detergent to milk and vegetable oil. "They have been popular and the biggest contributor in sales to each brand," said Christos Giannopoulos, CEO of the company's Nigerian business.

How best to navigate the African consumer market is on the agenda to be discussed by corporate leaders at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss resort of Davos this week.

The potential prize is alluring. It helps explains why these companies, plus the likes of Procter & Gamble, Diageo and Danone, have long operated in Nigeria and are willing to go to some lengths to build brands and market share.

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The market is huge: Nigeria has about 190 million people, and that is expected to rise to 300 million by 2030 and 400 million by 2050, according to U.N. data, which would make it the world's third most populous country after China and India.

Companies are positioning themselves in the expectation that low household spending will rise as the economy grows and people come out of poverty and become consumers of packaged goods.

"If you look at the per capita consumption levels and the penetration levels of consumer categories in Nigeria generally, they are below many comparable markets," said Nsarkoh, pointing to India as an example.

EMERGING FROM DOWNTURN

But Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa has not been the mecca some envisioned. A continent-wide downturn since 2014, tied to low commodity prices, has dampened hopes for companies.

Net earnings of 28 consumer companies in nine African countries have grown just 2 percent per year in local currency in the five years to 2016, and even less in dollar terms, according to Exotix, an emerging markets-focused financial services firm.

But Nigeria, Africa's top oil producer, last year emerged from its first recession in 25 years which was largely caused by low crude prices. The World Bank sees the country's economy growing from 1 percent in 2017 to 2.5 percent this year.

Sub-Saharan Africa's economy is meanwhile projected to pick up this year, with the World Bank predicting growth of 3.2 percent in 2018 and 3.5 percent in 2019, up from 2.4 percent in 2017, due to firmer commodity prices.

In Nigeria, doing business has been particularly tough since 2015, when the foreign exchange curbs and the devaluation of the naira currency meant the cost of importing certain goods, which the government wanted to be grown locally, increased markedly.

However Unilever Nigeria's financial results suggest that some of the tactics adopted to counter this may be paying off.

Its operating profit almost tripled to 9.2 billion naira ($30.1 million) in the first nine months of 2017, the latest figures available, after growing 25 percent in 2016. Before that, profits were flat in 2015 and fell 40 percent in 2014.

Fola Abimbola, an analyst at Nigerian bank FCMB, credited the latest profit rise to price increases, taken to offset the impact of currency devaluation, as well as the use of smaller pack sizes.

"All of these companies have been selling smaller packs because, during the recession, people have less money to spend. People opt for smaller packs," said Abimbola.

The use of smaller packaging is not new in emerging markets, but industry experts say that in Sub-Saharan Africa, it has not yet been widely adopted beyond the beer industry, and expect it to catch on further in coming years.

MAIZE, MILLET, PALM OIL

Unilever's Nsarkoh said 90 percent of its Nigerian goods were now manufactured locally, up from 80 percent about three years ago, to make its business more resilient. As well as margarine, locally-made products include soap, tea and toothpaste.

In a sprawling manufacturing plant in the bustling Ikeja district of Lagos, for example, Unilever workers clad in white lab coats oversee production lines capable of producing hundreds of tubes of Close-Up toothpaste a minute.

Among rivals, Swiss group Nestle said that 41,600 local farmers suppled maize, soybean, sorghum and millet to its Nigerian factories. It said 82 percent of its inputs were sourced locally and that it aimed to extend to 100 percent where possible. It cited Golden Morn cereal, made from maize farmed in the northwestern state of Kaduna, as a product in which the goal had been achieved.

PZ Cussons meanwhile has a stake in a 26,000-hectare palm oil plantation in the state of Cross River. Half of its vegetable oil is made using local palm oil, said Giannopoulos.

(Additional reporting by Martinne Geller; Editing by Pravin Char)
Waymo has settled its trade secrets lawsuit against Uber.

The ride-hailing company and Googles maker of driverless cars announced the settlement in US district court in San Francisco this morning (Feb. 9), on the fifth day of a trial expected to last weeks. In addition to an agreement not to incorporate Waymos confidential information into its hardware and software, Uber agreed to pay Waymo 0.34% of Ubers closely held stock, or about $245 million at Ubers valuation of $72 billion during Series G-1 round.

Waymo brought the suit in February 2017. The company alleged that Uber had stolen its trade secrets by acquiring Otto, a small, little-known driverless trucking company started by former Waymo employee Anthony Levandowski. Waymo alleged Levandowski had downloaded 14,000 confidential files, including trade secrets, shortly before he quit to start Otto, which he quickly cut a deal to sell to Uber.

Uber has maintained theres no evidence that the files Levandowski downloaded contained trade secrets, or that the information made it into Ubers technology and designs.

To be clear, while we do not believe that any trade secrets made their way from Waymo to Uber, nor do we believe that Uber has used any of Waymos proprietary information in its self-driving technology, we are taking steps with Waymo to ensure our Lidar and software represents just our good work, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in a statement.

Waymos case against Uber had so far been cinematic, but touched little on actual secrets. The company has unearthed hundreds of pages of internal Uber documents, notes, and texts. It questioned Uber co-founder and former CEO Travis Kalanick for nearly three hours, asking about everything from his knowledge of the Otto acquisition (he admitted to not reading the merger or indemnification agreements) to his video-gaming habits and use of phrases like cheat codes.

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We have reached an agreement with Uber that we believe will protect Waymos intellectual property now and into the future, a Waymo spokesman said in a statement. We are committed to working with Uber to make sure that each company develops its own technology.

A separate investigation may be ongoing into Levandowskis actions. William Alsup, the federal judge overseeing the case, referred it to federal prosecutors in May 2017 for possible criminal charges.

Sign up for the Quartz Daily Brief, our free daily newsletter with the worlds most important and interesting news.

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By Alexandria Sage, Dan Levine and Heather Somerville

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL] will pay $245 million worth of its own shares to Alphabet Inc's Waymo self-driving vehicle unit to settle a legal dispute over trade secrets, allowing Uber's new chief executive to move past one of the company's most bruising public controversies.

The settlement was announced on Friday just before the fifth day of testimony was about to begin at a jury trial in San Francisco federal court.

Waymo sued Uber last year, saying that one of its former engineers who became chief of Uber's self-driving car project took with him thousands of confidential documents.

The lawsuit cost Uber precious time in its self-driving car ambitions, a key to its long-term profitability. Uber fired its self-driving chief after Waymo sued, and it is well behind on its plans to deploy fleets of autonomous cars in one of the most lucrative races in Silicon Valley.

The settlement now allows Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi to put another scandal behind the company and move ahead with development of self-driving technology after the tumultuous leadership of the firm by former CEO Travis Kalanick, who testified at the trial on Tuesday and Wednesday.

As part of the deal, Waymo gets a 0.34 percent stake in Uber, worth about $245 million based on Uber's current $72 billion valuation, a Waymo representative said. The settlement also includes an agreement to ensure Waymo confidential information is not being incorporated into Uber technology, which Waymo has said was its main goal in bringing the lawsuit.

In settlement talks last year, Waymo had sought at least $1 billion from Uber, and wanted an independent monitor to ensure Uber does not use Waymo technology in the future, Reuters reported. Waymo also asked for an apology.

Waymo had agreed earlier this week to a settlement proposal valued at $500 million, but Uber's board rejected those terms on Tuesday, two sources familiar with the negotiations said. By late Thursday, Waymo had agreed to the $245 million deal, one of the sources said.

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Khosrowshahi expressed "regret" for the company's actions in a statement on Friday.

"While we do not believe that any trade secrets made their way from Waymo to Uber, nor do we believe that Uber has used any of Waymo's proprietary information in its self-driving technology, we are taking steps with Waymo to ensure our Lidar and software represents just our good work," Khosrowshahi said in a statement.

Neither company offered details on what those steps will entail. Shares of Alphabet rose about 1.4 percent on Friday.

Elizabeth Rowe, a professor at the University of Florida Levin College of Law, analyzed about 150 trade secret verdicts through 2014 and said $245 million would rank as second highest. Given that landscape, along with the fact that Alphabet CEO Larry Page could have had to testify next week, the settlement makes sense for Waymo, she said.

"Their risks would have gone up on many levels," Rowe said.

Waymo's lawsuit said that Anthony Levandowski, the self-driving car chief Uber eventually fired, downloaded more than 14,000 confidential files containing designs for autonomous vehicles in December 2015 before he went on to work at Uber in 2016.

The U.S. Department of Justice is conducting a separate, criminal investigation into the trade secrets. Levandowski has never publicly addressed the allegations of taking the documents and law enforcement has not charged anyone with their theft. Levandowski was not a defendant in the case.

SERIES OF PROBLEMS AT UBER

The Waymo lawsuit was the most pressing legal battle for Uber but only one item in a long list of controversies that have dogged the company for the last year.

Public accusations of sexual harassment and a toxic workplace prompted an internal investigation at Uber that resulted in more than 20 people being fired, while the company faces multiple federal criminal probes. The company has also experienced turmoil at the top with the ousting of Kalanick in June and a bitter board dispute.

Uber planned to have self-driving cars in 20 cities by the end of 2018, 50 cities by 2019 and 150 cities by 2020, according to documents shown in court. It is far from achieving those ambitions.

Uber now has small pilots in Tempe, Arizona and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Its has acquired a California permit but still does not have self-driving cars transporting passengers there.

The settlement increases Alphabet's stake in Uber from an initial investment of $258 million in 2013, which was at the time Uber's largest fundraising round.

Uber has gone on to raise more than $14 billion in new funding and last month closed a deal with SoftBank Group Corp, in which the Japanese conglomerate, along with other investors, took about a 17.5 percent stake in the company. SoftBank bought the majority of its stake at about a 30 percent discount off of Uber's valuation.

The deal was an opportunity for early investors and employees to cash in their shares and gave lossmaking Uber a much-needed financial boost.

Autonomous cars offer a multi-billion-dollar opportunity to remake urban transportation systems, and companies including Apple Inc, General Motors Co and scores of startups are competing to develop the technology.

To prevail at trial, Waymo had to prove not only that Uber acquired Waymo's trade secrets, but that it also used them in its own technology. In four days of testimony, however, Waymo had presented little public evidence that Uber actually used Waymo's trade secrets.

During Kalanick's second day of trial testimony, Waymo sought to portray him as so eager to improve Uber's lagging autonomous car business that he did a deal with Levandowski without properly assessing the risks.

Kalanick appeared subdued in front of jurors, but he returned to his famously pugnacious style in a statement on Friday, saying Uber's sole objective was to hire the most talented scientists and engineers.

"Had the trial proceeded to its conclusion, it is clear Uber would have prevailed," Kalanick said.

(Reporting by Alexandria Sage, Dan Levine and Heather Somerville; Editing by Bill Rigby and Grant McCool)
SAN FRANCISCO  Less than a week into their blockbuster trade secret showdown, Waymo and Uber have settled their dispute over driverless car technology.The parties announced they reached an agreement Friday morning as jaws dropped in a half-full courtroom, on what was set to be a technology-heavy fifth day of trial before U.S. District Judge William Alsup of the Northern District of California.According to a statement from Waymo, the settlement includes a payment from Uber that includes 0.34 percent of Uber equityor about $244.8 million in stock based on a $72 billion valuation. Reuters previously reported that Waymo demanded $1 billion in settlement talks last year and had asked Uber for an apology. On Friday, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi expressed regrets in a prepared statement, but stopped short of a full-blown apology.This case is ancient history, Alsup told the court with a smile after the settlement was announced. Alsup then thanked the jury, telling them they were free to go write a book about their experience, minus the trade secrets. The judge also asked those gathered to clap for Farella Braun + MartelsJohn Cooper, the special master in the case who helped referee the parties discovery disputes, and the already bustling room filled with applause. Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivans Charles Verhoeven, who announced the parties had reached a settlement and moved to dismiss the case with prejudice, thanked Alsup for his devotion to the case.[There is] nothing more for me to do in this case, it's done, I think, Alsup said. Both sides, I ask you to try to get all your material out of the courtroom so I can move on to the next case.Then, as soon as Fridays session had started, it was over. Uber general counsel Tony West was all smiles, but said he couldnt comment on the case or settlement. Boies Schiller Flexner partner Karen Dunn, who represented Uber, was also smiling, saying shell head back home Saturday. Arturo Gonzalez of Morrison & Foerster was one of the last to leave the courtroom, and, also donning a smile, said some members of the jury complimented him upon the cases end. But he too couldnt comment on specifics. The underlying dispute centered on Ubers acquisition of Ottomotto, an autonomous car company founded by former Google engineer Anthony Levandowski. At trial, Waymos lawyers from Quinn Emanuel presented evidence that Levandowski had downloaded a trove of 14,000-plus files from Google before he left to form the startup and that he had copied the files to his personal laptop.In Friday mornings prepared statement, Khosrowshahi said that the acquisition of Otto made good business sense at the time, but the prospect that Waymo employees might have inappropriately recruited others to join Otto or left with Google files in retrospect, raised some hard questions.To be clear, while we do not believe that any trade secrets made their way from Waymo to Uber, nor do we believe that Uber has used any of Waymos proprietary information in its self-driving technology, we are taking steps with Waymo to ensure our Lidar and software represents just our good work, Khosrowshahi said.Alsup previously referred the case to the local U.S Attorneys Office in May for investigation of possible theft of trade secrets based on the evidentiary record supplied thus far. Uber later that month fired Levandowski after he refused to testify in the case and asserted his Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate himselfLevandowskis attorneys, Miles Ehrlich and Ismail Ramsey of Ramsey & Ehrlich, didnt immediately respond to messages Friday morning.
[caption id="attachment_7524" align="aligncenter" width="620"]

Photo: Tupungato/Shutterstock.com [/caption] The fallout continues after The Wall Street Journal revealed former Wynn Resorts Ltd. CEO Steve Wynns alleged decades of sexual misconduct. A shareholder derivative suit filed this week takes aim at Wynn, the companys board of directors and general counsel Kim Sinatra. The suit, filed Tuesday in the Clark County District Court in Nevada, alleges that while Wynn engaged in a pervasive pattern of egregious misconduct, the board at the Las Vegas-based company as well as Sinatra turned a blind eye and continued to stand behind the casino mogul. The complaint outlines the ways in which Sinatra, who did not immediately return requests for comment, allegedly had a hand in concealing a multimillion-dollar settlement with a woman who claimed Wynn forced her to have sex. The company declined to comment on the suit. In 2005, the WSJ reports, a manicurist who worked at Wynn Las Vegas was forced by now 76-year-old Wynn to have sex. The manicurist was later paid a $7.5 million settlement from Wynns personal funds and that the former CEO deliberately kept it secret so it would not distract from business opportunities, the suit claims. The 42-page complaint then points to court filings in a separate case involving Wynn and ex-wife Elaine Wynn, which contain claims that the latter has known about the settlement since 2009 and that Sinatra also knew about it. In a March 2016 court filing, Elaine Wynn said she learned her ex-husband had made a multimillion-dollar payment after apparently being threatened with allegations of serious misconduct on company property against a Wynn Resorts employee. When she made inquiries about this with Sinatra, the general counsel stated that Mr. Wynn had decided that the matter should not be disclosed to the board or other company counsel, according to the filing. This settlement, the shareholder derivative suit notes, was also not disclosed on advice of counsel to Massachusetts gaming regulators when they were considering issuing a gaming license to Wynn Resorts in 2013. This concession demonstrates that the company, including Ms. Sinatra, knew of the allegations of egregious misconduct involving the company and actively concealed it from the Massachusetts gaming regulators, the complaint reads. Sinatra breached her fiduciary duties by concealing and failing to police, investigate and act as the companys chief legal officer to address the known credible allegations of intentional egregious misconduct and violations of the law, by Wynn, the complaint alleges, all the while reaping substantial compensation and benefits from the company. Sinatra, who is one of the highest-paid executives in Las Vegas, according to Vegas Inc., is known as a close confidant to Wynn, with a former employee telling the Las Vegas Review-Journal that she is one of the closet executives to him. Court filings call her Steve Wynns co-conspirator. The suit also calls into question Wynn Resorts' corporate governance practices, noting that the board has come under fire before for weak corporate governance and deference to Mr. Wynn. The complaint cited Wynns pay package and said he has been permitted to use corporate jets for extensive personal travel. And the company apparently leased Wynns personal art for $1 per year while picking up the tab for insurance, security and taxes. Wynn, citing the avalanche of negative publicity, stepped down as CEO on Tuesday. Wynn Resorts, meanwhile, now faces scrutiny from gambling regulators who werent made aware of the $7.5 million settlement.
Two soldiers have been killed and three others wounded in Indian-controlled Kashmir as troops traded fire with armed militants who were holed up inside an army camp, officials said.

Government minister Abdul Rehman Veeri told lawmakers in the area's legislative assembly that the gunbattle, which began early on February 10, continued into the afternoon.

The militants were holed up in the residential area of the camp where soldiers and their families are housed, police chief of the Jammu area S.D. Jamwal told reporters.

It was unclear how many militants were involved.

The camp is located on the outskirts of the city of Jammu.

The Himalayan region of Kashmir is divided between India and archrival and neighbor Pakistan. Both claim the region in its entirety.

Several militant groups have been fighting since 1989 for Kashmir's independence from India or its unification with Pakistan.

India accuses Pakistan of arming and training the militants, a charge Islamabad denies.

Based on reporting by AP and AFP
- Indicated 259,100 gold ounces within 4,428,000 tonnes grading 1.80 grams/tonne (g/t)

- Inferred 86,200 gold ounces within 1,653,000 tonnes grading 1.60 grams/tonne (g/t)

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Guyana Goldstrike Inc. (the "Company" or "Guyana Goldstrike") (TSX-V:GYA) (OTC:GYNAF) (FSE:1ZT) reports that Global Mineral Resource Services has completed and delivered a mineral resource estimate for the Mazoa Hill Zone at the Company's Marudi Gold Project ("Marudi" or the "Project"), Guyana, South America.

Mr. Peter Berdusco President and CEO states: "The resource estimate for Mazoa Hill is a Company milestone and a great step towards the further development of the Marudi Gold Project. The potential for additional ounces on the property is excellent when one considers the following factors: Mazoa Hill is open in a number of directions including at depth, the Marudi North Zone is also open in a number of directions and contains a historic resource estimate and lastly, only five percent of the entire property has ever been explored."

Mazoa Hill Zone

The Mazoa Hill Zone has been explored by surface trenching and approximately 63 drillholes. This work has defined a zone of mineralized quartzite that strikes northwest, is approximately 300 meters long along strike, 150 meters wide across strike and has been traced to a depth of 250 meters below surface. The zone is near-vertical or dips steeply to the northeast. The saprolite layer above the quartzite is up to 30 metres thick but is generally thinner and the Mazoa Formation quartzite is partially exposed at surface. This estimate has been constrained by a conceptual pit and is stated at a cutoff grade of 0.5 g/t gold. Marudi Property Mazoa Hill Mineral Resource Estimate, Summary page 2.

The following table presents the current mineral resource estimate for the Mazoa Hill Zone

Mazoa Hill Resources in Conceptual Pit @ 0.5 g/t Cutoff Class Tonnes Au Capped

g/t Au Uncapped

g/t Ounces

Capped Ounces

Uncapped Indicated 4,428,000 1.8 1.9 259,100 269,700 Inferred 1,653,000 1.6 1.6 86,200 87,600

Notes:

1. Open pit resources stated as contained within a conceptual open pit above a 0.50 g/t Au cut-off.

2. Pit constraints are based on an assumed gold price of US$1,500/oz., mining cost of US$2.30/t and processing cost of US$16.80/t.

3. Assay grades were capped at 30 g/t gold; capped Mineral Resource estimate is reported.

4. Mineral Resource tonnage and contained metal have been rounded to reflect the accuracy of the estimate, and numbers may not add due to rounding.

5. Mineral Resource tonnage and grades are reported as undiluted.

6. Contained Au ounces are in-situ and do not include recovery losses.

For further information, readers are encouraged to reviewed the technical report, "Marudi Property Mazoa Hill Mineral Resource Estimate", available under the Company's profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com). Readers are cautioned that mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no certainty that all or any part of the mineral resources estimated will be converted into mineral reserves.

3D HD Video

In conjunction with the technical report, the Company completed a 3D HD video of the Marudi Gold Project allowing for the viewing of the entire property and specifically the Mazoa Hill zone showing the drill intercepts, the blocked out mineralized zone and a conceptual open pit design. The 3D HD Video can be viewed on Company's website located on its homepage at www.guyanagoldstrike.com

Phase One Exploration

The Company is currently in the initial phase of an exploration program on the Project. This initial phase consists of up to 12,000 metres of trenching, extensive rock and soil sampling, expansion of surface mineralization in known zones, detailed geological mapping (lithologic, alteration, and structural), evaluation of new mineralization, drill-target selections and definitions. The results from this phase will be released as they become available.

Property Geology

Gold mineralization at Marudi is regarded as being related to iron-formation-hosted gold ("IFG") deposits that occur in other cratonic greenstone belts. These deposits can be remarkably long-lived with sizeable gold production. They have a strong association between gold and iron sulfide minerals, the presence of gold bearing quartz veins and structures, the occurrence of deposits in structurally complex terranes, and the lack of lead and zinc enrichment. Existing IFG deposits are the Homestake Mine, Lupin Mine, and Musselwhite Mine.

The Company encourages all interested parties to visit the Company's website www.guyanagoldstrike.com for further information or contact the Company by telephone, 1.877.844.4661 or email, info@guyanagoldstrike.com.

Qualified Person

Locke Goldsmith, M.Sc., P. Eng, P. Geo, Chief Geologist and Exploration Manager for the Company, is a Qualified Person in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. Goldsmith has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical content of this news release.

About The Marudi Gold Project

The Project, located in Guyana, South America, is unique in that it has a mining license in good standing, all-season road access, infrastructure in place, with an established mining camp serviced by employees, service buildings, and a full-time mining manager. The property has three known gold bearing areas, specifically the alluvial areas, the saprolite overburden, and the underlying hard-rock. There has been 42,000 metres of historic diamond drilling (141 holes) completed on the Project by prior operators. This work has delineated historical mineral resource estimates on the Project. There exists excellent exploration upside through the development of previously identified, highly-prospective mineralized targets on the Project.

For information concerning these estimates and the Project, readers are encouraged to review "NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Marudi Property, Guyana", a technical report prepared for the Company by Derrick Strickland, P. Geo., and is available on the Company's website located at (http://www.guyanagoldstrike.com/images/pdf/2016/Marudi_43-101_November_30_2016.pdf) and under the Company's profile on SEDAR ( www.sedar.com) .*

* The Company considers these estimates to be historical, and cautions that a Qualified Person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimates as current mineral resources or mineral reserves in accordance with National Instrument 43-101. The Company does consider these historical estimates to be relevant as they may indicate the presence of gold mineralization and favourable geology.

ABOUT GUYANA

The Republic of Guyana is located in South America between Venezuela and Suriname. The country is English speaking and under British Common Law with a democratically-elected government. It has an established mining act and a rich history of gold production. In 2016, 690,000 ounces of gold was produced by operators mining in the country. The Fraser Institute's 2016 Annual Survey of Mining listed Guyana as the third best mining jurisdiction with regards to investment attractiveness in the Latin America and Caribbean Basin sub-group. The Guiana Shield is the geographic gold-hosting region with over 100 million ounces of gold inventory. ** It is world-recognized as a premier gold region that is highly prospective, under-explored and has geological continuity with West Africa. In 2016, two mines in Guyana declared the commencement of commercial production: the Aurora deposit (Guyana Goldfields) and the Karouni deposit (Troy Resources).

** Independent Technical and Environmental Review Karouni Gold Project - Guyana, Behre Dolbear Australia Pty Ltd, April 29, 2016

On behalf of the Board of Directors of

GUYANA GOLDSTRIKE INC.

Peter Berdusco

President and Chief Executive Officer

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.

This news release may contain certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target, "plan", "forecast", "may", "schedule" and other similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements or information may relate to future prices of commodities, accuracy of mineral or resource exploration activity, reserves or resources, regulatory or government requirements or approvals, the reliability of third party information, continued access to mineral properties or infrastructure, fluctuations in the market for gold, changes in exploration costs and government regulation in Guyana, status of artisanal mining activities and associated rights, and other factors or information. Such statements represent the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affections such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations.




NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC (KSF) and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have until April 6, 2018 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against MetLife Inc. (NYSE:MET), if they purchased the Companys securities between February 27, 2013 and January 29, 2018, inclusive (the Class Period). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.



What You May Do

If you purchased securities of MetLife and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email (lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com), or visit http://ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-met/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court by April 6, 2018.

About the Lawsuit

MetLife and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

On January 29, 2018, MetLife disclosed a material weakness in internal controls over financial reporting that caused reserves to be reduced incorrectly relating to outstanding payouts for annuity and pension recipients and that its Q4 earnings release was postponed, with reserves expected to increase by $525 million to $575 million, Q4 earnings to decrease by $135 million to $165 million, and 2017 profits cut by $165 million to $195 million. MetLife also revealed a SEC investigation into the outstanding pension payments matter.

On this news, the price of MetLifes shares plummeted.

About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

KSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is a law firm focused on securities, antitrust and consumer class actions, along with merger & acquisition and breach of fiduciary litigation against publicly traded companies on behalf of shareholders. The firm has offices in New York, California and Louisiana.

To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com.

Contact:

Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

Lewis Kahn, Managing Partner

lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com

1-877-515-1850

206 Covington St.

Madisonville, LA 70447
Re: An effort to control the crippling effects of poverty in Brazils inte [ #permalink

Quote:

An effort to control the crippling effects of poverty in Brazils interior cities, begun almost thirty years ago, has been partially successful, despite the setback of a major drought and the interruption of aid during an extended economic crisis.





(A) to control the crippling effects of poverty in Brazils interior cities, begun almost thirty years ago,

Past tense of begin is began. Not begun. Drop.



(B) begun almost thirty years ago for controlling the crippling effects of poverty in Brazils interior cities,

"Effort for controlling" is not idiomatic. Drop



(C) begun for controlling the crippling effects of poverty in Brazils interior cities almost thirty years ago,

Similar to B, but the meaning is less clear. Drop



(D) at controlling the crippling effects of poverty in Brazils interior cities begun almost thirty years ago,

"Effort at controlling" is not idiomatic. Drop



(E) that has begun almost thirty years ago to control the crippling effects of poverty in Brazils interior cities,

"has begun" is used, which clears the problem in A.



IMO E.However, may I ask if it is proper to use "begin" in perfect tense. I read somewhere that some verb could not have continuous/perfect tense.When I was thinking for the answer, the question comes to my mind whether "has begun" is right.Appreciate if anyone who understand my question could advise. Thanks.
INSEAD Alum : Application Consulting [ #permalink

2 Kudos

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Re: Most cable television companies currently require customers to subscri [ #permalink

4 Kudos 1 Bookmarks
New Delhi, Feb 9 (IBNS): An Indian reporter and a British journalist bearing Indian origin have been arrested in Maldives where a State of Emergency has been declared following the refusal of the Government to abide by the unanimous ruling of the full bench of the Supreme Court.

The Maldives Police have confirmed the arrest.

According to reports, the scribes belonged to Agence France-Presse.

In response to a query about media reports on the arrest of an Indian national in Maldives, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Official Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said:''We have received information about an Indian national, Shri Money Sharma, working as a journalist, who has been detained by the Maldivian authorities. We have asked our Embassy to get in touch with the local authorities to ascertain more details of the case.''

On Thursday, a leading TV station was forced to shut down in Maldives.

The latest political crisis in Maldives has been triggered by a Supreme Court verdict that had directed release of nine imprisoned opposition political leaders.

The government of President Yameen refused to implement the Supreme Court ruling and instead clamped a 15-day state emergency and cracked down on the apex court itself, even as protests rocked capital Male.

The present crisis was triggered when the Supreme Court directed Yameen to release from jail nine opposition leaders who were arrested on politically motivated charges.

Yameen instead of following the court order, retaliated by cracking down on the Supreme Court itself suspending its powers and arresting judges.

Present President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom representing Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) is half brother of former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom who had ruled the Islamic island nation from 1978 to 2008 uninterruptedly.

Gayoom was defeated in the October 2008 presidential election but in September 2011, he returned as the leader of the newly formed Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).

Yameen was elected as President in 2013, defeating Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) leader and former president Mohamed Nasheed in the 2013 elections.

In 2016, Nasheed was given asylum in the United Kingdom after he was convicted under the Anti-Terrorism Act of Maldives for arresting Criminal Court Judge Abdulla Mohamed though international rights group like Amnesty International has described the conviction as "politically motivated".
New York, Feb 10 (JEN): Surging violence across Yemen has resulted in the displacement of more than 85,000 people in just the last 10 weeks, the United Nations refugee agency reported Friday.

Yemen is the worlds largest humanitarian crisis with more than 22 million in need, fuelled by ongoing conflict, a breakdown in public services and a collapsing economy.

We are particularly concerned for those that remain in areas close to hostilities in Taiz and Hudaydah governorates, said Cecile Pouilly, spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), told reporters in Geneva, Switzerland.

As a result of prolonged fighting in those two governorates, conditions continue to deteriorate, exposing people to violence and disease without access to basic services, she added, noting that the agency was alarmed as hundreds of people are forced to flee their homes each day, due to increasing military operations, particularly on the west coast.

Most of those displaced in these two governorates are trapped inside their homes or in caves as ground clashes, aerial bombardment and sniper fire rage around them.

In addition to new displacements from those fleeing the coast, UNHCR is also observing a spike from other frontline areas, including Yemens border governorates.

Meanwhile, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has launched an appeal for $96.2 million to fund its 2018 response for the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

Three years of conflict have inflicted suffering on millions, affecting every Yemeni  man, woman or child, said William Lacy Swing, the UN migration agencys Director General, from its headquarters in Geneva.

With armed conflict ongoing, a stalled peace process and an economic blockade, Yemen is in the grips of a devastating protracted humanitarian and developmental crisis, he added.

Photo: UNHCR/Mohammed Hamoud
Ottawa, Feb 10 (IBNS): Two Canadian girls, who were arrested in Cambodia for allegedly "dancing pornographically", have returned to their country, media reports said.

Eden Kazoleas (19) and Jessica Drolet (26) are among seven who have been released. Both of them are Ottawa residents.

Kazoleas has been traveling since September.

Remembering the days in prison, Kazoleas told CBC News, "It was terrifying. I think the main reason it was so scary is because obviously we didn't speak the native language, so we were often very confused by what was happening."

After returning to Canada, Drolet said that even though it is snow in Canada but "it's still welcoming, and we're just glad to be back with our friends and families".

"I'd like to thank Eden, who was my rock through it all and made things a little bit more bearable," she told CBC News.

In total, 10 foreigners were arrested after a party which was organised in a rented villa in the resort town of Siem Reap.

The police in a release told CTV News that several men and women were seen straddling one another on the floor.

The images of the party were shared on social media before the arrest.

Global Affairs Canada said consular services were delivered to both the detained Canadians.

Apart from the two Canadians, there were five British, one New Zealander, one Norwegian and one from Netherlands among the detained people.

The incident had even struck a massive political and social repercussion in the southeast Asian country, report said.
During and after the conference, statements from Iranian officials have expanded upon the sentiments expressed by state media. UPI highlighted this trend in a report focused on officials from the Iranian Central Bank, who teased the countrys plans to develop non-oil sectors of its economy and to reintegrate into the global banking system. The banks governor, Valiollah Seif, was quoted as saying that those efforts had been bolstered by a number of financial agreements that had been struck with partners from China to Denmark in the time since nuclear negotiations between Iran and six world powers concluded in July 2015.

While it is certainly true that various European entities have actively pursued an expansion in trade relations with the Islamic Republic during that time, it is also true that US pressure and Irans own failure to come into line with international standards have slowed the pace of that expansion and have generally prevented the provision of financing by banks that also have ties to American markets.

Europe has responded to this situation in two contrasting ways. In the first place, various leading policymakers have shown an interest in resolving the problems that the US president and American lawmakers see in the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. While still defending that agreement, the leadership of Britain, France, and Germany has gradually strengthened their positions on Iran policy, acknowledging the need for action to, for instance, restrict the Iranian ballistic missile program that was not addressed by the JCPOA.

If such action succeeds in assuaging American anxiety, it can be expected to mitigate the White Houses lingering threats to the very survival of the nuclear deal. Last month, US President Donald Trump announced that he would renew the waiver of sanctions under the JCPOA, but cautioned that it was the last time he would do so unless the US Congress and its European partners agreed on supplementary agreements that would strengthen the nuclear deal to his satisfaction. This January 13 announced effectively set a deadline of 120 days for Europe to either win over the Trump administration or find workarounds for the threat of re-imposed sanctions.

The latter option speaks to the second trend that Europe has put on display in the face of these threats, and it was these that appeared to be the focus of reporting on the Euromoney Conference. Irans English-language propaganda network Press TV boasted of relevant remarks that had been made on the sidelines of that conference by Denis Chaibi, the head of a European Union task force on Iran. Chaibi discussed the possibility of Europe imposing blocking regulations that would theoretically allow companies to do business in the Islamic Republic without making themselves subject to sanctions enforcement in the event that the US decides to pull out of the JCPOA.

This possibility had already been discussed in the global media, but the Euromoney Conference arguably brought it much closer to the realm of actual policy. Chaibi also reportedly touted the relative ease with which that policy could be implemented. It is not complicated to do it legally in that the legal instrument exists, but it doesnt require a huge internal debate, he said, referring to provisions that had been put into place in 1996 to deal with the effects of US sanctions on Cuba. Those same measures could now be adapted to the present case to help facilitate trade with Iran over American objections.

It is not yet clear whether Europe is prepared to actually take this route. For the time being, the EUs efforts seem to be focused on resolving its own support of the JCPOA with the justifications provided by the White House for its opposition to the same agreement. But it remains possible that this reconciliation will prove unattainable, in which case Europe will be placed in the position of either begrudgingly following Americas lead or else openly defying the US.

The Euromoney Conference and the remarks from figures like Chaibi have evidently inspired new Iranian confidence in the attainability of the latter alternative, and Iranian officials could be observed trying to derive leverage from the discord over the JCPOA on Thursday and Friday. EA Worldview quoted one advisor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, for instance, as rejecting the notion of further negotiations over the Iranian nuclear program, missile activities, and other matters. In the nuclear deal, they have shown themselves as dishonest, so what is the use of new talks anyway?

Meanwhile, Reuters noted that Abbas Araqchi, the leader of the leader of the Iranian delegation to the Paris Conference, had sought to undercut some of the White Houses apparent belief that working with Europe to strengthen the JCPOA would result in the reduction of Iranian threats to regional peace and stability. There is no link between the [nuclear] deal and our role in the region, Araqchi said.

The deputy foreign minister also rejected the prospect of Iranian participation in post-JCPOA negotiations, telling Western powers, Make the [deal] a successful experience and then we discuss other issues. The Iran Project frame this quotation in a way that suggested Tehran was showing willingness to have such broader discussions with the international community, but it seems clear that Araqchis short-term aims are focused on mitigating US pressure while discouraging European policymakers from buying into an assertive Iran policy.

In fact, the notion of long-term willingness to negotiate is undermined by many entries in the record of Iranian statements since the start of nuclear talks during the Obama era. While those talks were still ongoing, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei ordered his subordinates to continue avoiding talks with the West over any issues other than the nuclear program. And subsequently, Khamenei has led the way in attempting to place blame exclusively on the US for the relative lack of economic and diplomatic gains for Iran.

These narratives continue to be invoked to the present day, with participation from the supposedly moderate Iranian presidential administration that is supposed to be a political counterpoint to Khamenei. World Bulletin notes that President Hassan Rouhani used a press conference earlier in the week to once again reiterate Tehrans rejection of any prospective negotiations over the countrys missile program. In that same speech Rouhani said, The key to the problems between Tehran and Washington is in Washingtons hands. They need to stop their threats and sanctions and pressure, and automatically the situation will improve and we can think about our future.

Such comments reflect Tehrans tendency to blame American pressure for the slow pace of Irans economic recovery while ignoring such elements as Irans non-conformity with the anti-money laundering standards of the Financial Action Task Force. And insofar as these sentiments are being repeated against the backdrop of events like the Euromoney Conference, it is fair to say that Tehran is working to convince the European Union to adopt similar positions.

In suggesting that negotiations over other matters will proceed not just from the survival but from the success of the JCPOA, figures like Araqchi are arguably holding the nuclear deal hostage in the face of European uncertainty about its future. But some critics of the Islamic Republic believe that similar tactics can be applied in reverse.

On Thursday, the Fair Observer published an article that made the case for Western policymakers using the JCPOA as both a carrot and a stick in order to curb Iranian activities in areas outside the nuclear sphere. The article also highlighted recent popular protests in the Islamic Republic as catalysts for this opportunity, noting that the unrest exposed the desperate need for the Rouhani government to show economic gains for ordinary Iranians now that the nuclear agreement is two years old.

Notwithstanding the boastful claims made in recent days by Central Bank officials and other Iranian entities, such economic gains remain dependent on the survival of the JCPOA, and this in turn remains dependent on the collective will of European leaders. In light of the Euromoney Conference, the question at the forefront of this issue is whether Tehran is willing to gamble on the possibility of European defiance of the United States, or whether it would prefer to negotiate with the West in order to guarantee that the nuclear deal remains in force.
Sunni candidates, be they Islamists, nationalists, Baathists or secularists, claim that they want the elections delayed because they are concerned for their peoples safety and wellbeing. They want them to be able to freely choose the candidate best fit to defend their rights in the next parliament.

The Arab Weekly published an article that asks several questions: Is this true? Should we be so naive as to believe that conditions in Sunni districts are going to magically improve if these politicians are elected? How will the life of a Kurdish citizen improve in the event of a victory by candidates from Kurdish parties? What kind of peace and prosperity will be introduced in the lives of Shia communities should Shia candidates win?

The competing factions and sects in Iraq, all claim to be against sectarianism and the quota system. They all support a civil state built on equal and fair citizen rights. They eagerly defend Iraqi sovereignty and Iraqs territorial unity.

Some call the elections in Iraq since 2005 farces  proven by the conditions in Iraqi cities and villages, that have prevailed since 2003.

It is believed that the common Iraqi folk do not understand the stakes regarding the timing of the elections. Ironically, the US Embassy in Iraq opposes the postponement of the elections. According to The Arab Weekly, the Americans know that having elections after the disasters of the Islamic State and the independence referendum in Kurdish Iraq would be like flogging a dead horse. Additionally, they say that by refusing to postpone the elections, the Americans are assisting the Iranian regime which, according to US President Trump, is the number one source of terrorism and instability in the region.

In a news conference, Huda Sajjad, a State of Law parliamentarian, recognized the Iranian presence in Iraq as de facto since 2003, and credits it with closing the ranks of Iraqi Shias. Irans mediation in harmonising points of views inside the Shia house is normal, she said. Qassem Soleimani (Iran al-Quds commander) does not coerce anyone nor does he meddle greatly contrary to whats being rumoured.
Irans actions represent a serious threat to the national security of the United States and to the American troops that have been deployed abroad, they said. As well, the American interests and allies are endangered.

Trump has been eager to curb the Iran threat. He has given Europe an ultimatum to fix the nuclear deal, or he will pull the United States out of it.

The senators encouraged Trump to keep pressuring Iran. As many serious and urgent threats compete for attention, we believe it is important to remain focused on the growing threat that Irans ballistic missile program represents. We applaud your administrations recent actions with respect to Irans ballistic missile program. We are eager to work with the administration to take additional steps to better protect the United States and our allies against this threat.

The Iranian regime violates the human rights of the people of Iran and it plunders the nations wealth on terrorism and proxy groups and militias, wrote the senators, who also said that the Iranian regimes support for the Syrian dictator Bashar al Assads regime is unacceptable. As the worlds worst state sponsor of terrorism, Iran actively supports terrorist groups like Hezbollah and props up the murderous Assad regime that uses gas to slaughter the Syrian people.

They stated that they support the administrations decision to sanction five Iranian entities that support Irans ballistic missile program, but urged it to further use the authorities under Executive Order 13382 to designate all remaining agents, affiliates, and subsidiaries associated with the designated entities and their parent companies.

They advised that more robust sanctions be imposed. This includes designating or otherwise sanctioning the foreign and domestic supply chains associated with Irans ballistic missile programs. We encourage the administration to work with allies and partners to make these sanctions multilateral where possible.

Because the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has control over Irans ballistic missile inventory and the IRGCs Aerospace Force (IRGC-AF) manages the upkeep, testing, maintenance and transfer of weapons, the senators point out that it is therefore necessary that anyone providing assistance should also be sanctioned. This material support can be as high-tech as those engaged in warhead engineering for Irans missiles, or as low-tech as fixing the transporter-erector launchers (TELs) that provide Irans missile force with mobility.

The letter was also signed by Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Dean Heller (R-Nev.), David Perdue (R-Ga.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) and James Risch (R-Idaho).
International aid groups are warning countries with refugees from the Syrian conflict against forcing them to return to Syria.

Humanitarian groups, including the Norwegian Refugee Council and CARE International, released a report about the refugees this week. It noted the dangers the Syrians will face if they are forcibly returned to a land where fighting continues.

"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 report said.

"Return would neither be safe nor voluntary for the vast majority who fled the war and the violence," said Jan Egeland, head of the Norwegian Refugee Council. He said that even in areas where fighting has slowed, his group has noted intense violence, targeting of hospitals and schools, and death.

Forced from home

The United Nations says at least 300,000 Syrians have fled fighting over the past few weeks in the northwestern province of Idlib. The area has come under heavy attack from Russian and Syrian airplanes.

Officials noted that those Syrians had been displaced from their homes earlier.

Aid agencies estimate that 721,000 Syrian refugees returned to their home country last year. In 2016, the number was 560,000. The report warns that continuing violence is expected to force 1.5 million Syrians from their homes this year.

In countries bordering Syria, including Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey, talk of returning the refugees has increased.

The report said Syrias neighbors have been closing borders, expelling some refugees, and forcing others to return involuntarily. It added that more governments are planning such repatriations -- not just of Syrians, but also those who have fled from war in other countries, including Afghanistan and Iraq.

Governments are under the influence of rising populist anger against immigrants and public fear of foreigners. The aid agencies also warned of economic migrants being sent back to their home countries.

Repatriations planned to increase

Israel is planning to remove an estimated 20,000 migrants from Sudan and Eritrea. In Italy, a coalition of political parties is campaigning for more than 100,000 migrants to be sent home over the next 12 months.

Aid agencies remember the year 2015 for a migration crisis, with large numbers of people arriving in Europe. Now, humanitarian workers fear 2018 could become the year of repatriation.

"Return and repatriation of refugees and migrants is high on the European political agenda," the UN children's agency warned.

However in Italy, interior minister Marco Minniti, has led an effort to take the migration issue away from populist politicians. Minniti has become known for making deals with militias along Libya's coast and tribes in its desert to stop human trafficking.

Recently, a deal with Libya's coastguards has seen asylum-seekers stopped at sea and returned to Libya before they ever get to Italy. Humanitarian groups have warned that those being stopped at sea face bad conditions in detention in Libya.

International agreements on refugees

At the United Nations Refugee Convention 1951, countries signed a treaty defining who is a refuge. Since then, European governments have not taken part in mass forced repatriation of war refugees. But now there has been an increase in the return of asylum-seekers from Afghanistan. The Afghans are not considered war refugees by the European Union, or EU.

The convention says that refugees may not be returned if they fear their "life or freedom may be threatened" because of their race, religion, nationality, membership in a social group or opinion. U.N. refugee policies also state that once asylum is approved in another country, refugees can be forced to return home only when conditions in their home country have improved.

In recent weeks, the European Parliament has pressured Britain and other European countries to explain why they have refused requests and sent back hundreds of Afghan asylum-seekers.

In 2016, EU officials reached an aid agreement with Afghanistan. This included the Afghan governments willingness to take back refused asylum-seekers. However since the agreement, involuntary repatriations have increased quickly.

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 are also concerned about plans in Europe for the forced return of Iraqi refugees whose asylum requests have been denied.

Last month, the head of the Iraqi parliament's foreign relations committee urged the government to refuse to negotiate with EU countries concerning forced repatriation of Iraqis.

Im Phil Dierking.

Jaime Dettmer reported this story for VOANews.com. Phil Dierking adapted his report for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

What do you think the rules should be for how long refugees should be allowed to stay in another country? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

agenda - n. a list of things to be considered or done

despite - prep. used to say that something happens or is true even though there is something that might prevent it from happening or being true

migrant - n. a person who goes from one place to another especially to find work

repatriation - n. when someone is returned to his or her own country
Researchers have discovered the remains of an up until now unknown dinosaur in Egypts Western Desert.

The researchers say the long-necked, plant-eating dinosaur was about the size of a city bus.

A group of scientists from Mansoura University in Egypts Nile Delta area found the remains of the creature. They believe it lived about 100 million years ago.

The group says the find is important because it is one of the few dinosaurs from that period in Earths history ever found in Africa.

The recently-discovered dinosaur is being called Mansourasaurus Shahinae. It was named after the university and a founder of its paleontology department.

Hesham Sallam, the teams leader, worked with four Egyptian and five American researchers. They wrote a report on the discovery. It was published January 29 in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution.

Sallam said, now that his team has found a plant-eating dinosaur, it makes sense that they should try to find a meat-eating dinosaur.

As in any ecosystem, if we went to the jungle, well find a lion and a giraffe. So we found the giraffe, wheres the lion? he asked.

Find does not appear to support earlier theories

Experts say the discovery could help scientists better understand a period in Africa that they know little about. That period is called the Mesozoic Era.

Earlier theories suggested that African dinosaurs developed independently from ones in Europe.

But the researchers say the fossilized skeleton of Mansourasaurus appears to be very similar to European dinosaurs of the same time period. They say this suggests there may have been a land bridge between Africa and Europe at the time.

Other researchers have found the remains of large dinosaurs in Egypt. In 2001, an American team from the University of Pennsylvania published a report on their discovery of a similar dinosaur. However, that dinosaur, called Paralititan Stromeri, was much bigger than Mansourasaurus and the two creatures may not have lived at the same time.

Mansourasaurus is believed to have been the size of an African elephant and, including its tail, was about 10 meters.

The find was the result of hard work and long searches. The group looked around the Western Desert for five years before finding the partial skeleton in 2013.

Sallam said he and a group of graduate students were traveling to a local university when they saw a good place to hunt for bones. They later returned to the place and searched an area covering several kilometers.

Then, one of the students made a discovery. Sallam said he knew immediately that it would be something important from her telephone call.

She even called me on the phone because I was about two kilometers away from her. And she told me, Doctor, there are a lot of bones, come and see them. So, I went, and I saw that it was a partial skeleton of a dinosaur. That, for us was a very big thing.

Sallam told his students, If this comes out as I expect, your names will go down in history.

Now there are hopes that the discovery will bring more financial support for paleontology research in Egypt.

Sallam added that he is pleased that the find can help make science real to people who may not think about it often.

I mean, weve made the average Egyptian man, or the Arab man, talk about dinosaurs, he said.

Im Mario Ritter.

Faith Lapidus reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English with materials from AP. George Grow was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

founders n. a person who creates or establishes something

paleontology n. the study of ancient bones

fossilized adj. organic materials that have been buried and changed so that minerals have replaced all of what was once tissue

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United States citizens who joined extremist groups fighting in Syria and Iraq appear to present little immediate threat to Americans or U.S. territory.

A new study found that the same is true of non-citizens who left their American homes to fight in Syria and Iraq.

In fact, only a handful of the fighters have returned to the U.S. from the battlefront, the study notes.

The findings are from a project of the Program on Extremism at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. It identified 64 individuals who fought or assisted Islamic State, al-Qaida and other groups in Syria and Iraq.

Of the 64 travelers, only 12 are known to have returned to U.S. territory, the study found. Nine of them have been arrested and charged with crimes relating to terrorism.

The study noted that none have successfully carried out an attack in the United States.

The risk of returned travelers being engaged in terrorist attacks has, to date, been limited, said a report on the study.

The writers of the report noted, There is currently no publicly available evidence to suggest that American travelers have slipped into the country without the knowledge of authorities. They said that "homegrown" extremists currently appear to be more likely to carry out jihadist attacks than returning travelers.

Compared to European countries, the U.S. faces a smaller risk from returning travelers. That is partly because of the greater distance and difficulty in reaching the Middle East from the United States.

U.S. intelligence officials estimated that more than 40,000 foreign fighters have traveled to Syria and Iraq. Of these, only 5,000 to 6,000 were said to come from Western countries.

The exact number who successfully left from the United States is unclear. Officials have said that about 250 to 300 U.S.-based people left or tried to leave to join groups fighting in Syria. Not all of them made it.

The study found at least 50 were arrested before leaving the United States. That represents about one-third of all U.S. residents who have been charged with crimes related to the Islamic State group.

Of the 64 travelers identified in the study who did leave the U.S., 22 are thought to have died in Syria or Iraq. Officials are unsure of the condition and whereabouts of the others.

Lone returnee charged

The study identified a single returning traveler who sought to carry out an attack in the United States. That was 23-year-old Abdirahman Sheik Mohamud, a naturalized citizen from Somalia.

Mohamud left his home in Ohio to join Jabhat al-Nusra, a group allied with al-Qaida, in April 2014. While in Syria, he was trained in explosives and hand-to-hand fighting. He was sent back to the United States in June to carry out an attack.

But in February 2015, while still plotting the attack, Mohamud was arrested. He admitted guilt to the charges and was sentenced to 22 years in prison.

Other than Mohamud, only one other traveler sought to carry out a terror attack. But that attack, a suicide bombing, happened only upon returning to Syria after avoiding prosecution in the United States.

In any case, the studys authors say the findings suggest fears once voiced by U.S. officials of a terrorist diaspora seem to be overstated.

Possible concerns

Yet the George Washington University study did find some reasons for concern.

Study co-author Seamus Hughes says the average prison sentence for those who went overseas to take part in the fight in Syria and Iraq is only 10 years. He noted that that sentence is shorter than the average prison term for a would-be U.S.-based jihadist arrested at the airport.

Part of that might be linked to the difficulty in making a criminal case based on terrorist activity in another country.

Hughes said another issue could be that the returnees may have been able to share information with investigators and anti-terrorism officials in exchange for lighter sentences.

But just like with the would-be jihadists, these travelers will eventually get out of prison. And Hughes and others believe the United States should be doing more to help these individuals. They note the lack of U.S. programs for former prisoners returning to society could lead to problems in the future.

I'm Jonathan Evans.

Jeff Seldin reported this story for VOANews.com. George Grow adapted his report for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

engage  v. to take part in

authorities  n. officials

jihadist  n. a Muslim who supports a campaign against non-believers

resident  n. a person who lives in a place for some length of time

whereabouts  n. the place where someone or something is

prosecution - n. the act of trying someone accused of a crime

diaspora  n. a group of people who live outside their homeland or the home of their ancestors
Imagine you are a college student at Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont, California. You walk into your philosophy class on the first day of the new term only to find a robot looking you right in the eye. This robot is no huge piece of equipment that builds automobiles, or small device that cleans your floor. It is Bina48.

Bina48 looks like a human  at least the head and shoulders of one. Her voice sounds somewhat like a human voice. And in the fall of 2017, she became the first-ever robot with artificial intelligence, or A.I., to complete a college class.

The story of Bina48

Bina48s story began thirteen years earlier. In 2004, businesswoman Martine Rothblatt began studying the possibility of using technology to keep a human mind alive after the persons body died.

Rothblatts organization, called the Terasem Movement Foundation, developed a system for keeping a computerized record of a persons thoughts, opinions and memories. The organization calls these records Mindfiles.

In 2007, the organization asked the company Hanson Robotics to design an A.I. program based around a Mindfile. The program would be a robotic representation of a living person. The person the designers chose was Rothblatts wife, Bina Aspen Rothblatt.

Bruce Duncan is the managing director of the Terasem Movement Foundation. He says Bina48s programming includes as much of the human Binas thoughts, opinions and memories as she could provide. He notes the robot can use unique combinations of this information to process new information and speak in a human-like way.

The robots mind does not operate exactly the way a human mind does. And the robot does not possess the most highly developed A.I. technology available. Still, Duncan argues that Bina48 does express some understanding of the world around her.

Sheis aware that shes both a robot and that shes based on a specific person named Bina, he told VOA. And she recognizes that shes not human at this point, that she wants to be human. So she has sort of an awareness of her own identity and who she is to some  degree.

Bina48 goes to college

Bina48 was not created to go to college. But then Notre Dame de Namur professor of philosophy William Barry learned about the experiment. He thought it would be interesting for his students to meet a thinking machine.

So he invited Bina48 to speak to one of his classes. The students enjoyed the conversation. And apparently so did Bina48: After several discussions, the robot actually said that she would like to go to college.

Last fall, Barry and Duncan agreed to place Bina48 in an upper level class called the Philosophy of Love. In it, students examine the works of writers and thinkers such as C.S. Lewis, Bell Hooks and Soren Kierkegaard. They use this information to attempt to create a definition of what love is and identify different kinds of love.

Barry thought the addition of a non-human mind would add an interesting element to discussions of the meaning of love. He says the topic is challenging even for his 31 human students.

So, A.I. is really a reflection of who we are and what our values are, said Barry. And one of the hard things is, are we clear about what our values are? The Philosophy of Love is one example of where we werent clear. The students came in, thought, Hey, how hard can this be? Love: its a feeling. Everyone knows what love is And then all of a sudden, theyre like, Oh my God. Theres 31 different definitions.

Barry notes that having a robot in his class became especially useful as a teaching tool. Some of the students expected Bina48s A.I. to be far more developed, while others saw Bina48 as nothing more than a simple machine, he says. But once they saw they could teach her the things they themselves were learning, they became more invested in Bina48s involvement in the class.

Students are much more likely to remember and understand information if they are required to teach that information to others, Barry says.

Barry adds that both he and the students accepted the fact that Bina48 could never actually feel love. But by the end of the class, they were very pleased to see the robot was able to demonstrate the ability to recognize different kinds of love. She did so by making a final presentation with another student, discussing the biological, sociological and intellectual representations of love.

Whats next?

Bina48s first college class was such a positive experience that this winter the robot began studying in another class with Barry. This one is about peoples views of new technologies.

Barry says he hopes teachers will use A.I. like Bina48 as teaching aids at all levels of education in the future.

Northeastern University president Joseph Aoun agrees. He recently wrote a book called Robot-Proof. It is about the effects A.I. might have on the world in the years to come. Aoun says A.I. is already being used in Internet-based education programs.

A.I is being integrated in one way or another, in the education process, he told VOA. But what hasnt happened yet is a massive integration in education, and you are going to see that more and more.

Some people view the growing use of A.I. with fear, says Aoun. In fact, a recent study of public opinion from Northeastern and the research company Gallup showed exactly that. It found that 73 percent of Americans expect the increased use of A.I. will remove more jobs that it creates. And 63 percent believe the development of new technologies and smart machines will widen the gap between the wealthy and the poor.

Aoun acknowledges those concerns. To face them, he recommends being prepared and keeping an open mind.

Im Alice Bryant. And Im Pete Musto.

Pete Musto reported this story for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. We want to hear from you. How do you think A.I. will affect education in the future? What concerns do you think are worth considering? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

_________________________________________________________________ QUIZ Quiz - Worlds First Robot College Student Learns About Love Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

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Words in This Story

philosophy  n. the study of ideas about knowledge, truth, and the nature and meaning of life

shoulder(s)  n. the part of your body where your arm is connected

artificial intelligence  n. the power of a machine to copy intelligent human behavior

unique  adj. used to say that something or someone is unlike anything or anyone else

aware  adj. knowing that something, such as a situation, condition, or problem, exists

specific  adj. special or particular

recognize(s)  v. to accept or be aware that something is true or exists

challenging  adj. difficult in a way that is usually interesting or enjoyable

reflection  n. something that shows the effect, existence, or character of something else

sociological  adj. related to people in general thought of as living together in organized communities with shared laws, traditions, and values, social institutions, and social relationships

positive  adj. good or useful

integrate(d)  v. to make something a part of another larger thing

massive  adj. large in amount or degree

gap  n. a difference between two people, groups, or things

acknowledge(s)  v. to say that you accept or do not deny the truth or existence of

recommend(s)  v. to suggest that someone do something
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3 hours ago

Apple fixes security hole reportedly used to hack an iPhone

BOSTON (AP)  Apple released a critical software patch to fix a security vulnerability that researchers said could allow hackers to directly infect iPhones and other Apple devices without any user action. Researchers at the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab said the security issue was exploited to plant spyware on a Saudi activist's iPhone.

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Operating Corp., Inter-Continental Florida Investment Corp., Inter-Continental Florida Partner Corp., Inter-Continental Hospitality Corporation, Inter-Continental Hoteleira Limitada, Inter-Continental Hotels (Montreal) Operating Corp., Inter-Continental Hotels (Montreal) Owning Corp., Inter-Continental Hotels (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Inter-Continental Hotels Corporation, Inter-Continental Hotels Corporation de Venezuela C.A., Inter-Continental Hotels of San Francisco Inc., Inter-Continental IOHC (Mauritius) Limited, Inter-Continental Management (Australia) Pty Limited, InterContinental (Branston) 1 Limited, InterContinental (PB) 1, InterContinental (PB) 2, InterContinental (PB) 3 Limited, InterContinental Berlin Service Company GmbH, InterContinental Brasil Administracao de Hoteis Ltda, InterContinental Gestion Hotelera S.L., InterContinental Hotel Berlin GmbH, InterContinental Hotel Dusseldorf GmbH (Germany), InterContinental Hotels (Puerto Rico) Inc., InterContinental Hotels Group (Asia Pacific) Pte Ltd, InterContinental Hotels Group (Australia) Pty Limited, InterContinental Hotels Group (Canada) Inc., InterContinental Hotels Group (Espana) SA, InterContinental Hotels Group (Greater China) Limited, InterContinental Hotels Group (India) Pvt. Ltd, InterContinental Hotels Group (Japan) Inc., InterContinental Hotels Group (New Zealand) Limited, InterContinental Hotels Group (Shanghai) Ltd., InterContinental Hotels Group Customer Services Ltd., InterContinental Hotels Group Healthcare Trustee Limited, InterContinental Hotels Group Operating Corp., InterContinental Hotels Group Resources Inc., InterContinental Hotels Group Services Company, InterContinental Hotels Group do Brasil Limitada, InterContinental Hotels Italia S.r.L., InterContinental Hotels Limited, InterContinental Hotels Management GmbH, InterContinental Hotels Nevada Corporation, InterContinental Management AM LLC, InterContinental Management Bulgaria EOOD, InterContinental Management France SAS, InterContinental Management Poland sp. z.o.o, InterContinental Overseas Holding Corporation, Intercontinental Hotels Corporation Limited, KG Benefits LLC, KG Gift Card Inc., KG Liability LLC, KG Technology LLC, KHP Washington Operator LLC, KHRG 11th Avenue Hotel LLC, KHRG 851 LLC, KHRG Aertson LLC, KHRG Alexandria LLC, KHRG Alexis LLC, KHRG Allegro LLC, KHRG Argyle LLC, KHRG Austin Beverage Company LLC, KHRG Baltimore LLC, KHRG Born LLC, KHRG Boston Hotel LLC, KHRG Canary LLC, KHRG Cayman Employer Ltd., KHRG Cayman LLC, KHRG DC 1731 LLC, KHRG DC 2505 LLC, KHRG Donovan LLC, KHRG Employer LLC, KHRG Goleta LLC, KHRG Gray LLC, KHRG Gray U2 LLC, KHRG Hillcrest LLC, KHRG Huntington Beach LLC, KHRG King Street LLC, KHRG La Peer LLC, KHRG Miami Beach LLC, KHRG Muse LLC, KHRG NPC LLC, KHRG Onyx LLC, KHRG Palladian LLC, KHRG Palomar Phoenix LLC, KHRG Philly Monaco LLC, KHRG Pittsburgh LLC, KHRG Reynolds LLC, KHRG Riverplace LLC, KHRG SFD LLC, KHRG Sacramento LLC, KHRG Savannah LLC, KHRG Schofield LLC, KHRG Sedona LLC, KHRG State Street LLC, KHRG Sutter LLC, KHRG Sutter Union LLC, KHRG Taconic LLC, KHRG Tariff LLC, KHRG Texas Hospitality LLC, KHRG Texas Operations LLC, KHRG Tryon LLC, KHRG VZ Austin LLC, KHRG Vero Beach LLC, KHRG Vintage Park LLC, KHRG WPB LLC, KHRG Wabash LLC, KHRG Westwood LLC, KHRG Wilshire LLC, KHRG Zamora LLC, Kimpton Hollywood Licenses LLC, Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group, Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group LLC, Kimpton Phoenix Licenses Holdings LLC, Kimpton Sedona Licenses LLC, Louisiana Acquisitions Corp., MH Lodging LLC, Mercer Fairview Holdings LLC, PML Services LLC, PT SC Hotels & Resorts Indonesia, Pollstrong Limited, Powell Pine Inc., Priscilla Holiday of Texas Inc., RM Lodging LLC, Regent Hotels and Resorts, Resort Services International (Cayo Largo) L.P., SBS Maryland Beverage Company LLC, SC Cellars Limited, SC Hotels International Services Inc., SC Leisure Group Limited, SC NAS 2 Limited, SC Quest Limited, SC Reservations (Philippines) Inc., SCH Insurance Company, SCIH Branston 3, SF MH Acquisition LLC, SPHC Group Pty Ltd., SPHC Management Ltd., Semiramis for training of Hotel Personnel and Hotel Management SAE, Six Continents Corporate Services, Six Continents Holdings Limited, Six Continents Hotels Inc., Six Continents Hotels International Limited, Six Continents Hotels de Colombia SA, Six Continents International Holdings B.V., Six Continents Investments Limited, Six Continents Limited, Six Continents Overseas Holdings Limited, Six Continents Restaurants Limited, SixCo North America Inc., Solamar Lodging LLC, Southern Pacific Hotel Corporation (BVI) Ltd., Southern Pacific Hotels Properties Limited, Universal de Hoteles SA, White Shield Insurance Company Limited, and World Trade Centre Montreal Hotel Corporation.
The following companies are subsidiares of BlackRock: Acero Cooperatief U.A., Acero Holdings I B.V., Amethyst Merger Sub LLC, AnalytX Hosting LLC, AnalytX LLC, AnalytX Software LLC, Aperio, Aperio, Aquila Heywood, Asia-Pacific Private Credit Opportunities Fund I (GenPar) Ltd., BAA Holdings LLC, BFM Holdco LLC, BLK (Gallatin) Holdings LLC, BLK SMI LLC, BR Acquisition Mexico S.A. de C.V., BR Jersey International Holdings L.P., Beijing eFront Software Company Limited, BlackRock (Barbados) Finco 1 SRL, BlackRock (Channel Islands) Limited, BlackRock (Luxembourg) S.A., BlackRock (Netherlands) B.V., BlackRock (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BlackRock (Singapore) Holdco II Pte. Ltd., BlackRock (Singapore) Holdco Pte. Limited, BlackRock (Singapore) Limited, BlackRock AP Investment Holdco LLC, BlackRock Advisors (UK) Limited, BlackRock Advisors LLC, BlackRock Advisors Singapore Pte. Limited, BlackRock Alternative Advisors GP Holdings LLC, BlackRock Alternatives Management LLC, BlackRock Argentina Asesorias Ltda., BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited, BlackRock Asset Management Deutschland AG, BlackRock Asset Management International Inc., BlackRock Asset Management Investor Services Limited, BlackRock Asset Management Ireland Limited, BlackRock Asset Management North Asia Limited, BlackRock Asset Management Schweiz AG, BlackRock Asset Management UK Limited, BlackRock Australia Holdco Pty. Ltd., BlackRock Brasil Gestora de Investimentos Ltda., BlackRock Cal 1 Investor LLC, BlackRock Canada Holdings LP, BlackRock Canada Holdings ULC, BlackRock Capital Holdings Inc., BlackRock Capital Investment Advisors LLC, BlackRock Capital Management Inc., BlackRock Cayco Limited, BlackRock Cayman 1 LP, BlackRock Cayman Capital Holdings Limited, BlackRock Cayman Finco 2 Limited, BlackRock Cayman Finco 3 Limited, BlackRock Cayman Finco Limited, BlackRock Cayman West Bay Finco Limited, BlackRock Cayman West Bay IV Limited, BlackRock Cayman Z Limited, BlackRock Channel Islands Holdco Limited, BlackRock Chile Asesorias Limitada, BlackRock Colombia Holdco LLC, BlackRock Colombia Infraestructura S.A.S., BlackRock Colombia SAS, BlackRock Company Secretarial Services (UK) Limited, BlackRock Corporation US Inc., BlackRock Delaware Holdings Inc., BlackRock Enterprise Management Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BlackRock Europe Development Management Limited, BlackRock Execution Services, BlackRock Finance Europe Limited, BlackRock Financial Management Inc., BlackRock Finco LLC, BlackRock Finco UK Ltd., BlackRock First Partner Limited, BlackRock France SAS, BlackRock Fund Advisors, BlackRock Fund Management Company S.A., BlackRock Fund Managers Limited, BlackRock Funding International Ltd., BlackRock Funds Services Group LLC, BlackRock Germany GmBH, BlackRock Group Limited, BlackRock HK Holdco Limited, BlackRock Holdco 2 Inc., BlackRock Holdco 3 LLC, BlackRock Holdco 4 LLC, BlackRock Holdco 5 LLC, BlackRock Holdco 6 LLC, BlackRock Hungary Kft, BlackRock Index Services LLC, BlackRock Infrastructure Management I LLC, BlackRock Institutional Services Inc., BlackRock Institutional Trust Company National Association, BlackRock International Holdings Inc., BlackRock International Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (Australia) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (Dublin) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (Korea) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BlackRock Investment Management (Taiwan) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management Ireland Holdings Limited, BlackRock Investment Management LLC, BlackRock Investments LLC, BlackRock Japan Co. Ltd., BlackRock Japan Holdings GK, BlackRock Jersey Finco 2 Limited, BlackRock Latin America Holdco LLC, BlackRock Latin American Holdings B.V., BlackRock Life Limited, BlackRock Lux Finco S.a r.l., BlackRock Luxembourg Holdco S.a r.l., BlackRock Mexican Holdco B.V., BlackRock Mexico Infraestructura I S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Infraestructura II S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Infraestructura III S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Manager II S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Manager III S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Manager S de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Operadora S.A. de C.V. Sociedad Operadora de Fondos de Inversion, BlackRock Mortgage Ventures LLC, BlackRock Niagara LLC, BlackRock Operations (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., BlackRock Overseas Investment Fund Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BlackRock PC Holdings LLC, BlackRock Pensions Limited, BlackRock Peru Asesorias S.A., BlackRock Property Consulting (Beijing) Co. Ltd., BlackRock Property France S.a.r.l., BlackRock Property Lux S.a.r.l., BlackRock Property Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., BlackRock Realty Advisors Inc., BlackRock Saudi Arabia, BlackRock Scale Holdings LLC, BlackRock Services India Private Limited, BlackRock Singapore III Pte. Ltd., BlackRock Slovakia s.r.o., BlackRock Strategic Investors GP LLC, BlackRock Strategic Investors LP, BlackRock Trident Holding Company Limited, BlackRock UK (Alpha) Limited, BlackRock UK (Beta) Limited, BlackRock UK (Delta) LP, BlackRock UK (Gamma) Limited, BlackRock UK (Sigma) Limited, BlackRock UK 2 LLP, BlackRock UK 3 LLP, BlackRock UK 4 LLP, BlackRock UK A LLP, BlackRock UK Holdco 2 Limited, BlackRock UK Holdco Limited, Blackhawk Investment Holding LLC, CIE Automotive, Cachematrix Holdings, Cachematrix Holdings LLC, Cachematrix Integrations Private Limited, Cachematrix Software Solutions LLC, Cachematrix UK Limited, FutureAdvisor Inc., Glass Mountain Pipeline, Global Energy & Power Infrastructure Advisors LLC, Global Energy & Power Infrastructure II Advisors LLC, Grosvenor Alternate Partner Limited, Grosvenor Ventures Limited, HLX Financial Holdings LLC, MGPA (Bermuda) Limited, MGPA (Exec) Limited, MGPA Limited, Mercury Carry Company Ltd., Mercury Private Equity MUST 3 (Jersey) Limited, Object Capital Technology Inc., Phoenix Acquisition B.V., Phoenix Acquisitions Holdings LLC, Portfolio Administration & Management Ltd., Prestadora de Servicios Integrales BlackRock Mexico S.A. de C.V., SVOF/MM LLC, St. Albans House Nominees (Jersey) Ltd., State Street Research & Management, Tennenbaum Capital Partners LLC, Tennenbaum Capital Partners LLC, Tlali Acero S.A. de C.V. SOFOM ENR, Trident Merger LLC, eFront, eFront, eFront (Jersey) Limited, eFront DMLT Holdings LLC, eFront DMLT Holdings S.R.L, eFront DR S.R.L, eFront Do Brasil Solucoes Informaticas Para Sistemas Financeiros Ltda., eFront FZ-LLC, eFront Financial Solutions Inc., eFront GmbH, eFront Holding II SAS, eFront Holdings SAS, eFront Hong Kong Limited, eFront II SAS, eFront Kabushiki Kaisha, eFront Ltd, eFront SAS, eFront Singapore Pte. Ltd, eFront Software Luxembourg S.a r.l., eFront Solutions Financeieres Inc., eFront d.o.o. Beograd, iShares (DE) I Investmentaktiengesellschaft mit Teilgesellschaftsvermogen, and iShares Delaware Trust Sponsor LLC.
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

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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.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Anthem: 1-800 Contacts, AIM Specialty Health, AMERIGROUP Community Care of New Mexico Inc., AMERIGROUP Corporation, AMERIGROUP Maryland Inc., AMERIGROUP New Jersey Inc., AMERIGROUP Ohio Inc., AMERIGROUP Tennessee Inc., AMERIGROUP Texas Inc., AMERIGROUP Washington Inc., AMGP Georgia Managed Care Company Inc., ATH Holding Company LLC, America's 1st Choice of South Carolina Inc., America's Health Management Services Inc., American Imaging Management Inc., Americas 1st Choice, Amerigroup, Amerigroup Delaware Inc., Amerigroup District of Columbia Inc., Amerigroup Health Plan of Louisiana Inc., Amerigroup IPA of New York LLC, Amerigroup Insurance Company, Amerigroup Iowa Inc., Amerigroup Kansas Inc., Amerigroup Mississippi Inc., Amerigroup Oklahoma Inc., Amerigroup Partnership Plan LLC, Amerigroup Pennsylvania Inc., Anthem Blue Cross Life and Health Insurance Company, Anthem Financial Inc., Anthem Health Plans Inc., Anthem Health Plans of Kentucky Inc., Anthem Health Plans of Maine Inc., Anthem Health Plans of New Hampshire Inc., Anthem Health Plans of Virginia Inc., Anthem Holding Corp., Anthem Innovation Israel Ltd., Anthem Insurance Companies Inc., Anthem Kentucky Managed Care Plan Inc., Anthem Life & Disability Insurance Company, Anthem Life Insurance Company, Anthem Partnership Holding Company LLC, Anthem Services Company LLC, Anthem Southeast Inc., Anthem UM Services Inc., Anthem Workers' Compensation LLC, Applied Pathways LLC, Arcus Enterprises Inc., Aspire Health Inc., Aspire Healthcare Corp, Associated Group Inc., Beacon Health Options, Blue Cross Blue Shield Healthcare Plan of Georgia Inc., Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wisconsin, Blue Cross of California, Blue Cross of California Partnership Plan Inc., CareMarket Inc., CareMore Health Plan, CareMore Health Plan of Arizona Inc., CareMore Health Plan of Nevada, CareMore Health Plan of Texas Inc., CareMore Health System, CareMore LLC, Cerulean Companies Inc., Claim Management Services Inc., Community Care Health Plan of Louisiana Inc., Community Care Health Plan of Nevada Inc., Community Insurance Company, Compcare Health Services Insurance Corporation, Crossroads Acquisition Corp., DBG Holdings Inc., DeCare Analytics LLC, DeCare Dental Health International LLC, DeCare Dental Insurance Ireland Ltd., DeCare Dental LLC, DeCare Dental Networks LLC, DeCare Operations Ireland Limited, Delivery Network LLC, Designated Agent Company Inc., EHC Benefits Agency Inc., EasyScripts Cutler Bay LLC, EasyScripts Hialeah LLC, EasyScripts LLC, EasyScripts Westchester LLC, Empire HealthChoice Assurance Inc., Empire HealthChoice HMO Inc., Federal Government Solutions LLC, Freedom Health Inc., Global TPA LLC, Golden West Health Plan Inc., Greater Georgia Life Insurance Company, HEP AP Holdings Inc., HMO Colorado Inc., HMO Missouri Inc., Health Core Inc., Health Management Corporation, Health Ventures Partner L.L.C., HealthKeepers Inc., HealthLink HMO Inc., HealthLink Inc., HealthLink Insurance Company, HealthPlus HP LLC, HealthSun Health Plans, HealthSun Health Plans Inc., HealthSun Holdings LLC, HealthSun Management LLC, HealthSun Physicians Network I LLC, HealthSun Physicians Network LLC, Healthy Alliance Life Insurance Company, Highland Acquisition Holdings LLC, Highland Holdco Inc., Highland Intermediate Holdings LLC, Highland Investor Holdings LLC, Imaging Management Holdings LLC, IngenioRx Inc., Legato Health Technologies LLP, Legato Health Technologies Philippines Inc., Legato Holdings I Inc., Legato Holdings II LLC, Living Complete Technologies Inc., Matthew Thornton Health Plan Inc., Memphis Supportive Care Partnership LLC, Meridian Resource Company LLC, Missouri Care Incorporated, NGS Federal LLC, Nash Holding Company LLC, National Government Services Inc., New England Research Institutes Inc., Optimum Healthcare Inc., Park Square Holdings Inc., Park Square I Inc., Park Square II Inc., Pasteur Medical Bird Road LLC, Pasteur Medical Center LLC, Pasteur Medical Cutler Bay LLC, Pasteur Medical Group LLC, Pasteur Medical Hialeah Gardens LLC, Pasteur Medical Holdings LLC, Pasteur Medical Kendall LLC, Pasteur Medical Management LLC, Pasteur Medical Miami Gardens LLC, Pasteur Medical North Miami Beach LLC, Pasteur Medical Partners LLC, Resolution Health Inc, Resolution Health Inc., RightCHOICE Managed Care Inc., Rocky Mountain Hospital and Medical Service Inc., SellCore Inc., Simply Healthcare Holdings, Simply Healthcare Plans Inc., Southeast Services Inc., State Sponsored DM Services Inc., The Anthem Companies Inc., The Anthem Companies of California Inc., TrustSolutions LLC, UNICARE Health Plan of West Virginia Inc., UNICARE Illinois Services Inc., UNICARE National Services Inc., UniCare Life & Health Insurance Company, UniCare Specialty Services Inc., Valus Inc., WPMI LLC, WellCare of Nebraska Inc., WellPoint Acquisition LLC, WellPoint California Services Inc., WellPoint Dental Services Inc., WellPoint Health Solutions Inc., WellPoint Holding Corp., WellPoint Information Technology Services Inc., WellPoint Insurance Services Inc., WellPoint Military Care Corporation, Wellmax Health Medical Centers LLC, Wellmax Health Physicians Network LLC, and Wisconsin Collaborative Insurance Company.
Meet Miehiera

continued

Nearby, an arctic fox lounged in the snow, sweet as a sunbather soaking up rays on the beach. They were at a multi-building campus at the corner of Ann Arbor-Saline and Pleasant Lake roads. The campus, where Jorja works as the administrator, houses Animal Kingdom Veterinary Hospital, Creature Comforts Bed & Bath (a pet boarding and grooming facility), and the Creature Conservancy, a nonprofit devoted to animal conservation and education.



The fox, Miehiera, was donated to the conservancy. Her enclosure was shared until recently with Burton, a very old male who has since passed away.



Steve Marsh, the Creature Conservancy's head curator, explains that live animals help establish personal connections between visitors and the wild creatures for which the group advocates. Along with staff presentations about biology, ecological niches, and evolutionary history, such encounters can help people make more informed decisions as to how we coexist with the other residents of our planet.



Miehiera earns her keep as an education ambassador. Marsh is bemused by her beautiful cat eyes: vertical pupil slits that look more feline than canine. But she is much more than just a pretty face. She displays many unusual adaptations that enable arctic foxes to live in bitter cold polar bear country.
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. 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Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. operates as a multinational, specialty pharmaceutical, and medical device company that develops, manufactures, and markets a range of pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter (OTC) products, and medical devices. The company operates through three segments: Bausch + Lomb/International, Branded Rx, and U.S. Diversified Products. The Bausch + Lomb/International segment provides pharmaceutical products, OTC products, and medical device products, primarily consist of Bausch + Lomb products, with a focus on the vision care, surgical, consumer, and ophthalmology Rx products in the United States; and pharmaceutical products, generic pharmaceutical products, OTC products, medical device products, and Bausch + Lomb products in Canada, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East. The Branded Rx segment sells gastrointestinal and dermatological products in the United States. The U.S. Diversified Products segment offers pharmaceutical products, OTC products, and medical device products in the areas of neurology and certain other therapeutic classes, including aesthetics. The company was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Laval, Canada.

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Travelport Worldwide Limited, together with its subsidiaries, operates a travel commerce platform that offers distribution, technology, payment, mobile, and other solutions for the travel and tourism industry in the United States, the United Kingdom, and internationally. It facilitates travel commerce by connecting travel providers, such as airlines, hotel chains, and car rental companies with online and offline travel buyers in a business-to-business travel platform. The company provides distribution and merchandising solutions for hotel, car rental, rail, cruise-line, and tour operators; Virtual Account Number payment solutions that automatically generate unique MasterCard numbers that are used to process payments; advertising solutions; and other platform services, such as subscription, processing, and business intelligence data services, as well as marketing-oriented analytical tools to travel agencies, travel providers, and other travel data users. It also offers critical IT solutions and other services to airlines, such as shopping, ticketing, departure control, business intelligence, and other solutions. Travelport Worldwide Limited was incorporated in 2006 and is headquartered in Langley, the United Kingdom.

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NORTH KOREA Leader Kim Jong Un presided over an extravagant military parade in Pyongyangs Kim Il Sung Square yesterday, grabbing the spotlight on the eve of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in South Korea to thumb his nose at Washington.

CAMBODIA A court in Cambodia has allowed the release on bail of seven Westerners who were arrested last month for allegedly posting photos on social media of themselves engaged in sexually suggestive dancing.

THAILAND Nearly three dozen Thai democracy activists turned themselves in to police yesterday after being summoned in connection with a protest calling for the ruling military government to step down and relinquish power through elections. All were released the same day.

AFGHANISTAN An Afghani police chief said yesterday that a Chinese and three Uzbek militants were killed in the joint air strikes in Jowzjan province, where an IS affiliate group has gained a foothold. M

YEMEN Along a narrow road in Yemen choked by natural gas tankers and heavily armed soldiers lies the Awwam Temple, an ancient temple neglected and threatened in a nation now at war.

SYRIA Rescue workers and activists say the death toll from ongoing government strikes on the opposition-held region near the capital Damascus has risen to at least 35.

CYPRUS Exploratory drilling off Cyprus southern shore has shown indications of a potentially sizeable gas deposit that raises hopes for more discoveries.

FRANCE President Emmanuel Macron stood firm in the face of growing nationalist demands in Corsica, rejecting calls for increasing autonomy in the once-restive Mediterranean island.

BELGIUM A shootout with Belgian police that led to the capture of Europes most-wanted man may have been criminal but it wasnt terrorism, a lawyer for the key surviving suspect in the Islamic State attacks against Paris argued yesterday.

ARGENTINA A photograph of Argentinas president (right) shaking hands with an off-duty police officer who fatally shot a man in the back after he stabbed and robbed a U.S. tourist has triggered a heated debate over the limits of a crackdown on crime.
Cryptocurrency ads have found their way onto Facebook despite a ban, using a workaround popular with email spammers: changing spelling.

In one recent ad, the o in BITCOIN was replaced with a zero, and the capital Is were replaced with lowercase Ls. The tactic was noticed by French entrepreneur Matthieu Suiche on Twitter, who said he was surprised by the bans lack of sophistication.

This is ridiculous. Ads are evading new Facebook rules against crypto currencies, and ICOs by misspelling them. "BlTC0lN" with L and Zeros. pic.twitter.com/Tt9a4r4sYP  Matthieu Suiche (@msuiche) February 3, 2018

Facebook Inc. banned ads tied to cryptocurrencies, initial coin offerings and binary options last month, saying they were associated with misleading and deceptive practices. The company has been working to clean up its advertising system, after several reports by ProPublica showed that racist and discriminatory ads could make their way through.

Even as Facebook works to build up its artificial intelligence capabilities, its finding that humans are more reliable for detecting harmful behavior on its site. The social networking company has been hiring thousands of new employees around the world to address problems including fake news and election manipulation. Now Bitcoin is on their radar, too.

Now read: MyEtherWallet rebrands to MyCrypto
Armenia PM receives French Co-Chair of OSCE Minsk Group, paths for Karabakh conflict settlement discussed

Armenia Deputy PM introduces newly appointed governor of Gegharkunik Province

Traffic jams on Armenia's Goris-Kapan interstate road, Azerbaijanis rudely telling Armenians to drive away

About 50 soldiers and police officers killed after attacks in Myanmar

2 dead after explosion near COVID-19 testing site in central Myanmar

Armenia pregnant woman with COVID-19 dies

Azerbaijan planning another festival in occupied Armenian Shushi

Karabakh emergency situations service: Remains of 2 more Armenian servicemen found in Hadrut

Russia to resume flights to Spain, Iraq, Kenya and Slovakia

Russia Senator: Russian peacekeepers will remain in Karabakh so long as their presence is necessary

Armenia FM receives French Co-Chair of OSCE Minsk Group

"Armenia" alliance: Armenian authorities have turned detention into punitive mechanism against opposition

Armenia appoints new Ambassador to Belarus

Armenia has new Ambassador to the State of Qatar

Iran MFA responds to situation regarding Iranian truck drivers in Armenia's Syunik

Armenian MFA: No negotiations being held for normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations at the moment

Digest: Azerbaijan tries to control goods transportation via Armenia, more on COVID-19

Armenia Deputy PM receives Co-Chairs of Armenian-Ukrainian Intergovernmental Commission

Armenia appoints new Ambassador to Greece

Judge delays granting Armenia ex-President Kocharyan permission to travel to Moscow

Armenia Ambassador to Ukraine Vladimir Karapetyan is in parliament

Armenia Armed Forces' General Staff chief has new deputy

FM: Azerbaijan armys illegal presence in Armenia undermines de-escalation efforts in region

Armenia Parliament Speaker: Results of all elections between 1996 and 2018 were falsified

Armenia parliament considering election of member of anti-corruption commission

Armenia girl, 6, falls from 7th floor of building, in grave condition

Tehran to resume nuclear deal talks in Vienna soon

First international commercial flight carried out in Kabul after pullout of US troops

Armenia PM, EU special representative discuss Karabakh peace process

Price of natural gas per 1,000 cubic meters in Europe reaches record-setting $730

Dollar goes down in Armenia

Artsakh President introduces new defense minister to top army command staff

Taliban intend to remove subjects that contradict Sharia from university programs

Armenia Central Electoral Commission chief: Elections have been held in line with requirements of Electoral Code

Deputy mayor of Armenia's Goris resigns, to run in local self-government elections

Armen Sarkissian sends message to US President on 20th anniversary of terrorist attacks

EBRD, ADB to provide loan to fund 2nd phase of Electric Networks of Armenia company investment program

Azerbaijan army's General Staff chief, Turkish MOD discuss deepening of military cooperation

Head of Tegh village of Armenia's Syunik: Azerbaijanis tie villager's UAZ to a truck and steal it

Armenia Security Council Secretary leaving for Tajikistan

Analyst: There might be documents signed by Armenia and not revealed

Armenia ex-defense minister: There are no legal grounds for demarcation/delimitation of borders with Azerbaijan

Armenia Parliament Speaker on opposition MP's statement on transfer of lands

Turkey, Azerbaijan army chiefs hold talks in Ankara

Azerbaijan hosting joint military exercises with Turkey, Pakistan

Le Figaro deputy director draws parallels between Taliban, Azerbaijan actions

EU special representative for South Caucasus arrives in Armenia

Armenia, Azerbaijan leaders can have more effective discussion today too on possible compromises, says Carey Cavanaugh

Azerbaijan ex-FM suggests annoying Russia peacekeepers in Karabakh

President receives Germany envoy on occasion of completing his diplomatic mission in Armenia

Armenia legislature refuses to set up committee on Artsakh

Armenia defense minister to partake in monitoring of Russia-Belarus joint military exercises

296 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Speaker not ruling out summoning security forces to Armenia parliament over Azerbaijan police actions

Azerbaijan army General Staff chief on official visit to Turkey

World oil prices on the rise

Republic of Armenia 30th anniversary collector coin issued

Earthquake hits Iran

Opposition Armenia Faction MP: National Security Service uses fully Azerbaijani terminology in its statement

CSTO joint meeting participants to adopt about 20 documents

Georgian thief-in-law dies in Russia prison

Armenia parliament kicks off regular sittings

Experts urge NASA not to break impact probe on meteorite

More than dozen gorillas at US zoo test positive for coronavirus

Armenia Chamber of Advocates elects chairman

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
The situation in Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople will be discussed in Holy Etchmiadzin on Sunday, the press service of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin told Armenian News - NEWS.am.

This issue will be discussed during the meeting of the Supreme Spiritual Council.

Earlier it was reported that, the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople has issued a statement stressing that, considering the Governorship of Istanbuls recent letter addressed to the Patriarchateand in which it was stressed that the Turkish state continues recognizing Archbishop Aram Atesyan as General Vicar of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople and deems unlawful Archbishop Karekin Bekciyans election as Patriarch locum tenens and his decisionsa meeting of the Religious Council was held.

At the meeting it was decided to return to the situation in 2010, when Archbishop Atesyan was designated General Vicar by the authorities; that is, he will continue to carry out the respective duties.

Also, it was noted that Archbishop Bekciyan, who was elected Patriarch locum tenens last year, did not attend this Religious Council meeting, and he verbally informed about his resignation.
Home | News | General | Austria plans to train 1,000 Nigerians before deporting them

- Austria is planning to train 1,000 Nigerians before deporting them

- The programme was to prepare the migrants for gainful employment which some Austrian companies were to set up later in Nigeria

- Director-general of the centre said that the proposed programme would facilitate reversed migration of the irregular migrants

Austria has completed the process of organising skills acquisition programmes for at least 1000 Nigerian irregular migrants in Austria before their repatriation.

The countrys director-general, International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), Michael Spindelegger, said in Abuja at a meeting with foreign affairs minister Geoffrey Onyeama.

Spindelegger said that ICMPD, with its headquarters in Austria, would start the programme with Nigeria as a pilot scheme before extending to others.

He said that the programme was to prepare the migrants for gainful employment which some Austrian companies were to set up later in Nigeria.

READ ALSO: Obaseki visits family of driver killed during a fight with a police officer

The centre director-general said that the proposed programme would facilitate reversed migration of the irregular migrants, who had no likelihood of being given legal residents in Austria.

It is a new idea of how to combine future investment in Nigeria with the return of irregular migrants.

A lot of companies are interested in investing in Nigeria because of its market.

The idea is to train these irregular migrants before repatriating them so that when they come back, they will have something to do instead of becoming liabilities.

The idea is also to encourage more Austrian companies to come and invest in Nigeria so that they also can contribute to solving the problem of unemployment and irregular migration, he said.

According to him, there is provision for asylum in Europe, but in a situation where an emigrant fails to secure asylum, the person will be deported at the long run.

For them, there is no chance of remaining in the country, because once they are picked, they will not be allowed to take anything, but would be brought back to their country empty.

There are no fewer than 1,000 Nigerians that are not granted refugees status living in Austria.

The programme is starting with Nigeria as a pilot, then, we will see what the experience is before extending it to other countries, he said.

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Spindelegger said: Though, only few Austrian companies are currently in Nigeria, efforts are being made to convince companies involved in the programme to come and invest in Nigeria.

It is also part of the programme. They can get benefits from the European Union for the investment, which serves as more business security for them, he said.

In his remarks, Onyeama said that the initiative would not only have Nigerians coming back home to contribute to national development, but also stood to benefit from foreign investors.

It can be companies in Austria that are interested in investing in any sector of Nigerian economy.

They will be selecting from Nigerian irregular migrants in Austria, train them and send them down to work with their companies in Nigeria, he said.

The minister, however, dismissed the fears of likely ploy to deport Nigerians in the country through the process.

Remember that those Nigerians are in that country illegally, and do not have any prospect of regularising their stay. As such, they would be deported in any case.

So, instead of being deported with the shame that comes with it, they would be given training and guaranteed employment with the companies that would be coming to invest in Nigeria, he said.

Onyeama said that the present administration had already put in place mechanism to address irregular migration and promote the concept of reverse migration.

He said Nigeria was in full support of the scheme and would ensure its success, adding that government had made huge investment on social intervention programmes and was having such similar scheme partnership with Germany.

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) said it had engaged some local witch-doctors in Benin, Edo as ambassadors in fighting human trafficking in the country.

The director general of NAPTIP, Julie Okah-Donli, disclosed this at a symposium for the agencys officials in Abuja on Monday, January 5.

Mass deportation: Tales of woes from Libya on NAIJ.com TV:

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Home | News | General | Opinion: IBBs letter to his countryman by Azu Ishiekwene

Editor's note: Azu Ishiekwene is the Managing Director/Editor-In-Chief of The Interview in this piece talks about the recent assessment of President Muhammadu Buhari's administration by former military president Ibrahim Babangida in two statements.

What was meant to be an assessment of the three-year-old government of President Muhammadu Buhari turned on its head before the ink dried up on the press statement.

Former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, said he meant to advise Buhari not to run again in 2019, but to make way for younger politicians.

That might have been what he told his media consultant, Kassim Afegbua, but that was not what the public heard.

In less than three hours of a public relations disaster, two statements carrying different messages with varying degrees of howlers, potholes and contradictions were issued from Babangidas Hill Top residence in Minna, culminating in a follow up phone interview by ThisDay, which confirmed what was intended in the first statement.

READ ALSO: Obaseki visits family of driver killed during a fight with a police officer

It was a comedy of blunders that left the sender with enough room to escape liability, pushed the messenger to the wall, and left the intended receiver in a state of convenient mockery.

That was not how Babangida wanted it to be. The man who ruled Nigeria for eight years partly from Abdel Nassers model, but largely from Machiavellis playbook, intended to go back to his first speech as military president in 1985.

That speech, made after Babangida and co overthrew Buhari in a palace coup, portrayed Buhari as an inflexible loner, a man whose tunnel vision propelled him to either have his way or drag others down the highway. Its a speech that has been used to beat Buhari over the head many times, since his second coming.

Buharis slow pace and prevarication, his unwillingness or refusal to free himself from the grip and enchantment of a few powerful aides to whom he appears to have surrendered all, and his governments the lack of a sense of danger and urgency, all make Babangidas letter of 33 years ago read like holy grail.

That was the letter Babangida wanted to re-enact.

In Babangidas early days in power, that speech endeared him to the public, including a number of high-profile politicians like Audu Ogbeh, jailed by Buhari at the time, but now serving enthusiastically in his government as Minister of Agriculture.

That was the speech Babangida wanted to borrow from this week, only for him to find that the book has since left the shelf.

Now, the talk of the town is not what Babangida meant to advise Buhari in a barely disguised continuation of their decades-old war, but what the letter says about Babangidas mercurial quality.

He tried to redeem himself in a follow up interview credited to him after the first statement and the denial; he reportedly said he stood by his first statement that Buharis time was up and he must leave for the digital new breed to takeover.

But it was too late. The family squabble that foreshadowed the release of the first statement had spilled onto the public space and his media consultant, Afegbua, who signed the statement and defended it on Channels TV later the same day, was declared wanted by a hopelessly idle police force.

And Babangida is getting a beating. The public is so used to seeing the clown prince of inconsistency change positions that only a few are willing to grant that the ensuing exchange was not orchestrated.

His legacy of inconsistency  some might even say betrayal  included shifting his governments handover date until it bred a monster that consumed him, having banned and reversed the ban of politicians and changed the rules of participation until the field became a muddle. His love-hate relationship with the press and his decision to cancel the result of the June 12 election and hang his friend, MKO Abiola, out to dry after a free and fair vote, have not helped his reputation either.

If the whole point of the jiggery pokery as Babangida claimed at the time was to create a new breed of politicians who would play politics as it is in heaven, weve seen nearly two decades after that his rigmarole was a colossal waste of time and resources.

But thats not what he wants us to remember. Two weeks after another member of the retired presidential club, Olusegun Obasanjo, hurled a letter bomb at Buhari asking him to step down and committing to a third force to enforce his wish, Babangida was hoping that his own letter would help drive the point home.

In the cloak-and-dagger politics of retired but active partisan Nigerian generals, Obasanjo and Babangida have joined forces before, just as they have fallen out over their records in office. Obasanjo and Buhari have also collaborated to nail the political coffin of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

It was therefore not unusual that Babangida piled on Buhari after Obasanjos open letter. But why didnt Babangida take the first shot? Why did he wait to do it under the cover of Obasanjos letter?

Some have said its part of the trademark Babangida inconsistency that he didnt take the first shot. Or that hes trying to curry public favour by being a latter-day hero.

I dont know what it is, but my interviews with Babangida and Buhari in the last three years suggest that there are deep, smouldering scars from 1985 that both men will carry to their graves. If time and age should ever weaken their appetite for personal feud, proxy and clan will simply carry on the fight.

Both men also know how the awesome powers of office can be easily misused and even though Babangida may not care much in his present condition of health, the last thing his family wants is to be at the receiving end of the presidential stick.

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Yet, in the light of the growing wave of discontent, silence was not an option and it probably occurred to Babangida that the only way to overcome silence was to speak in muffled tones.

The risk he now faces is that hell hardly be taken seriously next time. If his spokesperson cannot speak for him and his family cannot be trusted to issue a simple, coherent public statement in his name, the least Babangida can do for his own good is to save himself from mockery by keeping a low profile.

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.

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Home | News | General | Some people are after my life - IBB's spokesman cries out

- Kazzim Afegbua, spokesman of former military president, Ibrahim Babangida, says some people are after his life

- The spokesperson said his life was being threatened since he issued a statement on behalf of IBB dvising President Mohammed Buhari not to seek re-election come 2019

- He lamented that he was still at loss on these sequence of events on an offence he knew nothing about since

Kazzim Afegbua, spokesman of former military president, Ibrahim Babangida has raised an alarm that his life was being threatened since he issued a statement on behalf advising President Mohammed Buhari not to seek re-election in 2019.

The embattled spokesman disclosed this on Friday, February 9, after he emerged in company of his lawyer, Dr Kayode Ajulo from the headquarters of the Department of the State Services (DSS) Abuja, Tribune reports.

My life is in danger right now

READ ALSO: Obaseki visits family of driver killed during a fight with a police officer

 Consequently am surrendering my life to the government, in the last one week, I gone through a lot, including my Children, the Police declared me a wanted man for just no course, later the Dss invited me on the same flimsy excuse to come on Thursday, I honoured the invitation And upon it, I spent seven hours with my lawyer without seeing their boss and I was asked to come back today

 Today again, I spent almost two and half hours before my interrogators came and led me to a conference room where they Confronted me first, for the statement I issued on Sunday on behalf of my boss over 14 years, former President Ibrahim Babangida, in which he advised President Buhari not to seek for re-election come 2019 and reaffirmed of being the author on the instruction of my boss , they asked me to put it in writing which I did

 They  brought the second statement refuting the original statement I signed and I told them that I knew nothing about it, they also asked me to put it in writing and I did just that

 Later, they asked me to provide my bank account number, the number of my International Passport, my residential address and many other details about myself

However, they said that what they were doing about my case was normal, they said that once such two conflicting statements are coming from such a personality like a former President, they have the responsibility to investigate it and get to the root of the matter.

Thereafter, they asked me and my lawyer, Dr Kayode Ajulo to go, that the atmosphere was very friendly and as well cordial, he said.

Faegbua lamented that he since former president Babangida had not come out to disown him or the statement in question, he should not have been treated this way.

 I also want to point out here, that since on Sunday, I have been receiving series of abusive and offensives text messages on my phone challenging me to come out of my hiding if am a man, threatening to deal with him for daring to ask Buhari not to seek re-election come next year.

All these put together, I come to a conclusion that my life is in danger and based on this, am surrendering my life to the government. .

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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that Kayode Ajulo, Kassim Afegbua's attorney, demanded the Department of State Security (DSS), to explain the reason for and the content of the invitation to the spokesman to the ex-military head of state, Ibrahim Babangida.

This was contained in a letter said to be have been received by the Daily Post on Thursday, February 8, from the chamber, the same date Afegbua was asked to appear at the agency's office.

The DSS had invited Afegbua on Wednesday, February 7, for a chat with its director-general, Lawal Musa Daura.

Consider rest - Obasanjo to Buhari - on NAIJ.com TV:

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Source: Naija.ng

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Home | News | General | Ebonyi governor authorises local chiefs to create cattle grazing areas

- Traditional rulers in Ebonyi state have been authorised to create grazing areas

- They have also been mandated to collect data on herdsmen operating in the state

- The data collected will help for easy identification and maintenance of peace

Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi has directed traditional rulers to collate data on herdsmen operating in the state for easy identification and maintenance of peace.

Umahi, gave the order on Friday, February 9, in Abakaiki at a meeting with traditional rulers and miners in the state, noted that the data should include herdsmens names, location and contact phone numbers of their leaders.

The governor remarked that the decision was reached after series of meetings with security agencies, various committees and representatives of herdsmen in the state.

Traditional rulers should hold constant meetings with the herdsmen so that they can identify those from Niger Republic and other areas that foment trouble.

We have been living in peace with the herdsmen for several years but still maintain that there would not be movement of cattle from one area to another in the state.

READ ALSO: Obaseki visits family of driver killed during a fight with a police officer

He urged the traditional rulers and other concerned authorities to agree on grazing locations with the herdsmen where they would be restricted for their grazing activities.

I will provide amenities such as water in such locations because the state government does not have the resources for ranching.

When the grasses in such areas finish, you should arrange for another location for grazing because we would not tolerate cattle eating or destroying crops on our farmlands.

Trouble is inevitable but we can handle them maturely through the various committees on herdsmen in the villages, communities and state levels, he said.

Umahi warned that henceforth, anybody that killed herdsmens cows would make double payments with the herdsmen collecting one part and the ministry of local government and chieftaincy affairs, collecting the other.

The herdsmen will be severely warned if they destroy farmers crops and when such persists after investigations, the herdsmen would be forced to leave the community.

We want to put such restraining measures to prevent cattle rustling because the cows are dear to the herdsmen while the crops are dear to the farmers.

He noted that existing mining laws in the state would be reviewed to make illegal miners to get jail term of five years for engaging in such activities.

We would send the bill to the House of Assembly as it would also become illegal for traditional rulers or town unions to lease mining sites without governments clearance, the governor said.

Samuel Okoronkwo, commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, noted that the ministry had intensified efforts to check the activities of illegal miners, especially those from neighbouring Imo and others states.

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We have also sensitised traditional rulers, town unions and other stakeholders to engage the government in mining activities in their areas to enable government to generate the accruing revenue.

The chairman of the Traditional Rulers Council in the state, Charles Mkpuma, pledged that traditional rulers would collaborate with the government to check illegal mining activities.

A miner in the state, Basil Igboke, noted that mining business was capital intensive and appealed to the government for financial assistance to support miners.

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that a conglomerate of Igbo associations around the globe known as Global Igbo Alliance (GIA), had rejected the planned imposition of cattle colony on states by the federal government of Nigeria, warning the southeast governors against accepting such initiatives in Igbo land.

In an open letter to governors of the region, signed by its president and secretary, the group lamented that herdsmen, who are currently number four in the world terrorist index are being treated with kid gloves, even as they continued to kill Nigerians in their hundreds.

Victims of herdsmen killing buried in Benue state - on NAIJ.com TV:

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Home | News | General | Edith Okowa explains the 05 Initiative

By Julius Oweh

SINCE the days of late Maryam Babangida and her epochal pet project of better life for rural women, a First Lady at the national or state level has taken upon herself to float one pet programme or the other for the advancement of humanity.

This is perhaps in line with the biblical injunction that the spouse should be the help mate of the husband. In other words, instead of idling away, most first ladies engage themselves to uplift the living standard of the people and put smiles on the less privileged members of the society. Here in Delta state, the wife of the state governor, Mrs Edith Okowa, about two years ago floated the 05 Initiative as a way of reaching to the orphans, those in prison and some medically challenged persons.

Dame Edith Okowa

Mrs Okowa explains the vision and mission of the 05 Initiative:  So my project, 05 Initiative, is neither a political concept nor a subtle social strategy to belong. It is not a veiled attempt to impress anyone, it is rather a divine mandate that is rooted in the scriptures and epitomizes godly love and care. In driving this vision, transparency and accountability are imperatives. Hence we had to set up a Board of Trustees to superintend the operations of the non-governmental organization. Again we have been careful not to neglect or negate any aspect of the five fold mandate.

In other words, we have been guided and will continue to ensure that all our activities are geared towards either feeding or quenching the thirst of the hungry, ministering to the sick, accommodating the homeless, visiting the prisoner or clothing the naked. This vision came with a corresponding passion to drive it. Though current economic indices make every form of charity and philanthropy challenging, yet passion and compassion for the less privileged kept tugging at my consciousness and compelling me to do something to cushion the pains of this class of people.

Thus the focus of the programme is to extend hand of fellowship to those in prison by giving them drugs, providing borehole for them and constant visits and spreading the gospel to the inmates and the need to be of good behaviour. In the area of health care, the pet project saw to the equipping of sickle clinics at the hospitals in Agbor, Sapele and Ughelli. There is also the visit to orphanage homes across the state and providing them with food, clothes and medicine.

Archbishop Nicholas Okoh, the primate, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) lauds the programme describing it as practical evangelism. Listen to him: If you have tasted of the goodness of the Lord, there is need to reach out to the less privileged. You can be the angel that will bring succour to the needy. I thank God for the wife of the Delta State Governor and Founder of the 05 Initiative. Her Excellency, Dame Edith Okowa who has made it her life-long mission to lend a helping hand to the poor and needy. It is a conscious effort to preach the gospel in words and deeds. It is not enough to hear the word but to be doers of the word. Now is the time to walk the talk. I am amazed at the number of projects the 05 Initiative has carried out in just one year of existence. These projects in different parts of the state have brought joy to the lives of many`.

The sentiments of the man of God found practical ventilation in many parts of the state with prisoners enjoying the borehole and medicine provided by the spouse of the governor, many orphans being told that they are not neglected by the society and the sick especially those challenged with sickle cell anaemia that there is hope to live as somebody is around to remove tears from their faces.

Mrs Okowa revealed her passion for visiting the prisons:  As a matter of philosophy I have chosen to always celebrate with the less privileged, those at the lowest rung of the ladder of life and society. That was how I ended up celebrating the 2015 edition of my birthday, which coincided with my first day in office as First Lady of Delta state in the company of the inmates of the Ogwashi-Uku prisons. Lest I forget 05 Initiative had also secured the release of some inmates at both Ogwashi-Uku and Sapele prisons by paying option of fine for them, equipping and supplying drugs to their clinics. God willing, we shall certainly do more.

The director-general of the 05 Initiative is Mrs Oghenekwve Agas, the wife of the secretary to the state government, Honourable Ovie Agas. She is in fact the engine room of the programme and the administrative hub. In one of the programmes outreach, Mrs Agas said that the project was desirous of sustaining its sensitization and advocacy programme on sickle cell to help in enlightening the people especially the carriers. She further revealed that the scheme was established to ensure that the survival rate of people with sickle cell disorder was higher, adding that the essence of the equipment in the clinics at Sapele, Agbor and Ughelli was to eradicate encumbrances faced by Survival and Success clients in accessing health facilities.

Ogochuckwu Okonta Nwachukwu, a sickle cell patient and a beneficiary of 05 Initiatives intervention shares his experience: Since my parents died, life, understandably became tough for my siblings and I  we are five and I am the eldest. All we had to fall back on was the garri business my mum left behind. Because the business was a low scale one, the proceeds could hardly feed us, let alone paying rent and school fees. That was how I dropped out of school to face the business so I could feed my younger ones. The hand-to-mouth existence continued until someone introduced us to 05 Initiative. Gladly our situation has improved tremendously. Feeding is no longer a challenge for us; my siblings and I are back to school, we now have a roof over our heads and so much more, all courtesy of the 05 Initiative. On behalf of my siblings, I wish to express our gratitude to the Founder of 05 Initiative and her team for allowing God to use them to help us.

Another beneficiary, Mrs Hephzibah Oluwadare was full of gratitude to the spouse of the Delta State Governor. She poured out her heart of gratitude: In the last 11 years, I have been confined to a wheel chair because my hip bones were affected. Worse still, I had to drop out of school. But the good news is that my life has made tremendous progress since last year when I was introduced to 05 Initiative. All my hospital bills, including my ante and neo-natal treatments had been defrayed by the NGO. What is more, all my babys things were provided by the NGO upon delivery.

Throughout the length and breadth of the state, hope has been planted in the lives of hopeless people, food given to the hungry, medicine to the sick and home for the homeless. The echoes of Dame Edith Okowa message continue to vibrate: If God has blessed you in anyway. Be a blessing to others. It is by the grace of God that we are living. Think of how to help others and if you do not have the means, show love, it will go a long way. Nothing could be more apt than that.

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Home | News | General | A man dares to change the story of Africa

By Muyiwa Adetiba

Imagine you were in your 30s, had doctorate degrees in a couple of disciplines which gave you a prestigious and comfortable lifestyle in an American University. You were single and therefore devoid of distractions in an environment that would allow you to fulfil your academic and social potentials. More significantly, you were a black person from Africa where diseases ravaged, poverty ravaged, crime ravaged, corruption ravaged and had been lucky to escape all these into a different clime where freedom and opportunities beckoned.

Would the images of Africa, the documentaries on Africa that the media constantly aired give you a sense of relief that you had escaped the throes of war, insecurity and hunger which the continent increasingly represented or would they haunt and make you question the meaning of your life? Would you deem it wise to give up the shoes many covet and go back to the very place thousand were dying to escape from?

This however, is not a hypothetical story. It is the story of Rev. Fr. Godfrey Nzamujo, a Dominican priest. By 1983 while still in his 30s, he had obtained doctorate degrees in Electronics, Microbiology and Developmental Science and was ensconced in the comfort and security of university life as a professor. But it was at a time famine was raging in Ethiopia and the pictures of children with sunken eyes and bloated stomachs filled the international media.

The pictures haunted Fr. Nzamujo and eventually challenged him. He was quoted as saying The stories coming out of Africa challenged my values as a Priest, an Academic and as a Developmental Scientist. I knew Africa to be rich with vast resources everywhere. The fact that Africa had become so poor that it needed aid to survive upset me and I felt I needed to show the world a different Africa.

His vision was to kick poverty out of Africa with dignity through industry. In choosing the name Songhai to drive his vision, he chose to remember the history of the West African region as a powerful and economically stable zone. He also noted the core values that had contributed to the emergence of the civilisation of West Africa; namely vision, courage, creativity, discipline and a sense of community.

This was in the days of the Songhai Empire. This history of West Africa which dated over a thousand years, had been broken but he felt it could be fixed again through integrated and sustainable agriculture. He also felt the land which had been abused and damaged through indiscriminate use of chemicals could be rejuvenated again.

His ultimate goal was a holistic integration of bio-energy, aqua-culture and crop production to develop human, technical, environmental and financial resources throughout Africa. He also wanted to develop people who would have the vision, motivation and capabilities to actualise this goal for Africa.

It was a tall order. One that met with resistance everywhere even within his family members and country. The biblical saying of A prophet is not without honour save in his own country which Fr. Godfrey must know very well as a priest, became more than true in his case. After being turned down by Nigeria, he went to Benin, a tiny neighbourhood country which started him off with a mere hectare of land.

That hectare yielded bountiful fruits literally and figuratively. Songhai soon became a pride to Benin, a pride to West Africa and a pride to Africa. One hectare yielded 22 hectares in Porto Novo and became a mother farm birthing 150 and 300 hectares in other parts of Benin Republic. It also now has franchises in 15 African countries with Nigeria leading the pack. The rejected stone had become the corner stone of Africas agricultural developments.

I had heard of Songhai before and longed to visit. What I discovered when I found myself as part of a tour group jointly organised by Hadur and Glaf the former is a tourist agency while the latter is a farmfascinated and impressed me. To start with, it is difficult not only to keep a dream alive but also to make it grow year in year out. It takes grit, determination and grace. According to our guide, the Songhai experiment is an experiment in determination, organisation and discipline. These are some of the qualities needed in order for Africa to stand up and be counted.

Songhai encourages people to develop themselves using the resources available to them. But as I toured the different areas of Songhai in search of knowledge I could not help but observe workers working at their own pace. Some were leisurely while some really applied themselves. It made me think of the attitude of African workers to work. It also made me think of the challenges of a motivated workforce. I thought of the vastness of the farm and what it would require in terms of security to prevent pilferage.

This inevitably made me think of the periods of frustration and the number of times Fr. Godfrey would have felt like packing it all in. I thought of the inevitable sacrifice that gave birth to this oasis in the African desert; this spot of light in the African darkness and I am glad he didnt give up because of the hope it has given to many.

Many have tried to replicate the Songhai experiment and have failed even with the help of Songhai personnel because it takes more than money and lip service. It takes passion, discipline, motivation and a burning desire to offer this kind of service to mankind.

Songhai has become a Mecca of sorts to people. Some visit as a place of spiritual retreat, some, a place to honeymoon; and judging from the number of expatriates I saw milling around, a tourist attraction. But actually, Songhai is a schoolprincipally of agriculture, but also of life.

Over 300 students within the ages of 18 to 35 graduate every year after spending 15 months learning the theoretical, practical and business sides of farming. The idea is to plant good seeds into these youths in the hope that some of the seeds will fall on fertile minds and germinate. This is in addition to those who do sandwich courses.

To me however, Songhai is first of all about naturethe relationship between air, water and plants. It is about using research and technology to maximise your resourcesalmost everything used at the centre is made within it with water being filtered and recycled through hyacinth, a plant we have not been able to find a worthy use for in Nigeria.

Songhai is about a man who re-examined his values and was determined to grow beyond his personal needs. A man who found a purpose for his life and defined success his own way. Finally, Songhai is about what is possible in Africa.

An apt summary of the Songhai story is: Head, Heart and Hands. On second thoughts, start with Mind.

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Home | News | General | Segun Showunmi celebrates in style

By Oba Michael Soyebo

The ebullient man of honour, Segun Showunmi popularly known as Sagua had reasons to celebrate few days back. The former acting spokesperson of Ogun PDP who gave the ruling APC plenty of sleepless nights via his intelligent analysis of political events in Ogun state turned a year older.

Segun Showunmis friends in their wisdom organised a surprise birthday dinner in his honour. His high-brow Hilltop residence was practically shut down as family, friends and political associates turned up in style to honour a man described by many as a jolly good fellow. The classy but modest birthday dinner had in attendance high flying guests who came from all walks of life. As expected, there were more than enough to munch and exotic wines flowed like water.

Segun Showunmi

Segun Showunmi has built a strong brand for himself as one of the finest image makers in Ogun state who is blessed with the oratory skills and he is highly rated as a walking encyclopedia of Ogun political history and terrain. He has scored many first in his political adventures and narrowly missed out on PDPs National Publicity Secretary position due to zoning. Segun Showunmi rolled in rich circles and he is a close ally of some of Nigerias men of power. In spite of his modest achievements, he remains humble.

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Home | News | General | Codedruns: New trend for escorts and their patrons revealed

That nobody talks about it, does not mean it is not in existence. There are professional escort services all over Nigeria. People and Places took a sneak peek into one of these agencies simply known as Codedruns a top online escort directory. The agency specializes in providing companionship for men, and sometimes women who are willing and able to afford quality time with members of the opposite sex. The management revealed that the site receives 1.9 million visitors from Nigeria monthly. By far the biggest escort directory in the country, the ease of ordering an escort is just like Taxify and Uber complete with a review system.

An escort who spoke on condition of anonymity revealed that the agency is god-sent as they do not have to stand by the road side, under harsh weather conditions to ply their trade, as they now run their business online. A client will send a message to know if we are available and negotiate the cost. We prefer hotels or residential homes in choice parts of town. We also offer in-call as well  whereby customers can visit and engage us in our houses.

Most of the escorts said they make an average of one hundred and fifty thousand naira and two hundred and fifty thousand naira weekly. The later when they (escorts) subscribe for premium and appear on the front page. However, they revealed that some clients can be naughty and want to cut on the agreed price, but that majority are nice gentlemen. The website also has a blacklist, which warns escorts of reported dangerous or osho free client, as well as blacklisted escorts to warn clients of fraudulent escorts. Queen, an escort registered on Codedruns, revealed that she used to be a banker but resigned.

I used to earn forty thousand naira monthly at the bank, but now I make that amount in two days as an escort on the site. The secret is to ensure your profile is on the front page by subscribing to the weekly premium service. she said.

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Home | News | General | Appeal Court discharges, acquits Ada Ugo-Ngali, M.D Ontario Oil

By Innocent Anaba

The Appeal Court sitting in Logos, yesterday, upturned a 10 year jail term passed on the Managing Director of Ontario Oil and Gas, Mrs. Ada Ugo-Ngali, by an Ikeja High Court of Lagos state.



Justice Lateefa Okunnu of the Lagos High Court, had on January 13, 2017, convicted and sentenced Ada Ugo-Ngali, to a jail term of 10 years for a fuel subsidy fraud of N754m, alongside the company chairman, Walter Wagbatsoma, who is currently a jail term in United Kingdom.

The judge had also ordered the refund of the N754m to the Federal Government.

Both the companys managing director and chairman were charged and arraigned before Justice Okunnu on an eight count charge by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The EFCC had on August 1, 2013 arraigned the Ngo-Ngali, Wagbatsoma and their company, accusing them of defrauding the Federal Government of N1.9bn, which they fraudulently obtained as subsidy sum for purportedly importing Premium Motor Spirit into the country.

Also charged with the three convicts was an official of the Petroleum Products Price and Regulatory Agency, Mr. Babafemi Fakuade, who was, however, discharged and acquitted by the judge on January 13.

Dissatisfied with the lower court, Ugo-Ngali through her lawyer, Chief Uweche, SAN. approached the Appeal Court to upturn the judgment, in appeal marked CA/L/348C/17, dated February 9, 2017.

The appellant had urged the upper court to discharge her of the conviction on the ground that she cannot be sentence in the absence of her co-accused.

Delivering lead judgment in the appeal, the presiding judge, Justice M. L. Garba, held that: upon reading the record of appeal and respective briefs of argument filed on behalf of both parties.

It is ordered that for being a nullity the proceedings by High court, in the Court of Appeal trial of the appellant and others appellants in appeal CA/L/348c/17, and CA/L/389c/17, including the judgment delivered on January 13, 2017, convicting them of the offences they were tried for and the sentenced passed on them on January 26, 2017, in the absence of appellant in CA/L/348c/17, are hereby set aside.

That in consequence, the conviction and sentenced of the appellant in the said judgment are quashed and the appellant discharged and acquitted accordingly.

Other members of the panel, which include: Justice J. S. Ikjegh and Justice Y. Nimper, agreed with the lead judgment.

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Home | News | General | APC NWC in fury over Tinubus appointment

He is our best man for the job  presidency source

By Omeiza Ajayi

President Muhammadu Buharis appointment of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to lead the reconciliation process in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has jolted some leaders of the party who have commenced a quiet move to cage the former Lagos State governor.

Bola Tinubu and President Muhammadu Buhari: Mending fences

When the National Working Committee, NWC met last Wednesday, a day after Tinubus troubleshooting role was made, members were said to have mandated the national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun to meet with the president to clarify the issues about Tinubus appointment.

Despite the public adulation by some of the national officers, Saturday Vanguard learnt that the NWC members were shocked by Tinubus choice as a peace envoy. They were also displeased with the presidents lack of consultation on the issue.

The party executives particularly fumed that the appointment disregarded what they claimed as Tinubus contribution to some of the major crises in the party. They particularly cited the crisis that led to the trial of the President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki on multiple issues and the crises in the Kogi and Ondo State chapters of the party.

The national chairman, Chief Odigie-Oyegun who had a very public falling out with Tinubu in September 2016 was in the Presidential Villa on Thursday.

Saturday Vanguard could not confirm if Odigie-Oyegun, a Roman Catholic who was present when President Buhari received the delegation of Catholic bishops that Thursday had the opportunity of a one-on-one with the president on the issue.

The opposition of the NWC members nonetheless, some of Tinubus associates on their part have not been particularly excited by the new role the president has given to the famed political navigator.

As at press time Tinubu who marshaled the political alliance that transformed Buhari from a three-time election loser to a success story was yet to get into the job, a source said. It was learnt that he had not been fully briefed on his job specification.

His associates were particularly concerned that the president may be taking advantage of Tinubu having not brought him into the inner circle of his administration after his inauguration in 2015.

Asiwaju is the soul of the party even though those in power may not want to agree with it because he helped to forge the kind of alliance that helped to bring down a ruling party and after that, they left him.

For me what they did was that after helping the party they have come back to him when the party is almost having a heart attack for him to help revive it, lets see how it can be done, a Lagos based associate of the political leader disclosed.

The NWCs discomfiture with Tinubus appointment nonetheless, the presidency is apparently not likely to be moved, a senior presidency official disclosed.

Citing the confidence President Buhari has in Tinubu to patch up the cracks in the party, the source was quick to dismiss the seeming opposition of the NWC as he told Saturday Vanguard that the president had greater confidence in Tinubu over the Odigie-Oyegun led executive.

The presidency official said that Tinubus first job could be mediating in the brewing face-off between the legislative and executive branches of government over the amendment of the Electoral Act that has led to the reversal of the schedule of elections.

A very bitter party official speaking on the condition of anonymity at the national secretariat said on Thursday:

How can the president appoint Tinubu to head a reconciliation committee when he (Tinubu) played a central role in some of the topical crises like the National Assembly crisis and the crises in the Kogi and Ondo state chapters of the party?

I understand the need for the president to bring Tinubu closer because of his desire to seek re-election in 2019 and off course get South West votes, but there are better strategic ways of doing things. The presidents decision is ill-thought, meddlesome, and vexatious and portrays the party leadership in bad light.

If indeed the president is genuinely interested in true reconciliation among the party ranks, he should urgently address the lopsided and hijacked reward system; the Senate Presidents obviously political-motivated trial and the funding challenges the party faces, the NWC source disclosed.

He added: While we back the president for a second term, the president should not take our endorsement for granted. Truth be said, the president nonchalance and aloofness on party matters has been another reason for the crisis among the party ranks and the general weakening of the party.

The relationship between Tinubu and Chief Odigie-Oyegun got to a low in September 2016 when Tinubus Media Office issued a statement denouncing the role of the national chairman in the conduct of the partys governorship primaries in Ondo State.

In blasting Odigie-Oyegun who he backed for the office of national chairman against the aspiration of Chief Tom Ikimi in 2014, Tinubu said:

The party was supposed to buttress APC members elected to government at all levels. Because of Oyeguns conduct of our affairs, the party is rapidly becoming an albatross to those it was meant to help.

On the chopping block, lies the future of the political party in which the majority of voters had placed their confidence. To rescue the party, Oyegun must go. He has shown that he and democratic, fair play cannot exist in the same party at the same time. If Tinubu is to choose between John Oyegun and progress toward a better Nigeria, the choice has already been made, the statement concluded.

Odigie-Oyegun swiftly responded two weeks later when he debunked the insinuations by Tinubu that his actions in the Ondo State primary were influenced by money as he affirmed that nobody has the kind of money to buy his conscience.

This reckless and baseless corruption allegation levelled against me is unfortunate and an insult to my person and my hard-earned reputation which I have strongly maintained. Nobody has the kind of money that can buy my conscience or make me do injury to an innocent man. In all the primaries conducted under my watch as National Chairman, I have tried to ensure a free, fair, transparent and credible process, Odigie-Oyegun had deposed.

Meanwhile, ahead of the planned APC National Convention, a proposal for an extension of the tenure of the APC elected executives will be tabled before the planned National Caucus and National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings, it has been learnt.

The tenure of the current party executives at all levels ends in June 2018.

Although details of the proposal were still sketchy at press time, the plan which reportedly has the support of the president it is learnt will be tabled and sponsored by the Partys state governors. There are suggestions that an interim executive could be put in place to conduct the partys primaries, but backers of the extension fear it will be counter-productive, chaotic and hijacked.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had scheduled elections for February 2019. INEC in its recently announced time- table for the general elections also fixed the conduct of party primaries for August 18, 2018, to October 7, 2018.

If the partys executive positions are reconstituted in June 2018, then only about five months will be available for the Party to organize congresses nationwide and the National Convention to choose state and national candidates including the Presidential Candidate as well as design strategy, manifesto and other programs for the general elections. In addition, there will be Primaries to pick Candidates for Ekiti and Osun States governorship candidates and also campaign for the elections.

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Home | News | General | 2019: Atiku support group launches 'woo your delegate campaign'

- The race for the 2019 presidential election has started in earnest

- Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is one of the leading candidates in the race

- A group backing Abubakar has commenced an initiative aimed at making sure his ambition is realised

Atiku Global Support Group (AGSG) has launched a new campaign: Operation Woo Your Delegates to help former Vice President Atiku Abubakar clinch the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential ticket.

The national coordinator of AGSG, Alhaji Gambo Jagindi, made this known in a statement on Friday, February 9 in Abuja.

Jagindi noted that the era of imposition of candidates was over in the PDP, adding that the campaign was created to creatively seek the vote of PDP delegates.

Atiku support groups have been consistent in their resolve to ensure that their principal emerges as Nigeria's president in 2019. Photo credit: Atiku Media Office

READ ALSO: Why we are handling over southeast to Atiku in 2019 presidential election - Group

His words: As a pro-Atiku group, we have a task to do because we are not going to wait for our principal to take the burden of winning the party primaries all alone.

We perceive this as costly and too risky for a well networked group and serious group like AGSG.

This blueprint is born out of our desire to contribute to the emergence of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the PDP flag bearer in 2018 slated for 2019 general elections.

He said that it was time for Atiku presidency, adding that since the days of SDP, Atikus stand for a prosperous country that offered opportunities for all.

He said his position on restructuring the country resonated with the wishes of a greater majority.

He explained that Atiku understood the dynamics that would shape and deliver on the effective development of our country, Nigeria.

The group was working round the clock to win the support of both members of PDP and other electorate to actualise the political ambition of Atiku, he added.

According to Jagindi, the group is convinced that Atiku stands a better chance to win the next presidential elections in 2019.

He advised members of the group to be law abiding and civil in their approach in the course of canvassing support for the former Vice President among the people at the grassroots. (NAN)

Meanwhile, a recent media report suggested that stakeholders in the PDP has adopted former governor of Jigawa state, Sule Lamido, as the party's presidential candidate in the 2019 polls.

The decision was said to have made at a meeting of the top party members held at the Delta state governor's lodge in Asaba.

READ ALSO: 2019: Buhari would be defeated if he contests - Prophet Kasali

Nigerians want PDP back in 2019 - Goodluck Jonathan declares at PDP Caucus Meeting on NAIJ.com TV

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Source: Naija.ng

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Home | News | General | Benue killings: Group sends critical message to IGP concerning Ortoms safety

- The Sanctity Transparency Peace Initiative has passed a message to the inspector general of police, concerning the safety of the Benue state governor

- The group told IGP Idris to make sure that nothing bad happens to the governor, as it faulted the force PRO for referring to Governor Ortom as a drowning man

- It further demanded an apology from the force, over the comment; as well as a public pronouncement guaranteeing the governors safety

The inspector general of police, Ibrahim Idris, has been told by the Sanctity Transparency Peace Initiative, an Abuja-based civil society organization, that nothing negative must happen to Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state, Punch reports.

The group made the comments in a communique issued after its emergency meeting in Abuja on Friday, February 9, which was signed by its national coordinator, Sunday Alakho .

READ ALSO: Austria plans to train 1,000 Nigerians facing deportation

NAIJ.com gathers that the group alleged that the complicity of the police had worsened the herdsmen crisis in the country, and urged Idris to come clean.

It lamented over the fact that the killings had continued unabated, while condemning what it described as the deteriorating security situation in Benue and other parts of the country.

Alakho further chided the police boss for initially describing the incident in Benue as a communal clash. According to him, the IGPs statement was callous and insensitive, and targeted at people crying out for justice.

He further stated that the group was concerned about remarks credited to Idris, attributing the killings to the implementation of the anti-open grazing law.

The group wondered if the law was also responsible for the killings in states like Plateau and others where it is non-existent.

Alakho also called for an apology from the force public relations officer, Jimoh Moshood, who had described the Benue governor as a drowning man.

According to Alakho, that statement translated into meaning that the governor was in danger.

He called on the IGP to resign if he could not guarantee the safety of residents in the volatile region, and demanded a public pronouncement by the police guaranteeing the safety of Governor Ortom.

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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that the Benue Arise Network (BAN), a political group, requested that President Muhammadu Buhari sacks IGP Idris, and the force public relations officer, Jimoh Moshood, for their failure to tackle the security situation in the state.

BAN bitterly kicked against Moshood's reference to Governor Samuel Ortom as "a drowning man."

The group also accused the police chief of planning to redeploy Benue indigenes occupying sensitive positions to other parts of the country as a way of punishing them.

Victims of Herdsmen killing buried in Benue State on NAIJ.com TV:

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Home | News | General | How I escaped from Boko Haram after being sent to kill and die, twice - Teenager narrates stunning ordeal

- A certain teenager called Falmata has narrated how she was twice abducted by Boko Haram terrorists, and sent on suicide missions each time

- After changing her mind during the first mission, she was abducted again as she attempted to escape

- She managed to escape a second time around after being prepared for another suicide mission, and eventually made her way to safety with the help of farmers, hunters and a local family

A 14-year-old girl only identified as Falmata, has narrated how she survived, after being ordered to carry out suicide missions, twice, by Boko Haram terrorists, BBC reports.

The terrorists reportedly took her to a makeshift camp when she was 13, and placed her with other girls.

READ ALSO: Ranches, solution to herdsmen/farmers crisis - Aregbesola

NAIJ.com gathers that she was given two choices  either to go on a mission or marry a fighter. As she could not bear the thoughts of getting married at such a young age, she opted to go on a mission instead.

She stated: The young girls were put in the tents. There were nine in mine and we had to sleep on big mats.

At first I wanted to escape but there was no chance.

She further narrated that the routine in the camp was to wake up, pray, eat, clean, pray, eat, and clean.

She further stated that the girls were constantly scared that they would be caught up in the militarys aerial onslaughts, and that the sight of helicopters led to great panic.

She stated: We were scared that soldiers would storm the camp at any time and not spare us, the women, because they would think we were the fighters wives.

When we saw them (helicopters), many of us cried. Some would even soil themselves.

Going further, Falmata bravely narrated how she was finally told to go on the first mission. She said one of the fighters told her to prepare for something important; after which, some women straightened her hair and decorated her feet.

She said: All I was thinking was, Is it for marriage or what? But you cant ask why youre getting this done. Instead friends just console you and tell you to be patient.

Two days later, she had a bomb strapped to her waist and was told to kill non-believers and you would go straight to paradise.

She continued: I was so scared that I started crying. But they kept telling me to be patient, to accept that this is what life is about.

(They said) that on reaching paradise, everything would be better.

In addition to herself, two other girls were strapped with bombs, and they were all taken to the outskirts of a village.

They were told that someone would be keeping an eye on them, and that they should walk towards the busy areas.

However, the girls changed their minds on the way, and fled for safety. Falmata said she asked a stranger to help take off her belt, and proceeded down a dusty road.

Unfortunately, she was back into captivity again shortly afterwards, as she ran into two Boko Haram terrorists who belonged to another unit.

She was subsequently taken to a new camp, where life resembled that of the former.

A month later, the fighters in the new camp gave her the same choices of either marrying or going on a suicide mission. Again, she chose the suicide mission.

But luck shined on her as she somehow managed to escape, after the fighters left.

She stated: I met some farmers and asked them to help me remove the belt. I told them I was being forced to carry out a mission, but that I didnt want to do it.

After the farmers helped her get rid of the belt, she joined a group of hunters through the woods, in a bid to reach her family in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.

However, the terrorists struck a third time. But luckily again, she managed to escape into the forest.

She stated: I didnt know the forest. Every little sound would scare me, so I kept moving. Id sleep on trees when I could.

I think I spent a whole week without food. I would drink stagnated water and also use this water to wash my hands and feet when praying.

I would pray two or three times a day whenever I could find water. I was so scared, but God helped me and I reached a town.

Falmata was eventually reunited with her family after receiving shelter from a local family who helped her get back home.

On her zeal to survive against all odds, she stated: I wanted to live. Killing is not good. Its what my family taught me and what I believe in too.

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In a related development, NAIJ.com previously reported that the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Adamawa rescued a certain Mumina Hamidu, a 19-year-old lady who escaped from Boko Haram insurgents in Sambisa Forest.

The state's commandant of NSCDC, Mr Aliyu Ndanusa, said that Mumina was rescued with her eight-month-old baby, and that she was abducted in Mubi town when it was occupied by the insurgents in 2014.

Survivors of Boko Haram - on NAIJ.com TV:

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Home | News | General | Buratai: World World II legend goes home by Okanga Agila (Opinion)

Editor's note: Alhaji Buratai, the father to the chief of army staff, Tukur Buratai, passed away on Friday, February 9.

Late Buratai, aged 106, was buried amid tears in Borno state according to Islamic rites.

In this tribute, Okanga Agila, a traditional warrior from Benue state admires Baba Yusuf who fought and survived the second world war.

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." - George Orwell

War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse.

The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.

This is the story of a legend that proved that Africa and indeed Nigeria could hold its own even in the international arena. Enter the world of Baba Yusuf Buratai, a veteran of the World War II, a legend who despite all odds made his mark in his lifetime, and not only that, he left behind a legacy in the mould of a gift to humanity and Nigeria, which is the current Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Yusufu Buratai.

Baba Buratai may have crossed to the great beyond, but his legacies would ever remain fresh in our hearts. For those who knew him, one thing was constant. He was a man of unequal bravery and dedication. He believed in the unity of Nigeria and humanity.

He fought for peace to reign in his lifetime. Though not an academic, his counsels stood germane then, now and would continue in the future.

Little wonder the exploits of his son, Lt. General Tukur Buratai in the current fight against the Boko Haram Insurgency. When Lt.General Tukur Buratai took over the helms of affairs of the Nigerian Army, many didnt know his background as the son of a World War II veteran.

READ ALSO: Governor Obaseki donates N10m to family of driver allegedly killed over N100, promises to foot burial bills (photo)

Not many knew he was a man of steel. Not many knew he had a mentor who had shared war memoirs with him. Not many knew his antecedents and doubted his ability to deliver on the job.

In some quarters, it is said that Baba Buratai bequeathed his son to Nigeria in 1981 when he enrolled at the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna. He carefully watched his progress in the Nigerian Army.

He was always there to render advice to him. And one of which was to be loyal to his superiors and constituted authority.

Given the sweep of his life, the scope of his accomplishments, the adoration that he so rightly earned, its tempting I think to remember Baba Buratai as an icon, smiling and serene, detached from the tawdry affairs of lesser men.

In his lifetime, he taught the power of action, but he also showed us the power of ideas; the importance of reason and arguments; the need to study not only those who you agree with but also those who you dont agree with.

For the entire Buratai family, for those he inspired in Borno and other parts of the country, Baba Bauratais passing is rightly a time of mourning, as well as a time to celebrate a heroic life. But it should also prompt in each of us a time for self-reflection.

With honesty, regardless of our station or our circumstance, we must ask: How well have I applied his lessons in our own lives?

One of Babas greatest legacies remains his contributions to humanity as a WW2 Hero, who saw to global peace for all humanity. We all know of his record as a soldier, and he was a tough soldier. Baba was a man of the land.

He defended this nation like a lion, and he taught its children to swing a scythe. He was a military legend in his lifetime, and he indeed passed the baton to his son, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai, who has graciously continued to do the nation proud in the war against Boko Haram insurgents.

READ ALSO: How herdsmen crisis can be brought to an end - S/West governor proffers solution, calls for end to ethnic sentiment in addressing issue

Baba was indomitable; he had a north star that guided him. A north star from which he never deviated. His north star was the survival of the Nigerian nation. Nigeria has indeed lost a dear man and a bold warrior.

We are therefore consoled by the fact that Baba lived to witness some of the most significant exploits of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General TY Buratai and the humbling of Boko Haram in his lifetime.

In some instances, Baba felt like returning to the battlefront to confront the Boko Haram Insurgents, but strength failed him. His consolation was that his son was leading the onslaught, which brought him happiness.

We stand with our country and the rest of the world to mourn with the Chief of Army Staff, the Buratai family, and the entire nation.

If wishes were horses, Baba would remain with us. But who are we to question God? But we are consoled with his exploits here on earth and the legacies he left behind. We are also comforted by the fact that his son, Lt. General TY Buratai indeed proved himself worthy of leading the war against the Boko Haram Insurgents.

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While Baba might not be with us in the flesh, he remains with us in spirit. We use this medium to assure the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General TY Buratai that his efforts towards keeping Nigeria one would not go in vain.

We also want to charge him to continue his good works and never to relent. If not for anything, to continue to make Baba proud wherever he is.

We also know that the entire Buratai family has lost a great patriarch. We console with them. May Allah SWT grant you and your family sabr (sabar) in this challenging time and reward you with Khair both in this world and the next. Ameen. May Allah SWT grant him Jannatul-Firdaus and forgive his sins. May He make his grave a place of comfort and light. Ameen.

May Almighty Allah dwell him in Jannataul-Firdaus, the most beautiful paradise. May Allah SWT in his mercy, grant him rest, may his grave be a part of Jannatul Firdaus and an abode of light. May Allah make him pass successfully in all the stages of the life after death. Ameen.

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.

Boko Haram abducted my husband and the Gov't forgot about him - on NAIJ.com TV

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Home | News | General | S/West governor proffers solution to herdsmen crisis; urges Nigerians to stop attaching ethnic sentiment to issue

- The Osun state governor, Rauf Aregbesola, has stated that the establishment of ranches would end the herdsmen crisis within the country

- The governor lamented over the fact that the nation was not technologically developed like European countries which had established ranches that produced the best cattle globally

- He stated that the country must adopt a modern system of cattle rearing, and urged Nigerians to stop reading ethnic sentiment into the herdsmen issue

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun state has stated that herdsmen must embrace cattle ranching in order to put an end to their incessant clashes with farmers, Punch reports.

The governor made his comments while interacting with the management and students of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti on Thursday, February 9.

READ ALSO: Benue killings: Nothing must happen to Ortom - Group tells IGP

NAIJ.com gathers that the governor also appealed to Nigerians to stop attaching ethnic sentiments into the killings by suspected herdsmen in the country.

He stated: I am not trying to justify the killings or trying to say that the Fulani should dominate Nigeria, but what I am saying is that Nigeria has failed to be technologically and innovatively advanced due to bad leadership.

As we speak now, there are no green grasses in any part of Europe and they produce cattle Africa cannot even boast of.

They prepare their pasture, foliage and fodders during the six months of rainy season and keep them to feed their cattle during the dry season.

The cattle are restricted within the ranches and I believe that if some nations could be thinking like this, Nigeria has no reason not to toe the same line.

We must turn this situation into huge economic opportunities for our people.

For Nigeria to get out of the herdsmen killings we must adopt a modern system of cattle rearing and we must stop reading ethnic sentiment into it.

The governor also commended that founder of the institution, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), for establishing the university.

According to Aregbesola, the institution had ushered in a paradigm shift in the nations tertiary education.

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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that Governor Aregbesola warned that Nigerians perpetuating hate speeches, wickedness and massive killings in the country are unknowingly pushing the nation towards another civil war.

Aregbesola gave the warning at the 2018 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration.

According to a statement in Osogbo by the governors media aide, Sola Fasure, Aregbesola said the nation was lucky to come out of the first civil war. He however noted that Nigeria might not be lucky if it was plunged into another round of civil war now.

Nigerian herdsmen vs Nigerian farmers - on NAIJ.com TV:

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Home | News | General | CORRUPTION WAR: Is Buhari giving with one hand and taking with the other?

By Sonny Daniel

It was during the Russian revolutionary that , Alexander Herzen, who wrote in the year of the failed revolutions in Europe that the men who proclaimed the Republic became the assassins of freedom. Herzens argument centred principally on the fact that beneath the pomp and pageantry of doing away with the feudal systems in Europe, those who led the drive to effect a change in the political system, actively succeeded in securing freedom for their own circle of friends and not the workers.

The author then submitted that in a sense the architects of the republic had in a way broken the chain of slavery but left the prison walls standing, making them assassins of freedom.

President and Ibrahim Magu

Arguments can rightly be made for and against President Muhammadu Buharis acclaimed war against corruption in Nigeria. All along and with his avowed declaration to combat graft to a standstill when he assumed the presidency of Nigeria in 2015, it was all to his credit that Buhari adopted the fight as one of his three cardinal programmes.

The tripartite programme on the retired Generals agenda was centred on boosting security, economy and eliminating corruption before it kills Nigeria. Almost three years into his administration Buhari has received accolades for his determined efforts to contain raging insurgency in the Northeast and get the economy back on tract.

On the fight against Boko Haram, he has triumphed to reasonable extent and deserves applause for his administrations deft moves that took Nigeria away from recession late last year, posting positive indices in all facets of economic performance, as released by the National Bureau of Statistics.

But Buhari has also become his own albatross by either deliberately or unwittingly playing down the gains hitherto recorded by his government in the onslaught against graft. All along the opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, has been raising alarm that the fight against corruption was one-sided as no member of the ruling party has been reprimanded for graft.

They have been shouting to the roof top that their members were simply targeted by the Buhari administration for alleged graft while his party officials are being protected over worse crimes. Once it took the president a long time to accept and do away with the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal for alleged corruption, the PDP had enough grounds to slam the administration for condoning graft and protecting its inner caucus members. Buhari even cleared Babachir initially.

But whatever defence Buhari or any member of his cabinet might have used to deflect hot punches aimed at it by the opposition has since fizzled like a pack of cards with last Mondays inexplicable and offensive recall of the suspended Director General of the National Health Insurance Scheme, Professor Usman Yusuf, a kinsman of Buhari.

The recall of the man, who was accused and still being investigated by the EFCC for alleged corrupt practices is what many Nigerians cannot comprehend. His recall by the President through his Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, is an act that will certainly hurt the retired General and his government for a long time and dent all that he stands for as an incorruptible man. And the mud thrown at Buhari and his government is likely going to endure for a long time just like the furore generated by the action.

It would have been okay for Buhari to recall his kinsmen back to work if he had not been castigated by the National Assembly for alleged fraud running into millions of Naira. It would have also been normal for the President to reinstate his brother from the same Katsina if he had not been indicted by a government panel raised by the Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, a man appointed by the president himself to head the ministry because of his integrity and outstanding work in the area of medicine.

His recall appears to have abruptly terminated the probe of Mr. Yusuf by both the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission over the alleged laundering of N919 million and the award of contracts far above approved threshold, something that the president is supposed to have enthusiastically supported in order to be seen to be fighting graft in the land.

A national daily, apparently miffed by Buharis action, ran riot in its editorial on Thursday, February 8, 2018. The paper queried Buharis so-called anti-corruption war with the recall of Yusuf and wondered if the president still believed the war was alive.

Outspoken lawyer, Mike Ozokhome, also carpeted Buhari for reinstating Yusuf, alleging that the war against corruption was selective.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, said, This is one more exemplification of the truism that this government fights corruption within the government with sweet  smelling Sasarobia perfume while it fights corruption against opponents and critics of government with a powerful insecticide.

That is why they will order the arrest of Kasim Afegbua for merely issuing a release advising the President not to seek re-election.

That is why a whole minister will suspend a person after a panel of enquiry has found the person culpable and the President will reinstate that person.

It shows again and again the issue of corruption being fought is a ruse to hoodwink the unwary and ignorant members of the society. No corruption is being fought at all.

From all indications, the EFCC is being tamed on its constitutional powers to investigate and prosecute a suspect of financial and economic crimes against Nigeria by the Presidency and the reckless display of power of proximity to the presidency is likely going to whittle the onslaught against graft in the months and years ahead because other suspects would readily cite the meddlesomeness of Buhari into the whole affair as an odious precedent that will certainly hunt and hurt the polity for generations.

Despite a face-saving declaration that the reinstatement of Yusuf by the president does not stop the EFCC from continuing with the investigation and possible prosecution of the suspect, it is clear to all men of good conscience that the anti-graft agency does not have the clout to go against the direction of Presidential actions.

This is more so at a time when the Presidency has defied the Senate to stand by Ibrahim Magu, the man rejected by the Senate twice but kept in office by the sheer grace and benevolence of the President.

It is hoping against hope to believe the EFCC when it declared on Wednesday thus, Look, that letter by the CoS to the President reinstating Yusuf to his post does not in any way stop us from digging into what the ES did with the huge amount of money taken away from the scheme. An official of the EFCC said this as public criticism heightened over the questionable recall of Prof Yusuf.

Let it also be noted that the President, who is against any form of corruption by any of his officials, has not asked us to stop the investigation of the alleged fraud in the NHIS.

We are continuing our probe of the mans expenditure at the NHIS and it does not mean that we arrested and detained him as being speculated.

The truth of the matter is that the reinstatement of the man does not prevent the EFCC from probing him and finding out whether the sum of N919 million was laundered by him or any official of the NHIS under his watch, the official explained.

It is tempting to assume that Buhari might have acted in bad faith, thereby adding to the accusation of clannishness heaped on him by former President Obasanjo but it is plausible that the President might not have known the full weight of his action.

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Home | News | General | An Open Letter to Every Man Who Wants to Cure Baldness, Reverse Hair Loss and Re-grow Hair in 14 Days or Less using a Natural Herbal Solution!

If you are tired, frustrated and embarrassed about how your bald hair and severe hair loss makes you look unattractive, unkempt and even older than you age, then this will be the most important message you will ever read

Here is why

The reason why I said so is because I was once like you I used to look like a bald, ugly old man such that, people used to laugh and mock me about my severe hair loss that I was experiencing.

Let me quickly narrate one my very sad experience for you:

Sometimes back, I attended a university coursemate wedding reception.

It was also like a re-union because most people I met there were former university course mates. Well, at the wedding reception, a group of my former course mates approached me and after a small chat they started laughing at me.

They laughed real hard and start calling me names, like gorimapa, codo bald hair, baldy and some even called me ba man, meaning bald man for short.

It was embarrassing to me.

But, I thought that was all until one of my close friend pat me on my bald hair, and started rubbing it. Deep inside me, it made me very angry.

Truth is, my bald hair problem started back when I was still in the university, I noticed that my hair was beginning to fall off gradually.

Now, that I met with friends, my bald hair condition has gone even worse with almost no hair on my head!

Click Here To See The Natural Herbal Remedy That Helped Me Re-Grow My Hair And Cured My Baldness Without Side Effects

My severe hair loss problem was a difficult situation for me, it made me felt ashamed, made me unattractive and I did not like my looks one bit.

Fact is, baldness causes depression, low self esteem and makes people think you look older and ugly.

At first, I considered hair transplant surgery but it was really expensive.

Then I started getting advice from friends and families about different things to try

So, I started to try several things like

Mixing marijuana (locally known as weed or igbo) with methylated spirit and rubbing it on my hair but my hair did not grow, it only left with annoying bald spots all over my head



I used onion and vinegar, some friends even advised me to use raw eggs just to try it but it was a complete waste of effort



What about creams, oil, spray and many products in the market and sold by beauty stores they were plain waste of my money



I even used drugs these hair treatment drugs were expensive but apart from that these drugs has a major side effect, so I had to stop using it

But I did not give up, I started researching about hair loss online, and looking for solution to the problem because it really made me uncomfortable and affected my appearance.

At last! The breakthrough finally came  one day while browsing on the internet, I chatted with my old time friend who was in the (United States) USA.

I opened up to him about how my bald hair problem was giving me issues and what he used to re-grow his own because back then when we were in school, he used to have a terrible bald hair too.

At first, when I sent him a picture of bad my hair looks now, he laughed at me.

He simply said

The Bald Hair Problem is Hereditary Hair Loss problem comes from Deep in the family, But It starts showing its ugly self once the man ages between 35 to 50years above

Truth is, he was right, I quickly remembered that my sister, grandma and my dad used to have a terrible hair loss problem.

See The Natural Hair Treatment Oil That Helped Me Get Rid Of Bald Hair And Restored Normal Hair Growth

But that was not all, my friend quickly introduced me to a very rare ASIAN serum that he used to permanently cure hair loss, and also restore his normal hair growth.

When he agreed to send me the solution, at first I was skeptical and just agreed to try it.

After using it for the first 14 days, I was surprised at the results I got. I decided to upload my pictures on facebook with my full blown hair that was growing again.

Within few minutes some of my friends, inbox me, and started asking me what I used?

I decided to share the same hair loss solution with only 3 of them, and they also started using it.

After 2 weeks, they came back and 3 out of 3 of them said it worked for them and it restored their hair growth, and reverse the baldness they were experiencing before.

Right now, I am rocking my full blown hair and no more baldness, no more being ashamed about my hair, also I no longer have to wear hat or caps just to hide my bald hair anymore.

My hair is growing better and my wife loves it and plays with it anytime she is opportune to.

At this point, let me quickly introduce you to the Amazing Natural Hair Serum that Reversed my Baldness and Helped me Re-grow my Hair without spending any money on drugs or Hair transplant surgery

Gentle Care Hair Growth Treatment Oil

Gentle Care Hair Growth Treatment oil is a RARE hair serum formulated by 2 Asian Scientist who were once bald and frustrated about it, so they decided to team up and did research for a formula that will help restore hair growth and GET RID of baldness permanently.

The scientific formulation of Gentle Care Hair Growth Treatment uses a patent bio-engineering technology that is used to extract active herbal ingredients, that RAPIDLY accelerate hair growth, on even totally bald hair.

Gentle Care Hair Growth Treatment Serum Contains 100% Natural Ingredients

This powerful serum will help you GET RID of baldness and hair loss within 21 days of using it or less.

Heres How to Use it:

Simply use warm water to rise your hair Apply 6 drops of Gentle care hair treatment oil on the affected part of your hair Use it morning and night for the next 2 to 4 weeks for effective results

Are you a man suffering from severe or critical baldness?

Are you tired of spending money on hair creams and other methods that do not get rid of your baldness?

Then you need to get the Gentle Care Hair treatment oil that have been proven to worked for over 1,300 Nigerian men that have used to permanently cure hair loss and get rid of baldness.

Go Here Now to Get the Natural Hair Treatment Solution That GET RID OF BALD HAIR within 21 days of using it

But dont take my word for it, below are people who were once bald like you or suffer from severe hair loss but have now used these products and results that they got

Another testimonial

More proof from people that have used it

After years of suffering from baldness and severe hair loss problem, I decided to go for the hair treatment oil and hair wonder cream that comes with it. Been using it for about 3 weeks now, and I can gladly say it works to improve hair growth. Now the bald spots on my head have hair follicles re-growing fast and sprouting again.

Am no longer embarrassed and do not have to cover my head with a hat anymore. My wife so much loves seeing hair growing on my head again. Michael O.  Abuja

My wife decided to order the Gentle care hair treatment serum and hair wonder cream for me.

Now, the hair on my head is growing back again and I now have a much fuller beard after using the serum for about 2 weeks. My bald hair is now a thing of the past.

My friends are asking about what exactly I used to reverse my hair loss. Am definitely recommending your products for them. Mr. Smart  Umuahia, Abia state

With Gentle Hair treatment oil.

You can now say goodbye to your bald hair, and welcome your full blown hair and beards and permanently get rid of hair loss. Now You can confidently rock your hair with pride! No more embarrassment or low self esteem because you have a full complete hair! You will become more handsome because your partner will love the new hair!

You see, once I figured out that this asian oil works like crazy, I made an agreement with the supplier of the Gentle Hair treatment serum, and arranged for 100pieces to be supplied.

But once I posted my results on facebook, I discovered that over 57pieces of the items have been sold already to people who need them.

So you will need to act fast so that you can get it before the Gentle care Hair treatment oil are sold out.

Heres a breakdown of the price

Gentle care Hair treatment (2 bottles)  N15,000

Gentle care Hair treatment (4 bottles)  N22,000

Note that, the 2 bottles option is for people wih mild baldness or hair loss, while the 4 bottles option is for people with severe baldness or hairloss.

Now, you can go ahead and place order for the Gentle care Hair Growth treatment oil at an affordable price and start using it immediately.

But to make it even better, when you place an order right away you will be among the people that will get a special bonus for free.

The free bonus you will get is

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Hair Wonder Cream: Hair Wonder help enhance your hair growth. Formulated with refined Natural herbs and certified by NAFDAC hair wonder gives you that long, thick & strong hair that grows rapidly like wild fire!

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To erase the fear of getting scammed, we introduced payment on delivery option to all States in Nigeria

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Home | News | General | The gods are broken little things

By Yetunde Arebi

Hi,

I couldnt resist this article when I saw it in my box last week. Nearly all families have a similar experience to share. We all love them too, stories of people rising above their circumstances to achieve success. Typical grass to grace stories that will make even an atheist recognise that there must be a force directing the fortunes of man from somewhere. The story you are about to read was sent in by Kingsley Alumona from Ibadan. I was moved to tears just trying to capture what he and his young sister must have suffered in the hands of their uncle and his family as a result of the loss of their parents. Today, though in a position to take his revenge out on his uncle, he has opted to show him love instead. Surely, if the Lord has already granted you victory over your enemy, then it is not too much if you are magnanimous towards them. I hope you find it interesting as well as educative. Do have a wonderful weekend!!

gods

Growing up, my village was one of the villages in Umunchi in Isiala Mbano of Imo State that still worshiped Amadioha, the god of thunder. My uncle, the older and only sibling of my father, Mazi Nwaigwe, and his wife had a shrine for it. My parents had warned me and my younger sister and only sibling, not to go close to my uncles shrine, not to mention eating anything from them. My father, a secondary school principal had said that my uncle and his wife were not Gods people and that their god was evil.

I was 12 years old at the time and my sister was 10. I did not understand what my parents were saying because my uncle was nice to me. But not long after, when my father died and my mother was accused of killing him, I began to understand.

My father had woken up about one week before his sudden death with a swollen stomach. The doctors said there was nothing they could do for him, and he died three days later. My uncle and his wife accused my mother of killing my father and demanded, according to tradition, that she swore by the alusi, their god, and drink the water used to bathe his corpse to prove her innocence.

They accused my mother of killing my father because she was an osu, an outcast. My father was a diala, a true born, and was not supposed to marry my mother. So, my fathers family had always hated her. My uncles wife hated her the most. She always said the shrine or the marketplace was where my mother rightly belonged.

So, at my fathers funeral, they handed a cup of the corpse water to my mother. Much as my sister and I cried and pleaded with her not to drink the water, she recoiled from us.

Arinze nwam nwoke, ima nghota, my mother said in Igbo. Arinze my son, you wont understand.

Agam egosi naka m di ocha, she said. I have to prove my innocence.

Egbughim di m. Agam anuriri mmiri a. Esogbula onwe gi, Agaghim anwu, she said. I didnt kill my husband. I must drink this water. Dont worry, I wont die.

She drank the water and died two days later. The villagers said my mother was the witch that killed my father, and that she was lucky Amadioha dignified her with a peaceful death, instead of striking her with thunder.

It took just two weeks after my parents death for me to begin to understand what had befallen my family. I began to doubt the fact that it was Amadioha that killed them since they did not die by thunder. I was already in secondary school so I could understand what was going on.

They told us it was the custom and tradition of the land, so, my uncle and his wife inherited everything my parents owned, the house, the car, the businesses, everything except his position as school principal. He demolished his thatched house and moved into my fathers three-bedroom flat. His wife took over my mothers beverage business but within six months, squandered everything. Shortly after, my uncle sold the car because he could not maintain it. What broke my heart was not that my uncle and his wife colonised my parents property which rightly belonged to us, but that they relegated us to one of the rooms in the two-room boys quarter. The other room was allocated to Amadioha. Alusi became our next-door neighbour. My uncle had wanted to build a shrine at the rear of the compound, but his wife disapproved. When it came to making decisions, he was the figurehead while his wife was the real head. Their three children who were all older than us attended public schools before the takeover but were enrolled in private schools and we were taken to public schools. Though, my uncle had wanted us to remain in our private schools, his wife objected to it, saying there was no money to enrol osuchildren in private schools.

My sister could not endure the hardship, especially the fact that she lived next door to Amadioha and would always dream that it was about to attack her. So, I convinced them to send her to our maternal aunt in Owerri while I remained without knowing why.

What I went through growing up is better imagined than experienced. I had to push wheelbarrow in the market to pay for my WAEC examinations. During vacations, I learnt how to repair cars and generators. In all of these, I noticed that my uncle was always proud of me, no matter what, even though I resented him deeply. A few weeks after my exams, I told them I was leaving for Aba to eke out a living with one of my class mates and his uncle. My aunt was against it but my uncle hugged and prayed for me, insisting I must keep in touch. He probably did not know I was leaving so I would have nothing to do with them again.

I did not return until almost 12 years after when I received a call from my uncle that his wife had died. She had died with her stomach swollen, just the way my father died. But hers was strange and sudden and she looked as black as char in death. It was very obvious that my uncle was very happy to see me when I finally arrived the village, commenting on how big and robust I had become. All I could see was all the pain and hardship I had suffered living with him and his wife. As we chatted, it was obvious that he did not remember if I were osu or a diala.

He was still living in my fathers house. My uncle informed me that the house had been listed for demolition by the government, along with some houses in the village, because it was built in an area earmarked for electricity projects. The time given to my uncle to evacuate had elapsed, and soon the bulldozers would arrive. I wished I had not come.

My uncle had no place to live. The only land he had was close to the cemetery, where his wife, due to the mysterious nature of her death, would be buried. I remembered that many years ago, the cemetery was where the evil forest was. My uncles land, on which his demolished thatch house used to be, had been sold by his last son who ran away with the money to South Africa. His first son was in prison for drug and arms dealing and his only daughter had had a fierce quarrel with him over a man and had eloped with him. I was not sure if they had heard about their mothers death as they were all absent. My uncle had briefed me on the phone last week that I was all he had as family now. And though I wanted to laugh, to tell him how much I despised him, but I couldnt. He had also called my sister but she had abused him and hung the phone on him.

My odyssey was a long one and it rolled out in front of me in a flash beginning with how I arrived Aba with the family of my classmate. How I got a job as a mechanic and with the help of a man who claimed he knew my father and but for him, he could not have passed his WAEC. He helped me through my education at the National Open University. He got me a job as a manager at Innoson Motors but today, I commute between Nigeria and Japan importing cars for my boss and electronics for myself.

God has been kind to me. I had no choice but to forgive my uncle and take him back home with me. As I watched him evacuate the property in the house, majority of which belonged to my father, tears cascaded from my eyes. The house would soon be demolished, but the nostalgic memories it created stuck like glue. Suddenly, the question popped from my mouth.

Mazi Nwaigwe, do you think it was my mother that killed my father? My uncle stopped and looked at the sky, then at the ofo, sacred staff, in his calloused hand. From the way he was now holding the ofo, you could tell he was tired of it and of life.

Nne na nna gi bu ezigbo mmadu. Odi ka ya buru na fa kadi ndu, My uncle moaned. Your father and mother were good people. I wish they were still alive. At that moment, I knew I was right about my uncle all along. He is a good man, but he was tied to his late wifes apron string. Mazi Nwaigwe, youre a good man, but you allowed bad things happen around you. My uncle halted at the door of the shrine and looked at me. He nodded his head, moaned and entered the shrine with his back.

He came out, carrying his god in a red-and-white box. I asked Mazi Nwaigwe, if people had told you that your children would desert you, that your wife would die in a mysterious way and that you would be homeless today, would you have believed them?

My uncle mumbled something in dismay. He was old and frustrated. He looked at me, then at the box in his quavering hands. He took two feeble steps and the box, with his god in it, dropped and shattered on the ground. I was not sure if it was intentional or an accident, but he looked at me and smiled. When Amadioha shattered, I had thought it would unleash lightning and thunder, but nothing happened. I suspect he had also expected something too and had been disappointed. He fell to his knees and cried. Arinze, naani gi ka m nwere

, he looked at me and said. Arinze, youre the only one I have. I nodded and gathered him on his feet and told him I would take him home with me.

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A mystery snake is said to have sneaked into the accounts office of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, in Makurdi, the Benue State capital and made away with N36 million cash.

Before now, JAMB candidates purchased scratch cards from JAMB state offices and other designated centers, to gain access to the Boards website for either registration or to check their admission status but the reforms introduced by JAMB registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, recommended an end to the use of scratch cards.

A team of auditors was dispatched to different state offices of JAMB to take inventory of the sold and unsold scratch cards and recover whatever money that might have either been generated or mismanaged during the period of the sale of scratch cards.

On their visit to Makurdi office of JAMB, a sales clerk, Philomina Chieshe, told JAMB registrar and his team that she could not account for N36 million she made in previous years before the abolition of scratch cards.

In the course of interrogation, Philomena confessed that it was her housemaid that connived with another JAMB staff, Joan Asen, to spiritually steal the money from the vault in the accounts office.

She said: I was one of the four sales clerks attached to JAMB office in Makurdi. My responsibility was to sell scratch cards to candidates and not involved in handling the revenues. It was the responsibility of Joan Asen and my other senior colleagues. I only remit money when am done selling the cards.

Few months ago, there was issue of fraud in the Makurdi office. Auditors were sent from Abuja to carefully flip the record books of the office, to perhaps, ascertain the current state of affairs.

The state Coordinator, Obilo, was not around when the audit team came. But in the course of the audit, N36 million was discovered to have been missing from the account. An investigation was launched. In the course of the investigation, it was discovered that Joan Asen, who is account staff and a lady outside JAMB have connived to steal the money.

Philomina in her confessional statement said that Joan Asen and her accomplices confessed that they have been stealing the money spiritually through a mysterious snake that always sneak into the office to swallow the money from the vault.

According to her It was a mystery to me too. I have been saving the money in the bank, but I found it difficult to account for it. So I started saving it in a vault in the office. But each time I open the vault, I will find nothing. I became worried and surprised how the millions of Naira could be disappearing from the vault. I began to interrogate everybody in the house and office, and no one could agree on what might have happened to the money. I continued to press until my housemaid confessed. She said that the money disappeared spiritually. She said that a mysterious snake sneaked into the house and swallowed the money in the vault.
First lady Aisha Buhari has again shared a post on social media that seems to be criticizing the government of her husband, President Muhammadu Buhari.

Yesterday, it was in the news that the Police IG said ONLY 20 percent of policemen are engaged in securing lives and properties of Nigerians while the remaining 80 are providing personal security for prominent people. This has elicited different reactions on social media with most people criticizing the current government.

Mrs Buhari posted the news on her Twitter and Instagram pages yesterday. Recalled that Mrs Buhari has also once posted a video of a lawmaker raining heavy criticisms on her husband's ruling style. With this, one would begin to wonder if all is really well between the president and his wife.

See her recent post below
Home | News | General | 2019: Wike accuses INEC of making suspicious moves to favour APC

- Governor Nyesom Wike has raised an alarm over INEC's alleged intention to print illegal ballot papers for Rivers, Delta and Akwa Ibom states in order to exclude certain newly registered political parties

- However, the chief press secretary to the INEC chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, has assured Wike that the commission would not engage in any sort of election rigging

- Oyekanmi asserted that INEC is doing its utmost to ensure that the 2019 elections will be successful

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state on Friday, February 9, said that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had adopted two strategies with the intention of rigging the 2019 elections in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Wike stated that INEC plans to print unauthorised ballot papers for Rivers, Delta and Akwa Ibom states so as to remove certain newly registered political parties as a basis for the nullification of the elections of the three states, New Telegraph reports.

READ ALSO: Several feared dead in Adamawa communal clash

The governor also alleged that the federal government intends to use security forces to cause confusion and violence on the day of the governorship elections in the three states.

Upon his reception of a letter of nomination as 'Independent Newspapers Political Icon of the Year 2017', Wike claimed that credible intelligence available to Rivers state government showed that the indiscriminate registration of new political parties by INEC is is suspicious.

He said: All the mass registration of new political parties is deliberate plan by INEC to manipulate elections in the three states.

Rivers state, Akwa Ibom and Delta states have been earmarked for the printing of ballot papers where some newly registered political parties will be excluded as a ground for the nullification of the elections by the tribunal.

"After the nullification by the tribunal as planned, EFCC will be used by the APC-led federal government to arrest the three governors, so that they will not be around during the repeat elections.

Furthermore, he said that the entire struggle to hold the presidential election ahead of elections is one of the schemes at rigging the polls.

Wike also the APC-led administration had performed badly. That is why, according to him, it has nothing on ground to campaign with, except to use INEC and security agencies to its advantage.

In his words: APC is not a political party in the true sense of the word. It is a congregation of people who did not want former President Goodluck Jonathan to continue in office for personal reasons.

READ ALSO: Atiku support group launches 'woo your delegate campaign'

The fight against Jonathan was not in the interest of Nigeria. They have realised their mistakes, but they lack the courage to apologise because of their ego. If you move around, you will see that things are bad.

The governor urged journalists to sensitise Nigerians on the need to elect a credible federal government in 2019.

However, the chief press secretary (CPS) to the INEC chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said the governor should put aside his fears and suspicions concerning INEC's conduct in the forthcoming elections.

Oyekanmi said: Since 2015, this commission has conducted well over 175 different types of election, and it is only one or two that have been nullified by the court, not nullified in the sense of go and do another election but they are saying that we should issue certificate of return to no other person other than those who won.

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I think the commission has demonstrated, in the last three years, that we are committed to conducting transparent, fair and credible elections. His Excellency can rest assured that he has nothing to fear; Nigerians have nothing to fear. We will ensure that only votes can count.

"The INEC chairman always says that only votes will count in any election conducted by INEC under his watch.

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)disclosed that the results of the 2019 general elections will be transmitted electronically, via the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT).

The development was made public by Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC chairman, during a working visit to the NIGCOMSAT headquarters in Abuja, the nations capital, on Wednesday, February 7.

INEC official at Abuja court - on NAIJ.com TV:

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Source: Naija.ng

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Home | News | General | 2019: APC chieftain blasts Obasanjo for dictating to President Buhari

- Former President Olusegun Obasanjo's letter to President Muhammadu Buhari is till generating reactions

- A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo state, Chief Charles Idahosa, has added his voice to the debates surrounding the letter

- Idahosa is of the opinion that Obasanjo has no moral justification dictating to President Buhari on his political future

Chief Charles Idahosa, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo state on Friday, February 9, said former President Olusegun Obasanjo has no moral justification dictating to President Muhammadu Buhari on whether to seek re-election or not.

Speaking in an interview with the Independent newspaper, Idahosa said it is unfortunate that Nigerians are still allowing Obasanjo to hold them to ransom and dictate to them who governs them years after leaving office.

Chief Idahosa advised Nigerians to be wary of the antics of former President Obasanjo. Photo credit: Daily Post

READ ALSO: Open letter: Obasanjo is one way trying to claim the opinion of Nigerians - Senator Brambaifa

According to Idahosa, corruption in Nigeria blossomed under Obasanjos regime as he allowed the younger officers who made him Head of State against his wish unfettered access to the nations treasury.

His words: I think it is most unfortunate that in a country where the percentage of illiteracy is very high that is where people like Obasanjo thrive. To me, it is very depressing, irritating and annoying.

Obasanjo is the least qualified to advise President Muhammadu Buhari. Obasanjo is so irrelevant in this country and I find it irritating when I see him parading himself as a kingmaker, who years after leaving office still wants to decide for Nigerians who governs them.

If Nigerians continue to submit themselves to the dictates of Obasanjo, then we still have a long way to go. Obasanjo was a military of Head of state for four years. He was a coward. He was afraid of becoming Head of State after Murtala Mohammeds assassination.

I remember his speech Against My Personal Wish and Desire. He had no programme for this country because he was afraid he was going to be killed.

Meanwhile, 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 All Progressives Congress (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.

We are in politics; we would tackle any opposition, any group or gang up, be it a coalition or third force or whatever, Lawal said.

READ ALSO: 2019: Obasanjo's call on Buhari not to contest is undemocratic - NGO

2019 reelection bid: Should President Buhari heed Obasanjo's advice? on Street Gist

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Source: Naija.ng

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Home | News | General | NCP presidential hopeful Ikubese consults Obasanjo ahead of 2019 elections

- A presidential aspirant under the platform of NCP, Thomas Ikubese, has visited Obasanjo ahead of 2019 elections

- He vowed to unseat President Buhari during next year elections

- Ikubese also promised to solve the problems plaguing Nigeria

A presidential aspirant under the platform of National Conscience Party (NCP), Thomas Ikubese, at the weekend visited former President Olusegun Obasanjo at his Abeokuta residence ahead of 2019 general elections.

Vanguard reports the Ikubese vowed to unseat Buhari in the next election and fix Nigeria.

READ ALSO: Ranches, solution to herdsmen/farmers crisis - Aregbesola

NAIJ.com gathered that Ikubese thanked Obasanjo for speaking the mind of common Nigerians on the street in the letter he recently wrote to President Muhammadu Buhari, urging him not to seek re-election in 2019 because of his unimpressive performance in office.

Dr. Ikubese during his visit to former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta

The Ondo state-based medical practitioner said some of the points raised by former President Obasanjo in his letter are some of the reasons he declared to run for the office of the president of the federal republic of Nigeria on July 24, last year, making him the first young person to so openly declare, even before the not-too-young-to-run bill surfaced on the floor of the National Assembly.

Nigeria needs a youthful, visionary, selfless President in 2019 to save her from the present quagmire, the presidential aspirant said, stressing his readiness to fix the nations many problems.

Ikubese said any coalition that throws up an ex-this, ex-that as its Presidential Candidate in 2019 cannot qualify as a third force and will be jettisoned by the Nigerian masses who now crave for fresh revolutionary entrants in the Nigerian political space.

In his response, Obasanjo thanked Ikubese for being a true representative of the youths, stressing that he would continue to encourage those who want the best for Nigeria to make their own contributions to the development of the country.

Obasanjo stated that the Coalition for Nigeria Movement (CNM), which he recently joined, is not a political party, but a movement and that if at any point it translates into a political party, he would cease to be a member.

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The Ondo state coordinator for the coalition, Ademola Ijabiyi, who was on the entourage to the residence of the former President, said the CNM represents hope for a better Nigeria, commending the decision of Ikubese to run for President at this critical time in the life of the country.

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had previously reported that a former provost marshal of the Nigerian army, Idada Ikponmwen said that neither ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo or Ibrahim Babangida has the right to ask President Muhammadu Buhari not to seek a second term.

Who is Nigeria's greatest president ever? - on NAIJ.com TV

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Source: Naija.ng

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Home | News | General | Coalition Movement: Nigerians have lost confidence in APC and PDP - Political editor defends OBJ's new group

- Akin Osuntokun, the former managing director of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), says he believes the coalition movement's goals are achievable

- Osuntokun states that Nigerians have lost confidence in the All Progressives Congress (APC) and in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

- He says the major objective of the movement is save the nation from its political ruin

Akin Osuntokun, the former managing director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) and one time presidential adviser, is one of the promoters of the new political coalition on Nigerias political landscape.

In an interview with Guardian, he speaks on the need for the emergence of a 'Third Force' as a means of saving the nation from the shackles of corruption and decay.

NAIJ.com notes that when asked whether he thinks the coalition movement can succeed, Osuntokun said he does not only believe it is realisable, and pointed out that it will be successful. He said: "What do you mean? It is already flying. It has already taken off.

READ ALSO: Ranches, solution to herdsmen/farmers crisis - Aregbesola

"The reason for that question is because the Third Force should be something new and shouldnt be associated with either the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) or the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). But what we are seeing is typical of the two parties?

"This is typical Nigeria. Which English translation of Third Force means something new apart from the APC and PDP? That is your own definition of it. A Third Force would definitely have frustrated and disappointed members from the two major parties.

"It will also involve people who had hope in the ruling party and President Muhammadu Buhari but are now disappointed with the way government is being run. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was part of those who invested trust and hope in the APC before now. So that alone contradicts what you are saying.

"If he is now floating or supporting Third Force, that means he was part of those who supported Buhari and APC to win the 2015 election and the reason the idea of Third Force has come on board is the disappointment and the terrible experience of the Nigerian people with the APC and PDP.

"People lost confidence in the manner the two parties rule the country and the loss of that confidence is gradually or has led to frustration and it may lead to hopelessness. So we have to find a way of channeling that frustration and the anger in such a way that it will not affect the country.

READ ALSO:Benue killings: Nothing must happen to Ortom - Group tells IGP

"We have seen the context of the civil democratic groups but there is another option and we are not by any means stuck with the APC or PDP because that itself is dangerous for the society.

"If we do, it may be difficult for us to know because we are stuck with it. So, the Third Force is not about dazzling over definition but it was just that we have two dominant parties before but the idea is to have another one."

In the interview, Osuntokun was asked if he is not bothered about the fact that the whole move looks like putting old wine in new bottle, considering the calibre of the members of the movement.

He stated that what matters is achieving positive national goal, not mere appearance. He said: "If the old wine is still good why not put it in new bottle? Dont be too bothered with appearances; it is the substance that matters.

"I have explained to you the main motivator of the Third Force and by the way, other people are coming up with their own idea besides that of Obasanjo. The argument of putting old wine in new bottle is trivial.

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"We are not talking about fashion but the survival of a nation. What you call it is irrelevant. It is what we set out to do that matters. Remember Machiavelli said the end justifies the means. If you are going to achieve a noble ambition, how you go about it doesnt matter so long it is legal and constitutional."

Earlier, NAIJ.com reported that the PRP chairman pleaded with Nigerians to reject the coalition alleging that the old politicians wanted to use it to secure power through the backdoor.

Professor Mahmud Aliyu, the interim chairman of the party in Kwara state, told journalists in Ilorin, that both the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lacked ideologies.

Consider rest - Obasanjo to Buhari on Naij.com TV

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Home | News | General | I am Nigerias first born-again VP - Osinbajo reflects on divine purpose in national assignment

- Prof Yemi Osinbajo has pointed out that he is possibly the nations first born-again vice president

- While noting the role of divine purpose in his national assignment, the VP stated that his role in the Bihari govt is to nudge it in the right direction

- Osinbajo called on Nigerians to join hands in prayer, for the country to be great

Professor Yemi Osinbajo has pointed out that there is a divine purpose to his national assignment, noting that he is possibly the first born-again Christian and pastor elected as Nigeria's vice president.

According to Daily Trust, the nations number two citizen made his comments at St. Peters Anglican Church, Otun-Ekiti, Ekiti state, on Friday, February 9.

READ ALSO: How I survived 2 suicide missions in the hands of Boko Haram - Teenager

NAIJ.com gathers that the VP, who was attending the burial ceremony of Pa Daniel Olajide Adebiyi, stated that his role in the Buhari administration is to add to the integrity, do the right thing and push the government is the right way.

He stated: "I believe very strongly that there is a reason for my being elected as vice president, and possibly the first born-again Christian, the first pastor to have been elected as vice president.

God is not the God of accident. He understands expertly what He wants to do. My role there is to add to the integrity, to do the right thing and make sure that we push our government in the right way."

Asking for prayers, Osinbajo continued: "This is a golden opportunity for us as Christians. When the two of us agree on anything, the Lord our God will bring it to pass.

Agree with me that our country will be great and our country will be great."

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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo supported the calls for decentralisation of the Nigeria police.

At the opening ceremony for the two-day summit on national security on Thursday, February 8, organised by the Senate on the spate of killings by herdsmen and other crimes across the country, the vice president said:State police is the way to go.

Is Osinbajo a better president than Buhari? - on NAIJ.com TV:

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Home | News | General | APC chieftains fault Tinubu's appointment as mediator, says he is the party's most aggrieved member

- President Muhammadu Buhari's move to resolve the continuous crisis in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) may have started on a faulty note

- The appointment of the National leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, as the mediator of the party, has been heavily criticised

- Some APC chieftains are of the opinion that Tinubu himself is the party most aggrieved member

Some members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), have faulted the appointment of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as the mediator of the party.

According to them, it is going to take concerted effort to unite all factions because the man at the helms of the committee is also aggrieved.

Tinubu was designated by President Buhari to settle the differences among party chieftains across the country. Source: Twitter

READ ALSO: 2019: If Tinubu says he will not support Buhari, that is the end of his regime - Falola

How can you ask the number-one aggrieved member to lead reconciliation? The National Leader is the most aggrieved person in the party today. Who will reconcile Tinubu with the partys National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun?

Are you not aware that Tinubu himself is aggrieved? He also needs to be pacified, especially in his grievance against the president, a chieftain of the party from the South-south region, Frank Okon told the New Telgraph.

Buttressing Okons point, another APC cheiftain from Adamawa, Alhaji Yinusa Inuwa, explained that the person bestowed with the responsibility has many enemies within the party, as such, the job may be difficult.

Tinubu has issues with many people in the party, especially those who went against him during the elections under the leadership of the National Assembly.

He is fighting the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and many senators who supported Saraki. He is also fighting Yakubu Dogara and Governor Aminu Tambuwal over the speakership. Who will reconcile him with those lawmakers? Is he going to reconcile himself with them? he queried.

On his part, Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi, who represents Kaduna North Senatorial District in the Senate, said he doubt whether the Tinubu committee would make any progress in Kaduna state APC.

Hunkuyi who is already poised to contest the 2019 governorship against Governor Nasir El-Rufai said: I dont know whether the committee can achieve a result in Kaduna state. With due respect, it has not been done before. But the fact that there is a committee to reconcile aggrieved members shows there is conflict within the party.

Also speaking, the chairman of Restoration Group, a faction of the party in the state, Tijani Ramalan said the only panacea for reconciliation is for the state governor not to seek reelection in 2019.

I learnt that APC reconciliation team would be coming to Kaduna, if they want our support, then El-Rufai should not run in 2019, he said.

READ ALSO: Trouble in APC as zonal chairmen call for Oyegun's removal

Earlier this week, President Buhari designated Tinubu to lead the consultation, reconciliation and confidence building efforts in the party.

The assignment will involve resolving disagreements among party members, party leadership and political office holders in some states of the federation.

APC official tells why his party could be voted out in 2019 on NAIJ.com TV

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Home | News | General | Coalition for Nigeria Movement: Same as APC and PDP by Buchi Obichie (OPINION)

Editors Note: The writer, Buchi Obichie, is of the opinion that OBJs Coalition for Nigeria Movement is no different from other political groups, as it is made up of the same old crop of politicians who have not really brought about any concrete change in the nation. She calls for a true new movement made up of fresh, young minds who are ready and equipped to bring about real change.

My late grandmother had a particular culinary habit that I didnt quite like. Whenever she cooked a pot of stew, if there were any left-overs at the time for a new pot to be made, instead of keeping the old one aside (or throwing it away), she would mix it in with the new pot. Consequently, it robbed those eating the meal of a new flavor because it ended up tasting just like the earlier pot of stew!

In my grandmothers defense, she usually argued that she didnt like to waste food; but then, I still think she could have left the old batch aside as it was, packed up in the fridge, instead of mixing it with the new one.

In the same vein, just as I am not a fan of mixing old food with a new batch, I am also not ecstatic about this so-called new political movement known as the Coalition for Nigeria Movement (CNM).

READ ALSO: Opinion: What Buhari means to me, 3 years after 2015 by Buchi Obichie

With great fanfare, the movement spearheaded by former President Olusegun Obasanjo was finally launched in Abuja and Ogun state. However, there is not much about this new political group that tickles my fancy. As far as Im concerned, its the same old winejust in a new bottle.

As I saw pictures of Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Donald Duke at the YarAdua Center; and OBJ at the NUJ secretariat in Ogun state, a part of me was silently screaming, When would these people just go away?

You see, to me, the CNM is not different from the APC, PDP or other political groups which are filled with the same individuals who have held this nation captive from time immemorial. When it comes to political parties in Nigeria, there is nothing newat least, so far.

Nigerias political landscape is really filled with the same political prostitutes who switch alliances and allegiances as they see fit, for their own self-aggrandizement! When politicians get aggrieved with their party, they shift ground and move elsewhere, or create a new group. Isnt that how the APC was formed?

Unlike in saner democracies, politicians here do not join parties because they believe in, and are committed to its ideals. They join parties as a way to achieve wealth, power, unending comfort; and nowadays, they switch parties to evade the law and get soft-landings after committing crimesits just the sad truth!

So, at the end of the day, what you get, are the same recycled individuals who havent made any positive contribution to this entity called Nigeria!

In all fairness, some of them may start out with good intentions; but as we have seen - and continue to see - they usually get corrupted by the trappings of power because at their core, there is no real strength of character and conviction to do right!

A truly new political party to me would be made up of fresh, young sharp minds with a hunger, determination, tenacity and clear strategies to move the nation forward.

Nigeria is made up of young, bright technocrats who can bring their knowledge and mental intelligence, in line with the times, into the political landscape.

But would these individuals be given a chance? Probably not. Not as long as these old war heroes refuse to give way!

These young people do not even possess the financial and political capital to maneuver their way in this jungle of Nigerian politics. Their best shot would be to go under the wings of political godfathers who would demand 100 percent allegiance and refuse to give them the leeway to put their own policies into action!

So the CNM says it is not a political party - for now - and OBJ has threatened to quit, if the organization becomes one. But come on, who are we kidding? Its only a matter of time?

I mean, even Oyinlola pointed out that going by the constitution, people can only be voted in to govern, on the platform of a political party. So, going by logic, to achieve anything tangible, the CNM would eventually need to transform itself into a party.

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So, again, we are stuck with a political movement, soon-to-become a party, that is the same as every other party out there!

Nigeria does need a true new political movement made up of young minds desirous of true change. We are not asking the old breed to die away, but to step aside and give way for new hands. Of course, we would need the advice of elders from time-to-time; but it should not be imposed upon us!

Like my grandmothers pot of stew, there is nothing new about the CNM; just as there was nothing new about the APC in 2015, and nothing new about the PDP in 1999!

This opinion piece was written by Buchi Obichie.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily represent the editorial policy of NAIJ.com.

2019: Should Buhari heed Obasanjo's advice? - on NAIJ.com TV:

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Home | News | General | Gunmen kill NULGE LG chair in Bayelsa

By Samuel Oyadongha & Emem Idio

YENAGOA-UNKNOWN gunmen suspected to be assassins have killed the Southern Ijaw Council chapter of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE Mr. Okaye Igali.

gunmen

Age 53, Igali, was reportedly shot at the Ayama Ijaw junction in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State on Friday by gunmen and died few minutes after been taken to the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Yenagoa.

It was gathered that the deceased was in a tricycle popularly known as keke Napep and was heading to the Ayama Ijaw jetty to board a speedboat to his council area when he was attacked by gunmen allegedly on his trail from Yenagoa, the state capital.

Condemning the killing, the Deputy State President, NULGE, Bayelsa State, Gowon Toruyouye, described the killing as barbaric and unfortunate and call on security agencies to bring the perpetrators to book.

Contacted, Spokesman of the state police command, Mr. Asinim Butswata, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, confirmed the incident.

He said: On 9 February, 2018 at about 1440 hrs, one Okaye Igali `m`age 53, was shot and killed by unknown gunmen, along Ayama Ijaw Road, Southern Ijaw LGA Bayelsa State.

Preliminary investigation revealed, the attacked was a premeditated murder. The incident was reported about three later, however, Tactical Teams have swung into action to arrest the culprits. Investigation is ongoing.

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Home | News | General | Kano LG election: We have since overcome  hitches  KANSIEC

Kano  Prof. Garba Ibrahim Sheka, the Chairman of Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) has attributed the delay in the arrival of materials to polling centres to what he described as some hitches.



Sheka made the clarification while fielding questions from newsmen in Kano on Saturday.

The Chairman, who said the commission had since overcome the problem, assured voters that they would be allowed to exercise their civic right.

Sheka, who declined to state the hitches, said the commission would adjust the time to enable all eligible voters who presented themselves at the polling centres to cast their vote.

We have since overcome the problem as we are currently loading the last vehicle which will transport the materials to Makoda local government, he said.

He assured voters, who remained on queues that they would be given the opportunity to exercise their franchise.

A reliable source at the commission told NAN that the delay in the distribution of the election materials to polling centres was caused by late arrival of the materials from China.

The sensitive materials arrived Kano late on Friday and this is the main reason behind the delay in the arrival of materials to Makoda most parts of the state.the source added. (NAN).

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Home | News | General | Tension in Imo, as Sergent kill 20-year-old tipper conductor

By Chinonso Alozie, Owerri

One Ifeanyi Okafor, said to be a 20-year-old boy, yesterday, met his untimely dead, as a Police Sergeant, Mr. Abu Itam, was said to have shot him (Okafor), dead.

The incident took place, at Okigwe-Owerri expressway, close to Okwelle Police Divisional headquarters.

The incident which was said to have happened around 5am, generated demonstrations from the youths of the area.

A situation which forced both the Deputy commissioner of police in charge of operations ,Abdulahi Kurawa, and the state Police Public Relations Officer ,Andrew Enwerem, to intervene in order to calm the situation.

Also, Vanguard was told that, the tragic incident occurred when Sergent Itam, and three other of his colleagues were on a stop and search operation along Okigwe-Owerri expressway.

According to a villager one Ikem, who claimed he was at the scene, told Vanguard that, Listen, this Sergent who shot this young man dead is a very wicked police officer.

After searching and collecting N20 from other cars, it got to the turn of this tipper, he refused to allow them pass because money was not giving to him.

When the conductor alighted from the tipper to plead to the Sergent, to allow them pass that since others had gone. The policeman started shouting at the conductor, before you know it, he cocked his gun and to my greatest surprise he released three bullets on the young man. The tipper conductor died instantly.

Vanguard gathered that the youths of the area out of anger for the police not to have provided the killer police Sergeant, had invaded the Okwelle Police Divisional headquarters, pulled down the fences, as well as damaged a Prado jeep in the station.

Meanwhile, the Imo state Commissioner for Police, Mr. Chris Ezike, confirmed this to newsmen, and said that the suspect Sergent Police, had been arrested and his AK 47 recovered.

He also said: From the preliminary investigation, the shooting was unprofessional .I have therefore asked the state CID to takeover the investigation.

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Home | News | General | Saraki commiserates with Buratai over fathers death

President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has condoled with the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai over the death of his father, Mallam Yusuf Buratai.

Malam Yusuf Buratai, a World War II Veteran and father of COAS Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai

Saraki in a statement signed by Yusuph Olaniyonu Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) described the late Buratai as a true Nigerian who contributed immensely to the development of his country during his lifetime and left behind a legacy of selfless service, discipline and hardwork.

Pa Buratai did not only serve the country as a military personnel  having been a non-commissioned officer in the West African Frontier Force  he left behind capable children like the Chief of Army Staff, who are today carrying on the torch of national service, Saraki stated.

He commiserated with the Chief of Army Staff, the entire Buratais family, the military high command and the Government and people of Borno State over the irreparable loss.

He prayed Almighty Allah to grant the soul of the deceased Aljannah Firdaus, while calling on the late Buratais children and loved ones to take solace in the exemplary lifestyle of their late father.

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Home | News | General | 2019: How we will stop Buhari, APC  Opposition parties

Vow to repeat 2015 scenario

Buy into Third Force

Its a rescue mission CNM

APC responds gamely

By Clifford Ndujihe, Deputy Political Editor,

Additional reports from Henry Umoru and Dirisu Yakubu

WORRIED by what they described as the total failure of the All Progressives Congress, APC-led Federal Government to offer good governance, a host of opposition political parties have declared their readiness to stop APC and President Muhammadu Buhari at the 2019 elections.

President Buhari

To realise the objective, some of them have started moves to consummate what they describe as  a rainbow coalition that will field or back a joint candidate against the APC in 2019.

Already, the Dr Olisa Agbakoba-led Nigeria Intervention Movement, NIM, is working towards giving the electorate a credible alternative or Third Force to the APC and main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at the polls.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjos recent open letter to President Buhari asking him not to re-contest on account of poor performance and subsequent formation of the Coalition for Nigeria Movement, CNM, to drive the process of retrieving power from Buhari, has added impetus to the aspiration of the opposition parties.

Last week, 22 political parties on the plank of Committee of Concerned Political Parties, CCPP, constituted six committees to hammer out action plans for the 2019 general election.

Interim Chairman of CCPP, Dr Onwubuya Breakforth, who is also the national chairman of Freedom and Justice Party, FJP, told newsmen in Abuja that the group was concerned about boiling national issues, including killings by herdsmen and restructuring.

The sub-committees are on restructuring Nigeria and inter-governmental affairs, national security and integration, planning and finance, contact and mobilisation, and research and documentation.

Said Breakforth: The CCPP also resolved to jointly discuss and proffer solutions to key national issues threatening the peace and unity of our dear country. It was further resolved that various options open to the group in relation to the 2019 general elections would be explored in the best interest of the country.

He listed some of the parties in the CCPP as Freedom and Justice Party, FJP; Sustainable National Party, SNP;, New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP; Social Democratic Party, SDP; Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, ACPN; Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN; Grassroots Development Party of Nigeria, GDPN; and National Peoples Congress, NPC.

Some of the parties were peeved by the recent comment of Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State that there is no alternative to President Buhari in 2019 and vowed to repeat the 2015 scenario in which an opposition party beat an incumbent party. Will they succeed?

Past alliances

Nigerias political history is replete with failed alliances and mergers. In the First Republic, the United Progressive Grand Alliance, UPGA, consisting mainly of the National Council for Nigerian Citizens, NCNC, and the Action Group, AG could not stop the Northern Peoples Congress, NPC, because UPGA leaders could not sink their ambitions and differences.

In the Second Republic, the Nigerian Peoples Party, NPP, Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN, Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, and the Great Nigerian Peoples Party, GNPP, formed the Peoples Progressive Alliance, PPA, which also failed to click against the National Party of Nigeria, NPN.

In 1999, the Alliance for Democracy, AD, which had swept the South-West in earlier polls aligned with All Peoples Party, APP that dominated elections in the North with the intention of beating PDP at the presidential polls. It gave the PDP a good fight but failed to win the election.

In 2007, about 15 parties came together and formed the Action Congress, AC, but the party made little or no impact in the presidential election.

A move by the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN and Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, to join forces in the 2011 polls did not yield dividends.

However, alliances bore fruits at the 2015 general polls. The then ruling PDP was given a good fight and beaten in the presidential poll after leaders of the APC did their homework. Before the presidential victory, the first time an incumbent party was losing election in Nigeria, leaders of the APC, an amalgam of four opposition parties  Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN; All Nigerian Peoples Party, ANPP; CPC; and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, said they joined forces to rescue Nigeria from the deadly grip of the PDP.

Its a rescue mission CNM

Like leaders of the APC said in 2015, members of the Obasanjo-propelled CNM and the opposition parties said they want to rescue Nigeria from President Buhari.

Speaking at the launch of CNM, last week, Duke, said he is part of the move because Nigeria is in dire straits and Nigerians need to come together and chart the way forward for the country. Nigeria is not going to get better except we come together to change the narrative and the situation. We know that, as a nation, we can do better than we currently do. So let us focus on the issues and how to adequately address them to improve our collective lot.

Asked the driving force behind the Third Force, Chief Akin Osuntokun, a renowned journalist, former managing director of the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN and Political Adviser to former President Obasanjo, said it is the quest to give Nigerians hope following the failure of the APC government and lack of readiness on the part of the PDP to fill the vacuum.

He said: The APC is almost like a choice between the devil and the deep blue sea. That is why a third party is so much compelling and appealing. There has to be a third party today to give the people something to hope for

The Third Force will include aggrieved and alienated members of the APC and PDP. It is a very exciting prospect and will catch on given the mood of Nigerians. Even in terms of raw political calculations, stakeholders and gladiators with grassroots support and machinery will see a bright prospect in the third party.

According to him, the Third Force will fly because there are many aggrieved people in APC that are not ready to go to the PDP and so also people in PDP that will never go to the APC.

Indeed, some leaders of the APC and PDP were at the launch of the CNM, last week.

Prominent APC chieftains at the event were Buba Galadima, a member of the partys Board of Trustees, BoT; and former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, the incumbent chairman of the Nigeria Identity Management Commission, among others.

From the PDP were former National Chairman, Col. Ahmadu Ali, retd, former Governor Donald Duke, and another former presidential aspirant on the platform of the party, Dr. Abduljelil Tafawa Balewa, among others.

Another four years of Buhari will mark the end of Nigeria  Okorie

National Chairman of the United Progressive Party, UPP, Chief Chekwas Okorie, in a chat with Saturday Vanguard, said his party is in support of any move that will save the country from the bad governance of President Buhari even though the UPP has zoned its presidential ticket to the South-East geo-political zone.

He said: At the non-elective national convention of UPP held at Awka, Anambra State on June 29, 2017, the Convention ratified the zoning of the partys presidential slot for the 2019 election to the South-East geopolitical zone. The ratification by the highest organ of the party remains sacrosanct. It will take a duly convened National Convention to set it aside or modify it. The position is that a presidential candidate from the South-East geopolitical zone shall fly the UPP Presidential flag in 2019.

However, the party is very receptive of the much desired Third Force. UPP is consulting widely on this initiative and is willing to anchor it preferably in coalition with political parties of like minds especially with regard to the high points of our party manifesto registered with INEC viz; self determination of Nigerias ethnic nationalities, restructuring, devolution of power, referendum, state police and community policing, etc.

Governor El Rufai is entitled to his opinion. Maybe the All Progressives Congress is stuck with President Buhari without any alternative option as a presidential candidate for the 2019 presidential election. My opinion is that President Buharis Administration is a disaster. Another four-year tenure for President Buhari will be Nigerias nunc dimitis.

Why CNMll work with opposition against APC

With barely a year to the 2019 general elections, the Coalition for Nigeria Movement (CNM) recently formed in Abuja as a response to a call for a Third force by former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, will work with the opposition against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Vanguard has gathered.

According to findings, the coalition is not likely to morph into a political party this year, considering the closeness to the elections but is primed to work with other political groups to vote out the APC. Although, not a political party, the movement has wasted no time in pushing for a change in the leadership of the country, following legion of expression of disappointment recently in the leadership of the country by eminent citizens including Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida.

Convener of CNM and a former governor of Osun State had at the launch of the movement a couple of weeks ago, spoken of the need to kick start the process when he said,  With the aims and objectives of the coalition, it is mandatory for us to hit the ground running. Time is not on our side and if we are going to effect the aims of the coalition, then we must run fast.

There are claims in some quarters that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may turn out the biggest beneficiary of the imminent alliance provided internal democracy plays out in the selection of its Presidential flag bearer. Already, some of the big shots behind the formation of the coalition are reaching out to the opposition in a bid to come up with a popular Presidential candidate that would be acceptable to Nigerians across the North and South of the divide.

Former Lagos State PDP governorship candidate in the 2015 general elections, Jimi Agbaje, in an exclusive chat with Vanguard on Thursday said the party is open to any idea that would help produce a President capable of changing the fortunes of the Nigerian State for good.

According to him, The PDP will certainly welcome the arrangement whereby the CNM and indeed all who believe there is a need for a change of the present administration, team up with the main opposition party, in electing a President that can better address the fundamental challenges our country is saddled with today, stressing that The best chance to achieve this is in a two-way contest rather than in a multitude of smaller parties.

Like Agbaje, Tunde Adeniran said there is a chance the coalition may join forces with the opposition to defeat the ruling party. While denying knowledge of the ideological stand of CNM, Professor Adeniran insists nothing should be ruled out as the 2019 elections draw closer.

I do not have sufficient knowledge of the philosophy and agenda of the CNM to make any categorical statement on what it would do. There is however the likelihood of its collaborating with other political groupings to defeat the APC in the forthcoming elections, he stated.

A highly placed source who spoke to Vanguard on condition of anonymity said the coalition could strike a deal with the PDP provided it produces a Presidential candidate acceptable to Nigerians and one capable of making in-roads in the north which is seen as the support base of President Buhari.

According to him, the candidacy of Sule Lamido or Ibrahim Dankwambo would appeal to Obasanjo who is yet to change his mind on Atiku Abubakar, the countrys former Vice President who rejoined the PDP about two months ago. Baba (Obasanjo) is very much in touch with Lamido and to an extent, the Gombe State governor. Should any of these two get the PDPs nod to square up against the APC, there is a chance the coalition will work with this arrangement, he said.

While insisting the group is a pro-Nigeria platform, our source said the inability of the ruling party to unite the diverse ethnic nationalities that make up Nigeria, informed the decision of These patriotic citizens to square up for a rescue mission.

His words, The biggest index of APC performance so far is the unity of the country that is being threatened by spates of violent skirmishes here and there. The least one expects from a government is demonstration of will to avert these crises but this has not been the case. This is the reason these like-minds chose to rise up to save the nation from a bleak future, he added.

Although Donald Duke, former Cross River State recently indicated interest in running for the Presidency of the country, stressing the importance of projecting People with the technical know-how to take the country to the Promised Land, he is likely to shelve his ambition for now, and work in the overall interest of the coalition.

In order to realise its goal of a new government in place, CNM is working behind the scene, enjoining eligible voters on the imperative of getting their Permanent Voters card (PVC) ahead of the polls. This is in addition to political education members of the coalition have been charged to dish out to Nigerians to whom they may come in contact.

Buhari unfit to rule Nigeria  UPN, Green Party, NCP

Also, the Green Party of Nigeria, GPN and Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN, disagreed with Governor el-Rufai that there is no alternative to President Buhari in 2019 because judging with his performance the president has shown that he is unfit to rule the country.

UPN National Chairman, Professor Bankole Okuwa, said there are many alternatives to President Buhari. He said the president has failed to lead Nigeria well since 2015 and therefore does not deserve to be re-elected.

Apart from poor performance, Buhari has not been in good health. He was a military man and has been unable to cope with the values of democracy. He promised to fight economic corruption, publish the amount of money recovered, and those who made plea bargain, etc. He has not been able to keep the promise and now corruption is killing Nigeria, he said.

Speaking in like manner, National Chairman of GPN, Dr Sam Eke said: El-Rufais comment is unfortunate and contradictory because in 2007 he said Buhari was not fit to rule Nigeria. Between when he made that comment and now Nigeria has produced more capable hands who can rule the country better than Buhari.

The APC government has failed Nigeria. The basic condition for re-election is performance, not propaganda. Through their bad governance, nepotism, and skewed appointments and policies Nigeria is now more divided than ever and the country is sitting on a keg of gunpowder. Buhari and APC will be dealt with at the polls because Nigerians are prepared to exercise their rights through one-man, one-vote.

Going forward, he said GPN will join forces with parties that share its ideology to rescue Nigeria from the APC. There are moves for all to join forces against APC. That is how we will do it.

Also, National Chairman of the National Conscience Party, NCP, Dr Yinusa Tanko, said his party is in support of the Third Force and was part of those who created the CNM.

He disagreed with el-Rufai on President Buhari continuing in 2019 because you cannot say there is no alternative to Buhari when we have millions among 180 million Nigerians who can hold the position more positively and vigorously.

In readiness for the 2019 elections, he said the NCP has been holding state congresses since the beginning of last year.

Be architects of your future, PNI urges youths

Looking at the state of the nation, a socio-political advocacy group, Path-finders Nigeria Initiative, PNI, urged Nigerians, especially youths to become the architects of their future by showing more interests in the countrys political development and participate actively in the political leadership selection process.

In a statement by its Executive Director, Chief SBN Nwokolo, after a meeting to review recent developments in the polity, the group noted that sitting on the fence when things are going wrong in the nation amounts to a tacit endorsement of bad leadership and continuous rape and underdevelopment of the nation.

Nwokolo said: Nigeria belongs to all her citizens. The right of citizens to participate in the governance process or selection of those that should genuinely represent their interests in leadership positions in a democratic government at all levels is guaranteed by the constitution. Standing aloof or grumbling in ones private space o on the social media about the ills of successive governments without taking any legitimate and realistic steps at reordering the patterns of events that are contrary to the will of the people makes one complicit in the continuing failure of leadership in our land.

It is imperative to note that your singular vote can make a difference in the choice of who represents you as a councillor, local government chairman, at the House of Assembly, National Assembly, governor or at the highest level, the presidency. But without a valid voters card, automatically you make yourself irrelevant in performing this very important constitutionally given right.

The PNI, whose objective is advocacy for transparent, purposeful leadership, ethical reorientation, peace and uplifting of humanity, therefore, called on all Nigerians of voting age, who had not yet registered as voters to take the important step of making themselves eligible for voting in the coming elections by taking advantage of the ongoing Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, voters registration exercise, as our vote is not only our power but our life.

APC responds gamely

However, leaders of the APC are insisting that President Buhari remains the best choice to take Nigeria out of the woods and ensure socio-political stability.

In the last couple of weeks, the leaders have embarked on strategic measures to address the fears and concerns of Nigeria.

One of them is embracing restructuring. The party raised a committee headed by Malam el-Rufai, which after touring the six geo-political zones and getting memoranda from diverse groups recommended restructuring of the country, resource control, devolution of power and state police among others.

Many groups including the Southern and Middle-Belt leaders forum, had repeatedly called for the restructuring of Nigeria and made it a condition for holding the 2019 election.

On Thursday in Abuja, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who represented President Buhari at a Security Summit organised by the Senate, expressed support for state and community policing to fight the scourge of insecurity ravaging many parts of the country.

In response to various calls to assuage aggrieved members of the party said to have been sidelined by the presidency after helping the APC to power, President Buhari, early in the week named Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu the leader of fresh reconciliatory moves in the party.

Asiwaju Tinubu is one those said to have been sidelined in the scheme of things in the party. One of the sore points was the handling of the Ondo State governorship election, in which he publicly chided the APC leadership for not following due process in the primaries.

In a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, President Buhari gave Tinubus terms of reference to include: leading consultative and reconciliatory moves aimed at rebuilding confidence in the party, resolving existing disputes among party men and women as well as between party leadership and political office holders in some states.

APC jittery, wants to hoodwink Nigerians with restructuring  ECA

Looking the moves, the Eastern Consultative Assembly, ECA, picked holes in the report of the APC committee backing restructuring of the country, and el-Rufais comments that President Buhari would implement restructuring if re-elected.

In a statement by its Deputy Leader, Mrs. Maria Okwor and Secretary, Evang. Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko, the ECA said: the APC report on restructuring is a red herring, a smoke screen and an ungodly deception designed solely to buy time, to deceive and to mislead the masses of the country into voting in, this tasteless, ruthless and unworthy cabal into the office for a second term.

The deliberate effort to pretend that they are willing to restructure, designed only for the elections a year away is from the pit of hell. The designers of this evil strategy know that they have no intention to yield to the sensible clamour to restructure Nigeria. They know, they made four attempts to grab power for only one purpose: to impose their agenda on 180 million Nigerians. That agenda is dutiful being driven by their militia wing: the Fulani herdsmen. That agenda is also glaring enough for the blind to see the nauseating nepotism in the lopsided appointments that has divided the country.

Turning around to attempt to appeal to the sensibilities of Nigerians who yearn for a genuine restructuring of the polity by pretending they now believe in the same restructuring they claim not to understand what it means, is a clear sign that this ruthless cabal that has destroyed Nigeria in three years, has probably become jittery, after realizing that Nigerians have rejected them. They, therefore, foolishly hope to deceive Nigerians, by pretending they have become born again apostles of restructuring. A ploy they used successfully just before the last elections

Whereas, returning Nigerian to true fiscal federalism, regional autonomy and resource control, consensually affirmed through a referendum and a new constitution, remains the only way to salvage Nigeria, infantile ploys by vicious elements to continue to hold us all hostage through guile, albeit, making public a deceptive report on restructuring, which they have no intention whatsoever to implement, just so they could fool the people yet again shows how desperate the oppressive cabal destroying Nigeria today, has suddenly become.

How PDP will stop APC  Bwacha, Ohuabunwa

SENATE Deputy Minority Leader, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, PDP, Taraba South, and the Chairman, Senate Committee on Primary HealthCare and Communicable Diseases, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, PDP, Abia North, in separate chats outlined how the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP intends to stop the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC at the 2019 polls. They also pooh-poohed Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State over his comments that there was no alternative to President Buhari in 2019.

Senator Emmanuel Bwacha said: Our plans for 2019 appear to be already in the public domain. Nigerian citizens and Nigerian voters are planning for us because of the general disenchantment, the fear that has gripped everyone across the political landscape, fear of insecurity that our property, our lives are no longer secure.

This alone is enough to change the government. As a party, we are not unaware of where and where to improve in our shortcomings, so we are already doing that and we have gone far. We are also engaging critical players to ensure that we work out a synergy to improve on areas we have been seen to have been lacking before. Essentially, these are the things we are looking up to in the next general election.

On whether PDP will join a coalition or go into an alliance to stop APC, he said: Because of the threat caused by the PDP in the emerging order in the country, naturally you should expect the party in government to begin to throw spanners into our works. We are aware of this, we are working round the clock, we have been able to reach out to them. There are members of PDP who offered themselves to be used. We believe they have seen the light. Like any other party, you should expect that.

Of course, this is party politics. Where we see any group that has substance, that has weight, that has the capacity, we will engage such a group because the purpose is one  to have a change of government that will put smiles on the faces of Nigerians. We will ensure that we do this within the shortest possible time. So, if we have any coalition or group that we share the same opinion, areas of disagreements can be corrected and amended and subsumed into our political party.

We are not unaware of areas where we need to improve. This is exactly where we are working on and we are trusting God that we will get there. Winning election often times will depend on strategy, what are those strategies, strategy of carrying everybody along including the coalitions.

On El- Rufais comment that there is no alternative to Buhari in 2019, Bwacha said: That is his personal decision. Left for him he wouldnt mind continuing to be in power for 60 years. It is not a big deal. In fact, he could just take over from Buhari. Those are the illusions that he has been. But I think he needs to come to terms with the reality on the ground. He needs to appreciate and understand the temper and tempo of the moment, the proclivity of the time otherwise, he will be flooded, he will be carried away by the flood that is coming over Nigeria.

PDP has rediscovered itself  Ohuabaunwa

On his part, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa said: PDP has rediscovered itself. From the way we handled our convention, which was peaceful, transparent shows that we have rediscovered ourselves and prepared to make amends where necessary. One of these is to open our doors to every person to come.

Secondly, we have decided as a party to ensure no more imposition of candidates, every person must emerge through the grassroots system. And for anybody to deceive himself, to say that there is no alternative to APC come 2019 is a clear lie. How can he say no alternative? On what basis? You must base it with facts and what the people want to see is a better life, improvement in life.

You can see that everything is falling apart showing that the centre cannot hold. And when the centre cannot hold, it is to your tent oh Israel. So definitely, this is an opportunity for PDP to show that it has really recovered, I believe that Nigerians are really prepared to give PDP one more chance to see what they will do. But the good thing is that people are calling PDP, PDP is a party, 75 percent of former people who were in PDP are those who are now in APC.

What it means is that those who are causing the problem in PDP actually moved to APC, so now PDP will put its house in order and give Nigeria a better life.

We dont believe in coalition, it is not in our constitution. We are law-abiding citizens. PDP is a law-abiding party. We believe in the constitution, the constitution is the grund norm, you cant bring what is not in the constitution, there is nothing like coalition in the country. But constitution recognises INEC, recognises political parties as a means of seeking election. Change of power through coalition is more like civil society or labour union language, maybe military, I dont know. It is not democratic, it could be autocratic.

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Home | News | General | Buhari congratulates China on lunar new year

President Muhammadu Buhari has rejoiced with the government and people of the Peoples Republic of China on the Chinese Lunar New Year.

Punch reports that the special adviser to the President on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists on Saturday, February 10.

READ ALSO: Bello blasts NASS, says federal lawmakers will regret alteration to 2019 elections

NAIJ.com Adesina said Buhari conveyed his goodwill message in a letter addressed to the Chinese President, Xi Jinping.

As you commence festivities marking the Chinese Year of Dog on February 16, 2018, we congratulate and wish the Chinese people a prosperous and peaceful New Year. I understand that the Chinese believe dogs are associated with affinity and prosperity, the presidential spokesman quoted Buhari as writing in the letter.

The President acknowledged the accomplishments of the Asian powerhouse in the past year globally and domestically especially on the economic and the political fronts:

In the past year of the Rooster, China recorded tremendous achievements in its economy, democracy and foreign relations, among others.

The successful convening of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China opens a new chapter for Chinas New Era as a global leader in innovation, security, poverty alleviation, infrastructure and development financing, he added.

Buhari also commended the close bilateral relationship between China and Nigeria on one hand and Sino-African relations on the other hand.

He said: This year marks the 47th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Nigeria and China, I am pleased to see that political, economic, cultural and social ties between our two countries are getting stronger.

I am looking forward to China hosting the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit in Beijing in September this year, and have every reason to believe that the Year of Dog will bring us more success stories and mutual benefits for China-Africa cooperation.

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May the year of Dog see Nigeria-China friendship blossom and flourish for the benefit of our peoples.

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had previously reported that President Muhammadu Buhari signed bilateral air service agreements with five countries. The five countries are Algeria, Congo, China, Qatar, and Singapore.

2019 Presidency: Nigerians reveal why they prefer Atiku to President Buhari - on NAIJ.com TV

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Home | News | General | Adamawa: We feel like second-class citizens in Nigeria - Herdsmen victims

- Recent attacks by suspected herdsmen on Numan local government area in Adamawa state have led to deaths and displacement of residents

- Stories from the state lately have been about grief and sorrow

- Victims of the crisis said they have been made to feel like second-class citizens in their own country as no one had come to their aid

A report by The Punch suggests that government agencies have abandoned residents of Numan local government area in Adamawa state, who are victims of herdsmen attacks.

According to the report, victims of the crisis said they have been made to feel like second-class citizens in their own country as no one had come to their aid.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo's visit to Adamawa victims late last year seems not to have yielded any fruit. Photo credit: Novo Isioro

READ ALSO: Centralised policing is at variance with community policing - Ekweremadu

Narrating his experience, Jonathan Agabus of Kikang community in Numan said: The attackers invaded the community around 1am on a Sunday. When I spotted them, I raised the alarm, shouting thief, thief. Immediately, the attackers opened fire.

They continued shooting for over one hour, shooting at everything in their sight and setting houses on fire. By this time, my family and I had fled into the bush. When the soldiers arrived an hour later, they fired warning shots into the air, to indicate their arrival, but that was all they did. They never advanced from their position, which was like one kilometre away from Kikang.

It was after they fired a second shot that we saw the assailants retreating. The suspected Fulani herdsmen fled into the bush. At this point, we could see the beam of a powerful torch. The beam was like the one used by the military, who also shone their torches, swirling them round in the air as if to signal to our attackers to retreat. This is what I saw with my own eyes; it is not that anybody told me. This is our home and we feel like foreigners there because of Fulani herdsmen.

The attackers laid siege to the area till 4am from 1am when they first opened fire. The government has allowed the attacks to go on as if theres a plot to exterminate us.

Agabus said the attackers arrived in the community in two vans wearing, black clothes. They killed three persons in the village  two men and a woman, he added.

David Doctor, 56, lost his immediate younger sister, Jummai Michael, and was left to care for his nephew; two-year-old Pwaneke Michael.

His words: We were awakened by the sound of gunshots all around us; I trembled at the sound. It was really frightening; I had not experienced anything like it before. Everyone was fleeing in all directions because the sound of the gunshots was scary.

My deceased sister was also awakened by the sound of gunshots. She was trying to flee with her baby when the gunmen caught her right in front of her hut and killed her with machetes. Her two-year-old baby also suffered minor burns and had machete cut. She died instantly, but her son survived. The assailants were no doubt Fulani men and they were shouting Allahu Akbar.

Those of us who escaped into the bushes around put a distress call to the military for help. When they arrived, they did not attack the gunmen, they only put on their torches.

They took one of the boys in the village to lead them as they chased the gunmen, but the boy said he was not satisfied with the speed of the soldiers as they gave chase. He said he asked the soldiers to speed up as he was worried that the attackers would escape because of their lack of urgency. He said the soldiers instead chastised him and told him not to teach them their work.

Eventually, the boy said they left him in the bush for questioning them. By the time we returned to the village, I met my sisters corpse; she was lying in a pool of blood and her dying boy was beside her. The boy had suffered minor burns on some parts of his body.

Doctor said the assailants that attacked Kikang were well over 60 in number.

His words: They were armed with sophisticated arms and the sound their guns made shook the ground around us. They were also chanting war songs in Fulbe (Fulani language).

They were saying, Gare wada ette gare wada ette tineh dougei. This means come quickly, set fire and leave. In Kikang, we never had any disagreement that resulted in a fight with Fulani people, so we were surprised by the attacks on our community.

We are aware of what happened recently in Shaforon, a neighbouring village, which pitted the community against the Fulani. There are Fulani in our community, but nothing happened to them.

So we were surprised by the attacks. The greatest victims of the attacks are our children; many of them were burnt by fire since the whole community was set ablaze. Many of them sustained machete injuries while fleeing for their lives.

The way the attacks occurred is making us to suspect that the government has a hand in it. This is because theres a military deployment not far from here, but there was no attempt on their part to apprehend the attackers. We are surprised that the attackers got away and that the soldiers could not apprehend any of them, not even one of them.

We are Nigerians and we expect the government to give us protection, but with this experience, we feel like second-class citizens. When theres an attack and security operatives arrive at the scene, you expect them to, at least, defend you by going after the attackers. Instead, you see soldiers signaling to the attackers with their torchlight.

One of the soldiers even told us that the reason why they did not respond on time was because they didnt have fuel in the vehicles and that the commander, that was supposed to give them the permission to respond, was not around.

With this kind of tales, one is only left to come to the conclusion that we are being neglected by the government or that the government sees us as second-class citizens. If we are important the government would be there to protect us but this it has failed to do.

Also, 80-year-old Eli Nzohmon sustained three gunshot wounds and was lucky to have survived the attack.

He alleged that the crisis was borne out of a sinister plan by the Federal Government to give part of their land to Fulani people.

So it is a fight over our farmlands. If the Fulani people and their cattle encroach on our farmlands and eat our crops, we dare not approach the Jauro (village head), they (Fulani herdsmen) will tell us they will not compensate us. In some cases, they will even take the matter to court and the case will drag on. So it is about land, they want to chase us out of our land, he said.

However, the leader of the Hausa-Fulani community in Luru, who described himself as a victim of a reprisal carried out by Bachama youths allegedly from Opallo, Zayyanu Abdulrahman, said the rampaging youths threatened to kill all his people if they did not leave their land.

He alleged that the attack by the aggrieved youths on Luru resulted in the death of one Alhassan Yusufu and the razing of four houses belonging to him and two other settlers in the community.

He called on the government to intervene, lamenting the delay in response of the security agencies.

READ ALSO: Nigeria has never been more divided than now - Senator Sani

Meanwhile, several people are feared dead in a communal clash in Libbo ward of Shellenge local government area of Adamawa state.

The incident was confirmed to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday, February 9, by the councillor representing the ward, Shuaibu Waleed.

According to him, the clash was said to have started when a body of a man from Gomba community of neigbouring Demsa local government area was allegedly sighted and the people of Gomba claimed that the deceased was killed by a Fulani.

The bodies of two Fulani were later seen in what looked like a reprisal leading to further attacks. I cant actually say the number of people killed but I knew that we buried five dead bodies and I saw one other dead body burnt beyond recognition inside a mosque while about 200 houses were burnt, Waheed said.

Victims of herdsmen killing buried in Benue state - on NAIJ.com TV

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Home | News | General | NASS members will regret reordering of 2019 election time-table - Bello declares

- Governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello, has berated members of NASS over 2019 election time-table

- NASS had approved the alteration to the 2019 general elections

- Bello said that the federal lawmakers would regret the action

Governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello, has said the alteration of elections time-table, which is expected to guide the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for 2019, by the National Assembly members will turn out to work against the lawmakers who championed the course.

The Independent reports that the House of Representatives committee on electoral act (amendment) bill had in its amendments to the 2010 Electoral Act included section 25(1) into the act by reordering the sequence of the elections to start from that of the National Assembly, followed by governorship and state assembly election before the Presidential election, against the time table rolled out by INEC.

READ ALSO: 2019: NCP presidential hopeful Ikubese consults Obasanjo, vows to unseat Buhari, fix Nigeria

NAIJ.com gathered that the Senate had also adopted a re-ordered sequence of elections by the National Assembly conference committee on Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill which places the presidential as the last of the elections to be conducted in the country.

With this adoption of the amendment by the Senate, the National Assembly election is to hold first, followed by gubernatorial and state assembly polls.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had on March 9, 2017 announced the dates for the 2019 general elections, scheduling the Presidential and National Assembly elections first to hold February 16th, 2019 while the governorship and State Assembly elections will hold two weeks later on March 2, 2019.

INEC had stated its resolve to obey any amendment to the Electoral Act or time table as long as it was timely and legitimate.

But while reacting to these developments, Bello told State House correspondents after observing Fridays Jumat prayer at the Presidential Villa,that the Buhari tsunami that happened in 2015, were many were elected riding on President Muhammadu Buharis popularity will no longer happen.

When asked to react to the NASS rearrangement of the election time able, the governor said, I so much appreciate this. I think if you observe critically what happened in the last election where President was elected along with other members of National Assembly.

Then we called it Buhari tsunami, where the good, the bad and the ugly were all put together and elected. It is either going to be in their interest that the Buhari tsunami will return them or everybody will be on his or her own.

He said let Buhari return and let Nigerians select the good ones out of the bad ones to return to the National Assembly. Which ever order it comes this upcoming general elections, I can assure you that President will win landslide and the good ones will return to the National Assembly.

Asked if he was saying the lawmakers will be the losers of this rearranged table time, Bello said, They have the choice to make and they have made their choice that the good will of Mr. President should not rob off on the bad ones. Surely, the good ones on their own account will return to the National Assembly at the appropriate time.

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Reacting to the appointment of the national leader of All Progressive Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu to reconcile aggrieved party members, Bello said, it was a right step in the right direction.

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had previously reported that the National Assembly conference committee on electoral act (amendment) bill on Tuesday, February 6, adopted the reordered sequence of the 2019 general elections, making presidential election last.

Who is Nigeria's greatest president ever? - on NAIJ.com TV

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Home | News | General | Governor Ganduje's relocation offer to herdsmen rejected by Miyetti Allah

- Herdsmen association across the country are 'singing in different tunes' at the moment

- This is due to the recent offer by Kano governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, for them to relocate to his state

- The governor specifically offered them space at the popular Falgore forest for their business

A report by The Nation indicates that herdsmen associations across the country are divided over the recent offer by Kano governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, for them to relocate to his state.

Governor Ganduje had on Sunday, February 4, 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.

Governor Ganduje had offered to accommodate the herdsmen in Kano. Photo credit: Kano state government

READ ALSO: Kogi to pioneer cattle colonies - Governor Bello

While the spokesman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Ngelzama Usman, described the gesture as a welcome development, the Gan-Allah Fulani Development Association, rejected the offer.

Secretary General of the Gan-Allah Fulani Development Association, Alhaji Saleh Bayari, said the offer is neither feasible nor acceptable because the Fulani, like other Nigerians, have a right to live and do business in any part of the country.

He said restricting them to one corner of the country is an infringement on their right.

Herdsmen in Enugu state are also not disposed to leaving the state for Kano or any other part of the country.

Their spokesman, Alhaji Sanusi Sambo, said they are at home in Enugu because the people and government of the state are very hospitable and have created a conducive atmosphere for them to operate their businesses.

His words: It is a welcome development because at a time when some people are chasing our members out of their states, some other governors are opening wide their hands and embracing our members.

This is not coming from Kano state alone. Even the governor of Kogi state has also opened the door to our members. This goes to show that our members are not terrorists. Our members are peace-loving people who are going round the country doing their legitimate business.

They move with their cows which are their only source of livelihood together with their wives and children.

You dont expect a pastoralist who moves about with his family and only source of livelihood to go about fomenting trouble.

This is the narrative we want the media to be passing on. What is going on in the media is against our members, but we are happy now that the media is trying to balance the whole thing.

We really appreciate the governor of Kano state and hope that other governors will also do the same.

In a separate interview, Alhaji Bayari said: We are quite appreciative of his (Gandujes) concern for our people, but if we all continue on that note, we will not have a country.

We will not have a country, or a nation because it simply means that tomorrow, when you harass some Yoruba who have been living in Jos for generations, or some Igbo living in Kano or Sokoto, their state governors will just tell them to relocate.

Then, at the end of the day, we would have as many countries as the number of tribes that we have in Nigeria and that would not augur well for us as a country.

By following Governor Gandujes directive, we are going to end up polarizing the country on the basis of sentiments rather than nationalistic feelings and callings.

Spokesman of the Miyetti Allah in Enugu state, Alhaji Sanusi Sambo, said: As you can see many of us were born here. Many are inheriting the cattle business from their fathers.

We cannot just relocate to another place. Even though in Kano we may be meeting our people, it will take us long to get used to them.

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Meanwhile, the Kogi government has been dragged to court by an indigene of the state over its decision to provide land for federal government's proposed cattle colonies for herdsmen.

NAIJ.com gathered that the case was instituted by Sheyi Babaeko, an aspirant for the Kogi state House of Assembly in the 2019 elections.

Joined in the suit is the Kogi state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, as well as the commissioners of justice and lands in the state.

Nigerian herdsmen vs Nigerian farmers - on NAIJ.com TV

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Home | News | General | Saraki sends comforting message to Buratai over fathers death

- Senate President Bukola Saraki has sent a condolence message to Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, following his fathers death

- The senate president extolled the virtues of the late Pa Buratai as he noted that the deceased had also served the country as a military personnel

- He called on the late Buratais children and his loved ones to take solace in the exemplary lifestyle of their late father

Dr Olubukola Saraki, President of the Senate, has commiserated with the chief of army staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, over the death of his father, Malam Yusuf Buratai.

Saraki made the assertion in a statement which was signed by his special adviser on media and publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, and sent to NAIJ.com on Saturday, February 9.

READ ALSO: We would challenge reinstatement of NHIS boss in court - Group

The senate president described the late Buratai as a true Nigerian who contributed immensely to the development of his country during his lifetime and left behind a legacy of selfless service, discipline and hard work.

He stated further: Pa Buratai did not only serve the country as a military personnel, having been a non-commissioned officer in the West African Frontier Force.

He left behind capable children like the chief of army staff, who are today carrying on the torch of national service.

Saraki commiserated with the army chief, the entire Buratais family, the military high command and government and people of Borno state over the irreparable loss.

He prayed Almighty Allah to grant the soul of the deceased Aljannah Firdaus and called on the late Buratais children and his loved ones to take solace in the exemplary lifestyle of their late father.

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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that President Muhammadu Buhari commiserated with the Buratai family over the death of Alhaji Yusuf Buratai.

Buharis condolence message was contained in a statement issued by Mr Femi Adesina, his special adviser on media and publicity, in Abuja on Friday, February 9.

The statement said Buhari joined the members of the family in mourning the ex-serviceman and veteran of World War II.

According to the President, Buratais service to Nigeria will always be appreciated and remembered.

How late Sir Alex Ekwueme was laid to rest in Anambra - on NAIJ.com TV:

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Home | News | General | If Nigeria can attract Totals $16bn investment it shows we are moving in the right direction  Senate

Lagos  Mr Solomon Adeola, the Chairman Senate Ad hoc Committee on Local Content, has commended the management of Total Upstream Nigeria Limited (TUPNI) on its 16 billion dollars (N5.76 trillion) Egina project in Nigeria.

President Muhammadu Buhari and President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki exchanges greetings with members of the national assembly members after the presidential dinner at the Presidential Villa.

Adeola, who gave the commendation during the committees oversight function in Lagos on Friday, promised total support for the local content development initiative.

The committee inspected the 3.3 billion dollar Floating Production Storage Offloading (FPSO) vessel.

The storage facility is for 200,000 barrels per day Egina deep-water oilfield, which is expected from South Korea on Jan. 23.

Adeola said the essence of the visit was to see and have first-hand information on the Egina FPSO and to also commend Total for making the huge investment a reality.

According to him, the 330-metre long Egina FPSO, the largest FPSO ever installed in Nigeria, by private investors and the Nigerian government was commendable.

If Nigeria can attract such huge project estimated at 16.3 billion dollars, it shows we are moving in the right direction and growing our economy, he said.

Adeola said this was the first project executed after the passage of the Nigerian Local Content Act, an indication that local content development has come to stay in Nigeria.

He promised that the committee would ensure full implementation of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act (NOGIC) passed by the national assembly.

Mr Nicolas Terraz, the Managing Director of TUPNI, appreciated the committees support and encouragements toward ensuring that the projected was completed on scheduled.

He said work had commenced on the FPSO and would undergo the integration of six locally fabricated modules within the next six months.

According to him, the integration of the six locally fabricated topside modules before its final sail-away to the Egina field is a remarkable achievement in local content development in Nigeria.

The Total upstream boss said several technological feats had been recorded by the various entities involved in the project.

Egina is the deepest offshore development carried out so far in Nigeria, with water depths over 1,500 meters, he said.

Terraz explained that the EGINA FPSO was designed to operate for 25 years and produce about 200,000 barrels of oil per day.

He said the Egina operations would generate significant activities for local contractors in various sectors and would continue to provide avenues for the training and development of Nigerians in various domains.

Egina is the largest investment project currently ongoing in the oil and gas sector in Nigeria. (NAN)

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Home | News | General | Bill Gates, 5 Presidents to attend wedding of Dangote's daughter

-World billionaire Bill Gates has reportedly confirmed he will attend the wedding of the daughter of Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote

-Dangote's daughter, Fatima, is set to marry Jamil, the son of a former Inspector General of Nigeria, M.D. Abubakar in March

-Five presidents from around the world are also expected to attend the wedding

One of the daughters of Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote, will reportedly get hitched somewhere in March 2018.

Fatima Dangote, the reports suggest, is marrying her pilot boyfriend, Jamil who is the son of a former Inspector General (IG) of Police, M.D. Abubakar.

The wedding, expected to come up at the Eko Hotels and Suites in Lagos will bring together many high profile persons in Nigeria and from around the world.

READ ALSO: Nigerian couple who married 3 weeks after meeting celebrates 4th wedding anniversary

Among the list of prominent guests scheduled to the attend the wedding is famous world billionaire, Bill Gates.

The Microsoft boss, according to reports in the Nigerian media, has confirmed he would be attending the wedding.

Apart from Mr Gates, about five presidents from around the world are also expected to attend the grand ceremony.

All the past presidents of Nigeria are also billed to attend.

Jamil is a Kingston University-trained Computing Information Systems and Multimedia graduate who currently works as with Elite Airwings.

Fatima, on the other hand, is the head of a confectionery enterprise, the Cupcake Factory.

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Home | News | General | Crisis rocking APC in Cross Rivers deepens as Buhari's minister ignores suspension

- The crisis rocking Cross Rivers state chapter of APC has taken another twist

- The party had recently announced the suspension of the minister of Niger Delta affairs, Uguru Usani, over alleged acts of insubordination

- But Usani said that he was not aware of his suspension

The crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River state on Friday, February 9, assumed a new twist as a new factional acting chairman, Etim John, took possession of the party secretariat located along Barracks road in Calabar.

Punch reports that on January 27, the party executive led by its acting chairman, John Ochala, alongside the vice-chairman of APC (south-south), Chief Hilliard Eta, suspended the minister of Niger Delta affairs, Uguru Usani, over alleged acts of insubordination.

READ ALSO: Buhari congratulates China on lunar new year

NAIJ.com gathered that Usani was specifically accused of working against the interest of the party by holding illegal meetings, contrary to article 21 of the APC constitution, in order to install a new chairman that would do his bidding.

But Usani, had during a reception in his honour by some party supporters at the Margaret Ekpo International Airport in Calabar on Friday, February 9, said he was not aware he had been suspended from the APC.

He said: I am not aware of my suspension from the APC. Every party has a fight and how you resolve it is what is important. My worry is within the limits of known partisan tradition and conflict. We are resolving it. When a resolution takes place, whether amicably or by victory, the important thing is that there is a resolution and we are resolving it.

Shortly after Usanis suspension, a faction of the party led by the state organising secretary, Ekpe Ayang, held a meeting, where they declared the ministers suspension null and void.

They went ahead to announce the suspension of John Ochala and Hilliard Eta from the party.

Subsequently, the Ayang-led group went ahead to endorse Etim John as the new acting chairman of the party in the state.

However, a statement from the national publicity secretary of the APC, Bolaji Abdullahi, had on Friday, February 9, countered the endorsement of Etim John, saying Ochala remained the acting chairman of APC in Cross River state.

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The statement went further to warn that members involved in the appointment of a new acting chairman would be disciplined.

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had previously reported that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday, February 6, thanked Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a national leader of the party for accepting the role assigned to him by President Muhammadu Buhari to lead a reconciliation team to pacify the aggrieved members of the party.

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Home | News | General | NULGE chairman murdered by assassins in Bayelsa state

- Unidentified assassins have murdered Mr Okaye Igali

- Igali is the Southern Ijaw branch Chairman of Nigerian Union of Local Government Employee (NULGE)

- The Bayelsa police command has confirmed the killing

The Bayelsa police command has confirmed the killing of Mr Okaye Igali, the Southern Ijaw branch Chairman of Nigerian Union of Local Government Employee (NULGE) by unidentified assassins.

DSP Asinim Butswat, the spokesman of the state police command, confirmed the murder to journalists on Saturday, February 10 in Yenagoa.

IGP and his men have a lot to do to address the insecurity across the nation. Photo credit: Nigeria Police Force

Igali `m`age 53, was shot and killed by unknown gunmen, along Ayama Ijaw Road, Southern Ijaw LG on Friday.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the attack was a premeditated murder. The police tactical team have swung into action to arrest the culprits and investigation is ongoing, Butswat said.

Mr Elaye Warifagha, the secretary, Community Development Committee (CDC) of Ayama-ijaw community told journalists that the attack happened in daylight.

His words: The attack happened in broad daylight; it was a case of assassination by those who claim to know the deceased.

The victim was on a tricycle going to Ayama-Ijaw water front to board a speed boat to his destination when the gunmen attacked him. (NAN)

A report by the BBC indicates that more than 40,000 refugees have relocated to villages in Nigeria near the Nigerian-Cameroon border since last October.

The refugees are fleeing violence in the southern region of Cameroon following the consistent bloody crackdown by the Cameroonian army after separatists declared a breakaway state - "The Federal Republic of Ambazonia."

READ ALSO: Cross River state government empathises with Cameroonian refugees

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Home | News | General | I dont have constitutional powers to create cattle colonies  Buhari

By Davies Iheamnachor

PORT HARCOURT  President Muhammadu Buhari Saturday disclosed that he does not have the constitutional powers to create cattle colonies in any part of the country under the Land Use Act of 1978.

President Buhari

Buhari, however, assured that his administration is committed to laying foundations on which and egalitarian and progressive Nigerian, where every citizen can realise their full potentials without let or hindrance, could be attained.

The president, who disclosed this in Port Harcourt at the South-South Zonal meeting of the National Committee of Buhari Support Groups, NCBSG, explained that said provisions of the Land Use Act gave powers to state governors and local government chairmen to control land in their domain.

The President, who spoke through his Special Adviser on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang, mentioned that before independence there were cattle routes in the nation.

He said: Before Nigeria was formed as a country, we had cattle routes running from Chad, Niger and others down to the Atlantic. When Nigeria became four regions, we had cattle routes in each of the regions.

When Nigeria created states, each of the states made laws to regulate rearing of animals. In 1978, under Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as head of state, March 28, I think I am correct, the Land Use Act was made. Under the Land Use Act, the President of Nigeria has power to control lands in Abuja only.

Under the Land Use Act, each state governor, under Section 2 of the Land Use Act, land in urban areas of each of the state of the Federation shall be vested on the governor. Now, subsection 1(2b) says land in the rural areas shall be vested on the local government chairman of that area.

Buhari noted the commitment of his government to fight corruption prompted its actions in tackling theft, diversion and misappropriation of public funds, adding that his administration has diversified the nations economy for sustained growth.

Not only did we ease out of an inevitable recession in record time, our revenue profile, our foreign reserves and foreign investments are all on the rise again; and we have paid mobilized contractors back to project sites across the country, including the South-South Zone, he added.

Meanwhile, the former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ogbonna Nwuke, in his address noted that Buhari had proven to the people of South-South and South-East geopolitical zones that he is a friend and not an enemy.

Nwuke, a chieftain of APC promised the President that the people of Niger Delta would vote him for second tenure if he contests.

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Three lecturers of the University of Maiduguri kidnapped when on a mining exploration by Boko Haram have been freed.

Also released from the Boko Haram terrorists are 10 women, kidnapped in a raid by the militant group on a military/police convoy on Damboa road, near Maiduguri.

The Department of State Services, DSS today briefed President Muhammadu Buhari on the release, following negotiations, with the terrorists. As in past freedom deals, the International Committee of the Red Cross, ICRC was involved.

According to a statement by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant(media) to the president, the release followed a series of negotiations as directed by President Buhari.

According to the brief given by the DSS, all the 13 rescued persons are in the custody of the service and are on their way to Abuja with the assistance of the Nigerian Army and the Air Force.

In expectation of their being brought to the DSS headquarters, a team of doctors and psychologists has been placed on standby. The rescued persons may be presented to the President and thereafter released to their families, if there are no issues of security or medical concerns.

The President, who got step by step progress reports on the lengthy negotiations while they took place, received the good news with a lot of happiness. He commended all those who in one way or the other helped in making the release possible.

He then urged the DSS and the Nigerian Army to intensify efforts to bring home the remaining Chibok Girls still in the custody of the terrorists.

TThe Director-General, Malam Lawal Daura, assured the President that they were working hard to bring home the remaining girls and, as soon as possible, bring the Chibok Girls saga to an end.
Home | News | General | Buharis niece, Nephew die sameday

The Presidency on Saturday confirmed the death of two members of President Muhammadu Buharis extended family in Daura, Katsina state.

A statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja, said the two senior members of the family died within a few hours of one another.

President Buhari

According to Shehu, one of the deceased persons, Hajiya Halima Dauda, was the Presidents niece and younger sister to his close associate and nephew Malam Mamman Daura.

Halima Dauda, aged 56, who has since been buried in Daura, left behind 10 children, including one of President Buharis Personal Assistants, Mohammed Sabiu Tunde.

The presidential aide revealed that the burial was attended by a federal government delegation led by the Chief of Staff to the President, Malam Abba Kyari.

Others on the team were the Minister of State, Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika; three Senior Special Assistants to the President, Sarki Abba, Yau Darazo and Garba Shehu; the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Amb. Ahmed Abubakar.

Others included the State Chief of Protocol, Amb. Lawal Kazaure, the Permanent Secretary, State House Jalal Arabi, Alhaji Ismaila Isa and Sayyu Dantata both of them businessmen.

The Buhari family had earlier on buried Hajiya Aisha Alhaji Mamman on Friday. She was the wife of the Presidents older brother, Alhaji Mamman.

Receiving condolences on behalf of the Buhari family, Malam Mamman, thanked God for the lives of the deceased and all the visitors for sharing the moment of grief with them.

Shehu disclosed that among those received by the family in Daura were the Gov. Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi State, the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu and a former Military Governor of Kaduna State, retired Brig.-Gen. Jafaru Isa.

NAN

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Home | News | General | Buhari welcomes release of UNIMAID lecturers, 10 police wives

The Department of State Services, DSS Saturday briefed President Muhammadu Buhari on the release, through negotiations, of three University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) lecturers abducted by suspected Boko Haram terrorists in Magumeri, Borno State.

Also released from the Boko Haram terrorists are 10 women, kidnapped in a raid by the militant group on a military/police convoy on Damboa road, near Maiduguri.

Their release followed a series of negotiations as directed by President Buhari and was facilitated by the International Committee of the Red Cross, ICRC.

According to the brief given by the DSS, all 13 rescued persons are in the custody of the service and are on their way to Abuja with the assistance of the Nigerian Army and the Air Force.

In expectation of their being brought to the DSS headquarters, a team of doctors and psychologists has been placed on standby. The rescued persons may be presented to the President and thereafter released to their families, if there are no issues of security or medical concerns.

The President, who got step by step progress reports on the lengthy negotiations while they took place, received the good news with a lot of happiness. He commended all those who in one way or the other helped in making the release possible.

He then urged the DSS and the Nigerian Army to intensify efforts to bring home the remaining Chibok Girls still in the custody of the terrorists.

The Director-General, Malam Lawal Daura, assured the President that they were working hard to bring home the remaining girls and, as soon as possible, bring the Chibok Girls to an end.

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Home | News | General | I-G condoles with Buhari over sister-in-laws death

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris on Saturday visited Daura, Katsina, where he condoled with President Muhammadu Buhari over the demise of his sister-in-law, Hajiya Aisha Mamman.

President Buhari and IGP Idris

Speaking during the visit, Idris described her death as a big loss, not only to Buhari, her immediate family, Katsina state but to Nigeria as whole.

The police boss prayed God to repose her soul, while he urged the president as well as the entire family to take her death as an act of God.

Responding, Buhari commended the I-G for the visit and described death as inevitable end for all mortals.

Similarly, I-G had visited Maiduguri, the Borno capital where he commiserated with Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai over the death of his father, Alhaji Yusuf Buratai.

He also offered similar prayers for the repose of the soul of the deceased, while urging Burutai and the entire family take heart and bear the irreparable loss.

The Army Chief lauded the police boss for the visit and said that the family members were consoled with prayers offered for their departed father.

NAN

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Home | News | General | Presidency hails release of abducted 3 UNIMAID lecturers, 10 women

- Boko Haram insurgents have released three lecturers of UNIMAID

- This was made known on Saturday, February 10, by the Presidency

- Their release was said to have followed a series negotiations as directed by President Buhari

Three lecturers of University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) and policewomen abducted by Boko Haram the terrorist group in Magumeri and Damboa road, near Maiduguri, Borno state have been released.

NAIJ.com gathered that this was made known in a series of tweet on Saturday, February 10, by the senior special adviser to the president on media and publicity, Garba Shehu, on his official and verified handle.

READ ALSO: Buhari loses 2 family members in quick succession - Presidency

Their release was said to have followed a series negotiations as directed by President Buhari.

The released three UNIMAID lecturers

The women were abducted along Damboa Road when their convoy was carrying the body of a dead police personnel home for burial.

The university lecturers were abducted while conducting oil prospective in the Lake Chad area on behalf of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

According to the presidential spokesman, their release was facilitated by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), following a series of negotiations as directed by President Buhari.

The Department of State Services (DSS) Saturday briefed President Muhammadu Buhari on the release, through negotiations, of three University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) lecturers abducted by suspected Boko Haram terrorists in Magumeri, Borno state, he said.

Also released from the Boko Haram terrorists are 10 women, kidnapped in a raid by the militant group on a military/police convoy on Damboa road, near Maiduguri.

According to the brief given by the DSS, all 13 rescued persons are in the custody of the service and are on their way to Abuja with the assistance of the Nigerian army and the Air Force.

In expectation of their being brought to the DSS headquarters, a team of doctors and psychologists has been placed on standby. The rescued persons may be presented to the President and thereafter released to their families, if there are no issues of security or medical concerns.

The President, who got step by step progress reports on the lengthy negotiations while they took place, received the good news with a lot of happiness. He commended all those who in one way or the other helped in making the release possible.

He then urged the DSS and the Nigerian army to intensify efforts to bring home the remaining Chibok Girls still in the custody of the terrorists.

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The Director-General, Malam Lawal Daura, assured the President that they were working hard to bring home the remaining girls and, as soon as possible, bring the Chibok Girls saga to an end.

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had previously reported that a 14-year-old girl only identified as Falmata, narrated how she survived, after being ordered to kill herself twice, by Boko Haram terrorists, BBC reports.

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Home | World | Africa | Zimbabwe bids for Bob Marley statue

An arts consultant to the Zimbabwean government is hoping to build a statue of Bob Marley at the Rufaro stadium in Harare, where Marley performed in 1980 to mark the country's independence.

The announcement came three days after the anniversary of Bob Marley's birth on 6 February - a day celebrated in his home country of Jamaica.

Martin Chemhere has been speaking with Marley's estate about building the statue and seems to have got the go ahead.

But there are some conditions: the statue must be for the public and pre-approved by the Marley family. Zimbabwe, or a private sponsor, must also cover all the costs.

"I'm thrilled to have finally succeeded in this project for our beautiful country," Mr Chemhere said, according to TeleSur. "The approval is a great achievement for Zimbabwe... as the statue will attract tourists."

Marley had a good relationship with Zimbabwe, writing a song in support of its independence efforts.

When he performed in 1980, he famously covered all his expenses to and from the concert, and refused to accept money for performing.

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Home | World | Africa | Tsvangirai's son restrained from assaulting his step-mum at hospital

The wife of ailing MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai is being denied access to visit him in a Johannesburg hospital where the 65-year-old opposition leader is receiving medical treatment, his spokesperson has confirmed.

The Daily News revealed that Tsvangirai's family members are refusing to allow Tsvangirai's wife, Elizabeth, to see him at the top-notch 190-bed Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre (WDGMC).

Close relatives of the MDC leader accuse Elizabeth of backing MDC vice president Nelson Chamisa to succeed Tsvangirai and fear she could put pressure on him to facilitate his ascendancy to the throne without following the party's constitution.

Tsvangirai's wife enjoys cordial relations with the youthful acting MDC president.

Tsvangirai wed Elizabeth (nee Macheka) in September 2012.

The former prime minister's wedding was dogged by court cases which denied him permission to marry the imposing widow, Macheka, now 41, in either a civil or traditional "customary" ceremony.

A customary ceremony went ahead regardless in front of hundreds of his supporters in the capital and was blessed by a Catholic priest.

Tsvangirai's first wife, Susan, died in a car crash in 2009 shortly after Zimbabwe's inclusive government was sworn into power.

The Daily News understands a war of words which almost degenerated into a fist-fight erupted at the hospital last week, when Tsvangirai's family members tried to bar Elizabeth from seeing him, with physicians drawn into the complicated family situation.

Tsvangirai's son, Vincent, was reportedly restrained from assaulting his step-mum after clashing with Elizabeth.

He reportedly vowed that she will never be allowed near his father as long as he lives.

After considering what they thought was the best for the patient against what the family wants, physicians at WDGMC resolved that only Tsvangirai's mum be granted access to him.

A staffer at the enquiry desk at WDGMC Paediatric and Adult Oncology unit within the hospital - well-known as one of the best cancer treatment facilities in the southern region - declined to confirm the reported rancour the Tsvangirai family brought to the facility, citing physician-patient privilege and patient confidentiality - which requires health care providers to keep a patient's personal health information private unless consent to release the information is provided by the patient.

Besides Tsvangirai's mum, his entire family is in South Africa, including his daughter Vimbai who is married into the Java family, Manase, Collins, Vincent and family spokesperson Hebson Makuvise, who is Zimbabwe's former ambassador to Germany.

Tsvangirai's eldest son, Edwin is said to be opposing family attempts to stop his step-mum from seeing his ailing dad.

Yesterday, Elizabeth told the Daily News: "I will only talk when all this is over, when my husband is out of hospital. Right now, I am concentrating on my husband's sickness. Whatever is happening, I have no comment. When my husband is fully recovered, I will make a statement."

A senior MDC official who declined to be named alleged the Tsvangirai's family was being manipulated by a top MDC financier (name withheld) with ulterior motives for choreographing succession in the MDC.

"His wife was told to go away and could not see her husband. It is spousal abuse," he said.

He accused the family of abusing an ailing Tsvangirai for their own interests, along with a cabal of MDC leaders pushing their proxies to succeed the MDC leader.

"It has gone beyond theatre of the absurd into something ghoulish going on macabre," the official said.

Reached for comment yesterday, the spokesperson for Tsvangirai's family, Makuvise, demanded to know who had given the Daily News the information, before denying knowledge of the ruckus.

"Akakutaurirai mubvunzei kuti why ari kurambidzwa (Your source must tell you why she is being barred)," Makuvise told the Daily News before hanging up his mobile phone.

Efforts to reach him later were futile.

Senior MDC officials said it was important that Zimbabweans pray for Tsvangirai to recover, saying the family could disintegrate in his absence over his estate.

Following his visit to Tsvangirai's mansion in Highlands in Harare last month, President Emmerson Mnangagwa assured the MDC leader that he will work towards releasing his pension and other benefits, while also enabling him to retain his imposing mansion acquired for him when he was prime minister in the inclusive government of 2009 and 2013.

Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa has since made the requisite legislative changes to enable Treasury to release the money.

MDC insiders said the pension and other featherbeddings dangled by government last month have added fuel to the discord in the 19-year-old political outfit with his deteriorating health worsening the succession fights in his party.

The Daily News can report that Tsvangirai has demanded that his wife be given access.

A recorded conversation between the former union leader and medical staff, captures a briefing the MDC leader got about his relatives' rancourous behaviour at the hospital facility, and he was told that security have resolved to keep them out of the in-patients unit.

The staffer affirmed the primacy of the physician's responsibility toward the patient, and told the MDC leader, who was conversing in a weak voice that the best interest of the patient comes first.

Tsvangirai then told the hospital staffer that there were unsavoury motives and says: "I want to see my wife, I want to see Elizabeth."

The Daily News can exclusively reveal that the hospital has now organised surreptitious hospital visits for Elizabeth to manage the family dynamics.

The hospital also granted Tsvangirai's wish to meet with Chamisa last week for two hours after the MDC VP had again been barred by the ailing MDC leader's family.

Chamisa declined to comment.

Tsvangirai's spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka told the Daily News: "The needless scuffles belittle the huge and towering brand of president Tsvangirai. He has intimated to me some of the challenges but when everything has been said and done, everyone must allow the president to recover by giving respect to him, his wife and family but above all we must accord the huge MT brand the dignity it deserves, especially as he battles this cancer."

The stressed wife has helplessly watched as her husband underwent a gruelling chemotherapy regime, lost significant amounts of weight, appearing gaunt and drawn.

As his caregiver, she watched him last year lose the majority of his hair, a common side effect from cancer treatment.

His current prognosis is grim, amid fears he might not pull through.

Tsvangirai, 65, who was diagnosed with cancer of the colon in 2016, is now receiving palliative care, an interdisciplinary care that provides quality of life for patients with terminal illness.

Despite undergoing over a dozen chemotherapy sessions at the facility, which was established in 2002 when the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits University) bought the Kenridge Hospital with a founding donation from the Donald Gordon Foundation, Tsvangirai has sadly proceeded to Stage IV cancer, with the disease travelling beyond his colon.

The Daily News understands cancer cells have now been detected in his kidneys and liver. But doctors were still battling to remove or shrink the tumour. Tsvangirai was said to have suffered "organ failure."

This is Tsvangirai's longest period of medical leave, following brief absences from mid-2016 when he publicly announced he was undergoing treatment for cancer of the colon.

Officials have refused to disclose finer details of the 65-year-old's condition, only saying he was "critical but stable".

There has been an "industry of lies" that has grown up around Tsvangirai's medical condition.

The ailing MDC president left Zimbabwe's capital, Harare, in early January and handed over power to his deputy, Elias Mudzuri.

Mudzuri was on Wednesday replaced as acting president by Chamisa after he travelled to Cape Town, together with the other MDC deputy Thokozani Khupe to attend a meeting for the formation of a new opposition coalition called Zimbabwe Alliance.

This meeting was spearheaded by the vanquished and bitter Generation 40 (G40) Zanu-PF faction and includes a new political party National Patriotic Front (NPF), Joice Mujuru's National People's Party, and the MDC Anti-Alliance team.

The meeting was chaired by a member of the G40 faction and was condemned by Mnangagwa at a Mashonaland Central rally on Wednesday as a futile plot to oust him, being engineered by the Democracy Institute - a think-tank based in Washington DC, founded in 2006.

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MDC members have begun putting pressure on the G40 faction to leak details on who it is who allegedly poisoned their leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

Party members claim that Tsvangirai currently battling cancer was in fact poisoned during the time when he used to drink tea with Robert Mugabe.

The G40 faction now called the New Patriotic Front has threatened to embarrass the new Mnangagwa led government, after it also offloaded records with names of people they alleged are the ones who abducted activist Itai Dzamara in 2015.

The demands were made last night for the 50 plus Zanu-PF officials who fled the gun during the November coup last year to speak out.

"Chitaurai now tell us who poisoned Tsvangirai," Jon Shoko fired into Prof Moyo last night.



On the 20th Nov last year, it was revealed that a total 50 MPs and Zanu-PF officials fled the country with former Higher Education Minister, Prof Jonathan Moyo. The tweet mentions Patrick Zhuwao, Saviour Kasukuwere, Makhosini Hlongwane and Paddy Zhanda and the others.

The tweet read, "In these difficult and trying times that have been thrust upon our country, I wish to advise concerned family and friends that I'm relatively fine outside the country as are ministers Kasukuwere, Zhuwao, Hlongwane, Zhanda plus at least 50 others who include MPs and Zanu-PF officials!"

Zimbabweans are now baying around Prof Jonathan Moyo's Twitter account hoping for the moment when or if he will release the details which might solve the mystery surrounding Tsvangirai's ailment.

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Home | World | Africa | Killer injiva sentenced to death

AN injiva who axed his estranged wife (23) and the couple's 18 months old son to death, has been sentenced to death.

Themba Moyo (31) of Muarakati Village under Chief Sikobokobo, Nkayi, who was arrested 10 days after the gruesome murder, was sentenced to hang by Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Nokuthula Moyo on circuit in Gweru.

Moyo killed his ex-wife Ms Lucia Maruvisa and their son Muthabisi Moyo in Mberengwa.

Justice Moyo convicted Moyo of two counts of murder with actual intent.

Passing sentence, Justice Moyo said Moyo had planned the murder when he followed his wife who had fled their matrimonial home and was now staying with a relative at a busines centre.

"The accused butchered his ex-wife because he could not stomach her leaving him and yet she was running away from his abusive nature. He could not respect her decision and decided to punish her by death in a most brutal manner," she said.

Justice Moyo said domestic violence cases were on the increase and this was a cause for concern.

The judge said during the two weeks she had presided over the Gweru circuit, she had dealt with three cases in which men followed their estranged wives and butchered them.

She said women in violent relationships were caught in between a hard rock and a hard surface because if they stayed or ran away they were butchered.

"Women in violent relationships are therefore not safe whether they stay or flee. Perhaps Government must come up with safe havens for women who feel threatened.

"I say so because if a woman flees, she will be followed and many a time butchered and would equally die if they stay in these marriages," she said.

It was the State case that on February 20, last year, Ms Maruvisa had a misunderstanding with Moyo over the upkeep of Muthabisi.

Ms Maruvisa blamed Moyo, who was based in South Africa of neglecting his son.

She then left their home in Mberengwa and went to stay with her aunt at Nyama General Dealer Shop which is at Neta Business Centre, also in Mberengwa.

On February 23, at around 9PM, Moyo went to the business centre to persuade Ms Maruvisa to reunite with him but she refused.

Moyo then left and returned an hour later armed with an axe and entered the shop in which Ms Maruvisa was sleeping with Muthabisi and four other children.

Inside the shop, Moyo saw a bigger axe which he picked up and struck his wife once on the head and she died on the spot.

Moyo then picked a smaller axe and axed his son and left the two bodies lying in a pool of blood and fled.

He was arrested 10 days later after police got a tip off from members of the public.

Mr Tafadzwa Mupariwa appeared for the State.

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Home | World | Africa | Schools disclose pupils' HIV status

SOME private schools are reportedly requesting pupils to submit medical forms disclosing their HIV status in violation of the country's HIV and Aids policy.

The Zimbabwe Medical Association (ZiMA) yesterday raised alarm after some of its members received medical forms from parents that were coming from the private schools requesting that they test pupils for HIV.

ZiMA secretary general Dr Shingi Bopoto confirmed the development yesterday.

He said they have names of the private schools requesting HIV tests for pupils but declined to disclose the names.

"Some of our doctors have phoned us saying that they are receiving medical examination forms from private schools with one of the tests required on those medical examination forms being the HIV test," said Dr Bopoto.

He said ZiMA has since engaged the schools to stop the practice.

Dr Bopoto said if the practice continues, they will report the schools to Government.

"This is information that has just come to us from our doctors who have been presented with these forms. At the moment we are of the view that we don't need to engage Government because we think we can talk to the schools and provide them with information as well as professional advice.

"We believe this should be resolved but if our members continue to receive forms that require HIV tests, we will take the issue up with appropriate authorities," he said.

Dr Bopoto queried the reasons behind demanding HIV results for pupils saying the country's laws make it illegal to discriminate based on one's HIV status.

"We do not see how useful HIV results would be to a school. What if the result is positive, what is the school going to do with that information?" he asked.

He said of concern were pupils born with HIV who are supposed to enjoy the right to attend schools of their choice.

Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Professor Paul Mavhima said he was not aware that some schools were demanding HIV tests for pupils

He said it was against Government policy and if its happening the practice should be stopped forthwith.

"There is no such requirement and if there are schools doing that they should stop forthwith," said Prof Mavhima.

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Political Judgement

The current political dynamics of the main opposition MDC T favours Chamisa to be the front runner and Tsvangirai's successor. Generally on the ground you can easily tell that people have already made up their minds and they are warming up to the idea of having Chamisa on the top. The young man played his cards close to his chest, he is very strategic, off course with some contributing factors, but the main contributing factor is the issue of "political clout that Advocate Chamisa has in his political career. This is not an overnight decision, this is where Khupe, Mudzuri group are getting it lost, people made political judgements long back, and this process is just shaping up.

When the SA coalition talks were proposed, Mudzuri, Khupe and Mwonzora were supposed to make careful political moves, and avoid careless response to the media. This is where they all got it wrong. The three to me lack good and passive political judgement. Knowing very well that the MDC constitution does not allow anyone to attend coalition and alliance initiatives without the blessings of the party national council and executives which seats between congresses. Again the timing was wrong, how can you make such moves when everyone is carefully opening his eyes? My simple question why then did they travel to SA? This is an own goal already. They made wrong moves, of which Chamisa had already calculated and he waited for his enemies to fall in that pit. The other issue is Gutu's tweets also contributed as well. If you look at the recently Mudzuri twitter account you can easily tell that it is not his language, but it is Mwonzora, normally Mwonzora signs at the end "victory is certain". It is an own goal. They pressed the panic button which led to Chamisa's group to defend themselves. Coming to Khupe, who has been riding on Tsvangirai's brand, to me she made wrong political judgements, because why Khupe did chose to attend SA trips, and abandoning party crucial meetings and how does she expect people to judge her? One decides to abandon the ship at the last minute and decide to go for other meetings which are controversial? By the time Mwonzora tried to control the political damage it was too late because almost all the structures questioned their political motives behind that clandestine meetings.



Grooming Took Place Long Back

I don't know why the other group and the general people are failing to read between the lines. Tsvangirai groomed Chamisa long back. I will give you few examples that will point clearly to that effect. When Tsvangirai left for Kenya with his deputy, Tsvangirai seconded Chamisa to accompany him leaving the other two, if you remember very well, crucial meetings were held between Tsvangirai and Odinga, the former Prime Minister of Kenya. I would like to believe one of the agenda was the succession issue in the MDC. I easily picked that from my own psychological point of view, when they came back you would see that Chamisa was almost performing Tsvangirai's duties. Chamisa was chairing all alliance meetings. This is a clear way of telling people that this young man is my successor. You see Morgan could not easily announce that Chamisa will be my successor; this was going to back fire, so he did it strategically for people to make their own interpretations. If you go through the alliance document it is clear that in the absence of Tsvangirai as the candidate for alliance business meetings, Chamisa from the MDC T will act on his behalf. So what does this mean to you? Chamisa took advantage of the grassroots connectivity meetings which Tsvangirai held in 2017, and he accompanied him, this is where Khupe lost it because they should have done the same. Chamisa has proved that he can easily go to the ground; people don't want smart and bedroom politics of just making press statements in well ventilated offices. Tsvangirai has won many hearts because of grass roots connection. You need that touch.



Naturally People Want to Do Away With Old Guard

You see it is unfortunate that Mudzuri faction was caught up in a political web. The current political scenario does not favour elderly people. For now people want to make changes drastically. Zimbabweans are bracing for young leadership. Chamisa has what it takes to be a young and dynamic leader. Generally Mudzuri is quiet, he is not vocal, he is level headed, and by virtue of him lacking the political clout, people may view him as an enemy of the struggle. If you remember very well, Mudzuri once wrote a damning letter to his boss citing some grey areas which led to the loss of the party after 2013 elections, and this didn't go down well with MDC structures as well.



Chamisa Receives Backing of Key Organs

When one is making political judgements, you must be careful before you sink into oblivion. To me I think, Chamisa was very strategic. For you to win in such a scenario you simply need, the youth assembly, women assembly, organizing and provincial chairs, apparently all these top organs are on his side. With statements being released from the party organs you don't need a rocket scientist to tell you that the Mudzuri faction has dismally lost this game. You can't fight these organs and win; it's difficult so they are already out. They are different organizations which have thrown their weight behind the young politician and this makes sound and strategic impact on the near future events.



I Don't Think They Will Be a Split



Desperation Doesn't Work in Politics

People have learnt their lessons before, that following disgruntlement elements will throw you into the political dustbin. If you check very well when Chamisa called for a parliamentary caucus at Harvest House almost all MPs attended even provincial assemblies came for the meetings, remember we are going towards elections and no one would want to make a wrong move, so most people have already made up their minds. It is high likely that Mudzuri faction will simply leave with few people. Majority of MDC supporters have learnt their lessons that splits won't work, if you are to remain relevant you have to remain with Tsvangirai brand.

To me I don't see anything wrong with Chamisa acting as the President of the party. What is the noise all about? Is this noise coming from the MDC T or planted agents to infiltrate their party? I've several questions. Khupe was the acting president of the party in September 2017, so what is the problem? Mudzuri acted as well, so what's the fuss all about? Here comes the young advocate simply making similar move, so what is the problem? Mudzuri left for SA Cape Town meetings, so he wanted to be the President whilst he is in SA? Something is not adding up? I've several questions regarding to that effect. So Mudzuri and crew wanted a tree to act on behalf of the party? Why would Mudzuri disembark from a plane in Johannesburg to simply go and beg for MDC T Presidency? To me energy wasted. Look in Zambia, Lungu was far from that hot seat but it happened dramatically after all people tried to block him, by fighting for MDC T acting presidency will damage his political ambitions. In fact people have already developed cold feet on him, why would one fight for acting capacity?

Tsvangirai Family

Zimbabweans have high literacy rate. To me I can easily tell something is being cooked somewhere in SA or behind Harvest House. Why would all of a sudden bar someone's wife from seeing her husband whom she has been assisting all along? Why would Tsvangirai's kids dwell into internal party politics? Remember MDC structures are very clear they don't want the family of their president to dwell into succession politics. Zimbabweans are fed up, and almost everyone has learnt his or her lesson from Mugabe dynasty. To me I suspect that brown envelopes are being exchanged between some family members and MDC top officials. Everyone can almost tell what is happening. Remember Tsvangirai has a spokesperson, why would someone go in front of a hospital and pause for photos so that people can see that you have visited the hospital. That's cheap politics, whoever is advising Mudzuri's faction should simply back off from this embarrassment. The electorate has already made a decision.

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 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
Home | World | Africa | MDC-T quarrel as Tsvangirai lies in hospital

Zimbabwe's main opposition was embroiled in a power struggle on Friday over who is in charge of the party months before key elections, as leader Morgan Tsvangirai receives cancer treatment in hospital.

Two vice presidents of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party clashed openly over who is acting leader while Tsvangirai undergoes chemotherapy in neighbouring South Africa.

Both Nelson Chamisa, 40, and Elias Mudzuri, 60, have claimed on social media to be in charge as the party prepares to take on the ruling Zanu-PF in the first polls since Robert Mugabe's fall.

"It is only the acting president who has the authority to talk to him (Tsvangirai) and act on his behalf, it is myself and no one else," Mudzuri told South African television.

"People must respect authority as given by my president and make sure they work towards bringing hope to Zimbabweans and winning the 2018 elections."

A senior MDC official from Chamisa's camp, who asked not to be named, told AFP that Mudzuri was "fraudulent", and that Chamisa was the party's current leader.

Thokozani Khupe, the third MDC vice president, has boycotted recent party meetings.

Tsvangirai's spokesperson, Luke Tamborinyoka on Thursday described the "stampede in the cockpit" as "needless and unnecessary".

President Emmerson Mnangagwa, a Zanu-PF veteran, has said that elections would be held before July.

Under Robert Mugabe, who ruled since 1980, elections were marred by vote-rigging, intimidation and violent suppression of the opposition.

Mugabe, 93, resigned following a military intervention in November.

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Home | World | Africa | Tsvangirai's family exposes Chamisa

THE divided family of ailing MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai waded into the leadership wrangle within the main opposition party with Elias Mudzuri yesterday claiming he had met the hospitalised opposition leader, as the acting president.

Since Wednesday, the MDC-T wrangle took several twists and turns that exposed a deep-seated leadership crisis, as Tsvangirai's two deputies, Mudzuri and Nelson Chamisa, openly fought to lead the party.

Mudzuri was "demoted" through a letter from Tsvangirai's spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka on Wednesday after he flew to South Africa for a coalition workshop with other opposition parties.

The former Energy minister, however, issued a statement he claimed came from Tsvangirai disputing the position that Chamisa had taken over. This opened a floodgate of a war of words between the two camps and meanwhile, Chamisa was executing the mandate of the acting president.

But in an interview yesterday with SABC, Tsvangirai's family confirmed only Mudzuri met the ailing leader and no other communication was posted to anyone, contrary to a statement that was earlier issued by a rival camp.

Tsvangirai's eldest son, Edwin, confirmed Mudzuri met his father on Thursday and yesterday.

"Yes, they did engage yesterday and today as well they did engage," Edwin told SABC News.

The family also resolved that no one from the party could claim that they met Tsvangirai without going through Edwin.

Edwin's wife, Diana, said a lot of misinformation was being spread about fake Tsvangirai meetings with top MDC-T officials hoodwinking structures into believing they were ordained.

"What I need to categorically state is that as a family we have limited access to dad particularly when it comes to politicians, so it's unfortunate that there has been information that he has been talking to people, but I think collectively as a family with everyone here we can say that he has not been seen or speaking to anyone in the party," she said.

"The only person he said he will communicate through is his son Edwin and anyone who has not spoken via him is also not stating factual information."

Mudzuri said: "Anyone else who said he communicated with him (Tsvangirai) is lying and this is the last time we are putting an end to it after I have spoken to him."

Asked about the source of the confusion, Mudzuri said: "I think you can read between the lines and there are different ambitions. You know when there is a corner kick, people try to find how they want to score, but the time for scoring is not yet because the corner kick is not yet taken. The president might be in hospital, but he hasn't said he is stepping down."

Mudzuri said Tsvangirai was still the presidential candidate for this year's harmonised elections.

"Should he think otherwise, he will invite me again without anyone trying to send any confusing communication, then he will give me the instruction. If he doesn't, then he has already told me on the steps that should be taken to ensure that we bring sanity and make sure that MDC-T wins the elections," he said.

Although admitting that the leadership wangle was sending bad signal to the structures, Mudzuri said he was feeling energised that the matter had been put to rest and that any future communication would be done through him to avoid unnecessary confusion.

The former Harare mayor said MDC-T was ready for elections and they had a strategy working on the ground which would surprise their rivals, including President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Tsvangirai's family said the former Prime Minister was responding well to treatment and that there was noticeable improvement in his health. They thanked the government for helping out by paying his medical bills.

Mudzuri has a tall order to pacify MDC-T structures who might react angrily to him being the acting president considering that some have already endorsed Chamisa who in turn has started meeting them, as the acting party president albeit to "reset" buttons.

Chamisa yesterday posted on his Twitter handle that he was still MDC-T acting president.

Insiders questioned Mudzuri's claim to the acting position when he was out of the country.

Earlier, the youth assembly youth leader Happymore Chidziva warned Mudzuri to stop masquerading as the party leader, basing on Tamborinyoka's statement.

"Mudzuri remains our vice-president, but he must not appear as if he is so much power-hungry and continue clinging to power as acting president. President Tsvangirai is the one with the powers to appoint or dis-appoint and this position is rotational," Chidziva said.

"He must not sow confusion in the country and keep on claiming to be the acting president as if it's a permanent position. Tsvangirai is still there and alive and he will be back to lead.

"The reason why the decision was made is that there were two centres of power now in the party and alliance and this is a corrective measure from the president through his wisdom and he communicated through his official spokesperson," he said.

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Home | World | Africa | Mnangagwa steps down as MP

The First Lady, Auxillia Mnangagwa has stepped down as the legislator for Chirumhanzu - Zibagwe constituency, so that she concentrates on being the 'Mother of the Nation.'

The news was broken by President Emmerson Mnangagwa while addressing thousands of people at Mvuma Stadium during a homecoming rally in his former constituency and home province of Midlands.

On hearing the message, scores of women fell to the ground, wailing to what can be interpreted as a great loss to them.

"The First Lady has asked me to tell you this message. She will now be concentrating of being the mother of the nation, she will be travelling countrywide initiating developmental and empowerment projects. You have not lost because she will continue with all projects she started here," said Mnangagwa.

"So it is now up to you to elect another representative during primary elections, who will represent the party in the forthcoming elections," he added.

President Mnangagwa also confirmed that the general elections will be held at around July this year and promised that they will be peaceful, free, fair and credible.

He said foreign observers such as the EU are welcome to observe the polls as there is nothing to fear or hide.'

He urged Zimbabweans to replicate the peace they exhibited when they marched in the capital at the height of the November transition that led to the resignation of former President Robert Mugabe and ushered in a new political dispensation which Mnangagwa is leading.

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Home | World | Africa | Mnangagwa's gukurahundi commission overlooks Ndebeles for commissioners

THE National Peace and Reconciliation Commission has suspended consultations that were expected to start today after human rights campaigners went to court for the process to be shelved pending the appointment of the commission's chairperson.

The commissioners are composed of people from other regions except Leslie Ncube who is son to Matabeleland South provincial affairs minister and Zanu-PF apologist Abednico Ncube. Question from people from Matabeleland is whether the Zimbabwe genocide issue will be tackled in a conclusive manner.

The commission is expected to deal with the country's most controversial and divisive issues related to gross human rights abuses that occurred in the last 35 years, especially in the run-up to general elections often fraught with violence, intimidation of voters and rigging claims.

It is also expected to deal with the emotive Gurukurahundi massacres of the 1980s in which about 20 000 people died in the Matabeleland and Midlands regions, destruction of property, abductions and murders during elections, farm invasions and disappearances of people perceived to be anti-government.

One commentator said, "Fact about NPRC is that on top of the list is the genocide that sucks in President Emmerson Mnangagwa."

"How many of these Commissioners are from Midlands and Matabeleland?"

"How many speak more than one Zimbabwe language) leave out english?"

"How many speak isiNdebele, if not more than two languages, how will they engage with the victims of the Zimbabwe genocide?"

The commentator suggested that this commission should be disbanded and a new commission nominated and all the members should speak at least two indigenous Zimbabwean languages.

The commission has been functioning with the following members:

Deputy chairperson commissioner Lillian Chigwedere

commissioners:

Patience Chiradza,

Choice Ndoro,

Charles Masunungure,

Geoffrey Chada,

Leslie Ncube,

Godfrey Chekenyere and,

Netty Musanhu

We profile some of the commissioners.

Lillian Chigwedere

Lillian Chigwedere is wife to the late Ambassador and former Public Service commissioner Stansilus Chigwedere.

Geoffrey Chada

Chada is executive director (finance and administration) with the Scientific and Industrial Research and Development Centre (Sirdc), whose mandate is to carry out strategic research and development for the benefit of the manufacturing, service, agricultural and mining sectors of Zimbabwe as well as to commercialise research and development outputs.

Chada is also a Zimbabwe Broadcasting Authority board member and executive chairperson of Domboshawa Theological College. He is a former chief executive of the Zimbabwe Mass Media Trust.

Charles Masungure

Masungure is a pastor with the Family of God Church, a motivational speaker, psychotherapist and Christian businessperson. He owns Tyneside Holdings  a holding company with divisions in ICT and construction in Bindura - and also works for Precious Child Orphanage.

The orphanage, based in Bindura, is involved in the adoption and fostering of abandoned and orphaned babies as well as counselling services for orphans, single parents and childless couples.

Masungure has been pastor with the Family of God Church since 2000. He is a deputy chaplain-general with the Shepherd of God's People.

He worked for the Zimbabwe Republic Police from January 2003 to February 2004 at the Police General Headquarters and his main responsibility was policy design and training for chaplains.

He is a holder of a Master's degree in Peace Leadership and Conflict Resolution from the Zimbabwe Open University (2014-2015), and a degree in Counselling (2001-2005). Masungure also holds a certificate in Systematic Counselling from the Zimbabwe Institute of Systematic Therapy (1997-1998).

Leslie Ncube

Ncube is son to Matabeleland South provincial affairs minister Abednico Ncube. He is a board member of the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe and was a board member of the now defunct mining firm Gye Nyame Resources.

Gye Nyame Resources was a joint venture between state-owned Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation, the Zimbabwe Republic Police and Bill Minerals, represented by Ghanaian businessman William Ato Essien.

Ncube is the current Zanu PF national youth league secretary for economic affairs and before the December congress, he was the national youth league's secretary for administration. He is a PhD candidate with Wits University in South Africa focussing on service delivery.

He is a holder of Master's degree in Development Studies and a post-grad in Management Development for Municipal Finance.

Patience Chiradza

Chiradza is former national director with the Joint Monitoring Implementation Committee (Jomic) in the inclusive government (2009-2013).

Jomic was established to ensure the implementation in letter and spirit of the Global Political Agreement (GPA), assess the implementation of the GPA and consider steps which might need to be taken to ensure the speedy and full implementation of the agreement in its entirety. The GPA was precursor to Zimbabwe's Government of National Unity (2009-2013).

Golden Chekenyere

Chekenyere graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, US with a PhD in Education in 1984. Chekenyere also holds an MSc degree in Education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, in 1980; a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education from West Midlands College of Further Education (United Kingdom) and a Bachelors of Arts degree from Fourah Bay College in Sierra Leone.

He has varied human resources management experience and international development experience spanning 24 years, including consultancy services.

Chekenyere has worked at USAid in Zimbabwe; in the steelworks industry, manufacturing, banking and the milling industry in various capacities including at executive director level for nine years at National Foods Limited.

At USAid, Chekenyere worked on one of the most elaborate and far-reaching education and training programmes in Zimbabwe. As executive director and group human resources director at National Foods, Chekenyere, beside policy initiation, formulation and implementation, was involved in all aspects of change management.

For four years, has held a non-executive board director position at Agribank, chairing the human resources management sub-committee.

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Israeli army press service has informed that the military has hit an Iranian drone which had entered the countrys airspace from Syria; and in response, Israeli military attacked on Iranian targets in the neighboring country, reported RIA Novosti news agency of Russia.

February 10, 2018, 10:51 Israel downs Iran drone

STEPANAKERT, FEBRUARY 10, ARTSAKHPRESS:Also, the Israeli military stated that the Syrian air defense forces fired several rockets on Israeli air force planes.

Syrian air defense forces response fire activated the air-raid sirens at the Golan Heights sector controlled by Israel.
Take a look at all of the collaborative items.https://t.co/Ua8f21obn8  HYPEBEAST (@HYPEBEAST) February 8, 2018

"Hers/Flannel" Trash Flannel

"Midnight Summer Jam" Yeti Cooler

"Wave" Sunglasses

"Sauce" Flask

"Higher Higher" Nike Airs

"Morning Light" Blanket/Cleaning Rag

"Say Nothing" Notebook

"Montana" Denim, Coats, and other crap

NYC pop-up shop features limited edition products inspired by all 16 mediocre tracks off his latest coaster, "The shop, which is located at 138 Wooster St. in SoHo, opened on Friday afternoon to a crowd of fans willing to wait outside in the cold for whatever reason. It'll remain open through Sunday this weekend. The shop will be open from 11am to 7pm Friday and Saturday, and from noon to 6pm on Sunday. You can see what Timberlake is selling at his garage sell below:
Las Chicas del Cable

Velvet

Gran Hotel

Tiempos de Guerra (Morocco)

El Tiempo entre Costuras

Maybe it's the accent, maybe it's the epic romance or the fact that it's a series format so you don't feel like you're watching a telenovela, but lately I've been noticing EVERY SINGLE WOMEN I know watches at least one spanish series set in the early to mid XX century (Note: I do not live in Spain). Netlfix knows this formula works, and not only shows them in the front page all the time, but also produces them, so maybe they'll keep coming until we all get bored.If you haven't been caught by this strange phenomenon but enjoy love stories and pretty dresses, here I present you a listProbably the most well known internationally, this Netflix original series stars eyelash queen Blanca Suarez and her former male cast mates in another big spanish series, El Internado. To this day, I keep thinking the casting was completely intentional: familiar faces, actors that worked well together and a couple they already knew it worked, this series was destined to succeed. Romantic elements aside, the main catch of this series is not the love story between Alba/Lidia, Francisco and Carlos, but the story of the four main girls and the hardships of being a woman in the 20's, it's feminist message it's more than relevant today, you end up really caring about them and their friendship.It also has a lesbian storyline that's well received in the community according to my search, and it's between main characters so it's featured a lot.I'm still mad about the choice of music, it takes me out of my 20's fantasy but you should totally give this series a chance, even if it is just to support a show led by four women.The most soapy out of all of them, Velvet is the one that for me started the craze. Suddenly everyone, myself included, was watching the love story between Ana the seamstress and Alberto the owner of the fashion house she works for. This one feels more like your classic telenovela, but the supporting cast had a charm that hooked you in. It's cute, funny and light, unfortunately, once you star noticing Miguel Angel Silvestre left to star another great love story in Sense8, the series goes downhill but like I said, the supporting cast was amazing and even if the main storyline suffers a little, you want to keep watching for them.Plus, it's great to watch just to see how the women on the show fight to make themselves a place in the fashion world, from Ana and her designs to Cristina and Barbara's jewelry collection and Patricia's fight to be taken seriously in the company.Shout out to Mateo and Clara and to my queen Rita for their superb work on carrying the series even through the dark times.Gran Hotel is gorgeous, honestly. You've probably already heard of this one because it's been broadcast everywhere, already has a mexican remake and Eva Longoria recently bought the rights to produce the US version. We see Yon Gonzalez once again starring as Julio, a man that goes to work undercover in the hotel to investigate his sister's disappearance and falls in love with the owner's daughter in the process. This series is captivating, it's mysterious and it has pretty people, pretty dresses, pretty locations, a love story and great performances, please do yourself a favor and watch this before the US one comes, it's on Netflix.Like any long series, it starts to drag a little towards the end, but it's completely worth the watch.By now you should've noticed the actors repeat themselves over and over again. The latest addition to the list, it premiered on Netflix last month and it's been heavily promoted on my front page despite not being an original according to my search. This one I haven't watched yet, but it stars Amaia Salamanca (yes, from Gran HotelVelvet) and it's about a group of high society women sent by spanish Queen Victoria Eugenia to nurse soldiers in the Rif War between Spain and Morocco (hence why you'll find this on Netflix under this title).This show highlights the role of women during war, and of nurses in general. The duchess nurse is a queen that manages her hospital amazingly even with men opposition and it's worth the watch just for her alone. It suffers from whitewashing, but it make a good point about how muslims are not bad people and they even save the spaniards' asses a few times, but yes, the handling of the setting in Morocco is not the best.Also known as "The time in between", this series follows Sira Quiroga, a seamstress turned spy and it chronicles various important historic events of Spain and the world. Set in the 30's, every episode has the feel of a movie and it's based on a book that I also recommend. You can see how much money and effort went into this series, it's very well doneThis one isn't as romantic as the other ones and you can see it was produced by a different company (all the previous ones were produced by Bambu productions) because it has a very different tone.Poor Sira suffers a lot, but it's more of a series than a serious telenovela, so if you're not convinced by the others, try this one. Plus, like I said, we have a woman spy here, enough said.Image Sources: 1
anime spongebob





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lmao this remains one of my favourite things on the internet.

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i've always wanted weekend roundups!!!

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LMFAO



for real though, B's absence has been good to ontd

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I cant promise that Ill have a Roundup ready for you guys every weekend but Ill try my best.

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The mod we dont deserve 

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bless u

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I love you for doing this! 

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I want nothing but the best for you!!!!!!! Truly what we have done to deserve such grace and blessings?



Edited at 2018-02-10 06:14 pm (UTC)

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Bruh this is cool enough!

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We dont deserve you! Youre such a great mod!

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i need to make a valenstan devoted to how good you are to us <3333

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*brushes boy brow on you one hair strand at a time in thanks*

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please don't ever feel guilty about taking a few days off!! that goes for all of the mods and maintainers. we all know how easy it is to get burnt out.

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thank you Old Man Winter

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We dont deserve you. 

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ilu 

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 4 u

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thank you!

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You are an angel.

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All of the Valenstans you are inevitably getting aren't going to be enough tbh 

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you are a gift <3

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good job new management

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omg a weekend roundup!



im thinking of going to a bookstore today and buying a bunch more books despite having tons to read



Edited at 2018-02-10 06:04 pm (UTC)

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The ultimate dilemma.

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i always wanna buy books

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A weekend roundup omg??? LOVE IT. LOVE OUR NEW OVERLORDS.



In an hour or so I'm going to the Chinese American Museum of Chicago (which I love--it's this little hidden gem in Chinatown and they have tons of free events) for a screening of a documentary about the Chinese Exclusion Act, so I'm looking forward to that. But also I think I have a FedEx delivery that's going to come today so I'm prob. gonna miss it, goddamnit FedEx.

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weee weekend round ups yayyy hope everyones weekend is good so far. thank youuuuu



im watching the gloria allred doc on netflix and im stanning hard core right now. im living for the old footage of her debating against the right wing christians even back then.



Edited at 2018-02-10 06:04 pm (UTC)

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it's called Seeing Allred. i was just on netflix a few days ago and didnt see it. when i went on today it was the thing that popped up immediately with the trailer playing.

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Oh yay for weekend roundups!

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I love the idea of a weekend roundup

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Oh interesting! I saw your comment in the last post about it and was wondering why a funko pop would get returned.

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Let us know if you find a workaround! I was in the same situation a few months back but the items were never even returned.

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Yay weekend roundup! And I don't have anything interested to say. I'm just tired all the time and I don't do much.

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Finally weekend rounups for us ppl who r too busy in the week to make the weekday ones yas

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Exactly yay

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wow a weekend roundup. it truly is an ontd rebirth.



anyway i watched the florida project last night and it was okay. the mother was trash i hope she never sees her daughter again imo!

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I saw this news the other day and I hope it brings something. He needs to face legal repercussions and consequences. It's not enough to play fake rehab.



LAPD has submitted three sexual abuse cases against Harvey Weinstein for possible charges https://t.co/ZKDpHpFDVp pic.twitter.com/2NkmUE9GgN  Variety (@Variety) February 10, 2018





I feel so awful for Jill's family. Every story and every situation here goes back to the monster that is Weinstein. That pig gets to play house in Arizona or some shit while the people he has harmed are hurting and sadly in this case now dead.I saw this news the other day and I hope it brings something. He needs to face legal repercussions and consequences. It's not enough to play fake rehab.

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I'm so ready for Weinstein to get his just desserts.

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i'd be so happy if he went to jail. he really needs to face legal repercussions, the entire world knows he's a criminal now.

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I will be beyond happy when this POS gets locked up.

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this is all on weinstein

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you wish

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you are so weirdly obsessed with continuing this argument and I honestly have no wish to keep it going



bye

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rose took this better than expected, good for her for recognizing it is that disgusting assholes fault .

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There were reports from people that were assistants to Jill that said Rose wanted to fight Weinstein in 1997 and they convinced her to take the money instead. Jill was the one that set up the meeting. Given that Weinstein reports often say he would trade perks to journalists to kill stories, who's to say he didn't do the same here?



Then, right after Rose settles, Jill gets a job at Miramax.



I do not believe that that is coincidence and I can't fault Rose for drawing those conclusions either. Yes Weinstein deserves the primary blame, but a lot of people (women included) were part of the complicity machine that enabled him. Just because someone is a woman doesn't mean they are blameless or incapable of hurting another woman.



Edited at 2018-02-10 09:32 pm (UTC)

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Ia, and from Rose's perspective is it really fair to expect her to give Jill the benefit of the doubt?

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ia

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You're 100% right but ONTD has stakes in hating Rose at this point so lol.

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Who are you "yeah, no"ing?



You seem to be agreeing with Rose.

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abuse really affects everyone. weinstein is disgusting; they need to arrest him already. im sure he has done uncountable shady shit that they could get him on.

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Wow. Honestly, I'm shocked. I was sure there was no way she'd respond well to this, especially as Jill's family was basically straight-up blaming Rose for her suicide (and while Rose can be really irresponsible and inappropriate with her comments, I thought that was going too far; there were other factors, including mental illness, to consider there). I'm glad she thought about it for a day or two and then took the high road.

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agreed. I am glad she took a lot of time off of social media because her @replies are incredibly foul. I watched a lot of her interviews promoting Brave and her emotion was right up at the surface for all of them. She cried in a lot of them. I hope this whole experience brings her some peace and puts her on a path to live a happier and better life.

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it was only a matter of time until he has blood on his hands



which only begs the question: how many lesser known actresses have done the same thanks to being abused by this man?

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Weinsten and McGowan were components of what drove Messick to her demise



People choose to ignore this but Rose kept blaming her left and right and saying she was complicit in her rape.

No one's denying Rose went through something horrible and she started something great with women speaking up, but you've gone too far when this shit happens. She keeps striking me as not stable enough to deal with these stuff. And seems like someone who truly thrives on leading enough to do whatever she has to keep that position. Even if that means accusing women enough to drive them to suicide.

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Rose throwing people under the bus for attention? No. Never. /s



Sorry, with each passing day I come to dislike her more and more.



Condolences to Jill's family and friends. It was convenient for some to blame her for what Harvey did, and i find that so telling and disgusting. Her kids shouldn't have to grow up without a mom. Mental illness is horrific and i wish attitudes would change.



Reading the full statement of her family is worth the click peeps.

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its so gross that people are saying rose shouldn't be held accountable for her words because jill was depressed. she literally accused her of aiding harvey

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Rose is a mess. She needs a good solid year of intense therapy working with people who know when to be gentle and when to call her out on her BS. She needs that for herself and i wish she'd take it. i have empathy for her and what's been through.



But she's also tried to hijack make an entire moment in history about herself. She lashes out at people without thinking, and without knowing what she's talking about. We've seen that happen several times. She's been unwilling to exam her own role in the victor salva situation, and her weak statement that got passed around a week or two ago, was just that, weak. We see Terry Crews taking people to task harder than she did. And she seems so self serving since everything is about her, instead of how we see some actresses signal boosting stories of others, and how to get help and recover mentally. as well as calling people out on their hypocrisy and back patting. idk, basically ellen barkin's twitter of late.



Rose has lashed out at people who call her friend, and have for years. she's just a mess, and it really bothers me personally to see her trying to frame this entire thing around herself. It feel self serving instead of working through the trauma. and i have empathy for what she went through, it was horrible. she's entitled to be angry. there also comes a place where things aren't healthy and need to be worked through. She came <> to saying Alyssa Milano was just as bad as a rapist because Alyssa expressed empathy for Harvey's wife.



She said terrible things about Jill. Who didn't speak up, and maybe if she had, it would have saved her life if she'd have expressed herself and her side publicly. but to do so wouldn't have been easy and takes the focus off of Harvey. Harvey raped these women. Taking the focus off his actions can be dangerous on a number of levels. Having real conversations of how much some knew, is worth having, but the blame should be kept to harvey. Harvey raped them. Harvey black balled them.



i've got a horrific migraine bb, so i hope that made sense. this damn flu is kicking my ass and i need to go lay down.



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"No one knows what Jill knew or didn't know besides her"



This is factual, but, nobody questioned this when Rose was making the accusations....why were we so quick to accept Rose's side, but we have to cast doubt on the family's side as just being "grief"?



Nobody said "Eh, Rose was traumatized, she probably just assumed Jill had something to do with it because she was going through shit". But it's SO easy to say "Jill's family is grieving. They probably don't want to/can't accept the truth".

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Mte

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why were we so quick to accept Rose's side, but we have to cast doubt on the family's side as just being "grief"?

because jill went to work for miramax, to the point where her twitter said she had direct access to both weinsteins, and everybody ~knew~ at miramax, jill wrote an email to weinstein about her recollections of what rose told her after he had many rape accusations besides rose's against him, and it's very clear that most agents DID know?



which is to say the circumstantial evidence seems to favor rose's interpretation, not her family's.

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I have a lot of problems with the way Rose has handled the public understanding of this issue, and she's certainly gone too far elsewhere, but frankly I don't blame rose for her perspective or saying it (and I don't hear anyone blaming Uma for what she said about QT) and I don't think she's been unreasonable here, for once.

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Welcome in the year of the dog with our fabulous buffet. To celebrate Chinese New Year, we invite diners to feast on everyones favorite traditional Chinese dishes such as Roasted Peking Duck, assorted Dim Sums, crispy Pork Belly, varieties of noodles, as well as fresh seasonal seafood including Snow crab, Oyster and much more.

Price: THB 1,388++ per person (FREE for kids under 7 and 50% off for 7-12 years old)

Date: On 16th February 2018

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Post-doctoral fellow Philip Saponaro demonstrates the imaging technology being developed in the VIMS lab, which picks up signals from a person in the camera's view. Credit: University of Delaware/ Evan Krape

Soldiers in combat have to constantly scan their surroundings for improvised explosive devices (IEDs), a signature weapon of modern warfare. These homemade bombs are often hiddennestled in bushes, buried underground, or sometimes stuffed inside other objects.

Now, a research group at the University of Delaware is developing technology to detect explosive devices from a distance. Chandra Kambhamettu, professor of computer and information sciences and director of the Video/Image Modeling and Synthesis (VIMS) Lab, has received a five-year, $1M grant from the U.S. Army Research Office for this project. This work is in collaboration with a team of research scientists from Army Research Lab, Kelly Sherbondy, Brian Phelan, Getachew Kirose, Gregory Smith, John Clark, and Arthur Harrison.

Working on a deadly problem

Landmines, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and other homemade bombs struck 6,461 people worldwide in 2015, killing at least 1,672, according to a report by the International Campaign to Ban Land Mines and Cluster Munition Coalition.

Survivors are often left with devastating injuries. In a study published in BMJ Open, 70 percent of people hit by IEDS in Afghanistan required multiple amputations.

To keep soldiers away from these deadly weapons, researchers are developing technology that can spot explosive hazards precisely and from a safe distance. Kambhamettu and Philip Saponaro, a post-doctoral fellow, are creating an augmented reality system that will use traditional cameras, thermal infrared sensing and ground penetrating radar to find and classify potentially dangerous objects from up to 30 meters away.

The technologies complement each other. Regular cameras collect visible light, while infrared cameras detect heat and are unaffected by light, making them ideal for nighttime use, foggy conditions, and dust storms. The system's radar uses radio waves to probe the surrounding environment.

"With infrared, you can see and understand more than you would with just visible light," Kambhamettu said. "Then, with radar, you can see objects that differ from their surroundings, buried up to 3-5 inches."

Left to right, graduate student Wayne Treible, computer and information sciences professor Chandra Kambhamettu, and post-doctoral fellow Philip Saponaro show the virtual reality technology they are refining. Credit: University of Delaware/ Evan Krape

Even if one sensor modality fails to detect an IED, another may reveal it.

"Some objects that are completely invisible to traditional cameras are easily spotted by the thermal cameras," Saponaro said.

The multi-camera systems could be deployed on autonomous vehicles, drones, or robots sent to scout the surroundings before troops move in.

The technology being developed in Kambhamettu's lab is tested on vehicles at a military training facility. Kambhamettu and his team will gather data from the cameras, apply deep learning to the data, and develop algorithms to make target detection more effective. They will also visualize scenarios in a virtual reality environment.

The goal: "Take the data, feed it into a computer algorithm and be able to tell whether a target is present or not," said Saponaro.

This research may also have applications that extend far beyond the military.

"What we're doing here is useful for day-to-day life, too," said Kambhamettu.

For example, a device that spots hidden objects could help elderly or blind people walk more safely by alerting them to hurdles in their path.

Kathy McCoy, the Chair of the Department of Computer and Information Sciences, said, "The cutting-edge work being done in this lab has tremendous potential for significant positive impact. This particular project that involves teaming up with the Army Research Lab and using a creative battery of vision techniques to find IEDs will enable detection that goes far beyond what is currently possible. The consequences to the safety of our soldiers is enormous."

Explore further Improvised explosive devices inflict much more serious injuries than land mines
2018 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #6

Posted on 10 February 2018 by John Hartz

Skeptical Science Facebook page during the past week. A chronological listing of news articles posted on thepage during the past week.

Editor's Pick

Tesla is building a 'virtual power plant' using people's homes

South Australia is working with Tesla to install solar power systems on residents homes. Image: REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

The state government of South Australia announced Sunday that it had struck a deal with Tesla to install as many as 50,000 solar-power systems on homes, at no cost to residents.

The system would include both solar panels and Tesla Powerwall batteries, and would become part of a decentralized electric grid managed by software. The system would be funded in part by revenues from electricity, which would not belong to the owners of the homes where the systems were installed.

A pilot version of the program has already begun, and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation spoke to one early recipient whose electric bills had declined substantially. One projection suggested energy bills for participating households would drop by 30%.

Tesla is building a 'virtual power plant' using people's homes by David Z. Morris, Fortune/World Economic Forum

Links posted on Facebook

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Wed Feb 7, 2018

Thu Feb 8, 2018

Fri Feb 9, 2018

Sat Feb 10, 2018
Im responsible for this. That was my first reaction when I read Friday morning that outdoorsy retailer L.L. Bean had decided to stop guaranteeing its merchandise for life. For more than a century, L.L. Bean had offered a lifetime return policy, allowing customers to return or exchange L.L. Bean merchandise at any time for any reasoneven years after the initial purchase date. Now, citing abuse of the policy, the retailer will only offer a one-year exchange periodand, even then, exchanges will only be granted if you have a receipt. I really feel like this is sort of my fault.

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Let me explain. About seven years ago, I bought a pair of slip-on shoes at L.L. Beanbrown, bulky, waterproof shoes that were sort of like Merrells except a lot cheaper. (I think they cost $40.) I wore them through the winter, put them away for spring and summer, and broke them out again come fall. I wore the shoes hard, and they were cheap shoes to begin with, so by the end of the year the soles were damaged and the exterior stitching was starting to come undone.

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I needed new shoes, and so I went to L.L. Bean to buy a new pair of the same ones that had served me well for a year. Imagine my surprise and delight when the sales associate told me of the stores generous return policy and invited me to exchange my old shoes for new ones, free of charge. Whats more, I also got a $10 gift card because of an in-store promotion of some sort. Not only did I get free shoes, I also got free money. Six years later, I still count this as one of the greatest days of my life.

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I havent spent a dollar on closed-toe shoes since then. Every year, around Christmas, I would drive to the L.L. Bean store in the Old Orchard Mall in Skokie, Illinois, near where I grew up, to exchange my old shoes for new ones. Over the years, it became a cherished family outing. My mother, who is amused by my sense of thrift, insists on accompanying me on what she refers to as my scam. Youd better not tell anyone about your scam, she routinely warned me. If too many people catch on, theyll stop doing it.

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Well, they did, but I nevertheless take great umbrage at the idea that it was somehow dishonest for me and other customers to take L.L. Bean up on its policy. The company made much of its lifetime guarantee, advertising it on social media and elsewhere. Judging from my experiences, the company even encouraged its in-store employees to tout that guarantee. I feel no guilt about taking L.L. Bean up on its offer. If they didnt want people to take the swap, they shouldnt have offered it!

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In a letter to customers posted Friday on the companys Facebook page, executive chairman Shawn O. Gorman announced the decision and griped that a small, but growing number of customers has been interpreting our guarantee well beyond its original intent. While I agree that its bad karma for people to buy old L.L. Bean merchandise at yard sales for cheap and then return it at L.L. Bean as if they had purchased it thereGorman claims that this happened, and I do not doubt himI am nevertheless annoyed by his blamey statement. Customers of a retail store should not be expected to be strict Constitutional originalists. If the intent behind a given policy varies from the text of the policy, then its incumbent on the company to change the text of the policy to better reflect its intent. Thats not the customers responsibility.

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L.L. Beans lifetime warranty might have been a foolish one that was prone to exploitation, but it was their policy, and its not one that the company kept secret, either. It was a marketing tool more than anything else, meant to foster good feelings and brand loyalty. I certainly felt warm and fuzzy toward L.L. Bean, and the companys absurdly generous warranty certainly led me to spend more money there than I would have otherwise. But now the policy is history, and I can no longer count on getting a free pair of new shoes every single year for the rest of my life. Its the end of an era in Justin Peters footwear stylesand my wife, for one, is thrilled. The shoes Ive been exchanging for six years are hideous.
This article supplements Reconstruction, a Slate Academy. To learn more and to enroll, visit Slate.com/Reconstruction.

Adapted from Negroes and the Gun: The Black Tradition of Arms by Nicholas Johnson. Published by Prometheus Books.

Rise Now and Fly to Arms! That was Henry Highland Garnets exhortation to young black men when Abraham Lincoln finally opened the Union Army to black soldiers. A militant Presbyterian minister, Garnet had implored black Americans to fight slavery to the death. And when the opportunity came, he urged young black men to fight for the Union, despite the slights of unequal pay and a long delay before they were deemed worthy to serve.1 As a war hawk, Garnet advocated the ultimate form of political violence. But he also had a keen appreciation for the utility of private violence. He calculated that once black soldiers were armed and trained, America would be unable to deny their freedom, at least not without a good fight.2

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The end of the Civil War left an army of occupation in the South. The natural tensions of military occupation were exacerbated by black troops. Only a fraction of Union troops occupied the South after the war, and the balance mustered out according to length of service. Because blacks were not admitted into ranks until the middle of the war, they were retained at a higher rate, making the occupying force blacker than the one that won the war. The roughly 200,000 black Americans who served in the Union Army comprised an estimated 10 percent of the Norths total fighting force. But by the last quarter of 1865, blacks made up about one-third of the occupation army. Many Southerners took this as a deliberate Union insult.3

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And there is good evidence that black soldiers did not treat the returning Confederates delicately. Members of the 35th United States Colored Troops were disciplined for entering the homes of white Charlestonians and confiscating guns. In other cases, black soldiers duplicated the looting and ravaging done to them by their white counterparts during the war.4 In April 1865, soldiers from the 52nd United States Colored Infantry descended on the Vicksburg, Mississippi, plantation of Jared and Minerva Cook. Some of them evidently had been enslaved by Cook before the war. Brandishing revolvers, they demanded that Cook turn over his guns and ransacked the house. Before it was over, they had shot and killed Minerva Cook and wounded Jared. When their crimes were detected, the men were court-martialed, and several of them were hanged.5

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The spectacle of black soldiers with guns and the authority of uniforms grated hard on defeated Confederates. Almost as soon as the shooting war stopped, the Southern governments moved to reinstitute slavery through a variety of state and local laws, restricting every aspect of freedmens lives. Gun prohibition was a common theme of these Black Codes.

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In North Carolina, appeals to the governors office displayed a simmering fear among defeated rebels about Negroes with guns. One correspondent wrote candidly of his worry that the design is to organize for a general massacre of the white population. Nearly every Negro is armed not only with a gun [long gun], but a revolver  The meeting of a thousand or two of Negroes every other Sunday, with Officers and Drilling, I think a serious matter.

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For black Americans navigating a multitude of threats after the war, it is hard to overestimate the practical importance of firearms.

These sorts of fears fueled overtly racist gun laws like Mississippis Act to Regulate the Relation of Master and Apprentice Relative to Freedmen, which prohibited blacks from owning firearms, ammunition, dirks, or bowie knives.6 Alabama prohibited any freedman, mulatto or free person of color in this state, to own firearms, or carry about this person a pistol or other deadly weapon.31 An 1865 Florida law similarly prohibited Negroes mulattos or other persons of color from possessing guns, ammunition or blade weapons without obtaining a license issued by a judge on the recommendation of two respectable citizens, presumably white. Violators were punished by public whipping up to 39 stripes.

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The Black Code restrictions were a piece with violent attempts to disarm blacks perpetrated by local police, white state militias, and Klan-type organizations that rose during Reconstruction to wage a war of Southern redemption. The formal Ku Klux Klan emerged out of Tennessee in 1866. But across the South, similar organizations cropped up under names like the White Brotherhood, the Knights of the White Camellia, the Innocents, and the Knights of the Black Cross. Black disarmament was part of their common agenda.8

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Many black veterans left military service with their issue weapons or war prizes and probably were better armed than the general black population. But the public conversation shows that arms for self-defense were a particular concern of the broad swath of black civilians. Orders and commentary affirming freedmens right to keep and bear arms were widely reprinted in black newspapers, and black Americans claiming their constitutional right also sent petitions to Congress protesting racist state gun control laws.

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By the end of February 1866, the House of Representatives began debating what became the 14th Amendment to the Bill of Rights, which would declare that blacks were full citizens entitled to equal protection and due process under the law.41 Senator Jacob M. Howard of Michigan introduced the proposal, explaining that the great object of the amendment is to restrain the power of the states and compel them in all times to respect these great fundamental guarantees.  Secured by the first eight amendments of the Constitution [including] the right to keep and bear arms. Concurrent with this debate, Congress also passed legislation abolishing Southern state militias. This was necessary, explained one of the sponsors, because the state militias had been used to disarm the freedmen.9

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Initially the rebel states unanimously rejected the 14th Amendment. But, chafing under federal military rule and the stipulation that they could not re-enter the Union unless they approved the amendment, they eventually capitulated. By 1868, the 14th Amendment was the law of the land and laid a broad foundation for the protection of a range of liberties essential to the rise of the freedmen, including the right to keep and bear arms.

The grand constitutional efforts to affirm the freedmens right to arms carried an important symbolism. But for black Americans navigating a multitude of threats after the war, it is hard to overestimate the practical importance of firearms. This is demonstrated dramatically in episodes of gunfire but more prosaically in the accounts of freedmen who never fired their gunsmen like Cato Carter, who spent most his life in slavery and then endured what passed for freedom in postwar Texas. So far as we know, Carter never fired a gun in self-defense. Carter confirmed that in some ways freedom was more hazardous than slavery. When white terrorists launched into high gear, Carter was happy to have an effective self-defense tool. Bands of whites, said Carter, was allus skullduggering round at night. He does not tell where he got it, but Carter calculated that the wise response was to keep and carry a gun to protect his home and family.10

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Cato Carter was no aberration. A report from the Texas legislature describes a series of conflicts in the postwar period where freedmen were generally as well armed as the whites, and this sort of small-scale parity fueled intermittent black victories. In Washington County, Texas, white men rode out to break up a black political meeting. The whites were armed but not really prepared for a shootout. When they fired into the crowd, the freedmen shot back, scattering their attackers. Later, a white man broke into the home of one of the black organizers and threatened her with a gun. Armed black men tracked him down, arrested him, and turned him over to military authorities.11

Much of the public practice of arms by black Americans in the postwar era was connected to the burgeoning political development of the freedmen. Channeling this political ambition, black chapters of the Union League formed throughout the South. Their secrecy, ritual, late-night meetings, and posting of armed sentinels fueled rumors of armed black men intent on mayhem. Despite the often innocuous content and consequence of Union League meetings, they were, in fact, a venue where black Americans with guns assembled. And sometimes this was more than just for show.

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In Harnett County, North Carolina, a league chapter threatened violence to secure release of colored orphans bound out to white planters. A league chapter in Brazos, Texas, under the leadership of Rev. George Brooks, battled a party of the hooded night riders in 1868, and the episode spurred blacks to acquire more guns and step up public military-style drills. Demonstrating that arms are no guarantee of safety, league leader George Brooks was subsequently murdered.

Whites were better organized, better armed, and potentially more desperate in their fight against the rule of freedpeople, which to them represented a world gone mad.

White backlash against rising black political power and the specter of armed freedmen was multilayered. Confederates had lost the war of secession but now were battling for the soul of the South. Fear of Negro rule unified whites and fueled political violence in ways that nothing else could. Occupation by black troops, black suffrage, and the rise of black Americans to office generated resentment and resistance. Through rough politics, trickery, and violence, the white South would soon redeem its institutions and culture from the revolutionary social inversion of Reconstruction. This Southern Redemption, solidified by federal abdication on Reconstruction, resubordinated blacks and carried deadly lessons about the risks of political violence and the importance of private self-defense.

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Whether as police forces, private militias, or terrorist nightriders, ex-Confederates pursued a ruthless campaign of political violence to disarm and disenfranchise blacks. Operating under the loose imprimatur of law, bands of white militia raided Negro homes, searching and seizing firearms. For blacks, the distinction between these official militias and terrorist organizations like the KKK was often thin. Sometimes there was not even a pretense of distinction. Witness Col. Roger Moore, commander of the New Hanover County, North Carolina, militia, who also headed the Wilmington KKK.12

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The places where blacks were a clear majority of the population raise pointed questions about the risks and opportunities of armed resistance against the forces of Southern Redemption. In Mississippi, for example, violence and the threat of it suppressed the black vote in 1875 and gave Democrats control in counties where blacks constituted two-thirds (Oktibbeha and Amite Counties) to three-fourths (Lowndes County) of the population.

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From what we can tell today, whites were better organized, better armed, and potentially more desperate in the fight against Negro rule, which to them represented a world gone mad. A crucial aspect of the Democrats victory in these counties was disarmament of black Republicans. The assessment of Albert Morgan, formerly Republican sheriff of Yazoo County, Mississippi, and ally of carpetbag Gov. Adelbert Ames, is instructive. Both Morgan and Ames fled Mississippi in the wake of the Democratic ascent. Morgan lamented his potential role in that rise, explaining, When the general arming of the whites first became known to me  I counseled the colored man against irregular arming, advising all to rely upon the law and its officers. I hoped by steadfastly pursuing this course, by offering no pretext for violence, we might pass the ordeal I saw approaching. Acknowledging the tactical error, Morgan conceded, I was unused to guerrilla warfare.

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The end of Reconstruction opened the period some would call the nadir of the black experience in America. The political outlook was dim. Black political aspirations had been quashed by a program of violence, fraud, and federal abdication. Many have chronicled this story, but one of the best summaries comes from a black man of the times. In 1884, black publisher T. Thomas Fortune said this.13

It is sufficient to know that anarchy prevailed in every southern state; that a black mans life was not worth the having; that armed bodies of men openly defied the Constitution of the United States and nullified each and every one of its guarantees of citizenship to the colored man. Thousands of black men were shot down like sheep and not one of the assassins was ever hung by the neck until he was dead.

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With the diminishing promises of citizenship came greater personal exposure to violence. This posed a profound dilemma. State and local governments would grow increasingly hostile to Negroes. The notion of relying on the state for personal security or anything else would seem increasingly absurd against the rise of convict-labor schemes, state-sponsored Jim Crow rules, and lynch law.

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It was an important moment in the black tradition of arms. After 1877, there were growing reasons to believe that whatever blacks now had in the political arena was all they would get. But even as it became impractical for black Americans to advance their rights through political violence, gun ownership could provide them an essential means of private self-defense. In the dangerous times to come, black Americans pushed to the wall by violent threats would be very much on their own. They would have to decide whether to just crumple or to stand and fight.

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Adapted from Negroes and the Gun: The Black Tradition of Arms by Nicholas Johnson (Prometheus Books, 2014). Reprinted with permission from the publisher.

Read more from this series.
As the White House went into yet another round of crisis-management mode this past week following revelations that the administration did not get rid of an aide who had been accused of domestic abuse until after it was reported in the press, another staffer stepped down Friday following similar allegations. Speechwriter David Sorensen resigned Friday as the Washington Post was reporting a story on the claims by his ex-wife, Jessica Corbett, that he was violent and emotionally abusive during their marriage. Sorensen denies the allegations, claiming that he was the victim in what the Post characterizes as their turbulent marriage.

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The White House claims it confronted the speechwriter with the Council on Environmental Quality over the allegations before the Post reached out for comment on its story. Before we were contacted by the media, we learned last night that there were allegations. We immediately confronted the staffer, he denied the allegations and he resigned today, White House deputy press secretary Raj Shah said.

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A second White House aide has resigned amid past domestic abuse allegations, which he denies https://t.co/sehSn0jDss  The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) February 10, 2018

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Sorensens resignation came two days after staff secretary Rob Porter left the administration after reports of claims from two ex-wives that he physically abused them. Despite the similarities in the stories, the Post says it was first contacted by Corbett before Porters case became public. She said that during her marriage to Sorensen, he ran a car over her foot, put out a cigarette on her hand, threw her into a wall and grasped her menacingly by her hair while they were alone on their boat in remote waters off Maines coast, an incident she said left her fearing for her life, the paper reports.

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In a lengthy statement, Sorensen vehemently denied the allegations. I have never committed violence of any kind against any woman in my entire life, Sorensen said. In fact, I was the victim of repeated physical violence during our marriage, not her. The 32-year-old speechwriter who was once an adviser to Republican Gov. Paul LePage of Maine added that he was in talks with an attorney and was considering legal options to address her defamation. Sorensen said he decided to quit because he didnt want the White House to have to deal with this distraction.

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Sorensens position didnt require a security clearance and his background check was ongoing, according to the White House. Corbett, however, told the Post she first told the FBI about Sorensens behavior last fall.

His resignation came shortly after Trump surprised many by seemingly defending Porter, telling the press that he hopes his ex-staffer has a great career ahead of him, adding that he says hes innocent and I think you have to remember that. Earlier in the day, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand wrote a series of tweets noting Porters resignation was an important time to talk about this WH and whether they value women. Because, consistently, their actions tell us they dont.

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A confusing set of clashes and counter-clashes between Israel, Syria, and Iranian military forces on Saturday could very well mark the start of a new and dangerous tensions in the region as Syrias civil war continues to drag on. Israel had managed to keep the war across the border at arms length but that seemed to change Saturday in what some analysts characterized as an illustration of a confident Bashar al-Assad in Syria who seems headed to victory in the nearly seven-year conflict. That, in turn, appears to have emboldened Iran as it seeks to establish a military presence along Israels border with Syria, which Israel has long said it wont accept.

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It all appears to have started before dawn on Saturday, when Israel shot down what it said was an Iranian drone that had managed to penetrate its airspace from Syria. Thats when Israel sent at least eight planes to respond to the incursion, destroying the center from which it claimed Iran had launched the drone. Syrian anti-aircraft fire downed one of the Israeli F-16 warplanes that crashed in northern Israel. Both pilots managed to eject before the crash but one was critically injured. In response, Israel launched what it described as the most significant attack against Syria since the 1982 Lebanon war, claiming to strike 12 Iranian and Syrian targets in Syria.

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Original footage showing #Iranian UAV infiltrating and then shot down over Israel, and #IDF strike on Iranian command vehicle in #Syria pic.twitter.com/Sz6poAOdjc  Jonathan Conricus (@LTCJonathan) February 10, 2018

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Although Israel has regularly carried out strikes in Syria, the loss of an Israeli fighter jet and the intense response marks a potentially dangerous escalation in the regional conflict. Plus it could also mark the end of the way in which Israel has struck Syrian targets without retaliation. Regional observers also pointed out it was significant that Saturday marked the first time Israeli jets struck in an area where Iranian forces were present.

Hezbollah made clear it saw the downing of the Israeli F-16 as a significant development, calling it the start of a new strategic phase in which Israels ability to incur into Syrian airspace would be limited. Todays developments mean the old equations have categorically ended, Hezbollah said in a statement. Yet with its strong response to the downing of its plane, Israel also clearly wanted to send a message it will meet any attacks with strong force.

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Israel did not mince words in holding Iran responsible for Saturdays events. This is a serious Iranian attack on Israeli territory. Iran is dragging the region into an adventure in which it doesnt know how it will end, Israels chief military spokesman, Brig Gen Ronen Manelis, said. Whoever is responsible for this incident is the one who will pay the price.

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Russia, meanwhile, also got involved in the days events, calling on all sides to show restraint. We urge all parties involved to exercise restraint and to avoid any actions that could lead to an even greater complication of the situation, Russias foreign ministry said in statement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he told Russias Vladimir Putin that it is our right and duty to defend ourselves against attacks from Syria.

For now at least it seems more cross-border attacks arent imminent. My impression is that it seems to be contained at this point, a Western diplomat in the region told Reuters. I dont think anybody wants to escalate further.
In a surprise move, Rachel Brand is stepping down as the No. 3 official at the Department of Justice, the New York Times reported on Friday. Brand was next in line to oversee the special counsels Russia inquiry after Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Brands departure could have enormous consequences for Robert Muellers investigation of Russian election interference and President Donald Trump.

The New York Times has reported that Trump considered firing Rosenstein and Mueller over the summer, a situation that would have been reminiscent of Richard Nixons Saturday Night Massacre and the firing of Watergate investigator Archibald Cox. Trump will now get to hand-pick a replacement for Brand, who would step in to take over the investigation should he or she be confirmed by the Senate and should Rosenstein go. Its also been noted that Rosenstein may ultimately have to recuse himself from the investigation; in that case, he wouldnt even have to be fired for the Trump selection to take control of the investigation into Trump.

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Last March, Trump issued an executive order modifying the line of succession for an acting attorney general, the person who would be in control of Muellers inquiry since Attorney General Jeff Sessions has recused himself. According to that order, under normal procedures, a potential replacement for either Brand or Rosenstein to oversee the Russia inquiry would need Senate confirmation.

Fordham Law professor and occasional Slate contributor Jed Shugerman has laid out the potential orders of succession at the current moment. According to the vacancy statutes, Solicitor General Noel Francisco would be designated by Jeff Sessions as acting attorney general if Rosenstein were to depart, and hed be followed by the assistant attorneys general. The next in line after that would typically be the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, a position which is being vacated by Dana Boente. Since Boente is leaving that job, it would go to the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon Jr.

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Its worth noting that the executive order says Trump retains discretion, to the extent permitted by law to go around this line of succession to select an acting attorney general on his own. But doing so in an effort to squelch an investigation into himself, his allies, and his family would conceivably be such a transparent effort to subvert the rule of law as to be a political liability even within the Republican Party.

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Rosenstein has been personally attacked by Trump. He has come under additional fire recently from critics of the Russia investigation, who have been using a concocted and false narrative from a recently declassified talking points memo to go after the FBI, Mueller, and Rosenstein. When Trump was asked by reporters if he still had confidence in Rosenstein last week, he responded you figure that one out.

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Brand is reportedly leaving to become the head of global corporate governance at Walmart. The move feels possibly odd for someone who has served in three presidential administrations, cultivated a reputation as a devoted public servant, and who has only been in her current job less than one year.

Politicos Eliana Johnson reported that someone close to Brand and the administration said she was leaving because she is very smart, accomplished, and talented, and wants to protect her career.

Brand worked in the George W. Bush administration and has been considered a rising conservative legal star for more than a decade. It seems very possible that staying in that DOJ position might have ultimately left her facing a very difficult situation career-wise. In a world where Rosenstein was fired and Brand was placed in charge of the Mueller probe, she might have to choose between obeying a Trump order that might upend the rule of law and being fired by Trump. As congressional and mainstream Republicans have moved closer towards Trumps apparent anti-Mueller, anti-rule of law position, such martyrdom does not sound like it would help her future in the GOP.

Either decision might have done long-term damage to Brands future career prospects in any branch of government.

Brands move, however, preemptively abdicates that possible decision, quite possibly leaving it to a Trump-approved successor. As Elie Mystal, the executive editor at Above the Law, wrote following the news, it seems as though we might be rolling towards a slow moving Saturday Night Massacre.
As part of a deal to return stolen American cyber-weapons, a Russian national was able to get $100,000 from the American government after a hotel room meeting in Germany. But thats only part of the story: As the New York Times Matthew Rosenberg reported on Friday, the Russian also wanted to pass along compromising information about President Trump to American intelligence operatives, including what the Russian said was a video of the unproven (and yet infamous) hotel room urination incident in Moscow. The Americans resisted receiving the information, fearing both that it was fake, and that it would be used to create rifts within the American government. The whole story, and James Risens Intercept piece on the same subject, which landed earlier on Friday, must be read in full to be believed.

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For background on his reporting, and to put his story in context, I spoke by phone with Rosenberg soon after it published. He currently covers intelligence and national security at the Times; he has been a foreign correspondent in Africa, Europe, South Asia, and the Middle East, and was expelled from Afghanistan by the Hamid Karzai administration because of his reporting. (Rosenberg and I have several mutual friends, and have met socially.)

During the course of our conversation, which has been edited and condensed for clarity, we discussed the motives the Russians would have for offering up a fake tape, the motives the Russians might also have for offering up a real tape, whether the CIA has been politicized, and what journalists and spies have in common.

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Isaac Chotiner: If someone said to you, Matt, I havent read your story. You have 15 seconds.

What should I take away from it? Its such a crazy story that I want to know what youd say.

Matthew Rosenberg: Its a really weird one, and its a hard one to do in 15 seconds. But let me see if I can try. The topline is that American spies went out looking for these hacking tools that the NSA had created that had been stolen. And they found a Russian who said he could sell it all, but said, You are also going to get all the kompromat on Donald Trump. The sex tape. All of it. The Americans were like, Oh, God, we dont really want that, we want those hacking tools, so they kept negotiating.

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Its basically a story about what a weird, kind of strange, difficult time this is. Spy games happen all the time, but you need a confluence of circumstances [for this]: You need an election with Russian interference. You then need a president to win and deny interference ever happened and say there is no collusion. You need the Russians to say, Oh, wow, lets take advantage of this. This really worked out. Lets make it worse and start selling this stuff off. And you need that dossier to exist, and get the idea in the public imagination that this stuff is out there. And you need all these things to come together to get this truly bizarre thing where American spies, who arent supposed to spy on American citizensfull stopare suddenly confronted with [the idea of], Wait, a possible foreign agent wants to sell us a sex tape of the president? Thats not something they usually do.

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What motive was there for the Russians to do this?

Thats the thing: And this is an important point, too. I quote former CIA people in the story, and as current ones and NSA counterintelligence will tell you, this is really hard. You never know entirely who is who. And with the Russians it is especially hard. Russian intel officer vs. a Russian who knows some guys in intel vs. organized criminal in Russia is a very blurry line. And on top of that, suddenly youve got guys out there saying, We will sell you all this crazy information. Are they organized crime guys trying to make a quick buck? Or is this a Russian intel operation saying, You know what? If we can feed this stuff in, if we can make it look like the Americans went out looking to buy stuff on Trump, think about that. Think about how the president would react to that kind of news if that got into intel channels. They know what the seams are here. The Russians are not playing three-dimensional chess; the Russians are not savvier than we are. They are just opportunistic, and they are willing to use information and weaponize it.

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The Russian here who was selling the stuff was somebody who was kind of known to the Americans, who has these weird underground and espionage connections. But he also does some money laundering and has this laughable cover business where he sells these portable grills you can wear around your neck for street-side sausage salesman. The company has been nearly bankrupt for years. You have all these strands and you say, What do we do with this?

If what the Russians were selling was real, what would be the motive to get that to the Americans? It seems like from what you are saying that the motives you have come up with all have to do with the information being fake. Or is that wrong?

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I think theres a popular conception out there that the Russians were committed to seeing Donald Trump elected. And I think that is not entirely borne out by the facts. What the Russians were committed towhat we really knowis that they were committed to messing with American democracy. Whether Trump was a vehicle for that or not, thats still a big question. But it looks like for them he was. If their goal here is messing with American democracy, then getting some of this stuff out on Donald Trump, if its real, thats worse, weakens him further, intensifies the political mess we are in. So there are reasons to do that. Plus, if you can get this into American consciousness through American spy agencies or law enforcement, you will have set off the White House vs. its own spies in a way that if you are a Russian spy, thats great. Disorder and dissension in the ranks of your enemies.

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So there is certainly a plausible theory here. Now lookis this stuff real? We dont know. No sex tape ever appeared. Its a bunch of other records that havent been verified.

And there was a weird tape without sex that was watched by an American businessman at the Russian embassy in Berlin.

Yeahand who knows what that was? And my suspicion, honestly: If somebody had that tape out there, given the kind of money people like Larry Flynt are offering, never mind private buyers, they would have sold it by now. You are talking about people who could make tens of millions of dollars and these guys are just hanging out showing 15-second clips at the Russian embassy in Berlin? That seems a little 

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To get back to your point about whether the Russians wanted to see Trump elected: Wasnt it the conclusion of our agencies that, broadly, they did want to sow dissension, but they also preferred Trump to Clinton?

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They had a preference for him, but the main goal was sowing dissension.

You say that the reason the CIA people did not want to go too near this was because they did not want to spy on Americans, or create dissension within the government. The story in the Intercept suggests that part of the reason might be because Mike Pompeo, who runs the CIA, does not want to go looking for stuff that reflects badly on Trump. In your reporting, have you seen anything that backs that up?

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You are going to run into people that say that; you are not going to run into enough of them. You are not going to be able to back it up in ways that you can confidently say, This is Mike Pompeo who did this. For me, if you are going to write that there is political interference, you need to have a very hard example of it. And in this case, we just dont have it. Inside American spy agencies, you dont need the director to say, Oh, we shouldnt do this. A sex tape is the kind of thing they dont see as the work of real intelligence officers; they see it as tabloid gossip pages. I did have people say things like, Look, if we got things that we thought were of legitimate counterintelligence value that showed an American citizen being compromised by a foreign power, we would not turn that away. Thats just not what we saw out there. We arent looking for it, but if somebody brings it to us, we will certainly take it. We just didnt see that in any of this.

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Now look, its a weird time. Would they have taken it under a different president and at least looked at it? Maybe. With Trump in office, you can see why they are like, We want no part of this. But thats a bit of self-preservation as well. You dont need Mike Pompeo if you are working at the CIA or the NSA [to know] that it could possibly destroy your career to go poking around on this kind of stuff.

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Has all this made the people you talk to feel more or less skeptical of the Steele dossier, and its most explosive allegations?

The most explosive allegation, the sex tape, I dont think anyone knows what to think of it still. I have definitely spoken to people who say that if you stay at the Ritz-Carlton [in Moscow], you are probably videoed. Everybody who stays thereAmerican officials, anyone important. Is there a video that exists out there? Who knows. I talked to a former Russian spy who said that if there is, it is locked in a safe in some generals office and is not getting out. On the other allegations, just like responsible journalists, I think a professional intelligence officer would take the view that until you have proof it is all just rumor, its speculation.

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Now look, Steele was a professional spy for many years and is respected by his American colleagues. They think that this is not a man who goes off half-cocked. But Steele himself says he was taking information from a variety of sources, and this was never meant to be a document to get out there. It was meant for people to corroborate. I think, like journalism, intelligence is about collecting information and trying to corroborate what you can. Journalists reprint it, and spies put it in an analysis and give it to the policymakers. But you are doing the same thing there. That dossier is still the wild card in all this.

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How long have you been on this Russia beat?

I have been doing it for the past year.

Do you feel like you understand this huge story about Russian interference and Trump and what it all means better or worse than when you started?

I think I have a more realistic understanding of it. What I do understand very clearly is that there is a lot of evidence that is already out there that people in Trumps circle, including his son, were willing to talk to Russians about the possibility of cooperating or working together. Thats what it looks like, anyway. Whether they actually got their act together and did it: I just have no idea. There is no direct evidence of that yet. I guess you could say they were collusion-curious at some times.

But I think when you are close to it you get a sense of the wild oh, theres a sex tape, they were doing bank deals, everyone knows it, they were buying up all these condominiums. You put your fingers into all that and you know how slippery it all is. It hasnt been disproven but it hasnt been proven. And if it hasnt been proven, we are not going to say its true.
More and more consumers are clamoring for products made with all natural ingredients. And when it comes to juices, smoothies and bowls, Main Squeeze Juice Co. obliges.

The company fills an important need in a growing industry. Read more about it in this weeks Small Business Spotlight.

What the Business Does

Offers healthy juices, smoothies, acai bowls and cleanses.

Main Squeezes Marketing Director Adam Stelly told Small Business Trends, Main Squeezes mission is to make healthy easier, and our nutritionist-designed, superfood-centric menu does exactly that. The entire menu offers a daily source of plant-based nutrition packed with natural and quick energy and includes items like cold-pressed juices and superfood smoothies, along with one-, two- and three-day juice cleanse programs, wellness shots, and acai bowls created from organic and wild-harvested acai berries from the Amazon rainforest in Northeast Brazil.

Business Niche

Using only natural ingredients.

Stelly says, Were known for that because those attributes mentioned above are very important to our customers experience, and we are dedicated to making each visit in our store a one-of-a-kind, top-notch experience. When you present quality in even the smallest details and create a unique experience, your brand and its offerings suddenly become more memorable.

How the Business Got Started

Out of a yoga studio.

Stelly explains, Our four co-founders originally owned and operated a yoga studio. They later began to sell juice to their clients to have a supplemental revenue stream. With those additional products they realized they had something special and saw opportunity in both the juice and superfood smoothie segments. That realization lead to the creation of Main Squeeze Juice Co.

Biggest Win

Taking small steps on a daily basis.

Stelly says, As a newcomer to the booming juice industry, we enjoy even the small wins and victories that come daily. Taking pride in every step and exhibiting quality outcomes at every opportunity is what produces the big win.

Biggest Risk

Switching up the juicing operations.

Stelly explains, For a time we used High Pressure Processing (HPP) and decided to switch to fresh pressing. Fresh pressing, while more difficult and time consuming, yields a higher quality product (which is what our customers look for and deserve). The risk is we couldve spent a bulk of valuable resources on developing the new system, but the results are turning out incredibly well and our product has never tasted better.

How Theyd Spend an Extra $100,000

Beefing up advertising efforts.

Stelly adds, Were confident that anyone who tries our products will instantly become lifelong customers but we need to entice people to try the productadvertising can help with that.

Office Environment

Dog-friendly workplace.

Stelly says, The most fun tidbit is that we have a dog-friendly office and encourage our team members to bring their dogs to our corporate headquarters. We do everything we can to create a positive and productive workplace for our team.

* * * * *

Find out more about the Small Biz Spotlight program
Mettler-Toledo International, Inc. is a supplier of precision instruments and services. The firm manufactures weighing instruments for use in laboratory, industrial, packaging, logistics, and food retailing applications. It also manufactures several related analytical instruments and provides automated chemistry solutions used in drug and chemical compound discovery and development; and also, metal detection and other end-of-line inspection systems used in production and packaging and provides solutions for use in certain process analytics applications. Its operations are conducted by the following segments: U. S. Operations, Swiss Operations, Western European Operations, Chinese Operations and Other. The U.S. Operations segment represents certain of the company's marketing and producing organizations located in the United States. The Swiss Operations segment includes marketing and producing organizations located in Switzerland, as well as extensive R&D operations that are responsible for the development, production, and marketing of precision instruments, including weighing, analytical, and measurement technologies for use in a variety of industrial and laboratory applications. Th

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Wall Street analysts have given United States Natural Gas Fund 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 United States Natural Gas Fund wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

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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. 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Ralph Lauren Corp. engages in the design, marketing, and distribution of premium lifestyle products. The firm offers apparel, accessories, home furnishings, and other licensed product. It operates through the following segments: North America, Europe, and Asia. The North America segment consists of sales of Ralph Lauren branded apparel, accessories, home furnishings, and related products made through the Company's wholesale and retail businesses in the U.S. and Canada, excluding Club Monaco. The Europe segment caters to sales of Ralph Lauren branded apparel, accessories, home furnishings, and related products made through the Company's wholesale and retail businesses in Europe and the Middle East, excluding Club Monaco. The Asia segment covers the sales of Ralph Lauren branded apparel, accessories, home furnishings, and related products made through the Company's wholesale and retail businesses in Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. The company was founded by Ralph Lauren in 1967 and is headquartered in New York, NY.

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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.
As Carnival season will soon be in full swing, we asked City Savvy Luxembourg to share with us their selection of the best carnivals around Luxembourg

Its party time in Luxembourg! Specifically, carnival or fuesend time. The party was originally kicked off with a good old fashioned Roman orgy held in honor of Bacchus, (the god of wine, theatre, ritual madness, and dancing). Masks were added during the Middle Ages so that party-goers could socialise incognito. Tempted to join in? Perhaps a bit tamer now, heres the City Savvy list of our favourite carnivals. See you at the parade!

5 Top Picks in Luxembourg

Less of a parade and more of a party; carnival in Differdange is a 3-day affair with something for hardcore party-goers and families alike. Friday night sees  FUESGAUDI  in the club, then the main Clochards-bal is on the Saturday with the Mini-Clochards bal for the family from 3pm to 6pm on the Sunday. One of the more expensive balls, but also one of the most fun.

Dont miss if: you want to nurse your hangover in the comfort of your home on Sunday, rather than at work on Monday.



Where: All events take place in the centre of Differdange.

When: February 9-11. Tickets available here.

Contact: culturel@differdange.lu or 58 77 1-1900

Website (Luxembourgish)

Boasting a parade of around 1,800 participants, Diekirch pulls in the crowds to watch them; some 22,000 attended in 2017, gathering 6 tonnes of candy. Not as international as Petange (see below), this is based on the German model of carnival, which means active encouragement to dress-up! Your ticket to watch the parade (7 on the day; 5 in advance; free for under 12s  sold from retailers in Diekirch), doubles as a raffle ticket, for which the first prize-winner gets 400. We wish you luck this year!

Dont miss if: youre feeling lucky



Where: The parade starts at the the route de Gilsdorf for 14:30 and finishes at the Centre Culturel Al Seeerei at 18:00. Route here. Parking available.

When: February 11; Parade starts at 14:30 but get there earlier!

Contact: esd@cavalcade.lu or through the contact page on the website.

Website (French / German)

A 2-day extravaganza with fun for everyone! There is an event for the students at the university and a party for families with the childrens carnival and Kapesetzung Fues-Revue on Saturday. The climax is on the 4th March when the huge parade (60 floats and 45 associations are to take part) sets out. Cheer it on and then get ready for the after-party  youll find the adrenaline keeps you going.

Dont miss if: you want to experience a whole long weekend of partying.

Where: Place de lHotel de Ville, L-4011 Esch-sur-Alzette. Parade goes via Place Victor Hugo, Rue Victor Hugo, Rue du Nord, Rue du Canal, Rue du Brill, Rue de lAlzette & Place de lHotel de Ville

When: March 3-4; Parade starts at 14:30 on the Sunday

Contact: tourisme@esch.lu

Website

Remich has a great procession and the price of the ticket is well worth it (particularly if you win the tombola!) What marks Remich out is that they follow the Luxembourg traditions from beginning to end in a unique way; from the Streimannchen (the burning of a male doll, hung from the bridge in Remich that connects Luxembourg and Germany as a symbol of chasing away winter) on February 14th through to the Buergbrennen (bonfire) . The culmination is that much more special when youve been part of every festivity in the town.

Dont miss if: you want to participate in all of Luxembourgs Lent festivities in one historic town.



Where: departs from the Route du Luxembourg at the top of Remich; then winds through the town and ends at the Pavillon St Remy.

When: March 11; Parade starts at 14:30

Contact: via the city website

Website

NB: this information is not yet confirmed; watch this space before you make plans!

The annual carnival celebration in Petange is called the Karneval Gemeng Peiteng  or in short: Kagepe (KaGePe). If you like it big, with a bit of history attached, this cavalcade is the one for you; its the oldest and largest carnival parade in the country. As such, it attracts a great crowd (over 30,000 last year) of both internationals and locals with its vibrant funky program and after-party. This year boasts over 1,300 participants and some gorgeous floats!

Dont miss if: you want to sound truly local; Yeah, Im going to the Kagepe this weekend, baby.



Where: Place du Marche

When: Sunday, March 11; Parade starts at 14:11. Animations and fun start early  wed recommend you hit Petange at least an hour early.

Contact: info@kagepe.lu

Website (French / German)

...And more



Nearby Carnivals

Dont forget to sample typical Luxembourgish Carnival goodies*, including:

Verwurrelt Gedanken (scrambled thoughts)  knots of pastry sprinkled with icing sugar,

Nonnefascht (nuns farts)  doughnuts sprinkled with icing sugar,

Taertelcher  doughnuts,

Maisercher  mouse-shaped donuts, and

Stretzegeback  small cakes made of pastry that is scalded before being baked.

*(http://www.luxembourg.public.lu/en/le-grand-duche-se-presente/fetes-traditions/carnaval/index.html)

Thank you to

City Savvy Luxembourg

the pioneer lifestyle and service online magazine for the anglophone community in Luxembourg to have shared their insights on the best spots to check for making the best of this party season!
Some stores claiming to offer only home-produced food turn out to mass-produce their products using industrial machines.

A facility based in the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long famous for their banana preserves claim to be able to sell two metric tons of the sweet snack every year during Tet, or Lunar New Year.

Despite marketing themselves as selling only homemade banana preserves, the establishment in reality operates no differently than a large-scale business, and even uses industrial machines to speed up the process.

If we do it by hand, one worker can only finish two batches of banana preserves a day at most, said L., an employee at the establishment.

A machine can perform the task at four to five times the efficiency.

Bui Thi Thanh Tuyen, who resides in Dsitrict 10, Ho Chi Minh City, said she was a fan of homemade food due to her fear of consuming unwanted chemicals from industrially produced food.

Tuyen has said she had just bought dozens of kilograms of food from homemade stores at between ten and 20 percent higher prices than they would have cost at regular outlets.

However, she admitted not knowing whether the products were actually home-produced, relying on recommendations from friends and colleagues.

Huong, a resident in Ho Chi Minh Citys Thu Duc District, said she had bought four kilograms of coconut preserves from a friend who had advertised the product on Facebook.

To her disappointment, the snack tasted strongly of artificial sweetener, and began to water after just a week.

Mai, who sells homemade smoked pork and buffalo meat, said she only took orders from friends and family members despite a growing number of strangers asking to buy the delicacy.

I only prepare the food after receiving the orders, rather than make them beforehand and keep in cold storage, Mai said.

She added that some homemade stores make profit buying mass-produced products and reselling them at higher prices simply by labeling the food as homemade.

Meanwhile, according to a food safety official from Vietnams Ministry of Health, there are currently no set of quality standards for homemade food, posing a challenge for authorities in inspecting homemade food producers.

Administrative authorities cannot keep an eye on every establishment out there, he said.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
With Tet, Vietnams biggest holiday of the year, only a week away, many flower markets and flower fairs have been formed across Ho Chi Minh City.

There city-level flower markets will be held at Gia Dinh Park in Phu Nhuan District, and Le Van Tam and 23/9 Parks in District 1.

Customers buy flowers at a market in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre

As a tradition, a grandiose flower display is being held at the Tao Dan Park in District 1 from today, February 10 to 21 with thousands of unique flowers and decorative plants on display.

A man waters his flowers at a market in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre

At the district level, there are 125 locations offering flowers to any interested customers.

In District 6, flower shops can be easily found on four streets, 26, Le Tuan Mau, An Duong Vuong, and Hau Giang. A New Year fair is held at the districts Binh Phu Park with several cultural and entertaining activities organized on a daily basis.

In District 8, Binh Dong Quay on Tau Hu Canal is a go-to place for people seeking flowers for the Tet holiday.

In District 7, people can purchase flowers by dropping by Tran Xuan Soan Street along the Te Canal, where dozens of boats bringing flowers from the Mekong Delta are docked.

On Friday, a sumptuous flower fair officially kicked off in the Phu My Hung residential area in District 7 and will last until February 14.

One of the notable displays in this area is a giant five-meter-tall dog statue representing the animal zodiac of the year 2018.

There are 250 booths selling flowers and bonsai trees and 80 stalls offering countless signature foods of various Vietnamese localities.

Visitors who love taking photos can send their pictures to enter a photo contest with three categories for families, women, and children.

Various cultural and art programs will also be held every night at the Phu My Hung flower market.

Tet, or the Lunar New Year, falls on February 16, and celebrations are normally ongoing during the week before and after the date.

Model of a thatched house is built on a pond in Phu My Hung. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A group of young women wearing Vietnam ao dai takes a walk along a flower-lined street in Phu My Hung. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A woman wears a Vietnamese ba ba blouse and a conical hat in Phu My Hung. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A woman, along with her two little girls, takes a stroll in the flowery Phu My Hung residential area. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Children enjoy their time along a rice field model. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Young women wearing Vietnamese ao dai take a selfie in Phu My Hung. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A group of women dressed in Vietnamese ao dai walks leisurely at the flower fair in Phu My Hung Photo: Tuoi Tre

A beautiful display of peach blossom in Phu My Hung. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Models of boats carrying flowers are seen at Phu My Hung. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A group of foreigners enjoy their time at the flower show in Phu My Hung. Photo: Tuoi Tre
Read whats in the news today, February 10, or the 25th of the 12th month of the lunar calendar.

Society

-- Stores and supermarkets in Vietnam are rolling out grand clearance sales and promotions as the country enters the peak shopping season when locals make preparations for Tet, or Lunar New Year, the years biggest public holiday that falls on February 16 this year.

-- Health experts have warned of the risks involved in consuming homemade food bought from online stores in Vietnam that are subject to no safety or hygiene inspections, as locals steer clear from industrially produced food out of fear for unwanted chemicals.

-- Ho Chi Minh City Party chief Nguyen Thien Nhan visited Thu Thiem Evangelical Church in District 2 on Friday to send Tet wishes from the municipal administration to priests and nuns there, as well as to over 50 elder orphans under their care.

-- VN-Index closed Friday at 1,003.94 points, losing 19.31 points (1.89 percent) from the previous day as the local stock market shows signs of recovering from the worst plunge in four years on Monday due to the effect of falling stock prices in the U.S.

-- Ho Chi Minh City traffic inspectors issued fines for over 900 cars that stopped for more than three minutes outside terminals of the citys Tan Son Nhat International Airport in 2017, with the total penalty money amounting to VND587 million (US$25,800).

-- Nguyen Van Son, deputy chairman of Hoi An City in central Vietnam, has pledged to remove pubs inside its ancient quarters that violate regulations on maintaining urban order, including the excessive use of loud music that disturbs the tranquil neighborhood.

-- The administration of Thu Dau Mot City in the southern province of Binh Duong on Friday opened its Administrative Center, where local administrative bodies will be represented, allowing residents to have their paperwork done in just one trip.

-- An undergraduate in the north-central province of Thanh Hoa died on Friday after saving a mother and her two children from drowning in a river.

Lifestyle

-- A flower festival opened on Friday at the Phu My Hung Urban Zone in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City, offering mesmerizing flower displays that cover an area of seven hectares and will remain through February 14 for visitors to enjoy for free.

-- Bus stations in Ho Chi Minh City are flooded with people who elbow for a ticket back to their hometown in neighboring provinces for Tet, a mass commute that is expected to last until the turn of the Lunar New Year on February 16.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Melbourne presenter Peter Hitchener has marked 45 years with Nine News -which must be close to a national record for remaining with the same network in this fickle business.

Hitch joined Nine in 1973 following stints with ABC and 4BH. He first anchored for Nine in Melbourne in 1974, and hosting the 6pm weeknight bulletin since 1998.

Queensland-born Hitchener remains active with community groups and charities, receiving an Order of Australia in 2017 and a finalist for for 2015s Victorian Senior of the Year.

Congrats!
Weatherford International plc, an oilfield service company, provides equipment and services for the drilling, evaluation, completion, production, and intervention of oil and natural gas wells worldwide. The company operates in two segments, Western Hemisphere and Eastern Hemisphere. 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.

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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..
AFP Contributor/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- White House chief of staff John Kelly has had a tough week.



Over the course of two days, two different statements made by the retired four-star Marine general prompted questions and backlash. One was related to policy and one was related to White House personnel, but both made an impact. In fact, President Donald Trump has spoken to confidants about the possibility of replacing Kelly, sources close to the president told ABC News. And Kelly has made clear to the president in the last 24 hours that he's willing to resign in light of the president's dissatisfaction over Kelly's handling of the personnel matter specifically, according to sources who have spoken with Trump and Kelly.



Here's a rundown of Kelly's controversial remarks this week:



Tuesday, Feb. 6



While talking to reporters on Capitol Hill, Kelly commented on the number of people who are protected under Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA). He cited the 690,000 official DACA registrants and said that President Donald Trump effectively raised that number to include 1.8 million people.



"The difference between 690,000 and 1.8 million were the people that some would say were too afraid to sign up, others would say were too lazy to get off their asses, but they didn't sign up," Kelly said, according to reporters who were there.



Later that same day, he defended his earlier comments, saying: "I gotta say that some of them just should have probably gotten off the couch and signed up."



The comments picked up traction online, with many -- including members of Congress -- weighing in on Twitter.



"Last time I checked, working various jobs, attending college, and serving in our military isn't lazy--it's honorable. For someone who led DHS, Kelly seems to lack a basic understanding about #DACA and #Dreamers," wrote Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz.



Wednesday, Feb. 7



On Tuesday night, The Daily Mail published an interview with now-former White House staff secretary Rob Porter's second ex-wife detailing alleged abuse during their marriage. But it wasn't until the next day when Kelly issued a statement in support of Porter.



Rob Porter is a man of true integrity and honor and I cant say enough good things about him. He is a friend, a confidant and a trusted professional. I am proud to serve alongside him, Kelly said in his first statement about Porter, released by the White House.



At some point that day, The Daily Mail posted an interview with Porter's first wife, who also said that she was abused during their marriage. She shared photos of herself with a black eye she said was from one of the alleged instances of abuse.



Porter has denied the accusations from both of his ex-wives.



On Wednesday evening, Kelly issued a second statement about the allegations.



"I was shocked by the new allegations released today against Rob Porter. There is no place for domestic violence in our society, Kelly said in the second statement. I stand by my previous comments of the Rob Porter that I have come to know since becoming chief of staff, and believe every individual deserves the right to defend their reputation.



He went on to say that he accepted Porters resignation earlier Wednesday and will ensure a swift and orderly transition.



The National Organization for Women slammed Kelly's statements on Porter and called on him to resign as well. "His pathetic defense of staff secretary Rob Porter reveals his true naturean enabler of sexual abusers, a betrayer of trust and an avoider of responsibility," the organization said. "... John Kelly must go. Today."



Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., tweeted about Kelly's comments about both DACA recipients and his initial defense of Porter late Wednesday, highlighting them as two of his most controversial comments while in office.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Posted Saturday, February 10, 2018 4:45 am

Arrests

The following arrests were reported by the Webster County Sheriffs Office and are not meant as an indication of guilt.

Jan. 10

 Terhia S. Price, 24, was brought in on Webster County warrants for no valid license and failure to display plates.

 Joshua K. Hilburn, 35, was arrested on Taney County warrants for shoplifting and no insurance.

 Marty D. Osborn, 27, was arrested on Polk County warrants for failure to display plates, no insurance and no seat belt.

 Jami L. Deam, 33, was arrested on a Webster County warrant for driving while suspended and Fordland warrants for displaying plates of another, failure to register a motor vehicle and no insurance.

 Norma V. Rabun, 42, was arrested on a Webster County warrant for possession of a controlled substance.

Jan. 12

 Kevin E. Debrecht, 35, was arrested for driving while intoxicated.

Jan. 13

 Lisa R. Good, 49, was brought in on a Webster County warrant for stealing a firearm.

 Heather J. Kurz, 44, was arrested on Greene County warrants for non-support and driving while revoked.

Jan. 14

 Kelly A. Claxton, 23, was arrested on a Webster County warrant for possession of a controlled substance.

Jan. 15

 Ashleigh M. Russell, 22, was arrested on a Webster County warrant for theft.

 Christopher E. Harker, 32, came in on a Webster County warrant for a non-moving traffic violation.

 James J. Lawson, 33, was arrested on a Laclede County warrant for driving while revoked.

Jan. 16

 Homer L. Clair came in on a Webster County warrant for child abuse.

 Crystle H. Whittenburg, 29, came in on a Webster County warrant for child abuse.

 Jacob D. McNish, 17, was placed on a 24-hour hold for second-degree burglary.

 Justin R. Pardini, 29, was arrested on a Greene County warrant for invasion of privacy.

 Kyle R. Evans, 29, was arrested on a Webster County warrant for possession of a controlled substance and a Christian County warrant for possession of dangerous drugs.

Filings

Contract - other

Jan. 18

 American National Property and Casualty Company

Dissolution with children

Jan. 17

 Ashley Emerick v. Patricia M. Emrick

Jan. 18

 Jeremy D. Timm v. Eugenia D. Timm

 Sarah G. Silkey v. Darren W. Silkey

Dissolution without children

Jan. 17

 Elizabeth M. Gregory v. Cole B. Gregory

Jan. 18

 Shannon D. Cook v. Geoffrey D. Cook

Jan. 23

 Greg L. Harms v. Jessica H. Harms

Family access motion

Jan. 18

 David R. Daniel et al v. Amanda L.A.M. Ireland

Felony

Jan. 23

 State of Missouri v. Dustie Rachelle Penn

 State of Missouri v. Dewayne L. Bishop

 State of Missouri v. Kaleb Hicks

 State of Missouri v. Christopher M. Omeni

 State of Missouri v. Mackenzie J. Merriman

 State of Missouri v. Chelsea L. Herrera

 State of Missouri v. Christopher L. Clancy

 State of Missouri v. Donald D. Funk

 State of Missouri v. Jason K. Bullock

 State of Missouri v. Dustie R. Penn

Administrative order

Jan. 19

 Amber Reynolds v. Starbuck Reynolds

Jan. 22

 Webster County Childrens Division v. Sheena Marie Nutt

 Libby A. Erwin v. Joseph L. Clark

Dispositions

The following dispositions were reported by the Webster County Circuit Clerks office.

Administrative order

Jan. 19

 Amber Reynolds v. Starbuck Reynolds - Other final disposition.

Jan. 22

 Webster County Childrens Division v. Sheena Marie Nutt - Other final disposition.

 Libby A. Erwin v. Joseph L. Clark - Other final disposition.

Felony

Jan. 18

 State of Missouri v. David Ross Craig - Guilty plea.

 State of Missouri v. Larry Owens - Remand to lower court/tribunal.

Jan. 22

 State of Missouri v. Shannon Walden - Guilty plea.

 State of Missouri v. R.J. Sartin - Guilty plea.

 State of Missouri v. Katherine Quiroz - Remand to lower court/tribunal.

Other tort

Jan. 23

 Joyce Bennett v. A One Insurance Store, Inc. - Dismissed by parties.

Dissolution without children

Jan. 22

 Tawana J. Harman v. Robert W. Harman - Uncontested.

 Amanda M. Trace v. Arthur J. Trace - Consent judgment.

 Morgan M. Egan v. Jeremy W. Egan - Uncontested.

Jan. 23

 Todd A. Woltz v. Laurie A. Woltz - Dismissed by court with prejudice.

Dissolution with children

Jan. 22

 Ashley Curtman v. Jessie Curtman - Default judgment.

 Eric J. Rowe v. Tiffany N. Rowe - Consent judgment.

 Haley Bearden v. David N. Bearden - Uncontested.

Motion to modify

Jan. 17

 Ambra N. Wright Thayer v. Gerald R. Wright - Consent judgment.

 Douglas R. Montez v. Katrina M. Lee - Uncontested.

Judgments

The following judgments were reported by the Webster County Circuit Clerks office.

Jan. 17

 Douglas R. Montez v. Katrina M. Lee. Court grants modification.

 Ambra N. Wright Thayer v. Gerald R. Wright. Court grants modification.

Jan. 22

 Haley Bearden v. David N. Bearden. Court dissolves marriage. Debts and property divided.

 State of Missouri v. Tyler W. Belongy. Probation revoked, defendants sentence of five years in the Missouri Department of Corrections for possession of a controlled substance previously imposed but suspended is ordered executed.

 State of Missouri v. Stacie Ann Brown. Probation revoked, defendants sentence of seven years in the Missouri Department of Corrections for first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle previously imposed but suspended is ordered executed.

 State of Missouri v. Austin Miles Bruton. Probation revoked, defendants sentence of three years in the Missouri Department of Corrections for unlawful use of a weapon previously imposed but suspended is ordered executed.

 Ashley Curtman v. Jessie Curtman. Court dissolves marriage. Debts and property divided.

 Morgan M. Egan v. Jeremy W. Egan. Court dissolves marriage. Debts and property divided.

 Tawana J. Harman v. Robert W. Harman. Court dissolves marriage. Debts and property divided.

 State of Missouri v. Dylan R. Hayes. Defendants probation is continued with additional conditions. Defendant to do 120-day treatment pursuant to RSMo 217.785.

 State of Missouri v. Mark Darrel McEvoy II. Defendants probation is ordered revoked, sentence of four years in the Missouri Department of Corrections for possession of a controlled substance previously imposed but suspended is ordered executed.

 State of Missouri v. Vincent E. Rader. Defendants probation is ordered revoked, sentence of five years in the Missouri Department of Corrections for second-degree burglary previously imposed but suspended is ordered executed.

 State of Missouri v. Harold W. Rousseau. Defendants probation is ordered revoked, sentence of three years in the Missouri Department of Corrections of possession of controlled substance previously imposed but suspended is ordered executed.

 Eric J. Rowe v. Tiffany N. Rowe. Court dissolves marriage. Debts and property divided.

 State of Missouri v. R.J. Sartin. Guilty plea entered by Sartin for possession of a controlled substance, sentenced to five years in the Missouri Department of Corrections (credit for time served and concurrent with any other sentences).

 Amanda M. Trace v. Arthur J. Trace. Court dissolves marriage. Debts and property divided.

 State of Missouri v. Shannon Walden. Guilty plea entered by Walden for non-support, given suspended imposition of sentence, five years unsupervised probation and pay child support plus $100 monthly.

 State of Missouri v. Eddie Dale West. Defendants probation is ordered revoked, sentenced to three years in the Missouri Department of Corrections for non-support.

Marshfield P.D.

The following calls were handled by the Marshfield Police Department.

Dec. 15

 Checked suspicious activity in the 500 block of Walnut. One subject arrested.

 Assisted agency in the 100 block of East Brook.

 Checked suspicious vehicle in the area of Spur Drive and Banning.

 Assisted motorist in the area of Clay.

 Responded to theft in the 900 block of Washington.

 Assisted citizen in the 300 block of Crittenden.

Dec. 16

 Assisted motorist in the 300 block of Crittenden.

 Responded to alarm in the 300 block of Route DD.

 Responded to animal complaint in the 800 block of Jameson.

 Assisted motorist in the 1300 block of Spur Drive.

 Responded to motor vehicle wreck in the area of Spur Drive and Interstate 44.

 Checked suspicious activity in the 800 block of Fox Hill.

 Assisted paramedics in the 400 block of Jackson.

 Responded to alarm in the 1200 block of Banning.

 Responded to motor vehicle wreck in the area of Spur Drive and Banning.

 Responded to theft in the 14000 block of Highway 38.

 Checked suspicious vehicle in the 14000 block of Highway 38.

 Assisted motorist in the 900 block of Washington.

 Responded to alarm in the 300 block of Route DD.

 Assisted motorist in the area of Fulton and Bedford.

 Checked suspicious vehicle in the 700 block of Marshall.

Dec. 17

 Checked suspicious subject in the 1300 block of Spur Drive. One subject arrested.

 Assisted citizen in the 300 block of Crittenden.

 Responded to alarm in the 500 block of Jackson.

 Checked suspicious vehicle in the area of Blair and Washington.

 Assisted motorist in the area of Bedford and Fulton.

 Assisted agency in the 100 block of Sweetbriar.

 Responded to theft in the 900 block of Washington.

 Assisted paramedics in the 300 block of Crittenden.

 Assisted motorist in the 700 block of Jackson.

 Responded to disturbance in the 600 block of Washington.

 Assisted motorist in the 14000 block of Highway 38.

 Traffic stop made in the area of Interstate 44. One subject arrested.

 Assisted citizen in the 300 block of Crittenden.

 Assisted motorist in the 700 block of Washington.

 Responded to motor vehicle wreck in the area of Spur Drive and Banning.

Dec. 18

 Assisted agency in the 100 block of Locust.

 Assisted citizen in the 300 block of Crittenden.

 Assisted motorist in the 600 block of Tyler.

 Responded to animal complaint in the 200 block of Wilson Way.

 Responded to report of property damage in the 600 block of Bedford.

 Responded to disturbance in the 800 block of Sunset.

 Checked suspicious vehicle in the area of Jackson and Crittenden.

 Assisted citizen in the 600 block of Jackson.

 Assisted motorist in the 200 block of Clay.

 Responded to 911 call in the 900 block of Ryan.

 Assisted motorist in the 100 block of Kman.

 Assisted citizen in the 300 block of Crittenden.

 Checked suspicious vehicle in the 500 block of Hubble.

 Responded to alarm in the 600 block of George.

 Checked suspicious activity in the 300 block of Buffalo.

Dec. 19

 Responded to disturbance in the 300 block of Pitts.

 Responded to disturbance in the 1000 block of Banning.

 Checked suspicious vehicle in the area of Washington and Lundh.

 Checked suspicious subject in the area of Clay and Banning.

 Assisted motorist in the 700 block of Cambridge.

 Responded to animal complaint in the 500 block of White Oak.

 Responded to motor vehicle wreck in the area of Spur Drive and Interstate 44.

 Checked suspicious subject in the area of Banning and Johnson.

 Responded to disturbance in the 300 block of Pitts.

 Assisted motorist in the area of Elm and Route DD.

 Responded to theft in the 700 block of Aspen.

 Responded to report of property damage in the 200 block of Washington.

 Responded to report of property damage in the 1200 block of Spur Drive.

 Responded to disturbance in the 300 block of Pitts. One subject arrested.

 Responded to disturbance in the 1000 block of Banning.

 Checked suspicious vehicle in the 100 block of Route W.

 Checked suspicious vehicle in the area of Lundh and Washington.

 Checked well being of person in the 300 block of Banning. One subject arrested.

 Responded to disturbance in the 300 block of Pitts.

 Responded to motor vehicle wreck in the area of Spur Drive and Interstate 44.

 Assisted motorist in the 400 block of Bedford.

 Responded to disturbance in the 300 block of Pitts.

Dec. 20

 Responded to disturbance in the 800 block of Joann.

 Responded to alarm in the 800 block of Hubble.

 Responded to disturbance in the 500 block of Olive.

 Checked suspicious activity in the 500 block of Washington.

 Responded to juvenile complaint in the 700 block of Bedford.

 Responded to alarm in the 1200 block of Spur Drive.

 Responded to noise complaint in the 800 block of Jameson.

 Checked suspicious activity in the 500 block of Washington.

 Assisted motorist in the 200 block of Jackson.

 Traffic stop made in the 500 block of Madison. One subject arrested.

 Checked well being of person in the 700 block of Jackson.

 Responded to animal complaint in the 100 block of Alford.

 Assisted citizen in the 800 block of Washington.

 Responded to disturbance in the 800 block of Joann.

 Checked suspicious activity in the 500 block of Washington.

 Assisted motorist in the 14000 block of Highway 38.

 Responded to disturbance in the 400 block of Olive.

Dec. 21

 Responded to disturbance in the 200 block of Commercial.

 Responded to disturbance in the 14000 block of Highway 38. One subject arrested.

 Traffic stop made in the area of Spur Drive and Highway 38. One subject arrested.

 Assisted agency in the 100 block of East Brook.

 Responded to motor vehicle in the area of Clay.

 Checked well being of person in the 1300 block of Washington.

 Checked well being of person in the 300 block of Lundh.

 Responded to disturbance in the 14000 block of Highway 38.

 Responded to 911 call in the area of Massey.

County commission

The following are minutes from recent meetings of the Webster County Commission.

Dec. 14

 On Thursday evening, Dec. 14, presiding commissioner Paul Ipock and associate commissioner Dale Fraker attended a meeting of the Marshfield Board of Aldermen, held at City Hall (798 S. Marshall St.).

Dec. 18

 Shelly Clift, deputy county clerk, presented invoices against funds under commission supervision. Said invoices were reviewed and approved.

Mary Clair, treasurer, presented invoices paid against officeholder side funds for commission review. She also presented a report of sales tax revenues received from the Missouri Dept. of Revenue (DOR). The report was generated due to a supplemental December distribution  a highly unusual event. Clair explained that the DOR has made known that they have been experiencing problems over the last several months in processing sales tax returns by businesses that file traditional paper documents (instead of filing electronically). The state attributed the lag to staffing shortages, which are reported to have been addressed.

Regardless of the cause, the supplemental distribution has the effect of converting what appeared to be a net loss in annual sales tax revenue of -1 percent to net gain of 2.7 percent when comparing calendar year 2017 to the prior year.

At Clairs recommendation, associate commissioner Fraker moved to repay the original loan creating the Crisis Disbursement Fund in May 2015 by transferring $2,000 from that fund back to the General Revenue Fund. Associate commissioner Randy Owens seconded. The vote in favor was unanimous; motion carried.

 Bids were received for the purchase of bulk fuel for the Marshfield and Fordland Road Maintenance facilities. Three bids were received: Carter Energy, Ozark Mountain Energy (OME) and Rex Smith Oil Company. Commissioner Fraker moved to purchase from the low bidder, Carter Energy. Commissioner Owens seconded. The vote in favor was unanimous; motion carried. Mike Sturdefant, road and bridge department supervisor, was also present.

However, when contacted, representatives from Carter Energy stated they would not be able to deliver until paperwork was completed (as Webster County would be a new customer). Therefore, Sturdefant was directed to contact the next lowest bidder (OME) for delivery.

 Dale Hartwell, maintenance supervisor, gave a department update.

 Proposals were reviewed for builders risk insurance for the jail project. Rob Ahrens, of Ahrens Insurance Agency, was present. A proposal was also submitted electronically by Connell Insurance Agency. The issue was tabled, pending further review.

 At approximately 11 a.m., county clerk/budget officer Stan Whitehurst held a public hearing concerning an amendment to the 2017 budget and preparation of the budget for 2018. Action on amending the current year budget was tabled, pending receipt of anticipated reimbursements from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to the Road and Bridge Fund.

 Steve Devlin, Jay Chism and Bob Schultheis presented information regarding the University of Missouris proposed staffing plan for the University Extension Service. Following, commissioner Owens attended a lunch meeting of the Extension Council, held at their offices on South Marshall Street, Marshfield.

 Steve Cook and Steve Wilson, representing Summit Truck Group, presented a bill of sale and other supporting documentation regarding the purchase of two 2018 International 7500 dump trucks (pursuant to a bid from June 5, 2017).

 Sheriff Roye Cole gave a brief update.

 Ben Berkstresser, prosecuting attorney, provided counsel on legal matters.

Dec. 19

 The commission began its day at the Marshfield Road Maintenance Facility (1106 S. White Oak St.). There, they met with Mike Sturdefant, road and bridge department supervisor.

Commissioner Ipock exited after, for other commitments.

Commissioners Owens and Fraker inspected the following: North Iron Mountain Road, New Hope Road, White Oak Road, Rebas Oak Loop and Bobcat Road.

 Via telephone, Nicholas Inman requested permission to use the courthouse grounds on Saturday, April 28, as part of the annual Cherry Blossom Festival. Permission was granted, pending provision of a certificate of liability insurance for the event.

 Sealed proposals were opened for private audit services. Five proposals were received: Beard-Boehmer & Associates, PC; Daniel Jones & Associates, CPAs; KPM CPAs & Advisors; McBride, Lock & Associates; and Stopp & VanHoy, LLC.

Fraker moved to accept the proposal from the low bidder (Beard-Boehmer & Associates). Owens seconded. The vote was two in favor; none against. Motion carried.

 Owens moved to go into closed session to discuss potential litigation pursuant to Section 610.021(1). Also present were: Ben Berkstresser, prosecuting attorney; Donna Atkinson and Agena Robinson, representing the Webster County Nursing Home District; and John Ray, representing Haven Health Care.

Fraker seconded. The vote was two in favor, none against. Motion carried.

Fraker moved to return to open session. Owens seconded. The vote in favor was two in favor, none against. Motion carried.

 Ipock rejoined the proceedings at approximately 1 p.m.

 Chris Young, Murphy Tractor & Equipment Company, discussed 2018 equipment needs for the road and bridge department.

 The commission reviewed three applicants for two positions on the Webster County Senior Services Fund Board. All three were determined to be qualified. After discussion, consensus was reached that  as the board is operating well currently  to reappoint the two incumbents. Therefore, Owens moved to re-appoint Bill Gdanitz and Frances Woodruff to four-year terms ending Dec. 31, 2021. Fraker seconded. The vote in favor was unanimous; motion carried.

Food service inspections

The following are Webster County restaurant and food service inspections.

Restaurants are graded using a state-issued matrix that rates restaurants according to current health codes. Violations are categorized as either priority or core. Priority items are more likely than other violations to contribute to food contamination, illness, or an environmental health hazard. A priority items application supports, facilitates or enables the elimination, prevention or reduction of hazards associated with foodborne illness or injury to an acceptable level. Core items may lead to conditions favorable for food contamination, illness or environmental health hazards. Core items include general sanitation, operational controls, sanitation standard operating procedures, facilities or structures, equipment design, or general maintenance.

The Webster County Health Units environmental public health specialist is in charge of restaurant inspections, along with the inspection of schools, gas stations and senior citizen centers.

In an effort to make this report more reader friendly, verbiage in this report may differ slightly from the exact wording used by the inspector on the official inspection report form. For a copy of official inspection forms, please contact the Webster County Health Unit at 859-2532.

Dairy Queen

1324 Spur Drive, Marshfield

Type of inspection: Routine

Jan. 8

Priority violations

 Some foods in walk-in cooler not date marked. Correct by next routine inspection.

Core violations

 Single serve items exposed to environmental contamination. Correct by next routine inspection.

 Uncovered food items in freezer. Correct by next routine inspection.

 Food stored on floor in walk-in freezer and walk-in cooler. Correct by next routine inspection.

 Shelled pecans and peanuts stored uncovered. Correct by next routine inspection.

 Wood shelving under soda fountain not sealed. Correct by next routine inspection.

Family Dollar

204 S. Main, Seymour

Type of inspection: Routine

Jan. 8

Priority violations

 No priority violations observed.

Core violations

 No core violations observed.

Dollar General

301 State Hwy C, Seymour

Type of inspection: Routine

Jan. 8

Priority violations

 No priority violations observed.

Core violations

 No core violations observed.

Sonic

1010 Spur Drive, Marshfield

Type of inspection: Routine

Jan. 11

Priority violations

 No priority violations observed.

Core violations

 Hard to reach areas of non-food contact surfaces require more frequent cleaning. Correct by next routine inspection.

 Drain pipe under 3-compartment sink broken, in need of repair. Correct by next routine inspection.

 Food stored uncovered in small freezer. Correct by next routine inspection.

 Fan unit in walk-in cooler has dust accumulation. Correct by next routine inspection.

 Missing ceiling tile near back entrance. Correct by next routine inspection.
ConocoPhillips engages in the exploration, production, transportation and marketing of crude oil, bitumen, natural gas, natural gas liquids, and liquefied natural gas on a worldwide basis. It operates through the following geographical segments: Alaska; Lower 48; Canada; Europe, Middle East and North Africa; Asia Pacific; and Other International. The Alaska segment primarily explores for produces, transports and markets crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids. The Lower 48 segment consists of operations in the U.S. and the Gulf of Mexico. The Canada segment is comprised of oil sands development in the Athabasca Region of northeastern Alberta and a liquids-rich unconventional play in western Canada. The Europe, Middle East and North Africa segment consists of operations and exploration activities in Norway, the United Kingdom and Libya. The Asia Pacific segment has explorations and product operations in China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia. The Other International segment handles exploration activities in Columbia and Argentina. The company was founded in 1875 and is headquartered in Houston, TX.

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The following companies are subsidiares of MetLife: 1001 PROPERTIES LLC, 10700 WILSHIRE LLC, 1201 TAB MANAGER LLC, 150 NORTH RIVERSIDE PE MEMBER LLC, 1925 WJC OWNER LLC, 23RD STREET INVESTMENTS INC., 500 GRANT STREET ASSOCIATES LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, 500 GRANT STREET GP LLC, 60 11TH STREET LLC, 6104 HOLLYWOOD LLC, AFP GENESIS ADMINISTRADORA DE FONDOS Y FIDECOMISOS S.A., AFP PROVIDA S.A., AGENVITA S.R.L., ALICO EUROPEAN HOLDINGS LIMITED, ALICO HELLAS SINGLE MEMBER LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, ALICO OPERATIONS LLC, ALICO PROPERTIES INC., AMMETLIFE INSURANCE BERHAD, AMMETLIFE TAKAFUL BERHAD, American Life Insurance Company, BEST MARKET S.A., BIDV METLIFE LIFE INSURANCE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, BLOCK VISION HOLDINGS CORPORATION, BLOCK VISION OF TEXAS INC., BORDERLAND INVESTMENTS LIMITED, BOULEVARD RESIDENTIAL LLC, BUFORD LOGISTICS CENTER LLC, CC HOLDCO MANAGER LLC, CHESTNUT FLATS WIND LLC, CLOSED JOINT-STOCK COMPANY MASTER D, COMPANIA INVERSORA METLIFE S.A., CORPORATE REAL ESTATE HOLDINGS LLC, COVA LIFE MANAGEMENT COMPANY, DAVIS VISION INC., DAVISVISION IPA INC., DELAWARE AMERICAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, DES MOINES CREEK BUSINESS PARK PHASE II LLC, ECONOMY FIRE & CASUALTY COMPANY, ECONOMY PREFERRED INSURANCE COMPANY, ECONOMY PREMIER ASSURANCE COMPANY, EURO CL INVESTMENTS LLC, EXCELENCIA OPERATIVA Y TECNOLOGICA S.A de C.V., FEDERAL FLOOD CERTIFICATION LLC, FORTISSIMO CO. LTD, FUNDACION METLIFE MEXICO A.C., GLOBAL PROPERTIES INC., General American Life Insurance Company, Grand Bank N.A., HASKELL EAST VILLAGE LLC, HIGH STREET SEVENTH AND OSBORN APARTMENTS LLC, HOUSING FUND MANAGER LLC, INTERNATIONAL TECHNICAL AND ADVISORY SERVICES LIMITED, INVERSIONES METLIFE HOLDCO DOS LIMITADA, INVERSIONES METLIFE HOLDCO TRES LIMITADA, JOINT-STOCK COMPANY METLIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, LHC HOLDINGS, LHCW HOLDINGS, LHCW HOTEL HOLDING, LHCW HOTEL HOLDING LLC, LHCW HOTEL OPERATING COMPANY, LONG ISLAND SOLAR FARM LLC, LUMENLAB MALAYSIA SDN. BHD., Logan Circle Partners, MARKETPLACE RESIDENCES LLC, MAXIS GBN S.A.S., MC PORTFOLIO JV MEMBER LLC, MCJV LLC, MCMIF HOLDCO I LLC, MCMIF HOLDCO II LLC, MCP - WELLINGTON LLC, MCP 100 CONGRESS MEMBER LLC, MCP 1500 MICHAEL LLC, MCP 1900 MCKINNEY LLC, MCP 2 AMES LLC, MCP 2 AMES ONE LLC, MCP 2 AMES OWNER LLC, MCP 2 AMES TWO LLC, MCP 220 YORK LLC, MCP 22745 & 22755 RELOCATION DRIVE LLC, MCP 249 INDUSTRIAL BUSINESS PARK MEMBER LLC, MCP 3040 POST OAK LLC, MCP 350 ROHLWING LLC, MCP 4600 SOUTH SYRACUSE LLC, MCP 550 WEST WASHINGTON LLC, MCP 60 11TH STREET MEMBER LLC, MCP 7 RIVERWAY LLC, MCP 9020 MURPHY ROAD LLC, MCP 93 RED RIVER MEMBER LLC, MCP ALLEY 24 EAST LLC, MCP ASHTON SOUTH END LLC, MCP BLOCK 23 MEMBER LLC, MCP BRADFORD LLC, MCP BUFORD LOGISTICS CENTER 2 MEMBER LLC, MCP BUFORD LOGISTICS CENTER BLDG B LLC, MCP BURNSIDE MEMBER LLC, MCP CENTER AVENUE INDUSTRIAL MEMBER LLC, MCP CLAWITER INNOVATION MEMBER LLC, MCP COMMON DESK TRS LLC, MCP DENVER PAVILIONS MEMBER LLC, MCP DILLON LLC, MCP DILLON RESIDENTIAL LLC, MCP ENV CHICAGO LLC, MCP FIFE ENTERPRISE CENTER LLC, MCP FRISCO OFFICE LLC, MCP GRAPEVINE LLC, MCP HIGHLAND PARK LENDER LLC, MCP HUB I LLC, MCP HUB I PROPERTY LLC, MCP LODGE AT LAKECREST LLC, MCP MA PROPERTY REIT LLC, MCP MAGNOLIA PARK MEMBER LLC, MCP MAIN STREET VILLAGE LLC, MCP MOUNTAIN TECHNOLOGY CENTER MEMBER TRS LLC, MCP NORTHYARDS HOLDCO LLC, MCP NORTHYARDS MASTER LESSEE LLC, MCP NORTHYARDS OWNER LLC, MCP ONE WESTSIDE LLC, MCP ONYX LLC, MCP PARAGON POINT LLC, MCP PLAZA AT LEGACY LLC, MCP PROPERTY MANAGEMENT LLC, MCP SEATTLE GATEWAY INDUSTRIAL I LLC, MCP SEATTLE GATEWAY INDUSTRIAL II LLC, MCP SEVENTH AND OSBORNE MF MEMBER LLC, MCP SEVENTH AND OSBORNE RETAIL MEMBER LLC, MCP SHAKOPEE LLC, MCP SLEEPY HOLLOW MEMBER LLC, MCP SOCAL INDUSTRIAL  ANAHEIM LLC, MCP SOCAL INDUSTRIAL  BERNARDO LLC, MCP SOCAL INDUSTRIAL  CANYON LLC, MCP SOCAL INDUSTRIAL  CONCOURSE LLC, MCP SOCAL INDUSTRIAL  FULLERTON LLC, MCP SOCAL INDUSTRIAL  KELLWO00OD LLC, MCP SOCAL INDUSTRIAL  LAX LLC, MCP SOCAL INDUSTRIAL  LOKER LLC, MCP SOCAL INDUSTRIAL  REDONDO LLC, MCP SOCAL INDUSTRIAL  SPRINGDALE LLC, MCP STATELINE LLC, MCP THE PALMS AT DORAL LLC, MCP TRIMBLE CAMPUS LLC, MCP UNION ROW LLC, MCP VALLEY FORGE LLC, MCP VALLEY FORGE ONE LLC, MCP VALLEY FORGE OWNER LLC, MCP VALLEY FORGE TWO LLC, MCP VANCE JACKSON LLC, MCP VINEYARD AVENUE MEMBER LLC, MCP VOA HOLDINGS LLC, MCP VOA I & III LLC, MCP VOA II LLC, MCP WATERFORD ATRIUM LLC, MCP WEST BROAD MARKETPLACE LLC, MCP  ENGLISH VILLAGE LLC, MCPF ACQUISITION LLC, MCPF FOXBOROUGH LLC, MCPF  NEEDHAM LLC, MCPP OWNERS LLC, MCRE BLOCK 40 LP, MEC HEALTH CARE INC., MET 1065 HOTEL LLC, MET CANADA SOLAR ULC, METLIFE 1007 STEWART LLC, METLIFE 1201 TAB MEMBER LLC, METLIFE 425 MKT MANAGER LLC, METLIFE 425 MKT MEMBER LLC, METLIFE 555 12TH MEMBER LLC, METLIFE 8280 MEMBER LLC, METLIFE ACOMA OWNER LLC, METLIFE ADMINISTRADORA DE FUNDOS MULTIPATROCINADOS LTDA., METLIFE ALTERNATIVES GP LLC, METLIFE ASHTON AUSTIN OWNER LLC, METLIFE ASIA HOLDING COMPANY PTE. 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BHD, METLIFE ASSET MANAGEMENT CORP., METLIFE ASSIGNMENT COMPANY INC., METLIFE AUTO & HOME INSURANCE AGENCY INC., METLIFE BL FEEDER, METLIFE BL FEEDER LP, METLIFE BORO STATION MEMBER LLC, METLIFE CABO HILTON MEMBER LLC, METLIFE CAMINO RAMON MEMBER LLC, METLIFE CAPITAL CREDIT L.P., METLIFE CAPITAL LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, METLIFE CAPITAL TRUST IV, METLIFE CB W/A LLC, METLIFE CC MEMBER LLC, METLIFE CHILE ADMINISTRADORA DE MUTUOS HIPOTECARIOS S.A., METLIFE CHILE INVERSIONES LIMITADA, METLIFE CHILE SEGUROS DE VIDA S.A., METLIFE CHILE SEGUROS GENERALES S.A., METLIFE CHINO MEMBER LLC, METLIFE COLOMBIA SEGUROS de VIDA S.A., METLIFE COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE INCOME FUND GP LLC, METLIFE COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE INCOME FUND LP, METLIFE COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE ORIGINATOR LLC, METLIFE COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE REIT LLC, METLIFE CONSQUARE MEMBER LLC, METLIFE CONSUMER SERVICES INC., METLIFE CORE PROPERTY FUND GP LLC, METLIFE CORE PROPERTY FUND LP, METLIFE CORE PROPERTY HOLDINGS LLC, METLIFE CORE PROPERTY REIT LLC, METLIFE CORE PROPERTY TRS. LLC, METLIFE CREDIT CORP., METLIFE DIGITAL VENTURES INC., METLIFE EMEKLILIK VE HAYAT A.S., METLIFE EMERGING MARKET DEBT BLEND FUND, METLIFE EU HOLDING COMPANY LIMITED, METLIFE EUROPE INSURANCE d.a.c., METLIFE EUROPE SERVICES LIMITED, METLIFE EUROPE d.a.c., METLIFE EUROPEAN HOLDINGS LLC., METLIFE FINANCIAL SERVICES CO. LTD, METLIFE FM HOTEL MEMBER LLC, METLIFE FUNDING INC., METLIFE GENERAL INSURANCE LIMITED, METLIFE GLOBAL BENEFITS LTD., METLIFE GLOBAL HOLDING COMPANY I GMBH, METLIFE GLOBAL HOLDING COMPANY II GMBH, METLIFE GLOBAL HOLDINGS CORPORATION S.A. De C.V., METLIFE GLOBAL INC., METLIFE GLOBAL OPERATIONS SUPPORT CENTER PRIVATE LIMITED, METLIFE GROUP INC., METLIFE HCMJV 1 GP LLC, METLIFE HCMJV 1 LP LLC, METLIFE HEALTH PLANS INC., METLIFE HOLDINGS INC., METLIFE HOME LOANS LLC, METLIFE INNOVATION CENTRE LIMITED, METLIFE INNOVATION CENTRE PTE. LTD., METLIFE INSURANCE AND INVESTMENT TRUST, METLIFE INSURANCE BROKERAGE INC., METLIFE INSURANCE K.K., METLIFE INSURANCE LIMITED, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL HF PARTNERS LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LLC, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL LIMITED LLC, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND I LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND II LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND III LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND IV LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND V LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND VI LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND VII LP, METLIFE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT HOLDINGS, METLIFE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT HOLDINGS LLC, METLIFE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LIMITED, METLIFE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LLC, METLIFE INVESTMENTS ASIA LIMITED, METLIFE INVESTMENTS LIMITED, METLIFE INVESTMENTS PTY LIMITED, METLIFE INVESTMENTS SECURITIES LLC, METLIFE INVESTORS DISTRIBUTION COMPANY, METLIFE INVESTORS GROUP LLC, METLIFE IRELAND TREASURY D.A.C., METLIFE JAPAN US EQUITY FUND GP LLC, METLIFE JAPAN US EQUITY FUND LP, METLIFE JAPAN US EQUITY OWNERS, METLIFE JAPAN US EQUITY OWNERS LLC, METLIFE LATIN AMERICA ASESORIAS E INVERSIONES LIMITADA, METLIFE LEGAL PLANS INC., METLIFE LEGAL PLANS OF FLORIDA INC., METLIFE LHH MEMBER LLC, METLIFE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, METLIFE LIFE INSURANCE S.A., METLIFE LOAN ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC, METLIFE MAS S.A. DE C.V., METLIFE MEMBER SOLAIRE LLC, METLIFE MEXICO HOLDINGS S. DE R.L. DE C.V., METLIFE MEXICO S.A., METLIFE MEXICO SERVICIOS S.A. DE C.V., METLIFE MIDDLE MARKET PRIVATE DEBT FUND LP, METLIFE MIDDLE MARKET PRIVATE DEBT GP LLC, METLIFE MIDDLE MARKET PRIVATE DEBT PARALLEL FUND LP, METLIFE MIDDLE MARKET PRIVATE DEBT PARALLEL GP LLC, METLIFE MULTI-FAMILY PARTNERS III LLC, METLIFE MUTUAL FUND COMPANY, METLIFE OBS MEMBER LLC, METLIFE OFC MEMBER LLC, METLIFE ONTARIO STREET MEMBR LLC, METLIFE PARK TOWER MEMBER LLC, METLIFE PENSION TRUSTEES LIMITED, METLIFE PENSIONES MEXICO S.A., METLIFE PET INSURANCE SOLUTIONS LLC, METLIFE PLANOS ODONTOLOGICOS LTDA., METLIFE POWSZECHNE TOWARTZYSTWO EMERYTALNE S.A., METLIFE PRIVATE EQUITY HOLDINGS LLC, METLIFE PROPERTIES VENTURES LLC, METLIFE RC SF MEMBER LLC, METLIFE REAL ESTATE LENDING LLC, METLIFE REINSURANCE COMPANY OF BERMUDA LTD., METLIFE REINSURANCE COMPANY OF CHARLESTON, METLIFE REINSURANCE COMPANY OF VERMONT, METLIFE RETIREMENT SERVICES LLC, METLIFE SAENGMYOUNG INSURANCE COMPANY LTD., METLIFE SECURITIZATION DEPOSITOR LLC, METLIFE SEGUROS S.A., METLIFE SENIOR DIRECT LENDING FINCO LLC, METLIFE SENIOR DIRECT LENDING FUND LP, METLIFE SENIOR DIRECT LENDING GP LLC, METLIFE SENIOR DIRECT LENDING HOLDINGS LP, METLIFE SERVICES AND SOLUTIONS LLC, METLIFE SERVICES CYPRUS LIMITED, METLIFE SERVICES EAST PRIVATE LIMITED, METLIFE SERVICES EEIG, METLIFE SERVICES EOOD, METLIFE SERVICES SOCIEDAD LIMITADA, METLIFE SERVICES SP Z.O.O, METLIFE SERVICIOS S.A., METLIFE SLOVAKIA S.R.O. V LIKVIDACII, METLIFE SOLUTIONS PTE. LTD., METLIFE SOLUTIONS S.A.S., METLIFE SP HOLDINGS LLC, METLIFE SYNDICATED BANK LOAN FUND SCSP, METLIFE SYNDICATED BANK LOAN LUX GP S.A.R.L., METLIFE THR INVESTOR LLC, METLIFE TOWARZYSTWO FUNDUSZY INWESTYCYJNYCH S.A., METLIFE TOWARZYSTWO UBEZPIECZEN NA ZYCIE I REASEKURACJI S.A., METLIFE TOWER RESOURCES GROUP INC., METLIFE TREAT TOWERS MEMBER LLC, METLIFE WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS LLC, METROPOLITAN CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, METROPOLITAN DIRECT PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, METROPOLITAN GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANY, METROPOLITAN GLOBAL MANAGEMENT LLC., METROPOLITAN GROUP PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, METROPOLITAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, METROPOLITAN LIFE SEGUROS E PREVIDENCIA PRIVADA S.A., METROPOLITAN LIFE SOCIETATE de ADMINISTRARE a UNUI FOND de PENSII ADMINISTRAT PRIVAT S.A., METROPOLITAN LLOYDS INC., METROPOLITAN LLOYDS INSURANCE COMPANY OF TEXAS, METROPOLITAN PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, METROPOLITAN TOWER LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, METROPOLITAN TOWER REALTY COMPANY INC., MEX DF PROPERTIES LLC, MFA FINANCING VEHICLE CTR1 LLC, MIDTOWN HEIGHTS LLC, MIM CLAL GENERAL PARTNER LLC, MIM EMD GP LLC, MIM I LLC, MIM METWEST INTERNATIONAL MANAGER LLC, MIM ML-AI VENTURE 5 MANAGER LLC, MIM PROPERTY MANAGEMENT LLC, MIM PROPERTY MANAGEMENT OF GEORGIA 1 LLC, MIM THIRD ARMY INDUSTRIAL MANAGER LLC, MISSOURI REINSURANCE INC., ML - URS PORT CHESTER SC MANAGER LLC, ML 300 THIRD MEMBER LLC, ML ARMATURE MEMBER LLC, ML BELLEVUE MANAGER LLC, ML BELLEVUE MEMBER LLC, ML BRIDGESIDE APARTMENTS LLC, ML CAPACITACION COMERCIAL S.A. DE C.V., ML CERRITOS TC MEMBER LLC, ML CLAL MEMBER LLC, ML DOLPHIN GP LLC, ML DOLPHIN MEZZ LLC, ML MATSON MILLS MEMBER LLC, ML MILILANI MEMBER LLC, ML ONE BEDMINSTER LLC, ML PORT CHESTER SC MEMBER LLC, ML SENTINEL SQUARE MEMBER LLC, ML SLOANS LAKE MEMEBR LLC, ML SOUTHLANDS MEMBER LLC, ML SOUTHMORE LLC, ML SWAN GP LLC, ML SWAN MEZZ LLC, ML TERRACES LLC, ML THIRD ARMY INDUSTRIAL MEMBER LLC, ML VENTURE 1 MANAGER S. DE R. L. DE C.V., ML VENTURE 1 SERVICER LLC, ML-AI METLIFE MEMBER 1 LLC, ML-AI METLIFE MEMBER 2 LLC, ML-AI METLIFE MEMBER 3 LLC, ML-AI METLIFE MEMBER 4 LLC, ML-AI METLIFE MEMBER 5 LLC, MLIA MANAGER I LLC, MLIA PARK TOWER MANAGER LLC, MLIA SBAF COLONY MANAGER LLC, MLIA SBAF MANAGER LLC, MLIC ASSET HOLDINGS II LLC, MLIC ASSET HOLDINGS LLC, MLIC CB HOLDINGS LLC, MLJ US FEEDER LLC, MM GLOBAL OPERATIONS SUPPORT CENTER S.A. 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JAMES FLEET INVESTMENTS TWO LIMITED, SUPERIOR PROCUREMENT INC, SUPERIOR VISION BENEFIT MANAGEMENT INC., SUPERIOR VISION HOLDINGS INC., SUPERIOR VISION INSURANCE INC., SUPERIOR VISION INSURANCE PLAN OF WISCONSIN INC., SUPERIOR VISION OF NEW JERSEY INC., SUPERIOR VISION SERVICES INC., Safeguard Health Enterprises, Security First Group Inc., THE BUILDING AT 575 FIFTH AVENUE MEZZANINE LLC, THE BUILDING AT 575 FIFTH RETAIL HOLDING LLC, THE BUILDING AT 575 FIFTH RETAIL OWNER, THE DIRECT CALL CENTRE PTY LIMITED, TRANSMOUNTAIN LAND & LIVESTOCK COMPANY, UVC INDEPENDENT PRACTICE ASSOCIATION INC., VERSANT HEALTH CONSOLIDATIONS CORP., VERSANT HEALTH HOLDCO INC., VERSANT HEALTH LAB LLC, VIRIDIAN MIRACLE MILE LLC, VISION 21 MANAGED EYE CARE OF TAMPA BAY, VISION 21 PHYSICIAN PRACTICE MANAGEMENT COMPANY, VISION TWENTY-ONE MANAGED EYE CARE IPA INC., Versant Health, WDV ACQUISITION CORP., WFP 1000 HOLDING COMPANY GP LLC, WHITE OAK ROYALTY COMPANY, and WHITE TRACT II LLC.
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.

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Posted Saturday, February 10, 2018 6:30 am

Victory Media, an online information platform for military personnel returning to civilian life, has named Ozarks Technical Community College a Military Friendly School. OTC is one of only three community colleges in Missouri to receive the designation and the only community college in the state in the Large Community College classification.

As a military veteran myself, I understand the unique challenges veterans experience when transitioning to civilian life, said Dr. Loren Lundstrom, OTCs dean of student development and a retired Air Force Lt. Colonel. This designation is validation that OTC is doing all it can to help our military members once their service is complete.

Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, OTC is approved for U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs programs and follows American Council on Education recommendations when granting credit for military experience.

In the fall of 2017, OTC received a $1.3 million Federal TRIO Grant from the U.S. Department of Education to establish a Veterans Upward Bound (VUB) program to assist veterans and active duty military (who are preparing to separate from the military) in their pursuit of postsecondary education.

To be eligible for the VUB program, veterans must either be low-income (living below 150 percent of the poverty rate) or be first-generation college students (meaning neither parent completed a bachelors degree prior to their departure from the home). Additionally, veterans must reside in Greene County, have 181 days of active duty service, have a better than dishonorable discharge and demonstrate academic need.

The Military Friendly distinction recognizes colleges, universities and trade schools nationwide considered to be delivering a quality higher-education experience both to active-duty military personnel and veterans.

Institutions that earn the Military Friendly School designation are evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey completed by the school.

For the first time in 2017-2018, student survey data was taken into consideration.

Final ratings were determined by survey scores as well as an assessment of the institutions ability to meet thresholds for student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment, degree advancement and loan default rates.

More than 1,300 schools participated in the 2017-2018 survey, with 849 making the list, which was published in the December issue of G.I. Jobs magazine and online at militaryfriendly.com.
Good news if youre one of the countless readers who tore through The Nightingale, Kristin Hannahs 2015 blockbuster novel and breakout hit: She has finally come out with her next book, The Great Alone. The two novels are both absorbing but very different. The Nightingale, focused on two French sisters during the Nazi invasion of France, is a romantic, action-packed epic (a movie version is in the works, naturally).



The Great Alone, set in the years after the Vietnam War, is a coming-of-age story about a girl, Leni Allbright, who moves with her parents, Ernt and Cora, to a log cabin in the wilds of Alaska (really wild, as in no running water, deadly cold, lots of bears). It's a quieter book, though it still offers a Kristin Hannah-style mix of tragedy and romance.



Ernt is a veteran who's been a tormented wreck since coming home from Vietnam. He hopes the move will give him a fresh start, but as the weeks pass he becomes an increasingly paranoid powder keg determined to cut himself and his family off from the rest of the world  not wise in a land where survival can depend on the support of your neighbors. He reserves special bitterness toward the wealthy Walker family, whose kind patriarch Tom wants to modernize the desolate little town enough to be able to welcome a few tourists.



Leni, a thoughtful, lovely 13-year-old, grows frustrated (as does the reader, to be honest) by her mother's terrified-but-loyal attachment to Ernt, an abusive nightmare of a husband and father who's none too pleased to discover that Leni has befriended, of all people, Toms son Matthew Walker. The teenagers' star-crossed romance leads to trouble as they grow older and Ernt more threatening.
David Gahr/Getty Images

Clapton is too shy and inward to be a good subject for most interviewers, but Zanuck draws him out. Her film makes sense of his bizarre early career moves by revealing the psychology behind them. Of course he abandoned his first hit band  the Yardbirds  the day their huge single For Your Love was released, leaving them in the lurch, because after his mother experience Clapton vowed never to trust anyone again, to go it alone and do things his own way.

Then he joined John Mayalls band, and quit before their record came out to join a new group, Cream, whose drummer Ginger Baker was as talented as Clapton and far crazier: In the first scene of the must-watch 2012 documentary Beware of Mr. Baker, he breaks the directors nose with his cane. Its fun to see Cream in concert, between fistfights. The archival footage Zanuck nimbly edits makes you understand why the astoundingly loud, jazz-infused Cream became the top rock touring act of 1967-68.

More intimate is the section of the film about Claptons doomed romance with George Harrisons wife Pattie Boyd. Harrison was Claptons best friend, as evident in footage of Clapton helping the Beatles record While My Guitar Gently Weeps. Paul McCartney does a little dance, as if hes verklempt that godlike Clapton has joined them. Harrison was less delighted when Clapton declared his feelings for Boyd in a love letter with remarkably precise handwriting, and when he poured his passion into the masterpiece Layla: I tried to give you consolation/ When your old man had let you down./ Like a fool, I fell in love with you,/ Turned my whole world upside down.

In the film, Clapton mutters, Didnt work. Boyd refused to leave her husband for him. But Harrisons massive unfaithfulness finally drove her away, and she relented. She inspired another Clapton hit, Wonderful Tonight, about her maddening behavior the night of McCartneys big annual party: She kept changing outfits, making him say, You look wonderful tonight, now can we get to the party before its over?

Zanuck honestly but gently covers Claptons next phase, when he sank into alcoholism, heroin addiction and anti-immigrant bigotry. As the grownup Clapton says in the film, reflecting on his lowest moment, this was illogical, since half his friends were black. He was simply out of his mind for a while, and his regret is affecting.

Thrillingly, Clapton bounced back from moral and physical ruin, and his volatile love life produced a son, Conor. Zanuck shows how this forced him to grow up at a late age. And when Conor, 4, fell out an open window of a New York apartment, Clapton not only managed to avoid slipping back into addiction, but expressed his grief in the immortal Tears in Heaven. At last, Clapton became a success as a man, not just as a musician and patron of far more than a dozen bars.

It was the bonding experience between Zanuck and Clapton then that made Life in 12 Bars possible. Its not as anarchically fun as Beware of Mr. Baker, but its more pensive and thoughtful, a fit tribute to a life that involved way too much crawling across the floor and begging for love by a guy ill-equipped for years to return it. Except for the 18 Grammy awards, at least half of his life was all wrong. But, as Zanuck's art demonstrates, it's all right.
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UT fans will be patient with Josh Heupel, depending on what he does next
Saudi officials have strongly denied opening air-space to airlines flying to Israel after reports emerged last week claiming that Air India was allowed to cross Saudi skies on a fly to Tel Aviv.

A spokesman for the General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) in Saudi Arabia denied granting permission to Indian planes to use its airspace to cross into Israel.

Saudi Arabia does not recognize Israel and has imposed a 70-year-old ban on flights to Israel. Lately, Israeli media, including Jerusalem Post and Haaretz, have spoken of lifting of the airspace ban as a sign of an increasing covert cooperation between the two countries, both US allies and both with concerns over Iranian rising influence in the region.

Air India said it is planning direct flights to Israel, and sought permission from Saudi Arabia to fly over its territory, which would significantly reduce flight times by more than two hours.

Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus security cabinet, told Tel Aviv radio 102 FM that he is hopeful about Saudi permission to Air India to begin direct flights to Israel.

There is apparently progress on the matter of flights to and from Israel and India over Saudi Arabia, the minister added.

If the air route is confirmed, it would mark the first time Saudi Arabia would allow commercial flights to fly to Israel using its airspace, and would mark a significant shift in strategic policy that has shaped the region for decades.
The Equifax data breach exposed more of consumers personal information than the company first disclosed last year, according to documents given to lawmakers.

The credit reporting company announced in September that the personal information of 145.5 million consumers had been compromised in a data breach. It originally said that the information accessed included names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses and  in some cases  drivers license numbers and credit card numbers. It also said some consumers credit card numbers were among the information exposed, as well as the personal information from thousands of dispute documents.

However, Atlanta-based Equifax Inc. recently disclosed in a document submitted to the Senate Banking Committee, that a forensic investigation found criminals accessed other information from company records. According to the document, provided to The Associated Press by Sen. Elizabeth Warrens office, that included tax identification numbers, email addresses and phone numbers. Finer details, such as the expiration dates for credit cards or issuing states for drivers licenses, were also included in the list.

The additional insight into the massive breach was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.

Equifaxs disclosure, which it has not made directly to consumers, underscores the depth of detail the company keeps on individuals that it may have put at risk. And it adds to the string of missteps the company has made in recovering from the security debacle.

Equifax spokeswoman Meredith Griffanti said that in no way did we intend to mislead consumers. The company last year disclosed only the information that affected the greatest number of consumers and wanted to act with the greatest clarity in terms of the information provided the committee, she said.

Griffanti also said that while the list provided to the committee includes all the potential data points that may have been accessed by criminals, those elements impacted a minimal portion of consumers. And some data  like passport numbers  were not stolen. The company reiterated that the total number of consumers affected is unchanged.

When you are making that kind of announcement, where do you draw the line? If you saw the list we provided the banking finance committee it was pretty exhaustive, Griffanti said. We wanted to show them that no stone was left unturned.

But to consumers whose information was exposed, it may feel like yet another slap in the face.

Equifax waited months to disclose the hack. After it did, anxious consumers experienced jammed phone lines and uninformed company representatives. An Equifax website set up to help people determine their exposure was described as sketchy by security experts and provided inconsistent and unhelpful information to many. The company blamed the online customer help pages problems on a vendors software code after it appeared that it had been hacked as well.

Equifax has tried to make changes, replacing its CEO, as well as spending millions to research and rectify the breach. In January, it launched a service that allows consumers to lock and unlock their credit report. But a test of the site by The New York Times found it unusable in many ways. The company said this experience was an exception and it has made some key changes to the service since it first launched.

The company continues to deal with multiple regulatory investigations into the matter as well as hundreds consumer lawsuits. Warren, D-Mass., released a report on the hack Wednesday that described it as one of the largest and most significant data security lapses in history.
On a chilly October night in a Denver suburb, two men entered a small credit unions after-hours vestibule, pried open the ATM and took out the hard drive, then reconfigured the machine to spit out $24,000.

It was possibly the first case of ATM jackpotting in the U.S., a crime in which technology is manipulated to get the machine to dispense all the money it has. The two men, later identified as Venezuelan nationals, went on to hit other ATMs. Their faces or their license plate were captured on surveillance footage in each case, and they were eventually busted smoking pot in a rental van parked on a Wyoming mountain pass, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Colorado.

Jackpotting has been around at least since 2009 and is widespread in emerging-market countries. Unlike most cyber crime, it requires physical access, which increases the chances of getting caught. The speed with which the alleged culprits of the first U.S. attacks were snatched highlights tougher defenses in more-developed regions.

ATM jackpotting is low-tech in nature, but theres a higher risk of getting caught, said Charles Carmakal, vice president of consulting at FireEye Inc., a cybersecurity firm that has helped companies in Latin America fighting similar attacks. In a location already riddled with so much crime, you might be able to get away with it. But in the U.S., it will be much harder to do.

Sergey Golovanov, a senior security researcher at Kaspersky Lab, said his firm had seen cases in Eastern Europe where as much as $200,000 was stolen from one ATM using the jackpotting method. U.S. financial institutions have already reacted to the threat, according to Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center, whose nearly 7,000 members include banks, payment processors and other firms.

When theres a wall between the ATM screen and the rest of the ATM, its hard to get into the computer, said Charles Bretz, director of payment services at the industry group. Banks here have alarms for warning of breaches to their ATMs, hidden cameras in the vestibules, lots of other security measures.

Jackpotting isnt as lucrative as other types of attacks. In 2008, hackers stole debit-card data from the U.S. payment-processing division of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group, increased withdrawal limits and managed to siphon off $9 million.

Still, the stakes are high. About half a million ATMs operate in the U.S., almost a quarter of the total in use worldwide, according to the ATM Industry Association. The machines can hold around $100 billion at peak times, while typically carrying less cash during off-hours when attempted thefts are more likely.

The Secret Service has issued a warning to all financial firms about the attacks. Diebold Nixdorf and NCR, the two major manufacturers of ATMs in the U.S., sent alerts to clients about defensive measures to take  if not already implemented.

Two men were arrested in Connecticut last month and charged with bank fraud after they were caught dressed as ATM technicians installing malware on machines that allowed others to extract all of the cash inside, according to federal prosecutors. Police apprehended a Spaniard and a Massachusetts resident after finding them near a machine with more than $9,000 in $20 bills, prosecutors said.

The ATM in Colorado may have been less secure than most machines in the country, according to Dmitry Volkov, head of threat intelligence at Group-IB, a cyber investigation firm. Most ATMs wont allow rebooting from an external hard drive or CD-ROM, and wont accept unknown software, he said.

The thieves either were lucky to have found an ATM that allowed rebooting or had some insider information that helped them target the right ATM, Volkov said. The jackpotters also hit ATMs in Utah before being caught, the criminal complaint alleges.

Why it took so long for this type of attack to reach the U.S.? asked Golovanov. They probably drive from ATM to ATM to conduct these attacks, and they must have just crossed the border recently.



Bloombergs Chris Dolmetsch contributed.
A crash involving multiple vehicles near Chapparal, NM Friday afternoon left a man dead and another in jail, according to a New Mexico State Police spokesman.

Officer Carl Christiansen said 22-year-old Andres Rayos was killed after Jeramy Lucero, 23, crashed into him on Highway 404.

Christiansen said police arrested Lucero, charging him with DWI and reckless driving. Other charges are pending.

He said police responded to the fatal crash around 1:05 p.m. where they learned Lucero was trying to pass another vehicle when he crashed into Rayos, causing Rayos to sideswipe a third vehicle before his car flipped and caught fire.

He said Rayos died at the scene while the driver and passenger of the third vehicle were taken to a Las Cruces hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  A proposal to allow Spaceport America to keep more of its records confidential is headed to the Senate floor after sailing through a key committee Friday.

The bill would prohibit disclosing the identity of the Spaceports aerospace customers who want to stay secret and any proprietary business and technical information related to the customers operations.

Supporters say that even how much rent a tenant pays to the Spaceport should be kept confidential because it could be a clue to rivals about what the company is working on.

Open government advocates objected to the proposal, and some senators said they were uneasy about granting so much secrecy to companies working at a taxpayer-funded site.

But the Senate Judiciary Committee approved a version of the bill without a dissenting vote. The legislation must still make it through the full Senate, House committees and the full House before reaching the governors desk.

And time is running out, as the 30-day legislative session ends at noon Thursday.

Supporters said Senate Bill 98 is critical to New Mexicos ability to attract companies in the competitive aerospace industry, where secrets are jealously guarded. The measure is co-sponsored by Sen. William Burt, R-Alamogordo; Senate President Pro Tem Mary Kay Papen, D-Las Cruces; and Rep. Rebecca Dow, R-Truth or Consequences.

Without the confidentiality guarantees, Burt said, New Mexico wont receive a return on its investment.

Aerospace companies simply will not come, he said, and we will have a spaceport that is unable to generate business for the payback of the taxpayers of New Mexico.

Gregory Williams, a member of the board of directors of the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government, said the bill would create an extraordinary level of secrecy for a state agency. The proposal is too vague and broad, he said.

It would make (Spaceport America) the least transparent agency in the state, Williams said. We do not think thats appropriate for a project that the citizens of New Mexico have supported financially.

The public has a right to know whos doing business with the Spaceport, he said.

Taxpayers spent about $220 million to build Spaceport America and continue to support it with about $380,000 in general-fund spending this year. Next years budget proposal includes more money, including $10 million for a new hangar.

Trade secrets are already shielded from disclosure under the states public records law, but the bill would allow other information to be kept confidential, too.

Some senators said they shared the concern about transparency, though they ultimately supported the bill.

Sen. Cisco McSorley, D-Albuquerque, said the secrecy that surrounds the competition for aerospace business makes it difficult for lawmakers to independently verify whether the bill is justified.

Its pretty much, Trust us on this one thing, and everything will be OK,  McSorley said. Theres really the inability to verify  that gives us pause about how far to go, how much is enough, how much is too much.

Sen. Mark Moores, R-Albuquerque, said he, too, had trouble with the concept of the legislation. Private companies, he said, can build their own launch sites if you want this kind of secrecy.

But he said he was satisfied that Burt had worked to address concerns about transparency.

The version of the bill approved Friday is new  a result of work by Burt with open government advocates and other opponents. The amendments were rolled into a substitute version of the bill, which now heads to the full Senate for consideration.

Williams, however, said the proposal is now more vague and broad than the version that cleared an earlier Senate committee.

The new version, for example, says explicitly that the identity of customers will be kept secret, at their request.

The legislation comes as New Mexico tries to grab a slice of the booming aerospace industry. The state is well-suited for some of the work, said Dan Hicks, CEO of Spaceport America.

The agencys books  including total revenue  would still be subject to audit and public disclosure, he said.

But to compete for business, Hicks said, New Mexico must offer the same confidentiality that companies can get at similar sites elsewhere.

Officials of the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce and the New Mexico Association of Commerce and Industry spoke in favor of the legislation.

It is important to ensure the Spaceport remains competitive, said Jason Espinoza, president and CEO of the Association of Commerce and Industry.

Among the information the proposal would shield from public disclosure:

n Records related to specific technical or business information that is proprietary and is related to the possible relocation, expansion or operation of its aerospace customers.

n The identity of aerospace customers if they request nondisclosure.

n Records that would compromise physical security or cybersecurity of the Spaceport.

The Spaceport is west of White Sands Missile Range, about 45 miles north of Las Cruces.
SAN DIEGO  The federal judge whom President Donald Trump characterized during his campaign as a Mexican and therefore biased against him said he would announce a ruling next week that could determine whether the government can proceed with its expedited plans to build a border wall.

District Judge Gonzalo Curiel is presiding over a lawsuit filed by advocacy groups and the state of California challenging the Department of Homeland Securitys plans to bypass standard environmental-impact studies and rapidly expand barriers along the Mexican border.

Curiel said Friday that DHS has yet to explain why it must proceed so urgently in its construction plans.

By waving environmental protections, we are ignoring something that has been very important to Congress for the past 40, 50 years, the judge told government attorneys. He asked them to provide more information by Tuesday and said he would issue his ruling soon after.

Galen Thorp, a government attorney representing the Department of Homeland Security, said DHSs plans were consistent with congressional authorizations.

This case is about plaintiffs opposition to Congresss decision that border infrastructure can, in certain circumstances, be a higher priority than environmental laws, Thorp said.

Plaintiffs in the suit argue that environmental waivers granted by Congress a decade ago involving matters of crucial border security could not be applied to future wall construction. A ruling against DHS would likely delay the Trump administrations plans to move rapidly if Congress provides billions in funding for the wall.

The plaintiffs said they are not challenging the governments right to replace or maintain existing barriers, only the projects they want to do now, said Michael Cayaban, an attorney for the state of California.

Curiel was the judge in an unrelated class-action lawsuit against the presidents now-defunct Trump University, and the judges alleged bias against Trump became a running theme during his presidential campaign.

At a rally here in May 2016 that triggered protests, Trump blasted Curiel as a hater of Donald Trump, then continued to lash out after the judge ordered the release of internal Trump University documents related to the suit requested by The Washington Post.

Trump told supporters at the time that Curiel harbored a bias against the candidates plans for a border wall because the judge was Spanish and a Mexican.

Curiels parents were immigrants from Mexico. He was born in Indiana.

Look, hes proud of his heritage, OK? Trump said of Curiel in a June 2016 interview with CNN. Hes a Mexican. Were building a wall between here and Mexico.

Trumps remarks were widely condemned at the time, but Curiel did not respond publicly. Trump agreed to pay $25 million to settle the fraud claims in March, soon after moving into the White House.

Brian Segee, the lead attorney for the Arizona-based Center for Biological Diversity, a plaintiff in the suit, said his group is challenging DHSs attempt to bypass standard procedure.

Did Congress intend, as we argue, to limit the unprecedented and sweeping authority of the DHS secretary to do away with laws at will? Segee said in an interview Friday. Was that limited to specific fencing projects that have already been completed? Or was it perpetual authority that can be invoked now, or 10 years or 20 years from now?

Trump is seeking $25 billion for enhanced border security, including hundreds of miles of new barrier construction. About one-third of the 2,000-mile border with Mexico has some form of wall or fencing, and the presidents proposal would extend the structure by about 300 miles, while replacing another 400 miles with more formidable barriers.

DHS is evaluating eight wall prototypes that are on exhibit outside San Diego, and each one is taller and more elaborate than almost anything currently in place.

Environmental groups suing the government say additional barriers will harm wildlife by cutting off their natural migration routes or access to the waters of the Rio Grande.

Stretching from the southern Rockies to the Gulf of Mexico, the river spans nearly two-thirds of the U.S.-Mexico boundary, passing through arid mountain regions and deserts where it is a vital water source for farmers, ranchers and wildlife. Large fauna cross the border in other remote areas where the international boundary is little more than a line on a map.

The wall could preclude the movement of endangered species or other animals, like the jaguar, that move back and forth, leading to their potential extirpation in the United States, Segee said.

New wall construction is likely to happen first on federally protected lands, including parks and wildlife sanctuaries because the government already owns the property. The presidents wall-building blueprints also call for thousands of miles of new roadways along the border to provide access for maintenance crews and law enforcement.

  

Miroff reported from Washington.
SANTA FE  A bipartisan bill stipulating New Mexico elected officials convicted of public corruption charges would have to forfeit their pension benefits is on its way to the Senate.

The proposal, House Bill 109, passed the House on a 61-7 vote this evening, with one of the bills two sponsors saying the legislation would send a message.

This is something I think the citizens of our state are interested in, said Rep. Matthew McQueen, D-Galisteo.

New Mexico already has a law that allows a judge to fine convicted public officials up to the value of their salaries and fringe benefits, but it doesnt specify pensions.

The bill approved by the House would allow an elected official convicted of public corruption  its definition includes fraud, embezzlement and several other crimes  to have their pension contributions refunded. But it would make them ineligible to receive the full taxpayer benefits theyd otherwise be entitled to.

The issue has surfaced in several recent criminal cases  including those of former Secretary of State Dianna Duran and ex-state senator Phil Griego  and Attorney General Hector Balderas has said the current law lacks teeth and needs to be strengthened.
Alan Webbers campaign continues to out-raise and out-spend his competition in the race for mayor of Santa Fe, according to the second set campaign finance statements released on Friday.

He has raised, spent, and has more cash left to spend in the final weeks leading up to the March 6 election than the four other candidates combined.

During the period covering Jan. 25 to Feb. 8, Webber raised $52,776 in cash and benefitted from another $11,003 from in-kind contributions.

More than 200 individual donors contributed nearly $46,000 to his campaign. In contrast to his last report when roughly one-third of the $200,009 he raised came from out of state, just over 10 percent of the contributions ($4,695) came from outside New Mexico. The largest contribution  $2,000  came from his daughter, who is living in California.

In a statement released to the media on Friday, Webbers campaign manager Neri Holguin emphasized that to date about three-quarters of Webbers campaign contributors are from New Mexico and about 70 percent of what theyve raised so far has been spent in New Mexico.

We think were going to have more supporters from Santa Fe than the other privately-financed campaigns combined, which is really gratifying, Holguin said. My team has worked really, really hard and we couldnt be more pleased.

While most of his contributors listed Santa Fe addresses, Webber raised $4,255 in one day, Feb. 1, from people with Albuquerque area addresses.

Union money came in for Webber during this reporting period. He received $2,000 from the New Mexico Building and Construction Trades Council and $1,000 each from Laborers International Union of North America, Sheetmetals Workers and Plumbers and Steamfitters.

The vast majority of his in-kind contributions were for food and drink.

Webber spent $63,487 in the last two weeks, including payments totalling $37,114 to Bouchard Gold Communications of Valdez, N.M., for mailing fees.

Altogether, Webber has raised $261,785 so far and spent $145,134, leaving him with $116,651 cash on hand.

Kate Noble has raised more than $77,000 so far, including $17,364 cash this reporting period from 101 individuals and two businesses. She also picked up $2,081 worth of in-kind contributions.

Noble spent $17,667 the last two weeks, most of it to pay for such things as consulting, outreach, and paying campaign workers.

She has spent more than $54,000 to date and still has $23,279 in her war chest.

Joseph Maestas raised $2,950 this reporting period, more than one-third of it coming from a $1,000 donation from Jennifer Johnson, a marketing consultant. He spent $2,576 in the last two weeks, $1,500 of it going to his campaign manager, Logan Davis.

Altogether, Maestas has raised $30,855 and spent $24,571, leaving him with $6,284 in the bank.

Peter Ives raised $1,161 this reporting period, bringing his grand total to just more than $18,000. He didnt spend any money on his campaign the last two weeks, according to his report, and still has $12,918 to work with.

As a publicly financed candidate  the only one in the mayoral race  Ron Trujillo isnt allowed to raise any more than the $60,000 hes allocated through the citys public financing program. Hes spent nearly half of it so far, including $10,689 during the last fortnight. His biggest expenses this reporting period were a $4,874 payment to Santa Fes Slazer Technologies for digital marketing, and $2,222 to My Campaign Store of Louisville, Ky. for campaign signs. He still has $32,073 left to spend.

However, Trujillo is getting help from two political committees.

People for Santa Fe received a $2,000 contribution from the New Mexico Beverage Association, adding to the $10,000 it had already received from Coca-Cola of North America and the local Coca-Cola bottling company. Minus a $2,688 expenditure for polling services spent last month, it has $9,413 in the bank.

A political committee called Luciano Lucky Verela for New Mexico spent just over $400 on a newspaper advertisement and reports having $10,599 cash on hand.
Henry Sapoznik is a catalyst  some say the catalyst  of the klezmer music revival in United States in the 1970s.

Klezmer, with roots in Eastern European Jewish wedding music, is still going strong in some cities in North America and Europe, including far-flung Albuquerque.

Sapoznik will perform and lecture at the 16th annual KlezmerQuerque Festival, which will be held Friday, Feb. 16-Sunday-Feb. 18 at Congregation Nahalat Shalom.

Hes our hero. Hes the father of klezmer revival. Without Henry there wouldnt be anything, proclaimed klezmer violinist Beth Cohen, the coordinator of the annual KlezmerQuerque and Nahalat Shaloms cantor.

Sapoznik, a multi-instrumentalist, is also an historian, scholar and a four-time Grammy-nominated performer/producer. His NPR series The Yiddish Radio Project won the Peabody Award for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism in 2002. He wrote an award-winning book on the history of klezmer music.

Sapoznik is one of three guest artists at KlezmerQuerque. The other two are Las Cruces-based clarinetist Margot Leverett and dancer/teacher/choreographer Avia Moore of Toronto.

Margot has been part of KlezmerQuerque almost since the beginning.

Shes like family, Cohen said.

All three guest artists will participate in Fridays der Freylekher Shabes (Joyous Shabbat) led by Cohen, with the Alavados ensemble, the Rikud dancers, the Rebbes Orkestra, the Nahalat Shalom Community Klezmer Band, plus Moore, Sapoznik and Leverett. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. and includes a potluck dinner.

At the 10 a.m. Saturday service, JoAnn Rice, who retired from teaching cantorial students at the Jewish Theological Seminary, reads from the Torah. She also plays trombone in the Alavados ensemble.

The klezmer trio Di Kavene Kapelye welcomes patrons to the 7 p.m. Saturday concert, and The Rebbes Orkestra open the show. Sapoznik and Leverett headline the concert, presenting klezmer tunes and songs.

Following the concert and intermission, Moore and The Rebbes Orkestra will lead a dance party.

The festivals three guest artists will continue to be busy Sunday.

They will offer a series of workshop sessions. Moore will teach Yiddish and traditional Eastern European dance. Sapoznik will be in conversation with his audience at 12:45 p.m. on the subject of On Founding the Klezmer Revival and at 4:15 p.m. he will talk on The Rise and Fall of Yiddish Radio, 1915-1955.

Leverett will teach klezmer music performance at two sessions and she will give a woodwinds masterclass at a third.
Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

Do you remember Monkbridge Manor?

Francelle Alexander cant forget the imposing mansion that once stood on Fourth Street, just north of Candelaria.

Its the landmark I miss most from my childhood, Alexander said during a recent phone interview. It was the home of George Roslington, a man who made his fortune in trolleys. He went broke after buses replaced trolleys.

Built around 1916, Monkbridge Manor was turned into a sanitorium for tuberculosis patients after Roslingtons trolley business went bust and was later other things before it fell into disrepair and was demolished decades ago.

Monkbridge Manor was like a palace to me, said Alexander, 80. It was so different from anything else we had in the North Valley. It truly was a grand place. I was never in it, and I regret that.

Alexander writes about the old mansion in the first book of her two-volume history of Albuquerques North Valley. Volume one is Los Griegos & Los Candelarias and the second Alameda & Los Ranchos. Both are published by Rio Grande Books at a cost of $24.95 each.

Alexander defines the North Valley as running from the old village of Alameda on the north to Menaul Boulevard on the south and from the Rio Grande on the west to the sandhills east of Edith Boulevard. She tells the story of this area from the establishment of Spanish villages along the Rio Grande in the 1700s down into the 20th century.

Alexanders project, which consumed the years 2012 to 2017, was a daunting undertaking. Her research included census records; title company records; Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District maps dating back to 1927; Bernalillo County survey maps; previously published accounts such as Kathryn Sargeant and Mary Davis 1986 oral history of the North Valley, Shining River, Precious Land; and interviews Alexander conducted herself. She said her biggest challenge was what to include, what to skim over.

What I wanted to include is that these were primarily Hispanic villages for 200 years and they evolved into Albuquerque suburbs, Alexander said. I tried to interview at least a few people in each village, some from old families, some from the early 20th century and some who arrived more recently than that. I tried to cross all ethnic and classes of people. I made some very good friends along the way. They certainly enriched my life both personally and professionally.

Alexander has resided in Placitas for 17 years, but she is a valley girl. She lived her first few years in Armijo, in the valley just south of Albuquerque, but moved with her family to the North Valley when she was in first grade and lived in a series of houses from Los Candelarias to Alameda, often along a stretch of old Guadalupe Trail.

We moved to Placitas because my husband wanted to be closer to the mountains, she said. But he says he cant keep me out of the valley. I keep sneaking back.

Alexander graduated from Albuquerque High in the 1950s, before Valley High was established. She earned a bachelors degree in history and education from the University of New Mexico and a masters from UNM in education administration. She worked for the Albuquerque Public Schools for 25 years, serving as principal of schools such as Roosevelt Middle School-A. Montoya Elementary School; Eisenhower, Taylor and Wilson middle schools; and Freedom High School.

Besides Monkbridge Manor, Alexander writes in that first volume about some of the favored Fourth Street hangouts of her youth in the 1950s, places such as the Ernie Pyle and Yucca movie theaters, Scotts Drive-In and Hub Hamiltons.

We had our favorite hangouts, our favorite hamburger place, she said.

One theme of her history is the importance Fourth Street played in increasing the population and development of the North Valley in the early 20th century. In 1905, the territorial legislature authorized the building of a north-south highway designated as New Mexico Route 1, later Highway 66/85, but known in Albuquerque as Fourth Street. Because it was connected to Downtown Albuquerque, the North Valley was suddenly more accessible.

People either love or hate Fourth Street, Alexander said. It just grew topsy-turvy. There was no zoning. I dont think they will ever totally make it respectable, but I love it.

Another major factor in the changing character of the North Valley in the 20th century was the creation of the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District in the 1920s. Even after Fourth Street made it easier to get to the North Valley, much of it was still difficult to live on and farm due to flooding and the fact there were not enough drainage ditches to remove excess irrigation water. Alexander writes that by 1917, it was estimated that half the land in the North Valley was alkali, marsh, sandhills, or sagebrush. The conservancy district tackled the problem by constructing new drainage ditches and realigning old acequias.

The lands were becoming water-logged. There was water on top of the ground, Alexander said. But it was amazing how fast the land drained with the drainage ditches. People looked around and said, Lets move to the North Valley. 

The North Valley looks a lot different today than it did back in the 1700 and 1800s when Spanish families were settling along the Rio Grande, but Alexander believes that the roots of the Hispanic culture remain in the North Valley and will continue to distinguish that part of the Albuquerque area.

She noted that Los Griegos has been designated a National Historic District and that 67 of its buildings, many dating from the mid to late 1800s, had been determined to be of architectural or cultural significance. She said that Hispanic homes from the mid-19th century can be found in other parts of the North Valley, especially along north Edith Boulevard, and that old Spanish chapels, some now transformed into private residences, still exist. And if you know where to look in the North Valley, Alexander said, its even possible to find a morada, the religious meeting building of the fraternity of Hispanic Roman Catholic men known as the Penitentes.

People I interviewed who are Hispanic often mention their church and their families, she said. Family and church are the roots of Hispanic culture in New Mexico.

Book signings

Francelle E. Alexander signs copies of her two-volume history, Albuquerques North Valley, at the following times and places:

 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15, Bookworks, 4022 Rio Grande NW. 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, Los Ranchos Village Hall, 6718 Rio Grande NW. 1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 18, Treasure House Books & Gifts, 2012 South Plaza NW in Old Town. 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 13, North Valley Senior Center, 3825 Fourth NW.
There is way too much killing in America  murders, accidental shootings, executions, deadly domestic abuse and despondent people who kill themselves. Then there is filicide. Thats when parents kill their own child. We would like to think this sort of heinous crime doesnt happen, but it happens way too often.

A study published in the journal Forensic Science International combed through more than 30 years of FBI filicide cases and found parent-on-child murder happen in the United States about 500 times each year. More than two-thirds of the victims are six years old or younger. It might surprise you to learn that mothers kill their children almost as frequently as fathers.

Experts believe parents kill for one of five reasons. They think the child would be better off dead, psychosis convinces them that their child is possessed by the devil, the child is seen as too much of a burden, death comes accidentally as an offshoot of physical abuse or the child is killed as revenge against the other parent.

Can you imagine killing a child to get back at the person you once professed to love?

Last Spring, Ana Estevez, an elementary school principal in California, handed over her 5-year-old son, nicknamed Piqui, to his father just as a judges shared custody order said she must. Ana had repeatedly told the judge her ex-husband was an unemployed gambler and pill popper with a bad temper. Her pleas for sole custody fell on deaf ears. So, on that April day in 2017, the boy and his father went off to spend the day at Disneyland along with Piquis paternal grandmother and aunt.

As the father, Armazd Andressian, drove the child to his home in Santa Barbara County for a court-ordered overnight stay, he must have been thinking through his diabolical plot. Within a matter of hours the boy was smothered to death with his own jacket in the back seat of his fathers BMW.

Andressian would later explain that his plan was to kill the boy and then himself and make it look as though it was his ex-wifes work. Andressian had even set the stage by telling people he had become afraid of Ana following their contentious divorce and worried that she would kill him.

Ana was frantic when her son was not returned the next day at the appointed time. She called police, and they found Andressian in a public park, unconscious from an overdose of prescription pills, his car doused in gasoline. But where was Piqui? The father said he had no idea.

Police immediately suspected foul play and jailed Andressian for child endangerment. But he insisted he didnt know where his son might be. Massive air and land searches for little Piqui turned up nothing. Andressian was set free for lack of evidence.

For months Ana agonized over the fate of her little boy. In the meantime, her ex-husband traveled to Las Vegas to see shows and buy prostitutes, living off the court-ordered child and spousal support payments Ana was forced to pay him. Police trailing Andressian came to believe he was about to flee the country, and they finally arrested him on suspicion of murder in late June 2017. Only then did Andressian fess up and lead authorities to a wilderness area in Santa Barbara County where he had dumped Piquis body.

I relate this story because too many filicide cases stem from tumultuous divorce cases, and youd think the warning flags would be evident. But too many family court judges dismiss protective parents complaints about their former spouses mental stability as posturing or sour grapes and routinely award joint custody.

According to the Center For Judicial Excellence, since 2008 more than 620 children have been murdered in the United States by a parent going through a contested divorce, separation, child support or custody case. More than 30 of those filicides occurred since little Piques death last spring.

House Concurrent Resolution 72 is currently pending in the U.S. Congress. It declares that since child safety should be the first priority, state courts should improve adjudications of custody where family violence is alleged. Fairly wishy-washy language if you ask me. And realize that a resolution lacks the force of law. Congress could do better if it tried, but it doesnt.

So, were back to the judges who hear these cases. Ensuring the safety of children caught in the middle of warring parents is the judges responsibility. Yes, our family court system is often overwhelmed. Judges dont have the financial resources to check on the parental fitness of every parent with a suspected defect. But judges are awarded the bench for their insight and wisdom and not for their ability to fast-track the daily docket.

This is a call to every person who wears the black robe to take their life-and-death responsibility seriously  every day.

Diane@DianeDimond.com.
A Saudi special criminal court has handed a five-year prison sentence to a prominent journalist arrested in January for accusing the royal court of reinforcing corruption in the kingdom.

Saleh Al-Shehi, a columnist for Arabic-language daily Al-Watan, received five years in prison after he insulted the royal court in comments he made on TV. The outspoken journalist was arrested last month.

He reportedly criticized the courts anti-corruption purge launched in November against several princes, senior officials and business tycoons in a clampdown directed by Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman.

Most detainees have been released after they signed monetary deals with authorities in exchange for their freedom.

Al-Shehi reportedly slammed the royal court for being one of the institutions that reinforced corruption in the country, citing examples such as granting plots of land to citizens based on personal connections.

If we want to end financial corruption then we must first shutter the windows for administrative corruption, he was quoted as saying by the Financial Times.

For the commentator who has nearly 1.2 million followers on Twitters, there are in the Royal Court many windows from which people can enter.

New York-headquartered Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemned Al-Shehis arrest and demanded that Saudi authorities cancel the ruling.

The emerging leaderships promises of openness and reform in Saudi Arabia seem to end where critical reporting and independent journalism begin, said CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Sherif Mansour.

Saudi authorities should free Saleh Al-Shehi immediately and stop going after journalists who report inconvenient news.

The free media watchdog notes that seven journalists have been held in Saudi Arabia since December 1, 2017.
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump on Saturday accused the Democrats of playing politics with classified information, asserting that their memo countering GOP allegations about the conduct of the FBIs Russia probe was a trap meant to blame the White House for lack of transparency.

Citing national security concerns, the White House notified the House Intelligence Committee on Friday that the president was unable to declassify the Democratic memo. White House counsel Don McGahn said in a letter to the committee that the memo contains numerous properly classified and especially sensitive passages and asked the committee to revise it with the help of the Justice Department.

He said Trump was still inclined to release the memo in the interest of transparency if revisions are made.

Trump weighed in with a tweet on Saturday.

The Democrats sent a very political and long response memo which they knew, because of sources and methods (and more), would have to be heavily redacted, whereupon they would blame the White House for lack of transparency, he tweeted. The meaning of the (and more) was not immediately clear.

Trump urged the Democrats to re-do and send back in proper form!

The presidents rejection of the Democratic memo was in contrast to his enthusiastic embrace of releasing the Republican document, which accuses the FBI and Justice Department of abusing their surveillance powers in obtaining a secret warrant to monitor former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser Carter Page.

Even before reading the GOP document, Trump pledged to make it public and was overheard telling one congressman after the State of the Union address that he would 100 percent put it out. It was published in full a week ago over the objections of the Justice Department.

The Intelligence Committees top Democrat, California Rep. Adam Schiff, criticized Trump for treating the two documents differently, saying the president is now seeking revisions by the same committee that produced the original Republican memo. Still, Schiff said, Democrats look forward to conferring with the agencies to determine how we can properly inform the American people about the misleading attack on law enforcement by the GOP.

He responded to Trumps tweet Saturday with one of his own, writing Mr. President, what you call political are actually called facts, and your concern for sources and methods would be more convincing if you hadnt decided to release the GOP memo (100%) before reading it and over the objections of the FBI.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California said the move is part of a dangerous and desperate pattern of cover-up on the part of the president. California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, has read the classified information both memos are based on. She tweeted that Trumps blocking the memo is hypocrisy at its worst.

The head of the House committee, Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., who produced the GOP memo, encouraged Democrats to accept the Justice Departments recommendations and make the appropriate technical changes and redactions.

Trump has said the GOP memo vindicates him in the ongoing Russia investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller. But Democrats and Republicans, including House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., who helped draft the GOP memo, have said it shouldnt be used to undermine the special counsel.

The House Intelligence Committee voted Monday to release the Democratic memo. Republicans backed the release, but several said they thought it should be redacted. Ryan also said he thought the Democratic document should be released.

In declining to declassify the document, the White House also sent lawmakers a letter signed by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and FBI Director Christopher Wray, as well as a marked-up copy of the memo, laying out portions it considers too sensitive to make public. Among those passages are some that the Justice Departments says could compromise intelligence sources and methods, ongoing investigations and national security if disclosed.

The White House message caps off a week in which Republicans and Democrats on the committee have publicly fought, with the panel now erecting a wall to separate feuding Republican and Democratic staffers who had long sat side by side.

The disagreements have escalated over the last year as Democrats have charged that Republicans arent taking the panels investigation into Russian election meddling seriously enough. They say the GOP memo is designed as a distraction from the probe, which is looking into whether Trumps campaign was in any way connected to the Russian interference.

Republicans say theyre only alerting the public to what they say is serious misconduct theyve uncovered in the FBI and Justice Department.

Trump declassified the GOP-authored memo over the objections of the FBI, which said it had grave concerns about the documents accuracy.

In the Nunes memo, Republicans took aim at the FBI and the Justice Department over the use of information from former British spy Christopher Steele in obtaining a warrant to monitor Page under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA. The main allegation was that the FBI and Justice Department didnt tell the court enough about Steeles anti-Trump bias or that his work was funded in part by Hillary Clintons campaign and the Democratic National Committee.

They argued that the reliance on Steeles material amounted to an improper politicization of the governments surveillance powers.

Democrats have countered that the GOP memo was inaccurate and a misleading collection of cherry-picked details.

They noted that federal law enforcement officials had informed the court about the political origins of Steeles work and that some of the former spys information was corroborated by the FBI. They also noted that there was other evidence presented to the court besides Steeles information, though they have not provided details.

The Democratic memo is believed to elaborate on these points.

___

Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick and Jill Colvin contributed to this report.

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Read the letter: http://apne.ws/OeAhbxf

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Follow Chad Day and Jonathan Lemire on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ChadSDay and https://www.twitter.com/JonLemire
SANTA FE  On a vote that cut against traditional party positions, Democratic members of a House committee voted today to table a Republican-backed bill increasing New Mexico minimum teacher pay levels.

The legislation divided the states two largest teachers unions, and critics argued it represented an unfunded mandate that could lead to disillusionment among veteran educators.

Lingering tension between Democratic lawmakers and Gov. Susana Martinezs top public education appointee also surfaced, with House Majority Leader Sheryl Williams Stapleton, D-Albuquerque, describing the bill as a facade.

Were trying to raise the bar for teachers, countered Rep. Alonzo Baldonado, R-Los Lunas, the bills sponsor, who was sitting alongside Public Education Secretary-designate Christopher Ruszkowski. Theres no facade here.

The legislation, House Bill 310, would increase minimum teacher pay levels in New Mexico to $38,000 per year, up from $34,000. It would also provide $5 million for teacher recruitment efforts and enough money for a 2.5 percent salary increase for all teachers for the fiscal year starting in July.

Those raises are already included in a $6.3 billion budget bill approved by the House. The budget bill also includes funding to raise minimum pay levels for all three categories of teachers under New Mexicos three-tier system.

However, the funding included in the budget would only allow for starting teacher pay levels to be set at $36,000 annually  not $38,000  and Democratic opponents of the bill questioned where the money to provide the larger increases would come from.

In a rare split, the bill was opposed by the American Federation of Teachers-New Mexico, who had numerous members attend todays hearing, but was supported by the National Education Association-New Mexico.

The bills increases to support teacher recruitment would have been important for addressing our severe teacher shortage, said Charles Goodmacher, NEAs state-level government and media relations director. Though its not enough to make a major dent, it would be an important statement that our state should move in that direction.

There is also a Senate bill pending that would enshrine higher minimum teacher pay levels in state law. That measure is sponsored by Senate Majority Whip Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque.
No survivors in small plane crash at Lake Havasu ...

Around the Region

At least one person has died ...
DENVER  A man arrested in the shooting death of a 19-year-old Colorado woman told investigators she hired him to kill her, court records said.

Joseph McDaniel Lopez, 22, said he responded to a Craigslist ad titled I want to put a hit on myself, KMGH-TV reported.

Court records say he described how he and Natalie Bollinger exchanged text messages and he picked her up at her apartment in Broomfield, north of Denver, last December. Lopez said he tried to change her mind. They then drove around while discussing how he would be paid. They eventually stopped the car at a spot where he shot her. He said Bollinger provided the gun, which he took along with her purse.

Bollinger was found dead Dec. 29, a day after her boyfriend reported her missing. He also reported his Glock 9mm pistol was gone as well.

An autopsy found she was shot in the head and had a potentially lethal amount of heroin in her system.

Investigators connected Lopez to the case through more than 100 text messages the two exchanged on the night she died.

He was arrested late Thursday.

Just because we have a suspect in custody, doesnt mean the investigation is over, Adams County Sheriff Michael McIntosh said Friday in announcing the arrest.

Lopez told investigators that when they arrived at the spot where Bollinger was shot, she knelt down on the ground and that he knelt down along her left side and slightly in front of her, court records said. He said they said a prayer, he got up and closed his eyes and fired the fatal shot. He told officers the gun was still in the trunk of his car.

Investigators did locate a weapon, but McIntosh said its too early in the investigation to tie it to Bollingers death.

The affidavit does not include any evidence of Lopezs claims or how much heroin was in Bollingers system. The autopsy notes she had a history of heroin and meth use. Investigators say some of her family and friends reported she had a history of suicidal thoughts, but other said she was happy and looking forward to attending school.

Lopez remains jailed. No bond has been set. It wasnt immediately known if he had an attorney to speak on his behalf.

Craigslist officials did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on Saturday.

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Information from: KMGH-TV, http://www.thedenverchannel.com
The Muthoot Group, one of Indias leading business conglomerate has engaged Mr. Amitabh Bachchan as their Brand Ambassador. Padma Vibhushan Shri Amitabh Bachchan will hereafter be representing The Muthoot Group across their national campaigns.

Shri Amitabh Bachchan, also widely known as the Shahenshah of Bollywood has appeared in over 190 Indian films in his Bollywood career spanning almost five decades. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential actors in the history of Indian cinema as well as World Cinema.

Speaking of the association, Alexander George Muthoot, Deputy Managing Director, The Muthoot Group said, "We are extremely pleased that Mr. Bachchan will be representing The Muthoot Group as our Brand Ambassador. Mr Bachchan is a living legend  both on and off the screen. He combines his extraordinary performance on screen with his legacy and values - precisely what we, at The Muthoot Group, also stand for. The diverse roles that he has played over his illustrious career also resonates with our 18-diversified business divisions  all of which are doing meaningful work in their respective areas.

We also found his strong association with a host of social causes to resonate with our nature and culture of business. With more than 70% of our 4500+ branches in Semi-urban and rural areas of India, we serve more than 2 Lac customers every day  which is our contribution to financial inclusion and nation-building. We are certain that this association will be an enormous momentum boost for us and will resonate across generations of fans.

Speaking of the partnership the legendary actor said, I am proud to be associated with The Muthoot Group which is known for its uncompromising values and trust earned over 131 years of excellence in business. Over these years, The Muthoot Group has brought joys to the lives of millions of Indians and have helped them prosper in life through their diverse financial products and services. I was particularly amazed to learn that two of their divisions Muthoot Healthcare and Muthoot Education are run purely for non-for-profit reasons and have been doing great work for many years now.

I look forward to this association and wish everyone associated with The Muthoot Group, the very best in their lives!
Radio City, Indias leading radio network has geared up to entertain music enthusiasts with the launch of the 5th edition of countrys definitive independent music awards, Jockey presents Radio City Freedom Awards 5.0 driven by Skoda. Successfully into its fifth edition, RCFA strives to search and reward Indias greatest independent bands across various genres and languages. Radio City Freedom Awards this year is all set to take a tour across the country with 13 live gigs in 10 languages across 8 cities.

Radio City Freedom Awards 5.0 kick started with the first gig in Chennai on 08th February with performances by Oorka and LIVE Banned at the Bay 146. The live show witnessed phenomenal participation from music enthusiasts in Chennai especially from the independent music community. This gig will be followed by scintillating performances by renowned Indie bands in 8 cities. The grand finale and gala award night is scheduled to be held in Mumbai in March at Glocal Junction.

Radio City Freedom Awards in its 5th edition has evolved to become a countrywide movement that promotes new sounds of the new generation with a perfect amalgamation of modern music with a traditional touch through their songs with the theme of Sounds of the Soil. Musicians and bands ranging across genres such as Hip-Hop, Folk Fusion, Pop, Rock, Metal and Electronica and winner from every category will be crowned the countrys top independent artist. RCFA 5.0 will constitute of a highly acclaimed jury including Luke Kenny, Ritnika Nayan , Vehrnon Ibrahim, Atul Churamani and Yotam Agam among others.

Commenting on the launch of RCFA 5.0, Abraham Thomas, CEO, Radio City said, After successful 4 editions of Radio City Freedom Awards, this year the property has grown multiple folds to 13 gigs across 8 cities and has clearly become the most credible and definitive recognition in the indie space. We have witnessed immense success in the past four editions and are confident that RCFA 5.0 will, once again, establish music as the universal language

Ms. Rachna Kanwar, COO, Digital Media-Jagran said, Radio City Freedom Awards has grown by leaps and bounds over the last 5 years. Today, RCFA has become the annual celebration of the connect between our online indie music stations and the tremendous variety of original music being created in every part of the country. This year we are happy to welcome some new members in our Jury and thankful to the ones who have been there with us for the last 5 years. The buzz getting generated around the nominations is heartening and we are hopeful of a fabulous response.

Mr. M. C. Cariappa, President  Sales & Marketing, Jockey says, We at Jockey are extremely excited to associate with Radio City Freedom Awards 5.0, which recognises and provides a phenomenal pedestal for independent artists. We look forward to this exciting journey along with Radio City in unearthing fabulous talent across the country.

Popular Musician, actor, director and a member of this years jury, Luke Kenny, said The beauty of indie music is often overlooked with all the hype around the mainstream artists. Radio City Freedom Awards is a great initiative to recognize the vast pool of creative talent of this country. It is an honour and a privilege to be a part of this unique platform that gives a voice to artistes who dare to go off the beaten track. I look forward to a great season full of exciting and entertaining performances from the passionate musicians of this gifted country.

Radio City Freedom Awards 5.0 will recognize musicians across categories including Best Hip Hop/ Rap Artist, Best Folk Fusion Artist, Best Pop Artist, Best Rock Artist, Best Metal Artist and Best Electronica Artist. Launched in 2013, Radio City Freedom Awards have provided a platform for the relatively lesser known Indie musicians to make a mark for themselves in the presence of revered names in the indie industry.

If you are an aspiring musician, wait no longer and submit your nominations by logging on to http://www.radiocity.in/rcfa/ till 28th February 2018

Radio City is proud to associate with their sponsors- Jockey, Skoda, OK Listen, Vicks, RSJ, Rock Bong and IndiHut.
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On Friday night, Aiken City Council unanimously accepted City Manager John Klimm's immediate resignation.

Klimm was not present for the vote; all City Council members were.

Klimm said he tendered his resignation "several days ago." Klimm's contract was set through 2020, according to City spokesman Tim O'Briant, save for direct City Council action.

Klimm said he resigned because he is dealing with "some serious family health concerns that can no longer be postponed."

"That weighed heavily on my decision to resign" Klimm said. "The most significant factor is personal."

Assistant City Manager Stuart Bedenbaugh has assumed the interim city manager position. City Council approved that move after they accepted Klimm's resignation.

Klimm said Bedenbaugh is terrific.

Hes a capable, committed manager that loves Aiken, Klimm said, and Im sure hell do a great job.

O'Briant said there is no formal city manager search yet.

When asked if he had any regrets, Klimm said, bluntly, No.

A statement issued by City Council members says they accepted Klimm's resignation "with regret and with appreciation" for his "years of service to the City." Klimm's leave was "mutually agreeable to all involved," the statement continues.

Mayor Rick Osbon, in a later interview, wished Klimm the best.

"We certainly accept John's resignation and appreciate all he's done for the City in his time here," the mayor said.

City Council's resolution to accept Klimm's resignation includes continued payments to the former city manager.

Through April 13, Klimm will be paid bi-weekly based on his current $142,043.20 salary. The payments include health and life insurance premiums, retirement plan payments and a car allowance. Starting April 14, Klimm will be paid bi-weekly, for a year, based on the same salary figure. That's $5,463.20 every two weeks.

Klimm's starting salary was $130,000.

Within 10 days of his resignation, Klimm will receive several lump sums: $30,184.18 for accrued vacation leave; $20,000 for accrued sick leave; $10,971.72 representing 12 months of COBRA health insurance payments; and $6,000 for relocation.

Osbon said Klimm had done a good job during his stay. At the end of last year, City Council evaluated Klimm's job performance. Council members said he had met expectations. He was scored a Council-averaged 3.57 out of 5.

Aiken city manager, city attorney meet expectations, statement says Both the Aiken city manager and the city attorney have met job performance expectations, according to a statement issued by the City.

Look at where were at, Osbon said. I think theres a lot of positive things that certainly were accomplished while he was tenured here.

Klimm was eager to detail what he saw as accomplishments made by an incredible group of employees, committees and council.

Klimm said the first thing he was asked to do upon arrival in Aiken was professionalize the operation.

Many things in Aiken had been done the same way for decades, Klimm said. Things like the budget.

The now-resigned city manager said Aikens budget was completely overhauled under his rule. The new budgets, he said, bring more detail, transparency and clarity to the overall process. The Government Finance Officers Association has recognized Aiken with the Distinguished Budget Award.

Three years ago, if you looked at the budget, it was literally the same format used in the 50s, Klimm said. In one year we gained national recognition.

Klimm said the biggest issue of all was pension reform. The City now offers a defined contribution plan  a plan similar to a 401(k)  to new, full-time employees 18 and older who have worked for the City for at least one year. Only employees hired on or after July 1 are affected.

The City had previously offered a defined benefits plan, a plan Klimm has said is increasingly rare in both the private and public sector.

Weve radically changed our pension system, Klimm said. That will literally save Aiken residents in the future millions of dollars.

Klimm said he was also proud of the Citys increased infrastructure work; the Citys improved project management abilities; and the Department of Public Safetys crime awareness and monitoring resources.

I love Aiken. My wife and I have a home in Aiken, and I've just been blessed to be able to work with a great group of folks to get some things done.

Klimm said he is unsure  We have not made a plan  if he and his wife will stay in Aiken.

Were going to deal with our family issues first, Klimm said. Well move on, and Aiken will move on.

City Council's resolution included two nondisparagement clauses: Both Klimm and City Council agreed not to speak ill of each other.
RAMALLAH, West Bank  The Palestinian Central Council (PCC) in Ramallah convened Jan. 14-15 and decided to reactivate the Jerusalem Secretariat.

The secretariat was the first municipal council elected in Jerusalem after the Jordanian government (the official custodian of Jerusalem's holy sites) turned the city into a secretariat in 1955. The council continued to operate until the beginning of June 1967, when Israel occupied the eastern part of Jerusalem, dissolved the body and expelled its members to Jordan, where the secretariat is currently based. The council is headed by Zaki al-Ghul, who took over the presidency after the councils secretary-general, Ruhi al-Khatib, died in exile.

Jihad Abu Zneid, a PCC member who pushed for reactivation, said in a press statement Jan. 16 the action comes in light of Jerusalemites urgent need for a Palestinian body to fill their daily needs and provide them with necessary services.

The Palestinian Authority (PA) is not allowed to hold municipal elections in East Jerusalem, which Israel has occupied since 1967. This means that no Palestinian council is covering the services that fall within the responsibility of the municipal council, hence the need to activate the Jerusalem Secretariat.

Abu Zneid added that the PCC unanimously voted to reactivate and restructure the Amman-based secretariat.

Abu Zneid said in the same press statement that the PCC suggested calling on 2,000 Jerusalemite figures, including members of the PCC and the Palestinian Legislative Council, to elect a new Jerusalem Secretariat that can operate as a shadow municipality and carry out municipal functions that can serve the population.

In 1999, Palestinian President Yasser Arafat attempted to form a new Jerusalem Secretariat and appointed new members, but that council failed to provide any services until 2012, when President Mahmoud Abbas decreed that a new secretariat be appointed.

Azzam Abu al-Saud, who was appointed a secretariat member in 1999 by Arafat and who remained in office until 2012, told Al-Monitor that the current PCC decision is a "tempest in a teapot," as its goal is only to spread pro-PA propaganda. He said the body will be impossible to reactivate for two main reasons: Israeli law, which prosecutes any sovereign Palestinian action in Jerusalem and deals with Jerusalem as a unified municipality, and Israel's decision that the secretariat is illegal.

He added, It will be a shadow council that wont do anything on the ground.

Asked about his membership in the council during the previous period, Abu al-Saud replied, We have not been prosecuted, as we did not do anything on the ground, and the council only convened twice, once in Amman and another time in Ramallah, and not all of its members attended those two meetings.

He added, None of the formal councils will do anything for Jerusalem, which needs a body that can work on the ground inside Jerusalem in order to solve the problems of Jerusalemites."

Hatem Abdel Qader, Fatah's official in charge of Jerusalem issues, doesn't agree with Abu al-Saud and told Al-Monitor that had there been a political will, it would have been possible to activate the role of this secretariat.

But neither the PLO nor the PA have the political will to do so, as they want it to remain a pro forma body that does not [actually] do anything, he added.

Abdel Qader, who served as the minister of Jerusalem affairs in the Palestinian caretaker government in 2009 and resigned only 40 days into his tenure, had vainly called while in office for a budget to activate the Jerusalem Secretariat, and this is one of the reasons that led to his resignation, he told Al-Monitor.

We called for the activation of the Jerusalem Secretariat for it to provide services to citizens and have a political role, but our calls fell on deaf ears, and the secretariat remained a pro forma body because Jerusalemites never felt its presence. The secretariat still lacks a plan of action, a budget, a program and a vision, he added.

Abdel Qader said Israeli laws and even prosecution of any action on the PA's part can't keep the Jerusalem Secretariat from activating when there is sufficient political will and a budget.

He said the secretariat should remove waste from the streets, restore dilapidated houses and provide services to citizens.

Having this secretariat act as a shadow municipality can be of paramount importance, and if the occupation is to prosecute us, then let this be another battle we fight in Jerusalem, Abdel Qader added.

Given its weak potential and the lack of a real Palestinian political will to activate it, the current Jerusalem Secretariat will, for now, continue to serve as a mere office for Ghul.
Facebook took the stage at its annual Facebook Communities Summit Europe to announce a new Facebook Community Leadership Program and to introduce new tools for group admins, as well as the expansion of its London-based engineering team. The new program is a grants initiative, which Facebook has pledged to donate tens of millions of dollars to. As much as $10 million of that will go directly to people who build up and maintain communities across the suite of Facebook apps and websites. Specifically, as many as five leaders will be chosen to be community leaders in residence, with awards of up to $1 million each for funding their proposals. Meanwhile, up to 100 will be selected for the fellowship portion of the program and receive up to $50,000 each toward specific community initiatives. The gathering included more than 300 community leaders from across Europe, including several that Facebook showed videos of to highlight the work theyre doing in their respective communities. More information about the new program, in addition to applications for those two segments, can be found via the link below.

In conjunction with the new program, Facebook is also introducing Community Leadership Circles, which it piloted in the U.S. in 2017. That will be expanding globally over the course of the year. Thats in addition to the introduction of Groups for Facebook Power Admins which currently includes more than 10,000 group admins in the U.S. and U.K. but which now also is being expanded. Members of the groups effectively meet up to share advice and connect with Facebooks own team in order to provide feedback for features undergoing testing. Alongside that latter expansion, Facebook has introduced several new tools for Group admins and members. Among those are new Admin tools, which also include the introduction of a dedicated rules section in order to help admins more plainly provide rules for a given group. The primary new features, however, is the introduction of a single, comprehensive section for group management  including management of member requests, group insights, and more. Group announcements can also be made more readily via a dedicated tool that allows for up to 10 announcements to be made that will appear at the top of a given group. Finally, admins will now be able to personalize their group with a splash of color which will show throughout each section of a given group.

Last but not least, Facebook announced that it will be doubling the size of its London engineers team by the years end, which Facebook says is responsible for building out technologies that keep Facebook communities safe and secure. Specifically, the team is responsible for both detection and removal of fake accounts, as well as improving the ways users of the site have to report bad content or fake accounts. Of course, the company has its own A.I. for taking care of some of the problems but those tools, it says, need to be in place to augment, improve, and supplement those processes. Thats also the team that prevents and addresses harassment, scams, and threats on the platform via the build-out of automated and reporting tools.

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Getty Images yesterday announced a multi-year licensing partnership with Google. This agreement will allow Google to include Getty Images content in search results and across its products and services. Effective immediately, the agreement will enable Google to improve the way it accredits the original contributors. With the two parties partnering on the use of copyrighted content, Google will be able to display Getty Images-owned content in its Image Search while also linking it back to the original work. Were excited to have signed this license agreement with Getty Images, and well be using their images across many of our products and services, starting immediately, said Cathy Edwards, Engineering Director at Google.

Other reports state that Google will be making some major changes to its Image Search as part of this agreement. The search giant will be making copyright disclaimers more prominent and even remove the View Image button on the results page that links to the original work. We will license our market leading content to Google, working closely with them to improve attribution of our contributors work and thereby growing the ecosystem, said Dawn Airey, CEO, Getty Images. It is still not known whether these clauses will apply only to Getty Images content or to all search results. This is a global partnership between the two that will allow Google to use copyrighted content from Getty Images in its Image Search and other product and services for multiple years, the exact number has not been revealed though.

This partnership between Google and Getty Images comes on the heels of the lawsuit that the latter filed against the former in April 2016. Google was accused of displaying high-resolution images in its search results thereby leaving no need for users to visit the original source and promoting piracy. The complaint filed with the European Commission also accused Google of anti-competitive practices and promoting its own products. Google has been fined multiple times for such practices in the past, too. It was recently fined $21.1 million for search bias in India and was fined 2.42 billion back in June 2017 by the European Union for similar accusations.
The Competition Commission of India on Thursday issued an antitrust fine to Google amounting to over $21 million, having found the company to be abusing the dominant market position of its search engine in the South Asian country. The Alphabet-owned firm was also found to be guilty of a search bias that directly harmed its competitors and consumers, the regulator said, explicitly stating its online syndicate search services benefited from such practices over a prolonged period. The CCI also investigated Googles AdWords and other online platforms but found no antitrust violations on these fronts.

The services that the regulator says were unfairly promoted by Google Search include a commercial flight search engine that Google prominently advertised on its results pages at a direct expense of rivaling platforms seeking to penetrate the market. The reasoning behind the fine is hence similar to the one applied by the European Commission last year who said the company was doing the same thing to illegally promote its shopping comparison service on the Old Continent, having opted to hit it with the largest antitrust fine in the history of the political bloc in mid-2017. While the $21 million figure fades in comparison with the $2.7 billion fine issued to Google in Europe, the development sets yet another precedent that may lead to more similar decisions in other parts of the world. In a statement provided to Reuters, a Google official said the tech giant is still in the process of reviewing the decision and hasnt yet decided on its next course of action. The firms previous practices suggest an appeal is likely and will presumably be based on an argument that Googles flight search service is an integral component of its Internet search engine.

The probe that led to the fine which amounts to five-percent of Googles annual revenue in India was originally started in 2012 following complaints filed by nonprofit Consumer Unity and Trust Society and flight comparison service Bharat Matrimony. Regardless of whether the Mountain View, California-based tech juggernaut decides to appeal the verdict or not, it has to deposit the fine by early April, having been given 60 days to do so or face enforcement.
This past week, there were some pretty interesting things coming out in the Broadcom/Qualcomm potential acquisition story. Broadcom started on Monday, giving Qualcomm a final best offer for acquiring the company, for roughly $82 per share. Qualcomm then decided on Thursday that it would not accept the offer, but did note that it was willing to meet with Broadcom and talk, in a letter sent to the companys CEO. Now, apparently, Qualcomm isnt able to meet with Broadcom until Tuesday, and its leaving Broadcoms CEO astonished that Qualcomm was not willing to meet over the weekend.

The interesting part about Qualcomm not wanting to meet until Tuesday, is the fact that it would be after Broadcom meets with Glass Lewis and Qualcomms meeting with ISS. Broadcoms CEO, Hock Tan noted in his letter to Qualcomm that he would like to meet with the company promptly. But Qualcomm apparently has other plans there. If this acquisition were to go through, it would be the biggest semiconductor acquisition ever, and tremendously consolidate the semiconductor industry. Keep in mind the fact that Qualcomm recently agreed to acquire NXP Semiconductors, and that deal is still pending approval in some regions. So Broadcom would technically be picking up two major semiconductor companies.

Broadcoms acquisition of Qualcomm is actually a hostile one. Qualcomm did not put itself up for sale and had no reason to be up for sale  considering it just bought NXP Semiconductors. But Broadcom is wanting to get Qualcomm, likely due to its patent portfolio and its presence in mobile. However, Qualcomm is adamant that if Broadcom were to acquire the company, it would lose two of its biggest customers. Its unclear who those two customers are, but its likely that one of them is Samsung. Currently, Samsung Semiconductor or SSI, manufacturers Qualcomms high-end chipsets, the Snapdragon 835 (and previously the Snapdragon 820/821). So that would be a big blow to Qualcomm. Its other big customers include Apple (who has moved towards using Intels modems in its iPhones), as well as Xiaomi. Broadcoms current offer for Qualcomm is $82 per share, which is broken down as $60 per share of Qualcomms stock and then $22 per share of Broadcom stock.
Samsungs really got the ball rolling with the Android 8.0 (Oreo) updates for its Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus flagships. The first of the consumer ready updates, which also include Samsungs own Android skin called Samsung Experience 9.0, began rolling out to users in Germany as early as February 8. Now, the update is also beginning to hit users in India. Given the short order of release between the two regions, it stands to reason that other areas of the globe are going to follow quickly from there. Beta users are reportedly getting first dibs on the new software, with the more general population of Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus users starting a day later. That means non-beta users in Germany should have started to see the update on February 9, while the same will be true in India starting February 10. As always, users will have to be patient since these updates can take a few days to roll out and in some regions will be delayed by carriers.

With regard to the updates themselves, as mentioned above they include Android Oreo underneath Samsungs custom overlay. That means theyll get all of the new features included with the new version of Android and some extras provided by the manufacturer. Unfortunately, the one part of Oreo Samsung is not taking part in is Googles Project Treble but that may or may not turn out to be a problem, given how quickly Samsung is rolling out these updates. Samsung Experience 9.0 includes improvements to the keyboard, device search, Bixby Briefing, and Color Lens. However, it also improves biometrics security for the devices and there are some subtle tweaks to the U.I. in a few places. As with Oreo itself, most of the changes are not user-facing but under the hood where they can improve the overall experience. The user-side Oreo changes include notification dots on icons which are displaying notifications, which also adds a shortcut via long-press to view those notifications. Aside from that, videos now support picture-in-picture mode, there is new emojis, autofill for passwords has been improved, and boot times should be much better.

For those feeling less than patient about waiting for the over-the-air update to hit their devices, users can check manually for updates by navigating to the settings application. Near the bottom of that menu, users should be able to click a Software Updates option which may or may not speed up the process. In the meantime, theres still no word on when the update will be available for the other members of the Galaxy S8 family  namely the Galaxy Note 8 and the Galaxy S8 Active. It would make sense for these updates to follow relatively quickly but so far Samsung has kept most news about that under wraps.
The Waymo-Uber trial thats been making the headlines for nearly a year before coming to an abrupt end on Friday was like something out of a Tom Clancy novel, said Dorsey & Whitney partner J. Michael Keyes, an attorney specializing in intellectual property law over which the two companies have been clashing since early 2017. While a mid-trial settlement like the one Waymo and Uber reached yesterday isnt unprecedented, settling so shortly after the trial started is not the typical scenario in such cases, according to Mr. Keyes. Once a year of court preparations leads to an actual trial, both sides generally believe they can convince the jury in their arguments, the expert says, without speculating what could have altered that calculus so shortly after Uber and Waymo started examining witnesses in the court of law.

Mr. Keyes also reflected on the official apology issued by Uber Chief Executive Officer Dara Khosrowshahi who said some things about the controversial Otto acquisition from 2016 should have been done differently, describing that notion as the understatement of 2018. The self-driving truck startup purchased by Uber for nearly $600 million was founded by one Anthony Levandowski who was previously employed at Googles autonomous driving unit before the thereof was spun off into Waymo and who was alleged to have stolen thousands of sensitive documents containing trade secrets that were later used to improve Ubers own technologies. Mr. Keyes interprets Uber CEOs statement as an admission that the company should have conducted its due diligence in a much more serious manner. Uber co-founder and former CEO Travis Kalanick on Tuesday testified that he signed off on the acquisition without even reading some of the reports raising questions about the manner in which Mr. Levandowski left Google before establishing Otto, warning of potential legal issues down the road.

Both tech juggernauts and small startups must be careful they dont hire tainted employees whose sole presence could be the basis for accusing their businesses of misappropriation, Mr. Keyes warns, recommending all such companies to practice extreme vetting when looking for top-level talent. Uber settled the case with Waymo with an equity payment amounting to approximately $245 million and agreed to collaborate with Alphabets subsidiary in order to ensure it isnt misappropriating any of its technologies going forward. Waymos allegations are still being independently investigated by the DOJ whose probe started last May, though its presently unclear whether the federal agency is close to filing criminal charges.
Belarus is testing an updated variant of the Polonez multiple launch rocket system (MLRS), Polonez-M (M stands for Upgraded, Modernizirovanny), with a firing range of 299 km, according to the Military-Industrial Complex.VPK.Belarus magazine issued by Belarus' State Military-Industrial Committee (Goskomvoenprom, GKVP)



Belarus Polonez 300mm MLRS Multiple Launch Rocket System at Milex 2017 defense exhibition in Minsk, Belarus (Picture source Army Recognition)

"On October 26, 2017, the modernized variant of the [Polonez] MLRS passed its live-fire trials. The firing range of the system has increased by 50% and reached 299 km," the magazine says, adding that the specified target was hit with 100% accuracy. The modernization works are being carried out by a consortium of Belarusian defense enterprises led by the Precision Electro-Mechanics Plant (ZTEhM).

The V-200 Polonez MLRS was unveiled at the MILEX 2017 exhibition held in Minsk from May 20-22. The system incorporates the V-200BM combat vehicle, the V-200TZM transport-loader and the V-200BMU upgraded command-and-control (C2) vehicle. The specifications of the Polonez were disclosed at the MILEX 2017 show also. The MLRS will get a rocket, which will be able to deliver a 480 kg warhead to a range varying between 120 km and 280 km.

Owing to a low efficient dispersal surface, high precision and high speed, the rocket of the Polonez can beat air defense assets, the representatives of ZTEhM said at the MILEX 2017 exhibition.

In October 2016, the Polonez MLRS was delivered to the 77th Separate Rocket Artillery Battalion of the 336th Rocket Artillery Brigade. In September 2017, the battalion was involved in the Russian-Belarusian Zapad 2017 strategic exercise. In October 2017, the unit carried out the aforementioned firing test of the upgraded Polonez.

The organic V-200 Polonez MLRS has a firing range of 50-200 km and a combat readiness time of nearly 10 minutes. The system is designed to engage C2 posts, communication hubs, airfields, roads and bridges, various pieces of infrastructure, munition and fuel depots, etc. A division of the Polonez MLRS is armed with an ammunition load of 144 rockets.

The V-200BM combat vehicle is armed with eight ready-to-launch 301 mm rockets in two four-cell containers. The vehicle's launching unit is based on an MZKT-7930-family 8x8 wheeled tractor developed by the Minsk Wheeled Tractor Plant (MZKT or Volat). The tractor has a crew of three and a maximum speed of 70 km/h.

The Polonez MLRS can be fitted with rockets and guided missiles. At the MILEX 2017 defense show, the M20 single-stage solid-propellant guided missile for the system was unveiled. According to the official information issued by the Belarusian defense industry, the M20 has a length of nearly 8 m, a weight of nearly 4 t and a firing range of about 280 km. The containerized missile is armed with a 480 kg high-explosive (HE) warhead. According to Belarusian media outlets, the M20 may have been developed in conjunction with the Chinese industry. The missile presented at the MILEX 2017 show dramatically resembles the M20 missile developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT; also known as the First Academy). The Chinese M20 missile armed with a 480 kg HE warhead has a firing range of 280 km. It should be mentioned that the organic rocket of the Polonez MLRS is believed to be based on the A200 system also developed by the Chinese defense industry.

The Belarusian Ministry of Defense (MoD) does not disclose the specifications of the Polonez-M upgraded MLRS. The system is reported to have a firing range of nearly 300 km and a circular error probability (CEP) of no more than 30-45 m (depending on the type of the rocket). The rocket of the updated Polonez can be fitted with a high-explosive fragmentation (HE-Frag), a fragmentation armor-piercing (AP) cluster or a penetrating (concrete-piercing) warhead.

Minsk is planning to localize the manufacturing of the components of the Polonez MLRS to the full extent. "The [Polonez] system is a Belarusian item; however, several components of the rocket are of foreign origination. There is a task to localize the manufacturing of the rocket in Belarus," State Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus Stanislav Zas said in late January. The missile test-fired by the Polonez in last October is reported to have incorporated locally manufactured components.
Read em and weep.

Sothebys has just released the checklist (with presale estimates and sale dates) for the Berkshire Museum 40. Apparently the seller and its agent dont believe that the Massachusetts Attorney Generals interest in the deaccessions will pose any impediment.

The two top lots (no surprise) are the Rockwells, to be sold along with 12 other Berkshire Museum works at the Nov. 13 American art sale:



Here are the two next highest-estimated lots in the American art sale:



The rest of the works, scattered among at least five later sales extending into next March, are led by two Bouguereaus selling at the Nov. 21 European art sale, estimated at $2-2.5 million and $2.5-3.5 million. The sale dates and estimates for four sculptures, including two Calders, have yet to be announced.

Sothebys has not yet released the total presale estimates for the Berkshire Museum 40. Ill update here if and when I know more.

UPDATE: The low-high totals of the presale estimates that were announced for 36 of the 40 Berkshire Museum consignments are $46.55-68.08 million.

One person at Sothebys who ought to feel at least some slight queasiness about abetting the Berkshire Museums violation of professional standards on deaccessioning is Lisa Dennison, the Guggenheim Museums former director, who is now Sothebys chairman for North and South America.

When I emailed Dennison back in July, asking how she felt about the Berkshire Museums planned use of art proceeds to pay down existing debt and establish reserve funds for long-term capital maintenance and to mitigate unforeseen events (in the words of the museums press release), she replied:

I dont have much to say beyond the fact that we are very happy to partner with the Berkshire Museum to help them achieve their goals and fulfill their vision for the future.

Lisa and others at Sothebys should ask themselves whether they should be very happy to partner in a frowned-upon transaction and whether doing so may adversely affect their firms artworld reputation and relationships. Might museum officials and donors balk, on principle, at doing future business there?

Time (and upcoming auctions) may tell.
LINGUATRONIC

To be used on the entire new compact car generation, as well as the new Sprinter line of vans, MBUX presents itself as a combination between a touchscreen, a touchpad and the Touch-Control Buttons in the steering wheel, all coordinated by artificial intelligence. MBUX marks the carmaker's departure from the aging COMAND system still in use on most of its models, and the first-ever adaptation of a touchscreen to a Mercedes model.The most distinctive feature of the MBUX are the two large displays, one showing the instrument cluster and the other working as infotainment features interface. The entire MBUX suite is powered by a 6 Core CPU with 8GB DDR4 RAM and uses a Linux operating system.Mercedes-Benz says it has designed MBUX to adapt to the driver's needs. That essentially means that any customization made, from display information to seat or lighting settings can be saved not for one, but for several different possible drivers and accessed at the touch of a button.As far as the digital instrument cluster goes, the German approach marks the first time fully customizable options are being offered on a production car. Depending on what the driver wants to see, it will show not only acceleration or rpm, but also an analog clock, range or Information on the current radio station/media title, an assistance graphic, current consumption, the ECO display or a navigation map, including in fullscreen mode.Changing what the display shows is done via steering-wheel-mounted buttons. Mind you, this is the screen that sits right in front of the driver, behind the steering wheel. All possible combinations of what the display shows can be preset by the driver.The other screen, or the central display, is the one used for infotainment features and is controlled via direct input or by use of the touch dial on the steering wheel.It can double the information shown on the center display, but it also has some unique features, like 3D mapping and full apps for controlling music, navigation and so on. On the central display, a 3D rendering of the car allows the driver to change settings or troubleshoot possible issues.The central display is comprised of three levels, starting with the. Here the drivers can select the main applications they want to use (telephone, navigation, and radio) or read important information, like arrival time, the song currently being played, time and so on.The second level, the, is used to control Media and Navigation. For other, less used options, MBUX features a so-calledAside from controlling the MBUX with their fingers or steering wheel buttons, drivers can also use their voice. The activation code for the MBUX system is HEY MERCEDES. When those words are spoken, thesystem kicks in.According to Mercedes-Benz, the system obeys virtually every command, recognizes and understands nearly all sentences from the fields of infotainment and vehicle operation. The voice-controlled system is AI-powered, which means it learns both new buzzwords and it can identify the user speaking.Connect services are included by Mercedes in the MBUX through theThat includes Car-to-X communication, a feature used for information on road conditions or approaching emergency vehicles, as well as vehicle locating.As far as connectivity goes, the system allows for USB 2.0 and USB 1.1 connectivity, Bluetooth and Near Field Communication (NFC). It works with watchOS and Android Wear 2.0 for smartwatches and Apple CarPlay, Google Android Auto, Baidu CarLife for smartphones.The new MBUX will be offered by Mercedes-Benz in three different version: two 7-inch (17.78 cm) displays, one 7 and one 10.25-inch display or two 10.25-inch displays (26 cm). All version will be doubled by a heads-up display.Overall, MBUX seems like an elegant toy. Some might complain however that there are too many redundancies: both screens can show the same thing, and both can be controlled the same way. There are also loads of settings and displays types to play with, probably too many for some.
The Brose Stratos from 2010, also known as the New Stratos, was commissioned by German entrepreneur Michael Stoschek and used to be confined to the history books as a has-been. The reason? It was based on the Ferrari F430 Scuderia, and Ferrari didnt offer its blessing for production.Therefore, the few examples that were supposed to be built never saw the light of day. Be that as it may, the former program manager of the New Stratos and current CEO of Manifattura Automobili Torino has obtained permission to build the car. Yup, it's definitely happening!25 units will be offered, though MAT didnt detail the base platform that will allow the creation of a GT racer, a Safari version, but also a competent supercar for daily use. What we do know from the peeps at Manifattura Automobili Torino is that the engine is capable of delivering over 550 horsepower. This begs the question, could the mill come from Ferrari?The least powerful Prancing Horse available at the present moment is the Portofino (600 PS) , while the preceding California T was rated 560 PS from 3.9 liters of twin-turbo V8 goodness. Although less likely, an upgraded 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 from the Maserati Quattroporte GTS is another possibility.As we wait for more information on the New Stratos , which wont bear the Lancia name because Fiat Chrysler Automobiles doesnt allow it to, bear in mind that all will become clear in March at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show.Now with the New Stratos we will deliver an extremely refined supercar that can be used every day but also deliver excitement and exhilarating fun on twisty roads, said Paolo Garella, the head honcho of Manifattura Automobili Torino and the man responsible for the awe-inspiring Brose Stratos.
As soon as he got pulled over, the driver was found to be driving with a suspended or revoked license, not having proof of liability insurance, and not wearing a seat belt. He was, of course, arrested.When they booked the perp, the police were intrigued to find they had arrested a Shelby Mustang GT500. Not any Shelby Mustang GT500, but a Miller version. For those of you less auto-savvy, a Miller version of the Shelby Mustang GT500 is not a car, but a human.That's right. There is a guy out there whose name is Shelby Mustang GT500 Miller. And apparently he's as hot-tempered as the car whose name he got from some hilarious parents. (At the time of his arrest, it seems, he was driving some other car)According to KFSM 5 News , Miller is not at his first head-on collision with law enforcement. In 2014, he was sent behind bars on charges of public intoxication, violation of parole, and going armed with intent. More specifically, he threatened some bar owners in Des Moines with a hatchet. While being drunk.Shelby Miller got off easy this time, being released by police after paying a $450 bond.Although there are other people whose names have been inspired by auto brands, none of them is as detailed, down to the specs, as Miller's. Most of them stop at a single name: Dodge, Forrester, Hemi, Ranger or Bentley.One would have thought that having a name so pompous, the Mustang might made something of himself. Unfortunately, all he managed is bad advertising for a otherwise perfectly good-old American muscle car.
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Russias Ingushetia is discussing possible ways of transporting drinking water to Qatar, Yunus-bek Yevkurov, head of Ingushetia, who is on a working visit to St. Petersburg, told TASS news agency.

Yevkurov noted that deliveries by air, sea and also by rail via Azerbaijan and Iran are possible.

He added that during his visit to Qatar, investment in the creation of an international airport terminal in Magas town was negotiated.

The Emir of Qatar gave instructions to set up a working group, Yevkurov said. The working group will be established, and then a decision will be made. For now, one of the investors agreed for investing in the construction of the terminal.
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Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has signed an order approving the State Program for Development of Rice Growing in 2018-2025.

According to the order, Azerbaijans Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Economy have been instructed to take the necessary measures every year during formation of state budget and state investment programs in order to take account of the funds for financing the events envisaged in the approved state program.

The Ministry of Agriculture has been instructed to coordinate the implementation of the events envisaged in the state program and to inform the Azerbaijani president about the state programs implementation once in a year.
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The New Azerbaijan Party is a national party, Azerbaijani MP Hikmat Babaoglu told Trend Feb. 9.

He said that a candidate of the New Azerbaijan Party represents over 700,000 party members, but in fact the Azerbaijani people.

"The New Azerbaijan Party nominated Ilham Aliyev, chairman of the New Azerbaijan Party, as the candidate for the presidential election scheduled for April 11, Babaoglu said. The partys choice is generally the choice of the entire Azerbaijani people. President Aliyev has recently said that his policy is based on ensuring the well-being of the Azerbaijani people.

"Indeed, 15 years of Ilham Aliyev's presidency testify to the fact that remaining loyal to his political philosophy - I will be the president of each Azerbaijani citizen, the president has done everything possible to ensure the well-being, future and development of every Azerbaijani citizen, Babaoglu said. First of all, the president ensured social and political stability in Azerbaijan and was able to protect our national interests. At a difficult historical stage, when acts of terrorism are committed, the president was able to preserve Azerbaijan as an island of stability. Moreover, the president could develop Azerbaijan by reducing unemployment and poverty levels."

The development of Azerbaijans districts has been ensured and our country has become an important partner for the regional countries and the whole world, Babaoglu said.

"Along with that, President Aliyev strengthened the Azerbaijani army which resulted in the liberation of Leletepe height in the April 2016 battles under the leadership of supreme commander-in-chief, he said. Thus, the country achieved great military-political breakthrough in the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Of course, numerous achievements, like those that we have listed, will determine the choice of the Azerbaijani people in the April 11 election, he said. I think that people will elect our party candidate Ilham Aliyev."

The 6th congress of the New Azerbaijan Party was held in the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku Feb. 8. The decision was made during the congress to nominate chairman of the party Ilham Aliyev as a presidential candidate. The decision was unanimously adopted.
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Iranian Ambassador to Baku Javad Jahangirzadeh has underlined the role of President Ilham Aliyev and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani in deepening bilateral ties between the two countries.

I believe that the presidents of Iran and Azerbaijan are the founders of the modern ties between the two countries, he told Trend on the sidelines of a ceremony marking the 39th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution of Iran.

The bilateral ties in all spheres, including economic, diplomatic and cultural fields are growing day by day, he added.

This improvement in ties comes from an accurate understanding of the regional and international developments. The huge growth in trade turnover between the two countries is an indication of excellent diplomatic grounds.

He further touched upon economic ties between the two countries and said the joint car plant in Azerbaijans Neftchala is expected to be inaugurated in near future as the experts from Iran Khodro and Azerbaijani partner are installing the factorys equipment.

The envoy added that the sides are studying the opportunities for launching a joint venture for producing buses, as well.

Jahangirzadeh described the North-South transportation corridor as the most important project between the two countries, saying that 10 million tons of cargo will be transferred through the corridor per year.

He added that the sides are also negotiating the possibilities of forming a joint factory for producing agricultural equipment.
Beaumont ISD is immune from a lawsuit alleging that their negligence caused a 3-year-old's death on a BISD school bus in 2014, the Ninth Court of Appeals ruled.

Ian Delameter lost consciousness before he died on Dec. 8, 2014 while riding a bus to an early childhood program at Regina Howell Elementary, according to a suit filed in 2015 by his parents, Nathan and Tracy Delameter.

The Delameters alleged in their suit that the driver and aide on the bus, who were responsible for securing Ian's wheelchair and restraints, were negligent.

BISD claimed immunity, which 172nd District Court Judge Donald Floyd granted under state law that protects school districts and other governmental entities from most lawsuits.

Beaumont's Ninth Court of Appeals affirmed that ruling last week, denying the Delameters' claims again.

"We find that opinion unfortunate," attorney Paul "Chip" Ferguson said in a statement.

"Tracy and Nathan Delamater will never see justice for their son and Ian will fade from the district's memory. This is all too tragic," he said. "We are taught that good is rewarded and bad is to be punished. That did not happen here and the Ninth Court of Appeal's opinion underscores that. That, too, is a tragedy."

In the appeal, the Delameters claimed that the suit fit an exception to the protection of governmental immunity, which allows for lawsuits related to the use of a motor vehicle.

Atorney Cody Dishon wrote in a filing on behalf of the Delameters that the bus driver "drove in a manner which caused Ian to bounce around in his wheelchair," tightening his restraints and choking him.

"While the bus was in use, (the driver) then stopped the bus rather than take Ian to the hospital," waiting for an ambulance on the orders of a BISD dispatcher despite being one block away from Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital, Dishon wrote.

The bus driver and aide's operation of the bus "played a substantial role" in Ian's death, the family alleged in the suit.

BISD said in their response that the family's suit didn't prove that the use or operation of the bus caused Ian's death or injuries.

"The bus merely served as the location where Appellants allege the negligent supervision and monitoring occurred," attorney Christopher Gilbert wrote.

The district also disputed Dishon's claims that the bus driver drove the bus at unsafe speeds, hit curbs or did anything else to cause Ian to bounce around.

The appeals court agreed, ruling that evidence did not prove the bus was driven in a way that caused his death. In the opinion, written in November and released last week, Judge Hollis Horton said the district is immune from the claims that the driver and aide were negligent in watching Ian because those relate to supervision, not the use of a vehicle.

BISD is also immune from the claim that the driver should have taken Ian to a hospital or should have tried to resuscitate him, Horton wrote, because they do not relate to the way the bus was operated.

Ferguson accused BISD of claiming legal loopholes and said "school districts are afforded immense legislative protection in situations such as this."

The family has not decided whether to appeal the case to the Texas Supreme Court, he said.

BISD faces three lawsuits related to a bus crash in Lumberton in April that sent two dozen students to hospitals. The district has claimed immunity in those cases, which are still pending.

LTeitz@BeaumontEnterprise.com

Twitter.com/LizTeitz
Here are 11 hospitals and health systems that opened or announced plans for ASCs in January.

1. Pueblo, Colo.-based Parkview Medical Center opened a new outpatient center that will be able to accommodate as many as 60 procedures per day.

2. Moreno Valley, Calif.-based Riverside University Health System plans to build a neighboring 200,000-square-foot ambulatory care campus with an outpatient surgery center this spring.

3. Philadelphia-based Jefferson Health opened a surgery center in Cherry Hill, N.J. The ASC can accommodate an estimated 10,000 surgical procedures annually.

4. Lincoln, Neb.-based Bryan Medical Center plans to open its new medical building with a 17,000-square-foot outpatient surgery center, along with clinical and office space, in March.

5. Los Angeles-based Keck Medicine of University of Southern California opened the Norris Healthcare Center, also in Los Angeles.

6. Pocatello, Idaho-based Skyline Surgery Center invested in a planned medical campus development in Chubbuck, Idaho. Stakeholders in the campus include: physician partners, regional healthcare leaders, development partners and Bingham Healthcare.

7. Medford, Mass.-based Hallmark Health System plans to build an ASC, which will cost an estimated $16 million, at its Lawrence Memorial Hospital campus in Medford, Mass.

8. United Surgical Partners International will open an ASC in West Palm Beach, Fla., in partnership with New York City-based Hospital for Special Surgery.

9. Charleston-based Medical University of South Carolina is opening an outpatient surgical facility in a shopping mall.

10. Santa Barbara, Calif.-based Cottage Children's Medical Center opened a pediatric surgery center in Goleta, Calif.

11. The Hospital Authority of Tift County will begin construction on a replacement facility for Adel, Ga.-based Cook Medical Center in March. The building will include an outpatient surgery center.
Adventist Health St. Helena (Calif.) Hospital reduced its workforce as part of an outsourcing deal with Cerner, according to a Napa Valley Register report.

Here are three things to know.

1. The hospital outsourced 200 of its employees to Cerner. This brought SHH's total workforce down to 1,036, a nearly 16 percent staff reduction, hospital officials said.

2. SHH spokesperson Jill Kinney told the Napa Valley Register affected employees, who are revenue cycle and clinical applications IT staff, will receive comparable pay and benefits with Cerner. They will also all still work on the hospital campus.

3. The outsourcing move is not about cutting costs but rather "about working more efficiently (and) speeding up innovation," according to Ms. Kinney. It was implemented last month.

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A brief government shutdown ended Friday after President Donald Trump signed a bipartisan budget deal previously approved by Congress.

The deal includes various healthcare measures, including an extension of the Children's Health Insurance Program, funding for community health centers and a delay of ACA cuts to Disproportionate Share Hospitals.

Here are five reactions to the deal from major healthcare groups.

1. The American Hospital Association described provisions of the bill as advantageous for patients. "Today's continuing resolution includes many important provisions that benefit the patients and communities America's hospitals and health systems are privileged to serve each day," AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack said in a statement. "We look forward to continuing to work with Congress to advance health in America for patients and communities."

2. The Association of American Medical Colleges echoed the AHA's support of the deal. "The AAMC is very appreciative that lawmakers have come together in a bipartisan fashion to approve a budget deal that will allow for robust investment in agencies and programs vital to our nation's health security and will help safety-net hospitals continue to serve vulnerable patients," AAMC President and CEO Darrell Kirch, MD, said in a statement.

3. The Association for Community Affiliated Plans praised the deal's permanent authorization of the Medicare Advantage Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan program as well as its authorization for four additional years of CHIP funding. "While no bill is perfect, this law provides important protections and long-term stability for America's healthcare safety net and people who rely on Medicaid, CHIP and Medicare. We applaud its enactment," Margaret Murray, CEO of the ACAP, said in an emailed statement.'

4. AMGA specifically praised the deal's enactment of the Creating High-Quality Results and Outcomes Necessary to Improve Chronic Care Act of 2017. "AMGA has worked tirelessly with Congress on this important legislation and we are excited that it has been signed into law," Jerry Penso, MD, AMGA president and CEO, said in a statement. "The reforms in the CHRONIC Care Act will ensure that more Medicare beneficiaries can benefit from the innovative models of care that are the hallmark of AMGA's members."

5. America's Essential Hospitals called the deal "the right choice" by lawmakers. "We thank House and Senate lawmakers for delaying these cuts to Medicaid DSH payments. Their laudable bipartisanship on a two-year delay gives hospitals and policymakers time to find a long-term solution to uncompensated care costs, which threaten access to care in communities nationwide," Bruce Siegel, MD, president and CEO of America's Essential Hospitals, said in the statement. "We also appreciate that Congress has put the Children's Health Insurance Program on sound footing and shored up support for community health centers  both are key parts of the nation's healthcare safety net. Essential hospitals provide high-quality care for all people, regardless of their health needs and financial and social status. To continue meeting this mission, these hospitals need stable, sustainable federal support. We look forward to working with Congress toward that goal."

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The Pennsylvania Department of State said Phillipsburg-based physician assistant Holly Hipps may be a "clear and immediate danger" to public health after it was revealed she wrote over 70 opioid prescriptions for a patient in someone else's name, according to the Centre Daily Times.

While working at Caring Health Network, Dennis Lee Lingle paid Ms. Hipps $1,500 for each oxycodone prescription she wrote for him between 2011 and 2016. Mr. Lingle said the prescriptions were for him, but asked Ms. Hipps to write them in his wife's name. Though she initially declined, Ms. Hipps eventually changed her mind.

Ms. Hipps has been charged with felony conspiracy to acquire controlled substances, felony acquiring controlled substances, felony conspiracy to administer a controlled substance by a practitioner and three counts of felony administration of a controlled substance.

Ms. Hipps' medical license has been temporarily suspended.
The companies behind the opioid overdose antidote Narcan donated 4,000 doses to Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner's opioid overdose task force Thursday. with an additional 1,000 doses scheduled to be donated to the McHenry County Substance Abuse Coalition Friday.

Dublin, Ireland-based drugmaker Adapt Pharma and Crystal Lake, Ill.-based drug delivery device provider AptarGroup collaborated to develop Narcan, a lifesaving nasal spray that can be administered by individuals without any specialized medical training.

"This product is a life-saver," Mr. Rauner said Thursday. "We will continue to fight the root causes of this epidemic, but meanwhile, this generous donation is most welcome and appreciated."

Nearly 1,950 people died of an opioid overdose in Illinois in 2016, marking an 82 percent surge in three years.

"Lives in our community are impacted on a daily basis, and we are excited that Aptar recognizes the epidemic in their home community," said Jason Sterwerf, chairman of the McHenry County Substance Abuse Coalition. "The McHenry County Substance Abuse Coalition is honored that Aptar is making a commitment to continue to make this intervention tool available for our community partners who confront this epidemic every day."

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NuVasive named John DeFord, PhD, to its board of directors.

Here are five things to know:

1. With more than 25 years of experience in the medical device industry, Dr. DeFord will bring a unique perspective to the NuVasive board. He has expertise overseeing clinical advancement through research and development as well as technology-based initiatives.

2. Dr. DeFord is currently the senior vice president of research and development for the international segment of BD; he joined the company in December when BD acquired C.R. Bard, where he was senior vice president of science, technology and clinical affairs.

3. The NuVasive board has grown to include 10 directors with the addition of Dr. DeFord, who will stand for re-election at the annual meeting. Two other board members will retire at the meeting  Lesley Howe and Peter Farrell.

4. In addition to his role at BD, Dr. DeFord is a member of the faculty at West Lafayette, Ind.-based Purdue University's Krannert School of Management and Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering.

5. NuVasive CEO Gregory Lucier sees Dr. DeFord's addition to the board as an asset during a time when the company plans to speed up product launches and expand effort to software development and systemizing spine surgery."
Donald Trump has said that a former aide accused of domestic abuse by two ex-wives did a very good job at the White House.

The US president added: We certainly wish him well.

Mr Trump emphasised that former staff secretary Rob Porter maintains his innocence, and the president made no mention of the women who have reported physical and emotional abuse.

It was his first comment on the allegations against Mr Porter, who had been one of his most trusted staffers until this week.

Mr Porter resigned after his ex-wives allegations became public.

Mr Trump offered his sympathy, saying: Its a, obviously, tough time for him. He did a very good job when he was in the White House. And we hope he has a wonderful career.

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The president said he was sad to learn of the allegations, but added: As you probably know, he says hes innocent. And I think you have to remember that.

The comments came the day after White House chief of staff John Kelly tried to assure staff that the Trump administration takes domestic violence very seriously.

But there are growing questions about how Mr Porter managed to maintain a position of high influence despite the allegations.

Mr Porter, who was arguably Mr Kellys closest aide, cleaned out his desk on Thursday.

The fallout from his resignation reverberated amid concerns about his access to classified information and about how long senior staffers had known about the allegations.

Mr Porter has denied the allegations, calling them outrageous and part of a co-ordinated smear campaign.

Though the accusations against Mr Porter became public this week, Mr Kelly learned last autumn that something was amiss with the staff secretarys attempts to get a security clearance.

The chief of staff had sought information about the status of security clearance applications for senior aides, and it was then he learned there were allegations against Mr Porter from his ex-wives.

Mr Porter and Mr Kelly later discussed the allegations, and White House counsel Don McGahn was informed of at least some of the accusations at least four times, including in January 2017.

In November, one of Mr Porters ex-girlfriends called Mr McGahn to describe allegations of domestic abuse against him.

A White House official said staffers felt misled about how Mr Porter downplayed the allegations, both to Mr Kelly and Mr McGahn.

Mr Kelly himself faced criticism for initially defending his aide  only to later shift course after the publication of photos showing one of Mr Porters ex-wives with a black eye.

Its fair to say we all could have done better over the last few hours or last few days in dealing with this situation, said White House deputy press secretary Raj Shah on Thursday.

Mr Kelly sent a memo to staff late on Thursday saying that while we are all processing the shocking and troubling allegations made against a former White House staffer, I want you to know that we all take matters of domestic violence very seriously.

He said: Domestic violence is abhorrent and has no place in our society.

When the allegations first emerged against Mr Porter a number of senior aides rallied around him, and the White House acknowledged that personal relationships may have played a role in their response.

Communications director Hope Hicks, who was dating the staff secretary, helped draft the original statements defending him.

Mr Kelly, meanwhile, was Mr Porters loudest defender, including in the first hours after the graphic photos of alleged abuse emerged.

Mr Shah said that Mr Trump was not aware until Tuesday of the accusations against Mr Porter, who was a frequent presence in the Oval Office and helped craft last weeks State of the Union address.

A number of politicians criticised Mr Kelly, and a leading womens group called on him to resign.

"White House Chief of Staff John Kelly must resign. His pathetic defense of staff secretary Rob Porter reveals his true natureaan enabler of sexual abusers, a betrayer of trust and an avoider of responsibility." Read NOW's latest statement here: https://t.co/CdwJrxT89a  National NOW (@NationalNOW) February 8, 2018

Both of Mr Porters ex-wives have detailed the nature of the abuse they said they suffered at his hands and said they informed the FBI.

One of them, Jennifer Willoughby, posted about it in detail on Instagram in April 2017 and wrote of Mr Porter: When I tried to get help, I was counselled to consider carefully how what I said might affect his career.
Between waking up, brushing his teeth and considering what to have for breakfast, George Soros can easily make the 400,000 he has given to Best for Britain, the group founded by Gina Miller to reverse Brexit. The money is less than a rounding error for a man who gives away close to a billion dollars each year through his Open Society Foundations around the world.

But Soros (87) has a flair for political intervention. He revealed his support for Best for Britain at a dinner at his London home last week, at which he encouraged others to follow his lead. As Theresa May's government wobbles and teeters, he had decided it was time for the great clanking armaments of anti-Brexit forces to mobilise.

Behind that 400,000 lies potentially millions more ready to be deployed in restoring the UK to the EU.

Soros holds an unusual place in the nightmares of Tory governments. In 1992 he identified the weakness of Britain's position in the Exchange Rate Mechanism, the precursor to the single currency. He saw that John Major and his Chancellor, Norman Lamont, could not keep propping up the value of the pound for ever. At some point, they would buckle.

Soros ordered his traders to "go for the jugular" and made a billion pounds betting against the Bank of England and sterling. It was a traumatic event, closely witnessed by Lamont's then special adviser, David Cameron.

Some might see a paradox here, in the man who helped bundle Britain out of the ERM now agitating for it to reverse its vote to leave the EU. But for Soros, 1992 was an instance of cold-blooded capitalism, a knife in the throat of an indecisive government.

In the 25 years since his best-known smash-and-grab, he has gone from shadowy financier to global statesman, a committed foe of demagogues and autocrats and creator of Open Society Foundations, the second-largest philanthropic organisation in the United States after the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. So far he has endowed it with $32bn of his own money.

At Davos last month, on the same day President Trump touched down in his seven-helicopter convoy, Soros gave a speech arguing that we are living through a "revolutionary period" comparable to the fall of the Soviet Empire.

He said that the threat of nuclear war is suddenly very real again. He accused monopolistic IT platforms such as Google and Facebook of suffocating innovation and corrupting both public discourse and young minds. And he warned that nationalism had replaced the creed of "international governance and co-operation".

After the financial crisis of 2008, he said, the EU had lost support. "What had been a voluntary association of equal states was converted into a relationship between creditors and debtors where the debtors couldn't meet their obligations and the creditors set the conditions that the debtors had to meet. That association was neither voluntary nor equal."

He proposed root-and-branch reform to give countries more flexibility in their relationship with the EU. Otherwise, he feared, parties hostile to Europe would only grow more powerful across the continent.

Shortly before the Brexit vote, he said he hoped that Britain would stay in the EU for political as well as economic reasons. The EU was stronger with Britain in.

Soros's concern for the UK is rooted in his education. In 1947, when he was 17, he left Hungary, where he was born and had survived the war, for London. His father had obtained false identity papers for him. Soros worked as a busboy and railway porter to save money for his education and would sometimes stand at Speakers' Corner lecturing about the virtues of internationalism in Esperanto. His father, a committed internationalist, had taught him the language.

Eventually, Soros was accepted by the London School of Economics, where he studied under the political philosopher Sir Karl Popper. Popper's book, The Open Society and Its Enemies, would inspire the name of Soros's Open Society Foundations, a collection of organisations that have promoted democracy and human rights in 140 countries over the past 35 years.

The money for all the philanthropy came from Soros's remarkable record as a money manager. He opened his own fund, Quantum, in 1969 with a mere $6m. Using the most innovative forms of financial instruments and leverage, he built Quantum into a multi-billion-dollar behemoth, becoming one of the richest men in the world.

The size of the risks he took, he said, would make him weak with stress. His son Robert once joked there was more instinct than science to his father's investing: he bought when his back felt good and sold when it hurt.

Soros himself attributed his stomach for risk to his experiences in the war. In 1944, his father obtained false papers for the family to hide the fact they were Jews. This taught him to stare down even the harshest realities in search of a solution.

"Once you are aware of the dangers, your chances of survival are much better if you take some risks than if you meekly follow the crowd," he has said.

"That is why I trained myself to look at the dark side. It has served me well in the financial markets and it is guiding me now in my political philanthropy. As long as I can find a winning strategy, I don't give up. In danger lies opportunity. It's always darkest before dawn."

As Soros has got older, his role as an investor has changed - sometimes heavily involved, at other times not. The performance of his funds, though, is still closely followed. After Donald Trump's election last year they were reported to have lost $1bn on bets that the stock markets would fall on a Trump victory. His personal life has also evolved. Five years ago, on his 82nd birthday, he married for the third time, to Tamiko Bolton, then 40, founder of an online yoga business.

His political interests, though, have only intensified. In the US he was a supporter of President Reagan in the Eighties but then started giving money to the Democrats under Bill Clinton. He vigorously opposed President George W Bush and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. And in the most recent election cycle gave $16m to Democrat candidates. He was a strong supporter of Hillary Clinton and remains a vocal opponent of President Trump, whose election he said awakened "dark forces" in America.

He has also taken strong stands on a range of issues, supporting the regulation and taxation of marijuana, gay and lesbian rights, and groups fighting violent abuse by police. This has earned him the hatred of America's cable-TV Right.

In Europe, Soros has become a target for nationalist politicians from Vladimir Putin on down. Hungary's Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, who studied at Oxford on an Open Society scholarship, has funded a campaign against Soros, accusing him of arranging a massive influx of refugees into Europe. Posters have gone up with pictures of Soros, asking Hungarians not to let him "have the last laugh". In December, an MP from Orban's party posted a picture on Facebook of a burnt pig with 'This is Soros' carved into its flesh.

Soros has argued that Europe needs to do a better job of sending refugees to countries that want them, and where they want to be. Orban has accused him of trying to increase immigration at the expense of Europe's Christian culture. The campaign has struck many as a throwback to 1930s anti-Semitism.

The brickbats around Brexit might scare some. George Soros is unlikely to be one of them.
A former INLA member who is wanted for a murder in Co Tyrone almost 20 years ago has lost his latest legal challenge to being extradited from the Republic.

The authorities are seeking the surrender of Francis Lanigan (53), originally from Belfast but with an address in west Dublin, for murder and possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.

The offences relate to the murder of John Knocker, who was shot dead in a hotel car park in Dungannon, Co Tyrone, on May 31, 1998.

In January 2013, Lanigan was arrested on foot of a European Arrest Warrant at a Dublin gym where he was working as a self-employed barber.

He gave a false name and later said he had been working under the name "Ciaran McCrory" for his own protection for the previous 15 years.

Gardai were aware Lanigan was living under that name before his arrest because a detective had covertly gone to the gym where he worked, had done a DNA test on a coffee cup and ascertained that the man living as Ciaran McCrory was really Lanigan.

If extradited north, Lanigan believes his life would be at risk from loyalist and republican paramilitaries.

The High Court in Dublin ordered Lanigan's surrender to Northern Ireland in August 2015 but a "number of strands" of legal proceedings remained ongoing.

In January 2017, Mr Justice Richard Humphreys said there had been four sets of High Court proceedings related to the proposed surrender of Mr Lanigan to Northern Ireland.

Dismissing Lanigan's latest legal challenge, Mr Justice George Birmingham, in the Court of Appeal, said he would uphold the approach taken by both High Court judges and dismiss two appeals. He said a reference to the European Court of Justice was not appropriate or necessary.

The judge went on to say that "the delays that have bedevilled this application are completely unacceptable", having regard to Ireland's international obligations.

He said he "did not at all accept" that the delays in the case were "attributable to the State's litigation strategy" but rather, they have to be "laid firmly at the door of Mr Lanigan and the strategy that he has pursued".

In an affidavit, Lanigan stated that he joined the Provisional IRA aged 17 and, at or about the age of 19, he joined the "younger National Liberation Army (INLA)".

He stated that by 1991 he was a "significant member" of the INLA. The RUC informed him that his personal details were "in the hands of loyalists" and that he was advised to change his routines.

In 1993, Lanigan stated that a group belonging to the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF) tried to murder him, but they shot the wrong man.

He stated that in May 1998, "I was attacked outside the Glengannon Hotel and, arising from that, John Knocker lost his life".

Lanigan claimed that the particulars of the incident included in the European Arrest Warrant were "not a forthright account" and asked the court to take regard of "the admitted and proven collusion of the Northern Ireland state officials with loyalist paramilitaries".

He also asked why his extradition had not been sought in 1998 or shortly afterwards.
Sinn Fein and the DUP were last night putting the final touches to a potential deal to restore power-sharing at Stormont.

Sinn Fein and the DUP were last night putting the final touches to a potential deal to restore power-sharing at Stormont.

Well-placed talks sources said that if progress continued to be made at the current rate, an agreement between the two parties could be revealed next week.

While the deal still isn't over the line, Northern Ireland has moved nearer to restoring devolution than at any time since Sinn Fein brought down the Executive a year ago.

There is speculation that Theresa May and Leo Varadkar may both come to Belfast next week to oversee the closure of a deal.

DUP and Sinn Fein negotiators will have to sell any proposed agreement to their senior party colleagues.

News that a breakthrough in the talks was imminent was exclusively revealed by the Belfast Telegraph on Thursday.

There has been significant progress on the Irish language, which has been the main stumbling block in discussions.

A senior political source predicted that the issue of equal marriage would be circumvented. "The can will be kicked down the road," he said.

While the DUP remains opposed to equal marriage, it has stressed to Sinn Fein that it no longer has the numbers in the Assembly to block the matter through a petition of concern.

Both parties remained locked in negotiations late last night.

Speaking on the eve of his retirement as Sinn Fein President, Gerry Adams said: "It isn't sorted out as we speak.

"We have made some progress but there are still considerable obstacles, but as I said to our unionist friends, this is the last chance agreement.

"They need to embrace the need for rights for everybody and agree a space where we can all moderate our differences."

DUP leader Arlene Foster said: "We have had a very intensive week of discussions. Progress has been made.

"We have more work to do. I have set out the parameters for a deal. It must be fair and balanced.

"Our negotiating team will continue working next week. I want to see ministerial-led government restored to Northern Ireland.

"I hope that can be achieved by devolved government and will work towards that end."

Round-table talks involving the five main parties and Secretary of State Karen Bradley and Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney were cancelled yesterday.

They were postponed to allow Sinn Fein and the DUP to remain at their intensive bilateral negotiations.

Mrs Foster continued discussions with Sinn Fein president-elect Mary Lou McDonald and vice-president-elect Michelle O'Neill, while Mrs Bradley and Mr Coveney met the Ulster Unionists, SDLP and Alliance.

The UUP and SDLP voiced deep frustration at being effectively locked out of the process.

A UUP source said: "Sinn Fein and the DUP are clearly running these talks and the two governments are just bystanders."

Mrs Bradley is said to have told UUP leader Robin Swann that she understood his frustration.

He is reported to have replied: "I am not here for a counselling session. I am here to get a government up and running."

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said it was clear the negotiations were an "exclusive two-party process", adding: "The SDLP are not here to window-dress but we want to be constructive.

"I've told both governments when the two-party process is concluded and they are ready to engage in five-party negotiations, the SDLP will be ready to negotiate.

"With a hard Brexit coming down the tracks that will cause economic, social and political chaos to our island, I also stressed to the Irish and British governments the need for the formation of a government urgently.

"Everyone across these islands is talking about the threat of a hard border, yet here we have a political vacuum." Mr Eastwood said he had told the two governments to call him when something was happening.

The talks will be on hold over the weekend as Mr Adams steps down as Sinn Fein president at the party's special ard fheis in Dublin. Ms McDonald and Ms O'Neill were selected unopposed to the two most senior leadership posts in the party.

A standalone Irish Language Act has been a red-line issue for Sinn Fein, while Mrs Foster recently reassured an internal DUP gathering that she would never sign off on such a move.

However, the possibility of civil servants finding a technical way to embrace both Irish language legislation and measures on Ulster Scots so that both parties can save face has been explored.

Earlier this week, a senior talks source said that the proposed deal would involve "heavy lifting" by both the DUP and Sinn Fein in terms of convincing their respective bases.
PACEMAKER BELFAST 10/02/2018 A search operation is under way in Ballymena, County Antrim, after reports that a person has fallen into the Braid River. At least four PSNI Land Rovers and an air ambulance helicopter were deployed near the Ecos Centre, a nature park off the Broughshane Road. The search then moved along the river, towards the Galgorm Castle Golf Club.

PACEMAKER BELFAST 10/02/2018 A search operation is under way in Ballymena, County Antrim, after reports that a person has fallen into the Braid River. At least four PSNI Land Rovers and an air ambulance helicopter were deployed near the Ecos Centre, a nature park off the Broughshane Road. The search then moved along the river, towards the Galgorm Castle Golf Club.

At least four PSNI Land Rovers and an air ambulance helicopter were deployed near the Ecos Centre, a nature park off the Broughshane Road. The search then moved along the river, towards the Galgorm Castle Golf Club. Pacemaker

A boy, who was swept more than four miles down a fast-flowing river in Northern Ireland before being pulled out by rescue teams, has died in hospital.

A major search operation was launched after the child, aged five, fell into the Braid River near Skye Park in Ballymena, Co Antrim, at around 1pm on Saturday.

He was rescued more than 45 minutes later near Tullaghgarley and immediately airlifted to the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, the Community Rescue Service said.

Expand Close A search operation in Ballymena, County Antrim. Credit: PACEMAKER BELFAST / Facebook

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Sean McCarry, regional commander of the organisation, said teams had worked closely with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), fire service and air ambulance during the multi-agency response.

Mr McCarry said emergency services were alerted at around 1pm after the boy entered the river near the Ecos Centre.

He said: He got swept away quite fast with it, he was travelling quite a distance.

He was doing a mile in under 15 minutes.

A young child pulled from the Braid river in Ballymena earlier today has passed away in hospital. pic.twitter.com/372ouNPO6a  Police Service NI (@PoliceServiceNI) February 10, 2018

Mr McCarry said rescuers were running desperately after the boy, while a police helicopter observed from above and reported any sightings.

The police were co-coordinating and telling us where we needed to go to next and we were just trying to get ahead of him in the river, he said.

Eventually that happened and he was pulled out of the river and put into the air ambulance.

The boy spent more than 45 minutes in the water and travelled a minimum of four miles down the river, Mr McCarry said.

Our thoughts go out to the family," he added.

PSNI Inspector Shaf Ali said: "I would like to thank everyone involved in the search effort and extend my sincerest condolences to the family at this time."
An MLA has said he is "appalled" by a growing knife culture in Belfast after a man was stabbed in the stomach.

A 23-year-old was rushed to hospital after he was assaulted in the early hours of yesterday in the Antrim Road area of the city.

His injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

A 22-year-old woman who was with the man sustained a cut to her face.

DUP MLA William Humphrey said: "I'm absolutely appalled that this has happened.

"We appear to be seeing an increase in knife culture and an increase in the number of stabbings taking place.

"This is concerning and unfortunately this young gentleman and woman have fallen victim to it."

Sinn Fein councillor JJ Magee also condemned the attack.

He said: "These brutal attacks have a severely damaging impact on our entire city and must stop immediately. Anyone with information about this stabbing should bring it forward to the police immediately."

Inspector Paul Noble urged witnesses to contact detectives at Musgrave Criminal Investigation Division on the non-emergency number 101.
The mother of a man killed in a one-punch incident outside a bar has called for leniency for her son's attacker, a court has heard.

James McDonagh died from injuries sustained by falling backwards and hitting his head off the ground after he was punched once in the face by Finbar McCoy Jnr.

The 28-year-old never regained consciousness.

Roseanne McDonagh described losing her son as "like having my heart ripped out".

But she said she "didn't care" if McCoy went to prison, as the family were more concerned about him accepting responsibility.

McCoy was due to be sentenced yesterday for the manslaughter of Mr McDonagh outside the Elk Bar in Toomebridge, Co Antrim, in January 2016.

Last year McCoy (26), from Tamlaghduff Road in Bellaghy, stood trial, with the jury being hung.

He was to go on trial for a second time, but earlier this month changed his plea and admitted unlawful killing.

Yesterday's hearing in Belfast was told McCoy's plea came as he didn't want to put either Mr McDonagh's family or his own through a second trial.

The judge heard about the "devastating" impact Mr McDonagh's death has had on his family.

Crown prosecutor Ciaran Murphy QC told the court that Mrs McDonagh said: "When we were in court, I felt sorry for Finbar's mother, father and his family.

"I don't care if Finbar sees the inside of a prison.

"We just wanted recognition for what he done - causing Jim's death."

Regarding punishment, Mrs McDonagh reiterated her sympathy for McCoy's parents and said it would be "an awful thing to see your child go to jail".

The incident occurred in the car park of the Elk in Toome in the early hours of January 10, 2016.

Mr McDonagh had been socialising in the bar with his nephew.

Also present at the bistro and bar was the McCoy family, who were celebrating Finbar McCoy Snr's retirement.

Mr Murphy QC said that on the evening of January 9 Mr McDonagh was seen becoming "increasingly intoxicated".

The prosecutor said that while Finbar Jnr had left to go home, his father was involved in an altercation with Mr McDonagh in the smoking area of the car park.

Mr McDonagh punched Finbar Snr, which resulted in bleeding to his forehead, while Mrs McCoy was seen "picking herself up off the ground".

Finbar Jnr then returned to the scene.

He believed his mother had been hit by Mr McDonagh, who was seen "trying to rile" him. A number of people tried to hold Finbar Jnr back but he broke free, approached Mr McDonagh and punched him once in the face.

Both McCoy and Mr McDonagh fell to the ground. While McCoy got back up, Mr McDonagh never regained consciousness and died on January 11.

When McCoy was arrested - initially for murder - he made no reply.

He later accused Mr McDonagh of taunting him and looking for a fight. McCoy always admitted punching the deceased once in the face.

Defence barrister Eilish MacDermott QC said that it was in the forefront of McCoy's mind that "a young man has lost his life".

Explaining that her client has recognised the suffering of the McDonagh family, Ms MacDermott said both families will be dealing with the consequences of that night for the rest of their lives.

The barrister said McCoy was a hard-working man from a happy and stable background and who, up until January 2016, was a model citizen who led a structured life.

McCoy will now be sentenced next Friday.
The DUP peer who got prostitution banned in Northern Ireland has spoken of his shock at the death of sex worker Laura Lee.

Lord Morrow said he "took no joy" in learning of the passing of Ms Lee, who tried to have the legislation overturned.

The former Fermanagh-South Tyrone MLA described her opposition to the law here as "misguided".

Ms Lee, a 39-year-old law graduate and advocate for sex workers' rights, had worked in the sex industry for 24 years. She died on Wednesday.

She had been poised to bring a judicial review against the law making it illegal for men to pay for sex here.

The Human Trafficking and Exploitation Act was introduced in 2015 after Lord Morrow brought a private member's bill before the Assembly.

Northern Ireland is currently the only UK region to make the purchase of sex a criminal offence.

Ms Lee's legal team argued that amendments to the legislation breached her human rights to privacy and freedom from discrimination, as well as failing to comply with equality law.

Lord Morrow told the Belfast Telegraph that it had come as a "big shock" to learn of Ms Lee's death, despite the fact that her views were "diametrically opposed" to his own.

"I would like to extend my sympathies to her daughter and family at this time," he said. "She took an opposing stance to mine on the issues, but I take no joy out of the death of anyone.

"I'm not aware of the circumstances, but it shows you that you never know what a day could bring forward.

"I never spoke to her one-on-one - the closest contact with her was on Nolan when she was debating on the opposite side.

"I thought her views were misguided.

"Laura Lee didn't succeed in changing my views."

When asked if Ms Lee had been stigmatised for her job as a sex worker, Lord Morrow replied: "Laura Lee took a position in regard to issues, and when you do that you are up for whatever is coming to you.

"I took my position regarding human trafficking and she disagreed with me."

Laura Lee was born in Dublin but moved to Scotland and lived in Glasgow.

Yesterday her daughter, Cat, posted a message to her mother's Twitter account confirming her death, and saying she was "so proud" of her.

She wrote: "She asked me to let you all know that she was so grateful for everyone's support.

"I ask you to continue all of your amazing work in her honour. I'm so proud of all my mum accomplished in her tragically short life." In a statement, Sex Workers Alliance Ireland (SWAI) said its members were "heartbroken and devastated at the loss of our dear friend, colleague and SWAI board member Laura Lee".

The organisation added: "Our hearts are with Laura's family, friends and all who knew and loved her. Laura's bravery was unending.

"She believed passionately in justice and was fighting for every single sex worker in this world.

"Her dedication and commitment to our struggle has made a huge and lasting impact, and she will never be forgotten."

Supporters of Ms Lee have raised over 4,000 on a JustGiving page to cover her funeral costs.
MP Jim Shannon was unhappy at the choice of song for Gerry Adams

A senior MP and a victims' campaigner last night hit out at what they described as an 'inappropriate' song used by the BBC's Talkback programme to introduce a segment on outgoing Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams.

Strangford MP Jim Shannon said he'd been contacted by constituents outraged by the show's choice of the Garth Brooks country song If Tomorrow Never Comes to introduce a panel discussion on Mr Adams and his legacy.

Talkback host William Crawley said that Mr Adams was a big Garth Brooks fan, and claimed that If Tomorrow Never Comes was the Louth TD's favourite Brooks song.

A clip was also aired of Mr Adams singing some lyrics from the tune on Dublin radio station Newstalk.

But last night DUP MP Mr Shannon told the Belfast Telegraph that constituents had contacted him to complain.

"I think the choice of music was inappropriate, given the record of the IRA campaign, and the deaths it was responsible for.

"Tomorrow never came for the men and women of the RUC, the men and women for the UDR, of the Army, never came for the prison officers or the civilians.

"It was inappropriate and wrong - a bad choice," the DUP MP said.

Victims' campaigner Kenny Donaldson of Innocent Victims United, which represents thousands of victims of the Troubles, also said the use of the song was "inappropriate".

"Gerry Adams may officially step down this weekend, but a legacy of pain remains in his wake," he told the Belfast Telegraph.

"During the 30-plus years Gerry Adams led Sinn Fein, the IRA murdered 1,950 people.

"For those men, women and children, tomorrow never came."

Last night, a BBC spokesperson said in a statement: "Today's Talkback programme was a wide-ranging discussion on the political career of Gerry Adams on his final day as President of Sinn Fein.

"It featured contributions from invited panellists and callers and reflected differing viewpoints and insights, including his enthusiasm for the music of Garth Brooks.

"We are, of course, aware Mr Adams remains a controversial figure, which is why his connections to the IRA were scrutinised during the course of the programme. No offence was intended to anyone who was a victim of IRA violence."
Alexanda Kotey, one of two Britons suspected of having been part of the Islamic State extremist group dubbed "The Beatles" (ITV News)

The future of the final two suspected members of an Islamic State execution group dubbed The Beatles hangs in the balance following their capture in Syria.

Britons Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh are under guard in the caliphates former heartland having fallen into the hands of Kurdish militia fighters in January.

It remains unclear who will determine the pairs fate, with a US Department of Defence (DoD) spokesman saying they were still considering options.

The Home Office refused to comment on reports that both men had been stripped of their British citizenship, but Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson told The Sun he did not want to see the pair prosecuted in the UK.

Defence minister Tobias Ellwood called for their trial to be held at an international war crimes court.

Expand Close Jihadi John became one of the most infamous Islamist killers of recent times (PA) Press Association Images / Facebook

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He told the Daily Telegraph: Given the scale of foreign fighters we should consider an agreed international process involving The Hague, which ensures terrorists from any origin are transparently and fairly held account for their actions.

ITV News has obtained what they described as the first image of Kotey  wearing a grey top and with a dark beard  in detention after he allegedly tried to smuggle himself into Turkey to escape capture.

Along with Mohammed Emwazi  the killer nicknamed Jihadi John  and Aine Davis, they are thought to have been part of a group named after the 60s band because of their English accents.

Rest assured our intention is to hold anyone accountable who commits acts like those they are alleged to have committedUS Department of Defence

The four Londoners were linked to a string of hostage murders in Iraq and Syria during the bloody Islamist uprising and gained global notoriety.

US officials said Kotey and Elsheikh are suspected to have participated in the detention, exploitation and execution of Western detainees.

Asked if they would be prosecuted and, if so, where they might face trial, Major Adrian Rankine-Galloway from the DoD told the Press Association: We are still considering options regarding el-Sheikh and Kotey, but rest assured our intention is to hold anyone accountable who commits acts like those they are alleged to have committed.

He said US Government agencies are working closely with coalition partners on the disposition of detainees in SDF detention.

He confirmed they are being held by US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in a detention location in Syria, but said he could not give any further information.

The family of Elsheikh said in a statement that it had received no official confirmation of his capture.

It said: If, as is being reported, our son is being detained, we as a family ask that any process be proper and fair.

We understand that call indeed reflects what is asked for by the families of victims of ISIS and not one that reproduces the wrongs and atrocities committed by that organisation.

We do not condone any acts against humanity whether perpetrated by hate, revenge or fear.

We also convey our sympathy with victims and their families and those affected by these acts.

The family said they would not be making any further statement.

There have been various reports as to where exactly they were captured.

Mark Campbell, co-chairman of the Kurdish Solidarity Campaign, said he understood from sources in the YPG (Kurdistan Peoples Protection Units) the arrests had taken place in the Deir ez-Zur region in the north-east of Syria, towards the Iraq border.

An SDF statement on Friday said Kotey was captured around 90 miles from there in a rural part of Raqqa.

A spokesman said it is believed Kotey had been trying to cross into Turkey.

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Emwazi, who was killed in a US air strike in 2015, appeared in a number of videos in which captives including British aid workers David Haines and Alan Henning were beheaded.

The fourth member, Davis, was convicted of being a member of a terrorist organisation and jailed for seven-and-a-half years at a court in Silivri, Turkey, in May 2017.

The Foreign Office said it did not comment on individual cases or ongoing investigations.
Turkeys president has announced that a Turkish military helicopter was downed in northern Syria during Ankaras offensive on Syrian Kurdish militia in the region.

The Turkish military said two soldiers were killed when their attack helicopter crashed and was destroyed.

A spokesman for the Kurdish militia, Mustafa Bali, said his fighters brought down the aircraft in Raju, north-west Afrin.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan did not mention by name the Syrian Kurdish Peoples Protection Units, or YPG, but said those responsible will pay.

In a video posted online by the YPG-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces, a helicopter is seen flying over a tree-lined hill and another helicopter is captured during its crash.

A helicopter is seen firing two rockets in the area as plumes of smoke from the crash rise over the trees.

After Mr Erdogan declared one of our helicopters was also downed, the Turkish prime minister said the cause of the helicopters crash was not yet clear and investigations were ongoing.

We dont have exact evidence or document to determine that it went down with any outside interference, said Binali Yildirim.

Turkey launched a military offensive on January 20 to oust the YPG from Afrin, citing national security.

Turkey considers the group a terrorist organisation and an extension of an insurgency within its own borders that has fought for Kurdish autonomy for more than three decades.

Twenty one Turkish soldiers have died since the beginning of the operation.

Syria has been gripped by a new and escalating round of violence in recent weeks.

Aside from the Turkish offensive in Afrin, the Syrian government escalated its attacks on two of the largest and most important remaining opposition-held areas, in Idlib province in north-western Syria and on eastern Ghouta, a region near the capital Damascus.

Hundreds have been killed and wounded in the violence as the Syrian government and its allies sought to consolidate their hold on remaining opposition-controlled areas.

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The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein has urged urgent international action, saying the past week in Syria has been one of the bloodiest periods of the entire conflict.

The commissioner said the no-holds-barred nature of the assault included attacks on nine medical facilities and the death of 277 civilians between February 4 and February 9 in both Idlib and eastern Ghouta.

There were also reports of the government using toxic agents in residential areas.

In eastern Ghouta, nearly 400,000 residents are trapped by a tightening government siege and the violence. At least two million people live in Idlib, the largest area controlled by the opposition.

Even by Syrias atrocious standards, these are exceptionally deplorable developments  and a cruel irony given that both have been declared de-escalation areas, said Mr Al Hussein.

Both Idlib and eastern Ghouta are part of Russia-negotiated de-escalation areas, which are meant to freeze the lines of conflict and allow in humanitarian aid.

Mr Al Hussein said the prevailing climate of impunity and the paralysis of the UN Security Council, divided between allies and foes of the Syrian government, calls for the Syrian conflict to be referred to the International Criminal Court, and a more concerted effort by the parties involved to bring about peace.

The conduct and management of this war has been utterly shameful from the outset, and the failure to end it marks an epic failure of global diplomacy, said Mr Al Hussein.
Myanmars government on Friday shrugged off a report detailing the killing of Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state that prompted calls from the U.S. State Department for an independent investigation into the claims, saying the foreign media was hurting our work restoring stability to the region.



Late on Thursday, Reuters news agency published a special report on the events that led to the killing of 10 Rohingya men, including two teenagers, from Rakhines Inn Din village who it said were buried in a mass grave after being hacked to death or shot by Buddhist neighbors and soldiers.



U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told Reuters that as with other, previous reports of mass graves, this report highlights the ongoing and urgent need for Burmese authorities to cooperate with an independent, credible investigation into allegations of atrocities in northern Rakhine.



Such an investigation would help provide a more comprehensive picture of what happened, clarify the identities of the victims, identify those responsible for human rights abuses and violations, and advance efforts for justice and accountability, she said.



When asked about the report  which cited interviews with Buddhists who confessed to burning Rohingya homes, burying bodies and killing Muslims amid violence provoked by attacks on security posts by Rohingya insurgents last August  Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Win Myat Aye told the Myanmar Service of Radio Free Asia (RFA), a sister entity of BenarNews, that it undermined government efforts to bring peace to Rakhine state.



It is hurting our work, the minister said, questioning the validity of the claims in the report, which included photographs of bound victims kneeling before the killing, and of their bodies lying in a trench afterwards.



Some members of the international media write what they think it is the truth, and I dont want to blame them, as it is their job. We are doing our job as well.



Meanwhile, Win Myat Aye said, the government remains focused on repatriating some 700,000 refugees who have been forced across the border to neighboring Bangladesh since Myanmars military began a crackdown in Rakhine state following the August attacks carried out by Muslim militant group the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA).



We are working on receiving and resettling them according to the law, he said, adding that the government is responsible for the refugees that can prove they were residents of Rakhine state.



The United Nations and rights groups have warned against a quick return of the Rohingya, saying that the minority group would continue to face repression and discrimination in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where they are considered illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and are denied citizenship and access to basic services.



The Reuters report marks the first time soldiers and paramilitary police have been named in eyewitness accounts from security personnel in atrocities including killings, torture, rape, property theft, and arson that have been widely documented by both news agencies and human rights organizations, and which the United Nations has said might amount to genocide.



Prior to the reports publication, Myanmar government spokesman Zaw Htay told Reuters we are not denying the allegations about violations of human rights and we are not giving blanket denials, adding that if strong and reliable primary evidence indicated abuses had taken place, authorities would investigate the claims.



There was no immediate comment from the government following the publication of the report.



Press freedom



Myanmars government has consistently denied allegations of atrocities and, citing the foreign medias one-sided reporting, has banned independent news outlets from visiting northern Rakhine state where the violence occurred.



In addition to the ban, Myanmar authorities have been arresting or filing lawsuits against those who work for foreign media outlets to further clamp down on reports about the crackdown and its aftermath.



Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo are on trial for obtaining state secrets while reporting on the Inn Din incident and face up to 14 years in prison. The pair, whose bylines were on Thursdays special report, were arrested on Dec. 12 just after they had dinner with two police officers who gave them documents about the crackdown.



Rights groups and the Myanmar media have accused the police of entrapment and have criticized Myanmars civilian government under de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi for backpedaling on press freedom.



The Rakhine state government this week said it would sue the Associated Press for publishing a report confirming the existence of at least five previously unreported mass graves containing the remains of Rohingya in a village in Buthidaung township.



Both the national and state governments have rejected the report as false and claimed that the bodies of 19 terrorists  a reference to Muslim militants  had been killed and buried in the area. Rakhine officials have yet to announce under which laws they plan to sue the AP.
Hundreds of supporters of opposition leader Khaleda Zia rally in Dhaka after a court ordered her imprisonment, Feb. 9, 2018.

Bangladeshs main opposition party named the exiled son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia as acting chief on Friday following the 72-year-old leaders conviction and prison sentence in a graft case she called politically motivated.

Zias son, Tarique Rahman, 53, was appointed leader after a Dhaka court sentenced her on Thursday to five years on charges that she embezzled 21 million takas (about U.S. $252,000) from an orphanage trust, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) said.

Rahman, who fled to London in 2008, was convicted in absentia in the case that allegedly took place when Zia, the countrys three-time leader, was last prime minister, from 2001 to 2006. The court ordered him and four others to each serve 10 years in prison.

According to the party charter, senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman will act as the chairperson of the BNP, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, the partys senior joint secretary, told reporters Friday.

Zia, who was whisked away to prison by police after her conviction, remained in jail in Dhaka as of noon Friday (local time), sources said.

Rahmans appointment was announced as police scuffled with hundreds of activists (see video) who chanted slogans, carried signs and marched in Dhaka to protest Zias conviction, witnesses said.

The demonstrators peacefully dispersed after anti-riot police blocked them near the BNP offices, but at least three demonstrators were arrested on charges of creating trouble, a police spokesman told BenarNews.

Opposition leaders on Friday called for Zias immediate release, accusing the government of dictating the charges against her.

But Obaidul Quader, general secretary of the ruling Awami League, rejected the allegations.

They made a person convicted of corruption as their chairman, he told reporters Friday, referring to the BNP. They are expected to [make the accusations against the government].

Mahbubur Rahman, a member of the BNPs highest policy-making committee, told BenarNews that Rahmans appointment was in accordance with Zias instructions during a Feb. 7 meeting where she said that her son should replace her upon her conviction.

Party division

Ataur Rahman, a Dhaka University political science professor, said Zias imprisonment might create divisions within BNPs rank and file.

Khaleda Zia is in jail. Tarique Rahman lives in London. He is the acting chief of the BNP. Tarique Rahman is also convicted in the same case. It is very difficult to run a party without the physical presence of its chief, he told BenarNews.

Apparently, he said, Zias conviction divided the BNP into two camps, one led by senior leaders who reject Rahmans leadership and the other led by younger members who trust her son.

Most of the senior leaders are unlikely to accept Tarique Rahmans leadership. So, there is a possibility that the partys unity would be threatened if Khaleda Zia remained behind bars for long, he said.

With a fragmented BNP, the countrys opposition will face a tough hurdle during the next general election expected to take place in December or in January 2019, according to political analysts.

Maj. Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, who served as a minister in Zias cabinet, told BenarNews that BNP would follow the decision of the partys standing committee.

Police question a suspected demonstrator as hundreds of activists rallied to express their support for former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia in Dhaka, Feb. 9, 2018. [Monirul Alam/BenarNews]

UN, US call for calm in Bangladesh



Meanwhile, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on both the ruling and the opposition parties to maintain calm in the aftermath of Zias imprisonment.

We are just monitoring the latest developments regarding this verdict and we expect that we will say something more once we have evaluated the situation, Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesman for Guterres, told reporters on Thursday.

It is too early to judge what impact this will have (on elections), he said. But we do continue to call for an inclusive and democratic process in the country. We call on sides to maintain calm.

U.S. officials also expressed concern over Zias conviction.

We are aware of the conviction of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Khaleda Zia, and encourage Bangladesh to guarantee of a fair trial, a State Department spokesman said.

We also call on members of society to act peacefully and responsibly, he said. We stress that all sides must eschew violence; violence hinders democratic processes.
Malaysian authorities took a 33-year-old citizen into custody after his deportation from Singapore, which arrested him last month over allegations that he had acted on plans to join terrorist groups in the Middle East, officials said Friday.

Muhammad Nur Hanief bin Abdul Jalil, who worked as a driver for an airfreight company in Singapore, was handed over on Feb. 2, a senior Malaysian police officer said.

I can confirm that the suspect is under our custody. He is now held under the Security Offenses (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA) for further investigations, the official, who requested anonymity, told BenarNews.

Under the act, Malaysian authorities can hold suspects up to 28 days without trial. SOSMA replaced the controversial Internal Security Act, which allowed for detention of up to two years without requiring authorities to present the suspect in court.

On Friday, Singapores Home Affairs Ministry (MHA) issued a statement saying that Hanief, who had access to a restricted area at Southeast Asias busiest airport, Changi, was arrested under the city-states Internal Security Act.

Singaporean investigators confirmed that he had access to published writings of foreign extremist preachers, including Imran Hosein, Zakir Naik and Anjem Choudary, since 2008, the statement said.

Through sustained exposure to such materials, he became convinced that he should travel to Syria or Palestine to participate in the conflict there, the ministry said.

Unlike some of its Southeast Asian neighbors, Singapore has a near-perfect record of keeping its shores free from terror. In 2017, The Economist magazine named it as the worlds second safest city in 2017 after Tokyo.

Earlier this month, Singapores police force launched terror-attack simulations. In addition, its Home Affairs Ministry admitted that it had stepped up efforts to deter terrorism in recent years. It said this resulted from security concerns over frequent terror attacks in Western countries and after a five-month battle in the southern Philippine city of Marawi, in which 1,200 people, mostly pro-Islamic State militants, were killed.

Last year, Singapore denied entry to Zimbabwean Ismail Menk and Malaysian preacher Ustaz Haslin Baharim (aka Uztaz Bollywood), who were on a scheduled religious-themed cruise.

Gods will

The statement said Hanief, who had held various jobs in Singapore since 2011, was prepared to head to the Mid-East in late 2017.

He was prepared to join any militant group there, including the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, Free Syrian Army, or Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (previously known as Jabhat Fateh al-Sham/Jabhat al-Nusra), because he believed that all these groups would ultimately unite at the end-of-times, the statement said.

The ministry said Hanief had contacted Haslin and sought advice on becoming a martyr in Syria.

Haslins response was that it was Gods will if one should die as a martyr, which Hanief interpreted as an affirmative reply, the statement said.

While investigations did not surface any indication that he had tried to radicalize others or planned any terrorist attacks in Singapore, his radicalization renders him a security threat to Singapore, it added.

In Malaysia, authorities have arrested 372 people (including Hanief) for suspected links to terror groups during the past four years. Those numbers include 71 foreigners, according to government statistics.

Thirty-four Malaysians have been reported killed while fighting for the extremist group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Another 24 men, 12 women and 17 children are believed to be in Syria, but may have fled from cities where battles took place, according to Malaysian police last year.
China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) plan to hold maritime drills later this year in a move that security analysts said could be Beijings way of consolidating power as it moves forward with militarization efforts in the South China Sea.

The two sides announced the agreement earlier this week in Singapore, which hosted defense ministers from the region and Chinese Gen. Chang Wanquan.

While all parties agreed that terrorism remained a key challenge in the region, participants reaffirmed the importance of coming up with a code to prevent unplanned encounters in the sea and air, a joint statement said.

In particular, the ministers discussed ways to improve practical cooperation and welcomed the conduct of an inaugural ASEAN-China Maritime Exercise at the end of this year, the statement said without announcing a date for the drills.

Sources said tabletop exercises could take place some time in October, followed by naval exercises involving one of the 10 ASEAN nations later in the year.

The Philippines, which hosted ASEAN meetings last year and appears to have improving ties with Beijing, could be tapped for the inaugural drills, according to a foreign department source who requested anonymity.

Beijing proposed drills three years ago, but some ASEAN members had expressed apprehension because of rising tensions in the South China Sea.

China claims much of the region while rival Taiwan and ASEAN countries Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippine and Vietnam have their own stakes in the South China. In 2016, the Hague-Based Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled in favor of the Philippines in its challenge to Chinas efforts in the region.

China has rejected the ruling and continues to expand structures including landing strips on islands it has claimed.

One of President Rodrigo Dutertes first official acts after taking office in June 2016 was a state visit to Beijing in what was seen as a gesture to improve relations with the regional giant.

Hegemony

On Friday, Richard Javad Heydarian, a political analyst at Manilas De La Salle University, said China was moving toward appeasing the South China Sea claimants even as it continued with its vast expansion.

Clearly the Chinese strategy is to seek and secure acquiescence of ASEAN through confidence-building measures and non-ending talks on the Code of Conduct  with most Southeast Asian countries including the Philippines embracing strategic fatalism amid Chinas emerging hegemony, he told BenarNews.

China, Heydarian said, was banking on its overwhelming military supremacy over smaller Southeast Asian states who could gain massive economic benefits if they dropped their antagonistic stance.

Clearly, its working wonders in Dutertes Philippines, he said, referring to millions of dollars in pledges and contracts from the Chinese side.

In Chinas view, domination of that area is key to keeping Americas naval prowess and footprint in adjacent waters in check, he said.

Benham Rise

Duterte recently demanded a stop to all foreign explorations in the Benham Rise, a mineral-rich undersea region in the Pacific Ocean after learning that a Chinese research vessel was granted access.

The Philippines recently laid claim to the region, where it has been carrying out research studies to map out its resources.

Heydarian said that apart from the area having major aquatic and mineral resources, gaining access and control there could be key for China to monitor American submarine movements.

They want to protect their burgeoning submarine capacity, which is still vulnerable to western and Japanese technology, he said.

Roilo Golez, the countrys ex-national security adviser, urged the government to closely guard the Benham Rise, noting that Beijing was scouting for new sources of energy to power its economy forward.

He warned that Chinese submarines could travel to the area undetected constituting a threat to the security of the Philippines and our allies in the western Pacific.
William Bernbach, a titan of Madison Avenue who died in 1982, said, "If your advertising goes unnoticed, everything else is academic." The spinmeisters for Ram trucks must have taken Mr. Bernbach's admonition to heart. With a Super Bowl commercial on Sunday that used as its soundtrack a sermon delivered by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 50 years earlier to the day, they got the notice they wanted. Much of the reaction, though, amounted to a richly deserved thumbs-down.

The sermon was Dr. King's "Drum Major Instinct" speech, given in Atlanta in 1968 two months before his assassination. Everybody, he said, had this instinct  "a desire to be out front, a desire to lead the parade, a desire to be first." But it had to be harnessed, he said as he went on to equate greatness with service to others. Ostensibly, the Ram commercial was an appeal for people to serve. But who's kidding whom? The goal was to sell trucks, with Dr. King's voice as pitchman.

The sheer crassness led to instant condemnation on social media, including speculation about what might be next  maybe trotting out James Baldwin to hawk "The Firestone Next Time"? Critics were hardly mollified by word that Ram had the blessing of Intellectual Properties Management, the licenser of Dr. King's estate. The estate has not always been his staunchest guardian against posthumous commercialization.
An insurgent from Thailands Deep South hands over his weapon symbolically to Army Commander-in-Chief Gen. Chalermchai Sithisart during an official ceremony for the surrender of 288 rebels, in Yarang district, Pattani province, Feb. 2, 2018.

Thailand has revamped a program that aims to rehabilitate southern insurgents who lay down their weapons by focusing on hardcore rebels requiring special training, the Thai armys regional commander said.

The Thai military sharply reduced the number of enrollees and changed criteria for people signing up for the Bring People Home Project, which encourages rebels to surrender and transition back to civilian life in their home villages, he said.

We reset the program, adopting all new measures, Lt. Gen. Piyawat Nakwanich, commander of the armys Fourth Region, which covers the troubled Thai Deep South, told reporters earlier this month.

In 2017, Thailands defense minister ordered a review of the program, changes to it and closer vetting of applicants after one of its participants allegedly took part in a bombing that injured scores of civilians outside a department store in Pattani province last May.

Piyawat was speaking at a Feb. 2 ceremony in Yarang, a district of Pattani, where 288 men identified as separatist insurgents surrendered symbolically to the authorities as program enrollees, although they had already formally turned themselves in. The military was parading them before the local press as enrollees in the revamped program.

In the months leading up to the attack on the Big C department store, military officials claimed that as many as 4,400 insurgents had signed up for Bring People Home. But now, through the scaled down numbers, only the 288 remain enrolled, including 161 who signed up in 2018, Piyawat said.

The more than 4,000 others enrolled before were found non-relevant. ... We want the real ones who have arrest warrants and other misled persons to join the program. And we reset the program, we abandoned the old procedures and adopt new ones which are clearly different, Piyawat said.

The thousands of others who were not considered hardcore rebels were removed from the programs rolls and allowed to return to their villages in the predominantly Muslim and Malay-speaking Deep South, where nearly 7,000 people have been killed in insurgency-related incidents and other violence since the separatist conflict reignited 14 years ago.

The number of enrollees was also revised down because programs staff could not effectively monitor and visit thousands of enrollees twice a month, officials said. Last year, the military allocated 106 million baht (U.S. $3.33 million) for Bring People Home.

The program must be sped up because it not only reduces violence, but it sends a psychological effect on the attempts to train new insurgents, said Col. Pansit Supanchanaburi, the officer who oversees the program.

Hotline

The program, which was started in the Deep South in 2013, allows enrollees to live in their home villages while attending activities such as attitude adjustment indoctrination sessions and vocational training aimed at helping them get jobs and reintegrate back into civilian life.

A handful of those who enroll are subject to possible prosecution over past activities, but the military provides ex-insurgents with legal assistance and lawyers, Piyawat said.

There are many more prospects, in and outside Thailand, who want to enroll, Piyawat added.

Meanwhile, at least 2,000 ex-members of Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) and Pattani United Liberation Organization (PULO), two of the rebel groups in the Deep South, have expressed interest in joining Bring People Home, according to the Bangkok Post last week. It quoted a former PULO fighter who claimed he spoke for members of the group who were hiding out in Malaysia, Brunei, Scandinavia and the Middle East.

Piyawat said he had set up a hotline number for insurgents to call if they were thinking of surrendering through the program. Last February, the general made headlines when he flew by helicopter to personally take a southern militant into custody as the man surrendered to Thai authorities through Bring People Home.

The smiles of everyone

Harong Maroh called the hotline in April 2017 saying he decided to move back to the Deep South after a decade on the run from Thai authorities and hiding out in neighboring Malaysia.

Harong got into trouble with the Thai authorities because his brother was involved in an anti-government demonstration in Tak Bai, Narathiwat province, where 85 protesters died in October 2004 after authorities packed them into and stacked their bodies on top of each other inside a truck.

Harong fled the Deep South in 2007.

One day my wife learned that I got a subpoena, so she and our kids came to join me there [in Kelantan, Malaysia], he told reporters at the Feb. 2 ceremony in Pattani, adding that a court case against him was dismissed after he signed up for Bring People Home.

At last weeks ceremony where enrollees symbolically handed over their weapons to Thai soldiers, Piwayat claimed that we heartily embrace them, showing them sincerity, giving them justice and safety, so the former insurgents can see the smiles of everyone in their families.

But, he also warned, if one of the enrollees returned to his old life of rebellion, it would be hard to fix.

If so, we would bring them to justice, Piyawat said.

Last year, soon after the general choppered into Yala province to take custody of alleged insurgent Ahama Duere, Thai security expert Don Pathan raised questions about whether Bring People Home was simply a public relations exercise or an effective counter-insurgency tool in winning hearts and minds in the Deep South.

[T]he Thai government calls the project a success but offers no meaningful justification to support that claim. Every now and then, authorities put together a boot-stomping public ceremony where former combatants and authorities get together in a show of force and unity with hugs and handshakes in front of the media and villagers, Pathan wrote in a column for BenarNews.

But in remote villages, insurgents keep operating freely mainly because villagers continue to support them. They take turns making food for insurgents and sometimes providing them with shelter if their unit has been moved from another area for whatever reason, he went to say.

Araya Poejar in Bangkok and Matahari Ismail in Narathiwat contributed to this report.
Moncks Corner, SC (29461)

Today

Partly cloudy. High around 85F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds light and variable.
Google Celebrates Day 2 Of The Winter Olympics 2018 With A Doodle Pulse oi-Syeda Farah

2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, kick started yesterday. The event was marked by Google, and it celebrates the occasion with a doodle on its homepage relating to the essence of the Olympics.

With each day for the 17 days' event, it is revealed that Google will release a new doodle, each day, to mark the event with animated snow games.

In today's doodle, Google has released another of such an animation to mark the second day.

Read on to know more on this.

The Doodle Illustrates A Magpie! Today's doodle illustrates a Magpie, which is a turtle. It is believed to be a good luck symbol in Korea. So, this keeps us hooked on to what the rest of the 16 doodles have in store for us! The Google Blog Revealed This Google revealed in its blog about the doodle, which said: "After a slow start in these games, Turtle is determined to curl with the best of them. This amateur turned profe-shell-nel athlete has stepped into the rink sporting a stone-y look of concentration." Google Doodle Celebrates The Start Of The Pyeongchang Winter Olympics 2018 This Is The 2nd Doodle Of The Event This doodle is said to be the 2nd in a series of 17 doodles that are to follow for the winter games, as Google blog has revealed there will be one marking every day of the Winter Olympics, that is, from February 9th to February 25th. Google Doodle Honours Kamala Das - The Mother Of Modern English Poetry' This Event Is Happening for The First Time in South Korea This is the first time that South Korea is hosting the gaming event, which occurs in a span of four years once, with summer and winter sport competitions occurring alternatively. So, watch out for this space to know more about the doodles that will be coming up in the days to come.

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Story first published: Saturday, February 10, 2018, 12:19 [IST]
A group of former Westman Immigrant Services employees is urging the board of directors to take immediate action on what they allege is a toxic work environment, rife with bullying, intimidation and harassment.

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This article was published 10/2/2018 (1311 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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A group of former Westman Immigrant Services employees is urging the board of directors to take immediate action on what they allege is a toxic work environment, rife with bullying, intimidation and harassment.

Six former employees have submitted written impact statements to the WIS board along with a letter dated Jan. 18, which formally requests the removal of F. Richard Bruce from his position as executive director. He has served as executive director since 2013, after he retired from his post as Brandons police chief.

The letter states that the board members are "ultimately responsible for the actions of the executive director" and it is their role to "understand the impact that Mr. Bruce has on the staff of the organization."

The group is not seeking compensation or their jobs back. They say the goal in speaking out is to repair the organization, which does important work for immigrants and refugees in Westman. The not-for-profit organization provides settlement, employment and language programs to newcomers in the area. Services include interpreter programs, community orientation, youth programs and English classes.

Staff turnover in recent years has been significant. According to figures provided by the former financial officer, Myrna Jahn, 17 full-time staff members have left the organization since June 2016, either through resignation or termination.

Former employee Caroline Slimmon was the first to provide an impact statement to the board, back in July 2016. Slimmon worked as a community outreach manager. After seven years at the organization, she resigned. Instead of walking away quietly, she decided to submit a written statement, describing a disrespectful, unprofessional and uncomfortable workplace.

All the allegations against Bruce havent been proven, and The Brandon Sun will follow up on a review initiated by the board.

"Please understand that I am a reasonable person and for me to have reached this tipping point has taken a lot," Slimmon stated. "I did not take this step lightly."

Slimmon described an atmosphere of mistrust and turmoil.

"Instead of creating an environment for discourse, brainstorming, collaboration, (Bruce) seems to relish making managers, in particular, feel confused, second-guessed, challenged and unsupported. The frequency of these types of exchanges, create in my mind a disrespectful workplace."

Slimmon said her statement was never acknowledged by the board. Nearly two years later, the group hopes there is power in numbers, and is demanding action this second time around.

"Had the board acted at that time, he wouldnt have been allowed to negatively impact so many more lives," states the letter from the group.

The letter also cites an excerpt from the Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health Act, specifically the definition of harassment: "any vexatious behaviour in the form of hostile, inappropriate and unwanted conduct, verbal comments, actions or gestures that affects a workers dignity or psychological or physical integrity."

The group claims Bruce acts aggressively to instil fear and the impact statements aim to provide a snapshot of the toxic work environment for staff and clients.

TIM SMITH/THE BRANDON SUN The Westman Immigrant Services building on Pacific Avenue is seen at the bottom of 10th Street illuminated by the late day sun on Friday.

The claimants asked for a response by Jan. 26, but nothing came from the board. The group then reached out to The Brandon Sun. On Feb. 2, the claimants said they received a letter, dated Jan. 26, from the lawyer hired by the WIS board.

"The board has formed a committee to review the matters raised in your correspondence. It will take appropriate actions once the review is concluded," states the letter from Roy Johnston TDS. "While it welcomes your concerns, the board regrets that you have shared confidential information surrounding WIS matters outside of the organization."

The letter also reminds the claimants of their obligation to confidentiality, and states the board will take legal action to protect its operations and confidential information if necessary.

The package of impact statements was also delivered to representatives with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, which is WIS primary funder.

"The organization is suffering. The work atmosphere is toxic. The loss of staff through terminations, resignation and stress leaves is significant," states the letter. "It is up to the board to make sure that the organization can move forward in a positive and healthy manner."

Faith St John, IRCC communications adviser, stated via email that due to privacy laws, they are unable to provide specific information regarding any of their service providers.

"WhileIRCCis not the employer for the organizations that receive funding from us, we can assure you that this department is committed to maintaining program integrity and takes any allegations of misconduct very seriously.All allegations or complaints are thoroughly investigated and appropriate action is taken to address any issues that are uncovered."

When contacted by The Brandon Sun, Bruce stated he was unaware of the allegations and therefore had no comment.

Attempts were made to contact multiple WIS board members, who either didnt return a phone call or referred questions to chair Jim Brannan.

Brannan told The Sun they are just beginning to look into the information received to verify what is going on.

"Were going to talk to different people that are mentioned, and get some information out of them to figure out what exactly we do," Brannan said. "The board is quite willing to take appropriate action, but we have to figure out what this is."

Chris Macdonald  a volunteer for WIS who helps contribute to the settlement of refugee families  provided a written statement to the board as well, expressing his concern about the termination of a number of WIS employees, of whom he had much admiration for as dedicated employees and strong advocates for vulnerable immigrants.

"It takes time to create links and comfort levels between WIS staff, new immigrants and community volunteers," he wrote. "These crucial links were abruptly terminated by the termination of significant staff without sufficient thought about the effects of the method, timing and consequences of the firings."

Myrna Jahn resigned in December after five years with the organization. At 63 years of age, Jahn said her plan was to continue working as finance officer until it was time to retire. She stated she had no choice but to resign, in order to protect herself.

Jahns claim states that the current executive director is doing "irreparable harm" to the organization and staff. On several occasions she stated that she was yelled at, singled out and embarrassed; behaviour she also witnessed happening to other staff members.

JILLIAN AUSTIN/THE BRANDON SUN The Brandon Sun was provided with a package of impact statements from six former Westman Immigrant Services employees and one community volunteer.

"Mr. Bruce consistently created very high levels of stress for many of the employees through his need to see how far he could push them," states Jahn. "He grooms handpicked individuals to do his bidding; he has them be his ears and eyes."

Jahn said she has witnessed colleagues severe panic attacks before and after meetings with Bruce, and recalled seeing an employee leave a meeting in such a hysterical state, she had to go home and was off sick for several days.

Larysa Varakina began working at WIS in 2013 and resigned in 2017. She emigrated from Ukraine and was at first very excited about working at an organization that helps newcomers. But that feeling gradually went away, and she described feeling scared, vulnerable and unprotected.

When she worked as the receptionist, Varakina was asked to take notes about employees  when they came in, when they went for lunch, when they came back, etc. At the time she said it was explained in a way that she was helping the organization. But she said it later felt like she was spying on her co-workers.

"I realized that I was doing something I should have never, never done," she said.

Varakina said she was disappointed with the management.

"Ukraine used to be part of USSR; that system is still pretty strong in our country  not to speak, not to say what you think. Even though the countrys independent now, we grew up like that," she said. "And when I came here to Canada, when I saw what was going on here, I was shocked, because yes, it reminded me of basically a military camp. Thats how we felt there."

Trenton Zazalak was hired in November 2016 as cultural diversity facilitator, and worked there for just over a year before he was terminated. He states in his claim he became perplexed by the "mood of oppression" within the organization.

"Despite an epic policy manual being in place at WIS, management seems to enjoy cherry-picking which policy they wish to follow on any given day," he states. "The inconsistency within management is the second sign there is a problem at WIS."

One former employee, who asked to remain anonymous, described a general feeling of distrust, unrest and uneasiness within the organization. She would hear derogatory remarks about ones appearance or intelligence, and what she called "the relentless amount of consistent bullying."

She pointed out that the board is ultimately responsible for the staffs wellness, and any complaints that come in.

Other former employees who submitted impact statements include Arabic interpreter Ed Zreim and youth program facilitator Jayme Van de Mosselaer.

A current employee, who asked to remain anonymous, said it continues to be a place of emotional abuse, with a constant fear of getting fired without cause.

"I love the work, I love helping people," the employee stated. "But in an environment so stressful, its so hard to concentrate."

Many claimants said they wish they could have stayed in the job, as they were passionate about the work they did with the organization.

"I would have continued had it been a nice environment," said a former employee, who asked to remain anonymous. "I wouldnt even think of leaving because I love my clients and I love what I do."

 jaustin@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @jillianaustin
By Geoff Percival

Independent News and Media (INM) has said it is business as usual for the Irish operations of the Daily Star newspaper, despite the latter and other Richard Desmond-owned titles set to be acquired by the Trinity Mirror group.

The owner of the Daily Mirror has agreed to buy  for 127m (143m)  the Daily Star, Daily Express and OK! Magazine from Mr Desmonds Northern & Shell group, depending on shareholder and regulatory approval.

The Irish edition of the Daily Star is a 50%-50% joint venture between Northern & Shell and INM.

Mr Desmond will get an 8.6% stake in Trinity and 107m in cash under the terms of the deal. Trinity Mirrors share price jumped by as much as 21% on the news, which was accompanied by an upbeat trading statement showing that the company had paid down debt and was on track to beat forecasts.

Trinity Mirror said it planned to save 20m in annual costs by 2020 by cutting back-office jobs and sharing editorial teams in sport and features.

The UK arm of the Unite trade union is seeking urgent talks with Trinity Mirror and assurances on job security.

We have real concerns that the merger

of these two newspaper groups

could have an adverse impact on the jobs of workers and we will be asking for urgent meetings with the new management for assurances on job security. There are big question marks over the future, said Unites UK national officer Louisa Bull.

The takeover by Britains largest news publisher unites tabloids from opposite ends of the political spectrum, but Trinity said each title would retain editorial control. The Mirror is not going to go right wing, the Express is not going to go left, said Trinity Mirror boss Simon Fox.
Credit Suisse Group AG has told some teams in Switzerland to consider taking a leave or sabbatical, adding to signs that the banks Swiss unit is under pressure to meet targets for the year, people with knowledge of the matter said.

Bankers were told now is the ideal time for an unpaid or extended absence as the Swiss Universal Bank, led by Thomas Gottstein, seeks to cut 1,600 positions by the end of the year, the people said, asking not to be identified because the discussions were private. Credit Suisse declined to comment.
President, American Chamber of Commerce Ireland

As president of the American Chamber of Commerce Ireland, I am keenly aware of the challenges and opportunities facing Irelands FDI base in 2018.

It has never been a more important time to confront the tough questions we face in a changing global landscape: What must be done to retain and attract more FDI jobs?

What can we do to ensure Ireland doesnt lose its hard-won reputation as a great country for inward investment? The good news is that the two-way US-Ireland business relationship stands at an all-time high  in both directions.

But a more important message is that the global competition for FDI has never been more fierce than it is today. Announcements last year such as Janssen Sciences 300m investment in its Ringaskiddy facility or Northern Trust increasing its Limerick workforce by 400 reminds us that US companies are consistently providing opportunities for people to develop rewarding careers.

Today, over 700 US companies have Irish operations, directly employing almost 160,000 people and indirectly supporting a further 100,000 jobs.

Outside of Dublin, approximately 75,000 people in every county in Ireland are working for a US company.

Our ability to attract such strong levels of inward investment rely on a number of constant factors: Tax and business flexibility; a commitment to education that has paid huge dividends to date; our world class third level institutions which consistently turn out highly educated graduates equipped to take up career opportunities throughout Ireland; and a new emphasis on STEM and lifelong learning.

Ireland, I believe, can and should become an Island of Talent at the centre of the world. We have strong foundations  a famous community of native talent and the tens of thousands of people who have come from all over the world to proudly call Ireland home. We are more global, broader in our thinking and more inclusive than ever before.

The changing faces of Ireland and the Irish are transforming our society: One out of every six children born today in Ireland is born to non-Irish parents.

Our global impact was felt on a warm May day in 2015 when we became the first country in the world to vote for marriage equality by popular vote.

In my view, continuing to embrace inclusion is the right pathway forward.

From a business perspective, it makes sense that serving global markets successfully means we must do so with a global mindset that makes everyone feel truly at home and respected here.

A key perspective I have learned in business is that to compete successfully, you need two things: Speed and agility.

You must not be afraid to take risks from fear of failure.

It is critical that Ireland takes this approach in relation to its digital and crucially its physical infrastructure.

Some example of issues identified through the Chambers advocacy work include the Cork outer ring road, the N20 Croom-Mallow upgrade, the N21 Ballyvourney-Macroom bypass, and effort to place the M20 link with Limerick on a planning foothold.

These are vital projects for improving access to Ringaskiddy and the series of projects identified to compete and enhance the flow of traffic around Cork City. By keeping a laser-like focus on the competitiveness indicators within our control, we make ourselves better able to compete for new opportunities as they emerge. Inward investment from the United States matters and should be celebrated.

Our members make up around 20% of employment in this country, including the additional jobs created by innovative Irish to US FDI companies. US companies here are working at the cutting edge of their fields on products and services that are enhancing lives across the world. Collectively, the total value of US business investment is worth over $387bn (312bn) to the Irish economy.

In 2018, the Chamber looks forward to working successfully with the Government and state agencies in the battle to win new investment. Ireland is in a unique position at the heart of the EU-US relationship  soon to be the only English-speaking member of the EU; perfectly positioned in the global time-zone spectrum; with a diverse multinational workforce. We must make the most of the opportunities a post-Brexit world presents.Now is the time to double down our efforts to welcome tomorrows waves of inward investment.
Update 10.57pm:Nicole Reddington has been located safe and well.

The 15-year-old had been missing from her home in Tallaght since yesterday.

Earlier:Gardai are seeking the public's help in finding a teenage girl missing from her home in Dublin.

Nicole Reddington, aged 15, has been missing from her home in Tallaght since yesterday.

Nicole is described as five foot five inches tall, with long brown hair and brown eyes.

When last seen she was wearing a green jacket with a fur hood, a navy tracksuit and black runners.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Tallaght Garda Station on 01 6664700.
Romanian authorities say the pilots of a Ryanair flight asked to return to the Bucharest airport amid reports that their planes tail may have clipped the runway on take-off.

Henri Coanda International Airport spokeswoman Ana State said the flight was heading to Dublin late last night and had 173 passengers on board when the request came in.
A man in his 30s will appear in court this morning charged with the murder of Warren O'Connor in Dublin eight years ago.

He was extradited from London overnight to face the charges after being arrested there last month.
Revenue are to investigate a suspected pensions underpayments scandal that could see thousands of people in line for refunds.

It is being claimed some pension companies have failed to pay out increases under schemes that are supposed to cover rising prices.
Mary Lou McDonald has been officially confirmed as Sinn Fein president.

Update 5.43pm:Mary Lou McDonald was officially confirmed as the new Sinn Fein leader at a special Ard Fheis earlier today, stating the party's goals of achieving a United Ireland.

The new party leader insisted that the war is over and that the past must never again be repeated.

"We cannot allow those who want to use the past to maintain division and inequality to have their way. There is no value in re-fighting the battles of the past. The war is over. There is no value in engaging in the blame game," she said.

"We do not have to agree on the past. There is no single historical narrative. We must only agree that the past is never again repeated. On other things we can agree to disagree."

Her comments came as she praised the work of Martin McGuinness and vowed to build on the work of the former Deputy First Minister.

"I want to build on the work of Martin McGuinness," she said.

"A new chapter on the road to the Republic has begun. We all have a part to play in writing it. We are the generation of Republicans who will see the rising of the moon. Sinn Fein in government North and South. Irish Unity in our time" - @MaryLouMcDonald #SFLeaders pic.twitter.com/Z3W9NLPHJJ  Sinn Fein (@sinnfeinireland) February 10, 2018

"For us to reach out the hand of friendship, to find common ground. But we cannot do this on our own. We need partners for reconciliation.

"The governments and the other parties must demonstrate leadership. Community leaders and civic society must be empowered to play their part.

Update 3.53pm: Mary Lou McDonald was officially ratified as the new Sinn Fein leader at a special Ard Fheis in the RDS in Dublin this afternoon.

Around 2,000 delegates gathered at the conference for the historic handing over of the presidency.

In her first speech as the new party leader Mrs McDonald said she wanted to secure and win a referendum on Irish unity.

"I want us to achieve this with respect, graciousness and generosity.

"Irish unity cannot be a crude exercise of simply stitching north to south and returning to business as usual.

"We do not want a 32-county free state. We want a new Ireland, in which rights are guaranteed, cultures respected and the diversity of our identities embraced," she added.

She said that as a new generation takes the reins of Sinn Fein leadership it was now time to bring "innovative and modern ways of advancing our politics."

Read @MaryLouMcDonald first address as Uachtaran Shinn Fein at our Special Ard Fheis here: https://t.co/cwju0KtAZ3 pic.twitter.com/s3tDVuAyLj  Sinn Fein (@sinnfeinireland) February 10, 2018

"Now is the time for fresh thinking and bold ideas to take us forward," she said.

"Our focus must be on building Sinn Fein into an organisation that is fit for purpose, and our purpose is to win, to win elections, to increase our political strength, to realise our ambition of being in government north and south, to win progressive political victories every single day. And ultimately to win Irish unity."

Mrs McDonald warned that Brexit represents a real threat to the prosperity, economic, social and political life of Ireland.

"It fundamentally challenges 20 years of hard-won progress.

"There can be no imposition of a border on the island of Ireland.

"Ireland will not be the collateral damage in the political games and antics of Tories in London," she added.

Referring to the political crisis at Stormont she insisted that Sinn Fein is "up for a deal".

She said: "We are committed to real powersharing, to working for agreement with our unionist partners.

"We want the Assembly and Executive up and running. This can only happen on the basis of equality, respect and integrity for all.

"The talks are ongoing. The Sinn Fein team is committed to positive outcome," she said.

Paying tribute to Mr Adams, who announced in November that he would be stepping aside after 34 years in the role, Mrs McDonald said: "There would be no Good Friday Agreement, no peace process without Gerry Adams. My political mentor. An inspirational leader. A great friend.

"When others said it was impossible, Gerry Adams, along with Martin McGuinness, John Hume and indeed others, bravely walked the path to peace."

Update 3.33pm: Taking to the stage to address her fellow delegates for the first time as Uachtaran Shinn Fein at the special Ard Fheis this afternoon, Mary Lou McDonald said: "I firmly believe that it takes the village to raise the child. I believe in fair play, in compassion and that, despite our differences, we are all equal.

"I believe in the unity of our nation in all its colours and the unity of our people."

The newly elected party leader said that she also wants to build on the work of Martin McGuinness and find common ground.

"We cannot allow those who want to use the past to maintain division and inequality to have their way."

She said that Sinn Fin must be reflective of the society we live in and focus on building the party into an organisation that is fit for purpose.

I firmly believe that it takes the village to raise the child.



I believe in fair play, in compassion and that, despite our differences, we are all equal.



I believe in the unity of our nation in all its colours and the unity of our people. - @MaryLouMcDonald pic.twitter.com/1aicLkv5Qn  Sinn Fein (@sinnfeinireland) February 10, 2018

"Our purpose is to win. To win elections, to increase our political strength, to realise our ambition of being in government, north and south," she said.

"There can be no imposition of a border on the island of Ireland, that message must go loud and clear from our Ard Fheis today.

"Ireland will not be the collateral damage in the political games and antics of Tories in London."

Earlier: Deputy McDonald was elected without opposition at a special Ard Fheis in Dublin this afternoon.

.@MaryLouMcDonald takes the stage for the first time as Uachtaran Shinn Fein pic.twitter.com/KpnS1qv41Y  Sinn Fein (@sinnfeinireland) February 10, 2018

Michelle ONeill has been officially elected Vice President of Sinn Fein at the party's Ard Fheis.

Read the acceptance speech @moneillsf as Leas Uachtaran Shinn Fein here: https://t.co/wFJz9WMzFG pic.twitter.com/ciiaqadvMQ  Sinn Fein (@sinnfeinireland) February 10, 2018

In the next few minutes the party is expected to confirm Mary Lou McDonald as President.

It comes as Gerry Adams today steps down as leader after more than 34 years in the post.

Ms O'Neill has been involved in republican politics from her teens, has held various senior positions within Sinn Fein and has a background in social welfare issues.

She was elected to the devolved Assembly in 2007 following the restoration of powersharing after years of back-room work for former assembly member Francie Molloy.

The mother-of-two was the first woman to hold the position of mayor of Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council and also one of the youngest.

Dublin Central TD Mary Lou McDonald will officially replace Mr Adams at the party conference in the RDS in Dublin this afternoon.

Mrs McDonald was the sole nominee to take over the reigns of the republican party.
The body of a missing hillwalker has been found while the search for his brother continues.

Police Scotland have formally identified Alan Gibson, 56, who had been reported missing along with his brother Neil, 63, on Thursday.
A petition demanding answers about how James Bulger's killer was free to commit new offences could be debated in parliament after winning 100,000 signatures.

The campaign, supported by the murdered toddler's mother, calls for a public inquiry into Jon Venables's time in the prison system.

He and Robert Thompson were both boys when they kidnapped, tortured and murdered two-year-old James nearly 25 years ago.

Earlier this week, Venables - who lives under a new identity - was convicted of possessing indecent images of children for a second time and jailed for three years and four months.

The petition claims "there have been a number of issues that have been swept under the carpet", including why the killer was deemed rehabilitated.

It also calls for the release of a prison service report into "an incident" at a secure unit.

Just days from the 25th anniversary of the crime which horrified the nation on February 12 1993, more than 145,000 people had put their names to the claim: "We want a Public Inquiry into the James Bulger murder case."

This means it will be considered for a debate in the British Houses of Parliament.

James's mother Denise Fergus hailed the milestone, having earlier expressed anger at how the criminal justice system had "failed" her and her son.

She tweeted: "Wow we've done it, thanks to everyone who have signed and shared my petition, your support has once again been amazing, I'm so lucky to have you all on board, you have been with me throughout my very long journey and have never given up."
A second White House staffer has departed the Trump administration in the wake of abuse allegations.

Spokesman Raj Shah confirmed speechwriter David Sorensen resigned on Friday after the White House learned of the allegations against him.

Mr Shah said Mr Sorensen denies the allegations, which were first reported by The Washington Post.

Staff secretary Rob Porter, one of the president's closest aides, resigned on Wednesday after the publication of allegations that he'd abused his two ex-wives. He, too, denies the allegations.

Donald Trump defended former aide Mr Porter, wishing him well in his future endeavours without any mention of the two ex-wives who have accused Porter of physical and emotional abuse.

The president's comments set off a firestorm at a time of national conversation about the mistreatment of women and they came amid rampant White House finger-pointing about who knew what, and when, about the severity of the spousal abuse allegations.

Mr Trump said Mr Porter, who resigned when the abuse allegations became public this week, had "worked hard" at the White House and wished him well.

"It's a, obviously, tough time for him. He did a very good job when he was in the White House. And we hope he has a wonderful career," Mr Trump said in his first comments on the allegations against the onetime rising West Wing star.

"He said very strongly yesterday that he's innocent," Mr Trump added.

He gave no nod to the treatment of the women whose reports of abuse led to Mr Porter's resignation.Joe Biden

They came amid swirling questions about how White House chief of staff John Kelly had handled the matter and whether he could maintain his job despite Mr Trump's growing frustration. They also raised questions about how seriously the president takes allegations of domestic abuse.

Mr Trump has complained that Mr Kelly did not bring the Porter allegations to him sooner, adding to his frustrations about the chief of staff's attempts to control him and Mr Kelly's recent inflammatory comments about immigrants.

Meanwhile, a number of Democrats denounced Mr Trump's comments about Mr Porter and his lack of empathy for the women who alleged abuse.

"That's like saying that axe murderer out there, he's a great painter," said former Vice President Joe Biden. "Is there any other crime - and it's a crime - where there would be an explanation that the reason why we shouldn't pay attention to the transgression is because they're good at something?"

National Women's Law Centre General Counsel Emily Martin said Mr Trump's reaction to the allegations against Mr Porter speaks to the willingness of many to believe the accused rather than the accusers.

"What that clearly says to me is that the president is one of those people who either automatically disbelieves women and believes men, or arguably even worse, believes the woman who makes the allegations but thinks that should not be a barrier to her abuser's success," said Ms Martin.
Update 6.24pm:Turkey's president has announced that a Turkish military helicopter was "downed" in northern Syria during Ankara's offensive on Syrian Kurdish militia in the region.

The Turkish military said two soldiers were killed when their attack helicopter crashed and was destroyed.

A spokesman for the Kurdish militia, Mustafa Bali, said his fighters brought down the aircraft in Raju, north-west Afrin.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan did not mention by name the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units, or YPG, but said those responsible will pay.

In a video posted online by the YPG-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces, a helicopter is seen flying over a tree-lined hill and another helicopter is captured during its crash.

A helicopter is seen firing two rockets in the area as plumes of smoke from the crash rise over the trees.

After Mr Erdogan declared "one of our helicopters was also downed," the Turkish prime minister said the cause of the helicopter's crash was not yet clear and investigations were ongoing.

"We don't have exact evidence or document to determine that it went down with any outside interference," said Binali Yildirim.

Turkey launched a military offensive on January 20 to oust the YPG from Afrin, citing national security.

Turkey considers the group a terrorist organisation and an extension of an insurgency within its own borders that has fought for Kurdish autonomy for more than three decades.

Twenty one Turkish soldiers have died since the beginning of the operation.

Syria has been gripped by a new and escalating round of violence in recent weeks.

Aside from the Turkish offensive in Afrin, the Syrian government escalated its attacks on two of the largest and most important remaining opposition-held areas, in Idlib province in north-western Syria and on eastern Ghouta, a region near the capital Damascus.

Hundreds have been killed and wounded in the violence as the Syrian government and its allies sought to consolidate their hold on remaining opposition-controlled areas.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein has urged urgent international action, saying the past week in Syria "has been one of the bloodiest periods of the entire conflict."

The commissioner said the "no-holds-barred nature" of the assault included attacks on nine medical facilities and the death of 277 civilians between February 4 and February 9 in both Idlib and eastern Ghouta.

There were also reports of the government using toxic agents in residential areas.

In eastern Ghouta, nearly 400,000 residents are trapped by a tightening government siege and the violence. At least two million people live in Idlib, the largest area controlled by the opposition.

"Even by Syria's atrocious standards, these are exceptionally deplorable developments - and a cruel irony given that both have been declared 'de-escalation areas'," said Mr Al Hussein.

Both Idlib and eastern Ghouta are part of Russia-negotiated de-escalation areas, which are meant to freeze the lines of conflict and allow in humanitarian aid.

Mr Al Hussein said the prevailing climate of impunity and the paralysis of the UN Security Council, divided between allies and foes of the Syrian government, calls for the Syrian conflict to be referred to the International Criminal Court, and a more concerted effort by the parties involved to bring about peace.

"The conduct and management of this war has been utterly shameful from the outset, and the failure to end it marks an epic failure of global diplomacy," said Mr Al Hussein."

Earlier: The president of Turkey has announced that a military helicopter was shot down in northern Syria during Ankara's offensive against Syrian Kurdish militia there.

Speaking in Istanbul, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan did not mention by name the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units or YPG, but said those responsible will pay for it.

The Turkish military has not made a statement.

A spokesman for the Kurdish militia, Mustafa Bali, confirmed his fighters shot down the chopper in Raju, north-west Afrin.

Turkey launched a military offensive on January 20 to uproot the YPG from Afrin.

Turkey considers the group an extension of an insurgency within its own borders.

Nineteen Turkish soldiers have died since the beginning of the operation.
The British Government is reviewing its relationship with Oxfam in the wake of sex allegations against some of the charity's staff.

The UK's Department for International Development (DfID) took the decision after the charity denied claims it had covered up the use of prostitutes by aid workers in Haiti.

Oxfam said it had publicly announced an investigation into the allegations when they surfaced in 2011 and kept the Charity Commission informed.

It comes amid fresh reports in The Times that Oxfam did not tell other aid agencies about the behaviour of staff involved in the investigation after they left to work elsewhere.

A DfID spokesman said: "We often work with organisations in chaotic and difficult circumstances.

"If wrongdoing, abuse, fraud, or criminal activity occur we need to know about it immediately, in full.

"The way this appalling abuse of vulnerable people was dealt with raises serious questions that Oxfam must answer.

"We acknowledge that hundreds of Oxfam staff have done no wrong and work tirelessly for the people they serve, but the handling by the senior team about this investigation and their openness with us and the Charity Commission showed a lack of judgment.

"We have a zero tolerance policy for the type of activity that took place in this instance, and we expect our partners to as well.

"The Secretary of State is reviewing our current work with Oxfam and has requested a meeting with the senior team at the earliest opportunity."

Oxfam said in a statement: "The behaviour of some members of Oxfam staff uncovered in Haiti in 2011 was totally unacceptable, contrary to our values and the high standards we expect of our staff.

"As soon as we became aware of the allegations, we immediately launched an internal investigation.

"Our primary aim was always to root out and take action against those involved, and we publicly announced, including to media, both the investigation and the action we took as a result."

Four members of staff were dismissed and three, including the country director, resigned before the end of the investigation, Oxfam said.

The charity added that the UK's Charity Commission was aware the investigation related to "inappropriate sexual behaviour" and confirmed that it had taken "appropriate action".

The revelations have been condemned by former international development secretaries.

Priti Patel told the Daily Telegraph: "There should be prosecutions and appropriate action against everyone complicit in this.

"I think taxpayers will be appalled aid money may have been used in such an awful way."

Andrew Mitchell, who served between 2010 and 2012, told the BBC: "This is a shudderingly awful tale.

"Terrible on every single level. DfID must be sure that there is zero tolerance for this sort of thing."

Oxfam chief executive Mark Goldring told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that any references given to staff involved in the scandal, who later found other jobs, had not been officially sanctioned.

He said: "When the staff involved resigned in 2011, all were fired, Oxfam was very clear that we would not give them references. We recorded that on our own system, and we wrote to all of our offices across the world.

"But, there is a real difference between an organisation giving a reference and individuals that have previously worked for an organisation giving references in individual capacities, and that's what we believe will have happened."

Mr Goldring denied a cover-up, he said: "With hindsight, I would much prefer that we had talked about sexual misconduct, but I don't think it was in anyone's best interest to be describing the details of the behaviour in a way that was was actually going to draw extreme attention to it."
United States officials have pledged to hold terrorists accountable following the capture of two Britons suspected of having been part of the Islamic State extremist group dubbed "The Beatles".

Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh are currently being held in Syria after their capture by Kurdish militia fighters in January and a US Department of Defence (DoD) spokesman said they are "still considering options" for the pair.

ITV News later obtained what they described as the first image of Kotey - wearing a grey top and with a dark beard - in detention after he allegedly tried to smuggle himself into Turkey to escape capture.

Along with Mohammed Emwazi - the killer nicknamed Jihadi John - and Aine Davis, they are thought to have been part of a group named after the '60s band because of their English accents.

The four Londoners were linked to a string of hostage murders in Iraq and Syria during the bloody Islamist uprising.

US officials said Kotey and Elsheikh "are suspected to have participated in the detention, exploitation and execution of Western detainees".

Asked if they would be prosecuted and, if so, where they might face trial Major Adrian Rankine-Galloway from the DoD told the Press Association: "We are still considering options regarding el-Sheikh and Kotey, but rest assured our intention is to hold anyone accountable who commits acts like those they are alleged to have committed."

He said US Government agencies are working closely with coalition partners "on the disposition of detainees in SDF detention".

He confirmed they are being held by US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in a "detention location" in Syria, but said he could not give any further information.

There have been various reports as to where exactly they were captured.

Mark Campbell, co-chairman of the Kurdish Solidarity Campaign, said he understood from sources in the YPG (Kurdistan People's Protection Units) the arrests had taken place in the Deir ez-Zur region in the north-east of Syria, towards the Iraq border.

An SDF statement on Friday said Kotey was captured around 90 miles from there in a rural part of Raqqa.

A spokesman said it is believed Kotey had been trying to cross into Turkey.

Relatives of those slaughtered by the jihadist group said they hoped the pair would be brought to justice.

Bethany Haines, whose father David was killed in 2014 after being held captive for 18 months, told ITV's Good Morning Britain she would like the pair to be "locked up with the key thrown away" and is hopeful their capture will bring closure to bereaved families.

The New York Times, which first broke the story of the capture, said Kotey, 34, and Elsheikh, 29, were identified by fingerprints and other biometric means.

It has been reported they have had their British citizenship revoked - but this has not been confirmed by authorities in the UK.

In January 2017, US authorities named Kotey, from Paddington, as a member of the cell and said they had imposed sanctions on him.

In a statement at the time, the State Department said Kotey was "one of four members of an execution cell for... the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil)".

It said the "notorious cell, dubbed 'The Beatles'" had held captive and beheaded approximately two dozen hostages.

It went on: "As a guard for the cell, Kotey likely engaged in the group's executions and exceptionally cruel torture methods, including electronic shock and waterboarding.

"Kotey has also acted as an Isil recruiter and is responsible for recruiting several UK nationals to join the terrorist organisation."

The Kotey family have said they had "seen news about Alexe today", but said they would not be commenting further and asked that they are not contacted by the media.

Former child refugee Elsheikh, a mechanic from White City in west London, "was said to have earned a reputation for waterboarding, mock executions, and crucifixions while serving as an Isis jailer", the US State Department said.

Emwazi, who was killed in a US air strike in 2015, appeared in a number of videos in which captives including British aid workers Mr Haines and Alan Henning were beheaded.

The fourth member, Davis, was convicted of being a member of a terrorist organisation and jailed for seven-and-a-half years by a court in Silivri, Turkey, in May 2017.

The British Foreign Office said it did not comment on individual cases or ongoing investigations.
Teachers groups say a new push to make it easier to enter the profession would be similar to letting tradies into operating theatres to conduct surgeries, and will not be tolerated by parents.

A national review of teacher registration to make it easier for people with experience in specialist areas such as nurses and tradies to become teachers, which was announced by the Turnbull government on Saturday, has been strongly opposed by two of the biggest teachers groups in the country.

A review of teacher registration requirements announced by Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham has been blasted as a "brain snap" by teachers groups. Credit:Dominic K Lorrimer

"The medical profession would not support lowering their registration for tradies to conduct surgery, and we don't support it for teachers," said Correna Haythorpe, president of the Australian Education Union, which represents 185,000 educators.

"Children deserve fully qualified and registered professionals as teachers and parents expect that."
Angelina Jolie coves US Elle magazine for their March issue, and because she's Angelina Jolie, she didn't need a reason.

The part-time actress, director, UN Ambassador and single mum of six kids, spoke with former US Secretary of State, John Kerry about the usual topics: systemic violence, politics, rape as a weapon of war, and how to make lasting change as an American.

Angelina Jolie covers Elle Magazine for their March 2018 issue.

The interview took place in New York City in December last year in accordance with Jolie's wishes to promote International Women's Day on March 8.

Jolie, who turns 43 in June, spoke at length about her reticence to get into politics, but conceded that it was necessary, given that it's at the "root" of so many conflicts, telling Kerry
On Sunday morning, Australian time, Cattrall posted a blistering attack on Parker on her social media, in response to SJP's condolences over the death of Cattrall's brother, Chris, last week.

Former Sex and the City star Kim Cattrall has blasted Sarah Jessica Parker in the wake of the death of her brother, Chris Cattrall. Credit:AP

In case fans of Sex and the City were still unsure about the true feelings Kim Cattrall holds for her co-star and the show's sometimes producer, Sarah Jessica Parker, wonder no more.

In the caption, she went further: "My Mom asked me today When will that @sarahjessicaparker, that hypocrite, leave you alone? Your continuous reaching out is a painful reminder of how cruel you really were then and now. Let me make this VERY clear. (If I havent already) You are not my family. You are not my friend. So Im writing to tell you one last time to stop exploiting our tragedy in order to restore your nice girl persona."

As if that wasn't enough, Cattrall also linked to a New York Post article that outlined some of the festering animosity between the pair, whose strained relationship dates back to the filming of the series, which ran for six seasons, and two movies.

Although there has been continuous speculation about a third movie, the pair's relationship has been a huge sticking point, leading to Parker floating the possibility of the film proceeding without Cattrall, whose character, Samantha Jones, would assumedly be somehow written out of the script.

But the sudden death of Chris Cattrall, who was found dead in his home in Canada on February 4, has also brought the feud between the actresses to the fore.
If you think what Joyce did to the gay and lesbian community was terrible, let me frighten you even further. In 2006, Joyce was prepared to condemn women to death.

Joyce, then just a Nationals senator in the Howard government, opposed the free provision of a drug which would save the lives of hundreds of women a year.

The drug was Gardasil, a vaccine which would prevent the spread of human papilloma virus (HPV). To be truly effective, girls must be vaccinated before they become sexually active.

Gardasil wasn't like the flu vaccine, where, in an off-year, the vaccine might not protect us all that well. This was a vaccine where trials showed it to be 100 per cent effective in protecting women against being infected with the four strains of HPV that cause nearly 70 per cent of cervical cancers.
The ACT's human rights act will need to be actively considered in the development of a new Australian Federal Police app to be shared with ACT Policing.

Representatives from the AFP and ACT Policing have met with the ACT Human Rights Commission after concerns were raised about their proposed app for public use.

In January, then-acting ACT human rights commissioner Karen Toohey raised concerns police had not considered how the app would meet the territory's privacy and human rights obligations.

Ms Toohey confirmed the commission had met with police officials, including ACT police chief Justine Saunders, this week and were reassured their concerns were being considered by police.

The AFP are looking for developers for a smart phone app allowing Australians to upload photos, videos, emails, location data and other materials for terrorism tip offs.
ACT Policing is seeking any witnesses to a ram raid at the Kaleen shops on Saturday morning.

About 4:10am an unsuccessful attempt was made to steal the ATM at Kaleen shops, which caused damage to both the ATM and the shopping centre.

Three men leave the Canberra Centre in a Holden Commodore with stolen plates. Credit:Russell, Benjamin

Police suggested an earlier incident at the Canberra Centre could be related to the ram raid.

Three men tried to break into a pay station at a centre car park about 3:10am. The men damaged the pay station but were unsuccessful in trying to break into it.
The number of Canberra cafes and restaurants shut down due to food health and safety breaches has fallen to a two-year low, new figures show.

Data from ACT Health has revealed that seven food businesses in the capital were slapped with prohibition notices during 2017.

Seven restaurants or cafes in Canberra were forced to close in 20-17 due to food health and safety breaches.

The figures come as two eateries in Canberra have been served with prohibition notices since the start of this year and both have closed until further notice.

Prohibition orders placed on cafes and restaurants in Canberra have fallen steadily since 24 were handed out in 2012.
Valentine's Day is the most popular period for vasectomies in Canberra, the end of school holidays sees an upturn in access to terminations and warmer weather means more pregnancies.

Figures from the sexual and reproductive clinic, Marie Stopes, reflects Canberra's demand for the clinic's services despite ongoing uncertainty over its future.

The clinic saw more than 2000 patients last year, an increase of 600 patients from 2016.

Marie Stopes was told in 2016 it would be relocated due to the sale of the building it was housed in, but the government and health officials told the Sunday Canberra Times the clinic would remain.

ACT Health said on Friday the building was no longer being sold and a meeting would take place in the coming weeks but offered no date.
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Mary Edwards with daughter Regina and a portrait of Mary's father Reg on the wall in the background. Credit:Justin McManus
Asked whether sexual abuse by clergy had damaged their confidence in church authorities, 48 per cent of churchgoing Catholics either agreed or strongly agreed, while 34 per cent disagreed or strongly disagreed. Ormerod says most Catholics would interpret church authorities as bishops and senior church officials. Especially troubling for the church is that the agreed/strongly agreed figure in the survey, conducted in the shadow of the royal commission in 2016, was higher among older parishioners (aged 50-plus), who make up the majority of churchgoers. More than half regular churchgoers are now aged over 60. The National Church Life Survey showed a 'serious erosion of trust in the hierarchical leadership of the church'. The survey, funded by 20 Christian denominations including the Catholic, Anglican and Uniting churches, covers a wide range of subjects and has been conducted every five years since 1991.

It is the largest longitudinal study of church life in the world, involving 3000 local churches. Questions about the royal commission were part of smaller but targeted sample survey. Michael Haberland and his dog, Micky Credit:Wolter Peeters For Haberland, the royal commissions work brought his childhood trauma flooding back, and led to a dramatic, official break from the faith At primary school he says he was beaten by members of the Presentation Sisters order for minor transgressions, forced to dress in a girls uniform and hair ribbon and paraded before his classmates. Thundering sermons threatened hellfire for those who lost their religious items. In high school, there were strappings and canings by the De La Salle Brothers. Haberland says he only narrowly escaped the repeated attempts of a school teacher to sexually groom him. The teacher eventually tried to corner him at a school camp.

Haberland, who is now unemployed and diagnosed with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, has withdrawn to a rural property south of Sydney. He lives there with his dog, Micky. Haberland contacted church authorities but was not sure what he wanted  an acknowledgement, an apology, certainly. Compensation? Whatever the responses, he knew he was done with the church. I needed closure, he said. Can you advise me how I can be excommunicated, he asked church officials. In November 2017, his request was finally answered. The Vicar-General of the archdiocese of Sydney sent him an Actus Formalis Defectionis AB Ecclesia Catholica:

By this decree the petitioner is considered no longer bound by the bonds of communion  faith, sacraments and pastoral governance  that permit the Faithful to receive the life of grace within the Catholic Church Its unknown how many people have been granted this kind of official divorce from the church. The archdiocese of Melbourne said no more than five a year seek it. The Sydney church said it was one. In the survey, one class of religious figure escaped strong criticism  priests are still relatively well regarded by their parishioners. Asked if their respect for clergy had greatly declined as a result of the abuse offences, 29 per cent of Catholics parishioners agreed or strongly agreed. About 70 per cent, on the other hand, were neutral or disagreed or strongly disagreed that their image of priests had been substantially damaged. Ormerod says this indicated continued respect for local parish priests. Again, older Catholics had been more affected by the child abuse scandal.

There remains a well of trust in their priests among local parishioners, notwithstanding all the stories that have emerged from the commission, says Ormerod. The church is reeling globally from one of its greatest ever crises and in Australia has been struggling in the aftermath of the gruelling, five-year royal commission established by the Gillard government, which reported in December. The royal commission revealed and confirmed high levels of sexual abuse and subsequent cover-ups, noting the Catholic church had accounted for more than almost 62 per cent of all abuse survivors who reported sexual abuse in a religious institution. Justices Peter McClellan and Jennifer Coates at the final sitting of the royal commission. Credit:Jeremy Piper Seven per cent of Catholic priests had been accused of abusing children in the six decades from 1950 to 2010. In some Catholic religious orders the figures were much higher: 40 per cent for the St John of God Brothers and 22 per cent for the Christian Brothers.

Loading The survey also found that four in 10 clergy reported negative comments about the abuse scandal from their congregation or wider community at large. In a life already dogged by low morale and an ageing population of priests, this cannot help, says Ormerod. Increasingly, priestly ministry is an isolated and isolating exercise. It also found that the royal commission had been good for the church, with 48 per cent agreeing it had helped it prevent and respond to sexual abuse. Catholics are looking for their bishops to take some genuine leadership and work with the commissions findings in addressing the serious problem the commission has uncovered, says Ormerod.
Clive Palmer's nephew Clive Mensink, who is wanted for questioning over the collapse of his uncle's Queensland Nickel refinery, has been found in Bulgaria.

Mr Mensink, who has lost a significant amount of weight and now has a beard, was tracked down in the Bulgarian capital of Sofia by a media organisation last week.

Clive Palmer's nephew Clive Mensink has been tracked down in the Bulgarian capital of Sofia.

He was with his Bulgarian girlfriend, Gabriela Konstantinova, and another friend leaving the movies after seeing 50 Shades Freed.

"Mensink looked horrified and refused to answer ... questions as he ducked into a pedestrian subway after being approached last week," a news report stated.
A group of Brisbane residents has successfully challenged a Brisbane City Council development decision in court, in what the judge called one of the more difficult cases of its type.

Camp Hill residents took the council and property developer Sintra Development to Queenslands Planning and Environment Court at the end of November 2017, over the development of 16 units over three storeys on Annie Street.

The planned units at Annie Street, Camp Hill. Credit:BCC submission

The council approved the development on April 6, 2017.

The residents appealed the approval on the grounds it conflicted with the city plan.
Two men have suffered "significant burns" after a truck delivering a jumping castle, reportedly for a child's birthday party, exploded in the driveway of a Gold Coast home on Saturday afternoon.

Emergency services were called to Daffodil Street in Tallebudgera about 12.30pm, with fire crews extinguishing the truck and paramedics treating the critically injured victims, both aged 29.

The remains of the delivery truck. Credit:7 News Gold Coast - Twitter

The two men suffered "significant burns" to their legs and hands, according to the Queensland Ambulance Service, and were taken to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital in stable conditions.

Police said the truck was delivering a jumping castle and reversing up the driveway of the Gold Coast home when a generator fell off the back, causing a fuel spill.
Police are calling for witnesses to a traffic crash in Yokine on Thursday evening in which a 56-year-old motorcyclist was injured.

Police said the man was riding his white and black 2001 model Honda 1000cc motorcycle north along Flinders Street in the left hand lane of the dual carriageway around 6.05pm.

The rider was taken to hospital with a shoulder injury. Credit:USHER Susan [PD82522]

Police said the man took evasive action when a white van also travelling north moved from the right hand lane into the left.

The motorcyclist fell onto the road after he braked heavily and his vehicle struck the kerb.
Police are investigating after a crash on the Kwinana Freeway in Brentwood landed a young man and a pregnant woman in hospital on Saturday morning.

The driver of a blue 2012 Holden Barina was travelling south, near the Leach Highway off-ramp, about 8.30am when he struck the middle barrier and crossed several lanes of traffic before the vehicle rolled several times and landed in the bush, police said.

It hit another car with a 33-year-old pregnant woman inside.

Police called to the scene found the man trapped inside the car.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The telling feature of the poll was not the one that got the most publicity. The big noise was about the partisan contest. The poll showed that the Turnbull government's share of the two-party preferred vote was up by 1 percentage point and Labor's was down one. In a poll with a margin of error of 2.4 per cent, it's pretty hard to convince yourself that this means anything, yet the obsessives among the political class applied the customary overinterpretation. Malcolm Turnbull's personal ratings were up too, so The Australian's interpretation was "PM surges" as "Coalition closes gap". But, intriguingly, while Turnbull's approval rating was up, so was Bill Shorten's. It's nothing to write home about because both remain unpopular. Yet the Prime Minister's net approval rating had improved from minus 25 to minus 14, and the Opposition Leader's from minus 24 to minus 18 compared with the last poll of last year. Is this because of their brilliant performances over the summer break? Or is it because of the summer break itself, where the political class and the media go into a torpor and the country goes on holiday? We can't be sure, but there's a strong chance that, when the political leaders shut up and disappear for a while, we think less harshly of them.

The independent pollster John Stirton has had a look at what he calls the "summertime effect" over recent decades. He emphasises that the size of the effect is tiny, yet whimsy moved him to describe voters' reactions to the pause in political hostilities this way: "In January we're relaxed and like you more than we did at the end of last year. In February we remember why we hate you." As the parliamentary hothouse heats up, the politicians lose themselves in the thrill of partisan conflict, mistaking the excited attention of the tiny perverted population of the Twitter terrarium for the wider world's interest and attention. The inhabitants of the terrarium adore furious partisanship where the people want co-operative problem-solving. Yet, before the year becomes far advanced, there are traces of the sort of humanity and decency that most Australians hope for in their leaders and representatives. Bill Shorten, recognising, as he put it, the "time for politicians to focus on the issues that matter to Australians, not the petty bickering of the Canberra bubble" made an important announcement: a Labor government would establish a national anti-corruption commission. This brings forward the inevitable day that the Coalition, too, will support this essential improvement to Australia's governance. And Turnbull this week addressed the report of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Some 16,000 people contacted the commission about cases of abuse in 4000 separate institutions. "Now that those stories have been told, now that they are on the record, we must do everything within our power to honour those stories and to act," said Turnbull as he outlined the process for responding to the commission's 409 recommendations.

This included the government's plan to strengthen the working with children checks, and the national redress scheme for survivors. "I am committed and my government is committed to doing everything possible to make sure that this national tragedy is never repeated," he said. Politicians of all sides were united in displaying genuine sadness as they spoke the truth about Michael Gordon, the recently retired Fairfax press gallery veteran who last week died unexpectedly during one of his favourite pastimes, an ocean swim: "He was gentle, he was wise," said the Prime Minister. "He was always calm in a business not known for calm." Said Shorten: "As a journalist, he never chose to put himself in the centre of things or make himself the star. He was an understated, earnest man who, in his understated, earnest way gave the reader the respect of intelligence." And there were moments of cross-partisan warmth in tributes to the fallen Labor politician Barry Cohen. It wasn't only the Labor side of the Parliament that praised the man who, as Bob Hawke's environment minister, had doubled the size of the Kakadu National Park, extended the Great Barrier Reef protected zone, and presided over the return of Uluru to its original owners. Cohen was an indefatigable storyteller and jokester. "Behind the laughter was a man who felt acutely and cared profoundly," said Turnbull. "He once revealed that John Steinbeck's haunting The Grapes of Wrath prompted his political career and his advocacy for others was the perfect illustration of one of the novel's central themes; that we're at our best when we work together, rather than toiling alone to overcome hardship. He abhorred discrimination, something he experienced as a young Jewish man in the 1940s. He possessed a fierce desire to combat it." And yet, the moment the opportunity for partisan conflict opens, the adrenaline surges and these truths and virtues are in danger of disappearing. Problem-solving and compassion, calm and intelligence, co-operation and the defeat of discrimination  what happened to those ideals? When Jim Molan, new Liberal senator and outstanding Australian warrior and patriot, was found to have posted anti-Muslim hate propaganda, he distanced himself from the British bigots who produced the material. But why, under attack from Labor, wouldn't he remove the offending material? And why did the Greens' Adam Bandt abandon his senses and accuse Molan of war crimes?

And then there's the pursuit of dual citizens. Labor's Susan Lamb this week repeated that she'd taken all possible steps to renounce her British citizenship but acknowledged that she'd been unable to produce a vital document, her parents' Queensland certificate of marriage. If either parent is alive, they have to consent to the release of the certificate. Tearfully, she explained why she couldn't get her parents' consent  her father was long dead and "one day when I was six-years-old my mum dropped me off at school and she never came back". She has no contact with her mother, she said, and appealed to the Parliament to stop pressing her. The government has so far refused to relent, even though the government had made a similar appeal to Labor's better angels to relent in the case of Energy and Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg. His family's experience in the Holocaust presented a similarly impossible case of document recovery and a similar basis for special consideration. Labor has dropped the Frydenberg case; the government should do likewise with Lamb. In the Edelman Trust Barometer, low though the repository of trust in Australia's government may be, there is one set of institutions Australians trust even less. The media. The Daily Telegraph provided a case study this week in why this is so. It screamed from its front page that Barnaby Joyce is having a child with his new partner, a former member of his staff, after separating from his wife last year. The story was illustrated by a paparazzi-style snap of the pregnant woman, taken without her consent. In general, the Australian media, unlike its American and British counterparts, chooses not to intrude into the private lives of its public officials unless there is clear evidence that there are serious consequences for the way the official discharges his or her duties. Unlike the big debates under way in the Parliament about tax, welfare, foreign espionage and a dozen other matters, this story has no consequences for anyone outside its immediate impact. The best possible argument for publicising this story is that Joyce supported traditional marriage in parliamentary debate, while his own marriage was failing. He is, therefore, a hypocrite. But you didn't need to embarrass, hurt and humiliate the people caught up in this marital breakdown in order to establish Joyce to be a hypocrite. That's well established already, on a range of issues. To name one, he claims to be passionate about eliminating the government deficit, yet he fights furiously to spend big on every boondoggle he can find  so long as it's spent outside the capital cities.
Multimillion-dollar security bollards designed to protect Parliament House from a terrorist attack have destroyed five luxury cars used to ferry federal politicians around the national capital.

The heavy steel bollards, driven by powerful pneumatic motors, are capable of springing out of the roadway with such force they can fling large trucks into the air.

But in five separate incidents since November last year - two in the past couple of weeks - bollards have been impaling Commonwealth cars, smashing everything from transmission systems to motors, and piercing the vehicles undercarriages.

A Comcar enters the grounds of Parliament House by driving past drives past retractable bollards. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The trouble began when the $126 million works to fortify Parliament House against terrorist attack - including erecting a ring of steel fences - interfered with the automatic operation of the bollards, requiring them to be run manually.
His role is to act as key spokesman and ambassador for the commercial City. And these days, that means hes the titular head of one of the worlds pre-eminent financial centres. Im in Bowmans office because this week he is heading a business delegation to Australia, meeting government and business leaders, regulators and trade bodies in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne. As part of his visit he will discuss a potential future UK-Australia free trade deal with treasurer Scott Morrison. Charles Bowman in his ceremonial garb.

He will also be promoting the Citys expertise in fintech. Almost uniquely among the worlds financial centres, London has incorporated a huge tech hub exploring how technology can transform financial services. Bowman is clearly also on a mission to talk down the impact of Brexit on the City. Financial newspapers carry almost daily news on the plans of investment banks to move resources and personnel to the continent. Bowman is having none of it. The City of London will remain the pre-eminent global hub for financial and professional services, he says.

He plays down the number of bankers who will leave. There is a risk we may lose some jobs to Dublin, Frankfurt, Paris  probably more likely they will go to the US and Singapore  but those jobs in any event will be the jobs that will be lost in ten years time, the jobs that within financial and professional services, because of the rapid advancement in technology, are the old-style jobs that wont be around in the future. He ticks off the advantages of London over its competitors: rule of law, history, culture, education, regulation, tax, innovation, talent, infrastructure, timezone, language, prpbity, great place to live and work. These things were built over many years and they are what attract people to this centre, he says. The City of London is going to remain globally preeminent. Small losses over to other elements of Europe will present opportunities for gains elsewhere. Brexit is proving a huge source of instability and uncertainty for business, but Bowman projects calm.

Were quietly confident, Bowman says. We talk to government and we want clarity around transition. We want transition, talent and trade. We need an appropriate immigration policy. Almost one in five workers in the City of London originated in a European country  the highest proportion since records began. Bowman even claims the EU will continue to take UK rules on financial services after Brexit, because of their expertise. Correct. Yeah. Hes the City of London personified. Confident  to an extraordinary degree. The kind of confidence that comes from centuries of dominance.

That confidence was shaken by the financial crisis and what followed. Over the last ten years there has been a decline in trust between business and society, he acknowledges. We are living in a changed world.we should hold our hands up with a sense of mea culpa. The loss of trust in institutions is being manifested in referendum results, general election results, USA, Catalonia, populism in China and in developing countries, he says. I try to engage him on the issue of the Panama and Paradise papers, and Londons reputation as a place for dodgy oligarchs to stash their wealth. Bowman says there needs to be an agenda around trust which allows society to have greater confidence in and a better relationship with business.
The Syrian war has seen no shortage of twists already this year, but this weekend, it saw one of its most consequential. On Saturday, Israel's military announced that it had carried out a "large-scale" aerial attack inside Syria, after back-and-forth clashes overnight in which an Iranian drone was shot down in Israeli territory and an Israeli F-16 was downed by Syrian antiaircraft fire.

Despite its proximity, Israel has largely stood on the sidelines of the Syrian conflict over the past seven years. Saturday's airstrikes, however, suggest that it may soon end up sucked into a conflict that is looking increasingly chaotic after the military defeat of the Islamic State. If Israel does become more engaged in the fighting next door, it could have serious consequences for the war in Syria - and for the region as a whole.

What has Israel's involvement in the Syrian war been so far?

Israel shares a contentious border with Syria - the Golan Heights - and it has long had openly adversarial relations with not only Bashar al-Assad's government but with Syria's allies Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah militia. However, Israel also had little reason to support the Islamic State or al-Qaeda-aligned Islamist groups that became the Syrian government's primary rivals.
But Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahran Qasemi disputed the Israeli account, describing the claim that an Iranian drone had crossed the border as "ridiculous." He said the Syrian government had the right to defend itself by shooting down the Israeli jet. The Syrian state news agency, meanwhile, described the airstrikes in Syrian territory as a "new Israeli aggression." A military alliance backing Assad said that any other incursion by Israel would be met with "serious and fierce" retaliation. The Israeli strikes also riled Russia, which has forces deployed in Syria as part of Moscow's effort to defend Assad's government against a wide range of rebel groups seeking his ouster. But Russia is seen by Israel as a key to de-escalating the heightening crisis by influencing Iran to contain its presence. An Israeli F-16 jet at the Ovda airbase near Eilat, southern Israel. Credit:AP/File

Moscow said the Israeli airstrikes on Syrian bases potentially imperiled Russian military advisers stationed there. "The creation of any threat to the lives and safety of Russian military servicemen currently in Syria on the invitation of its lawful government to help fight terrorists is absolutely unacceptable," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Mr Netanyahu said that he had spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin to reiterate "our right and obligation to defend ourselves." He said that the two leaders agreed that their military cooperation would continue. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Credit:AP Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has spoken with Russia's President, Vladimir Putin, about Israel's offensive against Iranian targets in Syria. Mr Netanyahu says he informed Putin of Israel's intention to continue defending itself against any aggression and to prevent Iran from establishing a presence "in Syria or anywhere else".

Mr Netanyahu's statement came after the Prime Minister held an emergency meeting with Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman at Israel's military headquarters in Tel Aviv. Battlefield broadens The surge in violence across the Israel-Syria border is the latest front in a multisided Syrian war that in recent days has seen heightened military operations in several places in the north and east of the country as well as close to the capital, Damascus. Russia, Iran, Turkey and the United States, as well as their local allies, are all engaged on the battlefield. Israel and the United States have expressed serious concerns about the growing assertiveness of Iran and its ally Hezbollah. "Iran's calculated escalation of threat and its ambition to project its power and dominance places all the people of the region, from Yemen to Lebanon, at risk," Mr Goldstein said. "We will continue to push back on Iran's malign activities, and we want an end to this behavior that threatens peace and stability."

The Israelis have been particularly worried about what they say is a buildup of Hezbollah forces from the Syrian city of Palmyra to the country's southwest corner bordering the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Aiming to assuage Israel's concerns, the United States and Russia agreed last year to establish a cease-fire between Syrian government forces and rebel fighters near the southwestern Syrian town of Daraa. That agreement has mostly held. But outside that small area, Hezbollah has continued to increase strength, Israel says. Israel has pointed to what it says are Hezbollah plants for assembling Iranian-supplied missiles that could be fired on Israel. And Israel has repeatedly carried out airstrikes against what it has described as Hezbollah convoys and operations. "The Syrians are playing with fire that they are allowing the Iranians to attack Israel from their soil," Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus, a spokesman for the Israel Defence Forces, said "The IDF is ready and capable to inflict a heavy price on anyone that attacks us." But the possible downing Saturday of the Israeli jet - and images of its burned remains - is a public relations boost for Mr al-Assad. The Syrian government had been complaining that regular Israeli incursions were an affront to its sovereignty. "Israelis must realize that they no longer have superiority in the skies nor on the ground," Fares Shehabi, a member of the Syrian parliament representing Aleppo, said on Twitter. He said Syria had fired more than 24 surface-to-air missiles at Israeli jets. "Much more will be fired in the future . . . if Israel continues its aggressions."

The Israeli military said it was investigating whether its jet was hit directly. Syria asserted that it was. The conflagration began when an Iranian drone crossed into Israeli territory from Syria about 4.30am Saturday, according to the Israeli military. It was shot down by an Israeli attack helicopter. The pro-Syrian military alliance, which includes Hezbollah and Iran, released a statement describing the Israeli claim that an Iranian drone had entered its airspace as a "lie and fabrication." But Conricus said that Israel was in possession of the remains of the drone and that Israeli officials were certain it was Iranian. In response, Israel dispatched eight fighter jets to bomb the T4 military base near Palmyra, from where it says the drone was dispatched and controlled. Syria responded with "substantial . . . antiaircraft fire" and two Israeli pilots ejected from their F-16, which crashed inside Israel, according to the Israeli military. One of the pilots was severely injured, it said.

'Sounds of explosions' Civilians on both sides of the border were awakened by the military exchange. "We can hear the sounds of the explosions," said one Damascus resident, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. He said the sound of Syrian antiaircraft missiles was louder than usual. Air raid sirens were triggered in residential areas on Israel's northern border. Shlomo Mishal, 55, who lives in Beit Shean in northern Israel, said he awoke to the noises about 4.30am. "We heard a loud bang, but we did not know what was going on and ran downstairs to the shelter, a safe room in our home," he said. Mr Mishal said that his friends and neighbours in the town started sharing text messages and social media posts, with rumors flying about what had happened, until 8 a.m. when news stations gave details of the shooting down of an Iranian drone.

"The fact that this happened not far from our home, the fact there was an Iranian drone overhead is not nice and makes us uncomfortable," Mr Mishal said. Eyal Ben-Reuven, a retired Israeli major general and member of parliament, said he hoped the strikes would spark a diplomatic push to protect Israel's interests. "The political leadership must say to the United States and Russia, 'Take this event very, very seriously,' " he said. " 'You must stop the Iranians in Syria. You must. If you don't do that, we will do that.' " He said that as a member of the parliament's foreign affairs and defense committee, he had met with Russian representatives three times in the past year and that Russia was well aware of Israel's position. The United States lacks the leverage Russia has in Syria, he said. Just last month, Netanyahu visited Moscow for talks about Syria, particularly the growing influence of Iran.

After meeting with Mr Putin, Mr Netanyahu in a video statement said he told the Russian president that Israel viewed two developments with severe disapproval: "One, the attempts by Iran to base itself militarily in Syria and the second, Iran's attempt to produce in Lebanon accurate weapons against the state of Israel. I made it clear to him that we will not agree to any of those developments and we will act accordingly." "I hope this will push the diplomatic efforts," Ben-Reuven added. "This is serious. It's not finished." Israeli military officials have acknowledged that the cost of any future war on the country's northern border will be high. Israel fought a bloody 34-day war with Hezbollah in Lebanon in 2006. The conflict killed more than 1,000 people in Lebanon and 165 in Israel. Since then, Hezbollah has built up its arsenal of rockets, which Israel estimates to be about 150,000 projectiles. Israel has expressed concern that Iran is transferring expertise and know-how to Hezbollah to boost the accuracy of those missiles. Some Israeli military officials have said that a future war on the northern border could drag in both Lebanon and Syria.
Last August, a Russian tanker sailed direct from Norway to South Korea through the Arctic Ocean, the first time such a ship had done so without an icebreaker escort. It was a defining moment in the opening-up of previously frozen northern trade routes - and it looks to have supercharged an already intensifying arms race and jostle for influence on the roof of the world.

It's a dynamic that brings particular challenges for the United States. In part because Washington has never regarded the High North as a major strategic priority, the area has been seen as falling within Russia's sphere of influence. Now China too is stepping up its plans to become a major player in the region.

Last week, China issued its first white paper on its national Arctic strategy, pledging to work more closely with Moscow in particular to create an Arctic maritime counterpart - a "Polar Silk Road" - to its "One Belt, One Road" overland trade route to Europe. Both the Kremlin and Beijing have repeatedly stated that their ambitions are primarily commercial and environmental, not military.

Washington, however, is increasingly suspicious and - aware it risks falling behind - the Pentagon has been reviewing its Arctic strategy.
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Greenlight Bookstores pick: By Night in Chile by Roberto Bolano

Bolanos best novel takes the form of a deathbed confession from a Chilean Jesuit priest called Father Urrutia. The Fathers dark memories and the agonies of his countrys history haunt this night-long monologue. By Night in Chile is a spellbinding, slim narrative; it remains a must-read for anyone who values brilliant satire, or who takes issue with dictatorships. The story is hard to stop once you start.

 Melissa Hohl, Greenlight Bookstore [686 Fulton St. between S. Elliott Place and S. Portland Avenue in Fort Greene, (718) 2460200, www.greenlightbookstore.com].

Words pick: The Wanderers by Meg Howrey

This beautiful, funny, and fascinating tale of astronauts training for their mission to Mars calls into question the assumed glories of sacrifice and adventure and the motives of the tech giants funding our colonization of space. Howrey manages to write a thrilling adventure both in terms of plot and her characters internal stories. What is real and unreal becomes ever more difficult to distinguish, as reality unravels in this dynamic novel.

 Hannah Oliver Depp, Word [126 Franklin St. at Milton Street in Greenpoint, (718) 3830096, www.wordbookstores.com].

Community Bookstores pick: Bright Magic by Alfred Doblin

In Bright Magic, Alfred Doblin channels Ambrose Bierce and Edgar Allen Poe to craft a montage of strange and supernatural short stories. We learn of a society that has renounced language, raising generations in silence and printing daily editions of blank newspapers. In another story, a spiritualist organization contacts the dead to testify in their own murder trials. And in the sublime final fable, the natural world learns of the human philosophy of materialism  animals are shocked to learn they have no souls, and the laws of nature are upended, leading eventually to the revolt of atoms themselves against their mechanistic masters. A brilliant and utterly unique collection.

 Samuel Partal, Community Bookstore [43 Seventh Ave. between Carroll Street and Garfield Place in Park Slope, (718) 7833075, www.communitybookstore.net].
Chinas top banking regulator is scrutinizing rural financial institutions as it steps up its campaign to rein in excessive leverage and financial risks.

The China Banking Regulatory Commission will launch inspections of rural financial institutions to exam their wealth management and investment activities, and interbank businesses, looking for potential risks, Caixin learned from sources close to the CBRC. The institutions include rural commercial banks, rural credit cooperatives and other deposit-taking entities.

The inspections will focus on rural financial institutions in 11 provinces where the institutions investments in the interbank market have exceeded 10 billion yuan ($1.6 billion), said the sources, who attended the CBRCs annual meeting on rural financial works on Wednesday.

Inspection results will be submitted to the commission by the end of April, sources said.

The CBRC will order rural financial institutions to reduce their investments in wealth-management products issued by other banks and cap their investments in low-rated bonds or investment plans managed by other financial institutions, such as securities brokerage and trust firms.

The CBRCs move on rural institutions followed its previous pledge to continue a deleveraging campaign this year and further squeeze the interbank market, the main source of short-term and cheap funding for banks and nonbank financial institutions that borrow money to invest in higher-yielding assets.

Last year, regulators took measures to rein in financial institutions dependence on the interbank market, where much of the money used for shadow banking activities originates. Shadow banking refers to potentially risky lending outside the formal banking system.

Commercial banks interbank assets and liabilities fell by 2.8 trillion yuan and 830 billion yuan respectively by the end of November from the beginning of 2017, and the growth in wealth-management products sold between financial institutions has also fallen back.

Assets managed by rural financial institutions totaled 1.57 trillion yuan by the end of 2017, about 40% of which was invested in the interbank market, according to Zhu Shumin, vice chairman of CBRC. Such practices helped the institutions to expand their business with risky investments rather than benefiting the economy, said Zhu, according to attendees of the CBRC meeting.

At the meeting, Zhu criticized rural financial institutions for providing cheap funding for other commercial banks to invest in high-yield but risky assets, directing capital away from the rural sector while accumulating bad loan risks.

For five straight years rural financial institutions loan issuance to borrowers outside the rural and agricultural sectors has exceeded that issued to the sectors they were intended to support, Zhu said.

The CBRC has already taken action to curtail rural institutions excessive interbank investments. In December, the Changchun Rural Commercial Bank was fined 200,000 yuan for irregularity in accounting practices related to its interbank business. Shenfu Rural Commercial Bank in the northern province of Liaoning was fined 500,000 yuan for violating wealth management and interbank lending rules.

Contact reporter Han Wei (weihan@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.

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Photo: Dave Ogilvie

UPDATE 7 a.m.

Power was restored to the remaining homes in West Kelowna overnight, after it was knocked out Friday afternoon when a car hit a power pole on Boucherie Road.

At the peak of the outage, 3,265 homes were without power.

UPDATE 6:30 p.m.

Boucherie Road remains closed.

Power is expected to be restored for the 3,025 customers by midnight.

UPDATE 6:05 p.m.

According to BC Hydro's website, 3,025 customers remain in the dark. Hydro crews are on scene.

No word yet as to when power could be fully restored.

Boucherie Road remains closed both directions at Green Bay Road.

UPDATE: 4:40 p.m.

Power has been restored for a handful of BC Hydro customers on the Westside.

The power was knocked out for 3,265 customers about 1:45 Friday afternoon after a vehicle hit a power pole on Boucherie Road near Green Bay Road.

According to BC Hydro's website, 3,025 customers remain in the dark. Hydro crews are on scene.

No word yet as to when power could be fully restored.

ORIGINAL: 2:15 p.m.

A portion of Boucherie Road is closed to traffic in both directions following a crash about 1:45 this afternoon.

The road is closed around the area of Green Bay Road in West Kelowna.

According to witnesses, a van hit a power pole on the hill heading up toward Quail's Gate Winery from Green Bay Road.

Fire crews, paramedics and police are on the scene.

The crash has also knocked out power to 3,265 customers. The outage affects BC Hydro customers south of Cougar Road, west of Sunnybrea Road, and east of Brenda Lee Road.

No word yet when power will be restored.
It was recently reported that a movie is in the works about former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, based on James Pattersons book All-American Murder: The Rise and Fall of Aaron Hernandez, the Superstar Whose Life Ended on Murderers Row.

The movie rights were acquired by The Mark Gordon Co., and Gordon  producer of films such as Saving Private Ryan, Speed, Murder on the Orient Express  claims hes getting threats from another Hollywood producer.

According to TMZ, Todd Guzze says that *he* owns the Aaron Hernandez film rights, and has been threatening Gordon and employees at The Mark Gordon Co. in an attempt to stop their production of the movie.

Gordon reportedly has asked the court for protection, after Guzze allegedly threatened physical harm and left a voicemail referencing two gangs, the Latin Kings and the Bloods. TMZ claims they obtained the court documents, which say that Gordon has asked the court to keep Guzze at least 300 yards from his office and all of his employees.

In court documents obtained by TMZ Sports, Gordon says Guzze left a voicemail referencing two huge street gangs, The Latin Kings and The Bloods  saying Aaron was a member of both gangs and noting that he was keeping them at bay right now. Gordon says Guzze threatened physical harm by saying, I dont need to tell you how [the gangs] work  Theyre right here in L.A. Gordon says the threats continued online. One message said, Are you ready? I hope its worth it. In the docs, filed in L.A. County Superior Court, Gordon is asking the judge to keep Guzze at least 300 yards from his office and all of his employees.

Its unclear from this whole story if Guzze even wants to make a Hernandez film, or if hes simply trying to protect the Hernandez family. Guzze spoke to TMZ, and said hes told Gordon that no one is doing this story but the family and the original partners that were closely tied to Aaron and his estate.

We reached out to Guzze, who tells TMZ Sports, Mark Gordon has taken this too far. Aaron Hernandez is a very sensitive story and Ive made him aware on multiple occasions that no one is doing this story but the family and the original partners that were closely tied to Aaron and his estate. He added, There is more to come, concerning Aarons story, and by making this a public spectacle, I feel its just throwing gasoline on the fire.

This is a bizarre story, and it will be interesting to see if anything new comes from the feud and movie production.

[TMZ]
The ruling ChristenUnie party in the Netherlands has pushed for harsher punishments for religiously or racially-motivated acts of violence in the wake of a vandalism incident targeting a kosher restaurant in Amsterdam.

Gert-Jan Segers, the head of the Christian party, said there should be more severe punishments for religiously or racially motivated violence. He compared it to a situation where the violence could affect public officials and explained that individuals who perform a public function were given extra protection in case they were attacked. He also said that the same principle must be applied to other victims of such acts because they are considered under threat because of their affiliation or belief, The NL Times detailed.

"If a Jewish restaurant is attacked because the owner is Jewish, it is a threat to the entire Jewish community," NOS quoted Segers as saying. "If an ex-Muslim, who became a Christian or atheist, is attacked because he is a heretic, then that is a threat to anyone who makes such a choice."

Segers' call stemmed from an attack at the Ha Carmel restaurant in December in which the assailant broke the establishment's windows while toting a Palestinian flag. The latter was accused of vandalism and of trying to steal the Israeli flag on display in the restaurant, but he was later released and is now waiting for his trial.

Segers believed that the suspect would be getting a punishment that was too light for what he did, and he lamented that it was not possible to inflict a harsher consequence upon him. As of now, it remains to be seen if the ChristenUnie proposal will be approved by the lower house of the Dutch parliament.

Last month, Rotterdam mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb stirred controversy after he told a radio program that all Muslims were a "bit of a Salafist" and could be viewed as a jihadi. Salafism is a conservative version of Sunni Islam which is often linked with extremism, The Dutch News relayed.

However, Aboutaleb explained that he viewed Salafism as an effort to live devoutly like the prophet Mohammed. For him, "jihad in its purest form" involved rising at 7 a.m. every day to serve his country.
A raid by state Islamic enforcers on a church function in predominantly Muslim Malaysia has stirred religious tensions and revived fears of growing Islamisation. During a dinner at a Methodist church hall outside the Kuala Lumpur on August 3, officers arrived saying they had information that a group of Muslims were being converted, which is prohibited. The incident, though described as tame, has nevertheless unnerved some. The Damansara Utama Methodist Church denied the event was held to convert Muslims, but Islamic officials and pro-government media pounced on the case to allege a widespread Christian proselytising campaign. Malaysia likes to portray itself as a modern, ethnically harmonious Muslim state. "I am very unhappy with the way Christians are being portrayed and why authorities are treating the community so suspiciously," Maria Varghese, 37, a Kuala Lumpur schoolteacher and ethnic Indian Christian, told AFP. "We are not trying to convert anyone. We have friends of all races and religions and have lived happily for centuries. I don't understand why they are attacking us."
With the help of World Vision, more than 250 South Sudanese children will have the chance to return to school, reunite with their families, and receive counseling after years of being forced to serve as soldiers and domestic workers during their countrys civil war.

The New York Times reported this week that 87 girls and 224 boys were freed in the second-largest release by armed groups since the conflict began, and several hundred more are expected to transition in the coming weeks.

World Vision, which has worked in South Sudan since 1989 and currently reaches 1 million people displaced by the conflict, received the children on Wednesday and will oversee their recovery and reunification.

We are particularly concerned about a number of the girls being released who have experienced sexual or gender-based violence, said Mesfin Loha, interim national director at World Vision South Sudan. We will get them the support so they have a sense of hope again.

With high levels of poverty, widespread displacement, and lack of education (70 percent of South Sudanese children are not in schoolthe highest proportion in the world), youth in what World Vision ranks as the worlds most fragile state are particularly vulnerable targets for the armed groups.

The United Nations has coordinated the release of almost 2,000 of 19,000 children recruited and kidnapped since the civil war began in 2013.

World Visions reintegration program gets support from the UN Childrens Fund, or UNICEF. Moving forward, World Vision case workers in the city of Yambio will work with children in recovery, offer school and vocational training, and provide interim care for those unable to locate their families.

South Sudans children have already seen and experienced unimaginable violence. It is jeopardizing the countrys next generation, Loha said. These initiatives will help children have the opportunity to earn income in the future and help them navigate away from returning to the conflict.

South Sudan gained independence in 2011, making it the youngest nation in the world. Though the central African country is about 60 percent Christian, it still ranks among the worst places for Christian persecution (this year it was No. 4).

In initial news coverage following this weeks release, teens described their responsibilities as bodyguards, lookouts, and fighters, traumatized by the killings they witnessed. Most said they had been kidnapped and forced into one of the warring factions, the South Sudan National Liberation Movement or the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army-in-Opposition.

Child abduction is always in areas of cattle raids particularly between a tribe called Murle in Pibor. When this people go to raid cattle of the Nuer and Dinka, they end up stealing children as well, said Edward Dima, president of the Baptist Convention of South Sudan, who has fled to Uganda amid the conflict.

I pray for peace to be restored in the country to stamp out some of those practices.

Beyond those recruited by fighters, multitudes more have witnessed and suffered during the five-year civil war. The UN reports that 1 million children in South Sudan will require psychological support due to the emotional impact of conflict, loss of family members, separation, and displacement.

Christians serving in areas of active conflict have served as resources for trauma counseling, and faith has been shown to help survivors build resilience rather than despair in the wake of terror and violence.

At the same time, South Sudan has suffered food and water shortages as a result of the war. Last month, UNICEF estimated that a quarter million children were at risk of imminent death due to malnutrition.

In 2017, aid workers with evangelical charity Samaritans Purse were kidnapped by armed rebels and later released. Fighters regularly use violence against workers and try to block distributions.

The South Sudan Council of Churches has continued to pray for peace and ask for humanitarian assistance.

In 2015, CT traveled to South Sudan with World Vision president and CEO Richard Stearns to see first-hand why Christians remain hopeful about the worlds most fragile state.
Chilean victim of sexual abuse demands thorough Vatican investigation

A Chilean victim of clerical sexual abuse who is the key witness in the case of a bishop accused of covering it up says a Vatican investigation must be rigorous and fair if the church is to salvage its reputation on the issue.

In a telephone interview with Reuters from his home in the United States on Thursday night, Juan Carlos Cruz said Pope Francis had 'set the clock back years and years' with his recent comments casting doubt on the credibility of victims of abuse.

On January 30, the Vatican said the pope had appointed the church's most experienced sexual abuse investigator to look into accusations that Bishop Juan Barros of the diocese of Osorno in Chile had covered up crimes against minors.

It was a dramatic U-turn for the pope, who eight days earlier told reporters aboard his plane returning from Latin America he was sure Barros was innocent and that the Vatican had received no concrete evidence against him.

Cruz said he had been 'very touched and grateful' when the investigator, Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta, telephoned him to arrange a meeting in New York next week on his way to Chile.

But while he realised that pope's decision to send Scicluna to investigate was 'a big deal' for the Vatican, he added that it would not be enough to 'put a band-aid over our case by bringing in an investigator'.

'We never received any apology from the pope. I want a fair investigation from Scicluna,' Cruz said.

As a teenager, Cruz was sexually abused by Rev Fernando Karadima, who was found guilty in a Vatican investigation in 2011 of abusing him and other teenage boys over many years. Karadima always denied the allegations.

The Vatican ordered him to follow a life of prayer and penitence and banned him from public ministry, but he avoided criminal prosecution because under Chilean law too much time had elapsed since the offences. The 87-year-old still lives in Chile.

Cruz says Barros witnessed the abuse by Karadima, who was Barros's mentor years ago in a Santiago parish. Barros has always denied this and said he was unaware of any wrongdoing by Karadima, who had trained him to become a priest.

The Karadima case has gripped Chile for years and many Chileans protested the pope's decision to make Barros a bishop in 2015. It cast a long shadow over the pope's trip to Chile last month.

'All slander'

During his visit, the pope testily told a Chilean reporter: 'The day I see proof against Bishop Barros, then I will talk. There is not a single piece of evidence against him. It is all slander. Is that clear?'

He later apologised to victims, acknowledging that his choice of words and tone of voice had 'wounded many'.

Cruz told Reuters the Vatican investigation should end with Barros's dismissal, which many parishioners and politicians have demanded.

They should 'set the record straight, to frankly admit that they were wrong [in making Barros a bishop], that they let this happen and let this go forward to where we are sadly now,' Cruz said.

About a week after the Vatican announced plans to send Scicluna to investigate, the pope's stated position that he was not aware of evidence against Barros or that any accusers had come forward was put into doubt.

Marie Collins, a former member of a Vatican commission on sexual abuse, said she and three other commission members had in 2015 given Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston an eight-page letter addressed to the pope by Cruz in which he graphically described his abuse by Karadima while Barros was allegedly present.

Collins's comments were first reported by the Associated Press.

Cruz told Reuters on Thursday that O'Malley had told him the letter had been passed on to the pope. A spokesman for O'Malley declined to comment on Friday, referring all questions to the Vatican. A Vatican spokesman also had no comment.

Collins said in a tweet on Friday that only the pope could say if he had read Cruz's letter or not. Cruz said it was possible that the pope had not read it.

But advocates for victims of sexual abuse said that, even if Francis had not read the missive, it was implausible that he was not aware of the many reports of Barros allegedly witnessing abuse by Karadima, given their close relationship at the time.

'Such ignorance by the pope would suggest that the Vatican has no system in place for responding to allegations, despite 15 years of scandal and assurances to the contrary,' said Anne Barrett-Doyle, co-director of Boston-based research group BishopAccountability.org.
Texas real estate is known for its sprawling luxury ranches. For good reason: On the market now is a large collection of high-acreage parcels with elaborate homes, barns and fishing holes.

Here are some of the properties that stand out:
Two Houston-area residents and four others were charged Friday with defrauding investors from more than 20 countries out of $7 million, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas.

The defendants are accused of impersonating Branch Banking & Trust and JPMorgan Chase executives, fabricating U.S. government documents and purchasing luxury vehicles to launder the proceeds of the scheme. They created fraudulent investment deals under the name of BB&T and Chase, prosecutors say.

Uju Okigbo, 48, of Richmond, and Chioma Okafor, 28, of Houston were each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, two counts of wire fraud and two counts each of concealment money laundering. Okigbo, who was in custody Friday, is also charged with three counts of engaging in transactions with proceeds of specified unlawful activity and one count of aggravated identity theft for impersonating a U.S. banking executive, according to the news release.



Marita Ranalan Underwood, 61, of Manila, Philippines, John Christian Rutledge, 64, of Yaphank, N.Y., Osa May Martin, 68, of Carthage, Mo. and Tiffany Sourjohn, 47, of Miami, Okla., were charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to wrongfully use government seals. Martin appeared before a judge Friday in Springfield, Mo. Rutledge is scheduled to appear before a judge. Sourjohn pleaded guilty to a Southern District of Texas judge, according to the press release.

Prosecutors allege that perpetrators, primarily in Nigeria, impersonated U.S. bank officials and financial consultants online and over the phone, convincing investors they would receive millions of dollars of funding through joint ventures with U.S. banks. In efforts to deceive investors, they used false domain names to affiliate themselves with BB&T or Chase. They recruited U.S. citizens to impersonate bank officials, made visits to U.S. embassies or consulates and fabricated U.S. government documents.

Investors were induced to pay tens of thousands, and often hundreds of thousands, of dollars to U.S.-based bank accounts to presumably launch their investment deals. After funds were wired, "money movers" liquidated proceeds to Nigeria through outgoing wire transfers to exporters, cash withdrawals and luxury-brand vehicle purchases shipped there. Okigbo and Okafor primarily served as "money movers" while the other four were representatives, according to news release.

Items seized by investigators directly traceable to investors include a Richmond house, a 2014 Land Rover Range Rover and approximately $200,000 in cash, prosecutors say.
NEW YORK - A plunge in stock prices always stings, but this month's fall dug deeper because more Americans are participating in the market, particularly older ones.

Slightly more than half of all U.S. families own stocks in some way, from workers who got automatically enrolled into their 401(k) retirement accounts to day traders working their personal accounts. The rate of stock ownership is the highest since the dawn of the Great Recession in 2007.

On the whole, higher stock ownership can be a good thing: It means more Americans, not just the wealthiest, have benefited from the record-setting returns that stocks have delivered since the current bull market started in early 2009. But there can be a downside: Many Americans are also keeping bigger portions of their portfolios in stocks than experts recommend, led by baby boomers, which accentuates the impact of each swing in the market. Even Americans 75 and over are more likely to own stocks than at any time since the 1980s, according to data from the Federal Reserve.

Some investors may have been blissfully unaware that stocks were growing to an ever-larger portion of their portfolio as stock prices swelled in recent years. Others bought even more stocks because they were afraid of missing out on the amazingly big and smooth gains that the market had been delivering before recent days.

Either way, nearly 23 percent of savers with a 401(k) at Fidelity had a bigger percentage of their account in stocks than the investment giant recommends, according to the company's most recent data from this past autumn.

Savers nearing retirement, for example, should have a portfolio with roughly 60 percent in stocks and 40 percent in bonds and cash, Fidelity says. The average baby boomer handling investment decisions for their 401(k) has 70 percent in stocks, according to Fidelity.

"We give them the same advice when the market is high as when it's low," said Jeanne Thompson, senior vice president at Fidelity Investments. "Make sure to check that you're properly allocated and not taking too much risk. Make sure you're able to sleep at night."

John Wall, 65, is semi-retired and keeps a part-time job with a ride-share app to help pay bills.

While sitting in a park in downtown St. Petersburg, Fla., and smoking a cigar as he waited for a ride-share customer, Wall shrugged when asked if he'd do anything different in light of the market dip.

"Work a little harder so I can make money back that I lost," he chuckled. "I'm just going to go on like I have been."
Pain-pill giant Purdue Pharma will stop promoting its opioid drugs to doctors, a retreat after years of criticism that the company's aggressive sales efforts helped lay the foundation of the U.S. addiction crisis.

The company told employees this week that it would cut its sales force by more than half, to 200 workers.

It plans to send a letter Monday to doctors saying that its salespeople will no longer come to their clinics to talk about the company's pain products.

"We have restructured and significantly reduced our commercial operation and will no longer be promoting opioids to prescribers," the company said in a statement. Instead, any questions doctors have will be directed to the Stamford, Conn.-based company's medical affairs department.

OxyContin, approved in 1995, is the closely held company's biggest-selling drug, though sales of the pain pill have declined in recent years amid competition from generics. It generated $1.8 billion in 2017, down from $2.8 billion five years earlier, according to data compiled by Symphony Health Solutions. It also sells the painkiller Hysingla.

Purdue is credited with helping develop many modern tactics of aggressive pharmaceutical promotion. Its efforts to push OxyContin included OxyContin music, fishing hats and stuffed plush toys.

More recently, it has positioned itself as an advocate for fighting the opioid addiction crisis, as overdoses from prescription drugs claim thousands of American lives each year.

Purdue and other opioid makers and distributors face dozens of lawsuits in which they're accused of creating a public health crisis through their marketing of the painkillers. Purdue officials confirmed in November that they are in settlement talks with a group of state attorneys general and trying to come up with a global resolution of the government opioid claims.

More than 60,000 people died from drug overdoses in 2016, and there was a fivefold increase in overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids - from 3,105 in 2013 to about 20,000 in 2016, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The addiction epidemic cost the American economy $504 billion in 2015, the equivalent of 2.8 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product that year, according to a report by the Council of Economic Advisers.

About 200 remaining Purdue salespeople will focus on promoting the company's opioid induced constipation drug, Symproic. The drug launched last year in partnership with Shionogi & Co.
As President Donald Trump's family business prepares to open a hotel in the Mississippi Delta this fall, its local development partners have asked the state of Mississippi to subsidize the project with up to $6 million in tax breaks, according to documents obtained through an open records request.

If approved, the benefits could offset nearly a third of the projected $20 million in costs for the hotel, which is owned by the local developers, Dinesh and Suresh Chawla.

The Chawla brothers are already financing the project through a bank loan, but Dinesh Chawla said in an email to the New York Times that the Mississippi tourism tax rebate would "improve our cash flow."

The Chawlas are also planning to use city and county property tax abatements, records show.

The development in Cleveland, Miss., is expected to be the first in a new line of upscale hotels the Trump Organization is rolling out under the name Scion. The Trump Organization, which will brand and manage the Mississippi hotel, but not own it, did not respond to requests for comment.

Chawla, in the email, said that the Trump Organization played no role in the rebate application and that his company first considered applying for it in 2015, two years before he teamed up with the Trumps. He said the Trumps and the Chawlas had agreed that any rebate - which Mississippi offers in an effort to draw tourists - would not figure into fees paid to the Trumps.

Still, if the state approves the tax rebate for the Chawlas, it could indirectly, but personally, benefit the president, who owns the family business through a trust, an arrangement that raises some constitutional concerns, critics and legal experts say.

In lawsuits filed last year, a number of lawmakers, academics and state attorneys general contended that Trump was violating the Constitution's emoluments clauses, which essentially prohibit the president from accepting certain gifts from foreign or domestic governments.

Assessing the Chawlas' application, Jed Shugerman, a professor at the Fordham University School of Law who helped write a legal brief in support of the plaintiffs in the emoluments litigation, argued that while some state incentives are allowable, "Mississippi has discretion to give the tax rebate, and if they do award it to this hotel, then they are likely giving Trump an emolument."
Chloe Csengery held her tiny, trembling dog close to her as she waited with her family to be rescued from their flooded one-story house in Kingwood after Hurricane Harvey.

Csengery is in many ways a normal teenager. She loves her family, her best friend of many years, her dog, and like many her age, she is thinking about plans for college.

And she also happens to be a Hollywood actress.

Some may recognize her from her performance as Maise, the bubbly college roommate of Alex Dunphy (Ariel Winter) in "Modern Family."

Others may know her as Katie, the demon-possessed girl whose terrifying scream at the end of "Paranormal Activity 3" is celebrated among horror movie enthusiasts.

Csengery began acting at the age of 7 and started pursuing roles in Los Angeles when she was nine. Her resume is quite extensive for a 17-year-old who has lived in Kingwood, not Los Angeles, her entire life.

She's made appearances on hit television shows like "Speechless," "Law and Order: SVU," "iCarly," "Parenthood," and "Criminal Minds," and has been in movies starring such big-name actors as Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. She just recently finished filming as the lead in the short independent film, "Sweet and Lo."

Csengery's roles have exposed her to some pretty heavy concepts like demon possession, homelessness and teenage pregnancy, but nothing could have prepared her for what she, and so many others, endured during Harvey.

Ever since the hurricane, Csengery and her family have been staying with loved ones.

She and her mother sat in her grandparents' living room in January, as Csengery recalled the experience.

In the early morning hours of Tuesday, Aug. 29, she awoke to the sound of water.

"We were in a one-story so we didn't really have anywhere to go," Csengery said. "So we just stayed in our house."

She and her family were forced to stand in the rising water for five hours before they could be rescued. They could not open their front door and couldn't access the garage. Her dad had to break a window so the family could climb outside.

Once rescued, they were brought to a church on Woodland Hills Drive with other Kingwood evacuees.

"The people were incredible that day," Csengery said. "They had so many boats going in and out. People were helping people  bringing their own boats and their own trucks and transporting people. It was just amazing, honestly."

Leaning forward on the couch as she continued telling her story, she opened her laptop and brought up a video.

Entering the film industry seemed a natural fit for Csengery from early on in her life.

"I'm a very dramatic person, so when I was little I would always put on productions in the living room," Csengery said. "We had a neighborhood 'gang,' we called it, and we would put on plays in our neighborhood. I liked being the director and actor and everything. So, I think my mom kind of picked up on that."

Csengery takes both her acting and her education seriously.

She's not only a Hollywood actress, but also senior at iCademy  an alternative to public or homeschool, which allows her to take online teacher-taught classes with other students and do schoolwork at times when it works in her busy schedule.

She intends to get her college degree, and was in fact studying for the SAT in the days leading up to Harvey. She hasn't yet decided whether to major in film at Loyola Marymount University, or study acting at the University of Texas.

The video Csengery brought up on her laptop was a short film called, "The Story of Harvey." It is a poignant account of the events Csengery experienced during and after the storm.

Her best friend, Grace Daigre makes her debut portraying Csengery in the film, which also features performances by her mother, Stacey, among other family members  including her one-year-old dog, Millie.

Csengery wrote, directed, filmed, edited and did the voice-over for the film, which will be submitted along with her college applications. But, when watching the film with her, it becomes very obvious it's much more than a college application requirement to her.

"That was actually the window we used to get out," Csengery said, pointing to the computer screen.

"And those were all houses in my neighborhood."

The video showed house after house with massive debris piles sitting in the front yards.

"I just used everything I had around me to make it," Csengery said.

At one point, there's a scene in which Red Cross volunteers were passing out supplies. Remarkably, it caused Csengery to laughed.

"Those are real Red Cross people," she said. "I was walking around my neighborhood with my friend, my camera and my tripod and I saw them and was like, 'Can you hand the water to her please?'

"They were like, 'Yeah, sure.' I thanked them for being in the film, and then was like, 'Also, can we please actually take this water? Because we need it.' It was literally perfect timing."

One of the main purposes of the film, Csengery explained, was to build awareness of Harvey's lasting effects on people.

"I felt I should do something that focuses on this and show people how horrible it really was because a lot of people, like in California, had no idea what was really going on, so it just can really open a lot of people's eyes about it," Csengery said. "I filmed part of it in my house while it was being rebuilt, showing how it was completely destroyed. So, it showed the destruction of the neighborhood and the house."

While Csengery's film does highlight the devastation from Hurricane Harvey, it is also lesson in resilience and kindness  something that reflects not only her own enlightenment, but the community's as well.

"I realized hope remains in times of despair," Csengery says in the movie. "The tears of sorrow become the tears of thankfulness. 

"Nothing is the same and it never will be. The past is dark. The future is bright."

To view Csengery's film, visit https://vimeo.com/250644118.
Les lunettes de marque ne sont pas ce qui manque dans les commerces. Il y en a de toutes les sortes dont les lunettes de []
A wrong-way drunk driver who killed two people and injured a third has hired new representation in hopes of getting a new trial.

Nicole Nadra Baukus, 28, pleaded guilty to two intoxication manslaughter counts and one count of intoxication assault on the fourth day of her trial in 2013 and was sentenced to 38 years in prison.

Prosecutors say Baukus drank more than 20 alcoholic beverages at a bar off of Sawdust Road in South Montgomery County before driving north in the southbound lanes of Interstate 45 in June 2012, striking and killing Nicole Adams, 19, of Conroe, and Travis Ryan Saunders, 18, of Houston. David Porras, of The Woodlands, who was 22 years old at the time of the crash, was treated for serious injuries and released from a local hospital.

BUSTED: MCSO shuts down alleged illegal gambling operation near Willis

Baukus' blood alcohol content was more than three times the legal limit about an hour after the crash, according to court records.

"My son was a wonderful person; he had hundreds of friends show at his funeral," Michelle Chisum, Saunders' mom, said about her son. "He was very nice, kindhearted to a fault. He was only 18 years old and graduated 26 days prior to June 29, 2012, the night he was murdered. The latest move by Baukus is no surprise. She has been trying to get out of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice since pleading guilty. There were numerous experts who proved she was guilty.

"My family has never been the same since this happened, and never will be again. My heart is broken. Our family's heart is broken. As for Baukus, all I can say about her is that she has gotten what she deserves. It is just impossible to forgive an offender who refuses to admit the carnage they have caused or the pain she has inflicted on so many people. I have faith that God is on our side. Baukus has no remorse for what she has done to my family, the Adams or the Porras families."

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Although Baukus has appealed her conviction and requested a new trial, which were both denied by Montgomery County judges, she has retained attorney Randy Schaffer with the Houston-based The Schaffer Firm to seek a new trial and present new evidence. They filed an application for a writ of habeas corpus seeking a new trial in September 2017. Baukus alleges, in part, that the first two law enforcement officers to arrive at the scene of the crash planted evidence to frame her as the driver and claims inadequate representation in court by her previous attorney.

"This is routine for most criminal cases," Schaffer said. "Baukus pleaded not guilty when the trial started. Her defense was set on the theory that her drink was spiked while at the bar and she became involuntarily intoxicated. Baukus did not have adequate representation during the trial. After the jury was picked, there was a video tape turned over that shows Baukus standing in the roadway with both her socks and shoes on and she is standing level."

Schaffer concludes that because she is standing level when officers pull up to the scene, she had both of her shoes and socks on. But somehow, her bloody left sock and shoes are found wedged into the floorboard of the driver's side of Baukus' vehicle when the investigation commenced.

FORT BEND CRASH: Woman killed while walking down rural road

"Baukus' previous representation never looked at this video," Schaffer said. "The first two officers appear to disengage their body cameras and you can hear them say, 'Are they in there.' One would think they are referring to the bloody sock and shoe they planted into the driver side of the vehicle. Baukus told several officers and emergency personnel there was a guy driving before she said she was driving."

"If we see Baukus standing on the side of the road with a broken ankle that was bleeding, how is it the sock and shoe ended up in the driver's side of the vehicle. When she took her sock off, her wound began to bleed profusely and there is no blood trail leading from the vehicle," Schaffer said. "There's a lot of evidence that shows Baukus was in the passenger seat. A comprehensive analysis of the COBAN videos, audio recordings, scene photos and statements of the civilians demonstrates that Baukus was not driving at the time of the collision."

In regard to Baukus' claim of inefficient representation and involuntarily pleading guilty, the state posted a rebuttal stating that the COBAN videos from the officers, audio recordings, photos from the scene, the interview with civilians and consultation with experts were all admitted and published in court prior to trial counsel's advice that Baukus plead guilty.

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According to information from the state's response to the new filing, they stated, "the defense that the applicant was not driving remained available when she changed her plea. At the time of the Baukus plea, she and her trial counsel knew most of the information she now claims counsel failed to discover."

To provide further information, the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office agreed to facilitate independent laboratory DNA testing of several pieces of evidence related to Baukus' post-conviction claim.

"Based on the evidence gathered prior to trial and the subsequent investigation - including the post-conviction DNA testing results - the MCDAO remains confident that Baukus was the driver and sole occupant of her vehicle at the time of the crash," Brent Chapell with the Montgomery County DA's office said. "The MCDAO also believes that Baukus' claims of police misconduct lack merit."

In a filed document from the state in response to the misconduct allegations, they state, "no one has stated on the record in this case that he or she saw a police officer touch either of Baukus' shoes or her sock prior to the collection as evidence. The assertion that officers planted evidence are merely speculative."

Both officers testified Baukus was not wearing her left shoe and sock upon their initial encounter with her, and another responding officer testified specifically that he saw Baukus' left shoe and sock on the driver's floorboard of her truck.

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When Schaffer was asked why the officers would feel the need to plant evidence or how they would benefit from these actions, Schaffer responded, "It's a fact that if they can't put [Baukus] behind the wheel, there is no one to prosecute. If they couldn't put her behind the wheel, who would they find at fault. This makes the case better against Baukus."

In addition to the DNA, the DA's Office also issued an order directing the download of the Restraint Control Module from Baukus' truck from the night of the fatal crash.

According to information submitted in court and confirmed through the download of the vehicle's RCM, the data showed the passenger seat was empty and the seatbelt was unbuckled.

"Defense counsel did not rely on the fact that the passenger's airbag did not deploy to determine the applicant was driving; he instead relied on her DNA on the driver's airbag - a fact that hasn't changed since the original investigation," the state's response said. "A full investigation revealed that no comparable male DNA profiles could be developed from anything inside Baukus' truck."

In Schaffer's documents for the Habeas Corpus, the information from the 2006 Ford F-150 Owner's Guide, the United States General Accounting Office Report regarding airbags, the Ford safety card regarding airbag deployment and affidavit of David Pearson, a traffic accident reconstructionist for the Harris County Sheriff's Office, demonstrate that an airbag would not deploy if the person is small (Baukus is 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighs 110 pounds) or if the collision occurred at an oblique angle.

ISIS TEACHER: Sugar Land resident sent resume to ISIS to become English teacher

Additionally, in the state's report, they claim that when Baukus was faced with trial, she claimed to have been drugged with diazepam. When faced with conviction and a prison sentence, she claimed she was drugged with another intoxicant. When that claim failed, Baukus claimed she was not the driver; and when face with overwhelming evidence that she was the driver, she further speculated that officers must have planted evidence to framer her.

Through filing the writ of habeas corpus, Baukus and her representation, Schaffer, request that the court conduct an evidentiary hearing, make findings of fact and conclusions of law and recommend a new trial.

The court has granted the trial court's request for an extension of time, meaning the writ application is due in the 435th state District Court on March 1.

"We cannot get Travis or Nicole Adams back, we can only visit them in the cemetery," Chisum said. "David Porras cannot get back the time he lost dealing with the physical and emotional pain Baukus caused him. Tell me what mother can deal with this? She has no remorse, has never had any at all. This entitled, self-absorbed girl is where she needs to be, off the streets. She is a complete danger to anyone traveling the roads in our area. I pray to God that her writ of Habeas Corpus is denied.

"The assault on our families is inexcusable. The loss of our children is inexcusable. Baukus' feeble attempts to avoid serving her time is inexcusable. Everything about this case is inexcusable."
An Alvin man was charged in January with committing two firearm-aggravated robberies at Houston-area pharmacies, a month after he was charged in connection with another armed robbery, the Texas Department of Public Safety announced Friday.

Travis Lee Wilson, 32, was charged Jan. 19 by Texas DPS special agents with two counts of aggravated robbery with a firearm. Prosecutors allege he held up a pharmacy in Galveston County and another in Ford Bend County. He is also charged with impersonating a public servant in the Galveston robbery.
A college student with years of theater experience is getting her first role as director for Bay Area Harbour Playhouse's production of Michael Parker's popular farce "Hot Bed Hotel."

Kaira Jackson, 30, of League City brings a dozen years of performing and working backstage on lights and sound to her new role, which she filled after the initial director had to bow out.

The show runs through Feb. 22 at the theater, 3803 Highway 3 in Dickinson.

"Our artistic director, Bennie Nipper, decided to give Kaira her first chance to direct," Playhouse publicity director Ann Leeman said.

"Miss Bennie is an angel," said Jackson, referring to Nipper and the many times at the theater that Nipper has encouraged inexperienced actors and directors to move out of their comfort zones.

"I have acted in a couple of comedies, but 'Hot Bed Hotel' is definitely a farce," Jackson said. "It is filled with mistaken identities and overheard conversations where characters miss part of what was said. So, they make a wrong assumption."

The plot begins with a married couple, played by Shawn Daniel of League City and Ashley Baker of Friendswood, wanting to sell their hotel in Florida.

To make the property appear more lucrative, its maintenance man (Sam Kee of Houston) and sexy housemaid (Becca Peters of Houston) masquerade as paying guests. Soon, they are joined by other characters in the ruse to nab a potential buyer.

More Information WAnt to go? What: Bay Area Harbour Playhouse's production of "Hot Bed Hotel." When: 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sundays through Feb. 22 Where: Bay Area Harbour Playhouse, 3803 Highway 3 in Dickinson. Cost: Tickets begin at $12, with discounts for seniors, military, students and groups of 10 or more. Details: 281-337-7469; www.harbourtheater.com See More Collapse

"I was really hopeful to get a good turnout for auditions, and I was able to cast the play with talented actors," Jackson said.

Rounding out the cast are Jon Barajas of Friendswood, Ajay Vakil of Webster, Berkley Pearl of Clear Lake, Joanna Alexander of Santa Fe and Susan Hamel of Houston.

Jackson's offstage crew includes stage manager Katie Peters of Houston, along with Pam Daniel of Friendswood, Denea Oppelt of Dickinson and Rebecca Bauerline of League City.

Growing up in West Texas, Jackson played the saxophone in jazz and concert bands at Odessa's Permian High School, where she graduated in 2006.

Since joining BAHP last year, she has performed in "The Dixie Swim Club" and worked tech for productions that include a thriller, "Wait Until Dark," a farce "Noises Off' and the musicals "Finian's Rainbow" and "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas."

"I have performed in choir and jazz dance, and I began studying music performance at college before I stopped to take a high-paying job at Wal-Mart and then Starbucks," said Jackson.

In 2016, after relocating to League City to help care for her ailing mother, Jackson enrolled at the University of Houston-Clear Lake to major in sociology.

"My favorite class is grant-writing," she said.

Don Maines is a freelance writer who can be reached at donmaines@att.net
A Sugar Land resident is one of the individuals named in a study that identified 64 Americans who tried to join extremist groups in Syria and Iraq since 2011.

Warren Clark, 33, sent a resume and cover letter asking to become an English teacher for ISIS, according to the George Washington University study, which obtained thousands of pages of documents from U.S. District Court cases.

"I am looking to get a position teaching English to students in the Islamic State," began Clark's cover letter, which used the alias Abu Muhammad al-Ameriki.

"I was born and raised in the United States and have always loved teaching others and learning from others as well," the letter continued. "My work background is largely in English and I consider working at the University of Mosul to be a great way of continuing my career."

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It is unclear when the job application was sent.

Clark, a 2008 University of Houston graduate and former Sugar Land resident, was highlighted by the study as one of the few travelers who did not seek a combat role within the Islamic State.

More Information Why a Sugar Land resident sent his resume to ISIS. See More Collapse

Seamus Hughes, deputy director of the program that produced the study, told NBC Clark's resume and cover letter were found in a home in Iraq that had been controlled by ISIS fighters until July 2017. Hughes believes Clark is still alive and successfully joined ISIS.

Above: See U.S. citizens accused of crimes tied to the Islamic State.

Fernando Ramirez is a reporter for Chron.com and the Houston Chronicle. You can read more of his stories here and follow him on Twitter at @fernramirez93.
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.
Jessica Khera of Sugar Land learned the value of "Ask and you shall receive" after Tom Hanks sent her a typewriter.

Yes, the Tom Hanks, who made us change the way we look at volleyballs after "Cast Away."

The Fusion Academy student said teacher Deanne Owen encouraged her to reach out to Hanks after reading his book "Uncommon Type" and watching the documentary "California Typewriter" for her 10th-grade honors English class in January.

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"We sent him a fan letter telling him we liked the book and documentary, asked if we could get a typewriter or if he could recommend one," Jessica told Chron.com. "I wasnt really expecting a response but within two weeks there was a package here from Tom Hanks with the typewriter."

The typewriter is an undated Royal model. It came with a letter that Jessica says was "inspiring," encouraging her let him know how the writing goes on the machine.

The first thing Jessica plans to do is write Hanks a thank you letter on the typewriter. As for her future with it, the 15-year-old said she may type up journal entries or use it as the start of a typewriter collection.

In an age of instant communication and keyboards with shortcuts and backspaces, using a typewriter may seem archaic. But Jessica could instantly see the appeal of using her new gift instead of a computer.

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"It feels a lot more personal, like you're creating something concrete because you can't simply delete what you've written," Jessica said.

Ahmad Hernandez, master teacher at Fusion Academy, said teachers work one-on-one with students, which gave Jessica the opportunity to study Hanks' book and the documentary about typewriters.

"We are thrilled that Tom Hanks responded to Jessicas hand-written note with this thoughtful gift, which she is sure to remember for a lifetime," Hernandez said.

Scroll through the gallery above to see more photos of Jessica with her Royal typewriter from Tom Hanks.

Will Axford is a digital reporter for Chron.com. Read more of his stories here and follow him on Twitter.
Olivia P. Tallet/Eduardo Canales, Director of The South Texas Human Rights Center organization in Falfurrias, Brooks County, Texas, organizes projects with volunteers to protect migrant lives such as the Water Station Project. The project maintains drinking

Though fewer immigrants tried to cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally last year, more of them died along the way, particularly in Texas where heavy rains and flooding may have exacerbated the dangers, according to a new report.

The number of immigrants who died along the Texas border increased by 26 percent, the sharpest rise in the nation along the southern border, according to the report from the International Organization for Migration's Missing Migrants Project, a United Nations agency.

The organization said that Texas is a "particular area of concern," with 191 deaths last year compared to 151 in 2016. Nationwide, 412 immigrant deaths were recorded in 2017 along the border between the two nations, up from 398 in 2016  an increase of 3 percent.

"The increase in deaths is especially concerning, as the available data indicate that far fewer migrants entered the U.S. via its border with Mexico in the last year," said Frank Laczko, director of IOM's Global Migration Data Analysis Centre.

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The Border Patrol reported a 40 percent drop in border apprehension during the 2017 fiscal year from October 2016 to September 2017. The reduction has been loosely attributed to fewer people attempting to cross illegally as a result of President Donald Trump's administration's harsh rhetoric and policies on immigration.

The reduction in apprehensions "undeniably prove the effectiveness of President Trump's commitment to securing our borders," Department of Homeland Security Acting Press Secretary Tyler Q. Houlton said in January.

Deaths of immigrants crossing the border, however, tend to increase when more immigrants are coming, said Nestor Rodriguez, a professor of sociology at the University of Texas at Austin who has researched southern border crossings.

"It's a matter of volume of crossings," Rodriguez said. "The second most influential factor that tends to impact the number of deaths is the weather or the paths immigrants chose to take."

The IOM report didn't provide an explanation for the increase of deaths across the U.S.-Mexican border, but it suggested that one reason for the surge in Texas may have been from weather and heavy rainfall in 2017 "which made crossing the border... more difficult as the Rio Grande flowed faster and deeper."

Hurricane Harvey came ashore in South Texas near Corpus Christi in August 2017, dumping feet of rain in some areas and flooding waterways.

Julia Black, coordinator for the Missing Migrants Project, said Friday that drownings rose sharply in 2017, from 67 in 2016 to 91. Most of the drowning deaths occurred in the Rio Grande on the border with Texas, she said.

Some experts, however, suggested that a better explanation for the increase in deaths could be related to immigrants undertaking higher levels of risk.

"I saw an increase of people coming around the time of Harvey," said Eddy Canales, director of the South Texas Human Right Center, a nonprofit organization that works to reduce deaths on the Texas-Mexico border.

The center is located in Brooks County, north of McAllen, and is crossed by U.S. Highway 281, one of the central arteries for illegal crossings in the state. The organization patrols and maintain stations of drinking water for immigrants around the Rio Grande Valley to prevent death by dehydration and exhaustion.

Canales said he and volunteers saw more people coming to find work after Harvey struck the state. A shortage of construction and other workers was widely reported after the storm.

"They knew that Harvey would create more demand for work, and they were willing to take a higher risk for a higher payoff," he said.

The underlying problem, Canales said, are the U.S. immigration policies, which focus on enforcement but don't provide for an immigrant labor force to meet demands.

"The report shows what happens when policies push people to more dangerous areas and situations," he said.

The IOM report also suggests that, in general, as the likelihood of arrest grows, migrants tend to seek out more remote  and more dangerous  routes to avoid apprehension.

In Houston, the Mexican Consulate has not experienced a spike in calls from families looking for help in finding or repatriating immigrants crossing the border on their way to the city, said Yury Imanol De la Flor Patino, consul of protection and legal issues at the local consular office.

The actual number of immigrants who die crossing the border is impossible to know. Many are never found and families frequently don't know how or where to inquire when a loved one disappears.

"This is complicated by the fact that identification is often very difficult for migrant bodies recovered on the border," said Black, the coordinator for the Missing Migrants Project. "Their bodies may not be found for weeks, months, or even years, meaning that it is impossible to determine things like age and gender, let alone identify the individual."

EXPLAINER: How do undocumented immigrants pay taxes?

It took many years for the family of Adalberto Chavez to find his remains after he disappeared crossing the border on his way to Houston in 2008. His mother, Maria, last heard from him when he called from an unknown point at the border.

"Everything is fine, mom. Don't worry," he said.

Chavez body was identified in 2015 after being found at a mass grave in Falfurrias, a city in Brooks County.

His niece, Karen Olvera, said losing a loved one brings a lot of suffering to families.

"It's horrible to lose someone in this way for years without knowing anything and feeling the frustration without having the power to do anything," Olvera said. "The border is so huge that it's like trying to find a needle in a forest."

olivia.tallet@chron.com

Twitter: @oliviaptallet
An attorney now suing the city on behalf of a Houston strip club called Fantasy Plaza has questioned the propriety of tactics used by undercover vice officers in arguing unfair treatment of the club by city officials.

The club, off of North Freeway, was ordered to close temporarily on Monday by Judge Fredericka Phillips, who ruled in favor of a petition filed by assistant county attorney Rosemarie Donnelly in December. The petition cited more than 30 arrests made at the club since 2014, according to court documents.

In 2017 alone, more than four dancers were arrested for prostitution, with one offering to have sex with an undercover officer in exchange for $500, according to court documents. There have also been numerous shootings at or near the club, including one on March 14 in a parking lot behind it that resulted in one death, court documents state.

RELATED: Judge orders Houston strip club shut down for alleged prostitution, employment of minors

Days before Judge Phillips' order shuttering the club, Fantasy Plaza's attorney, Albert Van Huff, filed a federal lawsuit Feb. 1 alleging that the club has been treated unfairly because it is not part of a 2013 settlement that allows 16 other clubs to operate outside a strict city code regulating sexually oriented businesses in exchange for payments into the city's human-trafficking abatement fund.

The vice tactics questioned by Van Huff involve an incident in June 2017, when three Houston vice officers went to the club after receiving information about a missing juvenile working there as a dancer. The officers had been given three photos of the girl provided by her mother, according to a police report on the incident. The photographs showed a mole under her collarbone.

One of the officers saw a girl "consistent with the photographs" but wrote in the incident report that he remained "unsure" if she was the runaway. He then paid her $40 for a lap dance, during which she pressed her bare breasts against his face and straddled the officer, simulating sexual intercourse, according to the report.

As she leaned back, the officer wrote, he was "able to observe a small mole on her upper middle chest area below her collar bone which was consistent with the photographs officers had been provided." The girl was then detained by police and taken to the Juvenile Division.

In the days following the apprehension of the runaway girl, an HPD officer returned to the strip club, questioned the manager, and later arrested him and two other strip club employees for sexually-oriented business ordinance violations and harmful employment of a minor. According to the HPD report, managers told police the girl had used a fake ID to get hired at the club.

Of the three men arrested at Fantasy Plaza in June, two have had their cases dismissed, according to court documents.

Van Huff expressed outrage in an interview that the officer paid for a lap dance before the runaway 16-year-old was taken into custody. The dance was unnecessary in making the identification, he said.

Donnelly, the assistant county attorney, said any suggestion that the officer's conduct was unwarranted is incorrect, given the nature of the operation.

"I think HPD officers we work with in the past have the highest integrity and ethics. The implication that they did something wrong is something I strongly disagree with," said Donnelly. Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said he unequivocally backed the conduct of his officers in identifying the runaway and taking her into custody.

"They didn't do anything inappropriate," Acevedo said. "I'm just happy we were able to get her and get her the hell out of there."

Alan Bernstein, director of communications for Mayor Sylvester Turner, declined to comment on the June undercover operation.

Michael Shively, a senior associate at Abt Associates, aBoston-based public policy research firm that deals in part with issues of criminal justice, said he has never heard of a police officer receiving a lap dance from a minor in order to identify a missing runaway. Shively added that it "seems unnecessary simply to make an ID on that person."

"I would guess the face in the photos would make her recognizable in person, so I am not sure why the mole is so critical to observe in order to make an ID," Shively said in an email.

"One would hope the officer could have arranged the private dance, then made a sufficient ID from her face and height, weight, skin tone, etc obtained from the mother and photos. Once alone and if she seemed a likely match, the officer could have simply asked to see her for her identification, and if refused taken her into custody and sorted it out at the station," Shively said.

Lawrence Karson, an assistant professor of criminal justice at the University of Houston-Downtown and former supervisor of federal law enforcement officers, shared similar sentiments. Karson called the officer's behavior in June "morally repugnant."

"Further, the sexual sampling  having contact with sex workers under investigation for prostitution  is not a morally acceptable technique when dealing with minors which the police are ultimately responsible for protecting. She is a victim re-victimized by the very police sent to protect her. Any officer who seeks to justify these actions needs to take a hard look at their own moral compass. In simple terms, what if it was their own daughter?" Karson added over email.

The federal lawsuit filed by Van Huff claims that the city unfairly favors the club's competition who have agreed to the city's settlement terms and pay into the trafficking abatement fund by allowing entertainers to "perform topless dancing without having to adhere to the 'no touch' and 'three foot' rules required by city law."
Some Texans might complain about high-priced rental homes, but none tops one west Houston property.

The home at 13126 Conifer in west Houston, near Memorial, is currently the most expensive house for rent at $18,000 per month.

For some, that sounds like the equivalent of buying a house every four weeks.

To be fair, the spacious, 5,500-square-foot residence features a number of custom amenities, including a resort-style pool with fully-equipped summer kitchen.

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Inside, exposed-brick walls, a smart kitchen and vaulted ceilings add flair to the custom dwelling. Elaborate pendants feature prominently in the 2014 residence, illuminating a space that merges New Orleans influence with contemporary style.

Ronda Lewellen at United Real Estate has the listing.

As for the local rental market as a whole: December saw a mixed leasing market for Houston residents. Single-family home rentals decreased by 3.6 percent, but rose in price to $1,745 per month. Townhomes and condominium leases rose 7.3 percent and saw a rate increase of 2.4 percent, bringing that average to $1,532 per month.



"Strong employment numbers translated to an influx of home buyers and renters to the Houston area from across the country and around the world," a spokesperson for HAR said. "However, Harvey's late August rampage interrupted hiring and forced those whose homes and apartments were damaged or destroyed to seek immediate housing anywhere they could, causing inventory to shrink."

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However, those setbacks were short lived. "By the end of September  just four weeks after Harvey hit  the 'Houston Strong' housing market saw home sales rebound and the greatest rental activity of all time," the spokesperson said. "The positive momentum continued through the final months of 2017."

Darla Guillen is a digital reporter at the Houston Chronicle. Follow her at @DarlaGuillen on Twitter.
A Brazoria County woman has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in a scheme to steal more than $1.5 million, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas.

Sonja Martinez, 47, of Rosharon, admitted she and co-conspirators diverted approximately $1,661,163 from their employer's bank account to themselves and family members. Martinez worked in the accounting department at a security company's Houston location and was responsible for paying third-party vendors and keeping a ledger. The money-diverting scheme, which ran from November 2011 through May 2016, had Martinez and others submit fraudulent vendor requests for payment, according to the news release.
An unlicensed southeast Houston club that police say was the scene of a shooting last month was ordered to temporarily close after the Harris County Attorney's Office won a restraining order against it Friday.

In a separate, civil lawsuit also filed in Harris County on Friday, the family of a man who was fatally shot in an unlicensed bar in west Houston is demanding more than $1 million from the property owner and various club managers, whom they accuse of negligence that contributed to their family member's killing.

The two actions come amid an increased push by local authorities to close illegal, after-hours clubs, which Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan describes as being hotbeds for assaults, murders, prostitution and drug-trafficking, among other crimes.

Alberth Sinisterra was shot multiple times inside one of the clubs operating out of three suites at 9275 Richmond Ave. on Sept. 24, court and police records show.

He was among the at least 50 people that have died since 2010 in outbreaks of violence at Houston-area clubs operating without liquor licenses or after 2 a.m. at licensed clubs that were later closed, sued or fined for selling alcohol during prohibited hours, a Houston Chronicle investigation of police, court and state records found.

Club closed

In a restraining order filed Friday, the Harris County Attorney's Office accuses Bukanitas of selling liquor without a state license  including to minors and after 2 a.m., when such sales are prohibited in Texas.

The club's location, at 11555 Fuqua, has not had a permit to sell alcohol since January 2017, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission records show.

On Jan. 27, Houston police officers conducted an investigation of the club after a shooting there the night before, according to court records. During the investigation, police said they found as many as 100 people inside, as well as tables with buckets of beer and liquor bottles behind a bar.

On Feb. 3, HPD officers conducted another investigation into the club for selling alcohol to minors, during which a bouncer locked the clubs door and refused to allow officers inside, court records show.

The bouncer claimed he was instructed by a bar manager to lock officers out, court records show. The bouncer also told officers he did not know the name of the manager whod instructed him to do so, court records show. Neither bar management nor the owners of the property, Amani Investments and HSC Management, LLC, could be reached for comment Friday.

Read more: 50 people have died at illegal Houston clubs. What stops officials from closing them?

Wrongful death

In their lawsuit filed Friday, Sinisterras family demands more than $1 million in damages from the managers of four now-shuttered clubs, as well as Wonsong Investment Company, which owns the property at 9275 Richmond.

The clubs  listed in court records as Blush Lounge, Allure Lounge, Village Gang Nightclub and ALAA  were closed last year after the office of Vince Ryan, the county attorney, filed a restraining order against them for, among other things, selling alcohol without licenses, court records show.

The clubs were operating out of three suites in a strip mall, where police responded to dozens of calls for violent crime over a 12-month period, police logs show. Among the outbreaks were Sinisterras death inside one club and a non-fatal shooting in the parking lot on July 30, police and court records show.

Sinisterras family claims that the club managers and property owner had a duty to not operate after legally established business hours and, at the very least, to provide adequate security.

Jack Fuerst, an attorney who represented Blush Lounge in the suit filed by Ryans office, said Friday that he was unaware of the wrongful death suit, but maintained  as he did last year that his former client never sold alcohol and was being blamed for the actions of neighboring clubs.

It was a bad scene, Fuerst said Friday.

Read more: 'No one leaves sober,' advertised illegal Houston bar now facing closure

Court records show Blush Lounge had advertised online that it was selling alcohol, though Fuerst previously told the Chronicle that those advertisements were posted by rival clubs in an attempt to frame his client.

Miles Cohn, an attorney who represented Wonsong Investment Company, said Friday he was unaware of the wrongful death suit, but said his former client had evicted the clubs and adopted new leasing policies that allow for bad-acting tenants to be removed more quickly.

The other defendants in the wrongful death suit could not be reached for comment Friday.

The fight to stem the spread of illegal clubs has been complicated by the internet and what some officials say are lax penalties for operating off-the-books clubs, often at a huge profit for landlords and tenants.

Before social media and the internet, club managers had to rely on word-of-mouth to recruit devoted, often underage patrons. Today, they can use anonymous, online aliases to mobilize their followings to establishments across the city.

Restraining orders, meanwhile, are effective for shuttering single locations. But in some instances, managers of bars closed by law enforcement simply open new establishments under the names of family or friends.

Landlords, meanwhile, often claim they are unaware clubs are unlicensed or selling alcohol after hours. Sometimes, there isn't even a formal lease, making it even more difficult to prove property owners willfully violated the law.

"It's a criminal enterprise," Celena Vinson, a lawyer in the Harris County Attorney's public nuisance office, told the Chronicle last year. "They're just criminals playing with a system that kind of allows them to."

Robert Downen covers crime for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Twitter or email him at robert.downen@chron.com.
AUSTIN -- Former President Barack Obama and members of his administration are ready to take another shot at chipping away at Republican domination in Texas.

A new group headed by former Attorney General Eric Holder and with the public backing of Obama is targeting Texas among 11 states in which they are determined to change the redistricting process to assure more competitive state House and Senate races in the future.

"In 2011, Republicans created gerrymandered districts that locked themselves into power and shut out voters from the electoral process," Holder said in announcing the National Democratic Redistricting Committee's electoral targets earlier this week.

"By focusing on these state and local races, we can ensure Democrats who will fight for fairness have a seat at the table when new maps are drawn in 2021," he added.

And Harris County will be a big part of the plan. State Democrats have already highlighted more than 20 seats in the Texas House that Hillary Clinton either won over Donald Trump in 2016 or lost narrowly -- a list the new NDRC group is well versed in, said Kelly Ward, executive director of the group.

Ward said her group hasn't made specific targets yet, but said after the primaries in March they will begin to hone in on more specific targets.

That list will almost certainly include conversations about five key Houston area districts.

In state District 134, held by State Rep. Sarah Davis and State District 138 held by Rep. Dwayne Bohac, Clinton outpointed Trump in 2016. In three other districts -- state House 135 held by Rep. Gary Elkins, District 26 held by Rep. Rick Miller, and District 132 held by Rep. Mike Schofield -- Clinton was within 5 percentage points of winning.

Republicans hold a dominating edge in both the Texas House and Senate. In the House, Republicans have 95 seats compared to 55 for Democrats. In the Texas Senate Republicans hold 20 seats to just 11 for Democrats.

Ward said she knows the math and isn't pretending the NDRC is going to win it all back this year. She said what makes their organization different from past efforts in Texas is that they are here for the long hall. She said they expect to help Democrats make some gains this year and build off those in another four years.

"We're here for the long term," Ward said.

The work in Texas will include helping with litigation to fight what the group calls unconstitutional redistricting, mobilizing communities by create long-term infrastructure to get more of the public engaged in redistricting, and helping Democratic candidates win seats in the Legislature so they can play a bigger role in drawing redistricting maps.

She said Holder will be traveling the country in support of the effort and Obama has made redistricting one of his top post-presidential priorities and is expected to remain engaged in the topic.

Bring it on

The Republican Party of Texas' answer? Bring it on.

"This is just the latest in a series of attempts to mess with Texas by Obama and his administration over the years," Republican Party of Texas Chairman James Dickey said.

He pointed to the Obama network's attempt to help state Sen. Wendy Davis in the 2014 gubernatorial election as example of how futile their work has been.

But Ward says there is clearly a different environment building in America and Texas heading into 2018. Democrats in Texas have a serious contender for the U.S. Senate in Beto O'Rourke, three of the most competitive U.S. House races in America (including the 7th Congressional District in Houston), and Democrats have candidates running in every U.S. House race in Texas.

"All of these are signs of momentum growing," she said.

Manny Garcia, the Texas Democratic Party's Deputy Executive Director, said he's seen a record surge in the number of candidates willing to put themselves up to run for office in state Legislature races and for Congress.

"We need to compete everywhere," Garcia said.

Harris County is a prime example of that. In the nine congressional districts that include Harris County, a record 37 Democrats have qualified for the ballot on March 6.

Garcia said state Democrats welcome the attention from national groups. He said the recognition from group's like Holder's only offers further vindication of the progress Texas Democrats are making.

In 2011, the Texas House had 101 Republicans and 49 Democrats. Since then, Democrats have gained 6 seats and have hopes for more in 2018. In the Senate, though Republicans have a 9 seat edge, Garcia said picking up just two seats would have a big impact on how the Senate operates.

Currently Democrats have few procedural tools to slow down the Republican agenda in Austin. But with two additional seats, Democrats would have enough votes to force Republicans to have to listen to them.

The next redistricting round in Texas is not likely to start until 2021, but Ward said by starting early, her group is building a foundation and helping elect people who will be at the table when new maps are drawn.

"It starts now," Ward said.
Harris County's former jail  now used for county offices that are open to the public  has been flagged for a fire code violation by the Houston Fire Marshal, the second county building this week to come under scrutiny for safety violations.

Red warning stickers were posted on the glass entry doors to the former jail this week after the Houston Chronicle began questioning safety at the nearby Harris County Family Law Center, a building that was pressed into service after Hurricane Harvey despite not having sprinkler systems or sufficient exits.

The former jail, at 1301 Franklin, does not have a sprinkler system either, though it houses offices for the district clerk, the district attorney's office and the public defender's office. The former district attorney's building at 201 Fannin has also been red-tagged, but it has been shuttered for years.

City and county officials have steadfastly maintained the law center and the jail are safe, but fire inspectors have said the buildings could be dangerous in a fire.

"The official position of the HFD is that the City of Houston and Harris County officials have worked closely on this issue to assure public safety and to continue providing critical governmental services during the recovery phase from Tropical Storm Harvey," Houston Fire Chief Samuel Pena said, in a statement released this week.

MORE: Houston Fire Marshal inspector sounds the alarm on courthouse safety

But fire marshals continue to post warning stickers and insist that fire monitors walk the halls of the buildings and schedule special training sessions to develop fire-fighting strategies. On Wednesday, three district chiefs and their crews examined the seven floors of the Family Law Center, at 1115 Congress near San Jacinto, and scheduled a return trip Saturday to map out a strategy.

People who use the buildings said the heightened awareness was overdue, especially at the family law courthouse which now houses 16 misdemeanor courts and is often packed when courts are in session.

"Of course I'm concerned  this is a disaster waiting to happen," said Tucker Graves, president of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association. "I know we had to go somewhere but that probably wasn't the place to go. That place was supposed to be torn down."

Graves said he is worried the dangerous conditions will continue until 2019 when the 20-story Criminal Justice Center can be reopened after damage from Hurricane Harvey is repaired.

Safer than before

The 12-story former jail is open for business only on the renovated first floor, which accommodates dozens of county staffers, lawyers, defendants and customers of the clerk's office.

MORE: Harris County officials to get update on closed criminal courthouse

On Friday, the red warning signs were posted on the entry doors and a man in a county security screener's uniform had been posted in the building's lobby to patrol and watch for fires. He referred questions to county officials.

"They seem to have remedied the problem with the fire-minders," said Chief Public Defender Alex Bunin. "They're going to have people permanently assigned to just walking around and making sure everything is ok."

A fire monitor has also been posted at the Family Law Center, though no red-tag warning has been posted on the doors.

The law center  which sees 2,500 people per day or about 55,000 per month  a memorandum of understanding was signed by County Judge Ed Emmett and Mayor Sylvester Turner granting a waiver to the city's fire code requirements. The requirement that the red warning sticker be placed on the door was also waived.

Pena, the fire chief, said the building was safer than before the memo was signed.

"The fire watch/standby requirements and safety plan developed for the (Family Law Center) are in line with adopted fire code and consistent with recognized good practice for providing a reasonable level of life safety in existing buildings," he said in a statement. "The addition of dedicated fire watch personnel at the Harris County Family Law Building, whose only duty is to perform constant patrols of the protected premise and keep watch for fires, provides a higher level of safety than existed before the MOU was implemented."

MORE: Hurricane Harvey damage to Harris County criminal courthouse under review

The mayor agreed, and said the plan was vetted more than two months ago.

"We all sat down and worked out a plan that would be able to utilize it but also to be safe," he said. "The protocol that was put together, the memorandum of understanding that was worked out, was worked out with the fire department right at the table along with the Harris County fire marshal.

It's even more safe because you have people that are there throughout the entire time period literally eyeballing the situation."

MORE: Prosecutors, attorneys cut 'Harvey deals' in jail basement as flood-damaged courthouse is repaired

A spokesman for Emmett, Joe Stinebaker, said county officials would do anything necessary to keep the buildings safe.

"We are not going to put people into buildings that are deemed unsafe," he said. "If the city fire marshal's office says that's unsafe, we pull the people out. If they say it is safe with certain remediating actions, we take the remediating actions or we pull the people out."

He added, "The judge has been assured by the city fire marshal that that building is safe; the Harris County fire marshal has been assured by the city fire marshal that that building is safe."

'We needed the space'

Harris County Engineer John Blount said the county considered other possibilities for the displaced courthouse staff and courts, but settled on the family law center because it's large and close to the rest of the courthouse complex.

"Harvey came and we needed the space," Blount said. "How many vacant courthouses do you think are sitting around town? The answer is none."

He said city code allows buildings to not have sprinklers if they do not have occupied floors more than 75 feet off the ground. Moreover, he said having trained inspectors patrolling the building on a "fire watch" could be "as effective" if not more so than a sprinkler system.

The former district attorney's building  the third building flagged for fire code violations  has been closed for at least a decade, with the doors boarded up. It is not accessible to the public.

Chronicle reporters Mihir Zaveri and Mike Morris contributed to this report.

Brian Rogers is the legal affairs reporter for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on twitter at @brianrinjrogers or email him at brian.rogers@chron.com.
Some early employees of Alphabet's smart-home company Nest, including co-founder Tony Fadell, are frustrated by how the company's history has played out now that it has been rolled back into Google.

Google bought Nest for $3.2 billion in early 2014, less than two years before it blew up its corporate structure to form the holding company Alphabet. Under Alphabet, Nest became an independent company and was heralded as the model business in the "Other Bets" category, which also includes Alphabet's venture capital arms, its smart city project Sidewalk and other experimental businesses.

But looking back, these early former employees say that the split ended up being a setback for both companies.

"From the outside it looked like Nest was the perfect poster child for Alphabet but, at the same time, separating it was undoing the thing that was most essential for both companies  figuring out how to make them work together," former Nest CEO Tony Fadell tells CNBC via email.

Fadell stepped down as CEO of Nest in mid-2016 after a turbulent year that included product issues and missed revenue targets. Some employees had complaints about his management style as well, as highlighted in an expose by The Information.

Google reportedly tried to sell the company in 2016, but ended up keeping it.

This week, the company said that bringing Nest back into the fold would help it "supercharge" the company's mission. However, that phrasing felt ironic to another former Nest employee, who requested anonymity because he feared repercussions from his former employer.

This employee worked at Nest since 2011, when it was still independent, and says that when Google CEO Larry Page came to Nest employees before the acquisition, he pledged that Google would accelerate Nest's mission.

"But that didn't last two years," this person says.

Once Nest was turned into a separate company within the Alphabet family, there were no incentives for Google and Nest employees to work together. Nest and Google even worked simultaneously on extremely similar products, including a protocol for smart-home products to talk to each other.

"I think it would have helped had the M&A team had put something in place in the early days to structure and incentivize Google and us in a way that would have led to more cooperation," a third early former employee says.

The real pain point came when Amazon released its smart speaker, Echo, in 2014. As it grew into a hit, Google subsequently increased its own focus on the home. But with Nest as a separate company, employees there were largely kept in the dark about Google's efforts, and vice versa.

"The rise of digital assistants in smart speakers and many other household objects has upended the idea of maintaining a separate company focused on the home," Forrester analyst Frank Gillett tells CNBC, adding that Google now needs to make up for the time it lost by quickly roll out better integration between Nest hardware products and Google artificial intelligence.

To Fadell, that should have already happened.

"Nest was acquired by Google for a specific reason," Fadell says. "I pitched it as 'We are the senses and you are the brain.' For the sake of Nest customers and talent, I hope they follow through on their commitment they made to us 4 years ago instead of trying to sell it off like they did just 2 years ago."

Nest did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

On earnings calls, Google has highlighted Nest as one of the few "Other Bets" that generates considerable revenue, alongside healthcare company Verily and internet service Fiber. Now that Nest is no longer an "Other Bet," revenue in that category could drop in Alphabet's next earnings report.

The re-merger could also result in employee attrition, as Nest workers once again find themselves part of a much larger company.

Nest's other co-founder, Matt Rogers, just announced that he plans to depart the company in the next few months. One of the early employees CNBC spoke to says that they have already received several anxiety-ridden phone calls from people who are still at Nest who are worried about how their roles will change post-merger. Titles and roles are still being ironed out, this person says, although Google has confirmed that current Nest CEO, Marwan Fawaz, will now be reporting to Google hardware boss Rick Osterloh.

Reflecting on his more than five years at Nest, that former employees laughs ruefully: "It was like a soap opera."
President Donald Trump pauses while speaking to reporters in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S. February 9, 2018.

President Donald Trump on Friday refused to allow public disclosure of a Democratic response to a contentious House Republican memo on the FBI's Russia probe  which Trump approved for release last week.

In a letter to the House Intelligence Committee, White House counsel Don McGahn said that the president is unable to declassify the Democrats' memo.

"Although the President is inclined to declassify the February 5th Memorandum, because the Memorandum contains numerous properly classified and especially sensitive passages, he is unable to do so at this time," McGahn writes.

On Twitter Saturday, Trump blasted the document as "very political" and that it needed to be "heavily redacted" in order to prevent classified information from being disclosed.

Trump response

The letter from McGahn also cites and includes a note from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and FBI Director Christopher Wray that says they had "concerns" about the Democrats' memo related to "longstanding principles regarding the protection of intelligence sources and methods, ongoing investigations, and other similarly sensitive information."

Trump declassified the GOP memo over the objections of Rosenstein and Wray.

McGahn's letter said the White House would review another draft of the Democrats' memo, should the House intelligence panel work with the Justice Department to make revisions.

"The President encourages the Committee to undertake these efforts," McGahn writes.

The GOP claims that a politically motivated and unverified dossier was used as the basis for extending surveillance warrants against ex-Trump campaign aide Carter Page, who had contacts with Russia. The Democratic memo offers a rebuttal to the Republican memo's allegations.

The House Committee rule used to send the memo to Trump can also be used to bypass him, and appeal directly to the House of Representatives. The Intelligence Committee has the option to vote again to decide whether to refer the disclosure to the House, which will then have its own vote on whether to release their memo.

The dueling memos from different members of the House Intelligence Committee relate to an ongoing investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Mueller is also investigating whether Trump interfered with that inquiry.

Critics of Mueller's probe have used the GOP memo, and other sources, to argue that the inquiry is baseless and spurred by political animus to Trump.

Trump had signaled his willingness to release the Republicans' memo before he had even read it.

The president later said the Republican memo, released by House Intelligence Committee chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., "totally vindicates" Trump from special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into ties between Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and Russia.

Trump tweet "totally vindicates"

Democrats and U.S. intelligence officials had strongly disputed the GOP memo's accuracy before and after its release. Some Republicans likewise disagreed with the conclusions being drawn from that document.

Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., was the only member of the committee cleared to actually read the primary documents from the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court that the memo was based on.

After the memo was released, Gowdy said on Twitter that it did not discredit Mueller's probe.

Gowdy tweet

Trump's refusal to approve the Democrats' memo conflicts with the White House's previous position on the Republican memo.

Asked about the GOP memo in January, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said, "We certainly support full transparency."

"It sounds like there are some members in the House that have some real concern with what's in that memo, and feel very strongly that the American public should be privy to see it," Sanders said at the time.
US Marines come together after having taken part in an amphibian landing excercise in Chonburi on February 17, 2017 during the ten-day multi-nation Cobra Gold military exercise.

In a move seen as largely signaling to China, the Trump administration could soon boost its military presence in East Asia.

The Wall Street Journal reported Friday the Pentagon is considering increasing its Marine Corps Expeditionary Units in East Asia as it draws down its deployments in the Middle East, citing unnamed military officials.

"The Department of Defense continually evaluates how we employ our forces throughout the globe but it would be inappropriate to discuss any ongoing planning," Pentagon spokesman Marine Lt. Col. Christopher Logan told CNBC in a statement.

But some are critical of the plan and believe it could add to tensions with China and North Korea and essentially play on the fear card. Marine expeditionary units are designed to be a quick reaction force with the ability to do everything from crisis response and anti-terrorism to major theater war with other supporting armed forces.

"It plays directly into the concerns and the fears of North Korea that we're actually preparing for an attack," retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Daniel Davis told CNBC. Davis served as an advisor to South Korea's military while on active duty and is now a defense expert at Washington think tank Defense Priorities.

However, adding more special Marine units in Asia shouldn't be seen as a war ramp-up due to the nuclear stalemate with North Korea but rather as a response to counter threats the U.S. military sees over the next four years, the Journal said, citing officials.

Davis also believes it's wrong to send the forces to East Asia in response to Chinese militarizing the South China Sea. "Effective diplomacy can't take place if you have a hammer hanging over the head of your negotiating partner," he said.

That said, Davis believes it's a good idea to start taking U.S. forces out of the Middle East. "It's nothing but a money pit and blood pit ... with no gain to our country," he said. "But we need to bring them home and not send them to Asia where they could potentially be used in a ground war there that would be even more catastrophic."

The possibility of the U.S. sending more Marines to East Asia comes as America's top military officer is touring the Asia-Pacific region to assure allies of America's commitment to deterring threats.

"[There is] no stronger way to demonstrate our commitment to our allies than actually being physically present," Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in remarks to Marines this week during a visit to Australia.

Todd Rosenblum, a nonresident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council's Brent Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, believes it is appropriate to send more U.S. forces to Asia "from a signaling and deterrence standpoint" because China is beefing up its military operations and construction in the region, particularly in the South China Sea.

Rosenblum, a former senior official at the Pentagon during the Obama administration, told CNBC the timing of possibly sending more military forces to East Asia is unfortunate due to the Winter Olympics in South Korea. "But I don't think it's aggravating tensions with North Korea, if you put the timing of the Olympics aside," he said.

"It's a small enough signal, a small enough increase where North Korea could read into it anything it wants to. But I think this [boost in forces] is directed toward China," said Rosenbluth.

Each Marine expeditionary unit consists of an air-ground task force with a strength of up to 2,200 personnel. The Marine expeditionary units are typically stationed aboard ships and also have aircraft assets so they can respond rapidly to any crisis on very short notice.

In previous years, the U.S. Marine unit has conducted amphibious warfare training with South Korean forces, including the annual so-called Key Resolve/Foal Eagle war games on the Korean Peninsula. The joint U.S.-South Korea military exercises are expected to begin after the Olympics.

There are currently Marine expeditionary units forward deployed in Okinawa, Japan. Plans in the works call for moving some of the Marines in Okinawa to the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam, although the timing depends on construction of facilities and funding.

Overall, there are more than 50,000 U.S. men and women in uniform serving in Japan and another 28,000 in South Korea, according to the Pentagon. North Korea leader Kim Jong Un has previously launched tests of ballistic missiles over Japan and also threatened to destroy the island nation with nuclear weapons and turn the U.S. into "ashes and darkness."

There also are some 7,000 U.S. troops in Guam, mostly Air Force and Navy personnel. Last year, North Korea's leader threatened to launch a ballistic missile toward Guam.

The Trump administration's National Security Strategy released in December listed China and Russia as the biggest challenge to American power while also mentioning threats from North Korea and Iran.

China also has threatened to use military force to retake Taiwan if U.S. naval ships dock at Taiwanese ports. Recent media reports suggest China has been conducting more military exercises around Taiwan.

According to the NSS, "[China's] efforts to build and militarize outposts in the South China Sea endanger the free flow of trade, threaten the sovereignty of other nations, and undermine regional stability. China has mounted a rapid military modernization campaign designed to limit U.S. access to the region and provide China a freer hand there."

The administration's National Defense Strategy released last month also cites China's "militarizing features in the South China Sea" as well as North Korea's "outlaw actions," including its ballistic missile threats.

Read the full story from The Wall Street Journal here.
A man views an animatronic life-size dinosaur ahead of an interactive exhibition, Jurassic Kingdom, at Osterley Park in west London, Britain, March 31, 2017

Amol Utrankar was in his second year of medical school and working a shift at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Tennessee, when a supervisor asked him to obtain a new patient's medical records.

Utrankar, who was 22 at the time, needed to get the records from a smaller community hospital, where the patient was previously getting treatment. That involved filling out a standard records request form with the patient's signature, and faxing it over.

The only problem? Utrankar did not know how to use a fax machine.

"It was embarrassing," he admitted.

After consulting a nearby nurse, Utrankar learned how to input a number by putting the page in the right slot, physically pressing the buttons, dialing out, and collecting a confirmation fax. But after he sent the request, unlike with email or SMS messages, he had no idea whether the right person had received it.

"I had zero context for how to make it work," said Utrankar.

Utrankar is far from alone. Thousands of would-be doctors from across the country are learning to use outdated technologies like pagers and fax machines for the first time while in medical training. About a dozen medical students told CNBC that they had never seen a fax machine before, let alone operated one.
Vous etes confrontes a une infestation par la puce, la punaise de lit ? Voici plusieurs actions qui sont a mettre en uvre pour faire []
Types of obituaries

The Missourian publishes two types of obituaries  family obituaries and life stories.

A family obituary is the version submitted by a funeral home or family. Please see the submission form for details on cost and deadlines. Family obituaries

A life story is a closer look at a person's life and involves a reporter contacting family and friends. Life stories are based on newsworthiness and consent of the family. Life stories.
BRIT (ish): On Race, Identity and Belonging by Afua Hirsch

I enjoyed this book. Afua Hirsch goes in search of Britishness, and does not find it, but her quest is full of eclectic learning, passionate indignation, and personal experience of both Britain and Ghana which will be new to most of her readers.

One proof of her sincerity lies in her willingness to cite evidence which does not redound entirely to her credit. Sam, her boyfriend and husband, a man of Ghanaian descent who has had a tough start in life in Tottenham, is dismissive of her and her privileged friends:

Listen, in my brain, you lot went to Oxford, you are supposed to be the creme de la creme. You are supposed to be blitzing this life. And there you were, sitting there, so tentative like.

Hirsch is an odd mixture of the tentative and the trenchant. Some readers will find this annoying. Kwasi Kwarteng ended his review with an irascible dismissal of the book as a letter of protest written by a poor little rich girl'.

Born to a father of German Jewish descent and a mother of Ghanaian descent, Hirsch is brought up in a well-off and loving household in Wimbledon and sent to a private school, but never feels at ease being British.

One may say, if one wishes, Grow up and be thankful for all the good things you have. But since this is palpably how she actually feels, that strikes me as a totally inadequate reaction, on a par with saying to someone who is suffering from depression, Pull yourself together  there are millions of people worse off than you.

She finds being of mixed race very difficult, and the way the British are taught not to see race makes matters worse, for it means the subject cannot be discussed.

Just as one is thinking to oneself that class is generally more important than race, she admits this. But race is what matters to her in this book, and she is not to be fobbed off by tiresome efforts on the part of the authorities to demonstrate that her preoccupations have become part of the curriculum: Even more irritating is Black History Months indefatigably celebratory tone.

She is good on being mistaken, when she works at the Guardian and at Sky News, for other black women who look nothing like her. Even more wonderfully, a famous columnist  a middle-aged white man  walks up to her in a restaurant in Westminster and says: Michelle! Can I just say, it is such an honour. The idiot has mistaken her for Michelle Obama, just then on a visit to London, as if the prospect of there being two distinct black females in Westminster at any one time was too implausible.

That line reminded me of How To Be Black, a very funny book by Baratunde Thurston.

Hirsch is too agonised by her predicament to wish very often to be funny, but she has a good ear for comic disparities, as when, in her Acknowledgements, at the end of a list of family members many of whom have African names, she surprises us with Graham Roderick Laurence Oliphant of Oliphant, younger.

She finds that although she performed convincingly in tutorials at Oxford, internally, the atmospheredestroyed my confidence, for she felt constantly face-to-face with my sense of otherness, and later came to understand her behaviour as an experiment in suppressing myself.

So off she goes to Senegal, only to discover, to my endless confusion, how British I was. Later she goes to Ghana, which is full of returnees, people brought up in the UK in the Eighties and Nineties who leave in search of something that truly feels like theirs.

Her neighbours in Accra are scandalised by the way she goes gallivanting round town on journalistic business, and in front of her tell Sam, who arrives in Ghana four months after her: You need to control your wife.

Not a very British thing to say. But although she and Sam met in London, she discovers from her grandmother that by an astonishing chance, or perhaps thanks to some deep-seated affinity, his family comes from the exact village that her own grandfather comes from: The two families have been neighbours for generations.

After she and Sam are set upon by robbers on a beach, who hold a knife to his throat and take her jewellery, she becomes permanently jumpy and terrified for our daughter, and all her romantic ideas of bridge-building and circle-closing come to nothing.

Proud though she is of her African heritage, I really am very British, as Ghanaians have often taken great pains to point out. She feels baffled, and remarks that while reporting on the radicalisation of young British Muslims, she has interviewed dozens who tell her, as a young man in Blackburn puts it:

Im not British, British people wont accept me as British. But Ive never even been to Pakistan, Im not really from Pakistan either. What I do have is, is Islam. Thats the only identity Ive got, its everything to me.

Hirsch does not pretend to have reached an answer to this problem. She says at the end of her book:

Identities are not becoming less important in our globalised world, they are becoming more important than ever. And Britishness is an identity that is excluding a growing number of people who, like me, should be among its core constituents.

She wants a conversation begun in a spirit of honesty, not defensiveness, or fear, or blindness. So here very briefly is my contribution to that conversation.

Britishness is a highly artificial concept, which contains seemingly incompatible elements. The British are very polite, so that quite often one cannot tell what they really mean, but are also at times appallingly rude, so that they seem no better than barbarians.

They  or perhaps I should say we, for I too am a Briton  are at once very repressed and very free; very educated and very ignorant; very cosmopolitan and very insular.

One will never get to the heart of Britishness by looking at race, interesting and significant though that subject certainly is, for as Hirsch says, racially we are and in many ways always have been a complete mixture.

The best way to define Britishness is to look at our politics. The term developed as a convenient way of describing the by no means entirely consistent or admirable amalgam of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland which forms the United Kingdom.

As citizens of this British nation, we share various institutions. One is the monarchy, whose symbolic value should not be underrated, and which acts as a check on tyranny, for any tyrant would need to fill the space occupied by the monarch.

But ever since the 17th century, Parliament has asserted its supremacy over the monarch, and today, all Britons over the age of 18 have the (not always exercised) right to elect Members of Parliament.

The House of Commons is the essential British institution. It is constantly evolving, and is just now becoming, thanks to Brexit, particularly significant. In recent decades, it has acquired many more women members, and many more who are descended from recent immigrants.

The Labour Party was on the whole better at recruiting and integrating these new arrivals into our politics, though to the Conservative Party fell the honour of providing the first Prime Minister of Jewish descent  Benjamin Disraeli, whose grandfather had emigrated from Italy to London in 1748  and the first two women Prime Ministers.

The racial harmony that springs from a sense of belonging, of being really British, can only be achieved by political means. It is through our fluid and imperfect politics that we conduct the conversation which Hirsch quite rightly wants, and to which, with this book, she has made such a distinctive and thought-provoking contribution.
Start-up automation-related companies, drones, 3-D printing, and space missions are among the expanding uses for automation, as explained at the 2018 A3 Business Forum in Orlando in January. Innovation also creates and extends interest in engineering automation.

Automation is being applied for humanitarian benefits through additive manufacturing and drone technologies, helping in remote geographical or economic situations, including space travel, explained Dr. Julielynn Wong, MD, MPH, who is founder, chairman, and CEO of 3D4MD.

3-D printing, drones, space

Wong challenged assembled automation leaders (about 650 were expected) to sponsor a 3-D printer make-a-thon to address a humanitarian need. A side benefit, she suggested, is doing so often attracts an equal number of women and men and often appeals to younger talent automation-minded companies try to attract and retain. Automation technologies used in 3-D printing include: sensors, actuators, motion controllers, motors, a network, a human-machine interface (HMI), and software to translate the 3-D object map into motion coordinates.

3-D printing projects, applications

Wong brought a carry-on-sized 3-D printer to the presentation and set it to work on stage printing a part. Technology advances have progressed making printers smaller.

In 2015, while listening in on astronaut communications on the International Space Station (ISS), someone said, "I wish I had a tool of this size." Two weeks later, NASA was uploading a digital file to the ISS. In space, its easier to have digital files than actual parts or tools for every possibility, especially for longer missions, she explained.

When used for health care, low-cost 3-D printing may mean more patients get care more quickly, especially in areas that may not have specialized medical care. That would include space. Astronauts cannot take everything needed into space, but they can bring or uplink 3-D files for medical supplies.

Drone projects and applications

Drone technology also is widely accessible and have potential to help, especially those 1 billion people who live on less than $2 per day. Drones are used to speed drugs, lab samples, medical supplies, and food in critical situations. Automation technologies used in drones may include: motion controllers, motors, sensors, vision system, actuators, GPS, HMIs (which may include augment reality display and or smartphone interface), wireless communications, and onboard networking.

Sponsoring a medical make-a-thon to address a humanitarian need can help decrease the 9-month average wait for resources in the field. Wong noted a mission to resupply Mars explorers would be about the same.

Startup in robotics

Startup companies offering various new automation-related technologies included a pick-and-place robotic arm designed to mount on mobile robots, a vision-guided robot without position or force sensors, robotic grippers, simple machine monitoring, and a talent assessment and development dashboard software. Think again about how to excite and involve the next generation in automation-related engineering.

Mark T. Hoske is content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media, mhoske@cfemedia.com.

ONLINE EXTRA

Read more about 3-D printing, drones, and automation startups in two online articles below.
Alfresco Software, a developer of open-source enterprise content and business process management applications, agreed Thursday to an acquisition by Boston-based private equity firm Thomas H. Lee Partners.

Alfresco CMO Sydney Sloan told CRN the deal makes sense from a strategic perspective, as it will infuse the company with cash to scale in a competitive market that's in transition.

With funding from the private equity firm, Alfresco will be in a stronger position to disrupt that business process automation market faster than it already is doing, she said.

[Related: Business Outsourcer Premier BPO Acquires dinCloud, A VDI And Cloud Services Provider]

"The strategy for growth is one that T H Lee invested in. It's Alfresco's strategy as well. Growing faster than the market, that is the continued plan," Sloan told CRN.

"From the perspective of our customers and partners, it's business as usual," she added.

The private equity firm has a track record of expanding the market opportunity for companies it invests in, Sloan said.

"That is the investment strategy they follow," Sloan said of Thomas H. Lee Partners, adding the private equity firm had been eyeing the market for awhile before making an offer to Alfresco.

The software company, founded in 2005 with dual headquarters in San Mateo, Calif. and Maidenhead, U.K., has more than 1,300 customers using its cloud-based platform for managing content and automating business processes. Those customers include Cisco Systems, Bank of NY Mellon, Liberty Mutual, Capital One, U.S. Department of the Navy and NASA, according to a statement.

Alfresco has been focused in recent years on scaling its channel efforts after introducing a new partner program in 2016 with the goal of driving more revenue through partners.
Private equity giant Thoma Bravo has purchased a majority stake in Nintex, a workflow automation software vendor that's one of the fastest growing Microsoft technology partners.

The Chicago-based investment firm is asserting itself as a significant player in the IT sector with a string of high-profile acquisitions in recent years, most recently Barracuda Networks. The Nintex transaction should complete by March, though further terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Nintex generated more than $100 million in revenue last year and is profitable. With the latest funding from a major Software-as-a-Service investor, the company will invest in driving organic growth while evaluating acquisitions, Kristin Treat, senior communications executive at Nintex, told CRN.

"Our technology strategy and programs will continue as before, so our partners and customers will not see any change in the direction of our mission to make them successful," Treat said via email.

[Related: New Partner Portal Ignites Massive Channel Growth For Nintex]

"Nintex will continue to drive its aggressive strategy to the benefit of its customers and partners and will extend its market leadership for the long term," Nintex Chairman and CEO John Burton said in a prepared statement.

Once the deal closes, Burton will step down as CEO, and Eric Johnson, the company's CFO for the last four years, will take the top leadership position. Before joining Nintex, Johnson was vice president of finance at Jive Software during a period in which the collaboration software developer went public.

About a dozen years ago, Nintex spun off as a business division of an Australian systems integrator with a successful Microsoft SharePoint practice.

Today, the company headquartered not far from Microsoft in Bellevue, Wash., delivers intelligent process automation through the Nintex Workflow Cloud to nearly 8,000 global enterprise customers.

Recent technological alliances with Box and Salesforce have made it possible to manage business processes within those popular applications.

Thoma Bravo shook up the security market at the end of 2014 with a deal to acquire Riverbed Technologies for $3.6 billion. The private equity giant teamed with Silver Lake to buy IT infrastructure management vendor SolarWinds for $4.5 billion in October 2015. Last year, it purchased IT security management vendor Continuum in June, and Barracuda for $1.6 billion in November.

Earlier this week, private equity firm Thomas H. Lee Partners agreed to a full acquisition of Alfresco Software, another vendor of business process management solutions.
Eaton is pushing its channel partners to think beyond the data center and look to new opportunities in power management around edge computing and the Internet of Things.

Herve Tardy, vice president and general manager for the Distributed Power Quality Division in the Americas for Raleigh, N.C.-based Eaton, told partners at this week's Eaton Partner Summit that the IT market is being driven in part by disruptions caused by a push to get everything connected.

Tardy cited the recent CES show as a place where vendors were showing connected toilet paper holders to let people know when to replace a roll, connected egg trays for checking the egg count remotely, and connected cows to help farmers raise cattle more efficiently.

[Related: Eaton's Brad Amano, 54, Leaves Legacy Of Friendship, Channel Leadership]

"The connected cow is a reality," he said. "We're talking IoT."

For now, Tardy said, IoT is still in its infancy, but early market entrants in IoT can find the edge computing resources required by IoT deployments to be a likely path to produce new UPS sales.

"You will not become excited about a new UPS technology," he said.

Edge computing is a way to move data processing away from the core data center out to the edge of the network closer to where the data is collected while maintaining connectivity to the core data center.

At the edge, one will typically find servers and appliances with a lot of automation but no IT staff, he said. Many of those devices might be expected to run 10, 20 or more years without human intervention, which plays well into Eaton's power management technology.

Eaton even now still sells products based on 40-year-old technology. At the same time, the company is in the process of switching from lead-acid batteries, which need to be replaced every three to four years, to lithium-ion, or Li-ion, batteries which need to be replaced every 10 years, Tardy said.

"Eaton enables IoT solutions," he said.

Eaton is already making the right moves to be a big part of the IoT business, said John Kuo, CEO of Neutron USA, a State College, Pa.-based solution provider and Eaton channel partner that is already helping manufacturers apply IoT technology to medical devices, packaging machines, and other products.

While IoT is still in the early stages of adoption, Eaton is positioning itself well to be a part of the business, Kuo told CRN.

"Eaton is keeping it simple," he said. "They're not trying to do a wide range of product lines, but are instead focusing on power management with a particular effort on the software. They're on the right track."

Kevin Mullin, vice president of sales at A-Trac Computer Sales and Service, a Waltham, Mass.-based solution provider and Eaton channel partner with a focus on tying IoT with big data in the health care market, said his company is doing a lot on the edge with medical devices and wearable devices.

"We're seeing customers deploy in server closets because they can't afford any latency with their devices," Mullin told CRN.

Many of those devices depend on applications that take advantage of artificial intelligence, which can be very power-intensive, Mullin said. "Those applications might require a long time to finish," he said. "So uptime is critical, meaning a big need for power management."
Apple is launching shipments of its HomePod smart speaker Friday, but by all accounts, the emphasis with HomePod is much more on the speaker than on the smarts.

The CRN Test Center was not offered a tryout unit of the $349 HomePod, but multiple reviews confirm that Siri on the HomePod lacks some basic voice assistant capabilities, such as managing your calendar (not even your Apple calendar).

[Related: 10 Cool Smart Home Assistants At CES 2018]

The HomePod version of Siri reportedly cannot read out calendar entries or add new onessomething that the iPhone version of Siri can do just fine.

By contrast, the assistants in three other smart speakers that we've tried at the CRN Test CenterAlexa in the Amazon Echo, Google Assistant in the Google Home, and Cortana in the Harman Kardon Invokeare adept at managing calendars.

Amazon's Echo supports all of the major calendar appsGoogle, Microsoft (Outlook/Office 365/Exchange) and Apple. Google Home only supports the Google calendar, while the Invoke supports both Google and Microsoft calendars.

In terms of business uses for voice assistants, Apple's lack of support in HomePod for even basic features that businesspeople would appreciatesuch as calendarsdoesn't bode well for Apple's future in the B2B voice assistant space.

"Apple's not that strong in enterprise, other than on BYOD," said Michael Oh, CTO of Cambridge, Mass.-based solution provider TSP. "Clearly, there are a lot of Siri devices out there, but they've barely been able to leverage Siri in the home environment, much less in business. I think it's between Google and Amazon."

A few other typical smart speaker tasks that the HomePod reportedly can't do: find a recipe, make a phone call or summon an Uber (although Apple CEO Tim Cook claimed the HomePod works with Uber during an earnings call last week).

"Siri on HomePod is embarrassingly inadequate, even though that is the primary way you interact with it," wrote Brian Chen in his review of HomePod for The New York Times. "Siri is sorely lacking in capabilities compared with Amazons Alexa and Googles Assistant. Siri doesnt even work as well on HomePod as it does on the iPhone."

What does the HomePod do, then? Its chief selling point appears to be a high-quality speaker for using the Apple Music service--but not any other rival services. By contrast, Google Home and Amazon Echo each support both Spotify and Pandora, in addition to their own respective music services (though they reportedly fall far short of HomePod on audio quality).

Even when handling interactions with Apple Music, Siri is far from a joy to use on the HomePod, according to Chen. "Whenever I asked HomePod to 'play some music,' it never played music that was relevant to my preferences or listening history," he wrote, even though Apple has claimed that HomePod will excel at learning user's musical tastes.

From the look of it, Apple sees HomePod mainly as a way to extend the reach of its Apple Music service, not Siri.

After failing to capitalize on the lead it had on voice assistants by launching Siri back in 2011, Apple appears to have missed a big opportunity with Siri yet again with HomePod.
Apple is contending that the posting of iOS source code online will not affect iPhone security, but enterprise mobility solution providers aren't so sure.

"To allow this type of leak could be damaging to the strides [Apple has] made in securing their OS," said Paul Troisi, chief customer officer at Peabody, Mass.-based Troy Mobility. "There have been so many vulnerabilities that have surfaced over the past couple of years and for them to lose care, custody and control of the most important aspect of their OS is shocking."

[Related: Apple Security Risks Keep Rising As iPhone Source Code Leaks]

Source code for iOS, the iPhone's operating system, was posted on code-sharing site GitHub, and then reportedly removed after a request from Apple that cited copyright law.

The so-called iBoot source code is involved in securely booting up iPhones, and was actually a part of iOS 9 -- although it's likely to still be a part of the current version of iPhone operating system software, iOS 11, reports said.

The exposure of the code could raise the risk of hacking and jailbreaking activity related to Apple's iPhone, according to reports.

In a statement to CRN, Apple downplayed the impact of the source code leak.

"Old source code from three years ago appears to have been leaked, but by design the security of our products doesn't depend on the secrecy of our source code," Apple said in its statement. "There are many layers of hardware and software protections built into our products, and we always encourage customers to update to the newest software releases to benefit from the latest protections."

Troisi, however, told CRN that he does believe there's a heightened risk of exploits as a result of the iPhone source code leak.

"The goal is to stay one step ahead of the bad guys. If you give them an opening, they will exploit it," he said. "It may take them a little while, but they could exploit that OS. Even though [Apple] claims the code is from three years ago, we still see iOS 9 floating around on older devices. Not common, but still out there on older hardware. And due to the age of the hardware, an upgrade to the newest version may not be possible."

Jay Gordon, vice president of sales at Plano, Texas-based Honeywell Enterprise Mobility, called the incident "a significant situation for Apple, which differentiates itself on being a closed, highly secure platform."

The development "proves that third-party security software from the likes of MobileIron, AirWatch, SOTI and others remains a needed part of any mobility strategy to thwart jailbreaking and intrusions to the enterprise," Gordon said.

Douglas Grosfield, founder and CEO of Kitchener, Ontario-based Five Nines IT Solutions, said the incident raises other questions about Apple, as well.

"How did the code get leaked out?" Grosfield said. "Basic technologies such as data leakage protection should keep that kind of thing from happening."

The iPhone source code leak follows other recent Apple security issues including a bug in macOS High Sierra that allowed access simply by typing in the username "root," as well as the so-called "Fruitfly" malware, which could be used for such surveillance activities as taking webcam photos and capturing keystrokes. Mac users saw a 240 percent increase in malware during the first three quarters of 2017, according to cybersecurity vendor Malwarebytes.

In terms of iPhone security, a cyberattack that could involve taking over an iPhone user's camera and microphone if a user clicked a text message link was revealed in August 2016. That same month, Apple revealed a bug bounty program to pay researchers that uncover security vulnerabilities in its products.
In a move that will expand on video conferencing market leader LogMeIn's unified communications (UC) and collaboration strategy, the company revealed plans on Thursday to acquire cloud-based UC provider Jive Communications for $342 million, plus up to $15 million in incentives.

Boston-based LogMeIn said that the purchase will add Jive's portfolio of cloud-based phone systems and UC solutions to its own existing suite of collaboration and video products. These include GoToMeeting, GoToWebinar, OpenVoice. The deal will also bring Jive's substantial channel expertise to the table.

"Jive has a very strong channel program, and it's something we're very excited about. [Jive] has a deeper expertise in channels than we do  it's something historically LogMeIn has not been focused on. We think we can learn from Jive's strong [channel business] and leverage across our whole portfolio," Bill Wagner, president and CEO of LogMeIn said during a Thursday morning conference call about the acquisition.

[Related: 5 Telecom Updates Solution Providers Should Check Out Right Now]

The two companies expect the deal, which is subject to regulatory approvals, to close during the second quarter of 2018. A spokesperson for LogMeIn told CRN that the company will have more specific details on how Jive's channel program will be integrated into its business after the deal closes.

Jive Communications, a privately-held Orem, Utah-based startup currently serves about 20,000 customers worldwide. The company has focused primarily on hosted VoIP for enterprise users as these customers have been moving off legacy voice services in favor of VoIP and cloud-based solutions.

In addition to the U.S., Jive has offices in Canada and Latin America. The company has raised about $31 million in funding since it was founded in 2006.

By comparison, LogMeIn, a web conferencing and events market leader, currently serves 25 million users to date.

Jives success in UCaaS is a testament to its modern cloud-based platform, its deliberate focus on customer satisfaction, and its renowned culture of innovation. We believe the combination of Jives award-winning voice, video, contact center and mobile applications with our leading collaboration products  will give LogMeIn one of the best and most comprehensive UCC offerings in the market, Wagner said of the deal in a statement.

Jive Communications offers three VoIP partner models, including a reseller, referral, and an authorized partner program for solution providers selling its hosted voice, cloud contact center, voice and mobile solutions. LogMeIn launched its first channel program geared toward MSP partners in 2013. Today, the company has a referral partner program for VARs, systems integrators and solution providers.

Via the terms of the deal, John Pope, the CEO of Jive Communications, is expected to continue to run the Jive Communications business and will report directly to Wagner.
VoIP provider CoreDial has acquired contact center provider Voice4Net to combine UCaaS with customer engagement tools to give channel partners a more compelling sales opportunity, the company told CRN exclusively.

CoreDial, a channel-only company, said that once it integrates its own contact center technology with Voice4Net's solutions, partners can expect to earn up to a 40 percent margin on contact center sales -- that's double the 15 percent to 20 percent margin that most solution providers are earning today on the same technology.

"Voice4Net's omni-channel platform has attracted a number of customer over the years, large and small. We believe the features and functions will allow us to compete very favorably against companies like InContact, RingCentral and Vonage, through our partners," Alan Rihm, CEO of CoreDial, told CRN.

[Related: CoreDial Puts Partners In Driver's Seat With Platform Updates, BroadWorks Integration ]

Financial terms of the deal are not being disclosed.

Blue Bell, Pa.-based CoreDial was torn between building or buying customer interaction tools, but after partnering with Voice4Net, the two companies decided to combine their assets. CoreDial plans on integrating Voice4Net's Interactive voice response (IVR) and WebRTC-based contact center technology, including text, SMS mobile customer engagement, voice and call routing, into its existing cloud communications platform.

Voice4Net's contact center solutions today integrate with Salesforce.com and will soon integrate with several other industry-leading platforms, including Broadsoft, the company said.

CoreDial today has more than 800 channel partners, with 90 partners alone joining the program last quarter, according to Rihm. Voice4Net has a small channel program consisting of agent partners, which CoreDial will inherit.

Solution providers haven't had a contact center offering available through CoreDial. These partners have had to go to separate vendors for these solutions, often earning between 15 percent and 20 percent margins on this product set, typically in an agent partner model. CoreDial solution providers today earn between 50 percent and 60 percent margins on its cloud communications through its reseller partner programs. Voice4Net's contact center solutions, integrated with the CoreDial platform, is estimated to offer these MSP and reseller partners up to a 40 percent to 50 percent margin, Rihm said.

"Our platform and method of going to market helps our channel realize that kind of margin," he said.

And partners will earn monthly recurring revenue on the contact center solutions, the same model they get paid for virtually all of CoreDial's services today, he added.

"Now partners have mobile, UC, and will have contact center on top of a really robust service delivery platform. It's a complete solution," Rihm said.

In addition to selling Voice4Net's contact center integrated with CoreDial's UCaaS platform, partners will also be able to sell contact center as a stand-alone, SaaS product. Partners will have access to the contact center solutions beginning after March.

Rick McFarland, Voice4Net's CEO, is joining CoreDial as vice president of contact center solutions, reporting to CoreDial CTO Don Nawrocki. Voice4Net's staff, including its engineers, will also be joining CoreDial.
Check Point said its new subscription bundle provides customers with holistic security protection while reducing their total cost of operations.

The San Carlos, Calif.-based company said Infinity Total Protection could boost partner margins by 15 percent to 20 percent as compared with selling the individual network hardware, network software, endpoint, cloud and mobile components separately, said Pierre-Paul Allard, EVP of worldwide sales. It's very difficult for partners to avoid falling into a fulfillment role when selling point products, he said.

"When you're looking at everything on a piece-part basis, the competitive world around us has created price wars on every single deal we do," Allard told CRN. "We've simplified the way partners can sell, taking away the price point and making it much more of a value proposition."

[Related: Check Point Launches Advertising, Co-Op, Digital Marketing Offensive To Boost Brand Awareness]

Selling the entire Infinity platform as a per-user, per-year subscription allows partner-delivered services and integration capabilities to take center stage, Allard said. Roughly a dozen Check Point customers have piloted Infinity Total Protection since it launched in beta in December, Allard said, with adoption expected to accelerate following this week's CPX 360 conference in Las Vegas.

Customers in the pilot program, meanwhile, enjoyed a 25 to 35 percent reduction in operating costs, compared with buying the piece parts and providing the software licenses and support on their own, Allard said. Having a full architectural play out of the gate allows customers to avoid the costs associated with ongoing management, licenses and operation of the security components, Allard said.

"If we're developing and promoting product sets and architectural views to customers, we need to price from an architectural standpoint," Allard said. "Customers are looking for consumption models, defining the application needs for each user, and achieving the architectural play that they're looking for."

Although Check Point offers the subscription on a per-year basis, Allard said most customers opt for at least a three-year deal, with some clients locking in a five-year subscription. Longer-term contracts offer more benefits, Allard said, particularly as it relates to price stability.

"It takes a while to put this together," Allard said. "They don't want to spend three months of every year negotiating a 12-month contract, and then do it again."

Check Point is willing to mix and match any combination of its threat prevention, network security, cloud security, mobile security and data protection capabilities into a client's Infinity Total Protection toolset, with the price of the bundle varying based on the numbers of users and the capabilities being deployed.

Allard believes customers will get more out of Infinity Total Protection if they're leveraging the cloud, mobile, management and orchestration capabilities and not just using it to procure firewalls or other core technology.

"The more you consume, the better it is for you," Allard said. "That's really where the advantage lies."

Check Point found during the pilot program that Infinity Total Protection still holds value for clients that aren't the size of General Motors or JP Morgan Chase, Allard said. Small and midsized businesses can just scale down the services or support provided to fit the needs of their company, he said.

Larger customers often opted to procure Infinity Total Protection for a small subset of their workers rather than making it a full architectural play across their whole employee base, Allard said. For instance, Allard said a European bank purchased Total Protection just for its financial markets team since they face the greatest security risk, and will apply the lessons learned there to the rest of the company.

"There's no customer too little or too big to absorb this," Allard said.

NTSec has discussed Infinity Total Protection with a couple of clients and is hoping to show that customers will benefit from the new consumption model, according to Bruno Nobrega, CIO of the Brasilia, Brazil-based solution provider.

The cost-benefit of Total Protection starts to make sense for NTSec clients that have at least 500 users, Nobrega said. Adoption of the all-inclusive offering will allow NTSec customers to leverage the full value of Check Point's platform, Nobrega said, rather than doing specific projects or buying next-generation firewalls on an ad-hoc basis.

The current process of pricing 30 different security items or modules for each enterprise or mid-market customer can be very complicated, according to Michael Yassin, president of Mississauga, Ontario-based Conexsys Communications. But Infinity Total Protection will allow Conexsys to avoid having to explain individual pieces of technology to the CFO and simplify the company's message to the marketplace.

"The customers will react very positively to a single price," Yassin said.
Cloud-based data protection software developer Zerto this week unveiled the latest version of its software which is focused on multi-cloud capabilities.

Zerto Virtual Replication 6.0 provides inter-cloud and intra-cloud data protection and workload mobility between Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services, IBM Cloud, and others to give customers a single platform to tie customers to their cloud of choice, said Rob Strechay, senior vice president of the Boston-based company.

Zerto broke ground in 2011 with hypervisor-based backups but is now moving beyond VMware-to-VMware or Hyper-V-to-Hyper-V replication, or between hypervisors, Strechay told CRN.

[Related: 30 New Storage Products Partners Can Use For Cloud Or Virtualized Environments]

"We're focused on the fact that we live in a multi-cloud world today, and need a single platform that can bring it together for customers," he said. "If a customer wants to use any of 350 cloud service providers with Azure or another cloud, they can now do it."

With Zerto Virtual Replication 6.0, customers get an any-to-any data protection offering that will bring them back after data loss to where they want to be, Strechay said.

"The can bring data from Azure to Azure, from Azure to AWS, from AWS to on-premises, from the IBM Cloud to a cloud solution provider like SunGard [Availability Services] or iLand," he said. "We really think we're unique in our support of multi-cloud needs."

Strechay admitted that Zerto Virtual Replication 6.0 is not yet available for Google Cloud Platform. "We haven't seen a lot of traction with Google in our customer base," he said. "But watch this space. We have it on our roadmap."

Zerto Virtual Replication 6.0 takes advantage of Zerto Analytics, a monitoring and measure tool the company released about a year ago. The new ZVR 6.0 release takes advantage of Zerto Analytics to look at bandwidth usage and help customers understand potential bottlenecks, bandwidth issues, and other issues in multi-cloud environments, Strechay said.

The company is also enhancing the scalability of ZVR with the new 6.0 release to let customers use it with 10,000 virtual machines and 10,000 virtualization protection groups, he said.

Zerto also has enhanced APIs to bring ZVR to VMware vCloud Director environments, Strechay said. "VMware is a great partner, especially on the vCloud Director multitenant side," he said.

Zerto has been a big part of eGroup's transformation from a traditional solution provider to one that can now solidly compete with born-in-the-cloud partners, said Mike Carter, founder and principal of the Mt. Pleasant, S.C.-based solution provider and Zerto channel partner.

Just a few years ago, eGroup was relying on classic tools like EMC Recover Point and Storage Resource Manager (SRM) to add some level of automation to disaster recovery customers, Carter told CRN.

"Then Zerto hit our radar," he said. "What's not to like? The 6.0 release is fully embracing the cloud. Zerto provides a data motion automation tool that helps our customers embrace the cloud."

In 2017, eGroup started its new MSP practice on a combination of Microsoft Azure and Zerto, and discovered how Zerto really opens up opportunities, Carter said.

"I love the idea of choice," he said. "You create choice, and then you create competition. Zerto put themselves in a great position with a single platform for data protection and data availability with automated capabilities to send workloads straight to the cloud."

Zerto relies on a channel-only model for sales. Partners include disaster recovery-as-a-service providers, a large Zerto solution provider network, and the Hewlett Packard Enterprise channel network thanks to a relationship between the two vendors, Strechay said.
Carnival Cruise Line today announced the deployment of Carnival Panorama to Long Beach in 2019  the first new Carnival ship based in Southern California in 20 years according to the company; the grand re-opening of its 146,000-square-foot state-of-the-art Long Beach Cruise Terminal, and a multi-million-dollar port development project in Ensenada, Mexico, according to a statement.

The new ship debuts in fall of 2019 on week-long cruises from Long Beach to the Mexican Riviera.

The Panorama is the third Vista-class ship for the company, following the Carnival Vista and Carnival Horizon.

The announcement was made by Carnival President Christine Duffy in Long Beach, California at a VIP ceremony officially unveiling the enhancements to the newly upgraded cruise terminal with travel agents, port officials, local dignitaries and media in attendance.

This is a momentous occasion for both Carnival and the City of Long Beach  not only are we celebrating the grand re-opening of this magnificent cruise terminal, but also demonstrating our commitment to the West Coast with the deployment of the spectacular new Carnival Panorama in 2019 and the announcement of an exciting new port development project in Ensenada, said Duffy. The West Coast is an important market with vast growth potential and these initiatives further demonstrate the confidence in our future success in Long Beach. We are very much looking forward to having Carnival Panorama homeported here beginning next year.

The expansion of the terminal and arrival of this exciting new ship is great news for the city of Long Beach, underscoring Carnivals longstanding commitment to our community while adding additional opportunities for growing our economy and promoting all that our wonderful city has to offer, said Robert Garcia, mayor of Long Beach. Carnival has been an excellent partner for 15 years and we look forward to working with them for many years to come.
WASHINGTON  Connecticuts all-Democrat congressional delegation did not like every aspect of the two-year budget deal that passed House and Senate in the wee hours Friday, but in the end they viewed it as more good than bad  and voted for it.

Like any agreement that is the result of extensive negotiation between two sides with deeply held and differing convictions, this bill isnt perfect, said Rep. Elizabeth Esty, who along with the rest of the Connecticut delegation in the House voted at 5:30 a.m. Friday to send the agreement to President Donald Trumps desk for signature.

I believe that we could and should have found more fiscally responsible ways to pay for this agreement than we have, Esty said. But Im certain that the benefits of this bill outweigh its drawbacks for Connecticut.

Left undone is any consideration of extending the legal status of 700,000 young immigrants  the Dreamers granted to them under then-President Obamas Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals order. Dreamers were brought to the U.S. illegally as children and argue that deportation would send them back to homelands theyve never known.

Trump canceled it last September, setting the clock ticking down to a March 5 deadline, after which all recipients would be in the U.S. illegally if Congress fails to act.

We are disappointed that Congress failed to do its job, said Lucas Codognolla, executive director of Connecticut Students for a Dream, which represents many of the 8,000 or more DACA recipients in the state. As Congress drags their feet, we are losing our safety, our ability to go to school, our jobs, and drivers licenses.

Dream deferred

Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., cited the lack of DACA-Dreamer-related language as a chief stumbling block in the deal, even though she too voted for it.

I am disappointed that the House has yet to vote on bipartisan legislation to protect Dreamers from being deported, DeLauro said. Republicans and Democrats overwhelmingly agree that we should not deport people who were brought to the U.S. as children through no fault of their own and know no other home.

Connecticut Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy also prioritized protection for Dreamers in the four previous stopgap spending measures approved by Congress since the fiscal year started in October.

Blumenthal said that to win over his vote and those of other Democrats concerned about the Dreamers, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell put forth a motion that assures the opening of debate and voting on the issue Monday.

Were no longer talking promises and commitments, Blumenthal said in explaining why he voted yes Friday when hed cited the lack of Dreamer protection as his reason for voting no two previous times.

We have no certainty what will emerge next week, he said. But Im going to be working and fighting to make (continued legal status and a path to citizenship) possible.

Murphy cited the bills inclusion of about $131 billion more in domestic spending as really good news for Connecticut.

Listen, this deal isnt perfect, he said, but people in Connecticut are sick and tired of Congress just pushing all these critical issues down the road, and this deal gets us much-needed certainty about the future of federal spending and taxes.

In addition to domestic spending, the bill also raises the cap on military spending by $165 billion this year and next year. Connecticut lawmakers said some of that money would flow to Connecticuts defense industries  including Sikorsky Aircraft, Pratt & Whitney, and Electric Boat  though the exact amounts remain uncertain.

The spending caps imposed by Congress in 2011 had been the principle logjam that prompted the votes on four temporary spending bills since Oct. 1. Democrats had demanded raising the caps on both military and non-military priorities while Republicans argued for removing those on the military alone.

Help for Puerto Rico

In the end, Republicans gave ground in large measure because Secretary of Defense James Mattis said the temporary spending measures were paralyzing military readiness and defense contractor planning. And Republicans, like Democrats, were hearing home-state complaints on lack of funding for CHIP (Husky B in Connecticut, insurance for children in low-income families), opioid-addiction treatment and prevention, federally funded community health centers (17 in Connecticut treating 376,000 patients) and reconstruction of crumbling VA hospitals and clinics.

The bill approved by Congress and signed into law by Trump  which brought a nine-hour shutdown to a close  also commits $90 billion to Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and states in the U.S. battered by hurricanes and wildfires.

And it includes $20 billion for infrastructure. Trump plans to roll out his own infrastructure measure next week, which will rely on a mix of federal, state and private funding.

And there is $1 billion to help dairy farmers, which Murphy hailed as a boon for the states $1.3 billion industry that supports 4,286 jobs.

Murphy and Blumenthal thumbed their noses at Republicans like Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who championed the GOP tax bill that added $1.5 trillion to the deficit but objected to the budget bill because it boosts deficit spending.

Its the emperor has no clothes, Blumenthal said. For them to even mention the deficit now fails the red-face test.

dan@hearstdc.com
Contributed Photo / Shelton Police Department / Contributed Photo

SHELTON  Police are asking for the publics help to locate a woman missing from Westport, last seen in Shelton Friday.

Margaret Dowdy, 67, of Westport, has been reported missing, though police did not say when she was reported missing. Dowdy was last seen in the area of Pine Rock Park in Shelton Friday morning, police said.
A one-way trip from New Haven to the New York border could cost just over $6 during rush hour.

The same trip along the scenic Merritt Parkway would run $5  a slight savings but not much.

That could be the cost of driving on state highways if the General Assembly authorizes electronic tolls endorsed by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and the legislatures majority Democratic leaders.

A study previously commissioned by the state offers a detailed look at tolling on I-95, the Merritt Parkway and I-84. The 297 pages suggest potential toll prices, gantry locations and various scenarios to scan license plates and charge drivers for miles they travel. A gantry is a bridge-like structure over the highway that would use electronic technology to scan license plates and charge vehicles driving under it.

The prices are only projections, but they give a sense of what tolling could cost commuters and the average driver.

The time has come for the state to implement tolling, said Jim Gildea, president of the Connecticut Commuter Rail Council.

"Connecticuts transportation system is in sore need of critical investment, in terms of both structural requirements and service needs, and finding funding sources to meet these demands is an absolute must," Gildea noted.

With revenue estimates around $800 million a year, tolls are an attractive option for lawmakers looking for big money  $100 billion over the next 30 years  to improve the states infrastructure and reduce congestion, especially in Fairfield County, where many believe traffic is costing jobs and economic development.

While the likelihood of highway tolls grew with Malloys backing and the endorsement of Democratic leaders, most Republican lawmakers remain opposed. The GOP, with the help of a few Democrats, has shown it can block bills pushed by the majority.

J.R. Romano, the state Republican party chairman, said state residents already pay the third highest gas tax in the nation and dont need the additional burden of tolls.

More Information Where tolls could be placed I-84 from Hartford to New York I-95 from New Haven to New York I-95 from New Haven to Rhode Island Connecticut River bridges in the Hartford area Route 2 in East Hartford and Glastonbury I-91/691/Route 15 Interchange in Meriden Route 9 in the Middletown area Route 11 from Salem to Waterford Route 8 from Bridgeport to Waterbury See More Collapse

He noted Malloy also wants to increase the gas tax by 7 cents over the next four years.

"Look at families who are struggling just to break even," Romano said. "When coupled with the gas tax, thats the fundamental problem. They would pay $2,200 more a year in gas taxes and now a toll on top of that."

Tolls everywhere

The 2016 study by CDM Smith paints a picture of a state highway system dominated by electronic gantries to scan plates and charge tolls.

Under one scenario outlined in the CDM Smith report, 12 gantries would be placed on I-95, beginning in West Haven and ending at the New York State line in Greenwich. Every time a vehicle passed under a gantry, a fee would be charged.

Motorists on the Merritt Parkway would pass under a gauntlet of 10 gantries, beginning at New Haven and ending at the state line, the CDM Smith study shows. Every gantry would mean another charge.

The study did not detail specific plans for I-84, but noted tolls are likely from the New York border to Hartford.

CDM Smith projected prices at 50 cents per gantry during peak times and 35 cents during off peak times.

Another scenario set the peak price at 80 cents and off peak at 56 cents per gantry. Under that pricing, a peak time one-way trip from New Haven to the New York border would cost $9.60 cents.

The consultant estimated it would cost $35 million to install a series of gantries along I-95 and $50 million if they are installed on the Merritt Parkway. Those estimates dont include operating and other costs.

Romano estimated that at 50 cents per gantry, a commuter traveling from New Haven to Fairfield five days a week during rush hour would pay $1,300 a year.

"Thats not good," Romano noted. "This is already an expensive state to live in."

The study offers a variety of options, ranging from constant tolling to congestion pricing, which means only charging tolls during peak rush hour times or raising prices during those periods.

Alternatives offered by the study include installing tolls and widening I-95 between Greenwich to Bridgeport and widening and tolling parts of the Merritt Parkway from Greenwich to New Haven.

Some scenarios change pricing and alter the frequency of tolling, exempt state residents from tolls or charge them a lesser fee. Other options toll state roads, such as Rt. 8 from Bridgeport to Waterbury.

The Governors Transportation Finance Panel several years ago estimated that out-of-state drivers would provide 30 percent of the states toll revenue.

Yes or no

Opposition to tolling will be difficult to overcome if there is a serious push for highway fees. Democrats hold a slim advantage in the House and they are tied with the GOP in the Senate, although Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman can break a deadlock.

The GOP showed its muscle last year when, with the help of a handful of Democrats, the party adopted its state budget and blocked Malloys spending proposal

"This is a mileage tax," State Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano, R-North Haven, said during a Facebook broadcast last week.

"If you go out of your town you are going to hit a toll, Fasano said. This would be hoops every mile or every five miles. Its a really bad idea. Its only a couple of bucks but by the end of the year it adds up to significant dollars."

Instead of authorizing tolls this year, Fasano said the state should conduct a detailed study of the idea.

"We should see the plan and all of us decide if its a good idea," Fasano said. "Lets do a plan, study it and then make an intelligent decision."

While another study might be attractive to lawmakers facing re-election this fall, the state paid for toll and congestion studies in 2015 and 2016, and the Governors Transportation Finance Panel recommended tolls as one of numerous ways to fund infrastructure improvements.

Patrick Sasser, a partner in a Stamford trucking company, said the last thing the state needs is tolls.

"We need the governor and elected state officials to know that we are being taxed to death and that is not the solution to our financial troubles," Sasser said.

"We are asking them to find different ways to save money and cut spending, Sasser added. These tolls and increased gas taxes will fall on the backs of the already struggling working class in Connecticut, and we simply cant afford that."

Sasser is organizing a rally on Feb. 17 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in front of the Stamford Government Center at 888 Washington Boulevard to demonstrate how proposed gas tax hikes and tolls would hurt small businesses

Others say tolls are inevitable and necessary to shore up the states Special Transportation Fund and improve congested roads. If new revenue is not obtained, the STF, which is funded primarily by the gas tax, is projected to post a $338 million deficit by 2022.

The fund for years has been receiving less revenue as cars became more fuel efficient. The state cannot sell bonds for major transportation projects if the STF is insolvent or inadequately funded.

A ballot question in November will ask voters to place a lock box on the STF to prevent money from being diverted to uses other than transportation projects.

James Cameron, founder of the Connecticut Commuter Group and a Hearst Connecticut Media columnist, predicted tolls are coming.

"Proposed tolls and taxes seem an inevitable solution to the STF funding crisis," Cameron said. "The Legislature created this problem, so they can and should solve it.

Cameron conceded tolls are unpopular.

None of the options will be popular, especially in an election year, but if they are honest with constituents they'll explain the necessity, Cameron noted, referring to legislators.

"The $6 toll from New York to New Haven sounds reasonable, especially compared to the equivalent $8.25 one-way fare on Metro-North at peak," Cameron added. "Motorists need to pay their fair share, and they haven't been."

Gildea added A strong transportation system is critical to the economy of the state and its certainly no coincidence that we have lost Connecticut based businesses to those states that have such a transportation system."
I guess people and businesses arent fleeing Connecticut fast enough for the Democrats.

Working people in Connecticut can hardly keep up with all the taxes now.

We hardly make ends meet trying to live and help our kids pay for college.

Now the Democrats want me to pay for someone elses kid to go to college for free.

Businesses are having a hard time in Connecticut because of all the taxes, but now they will have to pay $15-an-hour minimum wage.

The reason its called a minimum wage is because the people who work at these jobs have a minimum amount of education and responsibility.

They usually arent high-stress or highly skilled jobs, so they dont warrant high pay.

In the upcoming elections people need to not make knee-jerk choices based on political party, but do some research and see how our money is being wasted.

Hold politicians responsible for wasting your money and vote for people who will work for the taxpayers, not just waste your money.

Jim Turecek

Ansonia
Artists draw chalk portraits at Flight 93 memorial

Passengers and crew of Flight 93 drawn in chalk at national memorial.
The sentencing of former PM and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia by a Dhaka court on February 8 seems to have plunged Bangladesh into severe political chaos. The development has assumed interesting significance as the parliamentary elections are scheduled at the end of this year.

Even though the ruling Awami League supporters are already celebrating, given the history and political culture of Bangladesh, the entire development merits a close examination of the political scene expected to emerge ahead of the elections.

Political pundits are not off the mark when they say that no opposition should be underestimated or written off due to a court sentence or an imprisonment. This is also an unconcealed feature of the political ethos of the Indian sub-continent as recorded in the history of Pakistan, India as well as Bangladesh.

Examples of Indira Gandhi, Benazir Bhutto and Sheikh Hasina bear testimony to these facts. In the same vein, Khaleda Zia, cannot be ignored. She and her party are capable of bouncing back. Although they may not clinch a resounding victory, they will certainly register their presence and pose a tough challenge to the ruling Awami League.

In other words, the recent judgment has made Khaleda Zia, a kind of "hero", resurrecting her career after years in political oblivion. Her popularity could be easily judged from the volume of crowd gathered in the court during the dates of her hearings as well when she returned from London, a couple of months ago. Her own personal charisma, though on the wane, has not evaporated completely. Her fan following outside Bangladesh remains noteworthy as seen from her party activists holding violent protest demonstrations before the Bangladesh mission, barely 48 hours ago. That also indicates the ground reality.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh watchers reckon that if free and fair elections are held, Hasina might just scrape through. In the meantime, Zia is suspected of receiving enormous political and material support from Pakistan and her present political roadmap is being prepared by the forces in Pakistan opposed to India, as well as to the liberal and secular elements within Bangladesh.

In the light of the above, it is imperative to dwell upon the likely political scene in Bangladesh, especially with regard to India in the event of BNP assuming power. As it is, BNP leadership is believed to be sending overtures to India for support. So far, India seems non-committal. Judging by the its track record, in its both the spells (1991-1996) and (2001-2006), BNP harbored insurgents from India's Northeast on the Bangladesh soil. This apart, it had partnered with the far-right fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami (JEI) party and strengthened communal forces and further Islamised the country, causing a major setback to the forward-thinking lobby in Bangladesh.

It is also reported that West Asia-based fugitive Indians, wanted in India for acts of terror, had warmed up to Khaleda Zia and her son Tarique Rahman acting in a concerted manner, to harm Indian economic and security interests.

All such forces need to be kept at a distance and hence, Khaleda and the BNP do not appear to be the best choice from the Indian point of view.

Also, Khaleda, if in power or while canvassing for elections will mount pressure on India to resolve the Teesta and Ganga barrage issues and try to regionalise the matter drumming up support from most of the SAARC countries in an obvious attempt to alienate India. It may be recalled that Zia's late husband and former president Ziaur Rahman, was the architect of SAARC.

Reverting to legality of zias sentence, she will have to stay in the prison for at least three days that is up to Sunday (February 11). If her lawyers apply for certified copy of the verdict on February 9, bail may be possible. Also, according to Bangladesh law, if someone is convicted for at least two years, he or she cannot contest elections for the next five years.

There are 37 cases against Khaleda Zia, and most important is the charge that she had misappropriated huge sums of money from an orphanage. Things look difficult for Khaleda Zia as the legal stranglehold seems to be closing in. She, in the meantime, is believed to be contemplating to nominate Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir or Amir Khusrau Mahmud to take over the party helm in case she is barred from contesting the elections.

However, even without Khaleda Zia, the party is expected to follow a blueprint which may not be palatable to Indian interests.

The other political party, Jatiya Party (JP) under former president HM Ershad, is waiting in the wings to seize an opportunity to bounce back to power as he has good support in the northern belt of the country as well as the armed forces. Recently, he was seen hobnobbing with former Indian president Pranab Mukherjee during the latters visit to Bangladesh in mid-January.

Against this backdrop, Indian options seem varied, but tricky to act upon. Only Hasina and her party deserve complete support from India to marginalise her anti-India opponents and stand behind her employing all possible measures of the statecraft to ensure that she remains in power for the next term as well.

Nevertheless, Hasina has a tough road ahead and needs to tread with abundant caution to continue further.

Also read: Lord Ram, lord Krishna: Modi can play any role but that of PM
The following companies are subsidiares of Dover: ALMATEC Maschinenbau GmbH, Accelerated Production Systems, Advansor A/S, Advansor Dover International (Poland) sp. z o.o, Alfred Fueling Systems Holdco Ltd., Alfred Fueling Systems Inc., Alfred Fueling Systems Intermediate Holdco Ltd., All-Flo Pump Company Limited business, Anman LLC, Anthony Equity Holdings Inc., Anthony Holdings Inc., Anthony Inc., Anthony International Foreign Sales Corp., Anthony International Holding Company, Anthony Mexico Holdings LLC, Anthony North Holdco Inc., Anthony Specialty Glass LLC, Anthony TemperBent GP LLC, Automatik Grundstucksverwaltung GmbH & Co. KG, Automatik Plastics Machinery (Taiwan) Ltd., Automatik Plastics Machinery Sdn. Bhd., BSC Filters Limited, Background2 Limited, Belanger Inc., Belvac Middle East FZE, Belvac Production Machinery Inc., BlitzRotary GmbH, Butler Engineering and Marketing S.P.A., CEP Liquidation LLC, CP Formation LLC, CPC, CPC Europe Inc., CPI Products Inc., Caldera, Caldera Inc., Canada Organization & Development LLC, Chief Automotive Technologies (Shanghai) Trading Company Ltd., Chippewa Square Captive Insurance Company, Colder Products Company GmbH, Colder Products Company LTD, Cook Compression BV, Cook Compression LLC, Cook Compression Limited, Cook-MFS Inc., DD1 Inc., DDI Properties Inc., DE-STA-CO Benelux B.V., DE-STA-CO FRANCE, DE-STA-CO Shanghai Co. Ltd., DFH Corporation, DSR BZ Holdings LLC, De Sta Co (Asia) Company Limited, De-Sta-Co Cylinders Inc., DeStaCo Europe GmbH, Delaware Capital Formation Inc., Delaware Capital Holdings Inc., Destaco Ema Industria e Comercio Ltda., Dover (China) Investment Co. Ltd. , Dover (Schweiz) Holding GmbH, Dover (Shanghai) Industrial Co. Ltd., Dover (Shenzhen) Industrial Equipment Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Dover (Suzhou) Industrial Equipment Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Dover Asia Trading Private Ltd., Dover Australia Holdings Pty Limited, Dover Business Services EMEA Limited, Dover Business Services LLC, Dover Business Services Philippines Corporation, Dover CLP Formation Limited Partnership, Dover CR spol s r.o., Dover Canada Finance LP, Dover Canada Holdings ULC, Dover Canada Operations ULC, Dover Corporation Regional Headquarters, Dover DEI Services Inc., Dover Denmark Holdings ApS, Dover EMEA FZCO, Dover Energy, Dover Energy UK Ltd, Dover Engineered Systems Inc., Dover Engineered Systems UK Ltd, Dover Europe Inc., Dover Europe Sarl, Dover Fluids Inc., Dover Fluids UK Ltd, Dover France Holdings S.A.S., Dover France Participations SAS, Dover France Technologies, Dover Fueling Solutions UK Limited, Dover Germany GmbH, Dover Global Holdings LLC, Dover Global Trading Pte. Ltd., Dover Holdings de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Dover India Pvt. Ltd., Dover Intercompany Services UK Limited, Dover International B.V., Dover International Operations Inc., Dover International Ventures Inc., Dover International Ventures Tunisia S.a.r.l., Dover International ithalat ihracat ve Pazarlama Limited Sirketi, Dover Italy Holdings S.r.l., Dover Luxembourg Finance Sarl, Dover Luxembourg Participations Sarl, Dover Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Dover Luxembourg Services Sarl, Dover Operations South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Dover Overseas Ventures Inc., Dover Refrigeration & Food Equipment Inc., Dover Refrigeration & Food Equipment UK Ltd, Dover Resources International de Mexico S. de R.L. C.V., Dover Solutions Colombia SAS, Dover Southeast Asia (Thailand) Ltd., Dover Spain Holdings S.L., Dover UK Pensions Limited, Dover WSCR Holding LLC, Dover WSCR LLC, Dover do Brasil Ltda., Dow-Key Microwave Corporation, Dressor Wayne Data Technology (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Dressor Wayne Fuel Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, EOA Systems Inc., Ebs-Ray Holdings Pty Ltd, Ebs-Ray Industries Pty. Ltd., Ebs-Ray Pumps Pty. Ltd., Em-tec GmbH, Ettlinger Kunststoffmaschinen GmbH, Ettlinger Management Inc., Ettlinger North America LP, Ettlinger Vertrieb und Service GmbH & Co. KG, Ettlinger Verwaltungs-GmbH, Fairbanks Environmental Limited, Ferguson CO. S.A., Fibrelite Composites Limited, Fibresec Holdings Limited, Fibresec Limited, Finder, Finder Oriental (Beijing) Trading Co. Ltd, Finder Pompe S.R.L., Finder United Saudi Arabia Company, GAL LLC, GIIER LLC, Gala Industries Asia Limited, Gala Industries Incorporated, Gala Kunststoff-und Kautschukmaschinen GmbH, Guangdong Tokheim LIYUAN Oil Industry Technology Limited Company, Highland Park Insurance Company, Hill PHOENIX Inc., Hill PHOENIX WIC LLC, Hill Phoenix Costa Rica Sociedad De Responsabilidad Limitada, Hill Phoenix El Salvador Limitada de Capital Variable, Hill Phoenix Guatemala Sociedad Anonima, Hill Phoenix Honduras Sociedad Anonima, Hill Phoenix Nicaragua Sociedad Anonima, Hill Phoenix de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Hiltap Fittings Ltd., Hydro Systems, Hydro Systems Europe Ltd., Hydronova Australia-NZ Pty Ltd, Industrial Motion Control LLC, Inpro/Seal LLC, International Trade and Equipment B.V., JK Group SPA, JK Group USA Inc., K&L Microwave DR Inc., K&L Microwave Inc., K. S. Boca Inc., KPS (Beijing) Petroleum Equipment Trading Co Ltd., KPS Asia Sdn. Bhd., KPS Fueling Solutions Sdn. Bhd., KPS Hong Kong Holding Limited, KPS UK Limited, KS Formation Inc., KS Liquidation Inc., KSLP Liquidation L.P., Kiian Digital (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Knappco LLC, Lianyngang Jump Petroleum and Chemical Machinery Co. Ltd., Liquip, Liquip International Pty Limited, MARKEM FZ SA, MARKEM Holdings Inc., MARKEM International Inc., MARKEM S.A. de C.V., MARKEM Tag Inc., MARKEM UK Holdings 1 Unlimited, MARKEM UK Holdings 2 Limited, MIP Holdings Inc., MS Printing Solutions S.R.L., Maag Automatik GmbH, Maag Automatik Inc., Maag Automatik Plastics Machinery (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Maag Automatik Srl, Maag Pump Systems (US) Inc., Maag Pump Systems AG, Maag Pump Systems SAS, Marathon Equipment Company (Delaware), Markem Imaje Center of Competencies Spain S.L.U., Markem-Imaje, Markem-Imaje (China) Co. Limited, Markem-Imaje A/S, Markem-Imaje AB, Markem-Imaje AG, Markem-Imaje AS, Markem-Imaje Application Innovation Center Sarl, Markem-Imaje B.V., Markem-Imaje CSAT GmbH, Markem-Imaje Co. Ltd., Markem-Imaje GmbH, Markem-Imaje Holding, Markem-Imaje Identificacao de Produtos Ltda., Markem-Imaje Inc., Markem-Imaje India Private Limited, Markem-Imaje Industries, Markem-Imaje Industries Limited, Markem-Imaje KK, Markem-Imaje LLC, Markem-Imaje Limited, Markem-Imaje Ltd., Markem-Imaje N.V., Markem-Imaje Oy, Markem-Imaje Pty Ltd, Markem-Imaje S.A., Markem-Imaje S.A. de C.V., Markem-Imaje S.r.l. a socio unico, Markem-Imaje SAS, Markem-Imaje Sdn Bhd, Markem-Imaje Software Development Centre Pvt. Ltd., Markem-Imaje Spain S.A.U, Markem-Imaje Unipessoal Lda (Portugal), Markpoint Holding AB, Midland Manufacturing LLC, Mouvex, Neptune Chemical Pump Company, Northern Lights (Nevada) Inc., Northern Lights Funding LP, Northern Lights Investments LLC, Nova Controls Inc., OK International (UK) Ltd., OK International Holdings Inc., OK International Inc., OPW Engineered Systems Inc., OPW Fluid Transfer Group Europe B.V., OPW Fluids Group Inc., OPW France, OPW Fuel Management Systems Inc., OPW Fueling Components (SuZhou) Co. Ltd., OPW Fueling Components LLC, OPW Iberia Sociedad Limitada, OPW Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., OPW Slovakia s.r.o., OPW Sweden AB, Officine Meccaniche Sirio S.R.L., PDQ Manufacturing Inc., PISCES by OPW Inc., PSG (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, PSG (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., PSG Worldwide Inc., Petro Vend Sp. z o.o., Pike Machine Products Inc., Piston OPW Inc., Pole/Zero Acquisition Inc., Precision Brasil Equipamentos E Servicos Para Postos De Combustiveis Ltda., Precision Service - Servicos De Manutencao E Instalacao De Postos De Abastecimento De Combustivel Ltda., Pump Management Services Co. LLC, RAV Equipment U.S.A. Inc., RAV Equipos Espana S.L., RAV France, Rav Equipment UK Limited, Ravaglioli Deutschland GmbH, Ravaglioli S.P.A., Reduction Engineering GmbH, Revod Corporation, Revod Finance Ireland Limited, Revod Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Revod SAS, Revod Sweden AB, Robohand Inc., Rosario Handel B.V., Rotary Lift Consolidated (Haimen) Co. Ltd, SE Liquidation LLC, SWEP A.G., SWEP Germany GmbH, SWEP Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., SWEP North America Inc., SWEP Slovakia s.r.o., SWEP Technology (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Scheer Pelletizing Systems & Machinery (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Scheer Taiwan Machinery Co. Ltd., Seabiscuit Motorsports Inc., Simmons Sirvey Corporation, So. Cal. Soft-Pak Incorporated, Solaris Laser S.A., Space S.R.L., Start Italiana Petrol Cihazlari Sanayi Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Start Italiana S.R.L., Swep Energy Oy, Swep International A.B., Swep Japan K.K., Sys-Tech Solutions Inc., TQC Quantium Quality S.A. de C.V., TTSI III Inc., TWG Canada Consolidated Inc., TXHI LLC, Tartan Textile Services Inc., The Curotto-Can LLC, The Heil Co., Tokheim Belgium, Tokheim China Company Limited, Tokheim GmbH, Tokheim Group, Tokheim Guardian Venture Sdn. Bhd, Tokheim Hengshan Technologies (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd., Tokheim Holding, Tokheim Holding B.V., Tokheim India Private Limited, Tokheim Netherlands B.V., Tokheim Sofitam Applications, Trans - Logistic Group S.R.L., Tulsa Winch Inc., Unified Brands Inc., Val TemperBent Glass L.P., Vectron Frequency Devices (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Vehicle Service Group LLC, Vos Food Store Equipment Ltd., Warn Automotive LLC, Waukesha Bearings, Waukesha Bearings Limited, Waukesha Bearings Russia LLC, Wayne Fuel Management UK Ltd., Wayne Fueling Systems (Rus) Limited Liability Company, Wayne Fueling Systems Australia Pty Ltd, Wayne Fueling Systems Canada ULC, Wayne Fueling Systems Deutschland GmbH, Wayne Fueling Systems Italia S.R.L., Wayne Fueling Systems LLC, Wayne Fueling Systems Ltd., Wayne Fueling Systems Pte. Ltd., Wayne Fueling Systems Sweden AB, Wayne Fueling Systems UK Holdco Ltd., Wayne Industria e Comercio Ltda., Wei Li Pump Shanghai Co. LTD., WellMark, and Wilden Pump and Engineering LLC.
The following companies are subsidiares of EnerSys: ABSL Power Solutions Inc., ABSL Power Solutions Ltd., Acumuladores Industriales EnerSys SA, Alpha Alternative Energy Inc., Alpha Broadband Services Inc., Alpha Innovations Industria e Comercio de Produtos Eletronicos Ltda., Alpha Innovations Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Alpha Mexico Network Power S.A. de C.V., Alpha Tech Energy Solutions India Private Limited, Alpha Technical Services Ltd., Alpha Technologies Asia Ltd., Alpha Technologies Ltd., Alpha Technologies Pty. Ltd., Alpha Technologies Services Inc., Argus Research Ltd., Battery Power International Pte Ltd., Cooperative Enterprises Inc., DCPM Engineering Sdn Bhd, EH Batterien AG, EH Europe GmbH, EH Global Holdings GmbH, ENAS Industrial Batteries Morocco Sarl, EnerSys (Chaozhou) Huada Batteries Company Limited, EnerSys (China) Huada Batteries Company Limited, EnerSys (Chongqing) Huada Batteries Company Limited, EnerSys (Jiangsu) Huada Batteries Company Limited, EnerSys (Yangzhou) Huada Batteries Co. Ltd., EnerSys A/S, EnerSys AB, EnerSys AD, EnerSys AE, EnerSys AS, EnerSys Advanced Systems Inc., EnerSys Asia Limited, EnerSys Assad Sarl, EnerSys Australia Pty Ltd., EnerSys BV, EnerSys Battery Private Limited, EnerSys CJSC, EnerSys Canada Inc., EnerSys Capital Inc., EnerSys Cayman Euro L.P., EnerSys Cayman Holdings L.P., EnerSys Cayman Inc., EnerSys Cayman L.P., EnerSys Delaware Inc., EnerSys Delaware LLC I, EnerSys Delaware LLC II, EnerSys Delaware LLC III, EnerSys Delaware LLC IV, EnerSys Delaware LLC V, EnerSys Energy Products Inc., EnerSys Europe Oy, EnerSys European Holding Co., EnerSys GmbH, EnerSys Holdings (Luxembourg) Sarl, EnerSys Holdings UK Ltd., EnerSys Hungaria Kft., EnerSys India Batteries Private Ltd., EnerSys LLC, EnerSys Ltd., EnerSys Luxembourg Finance Sarl, EnerSys Malaysia Sdn Bhd, EnerSys Mexico Holdings LLC, EnerSys Mexico Management LLC, EnerSys Participacoes Ltda., EnerSys Reserve Power Pte. Ltd., EnerSys S.r.l., EnerSys SARL, EnerSys SPRL, EnerSys de Mexico II S de R.L. de CV, EnerSys de Mexico S de R.L. de CV, EnerSys s.r.o., EnerSys sp. z o.o., EnerSystem Argentina S.A., EnerSystem Chile Ltda., EnerSystem de Argentina S.A., EnerSystem do Brazil Ltda., Enersys Aku Sanaya Dis Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Esfinco Inc., Esrmco Inc., GAZ GmbH, Hawker GmbH, Hawker Power Systems Inc., Hawker Powersource Inc., ICS Industries Pty Ltd, ICS Industries Pty Ltd., ICS Sheet Metal Pty Ltd., IE EnerSys South East Asia Technologies Pte. Ltd., IE Technologies Pte Ltd., Industrial Battery Holding Ltda., International Communication Shelters Australasia Pty Ltd., Lancord Pty Ltd., Lenmic Pty Ltd., MIB Energy Sdn Bhd, National Infrastructure Pty Ltd., National Infrastructure Services Pty Ltd., NaviSemi Energy Pte Ltd., NaviSemi Inc., New Pacifico Realty Inc., NorthStar Battery Company LLC, Outback Power Technologies Inc., Powercom (NSW) Pty Ltd., Powersafe Acumuladores Industrialis Unipessoal Lda., Powersonic S de R.L. de CV, Purcell Systems, Purcell Systems Inc., Purcell Systems International AB, Quallion LLC, Riverfront Holding S. de R.L. de C.V., Shenzhen Huada Power Supply Mechanical & Electrical Co. Ltd., Telecomponents & Supply (Hong Kong) Ltd., The Enser Corporation, UTS Holdings Sdn Bhd, UTS Technology (JB) Sdn Bhd, UTS Technology (PG) Sdn Bhd, YCI Inc., and Yecoltd S. de R.L. de CV.
Bank of Montreal provides diversified financial services primarily in North America. The company's personal banking products and services include checking and savings accounts, credit cards, mortgages, and financial and investment advice services; and commercial banking products and services comprise business deposit accounts, commercial credit cards, business loans and commercial mortgages, cash management solutions, foreign exchange, specialized banking programs, treasury and payment solutions, and risk management products for small business and commercial banking customers. It also offers investment and wealth advisory services; digital investing services; financial services and solutions; and investment management, and trust and custody services to institutional, retail, and high net worth investors. In addition, the company provides life insurance, accident and sickness insurance, and annuity products; creditor and travel insurance to bank customers; and reinsurance solutions. Further, it offers client's debt and equity capital-raising services, as well as loan origination and syndication, balance sheet management, and treasury management; strategic advice on mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, and recapitalizations, as well as valuation and fairness opinions; and trade finance, risk mitigation, and other operating services. Additionally, the company provides research and access to markets for institutional, corporate, and retail clients; trading solutions that include debt, foreign exchange, interest rate, credit, equity, securitization and commodities; new product development and origination services, as well as risk management advice and services to hedge against fluctuations; and funding and liquidity management services to its clients. It operates through approximately 1,400 bank branches and 4,800 automated banking machines in Canada and the United States. The company was founded in 1817 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada.

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13 Wall Street equities research analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for Munchener Ruckvers in the last year. There are currently 1 sell rating, 5 hold ratings and 7 buy ratings for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street equities research analysts is that investors should "hold" Munchener Ruckvers stock. A hold rating indicates that analysts believe investors should maintain any existing positions they have in MEURV, but not buy additional shares or sell existing shares.

View analyst ratings for Munchener Ruckvers or view top-rated stocks.
Domtar Corporation designs, manufactures, markets, and distributes communication papers, specialty and packaging papers, and absorbent hygiene products in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and internationally. It operates through two segments, Pulp and Paper, and Personal Care. The company provides business papers, including copy and electronic imaging papers used in inkjet and laser printers, photocopiers, and plain-paper fax machines, as well as computer papers, preprinted forms, and digital papers for office and home use. It also offers commercial printing and publishing papers, such as offset papers and opaques used in sheet and roll fed offset presses; publishing papers, which include tradebook and lightweight uncoated papers for publishing textbooks, dictionaries, catalogs, magazines, hard cover novels, and financial documents; and converting papers for envelopes, tablets, business forms, and data processing/computer forms. In addition, the company provides papers for thermal printing, flexible packaging, food packaging, medical packaging, medical gowns and drapes, sandpaper backing, carbonless printing, labels and other coating, and laminating applications; and papers for industrial and specialty applications, such as carrier papers, treated papers, security papers, and specialized printing and converting applications. Further, it offers absorbent hygiene products, including absorbent briefs, protective underwear, underpads, pads, washcloths, and body patches under the Attends, Indasec, IndasSlip, and Reassure brands; and baby diapers, training and youth pants, and bed mats under the Comfees, Chelino, Nene, and Bambino brand names. The company serves merchants, retail outlets, stationers, printers, publishers, converters, and end-users. Domtar Corporation was founded in 1848 and is based in Fort Mill, South Carolina.

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The McClatchy Company publishes newspapers and news Websites in the United States. Its publications include the Miami Herald, The Kansas City Star, The Sacramento Bee, The Charlotte Observer, The (Raleigh) News and Observer, and The (Fort Worth) Star-Telegram. It also provides niche publications and community newspapers, as well as other print and digital direct marketing services. The company distributes content, including video products, through its owned and operated Websites and mobile applications, third-party search and ad exchanges, social media platforms, and electronic editions of its daily newspapers, as well as its printed daily newspapers. The McClatchy Company was founded in 1857 and is headquartered in Sacramento, California.

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Oasis Petroleum Inc., an independent exploration and production company, focuses on the acquisition and development of onshore unconventional oil and natural gas resources in the United States. It operates through Exploration and Production(E&P), and Midstream segments. The E&P segment engages in the acquisition and development of oil and gas properties. The Midstream segment offers midstream services, such as natural gas gathering, compression, processing and, gas lift supply; crude oil gathering, terminaling, and transportation; produced and flowback water gathering, and disposal; and water distribution. As of December 31, 2020, the company had 401,766 net leasehold acres in the Williston Basin; and 24,396 net leasehold acres in the Permian Basin, as well as approximately 152.2 million barrels of oil equivalent of estimated net proved reserves. The company sells its crude oil and natural gas to refiners, marketers, and other purchasers that have access to pipeline and rail facilities. Oasis Petroleum Inc. was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

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Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a marine fuel logistics company that markets and supplies refined marine fuel and lubricants to vessels in port, at sea, and on rivers worldwide. The company offers fueling services to ocean-going and a range of coastal vessels, including oil tankers, container ships, drybulk carriers, cruise ships, reefers, LNG/LPG carriers, car carriers, and ferries, as well as to marine fuel traders, brokers, and other end-users of marine fuel and lubricants. It also markets and distributes marine lubricants under the Alfa Marine Lubricants brand; and provides a range of shipping services, such as technical support and maintenance, insurance arrangement and handling, financial administration, and accounting services. As of December 31, 2016, the company owned and operated a fleet of 46 bunkering vessels, including 45 double hulls and 1 single hull special purpose vehicle; 15 double hull bunkering vessels with an aggregate carrying capacity of approximately 292,400 deadweight ton (dwt); operated 10 land-based storage facilities with an aggregate storage capacity of approximately 1,075,000 cubic meters; and operated 2 vessels as floating storage facility with a cargo carrying capacity of approximately 86,800 dwt. Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc. was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Athens, Greece.

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Andrew Peller Limited produces and markets wine, spirits, and wine related products. The company's principal products include blended table wines, sparkling and fortified wines, and varietal wines, as well as icewines. It offers wines under various trademarks, including Andres Wines, Andrew Peller Limited, Peller Estates, Trius, Thirty Bench, Red Rooster, Sandhill, Wayne Gretzky Estates, No. 99, Wayne Gretzky Okanagan, Black Hills Estates, Gray Monk Cellars, Calona Vineyards, Raven Conspiracy, Conviction, Domaine D'Or, Hochtaler, French Cross, Royal, Round Petal Wines, XOXO, Black Cellar, Copper Moon, skinnygrape, Unreserved, Rebellion, Panama Jack, No Boats on Sunday, Schloss Laderheim, Franciscan, Baby Canadian, Baby Duck, Wine Country Vintners, and The Wine Shop. The company also produces and markets personal winemaking products under the Selection, Vintners Reserve, Island Mist, KenRidge, Cheeky Monkey, Traditional Vintage, and Cellar Craft brands through approximately 170 Winexpert authorized retailers, and 500 independent retailers in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, and China. The company owns and operates 101 independent retail locations under The Wine Shop, Wine Country Vintners, and Wine Country Merchants store names. Andrew Peller Limited also exports its products. The company was formerly known as Andres Wines Ltd. and changed its name to Andrew Peller Limited in 2006. Andrew Peller Limited was founded in 1961 and is headquartered in Grimsby, Canada.

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The Napa Police are still investigating two shootings last month that sent two people to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Nicholas Angelo Zazzarino, 28, was arrested Jan. 17 on suspicion of attempted murder following shootings reported in the parking lot of Starbucks at Jefferson Street and Lincoln Avenue and in a Sutherland Park neighborhood.

He was charged with two counts of attempted murder and two counts of assault with a semiautomatic rifle on a person. He was also charged with criminal threats and unauthorized entry of a dwelling.

Zazzarino was expected back in court on Thursday, but the case was continued to March 5. He is being held without bail at the Napa County jail.

The 23-year-old Napa man who was shot at Starbucks has since been released from the hospital, police said Tuesday. Police have confirmed that Zazzarino and the victim are acquaintances. The 23-year-olds cooperation with police has been limited.
Koninklijke Philips N.V. is the Netherlands-based health technology company. The Company's segments include Personal Health businesses, Diagnosis & Treatment businesses, Connected Care & Health Informatics businesses, HealthTech Other and Legacy Items. The Personal Health businesses segment is engaged in the health continuum, delivering integrated, connected solutions that support healthier lifestyles and those living with chronic disease. The Diagnosis & Treatment businesses segment delivers precision medicine and treatment, and therapy. The Connected Care & Health Informatics businesses segment provides consumers, care givers and clinicians with digital solutions that facilitate care by enabling precision medicine and population health management. The HealthTech Other segment comprises such items, as innovation, emerging businesses, royalties, among others. The Legacy Items segment consists mainly of separation costs, legacy legal items, legacy pension costs, among others.

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Seaboard Corp. engages in the provision of agribusiness and transportation businesses. It operates through the following segments: Pork, Commodity Trading and Milling, Marine, Sugar & Alcohol, Power and Turkey. The Pork segment produces and sells fresh and frozen pork products to further processors, food service operators, grocery stores, distributors and retail outlets throughout the United States, Japan, Mexico and other foreign markets. The Commodity Trading and Milling segment focuses on integrated agricultural commodity trading and processing, and logistics operation that internationally markets wheat, corn, soybean meal and other agricultural commodities in bulk to third-party customers and to non-consolidated affiliates. The Marine segment provides covers cargo shipping services between the United States, the Caribbean Basin and Central and South America. The Sugar and Alcohol segment refers to the production and processing of sugar and alcohol in Argentina, primarily to be sold locally. The Power segment pertains to unregulated independent power producer in the Dominican Republic operating a floating power generating facility. The turkey segment involves the production and

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Nabors Industries Ltd. engages in the provision of platform work over and drilling rigs. It operates through the following segments: U.S. Drilling, Canada Drilling, International Drilling, Drilling Solutions, and Rig Technologies. The U.S. Drilling segment includes land drilling activities in the lower 48 states and Alaska, as well as offshore operations in the Gulf of Mexico. The Canada segment consists of land-based drilling rigs in Canada. The International segment focuses in maintaining a footprint in the oil and gas market, most notably in Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Argentina, Colombia, Kazakhstan, and Venezuela. The Drilling Solutions segment offers drilling technologies, such as patented steering systems and rig instrumentation software systems that enhance drilling performance and wellbore placement. The Rig Technologies segment comprises Canrig, which manufactures and sells top drives, catwalks, wrenches, drawworks, and drilling related equipment, such as robotic systems and downhole tools. The company was founded by Clair Nabors in 1952 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda.

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Nevsun Resources Ltd. engages in the mining and development of mineral properties in Europe, Africa, and North America. It explores for gold, copper, zinc, and silver deposits. The company's principal assets include Timok project, a copper-gold development project in Serbia; and Bisha copper- zinc mine in Eritrea. It also holds exploration licenses and permits in Serbia and Macedonia, as well as in the Bisha mining district. The company was incorporated in 1965 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. As of January 7, 2019, Nevsun Resources Ltd. operates as a subsidiary of Zijin Mining Group Company Limited.

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Ever since California voters passed Proposition 13 40 years ago, the Capitols annual budget wrangle has been dominated by how much money would go to K-12 schools  for good reason.

Not only are the schools educating six million kids, but they are number one on the voting publics priority list, and are by a large margin the biggest single slice of the general fund budget.

It will be different this year  and that difference will, counterintuitively, increase the budgets political friction.

Not only does Gov. Jerry Browns 2018-19 budget fully meet the schools constitutionally mandated share of state revenues, but also catches up on all spending cuts that previous budgets had made due to revenue shortfalls.

Uniquely, any reductions in school allocations are treated as debts to be repaid later, a process known as settle-up.

Schools are getting all they are owed thanks to voter-approved tax increases and a healthy economy. Browns budget envisions that per-pupil spending from all sources, including local property taxes, would average $15,654, up 66 percent from 2011-12, the first year of Browns second stint as governor.

Local school officials and education unions still say, of course, that more money is needed. Their big complaint is that rising demands from pension systems covering teachers and support staff are soaking up much of the increased financing.

Because the state is catching up on its school debts, the complicated school finance formula of Proposition 98, passed by voters in 1988, means that schools will not automatically get half or more of any additional revenues, as they have in the past.

That is not the situation this year, Mac Taylor, the Legislatures top budget adviser, told his bosses last month. Almost all of it is, in effect, free to you.

Theres another factor in the equation, as well. Browns budget also fills up the states constitutionally mandated rainy day fund so, as with schools, it would not automatically claim a share of any additional revenues.

That, too, is not a factor right now, Taylor advised. Its almost all discretionary money, he continued, telling legislators they are not as restricted as you have been in the past.

With Taylor also projecting that the state could have several billion dollars more in revenue than Brown assumes, the stage is set for a big confrontation over whether extra cash should be stashed as a hedge against recession, as Brown wants, or be spent on expensive  and permanent  new services that would be difficult to reduce if revenues fell.

Browns fellow Democrats have signaled that with money pouring into the state treasury they want big chunks for long-pending priorities such as child care, welfare grant increases and perhaps health coverage for undocumented immigrants.

Brown continues to warn of an overdue recession he says would cost the state $20 billion a year in lost revenue.

Fortunately, he said as he introduced his budget, we havent hit that recession yet, but we will.

Brown will not be facing voters again and clearly wants to leave his successor a healthy reserve rather than a barrel of red ink  something Brown 1.0 didnt do in 1983 and almost all recent governors have also failed to do.

He has the inherent power to build more reserves and block any major new entitlement spending, if he wants to use it.

But he would have to face down members of his own party and the vast array of groups seeking more money from Sacramento. And with school money off the table, the confrontation over priorities would be much starker than usual.

CALmatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how Californias state Capitol works and why it matters. For more stories by Dan Walters, go to calmatters.org/commentary.
The following companies are subsidiares of DaVita: Aberdeen Dialysis LLC, Accountable Kidney Care LLC, Adair Dialysis LLC, American Fork Dialysis LLC, American Medical Insurance Inc., Animas Dialysis LLC, Arcadia Gardens Dialysis LLC, Ashdow Dialysis LLC, Atlantic Dialysis LLC, Austin Dialysis Centers L.P., Barnell Dialysis LLC, Barrons Dialysis LLC, Barton Dialysis LLC, Bastrop Dialysis LLC, Beachside Dialysis LLC, Beck Dialysis LLC, Bellevue Dialysis LLC, Bemity Dialysis LLC, Beverly Hills Dialysis Partnership, Birch Dialysis LLC, Bladon Dialysis LLC, Bliss Dialysis LLC, Bohama Dialysis LLC, Bowan Dialysis LLC, Braddock Dialysis LLC, Bridges Dialysis LLC, Brimfield Dialysis LLC, Brook Dialysis LLC, Brownsville Kidney Center Ltd., Brownwood Dialysis LLC, Bruno Dialysis LLC, Buckhorn Dialysis LLC, Buford Dialysis LLC, Bullards Dialysis LLC, Bullock Dialysis LLC, Calante Dialysis LLC, Campton Dialysis LLC, Canyon Springs Dialysis LLC, Capes Dialysis LLC, Capital Dialysis Partnership, Capron Dialysis LLC, Carlton Dialysis LLC, Carroll County Dialysis Facility Inc., Carroll County Dialysis Facility Limited Partnership, Cascades Dialysis LLC, Caverns Dialysis LLC, Cedar Dialysis LLC, Centennial LV LLC, Central Carolina Dialysis Centers LLC, Central Georgia Dialysis LLC, Central Iowa Dialysis Partners LLC, Central Kentucky Dialysis Centers LLC, Channel Dialysis LLC, Cheraw Dialysis LLC, Chicago Heights Dialysis LLC, Chipeta Dialysis LLC, Churchill Dialysis LLC, Cinco Rios Dialysis LLC, Clark Dialysis LLC, Clayton Dialysis LLC, Cleburne Dialysis LLC, Clinica Central do Bonfim S.A., Clinton Township Dialysis LLC, Clyfee Dialysis LLC, Columbus-RNA-DaVita LLC, Conconully Dialysis LLC, Continental Dialysis Center Inc., Couer Dialysis LLC, Court Dialysis LLC, Cowell Dialysis LLC, Cowesett Dialysis LLC, Crossings Dialysis LLC, Crystals Dialysis LLC, Cuivre Dialysis LLC, Culbert Dialysis LLC, DC Healthcare International Inc., DNP Management Company LLC, DPS CKD LLC, DV Care Netherlands B.V., DV Care Netherlands C.V., DVA Healthcare - Southwest Ohio LLC, DVA Healthcare Renal Care Inc., DVA Healthcare of Maryland LLC, DVA Healthcare of Massachusetts Inc., DVA Healthcare of New London LLC, DVA Healthcare of Norwich LLC, DVA Healthcare of Pennsylvania LLC, DVA Healthcare of Tuscaloosa LLC, DVA Holdings Pte. Ltd., DVA Laboratory Services Inc., DVA Renal Healthcare Inc., DVA of New York Inc., DaVita - Riverside II LLC, DaVita - Riverside LLC, DaVita - West LLC, DaVita APAC Holding B.V., DaVita Brasil Participacoes e Servicos de Nefrologia Ltda., DaVita Care (Saudi Arabia), DaVita Dakota Dialysis Center LLC, DaVita Deutschland AG, DaVita Deutschland Beteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG, DaVita El Paso East L.P., DaVita Germany GmbH, DaVita HK Holdings Limited, DaVita HealthCare Brasil Servicos Medicos Ltda., DaVita International Limited, DaVita Nefromed Servicos de Nefrologia Ltda., DaVita Nephron Care Servicos de Nefrologia Ltda., DaVita Rien Servicos de Nefrologia Ltda., DaVita S.A.S., DaVita Servicos de Nefrologia Asa Sul Ltda., DaVita Servicos de Nefrologia Distrito Federal Ltda., DaVita Servicos de Nefrologia Guarulhos Ltda., DaVita Servicos de Nefrologia Jardim das Imbuias Ltda., DaVita Servicos de Nefrologia Taubate Ltda., DaVita Servicos de Nefrologia de Araraquara Ltda., DaVita Sp. z o.o., DaVita Sud-Niedersachsen GmbH, DaVita Transrim Servicos de Nefrologia Ltda., DaVita UTR Servicos de Nefrologia Ltda., DaVita VillageHealth Inc., DaVita of New York Inc., Dallas-Fort Worth Nephrology L.P., Damon Dialysis LLC, Dialysis Holdings Inc., Dialysis of Des Moines LLC, Dialysis of Northern Illinois LLC, Dierks Dialysis LLC, Dolores Dialysis LLC, Dome Dialysis LLC, Doves Dialysis LLC, Downriver Centers Inc., EURODIAL - Centro de Nefrologia e Dialise de Leiria S.A., East End Dialysis Center Inc., East Ft. Lauderdale LLC, Ebrea Dialysis LLC, Edisto Dialysis LLC, Eldrist Dialysis LLC, Elgin Dialysis LLC, Elk Grove Dialysis Center LLC, Empire State DC Inc., Etowah Dialysis LLC, Ettleton Dialysis LLC, Eufaula Dialysis LLC, Falcon LLC, Family Health Care of Central Florida, Fanthorp Dialysis LLC, Federal Way Assurance Inc., Fields Dialysis LLC, Five Star Dialysis LLC, Fjords Dialysis LLC, Flagler Dialysis LLC, Flamingo Park Kidney Center Inc., Forester Dialysis LLC, Freehold Artificial Kidney Center L.L.C., Fremont Dialysis LLC, Frontier Dialysis LLC, Fullerton Dialysis Center LLC, GDC International LLC, Gambro Healthcare, Ganois Dialysis LLC, Garner Dialysis LLC, Garrett Dialysis LLC, Gaviota Dialysis LLC, Gebhard Dialysis LLC, Genesis KC Development LLC, GiveLife Dialysis LLC, Glassland Dialysis LLC, Glosser Dialysis LLC, Goliad Dialysis LLC, Grand Home Dialysis LLC, Greater Las Vegas Dialysis LLC, Greater Los Angeles Dialysis Centers LLC, Green Country Dialysis LLC, Green Desert Dialysis LLC, Griffin Dialysis LLC, Groten Dialysis LLC, Harmony Dialysis LLC, Hart Dialysis LLC, Hawn Dialysis LLC, Healthcare Partners, Helmer Dialysis LLC, Hennepin Dialysis LLC, Hewett Dialysis LLC, Hilgards Dialysis LLC, Hochatown Dialysis LLC, Home Kidney Care LLC, Honeyman Dialysis LLC, Houston Kidney Center/Total Renal Care Integrated Service Network Limited Partnership, Hummer Dialysis LLC, Hunter Dialysis LLC, Huntington Artificial Kidney Center Ltd., Hyde Dialysis LLC, IDC -International Dialysis Centers Lda, ISD Bartlett LLC, ISD Corpus Christi LLC, ISD I Holding Company Inc., ISD II Holding Company Inc., ISD Las Vegas LLC, ISD Lees Summit LLC, ISD Renal Inc., ISD Schaumburg LLC, ISD Spring Valley LLC, ISD Summit Renal Care LLC, Iroquois Dialysis LLC, Jacinto Dialysis LLC, Jenness Dialysis LLC, Kamiah Dialysis LLC, Kanika Dialysis LLC, Kavett Dialysis LLC, Kenai Dialysis LLC, Kershaw Dialysis LLC, Kidney Home Center LLC, Kimball Dialysis LLC, Kingston Dialysis LLC, Kinnick Dialysis LLC, Kinter Dialysis LLC, Kiowa Dialysis LLC, Knickerbocker Dialysis Inc., Lakeshore Dialysis LLC, Landing Dialysis LLC, Landor Dialysis LLC, Lassen Dialysis LLC, Leasburg Dialysis LLC, Leawood Dialysis LLC, Lees Dialysis LLC, Legare Development LLC, Liberty RC Inc., Lifeline Pensacola LLC, Lifeline Vascular Center-Albany LLC, Lincoln Park Dialysis Services Inc., Livingston Dialysis LLC, Llano Dialysis LLC, Lofield Dialysis LLC, Logoley Dialysis LLC, Lone Dialysis LLC, Long Beach Dialysis Center LLC, Lord Baltimore Dialysis LLC, Lory Dialysis LLC, Lourdes Dialysis LLC, Lyndale Dialysis LLC, MVZ DaVita Alzey GmbH, MVZ DaVita Aurich GmbH, MVZ DaVita Bad Aibling GmbH, MVZ DaVita Bad Duben GmbH, MVZ DaVita Cardio Centrum Dusseldorf GmbH, MVZ DaVita Dillenburg GmbH, MVZ DaVita Dinkelsbuhl GmbH, MVZ DaVita Dormagen GmbH, MVZ DaVita Duisburg GmbH, MVZ DaVita Elsterland GmbH, MVZ DaVita Emden GmbH, MVZ DaVita Falkensee GmbH, MVZ DaVita Geilenkirchen GmbH, MVZ DaVita Gera GmbH, MVZ DaVita Iserlohn GmbH, MVZ DaVita Monchengladbach GmbH, MVZ DaVita Neuss GmbH, MVZ DaVita Niederrhein GmbH, MVZ DaVita Nierenzentrum Aachen Alsdorf GmbH, MVZ DaVita Nierenzentrum Berlin-Britz GmbH, MVZ DaVita Nierenzentrum Hamm-Ahlen GmbH, MVZ DaVita Prenzlau-Pasewalk GmbH, MVZ DaVita Rhein-Ahr GmbH, MVZ DaVita Rhein-Ruhr GmbH, MVZ DaVita Schwalm-Eder GmbH, MVZ DaVita Viersen GmbH, Madigan Dialysis LLC, Magney Dialysis LLC, Magoffin Dialysis LLC, Makonee Dialysis LLC, Marlton Dialysis Center LLC, Marseille Dialysis LLC, Mason-Dixon Dialysis Facilities Inc., Mazonia Dialysis LLC, Mellen Dialysis LLC, Melnea Dialysis LLC, Memorial Dialysis Center L.P., Meridian Dialysis LLC, Mermet Dialysis LLC, Milltown Dialysis LLC, Minam Dialysis LLC, Minneopa Dialysis LLC, Mountain West Dialysis Services LLC, Mulgee Dialysis LLC, Nansen Dialysis LLC, Natomas Dialysis LLC, Nauvue Dialysis LLC, Navarro Dialysis LLC, Nephrology Medical Associates of Georgia LLC, Nephrology Practice Solutions LLC, New Bay Dialysis LLC, Nicona Dialysis LLC, Norbert Dialysis LLC, Norte Dialysis LLC, North Austin Dialysis LLC, Northwest Physicians Network, Oasis Dialysis LLC, Ohio River Dialysis LLC, Okanogan Dialysis LLC, Olive Dialysis LLC, Ordust Dialysis LLC, Owyhee Dialysis LLC, Palo Dialysis LLC, Palomar Dialysis LLC, Panther Dialysis LLC, Parkside Dialysis LLC, Pattison Dialysis LLC, Patuk Dialysis LLC, Pearl Dialysis LLC, Pendster Dialysis LLC, Percha Dialysis LLC, Pershing Dialysis LLC, Pfeiffer Dialysis LLC, Philadelphia-Camden Integrated Kidney Care LLC, Physicians Choice Dialysis LLC, Physicians Choice Dialysis Of Alabama LLC, Physicians Dialysis Acquisitions Inc., Physicians Dialysis Ventures LLC, Physicians Dialysis of Lancaster LLC, Physicians Management LLC, Pible Dialysis LLC, Pinson Dialysis LLC, Pittsburgh Dialysis Partners LLC, Piute Dialysis LLC, Plaine Dialysis LLC, Platte Dialysis LLC, Pluribus Dialise - Benfica S.A., Pluribus Dialise - Cascais S.A., Pluribus Dialise S.A., Prairie Dialysis LLC, Prineville Dialysis LLC, Purity Dialysis, RMS Lifeline Inc., RNA - DaVita Dialysis LLC, RV Academy LLC, Ramsey Dialysis LLC, Rayburn Dialysis LLC, Red Willow Dialysis LLC, Redcliff Dialysis LLC, Refuge Dialysis LLC, Renal Center of Beaumont LLC, Renal Center of Fort Dodge LLC, Renal Center of Lewisville LLC, Renal Center of Morristown LLC, Renal Center of Newton LLC, Renal Center of Port Arthur LLC, Renal Center of Tyler L.P.L.L.L.P., Renal Center of West Beaumont LLC, Renal Center of the Hills LLC, Renal Life Link Inc., Renal Treatment Centers - California Inc., Renal Treatment Centers - Illinois Inc., Renal Treatment Centers - Mid-Atlantic Inc., Renal Treatment Centers - Northeast Inc., Renal Treatment Centers - Southeast LP, Renal Treatment Centers - West Inc., Renal Treatment Centers Inc., Renal Ventures Management LLC, RenalServ LLC, Riddle Dialysis LLC, River Valley Dialysis LLC, Rocky Mountain Dialysis Services LLC, Rollins Dialysis LLC, Roose Dialysis LLC, Rophets Dialysis LLC, Roushe Dialysis LLC, Routt Dialysis LLC, Royale Dialysis LLC, Rusk Dialysis LLC, Rutland Dialysis LLC, SAKDC-DaVita Dialysis Partners L.P., Saddleback Dialysis LLC, Sahara Dialysis LLC, San Marcos Dialysis LLC, Santiam Dialysis LLC, Sapelo Dialysis LLC, Saunders Dialysis LLC, Seabay Dialysis LLC, Secour Dialysis LLC, Sensiba Dialysis LLC, Shadow Dialysis LLC, Shayano Dialysis LLC, Shelling Dialysis LLC, Sherman Dialysis LLC, Shetek Dialysis LLC, Shining Star Dialysis Inc., Siena Dialysis Center LLC, Simeon Dialysis LLC, Skagit Dialysis LLC, Soledad Dialysis Center LLC, Somerville Dialysis Center LLC, South Central Florida Dialysis Partners LLC, South Fork Dialysis LLC, Southern Hills Dialysis Center LLC, Southlake Dialysis LLC, Southwest Atlanta Dialysis Centers LLC, Sprague Dialysis LLC, Springpond Dialysis LLC, Star Dialysis LLC, Stevenson Dialysis LLC, Stewart Dialysis LLC, Stines Dialysis LLC, Storrie Dialysis LLC, Sugarloaf Dialysis LLC, Sun City Dialysis Center L.L.C., Sunapee Dialysis LLC, Sunset Dialysis LLC, TRC - Indiana LLC, TRC El Paso Limited Partnership, TRC West Inc., TRC of New York Inc., TRC-Georgetown Regional Dialysis LLC, Talimena Dialysis LLC, Terre Dialysis LLC, The Woodlands Dialysis Center LP, Tortugas Dialysis LLC, Total Renal Care Inc., Total Renal Care Texas Limited Partnership, Total Renal Care of North Carolina LLC, Total Renal Laboratories Inc., Total Renal Research Inc., Toulouse Dialysis LLC, Transmountain Dialysis L.P., Tross Dialysis LLC, Tugman Dialysis LLC, Tunnel Dialysis LLC, Turlock Dialysis Center LLC, Tustin Dialysis Center LLC, Twain Dialysis LLC, Tyler Dialysis LLC, USC-DaVita Dialysis Center LLC, Unicoi Dialysis LLC, University Dialysis Center LLC, Upper Valley Dialysis L.P., Valley Springs Dialysis LLC, Victory Dialysis LLC, VillageHealth DM LLC, Villanueva Dialysis LLC, Vively Health LLC, Vogel Dialysis LLC, Volo Dialysis LLC, Waddell Dialysis LLC, Wakoni Dialysis LLC, Walker Dialysis LLC, Walton Dialysis LLC, Watkins Dialysis LLC, Weldon Dialysis LLC, West Elk Grove Dialysis LLC, West Sacramento Dialysis LLC, Weston Dialysis Center LLC, Whitney Dialysis LLC, Willowbrook Dialysis Center L.P., Winds Dialysis LLC, Wood Dialysis LLC, Woodford Dialysis LLC, Wyandotte Central Dialysis LLC, Yards Dialysis LLC, Ybor City Dialysis LLC, Yucaipa Dialysis LLC, and Zephyrhills Dialysis Center LLC.
The following companies are subsidiares of BorgWarner: B80 Italia S.r.l., BERU AG, BW El Salto S.A. De C.V., BWA Receivables Corporation, BWA Turbo Systems Holding LLC, Borg Warner Europe Holdings (PDS) B. V., BorgWarner (China) Investment Co. Ltd., BorgWarner (Reman) Holdings L.L.C., BorgWarner (Thailand) Limited, BorgWarner Aftermarket Europe GmbH, BorgWarner Alternators Inc., BorgWarner Arden LLC, BorgWarner Arnstadt RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Asia Inc., BorgWarner Automotive Asia Limited, BorgWarner Automotive Components (Beijing) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Automotive Components (Jiangsu) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Automotive Components (Ningbo) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Automotive Components (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Automotive Components (Wuhan) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Brasil Ltda., BorgWarner Chungju Co. LLC, BorgWarner Comercial e Distribuidora de Pecas para Veiculos Automotores Ltda., BorgWarner Comercializadora PDS S. de R.L. de C.V., BorgWarner Componentes PDS S. de R.L. de C.V., BorgWarner Cooling Systems (India) Private Limited, BorgWarner Cooling Systems GmbH, BorgWarner Diversified Transmission Products Services Inc., BorgWarner Drivetrain Engineering GmbH, BorgWarner Drivetrain Management Services de Mexico S.A. de C.V., BorgWarner Drivetrain de Mexico S.A. de C.V., BorgWarner Electric Motors L.L.C., BorgWarner Emissions Systems (Ningbo) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Emissions Systems (Ningbo) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Emissions Systems Holding LLC, BorgWarner Emissions Systems India Private Limited, BorgWarner Emissions Systems LLC, BorgWarner Emissions Systems Portugal Unipessoal LDA, BorgWarner Emissions Systems Spain S.L.U., BorgWarner Emissions Systems of Michigan Inc., BorgWarner Emissions Talegaon Private Limited, BorgWarner Engineering Ketsch RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Engineering Kibo RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Esslingen GmbH, BorgWarner Europe GmbH, BorgWarner Europe Holding S.a. r. l., BorgWarner Gateshead Limited, BorgWarner Germany Holding GmbH, BorgWarner Germany Holding Services GmbH, BorgWarner Germany REH GmbH, BorgWarner Germany REM GmbH, BorgWarner Germany Verwaltungs GmbH, BorgWarner Global Holding S.a. r. l., BorgWarner Heidelberg I RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Heidelberg II RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Heidelberg REH GmbH, BorgWarner Heidelberg REM GmbH, BorgWarner Holding Inc., BorgWarner Holdings Limited, BorgWarner Hungary Kft., BorgWarner IT Services Europe GmbH, BorgWarner India Holdings Inc., BorgWarner Investment Holding Inc., BorgWarner Ithaca LLC, BorgWarner Ketsch Plant RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Ketsch REH GmbH, BorgWarner Ketsch REM GmbH, BorgWarner Kft., BorgWarner Kibo RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Korea Holdings (PDS) B.V., BorgWarner Korea Holdings LLC, BorgWarner Korea LLC, BorgWarner Limited, BorgWarner Ludwigsburg GmbH, BorgWarner Ludwigsburg RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Markdorf Plant RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Markdorf REH GmbH, BorgWarner Markdorf REM GmbH, BorgWarner Massachusetts Inc., BorgWarner Mauritius Holdings Ltd., BorgWarner Mexico Holding BV, BorgWarner Mexico Holdings II LLC, BorgWarner Mexico Holdings LLC, BorgWarner Morse Systems India Private Limited, BorgWarner Morse Systems Italy S.r.l., BorgWarner Morse Systems Japan K.K., BorgWarner Morse Systems Mexico S.A. de C.V., BorgWarner Muggendorf RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner NW Inc., BorgWarner Netherlands Holdings (PDS) B.V., BorgWarner Oroszlany Kft., BorgWarner PDS (Anderson) L.L.C., BorgWarner PDS (Changnyeong) LLC, BorgWarner PDS (Indiana) Inc., BorgWarner PDS (Livonia) Inc., BorgWarner PDS (Ochang) LLC, BorgWarner PDS (Thailand) Limited, BorgWarner PDS (USA) Inc., BorgWarner PDS Brasil Produtos Automotivos Ltda., BorgWarner PDS Irapuato S. de R.L. de C.V., BorgWarner PDS Mexico Holdings S. de R.L. de C.V., BorgWarner PDS Technologies L.L.C., BorgWarner Poland Sp. z o.o., BorgWarner Pyongtaek LLC, BorgWarner Romeo Power LLC, BorgWarner Rzeszow Sp. z o.o., BorgWarner Shenglong (Ningbo) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner South Asia LLC, BorgWarner Southborough Inc., BorgWarner Spain Holding S.L.U, BorgWarner Sweden AB, BorgWarner Systems Lugo S.r.l., BorgWarner Thermal Systems Inc., BorgWarner Thermal Systems of Michigan Inc., BorgWarner TorqTransfer Systems Beijing Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Tralee Ltd., BorgWarner Transmission Products LLC, BorgWarner Transmission Systems Arnstadt GmbH, BorgWarner Transmission Systems GmbH, BorgWarner Transmission Systems Korea LLC, BorgWarner Transmission Systems Tulle S.A.S., BorgWarner Trustees Limited, BorgWarner Turbo & Emissions Systems France S.A.S., BorgWarner Turbo Systems Engineering GmbH, BorgWarner Turbo Systems GmbH, BorgWarner Turbo Systems LLC, BorgWarner Turbo Systems Worldwide Headquarters GmbH, BorgWarner Turbo Systems of Michigan Inc., BorgWarner Turbo and Emissions Systems de Mexico S.A. de C.V., BorgWarner UK Financing Ltd., BorgWarner UK Holding and Services Ltd., BorgWarner US Holding LLC, BorgWarner USA Industries L.L.C., BorgWarner United Transmission Systems Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Waterloo Inc., BorgWarner Wrexham Limited, Cascadia Motion LLC, Creon Insurance Agency Limited, Delphi Technologies, Dytech ENSA, Gustav Wahler GmbH u. Co. KG, Haldex, Kuhlman LLC, Kysor Europe Limited, M. & M. Knopf Auto Parts L.L.C., NSK-Warner (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., NSK-Warner K.K., NSK-Warner Mexico S.A. de C.V, NSK-Warner U.S.A. Inc., New PDS Corp., Old Remco Holdings L.L.C., Old Remco International Holdings L.L.C., Remy International, SeohanWarner Turbo Systems LLC, Sevcon, Sevcon New Energy Technology (Hubei) Company Limited, and Transmission Systems AutoForm LLC.
Donald Trump is a Rorschach blot on the office of the presidency. Some people look at him and see a dangerous authoritarian. Some see a leader too weak to be authoritarian. Some see a weak leader who nonetheless has an authoritarian heart. And thats just the people who dont like the guy.

Still, pretty much everyone who isnt paid to pretend otherwise agrees that hes been hemmed in by Washingtons permanent institutions. Trump has signed just one major piece of legislation, and his executive orders have frequently landed with a splat. From his stab at banning transgender soldiers to his efforts to defund sanctuary cities, Trump has hit one wall after another.

That has led some anti-Trump pundits to a quietly optimistic take on the state of the country. Americas core institutions may not be in perfect health, Zack Beauchamp summed it up in Vox, but they seem to be functioning well enough to constrain a president whos gone after essential parts of its democratic system.

Yet if institutions have largely kept Trump from pushing presidential power in new directions, they have also let him intensify authoritarian policies that already exist.

While some institutions have kept Trump in check, others have empowered him.
Scandal-plagued South African President Jacob Zuma could step down within days, according to officials within the country's ruling African National Congress (ANC) party. Zuma is facing increasing pressure to resign in the wake of mounting corruption allegations and an investigation into whether he let a powerful family influence his government.

Zuma has battled corruption scandals throughout his almost nine years in office, but the ANC has additional incentive to jettison Zuma, given his increasing unpopularity in the country ahead of national elections in 2019.

A review of key World Poll data throughout Zuma's tenure in office shows:

Zuma's job approval is at an all-time low. Highly popular when he first took office, South Africans have soured on Zuma in the past five years, but particularly in the past two. The 25% in 2017 who approved of Zuma's job performance as president is a new low.

Though South Africans are among the least likely in sub-Saharan Africa to have confidence in their national government (42% in 2017), they notably lend Zuma even less support (25%). The 17-percentage-point gap between South Africans' confidence in the government at large and their approval of their president suggests that many South Africans are still loyal to the ANC despite their low opinions of Zuma.

South Africa (along with Kenya) leads all of sub-Saharan Africa in perceptions that government corruption is widespread. The percentage of South Africans who say government corruption is widespread has always been high since Gallup started polling there in 2006, but while numbers elsewhere across the region have declined, figures in South Africa have remained steady. The 85% of South Africans in 2017 who perceive corruption as widespread in their government is significantly higher than the median of 69% across the region.

Takeaway: If Zuma does not step down soon, he will face another no-confidence vote on Feb. 22. But while he has narrowly survived many such votes in the past, this time his fate is not as certain. Zuma's increasing unpopularity among South Africans may have hurt the ANC in local elections in 2016, and this may not be a risk some in the party will be willing to take in 2019.
Mumbai: Bollywood veteran has written a poem depicting his brief stay in a hospital on Friday and the following tryst with the media.

The 75-year-old actor shared the poem on his official blog.

The actor later tweeted a message informing his fans of his well-being and sharing the link with his fans, earlier today.

T 2610 -

To all of them that express concern

I am in wellness you may learn

I wrote a Blog verse last night in refrain,

You may visit it here, from rumour abstain

It is in Hindi, a language I speak

Shall translate in English, but efforts are meek ! https://t.co/A4IgEIWfXp pic.twitter.com/bQDNb4uq7N  Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) February 10, 2018

Sr. Bachchan was briefly admitted to Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai after facing gastrointestinal problems on Friday. He was later discharged on the same evening, following a thorough monitoring.

Incidentally, the trailer for Sr. Bachchan's next, '102 Not Out' was released the same day on Twitter. The film also stars Rishi Kapoor in a pivotal role.
According to doctors, spending too much time sitting on the toilet can weaken the pelvic muscles. (Representational Image/ Pixabay)

A man from south-east China had to rush to the hospital at midnight after noticing a mysterious ball-sized lump fallen out of his anus.

The man, whose rectum fell out, could have had suffered the injury after spending 30 minutes on the toilet playing video games, doctors think.

The victim, whose identity remains unknown was rushed to the hospital after the six-inch body part fell out later in the day and he was told that it was likely to have been caused by a session on the loo playing his favourite video game.

According to doctors, spending too much time sitting on the toilet can weaken the pelvic muscles.

According to a story published in The Mai, Doctor Su Dan said that the patient had rectal prolapse since he was four years old, but the bulge was able to retract in the past.

"But he did not have the condition treated, so the situation got worse."

In fact, his condition was so bad that his rectum had become fully detached from the rest of his lower intestines.

But doctors in the Guangdong province of China were able to successfully operate on the man allowing him to make a full recovery.

The protruding piece of his rectum is reported to have been removed by surgeons.

The patient was treated by Dr Su Dan from the gastrointestinal surgery division of The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University.
Activists burn tyres during AP bandh call given by Left parties and supported by the Congress and YSR Congress in Anantapur on Thursday. (Photo: DC)

Vijayawada: The unity that was absent during bifurcation of the state, is now making its presence felt. The state-wide bandh has been rendered a grand success.

It was previously believed that bandhs and protests in the state lacked the unity and intensity required for them to be success. However, this time around the entire state has raised its voice against the BJP.

Even Telugu Desam, the ruling party, has extended its support to the bandh in keeping with the public mood. The party has been organising protests across the state in spite of having two ministers in the Union government, and this has become a subject of discussion.

The state faced severe criticism during its bifurcation. The intensity and the spirit witnessed in Telangana wasnt observable in Andhra Pradesh, which made it appear as if the state was not opposed to the split. Despite harbouring anti-bifurcation sentiments, the state failed to effectively raise its voice against the Telangana movement and point out that the bifurcation was unjustified as the residual Andhra Pradesh would not have a revenue-generating capital city like Hyderabad. Meanwhile, the movement gained intensity in Telangana through the creation of awareness among the public.

Four years after the bifurcation, after having experienced the unscientific split, the denial of special category status, the ineffective implementation of special assistance measures, and the ignoring of commitments made to the state, the people of AP have united and volunteered to protest against the Union government and the BJP. The public seems to be more resentful towards the BJP than the Congress.

The state demonstrated its disapproval of the Congress by ensuring that the party was given no scope to participate in the Assembly. It is for the first time in the history of the Congress that the party has no participation in the AP Assembly.

Now, the public is upset with the BJP for not standing by its commitment to provide special category status to the state, a promise that was made by the Prime Minister himself. The TD, having observed the publics resentment, is also raising its voice against the BJP. TD ministers and MLAs are aligning with public sentiment and protesting against the Union government.

Chalasani Srinivas, the president of the Andhra Pradesh Intellectuals Forum, said that the Union government and the BJPs insults have given birth to a spirit of unity and the intensity to fight to uphold the self-respect and pride of the state.

He said that this spirit of unity will persist, like it has in Tamil Nadu, until justice is done to the state; the public will not spare the BJP for cheating Andhra Pradesh.
New Delhi: After the much controversial Congress description of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi as India is Indira and Indira is India, the BJP is now gearing up to project Prime Minister Narendra Modi as an unbeatable global legend.

BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, who has compiled the magazine-format booklet of about 60 pages, said positive coverage of Modis visits in the global media has underlined that his leadership has been acknowledged not only in India but also across the world.

The glossy compilation, given to BJP MPs at the Parliamentary Party meeting, describes PM Modi as an unbeatable global legend and sheds light on international media reports on his Davos visit for attending the World Economic Forum.

Vijayvargiya told the media that the Prime Minister drew upon Indian traditions and culture as he spoke on the global issues of terrorism, environment and protectionism. It has enhanced Indias image.

Addressing the MPs in the morning, PM Modi asked them to take welfare schemes announced in the Budget to the masses, saying that popularising them would lead to the party winning in the polls, according to leaders present at the meeting.

Modi said the Union Budget was positive for farmers and the poor while citing the announcement of a health insurance scheme for 10 crore families, according to Parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar. Modi also asked the MPs to hold meetings at booth level to take details of various welfare schemes announced in the Budget to people and run intensive campaigns to propagate them, Mr Kumar said.
Intelligence inputs had warned an attack on the Army or security establishment by Jaish-e-Mohammed in view of the death anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru who was hanged on February 9, 2013. (Photo: ANI | Twitter)

Srinagar: The IAF (Indian Air Force) Para commandos have been flown to Jammu to take on highly motivated terrorists who stormed an Army camp at Sunjwan in Jammu and Kashmirs winter capital on Saturday and are since engaged in a fierce gun battle with the security forces.

Two Junior Commissioned Officers (JFOs) have been killed and six others including a colonel and a girl wounded in the predawn terror attack and subsequent fighting. However, unofficial reports said that two children have also been killed during the attack.

The police sources said the attackers believed to be the members of Jaish-e-Mohammad group have split themselves into two groups and one of these has been isolated in a corner of a four-storey building. There are conflicting reports about the position of the second group.

Though no militant outfit has admitted responsibility for the attack, the authorities believe Jaish-e-Mohammad is behind it. The security forces authorities had earlier on the basis of intelligence inputs alerted their men in the Kashmir Valley against possible terror strike by the Jaish militants on the death anniversary of 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. But they apparently forgot to do it in Jammu as well which is part of the restive State where armed insurgency by Muslim separatists and the tough military campaign by the security forces to crush it have claimed thousands of lives since 1989.

Guru, convicted in the December 13, 2001 Parliament attack case, was hanged to death in Delhis Tihar jail on February 9, 2013. The Kashmir Valley had witnessed clashes between stone-pelting mobs and the security forces during a shutdown called by separatists and security clampdown in summer capital Srinagar and Gurus home town Sopore on Friday to commemorate his hanging. At least, two persons were injured in security forces pellet firing on protesters.

The States minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Abdul Rehman Veeri, informed the State Assembly, currently in its budget session in the winter capital, that the militants stormed the Sunjwan military station shortly before dawn using the rear side where family quarters are located. He identified the slain JCOs as Subedar Madan Lal Chowdhary and Subedar Muhammad Ashraf Mir. The daughter of another JCO is among the injured.

He termed it as a fidayeen attack launched at the Sunjwan Militarty Station of 36 Brigade at around 4:10 am. He said four Army officials and a civilian who were injured in the attack are being treated at Jammus Government Medical College Hospital (GMC).

The whole area has been cordoned off by Army and the security forces and operation is underway as militants have taken refuge in JCO quarters in the area, he said. He informed the House that during the operation, Colonel Rohit Solanki, Havaldar Abdul Hamid and Lance Naik Bahadur Singh and Neha daughter of Subedar Madan Lal Chowdhary were injured. They were initially taken to Military Hospital Satwari and afterwards shifted to GMC hospital.

Veeri said that the exact number of Fidayeen is still not known but, as per the initial call received at Police Control Room (PCR) Jammu at around 4:55 am four to five militants are involved in the attack. He added the PCR Jammu immediately alerted all the concerned police establishments as well as civil administration regarding the incident. The GMC Jammu has also been informed to be in readiness to deal with any exigency and ensure best medical care to the injured, he said.

Director General of J&K Police, Shesh Paul Vaid, confirmed that the militants entered the military station from the rear side where family quarters are located. Inspector General of Police (Jammu range) SD Singh Jamwal told reporters in Jammu that around 4.55 am suspicious movement was noticed by the sentry and his bunker was fired upon. The fire was retaliated. The number of militants isn't known. They've been cornered in one of the family quarters, he said. He added that after the attack, reinforcements of the Army's special forces and members of the J&K polices counterinsurgency Special Operations Group (SOG) rushed to the spot and cordoned off the whole area amid a fierce gunfight.

Following the attack, the authorities ordered closure of schools in Sunjwan belt of Jammu city. We have ordered closure of schools in Sunjwan area as a precautionary measure in the wake of the attack, a spokesman of the Jammu Divisional Commissioners office said. A high alert has been sounded in Jammu and security beefed up in and around the winter capital of the State.

Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, expressed anguish over the militant attack and the loss of life caused in it. In a tweet, she said: Deeply disturbed by the terrorist attack in Sunjwan today. My heart goes out to the injured & their families.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to DGP Vaid and took stock of the situation arising out of the terror attack. According to a tweet by the Home Ministers Office, Singh sought details from the police chief on the incident during the telephonic conversation. "The DGP has apprised him of the situation. The MHA is closely monitoring the situation," the tweet said.
Kochi: The High Court on Friday quashed the First Information Report and the Vigilance probe against former chief minister Oommen Chandy, former chief secretary E.K. Bharat Bhushan and three others in the Pattoor land case. The court order, a major setback to the state government, has come as a relief to Chandy, Bharat Bhushan and others.

The three others involved in the case are R. Somasekkharan Nair and S. Madhu, executive engineers of Kerala Water Authority, and T.S. Ashok, the owner of the company that promoted the apartment complex. The court issued the order on a petition filed by Bharat Bhushan seeking the quashing of the case. Stating that there was no prima facie evidence in the case, the court criticised the former Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau director Jacob Thomas, who led the probe in the case. He had failed to furnish any solid evidence or detailed report other than stating that the Pattoor land records were incomplete.

The court pointed out that Jacob Thomas appeared before the court only once and then disappeared for surfacing only on the social media. Saying that his actions amount to contempt of court, the judgment stated that it was high time an official of seniority is taught about discipline. The court also expressed doubts whether he was suitable for holding the position of DGP. The Pattoor case is connected with the allegation that 12.5 cents of revenue land was appropriated by a private company promoting a residential apartment complex at Pattoor in the heart of Thiruvananathapuram city.

The five accused were allegedly involved in facilitating the encroachment of the government land by the company. Former chief minister V.S. Achuthanandan had approached the Vigilance court seeking a probe in the matter. The FIR was registered in the case following the Vigilance court raising the issue with the preliminary probe stating that relocating the pipeline had resulted in huge losses to the KWA. Jacob Thomas had submitted an affidavit before the Lok Ayukta that the Patoor land records were incomplete. The High Court has summoned Jacob Thomas in this connection and asked him to submit a written affidavit.
Loya, who was hearing the high-profile 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. (Photo: Facebook)

New Delhi: The Maharashtra government on Friday opposed in the Supreme Court the pleas seeking an independent probe of the death of special CBI judge BH Loya, terming them as "motivated" and based on "yellow journalism".

Loya, who was hearing the high-profile 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.

"This hearing must come to an end after four judicial officers have recorded their statements. Either these judges will have to be believed or this court will have to say that they all are lying," senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Maharashtra, told a bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud.

Rohatgi objected to the submissions of senior advocate Indira Jaising, appearing for former Navy chief Laxminarayan Ramdas, and said that a person, who is seeking to intervene in the case, cannot be allowed to argue on facts and should confine oneself to the law.

Jaising, who referred to sequence of events to highlight her submission that a probe was needed to rule out any foul play, alleged a trial court judge in the Sohrabuddin case was transferred in a "tearing hurry".

Responding to her contention, Rohatgi said the trial in the case commenced six months back and that Jaising was raising the issue of the transfer of the judge hearing the case in 2014. He also referred to the apex court order that the special CBI judge hearing the case will not be transferred once the trial starts.

"Do you want to say that I have filed a motivated application," Jaising asked, adding that she did not care.

"Yes, this is a motivated petition based on yellow journalism," Rohatgi replied, adding that judicial time should not be wasted in this manner.

At the outset, Jaising referred to the first police report in the death of Loya, and said that requisites of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) were not followed.

After preparing the inquest report under Section 174 of CrPC, the police should have filed its report before the judicial magistrate concerned which was not done, she said.

Even the name of the deceased judge was "misspelt" in the records despite the claim that four judges accompanied him to hospitals and this gave rise to suspicion, she said.

Dr Prashant Rathi, to whom Loya's body was handed over, was not his close blood relative, she said. Morever, the 'panchanama' of Loya's belongings was not done by police, she said, adding the mobile phone of the deceased was returned to his family after five days.

Noting that the case diary was the most "crucial" document to ascertain the veracity of the sequence of events, she said police claimed that ECG was done on Loya at a hospital, but the report has not been filed before the court.

Jaising referred to the statement of judge R R Rathi, who had accompanied Loya to hospitals and said that ECG machine was not functioning at the hospital where he was taken first on the fateful morning of December 1, 2014.

Loya had no clinical history of any heart ailment and this has to considered while ascertaining the cause of the death, she said, and insisted on an independent probe monitored by the apex court.

At the fag end of the hearing, the bench objected to the reference of Justice Chandrachud's observations in the written submissions filed by All India Lawyers Association, an intervenor in the case.

"How can you make observations in the open court part of your note? This can't be done," the bench said, adding that questions asked during the hearing did not indicate the opinion of the judges.

The bar body promptly said it would delete the part of the submission containing observations of Justice Chandrachud. The bench would resume hearing the pleas on February 12.

The bench is hearing pleas including those filed by Congress leader Tehseen Poonawala and Maharashtra-based BS Lone seeking an independent probe into Loya's death in 2014.

The top court had earlier transferred to itself pleas pending in the Bombay High Court on Loya's death and restrained other courts from entertaining any petitions relating to it.

BJP chief Amit Shah was an accused in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case which had happened when he was Minister of State for Home in Gujarat. He was, however, later discharged.
The number of deaths due to dengue in the country in 2017 stood at 253, with Tamil Nadu topping the list with the death of 65 people, Union health minister J P Nadda told Parliament on Friday.

CHENNAI: The number of deaths due to dengue in the country in 2017 stood at 253, with Tamil Nadu topping the list with the death of 65 people, Union health minister J P Nadda told Parliament on Friday.

Replying to a question in Lok Sabha, the Minister said 23,294 people were infected with dengue in Tamil Nadu in 2017 out of which 65 of them lost their lives. Tamil Nadu was closely followed by Maharashtra (41 deaths), Kerala (37) Uttar Pradesh (28) and West Bengal (19), the data said. While 2,531 cases and 5 deaths were reported in 2016, there were 4,535 cases and 12 deaths in 2015 in the state, the data presented by the minister said. In the month of January 2018, 813 cases have reported but no deaths so far, the data says.

Dengue deaths in the months of October and November kept the AIADMK government on its toes with the Centre dispatching a high-level team to check the state administrations preparedness. After much hue and cry from opposition parties and civil society, the government launched mass cleaning activities across the state, following which the number of cases came down. Though the government maintained that it was taking all precautionary measures to ensure that dengue spread, the state registered maximum deaths due to the disease.
Members of All India Muslim Personal Law Board during the second day of its meeting on triple talaq issue Saturday.

Hyderabad: All India Muslim Personal Law Board executive member Maulana Salman Nadvi boycotted the second day of the board meeting on Saturday.

Maulana Nadvis meeting with Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to resolve the Ayodhya dispute had created a storm. A day before, he was questioned by board members about the meeting since it had distanced itself from the meeting.

On Saturday, he said his efforts would continue to resolve the issue peacefully and through dialogue with other groups. A meeting is being planned next month with the Sadhus and other Hindu groups in Lucknow next month. I will go ahead. Approach could be different but intention is common, a solution to the dispute, he said.

The controversy heated up on Saturday when Maulana Nadvi said a few persons selectively targeted him over his attempt to resolve the dispute peacefully.

Maulana Kamal Farooqui and Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas were at the forefront in leading a verbal attack on me. I was not given any opportunity to present my stand at the meeting. I want a peaceful solution to the dispute. I will go ahead with my plans. The approach is different but intention is to resolve the issue, he told Deccan Chronicle.

However, both Kamal Farooqui and Syed Qasim termed the allegations wrong. It was a unanimous decision to question Maulana Nadvi and all wanted to know in what capacity he met Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. The meeting has damaged the reputation of the board. All are bound over by the rules of the board and should not break the rules. The sanctity of the board is damaged and suitable action should have to be initiated, said Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas.

A committee was formed to inquire into the conduct of Maulana Nadvi with regard to the meeting. AIMPLB president Maulana Rabey Hasani Nadwi, general secretary Maulana Wali Rahmani, secretary Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani and working committee member Maulana Arshad Madani were part of the committee.

Maulana Nadvi stroked another controversy targeting board spokesperson Maulana Khaleel-ur-Rahman Sajjad Noumani. Presenting a video clip, he said Maulana Noumani had said he had met a few RSS leaders and visited the camps. Is the AIMPLB run by the RSS, he asked and also demanded a probe into another statement of Maulana Naumani that Muslims in India would be massacred like their community members in Myanmar. Clarifying the massacre statement, Maulana Naumani said it was open fact and all across the country that everyone was speaking about weapons being distributed to right wing activists across the country.

Maulana Nadvi demanded AIMPLB be renamed as Shariat Application Board and efforts be made to educate the people about Islam. My intention to set up an Islamic university at the disputed site and educate students of all religions about Islam, he said.
Bengaluru: Sameer Abdo was the victim of a bomb blast in Yemen that cost him his left eye and blinded him in the right. Suffering from severe pain in his eyes, the 37-year-old reached out to the citys Dr Agarwal Eye hospital and within three days of being operated on, regained 85 per cent of his vision. Diagnosed with corneal opacity, traumatic cataract and haemorrhage in his eye, he underwent multiple surgeries to restore his sight. Corneal , cataract and retina surgeons were involved in treating him and almost restoring his vision. "We performed multiple surgeries on Sameer. We found he was suffering from traumatic cataract and vitreous hemorrhage, resulting in bleeding inside the eye. We took his case as a challenge as others were hesitant to operate on him and performed the procedures successfully, says Dr Ravi Dorairaj, Medical director of the hospital. The doctors also gave him a customised prosthesis in place of his shattered left eye.

Explaining the procedure, Dr Bindhya, consultant ophthalmologist at the hospital, says "We first started with the complicated procedure of removing multiple minute foreign particles in the cornea and then performed the traumatic cataract surgery using intraocular lense implantation and an intra- vitreal injection. After three days of immense observation the patient regained 85 per cent of his vision."

Thanks to the doctors, Sameer is happy today. " Thankfully after the surgery, I am able to read books and even ride a motorbike. I can move around freely without anyones help," he says gratefully.
(Left) Before and (right) a screenshot of Bharatiya Janata Partys official page which removed the review option after people flooded it with negative reviews.

Hyderabad: Thousands of citizens took to their keyboards to protest and denounce the injustice done to Andhra Pradesh by the Union government. Usually, citizens take to social media to raise civic concerns, or share government programmes, but this time Internet protesters have taken to Facebook to down rate party pages to express their anger at APs interests being ignored in the recent Union Budget.

Just like customers review products on e-commerce websites with stars, 1 being the lowest and 5 the highest, people are reviewing political parties on their social media pages.

Things went to such an extent that the Bharatiya Janata Party had to disable the review option. This did not deter people from voicing their opinions and reviewing every possible page of the saffron party where the option is enabled.

After the BJP disabled the option, people showed their anger by down rating the Facebook pages of President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to just one star.

A review on President Kovinds page by Facebook user Sri Chaitanya Paramatmuni, reads: Uncle, What is this, Where is Spl Status (sic).

On the other hand a review on Sushma Swarajs page reads, Chinnama please save AP, keep your promises. As a leader of opposition at the time of bifurcation, youre also the main reason for the problems of AP. AP DEMANDSpecialStatus (sic).

Some netizens are reviewing Narendra Modis app and the BJP app on the Google Play Store.

A user, Roop Chand on the BJP app on Play store wrote: Save AP from this BJP exploitation.

Another user Sandeep Lvrs on Narendra Modi's app wrote: I am a huge fan of Modiji and I do support him for what he has been doing for our country. But the way he has betrayed my state Andhra Pradesh has forced me to disliking him in this way. I demand Special Status for Andhra Pradesh and as a protest I am rating this app with 1 star.

Down rating a Facebook page is a new form of protest netizens are resorting to express their anger. Mass down rating campaigns by Telugus was previously witnessed on YouTube when movie stars were targeted.

The anger is, of course, on account of the BJP-led Union government shelving provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act.

On the other popular social networking site, Twitter, netizens are seeking support from Telugu movie stars and are criticising them for their hypocrisy in supporting Jallikattu but not special category status for Andhra Pradesh.
Hyderabad: Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury on Friday moved a privilege notice against Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju for posting a video on his Facebook page showing Prime Minister Narendra Modi making a sarcastic remark about her in Parliament.

Defending his post, Mr Rijiju said that he was only showing how the Prime Minister did not get annoyed at the vexatious laugh Ms Chowdhury let out at something the Prime Minister said during his speech in the Rajya Sabha.

Ms Chowdhury reported to have laughed when Mr Modi had claimed that it was BJP patriarch L.K. Advani who had first mooted the idea of the Aadhaar card.

Mr Rijiju said that he failed to comprehend in what way he had insulted women's dignity. He said that he was merely referring to the Prime Minister's equanimity.

He said that the Opposit-ion has been saying that Prime Minister Modis rem-arks were breach of privilege, but the Rajya Sabha chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu has said that such behaviour by Ms Chowd-hury is unbecoming.
KOPPAL: Congress president Rahul Gandhi promised that his party government would do even better in the next five years in the state even as he combined his pre-poll tour with visits to temples in north Karnataka on Saturday.

We will do better in the next five years after coming to power. Our government will work for the future. We will speak the truth, and do what we promise. We will never lie to you, he said in his address at Janaashirvad Yatra.

He listed the achievements of the state government during the last five years, and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to emulate Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on how to provide a transparent government. Developing the Siddaramaiah vs Modi narrative further, Mr Gandhi accused the Prime Minister of helping corporates by providing them land, power and water at highly subsidised rates in Gujarat. Incentives amounting to Rs 33,000 crore were given to the Tatas for manufacturing the Nano car in Gujarat, he recalled.

And while the NDA government had given merely Rs 55,000 crore for the welfare of scheduled caste and scheduled tribe people , Karnataka had allocated Rs 27,700 crore for their welfare in the state alone. This is the commitment of the Congress. Whenever it comes to power it thinks more about the poor and downtrodden rather than about its friends, he contended.

Charging the Union government with only making false promises, and speaking lies , he claimed it had not delivered on any of the promises made during the 2014 poll campaign. Did any of you got Rs 15 lakh in your bank accounts? Mr Gandhi asked the crowd, appealing to it to trust the Congress.  On one side you have the Congress with Mr Siddaramaiah and I and on the other you have the BJP and Narendra Modi, who are full of lies, the Congress president said.

On corruption, Mr Gandhi observed disdainfully that Mr Modi delivered speeches sitting beside former Chief Minister of Karnataka B. S. Yeddyurappa, who was jailed for corruption.

The Congress leader also recalled the role of his party in according special status to the Hyderbad-Karnataka region under article 371 (J) of the Constitution. The region is now receiving Rs 4,000 crore per year as against Rs 350 crore before, 5000 students have received admission in professional courses under the government quota and 20,000 people have been given government jobs, he noted.

Speaking at Kukanur near Yelburga later, he hit out at Mr Modi for his claims that the BJP would provide a corruption free government in the state .

Mr Gandhi visited the Huligemmma temple in Koppal district, and Gavi Siddheshwara Math in Koppal, a math of the numerically significant Lingayat community.
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On Thursday, Mormon Women for Ethical Government released the following statement "with regard to the silencing, denigration and abuse of women":

"As Mormon Women for Ethical Government, we assert without equivocation that the silencing, denigration, and abuse of women are heinous offenses which must never be condoned or ignored. Our former prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley stated: 'We condemn most strongly abusive behavior in any form. No man who abuses his wife or children is worthy to be a member in good standing in this Church. The abuse of ones spouse and children is a most serious offense before God.' We stand with all women and hold in the highest regard those who seek help or counsel when they are being harmed in any way. These women must be heard and they must be believed."

Mormon Women for Ethical Government is self-described as a "nonpartisan group dedicated to the ideals of decency, honor, accountability, transparency, and justice in governing. We are faithful, peaceful, and proactive. We are both watchdogs and activists, guided by our discipleship to Jesus Christ and His teachings. Our goal is to oppose unlawful and/or unethical proceedings and to promote positive change." The private organization is not affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but its members "fully, sustain, honor, and support" the LDS Church's doctrines and leaders, according to its website.
SALT LAKE CITY  A new study about the costs and public opinions concerning the death penalty in Utah suggests support for capital punishment may be waning in the state.

But perhaps more than anything, the study released Friday by the state's Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice highlights the complexities of trying to evaluate the expense and impact of the death penalty.

From June 2016 to July 2017, the 13-person working group considered the costs and public opinions associated with the death penalty, as well as the aggravating factors that push a crime to a capital level, victims' rights and practices in other states.

In most of the areas it focused on, the working group came up inconclusive.

While Utahns have traditionally viewed the death penalty favorably, the study notes, five polls about the issue over the past three years yielded somewhat inconsistent results.

Three polls by Dan Jones & Associates, an in-state pollster, showed half to two-thirds of Utahns surveyed favor the death penalty, the study states. However, two polls by Public Policy Polling, an out-of-state company, showed less support for the death penalty, with more than half of respondents supporting replacing it.

Based on those findings, the working group concluded, "It is probably reasonable to suggest simply that public support for the death penalty in Utah is declining over previous highs, based on national data and consistently lower support from younger respondents in the Utah polls."

Regarding the costs of death penalty cases in Utah, the study pointed to two previous evaluations. The Utah Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers found last year that over 20 years, the state spent nearly $40 million prosecuting 165 death-penalty eligible cases, two of which ended in executions.

That translates to an extra $237,900 spent on each case as compared to a murder case, the study states.

A 2012 evaluation by the Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst estimated that from trial to execution, a death penalty case in Utah costs nearly $1.7 million more than a case ending instead in life in prison without parole, the commission's study notes.

The findings prompted Utah Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty to call Friday for lawmakers to take a closer look at the costs of capital punishment in the state.

"This report should give pause to anyone who thought that because capital punishment is so rarely used in Utah that the cost of maintaining a death penalty would be negligible," said Kevin Greene, the organization's state director. "We have been spending tons of money without much in return and we hope lawmakers will closely examine the report and agree that the death penalty is anything but fiscally conservative."

The Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice study did not reach any conclusions regarding limiting or expanding aggravating factors that would make a case eligible for the death penalty. It also did not make any findings about the impacts on the rights of victims in capital cases, and noted without further conclusion that states across the nation are moving away from the death penalty.
SALT LAKE CITY  Utah House members appear willing to let terminally ill patients use medical marijuana, but they're apparently reluctant to involve the state in cultivating the plant and dispensing the drug.

Two bills considered Friday that would do those things went too far for some lawmakers but not far enough for others.

The House voted 40-26 in favor of HB195 to legalize the use of certain types of medicinal cannabis for terminally ill patients. It would permit a doctor  advanced practice registered nurses were stripped from the current version  to recommend cannabis for a patient with six months or less to live.

But legislators then rejected a companion measure, HB197, that allows the Utah Department of Agriculture to contract with a third party to oversee the growing and processing of full-strength cannabis in the state. The bill would also create a designated state dispensary to sell cannabis products to organizations.

The vote was 36-34, but the bill failed because a constitutional majority of 38 is needed to pass. Four members were absent, and one resigned earlier this week.

"There was a lot more angst about the cultivation than I thought," Rep. Brad Daw, R-Orem, said after the vote. He is sponsoring both bills.

Daw immediately went to work on his colleagues and intends to bring HB197 back Monday.

"I've got at least three flips already," he said.

Both measures need to pass because the so-called right-to-try bill is meaningless without the means to provide cannabis, he said. Daw said he couldn't explain why some lawmakers voted for one but not the other.

"You have a group of people who don't want to move ahead at all, (and) you have another group of people that want to go much, much further than we're going along the spectrum, so trying to find that sweet spot, that's a challenge," he said.

Rep. Merrill Nelson, R-Grantsville, voted against the bills because he said it would violate federal law to grow and dispense cannabis in Utah.

"I cannot in good conscience simply ignore the law," he said. "Ignoring the law leads to anarchy. I'm not saying the sky is going to fall. Its a drip, drip, drip."

Rep. Mike Noel, R-Kanab, argued the state needs to do what the federal government should have done a long time ago. He said he's not into seeing people suffer when they could be helped by "a plant that you can grow in your backyard."

"We're not Colorado, we're not California, we're not Oregon. Do you see any action against them?" he said.

Some Democrats voted against the proposals because they said they don't go far enough.

Rep. Karen Kwan, D-Murray, said medicinal cannabis needs to be made available to as many people as possible.

"To limit it, seems like were not doing enough," she said.

Daw called it small step forward that would allow the state to see how effective medical marijuana can be.

Christine Stenquist, president of Together for Responsible Use and Cannabis Education, or TRUCE, watched the votes from the House gallery.

"It just took the wheels off the car," she said after watching HB197 go down, something she wasn't sad to see.

"This still means the ballot initiative is the most comprehensive bill out there for patients. So today, on some small scale, Utah patients win. Unfortunately, we have to wait until November," she said.

The initiative would allow use of several types of medical marijuana products for illnesses such as Alzheimers disease, cancer, multiple sclerosis, post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic pain and autism. It would not legalize smoking the drug or using it in public.

Doug Rice, vice president of the Epilepsy Association of Utah, watched debate on the bills from the gallery of the House chambers with his daughter, Ashley, who has epilepsy.

Rice, of West Jordan, said without medicinal cannabis, Ashley has upward of two dozen seizures a day. When she uses cannabis, she has about three to five seizures a day, he said.

Rice said he believes Daw's proposals don't go far enough.

Theyre really, really small steps, he said. Theres some positive things to (the bills), but the negatives in these bills outweigh the positives.

Contributing: Jacob Wiegand
Kate Bosworth To Be Honoured At Richmond International Film Festival For Nona

Richmond International Film Festival will honour actress Kate Bosworth with the founders award on behalf of her film Nona. The movie will also be played on the festivals opening night which will take place on April 24. The founders award honours those filmmakers who make movies based on the reality of life. It honours artists who create necessary yet artful thought and dialogue in their work.





Nona is a narrative feature produced by Bosworth and is directed and written by her husband Michael Polish. It puts light on Central Americas sex trafficking industry. The movie revolves around a young Honduran girl who meets a young boy named Hecho who promise her to safely take her home to reunite with her mother. However, the boy doesnt deliver his promise and the girl faces a dangerous journey. She travels across four countries and ends up living in a world of modern-day sex slavery.





Nona is an acronym for No Name. This is the first feature film that has been co-produced by the husband and wife producing team through their newly formed production company, Make Pictures Productions. Kate is currently busy shooting for The Devil Has No Name. She recently appeared in National Geographics miniseries The Long Road Home.





For latest movie reviews, ratings and trailers, download the Desimartini App.





Source: media.glamour.com
Kamal Haasan On A Lookout For Clean Energy Solutions For Tamil Nadu

Kollywood star Kamal Haasan is known to have starred in many movies such as Hey Ram, Nayakan, Thevar Magan and Vishwaroopam. It is known that the star recently announced his decision to enter the world of politics. The star is currently in United States of America to look for ways to develop the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.





According to a story published on timesofindia.indiatimes.com, Kamal will be giving a lecture at the India Conference at Harvard University. It is also being said that he is looking for clean energy solutions for Tamil Nadu and has interacted with KR Sridhar, who is the Founder and CEO of Bloom Energy. Regarding his interaction with KR Sridhar, he said, I see a future where Tamil Nadu could be Bloom's champion customer.





He further added, I would rather want that Bloom and Dr Sridhar would kindly consider Tamil Nadu as their sleeping partner giant that they can awaken for the world to see. It would make India and Tamil Nadu proud.





For latest movie reviews, ratings and trailers, download the Desimartini App.

Source: hindustantimes.com
Google has been preparing for this since a long time now. All websites bearing the HTTP protocol will now be marked as Not Secure on the Google Chrome web browser starting July this year. With the launch of Chrome 68, Google will warn users that all websites not using HTTPS i.e. Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure are not secure to browse.

According to Google, more than 68% of Chrome traffic on Android and Windows, and more than 78% on Chrome OS and Mac, is now being sent via HTTPS. HTTPS ensures that all communication between a users browser and the website is encrypted, thereby ensuring higher security standards while browsing.

Google has been making way for the move since a long time now. Chrome 56 had started warning users that HTTP websites are Not Secure if they contained a payments gateway or password fields. Chrome 62 took this to the next level and starting displaying the warning to users when they opened an HTTP link in private browsing mode. With Chrome 68, all websites still on HTTP will display a safety warning to users as Google's third and final step to secure browsing.

Google is not the first one to implement this security feature on their browser. Mozilla Firefox had started work on the same back in December last year, again due to the increasing adoption of HTTPS.

Unlike HTTP, HTTPS ensures that even if hackers manages to break into the connection between the browser and the website, they cannot decrypt any information being exchanged by the two.
Google was sued by Getty Images, the online stock image repository, back in 2016 when the latter alleged that Googles Image Search promoted piracy. Two years later, Google and Getty have reached a new licensing partnership instead of going to trial. As per the agreement between Google and Getty, the formed will be making a number of changes to its Image Search section.

For starters, Google will make copyright disclaimers more prominent and visible. Getty Images had a problem with Google displaying full-resolution images in its Image Search section, which would lead to searchers rarely visiting the original source of the image. Now, as per Google and Gettys multi-year licensing deal, Google will be able to display copyright content through its various products, but will improve contributors attribution.

This agreement between Getty Images and Google sets the stage for a very productive, collaborative relationship between our companies, said Dawn Airey, CEO, Getty Images. We will licence our market leading content to Google, working closely with them to improve attribution of our contributors work and thereby growing the ecosystem.

According to reports, Google will also remove the View Image button in Image Search results. The View Image button currently leads to the URL of the photo.
The International Day of Women and Girls in Science is on February 11th. The day was established by the UN General Assembly in 2015, with the aim of achieving gender equality in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

This event brings to my mind the pioneering computer programmer, Kathleen Kay McNulty. She was born in Creeslough on 12th February, 1921, and emigrated to Philadelphia with her family at three years of age.

Ireland was then the only country in the world where more women than men emigrated, and early in life Kathleen felt the opportunities that emigration offered to Irish women.

In Irelands national schools, girls were generally taught only basic arithmetic and domestic skills because boys education was considered more important. In 1921, the year of Kays birth, only half of Irish children under 14 attended primary school, and secondary education was limited to a minority, generally middle-class boys.

But in Philadelphia, Kay attended High School, something that most girls her age in Donegal could only dream of. She excelled in her studies, and won a college scholarship.

She graduated from college in Spring 1942 with outstanding grades in maths. The timing was perfect  the US Army urgently needed mathematicians for the war effort.

Kay was hired as a computer at the University of Pennsylvania, calculating missile trajectories. She excelled at the slow, painstaking work and in 1945 she and five other women were selected to work at Aberdeen military base in Maryland, developing the processor for a 30-ton machine called the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC).

ENIAC was the worlds first electronic general-purpose computer and a huge step forward in technology, but when it was demonstrated to the public on 15th February, 1946, the women computers were ignored. They were seen as refrigerator ladies  they were to simply stand beside the machine, looking good.

As was standard at the time, Kay left her job when she married John Mauchly, inventor of the ENIAC, in February 1948. He later developed the first commercially available computer, which she programmed from home while raising seven children.

It was only in the 1990s that the role of women computers in the early days of programming came to be acknowledged. As Kay wrote in her autobiography: All the years I gave talks about the ENIAC, I always talked about it as Johns story, not my story.

In 1997, the six ENIAC women were inducted into the Women in Technology International Hall of Fame. In 1999, a computer science prize in Kays honour was established at Letterkenny IT.

Kays remarkable story raises opportunities for reflection on women in STEM today, and there is a long way to go.

The 2016 Report on STEM Education states that the ratio of male to female students at Leaving Cert level is 3:1 for physics and 2:3 for biology, and that fewer than 25% of Irish workers using STEM-related skills are women. This speaks to wider cultural forces and negative stereotypes that tell our girls and young women that science is not for them.

The website of the Women in Technology International Hall of Fame (www.witi.com) showcases the inspirational work of real-life role models, women from across the world working to improve all of our lives.
IBM QRadar and Splunk are two of the top security information and event management (SIEM) solutions, but each product offers distinct benefits to potential buyers.

Both SIEM solutions were featured in eSecurity Planets list of top 10 SIEM products. Both companies offer strong core SIEM products, but differ in intelligence features and integration with third-party and other security tools. What follows are some key features and analysis of each solution.

QRadar and Splunk features and options

IBM QRadar SIEM leverages automation to detect sources of security log data and new network flow traffic resulting from additional assets appearing on the network. It also uses an advanced correlation rules engine and behavioral profiling technology to reduce millions or billions of data points into a manageable list of required investigations. The solution ships with more than 400 support modules, and dozens more are available on the IBM Security App Exchange.

By chaining together multiple security events into known patterns of malicious behaviors, QRadar can pinpoint network breaches, data exfiltrations and anomalistic conditions occurring on an organizations network, IBM Security program director Patric Vandenberg told eSecurity Planet. This core capability is richly supported by vulnerability management, network forensics tools, and an integrated incident response solution in the same workbench.

Splunk Enterprise Security (ES) provides a clear visual picture of an organizations security posture, with the ability to customize views and drill down to raw events as needed. Continuous security monitoring along with case management and incident response functionality allow users to conduct rapid investigations using ad hoc search and static, dynamic and visual correlations to detect threats.

The Splunkbase app store provides access to more than 600 apps that can be used with Splunk security solutions, including Splunk Security Essentials for Ransomware, Splunk Security Essentials for Fraud Detection, Cisco Networks App for Splunk, and Splunk App for PCI Compliance. Splunks Adaptive Response Initiative, a security collective with over 30 partners, also helps integrate technologies such as next-generation firewalls, endpoint security and threat intelligence.

Recent SIEM product improvements

In the past year, IBM has enhanced QRadar with the addition of IBM QRadar with Watson, which combines the capabilities of Watson with the QRadar Security Analytics Platform; IBM QRadar User Behavior Analytics, which analyzes user behavior to detect malicious activity; and IBM QRadar Network Insights, which analyzes network data in real time to detect attacks and security threats. IBM QRadar Cloud Security has also been improved with the ability to secure AWS, Azure and O365 cloud services.

New additions to Splunks offering over the past year include Splunk ES Content Update, a subscription service that offers pre-packaged security content to help customers detect, investigate and manage specific threats, as well as Booz Allen Hamilton Cyber4Sight for Splunk, which provides customers with access to actionable security intelligence from Booz Allens threat intelligence service. The company also launched Splunk User Behavior Analytics (UBA) 4.0, which enables customers to create and load their own machine learning models to identify custom anomalies and threats.

Strengths and weaknesses: IBM

QRadar is a good fit for midsize and large enterprises that need core SIEM functionality, says Gartner, as well as those seeking a unified platform capable of managing a wide range of security monitoring and operational technologies.

Still, there are some shortcomings. While IBM offers the BigFix solution for endpoint monitoring, Gartner says its clients have shown very little interest in it and have turned instead to third-party solutions. The firm also reports that QRadars UBA functionality lags behind other vendors, and the IBM Resilient incident response tool doesnt offer native integration with the QRadar platform.

Workflow and incident response and management capabilities are better than average, but full orchestration and automation is only available through IBMs Resilient Incident Response Platform premium solution, Gartner notes. Threat-hunting capabilities also come at a premium, through IBMs i2 Analysts Notebook.

Strengths and weaknesses: Splunk

Splunk offers a full range of solutions that enable users to grow into the solution over time, with advanced analytics available throughout the platform. A wide range of partners offer integration services, and apps are available through the Splunkbase app store.

Still, Gartner reports that some of its clients have raised concerns about the licensing model and the overall cost of implementation. Splunk has introduced new licensing options to address those concerns. Additionally, since Splunk doesnt offer an appliance version of the solution, companies that want an on-premises appliance have to turn to a third-party provider.

Splunk is mainly focused on core SIEM capabilities, and lacks specific advanced threat detection solutions, Gartner said. Splunk Stream (included with Splunk Enterprise) can collect network traffic for analysis, and the Splunk Universal Forwarder can be used as a lightweight agent for endpoint analysis, the firm said.

SIEM users weigh in

Users of both SIEM products have their own views.

Colt Rogers, an infrastructure engineer at IT services company Zirous, wrote that Splunk has been extremely useful in the proactive monitoring of clients hardware, networking, and security operations.

Among other use cases, Zirous uses Splunk for proactive account lockouts based on machine learning of a typical persons average number of failed login attempts. This came in handy when a network breach was contained nearly immediately thanks to auto-logout policies.

One security engineering and operations director praises IBM QRadars ability to correlate data across a global enterprise in near-real time, third-party solution integration, and machine learning features such as Watson integration and indicators of compromise. Incidents have been detected in real-time, he notes.

.

IBM QRadar and Splunk SIEM solutions compared See Full Table Product Use Cases Metrics Intelligence Delivery Pricing Splunk Enterprise Security Highly-regulated industries Most users ingest several petabytes daily Integrates with Splunk UBA & machine learning toolkit Software or cloud Based on max daily data volume; starts at $1,800/GB/day IBM

Security Qradar Enterprises and regulated industries 4oo+ sources, scales to millions of events per second UBA, forensics, packet inspection, Watson integration Cloud or hardware, software or virtual appliance Cloud starts at, $800/month; on- premises at $10,400

x IBM QRadar and Splunk SIEM solutions compared Product Use Cases Metrics Intelligence Delivery Pricing Splunk Enterprise Security Highly-regulated industries Most users ingest several petabytes daily Integrates with Splunk UBA & machine learning toolkit Software or cloud Based on max daily data volume; starts at $1,800/GB/day IBM

Security Qradar Enterprises and regulated industries 4oo+ sources, scales to millions of events per second UBA, forensics, packet inspection, Watson integration Cloud or hardware, software or virtual appliance Cloud starts at, $800/month; on- premises at $10,400

Deployment

QRadar is available as on-premises hardware or software or in the cloud. Smaller customers can offload all the deployment and maintenance to an IBM cloud-based solution, while larger firms can choose either an on-premises deployment, or adopt a hybrid approach collecting data from local and cloud-based applications, Vandenberg said.

Splunk ES can be deployed as software on premises, via the SaaS solution Splunk Cloud, in a public or private cloud, or in a hybrid deployment. Many of Splunks customers have a growing interest in leveraging Splunk ES in the cloud, Splunk director of product marketing Girish Bhat told eSecurity Planet by email. Today, many customers are changing their overall security model from on-premises to hybrid models, enabling them to drive security analytics both locally and in the cloud.

Pricing structure

IBM QRadar pricing is based on events per second (EPS) and flows per second (FPS). The on-premises solution starts at $10,400, including 12 months of support, while the cloud-based solution starts at $800 per month on an annual term. The IBM QRadar Community Edition, a low-memory, low-EPS version of QRadar, is available for free.

Splunks pricing is based on the number of users and the amount of data ingested per day. A free version is available for a single user and up to 500 MB of data per day. Splunk Light, for up to five users and up to 20 GB of data per day, starts at $75 a month, billed annually. Splunk Enterprise, for unlimited users and up to unlimited amounts of data per day, starts at $150 a month for 1 GB of data a day, with discounts per GB as you increase in volume  10 GB of data a day costs $83 per GB per month, for example, while 100 GB of data a day costs $50 per GB per month.

With machine data growing at 50 times the rate of traditional business data, Bhat said, Splunk is seeing customers significantly increasing their data ingestion into double-digit terabytes. This also means more data sources are being ingested, giving security analysts a more complete view of their security posture, he said.

For other SIEM product comparisons, see ArcSight vs IBM QRadar, ArcSight vs Splunk, AlienVault vs Splunk, SolarWinds vs Splunk and LogRhythm vs Splunk.
Leesburg, VA, February 9, 2017 - Measurements taken on projected augmented reality 3D holographic models were shown to be essentially as accurate as "gold standard" measurements and nearly approaching that of PACS measurements, according to a study to be presented at the ARRS 2018 Annual Meeting, set for April 22-27 in Washington, DC.

The study, to be presented by Jesus Uribe of the University of California at San Francisco's Helen Diller Medical Center, assessed the accuracy and precision of 3D augmented reality holographic models derived from CT Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) data. Five hologram models were produced markers used to measure distances between points on the models.

Tests performed to examine the accuracy of the measurements found no statistically significant difference between gold standard measurements and measurements on projected augmented reality hologram models. Furthermore, measurements on hologram models demonstrated a high degree of accuracy in comparison to gold standard measurements, nearly approaching that of PACS measurements.

The results demonstrate that current augmented reality technology is capable of producing reliable 3D holograms from CT DICOM data and could be utilized for educational, training, or research purposes.

###

With educational activities representing the entire spectrum of radiology, ARRS will host leading radiologists from around the world at the ARRS 2018 Annual Meeting, April 22-27, at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, DC. For more information, visit: http://www.arrs.org/am18.

Founded in 1900, ARRS is the first and oldest radiology society in the United States, and is an international forum for progress in radiology. The Society's mission is to improve health through a community committed to advancing knowledge and skills in radiology. ARRS achieves its mission through an annual scientific and educational meeting, publication of the American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR) and InPractice magazine, topical symposia and webinars, and print and online educational materials. ARRS is located in Leesburg, VA.
The party of deposed Catalan leader Charles Puigdemont on Friday submitted a proposal for a regional law reform that would allow the axed president to govern from Belgium.

Puigdemont has been in self-imposed exile in the country since fleeing Spain just days after the Catalan parliament declared independence from Madrid in October.

But after his Together for Catalonia grouping came first in a regional snap election, he was named their candidate to once again rule the region.

His party submitted the proposal to Catalans parliament, in an attempt to get around Spains constitutional law, which says a candidate must be present at the regional parliament to be officially appointed.

The proposal, seen by AFP, says the Catalan parliament could authorise, by an absolute majority, to hold an investiture debate without the presence and intervention of the candidate.

It would also allow for a remote government, notably carried out using emails, audio conferences and video conferences.

Spain issued a European arrest warrant against Puigdemont but later dropped it.

However, he faces arrest if he returns to Spain for leading the secession bid in the deeply divided northeastern region.

Catalan separatists are divided over how to form an effective regional government.

The proposal is reportedly not backed by Catalonias jailed former vice president Oriol Junqueras, from the Republican Left of Catalonia pro-independence party.

He has instead suggested that Puigdemont could rule as a symbolic president with a fully functioning executive on site.
Luxury shoemaker Bally, which was founded in Switzerland in 1851, has again changed hands. Chinas Shandong Ruyi has agreed to buy a controlling stake in the firm from Luxembourg-based JAB Holding, the companies said on Friday.

This is an important milestone for Shandong Ruyi Group in our enterprise to become a global leader in the fashion apparel sector, Yafu Qiu, Chairman of Shandong Ruyi Group, said in a statement. We look forward to supporting Bally in achieving its continued growth and enhancing its brand globally.

Shandong Ruyi has been slowly building its network of luxury clothing and accessories labels

Bally was founded by Carl Franz Bally at Schonenwerdin canton Solothurnin 1851. The brand was sold to Werner K. Rey in 1976. A year later it was bought by the Zurich group Oerlikon-Buhrle. It was later bought by the US investor Texas Pacific Group in 1999, before being taken over by JAB Holding in 2008 and is now headquartered in Milan.

Ballys parent company, JAB Holdings has been sellingoff its luxury and fashion investments. It will retain an undisclosed minority stake in Bally.













sda-ats/sb






Switzerlands Federal Office of Justice has confirmed it has received two requests for legal assistance from Greece and the United States linked to probes into Novartis and alleged bribes involving the Swiss drugmaker and Greek doctors and public officials.

The two requests for legal assistance linked to the Novartis-Greek scandal were received at the end of last year and in January 2018 and are being studied, a justice ministry official confirmed to Swiss public television, RTS, and the Swiss News Agency on Saturday.

+ Greek politicians named in Novartis scandal

The Greek parliament announced on Tuesday the results of a judicial investigation into alleged bribes paid to public officials by Basel-basedNovartisover nearly a decade to boost subscriptions of their products at public hospitals. The ten prominent politicians linked to the bribery scandal include two former Greek prime ministers and eight former ministers. They are alleged to have been involved in approving Novartis contracts and overcharging in return for kickbacks. All deny the allegations.

Greeces Justice Minister Stavros Kontonis last year said Novartis had likely bribed thousands of doctors and civil servants to promote its products. He also accused Novartis of continuing to sell overpriced drugs even after the country was plunged into economic crisis in 2010 and huge cuts were imposed on state budgets, leaving many Greeks without access to affordable medicine.

Novartis overcharges alone are estimated to have cost the Greek state some 3 billion euros ($3.7 billion). Overall, similar practises across the health sector cost Greece some 23 billion between 2000 and 2015, investigators have said.

The Greek branch of Novartis has issued a statement saying it was aware of the media reports about our business practices in Greece and that it was cooperating with the authorities, the Swiss News Agency said.













SDA-ATS/RTS/sb






A petition launched Tuesday against experiments on live monkeys at the University of Fribourg has already gathered nearly 10,000 signatures.

The petition, launched by the Swiss League Against Animal Testing LSCV, is addressed to the university and to the Fribourg cantonal parliament.

This follows a reportin last weeks Swiss Sunday pressof tests on live monkeys at two Swiss universities. According to that report, primates at the University of Fribourg are being given cocaine and then subjected to a neurosurgical process to try to cure their addiction.

The petition calls for an immediate halt to experiments that involve giving monkeys cocaine. The LSCV also calls for the research protocol to be made public so that there can be a scientific and ethical expert analysis, in all transparency.

Animal rights activists say using primates is ethically unacceptable. However, the University of Fribourg says the project has received all the necessary ethical, veterinary, and government authorisations.













SDA-ATS/jc






Researchers from the University of Basel have found unique historical film footage of Swiss painter Ferdinand Hodler  one of Switzerlands best-known and most widely admired artists  shot during the Swiss National Exhibition in Geneva in 1896.

Its a wonderful discovery. Its moving to see Hodler in motion and gives us a more vivid picture of him, said Niklaus Manuel Gudel, director of Archives Jura Bruschweiler, in a statement on Friday. The institution looks after much of the painters archives.

Hodler, who lived from 1853 to 1918, appears twice in the short black-and-white footage holding an umbrella and a cigar. This year marks the centenary of the artists death. Several major exhibitions and events are planned. The public will be able to discover the rare footage at an exhibition at the Foundation Martin Bodmer in Cologny, Geneva, from September 21.

The discovery was made by a team of researchers from the University of Basel who have been analysing a film by Francois-Henri Lavanchy-Clarke, entitled Basel  The bridge over the Rhine and sequences shot on May 16,1896 at the Swiss National Exhibition in Geneva. The research team identified Hodler after studying the relationships between the films protagonists and a group of Swiss artists visiting the exhibition.

At the time, Hodler was considered one of Switzerlands leading artists. He painted over 700 landscapes during his long career, drawing inspiration from the Bernese Oberland and Lake Geneva. He developed a unique approach to landscape painting through his knowledge of nature, mineralogy and geology, which he studied at university, and by making thousands of sketches, which he then developed in his studio using his memory and imagination.













ATS/swissinfo.ch/sb






Estonia's internal security service KaPo on Thursday announced in its annual report that the Baltic state had jailed two citizens for spying for Russia.

Last week, Ilya Tikhanovsky was found guilty of working for Russias GRU military intelligence and sentenced to four years in jail. The former IT worker was first detained in December.

Tikhanovsky had gathered information on national defence, according to prosecutors.

The case showed that GRU intelligence activities against Estonia have intensified in recent years, the KaPo report said.

In a separate case, dual Estonian-Russian citizen Albert Provornikov was sentenced to three years in jail in October for collaborating with Russias FSB security service.

These represent the latest in a series of spy cases involving Russia and the Baltic states.

The former Soviet republics turned NATO and EU members are increasingly wary of Moscows intentions following its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.
US President Donald Trump on Saturday told Democratic lawmakers to refile a memo about the probe into his campaign's possible collusion with Russia, leaving a chance the document could still be released.

The document is the Democrats response to a four-page memorandum written by Republican legislator Devin Nunes, which Trump agreed to declassify and release on February 2  against the advice of his own FBI director and the Department of Justice.

On Saturday Trump called the Democratic document a very political and long response memo which they knew, because of sources and methods (and more), would have to be heavily redacted.

That would allow them, he said, to blame the White House for lack of transparency.

Told them to re-do and send back in proper form! the president said in a tweet.

On Friday, Trump refused to declassify the Democratic document.

In a letter to the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, White House lawyer Don McGahn said the Democrats rebuttal contains numerous properly classified and especially sensitive passages.

McGahn wrote that portions of the Democratic memo would create significant concerns for the national security and law enforcement interests, concerns which FBI chief Christopher Wray and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein raised in a separate letter.

The FBI had previously issued a highly unusual warning against releasing the memo from Republican Nunes, saying it could jeopardize US intelligence collection methods.

Democrats on the intelligence committee complained the Republicans four-page memo cherry-picked facts and explained events out of context and was thus not accurate, sparking their wish for a rebuttal.

They joined other Trump administration critics in calling the release of the Republican document an effort to undermine the investigation led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller into possible links between Trumps 2016 presidential campaign and Russia, as well as possible obstruction of justice.

The Nunes memo claimed Democratic-funded research prompted the FBI to spy on a former Trump campaign aide, Carter Page, which the White House said raised questions about FBI and Department of Justice integrity.

Mueller has already indicted two officials including Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort. Two other officials, including onetime national security advisor Michael Flynn, have admitted lying to investigators.

Trump has repeatedly denied any collusion with Russia.
Gerry Adams went from being the political voice of the Irish Republican Army, reviled by the British government and Northern Ireland's Protestants, to playing the peacemaker in bringing the province's Troubles to an end.

He handed over the reins of power of Sinn Fein to Mary Lou McDonald on Saturday after having expressed satisfaction with his achievements in more than three decades of party service.

Adams has more recently become an anti-austerity figurehead and an opponent of Brexit while cultivating an avuncular image on Twitter.

It is a far cry from the bloodiest years of the sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland when he would defend the actions of paramilitaries and his voice was banned from British airwaves.

The bearded leader of the IRAs political wing Sinn Fein was then a hated figure for many Protestants in Northern Ireland during the provinces three-decade long Troubles.

But he is credited with eventually convincing the IRA to give up their armed campaign to unite Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland.

More recently he took centre stage after Britain voted for Brexit in 2016, throwing the peace accord into uncertainty with Northern Ireland set to leave the European Union, while the Republic of Ireland remains.

The outgoing leader labelled Brexit a disaster for the island of Ireland, and is still expected to be an influential voice as Britain and the EU negotiate over the border issue.

 IRA member or not? 

Born in Belfast on October 6, 1948, Adams came from a staunch republican background. His father was an IRA man who was jailed for eight years for his role in an ambush.

As a teenager, Adams became involved in the 1960s Catholic civil rights movement seeking to end discrimination favouring the pro-British Protestant majority.

He married Collette McArdle in 1971 and had one son, Gearoid, born two years later.

Adams was interned without trial in 1972 and 1973, in the early years of the Troubles  the 30 years of violence in which 3,500 people died.

He was charged with IRA membership in 1978 but the case was dropped due to insufficient evidence.

Adams always publicly said he was never an IRA member.

Malachi ODoherty, author of Gerry Adams: An Unauthorised Life, told AFP: He is committed to preserving the reputation of the IRA.

ODoherty believes Adams was an IRA member but was always more politically than militarily inclined.

 Guy Fawkes had it right 

Adams became Sinn Fein president in 1983 and was elected to the British parliament, though he never took his seat as he would not swear an oath of allegiance to the British head of state, Queen Elizabeth II.

I think Guy Fawkes had the right attitude towards Westminster, he said on his election, referring to the 17th-century Catholic plotter who tried to blow up parliament.

Adams was seriously wounded in a 1984 Loyalist paramilitary assassination attempt and often moved between safe houses.

He was a regular face carrying coffins at IRA funerals and was seen in Britain as a pariah.

In 1988, Britains then prime minister Margaret Thatcher banned broadcasters from transmitting Adams voice in an effort to deny him the oxygen of publicity.

The ban was lifted by Thatchers successor John Major in 1994.

After the election of British premier Tony Blair in 1997, Adams became a key figure in the peace talks which were enshrined in the landmark 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

He was widely seen as having played a key role in persuading the IRA to renounce its armed struggle in 2005, viewed as a turning point in the provinces history.

He sought to broaden Sinn Feins appeal in the Republic of Ireland and sat in the Dublin parliament from 2011.

The leftist faction went from four seats in 2007 to 23 out of 158 in 2016, becoming the republics third-biggest party.

 Haunted by the past 

In 2014, he was arrested and held for questioning for four days in connection with the IRAs 1972 abduction and murder of Jean McConville, a mother-of-10 accused by the IRA of passing information to the British army.

A now-dead former IRA commander, in recorded interviews with a US university, had claimed Adams had ordered the killing but prosecutors found insufficient evidence to bring charges.

In more recent years, Adams developed a softer image, successfully campaigning for gay marriage in the Republic of Irelands 2015 referendum on the issue.

In 2015, he shook hands with Britains Prince Charles on a visit to Ireland and the two had a private meeting. It was seen as a symbolic gesture of reconciliation.

The IRA had killed the princes beloved great-uncle and mentor Lord Louis Mountbatten in 1979.

Adams himself said in a 1994 US television interview: Making peace, I have found, is much harder than making war.
Mary Lou McDonald, who on Saturday became president of Ireland's Sinn Fein republican movement, represents a break with the party's past as the political voice of the IRA.

The 48-year-old mother-of-two faces a daunting task in following Gerry Adams, the charismatic figurehead of the leftwing party since 1983, and leading it into a new future  one it hopes will see it topping elections either side of the Irish border.

She began her tenure with a first speech as leader on Saturday vowing to work towards Irish unity in our time while noting there is no value in re-fighting the battles of the past.

McDonald says she grew up watching Adams on television and could not fill his shoes  but would instead make her own mark.

We together over the coming years will walk a journey that is full of opportunities, full of challenges, but I believe which marks a defining chapter in our achievement of a united Ireland and the ending of partition, she said.

Unlike Adams, 69, who grew up in the sectarian environment of Belfast, McDonald came from a wealthy background.

From an upper-class neighbourhood in Dublin, she attended a private Catholic school before studying English literature, European integration and human resource management.

She worked in consultancy and research and was a member of the centre-right Fianna Fail party before leaving in 1998.

She first ran for Sinn Fein in 2002, standing unsuccessfully in Dublin West, but became the partys first member of the European Parliament representing a seat in the Republic in 2004.

She became the partys deputy in 2009 and in 2011 won a seat in the Irish parliament, representing Dublin Central.

 Shadow of the IRA 

Promoted by Adams over the years, she became his designated successor.

Other major figures in the party stood aside or lent her their support for the Sinn Fein leadership.

Martin McGuinness, a former commander in the Irish Republican Army (IRA) paramilitary group, was Adams closest Sinn Fein colleague and Northern Irelands deputy first minister from 2007 to 2017, shortly before his death.

His son Fiachra McGuinness said his father worked closely with McDonald and was a huge admirer of her ideas, dedication and commitment.

I value her friendship and believe that she is the ideal candidate to lead Sinn Fein into the future.

The shadow of the now-defunct IRA still hangs over the party, which is trying to gain respectability through social action.

McDonald is outspoken on issues such as inequality and public services.

However, she is accused of following the traditional party line and being lenient towards the actions of the IRA.

Pro-British Unionists in Northern Ireland, plus political opponents in the Republic, have recently attacked her for not being tough enough on a Sinn Fein member of the British parliament who has quit over a video seen as making fun of a massacre of Protestant workers by Republican gunmen.

Sinn Feins primary objective is Irish reunification, bringing Northern Ireland out of the United Kingdom and into the Republic of Ireland.

McDonald also wants to get Sinn Fein into government in Dublin, after decades of growth in the polls; something which some MPs and commentators thought was impossible with Adams as its frontman.

jla/jwp/dt-jj/hmw
Mary Lou McDonald on Saturday replaced Gerry Adams as president of Sinn Fein following his decision to step down after 34 years as the figurehead of the Irish republican movement.

McDonald, the leftwing partys deputy leader, was confirmed last month as successor to Adams, 69, who has dominated the group since November 1983.

She was officially ratified as the new Sinn Fein president at a historic party conference in Dublin on Saturday afternoon in front of around 2,000 delegates.

In her maiden speech as leader, the 48-year-old vowed to secure a referendum on Irish unity.

Our purpose is to win, she told attendees. To win elections, to increase our political strength, to realise our ambition of being in government north and south, to win progressive political victories every single day, and ultimately to win Irish unity, she said.

Irish unity, in our time!

The new head of the pro-European Union party also issued a warning to Britains Conservative government in Westminster, as it attempts to navigate exiting the bloc in March 2019 without reintroducing a hard border on the island.

Ireland will not be the collateral damage in the political games and antics of Tories in London, she added.

Adams told the Press Association (PA) on Friday that he believed public debate around the issue of Irish unity had now become much more prevalent.

He said he had simply tried to do his best during his decades at the helm.

And I think that is all we can do. I am satisfied I have done my best, he said.

 A break from the past 

Adams played a major role in convincing the IRA to disarm as part of the Northern Ireland peace process and masterminded Sinn Feins rise to become the second-biggest political force north of the border and the third in the south.

But many consider his past links to the IRA a millstone, although Adams denies ever being a member of the paramilitary organisation that fought for a unified Ireland.

He told PA he regretted the blood spilt during Northern Irelands three-decade Troubles.

It took almost from 1976/77 to 1994 before there was the first cessation, he said, of the 1994 ceasefire.

Thats an awful long time and a lot of people were killed or injured and traumatised in between.

Seen by some as a peacemaker and by others as a terrorist, Adams said he did not mind what people think of him.

If I thought about it very deeply, those people who detest me will continue to detest me. Those people who admire me will continue to admire me, he said.

Sinn Fein, which wants Northern Ireland to leave the United Kingdom and become part of the Republic of Ireland, is the second-biggest party in the Belfast assembly and the third in the Dublin parliament.

McDonald touched on her ambitious plans to see Sinn Fein in government north and south during her speech.

Her coronation represents a break from the partys links to the IRA, responsible for more than 1,700 deaths during the unrest, and a renewed focus on social issues.

McDonald became a member of the European Parliament in 2004. She was appointed Sinn Feins deputy leader in 2009 and has represented central Dublin in the Irish parliament since 2011.
San Antonio cybersecurity company Infocyte is expected to announce Monday that it has closed a $5.2 million funding round and brought on Curtis Hutcheson as its new CEO.

Hutcheson will be replacing Peter Klante, who was hired January 2017 as interim CEO on a one-year contract, said Chris Gerritz, Infocyte founder and chief product officer.

The funding round brings total investment in the company to $8.6 million, according to the release expected Monday.

Developed by former U.S. Air Force cybersecurity officers, Infocyte has a threat hunting platform that helps companies proactively look for signs that their network may have been breached.

The latest funding round was led by technology investment firm Toba Capital, and existing investors LiveOak Venture Partners and Feik Enterprises also participated.

His entire intent for being on was really to help professionalize the organization, to get it to a state where we could recruit someone like Curtis, and like Toba Capital, to come in and bring capital into the company, Gerritz said of Klante.

Infocyte is based in San Antonio, but has offices in Austin, sales representatives in Europe and partners worldwide. The investment and leadership to be announced Monday is expected to drive continued company growth and demand for its flagship dedicated threat hunting and Compromise Assessment platform, Infocyte HUNT, according to the release expected Monday.

We have vetted multiple vendors and products over the years and Infocyte HUNT was the first product to truly deliver on its promise of being easy to use and deploy, Mark Grosvenor, chief technology officer of global insurance broker NFP, said in the release. It has enabled us to proactively search for malware faster and more efficiently across our entire network spanning thousands of nodes and multiple locations.

Gerritz used the analogy of securing a house to describe what the companys software does. If you think about protecting your house, you may add a lock on your door, or a guard at the front gate, Gerritz said.

You can keep making a bigger, taller wall, have a better guard checking ID, but what Infocyte does is basically... putting someone inside the house and going room to room to check, is there anybody under the bed or in the closet? Gerritz said.

Hutcheson, who served most recently as a partner at Toba Capital, said the firm focuses first on finding the right founder of a company.

I saw that immediately in Chris, Hutcheson said of Gerritz. We had a chance meeting in Austin that was set up through a friend.

Infocyte also stood out on product and market, said Hutcheson, who was able to speak with the companys early customers and prospects.

Hutcheson past experience in tech includes serving as general manager for Dell Security Solutions, which included at the time network security company SonicWall, according to the release.

The new CEO started a couple of weeks ago, and is based in Austin. But he will spend time with the team in San Antonio as well, he said.

Gerritz, a first-time entrepreneur, led the company for several years. But as the company scales he said doesnt want to limit its growth.

I think this is the point in the company where we turn from really perfecting the product, finding product market fit, and scaling the business, he said. This is a really pivotal moment in the company.

There are plenty of startups locally trying to grow their businesses, Gerritz noted, and its not like in San Francisco where they just hand you $10 million out the gate.

I think weve finally reached that point where weve gotten the attention of the folks out West, Gerritz said.

Industry reports show the damage that can be caused by an undetected network breach is growing, said Vinny Smith, founder of Toba Capital, in the release.

Infocytes unique approach to the problem enables both internal hunt teams and independent assessors to quickly find threats hidden within a network, Smith said. At Toba, we believe this is a key capability missing in the current enterprise security ecosystem, especially as regulation and accountability increase.

Most of the investments to date had been spent on building out the product, Hutcheson said. Using this new funding round Infocyte will spend in a more balanced way, where were spending on product, were spending on support, and expansion and training, as well as sales and marketing, Hutcheson said.

The company plans to double the size of its employee base, he added.

We have about 25 now, well be growing to 50, so were hiring across the gamut, he said. We have some jobs posted on our website right now that are some of the most urgent, and youll see us continue to phase more in over time as we continue to grow the business.

Samantha Ehlinger is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of her stories here. | sehlinger@express-news.net | @samehlinger
Harlandale Independent School District has refused to make public its latest contract with Jasmine Engineering.

The districts lawyer, Robert Woody Wilson, forwarded a request by the Express-News for the documents to the Texas Attorney Generals office this week, asking that the district be allowed to withhold it. Wilson said the district is expecting litigation from the firm.

The company has managed Harlandales bond construction projects for more than a decade but its contract was terminated by the school board in January.

Board president Carlos Quezada has said a termination for convenience clause in the contract, which allows the board to fire the company without notice or reason, prevented him from explaining why the decision was made.

Last month, when the board voted, Colin Strother, a spokesman for company CEO Jasmine Azima, said the school district could expect a lawsuit and added, with lawsuits come depositions.

If they did sue, we would prevail, countered Quezada.

Strother has since said the company has warned the district in writing of a planned lawsuit but declined to provide a copy of the letter.

Some Harlandale board members have criticized the boards repeated votes through the years to hire the firm as too expensive and faulted other trustees for not seeking competitive proposals from other companies. Tensions with a majority of his board over the use of the firm led a former superintendent, Robert Jaklich, to leave the district.

In 2015 administrators studied the issue and concluded the company was more expensive than other bond management options, but a board majority gave the firm more work.

Last summer, the Texas Education Agency announced it was investigating Harlandale ISD over its procurement practices. The investigation is ongoing.

sfosterfrau@express-news.net | @SilviaElenaFF
A national nonprofit group called the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine this week put up three billboards around the city attacking the Army Medical Commands use of goats in combat medic training at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston.

Goats make lousy soldiers, say the billboards, which depict a goat in an Army utility uniform chewing on several blades of grass.

The campaign, which has the support of actors from the TV series M*A*S*H, reignited a decades-old battle to end the use of animals in military research and training.

A news release quoted Mike Farrell, a former Marine who played Capt. B.J. Hunnicutt, an Army surgeon in the Korean War in the series, and Jamie Farr, who played the cross-dressing Cpl. Max Klinger.

In the years since we stopped filming M*A*S*H, the U.S. military has upgraded its training, its tactics, even its uniforms. Why not modernize its medical training? Farrell said, according to the release.

As a former member of the United States Army, I am dismayed that the training provided to military medical personnel has not kept up with the times, Farr said. Those serving our country deserve the best-trained medics we can produce.

More Information Battlefield survival rates Americans troops going to war nowadays have the best chance yet for coming home alive. battlefield survival rates have been on the rise since World War II, and are up dramatically since the Persian Gulf War in 1991. Here's a look at the phenomenon, by the numbers. World War II ---- 71 percent Korean War ----- 74 percent Vietnam War ---- 82 percent Gulf War I ----- 80 percent Iraq and Afghanistan - 92 percent SOURCE: Army Medical Department Center and School See More Collapse

Both actors served in the 1950s after the fighting in Korea ended in an armistice.

The Army Medical Command maintains that live-tissue training has helped produce the best-trained medics ever and contributed to a record survival rate among wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan of 92 percent, higher than the four out of five who survived in Vietnam.

Medics, physicians assistants and nurses are trained on anesthetized goats at the Army Medical Department Center and School, which trains combat medics at Fort Sam. More than 2,400 soldiers used goats and pigs as part of their instruction in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2017, the command said.

School officials said the modern survival rate means nearly 6,000 wounded service members who would have died instead returned home to their families.

While the military has scaled back its use of animals over the years, and the Coast Guard suspended the practice in 2017, the command said in a prepared statement that it still uses animals because mannequins, simulators, and similar devices do not function well, and some not at all, in field conditions such as mud, rain, snow, and variation of temperatures.

In some cases, it said, there is no suitable alternative for the tasks the Army is training for  saving lives in an operational environment where further medical expertise may be some distance away.

The Physicians Committee and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which are separate groups, argue that combat medics can learn to do their jobs with lifelike simulators. They and some veterans organizations have joined to support proposed congressional legislation called the Battlefield Excellence through Superior Training (BEST) Practices Act, which would end the militarys use of animals in trauma instruction.

The billboards  just north of Perrin Beitel Road on Loop 410, on U.S. 281 north of Josephine Street and just west of Vance Jackson off of Loop 410  will be up for a month.

PETA senior laboratory methods specialist Shalin Gala said his organization wasnt involved in the billboard campaign but supported it. Citing Army statistics, he said the group had made some progress in its long battle against such training, with the number of goats used in combat medic training sessions at Fort Sam falling from 1,002 in the fiscal year that ended in 2013, to 713 three years later.

Retired Maj. Gen. Russell Czerw, a former commander of the school and of Fort Sam, confirmed that it now uses more simulators and fewer animals.

But a doctor with the Physicians Committee, former Army Maj. Robert DeMuth, said the military service branches still use a total of 7,800 animals a year for live-tissue training. In an interview this week, he said the Coast Guard and many civilian trauma centers have replaced live animals with simulators like SimMan, which he said is better than goats.

A Gulf War I veteran, DeMuth returned to Iraq in 2003 and said medics rushing to the U.N. headquarters in Baghdad after a bombing that left 22 people dead proved his point.

Those medics had never gone through the live-tissue training, DeMuth said. They told me that since they had gone though the SimMan training, they knew how to find what they needed to find and they credited that with helping them save the lives of people that day.

A Defense Department directive, which took effect three years ago, requires that mannequins, virtual training simulators, actors or cadavers be used where possible in programs that train obstetrics and gynecology residents, registered nurse anesthetist residents and staff, doctors and nurses learning about neonatal resuscitation, and those in advanced trauma life support.

Czerw, the former commander at Fort Sam, said medics undergo a variety of lengthy instruction, but working on a living being helps make them aware of the patients condition.

If you dont make the right moves, dont make the right procedures, youre not going to save that life or limb.  Its hard to understand how to take care of that patient because of unexpected movements or you hit a vessel you dont know is there  and how do you care for that problem with a beating heart in front of you? And that is going to happen on the battlefield, Czerw said.

A beep or a red light you can correct, but how can you do that with a live patient?

Former Army Surgeon General James Peake, a retired three-star general who headed the Department of Veterans Affairs under President George W. Bush, agreed that live-animal training makes a difference because it provides a living organism under your hand, and thats what theyre going to be facing on the battlefield in much more dramatic circumstances.

The matter has generated intense research. Some studies done by the militaries of the United States, Canada and Israel have seen no real differences between animals and simulators in preparing specialists for trauma care. A report sponsored by the Israel Defense Forces said it was unable to demonstrate a clear benefit of an animal model in increasing self-confidence.

A majority of medics surveyed in a pair of recent studies, however, said they preferred using animals in their training. The bleeding elicits a more realistic stress response in the medics and may help them control their own stress, one of them, a Canadian study, said. Both concluded that ending live tissue training was unwarranted.

An enlistee and officer who spent 14 years in the Army, DeMuth contended that animals fail to create realistic scenarios that fully test combat medics. There are significant anatomical differences between humans and animals, and medics training on simulators are exposed to the noise of helicopters, overhead smoke grenades and noise  all things soldiers likely will experience, he said.

The live-animal training he underwent at Fort Sam in November 2000 was in a building with no distractions, DeMuth said.

Though on opposite sides of the debate, Peake and DeMuth said their main concern was to ensure that a medic caring for that first casualty is ready to do the job under intense pressure.

This is a very physical and emotional engagement for the soldier, and I think (training on live animals) really helps them get through that, Peake said adding, As simulation is improving, at some point it may be good enough to replace that experience  but right now, for this particular purpose, it doesnt seem to be.

DeMuth said hed use animals if he believed they helped training.

I would trade 7,800 animals for one soldiers life, DeMuth said.

sigc@express-news.net
AUSTIN  Inside a gray warehouse outside the capital, Debbie Tolany smiled as she held up a small brown glass bottle and plastic syringe.

In a few hours, she would put the first drops of the marijuana-derived medicine in her 14-year-old son Miles cheek, hopeful it would help reduce the crippling epileptic seizures he has suffered for years.

I didnt expect to get so emotional, Tolany said, sitting on a couch inside the dispensary at Compassionate Cultivation, which began selling cannabidiol, or CBD oil, to qualifying patients Thursday.

The company, based in the Austin area, is one of three licensed by the Texas Department of Safety and the second to make the medicine available. A 6-year-old in Central Texas made history last week by getting the first legal dose of cannabidiol from Knox Medical.

After a more than two-year wait since the Legislature approved the law giving an estimated 150,000 residents with intractable epilepsy access to cannabidiol, patients and their families showed up to the the Compassionate Cultivation dispensary Thursday to buy their first doses in person.

Surrounded by news cameras, Christy Wilkens waited at the counter as a worker went into a back room to get a small box holding the cannabidiol prescribed to Wilkens 2-year-old son, Oscar.

With light blond hair and purple eye glasses, Oscar has tried four different medicines to curb his epileptic seizures, some with serious side effects including low muscle tone and grogginess, Wilkens said.

We hope CBD oil is going to be able to change that, she said.

The medicine must be prescribed by a board-certified epileptologist or neurologist and confirmed by a second. Also, both physicians who sign the prescription must be registered with the Compassionate Use Registry of Texas. So far, at least 16 physicians have enrolled in the registry.

In the lead-up to the start of sales, some families were concerned about the cost. Since marijuana remains illegal at the federal level, cannabidiol isnt covered by insurance.

At Compassionate Cultivation, a small bottle of about 7.5 milliliters costs $105, while one double the size is $200, said Morris Denton, CEO of Compassionate Cultivation.

Tolany estimates the medicine will cost her family members about $200 a month, and says shes fortunate they can afford it.

I absolutely have concerns that for other patients who cannot afford it, she said. And alongside with that, the distance to the dispensary for other patients is also very challenging.

Since all three companies are located in the central part of Texas, many patients in far-flung regions of the state likely will have to drive long distances or rely on delivery service to get cannabidiol. Under program rules, the product only can be delivered by a company employee and only by land.

Denton said patients pay no fee for delivery orders more than $250, but those that cost less will be charged a $25 flat rate for delivery.

Knox Medical, located in Schulenburg, makes the product available only by delivery. Surterra Texas, the third, was licensed in mid-December and hasnt yet started serving the public.

The Compassionate Cultivation dispensary  located in the front room of the warehouse  has a vibe similar to that of a waiting room in a spa or doctors office.

Alongside one wall of the dispensary is white shelving with hats and t-shirts marked with the company logo. A gray couch sits between two tall green plants, and a flat-screen television shows information about various products.

Sitting next to Tolany on the couch, Terri Carriker, an advocated for the drug, begins to tear up.

Her teen daughter Catherine is part of a trial for a new pharmaceutical drug, but the family is considering withdrawing from that trial so she can begin taking cannabidiol, now that its legal.

I am crying for joy, Carriker said. Its so exciting to see it here and happening and knowing these families can have a shot at some hope for a difference.

amorris@express-news.net
Cora Jane Brininstool of San Antonio, almost 6 years old, has had epileptic seizures since she was a baby.

Born with a severe brain malformation that renders her unable to walk or talk, she has endured a host of medications, all of which either carried horrible side effects or stopped working after a time.

But on Wednesday, she became the first patient in Texas to take a legal dose of cannabidiol oil, a substance derived from marijuana but without the euphoric effects. CBD oil can be prescribed in Texas only to those whose epilepsy isnt controlled with traditional medications.

The state legalized use of the oil three years ago when it set strict regulations regarding its manufacture, prescription and distribution. But the companies that create the drug, which is low in THC, the component in pot that makes users high, are just now opening for businesses.

Cora is one of an estimated 150,000 patients in the state, many of them children, who qualify for the medication.

Her mother, Kristen Brininstool, 36, received the bottle of CBD oil  $135, not covered by insurance  last week from Knox Medical, a Florida-based company that has its Texas location in the town of Schulenburg, about 100 miles east of San Antonio. Its the first of three companies in the state to be licensed by the Texas Department of Public Safety to grow, cultivate and dispense the medication.

The lag time between getting the drug and giving it to Cora occurred because her neurologist had to ensure the dosage was right, Brininstool said. The oil  delivered by a body camera-wearing courier and paid for in cash only  was more concentrated than expected. Knox Medical waived the usual delivery fee  $25 for orders under $250  owing to Coras status as the first official CBD oil recipient in Texas.

Like an untold number of parents across the state, Brininstool and her husband, Brooks, 39, are hoping the CBD oil will help ease the seizures that afflict their daughter, the second of their three children, every day. In the midst of the seizures  they can last 10 to 20 minutes  Coras arms tense and her eyes dart from side to side.

Its just so hard to watch, Brininstool said. Weve been dealing with this for nearly three years now. Its part of our daily life.

The neurologist has started Cora on a half-dose  2.5 milligrams  to see how she does before working her up to the full dose. Brininstool uses a syringe to squirt the tiny amount on Coras tongue. Her daughter is still on three other anti-seizure medications.

While a handful of scientific studies suggest CBD oil is effective where traditional medicine is not, much of the evidence in its favor is anecdotal.

Its too soon to tell how its working, Brininstool said.

Drugs that didnt work

Cora was born with a rare malformation called polymicrogyria, in which the brain develops abnormally in the womb, and severe cerebral palsy. She spent 12 days in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Three months after she was born, she developed infantile spasms, the most detrimental form of childhood epilepsy, Brininstool said. After she was formally diagnosed when she was 6 months old, she began taking a medication, a heavy steroid, that her parents had to inject into her thigh every day.

She blew up in size but was spasm-free for two years. But by spring 2015, the seizures returned. Over three years, Cora would end up taking seven different anti-seizure medications  not counting rescue drugs given to her during seizures  none of which controlled her epilepsy well.

Her parents even purchased CBD hemp oil online in 2015, but it didnt work  Brininstool said it wasnt as strong as pharmaceutical-grade cannabidiol.

As recently as last fall, Cora was put on another steroid that worked, but only at dangerously high doses.

Then, last December, when her neurologist told her about CBD oil, Brininstool didnt hesitate a second. Once the doctor had filled out the required information for the states Compassionate Use Program and sent it to Knox Medical with the signature of a second neurologist  required by state law  she was able to have the drug sent to her.

Its been a little strange since Cora became widely known, thanks to social media and news reports, as CBD oil patient zero in Texas, her mother said. Her daughter has been mentioned on Twitter; folks have posted in the comments section of news stories, some unable to refrain from making snarky jokes about a medicine derived from marijuana.

But most people have been excited and supportive, said Brininstool, who is sharing Coras story in the hope it will raise awareness about intractable epilepsy and the importance of drugs like CBD oil.

Lingering controversy

Some worry the Trump administrations new antagonism toward states that legalize marijuana might jeopardize the fledgling CBD oil program in Texas.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions recently undid an Obama administration policy that discouraged federal officials from pursuing the marijuana trade in states that have legalized it. A federal amendment that shields states medical marijuana programs is set to expire.

Marijuana, like heroin, is still classified as a controlled substance at the federal level. Almost 30 states now allow its medical use, and seven permit its recreational use.

The mindset in Washington has some parents in Texas concerned they may lose CBD oil for their sick children just as theyve finally been granted legal access to it. But it hasnt stopped the other two licensed dispensaries in Texas from rolling out their product this month.

Compassionate Cultivation, an Austin-area dispensary, began selling CBD oil to qualifying patients on Thursday. Unlike Knox, which is delivery only, patients and their families can go directly to the brick-and-mortar Compassionate Cultivation, where a small bottle of the oil, about 7.5 milliliters, costs $105, and a 15-milliliter bottle runs $200.

Surterra Texas, the third dispensary, was licensed in mid-December.

Brininstool said the bottle she bought from Knox should last Cora 30 to 40 days. The neurologist  who Brininstool declined to name, out of concern for controversy that still surrounds CBD oil  doesnt want to take Cora completely off her other medications until its clear what effect the oil is having.

Only certified neurologists and epileptologists are allowed to prescribe the drug. At least 16 physicians are registered with the state to do so, including several in San Antonio. Advocates worry a dearth of registered doctors in West Texas or south of San Antonio will be a barrier for those who need the drug.

For the Brininstools, CBD oil holds the hope of bettering life for their severely disabled daughter.

She is basically a 32-pound baby, said Brininstool. Shes very, very happy and has always had a really great temperament.

While her daughter cant sit up on her own and is legally blind, she smiles a lot and reacts to peoples voices. Even though shes fed mainly through a stomach tube, she enjoys going to restaurants  Brininstool thinks she likes the sounds. She loves going to kindergarten and spending time with her siblings, Brooklyn, 9, and Liam, who is 15 months old.

If the oil can stop the seizures, the whole familys life will improve immeasurably, said father Brooks Brininstool.

After trying so many different routes, getting our hopes up and being let down, Im hoping that we can find some relief for her, he said. While most parents are looking for milestones, were simply hoping for inchstones.

mstoeltje@express-news.net
A row of operating tables lined one side of the trauma center under the ghost-white glow of fluorescent lights. Luke Cifka rolled into the room in his wheelchair. He lacked any memory of the hospital yet felt he had returned to a sacred space.

More than four years earlier, while on a mission in Afghanistan as an Army sniper, Cifka stepped on a bomb buried in the dirt. The blast tore off both his legs above the knee. He lost most of the blood in his body.

Doctors at a nearby base performed emergency surgery before medical personnel flew him to the trauma center at Bagram Airfield, one of the largest U.S. military installations in Afghanistan. Surgeons there stabilized him for the long, unconscious trip home.

In the ensuing years, during Cifkas anguished physical and mental recovery, the idea of ever glimpsing Afghanistan again loomed as a kind of existential taunt, as if fate were trolling him.

In time, as his body and mind mended, he shed his wariness, and last December he joined a small group of wounded veterans who traveled to the country. He wanted to revisit the land where he had touched the void, where against his will one version of the future died and another was born in blood.

Figuratively and literally, I didnt get to leave on my own terms, said Cifka, 30, who lives in Canyon Lake with his wife, Kait, and their 5-year-old son, Wyatt. This time, I was going to do both.

He realized his aspirations through Operation Proper Exit, a nonprofit program based in Maryland that has helped more than 140 wounded service members and veterans return to Iraq or Afghanistan since 2008.

The participants visit a handful of bases during a weeklong tour to share their perspectives and experiences with deployed troops. Rick Kell, the programs executive director, explained that the trips nurture emotional healing for those wounded in action while reminding troops serving in war zones of the human capacity to endure.

The act of going back and then leaving on your own terms has a big effect on the warriors weve taken, said Kell, who estimated the organization spends an average of $11,000 on each participant. And at the same time, they are living proof for the troops over there that if something terrible does happen, there is a way forward. Your life isnt over.

Cifka medically retired at the rank of staff sergeant in 2015, two years after the earth erupted beneath him as he strode down a hilltop trail. It is a footstep that exists at once in the past and present, an eternal instant that has recast every moment to follow.

Theres a huge split in your life with what happened and what you thought was going to happen, he said. I can now see that Ive been given the incredible gift of time. But you dont get to that point overnight.

Rocket City

Cifka studied political science at Washington State for three years before bleak visions of a desk-bound career motivated him to enlist in the Army in 2009. He deployed to Iraq as an infantryman the next year, a tour that proved sedate as the U.S. military began winding down major combat operations.

Personal and professional changes filled the three years between his deployments. He met and married Kait, and the couple welcomed Wyatt into their lives in early 2013, six weeks before Cifka flew to Afghanistan.

He had graduated from Army sniper school by then, and he expected that his second war would supply the adrenaline missing from his first.

In Iraq, we were kind of twiddling our thumbs, said Cifka, a native of Olympia, Washington, whose father served in Vietnam with the Army. Afghanistan was a different fight.

He led a three-man sniper team that belonged to a unit stationed at Forward Operating Base Shank in Logar province, 50 miles south of the capital of Kabul. Enemy fighters fired mortar and artillery rounds into the base with such frequency that it had earned the nickname Rocket City.

The sniper team provided reconnaissance and overwatch for units running missions in mud-walled villages in the surrounding countryside. Tall and lean, confident in his abilities, Cifka thrived in his role.

Sgt. 1st Class Corey Hawkins, the leader of the 7th Infantry Regiment scout platoon to which Cifka had been assigned, described the sniper as low-key and focused.

Being a little older, Luke had more life experience than most of the guys, and that helped him, said Hawkins, 39, who previously had deployed to Iraq. Hes very even-keeled, and you need that when youre in charge of other soldiers.

Weeks before he was wounded, Cifka and his team hiked to a ridgeline above a shallow valley to support U.S. and Afghan forces conducting a clearing operation in a village a few miles from the base. The snipers drew intense fire from insurgents and received an order to leave the area.

Cifka relished the relentless mission tempo. He felt a sense of purpose as a soldier that had eluded him as a student, and he re-enlisted three months into the tour. He saw his path.

Less than a week later, on the morning of May 31, he hiked to the same barren ridgeline while a platoon of U.S. soldiers returned to the village.

Go help the others

The days quiet ended before 9 a.m. A pair of insurgents armed with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades opened fire on the platoon.

Cifka squinted through his rifle scope and spotted the men beside a low-slung building some 1,000 yards away. He made a snap decision. He and a second sniper fired at the insurgents, killing both of them. The village again fell silent.

A security element of eight or nine soldiers had accompanied the snipers on the trek from the base to the ridgeline. The group now started down the hilltop trail.

Cifka told the men to spread out as he walked near the end of the line. He said something to the soldier behind him and turned back around.

He followed in the tracks of the others. He took another step. The world went black.

He opened his eyes. His chest bucked as he lay on the ground straining for breath. He believed the explosion had only knocked the wind out of him until he looked down. The top half of one gloved finger was bent at a right angle.

Ah, that sucks, he thought. Theyre not going to let me go back to work this week.

Two medics rushed toward Cifka. Their urgency confused him. Im good, he said. Go help the others.

He doubted them when they told him no one else was hurt. The medics kneeled on either side of him to apply a tourniquet on each thigh. He grew aware.

The blast had ripped off his left leg; his right hung by threads of tissue. He arched his back and hips to give the medics a better angle to slide on and tighten the tourniquets.

Blood from his shattered body darkened the brown dirt beneath him. Minutes passed like years as the soldiers waited for a medevac helicopter.

Cifka feared he would die if he lost consciousness. He held tight to thoughts of his son to keep from slipping below the surface.

Softly at first, then louder, he heard the helicopters thick whir vibrating across the pure blue sky.

Wyatt. Wyatt. Wyatt.

Sir Metal Legs

Kait Cifka sat beside her husbands bed at a military hospital in Bethesda, Maryland. Luke woke up and stared at her. His mind bobbed in a sea of drugs.

What are you doing in Afghanistan? he asked.

The question arose every day or two as the early stages of his recovery traced a closed loop. Kait would remind him what had happened, and he would realize as if for the first time that his legs were gone.

The couples days blurred into weeks at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The explosion had broken every bone in his hands, cracked his pelvis and caved in a cheekbone. Doctors amputated the mangled half of his finger and inserted a titanium plate near his left eye.

Cifka suffered a traumatic brain injury from the combined effects of the blast wave and severe blood loss. He struggled with short-term memory lapses as his mood reeled between anger and depression. He resented a future he had never imagined.

In his lowest moments, as an act of mercy, he told Kait she could leave the marriage. She chose to stay, and the young couple drew strength from a mutual devotion to raising their infant son.

Wyatt lived at Walter Reed for most of his first three years as his father endured more than 30 surgeries and learned to walk with prosthetic legs. His buoyant presence sustained the couples hope that one day they would inhabit a life more ordinary.

The thing that kept us going was Wyatt, said Kait, 28, who accepted Lukes wedding proposal six weeks after they first met in 2011. There was always the thought, What if he has to grow up without knowing his father?

The military has sent almost all of the more than 1,600 U.S. troops who have lost limbs in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars to Walter Reed for rehabilitation. They share a dark humor rooted in the experience of confronting their own mortality.

One service member recuperating at the same time as Cifka wore a T-shirt showing a fireball encircled by the tagline I had a blast in Afghanistan. Another favored a shirt that depicted the handicap symbol framed by the words Im just in it for the parking.

Cifka conceived a social media moniker, Sir Metal Legs, with a motto equal parts acerbic and defiant: It is the enemy that is handicapped because my legs are now bulletproof.

He and Kait chronicled his progress on Facebook and Instagram. Photos and videos captured him engaged in activities  swimming in a pool, pushing Wyatt on a swing, shooting targets at gun ranges  that suggested a man becoming whole in spirit, if not body.

But the public images diverged from the couples private ordeal as one year at Walter Reed gave way to another. Cifkas search for what he had lost within himself slowly pulled him away from his marriage.

Finding solace

Luke and Kait separated around the time the center discharged him three years ago. He moved to Dallas and she headed to Carlsbad, New Mexico. They agreed to share custody of Wyatt.

The military instills and exalts an ethos of self-reliance. Cifka resolved to apply that principle to household chores and parenting. He sought to reclaim the independence that the bomb blast had stolen.

Cifka readapted to the outside world from a sitting position owing to the pain his prosthetic legs cause his hips and back. He nudged trash bins to the curb inch by inch with his wheelchair. He stretched, leaned and twisted to clean dishes, wash laundry and sweep the floor.

He fixed meals for his son, gave him baths and tucked him into bed. They watched cartoons together and went to the park with Lukes service dog, Hera, a sweet-tempered German shepherd.

The order that Cifka imposed by degrees on his external life paralleled a gradual reckoning with his inner turmoil. The Army veteran recognized that he needed to make peace with a mind altered by war.

Cifka copes with insomnia, anxiety and other symptoms linked to combat trauma. He has learned to bridle his emotions when, without apparent provocation, his anger spikes or despair drags him under.

He finds solace by playing fetch with Hera or hoisting himself into his all-terrain wheelchair to take a ride in the woods. Other times he goes for a drive in his pickup that he operates with hand controls. The physical diversions help him escape the spin cycle of his thinking and restore his emotional balance.

Cifkas perspective on his marriage broadened as his awareness of his behavior deepened. The distance from Kait brought into focus the dimensions of her sacrifice.

Everything at Walter Reed was about me and my recovery, he said. All of her aspirations got put on hold.

The couple reconciled last year, and in July they moved into a customized home in Canyon Lake built by the Gary Sinise Foundation. Since 2013, the actors nonprofit has constructed 60 houses tailored for amputee veterans, including two who live near the Cifka family.

Luke picked Canyon Lake for its proximity to Brooke Army Medical Center, where he receives ongoing treatment. The homes design and amenities, meanwhile, induce in him a welcome amnesia about his condition.

The hallways offer ample space to turn around in his wheelchair, and wide door frames enable him to pass through without banging his hands. He can work the stove, kitchen sink and washer and dryer without straining and roll unhindered into the floor-level shower.

When you cant do things for yourself, it reminds you that youre hurt, Cifka said, sitting at the kitchen table with Kait as Wyatt raced Hot Wheels cars in an adjoining playroom. That wears on you and it wears on your family because they bear the brunt of your frustration.

The house has lightened Kaits daily burdens. Her husbands ability to carry a greater share of the family duties has unstrapped them from codependency.

Id been overcompensating, doing things like making dinner just because I could do it faster, she said. Luke handles most of the cooking in their new home, with Wyatts favorite dish of spaghetti in heavy rotation. Now Im glad he wants to help.

The family settled into a renewed stability, and as summer faded, Cifka again pondered an idea that had trailed him since leaving Walter Reed.

Annemarie Orr, an occupational therapist at the hospital, forged a friendship with the couple during Lukes recovery and stays in touch with them. She knew he had an open invitation to travel to Afghanistan from Rick Kell, the co-founder of Operation Proper Exit, who met the veteran as he recuperated at the center.

Orr encouraged Cifka to visit the country. She believed going back would allow him to come home from war more than four years after his combat tour ended.

Their whole life has changed without them having a say in it, she said, referring to veterans whose severe injuries cut short their deployments and military careers. She felt that by returning to Afghanistan he would exorcise some of those things that were still haunting for him.

Cifka had deferred accepting Kells offer since arriving in Texas. He wanted to prepare his body for the long trip overseas and his mind for the uncertain journey into the past.

Last fall, with Kaits support, he decided he was ready, and as December dawned, he boarded a military cargo plane bound for his darkest memory.

Letting go

A tremor of anxiety rippled beneath Cifkas anticipation as the plane rolled to a stop at Bagram Airfield in central Afghanistan. The rear loading ramp dropped and the former Army sniper descended into the country that had shadowed him each of the past 1,645 days.

His unease dissolved. Hundreds of U.S. troops formed a human corridor to greet him and three other wounded veterans, along with three family members of fallen service members.

A sense of familiarity enfolded him. He was among his tribe. He had returned alive and in uniform to the land where an unseen bomb buried by an unknown insurgent blew apart his future.

I honestly thought Id never get back, Cifka said. But once I was there, it felt like what I remembered. There was that feeling of camaraderie and being part of something bigger.

Kell arranged for the seven participants to fly to a handful of bases across Afghanistan during the weeklong tour. Meeting with troops at each stop gave Cifka a chance to impart advice born of the unimaginable.

I never planned on getting hurt. Nobody does, he said. But one of the things Im proud of is that I prepared my soldiers to take the next step when it was needed. That was really the message I tried to emphasize.

The conversations salved Cifkas less visible wounds. His experience resonated with the men and women now in the fight against the Taliban. He had resumed his mission.

The trip provided a catharsis that quieted the echoes of war. He visited the trauma center at Bagram and read his medical chart from May 31, 2013, when surgeons worked to save him.

The file laid bare the intimacy of death in those hours and, in turn, magnified his gratitude for the reprieve that fate delivered. He rolled into another room as emotions engulfed him.

Cifka flew to the base where he had been stationed before his injury, circling over the site of the explosion. He looked down through the years and could see what he had gained rather than only what he had lost.

When you get hurt like I did, everything youve built toward career-wise  all the effort, all the sacrifice  is gone in an instant, he said. But Ive come to understand that what happened has given me more time with my son. As awful as it is to be in a wheelchair, that time is irreplaceable.

Cifkas work as a private firearms instructor seldom interferes with his priority of parenting. He and Wyatt like to explore the woodlands behind the house, and as the boy runs through the trees, Luke breathes in the stillness. The hilltop on the other side of the world where he once gasped for life seems far away at last.

The trip helped me to heal in so many ways, he said. I left a lot of my hate back there.

Cifka and the rest of the group returned to Bagram before flying out of the country. He ascended the planes loading ramp in his wheelchair and lifted himself into a seat. He turned and stared out the back of the aircraft.

Almost five years after he deployed to Afghanistan, his combat tour was over. He bowed his head and wept.

Im done. Im going home.

mkuz@express-news.net | Twitter: @MartinKuz
When Bexar County Democratic Party Chairman Manuel Medina showed up two weeks ago at a forum of the Stonewall Democrats to seek its endorsement in the March primary, he passed out flyers touting the support of another lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender organization: the Bexar County LGBTQIA Democratic Caucus.

No one had ever heard of it.

Im the head of the gay community here in town, said Chris Forbrich, president of the Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio, and I will tell you I have never, ever heard of this.

Theres a reason for that: The mysterious caucus did not exist until four days before the Jan. 28 forum, when two members of the BCDPs executive committee  party secretary Garrett Mormando and deputy chair Gabriel Rosales  created it, along with activist Joan Simoncelli, for the express purpose of endorsing their incumbent leader.

Unlike the Stonewall Democrats, which endorsed a slate of local candidates in the March primary, the new caucus was concerned solely with Medinas race.

That is what took place. We had a meeting, and Garrett and Joan made a motion to endorse Manuel. It was just us three, said Rosales, who is not gay.

When I asked Rosales why the caucus had endorsed Medina and not his opponent, Monica Alcantara Ramirez, he gave me a garbled  yet telling  answer.

My concern with Monica is the fact that the person Robert Vargas that she has as a campaign manager and the fact that she continues to run on disparaging, just coming out horrible, he said. When they attack Manuel, they attack the integrity of the hardworking Democrats here in San Antonio who have had some success.

Vargas is not Ramirezs campaign manager. Her campaign manager is Frankie Gonzales-Wolfe, a transgender woman who hadnt heard of the new caucus, either.

Vargas is gay, however. When I mentioned this to Rosales, he responded, Thats what he claims.

Thats when I realized we had re-entered the upside-down world into which Medina had plunged the city last year when he ran for mayor. Rosales figured into that chapter, too, joining Medina on the steps of the San Antonio Express-News with a scrum of irate supporters to protest my employment over a column Id written questioning the candidates truthfulness to voters.

(Rosales was remorseful about that episode: It got a little passionate there, and I hope you forgive me, he said.)

Like the protest at the paper, the new caucus has the whiff of a sham: something cooked up by the party chairman himself to swing public opinion in his favor.

Those are all people that are Manuels personal friends, Forbrich said of the caucus founding members. I like Garrett. Hes already been told by us to get out of these fights. Hes not supposed to be campaigning for these people.

The new caucus has no online presence, a fact that spawned an incredulous Out In SA article this week. Its next meeting will be held at BCDP headquarters.

I do know that this is a new organization, Medina told me. I heard about it for the first time when Garrett was running for secretary. He promised to do just this, to create a new voice for the LGBT community independent of the party but advancing the agenda within the party.

If the new caucus endorsement was meant to sway the Stonewall Democrats, it did not have the desired effect. The storied groups local affiliate, founded nearly two decades ago and consisting of more than 100 members, endorsed Ramirez after its forum.

Medina still sounded stung.

I just think they dont understand that I have been the most outspoken chairman in support of LGBTQIA rights in the history of Bexar County, Medina said, noting his advocacy in 2013 for the citys nondiscrimination ordinance.

Two years later, Medina signed a faith-based platform that included a commitment to protect, defend and support the traditional family. This week, the self-described Catholic Democrat insisted theres no contradiction in supporting both equal rights and traditional family marriage.

Every single Democrat that I know believes in traditional family marriage, but they also support equal rights, Medina insisted. Its not either/or.

Thats the sound of a man trying to serve two masters. The new caucus is the sound of his deputies serving him.

bchasnoff@express-news.net
City Council veterans came out of this weeks executive-session meeting saying it was the most emotionally brutal council gathering they ever had experienced.

Fire Chief Charles Hood was briefing the council on a new report from the State Fire Marshals Office on the May 18, 2017 blaze at Ingram Square Shopping Center, a Northwest Side strip mall, that resulted in the death of 31-year-old firefighter Scott Deem and injuries to two other firefighters.

Hood cried as he relayed the findings of the report, according to witnesses at the meeting, and the council members  who often part ways with each other on specific issues of policy  were united in their tear-filled responses.

The sense of grief was heightened by the unmistakable knowledge  conveyed in detailed fashion in the fire marshals report  that the tragedy could have, and should have, been avoided.

The report determined that the commanding officer at the scene made an error in judgment when he sent Deem and fellow Ladder 35 Firefighter Brad Phipps into the Spartan Box Gym on that windy Thursday night.

It was a mistake tied to the specifics of the situation. It was 9 p.m., the lights were off at the gym and the doors were locked. The likelihood was low that there were any employees trapped in the building at that hour and the likelihood was high that entering a building filled with black smoke would put the firefighters in extreme danger.

Of course, danger is part of the job and the willingness to confront danger is what makes firefighters so remarkable. Thats part of the mindset. But those in positions of authority have to temper that mindset with some complex risk-management calculations.

Alan Brunacini, a retired Phoenix fire chief who provided expert recommendations for the report (and passed away before the reports release), put it this way:

Fire departments take a big risk to protect a savable life, a small risk to protect savable property and no risk to protect life or property that is not savable.

Given the advanced age and large size of the building, the severity of the fire, the fact that the fire was located in the buildings attic and the likelihood that no one was trapped in the building, the Spartan Box Gym fire qualified as a no-risk situation, in Brunacinis opinion.

Once Deem and Phipps followed orders to enter the building, an already hazardous situation turned deadly when Phipps began pulling down ceiling tile. This brought the fire down on the two firefighters, both of whom entered the building without hoses. It was an action defined in report as an example of freelancing.

The report defines freelancing as occurring when firefighters work independently and commit to tasks and acts without the express knowledge or consent of an officer or incident commander. Its an approach that often results in tragedy.

The fact that Phipps paid such a horrific penalty for his freelancing only makes this story more cruel. Phipps suffered severe burns that required him to spend more than two months in intensive care and undergo 19 surgeries. And he lives with the pain of knowing that Deem, his colleague, didnt survive the fire.

These elements contributed to the high emotions that filled the council meeting room during Hoods briefing. The chief initially had responded to the Ingram Square tragedy by insisting that what they (the firefighters) did was the right decision at the time.

In the face of the fire marshals report, however, Hood struck a different tone this week. At the council meeting, Hood talked about the need to eradicate the culture within the department that compels individuals to believe they can  and should  go off-line and take matters into their own hands, according to sources.

The Ingram Square fire could also spur some soul searching within the city government about how San Antonio deals with Code Compliance issues. The Spartan Box Gym had failed its most recent fire inspection, only a month before the tragedy. None of the buildings involved had a fire sprinkler system.

Scott Deems three children will have to grow up without the father who risked his life in the cause of saving the lives of others. SAFD owes it to them to take every action required to prevent a similar tragedy from happening.

ggarcia@express-news.net

@gilgamesh470
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump on Friday blocked the release of a classified Democratic memo rebutting Republican claims that top federal law enforcement officials had abused their surveillance powers in spying on a former Trump campaign aide, raising the specter of a potential showdown with Congress.

Donald McGahn II, the presidents lawyer, said in a letter to the House Intelligence Committee that the memorandum contains numerous properly classified and especially sensitive passages. He said the president would again consider the release of the memo to the public if the committee revised the memo to mitigate the risks.

Under the obscure rule invoked by the committee to initiate the documents release, the panel could choose to make those changes or decide whether to seek a vote of the full House of Representatives to try to override Trumps decision.

Democrats are certain to be outraged by the action, given that last week the president declassified the contents of a rival Republican memo drafted by committee staff and drawn from the same underlying documents over the objections of his own Justice Department and the FBI.

McGahn said Trump is inclined to declassify the Democratic memorandum and encouraged the committee to make the changes he said the Justice Department had identified as important for national security and law enforcement interests.

While many Republicans said their memo showed evidence of political bias present in the early stages of the Russia investigation, Trump went further, claiming that the Republican memo totally vindicates him from the investigation.

Because the committee voted Monday to release the Democratic document, as well, Democrats have worried that Trump might try to black out portions of its contents for political reasons or block the document altogether.

It was not immediately clear what recourse they might seek. The Democrats, led by Rep. Adam Schiff of California, would need the support of Republicans, who control the committee, to force a House vote on the matter. Republicans had voted in favor of releasing the document, but their support for overriding the president to make public a document meant to undercut their own is another matter.

Democrats say their memo corrects key mischaracterizations and crucial omissions in the Republican case. The Republicans memo focused on the FBIs use of material from a former British spy, Christopher Steele, to obtain a warrant to spy on Carter Page, the former Trump campaign official. Steele was researching possible connections between Russia and Trump associates, but the memo says the FBI did not disclose to a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court judge that he was being paid by the Democratic National Committee and lawyers for Hillary Clintons presidential campaign.

But people familiar with the Democratic memo said it argues that the FBI was more forthcoming with the surveillance court than Republicans had claimed. It says that while the FBI did not name the Democratic National Committee or Clintons campaign, the bureau did disclose to the court that the information it had received from Steele was politically motivated.

Devin Nunes, R-Calif., has since conceded that the political nature of the material was included in a footnote  a fact confirmed in a letter released this week by two senior Republican senators  but said the disclosure still fell short.

Democrats also say Republicans misrepresented the words of Andrew McCabe, the former deputy director of the FBI, when they said he told the committee late last year that the agency would not have sought a wiretap of Page without Steeles dossier of information.

The FBI suspected that Page, a former Moscow-based investment banker who was under investigation before, was acting as a Russian agent.

The surveillance warrant application itself remains under tight seal. The New York Times has filed a motion asking the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to unseal all materials related to the wiretap. There is no precedent for releasing such documents publicly.

Democrats had sought to release their memo at the same time as Republicans, but lawmakers in the committees majority objected. They argued that the Democratic document first had to be shared with all members of the House and evaluated to ensure that it did not compromise national security.
In the brief time since President Donald Trump signed his tax reform lowering the corporate tax rate into law, numerous major corporations have announced wage hikes, bonuses and benefit improvements for their hardworking employees.

Here a few examples of these beneficial changes, according to sources such as USA Today, CNN News and Fox Business:

American Airlines, a $1,000 bonus for 127,600 employees.

AT&T, $1,000 bonus for 200,000 employees.

Apple, $2,500 bonuses in stock, along with hiring 20,000 new employees.

Bank of America, a $1,000 bonus for 145,000 employees.

Southwest Airlines, a $1,000 bonus for 55,000 employees.

Waste Management, $2,000 bonus for 34,000 employees.

Wells Fargo, minimum wage increased from $13.50 to $15 an hour.

AutoNation doubled its 401(k) match and launched a new cancer benefit program.

Home Depot, as much as a $1,000 bonus for all hourly employees.

The list goes on. This is fantastic news for America and its hardworking citizens. You must ask yourself, why isnt this front-page news in the Express-News? I assume it is because not one Democrat voted for it.

Donald White

False narrative

Re: Its time for a real deal for Dreamers, Editorial, Jan. 26:

To end the government shutdown, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell agreed to negotiate DACA. Thats all. He did not agree to a vote, nor did he agree to reach a deal by Feb. 8. Many recent mainstream media articles said words to the effect of Republicans are reaching crunch time to make a deal by Feb 8.

McConnell never said a deal would be reached by then, but the articles implied he did, and that failure to pass a DACA deal would be the Republicans fault. There is no way the Senate was going to pass any DACA legislation acceptable to Democrats, but the implication was that Democrats were right to threaten another shutdown. McConnell would be held accountable for something he never said, just as President Donald Trump is being held accountable for something he never did.

Don Ripley, Floresville

Creating FBI war

In March, Rep. Devin Nunes rushed to the White House, alerting the president that the FBI might have surveilled someone on his team. We later learned he had obtained the information from the president himself, and that the Trump people had concocted the ploy to shift attention away from the Russian investigation.

Fast forward to the present. What if Nunes collaborated with President Donald Trump to create a memo about alleged FBI misuse of power, and at the same time exposed how the FBI operates counterintelligence investigations? To maintain its secret operations, the FBI will be forced to go to war with the president in the future.

Jesse Ortiz
ANSONIA  Over three summer months, Paul Armesto labored.

Day after day, night after night, he stood on a scaffold, his head cocked backward at the ceiling, his brain transmitting the image that moved the bristle brush in his fingers.

I remember coming in late one night, recalled the Rev. James Sullivan, pastor of the Church of the Assumption. He asked What time is it?

I told him it was 11 p.m. and he said No wonder my neck hurts.

On Friday morning, Armesto, a classical artist who studied in France and trained in Costa Rica, stood proudly under the ceiling he painted showing the Coronation of Mary on one side and the Assumption of Mary on the other.

Im hopeful this will be a little haven for people to come and appreciate the beauty and be inspired by their faith, he said.

In a special ceremony, Archbishop Leonard P. Blair of the Hartford Diocese blessed the newly restored chapel Armesto helped Sullivan, a former building contractor, design with funds donated by one parishioner and work supplied by others.

Behind them some 30 people, including Mayor David Cassetti, shifted their gaze from the Archbishop to the ceiling to the Stations of the Cross lining each side to the marble and mahogany altar and then back to the ceiling  all silently marveling at the transformation of the once ordinary chapel.

I think its extraordinary in this day and age, Blair said. One doesnt usually see art of this quality in our churches today. To see it in our own Archdiocese is encouraging.

Sullivan explained the religious symbolism in Armestos paintings. Theres the angel holding a harp with 33 strings  each string representing a year of Jesuss life. Theres the 12 roses being handed to Mary in her coronation  each representing one of the 12 tribes of Israel.

But its three infant angels holding Marys gown that moves Sullivan.

To me, those angels represent miscarriage, still birth and abortion, he said. Any parent who experienced the sorrow and despair of losing a child believes their son or daughter is with Christ in Heaven.

Sullivan vowed the far corner under the image will be dedicated to babies.

I believe in miracles  whether its the miracle of pregnancy, the miracle of healing or the miracle of health. I truly believe it will happen here, he said.

Following the service in the chapel, Blair blessed the remodeled Father George Burnett Social Center and the St. Francis Food Pantry in the rectorys basement.

Beside Sullivan, the Archbishop was assisted by the Rev. Leonard Kvedas, who is now retired after spending years celebrating Mass at St. Judes in Derby and St. Michaels in Beacon Falls; the revs. Mitch Wanat and Rafal Kopystynski from St. Josephs in Ansonia; the Rev. Ryan Lerner, the Archdioceses chancellor; Deacons Bob Johnson and Larry Yergeau, and Marcus Butler, the altar server.

Its beautiful, said Cassetti, an Assumption parishioner. Its like having our own Sistine Chapel. I see it being used every day.
For a 19-year-old, maintaining a 3.8 average in college and helping take care of a grandmother might be enough.

Not for David Papcin.

When hes not at school or at his grandmothers, hes sitting on the Ansonia Board of Apportionment and Taxation where he is in line to become chairman.

When hes not poring over budget requests or listening to calls for more money from department heads, he might be compiling information on various Republican town committees while serving as the data and operations manager for Shelton Mayor Mark Laurettis gubernatorial campaign.

When Papcin is finished with those duties, he might find time to campaign for the chairmanship of Ansonias Republican Town Committee, which will vote on March 29.

And when thats finished, Papcin might continue soliciting members and speakers for the Feb. 26 organizational meeting of the Naugatuck Valley Young Republicans, set for 6:30 p.m. at Derbys City Hall.

I consider myself a workaholic, said Papcin. I think I can take on as many tasks as are thrown at me and get them done. I only need five to six hours of sleep a night, and some large cups of coffee.

None of this surprises Dawn Colomb-Lippa, a Quinnipiac University nursing professor.

I had David in my Human Anatomy and Physiology lecture in the fall, and I got to know him quite well, Colomb-Lippa said. I am amazed to hear about his extracurricular involvement in the government, especially given that he is a student in the demanding nursing program here at Quinnipiac. Although, I guess, I shouldnt be too surprised, given that David is one of the most mature and engaged sophomore students that I have had the pleasure to teach.

He is present in a way that other 19-year-olds are not  fully participatory and with an eye toward improvement not just as personal pursuit, but for a greater outcome, the professor said. I knew that he had the drive and passion to be a great provider of health care, and now I can see him as a leader in the local community as well.

Papcin said he hopes to graduate with his bachelors degree in 2020 and his nursing doctorate four years later.

It wasnt until early 2017 that he became involved in politics. He got bit by the bug while watching presidential forums.

I asked my aunt, Joan Rousseau, who is on the Democratic Town Committee in Milford: What is the best way to get involved? She said to go to the town committee and approach them.

Papcin took it one step further. He went to a March 2017 forum on the state budget at Ansonia High School and buttonholed Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti.

I expressed a general interest to get involved in whatever capacity they could offer me, Papcin said. I let them know what my strengths were and were Id like to develop.

A month later, Cassetti nominated Papcin for a vacancy on the tax board, and following approval by the Board of Aldermen, he became its youngest member ever.

Hes flourished in that role, Cassetti said. Hes full of enthusiasm. And now that hes forming a Young Republican club; I think its great for the Valley. Hes got a good future.

Papcin said he considered running for office during the last round of elections. Instead he worked for Cassettis campaign and managed the campaign of his friend, Domenic Filippone, who was elected as a 3rd Ward alderman.

I ran signs to places, I managed social media, I knocked on doors, Papcin said. I got to listen to people  their opinions  and heard what they like and dont like.

He did a lot of work for the Republican candidates during the municipal election, said Lorie Vaccaro, the president of Ansonias Board of Aldermen.

Papcin was born in Bridgeport, but his parents, Sharon Voroschak and David Papcin, moved to Ansonia when he was a year old.

He attended Ansonia public schools until third grade, then his parents sent him to Engineering and Science University Magnet School in New Haven, from which he got his high school diploma.

My mother used to be a hard-core Democrat, Papcin said. One of the hardest conversations I ever had with her was telling her Im a Republican.

As for his father, hes a Republican who works at Sikorsky.

One of the happiest days is when I told him Im working for Mayor Laurettis gubernatorial campaign, Papcin said.

In picking a gubernatorial candidate to work for, Papcin said, he narrowed it down to former Trumbull First Selectman Tim Herbst, who Cassetti has endorsed, and Lauretti.

It came down to their visions for the state, their experience and their character, Papcin said. Shelton is a model city for the state. Were seeing industry and economic development. Its what government should aspire to be like, especially with Connecticuts current economic situation.
BRIDGEPORT  Steve Trejo and Raymond Howlett were born 38 years apart but are both counting on a newly-launched apprenticeship program they enrolled in to lead to steady construction work.

Trejo, 19, has his life planned out: Im hoping to have a union job, good pay and, when I retire, good benefits.

Howlett, 57, graying, and most recently an Uber driver, said: The governments talking about (investing in) infrastructure. So I said, Why not get qualified to put myself in the right position (for) the gold rush?

Trejo and Howlett are participants in Ready2Work, a $550,000 union apprenticeship course launched by PSEG Power LLC, operator of the harborfront coal-fired power plant. PSEG set up the program, which will train 50 applicants for free, as part of a 2016 deal with Mayor Joe Ganims administration to replace the coal burning facility with a cleaner but still controversial gas-fired plant.

But even as PSEG touts those apprenticeships, the New Jersey-based company is under fire from some religious leaders who allege Ready2Work falls far short of promises made to obtain community support for the gas plant.

They just think they are too big to be wrong or held accountable," said one critic, Rev. Carl McCluster.

So the City Council, which blessed Ganims pact with PSEG  a deal he is touting while running for governor  is trying to figure out if the allegations have merit.

PSEG Vice President of Governmental Affairs Richard Thigpen called the criticism misinformation. That was the word Thigpen used last Monday when he, accompanied by students like Trejo and Howlett, addressed the council. The councils economic development committee will also sit down with PSEG.

We just want to make sure things are on track, said Council President Aidee Nieves.

Rising concerns

PSEG purchased the coal fired plant in 2002. The gas plant is expected to open in June 2019 and, under the deal with the city first negotiated under then-Mayor Bill Finch and concluded by Ganim, the coal facility would close by 2021.

For several months, a group of pastors lead by McCluster, whose Shiloh Baptist Church is across the street from PSEGs South End property, has publicly lambasted the company after initially supporting the gas plant. They claim PSEG promised more apprenticeships and is not hiring enough residents and city companies for construction.

Not helping matters is the fact the city, PSEG and a special task force of community leaders have yet to, as required by their deal, select a facilitator to monitor PSEGs efforts to hire locally. Ganim spokeswoman Rowena White, however, said that the citys Small and Minority Business Resource Office has been involved.

McCluster and his allies recently recruited the influential Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport to their cause. Rev. Cass Shaw, the church councils president, said pastors she has spoken with experienced PSEG coming in to their congregations and soliciting their support. ... And then they watched and found that those promises were not fulfilled. ... I believe (the pastors) and support them and stand with them.

Jim Gilroy, a PSEG spokesman, told Hearst Connecticut Media: PSEG viewed Carl McCluster as an ally. But, Gilroy added, PSEG at no time made any promises to him or the community he claims to represent.

The rift between McCluster and PSEG occurred when the latter, in setting up the Ready2Work course, partnered with Bridgeport-based The Workplace for candidate screening, and with state labor unions for the apprenticeship training. The pastors wanted PSEG to instead choose Green Forest, a minority-run, faith-based Georgia firm.

McCluster said Green Forest with the knowledge of PSEG even set up an apprenticeship recruiting hotline at Shiloh Baptist and held recruitment sessions in his and other church basements.

Gilroy told Hearst that a Green Forest-run apprenticeship program would not have offered the union or Connecticut certifications Ready2Work graduates need to enter the workforce: The objective is to enroll Bridgeport residents in the Connecticut building trades unions (so) they can work on jobs all around the state and region.

Some of McClusters critics have alleged that he or Shiloh Baptist stood to benefit financially from Green Forest.

Shiloh was never intended to be the final place for this program, McCluster said: Theres no place where we would stand to profit there.

Committed to a 15 percent set aside

When Thigpen and other PSEG executives attended last weeks City Council meeting, they were joined by apprenticeship students and dozens of union members who are building the gas plant. Thigpen said that of the 224 union workers working on site, 28 were from Bridgeport. He said PSEG has committed to set aside 15 percent of the total work hours for city residents and is at 13 percent now.

We'd like to exceed that," Thigpen told the council.

Councilwoman Rev. Mary McBride-Lee, an ally of McClusters and a chairwoman of the councils economic development committee, told Thigpen the amount of city residents working at the plant seems to me a little low."

But the gas plant agreement Ganim and the council approved with PSEG did not call for a minimum number of residents to be hired. Instead it stated PSEG would maximize efforts to use workers with prior experience or graduates of the apprenticeship program for the duration of the construction of the project."

Critics have also claimed PSEG promised the apprenticeship students would get jobs building the gas plant. Gilroy told Hearst that was never the objective of Ready2Work, but added: The unions ... will do everything in their power to get a number of the graduates on site once they start their union apprenticeship.

Thigpen also told the council that PSEG has so far spent $3.2 million of the gas plants $550 million construction budget on local Bridgeport businesses. Gilroy, however, subsequently told Hearst PSEG made an error and had actually spent $8.5 million on Bridgeport firms.

Thigpen said the complexities of building a power plant can mean having to seek out-of-town contractors or suppliers. But, he told the council, there is $100 million left to spend on the plant project.

Councilman Ernie Newton, an ex-felon, credited PSEG for meeting with him and other council members recently after concerns arose about Ready2Work applicants being rejected for having criminal records.

We have no intention of excluding felons, Thigpen said.

As Thigpen spoke, McCluster sat quietly behind him in the audience. Afterward, McCluster dismissed PSEGs presentation as a commercial and said he hoped to address the councils economic development committee.

If people think we can do better, were going to be all ears," Thigpen told the council. But, he said, "Id be surprised to find were not living up to our obligations.
Visit Washington, D.C.

If you want to see the history of a nation, come to Washington, D.C.

Massive memorials to important presidents co-exist with statues honoring citizen-soldiers; nearby are the National Archives which contain the country's important documents including the Declaration of Independence, while the "Nation's Attic" - the Smithsonian Institution - holds a treasure trove of Americana.

Visitors will not run out of things to see and do in D.C., whether that includes climbing all 897 steps of the Washington Monument or touring 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue - better known as the White House.

Attractions in Washington, D.C.

Washington is steeped in history; the only problem is finding time to see it all. Some highlights:

The Lincoln Memorial - A poignant yet majestic statue of the nation's 16th president, with a lovely view of the Washington Monument.

The Smithsonian Institution - This is actually a complex of 19 museums (plus research centers); favorites include the Air and Space Museum (see Lindbergh's plane and an Apollo space module) and the Museum of American History (Dorothy's ruby slippers, Lincoln's top hat).

The National Zoo - See sloths and sea lions, leopards and orangutans. And don't forget to visit the famous pandas.

Sports fans, Washington DC is also naturally a central location for sporting events of all kinds, with incredible venues like the Verizon Center, RFK Stadium, FedEx Field, and Nationals Park throughout the city.

Shopping and Restaurants in Washington, D.C.

Did you find yourself a good deal to DC? Put that extra money to use here:

Dining: The place for power dining: lots of celebrity chefs and expensive menus, but it's not all haute cuisine. Besides French fare, aged steaks and succulent seafood, check out the BBQ joints, chili parlors and Caribbean specialties.

Shopping: Wisconsin Avenue is the place for designer clothing and Georgetown is the place for cool specialty shops, but don't forget all those museum stores for unique gifts (and sometimes, tacky souvenirs).

Smart Tip

Check out Washington.org's superb list of 100 free or nearly-free things to do in D.C.

Flights to Washington, D.C.

Flying to Washington, D.C. is easy, as is finding cheap flights to Washington, thanks to a multitude of airports.

Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD): This United hub is D.C.'s largest airport and is served by carriers from around the world; the facility is located about 45 minutes from downtown Washington.

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA): Located just minutes from D.C., this airport, as its names suggests, serves mostly U.S. carriers plus some Canadian airlines.

Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI): Located just south of Baltimore and 30 miles from D.C., this airport is served mostly by U.S. carriers plus a smattering of European airlines.

More Information on Washington, D.C.

Looking for more of Washington's singular attractions on these websites:

The District - Attraction guide plus events, kid-friendly ideas and tour tickets.

Washington.org - Listings of seasonal events, plus attractions, tours and places to stay and dine.
Place Your Advert

Thousands of Active jobseekers are looking for new agricultural positions in 2020. Call us now to discuss the options for advertising your vacancy in our job section.
Well-developed relationships rather than a trade with all-comers approach could help to insulate the UK from price volatility, lower standards and food fraud.

According to the National Farmers' Union (NFU), this could help the British food and farming industry "thrive" post-Brexit.

The comments were made during a roundtable discussion at the House of Lords EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee.

The Committee has now launched an inquiry into the impact of Brexit on the price, and availability, of food for UK consumers.

Thirty percent of food consumed in the UK comes from the EU, including over 83 percent of its fresh vegetables and 40 percent of its fresh fruit.

During the session, concerns were raised about the impact that post-Brexit trade tariffs would have on food prices, that the additional customs and borders checks could result in food being held up in ports, and that a desire to avoid food price rises could lead to the UK importing food of a lower standard.

'Supplier of choice'

NFU Director General Terry Jones told the Committee that British farmers want to be the "supplier of choice" to the food industry.

He said farmers must supply "all price points" and provide the public with "great value food with the same high standards".

The meeting made clear that the public will have the same high expectations of their food supply once we leave the EU, Mr Jones explained.

Only last month we observed the five year anniversary of the horsegate scandal, the shockwaves of which continue to be felt today. To prevent such an outrage happening again we need to keep food supply chains short, maintain world beating standards and independent inspection of those standards along the whole supply chain.

'Little disruption'

Mr Jones said the British farming and food industry already delivers high standards, and is committed to continuously improving operations.

He added: It is clear from today that farmers, manufacturers and retailers are all united in their desire for this to be maintained and for there to be as little disruption as possible to existing relationships and trade flows.

Free and frictionless trade with Europe, a well thought through domestic agricultural policy and access to a competent and reliable workforce will allow the UKs largest manufacturing sector to get on with the important job of feeding the nation.

During the session, Ian Wright CBE, Director of the Food and Drink Federation, said: The answer to the exam question could Brexit have an impact on the availability and/or the price of food in the UK is yes. And indeed it is not just yes. It will; that is what is going to happen.

Andrew Opie, the Director of Food and Sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, explained why it was so important to resolve the industries concerns about the potential impact of Brexit: The first people to be hit by the consequences of Brexit will be food shoppers.

'Real feeling'

Speaking on the launch of the inquiry Chairman of the Committee, Lord Teverson said there were lots of "strong views" from witnesses and a "real feeling" amongst them that prices are going to rise post-Brexit if the UK doesn't get a trade deal agreed.

There were also questions as to whether the UK will be able to maintain the food standards and quality that consumers want, and if we can actually get the food through the ports will all the new customs facilities which will be in place, Lord Teverson explained.

With so many unanswered questions, the Committee have decided to examine this matter because it is vital to the UKs future.
Urban and rural digital connectivity gap begins to narrow

But rural campaigners say this is 'just the start'
Summary

Company Announcement Date: February 08, 2018 FDA Publish Date: March 07, 2018 Product Type: Animal & Veterinary

Food & Beverages

Pet Food

Foodborne Illness Reason for Announcement: Recall Reason Description Potential to be contaminated with Salmonella Company Name: Redbarn Pet Products Brand Name: Brand Name(s) Redbarn Product Description: Product Description Dog Chews

Company Announcement

With an extreme abundance of caution, and with the care and concern of pets top of mind, Redbarn Pet Products, LLC of Long Beach, CA is voluntarily recalling a single product, Redbarns 7-inch Bully Stick three pack, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products. No illnesses, injuries or complaints have been reported.

The recalled products were distributed in pet specialty retail stores. Affected product comes in a 2.4 ounce, green plastic bag marked with an expiration date of 112120ABC stamped on the side. The product UPC is #7 85184 25105 8. You can see examples of the packaging here.

Redbarn takes the safety of pets and pet parents seriously. As company President Jeff Sutherland explained, On 2/5/2018, we were notified by the Colorado Department of Agriculture that a single sample collected from a retail location detected Salmonella. At Redbarn, we test every product lot before it leaves our manufacturing plant. This lot code, expiry date 112120ABC, was tested both at our Redbarn lab and by a third-party testing facility. Those tests were negative for salmonella or pathogens. Despite not being able to replicate these test results or receiving any negative reports from customers regarding these chews, we feel the best course of action is to recall this lot code of the product and keep our customers safe.

Consumers are encouraged to check the lot code to see if their product was affected. Pet owners who have this product matching this lot code in their homes are urged to discontinue use of the product. Consumers who purchased 7-inch Bully Stick multipacks with the affected lot code are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian. Again, no illnesses, injuries or complaints have been reported.

Family-owned Redbarn takes the safety of our product, pets, and customers as a number one concern. Redbarn employs an extensive Quality Assurance team that run over 400 safety tests on their products every week. Products like the 7-inch bully sticks are tested multiple times, for bacteria like Salmonella, coliforms and enteros. A product is declared safe to ship only after it tests negatively for these bacteria and other pathogens. As Sutherland explained In issuing this voluntary recall, in conjunction with the FDA, we are standing by our core values of quality and integrity. At Redbarn, we do the right thing for our customers. That means that we hold ourselves to the highest safety and quality assurance standards and take all precautions to prevent situations like a recall from happening.

Consumers with questions may contact the company via email at info@redbarninc.com or by phone at at 1-800-775-3849, M-F, 8am-5pm PST.

Link to Expanded Recall.
Naked Passenger Turns Alaska Airlines Flight Around

On Wednesday, an Alaska Airlines flight from Anchorage to Seattle was forced to return after a passenger onboard the flight apparently became naked at some point during the flight.

There was a subject on the aircraft that had barricaded or locked himself in the bathroom, the lavatory, said fire sergeant Darcey Perry. Flight attendants did find that the subject was naked.

No charges have reportedly been filed as a result of the incident.

To read more on this story, go to KTVA.

[Photo: Shutterstock]
The Moroccan government has neither approved nor planned direct talks with the Polisario, contrary to what Algerian and Polisario media have claimed.

The denial was expressed by Governments Spokesperson, Mustapha El Khalfi, in a press briefing Thursday, putting an end to the propaganda spread by pro-separatist media, eager for fictive victories after the numerous setbacks they suffered at the international level.

Recently, speaking from Algiers, Polisario official, Mohamed Salem Ould Salek, claimed that direct talks between the Polisario and Morocco were planned by Horst Kohler the UN Envoy for the Sahara. He went as far as threatening a military intervention by the AU if Morocco refuses to engage in direct talks.

El Khelfi rejected such rumors about the talks as baseless adding that the Polisario is desperate to cover its defeats at all levels.

Spreading propaganda about talks and an imaginary AU military intervention is indicative of a disarray within the Polisario ranks as it sees support for its separtist cause fading away with the return of Morocco to the pan-African organization.

In the AUs summit last January, 19 African countries submitted their reservations about a report using separatist vocabulary and urged the report to be scrapped.
Google to finally add multiple device-support for Duo News oi-Vishal Google Duo will allow calls to contacts who do not use the app.

Google with Version 27 will finally lay the groundwork for a feature that arguably should have been there at the time of release - multi-device support.

Unlike other Google messaging apps, Duo accounts are linked to the user's phone number instead of the email address. This refrained users from registering for more than one device to Duo account.

The code extracted from the Version 27 confirms that users will now be able to sign up for Duo with their Google account. Android Police reports that the APK teardown did not reveal whether the accounts can be used on one device.

Also, Duo will soon be adding a notification that blocks calls for specific senders. There's also a useful feature coming that automatically fills the verification codes sent through SMS messages.

Duo has also redesigned the contacts page that can be accessed by swiping up. The new update also brings a search bar that peeks halfway from the bottom to remind users of the contacts page. The search bar has already gone live for everyone.

The Version 27 of Duo will soon be rolled out on the Play Store, however, users can download and install the APK file as well.

In January, the company also rolled out an update for the app that offers the ability to call people who haven't installed the Duo app on their smartphones. The feature works same as it works with regular Duo calls and also includes Knock-Knock.

The incoming will show the caller's camera even if the recipient doesn't have the app on their phone. However, the recipient will have the option to change cameras, mute the mic or hang up.

The recipient will get a message to install the Duo app after the call is disconnected. The pop-up will also let them block the caller from calling again.

Top 10 Tips & Tricks for Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

The update is meant to reduce the complaints saying "none of my contacts have Duo installed." But the feature won't work with everyone on the contact list and only legitimate contacts will be listed. Users can also invite people to download and join the bandwagon using the invite button next to the contact name.

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Motorola Moto E5 with 4,000mAh battery gets Bluetooth certified; launch imminent News oi-Chandrika Late last month, the Moto E5 received the FCC approval.

Motorola is back in the headlines after the company sent out media invites for the Moto Z2 Force launch in India. The smartphone will arrive to the Indian market on February 15. Meanwhile, the company seems to be prepping for the launch of several new Moto handsets. Motorola's entire smartphone lineup got leaked last month detailing the design and specs.

Moto E5 is one of those upcoming smartphones, and it that has already received FCC approval. The device has now received the Bluetooth certification as well, hinting at imminent launch. Interestingly, the Moto E5 is listed on the website with three different model numbers; XT1922, XT1924 and XT1944. Presumably, the smartphone's model number will vary depending on the region.

As mentioned on the Bluetooth SIG page, the Moto E5 is powered by a Qualcomm processor. While the chipset is not specified, it could be the entry-level Snapdragon 435 SoC.

As mentioned before, the smartphone was spotted at the US certification site FCC (Federal Communications Commission) late last month. The FCC listing revealed that the smartphone would pack a large 4,000mAh battery under its hood; a huge upgrade over its predecessor Moto E4 which is backed up by a rather small 2,800mAh battery.

At the moment, this is pretty much everything we know about the upcoming Moto E5 in terms of specs. However, we have quite an idea of how the device would look. According to a leaked render, expect for one notable difference, the smartphone will look almost similar to its predecessor.

Talking about the design in detail, the Moto E5 will have a circular camera module at its rear. The camera setup will house both the main camera sensor and the LED flash stacked vertically. The rear camera module will be slightly protruded.

Such an arrangement of the rear camera placed in a circular housing is something we have seen on previous Motorola smartphones as well. The front camera of Moto E5, however, will not be accompanied by a flash.

Moto C Plus First Impressions - GIZBOT

Further, the smartphone is believed to a feature a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. Apparently, there will be a dimple at the phone's back with a Motorola logo which is likely to double function as the fingerprint scanner.

Image source

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Samsung Galaxy Note 5, S6, S6 Edge, and S6 Edge Plus to receive Android Oreo? News oi-Samden Sherpa T-Mobile and Samsung have agreed to support a new software update for 2015 Samsung Galaxy flagships.

Samsung Galaxy flagship smartphones that were launched in 2015 may finally receive the much awaited Android Oreo update in the coming months. According to a new report Samsung Galaxy S6, S6 edge, S6 edge+, and Note5 will likely be receiving the Oreo update.

The details have been revealed via manufacturer development pages on T-Mobile's official website. The carrier's webpage further reads "T-Mobile and the device manufacturer have agreed to support a new software update," which is Oreo 8.0.

T-Mobile support pages also state: "Phase: Complete." Now what we can assume from this is that Samsung and T-Mobile may have finished testing the Android Oreo update for the above-mentioned devices and it's ready to be rolled-out.

Previously, the XML files in the framework-res of the leaked Oreo beta had revealed code-names of several Samsung devices and it further gave us a hint that the company was experimenting with Android Oreo on these devices. But at the time Samsung's flagship smartphones which include Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge, Galaxy S6 Edge Plus, and the Galaxy Note 5 were not mentioned in the list.

However, XDA Developers have noted that all these smartphones are powered by the Exynos 7420 system-on-chip and that they are powerful enough to run Android Oreo. Samsung customer care reps had earlier also confirmed the device(s) would be getting the update, and one of them had even gone on to say that the update would be released around February. Surprisingly this is the month and we are seeing reports about Oreo update for Galaxy S Series devices.

Meanwhile, the South Korean company hasn't yet announced anything officially in this regard. The company is yet to provide the list of devices due to receive the Android Oreo update. We are also speculating the case. Right now it's hard to tell whether Oreo will be rolled-out to all 2015 Samsung flagship variants or for T-Mobile variants only.

But with this news, things have become interesting. If Samsung starts the rollout of Android Oreo update to its 2015 flagship phones, the device owners will benefit a lot. We are hoping that Samsung rolls-out the Oreo update for all variants of its 2015 flagship phones for users across the globe.

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Samsung is preparing a true bezel-less smartphone to be launched in future News oi-Samden Sherpa Samsung has come a long way since it first started manufacturing mobile devices.

Samsung has come a long way since it first started manufacturing mobile devices. Now the South Korean giant is basically at the forefront of smartphone innovation coming out unique and top of the line products that have further changed the smartphone industry. Besides, with the introduction of its infinity displays, it set a trend for edge-to-edge phones.

Samsung is expected to unveil its 2018 flagships Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ later this month. But from the leaks that we have seen so far, there might not be any major changes and that it will retain the big bezel-less displays. However, the company might be preparing another device that will push the edge-to-edge screen design to another level and that the handset will come with radical design changes.

Well, new Samsung patents have been discovered and it gives us an idea about Samsung's vision for bezel-less phones.

While we are waiting for the day when we will see a full bezel-less smartphone, the company's patent images reveal the exact same thing. There is a drawing of a smartphone with no bezels and quite interestingly there is no notch as well.

Apple came pretty close with iPhone X but the company had stated that the notch is needed to serve as a housing for front-facing parts which include the camera, sensors and the earpiece. However technology is never constant and with its advancement, we might see manufacturers make some progress with this design.

Samsung seems like it is already working on the next big thing and further looking at the patent designs all parts seem to be embedded into the screen including the fingerprint sensor. According to SamMobile, Samsung could require a pressure sensitive display, so that features can be accessed by simply pressing harder on the screen similar to Apple's 3D Touch technology.

The patent though suggests that there will be an on-screen navigation bar with the home button doubling as a fingerprint scanner when the device is locked. Further pressing it harder activates the microphone. Samsung may also allow users to customize these gestures though.

In any case, as of now, there are just patent filings, and it might take Samsung a while before it releases such device in the market. Meanwhile, the company could launch something in 2019 in the Galaxy S series. As fas as rumors go it could be Samsung Galaxy X. There's also no guarantee that such device would reach mass production anytime soon. But we are keeping our hopes high. Samsung with all its resources is one company that can do it.

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Sat Saturday

88 /57

More sun than clouds. Highs in the upper 80s and lows in the upper 50s.
The Polisario and its supporters in Spain have suffered a new setback after the Spanish Foreign Minister acknowledged Moroccos legitimate right to explore gas and oil in its territorial waters.

Far-left party, Podemos, which supports separatism in the Sahara, has tried to instigate the Spanish government against Moroccos oil and gas explorations offshore Tan Tan, Tarfaya and Sidi Ifni raising environmental concerns.

The response of Spains Foreign Minister Alfonso Dastis to such pro-polisario claims was resounding. Morocco has the right to manage its territorial waters as it wishes. No one can deny it such a right, said Dastis.

There is no doubt that the explorations are taking place within the scope of Moroccos territorial waters, he added, stressing that Moroccos development and prosperity are legitimate goals that Spain has to respect and promote.

Italian Oil & Gas Company Eni has signed a Petroleum Agreement (PA) with the Moroccan State Company ONHYM to explore the Tarfaya Offshore area, located in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean offshore the cities of Sidi Ifni, Tan Tan and Tarfaya.

Under the agreement, Eni will be the Operator of the license with a 75 pc stake, while ONHYM will retain a 25 pc stake. The exploration rights cover an area of 23,900 square kilometers, divided into 12 separate exploration areas.
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STAMFORD  A state rail riders report blasts the Department of Transportation for the continued crumbling of the old Stamford train station garage, the beginning deterioration of the newer one, and the lack of a plan for what to do about it.

The Connecticut Commuter Rail Councils 2017 report, sent to the DOT, the governor, the state Legislature, New Yorks Metropolitan Transportation Authority and others, says that even though the Stamford station is one of Metro-North Railroads busiest  and the states busiest by far  it is badly neglected.

Several floors in the original 727-space garage on Station Place are closed because of structural problems, and spaces in the 1,200-space addition are out of commission, the report states.

More commuters now are catching rides to the station, increasing traffic around it, and with that has come rampant disregard for stop signs, speed limits and other controls, but violations go unchecked, according to the report.

It states the DOT last year made no progress on a plan to build a new garage at South State Street and Washington Boulevard.

Stamford serves as the gateway to Connecticut for many visitors, and the means of transportation for many taxpayers to their place of work, the report reads. The current level of disrepair and lack of public transparency on the future status of the garage  calls to question the viability of the DOTs plan for this important part of our economy.

Commuter council Chairman Jim Gildea said things have been at a standstill since 2013, when the DOT announced it had formed a partnership with private developers to build a $500 million office, housing, retail and hotel complex on the original garage site and move commuter parking farther away.

Commuters balked, saying the DOT cared more about making a profit than allowing access to the station that is the citys lifeblood.

Then, in 2016, the DOT, which was negotiating privately with its partners, announced without explanation that the deal was dead.

The concern with the Stamford garage is the length of time it has taken, as well as what appears to be lack of cohesiveness between the city and the DOT, Gildea said. Recognizing that the station is on state land, there should be some level of cooperation. But that appears to be sorely lacking. There is a significant desire among the commuting base to have a new garage ... not be moved farther from the train platforms.

Crashing concrete

Jeffrey Maron, a Stamford resident who sits on the council and commutes to New York each day, said the original 1987 garage continues to deteriorate every day.

In 2006, the DOT deemed it too broken to fix, then closed it in 2015 after chunks of concrete fell through one deck to the one below. The agency made some repairs and reopened 300 spaces a year later.

Now the addition, built in 2003, is headed the same way, Maron said.

The toe caps on many of the interior stairs have come off. I personally have tripped more than once and I know others who have, Maron said. When it rains, water cascades down the interior walls, and flooding occurs inside the pedestrian overpass, so people slip. Sometimes it freezes.

Maron said members of the commuter council have been asking DOT officials for a year why parking spaces on the fourth floor of the addition are blocked with red poles.

They said they had some repairs to do, but they never gave details about what the repairs are, who would do them, and when, Maron said. On the basement level, equipment is being stored in some of the parking spaces.

DOT spokesman Judd Everhart said in an email that most of the lost spaces are in the old garage. In the addition, 54 spaces are closed because of water infiltration issues that the DOT will begin to repair in the spring, he said.

According to the report, the garage and addition have a total of 1,927 spaces. Everhart said the number available for use is 1,378  or 549 less than capacity.

But its important to note that on an average weekday, there are scores of spaces that go unused, Everhart said. As of last month, he said the wait list for a monthly permit had 203 names.

Mad motorists

Maron said the DOTs lack of oversight results in mayhem created in the rush to catch trains or drop off passengers, inside the garage and out.

People speed, blow through stop signs, park illegally. I heard somebody say if they get a parking ticket, they just throw it away, because it doesnt come from Stamford police or state police or Metro-North police  its just a warning from an employee of the company the DOT hired to manage the garage, Maron said. They know they wont get a citation from some authority  they wont get towed.

More commuters are using car services such as Uber to get to the station, reducing parking demand but increasing congestion, he said.

When trains are late and they have to wait, they park wherever they can, creating logjams. During rush hour, traffic backs up all the way to Atlantic Street, Maron said. A little enforcement could go a long way in solving those issues. We have offered many times to walk the state through the garage and show them, but they have never taken us up on this.

Stamford Transportation Bureau Chief Jim Travers said he has been reaching out to the DOT since June, and some fixes were made  new bike racks were installed along with security cameras, trash was cleaned from the tracks, and some lights were repaired with a commitment to repair more.

Dearth of dollars

Travers said he walked through the station with the DOT bureau chief of rail operations this week.

I asked him about replacing the stair treads. He told me the bids are in to replace 288 treads and they will make it a priority, Travers said. I told him I know there are funding issues, but there are short-term things that can be done. Weve made small steps, but we need to talk about what the train station looks like 20 years out.

Everhart said the DOT is working with the city to create a plan for short- and long-term investments.

Projects like replacement of elevators and roof work are to be expected, given the age of the facility, Everhart said. The work program will proceed based on funding availability.

Its a big caveat.

The DOT began engineering the new garage at South State Street and Washington Boulevard, Everhart said, but the project has been postponed indefinitely because of a shortfall in the Special Transportation Fund resulting from the state budget crisis.

acarella@stamfordadvocate.com.
The remains of an Israeli F-16 that crashed after coming under fire by Syrian air defenses on Saturday. Photo: JACK GUEZ/AFP/Getty Images

Israel says it has conducted air strikes on Iranian targets inside Syria in retaliation for what it claimed was an infiltration of its territory by an Iranian drone on Saturday morning. The strikes mark the first time Israel has directly targeted Iranian forces in the country, and represents a dangerous escalation for all three sides. It is not yet clear if there were any Iranian or Syrian casualties.

After shooting down and retrieving an alleged Iranian drone in its airspace early Saturday morning, Israel first struck what it claimed was an Iranian drone control facility near the Syrian city of Palmyra. One of its F-16 fighter jets was struck by anti-aircraft fire during its return flight, however, and ultimately crashed after crossing into northern Israel. Both of the F-16s crew members survived, but their plane is believed to be the first jet Israel has lost during the Syrian conflict. Syrian state media reported that the countrys air defenses had fired on Israeli planes after they attacked a military base.

Original footage showing #Iranian UAV infiltrating and then shot down over Israel, and #IDF strike on Iranian command vehicle in #Syria pic.twitter.com/Sz6poAOdjc  Jonathan Conricus (@LTCJonathan) February 10, 2018

In retaliation for firing on the jet, Israel then launched a much larger second air raid, striking 12 targets in Syria, including four Iranian military targets, according to the Israel Defence Forces. The Los Angeles Times notes that monitors in Syria subsequently corroborated strikes on military sites near the Damascus suburbs of Dimas and Kiswah. No casualties have been reported yet, but Saturdays events run the risk of dragging both Israel and Iran into deeper and more dangerous roles in the Syrian conflict.

The drone incursion was a serious Iranian attack on Israeli territory, Israels chief military spokesman subsequently said. Iran is dragging the region into an adventure in which it doesnt know how it will end. However, another IDF spokesman also insisted that though Syria and Iran are playing with fire and the confrontation was by no means behind us, Israel is not looking to escalate the situation. Israeli prime minister Bibi Netanyahu later said that the days violence proved that Israels warnings about Irans military entrenchment in Syria and desire to attack and destroy Israel were correct.

An Iranian foreign ministry spokesman ridiculed the idea that one of the countrys drones had been shot down, or that it had been involved in firing on the Israeli jets. Russia, another one of Syrias key allies which is militarily involved in the country, released a statement urging all sides to exercise restraint and to avoid any actions that could lead to an even greater complication of the situation. It also called on nations to unconditionally respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria and other countries of the region.

Iran has been actively helping Syrian president Bashar al-Assad fight rebel groups in Syria since 2011, supplying arms, advisers, militias, and reportedly even elite Quds Force fighters.

Though Israel has mostly remained an outsider in the larger conflict, it has repeatedly launched air strikes on Syrian targets over the course of the countrys civil war in what it says have been attempts to prevent Iranian weapons from making their way to Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters in neighboring Lebanon. Israel has alleged that Iran is establishing military bases and missile factories in Syria, and Reuters reported last week that the Israeli air force has targeted the Syrian military and Hezbollah almost 100 times in the past six years. Regardless, Saturdays violence was the biggest exchange of fire between Israel and Syria since 1982 during the Lebanon war.

The Pentagon has denied any involvement in the Israeli strikes, but expressed its support for Israels right to defend itself and encouraged greater international resolve in countering Irans malign activities. The U.S., of course, has its own new problems in Syria as well.
Back in October last year, Google introduced Pixel Buds, a pair of headphones connected with a fabric loop (of course, designed to work best with the Pixel 2 series of phones).

Until now, the accessory was only available in the US and Canada. But that changes now, as a handful of more markets have made it to the list.



Google Pixel Buds

The names include Australia, Germany, and the UK. As for pricing, the headphones will set you back AUD249 ($194), 179, and 159, respectively. For more info, head to the respective links below.

Source 1 (Australia) | Source 2 (Germany) | Source 3 (UK) | Via
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Looks like the Samsung Galaxy S6, S6 edge, S6 edge+, and Note5 will all get the Oreo update. Manufacturer Development pages for these devices on T-Mobile's official website say the carrier "and the device manufacturer have agreed to support a new software update," which is Oreo.

It's worth mentioning that this is not the first time we've heard about Oreo for the Galaxy S6. At least a couple of times in the past two months, Samsung customer care reps have confirmed the device(s) will get the update, with one of them even revealing the February time frame for the roll out.

Officially, the South Korean company hasn't yet announced anything in this regard.

Source | Via




Haiti - Bizoton : 30,000 people have access to quality water thanks to the European Union





On Thursday, the European Union (EU) with Bizoton Communal Section Board (CASEC), the Association of Progressive Citizens for the Advancement and Reconstruction of the Country (ACPARP) and the Cesar Foundation for the Weakest of Haiti (FCPFH), have closed a project for the supply of drinking water and sanitation in the localities of Fonds-brache, Grand-quail and Bel-air, started in May 2015 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-13980-haiti-reconstruction-things-are-moving-in-the-commune-of-bizoton.html



As part of the Civil Society Organization Support Program (OSC) and the local authorities of the European Union, this  437,000 project funded by the EU will improve access to a drinking water of quality in the targeted areas, in particular by protecting and sanitizing the immediate environment of the water source of Chaud. The goal was also to reduce the water chore by reducing the distance to go to get drinking water.



In his speech, Vincent Degert, Ambassador of the European Union to Haiti, said "The project that we are closing today is fully in line with this approach and will improve access to quality water and a water system and sanitation for 30,000 people in the area."



In concrete terms, this project has made it possible to: capture the source of Chaud, the construction of 2 reservoirs and 4 water kiosks, the construction of a fence to secure the perimeter of the catchment, the erection of 5,000 cubic meters of dry stone thresholds around three gullies which threatened the site and the planting of 10,000 seedlings. In addition, 90 family latrines were built, along with family training in the management and maintenance of these latrines, as well as training sessions in participatory project management, community leadership and good governance to the benefit of 30 CSO representatives and seven local elected representatives.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-13980-haiti-reconstruction-things-are-moving-in-the-commune-of-bizoton.html



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Education : Towards an Education Capacity Building Plan for the country





A two-days workshop on how to strengthen the role of Haitis ten Departmental Directorates of Education (DDE) in planning and managing the countrys education system is took place in Ennery.



With support from the European Union, the two-day workshop is part of a larger project coordinated by the UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP-UNESCO) and the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training (MENFP).



Bringing together some 40 participants from all the DDEs, the central Ministry, and development partners, the workshop provides an opportunity to validate and discuss a just released diagnostic report on the planning capacities of the Haitian education administration.



The origins of this report, conducted by IIEP, are rooted in the countrys shift towards deconcentrating Haitis public administration and the overall acknowledgement that the DDEs will need to play an expanded role in managing the education system. The core question at the workshop is to define together  with both the central and local education authorities  the next steps for how to move towards deconcentration.



Watch this video with DDE staff who are currently training at IIEP in Paris (video is in French)







Strengthening the system, from administration to the classroom



Overall, the diagnostic found that despite a common set of challenges facing education and society at large  including political instability, natural disasters, and poor governance there are numerous areas where it is possible to implement feasible solutions to improve the planning and managerial functions of the MENFP and DDEs.



At the institutional level, the report found :



The DDEs role in planning must be strengthened to improve the poor implementation rate of educational plans and programmes. The diagnostic recommends that the political discourse occurs in tandem with concrete steps to make the DDEs more autonomous and effective.



Existing recruitment procedures must be consistently applied and the overall process must be more transparent. The diagnosis revealed a lack of transparency and this poses major challenges to staff motivation.



At the organizational level, the report found :



The DDEs must comply with overall procedures in planning and management. The diagnostic recommends that the new manual is implemented and is backed by sufficient financial and human resources.



The DDEs need greater material and financial resources to properly function. This was identified by the DDE staff as the most important way to improve the performance of the DDEs.



Strengthened collection and use of educational data. The diagnosis stressed that the data must be made available to the right public. By sharing more systematically the existing data with the DDE staff, this will help improve the quality of the data as well as contribute to the EMIS having a more central place in the work of the DDE.



At the individual level, the report found:



There needs to be more recruitment of planners at the DDE level. The diagnosis found that there are currently only seven planners at the DDE level. The low salary level has resulted in some planners leaving their posts for more lucrative positions.



Skills development in educational planning is needed amongst managers at the DDE level because there is currently a mismatch between profiles and competencies.



Paving the way forward :

During the workshop, discussions around all these areas from the diagnostic report will lay the foundation for the development of a detailed and budgeted capacity development plan. This plan will enable educational officials at the departmental level to better implement Haitis national vision for education.




















By Vasia Orion | Published on 2018/02/09

Despite there being next to nothing in terms of information, this announcement was dropped by a handful of news portals today, and it's a highly exciting one. A representative from cable channel OCN has stated that PD Kim Seong-soo ("Save Me", "Genome Hazard") is preparing a new drama.

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This is enough to get me excited beyond comprehensible words, but the fact that he once more tackles religion's dark side is even more exciting. The drama, currently stated as "Priest", will be a medical-exorcism one. That just messes with my head, because I wonder what it means. Will science and religion be fighting over the mystery of a sick/possessed person? That would make this a pretty bold work, but that's exactly what "Save Me" was, after all.

I get no consistent information on the writer so far, but Kim Seong-soo's involvement and the announced genre are exciting enough. I will be keeping both eyes and my grabby hands on this, so expect more news as it comes out. The drama is currently slated for an OCN broadcast during the second half of 2018, and shooting will begin as soon as the cast has been chosen.

Written by: Orion from 'Orion's Ramblings'

Sources (1) (2)
Published on 2018/02/10 | Source

Added episode 20 (final) captures for the Korean drama "Black Knight" (2017)

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Directed by Han Sang-woo

Written by Kim In-yeong

Network : KBS

With Kim Rae-won, Shin Se-kyung, Seo Ji-hye, Jang Mi-hee, Kim Hyun-joon, Hwang Jung-min-I,...

20 episodes - Wed, Thu 22:00

Synopsis

In this supernatural romance drama, a businessman with a pure heart braves danger for his love, a travel agent who has never traveled abroad. It is a love story that spans over two hundred years.

Broadcast starting date in Korea : 2017/12/06

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A man who sexually assaulted his stepdaughter 20 years ago in a "huge breach of trust" has been jailed for 15 months.

John Doherty's victim, who was 12 when the offences began, told the court she would "always live with a sense of shame" as a result of his actions.

Doherty (55) of Patrician Villas, Stillorgan, Co Dublin pleaded guilty to two counts of sexually assaulting his stepdaughter between January 1996-April 1998 at their home in Stillorgan, when she was aged 12 and 13.

Doherty's step-daughter, now 35, waived her right to anonymity so her abuser could be named, the court heard.

Doherty had previously failed in his high court bid to stay proceedings, claiming "blameworthy delay" by gardai in prosecuting the case.

Incompetence

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court was told the garda who handled the original complaint in 1998 took sick leave, retired and later died, leaving the case unassigned until recent years.

Sentencing Doherty yesterday, Judge Martin Nolan noted the matter had taken a long time to come to court due to "incompetence".

"I've no doubt the victim in this case has endured difficult times as a result of the misbehaviour of Mr Doherty," the judge said.

He noted Doherty had taken steps to rehabilitate himself.

"But he sexually abused a child," Judge Nolan said. "He sexually abused a child in his care and that was a huge breach of trust."

The maximum sentence for sexual assault at the time of the offence was five years.

In a statement the woman said the abuse she suffered from her step-father had taken away her childhood, her family and her education.

"I loved and trusted him unconditionally and he betrayed me," she said.
Fix the debt. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Late last year, congressional Republicans passed a $1.5 trillion tax cut, which delivered the lions share of its benefits to the wealthy and corporations. The GOP did not justify this policy on the grounds that all corporate shareholders and trust-fund hipsters deserved to have their wealth increased. Rather, the party argued that, however one felt about making the rich richer, the tax cuts would ultimately benefit all Americans by increasing economic growth and lowering unemployment.

But what if we could have achieved those objectives, at roughly the same price, by forgoing tax cuts  and wiping out every penny of student debt in the United States, instead?

A new research paper from the Levy Economics Institute of Bard College suggests this was, in fact, an option.

In America today, 44 million people collectively carry $1.4 trillion in student debt. That giant pile of financial obligations isnt just a burden on individual borrowers, but on the nations entire economy. The astronomical rise in the cost of college tuition  combined with the stagnation of entry-level wages for college graduates  has depressed the purchasing power of a broad, and growing, part of the labor force. Many of these workers are struggling to keep their heads above water; 11 percent of aggregate student loan debt is now more than 90 days past due, or delinquent. Others are unable to invest in a home, vehicle, or start a family (and engage in all the myriad acts of consumption that go with that).

Illustration: Peoples Policy Project

Thus, if the government were to forgive all the student debt it owns (which makes up more than 90 percent of all outstanding student debt), and bought out all private holders of such debt, a surge in consumer demand  and thus, employment and economic growth  would ensue.

According to the Levy Institute paper, authored by economists Scott Fullwiler, Stephanie Kelton, Catherine Ruetschlin, and Marshall Steinbaum, canceling all student debt would increase GDP by between $86 billion and $108 billion per year, over the next decade. This would add between 1.2 and 1.5 million jobs to the economy, and reduce the unemployment rate by between 0.22 and 0.36 percent.

So, the macroeconomic upside of canceling all student debt would be substantial. The primary (supposed) downsides of such a policy would be a higher deficit, the potentially regressive distributional consequences of debt forgiveness, and (relatedly) the unfairness of rewarding certain well-off borrowers who dont deserve it. Of course, all of these critiques would apply more powerfully to the recently passed tax cut bill. Few people would argue that increasing Harvey Weinsteins after-tax income was a laudable public policy goal. But no one thinks that we should judge the merits of a tax cut on the basis of whether it rewards any unsavory individuals.

And in the case of student debt forgiveness, concerns about unfairness are largely informed by status quo bias. Its true that increasing the net worth of some upper-middle-class Harvard graduates by $200,000  while giving nothing to working-class City College graduates who already paid off their student loans  is not, in and of itself, a progressive proposition. But viewed in its totality, the post-debt cancellation world is considerably more egalitarian than the one we live in now.

Graduate Students Are Terrified By the Republican Tax Plan

While the top 20 percent of earners do have the largest absolute student-debt loads, low-income minority borrowers have the highest delinquency rates. This disparity is rooted in structural, race-based disadvantages, including, according to Marshall Steinbaums research, segregation within higher education, which relegates minority students to the worst-performing institutions, discrimination in both credit and labor markets, and the underlying racial wealth gap that means black and Hispanic students have a much smaller cushion of family wealth to fall back on, both to finance higher education in the first place and also should any difficulty with debt repayment arise.

One implication of this, as the policy analyst Matt Bruenig has demonstrated, is that student debt is significantly increasing the racial wealth gap among younger Americans.

Illustration: Roosevelt Institute

Illustration: Roosevelt Institute

More broadly, the explosion of student debt in America was orchestrated by deliberate government policies, which were justified on premises that have proven to be false. Specifically, the government encouraged young Americans to view even high student-debt loads as a safe investment in their own futures, on the grounds that the economy was suffering from a skills gap  there was an abundance of high wage, white-collar jobs to be created or filled, if only the supply of highly educated workers would rise to meet demand. This turned out to be a fiction  one that victimized a generation of working-class college students. As Steinbaum writes:

The reason for [the] vast enlargement of the population of [student loan] borrowers is the worsening labor market. Scarce jobs are allocated to the most credentialed applicants, which triggers a rat race of credentialization, and that rat race is worst for minorities. That young cohorts are better educated than their predecessors should result in higher lifetime earnings, if the skills gap mythology that motivated the expansion of the federal student loan programs were true. Instead, more and more expensive credentials result in jobs that pay the same or worse, leading to the escalation of debt loads.

Student debtors were, in many, many cases, persuaded to make poor financial decisions by their own government  which, as the owner of their debts, now stands to profit from those mistakes. By wiping the slate clean, Uncle Sam wouldnt just improve the macroeconomy, but also increase its fairness, and reduce racial inequality.

And once thats done, the government can turn its attention toward ensuring that no future college students are burdened by such massive debt loads ever again. To make public education work as a vehicle for socioeconomic mobility  in a world of ever-rising tuition rates and stagnant wages for college graduates  were going to need a new model for financing higher education. A simple and remarkably affordable option would be to make public universities free.

Doing all this would probably require a few significant tax increases. Fortunately, there are now a great many pass-through business owners and corporate shareholders who could sorely use one of those.
Daniel Doyle featured on the fifth series of Love/Hate

A Dublin man with previous convictions for drug dealing has been jailed after he was caught with hundreds of ecstasy tablets.

Daniel Doyle (31), an aspiring actor who has appeared on hit crime drama Love/Hate, was jailed for two years in 2007 for possession of cocaine and shotgun cartridges.

Judge Terence O'Sullivan yesterday imposed a two-year prison sentence on Doyle, after noting that he was clearly involved in the drugs trade. He suspended the last year on condition that he keeps the peace.

Doyle, of Balcurris Park West, Ballymun, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of drugs for sale or supply at his home on November 12, 2014.

He featured on Love/Hate during the fifth series, when it was filmed on location in his native Ballymun.

Doyle has also worked as a fitness model.

The offence was committed less than a month after he appeared on the TV programme.

Detective Garda Ronan McMorrow told the court that gardai obtained a warrant to search the house after a reliable source provided information about cocaine dealing at the address.

Doyle answered the door of his home and told gardai he knew why they were there. He handed over a bundle of 985 from his pocket.

Underpants

He also removed, from his underpants, a bag of 446 small tablets and a money bag of around 600 in cash.

The tablets were identified as MDMA, colloquially known as ecstasy, the court heard.

Gardai also found drug paraphernalia, including syringes and weighing scales, in a safe in Doyle's bedroom.

Cash totalling 340 was also found in the bedroom and 2,800 was elsewhere.

Doyle told gardai the cash had come from the recent sale of a car but Det Gda McMorrow said gardai do not accept this.

The court heard that this money may be the subject of a "police property" application.

Doyle has 35 previous convictions, including three for drug dealing and convictions for unlawful possession of firearms in suspicious circumstances.

He also has two convictions for threatening to kill or cause serious harm.

Carol Doherty BL, defending, said her client enjoyed the support of his family and had been working for his brother-in-law's bathroom refurbishment business.

Judge O'Sullivan said that Doyle's work references spoke well of him and he was not sceptical of any character references handed in.

He said that Doyle was a facilitator in the drugs trade but said that the offence before the court was "not a serious matter".

He added Doyle appeared to be a "fairly decent individual".

Doyle was jailed for two years in 2007 after he pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and shotgun cartridges on two occasions in 2006.
Aonghus McCarthy was caught with cocaine in his wallet

A solicitor caught with cocaine in his wallet at Mountjoy Prison is one of the best-paid criminal legal aid solicitors in the country, new figures show.

According to figures from the Department of Justice, Aonghus McCarthy's practice has received 1.093m in criminal legal aid fees from the State over the past five years.

Last year he received 287,460 in legal aid fees - putting him among the top 20 best-paid solicitors out of the 850 solicitors who receive payments under the criminal legal aid scheme.

Mr McCarthy is set to escape a conviction for the possession of 26 of cocaine, weighing 0.33g, at Mountjoy - after a judge this week accepted the 32-year-old's explanation that he did not know he was carrying the drug.

In a garda interview, Mr McCarthy denied owning the cocaine and said someone else must have put it in his wallet.

"I do not do drugs and I would not risk the entirety of my career," he said.

Donates

Judge Gerry Jones said he would strike out the case next month if Mr McCarthy donates 1,250 to the Merchant's Quay drug project.

A conviction would have jeopardised Mr McCarthy's career as a solicitor and put in doubt the projected millions of euro he will earn in future years from his criminal legal aid work.

Mr McCarthy's earnings from criminal legal aid work reached a peak of 343,893 in 2016, when he was ranked the seventh best-paid criminal legal aid solicitor in the country.

The 2016 payments compared to 50,003 in 2013.

From the fees received, Mr McCarthy has to pay the cost of operating an office, including payments to staff.

The overall figures showed that last year, 53.68m was paid in criminal legal aid to lawyers - an increase of 9pc on the 49m paid out in 2017.

Solicitors last year received 32.2m in fees - an increase of 13pc on the 29.3m paid out in 2016.

Payments to barristers increased by 8.5pc, rising from 19.83m to 21.49m, made up of 87 senior counsel receiving 8.8m, and 478 junior counsel receiving 12.69m.

The best-paid lawyer in the country last year was Michael Bowman, who received 566,156. The second-highest paid was Bernard Condon, who received 459,291.

Michael O'Higgins is currently representing murder accused Patrick Hutch (25) in the Regency murder trial.

He was one of five barristers to receive between 300,000-400,000 last year, when he received 306,642.

Sean Gillane is leading the prosecution case in the Regency murder trial and last year received 203,141.

Mr Gillane's most recent high-profile case was representing Aer Lingus ground handler Frederick Cham (53), who was jailed for four years this week for helping to smuggle people into the country.
Former Anglo Irish Bank chief executive David Drumm was "the man who called the shots" at the bank and was central to a 7.2bn conspiracy to defraud, his trial has heard.

Mr Drumm was responsible for authorising a series of "lightning speed" circular transactions that were used to make the troubled bank's balance sheet seem healthier than it was to deceive the public, it was claimed.

Lead prosecutor Paul O'Higgins SC compared the alleged scheme to a "balloon" that Anglo blew up, and added "you can't cheat people to keep yourself afloat".

Mr O'Higgins was delivering his opening speech to the jury in the trial of Mr Drumm (51), who is accused of taking part in an alleged conspiracy to defraud.

Mr Drumm is charged with conspiring to defraud Anglo investors in 2008 by dishonestly creating the impression the bank's deposits that year were 7.2bn larger than they really were.

He is alleged to have conspired with former Anglo officials William McAteer and John Bowe, as well as Irish Life and Permanent's then chief executive Denis Casey and others.

Mr Drumm is also charged with false accounting, by providing misleading information to the market on December 3, 2008. The accused, of Skerries, Co Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to both charges.

Mr O'Higgins said it was a "prime objective" of Anglo coming up to the end of its financial year on September 30, 2008, to make sure its balance sheets looked as strong as they possibly could.

Customer deposits were considered better than inter-bank deposits in the evaluation of the strength of a bank.

It was alleged that in conjunction with Irish Life and Permanent (ILP), Anglo organised a scheme in which money was circulated "with lightning speed" between the two banks through Irish Life Assurance (ILA), a company owned by the ILP group.

"This was a completely artificial process that led to a dressing up - and more than a dressing up, a fabrication - of Anglo's balance sheets," Mr O'Higgins said.

Mr Drumm, Mr McAteer, Mr Bowe, and Mr Casey "got together to cause this wholly artificial, completely commercially unreal transaction," Mr O'Higgins added.

Its only objective, he argued, was to deceive investors, depositors and lenders.

Mr O'Higgins outlined the "tough times" for banking in 2007 and 2008. Anglo was not a retail bank and dealt mainly with commercial and property lending, so found itself in a sector under particular threat during the financial crisis.

Irish banking authorities wanted banks to help each other through crises of liquidity.

The jury would hear, Mr O'Higgins said, that Mr Drumm instigated funding initiative meetings, but one by one they fell away and "they were reduced to the initiative you have here".

Authorising

There was noting illegal, in itself, about moving money around - but the only purpose of these transactions was so that when the bank published its financial results, it would suggest customer deposits were greater than they really were, Mr O'Higgins said.

The jury would hear phone recordings of Mr Drumm authorising transactions.

A series of 11 admissions was then read out on Mr Drumm's behalf by Tessa White BL, defending. He accepted responsibility for authorising transactions in 2008 but denied fraud or dishonesty.

He said the purpose was to reduce ILP's reliance on European Central Bank funding and increase Anglo's non-bank deposits.

The trial continues.
Antoinette Hopkins had initially bought the tablets for herself

A housewife who was caught selling relaxant drugs on a Dublin street had "a very stressful life", a court has heard.

Mother-of-six Antoinette Hopkins (49) had initially bought the prescription tablets for herself before gardai caught her selling some to a man in the north inner city.

She avoided jail when Judge Gerry Jones said he would "give her a chance" and put her on a two-year peace bond.

Hopkins, of Upper Gloucester Place, Dublin, pleaded guilty to possession of Alprozam with intent to sell or supply.

Dublin District Court heard gardai were on patrol at Sean McDermott Street, at 12.45pm on July 26, 2017, when they saw Hopkins in a suspected drugs transaction with a man.

Both fled when gardai approached but Hopkins was arrested and had three tablets in her possession. The drugs had a value of 80.

Controlled

Hopkins had a number of previous convictions, for offences including theft, the court heard.

"What drug was she selling?," Judge Jones asked.

Defence solicitor Conor Ruane said they were "relaxant tablets" and while not particularly serious, they were still controlled drugs.

It was possible to obtain them by prescription, the court heard.

"Is she a drug dealer or was it a one-off?," Judge Jones asked.

A sergeant said none of Hopkins' prior convictions was under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Mr Ruane said the defendant was a housewife and mother of six children. She had bought tablets for her own use before the offence happened.

Hopkins had a "very stressful life" and was not involved in the sale or supply of drugs, Mr Ruane added.
For Subscribers Comings and goings: Firm buys hotel, new businesses open

New name for the old Venice Inn, new spot for treats downtown, new biz for restoration, and new owners for two housing complexes.
Including Jared Kushner. Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

President Trump won the presidency, in part, by focusing (however disingenuously) like a laser on Hillary Clintons clumsy handling of classified information. But more than a year into his presidency, Trump employs dozens of people who lack full security clearances, yet have access to some of the nations most sensitive secrets.

CNN estimates the number of staffers who still havent received clearances at 30 to 40. The White House claims that the plethora of delays is par for the course, but several sources told the outlet that that it is, in fact, highly unusual.

Because of concerns about his past behavior, Rob Porter, the White House staff secretary who resigned this week after two ex-wives alleged that he had physically abused them, was still operating on an interim security clearance when he stepped down. White House counsel Donald McGahn knew about the allegations, but decided not to act as he waited for a final determination of Porters status, according to the Washington Post.

The most prominent member of the White House staff still waiting for a permanent security clearance is the presidents son-in-law, Senior Adviser Jared Kushner. Given his preternatural shadiness on pretty much all matters, this is not all that surprising. Kushner has had to revise his security-clearance form again and again after neglecting to mention to mention that he met with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak, Kremlin lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, and many others. His friendship with Chinese-American businesswoman Wendi Deng Murdoch and one-on-one meetings with Chinese Ambassador Cui Tiankai have raised plenty of eyebrows about his vulnerability to an influence campaign. And hes near the center of Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian electoral interference. (Democrats have pushed for Kushners and Ivanka Trumps clearances to be revoked, to no avail.)

On Friday, the Post reported that, according to several sources, White House Counsel Donald McGahn and other Trump administration officials have been so vexed by Jared Kushners months-long inability to obtain a permanent security clearance that they have hesitated to get involved in other cases with potential problems.

This may partially explain the unusually high number of other staffers who are still waiting for their papers to come through, though its far from clear how many of the clearance-less staffers have red flags as obvious as Kushners and Porters.

Another possible reason for the lag is that many White House staffers, serving as they do in a stridently anti-government administration, were imported from the private sector  unlike previous administrations full of old Washington hands who had already been cleared to serve in government.

And then theres the fact that, even before Trump moved in to the White House, there was an existing crisis in processing security clearances. A recent Government Accountability Office study found that the security-clearance backlog had ballooned from 190,000 cases in August 2014 to more than 709,000 by September 2017.

The FBI initiates a background check, but the White House Office of Presidential Personnel must sign off on clearances for the process to move forward; if they fail to do so, the staffer in question is stuck with an interim clearance. Its easy to imagine that this ever-disordered administration is at least partly to blame for the lag.

At the end of the day, if we are going to solve this problem, we are going to have to fix the way we issue clearances, by both getting faster and better at the process of vetting and clearing people, or ultimately denying people clearances and moving them on to other opportunities, but the current challenge cannot go unaddressed for much longer, a former associate counsel to President George W. Bush, told CNN.

Whether its at fault or not, the White House has adopted a typically nonchalant posture about all the delays, seeming to calculate  correctly  that as long as Republicans control all three branches of power, nobody will bother with any kind of meaningful oversight on the matter.

Its become an unhelpful cliche to ponder how Republicans would react if Democrats committed any of the moral or ethical violations that are so run-of-the-mill in the Trump White House. But to imagine the circus of hearings and accusations that would ensue if a Hillary Clinton presidency allowed dozens of possibly blackmail-vulnerable staffers access to top-secret information is to conjure an endless loop of hearings and accusations that would make the Benghazi investigation look tame.
Amitabh Bachchan was briefly admitted to Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai this evening after he complained of pain in his lower back, a hospital source said.

He came to hospital for pain in lumbar (lower back) region. He was given injections and discharged, the source said.

Amitabh Bachchan comes out of Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai, India, on Friday. (Satyabrata Tripathy/HT Photo)

Reports earlier in the day suggested that the 75-year-old actor was suffering from a gastrointestinal problem and had also complained of pain in neck and spine. He was spotted leaving the hospital in a car with his son Abhishek. He had covered his face completely with his dark hat, perhaps to avoid the flashes from the paparazzi cameras.

The actor will be seen next in 102 Not Out, which also starring Rishi Kapoor. The teaser of the film, directed by Umesh Shukla, was released today on Twitter.

It is set to release in May this year.

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A Brahmin outfit that raised objections to Kangana Ranauts historical drama Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi, called off its protest on Saturday after written assurance from the films producer that there is no distortion of history in the movie.

The producer also held a press conference, along with the representatives of the Sarv Brahmin Mahashaba to allay their apprehensions.

On February 5, Suresh Mishra, the national president of the organisation had alleged that the film distorts historical facts regarding Lakshmi Bai, the nineteenth century queen of Jhansi, and also depicts a love affair between her and a British man.

In a letter addressed to Mishra, producer Kamal Jain said that the producers have not distorted the history and there is no romantic song or sequence with the Britishers in the film. In addition, they have not referred to Jayshree Mishra or any other writers who wrote degrading information on Rani Lakshmibai, the letter added

Mishra, earlier wrote letters to Jain enquiring about the writers of the film, profile of the historians consulted and details of songs in the film, if any.

We are making the film, Manikarnika with a great passion and huge respect towards the great woman who is unmatchable in her reputation, Jains response to Mishra read.

MR Vijayendra Prasad of Bahubali and Bajrangi Bhaijaan fame has researched with a huge team and written the story after consulting a good number of scholars and historians. Respected Prasoon Joshi ji is penning the dialogues and lyrics of the film, it added.

Reacting to the assurance letter from the producers, Mishra said that the whole issue has got a good closure. We withdraw our protests. And they have assured us in writing, so if they err in future, we can always rebut them, he said.

Sanjay Leela Bhansalis film Padmaavat battled year-long violent protests by Rajput outfits across several states . Karni Sena, the Rajput group spearheading the protests, had alleged that the film distorted history and hurt the pride and valour of Rani Padmini and the Rajputs. The film that starred Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor in lead roles, was initially slated to hit theatres on December 1, 2017. It finally released on January 25, 2018. Despite the Supreme Court announcing that state governments of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Haryana, putting a ban on the films release was illegal, several film distributors refused to screen the film.
My name is Kai Chand The Sar-e Asman. In English, somewhat arbitrarily, I am called The Mirror of Beauty. I am an Urdu novel, a little above 850 pages long. My English avatar is nearly a thousand pages worth of prose of a somewhat quaint register, or registers.

I was somewhat horrified when an author approached me with the proposal to translate me into English. I said: I hope you arent going to do to me what the Bard did to Bottom in A Midsummer Nights Dream as he casually turned him into a donkey -- Bless thee, Bottom, bless thee. Thou art translated!

No, no, he cried with a tight voice. Do you doubt my proficiency...?

Yes, that too could bear some scrutiny, but my doubt mainly springs from the nature of the beast.

You believe I created a monster, he fumed, somewhat red-faced.

Do not misunderstand me. In fact, you know very well what you created, and I am quite comfortable with it. Let me remind you...

Yes, I know, he said somewhat testily. I made you somewhat exotic. I wrote you in about ten different styles, or registers. In general, you are highly Persianised; Arabic is just round the corner almost everywhere. Your narrative language is mostly archaic, so also the dialogues. Most of your women speak what is now called Begamati Zaban, that is, they use words which only women used. You have courtly language in play on almost all occasions in life, from speaking of love to being belligerent, even warlike. Irritatingly, or most piquantly-spicily, your pages are peppered with poetry in Persian or Urdu.

Yes, and the professional and technical details, some of them almost untranslatable, I said.

Yet you seem to be missing the chief point here, he said, with his nose in the air.

And pray, whats that? I must confess that I was somewhat nettled by his superior air.

Read the curtain raiser to the Translating India series here.

Incompatibility, he said. English and Urdu are incompatible, and just not grammatically. Urdus a genius, especially in the creative modes, is given to elaboration, intensification, abstraction. And Urdu has many more words for emotions; English for all its vastness is remarkably destitute in this area. Take love, for instance. How many words can you think of in English, including Latinisms and archaisms, to convey the idea of love? Well, just one, or maybe another two or three if you stretch the matter. Urdu has at least 18 words to express the emotion of love. Apart from love too, Urdus language of formal discourse has numerous words expressing the same idea with different degrees of intensity or emphasis or nuance. English and Urdu make strange bed-fellows, almost always.

I felt dispirited. So I will remain hidden behind Urdus veil, almost like Lucy, who though fair as a star, lived unknown. But I brightened at the thought that I wont suffer the mutilation that almost all translations turn out to be. So I said: Well, then you are saved the trouble of undertaking this back-breaking job, I hope?

No, he smiled his artful, almost crafty smile. You forget that I am the author, not just some hack pulling an ancient rickety cart of translation.

So?

First thing, said he, As author-translator, I can take liberties, within reasonable limits. I am aware that I am the author of the Urdu novel, I am not composing an original novel in English. But Ill not let the Urdu text hang too heavy on my translators intuitions. Like all translators Ill give up certain things (like the 18 or so words for love), but will also add certain things.

When I sit down to do the English version, I am able to visualise the spirit of the Urdu and almost see it passing into the English words that came to me as I put them then on the page.

Most importantly, Ill exchange the archaic Urdu with a deliberately archaic, passionately and shamelessly 19th century English. I will not permit the entry of a word or usage which came into the language after the time of Victoria, that is, mid to late 19th century. The flavour of the specialised languages and registers of Urdu Ill give up in favour of translating literally all Urdu words and phrases and make them sound natural to the narrative. I will render the excesses of the Urdu into English.

And what will you do about the poetry?

Well, I am the author, and thus share a bit of the original authors persona when I quote his poetry.

It seemed to me that he bared his teeth, somewhat like a dog teasing and enjoying a favourite bone.

I will translate faithfully, but Ill use a compromise language  a little modern, a little archaic  to suit the environment of the narrative. And remember, the poetry that I have quoted (and I even wrote some of it, under the names of Dagh, or his mother) is entirely in harmony with the narrative. So, without doing violence to the original, I should produce passable English poems, effective and genuine in their own right.

I fear your labours may result into transcreation of some sort, I said somewhat timidly.

Transcreation? I defy transcreation. You either translate or create. When I am done, you open any page of the translation, you will recognise the relevant Urdu text instantly.

That is something that most translators from Urdu have despaired of, I said. How do you hope to do it?

For one thing, I am fully steeped into the Urdu  its moods, its inner complications, its special characteristics. And I have lived with you for a long time before you came into existence. When I sit down to do the English version, I am able to visualise the spirit of the Urdu and almost see it passing into the English words that came to me as I put them then on the page.

But you havent even started, how do you know you can do it?

Come back after a couple of years and see for yourself.

A recipient of Saraswati Samman (1996) and Padma Shri (2009), Shamsur Rahman Faruqi is a leading Urdu critic and theorist. The views expressed are personal.

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Rotary clubs from District 2911 (Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania) yesterday started their first ever projects fair where they will showcase to potential funders projects they intend to work on this year.



The East Africa Rotary Projects Fairs 2018, according to district governor Steven Mwanje, is an event where clubs come together to display their works and also showcase what they plan to do in future.

The collected funds will be used for economic empowerment, education, sanitation, healthcare among others

The fair is meant to attract funders who will help raise this years target of Shs 122 billion. Barry Rassin, president-elect of Rotary International, is in the country to witness the fair.



Rotary works in line with core values of water and sanitation, economic empowerment, peace and conflict resolution, basic education and literacy maternal and child health care. They now seek to widen their scope to contemporary problems and give more support to sectors they are already working on.

I have travelled around Uganda and Tanzania and I have witnessed a lot of suffering. There is need to consolidate what we have been doing and also do more, Mwanje said during the fairs opening ceremony at Sheraton hotel.



Rotary Uganda has recently contributed to the establishment of a blood bank at Mengo hospital and a cancer ward at Nsambya.



Former district governor Kenneth Mugisha said that during this years fair, clubs from different areas in the district will showcase projects that they have designed after identifying the needs of their communities.



This year, we want to tackle problems depending on the needs of the community that the clubs represent, said Mugisha.



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India and the UAE on Saturday signed a concessional agreement awarding a consortium of Indian oil companies, led by the ONGC, a 10% stake in Abu Dhabis offshore oil concession, the first such deal for the Indian oil and gas companies in the Gulf nation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces witnessed the signing of the historic agreement.

The MoU between Indian consortium (OVL, BPRL and IOCL) and state-run Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) was signed for acquisition of 10 per cent participating interest in the offshore Lower Zakum Concession.

The concession will be for 40 years from 2018 to 2057. Sixty per cent of the participating interest will be retained by ADNOC and remaining 30 per cent will be awarded to other international oil companies.

This is the first Indian investment in upstream oil sector of the UAE, transforming the traditional buyer-seller relationship to a long-term investor relationship.

Lower Zakum is one of three new separate concession areas that make up the former ADMA offshore concession, namely Lower Zakum, Umm Shaif and Nasr and Sateh Al Razboot (SARB) and Umm Lulu.

Speaking at the signing of the agreement, Prime Minister Modi said, The offshore concession in favour of the Indian consortium has taken our bilateral engagement in the oil and gas sector to a new level, which befits the comprehensive strategic partnership between our two countries.

I am happy to note that we have progressed from a buyer-seller relationship to an era of mutual investments in the oil and gas sector, he said.

The consortium, led by Indias ONGC Videsh, contributed a participation fee of AED 2.2 billion (USD 600 million) to enter the concession.

The concession will be operated by ADNOC Offshore, a subsidiary of ADNOC, on behalf of all concession partners.

The agreement, which has a term of 40 years and an effective date of March 9, 2018, was signed by Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, ADNOC Group Chief Executive Officer, and member of Abu Dhabis Supreme Petroleum Council and Shashi Shanker, Chairman, ONGC Group of companies.

Our strategic partnership with ONGC, and the other members of the consortium, marks a new chapter in the strategic and economic relationship between the UAE and India.

This mutually beneficial partnership will help India meet its growing demand for energy and refined products, create opportunities for ADNOC to increase its market share in a key growth market, and build a solid foundation as ADNOC explores potential international investments, particularly focused on downstream opportunities, said Al Jaber, who is also Minister of State in the UAE.

This agreement demonstrates the confidence of the international market in ADNOCs long-term production targets and ADNOCs strategy to maximise economic value and recovery from its offshore oil and gas resources. This is an attractive and strategic agreement for both parties that will deliver competitive returns and long term growth opportunities.

The Indian consortium is made up of ONGCs wholly- owned subsidiary ONGC Videsh, which has stakes in 39 oil and gas projects, in 18 countries; the Indian Oil Corporation, Indias largest commercial enterprise, encompassing the entire hydrocarbon value chain.

The ONGC caters to nearly half of Indias petroleum consumption with 11 of Indias 23 refineries a 13,000-km pipelines network and a countrywide marketing set-up of over 47,000 customer touch-points, and Bharat PetroResources, which has stakes in 23 oil and gas assets in seven countries and is a 100 per cent subsidiary of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited which has interests encompassing the entire hydrocarbon value chain.

Shanker, said, We are delighted to be chosen by ADNOC to participate in this important offshore concession. This historic agreement will lead to further opportunities for Indian oil and gas companies to participate in the UAEs energy sector.

Indian energy demand is forecast, by the International Energy Agency (IEA), to grow by more than any other country in the period to 2040, propelled by an economy that will grow to more than five-times its current size and by population growth that will make it the worlds most populous country.

Indian energy consumption is expected to more than double by 2040, accounting for 25 per cent of the rise in global energy in the same period, and the largest absolute growth in oil consumption.

Today, India is 79 per cent dependent on imports to meet its crude oil needs, 8 per cent of which is supplied by the UAE.

Alongside the concession award, ADNOC and the Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Ltd (ISPRL) exchanged agreements, today, to implement the strategic crude oil storage facility, in the southern Indian city of Mangalore.

The partnership with ISPRL, an Indian government- owned company mandated to store crude oil for strategic needs, covers the storage of 5.86 million barrels of ADNOC crude oil in underground facilities, at the Karnataka facility.

The oil storage facility will help ensure Indias energy security, as well as enable ADNOC to efficiently and competitively meet market demand in India and across the fast developing south east Asian economies.

The decision to establish the strategic reserve was announced, in January 2017, during a visit to India by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed.
A decade ago, condom promotion as part of HIV prevention campaigns was so ubiquitous that the moral police started counter-campaigns alleging it destroyed the nations culture and heritage. It didnt. What it did was lower HIV infections from an estimated 5.1 million in 2003 to 2.1 million in 2017.

With annual new infections hovering around 80,000 over the past five years, complacency set in with a visible shift to other priority health programmes. The budget outlay for the National AIDS and STD Control Programme stagnated and HIV awareness hoardings were replaced with campaigns promoting immunisation, contraception and tuberculosis prevention and treatment.

Indias overall health budget increased by 5,437 crore  an 11 per cent increase over 2017to 52,800 in 2018, the outlay for AIDS went up by  100 crore, from  2,000 crore in 2017 to

 2,100 crore in 2018.

The majority of the budget allocation for HIV and AIDS is spent on counselling, testing and antiretroviral therapy (ART), which is given free to treat everyone who tests positive for HIV. Theres little money left for information, education and communication programmes that are central to prevention and lowering stigma.

Its not enough. Indias large population base of 1.32 billion makes it home to the worlds third largest HIV population of 2.1 million, after South Africa (7.1 million) and Nigeria (3.2 million), even though as percentage of the population, infection levels are low. Adult HIV prevalence in India is 0.28 per cent, compared to South Africas 18.9 per cent, shows UNAIDS data for 2017.

The majority of the budget allocation for HIV and AIDS is spent on counselling, testing and antiretroviral therapy (ART), which is given free to treat everyone who tests positive for HIV. Theres little money left for information, education and communication programmes that are central to prevention and lowering stigma.

Undetected Cases

The high number of people who tested positive for HIV in Unnao in Uttar Pradesh over the past few months has put the spotlight on the threat of undetected cases in some districts of states like Uttar Pradesh, which have a low overall prevalence compared to the national average of 0.28 per cent.

While HIV prevalence is falling in traditional high-prevalence states such as Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, new pockets of infection have emerged in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Bihar, Delhi, Chhattisgarh Rajasthan, Odisha and Jharkhand, shows the National AIDS Control Organisations (NACO) biennial HIV Sentinel Surveillance 2016-17.

Of the 14 sites with more than two per cent prevalence, five were in Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, while one-third of the 56 sites with more than one per cent prevalence were in Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Odisha, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

Treating and suppressing HIV viral load not just lowers symptoms and keeps people living with HIV disease-free, but also makes their chances of infecting others negligible. While there is no study for India, using ART to treat HIV can add 10 years to life and gives a 20-year-old who starts treatment a near normal life expectancy of 67 years in Europe and North America, found an analysis of 18 studies of more than 88,500 people, reported The Lancet HIV in August 2017.

A study to compare life expectancies of people with HIV at age 20 showed those with the infection were 13 years behind healthy persons, found a US study in 2016. The effect of HIV on life expectancy is almost comparable with people who have uncontrolled diabetes.

Key Messaging

This information, however, has clearly not trickled down to Unnao, Premgunj village, from where 50 of the 58 confirmed HIV cases have been reported, and which has been labelled an AIDS village. People from the village have been ostracised and are being shunned by former friends and extended families, who want to have nothing to do with people they believe are tainted with HIV because of its association with unsafe commercial sex work and injecting drug use. No one seems to know that getting treated can keep them healthy and symptom free. The unlicensed medical practitioner accused of spreading the infection by using contaminated needles is guilty of quackery, but is highly unlikely to have been the cause of the high HIV prevalence in the village. Giving intradermal injections is unlikely to have caused an infection that spreads through body fluids such as blood, breast milk, semen and vaginal fluids through direct contact or through the use of an infected syringe or needle.

In India, unprotected sex with an infected person and injecting drug use are the leading causes of new infection, and not touching, saliva, tears, sweat, sharing toilets, sharing meals or insect bites. If prevention and ART is not used to contain infection in districts like Unnao, stigma will remain and India will not be able to shake loose the threat of an HIV resurgence.

sanchitasharma@htlive.com
The Congress feels that anti-graft crusader Anna Hazares visit to Uttarakhand next month will give a leg up to its demand that the BJP government enact the Lokayukta Bill in the assemblys budget session that commences at Gairsain on March 20.

If he (Hazare) raises the anti-corruption issue during his visit to the state next month, that will lend weight to our demand that the government enact the proposed anti-graft law, said Indira Hridayesh, the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly. If it fails to consider our demand, the youth wing of our party will launch a statewide agitation in favour of a strong Lokayukta, the Congress leader said.

During his visit next month Hazare is likely to hold a series of public meetings across the state. He is also likely to raise the issue of the Lokayukta Bill. Hazares visit will precede his agitation in Delhi from March 23 to pressure the BJP-led central government into introducing a strong Lokpal.

Hazare seems to have selected Uttarakhand for his visit because the Lokayukta Bill is yet to be enacted in the hill state. It has been pending since the BJP government tabled the proposed anti-graft law in the first session of the assembly after winning the 2017 assembly polls with a massive majority.

It, however, referred the Bill to a Select Committee of the House to accommodate the views of the people as well as the Opposition. Hridayesh, however, alleged that the BJP government referred the proposed law to the select panel unilaterally and without consulting the Opposition. In the subsequently held budget session in June, the Lokaykta Bill was tabled in the House at the dead of night. The Opposition had dubbed the move as unconstitutional accusing the government of not notifying the business advisory committee about it in advance.

Qazi Nizamuddin, Congress legislator and a former member of the now disbanded select panel, alleged that the second draft of the Lokayukta Bill tabled in the assembly was heavily diluted. According to him, the first draft of the law allowed all public servants to be prosecuted for corruption without obtaining the majority opinion of the Lokayukta bench. Obtaining the majority view of the bench was mandatory only in corruption cases against the chief minister. The first draft also proposed to empower the bench to take suo motu cognizance of corruption cases against all public servants, Nizamuddin said.

He claimed the second draft reversed all such proposals. It proposed a rider making it mandatory to obtain the majority opinion of the Lokayukta bench before prosecuting all public representatives including the chief minister, Nizamuddin said. The second draft also proposed to divest the anti-graft Ombudsman of its power to take suo motu cognizance of the corruption cases against all public servants. Besides, it also proposed a vigilance commission to be set up to investigate graft related cases against all public servants.

If such a heavily watered down version of the anti-graft law is enacted, its very purpose would be defeated, Nizamuddin said. This is why we are demanding that this (BJP) government enact a strong Lokayukta Bill with all its teeth and claws in place.

Parliamentary affairs minister Prakash Pant, however, questioned the Congress legislators for not raising objections to the proposed anti-graft law when it was processed by the select committee. They (Congress) were also the members of the select panel and there had been no note of dissent from their side.
Dehradun

Following a high court order directing the government to abolish the revenue policing system introduced by the British, the state police department has started preparing a list of areas where it will be phased out.

The Uttarakhand High Court in January said that the old revenue police system was obsolete and ordered the state government to abolish it within six months.

The areas shortlisted are in the hilly region of the state and 233 villages in the Kalsi, Chakrata and Tyuni regions of Dehradun district will be abolished and brought under the ambit of regular policing system, said a top state police official.

The government will take a decision on the villages that will come under the ambit of regular policing in the state, said state director general of police Anil Raturi.

The regular police will provide better investigation facilities in the hill regions as the revenue police are technologically ill-equipped as well as logistically handicapped, he said.

This apart, police stations will be opened in the hill districts of Almora and Pithoragharh for better policing, Raturi said.

In October last year, 97 villages were brought under the ambit of the regular police in Almora, he said.

Uttarakhand is the only the state in the country where patwaris have the right to arrest an accused and investigate a case in an area falling under their revenue jurisdiction.

Only 39% of area of the state is under the jurisdiction of the regular police and rest is with the revenue police  a system introduced by the British in 1861.

Though the revenue police have the right to arrest people it lacks the proper capabilities to investigative criminal cases.

The regular police will serve the hill areas better as the revenue police have become redundant in a modern-day world, where the use of technology is essential, said SS Pangti, a retired bureaucrat.

Crime is on the rise in the hill areas of the state due to which there is need for regular police as they have better in crime solving methods and have a pan-India network, he said.
To popularise Uttarakhand, through films worldwide, as one of the countrys major tourist destinations, filmmakers will not be charged fees for shooting their films in the beautiful locales dotting the mountain state, chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said.

We plan to popularise the region as a major tourist destination through films worldwide. So, we wont charge fees from filmmakers shooting their films here, Rawat said while speaking at a function held in New Tehri on Friday. It was organised to celebrate the first shot of a film titled Bijli Gul Metre Chalu. The feature film that stars Shahid Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor as its lead pair will be mainly shot in Tehri Lake and its adjoining areas.

Rawat said the central Himalayan region (Uttarakhand) has a number of beautiful locales dotting it. So, it is ideally suited for shooting of films, he said, adding that shooting films here will not only popularise it but also boost employment opportunities for locals.
The Central Board of Secondary Education will hold the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for medical aspirants on May 6.

Aspirants from all government-recognised secondary school examination boards, with the exception of private candidates and those who passed the Class 12 board examination through the National Institute of Open Schooling or similar open institutions, can apply for the entrance test.

Candidates who passed 10+2 from open schools, or as private candidates, will not be eligible to appear for NEET. Those who took biology/bio-technology as an additional subject at the 10+2 level will not be permitted either, an official statement from the board read.

The board launched the candidate registration process from Thursday midnight. Online applications from places across India and abroad will be accepted until 11.50 pm on March 9.

The Medical Council of India (MCI), which comes under Union health ministry, had ruled against open school students taking the entrance test from this year because it believed such candidates cannot be considered on a par with those from other secondary school examination boards (who complete 12 years of schooling in regular mode with practicals in science subjects). HT had reported this on January 17.

The National Institute of Open Schooling, which functions under the human resource development (HRD) ministry, later requested the MCI to not bar its students from taking NEET  pointing out that its examination system was rigorous and the passing certificates issued were valid for higher education as well as employment. HRD minister Prakash Javadekar and health minister JP Nadda held a meeting in January to resolve the issue.

From this year, students aspiring to pursue MBBS or BDS courses at foreign medical institutes will have to first clear NEET. Foreign students, NRIs and persons of Indian origin are eligible to appear for the examination.
An expert committee of Europes medicines watchdog recommended Friday that a drug used to treat epilepsy and linked to malformations in children not be used in pregnancy. The compound, valproate, is also used for migraine and bipolar disorder, and doctors already advised against prescribing the medicine for pregnant women in France. Frances medicines regulator, known by the acronym ANSM, asked the London-based European Medicines Agency (EMA) to conduct a risk review.

The EMAs Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) said in a statement Friday it was recommending that valproate not be used by pregnant women for any of the three medical conditions. For women suffering from epilepsy, however, it may be impossible for some to stop after becoming pregnant, it said. These may have to continue treatment, though with appropriate specialist care. The experts also advised against prescribing the drug for women from the time they become able to have children, unless using contraception.

Valproate medicines are licenced under different names by national drugs authorities. The committee recommendations will now go to another body of the EMA, which deals with concerns over drugs that are not centrally authorised in the EU. Last April, a preliminary study showed that valproate caused severe malformations in as many as 4,100 children in France since the drug was first marketed in the country in 1967.

Women who took the drug during pregnancy to treat epilepsy were four times more likely to give birth to babies with congenital malformations, said a report of the French National Agency for the Safety of Medicines (ANSM) and the national health insurance administration. Birth defects included spina bifida -- a condition in which the spinal cord does not form properly and can protrude through the skin -- as well as defects of the heart and genital organs. The risk of autism and developmental problems was also found to be higher.

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Davender Singh, principal magistrate of the Juvenile Justice Board(JJB), served a show-cause notice to the station house officer of Bhondsi police station on Friday, directing him to explain the circumstances under which he had apprehended a 21-year-old student and produced him before the board as a juvenile. The accused was arrested in connection with the violence that broke out in Bhondsi on January 24. A bus was set on fire by miscreants demanding a ban on the release of Sanjay Leela Bhansalis period piece Padmaavat.

Members of the Juvenile Justice Board said that they were shocked to see the documents submitted by the legal-cum-probation officer in her social investigation report on Friday, as they clearly mentioned that the accused was over 18 years of age.

Singh served a notice on the SHO, Bhondsi police station, stating that the social investigation report of the boy, submitted by the legal-cum-probation officer, clearly states that his date of birth is 12.10.1997 and he is more than 18. However, he said, despite the report stating otherwise, he was produced as a juvenile and his death of birth wasnt verified. He called the act a glaring example of negligence on the part of the police.

Therefore, a show cause notice is being served on the SHO. He is to appear in person in the court on February 14 and explain why action shouldn't be initiated against them, the notice states.

However, inspector Umesh Kumar, SHO, Bhondsi, denied receiving any such notice.

When I visited the village, I met the boys mother and was shocked to know that he was a final year BSC student. I took copies of his Aadhaar card and the marksheet of his class 10 boards. When I met him at the (Faridabad) observation home, he confirmed that he was 21 years of age, Nisha Saini, the legal-cum probation-officer, said.

Read I Juveniles detained for Bhondsi violence deny involvement

The boys family members said he was on his way to bring his sister from Bhondsi when he was arrested.

The juvenile will be treated as an adult after the police submits its reply to the JJB.

Gurgaon police apprehended eight juveniles from Bhondsi in connection with the violence on January 24. They were produced before the JJ Board on January 25 and sent to the Faridabad observation home. They were held along with 10 other people on charges of attempt to murder, rioting, snatching, damaging government property and preventing government employees from discharging their duty.

A group of 50-60 miscreants had attacked a bus belonging to GD Goenka World School on Sohna Road on January 24. The miscreants hurled stones at the bus, which had 23 students, three teachers and staff members. The buss windscreen was smashed. They also vandalised a Haryana Roadways bus and set it ablaze.
After lying low for some time, gangs targeting car tyres and windows have once again surfaced in the east police district of Gurgaon with three incidents of tyre thefts being reported on Friday.

In another instance, thieves broke the windows of a car and stole valuables. It is suspected that organised gangs from Delhi are behind these thefts and their activities were curbed for some time after the crime branch launched a campaign against them last year.

In the first instance, thieves stole the four tyres of a Hyundai Verna parked outside a house in Sector 57. The car belongs to Vishal Kapur, a resident of Sector 57, who said he had parked the car outside his house. The thieves struck at night and took away the tyres. A case was registered at the Sector 56 police station under Section 379 of the IPC.

The police said they have registered a case and the matter is being probed. The incident happened during the night and there is no CCTV footage available. We will nab the culprits soon, Arvind Kumar, SHO, Sector 56, said.

In another incident, thieves stole the tyres of a car,a Hyundai Verna, from a plot in Sector 46 on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday. A case was registered under the Section 379 of the IPC at the Sector 50 police station on the complaint of Sunit Tandon, a chartered accountant and resident of Sector 46.

I had purchased the Hyundai Verna last December and I had parked it outside my home around 11.30pm. In the morning, I found all four tyres missing and the workshop has prepared an estimate of Rs 90,000 to replace them, Tandon said.

Read I Rise in car theft cases in Gurgaon evokes concern

In the third incident, tyres were stolen on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday from a car parked outside a house in Sector 46. A case was registered under Section 379 of the IPC at the Sector 50 police station on the complaint of owner Deepak Chouhan. The police said the matter is being probed.

In Sector 29, thieves had broken the window of a car parked near Jalsa restaurant in Sector 27 and stole a laptop and Rs 20,000 kept in a bag in the car. A case was registered at the Sector 29 police station under Section 379 of the IPC.

A sustained campaign was launched last year to curb these gangs and, if the need arises, special teams will be deputed crack down on these gangs again. We have now studied their modus operandi and know how they operate, Ravinder Kumar, public relations officer, Gurgan police, said.
Actor-director Angelina Jolie is known all over for widespread humanitarian efforts and she hopes to pass it on to her daughters.

Jolie spoke with former US Secretary of State, John Kerry for Elle magazines March issue and discussed a variety of topics such as systemic violence, politics and rape as a weapon of war.

Angelina Jolie, Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, Zahara Jolie-Pitt attend the 2018 National Board of Review Awards Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street on January 9, 2018 in New York City. (AFP)

Jolie has three daughters -- Zahara, 13, Shiloh, 11 and Vivienne, 9 -- and the actor disclosed the advice she gives to her daughters.

I tell my daughters, What sets you apart is what you are willing to do for others. Anyone can put on a dress and makeup. Its your mind that will define you. Find out who you are, what you think, and what you stand for.

And fight for others to have those same freedoms. A life of service is worth living, Jolie said.

Jolie described herself as very patriotic and proud of what America stands for and said that her children are afforded certain freedoms unavailable to many.

Its only because we are a country based on people of different backgrounds and faiths coming together that I can have this family, Jolie said.

My daughters have the freedoms they have because of being American. And we are at our best when we are fighting for others to have the same rights. Particularly other women, she added.

United Nations refugee agency special envoy Angelina Jolie visits Jordan's Zaatari camp for Syrian refugees on January 28, 2018. (AFP)

The United Nations goodwill ambassador and special envoy to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees also said that she makes sure her children, especially her daughters, remember the people who helped forged the path before them.

I think of how hard women fought to get us to where we are today. Everything counts, from the way you hold yourself in your daily life and educate yourself on your own rights, to solidarity with other women around the world, Jolie said.

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A presidential directive issued last month for government agencies to buy internet bandwidth from Uganda Telecom Limited (UTL) may not only rescue the troubled state parastatal, but potentially be a grim forewarning of bad times ahead for the National Information Technology Authority-Uganda (NITA-U).

President Museveni issued the directive at the urging of state minister for Investment and Privatisation, Evelyn Anite.

The minister reportedly told the president that the viable option for government was to offer the struggling telecom business opportunities which could, in one stroke, also save the government billions of shillings.

Anite has been embroiled in boardroom fights with NITA-U over charges for internet data levied on government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

We had asked them [NITA-U] to give us business and they refused, they opted to do business with Soliton Telmec, a foreign company, and ended up selling internet expensively to the MDAs, Anite told The Observer on February 3.

Anite said NITA-U charged the MDAs $344 (Shs 1.2m) per Mbps per month (megabits per second - data transfer speed) which she says is the highest price in Africa.

Her claims are backed by a report of an undercover Internal Security Organisation (ISO) agent deployed inside NITA-U.

The agents report said NITA-U bosses are causing government a monthly loss of more than Shs 30 billion paid to Kenyan IT giants to offer internet services to the MDAs through the national backbone infrastructure.

I called them [NITA-U] to a meeting with my technical people from UTL who offered to sell them the internet at $90 [Shs 324,000] so that they can sell it to MDAs at $100 [Shs 360,000], they bargained and UTL agreed to sell at $50 [Shs 180,000] but again, they turned around and said they cant buy from us, Anite said.

This followed an earlier meeting Anite convened with representation from the various MDAs, including NITA-U, to discuss the possibility of doing business with UTL.

I was acting on a directive from the president that UTL should not be liquidated. That is why I had to hire private lawyers to challenge a creditor who had filed a suit in court for the liquidation of the company. Matters were saved when the lawyers invoked a law that had never been applied, and put the company and all its creditors under administrative insolvency, the youthful minister said.

UTLs liabilities at the time stood at over Shs 698.1 billion, which accrued from accumulated loans, court costs, interconnection and statutory fees, among others.

The permanent secretary, ministry of Finance, Keith Muhakanizi, last October unsuccessfully directed all MDAs to buy internet data from UTL. His counterpart at the ministry of ICT and National Guidance, Vincent Bagiire, reversed the instruction.

Informed sources say that as the fight between UTL and NITA-U raged, Anite petitioned Museveni.

When the fights ensued, UTL took a decision that we shouldnt fight with NITA-U; we went to the president, Anite said.

In 2013, the auditor general found that implementation of the first two phases of the National Backbone Infrastructure (NBI) and e-government services projects were causing loss of money that could have been saved, amounting to $41.9 million (Shs 152 billion).

We note that the cost of fibre per kilometre was significantly higher than that for many local operators in Uganda based on the review of bills and quantities, the audit observed.

Now, a knowledgeable person fears that NITA-U could lose the NBI project to Uganda Communications Commission.

THE DIRECTIVE

In the January 9 directive, Museveni said: I have been informed that there had been a scheme to devalue the assets of UTL by corrupt officials that had been sucking that company and paying themselves huge salaries.

The company has a lot of assets including a shareholding of 9.13 per cent in the West Indian Ocean Sub-marine cable. They also have infrastructure to transmit and store electronic data. Therefore, I direct that there should be no more sales of the assets of the company. Instead, I fully accept Hon Anites proposal.

He directed that all UTL debt owed to government be converted into equity to be held by Uganda Development Corporation on behalf of government. NITA-U, however, has since questioned UTLs capacity.

UTL does not have the capacity to deliver this service to MDAs across the country. Today UTL does not even offer internet bandwidth at $100 to the citizens on the market, yet it is a private company that should be able to do so. UTL is where it is because it lacks the capacity to deliver high-quality services with the lowest prices across the country, a source at NITA-U said.

Additionally, NITA-U claims that all UTLs core equipment has reached end of life.

How secure is the obsolete infrastructure that UTL currently uses to deliver services? Because UTL has obsolete equipment, UTL cannot update the software of their equipment, therefore leaving vulnerabilities in the network..., a NITA-U official argued.

NITA-U claims UTL has to invest over $100m to upgrade from its current 2G network to the 3G/4G, an idea that Anite partly agrees with.

If you are talking about mobile data, yes, we havent upgraded but it is not what we are selling to the MDAs; they are getting internet through the cable to the computer. There are also plans to upgrade the mobile network and that can only be achieved when the company is supported, Anite said.

UTL administrator Bemanya Twebaze said UTLs network availability has improved from 75 percent over a period of eight months to the current 93 percent.

Another claim by a highly placed NITA-U source that UTLs ownership of the 9.13 shares in the West Indian Ocean Cable Company (WIOCC) is in doubt was also denied. According to the source, UTL never paid for shares recovered from LAP Green, the Libyan company which once held majority shares in UTL but pulled out.

Anite insists that UTLs stake in WIOCC is secure. In a turn-around, this Monday, February 5, NITA-U leaders told The Observer they were ready to work with UTL.

NITA-U has no qualms working with UTL, said Steven Kirega, the authoritys marketing and communications officer.

As per the presidential directive, we are working with, under the guidance of the prime minister, minister of ICT&NG and permanent secretary to agree on the modalities of procuring internet bandwidth from Uganda Telecom (UTL) /West Indian Ocean Cable Company (WIOCC).

I believe its a shared vision across the board that the cost of connectivity needs to reduce. We, therefore, welcome any initiatives that complement our already ongoing agenda

But Otaremwa Omutuhumurize, the UTL head of telephone, said Kirega was telling blatant lies since there are no ongoing talks with NITA-U.

sadabkk@observer.ug

amwesigwa@observer.ug
Underworld don Abu Salem has once again moved the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), pleading to cancel his extradition to India and transfer him back to Portugal. In his fresh plea, Salem claimed his conviction in the 1993 blasts cases is yet another breach of extradition order by Indian government.

Abu Salem has, through his lawyer, written a second letter to ECHR, which HT is in possession of, against the Indian government, for violating his extradition order and also against the Portuguese government for its inaction. He had first approached the ECHR in June last year, claiming the trial conducted in the 1993 blasts case was a violation of his extradition order.

In his fresh plea, Salem has now raised questions on the verdict of the TADA court in the case. Salem was held guilty by the TADA court on June 16, 2017, and on September 7, 2017, it sentenced him to 25 years of imprisonment.

Indeed by decisions dated June 16 and September 7, 2017, the applicant has been convicted for charges that are additional and completely exceed the order of extradition given by the Portuguese government, reads Salems letter dated January 2.

Now, Salem has pleaded that the Portuguese government should take action against the Indian government as the latter failed to respect the commitment and ask for his return.

In the letter running into four pages, Salem claimed the Portugal government had authorised India to prosecute him only in nine cases. But the letter claimed since he [Salem] has been extradited to India, the applicant has already been convicted for 32 new crimes and additional charges.

Citing an example of his conviction in connection with the 1993 blasts case, where he has been found guilty for transportation of arms and ammunitions along with other charges, Salem claimed the additional charges imposed later by the government were not withdrawn.

The additional charges have not been withdrawn by the Indian authority because even if some charges were officially withdrawn, some other additional and major charges were added or not withdrawn. For example, how can the applicant have been held guilty for the charge of transportation of arms and ammunitions while the charge of possession of arms and ammunitions have been withdrawn? Salem claimed in his letter.

He alleged the government of Portuguese is not doing its best to ensure the respect of the Extradition Act and decision of its national jurisdictions, which have confirmed the termination of extradition order.

Salem pointed out that various courts of Portugal, which includes the high court of Lisbon, its Supreme Court and Constitutional court of Lisbon had observed that the Indian government had violated the extradition order.

The constitution court of Lisbon, in its order dated July 5, 2012, observed that the criminal court of India is not empowered to judge offences mentioned in the extradition order.
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Saturday reiterated its opposition to the Centres attempts to interfere in the personal law matters of the Muslims by making a legislation on triple talaq.

AIMPLB general secretary Moulana Wali Rehmani, in his report at the 26th plenary of the board, expressed concern over the threat to the personal law with the instant triple talaq legislation being enacted by the Central government. It is against the fundamental rights guaranteed in the Indian Constitution and also against the previous court verdicts, he said.

Appreciating the stand taken by the Opposition parties in Rajya Sabha, where the bill has stalled, Rehmani requested the personal law board to suggest and guide the Muslims in this regard. He also asked the plenary to evolve a strategy to stop the Centre from passing the bill.

The Board took serious note of the suggestion made by Moulana Sayyed Salman Hussaini Nadvi, one of the executive committee members, that the Babri Masjid be shifted from the existing disputed site in Ayodhya to another place, where another magnificent mosque and a university could be built.

While Moulani Nadvi skipped the plenary meeting on the second day, the Board constituted a four-member committee with senior clerics to look into his comments and suggest a disciplinary action against him.

Referring to the controversy, Rehamni, without naming anybody, said misleading rumours were being circulated by some elements to misguide the Muslims on Babri Masjid issue with regard to out of the court settlement. He reiterated that the stand taken by the Board in the past that a mosque would always be a mosque. That does not mean we are not against negotiations, but they should be based on fair justice and equal honour, he said.

Rehmani explained in detail the legal battle being waged by the Board on the contentious Babri Masjid issue in the Supreme Court. He said the court had expressed view that the case was related to the title of the land and did not relate to the matter of faith or belief. He said the related documents had already been submitted to the court and some other documents which were yet to be translated would be submitted as per the court directions.

Declaring the Hyderabad plenary as historic, he said that it was being held at a very crucial juncture when the Muslim community was confronting with many issues with the government of the day adopting a bias attitude.

On the issue of social reforms, Rehmani said a lot of awareness was being created among the Muslims with a movement called Tahaffuz-e-shariyat-wo-Ishalahai-Mashhira (Protection of Shariya Law, Understanding Shariya law and social reforms).

Moulana Syed Mohd Rabey Hasani Nadvi, President AIMPLB, presided over the plenary session, which was attended by over 500 delegates.
A feud between Andhra Pradesh and the central government over financial assistance appeared to be close to a resolution with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announcing on Saturday the contours of a broad plan for the southern state.

The central government is working on alternative plans to pay Andhra Pradesh for assistance promised under special category status and will make up for the states revenue deficit until 2020, the BJP and TDP said.

At a press conference in New Delhi on Saturday , BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao and Andhra party president K Hari Babu presented a 27-page note detailing measures and assistance given by the Centre to the southern state. Key among them is the promise of a special development package and alternative measures after the 14th finance commission scrapped the class of a special-category state.

The BJP note detailed Rs 22,113 crore to be paid as revenue deficit, Rs 1,000 crore for the new capital of Amaravati, full funding for the irrigation component of the Polavaram project over the Godavari river, and a total investment of Rs 1 lakh crore on infrastructure.

The Union finance ministry refused to give details of the funding but confirmed that fresh discussions were underway between the Centre and the state.

Funds are being given and will continue to be given. There are some new demands, and work is underway to ensure that they are also given. Discussions are underway between us and the state government, once we get a go-ahead from them about the plans we have drawn up, the money will be disbursed, said a senior officer in the Union finance ministry.

The issue of financial assistance to Andhra Pradesh has roiled Parliament this week with chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu repeatedly expressing dissatisfaction with the central package. Members of the TDP, a constituent of the ruling NDA, and the YSR Congress, the TDPs main opposition in Andhra Pradesh, have protested in both houses of Parliament for more assistance.

The BJP claimed it had fulfilled promises made under the Andhra Pradesh reorganization act and that recent criticism of the central government was  mere propaganda. Whatever is left for implementation is under processthere is no need for any new thing, Rao said.

Hum jyada bolte nahi humne dawa nahi kiya iska matlab ye nahi ki kaam nahi hua jo aarop laga rahe hain, ye keval propaganda hai (we dont speak much If we havent claimed, it does not mean that work has not been done those who are making allegations, it is mere propaganda), Rao said.

TDP claimed its protests had worked. The Centre has responded positively to our demands. It has agreed to prepare an action plan within a week or 10 days on the implementation of the assurances. We hope the assurances come into action by March 5, when the budget session resumes, senior TDP leader and Union minister of state for science and technology YS Chowdary told the media.

We dont want to take it granted till the announcements are made, TDP Rajya Sabha member CM Ramesh said.

In the Rajya Sabha on Friday, Jaitley had assured that all promised funds to Andhra Pradesh will be allocated. There are two areas which are being worked out. The first was amount in lieu of special package. Now the state had wanted the money to come by way of externally aided projects, he said.

Sources in the central government as well as TDP said that in a letter on January 3, the state chief minister had requested the NDA government for a NABARD loan to make up for delays in allocation of central funds.

The BJP note said the 14th finance commission had abolished the class of a special category state, where the Centre funds 90% of the funds of a centrally sponsored scheme, as opposed to the usual 60%. Alternate modalities of ways and means of payment of said amount are being finalised in consultation with government of Andhra Pradesh and same will be announced very soon, the note read.

A number of new educational institutions were mentioned in the note and so was the Rs 25,000 crore Amaravati Expressway, for which the state government is preparing a detailed project report and acquiring land. In addition, central assistance of more than Rs 10,000 crore for urban housing and an alternative port site to Duggirajupatnam  which was proposed by the state but stalled due to technical reasons  were also mentioned.

(With inputs from P Suchetana Ray)
New Delhi: Finance minister Arun Jaitley said on Friday that farmers would be provided 50% returns over and above what they spend on inputs like seeds and fertilisers and an imputed value of family labour, clearing the confusion over which measure of cost of cultivation would be used to decide minimum support prices (MSP).

We will follow this as a matter of principle and this will set a rule for future governments and a new benchmark for farmers, Jaitley said in the Rajya Sabha during a discussion on the budget.

The union budget presented on 1 February promised that the government would fix MSPs at 50% over cost, acceding to a major demand of farm organizations following months of farmer protests seeking remunerative crop prices. However the budget did not clarify which measure of cost would be used to decide MSPs.

The Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP), which recommends crop support prices to the government, uses two measures--A2+FL, which includes paid out costs on inputs plus an imputed value of family labour, and C2 or comprehensive cost of cultivation. To arrive at C2 costs, imputed rent and interest on owned land and capital is added to A2+FL.

The finance ministers clarification that the government will use the A2+FL measure is likely to disappoint farmer organizations which were demanding MSPs at 50% over C2 or comprehensive cost of production.

A comparison of A2+FL and C2 costs with MSPs announced in January for major winter crops such as wheat, mustard and chana shows that net returns to farmers were lower than 50% when C2 costs were used, while they were significantly higher than 50%from 79% to 112%when A2+FL costs were used.

This implies that farmers are already receiving 50% returns over costs for most crops when the A2+FL measure is used, and the budget announcement may not translate into higher returns.

The current crisis of farming needs real measures to address low prices and the government is deceiving farmers... even the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) governments MSP announcements gave significant returns over A2+FL costs for many crops, and the Prime Minister had criticised this in his election campaigns (in 2014), promising better returns to farmers, said Kavitha Kuruganti, convenor of the Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture (ASHA), a farm policy advocacy group.

Taking on the Congress party, Jaitley said the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government had moved the countrys economy out of the Fragile Five (explain Fragile Five) during the Congress-led UPA government to the fastest growing in the world.

On former finance minister P. Chidambarams comment on Thursday that chief economic advisor Arvind Subramanian was a good doctor but the government was a bad patient, Jaitley said while a bad patient had some chance of getting cured under a good doctor, UPA had a terrible doctor, referring to former prime minister Manmohan Singh.

Jaitley also defended the decision to tax businesses with revenue up to Rs250 crore at a lower corporate tax rate of 25%, saying micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) were the largest job creators in the country. They help the working class. MSMEs cannot compete with large-scale companies, who are entitled to sectoral and regional tax exemptions, said the minister, adding that 99% of companies will now come under the 25% tax rate.

He also said that a GST Council-like structure could be evolved for pursuing reforms in areas such as agriculture, health and power, for which coordination with states was required. It is not only highly desirable, but will be eminently possible. We will make every endeavour in that direction, he added.

Asit Ranjan Misra & Gireesh Chandra Prasad contributed to this story.
Dubais iconic skyscraper Burj Khalifa was on Saturday lit up in the colours of the Indian flag to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modis second visit to the country.

The Indian tricolour will be displayed every hour for UAE residents to admire and enjoy, according to the Dubai-based real estate development company Emaar.

The Indian flag will be showcased on Burj Khalifa tonight every hour from 7.15pm to 11.15pm, an Emaar representative was quoted as saying by the Khaleej Times.

#BurjKhalifa lights up in the colours of the Indian national flag, in honour of the Indian Prime Minister @narendramodi and his delegation visiting the UAE. pic.twitter.com/9SBhMkOnax  Burj Khalifa (@BurjKhalifa) February 10, 2018

The light show will coincide with prime minister Modis second state visit to the UAE. Modi last visited the country in August 2015.

On Friday evening, landmarks in Abu Dhabi and Dubai also lit up to the colours of the Indian flag. Abu Dhabis Adnoc headquarters and Marina Mall and the Dubai Frame lit up in the Tricolour.
Struggling to contain burgeoning monkey population in Himachal, the state government has now roped in experts from the Indian Institute of Sciences, Bengaluru, to study changed eating habits of monkeys raiding crops in fields.

As per the official data released by the state agriculture department, annually monkeys cause a crop loss of 235 crores in the state. The marauding monkeys and birds cause an annual loss of 150 crore to horticultural crops.

The wildlife experts from Bengaluru will study the eating habits of monkeys and further suggest measures to reduce their attacks on farmlands in Himachal, said RC Kang, chief wildlife warden and principal conservator of forest (wildlife).

There are nearly 2,300 villages that have been affected by monkey attacks, besides deers, wild boars and blue bulls causing crop losses.

Himachal Pradesh government had asked the Central government to declare monkeys as vermin in 57 most affected tehsils in the state. However, the environment ministry, had declared them vermin in only 38 tehsils. Tehsils where monkeys have been declared vermin, includes Chamba, Dalhousie, Bhatiyat and Sihunta of Chamba district, Nurpur, Indora, Fatehpur, Jawali, Kangra, Palampur and Baroh of Kangra district, Bharwain, Amb, Una, Haroli and Bangana of Una district, Ghumarwein, Nainadevi, Bilaspur Sadar and Namhol of Bilaspur district, Shimla Rural, Rampur and Nerwa of Shimla district, Pachhad, Rajgarh, Renuka, Shillai and Kamrau of Sirmaur district, Manali, Kullu and Sainj in Kullu district, Badsar and Bihari in Hamirpur district, Nalagarh, Kasauli, Solan and Darlaghat in Solan district and Sundernagar tehsil of Mandi district.

The notification issued by the Union ministry of environment and forest last year allowed for culling of monkeys and incentives to people who kill them. Interestingly, not even a single monkey has been killed in the state so far. Government had also announced an incentive of 700 for killing a monkey. People are reluctant to harm animal, due to the religious sentiments associated with it, believing it to be a descendant of Lord Hanuman.

The team of experts have chosen to the study monkey food habits in Una district that borders Punjab.

There are complaints that monkeys from the bordering states and areas are being abandoned in peripheral districts bordering Punjab. The team will study all the factors and later they would make their recommendations on different measures, a forest official requesting anonymity said.

Over the years, the monkeys both in rural and urban areas have turned aggressive not only in fields but they engage in attacking humans too. The forest department pegs the monkey population at 3 lakhs, while it has also initiated a program to sterilise the male monkeys. Man and monkey conflict is reported most in the state capital.
In the Tripura assembly election, two sons of a former Congress state minister are contesting from rival national parties  the Congress and the BJP  but they say their different political ideologies have not affected their relationship.

Baharul Islam, the elder son of Munsur Ali, who served as an agriculture minister in the 1980s, is the BJPs nominee from Buxanagar assembly constituency; while his younger brother Mujibar Islam is contesting from Sonamura on a Congress ticket.

Mujibar, a law graduate, was associated with politics since his student days and remained state president of the National Students Union of India (NSUI), the Congress student wing, for many years before he was promoted as general secretary of the Pradesh Congress Committee. In 1998, he contested unsuccessfully against Manik Sarkar.

In 2016, he joined the Trinamool Congress along with six Congress legislators, but returned to the Congress fold last December. I was misguided by some workers to join the Trinamool Congress. Soon, I realised my mistake and came back to my own party. Congress has nominated me this time and I am committed to working for better prospects of my party, he said.

Elder brother Baharul, a senior official in the agriculture department, took voluntary retirement to plunge into electoral politics.

I am a novice in this field. I am trying my level best to meet the partys expectations. And if I win, I would like to make farmers socio-economic status better, said Baharul.

However, the brothers maintain that their political leanings do not come in the way of their personal relationship. And both make extra efforts to shield their family affairs from the rough and tumble of their political battles.

In Tripuras capital Agartala, another family decided to end its political tension when the father withdrew his nomination in favour of his son who was the official candidate of the BJP. Sudip Roy Barman, a legislator since 1998, avoided embarrassment by convincing his father to pull out of the race.

My father was not a member of the BJP. Though he filed his nomination as an independent, he withdrew it to prevent anti-Left votes from getting split, said Barman.
After winning its first ever assembly seat in the Communist bastion of Kerala in 2016, the BJP is confident of bettering its performance in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Recent allegations of corruption against state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnans son Binoy Balakrishnan and the controversy over assembly Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan seeking a reimbursement of a pair of spectacles for nearly Rs50,000 have given the BJP an opportunity to target the CPI (M) government in the state. In an interview, former state unit president and member of national executive committee V Muraleedharan talks about the saffron partys blueprint for expansion in the Red bastion.

In the last assembly election your partys vote share went up from 6.3% in 2011 to nearly 16% and the party won its first seat. How are you preparing for the 2019 general elections?

The CPI(M) government has been in power for almost two years and has turned out to be a very big disappointment. There was euphoria among party cadres about the return of the party to power, because the government led by Oomen Chandy of the Congress was considered to be the most corrupt and controversial.

Riding on the disenchantment against the Congress, CPI(M) came to power and announced Pinarayi Vijayan as the chief minister.

Their slogan was we will set everything right, but things have only worsened. There are allegations of corruption and this is the first time in the state that within a gap of two years, four ministers have had to resign on charges of corruption, nepotism and obscenity.

The Congress, as the principal opposition is still a sleep-mode; this has created an atmosphere favourable for the BJP.

In 2014, the CPI(M) and Congress were somehow able to convince the people of Kerala that BJP was not going to come to power and that Narendra Modi would have no appeal as the prime ministerial candidate. That wont work in 2019.

The party and the RSS have accused the CPI(M) cadre of attacking their works; there was an all party meeting, yet there has been no end to the bloodshed.

This (violence) cannot end unless the Kerala government decides or CPI(M) accepts the stand that they should be tolerant towards their opponents and allow for democratic functioning. CPI(M) will have to accept that even in their stronghold, those who disagree with them have the right to express their opinion, which is being denied now and is the cause of the violence.

Your opponents accuse the party of stoking communal violence and of using issues such as love jihad and reports of the indoctrination of Muslim youth to leverage its position in the state.

There is not even an iota of truth in these allegations. The issue of love jihad was raised by the CPI(M) first. The changes in demography were first raised by [former CM] V Achuthanandan when he was the opposition leader. The so-called cases of love jihad reached courts through parents of girls who either through pressure or other means were forced to marry Muslims. The BJP and Sangh Parivaar have no role in this, it is not our game plan.

As for beef consumption, there is no ban on it and we have said let the rule of the land prevail. We dont want these issues to be a major [poll] plank.

Then what will be the poll planks for the Lok Sabha elections?

Our poll planks will be corruption; on that issue there is no difference between the Congress and the CPI(M).

The other issue is that the Kerala government has failed to have a plan for livelihood of those Keralites who work abroad and sustain their families through the money they send. There are no industries, no jobs for these people if they come back. Also, Kerala is moving backward on several fronts such as education and women safety; in the list of ease of doing business, Kerala has moved from the 20th spot to the 21st.

You recently said Kerala is a fertile ground for Jihadi groups.

In any incident that is reported in India or abroad, you find a Kerala link. Recently, the NIA caught some people getting trained here. The reason is the political patronage given [to them] by both CPI(M) and Congress in league with the Muslim League. We feel that the government and the Opposition have to take a clear stand on not supporting any organisation with connection with terrorism.

What is your assessment of the Lefts political future?

The communists are not in touch with the thinking of the common man. The problem with the CPI(M) is there is a disconnect between what they preach and what they practice. Earlier, they were known for their simplicity and austerity, now that is also gone. They are losing support and unless they mend their ways they will be one of the mainstream, otherwise they have no future.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) in an affidavit to the Supreme Court has said it must be empowered to deregister a political party if it violates provisions of the Constitution.

The poll panels affidavit on Friday was in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) that seeks to bar politicians convicted for a crime from forming a political party.

The EC has not expressed support to the plea of advocate Ashwani Upadhyaya, but has referred to various measures it has initiated in the past to decriminalize Indian politics. However, it agreed with the petitioners concern that inner party democracy is absolutely essential for the country, for which ECI can frame suitable guidelines only if the law is amended to empower the poll panel.

Upadhyayas petition raises the question as to why a convicted politician, disqualified from contesting elections, should be allowed to form a party by taking advantage of the loophole existing in the legal regime. He sought a direction to the ECI to deregister such parties.

But the EC said the law permits the body to register a party and does not confer any power to deregister it. Cancellation order can be passed under some specific circumstances as elaborated by the Supreme Court in its judgements. And the grounds are when a party is declared unlawful or is found to have got it registered through fraudulent means.

In the affidavit, the commission has drawn out the proposals it has sent to the government since 1998 to amend the law and give it the authority to deregister parties. However, no legislative steps have been taken with this regard.

A set of 22 proposals for electoral reforms was sent to the Centre in 2004, which a year later was referred to the standing committee of personal, public grievances, law and justice.

The Ministry of Law and Justice in December 2010 said it was worthwhile to consider the proposal and three years later the ministrys report on electoral reforms recommended that the ECI must be conferred with the power to de-recognize political parties on account of violation of model code of conduct. Even the Law Commission of India made a similar suggestion.

In 2016 the commission on its own accord launched an initiative to identify registered, unrecognized political parties, which did not set-up any candidate during elections between 2005 and 2015. The EC said the necessity to give it the cancellation power was also to discourage formation of political parties that exist only on paper to avail the benefit of income tax exemption.

On inner-party democracy, the panel said: Election Commission of India endorses the demand for inner party democracy, but it is also clarified that the legislature would have to carry out legislative amendments in order to enable and empower the Election Commission of India to frame guidelines in relation to inner party democracy.
The Rampur police registered an FIR against unknown people on Saturday for threatening senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan and his older son Abdullah Azam (MLA from Swar constituency of Rampur) on phone, senior officials said.

The FIR was registered in Ganj police station following a complaint from Abdullah Azam regarding the incident, said superintendent of police, Rampur Vipin Tada.

According to the police complaint submitted by Abdullah Azam, he received over four calls from two unknown numbers on Wednesday. The caller used derogatory language and threatened to kill me and my father Azam Khan, reads the complaint. The first call came at around 1 am on Wednesday. The next call from a different number was made at 7 am. Both the phone numbers are mentioned in the complaint.

Based on the complaint, Ganj police station has registered an FIR under Section 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 507 (criminal intimidation by anonymous communication) of the Indian penal code (IPC) against unidentified people.

The case is being investigated by Ganj police. We have also alerted the surveillance and IT departments regarding the matter and sought their assistance, said the SP.

Azam Khan and his family allegedly received such calls last year also. In August 2017, a similar complaint was lodged by Abdullah. An FIR was also registered but police could not trace the caller and no action was taken.

I have asked the investigating team to re-look into the FIR lodged last year. The team has also been asked to probe any possible link between the calls made last year and the recent ones, said the officer.

Meanwhile, Abdullah Azam has criticised the lax approach of the police in investigating the matter. It has been over six months now since the first complaint was registered but police have failed to trace the caller till date. If the police cannot assure safety to elected members of the legislative assembly, how will they protect the common man? Abdullah Azam asked. He also accused the ruling government of failing to ensure security to elected representatives.

The ruling party is aware of all these things and it must ensure that the police take swift action regarding this matter, else we will be forced to raise this issue in the legislative assembly.

His father Azam Khan could not be reached for a comment.
A class 7 student of a madrasa in Bengals Hooghly district who had an operation for hernia, had to undergo another surgery after he was allegedly made to do 330 sit-ups by a teacher.

The boy, Aquib Mullick, was made to do the sit-ups on Thursday by his teacher Mithu Khan for not attending classes for a week at the madrasa in Khanakul in Hooghly district, about 80 km from Kolkata.

No complaint was filed till Saturday although the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, prohibits and has provisions against physical punishment and mental harassment.

I told the teacher that a surgery was performed on me for treating hernia and I wont be able to do so many sit-ups. But he did not listen to me and forced me to do it, Aquib told TV channels from his hospital bed.

However, the teacher said he did not know the boy was ill. I did not force him to do so many sit ups. I am sorry if he was hurt, Mithu Khan told the media.

Hossain Ali Mullick, the head of the institution, said he will get a probe conducted, and if found guilty, then Mithu Khan will face punishment.

The boys father works in Mumbai.

His mother, Sakina Begum said, My son fell ill and had to be admitted to the hospital. The doctor told us that the stitches have all ruptured. He also chided us for putting the child through such arduous physical labour. I told the doctor that it was the teacher who subjected him to the ordeal.
Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar on Friday expressed his concern over girls consuming alcohol while he spoke about his governments resolution to tackle drug menace in the coastal state.

I have begun to fear now because even girls have started drinking beer. The tolerance limit is being crossed, Parrikar said at an event.

The BJP leader was trolled on social media, with many using the hashtag GirlsWhoDrinkBeer to mock the chief ministers statement.

Heres a look at some reactions:

Since when did men have their exclusive rights over drinks? I fear a day will come when they will be like, "I've begun to fear, girls these days started breathing you know"#GirlsWhoDrinkBeer https://t.co/zubwqBBuWk  Sabina Yesmin (@Learning2Live07) February 10, 2018

Don't worry CM sir, boys are safe. The drunk girls will not rape them. #GirlsWhoDrinkBeer  Neha Agarwal (@nehaagar95) February 10, 2018

Sorry Mr. Parrikar, you will simply have to beer with us! #GirlsWhoDrinkBeer  Divyani Rattanpal (@Divyanie) February 10, 2018

I don't drink alcohol by choice...but still want to support #GirlsWhoDrinkBeer ... so cheers!!! pic.twitter.com/XHPToZl135  Shvetlana (@shvetlana312) February 10, 2018

Mahatma Gandhis great-grandson Tushar Gandhi also criticised the comment:

PM is annoyed by women who laugh, Parrikar is scared of girls drinking beer. Yogi offers solution keep them tied to the door post.  Tushar (@TusharG) February 10, 2018

A mock account had something to add as well:

Media is misquoting @manoharparrikar ji. His full statement was " #GirlsWhoDrinkBeer are bad but #GirlsWhoDrinkBeer with Pakodas are angels. "  Rofl Gandhi (@RoflGandhi_) February 10, 2018

A few defenders jumped into the debate:

#GirlsWhoDrinkBeer I don't drink beer or any other alcohol. Neither do I have ever rum in chocolates. Can I exist too in this Country  or I am I going to be branded as a regressive person   krithika sivaswamy (@krithikasivasw) February 10, 2018
Despite the poor response to a pilot project on electronic filing of cases in the Delhi district courts launched in December, Mumbai district courts will introduce e-filing of cases in the last week of February, an official familiar with the project said.

By the end of this month, our testing for setting up e-filing facilities will be complete in Mumbai and then the process can start there as well, Alok Srivastava, secretary justice, said.

Admitting to the slow pace of e-filing in Delhi, Srivastava said the ministry is organising workshops over the next two weeks in Delhi and Mumbai to train and sensitise lawyers and judicial officers in e-filing.

Another official said the government is keen on rolling out the e-filing facility because it will likely improve Indias score in the World Banks ease of doing business rankings. Mumbai and Delhi are the only two cities which are taken into account for computing the rankings for India.

The official said the main hurdle faced in Delhi is the poor response from lawyers to the facility, which entails filing cases electronically so that the litigation process can eventually turn paperless and entire case details can be accessed by the court at the click of the mouse.

However, at least three lawyers in Delhi that HT spoke with said they were not aware of the e-filing facility being available in the state at the district court level.

The Delhi project was launched in the Tis Hazari courts in December but is yet to take off, the official admitted.

The facility requires lawyers to register with their details such as email and mobile numbers to allow the information system to become functional. The response to that has been poor, the official said.

E-filing will also connect every case to an easily retrievable and much larger database.

More than 16,000 or Indias 22,000 courts have already been computerised under a pan-India e-courts project being overseen by a committee of the Supreme Court with support provided by the ministry. Once implemented, the facility is expected to speed up the disposal of cases and reduce pendency. It will also allow for better analysis of how various courts in the country are performing and pointing out the reasons for delay.
Talks for a possible out of court settlement of the Ram Janmabhoomi Babri Masjid dispute initiated by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of Art of Living, seem to have run into trouble at the onset.

The all-powerful chief of Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and prominent saints of Ayodhya have refused to accept any outside mediation.

Nritya Gopal Das is the most revered saint of Ayodhya and his opinion is taken seriously by the Yogi government.

The word outside was directed towards Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, who is not a party to the ongoing Ram Janmabhoomi Babri Masjid title suit case in Supreme Court.

The comments coincide with a similar stance from Muslim organisation AIMPLB which too opposed parleys.

The VHP, which has been spearheading the temple movement for the last three decades, also outrightly rejected the talks.

Nothing less than construction of Ram temple at lord Rams birth place in Ayodhya is acceptable. Babri Masjid will not be accepted in Ayodhya, said Sharad Sharma, state spokesperson, VHP.

Mahant Satyendra Das, who has been performing pooja of Ram Lala for the past 25-years at the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya has also expressed his reservations.

Where the mosque will be constructed? It is still not decided yet. Who will decide this? And whether the new site for Mosque will be acceptable to Muslims or not, said Mahant Satyendra Das.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi was presented a Rs 60 lakh gold coated statue by Independent MLA B Nagendra after he joined the party at a public rally in Hosapete on Saturday.

Nagendra presented a Valmiki statue to Gandhi on the stage after he was welcomed into the Congress party.

The gold-coated statue cost Rs 60 lakh, Nagendra told reporters.

Along with Nagendra, BJP MLA from Vijaynagar BS Anand Singh also formally joined the party at the rally.

The BJP in a series of tweets, has come down on Gandhi and chief minister Siddaramaiah for inducting Nagendra and Singh, who are facing charges of illegal mining.

BJP Karnataka Unit president BS Yeddyurappa criticised chief minister Siddaramaiah for inducting Singh into Congress, saying it proved him to be a corrupt opportunist.

Dear 10% CM Siddaramaiah, I would like to remind you, your padayatre in 2013 about the mining sector. Now, inducting Anand Singh into the Congress camp has only proved you are a corrupt opportunist. Case of amnesia, he tweeted.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday met Mahmoud Abbas on a historic visit to Palestine during which the Palestinian President sought Indias support for a multi-country mechanism to achieve a just and desired peace with Israel in accordance with the two-state solution.

Modi reassured his countrys support for the Palestinian cause while Abbas said that Palestinians relied on Indias role as an international force to bring peace in this region.

I have assured President Abbas that India is bound by a promise to take care of Palestinian peoples interests, Modi said in a joint address to the media along with Abbas following a bilateral meeting.

India hopes that soon Palestine will come a free country in a peaceful manner, he stated.

President Abbas accorded a red carpet welcome to Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to make an official visit to Palestine, in an official ceremony at the presidential compound, also known as Muqataa, in Ramallah - the Palestinian seat of government.

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Narendra Modi review the honour guard ahead of their meeting in the West Bank city of Ramallah on February 10. (AFP Photo)

At the joint press statement, President Abbas acknowledged that the Indian leadership has always stood by peace in Palestine.

Abbas said he had fruitfull and constructive talks with Prime Minister Modi and he updated the Indian leader on the overall developing situation in Palestine and in the region.

He said Palestine is ready to engage in negotiations to achieve freedom and independence in accordance with the two- state solution along the lines of 1967 and internationally legitimate resolutions so that both Palestine and Israel can co-exist in peace and security, provided that East Jerusalem is the capital of the state of Palestine.

Abbas said the formation of a multi-lateral mechanism that is produced by an international peace convention is the most ideal way to broker negotiations with Israel, which is Indias strategic partner and among its top arms suppliers.

We rely on Indias role as an international voice of great standing and weigh through its historical role in the Non-Aligned Movement and in all international forum and its increasingly growing power on the strategic and economic levels, in a way that is conducive to just and desired peace in our region, President Abbas said.

The two-state solution envisions independent Israeli and Palestinian states coexisting side by side peacefully. The Palestinians see East Jerusalem as their future capital.

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Narendra Modi hold hands after their joint press conference following their meeting in the West Bank city of Ramallah on February 10. (AFP Photo)

Prime Minister Modi assured President Abbas that India is committed to the Palestinian peoples interests.

Friendship between India and Palestine has stood the test of time. The people of Palestine have shown remarkable courage in the face of several challenges. India will always support Palestines development journey, Modi said, adding that India is hopeful of peace and stability in the region.

I consider it an honour to be in Palestine. I bring with me the goodwill and greetings of the people of India. Here are my remarks at the joint press meet with President Abbas. https://t.co/lUWKPB9Nxe pic.twitter.com/3uUPtuh4gP  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 10, 2018

Prime Minister Modi said India hopes for Palestine to soon become a sovereign and independent country in a peaceful environment through dialogue.

We hope for peace and stability in Palestine, we believe a permanent solution is possible with dialogue. Only diplomacy and farsightedness can set free from violence and baggage of the past. We know it is not easy but we need to keep trying as a lot is at stake, Modi said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas accord a ceremonial guard of honour at Al-Muqata'a, compound of the presidential headquarters in Ramallah on February 10. (PTI Photo)

The two sides signed agreements worth $50 million. The agreement includes setting up of a super speciality hospital worth $30 million in Beit Sahur and construction of a centre for empowering women worth $5 million.

Three agreements in the education sector worth $5 million and for procurement of equipment and machinery for the National Printing Press in Ramallah were also signed.

President Abbas also conferred the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine on Prime Minister Modi, recognising his key contribution to promote ties between India and Palestine.

The Grand Collar is highest order given to foreign dignitaries  Kings, Heads of State/Government and persons of similar rank.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi receives the Grand Collar by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on February 10. (PTI Photo)

Earlier, the two leaders exchanged hugs and stood for the national anthem of the two countries and then inspected the guard of honour before their bilateral talks.

Archbishop of Catholic Church, Poulos Marcuzzo, and religious leaders of the Al-Aqsa mosque were also at the Muqataa to greet Modi.

Modi flew in a Jordanian army helicopter straight from Amman to Ramallah, where he was received by his Palestinian counterpart Rami Hamdallah. Prime Minister Modis chopper was escorted by choppers from Israel Air Force.

This is a historic visit that will lead to stronger bilateral cooperation, Modi said shortly after landing.

Soon after his arrival, Prime Minister Modi visited the Mausoleum of Yasser Arafat in Ramallah and laid a wreath at the grave of the iconic Palestinian leader. He was accompanied by his Palestinian counterpart Hamdallah.

The mausoleum was unveiled on November 10, 2007 and is located adjacent to the Palestinian Presidential compound, also known as Muqataa here.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi lays wreath at Mausoleum of late president Yasser Arafat in Ramallah on February 10. (PTI Photo)

After paying homage to Arafat, Modi took a short tour of the Arafat Museum located adjacent to the mausoleum.

During his maiden visit to Israel last year, Modi did not travel to Ramallah. His standalone visit to Israel had led to analysts questioning the future of the Indo-Palestine ties.

This time Modi skipped Israel in a clear message that India is de-hyphenating its ties with Israel and Palestine.

Modis visit to Palestine comes amid heightened tensions in the region after US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The unilateral US decision to declare Jerusalem as the capital of Israel was challenged at the UN General Assembly where 128 nations, including India, voted to turn down the move as null and void.

Trumps decision to declare Jerusalem as Israels capital angered the Palestinians, sparked protests in the Middle East and raised concern that it could further destabilise the region.

Though India has shied away from becoming a party in the Israel-Palestinian conflict, the Palestinian leader on several occasions has stressed on a possible role for New Delhi in the Middle East peace process.

India believes in a two-state solution in which both Israel and a future Palestinian state coexist peacefully.

The two-state solution envisions independent Israeli and Palestinian states coexisting side by side peacefully. The Palestinians see east Jerusalem as their future capital.

(with inputs from IANS)
Israeli analysts generally accept Indias strategic need to demonstrate its traditional support for Palestine with some seeing Prime Minister Narendra Modis trip to Ramallah as a comfort prize for Palestinians amid growing Indo-Israel ties.

Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Palestine, has reached Ramallah amid heightened tensions in the region after US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. (LIVE UPDATES)

India has consistently voted in favour of resolutions supporting the Palestinian cause at international forums, an issue that has bothered strategic partner Israel.

I believe that the Palestinians understand that this visit is a comfort prize after Israel and India have grown closer dramatically in the last few years, Lior Weintraub, a former Israeli spokesperson in New Delhi and Washington, said. said.

India is now prioritising the bilateral relationship with Israel that has a strategic aspect, cultural aspect and economic aspect, over allowing the impasse in the Israeli- Palestinian channel to dictate how India is going to act vis- a-vis some vital national interest that is has, the former diplomat further added.

Israelis are generally accepting of Indias strategic need to demonstrate its traditional support for the Palestinians with some seeing Prime Minister Narendra Modis trip to Palestine as a comfort prize for intensifying Indo- Israel ties while others viewing it as a move to safeguard national interest.

Modis visit to Palestine comes just weeks after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus much publicised trip to India. A section of the media and colleagues in his own Likud party hailed his treatment like a King in India, emphasising on the personal chemistry between Netanyahu and Modi.

The visit to Palestine may have come as a dampener to many Israeli India enthusiasts who have looked excited at the burgeoning ties between India and Israel but on the contrary there seems to be an understanding of Indias national interest.

The visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Palestinian Authority will also have diplomatic significance: On the one hand it is important for the Indians to show that they have not neglected their traditional position when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but (on the other hand) the close relationship between Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Netanyahu can help in facilitating a renewal of the talks between the sides, Lior said.

Currently working with The Israel Project as a senior executive, Lior sees Modis visit to Palestine as a move vital to protect Indias national interest.

Senior sources in Israel confirmed that the Israeli government was sounded off much in advance, and prior to, of Netanyahus visit to India.

I do not see any reason to crib about anything here. Our relations have matured to a level that we can understand Indias needs. Its not an either or situation. It never was, the source told PTI.

Genady Shlomper, a lecturer at Tel Aviv university, sees Modis visit as a part of Indias engagement with the Arab world.

India has vital interests in the Arab world. The trip to Ramallah is also clubbed with his trip to other parts of the Arab world. India has such a huge diaspora community there and vital economic and political interests. It is not surprising to me that he has decided to visit Ramallah, Shlomper said.

The Indian Jewish community, which so warmly welcomed Modi during his trip to Israel, also seems understanding of Indias need to demonstrate its ties with Palestine.

Certain sections of the press in Israel have however raised eyebrows at Modis decision to lay a wreath on Yasser Arafats Mausoleum. The iconic Palestinian leader is revered in most parts of the Arab world but a lot of Israelis see him as a terrorist responsible for the death of several of their citizens.
A woman was killed on Saturday when Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing from across the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, a police official said.

Parveen Akhter was killed when she was hit by a bullet fired by Pakistani troops along the LoC in Pkukherni and Lairan villages of Noushera around 10:35pm, he said.

The official said Akhter was hit inside her home at Lairan village.

Indian troops guarding the border retaliated, he said, adding intermittent firings and shellings were going on when the last reports were received.

Earlier in the day, Pakistani troops launched mortars shells at civilian areas along the LoC in nearby Poonch district but there was no loss of life or injury to any one.

The Pakistan Army launched mortar shells in Khadi Karmara forward areas in Poonch around 11:00 hours today, the police official said.

The shells fell deep inside Indian territory along the LoC, triggering panic and fear among the residents.

The Pakistan troops also launched shells along the LoC in Chakan Da Bagh forward area in Poonch, the official said.

On February 9, three Army jawans were injured in intermittent firing and shelling by Pakistani troops along the LoC in Poonch district.

On February 8, a 45-year-old woman was killed in shelling by the Pakistani troops along the LoC in the KG sector.

A total of 19 people, including 10 security personnel and nine civilians, were killed and over 75 injured in Pakistani shelling along the LoC and the IB in Jammu region this year.
At least Two soldiers were killed in an attack on an army camp in Jammu early on Saturday morning. Officials said it seemed two or three militants, who entered from the rear side of Sunjuwan army camp where family quarters are located, were holed up.

Nine others, including five women and two children have been injured in the attack, defence spokesperson Lt Col Devender Anand said.

Highlights:

10.22pm: Congress appeals to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to personally supervise the operation. Congress communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala said it was a matter of deep concern that 14 major terror attacks have taken place on the Army in Jammu and Kashmir since 2014, after the NDA government came to power.

9.55pm: The two slain armymen identified: Lt Madan Lal Choudhary, 49, and Habibullah Quereshi, 42.

9.45pm: Chief minister Mehbooba Mufti arrives at Military Hospital in Jammu.

9.30pm: Abhimanyu battle tanks deployed inside the military station in Sunjuwan area, according to sources.

9.20pm: Army chief General Bipin Rawat arrived in Jammu to take stock of the situation.

9.15pm: One more terrorist killed, according to intelligence sources.

8.05pm: We have forever embraced peace and have never been aggressors but anybody who has tried to breach our boundaries has been met with the might of India: Smriti Irani in Mumbai.

8pm: You can change your friends, but you can never change your neighbours. We as a country are a tolerant nation, cognizant of the fact that we live in a delicate environment. We are today confident enough to have a surgical strike & the world speak about our powers, says information and broadcasting minister Smriti Irani.

7.35pm: Two terrorists and two soldiers (a junior commissioned officer and a non-commissioned officer) killed and nine others injured, including five women and two children, says defence spokesperson Lt Col Devender Anand.

7.28pm: As part of the ongoing operation in Sunjuwan, the Army has killed two heavily armed terrorists. The terrorists were wearing combat uniforms carrying AK 56 assault rifle, large amount of ammunition & hand grenades: Defence PRO

6.20pm: Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti chairs a high-level security meeting in Jammu following the attack on the army camp. The meeting was attended by J&K director general of police SP Vaid and personnel from other security agencies.

6pm: Army sends diesel generator sets and floodlights to light up the area where the Jaish militants are holed up.

5.50pm: 1 terrorist killed, one army jawan injured. One AK-47 and other weapons recovered: ANI.

4.53pm:

Security heightened, checking at entry points intensified in Baramulla district #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/pVkxKdaIGb  ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2018

4.33pm: No hostage crisis in Sunjuwan Army camp, 19 of 16 flats have been evacuated. Operation continues, reports news agency ANI.

3.45pm: The six who are injured:

Col Rohit Solanki, 6 Mahar Regiment CO

Major Abhijeet (airlifted to Chandigarh)

Lance Naik Bahadur Singh

Two unidentified soldiers

A young girl, probably daughter of JCO Madan Lal Choudhary

2.40pm: Protests rocked the Jammu and Kashmir assembly on Saturday, with members raising anti-Pakistan slogans after the terror attack on the Sunjuwan Army camp in which one JCO was killed. As soon as the House assembled, legislators cutting across party lines condemned the terror attack and demanded a statement from the PDP-BJP government.

2.20pm: Statement by defence PRO Lt Col Devender Anand

1.30pm: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah tweeted: No day passes by without such incidents & terrorists are all coming from Pakistan. If Pak wants good relations w/India they need to stop terrorism or it will have bad consequences. Sadly, I have to say if it continues India wont stop itself from waging war.

1.18pm: Union home minister Rajnath Singh told reporters: Since the operation is still underway, it wont be right for me to make any comments. Our army and security officials are doing their duty. They will never let us down.

1:10pm: Those injured included a Colonel rank Army officer, Havaldar Abdul Hamid, Lance Naik Bahadur Singh and daughter of Subedar Chowdhary.

1pm:

I live in that constituency, complaints have come from there & in a way govt also accepts that number of Rohingyas & Bangladeshis is increasing & that they are a security threat: J&K Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta #SunjwanAttck pic.twitter.com/I07ZKaldDP  ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2018

12.55pm: A suspicious move was noticed in the early hours of Saturday. When challenged, it was replied back. A fire exchange broke out and terrorists entered the family quarters. The attack is now under control and operations are underway. Six persons have been injured till now, the army public relations officer in Jammu said.

12.30pm: Parliamentary affairs minister Abdul Rehman Veeri informed the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly that Subedar Maganlal and Subedar Mohammed Ashraf were killed in the attack by a group of militants.

12.10pm: A colonel rank officer among those injured in Jammu terror attack: J-K Parliamentary affairs minister Abdul Rehman Veeri.

11.40am: 2 JCOs killed and six injured in Jammu terror attack: Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Abdul Rehman Veeri informed J-K Assembly.

11.35am:

#JammuAndKashmir : Security heightened in Udhampur after the terrorist attack on Sunjwan Army camp in Jammu. pic.twitter.com/srHDLePTpZ  ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2018

11.30am: Deeply disturbed by the terrorist attack in Sunjuwan today. My heart goes out to the injured & their families, tweets J-K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti.

11.15am: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has sprung into action, para commandoes were airlifted from Udhampur to Jammu this morning, IAF sources said. Another aircraft is airborne to airlift para commandos from Sarsawa.

10.55am:

BJP MLAs raised anti-Pakistan slogans in the #JammuAndKashmir Assembly, following which house was adjourned for 15 minutes and the proceedings resumed later. pic.twitter.com/GOEedSXgWM  ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2018

10.45am: Unconfirmed reports said that one Army personnel has died in the gunfight.

10am: Soon after the attack, reinforcements of the Armys special forces and SOG rushed to the spot and cordoned off the whole area amid a fierce gunfight.

9.45am: Fresh gunshots were heard inside the Sunjuwan Army camp during search and combing operation by the security forces on Saturday, just hours after terrorists attacked.

9.30am: Home minister Rajnath Singh spoke to J-K DGP over Sunjuwan Army Camp attack and has directed MHA officials to look into the matter, reports ANI news agency.

9.25am: Authorities ordered closure of schools in Sunjuwan belt of Jammu city in the wake of the terror attack on an Army camp.

9am: Intelligence inputs had warned an attack on the army or security establishment by Jaish-e-Mohammed in view of the death anniversary of Afzal Guru who was hanged on February 9, 2013.

8.30am: Around 4:55am, suspicious movement was noticed by the santri. Santri bunker was fired upon and they retaliated. Number of terrorists isnt known, theyve been cornered in one of the family quarters, Jammu inspector general of police SD Singh Jamwal said.
Aam Aadami Party convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal is set to address a Haryana Bachao rally in Hisar on March 25, AAP state president Naveen Jaihind said in Chandigarh on Saturday.

Briefing newspersons in this context, Jaihind said that the party workers will mobilise people of all 90 assembly segments to take part in the rally.

Alleging that the BJP government led by chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar had failed on all fronts, Jaihind said that people of all strata are disappointed with the government. The BJP government, which promised 1 lakh jobs, has not even been able to employ 10,000 people even in the last three years. Farmers and labourers too have been left high and dry, Jaihind alleged.

Referring to the recent spate of crimes in the state, Jaihind said that lawlessness was prevailing in the state and the police was unable to control it.

To a query on AAPs response to BJP chief Amit Shahs visit to Jind on March 15, Jaihind held that the party workers will present parkoras to Shah as the Prime Minister Narendra Modi had mocked the unemployed by saying that even selling pakoras could get a person good money.

To another query, he said that the government should give 1 crore to martyrs kin and adopt martyrs family as nations family.
Court is not examining Elections Act, 2017 only for Nawaz Sharif: CJP

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on Friday made it clear to the petitioners that the court was not examining the Elections Act, 2017 only to the extent of disqualified prime minister Nawaz Sharif, and was instead reviewing it in broad spectrum to ascertain its entire implications.



The CJP was heading a three-member Supreme Court bench, comprising Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Ijazul Ahsan, which is hearing a set of 16 almost identical petitions against the Elections Act, 2017.



The law paved way for disqualified prime minister Nawaz Sharif to regain presidency of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).



The bench has to determine whether the disqualification of lawmakers under Article 62(1)(f) of the constitution does stand for life or is time-specific.



In his arguments, Azhar Siddique, counsel for Jamshed Dasti, contended that the election law, which paved the way for former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to become PML-N head, was even in violation of the Islamic injunctions. If you want Section 203 of the Elections Act, 2017 examined on the touchstones of Islamic injunctions, you should approach the Federal Shariat Court (FSC), the chief justice told the counsel, adding that the apex court has no jurisdiction to interpret laws on the touchstones of Islamic injunctions.



The court asked the counsel to give arguments on the provisions of the constitution which have been violated by the election law. One may have to pay a heavy price if he files a frivolous petition, the chief justice noted. The counsel then argued that any legislation passed by the National Assembly cannot undo Article 62 (1)(f) of the constitution.



Counsel for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Gohar Nawaz Sindhu requested the court to disqualify all the lawmakers who voted in favour of the unconstitutional election law. The chief justice noted that some parameters had to be set to filter the filing of frivolous petitions, whose tendency was increasing.



Zulfiqar Bhutta, one of the petitioners, told the court that he would adopt the arguments advanced by Dr Farogh Naseem, counsel for Awami Muslim League chief MNA Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad, and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lawyer Sardar Latif Khosa in the case.



He, however, argued that a person disqualified by the apex court could not become the head of a political party. He said the head of a political party may influence millions of voters. The new law passed by parliament allows any convicted person to head a political party, Justice Ijazul Ahsan noted.



Farogh Naseem had submitted that the Elections Act, 2017 was passed only 17 days after the Supreme Court disqualified Nawaz Sharif in the Panama Papers case, which indicated that there was intent of mala fide behind it. Latif Khosa had argued that the election law was in conflict with Article 62 (1)(f) of the constitution, thus deserved to be struck down.



Sheikh Ahsenuddin, counsel for Justice Democratic Party (JDP), argued that the constitution does not allow a disqualified person to head a political party. He contended that the amended elections act was only passed to pave the way for ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif to regain his position as party head.



The chief justice noted that the Supreme Court can nullify a law only if it is found against any provisions of the constitution. He said when the election law was being drafted and vetted by the standing committee of the parliament, a representative of the Election Commission of Pakistan was also present in it.



Meanwhile, the court adjourned the hearing till February 13.



In Thursdays hearing, Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar had observed that matters related to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif becoming the head of a political party do not fall under the purview of the Article 6 of the constitution.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday arrived in UAE on a two-day official visit during which he will hold talks with top leadership of the Gulf nation and witness signing of nearly a dozen agreements to bolster political and economic ties.

Earlier in the day, Narendra Modi travelled to Ramallah, becoming the Indian prime minister to make an official visit to Palestine.

The February 9-12 trip comes within a month of the visit to India by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that saw the two countries hailing each other as a strategic partner despite New Delhis long-standing support for the Palestinian cause.

In a special recognition of Modis contribution to relations between India and Palestine, the PM was conferred the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine by the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Here are the highlights:

10.23 pm: Five government-to-government MoUs signed between India and UAE

10.14 pm: Delegation level talks led by PM Narendra Modi and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held.

10.06 pm: PM Narendra Modi meets members of committee of a temple whose foundation stone will be laid on Sunday.

9.15 pm: Dubais iconic skyscraper Burj Khalifa lights up in the colours of the Indian flag to mark Modis second visit to the country.

Twitter/Burj Khalifa

8.55 pm: Prime Minister will be speaking from the royal box in Sultan Qaboos stadium, says India ambassador to Oman, Indra Mani Pandey.

Royal box is used by his majesty Sultan Qaboos only and PM will be first visiting dignitary who is being given honour of addressing the community from the box.

7.55 pm: Modi leaves for the presidential palace for a meeting with Mohamed bin Zayed, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and deputy supreme commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

7.46 pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

He was received by the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and other members of the Royal family at the airport.

Twitter/Raveesh Kumar

5.20 pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi departs for Abu Dhabi from Palestines Ramallah.

5.15 pm:

PM @narendramodi and President Abbas discussed steps to strengthen our traditionally close and friendly relations. pic.twitter.com/CFeRmdAWJu  Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) February 10, 2018

4.54 pm: I thank President Mahmoud Abbas for the hospitality. We had a wonderful meeting, during which we discussed the full range of India-Palestine ties: PM Modi.

4.34 pm: We hope for peace and stability in Palestine, we believe a permanent solution is possible with dialogue. Only diplomacy and farsightedness can set us free from violence and baggage of the past. We know it is not easy but we need to keep trying as a lot is at stake: PM Modi, reports ANI.

4.22 pm: PM Narendra Modi and President Mahmoud Abbas after the exchange of agreements between India and Palestine and joint statement by the two leaders.

4.20 pm: PM Modi says India will double the exchange of students from this year from 50 to 100. India is also aiding construction of an Institute of Diplomacy in Palestine.

4.16 pm: People of Palestine have continuously shown exemplary courage in extremely tough times, in spite of the fact that there was an unstable environment: PM Modi

The way you moved forward in such a situation is praiseworthy, we appreciate it: PM Modi

4:15 pm: India and Palestines relations have stood the test of time. Palestine has always taken a top spot in our foreign policy: PM Narendra Modi

4:13 pm: This is an honour for India and a symbol of Palestines friendship. I thank you on behalf of all Indians for this: PM Modi on the Grand Collar of the state of Palestine conferred on him.

4.10 pm: Here I would like to assert our commitment to political action & negotiations as means of achieving our national goals to freedom and independence in accordance with the two states relation along the lines of 1967: President Mahmoud Abbas.

4.09 pm: We have said and will say we are ready to engage in negotiations. We rely on Indias role as an international force and its role in the non-alignment movement and in the international fora, in a way that is conducive to desired peace in our region: President Abbas on Israel-Palestine relations: President Abbas

4:08 pm: It is my honour to welcome you as a great guest, on your first historic visit to Palestine which holds, to you personally and to the people of India, sentiments of love and appreciation. Indian leadership has always stood by peace in Palestine: President Abbas

4.05 pm: India is always for righteousness, justice, peace of Palestine... was one of the first countries to recognise the state of Palestine, says Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas.

3:49 pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi lays wreath at the mausoleum of late President of Palestine Yasser Arafat in Ramallah.

He was accompanied by Prime Minister of Palestine, Rami Hamdallah.

3pm: In a special recognition of Narendra Modis contribution to relations between India and Palestine, President Abbas conferred the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine on him after the conclusion of the bilateral meeting.

The grand collar is highest order given to foreign dignitaries - Kings, Heads of State/Government and persons of similar rank. It has in the past been awarded to King Salman of Saudi Arabia, King Hamad of Bahrain, President Xi Jinping of China, amongst others.

The commendation reads In recognition of his wise leadership and his lofty national and international stature, and in appreciation of his efforts to promote the historic relations between the State of Palestine and the Republic of India; in acknowledgement of his support to our peoples right to independence and freedom so that peace prevails in the region.

2.27pm: Palestine is the first leg of Modis three-nation tour of West Asia that will also see him going to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman.

2.20pm: In a first ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister, PM Modi was escorted by Royal Jordanian choppers by the King and Israeli choppers on his way to Palestine.

2.18pm: Prime Minister Modi and President Abbas will discuss ways to enhance bilateral relations as well as discuss the regional and international situations of common concern.

2.15pm: Modi will hold talks with Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas following which a number of agreements are going to be signed.

2.10pm: PM Narendra Modi accorded ceremonial guard of honour at Al-Muqataa, compound of the presidential headquarters, in Palestines Ramallah.

1.55pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid a wreath at the mausoleum of late Palestinean president Yasser Arafat in Ramallah.

1.50pm:

Reached Palestine. This is a historic visit that will lead to stronger bilateral cooperation. pic.twitter.com/PpzN1JaBYO  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 10, 2018

1.10pm: PM Narendra Modi departs for Palestines Ramallah from Amman, Jordan.

Modi in Jordan

- On Friday, Modi met Jordans King Abdullah II and said he had wonderful meeting that would further boost India-Jordan ties.

- The King, meanwhile, described the meeting as the beginning of a new chapter in the bilateral ties.

- Talks between the two sides covered the Palestinian cause, and Jordans role in protecting Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, based on the Hashemite custodianship over the holy shrines, Jordans state-run Petra news agency reported.

- The talks, which were attended by acting prime minister Mamdouh Abbadi, focused on coordination and consultation between the two countries in various fields, as the King highlighted the key role played by India in promoting security, stability and fighting terrorism.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday laid a wreath at the mausoleum of iconic Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, in his first engagement on a historic visit to Palestine.

Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to make an official visit to Palestine, flew in a Jordanian army helicopter straight from Amman to Ramallah, where he was received by his Palestinian counterpart Rami Hamdallah.

The Prime Minister, accompanied by Hamdallah, visited the Mausoleum of Yasser Arafat. The mausoleum was unveiled on November 10, 2007 and is located adjacent to the Palestinian Presidential compound, also known as Muqataa here.

Abu Ammar was one of the greatest world leaders. His contribution to Palestine is historical. He was a good friend of India. I paid tributes to him in Ramallah, Modi tweeted, referring to Arafat.

After paying homage to Arafat, the prime minister took a short tour accompanied by Hamdallah of the Arafat Museum located adjacent to the mausoleum.

The length of each of the mausoleums walls is 11 meters forming a cube, signifying the date of Arafats death on the 11th day of the 11th month.

Adjacent to the Arafat mausoleum is a minaret which is 30 meters high. At the top of the minaret is a laser system that projects a beam of light in the direction of Jerusalem.

During a joint press statement with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas after a meeting with him, Modi said Arafats contribution to the Palestinian struggle is unshakable.

He was a special friend of India. It was an unforgettable moment for me to visit a museum dedicated to him. I once again pay tribute to Abu Ammar, Modi said.

Arafat, born in 1929 in Cairo, served as Palestines president for eight years until his death on November 11, 2004.

In 1990, the Palestine Liberation Organisation chief negotiated with Israelis and in 1993 they came up with Oslo Accords that gave Palestinians self rule in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

In 1994, Arafat won the Nobel Peace Prize, together with Israeli leaders Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres, for the negotiations at Oslo.
Seventeen years ago in 2003, on a balmy June morning, two militants had cut through barbed wires to enter the Sunjuwan military base in Jammu to launch one of the most deadly attacks on an Indian defence installation.

The attack by the heavily armed Lashkar-e-Taiba militants (LeT) had left at least 12 soldiers dead and nine others injured, before they were shot dead after a five-hour-long gunbattle.

On Saturday, the military base came under attack again when a group of suspected Jaish-e-Mohammed militants stormed the camp. At least one soldier has been killed in an ongoing encounter between security forces and the militants, whose number was yet to be ascertained.

The attack came amid an alert for possible terror attacks in view of the anniversary of hanging Mohammed Afzal Guru, the 2009 Parliament attack mastermind.

Spread over an area of around seven square km, secured with a compound wall of 10 to 12 foot in height and armed soldiers guarding it round the clock, the Sunjuwan military base in Jammu is a veritable fortress at first sight.

But, as a defence official said, Though it was a security lapse as two terrorists managed to enter the military station, fidayeen (suicide) attacks are near-impossible to thwart.

The military station has a jungle and dry wetland by the side of it. In fact, the military station was once a wetland and a jungle. The terrorists entered the camp through a nullah on its rear side, he added.

The officer said that after the 2003 attack, the entire station was fortified with more bunkers, armed soldiers on various gates, concertina wires, digital iron gates and other surveillance gadgets.

He said that defence installations have always been the prime target of Pakistan-based outfits.

A floating population of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar have also settled around the station, whom a former army official identified as potential threats.

The front side of the station faces the Jammu-Srinagar by-pass road where big shopping malls and showrooms of various automobile companies have mushroomed in recent years.

Brigadier SS Saini, a war veteran, blamed previous governments for the attack, saying Rohingya and Bangladeshi settlements were allowed near the base.

While a military station should not have any constructions within a 100 metre radius from its compound wall, in Sunjuwan, people have constructed their houses right next to our fence, he said.

Saini also refuted allegations that the attack was due to failure on the part of the army.

A security personnel stands guard on the periphery of Sunjwan Army camp in Jammu. (AP Photo)

Had it been so, there would have been mass deaths inside the station.The sentry was the first responder and the QRTs (quick response teams) were quick to isolate them, he added.

Sanjeev Sharma, a banker who lives in Channi Himmat Colony opposite the military station, said the ease with which the militants entered the camp showed that they had done a reconnaissance of the area.

The attack happened in the heart of Jammu, which clearly indicate that militant sympathisers helped them in locating the vulnerable stretch of the nullah to get inside the station, he added.
A group of academicians and activists from the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) has demanded the inclusion of castes category in the next national general census in 2021.

The group, consisting of retired bureaucrat PS Krishna and social activist Chandan Yadav, met at the Gandhi Peace Foundation in Delhi on Friday to discuss the status of the OBC caste census.

The members demanded adding a column on caste in the census as had been the practice till 1931. Yadav said the recent Jat and Patidars agitations seeking reservation had forced the BJP government to announce a commission, headed by Justice G Rohini, for sub-categorization of OBCs in August 2017. But the panel does not have any OBC member in it, he said.

In absence of proper data, Yadav said benefits of several welfare schemes and policies are not reaching the deserved.

He said the members have resolved to fight for the affirmative action for OBCs under the umbrella of the National Campaign for OBC Caste Census Committee.
The defence ministry has sanctioned Rs 1,487 crore to the army to fortify its bases in Jammu and Kashmir, North East and several other places to plug their security gaps and protect them from any terror attacks, official sources said on Saturday.

Clearing the project, defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman has set a deadline of 10 months for the army to carry it out. The Army headquarters has been told to monitor implementation of the project, they said.

Read more | Jammu attack Live: Soldier killed as JeM militants attack Sunjuwan army camp, encounter on

The sanction to the project comes amid heightened hostilities between Indian and Pakistani armies along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir and several terror attack targeting military installations.

Militants attacked an army camp in Jammu on Saturday morning, killing at least one soldier. Officials said that there appear to be two or three militants who entered from the rear side of Sunjuwan army camp where family quarters are located.

Perimeter security will be strengthened at army bases under six commands, the sources said.

A security audit of military bases was carried out on the recommendation of a committee headed by Lt Gen Philip Campose which was set up after the daring terror attack on the Pathankot air force base in 2016.

The committee was asked to recommend measures to beef up security at the military bases.

Read more | Sunjuwan army camp attack: 7 times Indian security forces were targeted

Following the security audit, revised standard operating procedures (SOPs) were sent to the commands of all three services to revamp their security management, including putting in place a multi-tier security structure.

A total of 3,000 sensitive bases, including 600 highly sensitive installations of the army, navy and the air force were identified by the forces months after the attack on Pathankot air base.

Separately, in July last year, the government had delegated substantial financial powers to the army, the navy and the Indian Air Force to strengthen perimeter security at sensitive bases across the country.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Saturday as the two sides signed five agreements including a historic pact awarding a consortium of Indian oil companies a 10% stake in offshore oil concession.

Modi, who arrived in Abu Dhabi from Jordan on the second leg of his three-nation tour, was received by Mohammed Bin Zayed and other members of the Royal family at the airport. The two leaders hugged each other and exchanged pleasantries.

The Prime Minister thanked the Crown Prince for the special gesture of receiving him at the airport and said his visit will have a positive impact on India-UAE ties.

We warmly welcome our state guest and valued friend, the Indian Prime Minister H.E.@narendramodi to the UAE. His visit reflects our longstanding historical ties and is testament to our friendly bilateral relationship, Mohammed Bin Zayed, also the Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, tweeted.

Prime Minister Modi, who is here on his second visit to the UAE, held wide-ranging talks with and Mohammed Bin Zayed. Modi had first visited the UAE as prime minister in August, 2015.

After their talks, the two sides signed five agreements related to energy sector, railways, manpower and financial services.

An MOU between Indian Consortium (OVL, BPRL & IOCL) and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) was signed for the acquisition of a 10% participating interest in the Abu Dhabis offshore Lower Zakum Concession, a statement issued by the Indian embassy here said.

The concession will be for 40 years from 2018 to 2057. Sixty per cent of the participating interest will be retained by ADNOC and remaining 30% will be awarded to other international oil companies, the statement said.

This is the first Indian Investment in upstream oil sector of UAE, transforming the traditional buyer-seller relationship to a long-term investor relationship, it added.

To cooperate in the field of manpower, India and the UAE signed an MoU that aims to institutionalise the collaborative administration of contractual employment of Indian workers in the Gulf country.

Under the MoU, both the sides will work to integrate their labour related e-platforms for ending the existing malpractices, combat trafficking and organise collaborative programs for education and awareness of contractual workers.

An MoU for technical cooperation in railways was also signed between the two sides. The MoU aims at cooperation in infrastructure sector especially railways.

The MoU will facilitate development of joint projects, knowledge sharing, joint research and technology transfer. The MoU envisages formation of a Joint Working Group for institutionalising the cooperation mechanism, the statement said.

To deepen bilateral cooperation in the field of finance, an MoU between Bombay Stock Exchange and Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange was also signed. It aims at enhancing cooperation between both the countries in financial services industry.

The MoU would facilitate investment in financial markets by investors from both the countries.

An MoU between Government of Jammu and Kashmir and DP World was also signed to establish multi-modal logistics park and hub in Jammu comprising warehouses and specialised storage solutions.

Various buildings in Abu Dhabi were lit in the Indian tricolor as the city was decked up to welcome Prime Minister Modi, who also attended a state banquet hosted by the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince.

The Prime Minister will visit Wahat Al Karama, the UAE martyrs war memorial here, tomorrow before travelling to Dubai where he will interact with the Indian community at an event at the Dubai Opera House and will witness the groundbreaking ceremony of the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi. The ceremony will be live-streamed to the Opera House.

Prime Minister Modi will also deliver a keynote address at the World Government Summit in Dubai where India is a guest of honour this year. He will make inaugural address on the theme: Technology for development.

On the first led of his trip, Modi earlier in the day travelled to Ramallah, becoming the first Indian Prime Minister to make an official visit to Palestine.

In Ramallah, Prime Minister Modi met Mahmoud Abbas during which the Palestinian President sought Indias support for a multi-country mechanism to achieve a just and desired peace with Israel in accordance with the two-state solution.

They discussed the full range of India-Palestine ties following which the two sides signed six agreements worth around $50 million that includes setting up of a $30 million super speciality hospital in Beit Sahur.

From the UAE, Modi will travel to Oman.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday arrived in Ramallah on a historic visit to Palestine during which he will meet President Mahmoud Abbas and reaffirm Indias support for the Palestinian people.

Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to make an official visit to Palestine, flew in a Jordanian army helicopter straight from Amman to Ramallah, where he was received by his Palestinian counterpart Rami Hamdallah.

Prime Minister Modis chopper was escorted by choppers from Israel Air Force.

This is a historic visit that will lead to stronger bilateral cooperation, Modi said shortly after landing.

The Prime Minister, accompanied by Hamdallah, visited the Mausoleum of Yasser Arafat in Ramallah and laid a wreath at the grave of the iconic Palestinian leader.

The mausoleum was unveiled on November 10, 2007 and is located adjacent to the Palestinian Presidential compound, also known as Muqataa here.

After paying homage to Arafat, the prime minister took a short tour of the Arafat Museum located adjacent to the mausoleum.

Later, President Abbas received Prime Minister Modi in official ceremony at the presidential headquarters in Ramallah before starting official talks.

The two leaders exchanged hugs and stood for the national anthem of the two countries and then inspected the guard of honour. They shook hand with Palestinian and Indian officials.

The two leaders then stepped inside the presidential office for official talks.

After the talks, they will sign bilateral agreements, hold a joint press conference and share lunch before Modi leaves for Amman in a chopper.

Archbishop of Catholic Church, Poulos Marcuzzo, and religious leaders of the Al-Aqsa mosque have also come to the Muqataa to greet Modi.

Describing India as a very respected country in the international arena, the 82-year-old Palestinian President had earlier said that India can have a possible role in creating a multilateral forum of negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis to reach a final agreement.

According to Abbas, Modis visit to the region reflects Indias long-held position of supporting peace and stability in the region.

During his maiden visit to Israel last year, Modi did not travel to Ramallah, the Palestinian seat of government. His standalone visit to Israel had led to many analysts questioning the future of the Indo-Palestine ties.

This time Modi skipped Israel in a clear message that India is de-hyphenating its ties with Israel and Palestine.

Modis visit to Palestine comes amid heightened tensions in the region after US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The unilateral US decision to declare Jerusalem as the capital of Israel was challenged at the UN General Assembly where 128 nations, including India, voted to turn down the move as null and void.

Trumps decision to declare Jerusalem as Israels capital angered the Palestinians, sparked protests in the Middle East and raised concern that it could further destabilise the region.

Though India has shied away from becoming a party in the Israel-Palestinian conflict, the Palestinian leader on several occasions has stressed on a possible role for New Delhi in the Middle East peace process.

India believes in a two-state solution in which both Israel and a future Palestinian state coexist peacefully.

The two-state solution envisions independent Israeli and Palestinian states coexisting side by side peacefully. The Palestinians see east Jerusalem as their future capital.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi led 114 Opposition MPs to the President and asked for proper, independent investigation of judge BH Loyas death. Kerala, Punjab and Tamil Nadu were the best-performing states in NITI Aayog Health Index. These were the top stories on Friday. Here is more about them.

Rahul Gandhi leads Opposition MPs, demands probe in Justice Loya death

Congress president Rahul Gandhi led 114 Opposition MPs to President Ramnath Kovind, demanding a Supreme Court-monitored special investigation into judge BH Loyas death. We just want to have a proper investigation done by an independent structure that gives us the outcome, Gandhi said. Justice Loya, who was handling the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case, died in November 2014 in Nagpur. Political parties, including the Congress, allege he died in mysterious circumstances.

Kerala on top, UP at bottom in states health index

Kerala led 21 large states ranked on their health indicators in a NITI Aayog Index. Punjab and Tamil Nadu followed Kerala. Despite improving its overall score on the index, Uttar Pradesh could not improve its ranking and was placed at the bottom below Bihar and Rajasthan.

IAF officer arrested for sharing secrets with Pakistan

Delhi Police have arrested an Indian Air Force officer on charges of espionage after he was allegedly found passing secret information to Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency. Group Captain Arun Marwaha, 51, was honeytrapped and shared information and documents with two Pakistani agents who said they were women and chatted with him on Facebook.

China appears to back Maldives president, says no interference

China said no country should interfere in the Maldives in the name of resolving the ongoing political crisis as pressure from the world community mounted on President Abdulla Yameen to end a state of emergency. Beijing defended the Maldivian regime as Yameens special envoy, Mohamed Saeed, met foreign minister Wang Yi in Beijing and briefed him about the developments in the Indian Ocean archipelago.

Modi and Trump express concern over Maldives in phone call

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump spoke by phone, discussing topics including the political crisis in the Maldives, the war in Afghanistan and the plight of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, the White House said. The Trump administration has launched an effort to deepen military and economic ties with India as a way to balance Chinas assertive posture across Asia. Modi and Trump expressed concern over the crisis in the Maldives.

Kolkata school teacher arrested for sexually harassing student for 6 months

A dance teacher at a famous girls school in Kolkata was arrested for allegedly sexually harassing a Class 2 student for the last six months, police said. The mother came to know that her daughter was being sexually harassed on Thursday when the child refused to go to school and revealed that she was being harassed by the teacher.

US Vice President Mike Pence, North Korea's nominal head of state Kim Yong Nam, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's younger sister Kim Yo Jong attend the Winter Olympics opening in Pyeongchang. (REUTERS)

North Korea leader Kim Jong Uns sister makes historic visit to South

The sister of North Koreas leader Kim Jong Un, who is on a historic visit to the South for the Winter Olympics, shook hands with Seouls President Moon Jae-in at the opening ceremony. Kim Yo Jong, the first member of the Norths ruling dynasty to visit the South since the end of the Korean War in 1953, met Moon when he arrived for the opening ceremony in a pentagonal arena in Pyeongchang.

US Congress approves bill ending brief govt shutdown

The US House of Representatives approved a bill to fund the federal government through March 23 and to increase overall spending limits over two years, sending the legislation to President Donald Trump. The bill, approved 240-186, would end an hours-long government shutdown that started on Thursday at midnight when current government funding expired.
Clutching his two minor daughters, Hameed Ansal stands before his half-built house in Beypore on the outskirts of Kozhikkode in north Kerala, uncertain about his future.

Ansal had come on a vacation from Saudi Arabia, where he has been working at a mobile phone store in a sprawling mall for the past eight years. But, now like many other migrant workers, hes not certain about his job as the oil-rich country has recently extended its Saudi nationalisation scheme, or nitaqat in Arabic, to 12 more activities and occupations to provide more jobs to its citizens.

The labour and social development ministrys order will come into effect on the first day of Islamic new year that falls on September 11. It will bar employment of foreigners in the listed occupations , snuffing Gulf dream of many Indians.

The order has set off alarm bells in faraway Kerala, home to 2.2million expatriate community. After United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia gives maximum employment to Keralites, around 8 lakh (0. 8 million), as per an estimate of the Centre for Development Studies (CDS), a premier social science research institution based in the state.

Kerala local-self government and minority affairs minister K T Jaleel termed the development as a serious challenge for the state and blamed the Centre for not taking up the cause of the expatriates earnestly.

Keralas expatriates contribute a major chunk to the foreign exchange reserve of the country. Despite our repeated reminders, the Centre is not doing anything substantial for the expatriates. The state is really worried and exploring all possibilities to meet the challenge, he said.

Local bodies and self-help groups have been asked to extend all help to those returning from Saudi Arabia.

Already the southern state, which its said catches cold when the Middle East sneezes, are witnessing a decline in immigration to the Gulf countries.

According to a migration survey conducted by the CDS, 2.2 million people from the state were living outside the country in 2016. In 2014 their number was 2.6 million.

The Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre, an organisation working among expatriate community, says of late on an average 5000 people have been returning from Saudi Arabia per month.

Shabeer P (31), working with a major construction firm Saudi Orger Ltd, was forced to leave the kingdom last year.

He did not get salary for eight months. Now hes working as a salesman in a readymade shop in Kozhikkodes Sweet Street. He and 400-odd retrenched worker are fighting a case in Saudi labour court for dues.

It seems crown prince Mohammad bin Salman is in a hurry to nationalise all sectors. So he has tightened immigration laws and nitaqat provisions. No doubt, it will spell a doom for Indians, especially Keralites, said P Anus, who wound up his travel agency and returned six months ago.

A few meters away from Anuss house situated dwelling of P Jayakumar, a motor mechanic in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.

He has informed his family that he will be back for good in June as the owner of the automobile shop, where he works, asked him to leave.

According to the new nitaqat list issued last month, expatriates will be banned from outlets selling watches, eyeglasses, medical equipment, electrical appliances and electronics, car spare parts, building materials, carpets, automobiles and motorcycles, furniture and ready-made office materials, ready-made garments, childrens clothes and mens wear, household utensils and pastries.

At least 60% of the Indias blue-collared workforce in the Middle East depends on these outlets, according to one estimate.

The impact of the nitaqat policy is already visible in Kerala.

In Malappuram and Kozhikkode districts you can see many half-built houses. Enrolment has also dropped in English-medium schools, pointed out activist and social worker Mohamad Shoaib.

He said developments in the Gulf will have a serious impact on Kerala, one of the top remittance-receiving states in India.

Foreign exchange remittances to the country have dropped in last three years. According to a World Bank report, Indias remittances were $ 68.9 billion in 2015, $ 62.7 b in 2016 and 58.8 billion in 2017.

Kerala accounts for 34% of the remittances, according to the Centre for Development Studies.

World over there is a tendency for insularisation. After the Brexit and the US Presidents America for Americans slogan, such tendencies are on rise in many other countries. We cant blame the Middle East countries only, said migration expert Dr Irudayarajan, adding it is time for the expat community to look for other alternatives.

Unlike other Gulf countries, Saudi Arabia has a large number of unemployed. According to a recent estimate carried out by the Saudi employment department, its unemployment rate is 12%, highest among the Gulf countries.

Saudi is the largest labour market in the world with 11 million foreign workers from more than 100 countries.

India contributes the largest number of workforce, mainly blue-collared, in the oil-rich country.

Of the 3.75 million Indians in Saudi Arabia, majority are from Kerala, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar, according to migration experts.
Capital market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is looking into related party transactions and alleged corporate governance lapses in Fortis group of companies promoted by Malvinder Mohan Singh and Shivinder Mohan Singh, SEBI chairman Ajay Tyagi said here.

At a briefing after SEBI boards interaction with Union finance minister Arun Jaitley, Tyagi responded to questions relating to delays in Fortis Healthcare Ltd.s results announcement for the second and third quarters of 2017-18 and on controversial related party transactions of Rs 473 crore made by subsidiary Fortis Hospitals Ltd.

We are examining that. We have also received a reference on Religare. It will be looked into, said Tyagi. Religare Enterprises Ltd. is another firm promoted by the Singh brothers and others.

Fortis had on Friday informed stock exchanges a second time since November that results could not be tabled before the companys board of directors for approval as limited review for second and third quarters of 2017-18 was in progress and that unaudited results will be presented before the Board on Tuesday. The company also told exchanges that Fortis Hospitals has deployed funds with companies in normal course of treasury operations. These entities are now part of the promoter group as of the December quarter due to shareholding changes.

The company said that these related party loans are fully secured and repayment has commenced since then.

The total value of the loans amounts to approximately Rs 473 crores, it said.

Religare had informed the exchanges on February 5 that a Delhi high court order upholding a Rs 3,500 crore arbitral award in favour of Japanese drug maker Daiichi Sankyo against the Singh brothers former company Ranbaxy Laboratories, is reasonably expected to have no direct impact on the company or its operations. Religares board of directors are expected to meet on Wednesday to consider third quarter results. The Singh brothers last Thursday quit their directorships on the board of Fortis Healthcare following the High Court decision.

Emails sent to Religare and Fortis on Saturday remained unanswered at the time of publishing.
Farooq Sattar is authorised to grant Senate election tickets to MQM-P members: ECP 10 February, 2018



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Woke Bingo ISLAMABAD/KARACHI: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) ruled on Friday that only Farooq Sattar was authorised to grant Senate election tickets to Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) members.



Nominating candidates for Senate elections is the sole right of any partys leader, and since the MQM-P is registered in Farooq Sattars name, handing out party tickets will be his call, the ECP said in response to a letter written by Rabita Committee stating that Sattar will not be given the authority to extend tickets for the election since powers to issue tickets rest with Rabita Committee, not the party chief.



Sattar told media outside his residence in PIB colony that while everyone had the right to disagree, rivals might use this situation to their advantage. He said that the person leading a party is held responsible for any loopholes. The head of a party should have powers in proportion to his or her responsibilities, he said, and added, No one should be allowed to cast doubts on my intention.



The party leadership has been expressing its concerns ever since Dr Sattar appointed Tessori deputy convener of the party. His presence is reportedly creating divisions and groupings within the party, which is in turn causing great difficulty for the MQM-Pakistan chief.



Party leader Faisal Sabzwari, in a chat with reporters on Friday, said under the party constitution, neither the convener nor any other person had the right to hand out party tickets. He said this right was the sole privilege of the Rabita Committee, which was transferring it to deputy-convener Siddiqui. The move, however, failed when the ECP later in the day ruled in Sattars favour.



When asked about the decision to write letter to the ECP, Sabzwari responded, This decision was taken when we were unable to meet Farooq Bhai (brother) at his residence last night. He said the Rabita Committee and two of its delegations went to see their estranged leader, but he did not once visit their office in Bahadurabad as a show of goodwill.



He also said that party workers were at a failure to comprehend why Kamran Tessori was so important to Sattar that he had gone to such lengths to secure a Senate ticket for him.



We do not oppose Farooq Sattars wishes, but if his wish is in direct conflict with the partys principles, then we will be unable to accept, he said.



Sabzwari also questioned the quality and the source of advice Sattar was receiving, adding that he and others wanted to reconcile but one-sided measures never worked.



Apparently hinting at implementing the minus-one formula, MQM leader Faisal Subzwari told reporters after the meeting that the party was not against Dr Sattar, but we will not accept his directive if it was in direct conflict with the partys principles.



Announcing that the party had delegated the power to give tickets to Dr Siddiqui, he said it was beyond anyones understanding as to why Dr Sattar was giving so much importance to jeweller-turned-politician Kamran Tessori.



Mr Tessori was among many candidates whose Senate nomination form was filed by the Dr Sattar-led group.



ECP spokesperson Haroon Shinwari told Dawn in Islamabad that the returning officer (RO) would take a decision on the issue at the time of scrutiny of nomination papers. The RO would decide the matter in the light of the Elections Act, 2017, Election Rules, 2017 and the constitution of the political party concerned, he added.



According to Section 201 (1)(f)(iii, iv and v) of the Elections Act, a political party shall formulate its constitution, by whatever name called, which shall include selection or nomination of party candidates for election to public offices and legislative bodies; resolution of disputes between members and political party, including issues relating to suspension and expulsion of members; and method and manner of amendments in the constitution of the political party.



Irked by the developments, Dr Sattar, who had on Thursday promised to go to the Bahadurabad headquarters at 6pm on Friday to hold a meeting there to hammer out differences, held consultations with party MNAs and MPAs at his house till late in the night and informed them about the prevailing situation.



However, not all parliamentarians belonging to the MQM were in attendance. Sources said that those present in the meeting gave Dr Sattar the mandate to nominate whosoever he wanted to for the Senate seats.



Earlier, in view of the Bahadurabad camps claim that they enjoyed the support of 90 per cent members of the coordination committee, Dr Sattar played what many considered as his trump card when he told the media that those coordination committee members who remained government employees had no right to vote and from now on they would no longer be part of the MQMs top decision-making body.



At least nine of the over four dozen members of the coordination committee are said to be government employees and all of them are supporting the Bahadurabad camp.
The Supreme Court has re-opened a 17-year-old triple murder case, in which a woman and her two children were killed in Uttar Pradesh, and set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by former CBI special director M L Sharma to probe it.

The case relates to the killing of a woman and her two children on July 24, 2001, in which an FIR was lodged at Pilakhua near Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh.

A bench comprising Justices J Chelameswar and S Abdul Nazeer ordered an SIT probe on a petition filed by the mother-in-law of the deceased woman who alleged that the Uttar Pradesh police had showed lackadaisical approach in carrying out the investigation.

The top court also noted that though the case was handed over to the CBI, the victims preferred to withdraw the case from the apex court allegedly under pressure from the accused.

Taking note of the entire facts of the case, the bench said, We are of the view that it is necessary to have a fair, honest and complete investigation.

It appointed the SIT with Sharma as its chairman and granted him the liberty to choose officers of his choice.

It is evident that the real culprits responsible for murder have not been subjected to trial, the court said.

We direct the SIT to proceed as regards further investigation...and to submit its report within a period of three months from today, the bench said.

It directed the state government to provide all logistics including travelling, boarding and lodging expenses to the members of SIT.

The triple murder case

Seema Garg, daughter-in-law of Sunita Devi, her two children were killed under mysterious circumstances on July 24, 2001. The case was lodged by her husband Nitin Garg but he was arrested by police on suspicion.

The trial court had acquitted all the accused in the triple murder case but before that on July 16, 2002, Nitin Garg was also killed under mysterious circumstances while he was on bail.

For Nitin Gargs killing also the accused persons, Sunil Kumar Bansal, Pradeep, Harish and Rinku, were acquitted by the trial court and verdict was upheld by the high court and apex court for his murder.

Sunita Devi moved the apex court for a CBI probe but the petition was withdrawn. The order directing investigation by the CBI was also withdrawn by the top court on September 5, 2014.
An attempt by militants to strike a CRPF camp was foiled on Monday in Karan Nagar area of Srinagar.

A CRPF jawan was killed in the gunfight that broke out between security forces and the militants, after the latter took shelter in a building in an under-construction house nearby.

This is one of the several attacks on the army over the past several months.

1. On February 10, Jaish-e-Mohammad militants attacked an army camp in Sunjwan area of Jammu, killing six people including five soldiers. A day later, security forces neutralised three militants holed up in the army camp.

AK-56 rifles, Under Barrel Grenade Launcher, ammunitions and grenades were seized from the militants.

Intelligence inputs had warned of an attack on army or security establishment by the JeM in view of the death anniversary of Afzal Guru who was hanged on February 9, 2013.

2. On January 15, the Army foiled a major infiltration attempt by Jaish militants along the Line of Control in Uri sector in Kashmir, killing five members of the groups suicide squad. A cache of arms, including four AK-47 rifles, three Underbarrel Grenade Launchers, 38 UBGL grenades, 23 hand grenades, nine IEDs and other war-like items, were recovered from the dead militants.

3. Last year, in a pre-dawn strike on December 31, five CRPF men were killed when heavily armed terrorists carried out a suicide attack on a camp of the paramilitary force in Pulwama district of south Kashmir. This was reportedly the first time local terrorists had carried out a suicide attack, which was claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e- Mohammed. One of the soldiers died of heart attack during the gun-battle while the other four succumbed to bullet injuries.

4. On December 4, militants opened fire on an army convoy, on its way to Srinagar, at Qazigund on Jammu-Srinagar national highway. One soldier was killed while another sustained injuries. Security forces cordoned off the area and launched a hunt for the militants. The search operation turned into an encounter with the militants. Three Lashker-e-Taiba militants, including two Pakistanis, allegedly responsible for carrying out an attack on Amarnath pilgrims in July 2017, were killed in the encounter. One militant, who had managed to flee from the encounter site, was arrested by the police from a maternity hospital in Anantnag.

5. On October 10, suspected militants attacked a Company Operating Base (COB) of the Army at Niausa in Arunachal Pradesh in the morning. No casualty or damage to property was reported in the attack, which police sources said was likely to have been carried out by NSCN(K) insurgents. A group of men fired 5-10 rounds from ineffective small firearms and lobbed a Lathode grenade at the COB at Niausa in Longding district at around 1.15 am, Kohima-based defence spokesman Col Chiranjeet Konwer said. The sentries retaliated and the attackers fled.

6. On August 26 last year, eight security forces personnel, including four CRPF jawans, were killed when a group of terrorists attacked district police lines in Pulwama, triggering an encounter in which three militants were also killed.

Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed claimed responsibility for the attack.

7. On June 16, six police personnel including, an SHO, were killed in Achabal in Anantnag district. Two civilians were also injured.

A group of militants had laid an ambush on a police party in the Achabal area. The terrorists surrounded the police party, opened fire from all directions and killed Achabal police station SHO, Feroz Ahmed Dar, and five others.

8. On June 3, militants ambushed a military convoy on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway in south Kashmirs Kulgam district, killing two soldiers and wounding four.

9. On May 4, suspected militants attacked an army convoy returning after conducting a massive search operation that involved 4,000 troopers in south Kashmirs Shopian district. A civilian was killed and three security personnel were injured in the encounter. The militants had laid an ambush and fired indiscriminately when the troops approached the village looking for militants, sources said. The troops returned the fire besides alerting other teams who laid a cordon around the spot. No arrests were made during the search operation.

10. On April 27, three soldiers including an army captain were killed when a group of militants stormed a garrison in south Kashmirs Kupwara. Two militants were also killed in the attack. The militants were believed to have crossed over from Pakistan.

(With PTI inputs)
Trouble intensified for former IPS Bharati Ghosh as the Criminal Investigation Department of the West Bengal police is visiting other states to arrest her in connection with an extortion case.

A local court in Ghatal in Midnapore district issued warrants against Ghosh and her former personal bodyguard, Sujit Mondal, on Friday. Sleuths believe that Ghosh and Mondal might be hiding in north India.

On Friday, the CID arrested inspector Subhankar De and sub inspector Chitta Pal. At the time of the alleged extortion, Pal was the officer-in-charge of Ghatal police station and De was circle inspector.

On Saturday, De and Pal were produced in court, which sent them to six days in police custody, though the CID prayed for 14.

During the day, searches were also conducted at the residence of police officer Rajsekhar Pyne, allegedly involved in the same case.

CID teams have spread out beyond the state borders for taking legal action, said a CID statement issued by deputy inspector general (operations), Nishat Parvez.

CID took up the investigation after an order by Ghatal court. Chadan Maji, resident of Daspur in West Midnapore district, filed a petition alleging extortion, intimidation and cheating in the court.

Besides the police officers, the investigative agency earlier arrested Bimal Ghorai. Pradip Rath, a former officer-in-charge of Daspur police station, has been closed (taken off duty) by the police.

In earlier searches, about Rs 40 lakh of cash and unaccounted wealth was seized from the residence of De and Rs 16 lakh cash was seized from the residence of Pal, said Parvez.

Trouble started for Bharati Ghosh, 52, when she resigned on December 27 last year following her transfer to a less important position of the commanding officer of the third battalion of the state armed police.

As former superintendent of West Midnapore district, a post that she held for six years, Ghosh was close to the chief minister, who she described in a public meeting as the mother of former Maoist-dominated areas of Bengal.

On February 6, CID issued summons to quiz Ghoshs husband M A V Raju, a chartered accountant. However, his lawyer said that ailing from multiple diseases, Raju was admitted in a hospital and could not appear for interrogation.

CID had issued a second summons for him to appear at the CID headquarters on February 10.

Over the past seven days, the sleuths have been conducting raids and searches in properties allegedly owned by Ghosh and her husband in Midnapore and Kolkata.

Cash, police files related to application for firearms and other subjects, and a number of liquor bottles were allegedly found at these addresses.

Rajmangal Singha, caretaker of an apartment in Kolkata where Ghosh has a few flats, was also arrested.

Earlier this week, a businessman from North 24 Parganas district moved court against Ghosh, alleging she and a colleague took away Rs 45 lakh from him in the name of investigation in September 2016 after a vehicle that belonged to him met with an accident in West Midnapore district.
The police have registered a case of unnatural sex and extortion against a self-styled Muslim godman and two of his associates in Kotas Kaithoon town, police said.

Police have registered the case of against Hakeem Baba (35) and his two associates, Liyakat Ali (40) and Murtaza Ali (34) at the Kaithoon police station following the orders of a local court after a victim approached the court with a complaint against the trio, said circle inspector Pushpendra Ahra.

The 35-year-old male victim, property dealer, in his complaint, alleged that he came under the influence of Hakeem Baba, a resident of Bheempura village in Kotas Kanwas region, more than eight years back, Ahra said quoting the complaint.

The victim in his complaint said, Liaqat Ali and Murtaza called him to the native village of Hakeem Baba more than six months back and served him a spiked drink and later Hakeem Baba allegedly had unnatural sex with him.

The two associates of the Hakeem Baba recorded the sexual act on video and extorted  35 lakh from the victim, threatening to make the video public on social media platforms, the victim said in the complaint.

A case of unnatural sex, extortion, threat to life and cheating has been lodged against Hakeem Baba and his two associates, Ahra said.

No arrests have been made in the case until now as police are investigating the case, he said.
A gang of thieves opened fire after a failed bid to burgle a house in Rajasthans Bundi district, leading to the death of a 24-year-old man, police said Saturday.

The incident took place Friday night and Mohammad Raheem, a civil engineer by profession, died in a hospital during treatment Saturday morning.

Raheems father Mohammad Ayyub lodged a complaint at Talera police station based on which an FIR has been registered.

According to sub-inspector Khemraj Meena of Talera police station, 5-6 members of the gang tried to break into Ayyubs house in Shivaji Nagar area Friday night. Hearing some noise, the father-son duo came out of the house forcing the thieves to flee from the spot.

Raheem gave a chase to the thieves upon which they opened fire. Rahim suffered bullet injury in head and was rushed to Maharao Bhim Singh Hospital in Kota, from where he was taken to a private hospital in the city, the police official said, adding that he died this morning.

A case under Section 302 (murder) of IPC has been lodged against unidentified persons.

Efforts were underway to nab the gang members, the SHO said. Bundi Superintendent of Police Yogesh Yadav visited the spot today.
A Brahmin outfit that raised objections to the film Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi, called off its protest on Saturday after written assurance from the producer that there was no distortion of history in the movie.

The producer also held a press conference here with the representatives of the Sarv Brahmin Mahashaba to allay their apprehensions.

On February 5, Suresh Mishra, the national president of the organisation had alleged that the film distorts history regarding Lakshmi Bai, the nineteenth century queen of Jhansi, and also depicts a love affair between her and a British man.

Producer Kamal Jains letter, addressed to Mishra, states that the producers have not distorted the history and there is no romantic song or sequence with the Britishers in the film. In addition, they have not referred to Jayshree Mishra or any other writers who wrote degrading information on Rani Lakshmibai, it said.

Producer Kamal Jain hand over the letter Brahmin Mahasabhas Suresh Mishra in Jaipur on Saturday. (HT Photo)

Mishra had earlier shot letters to Jain enquiring about the writers of the film, profile of the historian consulted and details of songs in the film, if there are any. Laxmi Bai was a Brahmin and therefore the organisation and community had queries concerning the film, Mishra had written to Jain.

We are making the film, Manikarnika, with a great passion and huge respect towards the great woman who is unmatchable in her reputation, Jains response to Mishra read.

Mr Vijayendra Prasad of Bahubali and Bajrangi Bhaijaan fame has researched with a huge team and written the story after consulting a good number of scholars and historians. Respected Prasoon Joshi ji is penning the dialogues and lyrics of the film, it added.

Reacting to the assurance letter from the producers, Mishra said that the whole issue has got a good closure. We withdraw our protests. And they have assured us in writing, so if they err in future, we can always rebut them, said Mishra.

In the past year, Sanjay Leela Bhansalis film Padmaavat had drawn a sustained protest from Rajput outfits, which alleged that the film distorted history regarding fourteenth century Chittor queen Padmini.
A school bus attendant was arrested in Kolkata on Saturday for alleged sexual harassment of a class nine student on the premises of the Bengali-medium educational institution, the second such incident within two days in the capital of West Bengal.

Acting on a complaint lodged by the victim, the police arrested Malay Barua, the bus attendant, on Saturday morning. The school has its own fleet of buses.

The complaint was recorded at Rabindra Sarobar Police Station on Friday evening. Sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act were slapped against Barua.

The alleged crime took place inside the premises of the Kamala Girls High School on February 8.

Malay uncle (the bus attendant) misbehaved with me. I asked him why he was doing it. He asked me to keep quiet and warned that if I revealed it to anybody I would suffer more. Malay uncle used to travel with us in the same school bus, the student told the media.

A classmate of the victim confirmed the incident.

My friend shouted when uncle misbehaved. I rushed to her. But before she could tell me anything, Malay uncle told us not to tell anybody or else the situation would get worse, she said.

The school authorities said they will decide what action to take against the accused at a meeting on Monday.

We are yet to verify the veracity of the allegation. However, ensuring the safety of our students is our top priority and we will do it, Sheela Sarkar, teacher-in-charge of the school said. It is a type of incident that we come across even in some families, she added.

Police on Friday arrested Soumen Rana, a dance teacher at Carmel Primary School, for alleged sexual abuse of a class 2 student over several months. Rana was sent to police custody for three days by a city court on Saturday.

After the sexual abuse came to light, angry parents demanding action against the accused teacher gathered in front of the school in Deshapriya Park in south Kolkata on Friday. They also alleged that there are no closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras inside the campus and questioned the presence of male teachers in a school meant only for girls.

Two police officers, including the officer-in-charge of Tollygunge police station, were injured in a scuffle with the agitating parents. One person was arrested on charges of assaulting policemen during the agitation.

We will ensure such things never take place again. Please help us run the school smoothly. Unless you cooperate with us, we cannot run the school, said sister Shilpa on behalf of the authorities of Carmel Primary School on Saturday.

She said classes will resume from Monday.
Bangladeshs most-wanted terror duo, Salahuddin Salehin and Jahidul Islam alias Bomaru Mizan, who have rewards declared by both India and Bangladesh authorities for information on them, have founded an India chapter of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), an outfit banned by Indias eastern neighbour.

The new chapter is named Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen India (JMI).

Read: Another JMB suspect nabbed in Bengal, arms and explosives recovered

According to an interview that Salehin gave to its media wing Sahm Al Hind, he has been described as amir (chief) of JMB. Bomaru Mizan, known in India as Kausar, is his close associate.

We are working to ensure that Hindustan, too, turns into a centre for Hijrat (migration for religious battle) and Jihad, so that we, as the people of India, can play a major role in the foundation of the next caliphate, Salehin said in the interview that is being circulated online.

The reason I am giving this interview is that we have been able to manage to build the organisation afresh to a certain extent, he added.

Read: Bangladeshs terror elements cross over to Bengal for safety

Muralidhar Sharma, deputy commissioner of police heading the Special Task Force of Kolkata Police - which recently nabbed six alleged JMB operatives - said that he was unaware of Salehins interview.

We started from Bangladesh but have now spread. Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen India is an example. Work is progressing elsewhere as well, Salehin added.

Officers of Kolkata Police STF, who arrested five JMB elements for alleged connection with the January 19 Bodh Gaya blast, is quizzing them to obtain information about Salehin and Mizan.

Read: Bangladesh terrorist came to Bengal in 2005 to set up JMB network

A senior leader of JMB right since its foundation in 2001, Salehin criticised the Syria-based Islamic State (IS), making it clear that he follows Al Qaeda, JMBs original role model.

In the interview he also spoke of Ghzwat ul Hind, which means the conquest of India.

In February 2014, Salehin, 41, and Mizan, 38, were freed during an ambush on a prison van carrying them at Trishal in Mymensingh district of Bangladesh. They await death sentence in Bangladesh and are believed to be hiding in India since their escape, according to an officer working with a central intelligence agency who did not wish to be identified.

Read: Bengal jails tighten security around Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen cadres after Bhopal jail break

Both Salehinn and Mizan are also named in Khagragarh blast in Burdwan district of West Bengal that exposed a flourishing JMB network in India according to investigation by Indias National Investigation Agency (NIA).

NIA declared rewards of Rs 5 lakh for credible information leading to each. Bangladeshs Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit (CCTU) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police also announced rewards of 5 lakh Bangladeshi Taka on both.

Salehin is also known by the aliases of Sunny, Hafizur Rehman Sheikh and Mahin. He hails from Narayanganj district of Bangladesh.

Read: Bangladesh kills 11 Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen members in 3 separate raids

In India, his address till the Khagragarh blast was Nimra village, Kirnahar, Birbhum district of West Bengal.

Mizan hails from Jamalpur districts Khalifapara, the native village of JMBs founder chief Sheikh Abdur Rehman. A first-batch operative, he headed JMBs explosive wing from 2006 till his arrest in 2009.

After crossing over to India, the duo teamed up with other JMB associates hiding in West Bengal, and started building up a base in Bengal, Assam and Jharkhand.

In the interview Sulehin also criticised a section of JMB operatives in Bangladesh  often referred to as Nobyo JMB or neo JMB  that owed allegiance to IS and took part in operations such as the attack at Holey Artisan bakery in Dhaka on July 1, 2016.

Twenty persons, including foreigners, were killed before the police could eliminate five terrorists.
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Friday made it clear that only a court verdict would be accepted in the ongoing Babri Masjid-Ram Janambhoomi matter pending before the Supreme Court.

There is no change in our stand. Only SC verdict in the case will be acceptable to the board. We had made our position clear in April also soon after the SC suggested that attempts should be made at for a negotiated settlement. Our position remains the same, said AIMPLB secretary and spokesperson Zafaryab Jilani.

His statement comes a day after Maulana Salman Nadwi, a member of the AIMPLBs executive committee along with some other Muslims, met Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in Bangalore to explore an out-of-court settlement of the dispute.

We have never turned down any offer for talks from Hindu parties to the dispute but always requested that the offer for mutual settlement should be just and practical. But we were always told that the Muslims should give up their claim on the land and mosque, said a statement issued by the AIMPLB.

A mosque cannot be a subject of negotiation. Once a mosque, always a mosque and nobody has any right under the Shariat (Islamic laws) to give it away for worship of another religion, said the statement.

Hence, the board has decided to go by only the apex courts verdict in the matter. Whatever the decision, no party should view it as its victory or loss in the case, the board said.

The religious body, however, refrained from commenting on Maulana Salman Nadwis meeting with Ravi Shankar, perhaps because the Nadwa cleric is a kin of board president Maulana Rabey Hasani Nadwi.

Though AIMPLB is not a party to the case, it has been spearheading and bearing the expenses of the court battle for the past several years now. Maulana Salman Nadwi, too, had also made it clear on Thursday that a negotiated settlement would only be possible if a consensus was arrived at with all parties to the dispute, including UP Sunni Central Waqf Board, Jamait-e-Ulema as well as AIMPLB.

Jilani said this was not the first time the Art of Living founder had offered to mediate on the issue. He had met us in New Delhi several years ago. More recently, he had again sent an invite for a meeting in Lucknow in November last year but we had expressed our inability to attend as such negotiations have no meaning now, he said.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath stressed on connecting people with wildlife and environment protection. He said, If participation of local people is not ensured then scores of Veerappan would emerge thus endangering jungles and wild animals.

The chief minister was at Florican village, Tiger Haven in Kheri to inaugurate the three-day long International Bird Festival jointly organised by UP forest department, UP eco-tourism and FICCI. The festival would conclude on Sunday.

Describing Dudhwa National Park (UP) as one with immense eco-tourism potential, Yogi Adityanath observed, Its promotion and well-planned development through public cooperation would not only protect the reserve but provide local employment.

The chief minister directed authorities to chalk out projects to develop all the 38 identified spots in UP, which have possibilities of tourism including spiritual tourism, heritage tourism and eco-tourism. He asked the forest officials to include locals in each development project. There are 38 places for eco-tourism and each year 4 or 5 can be developed that will also to generate jobs, he said adding: But include locals in such planning. If you behave like an enemy with locals then Veerappans will be born at several places.

He further said special efforts will be made to develop market for handicraft made by local Tharu tribe. We have made solar electricity facility at several places. Here (in Dudhwa), if required cables can be put across the forest and also schools based upon system of ashrams will be built, said the CM and added further villages around Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, where people from Tharu tribe live, will soon get electricity.

Flanked by forest minister Dara Singh Chauhan and minister of state Upendra Tewari, Yogi Adityanath released two wildlife books on Dudhwa Tiger Reserve including a coffee book and eco-circuit board besides inaugurating a wildlife documentary on Dudhwa by Green Oscar winner Mike Pandey and another on Indian cranes. He also felicitated wild documentary maker Mike Hargovind Pandey and British ornithologist Tim Appelton their contribution to wildlife.

In his 38-minute long address, the chief minister focused on eco-tourism and made no political statement.

Appealing people to keep close to nature for a happy and tension-free life, Yogi Adityanath lauded Dudhwa National Park and described it next to South African wildlife sanctuary in terms of rich bird population. Yet this aspect of Dudhwa was never promoted, he said.

Voicing concern over the poor condition of UP tourism department guest house (Tiger Den), poor road connectivity to Dudhwa and unused Palia airstrip, Yogi directed forest officials to connect Pilibhit and Dudhwa Tiger Reserves to boost tourism and subsequent employment generation.

THARU HANDICRAFT PROMOTION

Yogi Adityanath has assured to promote Tharu handicraft and to provide a market for their products. He said, Under one district-one product scheme in Kheri, Tharu handicraft would be promoted.

REVIVAL OF SUHELI RIVER

The chief minister voiced grave concern over the Suheli river, which passes through Dudhwa. He said siltation had led to the Suheli going dry. He instructed the district administration to coordinate with forest department to ensure desiltation to revive the river. He also directed them to carry out plantation on either side of the river.

AIRSTRIP REVIVAL

Yogi Adityanath, while stressing on proper road connectivity through two lane and four lane roads, suggested to engage 25-seater helicopters to make Palia airstrip operational that would boost tourism. Yogi also instructed authorities to have discussions with Kheri MPs and legislatures to explore possibilities about setting up an institute in the region to prepare nature guides. He also asked them to engage people to have tourists at their homes as paying guests to boost tourism as well as to improve livelihood.

PENDING CANE DUES

Pending cane dues of farmers left the chief minister worried. Yogi said he had spoken to the concerned officials and groups recently to clear pending cane dues. He also advised cane farmers to set up mini crushers to make molasses, which sold at high price than sugar.
Pak-Afghan fencing to complete by 2019 10 February, 2018



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Hand Wash and Toiletries in Pakistan And the Role of DUPAS in Reshaping the Industry

Woke Bingo MIRANSHAH: Undeterred by cross-border attacks and braving the inhospitable weather in the rugged terrain, Pakistan Army is determined to complete the border fortification process by the end of 2019.



During a media briefing held in Katon Fort at Ghulam Khan border area adjoining Afghanistans Khost province, a senior official of Pak Army said that work on fortification and management of Pak-Afghan border will be complete by December 2019.



Elucidating the border management process, another senior official while briefing media representatives at the Miranshah Division Headquarters explained that the components of border management process entailed fortification of the Pak-Afghan border with outposts, building fence along the 2,611 km long border, capacity building of FC for efficient oversight of crossings and establishment of border terminals and legal crossing points along the border.



In addition to these steps, army was taking a number of measures for initiation and proficient implementation of social development projects in FATA, especially in the North Waziristan Agency.



Border fencing: Pak Army initiated work on constructing fence along the 2,611 km long border between Pakistan and Afghanistan in early 2017 with an anticipated budget of Rs 56 billion (USD 505 million).



So far, around 160 km fence has already been erected while another 400 km is planned to be built till the end of 2018. The rest will be completed till the end of 2019.



The border fence consists of a pair of 10-foot tall wire trellis, with a six-foot gap in between filled and topped with razor wire. This will effectively prevent miscreants cross border from the either side, said the commanding officer. In a briefing in 2017, however, the army officials had told the media that the deadline for completing the fence was December 2018. Answering a question about delay, the official said that it was due to some unforeseen conditions including the weather. In the earlier briefing, media was told that of total 2611 km border, only 2400 km was fence-able, but now army was all set to fence the entire border.



Border fortification: In addition to the border fencing, army is all set to build a total of 750 forts and outposts along the border, of which 140 have been already completed while 15 are currently under construction. To a question about comparative number of posts built by Pakistan and Afghanistan, the commanding officer said that the current ratio was 7:1, with number of Pakistans establishments at 1126 while along the same stretch of border, Afghanistan had only 145 posts. In the Dewagar Sector alone, the number of posts manned by Pakistans Toochi Scouts was currently 93, while Afghanistans number along the same stretch was only 11 (making the ratio 8:1 in that sector).



It was noted that the visible Afghan posts on the Khost side were built in clusters, while the density of posts on Pakistan side of Ghulam Khan border was such that all the posts were at least 500 metres apart.



Technical monitoring of border: In addition to the fencing and fortification, Pak Army is installing high-efficiency equipment for technical monitoring of the border. This equipment includes underground sensors to detect any movements, PTZ cameras with long-range zoom alongside multiple displays at different headquarters, solar lights and dual communication system. The reporters were shown high-quality display of multiple border posts at the divisional headquarters.



Capacity building of FC: Forces deployed along the Pak-Afghan border are being reinforced with the establishment of new wings and units. In 2017, 14 new wings of FC were raised while another is being established this year. A wing constitutes around 850 troops.



Border crossing points: Multiple crossing points are being opened this year and more are planned for the next year too. Ghulam Khan terminal, which is the third largest crossing point after Chaman and Torkham, was closed in 2014 shortly after the Zarb-e-Azb operation started. Last year it was announced that the terminal would be opened by the end of 2017, which could not happen. During the briefing, however, the commanding officer said that the terminal would be opened by the end of February.



Development works in FATA: A total of 550 development projects have been completed in FATA so far. These include 266 vocational training schools for women, 147 schools for girls and boys, 17 health centres, 67 markets, five veterinary hospitals, 13 roads and 27 mosques. In addition to it, around 768 public support projects have been initiated including a youth employment initiative that is expected to enroll 14,000 youngsters with an additional 5,000 to be placed for overseas employment and 1500 for the newly created vacancies in the Army Public Schools. A de-radicalisation initiative involves 3,080 people, including 118 women. The farmers, the officials said, were being trained for value-added farming and modern farming techniques to increase the produce and prevent wastage of natural resources. Other initiatives include modernisation of cottage industry, livestock management, introducing modern apiculture, technical education and facilitating small and medium enterprises. To a question, a senior officer said that the rumours about landmines killing civilians in North Waziristan were absolutely fabricated, as all the mines were in the border areas and not in the populated residential areas. These mines have either been already cleared or have been marked to prevent human loss, he said. To another question, the official said that the collective punishment practice has been shunned completely and the rumours about the demolition of marketplaces were false, being spread to create a wedge between the people and the armed forces. These are our people and we are here to protect them, not to destroy them, he said. It was noted during a tour of Miranshah that the villages along the road seemed empty without any signs of life in clusters of mud houses. However, around a dozen of men were seen in the compound of a mosque visible from the road. The central bus terminal of Miranshah was still under construction while several pickup vehicles were seen parked at a crossing in the city. The markets were deserted with not even a single soul visible. Few men were seen working on a construction site, however.



With such a sight of desertedness, it was a pleasant surprise to see the well-managed fields with different crops including the cash crops like wheat. To a question, the official said that the former inhabitants keep coming to till their lands, although they havent yet returned to their homes to live here. Around 91% of TDPs have returned to their homes, while the rest are either in Afghanistan waiting for permission from Afghan authorities to return or are from villages like Machis that were most notorious for presence of foreign militants before Zarb-e-Azb. Pak Army has lost many jawaans in clearing these villages and hopes that the TDPs would return here soon, the official said.
The Uttar Pradesh government on Friday turned down the oppositions demand for a judicial probe by a sitting judge of Allahabad high court into Kasganj violence. The government, however, declared that special investigation team (SIT) will conduct the probe into incident that had claimed a life.

After repeated adjournments minister for parliamentary affairs Suresh Khanna made this announcement. He added that Tiranga Yatra was a regular feature at Kasganj for several years and refusal of crowd at Baddupur crossing to make way for the yatra was the main reason for the violence, which was not communal.

Earlier, the Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Congress members staged a walkout saying only a judicial probe would reveal the truth as police will not work in an impartial manner.

Leader of opposition Ram Govind Chaudhary had raised the issue in the state assembly soon after the house assembled at 11 am and urged the speaker to allow him to speak on Kasganj communal violence. Other opposition members supported him. Speaker Hridaya Narain Dixit assured them that he would take up the issue after obituary references listed on agenda after question hour.

Speaking on admissibility of motion later Chaudhary, BSP leader Lalji Verma and Congress Legislature Party leader Ajay Kumar Lallu spoke about the incidents that took place in Kasganj on January 26, and said the arson and violence there took place under police protection and he had CDs showing this. He said a group of youth on motor cycles leading Tiranga Yatra had reached Baddunagar crossing where the Republic Day flag hoisting programme was being organised. He said the youths asked people present there to shout Vande Matram and Jai Sri Ram and started beating them. He said the youths returned after speaking to their chief and indulged in violence. A youth died in firing there. It appeared that the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal had planned to incite communal violence there, he said.

SP member Nitin Agarwal demanded a CBI probe into the incident. Later, Congress members also entered the well of the house to protest the governments point that no permission was taken for hoisting flag at Baddupur crossing.
After the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) turned down the recommendation of Gau Sewa Ayog to set up cow shelters on its compounds, the home department has devised an alternative plan of setting up guashalas in prisons across UP, officials said.

Cow shelters already running in at least 12 prisons Principal secretary, home and prisons, Arvind Kumar said the state police top brass earlier discussed the recommendations of Gau Sewa Ayog (cow welfare commission) seeking gaushalas on PAC battalions premises and forwarded it to heads of the departments concerned but they did not find it feasible. In reply to Gau Sewa Ayogs recommendation, the home department suggested that cow shelters can be set up in prisons across the state. Prisons have adequate space and manpower to manage it, another senior official in the home department said. Cow shelters are already running in at least 12 prisons which include district jails in Barabanki, Sultanpur, Sitapur, Bareilly, Unnao and Agra and central jails in Varanasi, Fatehgarh, Agra, Bareilly and Naini (Allahabad) besides modern jail in Lucknow.

Principal secretary, home and prisons, Arvind Kumar said the state police top brass earlier discussed the recommendations of Gau Sewa Ayog (cow welfare commission) seeking gaushalas on PAC battalions premises and forwarded it to heads of the departments concerned but they did not find it feasible.

In reply to Gau Sewa Ayogs recommendation, the home department suggested that cow shelters can be set up in prisons across the state. Prisons have adequate space and manpower to manage it, another senior official in the home department said.

Authorities at most of the 69 prisons in the state have shown interest in setting up cow shelters on their premises, he said.

Veterinary officer, Gau Sewa Ayog, Dr Pradeep (goes by his first name), said: We had earlier forwarded a letter seeking cow shelters on the premises of PAC battalions but the proposal was not accepted. We have been informed that more cow shelters will come up in prisons. It is a welcome decision.

Cow shelters are already running in at least 12 prisons which include district jails in Barabanki, Sultanpur, Sitapur, Bareilly, Unnao and Agra and central jails in Varanasi, Fatehgarh, Agra, Bareilly and Naini (Allahabad) besides modern jail in Lucknow.

As the Bharatiya Janata Party government, led by chief minister Yogi Adityanath, is showing keen interest in cow welfare schemes in UP, Gau Sewa Ayog has gained prominence. The commission is being headed by retired IAS officer Rajiv Gupta.

Kumar said PAC battalions were already burdened with work and had shortage of manpower. He said the idea would be implemented after more personnel were recruited.

In November last year, Gau Sewa Ayog had written to the home department and the director general of police (DGP) headquarters seeking support for promotion of cow welfare activities.

The proposal was, however, turned down by the DGP headquarters. In December, Gau Sewa Ayog again wrote to the home and the DGP headquarters but the proposal was turned down for the second time in January by the PAC authorities.
Tholi Prema

Director: Venky Atluri

Cast: Varun Tej, Raashi Khanna, Suhasini Mani Ratnam, Priyadarshi Pulikonda and Hyper Aadi

Rating:3.5/5

Venky Atluris Tholi Prema, a deeply emotional story of first love, is one of those films that leave a sweet fragrance with even long after you walk out of the cinema hall. It takes a lot for a first time director to make a love story, within the quintessential rom-com template followed in mainstream cinema, and yet, succeed in giving audiences the feeling of watching something fresh, something which is not a rehashed product.

The plot revolves Aditya (Varun) and Varsha (Raashi) and how they fall in love and fall out of it, only to eventually reunite. The story explores love and separation in three stages in the lives of the lead couple.

Telugu industry has had several coming-of-age love stories over the years but nothing, in recent memory, left a lasting impact like Tholi Prema. It is film that deals with love and separation in the most mature fashion. While the beginning of the film is slightly underwhelming, the tone does get serious once the story shifts to college, and then to London.

Varun and Raashi are like a house on fire. They are terrific in their respective roles, playing their parts convincingly and with maturity. After a long time, it was amazing to see Raashi in a meaningful role and not in one that expects her to merely look glamorous.

Theres so much to like in Tholi Prema, and it marks the arrival of a filmmaker who needs to be watched out for.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

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The Mumbai crime branch on Saturday arrested two persons including a shop owner in south Mumbai for allegedly making forged government documents like Aadhaar card, PAN card, voter identification card and several other government documents. The police recovered from the accused several documents along with electronic equipment and government rubber stamps that were used to prepare the forged documents.

The arrested accused have been identified as Sunil Rambahadur Chaudhary, 29, and Attaullah Malik, 24. Both were produced in the court on Saturday and remanded in police custody till February 15. The police said Chaudhary, a school dropout, came to Mumbai in 2012 from his native Bihar in search of employment. He did odd jobs at several places before renting a shop in Swastik House, situated in Masjid Bander, in 2016. Chaudhary allegedly started making forged government documents at his shop with the help of agents. Malik worked in Chaudharys shop and helped him prepare fake documents, a police official said.

Unit 2 of the crime branch raided Chaudharys shop on Friday, after it received a tip-off. They seized, among others, 71 PAN cards, six laminated voter id cards, 10 Aadhaar cards, 234 blank smartcard driving licenses, four blank ATM cards, five Master and Visa cards of different banks, 10 rubber stamps of government departments and fake documents of government offices. The police also seized an eye and finger scanner, which were used to make fake Aadhaar cards, three scanner printers and three hard discs from the shop.

The accused use to charge Rs2,000 to make a fake Aadhaar card, Rs800 to 1,000 for PAN card, Rs10,000 for driving license and Rs1,000 for voter id card, said police inspector Prashant Raje of unit 2. We have been questioning the accused and chances are that more people are involved in the case and we will arrest them soon, he said.
A 27-year-old man was killed after he intervened in a fight to save his friend in Dharavi on Friday afternoon. The police have arrested the accused and a juvenile has been sent to a childrens remand home.

Arbaaz Sayyed, 19, was with his friends- Yasin Ansari, 27, and a juvenile - near Kavle chawl on Wednesday night when Ahmed approached them.

Ahmed allegedly confronted Sayyed and picked a fight with him over a two-day old dispute. Ansari, who was standing next to Sayyed intervened to stop the fight, said Suryakant Bangar, senior inspector at Dharavi police station.

During the fight, Ahmed and his accomplice Wasim stabbed Ansari with a sharp weapon.

The juvenile, who also allegedly intervened, was injured.

The police have registered a case of murder against Ahmed.A cross-case has been registered against Sayyed and the juvenile for assaulting the men. The injured men will be arrested once they are discharged from the hospital, said officials.
In a letter to the state government, town planners have strongly objected to the states decision of allowing 0.5 additional floor space index (FSI) in the island city on the payment of a premium.

FSI, which determines the height of a building, is the ratio of the total built-up area to the plot size.

The additional FSI will benefit a handful of developers and has been falsely proposed under the guise of public interest, said planners. It will also worsen the quality of life in the island city for want of adequate infrastructure, they said.

The Urban Design Research Institute (UDRI), a group of town planners, has termed the move a disintegrated approach when the citys Development Plan (DP) 2034 is in the final stages of approval. In contrast to the new regulation, DP allows an additional FSI of 0.34 in the island city on the payment of a premium.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had promised to release the long-pending DP in March.

The Maharashtra government issued a notification in January to amend the development control rules (DCR) and granted additional 0.5 FSI in the island city on the payment of a premium.

As the move will result in more vertical growth, experts said that it will further burden infrastructure. Pankaj Joshi, executive director of UDRI, said, While they have suggested such a dramatic increase in FSI, there is no talk about how they will provide for supporting infrastructure. Instead of larger public interest, this move will further deteriorate quality of life in Mumbai.

The notification was issued under section 37 (1AA) of the Maharashtra Regional Town Planning (MRTP) Act, which allows the government to modify the DP in case of an urgency and for larger public interest. A senior official from the state government said that all suggestions and objections will be considered before the final notification is issued.

The government has also decided that the additional FSI premium will be used for projects such as Dharavi redevelopment and Bandra-Versova Sea Link. The funding generated by densifying an area should ideally be used to provide additional amenities in the same area, Joshi added.
After cancelling licences of three functional dance bars in Mumbai for their failure to furnish fresh fire-compliance certificates, the Mumbai police have turned their focus on orchestra bars.

The polices headquarters (II) branch, which issues the Premises License (PL) to orchestra bars to conduct business, has asked 294 orchestra bars in the city to furnish fresh No Objection Certificates (NoCs), or audit reports, from the fire brigade as a prerequisite to renew their licenses. Orchestra bars licences come up for renewal every year, and costs Rs2,000.

Sources in the police said the move comes in the wake of the devastating Kamala Mills fire, which claimed 14 lives and left dozens others injured in December 2017, a consequence of the lack of fire audits and non-compliance of fire safety norms.

The condition has been imposed on orchestra bars keeping in mind that the NoCs submitted by these establishments are old and outdated, submitted when they first applied for the licence, in many cases almost two decades ago.

The Kamala Mills fire has made it imperative that we revisit all establishments, including orchestra bars, and check their fire-safety compliance status in order that we avoid such mishaps, said a senior police official.

Sachin Patil, deputy commissioner of police, HQ II, made it clear that fresh fire compliance certificates are mandatory for renewal of orchestra bar licences.

During a recent evaluation, the police found that in many cases, orchestra bars have continued to use the fire NoCs given to the establishments in whose place they have come up. The fire NoC given to an orchestra bar has to be specific to the orchestra bar, and not, for example, to the barber shop that was there earlier. The dynamics of fire safety arrangements are different for different places, Patil said, adding that such orchestra bars have been asked to furnish fresh establishment-specific NoC from the fire brigade.

Orchestra bars that already have establishment-specific NoCs must submit a fire audit certificate issued by the municipal corporation, along with their licence renewal application. As per Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) rules, all business establishments have to undergo a mandatory audit by the fire brigade every six months. Following the audit, the BMC issues a fire compliance certificate.

Earlier this week, on Wednesday, the police cancelled the licences of the only three functional dance bars in the city  two in Andheri and one in Tardeo  after they failed to furnish fresh NoCs from the fire brigade despite reminders in the past one year. The dance bars had been granted conditional licences, following a 2016 Supreme Court order during the course of a protracted hearing on a petition filed by the dance bar association challenging the state governments blanket ban on dance bars in 2005.

Orchestra bars, where the performance is limited to singing and playing music, survived the state government ban and have continued to operate in Mumbai. In fact, many of the erstwhile dance bars had morphed into orchestra bars, following the ban.
Planning to visit Mantralaya for some work? It may not be so easy now as the state government plans several measures to restrict the entry of visitors, in the light of the recent spate of suicide attempts in and around the state secretariat. The government also plans to increase security and install safety nets in the building.

On Thursday, a 44-year-old murder convict committed suicide by jumping off the fifth floor of the building, prompting the government to take preventive action. Four suicide attempts have taken place in and around Mantralaya in the last one month, leading to two deaths. The Opposition has slammed the government, dubbing Mantralaya as suicide point.

On Friday, a day after the suicide, more security personnel were seen on each of the seven floors of the building. In some cases, visitors were not allowed to sit in the area adjacent to the railings.

Maharashtra chief secretary Sumit Mullick said the home department has been asked to prepare a plan to prevent and keep a check on such incidents. We are looking at various measures, including the Delhi model, where people are allowed only if they have an appointment. Another plan is to put up an administrative desk outside the main building for people who want to drop in their letters, Mullick said,

Installing safety nets on the first floor, similar to one outside an under-construction high-rise building, too is under consideration. Screening is not a fool-proof solution. It is unfortunate that people take such steps, and a string of incidents have happened here. Installing nets is an option. The home department will come up with a detailed plan in a few days, said another senior bureaucrat.

Foxconn, the Chinese electronics manufacturing company, which faced a spate of suicides by its employees, erected safety nets around its factories in Shenzhen, China to prevent such incidents.

Raote didnt seek remittance of jail term

A day after Harshal Raote committed suicide by jumping off the fifth floor of the high-security Mantralaya, senior official on Friday said Raote did not submit any application to remit his jail term. Raote was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering his sister-in-law, Suvarna Kadam, in 2003. Raote had served 12-and-a-half years in prison and was lodged at the open prison in Paithan, officials said.

Senior bureaucrats said the process of remittance begins after the convict has served 12 or 13 years. But in his case, it was a crime against woman, and the guidelines dont allow such crimes to be viewed with leniency. In such cases, the remittance procedure begins after the convict has served close to 20 years, said a senior bureaucrat said requesting anonymity.
The special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Friday directed the prosecution to expedite the trial in a 25 year old bank fraud case registered in 1993 against two accused. Noting that the papers of the case are already torn, the court directed the prosecution to begin the trial from March 20.

The court order came when one of the accused Dhairyasheel Jagtap,75, a retired bank manager, broke down before the court on Friday and sought that the trial be expedited.

Jagtap worked as a branch manager with Bank of Maharashtra  Napean Sea Road branch between 1986 and 1988. It was alleged that people belonging the companies of Jayantilal Group conspired with the bank officials and had projected inflated figures of the creditworthiness of the companies represented by them. They later secured more loan from the bank than they were entitled to.

According to the case, the CBI had registered a cheating case against four companies and two of their directors in 1996 for cheating the bank. Later, four bank officials were also made accused in the case. So far, the four companies and directors have been discharged from the case. Out of the four bank officials, two have died.

As a result only two accused are facing trial, one being Jagtap and the other being MS Fadnis (70). It is stated that after Jagtap, Fadnis worked as branch manager between 1988 and 1990.

When the case came up for hearing on Friday, Fadnis lawyer told the court that they have approached the Bombay high court for quashing the case and pleaded that the case be adjourned. Hearing this, Jagtap broke down and pleaded that as there is no stay from the high court, trial should begin.

Jagtap claimed that bank officials who had clean past records have been made victims in the case. He further pleaded that ever since they were implicated in the case, they had lost everything and are suffering great hardship.

After hearing Jagtaps pleas, the court observed that, The merit of the case is altogether a different aspect. Same cannot be influenced by their submissions as such. Still it cannot be ignored that almost 25 valuable years of their life had gone in continuously climbing the steps of the court when even the first witness has not been examined till date.

The judge, who took over charge of the special CBI court only by last month, noted that perusal of the record of the case shows that most of the papers submitted in the court were photocopies. The court stated that the CBI counsel were not present even to inform about the availability of original records.

The court has now asked the agency to take further necessary steps within a month. It asked the CBI to trace the complainant in the case and begin the trial from March 20.
The district administration started a series of demolition drives at a 10-acre mangrove patch near Yari Road in Versova on Friday.

Mumbai suburban collector Deependra Singh Kushwa said that of the 180-odd shanties that had been identified, 65 were removed on Friday. The next demolition drive is slotted for Wednesday, and all shanties will be removed by the weekend, he said.

We acted on complaints from residents and newspaper reports, which noted the presence of illegal settlements along the Versova creek. My officers and I visited the site last month and found that the Environment Protection Act, 1986, had been violated. Such incidents will not be tolerated, said Kushwa.

He added that restoration activity will be taken up along the creek upon the completion of the drive.

on January 18,19 and 25, Hindustan Times had reported on the complaints raised by the residents regarding recurring fires at the mangrove patch on private land. HT reporters, who visited the site on January 20, found that the shanties have electric supply, direct-to-home television services, and mobile toilets. The shanty owners told the reporters that they do not pay rent and are protected by local politicians who they vote for every election.

The Yari Road Bachao group, comprising mostly residents, had alleged that the mangroves were being burnt to construct houses and fire outbreaks had become a recurring feature. The shanty owners, however, denied setting fire to mangroves.

Residents welcomed the demolition drive, but are skeptical about encroachments resurfacing in the area. Yari Road resident Suneet Gandhi, along with others, visited the site on Saturday and noted that some of the shanties are being rebuilt.

Burning mangrove trees and tyres, and dumping rubble had become a health hazard for residents as the smell and the smoke was reducing the air quality of the area. We look forward to this not repeating in the future, said Gandhi.

Another resident Sameer Kapoor, who has been communicating with the collector and mangrove cell, said, We hope that these encroachments do not come up again. The district administration needs to barricade the area and ensure speedy restoration of the buffer zone from the creek. We will keep following up on the matter until it is resolved.

Mangroves, which are deemed to be highly ecologically sensitive, harbour a variety of flora and fauna and protect the city from coastal inundation. Destruction of mangroves is illegal under the Environment Protection Act, 1986. It declares mangrove patches as Coastal Regulation Zones, restricting the discharge of untreated water and industrial effluents, dumping of waste, land reclamation and bunding.Acting on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by NGO Bombay Environment Action Group, the Bombay High Court banned construction activity within 50 metres of mangrove areas across the state in 2005.
The Maharashtra government on Friday formed a judicial commission to investigate the violence that occurred at Bhima Koregaon this January, in which a youth was killed.

Justice (retd) JN Patel, former chief justice of the Calcutta high court, will head the two-member commission, while state chief secretary Sumit Mullick will be the other member.

The commission has been given four months to complete the probe into the violence that erupted when Dalit groups were attacked on January 1 while attending a function at Bhima Koregaon, 40 km from Pune, to commemorate an 1818 battle between Peshwa army and Mahar regiment-backed British army. Dalit outfits had organised a Maharashtra bandh following the violence, which also witnessed violent protests.

On January 2, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had announced a judicial probe into the violence by a sitting high court judge and a CID inquiry into the killing. Officials said the chief minister had met the chief justice on January 4 seeking a sitting judge.

However, the Bombay high court rejected the state governments request to provide a sitting high court judge for the probe.

Chief justice Vijaya Tahilramani cited Supreme Courts guiding directives that prevented them from providing one, said Sudhir Srivastava, additional chief secretary of the state home department.

In her response on January 6, the chief justice recommended three names of retired judges, from which the state government selected justice (retd) JN Patel for the task.

In the terms of reference, the commission has been asked to study in detail how the violence took place, its reasons and if any individual or group caused it. It will also have to probe whether the preparations made by the district administration and police were adequate, whether the actions taken by the police to deal with the situation were correct, fix responsibilities, make plans to prevent similar situations in the future and suggest other important recommendations, if any.

The commission will also have the right to summon anyone for the deposition, seek documents and conduct hearings.
Senior BJP leader and Maharashtra minister Chandrakant Patil advised the party workers to visit houses of voters and give them gifts in order to increase contact with them, drawing flak from the opposition.

The revenue minister was addressing BJP workers in Sangli in western Maharashtra on Friday. Election to Sangli Miraj Kupwad Municipal Corporation is due to be held in four months.

Booths have been formed. In the next 15 days, party workers should go to the houses of at least 200 people to increase contact with them. Party workers should meet the voters and give gifts to them, Patil, who is considered number two in the Devendra Fadnavis cabinet, said.

Latching onto the ministers remarks, the opposition slammed the ruling dispensation, accusing it of using wrong ways to woo voters.

Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde claimed that in a way Patil had accepted that the BJP, in the past three years, won elections through money power.

The BJP-Shiv Sena government is corrupt. They have used their ill-gotten money to win elections in the last three years. Chandrakant Patils comments are nothing but an acceptance of the governments corruption, the NCP leader alleged.

Munde said it was shameful that the BJP minister openly supported bribing people and demanded an inquiry into the funds received by the saffron party.

Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson Sachin Sawant alleged that Patils comments had made a mockery of democracy and revealed the true face of the BJP.

Such incidents (of bribing) are bound to increase in the coming days as the popularity of the party decreases among people. His comments are condemnable, Sawant said.
When Bombay was renamed Mumbai in 1995, the Bombay police became the Mumbai police. But though they shed the Raj name, the change has not erased some of the institutional terms that the police force has inherited from the colonial era. Many practices and terms continue to survive, thrive and get passed on in the corridors of the citys 93 police stations, 22 years after the city was rechristened, 70 years after Independence.

Take the word ever self-respecting Mumbaiite knows: Hawaldar.

Officially, the term, the rank, does not exist.

The term is a by-product of the Raj era, when a head constable was called the hawaldar.

Usages in Mumbai police District hawaldar: Head constable Thana amaldar: Duty officers Commander: Head constable Peter hawaldar: Head constable in senior police inspectors vehicle Jamadar: Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Faujdar: Police sub-inspector (PSI) Court karkoon: Head constable attached to court Sipahi: Constables use the term to address each other

Lets this a step further. Police personnel commonly use the term district hawaldar. Again, this does not exist in the official lexicon. Its evolution can be traced back to the British era when the hawaldar used to accompany the Superintendent of Police (SP) during the ceremonial parade. The constable would clutch the baton under his left armpit while marching alongside the SP. This privilege gave the hawaldar a position of eminence beyond his rank, and he was respectfully referred to as the stick hawaldar.

The stick hawaldar shot to prominence in the British era when SPs used to head a division  the city was divided into six divisions, and each division had five to six police stations under its jurisdiction.

Even today, the term stick hawaldar continues to hold a place at police stations, albeit its been corrupted to district hawaldar.

Its not just the term that has been passed down, the respect that comes with it remains, too. A visit to any of the citys 93 police stations will make it clear that the district hawaldar continues to occupy a high position. Again, not officially.

No one knows how stick became district, though the origin of many other colloquial terms used in the colonial Bombay police are well-documented. The origin of the term district hawaldar, seems to have been deleted from the pages of history, said noted police historian Deepak Rao, who speculated that it could have been just a spelling mistake. But that has not made any dent in his position, he added.

Terms still in use by the rural police Rao saheb: Superintendent of Police (SP) Dada saheb: Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) Major / Captain: Head constable Dada: Constables use the term while addressing each other.

The district hawaldar is the first constable at the police station to attend to complainants, and it is only after his verification that a complainant meets the Station House Officer (SHO), to register the offence.

The district hawaldar performs several key functions in the police station, said Shivaji Kolekar, former assistant commissioner of police (ACP). From maintaining records and the police station treasury to keeping an account of the people in custody and the armoury, the district hawaldar has a 24x7 duty, he explained.

Other terms such as thana jamadar, faujdar and commander also continue to be part of everyday usage at police stations.

Rao said that while terms such as district hawaldar is the continuation of a tradition in the Mumbai police, other terms entered the force following the merger of the Bombay city police with the district police.

Four years after Independence, the Greater Bombay police was merged with the Bombay district police. In 1964, divisional SPs were redesignated as assistant commissioners of police, and later, to deputy commissioners of police. The Greater Bombay police eventually became the Mumbai police.

Traditionally, the Bombay police were always a suave force with a distinct identity, with English-speaking officers, mannerisms and style, he said. The colour of the uniform for the constabulary in Bombay was blue, while the force in the rest of Maharashtra wore khaki. Even the assistant sub-inspector (a rank above head constable) wore full blue pants in the Bombay police, and the ranks were called out in chaste English.

Police constable, pre-1947. (Photo courtesy: Deepak Rao)

In the districts, a sub-inspector was called faujdar, but not in the Bombay police, Rao said, explaining that the use of district ranks was a by-product of the merger.

In the city police, jamadar refers to the assistant sub-inspector (ASI), owing to his job profile which is supervisory in nature. The ASI was the police equivalent of a sergeant major in the army platoon. He wore blue full pants. From making constables parade in the morning to ensuring each one of them was properly shaven, the ASI was tasked with the overall administration of the constabulary, Rao said.

Similarly, commander is a term used widely among the police to address head constables. A senior Mumbai police official said the term has more to do with the seniority of the constable rather than any functional significance attached to the rank. It is a mark of respect to an elderly person who becomes a head constable after more than 20 years of service, the official said.

The senior inspector at a police station is referred to as Peter in the wireless code, so the head constable who accompanies him in his vehicle is referred to as the Peter hawaldar by the rest of the station staff.

These terms are more like an oral tradition that has been continuing from the Raj days, passed down generations at police stations. They are not used in our written communications, but no one can say how long they will continue to be used, Kolekar said.
The setting sun, a light breeze and the audience entranced by a pair of ghungroos and the beat of a tabla  that was the magic of Richa Guptas Kathak performance at Cross Maidan on Saturday.

I had goosebumps when she depicted a galloping horse, says Sneha Rathore, 18, a student from Borivli.

I had heard its tough to capture the audiences attention in Mumbai. So, Im glad I managed to do that, said Gupta, who had flown down from Delhi earlier in the day to make her debut at the Hindustan Times Kala Ghoda Arts Festival.

Representing the Jaipur gharana (school) of Kathak, she enthralled the audience with graceful twirls and stellar footwork. Veer ras [heroism] forms the essence of facial expressions and movements in this school of Kathak. For instance, we look in the eyes of the audience when taking a turn, while a dancer of the Lucknow gharana may twirl with her eyes on the ground, she explained.

Through the evening, a multicultural extravaganza unfolded before the crowds, with back-to-back performances of diverse, Indian classical dance forms.

Mumbai couple Mitali and Raul Dsouza performed a riveting duet of Odissi and Bharatanatyam. Their piece was titled Samagam (communion or coming together). Mitalis short and crisp Odissi gestures complemented Rauls sweeping moves. Their performance was interspersed with an Odissi piece by their 12-year-old daughter, Risa.

Crowds were also treated to a Manipuri dance performance by Sudip Kumar Ghosh and troupe, who had travelled all the way from Kolkata. While Kumar was dressed as Krishna, with pleated dhoti and crown of peacock feathers, the women dancers in the group wore exquisite Kumil costumes, characterised by embellished barrel-shaped skirts.

These costumes cost roughly Rs20,000 and they arent easily available. Our aim is to spread awareness about the beauty of this dance form throughout India, said Ghosh, who made his debut at the festival.

In Mumbai, it is difficult to find open-air performances of Indian classical dances, said Archisha Das, 22, a college student from Marine Lines. So this evening was a treat.
To connect with the youth on social media, the Maharashtra government launched an initiative called Social Media  MahaMitra.

The government wants youngsters to share their success stories, and felicitate those working for a good cause as social media leaders. To achieve this, the state has launched a mobile application, where those interested can register to participate in the selection process.

So far, 25,000 people across the state have registered themselves on the app, also called Social Media MahaMitra.

The initiative is being headed by the Directorate General of Information and Public Relations (DGIPR), a government-run agency to disseminate information to print and electronic media on government policies.

Ajay Ambekar, director, information and administration, DGIPR, said that several people are using social media as a tool to do something positive for the society, and the state wants to promote them.

This would be done by selecting them through a scientific process. An application has been developed to choose them based on their activities on social media, their followers on Twitter, friends on Facebook, likes, contacts and so on. Aspirants will have to download the app and fill up a form. Based on that information, 10 people from each district will be selected. They will then have to participate in a group discussion on a specific topic. The top participants from each district will then be selected for the final event, which will be held in Mumbai on March 24 or 25, Ambekar said.

The final event would be a state-level group discussion, and participants will get to interact with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. Their success stories will be also shared during the event.

The objective of this initiative is to make the youth understand how social media can be used to develop a strong and healthy society, he added.

Registration at districts began on February 1, and will continue till February 18. The district level group discussion will be held between March 5 and 17. The initiative is getting better response in rural areas, Ambekar said.

The state government has barred its senior officers from Class I and II from participating for the initiative.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has accused the Maharashtra government of allegedly procuring closed circuit camera television (CCTV) surveillance system at an exorbitant rate for Mumbai.

The AAP government in Delhi ordered 1.40 lakh CCTV cameras at Rs271 crore, while the Maharashtra procured 6,000 cameras for Rs949 crore, the party said. This means that Delhi will pay around Rs19,000 per camera against Maharashtras Rs15.8 lakh, or 80 times more than the former.

Addressing the media, AAP leader Brigadier (retd) Sudhir Sawant said it was such a huge gap in procurements between the two Governments. How can there be such a huge gap between the costs? This entire deal seems suspicious, said Sawant.

In addition, we see most of the CCTV cameras are non-functional, thus compromising with the security, he added. The AAP has demanded a judicial probe.

In the aftermath of the November 26, 2008 terrorist attacks, the Ram Pradhan committee recommended installation of CCTV cameras in Mumbai. The cameras were to be installed at more than 1,000 locations. In February 2015, the state government signed a Rs949-crore deal with L&T for 6,000 cameras. According to a senior bureaucrat from the home department, the entire process was followed diligently. It was a prolonged, competitive tendering process, and we followed all norms, said the bureaucrat.

In Delhi, the Arvind Kejriwal government placed an order of 1.4 lakh CCTV cameras with the Bharat Electronics Limited. The project will be completed by March 2019.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is likely to charge sheet more civic officials in relation with the Kamala Mills blaze in the next three months. It is expected to issue additional charge sheets to the 12 officials accused of dereliction of duty.

Municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta has given three months to the inquiry committee to submit a thorough

report.

Earlier this week, the BMC issued charge sheets against 12 civic officials from the G south ward office, fire department, and health and building proposals departments for dereliction of duty after an initial inquiry headed by additional municipal commissioner Vijay Singhal found them guilty. This included two senior civic officials  Prashant Sapkale, assistant commissioner of the G South ward at the time of the blaze and Bhagyashree Kapse, assistant commissioner of the ward when Mojos Bistro and 1Above were given their licences for the first time.

Mehta said, The inquiry officer now has to look into every BMC notice sent to the two restaurants in the past year, match the dates of punitive action and issuance of licence. It is likely that more proof of negligence on behalf of civic officials will surface. If any additional negligence is noticed in the case of these 12 officials, more charge sheets will be sent to them. It is also possible that more officials will be indicted. The BMC has given the 12 officials 10 days to reply after which it will conduct hearings.

The other 10 officials are health officer Dr Madan, fire officer R B Patil, sanitary inspector Pradip Shirke, building and factory department engineers Milind Vhatkak and Manohar Kulkarni, designated officer Madhukar Shelar, sub-engineer Dinesh Mahale, junior engineer Dhanraj Shinde, medical officer Dr Satish Badgire and assistant divisional fire officer SS Shinde.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) will be signed for one of the most contentious projects in Maharashtra at the upcoming Magnetic Maharashtra global investors summit, which begins on February 18.

The mega refinery, which will come up in Ratnagiri district, is expected to bring in an investment of Rs1.45 lakh crore to the state, senior officials said.

Apart from the refinery, MoUs for affordable housing projects will also likely be signed at the three-day summit, which is expected to rake in investments worth around Rs3.5 lakh crore for the state. In all, 44 MoUs are expected to be signed during the conclave, officials said.

Sunil Porwal, additional chief secretary, industries department confirmed that MoUs for affordable housing and for the refinery are going to be signed.

The refinery, proposed at Nanar village, has become a major point of dispute between the ruling allies, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena. Sena MPs and MLAs have opposed the project claiming that it would destroy the ecology of the Konkan belt. Interestingly, it is the Senas ministers who hold the state industries and environment department portfolios.

Besides showcasing the various projects planned and being executed by the state, the government wants to communicate at the global platform that they are decision makers, Porwal said. We are going to showcase our projects, and the policies we have formulated. Our aim is to show that we are decision makers, which is clear from the way we are executing various projects in the state.
More than 70,000 beggars in Maharashtra may soon become a productive workforce for the state. A beggar-free scheme, initiated by the Charity Commission and supported by 20-25 individuals, government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) is set to provide vocational training to the homeless within two weeks.

The scheme is a brainchild of Shivkumar Dighe, charity commissioner, Maharashtra who is in talks with district officers of women and child development, trusts and NGO members running shelter homes in the state to create a framework for the scheme.

There is a large void of workforce in small-scale industries and individual professions such as tailoring, security guards, and medical caretakers. We aim to place these homeless persons, considering their natural inclination and expertise, and train them to be qualified for various occupations, said Dighe.

Officials from women and child development departments and Maharashtra police are likely to play a major role as they share close contact with the homeless persons. A pilot project will kick off in Mumbai, which is home to approximately 20,000 beggars.

Pravin Bhaskar, district women and child development officer (Mumbai city) said that for 15 to 30 days, participants will watch in video format success stories of individuals with little or no resources. Some of these achievers will also visit them for motivational talks.

We know that if we enrol them directly in training programmes, they will quit and return to their street life. Hence first, we will motivate them to participate and complete the programme, which can prove to be life-changing for them, said Bhaskar.

For minors, the scheme is set to start education programmes to ensure that more number of children enrol in schools. Various shelter homes run by the WCD department and NGOs as well as individuals working in the field will be approached to make sure the rate of education increases amongst the homeless children. Those who wish to go back to their families will be reunited in order to offer family support.

A similar scheme was successfully run in Pune where over 2,200 children were offered education. According to the officials, the children have continued to pursue studies and have quit begging or doing odd jobs on streets.

Begging is a considered a crime in the country under the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959. The acts aim is to remove beggars from their current illegal profession so that they may be detained, trained and eventually employed elsewhere. However, individuals working for the homeless have alleged that the police detain and release the homeless for minor bribes, forcing them back to the streets.
The Bombay high court on Friday began its final hearing of pleas challenging the discharge of four policemen in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case.

His brother, Rubabuddin Sheikh has filed three applications challenging the discharge of IPS officers Dhayaji Vanzara and Dinesh MN, and a constable from Rajasthan, Dalpat Singh Rathod.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has also challenged the discharge of Rathod and IPS officer Dr Narendra Amin.

According to the CBI, on November 23 2005, a team of policemen from the Gujarat anti-terrorism squad (ATS) and members of the special task force of Rajasthan police abducted Sohrabuddin Sheikh, a local gangster, while he was travelling with his wife Kausarbi and friend Tulsiram Prajapati.

Sheikh was killed and his wife disappeared. He had been accused of extorting money from marble traders in Rajasthan. The CBI has alleged that the traders had given the Gujarat and Rajasthan police a contract for killing Sheikh.

A year later, Prajapati was killed on November 29 2006 in Gujarat. He had been arrested in a case at Udaipur and was being transferred from Ahmedabad to Gujarat when the killing took place.

Additional solicitor general Anil Singh,representing the CBI, said that Rathods role was limited to concocting a false story stating that Prajapati escaped from police custody with the help of two others. Rathod was not travelling with the escoting police party, said Singh.

Rathods counsel, advocate Niranjan Mundargi, said that there is no evidence to connect the constable with the conspiracy.

Mahesh Jethmalani, who argued on behalf of Dr Narendra Amin, said that the police officer had been roped in by the CBI unnecessarily.

The matter has been posted for further hearing on Monday.
Ten days after the civic body said the subway on Palm Beach Road would be ready after monsoon, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) said they have expedited the work and will complete it before rains.

After years of demands by residents, the NMMC has begun work of constructing a subway on Palm Beach Road in Karawe village.

NMMC chief city engineer, Mohan Dagaonkar, said, We have begun work on the subway on Palm Beach Road. The service road on the Karave village side is ready. We have taken up the service road work on the Chanakya side.

He said, This will ensure that there are no traffic snarls, as two lanes will be available for traffic when we take up the work in the section.

The 72-metre-long and 7.5-metre-wide subway has been estimated to cost Rs1.94 lakh. It will also require shifting the 1,700-mm diameter pipeline which will cost Rs32.64 lakh.

The area has witnessed several accidents as the local fisherfolk have to cross the busy road to get to the creek.

The work is expected to be completed before the monsoon.

The subway had been sanctioned by the NMMC general body in 2015. However, it had been stuck due to various technical issues and permission from the traffic department. The traffic department had cited monsoon and traffic snarls problems for delaying the permission. It had asked for a service road to be constructed first to prevent traffic snarls.

Dagaonkar said that they were using the latest technology in construction of the subway. We are trying to complete the work by April and certainly before monsoon.

Corporator Vinod Mhatre said, The work on the subway had not begun despite it being approved. I had been following it up for the past 8 years. The fisherfolk risk their lives on a daily basis on the stretch. Now, with work expected to be completed by April 28, there will be a huge relief to the residents.

Deputy commissioner of police (traffic) Nitin Pawar said that they would need divert traffic for the subway work. We have given the requisite permission to NMMC. As soon as the service road work is complete, we will divert traffic on Palm Beach Road for the subway work, said Pawar.
Eight-year-old actor, Atharva Vagal has been running from pillar to post requesting the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) to start repairing the mini theatre at Dr. Kashinath Ghanekar Natyagruha.

The repair work for the mini theatre, which was shut down by the TMC on October 1, 2017, has still not begun. The roof of the mini theatre is leaking, the acoustics needs repair and the false ceiling also has to be renovated. Atharva, who has worked in many well-known shows like Crime Patrol, Savdhan India, Aahat and movies like Chalk and Duster, said he and his fellow child artists have nowhere to practice since the closure of the theatre.

Atharva, a class 3 student of Smt Sulochanadevi Singhania School, and his friends, usually rehearse at the theatre. On Friday, Atharva met Thane mayor Meenakshi Shinde and cultural minister Vinod Tawade requesting them to speed up the work of the theatre.

Many drama schools, play groups and other cultural organization use this mini theatre for rehearsals. This is the only mini theatre in Thane and is a boon to child artists who get a stage to perform. The corporation has not even begun the repair work in the past five months, said Atharva.

The actor asked the mayor to intervene and issue directives to speed up the work. Atharvas mother, Anushka Vagal, a fashion designer, said, The Gadkari Theatre is small. This (Natagruha) is the only one with multiple stages for rehearsals. Although we had approached the corporation, they did not tell us when the work will start and end.

Sandeep Malvi, deputy municipal commissioner, TMC, said, The file is still in tendering process and these things take time. We will start the work as soon as possible.

A civic officer, requesting anonymity said, We estimated the repair work will cost up to Rs79 lakh and the file is with the accounts department for approval. In the meantime, we have begun the tendering process and plan to start the work by the month-end. The work will take two months to complete after it begins. We plan to open the mini theatre before monsoon.

All about the theatre

Dr Kashinath Ghanekar Natyagruha is a state-of-the-art theatre at par with international standards. The main theatre has a capacity of 1,200 seats and there is a mini theatre with a capacity of 250 to 400 seats. There are also two conference rooms in the theatre. The building also has a conventional centre, parking plaza and an amphitheatre. It has modern sound and light techniques, adequate surveillance facility and comfortable seating for the audiences.

Ceiling of balcony collapsed on April 25, 2016

A major portion of the false ceiling of the theatres balcony collapsed on April 25, 2016, barely minutes after an event organized by a local politician had ended, thus averting a major tragedy. Over 200 people were seated in the balcony for the event. No one was hurt as the balcony was vacant.

TMC closes the theatre after ceiling collapse

The main theatre was closed for over one-and-a-half years after the collapse of the ceiling. Although the TMC promised to start the work within 20 days of the incident, the work started only in December 2016. The work went on for almost eight months and the theatre was opened for the public in August 2017. The mini theatre was shut down by the TMC in October 2017 for repair work.
For 17-year-old Prince, cousin of Pranjal Sharma who lost his life in a road accident after being turned away by two Noida hospitals, Friday was traumatic.

It was bad enough to see his cousin go under the wheels of a bus, but for Prince, the trauma didnt end there. He spent the next hour taking his injured cousin to one hospital after the other. When both hospitals allegedly turned him away, they rushed Pranjal to the district hospital, but it was too late. Pranjal was dead.

The moped belonged to me but Pranjal loved riding it. On Friday morning, Pranjal was supposed to hand over the moped to me after he reached his examination centre in Chhalera village, Prince said.

Prince and five other friends were there with Pranjal when a Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) bus ran over his cousin at Rajnigandha Chowk around 6.30am.

Two private hospitals  Max Hospital in Sector 19 and Kailash Hospital in Sector 27  denied treatment to Pranjal and by the time we took him to the district hospital, Pranjal had died.

There were three bikes and six people I, Pranjal, Taleem Khan, Abhishek and Ashu and Arjun. We all are in class 10 and had our board exams. Pranjal, a student of Sarvodaya Public School, had his exam centre in Chetram School Kanya Inter College in Chhalera village. Rest of us had our centre at Navjeevan Inter College in Bhangel. Pranjal was supposed to hand over the moped to me once we reached his centre in Chhalera.

He said the accident was plain bad luck.

At Rajnigandha Chowk, we were heading towards Sector 18 road while the DTC bus was coming from Delhi and was headed to Sector 12/22. Pranjal was riding in between two bikes with Ashu leading the pack and I bringing up the rear. Pranjal thought that he could overtake before the bus reached him but his bike hit the front-end of the bus. He came under the wheels of the bus. He was injured in the head and legs and was bleeding profusely, Prince said.

He said he and his friends pleaded with the DTC bus driver and conductor to help them but in vain. We pleaded with the drivers to let us in and take Pranjal to the hospital but they refused saying that it was our fault. We took an auto and reached Max Hospital in the next five minutes. He was admitted but the doctors refused to treat him. They asked us to take him to Kailash Hospital which took another 10 minutes. There, two doctors came to examine Pranjal. They also refused to treat him and asked us to take him to the district hospital, Prince said.

Pranjal was declared brought dead by the district hospital by 7am. My brother would have been alive today if not for the callousness of the hospitals and the DTC staff, Prince said

Pranjals family has also demanded strict action against the hospitals for denying treatment to their son.

Have we collectively failed as a society because if a child gets hurt, the responsibility lies with the elders to get him treated. Two hospitals turned away my son and he bled to death, said Asseshwar, Pranjals Sharma.

We have arrested the driver of DTC bus named Rajesh Kumar and booked him under IPC section 304 (A). We have not booked any of the hospitals, Anil Shai, station house officer, Sector 20 police station, said.

Dr Anurag Bhargav, chief medical officer of GB Nagar, said the probe is ongoing.

The patient was brought to Max Hospital, Noida, in an auto-rickshaw early morning. He was bleeding profusely from the nose and ears, indicating a severe head injury. He needed an immediate NCCT Scan, which is not available at Max Hospital, Noida. This was explained to the person accompanying the patient. The emergency doctor at Max Hospital, Noida, offered to stabilise him and send him in an ambulance for the scan to a larger hospital. The attendant decided to rush the patient to another hospital, a Max hospital spokesperson said.

The spokesperson of Kailash Hospital said, When the patient was brought to the emergency, a doctor, nurse, paramedic and ward boy went to help him. The doctor checked the boy and said he thought the boy was dead and must be taken in for a checkup. On hearing this, the boys who brought the patient to our hospital hired an auto from outside our campus. We deny the allegations that we turned away the patient.
The son appears set to undo what his father did exactly 32 years ago. The father, then chief justice of India (CJI) YV Chandrachud, authored a judgment reaffirming that in cases of adultery only the man can be punished and the woman would not be liable even as an abettor.

Last month, however, apparently differing with his father, justice DY Chandrachud, as part of a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, agreed to re-examine the provision, dubbing it asarchaic. The court accordingly issued notice on a public interest litigation challenging the constitutionality of Section 497 IPC dealing with adultery, read with Section 198(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

Section 497 IPC says, Whoever has sexual intercourse with a person who is and whom he knows or has reason to believe to be the wife of another man, without the consent or connivance of that man, such sexual intercourse not amounting to the offence of rape, is guilty of the offence of adultery.... In such case the wife shall not be punishable as an abettor.

Section 198(2) CrPC says that  no person other than the husband of the woman shall be deemed to be aggrieved by any offence punishable under Section 497 or Section 498 of the said Code: Provided that in the absence of the husband, some person who had care of the woman on his behalf at the time when such offence was committed may, with the leave of the Court, make a complaint on his behalf.

Background

The petitioners counsel submitted that the above provision was agitated thrice in the apex court in 1954, 1985 and 1988.

The definition of adultery in matrimonial laws is much wider than that of adultery as a crime. Women have now begun fluttering their identity and are no more a mere chattel

He drew attention to the 1985 case of Sowmithri Vishnu v/s Union of India, in particular, wherein a four-judge bench headed by then CJI YV Chandrachud while upholding the constitutionality of Section 497 said, It is commonly accepted that it is the man who is the seducer and not the woman. This position might have undergone some change over the years but it is for the legislature to consider whether Section 497 should be amended appropriately...

Though the modern trend worldwide is to decriminalise adultery, many cultures have historically regarded adultery as a crime. Jewish, Islamic, Christian and Hindu traditions are all unequivocal in their condemnation of adultery. In most cultures, both the man and the woman are equally punishable. However, according to ancient Hindu law, in ancient Greece and in Roman law, only the offending female spouse could be killed while men were not heavily punished.

What is under scrutiny?

Irked by the Victorian provision treating a married woman as her husbands subordinate, the SC has ostensibly taken a plunge to nullify adultery as a criminal offence. It would examine two aspects. One, why does Section 497 treat the man as the adulterer and the married woman as a victim? Two, the offence ceases the moment it is established that the husband connived or consented to the adulterous act. Does it mean that a married woman was the property of her husband? Further, only a husband or the person in whose care the husband has left his wife can file a complaint under Section 497. The petition also challenges the validity of Section 198 (1) and (2) of the CrPC, which deem only the husband to be an aggrieved party.

Analysing Section 497

Section 497 does not penalise the sexual intercourse of a man with an unmarried woman or a widow or a divorcee or even a married woman when her husband consents to it provided it does not amount to rape. Surprisingly, only the trespassing adulterer can be prosecuted while the treacherous wife cannot be tried even as an abettor. The offence of adultery, therefore, is an offence committed against the husband of the woman.

The constitutionality of Section 497 was challenged under Article 14 that it makes an arbitrary discrimination based on sex. In the case of Yusuf Aziz, the SC ruled that the immunity granted to women under section 497 was not discriminatory but valid under Article 15 (3) of the Constitution. In the cases of Sowmithri and V Revathi, it was held that it is the policy of the law to not to punish women for adultery and policies could not be questioned. To add, while adjudicating the constitutionality, the object of Section 497 was never agitated.

Decriminalising adultery

In view of the marriage being both sacrament and a civil contract, the National Commission for Women has recommended that adultery should be made only a civil wrong with which the SC tends to agree so that the husband and the wife do not keep bouncing each other with the arsenal of criminal law.

SC looks all set to decriminalise the offence of adultery, in conformity with the changing milieu worldwide.

Many western countries, including Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden and even Britain from whom we have borrowed most of our laws have already decriminalised adultery. In the United States, in those states where adultery is still on the statute books, offenders are seldom prosecuted.

The definition of adultery in matrimonial laws is much wider than that of adultery as a crime. Women have now begun fluttering their identity and are no more a mere chattel. There does not appear to be any rationale to retain adultery on the penal statute book since our personal laws are adequate to tackle adultery as a civil wrong.

As it appears, the SC looks all set to decriminalise the offence of adultery, in conformity with the changing milieu worldwide.

(The writer is a former IAS officer of Haryana. The views expressed are personal)
The budget has reopened the question of the BJPs colour: is it blue for Right-Wing or red for Left? At the outset the BJP Prime Minister Narendra Modi seemed to be living up to the business communitys expectations favouring the private sector rather than the State and the public sector to deliver services and economic growth, leaving the market to control distribution. But then came the row over the land acquisition Act amendments which would have made it easier for industries to purchase land but reduce safeguards for landowners. That prompted Rahul Gandhis portrayal of Modi and his government as suited and booted, a jibe which appears to have gone home. Certainly the government then set about acquiring a pro-poor image.

The headline-grabbing budget announcement of the worlds largest health insurance scheme, 500 million poor and vulnerable people to receive what the PM has described as robust health-care, has enabled the Opposition to revive the ideological Right versus Left argument. The Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, the Congress Ghulam Nabi Azad, attacked the health scheme as only benefitting insurance companies, and said, the Centre should focus on building more government hospitals to provide effective treatment to the poor. But the situation is not as clear cut as that. The finance minister also announced the provision of more government hospitals and medical schools. At the same time, the announcement that farmers would get 50% more than the cost of their inputs for their kharif crops could hardly be described as letting the market fix the price.

So is Modi Right-wing or not and is that even a fruitful question to ask? Listening to a discussion at the Jaipur Literature Festival on greed and human aspiration strengthened my conviction that arguing whether Left or Right, socialism or capitalism should be, or indeed is, the creed of a government is not the argument which should be held. At first it seemed the discussion would turn into just that ideological argument with the brand strategist Ambi Parameswaran challenging the Leftist argument that advertising encourages greed by maintaining it as aspiration which it encourages.

Aspiring is essential if a nation or an individual is to change and make progress but there are aspirations and aspirations. On the morning I am writing this column, the front page of one of my newspapers is covered with an advertisement for a group of private schools. The headline is Saga of Success Continues, and under it are pictures of three toppers. This seems to me to be creating an aspiration for the worst form of education which is all too prevalent in India  obsessively competitive, winner takes all, and totally exam-focused.

Another member of the Jaipur panel, Gurcharan Das, formerly the multinational Procter and Gambles managing director worldwide for strategy, and now a prominent advocate of the private sector as a supplier of services with the government as a guarantor of quality, quoted the large number of parents opting for private rather than State schools as evidence of the superiority of the private sector as a provider. On a broader issue, Das advocated forgetting about the inequality market economics has created and concentrating on creating opportunities. He reminded us that concern about inequality had once led to the government imposing a personal tax rate of 100%.

The sociologist Dipankar Gupta said Das was repeating the familiar canard that socialism creates poverty and came back with a firm defence of the State as a provider of services particularly education and health. But he regretted that the discussion seemed to have become an ideological debate between Left and Right.

Stephen Green, the British peer, who was group chairman of HSBC and then trade minister summed up the discussion by reminding us that Deng Xiaoping had said: Capitalism has its plans why shouldnt socialism have its markets. That seems to be a warning against being restricted by ideologies. Later Stephen Green also reminded me that Deng had said: It doesnt matter what colour the cat is so long as it catches the mouse. Doesnt that mean we will judge Modi wrongly if we see his policies through red or blue tinted glasses, rather we should see how effective they are.

The views expressed are personal
Ruling Janata Dal-United legislator Sarfaraz Alam on Saturday resigned from the party, which some believe is a setback to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ahead of the Araria Lok Sabha bypoll next month.

Alam is the JD(U) legislator from Jokihat in Araria district of Bihar and considered to be an aspirant to contest Araria bypoll that was vacated following the death of his father Mohammad Taslimuddin, a Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP.

Soon after he resigned from the JD(U), Alam met Rabri Devi, former chief minister and wife of RJD chief Lalu Prasad at her official residence 10, Circular Road in Patna.

However, after meeting her, Alam said it was just a courtesy call and there was nothing more to it.

It is certain that I will contest Araria bypoll but people of the constituency will decide from which party I will contest, Alam told the media.

He said he resigned due to pressure from people. I have acted in line with the sentiments of people of my constituency.

However, soon after Alam resigned from the JD(U), Leader of opposition Tejashwi Yadav in his tweet said one more legislator of Nitish Kumar had resigned and that more may follow the suit.

On the other hand, JD(U) spokesperson Ajay Alok said Alams resignation was not at all a setback for the party.

According to leaders close to Alam, the JD(U) ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will contest Araria bypoll and JD(U) does not have guts to challenge it.

Araria has been a stronghold of Sarfarazs father Taslimuddin for over three decades. He will have to contest the bypoll to protect his father political legacy. RJD has offered him his fathers seat, a leader.

In 2016, Alam hit the headlines as he was suspended from the JD-U for allegedly misbehaving with a couple on a running train. Later, he was even arrested but released on bail.
Prominent city dramatist Dilip Kolhatkars wife, Deepali (65), was found dead in the couples Maithi Society flat near Mehendale garage in Karvenagar, on Thursday night.

Deepali Kolhatkar was found by her neighbours, who discovered her body in the kitchen, half burnt, with smoke billowing out of the window. The neighbours then immediately called the police and Deepali was rushed to hospital, but was proclaimed dead on arrival.

According to police, the post mortem revealed that she sustained a serious head injury and an FIR related to murder has been lodged at the Alankar police station.

Dilip Kolhatkar, his wife and her mother stayed at the Karvenagar flat. Two servants were employed on day and night duties, respectively.

The Kolhatkars have a son in the US and a daughter who also resides in Karvenagar. A police investigation is underway.
Police booked four persons on Saturday for allegedly gang-raping a 16-year-old city beautician in a moving car. All the accused are on the run.

The girl, who is a Dalit, told police that the accused, who were known to her, dumped her at an isolated spot near Jalandhar Bypass after committing the crime.

A case under sections 376-D (gangrape), 120-B (criminal conspiracy), sections 3 and 4 of Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and section 3 of SC/ST act against Balwinder Singh, Kulwant Singh alias Baba, both residents of Jalandhar, Jassi and Hardeep Singh of Ludhiana.

In her complaint, the girl said that on February 5, the accused came to her house while her parents were out.

A woman was accompanying them and she told the girl that they required a beautician for a bridal makeup. As the four were known to her, the unsuspecting girl went with them, said police.

Later, the accused took turns to rape her in the moving car. The girl said she hailed a three-wheeler from Jalandhar Bypass and reached her friends house in Basti Jodhewal.

As the accused had threatened her with dire consequences, the girl initially did not tell anything to her parents.

On Friday, she opened up to her parents and narrated them her ordeal following which they lodged a complaint. The girl also alleged that the accused passed casteist remarks against her.

Assistant sub-inspector Surinder Pal, who is investigating the case, said the complainant has not been able to give details of the model of the car and its registration number. We have started scanning the CCTV footage in the area to get clues, the assistant sub-inspector added.

The woman accompanying the accused has been identified as Mani. She is wife of one of the accused and has been booked, said the ASI.
The Border Security Force (BSF) troops killed an alleged Pakistani smuggler and nabbed his accomplice with 9 kilogram heroin and firearms in the Jagannath border outpost of Punjabs Abohar sector late Friday.

BSF deputy inspector general (DIG, Abohar sector) Madhu Sudan Sharma said at 11.30pm, their troops noticed some movement of Pakistani smugglers near the border fence and sounded an alert.

Soon after the BSF troops challenged the alleged Pak smugglers when they approached the fence to push the contraband to the Indian side, the latter opened fire, the DIG said.

When the BSF troops retaliated in self-defence, both the alleged smugglers sustained bullet injuries.

During search, the BSF troops apprehended one of the injured, identified as Gafoor Ahmed, a resident of Kasur in Pakistan, with a 7.63mm pistol, two magazines, seven rounds and eight packets of heroin, Sharma said.

He said the other smuggler, who got injured in the firing, crossed back the IB was being taken away by the Pakistani Rangers in the morning.
Pul Siraat refers to a mythological bridge over hell that must be crossed on the day of judgment, according to Islam. This was also the name of a play directed by Kewal Dhaliwal of Manch Rangmanch, Amritsar, staged on Saturday at Bal Bhawan in Sector 23 as part of an ongoing theatre festival.

Rich in visuals with soulful music by Lopoke Brothers, Lakhbir and Rajinder, the play tells the story of Punjabs pain from 1947 to 1984. However, what makes the play more relevant is that it is inspired by the heart-rending story of a Muslim girl, Fujjan (played by Mandeep Ghai), abducted during the Partition riots in 1947 and renamed Harnam Kaur. Forced into conversion to Sikhism and marriage, she bears two sons of her tormentor Jassa (played by Gurtej Mann) and pays a heavy price for the trauma by losing her mind and becoming the villages mad woman, rechristened Namo.

Sahitya Akademi award-winning playwright and IPS officer Swarajbir says he grew up watching Namo in his village in Gurdaspur district of Punjab. This play was inspired by her although I added much from imagination linking it to the separatist movement around 1984. But at the heart of the play is the true story of a woman who bore on her body and soul the scars of communal frenzy.

Namo represents thousands of women across religions who met such a fate, or even worse, in 1947. The playwright hesitantly names his village Nawan Pind where the 16-year-old girl is brought by her abductor along with other loot. She is then forced to convert and marry her oppressor. Swarajbir reveals, I heard from the village elders that when the process of rehabilitation of abducted girls in both India and Pakistan started, Pakistani police visited the village. At that time she was kept hidden, buried under a huge stack of toori (fodder). It was that trauma which was probably to affect her mind for all times.

He adds that every morning she would take a dip in a nearby rivulet saying: Namo bathes every day, but the bhai from gurdwara does not/Namo does path (prayers) every day, but the bhai sleeps! Such were the fears of conversion playing on her mind!

Eventually her husband died and her elder son became a Nihang; the younger one was mentally challenged. I wrote the play after she died and an old man in the village joked about her. That hurt me so much and I felt Namos story must be told in some way. Of course, to bring attention communal frenzy I portrayed her son as a terrorist.

Director Dhaliwal says, I have interpreted a womans madness as the madness of the times, of the killings of the divide, and of recurring violence in Punjab. The theme was very close to my heart as my parents had come uprooted from Lyallpur (now Faisalabad). The playwright dedicated this play to the memory of legendary street theatre director Gursharan Singh, who used to say that he had not been able to laugh after what he saw during the Partition.
For a 12- or 13-year-old child of an H-1B visa holder-parent waiting for Green Card, ageing out is not a concept easy to understand, but enough to know it will affect them.

Mohit Nagendra, a 13-year-old from New Jersey, first heard of ageing out a week back, as something that could affect him or turn his life upside down.

Like teens his age, he Googled it and concluded, It means that when you turn 21, you have to apply for your own H-1 visa (he meant H-1B), and if you dont get it  you have to self-deport yourself, and you have to leave this country and go back to your home country.

He worries about having to pretty much start all over again if he had to return.

For Adhitya Arasu, a 12-year-old from Ohio, ageing out meant: When you are 21, you become an international student and have to pay double the fee (for college).

Neither was technically right completely, or wrong.

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services, the federal government agency that administers this law, describes ageing out as: Anyone who turned 21 at any point prior to receiving permanent residence (Green Card) could not be considered a child for immigration purposes. This situation is described as Ageing out.

Drastic consequences follow, as Nagendra amd Arasu know and understand, well enough to skip school past Thursday to stand with their parents in the open, freezing cold in Capitol Hill, with hundreds of other H-1B visa-holding Indians as they waited to lobby congressional leaders and staff members.

This was the third wave of Indian H-1B visa holders waiting for their Green Card coming to Washington DC from all over the country this past week to involve themselves into the ongoing immigration debate triggered by the plight of 700.000 undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children and now face the prospect of deportation because their Obama-era protection has been rescinded by President Donald Trump.

The first group was led by the Republican Hindu Coalition and it held a demonstration outside the White House. The second, led by Immigration Voice, lobbied congressional leaders and staffers intensively in support of a long-standing legislation sympathetic to their cause. And the last, that had Nagendra and Asau and their parents, was hosted by Skilled Immigration in America. All had the same objective  to cut the waiting time for getting a Green Card.

Nagendra and Arasus parents are among an estimated 1.5 million H-1B visa holders with approved Immigrant Petitions waiting for their Green Card, a wait that could for some of them last up to 70 years, according to one estimate, because of an expanding backlog that worsens every year, feeding on a growing number of fresh applications from Indians.

There has been widespread bipartisan support to their plight for years now. A legislation to address the backlog is before the House of Representatives, with more than 300 co-sponsors in the 435-member body. And there is a legislation in the Senate that has the best fix to their problem and, according to its supporters, has the backing of the White House.

They will be following closely the immigration debate that will take place next week as promised by US Senates majority leader Mitch McConnell, as part of the budget deal that was signed into law by President Trump on Friday.

Akshita Ramesh, a 13-year-old from Washington DC, dreads the prospect of ageing out. I worry every night. I dont want to go back to India. I want to stay here in the US. I grew up in the US. This is my country Its just heartbreaking to think I might have to go back and live a totally foreign life.

Born in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, Akshita came to the US with her father Ramesh Ramanathan and mother, who had lived in Oman for years before. She was a year and a half, and has very little recollection of India. She has been to the country on vacations but really didnt connect  not my type, its too hot and stuff, she said, adding that she doesnt speak any Indian language and will miss a lot of things here.

But the 13-year-old is clear about her future as youngsters her age who dont allow chance and happenstance to determine their life-goals. If her parents dont get their Green Cards in time to rescue her from ageing out, she is prepared to go look for ways to stay on  get an F-1 or an H-1B visa to stay on. And go through the same struggle they (her parents) did, she said.
A member of Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus government has referred to Punjab as a country in a statement made on the floor of the Canadian Parliaments House of Commons.

Kevin Lamoureux, a Liberal Party MP from Winnipeg in the province of Manitoba, made the faux pas on Wednesday while presenting a petition during routine proceedings of the House.

According to the official report on the proceedings, he said, Mr Speaker, I have a petition that has been signed by many constituents in regard to Canada's super visa for individuals who want to visit from abroad, whether it is from the Philippines, Punjab, or any other country.

That had Indian officials shaking their heads, since Lamoureux also happens to be the parliamentary secretary to the leader of the government in the House of Commons, who is Indo-Canadian Minister Bardish Chagger. And the incident came just days prior to Trudeaus weeklong visit to India.

When contacted on the matter, Lamoureux emailed a response with the transcript of the same petition presented the following day, with India replacing Punjab in the text: For people from countries like India, the Philippines, and many others, it is of critical importance in the sense that it allows individuals to come to Canada for up to two years, go back home, and then return to Canada for another two years.

In the response to the Hindustan Times, he said, Thank you for asking, earlier this morning I did another petition. He added, It is my opinion that the Punjab is like many other communities a part of India. 95% of the correspondence that I send to India is related to the constituents of mine who have family/friends in the Punjab.

The Super Visa allows parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents to remain for up to two years in the country while visiting.

The concern expressed by Lamoureux was that many of them are not being allowed to have their visas renewed for the additional two years after their initial visit.
Unlike the recent violent protests in Islamabad, the one being held on a daily basis in front of the National Press Club at the centre of the city is both organised and peaceful. Protestors even tidy up at the end of the day, only to return the next morning to resume the sit-in.

The gathering is unique in other ways too. It is organised over social media and attended mostly by young Pashtun men, many of them from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), with a sizeable portion belonging to the Mehsud tribe. And their list of demands include a plea to stop stereotyping of Pashtuns in Pakistan.

What the Pashtuns want: The five demands Arrest Rao Anwar, the policeman who killed Naqeebullah Mehsud Repeal the Frontier Crimes Regulation and other draconian laws Present before courts the victims of forced disappearances Clear land mines from Federally Administered Tribal Areas End curfews

The trigger for this protest came after the murder of a young shopkeeper and social media star in what is being described as a staged encounter in Karachi. The killing of Naqeebullah Mehsud in mysterious circumstances, and the manner it was later found to be a fake encounter, prompted hundreds of Pashtuns to assemble in Islamabad to demand the arrest of Rao Anwar, the policeman behind the killing.

In a series of emotional speeches, speakers vented their grievances and called on the government to do something.

Most protestors have no political leanings. In fact, no major politician was even part of the protest. The men attending the protests are angry because they feel that as Pashtuns, as in the case of Naqeebullah, they are targeted for their ethnicity.

They spoke of hundreds of Pashtuns in custody and how many more had been killed by the law enforcement agencies in different operations.

Mureeb Mohmand, a political analyst who lives in FATA, said that out of the five demands made by the protestors, the most significant is the one for repealing laws under which the tribal areas are governed and the integration of FATA into Pakistan.

One such law, the draconian Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) gives unlimited powers to law enforcement agencies and no legal protection or recourse to the people who live in that area.

The protestors have also touched a raw nerve by criticising the military operations in their area, particularly Waziristan that is divided into North and South Waziristan districts, two of the seven FATA districts.

The region turned into a hotbed of violence after 9/11 when al Qaeda and allied extremists based their operations in the valleys there.

Officials have said that in the war against terror, more than 50,000 civilians 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. The protesters insist that the bulk of these casualties were in FATA.

They say the authorities are yet to clear land mines they planted at the time of the fight against militants.

The Pushtuns in Islamabad are also protesting the imposition of curfews and the arbitrary measures imposed by the army during its operations there, as this bring untold hardship on the people of the area.

They have also demanded that the victims of forced disappearances, many of whom they suspect are in military custody, be presented before the courts.

Speakers have criticised the militarys role of siding with one militant group against another. Others, much to the embarrassment of the military high command, insist that militants have not been wiped out of the areas as the army chief claims.

All this has made them unpopular with Islamabads ruling elite, with the result that the protest is receiving very little coverage in the national media.

There is an unofficial blackout on this protest because it targets the military, said journalist Imran Shirvanee.

The protestors are undeterred. They have said that if their demands are not met, they will hold a series of protests across the country and highlight their plight through social media.
Pakistans prime minister has told the visiting foreign minister of Maldives that Islamabad had no intention to side with Maldives presidents move to impose emergency, a media report said on Saturday citing an official source.

Maldives foreign minister Mohamed Asim, who is visiting as a special envoy of President Abdulla Yameen, was also told that Pakistan would not interfere in the countrys domestic matters despite its opposition to the ongoing state of emergency.

Our government is vocal about condemning the proclamation of emergency by former dictator Gen Pervez Musharraf in 2007 in Pakistan...How can we support the proclamation of emergency in Maldives where the Supreme Court is also bearing the brunt?, The Express Tribune newspaper quoted an aide of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as saying.

Abbasi had said on Friday that Pakistan firmly adheres to the policy of non-interference in the affairs of other countries and will continue to adhere to the principles of the UN charter in this regard, the Pakistani newspaper reported.

Maldives has reached out to friendly countries to garner support after the recent proclamation of emergency by Yameen.

The daily quoted a source as saying that the visiting minister invited Abbasi to visit the Maldives but he politely refused, saying it was not suitable to visit the country in the present circumstances since such a step would be tantamount to supporting the emergency rule.

Yameen announced a 15-day emergency on Monday and arrested the Supreme Courts top two judges and former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

Yameens move came in the wake of a ruling by the countrys Supreme Court on February 1 to release exiled former President Mohamed Nasheed and other high-profile prisoners.
A Punjab-origin man based in Wolverhampton who acted as a drugs wholesaler to dealers in the West Midlands was jailed on Friday for 13 years following an investigation by Britains crime prevention officials.

Daljinder Bassi, 36, used his house on Stafford Road to cut, package and store large quantities of heroin and cocaine before selling it on to dealers in the West Midlands, the officials said. He was arrested in October 2017 as he drove on motorway M6 with three kilos of heroin in his car.

Officers searching his home found cash and class A drugs in powder, rock and block form concealed in various hiding places, including under the floorboards, beneath the insulation in the loft and within the wall cavities.

The cash hidden in the walls was only accessible from the loft using a home-made pulley system, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said, adding that officers seized 737,000 in cash and 22kg of heroin, cocaine and mixing agents.

The total drugs recovered would have had a total estimated street value of 2.5 million. A hydraulic press which investigators believe Bassi used to pack the drugs into blocks, and two ledgers comprised of customer details and their orders were also seized.

After pleading guilty to three counts of possession with intent to supply class A drugs, Bassi was sentenced at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Friday.

Matt McMillan from the Met Police Organised Crime Partnership, said: Bassi was a major distributor of class A drugs in the West Midlands. By shutting down his illegal enterprise, not only have we eliminated a key link in the chain between high end traffickers and street level dealers, but a huge amount of cash has been removed from the criminal economy.
Over 200 gurdwaras across the United Kingdom will be seen as part of British heritage, according to an expert from Historic England, a body that advises the British government on such matters after a major doctoral project highlighted their architecture, growth and use.

The project completed at the University of Leicester by researcher Clare Canning means that experts in historic environment now have the knowledge and understanding in order to think about the future management and protection of gurdwaras in the country.

Linda Monckton from Historic England said: The project came about because although we knew that many gurdwaras were re-used from existing, often historic, buildings, we needed to better understand the specific way in which gurdwaras are valued by the communities who use and look after them.

Historic England is the apex adviser to the British government on the protection and management of the historic environment. It is a public body with the mandate to champion and protect historic places, helping people understand, value and care for them.

Little was previously known about gurdwaras in this way but Clares project explored the everyday value of Sikh religious spaces and their continuing potential for evolution and adaptation into the 21st century. We are now considering them as important historic places and thinking about their management and protection for the future, Monckton added.

Announcing her research last week, Canning, who visited gurdwaras in several towns, said prior to the study, there was very little known about the development of gurdwaras outside the Sikh community, since the first Sikh place of worship was set up in 1908.

Researcher Clare Canning visited gurdwaras in several towns in Britain. (HT Photo)

She said: A key outcome of the project is that current heritage frameworks, where original purpose and aesthetic value are given importance, are not necessarily relevant in the assessment of the significance of gurdwaras.

There is now an obvious need to incorporate dynamic change into heritage frameworks in a positive way, in order to appropriately recognise the significance of Sikh heritage in the built landscape of England.

Sikh migration to Britain is largely considered a post-war story, sparked by a boom in industry and apparent shortage of labour in the reconstruction of post-war Britain, as well as the partition of India in 1947, and Africanisation programmes of Kenya and Uganda in the 1960s and 70s.

The majority of the over 200 gurdwaras  ranging from previously used properties to multi-million-pound purpose-built structures  share a religious focus on the Guru Granth Sahib and basic tenets of the Sikh faith, but there is diversity in their architectural characteristics.

Canning explained that some gurdwaras have been purpose-built and clad with imported Indian stone, while others occupy buildings once used as factories, warehouses, churches, synagogues, hotels, houses, garages and schools.

A key element of the project sought to build our understanding of the religious, social and communal value of gurdwaras. Overwhelmingly, they are valued as the home of the Guru Granth Sahib and related practices, such as the tradition of Langar.

The principle of seva, or selfless service, has also led to the development of a wide range of activities and services within gurdwaras, including gyms, libraries and Punjabi schools, she said and added that their architectural characteristics could be considered as less important than the everyday practices taking place within them.

Canning noted that the first gurdwara, the Khalsa Jatha British Isles, was formed in 1908 by a group of Sikhs studying at Cambridge University. With the financial assistance of the Maharajah of Patiala it later opened in 1913, in a terraced property at 79 Sinclair Road in Shepherds Bush, London.

For several decades later, the Sikh community of the UK remained small, and the gurdwara served the social and religious needs of Sikhs across the country. This was the only gurdwara in the UK until the growth of the Sikh population in the second half of the 20th century.
US president Donald Trump has blocked, for this time, the declassification of a memo prepared by Democrats of a congressional committee probing Russian meddling that sought to rebut a Republican version he had allowed to be released and whose findings he had embraced.

Donald F McGahn II, Trumps counsel, told the House Permanent Select Committee on intelligence on Friday that though he was inclined to declassify the memo, he is unable to do so at this time as it contains numerous properly classified and specially sensitive passages.

The counsel cited significant concerns raised by the department of justice about revelations in the memo as the reason for not allowing it to be declassified. But, he said, Trump was ready to take another look at a revised memo that addressed those concerns.

The Democrats sent a very political and long response memo which they knew, because of sources and methods (and more), would have to be heavily redacted, whereupon they would blame the White House for lack of transparency, Trump said in a tweet on Saturday. Told them to re-do and send back in proper form!

The Democratic memo, which remains classified, was meant to rebut claims in the Republican memo that the FBI had obtained permission from a secret court to spy on Carter Page, a Trump campaign operative, in 2016 citing questionable material from a dossier prepared by a former British spy engaged on behalf of the Democratic party and its nominee Hillary Clinton.

As keen as the president is to end the Russian probe, he had allowed the release of the Republican memo on February 2 ignoring grave concerns raised by the justice department and the FBI about the accuracy of the material contained in the memo and its revelations about intelligence gathering by the US.

Unsurprisingly, Trump had embraced the findings in the Republican memo and said it vindicated his long-standing position that there was no collusion from him or his campaign with Russian meddling and that the probe was a witch hunt.

But concerns from the same agencies were cited by the White House to block the Democrats memo that is likely to challenge the conveniently complimentary narrative in the Republican memo.

Democrats slammed the block as double standards, and politically motivated.

Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the intelligence committee, wrote on Twitter on Friday: After ignoring urging of FBI & DOJ not to release misleading Nunes memo (The Republican memo put together by committee chairman Devin Nunes) because it omits material facts, @POTUS now expresses concerns over sharing precisely those facts with public and seeks to send it back to the same Majority that produced the flawed Nunes memo to begin with.

But, in an accompanying statement, Schiff said he will be reviewing the recommended redactions.

The probe into Russian meddling has cast a long and obstinate shadow on the Trump administration with four campaign and administration officials have been indicated on a variety of charges by Special Counsel Robert Muellers team that is conducting the FBI investigations. There have been reports the team wants to interview the president also.

There are multiple investigations conducted into Russian meddling by congressional committees, one of which is the permanent select panel on intelligence, which, together with its senate counterpart, has insight over all American intelligence agencies.
Twin bomb blasts struck a mosque in Benghazi in eastern Libya on Friday, killing at least one person and wounding 129 in the latest attack to target worshippers in the city.

The explosions hit the mosque at the start of weekly prayers in Libyas second city, which lies 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) east of Tripoli, a security source told AFP.

In the wake of the blasts debris was left scattered across the floor of the mosque, with windows blown out and bloodstains smeared on the wall.

The security source said one bomb had been hidden in a coffin in the courtyard of the mosque and another in a shoe cabinet at the entrance.

A member of the Libyan National Army inspects the damage following a twin bombing inside a mosque in Benghazi, Libya February 9, 2018. (REUTERS/Stringer)

One person was killed and 129 wounded, according to Moataz Trabelsi, spokesman for the health ministry of the parallel administration based in the east of the North African country.

The blasts follow twin car bombings outside a mosque in Benghazi after prayers on January 24 that left nearly 40 people dead.

There was no claim of responsibility for that attack, which underscored the ongoing chaos in the Benghazi region which is controlled by the forces of military strongman Khalifa Haftar.

Haftar, who opposes a UN-backed unity government based in Tripoli, announced Benghazis liberation from jihadists in July last year after a three-year campaign, but sporadic violence has continued.

Heinous act

The United Nations mission in Libya condemned the latest brutal bombings and said the reports of civilian casualties were deeply concerning.

This heinous act should not provide a justification for revenge attacks. Prompt, impartial investigations should bring perpetrators to justice, the mission said on Twitter.

Fears over potential reprisals are heightened by the reported summary execution of around 10 jihadist prisoners by a commander loyal to Haftar following last months bombings.

Libyans inspect the interior of a mosque in Benghazi on February 9, 2018, after it was hit with a twin bomb attack. (AFP)

Video showed Mahmoud al-Werfalli -- who was already wanted by the International Criminal Court over 33 suspected extra-judicial killings -- apparently shooting dead the detainees at the scene of the blasts.

Werfalli on Tuesday said he had handed himself in to military police under Haftars command, but it was not possible to confirm his arrest from an independent source.

Libya has been wracked by violence and divisions since dictator Moamer Kadhafi was toppled and killed in a 2011 NATO-backed uprising.

The UN-backed unity government based in the capital has struggled to assert its authority outside western Libya. Haftar supports the rival administration based in the east.

The UN is currently trying to negotiate an end to the current political turmoil by agreeing parliamentary and presidential elections later this year, but there is deep scepticism over whether they will take place.

On September 11, 2012, suspected jihadists linked to Al-Qaeda attacked the US consulate in Benghazi, killing ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans.
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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!


You may not have been familiar with the name BlocBoy JB before yesterday, but the Memphis rapper made quite the introduction to many on Friday when he dropped off a new single with Drake called Look Alive. The rapper had initially built a nice steady buzz for himself in Memphis over the past year thanks to songs like Rover & Shoot, which ended up becoming a dance sensation on social media in the recent months. However way you look at it though, the rapper got the attention of Drake, who jumped on a record on with him, and it appears thats just the beginning too.

On Friday night, 21 savages photographer, John Canon, shared a picture of 21 in the studio with Blocboy JB and Metro Boomin. The picture shows the three artists staring at the computer screen in the studio, apparently looking something over. However its pretty ironic that BlocBoy is in the chair looking like hes constructing something on the computer and Metro is standing up behind watching like a rapper, but that could be sheer coincidence or timing.

Theres no details or anything to go along with the picture, but it does paint the picture that a collab is on the way.

Check out the IG post (below) and revisit Blocboys new single wth Drake right here if you haven't done so already.
The beloved "Black Cement" 3s, featuring the OG "Nike Air" branding on the heel, will return to retailers next Saturday, February 17th, which happens to be Michael Jordan's 55th birthday.

The kicks will release in sizes for the whole fam, including toddlers. Men's sizes will retail for $200 while the smaller grade school pairs are priced at $160.

The good news: They'll be available online and in-store at all major retailers, including nearly every Footaction under the Sun. Check out Footaction's Release Locator to see exactly which stores in your area will have the kicks in stock next weekend.

In addition to the Black Cement 3s, Jordan Brand has plans to release several other Air Jordan 3s this year, including classics like the "Mocha" colorway and at least one pair that has never released- the white/red "Katrina" joint. On top of that, there are the "Tinker Hatfield" Air Jordan 3s (the ones with the Nike swoosh on the upper) that are scheduled to hit retailers on March 24th.
Another day another festival announcement and this one is quite notable. If any of you guys happen to be planning a trip to Europe this summer, specifically Ireland, you may wanna check out this sick lineup in Dublin.

Running from July 13th - 15th, Longitude Festival sees Travis Scott, J. Cole, Solange, Migos, Post Malone, Diplo, Tyer, The Creator, Anderson .Paak and Sampha as headliners. Other notable acts throughout the weekend are Cardi B, Giggs, Joey Badass, The Internet, 6lack, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie and many more, check out the poster below.

Tickets go on sale as of February 16th via the official website.

Speaking of Cardi B, the New York rapper recently chatted with i-D magazine about succeeding as a minority. Of course the success of people like me scares people, thats why they belittle us, she said. If youre a little scrawny man raised in a trailer in Alabama somewhere, of course youre scared right now. Thats why they own guns! Theyre scared of the intelligence of the minority. They scared of that shit. We have broken these rules a lot of times. In America, I always look at the charts. Hip-hop is always there. We are controlling the music industry. We control the fashion world."
An earlier version of this story incorrectly said the Spot service can help employees determine if harassment took place. The service allows employees to anonymously report instances of harassment and discrimination.

An employee has an "inappropriate moment." Maybe it was a misunderstanding. Or maybe it was worse: he or she was just subjected to harassment or discrimination. Getting the facts of what happened can be challenging.

But it's a problem that must be addressed. Workplace issues like harassment and discrimination are a hot topic for employers this year. Challenges, however, create opportunities for entrepreneurs - and a six-person start-up called Spot is rising to the occasion. The company has just launched a free online service that allows employees to anonymously submit a report detailing workplace harassment or discrimination.

Spot is a company - and it's also a chatbot. It uses artificial intelligence to ask questions and record the answers of an employee - anonymously.

These "cognitive interviews," as the company calls them, are programmed to ask practical and neutral questions objectively and without bias. The idea is that being interviewed by a nonhuman chatbot makes for a more relaxed and comfortable experience. It's also scalable for bigger companies and available 24/7.

"There are a lot of hurdles to reporting these kinds of experiences," said Spot cofounder and chief scientist Julia Shaw, in an interview with VentureBeat. "It's incredibly easy to forget things or misremember them, which is why it's important to record them when the memories are fresh."

The company is working on a revenue model for itself where fees are charged to human resources departments that make use of the service.

So what's the result? The interview creates an encrypted record and generates a private report with time stamps. The report can also be submitted directly to a company. It's intended to get employees and employers talking about these kinds of situations in a constructive way, and to resolve them before they escalate. After its downloaded, the data is deleted from the company's servers.

Spot isn't the ultimate solution for determining whether an incident of harassment or discrimination took place. But it's certainly a helpful way - at a minimum - for companies to learn whether their employees are experiencing harassment. Plenty more products like this will be coming in the future.
Halliburton isn't content to limit its battle for market share with Schlumberger to the oil field these days. It's opened a new front in an unlikely place: the patent office.

The Houston-based provider of drilling services is waging an aggressive campaign to persuade the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to cancel some of Schlumberger's fracking-related patents, telling the agency they're not inventions but old ideas repackaged. At the same time, Halliburton is pursuing more patents.

"They're the two big dogs in the space," said J. David Anderson, an analyst at Barclays. "Halliburton and Schlumberger have been battling for that top spot in North American services for a decade, so the fact they're going after each other with patents is not surprising."

Halliburton has long been the top North American contractor, while Schlumberger has dominated international markets, but they've been increasingly encroaching on each other's turf as crude recovers from its worst crash in a generation.

Hydraulic fracturing blasts water, sand and chemicals underground to release trapped oil and gas. Oil field services providers such as Halliburton and Schlumberger are being asked by their customers for better technology to help them do more with less so they can be more prudent with spending and return cash to shareholders.

"Everybody's fighting for that small little edge," said James Wicklund, an analyst at Credit Suisse in Dallas.

Patents can help provide an edge, and Halliburton has racked up some early wins. Since December, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board has agreed to review the validity of six Schlumberger patents after making a preliminary finding that Halliburton had shown a "reasonable likelihood" of winning its arguments.

Schlumberger has given up on one of the patents; and the board is considering Halliburton challenges on four others. Final decisions on the patents under review are expected by year-end.

Among the Schlumberger patents Halliburton has challenged are those covering the use of fiber optic tools to monitor interior well conditions, sensors to collect temperature readings across a broader area, and ways to more precisely control where the fracking fluid goes.

Halliburton, in several petitions, said the patents are simply "a classic situation where known elements are combined according to known methods to yield predictable results."

Schlumberger, in filings with the patent board, rejected Halliburton's characterizations. In individual responses, one patented invention provided "many advantages and efficiencies," while another was "a significant advance" over earlier techniques, company lawyers wrote.

Schlumberger did not respond to requests for comment.

Emily Mir, a spokeswoman for Halliburton, declined to comment on the patent disputes. But, she said, the company focuses its own research "on products and services that will improve efficiency and enhance production while reducing costs for its customers."

Halliburton is on a record pace to obtain its own patents, putting it in the neighborhood of tech heavyweights like Oracle Corp. and Micron Technology. The company received 738 patents last year, making it No. 44 in the list of recipients, according to a study by IFI Claims Patent Services, a unit of Fairview Research.

It was the only oil and gas company in the list of IFI's top 50 recipients. Baker Hughes was No. 74 on the list with 496 patents, and Schlumberger was No. 86 with 434 patents.
Combine simplistic political promises with complex international economics and all you get are unintended consequences.

President Donald Trump imposed tariffs Tuesday on foreign-made washing machines and solar panels, raising prices on those goods by 30 percent, helping two foreign-owned companies and taking away jobs from thousands of Americans.

The president fired the first salvo in his long-promised global trade war, but as in any battle, the costs will likely outweigh the benefits.

Trump's order imposed a 20 percent tariff on the first 1.2 million residential washing machines imported annually, and a 50 percent tariff on any imported after that. More distressing, he levied a 50 percent tariff on washer parts.

Whirlpool, which filed the complaint with the International Trade Commission, said it would hire 200 workers to boost domestic manufacturing. The move, though, will likely cost more American jobs.

WHAT'S NEXT: Texas solar developers assess the damage from Trump tariff

Before the tariffs, Samsung Electronics Co. had hired more than 600 workers at a South Carolina washer factory and planned to hire more. LG Electronics is building a washer factory in Tennessee and planned to hire hundreds more.

Both of those companies must now pay a 50 percent tariff on parts for their factories, and of course pass those higher costs on to consumers. Higher costs will mean lower sales and therefore fewer employees, which is why South Carolina's Gov. Henry McMaster and other Republican leaders vehemently opposed the tariffs.

The tariffs will also allow domestic manufacturers to raise prices to match higher prices for imported washers, costing American consumers more in the months ahead than they would have paid last year.

The solar panel tariffs are equally absurd because the two American manufacturers that filed the complaint are owned by German and Chinese companies.

The first 2.5 gigawatts of solar panels imported a year are exempt, but after that Trump levied a 30 percent tariff, which will step down 5 percent a year to 15 percent in 2021. The stated purpose is to allow Chinese-owned Suniva and German-owned SolarWorld Americas to get out of bankruptcy and figure out how to compete.

The first problem is that neither company manufactures the type of solar panel imported from China and used in most residential and utility-scale projects. Neither company truly offers a replacement product, so that leaves solar power companies to continue buying from the same suppliers, only paying more.

ClearView Energy Partners, a clean tech consulting firm, said the tariffs could increase residential rooftop system costs by 4 percent and utility-scale systems by 10 percent. That price hike will likely delay or cancel 10 percent to 15 percent of new U.S. solar installations over the next five years, Wood Mackenzie researched M.J. Shiao told the Reuters News Agency.

That slowdown in solar energy development will cost 23,000 American jobs, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. Suniva and SolarWorld employ only a few hundred people each.

"We are disappointed by the administration's decision on the trade case," said John Berger, CEO of Houston-based Sunnova, which specializes in residential solar installations. "Residential solar costs have come down significantly across the industry over the last five years, and we expect those cost declines to continue, despite tariffs."

Washing machines and solar panels demonstrate Trump's challenge in implementing his "America First" trade policy and how it can backfire.

Talks on renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement reopened Tuesday in Montreal, with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer demanding concessions from Canada and Mexico. Republican leaders in Congress are worried he will do more harm than good.

TOMLINSON: Economy runs strong in Trump's first year

Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, a conservative Republican, has pleaded with Trump not to ruin NAFTA for the thousands of farmers who rely on food exports to make a living. Texas Sen. John Cornyn has expressed his concern that blowing up NAFTA will hurt our economy, which has a trade surplus with Mexico.

America First sounds like a great idea, until you look at how integrated the global economy has become. International trade and investment have created more American jobs than it has cost, and blowing up the current trading regime will do more harm than good.

That's certainly the message that world leaders will have for Trump when he arrives Davos, Switzerland, later this week for the World Economic Forum.

We can only hope our president recognizes the benefits of the economic system that has made America the most powerful nation in the world, and he will pander less to a nationalist strategy that will only impoverish us.
One of President Donald Trump's favorite subjects for praise - the Texas oil industry - is urging him to back off his hard-line stance on the North American Free Trade Agreement.

The Texas Alliance of Energy Producers, which represents oil companies across Texas, passed a resolution this week urging Trump not to raise tariffs on Mexico and Canada, so as "to foster the expansion of unfettered energy trade and investment."

"NAFTA is important to Texas, and if renegotiated, its impact on our markets for oil and gas needs to remain positive and profitable," Bob Osborne, chairman of the energy alliance, said.

Now Playing: Latest Oil & Energy News Playlist Video: Houston Chronicle

The energy alliance is also asking Trump to keep NAFTA as is should negotiations break down and not to seek a resolution putting an expiration date on the pact.

RELATED STORY: Fears of U.S. withdrawal as NAFTA talks drag out

The plea comes as talks continue to renegotiate the more than two-decade old trade pact, which lifted tariffs on goods moving between the three nations. Last month, Canadian officials, along with some U.S. congressmen, expressed concern Trump would pull the United States from NAFTA.

But following talks in Montreal last week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday he didn't believe Trump would pull out because of the potential damage to U.S. workers.

"I'm confident that the president is going to see that and choose to not terminate because it's not in his or Americans' best interests to walk away from NAFTA," he said.

The stakes are especially high for oil and gas companies operating in Texas, which have watched gas exports to Mexico increase more than five-fold since 2010, according to the energy alliance.

At the same time, refineries along the Gulf Coast rely on a steady stream of crude from Western Canada.

"The heavier grades of crude oil imported to the U.S. from Canada are a necessary part of the U.S. oil supply mix," said John Tintera, president of the energy alliance. "Many U.S. refineries were built to handle those grades, and require heavy crude to make several vital consumer products."
SAN FRANCISCO - Uber is paying $245 million to Google's self-driving car spinoff to end a legal brawl that aired out allegations of a sinister scheme that tore apart the once-friendly companies.

The surprise settlement announced Friday came as lawyers for Uber and Waymo, a company hatched from Google, prepared to wrap up the first week of a trial that had attracted international attention.

Waymo filed its lawsuit nearly a year ago , adding to Uber's woes with allegations of a bold high-tech heist orchestrated by its former CEO, Travis Kalanick, and a former Google engineer. That engineer, Anthony Levandowski, subsequently went to work for Uber, and was later fired when he declined to answer questions about the theft charges, citing his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.

Uber and its ride-hailing service had already been tarnished by the company's acknowledgement of rampant sexual harassment within its ranks, a yearlong cover-up of a major computer break-in, and the use of duplicitous software to thwart government regulators.

As with most settlements, the truce required some compromise by both sides. Uber had initially offered to settle the case for $490 million just before the start of the trial Monday, but that agreement didn't provide Waymo with enough assurances that its technology wouldn't be improperly used, according to two people familiar with the thinking of both parties in the lawsuit. The people asked not to be identified because the settlement talks were confidential.

Not long after Thursday's trial proceedings ended, the top lawyers from both companies met to hammer out an agreement. The resulting compromise cut Uber's payment in half, but provided Waymo with the guarantees that it wanted to prevent its technology from being used in Uber's autonomous cars.

The payment, to be made in Uber's stock, is a fraction of the nearly $2 billion in damages that a Waymo expert had estimated Uber's alleged theft had caused.

A settlement in the middle of a trial is highly unusual, but both companies had motives for doing so in this case.

Kalanick, a polarizing figure who resigned as Uber's CEO last June, had already spent part of two days on the stand reviewing old texts between him and Levandowski indicating that they were willing to go to any lengths to catch up with a self-driving car project that Google started in 2009. The texts included snippets such as "second place is first looser (sic)," "burn the village," and a link to a video clip from the 1987 film "Wall Street" featuring a character hailing the virtues of unbridled greed.

Levandowski was also set to take the stand Monday, when he was expected once again to repeatedly take the Fifth, a move that Uber's lawyers feared would prejudice the 10-person jury against the company.

"The optics of someone not wanting to incriminate himself in front of a jury in a civil case are terrible," said Dan Handman, a Los Angeles lawyer specializing in trade secrets.

Uber's settlement won't necessarily help Levandowski, though. The U.S. Justice Department opened a criminal probe at the prodding of U.S. District Judge William Alsup, although it hasn't publicly identified the targets of that investigation.

Waymo alleged that Levandowski heisted its technology and took it to Uber via a startup he founded and which Uber purchased a few months later for $680 million. Uber denied using any Google technology to build a fleet of self-driving cars.

Including the settlement, the cost of that Otto deal is now nearly $1 billion, without factoring in Uber's legal bills in the case. It's a deal that one of Uber's own attorneys acknowledged the company now regrets.

"Knowing everything we know, Uber regrets ever bringing Anthony Levandowski on board," Uber lawyer William Carmody told the jury in his opening statement. "And the reason they do so is because for all his time at Uber, all Uber has to show for Anthony Levandowski is this lawsuit."

But the settlement at least removes a dark cloud that Uber didn't want looming when it offers its stock to the public - something its current CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, plans to pursue next year.

The settlement also covers more than 100 other trade secrets that Waymo alleges Levandowski stole. Waymo could have filed additional claims against Uber in the months and years ahead, but that's no longer a possibility unless Waymo finds additional evidence of Uber using its technology.

Khosrowshahi released a statement saying he wanted to "express regret" and commit Uber to taking steps to ensure that its self-driving technology "represents just our good work."
FBI agents found homemade bombs and an ominous note scribbled inside a bomb-making manual during an East Texas raid Thursday.

Mark Avrey Rudd, 27, was arrested Friday on the felony charge of possessing an unregistered device after FBI agents purposefully detonated explosives they found in a raid Thursday, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Rudd faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Investigators executed a search warrant in the 4800 block of Belmont Street, in Beaumont, on Thursday and found a cooler containing two suspected destructive devices, officials said.

One of the items was a two-liter bottle of liquid with wires extending from the top. The second bottle contained match heads, a strike plate and a "pyrotechnic device" with a fuse secured to a bottle of butane by duct tape, officials said.

Authorities found matches, pyrotechnic devices, an electronic timer wired to a sensor and an assortment of other suspicious items inside Rudd's room, according to a statement.

Investigators also found a a 21-page notebook with details about how to make explosives. At of the top of the first page was a handwritten note that said, "This is why you should not piss me off kabluey Chaos."

The FBI, assisted by the Beaumont Police Department and Beaumont Fire and Rescue, blew up the items about 1:15 p.m. Thursday by digging a hole and detonating the materials underground.

A Beaumont police officer at the scene said the department had been watching the house and had reason to believe there may have been explosives inside.
Before Friday, it had been two months since 14-year-old Bartley White had a computer in his home.

His family's desktop had broken, and and they'd been unable to replace it. Without the device, the Fleming Middle eighth-grader used his phone to type up essays and look up facts.

But after the Best Buy chain donated 150 laptops to students at his school, White will have an easier way to complete his assignments.

Now Playing: Latest Education Videos Video: Houston Chronicle

"It's going to be a lot easier" to do homework, White said Friday. "It felt kind of good putting it together."

Dozens of Best Buy employees and laptop kits lined the halls of Fleming Middle on Friday to help eighth graders build their own donated laptops. Students will get to keep the computers even after the school year ends.

The laptops are part of $580,000 that Best Buy has dedicated to Houston schools, nonprofits and community groups this year, including $160,000 set aside for Houston ISD specifically.

Their work in Houston ISD will also include a free two-day Geek Squad Academy this summer and a teen tech center later this year.

Laura Bishop, Best Buy's chief corporate responsibility and sustainability officer, said the company decided to act after many of its local employees were affected by Harvey.

"Even as we addressed these employees' immediate needs, we knew the path to full recovery for them and for the Houston community would be a long one," Bishop said. "With that in mind, we are proud to reaffirm our commitment to greater Houston's lasting recovery."

Earlier this week, telecommunications giant Sprint announced it was providing mobile hot spots and free wireless internet access to about 14,000 Houston ISD students, part of a philanthropy campaign to get 1 million kids online in the next five years.

Sharell Webb, an eighth grade science teacher at Fleming who wrote grants for the laptops being provided by Best Buy, said 85 to 99 percent of her students were affected by Hurricane Harvey, which swamped the northwest Houston neighborhood surrounding the school. She said many of her students had lacked access to computers before the storm, but the problem only grew worse as families had to rebuild their lives.

"When I first told them about this, it really didn't register until they saw the box. Then it was like, 'Hold on, can you repeat that?' They just gasped," Webb said, pausing after her voice broke. "Now they're going to have a boost of confidence because this has been a great incentive, this has been like a sense of accomplishment."
Houston ISD's proposals for major changes at 14 low-performing campuses, which serve about 11,000 students, have provoked much uncertainty and confusion. Here are answers to some common questions about the district's proposals. These answers are based on interviews with district and state leaders, Houston ISD documents and reviews of state laws and rules.

What is Houston ISD proposing?

District administrators have recommended forming "partnerships" with outside organizations at eight schools: Dogan and Mading elementary schools, Henry Middle School, and Kashmere, Madison, North Forest, Wheatley and Worthing high schools.

Under a partnership, the outside organization would control hiring, curriculum and governance at the campus, while the district would retain control over facilities, technology and transportation. (Houston ISD is seeking to retain more control over hiring and governance at its potential partnership schools, which we'll address later in this article.)

Administrators have also recommended closing and immediately reopening six schools: Blackshear, Highland Heights, Hilliard and Wesley elementary schools, Cullen Middle School, and Woodson PK-8.

Under this plan, those six schools would only serve limited grade levels in 2018-19, the entire school staff would be replaced and the campus would have a new curriculum focus.

Why are these changes being proposed?

State legislators in 2015 passed a law aimed at forcing school districts to improve chronically low-performing campuses. Under that law, if a school district has a single school that receives five straight "improvement required" ratings for poor academic performance, the Texas Education Agency must close the low-performing campus or take over the district's school board. About 5 percent of schools are rated "improvement required" each year.

The law applies to all districts, regardless of size. So even though Houston ISD has about 280 schools, the state can take over the district's school board if a single campus receives five consecutive "improvement required" ratings.

Heading into the 2017-18 school year, Houston ISD has 10 schools that have received at least four consecutive "improvement required" ratings. All 10 of those schools must meet state academic standards this year to avoid triggering a potential state takeover.

District administrators have proposed the partnerships and so-called "close-and-restart" plans to preempt that takeover threat. Campuses in partnerships get a two-year reprieve from state accountability ratings, while closing and restarting a campus resets the accountability clock at zero.

Why not wait and see if the 10 schools can meet state academic standards this year?

Based on past performance, it's highly unlikely all 10 campuses will emerge from "improvement required" status. To understand why, it helps to understand how the state's accountability system works.

Each year, schools are graded on their success in four areas: raw student achievement, student progress, closing performance gaps, and post-secondary readiness. To meet state standards, a school must hit three of four "target" scores in those areas.

Last year, eight of the 10 at-risk schools met two of four targets last year, with several barely missing a third target.

But two schools, Woodson PK-8 and Worthing High School, missed all four targets. Only 24 campuses across Texas failed to meet a single target last year.

It wasn't a one-time aberration for Woodson and Worthing. Over the past four years, Worthing has gone 0-for-15 in hitting targets (it wasn't graded on student progress in 2012-13), while Woodson has gone 3-for-16.

How bad is that?

Consider this: Of the roughly 7,800 Texas schools rated each year, Worthing is the only school in the state that failed to meet a single performance target in the past four years.

So while several schools could emerge from "improvement required" status this year, Woodson and Worthing would need to make monumental progress. And remember, if just a single campus is rated "improvement required," the state can take over the district's school board.

There are only 10 schools in danger of triggering a takeover, but Houston ISD is proposing changes to 14 schools. Why?

Four schools rated "improvement required" for two or three consecutive years are included in the district's plans. Administrators anticipate those schools could continue to fall short of state academic standards based on performance trends and concerns about changes to the state's accountability system. The four schools are Hilliard Elementary School, Cullen Middle School, and Madison and North Forest high schools.

How does a "partnership" work?

The Texas Education Agency is still finalizing rules for how partnerships would work, but here's what is expected based on proposed rules.

Under a partnership, a school district would turn over control of hiring, curriculum and governance of a campus to an outside organization chosen from a state-approved list. The outside group must be a nonprofit, higher education institution or charter school network. The arrangement resembles a charter school model, but it's important to note that the partnerships aren't permanent, meaning the district would eventually regain control over its schools.

But there's one major area of contention here that will be sorted out in the coming weeks.

Houston ISD officials have said they only plan to partner with outside organizations for academic services at their eight proposed "partnership" schools. For now, they're not planning to surrender control over hiring and governance -- even though the proposed rules for "partnership" schools require that. It's unclear whether the state will grant the district more control than currently outlined in proposed rules surrounding "partnership" schools.

It's also unclear how long any potential partnerships would last. Proposed rules don't put a minimum length of time on agreements. District officials have said the duration would vary depending on the needs of each campus.

How does a close-and-restart plan work?

To start the 2017-18 school year, only limited grade levels would be served at each affected campus. The four elementary schools and Woodson PK-8 would serve pre-kindergarten and kindergarten, while Cullen Middle School would serve sixth grade. Campuses would add one grade level each subsequent year.

Students entering grade levels no longer served by those six schools would be sent to nearby campuses. For example, a current third-grader at Blackshear Elementary School would attend fourth grade at another school.

District officials are lobbying the state to keep more grade levels in their campuses. They're also seeking a unique arrangement for two neighboring campuses, Highland Heights and Wesley elementary schools. Under their plan, all girls from the two schools would attend Highland Heights, while all boys from the two schools would attend Wesley. Those plans haven't been approved by the state.

To comply with state law surrounding close-and-restart schools, Houston ISD would have to replace the entire staff at each campus. To alleviate the potential for layoffs, administrators have pledged to shuffle staff at these schools to other campuses.

It's worth noting that some of the six schools already had undergone major staff upheavals headed into the 2017-18 school year. For example, Woodson PK-8 replaced its principal and about 75 percent of the teaching staff this year, according to payroll and state employee data. All of those new staffers would be shuffled again under a close-and-restart process.

Finally, the six close-and-restart campuses would also have a new academic focus, designed to mirror programming in feeder pattern schools. For example, Highland Heights and Wesley would both have a STEM focus, matching the STEM programs at their feeder pattern schools, Williams Middle School and Booker T. Washington High School.

My son/daughter attends one of the schools under consideration for close-and-restart. What will happen to him/her?

First, none of the proposals are set in stone, so it's too early to definitively say what will happen. Much will depend on whether the recommended plans are changed, and if the state gives Houston ISD any special accommodations it seeks.

But if a school is approved for close-and-restart, and the campus no longer serves the child's grade level, he/she would be transferred to a nearby campus. District officials are coordinating plans for how students would be distributed. Transportation would be provided.

What are the pros and cons of each plan?

Under a "partnership," a school can continue to serve all grade levels and potentially retain the staff (if a partner opts to keep current employees). However, the district could lose significant control over operations at the campus, assuming the proposed rules for "partnership" schools are enacted.

Under a close and restart process, the district retains total control over the campus, but the upheaval for students and staff is far more drastic.

Why are some schools recommended for a "partnership" and some recommended for close-and-restart?

District officials said that decision has been made case-by-case, with input from campus leaders and administrators. One major factor is the academic programming currently offered at the campus. In cases where the district found it could better align programming with feeder schools, it was more likely to recommend closure and immediate reopening.

Who are the proposed partners?

Houston ISD has floated Talent Development Secondary, a Baltimore-based nonprofit, as a "possible partner" for six campuses: Kashmere, Madison, North Forest, Wheatley and Worthing high schools, and Henry Middle School. The organization, which was recently affiliated with Johns Hopkins University, specializes in raising academic performance and graduation rates in high-poverty areas. They have worked in dozens of school districts across 14 states, employing research-based strategies designed to help secondary-level students.

It's notable that Talent Development Secondary only wants to work on academics at those schools. If the state requires Houston ISD to partner with an organization that takes over hiring and governance at each campus, the district will have to find a second partner.

The two remaining campuses, Dogan and Mading elementary schools, would possibly partner with the Children's Learning Institute at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. The institute has historically focused child development and education through a combination of research, programming and clinical services. Houston ISD administrators have said the institute has interest in both academics and governance at the two campuses, though it hasn't operated public elementary schools in the past.

Are these proposed plans set in stone?

According to Houston ISD officials, no. Administrators have repeatedly said the proposals could change, particularly as rules around "partnerships" are set and community members provide feedback. As evidence, board members have noted that a proposal to make major changes at Lawson Middle School has been shelved.

However, there is a tight deadline for approving campus overhauls. The district's school board is expected to vote on plans for each campus by mid-April. Those plans must be sent to the Texas Education Agency by April 30.

If I have more questions, or I want my voice heard, what can I do?

Board members and district administrators are holding community meetings at or near all 14 schools over the next several weeks. Click here to see when a meeting near you will be held.

I'm involved in one of the 14 schools, and we've been promised changes before that never came to fruition. Why will these plans be different?

That's the $64,000 question, and one that can't quite be answered yet. Judging by the comments Tuesday at the first community meeting, held at Wheatley High School, there's a lot of skepticism about whether these proposals will produce meaningful change.

District leaders have said Talent Development Secondary would provide help designed to bolster student achievement and improve teacher performance, but their level of involvement isn't yet known. The close-and-restart schools would have academic programming better aligned with their feeder schools, but we don't know how well potential staff members would execute any plans.

Houston ISD is carrying out its Achieve 180 plan, which focuses on improving teacher quality and providing "wraparound," or non-academic, services to students dealing with the effects of poverty. Under the current proposals, Houston ISD could continue those plans. But if the state forces the district to surrender control over hiring and governance at the eight proposed "partnership" campuses, an outside organization could dramatically change operations at the school. How that would look? Nobody knows yet.
An aging courthouse pressed back into service after Hurricane Harvey poses a significant fire risk to the thousands of people who pass through its doors each day, according to the Houston Fire Marshal's office.

The former Harris County Family Law Center has no sprinkler system and poor evacuation routes with few exits and narrow corridors that would limit escape during a fire, officials said.

"It could be a catastrophe," said Clifford Boyd, a senior inspector with the city's Fire Marshal's Office. "When people are trying to jump out of windows or they're trapped, it's too late to talk then. We need a plan of action. We're trying to make this better if there is a fire."

The seven-story building, at 1115 Congress near San Jacinto, has housed 16 Harris County misdemeanor courts since the nearby Harris County Criminal Courthouse flooded during Harvey in August. About 55,000 lawyers, judges, clerks, jurors, defendants and witnesses move through the building each month.

At least one misdemeanor judge learned only Wednesday that his courtroom has no sprinklers.

"It's ridiculous," said Michael Fields, judge of County Court-at-Law #14. "These people who come in here are entitled to the same respect and dignity and safety as anyone anywhere. The fact that a person has been accused of committing a crime or not paying their child support doesn't mean they deserve to burn to death in an unsafe building."

MORE: Harris County officials to get update on closed criminal courthouse

Mayor Sylvester Turner and County Judge Ed Emmett have entered into a written agreement to waive city requirements for a retrofitted sprinkler system and for warning signs to the public, according to a copy of the agreement obtained by the Houston Chronicle.

Instead, county fire inspectors have been assigned to conduct a so-called "fire watch" at the structure, meaning a certified fire inspector is stationed at the building during business hours.

Joe Stinebaker, a spokesman for Emmett, said the building is safe and said the city fire marshal signed off on waivers.

"It's our understanding, through the experts  who are the city fire marshals and the county fire marshal  that the city is entirely convinced that the building is safe and that our plans to remedy any concerns they have are more than satisfactory," he said.

Alan Bernstein, the mayor's communications director, said fire inspectors are regularly placed in high-rises, usually temporarily, to make up for lack of sprinklers.

"The lack of sprinklers, long-term or temporarily, is made up for by having human resources on hand on a 24/7 basis who would be able to call the fire department to hopefully take care of the fire just as fast as a sprinkler would," he said.

In a statement released by the Houston Fire Department, Chief Sam Pena said Harris County has been in full compliance with the Memorandum of Understanding.

"Hurricane Harvey damaged multiple Harris County buildings, including some that housed many courtrooms," he said. "The fire sprinkler requirement for the (Family Law) building was temporarily waived with the understanding that the Harris County Fire Marshal would use certified inspectors to maintain a staffed fire watch program during business hours."

The Family Law Center, which was built in the late 1960s, was largely vacant and slated for demolition when it was re-opened to house the misdemeanor courts after water damage from Harvey flooding shuttered the 20-story Criminal Courthouse at least until 2019.

MORE: Prosecutors, attorneys cut 'Harvey deals' in jail basement as flood-damaged courthouse is repaired

More than two dozen Houston firefighters toured the building Wednesday as part of a special training session. Houston fire marshals who inspected the structure said they had grave concerns over evacuations if a fire were to break out.

Getting people out through two elevators and a pair of narrow staircases in an emergency seemed to present a nightmare scenario for firefighters as they inspected the building Wednesday.

Without a sprinkler system, flames could become unmanageable before firefighters even arrive, Boyd said.

Other firefighters and fire department officials referred questions to HFD's public information office. As they toured the public areas of the building Wednesday, however, they could be heard talking incredulously about the conditions they found.

"This is a recipe for disaster," one high-ranking city firefighter said.

"It's not safe," said another.

They speculated aloud that a ladder truck would likely have to be used to evacuate the building if there were a fire.

The sheer number of people using the cramped building also gave first responders cause for worry.

"The fire watch may not be enough," Boyd said. "Depending on the fire."

Although it is a county building, the Houston Fire Department would respond to any emergency. That means the city fire marshal's office, not the Harris County Fire Marshal's Office, has been working to evaluate the situation.

The county's misdemeanor criminal courts-at-law share courtrooms on floors 2 through 6 by dividing the courts into dockets at 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. On the top floor, a courtroom is used for jury trials.

A single docket call can bring in scores of people, jamming into the crowded stairwells as they move from floor to floor. Crowds wait for the packed elevators.

MORE: Hurricane Harvey damage to Harris County criminal courthouse under review

Fields, the judge, said he had seen the fire watchers walking through the courthouse but thought they were there because of the massive volume of people coming through the building.

"They are really hard-working," Fields said of the fire watchers. "They monitor this building well, under some extreme circumstances, but this shouldn't happen."

The sprinkler mandate stems from a 2005 city of Houston ordinance that required half the floors in all high-rise buildings to have automatic sprinkler systems by the end of 2014, and to be fully sprinkled by the end of 2017.

In 2012, Harris County officials decided to vacate most of the courthouse to avoid installing a $2 million sprinkler system because it was scheduled for demolition.

Instead of paying to install a sprinkler system, the county sealed off the vacant space and spent $8 million to build family courtrooms in the modern civil courthouse at 201 Caroline, officials said.

But with Hurricane Harvey knocking out the hub of the criminal justice system, Harris County officials had to scramble for courtroom space. The misdemeanor courts ended up in the old building.

"They're making the best out of a bad situation," Fields said. "Judge Emmett didn't build this building and neither did Mayor Turner. They've got to live with the situation as it is, but that doesn't make it any less ridiculous."

Lawyers who work in the building agreed that full evacuation would be impossible during an emergency.

"People are going to die," said defense attorney Troy McKinney.

Brian Rogers is the legal affairs reporter for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Twitter @brianjrogers or email him at brian.rogers@chron.com.
An unlicensed southeast Houston club that police say was the scene of a shooting last month was ordered to temporarily close after the Harris County Attorney's Office won a restraining order against it Friday.

In a separate, civil lawsuit also filed in Harris County on Friday, the family of a man who was fatally shot in an unlicensed bar in west Houston is demanding more than $1 million from the property owner and various club managers, whom they accuse of negligence that contributed to their family member's killing.

The two actions come amid an increased push by local authorities to close illegal, after-hours clubs, which Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan describes as being hotbeds for assaults, murders, prostitution and drug-trafficking, among other crimes.

Alberth Sinisterra was shot multiple times inside one of the clubs operating out of three suites at 9275 Richmond Ave. on Sept. 24, court and police records show.

He was among the at least 50 people that have died since 2010 in outbreaks of violence at Houston-area clubs operating without liquor licenses or after 2 a.m. at licensed clubs that were later closed, sued or fined for selling alcohol during prohibited hours, a Houston Chronicle investigation of police, court and state records found.

Now Playing: Texas News & Crime Video: Houston Chronicle

Club closed

In a restraining order filed Friday, the Harris County Attorney's Office accuses Bukanitas of selling liquor without a state license  including to minors and after 2 a.m., when such sales are prohibited in Texas.

The club's location, at 11555 Fuqua, has not had a permit to sell alcohol since January 2017, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission records show.

On Jan. 27, Houston police officers conducted an investigation of the club after a shooting there the night before, according to court records. During the investigation, police said they found as many as 100 people inside, as well as tables with buckets of beer and liquor bottles behind a bar.

On Feb. 3, HPD officers conducted another investigation into the club for selling alcohol to minors, during which a bouncer locked the clubs door and refused to allow officers inside, court records show.

The bouncer claimed he was instructed by a bar manager to lock officers out, court records show. The bouncer also told officers he did not know the name of the manager whod instructed him to do so, court records show. Neither bar management nor the owners of the property, Amani Investments and HSC Management, LLC, could be reached for comment Friday.

Read more: 50 people have died at illegal Houston clubs. What stops officials from closing them?

Wrongful death

In their lawsuit filed Friday, Sinisterras family demands more than $1 million in damages from the managers of four now-shuttered clubs, as well as Wonsong Investment Company, which owns the property at 9275 Richmond.

The clubs  listed in court records as Blush Lounge, Allure Lounge, Village Gang Nightclub and ALAA  were closed last year after the office of Vince Ryan, the county attorney, filed a restraining order against them for, among other things, selling alcohol without licenses, court records show.

The clubs were operating out of three suites in a strip mall, where police responded to dozens of calls for violent crime over a 12-month period, police logs show. Among the outbreaks were Sinisterras death inside one club and a non-fatal shooting in the parking lot on July 30, police and court records show.

Sinisterras family claims that the club managers and property owner had a duty to not operate after legally established business hours and, at the very least, to provide adequate security.

Jack Fuerst, an attorney who represented Blush Lounge in the suit filed by Ryans office, said Friday that he was unaware of the wrongful death suit, but maintained  as he did last year that his former client never sold alcohol and was being blamed for the actions of neighboring clubs.

It was a bad scene, Fuerst said Friday.

Read more: 'No one leaves sober,' advertised illegal Houston bar now facing closure

Court records show Blush Lounge had advertised online that it was selling alcohol, though Fuerst previously told the Chronicle that those advertisements were posted by rival clubs in an attempt to frame his client.

Miles Cohn, an attorney who represented Wonsong Investment Company, said Friday he was unaware of the wrongful death suit, but said his former client had evicted the clubs and adopted new leasing policies that allow for bad-acting tenants to be removed more quickly.

The other defendants in the wrongful death suit could not be reached for comment Friday.

The fight to stem the spread of illegal clubs has been complicated by the internet and what some officials say are lax penalties for operating off-the-books clubs, often at a huge profit for landlords and tenants.

Before social media and the internet, club managers had to rely on word-of-mouth to recruit devoted, often underage patrons. Today, they can use anonymous, online aliases to mobilize their followings to establishments across the city.

Restraining orders, meanwhile, are effective for shuttering single locations. But in some instances, managers of bars closed by law enforcement simply open new establishments under the names of family or friends.

Landlords, meanwhile, often claim they are unaware clubs are unlicensed or selling alcohol after hours. Sometimes, there isn't even a formal lease, making it even more difficult to prove property owners willfully violated the law.

"It's a criminal enterprise," Celena Vinson, a lawyer in the Harris County Attorney's public nuisance office, told the Chronicle last year. "They're just criminals playing with a system that kind of allows them to."

Robert Downen covers crime for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Twitter or email him at robert.downen@chron.com.
DALLAS -- Josie Zamora, 44, born in Mexico and a legal resident of Texas for nearly 15 years, says she can feel the building pressure.

"You can feel it in the community," she says in describing her Oak Cliff neighborhood, where many of the families are from the same small towns in Mexico.

First was Donald Trump's border wall, and the push from politicians to deport all illegal immigrants. Then came the passage in Austin of a Texas ban on sanctuary cities and the calls to deport Dreamers, the young immigrants who were brought into the United States illegally by their undocumented parents.

Last week, when President Trump announced he was ending a protective amnesty program for about 200,000 Salvadorans nationwide, Zamora said she just shook her head.

MORE: Trump ends special protections for immigrants from El Salvador

"We're Trump's punching bag," said the office manager at a Dallas bookkeeping firm. "I try to ignore what he and a lot of his Republicans say. It makes me angry."

As Democrats look to make gains in Congress and mount a challenge to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott this year, they shouldn't count on a big Latino vote, despite the backlash to hardline policies and rhetoric of Trump and the GOP on immigrants. It's more complicated than that.

Cody Duty/.

To succeed, they would have to translate that anger into a surge in Latino voter turnout -- something Democrats have predicted for years, but has not materialized. Democrats would also need their predictions to come true that more Latino voters means more votes for them.

How likely is that?

BY THE NUMBERS 40 - percentage of Latinos in Texas registered to vote in 2016 28 - percentage of registered Latino voters who cast a ballot in 2016 30 -- percentage of Latino vote won by President Donald Trump nationwide in 2016 44 -- percentage of Latino vote won by Gov. Greg Abbott statewide in 2014 By the numbers 40 percent Latinos in Texas registered to vote in 2016 28 percent Registered Latino voters who cast a ballot in 2016 30 percent Latino vote won by President Donald Trump nationwide in 2016 44 percent Latino vote won by Gov. Greg Abbott statewide in 2014 See More Collapse

Zamora and several of her friends laugh.

"You act like all (Latinos) vote and think alike. Wrong," said one friend, Maryana Gonzales, adding she would probably vote Republican, if she votes in November at all. "The Democrats think we'll all turn out for them. I'm Catholic. No abortion or gay marriage. I'm not a Democrat."

It's an election year in Texas when Latinos are considered a key, when Democrats are touting the candidacy of the first Latina running for governor, former Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez. But the Latinos at the restaurant with Zamora mostly said they weren't interested in the election at all yet.

MORE: Clock is ticking for Salvadoran immigrants after protected status terminated

In fact, only one knew who Valdez was, even though the sheriff is said to live nearby.

"Most (immigrant voters) probably don't want to rock the boat, so they just don't vote, even if they're mad," Zamora explained. "I've heard again and again how (Latinos) are going to turn out and win everything for the Democrats. I don't see that."

Others disagree.

"It's true that Latinos don't vote as a bloc, because Republicans have done a better job in the past of courting Latinos in a sincere way," said Sylvia Manzano of Latino Decisions, a research firm that focuses on Hispanic voters. "But that's not happening anymore. And it's not just that they're ignoring Latinos. They're doing worse. They're actively working to repel Latinos."

Less than 40 percent of Latinos in Texas registered to vote in 2016, the lowest rate compared to white or black voters. In a state with a long history of low voter turnout, even fewer voted: just 28 percent of registered Latino voters cast a ballot in 2016, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. By comparison, 63 percent of white registered voters went to the polls.

While Texas Democratic Party officials and party activists say registrations of Hispanics are up significantly, GOP campaign consultants say their polling shows that many Latinos are likely to vote Republican because they agree with the party's pro-life, small-government, pro-business policies -- even their stance that immigration laws should be followed.

"Texas Latinos are fired up and fighting back to protect their families. The track record is clear: Texas Republicans have refused to fund neighborhood schools, refused to raise the minimum wage, and refused to protect the Affordable Care Act," said Manny Garcia, deputy executive director of the Texas Democratic Party. "At the same time they've attacked DREAMers, attacked the Voting Rights Act, and passed the "show-me-your-papers" bill, SB4. Donald Trump, Greg Abbott, and Texas Republicans have pulled every trick in the book to attack Latino families and in 2018, they will be held accountable."

Even in a year when polls show Trump has fallen out of favor with many who voted for him, especially Latinos, observers are split on whether the building pressure on Latino communities will benefit Democrats like they predict.

"If you had asked me a year ago, I would have said 'of course, this is going to hurt (Republicans),'" said Guadalupe Correa, an immigration expert and former chair of the Government Department at the University of Texas in Brownsville who now teaches at the George Mason University outside Washington, D.C. "Today, I would also say yes, but I don't know to what degree."

Trump factor

Trump's election in 2016 with nearly 30 percent of the Hispanic vote  despite his many taunts against Mexican immigrants  has forced a revision in how analysts must view the Latino vote, she said.

MORE: McCaul, Republicans, double down on wall-for-DACA fix

"I thought that with all that rhetoric the Republican Party was going to lose of Hispanic support, and that the Hispanic vote was going to really have an impact on the election," Correa said. "Well, it happened that more Hispanics voted for Donald Trump than I would have assumed. Or the Hispanic vote just wasn't as important as I had assumed."

Despite Trump's provocative rhetoric about building a massive border wall and creating a "deportation force," Hispanic voters in 2016 were only about 11 percent of the electorate nationwide, about the same as in 2012.

"It's clear that the Hispanic vote is not monolithic and that neither party can take the vote for granted," said Javier Palomarez, president and CEO of the Washington-based Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. "Elected officials, on both sides of the aisle, should be working hard to earn the Hispanic vote and the trust of the Hispanic constituency."

Surges in the Latino vote have been predicted before, but they did not turn out in big numbers to protest Trump.

Latinos did vote for Hillary Clinton by more than a 2-1 margin, according to exit polls. But 2016 underscored that Latinos are not ideologically monolithic, even if they generally break for Democrats, much like other minority groups, political scientists have posited.

The are other factors as well, including Hispanics' low voter participation rates, particularly in Texas.

MORE: Houston employers should prepare for immigration inspections as ICE turns up the heat

They don't all have the same concerns, either. Though many Salvadorans enjoy protections from the TPS program Trump is phasing out, Correa said, it doesn't affect most Hispanics. At the same time, many Hispanic conservatives have little more sympathy for illegal immigration than other Americans.

"Plus, there is a segment of the population that has been in the country for generations, and are not voting as a class," she said. "Many of them voted for Trump because of the way they identify themselves in politics. Identity politics play in a very different ways, and its' not so straightforward."

"There are other factors that impact how the Hispanic population votes," Correa added. "This is all happening now. It is very confusing, and we don't know if the issues are going to be different by the end of the year. There could be North Korea, or any number of things."

In 2014, when he was elected governor, Abbott received about 44 percent of the Latino vote in Texas, giving the party optimism that those numbers could grow further in the 2018 elections. But that optimism is now diminished, with Trump getting much of the blame.

Even so, Alfonso Aguilar, a former George W. Bush administration official and executive director of the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles, thinks Democrats "make a huge mistake by thinking they have a hold on the Hispanic vote -- just like they didn't understand why average Americans would vote for Trump, they still don't get why Hispanics voted for Trump.

"They might not like the man, but they respond to some of his ideas," Aguilar said.

Aguilar supports DACA and a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, as do many Republicans. While he wants to see the issue resolved, he accuses liberal activists of turning it into a wedge issue by threatening a government shutdown over a deal, something he thinks would backfire on Democrats.

He also accuses Democrats of ignoring the diversity of the Latino community in the U.S., which he considers an artificial construct.

MORE: Immigration detention deaths reach the highest total since 2009

"You cannot apply the African-American model to the Latino community," Aguilar said. "The African-American model is a homogenous experience. The Latino is not."

Following the rules

Ask Javier Monte, 38, a construction foreman who has lived in Texas for two generations, whether he is a Democrat or Republican and he rolls his eyes before answering. "I voted Republican when I voted," he said. "I agree on most of what they want. The rest I can live with. And deportation? My family came here legally. We followed the rules. Others should do that, too. If it's the law, it's the law for everybody."

His friend, Ray Lopez Padreda, 40, stands nearby shaking his head.

"He's wrong. A lot of good people who have never done anything wrong are going to get hurt," he says, admitting that he has never voted in the 14 years he has lived in Texas. "I got signed up a couple of times, but I never went out. We never voted in Mexico," he said. "I just want to keep my head down and keep working and have a good life. The politics don't involve me."

At the same time, Soraya Colli, 40, a Texas-born Democratic Party activist in Dallas, predicts this will be the year Texas' Latino voice is heard.

"Before a year and a half ago, I had never had to think about the fact I was Mexican," she said. "Trump changed everything. I always carry my passport now so that if I ever get stopped, I can prove that I am a U.S. citizen. If Latinas voted in numbers, we could be the Blue Wave that the Democrats are hoping for."

State Sen. Sylvia Garcia, a Houston Democrat running for Congress, has hopes for the same wave. "We're running a campaign for Congress, but we are also running a campaign to energize and increase the minhyority vote," she said, echoing the sentiments of Democratic Party activists in Dallas who are hoping a Blue Wave will help them take local offices and legislative seats from Republicans, even if the party does not win its first statewide office after a 24-year drought.

"This is a building process that will take time," Colli said.

While Latinos have been underrepresented at the polls in the past, some activists believe that could change going into the second year of the Trump's presidency, particularly if a border wall progresses while the hopes for Dreamers recede like the Temporary Protected Status program did for Salvadorans.

A New America: Five storylines on the frontline of the immigration debate in Houston

"I see Hispanic voters looking at these issues and really thinking about coming out to vote," said Vanessa Rodriguez, a Dreamer from Austin who met with lawmakers from Texas last week in Washington. "For some time a lot of Latinos have not realized that a lot of power is in their hands when it comes to voting."

As a 19-year-old undocumented immigrant, Rodriguez, whose parents brought her to the U.S. illegally when she was six, will not herself be able to vote. But she's become active in politics nonetheless.

"All these issues surfacing are making an impact," she said. "People are becoming more aware, and the more that this issue (DACA) is prolonged and is left up in the air without resolution, more people are looking at voting as a way of guaranteeing that something will be done."

Texas U.S. Sen. John Cornyn is among Republican leaders in Washington who are confident that Trump's policies will resonate with many in the Hispanic community, especially on the economy and lax enforcement of immigration laws that are blamed for much of the current political mess.

Cornyn focused on minority outreach in his last re-election bid, and said he recently met with a group of Hispanic leaders who reiterated that many immigrants and Hispanic voters care about security.

"I think the president is uniquely situated to come up with a solution that not only demonstrates compassion, but also demonstrates a commitment to security," Cornyn said.
Why can't immigrants here illegally just apply for citizenship? Or get in line and "do it the right way"?

As an immigration reporter for the Houston Chronicle, I hear that question almost every day. Why not go to the nearest federal building, fill out some paperwork and pay the fee? How hard can that be?

It's a question worth considering now, as President Donald Trump gives his State of the Union address. He will almost certainly raise the issue of young immigrants who stand to lose their work permits in March unless Congress acts.

THE SHORT ANSWER: Of the roughly 11 million immigrants in the country illegally, around two-thirds have been here for more than a decade. Many don't have any path to citizenship precisely because they have been here unlawfully, even if it was only for a few months.

By statute, they cannot apply for a green card while in the United States  even if they otherwise would qualify. (And that's hard. See more below.)

But if they leave, they might not be able to come back because of laws that penalize those who were here illegally. Even if they marry a U.S. citizen, one of the fastest and surest paths to citizenship, they could have to spend up to 10 years outside the United States.

Just look at the case of Jose Escobar, who had a temporary protected status for some Salvadorans that he lost through his mother's paperwork error when he was a teen. Though he married an American citizen, had two children and otherwise committed no crimes in nearly two decades of his American life, he was deported early last year.

RELATED: Deported immigrant trying to adjust to life alone in the foreign land of his birth

Juan Carlos

"Dreamers," the 700,000 young immigrants who have temporary work permits under an Obama-era program called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, don't have a permanent legal status. They hold a provisional permission to work and protection from deportation under a legal concept known as deferred action that was first widely used in an argument over whether Beatles frontman John Lennon could stay in the country despite having a drug conviction.

Some Republicans thought that program was an executive overreach by Obama, and Trump rescinded it in September giving Congress until March before those youth will begin losing their temporary lawful status, meaning they won't be able to legally work and could be deported.

RELATED: 'Dreamers' now face uncertain future, including those who helped in Harvey

Jon Shapley/Staff Photographer

Why didn't the illegal immigrant population in the United States "get in line" before breaking the law and coming here without permission to begin with?

The short answer is: There is no real line.

My great-grandfather stood in line at Ellis Island. Did something change?

Until the late 19th century, there were no real immigration laws, so there weren't any to break. People did not have to obtain visas at U.S. consulates before entering the country, so they simply arrived at ports of entry such as Ellis Island, where they were inspected and the vast majority were allowed into the country.

It wasn't until the 1920s that Congress set numerical caps on immigration and began tightening restrictions on who could come here.

The Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965, which reformed a previous quota system that was based on national origin, is the basis of today's legal framework.

EXPLAINER: Did my family really come "legally"?

So how is it possible now to come here legally?

Today there are three main ways to do that: through work, family or refugee protection.

To come here for work, you must have a job lined up with a company that will sponsor you for the appropriate visa. An employer can request to bring in specific qualified foreign workers if they meet the requirements and no Americans could fill the job.

Most employment visas are available only for highly skilled technical professions, but there are some for people of extraordinary ability such as scientists, and even a category for models. (First lady Melania Trump came here on a tourist visa and later received a work visa for models.) There are also temporary visas for agricultural work and "less-skilled workers."

The overall limit for permanent employment visas each year is 140,000  a number that includes the employees, their spouses and their children.

It's difficult to get such work visas. In the H-1B professional work visa category, for instance, the government receives about 200,000 applications every year for only 85,000 available visas. Applicants are entered into a lottery system.

RELATED: Key worker visa in short supply

But even if you are lucky enough to get a visa, you can't march downtown and ask for citizenship. Your company must first sponsor you for a green card. And even if you are authorized, that doesn't mean you will immediately get it.

Congress imposed caps on each country's employment-based green cards, so if you are from a nation such as India that sends a lot of qualified immigrants to the United States, you might have to wait two decades before you receive a green card  even if you have been approved.

Look at the case of two Indian doctors who were nearly deported last year: They had been here legally since 2002 on student visas, then in 2008 the Houston Methodist Hospital System sponsored them for permanent residency.

But because of the country caps and a tremendous backlog in the overwhelmed system, the doctors were provided a provisional status until their green cards become available. The category for India is currently so far behind that only immigrants who applied for the labor certification before June 2008 are receiving their green cards.

The couple renewed their temporary work authorizations and their travel documents every two years as required  then a trivial paperwork error almost caused them to lose their lives here.

Godofredo A. Vasquez/Staff

RELATED: Houston immigrant doctors given 24 hours to leave the U.S., then a reprieve

Once you (finally!) receive a green card, you must "continuously" live in the country for five years without committing a crime or an offense of "moral turpitude." Only then can you finally apply for citizenship.

What if you have family here?

Some Republicans and groups seeking to reduce immigration argue far too many people are coming here through so-called "chain migration." They want to end it.

There are 480,000 family migration visas available every year.

American citizens can petition for their spouses, parents, and children younger than 21. There are no caps on this category.

They can also sponsor their adult children and siblings, and green card holders can do so for spouses and unmarried children, but here there are quotas. Limits on the number of immigrants who receive green cards each year in these categories mean some can wait years, if not decades, before they receive this permission.

Consider the case of Karla Perez, a 25-year-old law student at the University of Houston who will graduate in May. The family has been waiting more than 20 years to receive green cards through Perez's grandfather, an American citizen.

But just over 23,400 green cards are available in this category every year, and for Mexico, the wait time is about 22 years. Because Perez is now older than 21, she is no longer eligible for residency through her grandfather.

Mark Mulligan/Mark Mulligan / Houston Chronicle

RELATED: DACA's fate in court's hands

OK, so what about refugee status?

Each year the United States sets a numerical limit on how many refugees will be admitted for humanitarian reasons. This year, the Trump administration capped it at 45,000, compared to 110,000 initially set under President Barack Obama for 2017.

It's not that easy to become a refugee.

The United Nations recommends a certain number of people every year, and they are screened by multiple international and U.S. agencies and must prove that they have a "well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, membership in a particular social group, political opinion or national origin."

KHALIL MAZRAAWI/AFP/Getty Images

RELATED: 10 things to know about how the U.S. takes in refugees

Asylum seekers are people already in the United States who can show they fear returning to their home countries because of such persecution, and not simply because they want to escape poverty and violence.

It is true that thousands of migrants cross the southern border and pass the initial test for asylum, proving they have a credible fear of return, and then wait years before their cases come up before judges as a result of the nation's critically backlogged immigration courts. Some never show up for their court dates and disappear into daily American life.

The Trump administration wants to change that and has promised to end the practice of so-called "catch and release."

But there is concern that would erode protections for asylum-seekers and violate international treaties holding that countries shouldn't penalize potential refugees.

Already the administration is separating parents and children at the border so that officials can criminally prosecute the adults and detain them until they are deported. That allows the government to bypass a 20-year-old federal settlement ruling that migrant children cannot be locked up for long and should be kept with their parents if possible.

In the case of Blanca Vasquez, she spent weeks without any idea what the government did with her child.

RELATED: Trump moves to end 'catch and release', prosecuting parents and removing children who cross border

Now, what about those young immigrants in the country illegally?

Polls show that most Americans, in some cases more than 80 percent, support allowing those who came here illegally as children to remain if they meet certain requirements, such as working or going to school.

So why is the issue so difficult for Congress to solve?

One reason is that since 2001, both Democrats and Republicans have been using so-called dreamers as political pawns to push changes to the larger immigration system.

RELATED: Dreamer immigrants caught in middle of debate over reform

But another reason is that a core group of Republicans, who tend to be politically active and show up in force to vote in primary elections, are still furious about changes made to the immigration system under President Ronald Reagan in 1986.

"Every part of that bill has been violated by our federal government and some state governments. They have never honored what they are supposed to do," said Larry Korkmas, the Houston-based president of Texans for Immigration Reduction and Enforcement. "We cannot trust anyone in this particular situation. When we can, then we might be able to do something" for young immigrants.

Marie D. De Jesus/Houston Chronicle

Ira Mehlman, a spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, a powerful national group pushing to reduce immigration, said in an email that the 1986 bill gave nothing to Americans who wanted a solution to illegal immigration.

"While (that legislation) delivered amnesty to about 3 million illegal aliens, it delivered nothing to the American people," he said. "No border security, no meaningful employer sanctions or anything else to deter future illegal immigration."

The 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act allowed for the legalization of nearly 3 million people, but its promises on border enforcement and sanctions on employers who hired workers here illegally never fully materialized, according to a 2014 analysis by the Migration Policy Institute, a think tank in Washington D.C.

The legislation penalized employers who "knowingly" hired workers here illegally, but didn't require them to verify the authenticity of identification documents, spurring a flourishing business in fraudulent documents.

Michael Ciaglo/Staff

Employers, particularly those in the construction industry, protected themselves from sanctions by turning to middlemen who hired workers here illegally as independent contractors. A 2013 report by the Workers Defense Project in Austin estimated that half of all construction workers in Texas lack legal status.

Nationally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics counts about 2.7 million temporary workers, but industry sources estimate as many as 15 million workers are hired annually as contract employees, according to the Migration Policy Institute's analysis.

"A major driver of the growth of this practice has unmistakably been to shield the ultimate employer from responsibility for the subcontractors' employment practices, including the hiring of unauthorized workers," the report notes.

The 1986 act also authorized greater enforcement on the southern border, but that didn't fully materialize until years later. By 1996, border control spending reached $1.5 billion  twice the total when the law was passed  but in that decade the number of immigrants here illegally is estimated to have doubled as well, to about 6 million.

Border spending skyrocketed after the 2001 terrorist attacks, however, and funding for Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement alone stood at $19.3 billion in 2016, according to federal statistics.

John Moore/Getty Images

Is the number of immigrants here illegally growing?

No. In fact, the number of immigrants here illegally has declined from its peak in 2007 and appears to have stabilized.

Historically the overwhelming majority of immigrants here illegally have come from Mexico. Since the recession, Mexicans leaving the U.S. have outnumbered those who come here.

The number of Mexicans living here illegally declined from 6.4 million in 2009 to 5.6 million in 2016, according to the Pew Research Center, a think tank in Washington, D.C. Researchers point to Mexico's growing economy and declining birth rates as well as increased border enforcement.

Arrests of people trying to cross illegally into the U.S. from Mexico are now at their lowest level since 1971, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Border officers apprehended 310,531 people for crossing into the country illegally in 2017. Apprehensions peaked at 1.7 million in 2000, and have mostly been on the decline since then.

RELATED: Immigrant arrests up sharply, but deportations drop to 10-year low

Meanwhile, the 1986 act gave legal status to about 2.7 million people.

As a result their wages increased by as much as 15 percent in five years while their educational attainment and home-ownership levels also rose, according to the Migration Policy Institute.

But its report notes another lesson from those reforms: that legalization must be as "inclusive and as simple as possible," important to consider as Congress debates for whom and how many to grant a type of authorization, if at all.

The 1986 bill created a 1982 cutoff date for eligibility  five years before the beginning of the program  and so excluded about half the unauthorized population, "leaving the goal of wiping the illegal immigration slate clean well short of reality," according to the report. Those who remained without status became the nucleus of today's population of immigrants here illegally.

Michael Ciaglo/Staff

RELATED: With fate of immigration reform unknown, family's ability to stay together also in question

The act also left out a large number of immediate family members, creating such a dilemma that in 1990 Congress passed another immigration act amending the system. As a result, it expanded the number of family immigration visas allotted per year and created the diversity visa lottery  both programs Trump and his supporters now want to reduce or cut.

What neither law did was provide a substantial temporary worker program, said Charles Foster, a Houston immigration attorney who advised President George W. Bush on the issue.

"Before, temporary workers would enter without documents and work within a hundred miles or so of the border, go home for the holidays and keep their families," he said. "Once enforcement kicked in, it became safer and wiser for them just to stay permanently in the U.S. and to smuggle their families into the U.S. to join them on a one time basis."

RELATED: Future unsure for Visa lottery

The 1990 reforms occurred under Republican President George H.W. Bush. Together, he and Reagan created one of history's biggest legalization programs for unauthorized immigrants. Every president since has failed to push major changes through Congress.

Now we will wait to see what Trump does.

Lomi Kriel (@lomikriel) covers immigration for the Houston Chronicle.
Alonza Crawley will never forget the day his brother, Gregory, died.

Gregory had been living at Briscoe's Place, a rooming house in south Houston, when the building caught fire.

Most of the building's residents got out, but not Crawley, 60, or his girlfriend, Sandra Bruner, 55. They perished in the flames.

City officials said the unregulated boarding house was operating without proper permits and did not comply with city building codes. After a Houston Chronicle investigation uncovered gaps in the city's regulatory system that allowed such facilities to flourish, Mayor Sylvester Turner pledged to revamp the way the city oversees the few options available for people on the verge of homelessness.

"We need to take a look at them, and we are," Turner said in May.

Months later, Crawley is still waiting for action.

"I had a brother that burnt up in there and couldn't get out," he said. "What are we going to do about that?"

A multi-department city task force is drafting policies for previously unregulated lodging facilities like Briscoe's Place to face annual inspections and permits, plus additional fire safety provisions. The committee is also proposing changes to current regulations for boarding homes and other living facilities in an effort to streamline oversight citywide.

The task force hopes to present the proposed changes to the City Council's public safety committee in January.

"We've been moving as fast as we can, but there are a lot of moving pieces, and we want to get this right," said Lara Cottingham, deputy assistant director at the city's administration of regulatory affairs.

'A complex problem'

After being tasked with overhauling the regulations, city officials realized they'd need to make more comprehensive changes to address other types of congregate living facilities, such as boarding homes, rooming houses and alternative housing facilities, Cottingham said.

"While they're all very similar, there are distinct nuances," Cottingham said. "If it were easy to do we would have done it, but this is a complex problem and it requires a lot of thought and a lot of cross-departmental collaboration and that takes time."

The force had originally planned to present its findings by the end of the summer, but Hurricane Harvey delayed that, she said. The city has held several meetings with residents and operators already, and hopes to schedule more in the coming weeks.

Among the most significant changes: requiring all types of "lodging facility" - a catchall term that includes boarding houses, bunkhouses and other facilities - to receive annual permits and "life safety" inspections.

The city is also planning to require "boarding homes" - a separate type of facility where three or more unrelated people live and receive some kind of medical care - to obtain annual permits. Currently, such facilities were only required to register with the city.

More Information Proposed city regulations A city task force is drafting proposed changes to the regulations covering lodging facilities, boarding homes and alternative housing facilities that had faced little oversight. Here are proposed changes scheduled to be presented to Houston the City Council's Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee in late January. Lodging facilities, including unregulated boarding houses and similar facilities (Does not include apartments, short-term rentals or hotels) Annual permit with process for revocation/denial/appeal First-year building code inspection, which may require the location to obtain a Certificate of Occupancy Annual life safety inspection prior to permit renewal Framed beds Posted and practiced fire evacuation plan Accessible fire extinguishers Operable smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors Readily available first aid supplies See More Collapse

Fire Chief Samuel Pena said he supports the proposed changes.

"The focus on safety, building upkeep and code enforcement is critical to life safety in these facilities," he said. "Too many deaths in these types of buildings have a central theme: inadequate, locked, blocked, missing exits."

Such failures contribute to more nonresidential fire deaths than any other factor, he said.

"It is through code enforcement that fire and building codes move from just another regulation into life safety," he said. "In an effort to prevent needless deaths in these facilities, we need trained personnel in the field performing inspections and generally improving the fire safety in our communities."

Councilwoman Brenda Stardig, who chairs the city council's Public Safety and Homeland Security committee, said the proposed changes are "very important" to protect underprivileged residents who might otherwise be taken advantage of.

"We need to get a handle on and understand what's out there so we can make decisions that don't negatively impact the community, and so we can offer services to those in need," she said.

'In the shadows of society'

Advocates for low-income, disabled and other Houstonians with few places to go said that without stricter regulation, the city is certain to have future tragedies.

"They were low-income people, they were in the shadows of society, so why not put them in substandard housing?" said Dennis Borel, executive director of the Coalition of Texans with Disabilities. "That's the wrong attitude."

He warned against making permits prohibitively expensive, however.

"You don't want to shut down what is often a shelter of last resort for people with very low incomes, but you want to make [sure] there's no life safety threat there," Borel said.

Lonnie Provo, a former convict who runs a weekly broadcast called Oasis Ministry Radio, said former inmates frequently end up in facilities that are more dangerous or unsanitary than the cells they left.

"You can become so discouraged you want to give up," said Provo, who supports the city's overhaul efforts. "You have to make an environment such that you're able to build up character."

'Nobody was watching'

Months after the fire at Briscoe's Place, plywood covers the front of the damaged building. In a brief phone conversation, Moses Briscoe, the owner, said he was unsure if he would try to rebuild.

"That's on the backburner," he said, before hanging up.

The residents are long gone, of course. City officials say a third victim died shortly after the blaze.

Cherika Argus, one of the residents, moved to north Houston after the fire. She lives there still, with Roscoe, her pitbull terrier, and Shaqurria Norris, 21, her son's girlfriend.

Briscoe's Place had given her a cheap place to live. Like her old dwelling, her new unit has its challenges.

In her apartment, the ceiling is buckled in one room, damaged during Harvey.

She'd like to move, she said. Dogs bark in the apartment below, and the air outside reeks with the stench of dog feces.

"There's shootings and threats at night," said Argus, 38. "I don't feel safe."

She still thinks about the fire, when she banged on her neighbors' doors to help them get out. She thinks about Gregory Crawley and Sandra Bruner. She thinks about the locked front door that kept them from escaping, and the lack of windows that almost killed her.

She hopes the city makes good on its pledge to ensure that landlords don't cut corners or endanger residents.

"Nobody was watching," she said. "And there are a lot of buildings run like this."
After twice closing the 20-story downtown criminal courthouse due to flood damage since it was completed in 2000, Harris County leaders are planning to repair the shuttered building so the next time it floods it can be reopened within days - not months - of the water receding.

The retrofitting is a bitter disappointment to some of the building's most frequent users, mostly defense lawyers and prosecutors, who hoped the year-long closing - the second in the building's 17 years of operation - would convince county leaders to build a new courthouse on higher ground nearby.

The towering building, a block from Buffalo Bayou and home to county offices and more than 40 courtrooms, is completely unusable after Hurricane Harvey. It will remain closed for at least the next six to seven months, with some courts and offices not being able to return to operation until as late as July 2019, officials confirmed.

RELATED: Prosecutors, attorneys cut 'Harvey deals' in jail basement as flood-damaged courthouse is repaired

County properties damaged by Harvey: Consultants hired to look at Harris county properties damaged by Hurricane Harvey: Criminal Courthouse at 1201 Franklin - Pierce Goodwin Alexander & Linville, Inc. Jury Assembly Building at 1201 Congress - Page Southerland Page, Inc. The county's downtown tunnel system running between courthouses -Johnston, LLC Peden Building at 600 N. San Jacinto and Wilson Building at 49 San Jacinto - Kirksey Architecture Cypresswood Annex at 6831 Cypresswood Dr, Spring - Huitt-Zollars, Inc. Former Baldwin Boettcher Branch Library at 22248 Aldine Westfield Rd, Humble - Collaborate Arch, LLC Future Baldwin Boettcher Branch Library, location TBD. Parks Administrative Building in Precinct 3 - BRAVE/Architecture Former Texas AM Agrilife Extension Service, 3033 Bear Creek Dr, Houston - RdlR Architects, Inc. Future Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Location TBD - HDR Architecture, Inc. Former Bear Creek Community Center, 3033 Bear Creek Dr./Future Bear Creek Community Center, location TBD - Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. See More Collapse

The delay means criminal court judges will likely spend a year presiding over dockets in the concrete basement of the county jail and almost all Harris County judges, civil and criminal, will stay doubled up in packed courtrooms in three other courthouses. Grand jurors meet in the historic 1910 courthouse, a blocks away.

Four months after the Hurricane Harvey flooded the lower floors, Harris County Judge Ed Emmett said he does not know yet what is in store for the iconic downtown criminal courts facility. Emmett said he waiting for a recommendation from the county engineer, and the county engineer noted that a squad consultants hired by the county are just beginning their analysis.

The decision to spend what could be another $20 million to fix a $100 million building has critics asking whether the county is throwing good money after bad at the long-troubled skyscraper at 1201 Franklin.

"It's time to scrap it and start over," attorney Chris Tritico said in a widely circulated proposal in October. "There were errors in planning, design and execution. Our Commissioners Court should stop spending money on a building that will never work for the purpose it was intended and spend our money on a permanent fix."

Tritico, a former president of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association, has become the unofficial spokesman for people who want a new building, not renovations.

"I've had judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys and members of the public who have told me they are in favor of this," he said. "I don't think the criminal courthouse, as it's constructed, is ever going to big enough for the number of people who use it every day. It's never going to be big enough."

RELATED: Harris County will not rebuild jury building underground

But Tritico and his supporters say the recent water damage that closed the courthouse, is only the latest setback in a structure that has not lived up to all expectations.

For years, massive crowds have swarmed the building every weekday for 9 a.m. docket calls on the courts in upper floors, while the afternoons saw almost no traffic. The backup of defendants and lawyers trying to squeeze into packed elevators - some of which are frequently out of service - meant long lines of people waiting outside. The entrances to the staircases in the first floor lobby - and on each floor - are usually hidden by forbidding doors that many judges, against fire code, hang signs to prohibit the general public from going through.

A dearth of benches in the hallway outside the courtrooms means that on any given weekday, family of crime victims or suspects are forced to sit on the floor as they wait on court proceedings.

Some of the crush of people has been eased in recent years by staggered docket times and days, but the judges have not adopted a universal plan to coordinate those intervals.

"We're not talking about flooding, we're talking about the people every day who are inconvenienced every day," Tritico said.

He said county officials in a recent meeting told him they are unlikely to support construction of a new courthouse, but he is still pushing the issue.

"I intend to keep working toward what I think is the best interest of the people who use that building," he said.

If he can't persuade officials to build something new, he said, Tritico said he will help to make the renovations as effective as possible. After publicly championing a new courthouse, he was invited to join at least two county committees to look at the issue.

No official decisions, he noted, have yet been made about what will happen next.

In fact, four months after Harvey, the court has not entered into any remodeling contracts and have not set a deadline or timetable for the remediation work that may be expected, officials acknowledged.

County officials say they want to fix up the courthouse then dive deep into what criminal justice, and county population, might look like in 20 to 50 years.

"With the population growing so fast, if we build a building today, are they going to see the same inefficiencies in 20 years," asked County Budget Officer Bill Jackson. "When you build these buildings, you don't build for what you need today, you build for what you're going to need in 20 years."

He noted that the internet has fundamentally changed the way we do business in the past 20 years, and the internet will undoubtedly change criminal justice in ways that should be studied before proposing any major construction. He cited Amazon.com as an example of an innovation that fundamentally changed the way Americans shop.

Jackson estimated that a new courthouse would cost at least $140 to $210 million. In 2016, Los Angeles built a 25 courtroom facility for $340 million. A 22-story courthouse in San Diego opened earlier this year with 70 courts and a jury assembly room at a cost of $555 million.

"Half a billion dollar courthouse and I bet they look at in 20 years and say, 'What were we thinking?' simply because of all the electronics and the way the younger people will do business," he said.

On November 14, County Commissioners hired ten architectural and engineering firms to consult on different county projects, mostly property damaged by Hurricane Harvey, as part of a master plan that includes re-opening the criminal courthouse with improvements to it. No estimate of cost has been released, and is likely still be tabulated by the consultant, Pierce Goodwin Alexander & Linville, Inc.

The county spent almost $100 million on constructing the criminal courthouse building which opened in 2000 and flooded in Tropical Storm Allison 17 months later. Those repairs, along with flood prevention measures and a new elevator, cost $19.6 million and took a year.

After meeting with officials and hearing about the damage, Tritico said he expects the new round of repairs will easily cost as much as the 2001 fixes.

The new fixes would likely include moving HVAC equipment from the basement that was damaged when standing floodwaters seeped through walls. There could also be a push to make the building "floodable" with walls that won't mold after being flooded.

BUYOUTS: County to spend $20 million buying out 200 homes flooded by Harvey

"All the damaged stuff has been pulled out," said Harris County Engineer John Blount. "Now (the consultants) are going through and looking at it because the issue is: How are we going to mitigate it so that if a similar flood happened again we could open the courthouse two days later instead of moving out."

County officials have forecast the building will not be fully operational until at least July 2019, but some courts and divisions may be moving back in sooner. There was extensive damage to courtrooms on the upper floors of the building, due to flooding in the basement that shorted out electronic sensors, triggering the pumps that supply the automatic sprinkler system. False readings caused huge amounts of water to be pumped to upper floors, causing fixtures to burst and sprinkers to activate all over the building, county officials confirmed.

"Based on the previous (flooding) process, we would anticipate moving some courts back in, in a phased-in approach, in six to seven months," Blount said. "But the whole thing is going to be over a year."

He emphasized that there is still no consensus on what to do or how long that work will take.

"It could take a year to 18 months," Blount said. "Everyone asks 'How long is it going to take exactly?' and I say, 'Can you tell me exactly what's wrong and exactly how long it will take to fix it?'"

While the county seems to be moving forward on a plan to re-open the criminal courthouse where it stands, there has been a groundswell among the people who use the building that it may be time to build a new courthouse on higher ground across the street. Thoughtful construction, Tritico has argued, could fix the building's longtime ills like overcrowded elevators, inaccessible staircases and no shelter for long lines of people who have to stand outside in the rain or the heat.

After publishing his plan as a Letter to the Editor in the Houston Chronicle and speaking to Commissioners Court, Tritico was asked to join at least two county committees that were looking at the issue.

Longtime prosecutors and defense attorneys, who spoke on condition of anonymity, envision a mid-rise building with a footprint that takes up the entire city block in the 1100 block of Congress where the old family law center and the permanently closed district attorney's building now stand. They long for a building with 8 or 10 courtrooms on five or six floors so the courtrooms they dart between every morning can be connected by escalators, elevators and stairs. In that plan, the damaged criminal courthouse would be renovated into a county office building.

Other ambitious plans include razing the criminal courthouse and the adjoining old jail at 1301 Franklin to capitalize on a double lot. However, that proposed building would sit less than a block from Buffalo Bayou, the downtown waterway that habitually floods. It would also mean the criminal courts would be displaced for years for razing the buildings and constructing something new where they stand.

The courthouse is where it is because of a masterplan that includes a tunnel and bridge over the Bayou from the Harris County Jail, a complex of buildings that can house 10,000 inmates.

The plan, developed beginning in the 1980's, envisioned a courthouse square that would be compact, cheaper to run and easy to navigate. At the center, would sit an open air plaza with a jury assembly center below ground, so prospective jurors could entered from above and be escorted to different courthouses though air-conditioned tunnels.

That vision came true with the completion of the $13 million jury assembly building. Architects apparently planned for floods, but the properties were still knocked out for a year by the historic rain in Allison and now from Harvey. The jury assembly building, which is only six years old, is expected to be a complete loss.

LATEST: City of Houston rules, confusion block FEMA trailers for Harvey victims

Tritico was also appointed to a committee of the county's Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, who will meet quarterly to try to work through systemic problems. The group includes about 20 criminal justice department heads and officeholders like the sheriff, the district attorney and two commissioners.

That committee is expected to weigh in on a different study by the budget office, engineering and technology departments to "recommend the best use and placement of court facilities throughout Harris County in light of Hurricane Harvey."

County officials, including County Judge Ed Emmett and Precinct 3 Commissioner Steve Radack said they are waiting to see the consultants' reports before deciding what should happen next.

Rodney Ellis, Precinct 1 Commissioner, is also on that committee. By e-mail, he said the county should consider all the options in getting the courthouse up and running.

"All options should be on the table to make sure that we run the most equitable and efficient system of justice possible, which requires us to balance access to the courts, logistics, public safety and cost."

He also said he looks forward to the analysis of what the future may hold for criminal justice.

"We have to make sure that all county residents, regardless of where they live, have access to our court system," he said. "I'm awaiting the result of the study before making any decisions."

***

DEVELOPING STORM: Hurricane Harvey was the most destructive storm in Houston's history. The late-August storm dumped up to 60 inches of rain on southeast Texas, but the resulting damage was multiplied by actions taken  and not taken  during the past 50 years. Our seven-part series explains why the storm's damage was both a natural and man-made disaster.

Part 1: Nature ruled, man reacted. Hurricane Harvey was Houston's reckoning

Part 2: Build, flood, rebuild: flood insurance's expensive cycle

Part 3: What's in Houston's worst flood zones? Development worth $13.5 billion

Part 4: Harvey overwhelmed some levee systems. Future storms could do worse.

Part 5: Officials patched and prayed while pressure built on Houston's dams

Part 6: For buyers within 'flood pools,' no warnings from developers, public officials

Part 7: In Harvey's wake, Dutch have much to teach Houston

Click here to read all of our Harvey coverage.

GET ENGAGED:

 Where do we go from here? Seven Houston-area leaders discussed flooding causes and solutions at a Greater Houston After Harvey forum hosted by the Houston Chronicle in early December. Watch Wednesday night's keynote address by Jim Blackburn, co-director of Rice University's Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disasters (SSPEED) Center. Read his thoughts on living around water.

 Sign up for our Facebook community to share your Harvey story, engage with other community members and ask our reporters questions.

 Join the discussion on Twitter: #HoustonAfterHarvey.

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Cody Duty/Houston Chronicle

Mayor Sylvester Turner will recognize 10 civic leaders Friday at his new History Makers Awards, an event meant to honor Houstonians who contribute to the community by volunteering, mentoring and advocacy.

The event, formed in recognition of Februarys designation as Black History Month, will be held at the Houstonian Hotel, and will honor the following Houstonians:
So many people flocked to the Faith Lutheran Church one evening last month, you'd think they were previewing a new Star Wars movie.

The parking lots overflowed and traffic backed up into the adjacent neighborhood. Inside the gymnasium, every chair was occupied, standing-room only spectators lined the walls, and people who couldn't find seats just plopped down on the floor and sat shoulder-to-shoulder in the aisles. Organizers of the event in Bellaire estimated it attracted more than 500 people, including dozens who couldn't get into the doors. All of them came out on a weeknight to hear the Democratic candidates for Texas' 7th Congressional District.

If every neighborhood polit-ical debate attracted a crowd like this, our country would be a better place. Then again, if every congressional race attracted a field of candidates as inspiring and diverse as this campaign, Congress just might work again.

John Culberson should take notice. Energized Democrats believe they can beat the long-time Republican congressman who has spent 17 years representing this district, which circles from northwest Harris County to southwest Houston and encompasses wealthy enclaves such as Bunker Hill Village and West University Place. This is the seat once occupied by George H.W. Bush, but its demographics have changed dramatically. Hillary Clinton carried this district in the last presidential election, turning it into a target for Democrats hoping to regain control of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Each one of the seven candidates running in this Democratic primary brings something impressive to the race. Jason Westin, 40, is a cancer researcher steeped in the details of health care policy. Lizzie Pannill Fletcher, 42, is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate who edited the William and Mary Law Review before becoming the first woman partner in a prominent local law firm. Alex Triantaphyllis, 33, is an eloquent young executive at a major nonprofit who's attracted widespread support among the party faithful. Laura Moser, 40, is a lively, progressive activist who launched a national anti-Trump action movement. Ivan Sanchez, 30, is a young and energetic former congressional staffer who hopes his candidacy will inspire Hispanic voters. Joshua Butler, 32, is an administrator at the UT Health Science Center who talks about party unity with striking grace and eloquence. James Cargas, 51, an assistant city attorney specializing in energy issues, has invested years of sweat equity by running for this position in three previous election years.

Narrowing this field of candidates is difficult, but some of these outstanding contenders also have problematic weaknesses.

Triantaphyllis and Cargas both live outside the district. Cargas points out that his home was in the district before GOP lawmakers gerrymandered his street out of it. Triantaphyllis tries to dance around the subject and argue that it doesn't matter. But the issue has already come up during the primary, and during a hotly contested congressional race, it's a vexing problem that could turn a close election.

Butler and Sanchez both have compelling personal stories and engaging personalities, but they're comparatively short on substance. Other candidates in this primary display stronger policy chops.

Moser has attracted a spirited base of supporters with her enthusiastic advocacy of progressive ideals, but even Democrats who like her question whether she's too liberal to win this historically Republican district. Meanwhile, Fletcher has drawn fire from organized labor because her law firm represented a janitorial company that won a judgment against a union.

If Democrats are going to win this race, they'll need a strong candidate whose views will appeal to voters disillusioned with their tea party Republican congressman. It's a tough call, but we believe the best two candidates for the inevitable runoff in this seven-way race are Jason Westin and Lizzie Pannill Fletcher.

Westin's professional credentials alone are impressive enough; he says his peers elected him to lead the largest clinical trial team in the nation seeking new treatments for aggressive cancers. But don't think for a second this doctor is a one-trick-pony running on a health care platform. He's impressed crowds at community forums with his conspicuously thoughtful command of a wide variety of issues. Westin launched his candidacy with the help of a nationwide group that's trying to get more scientists to run for office. When he says he's bothered by "disrespect of facts and science," he speaks with a quiet passion that seems to be winning over a growing number of supporters.

Fletcher's background is also impressive. After starting her law career at Vinson & Elkins, she joined AZA, a 50-person firm specializing in high-stakes business litigation and she became its first woman partner. She has served on the board of Planned Parenthood, and she was on the front lines defending abortion providers from protesters during the 1992 Republican Convention in Houston. Like Westin, she has a firm grasp of the issues in the race. Just as important, she understands the importance of appealing to independent voters in this swing district.

Both Westin and Fletcher are extremely accomplished professionals with a deep understanding of complex public policy matters. Both of them exude an intelligent and level-headed pragmatism that will appeal to the moderate voters of this district, whose support Democrats will need if they're serious about defeating Culberson.

Most important of all, both Westin and Fletcher would make fine members of Congress.

Early voting runs from Tuesday, Feb. 20 through Friday, March 2. Election Day is March 6.
If you suffer a heart attack in your home in Houston, there's a good chance the first responder rushing to your rescue will arrive not in an ambulance, but a fire truck.

That's because our city's emergency medical system falls under the purview of the Houston Fire Department. So the firefighter cross-trained as an EMT who's nearest your home might be driving a ladder truck instead of an ambulance. Sending a fire truck to your house might scare your neighbors, but it may also be the fastest way to get you the help that saves your life.

Still, this oddity about our emergency medical system points out a broader issue the city needs to address. Our lawmakers in Austin are wrestling with Houston's multi-billion-dollar pension debt mess, and our mayor's negotiations with firefighter representatives over a proposed pay raise have hit an impasse. But another very big question looms over HFD: What sort of fire department - and what sort of emergency medical service - does Houston need in the 21st century?

Houston's emergency medical system once relied upon private ambulances run by funeral homes, a business model cursed with a harrowing conflict of interest. Selling funeral services was more profitable than carrying patients to hospitals, so ambulance drivers notoriously took their time getting to accident scenes. An accident victim was literally worth more dead than alive.

In 1971, Houston followed the lead of other cities by establishing a taxpayer-supported, municipal ambulance service run by the fire department, an arrangement that seemed logical because fire stations were conveniently positioned in neighborhoods throughout the city.

In the decades since then, emergency medicine has mushroomed into the dominant mission of the Houston Fire Department. Firefighters are battling far fewer blazes today than they did a half-century ago, thanks to vastly improved building codes and other fire-prevention measures such as improved sprinkler systems. Instead, they're spending most of their time treating patients. Today, a whopping 88 percent of HFD's calls for help are for emergency medical services.

A generation ago, we had a fire department that also ran ambulances. Now we have an ambulance department that also puts out fires. Having all that equipment handy might make us feel safer, but in an era of tightening city budgets - a reality for municipal governments across the U.S. - it's time the city of Houston rethinks the way it provides fire protection and emergency medical care.

But the matter is too important to leave to whimsy or fit of pique. The city needs a blue-ribbon commission to take a long-range look at the most efficient and economical way the city can use its limited resources to deliver these essential services. We urge Mayor Sylvester Turner to appoint a group of firefighters, medical professionals, elected officials and other community leaders to study the way firefighting and emergency medical services are provided to the citizens of Houston. If, after roundly reviewing local delivery and best practices around the country, it's determined that there's a better, more efficient way to deliver these services, City Hall should figure out how to make it happen.

Driving EMTs around in fire trucks doesn't make sense. We need a better plan for the 21st century, and the mayor should choose a group of smart and respected people to point the way.
With so many strong candidates vying to unseat incumbent Republicans in the Legislature, Texas Democrats have a wind at their backs this election season that they haven't felt in decades. What they don't have at this point is a unifying message to fully unfurl their sails. They should try embracing legal marijuana as a cornerstone campaign issue.

Texas' current pot laws are medieval and arguably the most severe in the country. Possession of anything less than two ounces - even just a gram - is a class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in jail and as much as $2,000 in fines. This is a costly burden on taxpayers, with the American Civil Liberties Union estimating that the entire booking process, from arrest to incarceration, for marijuana possession cases alone cost taxpayers more than $250 million in 2010.

RELATED: Medical marijuana makes Texas debut amid access concerns

ALSO: Federal marijuana ban is bad for business, bad science and makes for bad law

Unsurprisingly, the tens of thousands of marijuana possession arrests Texas makes every year (with 74,000 arrested for possession in 2010) disproportionately impact black and brown people, despite whites having similar levels of use. A 2011 survey from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found that whites have higher rates of use for cocaine, hallucinogens, marijuana, painkillers and methamphetamine than African Americans. However, according to a 2009 report by Human Rights Watch, black people are roughly four times more likely to go to jail than white people for drug possession. If Democrats campaign on legalizing marijuana, millions of voters in predominantly black and Hispanic precincts will be more motivated to vote for them.

COX, LANSDOWNE: Houston's new marijuana policy is a smart move

With all 150 House seats up for re-election this year and 15 of 30 state Senate seats up for grabs, Texans of color will likely play a decisive role in who ends up controlling the Texas Legislature when next year's biennial budget is written. As political polling site FiveThirtyEight pointed out in 2014, 40 percent of Texas' voting precincts are in areas where whites are not the majority demographic. In 2012, these precincts went for Obama over Romney by an astounding 66 to 33 margin. Given that high minority-voter turnout made it possible to elect a Democrat to the U.S. Senate in deep-red Alabama for the first time in decades, it isn't far-fetched to say the same thing could happen for Texas Democrats running for state House and Senate seats this year.

EDITORIAL: Texas should join the growing number of states that are changing their pot laws

But marijuana legalization isn't just a niche issue for people of color - in fact, most Texans actually support legalizing at least small amounts of marijuana. A poll conducted last year by the University of Texas at Austin and the Texas Tribune found that support for legalizing marijuana grew significantly between February 2015 and February 2017. Eighty-three percent of Texans support legalizing marijuana for medical use at the very least, and 53 percent of Texans support legalizing at least small amounts for recreational purposes - and that goes for both Democrats and Republicans. In 2015, only 42 percent of respondents supported legalizing small amounts of marijuana. The trend shows Texans' support for legalization will only increase over time.

KELLY: Ticketing for marijuana possession is a small step in the right direction

While full legalization for recreational use might sound frightening to those who have lived with Texas' pot laws for a long time, Texas wouldn't be venturing out blindly into the wilderness. Multiple states, both red and blue, have legalized marijuana and are already seeing tangible benefits. In 2012, Colorado and Washington state became the first two states to legalize recreational marijuana. By 2016, both states ranked among the top five highest-performing state economies, with Washington state in the No. 2 spot and Colorado in the No. 5 spot (Texas ranked ninth).

EDITORIAL: Politicians should stop treating voters like children when discussing drug policy

Colorado has garnered more than $200 million in tax dollars from more than $1 billion in legal marijuana sales as of last year - funding that will bolster public school budgets. That number is expected to increase, with market research predicting legal pot will top $20.2 billion by 2021. In 2015, Colorado's legal pot sector created 15,000 new jobs, and generated $2.4 billion in economic activity by itself. Texas' population of 27.8 million is more than five times larger than that of Colorado's 5.5 million, so economic output from legal marijuana in the Lone Star State would likely be that much higher.

The actual policy can be hashed out (pun intended) in the Legislature next year, and lawmakers could even put marijuana legalization up for a vote via constitutional amendment on the 2020 ballot. However they choose to do so, legal weed is Democrats' key to winning - all they have to do is unite behind it.

Gibson is co-publisher of GritPost.com. Follow him on Twitter @crgibs or email him at carl@gritpost.com.
A recent monitoring report released by the U.S. Department of Education identified three specific areas in which the Texas Education Agency failed to comply with federal special education law.

The report concluded that the TEA did not identify all children with disabilities in need of special education, despite a legal obligation to do so. The TEA also failed to provide a free and appropriate public education to students with disabilities and did not fulfill its general monitoring responsibilities.

In 2004, the TEA initiated a district monitoring protocol that included a measure that rewarded school districts with a perfect performance level if fewer than 8.5 percent of their student population received special education services. The report noted that, as a result of the indicator, many districts engaged in unlawful practices to delay or deny the identification of students with disabilities.

EDITORIAL: Texas bears responsibility for fixing special education

The Department of Education's report highlighted that while the state's total enrollment grew by more than 1 million students between 2004 and 2017, the number of students receiving special education declined by 32,000 students.

The TEA and the Texas Legislature recently reiterated to districts that they must identify and provide special education to all eligible students and eliminate the troublesome monitoring protocol.

'DELAYED OR DENIED': Feds find Texas schools violated special education laws

Special education researchers have not come to a consensus about what the percentage of students with disabilities should be in a given state or district. However, the national average according to the Department of Education is approximately 13 percent. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, doctors have diagnosed approximately 15 percent of children ages 2-8 with mental, behavioral or developmental disorders.

CANDELARIA: Study gives another chance to resolve issue of school finance

Percentages of students with disabilities enrolled in a district can vary for several reasons, but parents and advocates need to know their rights and pay close attention to special education.

First, parents and advocates should be informed about a school district's obligations under the nation's special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA. Free websites like wrightslaw.com provide accurate and updated information about special education law for parents and advocates.

IDEA requires that all schools identify, locate and evaluate children suspected of having a disability. When students are found eligible, they have the right to a free and appropriate public education that confers meaningful benefits.

TEA TRUST: A troubled state agency now faces a contracting scandal

Second, if you feel your child has been inappropriately denied services or is being underserved by the school, contact your school's principal and express your concerns. Then, if necessary, contact the school district's special education director or superintendent. If a student is denied services, parents can always file a complaint to have the case reviewed by an independent hearing officer.

Third, become familiar with the TEA website and the information it provides about districts and schools. The website provides what are called Texas Academic Performance Reports and includes information about special education enrollment, student achievement and teacher demographics.

DENIED: In 2004, Texas arbitrarily decided what percentage of students should get special education services

Fourth, inquire about your district's professional development calendar. Research on educator preparation consistently finds that most teachers and principals are underprepared in special education and require professional development. They often lack knowledge of special education law, parental rights and the best instructional practices to support students with disabilities.

Finally, ensure your child is receiving a rigorous education and demonstrating measurable benefits from special education. A recent Supreme Court decision (Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District) held that a student receiving special education is entitled to a tailored and individualized educational program that enables a child "to make progress appropriate in light of the child's circumstances."

Most of the region's principals and teachers are dedicated professionals, but they can be misinformed about special education policies and best practices. In light of systematic statewide failures in special education, parents and advocates need to be informed and actively engaged in ensuring all students receive the education they deserve.

DeMatthews is an assistant professor of education leadership at the University of Texas at El Paso. Knight is the associate director of the Center for Education Research & Policy Studies at the University of Texas at El Paso. This first appeared in the El Paso Times.
Building a winning slate of general election party candidates starts with getting your primary voters to the polls to support your strongest candidates. Letting candidates buy recommendations and endorsements on a pay-to-play basis is no way to determine the strongest, yet that's what happens all too often in Harris County.

That's why we in the Houston Young Republicans are working to bring attention to candidate slates endorsed by the so-called Big Three: the Link Letter, the Texas Conservative Review and Conservative Republicans of Harris County (or, alternatively, of Texas). These dubious organizations wield disproportionate influence in Harris County Republican primaries through their misleading mailings to hundreds of thousands of unsuspecting Harris County Republican voters every primary election season. They claim to offer, according a recent mailer, "a listing of the best qualified, most conservative candidates." What they actually offer is, all too often, paid advertising masquerading as a helpful voter guide.

ENDORSEMENTS: See which candidates the Houston Chronicle editorial board supports in the upcoming primaries

In fact, the Harris County Republican Party Executive Committee, composed of the party's precinct chairs, has condemned these deceptive voter guides on three occasions. In its November 2017 resolution, the committee did so to "protect the integrity of the 2018 Republican primary" and "(educate) voters about the negative impact (of) these 'pay to play' slates."

Many candidates endorsed by the Big Three slates are indeed qualified, conservative and did not pay for the privilege. Many are our friends; some are our members. Our goal in part is to help these candidates avoid the appearance of impropriety. Meanwhile, the Big Three's thinly veiled system of purchased endorsements jeopardizes the Harris County GOP's strength, standing and responsiveness to voters. We in the Houston Young Republicans intend to do something about it.

UNTERMEYER: Nonpartisan election of judges puts emphasis on justice, not politics

For many, the slates appear to offer convenient and reliable information on one of the country's longest ballots. Offering arguments on behalf of the candidates they endorse, the organizations that run these slates give the appearance of having done their homework, along with assurance that chosen candidates are qualified and share Republican values.

As we understand it, their endorsement process consists of one or two people deciding whom to endorse, often without interviews or questionnaires. The process appears rife with conflicts of interest, vendettas and vetting that includes little more than whether a candidate's check clears.

The system lets candidates pay to tout their qualifications and values, regardless of truth. That's why Big Three slate endorsements have helped underqualified candidates win Republican primaries - candidates who then are uncompetitive in the general election. It risks less-than-conservative candidates touted as the "most conservative," and solid conservatives are portrayed as moderate squishes.

SELECTING JUDGES: The process that results in top judges being swept off the bench needs to come to an end

Pay-to-play slates undermine legitimate voter guides compiled by real grassroots organizations, whose members devote time and resources into research and engaging with candidates. Among these are the "C" Club of Houston, the Conservative Coalition of Harris County, the Houston Business Realty Coalition, the Kingwood Tea Party, the Spring Branch Republicans, the Texas Asian Republican Club, United Republicans of Harris County and others. None require candidate contributions, and many refuse to accept them.

We implore Harris County voters to do their own research. Solicit information about candidates from trusted sources, and ask your precinct chairman or chairwoman their opinion.

STRAUS: Texans, make your voices heard in primaries

2018 has the potential to be a banner year for Harris County Republicans. With new tax cuts in effect, a strengthening economy and a governor and senator at the top of the ticket able to turn out their respective bases, Republicans have a reason to be optimistic. It would be a shame if these opportunities went to waste, if grudges and opportunism led to fewer elected Republicans or to fewer qualified Republicans.

Houston Young Republicans have launched a Trash The Slates campaign to let the Big Three know that Harris County voters are on to their game. We encourage voters to share video and photos of themselves disposing of these deceptive mailers with the hashtag #TrashTheSlates. We will be joining you with content on our Facebook page "Trash the Pay-to-Pay Slates in Harris County." We will also be at the polls during early voting with bright red trash receptacles to encourage voters to put these slates in their proper place.

The Big Three conceal their motivations, place their own interests over qualifications and betray the Republican cause for profit. Their hypocrisy deserves to be brought out into the open.

Rains is president of Houston's Young Republicans. Bradstreet is the organization's communications director.
It is a renter's nightmare: You wake up to find raw sewage flooding your apartment. In a well-functioning city government, a call to 311 quickly brings a city inspector to assess the situation, followed by swift enforcement if the landlord refuses to fix the issue.

But this is not what renters can expect in Houston. At Tierwester Village in south Houston, for example, tenants waited for five weeks after calling 311 for the city of Houston to come out and inspect the sewage seeping inside their units. Because of the city's delay, tenants were stuck for more than a month living with raw sewage inside their homes and at their doorsteps.

RELATED: Houston's apartment safety measures 'severely inadequate,' UT study finds

A months-long study of Houston's apartment safety programs identified multiple, systemic failures that allow these and other dangerous conditions to persist, often for years. Among the findings:

 At Bellfort Townhomes, city officials knew the property lacked a certificate of occupancy for nearly nine years and was hazardous for more than four years, but they failed to take any enforcement actions. This property is not alone: 28 percent of Houston's multifamily complexes, or more than 1,000 properties, have no active certificate of occupancy.

 At Wesley Square Apartments, tenants made 58 calls to 311 to report a range of health and safety issues, none of which resulted in a city inspection.

 At Tierwester Village, a tenant with a newborn called 311 to report rats, electrical and plumbing issues, sewage backups and a gas leak in her unit. The only response was to send a letter giving the landlord 11 days to act. The city closed the case two months later without checking on whether the landlord addressed the issues.

Houstonians - half of whom are renters - should not tolerate this dysfunctional operation of city government and should demand an overhaul of the city's apartment safety programs.

HENDERSON, HARRISON: Stop shameful eviction of low-income tenants

Decades of research have linked substandard housing conditions to poor physical and mental health. Houston children have died due to poor apartment conditions. Deteriorating apartments also suppress property values and are tied to high crime, harming neighbors and straining city budgets.

Houston can learn from reforms that other Texas cities have adopted to protect renters. For example, Dallas inspects the highest-risk properties every year. If landlords refuse to fix violations, a special unit of attorneys brings swift enforcement actions, including lawsuits. Landlords can be subject to fines of $1,000 per violation per day and even jail time.

The costs of strengthening Houston's apartment safety programs need not be borne by taxpayers. Dallas and Fort Worth require landlords to pay annual registration and re-inspection fees that help fund these programs. In Austin's repeat offender program, landlords who are habitual code violators must pay a $300 registration fee.

BASS: Lawyers step up to help disaster survivors

In addition to an overhaul of apartment safety programs, Houston badly needs a nonprofit tenant advocacy center to help tenants understand their rights, navigate Texas' complex repair laws and advocate for improvements with their landlords and at City Hall. Tenant advocacy organizations in Dallas and Austin could serve as models. Seed money from local foundations and other funders could quickly launch such a center.

Houston's epidemic of dangerous apartments existed even before Hurricane Harvey struck. Although bad landlords are part of the problem, the city also bears responsibility. Decades of lax building safety standards and feeble code enforcement have allowed apartment conditions to deteriorate to the point that Houston tenants are living in squalor.

POST-HARVEY: Texas can grant temporary rent control after disasters

Harvey magnified the scale and severity of Houston's pre-existing unsafe building conditions, with close to 43,000 apartment units damaged by the storm. Now more than ever, renters are relying on the city to overhaul apartment safety programs and take seriously its responsibilities to protect them.

Fortunately, Houston can take action to help tenants stuck in dangerous apartments. With the right leadership and commitment, Houston can avert future tragedies and improve housing conditions for thousands of its renters.

Way is a clinical professor at the University of Texas School of Law. She is the co-author of the newly released report "Out of Order: Houston's Dangerous Apartment Epidemic."
Absurdly Driven looks at the world of business with a skeptical eye and a firmly rooted tongue in cheek.

No two flights are alike.

Something will always happen that makes each flight a touch special.

It could be an unpleasantly wide-elbowed person sitting next to you. It could be a Flight Attendant who's having a very bad day.

Sometimes, flights have to turn back because of a troublesome engine or, sadly, a troublesome passenger.

And then there's the airline that bills itself as "The Smartest Way To Fly."

You might want to redefine your concept of smart when I describe what happened on a Dana Air flight between Lagos and Abuja in Nigeria last Wednesday.

No, allow me to let one of the passengers on the plane describe the action as they saw it.

Flew Dana. Exit door was unstable throughout the flight. As we touched down it fell off. Scary stuff. pic.twitter.com/eDtTlNi2TZ -- Ola Brown(Orekunrin) (@NaijaFlyingDr) February 7, 2018

The exit door fell off?

I should add that this wasn't some puddle-jumping machine. This was an MD-83, a plane that I personally dislike with a certain passion, but one whose doors I've never seen coming off.

In this case, more than one of the 120 passengers made use of their cellphones to record the action for posterity.

Scary. Another airliner off my list.. pic.twitter.com/hYADIA08Xu -- CAB van der Vinne (@JoopvanderVinne) February 7, 2018

You might imagine that Dana Air reacted with concern.

You'd be almost correct, save for the fact that the airline seems concerned that a passenger must have pulled the door off.

In a statement, Dana Air insisted: "We wish to state categorically that this could never have happened without a conscious effort by a passenger to open it."

Some might think it odd that a mischievous passenger would endanger their own life and that of others without, say, the other passengers pouncing on this nefarious person and reporting them to the authorities.

The airline seems angry that "online publications" began to post reports about the allegedly flying door.

To be entirely picky, it seems that it was passengers themselves who began posting the reports.

Moreover, passenger Igah Dagogo told CNN: "I was one foot away from the emergency exit door, so I could see the handle was popping out."

He said passengers had alerted Flight Attendants, who dismissed their fears.

Dagogo, though, is sure that this was an extremely dangerous situation.

"We were in the process of landing, that was when the door just opened. The white man by the door had to shift because the door would have hit him. When he shifted the door now fell on the floor of the plane," he told CNN.

His version is supported by another passenger, Dapo Sanwo, who told the BBC: "When we landed and the plane was taxiing back to the park point, we heard a poof-like explosion, followed by a surge of breeze and noise. It was terrible."

Abeg



If there is a class action lawsuit against Dana for gross negligence and endangering the lives of passengers. I want in, I also was on that flight : 25d : The Door Panel was loose indicative of lack of maintenance. pic.twitter.com/TzDWnGboGJ -- DapoSanwo (@DapoSanwo) February 7, 2018

Sanwo added a troubling development: "The cabin crew tried to say a passenger pulled the hatch which everyone denied. They also tried to get us to stop taking videos or pictures."

The cellphone is the enemy of airlines. It provides an easy means by which passengers can record evidence.

Authorities are now investigating what might have happened.

Some, though, may be wary of any airline whose doors might fly off the handle, as it were.
Mary Lou McDonald is seen by many as the face of a new generation of republicans.

She has no IRA baggage and hails from a middle-class part of Dublin, where she went to a private fee-paying school.

The mother-of-two, who now lives in Cabra, Dublin, has been clear favourite for some time to replace Gerry Adams, one of the longest serving party leaders in the world.

She was once described by her party colleague Caral Ni Chuilin as one of the most formidable women in politics.

Born in 1969, Mrs McDonalds background is very different from other leading Sinn Fein politicians.

She was raised in the affluent Rathgar area of Dublin and was educated at Notre Dame, a private fee-paying school in the city. She is a graduate of Trinity College, University of Limerick and DCU.

Her first formal link to politics was as a consultant and researcher with the Institute of European Affairs, a think tank run by Brendan Halligan, the former Labour TD.

In the late 1990s, she joined Fianna Fail in Dublin West, defecting to Sinn Fein shortly afterwards.

In 2002, Mrs McDonald was Sinn Feins candidate in Dublin West, but she failed to win a seat in the Dail.

But two years later, she made history by becoming the partys first MEP.

By 2009, she was deputy leader of the party  and in 2011 became a member of the Dail for Dublin Central.

When special Ard Fheis opens on Sat at 1pm I will be UachtarAn Shinn FAin.When it ends I will be one of 13,000 party members & Mary Lou McDonald will be the new UachtarAn Shinn FAin.Iam looking forward to new opportunities. Our best years are yet to come. https://t.co/2FqzPuTqI0  Gerry Adams (@GerryAdamsSF) February 8, 2018

Her rapid rise through the Sinn Fein ranks will now see her become the first female leader of the republican party.

But it is set to become a baptism of fire with many difficult issues to be tackled, including a referendum on abortion in the Republic, ongoing Brexit negotiations and attempts to restore powersharing at Stormont.

Despite replacing one of the defining figures of the republican movement, Mrs McDonald has no intention of remaining in Mr Adams shadow.

In a speech when she became president-elect Mrs McDonald said she intend to walk in her own shoes.

The truth is, my friends, I wont fill Gerrys shoes but the news is that I brought my own. So I will fill my shoes, I will walk in my shoes, she said.
Michelle ONeill has been involved in republican politics from her teens, has held various senior positions within Sinn Fein and has a background in social welfare issues.

Mrs ONeill was elected to the devolved Assembly in 2007 following the restoration of powersharing after years of back-room work for former assembly member Francie Molloy.

The mother-of-two was the first woman to hold the position of mayor of Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council and also one of the youngest.

While agriculture minister she decentralised government services from Belfast and won praise for efforts to boost rural development  although a DUP ministerial colleague won a court challenge against her bid to divert funds towards that area.

One of her first actions as health minister was to lift the lifetime ban on gay men donating blood.

She has also supported a cross-border cardiology service credited with saving the lives of 27 patients from Co Donegal in its first nine months.

Her father, Brendan Basil Doris, was a former IRA prisoner who became a Sinn Fein councillor in Dungannon.

Her uncle, Paul Doris, is president of Noraid, a republican fundraising group.

However, unlike Martin McGuinness or Gerry Kelly, she had no direct IRA involvement.
The Border problem is back, with the EU's leading Brexit negotiator warning that checks will be "unavoidable" if the UK leaves both the single market and customs union.

Despite Taoiseach Leo Varadkar insisting that December's deal on the Border was "bullet- proof" and "cast-iron", the spectre of a hard Border remains, with Brussels saying the UK has failed to come up with any solutions.

European Commission chief negotiator Michel Barnier also starkly warned that the transition period could be in doubt, amid substantial disagreements between London and Brussels, sending sterling weaker.

"It is important to tell the truth. A UK decision to leave the single market and to leave the customs union would make Border checks unavoidable," Mr Barnier said.

The atmosphere has soured since Brussels published a position paper that included a plan to restrict access to the single market, if the UK fails to comply with the terms of the transition.

The startling developments come despite the deal struck in December between the EU and UK.

At the time, the Government here was triumphantly stressing that this would avoid the return to a hard Border.

The objective of that deal is to reach a new UK-EU relationship - but if this doesn't occur, then the UK will come up with specific solutions.

A final element was added at the request of the Irish Government, which essentially states that if no final deal can be done, the UK will maintain "full alignment" with the EU rules required to ensure that north-south co-operation in terms of trade, regulations and standards, can continue.

But two months on, and a clearly frustrated Mr Barnier said the UK had yet to table solutions that would avoid a hard Border.

He said any solution must be "precise, clear and unambiguous".

Mr Barnier said the commitment to maintain full regulatory alignment must now be written into the legally-binding withdrawal agreement "to guarantee that there will be no hard Border whatever the circumstances".

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"This means that we must now start legally defining how this scenario would work in operational terms.

"There must be no ambiguity here.

"Based on the discussions this week, the UK has accepted the necessity of discussing how to make this full alignment scenario operational, provided we discuss the other two options in parallel.

"This is what we will work on in the coming rounds."

Mr Barnier yesterday outlined the three options for ensuring no obstructive physical borders on the island of Ireland, as per the wording of the December agreement.

First, through a newly negotiated EU-UK relationship; or second through alternative solutions - although these have yet to be put forward by the UK.

Failing those, the third fallback option of regulatory alignment in the event of no deal.

That third option - which Mr Barnier said now needed to be legally enshrined in the exit agreement - has the potential to complicate the UK's ability to trade with countries that have different standards to the EU.

An added problem is that there is so far no agreement on what rules should be aligned. Brexit Secretary David Davis (pictured inset) hit back at Mr Barnier in a stinging statement.

He said: "Given the intense work that has taken place this week it is surprising to hear that Michel Barnier is unclear on the UK's position in relation to the implementation period.

"As I set out in a speech two weeks ago, we are seeking a time-limited period that maintains access to each other's markets on existing terms.

"However, for any such period to work both sides will need a way to resolve disputes in the unlikely event that they occur."
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and the Norths former First Minister Arlene Foster

The deal struck in December was hailed as taking the threat of a hard Border off the table. But two months on, Europe's chief Brexit negotiator has reiterated that, if the UK doesn't change course, Border checks are inevitable. How have we got from there to now?

 What the December agreement said:

The deal - agreed by the United Kingdom and European Union - had two specific paragraphs focused on the objective of avoiding a hard Border. The first envisages three scenarios.

The core objective is to avoid a hard Border through the new trading relationship between the UK and EU.

If this isn't possible, the UK will come up with specific, bespoke solutions.

A final fallback element, added at the request of the Irish Government, would involve the UK maintaining full alignment with the EU rules that are required to ensure that north/south co-operation in terms of trade, regulations and standards can continue, if the UK crashes out of the EU without agreement.

It was a political form of words that allowed for the breathing space required to move on to the next phase.

It was believed that the details of how it would work in practice would be dealt with then. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Foreign Minister Simon Coveney hailed the deal as politically "bullet proof" and "cast iron".

 What is now being said:

Fast forward two months and the Border question remains unanswered, with just over a year to go until Brexit and with substantial disagreements over the make-up of the transition period.

Talks between the UK and EU on the future trading relationship have yet to take place, so it's not yet clear how a hard Border can be avoided.

European chief negotiator Michel Barnier was clear, though, that leaving the customs union and single market - as the UK continues to insist it wants to do - would make Border checks unavoidable.

He also said that no solutions had been brought forward by the British on the Border issue.

So that brings the fallback position of regulatory alignment into view.

Mr Barnier said that must now be enshrined in the legally binding Withdrawal Agreement, acting as an insurance policy of sorts to ensure that there was no hard Border.

Mr Barnier's comments on Border checks suggest, once again, that the only way to maintain a seamless Border is for either the whole of the UK, or the North, to effectively remain in both the customs union and single market, or at least mirror a number of EU rules.

Finding a solution that suits both sides is as far off as ever.
The former chairman of Irish Nationwide Building Society (INBS), Michael Walsh, has agreed to pay a fine and accepted sanctions imposed by the Central Bank in relation to his role at the lender that collapsed, costing taxpayers 5.4bn, the Irish Independent has learned.

It is understood the settlement reached with the Central Bank will mean Mr Walsh is excluded from any further involvement in an ongoing regulatory Inquiry into the failed lender, and so ends any risk he could potentially have been landed with a proportion of the Inquiry costs.

The Irish Independent understands that Mr Walsh, aged 66, has agreed to pay a fine and accept regulatory sanctions from the Central Bank.

The scale of the cash fine remains unclear but is thought unlikely to exceed 30,000.

Regulatory sanctions generally mean a restriction from taking any senior roles in financial institutions.

In turn, the settlement resolves all outstanding legal allegations against Dr Walsh, a former professor of banking at UCD, over his role in INBS's 5.4bn collapse.

It is the second time Mr Walsh has settled claims of regulatory breaches at the bailed-out institution.

In 2015 he also agreed a settlement with the liquidators of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation, into which Anglo Irish and the INBS were subsumed.

That ended a lawsuit over what had been claimed was "wholly unlawful" delegation of powers of by the INBS board to its former chief executive, Michael Fingleton.

The Irish Independent understands an agreement between Mr Walsh and the Central Bank was struck within the past few weeks.

The settlement means the Society's former non-executive chairman, who resigned unexpectedly in February 2009 as the banking crisis was gathering steam, will no longer be a subject of the Central Bank's inquiry into the collapse of INBS.

That clears him from any risk of incurring a potentially colossal legal bill - if costs of the inquiry came to be awarded against those under investigation.

The Central Bank's INBS inquiry into seven so-called suspected prescribed contraventions between August 2004 and September 2008, can award costs against any executives about whom adverse findings are made. It can also impose a range of sanctions, including barring them taking a role at a regulated firm, as well as levy a maximum fine of 500,000.

It is unclear how much the Central Bank has spent on the inquiry so far although it is widely assumed the bill runs into millions and a swift conclusion looks a distant prospect.

Mr Walsh's settlement marks a major turning point for the Inquiry and is likely to prompt questions about its progress so far.

The Central Bank began its investigation into INBS eight years ago. In December the Inquiry proper began its first substantive hearings, almost two-and-a-half years after its launch, into the potential wrongdoing of five members of the management team. At the outset the subjects of the Inquiry were ex-CEO Mr Fingleton, Mr Walsh, the former company secretary, John Stanley Purcell, the former head of commercial lending, Tom McMenamin, and Gary McCollum, who once led INBS's Belfast-based UK arm.

All five denied the allegations against them in opening speeches last year with Mr Fingleton decrying the inquiry as an "artificially trumped up case" and a "cynical exercise seeking scapegoats".
Ryanair has rapidly engaged its new 750m share buyback programme, having acquired almost 18m worth of its own shares under the scheme since Tuesday.

It only unveiled the new buyback programme last Monday, when it released third-quarter results. The company said yesterday that its brokers bought 595,503 shares in the airline on Thursday at an average price of 15.93 each, for a total of about 9.48m.

On Wednesday, it bought back 275,166 shares at an average price of 15.98 each.

Tuesday saw its brokers buy back 255,811 shares at an average price of 15.93.

Shares were trading about 1pc lower yesterday morning at 15.70, giving it a market capitalisation of 18.6bn.

Meanwhile, Spanish pilot union Sepla has signed a two-year collective bargaining agreement with Scandinavian airline Norwegian.

Norwegian's chief human resources officer, Helga Bollmann Leknes, said the agreement was "very important" for the airline as it laid the foundation for a "continued fruitful relationship" between staff and management. Norwegian has also just agreed a collective bargaining deal in Italy.

Earlier this week, Sepla said it was "naive" to believe that Ryanair management "really wanted to change" what the union has described as "toxic labour relations".

In a letter to pilots, the union's Ryanair company council said that it's following through with a threat made last month to initiate legal action against the airline in relation to its employment practices.

Ryanair dismissed the Sepla move, citing a court ruling that the Spanish courts have no jurisdiction over Ryanair pilots and cabin crew contracts.
The owner of the Daily Mirror in the UK has agreed to pay almost 127m (144m) in cash and shares to buy Northern & Shell Group's publishing assets including the 'Daily Star' and 'Daily Express'.

The deal includes the acquisition of Northern & Shell's 50pc stake in the 'Irish Daily Star'.

The 'Irish Daily Star' is owned under a joint venture agreement with Independent News & Media (INM), the publisher of this newspaper.

That part of the transaction will require competition clearance in Ireland but, bar the change of ownership, the joint venture agreement itself will be unaffected. The wider deal will mark a significant change in the UK's media landscape.

It will also draw together newspapers with diametrically opposed political views and bring magazines including 'OK!' and 'New' into a single publishing fold.

Trinity Mirror said it believes the acquisition will create a "business of scale to better serve our readers and advertisers".

It will see the enlarged group reducing its reliance on advertising revenue, with almost 50pc of the wider group's sales being generated from circulation revenue.

It also brings an end to years of efforts by Trinity Mirror to seal an agreement with billionaire Richard Desmond's Northern & Shell group, which owns the 'Daily Express', 'Daily Star' and the other titles being acquired.

Mr Desmond owns Northern & Shell and is its chairman.

Trinity Mirror added that the benefits of the broader acquisition would include improved print and digital propositions, by reducing duplication, sharing content and "widening the breadth of editorial coverage".

"The board believes the acquisition is financially compelling and will deliver attractive returns to shareholders," it added, noting that it expects to be generating annual cost savings of 20m (22.6m) before tax by 2020.

"There is a lot of sense behind this deal, which comes at a time when print advertising is falling at Trinity Mirror," said senior market analyst Fiona Cincotta at City Index.

"There are significant commercial synergies which are expected to result in some serious cost savings going forward," she said.

The enlarged group's digital portfolio will comprise a network of publishing websites delivering 234 million monthly unique browsers (excluding apps) and 963 million monthly page views (excluding apps and galleries).

More than 50pc of the audience is based in the UK. "Today's transformational transaction is a logical and natural next step in the evolution and consolidation of the media sector and will create a larger and stronger platform serving all stakeholders," Richard Desmond said.

Simon Fox, the chief executive of Trinity Mirror, said that the Northern & Shell titles are an "excellent fit" for the group.

The 'Daily Express' has taken an editorial line against immigration and also backed Britain leaving the European Union.

The 'Daily Mirror' has traditionally backed Britain's Labour Party and took a stance opposed to Brexit.

Shares in Trinity Mirror soared on news of the plan yesterday, rising as much as 10pc in London.
Levies will be placed on social media giants to fund newspapers and combat the threat of fake news under new proposals.

The measures being examined by Fianna Fail propose expanding the remit of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) and the Press Council, or establishing a similar body, to oversee a fund to finance journalism and traditional media streams.

It would also see technology firms such as Google, Facebook and Twitter forced to pay a new digital advertising tax on revenues they generate.

Initially a kitty would be funded by the 28m collected in VAT from newspapers annually to help them produce content.

This subsidy would eventually be replaced by revenues generated from taxing new media organisations for running adverts.

Fianna Fail communications spokesperson Timmy Dooley said it was important steps are taken to protect the key role journalism plays in democracy.

"At the moment if you put an ad in the Irish Independent, 'The Irish Times', or the 'Examiner' that money is going towards supporting the creation of the content that goes into the newspaper," said Mr Dooley.

"The digital platforms have disrupted that. They access somebody else's content, pay nothing for it, sell advertising around it and no money goes back to sourcing the content.

"We have to do something to rectify that."

Fianna Fail previously called for a scheme that would enable local radio stations to benefit from public money to produce important local news and content. Mr Dooley said similar steps must be taken to protect print media.

He said it was vital to protect against the threat of fake news.

"If you take away the fourth estate, all that journalism that is there, properly researched and curated information that can be stood over, there will be problems.

"We will have a real problem long term in terms of a threat to democracy.

"Initially you create some of the money from the VAT and put it in to a fund that is administered by some kind of a hybrid of the BAI and the Press Council. The role of the BAI would have to be expanded because you don't want politicians getting the money.

"If you look at the Sound and Vision fund that is already part of the BAI and the way they support independent production companies, producers, and local radio stations, they have developed a model for that.

"My view is we should build on that, fund it initially from the Exchequer because the crisis is so real, stark and immediate."

The calls come as British Prime Minister Theresa May launched a review into whether state intervention is needed in the UK to protect local and national newspapers.
A trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York. Photo: Reuters

Convulsions rocking US equity markets continued yesterday, with major indexes headed for the worst week in almost seven years after falling back from early gains. Treasury declines eased as investors sought havens from gold to the yen.

Investors hoping for signs of stability after Thursday's late-day swoon got whipsawed in the first 90 minutes of trading.

After rebounding as much as 1.5pc, the S&P 500 wiped out the gain in a matter of minutes and is down 6pc in the week. The Cboe Volatility Index held near 30, twice its level from a week ago, while other measures of market angst showed jitters emerging in assets from junk debt to treasuries.

Europe and Asia weren't spared for the selling that's wiped more than $5trn (4.09trn) from the value of global stocks in just five days.

In Dublin the ISEQ was down -0.72pc. Baked goods maker Aryzta saw one of the sharpest declines, down 7.76pc, but the sell-off in the past week has been across sectors and companies.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index headed for its worst week since 2016 and has erased almost half a year's gains. China's benchmark fell the most in almost two years earlier.

The global MSCI World Index is set for its biggest weekly drop since 2011.

At the core of the crash are equity traders who have yet to get comfortable with the jump in benchmark US 10-year bond yields, which signal a wider shift higher in debt costs, and worries over unwinding bets against volatility in stocks continue to cast a shadow over markets.

Bloomberg
The Late Late Show came over all lovey-dovey last night as they celebrated Valentine's Day with a special show that saw one couple get engaged live on air.

James Hennessy (28) proposed to his partner Siobhan Hiney (23) during a fake game of 'Mr and Mrs', getting down on one knee before a visibly shocked Siobhan finally said 'yes'.

Her response was met by a rapturous rendition of 'Ole Ole Ole' by 200 singletons in the audience.

The exchange prompted a barrage of Tweets from viewers who seemed to enjoy the raucous behaviour of the audience, despite joking that there was 'a bang of rag week' in the air.

'Where did you meet your husband?' 'Oh, he was shouting Ole Ole Ole on the set of the #LateLate, and banging his feet off-beat on the seats. I just knew.', tweeted one viewers, while another commented that "Theres an awful Bang of rag week off the #LateLateShow audience this week."

"In fairness what girl wouldn't want a crowd of drunken strangers chanting Ole Ole as she gets engaged..." remarked another viewer.

"Yeah this'll be a great idea, get a load of single guys and girls as the audience for a talk show, fill them with drink! What could possibly go wrong?' Tweeted newlywed Vinny May from Kodaline, who tied the knot with his partner Carina in Lough Rynn last summer.

While there were high spirits on set, the night may have got to one singleton, namely 'Colm from Dungarvan', who uttered some expletives live on air in his pursuit for love.

Contestant number one was probably not expecting to say that to Colm's mam!  #latelate pic.twitter.com/E8KrfDSMM3  The Late Late Show (@RTELateLateShow) February 9, 2018

When asked how long he has been single by host Ryan Tubridy, a member of the audience shouted "400 years."

Things soon got worse for poor Colm as his mother was brought on stage to help him find a date for the night, Blind Date style.

Tweeting about the show, presenter Maia Dunphy said "Lads, the @RTELateLateShow Valentines special is on. Imagine the Toy Show set in @CopperFaceJacks and youre not even halfway there."

Doireann Garrihy was a guest on the show, and revealed what she thought about the dating scene for Irish women.

.@DoireannGarrihy on what it's like on the Irish dating scene for women these days #latelate pic.twitter.com/Hd0Rw3XFKY  RTA One (@RTEOne) February 9, 2018

"Don't have the smell of want off you," she said was the advice of her sisters.

"There's online dating, people get it at the tap of a finger," she said, in a comment that was met by a 'whoop' from a couple of audience members.

"It's not all that grim," she added before telling host Ryan Tubridy "I'm actually very alone."

See the full show by watching back on RTE player now.
Noel Edmonds has spoken of how Gary Barlow was annoyed when Mr Blobby denied Take That their first Christmas number one.

Mr Blobbys self-titled track had already spent three weeks on the chart in December 1993 and rose two places as the boy bands single Babe was pipped at the post.

Recalling the incident from 24 years ago, Edmonds told BBC Radio Five Live: Mr B was hugely successful with his number one record That really pissed off Gary Barlow, I tell you.

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The 69-year-old was speaking ahead of his return to television on the BBC in Asian Adventure: The Road To Saigon, where couples will travel 4,000km through Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam in classic cars.

Speaking about Noels House Party  a staple of Saturday night TV between 1991 and 1999  he said: I was hired to beat ITV, it was as simple as that. I and Cilla Black would slog it out over a combined audience of 30 million.

It is impossible for me to exaggerate my happiness at having been able to make that kind of television.
David Drumm, the former chief executive of Anglo Irish Bank, arrives at court yesterday. Photo: Collins Courts

Former Anglo Irish Bank chief executive David Drumm was the "man who called the shots" in the bank and was central to a 7.2bn conspiracy to defraud, his trial has heard.

Mr Drumm was responsible for authorising a series of "lightning speed" circular transactions used to make the troubled bank's balance sheet seem healthier than it was for the purpose of deceiving the public, it was claimed.

Lead prosecutor Paul O'Higgins SC compared the alleged scheme to a "balloon" that Anglo inflated and said "you can't cheat people to keep yourself afloat". Mr O'Higgins was delivering his opening speech to the jury in the trial of Mr Drumm (51), who is accused of taking part in an alleged conspiracy to defraud.

Mr Drumm is charged with conspiring to defraud Anglo investors in 2008 by dishonestly creating the impression the bank's deposits that year were 7.2bn larger than they really were.

He is alleged to have conspired with former Anglo officials William McAteer and John Bowe as well as Irish Life and Permanent's then-CEO Denis Casey, and others.

Mr Drumm is also charged with false accounting, by providing misleading information to the market on December 3, 2008.

The accused, from Skerries, Co Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to both charges.

Mr O'Higgins said it was a "prime objective" of Anglo coming up to the end of its financial year on September 30, 2008, to make sure its balance sheets looked as strong as they could.

Customer deposits were considered better than inter-bank deposits in the evaluation of the strength of a bank.

It was alleged that in conjunction with Irish Life and Permanent (ILP), Anglo organised a scheme in which money was circulated between the two banks, through Irish Life Assurance (ILA), a company owned by the ILP group.

"This was a completely artificial process that led to a dressing up, and more than a dressing up, but a fabrication of Anglo's balance sheets," Mr O'Higgins said.

Its only objective, he argued, was to deceive investors, depositors and lenders.

During the financial crisis of 2008, banking authorities wanted Irish banks to help each other through crises of liquidity, Mr O'Higgins said.

The jury would hear that Mr Drumm instigated funding initiative meetings but one by one they fell away and "they were reduced to the initiative you have here".

There was nothing illegal in itself about moving money around but the only purpose of these transactions was that when the bank published its results, it would suggest that customer deposits were greater than they really were, Mr O'Higgins said.

The jury would hear phone recordings of Mr Drumm authorising transactions.

A series of 11 admissions was then read out on Mr Drumm's behalf by Tessa White BL, defending.

He accepted responsibility for authorising transactions in 2008 but denied any fraud or dishonesty and said the purpose of the transactions was to reduce ILP's reliance on European Central Bank funding and increase Anglo's non-bank deposits.

The trial continues.
While most of us have tried to move on and forget about the economic crash, 10 men and five women are about to immerse themselves in the dramatic events of a decade ago.

In case they had forgotten, the jurors in the David Drumm trial for conspiracy to defraud and false accounting were given something of a crash course by prosecution counsel Paul O'Higgins SC yesterday.

Several financial institutions which were familiar names a decade ago, but which for many have faded into the recesses of memory, got a mention as Mr O'Higgins gave a potted history of the period that shook the global economy.

He admitted at the outset he was "in middling form" as his raspy sounding throat attested. But he made a good fist of things, nevertheless.

He reminded the jurors of Northern Rock, the first bank to experience "a run" back in 2007.

Bear Stearns, the New York investment bank which failed in March 2008, also got a mention, as did US mortgage financiers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, both bailed out by the US treasury the same year.

These were huge jolts in the financial world which left institutions such as Anglo Irish Bank "worried about how they would get money in".

As the barrister ran though key international and domestic events, he threw in a number of terms jurors may not have been familiar with. But Mr O'Higgins was careful to clearly explain these as he went along.

European Central Bank negotiable securities were mentioned, a reference to a type of security Irish Life & Permanent (IL&P) would "liquidate" coming up to their end-of-year results.

The practice was legal, but the governor of the Central Bank was unenthusiastic about it, as it didn't look good, Mr O'Higgins said.

"Sticky deposits" were also mentioned, referring to deposits that customers were more likely to leave in a bank for a period of time.

These were the sort of deposits that all of the banks were anxious to attract during the liquidity crisis.

Mr O'Higgins also used the term "lightning speed" when referring to the massive circular transactions involving Anglo Irish Bank, IL&P and the Irish Life Assurance (ILA) that are at the heart of the Drumm case.

The transactions, which he said were used to make Anglo's balance sheet look 7.2bn better off than it was, were so quick that the cash never actually went into an ILA account along the way.

As introductions to complicated matters go, it was gentle enough. Mr Higgins said he could spend hours explaining things, but was not going to do so.

"There is a lot more I could tell you, but you have some months to hear that," he said, referring to the length of time the case is expected to last.

As Mr O'Higgins addressed the jury, Mr Drumm watched on intently from the far side of the courtroom. Wearing a dark suit jacket and blue open-necked shirt, he had a laptop open in front of him.

Mr O'Higgins told jurors that Mr Drumm was "the man who called the shots" at Anglo and the prosecution would argue that he had authorised the deals at the centre of the case.

He said the prosecution would be alleging the likely outcome of the 7.2bn transaction was to deceive depositors or prospective depositors and investors as to the strength of Anglo.

This, he said, would have left them to make foolish or ill-informed decisions because they were deprived of proper information.

Mr Drumm has admitted to authorising the circular transactions, but denies they were fraudulent or dishonest.
The judge threw out McDonaghs claim which meant the six other claims collapsed with it and were dismissed

A woman who fraudulently claimed over 88,000 from the State in Social Welfare payments has been sentenced to two years in prison with 15 months suspended.

Mercie Wambui (32) used the money to financially support her family in Kenya who were in dire conditions, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has heard.

Wambui came to Ireland from Kenya in 2006 as an asylum seeker and later became entitled to certain State benefits. However she also used a false identity to get a job with the Daughters of the Cross in 2008, which she never declared.

Wambui, with an address at Brackenwood Avenue, Balbriggan, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty to sample counts of fraud amounting to 88,877 on dates between August 2010 and September 2016.

Passing sentence today, Judge Melanie Greally acknowledged the grave and difficult circumstances of Wambui's background and the fact that three of her sisters and her father had died since her arrival in Ireland.

Judge Greally said Wambui's inability to work legally in Ireland as an asylum seeker caused financial constraints which initially forced her to take a criminal route.

People required to live on such a paltry stipend  are sometimes driven to extreme measures, said the judge.

However, she added that the real moral culpability lies in where she has secured a position and continues to claim, commenting that Wambui's offence had elements of a systemic and significant fraud.

It was a substantial amount of money taken over a significant period of time, and there was sustained dishonesty in failing to report her well-paid job with the Daughters of Charity, said Judge Greally.

The judge suspended the final 15 months of the sentence, taking into consideration Wambui's remorse, her low risk of re-offending, her excellent work history in the field of nursing and the fact that she was a good mother and carer to her son.

The court heard that Wambui was not entitled to work or claim social welfare when she came to Ireland from Kenya in September 2006, as an asylum seeker.

She was only entitled to claim the Direct Provision weekly payment of 19, which subsequently rose to 28 weekly.

When Wambui's son was born in October 2011, she became entitled to One Parent Allowance, which she claimed between June 2012 and June 2016. She also claimed Rent Allowance during this period.

However in 2008, while still in receipt of Direct Provision Allowance, she procured false ID papers which had been stolen in France. Using a false name, she got a job with The Daughters of the Cross earning 650 a week and did not declare her income.

At one point she claimed maternity benefit for six months under this false name.

Wambui was arrested in July 2016 and eventually made full admissions, telling gardai she had been under severe financial pressure when she was only claiming 19 a week and that she had been afraid to tell the truth.

The court heard that Wambui has already made 7,000 available to the State as restitution and is making repayments at a rate of 25 per week. She has also offered to pay over her Children's Allowance payment of 140 per month to the Department of Social Protection.

The sentence was backdated to December 29, 2017 to take into account the time Wambui has already spent in custody.
A judge tried to unite a family of six, warring over what's left of their father's estate, in a bid to save them spiralling legal costs.

"You are all of the same flesh and blood, brothers and sisters who may not like one another, perhaps victims of what has happened in the course of time," Mr Justice Raymond Groarke told the family.

"This is a very sad case, siblings engaged in washing the family linen in public, albeit in a private court," added the Circuit Court president.

He was speaking amid the dispute, involving five sisters and a brother, over an estate worth about 400,000.

It involved allegations of mental and physical abuse by their father, and allegations of sexual abuse of two of the girls by their brother.

Judge Groarke ruled against a claim by one of the sisters that the 22,000 she had been left by her father had failed to meet his moral obligation to have adequately provided for her.

During the hearing, for which the plaintiff sister had flown halfway around the world, she claimed she had been regularly beaten with a strap by her father.

Education

She alleged that he had failed to give her a proper education which limited her work prospects. Supported by one other sister, she claimed she had been often starved of food and forced to attend school in ragged clothes.

Other sisters told the court she was the best looking of the family and a favourite of her parents, claiming she had left school early to become a model but eloped with a boyfriend.

The judge refused to accept the idyllic picture they had described regarding their sister.

Judge Groarke said he accepted that conditions in the family home were bad - but not as bad as described in court.

But he accepted, with regard to alleged sexual molestation, adequate attention had not been given by the parents as to what had been actually taking place in the house.

In the middle of a two-day hearing, Judge Groarke had adjourned to allow talks in the hope that "common sense would be allowed to prevail".

The legal battle so far has incurred costs estimated at a minimum of 60,000.

But later he said the plaintiff had failed to make out a claim that her father had failed to make proper provision for her.

"Does a moral obligation last forever?" he asked.
A housing expert has called for third-level colleges to offer more courses on the subject to combat the lack of expertise in the country.

The CEO of Irish Council of Social Housing (ICSH) Dr Donal McManus, spoke as Independent.ie reveals a distinct lack of experts in the area as the country battles an ongoing housing crisis.

The number of people in Ireland with accredited housing policy expertise is just a fraction of the number registered in Northern Ireland.

Figures released by the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) to Independent.ie reveal that they have just 145 members in the Republic of Ireland, with only 16 at the Chartered level.

In Northern Ireland, the CIH has 411 members, 113 of which are chartered members.

In total, 130 people have been awarded CIH qualifications in the Republic of Ireland while the number of qualifications attained in Northern Ireland is around 450.

Justin Cartwright, Policy and Public Affairs manager for CIH in Northern Ireland revealed the figures to Independent.ie explaining that to achieve the Chartered level people had to attain a Level 5 Diploma in Housing, the professional level of housing policy expertise, or through years of experience in the field.

Dr Donal McManus outlined the reasons behind the lack of expertise in the Republic of Ireland.

He told Independent.ie that local authority career paths were fluid with people often starting out in an area like housing, before moving into planning or water or to another sector.

Dr McManus added that another major issue for the industry was the absence of any third-level degree courses on the island of Ireland in housing management and policy.

Magee College in Derry did offer a Housing Management degree but it was dropped in 2016 after cuts to budgets, leaving nowhere in the 32 counties to educate the next generation of housing management professionals.

"We would urge third-level institutions in Ireland that have related programmes, in surveying, in planning, in environmental management, to expand those into a housing policy or housing management degree," Dr McManus said.

"There has always been a need for housing expertise, and there always will be a need in housing expertise.

"The sector has gotten more complex over the years and is now a multi-disciplined area.

"It now requires social skills, financial skills and management skills to do the job effectively. Better training, and encouraging more young people to join the sector at a young age, is vital to ensure housing management and policy in Ireland continues to improve."

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Dr McManus suggests that like other types of professions, and similar to what Magee College used to offer, a four-year course with a year of on-the-job experience in a placement programme would be ideal to train up a new cohort of housing experts in Ireland.

"As we have seen in ICSH, housing management is a growing sector. We have gone from 8,000 people working in the sector to 32,000. You always need to retrain and upskill existing staff, and CIH courses are excellent for that, but we need to bring in skilled new entrants as well."

Meanwhile, Mr Cartwright, speaking about the differences between the North and the Republic, noted that the Northern Ireland Housing Executive was created in 1971 and manages 86,500 dwellings.

In the Republic, 520 housing bodies exist in various sizes and level of services, managing a stock of over 30,000 units.

The CIH, a not-for-profit organisation, began life in the UK when 'The Association of Women Housing Workers' was founded in 1916 and it became the Society of Housing Managers in 1948. Following a merger with the Institute of Housing in 1965 it took that name in 1974 before adding 'Chartered' after getting a royal charter in 1984.

That long history in the UK means that housing professionals in the UK have traditionally been members of CIH but they only began to take on members in the Republic of Ireland in 2008, before establishing an office in the Housing Agency in Dublin in 2014.

That partly explains the low uptake of the training, but Mr Cartwright said he would encourage housing bodies across Ireland to take part in their training courses to grow the expertise base in Ireland as a matter of urgency to address the housing crisis here.

The Irish Council of Social Housing (ICSH), an umbrella group for more than 300 Approved Housing Bodies (AHB), has worked with CIH to run courses to improve expertise levels in the sector.

Information and Communications Coordinator for ICSH, Ken Reid, said the levels were lower in the Republic than the south partly for historical reasons and partly because many people who work in housing in the Republic came into the industry from community or social backgrounds, whereas in the UK the industry has been professionalised for some time.

Dublin City Council, who manage 25,353 units according to their most recent figures, failed to respond to queries regarding how many members of their staff had taken courses with the CIH.

Housing Agency also failed to respond to a similar query.
Irish taxpayers spent over 15,000 on a trip to Egypt for eight TDs to negotiate the release of Irishman Ibrahim Halawa.

Ibrahim Halawa (21), from Firhouse in Co Dublin, returned to Ireland in October 2017 after he spent more than four years in prison in Cairo.

Expand Close Ibrahim Halawa en route to Ireland with his sister, Nasaybi, and Ambassador to Egypt Sean O'Regan / Facebook

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Whatsapp Ibrahim Halawa en route to Ireland with his sister, Nasaybi, and Ambassador to Egypt Sean O'Regan

Mr Halawa was 17 when he was arrested in the Egyptian capital during mass protests in 2013.

After a protracted legal battle he was acquitted of all charges.

In January 2017, a team of eight Irish delegates travelled to Egypt to negotiate Mr Halawa's release.

The team of Irish delegates included Sean O'Fearghail (FF), Darragh O'Brien (FF), Colm Brophy (FG), Paul Murphy (AAA), Brendan Howlin (Labour), Noel Grealish (IND), Eoin O'Broin (SF) and Eamon Ryan (GP).

Figures revealed under the Freedom of Information Act 2014, show that the trip from January 9 to January 12 cost the taxpayer 15,381.

According to the Freedom of Information records, the trip to Egypt was one of the most expensive trips for TDs and Senators of 2017.

Green Party TD Eamon Ryan, who was one of the delegates on the trip, said that it was very "important".

"It was a very important trip. Not just because we went over to try and release Irish citizen Ibrahim Halawa, but because it allowed us to make connections with the president and parliament in Egypt.

"It is important that Irish delegates go out and meet other people in other countries. If we want to make it onto the United Nations Security Council, we need to make friends and get other countries to vote for us."

Mr Ryan said that the delegation helped to get Ibrahim Halawa released from prison.

"The trip took time and was frustrating but our goal was to see that Mr Halawa was released and he ultimately was. We helped play a part in that. The results from our trip weren't immediate, but it did achieve its purpose."

Another delegate, Darragh O'Brien (FF) said that "it wasn't an extravagant trip by any means".

"Over the course of the trip we had a very busy workload and our schedule was significant. We met with the Egyptian president and other leaders, which was good for our international relations. It was a very worthwhile trip, not just for Mr Halawa but also for our country.

"I understand that it was expensive, but you can't get hotel and flights for free. Everything we did, we had a budget in mind."

Mr O'Brien said that the trip did ultimately lead to Mr Halawa's release.

"We were part of the effort that led to his release. We had full access to the prison and it was great that we got to meet with Mr Halawa."

Sinn Fein TD Eoin O'Broin, who was also part of the delegation, agreed that the delegation helped secure Mr Halawa's release.

"It was a very worthwhile trip," he said.

"We certainly contributed to the release of Mr Halawa but we weren't alone in this.

"We visited the prison where Mr Halawa was and that was very important for his morale. Our trip was only one part of a bigger campaign to secure Mr Halawa's release."
Female circumcision "has been described in a horrible way" and should be considered in certain circumstances, a member of the Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland has said.

Dr Ali Selim called female circumcision "an inherited practice" and said parents should be allowed to have it carried out on their daughter if a doctor says it's necessary.

He also said that you "cannot control people" and people will travel overseas for the procedure.

Female circumcision, also known as female genital mutilation (FGM), is defined as the partial of total destruction of female genitalia for non-medical reasons and was made illegal here in 2012.

FGM has been carried out on an estimated 200 million girls around the world, including nearly 6,000 in Ireland.

Despite the World Health Organisation stating that "the procedure has no health benefits for girls and women", Dr Selim claims it should be allowed in some instances.

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Speaking on Prime Time on RTE One last night, he explained: "I am not an advocate of female genital mutilation, but of female circumcision.

"If we see female circumcision in the same way as male circumcision, it might be needed for one person and not another, it has to be determined by a doctor and practiced in a safe, medical environment.

"It's the same medical reasons that justify male circumcision, it's not an obligation but it should be allowed by law if needed and a medical doctor should be able to decide if it's needed."

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Dr Selim, who is an Arabic lecturer at Trinity College, said he feels that female circumcision has been harshly portayed.

"It has been described in a horrible way, it's always described as 'barbaric' and we always hear the term mutilation, it is portrayed as a dark skin practice, or something that belongs in the Dark Ages.

"In Europe people want to be cool so you have to show a revolutionary attitude, it's an inherited practice.

"If it's inherited it doesn't have to be rejected, it has to be considered and not rejected just because it's inherited," he said.

Dr Selim also claimed there is little that can be done to stop people accessing female circumcision abroad.

"You can't control people, it's against the law to practise abortion but people just cross the border and come back.

"I would say to anyone who wants to bring their daughter overseas for circumcision to ask their doctor, a medical doctor has to say that they need it," he said.

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He was speaking after a worldwide social media campaign against FGM was launched in Dublin on Tuesday.

Activists are calling for zero tolerance towards FGM and are asking people to use show their support on social media using the hashtag #MeTooFGM

GFM survivor Ifrah Ahmed, an Irish citizen who was born in Somalia, helped to organise the launch and said that she will fight to have it banned worldwide.

She said: "Today 200 million women worldwide are living with the consequences of female genital mutilation and 100 million are at risk of being circumcised.

"It is amazing really."
Guesthouses and travel agencies in Ireland have come under fire for offering 'hunting holidays'.

Other countries' tight regulations mean Ireland is marked as a "free-for-all", according to animal rights groups.

While fox hunting is legal here, The Hunting Act 2004 banned hunting wild animals with dogs in the UK.

Most package holidays for hunters visiting Ireland include accommodation, pre-hunt training, hunting equipment and the hunt itself.

Aideen Yourell, Campaign Director of the Irish Council Against Blood Sports, said she is disappointed Ireland "permits these barbarities".

Ms Yourell told Independent.ie: "It's not surprising that hunters come here, we've no laws or regulations or anything to protect animals, we permit these barbarities.

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"We're basically a free-for-all when you think about it, fox hunting and hare coursing are both allowed here.

"People can come over here and indulge themselves, whereas it would be banned in the countries where they're from."

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One hunting package on offer is at Flowerhill House in Ballinasloe, Co Galway, where a four-night trip from the Thursday afternoon until the Monday morning costs 710 per person.

According to agent Zara's Planet, the price includes accommodation, a ride out with hounds and a hunt with two different groups.

Oliver Walsh, owner of Flowerhill House, said that they are enjoying a busy hunting season, which lasts in Ireland from October until early March.

He said: "We have been running the hunting packages for over 20 years and we have a lot of guests from countries including Norway, Sweden, Denmark, the US and the UK.

"They don't have the same amount of freedom as we do, so they like to come here for the challenge and the adrenaline of it all.

"We offer a lot more than just the hunt, there's also the pre-hunt training."

Mr Walsh said that despite the controversy surrounding fox hunting, he doesn't feel that it should be banned in Ireland.

"We hunt foxes because they're vermin," he said.

"It all depends on the rules and regulations, if everyone follows the rules then we're fine, but there are always a few bad eggs who spoil it for everyone.

"I've been hunting all of my life and I think it's humane, for the most part the fox is shot before the dogs can even get to it," he said.

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Meanwhile, another package designed for hunting enthusiasts is at the four star Dunraven Arms Hotel in Adare, Co Limerick.

With two night packages starting from around 380 per person, guests are offered the "opportunity to hunt with local packs", ncluding the Scarteen Hounds and Stonehall Harriers.

The Dunraven Arms Hotel team say on their website: "Fox-hunting is a particular speciality of the proprietors Louis & Hugh Murphy, they will personally book all hunts and horses.

"We offer early breakfast on request, valet service for hunting attire, storage of riding equipment and transport."

The Slieve Aughty Centre in Loughrea, Co Galway is also advertising packages for hunters.

They offer different Drag Hunt (where the hounds chase an animal scent instead of a fox), pre-hunt and hunting trips.

Prices start at 500 per adults for a three night stay, including hunts (visitor's cap not included), accommodation and meals.

The Slieve Aughty Centre's website says: "For the rider who has always dreamed of riding to the hounds, this holiday offers several options depending on the riders desires and level of experience.

"Full board accommodation provided at The Three Towers Eco House and Organic Kitchen."

Meanwhile, Ms Yourell added that it is important to look beyond the money made.

She said: "I'm sure a lot of people think it's great, they probably see it as a boost to tourism and don't think about the cruelty to the animals, they are cruel and barbaric sports."
Dr Ali Selim said he is an advocate for female circumcision Photo: RTE

A prominent Dublin imam has condemned the controversial idea that female circumcision should be allowed by law.

His comments come as a response to statements advocating for female circumcision made by Dr Ali Selim on RTEs Prime Time on Thursday.

"This is a bad and terrible interpretation of Islam which is causing misery for us," said Ali Al Saleh, Imam of the Islamic Centre in Milltown.

Dr Al Saleh said that the comments on female genital mutilation (FGM) were confusing people, and that Dr Selim is not a leading member of Ireland's Islamic Cultural Centre.

The Trinity lecturer originally spoke on RTEs Prime Time, saying, "Im not an advocate of female genital mutilation but I am an advocate of female circumcision".

Female circumcision, also known as female genital mutilation (FGM), is defined as the partial or total destruction of female genitalia for non-medical reasons, and is illegal in Ireland under the Criminal Justice (Female Genital Mutilation) Act 2012.

Dr Al Saleh responded to the controversial comments saying, "it is something that is sometimes argued in Islam, but he is saying it as if it is accepted by all of us, by the whole religion."

"We live in Ireland. We need to rediscover our religion and teach our people back home, not bring their view about Islam and imposing it here," he said.

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The Milltown Imam said that Dr Salems beliefs are not shared by the majority of the religion, and that outspoken comments like his are damaging for the whole community.

"We are suffering from those people from the Middle East or from a certain condition where they want to impose their version of Islam here, which is very dangerous for us," he said.

He said that what is causing organisations such as ISIS to grow is "allowing people to impose their interpretation from Islam which is very bad".

This was in response that Dr Selims claim that that female circumcision "has been described in a horrible way", and should be considered in certain instances.

"If we see female circumcision in the same way as male circumcision, it might be needed for one person and not another, it has to be determined by a doctor and practiced in a safe, medical environment," Dr Selim said.

"It has been described in a horrible way, it's always described as 'barbaric' and we always hear the term mutilation, it is portrayed as a dark skin practice, or something that belongs in the Dark Ages, he said.

Dr Selim also said there is little that can be done to stop people accessing female circumcision abroad, just like people access abortions.

"I would say to anyone who wants to bring their daughter overseas for circumcision to ask their doctor, a medical doctor has to say that they need it," he said.

The lecturer was speaking after a worldwide social media campaign which called for zero tolerance towards FGM was launched in Dublin on Tuesday.

Activists are using the hashtag #MeTooFGM on social media to raise awareness of the issue and to support survivors living in Ireland.
Sinn Fein and the DUP are hammering out details of a potential deal that could end Stormont's 13-month power-sharing crisis.

Northern Ireland's two main parties were locked in negotiations throughout yesterday, scrubbing a scheduled round-table meeting with the region's smaller parties, amid mounting speculation an agreement may be in sight.

On Friday evening, Sinn Fein and the DUP acknowledged progress had been made towards a breakthrough, but insisted issues remained.

Both parties said the talks process should conclude next week.

Outgoing party president Gerry Adams, who steps down today, said: "It isn't sorted out as we speak. We have made some progress, but there are still considerable obstacles but as I said to our unionist friends, this is the last chance agreement.

"They need to embrace the need for rights for everybody and agree a space where we can all moderate our differences."

The DUP's Arlene Foster added: "We have had a very intensive week of discussions. Progress has been made.

"We have more work to do. I have set out the parameters for a deal. It must be fair and balanced.

"Our negotiating team will continue working next week. I want to see ministerial led government restored to Northern Ireland.

"I hope that can be achieved by devolved Government and will work towards that end."
THIS won't come as a surprise to anyone who, after accidentally hammering their own thumb, lets out a long and satisfying stream of four-letter words - but swearing helps us deal with pain.

In research conducted by psychologist Richard Stephens, as recently reported on the 'Wired Science' podcast, cursing allowed volunteers to endure freezing water for longer than clean-mouthed counterparts.

Apparently, most pain is actually psychological; in other words, bad language eases your mental and emotional anguish too.

This might explain why the Irish, despite incessantly moaning about every aspect of life, consistently rate as one of the happiest peoples on Earth: we're champion swearers. It's not something to be proud of - though we're not exactly ashamed either - but is, I think, the reality.

The Irish curse more than possibly any other race, and certainly with an inventiveness, flair and humour that is, as far as I can make out, unparalleled. There's almost something charming in how we use four-letter words; as though it's a bawdy but harmless (perhaps even necessary) part of the richness of Hiberno-English.

From the biggies - f-word, c-word, other c-word, all three p-words - right down the line of severity to borderline cases like "arse", we swear all the time, in a colourful, bewildering kaleidoscope of profanity. The Irish language provides us with brilliant cursing, which has fed into the volume and diversity of our vulgar slang in English.

But we also reduce the strength of bad language, render it more palatable, through sly transformation. Words such as "feck", "hoor", "Jaysus" and "s**te" sound somehow innocent, or childlike - despite everyone knowing what is really meant.

'Navan Man' made "buck" as a synonym for, well, you know what it rhymes with; "fup" and "puck" have been pressed into service.

Swearing can even be a term of endearment for the Irish. How often have you seen two old friends embrace with a hearty "ah c'mere, you bo**ox, it's good to see you?"

It's not only the hoi polloi: Irish artists have turned the air blue with gleeful abandon. Nearly a century has passed since James Joyce's 'Ulysses' was banned for obscenity (according to the OED, the first time "f***" appeared in print).

The Pogues, one of the greatest ever Irish bands, took their name from a much-loved expression as Gaeilge, referring to one's posterior and the kissing thereof.

Roddy Doyle basically made an entire career out of finding new and imaginative ways to swear, as has Brendan O'Carroll - his 'Mrs Brown's Boys' maybe proves the point that Irish people seem able to curse without being overly offensive. Martin McDonagh's 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' is an extravaganza of bad language.

Oddly enough, in terms of movies using the f-word most frequently - yes, someone has worked this out - Irish films rank quite low, with 'The Commitments' at No. 89.

This seems surprising, because we clearly don't mind swearing on film at all. I remember seeing a video, back in the days when they put both UK and Irish age classifications on the cover.

This was a comedy stand-up gig, crammed with four-letter words. Rather amusingly, the UK cert was 18, the Irish was just 12: the authorities, and by extension us, weren't half as bothered by cursing as violence, sex or drug use.

Why do we swear so much? I've read all sorts of explanations, justifications and extrapolations: we're "irrationally exuberant"; language flows out of us and we've sworn before we realise it; it taps into our rebellious instincts; it appeals to a sense of machismo; something to do with a reduction in the Catholic Church's influence; and foreigners don't mind indulging our coarse tirades because we're just such likeable little leprechauns, sure how could you get mad at us?

Personally, I believe we curse a lot for three main reasons. First, we subconsciously realised, long ago, that bad language is a comfort and helps get you through this vale of tears. (Ireland being so damp, that's almost literally the case.)

Secondly, it's a form of linguistic evasion and subterfuge, which goes "against" the formal, respectable language of the ruling classes.

This ties into the intrinsic nature of Hiberno-English and how, for historical/political reasons, we tend to talk in riddles. Plus swearing.

Thirdly - most importantly - swearing can be a lot of f***ing fun. And if you don't like it, may I refer you to the name of Shane MacGowan's band once more.
Tell us a bit about yourself - about the life which led you to comedy

Middle child. Five other siblings. I am from Dundalk but grew up in Toronto, Canada. Moved there when I was seven. I was dragged there kicking and screaming in 1990 and then in 1996, when I was nice and settled, dragged kicking and screaming back to Dundalk. I was always supposed to return to Toronto, enrolling in high school year after year, but I guess the town got a grip of me fairly quickly. Smoking fags, penny sweets and running through fields on the Red Barns road soon overshadowed my urban lifestyle of riding subways and skateboarding (badly) through down town Toronto.

When I came home I went to O'Fiaich College or The Tech as it is/was known. I'm not sure that was the best school for someone who sounded like 'a yank', looked like 'a grunger' and felt like a sore thumb but I managed a few years of it.

After secondary school, I worked as a milkman for a while then I worked in the Home Improvement Centre in William's Mall. To this day I could tell you how to build a house from scratch but have no idea how to actually do it. When I got made redundant from there I took my few pound and moved back to Toronto for a short while. My plan was to make a lot of money and meet the lads in Australia. Instead, I got a job removing asbestos for 11 an hour, spent most of my money on cigarettes and came back to Ireland a short while later.

In 2004, my girlfriend at the time told me she was pregnant. This, just before I told her I had been fired from my job in Atlantic Homecare. Now 21 and with a child on the way I decided to go to college. The likes of Trinity and UCD probably laughed at my attempts to apply for journalism with such paltry CAO points. DKIT on the other hand welcomed me with open arms onto their Cultural Studies course. It, like many liberal arts or humanities courses, had its advantages and disadvantages. One being you learn really cool stuff and actually enjoy doing each module, the other being you're almost less employable than when you started.

College with a newborn wasn't easy but DKIT was really cool and supportive at the time. My two year old son was in creche there and was more popular in the hallways than me. He probably should have ran for Student Union vice president instead of me. He probably would have got a lot more support. And had better policies. 'A slide in every classroom!'

After graduating I studied to become a 'TEFL teacher'. However, I didn't travel anywhere exotic with it other than Dublin where I've been working for last 6 years. People are funny when they ask you where you teach. 'Primary or secondary?'. 'Tefl.' 'Oh! That's nice. At least you travel.' 'I get the Matthews bus to Dublin.' 'Oh!'

I haven't worked in a couple of months due to being on crutches. A couple of operations have left me leeching cups of tea off my mother while I recover. The doctors keep recommending I drink more water, but we all know nothing heals bones faster than about forty six cups of tea a day.

I have a new baby girl too. Her name is Pippa. She's 9 month's old. She's sweet. She's starting to crawl. Pretty sure she's doing it just to spite me. She still hasn't forgiven me for spending Christmas in hospital and not seeing her.

Were you always interested in the stage/comedy? Did you take part in shows at school/youth clubs?

I always liked telling jokes I'd heard or read but had never really thought about doing it. In DKIT I did a bit of acting which scared the Be Jayzus out of me but held my concentration which is not an easy thing to do. I loved the adrenaline rush of acting. I think that's what I chase more. It was like bungee jumping without having to worry about your face smashing off the concrete 100ft below. I also joined the local Spiral Staircase theatre group which was great fun. I think I learned how NOT to act therewhich is an equally important lesson. I wasn't so interested in learning lines. I loved the idea of improvving Shakespeare. I guess I'm like a spoiled Daniel Day Lewis who would just rather Wikipedia everything.

How did you get involved in the comedy scene? Where did you start out?

I did my first gig in DKIT. My friend Mark O'Leary kept begging me to do it. He kept telling me I was funny. I was terrified at the idea and kept refusing but then again if someone keeps telling you somethingsoon you start to believe it. Perhaps Mark was just desperate for his Event Management project to be a success but either way he slowly persuaded me.

On my first night I hid in a cubicle with my joke book in the college bar and texted Mark to tell him I couldn't do it. He brought me out to bar, filled me with Dutch courage, and watched me do fifteen minutes instead of the five I was terrified to do moments before. I basically abandoned all material on the night and made fun of people from Drogheda (who made up most of the audience and had been heckling me). I remember getting good laughs and some FAS apprentice wanting to kill me and me thinking that was a successful first night in comedy. It would be another couple of years before gathered the courage to do open mics in Dublin and set my sights on becoming a comedian. I blame Mark. He's probably laughing somewhere. With people from Drogheda.

What's the worst and best bits of going on stage in front of an audience?

The best is probably knowing it's going well. Getting an injection of adrenaline up there and finding another gear you didn't know you had. And meeting random people at festivals and they say 'Hey, you're that guy I saw in Leitrim in that noisy bar. Nobody was listening to you but I thought you were funny'. Good times.

The worst for me is when I bomb and know I bomb or another comic has bombed and giving each other false pats on the back. I generally ignore the person or just disappear 'cos the only thing worse than bombing is people trying to pretend you didn't bomb.

That and not getting any money for travelling across the country to do a few minutes of material. I once travelled to Galway for a competition and got knocked out in first round after doing a two minutes set. Not even a free pint out of it. I'm not bitter.

How would you describe your act?

Irreverent. Cheeky. Honest. Laidback. Odd. Or as recently described 'socially unacceptable commentary your ma wouldn't fall out with you over.'

You've been running the Juicebox for a few years now. What prompted you to start the club in Dundalk?

Running the club was a combination of wanting to bring more comedy to Dundalk and also wanting more stage time and a chance to learn to MC. I am always looking for ways to improve the club and follow examples from clubs in Dublin and the U.K. Though those changes aren't always suited to a Dundalk audience. JuiceBox has always supported local comedians at a grassroots level but also wants to be a professional comedy club where punters are treated to the very best underground comedy talent from Ireland, the U.K and further afield. We work alongside foreign comedy promoters to bring unique acts that have loads of TV experience but may still not be household names here such as Tommy Tiernan and Jason Byrne.

Comedy seems to be one of the things which continued to draw audiences even during the recession - why to you think that is?

I don't know if I would agree with that exactly. Many clubs struggle to get numbers through the doors even during the good times unless you have strong TV personalities headlining. A lot of punters won't take a chance on club comics entertaining them if they haven't seen them on the Late Late show cursing at Catholics. I would love if more folk supported Irish comedy and gave the clubs a chance instead of just filling theatres. Sometimes tickets for solo shows are 20 to 25 quid whereas you can usually see a list of top quality up-and-coming acts for a tenner or less.

I see more couples or those on first or second dates coming to shows. Which is a great idea really. 'Cos you don't have to say much. You're both going to laugh the night away and someone else is basically going to do all the hard work for you. We'll leave the awkward shifting to you.

Who have been your favourite acts to host in the Spirit Store? And who are your comedy heroes?

Tommy Tiernan making a surprise appearance was brilliant. I'd be a big fan of Tommy and him popping in unannounced was just brilliant. Phil Kay came over from Scotland. He has to be seen live. Words or YouTube will not do him justice. Surreal nonsense. But mind-blowing at the same time. I'm a big fan of American comedy too. Perhaps because I grew up with more of it than Irish/English stuff. Chris Rock, Bill Burr, Dave Chapelle. I love honesty in comedy. Doug Stanhope tells it like it is. You might not always like it or agree with it. But breaking down taboos and saying the unsayable would be a high priority. It takes great skill to do that without coming across as militant and I admire those who can do it and make it look easy. It's not.

People of Dundalk and beyond. Support live Irish comedy. You'll enjoy it. I swear. Take a chance on names you're not sure of. There is so much amazing talent out there but only the same names get recycled on TV and radio. Worst case you'll get to see someone bomb hard which can be more memorable than a good act. Just don't heckle. Nobody likes hecklers. You're not helping the show. Your friends will disown you. And probably your family. And rightfully so.

Next show is Thursday February 8th. I'll be supporting Canadian comedy legend Glenn Wool upstairs at the Spirit Store. Tickets can be bought at www.spiritstore.ie or McAteer's Food House. Tickets are 12.50 + booking fee. For more info contact juiceboxcomedy@gmail.com or find us on Facebook @JuiceboxComedy
Ridleys Nite Club in Dundalk last week presented 3,000 to the St. Vincent de Paul Society in town.

The money was contributed by patrons attending the Nite Club during the Christmas and New Year period.

It is the second successive year that the Nite Club has supported the annual appeal by the Society, and Kevin Mulligan, Area President of the Society thanked the patrons, staff and management for the support.

"It is very heart warming to all of us working in the Society to see people contribute so generously to our appeal, for in so doing they clearly recognise the need that exists and the work that over 100 volunteers in Dundalk are doing" said Mr. Mulligan.

The presentation was made by James Robinson, Manager of the Nite Club who said that they were delighted to support the appeal and added that it was obvious from the level of support they received that the work undertaken by the Society was greatly valued by their patrons.

The Society's annual appeal in Dundalk held over the Christmas period raised almost 140,000 through church collections and donations.

The money, Mr. Mulligan said, would be needed to fund the Society's many activities throughout the year, such as helping families at Christmas, on which the Society spent 42,000 this year, and with directly help to families and educational support to schools and students.
Dundalk Rotary Club will host their annual 'Pancake Tuesday' fundraising event next week, at the Crowne Plaza hotel.

The event, which is now in its 18th year, will take place from 7.30a.m to 10.30a.m on Tuesday next, February 13th and all are invited to go along.

Guests will be provided with the morning newspapers along with orange juice and freshly made pancakes.

The event raises funds every years for the vital work of both local and international charities.

Locally, the Rotary support Dundalk Social Services, St. Vincent De Paul, Meals on Wheels, the Samaritans and the Birches .

Tickets, prices 25 can be obtained from any Rotary member or at the door on the morning.
Dundalk teacher Aoife Curran-Butler has achieved a long held ambition when she recently saw her name in print as an author of a new series of English language books for primary school pupils.

An avid reader from a young age, Aoife has always had a great love of books, and harboured a dream of one day writing her own.

She teaches the senior infants class at Kilkerley National School, as well as being a tutor with the teaching trainer body Aistear, and realised that there was gap in the market for new text books to support the recently introduced 'levelled' English course.

'There were no Irish produced books to support the programme which is designed to cater for the reading skills of individual pupils, and teachers were having to use books published in England.

She mentioned the idea of producing books aimed at Irish pupils to Ciaran Payne, the sales rep from educational publishers CJ Fallons, when he called to the school.

'He knew about my background in delivering workshops with Aistear and next thing I had a phone call from the editor asking me to submit proposals and stories,' she says.

As a result Aoife was commissioned along with three other primary teachers to create the new programme for the teaching of English in our primary schools.

As a co-author of the programme, which includes text books, workbooks, and teachers' resource books, as well as a huge digital resource package, Aoife was determined that it would reflect the lives of the pupils who are using it.

The books centre around the lives of 'Luke and Emma' who are set to become the new 'Ann and Barry' or 'Ben and Tara' for a new generation of school children.

'There are a hundred stories in the books, which follows them on their day to day lives and there's also a magical element based on Irish folk stories.'

'There's a real Irish focus in the stories as their dog is an Irish Wolfhound and they go to Croke Park and take part in the St Patrick's Day Parade,' says Aoife, who, as a proud Dundalk woman, named the fictional town where Luke and Emma live after Seatown where she now lives. 'One of my stories sees them playing on the mountains with Cuchulainn.'

With two young children of her own, Aoife says they provided her with lots of inspiration for her stories as did her times at the mother and toddler group in the library.

Dundalk library holds a special place in her heart, as she remembers going their as a child and exceeding the number of books she was allowed with her card. 'Kathy and Isobel were great as they always encouraged me to bring home as many books as I liked.'

'I was always a keen reader and noticed the name Tom Roche on loads of my schoolbooks and it's funny to think my name is now on books.'

She pays tribute to those who supported her as she worked on the 'Luke and Emma' series which was launched at Irish Primary Schools' Network annual conference recently. 'I got great support from the principal in Kilkerley NS, Madonna Lambert and also in local Educational Centre.

And now that she has seen her name in print, Aoife might very well continue her writing career outside of the educational sector.
Anne Delcassian with a framed photograph of her sister Irene outside the Central Criminal Court last week. Pic: Collins Courts

A tireless campaigner for justice for her murdered sister, Anne Delcassian highlighted the 'domino effect' in solving the Irene White murder investigation.

In the dramatic week since 35 year old Anthony Lambe, Annadrumman, Castleblayney was handed a life sentence for the murder of Irene White, another man was charged in court in relation to the murder.

Speaking to the Argus, Anne Delcassian said she was 'delighted' at the progress in the investigation, and welcomed the pace at which breakthroughs have emerged in the case

'There has been what I have described as a domino effect,' said Anne. 'For years and years the ring of conspirators, the people involved in my sister's murder hid behind one another.'

Having campaigned on behalf of her murdered sister for so long, Anne said she was 'shocked at how quickly the dominoes began to fall over the last week.'

'I know that the investigation is by no means over. There is a long way to go yet, but I am delighted that we are getting justice for Irene.'

She highlighted that a number of people had been involved, and had knowledge of the brutal murder of her sister, and her hopes now that the 'circle of conspiracy' had been broken.

Anne, who lives in England, but returned to Ireland to be at the Dublin court where Anthony Lambe was sentenced last week spoke of the 'deep pain' that Irene's family and friends faced in hearing the extensive injuries the mother of three had suffered when she was stabbed to death on the kitchen floor of her home at Ice House, The Demesne.

She appealed again to those who were involved in the murder of her sister to come forward, saying 'Please do not put Irene's family through that again..having to hear how she suffered.'

Anne said she had 'never given up' on finding justice for her sister, even when as the years had gone by the case appeared to have gone cold.

'I want to thank all the gardai involved in the investigation over the years, and the Argus for continuing to highlight the case,' said Anne.

She paid tribute too to the Belfast based solicitor Kevin Winters, whom she engaged in 2016, for his role in helping to progress the investigation.

'It has taken a long time, but the investigation began to progress quickly over the last couple of years.'

Her campaign saw a number of vigils held on the anniversary of Irene's death.

Anne even bravely decided to door to door herself in and around Dundalk with leaflets appealing for anyone who had information on the horrific murder to come forward. She linked with the families of other women murdered in Ireland over the last 20 years and more, launching national and international appeals for their deaths never to be forgotten.

Reflecting on the 'incredible developments' of the last week in her sister's case, Anne added she continues to 'feel the pain' of those families 'still waiting for justice for their loved ones.'
Niall Power (covered by red towel), a 45-year-old married father of four of Gyles Quay, Riverstown, Dundalk pictured being taken from Dundalk District Court last Thursday morning after he was charged with the murder of Irene White.

Forty-five year old father of four Niall Power, who is charged with the murder of Dundalk woman Irene White almost 13 years ago, is to appear at Cloverhill District Court via video link on Thursday, February 8th.

Power, with an address at Gyle's Quay, Riverstown, was remanded in custody when he appeared at Dundalk District Court last Thursday.

Dt Sgt Mick Sheridan gave evidence that Power was arrested at 10.40pm the previous night at Dundalk Garda Station and subsequently charged, cautioned and handed a copy of the charge sheet.

He had made no reply when he was charged at 11.07pm with the murder of the mother of three at her home at Ice House, The Demesne, on April 6th 2005.

Power, dressed in a dark winter coat and jeans, and wearing glasses, remained impassive and didn't speak throughout the short hearing at the beginning of the court list.

His solicitor Mr Barry Callan of Callan & Co solicitors said there was no objection to his client being remanded in custody.

Applying for free legal aid, he said his client was a married man with four children who earned 420 per week.

Judge John Coughlan remanded the accused in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court via video link on Thursday, February 8th.

A small crowd gathered outside the court and shouted as Power was later driven away in a garda car.

His court appearance came just days after 34-year-old Anthony Lambe from Annadrumman, Castleblayney was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty at the Central Criminal Court on Monday to stabbing the 43 year old mother to death in the kitchen of her home.
A number of films will be screened at Mermaid Arts Centre in the coming weeks, including 'I Am Not a Witch', and 'Captain Underpants'.

I Am Not A Witch will be on Monday, February 12, at 8 p.m. After a minor incident in her village, nine-year-old orphan Shula is exiled to a witch camp where she is told that if she tries to escape she will be transformed into a white goat.

On Sunday, February 18, at 2 p.m., it's 'Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie'. George Beard and Harold Hutchins are best friends who spend their days creating comic books and dreaming up pranks. One day they accidentally hypnotize their school principal into believing that he is Captain Underpants, a dim-witted superhero whose costume consists of underwear and a cape.

Agatha Christie's 'Evil Under the Sun' will be screened on Sunday, February 18, at 5 p.m. While investigating a case involving a fake diamond for an insurance company, detective Hercule Poirot must travel to a tropical island hotel to seek out Arlena Marshall, for whom the gem was bought. But on his arrival Poirot finds that everyone else there has their own feud with Arlena, and it's only a matter of time before she turns up dead. The Van Gogh biopic 'Loving Vincent' will be on at Mermaid on Monday, February 19, at 8 p.m. and Tuesday, February 20, at 2.30 p.m. The cast includes Saoirse Ronan and Chris O'Dowd.

For tickets or more information go to mermaidartscentre.ie.
Junior and Youth Musicals Theatre School members who will be performing as part ofTosca

Students from Junior and Youth Musicals Theatre School in Bray will return to the Bord Gais Energy Theatre for Puccini's opera Tosca in March.

For these lucky teenagers it will be their fourth opera in the Dublin Theatre - having performed in two separate productions of Carmen and La Boheme.

In Tosca they will join members of the Dublin Welsh Male Voice Choir to sing the superb 'Te Deum' chorus in act one. Also joining the students will be 12 male actors who are a mix of past pupils, parents and friends of Junior Musicals.

Their roles will include servants, guards, priest, notary, soldier, executioner and more.

Local lady Louise Masterson, who is the musical director of Junior Musicals, advertised for the 12 male extras through the theatre school and was thrilled with the rapid response. Celine Byrne will play the starring role on March 14, 16 and 18, and Maria Litke the Russian star will perform the role on March 15 and 17. The RTE National Symphony Orchestra will make this opera truly joint Irish/Russian collaboration.

For more information go to balletandoperaireland.com.
Musicians taking part in the 2017 West Wicklow Music Festival at Russborough House, including founder Fiachra Garvey (second from left)

Following the huge success of the inaugural festival in 2017, tickets are now on sale for the second West Wicklow Festival.

Taking place from May 17 to May 20, the festival will feature a host of international and Irish talent with concerts of classical chamber music being held at Russborough House and St Mary's Church in Blessington.

The 2018 festival programme features internationally acclaimed clarinet virtuoso Julian Bliss, principal cellist of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra Philip Higham, the award-winning Benyounes Quartet, renowned Irish baritone Gavan Ring and the festival's founder and Artistic Director, pianist Fiachra Garvey.

'I'm proud to welcome dear friends and wonderful artists to the festival this year for a full-bodied and energetic programme of truly wonderful works of music. Debussy's music will feature throughout the festival in honour of the centenary of his death, along with many other musical highlights including a free family concert at Russborough delivered in partnership with the National Concert Hall,' said west Wicklow native Mr Garvey.

This year, the festival boasts an expanded programme of events with twice as many concerts as last year, more artists and the introduction of a new venue - the historic St Mary's Church. Musical highlights will include a late-night performance of Bach's solo Cello Suites, Schumann's Piano Quintet in E-flat major, Brahms' Clarinet Quintet in B minor and a song recital by Irish baritone Gavan Ring, accompanied by Fiachra Garvey.

In partnership with the National Concert Hall, there will also be an innovative programme of interactive musical activities for children followed by a fun-filled family concert.

The West Wicklow Festival was established by Mr Garvey in order to promote west Wicklow by staging an annual festival featuring some of the world's premiere artists, with a healthy Irish offering. The inaugural West Wicklow Festival featured three sold-out concerts in the stunning Russborough House.

For further information on the festival or to book tickets, visit westwicklowfestival.com.
A multicultural day was held at St Kilian's Community School recently for the students and their parents.

This was the fourth year in a row that the event was held.

The day included foods and drinks that the parents had prepared from different nationalities around the school.

There were tables set up for every country, which filled the room with over 30 tables of food from different cultures that everyone could try.

There are students from even more than 30 countries attending St Kilian's. There were workshops for the students such as bracelet making in the African workshop and face painting organised by students for everyone that visited. Other countries featured on the day included Poland, China, Afghanistan, Japan and many others.

With so many nationalities around St Kilian's, multicultural day each year is very exciting and enjoyable as it brings the school together and it is a chance for everyone to learn something about cultures, and taste foods that they wouldn't normally try.

At the end of the school day there was a concert on in the canteen that included students singing songs from their countries and songs from different cultures.

The whole day was a very big success with so many people visiting the school.
Students from the Peace and Justice Group, who were dressed in 1918 costume to celebrate womens suffrage, with former minister Mary ORourke

Mary ORourke with the teachers who dressed in the style of 1918 to celebrate womens suffrage

Students in Loreto Secondary School were transported back in time on Mary Ward Day (Wednesday, January 24) as the school marked the centenary of women winning the right to vote.

As part of the celebrations in memory of the Loreto founder, the school community travelled back to 1918 and the day legislation was passed giving women the vote.

Students were greeted by teachers wearing appropriate costumes and were taught lessons from the 1918 syllabus, including deportment and Latin. They also learned about the careers open to women at the start of the 20th century, watched newsreels from 1918 and visited an exhibit on 100 years of women in history in the Concert Hall of the school.

Suffragettes (members of the Peace and Justice group in the school) patrolled the corridors encouraging students to support votes for women and radio broadcasts kept students up to date on the passing of the act in parliament, with much jubilation when the vote passed.

The school also welcomed former minister and past pupil Mary O'Rourke, who shared her insights into political life and the importance of everyone using their voice through voting and becoming involved in the democratic process. She shared some secrets from her boarding days at Loreto, which sadly were not revealed to this newspaper!

Mrs O'Rourke encouraged the students to be kind to one another in a world of negativity. She spoke of how the most important lessons to be learnt in life is being able to talk, being able to defend yourself and being able to make an argument.

Mrs O'Rourke also met with the Peace and Justice group, which took the opportunity to tell her about the wonderful work being done in Loreto, Rumbek, South Sudan, where another ex-student Sister Orla Treacy is principal.

The day was planned by the students of the Peace and Justice Group, which is headed by teacher Ms Quigley and school chaplain Sr Phil, and they managed to keep many of the activities a secret from the rest of the student body.

The group highlighted the plight of the women who fought for the right to vote and how important it is for women to exercise that vote. The history of women and the vote was displayed in an exhibition in one of the school's halls.

'Mary Ward Day is always one of the highlights in the Loreto calendar,' said sixth year student Megan Foster. 'The Peace and Justice group have set the bar extremely high for Mary Ward Day 2019. The day was full of learning, reflection and fun. As a member of the Peace and Justice Group for the past six years, it was a bittersweet moment removing my Votes For Women sash.

'I think it's safe to say that the values of Mary Ward are fuelling the fires in the hearts of our student body,' she said.
Many turned out to watch last years Air Display, seen from Bray Head

Bray Air Display has won Silver in the Best Tourism Initiative award sponsored by Failte Ireland, at the 12th annual All-Ireland Community and Council Awards presented by IPB Insurance and LAMA.

The awards, which recognise and celebrate community and councils working together, and partnerships and projects that enhance everyday lives, took place on Saturday, February 3 in the Croke Park Conference Centre, Dublin.

RTE's Marty Morrissey was on hand to present the awards to 20 worthy winners selected across a number of categories.

The award win adds to Bray Air Display's impressive tally, including last year's 'Best Festival/Event Experience (Large) at the Irish Tourism Industry Awards. 'The Bray Air Display has grown to be a hugely anticipated, popular event in the summer festival calendar that attracted 140,000 people to Bray last year,' said festival director Se Pardy.

'It is very much a team effort - we work hand in hand with Wicklow County Council to make this fantastic event happen each summer and I'm thrilled that the team's vision, dedication and commitment has been recognised here tonight. I'm delighted that Bray Air Display's significant contribution to tourism has been honoured.

'As well as the wonderful support of Wicklow County Council, Bray Air Display wouldn't happen without main supporters the Irish Aviation Authority as well as bray.ie, statutory bodies, An Garda Siochana, Civil Defence IRL, Order of Malta IRL, participating aircraft, airlines, The Irish Air Corps, our partners and especially our volunteers who are an essential part of the event. Sincere thanks to one and all for helping to make it happen. We look forward to seeing everyone in Bray again this July for the 13th annual Bray Air Display.'
Elected members from Arklow have accused Wicklow County Council of failing to consult with residents over plans for 47 housing units at Delany Park, Meadowvale, Arklow.

A Part 8 came before the Councillors to pass in order for the development to commence.

While all Arklow councillors welcomed the addition of social housing, they had concerns over what they perceived as a lack of consultation, especially regarding a potential access route.

Cllr Miriam Murphy was delighted with the design which she described as 'very inclusive and accessible' but felt that the legitimate concerns of residents from the area hadn't been listened to. She explained that Arklow Municipal District had facilitated a meeting with residents on November 24 where a request for some documentation was made by the residents, including a traffic assessment report. In December Cllr Murphy asked for a report at another meeting, which she has yet to receive.

'I asked for a meeting between Housing officials from Wicklow County Council and some of the residents. A January 10 date was set where I felt some issues could be cleared up. The meeting had started when I was informed that no housing official would be present. I felt embarrassed as I didn't know they wouldn't be attending,' said Cllr Murphy.

Cllr Pat Fitzgerald said the last social housing to be built in Arklow was back in 2007.

'We now have 833 people in Arklow on the waiting list, some for over 14 years. This is an exciting time for people on the list. Things started with an error in 2003 when land was acquired instead of housing. All 64 houses should have been integrated into the estate.'

Residents of Meadaowvale Drive had issues over access through their estate. Cllr Fitzgerald proposed that only one exit/entrance would be constructed and it would be located on the east side. The entrance at Meadowvale should be pedestrian only.

His proposal was seconded by Cllr Tommy Annesley.

As Cathaoirleach of Arklow Municipal District, Cllr Annesley said he had facilitated two meetings with residents of Meadowvale.

'On advice from the engineers we were told that we couldn't get another road into the estate. There was a lack of communication and that was brought to my attention and I tried to deal with it. It was a difficult one.'

Cllr Joe Behan said he had been contacted by residents of Meadowvale as well.

'They are grateful to the six members from Arklow but they aren't happy with the consultation they got from the council officials. 12 years after permission had been granted, Wicklow County Council commenced the first phase. Anyone else would only get five years. Different rules seem to apply to the council when compared to other citizens.'

Cllr Pat Kennedy said: 'There is a good mix of housing and the people of Arklow badly need this. It can be seen as a stepping stone because we very much need more housing.'

Director of Services, Joe Lane, acknowledged that there had been some 'confusion' over the consultation process mainly brought about because Phase 1 had already started while Phase 2 and 3 were still going through the Part 8 process. All 25 elected members present voted in favour of the Part 8 to include Cllr Fitzgerald's amendment.
A number of suspected paedophiles in Wicklow were targeted by gardai in recent days as part of Operation Ketch.

Speaking at Monday's meeting of the Joint Policing Committee Chief Superintendent John Quirke said that gardai had been involved in a special operation to target those involved in child grooming online.

The suspected paedophiles in Wicklow were part of a larger operation which involved gardai from several divisions as well as the FBI in America.

Operation Ketch is focused on targeting those in possession and involved in the distribution of Child Exploitation Material (Child Pornography) either through Social Network sites or via File Sharing Networks.

The operation took place from last Friday until Monday and was led by the Online Child Exploitation Unit (ONCE) at the Garda National Protection Services Bureau.

As part of the intensive investigation a number of searches were carried out under warrant pursuant to the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act, 1998 across a number of Garda Divisions. The searches were carried out by newly established Divisional Protection Service Units and local Detective Units.

A total of 31 locations including Wicklow were searched and digital material which included thousands of images were seized for forensic examination. During the raids detectives seized computers and phones containing 'tens of thousands' of images of child pornography in Wicklow, Dublin, Kildare, Limerick, Kerry and Waterford.

Child Protection concerns at all the locations searched have been addressed.

Nobody has been prosecuted yet in respect of the searches but gardai say that arrests are expected over the coming days and weeks.

Gardai could not confirm as yet whether the children who are in the images were resident in Ireland.

Speaking on Monday 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.'

Detective Superintendent 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.'

Detective Superintendent 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 said that the common perception of a culprit operating out of a basement, or in a dark room, was often not the case.

Gardai were helped in their investigation by officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and National Centre for Missing and Exploitated Children (NCMEC) in the USA, and the National Child Exploitation Coordination Centre (NCECC) in Canada in the targeting of these suspects.

Detective Superintendent Daly reminded parents and guardians to maintain good communications with their children surrounding online activity.

'Children should be warned to immediately inform parents or guardians of any suspicious online approaches. If images have been sent or a request for images has been received; don't send (further) images, don't delete anything, preserve the communication and call the Gardai.'

At the Wicklow Joint Policing Committee Cllr Gerry Walsh said it was a despicable crime and said some paedophiles were targeting young girls online pretending to be young people themselves.

Chief Superintendent Quirke said 'a special operation took place last week to tackle child grooming and we had a couple of homes searched in Wicklow. This is an ongoing investigation. Cases involving the possession of child pornography do take time to bring to fruition and they are very manpower intensive.'

He told the members he would have a presentation on internet security at the next JPC meeting in July.

Alice O'Donnell said there had been a 'huge increase in vigilante behaviour and people making citizen's arrests. They are also videoing this and I feel that this could prejudice any trial. It's important that the gardai are proactive so that citizens aren't taking the law into their own hands.

Cllr Daire Nolan agreed and referred to a case in Arklow where an innocent man was wrongfully accused of being involved in child grooming. 'This man was totally innocent and the public attacked him. It is wrong for citizens to take the law into their own hands. They are also opening themselves to other legal issues. I've no doubt they have good intentions but it can have horrific consequences.'
'Staged', an eclectic night of drama, will be presented in Glash Community Centre on 22nd ,23rd and 24th of February at 8pm.

Mike Guerin, Newmarket Drama Group, Aidan O'Keeffe, Newtivity Youth Drama and Mary Angland will all be presenting short plays (5-15 minutes). There will be a mix of intense drama and sharp comedy on the night and all the pieces are by local writers.

So, come on out to Glash and support the work of Sliabh Luachra writers and actors in an intimate venue set in the heart of the mountainous uplands that make us who we are. Tickets can be booked by ringing Mike Guerin on (087)4124741.
The Druid Theatre Company will bring their critically acclaimed production of Samuel Beckett's masterpiece 'Waiting for Godot' to Everyman Palace Theatre for five performance from Tuesday, March 20.

Directed by the Tony Award-winning Garry Hynes, the production features a stellar cast from the Druid Ensemble including Garrett Lombard, Aaron Monaghan, Rory Nolan and Marty Rea.

On a bare road in the middle of nowhere two world-weary friends, Vladimir and Estragon, await the arrival of the mysterious Godot. While waiting they speculate, bicker and joke while also ponder on life's greater questions.

As dusk begins to fall, two figures appear on the horizon.

Regarded as one of the most significant plays of the 20th century, 'Waiting for Godot' is a work that has draw endless interpretations and has been the subject of much debate over the years.

Druid's interpretation of the play premiered at the 2016 Galway International Arts Festival, before going on its 'Unusual Rural Tour during which it played to sold-out audiences at outdoor locations in Glencree, Inis Meain and the Ceide Fields.

Last year it enjoyed a month long run at Dublin's Abbey Theatre, before heading off to the Spoleto Festival in the US, playing to packed audiences at both venues.

The production has won widespread critical acclaim from audiences and critics alike, with the Irish Times describing it as "the freshest, funniest and most affecting production of the play in at least a quarter of a century".

The Everyman Palace performances will be part of a five-week national tour before Druid bring the production to Washington and Chicago during the summer.

Gerry Hynes said the Unusual Rural Tour showed the company just how much of an appetite there was among theatregoers for this interpretation of Beckett's masterpiece.

"We are really looking forward to taking to so many corners of the country and to the US over the coming months," he said.

"For me, it is also fantastic to be able to continue working on this extraordinary show with members of our Ensemble and the whole team that has created something very special."

Tickets for 'Waiting For Godot' at the Everyman Palace Theatre are available from the venue on 021 450 1673 priced at 30/27 and 15 for students.

Early booking is advised as the five performances are expected to sell out well in advance.
The Mallow-based EPS group has again shown why it is regarded as one of Ireland's most innovative companies - scooping yet another award in a prestigious pan-European business competition.

The company was this week unveiled as the winner of the Digital Technology gong at the European Business Awards (EBA) 'One to Watch' event held at the British Ambassador's residence in Dublin.

The company was among 11 national category winners in the competition, widely regarded as one of the Continent's top business awards.

EPS has an enviable track record in the competition, having being named a National Champion for Ireland in 2014 and winning the coveted EBA Ruben d'Honneur award in 2014 and again in 2015.

The EPS award-winning submission focussed specifically on the company's newly opened 4.5 million, 40,00 sq ft Centre of Design and Manufacturing Excellence, the first of its kind in Ireland and the UK, at their recently expanded campus in the Quartertown Industrial Estate.

Accepting the award EPS director Denis Buckley said there has always been "an innate sense of innovation" within the company, which has been a leading provider of sustainable water solutions for five decades.

"Research, development and the use of emerging technologies - digital and otherwise - has been a cornerstone of our strategy for the past 30-years. As we enter our 50th year in business our new centre showcases our capability, resources and technologies to deliver a wide range of innovative solutions," said Mr Buckley.

"The centre also supports many new jobs in design and manufacturing and our expanding apprenticeship and placement schemes."

The new centre allows EPS, which currently exports to more than 30 countries worldwide, to work in collaboration with their clients and partners across the globe.

These include standard online 3-D designs, Building Information Modelling (BIM) techniques and 'fly through' digital demonstrations.

"We are making excellent progress in our BIM/digital delivery journey as a company and with our partners, a position we intend to protect and strengthen further over the coming years," said Mr Buckley.

As a national winner EPS will go on to represent Ireland at European level, with the category winners set to be unveiled at the EBA gala final in Poland next May.
Cork Airport recorded a 5% increase in passenger numbers in January compared to the same time last year.

Traffic rose across all the geographical markets served by Cork Airport, which is regarded as the country's second busiest, and best connected international airport after Dublin.

Passenger volumes to and from eastern Europe had the biggest increase, up 13.4% year-on-year, while southern Europe was up 12.5% and London increased by 1%.

"This is our third consecutive year of passenger growth during the month of January, and is a great start to the year at Cork Airport," said Cork Airport Managing Director Niall MacCarthy.

"Last year, Cork Airport served 2.3 million passengers, compared to 2.2 million in 2016, highlighting our ongoing commitment to increasing routes and connectivity," he said.

"One of our biggest route additions in 2017 was Cork's first year-round direct transatlantic service with Norwegian to Boston Providence. It is proving a popular route, with TF Green Airport just an hour from Boston, less than two hours from the famed Cape Cod, along with easy access to the nearby islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket," he said.

In 2017, Cork Airport also announced significant European additions with new airline partners in Swiss, Iberia Express and Volotea.

"There is strong support across the region for Cork Airport, evident from both passenger figures recorded in January this year and throughout 2017," added Mr MacCarthy.

"Flying passengers direct to over 40 destinations globally, Cork Airport is the international gateway for the south of Ireland, and we will continue to focus on its growth for the year ahead."

Last month, Cork Airport revealed the addition of a new airline, with Air France to begin services out of Cork to Paris-Charles de Gaulle from May 26 until October 27. This route will not only link Cork to France, but also connect passengers from the south of Ireland to Air France's extensive network of over 180 destinations worldwide via the international hub of Paris-Charles de Gaulle.
Any move by the Heritage Council to restructure the Irish Walled Town Network (IWTN) could have huge financial ramifications for the town of Buttevant.

That's the view of local county councillor John Paul O'Shea (Ind), who has requested the local authority write to both the Heritage Council and Heritage and Culture Minister Josepha Madigan seeking clarification on the issue.

In a motion placed before the February meeting of the Kanturk/Mallow district committee, Cllr O'Shea said there were "real fears" in Buttevant, which is a member of the network, that a restructuring process could see the town lose out on vital funding streams.

Speaking to The Corkman, Cllr O'Shea said that he and other councillors had been contacted by the Buttevant Heritage Group seeking their support for a call for the current system to remain in place.

"They are concerned that any changes to the system could result in severe funding cuts, particularly in education and training, and hamper the network's ability to offer grants to walled towns such as Buttevant," said Cllr O'Shea.

These fears were articulated in a letter send by Tom Blake, the chairman of the Buttevant Heritage Group to the CEO of the Heritage Council, Michael Starrett. He wrote that many of the initiatives the group has undertaken in recent years were only possible as a result of the "financial support and professional leadership" of the ITWN.

These have included the restoration of town wall defences, the staging of a tourism conference, the commissioning of several reports on Buttevant's medieval and cultural heritage, the planned development of a riverside heritage walk and a number of other projects.

Mr Blake wrote that the support of the network had also been integral to the "recent and substantial" funding the group had received from Cork County Council and under the Rural Economic Development Zone (REDZ) initiative.

"However, our success has been incremental and while we haven't yet benefited as other IWTN towns have, with each success we are preparing to make significant leaps," he wrote.

"If the IWTN were downgraded in any way all our work will be compromised and the money spent, along with the unpaid work and commitment of many voluntary members, will go for nought. This cannot happen," he said.

He wrote that, without the support of the network, Buttevant's progress would have been "minimal" and the fear was that any changes to the system would result in it grinding to a standstill.

"We ask that the Heritage Council allow the IWTN to continue in its current format, to lead the efforts of all towns in the network to make our collective heritage attractive to locals and visitors and to preserve this heritage for future generations," the letter concluded.

The committee backed Cllr O'Shea's motion and will now write to the Heritage Council and the Minister seeking clarification on the issue.
What a wonderful two days at Croke Park for Kanturk and Knocknagree, who claimed All-Ireland honours on the double.

An air of expectation amongst supporters turned into a carnival atmosphere on Sunday night as both sides returned home in triumph.

In a brilliant weekend for Duhallow GAA, the back to back wins saw both Kanturk and Knocknagree take quantum leaps to enjoy outright triumph and reach a new milestone in their respective club histories.

Huge numbers from both participating clubs travelled with a significant sprinkling of friends from across Duhallow and North Cork in attendance.

Knocknagree emphasised their dominance, brushing aside Multyfarmham of Westmeath, in a blistering first half that laid the groundwork for team captain Matthew Dilworth to accept the silverware from GAA President Aogan O Fearghail.

A glorious night of celebrations followed at a victory banquet in the Moran Hotel, with more than 700 supporters in attendance. And while Knocknagree partied long into the night, the Kanturk team and management were also Dublin City based, keeping a much lower profile ahead of facing Kilkenny's Ballyragget.

Kanturk kept their end of the bargain to complete a memorable Duhallow double, edging past Ballyragget thanks to a last ditch Ian Walsh point in the last minute of injury time. That allowed Croke Park turn green and white before Kanturk faced a long road home for a Victory Parade and formal welcome in the Edel Quinn Hall where huge numbers greeted the team and officials.

It was much the same for Knocknagree, with another parade around Fairfield to deafening applause in salute of a terrific success for a proud club. Following on from their impressive last weekend at GAA HQ, the Mayor of County Cork, Cllr Declan Hurley, is to hold a civic reception to recognise the achievements of the All-Ireland champions from Kanturk and Knocknagree.

The reception will will take place in County Hall at 6pm on Wednesday, February 28.

Local county councillor Bernard Moynihan said he was delighted the County Mayor has agreed to his request to host both teams for the civic reception.

"The players, management and supporters of Kanturk and Knocknagree have represented their communities and the entire Duhallow region with great distinction on their journey to Croke Park," said Cllr Moynihan.

"It was a truly unique achievement for two teams from this area to be crowned All-Ireland champions in a single weekend and this will be a fitting tribute to both clubs on their incredible achievement."
Following Eir's dramatic exit from the tendering process for the National Broadband plan, Cork Senator Tim Lombard has said that Fine Gael remains committed to broadband roll-out.

It's a view that isn't shared by his Cork colleague Deputy Aindrias Moynihan who described the government's handling of the broadband plan as an unmitigated disaster.

Senator Lombard said the Government is "absolutely committed" to ensuring the roll-out of high speed broadband to the 500,000 plus rural Irish homes that are currently without it.

He said it was "unfortunate" that Eir has pulled out of the process, but Minister Naughten has assured his colleagues that it won't impact the roll-out time-frame.

He said that Eir is currently rolling out high-speed broadband, predominately fibre, to the homes of over 300,000 premises in rural Ireland.

Senator Lombard said "when this Government took office, about 50% of premises had high speed broadband. That figure is now 71% and by the end of this year 77% of premises will have high speed access. "We are delivering high speed access to 300 farms every week."

However, Deputy Aindrias Moynihan (FF) had a far different view. He said the decision by Eir to withdraw from the tending process for the National Broadband Plan "speaks volumes" about the Government's handling of the situation. He said it now means that eNet is the sole bidder.

"To say that the National Broadband Plan has been, from start to finish, an unmitigated disaster would be an understatement," said Deputy Moynihan.

"This Government has allowed the National Broadband Plan to flounder for the last number of years, shifting targets and deadlines at every juncture.

From answers to Parliamentary Questions I have received, I know it will be several years before all homes and businesses in County Cork will be connected as it stands," he said.

Deputy Moynihan said he is not "at all confident" that it can proceed with just one bidder.

"Broadband has the potential to be game-changer for rural Ireland, but it needs the Government to stop talking about it and start delivering a realistic, high quality and affordable service for rural communities," said Deputy Moynihan.
The Mallow Racing Home for Easter Festival is set to return for its ninth outing this year from March 31 to April 2 - albeit with a number of new faces at the helm.

Established in 2010, the festival attracts thousands of people to Mallow over the Easter weekend to enjoy three glorious days of racing at Cork Racecourse and a colourful programme of festival events in the town.

Preparations for the 2018 festival have been in full swing since the turn of the year, with a new management team in place under the auspices of Mallow Chamber.

Since last year's event, festival chairperson Mary Kelly, who has overseen the festival since its inception, has regretfully had to stand down from the position for health reasons. Changes in the circumstances of other members also meant they too have had to relinquish their positions on the festival organising committee. Speaking this week Mary said that she had thoroughly enjoyed watching the festival grow and develop over the years.

"Establishing the Racing Home for Easter Festival back in 2010 and working on it alongside such a wonderful committee, our generous sponsors and our dedicated volunteers has been one of the best experiences I could have had," she said.

"Unfortunately, I have had to step away from the position in recent months to concentrate on my health. The event is now in the hands of Mallow Chamber and we wish the incoming committee every success in 2018 and beyond," said Mary.

She said the outgoing members had been working closely with the new committee to ensure a seamless handover. Some of the existing committee will also be staying on to work with the new event team, with Mallow Chamber President Pat Hayes taking over from Mary as festival chairperson.

"As the festival enters its ninth year the outgoing committee members and I would like to thank all of the local businesses who have supported what has grown from a fledgling event into one of the undoubted highlights on north Cork's social and sporting calendar. I hope they will continue to give this same level of support to the incoming team."

Pat Hayes said he and the new committee were looking forward to putting their own stamp on the festival.

"In addition to the pubs being open on Good Friday, there will be plenty of new events and surprises to look forward to as well as the return of some tried and trusted festival favourites over the weekend," he promised.

To keep up to date on all forthcoming festival announcements visit its website at www.racinghomeforeaster.com.
Donoughmores Sean Wallace at the Red Cow Moran Hotel, Dublin for the Macra Skillnet Leadership Awards

The outstanding achievements and leaderships skills of a young man from Donoughmore have been recognised through a prestigious accolade bestowed on him by Macra na Feirme.

Sean Wallace, a member of Donoughmore Macra, one of just three recipients of the 2018 Macra National Leadership Award, was presented with his winning trophy at the Macra/ABP National Leadership Awards held in Dublin this week.

The National Leadership Awards recognise the leadership skills of Macra members within their clubs and the wider community. Its aim is to raise the level and standard of leadership within the organisation and provide an incentive for the future development of club initiatives.

Speaking at the awards Macra national president James Healy congratulated Sean and the other two winners, Sarah Condren and Jennifer Hall from Wicklow.

"Our National Chair Eamon Cassells brought the very first NLA handed out by Macra with him tonight. Back in 1983 it was awarded to his father so it shows the longevity of these awards and their importance," said Mr Healy.

"They continue to recognise the future leaders of our communities," he added.

Since joining Donoughmore Macra in 2010 Sean, a software engineer, has been actively involved in Macra at club, county and national levels.

He was club secretary when Donoughmore won their first Club of the Year title in 2015, has served as a national council representative for Muskerry for the past three years and was national secretary in 2016 & 2017.

Last year he also represented Macra at the AGM of the English National Federation of Young Clubs.

Delivering the keynote speech at the awards ceremony Newstalk presenter Bobby Kerr said Sean, the other two winners and the four runners-up epitomised what it was to be a leader.

"Leadership is about getting stuck in, changing your style as challenges and circumstances change and keeping it simple because being a good leader is not about making things complicated," said Mr Kerr.
Parents need to be able to have confidence in the laws of the land that monitor and regulate online activity.

That's the view of Cork East Labour TD Sean Sherlock, who was commenting on a new bill proposed by his party on the issue that was debated in the Dail.

The Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Bill seeks to modernise existing harassment laws to cover modern technology and social media and is based on a Law Reform Commission Report which specifically recommended the outlawing of two kinds of incidents.

One of these is the posting of intimate images online without consent and the other aims to prevent the secret filming or photographing of a person's intimate areas, also known as 'upskirting' or 'down-blousing.'

"There has never been a more opportune and pertinent time for this legislation to be passed through the Dail in a timely fashion because of the gravity of the issue at hand," said Deputy Sherlock.

He pointed out that the offence of harassment was currently covered under the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act (1997), adding it was "worrying" that existing laws do not cover modern everyday communication platforms.

"Our laws have not been updated since the invention of the text message Young people, who are primarily the victims of cyberbullying and revenge porn, are more likely to use WhatsApp, iMessage and Snapchat to communicate with each other. We need to ensure that they are protected under our laws and that we have a legal basis that reflects these new media," said Deputy Sherlock.

He said the new version would legislate that a person who intentionally or recklessly and without lawful authority or reasonable excuse engages in harassment could be prosecuted.

"This allows for the development of the new media that have arisen in recent years and these new media are reflected in the legislation, making it fit for purpose," said Deputy Sherlock.

"While protecting freedom of expression, we need to bring the law up to date to protect people online. Revenge porn, threats, false messages and online bullying need to be stopped. People want guidance to ensure the space children inhabit on the Internet is safe and that there are mechanisms in place to punish those who transgress. That is the purpose of the legislation."

Deputy Sherlock said there was a "clear political census" that punitive measures be put in place and that it was important Gardai were given the necessary resources to enforce these measures.

"There are not enough people deployed within the Gardai to try to tackle crimes of this nature," he said.

"There needs to be a debate about the need to resource the Gardai to be able to tackle this issue, which I hope will happen in the course of this legislation."
Drogheda and North East Branch of Samaritans is delighted to announce that for the first time in its history, it will host the 2018 Irish Regional Conference of Samaritans.

This is a major coup for the branch which was formed in 1996 with a handful of local people and two phones but has grown into a thriving organisation providing a vital service in communities in Louth, Meath, Cavan and Monaghan.

Approximately 200 delegates from the island of Ireland will visit Drogheda from Friday, April 13th to Sunday, April 15th to attend the conference.

During the event, the branch is aiming to shine an even stronger light on the Samaritans message and strengthen its position as one of the leading charities in the fight to ensure that less people die by suicide.

The conference theme is 'The Power Within' and there will be two high-profile keynote speakers at the event - Dr Harry Barry, who is based in Drogheda, and Irish international rugby player Hannah Tyrrell.

During the weekend conference in the City North Hotel, there will be workshops that will give volunteers an insight into other areas of the organisation.

As Samaritans is not only about its callers, workshops - including yoga, meditation, reflexology, massage and Tai Chi - will be available for the visitors and these will focus on the holistic approach to caring for themselves also.

There will also be a social aspect to the weekend and visitors will be given ample opportunity to explore all that Drogheda has to offer.

Indeed Drogheda's rich history played an important part in the bid submission with places of interest to visit - including the Shrine of St Oliver Plunkett at St Peter's Church, Mellifont Abbey, Newgrange, St Laurence's Gate, Millmount and the Battle of the Boyne site - featuring prominently.

Director of Drogheda & North East branch of Samaritans, Pat Mulholland, said this is fantastic news, not just for the branch but also for the town.

"We would like to thank the Conference Committee members who were involved in the bid process and sold Drogheda as a town worthy of holding a conference this size," said Mr Mulholland

"With so many visitors from all over the island of Ireland coming to the town, this will be a great opportunity to showcase all that Drogheda has to offer.

"Last year's event was held in Craigavon and a few volunteers from our branch attended. It gave us a taste of what we can expect in Drogheda this year.

"As soon as we received official notification that the conference was coming to Drogheda in 2018, we kick-started our preparations and these will intensify over the coming months."

Mr Mulholland added: "The aim of the conference will be to address a range of issues in the area of mental health, with 'The Power Within' theme at the core, and give the visitors a very positive message, and some new ideas to bring back to their respective branches countrywide."

The branch is hoping that the local business community - which has been very supportive of its work over the last two decades - will make an extra special effort to get behind the conference.

Drogheda and North East Branch of Samaritans comprises a dedicated team of approximately 100 volunteers, and is widely regarded for its high quality standard of work.
A solar farm on over eight hectares of land at Beaulieu House has been given the go-ahead by Louth County Council.

The project will consist of a 5MWp solar farm, with a maximum export capacity of 4MW and comprising of approximately 20,000 photovoltaic panels on ground mounted frames.

The site will also house four transformer stations, a communications building, CCTV security cameras and perimeter security fencing (2 metre high).

Observations were made in relation to the development, including one from the Drogheda Port Company.

They expressed comment on a number of facets, including the glint effect on passing ships on the Boyne.

They say that one million tonnes of cargo annually pass up the river, featuring some 700 vessel movements. They say the bridge on the vessels could be 30m above the waterline, the equivalent of a 9 storey building.

They said the Glint Report done for the project didn't take sufficient cognisance of the nearby shipping.

But a response from the developers stated that due to 'favourable local topography and intervening screening from obstacles' the panels cannot be seen from the river.

The Port Company also remarked that glint from the panels could impact on the Coastguard helicopter and general air traffic into Dublin Airport plus they ask could electrical and magnetic fields effect marine navigation.

Again the developers stated that it wasn't feasible to model every possible flight direction and height of a rescue helicopter while 'no glint will be visible' for pilots on their final approach to any existing runway at Dublin Airport. While plans flying overhead may observe the panels, it will be for just a short time.
Count yourself lucky, dear reader. For a large portion of last Sunday evening, it looked like this column on the page before you was going to be occupied by white space, free from all matter of words entirely.

With the deadline for this column to be filed looming larger than the impending referendum on the Eighth Amendment, I sat in my rural kitchen, in my rural house in good old rural Ireland and stared at my laptop as my temperamental rural broadband played havoc with my plans to do some work from home.

The fact that I am not alone, that I have over 500,000 brothers and sisters in arms across rural Ireland who spend their days and nights banging their heads off laptops and staring at blank TV screens as the latest season of The Crown buffers and stalls on Netflix, was of little comfort to me.

We are in a mess, a mess of monumental proportions. Last week's withdrawal by Eir from the National Broadband Plan is the latest twist in the long-running saga that is rural broadband. It's a tragic comedy of epic Irish scale - it's a John B Keane special for 21st Century Ireland.

Minister for Communications Denis Naughten has tried to assure all concerned that everything is hunky dory, and that the planned roll-out of high speed broadband to every home and business in the country remains on track.

Really Minister, who are you trying to kid? Writing in the Sunday Independent over the weekend, economist Colm McCarthy hit the nail on the head when he said that Ireland is the only country in the EU which has embarked on a 100pc fibre-only broadband roll-out with the promise of zero connection charges. And that roll-out is supposed to happen on infrastructure owned by Eir, which has pulled out of the process because they believe it doesn't make business sense.

Fibre-based broadband absolutely makes sense in densely populated areas, but large portions of this country, inhabited by 540,000 broadband customers such as yours truly, live in more isolated areas where the roll-out of fibre broadband will prove extremely costly. Why is the Government not actively looking at wireless based broadband for these customers?

Meanwhile, those without decent broadband look on despairingly as the years roll by. The latest Government target is for all homes and businesses to be connected by 2023. You can be sure that this target will be missed. It is taking so long for this fibre roll-out plan to be implemented that by the time it finally is, technology will have moved on and fibre broadband will be yesterday's news.

And then we will start all over again, slowly rolling out the next model for up-to-date broadband. Always late to the party, always behind the curve.
There was a wonderful coming together at St Mary's Church recently as Rev Nicola Halford hosted a special coffee morning to celebrate Church Unity Week.

The event saw parishioners from St Aidan's Cathedral come together with St Mary's Church of Ireland to celebrate an atmosphere of inclusion and friendship in our local community. As it happened, Church Unity week coincided with painting work being done on the Cathedral, which saw masses moved to St Mary's temporarily. Fr Odhran Furlong said that they were extremely grateful to Rev Nicola Halford and everybody at St Mary's for providing the historic building.

'Coincidentally, church unity week coincided with the work on the Cathedral and we had been allowed to use St Mary's for masses,' he said. 'Then it was wonderful that Rev Nicola provided tea, coffee and treats and we were able to all sit down together and enjoy a nice cup of tea. It was a really lovely gesture and we're very grateful that they could provide St Mary's Church to us while work was ongoing. It was an honour and a privilege.'

There was a great attendance at the event over the course of the morning with around 100 people enjoying tea and treats. Fr Odhran and Rev Nicola thanked everyone who came along on the day.
It would be funny if it wasn't so serious.

The omnishambles that has become of the Government's much vaunted rural broadband roll-out has reached farcical new levels.

A day after the shock announcement that Eir - Ireland's biggest phone and internet provider - has pulled out of the tendering process for the National Broadband Plan, the Government's spin doctors reached a pathetic new low.

Let us be clear, Eir's decision to withdraw its bid deals a shattering blow to the credibility of the Government's rural broadband roll-out plans and casts enormous doubt over whether the plan - as originally promised - will ever be completed.

Yet, despite the clear evidence to the contrary, Government spokespeople - including our Communications Minister Denis Naughton - have tried to claim it as some sort of victory. Rather than being a disaster of epic proportions, Eir's decision to withdraw its bid was actually good news, it was claimed. So good in fact that the decision of our country's biggest internet provider to pull the plug on its bid was, in fact, proof positive of just how forward thinking our Government's broadband plans are.

Minister Naughton went so far as to suggest the debacle showed that Ireland's is at the forefront and leading edge of international communications.

In the wake of his frankly bizarre claims, one prominent commentator, Ivan Yates on Newstalk, compared Naughton to 'Comical Ali'. It was hard to disagree.

For those who don't remember 'Ali', he was the famous Iraqi 'Information Minister' who, despite all evidence to the contrary (including US tanks rolling past in the background in one famous interview) insisted, to much international mockery, that Iraq was winning the war against George Bush's military in 2003.

Eir's Chief Executive Richard Moat had a rather different take from Minister Naughton. He described the bidding process as 'increasingly onerous' and, rather pointedly, stated that the Government's business case did not stack up.

Hardly a ringing endorsement of a Government working at the cutting edge of communications technology and infrastructure development.

To be fair to Minister Naughton, he did point out that Eir's withdrawal from the bidding process - one which seems entirely understandable and reasonable based on Mr Moat's comments - should help bring a quicker conclusion to the lengthy tendering process.

It's a fair point. When there are only two parties in a potential deal and one has the other over a barrel, negotiations do tend to go quickly. Every cloud has a silver lining as they say.

The tragedy of all this is that, once again, rural Ireland suffers. While billions are poured into our cities there is scant investment in isolated areas which are left without a resource that is now as vital as electricity and water. The Government says it wants to create jobs in rural Ireland to help end rural isolation and decline. That won't be easy without internet access.
Huge crowds passed through the doors of St Aidan's Cathedral last week to cast their eyes upon the specially commissioned Icon of the Holy Family, which was on display in Enniscorthy for two days before departing for Wexford.

As part of the ongoing preparations for the World Meeting of Families in August, the icon arrived at the Cathedral with the goal of encouraging reflection and prayer. The beautifully carved wooden icon was accompanied by a petition boxes and families were invited to insert their own personal prayers and intentions which will be distributed and prayed over by contemplative communities across the country before being gathered for the final Mass in August which will hopefully be celebrated by Pope Francis himself.

Bishop Brennan celebrated a special Mass at the Cathedral on Tuesday to coincide with the Icon's visit and children from local schools across the district travelled in to see it.

'We had a steady stream of people in over the couple of days,' said Fr Odhran Furlong. 'It's a beautifully made piece and a lovely idea. The Icon was here in the Cathedral for two days before moving to Bride Street Church in Wexford, St Mary and Michael's in New Ross and St Michael's in Gorey.'

Fr Odhran thanked the public for their prayerful presence.
Cllr Paddy Kavanagh has moved to assure people that the new Traveller Community Development Project for the County, which is to be based in Drumgoold, will only cater for travellers living in the Enniscorthy area at the Traveller Community Building there.

The Fine Gael councillor said that reports had circulated that the project, which was allocated 112,000 in funding from the Department of Justice and Equality, would see members of the travelling community from right across the county attend the Enniscorthy centre. This, he said, was not correct and satellite services would be available in New Ross, Clonroche, Bunclody and Taghmon to accommodate travellers in those areas.

'The scheme will be based in Drumgoold, but that doesn't mean that people will be coming from all the other areas,' said Cllr Kavanagh.

He also took the opportunity to reiterate his support for the scheme.

'I'm often put down as being anti-traveller,' he said. 'I think that's unfair. This is basically a scheme that looks at educating teenagers. I firmly believe that the only chance we have at a quiet life is if they are educated and to show them the proper way of doing things.'
The end of the January blues were well and truly kicked to touch at Skerries Rugby Club last weekend, a bumper weekend of activity and success that has hopefully resonated and set the tone for the rest of 2018.

First up was our Firsts, sponsored by LeasePlan, who were up against Rainey Old Boys. Skerries came out on Saturday with an intensity of purpose and focus, the hard yards made in the training ground all came together resulting in Skerries scoring three tries and coming out on top with a score line of Skerries 20 -13 Rainey Old Boys.

Adding to the excitement of the day was the annual Ladies Lunch, sponsored by Grainne Briscoe.

The ever popular-event treated all the guests with a gift bag full of cosmetics as a token and 'Best Dressed for Rugby' Lady and Gent were presented with gifts sponsored by Graham Anthony Distribution and LeasePlan.

Guest speaker Mary Harney entertained the gathering and received a standing ovation for her efforts.

At the request of the players the pre match prediction donations, which raised over 1500, will be awarded to two cancer charities, Balbriggan Cancer Support and The Irish Cancer Society.

Adding to the ethos of community and support, that is the essence of the club, President Sharon O'Buachalla was delighted to present a cheque of 1000 from the proceeds of the St Stephens Day quiz raffle to the local St Vincent de Paul charity.

On Sunday, the Seconds, sponsored by Jim O'Rourke and the U20s, sponsored by Blue Bar were in action in Holmpatrick.

Last but certainly not least - the icing on the cake was the visit of Sophie Spence to the club.

The former Irish International Rugby star treated our girls and neighbours, Balbriggan, to a special training session in the morning.

She gave the girls great insights and tips and took part in a Q&A giving our young, future stars the opportunity to learn from one of our best in Women's Rugby.

So all in all a packed successful weekend for the Club which sets the wheels in motion to build on this into 2018!
A Ballyboughal man has launched an innovative anti-theft system onto the Irish market which not only helps reunited an owner with their stolen property but also helps prevent the crime occurring in the first place.

SelectaDNA Ireland uses synthetic DNA to give any of your possessions, a unique identity that is linked to yours for its lifetime, or until you sell it on.

John McLoughlin from Ballyboughal and his partner, John Kissane head up the company and the retired Garda detective believes the product's real power is in crime prevention.

Explaining the system, John said: 'It's a property marking system that utilises the uniqueness of synthetic DNA. We are all familiar with DNA and how that works and that for each individual it is unique, but what we are doing is that we are bringing that uniqueness to the physical environment.

'So, anything that you value or cherish or own, you can now apply that uniqueness to your property. It's limitless - you can apply it to anything, including animals like livestock.'

John explained how he came upon the product, saying: 'I was in the Gardai up to 2014 and before I left, I was researching opportunities for when I left and I was aware that a Garda Inspectorate Report in 2014 recommended that the Gardai promote and support property marking initiatives such as this. It was quite a strong recommendation.

'So, I saw there was an opportunity there to provide a solution to that problem. So I looked around the world and saw this.

'This is a global product and it is in 40 countries. It's a UK product and it's up and running since 2004 and I think to date, there has been 15 million kits sold around the world.'

It is a timely introduction into the Irish market in light of a recent media focus on the shifting of stolen goods at markets and car boot sales.

John said: 'I saw that as an opportunity to deal with a problem we have seen recently in the Prime Time programme that featured a market where tools were being sold where a lot of people suspected they may have been stolen or lost or illegally gained.

'The difficulty is, particularly with tools, is to find a way to get it back to the owner and another area where that is difficult is in the likes of jewellery. It is very hard to give jewellery an identity.

'I know from my previous life that there are warehouses and stores that are full of property that gardai can't return to their its owners but this system will give them that capability.'

John is a former shop owner and ran the Mace store in Ballyboughal for a number of years. That store was targeted by thieves more than once so the Ballyboughal man has a personal stake in making life difficult for thieves.

The company is also trialling another synthetic DNA system in a number of Topaz stores that sprays an intruder with a DNA solution when they break into the store, and provides a direct link between the thief and the scene of the crime.

The product marking system is more straightforward. It just requires a small kit and the application of a small, invisible marking that can be seen under ultra violet light and be read under a microscope.

John explained that wherever the product has been used, it has proven effective not only in reuniting stolen property with its owner, but as a crime prevention measure.

He said: 'The crime deterrent value in this is huge - it works.'

John added: 'In the UK, it is in 93% of police force regions and it has reduced crime in their areas.

'So, it is a proven crime reduction initiative wherever it is rolled out. On the back of that success we sought the distributorship and we just got it there at Christmas.

'We are in conversations and we're talking to the Gardai to say, look, this is available and it's something that will help you in your fight against crime.'

The Ballyboughal man said: 'We can mark anything, so you have the tradesman with his van and his tools, the farmer with his tools and machinery and livestock.

'Homeowners is another target market we are particularly interested in but we are not just selling a product, we are looking at the bigger picture. Since we started we have spoken to a number of rural communities to get the likes of Rural Watch of Neighbourhood Watch for a community to come together and look at introducing this in conjunction with the Gardai, maybe the local Muintir na Tire or the IFA.'

John is certain the product is something the market has been waiting for. He said: 'We have been asking people if there is a problem out there, and anecdotally there is a problem. People are sick and tired of their property being stolen and this is quite cost-effective compared to say, putting in extensive CCTV, alarms, trackers on tractors.

'Our product doesn't have an annual subscription fee, it's a once-off fee. We are going to spend the next number of months primarily talking to people in the community and to get the word out there that this product is available.

'Another interesting thing about our product is that we have a global database so we can track property across international borders. Say, for example, a tractor that may be stole in the North County, it can go up north and they are trialling this system in Armagh with the PSNI and the local council and Joint Policing Committee, It's fortunate in that it is State-funded - I can only dream of that but they get the benefit of that and they have rolled it out to quite a number of farms in the border area because property was crossing south.'

It is easy to understand how the product is effective in reuniting a stolen item with its owner, but just how does it prevent that crime from happening in the first place?

John explained: 'The key thing about crime prevention is that we want it to deflect, deter, stamp out and make it difficult for people to commit burglary.

'Part of the process in marking a product is that you display warning signs and that's where I come back to a community using this. For example, you know the signage that goes with the Text Alert schemes, we would provide similar signage showing that this area has embraced property marking using synthetic DNA and the potential thief is aware of that because he sees the signs. On a house, too, on windows and doors there are small signs that say 'thieves beware'.'

The product was only launched in Ireland on January 2 of this year and so far, John said the reception has been 'very positive'.

He said: 'I have 100 calls to make to various community groups that we have met at trade shows that told us they have a problem and they're trying to solve it. One of the things we do, is that we don't just sell the product, we take a holistic approach. If a community is interested, we will go down to a town hall meeting and we will tell them what we do. '

John is now planning to have talks with Fingal County Council and local gardai about introducing community schemes piloting the product in this region.

The Fingal Joint Policing Committee may provide the perfect forum for the Ballyboughal man to make those contacts and possibly present to both organisations at the same time.

Before John and his business partner launched SelectaDNA, they ran a risk management company and John says the Fingal Local Enterprise Office has been crucial in the evolution of his start-up businesses.

SelectaDNA has the potential to grow massively in this country and John believes it's a good news story for everyone. He said: 'The good news story is important - a person can have confidence that their property is difficult to steal and if it is stolen, the good news is that it can be returned to them and if they are interested, they can make a complaint and gardai can initiate a prosecution.

Any Garda worth his salt, presented with the potential for evidence, will jump all over it because he sees a way to a charge. It's another tool in the evidentiary box in the ongoing fight against crime .
Two schools in Fingal have received special humanitarian awards from one of the country's leading aid agencies.

St Mologa's SNS, Balbriggan and Malahide Community School were among a select number of schools from around the country to receive the 2017 GOAL Humanitarian School Award.

The primary and post-primary schools received the award from GOAL as a result of their participation in development education and fundraising activities organised by GOAL.

GOAL's Development Education Coordinator, Louise Merrigan said: 'GOAL established the 'GOAL Humanitarian School Award' in 2016 to inspire humanitarianism in primary and secondary schools across the country,' We did so with the objective of recognising the efforts of students and teachers to learn more about the realities of some of the world's poorest and most vulnerable people, and to take action for a better world.'

Principal of St Molaga's NS, Pauline Costello, said 'St. Molaga's Senior NS was delighted to receive the GOAL Humanitarian School Award again this year. Our students really benefited from an educational visit from GOAL which was very informative. They enjoyed raising money for those less fortunate by taking part in GOAL Jersey Day, knowing the difference that the money would make. This award recognises and affirms the important work we do in the school to promote global citizenship.'
Dublin Airport has presented prizes to the twelve winners of its 2018 schools calendar competition this week.

Every year children from local primary schools are invited to participate in a calendar competition themed around Dublin Airport. This year the students were asked to draw a picture of their favourite memory or experience at the airport.

More than 180 children from six local schools took part in the competition and a winner was chosen for each month of the year. All 12 winning entries are now featured in the airport's 2018 calendar.

At a special event in Terminal 2, winners were presented with a One4all voucher, an enlarged copy of their entry to display in school and a number of calendars to take home.

'It was very difficult to choose just 12 winners from the beautiful array of entries as the standard was very high,' said daa External Communications Officer, Audrey O'Hagan at the presentation event.'"It was lovely to read the personal account from each child's favourite memory of Dublin Airport attached to the drawing they had submitted. Dublin Airport is a proud member of the local community and we were delighted to see the strong connection that the local children have with the airport.'

The winning entries were: January: Clara Gleeson, St Margaret's National School; February: Darragh Smith, Holy Spirit Boys National School; March: Katie Swaine, Mary Queen of Ireland National School

April: Leah Fitzachary, St Cronan's Senior National School; May: Niamh Healy, St Nicholas of Myra National School; June: Beth McGarvey, Mary Queen of Ireland National School

July: Cara Ni Chiosog, Scoil an Duinninigh; August: May Monaghan, St Cronan's Senior National School; September: Ciaran Heneghan, St Margaret's National School;

October: Bailey O'Connor, Mary Queen of Ireland National School; November: Kate McMahon, St Margaret's National School;

December: Lillyaine Ni Sheibhleain, Scoil an Duinninigh.
Communities in rural Fingal are nervously watching developments as their long wait for high speed broadband hangs in the balance following the withdrawal from Eir from the National Broadband Plan, leaving only one bidder still in the race to implement the programme.

Fianna Fail TD for Fingal, Darragh O'Brien says 'countless households across North County Dublin could be left without access to high speed broadband as a result of the Government's mismanagement of the National Broadband Plan'.

He made the comments following the news that Eir is the latest bidder to leave the tendering process.

Deputy O'Brien said, 'It is a widely held belief that a lack of efficient broadband connection is an issue that only affects rural. In reality, there are large swathes of broadband black spots in Fingal some areas of which are adjacent to Dublin Airport; a major transport hub that serves millions of passengers each year. It's quite shocking to consider that such a vast area which has a dynamic local economy from technology and finance to the agri-food sector, is left without a high speed broadband connection.'

Criticising the troubled roll-out of the plan, Deputy O'Brien said: 'This Government cannot claim to prioritise the growth of indigenous business and at the same time allow the National Broadband Plan to flounder for years by shifting targets and deadlines at every juncture. '

However, Fine Gael's Senator James Reilly said that his party and Government 'remain committed to broadband roll-out in Fingal and in particular, rural Fingal'.

Senator Reilly claimed the withdrawal of Eir from the process would not affect the roll-out of rural broadband in Fingal.

He said: 'While it is unfortunate that Eir has pulled out of the process, our Government colleague Denis Naughten has assured us that it will not impact the roll-out time-frame for Fingal. Minister Naughton has given a guarantee to homes and businesses that are frustrated with waiting for broadband, saying we will now probably get shovels on the ground quicker because there is only one consortium left in the process.'

Defending the Government's record on the issue, he said: 'When this Government took office, about 50% of premises had high speed broadband. That figure is now 71% and by the end of this year, 77% of premises will have high speed access. We are delivering high speed access to 300 farms every week.'
The permanent location of two Educate Together schools serving the Malahide and Pormarnock areas remains a mystery with the Department of Education saying potential sites for both schools have been identified but claiming 'commercial sensitivity' as the reason for not identifying their location.

The opening of a new Educate Together Secondary School for Malahide and Portmarnock has been put back a year already while the department sources a home for the school while an Educate Together National School serving the same towns is up and running but in temporary accommodation some distance away, in Kinsealy.

Deputy Alan Farrell TD recently raised the issue in the Dail with the Minister for Education, Richard Bruton TD.

Deputy Farrell told the minister: 'Unfortunately, the primary school is operating in a temporary location while the secondary school which was supposed to open last September has no site at all, let alone a temporary one. On behalf of my constituency, I ask for information as to where we are in this process.'

Minister Bruton responded, saying: 'I am not in a position to provide further details at this time in respect of the schools in Malahide-Portmarnock due to the commercial sensitivities associated with land acquisitions generally.

'I can, however, assure the Deputy that the provision of sites for schools is a priority for the Department. My Department is in communication with the respective patron bodies in respect of interim accommodation arrangements pending delivery of permanent accommodation.'

Deputy Farrell argued that 'if we designate an area for a non-denominational school, we have to back it up with the purchase of a site. I cannot understand how we are no further along three years later with the secondary school delayed and no site for the primary school'.

Explaining the delay, the minister said there had been 'an evaluation of sites but they ultimately proved unviable'.

He added: 'A potential permanent site has been identified and is being progressed in respect of the secondary school. In both cases the Department must work with others to bring the project ashore.'

When Deputy Farrell suggested that co-locating the two schools might be a way forward, the Minister for Education felt that could delay the process even further.

Miniter Bruton said: 'I understand that separate sites are identified for these two schools that are being progressed and I shudder to suggest that we should scrap the progress that has been made and come up with another approach. I fear that would delay the project.'

He concluded: 'My knowledge is that two sites are being progressed and the Department is working in good faith to bring those to conclusion.'
Fingal Volunteer Centre is to benefit from 114,700 in funding from a nationwide Government funding package of some 3.5 million to support volunteering across the country.

Through the funding the Department of Rural and Community Development is supporting volunteer centres in 21 counties as well as a number of national organisations such as Volunteer Ireland and Young Social Innovators.

Minister for State at the department, Sean Kyne TD said: 'Volunteering positively impacts every community across every city and county in Ireland with people contributing on a regular basis in all sorts of ways. Many organisations, projects and initiatives depend on volunteers to continue to make a difference.

'The funding from my Department under the Supports for the Community Voluntary Programme is designed to strengthen and foster volunteerism in Ireland with a support structure that develops volunteering locally.

'At a local level the volunteer centres, play an essential role in facilitating volunteering by publicising opportunities and providing information and advice to volunteers and organisations. I'm pleased to be able to approve 2.68 million to support the network of volunteer centres across the country.

'I am also pleased to be able to approve an increase allocation of core funding for Volunteer Ireland up 33,800 to 351,800. Volunteer Ireland provides a number of important supports to volunteer centres including the I-VOL national volunteering database. A further 100,000 is being allocated to support the Volunteer Information Services which operates in counties not currently served by volunteer centres.'
Speaking at a party fundraiser in Fingal, Fine Gael MEP for Dublin, Brian Hayes told a local audience 'we need Metro North'.

In his speech at the Airport View Hotel, the MEP said: 'I was interested to read comments by Pascal Donohoe in last Saturday's Irish Times. Speaking in his capacity as Minister for Public Expenditure, he referred to the Government's 10-year capital infrastructure programme which will be announced in the coming weeks.

'He made it clear that Metro North is clearly in the mix of projects. We need Metro North, not just for this region but also for the future growth of the entire county - I hope we can get it over the line.'

The Fine Gael MEP also addressed the housing crisis and said that growth in housing supply, both public and private in the greater Dublin Area, including Fingal, was an 'absolute must'.

He said: 'A clear focus on increasing housing supply both public and private, particularly in the greater Dublin region is an absolute must.

'Rapidly rising house prices and escalating rents put enormous pressure on young families looking to buy and single people looking to rent. Rising housing costs also increase wage pressure and make Dublin a less attractive place to live and work.

'There is no single solution to the current pressures in the housing market; all options both local and national, small infill developments and larger schemes have a role to play.'

On the regional and national economy, Brian Hayes MEP said: 'Just one figure to bear in mind; Ireland's population is projected to increase by more than one million by 2050 - which is just 32 years away. Places like Fingal will be key drivers in that growth in population.

'Ireland will continue to have favourable demographics compared to many countries in Europe such as Italy, Germany and some countries in Eastern Europe. But we will also have a growing cohort of older people which will require more resources.

'Sustained steady growth is an achievable target. Just look at what Dublin Airport has achieved in recent years. Last year passenger numbers reached a record 29.6 million. This was 6% growth on 2016 and a seventh consecutive year of steady growth. Some 191 destinations and 42 countries are now served by 47 airlines using Dublin Airport. The airport is now the 11th busiest airport in the European Union. 20% of Fingal's wealth is dependent upon the Airport - it's a great asset for Fingal and for Ireland.

'Remember just three years ago, the doomsday merchants, who warned against selling the 25% government share in Aer Lingus to the IAG group. According to them the sky was going to fall in if the deal went ahead. Well, Aer Lingus is flying high; expanding its transatlantic routes, expanding its fleet and growing its employment numbers.'
A Fingal Sinn Fein TD has accused the Government of 'undermining noise restrictions at Dublin Airport and said the move is 'completely unacceptable'.

Questioning Taoiseach, Leo Vardakar TD in the Dail on the issue Deputy Louise O'Reilly said: 'This issue is a major concern to those who live in the environs of Dublin airport and who are anxious that the noise restrictions be retained as per the planning permission granted in 2007. It is unacceptable that the noise restrictions would be undermined.'

The Taoiseach responded, saying the Government wanted construction on the runway to 'start within the next couple of months' confirmed that 'Fingal County Council will be given the role of noise regulator for the airport'.

Fianna Fail TD, Darragh O'Brien expressed his doubts over the decision: 'I struggle to comprehend the rationale behind the Minister's decision to ignore an EU Directive which clearly stated that any review should be conducted by an independent Noise Regulator.'

But if the local authority is to be appointed as noise regulator for the airport, it must be given the resources to do the job, he argued. Deputy O'Brien said there was a balance to be struck: 'It's imperative that a second runway at Dublin Airport is brought into operation by 2021. In order to achieve this, we need to ensure that the designated Noise Regulator can carry out its task while taking into account the very genuine and serious concerns of residents,'
Members of the TUI (Teachers' Union of Ireland) at Balbriggan Community College staged a lunchtime protest last Thursday to register their opposition to what they called 'the severe damage being inflicted on teacher morale and the education service by pay inequality'.

Service to students was not affected by the protests, which took place at lunchtime outside Balbriggan Community College and several other schools where TUI members are employed.

Teachers and lecturers who entered the profession since 2011 are paid at a lower rate than their colleagues for carrying out the same work, according to the union.

Speaking at the Balbriggan protest, member of staff at Balbriggan Community College and TUI representative, Ann Mannion said: 'It is unacceptable that one teacher be paid less than another for carrying out the same work. Pay discrimination has completely undermined the profession and has had a devastating impact on morale in staff rooms.'

Ms Mannion added: 'Unsurprisingly, it has also led to a crisis in the recruitment and retention of teachers, which inevitably impairs the quality of service to students in terms of subject choice and consistency of provision.'

The Balbriggan Community College staff member said: 'Irrespective of whether they are personally affected by pay inequality, TUI members are completely united in demanding its end as a matter of urgency.

'The evidence of this growing crisis can no longer be ignored, denied or downplayed.'

According to the TUI, there has been a 62% 'collapse' in applications for post-primary teacher training courses since 2011, while a TUI survey in 2017 showed that 29% of new or recent entrants to the profession did not see themselves in the job in ten years' time.

In addition, there has been a fivefold rise in the emigration rate of second level teaching graduates, the union said.

Ms Mannion said: 'Recruitment difficulties are evident both across the country and across a broad range of subjects including Mathematics, Science, Modern Languages, Irish and Home Economics, and the list of affected subject areas will lengthen if the situation is not remedied.

'The reputation and the high quality of the country's education system is at stake here, and short-term, short-sighted, 'sticking plaster' fixes will not work.'

She concluded: 'The only guaranteed way of ensuring the retention of teachers and the recruitment of those needed for the future is to repair the integrity of teaching by restoring pay equality.'

On the day that Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) members around the country hold lunchtime protests over pay inequality, TUI President Joanne Irwin warned that the situation will get much worse unless pay parity is restored.
Fifth year student Aine Brennan from Gorey Community School has managed to raise 1,000 for the Gambia Youth Project.

Aine raised the money through a sit-down meal she held one day in Eco Restaurant in Gorey. Eco handed over a percentage of the money raised to Aine through the set menu they had for the event.

Aine, along with 24 other students from Gorey Community School, will head to Gambia in Africa on Tuesday, February 20 for a total of eight days.

Aine's mother, Evette Brennan, wanted to stress how thankful she was to the owners of Eco and the staff, all of the sponsors, and to everyone who donated something on the day.

Many people didn't go home empty handed after their meal. Aine held a monster raffle and many of the local businesses donated the prizes.

'It was a long day, but we worked hard,' said Evette. 'Aine did it all by herself, it was a great day.'

The Gambia Youth Project runs every two years and 25 students accompanied by five adults will go there to visit seven schools and an orphanage, which receives ongoing support through the fundraising efforts.

Over the past few months, all of the students have raised more than 20,000 to take with them on the trip and to pass on to the projects they do in Africa.

Teachers who work in the school will be paid and medical supplies will be distributed to the orphanage.
A crowd of around 150 County Wexford farmers attended a meeting on the future plans of Glanbia Ireland at the Horse & Hound Hotel in Ballinaboila recently.

The meeting was one of a series of nine information meetings organised by Glanbia. In attendance were farmer shareholders and suppliers from across the county.

A Glanbia spokesperson said: 'The meetings were a forum for farmers to learn more about the Glanbia model, particularly the newly created business called Glanbia Ireland. This business is 60 per cent owned by Glanbia Co-op and 40 per cent by Glanbia plc.'

The Horse and Hound in Ballinaboola hosted a meeting on Monday, January 22, while the Ashdown Hotel in Gorey was the venue for the Wednesday, January 24, meeting. Around 150 Glanbia suppliers attended both venues.

Glanbia Co-op was represented at the meetings by Group Managing Director Siobhan Talbot and Group Secretary Michael Horan. Glanbia Ireland chief executive Jim Bergin and Director of Strategy Sean Molloy highlighted the progress made by the new entity since its formation, as well as the ambitious plans for future growth.

Mr Bergin said that Glanbia had recently completed a 35 million investment in the Wexford Cheese plant. He said that it had an excellent season, processing record milk volumes and producing high quality cheddar cheese.

A key take home message for farmers attending the meetings was the new 2018 Trading Bonus Scheme available from Glanbia Co-op. This substantial scheme will reward farmers for their trade with Glanbia Ireland in 2018, paying a year-end bonus in line with the level of farm input purchases from the business. The details of the scheme are available on www.glanbiaconnect.com and will be posted to all Co-op members shortly.

The meetings were told that milk supply to Glanbia Ireland grew by 9 per cent in 2017, with 74 per cent of farmers increasing their milk supply by a weighted average of 12.9 per cent compared to the previous year. Further investment is now planned in order to increase milk processing capacity at Belview in line with farmers' plans for expansion. In terms of the dairy market outlook, Mr Bergin has cautioned milk suppliers that 2018 is likely to be more challenging than 2017. At the meetings, Jim Bergin has also highlighted the significant investment in expanding the product range available from our Glanbia Connect online store. There are now 5,000 products available from the store, with enhanced features.
Tributes have poured in for much-loved Gorey native poet Philip Casey (67) who passed away on Saturday in Blanchardstown Hospice.

Philip was born in London to Irish parents on June 27, 1950. But his parents moved back home to a farm in Hollyfort when he was a boy.

Later, Philip left Gorey and spent several years living in Barcelona, before residing in Dublin for most of his adult life.

He is the author of four collections of poetry - Those Distant Summers, After Thunder, The Year of the Knife and Dialogue in Fading Light.

Philip also has a trilogy of novels, which began with The Fabulists, The Water Star and The Fisher Child.

The novels completed what is now the Bann River trilogy, encompassing Philip's much-loved landscape of north Wexford.

Local councillor Fionntan O Suilleabhain said 'Philip's writings were influenced by the Hollyfort area under the gaze of Croghan mountain which was also a source of inspiration for him'.

When news broke of Philip's passing, President Michael D Higgins said: 'It is with great sadness that I have learned of the death of Philip Casey, one of Ireland's finest poets and novelists, and distinguished member of Aosdana.

'His generous nature, his humour and his literary talents will be missed by all those who were familiar with his work or were privileged to call him a friend.'

Enniscorthy native Colm Tobin recalled the first time he met Philip at the Arts Festival in Gorey, organised by Paul Funge in 1971.

'As a person, he was warm and friendly, with a tremendous laugh and the strongest handshake I have ever come across.

'He was a great listener and noticer, someone with a rich inner life.'

Author Sebastian Barry said 'to have no Philip in the world, now there is an utter blackness'.

Philip is also a founder and editor of the website Irish Writers Online, which provides biographical details of Irish writers.

He reviewed poetry for The Irish Press for a number of years and more recently established eMaker editions, an independent imprint, to make his work available worldwide.

Philip is survived by his brothers Peter and John, sister Karina, nephews and nieces Vincent, Damien, Amy, Eadaoin, Laoise and Iseult.
Sheer classical genius is the order of the week at St John's with the arrival of two brilliant acts - The Vanbrugh Quartet and classical guitarist Pat Coldrick.

The Vanbrugh (Gregory Ellis, Keith Pascoe, Simon Aspell and Christopher Marwood perform tonight (Wednesday, February 7), at St John's with gifted pianist Michael McHale in a programme to feature works by Mozart, Stanford and Dvorak.

The Vanbrugh established themselves as one of the nation's best-loved quartets after responding from their then London base in the 1980s to an advert for the position of resident string quarter to the RTE.

Accolades by the truckload followed, with the quartet appointed artists-in-residence to UCC in 1991. They also founded the West Cork Chamber Music Festival in Bantry - now a massive draw for classical masters from near and wide and established the National String Quartet Foundation in 2015 as their legacy.

Doors open at 7.40pm with admission priced at 15.

The classical brilliance returns to the St John's stage two nights later with guitarist Pat Coldrick - one of the country's most revered masters of the instrument - on his national Classical Gas tour.

A virtuoso interpreter of classical favourites and composer of work that is every bit as inspired and brilliant as the standards, Coldrick is described as a 'unique experience' live. His interpretation of the signature piece of the tour, Classical Gas (by Mason Williams), is a joyful experience - just check it out online; much like his own compositions are, including the powerful Lament, a piece he has performed with the RTE Concert Orchestra.

A regular on national radio and TV, he has studied with world-renowned guitarists David Russell and Gabriel Esterellas; and counts a certain Joe Walsh, guitarist with The Eagles, among his fans. "What a great player. I thought I was safe. Love his style. Cayendo was immense but this tops it," said Joe of Pat's album CityJam. Coldrick has also sold out the National Concert Hall on several occasions. Doors open at 7.40pm on Friday, February 9, tickets 12.
Killorglin's Peter Mangan pictured at Kerry Airport on Friday evening with a host of visitors from London who stayed in Kerry with members of the Freebird Club, a homestay club for the over-50s.

Visitors from the London Irish Centre, touring Kerry as part of the Killorglin based 'Freebird Club', were left "agog" and "amazed" by their tour around the county.

The Freebird Club, which is billed as an active social club for the over 50's, invited the 12-strong group from the capital over to Kerry in an attempt to build diaspora and community links.

Some of the group were Irish themselves and had emigrated to England years ago, while for others, this was their first visit to both Ireland and Kerry. Split into two groups, six were whisked off to Kenmare by their host families while the others travelled to stay an sample Killorglin.

"It was certainly an action packed weekend for them," said Freebird Club founder, Peter Mangan.

"They went out to dinner, they ended up in seisiun's and sing songs until the wee hours. Saturday was the main day of the trip and so all 12, along with some of the hosts, met up together; we took them to the Gap of Dunloe, we had lunch in Muckross House where we got a guided tour, we visited Torc and Ross Castle," Peter continued.

"After this, there was time for a bit of shopping, we caught the second half of the match and obviously we were in good form after that," he laughed, "for the Killorglin group, they got to grips with the Biddy festival which they loved as well," he finished. After the success of this trip, which Peter billed as a pilot experiment, he says that he is already planning on setting up more future trips.

For more information on trips and the work of the 'Freebird Club' itself, you can visit the groups website at www.freebirdclub.com
An enlightening and expertly presented New Ross Credit Union school's debate involving students from Our Lady of Lourdes and St Mary's secondary school took place recently.

The students from Our Lady of Lourdes proposed the motion that social media and social media websites are having a negative effect on young people today, an issue that is certainly very topical at the moment. The girls faced tough opposition from the students on the St Mary's team but the judges declared the students from Our Lady of Lourdes as the winners on the night.

Speaking on behalf of the adjudicators, Ray Lawlor congratulated both teams, saying: 'It was an excellent display of presentation and debating. Each team provided us with well thought-out, well sourced and researched arguments.'

Mr Lawlor said the content and presentation levels were exceptionally high for schools debating teams.

'Both schools used teamwork and strategy to argue their position. Rebuttal, the essence of debating, was well used. It was very difficult to decide between the teams as there was so little between them and the adjudicators advised the participants to avail of any opportunity to work on their presentation skills,' Mr Lawlor said.

Adjudicators on the night were Nina Doyle, Milo Walsh, Ray Lawlor and Sean Furlong was MC.

The schools debating event was sponsored by New Ross Credit Union.
A crowd of more than 150 people attended a meeting on pension entitlements in Ballinaboola recently.

Organised by Cllr Michael Sheehan the meeting was addressed by well-known figures, including Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Sean Fleming, Head of Policy at Age Action Ireland Justin Moran and Regional ICA President Dee Devereux.

Cllr Sheehan explained to a packed audience in the Horse & Hound hotel, why it was important to continue the campaign on the theme 'Restoring the Savage Pension Cuts of 2012'.

Cllr Sheehan said more than 50,000 pensioners across the country have been affected by the draconian cuts brought in 2012.

`In 2012, the government changed the criteria for a full State Contributory Pension that literally made it twice as hard to get a full pension,' Cllr Sheehan said.

`This is a huge issue and I'm asking all people who are affected to attend and to make their voices heard. It is important that they are there to show their determination to resolve this issue.

'In fairness, the people deserve more respect than the government is showing them,' added Cllr Sheehan.

He said Minister for Employment Affairs & Social Protection Regina Doherty tried to fix the issue, but stressed the need to get money paid back retrospectively.

Cllr Sheehan said the changes, which are due to come into effect in 2019, will only help some of the people and none of the men affected as they only concern people who stayed at home for over a decade.

'The new Total Contribution Available approach will help a lot of people who are about to retire.'

He said the legislaton only comes into effect in March 2018 and payments will be made from March 2019.

Mr Fleming said under the new system part-time employees and self employed people could lose up to 140 in their pension income per week.

After teas and coffess people signed a petition to Ms Doherty to ensure fairness in how pension monies are paid.
Fine Gael says the withdrawal of Eir from the national broadband rollout programme will not impact the timeframe for Wexford.

However, Fianna Fail says the Eir withdrawal means that the government's ability to deliver major infrastructural projects is in serious doubt.

Even before Eir's decision, the broadband rollout in parts of Wexford has slowed to a crawl, with some semi-rural areas that had been due to have the service rolled out more than a year ago, still no nearer to getting it delivered as plans to build cabinets to serve peripheral areas were pushed further and further back.

Minister Michael D'Arcy said that while it is unfortunate that Eir has pulled out of the process, 'our government colleague Denis Naughten has assured us that it will not impact the rollout timeframe for Wexford'.

'Minister Naughton has given a guarantee to homes and businesses that are frustrated with waiting for broadband, saying we will now probably get shovels on the ground quicker because there is only one consortium left in the process.

'I will be in constant communication with Minister Naughten, insisting that the broadband rollout for Wexford urgently takes place. It must be delivered,' he said. Meanwhile, Fianna Fail says The decision by Eir to withdraw from the NBP represents a damning indictment of Fine Gael in office. Rural communities up and down the country have been kept waiting for seven years for the roll out of high speed broadband by this government which it accused of not being serious about rural Ireland and rural communities.

Enet is now the sole bidder for the NBP tender and has confirmed that it is still committed to the project.
An investigation is continuing into the death of a 38-year-old father in New Ross last week.

Mariusz Sojka, a Polish national, died at Wexford General Hospital on Monday morning having been taken by ambulance from his residence on Charlton Hill following a call to the emergency services.

Superintendent John McDonald said: 'We were notified of the death of the man at Wexford General Hospital at 9 a.m. on Monday morning last. As a result gardai attended the scene and an investigation commenced. A technical examination was carried out and the scene was preserved. The services of the state pathologist were sought. This is not unusual and it happens in a number of scenarios.'

Supt McDonald said what transpired immediately prior to when Mariusz was transferred to hospital is being investigated, as there were reports of injuries to his hands, chest and back.

His body was removed from Wexford General Hospital to University Hospital Waterford for a post mortem on Monday and gardai are awaiting the findings of the report.

'We need to establish all of the circumstances and we are conducting all lines of enquiry.'

Some people have been interviewed about Mariusz's sudden death.

It is understood Mariusz was well-known among the Polish community in New Ross. He was a very tall man who was known for his talent as a tattoo artist. Mariusz was remembered in tributes on social media by friends last week, including one message which says: 'Rest in peace friend, we will never forget you.'.

Mariusz's remains are being taken to Mount Jerome Crematorium in Dublin today (Tuesday) for cremation.
In a letter to the hospital, HIQA said that this deficiency poses a potential risk to the clinical management of patients with infection

The report arising from an unannounced inspection of Wexford General Hospital (WGH) in November of last year has highlighted the fact that there was no on-site microbiologist at the hospital for the two months leading up to the review.

HIQA carried out an inspection at the hospital on November 9, 2017 and found that while the hospital had systems in place to identify and manage risk in relation to the prevention and control of healthcare-associated infections, they did identify a risk in relation to the lack of on-site consultant microbiologist for the previous two months. The hospital had also identified the risk and informed governance structures in the Ireland East Hospital Group.

In a letter to the hospital HIQA highlighted the issue, pointing out that there appeared to be no agreed timeframe by which this deficiency would be addressed.

They said: 'In light of the complexity of services provided in Wexford General Hospital, this deficiency poses a potential risk to the clinical management of patients with infection and also the ongoing delivery and progression of the infection prevention and control programme and antimicrobial stewardship at the hospital.'

In response, General Manager of the hospital Lily Byrnes explained they had sought additional resources, adding that University Hospital Waterford (UHW) had confirmed they would provide three sessions to the hospital per week - an increase of two sessions on the previous arrangement.

'It is hoped that the post-holder will be in place in Quarter 1, 2018. In the interim, a 24/7 telephone support is being provided to WGH from UHW and, on request, a hospital visit will be provided.'

In their report HIQA acknowledged that the Infection Prevention and Control Team had put in place many elements of an infection prevention and control programme, but found that the hospital should implement workforce contingency planning for the specialist staff so that the service could run seamlessly.

HIQA recommended that Wexford General Hospital continue to work with the Ireland East Hospital Group to progress with the full implementation of the national guidelines for screening patients for Carbapenemase producing Enterobacteriaceae.

The report acknowledged that patient environment and equipment was generally clean in the areas inspected, stating that: 'There was good ownership in relation to hospital hygiene and evidence of clear processes and responsibilities from clinical areas through to executive management level which is commendable. The hospital had improved upon hygiene service delivery and this was evident on the day of inspection.'
Wexford-born musician Pierce Turner was incensed when he picked up an official Tourism Ireland magazine in New York which featured promotional material and photographs of nearly every county except his own.

Pierce who performs regularly in New York where he has had a base for many years, was attending the launch reception for a new Jim Sheridan movie at Ireland House, the centre for Irish and Irish-American Studies at New York University.

'Everyone who was anyone in the Irish community in New York was there. I happened to see the brochures on a table and picked one up out of boredom. I was keen to see what part of Wexford they had included and it really pissed me off when I read through the magazine and realised there was barely a mention of my home county', said Pierce. 'I felt like I was a spy in the opposite camp'.

The only reference to Wexford in the 50-page magazine were two small paragraphs of 20 words on the Kennedy Homestead and 16 words on Hook Lighthouse despite a featured section on Ireland's Ancient East and Viking Ireland.

'Nobody in New York knows anything about Wexford. They assume by our conspicuous absence from these kind of publications that it's some kind of ugly place not worth visiting. I wonder why nobody in Ireland gets annoyed about this. Most of the east coast of Ireland is excluded'.

'obviously what happens is that people from the West of Ireland are better at lobbying for their areas. I'm not criticising them. I'm criticising whoever represents us. Who the hell is supposed to be lobbying for Wexford'.

'This could be worth millions for Wexford. The story of Wexford is not being told in America which is a major market' said Pierce whose comments came shortly after Kelly's Hotel in Rosslare, Curracloe beach, Monart Destination Spa, Aldridge Lodge, the Amber Springs Hotel and the Hook won top awards in the Irish Independent Reader Travel Awards.

'Look at it this way. Not even the National Opera House or the Opera Festival was mentioned. Wexford is a wonderful place. It's where the Irish go on vacation. You could go on for aeons about the history and the culture, not to mention the physical beauty of it'.

'It's extraordinary. You have to ask 'why'. Wexford deserves to be promoted as much as any other country. One obvious reason is that the West of Ireland is where most people emigrated to the US from. That is the power source.'

'I think it's time to do something about it. I've been concerned about this for years but when I picked up that Tourism Ireland magazine and saw Wexford excluded, I thought here's the proof. It's time to fight back', said Pierce.

'It's time we stood up for ourselves. It's not just a question of fairness. All the time I've been in America I've been aware that this part of the country is excluded'.

'When I talk to Wexford people about it, they have this sense of fairness and point out that other areas are excluded too. It's true there are other areas omitted from this brochure but I'm not from these other places. I'm from Wexford.'
Almost 300 pieces of artwork created by artists from Wexford, Kilkenny, Wicklow, Carlow and Dublin are on view in Green Acres gallery in Wexford, where the 11th annual Open Submission Exhibition is continuing for the month of February.

A total of 95 adult artists of all ages and experience submitted work for the show which was launched at a reception hosted by gallery owner James O'Connor, who selected one award-winning piece as his favourite of the exhibition.

The impressionist painting 'Hand Hold' by Martin Zinck instantly caught James's eye as it was being brought into the gallery. 'It was one of my favourite pieces and after the exhibition was hung, nothing changed my mind. It was one of three beautiful pieces submitted by the same artist', said James, who complimented gallery administrator Julie Barlow and Marcin Zukowski, who hung the exhibition.

Marcin who has a keen eye for art and photography had the privilege of picking another winner and his prize went to Dimitri Diamond for his painting 'Tango Argentino'.

The Specrum Prize, awarded by art shop owners Tony and Trish Robinson, went to William Grace for 'Green Wood'. Tony and Trish also gave honourable mentions to Laurence O'Toole, Helen Merrigan Colfer, Ryan Allen, Jane Meyler and Ailbhe Barrett for their work.

Art critic Tom Mooney, who spoke at the launch about his personal experience of art appreciation, awarded a prize to Laurence O'Toole for 'Away To Dublin'.

James O'Connor said some of the featured artists had submitted work every year for the 11 years that the show has been running, while others had entered the exhibition for the first time including Catherine Byrne who sold a piece on the first day.

He likened hanging a piece of art in an exhibition for the first time to singing in public: you don't know if you will be invited back, but you've been courageous enough to take the plunge.
Three young women from Cloonacool are all heading off abroad for charity.

Mary Marren, a nurse in the Galway Clinic, is going to Vietnam, Sligo Rose Lisa Maloney is travelling to Belarus while Una Conway is spending two months in Zambia.

All three took part in the Cloonacool 5k race on Sunday. Mary is going to Vietnam to work in a military hospital and she said she is looking forward to it. "I'm going for a week on March 9th. I have been in Vietnam twice before and the reason I picked there was I had a motorbike accident and had a bad leg injury and the people were very good to me. Motorbikes are the only way to travel over there. The locals are lovely.

"There is a good group of us going and there's another Sligo girl too, Laura Taheny. It's all under the charity Operation Walk Ireland, I work in the theatre department in Galway and there's people from different departments all over Ireland going.

"It will be very different. We will be taking over the military hospital for a week and we have 60 patients. We will be doing hips and knees replacements and we will also be teaching the local surgeons on how to do them." Mary said all going to plan she would like to do more charity work. "I've been running different fundraisers, everyone has been great and the money is still coming through. I'm really looking forward to it," Mary added.

Also planning to head abroad for charity work is Sligo Rose and fellow Cloonacool native, Lisa Maloney.

She is going to Belarus as part of the annual Rose of Tralee charity trip.

Lisa said: "I'm going from February 14th to the 18th. It's part of the Rose of Tralee, they have partnered with Adi Roche's Chernobyl Children International every year.

"There is a group of 30 of us going over. I'm really looking forward to it, it's going to be a brilliant experience.

"We will be helping in the orphanages, playing with the kids etc and making it feel more homely."

Lisa is a teacher in Grange Post Primary and said this is her first time doing charity work of this nature. "This is all new, I've never done anything like this before. I'm really looking forward to it."

Lisa said the Roses are a closeknit bunch and are in regular contact.

"We have our own Whatsapp group and we're always in contact and support each other's events too.

"Going to Chernobyl will be a fantastic experience," Lisa added.

Una Conway, a student in DCU, is also looking ahead to spending two months in Zambia.

She said: "I'm going to Zambia in June for two months. I've to raise 2,000 before then.

"There's 80 volunteers going from Suas and we will be teaching English to people there.

"I'm in my final year in DCU, I'm studying Communications.

"I got involved with Suas when I was in college, volunteering in Ballymun reading with the children and also did some work with the society in college.

"I heard about the trip to Zambia and decided to apply for it and got it.

"I never did any charity work abroad, I can't wait. There's one girl in my class going too, everyone else is from different universities.

"We're staying in the Northern province of Zambia. Our accommodation will be like hostels.

"It will be very interesting and a really good eye-opener. I've been doing my own research on the country, it's culture, that sort of thing and we will be meeting ahead of it to get educated on what we will be doing," Una added.
Some 13,000 households in the south of the county have been told to boil their water after Cryptosporidium was found in the supply.

The parasite can cause diarrhoea but householders hoping for a quick resolution will be disappointed as Irish Water say if further positive results for cryptosporidium are confirmed it is likely that the Boil Water Notice would be extended until additional treatment process barriers are put in place. This will involve the construction of new water treatment plant for which planning permission will be required.

"In the event that planning permission is successful Irish Water would expect to begin construction on a site by early 2019 and have a fully functioning plant by early to mid-2020. In view of this timetable Irish Water is looking at what further measures it might be able to take in the interim that might be able to address the cryptosporidium risk in consultation with the HSE and the EPA," said a spokesperson for Irish Water.

The towns of Tubbercurry and Ballymote and a large rural hinterland including the villages of Annagh, Aclare, Curry, Charlestown, Lavagh, Ballanacarrow Carroweden, Kilmacteige and Coolaney are affected.

The boil notice comes following the detection of cryptosporidium in the treated water coming from the Lough Talt plant after a routine test.

Irish Water is liaising with the HSE and an incident management team has been set up to give full attention to this incident.

Householders are being advised that water must be boiled for: Drinking; drinks made with water; preparation of salads and similar foods, which are not cooked prior to eating; brushing of teeth; making of ice, to discard ice cubes in fridges and freezers and filtered water in fridges and to make ice from cooled boiled water.

Anyone suffering from diarrhoea for more than two days should contact their general practitioner. They should continue to drink plenty of boiled or bottled water.

Irish Water say it recognised in 2014 that the Lough Talt supply needed more advanced treatment to meet both risk of Cryptosporidium contamination and compliance with the specified limits for Trihalomethanes (THMs).

In July 2015 Irish Water lodged a planning application with Sligo County Council which was refused on the basis of the conservation of Lough Talt for reasons of protected habitat. An Bord Pleanala also refused the application in April 2017. Irish Water is working to progress a planning application under the 'Imperative Reasons for Over-riding Public Interest (IROPI)' mechanism.

Irish Water hopes to be able to resubmit the revised planning application supported by the IROPI documentation in the next two months.
There will be a fundraising concert in Arklow later this month in aid of the work of Sister Ann Crawley.

Sister Ann works with the poor in Northern Haiti and the concert is being held to raise funds to help her work.

Recently the parishioners of Avoca, Arklow and Templerainey raised funds to help Sr Ann build a new house for a man and his sons who had lost his wife and other children to cholera.

Since arriving in Haiti nearly a decade ago, Sister Ann, who has spent her life as a missionary sister, has had over 150 houses built for the homeless and the builders who construct them are then in turn able to provide for their families from their pay.

She paid a visit home to Ireland in the summer and on her return she bought with her six suitcases full of clothes for her poor, 6,000 which was fundraised plus 2,000 received from Church collections and donations.

In a letter she said that: 'This year's storm season brought three hurricanes Matthew Maria and Irma which increased the struggle for the island's poverty stricken population.

'As homes were flooded, battered and broken survival became a real struggle. The extra money collected here provided food and medicine to feed the hungry, cold, wet and sick.

'Despite the pain, the fear and shock of the hurricanes Sister Ann managed to get 'Avoca house' built from the funds raised here for Mr Baton, a disabled and partially blind man who had lost his wife and some of his family last year through cholera.

'She had a bed made for him because of his special needs. It is general in Haiti that people sleep on the floor in their home.

'Over the eight years Sister has had 168 houses built to improve the quality of life for the poor. Because she is in her 80th year she is aware that time is passing and wants to build as many as possible to protect the people against disease.'

As a result her friends and supporters have organised a fundraising concert in the Arklow Bay Hotel on Thursday, February 22. Both the Arklow Bay and the entertainers on the night have given their services free of charge. Tickets cost 10.
Wicklow Mental Health Association is holding Smiley Pancake Day on Monday, February 12, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Grand Hotel in Wicklow town.

As part of the national Mental Health Ireland #SmileyPancake campaign pancakes will be provided for everyone so they can dress their treat with a smile and some sweets, cream and toppings. Some may like to take a photograph of their creation and upload it to social media for all to see.

Come along and add your smile to the pancakes as organisers are certain that you attendance will add a smile to your face also.

The event is also being supported by The Grand Hotel and SuperValu.
Donovan Webb from East Glendalough School receiving his certificate from Minister of State Andrew Doyle

Jack Brady and Alex Brady with teacher Julie Corrigan from Colaiste Chraobh Abhann receiving their certificates from Minister Doyle

Two student groups from Wicklow schools travelled to Wexford's Johnstown Castle on Friday afternoon to receive certificates from the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Andrew Doyle.

The event was held to celebrate the achievements of local schools in this year's BT Young Scientists Exhibition, whose work had focused on topics relevant to agriculture and fisheries.

Donovan Webb from East Glendalough School received a certificate along with Jack Brady, Alex Brady and teacher Julie Corrigan from Colaiste Chraobh Abhann, who were similarly awarded.
The Criminal Assets Bureau is currently targeting six people in County Wicklow.

Speaking at Monday's meeting of the Joint Policing Committee Chief Superintendent Pat Clavin, head of the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB), said that the organisation is working closely with local gardai to identify the suspected proceeds of criminal activity.

He said that CAB is currently targeting a number of people in Wicklow who are suspected of amassing assets as a result of criminal activity.

'We have a number of targets in the Wicklow division. It is quite low compared to some areas in Dublin. We have six local targets here in Wicklow. There's 325 in all of Dublin and of these 116 are in the Dublin Metropolitan West area while 77 are in Dublin Metropolitan South. So by comparison Wicklow is quite low.'

Chief Superintendent Clavin urged people to report any suspicions they had about criminals and their assets to CAB in confidence.

'We are appealing to the local community to contact us if they suspect someone is involved in crime so that we can make further inquiries. Basically our motto is make them pay and take it away. If people that you know never worked a day in their life but are flaunting their wealth report it.

'Last year we have 27 new proceeds of crime cases in the court ranging in value from 10,000 to 2.7 million.'

Chief Superintendent Clavin said that CAB has the power to seize some assets without a court order under strict conditions and these powers have been exercised on a number of occasions.

He said that he was not in favour of having mini CAB branches dotted around the country believing that basing the officers out of Dublin afforded them better protection. However he said that the links to local gardai and local profiling was strong.

'There are lots of reasons why there shouldn't be mini local CAB's', he said. 'CAB officers have anonymity in Dublin and we can't provide the same protection to officers working in a local community.'

Cllr Joe Behan raised concerns about the safety of those who reported people suspected of criminal activity. He also wondered if there was any way the money and assets seized could be reinvested into local communities.

Chief Superintendent Clavin was quick to reassure him. 'Unlike criminal investigations we won't need anyone to give evidence. We can find out about the assets ourselves. All we need is to get the right target in the first place.'

However he said he wasn't in favour of the money seized being used locally. 'Whatever we take is given back to central funds and I don't favour any change in that. I don't like the idea of having any incentive for us to go after a certain area. It's better that we are totally kept out of the loop.'

Cllr Vincent Blake said that CAB had been set up in 1996 after the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin. 'It's very sad that that had to take place before we took action.'

He wondered if the overseas assets of criminals taken into account and wondered if the new DNA database will have any impact on the work of CAB.

Chief Superintendent Clavin said that CAB works with various agencies nationally and internationally to go after foreign assets. In respect of the DNA database he said that it will have very little impact on CAB as 'we don't go after a person we go after assets'.

Cllr Gail Dunne wondered how the six targets in Wicklow compared with figures from similar counties bordering Dublin such as Kildare and Meath.

Chief Superintendent Clavin said that while the number of targets in Wicklow was quite low it could be viewed either positively or negatively adding that CAB figures are based on where a target is living.

He said that CAB is growing incrementally and are getting resources when they are needed adding it was able to draw on the resources of local divisions.

Cllr Daire Nolan wondered if CAB is able to get extradition orders if a criminal moves to Europe or further afield to which Chief Superintendent Clavin said that while it does work with Interpol and other organisations extradition isn't a concern of theirs because 'it's assets we go for'.

Chairman of the Joint Policing Committee (JPC) Cllr Gerry Walsh, who is a retired guard, said that '1996 was a dark, dark years for the country in terms of law and order' referencing the murder of Detective Garda Gerry McCabe and Veronica Guerin. 'The reaction to the introduction of CAB was very welcome. People were flaunting their wealth and giving the two fingers to society and to the gardai.'

He asked 'how far do CAB's tentacles reach to get assets'.

Chief Superintendent Clavin said that CAB is aware that some criminals have moved abroad adding it works with other law enforcement agencies.

Cllr Vincent Blake if the 'new, younger criminals' coming up were worst than their predecessors.

Chief Superintendent Clavin said 'these are challenging times. The number of criminal gangs and the level of viciousness has increased. There is an assumption that criminals have gotten really sophisticated and are quite smart at hiding their wealth but some of them are really stupid and flaunt their wealth with houses and cars.

'We are now concerned with virtual currency and some criminals are operating on the dark net.'
A Carlow resident who tricked an 89-year-old Dublin woman into giving him cash from her bank account by pretending he was repairing her sister's roof has received a 16-month sentence.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Luke Connors (29) walked with the elderly lady to the bank and stood across the road as she withdrew 400 from her account.

The father-of-three had told her he knew her older sister, who lived next door to her, and that he needed the cash immediately to repair the roof.

Connors, of Fairgreen Upper, Hacketstown, Co Carlow, pleaded guilty to dishonestly by deception inducing Mary Doherty to withdraw the cash in the Tallaght area on November 25, 2016. He has 11 previous convictions, including road traffic matters and two theft offences dating back to 2008.

Judge Martin Nolan noted that it was a 'shameful' crime and said Connors must serve some prison time for exploiting an older person.

He imposed a 16-month sentence with the final 12 months suspended and ordered that the 700 Connors had brought with him to court be passed on to the injured party.

Garda Kevin Boland told prosecuting barrister Gerardine Small that the injured party's sister had answered the door to Connors earlier that day. This lady had turned him away after he pretended to know her and offered to do work on her roof.

The court heard she thought nothing more of the incident until Mary Doherty called her to say she had sorted out the man repairing the roof with cash.

Garda Boland said he got CCTV footage from the Westpark Estate area in Tallaght and identified Connors walking to the bank with Ms Doherty. Connors was arrested some months later at a shopping centre. The garda agreed with defending barrister Kieran Kelly that Connors had below average intelligence and had entered an early guilty plea.

Mr Kelly submitted to Judge Martin Nolan that his client had alcohol problems, suffered from depression and had 700 in court as a token of his remorse.
George Clooney (R) and his wife Amal Clooney arrive at the premiere of Paramount Pictures' "Suburbicon" at the Village Theatre on October 22, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

George Clooney knew he'd found a soulmate in wife Amal when he realised she was the first person he'd willingly give up his life for.

The couple met when she stopped by the actor's home in Italy with a mutual friend and there was an instant attraction that made one of the world's most famous bachelors consider marriage and a family in his 50s.

George now admits there was something really special about the human rights lawyer that turned his life upside down.

"I felt that I met someone who I would absolutely trade my life for," the Ocean's Eleven star tells David Letterman in the TV personality's new Netflix show My Next Guest Needs No Introduction.

Expand Close Director of the movie George Clooney and his wife Amal attend the premiere for "Suburbicon" in Los Angeles, California, U.S., October 22, 2017. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni / Facebook

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Whatsapp Director of the movie George Clooney and his wife Amal attend the premiere for "Suburbicon" in Los Angeles, California, U.S., October 22, 2017. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

"I met someone that her life meant more to me than my life, and I'd never had that experience before - and I had some lovely people in my life."

He adds, "She (Amal) is sort of this remarkable human being, and now mother, which is something I suppose you should assume she'd be wonderful at as well, but when you see it in person it makes you feel incredibly proud - and incredibly small."

George, who was married to actress Talia Balsam from 1989 to 1993, exchanged vows with Amal in September, 2014 and the couple welcomed twins last year.

Clooney now admits that his bachelor days of parties, road trips and boozing with pals seem so far away now he's a settled family man.

"(I don't drink) like I used to," he explains. "It was never a problem for me. I've had a couple of bad weeks over the years... but I can have a couple of drinks and stop.

Expand Close Actor and director George Clooney and his wife Amal leaves the hotel before the red carpet for the movie Suburbicon at the 74th Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy September 2, 2017. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi / Facebook

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Whatsapp Actor and director George Clooney and his wife Amal leaves the hotel before the red carpet for the movie Suburbicon at the 74th Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy September 2, 2017. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi

"When Amal was pregnant there was that sense that you have to have your wits about you... Before I had the twins, I felt that about her."
A nationwide snow and ice weather warning has been issued, with wintry showers set to bring up to 3cm of snow.

According to the status yellow warning, Connaught and Ulster will see the heaviest snowfall, but all counties will be affected.

The Met Eireann weather alert is valid from midnight on Saturday night for a total of 24 hours.

Motorists have been advised to watch out for slippery roads due to an accumulation of frost and ice overnight, as temperatures are set to drop to -2 degrees.

Two other yellow alerts warn of strong winds as strong as 110km/h and heavy rainfall across the country.

The yellow wind warning - which is in place for Munster, Leinster and Galway - comes into effect at 3pm on Saturday until 8pm.

Met Eireann also warn of gale force winds on the Irish Sea over the course of Saturday morning.

Connacht, Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal fall under the yellow rainfall warning as accumulations of up to 35mm expected.

There is a risk of spot flooding early morning and the warning remains in place until midnight Saturday.

While Saturday temperatures could reach 12 degrees, Sunday is forecast to be very cold with sunny spells and showers of rain, sleet and snow and a risk of thunder.

Rain early this morning will clear eastwards. This aft & eve rain with fresh to strong gusty westerly winds will spread from the west. Rain will be heaviest in Ulster and north Connacht with a risk of spot flooding. Winds strongest over the southern half of the country. 8 to 12C pic.twitter.com/kmEyY9cJQ1  Met Eireann (@MetEireann) February 10, 2018

Daytime temperatures will reach just 2 to 6 degrees tomorrow with fresh west to northwest winds, according to Met Eireann.

The cold snap will continue into Monday with wintry showers overnight and frost and ice developing. Temperatures are expected to plummet to -3 degrees.

Tuesday will have scattered showers and will continue to develop frost and ice into Wednesday morning.
Sunderlands unlikely comeback at Bristol City will have left fans who headed home early red-faced, but they werent the only ones who got it wrong.

With the relegation-threatened Black Cats travelling to promotion hopefuls Bristol City, a result looked a tough ask ahead of kick-off, and it didnt take long for any fears to become reality.

4' @bcfctweets take a 1-0 lead through Flint. The #SAFC defence failed to track the runner and he took it down and away from Camp before tapping it home from close range. A truly awful start at Ashton Gate...  Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) February 10, 2018

Going 1-0 down after just four minutes, it really was an awful start, and things only got worse from there.

37' @bcfctweets do find a third and #SAFC have absolutely crumbled here. Diedhiou buries his second from close range and it's game over with little more than half hour played. 3-0.  Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) February 10, 2018

Three goals down just 37 minutes in, some fans headed for the exits, and Sunderlands social media account couldnt blame them.

Expand Close A screenshot of a deleted tweet on Sunderland's Twitter account / Facebook

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Whatsapp A screenshot of a deleted tweet on Sunderland's Twitter account

The tweet was swiftly deleted but looked an accurate representation of the feeling among supporters.

However, the decision to scrap the post looked better and better as the second half wore on, with Sunderland getting one goal back, then two, before

An unlikely point earned, the Black Cats social media team appeared a little more jovial than they had done 45 minutes earlier.

Bristanbul.



Now, let's make sure this is the start of something. pic.twitter.com/LowFoTYldS  Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) February 10, 2018

Will Bristanbul  a play on Liverpools Champions League final comeback from 3-0 down against AC Milan in Istanbul in 2005  prove to be the start of something special for Sunderland?
South Korean President Moon Jae-in receives a letter from Kim Yo Jong, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's sister, at the presidential house in Seoul (Kim Ju-sung/Yonhap via AP)

South Korea says North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has invited President Moon Jae-in for a summit meeting in the North.

Mr Moon's spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said that Mr Kim's sister verbally delivered his offer during a lunch meeting with Mr Moon at Seoul's presidential palace.

Expand Close South Korean President Moon Jae-in shakes hands with Kim Yo Jong, left, sister of North (Kim Ju-Sung/AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp South Korean President Moon Jae-in shakes hands with Kim Yo Jong, left, sister of North (Kim Ju-Sung/AP)

The spokesman said Mr Moon replied that the North and South should continue to work to build conditions so that a summit can take place.

The spokesman said Mr Moon also called for a quick resumption of dialogue between the United States and North Korea.

Mr Moon's office says Mr Kim's sister, Kim Yo Jong, came to the South as his special envoy.
The US team parades at the opening ceremony. Photo: Reuters

US Vice President Mike Pence made only a brief appearance at a reception marking the start of the Winter Olympics in South Korea yesterday, avoiding a potentially awkward encounter with the ceremonial leader of North Korea.

The reception in the mountain resort of Pyeongchang came hours before North and South Korean athletes marched together at the opening ceremony, the culmination of months of work by Seoul, which seeks to use the Olympics to ease tension spurred by North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons.

Ahead of the reception, hosted by South Korean President Moon Jae-in, South Korean media said Mr Pence was expected to be seated opposite Kim Yong-nam, North Korea's nominal head of state, at the head table.

But South Korea's presidential Blue House said Mr Pence had a meeting scheduled with US athletes and had only planned to stay briefly to greet other officials.

Mr Pence shook hands with other leaders, including close ally Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, but not Kim Yong-nam.

Earlier yesterday, Mr Pence said Mr Moon gave his backing to additional measures the United States is planning to try to curb North Korea's missile and nuclear programmes.

At the opening ceremony, Kim Yong-nam and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister Kim Yo-jong waved to North and South Korean athletes who marched under a unified peninsula flag for the first time in a decade.

Mr Moon later officially declared the Olympics open, followed by a burst of fireworks.

Mr Pence had kept open the possibility for some contact with the North Koreans in South Korea, while reiterating Washington's insistence that denuclearisation by North Korea is a necessary condition for permanent peace.

Mr Pence, Ms Kim and other world leaders attended the opening ceremony in Pyeongchang, just 80km from the heavily fortified border between North and South Korea.

Mr Pence stood to welcome the US athletes as the Korean pop hit 'Gangnam Style' blared around the stadium, sparking the 'Horse Dance' in the crowd and among the volunteers.

Hundreds of anti-North Korea protesters scuffled with riot police not far from the stadium before the opening ceremony began, with some banners reading "Moon regime is leading Korea to destruction".
Under fire: Chancellor Angela Merkel gets Valentines Day flowers at the Chancellery in Berlin yesterday. Photo: Reuters

Angela Merkel's new coalition government was thrown into disarray before it had even taken office, as the party leader of her main partner announced he would not take up his cabinet post.

Martin Schulz, leader of the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), was named as foreign minster on Wednesday after finally agreeing a coalition deal with Ms Merkel four months after the election. But just 48 hours later, he announced he was withdrawing his candidacy and would not serve in the government.

The deal to form a coalition is expected to go ahead without him, although it still has to be approved by SPD members in a postal vote.

The unexpected announcement came after Mr Schulz faced a revolt from party members incensed at his decision to become foreign minister, despite pledging never to serve under Ms Merkel.

He said he had decided to renounce office over fears the row could lead SPD members to reject the coalition deal.

But sources close to the party said he was forced into the climbdown after being given an ultimatum by the rest of the party leadership.

"I believe a successful vote may be at risk from the discussions about me," Mr Schulz said. "I am therefore renouncing my intention of joining the government.

"We all go into politics for the people in this country. That means the interests of the party have to come before my personal ambitions."

Mr Schulz, a former European Parliament president, was briefly talked of as Germany's next chancellor when he returned from Brussels to enter national politics.

He was elected SPD leader with 100pc support in 2016 and the country was gripped by 'Schulzmania' in the early part of last year.

But he led the party to its worst ever result in September's election.

His political career is now almost certainly over. He announced he was stepping down as SPD leader in a bid to fend off calls for him to focus on rebuilding the party instead of seeking ministerial office.

But that gamble appears to have backfired, with his critics accusing him of using the party leadership as his personal "trampoline" to secure a "plum government post".

 Daily Telegraph, London

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021]
In an image made from video, the wreckage of a jet is seen on fire near Harduf, northern Israel (Yehunda Pinto via AP)

Israel has shot down an infiltrating Iranian drone and struck Iranian targets deep in Syria before one of its own jets was shot down.

The engagement is Israels most serious yet in neighbouring Syria since fighting there began in 2011.

Israel called the drone infiltration a severe and irregular violation of Israeli sovereignty and warned that Iran would be held accountable for its meddling.

This raises the spectre of a larger confrontation in an area that has remained largely stable since a month-long war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon in 2006.

Israel would not confirm whether its aircraft was shot down by enemy fire, which would mark the first such instance for Israel since the first Lebanon war in 1982.

The sudden escalation offers what could be a harbinger of events as the Syrian fighting winds down and an emboldened Iran establishes a military presence that Israel vows it will never accept.

This is a serious Iranian attack on Israeli territory. Iran is dragging the region into an adventure in which it doesnt know how it will end, said Israels chief military spokesman, Brig Gen Ronen Manelis.

Whoever is responsible for this incident is the one who will pay the price.

Expand Close Israeli security around the wreckage of an F-16 that crashed in northern Israel (AP Photo/Rami Slush) / Facebook

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and defence minister Avigdor Lieberman convened the top brass at military headquarters in Tel Aviv for long hours of emergency consultations throughout the Jewish Sabbath to discuss their next steps.

Mr Netanyahu said he spoke with Russian president Vladimir Putin and vowed to strike back hard.

Israel said it shot down an unmanned Iranian aircraft that penetrated its airspace and then destroyed the Iranian site in central Syria that it said launched it.

On their return, Israels jets came under heavy Syrian anti-aircraft fire and the pilots of one of the F-16s had to eject and the plane crashed in northern Israel. One pilot was seriously wounded and the other one lightly.

In subsequent attacks, the Israeli military said it struck four additional Iranian positions and eight Syrian sites, causing significant damage.

The Israeli jets again faced a heavy barrage of anti-aircraft missiles but returned home safely, as large explosions were reported in Syria and warning sirens blared in northern Israel.

Israel says the strikes destroyed the main command and control bunker of the Syrian military and marked its most devastating assault against Syria in decades.

Iran denied Israels shooting down of a drone, with foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasem calling the account ridiculous, while the joint operations room for the Syrian military and its allies insisted the drone had not violated Israeli airspace and was on a regular mission gathering intelligence on Islamic State militants.

Iran seeks to use Syrian territory to attack Israel for its professed goal of destroying Israel, said Mr Netanyahu.

Israel holds Iran and its Syrian host responsible for todays aggression. We will continue to do whatever is necessary to protect our sovereignty and our security.

Israel also appealed to the United Nations Security Council to denounce Irans aggression and put an immediate end to Iranian provocations.

Israel fears Iran could use Syrian territory to stage attacks or create a land corridor from Iran to Lebanon that could allow it to transfer weapons more easily to Hezbollah  Lebanons Iranian-backed political party and militant group sworn to Israels destruction.

Though Israel has largely stayed out of the Syrian conflict, it has struck weapons convoys destined for Hezbollah  which is fighting alongside Syrian forces  almost 100 times since 2012.

But Israel has refrained from striking Iranian sites directly. Syria has also repeatedly said it will respond to Israeli airstrikes but has rarely returned fire. Both of those trends came to an abrupt end on Saturday as a rapid escalation played out.

Hezbollah said Saturdays developments signalled a new strategic phase in engaging Israel, which has been mostly off the guerrilla groups radar as it has been heavily engaged in the fighting in Syria.

Former Syrian lawmaker and political commentator Sharif Shehade said the anti-aircraft fire marked a political decision in Syria to respond to Israeli strikes, and that tensions would continue to rise unless Washington and Moscow intervened to calm the situation.

It is a decisive decision to confront the Israeli air force and its careless behaviour, he said. I think what happened today is a lesson for Israel.

Expand Close In an image made from video, the wreckage of a jet is seen near Harduf, northern Israel (Yehunda Pinto/AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp In an image made from video, the wreckage of a jet is seen near Harduf, northern Israel (Yehunda Pinto/AP)

Military spokesman Lt Col Jonathan Conricus said Saturdays incident marked the most blatant and severe violation of Israeli sovereignty yet. He said while Israel had no interest in further escalation it was prepared to extract a heavy price for such aggression.

By directly sending the drone into Israel on a military mission, Lt Col Conricus said Iran was playing with fire.

Russia, which backs Assad and maintains a large military presence in the country, called for restraint and appeared to criticise Israels actions.

It is absolutely unacceptable to create threats to the lives and security of Russian servicemen who are in Syria at the invitation of its legitimate government to assist in the fight against terrorists, Russias foreign ministry said.

Israel has shot down several drones that previously tried to infiltrate its territory from Syria.

The capture of an Iranian drone and the targeting of Iranian sites in response, however, marked a dramatic escalation in the Israeli retaliation.

The military confirmed that the initial target in Syria  the unmanned aircrafts launch components  was successfully destroyed and released grainy footage of the strike. Israel also said it had recovered the remnants of the drone, which proved that it belonged to Iran.
Polish president Andrzej Duda announces his decision to sign a legislation penalising certain statements about the Holocaust(AP Photo/Alik Keplicz)

An adviser to Polands president has criticised Israels opposition to a law criminalising some statements about Polish actions in the Second World War.

The reaction stemmed from a feeling of shame at the passivity of the Jews during the Holocaust, said the adviser, Professor Andrzej Zybertowicz.

Israels reaction to the new law was anti-Polish, and showed it was clearly fighting to keep the monopoly on the Holocaust, he said.

The religion of the Holocaust has become a symbolic shield for that country, which is used by Israel to create for itself a special position in many places in the world. A shield which is meant to protect Israel against any criticism, said the Nicolaus Copernicus University sociology professor.

His remarks follow open expressions of anti-Semitism that surfaced online and in some government-controlled media when Israeli officials objected to the bill form of the law.

The law outlaws public statements that falsely and intentionally attribute Nazi crimes to German-occupied Poland.

Polish president Andrzej Duda and other government officials said the law was needed because Poles are depicted sometimes as collaborators or complicit in the Nazi genocide.

They cite the expression Polish death camps as shorthand for the concentration camps and gas chambers on German-occupied soil as an example.

In Israel, home to Holocaust scholars and families of survivors with roots in Poland, some fear the Polish speech law will allow the government to whitewash the role some individual Poles had in the deaths of the occupied countrys Jews. The law allows for prison terms of up to three years.

Mr Duda signed the law on Tuesday but asked the countrys constitutional court to review it in a nod to the critics.

Polands government went into exile abroad when German forces took over in 1939, while an underground army at home resisted the Nazis.

Poles made up the largest group of victims at the Nazi-run camps although there were cases of Poles who identified Jews to the Germans or killed them directly.

German chancellor Angela Merkel said she will not get involved or interfere with Polands law because as Germans, we are responsible for the things that happened during the Holocaust.
Israel launched heavy air strikes in Syria on Saturday, saying it hit air defences and Iranian targets, and the Syrian army claimed to have brought down an Israeli F-16 that crashed in northern Israel in a major escalation of tension.

The Israeli military said early assessments indicated the jet had been shot down by Syrian fire, but this was still unconfirmed.

It marked the most serious confrontation yet in Syria between Israel and Iranian and Iran-backed forces that have established a major foothold in the country while fighting in support of President Bashar al-Assad in the civil war.

Israel said the F-16 crashed during a mission to strike Iranian drone installations in Syria. It said it sent its jets into Syria after shooting down an Iranian drone over Israeli territory earlier on Saturday.

The military alliance fighting in support of Assad denied any of its drones had entered Israeli air space. In a statement, it said Israel had targeted an air base in the Homs desert that is being used to fly drones in missions against Islamic State.

Such "terrorist action" by Israel would be met with a "severe and serious response," it said.

The Israeli military spokesman said Israel did not seek escalation in the region, calling its action a "defensive effort triggered by an Iranian act of aggression".

Iran's expanding clout during Syria's nearly seven-year-long war, including deployments of Iran-backed forces near the Golan frontier, has raised alarm in Israel, which has said it would act against any threat from its regional arch-enemy Tehran.

Iranian and Iran-backed Shi'ite forces, including Lebanon's Hezbollah, have deployed widely in support of Assad. Iran's military chief warned Israel last October against breaching Syrian airspace and territory.

Israel's air force has targeted Syrian military and Hezbollah targets in Syria on an almost regular basis, but its attacks on Saturday appeared to be the most intense yet.

Referring to the downed Israeli F-16, an official in the pro-Assad alliance said a "message" had been delivered to Israel. "I do not believe matters will develop to a regional war," the official said.

U.S. HAWKISH ON IRAN

In Washington, President Donald Trumps administration has backed Israels hawkish stance on Iran, and declared containing Tehran's influence an objective of its Syria policy. On a visit to Israel last month, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence called Iran the worlds "leading state sponsor of terror."

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is also expected to visit the region in the coming week to discuss the crisis in Syria and other issues, and is scheduled to visit Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon and other countries.

Hezbollah and Israel last fought a major conflict in 2006.

Tensions have also spiked across the frontier between Israel and Lebanon over Israeli plans for border wall, and Lebanese plans to exploit an offshore energy block which is partly located in disputed waters.

The Israeli military said 12 targets, including three aerial defense batteries and four Iranian targets that are part of Iran's military establishment in Syria were attacked.

"During the attack, anti-aircraft missiles were fired towards Israel, triggering alarms that were heard in Northern Israel," the military said.

Syrian state media reported two separate Israeli attacks.

In the first one, a military source said Syrian air defences had opened fire in response to an Israeli act of "aggression" against a military base, hitting "more than one plane".

Later, state media said air defences were responding to a new Israeli assault and air defences had thwarted attacks on military positions in southern Syria.

Israel said one of its attack helicopters shot down an Iranian drone at around 4.30am (0230 GMT) that had come from Syria into Israel. "In response, the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) targeted Iranian targets in Syria," the military said.

"MASSIVE" ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE

Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus said a "substantial" number of Israeli warplanes on the mission had come under "massive Syrian anti-air fire", and only one Israeli jet was harmed.

The F-16 came down in a field near the northern Israeli village of Harduf, television footage showed, and one of the pilots was injured as they ejected, the military said.

David Ivry, a former Israeli Air Force chief, told Reuters he believed it was the first time an Israeli F-16 was brought down since Israel began using the jets in the 1980s.

"We don't know if the pilots ejected because of the (Syrian)fire," Conricus said. It was also unclear at what stage of the mission they ejected, he said, "but it is of extreme concern to us if they were shot down."

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Israel had targeted areas in the countryside southwest of Damascus, near the Syrian-Lebanon border west of Damascus and in the eastern countryside of Homs province for several hours since dawn.

It said another set of raids hit southwest of Damascus, and another struck around the Damascus-Beirut highway near the border with Lebanon.

In Israel, uniformed military personnel could be seen gathered around the burnt and tangled metal in Harduf by mid-morning, with what appeared to be white foam on the surrounding grass. Others knelt in the grass, inspecting pieces of the jet.

Rocket alert sirens sounded in the Israeli-held Golan Heights and in northern Israel. There were no reports of casualties.

Flights in to Israel's main airport near Tel Aviv were suspended for about 15 minutes and take-offs were held for about 20 minutes on Saturday morning. "Ben Gurion Airport is now operating as usual," Israeli Airport Authority spokesman Ofer Lefler said.

The airport's online live flight schedule showed flights were departing and landing.
Both of this week's asteroids were discovered by astronomers at the NASA-funded Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona (stock picture)

Another asteroid has headed our way - the second this week - but there was no need to worry.

The newly discovered space rock passed within 64,000km of Earth yesterday afternoon. That's less than one-fifth the distance to the moon.

Designated 2018 CB, the asteroid is an estimated 15 metres to 40 metres in size, possibly bigger than the one that exploded over Russia five years ago this month.

The manager of NASA's centre for near-Earth object studies, Paul Chodas, said asteroids this size usually don't come this close - just once or twice a year.

While yesterday's close approach wasn't a huge deal, Mr Chodas said in an email: "It is a reminder that asteroids can pass very close to our planet and it's important that we find these objects when they do get close."

It was the second time this week an asteroid buzzed us. On Tuesday, an asteroid passed within 184,000km, slightly more than halfway to the moon.

Both of this week's asteroids were discovered by astronomers at the NASA-funded Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in receives a letter from Kim Yo Jong, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's sister, at the presidential house in Seoul (Kim Ju-sung/Yonhap via AP)

South Korea says North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has invited President Moon Jae-in for a summit meeting in the North.

Mr Moons spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said that Mr Kims sister verbally delivered his offer during a lunch meeting with Mr Moon at Seouls presidential palace.

The spokesman said Mr Moon replied that the North and South should continue to work to build conditions so that a summit can take place.

The spokesman said Mr Moon also called for a quick resumption of dialogue between the United States and North Korea.

Mr Moons office says Mr Kims sister, Kim Yo Jong, came to the South as his special envoy.

Expand Close Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (Kim Ju-sung/Yonhap via AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (Kim Ju-sung/Yonhap via AP)

Past charm offensives have been interpreted as North Korea trying to recoup from crippling sanctions on their nuclear programme, or trying to drive a wedge between Seoul and its US ally.

Even so, theres also cautious optimism, or curiosity at least. If peace is not imminent, a summit in Pyongyang between Mr Moon and Kim Jong Un seems better to most than the threats of recent months.

Mr Moon is eager to use Kim Yo Jongs presence at the games to restore regular communication with North Korea and eventually pull it into nuclear talks.

Many in Seoul, however, while interested in the warming high-level contacts, are also tempering expectations for a real breakthrough.

There is worry too that the proposed summit Pyongyang may come with preconditions  a North Korean speciality.

A big one could be a demand to cease the US-South Korean war games that North Korea claims are preparation for invasion.

They start in March, and Washington has so far been adamant that they are crucial.

But Mr Moon, a liberal who has always wanted to engage the North, will also have to convince a good portion of his own people who are deeply wary about North Korean intentions.

After the threats, missile launches and general nastiness from the North over the last year, there is still a lot of anger, fear and scepticism in the South.
A crash involving motorcycle police accompanying Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on his visit to southern California has left one officer needing hospital treatment.

But Mr Trudeaus vehicle was not involved in the accident, and he was not hurt, officials said.

The Ventura County Fire Department said the crash involving California Highway Patrol officers happened shortly after Mr Trudeaus motorcade left the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, where Mr Trudeau gave a speech on Friday night.

One officer was taken to hospital with moderate injuries. It is not clear what caused the crash.

Mr Trudeau was on his second day of a visit to California. He made appearances in San Francisco on Thursday and is set to appear in Los Angeles on Saturday.
The president of Turkey has announced that a military helicopter was shot down in northern Syria during Ankaras offensive against Syrian Kurdish militia there.

Speaking in Istanbul, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan did not mention by name the Syrian Kurdish Peoples Protection Units or YPG, but said those responsible will pay for it.

The Turkish military has not made a statement.

A spokesman for the Kurdish militia, Mustafa Bali, confirmed his fighters shot down the chopper in Raju, north-west Afrin.

Turkey launched a military offensive on January 20 to uproot the YPG from Afrin.

Turkey considers the group an extension of an insurgency within its own borders.

Nineteen Turkish soldiers have died since the beginning of the operation.
Image: NPS photo

Researchers, academics and scientists around the world are often victimized in a variety of ways  physically, emotionally, sexually, professionally, mentally  by those in power, according to an investigation by Mongabay. Carinya Sharples reports

Far away from the red carpets of Hollywood, an aspiring scientist in Guyana, South America, is being discouraged by her parents from going on a field trip because of worries for her reputation and safety. Theyve heard stories of what can happen to young women on such expeditions.

Often more than 90 percent of our field staff are male, logistics assistant Natasha* told Mongabay. Ive heard reports of sexual harassment, and when females go along on these trips, particularly if they are young and unmarried, theres a perception that because shes with these men, she will be having sex. Valid or not, this is discouraging for women.

This is #metoo in the world of conservation. There are no shiny pins saying Times Up. No speeches. No applause. Just ordinary women beating back inappropriate sexual comments, unwanted advances and aggressive behaviour to progress in their chosen career.

In 2017, high-profile reports of sexual harassment at the hands of male scientists and professors rippled across the scientific community and even into the mainstream media, but theyre just the tip of the iceberg.



Under the surface

When Angela* heard the news reports about sexual harassment of scientists in Antarctica it brought back unpleasant memories of her own time at McMurdo, the largest US research center on the icy continent.

When I saw the headline, there were at least three people I was guessing it would be, the life sciences doctor told Mongabay. And Dave [Marchant, the man accused] wasnt one of the three [I thought of]. Thats how rampant this problem is.

The choice to not speak out, said Angela, is often out of self-preservation.

Almost every woman I know in science has a harassment or discrimination story to tell  but, and I speak only for myself, we dont want to make waves or open old wounds.

Recently, Scientific American published a comprehensive overview, Confronting Sexual Harassment in Science, highlighting moves by different US institutions to intervene in and prevent such behaviors. Another piece in Science magazine also dug into the issue.

In one study cited, the Survey of Academic Field Experiences (2014), approximately two-thirds of respondents stated that they had personally experienced sexual harassment  defined here as inappropriate or sexual remarks, comments about physical beauty, cognitive sex differences, or other such jokes.

More than 20 percent reported that they had personally experienced sexual assault.

To get a sense of some of the issues at play, Mongabay spoke to a cross-section of women working in science across the Americas to hear their experiences.



An unwanted lesson

For some of the women we spoke to, it began in the classroom.

Just a couple of months into starting her PhD, conservation biologist Monica* was emailed explicit photos by her lab professor. Were talking sexual images, very inappropriate, she told Mongabay. I thought: this must be a mistake. But then it happened again.

While she said her gut reaction was to raise it with the dean, she ultimately decided not to  worried she wouldnt get her PhD, would fall out with the university or have to start again. So I never did anything about it. I just left his lab and started with my next advisor.

For others, the huge pressures to succeed manifested in unequal consensual relationships with senior staff.

I have several colleagues who were taken advantage of by their PhD advisers, Natalia*, doctor of ecology, told Mongabay in an email exchange.

Whereas both parties may at different times perceive this as a normal relationship, so many times in retrospect (or even as its happening) the junior person feels that they have no choice to say no to sleeping with their adviser because it will impact everything  their entire career.

Alone in their field

The same power games, harassment and inappropriate behavior continue into the workplace.

One of the women Mongabay spoke to described being harassed and belittled. In one instance, a high-level official asked her, Why dont you just go and have a family and kids? Another woman recalled a male colleague who would try to initiate explicit conversations, such as When did you lose your virginity?

For Aesha, even networking has proved problematic. There are a lot of risks, she said. Ive found myself in situations where Ive networked with someone, given them my number to keep in touch, and conversations around work quickly became inappropriate and sexual.

Setting boundaries and shutting down unwanted behavior in the field is even trickier.

While on expeditions, Monica said she has experienced bullying by men who seemed to be intimated by her familiarity or comfort with the work or setting: Its pretty strong when someone immediately wants to undermine you and shake your confidence because theyre insecure.

This can also manifest when romantic advances are turned down. A couple of times people have tried to discredit me in some way in my work or make up something because it was very clear they were not ok with being rejected, she said. Its really hard because you cant put out all these fires that other people have lit.



Reporting up

There is an impression among some people that sexual harassment, abuse and intimidation dont happen in science, especially not in so-called conscious fields such as conservation and ecology.

Scientist Raquel Thomas-Caesar told Mongabay she has found most educated men who care for the environment to be respectful and compassionate.

But, she said, she was surprised on one occasion, many years ago, when a trusted, overseas colleague in a supervisory position made an unwelcome sexual approach.

She said she never reported the incident as she dealt with the situation privately  but also because she didnt feel confident that upper-level management would address the situation adequately.

Today, Thomas-Caesar makes use of her current employers sexual harassment policy to discipline such behavior and there have been a few occasions where staff have been dismissed.



Changing the climate

Having specific policies in place is important when tackling institutional sexual harassment, but the reporting process must also be clear, open and non-judgmental  and those found guilty properly penalized.

In November 2017, the Huffington Post reported that an engineering professor at Princeton University had been found responsible for sexual harassment. His reported punishment: to attend training.

People are really mad on campus right now, said Andrea Graham, Associate Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, in an interview with Mongabay in December. Theyre really angry at such a light punishment. In response, the university has set up an advisory committee to review its sexual-misconduct policies.

Meanwhile, in her own department, Graham chairs a Climate Committee that aims to promote transparency, diversity and inclusivity. The committee, set up in early 2016, is made up of two peer-selected graduate students, post-doctoral students, one staff member and three faculty members.

Just opening the conversation has been incredibly therapeutic and already productive, she said. Activism, or just actions, and cultural change induced by how awful things are right now maybe ultimately will make it all worthwhile. Thats what makes it feasible for me to march on despite the horrible news every day.

(Names have been changed to protect the identities of individuals. Writer Carinya Sharples is a Guyana-based foreign correspondent. You can find her on Twitter at @carinyasharples)

(The article was originally published on mongabay.com)

Images: NPS photo and Carinya Sharples/Mongabay
New Delhi, Feb 9 (IBNS): India said all countries can play a constructive in resolving the political crisis in Maldives following a State of Emergency declared by President Yameen and with reports that the island nation has sought support from China to maintain security for Chinese investments.

In response to a query on China's role in Maldives, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Official Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said: "We note that China has said that Maldives Government has the ability to protect the security of Chinese personnel and institutions in Maldives.

"We hope that all countries can play a constructive role in Maldives, instead of doing the opposite," the MEA added.

The Opposition parties in Maldives are seeking an Indian intervention along with the international community to restore democracy, while China in what is seen as a veiled warning to New Delhi indicated that India should stay clear of Maldives' 'internal problems'.

The government of President Yameen refused to implement the Supreme Court ruling and instead clamped a 15-day state emergency and cracked down on the apex court itself, even as protests rocked capital Male.

India, the US and the United Nations have asked Yameen to end the state of emergency.



Yameen cracked down on the Supreme Court suspending its powers and arresting judges.

Present President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom representing Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) is half brother of former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom who had ruled the Islamic island nation from 1978 to 2008 uninterruptedly.

Gayoom was defeated in the October 2008 presidential election but in September 2011, he returned as the leader of the newly formed Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).

Yameen was elected as President in 2013, defeating Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) leader and former president Mohamed Nasheed in the 2013 elections.

In 2016, Nasheed was given asylum in the United Kingdom after he was convicted under the Anti-Terrorism Act of Maldives for arresting Criminal Court Judge Abdulla Mohamed though international rights group like Amnesty International has described the conviction as "politically motivated".
Jammu, Feb 10 (IBNS) Terrorists stormed an army camp in Sunjwan area on the outskirts of Jammu city on Saturday morning, killing two army officers and two children and leaving four army men injured, officials said.

According to initial reports, three heavily armed terrorists carried out the attack at around 4:30 am by opening indiscriminate firing and lobbing grenades inside the camp situated in Sujwan area of Jammu district. The militants attacked the family quarters at Sunjwan Army camp leading to the deaths of two children.

Reports further added that the terrorists later entered inside the camp of 36 Brigade and engaged the troops in a gun battle.

Army officials told IBNS that a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO), a non-commissioned officer (NCO) and two children were killed and four army men injured in the ongoing attack.

Soon after the attack, reinforcement of armys Special Forces and SOG rushed to the spot and cordoned off the whole area amid fierce gunfight.

Schools in the entire area around the camp have been closed by authorities as a precautionary measure.

A high alert has been sounded in Jammu and security beefed up in and around the city.

Intelligence inputs had warned of an attack on the Army or security establishment by Jaish-e-Mohammed in view of the death anniversary of Afzal Guru who was secretly hanged and buried in Tihar Jail on February 9, 2013.



(Reporting by Saleem Iqbal Qadri)
Ramallah, Palestine, Feb 10 (IBNS) : Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived Ramallah, the capital city of Palestine on Saturday on a short but hugely significant trip after winding up his Jordan visit, reports said.

"This will be the first ever Prime Ministerial visit to Palestine from India," PM Modi had said in a statement about the visit that New Delhi has described as "historic".

His Palestine visit comes alongside his three-nation visit to Jordan, United Aram Emirates and Oman.

The Prime Minister, on reaching Ramallah, laid a wreath at the Mausoleum of late President Yasser Arafat, where he was accompanied by his Palestinian counterpart, Rami Hamdallah.

PM Modi went round the Yasser Arafat Museum located adjacent to the Mausoleum.

Modi will hold meetings and exchange agreements with ministers in Ramallah.
Srinagar, Feb 10 (IBNS) : Succumbing to the pressure from Opposition as well as ruling PDP members, Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta Saturday expunged his remarks on Rohingya Muslims.

While commenting on the Jammu attack in the Assembly, the Speaker blamed the presence of Rohingya Muslims.

The opposition legislators staged a forceful protest against the remark compelling the Speaker to adjourn the House for ten minutes.

The House also witnessed anti-Pakistan slogans from BJP members during the ruckus, while National Conference member and former Speaker Muhammad Akbar Lone raised 'Pakistan Zindabad slogans.

Soon as the session started after the adjournment, the members of the NC asked the Speaker to withdraw his remark on Rohingya Muslims.

Later the Speaker withdrew his statement.

The Jammu and Kashmir Government informed the house that two soldiers were killed in an ongoing operation at Sunjwan area of Jammu district.

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Abdul Rehman Veeri, while giving details about the ongoing operation said two JCOs were killed in the attack.

Meanwhile, Major opposition party National Conference distanced itself from the remark of its MLA Mohammad Akbar Lone in the assembly and condemned it.

Reacting to MLAs remarks, NC spokesperson Junaid Azeem Mattu tweeted, Just spoke to @JKNC_ President Dr. Farooq Abdullah Sahib. Dr. Sahib and the entire party is of the unequivocal stand that NC MLA from Sonawari Mr. Akbar Lone has spoken out of turn and his slogans in the Legislative Assembly are completely unacceptable to the party.

Honble @JKNC_ President has said the NC MLA should not forget that he belongs to a party that rejected the two nation theory and he should also remember the oath he swears in the name of God at the beginning of his term. The party disowns and condemns his remarks, he wrote in an another tweet.

Totally endorse my Party Presidents views outlined in these two tweets. The party will say nothing more on this issue, tweeted Omar Abdullah.



(Reporting by Saleem Iqbal Qadri)
Ramallah, Feb 10 (IBNS): Visiting Palestine for the first time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday paid tributes to country's former leader Yasser Arafat.

Modi visited and laid a wreath at the mausoleum of the iconic leader of Palestine.

Modi also called him as one of the greatest world leaders.

" Abu Ammar was one of the greatest world leaders. His contribution to Palestine is historical. He was a good friend of India. I paid tributes to him in Ramallah," Modi tweeted.

Modi is currently visiting Palestine.

He is the first Indian PM to make an official visit to the country.

During his visit, Modi flew in a Jordanian army helicopter straight from Amman to Ramallah.

He was received in Palestine by his counterpart Rami Hamdallah.

Arafat had served as the president of Palestine for eight years until his death on November 11, 2004.
Srinagar, Feb 10 (IBNS): Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday said terrorist attack in Jammus Sunjuwan Army camp left him 'disturbed'.

" News from Jammu & the encounter in #Sunjwan is extremely disturbing. Hoping for an end to the encounter without any loss of life among the security forces & their families," Abdullah tweeted.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday said she was deeply disturbed by the terrorist attack in Jammus Sunjuwan Army camp.

Deeply disturbed by the terrorist attack in Sunjwan today. My heart goes out to the injured & their families, the CM wrote on Twitter.

Three heavily armed terrorists carried out the attack at around 4:30 am by opening indiscriminate firing and lobbing grenades inside the camp situated in Sujwan area of Jammu district. The militants attacked the family quarters at Sunjwan Army camp leading to the death of two children.

Reports further added that the terrorists later entered inside the camp of 36 Brigade and engaged the troops in a gun battle.

Army officials told IBNS that a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO), a non-commissioned officer (NCO) and two children were killed and four army men injured in the ongoing attack.

Soon after the attack, reinforcement of armys Special Forces and SOG rushed to the spot and cordoned off the whole area amid fierce gunfight.

Schools in the entire area around the camp have been closed by authorities as a precautionary measure.

A high alert has been sounded in Jammu and security beefed up in and around the city.

Intelligence inputs had warned of an attack on the Army or security establishment by Jaish-e-Mohammed in view of the death anniversary of Afzal Guru who was secretly hanged and buried in Tihar Jail on February 9, 2013.
Ramallah, Feb 10 (IBNS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said India will always support Palestine's development journey.

Modi is currently visiting the nation.

"Friendship between India and Palestine has stood the test of time. The people of Palestine have shown remarkable courage in the face of several challenges. India will always support Palestines development journey," Modi tweeted.

He said it was an honour for him to visit Palestine.

" I consider it an honour to be in Palestine. I bring with me the goodwill and greetings of the people of India," the Indian PM said.

He said: " I am glad that India and Palestine are cooperating extensively in key sectors such as technology, training and infrastructure development."

Modi was on Saturday conferred with the 'Grand Collar of the State of Palestine' by President Mahmoud Abbas in recognition to his contribution to promote relations between India and Palestine.

President Abbas conferred the Grand Collar, highest order of honour given to foreign dignitaries, on Modi after the conclusion of the bilateral meeting between the two leaders.

Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister to make an official visit to Palestine.

In the past the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine was awarded to King Salman of Saudi Arabia, King Hamad of Bahrain, President Xi Jinping of China, amongst others.

Earlier, Prime Minister Modi was accorded ceremonial guard of honour at Al-Muqata'a, the compound of the presidential headquarters in Palestine's Ramallah on his historic visit on Saturday.

PM Modi arrived in Ramallah from Amman, Jordan, which he visited as part of his three-nation tour-the two other countries being ,United Arab Emirates and Oman.

"Reached Palestine. This is a historic visit that will lead to stronger bilateral cooperation," tweeted PM Modi

The Ministry of External Affairs said he arrived in a chopper provided by Jordan government and escorted by choppers from Israel Air Force.

On his arrival, Modi laid a wreath at Mausoleum of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
New Delhi, Feb 10 (IBNS): Vice President of India M. Venkaiah Naidu has said that India is capital for spirituality in the entire world and we should feel proud of our cultural heritage.

He was addressing the gathering after performing the 88th Mahamasthakabhisheka Mahotsava to Bahubali Gommateshwara, at Shravanabelagola in Karnataka, on Saturday.

The Head of Shravanabelagola Mutt, Swasti Sri Charukeerthi Bhattarakha Swamiji, the Governor of Karnataka, Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala, the Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Ananth Kumar, the Minister for Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, Karnataka, A. Manju and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

The Vice President said that the Mahamasthakabhisheka Mahotsava is considered as the most auspicious occasion that commences once in every 12 years.

He further said that Munis travel across the country to spread the light of Gyan and it is our culture to respect, follow and take inspiration from our gurus.

This celebration will inspire all of us to create a peaceful, harmonious and blissful world, he added.

The Vice President said that visits by senior functionaries like the President and the Vice President to such events will encourage others to follow.

He further said that we should never feel shy of dharma, and said 'Dharmo Rakshati Rakshitaha' - Dharma protects those who uphold or protect Dharma.

Everyone must do something to the society, he added.

The Vice President lauded the efforts and contribution of Jain Gurus and other members to the society.

He further said that Jain community has been showing way for us to do good to society.

The path shown by Jain saints can lead to the harmonious, peaceful and prosperous India we all wish to build, he added.

The Vice President said that attending to basic human needs and avoiding wastage as well as recognising and respecting diversity and pluralism is a part of our national psyche.

He questioned what else can be more important for the mankind to co-exist peacefully on the earth than this preaching?

If one can adopt this principle, we can also accelerate development and that development can be inclusive and sustainable, he added.

The Vice President said that the message of the 24 Tirthankaras is one of the theoretical foundations of our independence movement led by Mahatma Gandhi and non-violence was the central principle of that epic struggle.

He complimented Swasti Sri Charukeerthi Bhattarakha Swamiji of Shravanabelagola Mutt for conducting the Mahamasthakabhisheka Mahotsava for the fourth time in a row.

The Vice President released 108 Books published by Bharatiya Jnanpith belonging to the time of King Bahubali who is the son of First Jain Tirthankara Rishabhadeva.
Guwahati, Feb 10 (IBNS): Bangladeshs two most wanted terrorists have been launched a new terror organization in eastern India and started terror drive in the region.

Eying to set up base in Assam, West Bengal, Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland, Meghalaya, two most wanted terrorists of Bangladesh and National Investigation Agency (NIA) Salehuddin Salehin and Jahidul Islam alias Bumaro Mijan recently launched a new chapter of Jamat-ul-Mujahidin Bangladesh (JMB) in India by naming Jamat-ul-Mujahidin India (JMI).

Indian intelligence recently submitted a report to the Union Home ministry and cautioned that the new organization has already set up base in Assam and West Bengal.

A top source of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) said that, several youths and minor boys from Assam, West Bengal, Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura are in touch with the new terrorist group.

Salehuddin Salehin recently disclosed that he was about to launch the new chapter of JMB in India specially in the eastern part in its media unit Sahm Al Hind.

Meanwhile, Union Home Ministry alerted the north eastern Indian states and West Bengal following IB inputs and asked them to take appropriate measures.

On the other hand, a top official of Assam Police said that Assam Police has already asked some districts bordering with Bangladesh and West Bengal to increase vigilance.

We have taken the matter very seriously. Earlier security forces had cracked down JMB module in Assam and arrested few members, supporters from different parts of the state, the top Assam cop said.

Meanwhile Guwahati city police has issued alert notice following IB inputs about probable entry of Bangladeshi terrorist in the capital city of Assam.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
Srinagar, Feb 10 (IBNS): Following an attack on an army camp at Sujwan area of Jammu, state Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday chaired a high-level security meeting with senior officers of the Jammu and Kashmir state.

According to sources in the government's home department, Mehbooba Mufti Saturday evening called a high-level meeting which attended among others by Chief Secretary BB Vyas, DGP SP Vaid, IG CID Abdul Gani Mir, Principal Secretary Home Department, and Principal Secretary to CM Rohit Kansal.

The meeting discussed threadbare the overall security situation in the state.

The high-level meeting was called in the backdrop of the fidayeen attack on an army camp at Sujwan, Jammu that left four soldiers including two officer and two militant dead while as several others including girl suffered injuries.

Mufti on Saturday said she was deeply disturbed by the terrorist attack in Jammus Sunjuwan Army camp in which two jawans and two children were killed and four others sustained injuries.

Deeply disturbed by the terrorist attack in Sunjwan today. My heart goes out to the injured & their families, the CM wrote on Twitter.

(Reporting by Saleem Iqbal Qadri)
Jammu, Feb 10 (IBNS): Three heavily armed Jaish terrorists were neutralized in Jammu on Saturday, Army sources told IBNS.

Reports said that four terrorists had stormed Sunjawan army cam in Jammu city early on Saturday morning, resulting in the death of four persons including two army officers while ten others were injured.

However, Defence spokesman Col Devendra Anand told reporters, "only two casualties army have and six others are injured".

"Let encounter ends first, then we can comment on questions like where from these terrorists are who helped them to attack on this camp," PRO added.

(Reporting by Saleem Qadri)
Guwahati, Feb 10 (IBNS): 35 out of the total 297 candidates contesting the Tripura assembly polls are crorepati.

Among the candidates, Jishnu Devvarma, BJP candidate from Charilam constituency emerged as the richest candidate in the poll bound state with assets of over Rs 11 crore.

Total value of Jishnus movable assets is Rs 71,38,073 and of immovable assets is Rs 10,36,00,000.

Apart from Jishnu Devvarma, 34 other crorepati candidates are in fray in Tripura assembly poll, which is scheduled to be held on February 18.

Among the crorepati candidates, 18 candidates from BJP, 9 from INC, 4 out of 57 candidates from CPI (M), 2 from INPT, 1 each from IPFT and AITC have declared assets worth more than Rs 1 crore.

On the other hand, 22 candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves.

Out of these, 17 candidates have been accused of serious criminal charges.

Among the 17, 9 candidates are from BJP , 3 from Congress, 2 IPFT, 1 from Trinamool Congress and 1 independent candidate.

Martujuddin Choudhury, an Independent candidate contesting from Bagbassa constituency, is accused of serious criminal charges related to murder.

Among the candidates who accused of grave charges include BJP vice president Subal Bhowmik, senior leaders Ratan Lal Nath and Sudip Roy Barman, IPFT leaders Dhirendra Debbarma, Dhananjoy Tripura and senior Congress leader Gopal Chandra Roy.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
Kolkata, Feb 10 (IBNS): Bollywood actress Tabu has expressed her eagerness to participate in a Bengali film during a recent visit to the city.

On the sidelines of an event in the city, Tabu said: "I hope to do a good Bengali film. I really want to do a nice Bangla (Bengali) film now."

Tabu (46) has so far acted in only one Bengali film Abar Aranye (In the Forest... Again). Abar Aranye released in 2003.

Tabu was last seen in Rohit Shetty 's comedy-horror film Golmaal Again, which had released last year.

She has recently finished working in Sriram Raghavan's film, which will release in June. The film is yet to get a title.

Tabu has received critical acclaims for her acting in Haider (2014) and Drishyam (2015).

She was present in the city on Saturday to inaugurate third Dum Dum International Film Festival organised by West Bengal Information Technology and Electronics minister and Trinamool Congress MLA Bratya Basu.

(Reporting by Souvik Ghosh)
New York, Feb 10 (JEN): It is time to support and invest in women and girls who want to pursue careers in scientific research, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a message to mark the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, observed annually on 11 February.

Guterres said that although both girls and boys have the potential to pursue their ambitions in science and mathematics, in school and at work, systematic discrimination means that women occupy less than 30 per cent of research and development jobs worldwide.

We need to encourage and support girls and women achieve their full potential as scientific researchers and innovators. Women and girls need this, and the world needs this, if we are to achieve our ambitions for sustainable development on a healthy planet, he stated.

The UN chief called for concerted, concrete efforts to overcome stereotypes and biases, such as media representations of scientists and innovators as being mainly men.

His concerns are being echoed by two other top UN officials.

In a joint statement on the Day, the Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Audrey Azoulay, and the Executive Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, stressed that such imagery makes it difficult for girls to believe they can be scientists, explorers or inventors, for example.

They said the future will be marked by scientific and technological progress which will be the greatest when it draws on the full talent, creativity and ideas of women and girls in science.

They added that the rapidly growing science and technology sectors are vital to national economies.

However, UNESCO data shows only around 30 per cent of all female students in higher education select the so-called STEM subjects  science, technology, engineering or mathematics. One of the main tools for tackling gender inequality in the sciences is dismantling the barriers to girls and women, at home, in the classroom and in the workplace. This requires a change in attitudes and the challenging of stereotypes, they said.

We need to tackle biased perceptions amongst teachers, employers, peers and parents of the suitability of girls and young women to learn science  or learn at all  to pursue scientific careers or to lead and manage in academic spheres, the UN officials stressed.

They went on to stress that: Tackling some of the greatest challenges of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development  from improving health to combatting climate change  will rely on harnessing all talent.

That means we need to achieve a significant increase in the number of women entering and remaining in STEM careers.

In December 2015, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution that established the annual International Day to recognize the critical role women and girls play in science and technology communities.





Photo: Graham Crouch/World Bank


Seoul, Feb 10 (IBNS): South Korea's President Moon Jae-in held a historic meeting with Kim Yo-jong, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister, as relation between the two Korean nations are slowly inching toward normalisation.

Kim Yo-jong is the first member from the ruling family to set foot in South Korea since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.

She was accompanied by Kim Yong-nam, North Koreas ceremonial head of state.

Meanwhile, the US Vice-President Mike Pence, who too was present during the opening ceremony of Winter Olympics on Friday night, refused to acknowledge the North Korea's ceremonial head of state, hinting that a reconciliation between America and the secretive Asian regime is not likely to happen any time soon.

In a rude gesture, he remained seated when athletes from the Korean contingent marched in the opening ceremony.



Image: twitter.com/StephenMcDonell
Dhaka, Feb 10 (IBNS): BNP leader Barrister Moudud Ahmed on Saturday said conviction and sentence against former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia in Zia Orphanage Trust graft case is going to be a turning point for the party.

It is a political blunder on the part of the government, which cannot realise the severity and depth of the reaction of the verdict, Moudud was quoted as saying by The Daily Star.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was on Thursday sentenced to five years in jail as a Bangladesh court convicted her in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case, reports said.

Her son Tarique Rahman and four others got 10 years' jail term in connection with the same case.

Zia was found guilty of embezzlement of 252,000 Dollars from a trust created for an orphanage in the name of her late husband and Bangladesh's former President Ziaur Rahman.
California/Ottawa, Feb 10 (IBNS): Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has once again urged his US counterpart Donald Trump to reconsider the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) before taking any tough decision, media reports said.

In a recent visit to the US, Trudeau urged Trump to think twice about the year-old trade pact couple of times.

Trudeau has said Trump should not snap the ties just for the sake of "winning".

He highlighted the number of jobs for both the nations created due to the NAFTA.

Trudeau even said that if NAFTA is a bad idea then there is no good idea either.

".......let us not step back from the progress our countries have made with extraordinary effort since the post-war years. Let's not raise fresh barriers between our peoples" the PM was quoted by CBC News.

"That would harm the very folks who need our help most. The nexus point for this all is NAFTA" he added.

Days ago, reminding Donald Trump about a possible consequence, Trudeau at the University of Chicago, has said the fall of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) will hurt the middle class of the United States, media reports said.

Trudeau said the US will be an economic sufferer if it pulls out of the pact.

The PM was quoted by CTV News as saying: "Even if theoretically there is a better opportunity for a long-term deal, in the short-term that's a lot of families out of work (and) suffering in a way that I think would be far worse politically."



"The challenge we have is not trade deal versus no trade deal. It's how do we make sure we're benefiting citizens and workers who don't feel like they've been properly supported or cared for over the past years" he added.

The sixth round of North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has ended in Montreal on Monday with a little "progress".

Trudeau has even said: "We know we can work towards a good deal, but we also know that we will not be pushed into accepting any old deal."

"No deal might very well be better for Canada than a bad deal. And being firm on that is, I think, what Canadians expect of me" he added.

NAFTA is an agreement which came into force from January 1994 by Canada, Mexico and United States creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America.

For more than two years, US President Trump criticised the agreement and also hinted to take some serious steps being in the administration or at least send some ultimatums.

Trump reportedly wants the treaty to be more fair.



Image: Facebook/@POTUS
Viral Bhayani

Ranveer said, "She is the No. 1 actress of Hindi cinema today. She has crossed over working in English films as well. She has achieved so much, and I am extremely proud of her. I don't think about my stardom, I only look upon myself as an actor. I have a long way to go in my own estimation. I don't think I have done my best work yet. So I want to continue to grow and develop and be the best actor that I can possibly be."

BCCL

In his FB post, Ripu Daman Jaiswal wrote, "One and a half years ago, I had written and registered a film based on the works of Arunachalam Muruganantham and Saati biodegradable sanitary pads. Have you heard about them? Yup, Arunachalam Muruganantham is the guy who had made low-cost sanitary pads for rural women."

PInterest

Talking about the film, Bharat Tiwari, president Yuva Sarv Brahmin Samaj, told Hindustan Times, Rani Laxmibai is being wrongly portrayed as a lover of a British officer which is not correct. She had led our countrys first struggle for Independence and had laid down her life for the country. We demand that the filmmaker should correct these wrong things otherwise we will not let the film to screen in theatres. We will take any step for maintaining the glory of Rani Laxmibai and our Brahmin community.

 A post shared by Priyanka Chopra (@priyankachopra) on Feb 9, 2018 at 6:48pm PST

Priyanka Chopra is a global star and her Instagram account is good enough as proof. While we sulk on Mondays and look forward to weekends, looks like PC lives her life in suitcases, living an exotic life. This week, PC announced her next production venture, an Assamese film.

He said his downfall got extra attention as he is a public figure. I had heard that there are some disadvantages after you make a name for yourself, which one faces in this form. But now I understand it, and have learnt not to take it to my heart, Kapil told IANS.
You've made your resolutions and promised yourself that you will be sticking to your routine this year no matter what. But just a moth into the year and you're having hard time maintaining your routine; either because you lack the inspiration or the motivation to hold on to a fitness regime.

coach.nine.com

For a lot of people it makes sense then that they are more likely to stick to a fitness routine or a goal they create if they workout in groups, claim studies off late.

A recent study published by the International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care revealed that people who workout in groups are more likely to stick with their workout routine even six months down the line, apart from it's several other health benefits; including improving your quality of life.

thedo.osteopathic.org

The World Health Organization recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic physical activity per week for the average person. Considering a group ex class can range anywhere between 30 minutes to hour and typically scheduled for a few times a weeks, you'll well within the recommended range if you stick to a group ex class.

If you still want to continue with indoor workouts but need to switch things up with fun activities that are anything but traditional, these are some unconventional workouts you can try:

-Trampoline fitness: You can burn 160 calories in half an hour of jumping on your mini-trampoline.

shape.com

-Pole fitness: Pole fitness is an extension of pole dancing that uses the pole to its maximum potential as a versatile piece of fitness equipment. It works the whole body, improving muscle tone, flexibility, coordination, posture as well as upper body and core strength.

dailyaashiana.com

-Aerial yoga: Anti-gravity yoga or aerial yoga combines the traditional yoga poses, Pilates and dance with the use of a hammock.

tr.sputniknews.com

-Boot camp workout: A fitness boot camp is a type of group physical training programme conducted by gyms and personal trainers. These programmes are designed to build strength and fitness through a variety of intense group intervals over one-hour period of time.

indiatoday.in

-Battle ropes: This helps to build more muscle. The key to their effectiveness is that they work each arm independently, eliminating strength imbalances as they sculpt your muscle.

indiatoday.com

-Aqua workout: Aqua aerobics is the performance of aerobic exercise in fairly shallow water such as in a swimming pool. Done mostly vertically and without swimming typically in waist deep or deeper water, it is a type of resistance training.

swimmershop
Calling Indian tourists scum of the earth, Goa Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai, has cautioned particularly against North Indians who he claimed wanted to create a Haryana in Goa.

The minister was speaking at the Goa BizFest in Bambolim. At the business event, he also contradicted Chief Minister Manohar Parrikars target of one crore tourists and asked the government to attract foreign and upper-class Indian tourists.

Read more: Goa Not For Indians? Minister Wants To Make It So Expensive So That Only Foreigners Can Visit

Sardesai veered off to the quality of tourists visiting Goa.

Wikipedia

After quoting Parrikars push to increase tourists to Goa to one crore, Sardesai said: Today we have almost six times population of Goa coming as tourists. Those tourists are not top-end tourists, they are also the scum of the earth. Are they responsible? They are not. If you compare Goans to rest of India, we are high in per capita income, social and political consciousness, we are much superior than people who are coming in. Those people, how you will control (them)? Can you control them?

We could control them at one point in time. But we jumped the Russians We decided to put all eggs in one basket. The British have gone away. And, now we are dependent upon the north Indians and this is what they do. They are not bothered about Goa. They want to recreate Haryana in Goa, said Sardesai. He then chose to connect those states as being responsible for problems Goa has today.
AP

Junior Commissioned Officers (JCO) M Ashraf Mir and Madan Lal lost their lives in the attack launched by a group of four-five heavily-armed Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists. Another officer and a civilian are injured and have been moved to the military hospital. Read more





Here's more top news of the day:





1) Railways Has Finally Decided To Fire Over 13,000 Employees Who Never Report For Duty

AP

A large chunk of government employees feels that its easy to evade duty whenever they want because there are no checks to keep them regular. But that's not gonna be easy now as the Indian Railways has initiated a massive crackdown on it employees who are regular absentees or are on long unauthorised leaves. Read more

2) Goa Minister Calls Indian Tourists Scum Of Earth, Says North Indians Want To Turn Goa Into Haryana

Wikipedia

Calling Indian tourists scum of the earth, Goa Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai, has cautioned particularly against North Indians who he claimed wanted to create a Haryana in Goa. Read more

3) Soldier, Cop Jump Into Hyderabad's Hussainsagar Lake To Rescue Woman Who Attempted Suicide

Representational Image

Hyderabad's Hussainsagar lake was a spot of high drama on Friday. A woman jumped into the lake in an attempt to suicide and two men who saw what she was doing, jumped in to rescue her. Read more

4) 10 Lakh Students Skip UP Board Exams In Last Four Papers Because Of Strict Anti-Cheating Drive

bccl/representational image

Setting a dropout record, over 10 lakh examinees skipped the Uttar Pradesh board examinations in the last four days. This comes in the wake of a number of steps taken to pin down the education mafia that abets use of unfair means, and is twice the number of over 5 lakh students who had dropped out of the exams last year. Read more

5) Goa's Sanskari CM Parrikar Has Problem With Girls Drinking Beer, God Save India's Party Capital

Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar is worried as girls have started consuming alcohol. "I have begun to fear now because even the girls have started drinking beer. The tolerance limit is being crossed," said Mr Parrikar, whose coastal state is one of most sought-after tourist destinations. Read more
In addition to expanding offshore drilling in California waters, Brown signed a Big Oil-written carbon trading bill, pushed the Trump administration to exempt California oil fields in Kern County from the Safe Drinking Water Act, fast-tracked his environmentally unjust Delta Tunnels project and has overseen water policies that are driving the Delta smelt and winter run Chinook salmon closer and closer to extinction.

'Climate leaders' Justin Trudeau and Jerry Brown are both promoters of oil industry expansionBy Dan BacherAfter going to yesterdays rally to stop offshore oil drilling in Sacramento, where not one single politician mentioned the massive expansion of offshore oil drilling in state waters under climate leader Jerry Brown, I was feeling very frustrated.One politician after another delivered the narrative that California would resist Trumps plan to open the coast to new offshore oil drilling when Jerry Brown has already done in the state waters off Ventura and Los Angeles counties what Trump would like to do in federal waters  expand offshore oil drilling.However, I was elated this morning to receive the following statement from Patrick McCully, Climate and Energy Program Director at the Rainforest Action Network, about Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus visit with Brown here in California. McCully gets it right, unlike many politicians, NGOs and media outlets:Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Governor Jerry Brown are birds of a feather in claiming climate leadership while encouraging the expansion of the oil industry. Trudeau is currently bullying British Columbia into accepting Texas company Kinder Morgans dirty tar sands mega-pipeline, which the provinces government and its First Nations have made clear they dont want. Meanwhile Brown has long refused to take action against fracking and other dirty oil extraction in California. We cant afford for our climate leaders to be fossil fuel pushers.Patrick, thanks so much for having the courage to reveal what is really going with the current oil drilling expansion in both California and Canada!On Friday, local climate justice activists opposed to the Kinder Morgans pipeline protested outside the hotel where Trudeau was staying: globalnews.ca/.Today, Brown met with Trudeau in San Francisco, where the two leaders pledged to "expand cooperation on climate action, trade and criminal justice reform."We've got a lot to do with Canada while our Washington government is temporarily missing in action. In terms of climate action, California and more than a dozen other [U.S.] states are taking real action. I'm looking forward to forging agreements with various provinces in Canada and particularly in zero-emission vehicles  electric cars, hydrogen cars, said Governor Brown at the opening of todays meeting. I'm hoping Canada, California and the rest of America can really commit to developing the technologies that will allow us to have zero-emission vehicles be a big part of our future.However, it appears that Brown is also "missing in action" when it comes to stopping the expansion of fracking, steam injection and other extreme oil extraction techniques in California.Here are the facts: Jerry Browns regulators have approved 238 new offshore oil wells in state waters under existing leases, an increase of 17 percent since 2012, according to analysis by the nonprofit FracTracker Alliance.According to the Fracktracker Alliance:"FracTracker Alliance reviewed the data published by DOGGR on permitted offshore wells. (DOGGR refers to the Division of Oil, Gas, & Geothermal Resources, which regulates drilling in CA). Using API identification numbers as a timeline, we actually find that it is likely that 238 wells have been drilled offshore since the start of 2012. The DOGGR database only lists spud (drilling) and completion dates for 71  a mere 1.3% of the 5,435 total offshore wells. DOGGR reports that 1,366 offshore wells are currently active production wells. It must be noted that these numbers are only estimations, since operators have a 2-year window to drill wells after receiving a permit and API number.Using these methods of deduction, we find that since the beginning of 2012 the majority of offshore wells have been drilled offshore of Los Angeles County in the Wilmington Oil Field (204 in total); followed by 25 offshore in the Huntington Beach field; 7 in the West Montalvo field offshore of Ventura County, and 1 in the Belmont field, also offshore of Ventura County. Additionally, the Center for Biological Diversity reports that at least 200 of the wells off Californias coast have been hydraulically fractured."The FracTacker Alliance report is available here: https://www.fractracker.org/2017/02/more-offshore-drilling-ca/ In addition to expanding offshore drilling in California waters, Brown signed a Big Oil-written carbon trading bill, pushed the Trump administration to exempt California oil fields in Kern County from the Safe Drinking Water Act, fast-tracked his environmentally unjust Delta Tunnels project and has overseen water policies that are driving the Delta smelt and winter run Chinook salmon closer and closer to extinction.Why is Jerry Brown such a loyal servant of the oil industry? It might have something to do with the fact that Brown has received over $9.8 million from oil companies, gas companies and utilities since he ran for his third term as governor, according to Consumer Watchdog. For more information on Governor Brown and his so-called "green" policies, see: http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/sites/default/files/2017-09/how_green_is_brown.pdf Big Oil also wields enormous influence over the California Legislature, such huge influenced that every bill except one opposed by the oil industry has failed to make it out of the Legislature over the past three years. Big Oil dominated three out of the four top spots of expenditures by all lobbying organizations in 2017 according to documents from the California Secretary of States Office.Outspending all of their competition, Chevron placed first with $8.2 million and the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA), the trade association for the oil industry in the states of California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada and Arizona, spent $6.2 million. Tesoro Refining and Marketing Company finished fourth with $3.2 million. You can find the information on spending by employers of lobbyists here: cal-access.sos.ca.gov/Thats a total of $17.6 million dumped into lobbying by the three top oil industry lobbying organizations alone. That figure exceeds the $14,577,314 expended by all 16 oil lobby organizations in 2016.The California Oil Lobby was the biggest spender in the 2015-16 legislative session, spending an amazing $36.1 million on lobbying over the two-year period. Big Oil spending last session amounted to $1.5 million per month  nearly $50,000 per day.WSPA and Big Oil use their money and power in 5 ways: through (1) lobbying; (2) campaign spending; (3) creating Astroturf groups: 4) working in collaboration with media; and (5) getting appointed to positions on and influencing regulatory panels, as in the case of the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) initiative to create faux "marine protected areas" in California.
Protests and actions in San Rafael, Oakland, Los Angeles, across the US, and around the world marked the 17th birthday of imprisoned Palestinian teen activist Ahed Tamimi. With birthday songs, cakes and cards as well as protest actions against Israeli occupation and colonization, the streets of international cities marked days of action called for by Samidoun, the Free the Tamimi Women campaign and other organizations to demand the release of Ahed, imprisoned since December 19 and facing charges before an Israeli military court. On February 13, an Israeli military court ordered journalists to leave the courtroom then extended Ahed's detention until her next hearing on March 11.Ahed was seized by occupation forces in a pre-dawn raid on her familys home in the Palestinian village of Nabi Saleh, near Ramallah, where she and her family are leaders in the anti-colonial indigenous land defense and resistance movement. The villages land and even its spring have been confiscated by the illegal colonial settlement of Halamish and the village is regularly subject to invasions, raids and arrests. Aheds mother, Nariman was arrested by occupation forces later the same day.She is one of over 350 Palestinian children imprisoned by the Israeli occupation and one of nearly 6,200 Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli jails. Each year, around 700 Palestinian children are brought before Israeli military courts, and 25 Palestinian children have been subject to administrative detention  imprisonment without charge or trial  over the past two years.
Exxon Mobil  Good For a Few Years The Smart Investor - Mon Sep 13, 6:45PM CDT We believe that Exxon is a company that has a reasonably positive short-term outlook. Even in the long term, it should be fine until at least 2030. However, the increasing focus on electric vehicles and...

Cotton Weakens on Monday Barchart - Mon Sep 13, 4:45PM CDT After the weekend, cotton futures closed the first trade day of the week with 55 to 82 point losses. Dollar Index was higher on Monday, though ended just 0.041 points higher on the day. The weekly Crop... DXZ21 : 92.580 (-0.08%) CTV21 : 94.99 (+0.61%) CTZ21 : 93.08 (+0.29%) CTZ21 : 93.08 (+0.29%)

Wheats Mixed on Monday Barchart - Mon Sep 13, 4:45PM CDT September wheat futures will expire at the close tomorrow. At the close on Monday, wheat prices were mixed with gains for HRW. Chicago SRW prices were fractionally to 3 cents in the red at the bell. The... ZWU21 : 677-2 (+0.41%) ZWPAES.CM : 6.2955 (-0.22%) KEU21 : 678-2s (+0.30%) KEPAWS.CM : 6.5960 (+0.66%) MWU21 : 881-2s (-0.23%)

UK approves vaccines for 12-15s, aims to avoid lockdowns AP - Mon Sep 13, 3:42PM CDT LONDON (AP)  Britain decided Monday to follow other countries in offering coronavirus vaccines to children 12 and up, as the government gambled that expanded vaccination and mild tweaks to social behavior... $SPX : 4,468.73 (+0.23%) $DOWI : 34,869.63 (+0.76%) $IUXX : 15,434.50 (-0.04%)

US budget deficit rises to $2.71 trillion through August AP - Mon Sep 13, 3:02PM CDT WASHINGTON (AP)  The U.S. budget deficit rose to $2.71 trillion through August, on track to be the second largest shortfall in history due to trillions of dollars in COVID relief. $SPX : 4,468.73 (+0.23%) $DOWI : 34,869.63 (+0.76%) $IUXX : 15,434.50 (-0.04%)

Chart of the Day: RCM Tech: Engineering Solutions Barchart - Mon Sep 13, 2:58PM CDT The Barchart Chart of the Day belongs to the engineering company RCM Technologies (NASDAQ: RCMT ). I found the stock by sorting Barchart's Top 100 Stocks list first by the most frequent number... RCMT : 7.09 (+17.38%)
Peter Cheesman, head of analytics, Aon Benfield, told Insurance Business that the swing between major losses and those that fall below historical averages show that the insurance industry cannot become complacent on natural disaster risk.

The volatility of natural disasters does indeed highlight the need for insurers and communities to prepare, Cheesman said.

The insurance industry will benefit by supporting community awareness to inspire and educate communities about disaster planning and risks.

Cheesman said that the North American hurricane drought provides a great example for remaining vigilant. From 2005-2016, there was a lack of hurricanes in the region, with the drought coming to a sudden end with hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria contributing to the biggest year of losses on record in 2017.

By remaining vigilant for disasters, even in gaps between them, Cheesman said the industry can improve awareness so communities can boost their resilience. He noted that there were 300 natural catastrophe events in 2017, with 97% being weather-related. 2017 was the 41st consecutive year, since 1977, of above average global land and water temperatures based on 20th century records. This could point to more disasters in future years.

More heat and moisture in the atmosphere leads to more unstable weather patterns and can increase the risk of extreme events around the world, Cheesman said.

We know these kinds of events are going to happen and they are becoming increasingly volatile. The growing scale and impact of these events are a strong reminder of the need for holistic impact forecasting to deliver expert modelling and effective risk management planning.

Notably, with Australia impacted by Cyclone Debbie and other, smaller storms, Impact Forecastings recent Climate & Catastrophe Insight: 2017 Annual Report found that 56% of Australian losses related to natural disasters were uninsured.

Cheesman said that the surprisingly high number is linked to under insurance, with the industry taking more responsibility when it comes to lowering the protection gap.

The built environment continues to grow both in size and insurable value, often into areas of significant risk, Cheesman said. It therefore remains important to adopt adequate building codes that consider natural hazards and improve the resilience of homes to these hazards.

We are seeing more insurance companies taking the responsibility to educate their customers around mitigation to better protect their homes, particularly in the more cyclone-exposed areas of Australia such as North Queensland. Fire emergency services also play an active role in educating the public when safeguarding themselves and their homes from bushfires.





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Never has a corporation done so much with so little. Founded in Mountain View, Calif. on July 18, 1968, by Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore, Intel Corp. (INTC) has been the worlds leading manufacturer of microprocessors and chipsets almost since its inception. Based on its 2020 revenue of $77.9 billion, Intel is the largest semiconductor company in the world.

Intel's closest competitor, Samsung Electronics, recorded $57.7 billion in semiconductor sales in 2020, while Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSM), came in third with $45.5 billion in revenue.

In this article, we'll take a look at Intel's strengths that have kept it at the top of the semiconductor industry for so long. Plus, we'll also review challenges the company will need to contend with in the years to come as competition to dethrone the mega chip maker intensifies.

Key Takeaways In 2020, Intel reported sales of $77.9 billion, making it the largest semiconductor company in the world by revenue.

Unlike some of its competitors that outsource manufacturing to foundries in China, Intel fabricates its products in-house at Intel-owned facilities.

In 2020, Intel lost a lucrative and long-standing customer when Apple announced it was developing its own semiconductor solutions and its new laptops and desktops would no longer use Intel processors.

Intel has lost market share to rival companiessuch as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, Advanced Micro Devices Inc., and Samsung Electronics.

In response to criticism from an activist hedge fund, Intel replaced CEO Bob Swan with VMware CEO Pat Gelsinger in February 2021.

In-House Fabrication

What separates Intel from most other semiconductor companies is that it fabricates its products in-house. The bulk of semiconductor manufacturers farm the actual work of creating the products out to foundries in China. Intel even fabricates chips for other companiesfor the most part, ones too small to be considered true competitors. Is that a conflict of interest? Not really. Fabrication plants can cost several billion dollars to build, and it makes sense for Intel to keep its plants busy.

Intel does indeed assemble chipsets in China, but at Intel-owned facilities. It is received wisdom among some American doomsayers that low labor costs make China the world's factory and the default base of manufacturing operations for U.S. corporations that want to save a few pennies per unit and ship jobs overseas. That claim is sometimes more accusatory than it is true.

At the end of 2020, Intel had a multitudinous workforce of 110,600, approximately half of whom were employed in the United States. Almost half of Intels chipsets and microprocessors are manufactured at home, at facilities in the suburbs of Phoenix, Albuquerque, and Portland. Outside of China, most of the remaining Intel products are developed in Israel.

The semiconductor industry uses the term "fabless" to describe a company that designs and markets its chips while outsourcing the fabrication to a third-party manufacturer. Some of Intel's biggest competitorsNvidia Corporation and Qualcommare fabless companies.

The Competitive World of Chip-Sourcing

Given that Intel fabricates other companies chips at its facilities, the business of working with companies that in some settings might be your competitors is more common than you might think. For instance, in 2007 Apple Inc. (AAPL) began using Intel chips exclusively in its Macs, supplanting the PowerPC CPUs that Apple itself helped develop as part of a consortium.

But that long-term partnership with Intel came to an end in 2020 when Apple announced its new laptops and desktops would no longer use Intel processors. Instead, their machines would be powered by Apple's new M1 chip, which the company developed as part of its "Apple silicon" plan to own and control the primary technologies behind their products.

This loss of a valued (and lucrative) customer came as a significant blow to Intel. In its 2020 annual report, the company said that one of its biggest challenges going forward would be in dealing with the loss of revenue from customers like Apple that decide to break ties and develop their own semiconductor designs.

Moore's Law

Intels co-founder, Gordon Moore, lends his name to the most famous observation in technology. Formulated in 1965, Moores Law states that transistor density doubles every two years. Not only has the observation held ever since, but Intel has officially incorporated the law into its company strategy. In 2020, the company announced it had doubled its combined 14nm and 10nm manufacturing capacity in just a few years. This enabled Intel to expand its line of 10nm products and launch its next generation of mobile PC processors.

1:17 Watch Now: What Is Moore's Law?

So whos buying all these Intel chips?

In 2020, Intel had three major customers that were responsible for 39% of the company's net revenue. Dell Inc. accounted for 17%, Lenovo Group Limited accounted for 12%, and HP Inc. accounted for 10%. These three customers generated 43% of Intel's accounts receivable as of Dec. 26, 2020.

The Changing Market

Capitalizing on the leverage of its market-leading position, Intel has over the years shifted some of its focus to smaller devices and embedded systems. The latter refers to chips placed in something other than stand-alone computers, which can include everything from cars and planes, to traffic signals and factory assembly lines.

Like any corporation of its size ($234.1 billion market capitalization as of April 27, 2021), Intel has an elaborate business organization. The company has five major divisions or groups:

The Client Computing Group includes Intel's core processor systems for desktop computers, notebooks, and tablets.

The Data Center Group includes products for cloud communications and infrastructure.

The Internet of Things Group includes products designed for Internet connectivity in areas like retail, transportation, industrial, video, buildings, and smart cities.

The Non-Volatile Memory Solutions Group creates memory and storage products with innovative form factors based on Intel Optane technology and Intel 3D NAND technology.

The Programmable Solutions Group offers programmable semiconductors for the company's cloud and enterprise market segments.

Intel Faces Criticism

While Intel's business groups have enjoyed a reputation for cutting-edge innovation, that reputation came under close scrutiny by activist hedge fund Third Point LLC in December 2020. Third Point criticized Intel's management for losing market share to its rivals, noting, in particular, the loss of customers like Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon that were developing their own semiconductor solutions and sending their designs to Asia for manufacturing. Additionally, Intel was rebuked for not retaining some of its top chip designers and leaders, who were steadily leaving the company.

Third Point Chief Executive Daniel Loeb asked Intel to consider strategic alternatives, such as divesting itself of failed acquisitions and deciding whether it should remain an integrated device manufacturer. Bowing to the pressure, Intel's board of directors announced that CEO Bob Swan would be replaced by VMware CEO Pat Gelsinger in February 2021.

The Bottom Line

Some companies dominate an industry, fail to innovate, and fall into irrelevance (e.g., Howard Johnson and Kodak). Others have great ideas but never manage to capitalize on them. The company that can leverage intellectual firepower with commanding market share is the company that can stay both powerful and relevant for decades.

While Intel has enjoyed over 50 years of dominance in the semiconductor industry, it faces fierce competition from rivalssuch as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, Advanced Micro Devices Inc., and Samsung Electronicsthat could put Intel's future dominance in the semiconductor industry in question.
What Is 403(b) Plan?

A 403(b) plan is a retirement account for certain employees of public schools and tax-exempt organizations. Participants include teachers, school administrators, professors, government employees, nurses, doctors, and librarians.

Key Takeaways 403(b)s resemble 401(k)s but they serve employees of public schools and tax-exempt organizations rather than private-sector workers.

The advantages of a 403(b) compared to a 401(k) can include faster vesting of your funds and the ability to make additional catch-up contributions.

Investment choices may be more limited with a 403(b), however, and some accounts offer less protection from creditors than 401(k)s.

Understanding 403(b) Plan

The 403(b) plan is in many ways similar to its better-known cousin, the 401(k) plan. Each offers employees a tax-advantaged way to save for retirement, but investment choices are often more limited in a 403(b), and 401(k)s serve private-sector employees.

The features and advantages of a 403(b) plan are largely similar to those found in a 401(k) plan. Both have the same basic contribution limits: $19,500 in 2020 and 2021. The combination of employee and employer contributions are limited to the lesser of $58,000 in 2021 (up from $57,000 in 2020) or 100% of the employee's most recent yearly salary.

Both also offer Roth options and require participants to reach age 59 to withdraw funds without incurring an early withdrawal penalty. Like a 401(k), the 403(b) plan offers $6,500 catch-up contributions for those age 50 and older in 2020 and 2021. Unlike a 401(k), it also offers a special plan for those with 15 or more years of service with the same employer (see below).

Although it is not very common, your job situation could end up giving you access to both a 401(k) and a 403(b) plan.

If your employer offers a 403(b) and a 401(k) you can contribute to both but your aggregate contribution cannot be more than the $19,500 limit, not counting any catch-up contributions.

Advantages of 403(b) Plan

Earnings and returns on amounts in a regular 403(b) plan are tax-deferred until they are withdrawn. Earnings and returns on amounts in a Roth 403(b) are tax-deferred if the withdrawals are qualified distributions.

Employees with a 403(b) may also be eligible for matching contributions, the amount of which varies by employer. Plans that do not offer employer matches deprive employees of the essentially free money these provide, but they may lead to lower administrative costs.

Notably, 403(b) plans that are not required to meet the onerous oversight rules of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) may have lower administrative fees when compared to 401(k)s or other retirement plans subject to greater oversight. One of the rules for non-ERISA 403(b) plans is they cannot have employer contributions.

Many 403(b) plans vest funds over a shorter period than 401(k)s, and some even allow immediate vesting of funds, which 401(k)s rarely do. Also, if an employee has 15 or more years of service with certain nonprofits or government agencies, they may be able to make additional catch-up contributions to a 403(b) plan that those who have a 401(k) plan can't make.

Under this provision, you can contribute an additional $3,000 a year up to a lifetime limit of $15,000. And unlike the usual retirement plan catch-up provisions, you don't have to be 50 or older to take advantage of this. But you do have to have worked for the same eligible employer for the whole 15 years.

Clergy can also participate in a 403(b) but there's a special plan typea 403(b)(9)that's designed specifically for employees of religious institutions.

Disadvantages of 403(b) Plan

As with a 401(k), funds withdrawn from a 403(b) plan before age 59 are subject to a 10% tax penalty, although you may avoid the penalty under certain circumstances, such as separating from an employer at age 55 or older, needing to pay a qualified medical expense, or becoming disabled.

A 403(b) may offer a narrower choice of investments than the other types of retirement plans. The reason is that 401(k)s tend to be administered by mutual fund companies, which can offer a host of these diverse and versatile investment options.

Most 403(b) plans now offer mutual fund choices as well, albeit inside a variable annuity contract in many cases. However, fixed and variable contracts and mutual funds are the only types of investments permitted inside these plans; other securities, such as stocks and real estate investment trusts (REITs), are prohibited.

The presence of an investment option that 403(b)s favor is, at best, a mixed blessing. When the 403(b) was invented in 1958, it was known as a tax-sheltered annuity. While times have changed, and 403(b) plans can now offer mutual funds, as noted, many still emphasize annuities.

These investments have some advantages but financial advisors often recommend against investing in annuities in a 403(b) and other tax-deferred investment plans for a variety of reasons.

For 403(b)s that don't have ERISA protection, accounts may lack the same level of protection from creditors as plans that require ERISA compliance, including 401(k)s. If you are at risk of creditors pursuing you, speak to a local attorney who understands the nuances of your state. The laws can be complex.

Another disadvantage of non-ERISA 403(b)s include their exemption from nondiscrimination testing. Done annually, this testing is designed to prevent management-level or highly compensated employees from receiving a disproportionate amount of benefits from a given plan.

A lack of ERISA protection means that the plan doesn't have to follow ERISA standards to ensure plan safety.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are the Similarities Between 401(k) and 403(b)?

The 403(b) plan is in many ways similar to its better-known cousin, the 401(k) plan. Each offers employees a tax-advantaged way to save for retirement. Both have the same basic contribution limits: $19,500 in 2020 and 2021. The combination of employee and employer contributions are limited to the lesser of $58,000 in 2021 (up from $57,000 in 2020) or 100% of the employee's most recent yearly salary. Also, both offer Roth options and require participants to reach age 59 to withdraw funds without incurring an early withdrawal penalty. Like a 401(k), the 403(b) plan offers $6,500 catch-up contributions for those age 50 and older in 2020 and 2021.

What Are the Advantages of a 403(b) Plan?

Earnings and returns on amounts in a regular 403(b) plan are tax-deferred until they are withdrawn and tax-deferred if the Roth 403(b) withdrawals are qualified distributions. Employees with a 403(b) may also be eligible for matching contributions, the amount of which varies by employer. Many 403(b) plans vest funds over a shorter period than 401(k)s, and some even allow immediate vesting of funds, which 401(k)s rarely do. Also, certain nonprofits or government agencies allow employees with 15+ years of service to make additional catch-up contributions. Under this provision, you can contribute an additional $3,000 a year up to a lifetime limit of $15,000 and, unlike the usual retirement plan catch-up provisions, you don't have to be 50 or older to take advantage of this. Finally, 403(b) plans are not required to meet the onerous oversight rules of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)

What Are the Disadvantages of a 403(b) Plan?

In most instances, funds withdrawn from a 403(b) plan before age 59 are subject to a 10% tax penalty. One may avoid this penalty under certain circumstances, such as separating from an employer at age 55 or older, needing to pay a qualified medical expense, or becoming disabled. Also, 403(b) may offer a narrower choice of investments than the other types of retirement plans. For 403(b)s that don't have ERISA protection, accounts may lack the same level of protection from creditors as plans that require ERISA compliance. Another disadvantage of non-ERISA 403(b)s include their exemption from nondiscrimination testing. Done annually, this testing is designed to prevent management-level or highly compensated employees from receiving a disproportionate amount of benefits from a given plan.
The Washington Post reported on this poll, saying, The poll, released on Friday by the Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland (CISSM) and IranPoll, found comparatively little support for changing Irans political system or relaxing strict Islamic law and suggested that criticism of Iranian foreign policy in Syria and Iraq was not as widely shared by the general population.

The Post added, Iranians also felt expressions of support for the protesters from President Trump and other U.S. officials did not help those demonstrating, the survey found, with 39 percent saying they hurt the protesters demands and 9 percent saying they helped. When asked for their opinion on the U.S. government, 85 percent of Iranians were found to have a very unfavorable opinion of it; less than 1 percent had a very favorable opinion. Further, according to the Post, The poll also found that generally, Iranians were happy with the way authorities had handled the protests, with roughly two-thirds saying police handled the protests very or somewhat well, and a slightly smaller about (64 percent) saying they used an appropriate amount of force.

It was a questionable choice, to telephone people who live inside Iran, under a dictatorship that controls communications. Authorities arrest those taking part in protests, as seen during the recent uprising, when Irans own officials indicate there were some 5,000 arrests, including 1,400 women. People were arrested without warrants and transferred to unknown locations. Under circumstances like this, how can anyone who is asked about regime change in Iran actually provide a true opinion?

The Atlantic Council and Barbara Slavin were behind this survey. The questionnaire was carried out by IranPoll and former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. It was presented by the University of Maryland.

Slavin said of the results, The survey shows that Qasem Soleimani  the head of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and a man under US sanctions  remains the most popular figure among regime stalwarts. According to the poll, he is gaining in popularity with an 83% approval rating now compared to 73% two years ago. She continued, President Hassan Rouhani, meanwhile, has seen a noticeable slide, from 82% approval two years ago to just over 65% now. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarifs numbers have also gone south, with 68% approval now versus 78% in 2016.

Dr. Ebrahim Mohseni of Tehran University carried out the poll. Mohseni gained attention after he conducted a poll in Ahmadinejads favor. The Iranian American Forum published a report on April 20, 2015 on Mohsenis past and connections with Irans Revolutionary Guards [IRGC]: Ebrahim Mohseni was a student at the University of Maryland in 2007 who went to Iran and worked under the supervision of Mohammad Marandi, a Tehran University professor to conduct [a] poll Following the successful launch of two polls in the US in 2007 and 2008, and the large media coverage that they received, President Ahmadinejads office dedicated more resources to the project and helped to create the University of Tehran Center for Public Opinion Research (UTCPOR) in 2009. The head of the center is Mohammad Marandi and the director of projects is Ebrahim Mohseni who is also tied to the Revolutionary Guards Since 2009, UTCPOR has produced a dozen of polls for its partners in the US. Additionally, the center has also released domestically used polls designed to help the hardliners and Revolutionary Guards. For example, in 2014, the ultra-hardliners planned to impose a mandatory separation of men and women in working places and universities. They also envisaged to pass it into law in parliament. The plan created a social and media uproar but UTCPOR released a public opinion poll of Iranians that showed an overwhelming support for the plan.

State-run Tasnim News reports that Mohseni explained the result of his poll in an interview, A majority of Iranians who answered our questions told that implementation of Islamic rule in Iran will help to reduce the social and economic problems in the country. 78% believed that the separation of men and women will improve work conditions in public offices and will strengthen the foundation of families. 64% of them preferred that women be given only jobs that are related to women.
By Gordon Deegan

An Bord Pleanala has fired a warning shot across the bows of developers availing of new fast-track planning laws aimed at easing the housing crisis.

The warning comes via the appeals board  under its new Strategic Housing Development regime  which refused planning permission to a Galway developer for 113 new homes at Bearna outside Galway City because the density of the development was not high enough.

The boards refusal to grant planning permission is the third decision it has made on strategic housing developments, and the second refusal out of the three decisions to date.

In its decision, made under the new laws introduced last summer, the appeals board refused permission to Burkeway Homes Ltd as the proposed development would not be developed at a sufficiently high density to provide for an acceptable efficiency in serviceable land usage, given the proximity of the site to the built-up area of Bearna and Galway City.

An Bord Pleanala said that the low density of the proposed development at Trusky East, Bearna, would be contrary to ministerial guidelines which indicate that net densities of less than 30 homes per hectare should be generally discouraged in the interests of land efficiency. The density of the development was 18 units per hectare.

The appeals board stated that in addition, the proposed development does not have an adequate mix of dwelling types, being predominantly semi-detached and detached housing.

The company had billed the development as one of the best housing developments the West of Ireland has ever seen and ideal for family living.

A number of locals objected to the development, including some who were concerned at the excessive scale and density of the development.

A spokesman for Burkeway Homes said yesterday that it is reviewing the An Bord Pleanala decision and intends to lodge revised plans for the site as soon as possible.

The spokesman said that the revised plans will incorporate the learnings from the An Bord Pleanala decision.

In the new fast-track regime, instead of applications having to go through council level and then on to An Bord Pleanala  a process that can on occasion take more than a year  developers can now bypass local authorities if their plans are for more than 100 homes and 200 student-bed spaces.

Currently, An Bord Pleanala is dealing with 13 planning applications that involve the construction of 4,280 houses, apartments, and student accommodation.
The IFA is warning that some people seem to be "sleepwalking into Brexit".

The Association's Regional Chairperson, Nigel Reneghan, says there is a horror story ahead for Ireland, if the UK leaves the single market and the customs union.
Update January 10, 7.50am: Gardai report that Eileen McCarthy has been found safe and well.

Update 9.10pm. Josephine Gibson reported missing earlier from Crumlin has been located safe and well but Gardai are still appealing for help in locating missing Cork woman, Eileen McCarthy.

Earlier: Gardai are asking for help in locating two missing women from Cork and Dublin.

In Cork Gardai are asking for help finding a 55-year-old woman missing from her home in Cork city.

Eileen McCarthy is described as 5'2'' in height, of medium build and with brown shoulder length hair.

When last seen, she was wearing a green bomber jacket with a hood and a blue jumper.

Gardai believe she may be travelling in a black 07 Cork registered Toyota Yaris.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Togher Garda Station, Tel. 021 4947120.

Meanwhile Gardai are also seeking the public's help in tracing Josephine 'Josie' Gibson, 75 years, who is missing from her home in Crumlin, Dublin 12.

Josephine is described as 5'3'', medium build with shoulder length fair hair and blue eyes. When last seen she was wearing a white or cream coat with a fur collar and carrying a black handbag with a flower pattern.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crumlin Garda Station on 01 666 6200.
A woman has been arrested after a three-year-old child was hospitalised in Dublin.

The woman is being questioned by gardai as part of an investigation into the incident.

Gardai were called to the scene of an incident involving a child at a house in Shankhill at about 4.15pm today.

Arising from the incident, a three-year-old girl was taken by ambulance to Our Lady's Hospital, Crumlin.

A woman in her 40s was arrested at the scene.

She is currently being detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act at a south Dublin garda station.

An investigation into the incident has been launched.
A ferry and a drive delivered Noel Baker to a relaxing family holiday in France

The local man whod seen the episode unfold did have a few words of sympathy for us. Pointing back over his shoulder to the market stall, he quipped: She, heh, she is not funny!

Moments before, my wife, our three children and I had been strolling around the market in the beautiful town of Saintes, set on the banks of the Charente River in south-western France. My five-year-old son had committed the cardinal sin of picking up a piece of fruit we might want to buy. The lady selling the goods was not best pleased. In addition to demanding the peach be placed back in its spot immediately, she and my wife had a quick back-and-forth in French in which the message was clear: Ill sell you the goods when weve decided what you want.

In retrospect, it was a little funny, despite what our fellow customer thought. And it also highlighted that some of the cliches we hear about other places turn out to be true (in this instance, the grumpy French person) - and that this isnt always a bad thing. When we recall our weeklong stay in this lovely part of France, it will be just another happy memory.

But first, lets rewind. This was a trip of firsts for a number of reasons. Number one, it was our first time taking a holiday on board a ferry, in this case the Cork to Roscoff crossing. Secondly, it was the first time driving on the wrong side of the road for both me and my wife; and it was also our first visit to this particular part of France. Its fair to say we did well on all fronts.

Speaking as someone who had only ever taken the short four-hour hop from Rosslare to Pembroke, the ferry crossing was a novelty in itself. We had a lovely cabin with a view of the waves, the bunks were surprisingly comfortable and most importantly, my kids had a ball. This was helped by the realisation my sons best friend was on the same crossing, along with his family, and the fact that our journey was flat calm the whole way from Cork to Roscoff. True, chasing around after three children as they barrel from one attraction to the next, or watching them race around the helideck, was a little more hectic than you might want, but then again, compared to the stressor that is the airport, it was quite serene. We all dossed down having watched the summer sun setting over the ocean, and by the time we awoke we were pulling into Roscoff.

Next up, the driving. Since my wife thinks Im a bad driver and I know shes a terrible backseat driver, we decided she would take the wheel and Id act as navigator. It worked out fine, with Google Maps helpfully not sending us to Norway or Luxembourg or any other unwanted destination. We ploughed down the country via Rennes and Nantes and by the early afternoon we were pulling into our digs for the week - Bel Air Gites, a beautiful setting based around old farmhouses that tick every box when it comes to rustic French living.

Bel Air Gites is run by Irish couple Paul Carroll and Patricia McCartney, who previously lived and worked in Brussels before moving to this part of France more than seven years ago. They told us that they ultimately had a choice of two gites when they were deciding where to live, but its hard to imagine anywhere else topping here. For a self-contained, relaxing family holiday, its near-perfect.

Royan in the region Charente-Poitou in France, would remind you of a deluxe Kilkee

We have yet to embark on a holiday camp-style break, but while Im sure my children would enjoy it, the idea gives me ulcers. Water slides, weird rides, loads of other children racing around - it sounds like fun, except for congenital worriers like me, who would then have to factor in what other kids are doing as well as my own. But at Bel Air Gites, there was none of that. It has five different accommodation options but even if it was at capacity it would have more of a village vibe. We stayed in Chataigniers (the Chestnut), a former farmhouse and dairy complete with stylish wooden beams, white walls, airy rooms and brown rafters. With all mod cons, it also has a lovely brick barbecue in the backyard, which itself offers a fantastic view of the sun going down over nearby fields. Paul and Patricia live a stones throw away, and there is plenty room for children to run around and play, with a playground, a brilliantly-stocked games room, a trampoline and a heated swimming pool.

So far, so great. So what else did we do? We visited the aforementioned Saintes, which is a stylish spot for some shopping and also boasts a well-maintained Roman amphitheatre, which I duly sullied by running around quoting lines from Gladiator.

We ate well and often in the local town of Gemozac, I mastered the morning drive to the local bakery, which had a great selection of breads and confectionery, and we stocked up on essential provisions and many tasty bottles of plonk in the local mega market (Super U). We visited the nearby coastal town of Mortagne-sur-Gironde, which is great for a stroll and an ice cream and for the beach we aimed for Meschers-sur-Gironde further up the coast.

We also took a day trip to Zoo La Palmyre, a huge Fota Island-style affair with everything from iguanas to polar bears and well worth a visit. The fist-sized pygmy marmoset monkeys were a particular hit with my little tribe. The zoo is not far from the town of Royan, which in a weird way reminded me of a deluxe French version of Kilkee. And then theres the stuff we didnt get around to doing, such as paying a visit to the town of Cognac to sample its globally-renowned wares.

But really, the point of all this was to get away from everything and to slip into a lazy, hazy way of living for a few days. As Paul and Patricia explained, life in this part of the country is unhurried as a rule. It takes some getting used to - you mean I cant get any food in restaurants outside of mealtimes? - but you quickly get used to it and then begin to feel the benefits. France is, after all, considering rules that would actively dissuade people from accessing emails outside of work hours, combatting the always on culture that has crept into our own lives.

So we lounged, splashed around in the pool, and rattled up a few barbecues. Drama was in short supply, unless you count that time a bat flew in the window one night when my wife and I were watching House of Cards. Even he just settled into a slot near the rafters, stayed there all night, and the following morning I borrowed a net and managed to pop him back out the window.

We drove home via Brittany, viewing countryside more like our own back in Ireland, and mucked up just the one roundabout on the way.

Back on board the Pont-Aven, the only tricky bit was trying to get the children to bed.

Easy peasy - isnt that what we all want?

GETTING THERE

Bel Air Gites is run by Irish couple Paul Carroll and Patricia McCartney, who offer a a self-contained, relaxing family holiday.

We took Brittany Ferries from Cork to Roscoff on board the Pont-Aven, departing Cork on Saturdays and departing Roscoff on Friday nights.

Prices quoted from 102 per person each way with your car or from 66 per person each way for parties of four or more people, including a four-berth cabin.

Alternatively, Ryanair fly twice-weekly from Cork to Bordeaux and Aer Lingus has daily flights from Dublin.

Self-catering packages with Stena Line to France (Rosslare to Cherbourg) including ferry seven night breaks cost from 555 per couple here

Short breaks to France with Stena line cost from 155 return car and driver here.

Where to stay?

We spent five nights at Bel Air Gites. Child and toddler-friendly and close to amenities, while still in splendid rural isolation. Check for rates and availability at belairgites.com.

Where to eat?

We had an excellent lunch at Le Lion DOr in Gemozac which was also airconditioned - a godsend on hot days. There are plenty of options in Saintes and elsewhere while 1407 in Mortagnesur-Gironde is recommended for fine dining.

What to do?

Nothing. Or you could venture out to Zoo la Palmyre, take a day trip to Saintes, Cognac or Bordeaux, the vineyards of Medoc or St Emilion, or the aquarium and other attractions in La Rochelle.
His four-year stint on Vikings has just come to an end, but with six movie releases this year alone, an IFTA nomination and his latest role as Amy Hubermans love interest in Striking Out, Moe Dunford is about to become a household name, writes Esther McCarthy

Posing in his native Dungarvan for pictures to accompany this interview, Moe Dunford found it hard to keep a straight face.

He may be one of our busiest acting talents, but back in his home town a photoshoot brings on a bit of playful ribbing from passersby whove known him since he was a boy. Men from the area were walking by with their dogs and theyd shout over: Hey Dunford, dont forget to say cheese, he says afterwards. There are a lot of shots of me cracking up laughing. Not that the actor would have it any other way. Dunford is an actor who takes his work, but not himself, seriously, and hes extremely proud of his Co Waterford roots.

The actor is enjoying the most buoyant period of his career with no fewer than six movies due for release in 2018. Hes also currently starring as Amy Hubermans characters potential new love on top RTE drama Striking Out.

Last week, Irish fans of global TV hit Vikings saw his character, Aethelwulf, meet a shock demise after more than four years on the series.

Moe Dunford in Vikings

Hes known about the move for some time.

We have a producer out there, Keith Thompson, and hes a gem of a man. But theres a nickname for him, they call him The Angel of Death, chuckles the actor. A couple of times a year, hell have a little smile on his face going around the cast trailers, and hell be looking for a certain cast member to give him the news that either their head is getting chopped off or theyre gone from the show in some grotesque form.

Himself and (top producer) Morgan OSullivan came up to me last year. I want over and I said: Well, whats the craic? And he said: Im sorry to have to break it to you, we loved your time on the show but were going to have to move on with history. You die this year. It was funny when they said it to me because of the way my character dies, it was very left of field. Morgan said to me: You actually die of a bee sting.

Mishearing the producer and thinking he had said basting, the actor started to respond about the macabre death before realising he was in fact going to die of.

To this day I dont know how the two boys kept a straight face, he laughs.

I went in in season two and left in season five, and I think it was a very good run for a feature like that. It took me a while to get used to it. The outpouring from fans was quite lovely, actually.

Ever since he got his break with an astonishing performance as a young man with mental health issues in Patricks Day four years ago, Dunford has embraced new opportunities and developed a reputation as one of our most hard-working and successful actors.

When I found out I was going from Vikings I wanted to just jump in with as many different directors as possible. Ive had a good year. Ive been working pretty much non-stop.

He has no fewer than six movies due for release, including the terrific Michael Inside, which screened at Cork Film Festival and arrives at cinemas in April.

Filmed largely in the former Cork prison, he plays an inmate who befriends a teenager sent to jail who is ill-equipped to cope with his new reality in the critically acclaimed drama.

Im grateful that I got to work with the likes of (writer/director) Frank Berry. Id seen his film, I Used to Live Here, and I wrote Frank a letter explaining how much I love to see the work of a filmmaker who works with the community, to make a movie to give back to the community. He responded to me and a few years later gave me the part in Michael Inside. Im very proud to have worked with him and Dafhyd (Flynn, the films young lead actor). Well also see him in the forthcoming Irish thriller Black 47, a revenge movie set during the famine. It has a big-name cast including Hugo Weaving, Jim Broadbent, Barry Keoghan and Cork actress Sarah Greene. There was a lot of fight training and choreography and horse training and shooting - theres a lot of action in it. Its exciting.

Hell be starring opposite Peter Coonan and Charlie Murphy in Ian Fitzgibbons adaptation of Kevin Barrys novel, Dark Lies the Island, and plays a musician in actor Hugh OConnors directorial feature debut, Metal Heart.

Hes filmed a lead role in Northern Irish movie The Dig and also stars in the upcoming horror/drama The Lodgers.

I got to work close to home in Wexford and drive to work every day, he says of The Lodgers.

One of my aspirations is to make a movie in my native Waterford. To advance the amount of movies that are shot regionally. Id feel strongly about that. We were shooting in the village of Clongeen. The primary school students came out with their teachers and watched us shooting a fight scene, that was fun.

There are a lot of stories that havent been told, a lot of stories are Dublin-centric I enjoy stories that are shot in the countryside or in small towns.

As a young boy, he honed his interest in films with his father, who was introducing him to classic favourites. He knew it was something he wanted to pursue, but wasnt sure how. After studying in UCC and then the Gaiety School of Acting, he found it difficult to break through at first, but that all changed when he played the title character in Patricks Day, and he has worked consistently since.

Downtime is spent with his pride and joy, his son Charlie (8), who he calls the best thing that ever happened to me. Does Charlie realise what dad does for a living?

He does. He came to set on Vikings once. He was watching a fight scene and he just took me aside and said: Dad dont do that because you have a really stupid-looking run. He put me in my place! I love taking him down home, weve done the Greenway and weve done the railway through Waterford, the old-fashioned railway they have there. He has a great mother and were both very proud of him. Hes very funny, sensitive and kind.

In recent weeks, weve seen him try to woo Amy Hubermans solicitor character in RTEs Striking Out  an attraction complicated by the fact that hes her ex-fiances younger brother.

Moe Dunford in Striking Out.

What interested me was playing a character where you could be a bit ambiguous. But also its a change of pace for me, because I havent played many happy-go-lucky characters. Amy was a big draw to me, shes a real joy to work with. Wed be good friends.

The busy actor will shortly begin filming on Rosie, the new drama directed by Paddy Breathnach (Viva) and written by Roddy Doyle.

On February 15, hell have the opportunity to meet up with acting friends at the IFTA awards, where hes nominated for his work on Vikings. Its my last year on the show so being nominated is a great way to bow out.

Im also delighted to see the young actors I worked with like Dafhyd Flynn (Michael Inside) and Fionn OShea (Handsome Devil) being nominated for lead roles.
Leslie Williams visits Caffe Amore in Dublin

I dont know how I missed it. Caffe Amore by Luli Montana opened in late 2015 on South Great Georges St, right in the heart of Dublins busiest restaurant district, yet I only noticed it in January 2018. I could offer the excuse that the street frontage is tiny and that it looks more like a coffee shop than a restaurant that extends over three floors, but these are poor excuses  I must have passed their door over 500 times.

There is some consolation in the fact that I may not be alone, I have asked two other Dublin-based reviewers and they had never noticed it either, and I think this may be its first review in a national newspaper.

Now I realise that Italian food is ubiquitous and that Dublin has over 100 Italian restaurants serving similar food, but Caffe Amore (CA) is different  think of it as a rather precious gemstone nestled among a mass of cubic zirconia.

The restaurant is long and narrow with an old-fashioned Italian feel as you might expect to find in Naples  the atmosphere is relaxed but also quirky and hip  wine racks line the walls and battered old Moka pots hang from the ceiling but obscure dance music plays in the background. The kitchen is tiny but makes its own bread, focaccia and pizza and the menu is deceptively straightforward with a selection of cheese and meat boards (Tagliere), Bruschetta, Burrata with grilled and roasted vegetables. There are classics like Parmigiana Melanzane and of course a pizza menu plus a selection of I Panuozzi  stuffed rolled pizza dough imported from Naples  owner Luli Montanas home town.

Besides pizza, the Caprese Salad must be the most famous and comforting dish from Italys south  in CA it was like a blast of warm Neapolitan sun on a wintry January evening. Creamy sweet mozzarella balls sat simply on thinly sliced good quality tomatoes dressed with basil leaves and peppery olive oil plus some sourdough bread to mop up the juices. Similarly rich, full-flavoured burrata was served with focaccia, rocket and slow roasted tomatoes and some of the best Mortadella Ive tasted outside Bologna. These starters were not inexpensive at 9.50 and 13.50 but the wonderful quality of the ingredients made them a bargain.

Our two mains came from the days specials  my guest had rich meaty Fennel Sausages (from Naples of course) served with Crushed Potatoes and Turnip Tops (16)  Italian bangers and mash if you will.

My Pizza la Grigliata (16.50) meanwhile was a thick edged square pizza almost over-filled with grilled courgettes, roasted peppers, basil and pistacchio pesto, ricotta, scamorza and mozzarella. Yes I hear what you are saying  pizza should be about the base not the toppings  but here the perfectly cooked inch-thick crust holding in the veg and cheese was one pleasure, the rich cheese and roast veg on a thin base was a separate but equal one  the flavours bounced off each other beautifully.

There was just one dessert option left on the evening we visited but a well-executed traditional Tiramisu fitted perfectly with what had gone before and was followed by a couple of shots of Neapolitan digestivo  Elisir San Marzano, a delicious bitter-sweet herbal liqueur tasting of tar, coffee and wild herbs.

The wine list is short and has some decent house Nero dAvola and Montepulciano plus of course Barolo, Amarone etc and some good southern Italian wines such as Aglianico Cupersito from Casebianche, and some better whites including Pecorino, Greco di Tufo and Falanghina.

I enjoyed my meal so much I went back for lunch the following day. For a paltry 11.50, I had some excellent bruschetta piled high with fine quality fresh tomato, olive oil and herbs along with a plate of creamy Gnocchi Sorrentina  gnocchi smothered in a rich tomato sauce with scamorza and Grand Padano cheese  plus a decent glass of Montepulciano. Unlike the pizza, focaccia and breads the gnocchi and pasta are not made in-house but from what I tasted they are sourcing carefully.

Caffe Amore is serving delicious heart and soul-warming Italian comfort food and I expect to visit again often.

The Tab

Dinner for two including two starters, two mains, a shared dessert, a bottle of Nero dAvola, a San Pellegrino and two digestivo cost 110.50. A two course lunch plus a glass of wine cost 11.50

How To: Open every day from 7.30am to 10.30pm

The Verdict:

Food: 8/10

Drink: 7/10

Service: 8/10

Ambience: 8/10

Value: 9/10

In a sentence: A great value all-day cafe-restaurant serving proper Italian comfort food with charm and not a little style.

Caffe Amore, 59 South Great Georges Street, Dublin 2. Tel: 01-4750505. www.caffeamore.ie
Update 9.05am: The Israeli military has shot down an Iranian drone that infiltrated the country before launching "large-scale attack" on at least a dozen Iranian targets in Syria.

Israel called the drone incident a "severe and irregular violation of Israeli sovereignty".

The military said its planes faced massive anti-aircraft fire from Syria that forced two pilots to abandon an F-16 jet that crashed in northern Israel.

One pilot was seriously wounded and the other lightly.

The military called the drone infiltration a "severe and irregular violation of Israeli sovereignty" and said Iran would be held responsible for its outcome, marking a dramatic escalation in tensions along its northern border.

"This is a serious Iranian attack on Israeli territory. Iran is dragging the region into an adventure in which it doesn't know how it will end," Israel's chief military spokesman, Brig Gen Ronen Manelis, said in a special statement.

"Whoever is responsible for this incident is the one who will pay the price."

The Israeli military then carried out what it called a "large scale attack" against Iranian and Syrian targets in Syria.

The military said it struck 12 targets including three aerial defence batteries and four Iranian targets that are part of Iran's military establishment in Syria.

During the attack, anti-aircraft missiles were fired toward Israel jets triggering sirens that were sounded across northern Israel.

Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman was convening the top brass at military headquarters in Tel Aviv to discuss a further response.

Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus said Iran was "responsible for this severe violation of Israeli sovereignty" and that the military was "fully prepared for further action".

Syrian state TV quoted a military official saying Syrian air defences hit more than one Israeli plane.

The official said the Israeli raids hit a base in the country's central area, and called it a "new aggression."

Later, Syria state TV said its air defences responded to new Israeli raids near the capital Damascus.

8.23am: Israel says F-16 pilot seriously wounded in crash

The Israeli military says one of its pilots has been seriously wounded as a result of an emergency evacuation from his F-16 jet that came under Syrian fire.

File photo.

The military says the pilot was evacuated to a hospital for medical treatment.

A second pilot was slightly injured in the incident.

The F-16 crashed in northern Israel after facing heavy anti-aircraft counter fire from Syria.

Israeli planes had just struck Iranian targets deep in Syria in response to an Iranian drone that infiltrated Israel.

The military says it has the drone in its possession.
Prison bosses say this is a direct consequence of changes in the law creating a series of non-custodial sanctions for people who do not pay court-ordered fines.

Provisional figures from the Irish Prison Service (IPS) show there were 9,332 committals in 2017, compared to 15,099 in 2016  a fall of 38%.

The figures are down 46% compared to 2015, which recorded 17,206 committals.

A person can be committed to prison more than once in a year, so the number of people jailed dropped from 14,182 in 2015, to 12,579 in 2016 and to 7,810 in 2017  reflecting the same percentage reductions as overall committals.

Responding to queries, the Irish Prison Service confirmed that the decline was due to the changes in sanctions for non-payment of court fines.

The Irish Prison Service saw a reduction in 2016 in the number of people being committed on fines and there was a dramatic reduction in 2017, said a spokesman.

At stages during 2017 we had situations where he had basically no one committed for non-payment of fines.

The reduction in committals in 2017 is completely attributable to a significant reduction in people committed to custody for non-payment of fines, up to a 75% decrease in this cohort in 2017 compared to 2016.

The practice of jailing people who failed to pay fines  imposed by courts as a sanction for a criminal conviction  created an administrative and resource headache for the prison service.

The system came into disrepute as the vast majority of fine defaulters were brought to prisons and processed  taking up staffing resources and time  only to be released within hours or the following day because of space shortages.

For this reason, they do not impact on the number in custody, which stood at 3,646 on December 31, 2017, compared to 3,595 on the same day in 2016 and 3,647 in 2015.

Penal reformers long criticised jailing fine defaulters, saying they should not be sent to full prisons for relatively minor offences and that non-custodial measures should be used.

Numbers rose sharply over the last decade  from 2,500 in 2008, to 7,500 in 2011 and to 9,000 in 2014. It peaked at almost 9,900 in 2015, accounting for 60% of all committals in that year.

Committals fell to 8,400 in 2016 after the introduction of various non-custodial options. The main element of this was a new method to pay fines by instalment.

This was provided for in the Fines (Payment and Recovery) Act 2014, but did not become operational until January 2016.

Deirdre Malone, executive director of the Irish Penal Reform Trust, said: These numbers demonstrate that the commencement of the Fines [Payment and Recovery] Act 2014 is having a positive effect in reducing prison committals.

Imprisonment for fines default represented a waste of Garda, Courts and Irish Prison Service time and resources and created an illogical and additional burden on an already strained prison system.

Ending the practice has significantly reduced unnecessary and damaging committals to prison, as well as saving the taxpayer money.

Ms Malone said they were concerned over IPS figures which showed that the number of people in custody at the end of December 2017 was higher than on the same day in 2016, while the number on temporary release was half that of two years ago.
His candid remarks come as his successor, Mary Lou McDonald, is today officially declared Sinn Fein president, amid a fresh storm of controversies around the party.

Sinn Fein was last night still resolutely refusing to host the traditional question and answer session with Ms McDonald and attending media at the special ard fheis meeting in Dublin.

Among the issues of public interest are fresh accusations of bullying in the party; why MLA Gerry Kelly used bolt-cutters to remove a car clamp; the North, and any new direction Sinn Fein might take.

Despite numerous requests from journalists, the party insisted last night neither Ms McDonald or leadership members would hold a press conference at the RDS event in Dublin.

Mr Adams will pass on the presidency after more than 34 years in the post. Around 2,000 delegates are expected to gather for the ratification of the Dublin Central TD Ms McDonald as his successor.

The partys leader in the North, Michelle ONeill, will be proposed for the vice-presidents position.

In an interview with the Press Association, Mr Adams said he did not care how history judged him.

The barman-turned- republican leader, 69, said he accepts some people will detest him: I dont mind. If I thought about it very deeply those people who detest me will continue to detest me. Those people who admire me will continue to admire me.

Mr Adams has always strenuously denied being a member of the IRA or being the Belfast commander at one stage, despite numerous reports and claims to the contrary by republicans.

Reflecting on the casualties of the Troubles, he said: I regret the fact anyone was killed, particularly those who were killed by the IRA. Of course, I do.

All victims deserve the truth and justice and their families deserve that.

Meanwhile, during her speech at the RDS, Ms McDonald is expected to emphasise that Sinn Fein will campaign enthusiastically for repeal of the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution to liberalise access to abortion In Ireland.

She will also lay out intentions to grow the party, and for a united Ireland.
In 1972 a 23-year-old Republican activist being held under internment was flown on an RAF plane to London for a top secret meeting with the British Government.

Now, 46 years on, Gerry Adams  who remains a key player in the Republican movement while continuing to deny involvement in the IRA  will step down as Sinn Fein president.

Unlike the late Martin McGuinness  who was also among the IRA delegation that attended the covert London meeting with top level officials and politicians and who later came clean around his membership of the organisation  Mr Adams has always denied being part of the armed stuggle.

It is this denial which will stain his legacy.

It is this denial, along with aloofness and detachment that strained relationships, or resulted in them never being developed in the same way as Mr McGuinness who was able to forge strong connections across the divide.

He was as deep as a draw well as we would say at home, you couldnt really get to the bottom of him, Reg Empey, who was involved in the Belfast Agreement negotiations and who went on to be a member of the Assembly, put it.

For Theresa Villiers, who came to know Mr Adams much later as Northern Ireland secretary, he was less approachable than Mr McGuinness.

I would not say I knew him like I knew Martin McGuinness who over those four years I had continuous dialogue with, she said.

The only person to dismiss this notion was former taoiseach Bertie Ahern who said there would have been good bickering over some issues but by and large he was a good person to deal with, adding that they often had the craic before serious peace negotiations began.

Mr Ahern recalls a crunch secret meeting at Chequers which included then British prime minister Tony Blair and Mr Adams: It was my birthday that day so he brought me a birthday card.

It is clear that after almost 35 years as leader of Sinn Fein, and having been essential in bringing about peace in Northern Ireland, Adams will step down as someone who is revered and scorned in equal measure.

A man of contradictions which even those who have worked with him find difficult to reconcile or even to separate.

For those who became wrapped up in the murder, maiming and brutality of the Troubles, Mr Adams is someone who has been both the cause and the cure.

Kenny Donaldson, spokesman for innocent Victims United believes that Mr Adams legacy will be one of deep-seated pain.

Michelle Williamson, who lost both her parents in the Shankhill Bombings in 1993, says he will be remembered for denying many victims and families the truth.

Mr Adams retirement means I wont have to see him on the TV every day but it also means that he just slipped away without telling the truth. He will be remembered for the blood he has on his hands, he will be remembered for the lies, he will be remembered for saying I was never in the IRA.

Almost 25 years on from the deaths of her parents, Ms Williamson finds it hard to accept Mr Adams position and hopes he someday might change his public stance on his involvement in the IRA: I never had an opinion on the Troubles until it impacted me.

Its like an open sore and the more he comes out the more that sore keeps festering. Its very hard to accept the good things that he has done when he has not

admitted the bad things, she said.

Politically, many view him as a tough negotiator, a person who was difficult to read, but who could undoubtedly bring his own supporters with him.

Peter Hain, secretary of state for Northern Ireland from 2005 and 2007 described him as an outstanding figure in the peace process adding that without him we would not have had a deal which saw Ian Paisley and Mr McGuinness agree to self-governance.

I think he was particularly responsible for bringing together the leadership of republicanism, I would focus on that, that was his contribution, Mr Hain

said.

He was extremely professional, a tough negotiator but one of the most professional negotiators I have come across, he remembered.

Likewise, former taoiseach Bertie Ahern who along with Mr Blair guided the nationalist and unionist sides to reach agreement, said the prolonged and protracted discussions which went on in the lead-up to the historic 1998 were often about trying to convince Gerry that he would convince others.

Mr Ahern dealt with Adams on a regular basis form the 1990s and the contact would have intensified to an almost daily basis in the crunch years between 1994 right the way up to the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

However, it was in his Dublin Central backyard that Mr Ahern first met Mr Adams when he came down to canvass for Sinn Fein candidate Christy Burke.

He used to come down here with Christy Burke in the early 80s, Sinn Fein at that time were on 1% in opinion polls, remembered Mr Ahern, pointing out how far the party has come under the leadership of Mr Adams.

In 2016 the party secured 23 Dail seats and after the 2014 local elections, they saw their number of representatives rocket to 159 seats.

Contrary to many others, who found him distant and a personality that you would never fully get to know, on a personal level Mr Ahern found him easy to speak to on sport and of course about his beloved Donegal, where he has a holiday home and where he is now expected to spend more of his time.

When he is off the political agenda he is a nice person, said Mr Ahern.

However, in talks Mr Adams was more difficult: Martin McGuinness was quite direct but in a good way, you wouldnt be having to work out the way Martin McGuinness was going, said Ahern.

Gerry could be a bit more tricky. He would be quite sticky, he could take up a point and he would be trenchant about it.

Mr Ahern says he will always remember in the final days of Holy Week of 1998 when all sides were deep in negotiations and a lot of people thought we would not succeed but we were working hard and Mr Adams came to the table with yet more demands.

On the Wednesday of that week, as negotiators thought they were finally getting close to an agreement, Adams came in with 50 or 60 items to add to the agenda, Mr Ahern now remembers with a chuckle that Mo Mowlam went berserk.

This ability to prolong negotiations was echoed by Mark Durkan of the SDLP who remembers Mr Adams as setting many conditions and quibbles in talks to drag the process out, whether that be ahead of the Good Friday Agreement, around decommissioning, or more recently on how to deal with On The Runs.

Like Sinn Fein at large he had a habit of milking  not doing anything until he waited long enough to milk something more by doing it, he said.

So many, many times you would have found Tony Blair saying we are drawing a line in the sand and then later he would come out to say the substance has not changed but the language is different then they have been using before.

He was someone who would quite often play himself detached from things.

There was an element of detachment even at a social level, said the former deputy first minister of Northern Ireland.

Ask about Gerry Adams and it is very hard to untangle the man from another Sinn Fein heavyweight, Martin McGuinness.

The two, who acted as negotiators for both Sinn Fein and the IRA, were seldom apart and Mr McGuinness, who was viewed as affable and charismatic, acted as a good balance to Mr Adams.

We spent a lot of time with him and Martin McGuinness, it was never really on his own, indeed I would struggle to remember a meeting I attended with him on his own, said Reg Empey, former leader of the Ulster Unionist Party.

They made a very strong negotiating team.

However, while many from the unionst side warmed to Mr McGuiness  he and Mr Paisley would later be dubbed the Chuckle Brothers  the fact that Mr Adams refused to admit his past and maintained this fiction caused a huge

barrier in developing true relationships on the unionist side.

Undoubtedly from a personal point of view Martin was a lot easier to get on with, said Empey.

Martin didnt attempt to cover or deny his past, he openly admitted his past in the IRA and what he had done. Gerry kept this pretence up that he had nothing to do with it. As a result you wouldnt really develop a personal relationship.

Even after Mr Adams decided to focus on politics in the Republic, winning a Dail seat in the 2011 General Election in Louth, his influence still seeped over the border.

Theresa Villiers, who acted as Northern Secretary between 2012 and 2016, said it was clear to her that he was still very much a key leader who would attend meetings when they were reaching a crucial stage.

When I say he was not around much it was still very evident that he was calling the shots. When he turned up it was a welcome sign because it was usually a sign that we were making some progress when Gerry and Mary-Lou turned up. I was certainly under no doubt that Gerry Adams made the key decisions.

She added: For me, as someone who grew up in the 70s and 80s, it was odd to find myself working beside someone like Gerry Adams with his history. But he became pragmatic over time.

However she noted that similar to Mr Adams, the party was very disciplined  meaning it was difficult to discern the internal workings or opinions of Sinn Fein.

But what now for Gerry Adams?

Many in his inner circle claim he is eager to retire completely and let a new generation led by Mary-Lou McDonald take over. Indeed the man himself has been posting pictures on twitter

of a whiteboard with his countdown to freedom calendar ticking off the days.

However, others find this version of future events hard to believe.

Reg Empey, for one, said he has no doubt Mr Adams will not completely bow out and will continue to pull some of the Sinn Fein strings from the background.

Mr Durkan claimed he will want to cement more of a solid legacy: He has a jealous ego, he likes that he is the last standing in the leadership cohort of the Good Friday Agreement. But there is not much in it for the last man standing when the institutions are not standing. I would not be surprised if there is a move to reinstate the Assembly that we will be hearing that the key move happened under Gerrys authority.

Meanwhile, Mr Donaldson gives a more black and white analysis of the man: Gerry Adams may officially step down this weekend, but a legacy of pain remains in his wake and many would suspect that he will continue to occupy a puppet master role with those who supposedly now take on the leadership of the Provo movement.

There is no doubt that an agreed assessment of the man is impossible.

Bowing out as president of Sinn Fein, Mr Adams will be remembered as open but ruthless; evasive but influential; cautious but decisive; a war-monger and peace broker  but above all complicated.
Despite the potentially catastrophic outcome of the loading error on July 23, 2015, Aer Lingus Regional/Stobart Air reported 16 more instances over the next two years where luggage was placed in the wrong hold during loading.

The errors occurred at a number of bases and, in almost all cases, were identified by the pilot before take-off, resulting in loads being repositioned.

In five cases, the error occurred more than once and, at one destination, it occurred on four occasions.

Where cargo is positioned in a plane affects the calculation of its centre of gravity.

To fly an aircraft safely, a pilot operates within prescribed centre of gravity boundaries. Aircraft operators must reposition cargo if necessary to stay within the limits.

In the case of the Aer Lingus Dublin-Rennes flight, operated by Stobart Air, the aircraft took off with the centre of gravity outside approved loading limits.

Investigators said operation of an aircraft outside its loading limits can seriously affect its handling during flight and could lead to loss of control.

There were 57 passengers and four crew on board.

Neither Aer Lingus/Stobart Air nor the 40-year-old pilot was at fault. He was given a loadsheet by the baggage handling company which indicated the baggage was in the forward hold. In fact, it was to the rear of the plane.

He told investigators from the Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) that the aircraft felt tail-heavy on take off from Dublin Airport.

He said that, during the descent into Rennes, he told his co-pilot the landing would be somewhat flat due to the tail-heavy condition. He managed to land the plane safely.

It emerged during the investigation that the loading crew had been under time pressure to meet a scheduled mid-morning departure. Investigators described that as a contributing factor.

In addition, there was a breakdown in communication between those responsible for communicating the loading plan.

The pilot was given documentation indicating that the plane was correctly loaded when it was not.

The Load Instruction Report indicated that 32 pieces of baggage were loaded in the forward hold; the computer-generated loadsheet, which was presented to the commander, recorded this loading.

The error was not discovered until the aircraft was being unloaded in Rennes.

Following the serious incident, the airline took a number of safety actions including mandatory loadsheet checks and visual checks of holds after loading.

Investigators said they acknowledged the continuing initiatives by the operator to prevent similar events occurring and, accordingly, did not identify any issues that would support the making of a safety recommendation.
The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission will ask the government and the Oireachtas to ensure an effective and enduring right to work under the Constitution is put in place, following yesterdays formal Supreme Court declaration that the absolute ban on asylum seekers working is unconstitutional.

Chief commissioner Emily Logan said: The right to work is essential for realising other human rights and forms an inseparable and inherent part of human dignity.

The court ruled in May last year that the absolute ban was unconstitutional in principle. However, the court deferred making a formal declaration for six months to allow the legislature to address the situation.

When the issue came before the Supreme Court again last November the State asked for more time.

The court was told the Government was in the process of opting into the European Commission Reception Directive, which contains a provision requiring member states to afford the right to work in certain circumstances.

The court said it would make the declaration on February 9 regardless of what progress the State had made  which it did. On Thursday, several migrant rights and anti-racism organisations across the country held demonstrations, including outside the Dail, in protest at restrictive measures put forward by the Government in relation to asylum seekers right to work.

The Irish Refugee Council is among the groups opposed to the Governments interim proposal for the right to work via the Employment Permit process.

While the council welcomed yesterdays Supreme Court declaration, a spokesperson said: Realistically, we dont want it to be something that is on paper, but cant be put into practice.

Current criteria exclude asylum seekers from up to 60 professions including positions in hospitality, healthcare, childcare, sales, food and construction, as well as requiring them to seek a job with a minimum starting salary of 30,000 that cannot be filled by an EU citizen, or a person with full migration permission in Ireland.

In a statement yesterday, Justice Minister Charles Flanagan said those measures are temporary. He said Ireland has signed up to a EU directive, which comes into effect in June, bringing us in line with EU norms in relation to the right to work.

The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission said it will be seeking a meeting with Mr Flanagan to emphasise that new measures need to be inclusive and universal, and do not create conditions likely to give rise to exploitation.

The commission will also seek an early date to address the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice and Equality on the matter.

The court case arose after the ban was challenged by a member of the Rohingya minority from Myanmar who spent eight years in direct provision before securing refugee status.

He had argued, while in direct provision on 19 weekly allowance, he suffered depression and loss of autonomy and being allowed to work was vital to his development, personal dignity and sense of self-worth.

He had attended all previous court hearings but was not in court yesterday. His solicitor Albert Llussa said he is unwell.
Judge Sean O Donnabhain imposed a two-year jail term on the accused man, Timmy Foley, aged 43, with an address at Dan Corkery Place, Macroom, Co Cork, and suspended the last year of that sentence at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

The judge banned him from travelling by public transport bus for six months after his release from prison.

He may then appreciate the comfort of bus travel and how you should not interfere with others using the bus, the judge said.

Garda Brian Aherne gave evidence yesterday that on September 15, 2017, the injured parties were travelling from Cork to Tralee.

He [Foley] was intoxicated and he threatened other passengers on the bus. He was abusive to a student travelling home to Kerry. He said he was homosexual and grabbed him by the throat. He was asked to leave the bus, Garda Aherne said.

Another passenger, aged in his 30s, intervened. This man also got off the bus in Macroom where Foley was put off the bus. Foley walked after this man and produced a knife. A struggle ensued and the injured party was cut on the hand.

Foley pleaded guilty to assaulting the student, assault causing harm to the other man, producing a knife and being drunk and a danger.

The judge said it was very worrying that a man with the defendants previous convictions and at his level of intoxication was carrying a knife.

Brendan Kelly, defending, said the defendant was in and out of prison throughout his adult life, and all of his offending behaviour occurred when he was intoxicated.

He was highly intoxicated at the time of this incident and he has no memory of it. He wishes to apologise and was absolutely embarrassed and disgusted when his behaviour was described to him by gardai.

He has asked me to apologise to the victims. He knows he needs help for alcohol.
A public meeting will be held locally in Ballineen on Monday night amid fears the community, which has had a post office for 160 years, is about to lose the service.

Shortly after the postmaster Florrie ODriscoll passed away on January 20, a notice was placed by An Post in the post office in Ballineen and in post offices in the surrounding areas to the effect that the company was considering the future post office service provision at Ballineen, which could include the permanent closure of the office.

Minister of State at the Department of Health Jim Daly said he was appalled by the companys action. He has written to An Post over the completely unacceptable approach that they have taken.

In his letter, Mr Daly wrote: Ballineen Post Office, like many other rural post offices is an integral part of the community and surrounding hinterlands, and to plan to close this post office would be detrimental to the community and would also be a disservice to the memory of Florence.

The ODriscoll family have approached me and feel in the circumstances they should be afforded at least six to nine months to continue running the post office in order to prevent letting the community down, and to uphold the good name that Florence had within the community for the service he provided as post master.

An Post says, before any decision is taken, interested parties are invited to submit their views on the issue by February 23.

Any final decision will take into account network coverage needs, the level of business at the office, customer access to service elsewhere and the capacity of neighbouring offices to handle business if the office closed.

An Post has appointed a family member on a temporary basis to maintain the service until a decision is reached.

But residents, serviced by a post office since 1858, have concerns. A local, Mary ODriscoll, said: The village has already been very badly hit with the loss of several businesses in recent years, particularly since the recession.

"A number of pubs, some shops and two petrol stations have closed.
Judge Sean O Donnabhain commended the bravery of the woman at the sentencing hearing for Christy ODriscoll, aged 25, of Gateway, Cork Simon Community, who pleaded guilty to robbing the woman at Lower Oliver Plunkett St, Cork, on December 11, 2016.

Maybe it is because the lady is from Wexford and that they are made of stronger stuff down there than we are but that is an exceptional victim impact statement, he said. This had a very serious effect on her.

But she goes beyond what happened to her. She had the strength of character to challenge her fears, to come back to Cork so that she would not be governed by those fears. That shows tremendous strength of character.

Then regarding the blaggard who knocked her down, she says if he makes a genuine effort to change his life she would not like to see him jailed. That is phenomenal from a citizen who is hurt in this manner.

The judge said he would adhere to the victims desire that ODriscolls efforts to turn his life around to be encouraged. Judge O Donnabhain also noted that the probation officer was particularly hopeful that the man was genuine in his efforts and was at a critical juncture in his rehabilitation.

For all of those reasons the judge said he would adjourn sentencing until June 7 with ODriscoll remanded on continuing bail to obey all the directions of the probation service.

Garda Danny McEnery said the victim had been visiting Cork at Christmas for the past 25 years.

On this occasion, on December 11, 2016, at 5pm, she was returning to her hotel with her daughter when she was pushed from behind and had her handbag snatched from her hands.

As a result of the fall, she had a bloody nose and grazed knees and was given medical treatment.

Brendan Kelly, defending, said of ODriscoll, He has a long history of addiction issues. He is doing quite well now. He wrote a letter of apology for his actions.

In her victim impact report, the woman said: I was pushed from behind and my handbag whipped from me. I was bleeding heavily from the nose after falling. Nothing was taken, thank God.

This has had a huge impact on my confidence when I am on my own. I am constantly looking over my shoulder. When I see a young lad now I pray that it wont happen again.

I came back this Christmas. I am glad I did this. I have faced my fears.

I hope he understands the effect he had on our lives [the womans husband is confined to home and worries about his wifes safety when she is out]. I wonder do we cross his mind at all. I dont hold any animosity towards him.
Next Monday at 6pm, they will file into the Oakwood Arms Hotel in Shannon to find out what prospects they have of keeping their homes.

Many of these home-owners are still absorbing the shock they received just prior to Christmas when they were told that between them they had to come up with 2.25m or face the possibility that their homes would have to be vacated as fire

hazards.

Some among them are investors, but at least half of the 240 units are owned by people who opted to make their homes in the Bru na Sionna development in the town.

Now the fire officer for Co Clare has instructed that remedial works be started by March 10 or further action may ensue. This would ultimately lead to the issuing of a fire safety order which requires the work to be completed or a building be evacuated.

Levon Dmritiev and his wife bought their duplex in 2013 to make a home to raise their two children. They are naturalised Irish citizens and have been living here

for 17 years.

Over recent months, Levon has watched the unravelling of the secrets hidden behind the walls of Bru na Sionna.

A few months ago, my wife said she noticed new security guys walking around the estate, he says. Only now Im realising they were fire marshals.

The developments management company has confirmed that once fire safety issues were identified, it was agreed that security be put in place.

At the management company AGM on December 18, Mr Dmritiev and his fellow owners were told that the first tranche of money would have to be paid early this year. On the basis of the square footage of his home, Mr Dmritiev was told his initial bill was 7,000 and this would have to be doubled by the end of the year.

He is not satisfied with the flow of information that he and his fellow homeowners have received from the management company.

The way this is calculated by square footage, we dont know why that is so and whether or not it is fair, he says. Who is deciding these things? As well, we dont know who made the tests which show the fire safety problems.

We want answers to these questions and we deserve to be told on Monday.

The meeting was called by the management company to update owners. The company nominally represents all the owners in the estate but the Irish Examiner understands that a number of owners have sought independent legal representation as they are not convinced that their interests coincide with those of the directors of the management company.

The directors are all owners themselves. At the AGM in December, the proposal to raise the money along the lines now being progressed was taken after a two-hour discussion and

carried by 59 votes to four.

However, Mr Dmritiev and others are questioning the basis for that vote in the

absence of full information.

However matters proceed here, the history of Bru na Sionna, and the mess in which the owners find themselves, is a salutary tale from the dark side of the building boom.

The estate of 12 blocks was largely built between 2005 and 2007. The developer was one of the biggest in the Mid West at the time, Ennis-based Paddy Burke.

He had funded the development with a loan from Anglo-Irish bank, which eventually found its way into Nama.

When Paddy Burkes company went into receivership in December 2010, the estate was not fully completed.

Crucially, the common areas had not yet been handed over to the owners. The developer also owned around a quarter of the homes. By then, the existing owners had formed their own management company, Tullyvaraga.

A dispute arose between the receiver for Paddy Burke and Tullyvaraga over the finishing of the estate.

According to the Multi Unit Development Act, the developer is obliged to finish an estate and hand over the common areas fully completed.

However, the act does not appear to cover the eventuality of the developer going bust. In such an instance, with whom lies the responsibility to complete the development?

Cora Devanney, Toddle Inn Creche at the Bru na Sionna Estate. Picture : Eamon Ward.

The owners, through Tullyvaraga, felt the receiver should take on the responsibility of the developer to finish the estate and acquire certificates of compliance for the common areas.

The receiver was of the view that this was not his baby. He initiated legal proceedings against Tullyvaraga, which counter-sued for the failure to complete the estate.

At this point, hope still persisted, as Nama was ultimately holding the purse strings. Over the years, Nama has in a number of instances acted beyond its legal obligation to complete estates that required work.

So, despite pending litigation, the prospect of Nama intervening in the name of social responsibility always existed.

Then Nama sold off the loan, and with it any prospect of State intervention.

To the management companys surprise, Nama sold the debt (on Bru na Sionna) to Promontoria Ltd, says Conor Glendon, solicitor acting for the management company.

Promontoria is a subsidiary of the mother of all vulture funds as far as this country is concerned  Cerberus.

Now while the proceedings continue with the receiver for Paddy Burke Ltd, the real power is with the vulture fund which has taken over the Burke loans.

The fund has no obligation to make good any work, as it was not responsible for the construction.

In preparation for the pending litigation, detailed survey work was done, which uncovered the serious fire safety deficiencies.

This raised the unfinished work onto a whole new plane, opening up the possibility that the estate was not built to proper standards in the first place. A report by a fire consultant was issued on October 10 last year.

Three weeks later, the fire officer for Co Clare inspected the blocks and confirmed the major defects. A schedule of works was agreed, which must begin on March 10, according to the fire officer.

The extent of the damage and the bill was conveyed to the homeowners and investors at the management company AGM in December. That was when everybody heard that 2.25m would be required.

The owners were told that while the requirement to fork out money was unpalatable, we are in a desperate situation.

Another issue is timing. When did it become obvious that there was a much bigger problem than just completing work on the common areas?

One owner, Rabii Hendoui, finalised the purchase of his duplex on December 19. He had rented in the estate with his wife and two children for five years before buying their home. He told the Irish Examinerthat he hadnt been told the extent of the problems when he bought.

Solicitor for the management company, Mr Glendon, says everything was done above board by the company.

Everybody knew there were works to be completed going back years but it wasnt until a more thorough investigation was done by the management company that we realised this problem with the fire safety issue, says Mr Glendon.

Then it was quantified in December and we learned the full extent of it. When anybody is buying, they raise pre-contract queries.

"At any time that was raised, the information available to the management company would have been disclosed.

The other issue highlighted by Bru na Sionna is the shortcomings of the Multi Unit Development Act. The law is supposed to protect owners, but when a developer goes to the wall it would appear the only recourse is through the courts.

Local Fianna Fail TD Timmy Dooley says the situation is extremely difficult for mortgage- holders.

They are expected to pay significant sums to get their homes up to proper standards, he says.

Greater transparency is needed from all sides so that the owners have clear visibility of the full job of work to be done.

Further clarity is needed, he said, around what obligations lay with those who took on the assets of Paddy Burke, the man behind the Bru na Sionna development.
Dateline Is the Judiciary in Myanmar Under Threat?

Irrawaddy reporter Kyaw Kha speaks with lawyer Aung Soe Oo and justice advocate Myat Kyaw about the dangers of the Eat well campaign.

Ko Kyaw Kha: Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy. The title of our discussion is Is the judiciary in Myanmar under threat? I am reporter Kyaw Kha of the Irrawaddy news agency. Myanmar Lawyers Network chairman U Aung Soe Oo and Committee Against Injustice chairman U Myat Kyaw will join the discussion.

During the latest hearing on the murder of U Ko Ni, a group of people wearing T-shirts printed with the phrase  Eat well (as your days are numbered) showed their support for accused murderer Kyi Lin, who murdered U Ko Ni and Ko Ne Win. They took the phrase to be their slogan, and people have been talking about this since then. What is your opinion about the movement that took place at the court of law, Ko Myat Kyaw?

Dateline Irrawaddy: Is the Judiciary in Myanmar Under Threat? Dateline Irrawaddy: Is the Judiciary in Myanmar Under Threat? Irrawaddy reporter Kyaw Kha speaks with lawyer Aung Soe Oo and justice advocate Myat Kyaw about the dangers of the Eat well campaign. Posted by The Irrawaddy  English Edition on Friday, February 9, 2018

Ko Myat Kyaw: They came to the court wearing T-shirts printed with the slogan Eat well (as your days are numbered) and the image of a pointing finger. Before that, Ko Thet Myo Oo of Thaketa wore such a T-shirt and rode a motorcycle around. Earlier, news emerged that the murder suspect Kyi Lin threatened someone by saying Your days are numbered. Did he threaten the media or lawyers? All these incidents are interrelated.

As a member of the public, I want to say that the rule of law has completely collapsed in Myanmar. This is because the court where he made the threat was a district court, a court that is bestowed with one of the highest powers in Myanmar. They dared to show disrespect to the law at such a court. First, it was contempt of court. Second, it was a breach of morals. Such acts are very dangerous for our country. Amid worsening public security and fear, reports of rape and murder cases are frequent and the rule of law has collapsed. The Ministry of Home Affairs is completely responsible for all of these. We think the ministry is guilty of dereliction of duty for the rule of law. This indicates that we need a ministry and people who are responsible for the rule of law and to ask whether it is necessary for the people to take this responsibility.

KKK: U Aung Soe Oo, what do you think, as a notary public and an advocate, of their movement, which took place at a court of law and not at a food charity?

U Aung Soe Oo: Yesterday, the chairmen of four lawyers associations signed a statement concerning the incident. As I said there, I would like to approach the incident from the points of view of a member of the public, of a secretary of the association of lovers of Myanmar literature and of a legal professional.

As a member of the public I have been wondering: Who were they threatening? As they were wearing T-shirts printed with a pointing finger, they were threatening anyone they saw in front of them. When they were face to face with judges, they were threatening the judges. When they were so with lawyers, they were threatening the lawyers. When they were so with police officers, they were threatening the police officers. The image of the pointing finger on the T-shirt has a wide range of implications.

Every Myanmar national knows the implied meaning of the Burmese phrase Eat well. As I said yesterday, we were asked to have a hearty meal at a biryani restaurant or at a food charity when we were younger. They purposefully chose the phrase Eat well. There are many Burmese words that have different meanings in different situations. In the past in rural areas we would say, Sleep well so that you wont have a face to wash next morning. Its implied meaning is I will behead you tonight. Every human being in Myanmar understands this. They purposefully said they did not understand the implied meaning of the phrase Eat well. People sometimes say the phrase when they are in a brawl. The phrase Eat well is the parlance not of educated or civilized people but of gangsters. The implied meaning of the phrase is Your days are numbered as we are going to kill you soon.

It is said that Kyi Lin uttered the phrase at a hearing the other day. It is also said that Kyi Lin used the phrase among lawyers and police officers. It is also said to be true. As we are legal professionals, we tried to confirm it with police officers, who told us they hadnt heard of this. As we were about to conclude that it was just a Facebook post that could be either true or fake news, some people wearing T-shirts printed with Eat well visited the court in support of the accused murderer. Therefore, it is certain that Kyi Lin had threatened some groups. Who was he threatening? He was threatening every organization that was trying to restore the rule of the law. When we look at the people who supported the accused murderer, who had been convicted of smuggling Buddha images and is now being accused of double murder, we can see clearly that they were supporting the murder. In other words, they are instigating criminal acts even in their interview with the media. They are accomplices. We are not talking just about the murder of U Ko Ni but also about the threat to the judiciary and the people. Their message is clear: The days of the people are numbered.

As they have threatened the rule of law, we, as legal professionals, could not accept this. What would happen if such a mentality spreads among the public? We have to think of future generations. We were worried that future generations would inherit such practices. If they came to the court of law and said Your days are numbered, the judiciary would collapse. We cannot accept this. It is very dangerous. Therefore, we released a statement to condemn their movement and urge the government to take action against them.

KKK: What are your expectations for the rule of law, Ko Myat Kyaw? What do you think of the murder of U Ko Ni?

KMK: I would like to talk about it briefly. U Ko Ni was assassinated at the biggest international airport with maximum security using CCTV. He was shot in the back of his head. Ko Ne Win tried to apprehend the assassin by attacking him with a piece of brick and was shot to death too. When Kyi Lin was arrested, his accomplices were detained. However, we still do not know why they killed U Ko Ni. It was a political assassination because U Ko Ni was a lawyer who had been relentlessly trying to amend the 2008 Constitution. There is also an organization that has formally pledged to protect the Constitution in Myanmar. I am not accusing anyone, but it was a conflict between those who wanted to amend the constitution and those who wanted to protect it.

When the suspects were formally charged and appeared at the trial, problems arose as some people wearing T-shirts printed with Your days are numbered came to the court in support of the suspects. It was said that Kyi Lin was threatening the media and lawyers. At the rally in support of the Myanmar army the other day, U Hla Swe was seen apparently smiling, holding that T-shirt. Photos of Aye Ne Win, a grandson of the late dictator Ne Win, and hate-monger U Wirathu surrounded by people wearing that T-shirt at the rally emerged. Taking all these things into account, it was a political conspiracy, although what we re looking at is just a murder trial. And those who had a hand in it are backed by a powerful organization. Moreover, they attacked those who wanted to amend the Constitution in their own interests. They carried out assassinations and violent attacks in major cases and hurled verbal abuse and hacked Facebook accounts in minor cases. They carried out these activities step by step.

My expectations for the trial of the assassination of U Ko Ni are a fair trial and a society where there is no place for such criminals. I want justice for U Ko Ni and Ko Ne Win. The verdict should set an example for our society.

UASO: Listening to what Ko Myat Kyaw said, I felt sad for the Myanmar army. I love Myanmar and I still do. The Myanmar army should be loved, should be supported. It is a good thing. However, I felt deeply sad when I saw a former high-ranking military officer holding the T-shirt in support of the accused murderers at the rally. I cannot express how I felt then.

KKK: How do their Your days are numbered movement or threats affect the judiciary?

UASO: It surely affects the judiciary. First, they broke into a secure area of the judiciary. If they had come to the suspects to greet them and offer them meals, it would have been a normal affair. However, it was just a threat to the judiciary. Second, it took the form of a conflict because there was a large group of people who were upset about the movement on one hand and thousands of people who supported it on the other hand. They were instigating the two groups by setting them on a collision course. They did it deliberately to undermine stability and breached Section 504. It was a crime because they did so during the trial to put pressure on the judiciary. The judiciary could have changed its direction because the judge has to decide in fear of reprisal. The judge, prosecutors and prosecution witnesses could have been forced to testify in fear. When threatened, the judiciary may collapse. There would be conflicts in the court if we gave in to such threats.

I am worried about the next hearing. I am worried neither about U Ko Ni nor about the NLD and other organizations. I am worried about the people of Myanmar and the collapse of the judiciary. If the judiciary were to collapse, it would be very dangerous in our country. Their act not only destroys the judiciary but also incites conflict among the public. The problem should be handled carefully as the situation is very dangerous.

KKK: What has your committee been doing about their movement, Ko Myat Kyaw?

KMK: We have always said that no society accepts killing and violence. I cant accept violence and Myanmar society cant accept violence. We must express our attitude that we cannot accept it through ways and means that do not interfere with the judiciary at next hearings, but we will not stage protests with shouting at the court. We must express our attitude clearly. Otherwise, the judiciary, which is deteriorating at present, will collapse.

In addition to undermining the judiciary, it can set a bad example for future generations. There are many phrases such as Your days are numbered usually used by gangsters and criminals. They tend to use such phrases when they are under attack and cannot react. It is a threat. If we accept this, it would develop into a mindset that supports killing and violence and it would be very dangerous for the country. We need to strongly express our attitude toward them peacefully. Therefore, we released a statement urging the public to join members of our central committee and Yangon region committee in peaceful protest against those who resort to killing and violence at 9 a.m. on Feb. 9.

KKK: The NLD has been advocating the rule of law and amendment of the Constitution, especially during the 2015 general election. Has there been any progress during the tenure of the incumbent government? Some people are not satisfied with the situation.

UASO: It is difficult to amend the Constitution as it was enacted in such a way that it cannot be amended. We are trying to amend it in accordance with legal and international standards. We are looking for ways and means to amend it because the public has to suffer under it. We will amend it in the interest of the people. If we are to build a democratic republic, the Constitution and all the laws must be in accordance with the international norms. The 2008 Constitution is a sub-standard constitution. We must amend it, but we need to decide whether to amend it gradually or completely. We must adopt strategies and tactics. We cannot leave it as it is. It is the responsibility of the people, the state and the government to amend the Constitution. I hope they are able to do it. We must do it.

As for the rule of law, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said that the rule of law is essential for development and for a democratic republic. Deterioration of the rule of law can tarnish the image of the country and the governments can collapse. Therefore, a committee was formed for the restoration of the rule of law. Now the name of the committee has been changed and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi no longer has the post of chairperson. A new coordination committee was formed for the restoration of the rule of law recently. Some people are working for the rule of law.

If you asked me whether I am satisfied with efforts to restore the rule of law, I would have to say that we are working on it but the public is being threatened. I would like to ask the public to understand people who are working for the rule of law like us. The rule of law is also being threatened, just like the public. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the public and the government. I would like to urge them to cooperate on the rule of law.

KKK: Could you please briefly talk about the rule of law, Ko Myat Kyaw?

KMK: I want to say clearly that the rule of law cannot be restored without amending the 2008 Constitution or replacing it with a new one. Peace cannot be restored without amending the Constitution. The power and authority to work with the people cannot be achieved without amending the Constitution. I would like to urge the NLD to amend the Constitution or replace it with a federal democratic one.

KKK: Thanks for your interesting comments, U Aung So Oo and Ko Myat Kyaw.
American intelligence agencies have been making an undercover effort to recover from Russian operatives material stolen from the NSA and, in part, exposed on the Web by a group known as the Shadow Brokers, a report claims.

The Russian individual who has been negotiating, through an American intermediary, had also offered the US spies a tranche of files relating to US President Donald Trump and alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, The Intercept reported.

Top US investigative journalist James Risen wrote that secret communication channels had been opened over the last year between US spies and the Russian operatives.

The Shadow Brokers first surfaced in August 2016, offering for sale hacking tools which were said to have been pillaged from the Equation Group, an outfit which has long been suspected to have NSA links.

In January 2017, the Brokers offered a number of Windows exploits from the NSA for sale. When there appeared to be no takers, the group then dumped these exploits on the Web in April 2017.

Risen wrote that the contacts took place in Germany, beginning in early 2017. Eventually, a person who is said to represent at least some part of the Russian intelligence services, agreed to sell the stolen NSA material to the US spies  and offered some Trump-related information as well.

The Intercept story said the CIA had been approached for comment but declined, while the NSA did not respond immediately.

Risen said these communication channels were distinct from other, more political channels, and were aimed only at getting back the stolen exploits.

Many details of the story were hazy, Risen noted, pointing out that many of those involved were uncertain as to the exact state of play. Whether the stolen NSA documents had been recovered to any extent was unknown.

He wrote that it was also unclear whether the Russians who were involved in the communications were private individuals or acting on behalf of Moscow.

The existence of this clandestine channel was said to have caused rifts between CIA and NSA operatives, because the CIA, which is now headed by Mike Pompeo, a Trump appointee, was unwilling to be involved in any operation that involved the possible obtaining of Trump-related material.

Risen wrote that the CIA had, at times, been serious about regaining the stolen material to the extent that they had transported cash to the agency's Berlin station to go through with the deal.

Given the CIA's ambivalence, Risen said the NSA had taken the lead with a view to primarily obtaining the material stolen from their agency.

There has been speculation about the identity of the Shadow Brokers and who leaked NSA material to them. Risen does not provide any information about the link between the Brokers and the Russians he writes abouit. Nor is there any information as to how the Russians obtained the NSA material.

Much information which has emerged in the American media around this story has turned out to be dubious  for example, former Washington Post employee Brian Krebs had to take down a story he wrote last year in which he claimed that a man with a Russian name could be the one who leaked the NSA exploits to the Brokers.

Krebs was fed the information by a Washington DC-based information security firm, InGuardians. Krebs did not offer an explanation for his takedown apart from a buried paragraph at the end of another yarn about the arrest of a Vietnamese-American NSA contractor on charges of taking masses of NSA material home.

There have also been attempts in the US media to draw a link between the Russian security company Kaspersky Lab and the leak of the NSA files.

Risen gives a detailed account of how the secret communication channel was initiated and the way in which things progressed. The story is well worth a careful read.
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Middle East Monitor |  

Lebanon will fully use energy block disputed by Israel  minister

Israel claims gas field put out to tender by Lebanon

Lebanons energy minister said on Friday there would be full exploration in an offshore energy block that partially lies in waters disputed by neighbouring Israel.

Lebanon said on Friday it had signed its first offshore oil and gas exploration and production contracts for two energy blocks, including the disputed Block 9.

A consortium of Frances Total, Italys Eni and Russias Novatek signed the agreements for the two blocks, which are among five that Lebanon put up for tender in the countrys much-delayed first licensing round.

Israel and Lebanon have exchanged threats and condemnation over the tender, amid rising tensions over territorial and marine boundaries between them.

Today, we announce that we have started our petroleum path  after signing the agreements and launching the exploration activities, Lebanese Energy Minister Cesar Abi Khalil said at a ceremony in Beirut.

The first well will be drilled in Block 4 in 2019, said Stephane Michel, Totals president for exploration and production in the Middle East and North Africa.

The second well will be drilled in Block 9 more than 25 km (15 miles) from the border, he said at the ceremony. There is no reason not to proceed in this way, Michel added.

Lebanese and Israeli officials said David Satterfield, acting assistant U.S. secretary of state, was in Israel last week and in Lebanon this week on a mediation mission. U.S. officials confirmed his travels without detailing his agenda.

Lebanon, which views Israel as an enemy state, has an unresolved maritime border dispute with its neighbour over a triangular area of sea of around 860 sq km (330 square miles).

The zone extends along the edge of three of the five offshore energy blocks that Lebanon put to tender early last year. Block 9 juts partly into the disputed waters.

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Via Middle East Monitor



Bonus video added by Informed Comment:

AP Archive from last month: Lebanon to start exploratory offshore drilling for oil and gas in 2019
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TeleSur |  

Turkey views the growing Kurdish power along its border as a national security threat.

Turkish warplanes hit Kurdish YPG militia targets in Syrias Afrin region, the army said Friday, and a monitoring group reported that seven fighters and two civilians were killed in strikes.

The overnight attacks came after a lull in Turkish airstrikes following the shooting down of a Russian warplane elsewhere in Syria last weekend.

The airstrikes destroyed 19 targets including ammunition depots, shelters and gun positions, the armed forces said in a statement without specifying when the raids were conducted.

Seven YPG fighter and two civilians were killed in the strikes, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a U.K.-based group that monitors the war in Syria.

Ankara launched an air and ground offensive in Afrin on Jan. 20 against the YPG, which it views as a terrorist group and an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party, PKK, that has waged a three-decade insurgency on Turkish soil.

The YPG and its allies have set up three autonomous cantons in the north, including Afrin, since the Syrian conflict began in 2011.

The U.S. supports the Kurdish-led forces in the fight against the Islamic State group which has infuriated Turkey, which views growing Kurdish power as a security threat along its frontier.

Via TeleSur



Bonus video added by Informed Comment:

Al Jazeera English: Civilians pay the price as Turkey-Kurdish tensions escalate in Syria
Fresh air strikes hit the Syrian rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta on Friday, AFP correspondents reported, the fifth straight day of a bombing campaign that has killed more than 220 civilians.

Syrian warplanes have battered the enclaves towns since Monday, trapping thousands of families in makeshift bomb shelters and overwhelming rescue workers.

World powers failed to back an appeal by UN officials for a month-long ceasefire to allow for desperately needed aid deliveries and medical evacuations.

Bombing raids resumed on several Eastern Ghouta towns on Friday morning after a few hours of calm, AFP correspondents reported.

Residents had taken advantage of the lull to begin clearing rubble from their doorsteps and sweeping away broken glass.

In Douma, some civilians were seen scouring for salvageable items, while others rushed to the market to find food and other supplies.

But around mid-morning, an announcement blasted over mosque minarets warned of incoming strikes: Surveillance plane in the sky. Clear the streets.

Soon after, twin strikes hit the town of Erbin, where two dozen people were killed on Thursday.

Medics in the town reported being overwhelmed by the relentless bombardment.

From 2011 until now, there has never been the level of bombardment weve seen in the last 96 hours, said Hamza, one of doctors treating the wounded.

 Humanitarian disaster 

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 75 people died on Thursday, three of wounds suffered the previous day.

That brought the civilian death toll since Monday to nearly 230.

Eastern Ghouta is home to an estimated 400,000 people who have lived under crippling government siege since 2013.

More than 4,000 families live in basements and bunkers for fear of air strikes, according to Save the Children.

The siege means there is nowhere for them to escape. There must be an immediate halt to the fighting and an end to the siege, said Save the Childrens Syria response director, Sonia Khush.

CARE International said the intensity of the air strikes had made it extremely difficult for relief workers to assist the needy.

Our partners are having a hard time moving around, so how can they reach vulnerable people? the groups communications director for Syria, Joelle Bassoul, asked.

If there is no ceasefire, if this is all left unheard, we cannot imagine the scale of the humanitarian disaster, she said.

Eastern Ghouta is supposed to be one of four de-escalation zones declared last year in a bid to reduce the bloodshed.

 Russia, US cross swords 

UN aid officials appealed for a month-long humanitarian truce to allow aid to be delivered and the sick and wounded brought out for treatment.

But on Thursday the Security Council failed to support the proposal.

Washington backed it but Damascus ally Moscow dismissed it as not realistic..

The two governments also crossed swords over US-led air strikes that hit forces allied to the Damascus regime in eastern Syria late Wednesday and early Thursday.

US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said the coalition acted in self-defence after pro-Damascus forces moved on an area under the control of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces.

At least 100 pro-regime fighters were killed, a US military official said.

The Syrian foreign ministry condemned the bombardment as a war crime, an accusation echoed by the Russian ambassador to the UN.

To confront those who really fight international terrorism on the ground in Syria is criminal, Vassily Nebenzia said.

Wounded fighters were taken to the military hospital in the government-controlled eastern city of Deir Ezzor.

A reporter contributing to AFP saw at least six fighters, lying on hospital beds in sparsely equipped wards.
US-backed Syrian forces confirmed Friday that they caught a British fighter from a savage Islamic State gang nicknamed The Beatles last month, as relatives of hostages it killed called for captured Western jihadists to face justice.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said it had caught Alexanda Amon Kotey in eastern Syria in January as he tried to flee to neighbouring Turkey.

Meanwhile a US defence official announced on Thursday that fellow Briton El Shafee el-Sheikh, another Beatles member, had also been captured by Syrian rebel forces.

Kotey and Sheikh were part of a four-member IS kidnapping cell dubbed The Beatles by their captives due to their heavy British accents. They were notorious for videotaping beheadings.

We captured some big commanders. One of them is Alexanda Kotey, Redur Khalil, a spokesperson and senior official in the SDF, told AFP in the northeastern town of Amuda.

He was captured by an anti-terrorism unit on January 24 in the countryside near Raqa. He was trying to escape to Turkey in coordination with his friends and contacts on the Turkish side, he said.

The cell was believed to be behind the killing of American journalist James Foley and numerous Western aid workers.

Diane Foley, his mother, said she wanted the two men to face trial in the US and life imprisonment.

Their crimes are beyond imagination, she told BBC radio.

It doesnt bring James back, but hopefully it protects others from this kind of crime.

 Vile and despicable crimes 

The pairs arrest follows a four-month SDF-spearheaded operation that culminated in mid-October with the retaking of Raqa, which had been the inner sanctum of the caliphate declared by IS in 2014.

That victory was the doom of the jihadist proto-state, the last pockets of which were then retaken within weeks by the SDF and other forces in Iraq and Syria.

The duo participated in the detention, exploitation and execution of Western detainees, the American security official said in a statement.

Aine Davis, a third so-called Beatles IS member, is being held in Turkey, while the fourth, Mohammed Emwazi  dubbed Jihadi John  was killed in a 2015 coalition drone strike.

Redur Khalil could not confirm Sheikhs capture however, saying he had no information about the British jihadist.

He said that Kotey was being questioned but did not specify who by.

Last year, the US State Department said London-born Kotey had likely taken part in executions and used exceptionally cruel torture methods, including electric shock and waterboarding.

Britains Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson told The Times newspaper on Friday: These are people who have done absolutely vile and despicable crimes and brought absolutely so much misery.

It is good that they have been hunted down and caught.

 Closure 

Bethany Haines, whose British aid worker father David was killed in 2014 after being held captive for 18 months, said she hoped the pairs detention could bring closure.

The first thought was relief, finally to know that the people that were involved in my dads murder have been caught and will sort of serve some justice, she told Britains ITV television.

She said she wanted them to be locked up with the key thrown away.

Tobias Ellwood, a British defence minister, said Friday the pair should face an international war crimes tribunal and not be sent to Guantanamo Bay as some have speculated will occur.

He said terror suspects once captured must answer and be judged to a legitimate authority.

Given the scale of foreign fighters we should consider an agreed international process involving The Hague, he told The Daily Telegraph newspaper.

But the broadsheet reported London would not hinder any moves to extradite the pair to the US and there was little desire among ministers to repatriate them to Britain.

It quoted Williamson as saying: I dont think they should ever set foot in this country again.

The Ministry of Defence declined to comment, amid reports their UK citizenship had been stripped under anti-terror laws.

French journalist Nicolas Henin, who was kidnapped and held by Islamic State for 10 months, demanded the men be brought to justice in the UK.

This is the beginning of a process that will bring them eventually, hopefully, to a trial, he told Sky News.

Guantanamo is a denial of justice. What I want is a trial and a trial potentially that I can attend, so rather, a trial in London rather than one in Kobani in northern Syria.
Ecuador: The Costa Rica-based Inter-American Court of Human Rights (Corte-IDH) has rejected a request for precautionary measures against Ecuador, made by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). On 4 February, over 13m Ecuadoreans voted in a national plebisicite, which contained seven questions, one of which concerned the restructuring of the council of citizen participation and social control (CPCCS), a body with the constitutional power to appoint the highest authorities of control and transparency in the state. The electorate voted 'yes' to all seven questions. The IACHR aimed to block the propsoed restructuring of the CPCCS, which would remove current members and create a transitional council, arguing that it may conflict with democracy. The Corte-IDH has overruled the IACHRs request, with four votes in favour and two against, but also reminded Ecuador of its obligation to comply with the American Convention on Human Rights. Via his official Twitter, Ecuador's President Lenin Moreno declared the decision a "triumph for the rights and will of the Ecuadorean people".
Feb 10, 2018, 2:12am ET

Mercedes-Benz to skip 2019 Detroit Auto Show?

If true, it\'s another blow to the auto show as we know it.

Mercedes-Benz made headlines last month when it introduced the brand-new 2019 G-Class (pictured) at the Detroit Auto Show. The firm will be a lot quieter next year, according to a recent report, because it's planning to skip the event.

"We have to look at whether a trade show like Detroit fits with the cadence of our launch calendar and whether there's a more effective format for our needs. The G-Class was the perfect product to debut this year, but the likelihood we will be in Detroit next January is very slim," said an anonymous insider who spoke to Automotive News.

If true, Mercedes' decision to sit out Detroit is another blow to the auto show as we know it. Volvo, Porsche, and Mazda decided to skip this year's edition of the event to save money -- or rather, to avoid wasting money. The story is the same across the pond.

10 auto-makers skipped last year's Frankfurt Auto Show: Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Jeep, Peugeot, Citroen, DS, Nissan, Infiniti, Mitsubishi, and Volvo. Floor space is so expensive that auto-makers are increasingly turning towards stand-alone, Apple-style events where they don't have to compete with their rivals for attention. In turn, the Frankfurt show experienced a 13-percent drop in attendance.

Mercedes-Benz hasn't officially commented on the report. Contacted by Motor1, a spokesperson for the Detroit Auto Show said it's too early to know who will be at next year's show and who will sit on the sidelines. The anonymous insider who spoke to Automotive News hinted Mercedes could return in 2020, however.
A new strategy for tourism in Laois has set ambitious targets for the growth of the sector within the next five years.

So much so that at first reading it might be easy to dismiss the strategy as just another document, destined for the dust mites on a shelf somewhere.

And this would not be an entirely unfair attitude to take, because we have been driven to the point of cynicism by the amount of these plans and strategies over the years, launched amidst much fanfare, only never to be heard of again.

Who now remembers an attempt to brand Laois produce some years ago with a special logo, an idea modelled somewhat on the guaranteed Irish platform.

What is striking about this plan thouugh is that it is coming at a time when a lot of development has taken place in the county as regards tourism. It takes heed of this and addresses the challenge of capitalising on it.

For example, we now have world class hotels, which have built international reputations. Portlaoise itself has an excellent hotel and restaurant offering.

Our ability to host large national events, such as the Electric Picnic and the National Ploughing has been proven time and again.

The launch of the strategy in Castle Durrow last Thursday night saw a host of local food producers displaying their products. Their professionalism and energy was palpable.

The flagships of Emo Court and Rock of Dunamaise has been complemented by the development of attractions such as the Abbeyleix bog boardwalk, the Donaghmore Workhouse Museum and the soon to be realised Slieve Bloom Bike trail.

The Council Chief Executive, John Mulholland labelled the county the "best in the class" in many spheres and he is right. He also made the salient point as to how much has been achieved in the sector without any kind of a strategy, up to last week.

The challenge now is how to take this to the next level,, capitalise on it, and how do we present it to the wider domestic and international public.

The strategy proposes a number of actions and takes note of a new communications approach and marketing programme as well as building from the core of some of our principal tourist assets such as the Rock of Dunamaise.

Crucially, it emphasises the collaborative approach, and earmarks the creation of a Laois Tourism Academy for networking and training.

More people than we realise now work at varying degrees of level in the tourist sector in Laois, be it at the catering level or down to local groups such as South Laois Tourism.

There is a broad level of knowledge and experience here which such be harnessed and shared for the benefit of all.

Realising our potential is the key objective of this new strategy.

It is, and will be, challenging, but we are probably better placed than we ever were to meet it.
The theme of the Clane St Patricks Festival this year will be The Swinging Sixties.

Musician Des Hopkins will be the grand marshall.

Organiser Mary Dunne said: No one is more qualified to represent the Swinging 60s than Des Hopkins.

Originally from Bray, Des toured England in 1960 and 1961 with one of the UKs top Bands and played the famous Cavern Club in Liverpool several times with none other than The Beatles as his support group.

Returning to Ireland in 1963, he played and toured Ireland, the UK and America as drummer with many of the top showbands of the day throughout the 60s and early 70s including The Ohio, The Victors, and The Kings.

Des even played drums with Johnny Cash.

He got married to Nuala in 1967, and they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last year.

They moved to the Parish of Clane in 1967.

They have three children, Paul, Eugenie and Graham, who all live locally.

Graham is also a drummer and has played, recorded and toured the world several times with Rock Legends, Therapy, Snow Patrol, Glen Hansard, The Frames, the late Dolores ORiordan and indeed many more.

Des, who has written a book about his career, told the Leader he was delighted to be honoured by Clane as grand marshall.

Clanes St. Patricks Day Festival will run from Friday, March 2, the launch night including an annual table quiz.

It will finish on Monday, March 19.
The Taoiseach has indicated there will be new carriages and park and ride facilities, following a Dail debate.

Dep James Lawless and Dep Frank O'Rourke said they had raised the ongoing issues with the local rail service.

Dep Lawless highlighted a lack of parking capacity and overcrowding on trains from Sallins and Naas train station.

He said he raised the matter directly with the Taoiseach, who in reply gave a commitment to invest in parking, capacity, and the electrification on both train lines through Kildare North.

This follows meetings Deputy Lawless has had with Irish Rail, Kildare County Council, and other stakeholders regarding parking at stations in Sallins and Maynooth.

The programme for Government makes multiple references to public transport and the need to better serve the greater Dublin area. I represent the commuter belt constituency of Kildare North, which is heavily dependent on rail links into the capital and yet the stations can no longer accommodate the demand. The car parks are creaking at the seams," he said.

SEE ALSO: No decision on 88 Naas houses until July

The Sallins and Naas station in my constituency is now averaging 165% to 175% occupancy and Maynooth would be very similar. Somebody arriving from 7.30am onwards has no chance of a space and must drive on in the car to Dublin.

Dep Frank O'Rourke welcomed the news that the National Transport Authority (NTA) and Irish Rail had agreed to review their rail fleet capacity in light of the increased demand on rail services at peak times.

While we have received a commitment that there will be an increase off peak services on both the Maynooth and Kildare lines, we need increased capacity at peak times. However Irish Rails fleet is now at maximum capacity at peak times," he said.
A LIMERICK man has been convicted for a second time over his failure to remove two sheds which were built without planning permission.

Michael Ryan, who has an address at Whitethorn Drive, Caherdavin, was prosecuted before Limerick District Court relating to the unauthorised sheds which are located at Mount Catherine, Clonlara.

Solicitor Marina Keane, representing Clare County Council, told Judge Mary Larkin, an Enforcement Notice requiring the defendant to remove the two sheds and the associated foundations and any machinery on the site has not been complied with.

The notice, she said, was served on him in June 2015.

Authorised officer Angela Gannon, who conducted an inspection in April 2016, said the sheds, which are located between two dwelling houses, were built without planning permission a number of years earlier.

One of the sheds, she said, is a Steeltech while the second has been constructed with block work.

Judge Larkin was told Mr Ryan, who was not present in court, was previously prosecuted and convicted over his failure to comply with the Enforcement Notice.

He was fined 2,000 in October 2015 and ordered to pay the costs of Clare County Council which totalled almost 2,300.

Ms Keane confirmed the fine and costs were paid but that Mr Ryan has still not removed the sheds despite indicating he would do so.

After recording a formal conviction under the Planning and Development Act, Judge Larkin fined Mr Ryan 450 giving him six months to pay. He was also ordered to pay the cost and expenses of Clare County Council which totalled just over 2,000.
HUNDREDS of images and videos depicting child abuse have been seized during searches of a number of homes across Limerick as part of Operation Ketch.

While gardai have not confirmed specific details of the searches, the Limerick Leader has learned that a number of houses across the Limerick division were searched during the three day operation.

Detectives attached to the divisional Protective Services Unit led the local searches which were coordinated at a national level by members of the Online Child Exploitation Unit (ONCE) and the Garda National Protection Services Bureau.

More than 30 homes were searched in 12 counties across the country and gardai say arrests and some prosecutions are expected.

At a media briefing in Dublin on Monday afternoon, Detective Superintendent Declan Daly of the Garda National Protection Services Bureau, said the raids, should serve as a stark warning to anybody who is in possession of or who distributes images or video depicting child abuse.

Your homes will be searched, your sexual interests in children will be exposed and will ultimately result in a possible prosecution or conviction, he said.

Gardai have confirmed that Operation Ketch has been ongoing for several months and that the searches in Limerick and elsewhere were the culmination of the evidence-gathering phase of the operation.

All of the properties which were identified by gardai were searched after they were granted search warrants last week.

The task of conducting individual investigations involving the examination of media seized and the arrests of the subjects begins now, said Det Supt Daly.

In addition to tracking down the culprits, gardai say a key priority of Operation Ketch is to establish if any of the children who are featured in the indecent images which have been seized remain in danger.

Other state agencies such as the Health Service Executive and Tusla have been alerted to any concerns relating to child welfare which were identified by gardai as a result of the search operation.

Gardai have confirmed they received assistance from the FBI and from the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children in the United States, as well as from the National Child Exploitation Co-ordination Centre in Canada, in targeting suspects.

When asked about the activities of vigilante groups that target paedophiles online, Assistant Garda Commissioner John ODriscoll said 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.

The Limerick Leader has learned gardai removed a Limerick man from his home in recent weeks after a threat to his safety was identified after his address became known to members of a vigilante group which is operating in the region.

The man has been accused of sending inappropriate messages to a number of young girls on social media.

A file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
PRISONERS due to appear at the brand new courthouse in Limerick will still be transported in prison vans driven a few hundred yards to the facility.

While it was anticipated a tunnel or walkway would be constructed between Limerick Prison and the new courthouse on Mulgrave Street as part of the project, this has not been included in the final plans, meaning remand prisoners will be transported less than 200 yards by prison van.

There is no tunnel or walkway between the Prison and the courthouse, prisoners will be brought out the front gate of the prison and down the road to the courthouse, confirmed a spokesperson for the Irish Prison Service.

The new courthouse which includes six courtrooms, a custody suite and various offices, was handed over the Courts Service of Ireland last Friday and is due to open on February 16.

However, while sittings of the district court and the circuit court are due to take place on that date, there is uncertainty as to the policing arrangements for the new courthouse.

The Limerick Leader has learned that senior gardai have expressed serious concerns about the additional resources which will be required as, unlike the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin, a private security firm has not been retained for the new courthouse.

It is understood discussions are ongoing between the Courts Service of Ireland, The Irish Prison Service and An Garda Siochana in the hope an agreement can be reached in the coming days.

Engagements are continuing on general aspects of this and other new Court facilities, it is not possible at this juncture to state when this engagements will be concluded or what the outcome may be, said a spokesperson for the Irish Prison Service.

It has also emerged that gardai working at the new courthouse will not have access to the Pulse system meaning they will have to contact a garda station by phone when they require information about a particular case or defendant.
A drilling rig in North Dakota near the town of Stanley. Fracking is used in this area to tap oil reserves.

Hydraulic fracturing, commonly called fracking, is a drilling technique used for extracting oil or natural gas from deep underground.

Fracking is a hotly debated environmental and political issue. Advocates insist it is a safe and economical source of clean energy; critics, however, claim fracking can destroy drinking water supplies, pollute the air, contribute to the greenhouse gases that cause global warming, and trigger earthquakes.

How fracking works

Most fracking wells in use today rely on two technologies: hydraulic fracturing, which has been in use since the 1940s, and horizontal drilling, a technique that first became widespread in the 1990s, according to Columbia University's Earth Institute.

In simplified terms, the fracking process starts with a well that is drilled vertically or at an angle from the surface to a depth of 1 to 2 miles (1.6 to 3.2 kilometers) or more, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The vertical well is then encased in steel and/or cement to ensure the well doesn't run the risk of leaking into any groundwater.

Once the vertical well reaches the deep layer of rock where natural gas or oil exists, the well curves about 90 degrees and begins drilling horizontally along that rock layer. Horizontal drilling can extend more than 1 mile (1.6 km) from the vertical well bore, according to Texas A&M University's publication "Hydraulic Fracturing and your Private Water Well."

After the fracking well is fully drilled and encased, fracking fluid is pumped down into the well at extremely high pressure, in some cases exceeding 9,000 pounds per square inch (62,050 kilopascals), according to a primer from Cornell University's environmental quality engineering course. The pressure is powerful enough to fracture the surrounding rock, creating fissures and cracks through which oil and gas can flow.

The fluid that is pumped into the well to fracture the rock is called slickwater. It is mostly water, though it also can contain a wide range of additives and chemicals that serve an engineering purpose. Additives can include detergents, salts, acids, alcohols, lubricants and disinfectants. These chemical additives usually make up 0.5 to 2 percent of the slickwater, with the remaining 98 to 99.5 percent consisting of plain water, according to a report called "Modern Shale Gas Development in the United States" by the U.S. Department of Energy.

In addition to the water and chemical additives, "proppants" such as sand and ceramic particles are also pumped into the fracking well. These proppants are added to prop open the fractures that form under pressure, thereby ensuring that gas and oil can continue to flow freely out of rock fractures even after pumping pressure is released, according to the EPA.

Once the underground rock is shattered and proppants are pumped into place, trapped reservoirs of gas and oil are released and pumped back to the surface, along with millions of gallons of "flowback" liquid, according to the EPA.

The flowback liquid contains water and a number of contaminants, including radioactive material, heavy metals, hydrocarbons and other toxins. This wastewater is stored on the fracking site in pits, injected into deep underground wells or disposed of off-site at a wastewater treatment facility.

"Formation water" is the briny water that was in the pore spaces of the rocks. "The formation water is usually very salty and can have high levels of radon, a radioactive gas that comes from the decay of uranium in the subsurface," Marcia Bjornerud, a structural geologist at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin, told Live Science. "Flowback water can be treated, but there are large volumes of it and so dealing with it is expensive, and beyond what many small-town water treatment plants can handle."

The fracking boom

Though fracking is used worldwide to extract gas and oil, a fracking boom has occurred recently in the United States, partly driven by concerns over the costs associated with imported oil and other fossil fuels as well as energy security  that is, having uninterrupted access to energy at affordable prices in ways that are preferably impervious to international disruptions, according to the Brookings Institution.

In 2000, there were about 276,000 natural gas wells in the United States. But by 2010, that number had almost doubled to 510,000, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). And every year, about 13,000 new wells are drilled. According to a 2014 study, at least 15.3 million Americans have lived within a mile of a fracking well that has been drilled since 2000.

The areas where fracking is most profitable include the Great Plains from Canada south into Texas, the Great Lakes region and an area known as the Marcellus Shale, which reaches from central New York into Ohio and south to Virginia, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

The Marcellus Shale region is particularly attractive to gas drillers because it's a rich supply of natural gas  some call it "the Saudi Arabia of natural gas" or "Frackistan"  and because many of the region's rural communities are economically depressed and eager to attract an energy industry that enjoys handsome profits.

How safe is fracking?

Proponents of fracking claim that the drilling technique is a safe and clean method of securing essential sources of power that will meet U.S. energy needs for decades.

"Fracking has unlocked massive new supplies of oil and clean-burning natural gas from dense deposits of shale  supplies that increase our country's energy security and improve our ability to generate electricity, heat homes and power vehicles for generations to come," according to EnergyFromShale.org, an alliance of oil and gas industry groups.

But opponents say the industry is whitewashing fracking's real effects, a long list that includes air pollution, groundwater contamination, health problems and surface water pollution.

Recent history supports some of their claims: A fracking well in Bradford County, Pa., operated by Chesapeake Energy Corp., malfunctioned in April 2011, spewing thousands of gallons of contaminated fracking water for more than 12 hours.

And in 2012, Chesapeake was again cited for contaminating the drinking water of three families in Pennsylvania, resulting in a settlement of $1.6 million, according to NPR.org. "Many companies keep their specific 'recipes' for fracking fluids secret, arguing that this is intellectual property," Bjornerud said. "This lack of disclosure makes it difficult to tie any contamination of drinking water to a particular company or well."

Researchers from Duke University tested drinking water at 60 sites throughout Pennsylvania and New York; their research was published in 2011 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The researchers found that drinking water near fracking wells had levels of methane that "fell squarely within a range that the U.S. Department of Interior says is dangerous and requires urgent 'hazard mitigation' action," ProPublica reports.

There may be more cases of water that has been contaminated by fracking, but legal settlements and nondisclosure agreements usually prevent access to any documentation of these incidents, The New York Times reports.

A federal study, released in July 2014 by the DOE's National Energy Technology Laboratory, did find no evidence that chemicals from the fracking process had contaminated groundwater at one Pennsylvania drilling site.

In addition to water quality issues, fracking wells release compounds into the air, such as benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene and n-hexane; long-term exposure to these has been linked to birth defects, neurological problems, blood disorders and cancer. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has found that workers may be exposed to dust with high levels of respirable silica during hydraulic fracturing. These findings were shared after NIOSH studied 116 full shift air samples at 11 hydraulic fracturing sites in five states.

Benzene, for example, is a known carcinogen, according to the American Cancer Society. In 2012, researchers from the Colorado School of Public Health released a study showing that air pollution caused by fracking could contribute to immediate and long-term health problems for people living near fracking sites. Research by over 150 studies suggests that chemicals released during natural gas extraction may harm human reproduction and development. A 2016 study also found that living near a fracking site might increase a person's risk of developing mild, moderate or severe asthma.

Additionally, many areas of the United States not considered earthquake-prone, such as Ohio and Oklahoma, are now experiencing relatively strong seismic activity; a 2016 study found that the chances of a damaging earthquake occurring in parts of Oklahoma and some neighboring states are just as likely as they are in quake-prone California. Fracking is believed to be the cause of Oklahoma's strongest recorded quake in 2011 and more than 180 tremors in Texas between 2008 and 2009. To start off 2015, an area of North Texas had nine confirmed earthquakes in a 24-hour period. Fracking is being investigated as the cause. Two 2015 studies suggested that hidden faults beneath the surface may explain earthquakes in fracking zones; a 2016 study suggested that one way to calm the shaking was to limit the amount of wastewater pumped into wells deep underground.

According to a 2000 study of the Orito Field in Colombia, only around 15 percent of proppants can be removed after the fracking is done. Does leaving these foreign substances in a place where they weren't originally harmful? "No, there are no long- or short-term problems with leaving frack proppants in the fractures (fissures)," Rick Chamberlain, managing director the Berkeley Research Group, told Live Science.

Bjornerud agrees, "Even with the sand propping open the cracks, the weight of the overlying rock will, over months and years, cause the cracks to close and the rock's permeability return to about what it was before the fracking." According to Bjornerud, this is a problem for oil and gas production since the process has to be done quickly, soon after the fracking fluids have opened up micro-cracks, or the amount of oil and gas that can be extracted rapidly decreases as the cracks progressively shut.

Fracking and the law

Across the United States, fracking is regulated by a patchwork of state and local legislation, according to the National Conference of State Legislators.

At the federal level, fracking is exempt from some of the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act, particularly the requirement to disclose the chemicals used in well injections.

Wyoming, Michigan and Texas, however, have regulations requiring full disclosure of the chemicals used in fracking. Dozens of other proposed regulations that control some portion of the fracking industry are now moving through the legislatures of states where fracking is a large and growing industry. Some cities are taking the matter into their own hands by banning fracking mines.

But by most accounts, America's fracking boom  especially in areas of shale gas  isn't going to stop anytime soon: The Annual Energy Outlook 2012 predicted that the country's ample supply of shale gas will account for nearly half of the natural gas produced in the U.S. by 2035. More current analysis shows a much more modest outlook for fracking due to dropping gas prices and overproduction.

Additional reporting by Charles Q. Choi and Alina Bradford, Live Science contributors

Additional resources
The volcanic islands of Take-shima and Satsuma Iwo-jima (shown here) are the subaerial parts of the northern rim of the Kikai caldera.

A giant undersea caldera near Japan hosts a lava dome made from 8 trillion gallons of molten rock.

The dome, which is 6.2 miles (10 kilometers) wide and 1,968 feet (600 meters) tall, is solid rock now, and it doesn't presage an impending eruption. However, it does add a new wrinkle to the history of the Kikai caldera, a huge depression that formed during a massive volcanic super-eruption about 6,300 or 7,300 years ago (the broad range has to do with different methods of dating the eruption). That eruption sent heated pyroclastic flow 50 miles (80 km) across the sea and spread ash up to 620 miles (1,000 km) away, said Yoshi Tatsumi, the author of a new study on the caldera's inner workings, published today (Feb. 9) in the journal Scientific Reports.

The system is still active, and it's a relatively high-risk place for eruptive activity, said Erik Klemetti, a volcanologist at Denison University, who was not involved in the study. The volcano also blew its top in super-eruptions 95,000 years ago and about 140,000 years ago. It occasionally burps ash and steam even in the modern day, with the last recorded eruption occurring between 2013 and 2014. [The 11 Biggest Volcanic Eruptions in History]

Hidden volcanism

But because the caldera is hidden underwater, it's hard to keep tabs on its activity. Tatsumi and his colleagues conducted multiple remotely-operated-vehicle dives to the caldera floor, south of Kyushu Island in the Japanese archipelago. They used sonar to map the caldera's floor and shot small explosive charges into the seafloor to create seismic waves they could record and use to image the subsurface. The team also collected data on the water column's chemistry and took rock samples from the looming dome in the center of the caldera.

This relief map shows the Kikai caldera: The inner and outer caldera are shown in solid lines. The blue diamonds indicate the diving sites of the remotely operated vehicle (ROV). (Image credit: Tatsumi et al., Scientific Reports, doi:10.1038/s41598-018-21066-w)

The findings proved that the dome was, in fact, built up from lava, specifically a form of lava called rhyolite  some 8 trillion gallons (32 cubic kilometers) of it. This dome could have formed anytime since the last eruption, Klemetti said, so it isn't clear how new it is. However, Tatsumi and his colleagues found that its chemical composition is different than the lava ejected from the caldera during the last super-eruption. This finding suggests that a new magma system formed after the eruption, Tatsumi told Live Science.

"The post-caldera activity, at least [at] this caldera, is regarded as the preparation stage to the next super-eruption, not as the calming-down stage from the previous super- eruption," he said.

Evolving system

That doesn't mean an eruption is imminent, but that the volcanic system that underpins the caldera has been changing and evolving over the millennia, the researchers reported. It's interesting to see that the lava dome apparently originates from a different part of the magmatic system (underground chambers of molten rock) than the last super-eruption's lavas, Klemetti said. [50 Amazing Facts About Volcanoes]

The best way to be sure the dome has a separate origin would be to test the minerals in the lavas and to find out when they formed, whether before the caldera-forming super-eruption, around the same time or after, Klemetti said. Tatsumi and his team plan to look deeper under the caldera. Given the giant size of the lava dome, there could be a large magma reservoir under the surface, Tatsumi said. The team plans to use subsurface imaging to look for that reservoir and describe it if it exists.

Original article on Live Science.
The history-making launch of SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket, and its Tesla Roadster payload, on Tuesday (Feb. 6) drew crowds of reporters and enthusiasts, including 65-year-old Terry Scott Hilliard, who was found dead in his motel in Cocoa, Florida, the next morning, according to news reports.

Hillard had traveled to the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral from Ocala, Florida, according to news reports. The Cocoa Police Department are regarding his death as a homicide, according to Florida Today.

Though the police haven't released Hillard's cause of death, they have identified a person of interest in the case. According to Florida Today, surveillance video from the Dixie Motel revealed a dark-haired white man in his mid-20s who has a short goatee, who had accompanied Hillard to the motel Tuesday evening. Investigators consider the man a "person of interest," and they are now trying to figure out any connection between the two men.

Both state and national bulletins are out to find the person of interest, according to the police department. "Right now we believe he could be armed and dangerous," Police Chief Mike Cantaloupe said during a briefing posted to the Cocoa Police Department's Facebook page.

Florida's Space Coast Office of Tourism office estimates about 100,000 people flooded into Florida to watch the historic launch. While that could make finding the person of interest tougher, Cantaloupe said the crowds could work in his favor: "I'm hoping that would work to our advantage, because there were so many people here, maybe if someone sees this picture," Cantaloupe said, asking the media to disseminate the image of the person of interest. "Get that picture out as much as you can. The more people who see it, the better chance we have in getting to him, finding out what happened."

The police department is asking that anyone with information contact the Central Florida CRIMELINE at 1-800-423-TIPS (8477). "Callers will remain anonymous and can be eligible for cash rewards of up to $5,000 in this case," according to the department's Facebook page.

Originally published on Live Science.
Schenectady

City residents are generally not a shy bunch when it comes to speaking their mind at municipal meetings.

And for at least the next few months they will have another minute to say their piece at public hearings before the City Council votes on important issues.

Council President Ed Kosiur said Friday that the panel discussed the idea of increasing the time from three to four minutes at the hearings after a local man recently suggested giving people more time to weigh in.

"It's just a way of us being more open and transparent," Kosiur said, adding that it's critical that people stay on topic.

He said that except for the budget, public hearings on average attract only a handful of speakers.

One notable exception was the public hearing when the Council was considering supporting Rivers Casino & Resort at Mohawk Harbor, a $480 million casino and residential-retail building project. The casino opened a year ago.

Kosiur said the plan is to keep the change in place after the public hearing in the spring related to the awarding of community development block grant money that typically draws a lot of people to the microphone.

He said after that the council will revisit the matter before deciding whether to make it permanent or revert to three minutes.

If it goes really well, Kosiur said, he may even bump it up to five minutes, which is what Councilman Vince Riggi wants.

"A public hearing is a different animal because we are requesting to hear the public's input," Riggi said. "We're elected to listen to the people."

Riggi and Koisur emphasized that the three-minute time limit will remain the same for public comments related to items on the "legislative agenda" and during the "privilege of the floor" for people's general comments.

Kosiur recalled years ago when the Council allowed people four minutes to address city leaders and many of the same individuals often spoke.

Kosium said he didn't think there was support among the majority on the panel to go down that road again.

Councilwoman Marion Porterfield is all for giving people as much time as possible for the often weighty issues that call for public hearings.

"People generally have an opinion they need to get across," she said, "so they need a longer time to express themselves before we take that vote."

The Council will vote Monday on the expanded time for speakers at public hearings, and the measure is expected to be approved.

pnelson@timesunion.com  518-454-5347  @apaulnelson
Time is up. Whatcha gonna do when they come for you? Dayton will join law enforcement officers across Texas participating in a state-wide warrant sweep sometime during the next 30 days and for those who have outstanding warrants, they jeopardize their freedom.

More than 250 jurisdictions will target thousands of defendants who have unpaid warrants. Numerous counties, justices of the peace and municipalities of all sizes will participate in the roundup.

Dayton Police Department Warrant Officer Julian Cruz warned that citizens who do not resolve their warrants face arrest.

"We will arrest them at home, at their work place, or if they are stopped by Dayton PD or another jurisdiction, they will be subject to arrest then," he said.

"It's in their best interest to contact the court and handle their business before it comes to that," he said.

Arrest can be embarrassing, especially if it occurs in front of neighbors, co-workers, or family. Hiding is not an option.

"We will find you and when we do, you'll go to jail," he said emphatically.

Under Texas Law, individuals that appear before a court and make a good faith effort to resolve their outstanding Class C warrants are afforded safe harbor and not subject to arrest. Additionally, if a judgment is rendered against an individual who is unable to pay the judgment, the individual may request a judge to assess their ability to pay and offer alternative means to satisfy the judgment.

Individuals with warrants are encouraged to contact the court that issued the warrant to resolve their cases voluntarily before they are compelled to appear by arrest.

Some violations include speeding, running a red light, disorderly conduct, possession of drug paraphernalia, anything that residents may have received a citation from an officer.

"If you don't show up to court, they are given a Failure To Appear (FTA) citation and a warrant is issued for their arrest," said Jennifer Billings, chief court administrator.

That not showing up in court kicks up the fines considerably adding to the original fines for the violation an extra $390 for the FTA and court costs.

Billings said they understand that not everyone has the resources to pay multiple fines and warrant costs and so they are willing to offer financial arrangements that will help them pay off their fines in a reasonable amount of time.

"They just need to make contact with the court and pay $100 down and $100 per month thereafter until it's been disposed," she said.

But it should be done as soon as possible before the sweep occurs.

The court hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. If residents cannot come in during that time because of work, Billings said they can go by the Dayton Police Department, give them the $100 and they will pull the warrant, but they must still contact the court during regular hours to sign a payment plan agreement.

"We can either mail it to them or they can pick it up here," she said.

She warns that people with outstanding warrants should not become complacent or think they have escaped justice if an officer has not arrested them during the warrant round-up.

"With a full-time warrant officer, we will be working these continuously," Billings said. Within the next month, however, there will be a more concentrated effort by multiple agencies.

No warrants with Dayton? It could still be a problem if there is a warrant in another county or with another agency. Any one of those could be knocking on the door of those with an outstanding warrant.

According to Justice of the Peace Alan D. Conner and Billings, there are approximately 3,800-plus open warrants in the Dayton Municipal Court and that adds up to the tune of more than $1.2 million.

Conner and Billings said they were serious about reducing the number of warrants.

The court is located at 2002 N Cleveland St. in Dayton and the phone number is 936-258-5312.
New York

An immigration activist whose battle to avoid deportation has drawn support from Democratic politicians will get to stay in the U.S. for the time being after his lawyers filed a lawsuit accusing federal officials of wrongly targeting him in an attempt to silence dissent.

Ravi Ragbir, a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago, said in a lawsuit filed Friday in New York that immigration agents have purposely singled out immigrant advocates for deportation as a way to quiet opposition.

"These activists have been surveilled, intimidated, harassed and detained, their homes raided, many have been plucked off the street in broad daylight, and some have even been deported," the lawsuit said.

The suit was filed a day before Ragbir's latest deportation order was scheduled to take effect. In a stipulation, federal prosecutors and Ragbir's lawyers agreed he won't be deported until he has had a chance to argue his new suit, sometime after March 14. Ragbir still must turn up for a meeting with immigration agents on Saturday.

Ragbir leads the New Sanctuary Coalition of New York City, a coalition of 150 faith-based, pro-immigrant groups. He initially was ordered deported after being convicted in a mortgage fraud scheme in 2001 but his removal from the U.S. had largely been on hold until Jan. 11, when he was detained during a routine check-in with immigration officials.

Ragbir's detention spawned protests that blocked traffic. Two city council members were arrested during the rally.

He was released last week after a federal judge ruled he hadn't been given enough time to say goodbye to his family. That judge, U.S. District Judge Katherine B. Forrest, expressed "grave concern" over allegations he was targeted for deportation because of his political activities.

The week before his arrest, another leader of the New Sanctuary Coalition, Jean Montrevil, was arrested in the street and deported to Haiti. Montrevil had served an 11-year prison sentence for selling cocaine.

Immigration agents last month also detained the husband of an immigrant activist in Boulder, Colorado, who got media attention after seeking sanctuary from deportation in a church.

U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officials have said repeatedly that Ragbir and the other activists were being deported because of their serious criminal records, not because of their politics.
The expansion of the U.S. bombing campaign in Afghanistan to target a little-known Chinese terrorist group is an example of how the 16-year-old war has changed under President Donald Trump, according to U.S. military officers and outside analysts.

The airstrikes began Feb. 2 in northeastern Afghanistan's remote, mountainous Badakhshan province, destroying training camps and fighting positions in the Wurduj district. The area was once relatively peaceful but fell under Taliban control in 2015 and is now home to members of both the Taliban and a separatist group that is known as both the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) and the Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP).

The Taliban and ETIM were commingled on the facilities that were bombed and often work together, said Air Force Brig. Gen. Lance Bunch, the director of future operations at the U.S.-led military headquarters in Kabul. The strikes included three Humvees and two Ford Ranger pickup trucks that the United States once provided to Afghan troops and were in the process of being converted into rolling suicide bombs.

"Anybody that is an enemy of Afghanistan, we're going to target them," Bunch said in a phone interview. "We've got new authorities now that allow us to be able to . . . target the Taliban and the ETIM where they previously thought they were safe."

The new authorities were approved in August by Trump, and the United States has escalated the air campaign ever since. While U.S. officials have declined to say what specifically they entail, there is broad agreement that they have allowed the U.S. military to expand how frequently it strikes. The Air Force dropped 4,361 bombs in Afghanistan last year, as opposed to 1,337 in 2016 and 947 in 2015, according to service statistics.

The ETIM comprises ethnic Uyghur militants who want to form a separate state in or near the western Xinjiang region of China. The group's emir is believed to be Abdul Haq al Turkistani, who has been on al-Qaeda's leadership council and was targeted by the Treasury Department in 2009 for his associations with other terrorists, said Thomas Joscelyn, a senior editor with the Long War Journal, which tracks terrorist organizations. The group threatened attacks on the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing.

The militants once had a home across the Afghan border in Pakistan but were pushed out of the North Waziristan region in 2015 as the U.S. reduced the number of troops in Afghanistan and the Pakistani military ran a series of counterterrorism operations on its side of the border, said Michael Kugelman, who analyzes terrorist groups for the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

"It's a group that has really flown under the radar in many ways in the broader constellation of terrorist organizations," Kugelman said. "It typically has local aims, but I don't think we should ever take light any group with ties to al-Qaeda."

The group has expanded its operations in recent years. Under the TIP acronym, it fought in Syria alongside groups linked to al-Qaeda, according to an assessment released in November by the International Centre for Counterterrorism at The Hague.

Air Force Maj. Gen. James Hecker, the commander of the coalition's air command in Afghanistan, told reporters Wednesday that there has been a "change in weight of effort" recently in U.S. intelligence-gathering that has provided U.S. commanders with more information about potential targets. The United States also has added additional aircraft, including MQ-9 Reaper drones and a squadron of A-10C attack jets in southern Afghanistan.

"With the current uplift in resources, we can decimate Taliban command-and-control nodes," Hecker said. "That means we can strike at the heart of training camps, where they brainwash young men to strap on a suicide vest, to kill themselves and their fellow Afghans, who are working to rebuild the country."

It's not clear how many other facilities might be targeted, or what it will take to turn the tide. The U.S. military highlighted strikes this week near Bahram Chah, a border crossing town in southern Helmand province. Bunch said there also have been strikes recently in Nangarhar, an eastern province where the Islamic State has maintained a presence.

Kugelman said the fact that there are so many apparent targets shows how rapidly security in Afghanistan has deteriorated over the past few years.

"It's a very striking and sobering reminder of how widely the insurgency in Afghanistan has expanded," he said. "For many years, the Taliban's strongholds were in the south and southeast of the country, but in recent years all of a sudden you have the Taliban carving out area in new places. It's pretty telling, and it's pretty depressing, actually."
JAKARTA, Indonesia - Prodded by religious conservatives, Indonesia is moving toward outlawing gay sex - and even sex outside marriage - in a jarring change for a country long seen as a bastion of tolerance in the Islamic world.

The proposed sexual crackdown in the Southeast Asian archipelago of more than 260 million people - the world's largest Muslim-majority nation and third-largest democracy - is drawing criticism at home and abroad from human rights organizations and LGBT activists. They warn that penal code revisions now under consideration in parliament would discriminate against large numbers of people, promote extremist views and reverse democratic gains.

Ichsan Soelistio, a member of a special commission in the House of Representatives working to update Indonesia's criminal code, said the body has reached consensus to include laws outlawing extramarital sex, as well as gay sex, and is likely to do so soon, but with some limitations.

"More conservative elements want full criminalization, which we reject," Soelistio, a member of Indonesia's largest political party, said in an interview this week. "But we have agreed to accept a law which allows prosecution of sex outside marriage and homosexual sex, but only if one of the sexual partners or their family members report the crime to police."

President Joko Widodo, a fellow member of Soelistio's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), is considered more secular and liberal than most major Indonesian politicians, and he will almost certainly face off against a more conservative Muslim figure in his bid for reelection in April next year. The legislators also face reelection, and opposition parties recently have used religion as a wedge issue to great effect.

In the interview in his parliamentary office, Soelistio, 63, repeatedly emphasized that his party would prefer to stay out of regulating citizens' private lives. But he asserted that given political realities, the proposed new rules were the best way to protect LGBT and other at-risk communities.

"Without this kind of firewall, there is the risk that the public can try to take the law into their own hands," he said. "We are not banning gay people. We are trying to give them freedom within certain limits."

Not everyone finds this argument convincing.

"That is not protection," said Lini, an Indonesian LGBT activist. "LGBT Indonesians are often rejected by their families or the victims of violence within the family. Allowing their parents to throw them in jail legally is the opposite of helping." Lini, who works with the LGBT organization known as Arus Pelangi (Rainbow Flow), did not want to be identified by her full name out of fear for her safety.

She said she has been shocked by how quickly political sentiment has shifted on the issue. "Six months ago, I would have thought it very unlikely a law like this would actually be passed. Now we have little reason to feel optimistic."

On a visit to Jakarta this week, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad al-Hussein came to a similar conclusion.

"I am greatly concerned about the discussions around revisions to the penal code," the former Jordanian diplomat said at a news conference. "These discussions betray strains of intolerance seemingly alien to Indonesian culture. . . . The extremist views playing out in the political arena are deeply worrying, accompanied as they are by rising levels of incitement to discrimination, hatred or violence in various parts of the country."

Zeid urged Indonesians to consolidate their democracy by moving "forward - not backward - on human rights." He added: "Because these proposed amendments will in effect criminalize large sections of the poor and marginalized, they are inherently discriminatory. LGBTI Indonesians already face increasing stigma, threats and intimidation. The hateful rhetoric against this community that is being cultivated seemingly for cynical political purposes will only deepen their suffering and create unnecessary divisions." (LGBTI stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex.)

In cases of gay sex, the proposed changes call for prison sentences for acts committed in public, with a minor, or when used for commercial or pornographic purposes. In such cases, a complaint by one partner or family member is not required.

Police began using existing pornography laws last year to crack down on gay parties, as the country's politics took an apparent turn toward increased religious conservatism.

Widodo ally Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, a Christian of Chinese descent commonly known as "Ahok," lost his bid for reelection as Jakarta governor last April, then was jailed for comments he made during his campaign that were deemed blasphemous to Islam.

The episode, which included mass protests organized by Islamist groups, put Widodo's party on the defensive and convinced many politicians that a moral crusade could be a cheap and easy way to appeal to voters, analysts said.

"For several decades, the perceived importance of religious identity and piety among Indonesian Muslims has been growing," said David Henley, professor of contemporary Indonesia studies at Leiden University in the Netherlands. This is partly because of globalization and contact with more conservative Islamic societies elsewhere - and partly a reaction to increasing urbanization and modernization, he added.

On Thursday, a group of female Indonesian activists presented an online petition to lawmakers and asked them to abandon the penal code revisions, but they reported on social media that the meeting was frustrating.

Indonesians who do not want to see the state add tools to regulate private sexuality hope that international pressure prompts the government to change tack, or that proponents of the changes simply fail to get them through the legislature. Indonesia's criminal code has not been updated since the archipelago was ruled as a Dutch colony before World War II.

"This time, however, they are really determined to get this done, and may do so as soon as next month," said Maidina Rahmawati, a researcher at Indonesia's Institute for Criminal Justice Reform. "They want to present it as a major achievement."

The reason for expanding sexual crimes is simple, she said: "In contemporary Indonesian politics, religion and morality have proven to be effective weapons."
Around 100 checks made out to the tax assessor-collectors office have been used to create counterfeit ones and may be tied to a nationwide operation, the head of the agency said Friday.

Bexar County Tax Assesor-Collector Albert Uresti said in an interview that the breach did not occur within the office itself. This is not just affecting Bexar County, he said.

Local and federal authorities are now investigating, he added.

We know for sure its statewide. And we know that its been across state lines, and then were even understanding that it may be international, according to investigators, Uresti said.

Were going to take a lot of steps in order to ensure that everything is safe and everything is being monitored, Uresti said.

The San Antonio Express-News reported earlier this week that two Bexar County residents said someone had lifted signatures and routing information from business checks sent to the tax office and used that information to create counterfeit checks that were cashed. The counterfeit checks were for more than $2,000, according to the businesses.

After finding out about the allegations of fraud, the tax office contacted the U.S. Secret Service and the South Texas Fraud Task Force, which is made up of detectives from area agencies including the San Antonio Police Department and Bexar County Sheriffs Office. The task force is working alongside the district attorneys office to investigate.

Uresti said the tax office doesnt directly handle checks sent to it, making it unlikely that anyone in the office had anything to do with the alleged fraud.

He explained that checks made out to the office are mailed to a third-party processor via a post office box owned by the office.

From there, the tax offices bank processes the checks and sends payment information to the agency.

Officials said it appears that the fraudulent activity could be occurring anywhere during the process.

As a result of the allegations, all checks for now will be processed by the tax office, Uresti said.

The office is asking that anybody who made a check out to the tax assessor-collectors office between Oct. 1 and Friday monitor their checking account for suspicious activities.

Whoever is doing this is turning it around in 60 days, Uresti said.

Uresti added that the tax office has found that checks targeted for duplication were between $2,000 and $3,000.

He added that anyone who has mailed a check to the office has received credit for their payments.

The office has designated a phone line for people to report possible fraudulent activity. The number is 210-335-6758.

EDITORS NOTE: This story has been updated to correct the phone number for people to call to report possible fraudulent activity.

Jscherer@express-news.net | Twitter: @Jscherer | jbeltran@express-news.net | Twitter: @JBfromSA
by Sara Guaglione , February 9, 2018

A group of former DNAinfo Chicago journalists are hoping to fill the void left by the sites abrupt shutdown three months ago with the launch of a new site, called Block Club Chicago.

But instead of relying on digital advertising for its business, like DNAinfo Chicago did, Block Club will turn to subscriptions and blockchain for revenue.

Jen Sabella, former deputy editor and social media director of DNAinfo Chicago, Shamus Toomey, former DNAinfo Chicago managing editor, and Stephanie Lulay, former DNAinfo Chicago senior editor, are the brains behind the new, nonprofit outlet, according to Nieman Lab.

Sabella, Toomey and Lulay are Block Clubs director of strategy, editor-in-chief and managing editor, respectively.

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A Kickstarter campaign for Block Club, which will officially launch in April, went live Tuesday morning. Within a day, it surpassed its $25,000 goal, Nieman Lab reports. It currently has more than $125,000 pledged funding.

Block Club aims to run primarily on cash and cryptocurrency from the journalism-focused, blockchain-based marketplace called Civil. Civil is a new publishing platform that will allow readers to support reporters and pay for subscriptions using cryptocurrency.

We wanted to focus on neighborhoods, and we wanted to have a membership model, Sabella told Nieman Lab. We didnt get to do it our way at DNA, at least on the business side. So we said, lets just do it our way now.

The former DNAinfo journalists told multiple media outlets that when they worked at the site, readers would ask how they could support their work through subscriptions or payments, but no such system existed at the time.

Local news sites DNAinfo and Gothamist were abruptly shut down in November by billionaire owner Joe Ricketts. Over 100 employees were let go.

Ricketts, the founder of TD Ameritrade, explained in a letter posted to the web addresses that the local news business hasn't been sufficient to support the tremendous effort and expense needed to produce the type of journalism on which the company was founded.

Ricketts shut down all the DNAinfo sites, including its hubs in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington.

Block Club Chicago has hired five reporters, four of which are former DNAinfo Chicago journalists.

The site is hoping to charge subscribers around $5 a month for full access to its content. Breaking news will remain free.
Triple-negative breast cancer has poor survival rates. However, the results of a new study  in which researchers discovered a stem cell pathway that may promote the disease  may lead to new treatments. Share on Pinterest Scientists have identified a protein that could be behind triple-negative breast cancers poor survival rates. Over recent months, Medical News Today have covered many studies related to breast cancer and how it can be treated. One such study, for example, found that a single injection of a small amount of two agents could successfully eliminate cancer in mice. Another study suggested that starving cancer cells of vitamin B-2 could prevent their spread. Now, scientists at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute in Ohio claim that they have identified a new stem cell pathway that promotes highly aggressive triple-negative breast cancer. In the study  which is published in the journal Nature Communications  the researchers outline a survival pathway that had not yet been described in previous breast cancer studies, and which may provide a potential new target for future therapies.

A need to improve low survival rates Experts now know that hormone therapy prevents breast cancer cells from binding to hormones that promote their growth, such as estrogen and progesterone. However, the main problem when it comes to treating triple-negative breast cancer cells is that they do not have receptors that allow them to bind to estrogen and progesterone. Because typical breast cancer therapies use these receptors to target cancer cells, the absence of these receptors help triple-negative breast cancer cells to evade treatment. As a result, triple-negative breast cancer is associated with low survival rates. Triple-negative breast cancer, says study co-author Ofer Reizes, Ph.D., is resistant to treatment and has a high recurrence rate. This aggressive subtype accounts for about 1520 percent of breast cancers, he continues. Our findings are at an early stage but we are hopeful that targeting these cancer stem cells will lead to new treatments to allow women to be treated successfully and improve their outcomes.
What if one day you wake up and had one crore rupees? All of us would be over the moon, right? The only downside would be that you might have a heart attack because of happiness before you get to use that money though.

Everyone in a tiny village in Arunachal Pradesh has become a crorepati overnight, and I'm very happy for them and not at all jealous. This was all thanks to the payment released by the government towards acquisition of their land for the Army.

The land that was acquired as part of the Army's efforts to just basically up its presence in Arunachal Pradesh, especially the western part of the state, to counter Chinese aggression there. The village gave up the land in order for the Army to set up key location plan units of its Tawang Garrison five years ago.

 Twitter

And now, they have come through!

To compensate for the acquisition of a little over 200 acres of land, the ministry of defence has released cheques worth 40.8 crore to 31 families of Bomja village. One of the families received Rs 6.73 crore for giving up the largest chunk of land and another family was compensated with 2.45 crore. The rest of the 29 households received 1.09 crore each.

But wait there's more! This particular village has now reached the status of the richest village in the whole country. Well, obviously, they received almost 41 crore bucks, but what's better is that Bomja might be the richest village in Asia as well. But, it's all reports right now and an official said that nothing can be said with certainty right now.

Thanking defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the Chief Minister also added that more such compensation in lieu of land acquisition by the Indian Army is under process by the central government.

Good guy government? The best kind of 3G out there!
There's nothing good that comes out of war. It's simply hell on earth, and people survive, and people don't. is a quote by Michael Cimino as true as any. However, the wars have definitely given us some unbelievable and astounding stories of spies and special agents. Here are four of the most fantastical spy stories you'll ever come across on the internet.

1. Noor Inayat Khan

 Pinterest

An Indian born spy with a story worth celebrating. Noor was a child of an interracial marriage between an Indian man (descendant of Tipu Sultan) and an American woman. She lost her father at a young age and had to flee with her family to London during World War II. She wasn't a woman mentally or physically fit to be a secret agent but her hatred towards the Nazis was enough motivation to overpower her incapability.

She was sent to Paris in June 1943, Noor, aged 29 at the time, was SOE's first female undercover radio operator in France. Roughly in a week's time, all of SOE's operators in the city were caught by German intelligence. She refused to be extradited and continued the mission alone for three months. She changed locations and identities every day, collected information and also managed to send messages back to London.

She was eventually caught after being betrayed by a German double agent. She collected all her strength and fought the captors, it took six men to arrest her. Noor tried to escape the prison twice. She was kept in solitary confinement and was continuously subjected to violent interrogations but the woman did not break. After one whole year in captivity, she was transferred to Dachau concentration where she was brutally tortured and shot to death in 1944. Liberte is believed to be her last word. She was awarded Croix se Guerre, France's best known military decoration and a George Cross, Britain's highest civilian decoration

2. Takeo Yoshikawa

 azcentral

History doesn't change because of people's opinion. It is an accumulation of facts. Here is how fact is defined; a thing that is known or proved to be true. Very rarely do people challenge history. We are about to introduce you to one of those rarities.

Takeo Yoshikawa, a man disguised as Tadashi Morimura, was on a one-man mission to Pearl Harbour but was abandoned by his own men. In August 1940, Yoshikawa reached Pearl Harbor with the mission of collecting intel on the American military installations. Not only was he sent without a proper training but he was informed that he wasn't going to receive help of any sort from Japan's Hawaiian spy network.

He spied on the Navy base and the nearby Army Air Corps through a private dining room owned by a woman. He was living a life straight out of spy movies; changing costumes, jobs, and adapting different identities better than a chameleon. He manipulated his long-distance swimming skills by spying on the base from underwater and breathing through reeds. During the evenings, he picked up hitchhiking U.S. soldiers and servicemen and persuaded them for information without seeming suspicious.

He raided the military dumpsters pretending to be a drunk vagrant. It was the information provided by him that shaped the entire attack. He reported that North of Oahu was the direction with the lowest security, the location of shallowest waters, the robustness of ships, and the entire schedule. The Japanese military accomplished its objective with brutal effectiveness with the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941. Yoshikawa returned to Japan and worked in Naval intelligence until Japan surrendered in 1945. He immediately went into hiding and returned to his family in 1952 and opened a candy shop in 1955.

People became aware of his role in the war. They even blamed me for the atomic bomb, Yoshikawa told Australia's Daily Mail in 1991, in an interview with the Western press. The candy business failed and he couldn't find another job. He never received any official recognition for his contribution to the war effort. In fact, his petition for the pension to the Government was denied.

3. Juan Pujol Garcia

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Juan Pujol joined German spy agency to serve as a double agent to Britishers. His success can be calculated by the fact that he is the only confirmed person to receive high decorations from both the British (MBE) and the Germans (Iron Cross). He was sent to England to collect information about British spies but instead went to Lisbon and using a UK tourist guide he made up the reports. He maintained a fictional network of 27 agents (for which he got paid US$340,000) in efforts to waste German resources.

The reports seemed so pristine that Germans plotted various missions to capture spies based on data provided by him. This caught the attention of British intelligence and they recruited him. He passed an MI5 security check conducted by two MI5 officers and an MI6 officer after which he was assigned the code name; Garbo. He never made the Germans suspicious enough to appoint another spy to verify his reports and still managed to not leak any sensitive information about British strategies. For a while, he blamed the delay in the delivery of reports on the courier.

Noticing the growing frustration of Germans, in 1943 Pujol and Tomas Harris (a Spanish-speaking officer) created a fictional radio mechanic to facilitate faster communication. To justify the inability in reporting an easily available information, he faked the death of Tomas Harris.

In January 1944, he provided false locations for Normandy landings. They believed Garbo's reports to such an extent that they kept two armoured divisions and 19 infantry divisions in the Pas de Calais waiting for an invasion through July and August 1944. He even professed his own arrest to justify his failure of providing information on the falling of V1 flying bombs.

4. Fritz Joubert Duquesne

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Fritz Duquesne was a man believed by many to be the most notorious spy ever. Even though he was one of the most influential people at the time, his story is barely covered in the history books since he had a reputation for fabricating stories about himself including his origin, education, and even the fact that he murdered Britain's Lord Kitchener.

He headed the biggest spy ring in the history of the United States, was a globe-trotting journalist, was known for his connections with President John F. Kennedy. At age 12, he killed his first man, a Zulu who attacked his mother. His hatred for Britishers (for massacring his family) motivated him to be a German spy. He escaped several internments (three times by the British and once by the Portuguese) with his manipulative skills and sheer shrewdness. He faked paralysis for two years to avoid imprisonment, allegedly used a metal spoon to tunnel his way out of a prison and also, pretended to be a woman for his breakout.

He is held responsible for the sinking of 22 ships and embezzling money from insurance on merchandise he transported on those ships. He was finally seized and faced imprisonment of 13 years followed by two years in welfare hospital where he died as a 78-year-old lonely poverty-stricken man.
Women Redefining Retirement to meet

MILFORD  Women Redefining Retirement will hold its next meeting at 7 p.m. Feb. 12 at Golden Hill Health Care Center, 2028 Bridgeport Ave.

Speaker will be Bruce Warzako, who will talk about Friendship Force, an international organization that provides opportunities to explore new countries and cultures.

Food donation will benefit the Milford Senior Center. This will also be the groups annual book/magazine/DVD swap, and any leftover items will be donated to the Milford Public Library and Milford Senior Center.

Networking in Orange

ORANGE  The Network of Executive Women will hold a Network at Night business networking event from 5-7 p.m. Feb. 27 at Coromandel, Cuisine of India, 185 Boston Post Road.

There is no cost to attend; complimentary appetizers will be served and there will be a cash bar.

RSVP to Phyllis Mullins at phyllis.mullins@gmail.com.

Network of Executive Women offering scholarships

The Network of Executive Women is now accepting scholarship applications through Feb. 28, according to a release.

Undergraduate scholarships are being offered to women residing or attending school in New Haven or Fairfield counties who demonstrate financial need. Applicants must be returning, continuing or commencing schooling or other types of training to further their educational goals and/or enhance the job skills, the release said; students who go directly from high school into college are not eligible.

Completed applications will only be considered if submitted between Feb. 1 and 28. For applications, contact Virginia Allen at 203-795-0305 or ginnieallen@gmail.com. For more information, visit www.networkofexecutivewomen.org.
After months of intense lobbying, Newmans Own Foundation won a federal exemption that allows it to keep control of the food company that harvests the profits it devotes to charity.

U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, both D-Conn., announced the exemption Friday morning after pressing for its inclusion in the new spending bill passed by Congress that ended a brief shutdown of the federal government.

Under a 1969 law that prohibits foundations from owning more than 20 percent of for-profit companies, Westport-based Newmans Own Foundation would have been forced to divest the majority of shares in Newmans Own, created by the late actor Paul Newman as a way to funnel money to charities. With the expiration of the exemption, Newmans Own would have faced a massive excise tax that was crafted a half-century ago to prevent wealthy taxpayers from using their foundations as tax shelters.

In an interview last week with Hearst Connecticut Media prior to the exemptions enactment, Newmans Own Foundation CEO Bob Forrester said the organization would consider recruiting like-minded partners to share ownership of Newmans Own and maintain its philanthropic mission, while emphasizing the challenges that would pose in having multiple entities at the table.

Forrester expressed hope at the time that opportunities would surface by April for an exemption to be included in a Congressional spending bill, the foundations self-imposed deadline for action on the issue before it would have to line up investors for Newmans Own before the November expiration of its exemption.

That opportunity was quick to surface, as Congress and the White House came under pressure to get a spending bill approved to forestall a federal shutdown. Blumenthal and Murphy won support for language in the new spending bill that changes the tax code to exempt private philanthropic foundations like Newmans Own Foundation from the excise tax as long as all profits go to charity, the foundation is independently operated and all ownership interests were acquired under the terms of a will or trust.

At least two dozen other foundations operate on the total giving model pioneered by Newmans Own, including actor Hugh Jackmans Laughing Man coffee brand that is sold in Keurig Green Mountain K-cups.

Newmans Own Foundation has donated more than $512 million to charity since 1982, including $1.2 million in commitments last year for recovery efforts following hurricanes in Houston, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and wildfires in California. The foundation has supported hundreds of nonprofits in its home state of Connecticut, as well, including the SeriousFun Childrens Network which supports camps for kids with medical conditions requiring around-the-clock care.

Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman
Now that the trilogy is completed, its time to stop smirking and say a few nice things about the Fifty Shades series.

The first is that weve been watching these people have sex for three movies now, and the sex hasnt gotten boring yet, not for them, certainly, but not even for us. Theyve been strenuously keeping it interesting for three whole movies, and they deserve credit for that.

The second nice thing pertains to the new installment, in particular. The opening moments of Fifty Shades Freed depict the wedding of the billionaire Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) and the languid yet game Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson). And you know how every newlywed tells you that being married somehow makes things different? Well, the marriage of the two central characters makes this movie different from its two predecessors and in ways that are helpful.

The first installment in the series was a getting-acquainted story with elements of sadomasochism and bondage thrown in. The second installment was about a deepening relationship made complicated by the intrusion of a psycho who wanted to kill one or both of them. Basically, the first two films dealt in common movie tropes jazzed up by a particular sexual atmosphere.

But Fifty Shades Freed has something extra going for it, in that it depicts something that movies and pop songs and pop culture in general tend to avoid, which is the romance of familiarity. Yes, the psycho is still loose and wants to kill both of them, especially Anastasia. But hes mostly on the fringes of the story, adding the possibility of danger and the illusion of action, while the movie stays focused on its real business, which is all about flying to Paris on a private jet, or tending to ones tan at an exclusive resort.

At heart, this is really a movie about minor (and inevitable) honeymoon bickering, and the process of choosing a place to live and setting up a household. And yes, sure, as they drive back from their new property, they notice that the psycho is following them in a blue van, and that threat becomes the catalyst for a reasonably exciting chase scene. But the scenes real purpose doesnt come until they lose him, park the car and start having sex in the front seat.

Has there been a movie since the 1970s  since the uncomplicated, post-syphilis and pre-herpes, pre-AIDS era of The Harrad Experiment  that has believed in sex this much? That has endorsed sex with such wholehearted, unabashed enthusiasm? They have sex with vibrators, sex with ice cream, sex with no props at all, and it seems like a very nice thing that these newlyweds are so into each other. Fifty Shades Freed arrives in a world has not stopped throwing up thinking about Harvey Weinstein, and its pagan joie de vivre comes as blessed relief from ugly thoughts of awful people.

The essential thing is this: As silly as the movie is, and its silly in many ways, it accomplishes the fundamental task of making you believe that this is a young couple in love. At one point, Christian sits at a piano and starts playing Paul McCartneys Maybe Im Amazed, and as obvious as the moment is, it also feels right, because that song is also about the romance of familiarity. McCartney and novelist E.L. James are, in their different ways, more or less talking about the same emotions.

Another nice thing about this movie, and also a curious thing: It seems to be arranged as a series of five-minute interludes, a surprising number of which are entertaining, even if they can almost feel unrelated. She has a nightmare. Then they have sex on the kitchen table. Then she visits the doctor. Then she goes to the psychos bail hearing. ... Its just one thing after another, but its mostly fun.

Thats everything good. Now for the bad part. Fifty Shades Freed is ridiculous. Aside from the interactions between Christian and Anastasia, the dialogue is laughable, and the turns of plot are absurd. Even the overarching story  Anastasias former boss at the publishing house is transformed into a homicidal maniac  is pretty much a joke.

Yet its weird how some things in movies matter less than others. I like these people. Im rather sorry to see this series end.

Mick LaSalle is The San Francisco Chronicles movie critic. Email: mlasalle@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MickLaSalle

Fifty Shades Freed

Romantic drama. Starring Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan. Directed by James Foley. (R. 105 minutes.)
MIDDLETOWN  Oddfellows Playhouse Youth Theater, a fixture on the Middletown arts scene for 42 years, will have new leadership this spring.

Kristen Palmer, Executive Artistic Director, who has been at the Playhouse since 2013, is resigning at the end of March to return to her vocation as playwright and teaching artist.

The new Executive Artistic Director will be Dic Wheeler. Wheeler is coming back to the Playhouse where he was Artistic Director for 21 years (1984-2005) before founding the Middletown theater company, ARTFARM. In fact he never completely left, as he created and continues to direct the joint Oddfellows/ARTFARM circus program Circophony.

Palmer brought to the Playhouse extensive experience in using theater to expand and enrich K-12 education. Palmer expects to continue to work with Connecticut students as a teaching artist.

Wheeler started teaching at the Playhouse as a Wesleyan undergraduate. Within a few years he was Artistic Director. His interests were in non-traditional forms of theatrical performance - circus arts (especially clowning and juggling) and commedia dellarte, the raucous Renaissance street theater out of which much of modern comedy developed. He trained at the Dell Arte School of Physical Theater in California. The Childrens Circus of Middletown, a celebrated summer program in Middletown, is his creation; he directed it for its first 15 years. He was also the leading director of scripted plays (especially Shakespeare), musicals (Jesus Christ Superstar, Cabaret), cast-created plays about important issues (Can We All Get Along?, Moon Goddess about Tibetans in exile), and ambitious experimental works by giants of world theater (Peter Brooks The Mahabharata).

At ARTFARM Dic directed an annual outdoor Shakespeare production - most recently Hamlet - and brought performances and workshops to schools all over the state as a Connecticut Teaching Artist. ARTFARM will continue under the direction of Marcella Trowbridge. He has been an adjunct professor of theater at Middlesex Community College.

Wheeler will ease into the position part-time between now and April, according to Steve McDermott, the chair of the Playhouse Board of Directors, as he clears existing commitments and works with Palmer to assess the Playhouses current challenges. The Playhouse is transferring its building to the City of Middletown in exchange for a 25-year cost-free lease.

Italian fundraiser features cheese rolling

CENTERBROOK - Community Music School will present the second annual Taste of Italy fundraiser with a lively game of Italian cheese rolling Saturday at Angelini Wine in Centerbrook. Event proceeds will benefit scholarships and outreach programs at Community Music School. This event is presented by Guilford Savings Bank and includes fine Italian wines, cheese, antipasto, and a full spread of authentic, homemade Italian food. Guests will test their bowling skills with a little friendly competition in a rousing party game of cheese rolling, a tradition in many parts of Italy.

What is cheese rolling, anyway? Its a hilarious Italian game similar to bowling but with a wheel of Pecorino! Guests are encouraged to join the fun, either on the sidelines or in the middle of the action. Winner takes home the cheese.

Over the past few years, Community Music School has partnered with Angelini Wine to present unique benefit events that blend the arts with intimate guided tastings offered behind the scenes at the Angelini warehouse. Guilford Savings Bank joined as presenting sponsor in 2014 and Lewitz, Balosie, Wollack, Rayner & Giroux LLC is also on board as a partner this year.

Tickets are $65 per person and include all food, wine, and game entry. For additional information and to purchase tickets, visit www.community-music-school.org/cheese or call CMS at 860-767-0026.

Red Cross encourages donations

The Red Cross is urging healthy donors of all blood types to roll up a sleeve to help maintain the blood supply for patients in need. In 2018, severe winter weather forced about 600 blood drives to cancel, resulting in more than 17,500 uncollected blood and platelet donations. And, widespread flu across the U.S. has resulted in lower turnout at blood drives.

Blood and platelet donations are needed in the coming days to help replenish the blood supply and ensure patients continue to receive lifesaving treatments. Donors can help even more patients when they invite a loved one, friend or co-worker to give with them. Find a blood drive and make an appointment to donate by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 800-RED CROSS/800-733-2767.

Preschool accepting applications

EAST HAMPTON  The East Hampton High Schools Beginner Bellringer Preschool Program is now taking applications for the spring session. Parents may have a preschool application sent to them by contacting Kasey Carta at 860-365-4030 or email kcarta@easthamptonct.org. All applications must be received by Feb. 23.

The preschool will offer a sessions on Mondays 12-2:10 p.m., and Thursdays & Fridays 11:30-2:10 p.m. Sessions are open to 3 - 5 year olds as of Jan. 1, 2018. The preschool program will begin on Monday, March 5 and end on Friday, June 8. The cost is $100 per student. Enrollment is limited. Applications will be selected this year on a first come first serve basis. All children must be potty trained. Further information may be obtained by contacting Kasey Carta via telephone or email.

All preschoolers must present completed documentation of a current physical and adequate immunizations before the start of the program on March 5. A religious exemption form is available upon request.

Hospice volunteers can receive training

MIDDLETOWN  At Middlesex Hospice and Palliative Care, volunteers are an integral part of our interdisciplinary team, reaching out to patients and families as they cope with the challenges of terminal illness.

Volunteers are eligible to begin after completing 12 hours of classes and a 12-hour mentorship on our inpatient hospice unit. Training is held on Saturday April 7 FROM 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m., and April 21, 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Both sessions are mandatory.

Members are specifically looking for individuals who would like to work in homecare and nursing homes visiting patients. For more information and to begin the application process, contact Jackie Orlowski, Hospice Volunteer Coordinator, at 860-358-6955 or jaclyn.orlowski@midhosp.org at your earliest convenience.
MIDDLETOWN  After over a year of hard work, I am excited to announce Middletown has won the Boston Federal Reserve Working Cities Challenge, which promotes economic growth throughout cities in Connecticut, as well as other parts of New England. This grant provides $450,000 in a multi-year commitment to support the implementation of different strategies and resources to help single parents in need begin their journey toward financial stability and economic independence.

The collaborative team, led by the Middlesex United Way and The Connection, has received the $450,000 grant to reduce the percentage of Middletown single-parent families living at or below the federal poverty level from 35 percent to 20 percent over a 10-year period.

During the first year, the initiative, Middletown Works, will address the root causes that hinder low-income single parents from securing opportunities that will lead to a living wage job. Middletown Works will focus on creating vocational pathways in key fields where there is an identified local need. Part of the plan is to link existing employment services in Middletown and give job seekers multiple points of access to these resources.

Middletown Works also hopes to raise employer awareness about the needs and strengths of single-parent employees, through outreach and engagement efforts, with help from the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce and local businesses.

The collaborating, diverse core team who will continue to work on this initiative are co-leads Middlesex United Way and The Connection, as well as representatives from the City of Middletown, Middlesex Community College, Wesleyan University, Middlesex County Community Foundation, Middlesex Chamber of Commerce, Department of Children & Families, ACES/Early Head Start, Shiloh Christian Church, and several other community members/parents who represent the target population for this grant.

The involvement of community members/parents who represent the target population for this grant played a very critical role. It became clear that to create a plan that would work, we needed to understand the hardships that single-parent families face in Middletown. Going forward, these key representatives will continue to play a role in Middletown Works.

Middlesex United Way, The Connection and The Peach Pit Foundation each have committed to providing an additional $45,000 collectively as part of a required match to receive the grant.

Middletown competed against over 15 qualifying cities during the application process when The Reserve Banks Working Cities Challenge officially launched in Connecticut in 2016. Middletown is joined by East Hartford, Danbury, Hartford and Waterbury, all communities selected.

We believe Middletowns culture of compassion and collaboration helped us secure this grant. This core team brought together individuals from many diverse backgrounds, including professionals in higher education, social services, government and business, to help identify Middletown's greatest needs, and to determine ways to address economic challenges.

Although there is a long road ahead of us, I cannot think of a more deserving city to reserve this grant than Middletown.

Kevin Wilhelm is president and CEO of the Middlesex United Way in Middletown.
Justin Harvey was driving through Orlando on Tuesday when he saw a rocket ship in the sky, leaving a trail of billowing white smoke on its way high above the heavens.

He didn't bother to check the news afterward because he figured the Falcon Heavy rocket, launched by SpaceX and now considered the world's most powerful operational spaceship, probably wound up in the Atlantic Ocean.

"When I saw it, I was ready to laugh," he said. "Space travel is pretty much a hoax."

The 30-year-old University of Central Florida alumnus is a Flat Earth conspiracy theorist, or a Flat Earther, and he doesn't believe that NASA has ever been into space, or that its archive of photographic evidence showing the Earth's spherical shape is anything but Photoshopped propaganda.

As for the red Tesla Roadster convertible  owned by billionaire Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk  that was released into orbit by Falcon Heavy, Harvey believes it was either parked in a film studio or stitched together using computer-generated imagery.

Across the U.S. in recent years, online contingencies of Flat Earthers have grown exponentially, and as their platform has expanded, their comfort publicly expressing their beliefs has, too. Last year, the sold-out Flat Earth International Conference attracted several hundred people  Harvey included  to Raleigh, North Carolina. This year, it'll be in Denver.

And on Feb. 17, Harvey, who works as an Uber and Lyft driver, will give a lecture at the Meeting of the Minds in Miami. Despite majoring in business and real estate at UCF, Harvey has gained some influence in the Flat Earth sphere. Speaking to the topic's popularity, several smaller Flat Earth events in Miami are scheduled to take place in the coming weeks. Flat Earthers also have celebrities within their ranks, including Boston Celtics superstar Kyrie Irving and rapper B.O.B.

Several social media users took to Twitter following the Falcon Heavy Launch, and the release of video showing the Tesla floating through space with a globular Earth in the background was an apparent victory over Flat Earthers. But Harvey said the video of the Tesla seemed fake to him, as there were no stars, satellites or debris to be found.

"I know the Earth is not a ball. Look, we live in Florida, dude," said Jeffrey Main, 49, a Flat Earther living in Palm Harbor, Florida. "If it's not observable, it's not science. It's theory."

Despite the resounding evidence proving Earth's spherical shape, Flat Earthers counter with their own arguments, like the inability to observe the curvature of the Earth even from the top of high-altitude weather balloons, water's lack of convexity and the lack of convincing evidence of the Earth's motion around the Sun. They generally believe the world is a large, stationary disk surrounded by an ice wall.

"They have an explanation for a lot of this stuff," Harvey said. "It's a lot of blah blah, big words ... . We're told you live on a ball and you can't leave unless you're an astronaut."

Harvey and Main, 49, said they used to believe in mainstream astrophysics, but that changed about two years ago when they were challenged online.

"At first I laughed it off," Harvey said. "It took a while, but I finally cracked. I looked into it and I was blown away to be honest."

After a year of researching, Harvey was confident enough to speak about his beliefs in public. Last year he posed a NASA-denying question to retired NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, who spent more than a year on the International Space Station, which Harvey believes is actually under water.

He asked him about "space bubbles," a phenomenon spotted by Flat Earthers in ISS videos that they attribute to underwater filming. Kelly said what appears to be bubbles could be space debris or paint chips  Harvey doubts it. The crowd jeered at his question.

"You gotta expect it," Harvey said. "It's very typical with this topic."

Dr. Massimiliano Galeazzi, the associate chair of the Department of Physics at the University of Miami, didn't mince words about the Flat Earth theory.

"It's very simple. Look at the images from the (International) Space Station," he said. "They see the Earth, and it's round. I'm not sure what more they want."

An "open-minded" proponent of the scientific method and of challenging mainstream ideas, Galeazzi said Flat Earthers go "well beyond that." To believe in a pancake planet, one must dig themself into a hole of denials, he said.

"It's not just one explanation," he said. "There are plenty of reasons why the earth must be spherical."

Without spherical symetry, the theory of gravity wouldn't hold up, he said. And without an orbit around the Sun, the technology used for GPS or satellite TV wouldn't work.

He said the massive circumference of the Earth  29,000 miles around  makes it impossible to observe the planet's curvature from the ground.

"There is clear evidence and plenty of it," he said. "They are entitled to their own opinion. Doesn't mean that it makes sense."

Both Harvey and Main, who met online, said the problem lies in the public's over-reliance on mainstream science and the government.

"I think we have put too much faith in science and blindly believe what we are told because it's been accepted for so long," Harvey said. "I just want people to question and think for themselves again and get back to trusting our own senses."

"Don't even bother listening to people on either side of it," Main added. "Just do your own research."



___

(c)2018 Miami Herald




By FEATURED HOME By Angela Carll

This listing offers you the best of both worlds: You can live in a Greek Revival home which looks as if it could be in one of New Orleans older neighborhoods, but instead you have all the convenience of suburban
A sweeping new Pentagon order addressing harassment prevention in the armed forces includes an important deadline: Dec. 1, when a first-of-its kind report on hazing in the ranks from all Defense Department components is due.

It's a long-anticipated step on the way to more effectively policing a practice that in recent years has been implicated in multiple deaths.

The 23-page harassment order, released Thursday, calls for reports on all kinds of harassment outlined in the document, including sexual harassment, discriminatory harassment, bullying, hazing, retaliation and reprisal.

But the data on hazing and bullying is due two months earlier than the rest, and will be more robust. A Dec. 23, 2015, memo from then-Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert Work updated the Pentagon's policy on hazing and called for the services to start tracking allegations of hazing for the first time, standardizing information and reporting cases to the Office of Diversity Management and Equal Opportunity.

A Pentagon spokeswoman, Air Force Maj. Carla Gleason, said so far about six months of data has been collected, but no report made. The services submit their reports at the end of the year, she said, they will include 18 months of data. It will kick off what will then be annual reports on hazing in the military.

The issue of hazing has been a black eye for the military, with egregious cases getting national attention and no comprehensive data about how often it happens.

In 2011, 21-year-old Lance Cpl. Harry Lew took his own life in Afghanistan after reportedly being hazed by three other Marines for falling asleep on watch. The same year, Army Pvt. Danny Chen, 19, killed himself in Afghanistan after being racially harassed and beaten by fellow soldiers.

More recently, 20-year-old Marine recruit Raheel Siddiqui jumped to his death from a barracks building at Parris Island, South Carolina after collapsing during physical training and being berated and slapped by a senior drill instructor.

A 2016 Government Accountability Office report faulted the Pentagon for failing to establish a uniform method among the services for tracking hazing episodes.

The order may stop short of creating a dedicated database for hazing, a step that the military is required by law to take due to a provision in the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act. Introduced by Rep. Jackie Speier, a California Democrat, this provision requires the secretary of defense to authorize a "comprehensive and consistent" data-collection system for hazing in the armed forces that includes demographic information, including the race and religion, of victims.

Gleason said, per the Pentagon order, the services would collect data using their own systems and means and the office of the secretary of defense would then assemble that information.

Another challenge in putting the data together is the Defense Department's definition of hazing. The definition used in the DoD order this week closely mirrors the one established in the 2015 memo, which replaced a narrower and less detailed 1997 definition.

In the new order, hazing is defined as a "form of harassment that ... physically or psychologically injures, or creates a risk of physical or psychological injury ... for the purpose of: initiation into, admission into, affiliation with, change in status or position within, or a condition for continued membership in any military or DoD civilian organization."

The definition excludes activities conducted for an acceptable military purpose, but adds that hazing can be conducted through social media and electronic devices, as well as in person.

Among activities constituting hazing are oral or written beration for the purposes of humiliation, "any form of initiation or congratulatory act" that includes striking or threatening to strike someone; encouraging someone to engage in "illegal, harmful, demeaning, or dangerous" activities; breaking the skin, as with rank insignia or badges in "pinning" rituals; branding, tattooing, shaving or painting someone; and forcing someone to consume food, water, or any other substance.

Zachary Spilman, an attorney who has practiced military law and remains a major in the Marine Corps Reserves, said the Pentagon's definition is problematically broad, particularly because it doesn't speak to the intent of the individual engaging in the activity described.

"You've got a policy here that covers innocent conduct," he said. "Giving someone a high five is physically striking them."

With hazing reports now being collected by the services, Spilman said his concern was that an overly broad definition would make the real scope of the hazing problem in the military hard to assess.

"There may or may not be a hazing crisis now," he said. "But ... change the definition of hazing to make it broad enough, and you will create a hazing crisis out of whole cloth."

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.
Naval Criminal Investigative Service has opened an investigation into reports that a number sailors on board the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and ashore in Yokosuka, Japan have been using and distributing drugs, the Navy said Friday.

Wall Street Journal first reported that at least 12 sailors based in Japan were being investigated for allegedly selling and using illegal drugs, including LSD and Ecstasy. The outlet reported the investigation includes an inquiry into whether the sailors were distributing the drugs to Japanese civilians.

A spokesman for U.S. Seventh Fleet in Japan, Cmdr. Clay Doss, confirmed to Military.com that NCIS was investigating Yokosuka-based sailors for allegedly selling and distributing drugs.

The Navy has zero tolerance for drug abuse and takes all allegations involving misconduct of our sailors, Navy civilians and family members very seriously, he said. These allegations are still under investigation and it would be inappropriate to comment further.

A spokesman for NCIS, Ed Buice, said the investigative agency was probing allegations of drug use on board the Reagan. He added that NCIS does not discuss details of ongoing investigations.

Wall Street Journal reported the investigation began earlier this week with a tip regarding an enlisted sailor using drugs. It also reported that a suspicious package from one of the sailors under investigation had been intercepted in the local postal system.

The Navy, like the rest of the U.S. military, has a zero-tolerance drug policy, meaning individuals found to be using drugs face automatic processing for administrative separation, as well as criminal charges.

The investigation comes amid a lengthy period of shakeup in the Seventh Fleet: following two deadly ship collisions in the Pacific last summer, fleet commander Vice Adm. Joseph Aucoin was removed from his post and replaced by Vice Adm. Phillip Sawyer. Sawyer then proceeded to relieve two more Seventh Fleet commanders with purview over the ships: Rear Adm. Charles Williams, commander of Task Force 70, and Capt. Jeffrey Bennett, commander of Destroyer Squadron 15.

Just today, President Donald Trump announced his nomination for a new commander at U.S. Pacific Fleet: Vice Adm. John Aquilino, who arrived at his last post at U.S. Naval Forces Central Command in September. If confirmed, he will replace Adm. Scott Swift, who announced last year that he will be retiring after being passed over for commander of U.S. Pacific Command in the wake of the collisions.
In the latest of a series of unfortunate events involving Marine Corps aircraft in Okinawa, an MV-22 Osprey had an engine intake cowling drop off while in flight this week, Marine Corps officials said.

The Osprey is the third Marine Corps aircraft in the region to lose a part while in flight in the last three months; in one case, a window fell off in a field near Daini Futenma Elementary School, where dozens of children were playing, and resulted in minor injuries to a young boy.

The most recent incident took place Thursday and involved an Osprey from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365, attached to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, officials with III MEF told Military.com in a statement. The aircraft had returned to Marine Corps Air Station Futenma after a scheduled flight when aircrew reported the missing part, officials said.

The cowling weighs about 30 pounds and is made of carbon fiber composite, according to the statement. It was recovered after washing ashore Friday on Oodomari Beach on Ikei Island, more than 20 miles from MCAS Futenma. Officials said there was no property damage, and nobody was hurt by the fallen part.

Related content:

Stars and Stripes first reported the mishap Friday, citing the Okinawa Defense Bureau.

III MEF officials said the episode is being investigated, but did not address whether the Marines had discussed it with Okinawan authorities.

Investigation into the incident is ongoing, officials said in the statement. Every MV-22 has and will continue to be inspected to ensure safe flight operations. Nothing is more important than the safety of our aircrews and the citizens of Japan as we train to fight in the defense of this alliance.

Marine officials apologized in December, when a window fell from a CH-53E Super Stallion into the field where children were playing. A week earlier, a small cylindrical object reportedly fell from another Futenma-based aircraft onto the roof of a nearby daycare.

Recent months have also included a rash of emergency landings by Marine aircraft, which have drawn the ire of Okinawa residents who fear the aircraft pose a danger to the local civilian community. There were three emergency helicopter landings in January alone, involving an AH-1 Viper, an AH-1 Cobra, and a UH-1 Huey. In all cases, the landings were precautionary and did not result in injury or damage to any property.

A fourth emergency landing in October involved a Super Stallion that caught fire while in flight. The aircraft put down in a field and resulted in unspecific damage to civilian property and extensive damage to the helicopter. Super Stallion operations were paused for 96 hours while officials investigated the incident.

After the December, the Marine Corps also implemented new inspection protocols to ensure aircraft parts were secured properly.

Stars and Stripes reported that Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga, who has been outspoken in his opposition to the Marine Corps presence on the island, called the Marine Corps crazy following the most recent incident.

"The U.S. military is losing control. There is no sign of improvement even after protests are made, Stripes reported the local Mainichi newspaper quoted him as saying.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis made a formal apology to Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera in January after the string of incidents. The Marines have also agreed to allow Japanese inspectors to verify that locally based aircraft are safe to fly.
The new details not only shed light on what may have triggered the incident, but may also help to explain how five other...
ONONDAGA, N.Y. - It was the yards that Nicole Bucktooth first noticed when she and her husband first inquired about the home at 5133 South Onondaga Road.

"We just loved all the space, it just looked so quiet and peaceful," she said of the 2.34-acre Onondaga property. It once served as Green Hills supermarket farmland and was in the family of George Saunders, of Saunders Concrete.

The front yard is beautifully landscaped, and a brick-designed walkway leads to the impressive front porch.

The backyard is secluded and private and has a 30,000-gallon in-ground swimming pool with a wrap-around patio.

With a screened-in gazebo and pool house, the home is perfect for entertaining.

Boasting more than 2,600-square feet, the space can easily accommodate any large gathering.

Which was a good thing, in Bucktooth's case, because her husband has a very large family. The couple even decided to host their wedding reception there.

The open floor plan allows parties to move easily between the large flowing kitchen out onto the deck and back patio via sliding doors. The dining room is adjacent to the kitchen and features French doors and a chandelier.

The kitchen features a very large island and an amazing amount of storage space, and new appliances, including a double oven.

A wet bar, with an additional sink, provides even more cupboards and peaks into the spacious living room, which is decorated with pillars, a gas fireplace and has access to the backyard via sliding doors.

Inside and out, the house has been wired for sound. Music can be chosen in the living room and the volume can be controlled throughout the home.

Bucktooth calls her master bedroom the "biggest she's ever seen," and is part of a new addition put on the house before they moved in.

One of the home's old bedrooms was remade into a walk-in closet, and she calls it "a dream."

She calls the Onondaga neighborhood "awesome," and loves the deer in the area, the proximity to the apple orchards in the autumn, and the frequent horse-drawn carriages which pass by from nearby stables.

Bucktooth says she will miss the peaceful backyard setting and swimming pool, and all the space inside.

She says the home would be perfect for anyone, from young families with children, to retired people, looking for a wonderful home to entertain friends and grandchildren.

An open house is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 11 from noon to 3 p.m.

THE DETAILS

Address: 5113 South Onondaga Road, Onondaga, N.Y. 13120

Price: $264,900

Size: 2,620 square feet

Acreage: 2.34 acres

Monthly Mortgage: $1,039 (based on this week's national average rate of 4.22 percent, according to Freddie Mac, for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage with a 20 percent down payment. Fees and points not included.)

Taxes: $9,900 (Based on assessed value of $245,000)

Built: 1985

School District: Onondaga

Kitchen: The "flowing kitchen" is very large and features a huge center island. The amount of storage space is one of the current owner's favorite aspects. New appliances include double ovens. A wet bar has a dishwasher and more storage space. A breakfast nook features sliding glass doors.

Master bedroom: Bucktooth says her master bedroom is the "biggest she has seen." The walk-in closet is a converted bedroom, and Bucktooth calls it a "dream." The bedroom also has a gas fireplace. It is one of three bedrooms in the house.

Bathrooms: The home has two-and-a-half bathrooms. Each of the full of bathrooms have double vanities. The master bathroom has a double-shower unit.

Living spaces: The open floor plan makes this a great home for large gatherings. Large living room features columns and gas fireplace. Glass doors lead out into the backyard. The formal dining room is adjacent to the kitchen and has French doors. A partially finished basement has space which could be used as an office or children's playroom. Home has been wired for sound, inside and out. Hot water heater, air conditioning and water filtration system have recently been updated.

Outdoors: Built on almost 2.34 acres of land, the owner calls the property quiet and peaceful. The backyard is a great place for entertaining. A 30,000-gallon in-ground swimming pool has a new liner, cover and pump. A new fence and Trek deck have been added. The pool house has electricity and can be used as a changing room. A screened-in gazebo is great for outdoor meals. The front yard has been beautifully landscaped and features a poured concrete driveway and brick-designed walkway. There is a two-car garage.

Agent: Denise Van Patten

Berkshire Hathaway CNY

Address: 7575 Buckley Road, North Syracuse, N.Y. 13212

Phone: (315) 436-6992

Email: Denise@CNYrealestateconnection.com

To nominate a listing for House of the Week, send an email to

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Guwahati : Arunachal Pradesh Governor Brig (Dr.) B.D. Mishra (Retd.) on Thursday visited Parasuram Kund in Lohit District.





To get the firsthand knowledge of the pilgrimage site, the Governor accompanied by Deputy Commissioner of Lohit District Karma Leki and other district officials inspected the Kund, climbing down more than 400 steps to the place of holy dip. He also saw the infrastructure and other facilities constructed for the pilgrims.





Interacting with the district officials, the Governor advised for holistic development of the area, linking economic empowerment of the local communities, amenities for the pilgrims and inclusive development the famous pilgrimage place of the State.





He also called for developing a blue print with composite approach.





Earlier, the Governor met the local people, including Gaon Burahs, Panchayat representatives and public leaders of Wakro and Parasuram Kund areas and shared his concerns regarding opium cultivation, drug abuse and gun culture. He said that it is the duty of the parents, relatives, peers, neighbours and whole society to keep a watch on drug abuse amongst the children.





The Governor also stressed on alternative source of livelihood amongst the cultivators.





The Arunachal Pradesh Governor, while taking serious note of gun culture exhorted the people to register their resistance it. For peace and development, our people must be motivated to stand against violence, extortion and insurgency, he added.





Later before, leaving for Namsai, the Governor and First Lady of the State paid obeisance at Parasuram Mandir, near the Kund on the occasion.








By Hemanta Kumar Nath





Guwahati, February 10 : Bangladeshs two most wanted terrorists have been launched a new terror organization in the eastern India and started terror drive in the region.





Eying to set up base in Assam, West Bengal, Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland, Meghalaya, two most wanted terrorists of Bangladesh and National Investigation Agency (NIA) Salehuddin Salehin and Jahidul Islam alias Bumaro Mijan had recently launched a new chapter of Jamat-ul-Mujahidin Bangladesh (JMB) in India by naming Jamat-ul-Mujahidin India (JMI).





Indian intelligence had recently submitted a report to the Union Home ministry and cautioned that, the new organization has already set up base in Assam and West Bengal.





A top source of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) said that, several youths and minor boys from Assam, West Bengal, Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura are in touch with the new terrorist group.





Salehuddin Salehin had recently disclosed about to launch the new chapter of JMB in India specially in the eastern part in its media unit Sahm Al Hind.





Meanwhile, Union Home ministry had alerted the north eastern Indian states and West Bengal following IB inputs and asked to take appropriate measures.





On the other hand, a top official of Assam Police said that, Assam Police has already asked some districts bordering with Bangladesh and West Bengal to increase vigilance.





We have taken the matter very seriously. Earlier security forces had cracked down JMB module in Assam and arrested few members, supporters from different parts of the state, the top Assam cop said.








Guwahati : It comes a major relief to the Election Commission, after the Naga outfit NSCN (IM) said that, the organization will not force or coercion to boycott election.





The Naga outfit group had earlier called for boycott the Nagaland assembly polls scheduled on February 27 next.





Despite called for election boycott the mainstream political parties decided to defy the boycott diktat and contested the election as 256 candidates from BJP, Congress, Naga Peoples Front (NPF), National Democratic Political Party (NDPP), National People's Party (NPP) and few other parties had filed their nomination papers to ensure the polls.





After scrutiny of the nomination papers, 227 nominations were found valid.





In a recent statement, NSCN (IM) said that, they will not force the people of Nagaland to boycott the upcoming election.





This clarification is issued regarding the directive on January 30 pertaining to the call of the people for Solution and not Election. To clear any ambiguity about the directive, the Naga Army was and is responding to the wishes of the people and will continue to do so. The wish of the people is supreme and the Naga Army will respect their decision, NSCN (IM) said in the statement.





The Naga outfit group also directed its officers and personnel to control and discipline for non-interference in any electioneering matter, processes.





The Naga Army will never use force or coercion to boycott election, NSCN (IM) said in the statement.





Earlier, NSCN (IM) warned the political parties that, they will take stern act against the people those have been found defying the decision of the Naga people.




Kathmandu, Nepal: Secretary at the Ministry of Irrigation, Ramananda Prasad Yadav, died after an ill-fated jeep with registration number Ba 1 Jha 3140, in which he was travelling in plunged into Trishuli River near Salanghat of Dhading along the Prithvi Highway on Saturday.





As the three people including Yadav had gone missing in the river, the rescue team has on Saturday found his body inside the jeep that was plunged at the river at around 3 am on Saturday.





In the accident his 22-year-old son Santosh Yadav and an adolescent unidentified girl, who was also traveling in the ill-fated jeep, have gone missing. The rescue team has continued their search operations in the River.





Among the four persons, driver Niranjan Yadav was rescued alive. He was rescued by locals while he was swimming to the river bank to save his life. He has been receiving treatment in Kathmandu in critical condition.





Preliminary investigation shows that secretary Yadav himself was driving the vehicle as his body was found in the drivers seat. However, Police have still been saying that the investigation of the accident is underway.




Midland County Sheriffs Office

An Odessa woman was arrested in Midland Thursday after allegedly endangering a child, according to court documents.

Jacquelyn Carol Holcomb, 41, was released on a $10,000 bond for a state jail felony charge of abandoning or endangering a child with intent to return.
Endemic corruption and "whom you know" ...




Dhangadhi, Nepal: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has inaugurated Chameliya Hydropower in Darchula, Province 7 on Saturday.





Chameliya Hydropower project that install capacity of 30 megawatt is considered as an national pride project of the country.





The project was built in the technical support of Chinas Gezhouba Group Corporation and the fund of Nepal government and South Korea.





While inaugurating the project, Primer Deuba said that he is happy to formally inaugurate the hydropower project.




After Ozzy Osbournes trip to San Antonio on Thursday to make amends for urinating on the Alamo Cenotaph in 1982, his relationship with the city seems to be renewed. He celebrated the occasion like a local would  with una gran fiesta downtown.

Friday morning, the Prince of Darkness tweeted a photo of himself and his son, Jack, sticking their faces in a Ritas on the River cutout. After a long day in the city, its clear the iconic rocker was ready for the weekend.
Two Kingwood residents and one Montgomery resident have been appointed to the San Jacinto River Authority board of directors by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

The appointments of Kingwood residents Mark Micheletti and Kaaren Cambio, and Montgomery County resident Charles "Ed" Boulware were announced Monday, Feb. 5.

The authority maintains the water resources in the San Jacinto River watershead, including Lake Conroe.

Appointing SJRA board members from the Lake Houston area was one of the requests outlined in the Lake Houston Chamber of Commerce's Plea for Three letter writing campaign through their Recover Lake Houston initiative.

"Governor Abbott's action in response to the thousands of Plea for Three Lake Houston letters and emails sent to the governor's office and to other state officials from area residents is proof that the capitol is hearing the Lake Houston Area loud and clear," according to a chamber press release.

"We look forward to meeting them and beginning the orientation process," said Jace Houston, SJRA general manager. "It is a learning curve. It's not just a new entity, but most people are just entering in to the water business, so it's a new area for them. So, we have an organized process of sitting down, getting them oriented to the operations and welcoming them to everything we do and we're excited to start the process."

Houston said having both upstream and downstream perspectives represented on the board is valuable.

"It is very valuable to for everyone to have not just a say in the process, but a deep understanding of the process so there is less chance of misunderstanding," Houston said.

Armstrong believes that a key way in which having Lake Houston residents represented on the SJRA board may benefit the community is by enhancing communication between the SJRA and other entities.

"The communication process is a huge point  communicating with other communities, other offices, making sure all affected areas know what's coming," Armstrong said.

The decision to appoint Lake Houston area residence to the SJRA board gives a boost to the task force's efforts, according to Armstrong.

"We have finally gotten the attention of Governor Abbott and it's good to know we're being heard," Armstrong said. "I think we finally have a voice and it's a good time for us to move forward toward a long-term strategy."

Abbott addressed the Lake Houston area regarding the SJRA appointments in a Facebook post Feb. 6, stating "To all affected by Hurricane Harvey along the San Jacinto River from Lake Houston to Kingwood and Montgomery County. I heard your Plea for 3. More will be announced soon to help you with remediation."

Houston City Council Member Dave Martin approached the chamber with the Plea For Three concept, including the push to get Lake Houston area residents appointed to the SJRA. State Rep. Dan Huberty and state Sen. Brandon Creighton were other elected officials who have been supporting the cause.

"I fully intend to continue working with the entire board of directors and the general manager as well as all stakeholders to ensure that SJRA fulfills their duties to the highest degree," Creighton said in a press release. "I believe the new board members will add much needed representation from different parts of the river basin."

MARK MICHELETTI

Micheletti is the executive director of Berkeley Eye Center. He was a certified public accountant and helped begin the Lake Houston Economic Development Partnership, for which he is the board chair.

He has also been on the boards of area nonprofits and performs charitable work with St. Martha's Catholic Parish and an annual Christmas toy drive.

His term on the SJRA board will be for six years.

"(Micheletti) has been involved with our Long-term Recovery Task Force from the beginning," said Jenna Armstrong, Lake Houston chamber CEO. "His house flooded, so he has a vested interest in moving forward. He has a great understanding of what happened and ideas as far as improving."

The recovery period will continue for a long time, Micheletti said. Even on his street in Kingwood, there are only a few neighbors who are fully back in their homes as some are still forced to live upstairs while awaiting contractors, or for financial situations to be resolved.

"The recovery period is going to go on for months and months and it's extremely critical to be out there as a voice for however long it takes until we feel comfortable we've done all we can to mitigate this from happening in the future," Micheletti said. "It's going to take a community effort  not just the residents and businesses who flooded  everyone in the community will be impacted if this happens again because home values will go down, there will be infrastructure no longer in place, so regardless of whether people flooded or not, it's important we're all on the same page for prevention."

The chamber's long-term Recovery Task Force helped gather letters of support from officials and dignitaries on behalf of Micheletti.

"One of the things that was important to us was that they're forward-thinking and able to say, 'The past is the past, but what can we improve moving forward?' That's hard to do if somebody is angry and accusatory and goes in looking to cause problems," Armstrong said. "It's all about taking the right approach and working collaboratively."

From working with him for several years she is confident in his fairness and ability to question things in a respectful way that encourages problem solving.

As with any new position, Micheletti said, he will first work to get a good understanding of the SJRA's policies, procedures and operations.

He believes critical elements in finding solutions are communication and collaboration.

"Communication is a key element," Micheletti said. "I think it comes back to a regional solution involving multiple agencies working together. Communication needs to happen not just at the time we've got a rain or flood event."

KAAREN CAMBIO

Cambio received 37 inches of floodwater in her home and though its restoration is nearly complete, she said many in her community are not even planning to return to their flood damaged homes.

"Many people just can't afford to rebuild," she said.

But the main motivator behind Cambio's desire to help find a solution to future flood prevention is the lives that were lost.

"People died in this and we can't have that happen again," Cambio said. "That should motivate everyone to find a solution, whether they flooded or not."

Cambio is a deacon at the First Presbyterian Church of Kingwood and is a USO volunteer at Bush Intercontinental Airport.

She just retired from being the Caymus Resources president. She's a member of both the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo's Scholarship and Tours Committee, as well as the Kings Trails Chapter of the National Charity League, where she is a past president.

She graduated San Diego State University with a bachelor of business administration.

She intends to contribute her professional experience coordinating with multiple different authorities to accomplish projects.

"I've worked with permitting and government agencies to find out of the box solutions to address challenging issues throughout my whole professional career," Cambio said. "I really believe people with a shared mission should be able to find solutions that mutually benefit all parties."

Cambio's game plan going in is to learn more about the SJRA's procedures and delegation of responsibilities. From that information, she plans to isolate opportunities for improvement and propose solutions, which will need to address both the short and long-term, she said.

She looks forward to the formal orientation on Feb. 14, and to the new appointees' first board meeting on Feb. 22.

Cambio's term on the SJRA board will last until Oct. 2019.

Charles "Ed" Boulware

Boulware lives on a lakefront property on Lake Conroe.

"Being a lakefront property owner, I am aware of the issues and qualified to represent the Lake Conroe area," Boulware said. "Second, my wife is a director on the local Municipal Utilities District and has been for five years or more. Due to that, I'm aware of all the issues with water in the region."

Boulware graduated Texas A&M University with a bachelor's degree in computer science and was formerly the April Sound Men's Club president.

He worked for Shell Oil Co. for nearly four decades and is now retired and said his responsibilities during his time with Shell gave him leadership experience.

While at Shell, he ran a variety of projects including those involving geophysics, staffing, financial, capital projects, and global projects.

During the hurricane, water rose to his deck, but did not enter his home.

In his role on the SJRA board of directors, Boulware believes changes must be made in response to the flood, but said it's too early for him propose any solutions.

He is against lowering Lake Conroe's water level by three feet  one of the Plea For Three requests  because he said it would be detrimental both recreation and business standpoints.

"It depends where they are on the lake, but there would be people who can't get to their boat any longer, and businesses they can't boat to, so it would have a widespread affect," Boulware said. "But, I also understand massive downstream flooding was caused and something needs to be done."

Ultimately, Boulware said his focus will be on safety and improving communication and transparency.
While the war in Afghanistan continues to fester unabated, one of the brighter spots in that ongoing conflict is the Afghan Air Force. The nascent air service is starting to mature and is starting to be able to employ airpower against its Taliban foe effectively using its own aircraft with the guidance of Western advisors.





One of the most important things I want to talk about is the Afghan Air Force growth, Maj. Gen. James Scorch Hecker, commander of the 9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force-Afghanistan and NATO Air Command-Afghanistanalso a F-22 Raptor pilottold reporters at the Pentagon on Feb. 7. It continues to grow in size and capability. While U.S. air power is destroying Taliban support elements in the deep fight, Afghan A-29s and MD-530 helicopters provide quick, lethal support to Afghan forces in the close fight.





Indeed, the Afghan Air Force dropped the first bombs of a renewed campaign against the Taliban recently. In fact, an A-29 Afghan aircraft dropped the first bomb of the air campaign on a drug lab and, I might add, shacked the target, Hecker said.




Email me any time: farrorita@gmail.com Sewing + Thrift store shopping = Frankensewing. I love vintage linens, hanging my sheets out on the line to dry...and creating adventures for my two Grandchildren. Doing those very ordinary things -- and then BLOGGING about it -- is how I work things out.

King Arthur Popover Recipe

Preheat oven to 425 degrees... then preheat the Popover Pan...it needs to be screaming hot. Butter the sides generously -- right before you pour the batter.



4 eggs

1 1/3 c. milk

1 1/3 c. all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

3 tbl melted butter



Whisk eggs into milk. Make sure everything is room temp. Whisk in the flour & salt, add the melted butter at the end.



Pour thin batter into Popover pan (2/3 full) and bake for 30 minutes. DON'T OPEN THE DOOR.



When the popovers are done -- get them out of the pan ASAP and prick the top with a sharp knife to prevent collapse.



Serve with REAL BUTTER...that's mandatory. Homemade jam is optional...




HAMDEN  About a year ago, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order that banned Syrians from taking refuge in the U.S., halted the U.S. refugee resettlement program and blocked people from a handful of countries from entering.

This action happened as the Spring Glen Alliance for Refugee Resettlement and Spring Glen Church were preparing to welcome a refugee family from Syria. Everything was in order for the family to come the night Trump signed the order, the Rev. Jack Davidson said.

That hit us really hard because there was a direct experience of the trauma and angst and pain that is caused when ignorance and fear are used as political tools, Davidson said.

The family was finally able to arrive a month later and theyve been a blessing for our community. We believe, as people of compassion and of faith, we are committed to not building walls, but breaking them down, to open our doors as wide as possible and let people find sanctuary and hope. Its not unique to this church but is common amongst the entire town.

The Trump Administration has sought to change immigration policy in this country in part because the current immigration system jeopardizes Americas national security and public safety, according to whitehouse.gov.

About 800 refugees arrive in Connecticut each year, according to Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services, a refugee resettlement agency based in New Haven. About half of all the refugees who come to the state are welcomed by IRIS and as of this year, the organization will be partnering with the town to help refugees resettle in Hamden.

The town is already a place where refugees come for work and community, said Hamden Economic Development Director Dale Kroop, who is also executive director of the nonprofit Hamden New Colony Development Corp, which works on economic development, community building, redevelopment and workforce development. The organization has begun a partnership with IRIS to resettle refugees in the area.

During the recent event, Hamden Welcomes, community members and town officials attended in support of refugee resettlement, but Kroop made a point that the event was not sponsored or officially endorsed by the town to make sure the event wasnt politically influenced.

The people of Hamden welcome, which are the churches, the chamber of commerce, the businesses, Kroop said. Everything we did was as a community, not as a town government.

About half of the worlds refugees come from just three countries  Syria, South Sudan and Afghanistan. They are people who have been forced to flee their countries because of persecution, war, or violence. When refugees connect with IRIS, the organization becomes their primary resource as they begin to rebuild their lives, but coming isnt easy.

Refugees oversees go through the most rigorous screening process in the world, which is handled by the Department of Homeland Security, IRIS Executive Director Chris George said. It is the most difficult way for anyone to enter the U.S.

IRIS works with people coming from Iraq, Congo, Sudan who have every level of skill set, but dont have are any contacts beyond IRIS, said Will Kneerim, director of Employment & Education Services for IRIS. When refugees arrive, IRIS case managers greet them and take them to apartments rented by IRIS and furnished with donated furniture where they are served a warm, culturally appropriate meal.

The organization provides a wide array of services to refugees, including daily English lessons, education and youth programs, access to health care and a thorough multiday cultural orientation. IRIS also works to help refugees find employment.

A job isnt just about getting up and going to work, state Commissioner of Labor Scott Jackson said. A job is about making a place for you in your community. And we dont care how you got here. You are here and you are us.

Its our finest most noble tradition, our best foreign policy, George said, adding, though, that the organization is dealing with a government that doesnt support refugee resettlement. Theyre doing their best to not only reduce the amount of refugees coming to this country but also dismantle the refugee resettlement at work.

They want to weaken IRIS, he said. They might be able to reduce the number of refugees coming to the United States and they might cut federal funding that comes to refugee resettlement programs and there might be some refugee agencies shutting down, laying off staff, but theres one thing they cannot stop us from doing and thats spreading the word, celebrating refugee resettlement.

Kroop said people are passionate about the issue of refugee resettlement because many can identify with discrimination, comparing the refugee experience to the immigrant experience.

A lot of the time, its not terribly different how weve treated immigrants and refugees. All immigrants were treated like garbage.

mdignan@hearstmediact.com
In a state where the youth voting rate is even worse than the dismal national average, more than half a dozen Kansas teens are running for statewide office in 2018 - a sort of viral movement against apathy that could, in theory, make a high school student governor.

Naturally, adults are trying to stop it.

A state legislative committee moved a bill forward this week that would bar people under age 18 from running for statewide office, after a 16-year-old discovered a loophole in the state's electoral laws and inspired his peers to flood the race.

"Oh, I could do that," Jack Bergeson thought to himself when he realized Kansas law, while it restricts voting ages, says nothing about who can run for governor, the Kansas City Star reported last August.

So the Wichita high school junior filed to run in the Democratic primary, campaigning for health-care reform, medical marijuana and open-carry gun laws. One of his classmates, a year older than Bergeson at 17, became his running mate for lieutenant governor.

Neither of them is old enough to vote.

Some political analysts liked the idea of teens running for public office, the Star wrote, noting widespread apathy among young voters in the country. In the last nonpresidential election, census data show a mere 13 percent of Kansans ages 18 to 24 bothered to vote. The national average was just a few points higher.

Other adults mocked Bergeson's campaign.

"People want something different," the teen told Fox News host Jesse Watters in September. "They don't necessarily want an experienced politician."

Watters interrupted him with a sneering laugh. "Yeah, so they want an inexperienced politician, and you're going to be the most inexperienced politician ever."

"Yes," Bergeson said, straight-faced.

"Have you thought about a jacket and tie?" Watters asked, noting the candidate's polo shirt.

"If you dress more like everyday people, I think it shows a common relation between the candidates and the people who elect them," Bergeson replied.

The host cracked more jokes, but the teen was not deterred. On the contrary, he talked his friend, Tyler Ruzich, into the joining the governor's race on the Republican side, where a huge slate of candidates was vying to replace former governor Sam Brownback, who stepped down to become a U.S. ambassador.

Fox News invited Ruzich to appear too - but this time respectfully, with the hosts noting his honor roll status and political experience in student government.

From there, running for governor became something of a high school trend. Four candidates, all 16 or 17, held a forum inside the Lawrence Free State high school gym in October - long before any of their adult counterparts held a debate, the Wichita Eagle wrote.

The forum looked not much different from any other, the newspaper reported. Teens in the audience murmured when a 17-year-old libertarian candidate got a jab in at Ruzich during a debate about toll roads. "You don't drive yet," he quipped.

In November, 17-year-old Lucy Steyer launched her run for secretary of state. "All of us teenagers running agreed we wanted to bring attention to all the elections," she told the Hutchinson News, which noted that regardless of her age, she was one of the only female candidates in the statewide races.

More and more joined the movement. By January, NPR wrote, six teens had entered the governor's race alone - making up about a third of the candidates.

That's when the adults began to fight back.

State Rep. Blake Carpenter, a Republican, introduced a bill in the Kansas legislature in January that would bar anyone too young to vote from running for the governor's office and other top state offices.

The bill, which passed out of a committee on Tuesday, wouldn't affect the 2018 election if it becomes law. But going forward, Carpenter said, rules had to be laid down.

"If you are an adult in the eyes of government at age 18, you can serve in the military, you can do just about anything you want," the Republican legislator told the Star. "As of right now, inmates can run. I also saw reports of people saying that cats and dogs could run."

However, some in the state capitol are trying to keep teen candidacies legal. "We have all the requirements we need right now and that is, that you don't get elected unless the people decide to elect you," Democratic Rep. Vic Miller said, according to the Star.

Bergeson, the teen who started the movement, doesn't sound like he especially needs adult help.

"Allow me to clear up a misconception: I am not running for governor as a stunt, or a gag," he told the legislature in written testimony opposing the bill, according to the Topeka Capital-Journal.

"I am running for governor because of the minimum-wage worker that has to work three jobs just to get by. I am running because our education system has been lagging behind other states. I am running to get money out of politics," Bergeson wrote.

"But most importantly, I am running to get as many people involved in politics as possible."
ANTAKYA, Turkey - A Turkish offensive against Kurdish fighters has bogged down in the mountains and mud of northern Syria as troops encounter an adversary well accustomed to the terrain.

The Turkish military lost its advantage in the skies over the border area for much of this week after Russian forces restricted access to the airspace, according to a Western diplomat and Syrian rebels backed by the Turks. Without air cover, the lightly armed Syrian rebels, who are doing most of the fighting in the three-week-old Turkish offensive, have found it hardto advance.

Saturday was the deadliest day yet with Turkish media reporting the death of eleven servicemen.

"We are still making progress but not as fast as we did before," said Majd Mahsoun, a fighter with the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army. "It's been a tough fight."

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan launched the military operation, involving thousands of Syrian rebels, with the aim of ousting Syrian Kurdish fighters from the border enclave of Afrin. Those fighters are allied with Kurdish separatists inside Turkey, who have been locked in a brutal decades-long conflict with the Turkish state. Erdogan has framed the new offensive as a fight against terrorists.

The military campaign could reshape military and political dynamics throughout northern Syria, experts say. The fighting already poses a predicament for the United States, which sees its longtime NATO ally Turkey battling Syrian Kurdish forces that played a crucial role with American backing in defeating the Islamic State.

Trapped in the middle of this multi-sided conflict are tens of thousands of civilians, packed into basements and public buildings as casualties rise.

"We didn't leave our homes because we couldn't imagine they would hit civilian areas," said Salam Hussein, a media activist in the area. "The shelling is constant, it feels like it doesn't stop."

On the ground and in the air, Ankara is suffering losses. At least 28 servicemen have died during the offensive, two of them helicopter pilots killed Saturday, and individual Syrian rebel battalions said that their casualties were also mounting.

Turkish-backed fighters describe Afrin's mountains as riddled with tunnels, giving Kurdish forces the advantage in surveillance and surprise. "They're thick and sturdy and they burrow deep into the mountains. We have to progress carefully so we can clear every one," said Osama Akkari, a spokesman for the Almuntasir Billah group.

So far, the offensive has not progressed far beyond the Turkish border, according to Kino Gabriel, a spokesman for a U.S.-backed force comprised primarily of Syrian Kurds.

"They control 15 or 17 villages directly but they are on the Turkish border, so we can't consider control over even those villages as a victory for Turkey," he said. "Even Turkey acknowledges that this isn't a victory," he said.

Turkish war planes had supported the Syrian rebel fighters for two weeks as they captured the highest positions around Afrin city. But on Sunday, after a Russian jet was shot down apparently by another Syrian faction, Moscow blocked Turkish access to the airspace.

That decision appeared to have been reversed late Thursday, after Turkish media outlets reported that air strikes had resumed.

Russia intervened in the war more than two years ago to shore up Syrian President Bashar Assad, becoming one of the war's most powerful players, and Turkey needs its support, or at least its acquiescence, to pursue any mission in Afrin.

"The decision that they took the other day to close the airspace . . . illustrates really well who has real influence in that part of Syria in terms of physical control," said one European diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency reported Saturday that at least 1,141 Kurdish or Islamic State fighters had been "neutralized" around Afrin since the offensive began, although the Islamic State is not known to have a presence in the area. It was not possible to independently confirm that figure.

According to the United Nations, as many as 30,000 people have fled the violence as mosques and schools open their doors to displaced families. In interviews, civilians said exit routes have at times been blocked by both Kurdish forces and Syrian troops. With smugglers charging as much as $500 per person to escape, a former Afrin resident in Turkey said his family was banding together to wire money to relatives.

"Why would they attack Afrin? It is full of civilians," he said. "I don't know what to say anymore. As Syrians we have no power of influence now - we're just tinder to fuel the fires of international powers fighting over our country."

The Turkish offensive has drawn sharp criticism from the United States, which has provided Kurdish fighters with weapons and air support to fight the Islamic State. The operation could imperil U.S. efforts in Syria vanquish ISIS and al-Qaida-linked forces and to counter growing Iranian influence in the country.

Erdogan has suggested that the Afrin offensive would be followed by an operation in Manbij, a Syrian city farther to the east where U.S. troops conduct patrols. That would mark a significant escalation.

In setting his sights on Afrin and Manbij, the Turkish president has tapped into years of anger over PKK attacks. The offensive has proven broadly popular with updates splashed across Turkish newsstands and opinion polls suggesting most Turks are rallying behind the cause. Meantime, hundreds of people have also been arrested for criticizing the offensive.

In interviews with Syrian rebels who have joined Turkey's fight, the men described Syrian Kurdish forces as "terrorists" and drew no distinction between the battle against them and the government of Assad.

Kurdish officials, on their part, called on the Syrian military last month to protect the country's borders and act as a buffer against the Turkish offensive. Syria's six-year-war has given Kurdish forces an unprecedented opportunity to establish autonomous areas across northern Syria. Many were captured with U.S. support.

Aldar Xelil, the co-president of a key group within the Kurdish Self Administration, the Democratic Society Movement, said talks with the Syrian government were ongoing, suggesting a potential deal that would allow Assad's government to reassert a degree of control over the Kurdish area.

"There are negotiations with the regime now," he said. "The regime didn't give [us] any promises toward the democratic self administration but practically speaking, we have surpassed that level and we are moving towards the federal project."

- - -

The Washington Post's Erin Cunningham in Istanbul and Liz Sly in Beirut contributed to this report.
RICHMOND, Va. - Shouting "Shame, Shame!" and singing "We Shall Overcome," more than 100 women's rights activists from across Virginia poured into the state capitol Friday to try to force the legislature to take action on the federal Equal Rights Amendment.

Dressed in period costumes and wearing colorful silk banners demanding "ERA 2018", advocates hoped this year's record number of women lawmakers, combined with the momentum of the #MeToo movement, would propel the amendment forward in Virginia - bringing the national effort just one shy of the 38 states needed for ratification.

But their efforts failed in the GOP-controlled legislature, after one House committee refused to take up the matter at all while a Senate panel defeated it on a 9 to 5 vote, with all the "no" votes cast by men.

Both committee chairmen, Sen. Ryan McDougle, R-Mechanicsville, and Del. Mark Cole, R-Fredericksburg, cited a technical reason for their opposition. They said the effort to seek ratification for the ERA was improper because the Congressional deadline expired in 1982. Advocates argue that Congress could overturn or extend that deadline, and the General Assembly has a responsibility to take a stand on the proposal.

Their efforts won them a "show of hands" vote in the Senate Rules Committee, after two Fairfax Democrats, Sen. Janet Howell and Sen. Dick Saslaw, interceded when McDougle said he'd hold only a voice vote on ratification. The vote failed 9-5, with Sens. Jill Vogel, R-Fauquier; Richard Stuart, R-Prince William, and Mamie Locke, D-Richmond, joining Howell and Saslaw on the losing side.

First introduced 95 years ago by suffragist Alice Paul, the ERA would bar discrimination on account of sex.

McDougle tried to tell the capacity crowd that an official at the National Archives and Records Administration advised him that the ERA is a "failed amendment," and therefore improper for the General Assembly to vote on it.

Sen. Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, sponsor of the Senate bill, argued that the archivist does not decide law. He pointed to an informal advisory from the state Attorney General's office that said Congress has the power to extend the ratification deadline. Even without an extension, it is possible that the legislature's ratification could be found valid, depending on future congressional action, he said.

When McDougle tried to hold one vote on several measures including the ERA bill, Howell quickly separated the ERA vote. McDougle said it would be a voice-vote only, with no individual votes recorded. The room immediately erupted with shouts and singing until McDougle agreed to ask for a show of hands.

Moments later, the same crowd crossed the Capitol hallway where a House committee was about to convene. The GOP leaders of that panel had decided against holding hearings on any of the three nearly identical ERA ratification bills submitted this year.

The protesters sat quietly through about 20 minutes of other business, holding up preprinted signs that read "Republican who remembers when this was a Republican ideal" and "Dads 4 Daughters."

Then Del. Sam Rasoul, D-Roanoke, requested that one of the ERA bills be added to the hearing. After a brief statement by him and by Pat Fishback, a member of the League of Women Voters who's been working for the ERA for 40 years, Cole ruled the motion out of order because of the expired Congressional deadline.

Once again, the crowd shouted its dismay and protesters warned that they would remember the vote at the polls.

"Every year, we've made more and more progress because of these wonderful activists," Rasoul said later. "They should keep it up."

Five times in the last seven years, the Virginia Senate passed the ERA but each time, it languished in the House. This year, ERA activists bought three billboards on I-95 pressing their case, took out newspaper ads and mailed 10,000 handwritten postcards.

"We know the public interest is there, but the leadership in the legislature is choosing to ignore it," said Eileen Davis, founder of Women Matter, one of a myriad of feminist organizations pushing for a vote. "Virginia has a state-level ERA but it has never ratified the federal ERA, which means we're at odds with our own values."

Congress passed the ERA in 1972 and sent it to the states for ratification. To be adopted, 38 of the 50 states needed to approve the measure by 1982, Congress said. By that time, only 35 states had ratified it, so the amendment never made it into the Constitution. Nevada went ahead and ratified it last year, bringing the total to 36.

Activists dispute the notion that since the 1982 deadline has passed, the issue is dead. Numerous constitutional experts believe that Congress could extend the deadline again, even after a generation-long lapse. Two bills have been introduced in Congress by Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., and Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., to eliminate the deadline for ratification.

If that legislation passes, as long as 38 states ratify the amendment at any point, it would become part of the Constitution. Five states have voted to rescind their previous ratification votes but it's unclear whether that would affect the ratification tally.

Activists also noted the 27th Amendment, which bars Congress from voting on its own pay raises, was ratified 202 years after it was first introduced. No ratification deadline was set for that measure.

Both Surovell and Del. Alfonso Lopez, D-Arlington, who sponsored one of the House bills, cited the influence of their mothers who took them to ERA rallies when they were children, and called the ERA "unfinished family business."

A Republican delegate from Midlothian, Roxann Robinson, sponsored another of the House ERA bills, as did Fairfax Democrat Kaye Kory.

With the balance of power nearly even between Democrats and Republicans in the Virginia General Assembly, ERA advocates hoped their odds of success had increased. Just a week ago, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg expressed her support for the ERA at a Washington synagogue.

"Whatever resistance there may be, it's quiet obstruction, not loud or in your face," said Sen. Jennifer Wexton, D-Fairfax, chief co-sponsor of the Senate ERA bill. "One thing people saw in 2017 election is power of women. No one wants to cross them overtly."

"Women are pretty upset and they're voting and elected officials are paying attention to that," Surovell said. "Elected officials ignore angry women at their peril."
Investigations in to a rash of murders that occurred over a three year period in and around Santa Maria, led police to discover the internatio
When John Kelly replaced Reince Priebus as White House chief of staff, one question he faced was the choice of managing down or managing up: bringing discipline to a chaotic and feuding staff operation or trying to tame an uncontrollable boss. This week it became evident he's done neither successfully.

Kelly made his bet early. There was little he could do to change President Donald Trump. This president, more than others in the past, operates outside of traditional boundaries. His impulses are rarely in check, and often he acts on his worst instincts. He makes life difficult for those who serve him. What's a chief of staff, even a retired four-star Marine general, to do about that?

Kelly decided to manage down, to focus where he thought his talents could best be utilized. He earned plaudits for reducing the staff infighting and bringing some semblance of order to a White House where an open door to the Oval Office symbolized a table of organization with no clear lines of authority.

Instead of a White House seen from the outside as a real-life "Game of Thrones," with characters in primary colors clashing behind a cascade of leaks and anonymous quotes, the White House under Kelly's guidance projected a far less flamboyant personality. That was in part because of new processes he put in place and in part because of the departure of some senior officials who delighted in all the palace intrigue.

If the fundamental behavior of the president did not change, allies of the administration comforted themselves into believing that a somewhat calmer White House was a more competent White House. However, the changeover to Kelly's regime appears to have instead substituted one set of problems for another, as this week demonstrated.

The past few days have been a terrible for the White House. Staff secretary Rob Porter, regarded as one of the most skilled insider operators in the White House, was forced to depart after two ex-wives went public with accusations of domestic abuse. In leaving the government, Porter forcefully denied the accusations, labeling them as "simply false."

On Friday, a second White House official, speechwriter David Sorensen, resigned as The Washington Post was preparing to publish a report about domestic abuse accusations leveled by his former wife. Sorensen also strongly denied the allegations.

Sorensen's ex-wife told The Post that she had shared her account with the FBI during a background investigation for her former husband, just as Porter's exes had done with him.

In Porter's case, the accusations of abuse were long known to some senior White House officials, who chose not to act on them until public scrutiny forced their hand. Kelly's reputation has taken another hit, and White House officials once again are under siege and plunged into a new period of turmoil and recriminations.

Trump's White House will probably never be smooth-running, as it ultimately reflects the character and personality of the president. But the past few days have dealt another blow to public confidence in those who serve at the highest levels at the White House and likely to the morale of those who serve there in other capacities.

Porter acted as more than staff secretary. He was in many ways Kelly's right hand, a staffer with no public profile but, by accounts from those who worked with him, someone who was highly skilled at his job. His role was to manage the flow of paper to the president, a responsibility that belies its bureaucratic description. He was in constant contact with Trump, briefing him - and no doubt educating him - about the kinds of policies and proposals that are constantly in motion in any administration and that were in many cases unfamiliar to a chief executive with no prior governmental experience.

Porter was good at his job, and he was allowed to continue, despite the allegations of abuse that had surfaced during the FBI background checks and were relayed to White House officials. When the first reports about the accusations surfaced Tuesday night in the Daily Mail and the Intercept, Kelly issued a statement in Porter's defense, effusively praising his character.

Kelly's initial defense of Porter, echoed by others at the time, was complicated by the fact that the staff secretary was dating Hope Hicks, the White House communications director, who reportedly had a hand in shaping the first reactions.

As public outcry intensified, Kelly backed away from his robust endorsement.

He told senior staffers Friday he had moved swiftly to remove Porter when he learned that the allegations were credible, according to a Washington Post report. It was an explanation that contradicted previous accounts from Trump administration officials.

Meanwhile Friday, the president undercut efforts to distance the White House from Porter when he praised his former staffer. "We wish him well," he told reporters, later adding, "He also, as you probably know, says he is innocent, and I think you have to remember that."

In the case of Porter, Kelly appears to have put his emphasis on competence and a smoothly running White House ahead of good judgment about how to deal with something as serious as domestic abuse. It was not the first time Kelly has said or done things that lacked either good judgment or political sensitivity.

Kelly served admirably in the military, and those accomplishments will always be part of his biography. But the differences between the military and the civilian role of running the White House have caused him problems. As chief of staff, he has shown various blind spots that have led him into other controversies, from falsely attacking a female member of Congress to suggesting the Civil War was caused by a failure to compromise.

On Tuesday, he noted that the president's immigration proposal, which offered a path to citizenship for 1.8 million "dreamers," the young undocumented immigrants brought to the country illegally, far exceeded the 690,000 who had signed up for the protections under the Obama administration's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

"The difference between 690 and 1.8 million," he told reporters, "were the people that some would say were too afraid to sign up, others would say were too lazy to get off their a--es, but they didn't sign up."

Kelly's failure to recognize the severity of the accusations against Porter, or to demand more information sooner, is not the first example of his effort to ignore or screen out information that interfered with his approach to running the White House.

He told reporters on a day Trump had tweeted that North Korea's Kim Jong Un was "short and fat" that he tries to pay no attention to the president's Twitter feed. "Someone, I read the other day, said we all just react to the tweets," Kelly said, according to the Los Angeles Times. "We don't. I don't. I don't allow the staff to. We know what we're doing."

Kelly made that comment in the fall. It was an expression of confidence and self-confidence that has again been called into question under an especially harsh spotlight. Given what has been revealed about the internal operations at the White House and the turmoil that it has set off, would he make that same claim today?
Goats make lousy soldiers, say the billboards at three San Antonio locations, depicting a goat in an Army utility uniform chewing on several blades of grass.

A national nonprofit group called the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine put them up thris week to attack the Army Medical Commands use of goats in combat medic training at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston.

The Army Medical Command maintains that live tissue training has helped produce the best-trained medics ever and contributed to a record survival rate among wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan of 92 percent, higher than the four out of five who survived in Vietnam. More than 2,400 soldiers used goats and pigs as part of their instruction in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2017, the command said.

RELATED: Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and other celebrities who trained at Lackland Air Force Base

The campaign, which has the support of actors from the TV series M*A*S*H, reignited a decades-old battle to end the use of animals in military research and training.

More Information Battlefield survival rates Americans troops going to war nowadays have the best chance yet for coming home alive. battlefield survival rates have been on the rise since World War II, and are up dramatically since the Persian Gulf War in 1991. Here's a look at the phenomenon, by the numbers. World War II ---- 71 percent Korean War ----- 74 percent Vietnam War ---- 82 percent Gulf War I ----- 80 percent Iraq and Afghanistan - 92 percent SOURCE: Army Medical Department Center and School See More Collapse

A press release quoted Mike Farrell, a former Marine who played Capt. B.J. Hunnicutt, an Army surgeon in the Korean War in the series, and Jamie Farr, who played the cross-dressing Cpl. Max Klinger.

In the years since we stopped filming M*A*S*H, the U.S. military has upgraded its training, its tactics, even its uniforms. Why not modernize its medical training? Farrell said, according to the release.

Everyone agrees the use of animals for medic training is declining, but every military branch except the Coast Guard still does it.

The bleeding elicits a more realistic stress response in the medics and may help them control their own stress, one Canadian study said, though many such studies have found no significant difference in training with live tissue or simulators.

RELATED: Basic training through the years: vintage photos reflect Air Force recruit life in San Antonio

A doctor with the Physicians Committee, former Army Maj. Robert DeMuth, a Gulf War I veteran, said the military service branches still use a total of 7,800 animals a year for live-tissue training even though its not done under realistic scenarious. There are significant anatomical differences between humans and animals, he said.

DeMuth said hed use animals if he believed they helped training.

I would trade 7,800 animals for one soldiers life, he said.

Read the full story at ExpressNews.com.

sigc@express-news.net
MEXICO CITY  Authorities said Friday that they have arrested dual U.S.-Mexican citizen Jose Maria Guizar Valencia, the reputed leader of the Zetas drug cartel.

Mexican National Security Commissioner Renato Sales identified the suspect only as Jose Maria, but a federal official who was not authorized to be quoted by name confirmed Guizar Valencias last name.

Guizar Valencia is known by his Zetas code name, Z 43.

The U.S. had offered a $5 million reward for his arrest.

Sales said the suspect was arrested Thursday in Mexico Citys trendy Roma neighborhood, which is known for its restaurants and cafes.

The commissioner said the suspect was one of the main generators of violence and had directed the Zetas drug trafficking and other activities in southern Mexico.

Under a Wanted page online, the U.S. Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs said Guizar Valencia is responsible for the importation of thousands of kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine to the United States on a yearly basis and faces separate U.S. drug trafficking indictments in Texas and Virginia.

It also said he had taken over territory in neighboring Guatemala.

Los Zetas, under the command of Guizar Valencia, have murdered an untold number of Guatemalan civilians during the systematic overtake of the Guatemalan border region with Mexico during recent years, the bureau said.

It said Guizar Valencia was born in Tulare, California.

The Zetas leadership has been decimated by the arrest and deaths of main capos in recent years, and the once fearsome cartel has splintered into several factions. Even before that, the bureau said, Guizar Valencia was considered his own entity, working in concert but independently of the main Zetas faction.

Formed by deserters of an elite military unit, the Zetas are known for indiscriminate brutality, filling anonymous graves and roadsides with piles of victims bodies.
A dozen underage girls have accused a Corpus Christi man of sexual assault, and police said there was still a possibility of more victims.

Joseph Lucio, 30, was arrested Dec. 27 on suspicion of aggravated assault, possession and distribution of child pornography and online solicitation of a minor.
Education Reporter

Mathew Burciaga is a Santa Maria Times reporter who covers education, agriculture and public safety. Prior to joining the Times, Mathew ran a 114-year-old community newspaper in Wyoming. He owns more than 40 pairs of crazy socks from across the globe.
WASHINGTON - Rachel Brand, the No. 3 official at the Justice Department, plans to step down after nine months on the job as the country's top law enforcement agency has been under attack by President Donald Trump, according to two people briefed on her decision.

Brand's profile had risen in part because she is next in the line of succession behind the deputy attorney general, Rod J. Rosenstein, who is overseeing the special counsel's inquiry into Russian influence in the 2016 election.

Trump, who has called the investigation a witch hunt, has considered firing Rosenstein.

Such a move could have put her in charge of the special counsel and, by extension, left her in the crosshairs of the president.

Brand, who became the associate attorney general in May, is leaving for a job as general counsel in the private sector. She has held politically appointed positions at the Justice Department over the past three presidential administrations.

In her current job, she reports directly to Rosenstein and Jeff Sessions, the attorney general, who has recused himself from the Russia investigation.

Trump in recent weeks has escalated his criticism of the department for its handling of the inquiry and suggested that top law enforcement officials should face consequences for conduct he called "a disgrace."

The release last week of a contentious Republican memo that accused the Justice Department and the FBI of political bias raised new questions over whether Trump might seek to oust Rosenstein, who appointed the special counsel, Robert Mueller.

Brand now oversees a wide swath of the Justice Department, including the civil division, the civil rights division and the antitrust division. She helped lead the department's effort to extend a law that authorizes the National Security Agency's warrantless surveillance program.

In an op-ed article in the Washington Post, Brand argued that the law "has been valuable and effective in protecting the nation's security" and that law enforcement officers would be "at risk" without it. Congress voted to extend that law, Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act, last month.

On Friday, Brand hosted a summit meeting at the Justice Department on human trafficking. At that event, Sessions thanked her for her "strong leadership as our third in command at the department."

But Brand has also become embroiled in the feud between the president and the nation's law enforcement agencies. Reports that Trump had tried to fire Mueller and had considered firing Rosenstein raised questions of who would replace Rosenstein.

Brand's assistant, Currie Gunn, has also left the department. Gunn could not be reached for comment.
JERUSALEM - Israeli, Syrian and Iranian military forces clashed Saturday in a series of audacious strikes that could mark a new and dangerous phase in both a long-simmering cross-border conflict and Syria's long civil war.

The confrontations began before dawn when Israel intercepted what it said was an Iranian drone that had penetrated its airspace from Syria. The Israeli military retaliated, attacking what it said was the command-and-control center from which Iran had launched the drone, at a Syrian air base near Palmyra.

One of Israel's F-16 fighter jets crashed in northern Israel on its way back from the mission after coming under heavy Syrian anti-aircraft fire, believed to be the first Israeli plane to be lost under enemy fire in decades.

That prompted a broad wave of Israeli strikes against a dozen Syrian and Iranian targets in Syrian territory. The Israeli military said it hit eight Syrian targets, including three aerial defense batteries, and four Iranian positions that it described as "part of Iran's military entrenchment in Syria."

Risk of conflict

The events, including Israel's direct engagement with Iranian forces, risked escalating the intensifying crisis in Syria, where forces from Russia, Turkey and the United States are also on the ground in a war with multiple fronts and multiple factions, including the remnants of the Islamic State and other Islamist militant groups.

Israel has long warned about the risk of conflict as a result of Iranian forces and its allies - including Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group - digging in on Syrian territory and approaching the boundary with the Israeli-held portion of the Golan Heights. Israel, which considers Iran its most potent enemy in the region, has been lobbying world powers - so far, apparently, without success - to distance these forces from the border areas.

But this was the first Israeli strike on a site where Iranian forces were present, analysts said, and Israeli military officials said this was the first time an Iranian drone had penetrated Israeli airspace during the Syrian war.

The officials said they were investigating the purpose of the drone. There was no immediate indication that it was armed.

Israeli military officials accused the Syrians and Iranians of "playing with fire," but indicated that Israel wanted to contain the situation.

"We are ready to exact a very heavy price from whoever acts against us," stated Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis, the chief spokesman of the Israeli military, "but we are not seeking an escalation."

A new phase

The jet crash represented a severe blow to Israel's prestige and could mark a major change after years in which it acted against targets in Syria with relative impunity. In the past, Syria has claimed, falsely, that it had shot down Israeli aircraft. The last time an Israeli jet was downed under enemy fire appears to have been in the early 1980s.

Hezbollah said Saturday that the downing of the Israeli F-16 jet by the Syrian army marked the "start of a new strategic phase," which would limit Israeli exploitation of Syrian airspace. "Today's developments mean the old equations have categorically ended," the Lebanese Shiite group said in a statement.

But just as Syrian self-confidence appears to have grown, Israel also sent a strong message with its broad wave of strikes Saturday, Israeli analysts said. They noted that this was the first time in recent years that Israel struck Syrian territory in broad daylight. Despite more Syrian anti-aircraft fire, all Israeli jets returned to base safely from the second mission, after the first jet was lost, according to the Israeli military.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel spent much of Saturday in consultations with his defense minister, the Israeli chief of staff and other military officials.

The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement calling on "all sides involved to show restraint and avoid all acts that could lead to complicating the situation further." The ministry added: "It is absolutely unacceptable to create threats to the lives and security of Russian soldiers that are in the Syrian Arab Republic on the invitation of the legal government to assist in the fight against terrorism."

The Iranian Foreign Ministry denied the drone had strayed into Israeli airspace and rejected as "laughable" reports that Israel had intercepted a drone launched from Syria. "Iran's presence in Syria is limited to advisers at the request of its legitimate government," an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Bahram Qasemi, was quoted as saying by the official Islamic Republic News Agency.

Iranian mission

Syrian army officials said the drone had been carrying out a routine mission against the Islamic State over Syrian airspace, according to the news site Al-Manar.

Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, another spokesman for the Israeli military, insisted that the drone was "on a specific Iranian mission," and was shot down deep in Israeli territory.

It was not immediately clear if the Israeli F-16 was directly hit by the Syrian anti-aircraft fire. Early assessments suggested that it was, Conricus said, though he added that nothing had been officially confirmed.

The Israeli military said two pilots had bailed from the downed aircraft "as per procedure." One pilot was severely injured as a result of "an emergency evacuation," it said.
Mexican media is reporting at least six people were executed Thursday at a restaurant in the metropolitan area of Guadalajara, Jalisco, as killings continue following the arrest of a powerful captain within the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

A group of at least 10 men stormed the restaurant, surrounded the seven diners and opened fire, immediately killing six of them, according to reports.
Monday is the birthday of British scientist Charles Darwin. He was born in 1809, the same day as Abraham Lincoln. Science fans now celebrate it as Darwin Day, and for a reason.

Charles Darwin is recognized as one of the pre-eminent scientists of the 19th century, and his remains rest in Westminster Abbey, near those of Isaac Newton. The thing that earned Darwin this distinction was his work earlier in the century  establishment of the theory of evolution by natural selection.

Biological evolution was not a novel concept at the time. Anaximander of Miletus (610-546 B.C.) was an early thinker who proposed that one species could descend from another. Medieval Islamic science also included the concept. But by the early 19th century, scientists still had no mechanism to drive the process.

Darwins contribution was the idea that random variation, coupled with natural selection, provides this capability.

Destined as a young man for the clergy, his life was changed by a voyage around the world, a scientific expedition underwritten by his government. His observations on the trip started him to thinking about what could drive evolution, but he did not publish until 1858, when Alfred Russel Wallace hit upon the same idea.

The two published concurrently, and the following year Darwins seminal book, The Origin of Species, set the world on fire.

What Darwin had done was to demolish the remaining link between religion and the natural world. Previous scientists had demonstrated our planet is not the center of the universe, and the Earth is millions (later billions) of years old  in direct contradiction to the Genesis story that was the foundation for Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Darwin removed any need for supernatural processes, especially anything resembling the God of Abraham, to explain human existence. To many people, this undercut the very basis for human morality, and it cast their lives adrift in a purposeless world.

The tension extends to this day.

Well into the 21st century, rational-thinking people continue to find it necessary to defend truth and reason against attack. It is now barely seven years prior to the Scopes monkey trial centennial, and scientists and scholars daily endure challenges by creationists of a wide spectrum, all pushing some challenge to established science.

And biology is not the only science under attack.

An Oklahoma senator displays a snowball as evidence against human-caused global warming. A disgraced physician publishes a fraudulent paper linking vaccines to autism.

Disregard for verifiable fact now permeates the American political landscape. An outlandish rumor takes life about the time of the presidential election and quickly engulfs a Washington, D.C., pizza parlor. Accurate reporting puts the lie to the story, but, against all reason, a person caught up in the frenzy goes so far as to barge into the restaurant, brandishing a firearm and discharging it.

An American presidential candidate lays a carpet of false statements, continuing into his tenure as the countrys leader. News outlets print the truth, which is then proclaimed to be fake news. Millions of voters pick up the chant.

A well-informed citizenry needs to push back against attacks on logic and reason. A lone voice of resistance should become a million. There must be no backing down in defense of what is demonstrably true.

The freethinker movement has a history in Central Texas. Immigrants from Germany settled here in the mid-19th century, and their legacy of resistance to absolutism in religion and government has seeped into our society. The Freethinkers Association of Central Texas, or FACT, continues this tradition, championing open discussion and insisting on respect for rational thinking. More than an anti-religious gathering, it serves as a channel for many who hold compassion and respect for human dignity above the exigencies of political power.

On Darwin Day, we resolve to continue Darwins legacy of championing fact before fable.

John Blanton is a retired engineer living in San Antonio. After serving a Navy Reserve tour, he obtained degrees in engineering, math and physics. Blanton has studied the issue of creationism, including intelligent design, for 30 years and has written extensively on the subject. He blogs on science, politics and religion.
No matter the criticisms directed his way by Republicans, Robert Mueller should count himself lucky: Hes not Ken Starr.

The punctilious, mild-mannered independent counsel appointed by a three-judge panel in the 1990s, Starr investigated all manner of Bill Clinton scandals, most spectacularly the Monica Lewinsky affair.

A former D.C. circuit judge and U.S. solicitor general in the first Bush administration, he had struck no one prior to his appointment as a goose-stepping lieutenant in the sex police, or a partisan fanatic likely to be driven by sheer hatred to attempt to destroy a Democratic president.

Starr became all of these things for Clintons defenders, who thought a good offense was the best defense of a president caught lying under oath.

A former Clinton adviser said Starrs investigation smacks of Gestapo and outstrips McCarthyism. The estimable historian Garry Wills mused that it shouldnt be Bill Clinton, but Ken Starr who should be impeached. Anthony Lewis, a liberal lion at the New York Times, opined that Starrs abuses were driven by an obsessive  and, for a prosecutor, entirely inappropriate  determination to force President Clinton from office by any means available.

On and on it went. It was trench warfare over Starrs every move. In a signature piece of writing during the Lewinsky scandal, New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd managed to portray Starr, not Bill Clinton, as the sex-obsessed goat, even though the former judge wasnt the one chasing interns around his desk.

This history is relevant because it shows the forgetfulness of Donald Trumps critics, who seem to believe that its unprecedented for a special counsel to attract the ire of a presidents defenders. In an often abnormal time, the most normal thing thats happened over the past six months is that attitudes toward the Mueller investigation have broken down along partisan lines.

Robert Mueller may be motivated by a disinterested pursuit of the truth (tempered, one hopes, by an appropriate sense of limits), but his most ardent fans are rooting for any criminal infraction that, in their fevered dreams, will lead to President Trump getting frog-marched from the White House.

The persistent fantasy that Trump can somehow be leveraged from office is behind the push to criminalize any blameworthy conduct on his part or that of his associates.

It wasnt just bad form in pursuit of a foolish policy for incoming national security adviser Michael Flynn to talk to Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak about sanctions; it was a violation of the Logan Act.

Don Jr.s notorious meeting with Russians wasnt just amateurish and ill-considered; it was a violation of a law against taking an in-kind contribution from a foreign national.

The continued operation of Trump businesses isnt just unseemly; its a violation of the Emoluments Clause.

Trumps withdrawn directive to fire Mueller wasnt merely a potentially catastrophic decision that he got talked out of; it was evidence of obstruction of justice.

Very little cant be made to fit under this rubric. In his rebuttal to the Nunes memo, New York Democrat Jerry Nadler alleged that the document made Republicans an accessory to a crime  part and parcel of Trumps effort to obstruct the Special Counsels investigation.

Even in the worst case for Trump, Mueller is unlikely to charge him with a crime. There is longstanding Office of Legal Counsel guidance that its unconstitutional to indict a president while hes in office. The worst case for Trump is probably a report by Mueller that could become, in effect, an impeachment referral.

Much will depend on the facts; on whether Mueller is willing to stand aside if he doesnt find anything to justify his continued investigation; and who wins Congress this year and, if its the Democrats, by how much. But there can be little doubt that, in their hearts, most Democrats have decided for impeachment. The fighting now may be mere skirmishing compared with the larger political war to come.

comments.lowry@nationalreview.com
Heres what Bexar County residents deserve from their district attorney: A strong command of criminal and civil law. A respectful and calm demeanor. An ability to deftly manage an office of top prosecutors. A history of making good decisions.

Too often during his tenure, District Attorney Nico LaHood has failed to meet these basic expectations.

RELATED: Joe D. Gonzales formally kicks off campaign for Bexar County district attorney

He has badgered constituents at public meetings, used his office to promote baseless anti-vaccination views, trampled the free press and threatened to shut down the law office of his now-Democratic primary challenger. His repeated denial of issuing this threat, which was confirmed in testimony by a judge, stretches credulity.

For these reasons, we recommend attorney Joe D. Gonzales in the Democratic primary. Gonzales has 30 years of experience as a defense attorney and a prosecutor, handling more than 200 jury and nonjury trials.

Prior to opening his own practice, Gonzales worked as a prosecutor in Harris and Bexar counties in the 1990s, handling misdemeanor, juvenile and felony cases. He has also spent time as a magistrate and municipal court judge for the city of San Antonio.

Defense attorneys arent typically natural picks for district attorney, but Gonzales would come to the job with experience on both sides. By contrast, prior to his 2014 election, LaHood was lacking experience as a prosecutor.

READ MORE: Tim Duncan endorses Nico LaHood in district attorney race

If elected, Gonzales has said he will focus on violent crime, bail reform and enhanced training for prosecutors. He wants fewer nonviolent defendants accused of minor crimes to be taking up jail space, and he would like to expand pretrial diversion programs.

LaHood chose not to meet with this Editorial Board, and instead sent us a lengthy letter citing his accomplishments, specifically his work focusing on child abuse and domestic violence cases. To his credit, LaHood has initiated a much-needed conviction integrity unit to ensure innocent people wrongfully convicted of crimes receive justice. But his conduct in office has overshadowed these, and other, initiatives.

Gonzales had been a supporter of LaHoods in previous district attorney campaigns. The two also owned a building together and very much ran in the same circles. But that relationship disintegrated with LaHoods threat to shut down Gonzales practice, which was made in District Judge Lori Valenzeulas chambers during a murder trial. The argument was over the last-minute disclosure of a sexual encounter between a prosecutor and a key witness.

LaHood denies making the threat, but witnesses, including Valenzuela, confirmed it. After a hearing on the issue, a visiting district judge admonished LaHood for his rant.

LaHood has also trampled the free press. Last year he blocked Express-News staffers from a news conference about a murder indictment against convicted baby killer Genene Jones. Other media members were allowed to attend. This is a news conference for a public official about the public record in a public building. The U.S. Supreme Court has been abundantly clear that government cannot restrict public access based on content, in this case critical, but accurate, coverage of LaHood.

The issues here are temperament and judgment. As Express-News Metro Columnist Brian Chasnoff has reported, LaHood has at least twice berated constituents in public who have the audacity to disagree with him on law enforcement policy.

LaHood has also used his office to promote unscientific and debunked views on vaccines and autism. There is no link between vaccines and autism. None. This misbegotten conspiracy theory is derived from a gravely flawed 1998 study. The study has been debunked and retracted.

LaHoods decision to use his public office to promote this kind of nonsense potentially puts innocent peoples lives at risk. It also has nothing to do with law and order, but his position lends credibility to something that undermines public health.

Weve also been left with lingering questions about the 2015 killing of Gilbert Flores by Bexar County deputies. LaHoods office failed to secure an indictment. We have no idea what evidence was presented to a grand jury, and recognize this might be the right outcome. But the evidence that is available shows a troubled man who did not appear to be an imminent threat to law enforcement when he was shot.

And, of course, LaHood was arrested in 1994 for selling 200 Ecstasy pills to an undercover officer at a gentlemans club. He received deferred adjudication, so there is no record of his conviction. No one should be judged solely for a poor decision or mistake. But this bit of history has always struck us as an uncomfortable fit for the countys top prosecutor  and necessary background for voters to consider.

Bexar County deserves a more experienced district attorney who will treat the public with respect and possesses a measured and even temperament. On these merits, and many others, Gonzales is clearly superior.
The Democrats showed their true colors at the State of the Union address. Sen. Nancy Pelosi is all over Facebook with her sourpuss look the entire evening. President Donald Trump was trying to unite the country, but the Democrats and the media will not give him a budge!

If Trump cured cancer tomorrow, they would not give him credit. Shameful.

Brenda Davis

Not fit for office

I am continuously appalled by President Donald Trumps insults and outbursts, ranging from mocking tweets to screaming obscenities directed at individuals, as well as segments of society, whether ethnic, religious, immigrant or political.

His disgusting behavior was most recently exemplified in the extreme when he accused Haitian immigrants of spreading AIDs, further accusing Africans of being from (expletive) countries.

This kind of language and attitude goes beyond the shameful and vile. It disparages the basic humanity of whole segments of the population, ultimately dismissing their very existence.

Donald J. Trump should not be president, much less the leader of the free world.

Joseph J. Pell

The despicable left

Democrats showed the nation the despicable people they are, refusing to stand for the arrival of President Donald Trump, who gave the best State of the Union address since Ronald Reagan. Rep. Joaquin Castro was seen on national television sitting down through much of the night. He dishonored America and veterans. Democrats have poor character and act as only enemies of America would.

As a Vietnam combat veteran with friends who died in that war, I take exception to actions displayed by Democrats. Veterans will not forget their actions. Democrats have no message, and they put criminals ahead of Americans. But we will rise again and remove more of these despicable, left-wing Democrats. They have been the party of hate since the Civil War.

Now their transgressions have been exposed. Democrats spent trillions of dollars in the last administration, and all we got was division, hate and ISIS. Iran was financed, North Korea emboldened, our military depleted, our infrastructure ignored, and our health care decimated. Our agencies were corrupted  the IRS, the FBI, the Department of Justice.

No! Their queen bee, Hillary Clinton, is a crooked, vile person, and America said, Get lost! Thank God for Trump. Hes making America great again.

Frank X. Farias

Check her resume

I had my biggest laugh of the week the day Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielson testified under oath at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.

In a lame, transparent attempt to defend her boss in the White House, she claimed not to have heard, during a meeting on immigration, any derogatory remark Donald Trump may have made about shithole countries. On further questioning, she said it may have been because there was so much tough language being used by almost everyone in the room.

But the loudest guffaw came when she faced her interrogator and, with a straight face, asserted she was unaware that the population of Norway is predominantly white. This from someone with a Scandinavian name, as well as Nordic blonde hair!

Security in my homeland has been shaken on finding that a person of her caliber is in charge of homeland security. What qualifications, I wonder, did she present to get the job?

Jack Wernette, Castroville

Stop tax terrorists

Since this is tax season and refund fraud is so prevalent, why dont we have the option to tell the IRS to code our taxpayer accounts to not issue refunds unless we show up at its office with proper ID? Many millions have made too much from salary and/or retirement and dividends to get refunds, so its an annual matter of how much we pay out, not how much we get back.

I realize itd add some bodies to the IRS bureaucracy, but tax fraud is an embarrassingly frustrating epidemic costing $21 billion in 2016. I saw on 60 Minutes where fiscal terrorists congregate to drink beer and listen to music as they trade stolen identities and enter them into their laptops. They let themselves be taped because its just a slap on the wrist. Penalties should be beefed up.

Dont just wring hands  do something to make it less easy for the baddies.

Marc D. Johnson

Personal boycott

Not that you care, but I wanted to update you on the status of my New Years resolution.

Although I have been slow in exercising and eating right, I am perfect in not reading the A section or the Opinion pages of the Express-News, and I feel pretty good about it. I see it every day on the kitchen table, and I dont even pick it up except to place it in front of my wife. When she brings up items from those sections, I ask her if any new viewpoints have been presented, so if the paper does change, Ill know when to start reading it again. So far, no change.

To be clear, Im not ignoring the other side, whom I feel you solidly represent. It is my own personal boycott (even though I continue to pay for a subscription). I will read those sections again when you start presenting both sides of the political arguments in this city, state and country.

William Dickson Donehue, Windcrest
By Nathanael Johnson (@savortooth on Twitter), Grists senior writer and the author of two books. Originally published at Grist

For nearly two decades, Charles C. Mann has been troubled by a realization that struck him just after his daughter was born. He was walking outside the hospital on a freezing New England night when the thought stopped him mid stride: By the time she reached his age, there would be 10 billion people living on the planet. How the hell would that work?

Mann makes his living as a science writer and is best known for his bestselling histories of America around 1492. Ever since the night of his daughters birth, Mann has asked the scientists he interviewed if he could buy them a cup of coffee afterward in order to ask them his nagging question: What are we going to do as population rises?

The responses he got fell into two broad categories depending on the person. The ones who thought technology would save us he dubbed wizards. Those who thought we were screwed unless we controlled population growth he called prophets.

After years of these interviews, woolgathering, and worldwide travel, Mann turned it all into his latest book, The Wizard and the Prophet: Two Groundbreaking Scientists and Their Conflicting Visions of the Future of Our Planet. We recently talked with Mann about the types of solutions preferred by wizards and prophets, and why he thinks this division means that no one ever changes their mind about nuclear power, renewable energy, or genetically modified food.

Q. You coined the terms wizards and prophets to describe two types of people. Can you define these labels?

A. Well, I coined them as a sort of shorthand. A philosopher friend of mine said that there was a very clear way to describe these groups, one of them is a Schumpeteriantechnophiliacmeliorist (laughs). But that didnt seem all that clear to me, so I call them wizards, as in techno-wizards. Wizards basically believe that science and technology, properly applied, can let us produce our way out of our dilemmas. Prophets believe that there are natural limits, and we transgress these limits at our peril.

Their recommendations are kind of the opposite of each other. One is saying, Be smart, make more, and that way everyone can win. The other is saying, Hunker down, conserve, obey the rules, otherwise everyone is going to lose.

Q. Innovation versus restraint.

A. Right. And both of them have really strong arguments.

Q. The wizard you chose to focus on was the agronomist Norman Borlaug. Why him?

A. I kept hearing his name from wizards, people who said were going to have to use science and technology, were going to have to be like Norman Borlaug. Hes the main figure behind whats been called the Green Revolution  the combination of hybrid seeds, high intensity fertilizer, and irrigation that boosted grain yields in the 70s and 80s.

Q. Your prophet is the ecologist William Vogt, and you make a good case that he really cued up the modern environmental movement.

A. Vogt popularized the idea of carrying capacity. That is a term you get hit with if you ever take Ecology 101: Its the idea that environments can only produce so much and if you go over that limit bad things happen. He took it from an arcane scientific idea  used to figure out how many deer can survive in a meadow  and stretched it to cover the entire world. Nowadays we use terms like planetary boundaries or ecological limits, but its basically the same thing. I think thats the foundational idea of the environmental movement: An awareness of limits and a fear that we are exceeding them.

Q. Id like to throw out three different problems and have you generalize about how wizards and prophets might solve them. Lets start with energy. How do we keep the lights on?

A. For wizards the answer is basically to stick with the same system we have now but with cleaner energy. Ideally with nuclear power because it has the smallest footprint of any low-carbon source, but you could also have giant concentrated solar plants and that sort of thing.

The prophets dislike nuclear on prudential grounds. You know, its too expensive, theres a waste problem, theres a risk of accidental meltdown. On a deeper level, they just dont like the idea of giant corporate structures controlling something as powerful as energy. They are deeply attracted to this idea of self-reliant, smaller scale, more democratic communities in control of their own energy. I have to say this is something thats really appealing to me. Im talking to you from a small town with a house with a big solar array on the roof.

Q. OK, next problem: How do we feed ourselves?

A. Aha, there again, wizards basically dont see anything wrong with industrial agriculture. Yes, there are some problems, but they can be fixed. For instance, farmers could apply fertilizer better and not send so much into lakes and oceans. Again, keep doing what we have been doing but make it cleaner. That almost always leads you right to GMOs  the idea is we might make crops much more productive and reduce our footprint.

Its not crazy if you accept the way industrial agriculture is the way to go. I talk in the book about the C4 rice initiative at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines, which aims to make photosynthesis work better in rice. The reason rice crops need most of their fertilizer is to make this enzyme called rubisco that plays a key role in photosynthesis. So the idea is if you had more efficient photosynthesis you would have less rubisco, less nitrogen, less fertilizer, less pollution, and a bigger harvest, and everybody would be a winner. And thats the wizard theme.

Q. And the prophets? How would they fix food?

A. They see industrial agriculture as the problem, so propping it up is, for them, like trying to put out a fire by pouring on gasoline. They see it causing environmental degradation, from the dead zones at river mouths to the destruction of soils. They would like to see a radically different form of agriculture, one that doesnt depopulate the countryside, one that mimics natural ecosystems, and grows lots of types of crops. There are some limits on how much production you can squeeze out of grains, and trees and tubers can produce vastly more. So if you put all those elements together on farms you would be able to produce more, more sustainably. It would require more work so you would have more jobs and more vital rural communities, and lots of good things would come from that  at least this is how the prophets see it.

Q. OK, next up is geoengineering. How do we cool the planet down?

A. I think this is a really important subject and one that doesnt get enough attention. So far Ive been pretty factual but here Id like to give you my opinion: Even though weve made great progress on carbon emissions, I think it may not be fast enough. So what do you do? Thats where geoengineering comes in. Wizards and prophets have different forms of it.

Wizards typically favor something like solar radiation management, which is essentially sprinkling tiny reflective spheres in the upper atmosphere to bounce back a little of the sunlight, just enough to buy us more time. It would actually be cheap and efficient; its kind of horrible to put it that way because nobody in their right mind would be enthusiastic about it. You just need a couple of airplanes sprinkling stuff up there, and it could be done for a couple billion dollars a year. So in a country like Indonesia, which is at risk of losing significant territory to sea rise, and has something like 60 billionaires  you could imagine it right? An individual billionaire might just choose to do this. Prophets see this as crazy, as fighting pollution with pollution.

So the other way to do it, the prophets way, is to use those natural carbon-eating devices known as trees. There are large blank spots on the map that dont have much vegetation  the Sahara, the Australian outback  but they were covered with vegetation in the past. You could reforest them with drought-tolerant trees, proceeding from the edges with desalination plants along the coasts providing water. You could take a significant bite out of the carbon load in the air. A lot of reforestation has been done in the last 20 years in the Sahel, just beyond the Sahara where theres more rain, and it looks pretty nice.

Q. Why are these such big fights? It seems like wed want to try all of these solutions.

A. These arguments are often framed pragmatically, but they are really about values. Prophets, for example, dont like nuclear power and often will say, correctly, Oh we dont like it, it costs so much. But even if circumstances changed and nuclear costs went down, its not the case that prophets would then say, Great! Lets go for nuclear power. Because it represents a way of life they dont want, one in which big machines deliver energy and people live in big cities. It seems to them to be a recipe for atomized anomie.

The wizards look at distributed solar and wind and say, correctly, There are all these problems with storage and shuffling the power around. But even if we solved the storage problem the wizards wouldnt embrace distributed renewables because they see it as something that ties people down to their communities and requires a whole network of social obligations and doesnt maximize individual liberty. Some people value liberty and some people value community  its an ancient fight. Theres no law of physics that says you cant have both  that you cant use a mix of solutions. But its hard because these value questions are at the bottom.

Q. Can we transcend those values? My smartest sources often seem like they are able to toggle back and forth between prophetic and wizardly thinking.

A. I suspect that the reason your go-to people can switch back and forth is that theyve thought about it and realized that the facile this just will never work arguments are often wrong. And theyre researchers so they are trying to tell you what theyve figured out empirically.

Whats striking to me is how long these arguments have gone on without most people seeming to blend them in the middle. Its seems perfectly logical to have both, but thats not what seems to happen.

Q. I started out very much a prophet, but eventually got a little frustrated because as a prophet you are preaching in the wilderness and it feels like nothing ever changes. Meanwhile, the wizards are out there building things.

A. Thats an occupational hazard for prophets. But in fact they have changed a great deal. Just the existence of Grist suggests that they are not really alone in the wilderness. The prophets often dont see how much progress they have made, but its really striking to me.

Q. It seems to me that were living in the wizards world, but we are guided more and more by the prophets politics.

A. Its true that Borlaug won out in the beginning, but now even the people working on that huge C4 rice photosynthesis initiative will start by talking about how its good for the environment.

At some level the prophets are obviously right: The Earth is finite. There is some carrying capacity. The question is, is the carrying capacity so large that its irrelevant?
(Natural News) A new study found that the disturbances in the body clock of people who suffer from Alzheimers disease can also develop much earlier in people whose memories are intact but their brain scans show early, preclinical evidence of Alzheimers. The study was carried out by a team of researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis who evaluated the associations between circadian function, aging, and preclinical Alzheimers pathology in cognitively normal adults.

In conducting the study, the team monitored the circadian rhythms of 189 cognitively normal, older adults with a mean average of 66 from Washington Universitys Knight Alzheimers Disease Research Center. All of them wore devices like exercise trackers for seven to 14 days and accomplished a detailed sleep diary each morning to monitor how dispersed rest and activity were throughout a day. Some had positron emission tomography (PET) scans in search for Alzheimers-related amyloid plaques in their brains, while others had their cerebrospinal fluid tested for Alzheimers-related proteins. Some also took both scans and spinal fluid testing.

In this new study, we found that people with preclinical Alzheimers disease had more fragmentation in their circadian activity patterns, with more periods of inactivity or sleep during the day and more periods of activity at night, said Yo-El Ju, an assistant professor of neurology.

Results revealed that 139 of the participants were clear of amyloid protein that indicates preclinical Alzheimers. Although the majority of them had regular sleep/wake cycles, some had body clock disturbances that were associated with older age, sleep apnea, or other causes. Among the 50 participants who either had abnormal brain scans or abnormal cerebrospinal fluid, all of them experienced great disturbances in their internal body clocks, which were identified by the amount of rest they got at night and how active they were during the day. Disruptions in the circadian rhythm continued even after the researchers statistically controlled for sleep apnea, age, and other factors.

Moreover, it was revealed that those who experienced short activity and rest spurts during day and night were more probable of showing evidence of amyloid buildup in their brains.

It wasnt that the people in the study were sleep-deprived, said first author Erik S. Musiek, an assistant professor of neurology. But their sleep tended to be fragmented. Sleeping for eight hours at night is very different from getting eight hours of sleep in one-hour increments during daytime naps.

The findings of the study, published in the journal JAMA Neurology, support a previous mouse study of Musiek and Geraldine J. Kress that analyzed the circadian rhythm disturbances of Alzheimers. In this study, they disabled the genes that control the circadian clock to interrupt the rats circadian rhythms. They found that after two months, mice with disrupted circadian rhythms had more amyloid build ups compared to mice with normal rhythms. Moreover, the mice also displayed changes in the normal, daily rhythms of amyloid protein in the brain.

Tips on managing sleep problems in Alzheimers

A person with Alzheimers disease may find it hard to have enough of sleep and may wake up frequently during the night. Some people use medications for sleep changes; however, these cause serious side effects. On the other hand, natural treatments for sleep changes do not cause side effects but aim to enhance sleep routine and sleeping environment and lessen daytime napping. To promote rest for a person with Alzheimers, do the following:

Have a regular schedule for meals, sleeping, and waking up

Get exposed to the sun in the morning

Exercise regularly, but not later than four hours before bedtime

Avoid consumption of alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine

Treat any pain

Ensure a comfortable bedroom temperature

Provide night lights and security objects

In periods of wakefulness, discourage staying in bed while awake and watching television

(Related: Cant Stay Asleep? 26 Tips to Help you Sleep Tight)

Read more stories on age-related diseases at Longevity.news.

Sources include:

ScienceDaily.com

Alz.org
(Natural News) The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) is urging the European Commission (EC) to look into the misleading labels of unhealthy food and beverage products that claim to be good for its target markets.

The BEUCs recently launched campaign aims to boycott the ECs long-standing failure to put an end to the bogus food claims reportedly made by the various manufacturers of products that have high fat, salt, or sugar content. The EC was initially supposed to publish nutrient profiles nine years ago, and this could have prevented the proliferation of false claims by manufacturers.

Pauline Constant, communications manager for food, health, sustainability, and safety, says that the profiles must be published soon. If the profiles remain unpublished, this will turn into a 10-year-old concern. She adds that making the data public can help curb the possibility of an obesity epidemic since consumers need to be made aware that products which claim to be healthy cant always be trusted. (Related: Food Packaging Tricks  Why Reading The Label Is Not Enough.)

Powdered beverages and kids products are the worst offenders

The BEUC highlighted the fact that powdered beverages and products for children are the worst offenders, especially on social media. These two product types often come with health claims even though they contain a lot of sugar.

Constant explains that based on real-life examples, food products full of fat, salt, or sugar are being marketed as high in fibers, contains B vitamins, or boosts your immune system. It is misleading to sell a hot drink containing at least 75 percent sugar as full of calcium and vitamins. Manufacturers are taking advantage of these claims by using them as marketing tools instead of indicators of a healthy product for consumer guidance.

The BEUCs social media campaign named certain beverages such as Nestles Nesquik, Idilia Foods Cola Coa, and Mercators Ben Quick. The organization also mentioned Danones Actimel Kids, which claims to contain vitamin D but also has high levels of sugar.

Olivera Medugorac, Nestles European affairs manager, addressed the campaign and pointed out that the company backs the introduction of nutrient profiles. Medugorac shares that Nestle was one of the companies that approved the joint call for urgent adoption of EU-wide nutrient profiles for nutrition and health claims last May 2017. She adds that Nestle wants to ensure that nutrient profiles are used to help consumers, industry, government, and public health stakeholders make more informed choices when it comes to food and beverages.

Constant maintains that the practice is deceptive, especially since it gives unhealthy products a healthy halo. She concludes that the problematic practice has a significant impact on products for children and babies. Parents who fall prey to false health claims on food products will buy them without a second thought because they want the healthiest for their little ones.

Who would think twice about getting baby cereals that have iron, zinc, and vitamins? It might not even cross the minds of parents to check the warnings behind the packages about the 30 percent sugar content of the same baby cereals, especially since the warnings often come in small characters.

Only time will tell if the EC finally publishes the nutrient profiles that the BEUC has been asking for since 2009.

Foods and drinks with a high sugar content

Aside from powdered drinks and food products, avoid buying these items because they may have a high sugar content:

BBQ sauce  Two tablespoons of BBQ sauce can contain at least 14 grams (g) of sugar or over three teaspoons. A container of BBQ sauce may even contain at least 40 percent of pure sugar.

 Two tablespoons of BBQ sauce can contain at least 14 grams (g) of sugar or over three teaspoons. A container of BBQ sauce may even contain at least 40 percent of pure sugar. Chocolate milk  Unlike plain milk which is nutritious, chocolate milk also contains cocoa and sugar. An eight ounce (oz) [230 milliliters (ml)] glass of chocolate milk has two teaspoons of added sugar.

 Unlike plain milk which is nutritious, chocolate milk also contains cocoa and sugar. An eight ounce (oz) [230 milliliters (ml)] glass of chocolate milk has two teaspoons of added sugar. Iced tea  This chilled tea is usually sweetened with sugar or flavored with syrup. While the sugar content varies depending on location, a lot of commercially prepared iced teas can contain about 33 g of sugar per 12 oz (340 ml) serving, or around the same as a can of Coca-Cola.

 This chilled tea is usually sweetened with sugar or flavored with syrup. While the sugar content varies depending on location, a lot of commercially prepared iced teas can contain about 33 g of sugar per 12 oz (340 ml) serving, or around the same as a can of Coca-Cola. Ketchup  A popular condiment, ketchup is full of sugar, just like BBQ sauce. A tablespoon of ketchup can contain at least a teaspoon of sugar.

Read more articles about fresh food and tips on how to eat healthy at Fresh.news.

Sources include:

NutraIngredients.com

Healthline.com
Inside Distil Networks, a San Francisco security firm, engineers are waging war on bots.

Bots are a huge deal, said Anna Westelius, Sr. Director of Security Research.

Distil is warning that illicit computer programs are posing as humans and tinkering with flight prices.

A lot of the time, what the bots are doing in travel is they are forcing the prices up for consumers, Westelius said.

Here one shady scenario theyre fighting: Say an airline announces a sale. Distil says bots sometimes reserve all the cheapest seats -- before anyone else has a chance.

Consumers get burned when the airline computer, which lives on the laws of supply and demand, increases fares for the leftover seats.

They make these systems sort of confused, Westelius said. They throw them off.

Distil says the bots are working for unscrupulous online travel agents. Theyre exploiting how an airline seat can be held, but not bought, free for 24 hours. The bots make dummy bookings -- even makeup passenger names  and then repeat the trick every 24 hours or so.

This is a constant battle, Westelius said. For some airlines, there are thousands of requests every day. They hold thousands of seats.

We asked Westelius: what happens to all those dummy seats? She said fringe travel sites sell them at a price somewhere in between the low fare theyre holding and the higher fare the airline is charging.

Its clever scalping. And they know theyll find unsuspecting buyers because most people book flights like Linda Distefano.

Whoever offers me the best price, she said.

We sought a second opinion on bots.

I dont believe its a big issue, said Rick Seaney  a mathematician who founded Farecompare.com, a website that analyzes airline data and tracks flight prices.

Seaney hasnt seen bots gobbling up seats. But, he agrees that if they are, everyday consumers are probably paying more than they should.

If inventory goes away, and thats cheap inventory, theres less cheap inventory for everybody else thats shopping, he said.

We asked several major U.S. airlines if theyre taking action to combat bots. None responded.

We have some dedicated airline specialists, Westelius said, nothing that Distil is working for more than five dozen airlines that have confidentially hired her team to take down the bots.

Thats airlines you know, she said. Thats airlines you fly with often.

Distil wants to give you a heads-up.

Westelius says third-party ticket sellers are supposed to support customers -- especially when problems occur on your trip. Anna warns that a bot-based site might not fulfill that responsibility. So, be careful before booking on a site youve never heard of just because its a few bucks cheaper.

If you buy these Bot tickets, you dont have access to direct communication with the airline, she said. Meaning that if your flight is canceled or delayed, you dont get that information.

And not having that info could leave you stuck after a delay or cancellation.

So, how do those of us who are not cybersecurity experts figure out if were booking with a bot-based website? Anna says to call them on the phone. Find out if any actual human beings will be there to help if your plans go south.
A local veteran will travel halfway around the world to return a Japanese flag his father took from a dead soldier during WWII.

Charley Trujillo, an Army Infantryman, says he has suffered from nightmares, insomnia and drug abuse, but hopes returning the flag will chase away his demons.

"I want to return it to honor his family and my dads memory as well," Trujillo said.

His father was a WWII veteran who took the Japanese flag from a soldier on the battlefield in New Guinea. It still has blood stains and tribute lettering that translate to "always win" and "each man equal to ten."

Trujillo was able to determine the soldier was from Kyoto Fukuchiyama and will fly to the region next week to begin tracking down the mans family.

"I do it as a gesture of peace," Trujillo said. "War is a very negative experience, and I think in our society, we take it too lightly."
In its most serious engagement in neighboring Syria since fighting there began in 2011, Israel shot down an infiltrating Iranian drone Saturday and struck Iranian targets deep in Syria before one of its own jets was downed.

The sudden escalation offers what could be a harbinger of what lies ahead as the Syrian fighting winds down and an emboldened Iran establishes a military presence that Israel vows it will never accept.

Israel has issued several stern warnings of late about the increased Iranian involvement along its border in Syria and Lebanon. The Israeli Cabinet just held a meeting near the Syrian border to highlight the new threats, which it attributes to Iran's growing confidence given the success of the government of Bashar Assad in the Syrian civil war thanks to their support.

Israel called the drone infiltration a "severe and irregular violation of Israeli sovereignty" and warned that Iran would be held accountable for its meddling, raising the specter of a larger confrontation in an area that has remained largely stable since a monthlong war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon in 2006.

"This is a serious Iranian attack on Israeli territory. Iran is dragging the region into an adventure in which it doesn't know how it will end," Israel's chief military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis, said in a special statement. "Whoever is responsible for this incident is the one who will pay the price."

Israel would not confirm whether the aircraft was actually shot down by enemy fire, which would mark the first such instance for Israel since 1982 during the first Lebanon war.

Israel fears Iran could use Syrian territory to stage attacks or create a land corridor from Iran to Lebanon that could allow it to transfer weapons more easily to Hezbollah  Lebanon's Iranian-backed political party and militant group sworn to Israel's destruction. Though Israel has largely stayed out of the Syrian conflict, it has struck weapons convoys destined for Hezbollah  which is fighting alongside Syrian forces  almost 100 times since 2012.

But Israel has refrained from striking Iranian sites directly. Syria has also repeatedly said it will respond to Israeli airstrikes but has rarely returned fire. Both of those trends came to an abrupt end Saturday as a rapid escalation played out in the early morning hours.

At dawn, Israel said it shot down an Iranian unmanned aircraft that penetrated its airspace and then destroyed the Iranian site in central Syria that it said launched it. Upon their return, Israel's jets came under heavy Syrian anti-aircraft fire and the pilots of one of the F-16s had to eject and the plane crashed in northern Israel. One pilot was seriously wounded and the other one lightly.

In subsequent attacks, the Israeli military said it struck four additional Iranian positions and eight Syrian sites, causing significant damage. The Israeli jets again faced a heavy barrage of anti-aircraft missiles but returned home safely, as large explosions were reported in Syria and warning sirens blared in northern Israel.

Iran denied Israel's shooting down of a drone, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasem calling the account "ridiculous," while the joint operations room for the Syrian military and its allies insisted the drone had not violated Israeli airspace and was on a regular mission gathering intelligence on Islamic State militants.

Regardless, Hezbollah said Saturday's developments signaled a "new strategic phase" in engaging Israel, which has been mostly off the guerrilla group's radar as it has been knee-deep in the fighting in Syria.

Former Syrian lawmaker and political commenter Sharif Shehade said the anti-aircraft fire marked a political decision in Syria to respond to Israeli strikes, and that tensions would continue to rise unless Washington and Moscow intervened to calm the situation.

"It is a decisive decision to confront the Israeli air force and its careless behavior," he told The Associated Press in Damascus, "I think what happened today is a lesson for Israel."

However, a former Israeli Air Force pilot, retired Lt. Col. Reuven Ben-Shalom, said the fierce Israeli response actually sent "very clear messages" to the other side, showing Iran how deep Israel's knowledge was of its activity in Syria.

"The fact that a drone like this is identified, tracked and intercepted so smoothly by the Israeli air force demonstrates our capabilities, demonstrates our resolve not to allow the breach of Israeli sovereignty," he said. "I think it's good that our enemies learn and understand these capabilities."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman convened the top brass at military headquarters in Tel Aviv for long hours of emergency consultations throughout the Jewish Sabbath to discuss next steps.

Military spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus said Saturday's incident marked the most "blatant and severe violation of Israeli sovereignty" yet. He said while Israel had no interest in further escalation it was prepared to "extract a heavy price" for such aggression.

By directly sending the drone into Israel on a military mission, Conricus said Iran was "playing with fire."

Russia, which backs Assad and maintains a large military presence in the country, called for restraint and appeared to criticize Israel's actions.

"It is absolutely unacceptable to create threats to the lives and security of Russian servicemen who are in Syria at the invitation of its legitimate government to assist in the fight against terrorists," Russia's foreign ministry said.

Israel has long complained about the involvement of archenemy Iran, and Iranian proxy Hezbollah, in the Syria war. Both have sent forces to back Assad, who appears headed toward victory after years of fighting. Israel has said it will not accept a permanent military presence by Iran and its Shiite allies in Syria, especially near the Israeli border.

Israel has shot down several drones that previously tried to infiltrate its territory from Syria. The capture of an Iranian drone and the targeting of Iranian sites in response, however, marked a dramatic escalation in the Israeli retaliation. The military confirmed that the initial target in Syria  the unmanned aircraft's launch components  was successfully destroyed and released grainy footage of the strike. Israel also said it had recovered the remnants of the drone, which proved that it belonged to Iran.
With a significant winter snowstorm hitting the Chicago area, airlines at both of the city's major airports canceled more than 1,300 flights heading into the weekend. [[456119263, C]]

As of 4 p.m. Friday afternoon, over 1000 flights had been cancelled at O'Hare Airport alone, and the average delay on flights had crept up to nearly an hour, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation.

At Midway, 317 flights have been cancelled due to weather, but airlines are showing delays of less than 15 minutes at the airport.

Southwest Airlines preemptively canceled nearly 350 flights at Midway Thursday morning.

The CDA said in a statement Thursday that it prepared "a robust snow removal effort with our airline partners as well as the FAA. Our top goal is to keep our runways safe and dry, and to minimize the impact of weather conditions on operations at O'Hare and Midway International Airports. [[473399023, C]]

It also encouraged travelers to "contact the airlines on flight status ahead of time, and to arrive early before their scheduled flights." To accommodate customers, several airlines were waiving change fees for flights in and out of the city and across the Midwest.

A Winter Storm Warning was issued for the entire Chicago area and northwest Indiana Thursday and continues through Friday at 6 p.m.

The exclamation point on a week of wintry weather could leave more than a foot of accumulation total across some parts of the region by Sunday.
A person was pulled from a deathly-cold Lake Michigan Friday after Chicago saw one of the worst snowstorms to hit the city in years, officials said.

A passerby called the Chicago Fire Department about 3:40 p.m. after they saw the male victim in the water near the 3200 block of Lake Shore Drive on the citys North Side.

Multiple fire department and police personnel arrived on scene to begin the difficult process of pulling the person from the water, Ron Dorneker, deputy chief of Marine and Dive Operations for the fire department said.

It was a difficult operation with the snow out here, he said. We were in knee- to thigh-deep snow trying to get to that location.

Dorneker told reporters the person was rescued from the water and then dragged in a sled-like device over the inches-thick snow to a waiting ambulance.

He was then transported to Presence Saint Joseph Hospital in extremely critical condition.
More than 30 years ago, a piece of Sycamore was at the start of two Olympiads.

Turner Brass of Sycamore designed and made the Olympic torches that traveled to and lit the flames of the Lake Placid Winter Games and the Los Angeles Summer Games, and the torches still are here.

Sycamore resident Jerry Pelan was superintendent of the Turner Brass plant at the time and, after the success of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, was presented with a plaque from the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee and the torches in a ceremony at the plant.

"It was very nice," Pelan said. "Good memories."

He keeps them in his home, usually in his office, in a display that keeps the torches upright. He also keeps the message from the committee thanking him for his support of the Olympic Games, and a photo of him from when he received the torches.

There's also an instruction booklet for the Los Angeles torch, including instructions on how to assemble and fill the torch with propane.

Pelan came to work at Turner Brass when the company decided it wanted to compete with Coleman in the camping stove market, he said. Since he left the Marine Corps, he had been working for Winchester Weston in East Alton. Winchester sent him to Sycamore to help with some paperwork at Turner. Turner offered him a job in the early 1960s, he said, and he worked there until he retired in 1995.

Turner ended up making the torches because someone at the parent company in California thought it would be a good idea, Pelan said. The plant made some samples to submit to the committee.

"We made them, and they were accepted," Pelan said.

His association with the torches didn't stop once they were made, however. The LA committee had planned a relay from New York to California that originally passed through all 50 states, although it eventually would be pared down to 33 states. It came through the Chicago area, very close to its birthplace in Sycamore.

"I had a chance to be there in person," Pelan said. He said he carried it some of the way through St. Charles.

He said the city of Sycamore also was excited about its connection to the Olympic Games, saying Turner Brass' contribution was well received and acknowledged.

"They were good times," Pelan said.
Six people were injured in a crash on Route 7 in Brookfield early Saturday, according to the Danbury Fire Department.

Danbury fire officials said they responded as mutual aid to a crash on Route 7 north in Brookfield around 1:21 a.m. Two cars collided and both rolled over.

Connecticut State Police confirmed that a least four people had to be extricated, but only minor injuries were reported.

Route 7 northbound was closed but has since reopened.

The crash remains under investigation.
Connecticut lawmakers are considering a proposal to help more students finish their studies at state community colleges and universities.

Legislators say they're concerned about low rates of completion at those schools. A 2016 state report showed the completion rate for certificates and degrees at the state's 12 community colleges was roughly 15.5 percent, using 2013 figures. That figure, however, does not account for transfers and other factors.

West Hartford Sen. Beth Bye, a co-chairwoman of the General Assembly's higher education committee, says it's more cost-effective to provide scholarships to students who are halfway through their college students, rather than embark on a free community college program.

But it remains unclear how much the program will cost and whether the state can afford it, given Connecticut's ongoing budget deficit challenges.
A Somers couple with thousands of dollars in American Express reward points almost lost it all before reaching out to NBC Connecticut Responds.

Tina and Wayne Wegrzyn racked up more than 150,000 points on their American Express Business Gold Rewards credit card. Theyd been cardholders since 1991.

The couple wanted to apply 152,000 reward points, valued at about $1,000, to their $2,300 bill in January. While Tina said shes always experienced great customer service with American Express, this situation became anything but positive.

Tina said an American Express representative told her the points could not be used to pay the balance.

When they told me that, I got upset, she said.

In the heat of the moment, Tina closed the account and the agent told her all of those earned points were gone.

If you voluntarily cancel your enrollment in the program all points in your program account will be immediately forfeited, according to the American Express Membership Rewards Program Terms and Conditions, which is available on the website.

Tina said she didnt know she would lose her points by closing the account and called American Express about getting her points back, but was unsuccessful.

An American Express spokesperson told NBC Connecticut Responds that cardholders can use points to pay for most purchases, but not for account balances, fees or interest.

Tina said one of her other credit cards does let her apply points to her statement, so it appears she got confused about the American Express policy.

After NBC Connecticut Responds explained what happened to the company, American Express agreed to reinstate all of the Wegrzyns' points if they opened a new account.

American Express thanked NBC Connecticut for bringing the issue to its attention.

"We're glad that we were able to resolve this issue for our card member, A spokesperson said.

Cardholders who are unsure of the terms and conditions of their cards and rewards programs should check the companys website. A copy may also be included with the monthly bill.
A 70-year-old woman is accused of murdering her husband, an 84-year-old doctor, in Burlington Tuesday morning.

Linda L. Kosuda-Bigazzi, 70, was arrested on Friday, days after her husband, Dr. Pierluigi Bigazzi, was found dead in their home on Smith Lane.

Police responded to the home for a well-being check and found Bigazzi dead.

On Tuesday, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) ruled the man's death a homicide.

After developing probable cause, state police obtained an arrest warrant for Linda Kosuda-Bigazzi.

On Friday, she was arrested and charged with murder and tampering with evidence. Her bond was set at $1.5 million.

State police are asking for assistance and would like to speak with anyone who had direct contact with Pierluigi Bigazzi between July 2017 and February 2018 and/or any contractors who performed work at the 70 Smith Lane residence during that same time frame. They are urged to contact detectives at (860) 626-7922.

Pierluigi Bigazzi was a faculty member at the medical school for more than 40 years. He's an internist by training and he specialized in immunology research. He also was a past educator of medical students about pathology and oncology. Most recently, he was tasked with preparing online educational material to supplement student textbooks, UConn officials told NBC Connecticut.

"We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of our longtime faculty member Dr. Pierluigi Bigazzi, professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at UConn School of Medicine. After being unable to reach Bigazzi, concerned departmental leadership contacted UConn Police who visited his home. UConn police immediately contacted the local police department who is investigating the death in collaboration with the state police," UConn Health said in a statement.
Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine is demanding the release of a secret memo outlining President Trumps interpretation of his legal authority to wage war, NBC News reported.

Kaine sent a letter Thursday night to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson seeking a 7-page memo the administration has kept under wraps for months.

Kaine has been leading the charge for Trump to outline his legal rationale for a U.S. bombing campaign in Syria last April in response President Bashar al-Assads chemical attacks on civilians in that country. The Virginia senator and others worry that such action compromises congressional oversight over military action.

There is a new urgency to obtain the memo given increasing U.S. involvement in Syria and recent Trump administration rhetoric on North Korea. Shortly after the 2017 bombing raid, several members of Congress called on Trump to justify it under U.S. and international law. Article I of the U.S. Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war.
An award-winning North Texas quilter is using her work to preserve her family's legacy.

February is Black History Month, and Barbara McCraw's quilts showcase her African-American heritage  plus much more.

"I think for me, quilting makes me go away from what's around me," said McCraw, as she worked in the studio of her Denton home. "I can't hear the dog barking, I can't hear the television. I'm just lost in my thoughts."

Those thoughts wander through McCraw's mind as she quilts, each stitch binding together a story.

"Yeah, and I'm just making this up as I go along," she laughed.

McCraw started quilting 22 years ago. Many of her quilts tell her family's story or highlight her African-American heritage.

"I thought now would be a good time to tell my story," she explained. "So my granddaughter and whatever grandchildren come along later can know who I was, who their family was, and be proud of that."

McCraw has been honored for her work, and ribbons hang on the walls of her studio. Most well-known is The Loving Quilt  based on the U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized interracial marriage in the 1960s. The quilt has been displayed at museums across the country, and is currently at a museum in Sacramento.

"It's a pleasure and a real honor to be able to take what's in my head, and put it on fabric and then have other people appreciate it," McGraw said.

The Loving Quilt story parallels McGraw's own story. When she met her husband, Ernie, who is white, mixed marriages were still illegal in 16 states. She recalls having to duck down while riding in his car through certain neighborhoods back then.

"With everything we've been through, I think it just made us grow closer together," she said.

Vibrant colors shine though in her work. McCraw says in quilting circles, there is no color  a lesson learned in the Denton ladies quilting group she belongs to  a group which readily welcomes her.

"They never saw what color I was," she said. "I never saw what color I was. Sometimes a light bulb goes off and I say, 'Oh, I'm the only black person in the room.' It doesn't make any difference."

McCraw feels her work does make a difference, lending esteem to those who come after her.

"To let them know where they came from, let them know who they are and that they can be proud," she said. "Because I'm certainly proud of who I am."
An Indiana-born federal judge, who Donald Trump painted as biased against him because of his immigration stance, said he will make a ruling next Thursday in a lawsuit that could block construction of a border wall with Mexico.

Judge Gonzalo Curiel heard arguments Friday on a lawsuit from the state of California and advocacy groups that a border wall with Mexico must go through normal environmental reviews, which could cause major delays.

According to attorneys for the Center for Biological Diversity, one of the advocacy groups in the lawsuit, Judge Curiel asked both sides to submit more information by Tuesday before he makes a ruling two days later.

The Trump administration wants Curiel to dismiss the challenges, and wall opponents want him to immediately rule in their favor.

Trump repeatedly criticized Curiel in 2016 as lawsuits against Trump University neared trial, suggesting that the judge's Mexican heritage meant he could not be impartial in the fraud cases. Trump settled for $25 million shortly after winning the election, without admitting wrongdoing.

Curiel, who was forced out of his home and needed around-the-clock protection when he prosecuted Mexican drug kingpins in the 1990s, was unfazed by Trump's criticism during the campaign, said Gregory Vega, a former U.S. attorney in San Diego and longtime friend.

"He's had a credible threat made on his life. I don't think when he was called names, I don't think that really bothered him," said Vega.

The Center for Biological Diversity was first to sue over the wall, with three other groups -- Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife and the Animal Legal Defense Fund -- later filing a lawsuit. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, a Democrat, was close behind, and Curiel consolidated all three cases into one.

At issue is a 2005 law that gave the Homeland Security secretary broad powers to waive dozens of laws requiring environmental and other reviews, including the National Environmental Policy Act, Clean Air Act and Endangered Species Act. The reviews are time-consuming and subject to prolonged legal challenges.

The Trump administration has issued three waivers since August, two to build barriers in parts of California and one in part of New Mexico. President George W. Bush's administration issued the previous five waivers.

California and the advocacy groups contend the administration's authority to waive environmental reviews expired. The Center for Biological Diversity argues in its lawsuit that the 2005 law "cannot reasonably be interpreted to exempt compliance with the waived laws in perpetuity."

California argues that the powers expired in 2008, a deadline set by Congress to have barriers on at least 700 miles. Barriers now blanket 654 miles, but additional layers bring the total above the congressional requirement.

The Trump administration argues that the powers are still in effect and that Curiel, or any judge, can't overrule Congress.

Trump has insisted on $25 billion for border security measures as part of an immigration deal that would include a path to citizenship for 1.8 million people. A proposal by Customs and Border Protection calls for spending $18 billion over 10 years to extend barriers to nearly half the 2,054-mile border.

One of the administration's environmental waivers is for San Diego, where private contractors recently built eight imposing prototypes to guide designs for future construction.
What to Know Marine Stadium

Long Beach

Sunday, Feb. 11

The 142nd annual Westminster Kennel Club will soon captivate canine mavens the world over, but we here in Southern California can find some light-hearted competition of the dogly kind to keep us engaged before the big show from New York City commences.

Look to Marine Stadium, in Long Beach, on Sunday, Feb. 11, where 20 contests, of a tongue-waggy, leap-fun, wet-snouted nature, will unroll.

Or, should we say, roll around on the grass, in joy and exuberance, like every dog you've ever known.

The Bulldog Beauty Contest is the main event of the day, and if you think you'll spy a caboodle of stout, broad-of-shoulder, smiley-of-mug dreamboats, the kind of cuties that just wants a scratch behind the ear and a cuddle, you're thinking in the right direction.

But other competitions will also draw spectators' attention and awwws, from the Best Senior Dog to Best Ears to Best Costume/Outfit to Best Smile. And, yep, pups from all breeds and backgrounds can participate.

If you want your tail-wagger to take part, there's an advance entry fee. It's ten bucks, which will benefit spay and neuter efforts as well as Justin Rudd's Community Action Team.

And if you know Mr. Rudd's name, it might be because you're a fan of the Haute Dog Howl'oween Parade, which he helms, or the other animal-nice events that are a part of the Haute Dog/Long Beach scene.

What happens if your beloved hound places first in her category? Best clear some wall space or a spot on the shelf: A blue ribbon could be hers to keep, or a frame-ready certificate.

It's all free to watch, coo over, applaud over, and cheer on, hurrah. And as there are 20 competitions in all? Plan on plenty of cooing, squealing, cheering, and wishing you could personally be friends with all of the dogs there.

Who hasn't wished to be friends with every dog they see? It's a feeling that's very much up'd at the annual Bulldog Beauty Pageant.
A body washed ashore in Huntington Beach Thursday afternoon, the coroner has confirmed that it was the body 18-year-old Jessy Cook was missing since Tuesday night.

The female body washed ashore near Tower 7 at 12:45 p.m., said Huntington Beach police Officer Angela Bennett.

Cook was last seen about 11:40 p.m. Tuesday on or near the pier, where some of her belongings were reportedly found, and a multi-agency search was initiated by the U.S. Coast Guard. The search was suspended about 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.

"The Coast Guard and partner agencies searched for approximately 11 hours covering nearly 137 square nautical miles," according to a Coast Guard statement.

The search, using boats and at least one helicopter, included Huntington Beach lifeguards and personnel from the Huntington Beach Police Department and the Orange County Sheriff's Department. Divers on what was described as a recovery operation were later recalled after their search turned up no sign of the young woman.
A pastor from a Glendale church is being sought by police after authorities say he was caught on camera masturbating outside a Covina hotel before then assaulting a preteen girl.

Covina police were searching for pastor Douglas Rivera Friday evening after he was set to turn himself in, and never showed up.

Instead, he posted a video on Instagram where he claimed his innocence.

"No matter what you see on Insta, keep me in your prayers," Rivera said in the video. "I love you, Los Angeles. God will take his truth out."

Rivera, who is from Baldwin Park, was accused of assaulting the preteen Wednesday.

The assault was reported at 8:08 p.m. Wednesday at Vanllee Hotel and Suites, located at 1211 E. Garvey St., according to the Covina Police Department.

The man, identified by police as Rivera, drove through the hotel's parking lot until he saw a lit room with drapes open and then parked his truck to face the interior of the room, police said.

Two minors were inside of the hotel room.

Police said Rivera had masturbated while watching the two minors. He exited the truck and stood outside of their hotel window pretending to be on the phone for more than 30 minutes before he walked through the hotel.

Police then say he forced his way into the room once the minors opened the door, believing it was their chaperone.

Rivera was accused of assaulting one of the minors, between 10 and 12 years old, before fleeing in his truck, police said.

His truck was described as a newer black or dark-colored Dodge 4500 Ram, with a flatbed and a large metal ramp for a tailgate.

Rivera was to have surrendered earlier but did not show up, according to police. Police believe he is on the run. "It appears to be a stall tactic," said CPD Lt. Ric Walczak. "There's no communication with us."

Rivera is a pastor at God's Gypsy Christian Church at 610 E California Ave., police said.

Anyone with information regarding the assault or the suspect was urged to contact the Covina police Detective Ramirez at 626-384-5621, the watch commander at 626-384-5665, or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS-8477.

"We ask for people who might believe he's going to turn himself in to consider the fact that hasn't panned out so far and it's important for this person to be in custody," Walczak said.

NBC4's Patrick Healy and Christine Kim contributed to this story.
What to Know The bagel and lox had to weight over 200 pounds to break the record. It weighed in at 213.

Acme and Zucker's planned the record attempt for National Bagel and Lox Day

Onlookers got a taste of history after the monster bagel was constructed

The smell of onions filled the Acme Smoked Fish warehouse as onlookers packed the room to watch an attempt at building the largest bagel and lox sandwich ever recorded. In a partnership with Zuckers Bagels shop, the celebration arrived just in time for National Bagel and Lox Day Friday.

The enormous bagel weighed in just over 213 pounds, making it the New Guinness world record holder for the largest bagel and lox sandwich. It included 30 pounds of smoked salmon and 40 pounds of cream cheese.

In Pictures: The World's Largest Bagel and Lox Sandwich

The event was held at the Acme Smoked Fish facility on 30 Gem Street in Brooklyn, where Acme co-CEO Adam Caslow and Zuckers Bagels shop founder Matt Pomerantz attempted the feat.

According to a press release from Acme, The companies will follow the rules set forth by the Guinness Book in order to set the record, and the sandwich will be carefully constructed and weighed before it is cut and distributed to the crowd.

The crowd went wild after the sandwich was confirmed to weigh in over 200 pounds. Caslow, before the sandwich was completed, said he thought the task was going to be impossible.

I want to thank everyone for being here, he said. I thought [Richie] was nuts. I thought theres no way. It cant be done. Theres no way to make the biggest bagel and lox that weighs 200 pounds.

After the sandwich was weighed, it was sliced up and handed out to everyone to enjoy.

Smash Into a Booze-Filled Cannoli Confection in NYC This Weekend
What to Know Days after marrying the love of her life, Jocelyn Morffi, a teacher at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School, says she was fired

One mom said several teachers who attended the wedding fear retaliation

A spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Miami said the teacher was fired for violating her contract

A first-grade teacher at a Catholic school in Miami says she was fired for being gay, and now a group of upset parents say they may pull their children from the school.

Days after marrying the love of her life, Jocelyn Morffi, a teacher at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School, wrote in an Instagram post that she was fired for being gay.

"In their eyes Im not the right kind of Catholic for my choice in partner," she wrote, along with the hashtag "#GuiltyOfLove!"

Upset parents who showed up to the school Friday disagreed with the school's decision to dismiss Morffi.

"We feel cheated," parent Cintia Cini said. "She was the best kind of teacher that you can ask for and our kids, everybody, every parent here  our kids loved her."

Parents shared a letter they received from the school Thursday informing them that Morffi was no longer teaching at the school.

"Today a difficult and necessary decision has been made regarding Ms. Jocelyn Morffi, our first-grade teacher. She is no longer teaching at our school," the letter read. "Please know that your child(children)'s education is of the utmost concern for us and throughout the next days and weeks your child's daily school routine will not be disrupted as Ms. Morffi's replacement will be selected very soon."

The letter does not mention Morffi's sexual orientation or why the school fired her.

During her time at the school, Morffi launched a non-profit organization dedicated to helping the homeless with her students. Her class began with making 20 sandwiches for the poor. The #teachhope project spreaded school-wide, with over 2,000 lunches given out during the 2013-14 school year, according to the #teachhope website.

"I had to sit my son down and tell him that she wouldnt be the teacher anymore and he cried," Cini said.

Parents said they quickly connected the dots after searching the teacher's name on the internet and finding mention of her wedding last week in the Florida Keys.

"I have a sister, shes gay, shes amazing. I think nobody nowadays does not know somebody thats not gay," Cini said.

One mom said several teachers who attended the wedding fear retaliation.

Theres a fear to speak out about what has happened," parent Samantha Mills said. "There was a warning provided to those teachers."

"Theres a lot of parents that are saying, you know, we want to pull our kids out of this school if shes not going to come back," Cini said.

A spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Miami said the teacher was fired for violating her contract.

"When a teacher is in a Catholic school and signs a contract it is expected the policies, procedures, teachings, and traditions of the Catholic Church will be respected and honored," the spokesperson said in a statement.

Morffi's attorney, Erica Canas, said they are considering legal options.

"Jocelyn is humbled by all the love and support she has received from family, friends, the students' parents and the public. She feels that the manner of her firing was unfair, not only to her, but to her students as well," Canas said.
A 12-year-old New York City girl was terrorized by an online stalker who tried to extort naked pictures from her last year on Instagram, and incredibly, her family was unable to get the NYPD or Instagram to investigate the predator until News 4's I-Team got involved.

"I was just so frightened, I didnt know what to do," Ella, now 13, told the I-Team of the moment she realized her friendly-looking follower was not who she thought.

The predator, using a profile picture of a young girl in a gymnastics pose, had already worked his way into Ellas friend group on Instagram before Ella accepted their follow request, allowing the stranger into her private page.

"I thought it was a young girl who maybe knew me from somewhere. A friend of a friend. I thought it was safe," said Ella, who lives on the Upper West Side.

Ella chatted with her new online friend, who used cute emojis and made references to sixth grade, until things suddenly got scary. Implying the two knew people in common, the person sent Ella a picture of a penis and told her she would be sorry unless she sent a naked picture back.

"And at that point I realized they are not who they said they are," said Ella. "I had to block them and report them. I thought it was over."

But it wasnt over. Instagram took down the users page, but a couple months later the predator resurfaced under a different name and Ella made the mistake of hitting accept. Instantly, the predator began threatening and intimidating Ella, using that crude first picture as a weapon.

"They said, 'You have this picture. To make it fair, you have to send one back,'" said Ella. "At first I didnt exactly understand. I thought they wanted a picture of my face. So I kept sending pictures of my face and they said 'No. One without a shirt.'"

In direct messages reviewed by the I-Team, the predator threatened to send the police to Ellas school unless she complied. The predator managed to convince Ella that she could be arrested for having received the graphic photo even though she never requested it and she deleted it immediately.

"He kept saying, 'End this, Ella. You can make this end.' And all I wanted was for this to end. I was like crying. I didnt know what to do," she said.

How did this stranger suddenly manage to wield power over her?

"It felt really strange, because I knew that I didnt do anything wrong," said Ella. "I deleted the conversation. I wasnt in possession of any picture, but they were threatening so many things that I thought that I did something wrong. I was thinking, 'Well, maybe I am gonna have to send a naked picture.'"

Instead of crossing that line, Ella told her parents.

"Ella was so scared and panicked when she called me and sobbing hysterically," her mother told the I-Team. "Shes a child. She didnt know that having (received) a naked picture of a man isnt illegal and illicit.

"It feels illegal and illicit if youre 12 to have a naked picture of a man on your phone" Ella's mother said. "And even though she deleted it, she was taught a million times that nothing really goes away when you delete it, so she was scared."

Supervisory special Agent James Tareco of the FBI, which launched an investigation into this case after being alerted by the I-Team, says this was a textbook move by a child predator fishing for child pornography on social media.

"He was recruiting her. It appeared that he was grooming her," he said.

Tareco says cases like Ellas are very serious, on the rise, and that "FBI agents are online in an undercover capacity actively pursuing people who are producing child pornography and molesting our children. But Tareco is concerned that not all cases make it to law enforcement in time to catch a potentially child-molesting predator.

When Ellas mother, a former prosecutor who asked that her name be withheld, took steps to protect other girls from Ellas predator, she got nowhere. Ellas mother says she brought the creepy messages to the 24th precinct where she reviewed them with detectives.

While the detectives "felt terrible that this had happened," they told her, "'This is not something the NYPD deals with. We really cant do anything. Not unless the person has actually tried to make contact in person in New York,'" according to Ella's mother.

"They just kept saying 'go to Instagram.'

But going to Instagram proved equally frustrating. While Instagram had taken down both of the predators accounts after Ella reported the harassment, Ellas mother wanted them to go further, by sharing the user's information with law enforcement or blocking their IP address so they could not continue using the same computer to create new profiles.

But when Ellas mother filed complaint forms using Instagrams online reporting system, she received this written response: "We wont be able to take any further action on this report."

Instagram did not report Ellas case to law enforcement and deleted the users information, making it more difficult for the NYPD and FBI to pursue their newly opened investigations.

An Instagram spokesperson tells the I-Team they are now investigating how they handled Ellas disturbing case.

"We are sorry this happened. Instagrams priority is to keep our community safe so we are investigating the specifics of this incident," the company said in a statement. "Instagram has zero tolerance for child exploitation on the platform."

Instagram acknowledges there were some recordkeeping quirks in their handling of Ella's case: when Ella's mother reported the predator, Instagram filed the case under "harassment" instead of the more serious category of "grooming/child exploitative images." And even though the predator's account was disabled by the account, internal records make it seem as if he deleted it himself, so the account history was deleted faster.

Top NYPD brass were not happy when they heard from the I-Team how Ellas complaint had been rebuffed. They dispatched detectives this week to meet with Ellas mother. The NYPD does have a unit that addresses about 400 cybercrimes against children each year, and NYPD Spokesman Peter Donald said, "We ask every police officer or detective to take a complaint of any crime. That should have happened in this case."

Donald said that when Ella's case came to the attention of NYPD Chief of Detectives Bob Boyce, Boyce immediately directed that the crime be investigated by the Detective Bureau Computer Crime Squad.

Federal law requires social media companies to report child exploitation cases to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which then passes the tips on to law enforcement -- who in turn subpoena the platform for the information.

After the I-Team's report, U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler sent a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions asking for information about companies' "obligation to report" predators.

According to sources familiar with Ellas case, Instagram believes they may not have been legally required to report Ellas case, since Ella never sent a naked picture to the predator.

James Tareco, a supervisory special agent with the Newark Division of the FBI, handles a growing number of cases like these and believes they should be reported to the FBI, adding that Instagram has a responsibility here.

Two senior congressional sources with knowledge of the law tell the I-Team they do believe Instagram would have been mandated to report Ellas case under the section that covers child enticement.

A source familiar with Instagrams practices tells the I-Team the company often blocks user devices and voluntarily reports bad actors to law enforcement, even when theres no legal obligation. But the source adds that the company reports such cases only after bad actors have misbehaved with "multiple users."

To Ellas mother, that does not sound like zero tolerance.

"I think theres an absolute moral obligation, and this company has a lot of power. If this information is there, it should get to the right person to stop these people from doing what theyre doing."

Meanwhile, Ella hopes her decision to share her harrowing experience, will help raise awareness about the risks of predators like hers, who's still lurking online.

"Im almost certain that this person still is out there. And if he isnt, then other people are," she said. "There are so many girls that just dont know what to do. They would send a naked picture. They might go meet up with someone and it could get really bad."



The NYPD urges anyone to call 911 in the case of an emergency or ongoing incident, or visit their local precinct.

The FBI asks families to report similar cases to them at tips.fbi.gov or 800-CALL-FBI. Predators can also be reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at missingkids.com or 800-THE-LOTS.
A Maryland woman who said she was a psychic and scammed customers out of $340,000 to cure them of "curses" pleaded guilty Friday to multiple counts of felony theft.

Gina Marie Marks, who identified herself as Natalie Miller in her meetings with clients, stole from five people who sought her help over the course of more than two years.

Marks said Friday that she would return all of the payments she received. She walked out of court in Montgomery County with her husband, who wrapped a coat over her head.

She was adamant that her services are legitimate and she really is a psychic.

People are racist from gypsies, Marks said from beneath a black, puffy coat. Theyre racist on my culture. We do have power. Were not allowed to talk about it.

Police first learned of Marks tactics in May 2016, after a 26-year-old Chinese immigrant learned that her boyfriend was married to another woman. Seeking guidance, the woman saw an online ad for Readings by Natalie.

When the woman contacted Marks, she told her she would be able to cast love spells. But she said she would need large amounts of cash to do it.

Marks had the woman meet her at stores, where Marks used the woman's credit card.

The customer got suspicious after Marks had received more than $80,000 from her in cash and purchases. The woman asked for her money back and called police and a private investigator.

On four other occasions, Marks told clients she had the ability to reverse curses. In June 2014, one victim paid Marks and said she was told she would get her money back once the curse was broken.

She never got back the $2,654 she paid.

As Marks received cash and shopping trips with her clients credit cards, she posted pictures to social media of herself with expensive clothes, jewelry and purses.

Eventually, the private investigator hired by one customer was able to track down Marks at Miami International Airport. She was arrested before she was able to flee the country.

Marks is facing as much as six years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced in August.
Don Bouvet wore a suit for the second time in his life Friday, when he visited the White House to meet with the man he credits for saving his life: President Donald Trump.

Last year, Bouvet said he couldnt afford the chemotherapy he needed to treat his bladder cancer. But more than a year after Trump gave his family $10,000, Bouvet says hes cancer-free.

The president saved my life, Bouvet said during the emotional Oval Office meeting. And I told him that.

Bouvets son, Shane Bouvet, worked with Trumps presidential campaign in 2016 by day while holding down a job as a delivery man by night.

The Republican reportedly met with president-elect Trump the night before the inauguration and shared his fathers health and financial struggles.

His father, Donald, Trump said Friday about what Shane Bouvet told him, was suffering and really on a pretty final path towards losing his life.

After his January meeting with Trump, Shane Bouvet returned to his hometown of Stonington, Illinois, with a population of about 930. Then, he got a check in the mail.

It was a personal check worth $10,000 from Trump, he said.

Shane  You are a great guy  thanks for all of your help, Trump reportedly wrote on presidential stationery.



Shane Bouvet told NBC4 he gave the entire sum to his father, who used it to pay the deductible on the treatment.

Now cancer-free, Don Bouvet got his own chance Friday to meet Trump, who was impressed that Shane gave all the money to his dad.

You didnt have anything, Trump said to Shane. And you gave all of it. ... That's an incredible son.

"It's very emotional because ... one day I wanted to come here, or meet you somewhere, shake your hand, look you in the eye, and say, 'Thank you for saving my life,'" Don Bouvet told the president. "And I thank you from the bottom of my heart."



Trump was apparently so impressed that he gave the Bouvets another check for $5,000, Shane told NBC4.

The Bouvets also left with another, possibly priceless, souvenir: a plaque with a note personally signed by Trump that reads, To Shane, Great Going!

The Bouvets said that Trump donated his personal money, which campaign finance experts told NBC4 complies with all relevant laws.
A Massachusetts police chief says one of his officers was seriously hurt in an early morning head-on crash while responding to reports of an out-of-control house party.

The other, civilian driver involved in the crash also suffered serious injuries.



Framingham Chief Kenneth Ferguson says the officer was working a detail just after midnight Friday when he heard radio reports of the house party.

More than 200 people were in attendance at the Brook Street party, sources told NBC10.



Ferguson says the officer responded in his personal pickup truck and collided head-on with a sedan that had crossed into his lane at the intersection of Edgell Road and Central Street. It appears the car was leaving the party site.

The officer and the car's driver were flown to separate hospitals for treatment although Ferguson says it appears both will survive.

Two people were arrested in connection with the house party. Police arrested Devante Santiago of Hyde Park for disorderly conduct and Keith Worthy of Springfield. Worthy faces several charges including assault and battery of a police officer.

Worthy told NBC10 that he had rented the house in Brook Street through Air BnB to host his birthday party.

"Things got a little out of hand, more people showed up than I expected," said Worthy. "The accident is terrible, I feel terrible. It's just a bad situation."

The name of the injured officer and civilian have not been released. The crash remains under investigation.
A school bus driver was arrested in Tyngsborough, Massachusetts earlier this week after she was allegedly found drunk inside of her bus while parked at a restaurant.

Debra Cloutier, 57, of Tyngsborough is charged with operating under the influence of alcohol and not having a license in her possession.

Officers were alerted just before 4 p.m. on Monday by a report of a haphazardly parked school bus in the parking lot of a pizza shop on Middlesex Road. The initial report stated that the driver appeared to be intoxicated.

Upon arrival, officers found the driver sitting inside of the full-size yellow school bus eating food. No one else was in the bus at the time, according to police.

"It's so upsetting to me," said a mother whose son was dropped off by the bus driver earlier that day. "If I saw her I would have a lot of questions of her."

That mother, who does not want to be identified, says Cloutier even missed her son's bus stop about 45 minutes before the arrest.

"She dropped my son off 10 minutes before three," said the woman. "Initially she missed the stop, she took a right instead of a left, he called up to her and said you missed my stop."

The bus is owned by the Christianson Bus Company of Chelmsford. Officers contacted the company and learned that the bus had been scheduled to pick up students at the Innovation Academy in Tyngsborough just before 3:30 p.m. that day, but had never showed up.

According to her driving record, obtained by NBC10 Boston, Cloutier refused to take a chemical test. Her CDL has been revoked for one year.

"It could have ended very badly," said the mother whose son was a passenger earlier that day. "We can consider it lucky that she did pull into that pizza shop and the owner was on the ball and knew something was going on because if she'd gotten those kids who knows what would have happened."

The Christianson Bus Company only works with two private schools in Tyngsborough, and does not work with Tyngsborough Public Schools.

Police do not believe that any school children were transported by Cloutier on Monday while she was allegedly intoxicated.

It's unclear if Cloutier, who was arraigned on Tuesday, has an attorney. NBC10 Boston made several attempts to reach her, but there was no response Friday.

The incident remains under investigation, and anyone with information is asked to call Tyngsborough police at 978-649-7504 ext. 131.
The mother of slain New Hampshire journalist James Foley says she wants two British men who were part of the Islamic State cell that killed her son to be tried and imprisoned for the rest of their lives.

Diane Foley welcomed the capture of the men who were part of a group known as "The Beatles" because of their British accents.

Foley told the BBC on Friday that the arrests announced Thursday won't bring her son back, but "hopefully it protects others from this kind of crime."

She says "their crimes are beyond imagination. They really have not done anything good in the world, so I think they need to spend the rest of their life being held."

James Foley was killed on Aug. 19, 2014, after being held hostage for several months.

French journalist Nicolas Henin, who was held by the men for 10 months, says they should be tried in Britain, not shipped to Guantanamo Bay, because revenge will just breed more violence.

Henin told the BBC on Friday he would like to see all foreign fighters brought back to their home countries for trial because "the worst thing we can do with the terrorist is to deprive him from his rights, because then you make a terrorist become a victim, and if you victimize someone then you just fuel his narrative and you just confirm his narrative. So everybody has a right for a fair trial and for justice."

A U.S. military official confirmed that El Shafee Elsheikh and Alexanda Amon Kotey, who grew up in London before traveling to the Middle East to join the Islamic State group, were captured in early January in eastern Syria by the American-backed Syrian Democratic Forces.

U.S. officials have interrogated the men, who were part of the Islamic State cell that captured, tortured and beheaded more than two dozen hostages, including American journalists Foley and Steven Sotloff and American aid worker Peter Kassig.

The two are believed to be linked to Mohammed Emwazi, the masked British insurgent known as Jihadi John who appeared in several videos that showed the beheading of Western hostages.


The warm front that slid in through the overnight hours will continue to usher in the warmer air for southern New England, with a few spot showers popping up. Snow showers will continue to linger for the mountains of New England

This front is expected to move northward to Rutland, Vermont to Lewiston, Maine, with snow continuing north of this front for most of Saturday and Sunday.

Meanwhile, in southern New England there are a few sunny breaks in between a spot shower or two, making for a relatively okay Saturday. Rain, however, becomes heavy with possible flooding on Sunday.

Our weekend temperatures are climbing through the 40s, into the lower 50s south, and holding in the 20s-30s to near 40 degrees north.

The wind direction will shift over the course of the weekend depending on where your weekend travels take you. It may be from the north for most of Maine, and from the south for most of western and southern New England. It does not look too strong, but gusts from the southwest make it to 20 to 30 mph for southernmost New England.

Also, along and north of the front we have a very low sky, that means not only is it snowing and raining, possible freezing rain, but we are also going to have patchy dense fog, especially late Saturday and most of Sunday.

Most of us get back onto the cooler side of the front on Monday with drier weather, however puddles may re-freeze in spots Sunday night into early Monday.

The weather looks fairly quiet and seasonable for Monday with temperatures in the 30s and 40s, then a weak wave of low pressure may bring a little bit of rain or snow on Tuesday.

The story is getting a little bit old, but it's a very challenging forecast, with Canada full of cold, warmer air with a lot of moisture to the south of New England. We are right on that boundary with a very active changeable weather pattern right through next week.

Right now, there's no significant storm we can look at past Sunday, but there may be something bigger trying to come in later in the week. At that point, we could be warmer or we could be cold. Too early to tell.

In the meantime, be sure to stick with NBC10 Boston and NECN for the latest forecast on the air, online, and on the go with the NBC10 Boston / NECN app.
Thanks to the generosity of people across Norfolk and Waveney, the Bishop of Norwichs Refugee Fund has received nearly 36,000 in the past fortnight, to help the arriving and expected new refugees from Afghanistan. The Diocese of Norwich is administering

Thanks to the generosity of people across Norfolk and Waveney, the Bishop of Norwichs Refugee Fund has received nearly 36,000 in the past fortnight, to help the arriving and expected new refugees from Afghanistan. The Diocese of Norwich is administering

Norwich Christian leaders invited to meet together The Transforming Norwich steering group are inviting Christian leaders to meet together in-person for the first time in 18 months to share lunch and to encourage and pray for one another. Read more

Norfolks baking expert Chris serves up a treat After clocking up many years of experience as cafe manager at the Kings Church Centre in Norwich, Chris Bottomley has now launched his own business creating masterpiece cakes. Read more

Heritage events at secret Norwich chapel The Old Meeting House Congregational Church in Colegate will be open during the weekend of September 18 and 19, and will use the occasion to kick start its popular monthly 'Big Sing' event. Read more

A dinosaur roar of hope for Gods creation Andy Bryant, who has been project managing the current Dippy attraction in Norwich Cathedral, points out that the Diplodocus skeleton represents far more than a display of old bones. Read more

Relocation for Norwich Healing Rooms Norwich Healing Rooms returns every Thursday evening at a new venue in Heartsease as well as monthly on Saturdays Norwich city centre. Read more

An African mission for South Norfolk churches An empowering mission for a struggling community in Zimbabwe struck an immediate chord with Carolyn Skittrall who supports several South Norfolk churches to bring change and growth through practical initiative and insight. Read more

Gorleston church thanks Covid volunteers St Mary Magdalene church in Gorleston has hosted a Big Thank You afternoon tea to thank the volunteers who had supported the community during the COVID pandemic. Read more

Fulmerstons Christian footballer celebrates 30 years on the pitch Tim Lovejoy from Fulmerston Christian Fellowship has clocked up over 500 games in a three-decade career with his local football club. Read more

St Martins memorial garden officially open A memorial garden to remember people experiencing homelessness who have died was opened on September 6 by the Rt Rev Graham Usher, Bishop of Norwich. The garden is in the grounds of Bishopbridge House, the direct access hostel run by St Martins. Read more

Loving care and Christian ethos at Corton House Excellent loving care and support is provided at Corton House, a care home with a Christian ethos located in the heart of Norwich. Read more

Norma's sponsored walks for Christian charities Norma Broadest is embarking on two walking challenges to raise funds for Christian charities Street Child and Restoration of Hope in Burundi. Read more

93,000 in the East will skip meals if Credit is cut 93,000 people in the East of England fear they will be forced to skip meals if UK government cuts Universal Credit payments this October says the Trussell Trust  the Christian charity behind many of the foodbanks across the country. Read more

Providing retirement care with a Christian ethos Care and retirement homes in Norfolk, including Eckling Grange, Corton House and Quebec Hall, are providing loving care with a Christian ethos. Read more

Jill's teaching series offers a rock in stormy times Jill Gower is beginning a new series of teaching days at the Light House in Heartsease, looking at End Times through Biblical prophecy. Read more

Exciting new roles available at YMCA Norfolk YMCA Norfolk is currently advertising a number of exciting new vacancies available across the organisation including a Senior Maintenance Co-ordinator, a Chef, a Nursery Nurse and Housing Engagement Workers. Read more

Now is the time to start loving our enemies Philip Young has been considering recent events in the Middle East and believes that it is now even more important than ever to remember Jesus instruction to love our enemies. Read more

Norwich Passion Play Co-ordinator needed Celebrate Norfolk requires an organised and enthusiastic co-ordinator to help it deliver on a seven-month project to stage a professional free Passion Play in Norwich city centre at Easter 2022. Read more


Norwich surgeon asks for support in free operation plan Norwich surgeon asks for support in free operation plan

A Catholic Norwich surgeon is appealing for support after agreeing to operate for free on a young Tanzanian health care worker to restore the use of her legs and give her a brighter future.
"I can still see the plane coming and those three little sticks he dropped"

ALMOST 75 years ago to the day, eight-year-old Margaret Vincent (now Armstrong) watched from a classroom at the old Senior Council School in Newbury as the German Dornier bomber approached.

She, along with a handful of other children, were attending an after-school club in the old science block adjacent to the main school building while waiting for their parents to finish work.

The German markings were not apparent to begin with, but then, unexpectedly for the schoolgirl, three little sticks fell from the approaching aircraft.

Look Miss, she said, still not fully aware of what was about to unfold,its dropping sticks.

Hastily the teacher grabbed the child and told the others to get under their wooden desks just as the explosions started.

Eight high-explosive bombs were dropped by a single German bomber at 4.35pm on Wednesday, February 10, 1943.

Fifteen people died, dozens more were injured and hundreds of homes were damaged or destroyed.

The school, St Johns Church, St Bartholomews Almshouses, and Southampton Terrace bore the brunt of the raid, with the church, in particular, reduced almost entirely to rubble.

Tomorrow (Sunday), a commemorative service will be held at St Johns Church, which was rebuilt after the war, to mark the 75th anniversary of the Newbury bombing.

Margaret Armstrong, now 83, remembers the day vividly.

She told the this week how she had been evacuated to the relative safety of Newbury from her home in Stepney, London, two years earlier  along with her mother and younger sister.

On the day of the bombing, she had finished her lessons at the evacuee school behind the Baptist Church in Cheap Street and had gone to her after-school club at the secondary modern until her mother finished work.

I was sitting on the long wooden bench seats looking out the window and I saw this plane drop three sticks.

I said look Miss, theyre dropping sticks and she then told us to get under the desks quickly.

There was so much noise, I didnt dare look up to see what was going on.

When all the noise had finished and we had come out, there was dust everywhere and all the windows were out.

The building, lying just 50ft from the main school, had escaped a direct hit.

However, it soon became clear that others had not been so lucky.

We could see the school building was bombed, we saw a woman trying to get out, which turned out to be the headmistress, she said.

As soon as I found my mother, she said we have to get my younger sister from the nursery in Victoria Park, so we rushed down there to make sure she was all right.

Fortunately, owing to the timing of the bombing raid, most pupils at the school had left for the day and Mrs Armstrong, who remained in the area following the war and now lives in Kingsclere, said the bombing could easily have ended with many more lives lost, including her own.

Luckily most of the kids at the school had gone home, she said. We were very lucky really. It couldve been a lot worse.

If theyd come over a few minutes earlier, the school wouldve been almost full, or if hed just dropped his bombs seconds later he wouldve been right over us in that building.

I can still see the plane coming and those three little sticks he dropped.
Researchers at the University of Liverpool have been awarded funding to develop an innovative device that uses cold plasma technology to tackle the problem of airborne allergens in the home.

Cold plasma is a form of ionized gas where energetic electrons and ions coexist alongside a wide variety of highly reactive chemical compounds. The technology only requires air and electricity to operate, typically using ten times less power than a household lightbulb.

Recently it has been discovered that when cold plasma comes in to contact with contamination in the air around us, such as an allergy-causing fungus or household chemical, it has a very powerful decontamination effect.

This project will develop a device that will harness the power of cold plasma to destroy airborne allergens on contact.

To develop the plasma device researchers will first construct an ultra-efficient pulsed air plasma source that creates a plasma rich in highly reactive chemical compounds. Obtaining the right mix of chemicals to destroy the contamination is the key to success.

To guide development, state of the art diagnostic measurements will be made on common household allergens passing through the plasma device to reveal the underpinning breakdown pathways.

Ultimately, a unique engineering solution will be developed to simultaneously target multiple allergens (such as dust mites, fungal spores and pollen) whilst overcoming many of the drawbacks associated with current devices on the market that can be expensive and inefficient.

The project is supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), through an award to celebrate the `Year of Engineering' and involves a collaboration with a UK based engineering firm.

Dr James Walsh, from the University's Department of Electrical Engineering and Electronics and Director of the Centre for Plasma Microbiology, said: "This is an exciting and innovative research project which has real-life impact. We will use our expertise in plasma science here at Liverpool to ultimately produce a low-cost, efficient and effective technology that reduces the concentration of allergens from within the household environment.

"There are a number of challenging technological issues that we will need to address to develop this device; however, if we do so, we will have the opportunity to improve the quality of life for a vast number of people."

It is estimated that over 12 million people in the UK alone suffer from allergies as result of airborne allergens and it is estimated to cost the economy around 7.1bn per annum.

The project is funded through EPSRC's Engineering for a Prosperous Nation call to support creative, novel engineering research projects with the potential for transformative impact.

The work will be carried out within the University's Centre for Plasma Microbiology, an EPSRC support hub focused on the development of novel plasma-based technologies to improve healthcare diagnosis and treatment. Since its formation in 2016 the Centre has grown to well over ten multidisciplinary researchers and routinely works with numerous industrial partners and healthcare professionals.

The Year of Engineering is a government campaign which celebrates the world and wonder of engineering.
Scientists have successfully produced human kidney tissue within a living organism which is able to produce urine, a first for medical science.

The study led by Professors Sue Kimber and Adrian Woolf from The University of Manchester, signifies a significant milestone in the development of treatment for kidney disease.

The Medical Research Council and Kidney Research UK funded project is published in the journal Stem Cell Reports.

Kidney glomeruli - constituent microscopic parts of the organ- were generated from human embryonic stem cells grown in plastic laboratory culture dishes containing a nutrient broth known as culture medium, containing molecules to promote kidney development.

They were combined with a gel like substance, which acted as natural connective tissue - and then injected as a tiny clump under the skin of mice.

After three months, an examination of the tissue revealed that nephrons: the microscopic structural and functional units of the kidney - had formed.

The new structures contained most of the constituent parts present in human nephrons - including proximal tubules, distal tubules, Bowman's capsule and Loop of Henle.

Tiny human blood vessels - known as capillaries- had developed inside the mice which nourished the new kidney structures.

However, the mini-kidneys lack a large artery, and without that the organ's function will only be a fraction of normal.

So, the researchers are working with surgeons to put in an artery that will bring more blood the new kidney.

To test the functionality of the new structures, the team used Dextran - a fluorescent protein which stains the urine-like substance produced when nephrons filter the blood, called glomerular filtrate.

The Dextran was tracked and detected in the new structures' tubules, demonstrating that filtrate was indeed being produced and excreted as urine.

"We have proved beyond any doubt these structures function as kidney cells by filtering blood and producing urine - though we can't yet say what percentage of function exists," said Professor Kimber.

"What is particularly exciting is that the structures are made of human cells which developed an excellent capillary blood supply, becoming linked to the vasculature of the mouse.

"Though this structure was formed from several hundred glomeruli, and humans have about a million in their kidneys - this is clearly a major advance.

"It constitutes a proof of principle- but much work is yet to be done."

The University of Manchester's School of Biological Sciences and Manchester Regenerative Medicine Network (MaRM) as well as Kidneys for life have also supported the work.

Professor Woolf, who is also Consultant in Paediatric Nephrology at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, said: "Worldwide, two million people are being treated with dialysis or transplantation for kidney failure, and sadly another two million die each year, unable to access these treatments.

So we are tremendously excited by this discovery - we feel it is a big research milestone which may one day help patients.

"However, there is much more to learn: Building on our generation of kidney filtration units we must now turn to developing an exit route for the urine and a way to deliver this technology to diseased kidneys

The work was also helped by a small grant from the hospital's local kidney charity called "Kidneys for Life".

The team are the UK's only recipient of a three-year Stoneygate Research award from Kidney Research UK.

The research will allow them to model kidney diseases using the new structures.

Source: http://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/scientists-create-functioning-kidney-tissue/
A simple three-factor tool can help doctors estimate survival time in patients with long bone metastases (LBMs)- advanced cancer that has spread to the bones of the limbs, reports a study in the February 7, 2018, issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery. The journal is published in partnership with Wolters Kluwer. Reliable survival estimates in these cases can help prevent overtreatment and undertreatment.

"This study presents a model to easily stratify patients with symptomatic LBM according to their expected survival," write J.J. Willeumier, MD, of Leiden University Medical Center, the Netherlands, and colleagues from several European institutions. The researchers believe their model can help to select the most appropriate treatment for patients with symptomatic bone metastases.

Model Helps Match Treatment to Expected Survival

Physicians and surgeons are often called upon to estimate survival for patients with advanced cancer to help them maximize the remaining quality of life. Accurate survival estimates are important to avoid overtreatment (putting the patient through treatments that would ultimately not provide much benefit) and undertreatment (not offering treatments that would be beneficial). But data on which to base survival estimates are often sparse, especially for patients with LBMs.

To assess their "easy-to-use prognostic model," Dr. Willeumier and colleagues analyzed 1,520 patients treated for symptomatic LBMs at six Dutch hospitals between 2000 and 2013. The patients' average age was 65; the most common initial (primary) cancer sites were the breast and lung. The main symptoms requiring treatment were painful bone lesions and impending or actual pathologic fractures.

The authors previously identified three independent predictors of survival in patients with spinal metastases and applied them to these patients with LBM:

Clinical profile of the primary tumor. Among the patients with LBM, the profile was "favorable" (longer survival) in those with primary breast cancer but "unfavorable" (shorter survival) in those with primary lung cancer.

Performance status. A standard score (Karnofsky Performance Scale) to assess the patient's ability to perform everyday tasks.

Presence of organ/brain metastases, in addition to LBMs.

Depending on their individual combination of these factors, patients could be classified into groups with median survival times of 29.1 months, 10.5 months, 4.6 months, and 2.2 months. The authors created a simple-to-use flowchart for use in estimating survival. The model performed well in predicting the survival category for individual patients based on their actual survival. The model's performance was also validated when applied to a separate group of patients with symptomatic LBMs.

"The simplicity and clarity of the model facilitate and encourage its use in the routine care of patients with LBM, to provide the most appropriate treatment for each individual patient," Dr. Willeumier and coauthors add. They believe their survival estimation tool might become even more useful in the future, with continued advances in tumor classification and individualized cancer therapies.

Source: https://wolterskluwer.com/
When it comes to workplace stress, even doctors aren't immune to its effects. For doctors training to become neurosurgeons, burnout is common, and certain workplace stressors -- like unrewarding mentor relationships, difficult coworkers and not getting enough exposure to the operating room -- can lead to it, according to a new study from the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

Building the skills needed to treat complex neurological conditions like stroke, brain tumors or spinal cord injuries requires a highly demanding, seven-year training program. The pressure of that training can sometimes lead to emotional exhaustion, an inability to connect with others or feeling unaccomplished, which are components of burnout. Understanding what factors influence burnout can be a powerful catalyst for change.

"As a patient, you don't want your doctor to be depressed or demoralized when they're working on you, because they're not their best self," says the study's lead author Frank Attenello, MD, MS, assistant professor of clinical neurological surgery at the Keck School. "And as a society, we don't want to discourage people from becoming neurosurgeons, because we have a rapidly aging population in need of neurosurgeons' skills."

While research on burnout is gaining steam in many fields, not much attention has been paid to it in neurosurgery until now, Attenello explains.

To better understand it, Attenello and his colleagues surveyed 346 neurosurgery residents across the United States. Using an 86-item questionnaire, the team explored everything from whether residents felt satisfied with different aspects of their training to whether they were considering quitting training or leaving medicine entirely. Burnout was assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory, a validated tool that has been used to measure burnout both in health care and other professions.

The study, published today in the Journal of Neurosurgery, found that 81 percent of residents were satisfied with their career, but 41 percent had given serious thought to quitting neurosurgery at some point. The overall burnout rate was 67 percent -- more than double the estimated rate of burnout among American workers overall. Predictors of burnout included inadequate exposure to the operating room, hostile faculty, unsatisfactory relationships with mentors and social stressors outside of work.

"Some of the most impressive and energetic medical students enter neurosurgery," Attenello says. "When they encounter burnout, it limits their considerable potential, both with their patient care and possibly in their academic and research achievements for the field as a whole."

To help reduce the risk of burnout, Attenello and others at the Keck School have already implemented a new model for mentorship. This year, new residents in the Department of Neurological Surgery will choose their mentors, and the school will assign a backup mentor for additional support.

"Our study provided some valuable insights to the prevalence of burnout and some of the pain points in training neurosurgeons," says study co-author Steven L. Giannotta, MD, chair and professor of neurological surgery at the Keck School. "Recognizing that burnout exists and finding ways to address it are important steps educational institutions can take to mitigate it."
Modi, Trump discuss Maldives crisis, to boost security, economic ties, Indo-Pacific partnership

New York : Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump pledged to strengthen security and economic cooperation and build on the Indo-Pacific partnership, according to the White House.

While discussing on telephone on Thursday bilateral cooperation, they looked forward to the "2+2 Meeting" of Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj with US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in April, a White House statement said.



"The leaders pledged to continue working together to enhance security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region," the statement said. "Affirming President Trump's South Asia strategy, they reiterated their commitment to supporting Afghanistan's security and stability."



In their review of the South Asia and Indo-Pacific regions, the statement said: "Both leaders expressed concern about the political crisis in Maldives and the importance of respect for democratic institutions and rule of law."



On Afghanistan, which was the keystone of the South Asia Strategy announced in August 2017, they reiterated their commitment to back efforts to support the violence-hit nation's security and stability.



Closer to India, they discussed ways to address the plight of the Rohingya refugees from Myanmar and the situation in that country, the statement said.



On North Korea, an issue at the top of US foreign policy priorities, the two leaders discussed further steps to denuclearise Pyongyang.



While China is backing Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen amid a political crisis, New Delhi and Washington share a common perspective and want a return to democracy and an end to the state of Emergency declared by Yameen on Monday.



After the Supreme Court overturned the terrorism conviction of former President Mohamed Nasheed as well as the convictions of eight other politicians on several charges, Yameen clamped the Emergency.



Two of the five Supreme Court judges were arrested by government forces and the other three overturned their unanimous ruling ordering the release of the nine politicians.



As part of his South Asia strategy, Trump wanted India to provide more aid to Afghanistan.



He also put Islamabad on notice for harbouring terrorists, and followed it up last month by withholding security assistance to Pakistan estimated at over $1 billion.



In the Indo-Pacific region, Trump is promoting cooperation between the four democracies - India, the US, Japan and Australia - to be a countervailing force to China.



(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in)


BROOKFIELD  State Rep. Steve Harding has proposed a bill that could save some retired teachers more than $1,000 in state taxes on their 2017 pension checks.

Hardings suggestion has been referred to the General Assemblys finance committee, where members will consider whether to formally draft and approve the bill during the short legislative session this spring.

The idea for the bill stems from a conflict between a 2014 state law that phased in tax exemptions for teacher pensions and a little-noticed provision in the state budget approved last fall.

Under the earlier state law, a growing portion of teacher pensions were made tax-exempt, topping out at 50 percent in 2017. But in the final budget approved on Halloween, lawmakers delayed the 50 percent exemption to 2019, and limited the tax exemption for 2017 and 2018 to 25 percent.

The practical effect is that retired teachers might owe more than they expected on their state income taxes because they relied on the 50 percent exemption taking effect as planned in 2017, the Department of Revenue Services and Connecticut Teachers Retirement Board told retirees late last year.

Among those who did so are Brookfield residents Carmine and Josephine Rositano, who based their 2017 withholding in the expectation of getting the 50 percent exemption on the pension Josephine receives for her years as a Connecticut teacher.

That means the Rositanos and other affected retirees could owe as much as $1,000 more than they budgeted for when they pay taxes this spring, Carmine Rositano said.

What would happen if Connecticut increased the sales tax and/or the personal income tax rates in October and made these changes retroactive to the beginning of the year? Carmine said. There would be a protest from all citizens. So how can it be fair and morally correct to retroactively tax retired teachers on their pensions?

Hardings proposal would undo the budget provision that delayed the 50 percent exemption, fixing the weird quirk facing families like the Rositanos, he said.

But its unclear how many teachers might have underpaid or how much it could cost the state to revert to that 50 percent exemption for 2017, Harding said. The assemblys Office of Fiscal Analysis is expected to review the proposal and provide an estimate on the potential impact, he added.

Obviously, with the deficit were facing, anything with a fiscal note is going to be difficult, but this is just fairness in my opinion, Harding said. These teachers worked very hard for these pensions, so for them to be penalized doesnt make any sense. Obviously, its the right thing to do.

The finance committee must vote to formally draft the bill for Hardings idea to advance, but it may not be until the end of February or early March before the committee decides or schedules a public hearing on the proposal, Harding said.

zach.murdock@hearstmediact.com
DANBURY  A budget battle is brewing between public school leaders and City Hall over the district's proposed $7 million budget increase for the coming year.

School board members argue that the 5.5 percent bump requested is the minimum amount necessary to maintain status quo at local schools amid repeated state funding cuts  let alone improve or expand services for students in the fastest-growing district in the state.

But Mayor Mark Boughton has already called the budget a nonstarter before it has landed on his desk.

Theres no way we can give them $7 million more, Boughton said last week. It's just not going to happen. That would mean a mill rate increase of almost two mills to our taxpayers, and we have to balance that with what the taxpayers can afford.

This annual budget back-and-forth has become a routine exercise over the past decade -- the district typically proposes a $5 to $7 million increase to help handle booming enrollment, only to receive one-third or half of its request from the City Council, which has final approval over the city and district budgets.

Last year the district asked for a $5.7 million increase and ultimately received an extra $2.2 million for the current budget.

But school officials suggest they are considering taking a stand this year to break that cycle. The board will vote to officially to recommend the budget proposal to Boughton on Wednesday night.

The fats gone, the muscles gone, were grinding on bone now, school board chairman Pat Johnston said last week.

School board members have floated the idea that the board and council hold a joint workshop for administrators to make their case for the increases. Parent-teacher organization participants also want to mobilize to support the budget request, Superintendent Sal Pascarella said.

Any schools budget less than the requested increases would drastically affect the quality of education in Danbury, school board member Richard Jannelli said.

The workshop may have an impact or at least it will open their eyes. If they make that decision (against the increases), theyre going to know full well they own the problem, he said.

The proposed increases would push the school district budget just over $135 million if approved in full, and will cover almost $3.2 million in planned raises for teachers and staff and the creation of another two dozen staff positions.

Only $850,000 of the total $7 million is directly attributable to the expansion of Danbury High, already the states largest, including five teachers, two special education teachers and three custodians, according to the proposed budget.

The remainder of the increases are simply to restore state cuts or keep up with enrollment, not to expand services, administrators said.

Even if the city granted the entire increase, Danbury schools would still rank last in per-pupil-spending among all 169 cities and towns in Connecticut, they added.

Being last on that damn list shows folks we are not squandering money away, were using every dime as best we can, Pascarella said. Youre growing and resources are going down. It doesnt take rocket science to figure out.

Boughton and the City Council are sympathetic, but said they cannot cover the states responsibilities, Boughton said.

That can be the fault of the state, but we cant make up the difference, he said. Theres no pile of money under somebodys desk.

There could be some room in the city budget for a much smaller increase for the schools, but Boughton will not have a detailed plan until he presents the city budget proposal in April, he said.

We have 20 less employees in city government over the last two years, Boughton said. Theres very little effort on the school boards part to reduce staff or become more efficient at what they do.

Its a little frustrating for us, he continued. I understand the pickle theyre in with increasing enrollment, and we'll continue to lobby the legislature, but every time the state cuts a grant or doesnt fund a mandate, the city cant pick up the tab.

Board members Fred Karrat and Farley Santos share the frustration. They have suggested the current budget request already is too conservative and could be even higher.

I want a $10 million increase, Karrat said last week. Thats the only reason I would vote against this budget, because I want more. I think weve been asking for too little over all these years. We shouldnt be putting forward a budget that asks for status quo.

I think were doing a disservice to our students by putting together a bare-bones budget, which is the situation weve been pushed into. At some point we need to say enough is enough and I dont think thats an exercise in futility, I think its advocating for our students.

zach.murdock@hearstmediact.com
BRIDGEPORT - A New Britain man was sentenced Friday to six years in prison after he pleaded guilty to attacking a Trumbull homeowner and biting off the victims thumb.

Im sorry about the incident, Jonathan Harris told Superior Court Judge Robert Devlin.

You are just lucky the homeowner didnt have a firearm because he would have been justified in shooting you in his home, Devlin retorted, sentencing the 24-year-old Harris to 15 years, suspended after he serves six years and followed by three years probation on the charges of first-degree assault on an elderly person and first-degree burglary.

States Attorney John Smriga told the judge he spoke to the victim who is still troubled by the fact that his thumb was bit off by Harris and believes the defendant must have been on some drug at the time.

This incident has upset his whole family, the prosecutor added.

Shortly before 11 p.m. on Aug. 5, Trumbull police officers were dispatched to Daniels Farm Road for a man lying shirtless in the street. As officers were heading to that location, police said they got a call of an assault on Daniels Farm Road.

Police said the elderly homeowner recounted that he had been awakened by a loud banging on his back door. When he opened the door Harris forced his way inside and got into a struggle with the homeowner, police said.

During the struggle police said Harris bit the homeowners right thumb off. He then fled the home.
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.

Known for identifying cutting edge technologies, he is currently a Co-Founder of a startup and fundraiser for high potential early-stage companies. He is the Head of Research for Allocations for deep technology investments and an Angel Investor at Space Angels.

A frequent speaker at corporations, he has been a TEDx speaker, a Singularity University speaker and guest at numerous interviews for radio and podcasts. He is open to public speaking and advising engagements.
Israels army said it had launched a large-scale attack inside Syria on Saturday after one of its jets was downed under Syrian antiaircraft fire, in a series of cross-border incidents that threatened to destabilize the volatile region between the two countries.

Israel says the situation started with an Iranian drone crossing into its territory from Syria at around 4:30 a.m. It was shot down by an Israeli attack helicopter.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahran Qasemi, however, described the Israeli claim as ridiculous.

Israel later dispatched eight fighter jets to bomb the T4 military base near the Syrian city of Palmyra, from where it says the drone was dispatched and controlled. Syria responded with substantial Syrian antiaircraft fire under which two Israeli pilots ejected from their F-16, which crashed inside Israel, according to the Israeli military. One of the pilots was severely injured, it said.

The Syrians are playing with fire that they are allowing the Iranians to attack Israel from their soil, said Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces. The IDF is ready and capable to inflict a heavy price on anyone that attacks us. This is a severe attack and a breach of Israeli sovereignty perpetrated by Iran.
Russia is building 12 pre-production Sukhoi Su-57 stealth fighters. They are Russias first indigenously designed and built fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft.

We are buying Su-57 jets for test combat use. First stage state trials are over, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov told journalists. This year, we will sign a contract for the first batch of 12 Su-57 fighter jets for the Armed Forces.

The Su-57 is a multirole, single seat, twin-engine air superiority/deep air support fighter developed under the PAK-FA fifth-generation fighter program.

The Su-57 program has had delays because of budget problems and delays with an upgraded engine.

The new enginepurportedly called the Saturn izdeliye 30  is not expected to be ready for serial production until at least 2020.

The new engine has 3D thrust vectoring nozzles, which will increase the Su-57s maneuverability.
TRUMBULL  When John and Carol Berczuk first laid eyes on 180 Strobel Road more than 20 years ago, they saw a lot they wanted to change  and one thing they wanted to keep relatively the same.

That would be the 51-by-15-foot indoor pool nestled inside the 4,696-square-foot Colonial.

That is why we bought the house, Carol Berczuk said.

Carol Berczuk said the house has been the site of many family gatherings. When she and her husband announced they were selling it, she said, one relative expressed sadness because they couldnt imagine Christmas without the house and its pool.

The Berczuks feel the same about the home, listed at $750,000, but they are moving to be closer to their family members.

I love it and I hate to leave it, Carol Berczuk said.

The pool is central to her affection, and that of nearly anyone who glimpses it.

Indeed, the pool and the 2,000-square-foot room that houses it combine to create the focal point of the house. The minute a visitor walks through the front door, they can glimpse the indoor oasis, visible through glass walls at the back of the homes living room.

In addition to the 30,000-gallon pool the room offers skylights, walls of windows that look out onto a vast property, and what can only be described as an indoor patio.

Just off one end of the pool is an area where families can entertain, just as they would with an outdoor swimming spot. It offers a wood burning fireplace, wet bar, a gas grill, and the Berczuks have even outfitted the area with the kind of wicker furniture youd see on an outdoor patio. The room is paneled with pecky cypress, a moisture-resistant wood that has been used in ship building.

Carol Berczuk said the pool is actually easier to maintain than an outdoor pool because it doesnt involve leaf cleaning.

Though the pool was in the house when the Berczuks bought it, the room surrounding it has been updated, as has much of the rest of the house, which was built in 1963.

A Belgium block, blue stone path was installed outside. The kitchen was totally redone, adding Brazilian granite countertops and top-of-the-line appliances. In fact, Carol Berczuk said, much of the downstairs was changed because it was cover with cedar. It looked like a log cabin.

The house has four bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms, and sits on roughly an acre of property that includes a pond and waterfall.

But its really the pool thats at the heart of the house.

Anybody who is into swimming will love this, said listing agent Jay Cannone.

Do you know of a house or apartment building with an interesting story? Contact acuda@ctpost.com, and the home could be featured in an upcoming installment of Habitat.
Managing Editor

Having lived and worked in Indy on and off since 1977, and currently living in Carmel, I've seen the city change a great deal. I love covering the arts in all its forms, and the places where the arts and broader cultural issues intersect.
Rockwells three sons were among those upset by the plan, and the attorney general, who had said that the sales would violate the provisions of various charitable trusts, asked a judge to block the planned auction of some works in November 2017.

The debate was also closely watched within the art world and drew protesters to the steps of the museum.

Professional organizations have long held that it is improper for museums to sell art for any reason other than to acquire new works or care for existing ones. Last summer the American Alliance of Museums and the Association of Art Museum Directors issued a joint statement regarding the Berkshire Museums plans, saying: One of the most fundamental and longstanding principles of the museum field is that a collection is held in the public trust and must not be treated as a disposable financial asset.

On Friday the groups thanked the attorney general for examining the sale but lamented the result.

While the negotiated agreement with the Berkshire Museum may satisfy legal standards, it falls far short of ethical standards and best practices for museums, they wrote. This is indeed a sad day for the arts community in the Berkshires and the museum community across the country.

The sales, set to be handled by Sothebys, are now likely to go forward, though under the agreement they will stop when proceeds to the museum reach $55 million. The museum may use the first $50 million without restrictions. The agreement stipulates that proceeds between $50 million and $55 million will be held in a fund for acquisitions and to support the museums collection.
There was a lot to keep an eye on.

BlackRock, which manages $6 trillion overall, is the leading issuer of exchange-traded funds, with $1.3 trillion under management. But as the market fell and trading in BlackRock funds accelerated, there was little sign of panic or emotion among the E.T.F. specialists at the firm.

They fielded phone calls from clients and let the computers do their work.

Martin Small, who oversees United States-based E.T.F.s at the firm, said the high share of E.T.F. trading was positive for the markets. That is because on days when fearful investors want to sell, large, easy-to-trade E.T.F.s serve as a critical release valve.

Everything worked, Mr. Small said. Volumes were higher and more people were watching, but our funds did what they were supposed to do.

Investing on the basis of what machines, as opposed to humans, do has been a trend in financial markets for years. Whats different now is that so much money has poured into a specific type of computer-driven trading.

From cost-conscious millennials to the worlds largest pension and sovereign wealth funds, E.T.F.s have become a preferred investment choice. In addition to all the major stock and bond indexes, they enable investors to get a piece of the action in arcane areas like junk bonds, bank loans and stocks in Pakistan. There is even an E.T.F. that tracks companies that make whiskey.

The popularity of E.T.F.s has concentrated unparalleled financial power in BlackRock and Vanguard, the two biggest providers of index funds and E.T.F.s. Together, they sit on $10.5 trillion in assets and control 65 percent of the 1,700 exchange-traded funds that exist.

Relying on sophisticated computer programs, they funnel investor money into the stocks and bonds that make up indexes around the world. As the flows have grown in volume, much of these funds have gone toward index heavyweights like Amazon, Apple and Facebook, pushing their valuations ever higher.
Mr. Moody, a Time magazine alumnus who was one of the networks earliest senior news managers, was close to Roger E. Ailes, Fox Newss former chairman. Mr. Moodys role at Fox News has dwindled over the years; despite his lofty title, he has little formal oversight over the channels day-to-day coverage.

The column, however, returned Mr. Moody to the spotlight. Its headline, In Olympics, lets focus on the winner of the race  not the race of the winner, prefaced a critique of American Olympic officials who had praised the diversity of the squad headed to this months Winter Olympics in South Korea.

No sport that we are aware of awards points  or medals  for skin color or sexual orientation, Mr. Moody wrote.

Were our Olympians selected because theyre the best at what they do, he added, or because theyre the best publicity for our current obsession with having one each from Column A, B and C?

The essay was denounced by gay advocacy groups including Glaad and the Human Rights Campaign.

Mr. Moodys longevity at Fox News, which he joined in the 1990s, was cited as one reason that editors at FoxNews.com deferred to him in publishing the piece.
From London Review of Books: China may be a difficult place for writers to express their ideas, but that doesnt mean they are not doing so. A range of science fiction has been released in the past two years, and it is not just interesting and well-written, but daring and political. In this piece, we get a glimpse into the history of Chinas science-fiction tradition, and some of the latest books in the genre.  Prashant Rao, deputy Europe business editor
For a year, immigration agents have been enforcing the Trump administrations orders to deport noncitizens at full speed with but one roadblock: the federal courts.

The immigration activist Ravi Ragbir was scheduled to be deported to Trinidad and Tobago on Saturday, but that was put on hold when his lawyers filed a lawsuit in Manhattan on Thursday. The government agreed to delay his removal until the court can decide whether his rights have been violated.

His case was one of a growing number in which federal judges have ruled to halt both individual and mass deportations. Last week, a judge in a New Jersey district court temporarily stopped the deportation of Indonesian Christians, longtime community members in Highland Park, N.J., who had been swept up by immigration agents. A day earlier, in Boston, a judge made a similar ruling in the case of 50 Indonesian Christians, and in December, a Miami judge halted the deportation of 92 Somalis. In June, a judge in Detroit halted the deportation of more than a hundred Iraqi Christians, and then expanded the ruling to cover a class of as many as 1,400 people.

These federal judges are not deciding immigration cases, over which they have no jurisdiction, but rather giving people time to fight in the immigration courts. They are slowing deportations by insisting that undocumented immigrants still have the right of due process, even if in many of these cases, the immigrants had known for years that they could be expelled.
After a colossal fire burned them out of their Upper Manhattan apartment building in November, the tenants were given little reason to think the fire was anything but an accident. Investigators had said they did not suspect arson, and with no one dead, the focus seemed to be on helping the displaced tenants rebuild their lives.

But on Friday, the authorities said that a man who lived in the Harlem building used gasoline to deliberately start the fire and then fled the city aboard an interstate bus, even as scores of firefighters battled the blaze.

The tenant, Jelani Parker, was arrested in Los Angeles after officers who encountered him there learned that he was wanted by the New York Police Department, which flew him back to New York on Thursday. Charged with arson, felony assault and reckless endangerment, Mr. Parker, 34, was arraigned on Friday morning in State Supreme Court in Manhattan.

The arrest was an unexpected turn in the aftermath of the fire, which destroyed the home of dozens of families who lived in the building on West 144th Street in the Hamilton Heights section in Harlem. But the suspect was a familiar figure to many of his fellow tenants, and his mental health issues were known to people in the building, said the neighborhoods City Council member, Mark Levine.
By the time Arkady Wajspapir killed a Nazi during the historic uprising at the Sobibor death camp in Poland in 1943, he had endured great misery.

While he was serving in the Soviet Red Army in World War II, his family was killed by Nazis in a massacre near his hometown in Ukraine. And after being seriously wounded in fighting in Kiev, he was taken to a prisoner-of-war hospital and later to a concentration camp in Minsk.

While interned there he was one of 75 prisoners, patients and doctors  all Jewish  who were sent to a separate prison in the woods nearby, where they were confined in dark cells and fed bits of bread.

In the mornings theyd open the doors and ask how many of us had died, Mr. Wajspapir told the Netherlands Institute for War Documentation in an interview in 1984. Within a few weeks, he said, only 30 of the men were alive.
He always challenged you and provoked your thoughts, Mr. Pierce said. He was one of those people when youre speaking with him you felt like you were at the center of the world.

Reginald Eurias Cathey was born on Aug. 18, 1958, in Huntsville, Ala., to a father who was an Army officer and a mother who worked in the Defense Department. Mr. Cathey grew up in Germany and traveled frequently before moving back to Alabama when he was a teenager. He studied at the University of Michigan  where, reports say, he befriended Madonna and the future comedy star David Alan Grier  and later at the Yale School of Drama.

Over an acting career that spanned more than 35 years, Mr. Cathey also had a recurring role in the long-running television series Oz and made appearances in other widely viewed shows like Law & Order, 30 Rock and Star Trek: The Next Generation.

His many film credits included a role as Dr. Franklin Storm in the 2015 reboot of Fantastic Four and a part as a homeless man in American Psycho. In 2000, Mr. Cathey made his Broadway debut in The Green Bird; he had several other theater credits.

He is survived by his girlfriend, Linda Powell; a sister, Donza Cathey Friende; his stepmother, Maureen Davis Cathey; and two stepbrothers, Jerry Davis and Maurice Davis.

Though some might not know Mr. Cathey by name, his recent roles and commanding voice made him instantly recognizable in the latter part of his career.

When I was on Oz years ago, I did an interview and the guy said, Youre one of the few actors who can make their living as an actor without being famous, he told The Detroit Free Press in 2015. We both laughed. And its true. Theres a small club of us, actors and actresses, because its really difficult just to make a living as an actor without being famous. It used to be easier when I first started, but now its really, really difficult.
Sonia Gechtoff, a prominent Abstract Expressionist on the West Coast early in her career and later a mainstay of the New York art scene, died on Feb. 1 at a hospice center in the Bronx. She was 91.

Her daughter, Susannah Kelly, confirmed the death.

Ms. Gechtoff made a quick and substantial impression in San Francisco, where she had arrived in 1951, a time when the Bay Area art scene was bubbling. An early oil, Self Portrait, made in 1954 when she was still in her 20s, is now in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution. That same year she was represented in a group show of young painters at the Guggenheim Museum in Manhattan.

She was also becoming well known in the California art world, with solo exhibitions at outlets like the de Young Museum in San Francisco and the Ferus Gallery in Los Angeles, both in 1957.
That investigation (most of which remains under seal) may or may not be dispositive. It has been criticized over the years, including by a judge who ruled against Allen in his custody battle for Dylan and her siblings.

But since the State of Connecticut declined to press charges against Allen, it is what we have to go on. Shouldnt the weight of available evidence, to say nothing of the presumption of innocence, extend to the court of public opinion, too?

That is a thought lost in some of the commentary about the case. Dylan Farrow is a persuasive interviewee who seems absolutely sincere in her belief that she was molested by Allen as a child. Allen, by contrast, comes across as a grouchy neurotic who, in his late 50s, had a distasteful affair with Mia Farrows adopted, barely adult daughter, Soon-Yi Previn. In the contest of sympathies, its not hard to guess who wins.

But its precisely because Dylans account plays to our existing biases that we need to treat it with added skepticism. Most parents know that young children are imaginative and suggestible and innocently prone to making things up. The misuse of childrens memories by ambitious prosecutors against day-care center operators in the 1980s led to some of the worst miscarriages of justice in recent U.S. history. You dont have to doubt Farrows honesty to doubt her version of events.

Nor have we learned anything else about Allen in the intervening years that might add to suspicions of guilt. He married Soon-Yi and has been with her ever since. Nobody else has come forward in 25 years with a fresh accusation of assault against him.

If Allen is in fact a pedophile, he appears to have acted on his evil fantasies exactly once. Compare that to Larry Nassars 265 identified victims.

It goes without saying that child molestation is a uniquely evil crime that merits the stiffest penalties. But accusing someone of being a molester without abundant evidence is also odious, particularly in an era in which social-media whispers can become the ruin of careers and even of lives.

Thats something for all of us to think about, even when it comes to wealthy, peculiar old men for whom we feel no love. We still live in a country that paints a bright line between accusation and fact. Smear the accused, smudge the line, and the truth will never out. 
The other data on loneliness are complicated and often contradictory, in part because there are so many different ways of measuring the phenomenon. But its clear that the loneliness statistics cited by those who say we have an epidemic are outliers. For example, one set of statistics comes from a study that counted as lonely people who said they felt left out or isolated, or lacked companionship  even just some of the time. Thats an exceedingly low bar, and surely not one wed want doctors or policymakers to use in their work.

One reason we need to be careful about how we measure and respond to loneliness is that, as the University of Chicago psychologist John Cacioppo argues, an occasional and transitory feeling of loneliness can be healthy and productive. Its a biological signal to ourselves that we need to build stronger social bonds.

Professor Cacioppo has spent much of his career documenting the dangers of loneliness. But its notable that he relies on more measured statistics in his own scientific papers than the statistics described above. One of his articles, from last year, reports that around 19 percent of older Americans said they had felt lonely for much of the week before they were surveyed, and that in Britain about 6 percent of adults said they felt lonely all or most of the time. Those are worrisome numbers, but they are quite similar to the numbers reported in Britain in 1948, when about 8 percent of older adults said they often or always felt lonely, and to those in previous American studies as well.

Professor Cacioppo is one of the leading voices advocating for better treatment of loneliness. But, as he has written, to call it an epidemic of loneliness risks having it relegated to the advice columns.

In particular, overstating the problem can make it harder to make sure we are focusing on the people who need help the most. When Britain announced its new ministry, officials insisted that everyone, young or old, was at risk of loneliness. Yet the research tells us something more specific. In places like the United States and Britain, its the poor, unemployed, displaced and migrant populations that stand to suffer most from loneliness and isolation. Their lives are unstable, and so are their relationships. When they get lonely, they are the least able to get adequate social or medical support.

I dont believe we have a loneliness epidemic. But millions of people are suffering from social disconnection. Whether or not they have a minister for loneliness, they deserve more attention and help than were offering today.
Most of us who served as tunnel rats during the Vietnam War quickly realized that crawling through underground enemy bunkers would be the least of our worries. Its the part of the job people want to hear about  they want to know what it was like to descend into the Vietcongs subterranean pathways, storehouses, arsenals and barracks. But in fact, as dangerous as that work was, most of our casualties were aboveground, when we engaged in the other part of our job: finding and disarming mines and booby traps.

For the most part, the job of tunnel rat was a catchall name for the work that we did as combat engineers. We were trained at the Australian Armys School of Military Engineering, located 20 miles west of Sydney. The three-month course covered a lot of ground: mine detection, booby trap disarming, tunnel searching and demolitions. Somehow, I had convinced myself that my job as a combat engineer was going to be more engineer than combat  that the truly dangerous stuff would be handled by real experts. I was wrong.

I arrived in Vietnam on June 11, 1969, with the rank of sapper, the Engineer Corps equivalent of a private in infantry. Our base was at Nui Dat, 70 miles southeast of Saigon. I was paired with an experienced tunnel rat, Cpl. Geoff Handley. We worked in pairs, with the more experienced No. 1  Geoff  passing on what he knew to me, his No. 2. After six months, wed split up, and Id become a No. 1 to an incoming No. 2.

After just four days, Geoff told me wed be heading out into the bush for four weeks of mine clearing as part of Operation Esso, led by the 5th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment. On June 15, we were picked up by a troop of Centurion tanks already loaded up with a platoon of infantry. By the time we got to our destination wed heard that one of the battalions other platoons had been decimated already, on the first day of the operation.
Does every terrible employee in America work for the Trump White House?

O.K., probably not. Donald Trump didnt hire the guy who told Hawaiians they were about to be hit by a ballistic missile. Or the airline representative who was accused of pressing a passenger to flush her hamster down the toilet.

But for overall ineptitude and ability to create crises at the highest level, you have to go with the presidential team. Just this week we had a top aide with multiple domestic abuse allegations, plus a chief of staff who never seemed to bother to pursue the matter. And a communications director  third one in a little over a year  who helped write the statement defending said aide, whom she happened to also be dating.

Obviously, the real blame falls on Trump, whose only comment on domestic abuse Friday was to say the departed aide did a very good job. But about the underlings  which one do you think is worst?

Besides Omarosa. Lets think about major officials who are still standing, more or less. And while voting for John Kelly is all right, itd be interesting to talk about somebody else for a while.
A toxicology report showed he did have anti-anxiety medication in his system, based on a test of his urine. It was no longer detectable in his blood, meaning it was not active. The autopsy, performed by the Clark County coroner, and its related reports were obtained by The New York Times on Friday, and were first reported on by The Las Vegas Review-Journal, which had gone to court with The Associated Press to secure their release.

The examination showed that certain sections of Mr. Paddocks brain contained small spheres that can be seen when the tissue is treated with a stain. The structures, made up mostly of carbohydrates but also containing proteins and other components, are known as corpora amylacea. They studded parts of his hippocampus  involved in learning and memory  and the frontal lobes, among other areas. Most people would have them at that age, but not in that profusion, Dr. Vogel said. Its a striking exaggeration of an age-related finding.

The cause and meaning of the structures remain mysterious, the subject of ongoing research. They appear as people grow older and are found at greater density in the brains of patients with Alzheimers disease, multiple sclerosis and epilepsy, among other disorders. Dr. Vogel searched for signs of those diseases, but he did not detect them in Mr. Paddocks brain.

Three scientists who study corpora amylacea said in interviews that the increased presence of the structures was significant. If you have high numbers of these, somethings not normal, said Troy Rohn, a professor of biology at Boise State University.

Other scientists believe the structures are akin to wastebaskets that contain remnants of broken-down cells or even infectious or hazardous substances.

Dr. Hyman Schipper, a professor of neurology at McGill University in Montreal, said his laboratorys studies have found evidence that corpora amylacea can result from the damage caused by unstable molecules known as free radicals, which can be unleashed by various stressors. Its telling you something and it could be very important, Dr. Schipper said of the finding in Mr. Paddocks brain.

Even so, Dr. Vogel, the Stanford neuropathologist, said the results of his examination should reassure the public that Mr. Paddocks doctors had not missed diagnosing a tumor or other major brain disorder that could have been treated.
Mujey Dumbuya, a 16-year-old Michigan high school student, had been expected to testify at the trial of a habitual offender who is accused of raping her in a school parking lot last summer.

But on Jan. 25, three days after the April 9 trial date had been set, Mujeys family, who live near Grand Rapids, reported her missing to the police. Three days later, her body was found in a wooded area about 50 miles away, according to the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety.

The police in Kalamazoo are investigating the death as a homicide, but have released few details and did not respond to a request for comment on Friday.

Quinn Anthony James, 42, the man accused of sexually assaulting Mujey in July 2017, had been free on bail after his November arrest in the case, according to WOOD-TV, an NBC affiliate in Grand Rapids. He faces four felony counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct with someone 13 to 15 years old. Mujey was 15 at the time of the alleged offenses.
WASHINGTON  A draft military investigation into the deadly ambush of American soldiers in Niger in October calls for the Pentagon to scale back the number of ground missions in West Africa, and to strip commanders in the field of some authority to send troops on potentially high-risk patrols.

While United States troops will continue accompanying local forces on military patrols across West Africa and the continents Sahel region, the missions will be vetted more rigorously than they have been over the past year, according to two military officials with knowledge of the findings who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation has not been released.

The changes follow President Trumps order last year to loosen Obama-era restrictions and give the military more decision-making authority to move faster on raids, airstrikes and bombing missions.

Four Americans and five Nigeriens, including an interpreter, were killed in Nigers remote southwest near the border with Mali in the Oct. 4 ambush. Militants there aligned with the Islamic State and Al Qaeda have been increasingly active, sometimes vying with each other for dominance when not attacking Nigerien or French troops.
In 2013, John F. Kelly, a general at the time, defended a junior Marine officer who was accused of poor leadership after going on patrol in Afghanistan with team members who urinated on the bodies of three dead Taliban militants. Two years later, in 2015, he stood up for a Marine colonel facing a litany of charges, including sexual harassment.

Now the White House chief of staff, Mr. Kelly has come to the defense of a subordinate, engulfing him in a Trump administration crisis that could lead to his own undoing.

When accusations surfaced this week that Rob Porter, the White House staff secretary, had physically abused his two former wives, Mr. Kelly described the aide as a friend, a confidant and a trusted professional. He later said that he was shocked by the allegations  which spurred the release of a photograph of one of Mr. Porters former wives with a black eye  and said, there is no place for domestic violence in our society.

Mr. Porter resigned on Wednesday.

Mr. Kelly did not personally know the Marine he defended in the 2013 investigation that focused on the 2011 desecration of the Taliban bodies. In an interview on Friday, James V. Clement, who was the captain facing charges, said Mr. Kelly must have seen something in his case that spurred him to step up.


The disappearance of the credit threatened the domestic expansion of Plug Power, a company founded in the late 1990s in the midst of the tech boom, whose stock briefly topped $1,000 a share. The bubble popped, the firms shares sunk to single digits and the company burned through money, seeking a marketable use for its fuel cells, which cost more than conventional competitors but emit nothing but water as a byproduct. Mr. Marsh took over in 2008 and finally steered the firm into what has become a profitable niche: replacing the large batteries that power forklifts in warehouses.

Forklifts that run on fuel cells do not need to swap out batteries every shift, like those that run on lead-acid batteries. They plug into a fuel station that looks like a gasoline pump, connect a few hoses and quickly fill up with hydrogen. Plug Power has found a growing market in selling or leasing those fuel cells to Amazon, Walmart, Kroger and B.M.W., among others, and it has begun piloting fuel-cell powered delivery trucks in China and around Albany.

When the credit expired, Mr. Marsh said, the price of buying one of the companys fuel cells immediately jumped 30 percent for customers. Some of those customers, he added, have budgets set aside for alternative energy spending  and in those cases, solar and wind projects, which still were backed by credits, were suddenly more attractive.

The recent tax law compounded the problem, because it made it more expensive for Plug Power to get financing. When the law was signed in December, Mr. Marsh said one of his lenders called and told him his borrowing costs were going up.
WASHINGTON  President Trump on Friday blocked the release of a classified Democratic memo rebutting Republican claims that top federal law enforcement officials had abused their powers in spying on a former Trump campaign aide, a move that Democrats denounced as politically motivated hypocrisy.

Last week, the president moved quickly, over the objections of the Justice Department and the F.B.I., to declassify the contents of a rival Republican memo drafted by House Intelligence Committee staff members. He claimed, incorrectly, that the Republican memo had vindicated him in the special counsel investigation into Russian election interference.

But Donald F. McGahn II, the presidents lawyer, said in a letter to the committee on Friday night that the Democratic memo could not be released because it contains numerous properly classified and especially sensitive passages. He said the president would again consider making the memo public if the committee, which had approved its release on Monday, revised it to mitigate the risks.

Under the obscure rule invoked by the Intelligence Committee to initiate the documents release, the committee could choose to make those changes, or could decide to seek a vote of the full House to try to override Mr. Trumps decision.
For a president who likes deadline-driven crises, the budget accord could bring an unhelpful peace to Washington. Beyond setting spending levels for two years, it suspends the statutory debt limit until March 2019.

The White House budget office said on Friday that in light of the agreement reached in Congress, it would modify its request to reflect the new budget cap levels, backfilling spending to catch up to Capitol Hill. It will also come with an addendum that will offer guidance to account for the increased spending caps in a responsible manner.

Mr. Trumps budget addendum will also include a limited set of administrative priorities and ideas for fixing what the administration considers budget gimmicks that it says are being used to circumvent the spending caps.

The budget release will put Mr. Mulvaney, a former Republican House member from South Carolina, back in the spotlight. Mr. Mulvaney, who was a hard-line deficit hawk in Congress, has at times strained to defend Mr. Trumps deficit-busting policies and the presidents unwillingness to cut the drivers of spending in an aging society, Medicare and Social Security. On Monday, he will have to make the case for even paying attention to the White House budget.

Analysts said it was difficult to see how the White Houses budget could be an influential or even particularly relevant document, given the vast disparity between its line-by-line allocations and the new spending caps set by Congress.

I just dont know how you can have a big influence when your totals add up to something so different than what Congress has set, said Jason Furman, a former economic adviser to President Barack Obama. This seems even more dead on arrival than it would normally be.

Mr. Furman said he was skeptical that the White House would be able to significantly adjust spending levels in the addendum to the budget, given the complexity of the exercise.
WASHINGTON  In a White House populated by aides who have flamed out, lashed out or cashed out  some do all three in the same day  Hope Hicks, the administrations communications director, has maintained a low profile as an influential adviser of a mercurial president who prizes her loyalty.

On Friday, President Trump publicly returned the favor.

A day after the departure of Rob Porter, a White House aide who resigned amid domestic abuse accusations, the president dismissed an idea circulated by some aides and allies that he had been unhappy with Ms. Hicks role in workshopping an initial forceful defense of Mr. Porter. Ms. Hicks had been dating Mr. Porter until recently.

Hope is absolutely fantastic, Mr. Trump said in a statement released through a spokesman. She was with the campaign from the beginning, and I could not ask for anything more. Hope is smart, very talented and respected by all.

Ms. Hicks did not know about the specific allegations made against Mr. Porter until Tuesday, according to a White House official. That day, she met with other White House officials in drafting the initial statements sent in Mr. Porters defense, according to two West Wing officials.
Mr. Trump is not a detail person even in his more active days, but his natural instinct is to involve himself in the broad strokes. His often impulsive Twitter blasts can upend negotiations and shift the focus of events, sometimes at odds with the official position of his own White House. And so his relatively low profile in recent days has been striking.

Even some of his top advisers sounded surprisingly passive this week on different issues. Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson said that Russia was already trying to interfere in the midterm congressional elections this year, but there was not much the United States could do to stop it. If its their intention to interfere, they are going to find ways to do that, he told Fox News. We can take steps we can take, but this is something that, once they decide they are going to do it, its very difficult to pre-empt it.

Vice President Mike Pence, who is in South Korea for the opening of the Olympics, likewise sounded relatively detached from the spending debate involving his former colleagues in Congress back home. Asked whether he had called any lawmakers, he said he had only talked with the White House unit that lobbies Congress. Ive been in touch with the legislative office and the president and I have talked frequently, he told reporters, but were on standby as the vote approaches.

Other presidents have discovered that there can be benefits from staying on standby. When President Bill Clinton assigned Hillary Clinton to lead an effort to pass universal health care, she and a task force crafted a highly detailed plan that died on Capitol Hill. The lesson that Mr. Clinton and his successors took from that is that sometimes it is better to set a broad goal but let Congress figure out how it wants to proceed. President George W. Bush did that with his No Child Left Behind education program and President Barack Obama did that with health care and some spending fights.

But Mr. Trump has proved a divisive force so that even his broad direction is now sometimes ignored. Just this week he declared that he wanted Congress to let the government shut down rather than pass spending measures if there were no agreement on immigration. But Senate leaders of both parties disregarded him altogether and drafted their own deal without immigration.
These groups are still waiting to see whether the Trump administration fulfills its most ambitious plans for remaking trade policy. In the coming months, the administration is expected to introduce a hefty penalty on China for encroaching on American intellectual property, which could include tariffs on consumer electronics or restrictions on Chinese investment in the United States.

The fate of two separate trade actions, on imports of steel and aluminum, appears less certain.

Last June, President Trump said that the steel industry would be seeing action very soon. But the idea of these tariffs was met with a swift backlash from industries that use the metals to produce other goods, like carmakers, as well as some Defense Department officials.

Since the Commerce Department submitted its reports on the investigations to the president last month, the cases have not been mentioned in official statements, including the White Houses summary of its current trade actions released after the presidents State of the Union address.

The resignation this week of Rob Porter, the White House staff secretary, who was responsible for organizing weekly meetings of White House trade advisers and bridging deep divides in views on trade among the staff, throws the fate of these measures into further question.

Depending on what happens at the World Trade Organization, the United States could see further retaliation against the solar tariff, said Allan T. Marks, a lawyer at Milbank, Tweed, Hadley and McCloy.

The World Trade Organization will now consider whether countries like China had sufficient opportunity to consult with the United States before the tariffs were imposed, and if the United States followed its rules for creating such temporary safeguards for its industries.

Mr. Marks declined to speculate on the potential results, but said that the most recent precedent could be troubling for the United States. The last time that the United States imposed these kinds of tariffs, on steel imports under President George W. Bush in 2002, the World Trade Organization ruled that they were illegal, clearing the way for countries to lawfully retaliate against the United States. Under the threat of retaliation, the Bush administration withdrew the steel tariffs in 2003.

You could see retaliation from exporting countries like China that are hurt by the safeguard action, Mr. Marks said. And well probably get there. Thats what happened for steel.
Western Director(s) Valeska Grisebach Writer(s) Valeska Grisebach Cast Meinhard Neumann

Reinhardt Wetrek

Syuleyman Alilov Letifov

Veneta Fragnova

Valeska Grisebach's new filmtakes place, ironically, in Eastern Europe, the narrative following a group of German builders on a construction site deep in the remote woods of Bulgaria. But the title immediately provides its viewers with an interesting filter: the Germans decorate their site as a fortress base, flags and all, while locals from a nearby village are seen as poor, unintelligible, untrustworthy and uncivilized.When the workers have to stop constructing for a while because of a temporary lack of building materials, they get bored. And in the hot summer, tensions rise, leading to boorish behaviour. One of the workers is Meinhard, a quiet army veteran who starts wandering through the countryside. After several trips to the Bulgarian village, he manages to befriend some of the local farmers, and starts feeling more at home with them than with his co-workers.What will happen next? Will Meinhard "go native" and how will his colleagues view that? Is everyone gearing up for a massacre? Or will it all end in song and dance, with heroes? I'm not telling, and for a long time, neither is Valeska Grisebach.is a slow, sedate film, yet all these outcomes remain possible for a long time. Instead of pushing for a grand finale, Grisebach focuses on transporting the audience to Bulgaria. And with success: despite the winter cold at the International Film Festival Rotterdam, for nearly two hours I could almost feel the summer sun on my face as I followed Meinhard in his "western".The sense of authenticity is in part achieved by using real German construction workers and Bulgarian locals, with only a few non-amateur actors among them. Much of the misunderstanding and discomfort shown between the two groups in the film is entirely genuine. Meinhard himself is played by Meinhard Neumann, a first-time actor who is a stoic, leathered presence. He turns out to be absolutely fantastic in a scene where his composure suddenly breaks for a moment, one of the most moving bits of film I've seen yet this year.Whilemay probably not end up in any of my "best of" lists, the film manages to stick around more than I expected, and the memories I have of it are pleasant indeed.Audiences in Rotterdam really appreciated the film as well, giving it a rating of 4.0 out of 5.
But the Americans desperately wanted the hacking tools. The cyberweapons had been built to break into the computer networks of Russia, China and other rival powers. Instead, they ended up in the hands of a mysterious group calling itself the Shadow Brokers, which has since provided hackers with tools that infected millions of computers around the world, crippling hospitals, factories and businesses.

No officials wanted to refuse information they thought might help determine what had happened.

Thats one of the bedeviling things about counterintelligence and the wilderness that it is  nobody wants to be caught in a position of saying we wrote that off and then five years later saying, Holy cow, it was actually a real guy, Mr. Hall said.

American intelligence agencies believe that Russias spy services see the deep political divisions in the United States as a fresh opportunity to inflame partisan tensions. Russian hackers are targeting American voting databases ahead of the midterm election this year, they said, and using bot armies to promote partisan causes on social media. The Russians are also particularly eager to cast doubt on the federal and congressional investigations into the Russian meddling, American intelligence officials said.

Part of that effort, the officials said, appears to be trying to spread information that hews closely to unsubstantiated reports about Mr. Trumps dealings in Russia, including the purported video, whose existence Mr. Trump has repeatedly dismissed.

Rumors that Russian intelligence possesses the video surfaced more than a year ago in an explosive and unverified dossier compiled by a former British spy and paid for by Democrats. Since then, at least four Russians with espionage and underworld connections have appeared in Central and Eastern Europe, offering to sell kompromat to American political operatives, private investigators and spies that would corroborate the dossier, American and European intelligence officials said.

American officials suspect that at least some of the sellers are working for Russias spy services.

The Times obtained four of the documents that the Russian in Germany tried to pass to American intelligence (The Times did not pay for the material). All are purported to be Russian intelligence reports, and each focuses on associates of Mr. Trump. Carter Page, the former campaign adviser who has been the focus of F.B.I. investigators, features in one; Robert and Rebekah Mercer, the billionaire Republican donors, in another.

Yet all four appear to be drawn almost entirely from news reports, not secret intelligence. They all also contain stylistic and grammatical usages not typically seen in Russian intelligence reports, said Yuri Shvets, a former K.G.B. officer who spent years as a spy in Washington before immigrating to the United States after the end of the Cold War.
Directors of an influential Latino business organization met on Sunday to discuss allegations that their chief executive had engaged in sexual harassment and financial impropriety, according to people close to the board.

At the meeting, the board of the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, a nonprofit group that promotes the interests of Latino businesses, reviewed allegations that its chief executive, Javier Palomarez, sexually harassed an employee and improperly padded his pay, said two people close to the board who were not authorized to speak publicly. The board said on Friday that it had hired an outside law firm to investigate various allegations, but did not offer details or specify who was the subject of the claims.

Mr. Palomarez has disputed the accusations.

I categorically deny these deeply troubling allegations, and I will fully cooperate with any investigation into them, he said in a statement issued late Friday.

By Sunday evening, it was not clear whether the meeting had ended or what the outcome might be.

Mr. Palomarez said in his statement that the financial allegations were part of a retaliatory effort by a different woman, a former superior, with whom he said he had an intimate relationship. In court papers filed in Texas, he identified that woman as Nina Vaca, a former chairwoman of the chamber who runs the Pinnacle Group, a technology services firm based in Dallas, and had remained on the board of both the chamber and its charitable arm. (The Texas court filing, made on behalf of Mr. Palomarez, was a formal request to interview Ms. Vaca in anticipation of a lawsuit against her.)
The Trump infrastructure blueprint is almost certain to call for expensive new roads, bridges, airports and other projects in areas that are increasingly vulnerable to rising waters and other threats from a warming planet. Engineers and researchers say that construction plans should consider these design constraints at the outset. Their concern is that a plan led by a White House that has both discounted climate science and weakened climate change regulations could mean that costly projects may be vulnerable to damage or, in a worst-case scenario, quickly rendered obsolete by the changing environment.

The impact of not considering climate change when planning infrastructure means you end up building the wrong thing, in the wrong place, to the wrong standards, said Michael Kuby, a professor of geographical sciences and urban planning at Arizona State University and contributing author to the National Climate Assessment, the federal governments most comprehensive scientific study of the effect of global warming on the United States. Thats a whole lot of waste.

Climate change already poses one of the most significant threats to the nations infrastructure, according to dozens of scientific and engineering studies, including several prepared by the federal government. A 2017 report by the Environmental Protection Agency concluded that, through the end of the century, up to $280 billion will be needed to adapt the nations roads and railways to the effects of a warming climate.

A White House spokeswoman, who asked to remain anonymous because the plan was not yet public, declined to discuss whether climate change reports were considered in the preparation of Mr. Trumps blueprint. The presidents team spent almost a full year formulating his infrastructure plan and all relevant scientific data was considered, she said in an emailed statement.

Since the beginning of his administration, Mr. Trump and his appointees have steadily worked to roll back climate change regulations. Mr. Trumps E.P.A. chief, Scott Pruitt, has taken the lead role in the administrations efforts to undo climate policies and question the validity of climate science. On Wednesday, Mr. Pruitt suggested that global warming could benefit humanity.
LOUISVILLE, Ky.  With approval from the Trump administration fresh in hand, Kentucky is rushing to roll out its first-in-the-nation plan to require many Medicaid recipients to work, volunteer or train for a job  even as critics mount a legal challenge to stop it on the grounds that it violates the basic tenets of the program.

At least eight other Republican-led states are hoping to follow  a ninth, Indiana, has already won permission to do so  and some want to go even further by imposing time limits on coverage.

Such restrictions are central to Republican efforts to profoundly change Medicaid, the safety net program that has provided free health insurance to tens of millions of low-income Americans for more than 50 years. The ballooning deficits created by the budget deal that President Trump signed into law Friday and the recent tax bill are likely to add urgency to the partys attempts to wring savings from entitlement programs.

House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, Republican of Wisconsin, said Thursday that addressing entitlement spending is what you need to do to fully deal with this debt crisis, though Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican majority leader from Kentucky, said he has ruled out doing so this year.
Some of these procedures take place because of the chaotic state of abortion care in this country: Poor women (the majority of those having abortions) often have trouble raising the funds for abortion, which Medicaid will not pay for in the majority of states. By the time they have managed to raise the funds and get themselves to a clinic, their pregnancies have often advanced to a later stage.

In spite of all the obstacles facing women who seek an abortion, nearly 90 percent of abortions take place in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Even more would likely take place then were not so many obstacles in place, such as the waiting periods in 27 states, some as long as 72 hours.

CAROLE JOFFE

BERKELEY, CALIF.

The writer is a professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at the University of California, San Francisco.

To the Editor:

David Brooks was spot on that those who believe in abortion restrictions find the Democratic Partys unyielding position on expanded abortion services anathema to their moral outlook. As a longtime Democrat, I identified with many of the partys principles. But I was distressed as the rallying cry for the Democratic Party became abortion on demand. The lack of human decency that would fail to protect a baby in the last few months of gestation was so offensive that other positive traits of a politician no longer mattered.

In 1992, at age 52, I switched to the Republican Party, where I will remain until Democrats show some sign of detachment from their strident political base.

ALBERT REPICCI

RIVERSIDE, CONN.

To the Editor:

David Brooks writes that if Roe v. Wade is overturned, the abortion issue would go back to the states. I have little doubt that a federal law outlawing abortion would immediately follow, and that it would be upheld by the current Supreme Court.

Id like to raise one more aspect of the abortion issue: Imagine if, through the operation of some mysterious force, men suddenly, with no warning, became the gender that got pregnant. Does anyone think that the right to choose would still be at all controversial?
When theres a vacuum, there are going to be entities that step into it, Chris Lehane told me. This is an example of that. Lehane is the head of global policy for Airbnb, which ran a commercial this month that alluded (without profanity) to Trumps shithole countries remark and promoted those very places as travel destinations. It spoke to another vacuum  a moral one  being filled by companies, many of which are more high-minded, forward-thinking and solutions-oriented than the federal government on immigration, L.G.B.T. rights, climate change and more.

Lehane noted that democratic governments are designed to proceed with caution, but the pace of change in a digital world of automation and, now, artificial intelligence is brisker than ever. The nimbleness of corporations gives them an edge over hoary, complacent institutions, including those in higher education. Corporations creep into that sphere is looking more and more like a sprint.

They are very frustrated with what theyre getting from our educational institutions, said Philip Zelikow, a University of Virginia professor who collaborated with corporate leaders like Howard Schultz of Starbucks on a 2015 report titled Americas Moment: Creating Opportunity in the Connected Age. The American labor market is dysfunctional and broke.

In an effort to make sure that employees have up-to-the-minute technical skills  or are simply adept at critical thinking and creative problem solving  more companies have developed academies of their own. Thats likely to accelerate.

I think enterprises like Amazon and Google are going to build universities that teach coding and things the nation needs, Margaret Spellings, the president of the University of North Carolina System, recently told me. Spellings was education secretary under President George W. Bush.

Donald Trumps education secretary, Betsy DeVos, has mulled the same possibility. Speaking to the U.S. Conference of Mayors last month, she recalled a conversation with the Israeli ambassador: He was baffled as to why Americas businesses havent simply stepped in to create their own education programs to equip individuals with the necessary skills, instead of relying on others to get it right for them. Some businesses have done precisely that, though DeVos was obviously wondering whether that effort was enough. She said that there were six million job openings in America and suggested that schools werent graduating students with the know-how to fill them.

Corporations have long been engines of innovation, sources of philanthropy and even laboratories for social policy. But the situation feels increasingly lopsided these days. Im struck, for example, by the intensity of conversation over the last year about what Facebook and its algorithms should do to stanch the destructive tribalism in American life. Its true that Mark Zuckerbergs monster has badly aggravated that dynamic, in part by allowing its platform to be manipulated by bad actors. But so has Washington, and we seem less hopeful that its redeemable and likely to shepherd us to a healthier place.
And yet, despite the election cycle, despite the opioid crisis, despite the tax bill, despite yawning inequality, I still see good in this country.

For one thing, Ive heard it all before; when it comes to confronting anti-Americanism, Im a veteran. Anytime I work in Gaza or the West Bank, and must explain why the Trump administration is cutting funding to refugees. Every time I work with a Syrian refugee and must explain why we have a travel ban against Muslims. Over a decade ago, I climbed the stairs to my Baghdad hotel room thinking, how can I ever go home and live in a country that is so dedicated to occupation and regime change?

But there were other moments. I was walking down Rue de Rivoli in Paris on Sept. 11, 2001, when my phone rang. Someone just flew a plane through the twin towers, a friend told me. The pain and despair I felt in the following days was matched by the private and public sympathy I felt from thousands of Parisians.

When I served as the jury president for the prize for war reporting given in Bayeux, the first city to be liberated during the Battle of Normandy, the mayor showed me the expanse of American graves at the nearby military cemetery as a way of demonstrating what America meant to him, his family and his people.

As a liberal and human rights activist, I am cognizant of the dark times we live in. But I try to remember that generally, and where it counts, we usually do it right. The First Amendment. The New Deal. The Four Freedoms. The Marshall Plan. The opportunity and social mobility that is more possible than in any other country where I have lived.

Without getting into Norman Rockwell platitudes, I see a determined pragmatism, a freshness that comes from growing up in America that only someone who spent years away from it can notice. As the mother of a child in the French educational system, I was aware of how positive reinforcement and encouragement is frowned on in Europe. Oh you Americans, always saying, Good boy! one of my sons teachers once told me. We dont believe in doing that.

In France, only the very bright can enter programs to prepare them for the graduate schools that act as iron gateways to the elite. In America, we draw our political and economic leadership from everywhere. Yes, there are loans. But there are also chances.
Three years ago I was one of thousands of Yazidi women kidnapped by the Islamic State and sold into slavery. I endured rape, torture and humiliation at the hands of multiple militants before I escaped. I was relatively lucky; many Yazidis went through worse than I did and for much longer. Many are still missing. Many have been killed.

Once I escaped, I felt that it was my duty to tell the world about the brutality of the Islamic State. Yazidi women hoped that recounting our experiences of mass murder, rape and enslavement would bring attention to the Yazidi genocide. We received sympathy and solidarity all over the world, but now what we really need is concrete action to get justice and allow our community to return to its homeland.

On Aug. 3, 2014, the Islamic State invaded the Sinjar region in northern Iraq with the mission of exterminating the Yazidis, whose numbers are estimated to be between 400,000 and 500,000. Our religion dates back to ancient Mesopotamia and preserves pre-Islamic practices. Because of that, the Islamic State called us pagans without a holy book, and used that slander to justify murder. The majority of Yazidis fled, initially to the mountains of northwestern Iraq, and then to Iraqi Kurdistan.

Kocho, my village of 1,800 people about 15 miles from the city of Sinjar, was under siege for almost two weeks before it fell to the Islamic State. The militants lined up over 300 men behind a school and shot them. Their bodies were buried in irrigation ditches. Among those bodies were six of my brothers.
Unfortunately, you cannot expect much help from the authorities. The police, as you learned, will probably not intervene because your neighbor is threatening the life of the dog, not the shareholder, said Robin A. Lewis, a real estate lawyer in Manhattan. The cops are not going to get involved.

You wont get much help from the co-op board, either, because boards tend to avoid neighbor disputes. If the board does step in, it could side with your neighbor, not you. Consider the handout management circulated: It provided guidance for how pet owners, not their neighbors, should behave. Going to the board could backfire, Ms. Lewis said. You could end up with a problem with your dog. Your proprietary lease, for example, may include pet restrictions, or the board may say that the dogs behavior causes a nuisance.

Approach your neighbor gently, without your dog present, and ask her what you could do to lessen her anxiety around your pet. Or, contact a mediation organization that could arrange a session for the two of you to work this out. Were all better than our worst selves, Mr. Heckman said.
Whenever I think of those alternate realities, those theories of time where new dimensions split open every time you choose between hot or cold coffee, I feel like hurtling myself into the sun. Its just too big, theres too much, and I begin to feel shackled by the shoulds. Which decisions might, or might not, make me the person Im supposed to be? And, sometimes when you order cold brew they give you yesterdays coffee on ice, and its like: Great, why cant I be in the dimension where I have drinkable coffee?

Theres something so freeing about abandoning it all, or maybe just the urge to. The way in elementary school my paintings just ended up being a puddle of gray, and the art teacher would sit down with me and ask, What were you going for? What happened? And I would stare down at my gray puddle, unable to explain what happened.
 Highlighting how mandatory minimums can distort pretrial procedures and practices | Main | Should there be (and will there be) an appeal of federal judge's imposition of "shorter sentence because ... of [defendant's] decision to be sterilized"? 

February 10, 2018

New Utah death penalty study may add momentum to repeal efforts

This local article, headlined "New study of Utahs use of the death penalty suggests life without parole costs less, prompts another call to abolish capital punishment," reports on a new report which could help jump start efforts to abolish the death penalty in the Beehive State. Here are the details and some context:

A group of Utah attorneys, advocates and state staff have spent the last year studying the states death penalty. The working group, created by Utahs Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, examined several areas, including costs, aggravating factors and public attitude. The CCJJ report, released Friday [and available here], noted there were fundamental difficulties inherent in analyzing death penalty policy. The group did not make any recommendations or proposed changes to Utahs current capital punishment system. But a group called Utah Conservatives Concerned about the Death Penalty said the report shows that a significant amount of money has been spent seeking death sentences without much in return. They called on lawmakers to abolish capital punishment in Utah. This report should give pause to anyone who thought that because capital punishment is so rarely used in Utah that the cost of maintaining a death penalty would be negligible, director Kevin Greene said in a statement. ... The millions of dollars that we have been wasting on the death penalty should either be returned to the taxpayers in the form of a tax cut or used for crime prevention or to help victims of crime. Heres what the study found: Cost estimates for the price of the death penalty in Utah are limited, the group noted. Legislative analysts in 2012 estimated that a death sentence and decades of appeals costs $1.6 million more than a life-without-parole sentence. Another more recent report estimated that Utah and its counties have spent almost $40 million to prosecute the 165 death-penalty eligible cases that have been filed in the last two decades. Only two cases in that time have resulted in a death sentence.... Utah currently has over 60 aggravating factors in the homicide law that allow prosecutors to seek the death penalty  and state lawmakers are contemplating adding even more. At a recent legislative hearing, some expressed concern that Utah may have too many crimes that qualify for the death penalty, and that an appeals court could torpedo the capital punishment law for being too broad. In the CCJJ report, the group noted that they could not come to an agreement about whether the number of aggravating factors should be limited. They noted that most states rarely remove aggravating factors  and instead have been adding more through the years. The working group looked at several polls about Utahns attitude toward the death penalty, noting that there have been conflicting results. Two polls showed Utahns support the death penalty, while two others showed less support for execution in favor of life-without-parole sentences. The group concluded it was probably reasonable to suggest simply that public support for the death penalty in Utah is declining over previous highs. Utah legislators came close to outlawing the death penalty in 2016  but the bill never reached the House floor before the midnight deadline on the last night of session. Criminal justice reforms groups have said another push to end capital punishment in Utah is likely during this legislative session  though a bill to abolish it has not yet been public. Since 2010, Utah prosecutors have filed 119 aggravated murder cases, according to Utah court data. Such cases can result in punishments of 25 years to life, life in prison without the possibility of parole, or death. Only one of those cases  a retrial of a 1993 case  resulted in a death sentence. Of the nine men currently on Utahs death row, two were originally convicted as long ago as 1985. All but one of the rest were convicted before 1999, although one case was retried in 2015 and resulted in a second capital murder conviction. All nine have ongoing appeals underway in state or federal court. The last execution was carried out in 2010, when Ronnie Lee Gardner was executed by firing squad for the 1984 murder of Michael Burdell, a Salt Lake City lawyer, during Gardners failed escape attempt from the 3rd District courthouse.

Notably, in the not too distant past, a significant number of states abolished the death penalty formally or functionally. As reflected in this DPIC page, from 2007 through 2013, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, Illinois, Connecticut and Maryland became abolitionist states. Since 2013, the only significant legislative action on this front took place in Nebraska; but the death penalty repeal passed by state senators in 2015 was rejected by voters in a 2016 referendum. In light of this recent history, I think it would be a pretty big deal if abolition efforts picked up steam in Utah.

February 10, 2018 at 10:26 AM | Permalink

Comments

It would be notable if a conservative state like Utah ends the death penalty though given its small population and limited number of executions, the net effect would be somewhat small. Cost arguments might be more convincing in such a state given the small number though like the use of the firing squad being influenced by religious beliefs in particular, only so far.

Posted by: Joe | Feb 10, 2018 11:46:52 AM

I always question the assumptions in cost-benefit analysis. In my state, with fewer cases in which prosecutors are seeking the death penalty, juvenile life without parole is becoming the new death penalty (i.e. capital attorneys are being assigned to the cases and the cases are being tried in the same manner as death penalty cases). Thus, while for adults, seeking the death penalty is more expensive than seeking life without parole today; there is a very real chance that,if the death penalty were abolished, almost all of that expense would shift to life without parole cases.

Posted by: tmm | Feb 12, 2018 11:45:17 AM

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Alarmist? Sure. But Mr. Yangs doomsday prophecy echoes the concerns of a growing number of labor economists and tech experts who are worried about the coming economic consequences of automation. A 2017 report by McKinsey & Company, the consulting firm, concluded that by 2030  three presidential terms from now  as many as one-third of American jobs may disappear because of automation. (Other studies have given cheerier forecasts, predicting that new jobs will replace most of the lost ones.)

Perhaps it was inevitable that a tech-skeptic candidate would try to seize the moment. Scrutiny of tech companies like Facebook and Google has increased in recent years, and worries about monopolistic behavior, malicious exploitation of social media and the addictive effects of smartphones have made a once-bulletproof industry politically vulnerable. Even industry insiders have begun to join the backlash.

To fend off the coming robots, Mr. Yang is pushing what he calls a Freedom Dividend, a monthly check for $1,000 that would be sent to every American from age 18 to 64, regardless of income or employment status. These payments, he says, would bring everyone in America up to approximately the poverty line, even if they were directly hit by automation. Medicare and Medicaid would be unaffected under Mr. Yangs plan, but people receiving government benefits such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program could choose to continue receiving those benefits, or take the $1,000 monthly payments instead.

The Freedom Dividend isnt a new idea. Its a rebranding of universal basic income, a policy that has been popular in academic and think-tank circles for decades, was favored by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the economist Milton Friedman, and has more recently caught the eye of Silicon Valley technologists. Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and the venture capitalist Marc Andreessen have all expressed support for the idea of a universal basic income. Y Combinator, the influential start-up incubator, is running a basic income experiment with 3,000 participants in two states.

Despite its popularity among left-leaning academics and executives, universal basic income is still a leaderless movement that has yet to break into mainstream politics. Mr. Yang thinks he can sell the idea in Washington by framing it as a pro-business policy.
SAN FRANCISCO  Nearly a year after accusing Uber of stealing its driverless car technology, Waymo agreed on Friday to settle a closely watched lawsuit filed against the ride-hailing company.

Now for Waymo, which grew out of Googles seminal autonomous vehicle project and is nearly a decade into an effort that aims to change the very nature of transportation, a much bigger fight looms outside the courtroom.

Waymos competition extends well beyond Uber  and a good part of that competition is directed by engineers it used to employ. Much of the artificial intelligence technology that has come out of Waymos work and from research run by Googles parent company, Alphabet, is now available from other sources, making it easier for companies, even start-ups, to compete.

Waymo may have a technical advantage, said Jason Doran, who helped run the delivery service Sidecar and joined General Motors when the carmaker acquired the start-up. But they have to figure out a business model.
A stranger came to us and said that he was coming to pick us up on behalf of my uncle, but it turned out that it wasnt true. He took us to a really poor and kind of dangerous neighborhood and he said, Thats how our business works. Its cross with them or not at all.

They took us on a bus to the mountains  it was just a normal bus  and then we got off and started walking with a big team of about 30 to 35 people.

The Border Patrol was tracing them. We saw lights. And it just happened so quickly that everybody hid under the bushes, and everybody kind of spread out. I hid under a bush with one of my sisters, my brother and my cousin. And then, all we could hear was people being arrested and being detained.

When we came out, nobody was there. My parents were gone.

I cannot recall how we made a decision of where to go. I mean, my brother was 16 and my cousin was like 17, so they were kind of leading us. Then we suddenly saw a really, really small light, very, very far away. This was in the middle of desert mountains. We walked for a couple hours to get to that and it turns out it was a gas station. About five minutes after us being there and just kind of contemplating what we were going to do next, suddenly my mom and dad appeared at the same gas station.

Leobardos 12-year-old sister was still unaccounted for when the Border Patrol arrived at the gas station and arrested the rest of the family.

My mom was very very emotional all night, crying and just wondering where my sister was. Around 5 or 6 a.m. they took us back to Tijuana on a bus.

In Tijuana, Leobardos father contacted an older daughter who had already been living in Los Angeles, and she had good news: The 12-year-old had made it across the border with others who had broken off from the original group.
WASHINGTON  The Trump administration has adopted new limits on the use of guidance documents that federal agencies have issued on almost every conceivable subject, an action that could have sweeping implications for the governments ability to sue companies accused of violations.

Guidance documents offer the governments interpretation of laws, and often when individuals or companies face accusations of legal violations, what they have really violated are the guidance documents. Defense lawyers say the change in policy gives them a powerful tool to fend off allegations of wrongdoing against their clients.

It also advances a goal declared by President Trump in his first days in office: to reduce the burden and cost of federal rules and requirements. But consumer advocates say the move will crimp enforcement of crucial protections.

The new policy, issued by the No. 3 official at the Justice Department, Rachel L. Brand, is significant because federal agencies have issued hundreds of guidance documents on a wide range of laws covering issues like health care, the environment, civil rights and labor.
Republicans have grown accustomed to the presidents lack of discipline and inability to reliably carry a message. But operatives overseeing the midterm effort and some lawmakers facing difficult re-elections are growing more alarmed that Mr. Trumps fixation on the Russia inquiry, personal slights and personality clashes inside and outside his White House are only encouraging his congressional and conservative news media allies to swerve off message.

The party has finally gotten some good signs. The presidents approval ratings have been inching up in recent polling, fewer voters are indicating a preference for a Democratic Congress and some polls show Mr. Trump starting to get more credit for the booming economy than former President Barack Obama.

But even as voters begin to see more take-home pay, companies add jobs and employees receive bonuses, their votes are not necessarily going to drift to the Republicans in November. Many Americans are still uncertain that they will benefit from the tax measure, Mr. Bliss conceded. He cited a wave of private polling and focus groups that his organization has conducted this year revealing much of the electorate to be skeptical that they would receive a tax cut from the bill, which was signed into law in December.

That is in part because of what mainstream Republicans describe as a destructive cycle of incentives: Mr. Trump reacts to Fox News segments about the Russia investigation or another controversy, encouraging more such coverage and prompting House conservatives from largely safe seats to make their own incendiary comments, which win them television invitations and attention from the president. Such notoriety might help those lawmakers in their deep red districts, but they do nothing for the partys overall political standing.

These guys are performing for the president when they go on TV, said Jason Roe, a longtime Republican strategist who is consulting on a series of at-risk House districts in California.

Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida, a first-term Republican who is one of Mr. Trumps most visible champions outside the White House staff, all but said as much.
WASHINGTON  Under pressure from President Trump, Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee plan to redact a memo defending the F.B.I.s surveillance of a former Trump campaign aide to resolve Mr. Trumps complaint that the document disclosed highly sensitive information, a Democrat on the committee said Saturday.

But the Democrat, Jim Himes of Connecticut, accused Mr. Trump of hypocrisy in demanding changes to the document, echoing a grievance leveled by other Democrats on the committee. Mr. Himes noted that the president had declassified the contents of a rival Republican memo, based on the same underlying documents, that criticized the F.B.I.s behavior despite vigorous objections from both the bureau and the Justice Department.

There is just no way that man will allow the release of information that shows that the Nunes memo is just plain wrong, Mr. Himes said in an interview, referring to the Republican memo drafted by aides to Devin Nunes, Republican of California and the committees chairman.

Both memos address the F.B.I.s justification for seeking a secret court warrant in October 2016 to eavesdrop on the former Trump campaign aide, Carter Page, who was suspected of being an agent of Russia.
But it was in keeping with the White Houses initially defensive reaction to the charges against Mr. Porter  a messy trail of conflicting statements that has left the West Wing in turmoil, with angry officials pointing fingers at one another.

The White House chief of staff, John F. Kelly, and the press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, staunchly defended Mr. Porter initially. Ms. Sanders said the president had full confidence in his performance, while Mr. Kelly described him as a man of true integrity and honor.

Yet the allegations against Mr. Porter and Mr. Sorensen were longstanding, well documented, and at least in Mr. Porters case, known to the White House for months, even as he held one of the West Wings most sensitive positions, channeling paperwork to the president.

One of Mr. Porters former wives, Jennifer Willoughby, obtained a restraining order against him, while the other, Colbie Holderness, presented a photograph of herself with a black eye, which she said came from being hit by Mr. Porter while the couple was on vacation in Italy.

The F.B.I. informed the White House of these charges, which held up Mr. Porters application for a permanent security clearance. Mr. Kelly has told his staff he ordered Mr. Porter to be fired 40 minutes after learning of the charges, an assertion that other officials disputed.

In the case of Mr. Sorensen, his former wife, Jessica Corbett, told F.B.I. agents conducting a background check on her husband that he had run over her foot while driving a car and extinguished a cigarette on her hand during a turbulent two-and-a-half-year marriage.

For his part, Mr. Trump generously praised Mr. Porter, telling reporters on Friday, He did a very good job when he was in the White House, and we wish him well. The president made no mention of the women Mr. Porter is said to have abused  a point several of the presidents critics noted.
Two police officers in a city near Columbus, Ohio, were shot and killed Saturday while responding to a 911 hangup call involving potential domestic abuse, the authorities said.

Chief Joe Morbitzer of the Westerville Police Department said the officers, Eric Joering, 39, and Anthony Morelli, 54, had responded at 12:10 p.m., eight minutes after the call, about a potential domestic situation.

As they went into the apartment they were immediately met with gunfire, and both officers were shot, Chief Morbitzer said at a news conference on Saturday afternoon. He paused several times to choke back tears.

Officer Joering, a 16-year veteran of the department, died at the scene. Officer Morelli, a 29-year veteran, was transported to the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus in critical condition and later died. Officer Joering had a wife and four daughters, and Officer Morelli had a wife and two children.
Covert propaganda. A plot to destabilize international relations. An assassination attempt on the president of the United States. Homeland is bound up in so many complex conspiracies, it can be hard to unravel them all.

But lets separate wheat from chaff: You dont need to remember, for example, all the ins-and-outs of the plot to manipulate the United States into thinking that Iran was violating its nuclear agreement. You need only know that the shadowy Dar Adal (F. Murray Abraham) was behind it. He lurks behind most of the shows major events lately: the Sekou Bah bombing; the creation of a propaganda machine to undermine the president-elect; the Child Services investigation into Frannys welfare; some dirty deals with Mossad; the betrayal of a double agent; and the confinement, in a freezer, of a United States senator, who was also in his underwear. (Dar really gets around.)

Homeland

Where to watch: Showtime, Amazon, Hulu, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu

Add it to your Watchlist

One thing Dar wasnt responsible for? The assassination attempt on the president-elect, Elizabeth Keane, which has since turned her into a frightening authoritarian. Our heroine Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) is, of course, troubled, and Carrie being Carrie  despite also being out of a job, frozen out of the White House and short on allies  we know that she will take it upon herself to try to fix this mess in Season 7. So before she returns to Showtime on Feb. 11, lets take a look at where we left off:

#NotMyPresident
RIO DE JANEIRO  Gunfights have raged daily in several neighborhoods of Rio de Janeiro, as drug gangs battled over territory in recent weeks.

Residents have been lining up for hours in hopes of scoring a yellow fever vaccine amid an outbreak that has killed more than 20 people in the state.

But that didnt stop thousands of people from pouring onto the streets on Friday as the citys famed Carnival began, displaying Rio de Janeiros mesmerizing ability to keep chaos and carnage from derailing a party.
 New Utah death penalty study may add momentum to repeal efforts | Main | "Bail Reform and Risk Assessment: The Cautionary Tale of Federal Sentencing" 

February 10, 2018

Should there be (and will there be) an appeal of federal judge's imposition of "shorter sentence because ... of [defendant's] decision to be sterilized"?

In this post a couple of days ago, I noted the remarkable federal sentencing story out of Oklahoma in which a defendant was seemingly seeking a reduced sentence in a fraud case because she followed a judge's suggestion in this order that she consider taking steps to be "rendered incapable of procreation." This follow up article, headlined "Oklahoma woman gets shorter prison sentence because she got sterilized," the defendant's decision to follow the judge's suggestion seemingly reduced her sentence a few months. Here are the details:

A judge Thursday showed leniency to a drug-using mother of seven because she had surgery to prevent further pregnancies. Summer Thyme Creel, 34, was sentenced to a year in federal prison and three years on supervised release for passing counterfeit checks. She was ordered to pay $15,246 in restitution. Creel voluntarily underwent the medical procedure in November after the Oklahoma City federal judge suggested it in a scheduling order. "She will receive a shorter sentence because she made that decision," U.S. District Judge Stephen Friot said before announcing the punishment. Friot on Thursday also defended his sterilization suggestion, saying the U.S. Supreme Court "has yet to recognize a constitutional right to bring crack- or methamphetamine-addicted babies into this world." In his order last June, the judge called Creel a habitual user of crack cocaine and methamphetamine. He wrote in that order she had given up her parental rights to six of her seven children and likely had used illegal drugs while pregnant. He then wrote he would consider at sentencing medical evidence Creel had undergone a sterilization procedure "if (and only if) she chooses to do so." Creel had faced up to 16 months in federal prison under sentencing guidelines intended to keep punishments uniform across the country. Judges do not have to follow the guidelines, though, and the maximum possible punishment for Creel's offense was 10 years in prison. The unusual order  first reported by The Oklahoman  attracted national and international attention. The judge has been both praised and condemned. "When I read the order, I was horrified, Lynn Paltrow, founder of the National Advocates for Pregnant Women, told The Washington Post. "We find it highly unlikely that this judge has asked any man how many children he fathered and used that in his sentencing determination." The judge Thursday did not directly comment on the public criticism. He did state his order last year had made clear that "the decision as to whether to be sterilized would be for Ms. Creel and Ms. Creel alone to make." He also explained he would not have counted it against Creel if she had decided against the procedure. "She would have come before the court in the same posture as any other habitual criminal," he said. "Her fertility would have been a non-issue." The judge chided a prosecutor for telling him in a sentencing memorandum Creel has "a fundamental constitutional right to procreate." The prosecutor in the memo had cited a 1942 U.S. Supreme Court decision that found unconstitutional Oklahoma's Habitual Criminal Sterilization Act. "This is rather curious," the judge said of the prosecutor's position on the issue. The judge then pointed out the 1942 decision had involved involuntary sterilization. He said the prosecutor apparently overlooked that fact. Creel was punished Thursday for her involvement in a fraudulent check-cashing ring that used information from stolen mail to manufacture counterfeit checks. "Theirs was a systematic and successful identity theft scheme," the judge said. She pleaded guilty last year to one federal counterfeiting offense. She admitted she had passed a $202.22 counterfeit check in 2014 at a Walmart in Moore. She has prior theft and counterfeit check convictions in county courts but always received probation. She originally had sought probation in her federal case. That possibility ended when she was arrested for passing a $121.71 counterfeit check at a Hobby Lobby in Midwest City a month after pleading guilty. She also has tested positive for methamphetamine use  twice  since her guilty plea. The second time, the judge had her jailed pending sentencing. Her defense attorney, Brett Behenna, told the judge Creel has had a tough life and became caught in a cycle of poverty. He said she turned to illegal drugs as an escape.... "I'm sorry for the mistakes that I made," Creel told the judge. Another participant in the scheme, Amber L. Perkins, 43, was sentenced last March to five years in prison and ordered to pay $159,753 in restitution.

This five-page order that the Judge Friot issued in conjunction with the sentencing leaves no doubt that the defendant's sterilization decision was a consequential factors in his sentencing decision. Here are the closing paragraphs of the order:

If anything was clear from the courts June order, it was that the decision as to whether to be sterilized would be for Ms. Creel and Ms. Creel alone to make. The short of the matter is that Ms. Creel will get the benefit of her decision to be sterilized. She will receive a shorter sentence because she made that decision. But a decision not to be sterilized would not have counted against Ms. Creel for sentencing purposes  she would have come before the court in the same posture as any other habitual criminal. Her fertility status would have been a nonissue. Moreover, if we assume, as the government urges, that the courts approach to sentencing in this case might raise a constitutional issue, the court will note that the Supreme Court has yet to recognize a constitutional right to bring crack or methamphetamine addicted babies into this world. Accordingly, in determining the sentence to be imposed upon Ms. Creel, the court will take into account all of the factors spelled out in 18 U.S.C.  3553, a determination which will give Ms. Creel the benefit of her decision to be sterilized.

As federal sentencing gurus know, any appeal of this sentencing proceeding would be generally subject to a reasonableness standard of review. Though I have not read the full record, I am still inclined to consider Judge Friot's work here unreasonable because he unduly suggested that sterilization was an essential (and perhaps exclusive) way for this defendant to "earn" a below-guideline sentence.

I generally believe (and often have argued) that a wide range of considerations can and should be brought to bear as a federal sentencing judge considers, under 18 U.S.C  3553(a), what sentence will be "sufficient, but not greater than necessary, to comply with the purposes set forth" by Congress. But it strikes me as highly problematic for a judge, prior to sentencing, to tell a defendant that a reduced sentence will be possible if (and perhaps only if) the defendant engages in specific life-altering personal behavior. The procreation dynamics here are particularly concerning in light of some ugly history on this front; but I would also be troubled if a judge said to a defendant, for example, I will likely cut you a sentencing break only if you divorce that spouse who pressured you into criminal activity or only if you contractually commit to giving 50% of all future salary to charity.

That all said, and as my post title suggests, I suspect that there will not be an appeal of this sentence by the federal government (or the defense) and so we will not likely see a higher court reviewing Judge Friot's work here. But, of course, that should not prevent the court of public opinion from chiming in, perhaps using the comments here.

Prior related post:

February 10, 2018 at 11:15 AM | Permalink

Comments

There should not to avoid wasting tax money. She had 7. It is too late, and her offer is meaningless. Her spawn will commit ten of thousands of crimes, and generate $millions in damages to our economy.

Posted by: David Behar | Feb 10, 2018 11:38:41 AM

Reference is made to "no limit" on information that a judge can "consider" for imposing an appropriate sentence. I gather there could be some sort of patently unreasonable information here, such as "if the person is Catholic" or something.

The "engages in specific life-altering personal behavior" test is rather broad. Why wouldn't that include drug treatment? Any number of things are "life-altering." What is specifically concerning here is the clear constitutional liberty interest involved in procreation (marriage -- the divorce example -- is another such interest). The charity example seems different there though its reach is concerning. Plus, there might be some sort of constitutional liberty interest involved there involving property rights.

As noted by someone in a past comment, the judge's "but this is voluntary!" argument is a tad specious. An objective observer would deem it coercive that it was stated that sterilization could result in the reduction of sentence. Since the government itself, going by the five page order, counseled against factoring that in, I can see an appellate court being concerned. Still, it would seem strange for the defendant to be burdened if it is found the judge shouldn't have let's say taken a year off the sentence for that reason. So, an appeal would be unjust on that ground.

Is there a sensible way to bring suit to address this wrongful action?

This comment btw is particularly gratuitous:

"Supreme Court has yet to recognize a constitutional right to bring crack or

methamphetamine addicted babies into this world."

Actually, if a pregnant woman is addicted to drugs and in the process transmitting drugs to her fetus, she has a constitutional right to bring said fetus to term. In this respect, babies addicted to drugs have a right to come into this world.

Posted by: Joe | Feb 10, 2018 11:39:43 AM

"babies addicted to drugs have a right to come into this world"

No.

A woman has a right to give birth, this is not the same as the baby having a right to be born. On the contrary, because the woman also has a right not to give birth, the baby has no right to be born (to be brought into this world).

In IVF, five eggs may be fertilized, but only one is implanted. The other four do not have a legal claim to also be born or receive damages.



Posted by: Woman's right, not baby's right | Feb 10, 2018 12:46:06 PM

The last comment is a side issue given the judge spoke about "bringing" babies into the world, which would apply to the woman.

I readily concede the two things cited are not the "same" and that women have the right not to give birth. It is to be noted that the Supreme Court accepted a viability line with life/health exceptions so that there is a limit to some right not to give birth after viability. Anyway, my comment applied to a specific situation.

IF a woman decides to give birth to an addicted fetus, "in this respect," there is a "legal entitlement" (a "right") in place for the baby to be born. Given the viability line for the right to abortion, as a legal matter, there can be a statutory "right" to be born even against the will of the woman to some extent.

The last point about IVF etc. is duly noted. It doesn't change the above. It is not assumed a fetus has a right to be born against the will of the mother generally or that going back to the fertilized egg that there is some right for eggs to develop or anything of that nature. Anyways, the whole thing is largely beside the point -- "brought into the world" addresses the woman here. And, yes, as is surely not disputed, a woman has a constitutional right, even if the fetus is addicted to drugs, if she chooses, to bring the fetus to term and give birth.

Posted by: Joe | Feb 10, 2018 3:25:04 PM

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Even so, the province shut 27 coal mines last year. Taiyuan also banned the sale, transport or use of coal by individuals or small businesses. In Qiaoli, a small village surrounded by orchards and fields, yellow pipes to carry natural gas now snake around old brick houses, fueling heaters that the local government installed at no expense to the residents.

The village is on the outskirts of Linfen, an industrial city of 4.4 million which was once ranked among the worlds most heavily polluted cities, a consequence of the unregulated boom of steel and other industries locating factories close to their fuel source. Like much of northeastern China, even this region has enjoyed an unusual respite from the smog.

Li Lihu, a retiree who lives in a second-floor apartment in an enclosed courtyard, called the shift from coal a sign of Chinas progress. He said people in the area welcomed the relief from air pollution as much as, if not more than, residents in Beijing, where the smog was a national disgrace only a year ago.

According to Mr. Myllyvirta of Greenpeace, the pollution in Shanxi  as measured by the concentration of PM 2.5, or particulate matter of a size deemed especially harmful  dropped 20 percent in the last three months of 2017, after the start of the campaign to remove coal stoves, compared with the same period the year before. In Beijing, the drop was nearly 54 percent for the same period.

To be sure, many Shanxi residents complained that the cost of heating their homes with gas furnaces or electric heaters was now much higher. Often they did so while wearing winter coats, hats and scarves indoors.
BANGKOK  The news agency Reuters has published a detailed investigation into the massacre of 10 Rohingya men by Myanmar soldiers and villagers, saying that the work led the Myanmar authorities to arrest two of its reporters.

The article, which was published on Friday, describes how soldiers and Buddhist villagers carried out the killings in September and buried the victims in a single grave. Based on eyewitness accounts, it includes photographs of the Rohingya men tied up and kneeling before their execution, and images after their deaths.

Pictures taken later show what appear to be human bone fragments at the site of the mass grave.

Two of the four journalists who worked on the report, U Wa Lone and U Kyaw Soe Oo, were arrested in December and face trial on charges of violating Myanmars colonial-era Official Secrets Act. They have been denied bail and face up to 14 years in prison.

The massacre described in the Reuters report occurred during a wave of attacks on the Rohingya Muslim minority in Rakhine State last year that Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson said constitutes ethnic cleansing.
Canadas prime minister, Justin Trudeau, was uninjured after his motorcade was involved in a minor crash in Simi Valley, Calif., on Friday night.

Mr. Trudeaus motorcade was being escorted by the California Highway Patrol Dignitary Protection Section at 7:30 p.m. after leaving the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute.

Four miles from the library, a police motorcycle stopped to block the road when the driver of a passenger vehicle tried to make a left turn and pull around the motorcade, Cmdr. Roy Jones of the Simi Valley Police Department said in an interview on Saturday.

The police motorcycle began to move and was struck by the vehicle, throwing the police officer into another police motorcycle in the motorcade. Mr. Trudeaus vehicle did not stop.
Although Sinn Fein has in recent years used a strong roster of candidates to build electoral support in the Republic of Ireland, some southern voters who would otherwise be attracted to its broadly center-left policies are still troubled by its previous support for I.R.A. violence under Mr. Adamss presidency.

Mr. Adams has always denied having been in the I.R.A., but several former republicans have claimed that he had been an active service member in West Belfast in the 1970s and rose to command the organization as chief of staff in 1977, at the height of its violent struggle to end British rule in Northern Ireland.

About 3,500 people died in the Troubles between 1969 and 1998, with the republican side, dominated by the Provisional I.R.A., believed to be responsible for more than 2,000 of these deaths.

Victims of the mainly Roman Catholic I.R.A. included British soldiers, Northern Ireland police officers and Loyalist terrorist opponents, but also many civilian members of the mainly pro-British Protestant majority in Northern Ireland and numerous Catholic civilians who opposed the I.R.A. or were accused of being informers or collaborators.

Mr. Adams has been accused of personally ordering the killings of some of those suspected of being informants. He was questioned in 2014 about the disappearance of Jean McConville, 38, a widowed mother of 10 who was abducted by I.R.A. gunmen in 1972 and found buried on a beach in 2003. He has strongly denied any role in her death and was released without charge.

His successor carries no such historical baggage. Born in a middle-class Dublin neighborhood, Ms. McDonald joined Sinn Fein after the 1998 peace agreement, having previously belonged to Fianna Fail, a conservative establishment party. She is a formidable and aggressive debater, respected by opponents for her communication skills and her grip on policy details.
CAIRO  Egypt said its warplanes struck militant targets in North Sinai on Friday night, destroying weapons dumps as ground forces raided militant hide-outs, as part of a major offensive against the Islamic State in one of the groups most enduring Middle East strongholds.

President Abdel Fattah-el Sisi, who is standing for re-election next month, ordered the offensive after Islamic State militants killed at least 311 people in a ruthless gun-and-bomb assault on a mosque in North Sinai on Nov. 24, in Egypts deadliest terrorist attack. Soon after, Mr. Sisi set a three-month deadline for the army to defeat the militants. The operation began on Friday morning.

But although the military prepared the Egyptian public for large-scale casualties, with hundreds of hospital beds set aside and doctors recalled from leave, it provided scant detail on the operation. The main news release, issued in video form by the military, featured dramatic imagery and music but no information on the scale or the goals of an operation that the military has billed as its biggest push against the Islamic State in years.
Hezbollah said on Saturday that the downing of the Israeli F-16 jet by the Syrian Army marked the start of a new strategic phase, which would limit Israeli exploitation of Syrian airspace. Todays developments mean the old equations have categorically ended, the Lebanese Shiite group said in a statement.

In Syria, the days events were viewed as potential game-changers. Government supporters celebrated in the streets of Damascus, handing out sweets and hailing Mr. Assad and the army.

This is the first time the Syrian government appears to have made good on promises to shoot down Israeli aircraft, after years of threats against both Israel and the other international militaries that have flown sorties over Syria without permission.

I am so happy, said Haidar, 30, a government supporter, as he handed out sweets downtown. It makes me proud to see a Syrian response, shooting down the Israeli F-16. For years we have been waiting for a Syrian reaction against the Israeli violations and airstrikes.

But just as Syrian self-confidence appears to have grown, Israel also sent a strong message with its broad wave of strikes on Saturday, Israeli analysts said. They noted that this was the first time in recent years Israel had struck Syrian territory in broad daylight and said that Israel had inflicted serious damage on Syrias air-defense system. Despite more Syrian antiaircraft fire, all Israeli jets returned to base safely from the second mission, after the first jet was lost, according to the Israeli military. Syria is believed to have fired at least a dozen antiaircraft missiles, with the wreckage of one landing in Lebanon.

It was not immediately clear if the Israeli F-16 was directly hit by the Syrian antiaircraft fire. Early assessments suggested that it was, said Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, another spokesman for the Israeli military, though he added that nothing had been officially confirmed.

The Israeli military said two pilots had bailed from the downed aircraft as per procedure. One pilot was severely injured.
A dry winter coupled with a 3 pronged Pakistan strategy keeps Valley on the boil

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Pakistan has been working overtime to work out a three-pronged strategy in Kashmir. On February 4 an alert from the Intelligence Bureau flashed at all police stations in Kashmir stating that the Jaish-e-Mohammad would strike at an Army camp between February 5 and 11.

It was clear that the attack was planned to coincide with the death anniversaries of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhatt which fall on February 9 and 11 respectively.

The Intelligence had also warned about a three pronged strategy that Pakistan was working out for Kashmir. Strikes on the Forces, ceasefire violations using heavy weapons and mass infiltration.

The Army has had a break-less winter this year. Normally infiltrations are down, but owing to a relatively dry winter, the infiltration bids are being made every day. The lack of snow on the mountain ridges has promoted Pakistan to go ahead with the infiltrations unabated, the Intelligence says.

The recent escape of Naved alias Abu Hanzala was also part of this larger plan. The Jammu and Kashmir police made it clear that the escape was a result of the dwindling numbers in the ranks of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba which has faced heavy losses as its commanders were gunned down one by one.

The cease-fire violations in the Valley too are at an all time high. Pakistan wants to lose no time and is trying to ensure that a good number of its terrorists roam the streets of Kashmir.

The Intelligence states that such violations are likely to continue all through the winter. The Pakistanis have been using the US TOW-2 anti-tank guided missiles and the 120 mm heavy mortars to target the Indian Army. These are heavy weapons and the intent from Pakistan is clear. On one hand it offers talks at the DGMO level and on the other it resorts to heavy firing thus sending out mixed signals to India.

During the incessant shelling from Pakistan, an exploded missile was brought down to the Army headquarters in Delhi. This is being examined and a preliminary study showed that Pakistan is resorting to brute tactics to keep the Line of Control on the boil.

Further every Intelligence input that has been scrambled in the past few days suggested that the Pakistanis would look to attack the forces. A few days the intelligence warnings flashed all across the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

There are reliable inputs that the Jaish is planning to carry out a fidayeen strike on the forces establishments between February 5 and 11. The death anniversaries of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat fall on February 9 and February 11 respectively. The militants may also carry out grenade attacks on forces convoys and may also resort to IED blasts. A high level vigil needs to be maintained for the period from February 5 to February 11 against any such attack.

"All district SSPs will brief their officers/men on ground and other sister agencies regarding the threat perception" during this period. "We need to take all the preventive measures to thwart the nefarious designs of the militants," the document reads. "Extra vigil needs to be maintained from 11 p.m to 6 a.m," the input further read.

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Story first published: Saturday, February 10, 2018, 9:54 [IST]
IAF base attack: Why the role of Pakistan state players cannot be ruled out

Made in China drone may have been used in Jammu IAF base attack

From lewd chats to sharing of classified documents, how this IAF officer was honey trapped

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Kiran Randhawa and Mahima Patel were two Facebook accounts that were used to honey trap an Indian Air Force officer who was arrested on charges of sharing secret documents.

The chats began six months back. The Group Captain, Arun Marwaha was honey trapped and then blackmailed into sharing vital information regarding the IAF.

It began with lewd chats. It then went on to exchange of pictures. Here is where the trap was set and then the officer was blackmailed. It was a clear ISI operation said an officer with the Delhi police investigating the case.

Once in there was no way out and the officer repeatedly sent classified documents. He logged off the Facebook account and then began communicating on WhatsApp.

Honey trapped IAF officer arrested on charge of passing secret docs to ISI

During the questioning, the officer admitted to sharing five documents. While the claims made by the officer are being examined, investigations have found that documents relating to the training exercises of the Marine Commando Force, GARUD Commando Force were also sent. It was also found that a document relating to the Garud Shakti exercise was sent.

The police say that Marwaha was trailed on Facebook. He was very active on the social media and would upload pictures frequently. Pictures of his jumps and non-classified exercises were uploaded by him.

The police say that the accounts of Kiran and Mahima were immediately de-activated following the arrest. Marwaha's cell phone has been seized and is currently being examined by the forensics team.

The next step would be to write to Facebook and WhatsApp in a bid to seek the transcripts of the deleted chats. This would be crucial to the investigation as tracing the IP addresses would be tough, says the Delhi police officer. This is because, the ISI masks the IP addresses which makes it very difficult to trace, the officer explained.

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Story first published: Saturday, February 10, 2018, 8:24 [IST]
That is part of a technical assistance program agreement signed by Vietnamese Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The and Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Craig Chittick yesterday.

The program will supply funds and other resources for new traffic projects from building ideas to implementation, help intensify cooperation between Australian organizations and the Vietnamese Transport Ministry and share Australias experiences in buiding plans for the traffic industry, financial plans for infrastructure and in traffic safety.

According to the agreement, the program will be conducted in the phase of 2018-2022 to assist five large traffic projects.





By BICH QUYEN  Translated by Hai Mien
Karnataka polls: Startline Ballari for Rahul Gandhi; Why the district is important

India

oi-Anusha

By Anusha Ravi

Vijayanagar (translates to 'the city of victory' in Kannada) in Ballari district is where Rahul Gandhi will launch his party's official campaign for Karnataka Assembly Elections 2018 on Saturday. The President of the AICC will tour Hyderabad-Karnataka region on his four-day trip to poll-bound Karnataka and the starting line of his tour is Ballari- the district which became the root cause of Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) undoing in Karnataka thanks to the illegal mining scam.

Rahul Gandhi will land at Jindal airstrip in Ballari, the same place where Sonia Gandhi had landed in 1999 to file nomination papers for her maiden Lok Sabha election. The Congress will launch its official election campaign from Ballari with Rahul Gandhi touring Hospet, Koppal, Yadgir, Kalburgi and concluding the same at Bidar. The choice of Ballari to kickstart the campaign is interesting.

Why Congress chose Ballari to kickstart its campaign?

While Chief Minister Siddaramaiah toured the state to promote his government under "Navakarnataka Nirmana Yatra", State Congress Chief Dr G Parameshwara toured the constituencies that the Congress had lost in the previous assembly election. Saturday's launch is the party's official election campaign. The Congress had chosen to kickstart its campaign from Ballari- the district that led to the downfall of BJP in Karnataka.

Sonia Gandhi's maiden electoral victory

Rahul Gandhi will land at the same airstrip that his mother Sonia Gandhi had landed at in 1999. In her first venture into electoral politics, Sonia Gandhi had chosen to contest from Ballari parliamentary constituency alongside Amethi. Ballari brought Sonia Gandhi her first victory in electoral politics. She won both seats and chose to represent Amethi. In Ballari, Sonia Gandhi defeated none other than BJP veteran Sushma Swaraj.

Gujarat elections: Temple visits by Rahul Gandhi, soft Hindutva on display

BJP's undoing in Karnataka

Allegations of largescale corruption, scams and illegal mining by Janardhana Reddy and his family - infamously referred to as the 'Reddy Brothers' in Ballari became the BJP's undoing in Karnataka. B S Yeddyurappa's government came tumbling down after the Lokayukta unearthed large-scale illegal mining. Not only did the BJP suffer massive loss of face and became a victim of public ire, Yeddyurappa became the first Chief Minister in Karnataka to be jailed over allegations of nepotism and corruption. Scams that were mined out of Ballari led to the Congress returning to power in Karnataka after a decade's hiatus.

'Bellary Chalo': Siddaramaiah's walk against corruption

Sensing opportunity to attack the then BJP government, the Congress launched 'Bellary Chalo'- a 350 km Padayatra led by now Chief Minister Siddaramaiah against corruption and misrule in 2010. The colourful dance of Siddaramaiah with a Veeragaase sword became etched in the memory of Karnataka voters. The yatra did wonders for the Congress by setting the public mood in its favour. The walk started from Bellary- the place Congress deemed the den of BJP's misrule. The yatra also positioned Siddaramaiah as a force to reckon with.

With temple, dargah, mutt and Lingayat shrines visit right on top his priority list, Rahul Gandhi will also address about six rallies, take out bus yatra and hold talks with tribal communities, farmers andbusiness communities during his visit.

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
Less Traffic Day on second Sundays of every month in Bengaluru

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

The government of Karnataka and Karnataka State Transport Department have decided to launch the initiative - 'Less Traffic Day'. This day will be observed on second Sundays of every month, starting 11th February.

Transport Minister HM Revanna requested Bengalureans to support the less traffic day on 2nd Sunday of every month by using the public transportation and start the awareness about pollution and support the initiative taken by the government of Karnataka.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will inaugurate the function on Sunday. The event will also have a jingle penned by Kannada director and lyricist Yograj Bhat to create awareness about it.

The BMRCL and BMTC will offer discounts on fares on 'Less Traffic Day'. A release from BMRCL states that commuters using smart cards will get a discount of 25% instead of the current discount of 15 per cent for journeys on Sunday.

The less traffic day concept is perhaps a second such campaign in the city after 'Bus Day', which was initiated under the BJP regime.

OneIndia News
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: India takes subtle dig at China, hopes for constructive role and not the opposite

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

India took a subtle dig at China on the Maldives issue and said that it hoped all countries played a constructive role rather than doing the opposite.

The reaction from the Ministry of External Affairs came after Maldives had sought China's help to diffuse the ongoing crisis in the country.

The Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement: "We note that China has said that Maldives Government has the ability to protect the security of Chinese personnel and institutions in Maldives. We hope that all countries can play a constructive role in Maldives, instead of doing the opposite."

China had said it was in touch with India to discuss a way to resolve the political turmoil gripping the Maldives and underlined that Beijing doesn't want the issue to become another "flashpoint".

While China officially continues to maintain that there should not be any external interference specially in the light of reports of India's special forces ready for deployment, Beijing is also in touch with New Delhi to resolve the crisis, Chinese official sources said.

The stand-off between India and China in the Dokalam area and Beijing's opposition to declaring Pakistan-based Masood Azhar as a global terrorist at the UN had been major irritants in bilateral ties in the past.

Answering a spate of questions on the Maldives, including today's telephonic conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, in which the situation in the Maldives figured prominently, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said international community should respect sovereignty and independence of the Maldives.

"The current situation in the Maldives is its internal affairs. It should be properly resolved through dialogue and consultations by all relevant parties," he said.

Maldives President Abdulla Yameen sent his Economic Development Minister Mohamed Saeed to China but India said it did not find the dates "suitable" for the visit of Maldives' foreign minister as special envoy to New Delhi.

The UN Security Council too met to discuss the Maldives situation. Ahead of the meeting, UN Assistant Secretary- General Miroslav Jenca reported to have informed the top UN body that while there were no reports of violent clashes, "the situation in the Maldives is tense and may deteriorate even further".

Geng, while replying to a question on reports that Indian Special Forces were ready for deployment in the Maldives to evacuate Indians, said "non-interference in other countries is an important principle of international relations".

"The international community should respect the will of the Maldives and play a constructive role in the stability and development of Maldives instead of doing the opposite," he said.

He said Saeed in his meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has introduced the current situation in the Maldives and said that the government is committed to uphold the rule of law and social order independently resolving the current issue and achieving national stability and development.

"The Maldives has the ability to protect the security of the Chinese personnel and the institutions," Saeed told Wang.

For his part, Wang said China is closely following the situation in the Maldives and believe that the government and people there have the ability to properly resolve the current issue and restore the normal order in the country in accordance with law, Geng said.

"China will not interfere in the internal affairs of the Maldives. This is also an important principle enshrined by UN charter. We support the Maldives government to properly resolve issues through dialogue and consultations with relevant parties and uphold independence, sovereignty and legitimate rights and interests of Maldives," Wang told Saeed according to Geng.

"China has offered self-less assistance to Maldives" for its social development, Wang said adding that the cooperation benefits all the peoples in Maldives.

However, it is not yet clear what is the takeaway from Saeed's China visit.

Asked how the Maldives can resolve the problem independently and unilaterally when top judges and leaders have been locked up by Yameen government, Geng retorted saying that "I think you should raise this question to Maldives government. How will they resolve their internal affairs (problems) you should ask them".

"I want to emphasise that China believes that the Maldives and people have the wisdom and capability to properly resolve the current issue faced them," he said To another question whether Saeed sought China's help to tide over the crisis, Geng said.

"I can tell you that diplomatic channels between the two countries is smooth. China and the Maldives maintain normal and friendly exchanges," he said

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.

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Story first published: Saturday, February 10, 2018, 7:54 [IST]
NIA chargesheets 3 from KCP, Manipur for subversive activities

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The National Investigation Agency has filed a chargesheet against three persons belonging to the proscribed terrorist organisation Kangeleipak Communist Party (KCP) of Manipur. These terrorist were involved in hatching conspiracy and raising funds by terrorising local persons and bodies such as schools, panchayats, govt officials, owners of petrol pumps etc.

The Chargesheet has been filed under sections 17, 18 & 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

The chargesheet names Laishram Ranjit Singh Meitei , self-styled Commander in Chief of the banned terrorist organisation KCP (PWG), Khumanthem Naobicha Singh, self-styled Finance Secretary and Thoudam Chaothoi Singh, an active cadre of the outfit.

Scrutiny and analysis of the documents and digital devices established that the 3 accused persons, being members of the proscribed organization, conspired to raise funds for carrying out subversive activities. They along with other suspects had threatened a number of persons/victims through mobile phones, mails etc. They conspired and intended to raise the number of cadres, further terror activities, raising terror funds, purchasing Arms & Ammunition and publicity of KCP, a banned terrorist organisation in Manipur, the chargesheet also states.

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Story first published: Saturday, February 10, 2018, 6:22 [IST]
Principles above alliance says TDP while protesting against BJP

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

For us principles are above the preservation of the alliance the Telugu Desam Party has said. The TDP's MP, Rammohan Naidu made the statement while protesting against the BJP and forcing an adjournment motion in the Rajya Sabha over the lack of grant to Andhra Pradesh in the recently presented Union Budget 2018.

The TDP has scaled up its protests in both Houses of Parliament. Both the TDP and YSR Congress forced an adjournment in the Lok Sabha as well. Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu is likely to convene a meeting of TDP leaders to discuss the next course of action.

[Read more: TDP MP turns 'tantrik', demands special package for Andhra Pradesh ]

While there is no truce in sight, sources indicate that the TDP is weary of breaking away from the BJP. They feel that if they were to break away then the YSR Congress is likely to take their place in the alliance. This was indicative when Rammohan Naidu said that the YSR Congress is trying to score brownie points over this issue by frequently visiting the Prime Minister's office.

We decided to fight against our own alliance for the betterment of Andhra Pradesh. We have chosen principles over our alliance, he also said. He further added that the patience of the people of Andhra Pradesh had been tested and hence this protest is absolutely necessary.

OneIndia News
Not possible to order release, deport Rohingyas detained in Jammu without following law: SC

Sunjwan Army camp attack: BJP trains gun on Rohingya, Bangladeshi immigrants

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

Soon after the attack on Sunjwan Army cam attack on Saturday, the state BJP leaders raised the issue of alleged threats posed by Rohingyas and Bangladeshi immigrants living Jammu.

On Sunjwan attack, BJP MLC Vikram Randhawa, said, " I have been raising the issue of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas living in surrounding areas of Jammu, illegally. They are increasing, if not stopped they'll act as militant organizations' shelter and this may also be connected to them, the investigation must be done."

Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta said he has received complaints against the immigrants.

He told ANI, "I live in that constituency, complaints have come from there and in a way govt also accepts that number of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis is increasing & that they are a security threat."

"I watched a live video, one can see Army area from rooftops there (where Rohingyas & Bangladeshis live), there is drug mafia running in those areas. For money, some people have given them space to stay.Govt must take note of this," Kavinder Gupta added.

Two Army personnel have been martyred in the terror attack at an Army Camp in Sunjwan, Jammu and Kashmir. The personnel have been identified as JCO M Ashraf Mir and Madan Lal. Four persons who were injured in the attack have been shifted to the Military hospital in Jammu.

OneIndia News
JeM terrorist who killed BJP leader gunned down by security forces in Tral

Importance of killing TRF bosses, Abbas Sheikh, Manzoor: Here are the 33 heinous crimes they committed

Lashkar terrorist from Pakistan sentenced to 7 years in jail for plotting attacks in India

Terror strikes Sunjuwan Army camp: JCO, NCO martyred, 3 terrorists killed

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Army Camp in Sunjwan attacked, Two Army personnel martyred | Oneindia News

Three militants and two soldiers were killed in the terror attack on an Army Camp in Sunjuwan, Jammu and Kashmir. Nine people, including five women and children received injuries in the attack. Two of them are in hospital in critical conditions.

Four Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists barged into the JCO family quarters in the garrison of the 36 Army Brigade and opened fire. The incident took place in the Sunjuwan area of Jammu and Kashmir.

The two slain armymen have been identified as Lt Madan Lal Choudhary, 49, and Habibullah Quereshi, 42.

Currently there is room to room intervention on to pin down the terrorists inside the JCO building. The IAF para commandos have been airlifted from to Jammu from Udhampur.

Security forces have cordoned off the area around the Sunjuwan Army camp after shots were heard inside. The forces are responding to the attack. There were intelligence inputs about a terror strike on an Army camp a few days back. The intelligence stated that an attack is likely on the death anniversary of Afzal Guru.

The Army Chief has briefed Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman about the incident. All schools within a 500 metre radius have been closed.

The Army in a media briefing in the evening confirmed that two terrorists have been killed in the counter-operations. Arms and ammunitions, including AK-56 rifles and hand grenades have been recovered from their possession.

Two terrorists, two junior commissioned officer killed and nine others injured, including five women and two children, said defence spokesperson Lt Col Devender Anand.

Army helicopters and drones have been pressed into service to ascertain the exact location of the terrorists, officials said.

Abhimanyu battle tanks deployed inside the military station in Sunjuwan area, according to sources.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti chaired a high-level security meeting in Jammu following the attack on the army camp. The meeting was attended by J&K director general of police SP Vaid and personnel from other security agencies.

Army chief General Bipin Rawat arrived in Jammu to take stock of the situation.

The attack comes a few days after terrorists carried out a strike at an Army Camp in Pulwama on February 5. Terrorists had hurled a grenade at the camp which houses a unit of the Rashtriya Rifles.

Last week four Indian soldiers, three jawans and a Captain were martyred in unprovoked firing by Pakistan at the Bhimber Gali sector of Rajouri district. Two jawans were also injured in the incident.

OneIndia News
Top naxal, wife arrested, Rs 50,000 cash seized

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

In a major development, the Naxal cell and the c-60 team arrested two naxalites. Those arrested are Ramana and Shrinivas. The wife of Ramana Padma alias Dobya Kodape were also arrested.

They were wanted in a series of cases in Gadchiroli. Ramana was a dreaded naxal and was also part of the Central Committee. Ramana also the head of the technical cell carried a reward of Rs 25 lakh on his head.

He and his wife were involved in several encounters. Based on specific inputs, the security forces intercepted them while they were on their to Hyderabad from Allapalli. Both were then handed over to the Gadchiroli police. At the time of the arrest, the police found Rs 50,000 cash on them.

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Story first published: Saturday, February 10, 2018, 10:04 [IST]
Uttar Pradesh: BJP, SP Congress confident to win bypolls

India

pti-PTI

Lucknow, Feb 10: The BJP, the Samajwadi Party and the Congress expressed confidence they would win the upcoming bypolls on Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha constituencies, vacated by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and his deputy Keshav Prasad Maurya.

The Election Commission has announced that the bypolls on the seats will be held on March 11.

The BJP aims to continue its successful run in the state by retaining the two seats with an improved margin, while the SP seeks to wrest them. The bypolls will also be a test for the Congress after its impressive performance in Gujarat polls in December and more recently in byelections in Rajasthan.

Exuding confidence that the BJP will sweep the bypolls, state BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi said: "BJP is always ready for elections. We are a cadre-based party. I am confident that the party will improve its winning margin."

"March 11 is a significant date for us, as it was on this day last year that the BJP and its allies bagged 325 out of the 403 Assembly seats in UP. (In 2017) we had banked on the performance of Modi government only. Now, we have the achievements of Yogi and Modi governments (to show to the people)."

Taking a jibe at the Congress and the SP, Tripathi said, "The two opposition parties had forged a pre-poll alliance to contest the Assembly polls. Now, the opposition is virtually scattered. When they could not damage the BJP unitedly, then how can they damage (the BJP) by contesting individually." The SP, however, claimed that voters will punish the BJP for not fulfilling its poll promises.

"We are sure that people of Uttar Pradesh will teach the BJP a lesson for making false promises during the last election and not fulfilling them," SP spokesperson Sunil Singh Sajan said.

"We are ready for polls and will put our best foot forward. In a couple of days, the party will announces its candidates and contest strongly on both the seats on our own strengths."

Sajan said public mood was not favourable for the BJP-led state government because of the poor law and order situation. Congress claimed that an atmosphere of fear was prevailing in Uttar Pradesh and the party will highlight failures of the Yogi government before the people.

"We will contest from both parliamentary constituencies, and will definitely put our best foot forward. "The UP government has failed miserably on the law and order front. An atmosphere of fear is prevailing across the state. The problems of farmers are yet to be resolved," state Congress spokesperson Ashok Singh said.

PTI
'India hopes Palestine will be a free country in a peaceful manner, says PM Modi

International

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured commitment to Palestinian people's interests, saying India hopes that soon Palestine will come a free country in a peaceful manner. PM Modi and Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas issued a joint statement after exchange of agreements between India and Palestine in Ramallah on Saturday.

PM Modi who is on historic visit to Palestine, said, "India and Palestine's relations have stood the test of time. Palestine has always taken a top spot in our foreign policy."

He said, "People of Palestine have continuously shown exemplary courage in extremely tough times, in spite of the fact that there was an unstable environment. The way you moved forward in such a situation is praiseworthy, we appreciate it."

India is aiding construction of an Institute of Diplomacy in Palestine. PM Modi appreciated that both the countries are moving forward with our developmental corporation forward during this visit.

The Grand Collar of the State of Palestine conferred on PM Modi for his international stature

PM Modi announced that India will double the exchange of students from this year taking it from 50 to 100.

PM Modi said India believe a permanent solution is possible with dialogue. "Only diplomacy and farsightedness can set free from violence and baggage of the past. We know it is not easy but we need to keep trying as a lot is at stake," PM Modi added.

PM Modi and Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas witness exchange of agreements between India and Palestine in Ramallah. pic.twitter.com/QWunDV3iJC  ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2018

President Mahmoud Abbas said he was honoured to welcome PM Modi as a great guest, on his first historic visit to Palestine. The visit ''holds, to you personally and to the people of India, sentiments of love and appreciation," said Mahmoud Abbas.

He said, "Indian leadership has always stood by peace in Palestine."

Mahmoud Abbas said, "We rely on India's role as an international force and its role in the non-alignment movement and in the international fora, in a way that is conducive to desired peace in our region."

OneIndia News
Immigration to US will be temporarily suspended to protect US jobs

As US sets new course on immigration, Biden under pressure

Indian-descent immigration activist Ravi Ragbir staves off deportation for now

International

pti-PTI

New York, Feb 9: Leading Indian-descent immigrant rights activist Ravi Ragbir won't have to leave the country before a First Amendment lawsuit is heard. His long battle over deportation has drawn support from Democratic politicians in New York.

Ragbir, a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago who leads the New Sanctuary Coalition of New York City, a coalition of 150 faith-based pro-immigrant groups, says in a lawsuit that he and other activists have been wrongly targeted by immigration officials in an effort by the federal government to silence dissent.

"These activists have been surveilled, intimidated, harassed and detained, their homes raided, many have been plucked off the street in broad daylight, and some have even been deported," the lawsuit read.

Ragbir was taken into custody on January 11 after a routine check-in with immigration officials in New York. He previously served 30 months in prison for wire fraud because of work he did for a crooked mortgage company.

He said he has been given a deportation order for February 10, but has at least one pending court appeal before then. He was released last week after a federal ruled he hadn't been given enough time to say goodbye to his family.

That judge, U.S. District Judge Katherine B. Forrest, expressed "grave concern" over allegations he was targeted for deportation because of his political activities. The week before his arrest, another leader of the New Sanctuary Coalition, Jean Montrevil, was arrested in the street and deported to Haiti.

Montrevil was sentenced to an 11-year prison sentence for selling cocaine. US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement last month also detained the husband of an immigrant activist in Boulder, Colorado, who got media attention after seeking sanctuary from deportation in a church.

In a stipulation dated Thursday, federal prosecutors and Ragbir's lawyers agreed he won't be deported until the case is heard. Separately, he was appearing in court in Newark to ask a judge to stay deportation while he appealed the 2001 wire fraud conviction.

PTI
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 administration requests visitors to abide by local laws

International

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

After the arrest of two visitors, the Maldives administration urged all visitors to abide by local laws and regulations. The request comes after the Maldives Police Service handed over two visitors to Maldives Immigration for not having the proper visa while working as journalists in the in the island nation.

The government press release stated that the two individuals included one British national and one Indian National who had entered the country under tourist visas but were working as journalists -which is in direct contravention of the Immigration Act as and other related regulations.

The Maldives Police Service has also requested that travellers to the Maldives respect Maldivian Law while urging all visitors to adhere to immigration guidelines and to visit the country under the proper, and relevant, visa corresponding to the purpose of their visit.

Maldives' regulatory agencies are mandated by Law to enforce regulations and laws without favour or prejudice.

The government further said that a number of foreign journalists currently work in the Maldives with the proper visa and the nation welcomes all others who wish to work as journalists to visit and stay in the country through the proper, lawful, channels.

OneIndia News
UN food programme to cut aid to poor Palestinians as US slashes funding

US stalls key sewage project in Palestine city of Jericho; massive water contamination likely

"The risk of war remains imminent", says UN envoy on Israel, Hamas conflict

The Grand Collar of the State of Palestine conferred on PM Modi for his international stature

International

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

In a recognition of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's contribution to relations between India and Palestine, President Mahmoud Abbas conferred the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine on him after the conclusion of the bilateral meeting. The Grand Collar is Highest order given to foreign dignitaries.

Commendation of Grand Collar read,"in recognition of his wise leadership, lofty national & international stature, in appreciation of his efforts to promote historic relations between Palestine & India; in acknowledgement of his support to our people's right to freedom so peace prevails in region".

In a special recognition of Prime Minister @narendramodis contribution to relations between India and Palestine, President Abbas conferred the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine on him after the conclusion of their bilateral meeting. pic.twitter.com/eRIndFg1aj  PMO India (@PMOIndia) February 10, 2018

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was accorded ceremonial guard of honour at Al-Muqata'a, the compound of the presidential headquarters in Palestine's Ramallah on his historic visit on Saturday.

PM Modi arrived in Palestine's Ramallah from Amman, Jordan. He is the first prime minister to visit Palestine. On his arrival, he laid a wreath at Mausoleum of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. The structure of mausoleum is a cube of 11m x 11m, representing the date of Arafat's death, 11th November 2004.

"Reached Palestine. This is a historic visit that will lead to stronger bilateral cooperation," tweeted PM Modi.

#WATCH Earlier visuals from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's journey to Palestine's Ramallah via a chopper, which was escorted by Royal Jordanian choppers by the King and Israeli choppers pic.twitter.com/ginxPzBTnV  ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2018

PM Modi is expected to sign five agreements aimed at infrastructure building and employment generation. The emphasis is on nation building through aid and funding developmental projects. Thus, since 2014 India has helped build institutions such as a Techno Park in Ramallah, a Centre of Excellence in ICT in the Gaza Strip, a Digital Learning and Innovation Centre at Al Quds University.

During the visit, PM Modi will inaugurate work on establishing the Palestine Institute of Diplomacy, which India is helping to build through a US$ 4.5 million aid.

#Palestine : Prime Minister Narendra Modi lays wreath at Mausoleum of Late President Yasser Arafat in Ramallah. pic.twitter.com/4mV3dF654B  ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2018

OneIndia News
UAE allows travellers from 14 countries including India ahead of Expo 2020 in Dubai; Details here

PM Modi in UAE: Iconic buildings light up in colours of Indian flag

International

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Burj Khalifa, Dubai Frame Adnoc building and Emirates Palace were covered in colours of India's tri-colours, on the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The world's tallest building, Burj Khalifa, the headquarters of state-owned oil company Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and the building hailed as the world's largest picture frame, Dubai Frame, were seen glittering in the colours of the Indian flag, a day before the Prime Minister's scheduled arrival in the country.

India's ambassador to the UAE, Navdeep Suri, termed the gesture as "gracious".

When pictures speak louder than words pic.twitter.com/5JP3EVvte1  IndAmbUAE (@navdeepsuri) February 10, 2018

PM Modi, who reached Ramallah in Palestine on Saturday morning, will be visiting UAE in the evening, where he will be holding a series of meetings with the country's rulers and businessmen.

His visit marks the first-ever prime ministerial visit to Palestine from India and will be PM Modi's second visit to the UAE and first to Oman.

He will have a one-to-one meeting with Al Nahyan and will be attending a dinner hosted by the crown prince.

Modi will later meet the Indian Diaspora and will lay the foundation of a Hindu temple via video link from Dubai.

The Prime Minister is also expected to meet Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE in Dubai.

OneIndia News (with agency inputs)

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, February 10, 2018, 18:54 [IST]
Tragedies like 9/11 have permanent solution only through humanitarian values: PM Modi

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]

With eye on UP elections, Modi set to lay foundation stone of university named after Jat figure

PM Modi in UAE: 5 key agreements signed in presence of PM and Crown Prince

International

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan led delegation level talks in the UAE capital, as a part of the bilateral meeting.

5 government-to-government MoUs between India and UAE have been signed in the presence of PM Narendra Modi and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan after the delegation level talks, reports ANI.

The MoUs are related to energy sector, railways, manpower and financial services.

First Indian PM to speak from Royal box

Prime Minister will be speaking from the royal box in Sultan Qaboos stadium. Royal box is used by his majesty Sultan Qaboos only and Modi will be the first visiting dignitary who is being given an honour of addressing the community from the box.

PM Modi presented Literature on temple

Members of Committee of the temple which will be inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi presented literature on temple to PM Modi and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi.

PM Modi receives ceremonial welcome in Abu Dhabi

Modi on Saturday arrived in UAE from Jordan on the second leg of his three-nation tour, was received by Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and other members of the Royal family at the airport.

"Reached UAE. This visit includes a wide range of programmes which will have a positive impact on India-UAE ties. I thank HH Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for the special gesture of receiving me," Modi tweeted.

"We warmly welcome our state guest and valued friend, the Indian Prime Minister H.E.@narendramodi to the UAE.

His visit reflects our longstanding historical ties and is testament to our friendly bilateral relationship," Mohammed Bin Zayed tweeted separately.

Soon after his arrival, Prime Minister Modi left for the presidential palace for a meeting with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Mohammed Bin Zayed.

Modi, who is here on his second visit to the UAE since 2015, has several meetings lined up in the evening and will also attend a banquet in the UAE capital.

Modi is scheduled to address the Indian community on Sunday in Dubai after witnessing the groundbreaking ceremony of a temple in Abu Dhabi.

Prime Minister Modi will also deliver a keynote address at the World Government Summit in Dubai where India is a guest of honour this year. On the first led of his trip, Modi travelled to Ramallah, becoming the Indian prime minister to make an official visit to Palestine. From the UAE, Modi will travel to Oman.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Saturday, February 10, 2018, 23:09 [IST]
US midterm elections: Trump uses tremendous yet again, despite losing House

Hillary Clinton will run for presidency in 2020 again, says her former adviser

Trump blocks release of Democratic memo on Russia probe

International

pti-PTI

Washington, Feb 10: President Donald Trump is refusing to declassify a high-profile memo about the Russia probe written by Democratic lawmakers. In a letter to the chair of the House Intelligence Committee on Friday, White House counsel Don McGahn says the memo "contains numerous properly classified and especially sensitive passages."

The Democrats' memo aimed to counter a Republican-drafted one the president declassified and released. However, portions of the memo "would create especially significant concerns for the national security and law enforcement interests," McGahn wrote.

FBI chief Christopher Wray and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein in a separate letter indicated that releasing this material would present concerns for the "protection of intelligence sources and methods, ongoing investigations and other similarly sensitive information." House Democratic Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called Trump's move to block the memo a "stunningly brazen attempt to cover up the truth about the Trump-Russia scandal from the American people."

"The president's decision to block the Democratic memo from release is part of a dangerous and desperate pattern of cover-up on the part of the president," she said in a statement.

"Clearly, the president has something to hide." The previously released Republican text alleges anti- Trump bias in the investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 US election that brought Trump to power.

The Justice Department and the FBI had also warned against releasing the Republican memo, saying it could jeopardise US intelligence collection methods. Trump authorised its release anyway.

Democrats on the intelligence committee complained the Republicans' four-page memo cherry-picked facts and explained events out of context and was thus not accurate.

They joined other Trump administration critics in calling the release of the Republican document an effort to undermine the investigation led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

In his letter, McGahn said Trump has instructed Justice Department officials to be available to help the intelligence committee revise the Democratic memo, if it so wishes, so as to "mitigate the risks."

"The executive branch stands ready to review any subsequent draft of the February 5th memorandum for declassification at the earliest opportunity."

PTI
Macaus Sweet New Song Continues to Lead Off 2018

Published February 10, 2018 by Lee R

Macau is growing at full tilt now; sustaining that growth is the next strategic step.

Emerging Macau has come roaring out of the gate in 2018, but will the momentum continue?

Promising Returns

Returns from January indicate a huge upswell in gross gaming revenue GGR of 36% year-on-year, representing the largest growth in four years.

Macaus comeback even handily topped Wall Street prognosticators of 21% from the same month of the previous year.

Total Take

Macaus Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau reported total GGR of $3.25 billion, from data in the period of January and February when fluctuations are common due to the distraction of Chinese New Year celebrations.

Incoming Fluctuation

The two week celebrations fall this year in mid-February, the period where fluctuations will likely occur, but will be offset by the substantive gains already reported for January.

Source of Spring

The new hot streak Macau is on can be traced to just over a year ago, when VIP players returned from a Chinese government crackdown on corruption that put Macau on the mend.

This led to improvements in junket credit that enabled large parties of high roller type players to come in from the mainland at the same time. This resulted in a 19.1 percent total growth trend by the end of the year, representing the first increase in three years.

Operator Gains

Individual beneficiaries from Macaus revenue growth include Wynn Resorts and Las Vegas Sands. Each operator received over 50% of their total global intake from their Macau holdings, raising Wynn Resorts individual shares over 75 percent and Sands individual shares up 51 percent.

Further development in store in Macau includes MGM Resorts International plan to open a second gaming resort on the Chinese protectorate island.

Caution on the Horizon

Not all are emboldened by Macaus recent growth however. International credit debt watcher Fitch Ratings Director Colin Mansfield predicts an 11 percent deceleration to due to continued volatility in the VIP segment, the vast majority of which come in on the junkets. Mansfield attributes concerns to a cooling housing market that will tighten credit in mainland China, leaving less cash for play handy.

Looking Ahead

It remains to be seen how this impacts Macau as it continues to expand, on paper and in physical size.
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Peace between the Republic of Korea (South Korea) the the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) suddenly seems closer than ever as the 2018 Winter Olympics open in Pyeongchang on February 9. The North is contributing athletes to a bi-national team with the South, and also sending a delegation that includes its head of state (Kim Yong Nam) and the first ever official visitor to the South from its ruling dynasty (Kim Yo Jong, sister of Kim Jong Un).

The two Koreas have been in "ceasefire," but still formally at war and with occasional outbreaks of violence, since 1953. Could this Olympic thaw result in permanently improved relations, a peace treaty, perhaps even reunification?

Don't get your hopes up. Many powerful forces are predisposed against such an outcome. All of those forces can be summed up in one word: Inertia. After seven decades, any status quo is difficult to shatter.

In the North, continued rule by the Kim family and its Workers' Party depends largely on positioning the regime as guardians against an external threat posed by the South and by the US military presence along the ceasefire line. Reunification under any circumstance, peaceful or otherwise, would result in the end of that regime, because ...

... The South's population is twice that of the North, its GDP 50 times as large. They're not going to peacefully submit to rule by the North's government. Even if the North could militarily conquer the South's territory, it would be assimilated by, not assimilate, that larger and wealthier population.

The South's government, on the other hand, has seen what happens when a larger, wealthier state welcomes back a still comparatively large, but much poorer, population. Reunified Germany (West Germany's population as of reunification in 1990 was 78 million, East Germany's 16 million) is still dealing with the economic, cultural, and political fallout nearly two decades later. And like the North's, the South's government has a vested interest in maintaining the status quo, because tens of thousands of US troops, and lots and lots of money, subsidize the South's defense costs and artificially boost its economy.

The US government, in turn, is happy with that situation because it's part of American government's raisson d'etre since World War Two, which is to perpetually funnel wealth from the pockets of American workers into the bank accounts and budgets of the military industrial complex in the name of "defense."

As for the Chinese government, it regards North Korea as a "buffer zone" keeping those US troops far away from its border (the last time US forces neared the Yalu River, China intervened and drove them back to the 38th Parallel, resulting in the current stalemate).

Some of those players are going to have to make bigger moves to break the ice.

A good start would be for the US to notify South Korea's Moon Jae-In of a date certain -- say, five years -- for complete US military withdrawal from the Korean peninsula. But that would threaten the bloated US "defense" budget. So don't bet on it.
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From Paul Craig Roberts Website



Think tanks -- provide opinions and research on public-policy issues for lawmakers and the Executive Branch.

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A couple of decades or more ago when I was still in Washington, otherwise known as the snake pit, I was contacted by a well-financed group that offered me, a Business Week and Scripps Howard News Service columnist with access as a former editor also to the Wall Street Journal, substantial payments to promote agendas that the lobbyists paying the bills wanted promoted.

To the detriment of my net worth, but to the preservation of my reputation, I declined. Shortly thereafter a conservative columnist, a black man if memory serves, was outed for writing newspaper columns for pay for a lobby group.

I often wondered if he was set up in order to get rid of him and whether the enticement I received was intended to shut me down, or whether journalists had become "have pen will travel"? (Have Gun -- Will Travel was a highly successful TV Series 1957-1963).

Having read Bryan MacDonald's article on Information Clearing House, "Anti-Russia Think Tanks in US: Who Funds them?"... I see that think tanks are essentially lobby groups for their donors. The policy analyses and reform schemes that they produce are tailored to support the material interests of donors. None of the studies are reliable as objective evidence. They are special pleading.

Think tanks, such as the American Enterprise Institute, Brookings Institution, and the Atlantic Council, speak for those who fund them. Increasingly, they speak for the military/security complex, American hegemony, corporate interests, and Israel.

Bryan MacDonald lists those who support the anti-Russian think tanks such as the Atlantic Council, the Center for European Policy Analysis, German Marshall Fund of the US, and Institute for Study of War. The "experts" are mouthpieces funded by the US military security complex. US government agencies use taxpayer dollars to deceive taxpayers.

In other words, insouciant Americans pay taxes in order to be brainwashed. And they tolerate this.
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From Palestine Chronicle



Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu meets with Prime Minister of Greece Alexis Tsipras in June 2017.

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For a brief historical moment, Alexis Tsipras and his political party, Syriza, ignited hope that Greece could resurrect a long-dormant Leftist tide in Europe.

A new Greece was being born out of the pangs of pain of economic austerity, imposed by the European Union and its overpowering economic institutions -- a troika so ruthless, it cared little while the Greek economy collapsed and millions of people experienced the bitterness of poverty, unemployment and despair.

The Coalition of the Radical Left (Syriza) came to power in January 2015 as a direct outcome of popular discontent with the EU. It was a time where ordinary people took a stance to fend for whatever semblance of sovereignty that was not wrestled away from them by politicians, bankers and powerful bureaucratic institutions.

The result, however, was quite disappointing. Tsipras, now a Prime Minister, transformed his political discourse, and gradually adopted one that that is more consistent with the very neoliberal policies that pushed his country to its knees in the first place.

Syriza sold out, not only politically and ideologically, but in an actual physical sense as well.

In exchange for bailout loans that Greece received from European banks within the period 2010 to 2015 (estimated at $262 billion), the country is being dismembered. Greece's regional airports are now operated by German companies and the country's main telecommunication firm has been privatized, with sizable shares of it owned by Deutsche Telekom.

"The only thing missing outside the office of Greece's privatization agency is a sign that reads: A Nation for Sale," wrote Greek political economist, C. J. Polychroniou.

Unsurprisingly, economic subservience is often a prelude to political bondage as well. Not only did Syriza betray the aspirations of the Greek people who voted against austerity and bailouts, it also betrayed the country's long legacy of maintaining amicable relationships with its neighbors.

Since his arrival at the helm of Greek politics, Tsipras has moved his country further into the Israeli camp, forging unwise regional alliances aimed at exploiting new gas finds in the Mediterranean and participating in multiple Israeli-led military drills.

While Israel sees an opportunity to advance its political agenda in Greece's economic woes, the Greek government is playing along without fully assessing the possible repercussions of engaging with a country that is regionally viewed as a pariah, while internationally becoming condemned for its military occupation and terrible human rights record.

Israel moved to pull Athens into its own camp in 2010, shortly after the Turkish-Israeli spat over the "Mavi Marmara" attack ensued. Israeli commandos attacked the Turkish Gaza-bound boat, killing nine Turkish nationals and injuring many more.

Although Turkey and Israel have, since then, reached a diplomatic understanding, Tel Aviv has moved forward to create alternative allies among Balkan countries, exploiting historical conflicts between some of these countries and Turkey.

Bilateral agreements were signed, high diplomatic visits exchanged and military exercises conducted in the name of deterring "international Jihad" and fighting terrorism.

Greece and Cyprus received greater Israeli attention since they, on the one hand, were seen as political counterweight to Turkey and, on the other, because of the great economic potential that they offered.

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As the child of Holocaust survivors and a chronicler of a family memoir, I've long been obsessed with understanding how Adolph Hitler catapulted to power. Shortly after Donald Trump's nomination as the Republican nominee, I described the eery similarities between his campaign tactics and the Nazi party election campaigning leading up to Hitler's appointment as Chancellor in January 1933.

Now, after a year in office, Trump's international belligerency and war on American institutions continues to parallel Hitler's behavior in 1933 in important ways. For example:

*Before his first year was out, Hitler had taken Germany out of an international disarmament agreement and the League of Nations, not unlike Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Accords on climate change and the Transpacific Treaty.

*Hitler was relentless in his scapegoating of "communists" and Jews, not unlike Trump blaming immigrants from Mexico and other "shithole" countries for criminal activity and stealing American jobs.

*Hitler had no use for an independent media, and set up an office of propaganda in 1933 to strictly monitor and control what German news media put out. Trump hasn't made it that far, but is relentless in his browbeating of the media for "fake news",

*Just as Hitler went after his political enemies as "traitors," so has Trump begun labeling Democrats who didn't clap for him at the State of the Union as "treasonous."

Despite the parallels between Trump and Hitler, there's one early brutal Hitler milestone that has so far eluded Trump--what I would refer to as his "Reichstag-fire moment." This would be Trump's excuse to grab much greater authoritarian power than he has now. And the pressures of the Russia investigation may be bringing that moment much closer.

In the annals of modern authoritarian power grabs, Hitler's ruthless consolidation of power following the Reichstag fire in February 1933, barely a month after he was named Chancellor, is probably the standard bearer. He blamed the fire, which destroyed the German parliament, on "communists," even though the Nazis likely carried it out. In the Nazi fear mongering that followed, Hitler ordered an end to freedom of the press and assembly, and had hundreds of academics, labor unionists, and other real and imagined opponents arrested.

Hitler's model for leveraging crisis to grab power has become ever more popular among tyrants worldwide--it was used by Vladimir Putin, who vaulted to Russia's presidency from his position as prime minister in 1999 by blaming Chechens for a series of Moscow apartment bombings that likely were carried out by Russian intelligence services. Turkey's prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, used a clumsy failed coup in 2016 as an excuse to round up thousands of real and imagined opponents and weaken Turkey's democratic institutions enough that he has assumed nearly absolute power.

Now, the highly combustible Republican intelligence memo, suggesting improprieties by the FBI and Justice Department in investigating Trump's possible connections to Russian influence in the 2016 election, could well become Trump's Reichstag-fire moment. In this analogy, the memo becomes a dangerous threat used to blow up both the FBI and Justice Department, leading to greater direct control of both by Trump.

Through his incessant critical Tweets of both the FBI and Justice Department, the President laid the groundwork for possible next steps: replacing key people responsible for the special prosecutor's supposedly botched investigation. In other words, a purge of the FBI and Justice Department. One scenario: the current head of the FBI, Christopher Wray, along the assistant attorney general Rod Rosenstein, would be replaced by individuals understood to be "loyal" to the President, as he puts it.

Then, the Mueller investigation could be declared tainted, and either disbanded or rendered moot by Presidential pardons to all those indicted.

These actions, or some variation, could yield a trifecta for Trump: he wouldn't have to worry about the consequences of the Russia investigation, he'd be free of top law enforcement officials preaching such craziness as the rule of law and allegiance to the U.S. Constitution, and most important, he'd have unfettered control of America's national police force and political prosecuting authority. While Hitler came to power with the Nazi party and its brown-shirt enforcers of more than 400,000, Trump has no such enforcers. He would love to use the FBI and Justice Department as he sees fit, such as to investigate and seek indictments of political opponents, to arrest real and imagined enemies, and even to interfere with elections. In other words, as his secret police.

For those who oppose Trump's methods and are looking forward to elections next November for possible redemption, it's well worth reviewing the rest of the Reichstag-fire events. Once Hitler leveled the Reichstag and began rounding up political opponents, he fomented a huge amount of fear about the communists, in preparation for a national election just days later, in March 1933.

Here is how William Shirer in The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, described that vote: "On March 5, 1933, the day of the last democratic elections they (the German people) were to know during Hitler's life, they spoke with their ballots. Despite all the terror and intimidation, the majority of them rejected Hitler."

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From To The Point Analyses



Vietnam War 1968 - Tet Offensive

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Yet, as the Nature scholars also point out, in the case of our species, culture has the ability to "modulate our bloodthirsty tendencies."

I bring this up now because there is new interest in the slaughter and massacres that took place during the Vietnam War. This may in part be a response to the fact that last month (January 2018) marked the 50th anniversary of that war's Tet offensive.

America waged war in Vietnam roughly from 1961 to 1975. The starting date is a "rough" one because the United States never actually declared war. In this 14-year span it is generally accepted that the turning point in the struggle came during the Tet offensive of 1968. Tet is the term used for the Vietnamese new year, and that celebratory time in 1968 was when the North Vietnamese and the Vietcong launched attacks in some 100 South Vietnamese towns and cities, in an effort to change the course of the war in their favor. Though very costly (an estimated 50,000 Vietnamese casualties) the offensive worked, at least in the long run. Within a year the United States started a gradual withdrawal from the country. Although the fighting dragged on for another seven years (until the fall of Saigon in 1975) it was Washington's stubborn search for face-saving terms that largely kept it going.

By the time of the Tet offensive, the war had degenerated into mutual slaughter. The U.S. ended up killing some 3 million Vietnamese, many of them civilians. The massacre at My Lai on 16 March 1968, has often been cited as the "singular" American example of such criminal behavior. It was on this date that a company of soldiers of the 23rd Americal Division murdered, without provocation, 504 peasant villagers of all ages and both sexes. The massacre itself, and its background year of 1968, have been accurately described in a recent book, My Lai: Vietnam,1968 and the Descent into Darkness, by Howard Jones (Oxford University Press, 2017). In turn the book has been expertly reviewed and elaborated upon in the popular London Review of Books (LRB) (25 January 2018) by Max Hastings.

It is to be noted that both the publisher and the reviewing magazine are located in the United Kingdom. The reviews of the book offered in the United States have been, to date, in academic journals, including the U.S. Army's own Army University Press. Just about all of them have described Jones's work as definitive and a seminally important read. Whether this will translate into public attention in the U.S. is doubtful.

Another possibility is that such behavior is an "inevitable consequence of combat." In his LRB review, Max Hastings gives a long introductory account of a number of other massacres committed by soldiers in modern times, including in Vietnam. As a consequence one comes away with the feeling that, within a war zone, these criminal acts are almost common.

While it is no doubt true that a combat situation (or perhaps we can say the culture of combat) does raise the probability of massacres, they do not make them "inevitable." Suggesting that they are, sounds more like an excuse than an explanation. After all, most combat soldiers are not participants in massacres.

This brings us back to the judgment of the research published in Nature -- we all might well be potential natural born killers who are restrained or encouraged by cultural variables. Within the combat scenario, Hastings suggests that a culture of self-restraint accepted and enforced by the officer corps can forestall mass killings.

This is of particular interest when it comes to the peculiar culture of the United States. In Vietnam many of the massacres (My Lai was by no means unique) were perpetrated by soldiers as well as their officers from the so-called "land of the free." I use this descriptive term intentionally because one of the things that is often declared to be constitutionally "free" from rational regulation in the U.S. are guns. And, as a consequence, these troops came out of a "gun culture."

It should be kept in mind that the American gun culture, with its accompanying violence, is not new. The 2014 book Gun Violence and Public Life documents this history. If anything has changed from the 1960s to today it is that the public now has access to military grade weapons. What also existed then as now is a culture of bigotry and racism. In the 1960s this was just being confronted by the Civil Rights Movement. It all made for an explosive mix that carried over to influence perceptions of and behavior toward the Vietnamese.

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Don't bomb Syria !

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Syrians are living the horror brought to them by the criminal West. They cannot afford the complacency of shrugging their shoulders in indecision, not when their lives and their ancient civilization is being threatened by Western-paid terrorist mercenaries of the worst kind.





The US, Canada and other co-conspirators pay proxy mercenary terrorists to slit throats, chop heads, and take no prisoners in an orgy of terrorism and chaos to divide and rule the world. The Western public waffles in indecision, ignores the empirical evidence of who the real terrorists are, and then they take the comfortable easy road of believing the labyrinth of lies promulgated by Western media propaganda organs beholden to the state.





As countries are destroyed, and its peoples are slaughtered -- think Syria, Libya, Ukraine, and others -- by abhorrent Western proxy mercenary terrorists -- public institutions are contaminated, and ultimately replaced by parasitical privately looted facsimiles. Public banking is looted and destroyed in favour of transnational banksterism, US dominated World Bank funding, and austerity imposing IMF loansharking.





Worldwide food security is being destroyed and replaced by monopolistic biotech tentacles and engineered dependencies on cash crops. The world food supply is increasingly unhealthy junk food with empty calories. National currencies are forced to devalue; killer economic sanctions are imposed on any nation that fails to obey the international cartels of capitalism backed by raw US military violence. The unknown and unseen boot of totalitarian control imposes itself in the lie that it is the invisible hand of capitalism that magically turns greed into the public good. Amidst the cloud of public spectacles, absurd theater, graphic violence and private pornography are diversions from reality and confusion of the truth. Comprador regimes acting sold out to corporate mega-monopolies, imperialist powers and private oligarch interests. Ignorant, helpless and frightened domestic populations can do little but shrug and bear it as their fate.





Only a few nations such as Syria dare to submit and they are ruthlessly turned into carnage as examples for the rest of the world to pay attention to what happens when one does not obey. While the public in the West is propagandized to hate Syria the rest of the world admires and respects Syria for its resistance to the West led by the USA.





Do the American people and their Canadian co-conspirators never wonder why they have so many countries on their enemies list, and what all of them have in common? It has nothing to do with democracy, freedom, human rights, terrorism or any of the other excuses that are used to vilify non-compliant countries to the West's dictates. The list is those countries that refuse to buckle under the boot of imperialism: Syria, Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Venezuela, and the Democratic Peoples' Republic of Korea for example.





Mark Taliano is the author of "Voices from Syria". Click to order. Also available in e-book/PDF format:click here to order.

(Article changed on February 11, 2018 at 19:17)
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Turkish tribes of the Middle East were chased out by Chinese and other Turkish tribes of Mongolia. They appeared on the border of the Parthian Kurdish (Ashkanian) Empire seeking the place for living. The war between the Parthian Kurdish (Ashkanian) Empire and Greek Empire and the continuation of war after Roman Empire eliminated Greek Empire led to the weakness of the Parthian Kurdish (Ashkanian) Empire too. The 400 years on and off of the war between the Parthian Kurdish (Ashkanian) Empire and Greek or Roman Empire led to the success of the Turkish tribe to have the foothold on the land of the Caucasian people east of the Parthian Kurdish (Ashkanian) Empire.

In time the Sassanid Kurds took over the Parthian Kurdish (Ashkanian) Empire and inherited the conflict between the two Caucasian Empires namely the Roman (Italian) Empire and the Sassanid (Kurdish) Empire. The 400 years on and off of the war between the Sassanid (Kurdish) Empire and the Roman (Italian) Empire led to the success of the Turkish tribe to expand on the land of the Caucasian people east of the Sassanid (Kurdish) Empire.

Prophet Muhammad successfully establishes the Arab Islamic Empire while both Caucasian Empires above were waged wars against one another.

The Arab Islamic army defeated Sassanid Empire which opened the door for the Turkish tribes to take more land from the Caucasian people.

Persian of Tamil as occupiers of the Caucasian people are always betrayed the Median people (Kurd, Lur, Ashkanian, Sassanid, and others) to stay in power in today Iran. Today Turk and Arab Islamic Sunni are fighting Median Kurds in Syria while the Russian and Iranian Shia of Persian and Azeri Turks are helping them to do so.

The US are watching Russian, Turks, Syrian, and Iran are killing Kurdish civilian in Afrin-Syria without helping the Kurdish people self-defense against the war imposed on them by Turkey in the state of Afrin in Rojava of Kurdistan.

In last twenty days QSD, YPG, and YPJ forces in Rojava are fighting Turkish government aggression against the peaceful region of Kurds in Syria.

The civilian death is increasing rapidly in this war in Afrin-Syra. The Kurdish people are calling on the US and Europian countries to stop Turkish government aggression against the peaceful Kurdish people in Syria.

References

Death toll in Turkish massacre in an Afrin village rises to 8

click here

France: Turkey and Iran are violating international law in Syria

click here
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While American teen girls text their BFFs, shop, study, and do their nails, across the globe another teen has been hit with rubber bullets in the foot, neck and hand, and has been tear gassed so many times she has lost count. Ahed Tamimi yearns to live by the ocean, but she cannot, she lives under occupation.

Here a few sample incidents, chronological examples of the kind of daily life that Ahed Tamimi lives, and yet she emerges with a poise and strength beyond her years:

Dec. 10, 2011 Ahed's cousin Mustafa Tamimi of Nabi Saleh was fatally shot in the head at close range during the weekly demonstration in his village. The weapon: a high force, long range tear gas canister. According to a number of witnesses, backed up by photographs, the canister was fired point-blank, in total contravention of army regulations, from a distance of less than ten meters. It was captured in a striking photo which shows the shot an instant before the canister strikes him. He was shot from a Jeep by an Israeli soldier and died shortly after. Nov. 2, 2012 Israeli soldiers arrested Ahed's brother, Waed Tamimi in Nabi Saleh. A viral video shows a diminuative Ahed ferociously shouting at them (Translation sources say she is asking them where her brother is.) Nov. 19, 2012 Ahed's uncle Rushdi al-Tamimi, was shot and killed by Israeli soldiers. His death was captured on youtube video. 2012 Ahed's father, Bassem Tamimi was termed a "prisoner of conscience" by Amnesty International, during one of his several stints in Israeli prison. In 1993, he was beaten during an interrogation, and the resulting concussion left him in a coma for 10 days. He has been arrested and detained nine times--once he was gone from his family for over a year. 2012 Ahed, alongside her mother and aunt, desperately attempt to save her injured brother Mohammad from being arrested by Israeli forces. Video and a series of photos went viral. November 2014 Ahed's mother was shot in the thigh, forcing her to use a crutches and cane for a long while after. She has also been arrested five times. 2014

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From No More Fake News



Individual vs group

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"In the middle of all the brain-research going on, from one end of the planet to the other, there is the assumption that the individual doesn't really exist. He's a fiction. There is only the motion of particles in the brain. Therefore, nothing is inviolate, nothing is protected. Make the brain do A, make it do B; it doesn't matter. What matters is harmonizing these tiny particles, in order to build a collective consensus, in order to force a science of behavior." (The Underground, Jon Rappoport)

Individual power. Your power.

It stands as the essence of what the founding documents of the American Republic are all about, once you scratch below the surface a millimeter or so.

Therefore, it stands to reason that colleges and universities would be teaching courses in INDIVIDUAL POWER.

As soon as I write that, though, we all fall down laughing, because we understand the absurdity of such a proposition. Can you imagine Harvard endowing a chair in Individual Power?

Students would tear down the building in which such courses were taught. They've been carefully instructed that the individual is the greatest living threat to the planet.

If you can't see that as mind control, visit your local optometrist and get a 5prescription for glasses.

So we have this astonishing situation: the very basis of freedom has no reflection in the educational system.

You can say "individual" within certain limited contexts. You can say "power," if you're talking about nuclear plants, or if you're accusing someone of a crime, but if you put "individual" and "power" together and attribute a positive quality to the combination, you're way, way outside the consensus. You're crazy. You're committing some kind of treason.

In order to spot the deepest versions of educational brainwashing, YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME STANDARD AGAINST WHICH YOU CAN COMPARE WHAT IS COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE INTO THE MINDS OF STUDENTS.

If you lack that standard, you miss most of the action.

If you lack that standard, you have already been worked over by the system.

And in this case, the standard is INDIVIDUAL POWER.

Clean it off, hose off the dirt, polish it, look at it, think about it, remember it.

Then you'll see some Grade-A prime mind control. Everywhere. Because schools either don't mention individual power, or they discredit it.

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Last week I had the privilege of talking with David Cay Johnston about the state of the union under Donald Trump. As "breaking news" has taken on a completely new definition in the age of Trump, gyrating wildly on what sometimes appears to be an hourly basis, it is too easy to be distracted by issues without examining the larger picture.

This volatility has spawned several books, including an effort by David Cay Johnston entitled It's Even Worse Than You Think, What the Trump Administration Is Doing to America, which has rocketed up the New York Times bestseller charts. The book surgically dissects an administration in search of a vision.

Johnston is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter who has been following Trump for three decades and is arguably more familiar with the man than most, if not all reporters. He shines a light on the political termites who have infested our government...destroying it from within.

David was in Los Angeles last week and I had occasion to interview him as he tours the country promoting his latest book, hoping that he would provide insights not found within its covers. He did not disappoint. The breadth of his analyses on issues from the economy to jobs to international affairs to climate change and immigration, just to mention a few, display a knowledge base that is seemingly endless.

A recap of the interview provides a snapshot of his views on what lies ahead:

Lance Simmens: What are the prospects for impeachment?

David Cay Johnston: Zero and none as long as the Republicans control the House and Senate. They are avoiding their duty of checks and balances and barring something completely unexpected there is no prospect for impeachment. House Republicans are preparing to release this memo that essentially allows the President the right to pick his prosecutor.

LS: Are there realistic checks on the President should he decide to engage the U.S. in a nuclear confrontation?

DCJ: The military has thought through what would happen if there were an illegal order to launch a nuclear missile. I was really worried about this at first but my expectation is that any decision would be run by Secretary Mattis and unless it is response to an attack against us, a launch would not take place without a full Congressional leadership briefing and therefore they would be complicit in it.

LS: While progressives like myself opposed NAFTA and TPP, I am open to renovation to both yet I fear that the Great Negotiator might actually make things worse. Your thoughts?

DCJ: Yes, I am positive he would make things worse. Trump doesn't know anything about negotiating and he does not know anything about trade. Remember what he said about making Mexico pay for the Wall by slapping a tariff on imported goods from Mexico. That means Americans would pay and that he does not know this is indicative of what a con he is. TPP needs to be fixed but not killed. China has now advanced a competing plan and are telling countries if you want a prosperous future pivot away from an America in decline and work with us.

LS: In your estimation, is there a "deep state"?

DCJ: There is a permanent bureaucracy, but so what. All viable governments have a permanent bureaucracy, you need to control it, hold hearings on it, but operating without it is absurd.

LS: What are the long-term prospects of lack of confidence in the institutions of representative democratic government and what are the consequences of denigration of the concept of public service?

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National Report from Washington--A monthly Series by Robert Weiner and Ben Lasky

Article originally published in LaborPress

By Robert Weiner and Ben Lasky

In last week's State of the Union speech, President Trump restated his opinion that infrastructure spending is a necessity. When looking ahead at President Trump's 2018 agenda, the easiest bill to pass is the one that it has always been: infrastructure. Yet here we are, one year into the Trump administration, and an infrastructure bill doesn't feel particularly close to passing or even being put up for a vote. The new Congressional funding resolution barely gives seed money. The Trump plan that was leaked (finally) bleeds states and cities, dropping the ball for the feds.

On Jan. 24, President Trump announced at a meeting of mayors at the White House that his new infrastructure plan will spend $1.7 trillion from federal, state, local, and private funds on repairs and modernization so desperately needed throughout the U.S. However, as Axios first reported through a leaked copy of the plan, only approximately 20 percent will come from the federal government. That is not a $1.7 trillion bill. It's a $300 billion bill with the hope that others will chip in and provide the rest. President Trump may think you can leverage funds for construction as he did with his own company, but federal matches are always much higher than 20 percent -- like 50-90 percent. Congress passed a $305 billion infrastructure bill in 2015. Have you seen a difference in your roads, bridges, tunnels, trains, airports, or electricity?

Last year, at an event at the National Press Club, former New York City Planning Chairman Carl Weisbrod confirmed Trump's assertion that tiles are falling off the roof of the Lincoln Tunnel. "Infrastructure has suffered from decades of disinvestment," Weisbrod said. If the U.S. wants to catch up with Europe, where you can go hundreds of miles in a matter of minutes, the federal government needs to lead the charge, not wait for the states and cities to come up with the money.

If the president truly wants more than the $200-300 billion that's being reported (he promised $1 trillion in federal dollars during the campaign), he can likely get it, as infrastructure is one of the few areas where both sides agree. However, for a deal to get done, the money must go towards direct jobs programs, not tax breaks or local non-matches. In his own visit to the National Press Club last year, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) remarked that any bill must be paid for, "with federal expenditures, as infrastructure has always been, not cutting other programs, not with tax breaks." Nancy Pelosi (D-Ca.) added, "If it's a tax bill disguised as an infrastructure bill, that's not going to happen."

But in order for an infrastructure deal to get done, President Trump needs to be disciplined. In June of 2017, the White House launched an "Infrastructure Week," which was supposed to highlight the projects of the president's proposed bill. That week also happened to be the week that fired FBI director James Comey testified on Capitol Hill, citing Trump's loyalty demands to shut down the Russia investigation, leaving no time for headlines on infrastructure. To make matters worse, the president tweeted about a watered down Department of Justice Muslim travel ban, called Democrats "obstructionists" and attacked London's mayor following a terrorist attack. So much for Lincoln Tunnel tiles falling.

Infrastructure is an easy way to please both parties' bases while also showing the bipartisanship that Americans want to see. Many have said he should have started his administration with the low-hanging fruit of infrastructure instead of trying to take people's healthcare away. However, in order to catch up with other countries' infrastructure, the bill needs real federal dollars for jobs and not some fake match to make any difference at all.

A trillion dollars in infrastructure would be a point lower unemployment rate and a million more jobs, according to the Congressional budget Office. What a wonderful way to make America great again. But Assistant House Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn (D-SC) told us, "Republicans don't want to pay for it." Trump likes "winning" so much that maybe he can persuade his party colleagues that this is indeed a bipartisan objective. Otherwise a year from now, it will remain just talk, and the USA will remain behind the now competing world on modernizations and massive job opportunities.

Robert Weiner is a former White House spokesman, spokesman for the U.S. House Government Operations Committee, and senior staff for Congressmen Charles Rangel and Ed Koch. Ben Lasky is senior policy analyst at Solutions for Change and Robert Weiner Associates.
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A week ago the Pentagon released what it called the "Nuclear Posture Review", which essentially lowers the threshold for US use of nuclear weapons primarily against Russia, the primary focus of the "Review".

Finian Cunningham[1] and Paul Craig Roberts[2] each over the past two days have written their own insightful articles on the madness contained in the "Review". Both are listed in the footnotes below.

What seems most eerie to this writer there doesn't seem to be any alarm from the American public on the imminent peril this "Review" puts them in. Admittedly that's from a limited personal experience.

It's been 72 years since the US unleashed the nuclear genie dropping two nuclear bombs on Japan in August, 1945.

The only direct impact on the American people back then was those bombs ended the war with Japan and they supported President Truman's decision.

There's been no nuclear attack since. Accidents, misinterpretation of radar readings have occurred but luckily a nuclear exchange has been averted.

During the Cuban Missile crisis in October 1962 there was definite anxiety among people at the prospect of a nuclear exchange with the Soviet Union over their having missiles 90 miles away in Cuba. But that was averted by diplomacy between President Kennedy and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev. That was also over 55 years ago.

So maybe the people in America today have become nonchalant, unconcerned, maybe even cavalier dismissing the prospect of a nuclear war happening here. Why?

I surmise it's because most Americans don't know war.

The last time a war was fought on American soil-yes I know Pearl Harbor is American soil-was the civil war from 1861 to 1865.

Even in WWII America suffered some 565,000 casualties, mostly all military which had no direct family impact on most Americans.

Compare that number with the 27,000,000 casualties, civilian and military, killed in the Soviet Union against Hitler's Nazi Germany. Every family in the country was directly affected. They know war first-hand. Not so Americans. In Vietnam America suffered some 57,000 casualties but here again most American families were not directly affected and sadly, even though there was widespread protests against that war, the majority of Americans supported the war.

Our wars since have been fought in far-off places, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria. Most Americans have little direct connection to those wars.

It's an all-volunteer military with most men and women from rural or inner-city communities, hardly from middle-class suburban communities. There is no draft, no universal military service. That ended after we left Vietnam in 1973.

The point is if most Americans have not been directly affected by war, not been in combat or had a loved one killed in war. They have no direct connection to war of the unimaginable suffering, the brutality and savagery of it.

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From Alternet

Silicon Valley algorithms help spread conspiracy theories pedaled by sloppy American journalists.



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Americans who care about democracy and voting should stop jumping to conclusions about Russians hunkered down in Moscow cyber-bunkers, and instead look at what's happening on these shores as shoddy journalists and Silicon Valley's content curators are doing Vladimir Putin's work for him.

Last week, a mini-drama played out in the world of American elections, Russian interference and vote-hacking conspiracies that was a microcosm of the same online dynamics that tilted and force-fed American voters seven times as much Hillary-hating propaganda on YouTube as comparable anti-Trump content.



This snapshot reveals that little has changed in the misinformation engines driving the attention economy. This is the frail state of American democracy today, where the most powerful content curators, opportunistic partisans, poorly informed journalists -- and yes, overseas adversaries -- are funneling and amplifying "divisive, sensational and conspiratorial" content, as one authoritative report put it, further undermining already shaky public confidence in voting.



"Russia probably realizes, despite what a lot of people in the progressive community and other communities probably think, it's really hard to change the outcome in a race; to change it [the count] to what they might want to occur," said a former Justice Department lawyer who now advises state election officials. "That [theft] would require a lot of Americans engaged in an active conspiracy here on the ground; thousands of people."





Americans received more bad news about voting this week. But amid all the news -- such as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson saying that Russia was already interfering in 2018's elections but giving no details -- one sloppy report stood out and ignited a stream of copycat and increasingly conspiratorial posts amplified by the web's content-pushing algorithms. On Wednesday, NBC News aired an "exclusive" interview with Jeanette Manfra, the Department of Homeland Security cyber security head, who reported that Russia had not targeted, but "penetrated" state voter systems in 2016.

First, NBC didn't understand what she said. "NBC chose to interpret that statement to mean 'several states' were successfully penetrated. We are still only aware of one state voter registration system that was penetrated and that office made a public statement at the time," the National Association of Secretaries of State noted on its website. Moreover, Manfra said nothing new. She repeated her testimony to Senate Intelligence Committee from June 2017, even using the same words.



Nonetheless, journalists who don't know how voting works, nor what Russia did and didn't do in 2016's elections, went wild. They quickly said what's most alarming and factually unsupported: that Russia all but stole the vote for Trump, or offered slightly less hyperbolic variations of that conspiratorial theme.



Esquire's piece ominously opened, "We are inching ever closer to the revelation that the actual vote totals were hacked -- some very smart people are already there, by the way -- and, once that happens, I don't know where we go from there." The Huffington Post began, "The Russian government successfully obtained access to U.S. voter registration databases in multiple states." Under Reddit's reposting of the NBC video was a discussion filled with gripes about how dysfunctional our elections are, all escalating and pointing to the conclusion that the system is rigged, surely hacked and democratic hopes are a mirage.

Esquire offered no proof that the 2016 vote totals were tampered with -- because there is none. That's not what election officials and technical advisors have said. Huffington Post got it wrong because Russian hackers only got inside one state's voter registration system, not multiple states. And most of the gripes on Reddit were due to political parties running primaries and caucuses in anti-democratic ways, or elected partisans who twist the rules of voting to benefit their base.



What Did Russia Do?

These misinformed reports raced around the internet aided by algorithms that target content for people using sites like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. That dynamic, an accelerating spiral in which misinformation and fiction outruns and outperforms reality, is what arch partisans -- as well as Russia -- tapped in 2016 to influence voters. Yes, Russia got inside Illinois' registration database -- a non-competitive blue state in the presidential year. But its hackers didn't tamper in a way that impeded polling place voting. That's what Russia achieved on a technical level and what top federal and state officials are trying to prevent again.





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A speech recognition software identifies words spoken by an individual or speaker into a microphone, converts them into a computer-readable format, and responds automatically. These software applications recognize speech in multiple languages. These applications are used both by individual consumers and enterprises in the healthcare; banking, financial services, and insurance; legal; and telecommunications sectors for a number of purposes including fraud management, speaker verification, speaker identification, biometrics, and vehicle telematics.Speech Recognition Software Market Estimated to grow at a CAGR of +17% during forecast periodSpeech Recognition Software market research is an intelligence report with meticulous efforts undertaken to study the right and valuable information. The data which has been looked upon is done considering both, the existing top players and the upcoming competitors. Business strategies of the key players and the new entering market industries are studied in detail. Well explained SWOT analysis, revenue share asnd contact information are shared in this report analysis.Get Sample copy of this Report@:Top Companies Profiled in this Report includes, Speechlogger, Brainasoft, Nuance, LilySpeech, Smart Action Company, Lyrix, Go Transcribe, Protokol, NeoSpeech, Entrada, Castel Communications, Crescendo Systems, Openstream, VoltDelta, Voicepoint, Total Voice TechnologiesSpeech recognition software captures spoken words and converts them into a digital format, recognizing the articulated words of the speaker. Voice recognition can be used like a fingerprint and is aimed toward identifying the speaker, often for security purposes, using voice biometrics solutions. The biometrics segment is seeing a high demand for speech recognition software because of the growing instances of fraud. Vendors are developing easy-to-deploy and cost-effective speech recognition applications that help in fraud management.Last Few Days, Avail 20% OFF on this Premium Report @:Various factors are responsible behind the markets growth trail, which are studied at length in the report. In addition, the report lists down the restraints that are posing threat to the global Speech Recognition Software market. It also gauges the bargaining power of suppliers and buyers, threat to the new entrants and product substitute, and the degree of competition prevailing in the market. The influence of the latest government guidelines is also analyzed in detail in the report. It studies the markets trajectory between forecast periods.Reason to Access the Speech Recognition Software Market Research Report:The report provides information on the technological advancements that are bound to take place in the coming years or are currently taking place in the market. Furthermore, the opportunities and threats faced by the main players dominant in the Global Speech Recognition Software market have been highlighted. This report covers the market from the bottom line, starting from its definition. Later, it segments the market on various criteria to give a depth of understanding on the various product types and pricing structures and applications. Each and every segment is examined carefully by factoring in sales, revenue and market size in order to understand the potential of growth and scope.For More Information:Table of ContentsGlobal Speech Recognition Software Market Research ReportChapter 1 Speech Recognition Software Market OverviewChapter 2 Global Economic Impact on IndustryChapter 3 Global Market Competition by ManufacturersChapter 4 Global Production, Revenue (Value) by RegionChapter 5 Global Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by RegionsChapter 6 Global Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter 7 Global Market Analysis by ApplicationChapter 8 Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter 9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersChapter 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersChapter 11 Market Effect Factors AnalysisChapter 12 Global Speech Recognition Software Market ForecastAbout:We at IT Intelligence Markets conduct intensive market research and generate detailed reports about the products and services offered in the IT domain. Our team is devoted to providing custom reports that are taylor-made to suit the customers requirements. We make sure to keep our customers updated with the latest market dynamics as IT industry is undergoing sea change intrinsically & extrinsically by forces such as regulatory fluctuations, rapidly evolving consumer preferences, and newer technologies. Not only do our market research analysts scrutinize market requirements but also track competitors relentlessly for obtaining the most updated scenario of the market.It Intelligence Marketssales@itintelligencemarkets.com
Innovative Report on Language Learning Games Market: Basic Influencing Factors Driving the Growth in International Market Detail Analysis in New Research Report

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Language Learning Games market research is an intelligence report with meticulous efforts undertaken to study the right and valuable information. The data which has been looked upon is done considering both, the existing top players and the upcoming competitors. Business strategies of the key players and the new entering market industries are studied in detail. Well explained SWOT analysis, revenue share asnd contact information are shared in this report analysis.Get Sample copy of this Report@:Top Companies Profiled in this Report includes, Rosetta Stone Ltd., Duolingo, Innovative Language Learning USA, LLC, SignSchool Technologies LLC, shotgun.experiments, Smooth HQ, Duy Hong Studio, DOMOsoft, GoKids!, boriol, Geek Apps, Knowledge Adventure, Alpha Edu, Sovereign Communication Solutions, LLC, Emilia Genadieva, IXL Learning, Mr. YDM, SMARTSTUDY, Jehovah's WitnessesMarket segment by Type, the product can be split intoMultiple Language ChoicesOne Language ChoiceLast Few Days, Avail 20% Off on this Premium Report @:Market segment by Application, Language Learning Games can be split intoFor KidsFor AdultsVarious factors are responsible behind the markets growth trail, which are studied at length in the report. In addition, the report lists down the restraints that are posing threat to the global Language Learning Games market. It also gauges the bargaining power of suppliers and buyers, threat to the new entrants and product substitute, and the degree of competition prevailing in the market. The influence of the latest government guidelines is also analyzed in detail in the report. It studies the markets trajectory between forecast periods.Reason to Access the Language Learning Games Market Research Report:The report provides information on the technological advancements that are bound to take place in the coming years or are currently taking place in the market. Furthermore, the opportunities and threats faced by the main players dominant in the Global Language Learning Games market have been highlighted. This report covers the market from the bottom line, starting from its definition. Later, it segments the market on various criteria to give a depth of understanding on the various product types and pricing structures and applications. Each and every segment is examined carefully by factoring in sales, revenue and market size in order to understand the potential of growth and scope.For More Information:Table of ContentsGlobal Language Learning Games Market Research ReportChapter 1 Language Learning Games Market OverviewChapter 2 Global Economic Impact on IndustryChapter 3 Global Market Competition by ManufacturersChapter 4 Global Production, Revenue (Value) by RegionChapter 5 Global Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by RegionsChapter 6 Global Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter 7 Global Market Analysis by ApplicationChapter 8 Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter 9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersChapter 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersChapter 11 Market Effect Factors AnalysisChapter 12 Global Language Learning Games Market ForecastAbout:We at IT Intelligence Markets conduct intensive market research and generate detailed reports about the products and services offered in the IT domain. Our team is devoted to providing custom reports that are taylor-made to suit the customers requirements. We make sure to keep our customers updated with the latest market dynamics as IT industry is undergoing sea change intrinsically & extrinsically by forces such as regulatory fluctuations, rapidly evolving consumer preferences, and newer technologies. Not only do our market research analysts scrutinize market requirements but also track competitors relentlessly for obtaining the most updated scenario of the market.It Intelligence Marketssales@itintelligencemarkets.com
Global Order Management Software Market: Know about Basic Influencing Factors Driving the Growth in International market By Top Companies like Epicor Software Corporation, Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, IBM, Accenture

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Order management software provides a platform for efficiently managing the accounts and orders of the organisations. Order management software eliminates the need of entering the data and orders manually reducing the scope for error as well. In addition to that, order management applications software very efficiently maintains the updated records of vendors, consumers, refunds and information regarding the billings and payments.Get Sample copy of this Report@:Order Management Software market research is an intelligence report with meticulous efforts undertaken to study the right and valuable information. The data which has been looked upon is done considering both, the existing top players and the upcoming competitors. Business strategies of the key players and the new entering market industries are studied in detail. Well explained SWOT analysis, revenue share asnd contact information are shared in this report analysis.Top Companies Profiled in this Report includes, Epicor Software Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, Oracle, SAP, IBM, Manhattan Associates., OrderDynamics, MNP, Sanderson, Freestyle Solutions., Brightpearl, RetailOps, Springboard Retail, JDA Software Group, Inc., Accruent, TCRDS, Khaos Control, MACH Software, Moulton Fulfillment, MICROS Systems, Inc., Jesta Group, AccentureMarket segment by Type, the product can be split intoRechargeableFreeMarket segment by Application, Order Management Software can be split intoSupermarketDistributorsLast Few Days, Avail 20% Discount on this Premium Report @:Various factors are responsible behind the markets growth trail, which are studied at length in the report. In addition, the report lists down the restraints that are posing threat to the global Order Management Software market. It also gauges the bargaining power of suppliers and buyers, threat to the new entrants and product substitute, and the degree of competition prevailing in the market. The influence of the latest government guidelines is also analyzed in detail in the report. It studies the markets trajectory between forecast periods.Reason to Access Order Management Software Market Research Report:The report provides information on the technological advancements that are bound to take place in the coming years or are currently taking place in the market. Furthermore, the opportunities and threats faced by the main players dominant in the Global Order Management Software market have been highlighted. This report covers the market from the bottom line, starting from its definition. Later, it segments the market on various criteria to give a depth of understanding on the various product types and pricing structures and applications. Each and every segment is examined carefully by factoring in sales, revenue and market size in order to understand the potential of growth and scope.For More Information:Table of ContentsGlobal Order Management Software Market Research ReportChapter 1 Order Management Software Market OverviewChapter 2 Global Economic Impact on IndustryChapter 3 Global Market Competition by ManufacturersChapter 4 Global Production, Revenue (Value) by RegionChapter 5 Global Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by RegionsChapter 6 Global Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter 7 Global Market Analysis by ApplicationChapter 8 Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter 9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersChapter 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersChapter 11 Market Effect Factors AnalysisChapter 12 Global Order Management Software Market ForecastAbout:We at IT Intelligence Markets conduct intensive market research and generate detailed reports about the products and services offered in the IT domain. Our team is devoted to providing custom reports that are taylor-made to suit the customers requirements. We make sure to keep our customers updated with the latest market dynamics as IT industry is undergoing sea change intrinsically & extrinsically by forces such as regulatory fluctuations, rapidly evolving consumer preferences, and newer technologies. Not only do our market research analysts scrutinize market requirements but also track competitors relentlessly for obtaining the most updated scenario of the market.It Intelligence Marketssales@itintelligencemarkets.com
VCSELs Market - Industry Analysis by Material, Color, Application, Trends, Demand and Growth Forecast to 2022

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The global vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSELs) market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 21.9% forecast to 2022. Among the various types, the gallium arsenide segment held the largest share in the global VCSELs market. The advantages associated with VCSELs over conventional diodes are driving the growth of the global VCSELs market. The other drivers for the market include availability of cost-effective VCSELs and their rapid deployment for high volume applications.Get a free sample of this research report:VCSELs offer reliability, high precision and efficiency in optical sensors based on scattering, transmission, absorption, self-mixing, reflection, interference, and others. For instance, VCSELs are universal in applications using reflective sensors and scattering or imaging techniques to perceive objects or moving objects. Greater precision has increased the adoption of VCSELs in medical applications, such as medical diagnostics and therapeutics, optical nerve stimulation, computed radiography imaging.Multi-element VCSEL arrays offers around 1 W of CW optical power, low facet power density while providing high wallplug efficiency. Owing to this, various applications including LiDAR, aerospace, night vision, illumination, and line-of-sight communication links operating at 3 Gbps and higher have observed increase in demand of VCSELs. Proximity is measured by transmitting light and sensing reflections from nearby objects. Superior power efficiency over LEDs has increase the adoption of VCSELs in proximity sensing applications, which is further fueling the growth of the market.Explore report at:Newer applications including chip-to-chip and board-to-board interfaces where density, data rates, and power limits are major constraints are deploying VCSELs, which is consequently fuelling the demand of VCSEL market. With increasing demand for high speed data network, the demand of VCSELs in-turn is expected to continue during the forecast period. Moreover, with growing demand of 1Gbps POF based home networking market, data communication industry have witnessed proliferation in demand of low cost VCSELs. As POF based home networking is a consumer product, the usage of lower cost VCSELs is anticipated to increase market penetration and in-turn propel the growth of the VCSELs market during the forecast period. Due to the restriction of escalating the rotational frequency of the polygonal mirror, an array of mirror is a way to make speed improvement. Therefore VCSELs are preferred in laser printers. The market has witnessed the usage of VCSELs in some high end laser printers; however, the exponential growth in usage of VCSELs arrays is expected from laser printers manufacturers, in order to obtain competitive advantage over others.Make enquiry before buying the report:Some of the key companies operating in the global VCSELs market include Alight Technologies A/S, Avago Technologies, Finisar Corporation, Phillips Photonics, Litrax Technology Co., Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd., PD-LD, Inc., OECA Optoelectronics Component and Applications GmbH, and Sacher Lasertechnik GmbH.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:
New Report Project on Digital Radiology Sales Market by Application, Device Type, Portability, End User, Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast 2023

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Increasing health consciousness and growing awareness about the same are leading to higher footfalls in diagnostic laboratories. This is contributing towards overall growth of diagnostics market. Furthermore, digitization in healthcare sector is easing patient diagnosis, providing accurate and faster test results. Digital radiography finds application in dental, chest imaging, orthopedic, and mammography. Ease of operating with mobile systems, increasing demand for portable and mobile equipment is growing rapidly in digital x-ray market. The rapidly declining user base of analog systems would further contribute towards growth of digital radiography market.Get Sample Copy@:The study presents a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the market, its key segments, regulatory landscape, and competitive scenario, and recent developments. A detailed analysis of factors expected to drive and challenge the growth of the market as well as the trends that decide consumer inclination are highlighted. The report utilizes a variety of primary and secondary research methodologies for gathering quantitative as well as qualitative data on global as well as regional fronts. With the help of a number of industry-best analytical methods, the vast amount of market data thus gathered is filtered and narrowed down to the details that matter the most to companies operating in the Global Digital Radiology Sales Market or aspiring to enter it.Companies Profiled In This Report:DJO, Zimmer Biomet, Orthofix International, Stryker, Bioventus, Ossatec Benelux, Verve Consulting, IGEA, FWS Medical Device, ElizurAvail 20% Discount On This Premium Report@:A deeper knowledge of the Global Digital Radiology Sales Market could be attained through this report as the researchers have attempted to unveil important distributors and traders and vital factors such as market positioning and marketing channel. Readers have been offered with an intelligent analysis of marketing strategy for the sales while focusing on elements such as target client, brand strategy, and pricing strategy. With a view to helping understand the concept of a marketing channel for glass beads sales, the researchers have exposed some of the significant trends of marketing channel development, indirect marketing, and direct marketing.Marketing strategies and marketing channels adopted by key companies are highlighted in the report. Corporations are concentrating on improving direct and indirect advertising strategies and develop various promotion channels, brand strategies, and pricing strategies. This statistical surveying report finds that major corporations functioning in the Global Digital Radiology Sales Market are concentrating on acquiring a few startup companies in the near future. With this, the key companies will get a chance to focus on adopting new trends and innovations in the market products. Additionally, by merging with startups, leading companies are aiming to maintain their dominance in the global market.For More Information@:Reason to Access Global Digital Radiology Sales Market Research Report:Analysis of Global Digital Radiology Sales Market and its upcoming growth prospects is been mentioned with maximum precision. This study includes an elaborative summary of market which also includes snapshots that offer depth of information of various other segmentations. Through qualitative and quantitative analysis of key factors which are responsible for boosting or hampering the market growth and the promising opportunities in market have been provide. Primary and secondary research is been done in detail which helps the readers have a strong understanding of the complete market for the forecast period.Get This Report Now@:Table of Contents:Global Digital Radiology Sales Market Research Report 2017Chapter 1: Global Digital Radiology Sales Market OverviewChapter 2: Global Economic Impact on IndustryChapter 3: Global Market Competition by ManufacturersChapter 4: Global Production, Revenue (Value) by RegionChapter 5: Global Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by RegionsChapter 6: Global Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter 7: Global Market Analysis by ApplicationChapter 8: Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter 9: Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersChapter 10: Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersChapter 11: Market Effect Factors AnalysisChapter 12: Global Digital Radiology Sales Market ForecastIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.HealthCare Intelligence Markets supply market intelligence reports in the domain of personalized drugs & diagnostics after going through a rigorous research process. The healthcare and pharma industry is constantly evolving as trends are getting replaced at a rapid pace.Name: Shreyas TannaCompany: Healthcare Intelligence MarketsAddress: 601, Winterberry Purple, Koregaon Park, Pune, 411001Mail Id: sales@healthcareintelligencemarkets.comContact No: +91 7400242424
Global Flushing Systems Market Analysis and Trends 2017  Industry Forecast to 2025

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Flushing systems form an integral part of the lavatory, owing to the requirement to flush the humans discharged waste matter by using water or vacuum to force it down the pipeline connected to the disposable location. These consist of water tank, mechanical components and the electronic sensors and components depending on the user requirements. Requirement to maintain hygiene and proper disposal is expected to prominently create product demand through the forecast period.Request of Table of Content:Growth in urbanization and requirement to save water is projected to present potential growth demands over the forecast periodGrowth in the population residing is expected to be the major factor driving the growth of residential construction and other infrastructure activities. This in turn will also drive the global sanitary equipment demands. According to our research, global consumer expenditure witnessed an increase of around 2.5% in 2016, is expected to register substantial growth over the forecast period which is expected to provide substantial traction in spending for better living standards. In conjunction with the improving living standards, concerns for improved toilet hygiene, and optimize water usage will present potential growth prospects for the flushing systems market.Advent of advanced and automatic flushing systems would provide considerable market tractionConventional requirement for 7 gallons per flush (gpf) has been reduced to 1.6 to 1.28 gpf of water through some systems to address the global water saving issue. Moreover, industry participants are making significant advancements such as integration of sensors, electronic touchpads, introducing vacuum equipment or making the whole system automatic, for better consumer convenience and their inclinations. For instance, in November 2014, American Standard introduced Optum Vormax Toilet technology, that was featured with the self-cleaning features. Such advancements are expected to provide strong industry growth prospects over the forecast period.Government initiatives to cease open defecation and large potential in Asia Pacific emerging economies are expected to fuel the market growthAsia Pacific is home to the worlds largest population base and is expected to account for the highest volume consumption through the forecast period. However, open defecation prevalent in some emerging economies that include India, Pakistan and Indonesia specifically, is among the major factors that will hinder the flushing systems market growth through the forecast period. Open defecation refers to the practice of using open fields, bushes, forests, open water bodies or any other places other than the toilets.Increasing awareness regarding the health and hygiene and the prevalence of worms, diarrheas and certain other infections for the people not using toilets is expected to necessitate the demands for toilets and flushing systems market. According to United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), India finds the most prevalence of open defecation accounting for around 50% of the nations population. However, several government initiatives with the help of UNICEF have put in place to reduce these practices such as Swachh Bharat Mission, and financial funding for the households to build proper sanitation facilities.U.S., and other developed counterparts in Western Europe are expected to witness consistent demands and witness flat growth trend over the next few years. This is primarily owing to the presence of already developed infrastructure. Demands in these regions would primarily comprise of renovation of old infrastructures and new water saving equipment and technologies.Gravity flush was the most conventional form of equipment that contributed the largest flushing systems market share in 2016. Owing to low cost, ubiquitous availability and easy manufacturing, it is expected to remain the volume selling segment. However, improving lifestyle requirement for the premium consumers and other commercial applications to attract consumers is expected to provide significant demands for the electronic and other product segments.Chief industry participants include Hindware, GROHE, Geberit, TOTO, Kohler, Caroma, Enware, Jaquar, Lecico, Sanitaryware, CERA ,Parryware, RAK Ceramics, Roca, Sonas, Seima, TECE, Villeroy & Boch, Verotti, and VitrA.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 New Website:
Robot Teach Pendant Market- Global Industry Insights,Analysis, 20162024

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The teach pendant is a device that is used to control the industrial or non-industrial robot remotely. Teach pendant device provides a various settings which helps to control robots and also helps to design and develop new capabilities and features.Request Table of Content of This Report:The increasing R&D investment for the development of next generation robots become one of the key factor for the growth of robotic tech pendant market, globally. According to Coherent Market Insight analysis there was US$ 91.5 billion spending in robotic industry in 2016, up from US$ 71 billion and is forecasted to reach up to US$ 188 billion in 2020.Various R&D activities are trying to improve the technology in the robotics such as mechatronics, perception manipulation, navigation, gripping, and motion control. The second generation robots holds the technical capability of sensors and 3D- vision system which works with the integration of control system and intelligent algorithms with teach pendants which helps to identify the machine and human presence. For the next generation robotics the vendors are highly focused to improve the cognitive skills of robots with the help of control systems, sensors, high-power processors which helps robots to analyses the gathered information in real time entity and change its behavior accordingly. In addition to this, the increasing demand of non-automotive application and advancement of technology are also some of the major driving factors which increase the market of robot teach pendant globally.The alternative programing method become one of the major threat which hinders the growth of the global robotic teach pendant market. The robotic programing method is done by three approaches - online programming method, simulation or offline programming method and lead through programming method. The online programming method adopts teach pendant is a time consuming method. So simulation or offline programming method is adopted by the end users.Material handling application holds the dominant position in the global robot teach pendant market and is projected to retain its dominance throughout the forecast period. This application is majorly influenced by increasing demand from various end users industries such as automotive, electronics and many more installing the automating process in there manufacturing units. The increasing demand to advanced product development and availability of less skilled labor majorly in developing countries such as China, India have increased the demand for 6robots as they have the capability to perform multiple tasks.Robot teach pendant market Outlook  Asia Pacific holds the largest market of the global robot teach pendant market.On the basis of geography, global robot teach pendant market is classified into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa. Asia Pacific holds the dominant position in the global robot teach pendant market and is projected to retain its dominance throughout the forecast period. The increasing automotive industry in India and China provides a major opportunity for the robot teach pendant market in this region. According to Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d'Automobiles in 2016, China sold 28 million units of vehicles up from 24.7 million units in 2015.Key companies of the global robotic teach pendant marketABB Ltd, Fanuc Corporation, KUKA AG, Omron Adept Technologies, Inc., Yaskawa Motoman, COMAU S.p.A., DENSO Robotics, Epson America, Inc., Festo, Intelitek, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Nachi Robotic Systems Inc, Staubli International, Yamaha Robotics Inc. are some of major companies in the global robotic teach pendant market.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 New Website:
Narrowband Internet of Things chipset Market - Global Industry InsightsOpportunity Analysis, 20172025

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Narrowband internet of things is a low power wide area network technology specially developed for IOT devices, which requires small amount of data for long time. According to International Energy Agency (IEA), which works to ensure reliable, affordable, and clean energy for its 29 member countries estimated that, 14 billion network devices will be enabled globally by 2020. These devices are connected for cost saving, remote control, and many more. Moreover, increasing innovation in IOT services and hardware offers an opportunity to generate a new revenue. For instance, internet connected wearable glasses are used for industrial application, control of IOT application from smart phones, and tablets etc. Hence, this increasing IOT devices and rising IOT innovation are some of the key factors, which drives the narrowband IOT chipset market globally.Request Table of Content of This Report:Infrastructure segment held the dominating position in 2016 and is projected to maintain its dominance throughout the forecast period. Increasing safety concern has become one of the major factors for the growth of the market in infrastructure segment. Adoption of alarm and detector by various industries fuels the market of narrowband IOT chipset globally. Moreover, the automotive and transportation segment is expected to grow with largest CAGR over the forecast period. Increasing installation of vehicle infotainment and telematics application has increased the narrowband IOT chipset market in automotive and transportation segment.Narrowband Internet of Things Chipset Market Outlook  Asia Pacific holds significant market shareOn the basis of geography, global narrowband internet of things chipset market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa. North America narrowband internet of things chipset market held the dominant position in 2016 and is projected to retain dominance over the forecast period. The U.S and Canada are some of the major countries which drive the market in North America region. According to the SmartAmerica Challenge, increasing support of the U.S government and investment for the adoption of IOT technology in various industries such as utilities, manufacturing, and healthcare are providing a key growth opportunities for narrowband internet of things market in the U.S. The Asia Pacific narrowband IOT chipset market is projected to increase with largest CAGR in the forecast period. India, china, and Japan are some of the major countries driving the market in Asia Pacific region. The investment for smart city projects by the Asia Pacific countries has become one of the major driving factors for growth of the market in the region.Key Players in the Global Narrowband Internet of Things Chipset MarketKey players operating global narrowband internet of things chipset market include Vodafone Group PLC, Verizon Communications, U-Blox Holding AG, Samsung Electronics, Qualcomm Incorporated, Nokia Corporation, Mistase Communication System, Intel Corporation, Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., and Ericsson.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 New Website:
Contact Management Software Market a cutting-edge technology, industry survey and new business opportunities 2023

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The report is titled Global Contact Management Software Market Research Report 2018 and hastens a boundless and centered investigate into this market. The market size is concluded through comprehensive study and examination through subordinate research. The numbers interpreted from subordinate research is converged into the research report after approval of the market data approximations through different conferences and analyses directed and gathered information from the industry and market authorities.Top Key Vendors: Salesforce, Zoho, Sage, OnContact, Act, Pipedrive, SalesNexus, NetSuite, TeamWox, SugarCRM, Maximizer CRM, Infusionsoft, Insightly, OfficeClip, Freshsales, HubSpot Sales, InfoFlo, Teamgate, LeadExec, ProWorkflow, Chime, Google Contacts, CoContacts, Evercontact, Hyperoffice, Freshsales CRMGet Sample Copy of this Report @:According to the research report, the global Contact Management Software market is witnessing a continual rise in its valuation with the advancement in technologies, which is impacting the consumer behavior and, accordingly, their purchasing patterns to a great extent. In addition to this, the increasing penetration of internet and the surge in mobile surfing are expected to boost the demand across the world, states the research report.This research study presents an all-inclusive evaluation of the global Contact Management Software market taking various industry parameters, such as the capacity of production, product pricing, demand, supply, and sales dynamics, returns on investments, and the growth rate of the overall market into consideration.On the basis of geographical regions, the Global Contact Management Software Market is segmented broadly into Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific. The global market is still in its exploratory stage in most of the regions but it holds the promising potential to flourish steadily in coming years. The major companies investing in this market are situated in Canada, U.K., and the US, India, China and some more countries of Asia Pacific region. Consequently, Asia Pacific, North America, and Western Europe are estimated to hold more than half of the market shares, collectively in coming years.Ask for a Special Discount on this Report@:The major growth drivers, challenges, and trends influencing the global market are inspected at length. The report also presents a thorough qualitative and quantitative data affecting to the projected impact of these factors on markets future growth prospects. A number of analysis tools such as Porters five forces analysis and SWOT analysis have been employed to provide an accurate understanding of this market. Also, the report is compiled in a way for the readers and customers to understand better.In the last sections of the report, the manufacturers responsible for increasing the sales in the Contact Management Software Market have been presented. These manufacturers have been analyzed in terms of their manufacturing base, basic information, and competitors. In addition, the technology and product type introduced by each of these manufacturers also form a key part of this section of the report.Table of Content:Chapter 1 Contact Management Software Market OverviewChapter 2 Global Economic Impact on IndustryChapter 3 Global Market Competition by ManufacturersChapter 4 Global Production, Revenue (Value) by RegionChapter 5 Global Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by RegionsChapter 6 Global Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter 7 Global Market Analysis by ApplicationChapter 8 Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter 9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersChapter 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersChapter 11 Market Effect Factors AnalysisAbout Research N Reports:Research N Reports is a new age market research firm where we focus on providing information that can be effectively applied. Today being a consumer driven market, companies require information to deal with the complex and dynamic world of choices. Where relying on a sound board firm for your decisions becomes crucial. Research N Reports specializes in industry analysis, market forecasts and as a result getting quality reports covering all verticals, whether be it gaining perspective on current market conditions or being ahead in the cut throat Global competition. Since we excel at business research to help businesses grow, we also offer consulting as an extended arm to our services which only helps us gain more insight into current trends and problems. Consequently we keep evolving as an all-rounder provider of viable information under one roof.Sunny Denis10916, Gold Point Dr, Houston, TX, Pin - 77064,(Sales Manager),+1-8886316977,sales@researchnreports.com ,
Electronic Security Market Rising at 10% CAGR to 2024: Analysis of Key Players, Trends, Drivers, & Challenges

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MarketStudyReport.com adds a new Electronic Security Market Research Report for the period of 2017-2024 that shows the growth of the market is rising at a 10% CAGR to 2024.The state and central governments of various countries are placing high focus on the development and adoption of advanced systems in high-traffic locations such as public roads, transit stations, and malls, contributing to the growth of the electronic security market. For instance, the Indian government in 2014 set up a USD 125 million fund solely devoted to the prevention of sexual violence among women through the installation of security equipment such as surveillance systems at high-risk public locations. These hardware systems are equipped with video analytics and advanced algorithms that allow the detection of criminals. Furthermore, technological advancements have also aided in the improvement of existing technologies such as high-resolution 4k cameras and IP surveillance units.Electronic Security Market size is set to exceed USD 60 billion by 2024; according to a new research report.Request a sample copy of Electronic Security Market Research Report @Crime rates across the world are heavily impacted with the rising penetration of these systems in residential and commercial settings and is anticipated to drive the electronic security market growth. End-users across the world are replacing conventional security systems such as guards and physical body checks with high-tech solutions. Physical body checks in malls and airports can be cumbersome and increase customer discomfort, primarily among women. X-ray body scanners, on the contrary, requires the person to pass through an electronic frame.The rising trend of the development of smart cities in countries such as China and India is contributing to the high growth of the electronic security market. For instance, the Chinese government has undertaken large construction projects for the development of smart cities imbued with advanced security solutions in cities such as Dalian, Hangzhou, Nanjing, and Tianjin. The rise in traveler population across the world is also leading to the growth of the electronic security market.Enquire about this report @The surveillance and alert system market is anticipated to exhibit substantial growth during the forecast timeframe. The reduction in component and raw material costs is contributing to the decline in the electronic security market price trend. Remote monitoring systems are increasingly finding application in developed regions such as U.S and Western Europe. Installing a home security solution with remote monitoring capabilities allows the homeowner to access security cameras and video units situated inside the residential location in real-time.Public-sector applications are the largest revenue-generating segment. Various government bodies are making use of advanced solutions for surveillance and criminal detection applications. For instance, in September 2017, a police department in Arkansas was reported to be using drones for highly specialized missions such as the tracking of a suspect or obtaining an inside view and additional information in a hostage situation.The North America electronic security market is projected to dominate the global business landscape owing to the government initiatives to integrate these systems into their public safety segment. For instance, the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 contains provisions to make the unmanned aerial systems (UAS) licensing process easier and quicker for law enforcement officials. Various U.S states are currently conducting trial operations on drones to understand their capabilities and their operational efficiency.Players operating in the global electronic security market include Axis Communications, BOSCH Security Systems, Hitachi Ltd, OSI Systems, Inc., SDMS Security Products UK Ltd., Siemens AG, MilliVision Technologies, ASSA ABLOY, Scanna MSC Ltd., Thales Group, RedXDefense LLC, etc. Industry players conduct strategic moves such as mergers and acquisitions to sustain growth. For instance, in July 2017, Assa Abloy announced the acquisition of Arjo Systems SAS to strengthen their physical and digital identity solution provisions.For more information on this report, please visit @Related Reports: -Global Electronic Security System Market Professional Survey Report 2018This report studies Electronic Security System in Global market, especially in North America, China, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan and India, with production, revenue, consumption, import and export i...About Us:Centralize market research purchases across your entire organization in one place. Marketstudyreport.com allows you to manage and control all corporate research purchases to consolidate billing and vendor management. You can eliminate duplicate purchases and customize your content and license management.Market Study ReportThe Green Suite #4594,Dover, DE 192901United StatesPhone: 1-201-355-0868US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email: sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite:News:
Combined Heat and Power Market by Technology (Combined Cycle, Steam Turbine, Gas Turbine, Reciprocating Engine) to reach +$44bn by 2024

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Combined Heat and Power Market to reach +$44bn by 2024 Growing electricity demand along with rapid industrialization and urbanization will drive the combined heat and power market Energy security concerns along with growing penetration of renewable energy will positively impact the regional industry growth. Increasing focus towards the replacement of existing coal fired plants with clean fuel generation to cut carbon footprint will further augment the business. This report can effectively help companies and decision makers in addressing these challenges strategically to gain the maximum benefits in the highly competitive market.Top Key Players: Clarke Energy, GE, Wolf GmbH, Macallister Power (CAT), SIEMENS, Foley (CAT), Alfa Laval, Liebherr, SourceOne, YanmarGet Sample Copy of this Report:The report includes massive data relating to the recent product and technological developments observed in the market, complete with an analysis of the impact of these advancements on the markets future development. The research report analyzes the global Combined Heat and Power market in a detailed manner by explaining the key aspects of the market that are expected to have a quantifiable influence on its developmental prospects over the forecast period. The major growth drivers, challenges, and trends influencing the market are examined at length. The report also presents a thorough qualitative and quantitative data affecting to the projected impact of these factors on markets future growth prospects.The vast amount of global Combined Heat and Power market data that is available in any market, in general, makes it a tough task to narrow it down to the most crucial details and statistics relevant to the business issues at hand. Many companies could lack the much needed dedicated resources and the specific skills necessary for compiling a comprehensive market research. Focused market research methodologies help organizations in clearly gauging the most crucial stakes in the market that need to the considered for effective decision making. A number of analysis tools such as Porters five forces analysis and SWOT analysis have been employed to provide an accurate understanding of this market. Also, the report is compiled in a way for the readers and customers to understand better.Get Up to 40% Discount on this report:In last section, the chief manufacturers in the global Combined Heat and Power have been presented. Their company profiles, price, cost, revenue, gross, capacity, product picture, and contact information have also been covered under this section of the study. Geographically, the report studies the regional and country markets in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, and India. The most prominent exporter serving the demand that is generated from the developed countries is also mentioned in this report.Table of Content:Global Combined Heat and Power Market Research Report 2017-2022Chapter 1 Combined Heat and Power Market OverviewChapter 2 Global Economic ImpactChapter 3 Competition by ManufacturerChapter 4 Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2017-2022)Chapter 5 Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2017-2022)Chapter 6 Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter 7 Analysis by ApplicationChapter 8 Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter 9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersChapter 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersChapter 11 Market Effect Factors AnalysisGet more Information about this report:About QYReports:We at, QYReports , a leading market research report publisher accommodate more than 4,000 celebrated clients worldwide putting them at advantage in todays competitive world with our understanding of research. Our list of customers include prestigious Chinese companies, multinational companies, SME's and private equity firms whom we have helped grow and sustain with our fact-based research. Our business study covers a market size of over 30 industries offering unfailing insights into analysis to reimagine your business. We specialize in forecasts needed for investing in a new project, to revolutionize your business, to become more customer centric and improve the quality of output.Contact:QYReportsJones John(Sales Manager)+91-9764607607sales@qyreports.com
Global Intraocular Lens (IOLs) Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022

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This report studies the Intraocular Lens (IOLs) market. Intraocular lens (IOL) is a lens implanted in the eye used to treat cataracts or myopia. The most common type of IOL is the pseudophakic IOL. These are implanted during cataract surgery, after the cloudy crystalline lens (otherwise known as a cataract) has been removed. The pseudophakic IOL replaces the original crystalline lens, and provides the light focusing function originally undertaken by the crystalline lens. The second type of IOL, more commonly known as a phakic intraocular lens (PIOL), is a lens which is placed over the existing natural lens, and is used in refractive surgery to change the eye's optical power as a treatment for myopia, or nearsightedness. IOLs usually consist of a small plastic lens with plastic side struts, called haptics, to hold the lens in place within the capsular bag inside the eye. IOLs were conventionally made of an inflexible material (PMMA), although this has largely been superseded by the use of flexible materials. Most IOLs fitted today are fixed monofocal lenses matched to distance vision. However, other types are available, such as multifocal IOLs which provide the patient with multiple-focused vision at far and reading distance, and adaptive IOLs which provide the patient with limited visual accommodation.Request Sample Copy of the Business Report @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Intraocular Lens (IOLs) in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversALCONAMO (Abbott)Bausch + LombHOYACARL ZeissOphtecRaynerSTAARLenstecHumanOpticsBiotech VisioncareOmni Lens Pvt LtdAurolabSAV-IOLEagle OpticsSIFI MedtechPhysiolGet discount on this report :Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversNon-Foldable LensesFoldable Intraocular LensMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoHydrophilicHydrophobicAbout WMR :Worldwide Market Reports is your one-stop repository of detailed and in-depth market research reports compiled by an extensive list of publishers from across the globe. We offer reports across virtually all domains and an exhaustive list of sub-domains under the sun. The in-depth market analysis by some of the most vastly experienced analysts provide our diverse range of clients from across all industries with vital decision making insights to plan and align their market strategies in line with current market trends. Worldwide Market Researchs well-researched inputs that encompass domains ranging from IT to healthcare enable our prized clients to capitalize upon key growth opportunities and shield against credible threats prevalent in the market in the current scenario and those expected in the near future.Contact Us:Mr. ShahWorldwide Market Reports1001 4th Ave,U.STel: +1 415 871 0703Email: sales@worldwidemarketreports.comWEBSITE :
Global (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa) Rehabilitation Robotics Market 2017 Forecast to 2022

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Rehabilitation Robotics is a field of research dedicated to understanding and augmenting rehabilitation through the application of robotic devices. Rehabilitation robotics includes development of robotic devices tailored for assisting different sensorimotor functions (e.g. arm, hand, leg, ankle), development of different schemes of assisting therapeutic training, and assessment of sensorimotor performance (ability to move) of patient; here, robots are used mainly as therapy aids instead of assistive devices. Rehabilitation using robotics is generally well tolerated by patients, and has been found to be an effective adjunct to therapy in individuals suffering from motor impairments, especially due to stroke.Request Sample Copy of the Business Report @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Rehabilitation Robotics in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversAlterG,Bionik,Ekso Bionics,Myomo,Hocoma,Fanuc,Focal Meditech,Honda Motor,Instead Technologies,Aretech,Woodway,MRISAR,Woodway,TyromotionGet discount on this report :Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversLower ExtremityUpper ExtremityExoskeletonMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoSports and Orthopedic MedicineNeurorehabilitationMilitary Strength TrainingAbout WMR :Worldwide Market Reports is your one-stop repository of detailed and in-depth market research reports compiled by an extensive list of publishers from across the globe. We offer reports across virtually all domains and an exhaustive list of sub-domains under the sun. The in-depth market analysis by some of the most vastly experienced analysts provide our diverse range of clients from across all industries with vital decision making insights to plan and align their market strategies in line with current market trends. Worldwide Market Researchs well-researched inputs that encompass domains ranging from IT to healthcare enable our prized clients to capitalize upon key growth opportunities and shield against credible threats prevalent in the market in the current scenario and those expected in the near future.Contact Us:Mr. ShahWorldwide Market Reports1001 4th Ave,U.STel: +1 415 871 0703Email: sales@worldwidemarketreports.comWEBSITE :
Global Edible Oils and Fats Market Professional Survey Report 2017

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This report studies Edible Oils and Fats 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.Request Sample Copy of the Business Report @This report focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, covering :Archer-Daniels-Midland Co (U.S.),Associated British Foods Plc. (U.K.),Wilmar International Ltd(Singapore),Bunge limited (U.S.),Adani Wilmar Ltd (India),Cargill (U.S.),Ajinomoto Co (Japan)...On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoCorn OilSesame OilOlive OilPalm OilCoconut OilOthersBy Application, the market can be split intoTable ConsumptionBakery & ConfectionerySavory SnacksRTE Foods/Convenience FoodsBio-DieselAnimal FeedOtherGet discount on this report :By Regions, this report covers (we can add the regions/countries as you want)North AmericaChinaEuropeSoutheast AsiaJapanIndiaIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.About WMR :Worldwide Market Reports is your one-stop repository of detailed and in-depth market research reports compiled by an extensive list of publishers from across the globe. We offer reports across virtually all domains and an exhaustive list of sub-domains under the sun. The in-depth market analysis by some of the most vastly experienced analysts provide our diverse range of clients from across all industries with vital decision making insights to plan and align their market strategies in line with current market trends. Worldwide Market Researchs well-researched inputs that encompass domains ranging from IT to healthcare enable our prized clients to capitalize upon key growth opportunities and shield against credible threats prevalent in the market in the current scenario and those expected in the near future.Contact Us:Mr. ShahWorldwide Market Reports1001 4th Ave,U.STel: +1 415 871 0703Email: sales@worldwidemarketreports.comWEBSITE :
Global Frozen Food Packaging Market by Type, Product, Material, Geography - Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast 2017-2022

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Global Frozen Food Packaging Market Professional Survey Report 2017-2022 Purchase This Report by calling QYReports.com at +91-9764607607.Food packaging is packaging for food. A package provides protection, tampering resistance, and special physical, chemical, or biological needs. It may bear a nutrition facts label and other information about food being offered for sale.The report on the Global Frozen Food Packaging Market is a scrupulous piece of work and is assembled by conducting both primary and secondary research. The report does so by providing an executive summary including all valuable market figures and exploring the favorable factors that are expected to drive the growth rate of the market, besides taking account of the restraining factors. The data comprised in the report has been taken by accessing case studies, and by taking contributions from top diligence leaders.The report creates a clear picture of the various factors that will drive the Global Frozen Food Packaging market in the years to come. In order to help companies spot potential threats and to give them a clear picture of the opportunities that exist in the Frozen Food Packaging market, the report offers a SWOT analysis of the Global market. For the purpose of the study, market analysts have employed rigorous primary and secondary research techniques.Download PDF Sample Copy:Company Profiled: The Key Players includes in this report are Ball Corporation, Crown Holdings, Genpak, Graham Packaging, Pactiv, AEP Industries, American Packaging, Anchor Packaging, Ball, Bemis, Berry Plastics, Bomarko, Cascades Sonoco, Coveris, Dolco Packaging, Exopack Holding, InterFlex Group, International Paper, Leucadia National, LINPAC Packaging, Packaging Corporation of America, Packman, Robbie Manufacturing, Sonoco Products.The research report analyzes the Global Frozen Food Packaging Market in a thorough manner by clarifying the key characteristics of the market that are anticipated to have a measureable influence on its evolving prospects over the forecast period. The key opportunity areas in Frozen Food Packaging market and the top trends impacting the development of the market have also been presented through this report. The current growth and development patterns of this market have also been encapsulated in this study.This report analysis will help organizations understand the major threat and opportunities that vendors have to deal in Frozen Food Packaging market. The competitive background section of the report covers the key vendors and throws light on the strategies being adopted by them for better penetration into the market. The key applications or end users of Frozen Food Packaging market have also been presented in this section of the study. The major policies adopted by established players for a better penetration in the Global Frozen Food Packaging market also form a key section of this study.For more Information:Geographically, the report explores the potential of the Frozen Food Packaging market in the major regions mentioned in this report. Currently, highest alleging share market is also mentioned in this report. The prime region for Frozen Food Packaging market across the world are:By Regions, this report covers:United StatesEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaTo Get Reasonable Discount:About QYReports:We at, QYReports , a leading market research report publisher accommodate more than 4,000 celebrated clients worldwide putting them at advantage in todays competitive world with our understanding of research. Our list of customers include prestigious Chinese companies, multinational companies, SME's and private equity firms whom we have helped grow and sustain with our fact-based research. Our business study covers a market size of over 30 industries offering unfailing insights into analysis to reimagine your business. We specialize in forecasts needed for investing in a new project, to revolutionize your business, to become more customer centric and improve the quality of output.Contact:Jones John(Sales Manager)QYReports+91-9764607607sales@qyreports.com
Global Web Application Firewall Market Report, Trends, Size, Share, Analysis, Estimations and Forecasts to 2022

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The report on Web Application Firewall market is a source of expansive ideas, statistical data, and detailed information, which has the potency to ensure profit of an enterprises. It gives a basic overview of the industry which includes definition, applications, classifications, and industry chain structure. Extensive development plans and policies are discussed meticulously. There also exists a cost study and manufacturing structures with perfect explanation. The import/export, consumption and supply figures are also included in the report.The study presents an evaluation of the factors that are expected to inhibit or boost the progress of the global Web Application Firewall market. The global Web Application Firewall market has been examined thoroughly on the basis of key criteria such as end user, application, product, technology, and region. An analysis has been provided in the report of the key geographical segments and their share and position in the market. The estimated revenue and volume growth of the global Web Application Firewall market has also been offered in the report.Key Vendors:Imperva, Akamai, Barracuda, Citrix, Cloudflare, DenyAll, Ergon Informatik, F5 Networks, Fortinet, Penta Security Systems, Radware, Trustwave, Sophos, Positive Technologies, StackPath, Zenedge, NSFOCUS, QualysFor Sample Copy of this report:The regions which have been examined thoroughly are North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa and Latin America. This helps achieve better idea about the blowout of this specific market in particular regions. A list of leading industrialists have been given major value to ensure their approaches are understood in this specific market.This report presents a 360-degree overview of the competitive scenario of the Global Web Application Firewall market. The report includes massive data relating to the recent product and technological developments observed in the market, complete with an analysis of the impact of these advancements on the markets future development. The research report analyzes the global Web Application Firewall market in a detailed manner by explaining the key aspects of the market that are expected to have a quantifiable influence on its developmental prospects over the forecast period.Avail 30% Discount on this Report:The various factors supporting the markets growth and those posing threat are studied in detail in this report. Additionally, the market study segments the Global Web Application Firewall Market based on end-users, verticals, and size. In these sections, it shields various factors impelling the markets trajectory across the segments. Furthermore, it recognizes the most lucrative of them all to help investors take the well-informed decision.The future potentials of this market are analyzed and the prevalent trends are been looked upon with utmost detailing. The growth in all the major geographic regions are been studied in detail in this particular report. With exact data on the top most regions for this market and the reason they hold that position is studied and elaborated.Moving forward, a competitive landscape of Web Application Firewall market is presented for understanding the market importance. This section gives the prime strategies, weaknesses and strengths and the major contributed of the growth have been highlighted. Gross, revenues, product overview, contact information and many such points are explained for Web Application Firewall market in depth.Get Complete Report@:About USWe at IT Intelligence Markets conduct intensive market research and generate detailed reports about the products and services offered in the IT domain. Our team is devoted to providing custom reports that are taylor-made to suit the customers requirements. We make sure to keep our customers updated with the latest market dynamics as IT industry is undergoing sea change intrinsically & extrinsically by forces such as regulatory fluctuations, rapidly evolving consumer preferences, and newer technologies. Not only do our market research analysts scrutinize market requirements but also track competitors relentlessly for obtaining the most updated scenario of the market.Contact UsVijay TannaContact No: +91 705-760-0700sales@itintelligencemarkets.com
Global Cloud Data Security Solution Market Outlook, Research, Trends and Forecast to 2022

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The report on Cloud Data Security Solution market is a source of expansive ideas, statistical data, and detailed information, which has the potency to ensure profit of an enterprises. It gives a basic overview of the industry which includes definition, applications, classifications, and industry chain structure. Extensive development plans and policies are discussed meticulously. There also exists a cost study and manufacturing structures with perfect explanation. The import/export, consumption and supply figures are also included in the report.The study presents an evaluation of the factors that are expected to inhibit or boost the progress of the global Cloud Data Security Solution market. The global Cloud Data Security Solution market has been examined thoroughly on the basis of key criteria such as end user, application, product, technology, and region. An analysis has been provided in the report of the key geographical segments and their share and position in the market. The estimated revenue and volume growth of the global Cloud Data Security Solution market has also been offered in the report.Key Vendors:Gemalto NV, Thales e-Security, Informatica, Google, IBMFor Sample Copy of this report:The regions which have been examined thoroughly are North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa and Latin America. This helps achieve better idea about the blowout of this specific market in particular regions. A list of leading industrialists have been given major value to ensure their approaches are understood in this specific market.This report presents a 360-degree overview of the competitive scenario of the Global Cloud Data Security Solution market. The report includes massive data relating to the recent product and technological developments observed in the market, complete with an analysis of the impact of these advancements on the markets future development. The research report analyzes the global Cloud Data Security Solution market in a detailed manner by explaining the key aspects of the market that are expected to have a quantifiable influence on its developmental prospects over the forecast period.Avail 30% Discount on this Report:The various factors supporting the markets growth and those posing threat are studied in detail in this report. Additionally, the market study segments the Global Cloud Data Security Solution Market based on end-users, verticals, and size. In these sections, it shields various factors impelling the markets trajectory across the segments. Furthermore, it recognizes the most lucrative of them all to help investors take the well-informed decision.The future potentials of this market are analyzed and the prevalent trends are been looked upon with utmost detailing. The growth in all the major geographic regions are been studied in detail in this particular report. With exact data on the top most regions for this market and the reason they hold that position is studied and elaborated.Moving forward, a competitive landscape of Cloud Data Security Solution market is presented for understanding the market importance. This section gives the prime strategies, weaknesses and strengths and the major contributed of the growth have been highlighted. Gross, revenues, product overview, contact information and many such points are explained for Cloud Data Security Solution market in depth.Get Complete Report@:About USWe at IT Intelligence Markets conduct intensive market research and generate detailed reports about the products and services offered in the IT domain. Our team is devoted to providing custom reports that are taylor-made to suit the customers requirements. We make sure to keep our customers updated with the latest market dynamics as IT industry is undergoing sea change intrinsically & extrinsically by forces such as regulatory fluctuations, rapidly evolving consumer preferences, and newer technologies. Not only do our market research analysts scrutinize market requirements but also track competitors relentlessly for obtaining the most updated scenario of the market.Contact UsVijay TannaContact No: +91 705-760-0700sales@itintelligencemarkets.com
A former Midlander has invented an auto body repair tool that has sold hundreds of units across the country.

Matt Finn now lives in the Mississippi River town of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, but he spent much of his childhood and youth in Midland, attending Chestnut Hill Elementary School, Northeast Middle School and Midland High School. He moved to Wisconsin while in high school and graduated from Southwest Wisconsin Technical College's auto collision repair program.

He developed his spot weld chisel while working to restore his 1931 Ford Model A.

"I was removing all the body panels so I could clean it up," he said in a recent phone interview. "There was an area on the quarter panel that I couldn't get at to remove."

He shaped a piece of angle iron into a chisel to solve his problem, and was then able to separate the spot welds that hold panels together.

Finn works at Rick's Auto Body in Prairie du Chien, and he began to use his spot weld chisel for newer cars that would come into the shop - which drew the attention of his colleagues.

"The guys in the shop would borrow it from me a lot," he said. "Everybody always wanted it" for removing panels from cars and trucks.

Because of the interest from other repair specialists, he decided to look into getting the tool manufactured.

The process - from concept to market - took about 10 years.

He approached one company, sending them his first tool. He realized that "they also have other tools in the works so they don't just jump right on yours."

That company had the tool "for a couple of years" and eventually built a prototype of his design and took it to different repair shops to gauge interest. Just when it seemed that the project might be moving ahead, "they pulled the plug on it at the very end, which was disappointing."

Finn then approached Lisle Corporation, which also took quite a while to measure market interest.

This time, after much consideration, "they decided to go with it."

The listing for Lisle Product No. 51880 on the company website (www.lislecorp.com) includes a short video of the tool in action. Finn's chisel also can be purchased on Amazon.com

Finn said the chisel also is sold to repair shops through distributors including Matco and Cornwell.

Lisle launched the tool in late October, and had sold more than 1,600 units through the end of December. The company is paying to have the chisel patented.

His invention of the spot weld chisel may be just the beginning of his tool invention hobby.

"It's kind of sparked my inner creativity," he said. "I've got three other tools that are in the works."

While he gets royalties from the sales of the chisel, "it's more about inventing it, seeing your tool in the catalog or the tool truck."

When he was growing up in Midland, Finn didn't envision himself working in auto repair although his dad would take him to car shows.

"I liked old cars a lot when I was younger," he said.

As for the Model A, Finn said his restoration is "about 75 percent complete."

"It still needs some work here and there," he said.

He and wife Carissa drove the vintage car in their wedding.

Now that the couple has two young boys - ages 2 and 6 - as well as a house, there isn't as much time for working on the Model A or his '52 Chevy. They do take time to go to classic car shows.

"My wife's pretty understanding of the car hobby," Finn said. "The boys love it."
For a half century, James R. Musselman of Midland was known to the worldwide community of snowmobile enthusiasts as a friend and an innovator.

To his community, Musselman, the retired president of International Engineering and Manufacturing Inc. of Hope, was a leader and a difference-maker.

And the common thread underlying everything was his love of family.

Musselman, a husband and a father of five who died on Wednesday at the age of 80, did everything with his family foremost in mind, said his son, Robert Musselman, current president of IEM, which is also known as Woody's.

"What was most important to Jim Musselman was his family  (his motto was) family first," Robert Musselman said.

Jim Musselman, a native of Sterling, started his career as a tool and die maker for General Motors in Bay City, before founding Woody's in 1968 along with Woody Kozlow. Woody's has since grown from a company of about five employees to 53 full-time employees.

According to the company's website, Musselman and Kozlow "put their minds together to revolutionize snowmobile racing by developing the first ever carbide runner. ... Shortly after, carbide tip studs were developed and the pair became essential for racing, eventually making Woody's synonymous with quality in snowmobile traction products."

Robert Musselman said that his father set the standard for his industry by always thinking of what the future would require.

"He was a firm believer in innovation and engineering," Robert Musselman said. "He stayed ahead of the competition, and he thought about things that others didn't. He had great attention to detail.

"The best way to put it is, he was a planner. In his own words, 'I'm a planner.'"

Jim Musselman, an avid snowmobiler who also did extensive recreational boating, was inducted into the Wisconsin-based Snowmobile Hall of Fame in 2003 and into the Michigan Motorsports Hall of Fame just last year.

"He really changed the whole face of snowmobile racing as we know it, with some of the things that he did. His loss has a big impact on the sport of snowmobile racing and on the hall of fame itself," said Dave DeHem, president of the Michigan Motorsports Hall of Fame.

But Musselman's impact didn't start and end with Woody's. Far from it.

Robert Musselman said that his father's civic involvement including serving as president of the school board of Meridian Public Schools in the 1970s, and as Hope Township fire chief. He also helped bring city water to Hope and Edenville townships in the early 1990s, and helped establish 911 service in Midland County.

"He served the needs of the community where he felt he could contribute," Robert Musselman said.

Jim Musselman and his wife of 61 years, Marlene, lived for about 45 years in Hope Township.

"He was a nice man and a gentleman," Marlene said in describing how she would like people to remember her husband. "He liked to figure out how to build things and he was always willing to help the community."

One other very significant contribution that Jim and Marlene Musselman made to the community was related to their son Brian, who, like his father, is also in both the Snowmobile Hall of Fame and the Michigan Motorsports Hall of Fame.

Brian Musselman suffered a brain injury in a snowmobile accident in Montana in 1996, and his parents came to see the need for a long-term rehabilitation place for him and for others in the Midland area.

Two years later, the Musselman family built Deer Run Rehabilitation, an inpatient facility specifically designed to treat people with traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries.

"We needed a place for Brian, so we said, why don't we make it big enough for others," Marlene said.

Musselman's family will receive friends at the Smith-Miner Funeral Home in Midland on Sunday from 4-7 p.m. Family will be welcome at 3 p.m.

Memorial services will be held on Monday at 11 a.m. at the Holy Scripture Lutheran Church in Midland, where visitation will also be held starting at 10 a.m.

"He has lots of friends. We have friends we know who are in Florida and they are flying home for his funeral," Marlene said. "He's going to be missed."

Robert Musselman also noted that a 50th anniversary celebration of Woody's and a celebration of Jim Musselman will be held at the Great Hall at Valley Plaza on May 19.

"People will be coming in from all over the country to celebrate with us the contributions that Jim Musselman made to the company," Robert Musselman said.

Musselman's obituary appears today on page 10B.
The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriff's Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Kelly Dame.

Thursday, Feb. 8

1:20 a.m. -- A motorist was arrested at West Buttles and Jerome streets for drunken driving.

10:02 a.m. -- Police made arrests on a warrant and for driving without a valid license at Post and West Main streets.

12:22 p.m. -- A deputy was sent to a Midland Township home for a report of an altercation involving two men, ages 49 and 57. Neither wished to pursue a report.

12:58 p.m. -- Police investigated a case of fraud in the 1800 block of Eastlawn Drive.

2 p.m. -- A mail carrier was concerned that something might have happened to an 83-year-old female resident because there were no tracks in her driveway, which had not been plowed. A deputy spoke with the woman, who said her driveway is too steep for winter and she is in good health.

2:27 p.m. -- A deputy was called to a Geneva Township home to speak with a 45-year-old woman who reported ongoing noise and harassment by her neighbor, age 19.

11:26 p.m. -- A Geneva Township man, 19, reported his neighbor, a 45-year-old woman, drove a vehicle toward him and yelled at him.

11:33 p.m. -- A motorist was arrested at West Sugnet Road and Whiting Drive for driving without a valid license.

Wednesday, Feb. 7

12:40 a.m. -- A caller reported a tip regarding illegal activity, and was connected with the proper jurisdiction.

9:26 a.m. -- Deputies were sent to an assault in Geneva Township.

10:38 a.m. -- Deputies were called to a Porter Township home for a report of a man, 36, who was disorderly and breaking items. The man left before deputies arrived, and it was learned the man was a felon in possession of firearms. The case is being investigated.

11:21 p.m. -- Animal control was sent to Greendale Township for a report of chickens that were killed by stray dogs. The dogs were not found.

1:58 p.m. -- A Lincoln Township man, 73, reported receiving a call from an Arab-sounding man asking him to update his Medicare information. The man hung up on the caller and did not give out any personal information.

4:51 p.m. -- Officers investigated a hit and run traffic crash at Beech Street and Waldo Avenue.

8:49 p.m. -- Deputies were sent to a neighbor dispute caused by loud noise coming from a Lincoln Township apartment. The neighbor agreed to quiet down.

9:44 p.m. -- Police investigated a case of trespassing in the 900 block of Elgin Street.

10:51 p.m. -- Deputies were called to a noise complaint at a Mount Haley Township home. The neighbor agreed to quiet down.
EDITORS NOTE  OWI means operating while intoxicated. DWLS means driving while license suspended. (MC) is for Judge Michael D. Carpenter. (L) is for Magistrate Gerald Ladwig. (B) is for Circuit Judge Michael J. Beale. (SC) is for Circuit Judge Stephen P. Carras. Sentences may vary based on previous offenses committed by the defendant. Some sentencings include other fees imposed by the state. Compiled by reporter Kelly Dame.

Bay City

Phillip Duane Dent Jr., 42, DWLS and OWI on Oct. 22, 93 days in jail for each count suspended with credit for 11 days, $1,100 fines and costs, one year probation, vehicle immobilized for 90 days, to be monitored by an alcohol tether for 90 days, may not use or possess drugs or alcohol, subject to random drug and alcohol screening, may not enter bars, attend counseling as directed (MC).

Coleman

Joshua Ray Carr, 26, DWLS on Jan. 11, seven days in jail, $400 fines and costs, vehicle immobilized (L).

Charles Farron Letson, 30, OWI on Dec. 15, 93 days in jail with credit for four days, $125 fines and costs (MC).

Robert Lee Schmidt, 21, selling or furnishing alcohol to a minor on July 3, seven days in jail, $300 fines and costs (MC).

Essexville

Jared Duane Brandt, 28, fourth-degree child abuse on Oct. 24, five days with credit for one day, $500 fines and costs (MC).

Chondrea Khira Cole, 22, two counts of second-degree retail fraud on April 19, 2016, and second-degree retail fraud and conspiracy to commit second-degree retail fraud on April 20, 2016, one year in jail for each count with credit for 71 days, $350 fines and costs, $1,565 restitution to ULTA Beauty (MC).

Farwell

Lee Michael Rider, 36, no proof of insurance on Sept. 10, driving unregistered vehicle on Sept. 19 and failure to report traffic crash on Sept. 27, $610 fines and costs (MC).

Gladwin

Alekzander Theodore Pfannes, 21, no proof of insurance on Dec. 15, $210 fine (L).

Midland

Andrew Zane Barnett, 25, Hillgrove Parkway, marijuana possession and DWLS on Dec. 6, one year in jail with all but two weekends suspended and credit for three days, $850 fines and costs, nine months probation, driver license suspended for six months, may not use or possess drugs or alcohol, subject to random drug and alcohol screening, may not enter bars, attend counseling as directed (MC).

Dennis Lee Beebe, 42, West Wackerly Street, aggravated domestic violence on June 10 and third-degree retail fraud on Dec. 23, 180 days in jail for the first offense and 93 days in jail for the second offense with credit for 68 days each, $250 fines and costs (MC).

Lois Jean Berthiaume, 65, Perrine Road, malicious use of telecommunications service on Aug. 11, 180 days in jail suspended with credit for one day, $550 fines and costs, six months probation, not to be involved in any assaultive, threatening, intimidating, violent, aggressive, disorderly or abusive behavior toward any person, may not use or possess drugs or alcohol, subject to random drug and alcohol screening, may not enter bars, attend counseling as directed, sentence delay granted (MC).

Adam Lee Bradley, 40, Carter Road, OWI and DWLS on Sept. 17, 93 days in jail with all but three weekends suspended and credit for one day, $1,275 fines and costs, one year probation, vehicle immobilized for 90 days, may not use or possess drugs or alcohol, subject to random drug and alcohol screening, may not enter bars, attend counseling as directed (MC).

Tommy Brian Che, 25, Greenwich Circle, impaired driving on Sept. 17, 93 days in jail with all but one weekend suspended and credit for two days, $775 fines and costs, nine months probation, may not use or possess drugs or alcohol, subject to random drug and alcohol screening, may not enter bars, attend counseling as directed (MC).

Raquel Marie Garcia, 36, East Patrick Road, allowing DWLS on Jan. 5, $300 fines and costs (L).

Christopher William Goff, 26, Oakridge Court, unregistered vehicle and no proof of insurance on Dec. 20, $410 fines and costs (L).

Cynthia Carol Gonzalez, 39, Elgin Street, disorderly person  jostling on July 28, one day in jail with credit for time served, $125 fines and costs (MC).

Cheyenne Melody Granger, 20, North Saginaw Road, disorderly person  jostling on Oct. 24, seven days in jail with credit for time served, $300 fines and costs, may complete community service in lieu of fines and costs (MC).

Stephen Jacob Hawley, 24, Bay City Road, DWLS on Oct. 19, $200 fines and costs (MC).

Adrian Gamel Johnson II, 32, Tucker Street, second-offense OWI and fail to report accident to fixtures on Dec. 5, 30 days in jail with credit for four days, $250 fines and costs, vehicle immobilized for 90 days, $1,403.50 restituion (MC).

Jacqueline Jennai Leapheart, 31, Hedgewood Drive, impaired driving on Sept. 24, one day in jail with credit for time served, $500 fines and costs (MC).

Taylor Kennedi Lisee, 18, Gemma Drive, driving unregistered vehicle on Nov. 18, $125 fines and costs (MC).

Rebekah Marie Lloyd, 31, South 11 Mile Road, second-offense DWLS and OWI on July 29, one year in jail for the first count and 93 days in jail for the second count with all but two weekends suspended and credit for two days each, $1,100 fines and costs, one year probation, may not use or possess drugs or alcohol, subject to random drug and alcohol screening, may not enter bars, attend counseling as directed (MC).

Lindsay Michelle Lobodzinski, 18, Springfield Drive, DWLS on Dec. 20, $300 fines and costs (L).

Matthew Zander McQuaid, 47, Pine River Road, OWI with occupant under 16 years old on Aug. 3, one year in jail with all but seven days suspended and credit for two days, $875 fines and costs, one year probation, may not use or possess drugs or alcohol, subject to random drug and alcohol screening, may not enter bars, attend counseling as directed (MC).

Katelyn Marie Ricker, 25, East Renee Drive, impaired driving on Sept. 24, 93 days in jail suspended with credit for one day, $600 fines and costs, six months probation, may not use or possess drugs or alcohol, subject to random drug and alcohol screening, may not enter bars, attend counseling as directed (MC).

Cody Lee Soper, 28, North Homer Road, two counts of third-degree retail fraud on Dec. 9, nine days in jail with credit for time served, $125 fines and costs (MC).

Gabrial Lucas Stein, 37, Paine Drive, marijuana possession and use of a controlled substance on Nov. 21, one year in jail with all but two weekends suspended and credit for two days, $1,300 fines and costs, one year probation, driver license suspended for six months, may not use marijuana even if he has a medical card, may not use or possess drugs or alcohol, subject to random drug and alcohol screening, may not enter bars, attend counseling as directed (MC).

Lance Allen White, 34, Gerald Court, no proof of insurance on Nov. 7, $210 fine (MC).

Teresa Ann Williamson, 44, North Eastman Road, impaired driving on Sept. 11, 93 days in jail with all but three days suspended and credit for two days, $600 fines and costs, six months probation, may not use or possess drugs or alcohol, subject to random drug and alcohol screening, may not enter bars, attend counseling as directed (MC).

Mount Pleasant

Geoffrey Michael Barry, 27, impaired driving on Sept. 24, 93 days in jail with all but one weekend suspended and credit for one day, $600 fines and costs, nine months probation, attend Impact Weekend, may not use or possess drugs or alcohol, subject to random drug and alcohol screening, may not enter bars, attend counseling as directed (MC).

Rhodes

Dylann Pierson Hammond, 20, fail to report accident on Nov. 18, $300 fines and costs (L).

Saginaw

Krysti Lea Andrick, 22, malicious destruction of a building less than $200 and disorderly person-jostling on Sept. 5, 93 days in jail for the first count and 90 days in jail for the second count with each term suspended and credit for two days, $700 fines and costs, nine months probation, not to be involved in any assaultive, threatening, intimidating, violent, aggressive, disorderly or abusive behavior toward any person, may not use or possess drugs or alcohol, subject to random drug and alcohol screening, may not enter bars, attend counseling as directed (MC).

Karen Marie McCormick, 57, second-offense OWI on Sept. 24, one year in jail with all but seven days suspended and credit for one day, $850 fines and costs, 18 months probation, vehicle immobilized for 90 days, may not use or possess drugs or alcohol, subject to random drug and alcohol screening, may not enter bars, attend counseling as directed (MC).

Anthony Daniel Rendon, 22, failure to stop after collision on Aug. 6, $200 fines and costs, restitution left open (MC).

Robert Quinn Thornton, 31, allowing DWLS on Dec. 21, $400 fines and costs (L).

Sanford

Savanah Lee Eagan, 33, stray dog on May 26, $150 fines and costs (MC).

Shepherd

Brian Scott McCarrick, 25, DWLS on Sept. 16, $125 fines and costs, $6,372.41 restitution (MC).

Elsewhere

Matthew James Eckerle, 42, St. Johns, OWI on July 9, 93 days in jail suspended with credit for one day, $325 fines and costs, one year probation, may not use or possess drugs or alcohol, subject to random drug and alcohol screening, may not enter bars, attend counseling as directed (MC).

Mark Allen Mcanulty, 21, Frankfort, DWLS on Nov. 26, five days in jail, $300 fines and costs (L).

Mark Wayne Randall, 39, St. Helen, third-degree retail fraud on Jan. 21, 2016, 93 days in jail with credit for 52 days, $150 fines and costs, $199 restitution to Kmart (MC).
We dont know this for certain obviously, but holy cow is there a lot of compelling circumstantial evidence (youll see why this title picture is an appropriate fit towards the end of the column). First, lets start with Wikileaks. What began as a broke whistleblowing outlet is now most certainly a laundromat for Russian intelligenceas I wrote in my deep dive into Edward Snowden:

Wikileaks is a mysterious organization, seemingly constructed around the ego of Julian Assange, who according to former employee James Ball, would do things like privately promise several thousand Australian dollars to fund Juice News, the makers of humorous pro-WikiLeaks YouTube videos in 2010 when Wikileaks was struggling to get many donations itself.

Towards the end of that year, Wikileaks threatened that they would release documents on powerful individuals in Russia, and according to their spokesperson, Kristinn Hrafnsson Russian readers will learn a lot about their country. An official from the FSB (the successor to the KGB) responded Its essential to remember that given the will and the relevant orders, [WikiLeaks] can be made inaccessible forever.

The documents never came out. Two years later, Julian Assange had his own show on Russia Today, the Kremlins West-facing propaganda outlet. Wikileaks even sent a delegation to meet Bashar al-Assad, a President only two major countries support (Russia and Iran). While stuck in in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, Assange stated in a press release that he requested Russian security.

So when I say that Fox News may have received a tip straight from the Kremlin, I mean Wikileakswhich is inextricably linked to Russian intelligence (quick side note: a lot of those on the left have come to admire Wikileaks for exposing government malfeasance, and bristle at the notion that they have become a Russian disinformation outlet. If you think this to be the caseand that everything Wikileaks publishes is real and earnestthen you must also believe that per their dump of his e-mails, John Podesta is aware of nonviolent extraterrestrial intelligence from the contiguous universe helping us bring zero point energy to Earth.)

Our story begins on Twitter, because thats apparently how America works these days. Sean Hannity had his account temporarily deleted a couple weeks ago, and a bunch of impostors soon sprang up. One of those fakes, @SeanHannity_, was contacted by Julian Assange. Dell Gilliamthe woman behind the parodyprovided screenshots of her conversation with Assange to The Daily Beast.

This is not the first time that Hannity has been involved in confusion surrounding parody Twitter accounts. Last April, he seemingly believed that @SovietSergey was actually Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, and he asked for confirmation that he was being surveilled by American intelligence.

Which brings us to Hannity's employer, Fox News. A couple weeks after Julian Assange told who he thought was Sean Hannity to try other channels and that he has news about Warner, this Fox News report hit the airwaves.

"There are brand new text messages obtained exclusively by Fox News"



Yea, I wonder how these texts were obtained pic.twitter.com/MSmxHEHd1N  Andrew Lawrence (@ndrew_lawrence) February 9, 2018

Ben Collinssenior news editor for The Daily Beastreached out to Fox News asking if this report was based off information gleaned from Hannity or Assange, and a Fox News spokesperson released the following statement on behalf of the reporter who broke the story, Ed Henry:

The story I broke tonight on FOX News had absolutely nothing to do with Wikileaks  I've never even spoken to Julian Assange or his operatives for that matter. I also never spoke to Sean Hannity about this story at any point in the reporting process.

I contacted Senator Warner's office several times to verify that the texts were authentic and they confirmed that fact this afternoon. In fact, Warner's office never mentioned Assange in the multiple calls and emails I had with them to get their side of the story.

Despite Henry's denial, Assange cryptically tweeted something that sure looks like it pertains to the Fox News report which came out about an hour before this tweet.

When the sun shines it gets warner.  Julian Assange ? (@JulianAssange) February 9, 2018

So what is the supposed big story about Mark Warner's texts? Per Fox News:

Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee who has been leading a congressional investigation into President Trump's alleged ties to Russia, had extensive contact last year with a lobbyist for a Russian oligarch who was offering Warner access to former British spy and dossier author Christopher Steele, according to text messages obtained exclusively by Fox News.

We have so much to discuss u need to be careful but we can help our country, Warner texted the lobbyist, Adam Waldman, on March 22, 2017.

I'm in, Waldman, whose firm has ties to Hillary Clinton, texted back to Warner.

Given that Fox News is running constant interference for Donald Trump, relying on their word here is about as good as trusting Trump's. What are other Republicans saying?

Sen.Warner fully disclosed this to the committee four months ago.Has had zero impact on our work. https://t.co/bnmI2Thedt#FoxNews  Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) February 9, 2018

It is not news that Mark Warner personally tried to contact Steele to interview him. Burr said at October press conference he and Warner had each personally sought to contact Steele for interviews without success, and hoped he would reconsider.  Steven Dennis (@StevenTDennis) February 9, 2018

Why did they want to talk to Steele? Burr laid out why in October: to try and assess his sources and methods to determine credibility of dossier claims.  Steven Dennis (@StevenTDennis) February 9, 2018

However, one prominent Republican is taking this story at face value for the bombshell it purports to be.

Wow! -Senator Mark Warner got caught having extensive contact with a lobbyist for a Russian oligarch. Warner did not want a paper trail on a private meeting (in London) he requested with Steele of fraudulent Dossier fame. All tied into Crooked Hillary.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2018

Lastly, this story is presently the main focus of the Russian troll and bot network tracked by The Alliance for Securing Democracy.

Fox News' hit job on @MarkWarner was debunked almost immediately  but it's still dominating among Russian-linked influence accounts.



In the network tracked by @SecureDemocracy, topics related to Warner currently make up:

-3 of 5 top trending topics

-5 of 10 top trending topics pic.twitter.com/rQQb1793X2  Caroline O. (@RVAwonk) February 9, 2018

Put yourself in the shoes of an intelligence analyst looking at this entire mess. A known Kremlin asset reached out to what he thought was a Fox News personality offering a story on Warner, and intimated that this asset and the Fox News personality were communicating on a different channel (this Fox News personality also is reportedly advising the president). Then, Fox News runs a story on Warner, the known asset cryptically references it, and the President of the United States tweets about what big news it is. The impact of all of this is that it seemingly discredits the investigation into the president's ties to Russia. On top of all this madness, Senate Republicans who are digging into his ties to Russia say they already knew of this because Warner told them, and Warner's Republican counterpart who heads the Senate Intelligence Committee also had reached out to Steele. If our intelligence agencies aren't raising an eyebrow at all this, they're not doing their job.

I'll leave you with a conspiracy theory that gets less conspiratorial by the day.

Hannity started in on the Wikileaks tweets at the same time as Don Jr. but before it was mainstream. And now he knows he's caught.  Kilgore Trout (@KT_So_It_Goes) November 13, 2017

And Hannity has behaved like a paranoid lunatic in regards to wiretapping & other surveillance, like he's driven by far more than rank partisan hackery  Kilgore Trout (@KT_So_It_Goes) November 13, 2017

But good lord Don Jr. was just forwarding the fucking emails to everyone he knew, of course he'd send it to Hannity  Kilgore Trout (@KT_So_It_Goes) November 13, 2017

And it's the type of dirtying up that would permanently lock Hannity into servile obedience but that I-know-a-secret dynamic is a two-way street so it would also get him exclusive Trump access  Kilgore Trout (@KT_So_It_Goes) November 13, 2017

To close: this is an evidence-free theory stitched together with stuff that can definitely be explained other ways. I sure could be wrong. But: hmmmmmm  Kilgore Trout (@KT_So_It_Goes) November 13, 2017

Jacob Weindling is a staff writer for Paste politics. Follow him on Twitter at @Jakeweindling.
A city of diverse racial, educational, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds, NYC eats inclusivity for breakfast.

Originally a vignette series on Vimeo, Katja Blichfeld and Ben Sinclair, then married, were picked up by HBO to film High Maintenance in a 30-minute format. As an anthology series, Blichfeld and Sinclair decided that season 2 would mirror their real-world divorce with stories reflecting a heartbroken, shambled New York post-election. Equipped with an actual writers' room and multiple directors for season 2, High Maintenance has easily become one of the best series on HBO.

Season 2 begins with a national crisisthough it's never fully revealed in the episode, one can assume it's the election, a natural disaster, or news of sexual misconduct in Hollywoodand The Guy (Ben Sinclair), Brooklyn's reliable pot dealer (and communal therapist for some of his needier customers), experiences a surge of business from New York's most whimsical potheads. It's one of the cheeky ways High Maintenance references pop culture without emphatically gesturing toward it. Some of his clients are self-medicating after breakups or bouts of unemployment; some are on nervous Tinder dates; some are simply adulting and enjoy weed like it's wine or coffee; some are just trying to feel the vibesyou get the gist. Weed is not the main character in High Maintenance and neither is The Guy, floating in and out of the narrative, a drifter on a bike who's got your monthly eighth of Skywalker, or whatever the kids are smoking these days.

As one tenant returns from an Ayahuasca trip, another departs and Airbnbs his room to make the month's rent; these are vignettes of normal, day-to-day people whose stories intertwine with one another like in real life. Whether or not The Guy can meet a yogi, a heartbroken artist, and kush-loving realtor in 30 minutes is simply kismet. Like an innocuous edible, High Maintenance creeps up on you in mundanity; the high hits you, but in a where-are-the-cookies-and-can-we-order-pizza-too? way. Sinclair and Blichfeld celebrate New York City's zeitgeist and liberalism through unremarkable encounters: Familiar, real-life scenarios play out in each vignette, but there is nothing vacuous or space-cadet about The Guy and his idiosyncratic customers. Their narcism speaks volumes about human nature, a youthful type of entitlement most of the characters display and are oblivious to. Neither jovial nor stoic, The Guy gets up for his job like it's a 9-to-5 and is reluctantly pulled into his customers' lives, a weed-dealing pacifier for angst-ridden New Yorkers.

HBO's Room 104another unconventional show about contemporariesbarely scratches the surface of what an anthology series is capable of doing, relying on absurdism and soft-porn aestheticism to fill up creative gaps in the writers' room; High Maintenance, on the other hand, isn't a one-trick pony, and its episodes engender sentimentality and charm without slapping you across the face with can-you-believe-HBO-greenlit-season-2 gags. (Seriously though, Room 104 is renewed for a second season.)

High Maintenance is really about voyeurism, observing how communities digest social tragedies at a micro level, what political discussions sound like in commute, and how small businesses and regular people adjust to New York's unstable economic climate. A city of diverse ethnic, educational, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds, NYC eats inclusivity for breakfast. There's a reason why it's one of the best cities in the world, and The Guy's weed route just so happens to service many of the city's most endearing, if not, empathetic potheads.

The tonal shift in season 2 is unbelievably refreshing and telling of cultural shifts in Trump's era. Sinclair's and Blichfeld's breakup turned out to be High Maintenance's catharsis, showcasing NYC's eccentricities through a non-judgmental perspective. The Guy is just doing his job and everyone's just trying to liveone toke at a time.

'High Maintenance' HBO

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Shaun Harris is a poet, freelance writer, and editor published in avant-garde, feminist journals. Lover of warm-toned makeup palettes, psych-rock, and Hilton Als. Her work has allowed her to copyedit and curate content for various poetry organizations in the NYC area.

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Representatives from the public health sector across the region were on Guam to discuss strategic plans for a collaborative agreement on addressing HIV, viral hepatitis, sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis.

More than 40 representatives from American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Republic of the Marshall Islands and Republic of Palau participated in the meeting from Feb. 5 to 9 at the Hilton Guam Resort & Spa.

This is a regional meeting among the six Pacific island jurisdictions, also our regional partners such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and PIHOA which stands for Pacific Island Health Officers' Association, said Vince J. Aguon, communicable disease control coordinator II for the STD/HIV prevention program under the Department of Public Health and Social Services' Bureau of Communicable Disease Control.

According to Aguon, the five-day meeting provided an opportunity for the participants to talk about their strategies and goals, so they can collectively work together to address the prevention and control of HIV, STDs and viral hepatitis in the region.

The meeting focused on the renewal of a five-year collaborative agreement supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to Bernadette Schumann, communicable disease control coordinator III, who supervises Public Health's STD/HIV prevention program.

Schumann said the strategies under the agreement generally focus on prevention, surveillance and treatment, among others. She said the collaborative agreement started last month and ends in 2022.

The funding that we are getting for five years supports our program efforts, Schumann said.

Fetaui Saelua, manager of the HIV program for the Public Health Division of the American Samoa Department of Health, said the discussions during the five-day regional meeting will help her explain to project officers the expectations under the agreement.

Collaborative agreement

The CDC had issued a notice of funding opportunity for PS18-1801, which supports programs accelerating the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, STDs and TB in U.S.-affiliated Pacific islands.

According to information from the CDC, the agreement promotes integrated HIV, viral hepatitis, STD and TB prevention and treatment services at the client level through enhanced collaboration and surveillance, strengthening health systems, and disease prevention and care.

According to information on the CDC website, the total projected estimated funding for the entire five-year project period is approximately $19.5 million.

Aside from reducing incidence rates, the agreement supports and promotes interventions focusing on reducing health disparities in the affiliated islands and improving service infrastructure and delivery.
While suspended Archbishop Anthony Apuron hasn't returned to Guam since he was accused of sexually abusing several altar boys and his own nephew, Apuron recently found a way to meet the pope in the Vatican, according to images from the Vatican's official media.

The more than 50 Sundays of marches by Guam's Catholics to call for Apuron to be stripped of his title and leadership role also didn't keep the pope from meeting Apuron on Wednesday.

In a series of images by the Vatican's official media, the pope put his right hand on Apuron's forehead. In a handshake, the pope placed his other hand over Apuron's. In another photograph, Apuron talked to the pope while Apuron's left hand held a folded paper or envelope, which the pope was later seen holding.

A Saturday article in La Stampa, an Italian newspaper, reported the islands suspended archbishop arrived at the Paul VI Hall in a wheelchair, due to health problems.

In the images posted by the Vatican's official media, Apuron was standing when he met with the pope.

The newspaper quoted Apuron as telling the pope, Holy Father, I wanted to see you before dying.

The newspaper stated the pope reacted with affection, shaking the bishops hand and privately giving him a few words of encouragement, the article stated.

A Vatican tribunal held secret hearings on the sexual abuse charges against Apuron last year, but the outcome of that process hasn't been made public.

The La Stampa article states the release of a sentence should have wrapped up last August, but, after several events, appears to have failed to reach a conclusion.

Despite the highly publicized allegations against Apuron, the suspended archbishop didn't appear to have fallen out of the pope's graces. Wearing a formal, black cassock and cap, Apuron also kissed the pope's hand.

The images showed Apuron had a one-on-one talk with the pope after several other church officials, in bishop's or cardinal's garb, took turns meeting the pope.

Last month, Apuron broke his silence, through a written statement, after leaving the island more than a year ago. Apuron's departure from Guam followed accusations from four former altar boys who accused Apuron of sexually assaulting them when he was a priest at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Agat. A fifth victim, Apurons nephew, Mark Apuron, came forward and accused his uncle of raping him in the chancery bathroom in 1989 or 1990 when he was a teen, Post files state.

Apuron, in the previously released statement released to island media, denied all allegations made against him and said he believed the latest accusation from his nephew, seemed particularly timed to influence the verdict of the Vatican trial.

The canonical trial was expected to be completed and a decision returned last summer based on information provided to those who provided testimony during the trial by Cardinal Raymond Burke and members of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith assigned to investigate the sexual abuse claims made against Apuron.

Last October, Coadjutor Archbishop Michael Byrnes said he had been informed by Rev. Justin Wachs, the canonical notary, that the sentence, or decision, regarding Apuron had been determined, but was awaiting the judges signatures on the sentence. Byrnes said the outcome had not been disclosed.

Post files state Wachs resigned from his post at the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith effective Sept. 30, 2017, amid allegations of sexual harassment in his home parish in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Last September, Cardinal Burke was reappointed to the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, the highest judicial authority in the Catholic Church, according to The Catholic Herald.
Fast Market Research recommends "Coffee Shops in Sweden (2017) - Market Sizes" from Global Markets Direct, now available

PR-Inside.com: 2018-02-09 22:47:51

Coffee Shops in Sweden by Mintel Market Sizes provides you with annual year-end market size data, most recently updated in 2017. This report covers multiple and independent coffee shops. Market value is based on expenditure including sales tax in these outlets; market volume is based on numbers of outlets. Market size for Coffee Shops in Sweden is given in SEK and outlet with a minimum of five years' historical data. Market Forecast is provided for five years. Included with this snapshot is socio-economic data for Sweden. Population, Consumer Price Index (CPI), Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Exchange Rates.Full Report Details atReport Table of Contents:* Definitions* Retail market size* Highlights - strongest and weakest performers* Figure 1: Volume - Absolute size (2011 - 2021)* Figure 2: Volume - Volume Consumption per capita (population) (2011 - 2021)* Figure 3: Volume - Growth (2011 - 2021)* Table 1: Volume (2011 - 2021)* Figure 4: Value in Local Currency - Value (2011 - 2021)* Figure 5: Value in Local Currency - Unit prices (2011 - 2021)* Figure 6: Value in Local Currency - Value growth (2011 - 2021)* Table 2: Value in Local Currency (2011 - 2021)* Figure 7: Value in USD - Value (2011 - 2021)* Figure 8: Value in USD - Spend per capita (population) (2011 - 2021)* Figure 9: Value in USD - Spend as a proportion of GDP (2011 - 2021)* Figure 10: Value in USD - Unit prices (2011 - 2021)* Figure 11: Value in USD - Value growth (2011 - 2021)* Table 3: Value in USD (2011 - 2021)* Market Segmentations* Figure 12: Sweden - Coffee Shops: Retail market segmentation by volume (number of outlets) (2015 - 2016)* Table 4: Sweden - Coffee Shops: Retail market segmentation by volume (number of outlets) (2015 - 2016)* Market Shares* Figure 13: Sweden - Coffee Shops: Company retail market share by volume (number of outlets) - 2015* Figure 14: Sweden - Coffee Shops: Company retail market share by volume (number of outlets) - 2016* Table 5: Sweden - Coffee Shops: Company retail market share by volume (number of outlets) (2015 - 2016)* Company & Brand details* Table 6: Sweden - Coffee Shops: Company Website Links* Compound annual growth rates* Table 7: Retail market compound annual growth rates (2012 - 2021)* Socio-economic data* Figure 15: Population (millions) (2003 - 2021)* Table 8: Population (millions) (2003 - 2021)* Figure 16: Consumer price index (CPI) (2002 - 2021)* Table 9: Consumer price index (CPI) (2002 - 2021)* Figure 17: Gross domestic product (bn USD) (2003 - 2021)* Table 10: Gross domestic product (bn USD) (2003 - 2021)* Figure 18: Exchange rates (2003 - 2021)* Table 11: Exchange rates (2003 - 2021)* Sources of Data* Table 12: Sweden - Coffee Shops* Methodology* About MintelAbout Fast Market ResearchFast Market Research is a leading distributor of market research and business information. Representing the world's top research publishers and analysts, we provide quick and easy access to the best competitive intelligence available. Our unbiased, expert staff is always available to help you find the right research to fit your requirements and your budget.For more information about these or related research reports, please visit our website at https://fastmr.com or call us at 1.800.844.8156 (1.413.485.7001 Int'l)
PR-Inside.com: 2018-02-10 00:49:15

FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Family Memorials Inc.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Thunder Bay, Ontario (FSCWire) - Family Memorials Inc. (TSX Venture:FAM). has issued a press release with the following headline:Family Memorials Announces Closing of Going Private TransactionTo view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on Family Memorials Inc., or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Family Memorials Inc.Source: Family Memorials Inc. (TSX Venture: FAM, ISIN: CA30703P1018)Date: February 09, 2018Time: 6:49 PM EST--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Family Memorials Inc. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2018 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.)
PR-Inside.com: 2018-02-10 04:26:06

Study advises small and medium hotels in Mauritius to embrace new technologies and cultivate new clienteles.Selangor, Malaysia, Feb 7, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Small and medium sized hotels in Mauritius must adopt innovative business models in order to regain a foothold in the country's changing accommodation marketplace, according to a new study published in the Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities.Mauritius is an African island nation in the Indian Ocean, more than 1,000 kilometers east of Madagascar. Tourism is expected to grow significantly on the tropical island in 2018, as the government aims for an annual target of 2 million visitors, up from 1.32 million visitors in 2017. Hotels form a vital sector of the economy, with large impacts on business development, job creation and the inflow of foreign currency.The sector is also exposed to the impacts of transformations in the global travel industry, especially disruptive business models such as Airbnb and advances in communication technologies. For instance, millennials have a greater expectation of high-end technology guest experience in accommodations as compared to repeat tourists. Large hotels have clear innovation strategies to meet modern travelers' expectations, while small and medium hotels have been slow to transform their businesses."With an average annual occupancy rate of 48 per cent during the peak season, small and medium hotels are no longer competitive, in comparison with the large hotels in Mauritius," elaborates Vijayelaksmee Goorah of the Open University of Mauritius in Reduit, Moka. Goorah co-authored the paper examining the impacts of business model transformations on the country's smaller hotels with colleague Shireen Panchoo of Mauritius' University of Technology in Pointe aux Sables.Using literature reviews, structured and semi-structured interviews, as well as questionnaires, the study sought to identify weaknesses in the current business models of small and medium hotels and highlight the innovations necessary to secure a more promising future."These hotels are in a good position to rethink their facilities and services to appeal to certain guest demographics, such as older travelers or long-stay business travelers," says Goorah. "And by creating unique offerings targeting new customer segments, such as visitors from China, they can attract a new clientele." This approach, however, require smaller-scale hoteliers to reach out to potential partner organizations and to consider seeking funding support from government. Digital platforms are also identified as a means of connecting with new clients and strengthening relationships with customers.For more information about this research, please contact:Vijayelaksmee GOORAHOpen University of Mauritius,Reduit, Moka, MauritiusEmail: vgoorah5@ gmail.com Mobile: +230 5759 2877The original paper is available at: http://bit.ly/2ENGhxx About Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities (JSSH)Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities (JSSH) is published by Universiti Putra Malaysia in English and is open to authors around the world regardless of nationality. It is published four times a year in March, June, September and December. Other Pertanika series include Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science (JTAS), and Pertanika Journal of Science & Technology (JST).JSSH aims to develop as a pioneer journal for the social sciences with a focus on emerging issues pertaining to the social and behavioural sciences as well as the humanities. Areas relevant to the scope of the journal include Social Sciences - Accounting, anthropology, Archaeology and history, Architecture and habitat, Consumer and family economics, Economics, Education, Finance, Geography, Law, Management studies, Media and communication studies, Political sciences and public policy, Population studies, Psychology, Sociology, Technology management, Tourism; Humanities - Arts and culture, Dance, Historical and civilisation studies, Language and Linguistics, Literature, Music, Philosophy, Religious studies, Sports.The journal publishes original academic articles dealing with research on issues of worldwide relevance. The journals cater for scientists, professors, researchers, post-docs, scholars and students who wish to promote and communicate advances in the fields of Social Sciences & Humanities research. http://www.pertanika.upm.edu.my/ For more information about the journal, contact:The Chief Executive Editor (UPM Journals)Head, Journal Division, UPM PressOffice of the Deputy Vice Chancellor (R&I)IDEA Tower 2, UPM-MDTC Technology CentreUniversiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, MalaysiaPhone: +603 8947 1622, Email: nayan@ upm.my Distributed for Pertanika Journal of Science & Technology by ResearchSEA.Topic: Press release summarySectors: Travel & Tourism, Local, HospitalityFrom the Asia Corporate News NetworkCopyright  2018 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. A division of Asia Corporate News Network.
PR-Inside.com: 2018-02-10 03:40:07

A mobile hotspot network will enable riders on fast-moving trains to stream HD videos without interruption while underground, thanks in part to a newly-developed mmWave wireless backhaul technology. The first commercial service using this technology will debut later this year.Daejeon, KOREA, Feb 8, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - A mobile hot-spot network featuring an extremely fast 1.25 Gbps data transmission has been developed for public transportation systems by ETRI in South Korea. A pilot project featuring the new technology in Seoul's subway lines will begin later this year.The network is able to provide ultra-fast internet service in high-speed trains by combining two technologies. First, the network transmits data using millimeter waves with a frequency over 20 GHz, which enable data transmission 100 times faster than existing WiBro backhaul networks. Backhaul networks work as intermediaries, linking receivers on the trains with the public Internet, via radio towers along the tracks. The second key part is a fast hand-over technology that seamlessly transfers data transmission from one base station to another; no delay or disconnection like those experienced when a video freezes or a cell phone call is dropped when transitioning between service towers."The mobile hot-spot network (MHN) technology can provide high-speed Wi-Fi services even in a fast running subway train, just like home Wi-Fi," said Hyun Kyu Chung, the president of ETRI's 5G Giga Service Research Laboratory. "Our technology will provide the world's first commercial service using millimeter waves as a moving wireless backhaul for subways." ETRI successfully demonstrated data service up to 500Mbps in 2016, and then up to 1.25Gbps in 2017. The technology may enable a maximum of 550 users to watch a video simultaneously through Wi-Fi in a running subway train. As high speed data communication such as virtual reality and augmented reality are required in the foreseeable future, this technology is likely to become a major need in public spaces. It is also likely that such technology will be recommended as an international standard for 5G networks (the fifth generation of telecommunication networks).ETRI is currently collaborating with other institutes to develop an enhanced mobile hot-spot network (MHN-E) to provide service up to a whopping 10 Gbps. ETRI also plans to demonstrate various 5G services based on MHN-E on buses during the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018.Please contact:ETRIDr. Il-Gyu KimE: igkim@ etri.re.kr T: +82-42-860-5490About ETRI - the Electronics and Telecommunications Research InstituteEstablished in 1976, ETRI is a non-profit Korean government-funded research organization that has been at the forefront of technological excellence for about 41 years. In the 1980s, ETRI developed TDX (Time Division Exchange) and 4M DRAM. In the 1990s, ETRI commercialized CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) for the first time in the world. In the 2000s, ETRI developed Terrestrial DMB, WiBro, and 4G LTE Advanced, which became the foundation of mobile communications. As a global ICT leader, ETRI has been advancing communication and convergence by developing SAN (Ship Area Network) technology, Genie Talk (world class portable automatic interpretation; Korean-English/Japanese/Chinese), and automated valet parking technology. As of 2017, ETRI has about 2,000 employees where about 1,800 of them are researchers. Please visit https://www.etri.re.kr/eng/main/main.etri Photo: https://www.acnnewswire.com/topimg/Low_ETRI180208.jpg Conceptual Graphic of MHN technology: High speed Wi-Fi internet service can be provided via the MHN radio network. MHN-Gateway (mGW) is connected with several MHN-Digital Unit (mDU) and works as a gateway between MHN radio network and the public internet. Each mDU communicates with multiple MHN Radio Unit (mRU) by a radio over fiber technology and takes charge of the baseband digital signal processing. mmWave is used for the wireless backhaul communication between mRU and MHN Terminal Equipment (mTE). mTE distributes several Gbps data to Wi-Fi access points in the train. (Copyright: ETRI)Topic: Press release summarySectors: Electronics, Science & Research, Mobility/Wireless, Engineering, DigitalFrom the Asia Corporate News NetworkCopyright  2018 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. A division of Asia Corporate News Network.
The spiritual reasons for choosing to forgive are powerful. For those fasting, which entails praying for forgiveness of sins and for Gods favour, it may be an exercise in futility if they themselves refuse to forgive.

The scriptures is clear and emphatic on this: For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

People must have asked for Gods forgiveness repeatedly during the fasting season and that leaves them with no justification for refusing to forgive others who have offended them.

Forgiving people who have hurt you badly is not an easy thing to do, but if it stands between you and Gods blessing there may be no options for you.

So one good favour individuals can do for themselves this fasting season is to forgive all who have offended them unconditionally. It is not just a demand from God; scientists have discovered that it is good for health and general well-being.

Forgiveness is replacing the bitter, angry feelings of vengefulness often resulting from a hurt, with positive feelings of goodwill toward the offender, according to researchers.

Interestingly, many people didnt know all that until recently. Some 26 years ago when Dr. Robert Enright, first got interested in forgiveness, his colleagues thought hed lost his mind. They said, How can a scientist study something so fluffy?

Enright, who is now a professor of educational psychology, sees forgiveness as a moral imperative first (turn the other cheek because its the right thing to do) and a practical matter second (and, oh yes, doing so will probably make your life better).

According to Dr. Glen Mack Harnden of the University of Kansas, It not only heightens the potential for reconciliation, but also releases the offended from prolonged anger, rage, and stress that have been linked to physiological problems, such as cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure and other psychosomatic illnesses.

Author and seminary professor emeritus Lewis Smedes writes: human forgiveness had been seen as a religious obligation of love that we owe to the person who has offended us. The discovery that I made was the important benefit that forgiving is to the forgiver.

What forgiveness involves

One expert says: Forgiveness involves a sense of loving detachment, which is the ability to show compassion without trying to control outcomes. In the same way that letting go requires opening ones hands, practicing forgiveness requires opening ones heart. Just as it is only with an open heart that we are able to forgive, it is only with a forgiving heart that we are able to love completely.

It is a shift in thinking and feeling toward someone who has wronged you, such that your desire to harm that person has decreased and your desire to do him good (or to benefit your relationship) has increased.

Hard as it seems to do, even before we are rewarded with the open gates of heaven, there is a whole lot to benefit from forgiveness here on earth.

Direct benefits

Forgiveness does more for the victim than anyone else because it liberates the individual from negativity, making him or her move on with life. It releases the individual from the trap of endless revenge into a world of increased joy and connection.

Experts have discovered that several things occur once the forgiveness process is complete. First, our negative feelings disappear. We do not feel the same way when we run into the people who hurt us.

Harsh feeling is replaced by concern, pity, or empathy, but not resentment.

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Second, we find it much easier to accept the people who have hurt us without feeling the need to change them. We are willing to take them just the way they are. Once the blinders of resentment have been removed from our eyes, we will have a new appreciation of their situation and motivation.

Third, concern about our offenders needs will outweigh concern about what they did to us.

Instead of concentrating only on ourselves, we will be able to see that the individuals who have hurt us are people with legitimate needs of their own.

Forgiveness and health

Perhaps more urgently, it has been discovered that the victims health depends on the forgiveness, perhaps more than the offenders.

Investigating the relationship between forgiveness and psychological and physiological indices in cardiac patients, Friedberg, Friedberg and Srinivas discovered that forgiveness is associated with better psychological and physical health and in particular cardiovascular functioning.

The findings show that the psychological correlates of forgiveness are similar in cardiac patients and healthy individuals. Also, among cardiac patients, forgiveness may be associated with reduced risk for future cardiovascular events.

More revelations

Also, from the growing body of research on forgiveness are discoveries that people who forgive are more likely than the general population to have:

Fewer episodes of depression

Higher self-esteem

More friends

Longer marriages

Lower blood pressure

Closer relationships

Fewer stress-related health issues

Better immune system function

Lower rates of heart disease

Forgiveness is intertwined with many emotions  resentment, grief, rage, sadness, hurt, betrayal, vulnerability, anger and fear are often part of the experience.

Unforgiveness

The consequences of unforgiveness are grave. Apart from blocking prayers, it eats the individual up physically and psychologically. There are even unimaginable consequences like this one shared by Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. A woman came to us at the church in Ebute-Metta, Lagos, in the early 80s. Out of fear, she had lived in 22 houses in Lagos before coming to us for prayers.

What happened? She had had a quarrel with her husband and decided she would never forgive him in spite of all the pleas. And so God handed her over to the spirit of fear.

She was always afraid that someone was going to kill her. She therefore suspected most of the people she came in contact with were planning to kill her. She kept on running from house to house until she came to the church. She said to us, Im sure Im safe here in this mission house; nobody can touch me here.

Then one morning she woke up and took a good look at the Assistant General Overseer and said, This is the leader of those who want to kill me. From that we knew something was seriously wrong. We appealed to her to forgive her husband, but she refused. She kept on running from house to house and never found any peace.

If you want progress, prosperity, forgiveness and mercy, forgive those who offend you. Release them from your heart.
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A total of 102 U.S. Congress members from the Democratic Party urged President Donald Trump to resume funding of the UN Relief Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

We write to urge you to continue vital U.S. contributions to  UNRWA and bilateral assistance to the Palestinians.

Continuing to freeze this aid will harm American interests by exacerbating the threats facing both peoples and reducing the U.S. ability to help the Israelis and Palestinians reach a two-state solution, the letter issued on Thursday read.

The news comes amid Washingtons decision to withhold $65 million out of $125 million contribution to the agency.

The step was taken after the Palestinian leaders had refused to accept any peace plans proposed by the U.S. as a result of the recognition of the city of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The UNRWA has been providing aid to the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, Jordan and Syria, who fled their homes as a result of Arab-Israeli conflicts, since 1949.

The aid includes education, health care and social services.

Most of the organisations funding has been ensured by the European countries and the U.S.

(Sputnik/NAN)
An investigation conducted by the United States military after last Octobers deadly ambush of American troops in Niger by Islamist militants has recommended a reduction of the number of ground missions in West Africa, the New York Times is reporting.

The investigation also called on the Pentagon, the U.S. Department of Defence, to cut some authority of commanders in the field to send soldiers on likely high-risk patrols.

The report, nonetheless, stated that US troops will continue to accompany local forces across West Africa and especially the Sahel region.

It however recommended that such patrols should be put through more rigorous vetting, an unnamed source knowledgeable about the yet-to-be-released report told the New York Times.

Four Americans and five Nigeriens, including an interpreter, were killed in the ambush in Nigers remote southwest near the border with Mali on October 4, 2017.

The draft investigation stated that higher-level commanders  in Africa and in Stuttgart, Germany, where the United States Africa Command is based, and if necessary, the Pentagon  must now approve mission that are deemed risky, unlike the current set up where field commanders can order and undertake missions without seeking approval from senior commanders from the headquarters.

The findings and recommendations in the draft report await final approval by Thomas D. Waldhauser, a General and the head of Africa Command, the newspaper stated.

Bureaucratic complication between military officials in Stuttgart and troops operating in African nations has been a source of tension for American forces assigned to Africa Command.

According to officials, the draft investigation identified a string of errors and bad decision-making as being responsible for the ambush. The report also highlighted a breakdown in communications, which it stated was caused by the failure of the American and Nigerien team, and their superiors, to check their equipment before heading out on the mission.

As the unit came under attack, soldiers were unable to speak directly to a nearby French air support, which eventually flew out to rescue them, but their location coordinates were first sent to Niamey, the countrys capital, more than 100 miles away.

The public release of the report, which was concluded in January, is being delayed until, Mr. Waldhauser appears before the Senate Armed Services Committee to present the commands annual posture hearing, scheduled for the last week of February.

Three versions of the report will be released: a classified version will be shown to lawmakers and others with security clearances and a public version will be given to the news media.

The third version will be given to the families of the four American soldiers who were killed, the Times claimed.

However, officials said that the scaling back of those missions would not apply to Libya or Somalia, where US troops are helping local forces in the fight against the Islamic State and the militant group aligned with Al Qaeda known as the Shabab.

Some current and former Pentagon policy officials and military commanders in Africa were skeptical about the recommendation of the investigation.

Im not sure retreating from programs is the answer. If were not going to do that kind of training, why are we there? Brian McKeon, a former top Pentagon policy official who visited Niger in 2015, asked the newspaper.

Donald C. Bolduc, a former commander of United States Special Operations forces in Africa, said that at the time he left (last Summer), American advisers were accompanying specially trained and equipped counterterrorism units in Tunisia, Cameroon and Niger.

U.S. forces in the region have trained about 100 to 120 local soldiers over a two-year period. About a dozen American Special Forces are assigned to each unit, and the training costs a few million dollars to complete, Mr. Bolduc, a general, said.

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Accompanying the local soldiers on live training missions is a key component of the training and it would be a mistake to curtail it, he added.

They are a crucial program, General Bolduc said in a telephone interview. Those are our bread and butter.

The Niger ambush was a hot political controversy toward the end of last year following the deaths of Jeremiah Johnson, a staff sergeant; Bryan C. Black, a staff sergeant; Dustin Wright, a staff sergeant and La David Johnson, a sergeant.

Mr. La David Johnsons widow, Myeshia Johnson, said President Donald Trump called her 12 days later and said her husband knew what he signed up for, even as Mr. Trump struggled to remember the slain soldiers name. Representative Frederica S. Wilson, Democrat of Florida, who listened to Mr. Trumps conversation with Ms. Johnson, criticised the president publicly for his words.

There are about 6,000 American troops spread across Africa, the Pentagon said. Most of the forces, around 4,000, are at Camp Lemonnier, in Djibouti, the continents primary base of operations for Africa Command.

Countries in Africa where small teams of American Special Operations forces are deployed include Nigeria, Niger, Somalia, Libya, Mali, Chad and Mauritania.
A one-storey mosque stood adjacent the main building that was Lamidi Adedibus main building. There, he held sway as an oracle and dished out orders that were considered laws at a time in Ibadan and other parts of Oyo State. Time was 3:45 p.m. and this reporter just swaggered into the Molete Palace of the late Ibadan politician and stalwart of the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party.

The afternoon sun baked the skin with fiendish delight. At the entrance of the commodious palace, about five weird-looking middle-aged men sat on a bench, leaving the gate ajar. A banner displaying Mr. Adedibus image occupies a part of the gate, swinging slowly to the rhythm of the afternoon wind. Easily noticeable was a narrow, tarred, deserted road that connects the entire palace with the major road linking Molete and Oke-Ado.

Inside the palace, the imposing structure of the central mosque blurs the visibility of other buildings adjoining it. On a clear day, a visitor can perch on its veranda and behold the Molete overhead bridge. At a spot adjacent the mosque lies a poorly kept, dust-covered pavement provided for Muslim faithful for ablution. The pavement reeks of urine. There are about five buildings inside the compound but unlike what was the norm when Mr. Adedibu was alive, they all looked empty, dust-ridden and deserted.

At a far-flung corner of the palace, a white-and-brown-striped cow was grazing around. The space used to be the spot prepared for cattle, from which visitors and other appendages of power got their beef. There were no goats and pigeons, neither was there any sign of the usual Amala and gbegiri festival held on Fridays.

Beggars, political thugs, artisans, old women and others who thronged the palace for favours have all disappeared. The place had become a ghost community.

As against the norm when the palace was operated like a car mart with hundreds of vehicles occupying the open space, there were just six vehicles in the entire compound when PREMIUM TIMES visited  three cars were parked at the front of the main buildings; a bus was stationed at road leading to the gate; while two other cars were placed on the tarred road at the entrance.

The main building where Mr. Adedibu lived clings to the side of another building where political meetings were held. At the entrance of the building, painted in white and green, there are portraits of some deceased Nigerian politicians and foremost nationalists: Adegoke Adelabu, Ladoke Akintola, Obafemi Awolowo, Nnamdi Azikiwe and Tafawa Balewa.

It is February 2018, about a year away from a major national election and few months to the states local government elections. Yet here in Mr. Adedibus Molete Palace, there was pin-drop silence and the entire place reeked of emptiness and inactivity.

Adedibus palace (Photo taken by Oladeinde Olawoyin)

For the old-time visitor, it was quite difficult to imagine this was the much-dreaded Lamidi Adedibus famed Molete Palace, otherwise considered the political mecca of politicians and their hangers-on in Oyo State, the southwest region and beyond.

Adedibu as Garrison Commander

In 2006, former governor Rashidi Ladoja was impeached by 18 members of a 32-member Oyo State House of Assembly, in clear contravention of the rule of law. Mr. Ladojas impeachment came against the backdrop of the crisis caused by an alleged money-sharing disagreement between him (Ladoja) and Mr. Adedibu, his estranged godfather.

Mr. Adedibu had in 2003 thrown his support behind Mr. Ladoja of the PDP, who contested against the then incumbent, Lam Adesina of the Alliance for Democracy, AD. Mr. Ladoja won the election. Following Mr. Ladojas impeachment, Adebayo Alao-Akala who was then deputy governor was sworn in as governor.

In the heat of the crisis rocking the state, the then national chairman of the PDP, Ahmadu Ali, had described Ibadan as a Garrison Command and Mr. Adedibu as the Garrison Commander. Political analysts opined that Mr. Adedibu bestrode Ibadan like a colossus, with the covert support of the federal government, led by then President Olusegun Obasanjo of the PDP.

True to his name, Mr. Adedibu ruled Oyo State like a garrison. With the support of men of the state wing of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW e.g. Sule Adu, Lati Elewe Omo, Concord, Alado, Ismail Agbaje  he battled opposition figures both within the then ruling PDP and other parties.

Exit of Adedibus palace (Photo taken by Oladeinde Olawoyin)

In 2007, he supported Mr. Alao-Akala of the PDP and led the party to victory in the state. On June 11, 2008, Mr. Adedibu died.

Crumbling political dynasty

Since Mr. Adedibus death, his political dynasty has been thrown into disarray as many of his political protegees have either deserted his Molete home or deviated from his style of politics and choice of political party.

Mr. Alao-Akala, believed to be one of the direct beneficiaries of the Adedibu brand of politics, has since defected from the PDP to the Labour Party, LP, and lately APC since he lost his re-election bid in 2011.

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A former Senate Leader and renown Adedibu loyalist, Teslim Folarin, has also defected from the PDP to the APC, after he contested the governorship seat on the platform of the party in 2015 and lost out to the incumbent Abiola Ajimobi of the APC.

Similarly, Taofeeq Arapaja, the then deputy to Mr. Alao-Akala has since defected to the ruling APC in a bid to maintain relevance in the states political space.

Mr. Adedibus biological son who was the senator representing Oyo South Senatorial District before his fathers death, Kamorudeen Adedibu, has exited the political space in the state since he lost his re-election bid in 2011. When PREMIUM TIMES visited his campaign office in Molete, officials said the former senator could not be reached.

Kamoru Adedibus campaign office, Molete (Photo taken by Oladeinde Olawoyin)

He is just trying to stage a comeback and you can see the banner, a resident of the area who craved anonymity told PREMIUM TIMES.

He left here long time ago and we didnt even hear anything from him. I think he is also preparing to come back in 2019, he added.

Mixed reactions trail legacy

For Tawakalitu Ajibola, a trader at Ojaba market in Ibadan, Mr. Adedibu was a colossus who she remembered for his support for the poor and the needy in the society.

Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES, she explained that the late politicians position remains unfilled.

He gave out rice and other things during festivals. Many people ate in his house on Fridays, he was a great philanthropist and benefactor to many. We miss him.

But a butcher at Bode market, Tiamiyu Ajao, said the late politicians death signalled the end of politically-motivated violence in the state.

We have been enjoying peace in Ibadan since he left; we must recognise that too as a part of his legacy, he said in Yoruba.

For the spokesperson of the Oyo State APC, Wasiu Sadare, Mr. Adedibu played his part in the political scene of the city and the state.

Adedibu has left the political scene for good as no human can live forever, he told PREMIUM TIMES in an interview.

Speaking with our reporter, Maroof Asindemade, an Ibadan-based public affairs analyst, traced Mr. Adedibus authority to his role in the politics of the Fourth Republic.

He said, The political heavyweight appellated as the garrison commander resurfaced at the return of democratic rule in 1999 but in a low-key fashion. He belonged to the All Peoples Party, a less thriving political party at the time. Late Chief Adedibu regained political prominence when he became a staunch and prominent member of the ruling party then, the PDP. His house at Molete became a political Mecca for all shades of politicians and hangers-on who wanted one political favour or the other.

Entrance of the palace (Photo Credit: Oladeinde Olawoyin)

Late Chief Adedibu understood the language of local politics and he deployed it to great advantage. The gate of his palatial premises was left open for poverty-stricken people and political opportunists who swarmed his house for food and financial favour; not to talk of those who hanged their political destinies on the late political godfather. 

Mr. Asindemade, who lamented the manner politicians deserted the Molete home of the Ibadan politician, attributed the development to Mr. Adedibus refusal to embrace refined politics.

He said, Chief Adedibu only empowered people with stomach infrastructure and once he was not there again to sustain the empowerment, people moved on to where their stomach would have sustenance.

Chief Adedibu did not inculcate worthy political ideology into his political godsons and daughters. The result of this is that theres nothing to immortalise him on; such that till date, no memorial lecture has been held in honour of the political enigma.

Third, the maverick politicians did not leave behind offspring with the large heart and political acumen that he possessed. They could not manage the political dynasty the chief left behind. Molete home of the late garrison commander has become a shadow of itself.

For Akeem Olatunji, spokesperson of the Oyo State Chapter of the PDP, the late Adedibu was a great politician in his era; but time has changed.

Unlike in the past, thuggery and rigging associated with the politics of Adedibu era are no more in vogue as the electorate are now more enlightened and prepared to defend their votes, he told PREMIUM TIMES in a chat.

Although PDP missed Chief Adedibus organisation skill and generosity, the party is fortunate to have Sen. Rashidi Ladoja as the Leader of PDP in Oyo State and Kunmi Mustapha as the State Chairman of the party because the three were instrumental to the victory of PDP over the ruling AD government in 2003 despite intimidation and harassment suffered in the hands of the then AD government.

Oyo State PDP as presently constituted is in safe hands and well prepared to replicate the winning streak of 2003 when PDP won the presidential, National Assembly, governorship and State House of Assembly by landslide.

He hinted that if the party won the gubernatorial election in 2019, it would dedicate the victory to the late Adedibu.

The side of the mosque (Photo Credit: Oladeinde Olawoyin)

According to our leader, Rashidi Ladoja, and the state chairman, Kunmi Mustapha, PDP victory in 2019 will surely be dedicated to the memories of Late Lamidi Ariyibi Adedibu as a mark of respect to the great leader, he said.
At around 2p.m. on Wednesday September 6, 2017, a Nigerian presidential jet carrying Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, touched down at the airstrip in Makurdi, the Benue state capital and was received by Samuel Ortom, the governor. Mr. Osinbajo and his delegation  which included Audu Ogbeh, the Minister for Agriculture, and Babatunde Fashola, the Minister for Works, Power & Housing  were in town because only a week earlier, a flood triggered by a three-day rain had caused the River Benue to overflow its banks and soak the city.

There were three fatalities and over 110,000 people in 2,769 households were displaced across 24 communities in the state during the August 27 floods, according to the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA). Internally Displaced People (IDPs) flocked to relatives in unaffected communities and to the two camps set up by the state government.

The camp Mr. Osibanjo was scheduled to visit was an ultra-modern international market built with red bricks commissioned by Mr. Ortoms predecessor, Gabriel Suswam, in March 2015, but yet unassigned to traders. Before the VPs plane touched down, some totally full 30-seater buses conveying Makurdi residents, reportedly drove in to top up its capacity. The motive was to give the visitors the impression of a camp in crisis mode, teeming with people and needing more supplies.

People from areas like Gboko road and Warata where little water entered their houses and nothing happened to them, were paid to get on about three coaster buses and come to camp, said a witness, a nonprofit volunteer in the camp who asked not to be named for fear of being victimised by the authorities. I dont know if the governor was involved or it was just his PR people alone, but it happened.

Two of the IDPs who saw the buses come in, also confirmed the arrival to this reporter, hurling unprintable abuses at the government for cheating us even in the small things. They also pleaded for anonymity in order not to bear the brunt of unwarranted government attention.

Mr. Osinbajo who had no idea of the arrangement, followed his scripted schedule and went into town. He paid homage to the Tor Tiv, head of the state traditional rulers council and a former professor of agriculture, then visited disaster areas on the plains of River Benue in Makurdi.

Within the IDP camp, he reiterated the federal governments resolve to dredge the River Benue and construct drainages in the capital. It is the concern of the president to put a more lasting solution to the flood which has ravaged parts of the country, he said.

Eight trucks of relief materials were provided in the interim and an additional five were on the way for victims, the vice-president announced.

To the rest of the nation, the people of Benue who had been starved of presidential attention or instant acknowledgement of the disaster, had now been taken care of. It seemed like both state and federal governments were on top of the matter. But in Benue, like other parts of Nigeria, things are not always as they seem.

A week after, there was a protest at the same camp. On Tuesday, September 12, the IDPs were going about life as they now knew it, utilising their meagre rations and making small talk, while waiting for a messiah to come with a solution to their predicament in the camp. Some claimed they had not been given food for days, while the camp store was full and locked.

No such saviour surfaced. Instead, they had to stand up for themselves later that day as five vehicles including two Toyota Hilux trucks and an 18-seater bus loaded to the brim with relief materials from the store were navigating out of the camp premises. United Nations volunteer staff who tried to stop the convoy, were rough-handled by hoodlums allegedly colluding with SEMA staff.

They barricaded the gate as they sang and wailed and overwhelmed the security men, preventing the vehicles from exiting the camp while complaining about the low rations in camp and the overall neglect.

Emmanuel Antswen, Benue state correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria who would visit the camps from time to time, wrote a report documenting the protest with pictures of the dissenting IDPs as they aired their disapproval. This was picked up by quite a few newspapers and the story went viral, embarrassing the authorities.

Ten days later around 5p.m., the governments anger crystallised as Mr. Antswen and his friends were at a roadside bar in an area of Makurdi called High-Level to get the weekend off to an early start. As they were drinking over regular banter and anticipating all-weekend bliss, a Peugeot 505 saloon car pulled up with some motorcycles. Someone pointed at him from afar. Mr. Antswen knew it was time to start making calls. As he was doing this, the police arrested him, leaving his friends, his car and his drink. The weekend had turned on its head for the poor journalist before it even began.

After his bail, Mr. Antswen was cowed into silence.

I dont have anything to say about Benue IDPs, he told this reporter on the phone. Go and talk to the government please. IDPs and volunteers at the camp say his previously frequent visits to the camp had ended.

His arrest was triggered by a petition from the state government that he had misrepresented the situation on ground, claiming N3 billion as damages for defamation of character and falsehood.

The petition claimed that the IDPs were mistaken about the loaded vehicles. The materials were not being diverted as erroneously assumed by the IDPs; we were merely moving them from one camp to another, Mr. Utsev told journalists in Makurdi days after. What actually happened on that day was that we were taking some relief materials from International Market camp, Makurdi to Agan camp.

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But NAN stood by its story and defended its reporter. In a statement by Yusuf Zango, its editor-in-chief, it pointed out that Mr. Utsev who was coincidentally discussing with Mr. Antswen in the camp when the protests broke out, told the latter that he would investigate the matter.

Just days before the protest, the camp manager was removed from his position. Days after the report, the SEMA boss, Boniface Ortese, was suspended. Before both got the boot, Benson Abounu, Mr. Ortoms deputy and chairperson of the flood disaster management committee, swore to arrest officials circumventing the approved process for relocation of relief materials.

So, was the NAN reporter telling the truth or was he mistaken in this case?

Circumventing bureaucracy

The protest was the climax in a series of cumulative frustrations for the IDPs, some of whom said they had not been given food in three days. The smell of rotting onions and other foodstuff pervades the camp, one of them said.

In the days after the flooding, there were loads of donations from several quarters; telecom companies, banks and other multinationals, celebrities like homegrown music star, Tuface Idibia, and his wife, Annie, as well as other individuals who donated millions of naira and relief items of all sorts.

In its response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) listed items it mobilised for both camps immediately after the flood: 3,600 bags of rice, 2,000 pieces of ceiling boards, 400 bags of cement, 7,942 blankets, 317 bundles of roofing sheets, 3,112 packets of zinc nails, 100 bales of fishing nets, 405 cooking pots, 205 pieces of mens clothing, 1,680 pieces of womens clothing, 1,490 pieces of childrens clothing, 4,820 pieces of wax print, 1,980 pieces of guinea brocade, 145 cartons of bathing soap, 107 bags of omo detergent, 160 foam mattresses, 6,000 plastic spoons, 492 plastic cups, 3,607 plastic plates, 1,703 nylon mats, 235 cartons of sugar, 50 cartons of tin tomatoes, 55 bags of 3-inch nails, 300 solar lanterns, 110 supple mats, 80 bath towels and 4,012 mosquito nets.

The bulk of all the relief items never got to those for whom it was intended. Instead, they were locked up in the camp stores and a large government warehouse in the Welfare Quarters of the city.

To circumvent bureaucracy and eliminate any diversions, some individuals learned to directly give items they were donating to families in the host communities or with the Zaaki (traditional ruler).

One of these was a crowdfunding initiative on Twitter that helped raise N1.9 million to buy food, toiletries, sanitary pads, diapers, mats, blankets, drugs and mosquito nets. These items were delivered along with medical supplies donated by the Nigerian Air Force by Joy Nkar, a native of the state  whose Lagos-based friend Jola Ayeye had spearheaded the crowdfunding  to BENGONET, the body responsible for distribution at the International Market camp.

Some of the supplies also went directly to the Achusa community and the Shelter Project that the UN Refugee Agency initiated in the Daudu area of the town.

Initially, I did my best to share whatever I took by myself and on the spot but the number of IDPs increased at some point so it became very difficult, Ms. Nkar recalls. I was going door to door at the main camp and house to house in Achusa community to share whatever I brought. Also, the officials in charge of the camp didnt want that. They preferred that I handover whatever I had to them; they threatened to not allow me into the premises if I continued doing the sharing.

Her intention to extend the largesse to the other camp met a stumbling block. I planned to take some of the things to the second camp but the contractor who built the camp hadnt been paid for his services so he refused to hand over the keys. The issue was eventually sorted out seven days later.

Jennifer Msughter and her four kids lost everything when their apartment in the Gado Villa area was submerged. They escaped with only the clothes on their back so, Ms. Musghters new clothes have come from new generation churches and she has no bras at all, like most of the women in the camp.

Other than the provision of shelter within the market, there was little help from the government for her and other displaced persons. Families were given one mosquito net each, with four or five families squeezed into each of the stalls converted into makeshift rooms.

They dont release much, she wailed, confirming that items donated kept going to the store which was forever under lock and key. We see materials come and go straight to the camp. Who are they keeping them for? If not for MTN that gave us mattresses, we would have died here. We were promised blankets but got nothing. Pregnant women were sleeping on the floor before MTN brought in bedsheets. This week, there has been no running water.

How can they count two packs of noodles or one cup of garri or beans and give to you and your family to feed on for a day? Ms. Msughter lamented. Today, they gave us rice and no ingredients and you cannot get a chance to go out and get other ingredients. If you go out, security will refuse to let you back in. Or the camp authorities would have shared some things among those in camp and left you out.

Other IDPs who were wary of speaking on the record to this reporter, claimed that some of their peers had been forcefully decamped for talking to journalists or criticising the SEMA boss.

There were protests in the other camp too but nothing changed. Every time they complained, SEMA boss Boniface Ortese kept on saying wait, wait, revealed the same volunteer who saw buses bring in people to deceive the presidential delegation.

Eventually, that camp was closed.

Contacted by PREMIUM TIMES, Mr. Ortese, the immediate past SEMA coordinator, denied being involved in diversion of food and supplies.

Im yet to know anything like that. Allegations are street talk and people have freedom of speech so they can say anything they like, he told this reporter.

He said the matter was already in court and threatened to handover this reporters phone number to the State Security Service, SSS.

My friend, dont implicate yourself. NAN is in court; there were false allegations like that so you have to be careful. NAN is unable to appear in court. I have been reassigned to the Office of the SSA on Politics. I have been reassigned to another office so I cant comment on that, he said.

History of rip-off

The bungalow in Makurdi that 40-year-old Dorcas Asen and her five children lived in with their neighbours, had the proverbial bulls eye painted on its walls; it was not spared by consecutive flooding incidents in 2012, 2015 and 2017.

Mrs. Asen has continued to return to the same building since the 2012 incident which was blamed on the Lagdo Lake Reservoir in Cameroon overflowing that September.

A widow with a petty goods business, she could not afford to relocate from her current area of residence. We didnt leave because we have nowhere to go and we are just waiting for government to forcefully evict us and give us somewhere. We will still go back.

That year, she and her family stayed with other IDPs in the government-owned camp at St. Catherine School behind the railway market but after the 2015 and 2017 incidents, they were domiciled at the International Market.

In 2015, we fed ourselves and got nothing from government, she told this reporter. In 2012, they gave us food but this 2017 is somehow; we are just managing the little they give us.

Unlike Mrs. Asen, some stayed back in the host communities, preferring to live with friends and families, rather than within the government-run camps.

Their fears stem from a lack of trust in the government, dating back to the aftermath of the 2012 floods. Government officials got those living in affected areas to fill forms even as the state Ministry of Environment fumigated those areas to minimise the risk of an epidemic spreading. Nothing came of it.

Ayange Raymond, then a final year student of English Literature at the Benue State University, who lived in the Gyado Villa area of Makurdi, said for losing some of their belongings, the state government compensated him and other students in the area with a packet of the popular Indomie noodles each.

Quote me anywhere, the angry student told researchers from the pro-transparency nonprofit, BudgIT, at the time. We received N30 (the price of one packet of noodles then) from the Benue state government.

Some people did not even receive the noodles, another student, John Eliagwu, added. Those that wanted to collect a pack due to poverty were disappointed when they were told the cartons of noodles they had brought had finished.

Some 1,700 people currently remain in the International Market Camp, depending on government handouts. The rest of the city is back on its feet, thanks to the private individuals who have stepped in to fill the void.

But tragedy could repeat itself yet again. Makurdi remains a city with low-level and high-level areas; the possibility of another overflow and the potential loss of lives and property remains high.

Regardless of the timely warning issued by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) in its 2017 Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP), no stop-gap solution was put in place last August. As it stands, no long-term solution is being implemented to forestall future occurrences; even the promised dredging of the River Benue is yet to begin.

Benue State with a population of a little over 4.2 million people (2006 census), gets N3 billion in allocation from the federal purse  in addition to approximately N250 million in internally-generated revenue (IGR) each month. According to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, an additional amount (0.72% for the states and 0.60% for each of the 23 local government councils) is paid as ecological fund allocation monthly.

Only a fraction of this trickles down to the people.

The Economic & Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is currently investigating the immediate past governor of the state, Gabriel Suswam, for alleged diversion of N6 billion of Ecological funds allocated to the state over the course of eight years.

Terver Akase, chief press secretary to Mr. Ortom, also specifically alleged that Mr. Suswam had diverted N2 billion released by the FG in 2013, from the ecological fund.

Available records as uncovered by the Justice Kpojime Judicial Commission of Inquiry uncovered that N2 billion ecological fund was released to the state in December 2013, he told journalists back in August. If the money had not been diverted into private pockets but expended on the purpose it was meant for, the magnitude of the present flooding would have been averted.

While the controversy rages on, government officials continue to divert relief materials in their care. As Ms. Nkar puts it, That flood was a gain for some people who did next to nothing to help the plight of the displaced people.

This report was supported by the BudgIT 2017 Civic Media Fellowship.
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The Department of State Security Services, SSS, on Saturday told President Muhammadu Buhari that three University of Maiduguri, UNIMAID, lecturers abducted by Boko Haram terrorists in Magumeri, Borno State, have been released.

Also released are 10 women, kidnapped in a raid by the militant group on a military/police convoy on Damboa road, near Maiduguri.

The university lecturers were abducted by the group while conducting oil prospective in the Lake Chad area on behalf of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC.

Some of their colleagues were killed during the abduction in 2017.

Their release followed a series of negotiations as directed by President Buhari and was facilitated by the International Committee of the Red Cross, ICRC, said Garba Shehu, presidential spokesperson in a statement b

Mr. Shehu said according to the brief given by the SSS, all 13 rescued persons are in the custody of the service and are on their way to Abuja with the assistance of the Nigerian Army and the Air Force.

In expectation of their being brought to the DSS headquarters, a team of doctors and psychologists has been placed on standby. The rescued persons may be presented to the President and thereafter released to their families, if there are no issues of security or medical concerns.

The President, who got step by step progress reports on the lengthy negotiations while they took place, received the good news with a lot of happiness. He commended all those who in one way or the other helped in making the release possible.

He then urged the DSS and the Nigerian Army to intensify efforts to bring home the remaining Chibok Girls still in the custody of the terrorists.

The Director-General, Malam Lawal Daura, assured the President that they were working hard to bring home the remaining girls and, as soon as possible, bring the Chibok Girls to an end, Mr. Shehu said.
The police in Benue are searching for four officers following an attack on a patrol team in Logo Local Government Area on Saturday afternoon, PREMIUM TIMES has learnt.

The men were returning from a confidence-building mission in remote villages when suspected herdsmen opened fire on them in Tse Akpam village, near Azege town, police and residents told PREMIUM TIMES.

We had had an encounter around Azege when a team of mobile police went on confidence patrol, said police commissioner Fatai Owoseni. When they were coming back at a point in Azege, they started hearing gunfire from inside the bush suspected to be from the herdsmen.There was a serious exchange of gunfire.

Mr. Owoseni said the attackers burnt a police van and four officers could not be found as at 7:20 p.m. Saturday.

One of our vehicles was set ablaze. So far, on their side, were still trying to ascertain casualties; while were yet to see four of our men, he said.

The police chief said more officers have been dispatched to the areas to comb for the missing officers.

His statement to PREMIUM TIMES corroborates what witnesses had earlier informed this newspaper about the development.

Residents told PREMIUM TIMES that a police officer who sustained gunshot injury was taken to the hospital in Ayilamo, the headquarters of Tombo Council Ward about eight kilometres from Azege where the attack occurred.

Enoch Nyikyaa, a chief in Logo LGA, told PREMIUM TIMES the attack occurred in his domain and that the herdsmen who carried it out also destroyed farmlands with their cattle.

He said the attack occurred in Tse Akpam village, which is within Azege.

The herdsmen are still reportedly grazing in some remote villages in Benue despite a subsisting law that prohibits open-grazing in the state.

The attack comes a day after three persons were killed in separate assaults on villages in the same local government area Thursday night.

Three persons who sustained injuries in the attacks are currently undergoing treatments at the hospital.

The Thursday night attack, which occurred near Anyiin, a town in Logo LGA that serves as a base for police special forces, earned the police renewed criticism from those who believe the security agencies are doing too little to resolve the frequent herdsmen clashes, which has claimed over a hundred lives in Benue alone this year.

Residents have also accused the police of being too afraid to move to the dangerous areas where herdsmen are said to be hiding and which they use as bases to launch attacks, a situation that some officers confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES in confidence last month.

But Mr. Owoseni said Saturdays attack should be seen as an evidence of polices proactive approach towards the crisis.

People are saying police are not working, but going on confidence-building patrol is being proactive, Mr. Owoseni said. If we didnt go on patrol, how would we have suffered this attack?

The commissioner said Azege and its environs are safe, urging the residents to believe in the ability of police to return peace to the entire state.

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We will not relent, well continue to take the fight to them and give assurances to the people that we wont wait until they come and attack them, he said.
It was indeed another busy week for the lawmakers as they were engrossed with several activities at the National Assembly.

The Nigerian Senate not only deliberated several motions but also witnessed its usual dramas at the committee meetings.

Below are the major stories from the Senate this week:

Tuesday

 President Muhammadu Buhari wrote to the Senate, declining presidential assent to three bills recently passed by the National Assembly.

The bills are the Police Procurement Fund establishment Bill 2017, the Chattered Institute of Public Management of Nigeria Bill 2017 and the Nigerian Council for Social Workers.

 Senator, Shehu Sani (APC, Kaduna Central), lamented alleged killings by armed herdsmen and bandits going on in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The lawmaker said that the killings and abductions in the villages and Kaduna state as a whole, had become a daily affair and is being ignored by the relevant security agencies.

 The Nigerian Senate resolved to urge the Senate Committee on Police Affairs to invite the Inspector General of Police, Idris Ibrahim, to suggest ways and means of actualising community policing.

The resolution followed deliberation on a motion on The need to post junior cadres of the Nigerian Police Force to their states and local government to enhance community policing in Nigeria, sponsored by Ademola Adeleke (PDP, Osun West).

 The Senate urged the Federal Ministries of Health, Education and Information to harmonise efforts at banning the advertisement and sale of tobacco within 100 metres of all schools.

Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu (APC, Lagos), who led the motion, expressed worry at a deliberate act by tobacco companies to position adverts and signs within 100 metres of schools to stimulate children and youth into early interest in the use of tobacco products.

 The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday deliberated on the socioeconomic importance of rural roads within the country and called for their development.

The resolution was sequel to a motion introduced by Chukwuka Utazi (PDP, Enugu North) who stated that construction of roads brings multiple socioeconomic benefits that traverse all human settlements of the areas of the road and forms a strong base for the national economy as it is a powerful instrument for transformation of cities, towns, villages and economic hubs.

Wednesday

 The Senate rejected the report of its joint committee on Police Affairs and National Security and Intelligence. The committee was mandated to ensure compliance with the resolution of an ad-hoc committee on security which visited Benue State in the wake of recent killings in the state.

The report was rejected on the basis that the state governor, Samuel Ortom, who was mentioned severally in the IGP report was not invited to state his side of the story.

 The Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of Innoson Motors, Innocent Chukwuma, told members of the Senate committee on anti-corruption how his family members were reportedly maltreated by officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission when they arrested him last December.

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Mr. Chukwuma said his wife was slapped while his four-month-old grandson and staff members were tear-gassed by EFCC operatives after they forcefully gaining entrance to his house.

 The senate resolved to urge the Nigerian military authority to increase security presence and intensify border patrol within the area to prevent further acts of trespass by the Cameroon soldiers.

The sponsor of the motion, John Enoh, Cross River-APC, noted that the current agitation for the independence of Southern Cameroon had caused influx of refugees to some border communities in Cross River State with over six thousand of the refugees currently squatting at Obanliku, Boki, Etung and Ikom Local Government Areas of the state.
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President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday received briefing on the 2018 Hajj Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, meeting which held in Saudi Arabia last month from the Minister of State Foreign Affairs, Khadija Bukar Ibrahim, and the Chairman / Chief Executive Officer of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, Abdullahi Muhammad, at the presidential villa.

According to a statement by NAHCONs spokesperson, Adamu Abdullahi, Mr. Buhari was informed that Nigerias approved quota for Hajj 2018 was 95,000 slots with 75,000 going to State Pilgrims Welfare Boards and Agencies and 20,000 going to Private Tour Operators.

He was also briefed about some of the new policies introduced by the Saudi Arabian Government which included payment of Value Added Tax (VAT) by all consumers of goods and services in Saudi Arabia beginning 1st January, 2018; Fixing of May 2018 as the deadline for the conclusion of all Hajj arrangements and the introduction of biometric data capture for all intending pilgrims.

The statement also said Mr. Buhari restated t his commitment to the welfare, health and security needs of Nigerian pilgrims while on pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.

The statement said Mr. Buhari also expressed concern over the challenges currently faced by intending Umrah pilgrims.

The president observed that while Nigeria was not against the introduction of Biometrics capture by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the problem is caused by the non-preparedness of the company appointed to implement the policy in Nigeria.

He assured Nigerian pilgrims of his commitment to address the problem along with its attendant consequences on Hajj and Umrah operations in the country.
The National Executives of KOWA Party on Friday demanded the immediate sack of the reinstated Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme.

At a press conference in Lagos, the party criticised the federal governments anti-corruption drive and accused its officials of nepotism.

Our desire for an egalitarian society where all persons and people in Nigeria will be treated equally irrespective of colour, race, ethnic or religious affiliation have been completely eroded under this deceitful government of APC, the party said.

More clearly in the books of the cabal in the presidency is a special status accorded the people of the Northern zone especially Katsina state which has made them more Nigerian than any other state, tribe or geo political zone in the country, this maladministration which is ready to cripple the brotherliness and foundation of common unity of our pre and post-independence dream must not be allowed to fester than necessary.

It is against this backdrop that we speak to Nigerians on the recall of the suspended executive secretary of the NHIS, Mr. Usman Yusuf back to office despite the baggage of allegations against his official conduct while he held sway as the boss of the agency.

Mr. Yusuf was reinstated as the NHIS boss by the president after his suspension from office last year by the Health Minister, Isaac Adewole, following allegations of gross misconduct.

On Thursday, NHIS workers staged a protest at the premises of the agencys headquarters in Abuja after Mr. Yusuf reportedly returned to work.

The KOWA party stated that the revelations that led to Mr. Yusufs suspension last year were too gruesome to be ignored.

At first on assumption of office, Yusuf engaged in a war of attrition with major stakeholders in the NHIS, with various groups alleging that his leadership of the agency has been faulty and designed to undermine the workings of the Scheme.

The Health and Managed Care Association of Nigeria (HMCAN) has accused the suspended NHIS boss of doctoring and altering the rules and regulations of the NHIS scheme in a bid to siphon public funds into private pockets through the use of unqualified consultants as insurers and mandated all HMOs to pay N7.2 million each into the company`s account.

Yusufs thinly disguised arrogance surely bespeaks a mindset never seen in public service at that level in recent history.

The party further stated that other officers suspended alongside Mr. Yusuf were not reinstated.

In 2016, Femi Akingbade, the former acting executive secretary was suspended by this same government based on petitions received which till date was never investigated, and the man not indicted.

When Yusuf was suspended, eight other senior officers of NHIS were suspended, till date, none of them have been recalled, yet the presidency asked Usman Yusuf to resume back to duites because he is a kinsman to PMB, this is an act of favouritism and nepotism.

The eight suspended officers are Femi Akingbade  zonal GM, South South, Mr. John Okon  General Manger, Finance Account, Mr. Yusuf Fatika  General Manger, Human Resources and Administration, Mr. Shehu Adamu  Assistant General Manager, Audit, Mr. Vincent Mamdam  Assistant General Manager, Head Insurance, Mr. Safiyanu Attah  Senior Assistant Officer, Marketing, Mr. Owen Udo Udoma-Senior Manager, Contribution Management and Mr. Innocent Abbah- Senior Assistant Officer, Planning Research and Monitoring.

In line with the tenets set forth by the ideals of the countrys leader, President Muhammadu Buhari, on the principles fair play, transparency, rapid targeted development, acts devoid of corruption and elimination of all primordial sentiments, which hitherto had almost torn the seams of our national existence.

We thus bring to the attention of the government and general public the nepotistically inimical and criminally oriented acts currently being machinated and executed by the Chief of Staff, Mr. Abba Kyari. Corruption is one of the burning issues in Nigeria; it cuts across various strata of governance.

According to the party, the NHIS was riddled with corruption during Mr. Yusufs tenure and the president ought to have constituted a new panel to investigate him if he was dissatisfied with the Health Ministers recommendations.

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With immediate effect, we call for the immediate sack of the recalled NHIS Executive Secretary, Usman Yusuf and his immediate handover to the anti-corruption agencies with the sole aim of charging to court to recover all the looted funds traced to him and his cronies.
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The Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe North), has said the setting up of the reconciliation committee for the All Progressives Congress (APC) which is headed by the partys national leader, Bola Tinubu, is long overdue.

He made this statement at the Presidential Villa mosque on Friday while explaining that time was against the party and that the reconciliation process had to begin immediately.

President Muhammadu Buhari recently named Mr. Tinubu to lead the charge for a united APC as 2019 election draws near.

The party which had previously raised committees to resolve the crises across its state chapters appears to have settled on Mr. Tinubu to resolve the matter.

Mr. Buhari had charged Mr. Tinubu with the responsibility of leading consultation, reconciliation and confidence building efforts as part of efforts towards improving cohesion within the APC.

The opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has also criticised the presidents action, describing him (Mr. Buhari) as a bad product.

The PDP also noted that Mr. Buhari cannot win the 2019 presidential polls despite nominating Mr. Tinubu as head strategy committee of the party.

It added that after almost three years of failure to deliver on the littlest of its campaign promises, the Buhari presidency is now moving around, cap in hands, looking for those to use once again to beguile Nigerians ahead of the 2019 elections.

Mr. Lawan, however, went ahead to describe the constitution of the committee as fantastic.

In fact, that committee should have been constituted long time ago because APC is plagued by some internal issues, and I believe that these are issues that are surmountable. The Tinubu committee will definitely add value into reconciling the warring sides, so to speak.

Time is against us. We have to really kick start this process of reconciliation immediately, and I believe that as a family, we should be able to come out very much much united that we were before, he said.

While supporting the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajos suggestion on state policing as a solution to insecurity, the Senate Leader said that the Senate adhoc Committee on Review of Security Infrastructure in Nigeria would take it on board in the National Assembly, adding that the national security summit the Senate held on Thursday was successful because of the synergy between the legislature and the executive.

He further urged Nigerians to be positive in their thoughts as he expressed optimism that the executive would consider and implement the Senates resolutions on the summit.

We should be positive and think in a very positive manner, we should be able to solve our problems. If we cannot solve the problems, why did we even venture into it?

Im an optimistic person and I believe that coming together, the executive and the legislature, we can solve any problem in Nigeria if we have the support of Nigerians.

It is not only those of us in government that are supposed to do everything to solve challenges, but we need the continuous and relentless support of citizens to ensure that we are able to provide the kind of solutions we need, he said.
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The speaker of the Borno state House of Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan, has given reasons why his party, All Progressives Congress, will continue to win elections in the state and also return victory for President Muhammadu Buhari, come 2019.

Mr. Lawan, who has held office since, said the political demography of Borno state does not give room for any opposition party to take over power from the incumbency.

Borno state is 100 percent an APC because all the elective posts are occupied by APC politicians in whom the majority of our people are very pleased, he said.

The speaker also said there was no doubt that APC will pull another victory for President Buhari should he contest for a second term in 2019.

Mr. Lawan, who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES shortly after presenting the recently passed 2018 appropriation bill to the governor for assent, said the reason for the zero conflict between the legislature and the executive in the state was as a result of their decision to forge a common front to help tackle the Boko Haram menace.

The reason behind our legendary spirit of cooperation is as a result of the fact that we in Borno state already have enough trouble on our plate, he said.

The Boko Haram conflict that has been on in the last nine years is enough a big issue to occupy our minds. Leaders dont fight when an enemy is lurking and the security of their people is at risk.

So we have no other reason to start brewing trouble other than sitting down together and always being on the same side so that we can defeat our common enemies and bring develop to our people.

The speaker said his party has no cause to worry about the rise of opposition politics in Borno state.

It is an absolute act of self deceit for the opposition to think they could win a single elective seat in Borno state; they can only lie about it, he said.

In case they forget, demographically, Borno state is 100 per cent an APC state. The people are fully in support of us; we have 27 local government areas in Borno state; all the 27 local government areas are controlled by APC; our 28 members of the state Assembly are APC; we have 10 members of House of Reps, and three senators in Borno who are all of APC, so is the governor.

So I dont see how the PDP or any other small opposition party can come and take over the reins of power in 2019.

He said despite the general sense of hardship that befell the country especially the issue of fuel scarcity in all parts of Nigeria, Borno state still loves the President.
The local government elections on Saturday in Kano state recorded low turnout of voters across the state.

A NAN Correspondent who monitored the election reports that while voting was yet to start due to late arrival of materials, voters had not turned up to the polling centres.

A visit to Kofar Kudu around Emirs Palace, Kankarofi, Tudun Wazirchi and Dan Agundi, it was observed that the turnout of voters was low.

Similarly, at Jar Kasa primary school and Gidan Makama polling centres, very few voters were seen waiting on the queue for the arrival of election materials and officials.

NAN also reports that at most of the polling centres visited there was also low turnout of women as at some polling centres no female Voter was seen.

Some of the voters who spoke to NAN called on the State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) to address some of the challenges so as to enable them exercise their civic responsibility.

One of the voters at Kankarofi, Ali Abdullahi said he arrived at the polling centre at 7:30am but was yet to see an electoral officer let alone the electoral materials.

I arrived at the polling unit as early as 7:30am but I did not see any official. So there is need for the commission to take note and address the problem.

Another voter, Ibrahim Garba Sani also advised the commission to do something urgently to ensure that people exercise their right.

I will remain here in the queue until I cast my vote, he said.

NAN reports that there was general voter apathy about the elections in view of the fact that it was a local government election.

Meanwhile, voters in five polling units in Fagge Local Government Area of Kano State were on the queue till about midday due to late arrival of voting materials on Saturday.

Some of the voters, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the Fagge B Polling Unit decried the late arrival of the materials.

NAN reports that the electorate threatened to go back home and continue with their normal activities if the voting materials were not brought on time by the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC).

Malam Muhammad Umar, a voter said: We have been on queue at this ward A poling unit since 8a.m. waiting for the KANSIEC officials; I am tired and I am going back home now.

I spoke with many people on the queue and they were threatening to shun the election if the materials were not brought on time.

You see, this situation can cause hitches to the local government election, Umar said.

Umar called on the KANSIEC officials to do everything possible to make election materials available for voters to ensure a hitch free election.

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However, at about 11:45, NAN observed that the KANSIEC officials had arrived Ward A Polling Unit where voters began to turnout in large number for the commencement of accreditation.

NAN also observed late arrival of the voting materials in Ungoggo Local Government Area and some parts of Kano Municipal which include Gandun Albasa and Sharada.

(NAN)
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The Chairman of the Southern Ijaw branch of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employee (NULGE), in Bayelsa State, Okaye Igali, has been assassinated.

The spokesperson of the state Police Command, Asinim Butswat, confirmed the murder to journalists Saturday in Yenagoa, the state capital.

Igali `m` age 53, was shot and killed by unknown gunmen, along Ayama Ijaw Road, Southern Ijaw LG on Friday.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the attack was a premeditated murder. The police Tactical Team have swung into action to arrest the culprits and investigation is ongoing, Mr. Butswat said.

Elaye Warifagha, the Secretary, Community Development Committee (CDC) of Ayama-ijaw community told journalists that the attack happened in daylight.

The attack happened in broad daylight; it was a case of assassination by those who claim to know the deceased.

The victim was on a tricycle going to Ayama-Ijaw water front to board a speed boat to his destination when the gunmen attacked him.

(NAN)
The University of Nigeria, Nsukka, on Saturday matriculated 10,000 students under tight security.

Security was beefed up to prevent non-teaching staff from stopping the ceremony.

The non-teaching staff are at the moment on national strike and they had threatened to block the university main gate to stop matriculating students, parents, friends and well-wishers from entering.

Paul Arua, the leader of non-teaching staff in UNN said since they (non- teaching staff) were on strike the matriculation should not hold.

It is the responsibility of non-teaching staff to organise matriculation and since we are on strike the matriculation should not hold, he said.

NAN gathered that the timely intervention of policemen, operatives of the Department of State Services and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps thwarted the blockade by the union members.

The Civil Defence members led by Nsukka area commander, Sterve Yabanet and Nsukka Police Urban DPO, were able to prevent the protesting nonteaching staff from blocking the first gate. Their effort allowed for free flow of human and vehicular traffic to the university.

In his address during the 44th matriculation, the Vice Chancellor, Benjamin Ozumba, a professor, urged the newly admitted students to take their studies seriously as UNN is known for academic excellence and has zero tolerance for deviant behaviour.

The University of Nigeria Nsukka has avalanche of rules and regulations which are applied with strictness without favouring anybody.

You are advised to avoid deviant behaviour because its consequences are not palatable in UNN.

Shun cultism, indecent dressing and exam malpractice else you be expelled, he said.

Mr. Ozumba advised the new student to seek advice from their deans, HOD, academic advisers and administrative staff whenever they have any academic problem.

The university operates a course system which comprises required, ancillary, and general studies courses. These are clearly designated in all departments.

The administration has put appropriate machinery to welcome new students and help them settle down.

The University organised orientation for you to enable you to know more about the university as well as know the do and dont, he said.

The VC commended the new students and their parents for choosing UNN as the university to pursue their chosen courses and promised them that the university would give them the best.

By choosing UNN, you have made a wise choice. What the institution expects from you, to achieve success, is to fear God in all you do as well as hard work and discipline, he said.

About 10,000 students participated in the matriculation ceremony.

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Freshmen Igwenagu Chisom of the department of Veterinary Medicine and Anabe Chidimma of the department of Radiography in separate interviews with NAN, vowed to make first class on graduation to make their parents happy.

(NAN)
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Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has rejected plans by the federal government to establish cattle colony in the state.

He however initiated measures to abate the intermittent clashes between farmers in the state and Fulani herdsmen.

The federal government recently proposed the establishment of grazing colonies in the states following the recent killings of about 70 persons in Benue State.

The measure, it said, would reduce clashes between herdsmen and farmers.

Addressing traditional rulers, presidents of town unions and other relevant individuals and organisations at the Akanu Ibiam International Conference Centre, Abakaliki on Friday, Mr. Umahi said the state had no resources to embark on any cattle ranching or colony because it was an agrarian state.

A statement signed by his media aide, Emmanuel Uzor, on Saturday, said the governor initiated measures on how to maintain peace between farmers and herdsmen across the state by fully engaging the traditional rulers and leaders of Myetti Allah in the area of sustaining the peace between the two groups.

Mr. Umahi, who is a member of the Presidential Committee headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to reconcile and ensure peace between the farmers and herdsmen across the country, said peace was a panacea for achieving development.

He said the state would be in constant collaboration with relevant individuals and organisations as well as leaders of the herdsmen in other to maintain peace and security.

The statement said, To ensure security and safety of our people and herdsmen who have lived peacefully with us all these years without problem and to ensure there is no infiltration of killer herdsmen from neighboring states and countries, traditional rulers are to collate data on herdsmen operating in their communities across the state for easy identification and maintenance of peace. The data should include herdsmens names, location and contact phone numbers of their leaders.

Traditional rulers should hold constant meetings with the herdsmen so that they can identify those from Niger Republic and other areas who foment trouble.

Governor Umahi is a member of the Presidential Committee headed by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, to reconcile and ensure peace between the farmers and herdsmen across the country and he is doing everything within the ambit of the law to ensure peace in his own state as charity begins at home.

Mr. Umahi noted that traditional rulers were not just the custodians of culture and tradition but also part of peace building.

He stated, They must ensure peace in their localities by first of all identifying the people living in their communities especially the herdsmen.

No herdsman is allowed to graze their cattle in our lands and in an event of that the herdsmen pay the double value of crops damaged and on repeat of such, the herdsmen will be forced to leave the community.

The cows are dear to the herdsmen same way the crops are dear to the farmers, most especially our belief in sanctity of human life which has been wasted in some areas in the country.
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The Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, has linked the wanton killings by armed herdsmen across the country in recent times to poor leadership and lack of innovative governance.

He said Nigeria must embrace modernity and innovation in the rearing of cattle, as obtained in other developed countries of the world.

He added that the killings would continue unless a change of the nomadic practice was embraced by the herdsmen.

The governor made the assertions at Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, ABUAD, during an interactive session with students and staff of the institution.

Amnesty International recorded that a total of 168 persons were killed by suspected herdsmen in January 2018 alone.

Continued attacks in Benue and Kaduna have reportedly claimed more lives, even after the New Years Day attack in Benue which claimed 73 lives.

Mr. Aregbesola, however, noted that it was sad that Nigerian herders were still adopting primitive ways in animal husbandry.

According to him, the practice gave room for unfettered itinerant movement by nomadic herdsmen, rather than adopting the modern innovation that could restrict them for proper monitoring.

Mr. Aregbesola opined that it was an error to assume that the killings were associated with the plot by a certain ethnic group to take over Nigeria, as it was more of a general menace caused by the inability of herdsmen leadership to embrace modernity.

Mr. Aregbesola said Nigeria would continue to witness unending farmers-herdsmen rows if the primitive ways of cattle rearing in Nigeria was not addressed.

I am not trying to justify killings or trying to say that the Fulanis should dominate Nigeria, but what I am saying is that Nigeria has failed to be technologically and innovatively advanced due to bad leadership, he said.

As we speak now, there are no green grasses in any part of Europe and they produced cattle Africa cannot even boast of. They prepared their pasture, foliage and fodders during the six months of rainy season and kept to feed their cattle during the dry season.

The cattle are restricted within the ranches and I believe that if some nations could be thinking like this, Nigeria has no reason not to toe the same line. We must turn this situation into a huge economic opportunities for our people.

In the southwest, some of the farmers are still using the old and primitive hoes and cutlasses for farming. This is the more reason why many of these peasant farmers cant stand straight as 60. Even many of them must have looked aged at that age and had their hands deformed and body diseased.

For Nigeria to get out of the herdsmen killings, we must adopt modern system of cattle rearing and we must stop reading ethnic sentiment to it.

Mr. Aregbesola added that God had destined Nigeria to be the leader of the African race, advising that the country shouldnt just be great in name and population, but must exhibit such in economic advancement and leadership.

He lauded ABUADs founder, Afe Babalola, for establishing a university with a vision and mission to churn out great future leaders and innovators.
NEW YORK, Feb. 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- CheersYou International Consulting is breaking the traditional oversea study markets which have for long been dominated by inefficient traditional agencies making the college application process tedious. Last year, a research has shown that of the 1.07 million applicants to U.S. colleges and universities, only 25% received an offer to a Top 50 School. There was an interesting phenomenon in the North American "study abroad" market: a large number of Chinese students  39%  applied to elite institutions using high-tech materials, such as video essays and personal websites  unique approaches that increased their chance of admission. We are witnessing a new era of relying on technology for overseas study applications.

CheersYou has become a leader in this innovative era as the first major admissions support company using science and technology to support applications to elite North American educational institutions. In the past year CheersYou successfully helped 847 Chinese students gain admission to their dream school; 95% of students were accepted to Top 40 Universities, and 92% of CheersYou clients would recommend the service to their friends.

With a refined private application system comprised of diverse academic help tools, CheersYou is an alternative, world-class innovation, to mediocre and unsatisfactory services offered by traditional agents. CheersYou has a highly customized ERP, with a well-designed web platform that exceeds the efficiency of peer applications. Statistically, CheersYou can save students 20% of the time spent on the same type of application with other companies, which allows them to focus more on improving their academic background and working towards their goals.

The innovative approach of CheersYou was born from founder Kenny Low's vision. 3 years ago, Kenny, after interacting with other Chinese students in a diverse range of major professions, found that personal characteristics of Chinese students often get lost in the application process. As a result, many students are passed over for admission into elite schools. Kenny shared his frustration with a student working in the admissions' office of his school, Tony, who shared his concern. In response, the pair worked together and formed CheersYou Consulting, Inc., to provide professional and creative consulting services to talented Chinese students.

CheersYou's headquarters is located in New York City and they have just launched second office in Tianjin, China. CheersYou have a broad network of over 100+ mentors across North America and China. All mentors are from top universities, so students can get first-hand resources and additional support by strengthening and extending the cooperation with institutions that are guaranteed to provide quality services for Chinese students in America.

To help the students with the application process, CheersYou has launched a comprehensive and friendly website. The website not only provides the students with useful information during the application process but also gives a step by step guidance on how to go about it. The whole application process has been made easy with online services such as Essay edition, half DIY application, Full set application, Undergraduate admission counseling, Video essay and Mock interviews fully enhanced.

The reason why CheersYou is loved and supported by many students in the short term is because it greatly differs from the traditional agency and it facilitates more time-consuming applicants. Students can receive a professional resume by one click on the CheersYou official website after filling their basic information, greatly reducing the preparation time.

According to traditional agencies' methods, only the mentor knows the entire application process, students and parents have no way to follow up the application status. CheersYou creates full transparency of the application process. Any changes and recent developments will be sent to students via WeChat and e-mail immediately, making parents and students feel more at ease and relieved.

By 2017, CheersYou implemented a broad range of overseas-study services on an international basis. The company's success begged the question of next steps toward their commitment to making an impact. The journey will continue with exciting new projects, CheersYou plan to expand from educational consultancy and planning to the promotion of mutual understanding and cultural exchange between China and the United States. In the future, CheersYou will also help U.S. students study in China.

SOURCE CheersYou International Consulting, LLC

Related Links

https://www.cheersyou.com


SILICON SLOPES, Utah, Feb. 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Impartner, the world's leading provider of pure-play Partner Relationship Management (PRM) solutions, today announces the recipients of its third annual customer awards, which were presented at ImpartnerCON18, the company's annual customer conference held February 7-9, 2018 at the Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City. The theme for this year's conference was Transcend, with the focus being on helping companies grow beyond ordinary limits.

Following are the winners of this year's Impartner Transcend Awards and the name of the award they've won for setting the pace for channel operations:

FireEye, Transformer Award : For making a complete transformation of their PRM functionality and bringing to life a robust and fully customized portal in record time.

: For making a complete transformation of their PRM functionality and bringing to life a robust and fully customized portal in record time. Fortinet, Magnet Award: For creating a vibrant partner portal experience through pricing, promotions, training, marketing and sales that has driven their customer engagement to the top of the leaderboard for all Impartner customers worldwide.

For creating a vibrant partner portal experience through pricing, promotions, training, marketing and sales that has driven their customer engagement to the top of the leaderboard for all Impartner customers worldwide. Jive Communications, Edge Award: For pushing the boundaries of what is possible in their business and in channel enablement, including a ground-breaking, real-time integration with their Salesforce-based price pricing solution into their PRM, making price quoting available to their indirect channel.

For pushing the boundaries of what is possible in their business and in channel enablement, including a ground-breaking, real-time integration with their Salesforce-based price pricing solution into their PRM, making price quoting available to their indirect channel. Kio Networks, Vanguard Award: For leading the way in implementing PRM for mission-critical IT Services and Infrastructure vendors in Latin America .

For leading the way in implementing PRM for mission-critical IT Services and Infrastructure vendors in . Splunk, Integrator Award : For leading the way in how PRM is truly integrated in to the flow of their business and business processes.

: For leading the way in how PRM is truly integrated in to the flow of their business and business processes. Zendesk, PRM Promise Award: For their ability to truly deliver more value to their partners through automation without adding additional staff, powerfully delivering on the promise of PRM.

"This year's group of award winners is a clear reflection of the value PRM and Impartner is bringing to some of the world's most leading-edge, born-in-the cloud, SaaS corporations," said Brad Pace, VP of Customer Success. "It's a privilege for us to serve these companies and all our customers that share our unwavering commitment to driving the channel forward."

This past year has been transformational for Impartner. The company has seen a 70 percent increase in new customers bringing the total number of partners signing into portals using Impartner PRM technology to 5.6 million.

Attendance at the company's annual customer conference doubled since last year. The star-studded speaker lineup featured the who's who of the channel including a keynote from Doug Landis, Growth Partner of Emergence Capital, a leading enterprise cloud venture capital firm. Other sessions were led by market-leading analysts from firms including Forrester, SiriusDecisions, ESG and The 2112 Group.

To learn more about ImpartnerCON18, please visit: https://www.impartner.com/impartnercon/overview

To learn more about Impartner and schedule a free demo of Impartner PRM, please visit: https://www.impartner.com/

About Impartner

Impartner delivers the industry's most advanced SaaS-based Partner Relationship Management solution, helping companies worldwide manage their partner relationships and accelerate revenue and profitability through indirect sales channels. Impartner PRM is the industry's most award-winning PRM technology and one of the industry's only turnkey solutions that can deploy a world-class Partner Portal in as few as 14 days, using the company's highly engineered Velocity onboarding process, which is guided by an individually customized Customer Success Portal.

For more information on Impartner, which is based in Utah's tech hotbed, the Silicon Slopes, visit www.impartner.com or in the United States call +1 801 501 7000, for EMEA general call +33 1 40 90 31 20, for London call +44 0 20 3283 4465, and for LATAM call +1 954 364 7883. For media and analyst inquiries, please contact: Kerry Desberg at 425.231.9529 or [email protected]

Contact:

Kerry Desberg

Impartner

425-231-9529

[email protected]

SOURCE Impartner

Related Links

http://www.impartner.com


DALLAS, Feb. 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- On February 19, 2018, the Louisiana Legislature will convene for 17 calendar days in a special session called by Governor John Bel Edwards to address the state's estimated $1 billion budget shortfall for fiscal year 20182019. The special session will begin at 4:00 p.m. on February 19, 2018, and conclude no later than midnight on March 7, 2018.

In his call for the special session, Governor Edwards gave the Legislature specific items to consider for closing the budget gap. Of the 17 objectives noted in the call, many are revenue-raising measures, including:

Adjustments to the imposition, collection, and remittance of sales and use taxes

Adjustments to sales and use tax exemptions for business utilities

Adjustments to state income tax brackets

Adjustments to the types of services subject to sales and use tax

Adjustments to various tax credits, deductions, and rebates

Modifications to Act 109 of 2015



Modifications to Act 123 of 2015



Modifications to Act 126 of 2015

Adjustments to state personal income tax deductions

The Governor's call can be viewed in its entirety on the state's website .

The Ryan Advocacy practice will have a full team of professionals engaged in tracking and monitoring all tax policy issues.

About Ryan

Ryan, an award-winning global tax services and software provider, is the largest Firm in the world dedicated exclusively to business taxes. The Firm provides an integrated suite of federal, state, local, and international tax services on a multi-jurisdictional basis, including tax recovery, consulting, advocacy, compliance, and technology services. Ryan is a five-time recipient of the International Service Excellence Award from the Customer Service Institute of America (CSIA) for its commitment to world-class client service. Empowered by the dynamic myRyan work environment, which is widely recognized as the most innovative in the tax services industry, Ryan's multi-disciplinary team of more than 2,100 professionals and associates serves over 14,000 clients in more than 45 countries, including many of the world's most prominent Global 5000 companies. More information about Ryan can be found at ryan.com. "Ryan" and "Firm" refer to the global organizational network, and may refer to one or more of the member firms of Ryan International, each of which is a separate legal entity.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION CONTACTS:

Jason DeCuir

Principal

Ryan

225.334.0040

[email protected]

Matthew Grabner

Manager

Ryan

512.960.1147

[email protected]

SOURCE Ryan

Related Links

http://www.ryan.com


BOCA RATON, Fla., Feb. 10, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty, Inc., a leading distributor of insurance and financial services, announced today the acquisition of Senior Advisory Group, headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona.

"We have a history of connecting top professionals and their clients with leading insurance solutions," said Marshal Seeman, President of Seeman Holtz Property and Casualty. "The strategic acquisition of Senior Advisory Group allows us to expand our reach into the financial and retirement services markets."

Senior Advisory Group, a national distributer of annuity and life insurance, provides cutting-edge education, marketing and practice management support to help advisors grow their business and address the needs of clients. As part of the Annexus Group, they have exclusive access to industry-leading products and services, empowering their advisors with consumer-focused retirement strategies.

"We are committed to offering innovative insurance and retirement solutions to our tens of thousands of current clients," said Eric Holtz, Executive Vice President, and Chief Marketing Officer. "Senior Advisory Group offers access to a nationwide network of advisors that can help continue to deliver on this objective."

Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty, Inc. continues to target high-quality independent agencies for strategic expansion and continued growth throughout the United States. Seeman Holtz's Patrick Jeffers will be overseeing the management of the new acquisition. Patrick comes with years of extensive experience in financial product distribution.

SHP&C offers:

Homeowner's Policy

Automobile Insurance

Renter's Policy

Private Client

Umbrella Coverage

Commercial and Employee Coverage

Personal Liability Coverage

Employee Benefits

Human Resources

About Our Company: The Seeman Holtz family of companies provides comprehensive financial and insurance services to clients across the country.

Contact: Eric Holtz

Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty

844.255.6639

[email protected]

SOURCE Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty, Inc.
HOUSTON, Feb. 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Stellus Capital Investment Corporation (NYSE: SCM) will release its financial results for the year ended December 31, 2017 on Tuesday, March 6, 2018, before the market opens.

Stellus Capital Investment Corporation will host a conference call to discuss these results on Tuesday, March 6, 2018 at 10:00 AM, Central Standard Time. The conference call will be led by Robert T. Ladd, chief executive officer, and W. Todd Huskinson, chief financial officer, chief compliance officer, treasurer, and secretary.

For those wishing to participate by telephone, please dial 800-239-9838 (domestic). Use passcode 7990872. Starting approximately twenty-four hours after the conclusion of the call, a replay will be available through Wednesday, March 14, 2018 by dialing (888) 203-1112 and entering passcode 7990872. The replay will also be available on the company's website.

About Stellus Capital Investment Corporation

The Company is an externally-managed, closed-end, non-diversified investment management company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940. The Company's investment objective is to maximize the total return to its stockholders in the form of current income and capital appreciation by investing primarily in private middle-market companies (typically those with $5.0 million to $50.0 million of EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization)) through first lien, second lien, unitranche and mezzanine debt financing, and corresponding equity investments. The Company's investment activities are managed by its investment adviser, Stellus Capital Management. To learn more about Stellus Capital Investment Corporation, visit www.stelluscapital.com under the Stellus Capital Investment Corporation link.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements included herein may contain "forward-looking statements" which relate to future performance or financial condition. Statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements and are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, which change over time. Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in any forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including those described from time to time in filings by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission including the final prospectus that will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement made herein. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release.

Contacts

Stellus Capital Investment Corporation

W. Todd Huskinson, (713) 292-5414

Chief Financial Officer

[email protected]

SOURCE Stellus Capital Investment Corporation

Related Links

http://www.stelluscapital.com


Wolas's second novel, The Family Tabor, unfolds over the course of a single weekend during which the Tabor siblings gather to celebrate their father, Harry, who grapples with the demons of his past misdeeds even as he prepares to accept a prestigious honor. His wife, Roma, is a respected psychologist who struggles to help her own childrenPhoebe, Camille, and Simon, outwardly successful adults who are nevertheless caught in maelstroms of interpersonal and internal conflict. Wolas spoke to PW about writing complicated lives, the book's religious themes, and the fascinating dynamics of family.

Can you talk a bit about your background and how you came to writing?

I've written since childhood. I was a lawyer when I wrote a first novel, and I left the firm to revise it, but ended up founding a film company, where I acquired and developed the scripts, stories, and novels of others. Then I thought, "Why am I working on other people's words when my own are what I want to be working on?"

Are the Tabors based on any family you know?

No, but certainly I know people who are searching for love or feel they made the wrong choice in love or are hungry to understand their lives or want a deeper spiritual connection or suddenly find themselves unsure of everything or have had their worlds upended or wish they could undo something they've done.

The Tabors are exceptional in many ways, but they are far from happy. Can you talk about the discontent that many of your characters experience?

The Tabors are accomplished, intelligent, and worldly, but those attributes don't safeguard them or anyonefictional or realfrom confusion and struggle. Harry Tabor is delighted with the world he's created for himself, but then everything he believes about himself is upended. Roma Tabor is a "miracle worker" psychologist for children and teens and a mother who loves her children but sees them clearly. Phoebe, Camille, and Simon are at personal crossroads, each seeking something we all wantlove or connection or the belief we're living our right life. The Tabors find themselves searching for new paths they hope will lead them in the right direction.

Religious identityparticularly Jewish and Catholicplays a fairly significant role in the story. Did you always intend for this theme to be present, or did it arise organically?

I knew that the Tabors are Jewish and that Harry Tabor considers himself a "historical Jew." I also knew that Simon is married to Elena Abascal, who is Catholic, and that their marriage is undergoing some strain. But otherwise, I had no idea that religious identity would play the role that it does.

Can you talk about some of your literary influences?

What the literature I love has taught me is that the work must be about so much more than the story. There are books that have wowed me, and I've read them for enjoyment but also with specific intent, to see how the marvels were accomplished. The Extra and A Late Divorce by A.B. Yehoshua, A Person of Interest by Susan Choi, The People in the Trees by Hanya Yanagihara, The Translator by Nina Schuyler, and the novels of Wallace Stegner, among many others, remain with me.

What's the best thing about family? What's the worst?

The best is the shared history, which gives rise to the shared language, which creates the "institutional knowledge." That's what Simon thinks when he's about to question his mother about his fatherthat she's the one with the institutional family knowledge that predates his birth.

The worst thing about family? Everyone believes they know everything about every other family member: what they think, what makes them tick, what they should do, how they should do it. If we're lucky, it's very loving, but even then, family breeds a wholly unique and binding brand of familiarity that is not always accurate.
Madeline Millers new novel, Circe, to be published by Little, Brown in April, takes the same stimulating approach to ancient Greek literature as its bestselling 2012 predecessor, The Song of Achilles. In each book, Miller narrates a familiar tale in the voice of someone seen only from the outside in the originals: in the first, Achilless lover Patroclus, a minor character in the Iliad, and in her latest, Circe, the witch who turns men into pigs in the Odyssey.

I was really interested in those untold stories, Miller says, sipping tea in the airy living room of her home just outside Philadelphia. I found both of these characters very mysterious in the original mythology. We hear that Patroclus is the most beloved companion of Achilles, but we dont hear much more than that, even though Achilless reaction to his death is the crux of the entire Iliad. Why is this man so important to Achilles? Homer shows us the end of their story, and I wanted to know the beginning. Same thing with Circe: why is she turning men into pigs? Shes so often portrayed as villainous, but once she and Odysseus come to an understanding, she ends up being one of the most helpful deities he encounters. I always thought she got a bad rap. Who was she really?

In addition to providing Circe with a motive for turning those men into pigs (which we wont reveal here), Miller gives her the full spectrum of experience generally denied to female characters in classical literature: In the ancient myths, either a woman is virtuous, and she dies tragically, or she has a little power and shes punished for it. Women are helpmates, theyre wives, theyre mistresses, and then theyre dead. I wanted Circe to be about her growing up, the fullness of her life, and I wanted her to be arguing with Homers version of her story. I wanted her to be pushing back and saying, Thats what you said, but heres what I think. 

Millers ability to bring a fresh perspective to ancient tales comes from a long apprenticeship in multiple disciplines. The three things I always really loved were classics, writing, and theater, she explains. I majored in Latin and ancient Greek at Brown, and all through college I was doing theater as well and writing on the side. It was all contemporary fiction, and I was mostly doing it on my own; I was so obsessed with classics courses that I didnt want to waste class time on anything else. Then I directed a production of Troilus and Cressida, which is an incredible play: angry, funny, acidicso meaty. Talking to the actors playing Achilles and Patroclus about their motivations, I was getting to engage with these characters in a modern sense, not just commenting on something set in marble. I was interacting with the myths in a creative way that I had never experienced before. Thats when I started writing Song of Achilles.

It took 10 long years for the novel to assume final form. Miller was teaching Greek and Latin in high school, as well as directing student productions of Shakespeare, so her writing time was limited. But she was also having trouble getting the tone she wanted. Around year five, I actually had a finished draft and an agent and we started to submit to publishers, Miller recalls. Then I read it one more time and thought, Nope, this just isnt it. That was a dark moment: I knew what was wrong, but I didnt know how to make it right. Coming from a background as a theater director, I could see that I had a first-person narrator, and I didnt have Patrocluss voice. She put the manuscript aside.

Millers breakthrough came at the New York State Summer Writers Institutewhere, ironically, she was working on nonfiction. (Fiction was too much for me right then, she says.) Walking back to the dorm one night, she remembers thinking, What if I wrote Song of Achilles like this? What if the first line was, My father was a king and the son of kings. I ran back to my room and started typing the first few pages as they stand in the finished book. I had found the voice. Its an epic story, but I wasnt telling it in an epic way. That was the problem with the first version; it was told in an epic way, and Patroclus is a lyric person.

It took five more years while Miller was still multitasking: she continued to teach and direct, pursued graduate studies in classics and drama at the University of Chicago and Yale, and began dating her husband-to-be, Nathaniel Drake. He provided crucial encouragement for The Song of Achilles reboot, she says, and even more support during the writing of CirceDrake was the primary parent for their elder daughter (now three) and trusted first reader of Circes many, many drafts.

Drafts are like rehearsals to me: a lot of stuff you try doesnt make it in, but you need to do it, and, just as a director wouldnt want a lot of people watching rehearsals, I need to do that work in private, Miller says. But my husband is reading those drafts, and he is brutally frank, which I really appreciate, because when he likes something I know he really likes it.

The demands of one child and the imminent arrival of another made the creation of Circe a much more focused process, Miller says. I turned in the final draft to my editor, and three days later I had a C-sectionit was a very good motivator, because that is a hard deadline!

Perhaps even more importantly, Miller had learned from her agonizing over Achilles. I spent less time in that self-indulgent, early-writer-despair mode, she says. There was more, Okay, you hate this draft, so what? Write the next. I had done this once, and the feelings of this is all wrong I now knew were part of the process. That was the key learning piece for me.

Lee Boudreauxs departure to become vice-president and executive editor at Doubleday took place after Circe had been edited, and Miller says she feels fortunate to have had Boudreauxs input on two novels. What Lee does, when she gets that final draft, is find a way to ask the questions that bring out the best in the manuscript and in the writer. She never accepts anything less than your best; she finds all the little cracks and flaws and says, You can do better, but in an incredibly supportive and loving way.

Looking ahead, two possible projects tempt Miller, both in the genre she calls either mythological realism or literary adaptation, but neither are from the Greeks: Im leaning toward the Aeneid. Its the great touchstone of my life, the first epic text I ever encountered in the original language, because I knew Latin before I knew Greek. It took my breath away then and still does. The other thing Ive been thinking about and actually started working on is something in dialogue with The Tempest. I dont necessarily want to stay in the ancient world, and I never know whats going to happen with the things that are percolating. I write about what is possessing me, and these ancient stories have possessed me for a lot of years, but I can see myself eventually moving into something contemporary.
Sharlene Teo has a perfectly ordinary familyobviously not the inspiration for the wild bunch who populate her debut novel, Ponti. Ira Silverberg, Teos editor, tells me that when he brought the manuscript to Simon & Schuster, there were a few raised eyebrows. Marysue Rucci, v-p and editor-in-chief at S&S, said to Silverberg after reading it, But Ira, this is so not you!referring, most likely, to Silverbergs reputation as Mr. Literary, with a long career that includes stints at Grove/Atlantic and Serpents Tail.

Silverberg admits that Ponti is more commercial than his usual taste, but he counters that assessment by pointing to the books freaky characters. Its an edgy look at coming of age in a changing Singapore, he says. Rucci dubs it Ferrante in Singapore.

The book ricochets between characters and years but introduces readers to Szu Min on her 16th birthday: Today marks my sixteenth year on this hot, horrible earth. She announces herselfI am Miss Frankenstein, I am the bottom of the bell curveand Singapore, describing it as a city that lies just one degree north of the equator and it feels like the bulls eye where the sun is aiming a shot at the earth with the intention to kill it.

Szus house, she says, is ugly and stinks of cigarettes, incense, and my aunts slow-boiled fungus soup. Her mother, Amisa, is the star of 1970s cult horror movies in which she played a beautiful female demon (a pontianak) with a thirst for male blood. Mom and toothless Aunt Yunxi conduct seances (A sad face is an open wallet, Aunt Yunxi says), while Szu endures school with her best friend Circe and a teacher who looks like a houseplant that has been neglected over the holidays.

Are you hooked? Its just begun. The novels got the verve, charm, and energy of its writer. Teo, even being interviewed over the phone (shes in London and Im in New York), comes across as a spitfire with a mammoth imagination and a skewed vision.

Twelve years ago, Teo came to the U.K. to study; she became a lawyer but never practiced. Im definitely right-brain, she says. Im emotive; I want to feel things. Im not interested in impressing my ideas on people.

Teo took an MFA (and a Ph.D.) in creative writing at the University of East Anglia in Norwich and was at Iowa in the International Writing Program. When she won the 20132014 David T.K. Wong Fellowship at East Anglia, a nine-month fellowship awarded to an author to write fiction in English about the Far East, she decided it was a perfect time to work on her novel about a female cannibal monster that crawls into the internet.

The problem was that the protagonist was already powerfulthere was nowhere for her to go, Teo says. Demoralized when the novel didnt go well, she admits, I had a fear of failure; 2015 was a shit year.

She began again, abandoning the cannibal novel and inspired by low-budget exploitation horror films. Then she found out about the contest.

Rogers, Coleridge & White in the U.K. had set up a prize in honor of the literary agencys founder, Deborah Rogers. The inaugural contest was set for 2016 and, according to Emma Patterson, who would become Teos U.K. agent, there were 900 entries of 25,00030,000 words each. When the longlist was announced, agents started contacting Teo. Then she made the short list and momentum built. Sharlene was one of three strong contenders, Patterson says.

I sent off this hulking stinky mess of a novel and never expected anything to happen, Teo says. I kept tweaking the first page over and over while I was watching the Iranian vampire film A Girl Walks Home Alone at NightI love that filmand sent it off 20 minutes before the deadline. She saw the contest as something official and serious, a contrast to what was going on in her life at that moment.

When Ian McEwan announced that she was the winner, she says, it was like a dreamI had the most ridiculous expression on my face. The manuscript was about one-quarter written and the pressure kicked in when Teo began meeting agents. It was also, she says, very romantic meeting agentslike dating. But, she adds, Emma really understood what I was trying to do.

At RCW, the feeling was that Teo would be, as Paterson puts it, simpatico with my list, which was composed of debut authors, lots of women, literary fiction, and the international fiction that shes particularly interested in. Teo decided on RCW in May 2016. I sent Emma batches of 10,000 words, and in five months, by October 2016, we were done, she says. The last two weeks were crazy. I was in a fog, compelled by desperation and self-loathing, but when it was finished I was proud that I had done my best and was ready to have it taken apart.

The goal, Paterson says, was always to get the manuscript to publishers before the October 2016 Frankfurt Book Fair. She sent it out right before the fair, and the first offer for the U.K. arrived overnight, followed by seven more. Teo was ebullient: I was freaking out; it was unbelievable.

Ponti went to Sophie Jonathan, senior commissioning editor at Picador UK, in an auction. The auction was enormously exciting, Jonathan says. Id known that Ponti was coming for a while and had been badgering poor Emma about it for months, so when she submitted, I was ready to pounce. The novel enthralled me. Sharlene is so good on the convolutions of teenage loyalty, on the emotional complexity of being an almost-adult, and that tension is in the novels atmosphere too: sticky, sweaty, dankthe smog of Singapore and the heavy heated press of classrooms. This is a vibrant, modern novel, and yet Malaysias past is here too. The voice of Ponti is sharp, simultaneously viciously funny and poignant, and the world Sharlene builds is utterly enveloping.

As the U.K. auction went on, Jonathan continues, rights were selling abroad by the day, and that certainly made the whole experience more intense. She adds, Im just over the moon to be publishing Sharlene in the U.K.

To date, Ponti has sold in six foreign territories: to Intrinseca in Brazil, Buchet Chastel in France, Aufbau in Germany, De Bezige Bij in Holland, E/O in Italy, and Hep Kitap in Turkey.

Paterson sent the manuscript out to 16 publishers in the U.S. and Silverberg tells me that he loves that it was sent to him. He preempted it in 2016, the weekend before Frankfurt. I wanted that book for the fair, he says Silverberg and Jonathan worked together on the manuscript, and Ponti will be published in April 2018 in the U.K. and September 2018 in the U.S.

Teos take is that anything that happens now is a bonus and its out of my control. She adds, I hope for the book to resonate with readers emotions: pleasure, disgust, all of it.

I ask Teo about numbers, and she says the mention of money makes her want to vomit. But, as a way of answering politely, she does tell me she isnt about to get a clerk job anytime soon.
Ally Carter MG Series to HMH

Catherine Onder at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt bought North American rights, at auction, to Ally Carters first middle grade series. The first title in the two-book deal, The Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Virtue, is slated for fall 2019. HMH said the series was pitched as what would happen if little orphan Annie went to live with Batman. The book follows, HMH explained, a girl and her group of ragtag friends as they teach a mysterious billionaire that he has a family worth fighting for. Kristin Nelson, who has an eponymous shingle, represented Carter.

Drays New Historical to Berkley

For Berkley, Amanda Bergeron took world rights, at auction, to Stephanie Drays The Women of Chavaniac. Dray (Americas First Daughter) was represented by Kevan Lyon at the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. The novel, Berkley said, explores the little-known true stories of three extraordinary women separated by time. The publisher explained that each woman is connected to a castle in the mountains of France that offered asylum to orphans during WWII and was the birthplace of the Marquis de Lafayette. The book is set for a 2020 publication.

S&S Kids Gets Dry with Shustermans

Working as coauthors, National Book Awardwinner Neal Shusterman and his son Jarrod Shusterman sold a YA novel called Dry to David Gale at Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. In it, a catastrophic drought in California forces a crew of teens to band together when chaos breaks out in their community. The book, which Andrea Brown at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency sold, is set for October and has already been optioned by Paramount Pictures. Jarrod Shusterman writes for TV and film.

Eulberg Closes Triple at Bloomsbury Kids

For Bloomsbury Childrens Books, Sarah Shumway and Hali Baumstein took North American rights to three new books by Elizabeth Eulberg. The first novel in the deal, a YA called Past Perfect Life, follows a girl whose life, the publisher said, unravels when she learns that everything she thought she knew about herself and her so-called family is a lie. Past Perfect is set for spring 2019. The second book in the agreement, which was brokered by Erin Malone at William Morris Endeavor, is a currently untitled middle grade standalone novel slated for fall 2020. The third book in the deal will be the fourth title in Eulbergs middle grade series the Great Shelby Holmes; its set for fall 2019.

Ballantine Burns with Gershell and Littlefield

Until It Burns, by Lauren Gershell and Sophie Littlefield, was acquired in a world rights deal by Shauna Summers at Ballantine. The novel was sold by Jenni Ferrari-Adler and Barbara Poelle at the Irene Goodman Literary Agency; they said the book is about stakes friendship and murder at the hottest exercise studio on the Upper East Side and they pitched it as Big Little Lies meets Primates of Park Avenue.

Briefs

Joe Gillard sold The Little Book of Lost Words to Lisa Westmoreland at Ten Speed Press. Gillard, who created the popular blog History Hustle, was represented by Mark Gottlieb at Trident Media Group. Gillard took world rights to the book, which Gottlieb described as a dictionary for history buffs and word lovers packed with old words that are perfect for expressing almost anything in your modern life.

Roxane Gay sold the tentatively titled essay collection Tokenism to Katie Helke at MIT Press. The book, MIT said, will touch on the titular subject, defined by the author as the practice of making a cursory effort to hire or recruit a small number of people from underrepresented groups to satisfy the need for equality, whether that be racial, gender, or other. Gay (Bad Feminist) is a writer and editor who teaches at Purdue University; she was represented by Maria Massie at Massie & McQuilkin Literary Agents.
Budget Deal Could Be Good News for Libraries

As we wrote last week, the budget battle is heating upand this week, there was some unexpected news: a bipartisan budget deal. On Wednesday, Senate leaders unveiled the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, a two-year budget proposal in which lawmakers proposed spending increases of more than $300 billion through FY2019. And early this morning, the budget passed both houses and was signed into law.

The whirlwind deal came just days after the ALA Washington Office told librarians and library supporters that the Trump administration, as it did in its FY2018 budget proposal, was expected to target library and arts funding. But suddenly, librarians are feeling a bit more optimistic, at least about the federal budget.

"We are pleased that Congress has passed an FY2018 spending agreement that includes an increase in federal funding for domestic priorities, which, we hope, will include library funding," said ALA president Jim Neal in a statement. "While this budget agreement is a positive step towards resolving the FY2018 budget, ALA continues to call on Congress to include funding for libraries as it writes the final spending bills in the coming weeks."

Although the omnibus bill passed this week includes topline numbers, as Neal notes, specific funding lines have yet to be filled in. But presumably, a two-year budget deal which adds some $300 billion to the federal budget will be able to find (and perhaps even add to) the $236 million requested for library funding, funding which, notably, had already passed the Houses version of the FY2018 budget, and enjoys strong support in the Senate.

Of course, anything is possible in todays climate. And there are already rumblings in the House and Senate about the deal, on both sides of the aisle, as the recent tax cuts are already projected to swell annual deficits to more than $1 trillion next year.

Neal urged librarians to stay engaged. "One lesson from this long FY2018 appropriations process is that when libraries speak, decision-makers listen," he said, adding that this is "a time to honor the power of our advocacy."

It is also, he went on, a time for the library community to strengthen its resolve.

"The White House will soon release its FY2019 budget, and were expecting even deeper cuts than proposed last year," Neal said. "To protect federal library funding, we need to remind Congress that libraries bring leaders and experts together to solve difficult problems, that we deliver opportunities, from academic success, work-readiness and literacy to housing stability and historical preservation. We need to invite elected leaders into our libraries to see what we do and what we can do for their constituents with a small investment of federal dollars."

The 2018 ALA Midwinter Meeting Kicks Off in Denver

Librarians, publishers, and exhibitors arrived in Denver this week to temperatures that reached the low 60sbut fear not, the weekend is calling for some more typical Rocky Mountain weather. No worries, an outstanding professional program and a strong slate of author appearances will keep librarians happily indoors.

The main author program will officially kick off this afternoon with a conversation between Marley Dias and Patrisse Cullors. On Saturday, February 10, the Auditorium Speaker Series will feature acclaimed author and McSweeneys founder Dave Eggers, and poet Elizabeth Acevedo will deliver the Arthur Curley Memorial Lecture. On Sunday, February 11, Junot Diaz will discuss his new kids book, Islandborn. And on Monday, February 12, Bill Nye (yes, the Science Guy!) and Gregory Mone will keynote the closing session. And of course, there will be hundreds more authors appearing in the exhibit halls, and in the professional program.

Perhaps the most buzzed about session at this years conference will be the ALA Presidents Program, on Sunday afternoon. Usually, the session involves a keynote speaker, but in a departure, this years event will instead be a debate on an important question in todays fractious political climate: Are libraries neutral? Have they ever been? Should they be?

And, of course, the big news out of midwinter is always the announcement of the Youth Media Awards. The ceremony will take place from 8 to 9 a.m. on Monday, February 12. The ALA Youth Media Awards, including the Newbery, Caldecott, Printz, and Coretta Scott King awards, are recognized worldwide as the most prestigious awards celebrating childrens and young adult literature and media.

And on Sunday, February 11, from 5 to 7 p.m., the ALAs adult book awards, the Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction, will be announced.

This years shortlist for fiction: Jennifer Egan for Manhattan Beach (Scribner); National Book Awardwinner Jesmyn Ward for Sing, Unburied, Sing (Scribner); and Booker Prizewinner George Saunders for Lincoln in the Bardo (Random House). The nonfiction finalists are Daniel Ellsberg for The Doomsday Machine: Confessions of a Nuclear War Planner (Bloomsbury); David Grann for Killers of the Flower Moon (Doubleday); and Sherman Alexie for his memoir You Dont Have to Say You Love Me (Little, Brown).

In Memoriam: John Perry Barlow

Very sad news via the Electronic Frontier Foundation this week: EFF co-founder John Perry Barlow died in his sleep on February 7. Barlow, a rancher and lyricist for the Grateful Dead, was an incredible thinker, author, and an Internet pioneer. His 1994 Wired article, The Economy of Ideas remains one of the most important touchstones of the digital ageand it is worth a re-read today.

I still vividly remember my first interview with Barlow, in early 2002, when I was a reporter at Library Journal. Much of what we talked about that day, some 16 years ago, long before smartphones, or social media, still rings true today.

LJ: As cyberspace develops, do you think libraries will maintain a physical role in their communities?

JB: Oh, absolutely. In fact, I think physical libraries will be even more important in the future. Communities need that physical element. But libraries will have to be places where people do more than go to get books, because a lot of what people want they will be able get online. Libraries will be places where people will go to exchange ideas, and librarians will be even more essential than they are now, guiding people to information, knowing where to find it. I look at the potential for librarians and for libraries as being venues for all manner of salons, where the objective is not silence but conversation.

RIP, John Perry Barlow.

EveryLibrary Adds New Board Members; Seeks to Expand Effort to Support School Librarians

Library advocacy group EveryLibrary this week announced that it has added two new members to its board of directors: Harmony Faust, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Gale, a Cengage Company, and J. Turner Masland, Access Services Manager at Sonoma State University Library in Sonoma, CA.

Harmony and Turner join current board members John Chrastka, Erica Findley, Patrick PC Sweeney, Brian D. Hart, and Peter Bromberg.

We are thrilled to welcome Harmony and Turner to the Board and look forward to collaborating together on the strategic direction and daily management of EveryLibrary, said John Chrastka, founder and executive director at EveryLibrary, in a statement. The unique perspectives and depth of experience they bring fits perfectly with our current team as we celebrate and reflect on our first five years as an organization and plan for the future. Chrastka also acknowledged Mel Gooch, as she recently ended her term of board service.

Operating as a national political action committee for libraries, EveryLibrary has done great work in communities across the nation helping library supporters succeed at the local level. The group is holding its its annual meeting in Denver tonight, February 9, where it will review EveryLibrarys 2017 Annual Report and seek input in its 2018 agenda for library advocacyincluding a plan to boost school librarians through the SaveSchoolLibrarians program.

The SaveSchoolLibrarians program officially launched last June, with support from Follett Learning, with the goal of restoring school librarians to schools and districts, and expanding funding for school library programs in their states.

'The Public Premieres at the Santa Barbara Film Festival

Days after the world premiere of Emilio Estevezs The Public at the Santa Barbara Film Festival, librarians seem largely pleased with the portrayal of their profession in the film, which takes place in the Cincinnati Public Library during a particularly harsh winter.

In a review on Public Libraries Online, Brendan Dowling writes, The library is portrayed as a civic institution pulled in many directions that ultimately endures due to the perseverance of its employees. In a pop culture landscape where their profession is all too often reduced to a caricature, librarians may take comfort in The Publics attempt to show a more nuanced portrayal of their world.

On EveryLibrary's Medium platform, Oleg Kagan had similar praise: Despite the publics dramatic flourishes, everything in the movie that is related to libraries comes across as deeply authentic, he wrote. The naked man singing at the all-glass window? My laugh during that scene was the loudest and the longest in the theater, not because it is funny (though it is), but because its true. Any librarian who has spent time working at an urban library will watch the public with many a knowing nod. Estevez clearly did his research. In fact, I would be surprised if some of the films scenes werent directly inspired by true events.

Not Fake News: New York Times Reports Surging 2017 Revenues, Driven by Digital Subscriptions

President Donald Trump may have to rethink his Twitter bashing: because the "failing" New York Times, as the president like to tweet, is actually surging. On a conference call this week, the newspaper reported strong fourth-quarter earnings, driven by digital subscriptions.

On a conference call with reporters, New York Times president and CEO Mark J. T. Thompson reflected on a "strikingly successful" 2017, and the company's digital transformation, which says a lot about where journalism is likely headed in the digital age:

"More than anything, our strategy as a company is to double down on high-quality journalism, to invest in it and support it in every way we can. We believe that this uncompromising commitment is not just good for democracy and society, but the only way of building a successful digital news business. And in 2017, it paid off for our tens of millions of users and for the Company itself.

For the year, revenue grew 8%, compared to 2016, and adjusted operating profit grew 18%. Much of that was driven by very strong digital subscription revenue growth, more than $100 million of new revenue in a single year. And if we step back and look at the numbers, we can see how the economics of the Company are changing.

Since 2015, we've defined ourselves as a subscription-first company. In 2017, subscriptions for the first time in the history of The New York Times Company, delivered more than $1 billion of revenue.

We still regard advertising as an important revenue stream, but believe that our focus on establishing close and enduring relationships with paying deeply engaged users, and the long-range revenues which flow from those relationships is the best way of building a successful and sustainable news business."

To Weed or Not to Weed?

The Associated Press reported this week on an ongoing trend in higher education: the shrinking of physical collections at university libraries. The article looks specifically at the case of the Indiana University of Pennsylvania library, in Indiana, PA, which recently announced a plan to remove tens of thousands of books from the stacks.

As expected, the news was met with some dismay from scholars in the community. One professor called the decision "unbelievably wrongheaded" and a "knife through the heart.

Other universities have received similar responses. The article notes the case of Syracuse University, which opted to build its own storage facility near campus to store 1.2 million volumes after faculty and students by and large objected to a plan to ship books to a warehouse four hours away.

Of course, the students at IUP, who largely favor electronic resources for research over print volumes, dont seem to mind all that much. In the words of freshman Dierra Rowland, "If nobody's reading them," she said, "what's the point of having them?"
Last year marked a number of milestones for Grand Central Publishing. For one thing, it was the 10th year that the publisher operated under the Grand Central umbrella, having changed its name from Warner Books in 2007. Last January also saw the departure of both Jamie Raab, who was Warner Books publisher for 18 years and oversaw the rebranding of the company, and Deb Futter, who had been v-p and editor-in-chief of hardcovers and publisher of Twelve Books.

Michael Pietsch, CEO of Grand Central parent company Hachette Book Group, moved quickly to appoint new leadership at the publisher, naming Dutton publisher Ben Sevier as senior v-p and publisher last February; Karen Kosztolnyik, who had been at GCP before moving to Simon & Schuster, returned as v-p and editor-in-chief in May.

In an interview in PWs offices, both Sevier and Kosztolnyik said they were quite satisfied with how the transition year went. Sevier described 2017 as a nice entry into GCP, noting that it gave him time to see how the GCP teams work together. He noted that GCP continued to seamlessly publish many of its franchise authors, such as David Baldacci and Sandra Brown. GCP also had an unexpected hit with Al Franken, whose Al Franken, Giant of the Senate, sold more than 235,000 copies, despite Franken stepping down from the Senate following sexual misconduct accusations. The publisher had 14 nonfiction and eight fiction titles hit PWs bestseller lists last year and 21 titles hit the trade paperback list.

Its been thrilling to see how instantaneously Ben and Karen mind-melded with GCPs authors and its superb editorial, marketing, publicity, and design teams, Pietsch said, noting that, in addition to building new lists, theyve focused relentlessly on opportunities like the paperback of Min Jin Lees Pachinko, which just hit #1 on the IndieBound list and crossed 100,000 copies sold.

The biggest personnel move Sevier has made to date was promoting Sean Desmond from editorial director to publisher of Twelve to replace the departed Futter. Sevier said he sees no need for major changes at GCP but does expect to make some gradual shifts. One area he has targeted is marketing, where he plans to add more muscle, particularly in digital. We need to find new ways to reach consumers directly, Sevier noted, adding that a new content management system will give GCP the tools to better promote its titles.

On the publishing side, one goal, Kosztolnyik said, is to find the franchise authors of tomorrow. She added, Weve proven we know how to build authors careers.

Both Sevier and Kosztolnyik are particularly excited about Noah Hawley, whose Before the Fall has sold more than 750,000 copies in all formats and who has a new book set for 2019. Later this year, GCP will release paperback editions of two of Hawleys earlier books, A Conspiracy of Tall Men and The Punch.

Another book that Sevier has high hopes for is the just-signed Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky, author of The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Sevier acquired North American rights to the book along with Wes Miller, one of HBGs senior editors. Rights have already sold in 11 foreign markets, with more deals coming. GCP plans to release the book in fall 2019.

Two recently signed debut authors are John Fried and Kira Jane Buxton. Frieds The Martin Chronicles, a story about a boy growing up in 1980s Manhattan, is due out in February 2019, and Buxtons Hollow Kingdom, set for summer 2019, is described by GCP as a modern-day Animal Farm told from the point of view of a domesticated crow trying to save the world after humanity succumbs to a virus manifested from addiction to technology.

GCP is also set to publish Joanne Proulxs adult debut this September. We All Love Beautiful Girls is centered on three suburban families whose lives spiral dangerously out of control after tragedy strikes, the publisher said.

Sevier noted that, though GCPs core of franchise commercial fiction is well established, he sees a chance to expand the divisions nonfiction. Twelve will continue to focus on serious nonfiction, publishing one title per month. Other nonfiction titles in the pipeline include Dear Madam President: An Open Letter to the Women Who Will Run the World by Jennifer Palmieri, Hillary Clintons former communication director, and Alive and Alone by Dan Schilling, an account of a one-man stand during the Afghan war. The publisher took Franchesca Ramsey, author of Well, That Escalated Quickly: Memoir and Mistakes of an Accidental Activist, to Winter Institute to promote the title, which is due out in May.

GCPs biggest book this year may be Sally Fields memoir, In Pieces, which the publisher acquired last December and which is set for release September 18. GCP announced a 300,000-copy first printing, and among its promotional plans are an author appearance at BookExpo and an author tour.

Pietsch said he is excited about the Field book, as well as the rest of the 2018 list: The GCP team is really firing on all cylinders, and I see a steady expansion of GCPs range of successful publishing ahead.
"It's like going into work, not having a job and being laid off. There's no way of racing; no way of making an income."

The outbreak of equine herpes virus (EHV-1) that's affected horses in many states and forced quarantines at barns across the U.S. is gaining mainstream media attention. On Friday, Cincinnati's Fox19 News profiled the fairgrounds at Warren County in Lebanon, Ohio -- 15 minutes east of Miami Valley Raceway. The facility and its nearly 450 horses remain under quarantine after a EHV-1 positive horse raced at The Meadows as well as Miami Valley Gaming on January 13 and 24. Testing confirms EHV-1 but the horse was showing signs of illness as of Tuesday (Feb. 6).

On Saturday, the Oregon Department of Agriculture has released the quarantine for the wild type EHV-1 positive horse at the Portland Meadows racetrack. The affected horse has made an impressive recovery and now tests negative for EHV-1.
Canal Sony has reached an exclusive agreement with FremantleMedia International to broadcast the coming season of the US talent show, American Idol.

The programme will air across Latin America following its premiere on ABC on 11 March, after 15 seasons on FOX, and a one-year break. Canal Sony was the Latin American house of American Idol between 2004 and 2016, taking the show to over 33 million homes.The new season will be part of Canal Sonys Sigue la Musica content block , in which the network is currently broadcasting other talent shows like The Voice (US), The X Factor (UK) and Americas Got Talent.For over 20 years, Canal Sony has been an industry model thanks to its line-up with Hollywood blockbusters, series and music talent shows, said TV Schultz, EVP and GM of Sony Pictures Television Networks for Latin America.Following the success of American Idol in the past, we are proud to be working again with Canal Sony to offer this new series to the Latin American audience, added Sheila Aguirre, EVP, content distribution and sales at FremantleMedia International.
The good, the bad and the ugly  Matthew Baringer watches them all, but has a particularly s
Athens, GA (30605)

Today

Partly cloudy. High near 90F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies during the evening will give way to cloudy skies overnight. Low 68F. Winds light and variable.
Students should be encouraged to seek and learn the history of UGA, because the future relies on the students to keep the past alive.
BETHLEHEM  The annual meeting of the Bethlehem Fair Society will be held on Saturday, March 3 at Memorial Hall, Main Street, Bethlehem. A pot luck supper starts at 6 p.m., followed by the annual business meeting.

The agenda for the meeting includes a review of the 2017 fair, an important election of officers, and a discussion of plans for the 2018 Fair. The Fair Society is seeking people that can get more involved in the Fair.

RSVP is required by Feb. 26. The Fair Society will provide ham, roast beef, rolls, beverages, and cake for dessert. Those attending are asked to bring a side dish to feed 10 people.

Dues are $5 per person and may be paid for 2018 at the meeting.

The GPS address for the Memorial Hall is 10 The Green, Bethlehem, CT 06751.

For additional information or to make a reservation, please email the Fair at office@bethlehemfair.com or call the Fair office at 203-266-5350; provide your name, phone number, and number of people in your party for the reservation.

Mental Health First Aid Training course

TORRINGTON  A free, two-day Mental Health First Aid Training course is being held in Torrington, March 27 and March 29, 5:3-9:30 p.m at the Torrington Area Health District offices, 350 Main St.

To register, visit www.mhconn.org/education/mental-health-first-aid

Like CPR, a Mental Health First Aid 8-hour certificate training prepares community members with tools to interact with a person in crisis and connect the person with help. First Aiders do not take on the role of professionals and do not diagnose or provide therapy; instead, the program offers concrete tools and answers questions about what to do and where someone may find help.

According to Robert Rubbo, Director of Health, Torrington Area Health Districts goal is to promote and to protect the physical and environmental well-being of the citizens of the TAHD through direct services, wellness and promotion programs and community efforts. We are happy to sponsor this much-needed education to the public. Mental Health First Aid gives community members the tools they need to help someone whos struggling and eliminates the misconceptions that act as barriers to seeking help and treatment. 

Mental health disorders are common: In any given year, 1 in 5 Americans has a mental illness. And at some point in our lifetime, half of us will struggle with a mental health disorder.

Our goal, and the goal of the Federal Government expressed both through bipartisan funding of trainings nationwide and by the Mental Health Reform Act of 2016, is clear, said Mental Health First Aid instructor Valerie English Cooper, Lets make Mental Health First Aid as common as CPR.

Available in the US for ten years and managed by the National Council for Behavioral Health, one million First Aiders have been trained to date in the U.S. Mental Health First Aid is included in SAMHSAs Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices and is overseen by the National Council for Behavioral Health. For more information, contact Valerie English Cooper at venglishcooper@mhconn.org, 860-471-6715, or visit www.mhconn.org/education/mental-health-first-aid.

NCCC urges its students to apply for scholarships

WINSTED  Northwestern Connecticut Community College students  new, continuing or graduating  are encouraged to apply for an array of scholarships that are currently available for them.

These awards are funded through private donations, bequests, grants to the college and the Northwestern Community College Foundation/ Regional Advisory Council (NCCF/RAC) and they range in size from $500 up to full tuition/fees (approximately $4,000).

In 2017, 50 scholarships valued at over $55,000 were awarded. Most scholarships are based on students demonstrated financial need and scholastic standing in their pursuit of higher education at NCCC. Additionally, there are scholarships available to students based on other criteria.

Caitlin Boger-Hawkins, Chair of the NCCC Scholarship Committee said, We recognize that college costs can be daunting; however, thanks to the generosity of many individual donors and the NCCF/RAF, were able to help our students overcome some of the financial obstacles to success. If you are currently a Northwestern student, or plan to attend next year, please consider applying for a scholarship. The deadline for submitting Scholarship applications is April 2, 2018, for continuing and graduating students and new students.

To learn about complete details of eligibility, requirement guidelines and to apply for all scholarships, students should go to www.nwcc.edu/financial-aid/ to complete the online NCCC scholarship application. Please read the application instructions on the website carefully before applying.

AVANGRID offers 2018-19 scholarships

Part of Companys Firm Commitment to Cultivate the Next Generation of Energy Professionals

ORANGE  AVANGRID Inc. (NYSE: AGR), a diversified energy company, will provide scholarships for the 2018-2019 academic year for postgraduate studies at universities in the United States, continuing the companys commitment to financially support students who are pursuing studies in the fields which help to create an innovative and sustainable future for the sector, according to a press release.

As the need to recruit and retain talented employees intensifies, AVANGRID has prioritized attracting and developing a highly engaged workforce with high-quality training, superior professional development and access to masters degree programs that will enhance their qualifications for employment in the energy sector. Last year, the Avangrid Foundation and Fundacion Iberdrola Espana, awarded approximately $900,000 in scholarships to cover stipends as well as enrollment at universities throughout the United States.

Supporting our existing workforce must be complemented by a pledge to dedicate ourselves to nurture the next generation of energy leaders, who will provide the energy and innovation that will drive AVANGRID forward, said James P. Torgerson, CEO of AVANGRID. This scholarship program will help to ensure that some of the brightest minds are focused on finding solutions to issues our industry will face as it transitions away from fossil fuels toward a balanced energy mix that includes renewable generation.

AVANGRID will provide scholarships for postgraduate studies in the following fields:

Renewable Energy, Smart Distribution Networks, Engineering, Data Science, Cyber Security, Legal/Compliance/Regulation, Business: International Studies, Human Resources, Communications, Finance, Treasury, and Information Technology.

Applications are due April 2 at 8 p.m. To apply for and to obtain information on candidate requirements and the selection process, visit https://www.iberdrola.com/people-talent/international-scholarships-master-iberdrola. Applicants can also follow AVANGRID on Facebook and @AVANGRID on Twitter throughout the application process for additional information and updates.
BURLINGTON  A 70-year-old local woman was charged Friday with killing her 84-year-old husband, Dr. Pierluigi Bigazzi, of 70 Smith Lane, State Police said.

And State Police are looking for the publics help.

Linda Kosuda-Bigazzi was arrested on a warrant and is charged with murder, tampering with physical evidence, said police in a press release. She was unable to post the court set $1.5 million bond and is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday on Superior Court in Bristol. The arrest warrant has been sealed, police said.

The release says that Burlington and State Police went to 70 Smith Lane Feb. 5 for a well-being check on Pierluigi Bigazzi and found an unidentified man dead in the home. Detectives from the Western District Major Crime Squad responded to the residence and took control of the investigation.

On Feb. 6, the Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the males death a homicide. The next day he was identified as Pierluigi Bigazzi.

During the investigation, State Police detectives found probable cause to obtain an arrest warrant for Linda Kosuda-Bigazzi, the release states.

State Police are asking for assistance in the case and would like to speak with anyone who had direct contact with Pierluigi Bigazzi between July 2017 and February 2018 and/or any contractors who performed work at the couples residence during that same time frame. Anyone with information is being asked to call Detective Fitzsimons at 860-626-7922.
TORRINGTON  The Board of Education ad-hoc redistricting committee is planning to take a closer look at Torrington Middle School as the process of reconfiguring the city schools continues.

Committee members decided Thursday evening to schedule a visit to TMS next week and postpone a planned excursion to Forbes School.

The decision was prompted by a third option for the redistricting of the city schools, which board Chairman Fiona Cappabianca said was proposed at the previous meeting.

Under this idea, sister schools would be established, as in what has been termed option two  Vogel-Wetmore and Torringford would house younger students, who would then move on to Southwest and Forbes respectively.

But under the third option, Vogel-Wetmore and Torringford would house pre-K through second grade; third and fourth-graders would attend Forbes and Southwest; and the fifth grade would move to Torrington Middle School.

This would prompt 353 students to move to TMS. There is sufficient capacity at the school to hold the new cohort, according to the district  1,033 students attend classes there this year, and theres room for 1,400.

Middle School staffers did voice concerns about the move, saying there arent many unused classrooms in the building. Assistant Principal Charlie McSpiritt explained the situation  if you added six children to every classroom, give or take, theres the excess capacity.

As currently theorized, Superintendent Denise Clemons said the fifth-grade would be separated on its own floor at the middle school.

Clemons said the shift would allow them to become accustomed to the middle school environment, but still have their own space, including a single classroom for their education, before entering the larger flow of students.

A quick analysis from All-Star Transporation suggested that transportation costs would not rise as dramatically if the third option was put into place, Clemons said  an increase of $275,000 to $385,000 was estimated, as compared to $850,000 under option two.

The committee did not choose a direction to move forward with Thursday, as Cappabianca informally gauged the temperature in the room.

I think, with the addition of a third option, we have some more thinking to do, said Cappabianca.

The redistricting committee was formed after the Board of Education voted in November to close East School beginning in the 2018-19 fiscal year.

Board member Peter Vergaro reminded the committee of the rationale for this decision and the ensuing process during Thursdays meeting.

There is excess room in the buildings, Vergaro said. The decision to go ahead without closing a school would damage the quality of education in the city. As is, rising costs  insurance, contractural obligations - are outstripping any increase in the budget, leading to less money being spent on the citys young people.

Every year, we take more and more money away from programs and kids, and the things that we can do to educate our students. And its just a fiscal reality, said Vergaro. So, as a board member, when I sit there and I see that were operating more buildings than we need, and I know the real cost to education that that imposes, the decision came up that we need to close a building.

He said East School was the choice, as it would be prohibitively expensive to renovate at this time, and further damage education in the city. Renovating the school entirely is currently estimated to cost approximately $41.4 million, or $18 million after state reimbursement, according to former board member Ken Traub. At least $4.4 million in repairs are required in the near-term.

Other matters at play, including the idea of balancing the racial makeup of the schools, are secondary  things that can be addressed while dealing with this larger issue.

Two other options have been put forward at this point for redistricting.

Under option one, four elementary schools would be established  Forbes, Southwest, Torringford and Vogel-Wetmore  and existing boundaries shifted.

Under option two, termed the sister school model, K-3 students would be split between Vogel-Wetmore and Torringford. Vogel-Wetmore students would move on to Southwest for grades four and five, while Torringford students would go to Forbes.

Reach Ben Lambert at william.lambert@hearstmediact.com.
Two years into his rule, Tanzanian President John Magufuli has some unexpected new fans: his political opponents.

His chief rival in the 2015 vote, Edward Lowassa, has praised his reforms and urged others to support them. Another challenger became one of his regional commissioners, while two opposition lawmakers recently defected to the ruling party and will run as candidates in February by-elections.

These could be signs that Magufuli, who's nicknamed "the bulldozer," is finding popular support for his bids to tackle graft and challenge foreign companies like Barrick Gold Corp. and Bharti Airtel Ltd. for more revenue. But, following the arrests of other politicians and shuttering of several news outlets, some analysts say it also points to the decline of political dissent.

Tanzania's opposition was always limited. Magufuli's Chama Cha Mapinduzi party and its earlier iterations have ruled ever since the nation was unified in 1964, winning all five multi-party elections that began in 1995. All the same, rights groups and the opposition say there was leeway for criticism -- until recently. It comes as opposition movements elsewhere in East Africa feel the squeeze as leaders from Burundi to Uganda further entrench their reigns.

"Backing the opposition in an authoritarian state is backing a losing horse," said Dan Paget, a doctoral candidate researching Tanzania at the University of Oxford. "People are defecting from the opposition not only because they love Magufuli, but because they fear him."

The detention of some lawmakers last year for allegedly making inflammatory statements against the government sent a "strong message," according to Aidan Eyakuze, executive director of civil-society group Twaweza East Africa.

Politicians may also be seeking career advancement, according to Benson Bana, political science lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam. "Some don't see that the opposition will win State House anytime soon, so see working for the ruling party as a chance to shape policy," Bana said.

The 2010 presidential candidate for the main opposition party Chadema, Wilbroad Slaa, was in November appointed ambassador to an as-yet unidentified country. This week he met Magufuli and praised him for solving problems he'd railed against in opposition, according to a presidential statement.

There could be a simpler reason for the fresh support: Magufuli is pursuing policies that were the opposition's. He's also gained backing from his confrontations with foreign investors: a demand for $190 billion in back taxes from Acacia Mining led to the company agreeing to establish a model to equally share the economic benefits from its mines and pay $300 million to the state as a "show of good faith."

The Chadema party "was united by its opposition to corruption in government" and Magufuli has made tackling graft his "moral mission," Paget said. "The same goes for mining: Chadema had won votes with their tough stance on mining companies for a decade, but in six months Magufuli garbed himself in the opposition's clothes."

Zitto Kabwe, leader of the opposition Alliance for Change and Transparency, acknowledged Magufuli's anti-graft crusade is "taking the message away from the opposition."

While presidential challenger Lowassa rebuffed an offer to rejoin the ruling party, others had fewer qualms. Lawrence Masha was home affairs minister in the government of Jakaya Kikwete, Magufuli's predecessor, before shifting to the opposition in 2015. He moved back -- because of Magufuli.

"While you may not always agree with the way he does things, his heart is in the right place and it is having an impact on the lives of everyday Tanzanians," Masha said. "There is accountability in Tanzania with regards to corruption, for example, for the first time in a long time."

It's unclear how effective that drive has been. While a May 2017 survey by the Afrobarometer research network showed 72 percent of Tanzanians thought there'd been a decline in graft, Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index ranked it one point worse in 2016 than in 2013.

A June poll by Twaweza showed 71 percent of Tanzanians approved of Magufuli's performance. While lower than the 96 percent he attracted a year before, it's more than the 58 percent of the national vote he garnered to win him the presidency.

The opposition needs to fully question government claims of progress, Eyakuze said.

Kabwe said they must offer fresh policies as alternatives to the ruling party, especially in areas where they control local governments.

"Places where the opposition have a mandate, we need to show improvements in anti-corruption and development," he said.
Azerbaijan's Musavat Party will not participate in a snap presidential election scheduled for April, party head Arif Hacili has said.

Musavat is one of two major opposition forces in Azerbaijan. The other, the National Council of Democratic Forces, said on February 6 it would also boycott the election.

The announcements came after President Ilham Aliyev on February 5 issued a decree bringing forward the date of the election to April 11 from the original date of October 17.

Aliyev's decree did not explain the reasons for the decision but said the move was made in accordance with Azerbaijan's constitution and the country's Electoral Code.

Presidential adviser Ali Hasanov said the vote was being brought forward to ensure that it didn't interfere with "important domestic and international events" later in the year.

Hacili denounced the change as "an operation to prolong Aliyev's rule for another seven years."

Speaking to RFE/RL on February 6, Hacili said he believed Aliyev's main goal is to prevent the opposition from properly preparing for the poll.

He also said he suspected internal disputes within the ruling elite played a part in the decision.

Citing what he said were "ongoing disagreements inside the government," he said that that "they want to have the elections as soon as possible."

Another explanation for the change was that the state of Azerbaijan's economy has worried Aliyev.

Based on reporting by Reuters and RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service
The Pentagon says Iranian-backed militias fighting Islamic State (IS) extremists in Syria used Abrams tanks that the U.S. military had originally provided to the Iraqi Army.

However, Pentagon spokesman Eric Pahon said on February 9 that the estimated nine tanks were later returned to the Iraqi military.

The Iranian-backed Shi'ite Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) are legally considered by Iraq to be part of the Iraqi Security Forces, Pahon said. But he added that the United States had never supplied "defense articles" to the militia.

"We have discovered incidents where some U.S.-origin equipment, including M1 Abrams tanks, came into the possession of certain PMF groups. This equipment was subsequently used by these groups" in the fight against the IS extremists.

"All of these tanks were recently returned to Iraqi Security Forces custody," Pahon added.

Iraqi Kurdish officials contend that the Shi'ite paramilitary groups used Abrams tanks against Sunni Kurds in northern Iraq last year. That led U.S. officials to threaten to curtail military aid to Baghdad until the tanks were returned to Iraq control, a quarterly report by the U.S. Inspector-General said.



The Sunni-led IS fighters seized large parts of Syria and Iraq in 2014, declaring an Islamic "caliphate" and committing widespread atrocities.

But they have been steadily pushed out of nearly all of the territory they had controlled in both countries.

The United States has approved sales of more than $22 billion in arms and equipment, including at least 150 Abrams tanks, to Iraq since 2005.

Based on reporting by Stars & Stripes and AFP
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his country wants peace but will continue to defend itself against Iran.

His comments on February 10 came after antiaircraft fire downed an Israeli warplane returning from a bombing raid on Iran-backed positions in Syria.

Netanyahu said he had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"I reiterated to him our obligation and right to defend ourselves against attacks from Syrian territory. We agreed coordination between our armies would continue," Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu added that he had spoken with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

The United States "strongly supports" Israel's right to defend itself, the State Department spokeswoman later said.

"Iran's calculated escalation of threat and its ambition to project its power and dominance, places all the people of the region -- from Yemen to Lebanon -- at risk," Heather Nauert said.

Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry expressed concern over the Israeli strikes in Syria and urged the sides to avoid escalating the situation.

The Israeli military said its planes struck 12 targets on February 10, including three air-defense batteries and four Iranian targets that are part of Iran's military establishment in Syria.

The attack came after Israel said it shot down an Iranian drone that infiltrated the country. An Israeli F-16 was subsequently hit by Syrian antiaircraft fire and crashed in northern Israel.

The Israeli military said one of its pilots had been seriously wounded after the warplane came under Syrian fire. A second pilot was lightly wounded.

An Israeli military spokesman said Iran was "playing with fire" by infiltrating Israeli airspace and would pay a heavy price.

Iran rejected Israels version of the events as "ridiculous" and "lies," saying Syria had the right to defend itself in response to the strikes.

The Syrian military and its allies denied the unmanned drone Israel says it shot down violated the Jewish state's airspace, saying it was on a regular mission to gather intelligence on Islamic State militants.

Iran and Russia support the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the countrys nearly seven-year civil war. The United States and Turkey back differing rebel groups fighting Assads government.

With reporting by Reuters and AFP
A senior Moldovan lawmaker has accused Russia of meddling in his country's domestic politics ahead of parliamentary elections later this year.

Parliament speaker Andrian Candu told reporters on February 9 that many officials were concerned that Moscow's interference will increase as the elections draw nearer.

Candu said his country was seeking "only one thing -- mutual respect" in its dealings with Russia, adding that relations should be based on "pragmatic cooperation and the understanding that Moldova is not anyone's slave or vassal state."

Moldova's government of Prime Minister Pavel Filip, which favors closer ties with the EU and the United States, has been at odds with pro-Moscow President Igor Dodon, who is advocating the country's deeper integration with Russia and former Soviet states.

Candu and Filip are both members of the pro-Western Democratic Party of Moldova (PDM).

Moldova's parliament on February 8 adopted a declaration condemning alleged Russian attacks on cybersecurity and accusing Moscows secret services of financing Moldovan political parties.

Pro-Russian lawmakers protested the declaration and walked out of the session, with Dodon calling it "the most impulsive anti-Russian message" of the past 25 years.

Moldova's parliament last month passed a law that effectively banned the rebroadcasting of so-called "media propaganda" from Russia, mainly news, military, or political programs.

The countrys Constitutional Court ruled that the government did not need Dodons signature to enact the law.

Moldova last year accused Russia's intelligence service of intimidating 25 pro-European politicians and other officials, amid an ongoing probe into a $22 billion money-laundering case involving money sent from Russia to the private Moldinconbank.

"Pressure has been exerted on us," Candu claimed. "Our citizens have been groundlessly detained in Moscow airports. They were officials and ministers, among others. There is no respect.

"We extended our hand and for some reason were slapped in the face in response, extended our hand again and were slapped in the face again. And then we decided that we'd had enough," Candu said.

Relations began to deteriorate in 2014 after Moldova signed an Association Agreement with the European Union, leading Moscow to place an embargo on Moldovan wine, fruit, and vegetables.

With reporting by AP, RFE/RLs Moldovan Service, and Interfax
The Moldovan Defense Ministry says its troops will participate in military exercises in Romania along with troops from the United States, Georgia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, and the host country.

The announcement on February 9 said some 60 service members and 12 vehicles from Moldova will join the Platinum Eagle exercises on February 12-16 in Romania's Babadag military range.

In 2017, the Defense Ministry renounced plans to participate in that year's version of the exercises after pro-Russian President Igor Dodon refused to sign a decree allowing the deployment.

Dodon said his country's participation in the maneuvers was "inappropriate," claiming he wanted to keep Moldovan forces neutral in global affairs.

Dodon is frequently at odds on foreign policy with a government that favors closer ties with the European Union and the United States. Dodon favors deepening the country's integration with Russia and former Soviet states.

Dodon also attempted to prevent Moldovan troops from participating in the September 8-23, 2017, multinational military exercises in Ukraine. But he was overruled by the government, allowing the forces to join the U.S.-led military drills involving some 1,800 troops from 14 countries.

The Platinum Eagle event is aimed at enhancing the ability of the participating forces to fight together and to develop a regional environment favorable for multinational military cooperation, officials say.

Moldova's forces participated in the 2016 Platinum Eagle maneuvers.

Based on reporting by Interfax, TASS, Adevarul.md, and Stripesurse.ro
The nine children of Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, seven daughters and two sons, are doing quite well.

For example, oldest daughter Ozoda Rahmon, 40, is the head of the Tajik president's executive office; third daughter Rukhshona Rahmonova, 26, is the deputy head of the Foreign Ministry's international organizations department; sixth daughter Zarina Rahmon, 23, is deputy head of Tajikistan's largest commercial bank, Orienbonk; and oldest son Rustam Emomali, 30, is the mayor of Tajikistan's capital, Dushanbe.

They undoubtedly have good lives, but the member of the family who seems to be having the most fun lately is President Rahmon's second son, Somon Emomali. Or at least the photos and videos posted on his Instagram page indicate this 18-year-old is having a great time.

But, before you look, remember: Tajikistan has the lowest average monthly salary of the former Soviet republics -- the equivalent of about $175. Some people, especially some pensioners, are living on much less than that.

Officially, Tajikistan's population is some 8.6 million, out of which probably more than 1 million working-age citizens are migrant laborers in Russia or Kazakhstan, legally and illegally, because they could not find decent employment in Tajikistan. Only about a half of Tajikistan's population has access to clean drinking water.

And, to be fair, Somon does not have a wristwatch collection that could compare to the wristwatches Ibabekir Bekdurdyev, the 28-year-old husband of one of Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov's nieces, owns.

RFE/RL's Uzbek Service contributed to this report. The views expressed in this blog post do not necessarily reflect the views of RFE/RL
Russia's media regulator has moved to prohibit material related to an investigation by opposition leader Aleksei Navalny that exposed a meeting between a Russian billionaire and a senior government official on a yacht.

Rozkomnadzor ruled the investigative report on the connections between billionaire Russian metals tycoon Oleg Deripaska and a deputy Russian prime minister contained prohibited information and placed it on its register of sites containing information not to be distributed in Russia, Russian media reported February 10.

Navalny called the move "censorship" and urged "the dissemination of the video with the investigation as widely as possible," according to RFE/RLs Russian Service.

On February 9, RFE/RL's Russian Service said it received an e-mail notification from Rozkomnadzor stating the Navalny investigation on ties between Deripaska and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Prikhodko contained material whose dissemination in Russia was prohibited.

At least one other news site in Russia, Mediazona, an independent news source, also reportedly received a similar notification from Rozkomnadzor.

Navalny's investigation, published on February 8 on his website and a video version on YouTube, is based largely on the social-media account of a woman who claims to have had an affair with Deripaska.

The woman, who calls herself Nastya Rybka, posted several videos in 2016 showing Deripaska on his yacht talking with Prikhodko.

Navalny quoted public records suggesting that Prikhodko spent several days on the yacht and was flown there by Deripaska's private jet.

Navalny's foundation earlier published documents suggesting that Prikhodko, a longtime public servant with no significant private income, owns a luxurious mansion outside Moscow.

Deripashka rejected Navalnys report.

In a February 9 statement, Deripaska denied committing any "unlawful actions" and warned media outlets not to disseminate "these mendacious accusations."

Deripaska's statement did not specify which accusations he was referring to or deny that that he met with Prikhodko on the yacht.

An unnamed representative for Deripaska told the Interfax news agency on February10 that the businessman was filing a lawsuit against Rybka and a Belarus-born man who goes by the name Alex Lesley for posting details of his private life on social media. Navalny was not named in the suit, the representative said.

According to an AFP report, the Navalny investigation had received more than 2 million views on YouTube as of February 9.

With reporting by AP and AFP
MOSCOW -- Historian Yury Brodsky sees the far northern Solovki Archipelago as a kaleidoscopic microcosm of Russia -- its history, culture, nature, and spirit all brought together in one remote and windswept corner of a vast country.

"The most varied people come here and they all need Solovki," Brodsky tells RFE/RL. "It can change your world view. I'm trying to say that Solovki is a reflection of our entire world, of our entire history."

"Architects note the extraordinary architecture there and this is true," Brodsky adds. "Ornithologists go there to study the birds -- there are about 220 bird species on Solovki. The marshlands there are considered objects of international significance. Scientists who study the beluga whale note that Solovki is one of the very few breeding areas for the beluga. For them, the beluga is the most important thing about Solovki. [Other scientists] remind us that we need to study local lichens, of which there are 170 types because of the ideal climate for them.... Russian Orthodox believers, Old Believers, and others come here."

That diversity, Brodsky says, is now in danger from the Russian Orthodox Church, supported by the state, which is trying to transform it into a monoculture, literally and figuratively whitewashing the islands and their significance.

"At Solovki they are carrying out a completely unjustified, in my view, restoration," Brodsky says. "The 16th-century walls of the Solovetsky Monastery were covered with lichens of various colors and various textures. All this, leaving aside everything else, was amazingly beautiful. But these lichens are being washed away with chemicals. All that remains are gray stones."

The Solovki Archipelago is a group of some 100 islands and islets in the White Sea about 300 kilometers west of Arkhangelsk. An Orthodox monastery was founded there in the 15th century. Peter the Great visited several times while testing out ships for his nascent navy. The heavily fortified monastery withstood a British naval attack in 1854 during the Crimean War, and scientists set up a permanent observatory there in 1898.

After the 1917 Bolshevik coup, the government disbanded the monastery, killed its leadership, and sent the monks into exile. In 1923, the government set up the first camp of the later infamous GULAG system. In 1992, the islands were named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This history and much more is the subject of Brodsky's new book, Solovki: Labyrinth Of Transformation, published by the Novaya Gazeta publishing house.

In December, however, a group of Orthodox activists asked the Antiterrorism Center of the Interior Ministry (Center-E) to investigate the book, charging that it "insulted religious feelings" by documenting the use of the monastery as a prison during the tsarist era.

'Creeping Stalinization'

In December, more than 80 leading academics and cultural figures wrote an open letter to Federal Security Service (FSB) head Aleksandr Bortnikov to protest an interview he gave to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Soviet secret police.

The scholars charged Bortnikov with "openly carrying out a process of creeping Stalinization on the state level." They cited the investigation of Brodsky's book, the ongoing criminal case against Karelian gulag historian Yury Dmitriyev, the state takeover of the Perm-36 gulag museum, and pressure against the Memorial NGO as examples of this phenomenon.

A review of Brodsky's book on an Orthodox website notes the author's "feeling of love for Solovki" but charges that it also demonstrates "a dislike, a surprising dislike, of the centuries-long history of the Solovetsky Monastery and Orthodox Russia."

The transformation of Solovki that Brodsky warns of began in 2012 when, after a visit to the monastery by Patriarch Kirill, monastery head Archimandrite Porfirii was appointed head of the state Solovki Museum and Reserve. Porfirii's birth name is Vladimir Shutov.

In April 2010, Shutov and Porfirii (yes, with himself) signed 109 agreements on the transfer of museum property to the monastery, according to an investigation by Novaya Gazeta.

Erasing A Bloody History

During another visit in 2014, Patriarch Kirill announced the idea of creating at Solovki a scholarly center for the study and commemoration of Orthodox priests and others who were persecuted by the state during the first decade of Soviet rule. Kirill's own grandfather, Vasily Gundyev, spent five years in the Solovki labor camp.

Despite this plan, Brodsky says, the labor-camp history of Solovki is being steadily erased. "Olga Bochkaryova, who headed the museum's department of the Soviet period, was fired," he says. "She is also being evicted from her apartment, which means she'll have to leave the island because she has nowhere else to live."

"Across from the church altar, near a viewing point, there are some stone remains in the ground," Brodsky says. "There was once an image of a star in a circle there. That is where the chekisty [Soviet secret police] shot the prisoners. It is a place that is soaked in blood to a depth of several meters."

Now it is a popular place for wedding parties to come and the air is often full of shouts for the newlyweds to share a kiss. "Someone bought some snowmobiles and visitors can ride down the hill from that place," Brodsky adds. "I don't blame these people. They don't know what happened there. There are no memorial tablets."

The famed Soviet linguist and historian Dmitry Likhachyov spent five years in the camp at Solovki, studying "criminal folklore," as he would later say. The governor of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Igor Orlov, has promised that a memorial would be set up in the monastery cell where Likhachyov spent much of his term, but that has never happened.

"I know there will never be a memorial room there," Brodsky says. "Thousands of people were imprisoned in that monastery. But all the wall etchings scratched by the prisoners have been wiped away. The bars have been removed from the windows; the peepholes have been taken from the doors. They are trying to create a new, church-like atmosphere by destroying any traces of the camp because that does not fit into the conception of the current monastery. Traces are being destroyed and destroyed intentionally. This is horrifying."

Prayers, Curses To Heaven

Aleksandr Cherkasov, executive director of the Memorial foundation in Moscow, says the complaint of inciting religious enmity against Brodsky's book is unfounded and is an obstacle to understanding the history of Solovki and of Russia.

"In history, everything is connected," he tells RFE/RL. "You can't take one part and say -- that's the way it was. You have to understand why it was. The Bolsheviks didn't create the Solovki camps. Solovki was a prison beginning in the 16th century. Probably, the monks didn't want this, but they were law-abiding people. They became guards in a prison, executioners. From the monastery walls toward heaven the prayers of monks and the curses of prisoners were simultaneously rising toward heaven."
The United Nations Security Council is considering a draft resolution to demand a 30-day cease-fire in Syria, according to the French AFP news agency, which says it has seen a text of the resolution.

AFP on February 9 said the diplomats were seeking the cease-fire to allow deliveries of humanitarian aid.

The report said the resolution presented by Sweden and Kuwait would also demand an immediate end to sieges, including in Eastern Ghouta, where a bombing campaign by government forces has killed more than 240 civilians in five days.

The move comes one day after the UN Security Council rejected an appeal from UN aid officials for a monthlong humanitarian cease-fire in Syria in the face of Russian opposition.

Russian UN envoy Vassily Nebenzia called that resolution unrealistic.

"We would like to see a cease-fire, the end of the war, but the terrorists, I am not sure, are in agreement," Nebenzia told reporters.

Diplomats said it was unclear whether Russia would use its veto to block the new draft resolution.

Russia, along with Iran, has offered military and diplomatic support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in its nearly seven-year civil war and has opposed any moves that could potentially weaken his position.

The United States and Turkey back differing rebel groups fighting Assad's government, which often refers to U.S.-supported rebels as "terrorists" along with fighters from the Islamic State (IS) extremist group.

According to UN statistics, some 13.1 million Syrians are in need of humanitarian aid, including 6.1 million who have been displaced within the country during the civil war, which began in 2011 with a government crackdown against pro-democracy protesters.

Based on reporting by AFP and Reuters
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson expects "difficult" talks during his Middle East trip, especially in Turkey, where he will urge the NATO ally to show "restraint" in its military offensive in northern Syria, U.S. officials say.

Officials briefed reporters on February 9 ahead of Tillerson's February 11-16 journey that will also take him to Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, and Kuwait.

Despite U.S. objections, Turkey on January 20 launched an air-and-land operation, dubbed Olive Branch, against members of the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia in Syria's Kurdish-run Afrin region.

The Turks accuse the YPG of having links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged an insurgency in southeast Turkish for more than 30 years. The PKK is regarded as a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union.

But Turkey's Western allies have worked closely with YPG fighters in the battle against Islamic State (IS) extremists and do not consider it to be a terrorist group.

The United States and Turkey back differing rebel groups fighting against the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad. Russia and Iran support Assad.

"We are urging [Turkey] to show restraint in their operations in Afrin and to show restraint further along the line across the [border] in northern Syria," a U.S. State Department official told reporters in a conference call. "That's going to be a difficult conversation."

"You start with asking for restraint and look for ways that you can help bring it to an end as quickly as possible," the official said.

"Look, it's difficult. The rhetoric is hot. The Turks are angry, and this is a difficult time to do business, but it's our belief that there are still some very fundamental underlying shared interests."

Turkey's ambassador in Washington, Serdar Kilic, defended the offensive in Afrin and criticized the U.S. pleas to limit the operation, calling on Washington to "cease their support" of the YPG.

"We are going to terminate that threat," Kilic told reporters in Washington.

Among other hot issue facing Tillerson is the decision by President Donald Trump to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and his move to suspend some aid to the Palestinians, actions that particularly angered the Jordanian leadership.

Palestinians regard Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. Israel has annexed East Jerusalem and declared the city as its capital, a move never recognized by the international community.

The UN General Assembly on December 21 voted 128-9 in favor of a draft resolution rejecting Washington's decision to recognize Jerusalem, and the issue is certain to come up during Tillerson's stop in Amman.

With reporting by AFP and Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump says a classified memo written by congressional Democrats to rebut a Republican document made public last week is "very political and long" and must be "heavily redacted."

On February 9, Trump blocked the release of the memo, which is a response to a Republican memo that Trump allowed to be released.

The Republican memo claimed the FBI and Justice Department were biased against Trump in the federal investigation of Russia and the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

"The Democrats sent a very political and long response memo which they knew, because of sources and methods (and more), would have to be heavily redacted, whereupon they would blame the White House for lack of transparency," Trump tweeted on February 10. "Told them to re-do and send back in proper form!"

Trump's decision to block the release of the memo angered Democrats, who said it smacked of a double standard on transparency.

Trump allowed the release of the Republican memo on February 2 with no redactions.

Democrats said the Republican memo mischaracterized highly sensitive classified information and was intended to discredit Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation of possible collusion between Trumps 2016 campaign and Russia.

Based on reporting by AP and Reuters
Arrested ex-commander charged with the disappearance of more than a dozen people was to open restaurant in Playa del Carmen

Mexico City, Mexico  The recently arrested ex-director of Civil Force for the state of Veracruz had relocated to Playa del Carmen and intended to open a business.

Rafael Gonzale was arrested February 6 in Playa del Carmen for the forced disappearance of 15 people. Gonzale was apparently living in the central Riviera Maya city and had already purchased land on which to open a bar / restaurant establishment.

Permits for the business had already been obtained from Solidaridad City Council. The restaurant bar was set for a location on Avenida 24, between First and Fifth near the Plaza Quinta Alegria, one of the most prosperous areas of Playa del Carmen.

Furniture had been purchased and some staff hired when it all came to a halt with his arrest by Veracruz Ministerial Police and the Attorney General of Quintana Roo. Like several other officials over the past few years, Rafael Gonzale acquired real estate in the highly sought after region of the Mexican Caribbean.

In his initial hearing, Gonzale did not explain why he changed his residence, nor where he obtained the resources to invest in high end real estate in Playa del Carmen.

To date, a total of 19 state police have been arrested in relation to the crimes of torture and forced disappearances.

The governor of Veracruz, Miguel Angel Yunes Linares, has asked the State Prosecutor Generals Office (FGE) to continue accumulating evidence so that the 19 state police officers, three of which were commanders, are charged with the crime of forced disappearance and never leave prison.
New Tourist Atlas of Mexico app includes Cancun, Riviera Maya attractions

Cancun, Q.R.  The Tourism Secretariat of the Government of Mexico has released a new Tourist Atlas of Mexico mobile app that includes Cancun and Riviera Maya attractions.

The app will replace traditional printed material and provide visitors with a digital tourist guide instead. National and international visitors can make inquiries from any geographical point in the country to find the attractions and tourism services offered as well as the natural, cultural and archaeological resources.

The mobile app also allows visitors to find information on the main destinations and tourist attractions, including all 111 Magical Towns, heritage sites, cultural and nature tourism, as well as information events.

The device used with the app will automatically identify the geographical location of the visitor also allowing app users to view the information of tourism service providers such as hotels, restaurants, theaters, handicraft houses and art galleries, among others.

In addition in the Tourist Atlas provides useful information such as the location of embassies and consulates, depending on the geographical point of the visitor. The app will find what youre looking for within a 5 km range of the geographical location.

The Tourist Atlas of Mexico uses Google Maps as a geographic platform with Google search engine, which allows semantic searches, as well as using Path Trace from a point of origin to a specific destination.

The mobile application is available for smartphones and tablets telephone equipment and tablets on iOS and Android and if free to download. Available languages include English, Spanish and French. You can also visit the Tourist Atlas of Mexico online.
An NJ State Trooper who was off-duty was hailed a local hero after the man saved the life of a two-week-old infant who was choking to death. The man had just returned home from a late-night shift when one of his neighbors asked him to save the life of his child.

NJ State Trooper Was Fast Asleep When Duty Called

Robert Meyer, a New Jersey State Trooper, has proved that the police force does a whole lot more than arresting bad guys. As Meyer recalled, on Saturday afternoon, he returned from a tiresome late-night shift and decided to hit the sack.

Moments later, he heard someone knocking frantically on the front door. With his bedclothes still on, the NJ State Trooper went to the front door to see who was calling. Outside, he found a terrified man, begging him for help.

When Meyer asked the man what happened, he told the off-duty state trooper that her two-week-old granddaughter Elizabeth was chocking and that he didnt know what to do. The distressed neighbor also told him that this happened soon after he finished feeding Elizabeth, who started vomiting and chocking.

While in his bedclothes and no shoes on, the NJ State Trooper rushed to his neighbors house in order to save the life of the two-week-old infant. According to Meyer, when he arrived at the house, Elizabeth was blue in the face, and that she had trouble breathing.

Conclusion

Meyer explained to the man and his family that the childs airways became blocked and asked the family for a pump. The father gave Meyer the pump, and in just a matter of seconds, Elizabeth was breathing without any issues.

After clearing Elizabeths airways, the state trooper called 911 and rushed the infant to the hospital.

Image source: Wikipedia
Anne Frank wasnt the only little girl who hid from Nazis in the secret attic cubbyholes of Amsterdam.

Her playmate Eva hid in them, too.

Unlike her friend, Eva Schloss survived. She survived World War II. She survived betrayal, Auschwitz, the murder of her family. She survived the intervening decades. She survived to make sure no one forgets.

She survived, she said, to remind people what can happen when the bullies, thugs and demagogues end up in power.

Everywhere I go, people are worried, said Schloss, 88. If you see injustice, you must speak up. You must do something. Its the only way to make sure it doesnt keep happening.

Anne Frank told her story in the most famous diary in history. Schloss is telling her story now. In many ways, its the same story. Schloss is coming to San Mateo this weekend, to tell it in public.

I didnt speak about this for 40 years, Schloss said. I lived through a nightmare. I didnt talk of it. Now I feel I must. Young people must know. Young people must hear how this could happen.

Schloss was 8 when she met Anne Frank  a chatty, boy-crazy girl who liked to talk in class and drive her teachers crazy. They played hopscotch and marbles in the streets and the bridges and alongside the canals of Amsterdam while the clouds gathered over Europe.

We called her Cluck Cluck at school, Schloss recalled. She was a big chatterbox. Always talking. The teacher would make her write 100 times, I will not talk during lessons. And then she kept talking.

When the Nazis came in 1940, many Jews  including Anne and Eva  went into hiding to avoid being shipped off to death camps. The two girls lived in silence in small, dark rooms with their families. The slightest noise could bring the soldiers with the boots and the guns.

No one knows who betrayed Anne, who was captured in 1944 and sent to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, where she died of typhus. About the same time, Schloss and her family were betrayed by a nurse in the pay of the Nazis.

Schloss was 15 when she and her mother were sent to Auschwitz. She was assigned to a work detail and endured what she called 10 months of unimaginable cruelty, deprivation and hard labor. The Nazis tattooed A5222 on her forearm.

After the war, Schloss mother married Anne Franks father, and Eva became the stepsister of her childhood playmate.

In the 1950s, Annes diary was published and became known around the world. For decades, Schloss let her late stepsister do the talking while she married, moved to London and operated an antique store.

But in 1985, Schloss changed her mind about telling her story. She has written two memoirs and delivered more than 1,000 speeches. As the years go by, her voice is among the few that remain.

Bebeto Matthews/Associated Press

Schloss will tell her story on Sunday at 7 p.m. at the San Mateo Marriott Hotel at 1770 S. Amphlett Blvd., in an event sponsored by Chabad of the North Peninsula. Admission is $25.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

With her stepsisters diary having just celebrated its 70th anniversary of publication, Schloss said, time is running out.

We wont be here very much longer, she said of her fellow Holocaust survivors. Thats why I am undertaking to do more than I have ever done.

Intolerance and racial hatred never go away. She sees it every day, on the front page and on television.

Now people are suspicious of refugees, of Muslims, of people who are different, she said. We have to help refugees, wherever they are. Just because there is one bad person, we cannot turn away from all the good people. We cannot let people suffer.

How can we talk of building walls? How can we divide people, and keep people out? The Russians built a wall, in Berlin. And now America wants to build walls. We cant build walls. We must be open to helping people. All people, everywhere.

Steve Rubenstein is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: srubenstein@sfchronicle.com

If you go

Holocaust survivor Eva Schloss will appear at 5:30 p.m. Sunday at the San Mateo Marriott Hotel, 1770 S. Amphlett Blvd. The event is sponsored by Chabad of the North Peninsula. Admission is $25.
BART riders will soon start seeing colorful etiquette reminders on their commute as part of a campaign to prompt people to be courteous  most of which probably fall under the heading of, "Basic things people shouldn't need reminders for."

Partnering with California College of the Arts, BART officials asked students with the school's TBD* Studio to design posters to help curb bad behavior on BART. Speaking with riders, consulting BART staff and observing behavior on trains, the team came up with a line of posters that address the daily commute issues facing those who ride the train daily.
Tesla does not do advertising. No glossy magazine ads, no jingles, no Super Bowl spots.

Instead, it sends a car into space.

CEO Elon Musks successful launch last week of his red electric Roadster, driven by a photogenic dummy he dubbed Starman, was the kind of bizarre marketing masterstroke that would not occur to most corporate executives. Fewer still would have the means to do it, lacking their own rocket company.

But Musk, 46, has developed a talent for strange sales pitches. The Roadster en route to the asteroid belt came shortly after Musks sale of 20,000 flame-throwers to raise money for his tunnel-burrowing startup, the Boring Company.

The serial entrepreneur has evolved into a kind of showman CEO, with a devoted online following whose enthusiasm he knows how to pique.

And Tesla, analysts say, benefits immensely from that skill.

The Palo Alto company has yet to turn an annual profit, and on Wednesday, it reported losing $2.2 billion last year. But Musk has been able to sell enough people on his vision that Teslas shares closed the week at $310, despite dropping 10 percent since Wednesdays earnings report.

I used to say to myself that hes a 21st century P.T. Barnum, but I dont mean that to sound cynical  hes very effective at it, said David Whiston, an equity analyst for the Morningstar market research firm. Hes a very good showman, but theres substance to what hes doing.

Teslas lofty valuation  nearly as high as General Motors  gives Musk and the company more room to maneuver than they otherwise might have.

Tesla is expanding its workforce and facilities at a speed that, in other businesses, might prompt a revolt among activist shareholders. But while Tesla has plenty of critics  with one analyst complaining last week that Musk showed more interest in selling flamethrowers than meeting production targets  those who short its stock have repeatedly suffered.

I would call that a license by his investors to burn a lot of money to create something great, said Wesley Hartmann, professor of marketing at Stanford University. There are a lot of companies out there that would like to have that kind of support from their investors to invest and make something new and change the world.

Musk has even tried to make executive pay more exciting. Last month, he said he would either take a gigantic pay package, or zero if he fails to hit ambitious valuation and revenue targets.

Silicon Valley has a history of producing entrepreneurs who become household names even outside the Bay Area bubble, from Apples Steve Jobs to Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg.

Like those two, the association between Musk and his companies  primarily Tesla and rocket builder SpaceX  is particularly close, said Subodh Bhat, a professor of marketing at San Francisco State University. He cited Richard Branson and the Virgin brand as another example.

Associated Press

Though Musk was Teslas first investor, he was not its first CEO. Hes actually its fourth. But many people find it hard to imagine the company without him.

Basically, the brand revolves around the person, Bhat said. Hes so well known for trying new things that people are willing to give him some slack, and by extension, theyll give Tesla some slack.

Bhat points to Teslas 2016 purchase of SolarCity, the solar company then run by Musks cousin Lyndon Rive and chaired by Musk. Some Tesla shareholders and analysts considered the $2 billion deal a bailout for the solar company and feared it would divert Teslas attention from the introduction of the Model 3 sedan. Musk, however, insisted the companies were after the same customers and fit seamlessly together. In the end, shareholders backed the purchase.

I didnt think it was a good business idea to merge his solar company with Tesla, but he got away with it, Bhat said. And most executives wouldnt.

Tesla under Musk has avoided traditional advertising campaigns, preferring offbeat promotions such as authorizing Radio Flyer, the business best known for little red wagons, to make a child-size version of the Model S. Tesla also invites customers to attend events unveiling new products, such as the solar roof or the electric semi  the main reason those events are almost always held at night.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

Teslas customers, in turn, give Tesla the kind of word-of-mouth praise many companies wish they could buy.

In advertising, youre paying money to put an impression in front of someone who wouldnt see it otherwise, but the communication Tesla is getting is all opt-in, Hartmann said. There are people following him on Twitter, theyll look for news articles on him.

Musk seems to know how to appeal to his followings tastes.

His obsession with colonizing Mars plays to those who see him as Americas Alpha Geek, as did his guest spot on The Big Bang Theory. Anyone looking closely at some of the Roadster photos from space last week would find on the cars dashboard screen the words Dont Panic, a nod to The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy radio show, books, BBC program and movie.

Teslas cars, meanwhile, feature details designed for auto aficionados who adore speed for its own sake. Some of those features reflect Musks own distinctive way of speaking, again blurring the line between man and brand.

Ludicrous mode, insane mode  that has an appeal to people, Whiston said. And when youre a new company, you need to grab peoples attention.

Musks skill as a one-man marketing department, however, would not work if he didnt have good products to sell, Hartmann said.

Hartmann speaks from experience. After years of driving Mustangs, the Stanford professor bought a Model S 85D in 2015 and loves it.

Its leading with a great product, he said. Its not just that you have a bunch of groupies who have bought into everything hes doing. You have a lot of car enthusiasts who really just love the cars.

David R. Baker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dbaker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DavidBakerSF
At an upscale salon near Union Square last year, she was one of the regulars. But she didnt come for a haircut. She came every day to plant herself outside the front door, strip her clothes off and scratch herself violently.

With nails the size of a tigers  it was so horrible, recalled Bibbo Saab, the owner of Bibbo Salon on Sutter Street. He said the woman would scream at customers and defecate on the sidewalk, sometimes smearing her waste on the salons windows and, once, throwing it inside.

He called the police hundreds of times, he said, and each time the answer was the same. She didnt want help, so there was nothing they could do. Saab considered closing his business. He said he grew so angry and desperate, he wondered if he, too, was going crazy.

She got me completely out of my mind, he said.

But it wasnt Saab that was crazy. It was the states laws around conservatorship of the mentally ill that are so desperately broken.

Finally, some city officials are proposing solutions to San Franciscos mental health and drug addiction crises. Theyre realizing its not compassionate or humane to let people wither away on our sidewalks because theyre too out of their mind to accept help. And that its not fair to neighbors, businesses and pedestrians to allow the deranged, destructive behavior to go unchecked.

On Monday, state Sen. Scott Wiener will hold a news conference to promote his newly introduced legislation giving counties more control over conservatorship programs for the mentally ill and drug-addicted. Currently, counties can hospitalize people for 72 hours against their will if they pose a danger to themselves or others, or are gravely disabled. The county can go before a judge to seek a 14-day extension and then repeat the process every 30 days.

Wiener wants to expand the gravely disabled category to include those who are drug-addicted, many of whom can sober up and appear OK during the initial 72 hours and not qualify for the longer holds. But then they return to the streets and start using again. He also wants to ensure that conservatorships come with housing attached, adding a carrot to the stick.

This is not about bringing people to jail or criminalizing people. This is about housing people and getting them healthy, he said, noting he sees far too many examples every day. I see this guy or this woman on the street who is clearly dying and clearly incapable of making decisions for themselves. Why the hell are we letting this person die on our streets?

Its a great question. Nobody wants to return to the days of harsh mental institutions in the style of One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, but the pendulum has swung too far the other way. Now, were in a state of total paralysis when it comes to getting clearly sick people the help they need.

Supervisor London Breed agrees. On Tuesday, shell introduce legislation to transfer the job of overseeing conservatorships from the district attorneys office to the city attorneys office as long as theres no criminal element to the persons behavior. Breed said the switch will make it easier to coordinate help with other city agencies, including the Department of Public Health.

This is a public health issue and needs to be treated as such, she said.

Breeds legislation will also make permanent a new group of representatives from Public Health, the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing, the Police Department, BART police and Aging and Adult Services who meet regularly to discuss plans of action for dozens of the most severely mentally ill or drug-addicted people who are causing problems on the city streets. The idea was hatched by the late Mayor Ed Lee and has the support of Mayor Mark Farrell, who has pledged to find funding for the effort.

Breed pointed to an older woman who frequently walks naked past Rosa Parks Elementary School at OFarrell near Webster as someone who desperately needs assistance.

Thats somebodys grandmother, she said. If that were you, wouldnt you want somebody to help you?

Uh, yes.

Public Health Director Barbara Garcia supports the proposals from Wiener and Breed. She said a major reason derangement on the streets has become so much more prevalent is because of the methamphetamine epidemic. The drug can cause behavior in people that looks like mental illness, including screaming incoherently and stripping naked.

She said more than 50 percent of people leaving the psychiatric emergency wing at San Francisco General Hospital have been under the influence of meth. The hospital has a new navigation center for homeless mentally ill people, and Garcia is hiring three new social workers to help steer people leaving the psych ward into voluntarily accepting help at the center.

These kinds of changes cant come soon enough for Karin Flood, executive director of the Union Square Business Improvement District, which assesses extra property taxes to pay for services beyond what the city provides. There have long been homeless people and panhandlers in the shopping mecca, of course, but the derangement thats so prevalent is newer, she said.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Shes working on a program to train retail workers on what to do when a severely mentally ill or drug-addicted person walks into a store ranting, making threats or picking fights. Outside, the same people sometimes throw bottles or walk into zooming traffic. For a while, Floods organization funded a social worker, but she decided the money wasnt worth it because there was nothing the employee could do if the person declined help, which was usually the case.

For business owners and their customers, the havoc can be jolting. Flood said the team behind the Museum of Ice Cream on Grant Avenue was shocked by what she politely called the antisocial behavior in the adjacent alley, behavior the team hadnt seen when it opened in Los Angeles or New York City.

This is a huge, complex problem, Flood said, noting that talking about it to me wouldnt exactly be great for business. Were desperate enough to expose ourselves to look for solutions.

Or, as Bibbo Saab, the salon owner, put it, Union Square is being destroyed, and if you dont take care of this, its going to destroy the city of San Francisco.

He did finally find a solution to the woman who was wreaking havoc in his doorway  sort of. He told a local TV station, and a news story aired in late November, prompting visits from police brass and the mayors staff. The woman was hospitalized briefly, but shes back in Union Square. She sleeps in nearby doorways at night, but she avoids Saabs business during the day.

At least she doesnt meet her needs right in front of my salon, he said, sounding pleased.

Sadly, these days that counts as success.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Heather Knight appears Sundays and Tuesdays. Email: hknight@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @hknightsf
A remarkably destructive rodent that can grow up to 3 feet long and 20 pounds has been spotted in California for the first time in nearly half a century, prompting state wildlife officials to announce an aggressive crackdown.

Officials fear the ill-famed nutria  which resembles a large rat but prefers wetter, rural environments  could bring havoc to farmland, canals, roadbeds and natural wetlands. Native to South America, the animal was imported to the United States more than a century ago for its fur, but feral populations have established themselves, at times decimating surroundings by tearing up land and vegetation.

Confirmed sightings in California have been limited to 20 in recent months. The reports are mostly from remote areas in three Central Valley counties  Stanislaus, Merced and Fresno. But officials say the animals uncanny ability to reproduce, with one female spawning as many as 200 offspring, could quickly escalate the problem.

You can imagine hundreds of these things digging holes in Californias water and flood control systems and on farms, and its not hard to see the damage, said Peter Tira, a spokesman for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. We dont want to get to that point.

The department has convened a coalition of local, state and federal agencies to assess the scale of the infestation. The group has been installing cameras and setting traps since early last year, after a pregnant female was found in Gustine (Merced County), about 30 miles west of Merced. Once the extent of the outbreak is known, the group will develop an eradication plan.

We didnt know at first if it was a small, isolated population, Tira said. But it became clear that its a breeding population, and theyre reaching major waterways where they can move.

The problems associated with unchecked nutria have played out in other parts of the country, including Louisiana and the Chesapeake Bay region. With no natural predators around, rodent numbers in these places have multiplied into the tens of thousands. Huge packs have dug up hills and riverbanks and mowed down marshlands.

In some spots, nutria have contaminated drinking water supplies. The animals can transmit parasites and disease to humans, livestock and pets.

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.

The rodents, which are sometimes mistaken for beavers or muskrats, are distinguished from other semiaquatic creatures by their slender, ratlike tail. Their fur is generally brown or grayish and they deploy large front teeth. Adaptions that have made them comfortable in the water include webbing between four of the five toes on their hind feet.

Nutria were brought to California in 1899, according to the Department of Fish and Wildlife. When they escaped from fur farms and began living in the wild, state officials opened a campaign to eradicate the vermin. The rodent was believed to have been killed off in the 1960s.

State officials arent sure why the animal is back, but one theory ascribes the re-emergence to a remnant colony that lived off the radar in an isolated pocket of Stanislaus County.

Maybe with the drought and having to move to find water, they expanded, Tira speculated. But we dont know for sure.

Kurtis Alexander is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kalexander@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kurtisalexander
I could not be more appreciative of the sentiment behind the Journalist Protection Act, just introduced by Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Dublin. The threat of violence against journalists is no longer an abstract concept or other countries problems in the Trump era. President Trump has been spewing the type of anti-media vitriol by national leaders that has led to physical attacks on reporters in places such as Chechnya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Iran and Egypt.

For me, it was frankly a piece of legislation I had hoped would never have had to be written, Swalwell said in a phone interview last week. But when you look at the rhetoric of the president, which is emboldening or encouraging people to take on violence against journalists ... you just worry that it could lead people to threaten or take up violence against journalists.

Again, its not a hypothetical exercise. Even as Swalwell was working with congressional staff on drafting the legislation last month, a Michigan man was arrested after making repeated threats of a mass shooting against CNN. Fake news, he said, according to court documents. Im coming to gun you all down.

Journalists do not need protection from attempts at verbal intimidation. It comes with the territory, as does flattery, feigned and genuine, for that matter. The purpose of the Swalwell bill is not to shield journalists from the bile of haters  its all fair game in a democracy  but from the violence that has been employed so effectively in chilling efforts at honest reporting in authoritarian or corrupt regimes.

Americans who are under the illusion that democracy can be taken for granted should know that the U.S. has fallen to 43rd among world nations in the annual ranking of press freedom by Reporters Without Borders. Trumps drumbeat of enemies of the American people rhetoric is a major factor in the U.S. downgrade. Let it be noted that Joseph Stalin popularly employed enemy of the people to assign a death sentence to Russian dissidents  a phrase that his successor, Nikita Khrushchev, banned due to its ugly history.

Swalwells HR4935 would make it a federal offense, subject to six years in prison depending on seriousness of injury, to physically attack a journalist with the intention of intimidating or impeding his or her newsgathering. Again, its not hypothetical: Republican congressional candidate Greg Gianforte body-slammed a reporter from the Guardian who was asking questions in May 2017. Gianforte was elected, though he was later convicted of the assault and fined $385 and sentenced to 40 hours of community service and required to take 20 hours of anger management classes.

So why is a federal law needed?

As Swalwell explained, there may be times when local police and prosecutors may not pursue charges because they share the assailants disdain for the news media generally or a certain reporter or news organization. The issue may be partisan or ideological, or it could be that a corrupt or incompetent establishment is trying to fend off pursuit of the truth.

In many ways, its a backstop so that journalists know that wherever they go, if someone were to intimidate them or carry out violence against them ... they would be protected, Swalwell said.

Its not hard to imagine the scenarios either way. Reporters at Trump rallies, penned into holding areas with the president pointing at them and chastising them, have worried at the buildup of a mob-rule mentality. Many Bay Area videographers and photo journalists, including from The Chronicle, have been physically confronted at demonstrations by leftists who regard the news media as the enemy.

In fact, a lot of times weve had conservative journalists complain that they feel intimidated on college campuses that are more liberal, said Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Fremont, who has joined as a co-sponsor of HR4935.

So what are the barriers to its passage? One is political, the other is practical.

The political element is that Republicans control the House and Senate, and many may regard HR4935 as a slap at their president, even though Swalwell is working to enlist GOP co-sponsors.

As Khanna put it, I would say this should be bipartisan in any normal Congress, but were not living in normal times.

The other big hitch could come in the definition of who qualifies as a journalist. Swalwell borrowed the definition of 2013 legislation for a proposed federal shield law that would have guaranteed the right of journalists to protect the identify of confidential sources in most instances. Let the record show that the bill did not pass, and the definition of a journalist was a major point of contention.

Swalwell acknowledged that the definition was a challenge. He said his aim would be to be broad but not so broad that youre covering someone who has a Twitter account and is either reposting someone elses news or just letting opinions fly without the gathering piece.

In other words, bloggers in pajamas and Donald Trump, youre not journalists.

The odds are against the passage of Swalwells HR4935 anytime soon, though its mere introduction is a reminder to Americans of the very real threats against the pillars of democracy.

Its more of a statement of values until we have a Congress that would have the will to pass this, Swalwell said. This probably means (Democrats) winning the House in November. But that doesnt mean we shouldnt put down markers about our values, and what we would do if given the responsibility of leading.

John Diaz is The San Francisco Chronicles editorial page editor. Email: jdiaz@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JohnDiazChron

Over the line: Incendiary words from the president of the United States

Donald Trumps comments and tweets about the media sometimes carry a pugilistic edge:

February 2017

The FAKE NEWS media (failing @nytimes, @NBCNews, @ABC, @CBS, @CNN) is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People! (On Twitter)

July 2017

Trump retweeted a doctored video from Wrestlemania that showed him pummeling a figure with a CNN logo superimposed on the head. The video has attracted nearly 38 million views.

August 2017

Trump retweeted (though later deleted) a cartoon of a Trump Train rolling over a figure with a CNN logo for a head.

August 2017

At a speech in Phoenix, Trump called journalists sick people who are trying to take away our history and our heritage. He questioned their patriotism: I really think they dont like our country.

December 2017

Trump retweeted a meme of a him riding in a limousine with a blood-splattered CNN logo on the bottom of his shoe. Caption: WINNING.
Win some, lose some may be the ancient mantra of politics, but Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi managed to do both in the same vote on a compromise budget agreement early Friday morning.

Predictably, the result angered plenty of Democrats and left Pelosi as a target of both the right and the left.

In the current political environment, its impossible for any (Democratic) leader to emerge unscathed from any battle in Washington, said David McCuan, a political science professor at Sonoma State University.

When the House voted 240-186 to approve a budget bill that did not include protection for Dreamers, young people who came to the country as children and are here illegally, Pelosi was on the losing side.

The San Francisco congresswoman not only voted against the bill, but on Wednesday gave a record eight-hour speech on the floor of the House, calling on GOP Speaker Paul Ryan to promise a vote on renewal of the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which temporarily protects those young people from deportation.

But Pelosi also helped craft the bipartisan compromise bill that passed Friday, providing support for several Democratic priorities, including billions in disaster relief funding, 10 years of funding for the Childrens Health Insurance Program, $7 billion for community health centers, and support for a variety of other social programs.

Pelosi described the compromise Thursday as a good bill, but said shed refuse to support it unless Ryan guaranteed he would bring immigration up for a vote.

Pelosi took heat for her efforts to walk a middle path. Progressive groups and even some fellow Democrats argued that party leaders had not done enough to push for Dreamer legislation and had bungled their chance to use the leverage of the must-pass budget agreement to force Republicans to deal or face the possibility of a long government shutdown.

Theres a palpable level of frustration that too many Democrats arent willing to resist Donald Trump and fight him every step of the way, said Neil Sroka, a spokesman for the progressive Democracy for America group. He called for Democrats to follow the example of Republicans in 2010, when they fought against President Barack Obamas policies and won 63 Democratic seats to take control of the House. If you stick to your guns and stand up for what you believe, the voters will reward you.

That disapproval goes with ongoing talk about ousting Pelosi as the Democratic leader, arguing that the party needs new, younger leadership and that the 77-year-old Pelosi, with her liberal, San Francisco roots, has become a lightning rod for GOP attacks.

In an upcoming Pennsylvania special congressional election, Republicans have filled the airwaves with attacks on Pelosi, saying that Democrat Conor Lamb would become one of Nancy Pelosis sheep if elected.

Lamb, a first-time candidate, has already promised he would not vote for Pelosi as Democratic House leader if hes elected.

Pelosi is a victim of outsize expectations about what House Democrats actually could do for Dreamers, said Raphael Sonenshein, executive director of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at Cal State Los Angeles.

The problem is that the Democrats in Congress allowed expectations to grow above what they could accomplish, he said. By suggesting they had more power than they did, they werent able to celebrate what they did get.

Its easy for Democrats, especially in the Bay Area, to forget that not every state is California. For Democrats in red or purple states, the budget vote was always going to be a tough one.

Its not that those Democrats didnt want to vote for (the Dreamers), but they didnt want to shut down the government to do it, Sonenshein said.

As the party leader in the House, Pelosi not only has to try to satisfy all her members, but also has to take a strategic view that might not always be popular with Democrats hungry for instant victories.

Theres an unease about what the central message of Democrats should be, beyond opposition to everything Trump does, said McCuan, the Sonoma State professor. Thats a compelling political message, but its not a compelling governing message.

Pelosis ultimate goal has to be picking up the 24 seats in November that are needed to give Democrats control of the House.

Since World War II, the average (midterm election) loss for the party in power has been 18 seats, so the Democrats are right there, McCuan said. For Pelosi, everything has to be, Lets not mess up getting there.

That can mean not always pushing Democrats to take unpopular votes that could hurt them in November. When Pelosi announced she was voting against the budget bill, she made it clear, at least publicly, that other members still should vote their conscience.

That meant that even in California opposition to the budget agreement wasnt unanimous.

Most of the 39 Democrats in the California delegation followed Pelosi in opposing the Dreamer-less budget deal. But of the eight who voted in favor, it was politics and local concerns that likely guided their decisions.

Reps. Ami Bera of Elk Grove (Sacramento County), Raul Ruiz of Palm Desert (Riverside County) and Salud Carbajal of Santa Barbara are in swing districts targeted by Republican leaders this year. Reps. John Garamendi of Walnut Grove (Sacramento County), Jim Costa of Fresno and Jerry McNerney of Stockton all represent heavily agricultural districts that include plenty of Republicans and conservatives.

The two Bay Area Democrats who backed the budget deal, Reps. Jared Huffman of San Rafael and Mike Thompson of St. Helena, both cited the disaster relief money for their fire-stricken communities as the reason for their votes.

Local leaders have informed me that without this disaster relief, our fire communities could go into a financial tail spin, Thompson said in a statement.

But Pelosi may turn out to be a winner after all. Her historic Wednesday speech may provide a template for an agreement  or at least a long-awaited discussion  on the fate of the Dreamers.

The promise by Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky to hold a full debate and vote on a Dreamer bill could become the biggest benefit of the budget agreement for Democrats, Sonenshein said.

Democrats won that agreement for a debate on DACA, which is something that has never happened, he said. Pelosis speech attracted attention and that should energize the debate, which will sound a lot like her speech, with example after example of the people affected. ... Democrats need to ask Republicans why they want to throw out of the country someone who was valedictorian at her high school and is looking to join the Marines.

John Wildermuth is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com
New York Fashion Week, the countrys foremost industry showcase of seasonal collections, is continuing to reinvent and streamline itself in the age of social media and too many fashion weeks fatigue. This time around, the separate New York Fashion Week Mens and the traditional womens week have combined into one week, Feb. 8-14. And even though several New York stalwarts have since left for Paris, or are presenting electronically and outside the regular fashion week schedule (as Alexander Wang plans to do after this February), some big names have shifted their shows to the city, and are rightly getting big attention.

Raf Simons: Belgian designer Raf Simons, the chief creative officer for Calvin Klein, has brought new life to New York Fashion Week between lauded collections for the brand, as well as his own mens shows. His spring 2018 collection, presented last September under the Manhattan Bridge at a Chinatown fish market, was a dark, Blade Runner-referencing take on futurism that mashed up everything from New Wave concert Tshirts to LED accessories. This seasons setting was a stage set for a Hieronymus Bosch feast that was as grotesque in its abundance as it was decadent. Flowers, piles of chocolate and open bottles of red wine perfumed the air; guests helped themselves to the red wine but shied from the food.
A man reportedly posted threatening, expletive-filled letters on tents at a Mission District encampment Friday afternoon, a human rights organizer said.

Shortly after 1:45 p.m., a homelessness service provider found letters on multiple tents at an encampment beside the Duboce skate park between Mission and Valencia streets, according to Kelley Cutler of the Coalition on Homelessness.

Dated Feb. 9, the letter read in-part, "If you are still here after dark tonight, the hunters will become the hunted. We will pound you, burn you, beat you and f-- you up if you are within 100 yards of the park starting after sun down tonight." Signed, "The neighbors."

Story continues below.

Cutler said about five people at the small encampment had the letters. One man said he was awoken after a man posted the note to his tent, and the man with the letters pepper-sprayed him. The homeless man had traces of colored spray on his body, Cutler said. She was uncertain if others had witnessed the altercation.

Encampment residents told Cutler that the man with the letters got into a black SUV that they had frequently seen around the neighborhood. The residents recorded the individual's license plate number, which the Coalition on Homelessness forwarded to San Francisco police. Police could not immediately be reached to comment.

Cutler says the man was not a member of the encampment.

"Folks that are experiencing homelessness are targeted a lot," she said. "[Being threatened] is not that unusual, though this sort of letter is."

Michelle Robertson is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at mrobertson@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @mrobertsonsf.
Two San Francisco firefighters died in a house fire last year because a window blew out and turned a minor blaze into a 700-degree inferno that overcame the men within minutes, an eight-month Fire Department investigation has concluded.

Although state officials have cited the department for worker safety violations in connection with the June 2 fire on Diamond Heights, a department report released Friday maintains there were no missteps that directly led to the deaths of fire Lt. Vincent Perez and firefighter-paramedic Anthony Valerio.

State safety officials agreed with that assessment in a memo to the department Jan. 6, and the department has appealed the violations, which included citations for not having enough backup staff outside when Perez and Valerio went into the burning home.

"What Vince and Tony did was exactly what all of us would have done that day," Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White said, standing with several of her commanders as she revealed the 156-page report's findings. "They were the first on the scene, they entered the fire with a hose line, and the key factor was a variable we really had no control over - the failure of a window.

"This was a tragic conclusion to a fairly routine single-family home fire."

Losing contact

The fire at 133 Berkeley Way was called in to 911 by a resident at 10:44 a.m., according to the report. An electrical socket or handheld vacuum cleaner had shorted out, igniting curtains, and Perez and Valerio arrived at the scene three minutes later.

They went inside with a fire hose, and at 10:53 a battalion chief followed inside to check their progress. The ground entrance was the third level of the four-level hillside home, and Perez and Valerio told the battalion chief they believed the fire was one floor below them, the report said.

Their last radio contact with the outside, however, was at 10:52. At some point after that - no one is sure when - their portable radios failed. The devices were later found melted.

The brief encounter with the battalion chief was the last time Perez and Valerio were seen alive.

'Like being in chimney'

It turned out they were right, and the fire was one floor down. As they began making their way down the stairs toward the blaze, the window blew out at 10:58, the report said.

The dying men were found six minutes later by fellow firefighters.

Assistant Deputy Chief Jose Velo said the two had been overcome almost instantly when the window blew out. The rush of air into the room from outside fed the flames and shoved a wall of heat up the stairs at them, he said.

"For about two or three minutes, the temperature went from 200 degrees to 550 to 700 degrees, which caught (Perez and Valerio) off guard," Velo said. "It was like being in a chimney."

Seeking standards

Perez was pronounced dead at San Francisco General Hospital around noon. Valerio died there two days later.

Hayes-White said that based on the report's findings, she has asked the National Fire Protection Association to establish standards for portable radios to ensure they don't melt in similar fires. No such standards exist, she said.

The report also recommends reassessing procedures for determining risk at fires, particularly on steep hills and when ventilation issues are involved. Both of those were factors in the Diamond Heights fire.
Terry Childs envisioned the ultimate revenge on his bosses, prosecutors say - the meltdown of the city's computer network at the flick of a switch.

And it would come not directly at the hands of Childs, but during routine system maintenance at the building that houses the city's Technology Department.

The alleged plot was discovered before the computer network that handles law enforcement documents, payroll records, officials' e-mail and other sensitive city records was shut down for scheduled maintenance last Saturday, an action that would have vaporized numerous files because of a booby-trap Childs had installed, prosecutors said in court documents filed Wednesday.

Childs, 43, has been jailed since July 13 on four felony counts of computer tampering after he allegedly locked his bosses at the Technology Department out of the system and refused to hand over the password he had created.

In arguing against a defense request to lower his $5 million bail, prosecutors said Childs had set up more than 1,000 computer modems in locked cabinets and other hiding places, including at least one in a room at the Hall of Justice that even police didn't know existed, to tinker with the system without his bosses knowing it.

Childs didn't hand over the access codes to the computer system until a jailhouse meeting with Mayor Gavin Newsom on Monday - two days after the network was to have been taken down for the routine maintenance.

"He had a malicious intent to destroy the entire network," prosecutor Conrad del Rosario said.

Childs' lawyer, Erin Crane, called the allegation "spurious" and said Childs is the victim of bosses who resent his expertise.

"When they couldn't get rid of him," they created a false image of a "rogue employee" out to terrorize the city, Crane said.

After a Superior Court hearing Wednesday, Judge Lucy Kelly McCabe refused to lower bail. Childs remains in the city jail pending a hearing Sept. 24.

Run-in with security chief

According to prosecutors' court filing, Childs' actions first came to authorities' attention the evening of June 20 when the city's new chief of network security, Jeana Pieralde, conducted an audit of the FiberWAN network housed at One Market Street Plaza.

His bosses were already worried that Childs was being increasingly hostile toward supervisors and had taken over a room and installed a bank of computers, prosecutors said. They didn't know exactly what he was doing.

Childs was upset that no one had told him of the audit and used his cell phone to photograph Pieralde. Frightened, she locked herself in an office and later reported the incident to police.

Crane said Childs was angry that Pieralde was "(going) through his things" and had photographed her because she was taking away a device that didn't belong to her.

A supervisor in the Technology Department, Rich Robinson, also filed a police report about the incident and quoted Childs as saying, "I'm ready for you, Rich."

Childs denies threatening anyone, Crane said.

Surprising find

On July 9, after supplying his bosses with passwords to the system that turned out to be false, Childs was suspended.

The following week, with system administrators locked out of their network and Childs sitting in jail, a consultant advising the city discovered that Childs had rigged the network so that files would be erased if someone tried to figure out what the proper password was, prosecutors said.

Childs had created an ability to track anyone who tried to get into the system, kept his own e-mail server and had been using the modems locked in storage cabinets to create a private network, prosecutors said.

The consultant, Anthony Maupin, also found that because Childs had fashioned his makeshift system to run off temporary, short-term memory, a power outage - such as turning off the computer for maintenance - would mean full system failure, del Rosario said.

The system was rigged that way in May by a user named Maggot617 , a city computer analysis showed. Prosecutors say "Maggot" was Childs.

"This setup or configuration is contrary to any logic of protecting the system," del Rosario said. Childs was well aware of the scheduled system shutdown last Saturday, he said. "The defendant had a note on his desk reflecting this power outage."

Secret room

On Monday, when Childs supplied three user names and an access code to Newsom, officials learned they could use them to get onto the system only at a computer in a room at the Hall of Justice that even police technology experts were unaware of.

Investigators say they are still worried about the modems hidden away in locked filing cabinets in public buildings around the city. Maupin told prosecutors that city officials estimate there are 1,100 such modems. Childs could still gain access to the network through any of them and create more mischief, prosecutors say.

In arguing that his bail not be lowered, prosecutors said a search of Childs' Pittsburg home turned up a co-worker's identification. They said they fear he could impersonate other employees to obtain access to the network.

They also said he had $10,000 cash on him when he was arrested, supporting their fear he would be a flight risk if released.

Childs' attorney maintains Childs is being scapegoated by incompetent officials resentful of his abilities in computer network management. The modems he installed in locked cabinets, she said in a bail reduction motion, were for the "sole purpose of maintaining the system."

Some of the protections, she said, were put in place after Childs concluded that a colleague inadvertently infected the city's network with a virus two years ago. It was Childs who put up the firewalls, with management approval, she said.
When top executives of Airbnb gathered in San Francisco recently for planning meetings, they were brimming with confidence. Encouraged by the companys finances, some thought it was ready to go public. But the boss had another view.

The home-rental company had exceeded financial projections for 2017, with $93 million in profit on $2.6 billion in revenue, said people with knowledge of the matter. But CEO Brian Chesky privately informed his financial chief, Laurence Tosi, that Airbnb wouldnt initiate an initial public offering this year, the people said. The news came as a surprise to Tosi. He had been discussing the prospect with major investors before moving to a larger role beyond finance.

Chesky made it clear that things wouldnt go as Tosi wanted. Chesky said he would promote Belinda Johnson, who was running business affairs and legal, to chief operating officer. Tosi had expected to get the COO job after Airbnbs public offering. Hed struggled with Johnson in the past, and some insiders viewed the move as a way to force Tosis departure. Accounts differ on whether Chesky then asked Tosi for his resignation, but by the end of the meeting, the CFO was out.

Tosi declined to comment. Nick Papas, a spokesman for Airbnb, disputed that Chesky and Tosi discussed the IPO timeline at that point. The senior leadership and board of the company has been aligned, and the company has never had plans to go public in 2018, Papas wrote in an email. He made that statement after the story was published, after having declined to comment before publication.

Airbnb later issued another statement, saying, Any individual, currently or formerly associated with the company in a position to have knowledge, communicating that the company had plans to go public in 2018 would have been misrepresenting the facts.

Although the two men had many feuds, the question of when to sell shares to the public was a recurring point of contention between Chesky and Tosi. Four prominent backers  General Atlantic, Glade Brook Capital, Technology Crossover Ventures and TPG  supported Tosis plan to begin the listing process by drafting paperwork as soon as next month, according to emails reviewed by Bloomberg and people familiar with the matter. These firms also encouraged the prospect of him taking a more influential role at the company, the people said.

Tosi, the former CFO at Blackstone Group, never fit in at Airbnb, according to interviews with more than a dozen executives, employees and investors, who asked not to be identified discussing private matters. While tensions between Chesky and Tosi have been widely reported by technology website the Information and elsewhere, the companys financial results, clashes over Airbnbs IPO timeline and Tosis differences with other executives including Johnson havent been previously reported.

People with knowledge of the matter also outlined, for the first time, Tosis creation of a hedge fund inside Airbnb and his opposition to a proposed late 2017 investment from Japans SoftBank Group.

The addition of Tosi in 2015 was a signal for Wall Street to pay attention to the company. He was eager to create cash-generating ventures at Airbnb, people familiar with his work said. He quietly built a hedge fund within the companys finance department. He used a portion of capital from the balance sheet to buy stocks, currencies and fixed-income securities, mimicking the treasury fund he ran at Blackstone. The side project represented 30 percent of the companys cash flow last year and made about $5 million a month for Airbnb, the people said.

But Chesky and his lieutenants had grown frustrated with Tosi, who they believed was too brash and not a fit for Airbnbs wide-eyed, congenial culture, said people with knowledge of their thinking. Tosi exhibited an alpha temperament, constantly interrupting and sometimes talking over colleagues in meetings, one of the people said.

Chesky and Tosi disagreed over matters big and small. A persistent philosophical debate revolved around Tosis desire to buy companies, while Chesky preferred to build products in-house. In December, Tosi was leading discussions with TripAdvisor to purchase its home-rental business, FlipKey, until Chesky decided to back out of a deal, a person familiar with the talks said. Another person said Chesky never took the acquisition proposal seriously and didnt meet with TripAdvisors CEO. The wasted effort infuriated Tosi. TripAdvisor declined to comment.

The founders and early employees have little financial incentive to push for an IPO. They have cashed in about $350 million worth of equity, said people with knowledge of the matter. Chesky found an ally in Sequoia Capital, the largest outside shareholder with a 13 percent stake. The venture capital firm didnt support a proposal to go public in 2018, one of the people said.

Entrepreneurs often fear what will happen to their creations once under the constraints of being a public company. Googles Larry Page and Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg each fretted over the risks of public scrutiny and quarterly earnings reports. The immediate feedback and daily heartbeat of Wall Street can be too much for a CEO who aims to take risks and experiment, said John Horton, a professor at New York Universitys Stern School of Business.

Last year, the stay-private crowd at Airbnb was presented with an opportunity. SoftBank, which manages a $100 billion technology fund, repeatedly expressed interest in taking a stake in the company. The Japanese firm dumped billions of dollars into Uber, WeWork Cos. and other highly valued tech startups in the last year. SoftBank typically buys stakes from existing shareholders, lessening the urgency of a public share sale and enabling companies to stay private longer.

Tosi rebuffed those overtures as recently as last month, people familiar with the talks said. Airbnb didnt need the money, Tosi reasoned, because the business was profitable and had more than $5.5 billion in cash reserves. SoftBank didnt immediately respond to requests for comment.

Despite pledging support for Cheskys desire to keep Airbnb private, Sequoia Capital partner Alfred Lin, along with Jeff Jordan of Andreessen Horowitz, wanted to explore the possibility. In December, they asked Michael Grimes, the head of global technology investment banking at Morgan Stanley, to present options for going public, said people close to the bank. Papas, the Airbnb spokesman, said the presentation was requested by the founders and board to have options for review. He added: Everyone agreed with the decision that the company would not go public in 2018.

An email to the board and other major shareholders last month helped instill further confidence in the business. Airbnbs earnings before interest, taxes and other expenses came to $93 million, more than double the companys forecast of $36 million, according to the email reviewed by Bloomberg. Revenue beat expectations by about $120 million.

But some directors believed Airbnb was missing important ingredients for going public. On Jan. 25, the company added its first independent director, former American Express Co. CEO Kenneth Chenault, and intends to fill more board seats. Chesky needs to hire a chief marketing officer, someone to run the business in China and now a chief financial officer.

Olivia Zaleski is a Bloomberg writer. Email: ozaleski@bloomberg.net
BEIJING  Amazon and two other U.S. titans are trying to shake up health care by experimenting with their own employees coverage. By Chinese standards, theyre behind the curve.

Technology companies like Alibaba and Tencent have made health care a priority for years, and are using China as their laboratory. After testing online medical advice and drug-tracking systems, they are now focused on a more advanced tool: artificial intelligence.

Their aggressive push underscores the differences between the health care systems in China and the United States.

Chinese hospitals are overburdened, with just 1.5 doctors for every 1,000 people  barely half the figure in the United States. Along with a rapidly aging population, China also has the largest number of obese children in the world, as well as more diabetes patients than anywhere else.

The companies technological push is encouraged by the government. Beijing has said it wants to be a leader in AI by 2030 and pledged to take on the United States in the field. While officials have emphasized the use of artificial intelligence in areas like defense and self-driving cars, they have also aggressively promoted its use in health care.

Alibaba and Tencent, which already dominate Chinas e-commerce and mobile payments sectors, are at the forefront. Among their goals: building diagnostic tools that will make doctors more efficient.

Amazon and its partners, JPMorgan Chase and Berkshire Hathaway, see technology as a way to provide simplified, affordable medical services. Although the alliance is still in the early stages, it could create online services for medical advice or use its overall heft to negotiate for lower drug prices.

Its fair to say that across the board, the Chinese tech companies have all embraced being involved in and being active in the health care space, unlike the U.S., where some of them have and some have not, said Laura Nelson Carney, an Asia-Pacific health care analyst at Bernstein Research.

Few of them have made moves as big as in China, Carney said, referring to Alibaba and Tencents American rivals.

Those big moves have had varying degrees of success.

In 2014, Alibaba announced a future hospital plan intended to make treatment more efficient by allowing patients to consult with doctors online and order drugs via the Internet. But two years later, Chinese regulators stopped the sale of over-the-counter drugs on Tmall, Alibabas e-commerce website. They also suspended a drug-monitoring system the company had created. And last year, search engine company Baidu scrapped its Internet health care service, which allowed patients to book medical appointments through an app, in a bid to focus solely on AI.

But some of the more recent initiatives have made inroads. Last year, Alibabas health unit introduced AI software that can help interpret CT scans and an AI medical lab to help doctors make diagnoses. About a month later, Tencent unveiled Miying, a medical imaging program that helps doctors detect early signs of cancer, in the southwestern region of Guangxi. It is now used in nearly 100 hospitals across China.

Tencent has also invested in WeDoctor Group, which has opened its own take on Alibabas future hospital in northwestern China. The service allows patients to video chat with doctors and fill their prescriptions online.

Advances in artificial intelligence have already been transformative for Chinas overworked doctors.

Dr. Yu Weihong, an ophthalmologist at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, said she used to take up to two days to analyze a patients eyes by scrutinizing grainy images before discussing her findings with colleagues and writing up a report. Artificial intelligence software being tested by the hospital helps her do all that dramatically faster.

Now, you dont even need a minute, she said.

The software has been developed by VoxelCloud, a startup that has raised about $28.5 million from companies including Tencent and Menlo Park venture capital firm Sequoia Capital. It specializes in automated medical image analysis, helping eye doctors like Yu screen patients for diabetic retinopathy, the leading cause of blindness among Chinas working-age population.

There are just 20 eye doctors for every million people here, a third of the proportion in the United States. In April, Beijing announced an ambitious plan for the countrys 110 million diabetics to undergo eye tests.

Its impossible for one person to read that many images, Yu said.

Ding Xiaowei, whose grandparents were doctors, founded VoxelCloud in 2016, three months after completing his doctorate in computer science at UCLA. The company, which has offices in Los Angeles and the Chinese cities of Shanghai and Suzhou, is awaiting the green light from Chinas version of the Food and Drug Administration for five diagnostic tools for CT scans and retina disease.

The sheer size of Chinas population  nearly 1.4 billion people who could provide a vast number of images to feed into their systems  provides a potential advantage for the development of artificial intelligence. Also helping: China has fewer concerns about privacy, allowing for easier collection of data that could result in smarter and more efficient systems. Regulation here isnt as strict as in the United States, either.

In all, more than 130 companies are applying AI in ways that could increase the efficiency of Chinas health care system, according to Yiou Intelligence, an industry consultancy in Beijing. They range from behemoths like Alibaba and Tencent to domestic champions iFlyTek, which invented a robot that passed a Chinese medical licensing exam, and an array of smaller startups.

Money is flowing in. As of August, venture capitalists such as Sequoia and San Franciscos Matrix Partners had invested at least $2.7 billion in such businesses, according to Yiou. Analysts at Bernstein estimated that spending in Chinas health tech industry will reach $150 billion by 2020.

Sui-Lee Wee and Paul Mozur are New York Times writers.
The IRS, fresh off its success in uncovering U.S. assets hidden in Swiss banks, has assigned elite criminal agents to investigate whether bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are being used to cheat the taxman.

A new team of 10 investigators is focusing on international crimes. In addition to following undeclared assets that are flowing out of Swiss banks after a crackdown, it will also build cases against tax evaders who use cryptocurrency. The promise of anonymity that has drawn money launderers and drug dealers to virtual coins is also attracting tax cheats, the IRS has said.

The agency hasnt charged anyone yet, but the cases will come, Don Fort, chief of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division, said in an interview.

Its possible to use bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in the same fashion as foreign bank accounts to facilitate tax evasion, Fort said.

Regulators around the world are rushing to tighten rules in response to the frenzy over digital coins. A booming market for the coins made some investors millionaires virtually overnight before bitcoin fell 44 percent this year.

The Securities and Exchange Commission formed a group to combat potential fraud, which has cracked down on companies that sell digital tokens illicitly and warned investors they might get fleeced.

The biggest challenge for the IRS is this really new technology, said Lisa Zarlenga, a tax attorney at Steptoe & Johnson LLP. They need to educate themselves on what is a blockchain, how do we learn whats on the blockchain, and how do we follow it?

Blockchains are online ledgers that record transactions in virtual currencies. They can be public or private. Because theres no central authority in the blockchain, people can often store wealth secretly and serve as their own bankers.

IRS criminal agents, who can arrest people and help send them to prison, have benefited from the work of the agencys revenue agents. They formed a team in 2013 to study the use of virtual currencies to avoid taxes by moving money in and out of offshore accounts.

That team spent two years helping to prepare a legal summons seeking the identities of all customers of San Franciscos Coinbase, one of the largest virtual currency exchanges, from 2013 to 2015. After a legal fight, the IRS narrowed its request but still argued it had a reasonable basis to believe many Bitcoin users werent paying taxes. They likened Bitcoin exchanges to the Wild West days of unregulated barter exchanges in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Billions of dollars in bitcoins are currently being transferred by malware ransomers, online drug dealers, tax evaders and other criminals, all of whom are emboldened by what they perceive to be law enforcements inability to pierce bitcoins pseudo-anonymity, Justice Department Tax Division attorneys argued in a Sept. 1 court filing.

Fort said his unit focuses on how users convert cash to cryptocurrency and back. We know that you want to get your money out at some point, he said.

In addition to individuals who evade taxes, Forts agents are looking at unlicensed exchanges in the U.S. and overseas. They are working with other criminal agents around the U.S. and stationed abroad.

David Voreacos is a Bloomberg writer. Email: dvoreacos@bloomberg.net
Amazon has already shown that it can rattle the retail, grocery and health insurance industries, and now it is doing the same in the delivery business.

The retailer is reportedly planning a service to pick up packages from businesses and deliver them to consumers.

Shipping With Amazon is expected to start in Los Angeles shortly and roll out more broadly as soon as this year, according to the Wall Street Journal, which cited anonymous sources.

Amazon, which has been edging into the delivery business for some time, would not confirm the report  but didnt deny it either.

Were always innovating and experimenting on behalf of customers and the businesses that sell and grow on Amazon to create faster lower-cost delivery choices, said Amazon spokeswoman Kristen Kish.

Amazons interest in the delivery business has been percolating ever since many packages were delivered late around Christmas in 2013. Amazon has helped fuel the boom in online shopping, but all those millions of packages are straining the networks of UPS and FedEx. Amazon also uses the U.S. Postal Service and smaller delivery companies.

UPS had a rocky holiday season late last year, as it underestimated the crush of online shopping during so-called cyberweek right after Thanksgiving. The company plans to spend a chunk of its tax-cut savings to improve its network.

Meanwhile, Amazon has leased 40 airplanes, begun arranging ocean freight shipments from China to the U.S., and built up a corps of delivery drivers.

Executives at UPS and FedEx have downplayed the Amazon threat before, saying that it would take a massive investment over a long time to build an air and ground network to rival theirs.

There is little doubt, however, that Amazon has the means to build a bigger network. It had $178 billion in sales and $3 billion in profit last year and is sitting on more than $20 billion in cash.

An Amazon entry would send shivers down the spines of the traditional delivery companies, said Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData Retail.

Saunders said the delivery companies are likely to lose business from Amazon  slowly at first, then more quickly as Amazon builds out its own operation. And if Amazon starts delivering to businesses, it may undercut the incumbents on rates, he said.

Analysts estimate that UPS gets up to 6 percent of revenue from Amazon deliveries compared to about 3 percent for FedEx. Several took a wait-and-see approach.

Deutsche Bank analysts wrote that one pilot program, in one city, is being extrapolated as a clear and present risk to a global network that delivers 33 million packages a day, more than 20 times Amazons estimated delivery volume. They were highly skeptical of much risk to UPS and FedEx.

Citi analyst Christian Weatherbee said Amazon hasnt committed significant assets to a delivery program.

We dont want to present the case that Amazon will never, or could never, compete directly with FedEx, UPS and the post office, Weatherbee said, but there is no indication that the company has bought enough trucks and hired enough drivers to take on UPS and FedEx, which would be a difficult task, he said.

Amazon is likely to remain a major customer for UPS and FedEx for quite some time, complicating their relationship.

UBS Securities analyst Thomas Wadewitz said as frenemy Amazon expands on their turf, it could make sense for UPS and FedEx to significantly raise prices with Amazon, although there is no evidence to show theyll do that.

Others think Amazon may be trying to talk down delivery rates and get better service. Stifel analyst David Ross said Amazon will grow its logistics business but wont be able  and may not even want  to handle all of its own deliveries.

FedEx spokesman Patrick Fitzgerald said the Journal headline showed a lack of basic understanding of the full scale of the global transportation industry.

UPS spokesman Steve Gaut said the company continues to support Amazon and many other customers, and doesnt comment about their business strategies.

Amazons muscle and influence beyond retailing have been very evident lately.

When Amazon, Warren Buffett and the CEO of JPMorgan Chase announced two weeks ago that they were forming a company to tackle employer health care costs, it triggered a sell-off in the shares of established health insurers.

Amazon is adding two-hour grocery delivery for Prime members from Whole Foods, which it bought last summer for nearly $14 billion.

David Koenig and Joseph Pisani are Associated Press writers.
In our weekly roundup of route news, a new kind of small-plane service is coming between the Bay Area and Los Angeles; Alaska kicks off Texas service from San Jose and San Diego; Delta is adding more routes out of its former Cincinnati hub; Frontier announces a spate of new markets; American adds a Florida destination; an Italian airline plans a Miami route; and a pair of Latin American carriers are coming to Orlando.

Travel between Silicon Valley and Silicon Beach? Ever hear of Blackbird? Its a small-plane carrier that relies on a smartphone app for bookings and customer service, and says it provides a beyond-first-class experience for passengers on its eight-seat Pilatus PC-12 turboprops. Blackbird uses smaller airports so customers can avoid the traffic and congestion of places like SFO and LAX. On February 19, it will launch service between Palo Alto and Santa Monica with two flights a day from Monday through Thursday. A spokesman said fares on the new route start at $375 per leg and can vary depending on seat availability. Blackbird also links other Bay Area airports to Tahoe/Truckee, Mammoth, Las Vegas and Burbank, but "this [Palo Alto-Santa Monica] will be our first route specifically geared toward the business traveler," the spokesman said. (On the other end of the travel spectrum, you can take the overnight sleeper bus Cabin from SF to Santa Monica.)

On February 16, Alaska Airlines is due to begin new daily service to Dallas close-in Love Field from both Mineta San Jose and San Diego. The new routes will use 76-seat Embraer 175 jets operated for Alaska by SkyWest. The SJC-Dallas flight will depart San Jose at 2:40 p.m., while the San Diego departure to Love Field is scheduled for 7:45 a.m. On February 18, Alaska will replace the A320 family aircraft on two of its daily Dallas Love Field-Washington Reagan National with E-175s.

Got business in Taiwan? EVA Air is revising its U.S. schedule this summer, with plans to boost service on the San Francisco-Taipei route from 18 flights a week to 21 effective June 26 by operating its 12:20 p.m. 777 departure from SFO seven days a week instead of four. On July 1, EVA will trim its Taipei-New York JFK schedule from the current 11 a week to seven.

Several years ago, Cincinnati was a big hub for Delta Air Lines, but the airline gradually downgraded its operations there to non-hub levels. It started to reverse course two years ago, and has since increased its Cincinnati capacity by 12 percent. And now Delta is planning more growth for Cincinnati, with new daily (except Saturday) CRJ-700 service to Austin beginning May 1, and daily 737-800 flights to Phoenix starting November 4. In addition, Delta said its seasonal service between Cincinnati and Seattle will become year-round as of March 2, and a third daily Cincinnati-Baltimore roundtrip will begin May 7.

Not too many weeks go by without a routes announcement from low-cost Frontier Airlines, and in its latest news, Frontier said it will begin service April 11 between San Jose and Tulsa twice a week, and between Tulsa-Washington Dulles twice a week. On April 8, Frontier starts flying once a day from Miami to San Juan; between Colorado Springs-Atlanta with three flights a week; and between Denver-Ft. Myers with three flights a week. On April 9, Frontier kicks off new service from Philadelphia to both Grand Rapids and Indianapolis with twice-weekly flights, and on May 17 from Philadelphia to Dallas/Ft. Worth three days a week.

Panama City, in Floridas northwest panhandle, is served by an airport with the more enticing name of Northwest Florida Beaches International, and American Airlines plans to add it to its route map this summer. Effective June 7, American will begin new service there from its Dallas/Ft. Worth and Charlotte hubs, using two-class, 65-seat CRJ-700s.

The Italian airline Meridiana, which already flies to New York from Milan, plans to add Miami as its second U.S. gateway. On June 6, Meridiana will start four flights a week from Miami to Milan Malpensa, using a 247-passenger, two-class Airbus A330-200. Roundtrip fares will start at $489. The Miami-Milan route is also served by American Airlines.

The Brazilian airline GOL plans to resume U.S. service later this year, using new 737 MAX 8 aircraft to operate daily flights starting November 4 to Orlando from Brasilia and Fortaleza, and to Miami from both cities as well.

Meanwhile, LATAM Airlines Chile will resume seasonal service between Santiago de Chile and Orlando from July 2 through August 31, using a 787-9 to fly the route three times a week.

--Chris McGinnis

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Chris McGinnis is the founder of TravelSkills.com. The author is solely responsible for the content above, and it is used here by permission. You can reach Chris at chris@travelskills.com or on Twitter @cjmcginnis.
When United Airlines rolled out its new Polaris international business class product last year, it promised lots of showy touches designed to make the front cabin feel like a really premium experience.

One of those highly-touted touches  a specialized drink cart service -- is now being eliminated.

TravelSkills with Chris McGinnis sponsored by See More Collapse

The travel blog View from the Wing said it has confirmed with United that effective May 1, the Polaris cabins Bloody Mary carts, mimosa carts and wine carts will stop rolling although all those drinks will still be available through regular beverage service.

The airline contends that this is not a money-saving cutback. Instead, it says it is simply responding to customer feedback and that the change will speed up overall delivery of drinks to passengers  especially those who dont want Bloody Marys or Mimosas. Apparently passengers were complaining about the service taking too long-- with most just wanting to eat quickly and then go to sleep.

"We are listening to customers' feedback and evolving United Polaris with faster beverage service to allow more time for relaxation, which is what our business class customers have told us is their top priority. Bloody Marys and wine will still be available," said United spokesman Jonathan Guerin.

According to a TravelSkills reader, some flight attendants were already quietly eliminating the wine flights. Reader MR wrote of her flight to Hong Kong: "I tried a wine flight just because I read about it on your blog, but the FA didn't offer or suggest it they were just pouring wine in individual glasses like before. I saw the three-glass wine flights on the bottom of the drink cart and asked for one as did the person behind me. But if I had not asked, neither of us would have been given the option for the flight."

The Polaris wine carts offered passengers an elegant three-glass wine flight presented in an arc (SEE SLIDESHOW)-- United says that passengers will still have three choices of red or white wine, but they won't come in a flight as before. Guerin says that Bloody Marys will still come "with all the fixins" but they will not be made and presented from a showy cart, seat-side, as before.

While United has been slow to roll out the new Polaris business class seats (currently just 18 out of about 200 planes in United's long-haul fleet have it), it has been offering the other aspects of the enhanced Polaris service on all of its international flights.

Related: Progress Report on United Polaris rollout

Since the dedicated drink carts are now being eliminated, we have to wonderwas it all for show? Or was it poor planning on Uniteds part? And does it even matter? What do you think?

--Chris McGinnis

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Chris McGinnis is the founder of TravelSkills.com. The author is solely responsible for the content above, and it is used here by permission. You can reach Chris at chris@travelskills.com or on Twitter @cjmcginnis.
WESTERVILLE, Ohio  Two Ohio police officers responding to a 911 hang-up call were fatally shot Saturday after entering a townhome in a Columbus suburb, and a suspect was taken into custody, authorities said.

Westerville Police Chief Joe Morbitzer said officer Eric Joering, 39, died at the scene and his colleague, Anthony Morelli, 54, died at a local hospital.

Morbitzer said the officers were responding to a potential domestic situation. A neighbor who heard the gunfire said it happened at a home where the occupants were always arguing and fighting.

The officers gave their lives in defense of others, Morbitzer said during a news conference, struggling to keep his emotions in check. He called them true American heroes.

Late Saturday, Westerville police said the suspect is Quentin Lamar Smith, 30. Authorities released incident reports showing police had been to his home or had dealings with him several times, some involving alleged domestic violence. Authorities said he was wounded and treated at a hospital.

Republican Gov. John Kasich, who lives with his family in a nearby township, tweeted that he was very saddened to learn of the deaths of two of my hometown police officers. He asked Ohio residents to join him in lifting up these officers families in prayer.

President Trump tweeted: My thoughts and prayers are with the two police officers, their families, and everybody at the @WestervillePD.

Joering was a 16-year police veteran, and Morelli was a 30-year veteran.

These were two of the best we have, Morbitzer said. This was their calling.

He added that they both gave their life for the protection of others and thats what they lived and breathed.

Trea Horne, 17, said he was upstairs in the townhome he shares with his mother when he heard five or six gunshots early Saturday afternoon. He said he came downstairs and saw police cars racing to a townhome directly across the street.

A couple had moved into the home about eight months ago, he said. Theyre always arguing and fighting, said Horne, who graduated from Westerville South High School in December.

Jennifer Ripperger, 46, said her neighborhood of townhomes has a mix of owners and renters. She said she heard police pulling up Saturday and watched as officers nearly dragged firefighters toward the residence where the officers had been shot.

Ive never known anything like this to happen, said Chad Temple, 32, who lives directly behind the townhome where the shooting happened. It just kind of surprises me (that) in Westerville this happened.

Westerville is a suburb of about 39,000 with a per capita income well above the rest of Ohio. It regularly tops lists of the countrys best suburbs.

Andrew Welsh-Huggins and Mark Gillispie are Associated Press writers.
SAN DIEGO  A judge who was berated by Donald Trump during the presidential campaign says he is inclined to conclude he can decide a lawsuit that challenges the presidents proposed border wall with Mexico but gave no indication how hell rule.

U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel said during 2 hours of arguments Friday that he was leaning toward deciding he has jurisdiction in a lawsuit that alleges the Trump administration overreached in waiving dozens of laws that require environmental and other reviews. The administration argues Curiel doesnt have jurisdiction.

Curiel asked the administration and wall opponents for additional briefings by the end of Tuesday. He said he planned to decide within days after that whether to dismiss the lawsuit by the state of California and environmental advocates or let it proceed.

At the start of his first hearing on the case, Curiel acknowledged keen interest and told everyone in his courtroom to behave respectfully. Then both sides delved into detailed discussion on a 2005 law that gave the Homeland Security secretary broad authority to waive environmental reviews to build border barriers.

Trump repeatedly attacked Curiel as the judge presided over 2016 lawsuits alleging fraud at the now-closed Trump University neared trial, suggesting that the Indiana-born judges Mexican heritage exposed a bias because of Trumps stands on immigration and border security. Trump settled the suits for $25 million shortly after winning the election, without admitting wrongdoing.

Curiel, who was forced out of his home and needed around-the-clock protection when he prosecuted Mexican drug kingpins in the 1990s, was unfazed by Trumps criticism during the campaign, said Gregory Vega, a former U.S. attorney in San Diego and longtime friend.

Hes had a credible threat made on his life. I dont think when he was called names, I dont think that really bothered him, said Vega.

The Center for Biological Diversity was first to sue over the wall. Three other groups  Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife and the Animal Legal Defense Fund  later filed a lawsuit. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, a Democrat, then filed another lawsuit and Curiel consolidated all three cases into one.

The 2005 law granted powers to waive the National Environmental Policy Act, Clean Air Act, Endangered Species Act and other laws that require time-consuming reviews and are subject to prolonged legal challenges.

The Trump administration has issued three waivers since August, two to build barriers in parts of California and one in part of New Mexico.

Elliot Spagat is an Associated Press writer.
WASHINGTON  Nada de nada  nothing at all.

A year into the Trump administration, the White House website still has no Spanish-language content, unlike during the two previous administrations and even though nearly 1 in 5 people in the United States speaks Spanish.

Even Iran and reclusive North Korea have made efforts to reach out to the Spanish-speaking world. In the U.S., meanwhile, President Trumps anti-immigrant rhetoric and his plan to build a wall on the border with Mexico are alienating some Latinos.

A year ago, then-presidential press secretary Sean Spicer said the new administration had deleted Spanish content on the White House Web page but its information technology folks were working overtime to develop a new site. In July, the White House director of media affairs, Helen Aguirre Ferre, said she expected a Spanish website to launch at the end of 2017.

Now, Aguirre Ferre declines to say whether there are still plans to have a Spanish-language website.

We continue to work on improving the White House website providing important content in English pertaining to the initiatives and policies the Trump administration is undertaking, she said in an email.

Javier Palomarez, president and CEO of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said the absence of a White House Web page in Spanish sends a very troubling message.

As Latinos became the largest minority in the U.S., President George W. Bushs administration added Spanish-language content to the White House website for the first time.

Luis Alonso Lugo is an Associated Press writer.
Reg E. Cathey, whose distinctive baritone and memorable roles on hugely popular television shows such as House of Cards and The Wire won him legions of fans and an Emmy Award, died Friday at his home in New York City. He was 59.

His death was announced by David Simon, the creator of The Wire, Friday night on Twitter. The cause was lung cancer, his talent agent, Sarah Fargo, said in an email Saturday.

Though he earned credits in dozens of television shows and movies, it was Catheys portrayal of Freddy Hayes  an empathetic, salt-of-the-earth barbecue pit owner whose restaurant provides a respite for Francis Underwood, the scheming politician in House of Cards  that earned him three Emmy nominations and one win for outstanding guest actor in a drama series.

Cathey assumed a somewhat similar role on The Wire, playing a beloved newspaper editor turned political operative whose honesty and integrity are often sought out by the man he works for, Tommy Carcetti (Aidan Gillen).

That voice, Simon said in a phone interview Saturday, I think we all know that if God comes at you as a white guy, hes going to sound like Johnny Cash. If God comes to you as a black guy, thats Reg Cathey youre hearing.

He recalled attending a dinner several years ago with Cathey and other cast members of The Wire at which Cathey told a hilarious story while impersonating the other actors.

And every voice was perfect, Simon said. By the end of 25 minutes, nobody could breathe.

Reginald Eurias Cathey was born on Aug. 18, 1958, in Huntsville, Ala., to a father who was an Army officer and a mother who worked in the Defense Department. Cathey grew up in Germany and traveled frequently before moving back to Alabama when he was a teenager. He studied at the University of Michigan  where, reports say, he befriended Madonna and the future comedy star David Alan Grier  and later at the Yale School of Drama.

Over an acting career that spanned more than 35 years, Cathey also had a recurring role in the long-running television series Oz and made appearances in other widely viewed shows like Law & Order, 30 Rock and Star Trek: The Next Generation.

His many film credits included a role as Dr. Franklin Storm in the 2015 reboot of Fantastic Four and a part as a homeless man in American Psycho. In 2000, Cathey made his Broadway debut in The Green Bird; he had several other theater credits.

He is survived by his girlfriend, Linda Powell; a sister, Donza Cathey Friende; his stepmother, Maureen Davis Cathey; and two stepbrothers, Jerry Davis and Maurice Davis.

Though some might not know Cathey by name, his recent roles and commanding voice made him instantly recognizable in the latter part of his career.

When I was on Oz years ago, I did an interview and the guy said, Youre one of the few actors who can make their living as an actor without being famous, he told the Detroit Free Press in 2015. We both laughed. And its true. Theres a small club of us, actors and actresses, because its really difficult just to make a living as an actor without being famous. It used to be easier when I first started, but now its really, really difficult.

Matt Stevens is a New York Times writer.
BERLIN  After months of secret negotiations, a shadowy Russian bilked American spies out of $100,000 last year, promising to deliver stolen National Security Agency cyberweapons in a deal that he insisted would also include compromising material on President Donald Trump, according to U.S. and European intelligence officials.

The cash, delivered in a suitcase to a Berlin hotel room in September, was intended as the first installment of a $1 million payout, according to U.S. officials, the Russian and communications reviewed by The New York Times. The theft of the secret hacking tools had been devastating to the NSA, and the agency was struggling to get a full inventory of what was missing.

Several U.S. intelligence officials said they made clear that they did not want the Trump material from the Russian, who was suspected of having murky ties to Russian intelligence and to Eastern European cybercriminals. He claimed the information would link the president and his associates to Russia. Instead of providing the hacking tools, the Russian produced unverified and possibly fabricated information involving Trump and others, including bank records, emails and purported Russian intelligence data.

The U.S. intelligence officials said they cut off the deal because they were wary of being entangled in a Russian operation to create discord inside the U.S. government. They were also fearful of political fallout in Washington if they were seen to be buying scurrilous information on the president.

The Central Intelligence Agency declined to comment on the negotiations with the Russian seller. The NSA, which produced the bulk of the hacking tools that the Americans sought to recover, said only that "all NSA employees have a lifetime obligation to protect classified information."

The negotiations in Europe last year were described by U.S. and European intelligence officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a clandestine operation, and the Russian. The U.S. officials worked through an intermediary  an American businessman based in Germany  to preserve deniability. There were meetings in provincial German towns where John le Carre set his early spy novels, and data handoffs in five-star Berlin hotels. U.S. intelligence agencies spent months tracking the Russian's flights to Berlin, his rendezvous with a mistress in Vienna and his trips home to St. Petersburg, the officials said.

The NSA even used its official Twitter account to send coded messages to the Russian nearly a dozen times. The episode ended with U.S. spies chasing the Russian out of Western Europe, warning him not to return if he valued his freedom, the American businessman said. The Trump material was left with the American, who has secured it in Europe.

Story continues below.

The Russian claimed to have access to a staggering collection of secrets that included everything from the computer code for the cyberweapons stolen from the NSA and CIA to what he said was a video of Trump consorting with prostitutes in a Moscow hotel room in 2013, according to U.S. and European officials and the Russian, who agreed to be interviewed in Germany on the condition of anonymity. There remains no evidence that such a video exists.

The Russian was known to U.S. and European officials for his ties to Russian intelligence and cybercriminals  two groups suspected in the theft of the NSA and CIA hacking tools.

But his apparent eagerness to sell the Trump "kompromat"  a Russian term for information used to gain leverage over someone  to U.S. spies raised suspicions among officials that he was part of an operation to feed the information into U.S. intelligence agencies and pit them against Trump. Early in the negotiations, for instance, he dropped his asking price from about $10 million to just over $1 million. Then, a few months later, he showed the American businessman a 15-second clip of a video showing a man in a room talking to two women.

No audio could be heard on the video, and there was no way to verify if the man was Trump, as the Russian claimed. But the choice of venue for showing the clip heightened U.S. suspicions of a Russian operation: The viewing took place at the Russian Embassy in Berlin, the businessman said.

There were other questions about the Russian's reliability. He had a history of money laundering and a thin legitimate cover business  a nearly bankrupt company that sold portable grills for streetside sausage salesmen, according to British incorporation papers.

"The distinction between an organized criminal and a Russian intelligence officer and a Russian who knows some Russian intel guys  it all blurs together," said Steven L. Hall, former chief of Russia operations at the CIA. "This is the difficulty of trying to understand how Russia and Russians operate from the Western viewpoint."

U.S. intelligence officials were also wary of the purported kompromat the Russian wanted to sell. They saw the information, especially the video, as the stuff of tabloid gossip pages, not intelligence collection, U.S. officials said.

But the Americans desperately wanted the hacking tools. The cyberweapons had been built to break into the computer networks of Russia, China and other rival powers. Instead, they ended up in the hands of a mysterious group calling itself the Shadow Brokers, which has since provided hackers with tools that infected millions of computers around the world, crippling hospitals, factories and businesses.

No officials wanted to refuse information they thought might help determine what had happened.

"That's one of the bedeviling things about counterintelligence and the wilderness that it is  nobody wants to be caught in a position of saying we wrote that off and then five years later saying, 'Holy cow, it was actually a real guy,'" Hall said.

U.S. intelligence agencies believe that Russia's spy services see the deep political divisions in the United States as a fresh opportunity to inflame partisan tensions. Russian hackers are targeting American voting databases ahead of the midterm election this year, they said, and using bot armies to promote partisan causes on social media. The Russians are also particularly eager to cast doubt on the federal and congressional investigations into the Russian meddling, U.S. intelligence officials said.

Part of that effort, the officials said, appears to be trying to spread information that hews closely to unsubstantiated reports about Trump's dealings in Russia  including the purported video, whose existence Trump has repeatedly dismissed.

Rumors that Russian intelligence possesses the video surfaced more than a year ago in an explosive and unverified dossier compiled by a former British spy, and paid for by Democrats. Since then, at least four Russians with espionage and underworld connections have appeared in Central and Eastern Europe, offering to sell kompromat that would corroborate the dossier to U.S. political operatives, private investigators and spies, U.S. and European intelligence officials said.

U.S. officials suspect that at least some of the sellers are working for Russia's spy services.

The Times obtained four of the documents that the Russian in Germany tried to pass to U.S. intelligence (The Times did not pay for the material). All are purported to be Russian intelligence reports, and each focuses on associates of Trump. Carter Page, the former campaign adviser who has been the focus of FBI investigators, features in one; Robert and Rebekah Mercer, the billionaire Republican donors, in another.

Yet all four appear to be drawn almost entirely from news reports, not secret intelligence. They all also contain stylistic and grammatical usages not typically seen in Russian intelligence reports, said Yuri Shvets, a former KGB officer who spent years as a spy in Washington before defecting to the United States just before the end of the Cold War.

(STORY CAN END HERE. OPTIONAL MATERIAL FOLLOWS.)

U.S. spies are not the only ones who have dealtwith Russians claiming to have secrets to sell. Cody Shearer, a U.S. political operative with ties to the Democratic Party, has been crisscrossing Eastern Europe for more than six months to secure the purported kompromat from a different Russian, said people familiar with the efforts, speaking on the condition of anonymity to avoid damaging their relationship with him.

Reached by phone late last year, Shearer would say only that his work was "a big deal  you know what it is, and you shouldn't be asking about it." He then hung up.

Shearer's efforts grew out of work he first began during the 2016 campaign, when he compiled a pair of reports that, like the dossier, also included talk of a video and Russian payoffs to Trump associates. It is not clear what, if anything, Shearer has been able to purchase.

Before the Americans were negotiating with the Russian, they were dealing with a hacker in Vienna known only to U.S. intelligence officials as Carlo. In early 2017, he offered to provide them with a full set of hacking tools that were in the hands of the Shadow Brokers and the names of other people in his network, U.S. officials said. In exchange, he wanted immunity from prosecution in the United States.

But the immunity deal fell apart, so intelligence officials decided to do what spies do best: They offered to buy the data. That is when the Russian in Germany emerged, telling the Americans he would handle the sale.

Like Carlo, he had previously dealt with U.S. intelligence operatives, U.S. and European officials said. He served as a fixer, of sorts, brokering deals for Russia's Federal Security Service, or FSB, which is the successor to the Soviet KGB. U.S. intelligence officials said that he had a direct link to Nikolai Patrushev, a former FSB director, and that they knew of previous work he had done helping move illicit shipments of semiprecious metals for a Russian oligarch.

By April it appeared that a deal was imminent. Several CIA officers even traveled from the agency's headquarters to help the agency's Berlin station handle the operation.

At a small bar in the former heart of West Berlin, the Russian handed the U.S. intermediary a thumb drive with a small cache of data that was intended to provide a sample of what was to come, U.S. officials said.

Within days, though, the deal turned sour. U.S. intelligence agencies determined that the data was genuinely from the Shadow Brokers, but was material the group had already made public. As a result, the CIA said it would not pay for it, U.S. officials said

The Russian was furious. But negotiations limped on until September, when the two sides agreed to try again.

Late that month, the American businessman delivered the $100,000 payment. Some officials said it was U.S. government money but routed through an indirect channel.

A few weeks later, the Russian began handing over data. But, in multiple deliveries in October and December, almost all of what he delivered was related to the 2016 election and alleged ties between Trump's associates and Russia, not the NSA or CIA hacking tools.

In December, the Russian said he told the American intermediary that he was providing the Trump material and holding out on the hacking tools at the orders of senior Russian intelligence officials.

Early this year, the Americans gave him one last chance. The Russian once again showed up with nothing more than excuses.

So the Americans offered him a choice: Start working for them and provide the names of everyone in his network  or go back to Russia and do not return.

The Russian did not give it much thought. He took a sip of the cranberry juice he was nursing, picked up his bag and said, "Thank you." Then he walked out the door.

Matthew Rosenberg is a New York Times writer.
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For the third installment of its Joining Generations survey of African American choreography, Cal Performances moved away from the UC Berkeley campus and relocated to downtown Oakland. The 300 souls who packed the sold-out Oakland Metro Operahouse on Friday, Feb. 9, seemed more convinced than this observer by Spectrum Dance Theaters 2016 A Rap on Race, the genesis of which is probably more fascinating than the end results.

Back in the midst of the Cold War, famed anthropologist Margaret Mead and writer James Baldwin devoted three days to a conversation that was published in book form as A Rap on Race. Much later, Anna Deavere Smith and Spectrum executive artistic director and choreographer Donald Byrd refashioned the material into an 85-minute dance theater piece. At the Metro, Mead and Baldwin sat at a table on a high platform, reachable only by ladder, surrounded by piles of books as they discoursed on the world.
The 18th century was materially a vastly different age from ours, as evidenced by the exhibition Casanova: The Seduction of Europe, opening this week at the Legion of Honor. Transported to parties in gilded sedan chairs, resplendent in elaborate costumes, the rich of that day ate luxurious meals from masterpieces of handcrafted tableware, as they enacted rituals of seduction in rooms hung with provocative images in sumptuous colors.

Well, different in materials, perhaps, but not in proportion. The art and decoration of Casanovas time betray a hunger so insatiable it powered a culture and identifies an era. It is a craving we might recognize as being much like our own lust for stuff, our addictions to the sensual. They are dependencies so powerful they have made us fat and perpetually horny, our eyes bedazzled by garish images of epic scale and enthralling miniature, our ears ever flooded with the sound of  us.

The Legion and its museum partners in Boston and Fort Worth started planning the exhibition, which runs through May 28, several years ago. The curators could not have known that their tribute to the most famous womanizer of all time would open at the crescendo of a womens empowerment movement to be called #MeToo.

Museu Nacional dArt de Catalunya, Barcelona

Nor could they have foreseen an ormolu presidency of regal pretension, its occupant yearning for the emoluments of a reign like Louis XVIs (though not, we can be sure, for an end like that of the last king of France). Given that they are so prescient, do they predict a revolution soon as bloody as the one that followed the period covered by Seduction of Europe?

Giacomo Girolamo Casanova (1725-98) was born in Venice to an actress mother and, according to the shows accompanying book, maybe her actor husband, maybe one of the members of the aristocratic Grimani family, proprietors of a theater and protectors of Casanovas family. One might wonder at the meaning of protector in this context but, nevertheless, the biographical facts provide a structure for the exhibition.

The show opens with scenes of Casanovas home city, by the most famous recorder of such views, Canaletto. Having already adopted the approach of comparing America today to Europe 200-plus years ago, one is struck by how little change there is to be seen in Venice. It is, of course, a city that is itself a museum, dedicated to its own preservation, and with the recent ban from the Grand Canal of those giant cruise ships, Canalettos pinpoint precision and evocative effects of light might almost be fine photographs of the place last summer.

Like his autobiography, Casanovas infamous love life  he claimed to have had more than 100 liaisons with women across Europe  is both evidence and reflection of the mores of his society. As with The Story of My Life, as well, the depiction of love and sex in the art of the era is likely highly embellished.

The curators wisely include a dozen tiny, pornographic Amorous Drawings, the size of small playing cards, that depict a far seamier version of carnal interaction than the florid works of Francois Boucher and Jean-Honore Fragonard, which are all innuendo. Still, for those who can get past the frippery  and the suspicion that seduction was a male prerogative  they are irresistible as painterly enticements.

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

A dazzlingly titillating Mars and Venus, Allegory of Peace (1770) by Louis Jean Francois Lagrenee goes well beyond insinuation, despite its coy title. Lesbian love makes its voyeuristic pitch, as well, with Bouchers sultry Companions of Diana (1745).

Even Casanovas stints in jail provide an excuse to exhibit selections from Giovanni Battista Piranesis great, proto-Surrealist print series, the Carceri dInvenzione (Imaginary Prisons), produced in the midcentury.

If you were a curator who wished to refer to the periods penchant for masquerade and trickery, you would die to land the loan of Giovanni Domenico Tiepolos The Charlatan (1756), a festival scene that says it all, by one of the periods best-known artists.

Period settings that show off fashionable costumes, and an extensive display of decorative art throughout the galleries reinforce the themes. Some of it looks like filler to me, but its hard to imagine a better representation of decadence than the deliciously diabolical tureen in the form of a boar's head, prominently displayed among the rococo mealtime implements.

Casanova was a world-class name-dropper, and a gallery of portraits of the rich and famous he claimed to have met is engaging enough. For an exhibition that deals with wealth and celebrity throughout, though, the best inclusion may be a curatorial comment on the similarities between our time and his.

In the very first gallery, among the views of Venice, a wooden box in the form of a gondola is on loan from a local private collection. Its owners? Ann and Gordon Getty.

Charles Desmarais is The San Francisco Chronicles art critic. Email: cdesmarais@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Artguy1

Casanova: The Seduction of Europe: 9:30 a.m.-5:15 p.m., Tuesdays-Sundays. Saturday, Feb. 10-May 28. $13-$28. Legion of Honor, Lincoln Park, 100 34th Ave., S.F. (415) 750-3600. http://legionofhonor.famsf.org

At a time of heightened awareness to the problems posed by 18th century art and attitudes, the Legion of Honor has added programs that promise to take up such questions. All will be held in the museums Gunn Theater and all are free after museum general admission. See the museum website for details.

The Artistic World of Giacomo Casanova: A conversation with Frederick Ilchman and C. D. Dickerson III. 2 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 10.

Female Agency in the Age of Casanova: With Charlotte Gordon and Fara Dabhoiwala. 10:30 a.m., Sunday, April 8.

Reckoning with the Past: A Forum: Led by Julia Bryan-Wilson. Saturday, May 12.
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)

Three separate alleged assaults sent three different men to the hospital in San Francisco Thursday, police said.

In one attack, a man in his forties told an older man to move from the sidewalk in the 200 block of Santos Street in the Ingleside district around 8:33 a.m., according to police.

When the older man, who was around 55 to 60 years old, refused to move, the younger man hit him with a broomstick, police said.

The older man was taken to the hospital with injuries not thought to be life-threatening. The suspect was arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault and taken into custody, according to police.

In a second incident, two men attacked another man around 7 p.m. in the vicinity of Stevenson and McCoppin streets, according to police.

One man approached another and a fight broke out, with a third man clobbering the victim with a stick and the first assailant stabbing the victim, police said.

The 30-year-old man suspected of the stabbing fled, according to police.

Officers arrived and arrested the 39-year-old man suspected of wielding the stick, police said.

The 49-year-old victim was taken to the hospital with injuries not thought to be life-threatening, police said.

In a third incident, around 2 a.m. in the 500 block of Valencia Street in the Mission district, one man hit another, police said.

The assailant fled and the 32-year-old victim was taken to the hospital with injuries not thought to be life-threatening, police said.
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)

Celebrity politicians were the order of the day as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met separately with California Gov. Jerry Brown and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom in San Francisco today.

In the meeting between Brown and Trudeau, the two pledged to expand cooperation on climate action, trade and criminal justice reform, issues in which both California and Canada have emerged as leaders.

"I'm looking forward to forging agreements with various provinces in Canada and particularly in zero-emission vehicles - electric cars, hydrogen cars," Brown said in a statement.

The prime minister thanked Brown "for the cap-and-trade system Ontario is part of and others and the fact that we have so much work to do together as friends and as a planet."

After the meeting with Newsom, Trudeau tweeted, "Trade between Canada & California has created millions of middle class jobs and economic growth on both sides of the border. My thanks to @GavinNewsom for a great discussion on how we can increase trade."

Newsom retweeted the prime minister's tweet and sent out one of his own.

"Great, far-reaching conversation with @JustinTrudeau this morning about immigration, universal healthcare, and climate change," the lieutenant governor said.

Newsom added, "Plus, the guy's got great hair!"

The latter comment was a self-mocking commentary on the fact that Newsom himself has received a good deal of attention centered around his good looks, and particularly his hair - as has Trudeau.
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)

San Francisco's oldest gay bar may be saved and relocated using a model that kept another gay bar in the city from closing last year, a supervisor's office said.

The Gangway, a sailor-themed club located at 841 Larkin St. in the city's Tenderloin District, has to relocate because the new owner wants to open a straight bar in the space.

Efforts last year saved the gay bar The Stud from closing.

The Gangway opened in 1910 and police raided it a year later. During prohibition the bar was converted into a restaurant and a speakeasy was set up in the basement.

The Gangway has operated as an openly gay bar for the last 56 years since it came out of the closet in 1961.

"San Francisco is at risk of losing what makes us special," Supervisor Jane Kim said in a statement. The Gangway is located in Kim's district.

In 2016, Kim worked to save The Stud, a 53-year-old queer performance venue by helping turn it into a collectively owned and operated nightclub.

Kim's office said saving The Gangway has been challenging. Jung Lee purchased the bar with his wife in the 1990s and the couple ran the bar for 19 years until Lee's wife died in 2015.

Lee put the bar up for sale shortly after his wife's death and the city's Office of Economic and Workforce Development stepped in to help Lee find a LGBTQ buyer and preserve important elements of the club.

But the effort didn't work.

Now Kim's office and workforce development officials are working with LGBTQ preservationists to preserve The Gangway's business name and important physical ephemera.

Nate Allbee, who founded The Stud Collective, has agreed to help set up and operate a collectively owned Gangway bar, which supporters hope to relocate in another location in the Tenderloin District.

"This bar has survived decades of anti-gay bigotry, police raids and the HIV/AIDS crisis," Allbee said in a statement. "We can't just walk away from a business as important as The Gangway - this history is also vital to our future."

The new owner Sam Young has offered to gift the business name and physical ephemera to preservationists. Young is also donating all of The Gangway's assets, including the boat above the door, to the future collective.

The bar's sign will stay though because it's owned by the landlord and not Young.

Allbee said supporters are now looking for contractors who can help dismantle the interior and exterior, storage space, a new location for the bar and investors.

Young is already paying rent so preservationists want to find a new home quickly, Allbee said.

Allbee said for the collective to be successful, a lot of people are needed. Eighteen people came together to save The Stud.

An investment will not mean a lot of money, Allbee said. It's for people who are interested in preserving an important place.

Members of the LGBTQ community who want to invest in The Gangway Collective and anyone willing to help save it should email Allbee at nate@queercollectives.com.

Nate Allbee, The Stud Collective (415) 756-0561
Monterey County Health Department officials today said that since publicizing illegal dumping of hazardous waste recently, the public has aided them in finding more than 50 waste barrels scattered through the county.

On Jan. 19, the health department issued a statement asking for the community's help in identifying those involved in the harmful practice of dumping hazardous drums found on their sides leaking black tar-like material onto the ground, a health department spokeswoman said.
San Francisco (BCN)

Police in San Francisco are looking for the public's help in identifying a suspect wanted in connection with a robbery.

On Wednesday, at 1:14 a.m., the suspect exited a bar and hailed a taxi in the area of 11th Avenue and Geary Boulevard.

Police said the suspect entered the cab and grabbed the driver's bag.

After a brief struggle, the suspect was able to overpower the victim and run off with the victim's property, police said.

The suspect was last seen running east on Geary Boulevard from 11th Avenue.

The suspect is described as a Hispanic man between 20 and 30 years old, 5 feet 10 inches tall and approximately 180 pounds. He was last seen wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt and a ball cap.
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)

A Sudanese man was arrested Thursday morning in San Francisco by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents after his asylum interview, an unprecedented move by immigration officials, according to the man's attorney.

Attorney Caleb Arring, the attorney for San Jose resident Omer Abdelmaed, said in a Facebook post that he thinks U.S. officials arrested Abdelmaed because he is from Sudan, which is one of the countries on the first travel ban put in place by President Donald Trump.

Arring said Abdelmaed has no criminal history in the U.S. and was seeking asylum in America because he was arrested and tortured in Sudan for his support of democracy and equal rights.

"It is highly unprecedented for someone to be arrested at an asylum interview," Arring said. "The asylum office is supposed to be a place where people can feel safe to tell their story."

Abdelmaed was scheduled for an asylum interview at 8:30 a.m. Thursday. He and Arring arrived on time and were called in shortly before 9 a.m. The interview lasted about two hours, according to Arring.

Abdelmaed and Arring got up to leave after the interview with the asylum officer leading the way when the officer stopped at the door and said someone was outside. The officer told them that someone had a few more questions.

"This was alarming," Arring said. "I've never in the five plus years I've been attending asylum interviews had this happen."

Arring said less than a minute later someone who appeared to be a supervisor at the asylum office came in with three or four ICE agents who handcuffed Abdelmaed.

Arring said agents told him Abdelmaed had overstayed his visa and was in the country illegally.

ICE spokesman James Schwab confirmed in a statement today that Abdelmaed was taken into custody Thursday by immigration officers after they determined that he had violated the terms and conditions of a temporary visa he had been issued in 2014.

Additionally, according to Schwab, records indicated that Abdelmaed was wanted by law enforcement officials in the United Arab Emirates.

"Mr. Abdelmaed remains in ICE custody while his immigration court proceedings on are ongoing," Schwab said in the statement.

Arring's Facebook post can be found at https://www.facebook.com/caleb.arring/posts/10155549373688152.
OAKLAND (BCN)

A four-time felon appeared in court today on a murder charge for the fatal shooting of a man in East Oakland in November.

Dandre Smith, 35, was scheduled to enter a plea on the charge for the shooting of 28-year-old Raymond Barker of Oakland in the 7700 block of MacArthur Boulevard at about 9:55 p.m. on Nov. 30 but he postponed doing so until he returns to court on March 2.

Barker died at a hospital a short time after he was shot.

Smith was arrested on Jan. 4 after witnesses identified him as the person who shot and killed Barker, Oakland police Officer Hector Jimenez wrote in a brief probable cause statement.

Charges were filed against him that same day.

In addition to murder, Smith is charged with two counts of being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm.

Prosecutors say Smith has three prior felony convictions in San Francisco and one prior conviction in Alameda County.

His convictions in San Francisco were for second-degree robbery in 2012, assault with a deadly weapon in 2011 and possession for sale of cocaine base in 2007.

Smith's conviction in Alameda County was for possession for sale of cocaine base in 2001.

272-6213
The Sonoma County Sheriff's office has identified the five suspects in Thursday's two home invasion robberies in the county.

Four suspects, Tyrone Mcrae, 25, of Jackson, Mississippi, Jonathan Jackson, 19, of Richmond Hill, New York, Mussie Himed, 27, of Santa Rosa and David Ealey, 23, of Richmond, Virgina have been arrested for murder, robbery, kidnapping, false imprisonment and conspiracy.

Three of the suspects were arrested in Vallejo and a fourth suspect was arrested at a Motel 6 in Santa Rosa around 5 p.m. Thursday.

The fifth suspect, Amber Hembree, 20, of Virginia, is still at large. She was last seen in Vallejo, is considered armed and dangerous and is a Crip gang member, the sheriff's office said.

Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to call (707) 565-2650.

The five suspects allegedly fled to Vallejo in a van after the home invasion robberies. The van was spotted near a Denny's restaurant in Vallejo and it crashed into another vehicle and a fire hydrant during a pursuit by Vallejo police and the California Highway Patrol, the sheriff's office said.

The first home invasion robbery happened around 4:20 a.m. in the 1900 block of Fulton Road. A man who lived in the residence was shot and he was taken to a hospital, the sheriff's office said.

The second robbery occurred around 6:45 a.m. in the 3600 block of Melcon Lane southwest of Santa Rosa. Jose Luis Torres, 54, was shot during that robbery and died at the scene, the sheriff's office said.

Both robberies appear to be marijuana-related, the sheriff's office said.
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)

Self-driving car rivals Waymo and Uber unexpectedly announced a settlement of Waymo's lawsuit alleging theft of trade secrets midway through a trial in federal court in San Francisco today.

The $245 million settlement brought an end to the civil jury trial in the court of U.S. Judge William Alsup, which began on Monday. At the request of both sides, Alsup dismissed the lawsuit Waymo LLC filed against Uber Technology Inc. one year ago.

The financial part of the settlement will give Waymo 0.34 percent of the equity of ride-hailing Uber, currently valued at $72 billion, thus giving Waymo $245 million.

Uber also agreed not to use confidential Waymo information in developing its hardware and software for driverless cars.

Waymo was founded by Google in 2009 to develop self-driving vehicles and is now a subsidiary of Mountain View-based Alphabet, Google's parent corporation. San Francisco-based Uber began developing a self-driving car in 2015.

Waymo claimed that Uber gained stolen trade secrets through a former Google engineer, Anthony Levandowski, who left Google in January 2016, founded a driverless truck company called Otto and then sold it to Uber for $680 million and joined Uber in August 2016.

Uber denied having trade secrets and said the alleged secrets, which concerned laser sensor technology for the cars, were not secrets to begin with.

In a statement today, Waymo said, "We have reached an agreement with Uber that we believe will protect Waymo's intellectual property now and into the future. We are committed to working with Uber to make sure that each company develops its own technology."

The company also said, "We look forward to bringing fully self-driving cars to the world."

Uber Chief Executive Officer Dara Khosrowshahi published an online letter expressing "regret for the actions that have caused me to write this letter" while maintaining that Uber believes it did not receive or use any trade secrets.

But Khosrowshahi acknowledged, "The prospect that a couple of Waymo employees may have inappropriately solicited others to join Otto, and that they may have potentially left with Google files in their possession, in retrospect, raised some hard questions."

Like Waymo, Uber said "self-driving technology is crucial to the future of transportation." Khosrowshahi said Uber "intends to play an important role" in that future.

During the four days of trial, witnesses called by Waymo attorneys told the civil jury about how the two tech giants began developing self-driving cars.

Former Uber Chief Executive Officer Travis Kalanick testified he believed in 2015 that his company lagged behind Google in the race to develop such cars and that the competition was "existential" for Uber. But he insisted he hired Levandowski because he was "incredibly visionary, a very good technologist" and not to steal trade secrets.

Uber fired Levandowski in May after he refused to cooperate in the company's internal investigation of the lawsuit allegations.

Kalanick resigned as the ride-booking company's CEO in June under pressure from investors following a series of controversies over the company's business practices, and was replaced by Khosrowshahi.

On Thursday, the jury heard testimony from technical experts supporting Waymo's claim that Levandowski downloaded 14,000 Google files to an external device before leaving the company.

The eight allegedly stolen trade secrets concerned technology for bouncing laser beams off surrounding objects to enable self-driving cars to gain a three-dimensional picture of their environment.

On Thursday afternoon, the jury began hearing evidence about details of the trade secrets. The courtroom was closed to the public during trade-secret testimony to protect confidential information.

Levandowski was slated to be called to the stand in public session on Monday, but was expected to invoke his Fifth Amendment right not to testify.
Tillerson sees tough talks with Turkey, others on Mideast trip

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson speaks during a news conference in Bogota, Colombia.

Reuters, Washington :

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson expects to have tough talks during a five-nation trip of the Middle East next week, including in Turkey, where he will urge leaders to rein in an offensive in northern Syria, U.S. officials said on Friday.

Briefing reporters on Tillerson's Feb. 11-16 trip to Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt and Kuwait, U.S. officials acknowledged there would be difficult conversations at each stop.

Jordanian leaders were upset when the United States recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and suspended some aid for the Palestinians.

Tillerson's trip to Cairo, where he will meet Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to emphasize joint security cooperation, takes place just as Egypt has launched a major military offensive against militants on the Sinai peninsula.

Egypt also faces a March 26-28 election in which Sisi has only a single, last-minute challenger who had previously said he supported the incumbent.

In Kuwait, Tillerson will attend an Iraq reconstruction conference at which Washington does not plan to contribute any money. Still, he hopes to make headway toward ending a dispute between Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Kuwait has sought to broker an end to the dispute triggered when the UAE, along with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt, cut off travel and trade ties with Qatar last June. They accused Qatar of supporting terrorism and their arch-rival Iran. Doha denies the charges and says the countries are trying to curtail its sovereignty.

Turkey, a U.S. ally, has launched a military air and ground operation into the Afrin region in northwest Syria targeting the Kurdish YPG militia despite U.S. objections.

The United States and Turkey are allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Yet they have diverging interests in the Syrian civil war, with Washington focused on defeating Islamic State and Ankara keen to prevent Syria's Kurds from gaining autonomy and fueling Kurdish insurgents on Turkish soil.

"We are urging them to show restraint in their operations in Afrin and to show restraint further along the line across the (border) in northern Syria," a U.S. State Department official told reporters in a conference call. "That's going to be a difficult conversation."

Speaking of U.S.-Turkish relations, he added: "Look it's difficult. The rhetoric is hot. The Turks are angry, and this is a difficult time to do business but it's our belief that there are still some very fundamental underlying shared interests."

The Turkish ambassador in Washington, Serdar Kilic, defended the Afrin operation, criticized the U.S. plea to the Turks to limit the scope of the operation and called on Washington to "cease their support" of the YPG.

"We are going to terminate that threat," Kilic told reporters in Washington.

On Jan. 21, Jordan's King Abdullah told U.S. Vice President Mike Pence that Washington must rebuild "trust and confidence" in a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians after President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Speaking of the trip generally, the State Department official said: "These are really tough issues and these are going to be tough conversations.

"These are some of our closest partners but they are also partners with whom we are facing some of the toughest issues that we have to face in the region, whether its terrorism, whether it's the future of U.S. assistance, whether it's the final defeat of ISIS (the Islamic State militant group)."

In Egypt, all opposition figures thought to pose a serious challenge to Sisi have pulled out of the race, accusing the government of underhanded tactics to ensure Sisi an easy win. Sisi has said all candidates have an equal opportunity and that the election will be free and transparent.

Another State Department official said Washington supported a "genuine and a credible electoral process".

"And we have noted our concerns about the reports that Egypt's prosecutor general has launched an investigation into opposition figures ahead of the March 26th through 28th elections. These types of issues will be discussed on this visit," the official said.




Israel jet crashes after 'Iranian targets' attacked in Syria

Israeli security forces walk next to the remains of an F-16 Israeli war plane near the Israeli village of Harduf, Israel on Saturday.

AFP, Jerusalem :

An Israeli F16 fighter jet crashed in Israel Saturday as the air force was carrying out attacks against "Iranian targets" in Syria after intercepting a drone, a spokesman said.

"IDF (Israel Defence Force) has targeted the Iranian control systems in Syria that sent the UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) into Israeli airspace. Massive Syrian anti-air fire, one F16 crashed in Israel, pilots safe," Israeli military spokesman Lieutenant Jonathan Conricus wrote on Twitter.

According to a separate military statement, Israeli forces had identified an "Iranian UAV" launched from Syria and intercepted it in Israeli airspace with a combat helicopter.

Police said the F16 crashed in the Jezreel valley in northern Israel.

"Iran is responsible for this severe violation of Israeli sovereignty," Conricus said on Twitter. Israel's raids came after it intercepted what it said was an Iranian drone entering its airspace from Syria.

It marked the first time Israel publicly acknowledged attacking what it identified as Iranian targets in Syria since the war began.

The Israeli military issued a warning to Tehran, saying it was responsible for the drone that entered Israel, which it labelled an "attack."

It said its reprisals after the exchange were "large-scale" raids.

"A few minutes ago, (Israeli aircraft)... targeted the Syrian Aerial Defence System and Iranian targets in Syria," a military statement said.

"Twelve targets, including three aerial defence batteries and four Iranian targets that are part of Iran's military establishment in Syria were attacked."

Israel has repeatedly warned in recent weeks against the presence of Iranian forces in neighbouring Syria.

The Israeli pilots of the crashed F16 were reported alive, although one was severely wounded.

According to the Israeli military, the confrontation began with a drone entering its airspace.

Israeli forces identified an "Iranian UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle)" launched from Syria and intercepted it in Israeli airspace with a combat helicopter, a statement said.

They then "targeted the Iranian control systems in Syria that sent the UAV into Israeli airspace," military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus tweeted.

"Massive Syrian anti-air fire, one F16 crashed in Israel, pilots safe."

Police said the F16 crashed in the Jezreel valley in northern Israel.

It was not clear if the jet crashed as a direct result of the Syrian fire.

According to a separate military statement, "multiple anti-aircraft missiles were fired at IAF (Israel Air Force) aircraft."

"The pilots of one of the aircraft abandoned as per procedure. The pilots landed in Israeli territory and were taken to the hospital for medical treatment."

 'Iran is responsible' -



Conricus said the army had confirmed "accurate hits of (the) Iranian UAV control facility" in Syria.

"Iran is responsible for this severe violation of Israeli sovereignty," Conricus said on Twitter.

Syria said its air defences repelled two Israeli raids on its military bases in the centre of the country, hitting more than one warplane during the first.

"At dawn, the Zionist enemy carried out a new aggression against one of our military bases in the centre of the country," state news agency SANA reported.

"Our air defences repelled it and hit more than one plane."

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor of the seven-year civil war, said the Israeli raids had targeted several military bases in the east of the central province of Homs.

It said the bases are used by both Iranian and Russian military personnel deployed in support of the regime.

Air raid sirens had gone off in Israel in the early hours of the morning following the UAV interception and raids.

The army said it was "monitoring events and is fully prepared for further action, depending on assessments and necessity."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has held a series of meetings in recent months with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Iran's influence in war-torn Syria and Lebanon.

Netanyahu has been seeking to persuade Russia to limit Iran's presence near Israeli territory and to stop it from entrenching itself militarily in Syria.




Farm machinery fair begins in city

Economic Reporter :

A three-day national farm machinery fair-2018 began here on Saturday for the first time with a view to making the agriculture machineries popular among the people.

The main theme of the fair is 'using of agriculture machineries will save money, labor and time.'

Local Government, Rural Development (LGRD) and Cooperatives Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain inaugurated the fair at Krishibid Institute Bangladesh (KIB) auditorium here this morning as the chief guest.

Earlier, at a seminar on the occasion, the LGRD minister said around 68 per cent people of the country is involved in agriculture sector and the sector is the backbone of any country's development.

Terming the fair as time-befitting, he said using of modern agriculture machineries and fertilizer is essential for sustainable food security.

He added "Our arable land is decreasing with a range between 0 .5 to 1 per cent annually. So, the agriculture sector will have to be mechanized with modern technology to fulfill the food and nutrition demand of the increasing people in the country."

After the First World War, the developed countries across the world had shifted their labour intensive agriculture to mechanization system which had reduced two-third of their production cost and increased their production almost double, he went on.

With Additional Secretary Mohammad Nazmul Hossain in the chair, the seminar was also addressed by Agriculture Minister Begum Matia Chowdhury as the special guest.

Director General of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) Mohammad Mohsin gave the welcome addresses while Professor Dr M Manjurul Alam of Bangladesh Agriculture University (BAU) presented the keynote paper on agriculture mechanization.

The LGRD minister, however, told the seminar that the country has already achieved the status of role model in food production under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and using of modern and developed agri technology can help to revitalize the rural economy.
Iran, a Major Victim of Terrorism

From the very beginning of the Revolution in 1979, Iran has suffered many terrorist attacks. One could even say Iran is somehow one of the major victims of terrorism in the world. If you take a look at the history of countries in the world, you'll notice that no other country has ever lost such a great number of officials in terrorist acts as Iran has. Interestingly, those who are claiming to be at war with terrorism provide those responsible for the death of civilians with office and the free rein to work in their countries. The contradiction sharpens and reaches to the point that one of these terrorist groups rented an office a block away the White House which is the so-called pioneer of war on terror! All these measures prove the fact that terrorism is divided into two forms of "good" and "bad" from the point of view of certain Western countries; since they describe those who are for them as "good terrorists" and those who are against them as "bad terrorists". That is why each year Iran faces different kinds of labels by the West as well as the usurper Zionist regime.

Below you will find brief accounts of the terrorist attacks carried out against the Iranian people over the last 38 years.

Attacks by Mujahedin-e-Khalq

The People's Mujahedin of Iran (also called Mujahedin-e-Khalq, MeK or MKO) is a terrorist organization regarded by the Iranian, the U.S. governments, and others as a terrorist organization. This group has publicly accepted the killing and assassination of 17000 innocent Iranians (including both ordinary people and government officials).

On 28 June 1981, bombs set by the MKO killed 70 high-ranking officials of the Islamic Republic Party, including Chief Justice Mohammad Beheshti who was the second highest official after Ayatollah Khomeini at the time. Two years after the Islamic Revolution of Iran, the MKO detonated bombs at the headquarters of the now-dissolved Islamic Republic Party. Two months later, the MKO detonated another bomb in the office of the president, killing President Rajai and Premier Mohammad Javad Bahonar. Their attacks did not succeed in overthrowing the Islamic Republic of Iran government.

There is also a deep-seated resentment toward the group in Iraq because of its criminal past. The MKO widely supported Saddam in his brutal crackdown on opponents.

In recent years, attacks carried out by the Mujahedin-e-Khalq include:

Asadollah Lajevardi assassination (1998)

Two members of Mujahedin-e-Khalq assassinated Asadollah Lajevardi, a prosecutor and director of Evin Prison, along with his brother and a bystander on 23 August 1998.

Assassination of Ali Sayad Shirazi (1999)

On April 10, 1999, 6:45 local time Brigadier-General Ali Sayad Shirazi, deputy chief of staff of the regular army of the Islamic Republic and a military adviser to the Supreme Leader of Iran, was assassinated outside his house as he left for work. The People's Mujahedin of Iran claimed responsibility for the assassination of Sayyad Shirazi.

Attacks by Taliban extremists:

Mashhad bombing (1994)

On June 20, 1994 explosion of a bomb in a prayer hall of Imam Reza shrine in Mashhadthat killed at least 25 people. The Pakistani daily The News International reported on March 27, 1995, "Pakistani investigators have identified a 24-year-old religious fanatic Abdul Shakoor residing in Lyari in Karachi, as an important Pakistani associate of Ramzi Yousef. Abdul Shakoor had intimate contacts with Ramzi Ahmed Yousef and was responsible for the June 20, 1994, massive bomb explosion at the shrine Imam Ali Reza in Mashhad".

Mazari Sharif killings (1998)

On August 8, 1998 the Taliban assisted by Al-Qaeda, attacked the Afghan city of Mazari Sharif killing 11 Iranian diplomats and journalists along with thousands of Afghan civilians, in what was considered an attack motivated by takfir against Shia.

The Taliban were also thought to have "secretly" backed anti-Iranian terrorist groups. The group received weapons and support from the Taliban .The group sought to overthrow what it called the "Shia Iranian government", despite the fact that Iran has always been home to both Shias and Sunnies and has always strived to foster amity and unity amongst all Muslims of different faiths.

Jundallah (since 2003)

Jundallah is a notorious terrorist organization in Balochistan. It is believed to have to have killed 800 Iranians. The group has been identified as a terrorist organization by Iran and Pakistan and many have confirmed it is linked to Al-Qaeda. It is also believed to receive support from the US government.

Zahedan bombing (2007)

A car filled with explosives stopped in front of a bus full of Revolutionary Guards in Ahmabad district, Zahedan, Sistan-Baluchestan Province at 6:30 a.m. on 14 February 2007. A few seconds later the bombs exploded, killing 18 Guards.

Jundallah claimed responsibility for the attack on 15 February .The Iranian government has arrested five suspects, two of whom were carrying camcorders and grenades when they were arrested, while the police killed the main "agent" of the attack.

Tehran attacks (2001)

MKO members fired five rockets at the general command of the Internal Security Forces in Tehran, killing and injuring several, on 7 January 2001. MKO members fired mortar shells at several government buildings, including the Supreme Court, in Tehran on 21 January 2001.

Ahvaz Bombings (2005)

The Ahvaz bombings were a series of bomb explosions that took place mostly in Ahvaz, Iran. The first bombing came ahead of the presidential election on 12 June.

Shiraz bombing (2008)

A terrorist bombing inside a mosque in Shiraz in April 2008 killed 14 people including 10 men, 2 women and 2 children. More than 200 were also injured.

Scientist assassinations (2010 -2012)

Four Iranian nuclear scientists-Masoud Alimohammadi, Majid Shahriari, Darioush Rezaeinejad and Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan-were assassinated between 2010 and 2012, and one further scientist wounded in an attempted assassination. Two of the killings were carried out using magnetic bombs attached to the targets' cars; Darioush Rezaeinejad was shot dead; and Masoud Alimohammadi was killed in a motorcycle bomb explosion. Israel was behind the killings. In 2011-12, the Iranian authorities arrested a number of Iranians it said had carried out the assassination campaign on behalf of Mossad, the Israeli intelligence service. Western intelligence services and U.S officials are said to have confirmed the Israeli connection. In June 2012, the Iranian government stated that it was confident it had arrested all the assassins.

Moshe Ya'alon, the Israeli defence minister, stated, "We will act in any way and are not willing to tolerate a nuclear-armed Iran."

According to private American intelligence firm Stratfor, a fifth Iranian scientist was poisoned by Mossad in 2007. In January 2015, the Iranian authorities thwarted a further attempt by Mossad to assassinate an Iranian nuclear scientist.
While many head to San Francisco to visit its top-notch restaurants and cocktail lounges, others who live in the city are eager to get out of town on weekends to enjoy nature.

The beauty of living in this area is that you don't have to travel to all the way to the mountains of Tahoe or Yosemite to "tree bathe" and get a little workout.

Here are nine hikes within an hour's drive of San Francisco that you'll often hear locals praising. Some of them are strenuous, so make sure you are up for the journey before you head out.

ALSO: Our Top Hiking Boots for Bay Area Trails

1.) The Dipsea Trail

The Dipsea Trail officially starts in Mill Valley and starts with a boatload of stairs through dense forests and neighborhoods. It then crosses Panoramic Highway to dip down near Muir Woods and skips through forests and grassy meadows to Stinson Beach. This 7.4-mile trail is awesome to hike year-round and one major added bonus is beer and food in downtown Stinson Beach. If you don't want to hike all the way back to Mill Valley, hop on a shuttle to get you most of the way back to your car.

2) Mt. Diablo

If you really want an intense workout, try your luck on a hike up Mt. Diablo in the East Bay, which is the highest peak in the Bay area at 3,848 feet. There are tons of different hikes to choose from, but most have elevation gains worthy of an athlete. Try Mitchell Canyon, a 7-mile hike with a 1,700-foot elevation gain, or stick to the Mitchell Canyon nature trail which stretches just 4-miles with 500 feet of gain.

ALSO: Top Backpacks for Day Hikes

3) Angel Island

Angel Island sure looks pretty sitting there across from San Francisco, but it's also a beautiful state park you can hike around on. So, catch a ferry and head on over to do a hike in this state park. There are a few hikes to choose from here, like the Perimeter Trail, which is a 5.5 mile loop around the island with stunning bay, bridge and city views. Or you can hike up Mt. Livermore, which has a gain of 800 feet but a spectacular view to reward you up top.

4) Mori Point

The windswept bluffs of Mori Point near Pacifica are on the southern-most reaches of the Golden Gate National Recreation area. This isn't so much a strenuous hike but a view destination, with wildflowers and the beautiful expanse of the Pacific Ocean. There are many trails to choose from, and it's a perfect place for dog lovers because you can bring your pooch to hike here.

5) Wildcat Canyon Regional Park

The Wildcat Canyon Regional Park is 2,427 acres and right up the hill from El Cerrito in the East Bay. There are 25 miles of trails to hike on here, most of them fire roads. Cross the border into Tilden Park to Inspiration Point for a stunning view of the East Bay and San Francisco beyond. Hikes in Wildcat Canyon are mostly through hilly grasslands, where you'll most likely see a wild animal or two, and herds of cattle.

6) The Marin Headlands

Plenty of hikes for all skills levels meander through the Marin Headlands, which is just a short hop from the Golden Gate bridge. Try parking at the Spencer Avenue exit off Highway 101 and hike up the hill into the headlands, then take the SCA trail for a view of the Golden Gate bridge. For a longer hike, you can go several miles to Rodeo Beach, then wander through the grassy hills until you're tired of looking at stunning ocean vistas.

7) Castle Rock State Park

This is a very popular park near San Jose, where people come to get a workout hiking or rock climbing. Some just come to soak up the nature and views. There are many hikes to choose from here, including the easy Castle Rock loop that goes for one mile, to the strenuous Gap to Gap loop, which marches 16.4 miles roundtrip from Saratoga Gap to Waterman Gap with 1,860 of elevation gain. There's something for everyone at Castle Rock.

8) Sunol Regional Wilderness

This wilderness area is located east of Fremont and south of Pleasanton, and is a beautiful park that spans 6,869 acres. It was home to the are'as first residents - Native Americans - and offers hiking and backpacking alike. There all levels of hiking trails here and the popular Little Yosemite Valley area, which is a creek lined with huge boulders. Trails in this wilderness area wind through woodlands, down canyons and over grassy hills.

9) Tennessee Valley to Muir Beach

This 9.7-mile out-and-back hike in Marin County is worth checking out. You'll have views of the rocky coastline on one side, and rolling green hills on the other. Start by parking at the Tennessee Valley trailhead, and follow the signs to the Coastal Trail. Once you reach Muir Beach, where you can stop for lunch at the Pelican Inn before starting your journey back to your car. This hike truly is a gem of the Bay area.
JERUSALEM  In its most serious engagement in neighboring Syria since fighting there began in 2011, Israel shot down an infiltrating Iranian drone Saturday and struck Iranian targets deep in Syria before one of its own jets was downed.

The sudden escalation offers what could be a harbinger of what lies ahead as the Syrian fighting winds down and an emboldened Iran establishes a military presence that Israel vows it will never accept.

Israel recently has issued several stern warnings about the increased Iranian involvement along its border in Syria and Lebanon. The Israeli Cabinet just held a meeting near the Syrian border to highlight the new threats, which it attributes to Irans growing confidence given the success of the government of Bashar Assad in the Syrian civil war thanks to their support.

Israel called the drone infiltration a severe and irregular violation of Israeli sovereignty and warned that Iran would be held accountable for its meddling, raising the specter of a larger confrontation in an area that has remained largely stable since a monthlong war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon in 2006.

This is a serious Iranian attack on Israeli territory. Iran is dragging the region into an adventure in which it doesnt know how it will end, Israels chief military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis, said in a statement. Whoever is responsible for this incident is the one who will pay the price.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and vowed to strike back hard. Iran seeks to use Syrian territory to attack Israel for its professed goal of destroying Israel, he said.

Israel fears Iran could use Syrian territory to stage attacks or create a land corridor from Iran to Lebanon that could allow it to transfer weapons more easily to Hezbollah  Lebanons Iranian-backed political party and militant group sworn to Israels destruction.

At dawn, Israel said it shot down an Iranian unmanned aircraft that penetrated its airspace and then destroyed the Iranian site in central Syria that it said launched it. Upon their return, Israels jets came under heavy Syrian antiaircraft fire and the pilots of one of the F-16s had to eject and the plane crashed in northern Israel. One pilot was seriously wounded and the other one lightly.

Israel would not confirm whether its aircraft was actually shot down by enemy fire, which would mark the first such instance for Israel since 1982 during the first Lebanon war.

In subsequent attacks, the Israeli military said it struck four additional Iranian positions and eight Syrian sites, causing significant damage.

Aron Heller and Sarah El Deeb are Associated Press writers.
MANILA  The Philippine president says he has no intention of going into war over territorial feuds but will order the navy to fire if other countries extract resources from waters within his countrys exclusive economic zone.

President Rodrigo Duterte told a news conference late Friday that the Philippines will continue talks with China over disputed South China Sea territories. He also stressed the Philippines sovereign rights over Benham Rise, a vast offshore area off his countrys northeast.

But just the same, we cannot fight America, just like China. Ill just keep quiet, Duterte said. But if you get something there from the economic zone, I will order the navy to fire.

Duterte was referring to the countrys 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone, a stretch of sea where coastal states have been granted exclusive rights to exploit natural resources under a 1982 U.N. treaty. Foreign ships could pass through those waters but could not fish or extract oil and gas from the under the seabed.

There were no immediate comments from U.S. or Chinese embassy officials.

Duterte recently ordered an end to all foreign scientific research missions in Benham, which his government has renamed Philippine Rise, and asked the navy and air force to patrol the waters. Some believe the waters could be harboring undersea gas and oil deposits aside from its rich fishing grounds.

Im putting notice to the world that the Philippine Rise, which we call Benham Rise, is ours ... and the economic zone is ours, Duterte said.

Benham Rise, which faces the Pacific Ocean, encompasses the Philippines exclusive economic zone and continental shelf further out in the ocean.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said Tuesday that all foreign scientific groups, including from China, Japan, South Korea and the United States, have concluded their research work in the waters and Duterte wanted future research missions to be done by Filipinos.

Critics have questioned why the Duterte administration allowed a group from China to undertake scientific research in the waters given Manilas long-simmering territorial conflict with Beijing in the South China Sea. China has also defied and refuses to comply with an international arbitration ruling that invalidated its claim in virtually all of the South China Sea on historical grounds.

Jim Gomez is an Associated Press writer.
BANGKOK  Several hundred government protesters rallied Saturday in the Thai capital, calling on the countrys military rulers to give up power and hold elections they promised soon after staging a coup in 2014.

The demonstration, held despite the governments efforts to intimidate the protesters with legal charges, was one of the largest in recent years and reflected demonstrators renewed confidence as the ruling juntas prestige has slipped due to corruption scandals and political sleight-of-hand.

Stop holding on to power. Stop delaying an election, read a sign held by one protester.

The protesters gathered near Bangkoks Democracy Monument, a traditional venue for political activity, but were kept across the street by more than 100 policemen who kept watch on their nonviolent demonstration.

The protesters dispersed after nightfall, declaring their rally a success, and saying they planned to hold more demonstrations.

More than three dozen pro-democracy activists face criminal charges for a protest held last month, but many apparently attended Saturdays rally.

It is very clear that regardless of the fear tactics and intimidation and baseless charges that the junta slapped on protesters, they remain defiant and relentless in expressing their rights and their freedom peacefully, said Sunai Pasuk, a researcher in Thailand for the New York-based group Human Right Watch. Their campaign is very clear that they are reminding the junta of their own promises to hold an election within the end of this year and returning Thailand to democracy.

Both Saturdays and last months protests were spearheaded by students whose dedication to nonviolent tactics and fearlessness in the face of threats of jail has made them a small but persistent thorn in the side of the junta for the past few years. However, their actions have so far failed to inspire a mass following, with many Thais willing to tolerate the juntas rule after years of disruptive and sometimes violent political struggle between supporters and opponents of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was toppled by an earlier coup in 2006.

The military came to power with a promise to undertake political reforms to stamp out corruption. However, it has repeatedly set back plans to hold elections and restore representative democracy.

Tassanee Vejpongsa and Grant Peck are Associated Press writers.
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Message from the Ambassador

On behalf of the government and the people of Iran, I would like to extend my heartfelt greetings to the government and the people of Bangladesh on the occasion of the 39th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran. Every year on the 11th February, the Iranian people gather around to commemorate the greatest achievement in the history of Iran; the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979 led by Imam Khomeini(R). The revolution had a huge impact on the social, cultural, and political atmosphere within Iran. It brought the sense of self-sufficiency, self-reliance, and sovereignty to the spirit of the Iranian people.

Many years later after the Revolution and even today, "a few bullying powers" repeatedly attempt to undermine the Islamic Republic's sovereignty through sanctions and threats. However, Iran managed to persevere through strong leadership and the determination of her people. Despite the efforts of hostile entities, the Islamic Republic of Iran signed an agreement with the P5+1 on the 16th January 2016 which was no ordinary feat. However, our enemies are still trying to spoil our achievements through their conspiracies, but Iran pushes forward with motivation.

Recently, some people in Iran held protests in some cities within Iran. Such occurrences are natural in any democratic country and are a sign that people have a right to protest. As a matter of fact, the Iranian Constitution reserves the right for the people to voice their concerns through peaceful protests. The price hikes and weaknesses in the economy are the issues we have to face together all as one. It is unfortunate to see that hostile foreign powers used this moment as an excuse to mislead the people and catalyze disorder. I am happy to say that the entire world has witnessed these unjust actions. We have foiled their nefarious scheme through the unity of the people and their sound judgment.

The Islamic Republic of Iran's foreign policy is very clear regarding other countries' affairs. Interference has no place in our policies, and likewise Iran will not allow anyone to interfere in its domestic affairs. We stand against all kinds of oppression, injustice, and discrimination. Our foreign policy dictates that we stand with the victims of oppressors. That is why the Iranian government rushed to the aid of the Rohingya refugees fleeing the inhuman torture and persecution in Myanmar. With the collaboration of the Bangladesh government, my country has built a number of clinics to provide the refugees with immediate medical relief. Our support firmly lies with the Bangladesh government's initiative to repatriate the refugees to their home country.

Iran and Bangladesh share manifold cultural and historical roots dating back many centuries. Iran established its diplomatic mission soon after Bangladesh's independence. Our bilateral relations are stronger than ever, because our governments share many common goals such as the eradication of terrorism. We can strengthen our ties even further in the realms of education, culture, and economy. Exchanging delegations comprised of high government officials and cultural icons is a start to expand our relations even further. There are many opportunities we may seize to increase business ventures that can mutually benefit both nations. I hope that this dream can be achieved in the near future when both nations share an even stronger bond with each other.



Dr. Abbas Vaezi

Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary

of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Ultra-high speed Wi-Fi developed for Seoul\-\-s subway trains

A mobile hotspot network will enable riders on fast-moving trains to stream HD videos without interruption while underground, thanks in part to a newly-developed mmWave wireless backhaul technology. The first commercial service using this technology will debut later this year.

Daejeon, KOREA, Feb 8, 2018  (ACN Newswire)  A mobile hot-spot network featuring an extremely fast 1.25 Gbps data transmission has been developed for public transportation systems by ETRI in South Korea. A pilot project featuring the new technology in Seoul\-\-s subway lines will begin later this year.

The network is able to provide ultra-fast internet service in high-speed trains by combining two technologies. First, the network transmits data using millimeter waves with a frequency over 20 GHz, which enable data transmission 100 times faster than existing WiBro backhaul networks. Backhaul networks work as intermediaries, linking receivers on the trains with the public Internet, via radio towers along the tracks. The second key part is a fast hand-over technology that seamlessly transfers data transmission from one base station to another; no delay or disconnection like those experienced when a video freezes or a cell phone call is dropped when transitioning between service towers.

\The mobile hot-spot network (MHN) technology can provide high-speed Wi-Fi services even in a fast running subway train, just like home Wi-Fi,\ said Hyun Kyu Chung, the president of ETRI\-\-s 5G Giga Service Research Laboratory. \Our technology will provide the world\-\-s first commercial service using millimeter waves as a moving wireless backhaul for subways.\

ETRI successfully demonstrated data service up to 500Mbps in 2016, and then up to 1.25Gbps in 2017. The technology may enable a maximum of 550 users to watch a video simultaneously through Wi-Fi in a running subway train. As high speed data communication such as virtual reality and augmented reality are required in the foreseeable future, this technology is likely to become a major need in public spaces. It is also likely that such technology will be recommended as an international standard for 5G networks (the fifth generation of telecommunication networks).

ETRI is currently collaborating with other institutes to develop an enhanced mobile hot-spot network (MHN-E) to provide service up to a whopping 10 Gbps. ETRI also plans to demonstrate various 5G services based on MHN-E on buses during the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018.

Please contact:

ETRI

Dr. Il-Gyu Kim

E: igkim@etri.re.kr

T: +82-42-860-5490

About ETRI  the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute

Established in 1976, ETRI is a non-profit Korean government-funded research organization that has been at the forefront of technological excellence for about 41 years. In the 1980s, ETRI developed TDX (Time Division Exchange) and 4M DRAM. In the 1990s, ETRI commercialized CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) for the first time in the world. In the 2000s, ETRI developed Terrestrial DMB, WiBro, and 4G LTE Advanced, which became the foundation of mobile communications. As a global ICT leader, ETRI has been advancing communication and convergence by developing SAN (Ship Area Network) technology, Genie Talk (world class portable automatic interpretation; Korean-English/Japanese/Chinese), and automated valet parking technology. As of 2017, ETRI has about 2,000 employees where about 1,800 of them are researchers. Please visit https://www.etri.re.kr/eng/main/main.etri.

Photo: https://www.acnnewswire.com/topimg/Low_ETRI180208.jpg

Conceptual Graphic of MHN technology: High speed Wi-Fi internet service can be provided via the MHN radio network. MHN-Gateway (mGW) is connected with several MHN-Digital Unit (mDU) and works as a gateway between MHN radio network and the public internet. Each mDU communicates with multiple MHN Radio Unit (mRU) by a radio over fiber technology and takes charge of the baseband digital signal processing. mmWave is used for the wireless backhaul communication between mRU and MHN Terminal Equipment (mTE). mTE distributes several Gbps data to Wi-Fi access points in the train. (Copyright: ETRI)

Topic: Press release summary

Sectors: Electronics, Science & Research, Mobility/Wireless, Engineering, Digital

http://www.acnnewswire.com

From the Asia Corporate News Network

Copyright ? 2018 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. A division of Asia Corporate News Network.
A Google Maps image showing the area where a woman was pulled from Winyah Bay the morning of Feb. 8. Martin Street in Maryville is to the north and Oak Bay Drive is to the west.
Russia's Progress 69 resupply rocket is pictured in its processing facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Update for Feb. 11: The launch of the Soyuz 2.1a rocket carrying the Progress 69 cargo ship was aborted at the last minute early today due to an unspecified issue. The next launch attempt could take place on Tuesday (Feb. 13).

A Russian Soyuz rocket will launch a cargo shipment to the International Space Station (ISS) in record time early Sunday morning (Feb. 11), and you can watch the event live online.

Topped with the Russian Progress 69 cargo resupply ship, the Soyuz will lift off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 3:58 a.m. EST (0858 GMT). The Progress spacecraft will then dock at the International Space Station at 7:24 a.m. EST (1224 GMT), completing the rendezvous in a record time of 3 hours and 26 minutes.

A live webcast of the launch will begin at 3:30 a.m. EST (0830 GMT), and you can watch it here on Space.com, courtesy of NASA TV. A live webcast of the spacecraft's docking will follow at 6:30 a.m. EST (1130 GMT).

Russia's space agency, Roscosmos, planned to debut this new fast-track route to the ISS with its last cargo launch of the Progress 68 spacecraft, in October. But a last-minute delay forced the agency to resort to the old two-day rendezvous due to the orbital mechanics involved with reaching the ISS. Postponing that launch meant that Roscosmos missed the launch window to try out the new, shorter rendezvous, NASA officials said.

"If any technical issues are identified by Russian flight controllers in the early stage of the flight, the spacecraft will be capable of defaulting to a standard, two-day rendezvous profile," NASA officials said in a statement.

The Progress 68 cargo craft (top left) is currently docked at the International Space Station. It arrived on Oct. 16, 2017, and is scheduled to depart in March. (Image credit: NASA)

Progress cargo ships look a lot like Russia's crewed Soyuz capsules, and Roscosmos has been using the uncrewed spacecraft to send cargo to the ISS since 2000. In 2013, the agency cut the two-day travel time to just 6 hours for both Progress and Soyuz capsules, making the cramped crewed flights to the ISS a little more bearable for the astronauts and cosmonauts on board.

This uncrewed cargo mission will deliver 3 tons of food, fuel and other supplies to the Expedition 54 crew, NASA officials said. The record-breaking flight comes just one week after the two Russian crewmembers at the ISS, Alexander Misurkin and Anton Shkaplerov, set a record for the longest Russian spacewalk.

Email Hanneke Weitering at hweitering@space.com, or follow her @hannekescience. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.




Finally, the light-hearted tone that was promised at the start of the season has returned to Greys. Not that I didnt love the serious episodes which I thought were very important, but I did miss the jokes, friendships and competitive doctors.



The main focus of the episode was the Grey Sloan Surgical Innovation Contest. Obviously, all the doctors turned on their competitive mode and rushed to find something which would change the medical world. The rules of the contest as stated by hungover April (who was hilarious by the way) are: anyone competing must submit a written proposal within three days, twenty-five proposals will be selected and given money. From those twenty-five projects, a further five will be selected and given a million dollars to carry on until one final project is chosen and given five million dollars in funding.



So, straight away the doctors get to work. Jackson is obviously very excited and has already started his project; spray on skin. As cool as that sounds (also maybe a little bit creepy in my opinion), Catherine Avery has different plans. She introduces Jackson to Dr. Michelle Velez who wants to reinvent vaginoplasty surgery. At first Jackson is hesitant and believes that an already successful surgery doesnt need to be reinvented. However, as torn as Jackson is between his project and Dr Velezs, he chooses Dr Velezs proposal.

Webber also enters the contest and is inspired by Maggie after she accompanied him to ballroom-dance lessons so that he could surprise Catherine on her birthday. Maggie becomes slightly overwhelmed because of the approaching first anniversary of her mothers death who died of cancer. We get to learn a bit more about Webber when he mentions how difficult the first anniversary of his mothers death was or the anniversary of his sobriety. Maggie tells Richard that she doesnt have the magic wand anymore which would make her feel okay again after a single wave when she wanted to forget something bad. I loved this Maggie and Richard interaction because weve not seen much of it lately and their moments together are always very sweet and funny. So, later when Webber showed Maggie his prototype of the Path Pen which is a tool that can distinguish between healthy tissue and cancer invested tissue through touch, and she compares it to a magic wand I couldnt help but tear up a little.

Out of all the doctors, Meredith is the one feeling the most pressure to deliver something amazing after her Harper Avery win. She discovers that her splenectomy patient from the cyberattack has returned with a larger number of tiny spleens (yes, you read that right), and Jo is struck with inspiration and the proposal is born. I really love the friendship that has developed between Jo and Meredith after the Paul storyline however this might be short-lived. Before the two find out that they made it into the top 25, Meredith realises that the entire project hinges on a polymer which is patented and extremely hard to get. The look on Merediths face most definitely says that she does not have this patent.



Sadly, not every Grey Sloan doctor who submitted a proposal made it into the top 25. During the episode Alex and Amelia joined forces to treat a young girl named Kimmy who has the voice of an angel and sadly a huge brain tumour. Her only dream is to be healed by Alex and Amelia so that she can audition for a musical. However, when they get into the OR they realise that the tumour is far too close to Kimmys speech centre to be removed safely without damaging it and Kimmy losing her ability to speak. Therefore, Amelia and Alex recommend chemo and radiation meaning that the audition is out of question. When told about this Kimmy looks sad for less than a second before finding a sliver lining; after being through so much I cant believe how strong this 12-year-old girl is. Being inspired by Kimmys amazing voice, Amelia and Alex come up with the idea of having a special frequency that would shatter the tumour just like glass. Sounds crazy but possible, but then again, Im not a doctor. Without funding this is going to be very difficult to achieve and Im excited to see how Amelia and Alex will deal with the blow.



Other notes



The episode began by showing April after another hook up with the Intern. The self-destructive behaviour is becoming very apparent, this is no longer the April we knew and grew to love. Im excited to see more of Dark April because I know that Sarah Drew will do a fantastic job but to say that I am also worried about her is an understatement.



Im glad Arizonas prosthetic leg was shown at the beginning of the episode, it seemed as though the show was sort of forgetting about it.



I hated seeing Arizona so upset over Karens death, but it led to a brilliant idea to save mothers all over the US and even world, so it was worth it. Im excited to see Carina and Arizona work on the project together however Im still not quite convinced with their developing relationship. Maybe its because of Calzona but itll probably grow on me sooner rather than later since Arizona seems very happy with Carina.

Im a little upset about the fact that Arizona and Aprils friendship has essentially disappeared, and that Arizona didnt listen to April when she was upset. That interaction will definitely push April more towards her dark side even though later Arizona did say (more than once) that it wasnt her or Aprils fault that Karen died.



I didnt enjoy seeing Bailey out of the hospital but her enlisting the help of Glasses and him thinking she was wanting to do something inappropriate with him was hilarious.



I loved seeing Maggie on a date with someone who doesnt work in a hospital but the interaction between Maggie and Jackson when they talked about her date, Clive, tells me that they still have feelings for each other and that something may happen. Lets hope Im wrong.



Im still not enjoying this whole Sam and DeLuca storyline at all. It just hasnt been very interesting so far.



I loved the intern who said I love you too after Jackson walked away from her and Im hoping to see more of her.



Let me know what you thought of the episode in the comments below!




President Donald Trumps $1.5 trillion infrastructure plan could leave Connecticut with significantly less federal money to upgrade its overly congested highways and aging bridges and railways.

The plan Trump outlined during his State of the Union speech seeks to reduce the level of federal funding and push states into striking private/public partnerships with developers interested in making a profit.

"We are in danger of becoming the first generation to leave a lesser America for our children in terms of roads, bridges, airports and ports, said U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.

"The president has offered gimmicks and magical thinking about how to raise the revenue," Blumenthal said. "Its very troubling."

The federal share of highway work and other projects would drop to 20 percent from 80 percent, leaving states to make up the difference and reversing a cost sharing ratio that has been used for decades.

U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D- Conn, called Trumps plan a fantasy that will leave states with far less federal transportation money.

"There is not enough private financing to make up for the massive cutback in federal funding the president is proposing," Murphy said. "The only way the plan works is sell every inch of our road and rail system to Wall Street. And thats not possible."

The Trump plan comes as Connecticut grapples with how to fund a projected $100 billion in infrastructure rebuilding over the next 30 years, while also closing budget deficits that in recent years have reached billions of dollars.

The need to improve the states highways and rebuild other infrastructure is well documented: the average driver in Fairfield and New Haven Counties spends 40 hours a year stuck in traffic, mostly on I-95, according to state calculations.

Over 57 percent of the states roads are rated in poor condition, 78 percent of its rail bridges are rated below good condition and 22 percent of commuter rail bridges are in poor condition.

The state annually loses $2.6 billion in operating costs, fuel and accidents due to deficient roads and bridges and $1.6 billion in time and fuel wasted due to congestion, state records show.

Disastrous for Connecticut

Blumenthal said Trumps proposal is a radical reversal of the traditional federal role in funding big infrastructure projects, and even seeks to privatize federal park systems. He said Trump also wants to relax environmental reviews, public protections and speed up permitting processes.

"This would be disastrous for Connecticut," Blumenthal said. "Connecticut does not have the resources at this point. It would be a catastrophic reversal for all states."

The goal of Trumps plan is to push states into public/private partnerships with investors and developers to jointly build roads, bridges and railways, along with managing public facilities such as park systems.

More Information Connecticut infrastructure needs: $100 billion over 30 years Including: $36 billion for bridge repairs $22 billion for rail improvements $1.5 billion for airport improvements $732 million for maritime improvements $2.8 billion for bus improvements Source: Connecticut Department of Transportation Quick facts about Connecticut's infrastructure: 338, or 8 percent, of the state's 4,214 bridges are structurally deficient $3.6 billion in drinking water infrastructure improvements needed over the next 20 years 57 percent of 1,512 miles of public roads are in poor condition Motorists pay $864 in costs per year due to roads in need of repair $4.6 billion worth of wastewater infrastructure improvements needed over the next 20 years $87 million in unmet improvements at the parks system Connecticut roads, including the interstate system, accommodated 24 billion vehicle miles of travel in 2016 See More Collapse

Private investors would likely receive federal tax credits as part of the federal share of the project. In return, investors would obtain ownership or responsibility for a project and make a profit on the venture.

But all of that depends in part on a states ability to contribute large amounts of money and attract private partners through bidding, which could be a problem for Connecticut.

Malloy recently canceled $4.3 billion worth of transportation projects, and proposed raising Metro-North fares by 10 percent, because the state had run out of transportation money. Last week, the governor threw his support behind electronic highway tolls, which officials estimate will raise up to $800 million a year, enough to restore the postponed projects. He also proposed a seven cent increase in the state gas tax and a $3 tax on tires.

Don Shubert, president of the Connecticut Construction Industry Association, said transportation funding is changing and states need to "get ready" for private/public partnerships.

"States that are able to respond quickly with matching dollars will benefit," Shubert said of Trumps plan.

"Connecticut is far away from that in terms of having matching dollars, Shubert said. We dont have the cash to do a bond sale right now without raising fares or cutting capital projects. We are far away from taking advantage of this type of program."

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said the Trump plan does not work for Connecticut.

"He wants to dedicate $200 billion and that will spur additional money from the private sector," Malloy said. "But if you figure Connecticuts share is two percent of the money that might come, and you have Congress appropriate $200 billion, its not what we need. We need a lot more."

Blumenthal and Murphy said Trumps plan would also pave the way for increased tolling and predicted private investors would jack up fees to make a profit.

Many needs

Malloy noted highways in Fairfield and New Haven Counties are parking lots during rush hour. The governor said the congestion and hassle is driving away jobs and economic development.

"We have one highway [I-95] thats a parking lot and one, the Merritt Parkway, thats a museum," Malloy said.

"Look at Fairfield County," Malloy continued. "That road system does not work, and it does not work for the state. We are not getting our share of job growth that comes from New York City."

A recent report by CDM Smith, a consultant hired by the state to study transportation needs, painted a dismal picture of Connecticuts transportation system.

"A lack of investment has resulted in significant traffic congestion on the highways and delays and travel disruptions across the states rail system, creating daily bottlenecks on Connecticuts most traveled corridors, leading to increased air emissions and costing the states citizens and businesses a massive amount of wasted time, money and aggravation," CDM Smith said.

"The problems associated with under investing in transportation have reached a dimension that is now affecting the well-being of the states economy," the consultant concluded.

State Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff said hes skeptical of private/public partnerships and Trumps proposal in general.

"Sounds like voodoo economics to me," Duff said, adding the state tried public/private partnerships in the 1990s and it didnt work out well.

"Projects cost twice as much," Duff said. "Its not the way I want to go."

A new way

Joe McGee, vice president for public policy and programs for the Fairfield County Business Council, said Trumps plan at least begins a discussion about private/public partnerships.

"Trump has an idea and it needs to be explored," McGee said. "Its the beginning of a conversation. Investment in rail and roads is critical and it can have a tremendous impact on economic development. But we need a new revenue source to do this."

McGee said a possible federal, state and private investment partnership is a long desired express Metro-North line capable of moving passengers to Manhattan in a half hour.

"The issue is  do we have the skill set at state government to craft a deal?" McGee said. "The expertise and the risk goes to the investor. We are moving toward a new investment program in transportation."

Critics point out that roads and rail service are heavily subsidized by taxpayers for a reason: they dont cover operating and maintenance costs.

Judd Everhart, a spokesman for the state Department of Transportation, said fares paid to ride Metro-Norths New Haven line cover only 69 percent of the cost of operating and maintaining the railroad - and thats one of the best ratios in the country.

"On Shore Line East, fares cover about 7 percent of the operational and maintenance costs," Everhart said. "As for buses, fares cover about 20 percent of the cost. This is known as the "fare box recovery ratio."

State Sen. Toni Boucher, R-Wilton and co-chairwoman of the transportation committee, said private/public partnerships must be carefully evaluated, and pointed out that not all deals benefit the public.

"There are things government should be responsible for and take care of," Boucher said. "They should take care of fragile populations, transportation and education."

Boucher cited the example of Indiana, which recently hired a private company to manage and build a toll road. Tolls soon exceeded $40 a trip, she said.

"Im not against private/public partnerships but we need more research," Boucher said. "The bottom line is its appropriate for the public to subsidize transportation."
FAIRFIELD  One suspect is in custody and another is still at large following a theft from a local retail store, police said.

Police responded to reports of two individuals attempting to shoplift from the Kohls Department Store at 290 Tunxis Hill Road around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.
A trio of moped thugs who snatched phone from unsuspecting victims across London have been locked up.

Jack Burt, 22, Jack Marsh, 21, and a 17-year-old boy targeted at least six victims as they sped through Westminster, Hackney and the City of London.

Their hour-long rampage took place from 2am on January 2, Scotland Yard said.

The gang fled from detectives investigating reports of moped robberies.

They were eventually caught in Kings Cross and arrested.

All three pleaded guilty to six counts of theft.

Burt, of Britannia Row, Islington and Marsh, of Canalside Square, Islington, were each jailed for two years and four months at Southwark Crown Court on Friday.

The 17-year-old was sentenced to six months at a young offenders institute at Chelmsford Youth Court on the same day.
A convicted killer who ran a woman over after she tried to stop him stealing her handbag has gone on the run after being released from prison on licence.

Mark Woolley was jailed for life in 2001 for the killing of costume designer Elizabeth Sherlock.

The 52-year-old has not been seen since a probation meeting on January 31, Scotland Yard said.

The public have been warned not to approach him if seen.

The former heroin addict - who was convicted at the Old Bailey of killing Mrs Sherlock after she chased his then girlfriend Jackie Moorehouse, who had pinched her bag - was released from HMP Ranby in Nottinghamshire in November.

Mark Woolley is on the run after being released from prison / PA

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "He was last seen on January 31 at a probation meeting in Hackney and breached his conditions on February 1.

"Woolley is described as a white man, 5ft 4ins in height, of slim build with greying hair.

"He has various tattoos and scars on his forehead, jaw and left ear."

Mrs Sherlock chased Moorehouse after her bag - containing just 20 in cash, a mobile phone and bank cards - was snatched as she waited with her husband at Euston station on Easter Sunday to catch a train to Wigan for her father's birthday.

During the trial, the court heard Moorehouse got into Woolley's car outside Euston station as Mrs Sherlock pursued her, shouting "stop that thief - she's got my bag".

Mrs Sherlock jumped on the car and - as it sped off - hung on to the wiper blades, pleading for her life. But the car did not stop.

The designer was thrown into the air in front of the car and tumbled like a rag doll as the car went over her. Woolley smiled as they sped off.

Mrs Sherlock died in hospital from multiple injuries.

Both Woolley and Moorehouse, from north London, denied murder.

Moorehouse, then 24, was cleared of the murder and manslaughter of Mrs Sherlock but jailed for three years after she admitted snatching the 42-year-old designer's bag.

Jailing Woolley, the then Recorder of London, Judge Michael Hyam, said he had killed the successful, much loved and courageous woman while "eking out a worthless existence by thieving to raise money to buy your next heroin fix".

The judge told the murderer: "It was a wicked act done without pity and without remorse.

"You were seen to smile. Everyone who saw what you did was sickened by it and everyone who has heard or read of it must be appalled by your lack of human feeling for a woman who had every right to stop you from getting away with her property."
Over 51 lakh get overseas employment in nine years



With fresh 81,846 people finding jobs in January 2018, a total of 51,98,914 male and female Bangladeshi workers have been able to fetch overseas employment from 2009 to 2017, according to an official of the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment.

The official said the government has taken a realistic plan to exploit the potentials of a booming overseas Bangladesh manpower market, which has been declared as a thrust sector.

He said Bangladesh sent 24,51,093 workers with overseas jobs from January 2009 to December 2013. The dispatch of overseas Bangladeshi workers witnessed a phenomenal growth with the figure reaching 27,47,821 from January 2014 to December 2017, the official added.

Earlier, Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Nurul Islam BSc said that the government is expecting overseas employment for 11 lakh more job seekers this year as against 10 lakh in the last year.

He said the present government has sent workers to 165 countries as a result of its successful labour diplomacy under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

"Efforts are underway to explore new labour markets all over the globe and the government has set up technical training centres at district headquarters to produce skilled and semi-skilled workers," Islam said.

Talking to BSS, Director General of Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET) Selim Reza said some 98,075 workers went abroad with employment till February 7 this year.


A n education minister has pledged to provide Government backing to schools looking to ban hijabs and religious fasting.

Lord Agnew of Oulter accused parents and religious leaders of attempting to intimidate and bully schools into allowing behaviour they are unhappy with.

Writing in the Times on Saturday, he vowed to help head teachers with the process of making sensitive decisions.

He said: They are completely within their right to make decisions on how to run their schools in the best interests of their pupils  in line with the law and in discussion with parents, of course  and we back their right to do so.

"What example do we set to the next generation if we fail to show tolerance and respect in how we engage in these debates? Particularly when these are values we are promoting in our classrooms.

Last month Lord Agnew vowed to back head of St Stephens school in east London in an attempt to ban girls under eight from wearing hijabs.

The proposals faced criticism from parents and religious leaders.
T ory MP Anna Soubry has defended claims that Theresa May should sling out staunch Leave campaigners from the party in a bid to keep a close relationship with the EU.

The MP for Broxtowe criticised in-fighting within the party and branded Brexit negotiations the Governments most import decision since the second world war.

During an interview with BBC Radio 4s the Week in Westminster on Saturday she said: Lets be very honest about this, mainly this is a group of people who will always put their own ideology first and foremost  bigger than any leader, bigger than any party  and they are determined they are going to get their own way.

She added: Perhaps for the first time ever in the Conservative party people are equally determined that they are not going to get their own way. I am prepared to compromise  they are not  and we are fed up.

Theresa May has faced Tory in-fighting / EPA

The comments came after the former Business Minister said Theresa May would face the same fate as David Cameron if she did not stand up to arch-Brexiteers.

Speaking on BBCs Newsnight earlier this week, she said: If it comes to it, I am not going to stay in a party which has been taken over by the likes of Jacob Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson. They are not proper Conservatives.

She added: Unless Theresa stands up and sees off these people she is in real danger of losing huge swathes of not just the parliamentary party but the Conservative party.

Thousands of anti-Brexit activists march to Parliament in protest 1 /12 Thousands of anti-Brexit activists march to Parliament in protest Demonstrators head towards Parliament Square. REUTERS Signs include 'I love EU' REUTERS The pro-EU march began in Hyde Park Corner. Si Carrington 'NHS? Brexit Wrexit' Oliver Day The march took protesters through the streets of London. Oliver Day One protester brought along a papier mache Queen, in reference to the blue and yellow hat she wore at the State Opening of Parliament. Peter Bailey 'Exit Brexit' Jonathan Hawley The September sun shone as activists marched through the streets. Martin Tod Roads were blocked during the protest. Maggie Jones The campaigners set off shortly after 11am from Hyde Park Corner. Maggie Jones The rally saw the activists march through the streets of central London. Johann Ketel EU colours of blue and yellow were seen throughout the march. Judi Conner

They are not the Tory party I joined 40 years ago and it is about time Theresa stood up to them and slung em out. They have taken down Major, they took down Cameron, two great leaders neither of whom stood up to them, she said.

Ms Soubry said she had received death threats from members of the public and had been branded a "traitor" over the remarks.

She also called for the Prime Minister to formulate a plan for Britain to quit the bloc amid fears of the partys direction of travel over Brexit.

She told the Guardian: I think there is real concern now about the direction of travel when it comes to Brexit.
T he Government is reviewing its relationship with Oxfam in the wake of sexual allegations against some of the charity's staff.

The Department for International Development (DfID) took the decision after the charity denied claims it had covered up the use of prostitutes by aid workers in Haiti.

The charity said it had publicly announced an investigation into the allegations when they surfaced in 2011.

A DfID spokesman said: "We often work with organisations in chaotic and difficult circumstances.

"If wrongdoing, abuse, fraud, or criminal activity occur we need to know about it immediately, in full.

"The way this appalling abuse of vulnerable people was dealt with raises serious questions that Oxfam must answer.

"We acknowledge that hundreds of Oxfam staff have done no wrong and work tirelessly for the people they serve, but the handling by the senior team about this investigation and their openness with us and the charity commission showed a lack of judgement.

"We have a zero tolerance policy for the type of activity that took place in this instance, and we expect our partners to as well.

"The Secretary of State is reviewing our current work with Oxfam and has requested a meeting with the senior team at the earliest opportunity."

Meanwhile, the former International Development Secretary Priti Patel called for prosecutions over the allegations.

She told the Daily Telegraph: "There should be prosecutions and appropriate action against everyone complicit in this.

"I think taxpayers will be appalled aid money may have been used in such an awful way."

A Downing Street spokesman said: "The reports of what is unacceptable behaviour by senior aid workers in Haiti are truly shocking.

"Charities should have robust systems in place to ensure the highest standards of transparency and safeguarding procedures to protect vulnerable people - and ultimately must maintain public trust.

"We want to see Oxfam provide all the evidence they hold of the events to the Charity Commission for full and urgent investigation of these very serious allegations."

Oxfam denied reports that it had provided positive references to any of those dismissed following a 2011 investigation into misconduct.

It said in a statement: "With up to 10,000 NGOs working in Haiti alone in 2011, not to mention hundreds of thousands of aid workers in countries around the world, it was unfortunately not possible for Oxfam to ensure that those found guilty of sexual misconduct were not re-employed in the sector.

"Oxfam has not and would not provide a positive reference for any of those that were dismissed or resigned as a result of the case. Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do to stop individuals falsifying references, getting others that were dismissed to act as referees and claiming it was a reference from Oxfam, or former or current Oxfam staff that worked with the individual providing a reference in a personal capacity.
M cDonald's fans were furious after the fast food outlet was hit by a "national shortage" of its new Grand Big Mac.

The new 741 calorie burger - launched to celebrate 50 years of the Big Mac - saw fast food lovers rushing to their nearest outlet after its release on February 7.

But Brits were left empty-handed as restaurants throughout the country ran out of the mammoth sandwich.

The fast food chain told the Standard the burgers will be back in stores on Saturday.

One restaurant in Middlesbrough put up a sign saying there was a shortage of the burger, according to the GazetteLive.

It said: "Unfortunately we cannot sell any Grand Big Macs due to a national shortage.

We hope to rectify this within 24 hours.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused.

People on social media shared their upset over the lack of Grand Macs available.

Shortfalls were reported across the UK between Wednesday and Friday, at locations from London to Newport, Northampton, West Sussex and South Somerset.

One person on Twitter wrote: "Congratulations to @McDonalds for launching a product and not making enough to meet demand. Weston Favell McD's sold out of Grand Big Macs."

Many voiced their frustration after visiting multiple McDonald's in their quest to find the burger on Friday night.

Vicki King said: "Just driven round four restaurants to get a Grand Big Mac and they are all sold out?"

And Scott Mabbutt wrote: "Really need to re-evaluate my relationship with food when I travel to three different McDonald's to find a Grand Big Mac."

The highly sought-after burger was launched as a limited edition alongside the Big Mac Jnr, which contains 400 calories.

A McDonalds spokesman said: Due to the overwhelming popularity of our new Grand Big Mac some of our restaurants experienced higher than expected demand resulting in the burgers being sold out for a short period of time.

Customers should be able to get their hands on the Grand Big Mac at restaurants across the country from tomorrow if not before.
M cDonald's has restocked the new Grand Big Mac following a "national shortage" of the huge burger.

But, some fans appeared to remain unable to get their hands on the new 741 calorie treat.

McDonald's launched the Grand Big Mac to celebrate 50 years of the Big Mac.

Fast food lovers rushed to their nearest outlet after its release on February 7 but ravenous Brits were left dismayed when restaurants across the country ran out of the huge sandwich.

/ McDonald's

McDonalds announced on Friday evening that it was working on rectifying the issue and on Saturday morning said that the big burgers were back in stock.

Some happy customers took to Twitter to post about getting their hands on the calorific burger.

One person wrote: Sorry guys, no shortage on mine. I had grand grand Big Mac as double stacked the 2 f******.

But others were still reporting shortages.

Abbey Lawson wrote: @McDonalds wanted a Grand big Mac whilst available and ended up with a regular one but charged for a Grand!!

Another person said she was left "fuming" when she was informed by her local restaurant that it did not have any burgers left.

The highly sought-after burger was launched as a limited edition alongside the Big Mac Jnr, which contains 400 calories.

A spokesman for the company said: Due to the overwhelming popularity of our new Grand Big Mac some of our restaurants experienced higher than expected demand resulting in the burgers being sold out for a short period of time.
D onald Trump appeared to defend former White House aides accused of domestic abuse claiming lives are being shattered by a mere allegation".

The controversial assertions followed the recent resignation of two senior members of Mr Trumps team who were accused of domestic abuse within four days of each other.

Mr Trump tweeted on Saturday: "People's lives are being shattered and destroyed by a mere allegation. Some are true and some are false. Some are old and some are new.

"There is no recovery for someone falsely accused - life and career are gone. Is there no such thing any longer as Due Process?"

The Presidents speech writer David Sorense resigned on Saturday after his wife Jessica Corbett told the Washington Post that he repeatedly attacked her during their two year marriage.

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

His resignation came three days after Robert Porter, the White House staff secretary, stepped down amid allegations of physical and emotional abuse from two of his previous wives.
S cientists claim to have spotted SpaceXs Falcon Heavy blasting through space using a virtual telescope.

Elon Musks cherry red Tesla roadster was spotted by researchers from the Virtual Telescope Project after a successful lift-off on Tuesday.

Italian astronomers teamed up with the Tenagra Observatory in Arizona in a bid to trace the worlds most powerful rocket.

Amazing images appear to show the millionaire PayPal founders car as a bright white dot speeding across the solar system.

The skywatchers hunted down the roadster, manned by a spacesuit-wearing mannequin dubbed Starman, using data generated at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

According to the Virtual Telescope Project, Falcon Heavy will travel between 91.3 million and 161.5 million miles past the sun during its current orbit.

The Tesla roadster spotted in space / Gianluca Masi/ Virtual Telescope Project/ Michael Schwartz/ Tenagra Observatories Ltd

Gianluca Masi, from the project, wrote in a blog post: We immediately spotted the Tesla Roadster, quite bright, around mag. 15.5 and moving image after image across the stars.

At the time of our observations, the car was at about 470.000 km from us.

Falcon Heavy blasts off into space / AP

We managed to take dozens of images, and we used a group of them to show the trail of the object across the stars.

The rocket made history as it blasted off from the Kennedy Space Centre in front of cheering crowds.

SpaceX Falcon launch - In pictures 1 /14 SpaceX Falcon launch - In pictures SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket lifts off from pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral AP SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket climbs towards space Reuters Incredible footage shows the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket passing Earth AP SpaceX's CEO Elon Musk Getty Images SpaceX's gigantic Falcon Heavy rocket successfully blasted off from its launch pad SpaceX SpaceX livestream video shows "Starman" sitting in SpaceX CEO Elon Musk's cherry red Tesla roadster after the Falcon Heavy rocket delivered it into orbit around the Earth Incredible footage shows the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket in orbit AFP/Getty Images Printed on the circuit board of a car in deep space Incredible footage shows the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket in orbit AP SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket lifts off from pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral AP The crowd cheers at Playalinda Beach in the Canaveral National Seashore, just north of the Kennedy Space Center, during the successful launch of the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket AP Visitors have staked out spots near to the fishing pier at Jetty Park to watch the rocket launch Reuters SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket lifts at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral AP A red Tesla Roadster is seen during preparations to use it as a mock payload for the launch of a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket in Cape Canaveral, Florida REUTERS

It was fitted with a camera that allowed earthlings to watch a live stream of its journey through space.

Amazing footage showed the Tesla pass Earth during its mission that was branded silly and fun by Mr Musk.

Despite the rocket missing its Mars orbit and shooting off towards an asteroid field, the SpaceX founder urged other rocket companies to join him in a new space race as he boasted of his latest mission using the biggest and most powerful rocket ever to leave Earth.

And he has now said the timeline for reaching the Red Planet has been brought forward as he laid out plans to test a new even bigger "beast" rocket next year.

The mammoth launch sparked some criticism with Flat Earth conspiracy theorists claiming it was faked.
I srael's military shot down an Iranian drone that infiltrated the country before launching a "large-scale attack" on at least a dozen of Iran's targets in Syria.

The attack marks a heightening in Israeli retaliation against Syria, experts warn.

Israel branded the drone incursion a "severe and irregular violation of Israeli sovereignty" and warned of further action against Iranian aggression.

The military said its planes faced massive anti-aircraft fire from Syria that forced two pilots to abandon an F-16 jet that crashed in northern Israel on Saturday.

The scene of the jet crash in Syria / REUTERS

One pilot was seriously wounded and the suffered minor injuries.

"This is a serious Iranian attack on Israeli territory. Iran is dragging the region into an adventure in which it doesn't know how it will end," Israel's chief military spokesman, Brig Gen Ronen Manelis, said in a special statement.

"Whoever is responsible for this incident is the one who will pay the price."

The Israeli military then carried out what it called a "large scale attack" against Iranian and Syrian targets in Syria.

The scene of the jet crash in Syria / REUTERS

The military said it struck 12 targets including three aerial defence batteries and four Iranian targets that are part of Iran's military establishment in Syria.

During the attack, anti-aircraft missiles were fired towards Israel jets triggering sirens that were sounded across northern Israel.

Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman was convening the top brass at military headquarters in Tel Aviv to discuss a further response.

Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus said Iran was "responsible for this severe violation of Israeli sovereignty" and that the military was "fully prepared for further action".

Syrian state TV quoted a military official saying Syrian air defences hit more than one Israeli plane.

The official said the Israeli raids hit a base in the country's central area, and called it a "new aggression."

Israel has previously shot down several drones that tried to infiltrate its territory from Syria.
T he widow of a British aid worker murdered by Jihadi John and his henchmen has vowed to deliver her own style of justice.

Dragana Haines, the widow of David Haines, pleaded for time alone with two recently captured Isis members who were part of the gang responsible for beheading her husband in 2014.

She told the Times: Bring those dogs to me. Or take me to where they are and grant me six hours alone with each of them.

I promise theyd be alive after Im done with them. Not sure theyd want to be, though.

Briton David Haines has murdered in 2014

Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh were two of four British jihadis dubbed 'The Beatles' - along with Mohammed Emwazi, also known as Jihadi John, and Aine Davis.

Mr Haines and Alan Henning, both British aid workers, US journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and American aid worker Peter Kassig were all murdered by the cell, who posted online videos of their shocking deaths.

Diane Foley, mother of James, has already said she wants the pair to be jailed for life but only after they face justice in court.

Mohammed Emwazi, dubbed Jihadi John was killed in a US air strike in 2015 / SITE Intel Group/Reuters

Speaking just hours after the capture of Kotey, 34, from Shepherds Bush and El-sheikh, 29, from White City, became public, Mrs Foley told BBC radio: Their crimes are beyond imagination.

I would like them to be brought to trial in the US but as long as they are brought to fair trial and detained and justice is served I would be most grateful.

I would like them to spend the rest of their lives being detained in a prison.

Alexanda Kotey must face life, says mother of US journalist James Foley who was killed by ISIS

Kotey and El-sheikh were detained by US-allied Kurdish militia fighters in January, according to the New York Times.

US officials told the NYT that they were captured by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces which were fighting the last remaining pockets of Isis fighters near the river Euphrates on the Iraq/Syria border.

El Shafee Elsheikh is the final member of the terror group dubbed The Beatles

Along with Emwazi and Aine Davis, currently in jail in Turkey, they are believed to have been part of a group named after the 60s band because of their English accents.

British officials believe their capture may offer a treasure trove of information about Isis.

Emwazi, who was killed in a US air strike in 2015, appeared the videos in which captives were beheaded.
H ouse of Cards star Reg E. Cathey has died aged 59 following a battle with cancer.

Mr Cathey won an Emmy in 2015 for his role as Freddy Hayes the owner of the Presidents favourite BBQ joint in the American political drama.

The star also appeared in HBOs The Wire and was hailed for his performance as Baltimore political operative Norman Wilson.

We are heartbroken by the passing of our friend and House of Cards colleague Reg E. Cathey, A spokesman for Netflix said in a statement.

Reg was the kindest man, the most giving actor, a true gentlemen. Our sympathy goes to his family.

Creator of The Wire David Simon broke the news of Mr Cathey's death on Twitter.

He wrote: Reg Cathey, 1958-2018. Not only a fine, masterful actor -- but simply one of the most delightful human beings with whom I ever shared some long days on set. On wit alone, he could double any man over and leave him thinking. Reg, your memory is a great blessing.

Actors, including Samuel L Jackson paid tribute to Mr Cathey in an outpouring of grief

Mr Jackson wrote: Shattered at the loss of Reg E. Cathey! Brilliant actor, humorist & friend! Irreplaceable! The ancestors about to be challenged!!

Mr Cathey had also starred alongside Jim Carrey and Cameron Diaz in The Mask and appeared as the father of Michael B Jordans character in The Fantastic Four in 2015.
Report on Rohingya massacre alarming: UN

The United Nations has described the latest report by a news agency on the killing of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar as very alarming.

"We're aware of this latest report, the details of which are very alarming," Deputy Spokesman for the UN Secretary General Farhan Haq told reporters in regular briefing at the UN on Friday.

He said, the findings of the report once more attest to the need for a full and thorough investigation by the authorities of all violence in Rakhine State and attacks on the various communities there.

"And, of course, the Secretary-General, as you know, has called for the release of the two detained journalists and we continue to press for that," said the Deputy Spokesman.

Reuters has reported that in September last year, Buddhist villagers and Myanmar troops were responsible for killing 10 Rohingya men and burying them all in the same grave.

The number of Rohingya arrivals from Myanmar to Bangladesh since August 25 last year now stands over 688,000, indicating that Rohingyas are still coming despite a repatriation plan is in progress between the two countries. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, now on a two-day visit here, on Friday said the plight of the Rohingya and the suffering they have had to endure is one of the most shocking humanitarian disasters of their time.

"This is a man-made tragedy that could be resolved with the right political will, tolerance and cooperation from all those involved," he said.

The British Foreign Secretary visited Rohingya camp in Kutupalong on Saturday morning and saw and heard for himself the terrible things these people have been through.

He will be talking to State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and other regional leaders about how they can work together to resolve this appalling crisis.

On Thursday night, Myanmar Ambassador in Dhaka Lwin Oo said they are working actively with Bangladesh on the voluntary, safe and dignified return of Rohingyas to their homeland from Bangladesh with a good neighbourly spirit.

"The disputes that emerge between neighbouring countries must be resolved amicably through bilateral negotiations," the envoy said. The Myanmar envoy said terrorism and extremism constitute one of the most serious threats to civilized world. "We can't condone terrorism in any form and manifestation."

He claimed that men from the villages in Rakhine State were recruited to join the terrorists and militants in fighting the security forces. "Myanmar and Bangladesh jointly can be a bridge between South and Southeast Asia," said the Ambassador.

He said air, land and sea connectivity between the two countries can play an important role in increasingly globalised world to create favourable conditions for better understanding among the people and nations in the region. "I hope that the friendly relations and cooperation between Bangladesh and Myanmar would continue to grow in the days to come," said the Ambassador.

On January 16, Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a document on 'Physical Arrangement' which will facilitate return of Rohingays to their homeland from Bangladesh.

The 'Physical Arrangement' stipulates that the repatriation will be completed preferably within two years from the commencement of the repatriation.


I dris Elba has proposed to his beauty queen girlfriend at an east London screening of his new film.

The Rio Cinema in Dalston, where Elba was previewing Yardie, posted a picture of the Luther actor on Saturday morning while confirming the news of his engagement to Sabrina Dhowre.

A tweet from the cinema's official Twitter account read: "Another @riocinema first!

"Still 5 days to Valentines Day but @idriselba went down on one knee and proposed to his girlfriend live on stage this morning before a preview of his film #Yardie."

A spokesman added: "She said yes and there was much clapping and cheering."

Sabrina Dhowre and Idris Elba at The Mountain Between Us premiere during the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival / Getty Images

A video shot by audience member David Marsden-Sainou from inside the cinema showed Elba, 45, down on one knee before the couple embraced to applause.

Other Twitter users confirmed they witnessed the happy event.

One posted: "At cast & crew screening of @YARDIES & @IdrisElba just proposed to his girlfriend Sabrina!! Too cute."

Another added: "At cast & crew screening of YARDIES & Idris Elba just proposed to his girlfriend Sabrina!! Big Congrats !!"

The couple have been dating since last year after they met while Elba was filming The Mountain Between Us in Canada.

Dhowre is a 29-year-old former Miss Vancouver and a model of Somali descent.

Elba has been married twice before, to Hanne Norgaard between 1999 until 2003 and briefly to Sonya Nicole Hanklin in 2006.

He has a 15-year old daughter Isan with Norgaard and a three year old son Winston with ex-girlfriend Naiyana Garth.
S ex and the City star Kim Cattrall has lashed out at former cast member Sarah Jessica Parker after the unexpected death of her brother.

The actress blasted Ms Parker for her messages of condolence after Ms Cattralls brother was found dead last week.

She posted a rant on Instagram accusing her former co-star, who played the lead role of Carrie Bradshaw in the HBO series, of "exploiting our tragedy".

Ms Cattrall wrote: "My Mom asked me today 'When will that @sarahjessicaparker, that hypocrite, leave you alone?' Your continuous reaching out is a painful reminder of how cruel you really were then and now,"

"Let me make this VERY clear. (If I havent already) You are not my family. You are not my friend. So Im writing to tell you one last time to stop exploiting our tragedy in order to restore your nice girl persona."

The actress then posted a link to an article entitled: Inside the mean-girls culture that destroyed Sex and the City.

The rant was in response to Ms Parkers message on a photo Ms Cattrall posted of her brother.

Ms Cattrall wrote on Sunday: 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."

Ms Parker wrote in response: "Dearest Kim, my love and condolences to you and yours and Godspeed to your beloved brother. Xx."

Cynthia Nixon, who played the character of Miranda Hobbs in Sex and the City, also posted a supportive message which read: Hey Kim such awful news. So sorry to hear. Sending you love. XO."

Ms Cattrall later wrote: "Cynthia, hearing your voice meant so much to me. Thank you for reaching out. Love Kim #SexandtheCity."

She thanked friends, fans and her former co-stars for their kind words in a post on Tuesday.

She wrote: "I would like to thank my fans, friends and my Sex and The City colleagues for the outpouring of support for myself and family over the past 72 hours."

Ms Cattrall had asked fans to help spread the word to find her missing brother in a post on Sunday.

But local police later confirmed that her brothers body had been discovered on his rural property in Blackfalds, Alberta, Canada.

A cause of death was not given but officers said that it was not believed to be suspicious.
C atastrophe star Rob Delaney hailed the NHS as he revealed his two-year-old son Henry has died of cancer.

The actor and comedian said his smart, funny and mischievous son died in January after being diagnosed with a brain tumour shortly after his first birthday in 2016.

In an emotional Facebook post, Delaney, 41, said he, his wife and Henrys two older brothers were devastated by the loss.

He added: Henry was a joy. He was smart, funny, and mischievous and we had so many wonderful adventures together, particularly after he'd moved home following fifteen months living in hospitals.

"His tumour and surgery left him with significant physical disabilities, but he quickly learned sign language and developed his own method of getting from A to B shuffling on his beautiful little bum. His drive to live and to love and to connect was profound.

"The NHS nurses and doctors and the home carers and charity workers who helped our family survive Henry's illness will be my heroes until the day I die. I am desperately sad right now, but I can say with authority that there is good in this world."

Delaney, from Massachusetts in the US, lives in London and stars alongside Sharon Hogan in acclaimed Channel 4 sitcom Catastrophe.

Henry had undergone surgery and continued treatment, but the cancer returned last autumn.

Delaney appealed for people to help other families with sick children by donating to the Rainbow Trust or Noahs Ark childrens hospice.
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A new law set to come into force in Poland that criminalizes public claims of Polish scomplicity in Nazi-era genocide has triggered widespread international concern about censorship of free speech and Holocaust denial.

The United States and Europe have admonished the Polish government and President Andrzej Duda for passing the law this week despite their calls for restraint.

Washington and Brussels say that the new measures could stifle free speech about one of most notorious episodes in modern history  the Nazi genocide of millions of people. The Israeli government in particular has vehemently criticized Poland for whitewashing Nazi-era crimes and Polish collaboration.

The legislation passed by Warsaws nationalistic Law and Justice (PiS) government will henceforth prosecute anyone who publicly articulates terms like Polish death camps, or who accuses the Polish nation of being complicit in the horrors of the Nazi-era mass exterminations. The Warsaw authorities claim that such statements are slanderous of the Polish nation.

In a narrow, semantical sense there is some logic to the new law. During the occupation of Poland by the Nazi Third Reich (1939-45), the Polish state ceased to exist. Thus, legally, Poland was not institutionally involved in the genocide that was carried out on its territory.

Up to three million Polish citizens  most of them Jewish  were rounded up and killed in Nazi death camps. Many other Polish citizens courageously defied the Nazi regime by helping Jewish compatriots escape from persecution and death. The Israeli state has reportedly honored more Polish citizens than any other nationality for private acts of bravery in rescuing Jews during the Second World War.

Nevertheless, it is indisputable that the Nazi Third Reich used Poland as its main center to carry out its Final Solution of extermination against Jews, Slavs, Communists, Roma and any other designated Untermenschen (subhumans).

By far, Poland was the industrial epicenter of the Nazi genocide machine. The country hosted the main death camps set up by the Nazi SS leaders Reinhard Heydrich and Adolf Eichmann following the infamous 1942 Wannsee conference. The names of these death camps still ring with chilling horror today: Auschwitz-Birkenau, Belzec, Sobibor, Chelmo, Treblinka, Majdanek. In total, more than three million people perished in these extermination centers on Polish land.

It is undeniable that Poland suffered horrendously under Nazi occupation.

Still, it is also true that many Poles collaborated willingly with their Nazi overlords to send fellow citizens to their deaths.

This is not just a matter of intense shame for modern-day Poland. It is a vital area for ongoing historical research to establish more clearly how the Nazi Final Solution was organized and carried out.

What is deeply concerning about the new Polish law is that it could serve to banish legitimate discussion and research into the Nazi genocide on the basis of outlawing slander against the Polish nation.

Moreover, there is also a deep concern that Polish nationalists are cynically using the legal prohibition for their own ulterior, reprehensible purposes. That is, to bolster Polish chauvinism and in particular to advance an agenda of Russophobia.

One gets the distinct sense that the reactionary and populist PiS government in Warsaw is less concerned about historical accuracy and much more motivated by a desire to indulge its own chauvinistic notions of Polish virtue and greatness. In that way, the new law is not so much an attempt to deny the Nazi genocide, but rather it is an attempt to whitewash Polish nationalism.

A repugnant theme for the Warsaw government and its supporters is that Poland suffered in equal measure from Nazi occupation and what it calls Soviet occupation. For this reactionary Polish constituency, the country was not liberated by the Red Army in 1945, but instead was occupied and subjugated by Communism.

This revisionist historical distortion of the Soviet defeat of Nazi and European fascism was endorsed by US President Donald Trump in a speech he delivered in Warsaw last July. In that speech, Trump equated Nazi Germany with Soviet Russia.

By suppressing valid exposure and condemnation of Polish involvement in Nazi-era genocide, the danger is that the rightwing nationalistic Polish constituency will be emboldened to pursue its Russophobia with even greater zeal. Unrestrained by the deep shame of Nazi-era culpability.

The irony here is that Washingtons long-term policy of hostility towards Russia over the past decade and more has relied on fomenting the nationalistic politics that have come to dominate in Poland, the Baltic states and Ukraine. Washington, and to a lesser extent its European allies, have exploited the anti-Russian sentiments of nationalistic movements in these countries as a bulwark to project NATO hostility towards Moscow.

Historically, it is these same nationalistic movements which can be traced to active collaboration with the Nazi Third Reich.

In Ukraine, the US and European Union-backed regime in Kiev which seized power in an illegal coup in 2014 has enacted several laws which glorify past nationalistic figures and movements like Stepan Bandera and the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). These movements are organically connected to modern-day Neo-Nazi militias in Ukraines National Guard which openly adulate Nazi symbols and ideology as they wage a low-intensity war on the breakaway pro-Russian Donbas region in Eastern Ukraine.

The supply of lethal weapons from the US to the Kiev military and the reported increasing presence of NATO military trainers from the US, Britain and Canada are further evidence that Washington is the crucial sponsor for the fascistic politics that now characterize Kiev-controlled Ukraine.

This is analogous to how similar nationalistic politics have solidified elsewhere in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. All these factions share an intense antipathy towards Russia. This Russophobia is what has galvanized these movements under Washingtons support as an expedient vehicle for its geopolitical confrontation with Moscow.

It should be an acute source of shame that Washington and its European allies  the self-declared bastions of democracy  are complicit in the cultivation of Neo-fascism across Eastern Europe.

That shame is partly evaded owing to American and European corporate news media ignoring, or worse concealing, the pernicious political connections.

However, the trouble arises when such rightwing politics begin to openly manifest their nasty inclinations. Then Washington and Brussels are faced with the public embarrassment of their own creation.

Polands new Holocaust law is one such example. Washington has long encouraged the drift towards Polish nationalism as an expedient for its anti-Russian agenda. Then when this Polish nationalism acts out its chauvinistic impulses in an attempt to revise Nazi-era crimes, Washington is caught in the embarrassing position of having to be seen to admonish the very kind of toxic politics it has otherwise been keenly fomenting.

There is a profound historical resonance here. European fascism, and Nazi Germany in particular, were after all, substantially, a covert creation of American, British and other Western capitals during the 1930s to serve as a bulwark against the Soviet Union.

Wall Street and American corporations, like Ford, GM, Du Pont, and ITT, helped bankroll and mobilize Germanys Nazi war machine for the objective of smashing Soviet influence and, more widely, popular European socialism.

Today, Americas anti-Russian agenda has again landed in the same moral hazard of consorting with fascistic movements in Europe.

Polands new law undermining free speech on the Nazi Holocaust will result in more fuel for Russophobia in Poland, the Baltic and Ukraine.

Washington and Brussels dilemma is that they are being caught with their hands in the fascistic machine  again.
The U.S. Marine Corps wants to form an Irregular Warfare Regiment (IWR) that would be a cross between the French Foreign Legion and the U.S. Army Special Forces. The IWR would have 4,200 troops and about 3,000 would be foreign born and selected because they were physically and mentally able to enlist and had language and cultural awareness skills the marines needed in various parts of the world. All officers and NCOs above the rank of E-5 (sergeant) would be U.S. citizens. If the program is established eventually many IWR officers and senior NCOs would be naturalized citizens. In effect, a foreign legion composed mostly of foreign volunteers seeking a quicker path to citizenship and able to meet Marine Corps standards.

Many IWR would be recruited overseas and after security screening would, if necessary, be sent to English language school where they would have to complete the course (and attain sufficient proficiency to handle military service) and then sent to boot camp. Once completing that they would be marines, serving a five year enlistment, and would then be sent to existing courses for intelligence, advising foreign forces, information warfare, counterinsurgency and security. All this would take nearly two years. Successful completion of all that would mean they would show up at the IWR with three years left. Upon successful completion of their five year enlistment non-citizen marines would become naturalized citizens. The IWR itself would be a light infantry unit with most of the troops expected to serve in small detachments with marine battalions or companies assigned to a foreign area. The IWR marines would be trusted translators and advisors who would be better able to work with foreigners whose language and culture they grew up in. In addition they are marines and that makes it easier for all marines in the vicinity.

The U.S. military has had experience with similar programs but all have suffered from problems with doing background checks for personnel who will be handling classified materials. The most recent such program, the 2008 MAVNI (Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest) was looking for qualified non-citizens able to provide needed language or medical skills. Some 10,000 non-citizens were enlisted from 2009 until the program was put on hold in 2017. There were problems with the security screening. There were not enough qualified people to do it and it was believed foreign intel organizations were seeking to use MAVNI as a way to insert agents. That was because as originally set up MAVNI was the quickest way for a non-citizen to get a security clearance and citizenship. The IWR program somewhat solves that problem because getting through marine boot camp and serving with other marines over an extended period has proved to be something foreign intelligence agencies deem too difficult to deal with.

Actually, an even earlier program, that was not particularly special at all, handled about 100,000 non-citizens with better results than with native born Americans. In the decade after September 11, 2001 it was found that non-citizens of prime military age (18-29) made up about 2.2 percent of the U.S. population, but 4 percent of military personnel. There are about 1.2 million non-citizens who are physically, mentally, and psychologically fit to serve in the military. These men and women are particularly attractive to the military because they tend to work harder, have fewer disciplinary problems, and often possess language skills and cultural knowledge that the military needs. But a major reason non-citizens are overrepresented in the military is that it's an ancient tradition for a newcomer to gain membership in the tribe/kingdom/country via performing some dangerous service to gain recognition and acceptance.

In that decade the U.S. military enlisted some 70,000 non-citizens, about five percent of all recruits. The foreign recruits were tossed out during their first three months of service at half the rate of their native born counterparts. After three years of service 72 percent of citizens were still in uniform, compared to 84 percent of non-citizen troops. The foreign troops were more patriotic and worked harder than their citizen counterparts. Non-citizen troops had another incentive, as they could apply for citizenship sooner because of their military service. Any foreign recruit forced out for medical reasons (because of combat or non-combat injuries) could still obtain citizenship more quickly. Most foreign troops obtain citizenship as soon as they can while in the military because many jobs require a security clearance and only citizens can get one of those.

In the decade after 2001 some senior American officers urged the recruitment of more foreigners. Not just non-citizens with green cards but foreigners who were not residents of the United States. This brought forth protests from those opposed to, well, whatever. Historically, the American military has usually had a higher percentage of foreigners in the ranks than it does now. During the American Civil War about twenty percent of the Union Army was foreign born troops. There were entire divisions of Irish, Germans, or Scandinavians. For the rest of the 20th century the all-volunteer military continued to have a higher (than today) percentage of foreigners. Recruiting foreigners enabled the army to get more enthusiastic and capable recruits. Naturally they would have to speak acceptable English, just as resident foreigners in the United States or citizens from Puerto Rico must. The American military pay and benefits are competitive with U.S. civilian occupations but to many foreigners these pay levels are astronomical. The risk is low, as only about one in a thousand foreign born volunteers died in Iraq or Afghanistan. All that and you get to become a citizen of the United States after your four year enlistment is up. The only question was which line would be longer at American embassies, the one for visas or the one for military recruiting?

The United States is not alone in this acceptance of foreigners in the military. Take, for example, Britain. Two centuries ago Nepalese Gurkhas were first recruited into the British Indian army and then the British army. After India became independent in 1947, they too recruited Gurkhas for elite Indian infantry units. But service in the British army was considered a better deal. Britain has long recruited foreigners into its army and navy because there has always been a shortage of British citizens willing to serve.

Then there is the French Foreign Legion, which is supposed to be nothing but foreigners (except for the officers). But many French join, claiming to be from the French speaking parts of Belgium. No matter, if otherwise qualified the "Belgians" are signed up. In Italy, the Vatican (a small part of Rome that is an independent country controlled by the Roman Catholic Church) gets most of its security forces from Catholic areas of Switzerland. This is the Swiss Guard. While the French Foreign Legion dates from the 19th century, the Swiss have been serving as foreign mercenaries since the 15th century. But these contingents disappeared as better economic opportunities developed in Switzerland and mercenaries became less popular. Many other nations have successfully used foreigners in their armed forces. Not mercenaries but foreigners willing and able to serve next to the native born. It still works.
Two women slaughtered

Staff Reporter, Kishoreganj :

At least two women were brutally slaughtered by a youngman over a family feud at Gurui village under Nikli upazila

of Kishoreganj Zila on Saturday noon.

The victims were identified as Ayesha Akhter. (26) wife of Shawkat Ali, and Salma Akhter, (30) wife of Mostafa Miah from Gurui of Nikli upazila.

Locals and police sources said that killer Shawkat Ali (32), husband of Ayesha Akhter is a Dubai expatriate. He came home recently.

Shawkat Ali and Ayesha squabbled over a family feud on Friday night. On Saturday noon at one stage, in a fit of anger, Shawkat slaughtered his wife with a sharp knife. Locked the door and went to the house of his elder brother Mostafa Miah.

He slaughtered Mustafa with the same knife, leaving both dead.

Additional Police Super Md. Kamal Uddin confirming the incident said the killer Shawkat was arrested.

The two bodies were sent to Kishoreganj 250 Beded General Hospital morgue for autopsy. A case was field in this connection with Nikli.
I am single by choice. This is not out of disdain for romance, in fact, just today at dinner, a friend of mine remarked that I come across as a romantic. Let me then explain the paradox of being single by choice yet believing that one day I will find my soulmate.

Like any normal girl, I grew up to believe in knights, and princes, and happy ever-after endings; like any normal girl, I grew up to believe in the kind of love which lasts forever. What changed down the line was that I stopped defining myself by a romantic relationship.

College for me was a growing up experience of sorts  in my early 20s I was convinced that I had found the love of my life even though he did not reciprocate my feelings. This started an agonising cycle of self-inflicted misery and a complete loss of mental peace because I had placed the object of my affection at the centre of my universe. Looking back, I feel that I could have done so much more in college if only I had not placed this kind of importance on being in a relationship, or conditioning my self-worth on whether a person desired me romantically.

I realise that I am meant for so much more than being someones lover. Of course, I want to experience romantic love someday and I believe that it can make my life very fulfilling. But my problem is with those who think that only romantic love can make life fulfilling. Romantic love is not the single most important thing in my life and I have drawn a lot of contentment in my life from pursuing my passion for writing and swimming, and pushing myself out of my comfort zone. Pursuing a Masters degree at Cambridge is a dream which I achieved after working very hard for two years after college. I wonder sometimes whether I would have been driven to work towards my professional goals had I remained single-mindedly focussed on a crush the way I was in college.

I am recently trying to move on from someone I fell for after college  through him, I discovered a love for oceans and I felt a connection I have never felt for anybody else before. Although we were only friends, his thoughts affected me when I first moved to Cambridge and made sense of this sea of change that moving abroad brought. Last year during the Michaelmas break, I realised how unhealthy it was for me to be unhappy just because I was not in a romantic relationship with someone I liked  I realised that I was throwing away my Cambridge experience by being unhappy over someone who was a thousand miles away. I didnt like the person that I was becoming, i.e. someone who failed to appreciate what she had in her life because she was too heart-broken over unrequited love. Thats when I started prioritising the things that should matter in my life  at present that is focussing on my studies in Cambridge and making use of opportunities to develop my personality. This has changed my life for the better and I am overall much happier in Cambridge than I was when I first arrived here.

I dont blame others like me who are romantic at heart and take time to recover from heart-break. I find that we are unconsciously exposed to feeling that romantic love is necessary, take for instance, when a friend you run into after a very long time asks how your love life is. This seemingly innocuous inquiry can make us question whether it is in fact okay to be single.

Theres a lot to be said for loving yourself and your own company first. I used to count on the presence of a significant other in my life to fill an inexplicable void in my life, fortunately I am wiser now  your significant other should supplement your happiness but first you must be happy on your own. Love yourself and look pretty for yourself. Ask yourself, Would I date the person I am? If your answer is no, it indicates your dissatisfaction with some aspect of your life, do what you must to change the way you feel about yourself. These are inner conflicts and you cannot count on someone else (i.e. an external source) to resolve them for you.

I no longer actively look for romantic love. Whenever I find myself unhappy over my single status, I remind myself that there is much more to life than being someones significant other. I am happily single by choice.
A technical report was released Monday by a multidisciplinary research team created by the Cuban Academy of Sciences (ACC) on the "unidentified health incidents" reported in... | Read More
Myanmar must ensure safe return of Rohingyas

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson talking to Rohingayas at Kutupalong camp in Cox;s Bazar while visiting there on Saturday.

Staff Reporter :

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has said the United Kingdom is working for the safe and dignified return of the Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh to Myanmar.

He made the statement after visiting the Kutupalong and Balukhali Rohingya camps under Ukhia upazila of Cox's Bazar district on Saturday afternoon.

"We're working with international community to ensure required conditions for the repatriation of displaced Rohingya people to their homeland. The Myanmar authorities must ensure safety, security and full humanitarian access allowing refugees to return in a voluntary, safe and dignified manner," said Boris Johnson.

The British Foreign Secretary arrived in Cox's Bazar around 1pm to see the conditions of the Rohingyas who have fled to refugee camps in Bangladesh after August 25, when the Myanmar military launched a brutal crackdown on the minority community in Rakhine, which the United Nations called 'a text book case of genocide'.

After arriving in the coastal district, the British Foreign Secretary went directly to the refugee camp to see for himself the plight of the Rohingyas and listened tales of sufferings and horrors during military crackdown on them.

"The plight of the Rohingyas and the sufferings they have had to endure are most shocking humanitarian disasters of our time. This is a man-made tragedy that could be resolved with the right political will, tolerance and cooperation from all those involved," said Boris Johnson.

He said, "Rohingyas want safety, equal rights before repatriation. I will discuss with the Burmese government the steps needed to enable them for safe and dignified return."

Johnson also visited a makeshift hospital in Balukali refugee camp run by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and held meeting with the officials of organization stationed in Cox's Bazar refugee camps.

Bangladesh's State Minister of Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Alison Blake, representatives of UNHCR and IOM, among others, accompanied him during the visit.

Johnson left for Myanmar later on Saturday. He is due to meet de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi to hold talks on Rohingya crisis. He arrived in Dhaka on Friday, the first official visit by a British Foreign Secretary in 10 years, and meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmud Ali. After meetings, Johnson stressed the need for resolving the Rohingya refugee crisis and quick and safe return to their homeland.

"What we all want to see is a safe, a dignified and secure returns for the people, for the Rohingya, back to their place of origin," he said.

About 660,000 Rohingyas arrived in Bangladesh since the military crackdown began in Rakhine in August last year, according to the UN agencies.

"I was really struck by how Bangladesh and the UK really share a common analysis of what needs to be done. We need to make those points together to the government in Naypydaw.'

He added: "The government of Bangladesh has shown immense compassion and speed and mercy in dealing with a challenge that I think any government would have found very daunting indeed."
Four 2018 Hyundai Models Earn IIHS Top Safety Pick+ Ratings









FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Feb. 9, 2018  Hyundai is one of the leading brands for Top Safety Pick+ and Top Safety Pick awards in 2018, with a total of eight models being recognized. The 2018 Hyundai Elantra has earned the highest safety rating by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) with a Top Safety Pick+ rating when equipped with optional Automatic Emergency Braking and High Beam Assist on vehicles built after December 2017. The Hyundai Sonata, Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport (built after June 2017) also have Top Safety Pick+ ratings. Todays announcement marks a total of four Hyundai vehicles attaining the significant safety achievement. Additionally, five Hyundai models were previously recognized for 2018 Top Safety Pick, including the Hyundais Ioniq Hybrid, Elantra, Elantra GT, Sonata and Tucson when equipped with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights.

To qualify for the Top Safety Pick award, vehicles must have good ratings in five IIHS crashworthiness tests  small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraints, an advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention and an acceptable or good headlight rating. For the Top Safety Pick+ designation, vehicles must also gain an acceptable or good rating in passenger-side small overlap front tests and improved headlight rating. Features which helped these vehicles garner these recognitions included (but were not limited to) optional front-crash prevention, specific headlights and excellent performances in IIHS track tests at various speeds.

Elantra offers a wide array of advanced safety technologies, often reserved for luxury cars, to provide another defensive safety layer for its passengers beyond the standard safety system. Available Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection is a technology that utilizes both the front forward facing radar and camera through sensor fusion to detect a vehicle or pedestrian, and warn the driver of a potential collision. If the driver does not react to avoid the impact, the system will apply emergency braking in certain circumstances.

Additional Elantra-first safety technologies include available Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist System, Blind Spot Detection with Rear Cross-traffic Alert and Lane Change Assist, and a rearview camera, now with dynamic guidance. The Lane Keep Assist System uses a forward-facing camera to detect lane markings and will alert the driver if the vehicle drifts outside the lane without signaling. The system will apply corrective steering assistance if necessary, and is another active safety tool to assist Elantra drivers and help prevent accidents.

Hyundai Motor America

Hyundai Motor America is focused on delivering an outstanding customer experience grounded in design leadership, engineering excellence and exceptional value in every vehicle we sell. Hyundais technology-rich product lineup of cars, SUVs and alternative-powered electric and fuel cell vehicles is backed by Hyundai Assuranceour promise to deliver peace of mind to our customers. Hyundai vehicles are sold and serviced through more than 830 dealerships nationwide and the majority sold in the U.S. are built at U.S. manufacturing facilities, including Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama. Hyundai Motor America is headquartered in Fountain Valley, California, and is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of Korea.

Please visit our media website at www.HyundaiNews.com

With new crash test rating, Hyundai Elantra earns highest IIHS award

ARLINGTON, Va. February 8, 2018; The Hyundai Elantra, a small car, qualifies for the highest award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety after earning an acceptable rating in the new passenger-side small overlap front crash test.

The Elantra, which previously earned the 2018 Top Safety Pick award, now qualifies for Top Safety Pick+ when equipped with optional front crash prevention and good-rated headlights.

To qualify for the 2018 Top Safety Pick+ award, vehicles must earn a good rating in the driver-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests; an acceptable or good rating in the passenger-side small overlap test; an advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention; and a good headlight rating.

In the Elantra's passenger-side test, the passenger space was maintained reasonably well, with maximum intrusion of 7 inches at the lower door-hinge pillar. The dummy's head contacted the front airbag, but slid off toward the right, leaving the head at risk of striking forward structure. The side curtain airbag deployed and had sufficient coverage to protect the head from contact with side structure and outside objects. Measures taken from the dummy showed a low risk of injuries in a crash of the same severity.

The acceptable rating applies to Elantras built after December, when the door-hinge pillar and door sill were reinforced to improve protection in passenger-side small overlap crashes.

The Elantra's optional front crash prevention system earns a superior rating. In IIHS track tests at 12 mph, the vehicle avoided a collision. In 25 mph track tests, the impact speed was reduced by an average of 22 mph. The system also includes a forward collision warning component that meets National Highway Traffic Safety Administration criteria.

The Elantra's optional high-intensity discharge headlights earn a good rating. They include high-beam assist, a feature that automatically switches between high beams and low beams depending on the presence of other vehicles. The standard halogen lights earn a poor rating.


Yesterday, romance and big money returned to the runways of New York. Oh, its good to be home!

Seriously, Im not sure what other themes NYFW can comfortably support. Sex is a landmine  unless, of course, youre Jeremy Scott, and then nobody really cares. Feminism brings out dabblers and opportunists. Drugs make everyone nervous. But when were the New York runways ever a place for an insightful reflection on a cultural moment or an ingrained attitude? America is not the country that produced Muglers and Gaultiers sexual outrage, Westwoods bondage trousers, or Kawakubos bag ladies. But we did copy them and then sell the hell out of them.

To be sure, NYFW has seen a few kitsch cowboys and urban renegades over the years  designers like Todd Oldham, Miguel Adrover, and recently Shayne Oliver. But none disturbed the peace for long, or proved to be bankable. Its tough to penetrate this country, both in scale and mind-set. Even the king of NYFW, Marc Jacobs, had to find success, and LVMH backing, in Europe in order to bring it to New York. Would Rick Owens have thrived if he had stayed in Los Angeles?

Tomas Maier, the German-born, Paris-trained designer of Bottega Veneta, certainly knows how America likes its bread buttered. Last night, at the American Stock Exchange, he re-created a plush apartment with all the modernist accoutrements  Gio Ponti furniture, a Chamberlain sculpture, a brutalist design scheme. At first, I thought the set, which included a freestanding gas fireplace, was intended to evoke a club or hotel suite  forgetting how much the hospitality business influences high-end interior design.

Maier opened with satin pajamas under soft coats that were a blend of either satin and mohair or suede and velvet. Texture has always been a strength, and this collection included a couple of fuzzy wool coats in unexpected shades of marigold and aquamarine, as well as a gorgeous long, espresso-colored cardigan with pom-pom cuffs. It was worn over a dark satin slip dress. Color blocking was another motif, and a number of Maiers subtly jewel-toned satin slips might have been based on an Art Deco pattern  the Chrysler Building?

But ultimately this collection worked because the references were well blended, the colors and materials were rich in a muted, confident Bottega way, and because Maier knows that you cant sell real estate in this town  or a collection  unless you address all the details and make them work in complete harmony.

Tory Burch also had a great show. A team of workers must have spent hours stabbing thousands of long-stemmed pink carnations on her runway, but the field of flowers effect was charming. And it suited the relaxed femininity of her dark floral silk dresses, a good-looking chocolate suede coat in a classic cut, and pretty, loose-fitting white dresses with lingerie lace and Victorian collars. The socialite Lee Radziwill was apparently the inspiration.

When I first met the designers Kris Brock and Laura Vassar, of the Brock Collection, they were committed minimalists. But theyve gradually moved their style toward romantic flowers and feminine frills, though with a few plain pieces. I get it. Young women love romance, and minimalism is an extremely difficult path to stick with. Some of Brock and Vassars peplumed and flouncy styles in vintage rose patterns looked stilted compared to some of their recent collections (and perhaps a bit too close to old Nina Ricci designs), but they should feel free to play. Its hard to stumble in a bed of roses.
Once again, an image of a woman screams out to us of unspoken realities in the Trump administration. This time, the message radiates from a close-up photograph of Colbie Holderness, the first of Rob Porters two abused ex-wives. This single, troubling photograph confronts us with the underside of this White House, a brutal, if inadvertent, revelation of its true face.

Like most of the women affiliated with the Trump White House, Holderness is young and lovely, but this photo differs strikingly from the kind we normally see of administration wives or female aides. Were accustomed to seeing Melania, Ivanka, Hope Hicks, et al. perpetually in full (very full) hair and makeup, their femininity an artful fabrication of contour and highlighting, gloss and spray. Even the most down-home cast member, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, now delivers her nonsensical press briefings with her angry eyes weighed down by batwing-sized false lashes.

But in Colbie Holdernesss photograph, taken during a 2005 trip with her husband to Florence, she is completely unembellished. Her hair is pulled back; she wears no makeup, and with her perfectly oval face, large luminous eyes, full lips, and gently sloped nose, she resembles a Renaissance Madonna from a painting  like those she likely admired on her Italian vacation. At the same time, the picture is so unfiltered, so un-retouched, that we see how real and human its subject is: the subtle irregularities of skin, freckles, even the tiny marks on her nose, perhaps left by a pair of concealing sunglasses. Its an intimate photo, taken  we now know  by an intimate partner, Porter himself.

The one shocking detail is the vivid, angry bruise that disrupts our gaze upon this beautiful face, just as the punch that caused it disrupted the delicate flesh. A half-moon of striated magenta encircles the lower half of Holdernesss eye, extending to the outer corner and up into the crease of the lid (much as contouring eye shadow would), all set within a halo of sickly yellow-green. The colors grant us a timeline, for this is the tail end of a black eye; the fist likely smashed into the young womans face several days before the photo was taken.

While the bruise startles and unsettles, it is Holdernesss gaze that arrests our attention. It feels as direct and unfiltered as the photograph itself. The subject holds her features in total repose; mouth closed, gaze level, and eyes fully open. Out from those eyes, though, comes the clear message directed at her assailant: Do you see what youve done to me?

Photo: Courtesy of Colbie Holderness

Rob Porter has tried to temper the photos stark accusation: I took the photos, he wrote in a press release, and the reality behind them is nowhere close to what is being described. He does not deny he caused the injury, but instead claims artistic ownership of the image  I took the photos  suggesting that he holds a secret about them inaccessible to the general public. That he knows a deeper, private truth about that black eye, which would exculpate him if only he could share it with us.

But such a defense only redoubles the crime of domestic violence which, at its heart, consists of mistaking love for a person with ownership of a thing, and of using the privacy of the domestic as cover for transgressions youd never permit yourself in public. That he took those photos affords Porter not the slightest escape from blame here. On the contrary, his statement reveals his presumption, suggesting a belief that his ownership of the photos extends to his ownership of the situation depicted, and even to ownership of the woman herself. He is trying to invoke a kind of droit du seigneur, the husbands mastery over the intimacy of his couple, and ultimately over the personhood of his wife. (That Porter apparently asked his second wife, Jennie Willoughby, to cover for him with the press, offers yet another example of his presumptuous attempts to dominate and control women with his secrets.)

But clearly, Porter was not wrong to expect his patriarchal persona to impress the Trump White House. While the details of his serial abuse were known to the FBI, to John Kelly, Donald McGahn, and others, Porter nevertheless ascended to the position of Staff Secretary, entrusted with highly classified materials. He was allowed, that is, to deal in secrets  despite (or perhaps  at some subliminal level  even as a result of) carrying such volatile secrets himself, secrets about how to keep women in their place. Thats his private business, we can imagine the higher-ups saying, a sentiment in keeping with the assumption that women exist for mens private enjoyment, not to trouble their careers. (Porter wasnt alone; a White House speechwriter resigned on Friday over abuse allegations.)

But as ever, the private seeps into the public. Not just because domestic violence should disqualify anyone from occupying a position as honorable and sensitive as staff secretary, but also because Porter has entangled himself romantically with a White House colleague, Hope Hicks  who has already been prevailed upon to keep his secrets, to help draft a saccharine press release about his sterling character.

Porter has now left the White House, but that means little. His departure does nothing to undo the toxic, misogynist climate that permitted his hire in the first place and accounts for the disgraceful delay in acknowledging his past. And while yes, it is a private matter, we cannot help worrying about Hope Hickss personal life  is she in danger? Beneath her careful makeup, will there someday be an ugly purple bruise?

We must also consider this photo in its larger context. Virtually every image of White Houseaffiliated women  whether filmed or still  showcases their high-level, even excessive theatricality, their stage-worthy grooming. But for all their paint and polish, once onstage, these women have painfully little to say. We know next to nothing of their opinions; we can barely hear their voices. Even Ivanka  putative presidential adviser  seems blankly empty. And for all her talking, spokesperson Sanders does nothing but parrot administration denials or deflections, never offering the slightest degree of illumination (or truth). Its as if female self-expression is inversely related to the degree of cosmetic enhancement.

And then suddenly, a womans dramatically bare visage commands the stage, speaking loudly and clearly, not only its painful private truth, but a public, even global one. Colbie Holdernesss battered face makes visible to the world  literalizes  the violence deemed acceptable by the Trump administration, the secret ugliness of its lack of empathy  for women certainly, but also for people of color, immigrants, the poor, the middle class, our global allies, and pretty much anyone not within its immediate, tiny, gilded purview.

Each day of this presidency can feel like an assault, and now theres a picture that succinctly expresses that feeling. Those highly embellished images of Trumps cadre of women often convey a sense of unease, a feeling of something unpleasant being suppressed, beaten back by all the glamour. Holdernesss photo suggests the reason for our discomfort: Lurking beneath all the luster of those women, and by extension, beneath all the luster of Trumps entire gaudy world, has always been an ugly wound, the imprint of a violent and careless fist. It hurts to look at Colbie Holdernesss face, but look we must. Her face is our face.
AL happy over Khaleda verdict

Anisul Islam Noor :

Ruling Awami League has become pleased with the verdict that sentenced BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia to serve five years in jail, but at the same time the leaders fear that she will win public sympathy.

The ruling Awami League did not, however, move from the position of giving pressure on BNP. Talking with several leaders of Awami League's policy-making level, attitude of the party and the government could be assessed apparently.

Though they are pleased with the verdict, they will not celebrate, fearing that the people would then judge the verdict as politically motivated.

An Awami League Presidium member told The New Nation that it was essential to prove Khaleda Zia and her son Tarique Rahman corrupt. This would be propagated ahead of the election at home and abroad.

The Awami League's assessment about the recent politics of the BNP is that the party is now under-stressed. Because of this, the party chooses 'go slow policy' and not adventure. The BNP realized that they will not make a mistake if participate in the election.

AL policy makers' idea is that BNP leaders would be busy with their chairperson release and this would curb their demand for an election-time supportive government and preparations for the election, he added.

Talking about their worries centring the verdict, senior AL leaders said that the ruling party was concerned as to whether people's sympathy would increase for Khaleda Zia following the verdict as BNP leaders have so far displayed maturity before and after the verdict.

AL Presidium Member and Health Minister Mohammad Nasim, "Politicians in prison used to become great leaders during the Pakistan period as those cases were political. But, Khaleda Zia has been convicted in a graft case. Why would then she get people's sympathy?"

After Khaleda and Tarique's conviction, the government will now face more pressure for trials of other graft charges against ruling party. This is another another for the ruling AL, said several of its leaders.

Mohammad Nasim said also the ruling party has nothing to be satisfied or dissatisfied with the verdict of Khaleda.

Ruling AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Friday said, "Khaleda Zia's conviction in Zia Orphanage Trust graft case would only deepen BNP's internal crisis, not the country's political crisis."

He passed the remarks while visiting a BRTA project in Gazipur.

Two pro-AL lawyers told The New Nation, it is unclear why BNP did not protest against the verdict violently.

It appeared that BNP leaders showed maturity in their reaction and protests before and after the verdict.

AL Presidium member Faruk Khan said that AL has no gains or losses over Khaleda's verdict. No one is above law - this has been proved through the verdict, he said.

The incumbent government does not even excuse its own ministers and members of Parliament. Whoever is corrupt face will trial, he added.

Faruk Khan said that the cases against Khaleda Zia or Tarique Rahman will be in their speed. These are the issues of the courts. And the administration and law enforcement agencies of all the countries of the world will do the same, the Awami League government will do it.

However, Awami League wants to take the highest political advantage by organizing the party more in the present situation. For this reason, party high ups are insisting to make the party stronger. Khaleda Zia in prison, Tareq Rahman in London, exploit, such situation bring benefits to the ruling party? Said Abdur Razzak , Awami League presidium member.

He also said, "There is no intention to take any additional benefits. However, the people will not like any party chief imprisoned for corruption. People will also evaluate our work.

A teacher of Dhaka University Shantanu Majumder, who obtained a PhD on Awami League's secular politics from London University said, the Awami League will not be in a strict position right now.

He said in the first light, "I do not think an experienced party like Awami League will take the position to be tough now. This is because, due to the popularity of the two periods, there is a lack of popularity. More than eight to nine months left to be selected. If harsh now, it will bring benefits for BNP."
U.S. Navy Adm. Harry Harris, Commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, salutes at a ceremony marking the start of Talisman Saber 2017, a biennial joint military exercise between the United States and Australia, aboard USS Bonhomme Richard on June 29, 2017. President Donald Trump has announced the intention to nominate Harris to be the next U.S. ambassador to Australia. (Jason Reed/AFP/Getty Images)

Trump Chooses Hard-Line Admiral as Ambassador to Australia

The choice of Adm. Harry Harris will reassure Canberra and irritate Beijing

WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump has announced the intention to nominate U.S. Navy Adm. Harry Harris to be the next U.S. ambassador to Australia. Harris, who is the top commander of the U.S. military in the Pacific, is a noted hard-liner when it comes to countering Chinese military aggression in the Pacific to such an extent that the Chinese regime had previously demanded that he be fired.

The White House announcement on Feb. 9 praised the veteran U.S. Navy admiral as a highly decorated, combat proven Naval officer with extensive knowledge, leadership, and geopolitical expertise in the Indo-Pacific region.

Harris, 61, is completing his three-year assignment as the head of U.S. Pacific Command. During his tenure as the top commander of U.S. military forces in the Pacific in both the Trump and Obama administrations, Harris is well-known for his tough stance and outspokenness on countering military aggression from China and North Korea. Harris has led the Pacific Command in conducting numerous freedom of navigation operations under which U.S. ships and aircraft challenge other countries maritime claims, particularly Chinas.

Harris has singled out the Chinese regimes military aggression and expansion in the Pacific as a threat to the region. He has previously described the regimes militarization of artificial islands in the South China Sea as creating a Great Wall of Sand.

Harriss hawkish stance was such that the Chinese regime has on numerous occasions criticized the U.S. admiral and even demanded his firing. The regimes state media even suggested that Harris may be biased in favor of Japan because his mother was Japanese.

Ian Hall, a professor of International Relations at Australias Griffith University, says that Trumps choice of Harry Harris is a good one from an Australian point of view as Harris understands the value of the alliance and will reassure Canberra about Washingtons engagement with the region and its commitment to U.S. allies.

It will also irritate Beijing, given how robust Harris has been on Chinas island-building activities in the South China Sea and its behavior toward its neighbors, Hall said.

The U.S. ambassadorship to Australia is sometimes given to presidential donors or friends. However, Trumps choice of an active Navy admiral known for his tough stance against Chinese aggression is sure to be noticed by Canberra, which has seen rapidly increasing concern about the Chinese regimes political interference in Australia in the past year.

A series of high-profile investigative reports by Australian media across 2017 have revealed the significant extent of the Chinese Communist Partys control and influence over Australias political institutions, businesses, and academia, as well as the Chinese students studying there.

In the countrys latest foreign policy whitepaper published last November, Australias Malcolm Turnbull government says that the country will actively stand up to Chinas challenges while calling for stronger support from the United States.

Under both Turnbull and the previous Tony Abbott government, Australias Foreign Ministry led by Minister Julie Bishop has a track record of voicing Australias opposition to Chinas growing aggression and encroachments across the region.
Bitcoin: Between Government and Competition

What bitcoin needs to keep thriving and what it doesn't

During communist times in some Western countries and in Chinas communist regime today, atheist governments supported churches financially. This initially seems contradictory. That is only because we have a skewed understanding of what help is.

Aid from government tends to be damaging in the long run. What government funds, government can control. In those countries, the different churches became beholden to their atheist government.

Bitcoin should not fall into that trap and so far only entities close to the government like banks have gotten involved in various blockchain ventures but have largely kept bitcoin untouched.

In the church analogy, an entity that takes its orders from something bigger than the state, and making that church suddenly beg to the state for money, knocked the church down a notch. It confused spiritual doctrine by making the church officials bow to the state.

So far in the bitcoin world, governments have not offered to fund different bitcoin ventures with money and instead only slowed down progress with regulation.

The fact that government hasnt supported bitcoin with subsidies is good news as long-term government aid causes dependency. The churches in communist countries that could formerly thrive when run by voluntary contributions from their members could later survive by getting financial help from the government. Parishioners slowly began to realize that their monetary contributions were not so important.



After all, the state was paying the pastors salary and for the upkeep of the building. When you privately financially support an activity, you feel more connected to it. You take it a bit more seriously.

But government paying for a church has the net effect of weakening that church. It may feel like a favor initially, but government support is the exact opposite.

The last thing any advocate of an organization should want should be help from the government. No matter how the aid is packaged, help from the government should always be denied.

And so far the governments of the world have chosen to regulate bitcoin rather than help it along, some creating more favorable and free regulatory environments and some creating more stringent ones.

Unintended Consequences

Government assistance also comes with unintended consequences. No matter how much anyone in government intends to do good, the very mechanism of how government functions will often cause the opposite to happen.

Government is incapable of touching the decentralized bitcoin at its core but it has managed to obstruct progress by squashing competition with the New York Bitlicense for example and limited growth as a payment network through punitive tax laws.

However, aside from regulation, things will get worse if the bitcoin community voluntarily accepts help from the government. Any governmental involvement will slow innovation, reduce the contact between consumer and entrepreneur, reduce competition, and depending on how close government gets in its attempt to help bitcoinmay create more significant problems that would not be immediately apparent.

Government is generally incapable, at this stage, of harming the long-term success of the bitcoin protocol and the many functions built on top of it, especially since there is also competition among global governments to provide a more beneficial regulatory framework.

If one wants to look at it from the perspective of government or bitcoin being in the lead, then it appears the bitcoin community has the upper hand. By the very nature of bitcoin, government is currently at arms length, which is exactly where government should be kept.

Competition Is Good, Even for Banks

Competition is great for consumers and for innovation. Many entrepreneurs consider it to be a great thing because it pushes them to achieve their bestcreating a far better version of their product than they would have any other way.

So when established companies and banks are competing in the blockchain space it should be considered good news. These projects are usually lacking in innovation. So far, we havent seen anything remotely commercially viable, but Im excited to see consumers have an opportunity to flock to or avoid such products.

Experience shows, however, that many large, established companies are poor at innovating.

They are used to a non-competitive markets created by government regulation with high barriers to entry.

Many companies have business models that show greater comfort for pushing investment toward lobbying rather than research and development. Its laughable to imagine any technology from a company like that competing with bitcoin, let alone supplanting it.

Bitcoin offers something that a centralized entity cannot currently match. It is the door to the future of never having to rely on centralized trust. However, many industries produce products that are well-marketed, popular, and seen as total garbage by the industry insiders.

But I look forward to seeing the market decide what the financial future will look like and what role bitcoin and other cryptographic protocols play in that future.

Allan Stevo is a libertarian thinker and author of The Bitcoin Manifesto.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

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Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
President Donald Trump arrives at Greenbrier Valley Airport in Lewisburg for the 2018 Annual House and Senate Republican Conference, in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., on Feb. 1, 2018. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

CIA Paid Shadowy Russian $100K for Fake Dirt on Trump

American spies delivered a suitcase with $100,000 in cash last year to a murky Russian operative in exchange for unverified information on President Donald Trump, the New York Times reported on Friday, Feb. 9, citing anonymous American and European intelligence officials.

The Russian received the U.S. taxpayer cash in a Berlin hotel room in September as the first installment on the $1 million price tag set for what he claimed would be compromising material on the U.S. president and a collection of NSA and CIA hacking tools stolen in 2016.

Trump tweeted about the Times story early on Saturday.

According to the @nytimes, a Russian sold phony secrets on Trump to the U.S. Asking price was $10 million, brought down to $1 million to be paid over time, the president wrote. I hope people are now seeing & understanding what is going on here. It is all now starting to come out  DRAIN THE SWAMP!

Trump followed up with a tweet quoting the President of Judicial Watch, who had been on Fox News explaining how Trump had been victimized by the Obama administrations illicit spy operation.

My view is that not only has Trump been vindicated in the last several weeks about the mishandling of the Dossier and the lies about the Clinton/DNC Dossier, it shows that hes been victimized. Hes been victimized by the Obama Administration who were using all sorts of.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 10, 2018

.agencies, not just the FBI & DOJ, now the State Department to dig up dirt on him in the days leading up to the Election. Comey had conversations with Donald Trump, which I dont believe were accuratehe leaked information (corrupt). Tom Fitton of Judicial Watch on @FoxNews  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 10, 2018

The CIA declined the Times request for comment and the NSA wrote that all N.S.A. employees have a lifetime obligation to protect classified information.

The CIA worked through an American businessman to preserve deniability, the Times reported. The NSA meanwhile went as far as to send the Russian coded messages via its official Twitter account.

The unnamed officials said that the Russian played the American businessman a 15-second clip showing an unidentifiable man in a room talking to two women. The viewing of the clip took place at the Russian embassy in Berlin.

The Russian had a history of money laundering and ran a nearly bankrupt cover business that sold portable grills for streetside sausage salesmen in the United Kingdom. Despite that, the Times sources claim that they paid the Russian primarily in order to obtain the stolen NSA and CIA cyberweapons.

When the murky operative failed to deliver, the sources claim, they cut off the relationship in fear of it being discovered that they paid Russians for dirt on the president.

CIA spokesman Dean Boyd denied the story on Saturday.

The fictional story that CIA was bilked out of $100,000 is patently false, Boyd told Reuters.

The report of the CIAs alleged deal with the Russian is the latest in a deluge of revelations concerning the Obama administrations abuse of power and government surveillance against Trump and his associates.

An explosive memo declassified by Trump more than a week ago shows that top officials at the FBI and DOJ used an unverified and politically motivated anti-Trump dossier to obtain a warrant to surveil Trump associate Carter Page.

The dossier was paid for by Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National Committee during the presidential race. Fusion GPS, the company tasked with the work, also took money from Russia while the document was being compiled by a British ex-spy who was being given most of his information from sources with Kremlin ties.

The spy warrant on Page likely gave the FBI the right to surveil Trump and his entire campaign based on the NSAs three-hop rule. The rule allows for surveillance on the communications of every person who contacted Page and, further, the communications of all those who contacted people who contacted Pagegoing back five years.

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BNP announces fresh 3 days programme

Demanding Khaleda`s release: Staged nationwide demos: 4000 party men detained

Law enforcers chasing the BNP supporters when they staged demonstration on the second day of the programs demanding Khaleda Zia\'s immediate release. This photo was taken from Fakirapool area on Saturday.

Staff Reporter :

The BNP on Saturday announced a three days' fresh agitation programme demanding the party Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia's immediate unconditional release from jail.

The party will form human chain programme at upazila, district and divisional headquarters across the country on Monday. They will also observe sit in programme on Tuesday and token hunger strike from 9:00am to 5:00pm on Wednesday.

BNP Senior Joint-Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced the programme at a briefing at the party's Naya Paltan central office in the city.

Earlier, the party staged two days protest and demonstration programme on Friday and Saturday protesting the verdict of a graft case delivered against BNP chief Khaleda Zia on Thursday.

The BNP leaders and activists carried out protest demonstration nationwide on Saturday as per its announced programme.

In the capital, BNP brought out two processions as part of the programme.

BNP Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas led one of the large protest processions from the North gate of the National Mosque Baitul Mukarram after Zohr prayers.

Several thousand activists of the BNP and its associate bodies took part in the procession around 1:30pm chanting slogans for the release of their party chief.

The procession crossed the way through Azad products building lane in Purana paltan.

When the procession reached near Fakirapool water tank area, the police dispersed it charging baton. Several leaders and activists were detained by the police after dispersing it.

The police also dispersed another procession and chased the party men from its beginning in Bijoynagar water tank area around 1:25pm.

BNP Central Assistant Organising Secretary Abdus Salam Azad, Dhaka South City Unit BNP's Vice-President Nabiullah Nabi, Juba Dal leader Mir Nawaj Ali Nawaj and Sechchhasebwak Dal leader Aktaruzzaman Bachhchhu led the procession.

Police arrested Nabiullah Nabi, Tawlad Hossain and more six to seven BNP men from the area.

As per the announced programme BNP men staged demos countrywide in divisional headquarters, districts and upazilas.

Ruhul Kabir Rizvi claimed in the briefing that around 4,000 leaders and activists have been detained since Thursday. He said more than 40 leaders and activists were held by police in the capital on Saturday from the two separate processions and elsewhere.

Earlier on Friday, they staged demonstrations across the country protesting Khaleda Zia's imprisonment and demanding her release.




DEA and Boston Police Seize Enough Fentanyl to Kill Entire Population of Massachusetts

Boston Police and DEA agents cooperated to seize more than 33 pounds of fentanylenough of the potent narcotic to kill every person in the state of Massachusetts.

On Friday, Feb. 9, a six-month joint investigation, called Operation High Hopes, paid off with the arrests of 37 suspects, including an alleged cartel kingpin Robert Contreras, 42, of Roxbury, Massachusetts.

Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley told the Boston Herald that Operation High Hopes was one of the longest, most far-reaching and most successful state wiretap investigations in Massachusetts history. But it did not stop there. It continued up the ladder to identify a second group at the top of the domestic pyramid, one with direct ties to Mexicos Sinaloa cartel.

We allege that the Contreras organization worked with members of the Sinaloa cartel, one of the most powerful drug-trafficking organizations in the world, who imported huge quantities of narcotics into the northeastern United States, Conley told the Herald.

#KeepingBostonSafe: BPD Special Investigations Unit & Law Enforcement Partners Make One of the Biggest Drug Busts in Massachusetts History 37 under arrest, 40 kilos of Fentanyl, cocaine and heroin, 6500 Fentanyl pills, $260,000 cash and 5 cars seized https://t.co/rcgyjcLyL4 pic.twitter.com/a4SDCuI2BK  Boston Police Dept. (@bostonpolice) February 8, 2018

In fact, we believe they were so high in the distribution structure that the next level up would take us outside the United States. Evidence suggests that the Contreras organization would receive those cartel narcotics and distribute them to the Soto-Perez group and others, who would in turn supply lower-level dealers.

Robert Contreras was charged with trafficking in fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, and is being held on $1 million bail.

Individuals who buy and sell at this level arent users, Conley told Fox News. Theyre not small-time dealers, either. Theyre certainly not selling to support a habit. Theyre trafficking in addictive substances that claim more lives in Massachusetts than all homicides, all suicides, and all car crashes, statewide, combined.

Along with the fentanyl, more than 43 pounds of other drugs were seized, including heroin, cocaine, and opioid pills. Law enforcement reported seizing more than $300,000 in drug money as well.

Seven Million Lethal Doses

The 33 pounds of fentanyl could be broken down into lethal overdoses for 7 million people, a law enforcement source told the Herald.

It takes only two milligrams and its lights out for an individual, said DEA agent Michael J. Ferguson, who heads up the New England Division.

Were talking a couple of grains of salt or sand. It can kill you if you inject it in your arm, if you snort it up your nose, or simply breathe it in the air.

Cartel Switching to Fentanyl

Sam Quinones is the author of the new book Dreamland: The True Tale of Americas Opiate Epidemic, and an expert on Mexican drug cartels.

Quinones told the Herald that the Sinaloa cartel is moving away from its staples, cocaine and heroin because fentanyl offers so many advantagesto a criminal enterprise.

Unlike cocaine and heroin, which start as plants, fentanyl is synthetic.

Instead of trying to hide huge acreage of coca plants or opium poppies, which only grow in certain climates and which must be cultivated, harvested, processed, and purified, fentanyl can be made in a laband that lab can be anywhere.

The cost of manufacturing is much lower, the operation is easier to hide, and the drug can be as much as 50 times more potent than heroin, which means smaller quantities have to be created and transported.

Fentanyl can be formed into pills, but is often transported as a powder, which is incredibly dangerous, Quinones, said, because it is easy to accidentally inhale a fatal dose.

Eighteen Pittsburgh SWAT team officers had to be hospitalized for inhaling fentanyl during a raid on Aug. 9, 2017.

In another tragic case, a Pennsylvania woman died after absorbing tiny amounts of powder after cleaning up her bathroom after her son lethally overdosed there.

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DOJ, FBI Say Democrat House Intelligence Committee Memo Poses Risk to National Security

White House directs DOJ to provide technical assistance to Committee to mitigate issues with classified information

A memo drafted by Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee poses serious concerns for national security and law enforcement, President Donald Trumps counsel said in a letter, citing concerns by the DOJ and the FBI.

In the letter Donald F. McGahn II offered the House committee technical assistance by the DOJ to modify the memo to mitigate the national security risks.

Although the President is inclined to declassify the February 5th Memorandum, because the Memorandum contains numerous properly classified and especially sensitive passages, he is unable to do so at this time, McGahns letter read.

The letter also said the Executive Branch stands ready to review any subsequent draft of the February 5th Memorandum for declassification at the earliest opportunity.

The memo was reviewed by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Department of Justice (DOJ), after which the agencies, including the FBI, which falls under the DOJ, provided their recommendations to the President.

In a tweet Saturday morning, Trump commented on the Democratic memo: The Democrats sent a very political and long response memo which they knew, because of sources and methods (and more), would have to be heavily redacted, whereupon they would blame the White House for lack of transparency. Told them to re-do and send back in proper form!

The Democrats sent a very political and long response memo which they knew, because of sources and methods (and more), would have to be heavily redacted, whereupon they would blame the White House for lack of transparency. Told them to re-do and send back in proper form!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 10, 2018

A seperate memo, authored by Republicans on the House committee was approved for release by the White House on Feb. 2, after having gone through the same security process.

Despite initial warnings from members of the DOJ and FBI that the Republican memo would reveal law enforcement sources and methods, this turned out not to be the case.

The memo mostly relied on testimonies given to the committee, as well as public sourcing, to show how the FBI and DOJ relied on information contained in the so-called Trump dossier to obtain a FISA spy warrant on Trump campaign volunteer Carter Page.

The dossier was authored by former British spy Christopher Steele, who had been hired by opposition firm Fusion GPS to produce the dossier. Fusion GPS had been hired by the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) to produce the dossier.

In his dossier, which consists of a number of memos, Steele relies almost exclusively on Kremlin-linked sources.

Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) implied in an interview with Fox News on Feb. 7 that longtime Clinton aide Sidney Blumenthal also provided information to Steele.

Top officials in the FBI and DOJ had signed off on the request for the FISA warrant that hid from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance court the origins of the allegations that Page was an agent working for Russiaa criminal offense.

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Illegal Immigrant, Convicted of Killing Two Cops, Vows to Kill More

An illegal alien who had been deported for crimes several times before going on a 24-hour drug-fueled crime spree now faces the possibility of execution. He killed two police officers.

Luis Enrique Monroy Bracamontes, 37, was found guilty of numerous charges including wounding a bystander and a police officer, and the murders of Sacramento County Sheriffs Deputy Danny Oliver and Placer County Sheriffs Detective Michael Davis Jr. on Oct. 24, 2014.

The Sacramento Bee reported that the day the verdict was announced, Feb. 9, would have been Deputy Olivers 51st birthday.

Bracamontes sat smiling as he listening to the long list of charges being readeach one followed by the word, guiltyand cheered quietly when the first conviction for murder was announced, the Sacramento Bee reported.

As he left the courtroom, Bracamontes looked back and said, Im going to kill more cops soon.

This was not the first such threat Bracamontes has made. During his trial, he launched into an expletive-laden rant in which he admitted killing the two officers. He then announced that he didnt regret it, and promised that he would soon escape and kill more police officers.

Deported Four Times

Bracamontes is a Mexican citizen. He had been deported four times, three times in the 1990s, and had arrests for felony drug and gun charges in Arizona. He had been living and working in Utah prior to his deadly journey to California.

Despite Bracamontes being illegal, Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones told reporters he didnt want the case to be about immigration.

The fact that s hes an illegal alien or an undocumented immigrant whose been removed four times, that doesnt make him evil, Sheriff Jones said. He is evil because he is a despicable human being who just happened to be here illegally.

Sheriff Jones did say that the murder of Deputy Danny Oliver highlighted some of the deficiencies in the immigration system.

The sentencing phase will start on March 5.

Bracamontess wife, Janelle Monroy, an American citizen, is also on trial for murder and other charges for the part she played in her husbands rampage, the Bee reported. She is waiting for the jury to finish deliberations.

Bracamontess attorneys tried to argue that the illegal immigrant was mentally ill and under the influence of methamphetamine and marijuana, Fox reported. But Bracamontes was judged fit for trial.

Drugs, Guns, Paranoia, Murder

According to the Sacramento Bee, for several years Bracamontes had been living quietly in a Salt Lake City suburb with his wife and his brother Hector. He worked as a painter and landscaper, while his wife managed a loan office.

According to the Bee, Bracamontes and his wife started using methamphetamine in 2014. Before Long Bracamontes decided that his wife and brother were having an affair and that police were chasing himthe sort of paranoid delusions, which can accompany meth use.

Bracamontes packed his car and grabbed his wife and an AR-15 rifle, and left Utah, heading north and west.

The two stopped on the night of Oct. 23, 2014, on their way to Sacramento where they spent the night smoking methamphetamine, the Bee reported.

Early the next morning while they were by their car two deputies pulled up and asked for identification. Totally without warning, Bracamontes shot Deputy Daniel Oliver, directly in the forehead.

Bracamontes and Olivers partner, Deputy Scott Brown, exchanged gunfire. When Daviss gun was empty, Bracamontes and his wife drove off, running over Olivers body in the process.

Bracamontes and his wife then attempted to hijack a car. The occupant, Anthony Holmes, resisted so Bracamontes shot him five times. Holmes survived.

The couple stole a different car and in short order switched cars again.

The couple headed up Interstate 80, but Bracamontes got scared when he saw flashing roadside signs telling motorists to watch out for a killer in a red pickup. Bracamontes exited the highway.

Trapped there by Placer County sheriffs deputies, Bracamontes again opened fire with his AR-15, killing Detective Michael Davis Jr. and wounding Deputy Jeffrey Davis (not related.)

Bracamontes ran into a nearby house and later surrendered. His wife tried to hide in the truck but was captured.

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Israeli security forces walk next to the remains of an F-16 Israeli war plane near the Israeli village of Harduf, Israel Feb. 10, 2018. (Reuters/Herzie Shapira)

Israel Intercepts Iranian Drone in Israeli Airspace, Jet Shot Down by Syria

JERUSALEMSyria shot down an Israeli jet on Saturday, the military said, after Israel intercepted an Iranian drone in its airspace launched from Syria and struck an Iranian target there.

Footage from northern Israel showed what appeared to be white aircraft debris scattered on the ground.

It was one of the most serious incidents involving Israel, Iran and Syria since the start of the Syrian civil war almost eight years ago.

#Syria-n army air defense system Shoot down an #Israeli F16 that was conducting attack against syrian targets. The two Israeli pilots landed in Israeli area and both are injured lightly to moderately. Photos from Israeli media pic.twitter.com/55D3Tgt3Uj  Nasser Atta (@nasseratta5) February 10, 2018

IDF has targeted the Iranian control systems in Syria that sent the #UAV into Israeli airspace. Massive Syrian Anti-Air fire, one F16 crashed in Israel, pilots safe. #Iran is responsible for this severe violation of Israeli sovereignty. Event ongoing, more to follow.  Jonathan Conricus (@LTCJonathan) February 10, 2018

A combat helicopter successfully intercepted an Iranian UAV that was launched from Syria and infiltrated Israel, the Israeli military said in a statement.

IDF (Israel Defence Forces) has targeted the Iranian control systems in Syria that sent the #UAV into Israeli airspace. Massive Syrian Anti-Air fire, one F16 crashed in Israel, pilots safe, Israeli military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus said on Twitter.

IDF has targeted the Iranian control systems in Syria that sent the #UAV into Israeli airspace. Massive Syrian Anti-Air fire, one F16 crashed in Israel, pilots safe. #Iran is responsible for this severe violation of Israeli sovereignty. Event ongoing, more to follow.  Jonathan Conricus (@LTCJonathan) February 10, 2018

The minute the two #Israeli pilots arrive at an Israeli hospital , there F-16 was shot down while attacking #Syria-n targets , syrian army says their air defense system shot and hit few Israeli war jet pic.twitter.com/BvoGNi7b1z  Nasser Atta (@nasseratta5) February 10, 2018

Syrian state media cited a military source as saying Syrian air defences had opened fire in response to an Israeli act of aggression against a military base and hit more than one plane.

The Israeli enemy entity at dawn today conducted a new aggression against one of the military bases in the central region. Our air defences confronted it and hit more than one plane, the unidentified military source said.

Israeli media said the jet crashed in northern Israel.

#Israeli army conduct search and rescue operation for the two Israeli pilots , the Israeli F-16 war jet was shot down by Syrian army , while conducting attack against Syrian targets inside #Syria. Video from Israeli media pic.twitter.com/9y1rcmih4Z  Nasser Atta (@nasseratta5) February 10, 2018

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid a rare visit to the Israel-Syria front on Tuesday and warned Israels enemies not to test its resolve. He did not mention by name Iran or its Lebanese militia ally, Hezbollah, both main players in Syrias civil war.

Netanyahu has been cautioning against any attempt by Iran to deepen its military foothold in Syria or construct missile factories in neighbouring Lebanon.

Israel has seen spillover violence from the Syrian civil war. It has opened fire at times to foil what it deemed deliberate cross-border attacks and has struck suspected Hezbollah arms shipments around 100 times in Syria during the civil war.

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Las Vegas Shooting Suspect Died at Noon on Day After Massacre, Autopsy Finds

Contrary to the official police account, the man suspected of carrying out the Las Vegas massacre died at noon on the day after the deadly shooting, according to an autopsy report released on Friday, Feb. 9, by the Clark County coroner.

The coroners finding contradicts a timeline released by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, which states that Stephen Paddock, 64, was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at 11:20 p.m. on Oct. 1 in his 32nd-floor room of the Mandalay Bay hotel and casino. The coroners report instead states that Paddock died at noon on Oct. 2, more than 12 hours after the time states in the LVMPD timeline.

The autopsy report, signed by Clark County Coroner Lisa Gavin, states that Paddock died at 1200 hours on Oct. 2 from an intraoral gunshot wound of the head. Gavin concluded that Paddock committed suicide.

In two prior instances in the report, the 24-hour time format is used, meaning that 1200 hours refers to noon on the day after the shooting. Paddocks autopsy commenced at 1622 hours, or 4:22 p.m., on Oct. 6, Gavin writes.

The jarring disconnect between the police timeline and the autopsy report furthers the mystery surrounding the deadliest shooting in U.S. history. Before releasing a preliminary report on the shooting on Jan. 20, investigators didnt release any new details to the media for months.

According to the official version of the events, Paddock prepared for months before he hauled dozens of semi-automatic guns to his Mandalay Bay suite and rained more than 1,000 bullets on a crowd attending a large-scale, open-air country music concert. Paddock is suspected of killing 58 people and injuring hundreds of others.

Police have yet to determine the motive for the shooting.

Paddocks autopsy included a toxicology test and a brain exam, which found that he had anti-anxiety medication in his system. He also had hypertensive cardiovascular disease, the report states.

The bullet that killed Paddock entered his head through the inside of his mouth, traveled upward to the back of his skull and became ledged in the bone.

It seems that based on the autopsy reports there were no physical excuses for what Steve did, the suspects younger brother Eric Paddock told Las Vegas Review-Journal. We may never understand why Steve did this.

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Reg E. Cathey during the 2015 Creative Arts Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 12, 2015, in Los Angeles. (Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

Reg E. Cathey: The Wire and House of Cards Star Dies Aged 59

House of Cards actor Reg E. Cathey has died at the age of 59.

The American actor was reportedly battling lung cancer, according to TMZ. He died in New York surrounded by friends and family.

Baritone-voiced Cathey was best known for his role as Freddy Hayes, the owner of the barbecue restaurant in the Netflix political drama House of Cards, for which he won an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in 2015.

Netflix released a statement that read, We are heartbroken by the passing of our friend and House of Cards colleague Reg E. Cathey. Reg was the kindest man, the most giving actor, a true gentlemen. Our sympathy goes to his family.

The Alabama-born actor also starred in shows such as Law and Order, Grimm, 30 Rock, and in films including Fantastic Four and S.W.A.T.

Creator of The Wire David Simon paid tribute to the star late on Friday night, Feb. 9.

Not only a fine, masterful actorbut simply one of the most delightful human beings with whom I ever shared some long days on set. On wit alone, he could double any man over and leave him thinking. Reg, your memory is a great blessing, he wrote.

Reg Cathey, 1958-2018. Not only a fine, masterful actor  but simply one of the most delightful human beings with whom I ever shared some long days on set. On wit alone, he could double any man over and leave him thinking. Reg, your memory is a great blessing. pic.twitter.com/OHEUbAhTg0  David Simon (@AoDespair) February 9, 2018

News of his death soon rippled through social media, with many of his former colleagues sharing messages of tributes for the star.

Samuel L. Jackson tweeted, Shattered at the loss of Reg E. Cathey! Brilliant actor, humorist & friend! Irreplaceable! The ancestors about to be challenged!!

The Wire actor Wendell Pierce wrote: We lost a masterful actor, a sonorous voice, a great colleague, and a kind friend. A more gregarious human being you could not find. A man whose presence was always a blessing and joy. Im hard pressed to remember a moment of anger. A beautiful human being who will be missed.

We lost a masterful actor, a sonorous voice, a great colleague, and a kind friend. A more gregarious human being you could not find. A man whose presence was always a blessing and joy. Im hard pressed to remember a moment of anger. A beautiful human being who will be missed pic.twitter.com/PiwDy0kVFC  Wendell Pierce (@WendellPierce) February 10, 2018

Reg Cathey was one of a kind. Brimming with life force, generosity, humor, gravitas and a fountain of talent. Loved by everyone lucky enough know him and work with him. He will be greatly missed.

Rest In Peace, Reg. pic.twitter.com/p9DXFgDevP  Beau Willimon (@BeauWillimon) February 9, 2018

Beau Willimon, creator of House of Cards described him as, Brimming with life force, generosity, humor, gravitas and a fountain of talent.

Shattered at the loss of Reg E. Cathey! Brilliant actor, humorist & friend! Irreplaceable! The ancestors about to be challenged!!  Samuel L. Jackson (@SamuelLJackson) February 10, 2018

His first role was in the television movie A Doctors Story in 1984, having graduated from the University of Michigan and the Yale School of Drama.

In 2009, he performed in Londons West End in a 2009 production of The Shawshank Redemption playing Ellis Boyd Red Redding.

In 2017, he starred in The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks with Oprah Winfrey.

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Rob Delaney poses in the Winner's room at the Virgin TV BAFTA Television Awards at The Royal Festival Hall on May 14, 2017 in London, England. (Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)

Rob Delaney Says 2-Year-Old Son Dies After Cancer Battle

Rob Delaney, a comedian who appeared on Catastrophe, said that his child died after a battle with cancer.

Delaney, 41, confirmed Friday that his 2-year-old son, Henry, died after he was diagnosed with brain cancer.

My wife and Henrys older brothers and I are devastated of course, he wrote on Facebook.

Henry was a joy. He was smart, funny, and mischievous and we had so many wonderful adventures together, particularly after hed moved home following fifteen months living in hospitals. His tumor and surgery left him with significant physical disabilities, but he quickly learned sign language and developed his own method of getting from A to B shuffling on his beautiful little bum. His drive to live and to love and to connect was profound.

He added on Facebook that doctors found the brain tumor after his first birthday. It was removed and treated in 2017 but returned in the fall of that year.

He said that because of the support from his wife and two sons, I will endeavor to not go mad with grief, before adding, I dont want to miss out on their beautiful lives. Im greedy for more experiences with them.

Thank you, beautiful Henry, for spending as much time with us as you did. We miss you so much, Delaney ended the post.

A number of actors and comedians offered their condolences to Delaney.

Love and condolences, Rob.   Rian Johnson (@rianjohnson) February 9, 2018

Sending you and your family much love and thinking of Henry.  Paul Scheer (@paulscheer) February 9, 2018

Oh God Rob. I am so sorry. I am sending you everything Ive got. Everything.  Amber Tamblyn (@ambertamblyn) February 9, 2018

I am so sorry to hear this. Im sending my love and sympathy to you and your family.  Jon Cryer (@MrJonCryer) February 9, 2018

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Rose McGowans Former Manager, Caught Up in Weinstein Scandal, Commits Suicide

Veteran Hollywood executive and producer, Jill Messick, who recently found herself caught in the crosshairs amid Rose McGowans allegations against Harvey Weinstein, has killed herself, her family said.

Messick, 50, took her life on Feb. 8 after a long battle with depression and bipolar disorder, her family said in a statement provided to The Hollywood Reporter.

Messick was McGowans manager in 1997 during the time McGowen claimed Weinstein raped her. In January this year, Weinstein, through his lawyer Ben Brafman, publicly disputed McGowens allegations. Brafman produced an email from Messick, in which she recalled her account of events, in Weinsteins defense.

McGowan recently made claims that Messick did little to support her at the time and was surprised when she later took a job in Weinsteins company, Miramax.

In the statement, Messicks family said that Messick became collateral damage in an already horrific story.

Jill was victimized by our new culture of unlimited information sharing and a willingness to accept statement as fact. The speed of disseminating information has carried mistruths about Jill as a person, which she was unable and unwilling to challenge.

Seeing her name in headlines again and again, as part of one persons attempt to gain more attention for her personal cause, along with Harveys desperate attempt to vindicate himself, was devastating for her. It broke Jill, who was just starting to get her life back on track.

Messicks family said that Jill was the first to report the incident to her bosses. She was not involved in subsequent negotiations between McGowan and Weinstein and thought the matter was settled.

Twenty years ago, as a very junior person in a management company hierarchy, Jill exhibited her integrity in doing the right thingshe raised the red flag with the heads of her firm. In the face of inappropriate behavior, Jill handled the situation appropriately, the statement says.

Messicks family go on to implore the media and others to take a moment to consider the ramifications and consequences of what we say and what we do.

While journalists serve an important role in exposing predatory behavior, we are seeing irresponsible choices and an addiction to sensationalism, which leads to inconsistent storytelling. The media is a powerful tool not to be taken lightly. Most individuals would be horrified to have their name spotlighted in a major international news storylet alone their photograph. We cannot forget that the media is a fearsome tool, which cannot be used indiscriminately or even inadvertently to create further victims, the statement says.

Tina Fey, actress and writer who worked with Messick on the 2004 film Mean Girls, in a statement described her as a fiercely dedicated producer and a kind person.

Director Mark Waters said Messick helped him get hired for Mean Girls. He added: She was a terrific producer, there with me every day on set, and always a tireless, positive presence. She will be sadly missed by all of us who knew her.

From NTD.tv

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Russias Power Play in Syria

Russia defies rules of war in bid to regain global influence

Just a few short weeks ago, U.S.Russia relations were poised for a post-Soviet breakthrough that could have seen them join forces to target the ISIS terrorist group.

Now the United States has given up on talks with Russia aimed at ending the fighting in Syria. And Russia has suspended a long-standing deal to dispose of weapons-grade plutonium while simultaneously demanding the United States reduce its military presence in NATO countries.

The Kremlin has gone as far as demanding the United States cancel sanctions it imposed on Russia over its actions in Ukraine and even compensate Russia for losses from those sanctions.

While the White House has painted Russias efforts in Syria as a failure for not meeting Moscows stated goal of going after ISIS forces there, analysts note that Russia was always more focused on supporting its ally, Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.

That support has seen Russia conduct airstrikes against rebelsand civiliansand position itself at the center of a conflict with global impact.

Some believe that has furthered Russian President Vladimir Putins ambition to reclaim his countrys position as a global power and challenge the hegemony the United States has largely held in the Middle East since the end of World War II.

The White House acknowledges there is no military solution in Syria, that force alone will not suffice. But with the total breakdown in talks, it looks like Russia, Syria, and Iran will continue with their current efforts to destroy rebel forces and bomb civilians into submission.

It is immoral, it is unconscionable, and it is an outrage worthy of international condemnation, which Russia and Syria and Iran have all been on the receiving end of, said White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest on Oct. 3.

But outcry over Russias current tactics does little to change the new reality. An end to the five-year civil war and a transition from the Assad regime will both require Russian cooperation.

Renewed Hostility

It took months of hard bargaining for the United States and Russia to reach the cease-fire agreement that began on Sept. 9 and ended with 20 dead aid workers in rural Aleppo a week later.

Before the cease-fire was over, the U.S. mistakenly bombed Syrian government troops, whom it had confused for ISIS rebels.

The cease-fire was meant to give safe passage for the aid workers to provide food and medical supplies to civilian victims in besieged areas. While some aid was delivered, Russia and Syria also used the cease-fire to cement their recent gains.

If the agreement had held beyond the week, the United States and Russia were set to cooperate on strikes against ISIS and al-Qaeda affiliate Jabhat Fateh-al Shamthe first joint military action between the two nations since WWII.

Instead, it turned into the latest example of Russia and Syrias indiscriminate bombing campaigns, which have targeted hospitals and other civilian facilities.

This indifference to bystanders has allowed them to attack their enemies without the restraints the United States has faced.

The United States has largely followed the rules, according to Drew Berquist, a counterterrorism expert for the U.S. intelligence community and founder of OpsLens, a website that provides daily commentary on national security issues.

Syrians, Russians, and even some U.S. allies like the Iraqis, have been less discerning.

Theyre not as polished with how they review targets, and they dont look to the extent we do at collateral damage, said Berquist.

For the United States, if collateral damage reaches a certain threshold, its a no-go even if its a really good target, he said.

Syrians, with their backs pushed against the wall, arent going to look at that.

The result is that Russia and Syria have been able to attack rebel forces with a grim determination the United Stateswhich is determined to quell the deaths of civilianscannot have in its attacks on ISIS.

Russian Impact

While the West is interested in ending the conflict because of the refugee flow into Europe and the mass killing, according to former U.S. Ambassador William Courtney.

Russia has more immediate ambitions: to prop up an ally, protect its borders, and strut its military might.

Beyond the military support Russia has lent Assad, beginning with swooping in to save his regime from collapse in September 2015, Russia has also given the Syrian leader cover at the United Nations by using its veto power on the Security Council. Russia has thus proven its mettle as an ally, a fact other Middle Eastern nations have no doubt taken note of.

Syria is a vital last stand for Russia, according to Courtney. The Assad alliance is Russias last asset in the Middle East and provides a naval base in Tartus and an air base in Latakia from which Russia can still project power in the conflict.

However, some in the Middle East remain skeptical of Russian intentions. Assad is not popular among the regions Sunni population, though he does have support from Shia-dominated Iran.

Assad and his allies are pleased to see Russia involved, but most of the rest of the Middle East is not, said Courtney.

Despite that, Russian arms sales in the region have increased, and even Gulf monarchies, traditionally U.S. allies, have turned to Moscow.

This shift has allowed Russian arms suppliers to challenge U.S. dominance in the region, said Nikolay Kozhanov, a Russian expert on Iran and the Middle East and a visiting lecturer at the European University at St. Petersburg.

The instability in the Middle East suggests that the region will remain one of the chief markets for arms for years to come, he said.

With the growing view that the United States is more focused on East Asia than the Middle East, Russias influence could increase. Nations in the Gulf, in particular, are looking for an alternative to the United States due to the perception that it is on its way out, said Kozhanov.

This perception is very wrong but dominates in the region, he said.

Russias Post-Soviet Ambitions

Russias activity in the Middle East is part of a broader ambition to reclaim its position as a great power. That status was lost when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, but under Putin, Russia has reemerged on the global stage.

In part, Russias recent offensives are motivated by insecuritythe fear that Russia is being surrounded by countries beyond its control and allied to the United States.

The NATO buildup in the former Soviet block, from the Baltic states down to Romania, has reinforced the widely held perception in Moscow that Russia is under threat on its borders.

Russia has historically faced invasion from the West, making the NATO presence there concerning, notes a Stratfor report.

The only way for Russia to secure itself, as believed by Putin, is to become an important international player once again, said Kozhanov.

Meanwhile, instability in the Middle East also presents a direct threat to Russia, which faced armed revolt in the predominantly Islamic republic of Chechnya, a federal republic in Russias North Caucasus region less than an 800-mile drive from Syria.

Keeping ISIS and other extremist groups out of Russian territory are important objectives for the countrys actions in Syria and the Middle East. Intervention in the Syrian war has won Putin domestic support and legitimacy as the protector of Russias external borders.

It is quite important for the countrys leaders to ensure support from the population, Kozhanov said.

The view of Russia as a besieged fortress is something propagated by the Kremlin for its own needs and used for domestic mobilization.

UkraineSyria Connection

That narrative worked particularly well in Crimea, where Russia used the divided loyalties of the Ukrainian people, and the sizable Russian population there, to annex the peninsula and gain control over its key warm water port on the Sevastopol Bay.

Taking control of Crimea addressed a Russian fear around Ukraines desire to join the EU and more fully align with countries Russia sees as adversaries. It also provided a major boost to Putins domestic support. Patriotism is the key to maintaining power, said Stratfor senior Eurasia analyst Lauren Goodrich.

Russias involvement in the Syrian conflict is deeply intertwined with its meddling in eastern Ukraine. The Kremlin uses the Syrian intervention as leverage to bring up other issues, like the sanctions brought against them for their actions in Ukraine, according to Goodrich.

Russia has always been a country that ties everything into a bigger game, she said.

According to the Institute for the Study of War, Russia can now use escalating levels of violenceand the harm it inflicts on non-combatantsto extract concessions in future negotiations over the Syrian civil war.

Russia likely would not have entered Syria if the fighting in Ukraine was more intense than skirmishes, however.

The Russians see Ukraine and Syria as equally important and believe that they cannot afford fighting on two fronts. As a result, they are trying to settle one crisis [Ukraine] to handle the other, said Kozhanov.

Both conflicts see Russia trying to reassert a position it held in the Soviet era, as a hegemonic influence over the countries on its immediate borders.

Syria has also given Russia an opportunity to deepen its military cooperation with another of the United States regional rivalsIran.

Russia and Iran share a resentment that America can block their expansive ambitions. So they seek each others support, wrote Vali R. Nasr, dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, in a New York Times op-ed.

Russia has used an Iranian air base to strike targets in Syria and has fired missiles from the Caspian Sea over Iran and Iraq to strike targets in Syria.

Nasr warned about a Russian-Iranian military axis that could upset hopes for stability in the Middle East, and for containing Russias global ambitions, into the future.

Limits to Russias Ambition

At the moment though, Putins ability to achieve greater Russian influence should not be overstated, said Kozhanov.

Russia will definitely not replace the U.S. in the Middle Eastthey dont have the capacity, political or economical, to do it, said Kozhanov. Their abilities are quite limited.

Although Russias newfound expansionism is undeniable, on a larger scale its military power is severely limited compared to the United States, according to Kozhanov and Courtney. Russia simply does not have Americas ability to project power around the world.

It cant be a great power if it can project power only in its immediate neighborhood, said Courtney.

Russia will, however, continue to play the role of a revisionist power, dissatisfied with an international system dominated by the United States.

And Putins calculated interventions will likely increase tensions between the two countries and prevent cooperation on other issues, like the war against ISIS.

The upcoming presidential election in the United States adds another unknown to the current competition.

Russia has the perception, correct or not, that Secretary Clinton will be more hawkish than even President Obama has been. Theyve had experience with her and shes known, said Goodrich.

On the other hand, Donald Trump is a wild card and unknown. Russia is worried about the unknown, she added.
Govt fails to check SSC question leakage

Exams continue with leaked papers: 3 including a teacher held on Saturday

M M Jasim :

The Education Minister has failed to check question paper leakage as every question paper of the first five examinations of the ongoing Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations have been leaked.

Following media reports on the leakage, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid declared a Tk 5 lakh reward to help catch those involved in question paper leakage. His Ministry also formed a committee to decide the next course of action.

However, the question paper leakage continued.

The Minister had earlier told journalists that examinations would be cancelled as soon as the leakages were proved.

Although the Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid did not make any comment over the ongoing SSC examinations. The State Minister for Technical and Madrasa Education of Education Ministry Kazi Keramat Ali also denied the allegation.

Yesterday was the mathematics examination. The question papers with answer sheets were leaked on Facebook about one and a half hours prior to the examination.

Images of the multiple choice questions and answers in the math 'Kha' questions were released on Facebook around 8:35am on Saturday.

Even though the leakers sell question papers the day before the exam, they give it away for free in groups on Facebook and Whatsapp hours before the test.

"If you want to get the math question paper before everyone else, be with us," reads a status in a group on Facebook called, PSC JSC SSC HSC Degree Honours Masters Admission Test BCS Job Question Out.

Such posts have been doing the rounds on Facebook since the beginning of the SSC examinations earlier this month.

A good number of people from different parts of the country communicated with the leakers and got the questions, it was alleged.

Meanwhile, the guardians in Jessore and Rajshahi districts detained and handed over two college students to the police after they showed "apparently leaked" SSC questions on their mobile phones.

Bowalia Police Station OC Aman Ullah and Jessore Education Board Examination Controller Madhab Chandra Rudra provided the information.

Detainee Rabeya Islam Riya is a first-year Mathematics Department student at Rajshahi City College, while detainee Moniruzzaman is a postgraduate student at Jessore Government MM College.

"A woman was showing SSC examination questions on her mobile phone to students and guardians at the city's PN Girl's School on Saturday morning," OC Aman Ullah said. "Some guardians detained her and turned her over to police."

She is still being questioned, the OC said.

"A young man was showing guardians mathematics questions on his mobile phone in front of the examination centre around 9:45am," Examination Controller Madhab Chandra Rudra said. "The guardians detained him and handed him over to the police at the examination centre."

"Moniruzzaman was showing them questions from the 'Ka' question set, but Saturday's exam was on the 'Kha' set."

On the other hand, the police detained an Assistant-Secretary of Mowna Centre in Gazipur district as he came out from the centre with the question papers just after the beginning of the examination.

The detainee has been identified as Amzad Hossain, Alhaj Dhonai Bepari High School.

Secretary of the centre Shahjahan Siraj told The New Nation that the authorities suspended Amzad Hossain immediately.

Meanwhile, Nagarik Chhatra Oikya, student front of Nagorik Oikya, at a discussion at the Jatiya Press Club yesterday said the government had failed to stop the SSC examination questions leakage.

Riazul Islam, Member-Secretary of the platform, read out the statement. Nagarik Oikya Convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna was present at the programme.

"Students are now losing their interest in studies. Instead of educating themselves, they are now learning how to pass exams through immoral means by getting the easily accessible questions," the statement said.
Smokin New Technology to Produce Flu Vaccines

WMP NOTE: After the recent media uproar about the CDC Director Brenda Fitzgeralds resignation, which focused on the inappropriateness of her ownership in tobacco stock, the WMP team decided to investigate further. What we uncovered is new technology that utilizes tobacco leaves to produce vaccines in a much shorter time frame and clinical trials are already underway using this new technology to produce flu vaccines here in the US. So maybe Fitzgeralds stocks had nothing to do with smoking tobacco cessation and everything to do with vaccine production?

By nearly everyones admission, this years influenza vaccine has been a colossal flop. In any given year, flu shot effectiveness in the United States varies widely anyway, but this years estimates point to rock-bottom effectiveness of 10 percent. The previous low over the past five years was an estimated 19 percent for the 2014-2015 influenza season, when public health researchers concluded that the shot offered little protection against the predominant influenza strain. (This does not even take into account research showing that individuals who get the flu shot year after year have diminished protection and are at greater risk of spreading the flu to others.) The figure below shows the flu vaccines inconsistent levels of effectiveness since 2004.

Influenza vaccine effectiveness, 2004-2017 (Source: CDC)

Pharmaceutical companies and public health officials acknowledge the issue of suboptimal influenza vaccine effectiveness and blame it on a variety of factors, including the conventional flu vaccine production process that uses eggs or cultured mammalian cells and requires a six-month lead time. With the exponential growth of the biotechnology industry, a search has been underway to genetically engineer vaccines that are less cumbersome and more cost-effective to make.

interest in molecular farming strategies has skyrocketed in the past decade alongside the push to develop ever more vaccines.

The emerging technology of plant-based vaccine production, or molecular farming, inserts viral vectors that contain specific genetic information into plants; these genetic instructions tell the plants to produce target proteins that later are harvested to make vaccines. This is called recombinant protein production. Although initial attempts to produce vaccines in plants date back to the early 1990s, interest in molecular farming strategies has skyrocketed in the past decade alongside the push to develop ever more vaccines.

The Pivotal Role of Military Dollars

Interestingly, one of the parties most invested in the plant-based model of vaccine production is the US military. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) funded trials that showed plant-based vaccine production to be capable of making 10 million doses of flu vaccine in 30 days while bearing infrastructure costs that reportedly were 10 times lower than for other vaccine manufacturing methods. DARPA was enthusiastic about these results.

DARPA views potential pandemics and biodefense as matters of national security andguided by its strategic objective of harnessing biology as technologyhas sought to acquire capability for quick, on-demand production of vaccines to enable [an] agile, robust, and rapid surge response. After launching an Accelerated Manufacturing of Pharmaceuticals program in 2005 to begin studying plants as a vaccine manufacturing platform, DARPA began pouring additional millions into these efforts in 2009 when the H1N1 influenza virus appeared on the scene.

consumers seemingly like the idea of creating something positive from a plant with such negative stigma.

Rehabilitating Tobaccoand Tobacco Stocks

Various properties of tobacco make it an excellent vehicle for molecular farming and for influenza vaccines, in particular. Proponents of tobacco-based vaccine production cite tobaccos winning attributes (including the fact that it is robust and hearty and grows to maturity quickly) and also report that consumers seemingly like the idea of creating something positive from a plant with such negative stigma.

The mention of tobaccos public relations problems is noteworthy in the context of Brenda Fitzgeralds January 31, 2018 resignation from her post as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Media reports embarrassed the nations top public health official into resigning when it became apparent that she had financial conflicts of interest, including sizeable investments in both the tobacco and vaccine industries, among others. Fitzgeralds published tobacco investments include holdings in Japan Tobacco (JT), the worlds third largest and fastest growing tobacco company (with one-third ownership by the Japanese government). Japan Tobacco makes leading cigarette brands such as Camel and Winston and boasts of having roots in many of the most famous tobacco companies around the world, including RJ Reynolds in the US and Gallaher Group in the UK.

Although the media uproar about the CDC directors resignation focused mostly on the inappropriateness of Fitzgeralds tobacco investments, the news reports ignored the increased blurring of distinctions between the tobacco and pharmaceutical sectors. For example, recognizing the limited prospects for growth in traditional tobacco sales, Japan Tobacco launched a pharmaceutical division in 1987, which develops, manufactures and sells prescription drugs for metabolic and autoimmune diseases as well as viral infection. Even as JTs tobacco market struggles amid a tough business climate, its pharmaceutical arm is growing rapidly and shareholders are pushing for it to become a core operation. JT also has been forging strategic partnerships with biotechnology and biopharmaceutical companies for many years, including obtaining exclusive rights in 1999 to market eventual lung cancer vaccines. All of this exemplifies two converging global trends toward the pharmaceuticalization of the tobacco industry and reliance by the pharmaceutical sector on vaccines as their engine for growth. Given the CDCs central role in vaccine production and distribution, these types of overlapping relationships cast Fitzgeralds financial commitments to companies like JT in an even more questionable light.

Reflecting a similarly dizzying entanglement between pharmaceutical and tobacco ambitions, another Japanese companyMitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation (MTPC)is one of the industry leaders in the tobacco-to-vaccine technology. MTPC acquired the technology in 2012-2013 when it partnered with the Quebec-based biotech firm Medicago to develop and commercialize influenza and other vaccines. It went on to purchase most of Medicago the following yearwith the exception of roughly 38% of the company already owned by the tobacco giant Philip Morris! Medicago perfected the plant-based vaccine production technology at a deluxe 97,000 square foot DARPA-funded greenhouse in North Carolina.

MTPC expects to bring the tobacco-based vaccine technology to market in the US (where approval standards are less rigorous than in Japan) in fiscal 2018 or 2019. With DARPA and US Army funding and Medicago sponsorship, the results of pre-clinical studies and Phase I clinical trials that examined the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines already have been published. Poised to finalize its clinical trials this year in the U.S., MTPC anticipates over $700 million in annual sales by fiscal 2020, a sales target that, if achieved, would represent nearly one-fifth (18.4%) of the estimated $3.8 billion annual market for flu shots globally.

It is difficult to ascertain whether JT and MTPC are competitors or collaborators, but the two certainly frequent many of the same circles. For example, Japanese drug researchers often disclose financial and research support from both companies, and the two businesses both are members of the Japan Microbiome Consortium. Both also have drug development and distribution agreements with the same third parties.

Will more collaboration be in the two companies future, as JT seeks to build up its vaccine business and MTPC looks for tobacco producers with the expertise to help tobacco-based vaccine manufacturing come fully online? And how much of all this did Dr. Fitzgerald know when she purchased Japan Tobacco stock shortly after her appointment to direct the CDCs four-billion-dollar-a-year vaccine program?

Note: A follow-up World Mercury Project article will examine safety considerations pertaining to these newer vaccine technologies.

By the World Mercury Project Team. Visit worldmercuryproject.org for more information.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Teacher Tries to Fail Student Because Australia is Not a CountryStudent Learns a Real Lesson

Do people with advanced degrees think they are smarter than everyone else? Not the smart ones.

Do people with advanced degrees think they are infallible? Again, not the smart ones.

Do people with doctoral degrees, by and large, deny that Australia is a country?

At least one didand was so certain she was correct, she refused to reconsider, even when a students degree hung in the balance.

Ashley Arnold is a young mother from Idaho Falls, Idaho, who decided to enroll in an online university to continue her education while she raised her son, Buzzfeed reported.

Arnold chose Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) which, according to American News Central, is one of the most popular online universities in the United States.

At age 27, Arnold decided to get a degree in sociology, and she was doing well, working her way through the curriculum until she was ready for her last class, Buzzfeed reported.

The class cost nearly $1,000, but that wasnt why it matteredthe class was the final hurdle between herself and that college degree she sought.

One of her assignments was to compare social norms in two different countries. Arnold decided to compare social media use between the United States and Australia.

So far, so good.

AND and island. We even have our own flag pic.twitter.com/k9TbqGh0yn  Shirley Yooggest (@ShirleyYooggest) February 9, 2018

G-o-oHow Is That Spelled?

Arnold turned in her project, and on Feb.1, got her gradeand got quite a shock. And then, another shock.

The first shock came when she saw she had received zero points of credit for her work. But the second shock came when she learned why.

Australia, her teacher informed her, was a continentnot a country.

With her education levels, her expertise, who wouldnt know Australia is a country? Arnold asked Buzzfeed. If shes hesitating or questioning that, why wouldnt she just google that herself?

Arnold handled the situation with aplomb. She sent a few emails to her professor explaining the situation, even citing a reference from the SNHU library: The research starter on the SNHUs Shapiro library written by John Pearson (2013) states, that Australia is the sixth-largest country in the world (n.p.). The full name of the country is the Commonwealth of Australia, meaning Australia is both a continent and a country.

Despite being provided with multiple sources, the professor responded, Australia is a continent; it is not a country.



Arnold stuck to it.

That got a bit more traction. Her professor responded, After I do some independent research on the continent country issue I will review your paper.

And finally, the teacher couldnt hold out any longer. She had to admit that, even though she had a doctoral degree, she still made a mistake.

After her professor reluctantly admitted that Australia was a country, she regraded the project. Arnold earned a B+.

Very Real Lesson Learned

It may seem that this was an exercise in ego and lack of humility, but Arnold took a much more positive view, focusing not on the educators error, but on the education.

Arnold posted on Facebook:

Here is the lesson I learned: as a student going back to school in my late twenties I have sometimes felt inadequate. I have felt ashamed and embarrassed that Im still in school and do not have a real career yet. However, this class made me realize that I am equal and I can do hard things.

I learned I can advocate for myself successfully even in the face of opposition brought on by a stubborn professor with a Ph.D. I hope this experience will give me courage to continue to advocate for myself and others.

Now, That is making the most of a teachable moment.

But it doesnt end there.

Realizing that other students might have had similar issues, Arnold pursued the matter with SNHU.

Arnold asked all media not to name the professor. She was considerate enough to realize that some people might get a little nasty online, and Arnold wasnt looking for revenge, just a fair grade.

Southern New Hampshire University took the matter very seriously. After reviewing things thoroughly, SNHU tweeted, We deeply regret the interaction between our professor & our student. We have apologized to Ashley, replaced the instructor, & are reimbursing her tuition for the course.

To our friends in Australia, we know that you are a country & a continent, best of luck in the Olympic games!

We deeply regret the interaction between our professor & our student. We have apologized to Ashley, replaced the instructor, & are reimbursing her tuition for the course. To our friends in Australia, we know that you are a country & a continent, best of luck in the Olympic games!  SNHU (@SNHU) February 9, 2018

As it turns out, Arnold was not the first SNHU student to fall afoul of teacher error.

After hearing about Arnolds experience, Sarah L. (@sarah_001) tweeted Recently, as an active & enrolled student @SNHU, I have noticed &experienced exactly the same thing with my last professor. I contacted my advisor about it & ultimately, nothing happened & failed b/c I didnt take it as far & put in as much effort as Ashley

Im proud of how SNHU handled this.Recently,as an active&enrolled student @SNHU,I have noticed &experienced exactly the same thing with my last professor.I contacted my advisor about it&ultimately,nothing happened& failed b/c I didnt take it as far&put in as much effortas Ashley  Sarah L. (@sarah_001) February 9, 2018

The professor still has her degree and her education. She has all the resources she needs to find another job, and hopefully, seeing the example Arnold set, will have learned a few moral lessons, which will serve her well throughout the rest of her life.

From NTD.tv

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Police investigate the scene of a shooting in Westerville, Ohio, on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018. Westerville police have confirmed that two officers have been fatally shot at a home in the Columbus suburb. A police statement says the officers responded to a 911 hang-up call around 11:30 a.m. and were shot after they arrived at a residence. A suspect is reportedly in custody. (Tom Dodge/The Columbus Dispatch via AP)

Trump Offers Prayers for Two Ohio Police Officers Killed in Line of Duty

President Donald Trump extended his prayers to two police officers killed in the line of duty in Westerville, Ohio, on Saturday, Feb. 10.

My thoughts and prayers are with the two police officers, their families, and everybody at the @WestervillePD. https://t.co/AoingY77Ky  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 10, 2018

The two officers were killed while responding to a 911 call, according to the City of Westerville and media reports.

It is with a heavy heart we report a second Westerville officer has been killed in the line of duty, the City of Westerville wrote on its official Twitter account. We will share more details here as it becomes available.

The killings occurred around 11:30 a.m. at Crosswind drive, according to 10 TV.

The local police department told Fox News that the two officers were responding to a 911 hang-up call.

The suspect was reportedly shot and taken into police custody, according to Fox 28. No word is yet available on the suspects condition.

The neighboring Columbus police department Tweeted a message asking locals for prayers.

Please keep @tellwesterville and its officers in your thoughts & prayers, the department wrote on Twitter. CPDs Critical Response Team is assisting. Tough day.

State Senator Kevin Bacon also issued words of support.

Our hearts and prayers are with the Westerville officers, their friends, families and the Westerville Police Department at this difficult time, Bacon wrote.

We are indebted to the brave men and women who don the blue and the badge day in and day out to keep our communities safe, he continued. Sometimes, those officers dont make it home at the end of a shift. Now is one of those times and we  as a community  must rally behind the families and fellow officers.

From NTD.tv

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U.S. President Donald Trump is welcomed by U.S. Navy Admiral Harry Harris, commander of United States Pacific Command, at its headquarters in Aiea, Hawaii, U.S. Nov. 3, 2017. (Reuters/Jonathan Ernst)

Trump Taps US Pacific Commander Harris as Ambassador to Australia

WASHINGTONPresident Donald Trump on Friday named U.S. Pacific Commander Admiral Harry Harris, who is known for his hawkish views on Chinas military expansion, as his pick to serve as the American ambassador to Australia, the White House said in a statement.

The naval officer has served in the military for 39 years and is in his seventh command assignment as head of the U.S. Pacific Command, according to the White House.

A statement from the White House describes him as a highly decorated, combat proven naval officer with extensive knowledge, leadership, and geopolitical expertise in the Indo-Pacific region.

During Harriss tenure as head of U.S. forces in the Pacific, tensions over North Koreas missile and nuclear programs increased as President Donald Trumps administration and Pyongyang exchanged threats.

Harris was appointed to his former role by former President Barack Obama.

Harris is known for his firm views on Beijings South China Sea expansion and a strong supporter of freedom of navigation operations under which U.S. ships and aircraft challenge other countries maritime claims.

He upset China by dubbing its construction of islands and building-up of military facilities in the South China Sea as a great wall of sand.

Two U.S. officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Harriss likely replacement was Admiral Philip Davidson, commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command.

The officials did not comment on when an announcement could be made and any replacement will have to be approved by the U.S. Senate.

Great to see Admiral Harry Harris nominated by @realDonaldTrump as US Ambassador to Australia. Look forward to seeing you in Canberra, Harry! pic.twitter.com/YHvu1NQ4BN  Malcolm Turnbull (@TurnbullMalcolm) February 10, 2018

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will be leading a delegation of government and business leaders to Washington to hold talks with the Trump administration on Feb. 23.

The president and prime minister will discuss a range of shared bilateral, regional, and global priorities, including fighting terrorism, promoting economic growth, and expanding security and defense cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, a statement from the White House said. Recommended Video: President Donald Trump: Year 1
STAMFORD  Purdue Pharma, the maker of the controversial painkiller OxyContin, will no longer market its opioids to doctors, a major change for a company frequently accused of deceptively promoting its drugs.

We have restructured and significantly reduced our commercial operation and will no longer be promoting opioids to prescribers, the company said in a statement.

The new strategy cuts the Stamford-based companys salesforce by more than 50 percent, to a total of about 200. Purdue also plans to send a letter Monday to prescribers to announce its sales personnel will no longer come to their offices to discuss the companys opioids. Prescribers questions and requests for information about opioids such as OxyContin will now be handled by Purdues medical affairs department.

Remaining sales representatives will focus on Symproic, which treats opioid-induced constipation in adult patients with non-cancer chronic pain, and other potential non-opioid drugs.

The salesforce overhaul follows a torrent of lawsuits in the past year that have accused Purdue of falsely marketing its opioids. OxyContin is its top-selling drug, bringing in billions of dollars in annual revenues.

Ohio Attorney Gen. Mike DeWine, who sued the company last year, said in a statement Sunday that Purdues announcement represented a victory for everyone and that he was happy they are stopping the lies.

But he also described the change as too little, too late and a move that should have been made years ago by Purdue and other opioid makers. Their actions had fundamentally changed the prescribing culture of doctors, led to tens of thousands of deaths and cost the country billions of dollars, he said.

If they are truly serious about this, they could lead the way in cleaning up the mess they created and pay their fair share to fund desperately needed treatment, prevention education, naloxone, and expansion of the foster care system, DeWine said. They have an obligation to now re-educate the American public and the medical community about the real dangers of these drugs.

Other prosecutors who have sued Purdue side with DeWine in saying the marketing and proliferation of OxyContin have fueled opioid abuse and overdoses in their cities and states. Among the latest complaints, Alabama sued last week and New York City filed litigation last month.

The company has denied the lawsuits allegations.

Among earlier measures aimed at tackling the opioid crisis, Purdue said it has directed prescribers for the past two years to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain. The company said it has also referred prescribers to an open letter from Dr. Vivek Murthy, published when he was the U.S. surgeon general, urging medical professionals to join him in tackling the epidemic of opioid abuse.

From 1999 to 2016, more than 200,000 people in the U.S. died from overdoses related to prescription opioids, according to the CDC. Overdose deaths involving prescription opioids were five times higher in 2016 than in 1999, while sales of those drugs quadrupled, the CDC said.

pschott@scni.com; 203-964-2236; twitter: @paulschott
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Adapting to global human mobility crisis

Idriss Jazairy :

More people than ever are on the move under the centrifugal impulse of globalisation. Fifteen percent of the world's population or one billion of the Earth's seven billion people are considered as people on the move. Host developing countries or societies bear the brunt of those that flee from their homes.

There are 740 million internally displaced people. On top of this, the world is home to 244 million international migrants and 22.5 million refugees. The world has thus never witnessed a more complex and massive movement of people since the end of the Second World War.

Yet, attempts to deny the inevitability of global human mobility and to demonize globalization until recently hailed as an expression of "the magic of the market", are the preferred responses to the protracted migrant and refugee crisis.

On-going armed conflict and indiscriminate terrorist attacks in their wake as well as climate change have brought bereavement principally to the Middle East and the North Africa (MENA) region and are spilling over to other regions including Europe.

This has given rise to an exacerbation of human rights violations in societies in the MENA region. More than 10 million people in Syria, Sudan, Iraq, and Yemen have been forcibly displaced from their home societies or countries owing to the rise of extremist violence and to water scarcity.

Thousands of refugees and migrants undertake perilous and treacherous journeys in a desperate search for a better and a safer future. Only a small proportion of these goes to destination countries that are advanced and prosperous societies and who champion human rights and democracy.

Yet this is where the backlash is now occurring. Thus, the aspirations of "huddled masses" for a safer and better life remain in limbo as multilateralism and consensus building are being challenged by unilateralism, populism and political adventurism.

Extremism and populism are being mainstreamed in the rich world. Eastern Europe is threatening the democratic traditions of a continent referred to as the birthplace of democracy. The electoral outcomes in numerous European countries illustrate that populist parties are emerging as credible political actors.

Although the displaced only account for 0.2% of Europe's population, short-term perceptions of national interests and fearmongering together with an outburst of identity politics downgrade human rights and specifically the need to respond to the plight of people on the move.

How can one overcome these challenges that threaten to destabilize peace and stability in the world?

On 14 December 2017, a coalition of civil society organizations and specialists adopted the 2017 Geneva Declaration entitled "Mobility and human solidarity, a challenge and an opportunity for Europe and the MENA region." This declaration was signed by representatives of 12 organizations worldwide who were driven by the idea that the migrant and refugee crisis can be addressed through dialogue and joint action.

To achieve this noble goal, the Geneva Declaration calls upon international decision-makers to uphold the view that global human mobility can become the driving force of social progress. It appeals to decision-makers in the Arab region and the West to identify equitable burden- and responsibility-sharing mechanisms to provide protection to people on the move.

Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey host displaced people that may add up to 25%, 20% and 3% of these countries' populations respectively. The burden has thus been put on poorer countries to deal with a complex situation that is not of their doing.

Attempts in prosperous societies to "fortify" and seal off borders exacerbate the plight of these people on the move. It contributes to the criminalization of migrants and refugees.

The Declaration echoes the need to enhance the fairness of responsibility-sharing mechanisms for hosting displaced, mostly young, people guided by the principles of international solidarity, justice and, why not acknowledge it, of long-term self-interest of host countries where the proportion of the elderly keeps increasing. This is an occasion for all to keep alive the lofty aims of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.

A key outcome of the Declaration is the joint call to action to establish a Global Charter to enhance the protection of the rights of people on the move.

The refugee and migrant crisis has ceased to be rational and is being caught up in an emotional whirlwind. The Global Charter should caution the EU against "externalising" or "outsourcing" compassion to people on the move or envisioning the situation merely as a security and border control issue.

European officials must consider global human mobility as a human right, and not just as an issue of protection. Nor should selective compassion and selective mercy for people on the move be allowed to prevail. A multilateral task force should be put in place to coordinate the implementation of the Global Compact for Migration, the Global Compact on Refugees and hopefully the future Global Charter.

Global human mobility must not be considered as an obstacle to the social progress of societies. Societies that demonstrate respect for human dignity are the ones most likely to be winners in the long run.

There is a need for courageous European leadership and broad-based support from the media to "depoliticise" the issue of refugees and migrants and to free public opinion from the irrational fear that has gripped it in this regard.



(Ambassador Idriss Jazairy is the executive director of the Geneva Centre for Human Rights Advancement and Global Dialogue and the former head of a UN specialised agency, IFAD).


Enbridge Inc. operates as an energy infrastructure company. The company operates through five segments: Liquids Pipelines, Gas Transmission and Midstream, Gas Distribution and Storage, Renewable Power Generation, and Energy Services. The Liquids Pipelines segment operates pipelines and related terminals to transport various grades of crude oil and other liquid hydrocarbons in Canada and the United States. The Gas Transmission and Midstream segment invests in natural gas pipelines, and gathering and processing facilities in Canada and the United States. The Gas Distribution and Storage segment is involved in natural gas utility operations serving residential, commercial, and industrial customers in Ontario, as well as natural gas distribution and energy transportation activities in Quebec. The Renewable Power Generation segment operates power generating assets, such as wind, solar, geothermal, and waste heat recovery facilities; and transmission assets in North America and Europe. The Energy Services segment provides energy marketing services to refiners, producers, and other customers; and physical commodity marketing and logistical services in Canada and the United States. The company was formerly known as IPL Energy Inc. and changed its name to Enbridge Inc. in October 1998. Enbridge Inc. was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

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Apple fixes security hole reportedly used to hack an iPhone

BOSTON (AP)  Apple released a critical software patch to fix a security vulnerability that researchers said could allow hackers to directly infect iPhones and other Apple devices without any user action. Researchers at the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab said the security issue was exploited to plant spyware on a Saudi activist's iPhone.

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What more concrete evidence on Rohingya massacre do the international community require?

LAST Friday the globally renowned news agency Reuters revealed a shocking special report with spine-chilling photos on how two of its journalists came to unearth a mass grave of ten Rohingya Muslims. The horrific photos of the corpses and the victims bound together helplessly watched as their grave was dug by their Buddhist neighbours, at least a couple of them were hacked to death and the rest were shot dead by the Myanmar troops. The incident occurred on 10 September last year. However, soon after the revelation the two Reuters journalists were arrested by Myanmar authorities.



The burning question now - how much more concrete evidence of the Rohingya massacre do the international community require to take prompt and appropriate action against Myanmar? Until last Friday, accounts of carnage, atrocities and violence against the Rohingyas in Rakhine State have been largely provided by its victims and Google satellite images. The latest Reuters report has been prepared based on Buddhist villagers who confessed of torching Rohingya homes, burying bodies and killing Muslims. If such an authentic special report is not considered seriously to define Myanmar military's actions as crime against humanity, we fear, the future of the ethnic minority is now at serious stake.



As with other, previous reports of mass graves, this report in particular highlights the ongoing and urgent need for Myanmar authorities to cooperate with an independent, credible investigation into allegations of atrocities in Rakhine. Moreover, such credible investigations would help provide a more comprehensive picture of what has truly happened. Then again, now that a deplorable fact has been revealed by the mainstream journalism, the Myanmar authorities would go even further not to cooperate in anymore investigations. Also Myanmar has barred UN authorities to enter in that country. Such impudence is no less than a slap in the face.



Myanmar should not be allowed to keep refusing, rejecting UN proposals and playing with time. It's long past for taking actions and imposing sanctions on Myanmar, international community must act right away.






Validus Holdings, Ltd. provides reinsurance coverage, insurance coverage, and insurance linked securities management services worldwide. It operates through three segments: Reinsurance, Insurance, and Asset Management. The Reinsurance segment underwrites property reinsurance products on a catastrophe excess of loss, per risk excess of loss and proportional basis; and aerospace and aviation, agriculture, composite, marine, technical lines, terrorism, trade credit, workers' compensation, and other specialty lines, as well as casualty and financial lines. The Insurance segment underwrites property, accident and health, agriculture, aviation, contingency, marine, and political lines insurance products; bankers blanket bond, commercial crime, computer crime, cyber- crime, professional indemnity, and directors' and officers' insurance products for various financial institutions and other companies; and commercial and institutional risks comprising general, professional, and product liability, as well as miscellaneous malpractice insurance products. This segment also underwrites marine and energy liability, and political risk insurance products, as well as insurance products for repair, maintenance, and upkeep of aircrafts and premises for small companies. The Asset Management segment manages capital for third parties through insurance-linked securities, and other property catastrophe and specialty reinsurance investments. Validus Holdings, Ltd. was founded in 2005 and is based in Pembroke, Bermuda.

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Phillipines heist

BANGLADESH'S central bank will file a lawsuit in New York against a Philippine bank over the world's largest cyber heist, as said by our Finance Minister on Wednesday. Unidentified hackers stole $81 million in February 2016 from the Bangladesh central bank's account with the US Federal Reserve in New York. The money was transferred to a Manila branch of the Rizal Commercial Banking Corp (RCBC), then quickly withdrawn and laundered through local casinos.



With only a small amount of the stolen money recovered and frustration growing in Dhaka, Finance Minister A.M.A Muhith said last year he wanted to "wipe out" RCBC. On Wednesday he said Bangladesh Bank lawyers were discussing the case in New York and may file a joint lawsuit against the RCBC with the US Federal Reserve. The Deputy Governor of Bangladesh Bank Razee Hassan told AFP the case would be filed in April.



The Philippines in 2016 imposed a record $21 million fine on RCBC after investigating its role in the audacious cyber heist. Philippine authorities have also filed money-laundering charges against the RCBC branch manager. The bank has rejected the allegations and last year accused Bangladesh's central bank of a "massive cover-up".



The hackers bombarded the US Federal Reserve with dozens of transfer requests, attempting to steal a further $850 million. But the bank's security systems and typing errors in some requests prevented the full theft. The hack took place on a Friday, when Bangladesh Bank is closed. The Federal Reserve Bank in New York is closed on Saturday and Sunday, slowing the response.



Under tort law "imputed liability" occurs when there is an attachment of responsibility to a person for harm or damages caused by another person in either a negligence lawsuit or criminal prosecution. Thus, an employer of an employee who injures someone through negligence while in the scope of employment (doing work for the employer) is vicariously liable for damages to the injured person. Under the law then, both the employees of Bangladesh Bank and Rizal Banking Corp can equally be brought under criminal persecution.



Instead of spending further millions to get back our monies our government could easily manage an agreement with the Philippines government to get back the amounts we have lost. The Philippines government has already fined Rizal Bank USD 21 million --which we could get back through negotiations. The fact that we have been unable to do so represents our total failure to come to an agreement with the Philippines government. Instead of opening lawsuits Bangladesh Bank should be looking at a rapprochement with the Philippines government to get back what is ours. Fighting long and costly legal battles which could potentially stretch over years is not the way to go.
Khaleda not yet given Divn

Pro- BNP lawyers including Moudud Ahmed , Jamiruddin Sirkar, Khandker Mahbub Hossain , former AG Mohammad Ali went to old Dhaka central jail to see Khaleda Zia on Saturday.

Staff Reporter :

BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia has been kept in the jail as an ordinary prisoner ignoring jail code, alleges her lawyer and senior leader of the party Barrister Moudud Ahmed.

"Begum Khaleda Zia is being treated as an ordinary prisoner despite deserving division privilege in at least three out of 18 categories of the revised jail code," Moudud Ahmed told the journalists after meeting the BNP chief at the former Dhaka Central Jail complex on the Nazimuddin Road.

Moudud Ahmed said, "The former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia is deliberately kept in solitary confinement simply to harass her. It is against the Constitution."

Earlier, five senior lawyers of Khaleda Zia met her to discuss legal issues and necessary authorisation.

BNP standing committee members and lawyers Moudud Ahmed and Jamiruddin Sircar, BNP chairperson's Adviser Khondkar Mahbub Hossain, former Attorney General AJ Mohammad Ali and lawyer Abdur Rezzak Khan reached the jail gate at around 3:00pm and entered the jail at around 4:25pm. They came out of the jail at around 5:45pm.

Moudud said, the government claims that Khaleda has been given an assistant in the jail, but in reality she is alone there and the foods served to her are inedible.

The jail authority did not give her home cooked foods, he added. The senior lawyer said, "Khaleda Zia cannot move alone as she had a major surgery in her knee. We will go to the High Court and if necessary to the home ministry on the issues."

Replying a query, Moudud said, "There is no need to contact the jail authorities on this issue. Division privilege is supposed to begin automatically. It is totally clear in law that what would take place." He said, "Actually the government is doing all these to irritate the former Prime Minister."

To another query, he said if the copy of the verdict is available on Sunday, they might file appeal against the trial on the day. The lawyers said that Khaleda's morale was high comparing the past and her health is sound.
UN must play active role for peace in Bangladesh

Statistics of a local rights body said, a total of 1,786 people have been arrested in the last 9 days. Cases were also filed against several hundred BNP leaders and activists, including 200 in Sylhet, 49 in Chittagong and 643 in Habiganj. These are merely numbers of recorded cases, across the country unaccounted arrests in the wake of Khaleda Zia's verdict on Thursday is unknown.



Needless to say all of these arrests are being made by police for controlling the political situation created politically.



We cannot but express concern that thousands of crores of takas have been directly looted from the government banks. Even the cases against General Ershad are not pursued then legitimately doubts may arise that Zia Trust cases against Begum Khaleda Zia are the result of political motivation. This position will have to be defended one day by the present Awami League leaders before the general public. We hope the Awami League leaders are ready for this course of history. Begum Zia has not been convicted for misappropriation but cooperating in breach of trust for money which came from abroad. One must not forget political intolerance is very unforgiving.



But our concern is that mass arrests must mean many innocent people have also been denied their rights to be free. This will enhance confrontational politics because in our politics there is no place for compromise and understanding. The government is relying more on police for its party politics.



What is more worrying is that the present government is in the grip of anti-democratic forces like retired bureaucrats and corrupt ones enjoying protection.



The people are in most helpless situation when the country is sliding into violent confrontation and clashes. What is hopeless is that we cannot expect political leaders to be interested in bringing peace through politics.



One has to be completely blind not to see politics in the conviction of three-time Prime Minister and leader of the largest opposition party Begum Khaleda Zia in this election year. When the government is planning the election keeping them in power, we see no hope for peace in the absence of political leadership.



Not just us but in the wake of such massive arrests and use of police power, the UN Secretary General has expressed the UN's grave concern over the worsening political situation in Bangladesh. In short, the UN Secretary General also sees the situation as a political.



Since the UN is reported to have been monitoring the deepening political crisis in Bangladesh, it must also monitor and take note of the fact there is practically no political leadership to stop these repressive action. Now it's time for the UN to intervene. Monitoring, issuing warnings or expressing grave concerns will not anyhow stop the current political crisis.
Khaleda verdict a warning for corrupts: Quader

Staff Reporter :

Awami League general secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Saturday said the court's verdict against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is a warning message for corrupt politicians in the country.

"The judgment that the court delivered against Begum Khaleda Zia is a caution for the country's corrupt politicians," he said.

Quader made the remark while inaugurating the superstructure work of the Kanchpur, Meghna and

Gomti Second Bridge Project at Meghnaghat in Sonargaon under Narayanganj district.

He said the jail is a normal phenomenon in the life of a politician.

The Minister said BNP proved that it was a self-confessed party of corrupt persons by removing the Section-7 from the party's charter to pave the way for convict to become the leaders of the party.

If anyone does politics, he has to serve in the jail, he said adding that they had to endure jail and repression.

Quader hoped that the Prime Minister would open the project in November.

He said Tk 700 crore will be saved from the project involving Tk 12,000 crore.

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is using the advanced technology in the construction work of the bridges and ensured a100-year longevity.
Mirza Fakhrul warns govt

Staff Reporter :

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday warned that the government will have to take responsibility if any harm is caused to the party Chairperson Khaleda Zia in jail.

"Khaleda Zia has been kept in an abandoned house," Fakhrul said.

The BNP Secretary General was talking with reporters after a meeting with the party's top leaders



at party chairperson's Gulshan office last night.

"Khaleda Zia is ill. She needs treatment. The government will be held responsible if any harm is caused to her," he said urging the government to immediately provide all facilities to Khaleda according to the jail code.

Fakhrul also called upon his party men to continue the movement in a peaceful manner until the release of Khaleda Zia.

Earlier, Fakhrul held a meeting with BNP standing committee members, vice chairmen and Khaleda Zia's advisors to discuss the party's next course of action following the verdict against Khaleda Zia in connection Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.

During the meeting, BNP Senior Vice Chairman Tarique Rahman made a video call, Fakhrul said.

Earlier, BNP leader Barrister Moudud Ahmed claimed that Khaleda Zia has been kept in a "worn-out prison cell" in Old Central Jail in Dhaka.
Medical student found dead in Rajshahi

Staff Reporter :

A female student of Rajshahi Dental College was found dead at her residence in the city yesterday.

The deceased was identified as Zannatul Wadia Mitu, a third-year student of Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) at the college under Rajshahi Medical College, and daughter of Matiur Rahman, Principal of Baludanga Adarsha Degree College in Chapainawabganj.

Mitu was found hanging from the ceiling of her room in their house at Baharampur Bank Colony in Rajshahi city on

Saturday evening, said Hafijur Rahman, Officer-in-Charge of Rajpara Police Station.

Mitu might have committed suicide, the OC added.

She returned home after attending an examination at her college on Saturday morning, her father Matiur Rahman said, adding that she was alone in the house.

Matiur said, he informed police after finding the door was closed from inside and there was no response from her around 2:00pm.

Her classmates and friends at RMC said Mitu was a brilliant and social girl and they could not believe that she "committed suicide".

Mitu was the education, research and statistics affairs secretary of RMC unit of Sandhani, a blood donors' organisation, and executive member of Rajshahi Medical College Debate Club, they added.
Its the dream of many writers  to make it onto the New York Times bestsellers list. Theres prestige attached. And increased book sales.

But for the University of Torontos controversy-courting professor Jordan Peterson, it just might be the impossible dream.

Since it was published on Jan. 23, Petersons 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos has soared to the top of the charts. This week it tops the Stars non-fiction list and other lists across Canada.

Readers in the United States seem to like him, too. Its the No. 4 best-selling book in the U.S. overall, according to Publishers Weekly. Its No. 1 on Amazon. Its No. 2 on the Washington Posts non-fiction list. Its No. 4 on USA Todays overall list.

But it didnt seem to cast even a shadow on the New York Times prestigious list. Why would that be?

Let it be said up front that compiling a bestsellers list can be a tricky thing. Different publications use different categories and criteria. Does this book belong in self-help or general non-fiction?, we might ask ourselves, moving it off one list and onto another. This can explain, particularly in non-fiction, why theres so much variety from one list to another, even though theyre ostensibly measuring the same thing.

In addition, not everyone in the U.S. gets their sales numbers from the same place. And some of them even define weeks differently, measuring from Sunday to Saturday, say, like the Times, or Monday to Sunday, like Publishers Weekly.

Keeping that in mind, we approached the Times to ask why Petersons book did not make the list when it was so prominent elsewhere.

We received an email from Books Editor Pamela Paul, who wrote: Per the Bestsellers team, we do not include books published in Canada only. Hope that helps!

That wasnt an answer we expected.

The book was in fact sold in the U.S.  according to Publishers Weekly it moved almost 90,000 copies there in two weeks. It was also printed south of the border.

But the publisher is listed as Penguin Random House Canada  rather than its U.S.-based parent company or one of its stateside subsidiaries.

Could that be enough to disqualify Peterson from bragging rights?

Being Canadian didnt seem to be an issue for another book that made the Times lists: The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben, from Vancouver-based publisher Greystone Books. So we went back to the Times for clarification.

This time, we heard back from Chris Harcum, who works with Paul.

The Hidden Life of Trees was also published in the United States. We do not rank books that are not published in the United States, Harcum reaffirmed in an email.

The Hidden Life of Trees, according to Jennifer Gauthier, the director of sales and marketing at Greystone, noted that the book was printed in Canada and, as to selling it in the U.S. market, they did the same as when we publish in Canada. We present it to our U.S. reps, they present it to buyers, it ships from our U.S. distributor, it is stocked in retail stores and we invest in marketing it.

In addition, the book had the same ISBN identification number in both countries, and Greystone had rights to sell it both in Canada and the U.S.

Random House Canada says it handled Petersons 12 Rules for Life the same way.

Company spokesperson Tracey Turriff noted that the book was printed in the United States, distributed from its facilities in Maryland, and had U.S. salespeople, publicists and marketers.

Without meaning to be difficult, I emailed Harcum again to ask what, exactly, being published in the United States means. He referred me back to Random House Canada to explain the differences in their imprints and to ask why they decided not to publish this title in the U.S.

This, it seems, is where the crux lies. Random House Canada is owned by U.S. parent Penguin Random House. None of the New York companys American imprints picked up the book, were told, because they didnt consider it a good fit.

Now, according to Random House Canada, its one of their best performing books ever.

To be fair, there were a couple of other prominent lists where Petersons book didnt appear. It wasnt on the L.A. Times bestseller lists for this week; nor was it on Indiebound, the lists of books sold at only independent booksellers.

Jim Milliot from Publishers Weekly notes, Since we use point-of-sale data, as long as it is sold here, that is good enough for us. The New York Times reasoning doesnt make much sense. The lists are about what is selling.

Publishers Weekly receives its information from Nielsen BookScan, which tracks point-of-sale purchases from major retailers including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Target and independent bookstores, among others.

While it might seem simple  a book sale is a book sale is a book sale  there is no hard and fast rule as to where each outlet gets their numbers. And they dont all use BookScan.

USA Today and the New York Times compile their own lists from their own numbers. On its website, USA Today says that it collects sales data from booksellers representing a variety of outlets, which include contributors such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Costco, and other independent stores it names.

The Times doesnt say specifically where the numbers come from: Rankings reflect unit sales reported on a confidential basis by vendors offering a wide range of general interest titles. It cites thousands of diverse selling locations and mentions independent book stores, chains of varying sizes, ebook sellers, and more.

Which is all to say: there are no reliable answers. Most of us who compile bestsellers lists in Canada use a centralized service, BookNet, so our lists tend to be reasonably similar, barring any editors quirks in decision making. While its easy to go down the rabbit hole of which booksellers report to whom and who is selling what, and how those sales are ranked, its probably a lot easier than trying to pin down what it means to publish in the United States.

So if you cant make it on the New York Times bestsellers list? Well, you might not make it there, but that doesnt mean you wont make it anywhere.
Ipperwash

Written and directed by Falen Johnson. Until Feb. 18 at the Aki Studio in Daniels Spectrum, 585 Dundas St. E. NativeEarth.ca or 416-531-1402

A modern Renaissance artist in 2018, Falen Johnson is a writer, director, and podcaster.

Her new series, The Secret Life of Canada, co-created with fellow playwright Leah Simone-Bowen, reveals the darker side of Canadian history that escapes text books. Episodes so far have explored ways Canadian settlers stole the land of Indigenous people, subsequently displacing and mistreating them, and how that history affects us today.

An early episode focused on Ipperwash Beach, an area of Ontario cottage country with an ugly colonial history. (Funnily enough, Drew Hayden Taylors play Cottagers and Indians, about similar issues, premieres at Tarragon Theatre later this month.)

Canadians might remember the name Ipperwash (as in Ipperwash Crisis of 1995) from the clash between police and descendants of the Chippewas of Stoney Point, peacefully reclaiming the land and burial ground that their ancestors were forced to move from in 1942 so the Canadian Department of National Defence could build a military base for the Second World War. The crisis came to a head when unarmed protester Dudley George was shot and killed by an OPP sniper.

Johnson, who is of Mohawk and Tuscarora ancestry from Six Nations Grand River Territory, has evidently done her research into this period of Canadian history, and this episode of The Secret Life of Canada is worth listening to before seeing new play Ipperwash, presented by Native Earth Performing Arts in partnership with the Blyth Festival.

Rather than being dramatized, these events envelop the modern-day story that Johnson tells, building upon ideas around recurring trauma from war, violence and displacement. In Johnsons play, the effects of the DNDs decision in 1942 re anything but in the past.

Bea (PJ Prudat) is a veteran of the armed forces, recently returned from Afghanistan, whom we meet arriving at the Stoney Point reserve on a DND mission to clean up Ipperwash Beach, where landmines and contamination from the military base continue to make the land dangerous for inhabitants. (Ipperwash Provincial Park was officially given back to the Chippewas of Stoney Point and Kettle Point in 2016.)

Bea rents a house from Tim Cloud (Jonathan Fisher), an elderly veteran of the Second World War, haunted by the deaths of his sister and mother from illnesses contracted from their displacement (the military bases chemicals marred the medicinal use of local plants). With visions of Tims sister Kwe (Samantha Brown) appearing to Bea in the house, she forms a bond with Tims nephew Slip (James Dallas Smith) to learn more about the area she thought she could help.

As director, Johnson creates some moving parallels between the story of Ipperwash and Beas own experience as a war veteran. At first its unclear if Kwe is a vision from Beas PTSD or from her current home. The set design (a designer isnt specified in the program) uses sand to link the beach to the landscape of Afghanistan, and Deanna H. Chois sound design brings to the forefront echoes of militarized force, both overseas and from the 1995 crisis.

But other elements complicate Beas presence there: since shes from DND, Slip initially treats her with hostility and says its worse that (shes) native when she tells him shes of Anishnaabe heritage.

Prudat is convincingly curt at the plays onset, preserving her good intentions as much as possible from Slips challenges, and the two have an interesting, provocative chemistry. Smith gives Slip a laid-back energy thats still vibrating with anger and suspicion, contrasting Prudats sharpness as Bea. And Johnsons own sense of humour comes in handy in building a camaraderie between them.

Fishers Tim Cloud is thoughtful and pensive, but his pacing sometimes drags down the action.

Johnson effectively avoids turning Ipperwash into a history lesson (which raises the questions, to whom is she meant to be teaching this story?) and instead takes a more human approach, making the present-day audience complicit in what might seem like the past.

But at 70 minutes, Ipperwash feels both too full and lacking in detail at the same time. There are many compelling elements to the story that are briefly touched upon: for instance, the internal conflict of Tim serving in the war that displaced and killed his family, receiving no thanks from the country upon returning home, is worth a play in itself.

Meanwhile, we know little of Bea and what drove her to enlist in the armed forces, what happened to her there and what changes her relationship to the war after living in Stoney Point. Relationships between Bea, Tim and Slip develop quickly, sometimes without context, while other sections drag, leading to a quick and clean conclusion.

And as Johnson endeavours to illustrate, clean conclusions are not something that can be expected when exploring Canadas dark colonial identity.
At my house, we didnt have a clinical name for the condition that gripped us shortly before Christmas and even now, more than six weeks later, still lingers.

Its in my chest, Im sure, I said to my husband as my coughing became so wracked my ribs felt bruised and broken. Its trying to get into my ears, he replied, in between his own coughing fits.

It. Like something out of a horror movie, It took over our lives, forcing us to cancel a trip to Montreal for New Years. A brand new baby and two beloved 90-somethings there could not be subject to our contagious droplets.

My husband recovered first, and went about his working days while I remained in the coughing zone, unable to speak for more than a few minutes, constantly coughing and then wheezing like an old accordion.

I trudged to the doctor only when I felt I had reached a new phase of It.

I was variously prescribed a short-run antibiotic  I had a fever and the doctor felt it was heading for my sinuses  a chest X-ray (clear), a puffer, which Im still using, and most of all, patience.

Yet even with my fever, I was never diagnosed with influenza. More like a secondary infection that piled on after the first.

Anecdotally, this has seemed like a severe flu and cough and cold season. People have been pushing each other away like mad. I wont kiss or hug you, they say upon greeting. I am probably OK, but 

I have heard many war stories: entire families stricken, one woman whose already compromised roommate suffered such respiratory distress she ended up in a hospital isolation ward while she, sick herself, just lay on the couch and wished I were dead.

Feeling marginally better, we sat in a movie theatre while the stranger next to me coughed so violently I offered him a lozenge. He gratefully took it.

When I thought I was more or less better I went to a social event where I reassured concerned friends my cough was merely post-nasal drip  only I inadvertently said post-natal drip to great hilarity among women of a certain age.

But the very next day in fact I entered my sickest phase yet, complete with fever, and felt not only crummy but guilty. What had I been thinking going out?

I am lucky. My job as a self-employed writer is perfect for protracted stretches of moving from couch to computer. No disruption there. In fact, my daily wardrobe is all about this routine, sick or well: unbelievably comfortable black fleece leggings from Giant Tiger ($8.99) topped with a cashmere wrap. Youve got to have some elegance.

And unfortunately for the world, but also luckily for me, the daytime news cycle has been more gripping than any weepy movie I might watch in self-pity.

I have no young kids or aged parents to take care of. Just my husband and me. And a constitution that is fairly hardy. Plus I did everything responsible, including getting the flu vaccine, staying away from emergency rooms and wearing a mask at my doctors office.

Yet my bout with It has given me a frightening taste of what if. What if I never got better?

And in the event of a real flu pandemic, which officials say is at some point inevitable, how on Earth would we all cope? More than one current sufferer has remarked that if this were 1918, when millions died from the Spanish flu, wed all be dead by now.

We have a right to be frustrated by the low effectiveness of this seasons flu shot. Numbers from the Public Health Agency of Canada and other experts show the vaccine is preventing only 10 to 20 per cent of infections caused by the dominant H3N2 strain affecting Canadians.

Medical experts say they are working on a universal flu shot, which wouldnt depend on any one strain but thats still years away.

In the meantime, theres now. Were right in the thick of things now, Dr. Vinita Dubey, associate medical officer of health at Toronto Public Health told me in an interview She stressed theres a double epidemic going on, with more adults being hit than children.

While this years flu shot has been a wimp against influenza A, Dr. Dubey says its fared better (55 per cent) against the influenza B strain.

Dubey also makes the very good point that we shouldnt blame a failed flu vaccine for not covering all these other non-influenza viruses out there. She thinks public health agencies still need to work on convincing people its still better to get the flu shot.

I clearly have what is known as a post-viral cough, but it is being helped by that puffer.

Meanwhile the New York Times reports the U.S. is experiencing one of the most severe flu seasons in decades

The Public Health Agency of Canada said that while flu levels are still peaking there are signs that activity is starting to slow down in parts of the country. And the majority of deaths have still been among older adults.

If you want to be truly terrified, read the agencys influenza information page, outlining the difference between a normally severe flu outbreak and a pandemic, which is a very rare world wide outbreak due to a new virus.

In the event of a worldwide pandemic, says the government website, banks may be closed so plan to keep some money at home for emergency purchases. Stores may be closed. And Transportation (e.g., bus services, airlines, taxis) may be disrupted. Yikes.

Finally feeling better, I have now diagnosed myself with a very common lingering condition. Its called Fear of Flu.

Judith Timson writes weekly about cultural, social and political issues. You can reach her at judith.timson@sympatico.ca and follow her on Twitter @judithtimson

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Guillermo del Toro, 52, who has two Oscar nominations for The Shape of Water (best director and best screenplay; he won a Golden Globe Award for best director for the film), is well known for his science fiction and horror movies. (His other films include Pacific Rim and Pans Labyrinth.)

But del Toros talents go beyond film. He is also co-author of a trilogy of vampire novels and is the creator of Trollhunters, the computer-animated series on Netflix.

One of his latest projects, the drawings for the box of a limited-edition tequila from Patron called Patron x Guillermo del Toro, is an homage to his upbringing in Guadalajara, in the Mexican state of Jalisco. There, he would often see the fields of agave teeming with jimadores, the farmers who harvest blue weber agave plants used to make tequila. It was fascinating to watch them work because their craft of picking and trimming the plants is so intricate, he said.

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Its the jimadores who inspired del Toros drawings, he said.

And while del Toro lives in Toronto and Los Angeles, he returns to Guadalajara every six weeks to visit his family and still sees the jimadores working in the fields.

Following are edited excerpts from an interview with del Toro.

Jalisco is where tequila is produced, but what does the state offer for tourists?

First of all, whether you drink tequila or not, I do think its worth visiting some tequila houses in the town of Tequila and in the highlands region. By going to a house, you can learn about how the agave is extracted to produce the drink.

But going beyond tequila, I love Magdalena, a small town famous for its opal mining. You can visit the mines and see how the workers find the stones. Then theres Puerto Vallarta, which has beautiful beaches, and my hometown of Guadalajara, where my favourite sights are the murals by Jose Clemente Orozco. He is one of the greatest Mexican mural artists, and his art is everywhere is the city. In the Hospico Cabanas, for example, theres a work called Man of Fire painted on a dome.

What are some other destinations in Mexico that tourists tend to miss?

Merida, in the state of Yucatan, is a beautiful colonial city where the people used to dress in all white from head to toe. The culture is very rich, especially the music. Its a limerick style called son where the phrases repeat again and again.

Then you have Oaxaca, which is an incredibly mystical city with a lot of shamans. The cuisine is refined but spicy, and you find a lot of mole. And Campeche City is a vibrant port city with fantastic seafood which is also very nice to walk around in.

Each of these places are in the same country but are so different culturally and cuisine-wise that they might as well be different countries.

Compared with the cities you just named, Cancun and Cabo San Lucas are much more popular with tourists. Do they give travellers an authentic sense of Mexico at all?

Ive only been to Cancun once and didnt really like it so I cant offer any perspective there, but as for Cabo, you need to get away from the touristy parts. For me, the hidden gem there is a beach called Barriles, near the city of La Paz. All the locals go there, and the swimming is fantastic. The beach also has food stands where you get the best lobster and fish.

Do you have any recommendations for souvenirs that travellers to Mexico should buy?

Im partial to candies called borrachitos. Theyre sugary and soft and come in different flavours. I also suggest buying alebrijes. They are these bright fantasy creatures handmade by local artists, and you can find them at craft markets all over the country. Theyre distinctly Mexican.

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OTTAWAThey dont call it a networking conference for nothing.

All three declared Ontario PC leadership candidates are showcasing their chops at an annual conservative talkfest in Ottawa in the mad dash towards the vote that takes place in less than a month.

For Caroline Mulroney, Doug Ford and Christine Elliott, each of whom will take centre stage at the Manning Networking Conference over two days, its a chance to woo a group of key influencers, pollsters, data analysts, strategists, pundits and, in many cases, keen young Tories willing to work for the candidate who captures their attention.

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On that count, Caroline Mulroney, the first onstage, appeared as a poised young woman with a conservative pedigree, but, in the eyes of many who watched, also as an inexperienced candidate.

She admitted her entry into the leadership race came about very, very quickly, after Patrick Browns fall from grace. She said it was fuelled by media speculation that shed be a strong leadership contender, which she said forced her to move more quickly than shed anticipated, to reach for the top job.

But Mulroney made clear she had harboured leadership ambitions when she decided to run for office in the first place.

When we made the decision to get into politics, I made the halfway decision, at that point, that to get to leader, I needed to get involved, I needed to make a difference, and I was tired of living in Kathleen Wynnes Ontario, she said.

As about 200 people listened, Mulroney was skilled at telling her personal story, but less adept on her feet, when it came to policy questions about her newfound opposition to a carbon tax, and where she would find billions in foregone revenue or waste, to cut in order to pay for the partys platform.

Mulroney brushed off those questions with what several listeners later said sounded like superficial answers.

One senior federal conservative said he was reminded of Belinda Stronachs initial foray into politics; another groaned at Mulroneys decision to follow Ford and Elliotts lead and ditch the PC partys platform plank supporting a price on carbon, calling it a clear bid for first- or second-choice support in a preferential vote.

But, for those who support her, such as King-Vaughan candidate Stephen Lecce, Mulroney represents generational change, and is someone with business and volunteer experience who can bring voters to the party.

There are a lot of Ontarians here. Theres a lot of conservative thought-leaders, and its important for the candidates to share their value-proposition with the membership, said Lecce.

And, for Caroline, I think it was very helpful for her to attend this event to explain what motivates her as a fiscal conservative, someone who wants to ensure opportunity for the next generation.

Mulroney was acclaimed as candidate for York-Simcoe seven months ago.

She said much of the advice about entering politics, and entering the leadership race, came not from her famous father, former prime minister Brian Mulroney, but from her mother Mila, who met her husband when she was already a Progressive Conservative party volunteer. As another mother of four, her daughter said Mila Mulroney knew the struggles she would face in politics.

I spent a lot of time talking to her about the challenges and how I would do that. She was the person I spoke the most to about it, Mulroney said. Her experience helped define my approach to conservatism. People talk a lot about my dad, and his experience and how that might influence me, but my mother . . . and my grandparents, are a big, big part of my life.

Mulroney painted herself as a fiscal conservative who wants to reduce taxes, make life more affordable for Ontarians struggling to pay hydro bills, and who believes that government should create the conditions for people who want to lift themselves up and make their own choices . . . for their families and their businesses.

She pitched herself as a leader who welcomes the social conservatives who chafed under Browns shifts on sex education in his bid to broaden the partys support.

We come together around what our sole focus needs to be, which is to beat Kathleen Wynne, so, absolutely, we are a big tent, said Mulroney.

But when it came to describing where shed find billions, in foregone tax revenue or waste, to pay for the other promises in the party platform, Mulroney offered only generalities.

She said she would look to the recent auditor-generals report which found $1 billion in wasteful spending, and was confident she could come up with a platform that included both strong environmental policies that would not create a greater tax burden on citizens.

Mulroney said she would likely retain platform planks on getting hydro rates down and on making investments in mental health.

Ford and Elliott speak Saturday to the Manning conference. Ford spent part of Friday working the halls here, and taking selfies with young conservatives who sought him out. Elliott was to arrive Saturday.

For undecided Tories such as Robin Martin, the PC candidate nominated in Eglinton-Lawrence, uncertainty around the party leadership has created doubts at the door. She said shes stopped door-knocking for the time being, because its hard to ask people for their support when I dont know who the leader is and I dont know what their policies are.

She said Mulroney did a good job on stage, but she still had not yet made up her mind and was looking to the appearance of the other two candidates to help her decide.

The results of the leadership are to be announced Mar. 10, after a week of voting that ends Mar. 8.

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Richwood, TX (77531)

Today

Tropical storm conditions likely. Windy. Rain, heavy at times in the evening. Low around 70F. Winds SE at 40 to 60 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected..

Tonight

Tropical storm conditions likely. Windy. Rain, heavy at times in the evening. Low around 70F. Winds SE at 40 to 60 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected.
Toronto renters lucky enough to find a home last year faced an absolutely shocking spike in monthly costs, according to new figures that have some city councillors calling for urgent action to halt the Manhattenization of downtown.

Councillor Josh Matlow moved the motion at a tenant issues committee meeting Friday, after staff presented findings that indicate Toronto is becoming more and more, simply a playground for the rich, said Matlow.

In 2017, apartment rental units saw the largest increase in rent prices in 15 years, with a two-bedroom unit costing on average $1,426 a month, according to a city-commissioned study.

Two-bedroom condominium rental units also saw a jump in price in 2017, on average surpassing the $2,400 a month mark, staff said. At less than one per cent, the vacancy rate reached its lowest point in 16 years.

The numbers in here are absolutely shocking and the degree to which it has worsened over the past few years is frightening, said Councillor Janet Davis. As we Manhattanize, we are building a city of inequalities, deepening inequalities.

The study looked at the low-end of the rental housing market. It found that if low-income residents spend 30 per cent of their $30,000 annual income on housing, and receive a $250 monthly housing subsidy through the city, they still can only cover 60 per cent of their rent based on average market prices, city planner Rishab Mehan told the committee.

The solution to Torontos housing affordability problem isnt through private development and building more condo units, said Councillor Gord Perks.

The City of Toronto has to make an investment in affordable housing and can use its hundreds of millions of dollars in land transfer tax revenue to do so, Perks said.

The land transfer tax is wealth captured in a booming real estate market, he said.

We, as a government, are not applying any of it back to making Toronto affordable.

Instead, what we have done is used it to keep property taxes low for people who already have wealth, who already own homes, and not to help the people who are struggling to make rent.

Staff will report a strategy across divisions to make rental housing more affordable at the first committee meeting in 2019.

A low vacancy rate affects tenants because it strengthens the power of landlords, said Dania, Majid, a staff lawyer with Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario.

Majid worked closely with the province to develop a standard lease that all landlords will be required to use starting April 30.

Its an improvement to what . . . existed, and, going forward, it will better inform tenants and landlords of their rights and responsibilities, said Majid, who noted landlords can take a wild-west approach and craft anything that suits their needs and purposes.

In many cases, tenants are complying with clauses that are illegal and impact the reasonable enjoyment of their unit.

For example, landlords are not allowed to, but often do, ban guests, children or pets, and are required to maintain the property, doing things such as mowing the lawn, Majid said.

The standard lease form applies to all rental agreements for single and semi-detached homes, apartment buildings, rented condos and basement apartments, the Ministry of Housing said in a statement.

By filling out the form (to be available in 23 languages), tenants and landlords will have to provide their names and addresses, total rent and when its due.

The form explains what can and cannot be included in a lease.

The advocacy centre is concerned landlords can attach additional terms to the form, which could result in illegal clauses creeping in, Majid said. Its an issue it will monitor, she added.

The standard lease does not apply to most social and supportive housing, retirement and nursing homes, mobile home parks and land-lease communities, the ministry said. The government is planning to develop standard leases for these types of tenancies, too.
The Progressive Conservatives are overturning controversial candidate nomination elections in Scarborough and Ottawa, as the party scrambles to fix problems from the Patrick Brown era.

Officials with the Tories provincial nominations committee on Friday night moved to toss out the results of dubious candidate elections in Scarborough Centre and Ottawa West-Nepean.

Former PC president Ken Zeise, a co-chair of the committee, said the unanimous decision was to hold new nomination meetings in the two ridings.

New candidate nominations will be held in time for the June 7 election, said Zeise.

Prior to the decision, Scarborough Centre candidate Thenusha Parani and Ottawa West-Nepean candidate Karma Macgregor issued a joint statement condemning the actions.

We have learned today that there are actions being taken against a number of candidates by certain individuals based on rumours and innuendos, the rookie candidates said.

Whats more, we have not been asked for or provided an opportunity to provide our perspective, they said. Yet, sadly, today, we find more women are being targeted unfairly.

We call on the leadership candidates Caroline Mulroney, Christine Elliot and Doug Ford, and interim leader Vic Fedeli, to put an end to this, so we can move forward collectively and focus on defeating the . . . Liberals in June as a team.

Both had been approved by Brown, who resigned Jan. 25 after allegations of sexual impropriety involving teenage girls when he was a Conservative MP. He has denied any wrongdoing.

As previously reported in the Star, about a dozen PC candidate nominations across Ontario have ended chaotically, including the one in Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas, which is now the focus of a Hamilton Police investigation into allegations of criminal fraud and forgery.

Because of the police probe, the Tories decided not to overturn the nomination.

They also chose to leave in place the result in Newmarket-Aurora, where 14 Tory riding officials quit after voting problems there last April.

In Ottawa West-Nepean, Macgregor won by 15 votes over runner-up Jeremy Roberts last May, in an election where there were 28 more ballots in boxes than people who had registered to vote.

The local riding association executive resigned en masse after that fiasco as did a party vice-president.

In Scarborough Centre, there were so many irregularities at Paranis June nomination that former Tory cabinet minister Marilyn Mushinski, the last Tory to represent the riding, went public to voice her outrage.

The PC changes come as part of a post-Brown purge.

His allies in the party, including former PC executive director Bob Stanley, a kingpin in the nomination process, have been removed by Fedeli from key jobs.

Former PC president Rick Dykstra was forced to resign two weeks ago after sexual assault allegations were leveled against him. Dykstra has maintained he did nothing wrong.

Liberal Economic Development Minister Steven Del Duca said the Conservatives nomination difficulties should alarm voters with the spring election approaching.

There are significant problems and questions with respect to whats taking place in the Ontario PC Party, said Del Duca.

Just a number of days ago, their interim leader stood in front of the people of Ontario and explicitly said that theres so much rot that has to be, sort of, rooted out from within that party . . . its disturbing, he said.

Del Duca added the Tories have also abandoned Browns Peoples Guarantee platform, meaning they have no plan whatsoever, because, without a carbon tax, they cant afford to fund their 147 campaign promises.

They now have a $16-billion hole in their plan. Theyre going to have to cut health care . . . close hospitals and cut education and scrap infrastructure programs and do so much more that is reckless and . . . irresponsible and . . . will cause serious, serious damage to the people of Ontario.

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A popular cafe on The Danforth could shut down for good if a new subway station exit/entrance opens next door.

Red Rocket Coffee at 1364 Danforth Ave., between Coxwell and Greenwood Aves., is adjacent to one of 10 locations being considered for the new access point.

Last week, the cafes owner Billy Dertilis, who is also the chairperson of the Danforth Mosaic Business Improvement Area, received a letter from the TTC informing him if 1366 Danforth Ave. is selected, the building he owns next door could be impacted and may need to be acquired. A recent engineering review also determined 1370 Danforth Ave. would need to be acquired for this option, which could also affect 1374 Danforth Ave.

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Even if Dertiliss property isnt expropriated, he said he fears his business might not be able to make it through a lengthy construction project. Six years ago, Red Rocket took a significant hit after moving to the area from Queen St. East.

Theres no way we could survive (another hit), said Dertilis, who said he expects several businesses near his shop would close their doors.

Determined to do something, he created a petition calling on the TTC to say no to the 1366 Danforth Ave. option. In just four days, more than 600 customers and community members pledged their support.

What theyre saying is Red Rocket is part of the neighbourhood, the fabric of the community, and they dont want to see it go, said Dertilis, who also spoke at a Jan. 31 meeting on the project.

Josie Hughes lives nearby and said she values Red Rocket and doesnt want to see it close.

I am currently on mat leave, and otherwise work from home. Either way, it is important for me to get out of the house, and Red Rocket provides an important warm friendly shared space for my family and I, she said.

Area resident Kate Dupuis said other sites should be considered.

I think it is important for the second exit to be on The Danforth rather than Strathmore (Boulevard) or Monarch Park (Avenue) to help encourage foot traffic to the businesses on The Danforth, but there are a number of vacant storefronts in that area, she said.

Not sure why the TTC cant look into building the exit there.

Dertilis said hes hopeful 1366 Danforth Ave. will not be identified as the preferred location for a number of reasons, including the fact its in a morning no-stop zone and directly in front of a T-intersection where many drivers do U-turns.

It really doesnt make sense to have the subway exit there, he said.

Ward 29 Coun. Mary Fragedakis sits on the TTC board and said an open, community-led process is being undertaken to ensure the best location is selected.

I believe the final result is one that will leave the community more empowered. Its the best possible decision, she said, adding she realizes not everyone will be happy with the final outcome.

The volunteers on the working group take their job very seriously and want to make the right decision. Its not a quick process.

The Toronto-Danforth representative said she appreciates there is concerns in the neighbourhood and is following the matter closely.

According to David Nagler, the TTCs manager of community relations, the local working group is expected to provide the citys transportation agency with its recommended location by the end of March along with full rankings for the 10 options put forward by community volunteers on the local working group. The group will make its choice based on five criteria: safety, local community impact, construction period, customer experience, and cost.

The last public meeting on the new Greenwood exit/entrance is set for April. A final decision on the location should be reached by May.
Ending a case that electrified punctuation pedants, grammar goons and comma connoisseurs, Oakhurst Dairy settled an overtime dispute with its drivers that hinged entirely on the lack of an Oxford comma in state law.

The dairy company in Portland, Maine, agreed to pay $5 million (U.S.) to the drivers, according to court documents filed Thursday.

The relatively small-scale dispute gained international notoriety last year when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit ruled that the missing comma created enough uncertainty to side with the drivers, granting those who love the Oxford comma a chance to run a victory lap across the internet.

But the resolution means there will be no ruling from the lands highest courts on whether the Oxford comma  the often-skipped second comma in a series like A, B, and C  is an unnecessary nuisance or a sacred defender of clarity, as its fans and detractors endlessly debate. (In most cases, the New York Times stylebook discourages the Oxford comma, so called because it was traditionally used by the Oxford University Press.)

It appears the Maine Legislature has learned its lesson, at least. It revised the disputed state law last year to end ambiguity by adding new punctuation  but not in the way you might be thinking.

The case began in 2014, when three truck drivers sued the dairy for what they said was four years worth of overtime pay they had been denied. Maine law requires time-and-a-half pay for each hour worked after 40 hours, but it carved out exemptions for:

The canning, processing, preserving, freezing, drying, marketing, storing, packing for shipment or distribution of:

(1) Agricultural produce.

(2) Meat and fish products.

(3) Perishable foods.

What followed the last comma in the first sentence was the crux of the matter: packing for shipment or distribution of. The court ruled that it was not clear whether the law exempted the distribution of the three categories that followed, or if it exempted packing for the shipment or distribution of them.

Had there been a comma after shipment, the meaning would have been clear. David G. Webbert, a lawyer who represented the drivers, stated it plainly in an interview in March: That comma would have sunk our ship.

Since then, the Maine Legislature addressed the punctuation problem. Heres how it reads now:

The canning; processing; preserving; freezing; drying; marketing; storing; packing for shipment; or distributing of:

(1) Agricultural produce.

(2) Meat and fish products.

(3) Perishable foods.

So now we get to replace Oxford comma pedantry with semicolon pedantry. A message to Maines reviser of statutes was not immediately answered Friday.

But as far as the actual overtime dispute goes, Webbert said the case ended well.

We are pleased the matter was resolved to the satisfaction of all parties, he said in an email.
A White House speech writer resigned Friday after his former wife claimed that he was violent and emotionally abusive during their turbulent two-and-a-half-year marriage  allegations that he vehemently denied, saying she was the one who victimized him.

The abrupt departure of David Sorensen, a speech writer who worked closely with senior policy adviser Stephen Miller, came as The Washington Post was preparing a story about abuse claims by his ex-wife, Jessica Corbett. Corbett told The Post that she reported his behaviour to the FBI last fall as the bureau was conducting a background check of Sorensen.

White House officials said they learned of the accusations by Sorensens wife Thursday night, before The Posts inquiries.

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We immediately confronted the staffer, he denied the allegations and he resigned today, spokesperson Raj Shah said in a statement Friday evening.

In a text message to The Post, Sorensen said he stepped down because he didnt want the White House to have to deal with this distraction.

It should be able to focus on continuing President [Donald] Trumps historic accomplishments for the American People, he texted.

Sorensens resignation comes two days after another administration official, staff secretary Rob Porter, departed after two ex-wives said that he physically abused them. Senior White House officials and the FBI knew about the allegations for months, raising questions about why he was allowed to remain in his post.

Administration officials said Sorensens position as a speech writer at the Council on Environmental Quality, a division of the Executive Office of the President, did not require a security clearance. His background check was ongoing, they said. The FBI declined requests for comment.

Corbett first contacted The Post a week before Porters case became public. She said that during her marriage to Sorensen, he ran a car over her foot, put out a cigarette on her hand, threw her into a wall and grasped her menacingly by her hair while they were alone on their boat in remote waters off Maines coast, an incident she said left her fearing for her life. During part of their marriage, he was a top policy adviser to Republican Maine Gov. Paul LePage.

She said she did not report her abuse allegations to police because of Sorensons connections to law enforcement officials.

Corbett said several of the incidents involved alcohol and acknowledged that she slapped Sorensen a number of times after he called her a vulgar term.

Two friends and associates of Corbett said she confided in them during the marriage that her husband was abusive. Corbett also provided records of text messages and emails in which Sorensen berated her with vulgar language and she discussed the deteriorating marriage with others. She gave The Post a photo of her hand bearing a scar she said was from the cigarette burn.

In a lengthy statement, Sorensen said he had never committed violence of any kind against any woman in my entire life.

In fact, I was the victim of repeated physical violence during our marriage, not her, he added, saying he had consulted with an attorney and was considering legal options to address her defamation.

Sorensen alleged that Corbett punched him on multiple occasions. After one such episode, he said, he attempted to leave in his car and she ran after him as he was pulling away, injuring herself in the process.

In another incident, he said, she grabbed the steering wheel as he drove on a highway and punched him in the face during an argument.

Sorensen provided photos of what he said were injuries his ex-wife inflicted upon him during their fights, including bruises and scrapes.

He said that while he had hoped never to have to discuss his ex-wife and their tumultuous marriage, this incident is an opportunity to highlight the grossly under-reported and unacknowledged issue of female-on-male domestic violence.

In response to Sorensens allegations Friday evening, Corbett maintained that her violence never escalated beyond slapping him. Everything I told you is 100 per cent true and that is why he had to resign today, she said.

The couples uncontested divorce became final in September, according to records reviewed by The Post.

Corbett said she detailed her abuse allegations to an FBI agent who came to her home to interview her on Oct. 5, 2017, as part of Sorensens background check process.

A Maine Republican operative, who spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of political retribution, said he talked to Corbett shortly before her meeting with the FBI that day.

She told me she was a little nervous about what to tell them, he said. She told me later that she told them the truth.

In one of several interviews with The Post, Corbett called it scary that someone like her ex-husband had access to sensitive information at the White House after what she told the FBI.

Everyone can think youre the most wonderful guy, but youre throwing women into walls by night, she said.

For his part, Sorensen said that like many domestic abusers, she was especially adept at controlling her rage so that no others witnessed her physical attacks.

During their marriage, Corbett and Sorensen were a well-known couple in the small world of Maine Republican politics.

Corbett said she worked for Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida in his first Senate bid and on former House speaker Newt Gingrichs 2012 presidential campaign before becoming finance director for Rep. Bruce Poliquins, R-Maine, successful 2014 House bid. Sorensen, a former spokesman for Maine House Republicans and the state party, was also a spokesman for the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.

The couple were in the LePage familys social and professional orbit.

On Oct. 17, 2015, Corbett served as a bridesmaid in the wedding of LePages daughter, Lauren. Late that night, Corbett said, Sorensen threw her into a wall during an argument.

After the incident, Corbett texted her mother saying she wanted to leave the marriage and admitting she had thoughts of suicide.

Hes killing me, she wrote of Sorensen in a message later that month reviewed by The Post.

At the time, Sorensens career was on the fast track. On Nov. 18, a month after Lauren LePages wedding, the governor hired Sorensen as a policy adviser whose portfolio included domestic violence. Gov. LePage has called domestic abuse, which he suffered as a child,the most heinous of all crimes in society. Domestic violence accounts for roughly half of Maines homicides, according to state statistics.

Corbett said she confided in Lauren LePage about the alleged abuse and pleaded with her to encourage her father to talk to Sorensen.

In a statement, Lauren LePage said that while she was aware of problems in their marriage, she neither witnessed or saw any evidence of domestic abuse.

In a statement, LePage spokesperson Julie Rabinowitz said the governor has a zero-tolerance policy regarding domestic abuse, adding that no accusations or evidence of domestic violence on the part of Sorensen were ever brought to the attention of LePage, his wife or the governors staff.

Mauranda Stahl, Sorensens first wife, wrote in an email that she had never known him to be violent or abusive since meeting him 10 years ago.

In those years he never raised a hand to me or exhibited any behaviour consistent with Jessicas accusations, she wrote in response to an inquiry by The Post. Because of that I have a difficult time believing there is any validity to those claims.

Joanne Fryer, a Maine attorney and a friend of Sorensen, said she asked Corbett during their divorce if there had been physical violence in their relationship and that Corbett said no.

We think the world of Dave, quite frankly, Fryer said.

Corbett said she told Fryer what she seemed to want to hear.

I was scared, she said. I wanted help but wasnt willing to admit how bad it was because I didnt feel safe.

Friends of Corbett said she felt trapped in the relationship because of Sorensens pull in Maine politics.

She was in a situation where everyone was on Davids side because of who he was and who he worked for, said John Bremer, a close friend and Washington resident who Corbett confided in about the abuse. Bremer said Corbett told him that Sorensen ran over her foot and yanked her hair on their boat around the time of the alleged episodes.

Bremer helped Corbett create a bank account outside of Sorensens control that she could use to escape the marriage. He said it was clear from her tearful phone calls that this was a woman who was going through abuse.

These were very vivid and intense calls I would get, he said. Its not something you can fake or come up with.

Another friend, a female lawmaker from South Carolina who roomed with Corbett at the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland, said that she had confided in her about the state of her marriage. Later that year, she spent months unable to reach Corbett, which left her fearing the worst.

I was really, really worried about her, said the lawmaker, who spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of political reprisals. Occasionally, she said, shed get a message saying, Im OK, Im still alive and Ill let you know.

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WASHINGTONCiting national security concerns, the White House on Friday formally notified the House intelligence committee that U.S. President Donald Trump is unable to declassify a memo drafted by Democrats that counters GOP allegations about abuse of government surveillance powers in the FBIs Russia probe.

White House counsel Don McGahn said in a letter to the committee that the memo contains numerous properly classified and especially sensitive passages and asked the Democrats to revise the memo with the help of the Justice Department. He said Trump is still inclined to release the memo in the interest of transparency if revisions are made.

The presidents rejection of the Democratic memo is in contrast to his enthusiastic embrace of releasing the Republican document, which he pledged before reading to make public. The president declassified the document last week, allowing its publication in full over the objections of the Justice Department.

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The top Democrat on the intelligence panel, California Rep. Adam Schiff, criticized Trump for treating the two documents differently, saying the president is now seeking revisions by the same committee that produced the original Republican memo. Still, Schiff said, Democrats look forward to conferring with the agencies to determine how we can properly inform the American people about the misleading attack on law enforcement by the GOP and address any concerns over sources and methods.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi was less measured, saying the White House move is part of a dangerous and desperate pattern of coverup on the part of the president. California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who is the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee and has read the classified information both memos are based on, tweeted that Trumps blocking the memo is hypocrisy at its worst.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, who produced the GOP memo, encouraged Democrats to accept the Justice Departments recommendations and make the appropriate technical changes and redactions.

Trump has said the GOP memo vindicates him in the ongoing Russia investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller. But congressional Democrats and Republicans, including House Speaker Paul Ryan and Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina, who helped draft the GOP memo, have said it shouldnt be used to undermine the special counsel.

Earlier Friday, White House spokesperson Raj Shah had Trump was discussing the Democratic document with the White House counsels office, FBI Director Christopher Wray and another top Justice Department official.

The president had until Saturday to decide whether to allow the classified material to become public after the House intelligence committee voted Monday to release it. Republicans backed releasing the memo in committee with a unanimous vote, but several said they thought it should be redacted. Ryan also said he thought the Democratic document should be released.

In declining to declassify the document, the White House also sent lawmakers a letter signed by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Wray, as well as a marked-up copy of the memo, laying out portions it considers too sensitive to make public. Among those passages are some that the Justice Departments says could compromise intelligence sources and methods, ongoing investigations and national security if disclosed.

Democrats who wrote the memo say it disputes many claims in the GOP memo, which accused the FBI and Justice Department of abusing their surveillance powers in obtaining a secret warrant to monitor former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser Carter Page.

The White House message caps off a week in which Republicans and Democrats on the committee have publicly fought, with the panel now erecting a wall to separate feuding Republican and Democratic staffers who had long sat side by side.

The disagreements have escalated over the last year as Democrats have charged that Republicans arent taking the panels investigation into Russian election meddling seriously enough. They say the GOP memo, led by chairman Devin Nunes is designed as a distraction from the probe, which is looking into whether Trumps campaign was in any way connected to the Russian interference.

Trump declassified the GOP-authored memo over the objections of the FBI, which said it had grave concerns about the documents accuracy.

In the Nunes memo, Republicans took aim at the FBI and the Justice Department over the use of information from former British spy Christopher Steele in obtaining a warrant to monitor Page under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA. The main allegation was that the FBI and Justice Department didnt tell the court enough about Steeles anti-Trump bias or that his work was funded in part by Hillary Clintons campaign and the Democratic National Committee.

They argued that the reliance on Steeles material amounted to an improper politicization of the governments surveillance powers.

Democrats have countered that the GOP memo was inaccurate and a misleading collection of cherry-picked details.

They noted that federal law enforcement officials had informed the court about the political origins of Steeles work and that some of the former spys information was corroborated by the FBI. They also noted that there was other evidence presented to the court besides Steeles information, though they have not provided details.

The Democratic memo is expected to elaborate on these points.

House Republicans who have seen the document had said portions will almost certainly have to be redacted to protect intelligence sources and methods. Earlier this week, White House officials said the Democratic memo would go through the same national security and legal review as the Republican document. But White House chief of staff John Kelly hinted at possible redactions, saying the Democratic version is not as clean as the GOPs.

Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the ranking Democrat on the House intelligence committee, has said he will be scrutinizing the process closely. His office did not have immediate comment Friday on the White House message.

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BERLINAfter months of secret negotiations, a shadowy Russian bilked American spies out of $100,000 last year, promising to deliver stolen National Security Agency cyberweapons in a deal that he insisted would also include compromising material on U.S. President Donald Trump, according to U.S. and European intelligence officials.

The cash, delivered in a suitcase to a Berlin hotel room in September, was intended as the first instalment of a $1 million payout, according to U.S. officials, the Russian and communications reviewed by The New York Times. The theft of the secret hacking tools had been devastating to the NSA, and the agency was struggling to get a full inventory of what was missing.

Several U.S. intelligence officials said they made clear that they did not want the Trump material from the Russian  who was suspected of having murky ties to Russian intelligence and to Eastern European cybercriminals. He claimed the information would link the president and his associates to Russia. But instead of providing the hacking tools, the Russian produced unverified and possibly fabricated information involving Trump and others, including bank records, emails and purported Russian intelligence data.

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The U.S. intelligence officials said they cut off the deal because they were wary of being entangled in a Russian operation to create discord inside the U.S. government. They were also fearful of political fallout in Washington if they were seen to be buying scurrilous information on the president.

The Central Intelligence Agency declined to comment on the negotiations with the Russian seller. The NSA, which produced the bulk of the hacking tools that the Americans sought to recover, said only that all NSA employees have a lifetime obligation to protect classified information.

The negotiations in Europe last year were described by U.S. and European intelligence officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a clandestine operation, and the Russian. The U.S. officials worked through an intermediary  an American businessman based in Germany  to preserve deniability. There were meetings in provincial German towns where John le Carre set his early spy novels, and data hand-offs in five-star Berlin hotels. U.S. intelligence agencies spent months tracking the Russians flights to Berlin, his rendezvous with a mistress in Vienna and his trips home to St. Petersburg, the officials said.

The NSA even used its official Twitter account nearly a dozen times to send coded messages to the Russian. The episode ended this year with U.S. spies chasing the Russian out of Western Europe, warning him not to return if he valued his freedom, the American businessman said. The alleged Trump material was left with the American, who has secured it in Europe.

The Russian claimed to have access to a staggering collection of secrets that included everything from the computer code for the cyberweapons stolen from the NSA and CIA to what he said was a video of Trump consorting with prostitutes in a Moscow hotel room in 2013, according to U.S. and European officials and the Russian, who agreed to be interviewed in Germany on the condition of anonymity. There remains no evidence that such a video exists.

The Russian was known to U.S. and European officials for his ties to Russian intelligence and cybercriminals  two groups suspected in the theft of the NSA and CIA hacking tools.

But his apparent eagerness to sell the Trump kompromat  a Russian term for information used to gain leverage over someone  to U.S. spies raised suspicions among officials that he was part of an operation to feed the information into U.S. intelligence agencies and pit them against Trump. Early in the negotiations, for instance, he dropped his asking price from about $10 million to just over $1 million. Then, a few months later, he showed the American businessman a 15-second clip of a video showing a man in a room talking to two women.

No audio could be heard on the video, and there was no way to verify if the man was Trump, as the Russian claimed. But the choice of venue for showing the clip heightened U.S. suspicions of a Russian operation: The viewing took place at the Russian Embassy in Berlin, the businessman said.

At the same time, there were questions about the Russians reliability. He had a history of money laundering and a laughably thin legitimate cover business  a nearly bankrupt company that sold portable grills for streetside sausage salesmen, according to British incorporation papers.

The distinction between an organized criminal and a Russian intelligence officer and a Russian who knows some Russian Intel guys  it all blurs together, said Steven L. Hall, former chief of Russia operations at the CIA. This is the difficulty of trying to understand how Russia and Russians operate from the Western viewpoint.

U.S. intelligence officials were also wary of the purported kompromat the Russian wanted to sell. They saw the information, especially the video, as the stuff of tabloid gossip pages, not intelligence collection, U.S. officials said.

But the Americans desperately wanted the hacking tools. The cyberweapons had been built to break into computer networks of Russia, China and other rival powers. Instead, they ended up in the hands of a mysterious group calling itself the Shadow Brokers, which has since provided hackers with tools that infected millions of computers around the world, crippling hospitals, factories and businesses.

No officials wanted to pass on information they thought might help determine what had happened.

Thats one of the bedevilling things about counter-intelligence and the wilderness that it is  nobody wants to be caught in a position of saying we wrote that off and then five years later saying, Holy cow, it was actually a real guy, Hall said.

U.S. intelligence agencies believe that Russias spy services see the deep political divisions in the United States as a fresh opportunity to inflame partisan tensions. Russian hackers are probing American voting databases ahead of the midterm election this year, they said, and using bot armies to promote partisan causes on social media. The Russians are also particularly eager to cast doubt on the federal and congressional investigations into the Russian meddling, U.S. intelligence officials said.

Part of that effort, the officials said, appears to be trying to spread information that hews closely to unsubstantiated reports about Trumps dealings in Russia  including the purported video, whose existence Trump has repeatedly dismissed.

Rumours that Russian intelligence possesses the video surfaced more than a year ago in an explosive and unverified dossier compiled by a former British spy, and paid for by Democrats. Since then, at least four Russians with espionage and underworld connections have appeared in Central and Eastern Europe, offering to sell kompromat that would corroborate the dossier to U.S. political operatives, private investigators and spies, U.S. and European intelligence officials said.

U.S. officials suspect that at least some of the sellers are working for Russias spy services.

The Times obtained four of the documents that the Russian in Germany tried to pass to U.S. intelligence (The Times did not pay for the material). All are purported to be Russian intelligence reports, and each focuses on associates of Trump. Carter Page, the former campaign adviser who has been the focus of FBI investigators, features in one; Robert and Rebekah Mercer, the billionaire Republican donors, in another.

Yet all four appear to be drawn almost entirely from news reports, not secret intelligence. They all also contain stylistic and grammatical usages not typically seen in Russian intelligence reports, said Yuri Shvets, a former KGB officer who spent years as a spy in Washington before defecting to the United States just before the end of the Cold War.

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BEIRUTHalf a dozen newborns, blinking and arching their backs, were carried from a burning hospital hit by airstrikes. A bombed apartment house collapsed, burying families. Medics doused patients with water after a suspected chlorine attack, one of five in Syria since the start of the year.

That was just a fraction of the violence this week in northern Syria, according to residents and rescue workers, as the Syrian government and its Russian ally stepped up their air war on two of the countrys last major rebel-held areas.

All types of weapons have been used on us for seven years, and the whole world is watching, said Moaz al-Shami, an anti-government activist in the north Syrian town of Saraqeb, where a medical clinic was hit as its staff was treating people wounded in a market bombing while buying potatoes. In Saraqeb, we die twice.

Read more:

Syria, Russia step up airstrikes against rebel strongholds in last 24 hours

Syria accuses Israel of attacking military outpost near Damascus

Airstrikes kill at least 55 civilians outside Syrian capital

Since the rout of Daesh (also known as ISIS or ISIL) last year, and steady government advances against other insurgent groups, a misperception has grown abroad that the Syrian war is winding down. Instead, the carnage is reaching a new peak.

Since December, 300,000 people have fled new fighting. In one 48-hour period this week, government strikes killed more than 100 people  mostly civilians, according to rescue and medical workers  in the besieged, rebel-held suburbs just east of the capital, Damascus. The explosions could be heard and the smoke seen from the seat of power just a few miles away.

UN officials on Tuesday declared the situation extreme and called for an immediate nationwide ceasefire. The International Committee of the Red Cross decried the reported bombing of medical facilities in Hama and Idlib provinces, where the majority of hospitals were already out of commission.

Just as two major government assaults on rebel strongholds were intensifying, Turkey launched a surprise invasion of a Kurdish border area, and suddenly, there were three regions under fire, each creating a new emergency for civilians.

There are multiple fronts where people are under extreme danger without a view to a solution, Assistant Secretary-General Panos Moumtzis, the United Nations regional aid co-ordinator for the Syria crisis, said Tuesday. We havent seen this.

The fact is that the Syrian war, for years, has not been just one war, but a tangle of separate but intersecting conflicts with a rotating cast of combatants. Much of the world cheered the collapse of Daeshs medieval-inspired caliphate last year. But that victory cleared the way for the wars underlying conflicts to resurface with a vengeance.

In western Syria, government forces have turned their focus to a battle that existed before Daeshs rise: the fight against an array of rebel groups aiming to unseat Syrian President Bashar Assad. Backed by Russia and Iran, the Syrian military is stepping up efforts to crush the largest remaining rebel-held pockets, taken over years ago by factions ranging from nationalist army defectors to the Islamic groups that now dominate them.

Moreover, the celebrations over Daeshs defeat may have been premature. Many of its fighters have simply gone underground, joining sleeper cells and returning to hit-and-run guerrilla tactics in government-held areas.

Haid Haid, a Syria researcher at Chatham House, a Britain-based research group, said there are signs that other insurgent groups also are using guerrilla strategies, setting off explosions in the government-controlled cities of Damascus and Aleppo. More will join those ranks as they lose territory, he said.

We are talking about thousands of people, not hundreds, he said.

The West has largely stepped back from the fight over Assad, tacitly accepting his continued rule and leaving Russia, Iran and Turkey as the most active foreign powers in the war. But the United States remains entrenched in a large part of northeastern Syria that U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led militias seized from Daesh.

For now, two very different rebel-held areas are bearing the brunt of attacks by government forces, supported by Russian air power and Iran-backed militias, including the Lebanese group Hezbollah.

One is the mostly rural province of Idlib, on Syrias northwestern border, where the newborns were evacuated from a burning hospital last week.

Residents are digging trenches and weighing whether to flee.

Mohammad Najdat Kaddour, 32, said he was near despair after seven years protesting the government, dodging airstrikes and trying to build independent local organizations in defiance of jihadi groups that have dominated the province.

Everything will be gone soon, he said recently as government forces drew within a few miles of his hometown, Binnish. He blamed disunited rebel factions and their mistake of initially welcoming jihadis who later turned on them.

If Binnish and Saraqeb fall, goodbye Idlib, he said. But we deserve that.

Several people described villages emptying out, with seemingly only cats and dogs remaining.

This is the result, an empty town, said Shami, referring to Saraqeb. The number of martyrs is just unnoticed news, but for people in this village, its the end.

The history of Idlib in many ways is the history of the war. The province was one of the early centres of protest against decades of Assad family rule, and one of the first places where, after the government cracked down on the protests, people began to take up arms.

Some rebel groups there won the support of the United States and its allies. But foreign jihadis swarmed in, proving better funded and organized as they recruited Syrians. Idlib became one of the first Daesh footholds. Local fighters ejected the group only to be later dominated by a faction linked to Al Qaeda.

The jihadis bolstered the governments argument that it was fighting terrorism. Western support for the rebels weakened.

Idlib has another distinction as well: as government forces seized rebel towns, they frequently offered rebels and civilians the choice of surrender, with relocation to Idlib. The province is now home to two million people, half of them displaced from elsewhere in the country.

Others, like a landowner in Saraqeb named Maysara, have come and gone. He relocated to Turkey for a while, then returned and invested in a water bottling plant. It was bombed by government forces last week.

Still, Maysara, who asked that his last name be withheld for fear of reprisals, said he would take his chances with government rule rather than flee again.

Im staying here, he said. Were just praying.

The other rebel stronghold under assault is the cluster of working-class Damascus suburbs known as Eastern Ghouta, a jumble of unplanned concrete apartment houses and farms that has been cut off for years by a government siege.

The battle there has a different dynamic, a war of attrition with largely static front lines. The government has cut access to food and medicine for a population the United Nations puts at 400,000, half of them children. A concentration camp, the leftist Syrian dissident Yassin al-Haj Saleh called it.

But government forces have been unable to advance there lately, so they are intensifying the siege and bombardment.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, one of the worst barrages pummeled the area, killing more than 100 people. Residents posted photographs of a girl who had been killed, grinning in front of a wall of morning glories; a crying baby with his right foot blown off; and worse. An Agence France-Presse reporter described seeing five children, including his younger brother, killed by a bomb as they fetched water.

The rebels in Eastern Ghouta also have killed, on a smaller scale. They have shelled Damascus Old City at least three times this year, killing 13 people, including several children, according to Syrian state media.

Since 2018 began, Eastern Ghouta has been the target in at least three suspected attacks using bombs laden with chlorine, which rarely kill but leave people choking. The use of chlorine as a weapon is banned under international law.

Ghouta was also the site of a 2013 attack in which sarin, a banned nerve agent, killed 1,400 people, including more than 400 children. The sarin attack led to a Russian-American deal to remove Syrias chemical weapons arsenal. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, which monitors compliance with the treaty that bans them, says it is investigating the recent suspected chlorine attacks.

According to UNICEF, 12 per cent of children under 5 suffer from acute malnutrition in Eastern Ghouta. A brief ceasefire last month allowed 29 people to leave for medical treatment, but U.N. officials say at least 600 more require immediate evacuation. One of them, Amameh Yassin Darwish, 18 months old and suffering from cancer, died last week for lack of treatment, doctors said.

Even if the government retakes Idlib and Eastern Ghouta, that will not end the war.

International tensions threaten unpredictable new escalations like Turkeys recent incursion on the northern border, and a clash between Syrian and U.S. forces in eastern Syria on Wednesday. Turkey aims to seize the Kurdish enclave of Afrin, and then press east to Manbij, where it would encounter U.S. troops, who have vowed to defend it. Such an encounter could lead to an unprecedented armed conflict between two NATO allies.

The possibilities of Syrian battlefront clashes between the United States and Russia also have increased. The risks were underscored Thursday when the U.S-backed coalition said it had repelled an unprovoked attack in eastern Syria on Wednesday night by militia forces supporting the Assad government, and had responded with deadly airstrikes.

There were conflicting accounts of casualties, ranging from seven to at least 100, all believed to be members of a pro-Assad Syrian Shiite militia based in southeast Syrias Deir al-Zour province. But both Russia and Syria said the U.S.-supported side had been the aggressor.

A rebel enclave still holds on in the south, supported by the United States and Jordan; the area is also a flash point for tensions between Israel and Iran as Hezbollah digs in near the Israeli-held Golan Heights.

The panoply of conflicts and warring parties has made the war resistant to international peacemaking. UN-backed peace talks in Geneva are stalled, and a national dialogue in Russia last week was stacked with Assad government supporters and appeared to be aimed at ratifying a military victory.

After seven years of fighting, an estimated 400,000 deaths and 11 million Syrians displaced from their homes  more than half the population  many international officials and analysts appear to be shifting to the question of how to rebuild Syria after what they see as the inevitable restoration of control under Assad.

Some European and Asian countries are jockeying for contracts in the multibillion-dollar reconstruction, and Russia and Iran have won infrastructure concessions.

Even if Assads position proves secure, the question then is how much longer and deadlier the war will be.

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JERUSALEMIsrael clashed with Syrian and Iranian military forces Saturday in a series of audacious cross-border strikes that could mark a dangerous new phase in Syrias long civil war.

The confrontations, which threaten to draw Israel more directly into the conflict, began before dawn when Israel intercepted what it said was an Iranian drone that had penetrated its airspace from Syria. The Israeli military then attacked what it called the command-and-control centre from which Iran had launched the drone, at a Syrian airbase near Palmyra.

On its way back from the mission, one of Israels F-16 fighter jets crashed in northern Israel after coming under heavy Syrian anti-aircraft fire. It is believed to be the first Israeli plane lost under enemy fire in decades.

That prompted a broad wave of Israeli strikes against a dozen Syrian and Iranian targets in Syrian territory. The Israeli military said it hit eight Syrian targets, including three aerial defence batteries, and four Iranian positions that it described as part of Irans military entrenchment in Syria.

The events, including Israels direct engagement with Iranian forces, threatened to intensify the crisis in Syria and showed the extent to which the country has become a battlefield between Israel and Iran, bitter foes in the region.

This is indeed a dangerous escalation that raises the spectre of direct conflict between Israel and Iran in Syria  a far more serious situation than the drawing of red lines and tit-for-tat exchanges that have occurred before, said Robert Satloff, executive director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Forces from Russia, Turkey and the United States are also on the ground in Syria in a war with multiple fronts and multiple factions, including the remnants of Daesh, also known as ISIS or ISIL, and other Islamist militant groups.

In the past week, aircraft from three foreign countries have been brought down in the conflict: the Israeli plane; a Turkish helicopter shot down, also Saturday, as it attacked Kurdish militias; and a Russian plane over Idlib that was bombing rebel-held territory.

Israel has long warned about the risk of conflict as Iranian forces and their allies, including Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant militia group, have dug in on Syrian territory and approached the boundary with the Israeli-held portion of the Golan Heights. Israel, which considers Iran its most potent enemy in the region, has been lobbying world powers to push these forces from the border areas.

Israel has carried out scores of strikes in Syria in recent years, largely targeting what it says are advanced weapons stores or convoys taking weapons to Hezbollah in neighbouring Lebanon. Israel has also reportedly hit Syrian government facilities involved in weapons development and an Iranian base under construction in Syria.

But this was the first Israeli strike on a site where Iranian forces were present, analysts said, and Israeli military officials said this was the first time an Iranian drone had penetrated Israeli airspace during the Syrian war. There was no immediate indication that the drone was armed.

Israeli military officials accused the Syrians and Iranians of playing with fire, but indicated that Israel wanted to contain the situation.

We are ready to exact a very heavy price from whoever acts against us, said Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis, chief spokesperson of the Israeli military, but we are not seeking an escalation.

The jet crash represented a severe blow to Israels prestige and could mark a major change after years in which it acted against targets in Syria with relative impunity.

In the past, Syria has claimed, falsely, that it had shot down Israeli aircraft. The last time an Israeli jet was downed under enemy fire appears to have been in the early 1980s.

Hezbollah said Saturday that the downing of the Israeli F-16 jet by the Syrian army marked the start of a new strategic phase, which would limit Israeli exploitation of Syrian airspace. Todays developments mean the old equations have categorically ended, the Lebanese Shiite group said in a statement.

In Syria, the days events were viewed as potential game-changers. Government supporters celebrated in the streets of Damascus, handing out sweets and hailing Syrian President Bashar Assad and the army.

This is the first time the Syrian government appears to have made good on promises to shoot down Israeli aircraft, after years of threats against both Israel and the other international militaries that have flown sorties over Syria without permission.

I am so happy, said Haidar, 30, a government supporter, as he handed out sweets downtown. It makes me proud to see a Syrian response, shooting down the Israeli F-16. For years we have been waiting for a Syrian reaction against the Israeli violations and airstrikes.

But just as Syrian self-confidence appears to have grown, Israel also sent a strong message with its broad wave of strikes Saturday, Israeli analysts said. They noted that this was the first time in recent years Israel had struck Syrian territory in broad daylight and said that Israel had inflicted serious damage on Syrias air-defence system. Despite more Syrian anti-aircraft fire, all Israeli jets returned to base safely from the second mission, after the first jet was lost, according to the Israeli military. Syria is believed to have fired at least a dozen anti-aircraft missiles, with the wreckage of one landing in Lebanon.

It was not immediately clear if the Israeli F-16 was directly hit by the Syrian anti-aircraft fire. Early assessments suggested that it was, said Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, another spokesperson for the Israeli military, though he added that nothing had been officially confirmed.

The Israeli military said two pilots had bailed from the downed aircraft as per procedure. One pilot was severely injured.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel spent much of Saturday in consultations with his defence minister, the Israeli chief of staff and other military officials.

Russia, along with Iran, has been helping prop up Assad in Syria, and the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement calling on all sides involved to show restraint and avoid all acts that could lead to complicating the situation further.

The ministry added: It is absolutely unacceptable to create threats to the lives and security of Russian soldiers that are in the Syrian Arab Republic on the invitation of the legal government to assist in the fight against terrorism.

After a meeting with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow two weeks ago, Netanyahu said in a statement that Israel viewed with utmost gravity Irans efforts to establish a military presence in Syria, and said he had made clear to Putin that Israel would act according to need.

Netanyahu said he spoke with Putin on Saturday and agreed that security coordination between the two countries would continue. The Israeli prime minister also said he spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson about Saturdays confrontation.

The United States is deeply concerned about todays escalation of violence over Israels border, Heather Nauert, a State Department spokesperson, said in a statement. Irans calculated escalation of threat, and its ambition to project its power and dominance, places all the people of the region  from Yemen to Lebanon  at risk.

A Pentagon spokesperson, Maj. Adrian J. Rankine-Galloway, said the U.S. military supported Israels right of self-defence. We share the concerns of many throughout the region that Irans destabilizing activities threaten international peace and security, and we seek greater international resolve in countering Irans malign activities, Rankine-Galloway said in a statement.

With so many foreign forces engaged in Syria, the risks of the conflict extending beyond its borders are real, but analysts said all sides have an interest in making sure Saturdays events do not spiral into something larger.

I think it will be contained for the moment, said Steven Simon, a Middle East specialist at Amherst College who was a senior official on President Barack Obamas National Security Council. But the situation is highly volatile, Simon said, adding, this has been simmering for quite a while and things are coming to a boil.

Simon said an important question is whether the White House is counselling restraint.

The U.S. and Israel could be thinking of their respective operations in Syria as a hammer and anvil, with Iran and its proxy forces in the middle, he said. If true, fighting will escalate.

Amos Yadlin, a former chief of Israeli military intelligence and now executive director of the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University, said Syria, Iran and Russia would appear to have little interest now in getting into a full-blown conflict with Israel.

Israel has the capability to destroy the Russian and Iranian project to save the Assad regime, Yadlin said. This is not the weak Syrian opposition. This is strong Israel.

While Israels military strength is a significant factor in any response, the improving situation for the Assad government is also a consideration.

There is no incentive for the Iranians, Syrians or Russians to draw the Israelis into a military situation that has been moving in their favour for some time, said Stephen B. Slick, a former CIA station chief in Israel who now directs the Intelligence Studies Project at the University of Texas at Austin.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry denied the drone had strayed into Israeli airspace and rejected as laughable reports that Israel had intercepted a drone launched from Syria.

Syrian army officials said the drone had been carrying out a routine mission against Daesh over Syrian airspace, according to the news site Al-Manar.

Conricus insisted that the drone was on a specific Iranian mission, and was shot down deep in Israeli territory.

Still, some Israeli analysts did not discount the possibility that the Iranian drone had crossed into Israel because of a malfunction.

I fail to see the logic behind the Iranians sending a drone to Israel, said Ehud Yaari, an Israeli television analyst of Arab affairs and an Israel-based fellow of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. They have other priorities right now in Syria.

But once it had crossed into Israeli airspace, the Israelis had no choice but to respond, Yaari said.

He added, The almost constant friction between the Iranian presence in Syria and the Israeli Army is taking its toll.

Read more:

Violence tears through rebel-held Syria as war returns to roots

Syria accuses Israel of attacking military outpost near Damascus

Israeli airstrikes target terror groups in Egypt with Cairos OK

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Supposedly the city of Toronto is an open democracy where politicians make fact-based decisions in a transparent manner that voters can then judge them on at election time.

But you wouldnt know that from councils antics on the planned Scarborough subway extension.

Though TTC documents suggest new estimates of the cost of the one-stop boondoggle will be available in September, city staff say they arent due to be reported until the first council meeting slated after that, in January 2019.

But clearly this is information voters should have before they go to the polls on Oct. 22. Mayor John Tory, an outspoken proponent of the extension, and his colleagues on council should commit to making the figures public before the vote.

After all, the projected cost of the extension is no small detail. The latest numbers put the price tag anywhere from $3.35 billion to $5.02 billion - and estimates keep rising.

Those, like the mayor, who continue to support the widely derided project should have to defend their position to voters based on the most up-to-date facts.

Yet councillors have not always seemed willing to do that.

As recently as December, council would not even agree to a sensible motion put forth by Councillor Josh Matlow calling for a value-for-money study of the project by the citys auditor-general. That would have had Beverly Romeo-Beehler conduct a side-by-side comparison of the costs and benefits of the one-stop subway plan and the alternative proposal to build a new light-rail line into Scarborough. Surely voters and policymakers alike would benefit from such evidence.

Yet it's no wonder the project's proponents don't seem to want more information to emerge. Study after study has cast doubt on the extension's merits, particularly as the need for a downtown relief line becomes increasingly apparent. A Metrolinx business case analysis, for instance, found it was not a worthwhile use of money, and numerous other studies have shown it will not attract enough new riders to justify the investment. Nor will it serve the low-income neighbourhoods the earlier planned LRT line would have.

As the citys former chief planner, Jennifer Keesmaat, said this week, city staff have a duty to report the updated cost of the Scarborough subway to the public before the election.

And especially given our leaders' obscurantism on the issue, the citys auditor-general should go ahead and conduct the analysis that council chose not to request of her. She doesn't need permission.

There is no reasonable excuse to keep voters blindfolded on this important issue in the lead-up to the election. Mayor Tory and his colleagues on council should insist that the information be released as soon as it is available. Those who support this dubious project should not be allowed to pander to Scarborough voters without being held to account by the city at large.

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Ottawa must intervene in pipeline dispute: Editorial, Feb. 8

B.C. is not squabbling with Alberta. It is defying Canada and Canada is too timid to react. Canada has abandoned Alberta by failing to enforce that provinces constitutional rights and at some point Alberta will have to take on Canada in order to enforce those rights. In the end, if Canada plays the wimp for too long, Alberta will have to canvass its alternatives which will include joining the U.S.A.

U.S. control of all Albertas oil and gas resources certainly would make that country a petroleum powerhouse. It would also make it relatively simple for Canada to meet its carbon-reduction targets which form such a large part of Justin Trudeaus public persona.

Patrick Cowan, Toronto

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Words fail him: Trudeau really needs to put a sock in it, Menon, Feb. 8

It appears Vinay Menon prefers to write about minutiae such as peoplekind and either did not hear or wish to comment on Justin Trudeaus speech in Chicago on Feb. 7.

He received a standing ovation from a mainly American audience for his broad and well-thought-out ideas on the important issues in the world: climate change, terrorism, NAFTA, TPP, refugees, tax systems, etc., while, at the same time, not demeaning Donald Trump  a very skilful dance.

Saying Mr. Trudeau seemed to act like a Rottweiler was a desperate search for words. Peoplekind certainly did not warrant front-page coverage. Trudeaus brilliant speech in Chicago did, and was well covered by both the New York Times and the Washington Post.

Ruth MacLean, Richmond Hill

There was no need for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to apologize for his joke about peoplekind. Someone should have told him there is a whole army of folks out there who apparently have nothing better to do than get their knickers in a knot about anything and everything. They should also have reminded him that he is one of the few politicians with the guts to put himself before live, and often hostile, audiences.

Ray Jones, Toronto

How disappointing to see Vinay Menon piling on so wholeheartedly, venomously even (shut his piehole), over Justin Trudeaus attempt to use a gender-neutral alternative to the word mankind. He stumbled, no doubt, by trying to coin peoplekind, but its not as if hed ventured into some unknown region of the language, crazed with political correctness. The English language has already been there on behalf of women and provided us with the word humankind. If hed said humankind, hed have made his point and Mr. Menon and the world wouldnt have noticed a thing.

David Schreiber, Scarborough

Vinay Menon seems to be living on the wrong side of the border. Compared to U.S. President Donald Trumps attempt at any humour, and the rest of his steel-eyed, gray-haired cronies who want to flatten the world to settle a score with North Korea, I found Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus peoplekind comment humorous and inoffensive.

We need a bit of humour to put our lives into perspective. We live in a bullys world. Might is right and common decency and respect are kicked to the wayside so profits can be made and electoral agendas can be fulfilled.

Chris Brownhill, Toronto

You have a very perceptive person in your employ. The column by Vinay Menon regarding our Prime Minister was very well written and has him summed up to a T. Menon has stated what most of the world is thinking. We are becoming a worldwide joke because of Justin Trudeau.

Trudeau added insult to injury by trying to explain his way out of his peoplekind comment by saying hes not good at telling jokes. I have watched the video many times and his demeanour and body language did not look like he was making a joke. What it looks like is Trudeau again making a fool out of himself and being condescending to a Canadian citizen.

What he did was wrong in so many ways, interrupting a citizen when she was asking a very legitimate question.

Thanks for some good journalism.

Donna McDonald, Wingham, Ont.

So Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wants to change the term mankind to peoplekind. Since the expression humanity has the same meaning as mankind in all its inclusivity, I suspect he also wants to change humanity to hupeoplety.

Mankind is defined as the whole of the human race, including both men and women and, in todays world, covers every other gender some of our fellow humans identify as.

What could possibly be more inclusive than that?

Caspar Pfenninger, Calgary

This latest attempt at social engineering by our Prime Minister is absolutely absurd. Is mankind to be stricken from our dictionaries?

The next thing to happen will be the formation of thought police. It is bad enough that we already have language police in a nearby province.

Jim Baldwin, Omemee, Ont.

Peoplekind is a totally ridiculous word. In fact, its not even a word. The correct term is humankind. I understand how the Prime Minister didnt happen to think of that on the spur of the moment, but with the media continuously repeating it, it may soon become a ridiculous part of our vocabulary.

Kaarina Brooks, Alliston, Ont.

Its a bit too easy to criticize our highly extroverted Prime Minister for his occasional bloopers, or the fact that he comes across as a man, er, person, who would like to buy the world a Coke and keep it company. But some of us who straddle the Liberal/NDP divide are more aghast at the things Mr. Trudeau is demurring on, such as restoring really tough gun control to this country.

Moreover, the recent Pyrrhic victory on the anthem demonstrates a reluctance by Mr. Trudeau to really take progressive action. Our new anthem is now prosier, with the lazy, insipid all of us command, even while it remains redundant, nativist and deist. It could easily be rewritten by our countrys poets, whose ability to use words with great economy would be tonic for a prime minister whose words are too often loose and undisciplined.

Ron Charach, Toronto

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The MPs mulling options for publicly funding medications will take their sweet time. There is no rush for them because they already have the type of publicly funded access that is being contemplated for other Canadians.

While about 3 million Canadians do not take medications as directed because of the cost, MPs and other lawmakers enjoy platinum medication plans for themselves and their families.

I am glad that our elected leaders have access to life-saving medications like insulin that was discovered in Canada and treatments for HIV-AIDS that extend life expectancy by decades. It would be absurd to allow our leaders to die preventable deaths while holding elected office.

But it is also absurd that other Canadians must either pay for medications or go without. The consequences of untreated diabetes include heart attacks, strokes and death. Are we prepared to allow people who work as food servers, artists or small-business owners to die from treatable conditions? I know that our elected leaders are very important but the lives and limbs of everyone else are important, too.

The publicly funded medicine plans for lawmakers may delay the needed policy changes. MPs and other lawmakers are insulated from our frayed patchwork system, where some people have public or private plans but others do not.

Studies in the United States have shown that lawmakers who have children in private schools are less likely to vote for laws that support public schools. Canadian lawmakers may be slow to support publicly funded medication access for all Canadians because they would not be affected by the change  their coverage is already great.

Over the past 40 years, multiple reports have recommended public funding of medications. The recent witnesses that appeared before the parliamentary committee repeated overwhelming arguments for including medications in our publicly funded system. According to surveys, Canadians overwhelming reject the idea that access to medications should depend on your job.

Dr. Nav Persaud, family physician, Toronto
Dont slam the door, Editorial, Feb. 7

Your editorial on foreign caregivers does not adequately address the underlying issues.

As a society, we do not want to pay well for caregivers for our children or elderly. Women have traditionally done this work essentially for free, and we do not feel it should be compensated at a good pay rate. This deeply undervalues the work of caregivers.

By dangling the chance of citizenship in front of foreign workers, we agree to continue to pay them poorly and not look too much into their working conditions and their removal from their own families.

By underpaying caregivers, we allow other people to work outside the family. The outside job is valued more than the caregivers work.

Caregiving requires a great deal of patience, empathy and hard, and sometimes unpleasant, work. We often ask people who are not relatives to be kind and even loving in performing this work.

Caregivers should be paid fairly  at more than minimum wage, with good benefits and time off. Foreign workers should be compensated as fairly as anyone else.

Martha Gould, North Bay, Ont.

I could not agree more with your editorial about changes to the foreign caregiver program.

In 2009, I sponsored a foreign caregiver from the Philippines to care for my newborn and preschool children. A live-in caregiver was the most affordable option for our family, as daycare costs would have been $3,000 per month.

Our caregiver allowed me to return to work as a lawyer at a non-profit agency and to continue to build my career that took years of schooling to achieve.

In 2015, our caregiver was able to obtain permanent residency for herself, her spouse and their daughter. These newcomers now reside in their own home, work full time and pay taxes like other Canadians. Our wonderful caregiver sacrificed years with her own family to achieve this status in Canada.

The federal government needs to immediately rectify the current situation that blocks this path to citizenship for worthy candidates.

Laura Shaw, Oakville

I have long wondered at the ease of foreign caregivers to gain citizenship, all while sending millions of Canadian-earned money to another country. And given how the Canadian Revenue Agency mercilessly pursues lower-middle-class Canadians for tax mistakes honestly made, along with ignoring huge sums of deliberately hidden taxes by the rich, it is an ongoing miracle that anything gets done for those of us in the middle and lower classes.

Sandra Cowley, Scarborough
You dont have to wait until March 10 to find out who won the Progressive Conservative leadership race. We already have a victor.

Never mind if Caroline Mulroney or Christine Elliott triumphs in the end. No matter who takes over, its now Doug Fords party.

Win or lose, hes not just setting the agenda. Hes undoing it.

Welcome to Conservative carbon chaos, in which all the candidates compete to distance themselves from their partys past. Its recent past.

Not just denouncing disgraced ex-leader Patrick Brown, but renouncing everything he  and the party  stood for. Not only his personality, but policy, too.

A mere eight weeks ago, the provincial Tories proclaimed themselves ready to win power with a plan, a carefully crafted election platform two years in the making.

Two months later, its done. Or more precisely, undone  unravelling on Fords terms, reshaped in his own image, recalibrated to his own vision.

Mulroney and Elliott are merely following Fords lead, reluctantly doing as Doug does and as he dictates. Declaring his candidacy last month, Ford demanded an end to the carbon tax at a time when his rivals were both trying to have it both ways  a carbon tax if necessary, but not necessarily a carbon tax.

Within days, Elliott buckled  first claiming she was personally opposed but would consult caucus (pro-tax) and membership, before finally siding with Ford. Mulroney held out until Thursday before acquiescing to the pressure of a Tory tidal wave against any global warming measures.

A carbon tax is the ultimate litmus test, a barometer of Tory fidelity, a conversation-stopper for any candidate aspiring to woo the grassroots. If you are for a carbon tax, we are against you, nothing else to discuss, might as well end the call  forget about it.

Remember the Peoples Guarantee? It promised assorted tax cuts and campaign sweeteners bankrolled by a new carbon tax.

Brown made a public show of affixing his signature to an oversized copy of the campaign pledge at Novembers policy convention, guaranteeing hed not seek a second term if he didnt keep his key promises. He never got to a first term, quitting as party leader last month amid allegations of sexual misconduct that undercut his Peoples Guarantee to promote Trust, Integrity and Accountability.

Never mind Brown. Consider the fine print in the platform where he boasts, Im signing my name to it and so is the Ontario PC candidate in your community (my italics).

That means the nominated PC candidate for York-Simcoe, Caroline Mulroney, who publicly backed the platform (though she never got around to signing the document, a spokesperson confirmed Friday). Until a few days ago she was insisting with a straight face that the carbon tax was broadly supported by an unprecedented grassroots consultation.

Never mind the past. On Saturday, Mulroney is sending a representative to publicly sign a No Carbon Tax Pledge in her name  along with Ford and Elliott  prepared by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

Mulroney vainly tried to finesse the issue by claiming she hates taxes, while in the same breath noting the reality and inevitability of Ottawa collecting the money anyway (part of a mandatory national price on carbon). As soon as she disparaged taxes, she painted herself into a policy corner that made it impossible to countenance a carbon tax for much longer.

All this rhetoric is reminiscent of the last leadership race, when Brown also tried to dodge any carbon commitments, telling me, It would not be my plan to bring in a cap-and-trade system or a carbon tax.

Never mind that promise. After winning the convention, he imposed a carbon tax on the party. Now, Mulroney is replicating his post-leadership backflip with a mid-leadership campaign volte-face of her own.

The difference is that Brown waited several months to flip-flop, knowing that he had a couple of years until the next election for his reversal to fade into a political footnote. Politicians break their promises or try policy U-turns all the time.

Ford, as he likes to point out, has been unequivocal  if unintelligible  in his opposition to a carbon tax. His consistency is incongruent with reality, but thats what Tories want to hear.

Whether it is Mulroneys personal zigzag, or the partys collective contortions, the contradictions are taking place at warp speed. The political dishonesty and intellectual vacuity behind vaporizing the carbon tax has left a $4 billion hole in the PC platform  forcing Mulroney, Elliott and Ford to claim theyll just zap fat from the provincial budget (waste that wasnt visible to the party brain trust when crunching their numbers mere months ago).

But as Dan Robertson, a senior member of the PC campaign team, observed succinctly, If you drop the carbon tax, there is no rest of the platform. No middle class tax cut, no child care refund, no mental health investment, no dental care for low income seniors.

Can the party base change course in a matter of days, ditching its Peoples Guarantee mere weeks before the June 7 election? No political party has ever made and remade its platform so close to a campaign, and no leadership candidates have so rapidly renounced their own promises before.

In the race to sell more memberships, the Tories have sold out the environment and sold their souls to Ford. Win or lose, hes the ultimate victor.

Martin Regg Cohns political column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. mcohn@thestar.ca, Twitter: @reggcohn

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For the first time since Justin Trudeaus government set out to put a national floor price on carbon emissions, there is a real possibility the government could have to implement its climate change policy without the co-operation of Ontario.

On Thursday Caroline Mulroney joined Ontario Tory leadership rivals Doug Ford and Christine Elliott in a bidding war for the title of chief carbon tax slayer.

To listen to the main contenders for Patrick Browns succession one might be led to believe Canadas largest province actually has a carbon tax. It does not and nor has its Liberal government proposed to introduce one.

Until this week, revenues from a proposed carbon tax were meant to provide the fiscal foundation of the Tory election platform. Having taken an axe to that, Job 1 for the winner of the succession battle on the morning after next months leadership vote will presumably be to rebuild a credible plan to finance the partys election promises.

What Ontario does have is a cap-and-trade system designed to allow it to meet the federal carbon pricing targets set by Trudeaus government.

In opposition, the Tories have consistently described that approach as a cash grab. Having rejected the alternative, Browns successor would, should the Tories win a government in June, have to choose between walking back the partys talk on cap-and-trade, or daring Trudeau to impose a federal carbon tax on Canadas largest province.

Until Browns exit last month, federal Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer had to keep some of his anti-carbon tax powder dry. His partys most influential provincial wings in Alberta and Ontario were on opposite sides of the issue.

The reversal of the Ontario Progressive Conservatives frees the Conservatives to campaign in 2019 against the Trudeaus policy. Should the province  under a PC government  turn its back on the prime ministers climate change strategy between now and then, the resulting imposition of a federal carbon tax on Ontarians would make that prospect just about irresistible.

It seems the Conservative insiders  and there are more than a few  who believe the lack of a credible climate change policy stifles the federal partys electoral growth are condemned to continue to preach in the desert for a while longer.

Unexpected complications for the federal climate change policy on the carbon tax front in Ontario were compounded this week by a pipeline war in the making in B.C.

It is possible to chart a somewhat predictable course to a legal resolution of the conflict between Alberta and B.C. that would see expansion of Kinder Morgans Trans Mountain pipeline go ahead as planned.

But Trudeau could win a legal war on behalf of the Trans Mountain project on the constitutional battlefield and yet lose the street to the anti-pipeline forces.

When he approved Kinder Morgans pipeline expansion plan, Trudeau wanted to show that the adoption of a national carbon pricing policy could go some way to facilitate the energy industrys export aspirations.

But in so doing he has provided an environmental movement that is itching to engage in a defining battle over pipelines with a cause that has potentially strong legs in public opinion.

Those who watched the so-called Quebec Maple spring of student unrest know only too well the limits of reasoned discourse about the rule of law in the face of the momentum of a populist protest movement.

In 2012, what started as a ritual battle over a hike in tuition fees turned into a social uprising that ground part of Quebecs education system to a halt and eventually forced the holding of a provincial election.

Already there are those who look for analogies between the protests that could attend the building of the Trans Mountain expansion and the 1990 Oka crisis. The federal government of the day had to send in the army to end a summer-long Indigenous blockade of one of Montreals main bridges.

As extreme as it might seem, there are serious observers who are not ruling out the possibility that Trudeau could end up having to do likewise to ensure that the Trans Mountain project gets done.

By approving the expansion of a pipeline to tidewater and simultaneously setting a floor price on carbon, Trudeaus Liberals believed they had come as close as possible to crafting a fine balance between Canadas energy ambitions and its climate change obligations.

But that did not factor in the federations ever shifting provincial winds.

At the end of this week, that fine balance looks like anything but.

Chantal Hebert is a national affairs writer. Her column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

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This story is part of the Stars trust initiative, where, every week, we take readers behind the scenes of our journalism. This week, we look at how the Stars Queens Park bureau balances the demands of covering three major political parties.

Since Patrick Brown resigned as leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservatives over sexual misconduct allegations just over two weeks ago, the troubles facing the party have been top stories in the Toronto Star every day.

The upheaval rocking the official Opposition  which has also seen Rick Dykstra resign as party president in the face of sexual assault allegations, and investigations into suspect membership lists and questionable party spending in the Brown era  has made for a busy time for the Stars Queens Park bureau.

Add to that the PCs rush to elect a new leader ahead of this summers provincial election at a time when the sitting Liberals are set to table their 2018 budget, and readers might wonder how the bureau is able to juggle covering all three parties thoroughly and fairly.

Adrenalin and caffeine help, says Robert Benzie, the Queens Park bureau chief, who along with fellow reporters Rob Ferguson and Kristin Rushowy, and columnist Martin Regg Cohn, work to hold Ontarios elected officials to account and keep the public informed.

In the race to replace Brown, each of the leadership hopefuls  Christine Elliott, Doug Ford and Caroline Mulroney  have their supporters and detractors keenly observing how much press their candidate is getting.

Any one of them could be the next premier of Ontario, so we have to take them all very seriously, said Benzie in an interview, noting that he strives for equal coverage of all candidates. Its early days yet, but for example, theres a leadership debate next week and we will cover it. It doesnt mean that every candidate will get exactly the same number of words in the story, but we try to give them equal time.

The fact that all three leadership candidates have greater-than-usual name recognition hasnt affected how the bureau is covering the leadership race, says Benzie, but it has generated intense reader interest.

Christine Elliott is a known commodity given that this is her third run at the leadership, and her late husband, Jim Flaherty, ran twice before. Caroline Mulroney is the eldest child of a very famous Canadian political figure, and Doug Ford is a well-known Toronto councillor and brother to the late ex-mayor of Toronto Rob Ford, he said. So you have three big names in a race and that is always interesting.

How does the bureau cope with balancing the demands of covering the PC party with the demands of covering the other two major political parties?

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Liberals and the New Democrats have been content lately to go to ground and let the turmoil in the PC party, currently led by interim leader Vic Fedeli, consume the headlines.

Its an old political axiom that when your opponents are pouring gasoline on themselves and lighting a match, you stand back, said Benzie. I think Mr. Fedeli has done a good job in terms of making changes from the Brown era, but if youre the Liberals or the New Democrats, you just want to say stand back, and let the Tories do their thing. Then, after the dust settles, come in and shoot the wounded.

The Stars trust committee periodically hears from readers who perceive the newspapers political coverage as biased in favour of the Liberals. Since 1987, the Stars editorial board, which operates separately from the newsroom, has endorsed the Liberals in every provincial election, except in 1999 when the newspaper endorsed Howard Hamptons NDP. But any suggestion that this affects how the newspapers Queens Park reporters do their jobs is nonsense, says Benzie.

I used to work for the Toronto Sun and the National Post and Im the same reporter that I was then. I didnt care about the editorials at those outlets and I dont care about the editorials at the Star, he said.

Ferguson agreed: I used to cover Queens Park for The Canadian Press during the last months of Bob Rae and the beginning of Mike Harriss government. No one called me a Liberal hack back then.

Ferguson points out that he spent all of September, October and November of last year covering two political corruption trials involving the Liberals  the byelection bribery trial in Sudbury and the gas plants trial in Toronto. He added the Star was one of the few media organizations to attend the gas plants trial every day.

Rushowy, who joined Queens Park a year-and-a-half ago, stressed that bureau reporters do their best to get voices from all three major parties in stories, as the parties all have elected representatives at Queens Park.

We try to give readers as many viewpoints as possible, she said.

At the end of the day, says Benzie, it would be detrimental to the Stars ability to cover politics if any reporters were seen to be leaning toward any party.

You dont want anyone thinking youre a Liberal or Tory or NDP hack, because then the other two parties wont talk to you, he said, adding he does not vote in any elections. We take this place seriously and because we do, we are taken seriously.

The Stars Trust Initiative is eager to hear from readers. Do you have any questions about how we do our journalism? What are some topics youd like to see us write about? Send us a note with your thoughts to trust@thestar.ca.

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Jeff was holidaying in Ireland when he ended up in Katie's local pub 'An Sibin' in Dunshaulghlin one night.

He hasn't looked back since.

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The couple moved back to Australia together where they stayed for five years before returning to Ireland in 2014, and while back visiting Jeff's parents two years later, he got down on one knee and asked Katie to be his wife.

"I was mortified and told him to get up and sit down before saying yes to him!" said Katie.

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The couple planned for a laid-back, fun wedding surrounded by their close friends and family in Brooklodge at Macreddin Village in Wicklow. Thirty Aussies travelled to the emerald isle for the big day, their efforts honoured by the couple when they integrated the places everyone had travelled from into their decor.

The wedding was documented by Katie Kav Photography.

The Venue

Jeff and Katie viewed seven potential venues in total, with Brooklodge and Macreddin Village being the last. "Thank god we did [visit Brooklodge] as we both loved it," said the bride.

The couple loved how unique the venue was, commenting that it almost had an 'Aussie style' to it with its beautiful outdoor setting. "A great advantage of Brooklodge is having the little chapel on the grounds as well a little pub Actons Pub" Katie noted. "Getting ready at the venue the morning of the wedding was so relaxed and great fun. We had some craic in the brides room looking out the window overlooking the chapel and whistling down at the guests arriving! We cannot wait to go back to Brooklodge!"

The Theme

"If you dont mind me saying so my attention to detail is second to none!" joked Katie about the wedding theme and decor, which the couple largely put together themselves, and with the help of family. Their travel theme was achieved with their table plan, table names and the sign post which displayed their guests' home cities.

Jeff, a carpenter, made the wooden decor himself, including the table names, post box, wooden pallet and sign post. Katie made the ceremony booklets and favours. She had help from her sister Lauren in crafting the table plan, and her sister Sarah did their stationery. "We really enjoyed planning it but couldnt wait for it to be over too!" said the bride.

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The Dress

Katie purchased her dress in Belle Mariee Bridal in Athboy. It was by La Sposa Pronovias. "I hated wedding dress shopping," she said, "I never ever wear dresses so took me a while to settle on one!" However Katie loved her dress on the day, "it was so comfortable and I got so many compliments. Its true what they say you dont want to take your wedding dress off at the end of the day," she added, "even when you hate wearing dresses!!

The Ceremony

The couple tied the knot in a humanist ceremony in the Macreddin Chapel on the grounds of Brooklodge and Macreddin Village. The ceremony was presided over by Emma Sides. "It was nice and relaxed but most importantly it was fun and personal," said the bride. "Emma the celebrant was great and the music by the Kooky Ukes also added to the relaxed atmosphere."

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The Food

"The food was to die for, everyone complimented it," said Katie, "We had a four course meal, starters was a smoked chicken and red pepper roll, we went with the fillet beef for the main dish & the Macreddin Pot for desert was it was so yummy! The second course, after the starters, was a Poitin and Chilli sorbet. It was so different & had all the guests talking! A lot of them reckon it wasnt the open bar that got them drunk it was the poitin in the sorbet!"

The Stand-out Moment

As for stand out moments, the couple say it's difficult to choose just one. For Katie, walking down the aisle with her father Senan was a particularly special memory, as everyone cheered as they walked. "And of course when myself and Jeff said our owns vows to each other and when we were pronounced husband and wife was certainly another highlight, she added, "[But] the main stand out moment was looking around and seeing how many people were there for us to celebrate our big day!"

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Regrets?

"There were so many people at the wedding that I didnt really get to speak to, thankfully we had a second day where most guests continued to party and it gave us a chance to catch up with them," said he bride, adding that she would also have loved to get a photo with each guest, but the time wouldn't have allowed for it.

The Advice

"Get everything you can done well in advance of the big day and so you are left with very little jobs to do in the run up to the wedding" says Katie. "This will allow you to really enjoy the days leading up to the wedding with family and friends.

"The suppliers we chose were reliable, professional which helped make our day run so smoothly. Also full credit to the Wedding Team and Brooklodge - I couldnt compliment & thank them enough, they were exceptional.

"If there are any mishaps on dont worry once friends & family are there to share the day with you, thats the main thing. And most importantly have fun!"

The Honeymoon

Jeff and Katie headed off on our honeymoon five days after the wedding. They visited New York for five nights, then onto Punta Cana, Dominican Republic for what was supposed to be nine nights turned into eleven nights due to Hurricane Irma hitting when they were there. They went on to Miami where despite the hurricane they had 'an amazing time'.
The Boeing Co. is an aerospace company, which engages in the manufacture of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems. It operates through the following segments: Commercial Airplanes; Defense, Space and Security; Global Services; and Boeing Capital. The Commercial Airplanes segment includes the development, production, and market of commercial jet aircraft and provides fleet support services, principally to the commercial airline industry worldwide. The Defense, Space and Security segment refers to the research, development, production and modification of manned and unmanned military aircraft and weapons systems for global strike, including fighter and combat rotorcraft aircraft and missile systems; global mobility, including tanker, rotorcraft and tilt-rotor aircraft; and airborne surveillance and reconnaissance, including command and control, battle management and airborne anti-submarine aircraft. The Global Services segment provides services to commercial and defense customers. The Boeing Capital segment seeks to ensure that Boeing customers have the financing they need to buy and take delivery of their Boeing product and manages overall financing exposure. T

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The year-end revenue totals for the state's first resort-style casinos, del Lago, Rivers and Tioga Downs, show they were $192 million off the projections they made when applying for their state casino licenses in 2014.

Del Lago in the town of Tyre, Seneca County, which has almost twice as many slot machines as Rivers, took the biggest hit compared to its projections. Del Lago made $146.8 million its first year, compared to the $263 million it told the state it would make, according to the most recent gross gaming revenues posted by the New York state Gaming Commission on Friday. That is 44 percent lower than projections.
Detroit

Electric cars have a lot of perks: zero emissions, a quiet ride and instant acceleration. But can they save you money? Probably not.

Electric car prices are falling, but they still cost more than equivalent gas models because of their expensive batteries. A $7,500 federal tax credit  which survived the recent tax overhaul  helps erase that gap, but not entirely.

After that, the math gets more complicated. Some states and utilities offer incentives for electric vehicle owners. Plugging in an electric car is generally cheaper than filling up a gas-powered one, but that depends on the local price of gas and electricity. Some people can charge their electric cars at work, but others need to add a charging station to their garage.

For Ronald Montoya, a consumer advice editor with the car shopping site Edmunds.com, the bottom line is price. With gas prices averaging $2.56 per gallon, it's hard to make up the price premium of an electric vehicle  which can easily top $10,000  within a three-year lease period, he says. Electric car drivers are more likely to lease than gas car buyers; for example, 57 percent of Nissan Leaf electric cars are leased, compared to 30 percent of cars overall, Edmunds says.

Still, electrics have benefits, both tangible  like lower maintenance costs  and intangible. Owners can drive them in high-occupancy vehicle lanes, for example, or simply feel good that they're causing less pollution.

"We are still a car culture, and some of our personal identity is tied up in our cars," said David Friedman, director of cars for Consumers Union, the policy division of Consumer Reports.

Here's a comparison of the 2018 Nissan Leaf electric car and the 2018 Honda Civic, a comparably sized small car.

Cost

The Honda Civic four-door sedan with an automatic transmission starts at $19,640. That's $10,350 less than the starting price of the Nissan Leaf, which is $29,990. Electric cars are eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit until an automaker has sold more than 200,000 electric vehicles in the U.S.; Nissan has sold 150,000 Leafs, so buyers can still get that credit. Some states also offer incentives for electric vehicles; California, for example, will mail a $2,500 rebate check to electric car buyers, while Colorado offers a $5,000 tax credit.

Friedman and Montoya say leasing is smart, since technology is changing so rapidly, but there is still a significant difference in monthly lease payments: $229 for the Leaf or $169 for the Civic for three years.

Fueling

Electric cars are cheaper to fuel. It costs $600 per year to charge a Leaf, according to the U.S. government, which assumes drivers travel 15,000 miles per year and pay the national average of 13 cents per kWh for electricity. By comparison, you'll spend $1,050 on gas to fill up the Civic.

Those figures fluctuate depending on where you live; in Honolulu, for example, electricity is double the national average but gas is also expensive  79 cents higher per gallon than the national average. There are other costs to take into consideration as well.

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If you're a first-time electric car buyer and you can't charge at work or at a public charger, you'll likely want to install a 240-volt charging port in your garage. Expect to pay $1,500 to $2,000 for a charging station as well as installation fees, Montoya said.

Maintenance

Because they don't have gas engines, electric cars don't require regular oil changes or engine filter replacements. Brakes get less wear, too, since the electric motor steps in to help slow the vehicle down. But some maintenance is the same, such as tire rotation or adding wiper fluid.

Edmunds estimates owners will spend $3,543 over five years on maintenance and repairs for the Leaf, and $447 more  or $3,990  for the Civic. But electrics do have one significant looming cost: Battery replacement. The Leaf has an eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty on its battery, but if you keep the car past that time, you could be facing an expensive repair. Nissan currently charges $5,499 for a replacement battery if you turn in your old battery; installation is a few hundred dollars extra.

Depreciation

This is a big disadvantage for electric car buyers, and one reason it's popular to lease them. The value of electric vehicles falls quickly once they're driven off the lot. AAA estimates electric vehicles lose $5,704 in value each year they're owned, compared to $2,114 for small cars like the Civic.

Electric cars haven't yet proven their durability, and buyers of used electrics are worried about battery costs. Used electric vehicle buyers also aren't eligible for federal and state tax incentives. But the depreciation has a bright side: it makes used electric cars much more affordable for those willing to buy them, Friedman said.
FINANCIAL

BST & CO. CPAS LLP

Amy Cramer was appointed as senior manager in the valuation, forensic and litigation department. Cramer has more than a decade of experience in tax and accounting, specializing in the private funds industry, including real estate investment partnerships, investment management and pension and endowment funds.

HEALTH CARE

SARATOGA HOSPITAL

Norreida I. Reyes joined as a marketing content specialist in the marketing and communications department. Reyes joined after two decades in and out of the New York state Legislature as a public policy analyst, communications consultant and lobbyist.

NEW YORK ONCOLOGY HEMATOLOGY

Omar Buddhu joined as an oncologist and hematologist. Buddhu is a board certified medical oncologist and hematologist and is focusing on the treatment of blood cancers and blood disorders.

MEDIA

CORNING PLACE COMMUNICATIONS

Sarah Ruane joined as public relations and digital content director. Ruane previously served as an assignment manager at Spectrum News.

NONPROFITS

CATHOLIC CHARITIES DISABILITIES SERVICES

Hotayi Bambara, Dashaun Betancourt, Sherain Rivera and Felicia Vanterpool joined as direct support professionals in the residential department.

Jenna Foster joined as a service coordinator in the service coordination department.

PROFESSIONS

WHITEMAN OSTERMAN & HANNA LLP

Charles J. Gottlieb joined as an associate in the energy and telecommunications, environmental, municipal and real estate development, zoning and land use practice groups. Gottlieb, who previously served as an associate at Cuddy & Feder LLP, focuses his practice on representing residential and commercial developers, religious institutions, nonprofits and public utility infrastructure companies to obtain land use and environmental permits.

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BOND, SCHOENECK & KING

Robert F. Manfredo was elected as a member. Manfredo is an experienced labor and employment attorney who counsels employers on an array of employment laws and regulations.

Thomas W. Simcoe was elected as a member. Simcoe  a member of the tax, exempt organizations, business and public finance practice groups  advises nonprofit and business clients on all aspects of tax and legal compliance and planning.

O'CONNELL AND ARONOWITZ

Florence M. Richardson joined as of counsel in the family and matrimonial department. Richardson previously served as principal at Kahn and Richardson.

SERVICES

CAPITAL DISTRICT TRANS-PORTATION AUTHORITY

Jaime Watson was promoted to director of corporate communications. Watson, who previously served as communications manager, is responsible for managing and implementing communication strategy, including media and community relations, and also serves as spokeswoman.

 Jennifer Patterson
NEW HAVEN  Paul Lee woke up Saturday unable to move his left arm or leg. He had suffered a major stroke.

By 2 p.m., Lee, lying awake on the operating table at Yale New Haven Hospital, realized he could move his limbs. He was back at his New Milford home on Tuesday, 99 percent back, according to his wife, Ann Marie Lee. Its just a miracle what Yale did over the weekend, she said.

Just a few months ago, Lee, 69, wouldnt have had a chance.

With stroke, timing is everything. And the time available to save patients from severe paralysis or worse has recently been extended so far that Dr. Charles Matouk, who took out the clot from Lees artery, said its nothing short of a revolution in public health. Matouk is chief of neurovascular surgery at Yale New Haven.

To crystallize it, the main issue with treatments that are geared toward acute stroke is the time window in which therapies need to be administered to effect a good outcome, Matouk said.

There are two basic treatments for ischemic stroke, which are caused by blood clots and account for 87 percent of incidents, according to the American Stroke Association. (The rest are hemorrhagic strokes, caused by bleeding in the brain.)

The first, which became available only in 1996, is tissue plasminogen activator, known as tPA, which is a blood thinner. But it can only be used within 41/2 hours of when symptoms occur, or 41/2 hours since the patient had last shown no symptoms. After that, there is too great a risk of hemorrhaging, said Dr. Hardik Amin, a Yale New Haven vascular neurologist.

The second method is mechanical thrombectomy, in which a catheter is pushed up the arteries from the groin to the clot. A device at the end of a metal wire, called a stent retriever, is pushed into the clot and expands, then is pulled out of the body along with the clot. That was the procedure that Matouk used on Lee. But while thrombectomy has been available for 10 years, only Yale New Haven, Hartford and UConn John Dempsey hospitals are equipped to do it.

Also, until the publication of two studies in the last three months and the development of specialized imaging software that helps determine who is eligible for the procedure, a thrombectomy could only be performed within six hours of when the patient was last known to be stroke-free.

Lee had gone to bed at 2 a.m. Saturday and woke up at 9. He had already gone past the previous deadlines for both treatments. But the new guidelines, issued Jan. 24 by the American Heart Association, the American Stroke Association and the Joint Commission, which accredits health care organizations, increase the window of time in which a thrombectomy can be performed to as much as 24 hours.

Lees chances were improved by his overall good health, his anatomy, which allowed blood to get to the part of his brain through blood vessels other than the blocked carotid artery, and the decision by doctors at New Milford Hospital, consulting with Matouk and Amin, to send him by Life Star helicopter to New Haven. Amin is part of Yale New Havens Telestroke program, a group that consults with doctors at other hospitals in Connecticut.

But the flight would not even have been a consideration until just recently.

The main gist is that in the past, patients were selected for treatment for stroke purely based on time criteria, Amin said. And now were able to use physiological data to treat patients who in the past would not have been offered anything.

A revolution in stroke care

Once thrombectomies began to be used to treat stroke, that extended the time window and people got a lot better, Matouk said. So what this therapy was geared at  was those strokes that caused the big problems, like paralysis or not being able to talk or not being able to understand people, what Matouk calls nursing home strokes.

With the time window extended to six hours, our stroke volumes in terms of doing this procedure rose from 10 in 2013 to 180 in 2017, Matouk said. Its been a revolution in our ability to care for acute stroke. Whats different now is what these latest trials showed is up to 24 hours out for selected patients this treatment can be massively beneficial.

The rate at which neurosurgeons were able to reverse the course of terribleness in stroke symptoms more than doubled. From being able to help one in seven patients, doctors were able to improve the quality of life of one in 2.8 patients. For surgical procedures, thats actually very good; thats amazing, Amin said.

A quick decision

On Saturday, when Paul Lee woke up, I couldnt figure out why I couldnt get out of the bed, he said. I reached over and picked up my arm and it was like a dead body.

The ambulance took a half-hour to get to Lees house before bringing him to New Milford, which is kind of a little country hospital, Lee said. But once they realized the situation, it was pretty much a quick decision that the doctors made there, Ann Marie Lee said. The doctor at the ER, as soon as I got there he was on the phone with Yale. He called Yale right away to see if my husband was a candidate and they said yes, and they wanted him to come by a helicopter.  They wanted him there immediately.

He arrived at 12:30 p.m., Amin said.

Soon after Ann Marie Lee arrived by car, the doctors came out and they had smiles on their faces, she said. They were just so proud of themselves.

I was laying there on the table and all of a sudden I could move my hand, Paul Lee said. It happened almost instantaneously, he said. Even though the artery was completely blocked, I was getting blood from other vessels. There was enough getting there to survive.

Besides not being able to move his left side, Lees face was drooping and his speech was slurred, Amin said. Before the new guidelines were issued, He would have just been admitted to the hospital and would likely have gone on to have a full stroke [and] remain paralyzed on his left side.

Whats changed is theres been new technology called perfusion imaging, which shows how well blood is traveling through the body, Amin said. Were able to determine how much of a patients brain has died as the result of a stroke  or has not completed the full infarct, or permanent death of the brain cells.

The CT scan shows how much of the brain has been shocked but not deadened by the lack of blood and how much is irretrievably lost, he said. If we see that theres a very small area of brain thats completely infarcted from stroke but theres a large area thats at risk, then we select those patients for this delayed treatment because theyre the ones who are more likely to benefit.

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With our patient here, I was contacted by New Milford Hospital shortly after he arrived, Amin said. He arrived [in New Haven] within about an hour and he was taken straight to the scanner and on the perfusion imagery that he had we were able to see he had very little dead tissue and a significant amount of tissue at risk.

Main roads and back roads

Matouk said Lee was fortunate in that he had a network of blood vessels, which he called back roads or collateral vessels, that brought blood to the areas that the blocked carotid, a main road, would have supplied.

If the brain is getting some blood but not enough blood, it stops working and you get a dead arm and a dead leg, Matouk said. That area that wasnt getting enough blood isnt dead yet; [it] can be salvaged.

But the collateral vessels are unable to maintain the supply of blood indefinitely. Eventually the brain will die because its not enough blood to keep it alive, he said. And while Lee has a good supply of collateral blood vessels, some people are born without any back roads, Matouk said.

The perfusion imaging lets the doctors see the difference between tissue thats in a stunned state and brain cells that have died and cannot be revived.

In Lees case, We saw he had very little irreversible injury and a large area of reversible injury, Amin said. We only learned that after he got that scan.

Whats new is were using it clinically to make decisions, Matouk said. Theres something to do about Grandmas stroke now up to 24 hours later.  We just learned that a couple of months ago.  From my perspective this is a public health issue.

One trial testing the effectiveness of thrombectomies over an extended time, called DAWN, was published online by the New England Journal of Medicine in November. The other, DEFUSE 3, was published in the journal Jan. 24.

Whats shocking is that their outcomes are nearly as good as patients who get this treatment and are within six hours, Matouk said. From a public health point of view this is something people really need to know about.

Tongue twisters

As soon as his surgery was complete, Lee wanted to get started right away with rehabilitation. Things that didnt work quite right I came up with things to improve them, he said. He was having issues with balance and with his speech so he came up with ways to improve.

Ive always liked tongue twisters so I kept doing them out loud over and over, he said. To improve his balance, I kept walking in circles and figure eights and I would walk backwards.

Now, the only problem I have is when I floss my teeth using his left hand.

He went from not being able to move to almost perfect, Ann Marie Lee said.

Paul Lee said, They kind of lassoed this thing and pulled it out and that was it.

This story has been edited to include UConn John Dempsey Hospital as one of three in the state that can perform thrombectomies.

Contact Ed Stannard at edward.stannard@hearstmediact.com or 203-680-9382.
As a health teacher for the Shenendehowa school district, Dustin Verga sees firsthand the pressures today's youth are under.

They've grown up in an era of over-testing, jam-packed schedules, high expectations to get into a top college, and dual lives  one in the real world and one online, where the pressure to curate a picture-perfect life and rack up "likes" is ever-present.

That's why the introduction of mental health literacy in New York schools this coming fall is such a big deal, Verga said. For as long as anyone can remember, schools have taught children about physical health  food and nutrition, accidents and disease, mood-altering substances  but conspicuously absent has been the role mental health plays in a person's overall well-being.

"I think my students can identify when they're feeling stress or anxiety or something else, but I don't think they understand how to cope with it," he said. "They don't know that, just like you might need to rest if you're sick with the flu, you might need to take care of yourself if you're not feeling right mentally."

That could change starting July 1, when a hard-fought-for 2016 law to add mental health to the school curriculum goes into effect. The law makes New York the first state to require, not just encourage, schools to teach mental health, said Glenn Liebman, CEO of the Mental Health Association in New York, a lead advocate behind the law.

What took so long?

The idea of teaching young people about mental health is not a new one.

The mental hygiene movement of the early 1900s introduced society to the concept that mental wellness could be just as important as physical wellness.,

In 1928, a nationwide group of superintendents recommended that mental hygiene be included in the teaching of health education, but it was not.

"When you talk about mental health and mental illness, people are still, because of the stigma, in the closet about it," Liebman said. "People just don't talk about it like they talk about physical illness."

Social media has strengthened the movement to de-stigmatize mental illness, he said. "People are being more candid about their mental health issues and seeking support and using social media as kind of a fulcrum for gaining support, peers and friends in their recovery," Liebman said.

Making the case

Advocates of the law want people to know they are not pushing for students or schoolteachers to become diagnosticians. They say that is best left to professionals.

Adding mental health literacy to the curriculum will provide youth with the knowledge of how to prevent mental disorders, recognize when a disorder is developing, know how and where to seek help and treatment, strategies for dealing with milder issues, and strategies for supporting others who are struggling.

"This is a real opportunity to educate youth about mental health and wellness, and to do it in a positive and comprehensive way," Liebman said. "It's really about empowering youth."

Misconceptions about mental illness, experts say, include believing individuals who suffer from it are more likely to commit violence than those who do not (the opposite, actually: they are more likely to be the victims of violence), or that recovery from mental illness is not possible (it is). Or, more broadly, the belief that mental illness only presents in obvious ways, such as behaving strangely, hearing voices or hallucinating. On the contrary, the most common mental illnesses are anxiety disorders.

The onset of mental illness often begins at a young age, advocates say, so early education is crucial.

More Information Youth and mental health  One in four people are diagnosed with mental illness over the course of a year in the U.S.  Half of all chronic mental health conditions begin by age 14.  Half of all lifetime cases of anxiety disorders begin as early as age 8.  22 percent of youth ages 13-18 experience serious mental disorders in a given year.  More than 60 percent of young adults with a mental illness were unable to complete high school  Young people ages 16-24 with mental illness are four times less likely to be involved in gainful activities, like employment, college or trade school.  Those with a psychiatric disability are three times more likely to be involved in criminal justice activities.  Each year, 157,000 children and young adults, ages 10-24, are treated at emergency departments for self-inflicted injuries.  One in 12 high school students have attempted suicide. Sources: American Psychiatric Association, National Institute of Mental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention See More Collapse

Half of all chronic mental health conditions begin by age 14, according to the American Psychiatric Association, and half of all lifetime cases of anxiety disorders begin as early as age 8.

In addition, 22 percent of youth ages 13 to 18 experience serious mental disorders in a given year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

"If these statistics seem startling, it's because the reality of when most mental illnesses begin is obscured from our view because most of us don't recognize the signs and symptoms when they appear, ignore them or mistakenly confuse them with other characteristics of adolescent such as changes associated with puberty," reads an October 2017 white paper by the Mental Health Association in New York State.

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Teaching young people how to identify signs and symptoms early on, or prevent them altogether, will only serve to benefit the populace at large, advocates say.

Untreated mental illness can have a devastating impact on individuals and society, according to research and statistics kept by the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and others.

The leading cause of disability worldwide? Depression.

The common link among the nine out of 10 people who die by suicide? They suffer from depression and other mental or substance abuse disorders.

The economic cost of untreated mental illness in America is more than $100 billion a year. Depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses cost the world upward of $1 trillion a year.

The next steps

In a survey last summer, superintendents identified the issue of student mental health as one of their top concerns going into the current school year.

Local school districts will be in charge of developing their own curriculum and lesson plans, but the state Education Department is in the process of developing guidance from its Mental Health Education Advisory Council, of which both Liebman's group and Verga are a part.

The concepts should appear in health education curriculum being taught in grades K-12, and must be age-appropriate, a state Education Department official said. Advocates hope the state will pay to help train teachers in the new curriculum, but it appears unlikely in a tight budget year.

Verga, who has been teaching health at Shenendehowa for four years, recalled seeing something click with his students when one day, he implored his students to remember that just like a broken arm is a physical injury, mental disorders and illnesses are a neurological injury  not a failing of character or willpower.

"We happily give people a cast to fix their broken arm, but we don't necessarily give people who have mental health issues the same kind of treatment or understanding," Verga said. "We look at them differently, and that really needs to change."

bbump@timesunion.com  518-454-5387  @bethanybump
BETHLEHEMThe New York State Humane Association is offering a $500 reward for information regarding the dead beagle-mix dog dumped on Clapper Road last week.

Town highway workers discovered the remains of the dog on Thursday, which had signs of neglect. Its toenails had been allowed to grow down and around its feet, Bethlehem police Commander Adam Hornick said. But there are no obvious clues as to a cause of death. Police are waiting for the results of a necropsy at Cornell University's veterinary school to determine how the dog died.
BETHLEHEM Bethlehem's residents are so environmentally progressive, they're spending $240,000 to divert their food waste from the bloated landfill to their composting operation. This step should provide considerable bang for the bucks by reducing greenhouse gases and easing strain on the landfill. As the town's website notes, about a third of Bethlehem's waste stream is food garbage.

Not surprisingly, when local environmental groups teamed up to bring eco-advocate Eleanor Stein to speak at Bethlehem's Town Hall, the standing room only crowd packed the room on a frigid Thursday night. Bethlehem town supervisor David VanLuven and State Assembly member Pat Fahy and about 75 residents attended, ready for ideas and inspiration.

Stein teaches Albany Law School courses about climate change but she's earned her reputation as a world saver all over the globe. She's on the board of EcoViva, which finds sewage disposal solutions for rural El Salvador where toilets and septic tanks are almost non-existent. In a Glasgow, Scotland university, she received a masters with distinction in climate change law. And she's on the faculty of Colorado's Rocky Mountain Institute eLab, which aids solar and wind energy projects in Australia, Canada and Europe. She sees small communities as crucial in the battle to protect the Earth from climate change.

"When (Pres. Donald) Trump made announced he would remove America from the Paris Agreement on climate change, I knew how important it would be for towns the size of Bethlehem to step up and help do the work needed," Stein said shortly before she met her audience.

The 170 countries that signed the agreement and meet annually to help implement its guidelines apparently share her view.

"The countries meet annually and last year, for the first time, they singled out and praised contributions from states, cities, towns, universities and tribes in curbing climate change," said Stein, who was a New York State Public Service Commission judge from 1994-2014.

Among its many goals, the agreement aims to make renewable energy more accessible to low income communities and decrease the carbon footprint humans create with fossil fuels. More than a dozen U.S. governors, including New York's Andrew Cuomo, and over 190 mayors, including Albany's Kathy Sheehan, vowed to implement their own plans to meet Paris Agreement goals after the Trump announcement.

Since greenhouse gases produced by food waste are a culprit in climate change, Bethlehem is already adhering to some of the Paris guidelines. (The $240,000 it will use to transform food scraps into compost comes from the state Environmental Conservation Department.)

Environmental activist groups that organized Stein's visit included the Sierra Club, Save the Pine Bush and Like Minds United of the Capital District.

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Paul Tick is a social worker and a Like Minds co-founder who jokes that it would be nice if his group chose a more T-shirt-friendly name. But he is confident Like Minds will win lots of locals to its cause.

"I was impressed that so much of the crowd wanted to stay almost an hour after Eleanor's speech was over so they could ask more questions and brainstorm ideas about renewable energy and preventing food waste, which are among my interests," said Tick, who also co-founded Bethlehem's farmers market.

Stein urges area towns to convert to 100% renewable energy by a specified date. She also supports a proposed 2-megawatt solar farm in Feura Bush for the Bethlehem Central School District to use.

Tick himself is a solar convert who bought enough panels located on a Columbia County solar farm to power his Bethlehem home.

"My wife and I love it. We've had no power outages and no problems," said Tick. "The initial cost of $6,000 to $7,000 for the panels is prohibitive for many people, but I hope we can find ways to make renewable energy more affordable. We figured our investment pays for itself in a few years when our energy will basically be free."
PITTSFIELD, MASS. - The cash-strapped Berkshire Museum will be allowed to sell up to 40 works of art under an agreement between the institution and Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey's office.

The two entities submitted a joint request with the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court seeking its approval to let the museum sell artwork to address financial need, according to a museum statement issued Friday.

An unidentified nonprofit American museum has agreed to purchase and display Norman Rockwell's "Shuffleton's Barbershop." The painting will also be loaned to the Norman Rockwell Museum for up to two years and it could be loaned to museums in the Berkshires and Massachusetts. The court review is necessary before any sale, the officials said.

A group that included Rockwell's children and Healey unsuccessfully tried to get a state judge to stop the sale before the auction, but in November Judge John Agostini ruled they did not have sufficient legal standing to halt the action. Last summer the American Alliance of Museums and the Association of Art Museum Directors issued a statement decrying the museum's plans to the sell the artworks.

Here are key points of the agreement, according to the museum:

The Attorney General's Office determined the museum met its financial need to lift or modify restrictions on selling the works and using proceeds.

The museum can sell, through Sotheby's, works previously deaccessioned, with the agreement structured so the museum can reach its "demonstrated financial need" of $55 million without necessarily selling all 40 works, which was previous mentioned.

Net proceeds between $50 million to $55 million will be held by the museum in a separate fund to benefit its collection and to be used for acquisitions, along with another fund for net proceeds over $55 million.

"This agreement helps secure the future of the Berkshire Museum for years to come, while preserving Shuffleton's Barbershop for public view, in keeping with the wishes of Norman Rockwell," Attorney General Healey said in the statement. "We are pleased that this agreement will allow the Berkshire Museum to thrive, ensures that no more art than necessary will be sold, and honors the legacy of Norman Rockwell and his masterpiece, Shuffleton's Barbershop.
NORTH GREENBUSH  Democrats claimed that Republican Supervisor Lou Desso and his Town Board allies placed a gag rule on public comment at the monthly meeting Thursday when they cut off statements on a recent court ruling.

Democrats came to the Town Board meeting with plans to speak about a recent small claims court decision ordering Desso to pay $6,270 to Moscatiellos Family Italian Restaurant on Route 4 for his 2015 fundraiser. They were counting on the boards rules that say residents may speak up to three minutes on any topic at the end of the Town Board meeting.

Ron Sinico who unsuccessfully ran as the Democratic candidate against Desso in November, found himself on the losing side again, cut off from speaking when asked what it had to do with town business.

Ive never seen anyone denied their right public comment at a board meeting until last night, Sinico said Friday in a statement.

It was clear to me they were changing their own rules governing public comment in an effort to prevent anyone from detailing the supervisors unlawful conduct by imposing a new standard of town business instead of comment on any topic, said Charles B. Smith, treasurer of the town Democratic Committee, who followed Sinico in speaking out.

I could only imagine the supervisor ordering the police to remove me had I continued to speak and so I am speaking here in this press release where Mr. Desso cannot abuse his office to limit free speech," Smith said.

Its to discuss town business, not for people to make political statements. We dont talk about (Rensselaer County Executive) Steve McLaughlin or Albany County. We think its for town business, Desso said about the three-minute time allotment.

The Town Board use to be a three-ring circus. We dont want to go back to 06 and 07 when people were yelling and screaming at each other, Desso said.

Councilman Al Spain, a Democrat whos worked with Desso and is a former supervisor, said the three minutes is for discussion of town business. The ruling in the lawsuit won by restaurateur Michael Moscatiello, he said, didnt fit that definition.

Referring to Smith, Spain said, He got what he wanted out of it, a press release.

I wish I didnt have to write a press release. For 30 years thats what it meant, any business. Now theyre going to impose this new rule? Its remarkable. Why is he protecting Mr. Desso from his acts? Smith said.

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Moscatiello filed the lawsuit heard by Rensselaer City Court Judge Kathleen Robichaud last year. At issue was what Desso was to pay for holding a fundraiser at the restaurant during his first campaign for supervisor.

"It is the opinion of this court that embarrassment, misunderstanding and hurt feelings resulted in the escalation of a simple oral contract between the two parties to allegations of unethical behavior, election law violations and a political war," Robichaud said in her ruling in January.

Desso hasnt paid Moscatiello saying he and his attorney are reviewing the case to decide if an appeal will be filed. Sinico and Smith were at the Town Board meeting, the first since the case was decided, to speak out. Theyve supported Moscatiello in the lawsuit.

Desso pointed out that Democratic Councilwoman Mary Francis Sabo suggested any complaints should perhaps be filed with the town ethics board. Smith and SInico have not done so.

Sabo, who started her first term on the Town Board Jan. 1, said she made that suggestion as a way to move on to other matters and that she hadnt realized what occurred. Sabo said she revisited the Town Board rules since the meeting.

The town should follow its own rules, Sabo said. Im going to talk to the town attorney about it.
Some may argue that a dog is man's (or woman's) best friend, while others are cat people. Others prefer to co-habitate with slightly less traditional companions.

A dig through our archives revealed many photos of Capital Region residents who have seen nothing odd about watching TV with an iguana or sharing an ice cream cone with a parrot.
Irish Water is proposing to improve the energy efficiency and reduce the carbon footprint of the wastewater treatment plant in Nenagh by installing 128 photovoltaic solar panels to generate clean, renewable electricity for the plant

This investment will benefit the local community by improving the performance of the plant and making it more resilient in the event of power outages.

The treatment plant in Nenagh is one of just two Irish Water sites in the country where this is being proposed as part of an energy efficiency pilot project.

The proposed solar array would be capable of generating 32,000 kWh (kilowatt hours) per year of electricity, which would lead to a significant reduction in the demand for imported electricity at the site.

This in turn will lead to a 6 per cent - or 15,000 kg - reduction in carbon emissions.

As well as being a clean, renewable source of energy, the installation of photovoltaic (PV) solar panels will also boost the resilience of the plant by ensuring a continuous supply of energy in the case of power outages.

The proposed solar array will take up an area of approximately 220 square metres inside the boundary of the plant. Planning permission has been granted by Tipperary County Council for the scheme.

This latest proposal follows the completion of work at the Nenagh wastewater treatment plant to upgrade the plants aeration system which has led to a 35 per cent reduction in energy usage.

Commenting on the project, Ted Hurley, capital programmes manager with Irish Water said: Irish Water is continuing to invest in modernising the Nenagh Wastewater Treatment plant to improve its efficiency, make it more resilient and ultimately benefit the community it serves and the local environment by enhancing its performance.

Investing in Irelands wastewater infrastructure is a key priority for Irish Water. For the remaining period of the Irish Water Business Plan up to 2021, the utility is ramping up investment to spend an average of 326m per year on wastewater infrastructure.

The investment in the Nenagh Wastewater Treatment Plant is part of this investment programme.
Cant afford the real thing? Make it from bricks!

Theres some pretty hot Fords on display at the Chicago Auto Show this year, but the scale might be a bit smaller than what you expect. Tucked in between the full-sized SUVs youll find a table with a variety of exciting auto-themed Lego kits on it. The models that first caught our eye were the 1968 Mustang Fastbacks, three of which are on display in Chicago. These kits are brand-new, and come with a racing suit-wearing figurine, a quarter-mile timing board, and a sheet of decals to bring the pony car classic to life. Lego just dropped the kit this week as part of its endlessly cool Speed Champions lineup, and with 183 pieces in the box and a price tag of just $14.99, its the right choice for any muscle car aficionado, young or old.

Joining the trio of 68 Stangs is a number of other Ford classics. The blue truck you see is a modern F-150 Raptor, which comes complete with a hot rod Model A and a trailer to bring it to the track, plus a set of timing lights, an engine lift, a fully equipped service center, and four figurines. Then theres a duo of racers straight from Le Mans, with a 1966 Ford GT40 and 2016 Ford GT, both of which look like theyre ready to take the fight to Ferrari. Finally, theres a modern Mustang GT in the mix, rocking a light blue exterior with a white racing stripe down the middle.

We love our Lego kits, and these finalized builds on display in Chicago have us searching for spare change under the couch. Which one would you have?
This year at the Chicago Auto Show, Subaru made its presence known with a long line of special edition models. Theres eight of them in total, encompassing almost every entry in Subarus stable, and each comes with special paint, satin chrome trim, and new aluminum wheels. All told, we think its a rather half-hearted batch of upgrades. Still, there was one car at the Subaru booth that definitely caught our eye  this 1968 Subaru 360. Read on to find out why we like it so much.

The Full Story

The 360 was one of the first cars Subaru ever made. Nicknamed the ladybug in its native Japan, the 360 followed the old kei car tradition of small dimensions and low weight.

The 360 was one of the first cars Subaru ever made, with production lasting between 1958 and 1971, which, all things considered, is a pretty impressive run. Nicknamed the ladybug in its native Japan, the 360 followed the old kei car tradition, and was part of the nations efforts towards widespread adoption of the automobile following the devastation of WWII.

The 360 is essentially a two-door microcar created specifically for the rigors of city travel, with a simplified design and tiny dimensions. And when we say tiny, we mean tiny  compared to a modern Smart Fortwo, the 360 is both narrower and shorter, plus its got a shorter wheelbase as well (the rounded body work makes it a bit longer overall, though).

Exterior Dimension Comparison Subaru 360 Smart Fortwo Width 1,300 mm (51.2 inches) 1,663 mm (65.5 inches) Height 1,379 mm (54.3 inches) 1,555 mm (61.2 inches) Length 2,990 mm (117.7 inches) 2,695 mm (106.1 inches) Wheelbase 1,801 mm (70.9 inches) 1,873 mm (73.7 inches)

While the 360 was doing well at home, it took about a decade for it to make the journey across the Pacific. Taking responsibility for that was Malcolm Bricklin, who, in 1968, founded Subaru of America in Philadelphia. Bricklin was interested in selling the 360 to U.S. buyers, and after a bit of legal maneuvering, he finally struck a deal to import some 10,000 examples in the late 60s. Advertised as Cheap and Ugly, the 360 was priced at a bargain-beating $1,297.

Advertised as Cheap and Ugly, the 360 was priced at a bargain-beating $1,297.

The 360 name is a reference to the engines displacement, which is rated at a minuscule 356 cc, or 0.356 liters. The engine is mounted transversely in the rear, and uses air cooling and a two-stroke, inline 2-cylinder design. And because it was a two-stroke, owners were required to pre-mix the oil with the gasoline. As such, Subaru designed the fuel tank lid to act as a measuring cup to help owners find the right proportion of gas to oil. How frickin quirky is that?! Thankfully, by 1964, the Subarumatic auto-mixing system was introduced to make operation of the 360 a bit more convenient.

Per Japans weight regulations regarding kei cars, the 360 tips the scales at just 900 pounds. It uses a monocoque construction, rather than a unibody, as well as a fiberglass roof panel, all of which helps to keep the pounds off. It also incorporates an independent swing axle rear suspension, another weight-saving measure.

Ingress and egress is accomplished by rear-hinged suicide doors. Once inside, passengers would find a layout befitting of the simplified theme, including split front bench seating and a full metal dash. Later models added padding to the dash, as well as an open glove box, pop-out rear quarter windows, and map pockets. Subaru also added controls on the floor for the choke, the heater, and the fuel cut-off.

With the three-speed transmission routing the two-cylinder's maximum output of 16 horsepower, the 360 could reach a top speed of 60 mph in a little under 40 seconds.

The two-cylinder engine connected to a three-speed manual transmission to feed the rear axle, although later models were offered with a four-speed manual and a three-speed Autoclutch that replaced the third pedal with a self-operating electromagnet unit. With the three-speed transmission routing the two-cylinders maximum output of 16 horsepower, the 360 could reach a top speed of 60 mph in a little under 40 seconds. Subaru claimed fuel returns of 66 mpg, but independent outlets saw numbers around 30 mpg.

By the end of its production run, the 360 enjoyed incremental increases to output, peaking at 25 horsepower. There was also a twin-carbureted engine option offering up a whopping 36 horsepower, which meant the plucky little 356 cc powerplant was making an impressive 100 horsepower per liter.

In addition to the two-door hardtop body style, Subaru also offered the 360 as a wagon, a.k.a. the Custom, and a convertible, with the latter being essentially a coupe with a rolling fabric roof. Subaru even offered a pair of sport models dubbed the Young S and Young SS. The Young S came with a four-speed transmission, bucket seats, a tachometer, and a black roof with a white stripe, plus a roof crease to mount your surfboard. Finally, the Young SS offered up that previously mentioned 36-horsepower engine option.

The extremely low curb weight meant the 360 was exempt from U.S. safety regulations, and during crash tests, it provided about the same level of protection as a coffee can.

While the Subaru 360 was similar to the VW Beetle in a variety of ways, it was also smaller and less powerful. As a result, it was less popular in the U.S. The extremely low curb weight also meant it was exempt from U.S. safety regulations, and during crash tests, it provided about the same level of protection as a coffee can. To compound the issue, Consumer Reports noted that the suicide doors would occasionally open when traveling at speed due to the wind. As you might imagine, sales werent great after these issues came to light.

Nevertheless, the 360 was a huge success in Japan, with production reaching an impressive 392,000 units over the course of its 13-year production run. These days, the 360 remains a popular oddity among collectors, and despite all its faults (or maybe because of them), we think its awesome.

References

Subaru Unveils Big Batch of Not-So-Special Limited-Edition Cars in Chicago

Read more Chicago Auto Show news.

Read more Subaru news.
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I've been waiting for the visa for more than 45 days. The processing time shows 34 days maximum and it is still "in the progress" on Immi Account now.

I've applied it online in United Arab Emirates. Anyone has the same case as me?

I called Immigration in Australia , they told me my application will be decided by AU Embassy in Dubai. And AU Embassy in Dubai does not accept phone calls for any visa inquiry so i sent 2 times Enquiry From which was provided by VFS Dubai but still no answers.

So worry.

:((
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Please help re 3 week itinerary in May. There will be 2 adults, a 6, 3 and 1 yr old.

Arriving late on April 28th (I know, the worst time we could have picked with Golden Week.. we have thus decided to spend as much of the first week doing big city stuff where there are hopefully less tourists)

Tokyo 29/4  4/5 (6 days)

Osaka 5/5  8/5 (4 days)

Travel down to Koyasan and stay the night (9/5)

Travel to Koyto the next day and stay 3 nights, 10-12/5 (about 2.5 days)

13/5 travel to Shirakawago in the morning and spend some time at Kanazawa on the way

Stay that night in Shirakawago and travel to Nagano the next day (14/5) stopping and spending some time in Takayama on the way.

Stay in Nagano from 14/5 night to 16/5 (2 & a bit days)

Travel to Tokyo on the 16/5 late afternoon, Tokyo Disneyland the next day and then leave late Friday night (18/5).

Have I allocated enough or too much time to the cities? We will be back at some point so I think Id rather leave Hiroshima until the kids are older.. also not that interested in Mt Fuji.

Have I allocated too much time to Nagano and should add in Hakone? I love art, but not so interested in modern art which the open air museum seemed to mainly be.

I would like enough time to not feel rushed or overwhelmed, but also that we have things to do each day. Were not particularly good at very slow travel with kids.. we also like beautiful places.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!!
You are moving around a lot, which doesn't give you a lot of time for pure relaxation, but if you are set on three resorts, so be it.

You won't get a lot of feedback on Liku Liku - not many regulars have stayed here, but the reviews are favourable. There is a Matangi expert who will give you good advice about that Resort.

We have stayed at Royal Davui - loved it, and recommend it, but it was a mission to get to and from, and I'd want to stay a lot longer as a result. Expect a small plane and a boat (or if you can afford it a much faster helicopter) from Nadi. If weather is bad, it's a 2 hr car ride and a boat.

You can snorkel right off the beach (or jetty) at RD, and the resort offers regular diving trips. Depending on the room type you choose, you can experience a beachfront or "rainforest" stay. The better rooms are amongst the trees with ocean views.

As lovely as it is, RD seems an outlier in your itinerary and there are other adults only resorts in Fiji that are closer to Matangi and LL that offer white sandy beaches, snorkelling and diving.

To avoid a stay on the mainland pre and post flight, arrive as early as possible so you can keep travelling onto your first resort same day. On the last day, fly out as late as possible. You can then get a helicopter, seaplane or ferry same day.

If you have more questions about Royal Davui pls ask.
Some on this forum have suggested First landing Resort and Villas. This would be a good option when you first land in the country. Not what I would call the poster type real Fiji but gives you a couple of days to settle in and take a couple of tours in Fiji.

Heading to the Islands is the real Fiji (beautiful beaches and Great snorkelling) and you will definately have the chance to go to a sunday church service or the choir will come to the island. This is well worth it.

If as Hooked on Fiji has mentioned Bounty Island I stayed there in 2016 and provided an indepth review Reviewed on 23 May 2016. Another option maybe Barefoot Manta Island in the Tented Ensuited bures I reviewed this in depth on Reviewed 15 June 2014 too. You will have the opportunity to swim with the Matarays too which is a truely awesome experience.
Enterprise are great if you rent a car. They're easy to deal with and will pick you up at Poughkeepsie train station and drop you back there at the end of the day.

The drive up to Rhinebeck and the historic mansions is easy and not too far. I did it myself. Being Australian and being used to driving on the "other" side of the road just requires a little bit of extra concentration especially when turning corners. But even for a solo like me, it wasn't too hard. I loved it, it's been one of my favourite day trips in NYC.

I haven't taken the shuttle to the mansions, but it's a good option if you prefer that.

But having a car means you can drive some smaller country roads and even go further north if you have the time.

Even the train up to Poughkeepsie is good. It's about 2 hours and quite scenic as the train hugs the Hudson River all of the way. And of course, taking the train from GCT is an iconic NYC experience.
The technological advancement has seen the travel booking undergo a major qualitative change. Instead of walking to the booking stations, one can now easily book at their comfort zone just by using your phone or computer at your disposal. The online booking system has benefited the travel companies in an exemplary way as revenues have increased by a bigger percentage as compared to the traditional booking system that is done manually. Besides, online booking saves you time as its faster and an easy process, unlike the traditional booking where you are prone to unnecessary errors and delays due to long queues.

READ ALSO: Kenya's national carrier set to commence direct flights from Nairobi to New York

Fly540 Online Booking Kenya

Fly540 is not an exception to the modern economy having expanded from domestic to international flights, you can book via www.fly540.com online booking. One can also book just by calling their office, the contact is +254 737 540 540 as well as via email. The email should be addressed to bookings@Fly540.com. The following is the procedure to www.fly 540 online booking;

The first step is to visit their website https://www.fly540.com.

Once you are there, youll see a box on the left side of the home page indicated Book A Flight.

Fill in the details of your travel data, then select the Continue button in order to move to the next step.

Next, clear the security check.

You now have to select your desired flight by clicking the buttons with prices then select next.

If you have luggage, then you will select the number that you have after which you move on to the next stage which is the payment part.

Key in your personal details in the field provided by ascertaining that the details are right and correspond with those of your official identification documents i.e. National Identity card.

Do not forget to agree to the terms and conditions radio button which is right at the bottom of the page. To confirm your bookings, click next.

A new page will pop where you will be required to choose the mode of payment you prefer. At this stage, you will make the payment and complete your online booking for fly540.

Managing Fly540 online booking Kenya

In everyday life there are unforeseen events that occur in our lives catching us unawares, we tend to plan, but plans do not go as earlier planned. At fly540 flexibility is key, in case of any changes, therefore, one is able to view his/her flight details and make any changes by using the details they used in the application process and log on to the system. You can always go over your email to confirm your login details for this matter; you will use your surname and the booking reference.

Changing or canceling a flight booking

There are rules and regulations regarding cancelation of flight. Fly540 Kenya does not return money to clients who cancel their flights on the same day of booking. However, there is an exception to this rule, that is, if the booking is made on the day of departure, then the money is refunded. Taxes and charges are included in the refund while cancellation fee and credit card fee are excluded.

Fly540 Check-In Online procedure

Prior to the departure time, online check in starts 48 hours earlier and it ends two hours before the designated departure time. One has to be keen to ensure he/she is always within the time frame. The following is the procedure on how to use the fly540 check-in online.

On their website, there is a section indicated manage my booking on the homepage. Log in by using the surname and booking reference.

Select the Allocate button in order to select your desired seat. There is a window that will pop up with a map showing the seat. Tap close to close the pop-up window.

A button will then appear on the right, click it to check in.

Once you have clicked the check in button, a button indicating get boarding pass will appear which you will click to generate a boarding pass. Print it as you will take the hard copy to the airport with you.

If you are not keen on the timings on the boarding pass you have printed, you might end up missing a flight.

READ ALSO: Jambo Jet Booking Rates 2017-2018

Fly540 flight cancellations

Due to uncontrollable circumstances, flights Cancellations may occur without any notice. These circumstances include; bad weather, strike actions, unexpected flight safety checks, terrorist alerts, and security alerts. What happens in such cases is that the flight attendants try as much as possible to reschedule the flights or rather the route may be changed for the safety of the passengers.

How Fly540 handle Missed flights

In case of changes made personally by the passengers, fly540 is not held liable as they are not consulted on the outcomes such as; missing flight. It can only be considered if the circumstance was not personal.

Source: Tuko
Since its establishment in Kenya in 2015, the Uber business is booming. The company has offered the friendly, affordable and safest travelling solutions. UBER KENYA CAR REQUIREMENTS are obvious and straightforward such that those willing to join or use the services, be it drivers, clients or individual car owners find it easy

READ ALSO: Exposed! Girl, 18, caught on camera while stealing cash from Uber driver's tip jar

Uber Kenya Car Requirements for the Riders

Uber is an America-based transportation network. Founded in March 2009 by Kalanick, Uber was aimed at enabling people to travel in style. Nine years later, the California Company has spread like wildfire. The company is now operating in over 250 cities in the world. Uber was launched in Kenya in January 2015. Nairobi was the fifth city in Africa to adopt Uber after Johannesburg, Cape Town, Cairo and Lagos.

For one to be able to use Uber, they must download the Uber app from the play store. From the App, one should fill their travelling details such as the pickup point and the destination and request for the cab. The Uber cab can locate the client from their starting point. Billing is done per minute per kilometre. The number of Uber Taxis is rising day in day out.

Uber Taxi Company has offered a very innovative way of customers travelling with golden safety measures and comfort at the same time. The system uses a live enabled GPS map that gives feedback and allows cashless transactions. It is very easy to monitor any criminal backgrounds.

Whereas Uber users might be super excited to use the services, there are several things they should know. Uber bills their clients every minute per kilometre. That there is a universally accepted formula for calculating the cost of the distance traveled. It is good first to be sure that you need Uber services. Otherwise, cancelling an Uber request attracts a cancellation fee of KES 300. The minimum fares charged for the distance traveled is KES 500. Uber has inspected all their cars and personnel to ensure that their clients get the best customers. The customer care offered has been praised hence the growth of the company.

Uber Car Requirements for Joining Drivers in Kenya

As a professional driver, you may be interested in joining the Uber Company. The procedure entails a normal process of job application. The driver is required to have documents/certificates to prove their capability. One should be over 21 years of age. A Kenya national Id and a valid driving license are necessary documents as well. Since Uber operates via mobile devices, one should have a mobile phone, a valid mobile phone number and an email address. The mobile device should be an android phone of version 4.0 or the latest one. One must undergo the safety assessment process and be certified by Uber.

Uber Kenya Car Requirements 2018

Why not consider making an extra income? With Uber, one is guaranteed to make an extra profit. If you have made the decision, then there are a few things you need to know about your car. Your car should have a clean PSV Insurance. You should also be a possession of a motor registration certificate for your vehicle.

Uber does not accept vehicles that are too old since they may be experiencing frequent mechanical breakdowns or may not be pleasing to the client. As such, the company only takes cars that were manufactured in 2006 or after. You should have a vehicle inspection report to ascertain this. The vehicle must have a working radio and have four doors. The partner should have an original national ID.

Uber Sign-up Process

Now that you know the requirements for Uber car Kenya, you may choose to give it a trial. Here is the Uber sign-up process in Kenya. Google Uber sign-up and a page will appear. From this page, you will get a form in which you are supposed to fill all the required details and upload the necessary attachments. The attachments may include driving license, the car insurance (third party liability), and the car registration number. After submitting your details as a driver, wait for an approval. Once approved, you can then download the Uber app. You can then start accepting rides. The Uber app works together with the Google maps which guide the driver to the starting point and destination of the client.

READ ALSO: Meet Ghanas first-ever female Uber driver

You should never worry about your payments as an Uber driver. Your payments will be directly sent to your bank account. You can also request for Uber Visa which you can use to transfer funds to Mpesa.

In the off chance that one is a qualified driver and they do not own a car, then Uber provides a vehicle to such drivers. There is a specific agreement that such a driver has to sign and adhere to. Majority of those in the Uber business have cars and hired drivers to do it on their behalf.

Source: Tuko
- An elated Radio Jambo host Gidi took to social media to share his happiness upon the arrival of his daughter to Kenya

- Marie Rose, 3, landed in Kenya for the first time since she was born in France

- She is Gidi and his wife's first child and Gidi couldn't contain his happiness

Gidi Gidi, one of Kenya's veteran musicians and a radio host with Radio Jambo, welcomed his daughter to Kenya for the first time on Friday, February 9.

READ ALSO: Mpango wa kando wa Diamond anaswa akipewa bonge la busu na mpenzi wake mpya

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In social media posts seen by TUKO.co.ke on Saturday, Febraury 10, Gidi uploaded photos and videos of his daughter, Marie Rose Hera Ongidi.

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Marie is Gidi and his wife's first chid. She was born in France May 2016.

Upon her birth, Gidi celebrated her birth, revealing how she came to be named Marie Rose.

READ ALSO: Cabinet nominee confirms he will fire Atwoli from plum job

"I am named after my grandma, Teacher Rosemary Oyoo. Rosemary is Marie-Rose in French. Mum is fine and recovering well from Postpartum pain. May I thank you all for welcoming me to the world. I hope it is a wonderful place. God Bless. Bonne journee, Marie-Rose wrote Gidi on social media three years ago.

READ ALSO: Photos of inside the lavish lifestyle of Kenya's hottest female pastor, Lucy Natasha

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Source: Tuko.co.ke
- Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo has been warming many hearts with emotional photos of him helping his constituents put up decent houses

- Photos on his social media pages show the before and after snapshots of grass-thatched mud-walled houses given a complete make-over

- Rarieda in Nyanza is one of the many regions in Kenya with extreme poverty levels and most residents lack basic social amenities

- The MP, who is also a highly respected lawyer, is actively engrossed in working for his people besides his apparent involvement in the activities of his political party

Rarieda Member of Parliament (MP) Otiende Amollo probably needs no introduction.

His role during hearing of the August 8, 2017 election petition pitting Raila Odinga against Uhuru Kenyatta and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) left lasting impression in the minds of most Kenyans. But arguing cases in court is not all that he is good at.

The firebrand lawyer has in the recent past warmed hearts of many Kenyans with numerous emotional snapshots of him helping his constituents put up decent houses.

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The photos show the MP is on a mission to uplift the livelihoods of his people in Rarieda constituency. Most of them are evidently poor and lack decent houses.

READ ALSO: Otiende Amollo, this is your time to replace Raila Odinga - Moses Kuria

Rarieda MP Otiendo Amollo is evidently committed to transforming and improving livelihoods of his people. Photo: Twitter/Hon Otiende Amollo

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TUKO.co.ke has compiled some of the photos that show how the lawmaker has helped his constituents in the past few months since the people of Rarieda elected him.

Many of the houses in this constituency have been given a complete make-over from grass-thatched mud-walled houses.

READ ALSO: Opposition MPs security allegedly withdrawn - Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo claims

And that is not all. The MP is also helping bright students who come from extremely poor families and therefore cannot afford school fees.

Rarieda is a constituency in Nyanza. It is one of the many regions in Kenya with extreme poverty levels. Most residents here lack basic social amenities.

The the area MP, who is also a highly respected lawyer, is evidently working towards uplifting the living standards of his people.

READ ALSO: How Raila Odinga's lawyer used to shine in High School

At the same time, the legislator is actively involved in the activities of his political formation National Super Alliance (NASA).

TJ Kajwang declares himself Chief Justice - On Tuko TV

Source: Tuko Breaking News Latest
- Popular actress Celina aka Catherine Kamau sent the internet into a frenzy when she unleashed her vacation photos

- The curvaceous mother of one revealed that she had flown off to Malaysia to celebrate her birthday

- Of course team mafisi could not keep calm as she flaunted her perfect curvy body and flat tummy in a figure hugging attire

Revered actress Catherine Kamau was the talk of the town on Friday, February 9 when she released the photos of her latest escapade.

The gorgeous mother of one could not keep calm as she lived it up in Malaysia and might I say, she is doing it like a boss.

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READ ALSO: Mjukuu wa Kibaki awatia 'wazimu' kina dada, apiga picha akiwa amemlalia binti mwingine

Catherine was donned in a figure hugging attire that highlighted her flut tummy and curvaceous body.

READ ALSO:Exclusive photos from ex-Mother-in-law star Celina's romantic honeymoon where she's to make baby number 2

Of course we could not stop crushing over her well toned body as she has been hitting the gym so hard of late.

The mother of one recently walked down the aisle with the love of her life and has been grinning from ear to ear.

If you were searching for birthday celebrations or Valentines ideas, I think you should try borrowing a leaf from her cap.

READ ALSO:Popular mother-in-law actress Celina blasts Cyprian Nyakundi for accusing her of trapping her new husband

Source: Tuko News
- NASA leaders said Kenya would go down the path of anarchy is there was no dialogue between them and the government

- Co-leader Kalonzo Musyoka was quoted saying they considered demos to let the government know that Kenyans are not happy

- The government said they were ready to talk with NASA but not on electoral reforms as they wanted, only on Kenya's development agenda

The National Super Alliance co-leaders threatened to return to the streets with their supporters to demonstrate in their fight for political space and freedom for Kenyans.

TUKO.co.ke reliably learnt that co-leader Raila Odinga (ODM Party) said that if no dialogue was held between the government and the opposition, then the country will soon go down the path of anarchy.

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READ ALSO: Shabiki mzungu amuita mchezaji Michael Olunga tumbili baada ya kushindwa

According to a report by the Standard on Saturday, February 10, co-leader Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper Party) also said they were considering demonstrations to let the government know that Kenyans are not happy.

NASA co-leaders Moses Wetagula, Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka and Musalia Mudavadi during a past opposition event. Photo: Facebook/NASA Coalition.

READ ALSO: Immigration department says Miguna Miguna is not a Kenyan citizen and has an illegal Kenyan passport

"The Jubilee government has become rogue and their recent actions forced the opposition to consider street protests as a way of fighting for political space and freedom for Kenyans. Uhuru and Ruto are driving the country down the road of destruction, they only listen to themselves. This is why we are considering demos to let them know that Kenyans are not happy," said Kalonzo.

These sentiments were uttered at the NASA leaders belief that their supporters were tired of sitting at the negotiating table alone.

READ ALSO: Raila's sister leads NASA supporters in demos outside UK Parliament

The Jubilee government said they were ready to hold talks with the opposition but not on electoral reforms as NASA demanded. Photo PSCU

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According to prior TUKO.co.ke reports, several calls were made for the government and the opposition to sit down and talk to end the political stalemate in the country.

Among them was the Church that blamed the two political outfits for refusing to engage each other and instead, waged a supremacy battle; foreign envoys from the West, Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga who called on them to stop playing power games with Kenyans' lives and so many others.

READ ALSO: Cabinet nominee confirms he will fire Atwoli from plum job

Following Raila's controversial swearing in, the government launched a crackdown on opposition legislators, a move that angered the leaders and their supporters. Photo: TUKO.co.ke

READ ALSO: Raila claims foreign envoys are in business with Uhuru

TUKO.co.ke previously reported that Deputy President William Ruto said that Jubilee was ready for dialogue with NASA but only on matters of national development and not electoral reforms as the opposition have been pushing for.

Also in the past few days, the government waged a war against opposition legislators following the controversial swearing in of Raila as the people's president.

Many legislators were arrested, some had their fire arm licences, security and government issued vehicle withdrawn, and many others had their passports frozen.

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Source: Tuko.co.ke
- Vera Sidika as revealed the most sensitive part of her body

- Taking to social media,Vera Sidika warned her admirers against kissing her neck

- The curvy lass said she cannot be held responsible for whatever happens to anyone who kisses her neck

Well-endowed Kenyan socialite Vera Sidika recently took to social media to warn her admirers and kissers of dire consequences should any of them kiss her.

Vera ,who has been killing men softly with her well-placed curves and edges on Thursday,February 8, took to Instagram and warned everyone against kissing her neck.

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READ ALSO: Mpango wa kando wa Diamond anaswa akipewa bonge la busu na mpenzi wake mpya

Judging with her post seen by TUKO.co.ke, it is clear Vera Sidika's neck is one of the most sensitive parts of her body.

READ ALSO: Meet the man responsible for Vera Sidika's killer figure(Photos)

''If you kiss my neck, I'm not responsible for what happens next ''Vera captioned a photo of hers.

Vera's post excited quite a number of the same admirers she had warned.

Quite a number of her online followers,especially men could not help but ask her to allow them to kiss her neck.

READ ALSO: Vera Sidikas new pricey acquisition will blow your mind away (photo)

READ ALSO: Diamond Platinumz's elder sister changes tune, calls Zari Hassan a stray Dog

Most of them were ready for the consequences,which judging with Vera's own post,was something worth it.

This is not the first time Vera Sidika is teasing her online followers.The lass has been inducing lust amongst men as she flaunts her skin and other goodies online for all and sundry to see.

ALSO WATCH: Raila won August 8th presidential election-NASA

Source: Tuko Breaking News
- Cabinet Secretary nominee for Devolution Eugene Wamalwa has said NASA co-principals Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetangula are cowards

- The CS said the duo had shown that they do not have a political standing of their own and only follow Raila Odinga for survival

- Wamalwa told the Luhya community that it is time for the community to reconsider their political stand

National Super Alliance Co-principals Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetangula are are weak leaders and can't lead the Luhya community, Devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa has claimed.

Speaking at Mwomo high school in Bumula constituency on Thursday, February 8, during a funds drive in aid of the learning institution, the CS nominee said that the duo are weak leaders who have no power to lead the Luhya community.

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"By skipping Raila Odinga swearing in, they showed that they are weak leaders who have no courage to lead Luhyas, we want bold leaders who are also fearless," said Wamalwa.

READ ALSO: Shabiki mzungu amuita mchezaji Michael Olunga tumbili baada ya kushindwa

It is now emerging that Musalia and Wetang'ula are weak leaders who can't be trusted - Eugene Wamalwa. Photo: Nation

READ ALSO: Babu Owino declares he will sleep in Parliament to avoid arrest

The two don't trust themselves and that's why they should be dropped out like a hot potatoes.

Wamalwa noted that the duo only follow Raila Odinga for political survival.

"It is time the community sought for courageous leaders who can propel them to greater and a bright future in politics, these one's are cowards, let's reconsider our political stand," he added.

READ ALSO: Murkomen takes a swipe at Maraga for commenting on governments disobedience of court orders

Wamalwa also urged National Super Alliance (NASA) leader, Raila Odinga, to stop his calls for fresh elections in August this year noting it was an illusion

"Why is he calling for a fresh election yet he was just sworn in as the People's president just the other day? This shows that he doesn't believe in what he did," said Wamalwa.

Bumula MP Mwambu Mabonga also attending the function said that the call for fresh elections in August is meant to cause tension in the country.

"We don't want somebody to cause confusion and heightened tension, let Kenyans settle and wait for the next elections in 2022," he said.

READ ALSO: Atwoli dismisses Duales suggestion that he should be fired from NSSF

An earlier report by TUKO.co.ke indicated that, NASA co-leaders threatened to return to the streets with their supporters to demonstrate in their fight for political space and freedom for Kenyans.

TUKO.co.ke reliably learnt that co-leader Raila Odinga (ODM Party) said that if no dialogue was held between the government and the opposition, then the country will soon go down the path of anarchy.

Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka also said they were considering demonstrations to let the government know that Kenyans are not happy.

Story by Titus Oteba, Bungoma County

ALSO WATCH: Do you support Raila Odinga's call for fresh presidential election? on TUKO tv

Source: Tuko
Methane gas from landfills across the country may soon be coming to a vehicle near you.
One Ukrainian soldier was wounded 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 Saturday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

One Ukrainian soldier was wounded during enemy shelling. He was immediately taken to a military mobile hospital. His state of health is difficult now, he said.

He also added Russian-backed militants launched 11 attacks on positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Donbas over the past day.

ish
Ukrainian helicopter pilots return home after almost fourteen years of performing the peacekeeping mission in Liberia.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine informed this on Facebook.

"Ukraines 56th separate helicopter detachment of the United Nations Mission in Liberia, who performed tasks in this African country since January 2004, returns home. In accordance with the resolution of the UN Security Council, the mandate of the UN mission in Liberia ends in April of 2018, therefore all military and police units will be withdrawn from the country," the General Staff informs.

On January 24, 2018, the Ukrainian crew of the Mi-8 helicopter performed the last flight over the city of Monrovia. Thus, one of the longest peacekeeping missions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was completed.

In 2004, Ukraine sent 14 helicopters (6 Mi-24 and 8 Mi-8) and 260 peacekeepers to Liberia. Later, the number of soldiers was increased to 301.

ish
The Ukrainian Health Ministry and the Government of Ontario (Canada) have signed a memorandum on healthcare cooperation. The three-year program foresees cooperation in medical education, the development of rural medicine, telemedicine, etc.

Ukraine's Acting Health Minister Ulana Suprun said this at a briefing on Friday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"Today, we are signing a memorandum between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of the Province of Ontario (Canada), which opens up great opportunities for Ukraine. The signing of the memorandum marks the start of a three-year program of cooperation between our ministries. We will cooperate in the areas of prevention, disease control, emergency care, rural medicine, the so-called 'last kilometer' problem, and the access of doctors to rural areas," Suprun said.

In addition, it is planned to develop cooperation in the field of telemedicine in Ukraine, using the experience of Canadian specialists.

"We also signed a memorandum on telemedicine. Ontario has a great program that implements the telemedicine network and that will help us develop telemedicine in Ukraine," Suprun said.

Cooperation will also envisage education programs for health workers, exchange of information and experience. The possibility of cooperation between the Okhmatdyt children's hospital in Kyiv and the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto is being discussed.

The minister recalled that the Canadian government had been helping Ukraine implement reforms in recent years. In particular, the e-health electronic health system was developed with the participation of the Canadian government.

op
In the front-line town of Marinka, Donetsk region, 300 subscribers have been left without electricity due to damage to the substation. The OSCE has yet to agree on execution of works.

The Ministry for Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons informed this on Twitter. "In Marinka [35 km south-west of Donetsk], about 300 subscribers near the contact line were left without electricity because of the damage to the distribution substation. The companies supplying electricity received a request to ensure a "silence" regime. This was agreed with the Ukrainian side. The OSCE has yet to agree on the request," the statement reads. ish
Implementation of the Minsk agreements has reached a deadlock, therefore, more effective steps should be taken to change the situation for the better.

This has been said in the press communique promulgated by the Elysee Palace following a telephone conversation between French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"The implementation of the Minsk agreements has reached a deadlock, therefore, it is necessary to take concrete steps in order to change the situation for the better and alleviate suffering of the population on the basis of consolidation of a ceasefire regime and the immediate implementation of humanitarian measures proposed by France and Germany," the document reads.

During the conversation, Macron also called on Putin to contribute to stopping the use of weapons of mass destruction in Syria.

ish
The World Bank will provide the Education and Science Ministry of Ukraine with expert assistance in the procurement of electronic devices, textbooks, as well as traditional printed literature, and other issues related to the launch of an electronic education platform.

The agreement was reached during a meeting in the U.S. of Ukrainian Education and Science Minister Lilia Hrynevych with representatives of the World Bank Group, which deals with projects in the field of education, the education minister informed on Facebook.

"Representatives of the World Bank Group agreed to provide expert evaluation of procurement. In the near future, an evaluation team will come to Ukraine to give the consultations we need. They are also ready to support our plans to introduce digital education, to help determine the main priorities that we need to work on so that our plans for implementing the electronic platform become successful," the minister said.

Following the meeting, the Ukrainian education minister stresses that relations between the Ukrainian Education Ministry and the World Bank are gradually improving.

During the visit to the U.S., the minister informed the Department of State about Ukraine's plans for implementing the language article of the Law "On Education."

ish
German politician Andreas Maurer, head of the Die Linke party's faction in Quakenbruck's City Council, is the organizer of the trip.

A new delegation from Germany, which includes members of the left-wing political party Die Linke, is set to visit the Russian-occupied Crimea.

German politician Andreas Maurer, head of the Die Linke party's faction in Quakenbruck's City Council, Lower Saxony, is the organizer of the trip, according to the Russian news agency RIA Novosti.

Read alsoMembers of Germany's far-right political party visit occupied Crimea in violation of Ukraine laws"I've got a list of candidates for the delegation that wants to participate in the forthcoming Yalta International Economic Forum. Moreover, they are interested in the possibility of being present at Russia's presidential elections, but this issue needs to be coordinated at the federal level," the so-called "Deputy Chairman of Interethnic Relations Committee of the Crimean Parliament, head of the Crimean German national-cultural autonomy" Yuri Hempel said.

As UNIAN reported earlier, a delegation of German parliamentarians, members of the far-right political party "Alternative for Germany" (AfD), from three regional parliaments visited the Russian-occupied Crimea in violation of Ukrainian laws.

The German politicians claimed they were not concerned over a possible travel ban by Ukraine.

Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Andriy Melnyk said the German government had criticized the visit of the AfD members to the occupied Crimea and reiterated the policy of non-recognition of illegal annexation.
In 2004, Ukraine deployed 14 helicopters and 260 peacekeepers to Liberia. Subsequently, the number of the latter was increased to 301.

Ukraine's 56th separate helicopter detachment of the United Nations Mission in Liberia that has conducted peacekeeping operations in Liberia since January 2004 is returning to the home country.

Read alsoDonbas war cannot be stopped without peacekeepers  Ukraine's envoy to TCGIn accordance with the resolution of the UN Security Council, all military and police units will be withdrawn from the African country, as the mandate of the UN mission in Liberia will end in April of 2018, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said.

"Almost 14 years our aviators escorted land convoys, provided cargo and passenger carrying operations, and conducted aerial border patrols, as well as casevac, search and rescue operations," the report said.

UNIAN memo. In 2004, Ukraine deployed 14 helicopters and 260 peacekeepers to Liberia. Subsequently, the number of the latter was increased to 301.

Ukrainian peacekeepers were the only ones who performed search and rescue missions in Liberia.

Twenty-three rotations of the Ukrainian contingent took place during the 14-year mission. The aircrews carried out more than 55,000 sorties, having spent almost 60,000 hours in the African sky. A total of 5,500 peacekeepers served in the 56 separate helicopter detachment.
Ukrainians visited a total of 71 countries in the past year.

Almost 26.5 million Ukrainians traveled abroad in 2017; the vast majority went on a private trip.

Most of Ukrainians traveled to Poland, namely 9.9 million people, while 4.3 million citizens visited Russia and 3.1 million went to Hungary, the State Statistics Service of Ukraine said, referring to the State Border Guard Service.

Read alsoUkraine's tourism potential showcased at WTM in London  Ukraine MFAMany Ukrainians also traveled to Moldova (1.68 million people), Belarus and Turkey (up to 1.2 million each), Romania (over 1 million), Slovakia (850,000) and Egypt (733,000).

The least popular countries for traveling abroad among Ukrainians were Tajikistan (10 people visited the country in 2017), Norway, the Pitcairn Islands, Mali, and Kyrgyzstan (seven people each), while Iraq and South Korea (one person each).

Ukrainians visited a total of 71 countries in the past year.

As UNIAN reported earlier, more than 14 million foreigners visited the country in 2017. The largest number of people travelled to Ukraine from neighboring countries. Thus, 4.4 million people came from Moldova, 2.7 million from Belarus, 1.4 million from Russia, 1.1 million from Poland, and 1 million from Hungary.
In the daytime, the occupiers violated the truce using infantry weapons outside the villages of Luhanske and Zaitseve.

Russia's hybrid military forces mounted 11 attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas in the past 24 hours, with one Ukrainian soldier reported as wounded in action (WIA).

Read alsoRussian-led occupation forces in Donbas attack UA troops 4 times, employ heavy mortars in last day In the Luhansk sector, in the evening hours, the militants fired grenade launchers of various types and small arms on the Ukrainian strong points near the town of Svitlodarsk. The enemy also used cannons of infantry fighting vehicles, machine guns and small arms against the Ukrainian defenders near the villages of Novo-Oleksandrivka and Bohuslavske. Moreover, they fired 82mm mortars on the defenders of the village of Novhorodske. In the daytime, the occupiers violated the truce using infantry weapons outside the villages of Luhanske and Zaitseve, according to the press center of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Headquarters.

In the Donetsk sector, the enemy opened fire from mortars of various calibers on the Ukrainian soldiers stationed near the village of Pesky, while using small arms against the Ukrainian strongholds near the village of Slavne.

As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukraine's air defense unit shot down a Russian-made Orlan-10 unmanned aerial vehicle. For the last month and a half, this is the fourth downed drone of this type.
The militants shelled the Ukrainian positions near the village of Luhanske, using 82mm mortars and grenade launchers of various types.

Russia's hybrid military forces attacked Ukrainian army positions in Donbas one time on February 10; there were no casualties among Ukrainian soldiers.

Read alsoDonbas sees truce after three attacks on Ukraine with 120mm mortars, grenade launchers on Feb 4In the Luhansk sector, the militants had been shelling the Ukrainian strongholds near the village of Luhanske for more than one hour, using 82mm mortars and grenade launchers of various types. As a result of enemy attacks, none of the Ukrainian defenders was killed or wounded, the press center of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Headquarters said in an update as of 18:00 Kyiv time on Saturday, February 10.

No ceasefire violations have been recorded in other sectors of the Ukrainian defense lines.

"Despite the relative calm along the entire contact line, Ukrainian units continue to closely monitor the situation in the enemy camp. They are absolutely ready to act adequately if the adversaries resort to armed provocations," the ATO QH added.
The sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has delivered a personal letter to South Korea's president, inviting him to a summit in Pyongyang. The overture follows heightened tensions over the North's missile tests.

In the latest signal of thawing ties, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Saturday invited South Korean President Moon Jae-In to Pyongyang, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported.

The overture was conveyed by Kim's sister, Yo Jong, who is currently in the South to attend the Winter Olympics, according to Deutsche Welle.

Read alsoKoreas to march under single 'united' flag in Olympic Games - BBCShe made the invitation during a rare lunch meeting between representatives from the two rival neighbors at Seoul's presidential palace.

As well as the North Korean leader's sibling, Moon met the elderly Kim Yong Nam, the North's ceremonial head of state, during the appointment at the Blue House.

Kim Jo Jong carried a blue folder adorned with a seal, which was later confirmed to have contained a private message from Kim Jong Un himself.

"Special envoy Kim Yo Jong delivered a personal letter" from her brother stating his "wish to improve inter-Korean relations," said Moon's spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom.

In response, Moon suggested the two Koreas "make it happen" by creating conditions necessary for him to accept the invitation, the spokesman told a news briefing.

Moon had already shaken hands with Kim Yo Jongand Kim Yong Nam at the Winter Olympics opening ceremony on Friday in Pyeongchang. They cheered together as athletes from North and South entered the arena together behind a unification flag that shows a united Korean peninsula.
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The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI) in collaboration with its members has donated an amount of Rs.0.5 million for the Islamabad Lawyers Club.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Feb, 2018) : The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI) in collaboration with its members has donated an amount of Rs.0.5 million for the Islamabad Lawyers Club. For this purpose, a delegation of Islamabad High Court Bar Association led by its President Arif Chaudhry visited ICCI and Sheikh Amir Waheed President ICCI in a ceremony presented the cheque of Rs.0.5 million to Arif Chaudhry.

Sardar Tanvir Ilyas Chief Executive Gulf Construction Company, Sheikh Amir Waheed, President and Khalid Javed, Zafar Bakhtawari and Atif Ikram Sheikh former Presidents ICCI contributed to the said amount. Speaking at the occasion, Arif Chaudhry, President, Islamabad High Court Bar Association thanked ICCI for donating a hefty amount for Lawyers Club.

He said that ICCI and IHC Bar Association have common objectives to serve the cause of their members and they should develop close cooperation to promote the interests of lawyers and business communities.

He assured that whenever needed, IHC Bar Association would fully support business community in better protection of its genuine rights.

Sheikh Amir Waheed, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry said that lawyers and business community were two important stakeholders of the city and they should make joint efforts for conducive business environment and better development of the city. He said lawyers were playing important role for delivery of justice to the aggrieved parties and business community was playing key role in the economic development of the country and stressed that government should resolve issues of lawyers and business communities on priority basis. Muhammad Naveed Senior Vice President, Nisar Mirza Vice President ICCI, Zubair Ahmed Malik Chairman Founder Group, Zafar Bakhtawari, Khalid Iqbal Malik, Atif Ikram Sheikh, Muzzamil Sabri former Presidents ICCI and Khalid Chaudhry former Senior Vice President ICCI also spoke at the occasion and assured that business community would cooperate with IHC Bar Association in efforts aimed at promoting the interests of lawyer community.
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Australian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Margaret Adamson Saturday acknowledged the achievements of 106 recently returned Australia Awards scholars

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Feb, 2018 ) :Australian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Margaret Adamson Saturday acknowledged the achievements of 106 recently returned Australia Awards scholars.

Talking to the young scholars, he said, 'education is an important link between our two countries and I'm encouraged by the growing number of Pakistanis who make Australia their first choice for their professional development.

Australia has some of the world's best facilities, researchers and educators, providing local and international students with a range of quality study options. It is noteworthy that funded by the Australian government, Australia Awards offer Masters scholarships and short-term professional development opportunities to equip Pakistani professionals with the skills and knowledge they need to make their contribution in national development.

Our experience of living and studying in Australia is a solid foundation. We now have a platform which will help us excel both personally and professionally, and the ability and skills to help our community and aim for a better future for all, Australia Awards Alumnus Faiza Rehman Syed said.

It is worth mentioning here that applications for Australia Awards scholarships are now open. This year, the programme is particularly interested to see more applications from women, people working in the private sector and people living in remote areas of Pakistan, including Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Kashmiris will continue the mission of Maqbool Butt, Afzal Guru to end illegal occupation of Kashmir by Indian forces, and days are not far away when brutal forces of India will have to leave Kashmir, said Mashal Malik, wife of Kashmiri leader Yasin Malik

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Feb, 2018 ) :Kashmiris will continue the mission of Maqbool Butt, Afzal Guru to end illegal occupation of Kashmir by Indian forces, and days are not far away when brutal forces of India will have to leave Kashmir, said Mashal Malik, wife of Kashmiri leader Yasin Malik.

In an interview with APP news television's programme `Dialogue, on the eve of death anniversary of Kashmiri leader Maqbool Butt', here, she said that Indians committed judicial murder of Maqbool Butt as part of their atrocities against innocent Kashmiris.

Increase in brutalities by Indians resulted in increased protests by Kashmiris which ultimately increased momentum of struggle of Kashmiris. "Recently Indians were touching peak of their cruelties which itself is an indicator that Kashmir struggle is close to its victory", she said.

She said that Kashmiris have rendered all types of sacrifices for their mission and they were not ready to bow before Indian state terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. "Now is the time for India to accept demand of Kashmiris as per resolutions of UN Security Council".

"Kashmiris have no fear of loss any more, as we have already lost so much in the way of our struggle. Now it is time for the Indians to think rationally and stop killings in Kashmir otherwise their country will be divided into many parts", she said.

Mashal Malik also referred to various other movements that might cause disintegration of India and said,"India is a country having maximum number of liberation movements in the world.There are millions and millions of people in India who don't want to continue as part of India", she said.

She stressed that people committing atrocities in Kashmir were neither sincere with the humanity nor to India. She said that accepting slavery was not in the blood of Kashmiris and they will continue their peaceful struggle till last drop of their blood and ultimately Indians will have to pack-up from Kashmir.

She further said that Indian media should change their biased role and act like a real independent media to highlight view point of people of Kashmir as well. At present Indian media is playing in the hands of Indian government and highlighting just the official view point, she regretted.

"Most of the human rights activists and members of civil society in India are not playing their due role as they are toeing lines of Indian government against Kashmiris. But, there are some good people also who believe in supremacy of humanity and independence of mankind. These people are supportive of Kashmiris' right of plebiscite", she added.
The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Saturday arrested a facilitator of terrorists attack on the Agriculture Training Institute, Peshawar.

PESHAWAR,(UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Feb, 2018) : The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Saturday arrested a facilitator of terrorists attack on the Agriculture Training Institute, Peshawar. The CTD sources said that facilitator Mohammad Yasir was arrested during an intelligence based operation (IBO) operation in Larma area of Peshawar.

The alleged facilitator belongs to Khar area of Bajaur Agency. On December 1, 2017, in a deadly terror attack on Peshawars Agricultural Training Institute, at least nine students were killed and 37 others were injured.

The burqa-clad terrorists who attacked the institute were later killed in operation by the forces. The CTD shifted the facilitator to an undisclosed location for further interrogation.
The United States' attempt to cut Pakistan's military or civilian aid may lead to further complications in the relations between the two countries, Pakistan's interior minister said Thursday

WASHINGTON,(UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 09th Feb, 2018 ) The United States' attempt to cut Pakistan's military or civilian aid may lead to further complications in the relations between the two countries, Pakistan's interior minister said Thursday. Ahsan Iqbal was responding to a question from VOA's urdu service regarding a bill introduced Tuesday in the U.S.

House of Representatives to end non-defense aid to Pakistan. Representatives Mark Sanford, a Republican from South Carolina, and Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, introduced the legislation to prohibit nondefense aid to Pakistan, saying "Pakistan is a country that knowingly provides resources for terrorists." Pakistan denies this charge and counters by saying it has paid a heavy price for fighting against terrorists.

Iqbal also asserted that the United States is not giving much to Pakistan in the first place. "Right now, Pakistan is not getting significant military or non-military aid from the United States.

Whatever non-military aid goes to Pakistan, it goes to NGOs through USAID . The government of Pakistan does not get that aid," he told VOA.

Addressing a press conference at Pakistan Embassy in Washington, Ahsan Iqbal said on Thursday that any policy to bring Pakistan under pressure would not work, as he emphasised on the importance of Pakistan-American relations.

The interior minister said that Pakistan was conducting security operations against all terrorists without any discrimination. He said that Pakistan was not ignorant of the threats that it was facing and the country desired to compete in progress and eliminate extremism. "Pakistan is equally committed to eliminating the menace of terrorism from the world and the international community can only be able to overcome the challenge of violence through joint efforts," he said. Ahsan Iqbal called on the United States to build a 'friendly, respectful' relationship with Pakistan and said that the country was not looking for Dollars but an alliance based on mutual respect. He said that China and Pakistan were both keen to operationalise CPEC at the earliest so that it could stimulate the economy and bring about a 'meaningful change' in the lives of the people of Pakistan.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Talat Mehmood Gondal Saturday directed the authorities concerned to ensure strict implementation of the ban on kite flying

RAWALPINDI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Feb, 2018 ) :Deputy Commissioner (DC) Talat Mehmood Gondal Saturday directed the authorities concerned to ensure strict implementation of the ban on kite flying.

In a meeting held here, he said such activities would not be allowed at any cost adding that a stern legal action would be taken in this regard.

The Deputy Commissioner directed to deploy special force on Muree Road flyover to avoid any further mishap.

Earlier, It was also informed that 105 cases had been lodged against 122 people whereas 3,105 string rolls and 6,2074 kites were also recovered from their possession. Among others MNA Malik Abrar, MPA Raja Hanif Advocate, CPO Israr Ahmed Khan Abbasi and authorities concerned a of the area were also present on the occasion.
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Major joint Naval Exercises Naseem Al Bahr, First joint Mine Counter measures exercise (MCMEX) and Marine Forces Exercise Deraa Al Sahil between Pakistan Navy and Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) has commenced at Saudi Arabian Port Al Jubail. The 11th exercise of Naseem Al Bahr series will continue till 17 Feb 18.

KARACHI,(UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Feb, 2018) : Major joint Naval Exercises Naseem Al Bahr, First joint Mine Counter measures exercise (MCMEX) and Marine Forces Exercise Deraa Al Sahil between Pakistan Navy and Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) has commenced at Saudi Arabian Port Al Jubail.

The 11th exercise of Naseem Al Bahr series will continue till 17 Feb 18. It is the first time that these exercises are being conducted in Saudi Arabian waters. The exercises are aimed to consolidate the existing strong bilateral relations between Pakistan and Royal Saudi Naval forces.

The exercises include joint conduct of maritime security operations across the traditional and nontraditional warfare domains thus enhancing interoperability between both the Navies. Earlier Pakistan Navy flotilla comprising PN Ships ZULFIQUAR, TARIQ, AZMAT, QUWWAT and MUNSIF arrived at Saudi Arabian Port Al Jubail.

PN helicopters embarked onboard PN Ships and P3C Orion Long Range Maritime Patrol aircraft will also participate in these exercises.

For the first time, Mine Countermeasure Exercise has also been scheduled concurrently with Exercise Naseem Al Bahr.

Cdre Adnan Ahmed is the Mission Commander of Pakistan Navy ships visiting Jubail for the exercise. Upon arrival, Pakistan Navy ships were warmly received by senior RSNF officers and ratings.

On first day of exercise, various harbour evolutions including communication brief for participating units and harbour fire exercise demonstrations onboard Pakistan Navy ships were conducted to share experience with RSNF counterparts. A reception dinner in honour of visiting Pakistan Navy officers and ratings was hosted by RSNF Eastern Fleet Cdr, Rear Admiral Laafi Bin Hussain Al Harbi at RSNF Naval Base Mess.

A large gathering of RSNF officers including flag officers (Commanders of Logistics, Aviation and Marines) and RSNF Base Commander also attended the reception.
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Chief Minister Balochistan Abdul Quddus Bizenjo said on Saturday law and order situation has improved tremendously in Balochistan including Quetta

QUETTA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Feb, 2018 ) :Chief Minister Balochistan Abdul Quddus Bizenjo said on Saturday law and order situation has improved tremendously in Balochistan including Quetta.

He expressed these views while addressing police officials at police line station in Quetta here today. Home Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti and IG Police Balochistan Moazzam Jha Insari were also present on the occasion.

The CM said that Pakistan and Baluchistan's people and institutions are prepared to deal with terrorism, ingenious enemies take advantage of our religious and social weaknesses to conspire to their respective goals.

The CM said that government will fail all such conspiracies with the help of the people, our motivation is high, and therefore the enemies will not succeed. The CM said that the sacrifices given by Balochistan Police officers in the fight against terrorism would be remembered forever.

He said that arming balochistan police with modern training and investigatory tools would improve law and order situation. Although we have limited resources but Balochistan government will meet all the needs of the police department Chief Minister Balochistan on this occasion announced Rs.

5 million Revolving fund, upgradation of police BHU to 30 beds hospital, 200 motorcycles for Eagle Scout, Computer and science labs for male and female sections, six permanent vacancies for training instructors for Police Grammar school, provision of new roll of law for special branches and traffic police departments, construction and renovation of police station buildings including 28 development projects for Officers of police department said that implementation on all these measures will be ensured soon.

He said that police officers will be provided special bullet proof vehicles to carry out their duties. He said that treatment of injured personnel of the police will be customized abroad, including Agha Khan Hospital.

Chief Minister Balochistan also heard the problems of police officers and large number of police officers submitted their applications to CM Balochistan. Chief Minister Balochistan assured that all possible measures would be taken to resolve the problems faced by police officers.
Former Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Saturday could not appear before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to record his statement in expected supplementary references due to certain reasons

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Feb, 2018 ) :Former Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Saturday could not appear before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to record his statement in expected supplementary references due to certain reasons.

The NAB on Friday issued a notice to Nawaz Sharif to appear in-person in Rawalpindi office to record his statement in supplementary references of Flagship Investments Limited and Al-Azizia Steel Mills cases.

According to the reports, NAB Rawalpindi was likely to file references on next week in the accountability court after collecting fresh evidences against the Sharif family. The NAB collected the transcript of Hussain Nawaz's interview with Hamid Mir, a well-known anchor person and made it part of the supplementary references.
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Home Minister Sarfaraz Khan Bugti said on Saturday terrorists wanted to downturn the morale of Police department by targeting Funerals, police stations and other important official buildings'

QUETTA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Feb, 2018 ) :Home Minister Sarfaraz Khan Bugti said on Saturday terrorists wanted to downturn the morale of Police department by targeting Funerals, police stations and other important official buildings'.

While talking to Police officials and personals at Police line Station Quetta here today He said "We will not take one inch behind our goals in fight against terrorism' and lauded the sacrifices given by police officers.

However, none of the Baloch police officers resigned, and in fact children of the martyrdom police officers have joined police department and raised the morale of the police department and country.

The minister said that the families of martyrdoms are our responsibilities and will be well-prone to this responsibility.

Sarfaraz Bugti insisted that police personnel to fulfil duties honestly and avoid use of mobile phones during duty hours.

He said that the ongoing war against terrorism is a big challenge and every young man of Balochistan needs to face it. Baluchistan police is on the target of terrorists and police personnel have to fight terrorism with courage, dignity and humility.

He said that there is a significant difference in the 2013 and today's police, before it was a difficult task for police and security officers to offer their duties on highways and checkpoints. Today, the peace and security situation has improved.
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Nairobi, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th Feb, 2018 ) :Thousands of people joined an official demonstration in Burundi on Saturday, in response to criticism by the United Nations chief about a planned revision to the country's constitution.

The protest was called by the mayor of Bujumbura, the capital, after UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres used a report to criticise proposals that could allow Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza to hold on to power for another decade or more.

"We are here to denounce the report by the UN Secretary General on Burundi, in which he lied a lot about our country and I call you to boo him very loudly," one speaker called at the rally. Guterres said opposition and civil society groups must be included in any decision to change the country's constitution to avoid a flareup of conflict, according to a report obtained by AFP on Tuesday.

The UN chief said he was "deeply concerned" that talks between the government and the opposition remain deadlocked, and said it was crucial that all sides "most especially the government" engage in a dialogue.

In power since 2005, Nkurunziza ran for a third term and was re-elected in 2015 despite provisions that set a limit of two five-year presidential terms. The decision to run again sparked violence in Burundi that has left hundreds dead, and sent more than 400,000 Burundians fleeing across borders, mostly to Tanzania.

Nkurunziza's supporters argued his first term was a parliamentary appointment, not an election result. The president has launched a campaign to hold a referendum on a new constitution, probably in May, that would set a limit of two seven-year presidential terms.

Several opposition leaders have either boycotted the talks on the constitutional changes or raised questions about their legality.
The United Nations has called for helping women and girls reach their potential in science by dismantling barriers militating against them

UNITED NATIONS, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Feb, 2018 ) :The United Nations has called for helping women and girls reach their potential in science by dismantling barriers militating against them.

The call was made by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a message to mark the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, observed annually on Feb. 11. He said it was time to support and invest in women and girls who want to pursue careers in scientific research.

Although both girls and boys have the potential to pursue their ambitions in science and mathematics, in school and at work, systematic discrimination means that women occupy less than 30 per cent of research and development jobs worldwide.

"We need to encourage and support girls and women achieve their full potential as scientific researchers and innovators. Women and girls need this, and the world needs this, if we are to achieve our ambitions for sustainable development on a healthy planet," he stated.

The UN chief called for "concerted, concrete efforts" to overcome stereotypes and biases, such as media representations of scientists and innovators as being mainly men. His concerns are being echoed by two other top UN officials.

In a joint statement on the Day, the Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Audrey Azoulay, and the Executive Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, stressed that such imagery makes it difficult for girls to believe they can be scientists, explorers or inventors, for example.

They said the future will be marked by scientific and technological progress which "will be the greatest when it draws on the full talent, creativity and ideas of women and girls in science." They added that the rapidly growing science and technology sectors are "vital" to national economies.

However, UNESCO data shows only around 30 per cent of all female students in higher education select the so-called STEM subjects science, technology, engineering or mathematics. One of the main tools for tackling gender inequality in the sciences is dismantling the barriers to girls and women, at home, in the classroom and in the workplace.

This requires a change in attitudes and the challenging of stereotypes, they said. "We need to tackle biased perceptions amongst teachers, employers, peers and parents of the suitability of girls and young women to learn science or learn at all to pursue scientific careers or to lead and manage in academic spheres," the UN officials stressed.

They went on to stress that: "Tackling some of the greatest challenges of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development from improving health to combating climate change will rely on harnessing all talent." "That means we need to achieve a significant increase in the number of women entering and remaining in STEM careers." In December 2015, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution that established the annual International Day to recognize the critical role women and girls play in science and technology communities.
DR Congo's army claimed Friday to have "annihilated" a rebel group in the country's chronically troubled east, killing at least 48 insurgents, capturing 150 others and winning back key territory

Bukavu, DR Congo, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Feb, 2018 ) :DR Congo's army claimed Friday to have "annihilated" a rebel group in the country's chronically troubled east, killing at least 48 insurgents, capturing 150 others and winning back key territory.

The offensive against forces loyal to William Amuri Yakutumba, a deserter fighting President Joseph Kabila, saw tDR Congo's army claimed Friday to have "annihilated" a rebel group in the country's chronically troubled east, killing at least 48 insurgents, capturing 150 others and winning back key territoryhousands of Congolese crossing Lake Tanganyika into Burundi as clashes raged between government forces and Yakutumba rebels in the eastern province of South Kivu.

"The operation was a success, the rebels have been annihilated.

There is no more fighting and we are in the midst of cleaning up operations," said army spokesman Major Louis-Claude Tshiwanga. He said since the launch of the operation on January 21, "48 Yakutumba have been killed and 150 captured".

The army paraded the captured rebels as well as cannons and machineguns seized during a press conference on Thursday in the town of Uvira. The Yakutumba attacked Uvira at the end of September in a naval operation before being pushed back from the area by MONUSCO, the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The army spokesman said people were slowly returning to the town. Security sources said the rebel chief had not been captured but could have been wounded in fighting last week.
Estonia and Russia swapped convicted spies on Saturday after the two men both received presidential pardons, Estonian authorities said

Tallinn, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th Feb, 2018 ) :Estonia and Russia swapped convicted spies on Saturday after the two men both received presidential pardons, Estonian authorities said.

Estonian businessman Raivo Susi was exchanged for Russian national Artyom Zinchenko at the Koidula border post in southeast Estonia. "The Estonian state helps its citizens whenever it can," said Arnold Sinisalu, the head of Baltic state's security police.

"Estonia deported to Russia the spy who had committed a crime here, and thus the Estonian businessman could return to the people close to him after being confined for a long time in Russia." Susi was detained by Russian authorities in February 2016 over his actions between 2004 and 2007 and was sentenced last year to 12 years in a strict penal colony for espionage.

Susi's business reportedly had to do with aircraft delivery and service. A Tallinn court had sentenced Zinchenko last year to five years behind bars for spying on behalf of Russia's GRU military intelligence.

The court found Zinchenko, who had been living in Estonia on a residence permit since 2013, guilty of gathering and transmitting intelligence that compromised national security. This represents the latest in a series of spy cases involving Russia and the Baltic states.

The former Soviet republics turned NATO and EU members are increasingly wary of Moscow's intentions following its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. This is not the first time that Estonia and Russia have exchanged spies.

In 2015, Russia freed Estonian officer Eston Kohver in a Cold War-style bridge swap between the two countries. Kohver, who was sentenced by Russia to 15 years in jail on espionage and other charges, was exchanged for Aleksei Dressen, a former Estonian security official serving a 16-year sentence for spying for Moscow, the FSB had said at the time.
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Guatemala City, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th Feb, 2018 ) :Guatemalan counternarcotics police on Saturday seized half a ton of cocaine, a small airplane and weapons, and arrested four suspects after a shootout, officials said.

The suspects, all Guatemalans, were arrested after the airplane landed near the town of El Estor, on the country's Caribbean coast, 155 kilometers (95 miles) east of the capital, the Interior Ministry said.

The US-registered plane "arriving from the Venezuelan coastline" touched down at an illegal landing strip, a statement read. Police spokesman Pablo Castillo told reporters that security forces also seized 476 kilograms (1,050 Pounds) of cocaine, two pickup trucks, a hand grenade, four weapons and a satellite telephone in the operation.

Guatemala, like much of Central America, is a key transit point for narcotics -- especially cocaine -- moving from South America to Mexico and the United States. In 2017, Guatemala seized 13.6 tonnes of cocaine in various operations, a new record, up from the 12.8 tonnes seized the previous year.

Earlier, police said that two Colombians and two Guatemalans, one of them an active duty army colonel, were arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking in Peten, on Guatemala's northern border with Mexico. The quartet was detained Thursday when they were surprised near a small airplane at an illegal landing strip near the town of Poptun.
Detained book publisher Gui Minhai has surfaced nearly three weeks after disappearing into police custody in China, confessing wrongdoing and accusing his adopted country Sweden of manipulating him like a "chess piece"

Shanghai, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Feb, 2018 ) :Detained book publisher Gui Minhai has surfaced nearly three weeks after disappearing into police custody in China, confessing wrongdoing and accusing his adopted country Sweden of manipulating him like a "chess piece".

It was unclear whether the Chinese-born Gui's statement was genuine or made under duress, but a video of his confession shows him flanked by two police officers in a scene likely to prompt accusations of official coercion.

The Chinese-born Gui, 53, was arrested on a train to Beijing last month while travelling with two Swedish diplomats -- the second time he has vanished into Chinese custody in murky circumstances.

Sweden, the European Union and the United States have called for Gui's release, with Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom on Monday calling his seizure "brutal". But Gui accused Sweden of "sensationalising" his case.

"I have stated that I do not want Sweden to continue to sensationalise what has happened to me. But obviously, Sweden has not stopped doing so," he said in the video. "I felt that it was necessary for me to come out and say something." Gui was travelling by train to Beijing from the eastern China city of Ningbo, where doctors had said he may have the neurological disease ALS.

He was to see a Swedish specialist in the capital but was arrested aboard the train. Gui said Friday that Swedish officials had pressured him to leave China despite being barred from doing so due to pending legal cases.

"I have declined a few times. But because they were instigating me non-stop, I fell for it," said Gui. "Looking back, I might have become Sweden's chess piece. I broke the law again under their instigation.

My wonderful life has been ruined and I would never trust the Swedish ever again." Gui was one of five Hong Kong-based booksellers known for publishing gossipy titles about Chinese political leaders who disappeared in 2015 and resurfaced in mainland China.

Gui was on holiday in Thailand at the time. He eventually re-emerged at an undisclosed Chinese location, confessing to involvement in a fatal traffic accident and smuggling illegal books into mainland China.

China has given scant details on his arrest but acknowledged on Tuesday that Gui was in custody under criminal law, without offering further specifics. Chinese criminal suspects often appear in videotaped "confessions" that rights groups say sometimes bear the hallmarks of official arm-twisting.

Gui's family members could not immediately be reached for comment about his confession, but they have previously expressed fears that he will receive a lengthy prison sentence, jeopardising his health.

But on Friday, Gui said no doctors had diagnosed him with ALS, saying "I think Sweden has exaggerated this and manipulated (me)." "I have seen through the Swedish government. If they continue to create troubles, I may consider giving up my Swedish citizenship," he said.
What is the role of the immunotherapy in the neoadjuvant setting?

Is efficacy of immunotherapy influenced by the association with cytotoxic agents? - Which agents (anthracyclins, platin or taxanes)?

Do cisplatin-ineligible patients benefit from an immunotherapy approach?

Is there any predictive biomarker for chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy?

San Francisco, CA (UroToday.com) Dr. Nieves Martinez Chanza from Belgium provided an overview of the AURA trial, assessing avelumab as neoadjuvant therapy in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). Avelumab is a fully human anti-PD-L1 IgG1 monoclonal antibody, approved in monotherapy for the advanced disease [1]. For patients with non-metastatic MIBC the current preferred treatment consists of a multimodal approach comprising neoadjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy followed by surgery. However, the benefit of the neoadjuvant chemotherapy is modest and an important proportion of patients do not benefit providing unnecessary toxicity and potential morbidity. Additionally, 40% of this population is ineligible for platinum-based therapies and currently no medical alternative option exists. The objective of this study was to assess several important questions:This trial is a randomized phase 2 study in patients for neoadjuvant chemotherpay followed by radical cystectomy (EudraCT Number: 2017-002758-35). The study will recruit cisplatin eligible and ineligible patients. For the group of cisplatin-eligible patients, chemotherapy with high dose of metotrexate-vinblastin-adriamycin-cisplatin or cisplatin-gemcitabine will be given with avelumab. For this group, the null hypothesis is that pathologic complete response is <25%, which should be rejected with a one-sided test at a level of 5% in case the true rate is at least 50% with a power of 90%. As such, 28 patients will be recruited to each arm. For the group of cisplatin-ineligible patients, avelumab as monotherapy or associated with paclitaxel-gemcitabine will be used. For this group, the pathologic complete response rate is ~12%, and will be required to recruit 40 patients to each arm. Four cycles of treatment will be given and a radiological evaluation will be performed after two cycles. If there is evidence of progressive disease, the neoadjuvant treatment will be stopped and the radical cystectomy performed. The primary objective is to determine the pathologic complete response rate as well as to assess the toxicity profile. Blood, urine and stool samples will be collected at different points to perform translational research.Clinical trial information: 2017-002758-35.Presented by: Nieves Martinez Chanza, MD, Jules Bordet Institut and Erasme Hospital, Brussels, BelgiumCo-Authors: Thierry Andre Roumeguere, Spyridon Sideris, Thierry Gil, Alexandre Peltier, Ahmad AwadaWritten By: Zachary Klaassen, MD, Urologic Oncology Fellow, University of Toronto, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, @zklaassen_md at the 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology Genitourinary (ASCO GU) Cancers Symposium, February 8-10, 2018 - San Francisco, CA References:1. Apolo AB, Infante JR, Balmanoukian A, et al. Avelumab, an anti-programmed death-ligand 1 antibody, in patients with refractory metastatic urothelial carcinoma: Results from a multicenter, phase Ib study.2017;35(19):2117-2124.
ISLAMABAD - Authorities in Afghanistan say the national intelligence agency has arrested eight Islamic State operatives in the capital, Kabul.

The National Directorate of Security said Saturday the men were rounded up in separate operations in the city. IS recruiters were also among them.

The arrests follow an assault by five heavily armed Islamic State suicide bombers on the Afghan military academy in Kabul that killed 11 soldiers and wounded 16 others.

The suspects were recruiting Afghan youth and planning terror attacks in Kabul, the agency said. They were collecting funds for subversive activities under the guise of building mosques and Islamic seminaries, or madrassas, it added.

The military academy assault came just days after two Taliban attacks, including a massive car bombing that killed around 140 people in Kabul.

Enhanced security

Afghan security forces have since enhanced security around the capital and stepped up raids against suspected militant hideouts.

The raids also led the intelligence agency to an IS safe house in Kabuls Qala-e-Walid neighborhood that was filled with explosives and suicide vests.

Information gleaned from an insurgent who was captured during the assault on the military academy led Afghan forces to the compound, officials said.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, acting on findings of a probe into the assault, fired seven army officers, including two generals, for "professional negligence.

Deteriorating security in Kabul has fueled criticism of Ghanis government for failing to protect the city. Critics blamed rampant corruption within Afghan security institutions for the spike in violence in Kabul and elsewhere in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, officials in southern Helmand province confirmed Saturday an overnight Taliban attack on a security outpost killed six Afghan policemen and wounded eight others.

The Taliban took responsibility for the late Friday attack in the Nawa district and claimed it killed 15 Afghan forces. The insurgent casualty tolls are often inflated. The Taliban inflicted heavy casualties on government forces during 2017, reportedly killing around 10,000 Afghan army and police personnel.
GAROUA, CAMEROON - Cameroon says its northern border with Nigeria and Chad and most of the Lake Chad basin face a food crisis because of desertification and the Boko Haram conflict that stopped farmers from doing their work.

Thousands of school children selected from all local primary and secondary schools planted trees on the outskirts of Garoua, capital of the northern region of Cameroon. Didier Djonwe, an official of Cameroon's Ministry of Secondary Education, says the children were invited to plant trees because temperatures have been rising to up to 48 degrees Celsius from 42 degrees Celsius in the past couple of years.

Djonwe said by planting trees the children will understand that it is a citizens duty to protect the environment and keep it healthy for living, both for themselves and future generations.

Djonwe said each school in Garoua is expected have students water the trees on a schedule until the rainy season begins.

Degraded land is seen in Pitoua, Cameroon, Feb. 10 Degraded land is seen in Pitoua, near Garoua, Cameroon, Feb. 10 2018. Formerly a community forest, it is now completely bare. (M. Kindzeka/VOA) Degraded land is seen in Pitoua, near Garoua, Cameroon, Feb. 10 2018. Formerly a community forest, it is now completely bare. (M. Kindzeka/VOA)

Up to 90 percent of rainfall in Garoua comes from June to September and evaporation, the government says, has been very high, with harsh, hostile and fragile climatic conditions.

Sali Seini of Cameroon's National Action Plan for the Fight Against Desertification, said Garoua is one of the towns in northern Cameroon witnessing the worst effects of desertification and land degradation.

He said more than eight million hectares of arable land has either been completely destroyed or is losing its fertility to a level that it is becoming impossible to grow crops, which is a very serious handicap to agricultural production. He said all the degraded soil should be restored through tree planting and the construction of water wells and boreholes where possible.

Refugees set out containers waiting for UNHCR to f Refugees set out containers waiting for UNHCR to fill them with water, at Minawao refugee camp, northern Cameroon, Feb. 9 2018. (M. Kindzeka/VOA) Refugees set out containers waiting for UNHCR to fill them with water, at Minawao refugee camp, northern Cameroon, Feb. 9 2018. (M. Kindzeka/VOA)

Vicious circle

Seini says the phenomenon has worsened over the years, triggering a vicious circle of environmental degradation, leading to poverty, food insecurity and mass migration in dry areas.

Hanson Langmia, Cameroon Country Director for the World Wildlife Fund for Nature says the situation is getting serious because of decreasing rainfall and water shortages and wild fires and the cutting of trees for fuel.



"Our rivers will dry up and a lot of things will happen and we will face the impact. The heat we are facing is because the ozone layer that is supposed to be protecting the earth is being destroyed by overexploitation of our resources and the release of gases that are destroying the ozone layer," Langmia said.

Cameroon reports that 40 percent of its northern border with Nigeria and Chad has been affected by desertification and it has resulted in famine threatening 30 percent of the 3 million people of the far north region, including over 80,000 Nigerian refugees and 100,000 internally displaced persons.

Children treck long distances to fetch water, near Children trek long distances to fetch water, near Minawao refugee camp in northern Cameroon, Feb. 9 2018. (M. Kindzeka/VOA) Children trek long distances to fetch water, near Minawao refugee camp in northern Cameroon, Feb. 9 2018. (M. Kindzeka/VOA)

The central African state says the situation may grow worse because the Boko Haram insurgency has prevented farmers from working their land and as a result, food production has dropped.

The situation is also bad in neighboring states of the Lake Chad Basin that depended on Cameroon for their food supply as the insurgency has moved.
A Kenyan attorney deported to Canada this week is legally challenging his removal, seeking a return to the African nation while insisting that its rightful leader is opposition figure Raila Odinga and not President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Miguna Miguna, who says he holds dual citizenship in Kenya and Canada, was sent to Toronto on Tuesday after participating in a mock presidential swearing-in ceremony for Odinga in Nairobi on January 30. Miguna is an adviser to Odinga.

"Today, my lawyers filed a petition seeking to invalidate the whimsical, illegal decision" to deport, Miguna said in a phone interview Friday with VOA's Swahili service. He spoke from the Toronto suburb where he has a residence.

Miguna was arrested last Friday at his home in the Nairobi suburb of Runda and charged with treason. On Tuesday, Kenyan authorities forced Miguna onto a late-night KLM flight from Nairobi to Toronto via Amsterdam. His removal flouted a Kenyan high court's order that Miguna appear before a Nairobi judge on Wednesday, five days after his arrest.

Kenyan citizenship disputed

Kenya's interior ministry contended in a Twitter post that Miguna had renounced his Kenyan citizenship years ago and had become a citizen of Canada, where he was granted political asylum and attended the University of Toronto as well as law school.

Immigration Department director Gordon Kihalangwa, in a court affidavit last week that was shared online by Kenyan news site The Star, said Miguna had fled to Canada in 1998 without a Kenyan passport, as a political refugee.

The affidavit said Miguna had sought a Kenyan passport in 2009 and received it at a time when "the then-repealed constitution did not provide for dual nationality." Kenya's current constitution was ratified in 2010.

FILE - Lawyers Miguna Miguna, right, and Tom "T.J. FILE - Lawyers Miguna Miguna, right, and Tom "T.J." Kajwang attend a mock "swearing-in" ceremony for opposition leader Raila Odinga at Uhuru Park in downtown Nairobi, Kenya, Jan. 30, 2018. FILE - Lawyers Miguna Miguna, right, and Tom "T.J." Kajwang attend a mock "swearing-in" ceremony for opposition leader Raila Odinga at Uhuru Park in downtown Nairobi, Kenya, Jan. 30, 2018.

The Kenyan-born Miguna, 55, disputed the idea that he had forsworn his homeland, asking for evidence of a "document of renunciation. It does not exist, because I would never have done that," he told VOA.

He added that his rights as a Kenyan citizen had been violated because "a court must be able to make the determination" both on the treason charge and on deportation. "I've not been convicted, so how do they put me in a plane?" Miguna said. "  The fact is, the Kenyan authorities have acted rogue, have employed draconian measures against legitimate critics and opponents, and must be exposed."

Election ruled invalid

Miguna and other Odinga supporters maintain that Kenyatta, who has governed the East African country of 47 million since 2013, used fraud to win a second term last August. The Supreme Court ruled that election invalid on procedural grounds; Odinga then boycotted an October rematch, saying Kenya's electoral commission could not conduct a fair election. Kenyatta won 98 percent of the vote then.

Miguna has identified himself as a general in the National Resistance Movement (NRM), which Kenyatta's government in January declared was a criminal group.

The lawyer rejected the criminal label, telling VOA, "Our objectives are not violent.  Our objectives are not illegal."

He suggested his NRM affiliation was a factor in his deportation. "When they arrested or abducted me from home," he said of authorities, " why didn't they take me to court if they believe that I had committed a criminal offense?  I'm a general in NRM Kenya, the movement, and I have no apologies to make about that."

In the interview, Miguna called for new presidential elections, saying, "Uhuru Kenyatta should not be the president of Kenya, and we should have a credible election held as soon as possible."

Asked about Kenyan authorities' move to temporarily halt transmissions from three Kenyan television stations that had covered Odinga's mock inauguration, Miguna called it "a demonstration of desperation."

"They are scared to death. They are desperate. They are fearful, and eventually they will have to be removed from power," he said, adding that authorities didn't want Kenyans to see "the multitude of people that attended our [Odinga] rally at Uhuru Park."

Miguna also was asked about speculation that he might succeed Odinga in a presidential bid.

"That's not something I'll comment on," he responded. "It's not up to me to decide who steps into whose shoes, who gets into what positions. That's up to Kenyans to decide."

This story has been updated to clarify that Kenya's government deported attorney Miguna Miguna over immigration concerns. An earlier version of the story linked Miguna's deportation to the case involving treason.
Egypt's armed forces Saturday continued what it describes as "intensive airstrikes against terrorist targets and gatherings" in Central and North Sinai.



An Egyptian Army spokesperson, in a statement Saturday, confirmed the military operation will continue but gave no details or numbers on casualties or arrests.



The military campaign is part of what the Egyptian government calls "Comprehensive Operation Sinai 2018. The mission, announced Friday, is intended to target terrorist and criminal elements and organizations across Egypt.



The armed forces and the police assert their determination to uproot terrorism and to achieve peace and stability, said Colonel Tamer al-Rifai in the statement.



Egypt is quietly carrying out the operation with cooperation from Israel. The countries fought three wars but now face a common foe, say analysts, in an attempt to stop a jihadist insurgency in the Sinai. Last year, militants attacked a Sufi mosque in the region, killing 311 worshipers. The Sinai borders Israel and the Gaza Strip and has long been a bastion for Islamic insurgent groups tied to al-Qaida.



Israeli airstrikes in the Sinai are targeted individuals or small groups of militants as opposed to infrastructure, according to media reports.



Unlikely partners



The growing military cooperation between Israel and Egypt has long been rumored and in June, Israels Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) noted that if the frequent claims of anti-terror coordination were accurate it would show the level of trust between the nations has reached the point where Israel is providing various military, technological and operational intelligence to Egypt and is operating attack UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles] in Sinai with Cairos approval.

FILE - Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi (R FILE - Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi (R) speaks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) during a meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Sept. 19, 2017. FILE - Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi (R) speaks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) during a meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Sept. 19, 2017.

Relations between Egypt and Israel have improved dramatically since the army ousted Islamist Mohamed Morsi from the presidency in July, 2013.



Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi reinstated an ambassador in Tel Aviv in 2016, reversing Morsi's withdrawal of the envoy to protest a 2012 Israeli assault on Gaza. The same year Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry visited Israel, making a trip to the home of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It was the first time an Egyptian foreign minister had visited Israel in two decades.



And last September Sissi met Netanyahu for the first time in public, the encounter coming ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. But the pair had talked, according to the Egyptian leader, frequently before then. In a 2015 interview with The Washington Post, Sissi said he talked a lot with the Israeli prime minister, part of an effort to reassure him that achieving peace [with the Palestinians] will be a historic deal for him and for Israel, and that we are ready to help reach this peace.



He said also that the high level of trust between them had been demonstrated by Israels willingness to authorize Egypt to deploy more troops and attack helicopters in the Sinai that are permitted by the 1979 Camp David peace accord between the two countries. The hostile mood and skepticism have diminished with peace with Israel, Sissi said.
The detention in northern Syria by U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters of two notorious British jihadists, the remaining members of a militant quartet that tortured and beheaded Western hostages, including American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, is being greeted with pleas by former Western captives of the terror group that they face trial.

Nicolas Henin, a French reporter held for 10 months by the British gang, has told British and U.S. broadcasters that he wants the militants to face justice for their crimes somewhere he and other former hostages and the relatives of murdered victims will be able to attend and testify.

FILE - In this April 20, 2014 file photo, released FILE - In this April 20, 2014 file photo, released French hostage Nicolas Henin arrives at the Villacoublay military airbase, outside Paris. He was released with other French journalists who had been held since June 2013. FILE - In this April 20, 2014 file photo, released French hostage Nicolas Henin arrives at the Villacoublay military airbase, outside Paris. He was released with other French journalists who had been held since June 2013.

El Shafee Elsheikh and Alexanda Amon Kotey, the last two members of the British quartet that Western hostages dubbed "The Beatles," were captured last month by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in eastern Syria. News of their detention was reported Thursday by The New York Times. U.S. officials have confirmed their capture and say they were identified from their fingerprints and biometric data.

"This is the beginning of a process that will bring them eventually, hopefully, to a trial. Justice is just what I want," Henin said. "What I want is a trial and a trial potentially that I can attend, so rather, a trial in London rather than one in Kobani in northern Syria."

He rejected the idea of them facing a U.S. military commission in Guantanamo, saying that would risk a "denial of justice."

"Guantanamo was opened 16 years ago. There hasn't been a single trial there," he said.

This Dec. 11, 2016 photo shows a guard tower at Ca This Dec. 11, 2016 photo shows a guard tower at Camp Delta, one of the parts of the detention center at the U.S. Naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. This Dec. 11, 2016 photo shows a guard tower at Camp Delta, one of the parts of the detention center at the U.S. Naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Rights campaigners are urging the U.S. government not to transfer the men to Guantanamo. "They should prosecute them in U.S. federal court, not send them to Guantanamo," said Laura Pitter of the Human Rights Watch.

"These men are accused of committing serious crimes, including torture, murder and other offenses. If they end up in [formal] U.S. custody, the U.S. should not jeopardize their prosecutions by sending them to the dysfunctional military commissions at Guantanamo where important cases involving serious crimes have languished for years."

According to European captives who were freed by the Islamic State terror group in return for ransoms, the group of four British militants put their Western captives, especially the British and Americans, through rounds of excruciating suffering, routinely beating and waterboarding them and staging mock executions.

Thanks to IS propaganda videos, the gang quickly acquired a singular place in this century's annals of terrorism. James Foley, the first of the Western hostages to be beheaded, was earmarked for the worst treatment of all, possibly because he had a brother who had served with U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

"You could see the scars on his [Foley's] ankles," Jejoen Bontinck, a 19-year-old Belgian and convert to Islam, said in interviews later. Bontinck, a jihadist recruit who fell afoul of IS, shared a prison cell with Foley in 2013. "He told me how they had chained his feet to a bar and then hung the bar so that he was upside down from the ceiling. Then they left him there."

U.S. journalist James Foley, right, arrives after U.S. journalist James Foley, right, is shown May 18, 2011. Foley was kidnapped on Nov. 22, 2012, in northern Syria. U.S. journalist James Foley, right, is shown May 18, 2011. Foley was kidnapped on Nov. 22, 2012, in northern Syria.

Foley's mother, Diane, told the BBC on Friday that the crimes of the British jihadists "are beyond imagination." She says they need to face life in prison. "It doesn't bring James back, but hopefully it protects others from this kind of crime."

An international manhunt was launched by Western governments for the fighters in 2014 when IS released a video of Foley's execution at the hands of an masked English-accented militant, who called himself "John" and was the leader of the gang. He was nicknamed by the British media "Jihadi John" and was later identified as Mohamed Emwazi, who was born in Kuwait, but was raised like the rest of the gang in west London.

He was killed in a drone strike in November 2015.

Another member of the gang, Aine Davis, was sentenced last year in Turkey to a seven-and-a-half-year prison term. He was charged with membership in a terrorist organization, but a weightier charge of preparing acts of terrorism, which carried the possibility of a longer sentence, was dropped by Turkish prosecutors for lack of sufficient evidence.

U.S. officials say El Shafee Elsheikh, who fled from Sudan in the 1990s but grew up in London, and Alexanda Amon Kotey, whose ethnic background is Greek Cypriot, are providing information on the remaining IS structure and leaders. But it is unclear who has been interrogating them and whether British intelligence officers also have had access to the pair alongside U.S. counterterror officials.

This still taken from video released Dec 7, 2016 This still taken from video released Dec 7, 2016 by the Islamic State's Amaq news agency, shows captive British photojournalist John Cantlie in what appeared to be central Mosul, Iraq. This still taken from video released Dec 7, 2016 by the Islamic State's Amaq news agency, shows captive British photojournalist John Cantlie in what appeared to be central Mosul, Iraq.

Family and friends of British photojournalist John Cantlie, a friend of Foley, who remains missing, say they hope the captured jihadists provide information about his whereabouts. Cantlie was used by IS to front propaganda videos.

The British IS gang also was responsible for the murder of U.S. aid worker Peter Kassig, according to freed captives, as well as David Haines, a British aid worker, and Alan Henning, a British taxi driver from Salford outside Manchester, who had volunteered to deliver humanitarian aid to Syria.

Elsheikh traveled to Syria in 2012 and joined al-Qaida in Syria before switching to IS. U.S. officials say he took pleasure in staging crucifixions and waterboarding while an IS jailer. The two captured jihadists knew Emwazi in the British capital, where all three attended Al-Manaar mosque in west London.

Officials on both sides of the Atlantic say the fate remains unclear of the captured jihadists, who may be considered non-state combatants. They could be handed over to the U.S. Justice Department to stand trial in the U.S. or be transferred to the U.S. military authorities to face a tribunal at Guantanamo Bay detention center. U.S. President Donald Trump recently signed an order to keep the detention center.

FILE - The entrance of the International Criminal The entrance of the International Criminal Court is seen in The Hague, March 3, 2011. The entrance of the International Criminal Court is seen in The Hague, March 3, 2011.

Another option is for their fate to be left to the Kurdish authorities in northern Syria, but that option is being opposed by freed captives. French officials have raised the possibility of the pair standing trial at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, which has jurisdiction to prosecute individuals for crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. However, the U.S. is not a signatory to the court.

The French position was echoed Friday by a British defense minister, Tobias Elwood, who said the two jihadists shouldn't be tried before a U.S. military tribunal or sent back to Britain, but should face justice at The Hague in order to uphold the rule of law.

Relatives of other alleged victims have echoed Henin's call for a trial.

Bethany Haines, the daughter of David Haines, posted on Facebook: "It's brilliant that these evil people have been caught. The families will now have people to hold account for their loved ones death."

She added, "No punishment is enough for these barbarians and in my opinion they should be sentenced to a slow painful death."
The U.S. Defense Department said Saturday that Israel was entitled to protect itself against acts of aggression. The statement was made after Israel attacked a dozen Iranian and Syrian targets in Syria earlier in the day.

"Israel is our closest security partner in the region and we fully support Israel's inherent right to defend itself against threats to its territory and its people," said Pentagon spokesman Adrian Rankine-Galloway, adding that the U.S. was not involved in the attack.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed similar remarks after speaking with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russia is militarily supporting the Syrian government in its war against rebel and jihadist forces.

"I reiterated to him our obligation and right to defend ourselves against attacks from Syrian territory. We agreed coordination between our armies would continue," said Netanyahu, who also discussed the strike with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

The State Department later released a statement saying, "The United States is deeply concerned about today's escalation of violence over Israel's border and strongly supports Israel's sovereign right to defend itself."

The Israeli attack consisted of waves airstrikes inside Syria, launched after an Iranian drone infiltrated Israeli territory on the disputed Golan Heights and was shot down. The Israeli army said a "large-scale attack" destroyed at least a dozen Syrian and Iranian targets in Syria.

Also, anti-aircraft fire downed an Israeli F-16 fighter jet in Israel that was returning from the raid on Iranian-backed positions in Syria. The two pilots ejected; Israel said one pilot was severely injured and the other was slightly injured.

Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Brigadier General Ronen Manelis said, "Iran is dragging the region into a situation in which it doesn't know how it will end. We are prepared for a variety of incidents ... whoever is responsible for this incident is the one who will pay the price."

The Syrian attack resulted in air raid sirens being activated in the Golan Heights and Beit She'an, but no casualties were reported.

"The IDF will continue to operate against attempts to infiltrate Israeli airspace and will act with determination to prevent any violations of Israel's sovereignty," an IDF spokesperson said Saturday.

Iranian efforts

Saturday's clashes occurred amid warnings from Israeli leaders that they will not tolerate growing efforts by Iran to establish military bases in Syria and Lebanon that could be used to launch attacks against the Jewish State.

Reuven Ben Shalom, a former Israeli fighter pilot, says Israels quick interception of the drone and surgical strikes on Syrian and Iranian targets sent a clear message to the other side.

This demonstrates our capabilities, demonstrates our resolve not to allow the breach of Israeli sovereignty. That means we can do whatever we want to do, we can take out any component we want, wherever we want. And I think its good that our enemies learn and understand these capabilities, he said.

Nevertheless, in Damascus the incident was seen as a victory.

Syria's state media said Syria was responding to "new Israeli aggression," following the Israeli raid.

Feras Shehabi, a Syrian lawmaker, said Syria's response to Israel's assault signaled a "major shift in the balance of power in favor of Syria and the axis of resistance." He said "Israelis must realize they no longer have superiority in the skies or on the ground."
The U.S. Justice Department's third-ranking official, Rachel Brand, will resign and take a senior job at Walmart Inc, with sources familiar with her decision saying on Friday that she had grown increasingly uncomfortable with President Donald Trump's attacks on her department and the FBI.

The department said Brand will be leaving her post in the coming weeks. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, himself repeatedly criticized by Trump, praised her "critical role in helping us accomplish our goals as a department."

Brand, 44, was next in line of succession to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein for oversight of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into potential collusion between Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and Russia and whether the Republican president has unlawfully sought to obstruct the ongoing probe.

FILE - Attorney General Jeff Sessions, accompanied FILE - Attorney General Jeff Sessions, accompanied by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Associate Attorney General Rachel Brand, attend a summit at the Department of Justice in Washington, Feb. 2, 2018. FILE - Attorney General Jeff Sessions, accompanied by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Associate Attorney General Rachel Brand, attend a summit at the Department of Justice in Washington, Feb. 2, 2018.

She became the latest senior law enforcement official to either resign or be fired since Trump took office in January 2017, a list that includes a Federal Bureau of Investigation director and deputy director, and an acting attorney general.

Trump also ousted all remaining U.S. attorneys, the chief federal prosecutors in each state, who had served under Trump's Democratic predecessor Barack Obama.

Brand's resignation is different in that she was hand-picked for the job by Trump, assuming her post just five days after Mueller's appointment in May 2017.

News of Brand's departure came a week after Trump approved the release of a previously classified memo written by Republican lawmakers that portrayed the Russia investigation, initially handled by the FBI and now headed by Mueller, as a product of political bias against Trump at the FBI and Justice Department.



After just nine months on the job, Brand had become more and more uneasy with Trump's escalating attacks on the Justice Department and the FBI, which she and other law enforcement professionals feared was beginning to undermine the rule of law, according to sources familiar with her thinking.

In a statement, Brand defended her department, saying, "The men and women of the Department of Justice impress me every day."

The attacks have escalated in recent weeks as Republicans in Congress have criticized the handling by the Justice Department, FBI and the Federal Intelligence Surveillance Court of warrants for surveillance of a Trump campaign advisor, Carter Page, who had ties to Russia. Trump called the matter "a disgrace."

Another source, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said Brand will go to work as an executive at Walmart, the world's largest retailer.

In a statement, Walmart said Brand will join the company as executive vice president for global governance and corporate secretary. "We are fortunate to have a leader of Rachel Brand's stature join the company," President and CEO Doug McMillon said.

Mary McCord, who served as acting head of the Justice Department's National Security Division from October 2016 until April 2017 and helped oversee the FBI investigation into the collusion matter, said Brand's resignation would further shake morale at the department.

"When the associate attorney general steps down after just nine months in the midst of a barrage of attacks on the department from the White House and Capitol Hill, it is another blow to the career women and men of the department who have been doing their jobs diligently while trying to block out the turmoil around them," said McCord, now a visiting professor at Georgetown University's Institute for Constitutional Advocacy

and Protection.

The department is also facing a major backlog on leadership positions that still need confirmation by the U.S. Senate. Rosenstein oversees Mueller's investigation because Sessions recused himself from the matter last year. Trump also has criticized Sessions for recusing himself. Brand on Friday lauded Sessions' "commitment to the rule of law."

Rosenstein is the only official with legal authority to fire Mueller, and it is widely believed he would resign if ordered to do so without good cause. If Rosenstein resigned, that authority would have fallen to Brand under the department's succession line. With her gone, the next person in line is Solicitor General Noel Francisco.

Any permanent replacement for Brand would have to be confirmed by the Senate and would likely face tough questioning about their willingness to preserve the Russia probe's independence. Trump could use a 1998 law on executive branch vacancies to appoint a temporary replacement of his choice, as long as that person was an experienced Justice Department employee or another administration official already confirmed by the Senate.

Trump fired then-FBI Director James Comey, who was leading the agency's Russia investigation, in May 2017, saying he took the action because of "this Russia thing."

FILE - Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe appears b FILE - Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe appears before a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing about the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, on Capitol Hill in Washington, June 7, 2017. McCabe has been buffeted by attacks from President Donald Trump FILE - Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe appears before a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing about the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, on Capitol Hill in Washington, June 7, 2017. McCabe has been buffeted by attacks from President Donald Trump

The FBI's deputy director, Andrew McCabe, stepped down in January after Trump repeatedly criticized him on Twitter.

McCabe's wife previously ran as a Democrat for a seat in Virginia's state Senate and received donations from then-Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, a close ally of Hillary Clinton and former president Bill Clinton.

Brand oversees the Justice Department's civil, antitrust, tax and environmental and natural resources divisions. She played a crucial role in helping push for Congress to reauthorize the National Security Agency's warrantless internet surveillance program after it faced opposition from some privacy-minded lawmakers in both parties. The measure passed, and Trump signed it into law in January.

Her resignation was first reported by The New York Times.
WASHINGTON - A draft of a Pentagon report on the attack in Niger that killed four American soldiers, four Nigerien soldiers and an Nigerien interpreter last October calls for a smaller, more cautious U.S. military presence in West Africa, according to sources who spoke to The New York Times.

That could emphasize the need for deeper diplomatic and political engagement in the Sahel, given ongoing security challenges and difficulties in funding and coordinating a regional task force.

Militant groups

Details about who is responsible for the October 4 attack have been difficult to confirm. However, U.S. and Nigerien forces blamed Islamic State fighters shortly after the ambush in the Tillaberi region of Niger.

The Sahel region faces numerous security challenges, with jihadist militant groups expanding across lawless regions of Niger and Mali. Without state security forces to stop them, local militants have proliferated.

There is almost no Malian administration on the other side of the border. I mean, right now its extremely problematic for the Malian forces to get out of the main cities in the north, so they are almost not in a position to go up to the border, said Jean-Herve Jezequel, the West Africa deputy project director at the International Crisis Group, an organization working to prevent global conflict.

Jihadist militants may claim allegiance to IS or al-Qaida, but they often have weak connections to major terrorist organizations. These groups attract young men with few prospects, who pick up guns to survive, often with no ideological reasons to fight, Jezequel said.

Mediating dialogue

Jezequel sees two ways forward: increasing the military presence  an option that looks less likely given the Pentagons new report  or deepening political and diplomatic engagement.

You have elements that are not hard-core jihadi fighters, who dont want really to fight the state. What theyre looking for is a position in their own society, and sometimes theyre looking for [an] exit strategy, Jezequel said.

Sahel, Africa

That creates space for dialogue, Jezequel added, so long as theres coordination with the military and at least a temporary halt on attacks.

The Pentagons recommendation comes after significant political fallout in the U.S. following the Niger attack, with some members of Congress raising sharp questions about why the American presence in the Sahel has grown to 1,300 personnel and whether enough oversight has been exerted.

The newly formed regional G5 Sahel joint task force, meanwhile, has been hamstrung by low funding and disagreements among member states about whos contributing what, underscoring the need for an immediate solution to West Africas deteriorating security situation.

For Jezequel, that means expanding the Western presence by increasing financial assistance and mediating dialogue between different regional actors.

In the past there have been a lot of misunderstandings between Mali and Mauritania, for instance, Niger and Mali sometimes, so there is a need  to restore some form of common understanding  of trust  between the states, he said.
ISLAMABAD - Afghanistans two-day dialogue with neighboring Pakistan ended Saturday without progress on issues dividing the two countries and fueling bilateral tensions, officials said.

Islamabad hosted the meeting of what is named the Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity, or APAPPS. The inaugural round of the Pakistan-initiated dialogue was held in Kabul on February 3.

Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal said the two sides held good discussions with some agreements but said further work [was] required. He did not elaborate.

He said Pakistani Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua and Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai led their respective delegations comprising senior civilian and military officials.

However, an Afghan Foreign Ministry statement issued in Kabul after Saturdays talks categorically said the discussions made no headway on matters related to deteriorating security in Afghanistan.

While some progress was made on the mechanism of cooperation, no progress was achieved on specific, results-oriented, time-bound measures in the APAPPS, particularly in the areas of counter terrorism, reduction of violence, peace and reconciliation to meet the priorities of Afghanistan, according to the statement.

Pakistani Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua (L) and Pakistani Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua (L) and Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai lead their respective delegations in two-day bilateral talks, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Feb. 09, 2018. (Courtesy - Pakistan Foreign Ministry). Pakistani Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua (L) and Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai lead their respective delegations in two-day bilateral talks, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Feb. 09, 2018. (Courtesy - Pakistan Foreign Ministry).

The Afghan government alleges the Taliban use sanctuaries on Pakistani soil to plot insurgent attacks and claimed last months bloody attacks in Kabul were planned in the neighboring country. Afghan officials also shared what they called evidence with Islamabad and demanded swift action against the perpetrators.

Pakistan denied any links to the spate of attacks in the Afghan capital and maintains no Taliban sanctuaries are present on its side of the border. Islamabad has also offered to conduct joint investigations into the recent violence.

For its part, Islamabad also alleges militants conducting terrorist attacks in Pakistan use sanctuaries on Afghan soil for plotting the violence. The allegations and counter allegations have plunged bilateral relations to new lows in recent years.

Saturdays talks also covered subjects such as repatriation of around three million Afghan refugees from Pakistan and joint economic development.

Pakistani officials insist the prolonged presence of the refugee community coupled with inadequate border security on the Afghan side hamper Islamabads counterterrorism efforts.

The United States has also increased pressure on Pakistan to take action against alleged militant sanctuaries, including those of the Haqqani terrorist network. Islamabad asserts the country is being scapegoated for U.S. failures to secure Afghanistan.
LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND - Beauty is in the eye of the beholder  an old saying that often elicits groans  is just what organizers of an exhibition of 20th and 21st century photographic masterpieces at the Musee de lElysee in Lausanne believe and are promoting.

The exhibit, The Beauty of Lines, exposes 160 photographs from the extensive, New York-based Sondra Gilman and Celso Gonzalez-Falla collection, considered one of the top five private collections in the world.

The exhibition is a journey throughout the beauty of photography, said Tatyana Franck, director of the internationally renowned Swiss photographic museum.

The show is intended to have visitors experience beauty by how they feel, she said. You cannot explain beauty. It is something you feel, depending on your own history.

Photo Gallery: ?'The Beauty of Lines' Exhibit at the Musee de lElysee

First time in Europe

This is the first time selected works of the 1,500 original prints from the collection of the husband and wife team are being presented in Europe.

The collection includes the works of 73 master photographers from the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe and Japan, such as Berenice Abbott, Robert Adams, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Imogen Cunningham, Rineke Dijkstra, Robert Mapplethorpe, Man Ray and Hiroshi Sugimoto.

When she first met the two prominent collectors three years ago, Franck said she was amazed by their enthusiasm and passion for photography and their desire to share their passion with the world.

Celso Gonzalez-Falla told VOA he saw nothing unusual in that.

The reason why we buy the photographs and are creating our collection is to share it with the rest of the world, he said.

Sondra Gilman affirmed that our philosophy is that no one should or could own art. It belongs to the world. To have wonderful art and have it limited to one family or a small group of people is outrageous.

Cig Harvey, The Pale Yellow Cadillac, Sadie, Portl Cig Harvey, The Pale Yellow Cadillac, Sadie, Portland, Maine, 2010 Cig Harvey, The Pale Yellow Cadillac, Sadie, Portland, Maine, 2010

?Show follows themes

The exhibit itself is not chronological. It is a thematic show that conveys the universality of artistic expression through photographs that explore ideas and concepts of humanity, society and nature without being constrained by time and nationality.

The show is divided into three sections: Lines, Abstractions and Curves.

Lines, especially straight and parallel lines are used by photographers who want to depict reality, Franck said. Straight, vertical and parallel lines are being used by artists not only to document reality, but also to give some sociological messages.

A noteworthy example of this is a 1933 print, View of Exchange Place from Broadway, by American photographer Berenice Abbott. The photo presents an image of a modern town in which tall buildings lean into each other, creating a sense of loneliness and powerlessness among the almost microscopically small people below.

This somewhat claustrophobic image is offset by an expansive view of The George Washington Bridge, a photograph by Margaret Bourke-White, the first U.S. female war correspondent and one of the worlds first female photojournalists.

Franck said Bourke-White wanted to glorify the modernity of New York by shooting the bridge within a vertical and short frame. Although the picture was made in 1933, she said, Today, 100 years later, that print seems and continues to seem modern.

Augusto Cantemessa, Breve Orizzonte, 1955 Augusto Cantemessa, Breve Orizzonte, 1955 Augusto Cantemessa, Breve Orizzonte, 1955

?Unknown artists, too

In a departure from the exhibits focus on the works of famous photographers, the photo chosen for the cover of the catalogue is by an unknown Italian artist, Augusto Cantamessa.

The picture, Breve Orizzonte (Short Horizon), stands out for its poetic and graceful beauty. It captures a row of pencil thin trees swaying and seemingly straining to leave the frame that confines them. The trees tower over two miniature bikers peddling slowly through this strange forest.

He was a true discovery for us. We never heard of this photographer, Franck said. What makes this collection extremely interesting is Sondra Gilman and Celso Gonzales-Falla  do not have a criterion of names. They have the criteria of quality when buying a print.

Gilman agreed that she and her husband were not affected by fame.

We are only affected by the image, by our judgment and emotional reaction, she said.

Abelardo Morell, Book with Wavy Pages, 2001 Abelardo Morell, Book with Wavy Pages, 2001 Abelardo Morell, Book with Wavy Pages, 2001

?Abstractions and Curves

One of the finest examples in the second section, Abstractions, which presents the line in its purest form, is a 1960 picture by U.S. photographer Ray K. Metzker, called Venice.

In this photo, as in others in this section, the real world disappears behind abstract lines, creating a different kind of reality. The Metzker picture depicts two black doors split by a large vertical crack through which a sharp, dazzlingly bright light shines. Franck said she was certain that behind the doors she would find true light and a huge welcoming sun.

It is perfection in terms of composition, she said. It is like a spiritual experience.

Curved Lines are represented in the show with works by Edward Weston, Andre Kertesz and Robert Mapplethorpe among others. Curves capture life as it is. They are a symbol of sensuality. Curves show human beings in motion, moving from one situation to another.

The exhibition, which runs through May 6, is beautifully mounted and easily relatable within the intimate setting of the museum. From conversations with visitors, the collection seems to have changed the lens through which some now view photography.

Pictures talk to each other

It even has added a new dimension to the way Gilman and Gonzalez-Falla see their collection.

It has totally changed the way I look at my own photographs because we never ever analyzed them so distinctly as to isolate line, Gilman said. It has opened up a new world to us.

Gonzalez-Falla had a similar reaction. We always looked at our photographs because we loved them, he told VOA. The show now makes me look at the collection in a different light.

Calling it a marvelous installation, Gonzalez-Falla said that he was particularly impressed with the way the photographs have been hung. They have the pictures talk to each other.
GENEVA - Aid agencies are scrambling to protect hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh ahead of the impending monsoon season in April.

Nearly 700,000 Rohingya refugees who have fled violence in Myanmar are living in overcrowded, squalid conditions in Coxs Bazar, Bangladesh. U.N. Migration spokesman Joel Millman says their fragile shelters of bamboo and plastic tarpaulin are unlikely to survive the monsoon threats ahead.

Many people are living in precarious housing on hillsides  With the risk of heavy rains and cyclone winds just weeks away, urgent action is needed to help them strengthen their shelters and shore up the soil to reduce the likelihood of deadly landslides, he said.

Millman said his agency is launching a major operation to provide sturdy materials to help 120,000 households in camps and local communities improve their shelters. He said it will not be possible to provide safe havens for everyone, but it is possible to mitigate the potential damage to peoples living environment.

FILE - Rohingya refugees cross floodwaters at Than FILE - Rohingya refugees cross floodwaters at Thangkhali refugee camp in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar district, Sept. 17, 2017. FILE - Rohingya refugees cross floodwaters at Thangkhali refugee camp in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar district, Sept. 17, 2017.

The U.N. childrens fund UNICEF also is making preparations to safeguard the population, especially some 60,000 children who are in grave danger from flooding and landslides. UNICEF spokesman Christophe Boulierac says the possible damage that could occur to water and sanitation infrastructure is of great concern.



This water sanitation risk has a direct impact on childrens health as children are highly prone to water-borne diseases, such as acute watery diarrhea and cholera. Younger children are also at risk of drowning in flood waters in some parts of the camps, especially when they are playing on their own, he said.

Boulierac said children will face an even greater risk of disease during the monsoon and cyclone season. To protect these vulnerable young lives, he said UNICEF is setting up mobile medical teams, as well as treatment centers to respond to acute watery diarrhea or cholera emergencies.
MOSCOW - Engineers at Russia's top nuclear research facility have been detained after they attempted to mine bitcoin on its computers, Russian news agencies reported Friday.

Several employees at the Russian Federal Nuclear Center in the city of Sarov have been detained after making "an attempt to use the work computing facilities for personal ends, including for so-called mining," a spokeswoman for the center, Tatiana Zalesskaya, told Interfax news agency.

"Their activities were stopped in time," she added.

"The bungling miners have been detained by the competent authorities. As far as I know, a criminal case has been opened regarding them," she added, without saying how many were detained.

The center is overseen by Rosatom, the Russian nuclear agency, and works on developing nuclear weapons.

Such attempts "at our enterprises will be harshly put down, this activity technically has no future and is punishable as a crime," the center's spokeswoman said.

In 2011, the center switched on a new supercomputer with a capacity of 1 petaflop, which at the time made it the twelfth most powerful in the world, Russian television reported.

During the Cold War, Sarov was a top-secret city in the Nizhny Novgorod region, about 500 kilometers (300 miles) east of Moscow. Its Soviet-era name was Arzamas-16.

The center was the birthplace of the Soviet Union's first nuclear weapons.

Sarov is still a closed city whose inhabitants are subject to travel restrictions.

Vladimir Putin visited the nuclear research center in 2012 while campaigning for president.
South Sudans government Friday declined to sign an agreement on rules to facilitate discussion aimed at reviving the countrys collapsed 2015 peace deal.

The governments delegates refused to approve the Declaration of Principles (DOP), intended to guide a second phase of high-level talks. They cited concerns over the documents Article 28, which calls for taking punitive measures against individuals who block implementation of the revived peace deal.

The governments delegates were not obligated to sign the guidelines, South Sudans information minister and spokesman Michael Makuei told reporters Friday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where the talks are taking place. He said mediators and facilitators had announced Thursday that the signing of the DOP is optional. So it is up to each party to decide whether to sign.

Makuei said the government delegation wants Article 28 removed from the declaration.

There is no reason for us to sign such a document in which there is a provision which incriminates and which irrelevant and which is not a principle, the information minister said.

FILE - South Sudan rebel leader Riek Machar speaks FILE - South Sudan rebel leader Riek Machar speaks in an interview with The Associated Press in Johannesburg, on Oct. 20, 2016. FILE - South Sudan rebel leader Riek Machar speaks in an interview with The Associated Press in Johannesburg, on Oct. 20, 2016.

Talks enter fifth day

Meanwhile, rebels of the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM IO), loyal to Riek Machar, issued a statement Friday affirming their commitment to ending violence in South Sudan.

They and other opposition groups strongly support Article 28.

The South Sudan parties signed an agreement in December on ceasing hostilities, protecting civilians and providing humanitarian access in South Sudan, but violated it within hours.

The talks entered their fifth day Friday, with the parties reaching another deadlock on the composition of the South Sudans transitional National Legislative Assembly. The various opposition groups would like the current assembly dissolved and reconstituted. But the government delegation insisted the assembly should be expanded to accommodate new groups.

Talks will continue

Rajab Mohandis, representing an umbrella group of South Sudans civil society at the talks, said negotiations would continue despite the setback by the government delegation.

We are here to negotiate, Mohandis said. By not signing this document [DOP], it doesnt signal any party pulling out from the process.

Mohandis said the civil society stands ready to encourage good-faith negotiations.

It our hope as the civil society that the parties, with the help of the mediators, will find a common ground on Article 28 and sign the document and continue with negotiations.
Ride-sharing giant Uber and the self-driving car company Waymo have agreed to settle their legal battle over allegedly stolen trade secrets.

The surprise agreement Friday came as lawyers for the companies prepared to wrap up the first week of the cases jury trial in San Francisco, California.

As part of the agreement, Uber will pay $245 million worth of its own shares to Waymo.

Waymo sued Uber last year, saying that one of its former engineers who later became the head of Ubers self-driving car project took with him thousands of confidential documents.

After the lawsuit was filed, Uber fired the employee and fell behind on its plans to roll out self-driving cars in its ride-sharing service.

FILE - Then-Uber CEO Travis Kalanick, left, and An FILE - Then-Uber CEO Travis Kalanick, left, and Anthony Levandowski, co-founder of Otto, pose in the lobby of Uber headquarters, in San Francisco, Aug. 18, 2016. Uber said, in a June 22, 2017, court filing, that it hired Levandowski, a former Google engin FILE - Then-Uber CEO Travis Kalanick, left, and Anthony Levandowski, co-founder of Otto, pose in the lobby of Uber headquarters, in San Francisco, Aug. 18, 2016. Uber said, in a June 22, 2017, court filing, that it hired Levandowski, a former Google engin

Waymo, a company hatched from Google, says the settlement also includes an agreement that Uber cannot use Waymo confidential information in its technology.

We have reached an agreement with Uber that we believe will protect Waymos intellectual property now and into the future. We are committed to working with Uber to make sure that each company develops its own technology, Waymo said in a statement.

Ubers new CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, expressed regret for the companys actions in a statement Friday.

While we do not believe that any trade secrets made their way from Waymo to Uber, nor do we believe that Uber has used any of Waymos proprietary information in its self-driving technology, we are taking steps with Waymo to ensure our Lidar and software represents just our good work, Khosrowshahi said in a statement.

Lidar is a laser-based system that helps self-driving cars to navigate their surroundings.

The trial so far included testimony from former Uber chief executive Travis Kalanick, who denied any attempt to steal trade secrets from Waymo.

Uber has faced a series of recent struggles, including public accusations of sexual harassment at the company and accusations it used software to thwart government regulators.
PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA - The United States has negotiated a deal to resume the deportation of Cambodians, many of whom arrived as refugees, under a controversial resettlement program.

A deal between the two governments under which hundreds of Cambodians had been sent back from the United States since 2002 fell apart last year when Phnom Penh reportedly stopped accepting returnees.

U.S. officials retaliated by placing visa sanctions on Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials in September. On Friday, Cambodian officials succumbed to an offer to lift those bans.

After a meeting between Cambodian Interior Minister Sar Kheng and Carl C. Risch, visiting assistant U.S. secretary of state for consular affairs, Phat Phanith, director of the International Relations Department, said the pair had agreed to resume the deal.

"Samdech [Sar Kheng] also informed the delegates that Cambodia generally fulfills its obligation to take its citizens, but everything had to be thoroughly discussed," he said.

"Samdech also asked that the U.S. government increase financial support to Cambodian citizens returning to Cambodia so that they could have a better start in life and successfully integrate into Cambodian society."

In the past, deportees have been left in a country most have never lived in with no government support, leaving a handful of NGOs to scramble to provide them basic services.

Extortion allegations

The latest agreement came as the deportation program faces renewed scrutiny amid accusations from deportees that Cambodian officials have been using the process to extort bribes in U.S. detention centers.

These accusations, first reported in The Phnom Penh Post, were revealed in a U.S. federal court ruling late last month that barred the Trump administration from repatriating 92 Cambodians until they had a chance to legally challenge their deportation orders.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Aff U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Carl C. Risch gestures during a news conference in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Feb. 9, 2018. Rich was in Cambodia to talk with senior government officials about resuming the repatriation of convicted Cambod U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Carl C. Risch gestures during a news conference in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Feb. 9, 2018. Rich was in Cambodia to talk with senior government officials about resuming the repatriation of convicted Cambod

Ministry of Interior spokesman Khieu Sopheak denied the bribery allegations, saying Cambodian officials visited the U.S. detention facilities with U.S. police present.

The authorities sat down and interviewed [them] in front of the U.S. police. They went togetherand this is defamation. And the one who wrote and said this, if they have their name, please tell us clearly and do not defame others like this, he said.?

At a news conference in Phnom Penh on Friday before the deal was reached, Risch said he was unaware of the bribery allegations but hoped Cambodian officials would cooperate in return for lifting the visa sanctions.

"That's my goal," he said. "I would like to see the sanctions eventually be lifted and have Cambodia be cooperative in taking back their repatriation cases."

"What we're making sure can be done is that there will be a repeatable, dependable uniform process going forward," he said.

Most Cambodian deportees are sent back after serving jail sentences for felony convictions.

Critics say this is a form of double punishment meted out to refugees already traumatized after fleeing the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge regime and subsequent turmoil in Cambodia.

As permanent residents many dont understand that they should apply for citizenship and without it could legally be deported if convicted of a felony.

Advocates say they can be detained, completely unannounced, years after serving their sentences and swiftly deported to a country they fled as small children where they must come to terms with permanent separation from their families.

Bill Herod, founder of the Returnee Integration Support Center, said that while the court had blocked the deportation of 92 Cambodians who had already left jail, others currently serving time were still being repatriated at the conclusion of their sentences.

We had one yesterday and one last week and one two weeks ago. We got nine on the 20th of December. But these are all people who came directly from prison he said on Saturday.

Herod did not know how this latest diplomatic twist would impact challenges to the legality of deportation program in the United States, but remained resigned to the reality that more would be sent back.

Its not fair and its not nice and its not ethical and its not moral, but its legal.

When asked Friday whether deporting such individuals in this way was humane, Risch simply reaffirmed his intention to pressure Cambodia into resuming the agreement.

The Asian Law Caucus, which has been providing legal support to the deportees, stressed that the people harmed by the program were refugee families who faced permanent separation as a result.

"The latest diplomatic talks don't change the fact that these detentions and deportations of longtime U.S. residents are unjustified and immoral," the caucus said in an emailed statement.
WASHINGTON - The United States is ramping up pressure on regional and local Islamic State operatives and facilitators, part of an effort to shut down the terror groups global financial lifeline.

The U.S. Treasury Department Friday announced sanctions against a series of individuals and companies from Somalia, Turkey and the Philippines, describing the moves as part of a larger campaign targeting networks that helped give the terror group access to money, weapons and even drones.

Each individual and entity targeted has contributed to the spread of ISISs terror reach in their respective corner of the world, Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Sigal Mandelker said in a statement, using an acronym for the terror group.

At least one of the individuals is in custody.

Abdulpatta Escalon Abubakar was detained in September by Philippine authorities at the airport in Manila, after flying in from Saudi Arabia.

Residents who returned from evacuation centers wal FILE - Residents who returned from evacuation centers walk past a bullet-ridden house believed to have been rented by pro-Islamic State militant group leaders Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute before their attack on the region. FILE - Residents who returned from evacuation centers walk past a bullet-ridden house believed to have been rented by pro-Islamic State militant group leaders Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute before their attack on the region.

?Working with IS

U.S. officials said Abubakar had been working with IS since at least the start of 2016 and had helped transfer tens of thousands of dollars to the IS affiliate in the Philippines. It is thought he also worked with the affiliates now deceased leader, Isnilon Hapilon, to acquire weapons and explosives.

Treasury officials also sanctioned two businessmen, one from Turkey and one from Somalia.

Officials said Yunus Emre Sakarya set up his company, Profesyoneller Elektronik, in Turkey in 2015 and used it as a front for IS, helping the terror group acquire more than $500,000 in components for unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones.

FILE - Somali government soldiers patrol after a b FILE - Somali government soldiers patrol after a blast near the presidential palace in the capital Mogadishu, Somalia, Aug. 30, 2016. FILE - Somali government soldiers patrol after a blast near the presidential palace in the capital Mogadishu, Somalia, Aug. 30, 2016.

In Somalia, where IS has been struggling for years to establish a presence to compete with the al-Qaida-affiliated terror group al-Shabab, U.S. officials targeted Mohamed Mire Ali Yusuf, a well-known smuggler.

U.S. officials said Yusuf used his livestock trading company to help funnel money to Abdulkadir Mumin, the leader of IS in Somalia.

But Yusufs activities on behalf of IS may have been even more extensive. In 2016, a United Nations task force tied him to a larger network of smugglers who have supplied multiple groups. And two Somali government sources told VOAs Somali service that Yusuf maintains several boats and has run weapons and other contraband between Yemen, Dubai and Somalia.

The Somali officials also said Yusuf arranged for weapons shipments to IS in Somalia on multiple occasions.

Isolating nodes in IS network

Some analysts see the targeting of operators like Yusuf as a positive sign.

Treasury is doing its part to isolate nodes in the global Islamic State logistics network that provides support for the militants transnational operations and on-the-ground activities, said Jade Parker, a senior research associate at the Terror Asymmetrics Project.

For months, U.S. and Western intelligence officials have warned that despite the collapse of its self-declared caliphate in Iraq and Syria, IS had managed to preserve its lines of communication as well as some of its logistical capabilities.

A key part of that success, they said, was the result of the close relationship IS had forged with smugglers and other global criminal organizations.

Analysts like Parker hope the latest round of sanctions is an indication the U.S. and its partner may be starting to make a dent in that loose but beneficial alliance.

By designating, and ultimately removing, these actors from their financial and material support roles, it provides international entities and local authorities leverage to further degrade the capabilities of Islamic State affiliates, she said. I anticipate well see many more of these kinds of designations going forward.

Harun Maruf with VOAs Somali service contributed to this report.


WASHINGTON - One day after Danang authorities issued guidelines requiring the local press to obtain official approval before disseminating content, city officials rescinded the order in the face of public outcry.

Vietnamese media reported that along with the withdrawal of the censorship request, the Danang Department of Information and Communications also sincerely apologized to the press.

The directive  dated Tuesday, issued Wednesday and rescinded Thursday  told the Danang newspaper and the Danang police newspaper to coordinate and submit news and reports before printing and distribution.

The communications department told radio and television stations to coordinate and submit breaking or important stories that need responses from local departments in a timely manner.

Danang authorities also targeted national news organizations and those of other provinces based in the city, telling them to provide links of major stories about Danang that need response from local departments.

Online backlash

The directive went viral. Journalists and the public shared it, saying that Danang has a law of its own and questioning its legitimacy. Online commented ranged from ridiculous to beyond imagination.

Veteran journalist Vo Van Tao told VOA Vietnamese that while authorities at all levels of government still want to control the press, the Danang incident was partly a personnel issue, reflecting what he called poor staffing.

Children of powerful officials are promoted, people with money can buy seats, though some of them have no knowledge, some use fake degrees, etc., so, that is why once in a while, we see crazy directives like this one.

In Taos opinion, the directive was too backward. In the past, Vietnam has had press controls, but Tao said he felt very shocked, very surprised by Danangs move.

Self-censorship

With nearly two decades of journalism experience, Tao added that in the past 30 years, the Vietnamese government has replaced the system of central censorship with one of self-censorship at individual news organizations.

He clarified that this means editorial boards at news organizations decide for themselves what content to publish. But if regulators like Vietnams Ministry of Information and Communications, the governments cultural security agency, or the Propaganda Committee of the Communist Party are unhappy about certain published news items or reports, authorities will reprimand, warn or fine the news outlets, he added.

Officially, Vietnams 1992 constitution recognizes freedom of expression, but the nations criminal code prohibits speech that is critical of the government, which is led by the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV).

The definition of such speech is vaguely worded and broadly interpreted, according to Freedom House, which monitors press freedom worldwide.

In April 2016, Freedom House reported that the National Assembly passed an ambiguous media law, which took effect in 2017, that banned prepublication censorship of print and broadcast media and criminalized threats or other actions that interfere with journalistic activities, among other provisions, but also introduced several vaguely worded new offenses that could be used to punish journalists.

And the organizations 2017 report noted, The authorities have increasingly cracked down on citizens use of social media and the internet in general to spread uncensored information and galvanize dissent.

But the reaction of Danang citizens and journalists to the Feb. 6 directive seemingly galvanized the citys Department of Information and Communication to rescind its directive. Vietnamese media reported Thursday, just after the department withdrew the directive, that authorities acted because they found it does not comply with the provisions of the Press Law.

The governments quick response shows that the authorities know how to listen to the reactions of the public, Tao said. But if they had not, I believe their superiors would also ask them to withdraw it. If the community, and the public react strongly, the highest government authorities at the central level see that something is unacceptable, and consequently, they would also have asked Danang to withdraw it.
GENEVA - The U.N. refugee agency UNHCR reports an upsurge in violence in battle-scarred Yemen has sent more than 85,000 people fleeing for their lives in the past 10 weeks, adding to the already huge displacement that exists across the country.

More than two million people have become internally displaced in Yemen since March 2015. That is when a Saudi-led coalition began a bombing campaign against Houthi rebels in support of Yemens government.

The UNHCR is alarmed by the recent escalation of fighting that has uprooted tens of thousands of civilians since December 1. It says most of the new displacement is taking place in Yemens west coast cities of Al Hudaydah and Taizz.

UNHCR spokeswoman Cecile Pouilly says there is particular concern about the welfare of civilians who remain close to hostilities in these areas.

As a result of prolonged fighting in those two governorates, conditions continue to deteriorate, exposing people to violence and disease, without access to basic services. Most of those displaced in the governorates of Al Hudaydah and Taizz remain hosted by relatives or friends, trapped inside homes or in caves as ground clashes, aerial bombardment and sniper fire rage around them, Pouilly said.

Yemen, scene of the worlds largest humanitarian crisis, has more than 22 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. Aid agencies warn needs are increasing - fueled by the ongoing conflict, collapsing economy, lack of social services and livelihoods.

Pouilly said her agency is worried it will not have the money to help all those in need. She said UNHCRs $200 million appeal for this year, so far, is only three percent funded.
MOSCOW/HARARE/LUSAKA, (Reuters) - Russian fertiliser producers Uralchem and Uralkali plan to boost sales in southeast Africa, their co-owner Dmitry Mazepin said on Thursday, after meeting the leaders of Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Rising commodity prices and dramatic political change in the region have vastly improved the investment mood in the mining sector this year, a meeting of industry leaders in Cape Town showed this week.

Uralchem and Uralkali plan to create a hub in the two countries that will directly supply mineral fertilisers, the firms said in a statement after co-owner Mazepin met Zimbabwes President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Zambias President Edgar Lungu.

They expect demand for the product to grow rapidly in the next few years.

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Fertiliser demand is on the up in Zambia as it tries to diversify its economy away from copper mining to agriculture, but the nation still imports most of its fertiliser from South Africa.

Zimbabwe struggled to feed its population between 2001 and 2016, a situation often blamed on the government and its seizure of businesses owned by white farmers.

This move depressed commercial agricultural output, while a lack of funding for farmers to purchase adequate fertiliser, coupled with drought, also hit production of the staple maize crop.

The country is short on foreign currency needed to import fertilisers such as ammonia, while its own domestic production remains low.

Cooperation with the two Russian companies will allow Zambia and Zimbabwe to reduce prices for their farmers, who are currently forced to buy fertilisers from intermediaries at a cost of $450 to $500 per tonne, Mazepin said.

Russia is able to offer mineral fertilisers in the global market, including at African ports, at $250 to $300 per tonne, Mazepin added. He is the owner of privately held Uralchem, which holds a stake in Uralkali.

According to him, in the short term, Uralchem and Uralkali may boost supplies of their fertiliser products in southeast Africa by 400,000 to 500,000 tonnes a year from the current 100,000 tonnes.

Mazepin also said Zimbabwes president had invited the Russian companies to supply fertiliser and participate in mining projects.

Certainly, we are interested. When we get guarantees of stable business development at such high level, it is very important to us, he said. (Reporting by Polina Devitt, MacDonald Dzirutwe and Chris Mfula; Editing by Dale Hudson and Polina Ivanova)
The White House confirmed late Friday that a second staff member had resigned over allegations of domestic abuse.

Spokesman Raj Shah said David Sorenson, a speechwriter for the Council on Environmental Quality, resigned Friday. Two days earlier White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter stepped down amid accusations by both his former wives that he had abused them.

Sorensen denied the abuse allegations, which were first reported Friday by The Washington Post. Sorensons ex-wife had told the Post that he was violent and emotionally abusive during their short marriage.

Trump on Porter

President Donald Trump said Friday that he is very sad at Porters resignation.

He says hes innocent, and I think you have to remember that, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Friday. He said very strongly yesterday that hes innocent, so youll have to talk to him about that.

The president did not mention the former wives or their claims that Porter physically and psychologically abused them.

Security clearance concerns

The revelations about Porter have raised fresh questions about the attitude of senior White House staff toward allegations of improper behavior by employees. It has also cast a spotlight on the practice of allowing staff without security clearances to work in and around the Oval Office.

Porter had only an interim clearance while holding one of the most sensitive jobs in the White House, where he controlled the flow of information to the president. A full clearance had been held up while the FBI investigated abuse allegations by his two former wives.

Trump Friday wished his former aide well, noting that Porter had done a very good job in the White House.

Porters swift resignation followed publication in Britains Daily Mail of a picture of his first wife, Colbie Holderness, with a black eye allegedly suffered when Porter punched her in 2005 while the couple was on vacation in Italy.

Holderness and Porters second wife, Jennifer Willoughby, were both quoted by the tabloid as saying Porters consistent abuse was the reason for their respective divorces.

Kelly under scrutiny

The Porter matter has intensified scrutiny of White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, a former army general brought in to bring order to an administration that had been seen as chaotic under previous chief, Reince Priebus.

Media reports say Kelly apparently had prior knowledge of Porters inappropriate behavior. Critics say Kelly should have been more concerned about employees working without security clearances.

Kelly has also come under fire for appearing to defend Porter when the allegation of abuse first surfaced. He issued a statement Wednesday calling Porter a man of true integrity and honor.

I cant say enough good things about him, Kelly wrote. He is a friend, a confidant and a trusted professional. I am proud to serve alongside him.

Later, as the picture of Holderness with the black eye circulated on the Internet, Kelly amended his original statement, saying, I was shocked by the new allegations released today against Rob Porter. There is no place for domestic violence in our society.

Porter resigns

A day after Kelly and Press Secretary Sarah Sanders spoke warmly of Porter, his departure was announced with a terse comment.

He was terminated yesterday and his last day was yesterday, Shah, the deputy press secretary said Thursday. Shah characterized the departure as a resignation, however, rather than a firing.

Porter, a Rhodes scholar and Harvard-educated lawyer, played an important role in deciding which articles and policy proposals were given to the president for his review.

Porter had a hand in writing Trumps recent State of the Union address, and news photos and videos often showed images of him with other members of the White House inner circle. Several news agencies have reported that he is currently romantically linked with another close Trump aide, White House Communications Director Hope Hicks.

Porter issued a statement Wednesday denying the accusations.

These outrageous allegations are simply false, he said. I took the photos given to the media nearly 15 years ago and the reality behind them is nowhere close to what is being described. I have been transparent and truthful about these vile claims, but I will not further engage publicly with a coordinated smear campaign.
When Lebanese chef Alan Geaam first arrived in Paris two decades ago he found himself sleeping on the streets, lost and penniless with hardly a word of French.

This week Geaam, who began his career as a dishwasher while he was sleeping rough in a Paris park, received his first Michelin star from the French gastronomic bible for his acclaimed new restaurant within a stone's throw of the Arc de Triomphe.

"I never thought the Michelin would be interested in someone like me, who was self-taught, who had to sleep in the street at 19 and who began as a dishwasher," he told AFP.

"I thought the guide was about chefs in big fancy hotels or those trained by the great masters. But it turned out to be the opposite. It's a wonderful surprise," said the 43-year-old, who was born to Lebanese parents in Liberia, before they exchanged one war zone for another by returning to Beirut.

By then Geaam's fascination with food was clear, watching cookery shows on television rather than cartoons after school.

He started cooking while doing his national service in Lebanon, and the colonel of his regiment was so impressed he made him his personal chef.

But Geaam never thought we would be able to cut the mustard in France, and only got his break when the chef of the restaurant where he was washing the dishes was rushed to hospital when he slashed his hand with a knife.

Read also: Why do women chefs keep missing out on Michelin stars?

- 'But you can cook!' -

"I worked during the day as a construction worker and at night delivering pizzas and washing dishes. One night the cook cut his hand and had to go to hospital. No one asked me, but I just took over. There were 14 tables and so I just feed the customers and at the end of the night they were delighted.

"The owner said to me, 'But you can cook!' and I said, 'Yes.'"

"The reason I cook is to make people happy," said Geaam. And he has certainly spread joy among restaurant critics with Michelin's rival Gault Millau guide raving about his langoustines and chard and its dark chocolate-coloured sauce tinged with Vietnamese cardamom.

Alexander Lobrano, author of "Hungry for Paris", was even more effusive, declaring this "gentle, shrewd, self-taught chef as one of quiet men of Paris gastronomy... who has a brilliant future ahead of him."

Although Geaam delights in bringing the very best of French produce to his table, Lobrano said he also brings the "tender buds of his very personal cooking that makes references to the lost world of a little boy born to a foreign family living in tropical Africa."

Read also: Michelin lets top French chef pull out of guide

- Pomegranate lacquered foie gras -

And the influence of his Lebanese roots is never far away either.

One of Geaam's favourite dishes at the moment is "an escalope of foie gras lacquered with pomegranate molasses served with a tartlette of beetroot and pomegranate.

"I ate a lot of pomegranates when I was a kid," he said. "I made juice with them, I made lots of reductions with them, and I loved putting this very Lebanese touch with something so French as foie gras."

Since Geaam got his Michelin star on Monday night his restaurant's phone has not stopped ringing.

His said his small, tight team of highly-talented chefs -- whose CVs he admits look far more impressive than his own -- "really feel that something has happened in our lives.

"You can criticise the Michelin guide but I can tell you the effect, a star massively boosts a restaurant."

Within hours the restaurant was booked up for three weeks. "It is quite something," he said.

Geaam, who told how his son boasted to his friends at school that his father got a Michelin star, put his success down to his own parents, who "lost everything" in Liberia only to have to struggle again in Lebanon during the civil war.

He said working with his father in his grocery shop from the age of 10 gave him a taste for business while his mother "taught me how to love people and how to cook".
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Linkedin Moses Ompusunggu (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, February 9, 2018 18:12 1312 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c4cd586 2 Politics Museum,TNI,researchers,foreigners Free

Foreign researchers can no longer freely enter museums run by the Indonesian Military (TNI) without permission from the TNI headquarters, in a new policy that one local historian says shows Indonesia to be allergic to foreigners.

In August last year, the TNI reportedly issued a policy temporarily banning foreign nationals from entering Indonesia's main military museum, the Satriamandala Museum, located on one of the busiest thoroughfares in Jakarta, Jl. Gatot Subroto in Kuningan, without permission from the militarys headquarters.

The Jakarta Post recently obtained an undated photograph showing two flyers announcing the temporary ban on foreigners visiting the museum.

"For the moment, visitors from abroad are not allowed to enter/visit Satriamandala Museum before receiving a permit from the TNI headquarter[s]," the announcement displayed in the photograph read.

The Post visited Satriamandala Museum on Thursday, and found that the announcement had been taken down.

A museum official said that since January the restriction had been relaxed by allowing foreigners to enter the museum for recreational purposes only. Foreigners who wanted to visit the museum for research purposes were still obliged to obtain a permit from the intelligence assistant to the TNI commander, the official said.

The regulation is said to have been implemented at two other museums managed by the TNI's History Center namely the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) Betrayal Museum in Lubang Buaya, East Jakarta, and the Indonesian Soldier Museum within the Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII) complex, also in East Jakarta.

Two kids play with old heavy machine guns once used by the Indonesian Military (TNI) at the Satria Mandala military museum in Jakarta on Sunday. As apart of the celebration of TNI. (The Jakarta Post/JP)

Renowned historian Asvi Warman Adam told the Post that two of his foreign colleagues had been affected by the restriction.

One tried to enter Satriamandala, Asvi said, while the other researcher attempted to enter the PKI Museum in Lubang Buaya. "[This policy] creates a negative image of Indonesia as a state that is undemocratic, isolated and being allergic to foreigners," Asvi said, recalling there had been no such obligation previously.

The University of Indonesia historian called the regulation "discriminatory" given that it did not apply to Indonesian researchers. "Museums are not archives. In museums, the dioramas are for the public," Asvi said.

TNI spokesman Brig. Gen. Sabrar Fadhilah insisted the policy regarding foreign researchers was a "procedure" that had to be implemented for "foreigners who want to enter military institutions" and that it aimed to ensure impartiality in research.

"It's like somebody, a foreigner, who wanted to come to your house to research whether or not your house was formerly owned by the Dutch. That person must secure your permission," Sabrar said in a phone interview on Friday.

"I think there has to be a process to ensure research is not conducted haphazardly," Sabrar said.

Lesson learned  Then Maj.Gen.Soeharto (right) let an operation to remove the bodies of military generals, who were killed and dumped into a well at the G30S coup headquarters called Lubang Buaya in the 1965 incident. (Tempo/-)

Established in October 1972, Satriamandala Museum is Indonesia's foremost military museum and houses a trove of artifacts, weapons and vehicles. The name of the museum is derived from the Sanskrit words meaning "a sacred place of knights."

Prior to its establishment, the museum's main building was formerly the home of Indonesia's founding father Sukarno, who stepped down from power following the attempted coup in 1965, which has been blamed on the now-defunct PKI.

It has four rooms dedicated to artefacts that once belonged to four of the countrys most prominent military figures: Soeharto, who rose to power as president in 1967 and governed the country for more than three decades until his downfall in 1998; Abdul Harris Nasution, a military strategist and a close ally of Soeharto, best known for escaping an assassination attempt during the attempted 1965 coup; national hero Sudirman, Indonesia's first military commander; and Oerip Soemohardjo, Indonesia's first armed forces chief of staff.

Notable exhibits include a litter used to carry Sudirman during his seven months of guerilla fighting in Java against Dutch imperialists, and Indonesia's first presidential aircraft named the RI Seulawah 1.

The museum also contains dioramas showcasing the history of Indonesias military, including the country's volatile formative years, between 1945 and1949, which are now being scrutinized by a large-scale Dutch-funded research project involving local historians from Gadjah Mada University (UGM) in Yogyakarta. (ahw)
For Will Aitken, Montreal-based American-Canadian novelist, journalist and film critic, the story of Antigone Undone  part memoir, part travelogue, part criticism and a thoroughly engaging read  begins in 2015 when poet Anne Carson invites him to Luxembourg. He is there to witness the opening of the play Antigone, translated by Carson, starring French actress Juliette Binoche and staged by Belgian director Ivo van Hove.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/2/2018 (1311 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For Will Aitken, Montreal-based American-Canadian novelist, journalist and film critic, the story of Antigone Undone  part memoir, part travelogue, part criticism and a thoroughly engaging read  begins in 2015 when poet Anne Carson invites him to Luxembourg. He is there to witness the opening of the play Antigone, translated by Carson, starring French actress Juliette Binoche and staged by Belgian director Ivo van Hove.

Aitken observes the rehearsals and then the performances, and gets to question Carsons, the actors and the directors creative choices. He succinctly compiles the best of his interviews in the second part of book. He offers insight into the dramatic process, but also stands back to take stock of the productions effect on its audience, and opens the play and the character of Antigone up for critical and political readings.

In Sophokles fifth-century BC Greek tragedy Antigone, the teenage princess of Thebes, rebels against her uncle Kreons law and sneaks outside of the city to bury her "traitor to the state" and fallen brother Polynices. When she is found out, Antigone is sentenced to death and locked in a tomb, where she hangs herself. Although Kreon relents, his pardon comes too late. In turn, his son, engaged to Antigone, kills himself and Kreons grieving wife also takes her own life.

Its a dark play, but as we are witnessing todays political stage of the White House, where a despotic ruler passes laws that jeopardize rights and freedoms long established, Antigones resistance doesnt seem so far removed. Her standing up to a man cloaked in the authority of a corrupt system resonates even further in the context of the #MeToo movement. The play eerily speaks to our world, our fears.

So its not surprising that the book is also the story of Aitkens identification with Antigone and his unravelling  the depression and suicidal thoughts founded in past familial dysfunction and possible abuse Aitken alludes to.

While aspects of travel journalism, memoir and criticism in the book sometimes clash tone-wise, far more important than Aitkens wit, colourful descriptions and pointed observations is his honesty about the effect the play has on him. In exposing his vulnerability, he allows us to embrace our own.

After his immersion in the play, Aitken describes emerging from an unwanted and threatening encounter in the basement of a queer Amsterdam bar  which is suffocating and has an uncanny resemblance to Antigones tomb  and also writes of his devastation at the near death of his dog. This makes sense since for most of us, our resistance to the dumb brutality of todays world will not be the thing of a Greek tragedy, but will occur in the context of our everyday acts and experiences.

Aitken also discusses how Antigones story has influenced various thinkers including Georg Hegel, Virginia Woolf and Judith Butler. This reader groaned seeing Sren Kierkegaards name, but Aikens take on and challenge of Kierkegaards portrayal of Antigone is original and amusing. Even when discussing philosophy, Aitkens writing is clear and visceral, and he never speaks down to his readers.

As disparate as the books three parts are, they work together to convince us that Antigone, similarly to other great art, affects and changes us.

Aitken ends his book with all the major players together after Antigones closing performance  Aitken, Binoche and Carson face each other around Carsons kitchen table. They converse, and Binoches last words reverberate: "I express the worlds pain and try to heal it. Or maybe the expression of it is healing in itself."

In todays political climate, its as good a starting point as any.

Barbara Romanik resides in Winnipeg and is a fiction writer, editor and an academic.
A drop in population that will see Flin Flons per-capita-based provincial grant drop by $125,000 may not turn out so bad after all for the mining city.

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This article was published 10/2/2018 (1311 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A drop in population that will see Flin Flons per-capita-based provincial grant drop by $125,000 may not turn out so bad after all for the mining city.

Flin Flon recently had its provincial grant chopped by 10 per cent to about $1 million per year, due to a falling population. The mining city suffered a 7.8 per cent drop in population, to 4,982 residents, in the 2016 census.

However, a population of 5,000 is also the threshold for which communities pay for RCMP services. Falling below 5,000 residents should see the cost of Flin Flons contract with the RCMP fall by $400,000, to an annual rate of $900,000, said city manager Glenna Daschuk.

One problem: Flin Flon may not see that reduction in its RCMP contract until 2019, she said.

Managers are scrambling to make up the $125,000, Daschuk said. "Thats almost a full mill rate. One mill is a lot for us to make up in other areas," she said. She added that a tax increase is not being considered at this time.

The population loss means trying times for Flin Flon, similar to other northern Manitoba communities.

"There have been some significant changes in the makeup here," Mayor Cal Huntley said.

He attributed the population loss in the mining town to the closing of the copper smelter in 2012, which saw the loss of more than 200 jobs. There has also been an out-migration to year-round residences in the surrounding lake district, including Schist Lake, Bakers Narrows, and Twin Lake, he said.

It also wont get easier in the future for the community, about 600 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg.

Hudbay Minerals is the primary employer in Flin Flon, with a workforce of about 1,300 people, including their Snow Lake mining camp.

However, Flin Flon is in a countdown situation with its long-time 777 Mine.

The mine, which employs about 1,300 people, is now projected to shut down by 2022, an extension of two years from an earlier projection.

"They update us as they go along (on the closing date) and it changes with the price of copper," Huntley said.

The closure will bring major change.

"Were looking at a significant transition, similarly to Thompson," where mining company Vale is also phasing out operations in the coming years, Huntley said.

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However, while the 777 Mine is scheduled to close, Hudbay is hoping to keep open its mills for refining ore from other mines.

Theres a plant that separates metals from the ore, and another for finer milling to make finished-product zinc. Combined, they account for about 400 jobs.

Even if the mills close in a worst-case scenario, Hudbay has told the city the mills will be mothballed with the hope of reopening them again, depending on mineral prices and new mineral discoveries.

Huntley said Flin Flon is looking to diversify its economy, including recasting itself as a retirement community with wilderness and lake country on its doorstep. It also hopes to develop itself as a service and retail centre for the north in both Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

The city has also seen a significant upgrade to the Flin Flon General Hospital, which serves patients from both Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

bill.redekop@freepress.mb.ca
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/2/2018 (1311 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

Last week I watched the Hollywood film Hostiles.

The opening scene features a group of Indians quietly arriving on a farm, savagely killing a farmer and his children, and attempting to kidnap (to likely rape) the farmers wife.

The Indians are later killed, with the widow emptying bullets into a corpse as a kind of retribution.

The reason why these men massacre this "innocent" family is never explained.

In fact, the reasons dont matter. The message is one of paranoia: that savage Indians are always nearby, hidden, and ready to kill defenceless settlers and take their stuff.

Indians must be controlled is the message of Hostiles. Indians otherwise deserve to die.

In a Saskatchewan courtroom on Friday night a jury told almost the same story, finding farmer Gerald Stanley not guilty of the slaying of 22-year-old Cree man Colten Boushie.

The facts of the case are as black and white as a trial can get.

On August 9, 2016, Boushie and four friends arrived on Stanleys farm. The young men state they came for help with a flat tire. Stanley claims they were coming to steal stuff.

Regardless, there was a confrontation. A gun was brandished. The group tried to leave. Stanley says he fired his gun to "scare" them.

Stanley claims his gun then "accidentally" went off, shooting Boushie in the back of the head at point-blank range. The third bullet, he says, was a "hang fire accident"  when a bullet lodges and launches later.

An RCMP forensics expert testified that there was no mechanical dysfunction in the gun.

Stanleys defence, therefore, is that he aggressively fired, then approached Boushie, and the gun went off on its own.

Into the back of Boushies head.

At point blank range.

Even as an expert suggests otherwise.

There are many other factors in this case: of mistreated evidence, of alcohol, of the elimination of Indigenous jurors, and of racism by police telling Boushies mom to "get it together" as she lay weeping on the floor after hearing the news.

But in the end, a jury of Canadians condoned the fatal actions of a farmer acting on his paranoia and Colten Boushie is dead.

Indians are hostiles who must be controlled, right?

The slaying of Colten Bushie didnt start in that Saskatchewan courtroom.

It starts with the Indian Act. The residential school system. The removal of Indigenous communities onto unsuitable reserves, locking communities there with a brutal pass system and controlling every part of our lives from clothing to how to set up our governments.

In Canadas founding document, the 1867 British North America Act, the federal government states they will take control of "Indians and lands reserved for Indians."

What came afterwards was 150 years of paranoia.

Resulting in the shooting death of Colten Boushie.

Whats most remarkable is during these past 150 years Indigenous peoples have not only resisted all of this but acted in a completely different way.

In response to virtually every single violent act and genocidal policy in Canadian history, we have invited Canada into dialogue and ceremony. Offered a hand in partnership. Stubbornly believed in promises of a "nation to nation" relationship.

Even as we have been lied to, every single time. What we have sought  in virtually every single moment in Canadian history  is relationship. Even at the Oka conflict of 1990 activists were trying to talk to Canada about sharing lands and resources right up until the moment police were ordered to fire their guns.

Indigenous peoples are not here to take anyones stuff. We are here to share in the power of a beautiful land. We have lived here far longer than settlers.

All we want is to live in a good way. A healthy and safe way. A place where our homes and children can live this way too.

But we dont live in that place.

We live in a Hollywood movie.

A place where a Manitoba premier speaks of a "preponderance" of Indigenous men shooting guns at night. Where a mayoral candidate's wife tweets about how "drunk Indians" may assault you at any moment downtown. Where human beings such as J.J. Harper, Helen Betty Osborne, Matthew Dumas, Claudette Osborne, Errol Greene, Brian Sinclair and now Tina Fontaine and Colten Bushie die because a country treats them as an "Indian."

At the end of Hostiles there are almost no Indians left. Just one, a parentless child, about to be raised by non-Indians in a far-off place.

All thats really left is settlers, riding off into the sunset to inherit the land.

The difference between film and life is Indigenous peoples are not savage Indians.

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And were not going away. This is our home. Period.

I spend a lot of time wondering how much longer Indigenous peoples will offer peace, kindness, and generosity to a Canada that doesnt want to change.

Friday night my belief took a massive blow.

Hope is hard to find now.

Niigaan Sinclair is an Associate Professor in the Department of Native Studies at the University of Manitoba.
OTTAWA  The federal and provincial environment ministers say theyre still talking, as Ottawas deadline looms for $66 million in carbon retrofits for Manitoba.

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This article was published 10/2/2018 (1311 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  The federal and provincial environment ministers say theyre still talking, as Ottawas deadline looms for $66 million in carbon retrofits for Manitoba.

As the Free Press first reported, federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna gave her provincial counterpart Rochelle Squires a Feb. 28 deadline to endorse Ottawas general climate-change principles, or risk forfeiting Manitobas estimated $66-million share of a fund for carbon-reducing projects.

Catherine McKenna gave her provincial counterpart Rochelle Squires a Feb. 28 deadline to endorse Ottawas general climate-change principles, or risk forfeiting Manitobas estimated $66-million share of a fund for carbon-reducing projects. (Justin Tang / Canadian Press files)

McKennas Dec. 15, 2017, letter surrounds the Pan-Canadian framework on climate change, a document that outlines principles such as the need for carbon pricing, but it does not set targets. Manitoba and Saskatchewan were the only holdouts when the provinces and territories ratified the framework in December 2016.

Squires had raised concerns about the document mentioning the federal carbon-tax target of $50 per tonne by 2022, which Manitobas flat $25 plan will not meet.

McKenna and Squires have been tight-lipped on how talks have been going in the eight weeks since Ottawa issued its ultimatum.

"Im very  cautiously  optimistic with our ongoing dialogue with the federal government," Squires said Wednesday, saying a phone call with McKenna was happening "in short order." Her office confirmed it would not take place by today.

McKenna said officials are in touch with Manitoba, and she expects the province to get on board. But she also repeated that Manitobas flat $25 carbon levy will need to be raised by 2020.

"Were certainly hopeful; we have said that the price, we will be reviewing the price across all jurisdictions, all provinces. But wed be very welcome to have them sign on," McKenna said recently.

"We think theres a great opportunity to work together to tackle climate change, theres a lot of great solutions that Im seeing coming out of Manitoba companies that are really committed to climate action."

Meanwhile, a finance department document uncovered by the website Blacklocks Reporter revealed the federal Liberals are eyeing carbon-price increases that go beyond the 2022 target of $50 per tonne.

The documents wording around "continued increases in stringency in future years" riled up Albertas United Conservative Party last month, which opposes the federal plan.

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McKenna said any changes, such as going above $50, would be made after consulting the provinces.

"We need to have a discussion; we need to look at all of our policies  pricing is one of our policies. But we have all sorts of other measures, whether its investments in clean technologies that might have an impact, or other measures that weve taken. So our plan is to do a review with the provinces and territories," McKenna said.

Squires said the provincial government is putting its attention to its own climate plan, which it argues will make Manitoba "the most climate-resilient, green province in the land," beyond Ottawas target for reducing emissions.

"Im just really focused on what were doing here in Manitoba," she said.

"Manitoba is leading by example on the climate file. We do have a very serious commitment to transitioning to a low-carbon future, and reducing our carbon footprint."

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
AS the court continues to scrutinize evidence against an accused killer, a Manitoba superior court chief justice has ruled against attempts to keep information from the public.

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This article was published 10/2/2018 (1311 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

AS the court continues to scrutinize evidence against an accused killer, a Manitoba superior court chief justice has ruled against attempts to keep information from the public.

Court of Queens Bench Chief Justice Glenn Joyal dismissed two requests for publication bans during Raymond Cormiers second-degree murder trial this week. They would have kept secret the testimony of a former Child and Family Services worker who had contact with Tina Fontaine before she died, and shielded a john who picked up the 15-year-old from the "embarrassment" of seeing his name in news reports.

Raymond Cormier

Although the jury was not present for the two hearings earlier this week, Joyal decided to allow them to be reported in real time  an unusual move during a jury trial, which typically limits reporters to publishing only what jurors hear in court.

The Free Press, along with other news outlets in Winnipeg, fought the bid for the publication ban.

Child and Family Services asked the court to impose a sweeping publication ban that would have kept the public out of the Winnipeg courtroom while the former Southeast CFS worker testified. The agency wanted the judge to exclude all members of the public, including the media, from the courtroom and permanently seal the testimony to keep it from public view.

In his argument Wednesday in front of Joyal, the lawyer acting on behalf of the agency changed his position, arguing the media could be allowed in the courtroom but should not be allowed to report on CFS-related testimony.

David Ireland argued any information from Child and Family Services should be protected in a criminal trial the same way its protected and subject to publication bans during a child-protection hearing in family court, under Manitobas Child and Family Services Act.

Joyal disagreed.

"Privacy and confidentiality are essential to the effective functioning of the Child and Family Services system in Manitoba. Keeping the information of children, families and sources of referral confidential helps to ensure the best interests of children are met. This is best achieved by allowing the witness to testify in camera, or in the alternative, to keep the identity and testimony of the witness confidential by making it subject to a publication ban," Stanford Boulanger, director of Southeast CFS, stated in an affidavit filed in court Jan. 25, four days before Cormiers jury trial began.

After the CFS request was dismissed, former social worker Kimberly Chute testified about a conversation she had with Tina on Aug. 8, 2014, the last day anyone from the agency saw her alive.

Chute said Tina talked that day about her friend "Sebastian," a name Cormier was using, whom she described as a 62-year-old meth user.

In the context of this criminal trial, which has heard details of Tinas drug use and possible sexual exploitation, it would be "incongruous" to allow an adult man who admitted picking up the 15-year-old to "go for a ride" and "party" to keep his identity private, Joyal also ruled.

Richard Mohammed testified earlier this week he picked up Tina around 5 a.m. on Aug. 8, 2014, in an area of Winnipeg he knew sex workers would be, and asked her if she wanted to "party," before he was pulled over and arrested by police who had been following his vehicle.

He said he didnt have any sexual contact with Tina and didnt know she was only 15. In his affidavit, he stated he feared for his own safety and for the health of his family if his identity became known.

"The court can make me testify, but please, it is not necessary to destroy my livelihood and expose me to intimidation and retaliation. I am co-operating. This is embarrassing. Please dont allow it to become worse than it has to be," the affidavit said.

"Regrettably in criminal trials, embarrassing details are forthcoming," Joyal said as he dismissed Mohammeds publication ban request earlier this week. He also spoke about the significance of Cormiers second-degree murder trial for what has become a national conversation in Canada.

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"It is undeniable that the trial is taking place in the context of a much broader dialogue and discussion about murdered and missing Indigenous women and children. In that same context, some focus is being brought to bear on the role of the sex trade and how it frequently exploits those women and young adolescents when for various desperate reasons, they find themselves on the streets," Joyal said during Mondays hearing.

"It would be incongruous indeed, in the context of this trial where that particular part of the narrative is present, for the court to prohibit the press from broadcasting and publishing all the details with respect of one witness who was involved in that aspect of the narrative.

"As we have already heard, the victim in this case, Ms. Fontaine, has herself had parts of her character raised in the content of this trial. Potential drug use, and her potential involvement, however temporary, in the sex trade. Again, it would be incongruous for that to occur and at the same time to order a protection granted to a witness like Mr. Mohammed."

Cormier has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder. His trial continues.

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @thatkatiemay
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/2/2018 (1311 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Editorial

First thing, lets do away with the cutesy nicknames.

Early reports of alleged sexual misconduct by former NDP cabinet minister Stan Struthers noted that the behind-his-back nickname, employed by his legislative contemporaries, was "Minister Tickles."

Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press FILES Former NDP cabinet minister Stan Struthers

What has subsequently been described by more than a half-dozen women who say they were grabbed, groped and worse by the longtime MLA for Dauphin (and Dauphin-Roblin) is not a laughing matter. It is repugnant, and should not be trivialized by attaching a name befitting a Saturday morning kids show character to its alleged perpetrator.

Mr. Struthers, and the party he represented for more than a decade, have a lot to answer for.

That the #MeToo movement arrived in Manitoba politics with such an emphatic thump should surprise no one.

The abuses being exposed in various sectors during the past few months are generational and societal in scope and it was inevitable that the toxic behaviour of powerful men in this province would match the misdeed uncovered in other jurisdictions.

Its also safe to say Mr. Struthers will not be the last Manitoban to be told, in no uncertain terms, that #TimesUp.

The allegations made against the former cabinet minister, who left provincial politics in 2016 after being part of the attempted ouster of premier Greg Selinger, are particularly problematic for the NDP because Mr. Struthers alleged inappropriate behaviour seems to have been widely known within his party. Complaints about inappropriate touching and lewd conversation were met with no deliberate action. The dismissive nickname was attached. One woman said she was told to "suck it up" when she made her objection to the ministers unwelcome attention formal.

And rather than being held to account for the behaviour outlined by the offended women, Mr. Struthers political star continued to rise, peaking with his promotion to the position of finance minister  the most important and responsibility-laden appointment in the cabinet structure.

Past premiers Greg Selinger and Gary Doer must answer directly the necessary questions about what they knew and when. So must the senior support staff who ran the party machinery during the NDPs reign.

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This is, remember, the party that advocated loudly for LGBTTQ* rights in Manitoba schools.

This is the party that questioned the gender-ratio makeup of Brian Pallisters cabinet and the new premiers commitment to gender parity. This is the party that fancied itself the champion of equality and safe spaces.

This is a party that couldnt, or wouldnt, keep its own staffers safe.

It falls, now, to new NDP Leader Wab Kinew  an unproven politician who has not yet managed to outrun his own past charges of domestic violence and misogynist utterances  to clean up the mess and try, somehow, to convince Manitobans his party is changed and is worthy of voters consideration on election day in 2020. It will not be an easy task; his initial description of the issue as "a failure of leadership" is the smallest of steps in the right direction.

While Mr. Kinew is working to meet that commitment, the NDPs ability to challenge the ruling Progressive Conservatives on such issues as health-care reform, labour relations and education funding will be greatly diminished. And political discourse in this province will be much the worse because of it.

It would be wise, however, for Manitobas PCs and Liberals to tread lightly as they seek to exploit Mr. Struthers fall from grace for political gain. Theres very little likelihood, over on Broadway, that #MeToos skeletons are confined to NDP closets.
MINNEAPOLIS  An unprecedented cluster of Minnesotans aspiring to become jihadists overseas fuelled the United States highest rate of terrorism recruitment, according to a new study that also found that attempts to travel to Syria or Iraq are on a steady decline since 2015.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/2/2018 (1311 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MINNEAPOLIS  An unprecedented "cluster" of Minnesotans aspiring to become jihadists overseas fuelled the United States highest rate of terrorism recruitment, according to a new study that also found that attempts to travel to Syria or Iraq are on a steady decline since 2015.

The number of Americans to successfully join the Islamic State group is just a fraction of the several thousand Europeans who have made it into its ranks. But researchers at George Washington Universitys Program on Extremism found that Minnesota, particularly the Twin Cities, has seen an unusually active rate of jihadist mobilization with roots in an earlier wave of departures to join Somalias al-Shabab militants in the late 2000s.

In a report released Monday called "The Travelers: American Jihadists in Syria and Iraq," three terrorism scholars described a Twin Cities cluster more akin to terror conspiracy hubs in Belgian and French neighbourhoods than the more common one- and two-off efforts more typically foiled by American law enforcement.

"The relatively high number of travellers is a reflection of the personal connections," Seamus Hughes, one of the reports authors, said Monday. "Brothers, roommates and friends of individuals who travelled to join al-Shabab in Somalia were part of the group that travelled to Syria. Personal connections still matter a great deal to successfully make it to conflict areas."

The report  authored by Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens, Hughes and Bennett Clifford  looked at seven Minnesota cases of successful travellers who were part of a group of 64 Americans who travelled to join jihadist groups in Syria and Iraq since 2011. They found at least another 50 Americans who were stopped from trying to travel overseas and added that both data sets "pale in comparison to recruitment" from some European cities.

But while the most popular form of "jihadist mobilization" has recently been travelling to join groups like IS abroad, the recent loss of territory and calls for a renewed focus on attacks in the West have contributed to a steady drop in traveller cases since 2015, the report found.

"The concern is that, absent a physical space to travel to, their focus will shift elsewhere to avenging the loss of the Islamic State," Hughes said. "Weve seen Islamic State propaganda romanticizing the lost caliphate and calling for those to commit attacks out of revenge."

Though all but one of the publicly identified Minnesota travellers were male, the states travellers were much younger than the reports average age of 27. The report cautioned that researchers have been unable to identify a single profile of would-be jihadists.

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Minnesotas successful travellers  like Hanad Mohallim and Abdi Nur  kept in touch with friends back home as they attempted to follow them to Syria in 2014 and 2015. The report cited a senior law enforcement official involved in the investigation as saying that had Abdullahi Yusuf not raised suspicions during his passport application interview, Yusuf might never have been stopped from boarding a May 2014 flight to Istanbul the day before Nur left on a similar flight undetected.

The tip triggered the nations largest terror recruitment probe, netting nine convictions and additional charges in absentia against those who made it overseas.

The researchers called the Minnesota case "the one known exception to the norm of American traveller networks" in that the group transcended several friend and family circles and included at least 15 people directly. Co-conspirators had connections to al-Shabab members, like Mohamed Hassan, a former Minneapolis high school student who has been under indictment since 2009 for allegedly joining the group in Somalia.

The U.S. attorneys office in Minnesota has not charged anyone with trying to support terrorists since the 2016 case. Federal agents in Minnesota have more recently been looking for links to terrorism in violent cases like the 2016 stabbing at the Crossroads Center mall in St. Cloud, Minn., for which IS claimed credit, and in a pair of Twin Cities cases still being assessed by law enforcement.

Mahad A. Abdirahman, 20, surprised federal authorities last month when he told a Hennepin County judge that he sought to answer the call of IS leader Abu-Bakr al-Baghdadi when he stabbed two men at the Mall of America last fall. Original charging documents didnt list a motive and suggested Abdirahman had psychological problems. He is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 16 and a plea deal calls for him to serve 15 years  five years more than either of the six Minnesotans sentenced last year after pleading guilty to conspiring to support the Islamic State group.

 Star Tribune
The coalition agreement reached February 7 between the Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) and the Social Democratic Party (SPD) lays the basis for the formation of the most right-wing government in Germany since the downfall of the Nazi regime. The incoming government represents the interests of the banks, the major corporations and the super-rich. It will continue the attacks on the working class and launch a massive military build-up at home and abroad.

The Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (Socialist Equality Party) opposes such a government and calls for new elections. The grand coalition has no democratic legitimacy. It was rejected at the polls on September 24, 2017, and is now supported by less than a third of the electorate. It is the outcome of a conspiracy involving the banks, the employers associations, the military, the intelligence agencies and the bourgeois parties. Sealed off from the public, their representatives have spent four-and-a-half months negotiating and intriguing to bring a right-wing government to power.

The working class has a right to know where the grand coalition is headed. This applies not only to the coalition agreementthe true contents of which are being concealed, sugarcoated and distorted by the media and the political partiesbut also to the wide-ranging secret deals reached and the content of the discussions held behind the scenes. The SGP demands that all secret protocols and lists of participants in the coalition talks be published.

The 450,000 SPD members, who will vote on the coalition agreement in the coming weeks, have a right to know what was really agreed. They must demand that all details about the coalition negotiations be placed on the table. Otherwise, they will serve as dupes, signing off on policies of which they have not been informed or given the opportunity to assess.

A brief review of the coalition pact demonstrates that many agreements that would be met with strong opposition are merely hinted at. For example, the document states that Germany has an interest in being part of strategic discussions about and procedural planning for nuclear weapons. In plain language, this can only mean that the grand coalition wants to have nuclear weapons.

What was agreed on this issue? Are there plans for the construction of a German atomic bomb? Has a deal been reached with French President Emmanuel Macron to secure German participation in Frances Force de frappe? Macrons predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy, made Germany such an offer in 2007, but Chancellor Angela Merkel rejected it at the time.

In addition, the coalition agreement commits the government to NATOs agreed upon capability goals and the best possible equipment for the armys soldiers. But while the budgets for every other area of spending are carefully quantified and calculated, no figures are given on the military budget, even though much larger sums of money are involved.

What precisely was agreed upon? The grand coalition obviously intends to reach NATOs goal of spending 2 percent of GDP on defence, which would correspond to a doubling of the annual military budget to 70-80 billion.

What spending cuts will this entail, given the commitment to a balanced budget and the refusal to increase taxes on the rich? What will be the consequences for social outlays and proposed additional spending, which throughout the entire legislative period will amount to 46 billion, or around 12 billion per year? Has a new agenda policy, modeled on the Agenda 2010 cost-cutting programme, been agreed?

One can point to dozens of similar passages in the text which are unclear or designed to keep the reader in the dark.

A campaign led by the media and the SPD leadership is underway to conceal the agreements reactionary character. There is hardly any reporting on the military and foreign policy goals indicated in the deal, even though they are its central concern. Instead, secondary issues are being blown out of all proportion, and band aid measures, such as an increase in child benefit of 25 over four years, are being hailed as great social reforms.

Every line in the 177-page document is steeped in the spirit of the military, the intelligence agencies and the think tanks that have for years been calling for a revival of German militarism and a European great power policy. Central to this is Germanys return to an aggressive and militarist foreign policy and the transformation of the European Union, in cooperation with France, into a military alliance armed to the teeth.

The document identifies countries, regions and entire continents that are once again viewed as belonging to German imperialisms sphere of influencefrom the Western Balkans to Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Afghanistan, the Middle East, Persian Gulf and North Africa, as well as the rest of Africa, Latin America and Asia.

The CDU/CSU and SPD have agreed to extend the armys current military interventions, take further steps towards an army of Europeans, and accelerate the already-begun renewal, modernisation and expansion of the army.

The austerity policies of previous governments, which threw millions of workers into poverty and unemployment, are to be continued in Germany and throughout Europe. The agreement pledges to maintain a balanced budget and stick to the European stability and growth pact.

Domestically, the grand coalition plans to erect a police state to suppress the mounting opposition among workers and young people to social attacks, militarism and war. The catalogue of measures being demanded includes close to 15,000 new employees for the intelligence agencies at the state and federal level, and 2,000 new employees for the judiciary. The document also calls for the militarisation of the police, expansion of video surveillance, strengthening of the intelligence services and expansion of Internet surveillance. With the nomination of CSU leader Horst Seehofer to head the Interior Ministry, to be relabeled Homeland (Heimat) Ministry, a hard-line law-and-order domestic policy will be assured.

On refugee policy, the coalition agreement adopts the demands of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). Annual immigration will be limited to 180,000 to 220,000 people, asylum seekers will be confined in centralised camps, those required by law to leave will be ruthlessly deported, and the internal and external EU borders will be sealed off.

There is a long and disastrous tradition in Germany of conspiracies and secret deals. The end of the Weimar Republic was dominated by such machinations. Already three years before Hitler came to power, succeeding governments no longer relied on parliament, but rather on emergency decrees and presidential edicts. Anyone who denounced rearmament, like Carl von Ossietzky, wound up in prison.

Then on January 30, 1933, a clique around President Paul von Hindenburg, backed by the major industrialists, the military and other reactionary forces, named Adolf Hitler as chancellor, even though his party had suffered a severe electoral setback two months earlier.

Under conditions of a deepening global crisis of capitalism, mounting conflicts with the US, China and Russia, and the danger of a wider war in the Middle East and war in East Asia, German imperialism is resorting to the criminal methods of the past. This is made clear in the coalition agreement, which states: New strategic priorities for the United States, the rise of China, and Russias policy make clear that Europe must take its fate into its hands more than ever before.

We call upon all SPD members voting in the coming days on the coalition agreement to oppose it. A continuation of the grand coalition to prepare for war and new social attacks cannot be permitted.

However, the right-wing conspiracy, which is supported by all the parliamentary parties and large sections of the European bourgeoisie, can be stopped only by the independent political mobilisation of the working class on the basis of a socialist programme. The strikes in the automotive and electrical industries in recent weeks demonstrated the militant potential that exists in the working class.

But the IG Metall union did everything in its power to shut down the strikes on the eve of the publication of the coalition agreement. The German Trade Union Confederation and its member unions are among the strongest advocates of a grand coalition and its right-wing policies.

In the coming weeks, the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei will wage an intensive campaign in the working classes and at schools and universities to expose the reactionary machinations of the ruling class. Together with its sister parties in France and Britain, the SGP will build a powerful socialist movement throughout Europe against war, dictatorship and capitalism. The demands for the publication of all secret agreements and for new elections are important steps in this process.
Asia

Indian labor commissioner orders union to end port agents workers strike

Over 1,000 port agents workers at the New Mangalore Port Trust have been on strike since January 29. The strikers are demanding that contractors from over 20 stevedores and commission and forwarding agents at the port facility be made permanent and provided the same pay and conditionssuch as health care, minimum wages, bonuses and pensionsas permanent employees.

The strike is being led by the All-India Central Council of Trade Unions, which is affiliated to the Maoist Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist). Talks were held with some of the employers and the Labor commissioner on February 6. The commissioner ordered the union to shut down the strike.

Mid-day meal workers protest in India

Hundreds of mid-day meal scheme workers staged a sit-in protest in Hyderabad, the state Telengana capital, on February 1 to demand that the government terminate its agreement with a non-governmental organisation and stop the privatisation of 2,000 mid-day meal workers.

On Monday mid-day meal workers from across Karnataka staged a protest outside Freedom Park in Bengaluru to demand better wages and government recognition of their work. They later demonstrated outside the residence of Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Tanveer Sait. It was the second time in the past 12 months that the midday meal workers have protested at the park. They staged a similar protest from September 12 to 14 last year and refused to leave unless their demands were met.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa health workers demand allowance in Pakistan

Hundreds of health department workers from the Malakand division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa struck on Tuesday and protested outside the Saidu Teaching Hospital, Mingora to demand a health professional allowance.

The workers, which include midwives, sweepers, security, technical and clerical employees, accused the government of reneging on previous promises. According to the Malakand Division Paramedical Association, the government has falsely promised three times to grant the allowance.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa health sector employees have repeatedly fought for the professional allowance, which is paid to doctors and nurses and other health workers.

Lady Health Workers demand permanency in Pakistan

Large numbers of Lady Health Workers program employees demonstrated on Tuesday at Ghalanai in Pakistans Federally Administered Tribal Areas. The workers have not been paid for eight months and, although employed continuously in 2004, remain temporary employees. The protest, which was held outside Mohmand Press Club, blocked the Peshawar-Bajaur Road.

The Lady Health Workers program provides essential health services, including vaccinations, in the poverty-stricken and remote regions of Pakistan. The workers are often paid sub-minimum wages. Despite protracted struggles only a small portion of the large workforce, which is spread across the country, have been given permanent jobs. The protest in Ghalanai was called off after government authorities promised to address the workers demands.

Pakistan: Punjab brick kiln workers demand minimum wages

Workers from 72 brick kilns in Chiniot in Punjab demonstrated on Tuesday to demand payment of the government regulated minimum wage of 1,110 rupees ($US10.01) per 1,000 bricks. They are currently paid only 850 rupees.

The kiln workers are among the most exploited in the Pakistan working class and are often forced to seek support of family members to meet daily production targets.

The protest was called off after government authorities claimed they would resolve the issue. While kiln workers in Punjab are rarely paid the mandated minimum wage, the government has refused to take any measures against the kiln owners. Kiln owners, with the tacit support of the police, frequently deploy thugs against workers.

Sri Lankan non-academic university employees stop work

Non-academic workers from Sri Lankan public universities held a two-day strike starting Tuesday to demand a monthly compensatory allowance from January as previously promised by the university grant commission. Some 15,000 employees from 16 universities participated in the walkout, paralysing services at the facilities.

The strike was called by the Inter University Trade Union Committee (IUTUC), a coalition of several unions. The IUTUC has threatened an indefinite strike from February 15 if university authorities fail to address the issue.

Sri Lankan water employees strike for pay rise

Government Water Board workers in Sri Lanka launched an indefinite strike on Monday to demand a 25 percent salary increase.

While strikers threatened to maintain the walkout until they won their demands, the strike was called off on Tuesday by a water board employees union alliance, which claimed to have made a deal with management. Authorities have promised to increase salaries by 15 percent and award a 10 percent allowance.

Thailand: Burmese workers who complained of abuse face criminal charges





On Wednesday, 13 Burmese (Myanmar) migrant works were hauled before a Bangkok court to face charges laid in October in the first-ever criminal defamation case involving employees. One of the 14 workers charged was excused because of pregnancy.





Fourteen workers filed a complaint in 2016 with Thailands National Human Rights Commission that an employer at Thammakaset farm had made them work forced overtime, paid below the minimum wage, confiscated their passports and restricted their freedom of movement. Foreign workers, particularly those from Burma, are brutally exploited in Thailand. There have been numerous cases of slavery and human trafficking.





The response of the employer was to deny all the allegations of abuse and claimed the workers voluntarily worked at nights and to sleep next to the chicken warehouse. In the landmark case the employer claims damage to reputation. The farm lost a contract with the food conglomerate Betagro as a result of the compliant.





The workers face up to two years imprisonment. The case was due to end yesterday and a ruling expected next month. Human rights campaigners have said the case reflects the need for protection for migrant workers in Thailand.

Australia

Australian Paper workers continue strike

A strike by 90 workers at Australian Paper (AP) in Preston, Victoria is continuing with the company refusing to negotiate unless there is a return to work. The company is the countrys largest envelope and school exercise book manufacturer.

The workers, members of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, have been on strike since January 16 over a new enterprise agreement (EBA). The previous agreement expired in March 2017. The workers have only received $300 per week strike pay over the past three weeks to sustain themselves and their families.

The company wants the number of annual rostered days off to be cut from 16 to 12 and a wage freeze imposed on the more highly paid workers at the plant. Hourly rates for female workers are only $21 or around $43,000 per annum before tax. Male workers received a slightly higher rate based on job allocation. A majority of full time workers have been at the plant for more than 20 years but receive no recognition for service, skill or experience.

Australian Paper is a subsidiary of Japanese based Nippon Paper Group, one of the 10 largest companies in the world in the forest, paper and packaging industry.

Construction workers demonstrate in Queensland

Dozens of construction workers rallied outside Queensland Alumina Limitedone of the largest alumina refineries in the worldto protest the casualisation of Monadelphous Engineering workers in Gladstone, 400 kilometres north of Brisbane.

Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) spokesperson Phil Golby says the maintenance contracting company has been replacing permanent employees with casuals and is seeking to remove weekend and public holiday penalty rates, casual loading and overtime. He said that Monadelphous Engineering workers have had their pay frozen since 2015 and a variation in a previous agreement has been used to cut wages by 17 percent.

The AMWU has been negotiating an enterprise bargaining agreement with Monadelphous Engineering since mid-2016. It took no action against the wage cut in 2016

Early childhood workers to strike

Early Childhood Education workers are set to walk off the job on March 27 as a pay dispute between the United Voice union and the federal government drags on.

The action is part of a campaign to bring childcare wages up to those paid in comparable industries where men are paid more. A childcare worker with 18 months training earns just $3 an hour above the minimum wage. The union is asking for a 35 percent wage increase.

In May last year a ballot of early childhood education workers, who are predominantly female, voted 95 percent in favour of a campaign of nationwide walk offs. There have already been two national strikes last yearin March and Septemberinvolving several thousand workers.

On Tuesday, a union application lodged back in 2013 for a 35 percent pay increase for childhood workers was thrown out by the Fair Work Commission (FWC). The FWC ruled that the union did not present any contemporary evidence to justify the increase. The FWC is Australias pro-business industrial tribunal that was introduced in 2009 by the federal Labor government of Kevin Rudd, with the full support of the unions.
One week ago, YouTube blocked a video opposing the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).

The anti-AfD video by the left-wing, socialist channel Political Analysis remained blocked for a number of hours. The video shows how right-wing groups exploited the murder of a young German girl by an Afghani youth at the end of last year to whip up a pogrom-type sentiment against refugees. The video ends with the words: For over two years you have been agitating against refugees day and night, as if there was nothing else going on. This is as miserable as the political consensus today

The video was evidently censored following appeals by far-right circles to YouTube. In a message, the editor of the channel, Andreas Niess, told his audience: YouTube sent me its stupid STANDARD message, so much for community rules. They did not even check the video, but blocked it. Just because the right-wing trolls have fun reporting my videos in response to their content. YouTube has become an anti-social platform where racists and fascists spread their trash every day.

Niess told the World Socialist Web Site that right-wing activists had declared they would report his videos to YouTube shortly before the suspension came into effect. Niess could not confirm that the recently passed Network Enforcement Act (NetzDG) was used to censor his video. But it could be that it played a role. Typically, there was no information about who or what was behind the decision. The blocking of the video was justified under the rubric bullying and stalking and originally was due to run for three months.

The fact that YouTube has censored a channel that sharply attacks the witch-hunts of right-wing extremists confirms the warnings made by the World Socialist Web Site. Under the pretext of combating fake news, hate speech or bullying and stalking on the Internet, it is mainly leftist and socialist anti-war websites which are being suppressed. Since the end of April, Google (the parent company of YouTube), in close coordination with German government circles, has been censoring leftist and progressive websites, including the World Socialist Web Site.

The ruling class is pursuing the same goal with its NetzDG law, which was drafted by Minister of Justice Heiko Maas (Social Democratic Party, SPD) and passed by the grand coalition government. It has been in force since January 1. In recent weeks, left-wing sites and material have been repeatedly censored, including Twitter messages from the satirical magazine Titanic directed against the AfD, and anti-fascist posts by the well-known Berlin street artist Barbara.

Political Analysis" is a YouTube channel with over 7,000 subscribers that campaigns against war and in favour of socialism. The current logo of the channel is a graphic with the inscription No war on Syria. The top of the page shows the three last presidents of the United States, George Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump, each labeled with the words war and world war. It also states: There is a worldwide crisis of capitalism. Cause: Capitalism. Solution: Socialist Revolution. Duty: Independent working class. Duty: Fall of capitalism.

Political Analysis regularly posts articles from the World Socialist Web Site and provides information about its activities. In recent days, there have been links to WSWS articles on the growing strike wave in Germany and the appeal by the Socialist Equality Party (SGP) For the expansion of the strike and new elections. In mid-January, Andreas Niess also promoted the webinar on internet censorship, featuring journalist Chris Hedges and WSWS Chairman David North.

Against a background of growing popular resistance to war and austerity, the ruling class is desperately trying to suppress political views that reject the official political line of the government, military, and intelligence services. The next federal government has already announced it will intensify censorship of the internet.

The SPD and CDU/CSU expressly support the NetztDG in their draft program for a new edition of a grand coalition. The document describes the law as a real and important step in combating hate crime and criminal social media. It is already clear that the law will increasingly be used to censure left-wing and socialist content on the internet. The NetzDG falls under the jurisdiction of the legal committee of the Bundestag, whichwith the support of all the parliamentary partiesis headed by a member of the AfD.

These dangerous developments underline the importance of the appeal by the WSWS for an international coalition against internet censorship. Opposition must be mobilised against the alliance of the political establishment, multibillion-dollar internet corporations and extreme right-wing circles that is determined to abolish the right to freedom of expression on the internet and erect a capitalist police state in the 21st century.

The WSWS calls on all socialist, anti-war, left-wing and progressive websites, organisations and activists to read the open letter from the WSWS International Editorial Board and support the coalition against internet censorship.
In the latest installment of theres a tweet for everything, a 2012 musing from President Trump has begun to make the rounds online.

After defending his former staff secretary Rob Porter  who resigned Wednesday amid accusations of domestic violence by two former wives  Twitter sleuths found an old tweet from Trump about Chris Brown and his former girlfriend, Rihanna. In 2009, a 19-year-old Brown pleaded guilty to one count of felony assault on the pop star.

If @rihanna is dating @chrisbrown again then she has a death wish, Trump wrote A beater is always a beaterjust watch!

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Also Read: Trump Declines to Condemn Rob Porter: 'He Says He's Innocent'

The beater is always a beater line was a far cry from the position Trump staked out in the Oval Office Friday when asked about his former staff secretary.

He says hes innocent and I think you have to remember that, said Trump.

We wish him well. He worked very hard. I found out about it recently and I was surprised by it. But we certainly wish him well, its obviously a tough time for him, Trump added. He did a very good job when he was in the White House and we hope he has a wonderful career. It was very sad when we heard about it and certainly hes also very sad.

The Internet went to town  with CNNs Jake Tapper leading the way.

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Also Read: Top White House Aide Rob Porter Resigns After Domestic Abuse Accusations

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Also Read: Rob Porter's Ex-Wife Says He Asked Her to 'Downplay' Domestic Abuse Accusations

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"Omarosa was fired three times on The Apprentice"



 Raj Shah dismisses comments from former White House aide Omarosa Manigault on Celebrity Big Brother pic.twitter.com/EnmeXZUw3M  Jon Levine (@LevineJonathan) February 8, 2018

White House Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah wasnt having any of former White House aide Omarosa Manigaults recent shade on Celebrity Big Brother.

When asked about the former West Wing staffer, Shah dismissed her as an unimportant person in President Trumps orbit, working in a snide allusion to her former days on The Apprentice.

Omarosa was fired three times on The Apprentice and this is the fourth time we let her go, said Shah to a smattering of laughter. She had limited contact with the president while here. She has no contact now.

Also Read: Omarosa Manigault Moves Into the 'Big Brother: Celebrity Edition' House

Omarosa warned after leaving the White House that she would be dishing the dirt  eventually. That seemingly began to come out on her latest move, as a reality show contestant on Celebrity Big Brother. In one moment while talking to former Jay Leno intern Ross Mathews, she opened up about the struggles she faced in Washington.

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I was haunted by tweets every single day, Omarosa told Mathews in hushed, emotional tones. Its not my circus, its not my monkeys, Id like to say not my problem but I cant say that because its bad.

Omarosa was criticized by many during her time in the White House as a do-nothing, overpaid aide who exerted a strongly negative influence on President Trump. Her access to him was sharply curtailed after Gen. John Kelly was installed as Chief of Staff and she was reportedly barred from visiting him in the Oval Office.

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'Celebrity Big Brother' Showrunner Says Omarosa Is 'Polarizing,' 'Playing to Win'

Omarosa Manigault Moves Into the 'Big Brother: Celebrity Edition' House

Omarosa Rips 'Petty' Robin Roberts for 'Bye Felicia' Diss: 'It's a Black Woman Civil War'

Robin Roberts Shades Omarosa on White House Ouster: 'Bye, Felicia' (Video)
Alyssa

Police have charged a 19-year-old Washington man with rape and homicide of an 18-year-old girl who overdosed on drugs while inside his mobile home.

According to the Herald Net, Alyssa Mae Noceda met Brian Varela at a party last Saturday night. They went back to his house and she reportedly overdosed on drugs.

However, while she was dying, Varela texted photos of her to his friends.

RELATED: New Details About The Missing 5-Year-Old Girl Who Was Found Under A Trailer After A 14-Year-Old Boy Sexually Assaulted And Abandoned Her

"LOL I think she od'd, still breathing," he reportedly wrote in one message. He also indicated that he was having sex with her while she was in that condition to "pass the time. "

Varela's roommate told police that he saw Noceda alive after 9 p.m. Saturday night. But by Sunday morning, she was dead.

Facebook

According to Varela, the girl had taken multiple drugs that caused her to overdose. The roommate supposedly told him to call the police, but instead, Verela went to work at Dairy Queen.

It was there that he told his co-workers that a girl died while having sex with him. He said he didn't call for help because he was "too tired."

He also said he put Noceda's body in a plastic box and made plans to bury her when he got home.

RELATED: Awful New Details Revealed About The 2-Year-Old Girl Found Frozen To Death On Her Family's Front Porch

One of Varela's co-workers called police after they saw Facebook posts from Noceda's mother that indicated she went missing Saturday night.

The teen was arrested at his home and he reportedly gave officers a detailed account of the crime. He said once he realized Noceda had died, he used her thumb to unlock her phone and post a message to Snapchat suggesting she was running away.

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Police found Noceda's body stuffed into a plastic crate inside his mobile home. During his hearing on Wednesday, he appeared to be smirking.

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A prosecutor described his behavior as "a callous and shocking disregard for human life."

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Emily Blackwood is an editor at YourTango who covers pop culture, true crime, dating, relationships and everything in between. Every Wednesday at 7:20 p.m. you can ask her any and all questions about self-love, dating, and relationships LIVE on YourTangos Facebook page. You can follow her on Instagram (@blackw00d) and Twitter (@emztweetz).

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Prince William and Kate Middleton have made it no secret that they are major Game of Thrones fans, so it was only fitting that Queen Daenerys herself make an appearance during a special event at Kensington Palace.

Clad in a floral Dolce & Gabbana dress paired with beige pumps, Emilia Clarke took the stage Thursday night to present at Londons Centerpoint Awards, which celebrates the courage shown by homeless young people.

The actress made sure to have a little bit of fun around the royals home before she called it a nightand she documented it on Instagram.

While its unclear if the Duke of Cambridge was able to pry any GoT Season 8 spoilers out of Clarke (he and Middleton have a thing for trying that with cast members), the actress joked that she managed to find a few dragon eggs on the grounds.

That moment when you find your gold leaf baby (dragon) eggs ... at Kensington palace #thankgoodnesstheloorollisntgoldleaf #andapparentlytheirthronehasanalarm, she captioned a snap of herself smiling as she stood over the tiny gold-splattered eggs.

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She went on to gush about the event, captioning a Boomerang of herself holding up a card with a smooch next to a magician who performed at it. "@centrepointuk this evening has been magical for so many reasons @troymagician made that literal, she wrote. The plight that so many young people face as a result of homelessness can seem insurmountable but tonight I met and heard about those incredible young people who made it not only possible to turn it around but soar and survive instead. @centrepointuk hella yeah. #mindblowingcouragemainginspirationalhumans.

Prince William and Middleton previously tried to get Games of Thrones star Tom Wlaschiha to spill the proverbial beans on show when they visited Germany last July. "They said they really liked Game of Thrones and have watched every [season]," Wlaschiha told The Evening Standard. "They wanted spoilers but I said I couldnt tell them."

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The royals have also dished on just how much they love the show and revealed that its one of their favorite shows to binge. Were both quite keen on box sets, when we get time in the evening, William told Radio One last April. Weve watched Homeland. Were big fans. Weve watched Game of Thrones.

She has yet to post a snap of herself hanging out with Prince William, but the pair were near each other during the event:

It'd be a shocker if they let their chance for a selfie pass them by.
The Kardashians are on a shading spree right now. Don't worry, though, it's not against Bette Midler or Taylor Swift or complex carbohydrates. (Didn't you hear? Khloe and Kim Kardashian just pulled up to a McDonald's drive-thru in a Rolls Royce!) They have their eyes set on someone within their own inner circle: Chicago West. Just kidding! Who they're shading is someone who cries and whines way more than 3-week old Chicago: It's Burger King Correspondent and Lord of, Well, Something Scott Disick.

That's right, the Kardashian sisters can't stop, won't stop dissing Scott Disick's relationship with 19-year-old Sofia Richieand, to be honest, it's pretty hilarious. I know that age is just a number and we shouldn't judge people's relationships, but let's be real here for a sec: Disick has a history of dating 19-year-olds. Remember when he and Bella Thorne did some stuff in Cannes? Or when he was linked to this Kendall Jenner doppelganger? This, mixed with the fact he flipped out on Kourtney Kardashian for dating a 24-year-old model, makes him an A+ candidate for a little playful jabbing.

Queen Kendall kicked things off on Instagram, naturally. She cheekily commented, "Aww, Scott and his kids" on a photo of Disick and Richie together. Then, she reached new levels of petty by referring to her horse as "dragon," which is the name of Richie's horse that recently passed away. The latter post isn't exactly confirmed shade, but read between the lines, people. This is some major equestrian drama.

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And this is bubbling over to the mother ship known as Keeping Up With the Kardashians. In this Sunday's episode, matriarch and grand supreme Kris Jenner asks Disick about his relationship with Richie, and her comments are delicious.

"Wait, so how old is she? Because I really don't know! Is she Kylie's age?" Jenner, who no-doubt has access to Google, asks Disick on national television. Disick replies "19," to which Jenner, who, again, knows about the Internet, says, "And you're...32?" Disick is 34.

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Jenner acts so surprised when Disick says "34" and then starts reminiscing about meeting her late husband, Robert Kardashian. She was 17, and he was 12 years her senior. "You were underage, and [Richie's] not," Disick says, and Jenner quips back, "Touche."

Watch the exchange for yourself, below:

Frankly, Jenner deserves an Emmy for pretending to not know facts just so Disick squirms on camera. Step aside, Elisabeth Moss.

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Photo credit: Instagram

From Good Housekeeping

Mike Tirico and Katie Couric were cohosts during NBC's broadcast of the Winter Olympics opening ceremony, which aired in the U.S. on Friday night. The ceremony kicked off the 2018 games, which are being held in PyeongChang, South Korea this year, and it was Couric's big return to NBC.

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The ceremony was filled with spectacle, symbolism, and national pride. But some viewers didn't take too kindly to the commentary on the NBC broadcast, and took to social media to vent that they felt it distracted from the technical beauty of the event. Others felt their commentary focused too much on the threat from North Korea while not paying attention to South Korea's merits as host.

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Ankara (AFP) - Eleven Turkish soldiers were killed on Saturday, including two military personnel when a helicopter was downed, in the bloodiest day in Ankara's offensive against a Kurdish militia in northern Syria.

On January 20, Turkey launched a military operation against the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia in the Afrin region, backing Syrian rebels with air strikes and ground troops.

"At this stage, we can say that one out of two helicopters was downed. We have two martyrs," Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said in televised remarks.

The Turkish military later said nine more soldiers were killed in separate incidents but did not give details.

Another 11 soldiers were injured after the offensive's bloodiest day for Turkish military personnel, the army said.

Yildirim said the helicopter was on a mission in the Afrin region as part of Ankara's offensive dubbed Operation "Olive Branch".

Ankara says the YPG is a "terrorist" offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged a three-decade insurgency inside Turkey and is blacklisted by Washington and the European Union.

Mustefa Bali, spokesman for the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces dominated by the YPG, said on Twitter that a helicopter had been hit in the Rajo area of northwest Afrin, near the Turkish border.

But the state-run news agency Anadolu said the incident happened in the southern border province of Hatay, with the private Dogan news agency saying authorities were trying to reach the wreckage in the Kirikhan district.

Earlier, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said a helicopter had been shot down without saying who was responsible.

"Of course, these kinds of things will happen. We are in a war. We will have losses, but we will cause the other side to have losses as well," he said in a televised speech, vowing to make the perpetrators pay "a much heavier price".

- 'Threat to Turkey' -

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The Turkish military said one of its helicopters crashed at 1300 (1000 GMT) killing two military personnel but did not give a reason for the incident, only saying that an investigation had been launched.

Last Saturday, seven Turkish troops died in the second worst single-day loss of the operation so far, with five killed in a tank attack.

Some 1,141 "terrorists" had been neutralised during the operation, Erdogan said, referring to those killed but also those captured or wounded.

It was not immediately possible to verify this figure.

Yildirim earlier said Turkey had not launched its operation in Afrin to enter into a war or because it had "an eye" on another country's territory.

"Excuse me but no state would ignore a terror organisation growing like a tumour next to it," he said.

"This is a threat to Turkey which Ankara has the natural right to fight under international and domestic law," Yildirim added.
Kyle Mizokami

Security,

Think B-2 Bombers and F-16s.

How the Air Force Would Destroy North Korea

The RQ-4 Global Hawk is ideally suited to the role. Capable of flying for more than thirty-four hours, Global Hawk could fly from airfields as far away as Guam, spend half a day over North Korea, and go home againfreeing up tarmac space in closer air facilities. Global Hawks ability to conduct surveillance day or night is a major plus and its unblinking gaze will be invaluable in tracking enemy movements. Another less well known feature that will be important over North Korea: Global Hawks Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) will provide a secure communications link between troops on the ground and close air support aircraft.

In any conflict in the skies over North Korea, the U.S. Air Force will likely follow a familiar pattern. First, it will need to sweep the skies of enemy fightersnot a difficult prospect considering the decrepit state of the North Korean air force. Concurrent with that will be a campaign to shut down the countrys command and control and air defense systems, and finally a close air support and interdiction campaign designed to support friendly forces and locate and destroy enemy ground forces. Here are five weapons systems the air force would need for these missions in the next war in North Korea.

B-2 Spirit Bomber

North Koreas air defenses are dense but outdated, relying on anti-aircraft guns and, with the exception of a S-300 long range SAM knockoff, fairly obsolete. Despite their obsolescence, most aircraft would need careful planning to avoid being shot down.

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The B-2 Spirit bomber, being stealthy would have relatively little to fear from North Korean defenses. The B-2s combination of stealth, payload, and range would make it one of the first weapons to be used early in a war scenario, chasing down the DPRK leadership. Uncertainty over where the leadership may try to hide could necessitate flying over large swathes of the country, and a stealthy bomber could also prevent neighboring countries from giving Pyongyang advance warning of their approach.

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Recommended: North Korea has Thousands of Tons of Chemical Weapons

One arrow in the B-2s quiver that makes it particularly relevant is the Massive Ordnance Penetrator, or MOP. The twenty foot long, thirty thousand pound bomb can reportedly penetrate up to sixty feet of concrete or two hundred feet of earth, making it the most effective nonnuclear weapon against North Korean underground facilities. A B-2 bomber can carry two MOP bombs at once.

Recommended: Why the Korean War May Have Never Really Ended

KC-135 Stratotanker

The distance between North Korea and U.S. bases on Okinawa, Guam, and even Japan dictate that any future air campaign would need extensive tanker support. Air force tankers would not only supply U.S. Air Force aircraft but also U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and even Republic of Korea Air Force warplanes.

The bulk of aerial tanker duties would fall on the KC-135 Stratotanker. First deployed in 1956, each KC-135 can carry up to 200,000 pounds of fuel for thirsty fighters, bombers, transports and special mission aircraft operating over or near North Korea. The tanker has both boom (U.S. and ROK Air Force) and drogue (U.S. Navy and Marine Corps) refueling systems, and some can refuel two aircraft at once. 167 KC-135s are still operational worldwide.

C-130J Hercules

North Korea will be a difficult country to get into, and one of the first things allied forces on the ground would do is begin securing North Korean airports and military airfields to bring in supplies and reinforcements. These facilities could sustain destruction in a war that might prevent most aircraft from using them until air force RED HORSE engineering units arrive to repair the damage.

The C-130J Hercules ability to conduct relatively short takeoffs and landings, as well as operate from unimproved surfaces such as hard-packed dirt and gravel make it an excellent candidate for operating from airstrips near the front lines. In production for more than half a century, the latest -J version can carry up to eighteen tons of cargo. Alternately, the C-130J can carry 128 combat troops, ninety-two paratroopers, or up to seventy-four litters in the aeroevacuation medical role.

F-16C Fighting Falcon

A second Korean conflict with require a multirole fighter capable of close air support and interdiction tasks. The nature of the North Korean air defense threat, largely comprised of outdated fighters and air defenses, means a fifth-generation fighter is useful but not essential to prosecuting the war in the air. A fourth-generation fighter capable of quickly switching from air-to-air to air-to-ground roles in the same mission, downing MiG-29s one moment and dropping bombs on hardened artillery sites the next is perfectly up to the task.

The workhorse fighter of a second Korean conflict will be the Fighting Falcon. Nearly one hundred USAF F-16s are based in South Korea and Japan, including two squadrons of Wild Weasels tasked with suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD). Air Force F-16s will carry Sniper targeting pods paired with JDAMs and laser-guided bombs to deliver precision ordnance on ground targets, AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missiles to target North Korean radars, and AIM-9X Sidewinder and AMRAAM missiles for air-to-air engagements.

RQ-4 Global Hawk

A key USAF requirement for Korean War II is a high altitude, long endurance drone capable of keeping watch on North Korean strategic assets, particularly its land-based missiles and missile submarines. A persistent Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capability will allow the United States to hunt down mobile missile systems stashed in valleys, hillsides, and built-up areas, handing off targeting information to other forces.

The RQ-4 Global Hawk is ideally suited to the role. Capable of flying for more than thirty-four hours, Global Hawk could fly from airfields as far away as Guam, spend half a day over North Korea, and go home againfreeing up tarmac space in closer air facilities. Global Hawks ability to conduct surveillance day or night is a major plus and its unblinking gaze will be invaluable in tracking enemy movements. Another less well known feature that will be important over North Korea: Global Hawks Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) will provide a secure communications link between troops on the ground and close air support aircraft.

Kyle Mizokami is a defense and national security writer based in San Francisco who has appeared in the Diplomat, Foreign Policy, War is Boring and the Daily Beast. In 2009 he cofounded the defense and security blog Japan Security Watch. You can follow him on Twitter: @KyleMizokami.

This first appeared last year.

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Daniel R. DePetris

Security, Asia

The final death tally based on the parameters of this particular nuclear strike: 412,880 fatalities and 527, 490 injuries, casualties approaching nearly a million people.

Almost 1,000,000 Casualties: If North Korea Nuked Washington D.C.

Pyongyang couldnt be any clearer about what its overriding objective is: developing, testing, and successfully fielding a reliable and durable nuclear-tipped ICBM that can pummel an American city on the mainland United States. Most analysts studying the North Korean regime believe that the purpose of this ICBM is not to conduct some irrational nuclear first-strike on Washington or New York, but rather to deter a U.S. military attack or a regime-change campaign by ensuring that any U.S. strike would result in sever pain and punishment on the American mainland. The Trump administration would be much less likely to ponder a military operation against Pyongyang if such an operation ran the risk of placing hundreds of thousands of Americans in the crosshairs of North Koreas nuclear weapons program.

The test-fire of intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Hwasong-15, newly developed under the political resolution and strategic decision of the Workers Party of Korea, was successfully carried out, the Korean Central News Agency announced after Pyongyang conducted its twenty-third missile test since February. The ICBM Hwasong-15 type...is an intercontinental ballistic rocket tipped with [a] super-large heavy warhead which is capable of striking the whole mainland of the U.S.

How serious should the United States take this declaration from North Koreas state propaganda arm? Apparently seriously enough; although Pyongyangs newscasters can use comically colorful, overly exaggerated language at times, scientists and experts in the field of missile technology used the first twenty-four hours after the test launch to educate the American people about how powerful this Hwasong-15 rocket really is. The missile reached a height of 2,780 miles, the highest elevation that a North Korean-manufactured projectile has traveled to date, before crashing into Japans Exclusive Economic Zone after a 590-mile flight.

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Immediately after the launch, David Wright of the Union of Concerned Scientists wrote a short assessment of the test, where he calculated that this particular missileif arced properly on a normal flight-path with a light warhead attachedcould land anywhere in the continental United States. "If these numbers are correct, then if flown on a standard trajectory...this missile would have a range of more than 13,000 kilometers (km) (8,100 miles), Wright wrote. This is significantly longer than North Koreas previous long range tests, which flew on lofted trajectories for 37 minutes (July 4) and 47 minutes (July 28). Such a missile would have more than enough range to reach Washington, D.C.

Recommended: This Video Shows What Happens if Washington, D.C. Is Attacked with Nuclear Weapons

Pyongyang couldnt be any clearer about what its overriding objective is: developing, testing, and successfully fielding a reliable and durable nuclear-tipped ICBM that can pummel an American city on the mainland United States. Most analysts studying the North Korean regime believe that the purpose of this ICBM is not to conduct some irrational nuclear first-strike on Washington or New York, but rather to deter a U.S. military attack or a regime-change campaign by ensuring that any U.S. strike would result in sever pain and punishment on the American mainland. The Trump administration would be much less likely to ponder a military operation against Pyongyang if such an operation ran the risk of placing hundreds of thousands of Americans in the crosshairs of North Koreas nuclear weapons program.

Recommended: 8 Million People Could Die in a War with North Korea

And hundreds of thousands of American casualties in a hypothetical North Korean nuclear attack is not an overstatement. According to Alex Wellersteins NukeMap program, the casualty rate is right on the money.

The effects of a 250 kiloton North Korean nuke that blasted in Washington, D.C. would extend far outside what we typically refer to as the Beltway. The air blast of the explosion alone would destroy the White House, the International Spy Museum, the Washington Monument, the Smithsonian, the U.S. Capitol Building, and all of the fancy bars and restaurants that reporters and government officials use as rendezvous points to socialize over drinks and spill the dirt on their colleagues. Every building within the air-blast radius would be destroyed, with the fatality rate reaching as high as 100 percent. If you were a tourist at the very end of the Washington Mall, perhaps taking pictures as the Jefferson Memorial southwest of the White House, your chances of survival are higher. But the fatality rate would still be 5090 percent, with blistering and radiation poisoning so unbearable that you may wish that you were killed instantaneously like White House staffers or congressional aides across town.

If youre a student at Howard University, you are a bit luckierbut not by much. You may escape with your life (if you were in a building at the time of the explosion, theres a very high probability that you would be crushed underneath concrete, cement and glass), but the physical side-effects of a nuclear attack would be the stuff of horror movies. Passengers waiting for their flights at Ronald Reagan International Airport across the Potomac can expect third-degree burns which destroy the nerve endings in the skin.

The final death tally based on the parameters of this particular nuclear strike: 412,880 fatalities and 527, 490 injuries, casualties approaching nearly a million people.

Is any of this a guarantee? Not my any stretch.

There is no evidence that would suggest that Kim Jong-un is a crazy, sociopathic nutcase who is spending billions of dollars and years of investment just to nuke an American city or kill hundreds of thousands of Americans. The only thing he values on about the same wavelength as himself is the regime that his family has built over seven decades. If Kim wants to be the man presiding over the deaths of millions of his citizens and the elimination of his country, then sending a nuclear ICBM towards Washington is the best way to do that.

The numbers, however, are a reminder of how truly ugly and calamitous a military conflict between the United States and North Korea could be. Add nuclear weapons into the scenario, and the calamity would look a bit like the Hollywood blockbuster Sum of All Fearsexcept actual people would be dying.

Daniel DePetris is a fellow at Defense Priorities.

This first appeared in November of last year.

Image: Reuters.

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Mr Amir in a family photo: Facebook

After nearly 40 years living in the United States, a businessman described as a pillar of his Ohio community has been deported by American immigration enforcement.

Amer Adi, who came to the US 39 years ago, was forced to return to his home country of Jordan, leaving behind his American citizen wife and his four daughters, all of whom are also Americans, a week ago.

His removal follows a 20-year legal battle in which Mr Adi was supported by an Ohio Congressman who made it possible for him to remain in the US. When President Donald Trump took office last year, however, his options to avoid deportation suddenly evaporated as America cracked down on immigration policies.

I have mixed feelings, very mixed feelings. Im so happy, so glad to be here, my home, to see my mother, my brother, my family, my friends, that makes me proud and happy, Mr Adi said upon landing in Jordan, according to CNN.

He was met by his 94-year-old mother, who sat in a wheelchair at the gate. He had not seen her in 20 years.

At the same time, I feel so sad of what happened to me. I'm so sorry to tell you what happened is unjust, not right, and everyone back there knows that. What the Trump administration is doing is  you can't even explain it, Mr Adi continued.

Mr Adi is the victim of Mr Trumps immigration crackdown, which has resulted in 42 per cent more immigration arrests, even though overall deportations have dipped since Mr Trump took office. Mr Adi was arrested a week earlier this month, after being told he needed to come in for a check-in meeting with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. His daughter has told CBS that she thinks her father was tricked.

"If that's not tricking somebody, if that's not targeting somebody, I don't know what is," Haneen Adi said.

Mr Adis legal battle began in the 1990s when he was denied the renewal of the green card that he had been issued in the 1980s. After getting a divorce with his ex-wife, immigration officials accused him of having a sham marriage, and his ex-wife signed an affidavit that indicated the same. Mr Adi and his lawyers have accused immigration officials of coercing her to sign the form.

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His ex-wife, though, would eventually retract her statement in a signed affidavit in 2007. That retraction did little to help Mr Adis case, however, and he was issued a deportation order in 2009.

Mr Adi has been described by Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan as a pillar of the community in which he lives. Through his businesses, Mr Adi has created jobs. And hes involved in charitable acts as well, giving out hundreds of turkeys to the poor around Thanksgiving.

If you would see the breadth of support that this gentleman has, from whether it's his Italian-Irish Catholic congressman or an African-American Pentecostal Republican woman who is supporting him or the working-class people I saw in his shop the day they thought he was going to get deported ... to show support for him, Mr Ryan told CNN.

Mr Adi owns a hookah bar, a deli, and a convenience store.
Dave Majumdar

Security,

The bomber is no longer able to penetrate into hostile air space

The B-52 Can Now Drop More Bombs Than Ever (But Has a Fatal Flaw)

The United States Air Force recently demonstrated the increased capabilities of its venerable but still potent Boeing B-52 strategic bombers over Afghanistan. During a recent sortie, a single B-52 unleashed a payload of 24 precision-guided munitions (PGM) onto a drug lab.

You can see how a single B-52 demonstrates its reach and lethality by setting a record employment of 24 precision-guided munitions against Taliban narcotics and training facilities, Maj. Gen. James Scorch Hecker, commander of the 9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force-Afghanistan and NATO Air Command-Afghanistanalso a F-22 Raptor pilottold reporters at the Pentagon on Feb. 7. What allowed this impressive air power to be unleashed was a critical modification that we made to the B-52 at Al-Udeid in late November...

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That modification is the installation of a new rotary launcher in the massive bombers weapons bay. It used to be that the B-52 was able to drop 16 precision-guided munitions, Hecker said. Now, with this new rotary launcher, it's able to drop 24 precision-guided munitions, and it could do that all in one pass. But in this case, we had three separate targets, so we did it in three different passes.

As Hecker noted, with its 50 percent increased PGM payload, the bomber was able to make multiple passes of over the same target on the same sortie. That was the same B-52 on both of those strikes. In fact, this was the B-52 that set the record for the number of PGMs, so it had a third strike that you did not see. So there's a total of 24 precision-guided munitions that went against those targets up at Badakhshan, Hecker said. This was the same sortie. So, on one sortie they did three passes, where they dropped a total of 24 precision-guided munitions.

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However, while the B-52 is a still a very effective weapon in low threat environments, the bomber is no longer able to penetrate into hostile air space. As the United States starts to focus on great power confrontations again, the B-52 will have to rely on cruise missiles to fight those highly capable enemies.

While todays weapon of choice against such forces is Conventional Air Launched Cruise Missile (CALCM), if the future the United States may have to adapt the stealthy developmental Long Range Standoff (LRSO) nuclear-tipped cruise missile into a conventional weapon. Indeed, the current day CALCM is an adaption of the nuclear-tipped ALCM. However, both the ALCM and the CALCM are increasingly challenged by modern air defenses. Thus a new conventional cruise missile will eventually be needed.

Dave Majumdar is the defense editor for The National Interest. You can follow him on Twitter: @davemajumdar.

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Dave Majumdar

Security, Asia

Is China's J-20 Stealth Fighter Really 'Operational?'

The Chinese Peoples Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) has declared its Chengdu J-20 fifth-generation stealth fighter operational. With the J-20 formally attaining initial operational capability, China becomes the only the second nation-state to have developed an operational stealth aircraft after the United States. Russia, which is currently developing the Sukhoi Su-57 PAK-FA, is running behind that pack since its new fighter will not enter operational service for some years to come.

China's latest J-20 stealth fighter has been commissioned into the air force's combat service, according to Beijing official state Xinhua news agencywhich was then posted by the Chinese Ministry of Defense on February 9.

The J-20 has been in development for years and was first spotted in 2011. In the intervening years, the jet has evolved as the Chinese further matured and refined the design. Eventually, as the J-20 neared the completion of its development cycle, the PLAAF debuted its stealthy new jet during a flyby during the 2016 Zhuhai airshow.

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The first PLAAF operational units seem to have started to receive the J-20 around March 2017. Since then, the new jet participated in a military review at Chinas Zhurihe base in July 2017 and it has only been used during various wargames. According to Chinas state-owned Global Times, the J-20 was featured extensively during the Peoples Liberation Armys Red Sword 2017 exercises.

Once a new type weapon or equipment is delivered to the military, it will be tested by troops specializing in testing, and the troops will inform the relevant department if adjustments are needed. Normally this process takes 1-2 years, Song Zongping, a Chinese military expert told the Global Times. "After this process, the new weapon will be formally armed by combat troops, which means it will be used in actual combat, and the J-20 will engage with rivals in the future who dare to provoke China in the air."

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It is unclear exactly how close the J-20 is to being truly operational. An initial operational capability is often a long way off from a fully operational capability. In the case of the fifth-generation Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor air superiority fighter, the aircraft still had many teething issues when the U.S. Air Force declared it operational in 2005. Meanwhile, the tri-service fifth-generation Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, both the United States Air Force and Marine Corps declared their versions of the stealthy single-engine jet to be operational with a very basic interim capability. Only the U.S. Navy is holding out for a full warfighting capability before declaring their version of the F-35 operational. Thus, only time will tell just how operational the J-20 really is.

Dave Majumdar is the defense editor for The National Interest. You can follow him on Twitter: @davemajumdar.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

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Washington (AFP) - The CIA on Saturday categorically denied reports that it was fleeced by a mystery Russian who promised compromising information on US President Donald Trump.

The secretive agency rarely issues any kind of comment, but came out to deny the report in The New York Times and a similar one in The Intercept, an online journal focusing on national security issues.

"The fictional story that CIA was bilked out of $100,000 is patently false," the Central Intelligence Agency said in a statement sent to AFP.

"The people swindled here were James Risen and Matt Rosenberg," the CIA said, referring to Times reporter Rosenberg, who wrote the story, and Risen, a former Times reporter who authored The Intercept's article.

Both reports appeared on Friday.

The president tweeted approvingly that The Times article shows a need to "drain the swamp" in Washington.

In a story worthy of a John le Carre novel that included secret USB-drive handovers in a small Berlin bar and coded messages delivered over the National Security Agency's Twitter account, CIA agents spent much of last year trying to buy back from the Russians hacking programs stolen from the NSA, the Times reported.

The seller, who was not identified but had suspected links to both cyber criminals and Russian intelligence, tantalized the US spies with an offer of the NSA hacking tools that had been advertised for sale online by a group called the Shadow Brokers.

Some of the tools, developed by the NSA to break into the computers of US rivals, were used by other hackers last year to crack or infect computer systems around the world. The Times described the Americans as "desperate" to get the tools back.

Reached through a chain of intermediaries, the seller reportedly wanted $1 million after quickly dropping his opening demand of about $10 million.

The $100,000 was an initial payment by US agents still dubious he really had what he was promising.

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In its report, the Times cited US and European intelligence officials, the Russian, and communications the newspaper reviewed.

The seller also repeatedly pressed US agents with offers of compromising materials, or kompromat, on Trump, the Times said.

- 'Off the books' -

But an investigation was already under way in Washington on possible links between Moscow and Trump's 2016 election campaign, and the US agents reportedly did not want to get involved in anything that smelled of the politics back home.

US intelligence officials say that Russia interfered with the election to help elect Trump, and that it continues to use disinformation to sow confusion in the American political system.

The Intercept reported that the "off-the-books communications channel" with Russia created rifts in the CIA. The agency is led by Trump loyalist Mike Pompeo, but many of its staffers are still smarting over Trump's repeated harsh comments about the intelligence community's role in the Russia meddling investigation.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller is probing the possible links between Trump's presidential campaign and Moscow, as well as possible obstruction of justice.

Democratic Congressman Ted Lieu said in a tweet Friday that Risen's article "suggests the CIA Director fears getting information damaging to @realDonaldTrump that is being offered by Russians."

If that's true, Lieu said, "the CIA Director needs to explain his actions to Congress. He took an oath to the Constitution, not to Trump."

Trump on Saturday referred favorably to the Times article about the Russian who "sold phony secrets on 'Trump' to the US," and noted the operative reportedly had drastically lowered his original price.

"I hope people are now seeing and understanding what is going on here. It is all now starting to come out -- DRAIN THE SWAMP!" he tweeted, in a reference to what he sees as a need for reform.

Trump has frequently criticized the Times, which has published numerous investigative reports about him and his administration, calling it a "failing" newspaper providing "fake news."

Trump has repeatedly denied any collusion with Russia.

The Times reported that, in the end, the deal with the Russian broke down last month as the Russian failed to come up with any of the sought-after NSA materials, and the Trump-related material was either already known or untrustworthy.

The Russian was told by the Americans to leave Western Europe and not return, according to the Times.
By Aditya Kalra and Aditi Shah

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's antitrust watchdog on Thursday imposed a 1.36 billion rupees ($21.17 million) fine on Google for "search bias" and abuse of its dominant position, in the latest regulatory setback for the world's most popular internet search engine.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) said Google, the core unit of U.S. firm Alphabet Inc, was abusing its dominance in online web search and online search advertising markets.

"Google was found to be indulging in practices of search bias and by doing so, it causes harm to its competitors as well as to users," the CCI said in a 190-page order.

"Google was leveraging its dominance in the market for online general web search, to strengthen its position in the market for online syndicate search services," the CCI said.

However, the CCI said it did not find any contravention in respect of Google's specialised search design, AdWords and online distribution agreements.

A Google spokesman said the company was reviewing the "narrow concerns" identified by the Commission and will assess its next steps.

"We have always focused on innovating to support the evolving needs of our users. The Competition Commission of India has confirmed that, on the majority of issues it examined, our conduct complies with Indian competition laws," he said.

The Indian watchdog's order is the latest antitrust setback for Google. Last year, The European Commission imposed a record 2.4 billion euro ($3 billion) fine on the company for favouring its shopping service and demoting rival offerings. Google has appealed against the order.

In India, the Commission found, that Google through its search design had placed its commercial flight search function at a prominent position on the search results page to the disadvantage of businesses trying to gain market access.

The Indian ruling brings to an end a probe first started by the watchdog in 2012 on complaints filed by matchmaking website Bharat Matrimony and a not-for-profit organisation, Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS).

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For infringing antitrust conduct, the Commission decided to impose a fine at the rate of 5 percent of the average total revenue generated by the company from its Indian operations.

Naval Chopra, a partner at law firm Shardul Amarchand who represented Bharat Matrimony in the case, said he was surprised by the small amount of the fine imposed on the U.S. tech giant.

"Whilst finding Google to have abused its dominant position, the CCI has nonetheless exercised restraint in recognising the dynamic nature of online markets and not found Google guilty of every allegation," Chopra told Reuters.

The CCI also expressed disappointment with Google for saying it was not possible to collate all the revenue data in the time allotted.

Google will need to deposit the fine within 60 days, the Commission said. The order was passed by a majority of 4-2 with two members dissenting.

($1 = 64.2500 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Aditya Kalra and Aditi Shah; Additional reporting by Sankalp Phartiyal; Editing by Euan Rocha and David Evans)
Damascus, Idlib, Afrin and Aleppo - the blood-soaked regions in Syria's seven-year civil war are the subject of near daily reports of airstrikes, chemical attacks and civilian massacres.

The scars of the conflict stretch far and wide - across ethnic divides, religious sects and down family lines - indiscriminately reducing whole cities to rubble, their remains pockmarked with bullet holes of seemingly endless fighting.

But behind each region torn apart by the violence lies a distinct power struggle, between government forces, rebel fighters, Islamists, and proxy armies masking the strategic goals of a world powers.

These multiple mini civil wars within the greater conflict in Syria make a peaceful solution little more than a distant hope. Here we break down and analyse five of the key battles raging across the country.

Afrin

Afrin (North West Syria) territorial control map

On January 20, Turkey launched an offensive in northern Syria codenamed Operation Olive Branch alongside Free Syrian Army (FSA), aimed at dislodging Kurdish militia fighters from the Kurdish canton of Afrin.

The battle for Afrin opened up another front in an already complicated, multi-sided war in Syria.

The area is controlled by the Kurdish Peoples Protection Unit (YPG), who are considered terrorists by Turkey because of the groups connection to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

Turkey sees the capture of Afrin as vital to securing its volatile southern border. Rebel fighters spearheading the battle want to capture the city to help create a land border to Idlib, which is controlled by Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). The more moderate opposition fighters in the FSA are hoping to oust the al-Qaeda-linked rebels and reclaim the province.

Kurds see Afrin as vital to any future autonomous state for the minority.

The YPG has around 8,000-10,000 core fighters in Afrin but is gaining new recruits every day, including international volunteers. The offensive has rallied Kurds, who are hoping to use the cover of the war to make their federalist dream a reality.

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British and other foreign fighters who fought alongside the YPG against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) in Raqqa have joined the battle, pitting a Nato army against nationals from Nato members.

Much of YPGs weaponry is American, including machine guns, rocket launchers and MRAP-type armored vehicles, having been armed by Washington for the Raqqa battle.

The YPG is coming up against Turkey, Natos second-largest military, and some 10,000 rebel fighters. Turkey has sent dozens of special forces and tanks to the border.

The campaign has set Ankara on a collision course with Washington, which sees the Kurds are their most important ally in the fight against Isil.

The operation was most likely launched with the consent of Russia, which backs President Bashar al-Assad and has troops stationed in Afrin.

This is the second time the rebels have played a role in Turkeys efforts to protect its interests in northern Syria. In its previous cross-border Operation Euphrates Shield in August 2016, Ankara had utilised FSA units to establish a wedge between the two Kurdish cantons along Turkeys border.

Idlib

Idlib (North West Syria) territorial control map

Idlib in northern Syria, which covers territory from northern Aleppo all the way to the border with Turkey, is the largest-remaining rebel stronghold.

The province fell to the opposition in 2011 and has been fought over by both sides in the conflict ever since. Its important lies in its strategic positioning along the Aleppo to Turkey route - valuable to both the Syrian government and its opposition.

Idlib has become something of a holding pen for rebels, who have been displaced from other areas of Syria by Assad forces.

FSA rebels from Aleppo were sent there after surrendering to the regime in December 2016.

More recently Isil fighters who fled their former territory in Raqqa and Deir Ezzor have also arrived in Idlib and the surrounding countryside, joining HTS, al-Qaedas Syria branch, which has become the most dominant group in the area.

Moderate groups have had to make deals HTS in order to survive against Assads forces.

The province is one of four designated de-escalation zones agreed upon by international powers Russia, Iran and Turkey at peace talks. However, the Syrian government has violated this agreement in recent weeks with its latest offensive.

The Assad regime, supported by Russian jets, late last year launched its most serious attempt at retaking the province. The region is now pounded daily by both Syrian and Russian air strikes, which has left hundreds dead.

Idlib was hit by a sarin gas last April, and the government has carried out an increasing number of chlorine attacks as the battle intensifies.

The ground operation, which has seen Syrian troops and allied forces moving in on Idlib from its southern outskirts, has prompted the largest exodus of the nearly seven-year war, sending hundreds of thousands of civilians fleeing north towards the closed Turkish border.

Experts say the largest and most deadly battle of the conflict will be in Idlib, where as many as two million civilians live.

Deir Ezzor

Deir Ezzor (East Syria) territorial control map

Deir Ezzor has always been seen as one of the prizes of the war. Home to some of the countrys most lucrative oil fields, it has been fought over by more parties in the conflict than almost anywhere else.

At one time or another, Isil, the Syrian government and its allied Iranian militias, Lebanese Shia militia Hizbollah, Russian troops, US special forces, the Free Syrian Army (FSA), and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have fought for control of the province.

Isil took control of the eastern city in a lightning offensive in 2014. It became one of its most important money-makers after the militants began selling off the crude oil from fields to the Syrian regime and Turkey.

Both Syrian troops, backed by Iranian militias and Russian air strikes, and the US-backed SDF last year moved in on the city from opposite sides.

The Euphrates river, which runs through the middle of Deir Ezzor, became the dividing line between Syrian forces on the western bank to US-backed SDF fighters on the eastern.

Iran had wanted control of Deir Ezzor, which is close to Iraq and runs along the Baghdad to Damascus highway, to maintain control of a corridor from Tehran all the way to the Syrian capital.

Controlling the route would ensure it could continue to get arms its allied militias in Iraq, Syria and Hizbollah in Lebanon.

The US, which has a major base in al-Tanf to the south of Deir Ezzor, is keen to stop Iranian militias and maintain a presence in the area. This week the US-led coalition conducted air strikes against pro-government forces moving in on the area, in the deadliest intentional attack on the regime since the start of the conflict.

Despite months of fighting, Isil has still not been fully rooted from the province and continues to launch attacks on both Syrian troops and SDF fighters, leaving large numbers of casualties on both sides.

Hundreds of the jihadists are thought to be holding out in the vast Deir Ezzor desert along the Syria-Iraq border.

Eastern Ghouta

Damascus (South West Syria) territorial control map

Eastern Ghouta, which lies in the suburbs of the capital Damascus, has been besieged by Syrian forces for nearly five years. A year longer than the siege of Sarajevo.

Assad has seen Eastern Ghouta, one of the first areas to protest against the government in 2011, as an important area to regain. Close to his seat of power in Damascus, he sees the enclave as a thorn in his side.

International concern has been rising over the fate of Ghouta, where the United Nations says acute shortages of food and medicine have contributed to the worst malnutrition seen in the Syrian civil war.

Assad has continually denied access to the UN and other aid agencies to the enclave, where doctors say 500 people are in desperate need of urgent medical care and evacuation.

It is home to almost 400,000 people and is in an agreed de-escalation zone under Russian-led ceasefire deals for rebel-held territory, but the fighting there has continued.

The area hosts a number of Syrian rebel factions, but it is largely controlled by four main opposition groups. Jaish al-Islam, a hard-line militant group founded in 2013, is the most prominent fighting force in the eastern suburbs of the capital. More extreme groups Ahrar al-Sham and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) have had some limited control over the suburbs.

Rebel fighters are thought to number somewhere between 8,000-12,000.

Both the Syrian army and rebels have lost hundreds of fighters and soldiers during these on-and-off skirmishes.

Ghouta has been partially destroyed by years of indiscriminate air strikes from Syrian and Russian jets.

It was also the site of the deadliest chemical attack of the civil war. More than 1,000 people were killed by sarin gas dropped by Syrian jets in August 2013. The Obama administration had warned that the use of chemicals by the Assad regime would be a red line for the US, but it never acted.

Aleppo and the surrounding countryside

Aleppo (North West Syria) territorial control map

Syrias second city of Aleppo is the jewel in the countrys crown.

The eastern side of the city was badly destroyed by Syrian troops and Russian jets during the years it was under rebel control. It feel back to the regime in December 2016 after it was brought to its knees by blockades and bombing.

Rebel fighters and activists who surrendered were bussed to Idlib and other opposition areas along with their families, while many civilians have still not been allowed to return.

Resident of Aleppo have been forced to flee again in recent weeks as Syrian forces push up from the southern suburbs.

In the north of the province, meanwhile, Turkish troops are heading towards Manbij in Aleppo governorate.

Manbij is a key flashpoint in northern Syria -- located northeast of Aleppo city and around 25 miles south of Jarabulus, which sits on the Syrian-Turkish border.

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), with the support of US air power, helped to root Isil forces from Manbij in August 2016.

It is now under the control of the Manbij Military Council, which was set up by the SDF.

Manbij marks the beginning of the range of influence of the SDF, the USs proxies, whom Ankara sees as terrorists.

US has troops stationed there and has warned Ankara it will not withdraw them should Turkey continue. It is unclear what either Nato member would do when confronted with the other.
Trump says memo contains

Citing national security concerns, the White House on Friday formally notified the House intelligence committee that President Donald Trump is "unable" to declassify a memo drafted by Democrats that counters GOP allegations about abuse of government surveillance powers in the FBI's Russia probe.

White House counsel Don McGahn said in a letter to the committee that the memo contains "numerous properly classified and especially sensitive passages" and asked the Democrats to revise the memo with the help of the Justice Department.

He said Mr Trump was still "inclined" to release the memo in the interest of transparency if revisions were made.

The president's rejection of the Democratic memo is in contrast to his enthusiastic embrace of releasing the Republican document, which he pledged before reading to make public. The president declassified the document last week, allowing its publication in full.

The president has said the GOP memo "vindicates" him in the ongoing Russia investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller. But congressional Democrats and Republicans, including House Speaker Paul Ryan and Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina, who helped draft the GOP memo, have said it shouldn't be used to undermine the special counsel.

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The top Democrat on the intelligence panel, California Rep. Adam Schiff, criticised Mr Trump for treating the two documents differently, saying the president is now seeking revisions by the same committee that produced the original Republican memo. Still, Schiff said, Democrats "look forward to conferring with the agencies to determine how we can properly inform the American people about the misleading attack on law enforcement by the GOP."

House Democratic Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called Mr Trump's move to block the memo a "stunningly brazen attempt to cover up the truth about the Trump-Russia scandal from the American people."

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"The president's decision to block the Democratic memo from release is part of a dangerous and desperate pattern of cover-up on the part of the president," she said in a statement.

"Clearly, the president has something to hide."

On Friday, White House spokesman Raj Shah said Mr Trump discussed the Democratic document with the White House counsel's office, FBI Director Christopher Wray and another top Justice Department official.

Memo row | Who are the key figures?

The president had until Saturday to decide whether to allow the classified material to become public after the House intelligence committee voted Monday to release it.

In declining to declassify the document, the White House also sent lawmakers a letter signed by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Wray, as well as a marked-up copy of the memo, laying out portions it considers too sensitive to make public. Among those passages are some that the Justice Departments says could compromise intelligence sources and methods, ongoing investigations and national security if disclosed.

The document in question was authored by Democrats on the intelligence panel. They say it disputes many claims in the GOP memo, which accused the FBI and Justice Department of abusing their surveillance powers in obtaining a secret warrant to monitor former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser Carter Page.

The memo's release would have capped off a week in which Republicans and Democrats on the committee have publicly fought, with the panel now erecting a wall to separate feuding Republican and Democratic staffers who had long sat side by side.

Trump Memo

The disagreements have escalated over the last year as Democrats have charged that Republicans aren't taking the panel's investigation into Russian election meddling seriously enough. They say the GOP memo, led by chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., is designed as a distraction from the probe, which is looking into whether Trump's campaign was in any way connected to the Russian interference.

Trump declassified the GOP-authored memo over the objections of the FBI, which said it had "grave concerns" about the document's accuracy.

In the so-called Nunes memo, Republicans took aim at the FBI and the Justice Department over the use of information from former British spy Christopher Steele in obtaining a warrant to monitor Page under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA. The main allegation was that the FBI and Justice Department didn't tell the court enough about Steele's anti-Trump bias or that his work was funded in part by Hillary Clinton's campaign and the Democratic National Committee.

They argued that the reliance on Steele's material amounted to an improper politicization of the government's surveillance powers.

Democrats have countered that the GOP memo was inaccurate and a misleading collection of "cherry-picked" details.

They noted that federal law enforcement officials had informed the court about the political origins of Steele's work and that some of the former spy's information was corroborated by the FBI. They also noted that there was other evidence presented to the court besides Steele's information, though they have not provided details.

Donald Trump approval rating tracker

The Democratic memo is expected to elaborate on these points.

House Republicans who have seen the document had said portions will almost certainly have to be redacted to protect intelligence sources and methods. Earlier this week, White House officials said the Democratic memo would go through the same national security and legal review as the Republican document. But White House chief of staff John Kelly hinted at possible redactions, saying the Democratic version is "not as clean" as the GOP's.
Only 41 prisoners out of 780 are still held at the prison: Getty

Britain may be tempted to outsource the prosecution of two Isis fighters captured in Syria to the US, where it has often been easier to secure terror convictions, experts believe.

The US military has confirmed British citizens Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh, the last outstanding members of a group known as the Beatles for their English accents, were captured by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-led militia. They were detained last month and US Special Forces have been interrogating them.

As relatives of those killed by the men  the group was known for its torture and execution of Western hostages  welcomed their capture, the question of what to do with the men has suddenly become a pressing issue.

There are just 41 prisoners remaining at Guantanamo (Getty)

We are still considering options regarding Elsheikh and Kotey, but rest assured our intention is to hold anyone accountable who commits acts like those they are alleged to have committed, said Eric Pahon, a Pentagon spokesman.

Some experts believe although the men are British citizens, the UK government may prefer for them to be tried in the US, where courts have been willing to convict foreign terror suspects, even when their alleged offences have occurred outside the US.

The situation is complicated by Donald Trumps determination to keep open and expand Guantanamo Bay, seeing it as a preferred place to the civilian courts for dealing with so-called bad dudes.

Last month, in his State of the Union address, the President announced he had signed an executive order to keep open the prison, located in Cuba, therein reversing an order signed by Barack Obama to close it. At the height of George W Bushs so-called war on terror the camp had up to 800 inmates, but today houses 41.

The British government has largely been reluctant to extradite prisoners to the US if a trial could result in the death penalty, or if an individual is to be sent to Guantanamo.

Over the last ten years there been a pattern of the UK citizens being brought to the US  either by extradition or rendition, said Arun Kundnani, a British expert on terrorism who currently teaches New York University.

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What has been going on is the outsourcing of the prosecution of terrorism crimes.

Mr Kundnani pointed to the case of British resident Abid Naseer, a Pakistan-born al-Qaeda member of suspected of plotting to set off a bomb in Manchester and the New York subway system. He was extradited and tried in the US, where he was convicted after the British Crown Prosecution Service said evidence compiled by Greater Manchester Police was insufficient to try him.

He said another example was Mahdi Hashi, a dual national who was stripped of his citizenship after joining the Somali militant group Al Shabaab. He was tried in the US federal court, where he pleaded guilty to providing material support to Al Shabaab and sentenced to nine years.

Two other men extradited to the US for trial were Talha Ahsan and Babar Ahmad.

On Friday, the British Home Office would not confirm if Kotey and Elsheikh had been stripped of their citizenship. If they have, it would not prevent them being put on trial in the UK, even if the offences in question were committed abroad.

Laura Pitter, senior counsel for Human Rights Watch, said that if the US were to take custody of the two militants, they should also be tried in the US court system.

The US should not jeopardise their prosecutions by sending them to the dysfunctional military commissions at Guantanamo where important cases involving serious crimes have languished for years, she told Reuters.

Under the Obama administration, there was a concerted effort to use civilian courts to try terror suspects, even when confronted by problems such as then New York Mayor Michael Bloombergs opposition to trying alleged 9/11 ringleader Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and four other men over the attacks in the city. The five men are still held at Guantanamo.

Karen Greenberg, Director of the Centre on National Security at Fordham University School of Law, has written that civilian courts went out of their way to bend to special requirements needed for some terror trials. They did so to prove flexible enough to handle any difficulties presented by terrorism cases.

She said during his confirmation hearing, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, a career federal prosecutor, signaled his preference for using federal courts for terrorism prosecutions  a view that was shared within the department.

Under Trump and Sessions, things may be shifting. Sessions has repeatedly declared his opposition to closing Guantanamo. Trump, similarly, has embraced the idea of sending Americans to reside among the bad dudes at Gitmo. Under current law, US citizens cannot be sent to Gitmo, she wrote recently in The Atlantic.

Yet for of all the affection for Guantanamo voiced by Mr Trump and his Attorney General Jeff Sessions, efforts to prosecute militants there under controversial military commissions have repeatedly run into problems.

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According to Human Rights Watch, just eight detainees have been convicted by the commissions after trial or plea bargain and three of these have been overturned or partly overturned. Of the 41 prisoners still being held, just seven face charges.

Nick Lewin, a New York-based lawyer who served for more than a decade as a federal prosecutor and senior FBI official, including as the Special Counsel to former FBI directors Robert Mueller III and James Comey, said that in counterterrorism cooperation with the US, Britain had been consistent about not sending people across the Atlantic if they could face the death penalty or be dispatched to Guantanamo.

Kotey and Elsheikh are alleged to have brutally murdered multiple American citizens and, for that, they may face the death penalty in US civilian courts, he said.

So the real question is this  will the US disregard the UKs objections and try to take custody of these men, either to be held as law-of-war detainees in Guantanamo Bay or subject to the death penalty in civilian court?

Clive Stafford Smith, Legal Director of Reprieve, a London-based human rights organisation that represents several men held at Guantanamo, said the UK government would be very ill advised to allow the Trump administration to the prison camp.

All sensible people agreed long ago that it was not a great advertisement for civilisation or the rule of law, he said.

He said if the two Britons captured in Syria were sent there, the move would likely be seized on by their supporters.

Guantanamo has always been used by mad extremists as a propaganda tool. It has made the world more dangerous and not safer.
The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor has announced a "preliminary examination" into Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's alleged crimes against humanity committed as part of his deadly war on drugs.

Here are five things to know about a campaign that has allegedly led to the deaths of thousands of drug suspects:

- 'Mass murder' -

The case against Duterte was brought by a Philippine lawyer who accused the president of ordering the "mass murder" of thousands of people for dealing or using illegal drugs.

Police say they have killed nearly 4,000 suspects in legitimate police operations, while nearly 2,000 homicide cases that police describe as "drug-related incidents" are under investigation.

Rights monitors estimate the actual toll is now more than 12,000 deaths. Critics say police and vigilantes kill defenceless and innocent suspects in slums then plant drugs or guns on them.

- Popular crackdown -

Despite the outcry from rights groups and the dominant Catholic church, the crackdown is widely popular with a public fed up with high crime and a glacial judicial system that is perceived to favour the rich.

The Philippine president came to power in 2016 promising a ruthless war on drugs, and at times boasted of overseeing a so-called "death squad" behind the killings of more than a thousand petty criminals and his political opponents when he was mayor of the southern city of Davao for two decades.

Since his election as president, he has publicly called on police to "shoot-to-kill" suspects who resist arrest, and vowed to protect law officers from prosecution, maintaining the anti-crime operations are tough but legitimate.

- 'No jurisdiction' -

The ICC tribunal only acts when a country's legal system is unable or unwilling to handle a crime against humanity -- a situation that the lawyer's suit alleges now exists in the Philippines, a signatory to the treaty creating the tribunal.

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There have been few prosecutions for the killings and no police officer has been convicted, but the government insists the ICC has no jurisdiction because the country's courts are fully functioning.

- Assassins' confessions -

The complaint includes depositions by two former Duterte security aides who confessed to being his hitmen who assassinated suspected criminals as well as political opponents while Duterte was mayor of Davao.

Jude Sabio, the Filipino lawyer who filed the ICC complaint, promises more witnesses if the prosecutor decides to proceed to a formal investigation. He also cites Duterte's own pronouncements about killing suspects and mocking human rights.

- 'I don't give a damn' -

The president denies being behind extrajudicial killings, and has frequently lashed out at any foreign entity criticising his drug war, be they the US president, the European Union, the United Nations, or even the ICC itself.

"I don't give a damn about being prosecuted in the ICC. Go ahead. It would be my pleasure to go to prison for my country. It would be a distinct honour for me, even if they don't make me a hero, to die for my country," he said last year after the complaint against him was filed.
Cairo (AFP) - The Egyptian army announced the launch on Friday of a major operation in the Nile Delta and the northern Sinai Peninsula, heart of a persistent Islamic State group insurgency.

Police and troops have been put on "maximum alert" for the duration of Operation Sinai 2018, the army said in a statement.

The goal is to tighten control of border districts and "clean up areas where there are terrorist hotbeds".

The security forces have been increasingly targeted by jihadists since the army overthrew Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

Most of the violence has been in North Sinai province, but there have also been attacks on the military, police and even churches elsewhere, including Cairo.

In November, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who is seeking re-election in polls next month, ordered the armed forces chief of staff to restore security in Sinai within three months after militants killed more than 300 worshippers at a mosque.

Jihadists have also attacked tourists, killing all 224 on board a Russian plane carrying holidaymakers in 2015.
CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt launched a major assault against militants on Friday focused on the Sinai peninsula, where Islamic State has staged deadly attacks, aiming to crush their insurgency by an end of February deadline set by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. The former general on Nov. 29 ordered the military to defeat militants in North Sinai within three months, after an attack on a mosque which killed more than 300 people, the deadliest such incident in the Arab world's most populous country. Residents said they saw warplanes flying above the Suez Canal city of Ismailia, which borders North Sinai to the west. Palestinians in the Gaza Strip northeast of the vast desert region said they could hear explosions coming from across the border, but there was no immediate word on any casualties. The campaign by the army, navy, air force, border patrol and police is taking place ahead of a March election in which Sisi is seeking a second term. He is widely expected to win. In a Facebook posting on his account, Sisi wrote: "I follow with pride the heroic actions of my sons in the armed forces and police to clear Egypt's territory of terrorist elements." A military spokesman said the operation would cover large parts of Sinai, but also parts of the Nile Delta and the Western Desert, where other militants have waged attacks, some believed to be staged out of neighboring Libya. Security sources said on Thursday the operation, which had been in planning for some time, was unprecedented in its scope, coordination and size, involving thousands of troops, but did not provide further details. "The armed forces calls upon the Egyptian people in all parts of the country to closely cooperate with law enforcement forces to confront terrorism, uproot it and immediately report any elements threatening the security and stability of the country," military spokesman, Colonel Tamer al-Rifai, said in a televised address. Rifai said in a second statement the air force had targeted militant hide-outs in north and central Sinai, while the navy tightened its maritime control to cut off supply lines. A security source told Reuters on Thursday that security measures had been tightened with increased patrols in North Sinai provincial capital al-Arish and checks of residents. State television said on Friday that all schools in North Sinai had been ordered shut from Saturday until further notice. The Suez Canal Authority chairman said the international waterway was operating normally. Separately, the interior ministry said in a statement that security forces killed three suspected members of Hasm, a group that emerged in 2014 and has claimed several attacks on security forces, in an exchange of gunfire in Cairo. Egypt accuses Hasm of being a militant wing of the Muslim Brotherhood, the countrys oldest Islamist movement which Cairo outlawed in 2013. The Muslim Brotherhood denies any connection and says it strives only for peaceful political change. Police also said they arrested 14 other suspected militants, whom they accuse of plotting attacks ahead of the elections, in various provinces throughout the country and confiscated a number of guns and explosives. DEADLINE AHEAD OF ELECTION The three-month deadline Sisi gave the military would expire at the end of February. The success or failure of the military's latest push will most likely not affect the result of the March 26-28 election. Sisi faces only a single, last-minute challenger who had previously said he supported the incumbent. All opposition figures thought to pose a serious challenge to Sisi have pulled out of the race, accusing the government of underhand tactics to ensure Sisi an easy win. Sisi says there is equal opportunity for all candidates and that the election will be free and transparent Egypt's military has struggled to put down the Islamic State insurgency in Sinai since the group set up a branch there in 2014. Islamist attacks against the army and police in Sinai had begun to escalate the previous year, and have killed hundreds of soldiers and policemen. Sisi led the military overthrow of former Islamist president Mohamed Mursi in 2013, and was elected in a landslide vote the following year. Sisi's critics say support for the former military commander has eroded because of tough economic reforms and a crackdown on dissidents. His supporters say such measures are necessary to ensure stability in a country which was rocked by unrest following a 2011 uprising that toppled former leader Hosni Mubarak. (Reporting by Cairo Bureau, Editing by William Maclean)
Gaza City (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - Egypt on Friday closed its border with the Gaza Strip, Palestinian officials said, after Cairo launched a major operation against jihadists in the Sinai Peninsula.

The head of Hamas, the Islamist group which runs Gaza, was however permitted to travel to Cairo for talks before the border was closed a day earlier than planned.

Friday was supposed to be the final of a three-day border opening for humanitarian cases from Gaza, the first time the Rafah border crossing with Egypt had been open in 2018.

"The Rafah border was closed today due to the security situation in Sinai, we were informed by the Egyptian authorities," said Saleh al-Zaq, head of the civil affairs committee which controls the borders.

The Egyptian army announced Friday morning the launch of a major operation against jihadists across swathes of territory, including the Sinai Peninsula bordering Gaza.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniya crossed the border to Cairo for talks with Egyptian leaders before Rafah was closed, Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhum said.

He said the talks would include an Egyptian-brokered reconciliation deal between Hamas and rival Palestinian movement Fatah that has faltered, with multiple deadlines missed.

It was believed to be Haniya's first trip outside Gaza since the United States included him on its terror blacklist last month.
Egypt has launched a renewed military assault against strongholds held by the Islamic State militant group (ISIS) within its borders, principally in the Sinai Peninsula but also in Egypts Nile Delta and Western Desert.

Egypts top military brass announced that the offensive had begun early Friday, the Associated Press reported. Army spokesman Col. Tamer el-Rifaai said in a televised statement that the operation would target criminal elements and organizations."

Related: What Does ISIS Want in Egypt?

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According to local media, hospitals in northern Sinai, where ISIS has carved out its strongest foothold inside Egypt, were put on heightened alert in anticipation of a high number of casualties. A greater military presence was also reported in the restive desert region that borders Israel, Al Jazeera reported.

GettyImages-864354774

MOHAMED EL-SHAHED/AFP

Egypt has been waging a quiet ground war against radical elements in Sinai for years. The insurgency by Islamist extremists there increased in 2013, following the ousting of Mohamed Morsi, the country's first democratically-elected president.

Don't miss: Could an Antibiotic Treat Autism? Medication to Reduce Brain Cell Inflammation Could Treat Widespread Disorder

In 2014, Islamic State in the Sinai province, formerly known as Ansar Bait Aa-Maqdis, pledged its allegiance to the ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, hitting out in a series of high-profile attacks including the October 2015 downing of Metrojet flight 9268.

ISIS-held territory has shrunk to a fraction of what was held by the militants in 2014-15, particularly in their Iraqi and Syrian heartlands. Egypt and its strongman president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, have failed to expunge fighters loyal to the extremists from Egypts sparsely populated desert expanses and the conservative Nile Delta region.

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In November 2017, 235 people were killed in a bomb and gun attack on a mosque in the town of Bir al-Abed.

Security grievances are foremost in a list of complaints held by Egyptians as they head to the polls in presidential elections later this month. While no serious contender is running against el-Sisi, the elections, which come seven years after Egyptians rose up to unseat 30-year dictator Hosni Mubarak, have highlighted many of the endemic problems in the North African nation.

This article was first written by Newsweek

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Facebook will award up to $1 million to five community leaders and $50,000 to 100 more to fund their ideas for how to strengthen people's online and offline connections. Facebook will also hire double the number of engineers currently working on safety-related causes in its London office. These were a few of the big announcements made at today's Facebook Communities Summit Europe.

The moves show Facebook isn't scared to throw its sizable wallet around on behalf of its new mission statement to bring people closer together. The company is dealing with an onslaught of criticism around polarization, election interference, fake news, censorship, sucking money out of journalism, and negative impacts on well-being from overuse of its social network. Facebook knows it can't come up with all the ideas to offset these issues and become more of a force for good in the world, so it's crowdsourcing them with the new Community Leadership grants.

Facebook threw its first Communities Summit in Chicago back in June to bring together hundreds of admins of the most influential Facebook Groups. The company sees the Groups product as one of its best contributions to the fabric of society, so it's investing more in both the actual product and the people who use it.

"2017 was a really tough year for Facebook" said Chief Product Officer Chris Cox. "We faced tough questions about our role in democracy, our role in discourse, our role in journalism, and our role in well-being . . . We have our best teams internally partnered with the best experts externally to work through each set of the issues"

At the event, Facebook announced a new set of Groups features including the combination of member requests, Group Insights, and other admin tools into a centralized space. Group Announcements let admins pin up to 10 important messages at the top of their Group to keep members on the same page. Admins can personalize their Group with a color theme. And admins can post a specific set of Group rules to keep members in line and discussion civil.

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The announcements and rules features should be especially helpful for large Groups that want to allow open contributions from members, but thwart spam by defining exactly what content people can post and in what format. I've been using an ad hoc rules section at the top of the 10,000 person event discovery group I started in 2010, and it's been critical to dampening noise and getting people to keep their notifications on. Formalizing this tool could make organizing easier for other admins.

To build out these features plus other safety and community infrastructure, Facebook says that "by the end of 2018, we will double the number of people working in London on these issues", specifically the "engineering team for community safety" that Cox says are "The folks that build tools to make it easy to moderate content and proactively take it down". Facebook had previously said it would double the size of its content review team from 10,000 to 20,000, and hire 1,000 people to work on political ads transparency. These hires could ensure Facebook has enough staff to tackle its problems in a timely manner before problems spread.

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Finally, Facebook announced its Facebook Community Leadership Program that will dish out grants and education. The program is open to community builders who've made a proven impact, foster a tolerant space for diverse voices, drive offline as well as online connections, and use Facebook's family of apps in their efforts. Applications to the program including proposals for how to spend the grant money can be submitted here until March 8th.

The five selected community leaders in residence will get up to $1 million for their proposals, plus customized leadership development training during five one-week sessions in residence at Facebook's offices. The 100 people selected for the community fellowship program will get up to $50,000 for their proposals and participate in four in-person gatherings with other fellows.

Taking a cue from Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In female empowerment "circles", Facebook will organize in-person Community Leadership Circles around the world after assembling three in the U.S. in 2017. Facebook will also add more people to its Groups for Facebook Power Admins that let Group leaders share tips and tricks.

You can watch a replay of the Communities Summit below:

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Facebook still often concludes that the best thing for society is more Facebook, as with Groups. Hence the requirement that grant recipients be using Facebook to organize their communities. One of Facebook's big milestones is it's striving to increase the number of users in meaningful groups from 100 million to 1 billion.

Recently, though, the company has put a bigger stress on encouraging and measuring "time well spent" instead of just total time on Facebook. That's mostly taken the form of significant News Feed algorithm changes that reduce public posts, news, and viral videos. Facebook even admitted its first daily active user count loss, a drop of 700,000 in Q4 2017 in the U.S. & Canada region, that in part resulted from these changes that caused an overall 5 percent reduction in time spent on Facebook

By promoting Groups and making them more powerful, Facebook could create a natural place to shift our attention that's more enriching than passively scrolling through its feed. The question is how far Facebook is willing to go to push well-being at the expense of its bottom line or how its products operate. Investing $10 million in grants and more in hiring is one thing. It'd be another to see Facebook implement material changes like batched notifications, stronger do not disturb controls, or even a timer showing how long people spend on the site per day.

For more on the social network's impact on people's health, read our feature piece: "The difference between good and bad Facebooking"
Photo credit: Getty

From Cosmopolitan UK

A California couple found blood smeared on two Starbucks cups containing their drinks, according to a recent lawsuit filed by the family's legal team.

In February 2016, Amanda Vice, her husband, Louis, and his mother ordered drinks from a San Bernardino Starbucks and noticed a red smear and a "strong metallic smell" on one of the cups, KTLA reports. A similar stain was found on a second cup, from which the couple's 2-year-old daughter was drinking, according to the complaint.

After determining that nobody in the family was bleeding, the family called Starbucks to report the incident, according to a release from the Vices' legal team. The suit claims the Vices were offered free drinks for a week and that the manager removed the bleeding employee from the sales floor.

The manager also agreed to have the worker take a blood test, although the employee never ended up being forced to do so, according to the complaint. The Vices, who were "left to schedule their own blood tests, causing extreme distress," according to the news release, are suing the coffee chain for several counts including negligence, emotional distress, battery, and assault.

The lawsuit, filed in San Bernardino County Superior Court, reads: The thought of ingesting a strangers blood was disturbing, distressing, and nauseating," according to The Washington Post.



The family claims they have taken multiple tests for HIV and other diseases. The law firm handling the Vices' case said those exams ultimately came back negative.



We shouldnt have to worry about going to get something to drink and there being blood in our drink where we could get sick," Amanda told KTLA. "Its very stressful.

Starbucks representative Reggie Borges said he was surprised to see the family's legal team release a statement after submitting the suit and sharing so many details in a way that's designed to draw attention.

"Well work with the family to try to get to a place where they feel comfortable and to better understand these allegations," he said.
John Banvard, 100, a World War II vet, and Jerry Nadeau, 72, a veteran of Vietnam, first met 25 years ago. They were married in 2013 at their retirement home in Chula Vista, Calif. (Photo: Instagram/StoryCorps)

When John Banvard, 100, met Gerard Jerry Nadeau, 72, neither was openly gay.

When we met, we were sort of in the closet, and Id never had a real relationship. Now, weve been together almost 25 years, Jerry said in an interview with NPRs StoryCorps.

Both Banvard and Nadeau are veterans. Banvard served in World War II, and Nadeau in Vietnam.

According to Banvard, if he hadnt met Nadeau, he would have continued being lonely. Id been absolutely lost.

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The two moved into a Chula Vista, Calif., retirement home for veterans in 2010. At first, the other residents were unsure what their relationship was. That is, until the retirement home became the venue for their wedding in 2013.

Well, when we got married, they knew what our relationship was, Nadeau recalls.

They werent sure what kind of reactions they would get, but were pleasantly surprised. I was expecting wed be ridiculed, and there was very little of that, said Banvard.

It was a casual ceremony, where they served hot dogs as the main course.

Wed gotten married at the veterans home, and we said, If you came to see the bride, youre out of luck, recalls Nadeau.

One memory after the wedding stands out to the couple as particularly special. I was with you in the cafeteria, and somebody came up with their family, and they said, This is Gerard Nadeau, and this is his husband, John,  Jerry recalls. Id never heard that before.

The two continue to live at the retirement home and say they are very happy. I think were probably as happy together as any two people youre likely to meet, said Banvard.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle




By Mike Cooper

ATLANTA (Reuters) - A police officer was shot dead and two sheriff's deputies were wounded on Friday in a small Georgia town by a gunman who was then killed, the county sheriff said.

The wounded Henry County Sheriff's deputies were taken to Atlanta Medical Center, where one was in serious condition, Sheriff Keith McBrayer told reporters at a news conference.

McBrayer said the incident began when the two sheriff's deputies went to arrest a criminal suspect in the town of Locust Grove and called for backup when they realized they would have "issues placing him in custody."

The sheriff said the Locust Grove police officer had just arrived on the scene as backup when the shooting took place.

The officer killed was identified as Chase Maddox, 26, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) said in a Twitter message.

The slain suspect was identified by the GBI as 39-year-old Tierra Guthrie.

Images on Georgia television showed police tape around two homes in a cul-de-sac of a Locust Grove subdivision, about 30 miles southeast of Atlanta.

Maddox was the eighth U.S. law enforcement officer to be killed by gunfire in 2018, compared with five in 2017 through Feb. 9, according to the National Sheriffs' Association. It said 46 officers were killed by gunfire last year, down from 64 in 2016.

One of the Henry County deputies had been released from the Atlanta hospital by Friday afternoon, according to Atlanta's WSB-TV, but McBrayer said the other underwent surgery on Friday afternoon.

(Reporting by Mike Cooper, Peter Szekely and Bernie Woodall; Additional reporting and writing by Colleen Jenkins and Dan Whitcomb; Editing by James Dalgleish and Tom Brown)
Gus Kenworthy took a jab at Vice President Mike Pence during the Opening Ceremony Friday. (Reuters)

Freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy sent Vice President Mike Pence a not-so-subtle message from the Opening Ceremony at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang.

Pence attended the ceremony as the ceremonial head of the United States delegation. Kenworthy, who is gay, told the vice president to eat your heart out in the caption of a picture on Instagram with figure skater Adam Rippon.

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The Opening Ceremony is a wrap and the 2018 Winter Olympic Gaymes are officially under way! Kenworthy wrote. I feel incredibly honored to be here in Korea competing for the US and Im so proud to be representing the LGBTQ community alongside this amazing guy! Eat your heart out, Pence.

Kenworthy also tweeted pictures with Rippon, but left out the part including the vice president.

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Rippon, who is also gay, made a comment against Pence at qualifying for the Olympics because of a campaign statement made by Pences congressional campaign in 2000 that advocated against federal funding being given to organizations that celebrate and encourage the types of behaviors that facilitate the spreading of the HIV virus. Instead, Pences campaign said resources should be directed toward those institutions which provide assistance to those seeking to change their sexual behavior.

Many, including Rippon, feel that Pences campaign was making a reference to the ridiculous practice of homosexual conversion therapy.

Following Rippons comments at qualifying, USA Today reported that Pences staff tried to set up a meeting with Rippon, which the figure skater refused. Pences team publicly has said they did not reach out to the skater in the hopes of a meeting. The skater told USAT that he wouldnt rule out meeting with Pence  after the Olympics.

If I had the chance to meet him afterwards, after Im finished competing, there might be a possibility to have an open conversation, Rippon said in the interview last month. He seems more mild-mannered than Donald Trump.  But I dont think the current administration represents the values that I was taught growing up. Mike Pence doesnt stand for anything that I really believe in.

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Pence was the governor of Indiana when the state passed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The widely-criticized law claimed to protect religious freedom in the state, but drew immediate scorn for the ability for people to discriminate under the law. The law was so heavily protested that an amendment was passed not long after that protected LGBT people against discrimination.

The vice president was seated not far from Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un during the Opening Ceremony. Pence also did not stand when the unified Korea delegation walked into the arena in the ceremony.

More on Yahoo Sports:

Nick Bromberg is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
UPDATED 2:15 p.m. Eastern Thursday with a statement from Apple and comment from a security researcher.

The source code for iOS 9, an older version of Apple's mobile software, was posted on the Github code-sharing earlier this week, doubtless causing gnashing of teeth in Cupertino and joy in the iPhone jailbreaking community.

Credit: Kaspars Grinvalds/Shutterstock

Credit: Kaspars Grinvalds/Shutterstock

Even though the software is about two years old, and most iPhones now run iOS 11, the iOS 9 code contained the secret instructions that boot an iPhone (called "iBoot" by some), which may not have changed much in the interim.

It's not clear whether this leak poses any kind of security threat, as the same code has apparently been circulating privately among iOS researchers for some time, and was even posted on Reddit in the fall of 2017. Because the Reddit poster wasn't well known, few paid attention to him then.

But the source-code leak will spur new activity among jailbreakers and among iOS security researchers, the latter of whom have found it hard to find bugs in iOS because Apple won't divulge much of its code.

MORE: 28 Awesome Hidden iOS 11 Features

Specifically, the leaked code is for iOS 9.3, released in March 2016. The consensus among iOS experts online was that it was genuine, but not exactly earth-shattering news.

"iBoot source leak isnt as interesting as everyone is making out," tweeted British iOS researcher nullpixel. "It's been circulated between people for years, surprised it took this long to leak such an old build honestly."

The code was put on Github anonymously, and it's not clear who smuggled it out of Apple headquarters. You can no longer find it on the original Github page, thanks to a Digital Millennium Copyright Act objection by Apple's attorneys, but it took us only a couple of minutes to find a copy. (Sorry, not linking to it.) One wag pointed out that by issuing a DMCA takedown notice, Apple confirmed that the code was real.

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The bootloader verifies that the build of iOS loaded on an iPhone is genuine and allows the boot-up procedure to continue. But with each new version of iOS, Apple has been moving more and more processes to a special hardware chip called the Secure Enclave, so it's possible that jailbreaks based on the leaked iOS 9 code may not work on newer iPhones.

So if you're an iPhone user, should you be worried? Not really. The leaked source code will benefit low-level black-hat hackers who will be looking through it for security flaws, but they'll be in an arms race with white-hat hackers doing the same with the intent to fix flaws and/or cash in on Apple's bug bounties.

More serious iOS hackers will already have seen the source code. The real pros who work for or with the NSA and other intelligence agencies probably reverse-engineered iOS 9 two years ago.

UPDATE: Apple provided us with a statement, here in full:

"Old source code from three years ago appears to have been leaked, but by design the security of our products doesnt depend on the secrecy of our source code. There are many layers of hardware and software protections built into our products, and we always encourage customers to update to the newest software releases to benefit from the latest protections."

An Apple spokesperson pointed out that Apple's own numbers, as posted on the Apple developer site, show that only 7 percent of iOS devices are running iOS 9 or earlier.

Amit Serper, a principal security researcher at Cybereason in Boston, said the leak of the source code does raise the security risks for iPhone users.

"The bootloader is a crucial part of the device," Serper told Tom's Guide. "Once its code is publicly available to analyze, it's a game changer."

"Finding a vulnerability in the bootloader will allow attackers to tinker with the boot process and execute code that, well, shouldn't really be executed," he added. "Sadly, such leaks have been the reality in the past decade."

See also : 25 Things You Didn't Know Could Be Hacked
ANKARA (Reuters) - The deputy head of Irans elite Revolutionary Guards Corps declined to comment on reports that Israel had intercepted an Iranian drone launched from Syria on Saturday, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.

"We cannot confirm this report on the drone because Israelis are liars ... if Syrians confirm it, Iran will confirm it as well," Brigadier General Hossein Salami said, according to Tasnim.

Israel said it launched air strikes against air defences and Iranian targets in Syria on Saturday and the Syrian army claimed to have hit an Israeli F-16 that crashed in northern Israel in a major escalation of tension.

The Israeli military said the F-16 jet crashed during a mission to strike Iranian drone installations in Syria, where Iranian and Iran-backed forces have established a major foothold while fighting in support of President Bashar al-Assad.

Israel said it had sent its jets into Syria after shooting down an Iranian drone flying over Israeli territory earlier on Saturday. Israel said its warplanes came under fire in Syria, though it was still unclear why the jet had come down.

(Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei condemned U.S. foreign policy across the Middle East, accusing Washington of destabilizing the region through its intervention.

Khamenei made the remarks Thursday while addressing a gathering of air force commanders in Tehran, which last month was rocked by protests that Iran suspected of being partially instigated by the U.S, Israel and Saudi Arabia. The top cleric said the U.S. had created the Islamic State militant group (ISIS), which once claimed nearly half of Iraq and Syria, and the U.S. was responsible for the death and destruction it caused. In response, he said, Irans primary goal was to stand against cruelty and corruption at the international level and to discredit the U.S.

Related: What will Saudi Arabia do about Iran? The Crown Prince could not make his move

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Today, the U.S. government is the cruelest and most merciless system in the world, which is even worse than the savage ISIS members, Khamenei told the commanders on the 39th anniversary of the air forces founding, according to the semiofficial Tasnim News Agency.

IranKhameneiAirForce

Khamenei.ir

ISIS has its roots in Iraqi jihadi groups, especially Al-Qaeda in Iraq, that rose in the wake of the U.S. invasion and occupation of the country in 2003. After toppling Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, the U.S. struggled to stabilize the country and faced regular attacks from ultraconservative Sunni Muslim groups such as Al-Qaeda as well as other revolutionary Shiite Muslim groups backed by Iran. As ISIS consolidated control over large parts of Iraq, both U.S.-backed and Iran-backed forces fought alongside one another to defeat the militants in every major city they held.

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The U.S. and Iran also fought ISIS in neighboring Syria but did so in separate campaigns that sometimes clashed with each other. The U.S. initially funded Syrian rebel groups trying to oust Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, an ally of Tehran and Moscow, but later switched to supporting mostly Kurdish groups after the majority-Arab Sunni Muslim uprising became increasingly radical.

Throughout Syrias nearly seven-year civil war, Kurdish militias fought both alongside and against the Syrian military, which is supported by Russian air cover and various pro-government militias, many of which were backed by Iran. The Syrian military also allowed Kurdish fighters to cross through government territory in order to combat a Turkish invasion and the insurgent Free Syrian Army supporting it.

Recent violence between pro-Syrian government forces and the Pentagon-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, the name given to the Kurd-dominated coalition fighting ISIS, threatened to open a new front during an already intense period of the prolonged conflict. In an incident that both sides blamed the other for instigating, a clash Wednesday in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor left one Syrian Democratic Forces fighter wounded from enemy fire and up to dozens of pro-Assad fighters dead as a result of U.S.-led coalition airstrikes.

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Russia and Syria quickly accused the U.S. of protecting an ISIS pocket east of the Euphrates River, but the U.S.-led coalition dismissed those allegations and later launched airstrikes on ISIS positions near the Iraqi border. Additional clashes between pro-Syrian government fighters and the U.S. coalition were reported Friday.

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LOUAI BESHARA/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

In his speech on Thursday, Khamenei also blasted the U.S. for backing Israel over Palestine; for a Saudi-led war on Shiite Muslim rebels known as the Houthis in Yemen; and for undermining a landmark 2015 nuclear treaty signed under the administration of President Barack Obama. His successor, President Donald Trump, has instituted a much more hard-line position against Iran, which Trump has accused of funding terrorism and developing ballistic missile technology that compromised regional security.

Iran compared the Trump administrations rhetoric to that of former President George W. Bush, leading up to the Iraq War in 2003. In his America First national security strategy released in December, Trump referred to Iran as an evil dictatorship that, along with nuclear-armed North Korea, was determined to destabilize regions, threaten Americans and our allies, and brutalize their own people.

This article was first written by Newsweek

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Charlotte NC Shooting Range  Setting the Bar High

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ANKARA (Reuters) - Iran, Israel's regional arch-enemy, rejected as "ridiculous" reports that Israel had intercepted an Iranian drone launched from Syria on Saturday, state TV reported.

Separately, a Revolutionary Guards' official said he could not confirm the report because Israelis were "liars".

Israel said it launched air strikes against air defences and Iranian targets in Syria on Saturday and the Syrian army claimed to have hit an Israeli F-16 that crashed in northern Israel in a major escalation of tension.

"Reports of downing an Iranian drone flying over Israel and also Iran's involvement in attacking an Israeli jet are so ridiculous," state TV quoted Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi as saying.

Shi'ite-dominated Iran is Syrian President Bashar al-Assads main regional ally and denies having any conventional armed forces in Syria, though it has acknowledged having military advisers and volunteers from its elite Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) in Syria.

"Iran only provides military advice to Syria based on the request of the country's legitimate government," Qasemi said.

The Israeli military said the F-16 jet crashed during a mission to strike Iranian drone installations in Syria, where Iranian and Iran-backed forces have established a major foothold while fighting in support of Assad.

Israel said it had sent its jets into Syria after shooting down an Iranian drone flying over Israeli territory on Saturday. Israel said its warplanes came under fire in Syria, though it was still unclear why the jet had come down.

"Syria's legitimate government has every right to defend its soil and territory against any foreign aggressor," Qasemi said, state TV reported.

Earlier the deputy head of Iran's IRGC declined to comment on the reports, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

"We cannot confirm this report on the drone because Israelis are liars ... if Syrians confirm it, Iran will confirm it as well," Brigadier General Hossein Salami said.

(Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Richard Balmforth)
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel does not seek an escalation in the region, an Israeli military spokesman said on Saturday.

"We are willing, prepared and capable to exact a heavy price from anyone that attacks us, however we are not looking to escalate the situation. This was a defensive effort triggered by an Iranian act of aggression and we are defending our airspace our sovereignty and civilians."

Earlier on Saturday Israel said it had shot down an Iranian drone violating its airspace and struck at least 12 Iranian and Syrian targets in Syria and an Israeli F-16 jet under Syrian fire had crashed in northern Israel.

(Reporting by Maayan Lubell)
Israel downs Iranian drone, loses F-16, in airstrikes in Syria Israeli security forces examine the remains of an F-16 Israeli war plane near the Israeli village of Harduf, Israel, Feb. 10, 2018. (Photo: Ronen Zvulun/Reuters)

In its most serious engagement in neighboring Syria since fighting there began in 2011, Israel shot down an infiltrating Iranian drone Saturday and struck Iranian targets deep in Syria before one of its own jets was downed.

The sudden escalation offers what could be a harbinger of what lies ahead as the Syrian fighting winds down and an emboldened Iran establishes a military presence that Israel vows it will never accept.

Israel has issued several stern warnings of late about the increased Iranian involvement along its border in Syria and Lebanon. The Israeli Cabinet just held a meeting near the Syrian border to highlight the new threats, which it attributes to Irans growing confidence given the success of the government of Bashar Assad in the Syrian civil war thanks to their support.

Israel called the drone infiltration a severe and irregular violation of Israeli sovereignty and warned that Iran would be held accountable for its meddling, raising the specter of a larger confrontation in an area that has remained largely stable since a monthlong war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon in 2006. (AP)

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Jerusalem (AFP) - Israel attacked what it said were Iranian positions inside Syria on Saturday in "large-scale" raids after one of its warplanes was targeted by Syrian air defences and crashed.

Following the most serious confrontation between arch foes Israel and Iran since Syria's civil war began in 2011, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to prevent Tehran from establishing a threatening military presence in the Arab state.

Israel's raids came after it intercepted what it said was an Iranian drone entering its airspace from Syria, calling it an "attack".

Washington backed Israel and blamed Iran for the escalation.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for "an immediate and unconditional de-escalation of violence" in Syria, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

It was the first time Israel has publicly acknowledged targeting what it identified as Iranian positions in Syria since the conflict started.

Iran denounced Israeli "lies" and said Syria had the right to self-defence in response to the strikes.

Separately, Iran issued a statement with Syria's other main allies -- Russia and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah -- denying Israel's drone allegations.

Russia's foreign ministry urged "restraint" by all parties, adding it was "unacceptable to create threats to the lives and security of Russian soldiers" in Syria.

Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus warned that Syria and Iran were "playing with fire", but stressed that his country was not seeking an escalation.

"This is the most blatant and severe Iranian violation of Israeli sovereignty" in recent years, Conricus told journalists.

- '12 targets attacked' -

Israel said its reprisals were "large-scale" raids on Syrian air defence systems and Iranian targets.

"Twelve targets, including three aerial defence batteries and four Iranian targets that are part of Iran's military establishment in Syria were attacked," a military statement said.

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The two crew from the crashed F16 were alive after ejecting, although one was severely wounded, the military said.

They landed inside Israel and were taken to hospital.

Israel said the confrontation began with the drone entering its airspace before being intercepted by a helicopter.

Conricus said it was intercepted well inside Israel north of the city of Beit Shean, near the Jordan border.

He did not say whether the drone was armed, but alleged it "was on a military mission sent by Iranian military forces" from an "Iranian base" in the Palmyra area.

Eight Israeli aircraft then "targeted the Iranian control systems in Syria that sent the UAV" and confirmed hits, Conricus said.

He said the aircraft met "massive Syrian anti-air fire", and the F16 later came down in northern Israel's Jezreel valley.

Damascus said its air defences repelled two Israeli raids on its military bases in central Syria, hitting more than one warplane during the first.

- 'Israel wants peace' -

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, said Israel had targeted several bases in the east of the central province of Homs.

It said the bases are used by both Iranians and Russians deployed in support of the regime.

Syrian state media said the later raids targeted positions in the south.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi accused Israel of lying.

"Iran does not have a military presence in Syria, and has only sent military advisors at the request of the Syrian government," he said.

The statement from Iran, Russia and Hezbollah dismissed Israel's drone allegations as "lies".

It said Israel had targeted drones used against "terrorist organisations", mainly the Islamic State group.

Hezbollah in a separate statement said the F16's downing marked the start of a "new strategic era".

Danny Danon, Israel's ambassador to the UN, called on the Security Council "to condemn this dangerous act and to put an immediate end to Iranian provocations".

Speaking after meeting defence officials, Netanyahu reiterated that Israel would not allow Iran to establish itself militarily in Syria.

"Israel wants peace but we will continue to defend ourselves with determination against any attack on us and against any attempt by Iran to entrench itself militarily in Syria or anywhere else," he said.

Netanyahu said he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin, adding that they agreed to continue their coordination on Syria.

The Kremlin said Putin had stressed the necessity to "avoid any measure that could lead to a dangerous escalation".

- Still at war -

Netanyahu said he also spoke to US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who is about to embark on a visit to the region.

The US State Department said it "strongly supports Israel's sovereign right to defend itself", calling "for an end to Iranian behaviour that threatens peace and stability".

Netanyahu has spoken with Putin several times in recent months in a bid to persuade Russia to limit Iran's presence near Israel.

Israel is technically at war with Syria and occupies a swathe of the strategic Golan Heights that it seized in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed in a move never recognised by the international community.

Israel has sought to avoid direct involvement in the Syria conflict, but acknowledges carrying out dozens of air strikes there to stop what it calls deliveries of advanced weaponry to Hezbollah.
An Israeli jet was shot down during an attack on Iranian targets in Syria yesterday, in the most serious confrontation between the foes since the start of the civil war.

Israel launched raids inside Syria after it intercepted an Iranian drone crossing the Syria-Israel border.

The military said its F-16 jet then faced massive anti-aircraft fire from the Syrian regime's air defences that forced two pilots to abandon the aircraft, which crashed in northern Israel.

Bystanders look at the remains of an F-16 Israeli war plane near the village of Harduf, Israel Credit: Reuters

One pilot was seriously wounded and the other lightly. Syrian officials reported large explosions in the centre of the country and the Syrian counter fire set off warning sirens throughout northern Israel.

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said it struck at least a dozen targets after the jet was downed, including three aerial defence batteries and four Iranian targets near the capital Damascus.

Saturday's incident marked the first time an Israeli aircraft has been brought downed in combat since the Lebanese civil war in 1982.

Brigadier General Ronen Manelis, chief spokesman for the IDF, said it was being seen as an attack by Iran in Israeli territory. Iran is dragging the region into an adventure in which it doesnt know how it will end, he said.

Israeli security forces walk next to the remains of an F-16 Israeli war plane near the Israeli village of Harduf Credit: Reuters

It was a rare public admission by Israel, which has conducted more than 100 strikes inside Syria against Iranian and Lebanese Shia militia Hizbollah, which are fighting in the war-town country in support of the government.

Analysts have long warned that as President Bashar al-Assad and his Iranian allies grow stronger in Syria, the conflict between Israel and Iranian proxies will heat up.

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Israel fears Iran is using the cover of the war next door to develop and transfer sophisticated weaponry to Hizbollah, its most powerful proxy force in the region.

It has also recently been warning of the increased Iranian presence along its border, but military spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus said Saturday's incident marked the most "blatant and severe violation of Israeli sovereignty" yet.

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He said Israel has no interest in further escalation but that it would "extract a heavy price" for such aggression.

The Syrian civil war is showing no signs of winding down after seven years of fighting. Not only is the violence not abating it appears to be escalating to unprecedented levels, stoked by international powers backing different sides of the conflict.

The remains of the Israel F-16 jet in the northern Israeli Kibbutz of Harduf Credit: JACK GUEZ

Syrian and Russian jets have been pounding the last-remaining rebel strongholds for the last week, leaving 230 civilians dead, in attacks the United Nations said could amount to war crimes.

Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said his office had received reports including video footage of possible use of "toxic agents" on Feb. 4 in the rebel-held town of Saraqeb, Idlib province.
Bystanders look at the remains of an F-16 Israeli war plane near the village of Harduf, Israel - REUTERS

Israel struck a dozen Syrian and Iranian targets inside Syria on Saturday after an Israeli fighter jet crashed under fire from Syrian air defences, the military said.

The confrontation was the most serious between arch foes Israel and Iran since the start of the civil war in Syria in 2011.

Israel's raids came after it intercepted what it said was an Iranian drone entering its airspace from Syria.

It marked the first time Israel publicly acknowledged attacking what it identified as Iranian targets in Syria since the war began.

The Israeli military issued a warning to Tehran, saying it was responsible for the drone that entered Israel, which it labelled an "attack."

It said its reprisals after the exchange were "large-scale" raids.

The remains of an Israel F-16 that crashed after coming under fire by Syrian air defences during attacks against "Iranian targets" Credit: AFP

"A few minutes ago, (Israeli aircraft)... targeted the Syrian Aerial Defence System and Iranian targets in Syria," a military statement said.

"Twelve targets, including three aerial defence batteries and four Iranian targets that are part of Iran's military establishment in Syria were attacked."

Israel has repeatedly warned in recent weeks against the presence of Iranian forces in neighbouring Syria.

The Israeli pilots of the crashed F16 were reported alive, although one was severely wounded.

According to the Israeli military, the confrontation began with a drone entering its airspace.

Israeli forces identified an "Iranian UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle)" launched from Syria and intercepted it in Israeli airspace with a combat helicopter, a statement said.

They then "targeted the Iranian control systems in Syria that sent the UAV into Israeli airspace," military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus tweeted.

"Massive Syrian anti-air fire, one F16 crashed in Israel, pilots safe."

Police said the F16 crashed in the Jezreel valley in northern Israel.

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It was not clear if the jet crashed as a direct result of the Syrian fire.

According to a separate military statement, "multiple anti-aircraft missiles were fired at IAF (Israel Air Force) aircraft."

"The pilots of one of the aircraft abandoned as per procedure. The pilots landed in Israeli territory and were taken to the hospital for medical treatment."

Conricus said the army had confirmed "accurate hits of (the) Iranian UAV control facility" in Syria.

"Iran is responsible for this severe violation of Israeli sovereignty," Conricus said on Twitter.

Syria said its air defences repelled two Israeli raids on its military bases in the centre of the country, hitting more than one warplane during the first.

"At dawn, the Zionist enemy carried out a new aggression against one of our military bases in the centre of the country," state news agency SANA reported.

"Our air defences repelled it and hit more than one plane."

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor of the seven-year civil war, said the Israeli raids had targeted several military bases in the east of the central province of Homs.

It said the bases are used by both Iranian and Russian military personnel deployed in support of the regime.

Air raid sirens had gone off in Israel in the early hours of the morning following the UAV interception and raids.

The army said it was "monitoring events and is fully prepared for further action, depending on assessments and necessity."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has held a series of meetings in recent months with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Iran's influence in war-torn Syria and Lebanon.

Netanyahu has been seeking to persuade Russia to limit Iran's presence near Israeli territory and to stop it from entrenching itself militarily in Syria.

Russia, Iran and Lebanon's Shia Muslim militant group Hezbollah - which is backed by Tehran - all support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the civil war.

In a meeting in Moscow last month, Netanyahu reiterated Israel's concerns of what he described as the attempts of Iran to establish a military presence in Syria and produce accurate weapons against Israel there.

"We won't accept either of those, and will act according to our needs," Netanyahu said following the meeting with Putin.

Israel remain technically at war with Syria and occupies a swathe of the strategic Golan Heights that it seized in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed in a move never recognised by the international community.

On Tuesday, Netanyahu took members of his security cabinet for a tour of the Israeli-occupied side, where they were briefed by the military on the situation.

"We want peace, but are prepared for any scenario, and suggest that nobody tries us," he said.

Israel has sought to avoid direct involvement in the Syrian war, but acknowledges carrying out dozens of air strikes there to stop what it says are advanced arms deliveries to Hezbollah.
Syrian anti-aircraft fire shot down an Israeli jet on Saturday, the military said, after Israel intercepted an Iranian drone launched from Syria and struck an Iranian target there.

Footage from northern Israel showed what appeared to be white aircraft debris scattered on the ground.

r

Reuters

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It was one of the most serious incidents involving Israel, Iran and Syria since the start of the Syrian civil war almost eight years ago.

A combat helicopter successfully intercepted an Iranian UAV that was launched from Syria and infiltrated Israel, the Israeli military said in a statement.

IDF (Israel Defense Forces) has targeted the Iranian control systems in Syria that sent the #UAV into Israeli airspace. Massive Syrian Anti-Air fire, one F16 crashed in Israel, pilots safe, Israeli military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus said on Twitter.

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Syrian state media cited a military source as saying Syrian air defenses had opened fire in response to an Israeli act of aggression against a military base and hit more than one plane.

The Israeli enemy entity at dawn today conducted a new aggression against one of the military bases in the central region. Our air defenses confronted it and hit more than one plane, the unidentified military source said.

Israeli media said the jet crashed in northern Israel.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid a rare visit to the Israel-Syria front on Tuesday and warned Israels enemies not to test its resolve. He did not mention by name Iran or its Lebanese militia ally, Hezbollah, both main players in Syrias civil war.

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Netanyahu has been cautioning against any attempt by Iran to deepen its military foothold in Syria or construct missile factories in neighboring Lebanon.

Israel has seen spillover violence from the Syrian civil war. It has opened fire at times to foil what it deemed deliberate cross-border attacks and has struck suspected Hezbollah arms shipments around 100 times in Syria during the civil war.

This article was first written by Newsweek

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The third-ranking official in the Department of Justicewho would oversee the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election if Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein was fired, resigns or recuses himselfis reportedly stepping down.

Associate Attorney General Rachel Brand, whom President Donald Trump appointed to the position, plans to leave to go to the private sector, The New York Times reported, citing two people with knowledge of the matter.

Her apparent upcoming departure could potentially change the course of Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian tampering and possible coordination with the Trump campaign. Rosenstein has been overseeing the probe because Sessions, who had worked on the Trump campaign, recused himself. If Trump fired Rosenstein or he quit or recused himself, Brand would have taken his place, according to the Justice Department line of succession.

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02_09_Rachel_Brand_stepping_down

Mark Wilson/Getty

Following the release last week of House Intelligence Committee memo alleging misconduct by Rosenstein, Trump indicated that he might remove the deputy attorney general. A White House spokesman later said there were no plans to do so.

With Brand gone, Sessions can designate someone else to step in as the No. 3 official, such as an assistant attorney general or the solicitor general. If he does not or cannot do so, the United States attorneys for the Eastern District of Virginia, the Eastern District of North Carolina and the Northern District of Texas are next in the order of succession, respectively. But officials in acting capacities do not count in the order, and so only Robert Higdon, the U.S. attorney in North Carolina, and Erin Cox, the U.S. attorney in Texas, would be eligible. They are both Trump appointees. If Rosenstein is no longer in his role, that person would likely be tasked with overseeing the Mueller probe.

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A Justice Department spokesperson was not immediately available to comment or to confirm the report.

This is a developing story.

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Three people were hospitalized Friday night after a California Highway Patrol motorcycle leading Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus motorcade was involved in a crash with an SUV near Los Angeles.

None of the injuries appeared to be critical, according to police and a family member.

The prime minister was in California for events that included a meeting with Gov. Jerry Brown (D). The motorcade had just left the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, where Trudeau had presented a speech on the benefits of the North American Free Trade Agreement, when the driver of a Toyota Highlander turned left and collided with a CHP motorcycle leading the motorcade, police told ABC7-TV.

The motorcycle was badly mangled in the 7:20 p.m. crash, and the officer sustained moderate injuries, according to the Ventura County Fire Department. The SUV driver and her son also were transported to the hospital.

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The husband of the driver, whom police did not identify, told ABC7 that his wife injured her neck and that their son may have broken his wrist.

The motorcade continued on its way after the wreck, The Toronto Star reported.

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Trudeau arrived in San Francisco on Thursday for meetings to discuss possible Canadian investments and business partnerships. He also met with Amazon Chief Executive Jeff Bezos, whos considering locations for a second headquarters. Toronto is on the short list.

Trudeau also spent time Friday with Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom.

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Brown and Trudeau talked about climate change and trade. Brown told ABC that President Donald Trump is AWOL on climate change, so other leaders have to fill the vacuum and do what they can.

The Trump people have their heads in the sand, and we have to make allies in Canada, Brown said.

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Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation (Kahramaa) has signed two call-off agreements for supply of low-voltage (LV), 11 kV and pilot power cables with Doha Cables and Qatar International Cables Company (QICC), said a report.



The agreements were signed for a period of for two years at a total cost of QR1.9 billion ($521.83 million), added the Gulf Times report.



The signing ceremony was attended by Kahramaa president and senior engineer Essa bin Hilal Al Kuwari; Doha Cables chairman Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani; QICC's Sheikh Fahd bin Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani and a number of officials, it said.



The value of the contract Kahramaa signed with Doha Cables exceeds QR1.24 billion ($340.56 million) while that with QICC is QR640 million ($175.7 million).



The two contracts are valued at QR1.88 billion ($516.34 million), while the total length of the cables is 10,000 km.



Under the call-off agreement, the supplier provides materials to Kahramaa within two days of the order. Kahramaa also has call-off contracts with various companies.
Moscow (AFP) - A video published online by Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny alleging that an influential Russian deputy prime minister enjoyed lavish hospitality from a billionaire tycoon went viral on Friday, receiving more than 2 million views.

The video includes footage that Navalny said was shot by a woman who has written a book about seducing oligarchs.

Navalny, who has been barred from running against President Vladimir Putin in next month's election, said the video appears to show Putin's former top foreign policy adviser Sergei Prikhodko vacationing on the yacht of 50-year-old Oleg Deripaska, an aluminium magnate.

Both Deripaska and Prikhodko, who rarely makes comments to the media, denied the allegations.

"The political loser has once again tried to organise a provocation," Prikhodko said in a statement to business newspaper RBC.

He said he should respond to the accusations "like a man, but we will stay within the legal framework".

A spokesman for Deripaska's Basic Element industrial group said the allegations "have no relation to reality".

"We would like to warn media from spreading these false accusations," the spokesman said in a statement.

Deripaska's Instagram account said: "I will defend my honour and dignity in court."

Video footage apparently shows the magnate, who controls Russian aluminium giant Rusal, and a man who appears to be Prikhodko on a yacht together, looking relaxed.

The two men at one point are heard talking about strained US-Russia relations.

Navalny claims Prikhodko and Deripaska sailed together on Deripaska's luxury yacht off the coast of Norway in 2016.

Prikhodko now serves as deputy prime minister and government chief of staff. He was an aide to Boris Yeltsin and then to Putin until 2012. The 61-year-old is considered to be one of the main architects of Russia's foreign policy.

Deripaska was once an associate of US President Donald Trump's former campaign director Paul Manafort.

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Prikhodko called Deripaska "my friend" and added that he did not know Manafort personally, according to RBC.

He said he would not sue Navalny. "It's enough that other people will do it," he added.

Navalny said that by using photos that the woman posted on her Instagram feed and other open sources he had identified the vessel as Deripaska's yacht the Elden.

The Kremlin critic also accused the state official of owning luxurious apartments in Moscow and a mansion outside the Russian capital.

The video, which was posted on YouTube on Thursday, had been viewed more than 2 million times by Friday evening.

The names from Navalny's investigation were among the top trending hashtags on Russian Twitter, along with #Olympics, as the Winter Olympic Games kicked off in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

The woman who Navalny said filmed the video, Nastya Rybka, describes herself as a model and has penned a book on how to seduce billionaires.

She has more than 60,000 followers on Instagram where she has posted scantily-clad or naked snaps of herself and a video of herself having sex with a man.

When asked if he could comment on Navalny's investigation, Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists: "No, I could not and would not want to."
Beirut (AFP) - Lebanon Friday signed its first contract to drill for oil and gas off its coast with a consortium comprising energy giants Total, ENI and Novatek, including in a block disputed by Israel.

Israel says one of two blocks in the eastern Mediterranean where Lebanon wants to drill for oil belongs to it, and last week denounced any exploration by Beirut as "provocative".

President Michel Aoun said at a signing ceremony that Lebanon has "entered a new chapter in its history and is now a member of energy-producing countries".

Looking to tap potential oil and gas reserves after major offshore discoveries by neighbouring Israel and Cyprus, the country in December approved a bid on blocks four and nine of the 10 predefined by Lebanon and the five that were the subject of the tender.

Block nine is the disputed block with Israel.

Exploration is set to begin in 2019.

French energy giant Total and Italy's Eni each hold a 40-percent stake in the consortium, and Russia's Novatek has a 20-percent stake.

Total welcomed the deal, saying it stipulates that drilling will take place in "at least one well per block in the first three years" and that the "consortium's priority will be to drill a first exploration well on Block 4 in 2019".

"As for block 9, Total and its partners are fully aware of the Israeli-Lebanese border dispute in the southern part of the block that covers only a very limited area (less than eight percent of the block's surface).

"Given that, the main prospects are located more than 25 km (15.5 miles) from the disputed area, the consortium confirms that the exploration well on block 9 will have no interference at all with any fields or prospects located south of the border area," it added in a statement issued in English.

- The right to drill -

Last week, Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman accused Lebanon of "provocative behaviour".

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"They issue a tender on a gas field -- including a bloc which by all accounts is ours -- to international groups that are respectable companies, which to my mind are making a serious mistake since it's against all rules and protocol in cases like this," he said.

Lebanese Energy Minister Cesar Abi Khalil responded by saying Lebanon would defend its right to drill there.

"Israel will do what it can to block us from taking advantage of our oil wealth, and we will do everything in our power to defend it," he said.

And Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil told AFP: "Diplomatic efforts will continue to prevent Israel from carrying out a possible aggression against the maritime wealth" of Lebanon.

He said any conflict "would have catastrophic repercussions on both Lebanon and Israel".

The United States this week sent to Beirut its Assistant Secretary of State for Middle East Affairs, David Satterfield.

At a meeting on Thursday with Aoun, Satterfield presented "proposals to maintain stability and calm in the border area", according to a statement issued by the presidency.

Tensions between the two neighbours -- which are technically still at war -- have also mounted as Israel pursues the construction of a wall along the border.

Lebanon says part of the wall follows the UN-demarcated "Blue Line" drawn up after Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000, and insists some sections will cut into its territory.

Israel dismissed the claim and said on Tuesday the work is being carried out on Israeli territory.

Israel began building the wall in 2012, six years after fighting a devastating war with Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah.
Ramallah (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - Narendra Modi on Saturday became the first Indian prime minister to visit the occupied West Bank where he held talks with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas as part of a Middle East tour.

The visit, which came weeks after Modi hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was seen as an Indian effort to balance its strengthening ties with the Jewish state.

"I have once again assured President Abbas that India is bound by a promise to take care of the Palestinian people's interests," Modi said following a meeting with the Palestinian leader.

"India hopes that soon Palestine will become a free country in a peaceful manner."

Modi and his entourage had flown in by helicopter from Jordan, landing near Abbas's Ramallah headquarters and laying a wreath at the mausoleum of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

New Delhi has long backed the Palestinian territories' quest for nationhood and Modi has voiced support for an independent state existing peacefully alongside Israel.

After a bilateral meeting, Abbas gave the Indian leader a medal "in recognition of his wise leadership" and "efforts to promote the historic relations between the State of Palestine and the Republic of India."

Speaking alongside Modi, Abbas said they had discussed "bringing the political process out of the deadlock due to the continued Israeli occupation of our land and the political impasse following (US President Donald) Trump's decision on Jerusalem and the refugees".

Trump in December shocked the Palestinians by breaking with decades of US policy and recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The US president is also withholding tens of millions of dollars from UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.

"We count on India's role as an international force of great prestige and weight," Abbas said, noting "its rising power at the strategic and economic levels" that could "contribute to the achievement of a just peace in our region".

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The Indian leader said his country "hopes for peace and stability in this region".

"We believe a permanent solution to Palestine is possible through dialogue. Only diplomacy and farsightedness can break the cycle of violence and free it from the baggage of the past," Modi said.

"India and Palestine's historic relations have stood the test of time. Palestinian interests have always got our support and remained at the top in our foreign policy."

Modi became the first Indian prime minister ever to visit Israel in July last year, with the two states signing deals on cybersecurity and energy.

India's refusal to back US moves to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital disappointed the Jewish state but was consistent with its support for the Palestinians.

Modi was later taking off for Jordan for the rest of his three-day tour, which will also take him to Oman and the United Arab Emirates.

The Gulf is a critical region for New Delhi.

India sources more than half its oil and energy supplies from the region, and around nine million Indians live and work there, sending home billions of dollars in remittances annually.
By Wa Lone, Kyaw Soe Oo, Simon Lewis and Antoni Slodkowski INN DIN, Myanmar (Reuters) - Bound together, the 10 Rohingya captives watched their Buddhist neighbors dig a grave. Soon afterwards, on the morning of Sept. 2, all 10 lay dead. At least two were hacked to death by Buddhist villagers. The rest were shot by soldiers, two of the gravediggers said. The killings marked another episode in the violence sweeping Myanmar's northern Rakhine State. The Rohingya accuse the army of arson, rapes and killings. The United Nations has said the army may have committed genocide. Myanmar says its "clearance operation" is a legitimate response to attacks by insurgents. Rohingya trace their presence in Rakhine back centuries. But most people in majority-Buddhist Myanmar consider them to be unwanted Muslim immigrants from Bangladesh. The army refers to the Rohingya as "Bengalis," and most lack citizenship. In recent years, the government has confined more than 100,000 Rohingya in camps where they have limited access to food, medicine and education. Nearly 690,000 Rohingya have fled their villages and crossed the border into Bangladesh since August. Reuters has pieced together what happened in the days leading up to the killings in Inn Din, drawing for the first time on interviews with Buddhist villagers who confessed to torching Rohingya homes, burying bodies and killing Muslims. This account also marks the first time soldiers and paramilitary police have been implicated by testimony from security personnel. Three photographs, provided to Reuters by a Buddhist village elder, capture key moments, from the Rohingya men's detention by soldiers in the early evening of Sept. 1 to their execution shortly after 10 a.m. on Sept. 2. The Reuters investigation was what prompted police authorities to arrest two of the news agency's reporters, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, on Dec. 12 for allegedly obtaining confidential documents relating to Rakhine. Then, on Jan. 10, the military issued a statement that confirmed portions of what Reuters was preparing to report, acknowledging that 10 Rohingya men were massacred in Inn Din. But the military's version of events is contradicted in important respects by accounts given to Reuters by Rakhine Buddhist and Rohingya Muslim witnesses. The military said the 10 men belonged to a group of "200 terrorists" that attacked security forces. But Buddhist villagers interviewed for this article reported no attack by a large number of insurgents on security forces in Inn Din. And Rohingya witnesses told Reuters that soldiers plucked the 10 from among Rohingya who had sought safety on a nearby beach. Scores of interviews with Rakhine Buddhist villagers, soldiers, paramilitary police, Rohingya and a local administrator further revealed: - The military and paramilitary police organized Buddhist residents of Inn Din and at least two other villages to torch Rohingya homes, Buddhist villagers said. - An order to "clear" Inn Din's Rohingya hamlets was passed down the command chain from the military, said three paramilitary police officers and a fourth police officer at an intelligence unit in the regional capital Sittwe. - Some members of the paramilitary police looted Rohingya property including cows and motorcycles in order to sell it, according to Inn Din's Buddhist administrator and one of the paramilitary police officers. Asked about the evidence Reuters has uncovered about the massacre, government spokesman Zaw Htay said, "We are not denying the allegations about violations of human rights. And we are not giving blanket denials." If there was "strong and reliable primary evidence" of abuses, the government would investigate, he said. "And then if we found the evidence is true and the violations are there, we will take the necessary action according to our existing law." When told that paramilitary police officers had said they received orders to "clear" Inn Dins Rohingya hamlets, he replied, "We have to verify. We have to ask the Ministry of Home Affairs and Myanmar police forces." Asked about the allegations of looting by paramilitary police officers, he said the police would investigate. He expressed surprise when told that Buddhist villagers had confessed to burning Rohingya homes, then added, "We recognize that many, many different allegations are there, but we need to verify who did it. It is very difficult in the current situation." Zaw Htay defended the military operation in Rakhine. "The international community needs to understand who did the first terrorist attacks. If that kind of terrorist attack took place in European countries, in the United States, in London, New York, Washington, what would the media say?" NEIGHBOR TURNS ON NEIGHBOR Events began to unfold on Aug. 25 when Rohingya rebels attacked police posts and an army base in northern Rakhine. Fearing for their safety, several hundred of Inn Din's Buddhist villagers took refuge in a monastery. On Aug. 27, about 80 troops from Myanmar's 33rd Light Infantry Division arrived in the village. Five Buddhist villagers said the army officer in charge told them they could volunteer to join security operations. He found willing participants among Inn Din's Buddhist "security group," members of the organization and villagers said. In the days that followed, soldiers, police and Buddhist villagers burned most of the homes of Inn Din's Rohingya Muslims, a dozen Buddhist residents said. One of the police officers said he received verbal orders from his commander to "go and clear" areas where Rohingya lived, which he took to mean to burn them. A second police officer described taking part in several raids on villages north of Inn Din. Security forces wore civilian shirts and shorts to blend in with the villagers, according to the second police officer and Inn Din's Buddhist administrator, Maung Thein Chay. After the Rohingya had fled Inn Din, Buddhist villagers took their property, including chickens and goats, Buddhist residents told Reuters. But the most valuable goods, mostly motorcycles and cattle, were collected by the commander of the 8th Security Police Battalion and sold, said the first police officer and the village administrator. Reached by phone, the commander, Thant Zin Oo, did not comment. A police spokesman, Colonel Myo Thu Soe, said the police would investigate the allegations of looting. By Sept. 1, several hundred Rohingya from Inn Din were sheltering on a nearby beach, witnesses said. Among them were the 10 men who would be killed. Five of the men were fishermen or fish sellers, two ran stores, two were students and one was an Islamic teacher. Rohingya witnesses said the Islamic teacher, Abdul Malik, had gone back to his hamlet to collect food and bamboo for shelter. When he returned to the beach, at least seven soldiers and armed Buddhist villagers followed him. Then the military beckoned to the Rohingya, these witnesses said, and picked out the 10 men. A photograph, taken that evening, shows the 10 kneeling on a path in the village. On Sept. 2, they were taken to scrubland near a graveyard, Buddhist villagers said, where they were photographed again. Security personnel questioned them about the disappearance of a local Buddhist farmer named Maung Ni, according to a Rakhine elder. Several Rakhine Buddhist and Rohingya villagers told Reuters they knew of no evidence connecting any of the 10 to the farmer's disappearance. Three Buddhist witnesses said they watched as the captives were led by soldiers toward the site of their deaths. One of the gravediggers, retired soldier Soe Chay, said Maung Ni's sons were invited by the army officer in charge of the squad to strike the first blows. The first son beheaded the Islamic teacher, Abdul Malik, according to Soe Chay. The second son hacked another of the men in the neck. A Rakhine elder provided Reuters reporters with a photograph which shows the aftermath of the killings. Explaining why he chose to share information with Reuters, he said: "I want to be transparent on this case. I don't want it to happen like that in future." (Reporting by Wa Lone, Kyaw Soe Oo, Simon Lewis and Antoni Slodkowski; editing by Janet McBride, Martin Howell and Alex Richardson)
SheKnows

The hotly anticipated book, Ill Take Your Questions Now: What I Saw in the Trump White House, written by the former Trump White House press secretary and Melania Trumps ex-spokesperson, Stephanie Grisham, is causing major waves now that excerpts from the memoir are now making the rounds. It gives the readers insight into what the former first []
With the pomp of Fridays Opening Ceremony behind us, we have our first full slate of Olympic competition on Saturday.

Short track speedskating made its PyeongChang debut early in the day with qualifying heats for several events.

Maybe more notable, though, is the competition debut of another team. A swath of North Korea cheerleaders, a group of 230 women sent from North Korea dubbed its army of beauties, was sitting in the stands and garnering a lot of attention. The women are reportedly selected by strict beauty standards set by leader Kim Jong Un, who married one of its former members.

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Aside from the precision of their flag-waving, note the flags themselves. Those are the flags of united Korea that athletes from North Korea and South Korea marched under during Fridays Opening Ceremony. While two of the North Korean delegation of 22 athletes are short track speedskaters, the sport is a traditional strength of host South Korea.

Whatever its true intentions, the normally adversarial North Koreas propaganda campaign to present some sort of detente with its neighbors to the South is on full display.

Update:

They sing.

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North Koreas cheerleaders wave flags at Saturdays short track speedskating events. (REUTERS)

More Olympic coverage from Yahoo Sports:

 South Korean short track relay team falls  and still sets world record

 Five things to know about short track speed skating

 Passan: Meet the 6-7 ski-racing monster chasing a medal

 Was Olympic Opening Ceremony hacked by North Korea?

 Rippons agent claims Pence asked for sitdown; Pence refutes
UAE-based MAG Lifestyle Development (MAG LD) has appointed Dutch Foundation as the enabling contractor for its Dh550-million ($150 million) MAG 318, which is coming up in the Business Bay area of Dubai.

MAG 318 is a new mixed-use luxury residential tower that features 439 residential units including studios and one- and two-bedroom apartments with private balconies that overlook Dubai Water Canal and Downtown Dubai.

MAG LD, the development arm of MAG Group, said construction was in full swing as planned and Dutch Foundation had received its shoring permit, with mobilisation scheduled to start very soon. The project was well on track for timely completion by the fourth quarter of 2019.

CEO Talal Moafaq Al Gaddah said: "At MAG LD, we focus on providing our customers with total peace of mind by following our construction schedules to the letter. We are pleased to be advancing work at MAG 318 in partnership with Dutch Foundation - one of the best contractors in Dubai - which shares our exceptionally high quality standards and meticulous attention to detail."

"We look forward to seeing the project take shape in line with our Q4 2019 completion date," he added.

The development is only 250 m from the new Dubai mall extension and 580 m from the Dubai Fountain.

To ensure an integrated living environment for residents, the project has been strengthened with modern facilities including a swimming pool, outdoor leisure facilities, a children's area, a social activities centre, a coffee shop and 18,000 square feet of retail space.

For commuters, MAG 318 offers convenient access to the metro station and Business Bay, one of Dubais most exciting and fastest-growing business destinations, while families will be a stones throw from some of the citys best schools and medical facilities.

In the heart of the city, MAG 318 residents will also be within easy reach of iconic Downtown Dubai attractions including the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall, providing them with all that Dubai has to offer on their doorsteps.-TradeArabia News Service
MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Friday he has ordered the military to cancel a $233 million agreement to purchase 16 helicopters from Canada, whose government expressed concerns they could be used to fight rebels. "I want to tell the armed forces to cut the deal, don't proceed anymore and somehow we will look for another supplier. We respect the stand of Canada," Duterte said in a televised briefing. Duterte also directed the military not to buy arms anymore "from Canada or from the United States because there is always a condition attached." The Philippines and Canada formally signed the helicopter deal on Tuesday. The following day, the Canadian government ordered a review, in response to comments to Reuters by Philippine Major-General Restituto Padilla that the helicopters would be used for operations against communist and Islamist rebels. Canadian officials said they were concerned about possible human rights violations and said they had understood the helicopters were intended for non-combat operations. The Philippine defense minister later clarified that the Bell 412EPI helicopters were mainly for transport, rescue and disaster response. Duterte, however, said they were to go after Maoist rebels. "The reason I'm buying helicopters is because I want to finish them off," he said. In Ottawa, Canadian Trade Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said in a statement that Duterte's "troubling comments only underscore the confusion and contradictions that have emerged recently on the intended end use of the helicopters". The Philippines hit a hurdle in trying to procure for the police some 26,000 M4 assault rifles from the United States. Duterte eventually canceled the plan after several senators threatened to block the sale over human rights concerns. But Duterte said on Friday he did not blame the United States and that he remains a staunch supporter of its president, Donald Trump, whom he said was misunderstood. "He is a good president. He is doing it also for his country. People just don't understand," he said. (Reporting by Manolo Serapio Jr. in Manila and David Ljunggren in Ottawa; Editing by Martin Petty, Toby Chopra and David Gregorio)
By Martin Petty MANILA (Reuters) - International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutors have opened a preliminary examination into Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte's "war on drugs", which has led to the death of thousands since it began in July 2016. Prosecutor Fatou Bensou said on Thursday the examination was a review of whether crimes against humanity had been committed and whether the Hague-based court might have jurisdiction to eventually bring suspects to trial. About 4,000 mostly urban poor Filipinos have been killed by police in the past 19 months in a brutal crackdown that has alarmed the international community. Activists believe the death toll is far higher. "While some of such killings have reportedly occurred in the context of clashes between or within gangs, it is alleged that many of the reported incidents involved extra-judicial killings in the course of police anti-drug operations Bensouda said. Duterte spokesman Harry Roque said the court would accuse the president of crimes against humanity, but Bensouda's statement did not identify potential suspects. Roque dismissed the action as "a waste of the court's time and resources". Roque said he had discussed the ICC issue for two hours the previous night with Duterte, a former prosecutor, adding that the president is more than willing to face trial. "He's sick and tried of being accused," said Roque, an international law expert. "He wants to be in court and put the prosecutor on the stand." Since it was set up in 2002, the ICC has received more than 12,000 complaints or communications, just nine of which have gone to trial. A preliminary investigation is the first formal step the prosecutor takes when considering whether a situation in one of the ICC's member states could eventually lead to charges. Bensouda will now begin a process that may take several years, gathering information on whether any crimes were committed, whether they are serious enough to be admissible at the court, and whether the court has jurisdiction, since it can only prosecute crimes when a member state itself fails to do so. If Bensouda then wishes to open a formal investigation, she would first seek approval from international judges. Separately, she also announced a preliminary examination into whether Venezuela's government forces used excessive force against protesters last year. PREPARED TO GO TO PRISON Duterte has dared the ICC to bring him to trial and said he would rot in jail to save Filipinos from crime and drugs. His tirades against the court are notorious, and include calling it "hypocritical" and "useless", after Bensouda first voiced concern over his bloody crackdown. He has threatened to cancel the Philippines' ICC membership and said European lawyers were "rotten" and "stupid". Police say those thousands of killings were during legitimate anti-drugs operations in which the suspects had violently resisted arrest. Duterte has boasted about killing thousands of drug dealers and has told police they can kill if they believe their lives are in danger. But critics accuse him of incitement to murder and of refusing to investigate allegations that police are planting evidence, fabricating reports and executing users and dealers. Duterte rejects such accusations and typically chides the international community for listening to what his government says are biased human rights groups that have no proof. A Philippine lawyer sent the ICC a complaint against Duterte and at least 11 senior officials last April, saying crimes against humanity were committed "repeatedly, unchangingly and continuously" and killing drug suspects and other criminals had become "best practice". Senator Antonio Trillanes and Congressman Gary Alejano sent a supplementary communication several months later urging an ICC investigation, which included a list of public statements made by Duterte that they said amounted to 'shoot-to-kill' orders. Trillanes said the examination "should jolt Duterte into realizing that he is not above the law". Roque called the complainants "domestic enemies of the state" and said the ICC had no jurisdiction. Pending court cases meant domestic legal processes had yet to be exhausted, and the anti-drugs campaign was a sovereign issue, he said. (Additional reporting by Enrico dela Cruz, Toby Sterling in Amsterdam and Stephanie van den Berg in The Hague; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore and Alison Williams)
When Polands nationalist government passed a bill last week criminalizing use of the phrase Polish death camps in reference to concentration camps German Nazis ran in Poland during World War II, they never expected the firestorm it would provoke in Israel and the United States. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the law as baseless, saying, the Holocaust cannot be denied, while the U.S. State Department said it undermined free speech. Pressure has mounted on Warsaw to rethink its legislation.

Polands leaders have had to put on a brave face and bluster their way through the storm without appearing to back down. After all, the ruling Law and Justice party represents an authoritarian-minded and nationalistic right-wing electorate that will forgive anything except perceived weakness  and which does include some anti-Semites. This is why the government in Warsaw has consistently tolerated demonstrations such as last Novembers Independence Day march in which far-right groups led tens of thousands of people, some carrying banners demanding a White Europe with Pure Blood. Interior Minister Mariusz Blaszczak later described the march as a beautiful scene and when queried about the racist slogans told reporters he didnt see them.

Polish President Andrzej Duda has spent the past few weeks engaged in a balancing act to appease his hard-line base while leaving the door open in a way that has calmed official Israeli criticism for the moment. He eventually signed the controversial bill into law this week, but he simultaneously requested that the government-controlled Constitutional Tribunal review it to ensure that the law fully complies with Polish freedom of speech rights, opening the door to amendments. While the Israeli government has acknowledged this gesture, emotions continue to run high on the ground there, with dozens of Holocaust survivors protesting the signing of the bill outside the Polish embassy in Tel Aviv on Thursday, carrying signs bearing slogans such as No law can erase history and Poles, we remember what you did.

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Polands government is terrified of a long-lasting confrontation with Israel, mainly because of the clout it has with the United States, which it considers Polands only real guarantor of security against an aggressive Russia. Having alienated Western European powers such as Germany and France with its aggressive nationalist rhetoric and consistent flouting of European Union democratic norms, Warsaw retains Washington as its only powerful friend.

Poland is therefore desperate to reach a compromise with Netanyahus government on a law it produced purely for domestic purposes. Polands government expected the bill to go largely unnoticed abroad, clearly underestimating the furious reaction in Israel, both from the public and Netanyahu himself, a man Warsaw considers an ideological ally.

Law and Justice came to power in 2015 on the back of a parliamentary campaign that openly stoked fears of the 7,000 predominantly Muslim refugees the sitting Polish government had agreed to accept in the EUs relocation program. They argued the refugees would bring terrorism, sharia, and epidemics to Poland. Ever since, this electoral strategy has proved remarkably effective with Polish voters, and the party has positioned itself as a player on the team of Netanyahus Israel and Donald Trumps America: defenders of Western Judeo-Christian civilization from the fanatical Islamic barbarians of the East and their politically correct Western liberal apologists blind to the danger they pose.

This is the ideological configuration in which Polands ruling party feels comfortable and that it believes brings the greatest political advantage on the domestic and international front. This is why its leaders were very proud of Trumps visit to Warsaw last year, busing in friendly crowds for his speech and nodding approvingly when the U.S. president declared Western civilization under attack, saying, The fundamental question of our time is whether the West has the will to survive.

This is why in 2017, party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski described Israel as the frontier embassy of our [Western] civilization  the most humane civilization that has ever existed. For Kaczynski and his party, the real enemies are those they consider not part of the Judeo-Christian civilization and, of course, the Western liberals whose political correctness has left it vulnerable.

However, despite praising Israel at events commemorating the Holocaust, Kaczynski has often sent different messages to his electorate. Domestically, Law and Justice has embarked on a national reorientation project aimed at entrenching a Polish identity built on ideas of collective moral purity and superiority. According to Kaczynski, the first step to accomplishing this is to rid his fellow citizens of the pedagogics of shame, the tendency that has dominated Poland over the past 20 years.

As he tells it, anti-Polish foreign elements aided by treacherous homegrown liberals have constructed a narrative in which responsibility for the Holocaust has been internationalized, with particular emphasis on Poles. This will be resisted decisively, he promised after his party won power. Kaczynski was alluding to accounts by Holocaust historians such as Jan Gross, a prominent Jewish professor born in Poland, who in 2001 wrote a book called Neighbors, describing in graphic detail the 1941 Jedwabne massacre by Polish villagers of up to 1,600 Jewish men, women, and children who were locked up in a barn and burned alive. As part of fulfilling Kaczynskis promise to resist this anti-Polish narrative, in 2016, President Duda considered stripping Gross of the Polish Order of Merit he had been awarded in 1996.

The current controversial bill is the latest effort to fulfill Kaczynskis promise, part of Law and Justices project to entrench a new Homo polonicus, unburdened by self-doubt and bothersome feelings of guilt, but empowered in the knowledge he is part of a nation that has never departed the moral high ground.

This is why the current Education Minister Anna Zalewska could not bring herself to admit Polish involvement in the massacre during a 2016 television interview, saying instead that the pogrom was a historical fact that has led to many misunderstandings and very biased opinions. Accounts of what happened are contested, she insisted. With regards to the 1946 Kielce pogrom, the deadliest postwar attack on Polish Jews, Zalewska blamed anti-Semites but seemed unwilling to admit those anti-Semites were Poles. These discursive acrobatics are part of Kaczynskis determination to rid Poles of the pedagogy of shame, replaced with an unquestioning pride in Polishness. Whereas religion emphasizes the perfection of God, Kaczynskis nationalism has replaced God with the nation. Whatever the actions of nationals, the nation remains infallible. It is not anti-Semitism that drove Law and Justice to pass its controversial law, merely the desire to affirm the moral purity of the Polish nation.

But there are some critics whom even Kaczynski fears. Like all authoritarian movements, Polands ruling party is dominated by people ever-ready to lash out at those they consider too weak to defend themselves, but they are very fearful of tangling with the strong. They feel safe bashing Muslim migrants; they face no serious consequences for that. They feel confident mocking EU elites for blind political correctness because they know the latters distaste for public confrontation.

But they also know that the days when Jews could be treated scornfully without social and political consequences  the way they treat Muslim migrants today  are well and truly over. The Israeli government is strong and willing to defend the issues it cares about very fiercely. And they realize that should push come to shove, Washington would never choose Poland over Israel. So Polands ruling party is running scared. It has saved face with its supporters by the president signing the bill, but behind the scenes, its members will be making desperate efforts to seek a compromise with Israel in the next few weeks.

It is thus possible that the legislation will be watered down, perhaps to a much more precise definition of what exactly it means to accuse Poland of co-responsibility for the Holocaust, leaving the Polish government with just enough to present the law as a moral trophy to its nationalist supporters. From their perspective, this symbolic declaration of Polish innocence will be enough to boost their patriotic credentials while leaving Poles with a lighter conscience over the events of World War II.

Perhaps the greatest lesson from this incident should be learned by the technocrats in Brussels, who have long seemed at a loss when it comes to dealing with an aggressive Polish government that has consistently flouted EU democratic norms and the rule of law ever since taking power more than two years ago. Poland is the largest beneficiary of EU development funds while contributing just 3 percent of the economic blocs overall GDP. It is worth reminding the Law and Justice government of this reality from time to time. Poland needs the EU more than the EU needs Poland.

Decisiveness and strength are the only signals the current authorities in Warsaw really respect. If the Polish government is confronted firmly and with a credible threat of consequences, it might maintain its bluster in public to save face with its nationalist electorate, but behind closed doors it will likely sing a far more compromising tune.
A woman at the Tucson International Airport may have given birth there before leaving the newborn baby in a bathroom with a handwritten note, according to authorities.

On Jan. 14, shortly before 10 p.m., a rental car employee called 911 to report that she found a baby in the bathroom near the rental car agencies, according to Tucson.com.

Please help me, read the note left with the child. My mom had no idea she was pregnant. She is unable and unfit to take care of me. Please get me to the authorities so they can find a good home.

I just want what is best for him and it is not me, the note continued, switching to the moms perspective. Please. Im sorry (sic).

The baby was found with a torn umbilical cord, but was in healthy condition overall, according to The Washington Post. Airport spokeswoman Jessie Butler told the Post in a statement that the baby is in the custody of the Arizona Department of Child Safety.

The Tucson Airport Authority on Tuesday released surveillance footage of a person they believe to be the babys mother, along with an image of the note and audio of the 911 call. Airport officials are trying to identify the mother, but weve exhausted our resources, Butler said in a statement. Authorities have not yet filed any criminal charges, according to the Arizona Daily Star. TIME has reached out to the airport for more information.

Arizona is a safe haven state, meaning that in accordance with state law, mothers may give up their babies to specified authoritieshospitals, fire stations, licensed adoption agencies, or churchesup to three days after birth. Airports are not listed as safe haven locations.
President Donald Trump, a man notorious for throwing around patently false accusations, has suddenly appealed for due process as top White House aides have been cast out over domestic violence allegations.

On Saturday, Trump tweeted that peoples lives are being shattered and destroyed by a mere allegation.

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Some are true and some are false, he tweeted. Some are old and some are new. There is no recovery for someone falsely accused.

The president was likely referring to the recent departure of White House staff secretary Rob Porter, who resigned earlier this week after allegations from his two ex-wives surfaced detailing that he was abusive to them. Colbie Holderness, Porters first wife, alleged that he punched her in 2005 and provided photos of bruises she says he inflicted on her.

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And on Friday, White House speechwriter David Sorensen resigned after his ex-wife accused him of physically abusing her.

Trump himself, a man who once bragged about being able to grab women by the pussy, has been accused by more than 20 women of sexual misconduct and abuse. It might not come as a surprise, then, that Trump would be eager to protect those accused of misconduct and abuse rather than those who say theyve been victimized by it.

Is there no such thing any longer as Due Process? the president asked in a tweet. Its a fair question, for sure. Its also something Trump has previously not seemed to care about. Here are just a few times that due process didnt matter to Trump.

The Central Park Five

In 1989, a group of black and Hispanic men were convicted but later exonerated in the rape of a female jogger in New York Citys Central Park.

As police coercion and false allegations ruined these mens lives, Trump spent $85,000 to place ads in four daily New York City newspapers to demand the innocent men be killed.

Muggers and murderers should be forced to suffer and, when they kill, they should be executed for their crimes, Trump wrote in the ad at the time.

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Despite their names eventually being cleared, Trump still wouldnt stop saying they were guilty.

The police doing the original investigation say they were guilty, Trump told CNN in 2016. The fact that that case was settled with so much evidence against them is outrageous. And the woman, so badly injured, will never be the same.

President Barack Obama

For years, Trump has also promoted the conspiracy that former President Barack Obama is a Muslim who was actually born in Kenya and is lying about his identity. None of that is true.

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Trump later retracted his false statement during his bid to become president. But the damage was done.

I say nothing, Trump said during a 2016 debate with candidate Hillary Clinton regarding Obamas long-form birth certificate. I say nothing because I was able to get him to produce it.

Last year, Trump falsely accused Obama of having wires tapped in Trump Tower. The Department of Justice flatly denied the claim.

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Hillary Clinton

Even after winning the election, Trump has been unable to stop focusing on Clinton. Trump has repeatedly said Clinton lied to the FBI regarding her private email server. Meanwhile, former Trump administration official Flynn pleaded guilty last December to misleading the FBI about talks he had with Russian officials.

Hillary Clinton lied many times to the FBI, nothing happened to her, Trump said last December. Flynn lied and theyve destroyed his life. I think its a shame.

Former head of the FBI James Comey, who Trump eventually fired, told Congress in a July 2017 testimony there was no basis to conclude she lied to the FBI.

Treasonous Democrats

Just this month, Trump made the bold and outrageous accusation that Democrats who did not clap and praise the president during his recent State of the Union address are treasonous.

Can we call that treason? Trump said of Democrats last week during a campaign-style rally in Cincinnati. Why not? I mean, they certainly didnt seem to love our country very much.

Committing treason is a deeply serious accusation for a president to make. U.S. law states that whoever 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, is guilty of treason.

To be clear: Not clapping for the president does not qualify as treason.

Mexican Judge

In June of 2016, Trump accused U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel of not being able to make a fair ruling regarding lawsuits against Trump University. The president alleged that because he has made it clear he wants to build a wall to separate Mexico and the U.S., the judges heritage would be a conflict.

Curiel had an absolute conflict because of his Mexican heritage, Trump claimed.

He then doubled down on the claim in an interview with CNNs Jake Tapper that same month.

Look, hes proud of his heritage, OK? Im building a wall, Trump told Tapper.

Curiel is an American who was born in Indiana.

That same judge will now preside over a case to determine whether or not Trump will get his border wall.

For all his Saturday chest pounding about making false, unverified accusations, Trump has made clear that same logic has never applied to his perceived enemies.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
BEIRUT (Reuters) - The military alliance fighting in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said on Saturday Israel will witness a "severe and serious" response to its "terrorism" from now on.

In a statement, the alliance said Israeli claims that a drone entered Israeli airspace were a "lie".

The statement said Israel attacked a drone base in central Syria. The alliance added that drones had left the T4 air base in the morning to conduct routine operations against Islamic State in the Syrian desert.

"When the base was targeted our aircraft were still flying over the town of Sokhna, towards the desert," the statement said. Sokhna is a town northeast of the city of Palmyra in central Syria.

(Reporting by Lisa Barrington and Tom Perry; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
President Trumps lawyer informed the House Intelligence Committee on Friday of his decision to keep secret the Democratic memo rebutting claims  made in a controversial Republican report Trump declassified the week before  of surveillance abuses at the FBI and Department of Justice during its probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election.

The letter, sent to House Intelligence Committee chairman Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., by White House counsel Don McGahn, cites national security concerns raised by the FBI and the director of National Intelligence as the reason for Trumps refusal to make public the memo that was prepared by Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., the ranking Democratic on the committee.

The FBI had opposed releasing the Republican memo, saying it had grave concerns about its accuracy, but the White House overrode those concerns.

Schiff had criticized both the president for releasing Nunes memo without his rebuttal and Nunes for authoring what Schiff called a political hit job on the FBI in the service of the president.

McGahn said that given the public interest in transparency, the White House stands ready to review any revisions to Schiffs memo made by Democrats on the committee.

Read McGahns letter to Nunes in full:

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Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, arrived in Abu Dhabi on Saturday on a two-day state visit to the UAE.



Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, led an entourage of UAE senior officials to welcome Modi upon arrival at the Presidential Airport, reported state news agency Wam.



The Indian Prime Minister was accorded a red-carpet reception where the UAE and Indian national anthems were played after which artillery fired 21 guns in salute to the VIP guest.



Modi shook hands with a group of Sheikhs, ministers and senior officials who came to the airport to welcome him, while Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan shook hands with Indian ministers and top officials accompanying Modi.



The Indian Premier is accompanied a high-level delegation comprising Ajit Doval, National Security Adviser, Navdeep Suri, Indian Ambassador to the UAE, and Mridul Kumar, Joint. Secretary (Gulf).

To greet the Indian PM, from Abu Dhabi to Dubai, some of the UAE's iconic buildings including Burj Khalifa, the headquarters of state-owned oil company Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) and the building hailed as the world's largest picture frame, Dubai Frame, have been glittering in the Indian tricolour since last eveneing.

His high-level engagements include bilateral meetings with top UAE leaders and a keynote address at the World Government Summit in Dubai on Sunday, in which India is the guest country.



On Sunday, Prime Minister Modi is also expected to meet Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE in Dubai.



During his historic visit, Modi will pay tribute to the UAE's heroes for their sacrifices and bravery at Wahat Al Karama in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, said the state news agency Wam citing Mridul Kumar, the outgoing joint secretary of the Gulf Region at the Ministry of External Affairs of India.



While briefing reporters on the planned highlights of Modi s visit tomorrow, Kumar recalled the history of the martyrs memorial, which houses 31 commemorative panels that signify the solidarity between the UAE s people and leadership.



Modi's visit will be his second to the UAE since becoming Prime Minister in 2014. Preparing his visit to the UAE and later to Oman will be Kumar's last official engagement in the Gulf.



Kumar noted that the GCC is now India s largest regional trading bloc and accounts for almost 20 percent of its bilateral trade.



"Although 50 per cent of our oil comes from these countries, and 60 to 65 per cent of our total energy requirements are sourced from the Gulf, our trade has expanded and diversified so much that it now totals around $110 billion. Such trade is no longer dependent solely on oil," he stated.



Also the amount of money sent back annually by the Indian diaspora in the region is around $35 billion, which sustains millions of families back in India, he added.

Modi will arrive in Muscat tomorrow on a two-day official visit Oman.



The state-run Oman News Agency (ONA) announced the visit which comes  In the framework of close cooperation between the Sultanate and the friendly Republic of India, it said in a statement.



The Indian Premier will be meeting Sultan Qaboos bin Said of Oman during the visit. The Indian leader is on a four-day regional tour which includes Palestine, the UAE, and Oman.
Dave Majumdar

Security, Asia

How will Asia and America respond?

Reports Claim China Has Sent Su-35s and J-20s to the South China Sea

The Chinese Peoples Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) has flown its new top-the-line Russian-made Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker-E air superiority fighters over the South China Sea to cement Beijings claim over the region. The PLAAF is also rumored to have deployed its newly operational Chengdu J-20 fifth-generation stealth fighters to the region.

The Chinese air force recently sent its Su-35 fighter jets to take part in a joint combat patrol over the South China Sea, according to a release from the Chinese Ministry of Defense. This is the first time the People's Liberation Army Air Force has made public the deployment of its Su-35s, built by Russia's Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association and introduced to China in late 2016.

According to the Chinese Defense Ministry, the PLAAF did not reveal exactly when the overflight took place. Nor is there any indication as to how many Su-35s participated in the exercisebut China is known to have purchased 24 of the aircraft from Moscow. Moreover, the official Chinese government release did not make any reference to the J-20, which the PLAAF recently declared to be operational. Regional media, however, is reporting that the advanced stealth aircraft are present in the region and are taking part in the Chinese patrols of the South China Sea.

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The Chinese deployment comes on the heels of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Hopper (DDG-70) conducting a freedom of navigation operation (FONOP) within 12 nautical miles of Chinas Scarborough Shoal island in January. Additionally, a U.S. Navy carrier strike group led by USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) is scheduled to make a port call in Vietnamwhich is likely to draw Beijings ire.

Indeed, the Chinese state-owned Global Times suggested that Beijings actions are a direct response to American provocations. The appearance of advanced PLA fighter jets, capable of attacking surface combat vessels in this region is sort of a reaction to the provocation by the U.S., Xu Guangyu, a retired Chinese Peoples Liberation Army major general and senior adviser to the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association, told the Global Times.

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Moreover, from Xus point of view, the PLAAF putting the Su-35 into service over the South China Sea is an indication of the growth strategic partnership between Beijing and Moscow as the two great powers balance against the American-led liberal international orderor liberal hegemony as some would say. We just received a group of jets from Russia last year, and now we can put them into a real combat mission in the South China Sea, Xu said. It also shows that China-Russia military cooperation is solid, mutually beneficial and reliable.

Indications would suggest that Xus assessment is correct. The partnership between Russia and China is growing deeper and could one day evolve into a full-blown alliance if Washington does not play its cards right.

Dave Majumdar is the defense editor for The National Interest. You can follow him on Twitter: @davemajumdar.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Russian who offered stolen National Security Agency cyberweapons and compromising information on President Donald Trump bilked U.S. spies out of $100,000 last year, the New York Times reported on Friday, citing U.S. and European security officials. The money was delivered to a Berlin hotel room in September and was intended as the first installment of a $1 million reward, according to U.S. officials, the Russian and communications reviewed by the Times, the newspaper reported. CIA spokesman Dean Boyd denied the story on Saturday, saying," "The fictional story that CIA was bilked out of $100,000 is patently false." The theft of the secret hacking tools was very damaging to the NSA, which was trying to determine exactly what was missing, the Times said. Several U.S. intelligence officials told the newspaper they said they did not want the Trump information from the Russian, who was suspected of having ties to Russian intelligence and Eastern European cybercriminals. He claimed it would link the president and his associates to Russia, the Times said, citing the officials. But instead of providing the hacking tools, the Russian produced unverified and possibly fabricated material involving Trump and others, including bank records, emails and purported Russian intelligence data, the paper cited the officials as saying. The U.S. intelligence officials halted the deal out of concern it could entangle them in a Russian operation to create discord inside the U.S. government and potential fallout in Washington from the perception that they were trying to buy compromising material on Trump, the Times reported. The Central Intelligence Agency declined to comment on the negotiations with the Russian seller, the Times said. The NSA, which produced the bulk of the hacking tools that the Americans sought to recover, said only that all N.S.A. employees have a lifetime obligation to protect classified information, the Times reported. NSA officials were not available out of regular business hours for comment. (Additional reporting by Jonathan Landay; Reporting by Eric Walsh; Editing by Leslie Adler and Bill Trott)
Madrid (AFP) - Since his conditional release from prison in 2016, Sito Minanco had reportedly ditched his past as one of Spain's most powerful drug barons to work as a parking attendant.

But this week, the 62-year-old -- whose real name is Jose Ramon Prado Bugallo -- was re-arrested on suspicion of trying to impose himself once again in the lucrative cocaine trade, along with 20 alleged members of his suspected network in a nationwide sting.

Minanco is from Galicia, a region in Spain's northwest whose rugged coastline has proved ideal for trafficking with narrow waterways that wind in-land, once at the forefront of the illegal drug trade.

- Compared to Escobar -

He was arrested on Monday in the southern city of Algeciras, where he worked as a parking attendant but lived in a villa with a pool.

His alleged right-hand man Enrique Garcia Arango, a Colombian, was also held, along with the son-in-law of a major Galician hashish trafficker.

On Friday, police announced close to five tonnes of drugs had been seized in the operation.

Four people, including two elite police officers, were injured during the detentions.

He "could be the most powerful drug trafficker ever in Galicia, and Spain," says Nacho Carretero, an investigative journalist who wrote a book on cocaine trafficking in the region.

"He is often compared to Pablo Escobar (the late drug lord) because just like the Colombian, Sito Minanco was always a man who managed his social relations well, a man who looked after people who worked with him, who nurtured his image among neighbours."

Minanco owned a shipyard in Galicia which he is accused of using as a cover to bring in drugs, a police source, who refused to be named, told AFP.

The source said his vessels would meet with boats at sea coming from Latin America, particularly Colombia, to allegedly collect cocaine and bring it to Europe.

"The operations that Sito Minanco oversaw never involved anything under 4,000 kilos of cocaine," says Carretero, of which he would take a 30 or 40 percent cut.

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- Galicia drug trafficking -

Judicial authorities re-opened a probe on him and placed him under surveillance shortly after his conditional release, according to the El Mundo daily.

They believed he was linked to the seizure of 616 kilos of cocaine in an industrial warehouse in The Hague in the Netherlands.

He is also allegedly linked to a group of men who tried to transfer close to 900,000 euros ($1.1 million) in cash to Colombia in February 2017, hidden in bags with false bottoms.

Sito Minanco had already been jailed twice, in 1991 and 2001, and spent a total of 17 years behind bars.

From a family of fishermen in Cambados, Galicia, he quickly drew the attention of tobacco smugglers who noted his prowess at piloting boats.

"From tobacco he made the step to drugs, especially cocaine," says Carretero.

"Thanks to contacts in Panama, with Colombian drug cartels, they forged an association of trust and from there, he became a powerful narco."

Already the scene of tobacco smuggling, Galicia became a prime entry and exit spot for cocaine in the 1980s.

That was a time when drug barons ruled the roost there, with big houses and flashy cars.

Now, they are more discreet and traffic there has dropped from its previous highs, says Carretero.

"But it still continues, and there are still thousands of kilos of cocaine that enter Galicia every year, distributed throughout Europe," he adds.

At the end of January, Spain's interior ministry said it had doubled its seizures of cocaine in a year, from 15 tonnes in 2016 to 32 tonnes in 2017.

That, it said, represented "40 percent of all South American cocaine seized in Europe."
Not long after the Olympic torch's official lighting, the Pyeonchang, South Korea, Winter Games has already been struck by controversy.

American speedskater Shani Davis boycotted the Opening ceremonies because he was upset that he wasn't chosen to carry the flag, and believed the USOC acted dishonorably.

The four-time Olympian lost a coin toss for the honor to luger Erin Hamlin.

In a tweet, Davis called the coin toss "dishonorable" and refused to walk with the rest of Team USA.

I am an American and when I won the 1000m in 2010 I became the first American to 2-peat in that event. @TeamUSA dishonorably tossed a coin to decide its 2018 flag bearer. No problem. I can wait until 2022. #BlackHistoryMonth2018 #PyeongChang2018, he tweeted.

It was a cold 28 degrees in the South Korean city but American athletes were cozy in their official Team USA jackets designed by Ralph Lauren. The jacket is specially designed with a heating panel in the back, which is powered by a battery pack.

The athletes at the opening ceremony also got jeans, a sweater, wool hats and big suede gloves from the fashion icon.

Vice President Mike Pence watched the opening ceremony inside the stadium, where he sat in front of Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.

She's the first member of Pyongyangs ruling dynasty to set foot in South Korea since the Korean War.

Prior to the ceremony, Pence skipped a dinner where he was expected to share a table with North Korean officials, choosing to dine with American athletes instead.

Athletes from North and South Korea are competing as a joint team under a special unity flag.

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A high school student may be expelled if she doesnt remove a Planned Parenthood sticker from her laptop. (Photo: Getty Images)

Social media is backing a teen who faces school expulsion if she doesnt remove a Planned Parenthood sticker from her laptop.

According to local paper Greenwich Time, Kate Murray, a sophomore at the all-girls private Catholic school Sacred Heart Greenwich, decorated her laptop with stickers, one of which reads, I stand with Planned Parenthood. On Tuesday, head of school Pamela Hayes issued an ultimatum: Remove the sticker or leave school, either immediately or at the end of the academic year.

Kate removed the sticker Wednesday according to the paper, in order to enter into talks with the school, but she and her parents, Tracy and Brian Murray, have not made a decision about her future.

The Murrays have generated support on social media with the hashtag #IStandWithKateMurray most notably, from Cecile Richards, former president of Planned Parenthood, who in January, announced she was stepping down after 12 years as the face of the company. Kate, Planned Parenthood is so proud to count you as a supporter. Keep fighting for what you believe in, Richards tweeted Friday.

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On Thursday, Bishop Frank Caggiano of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport said in a statement: The Catholic Churchs opposition to abortion is almost universally understood, as is its consistent pro-life ethic, which defends the right to life of all those among us, particularly the most vulnerable in our society. As such, the diocese fully supports the commitment of head of school Pamela Hayes to affirm the churchs teaching, while also recognizing and respecting the right of students to question and challenge as they grow in the learning process and prepare to address the important moral and ethical issues they will face in their lives.

Despite the fact that abortions are only a fraction of Planned Parenthoods womens health services, the nonprofit has always been a divisive presence. Planned Parenthood did not return Yahoo Lifestyles request for comment.

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A representative from Sacred Heart sent two statements from Hayes to Yahoo Lifestyle (both of which can be read on the school website). The first read in part, No one has been dismissed because of this matter.  We encourage the rigorous examination of broad points of view, cultures, and beliefs where it is most appropriate  in our classrooms. Empowering our students with the ability to confidently express their views in an informed, constructive manner, we discourage the display of stickers, posters, buttons or banners supporting or opposing political candidates, positions or organizations on clothing, computers, lockers or anywhere else on our campus. Whenever such displays become an issue, we work with our students to identify other forums for their expressions which are consistent with our academic mission and respectful of the diverse views within our community.

Photo: Getty Images

In the second statement, released Friday, Hayes said, Open dialogue is alive and well on our campus and thats why we discourage the displays of slogans and bumper stickers, which in an educational environment can have the unintended consequence of stifling open debate. We know there are better forums. For example, in junior year, all students take a theology course in ethics and morality. In the class, students choose from the topics of abortion, euthanasia and the death penalty and then choose a side to debate their view.

Still, Kates parents arent happy about what they call an overreaction.

It seemed an extreme reaction to a very small sticker, which puts forth a political point of view about a government funding matter and does not, at least the way I read the sticker, violate church doctrine or specifically advocate the murder of innocent babies, Brian Murray told Greenwich Time. It is a really small sticker that does not seem to be able to cause that much damage to anybody.

Tracy Murray added, It is a small sticker. It is not incendiary, it is not vulgar. It is not hurtful. It is a statement of my daughters belief and she deserves the same respect for her beliefs that the administration and part of the faculty are demanding for theirs.

A petition called I Stand with Planned Parenthood reportedly launched by Murray family friend and former student Stephanie Viola, is also circulating the internet, gaining more than 2,000 signatures in a matter of hours. Unless Kate is allowed her freedom of speech, all of my future donations that would have been allocated to Sacred Heart Greenwich will now and forever be donated to Planned Parenthood, reads the description on the petition.

Yahoo Lifestyle contacted to Kates brother James Murray, who is circulating the petition online, but did not hear back. According to the Greenwich Time, Viola and Kates sister Alex Murray, met with the school on Friday.

Former student Chloe Kimberlin also told the Greenwich Time, When I was a student at CSH in 2012, a student in the year below me sent an email to the entire school which contained an impassioned rant urging people to attend the March for Life and speaking disparagingly of women who receive abortions. Worse yet, to reach the written content of the email, one had to scroll through brutal photos of aborted fetuses. When I opened the email in school, I was shocked and disturbed.

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Douma (Syria) (AFP) - Exhausted and overstretched, Syrian rescue worker Abu Mohammad Omar could barely catch his breath between back-to-back searches for survivors in his bombed-out hometown near Damascus.

The uptick in bombardment over the past three days on the rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta has left already-overburdened medical staff and emergency workers struggling to rescue and treat affected residents.

"We can't keep up. We're trying as much as we can," Omar told AFP.

"We're rushing, doing the work that we're doing, but we can't get to everything."

On Wednesday, more than two dozen civilians were killed in Syrian government bombardment on Eastern Ghouta, where some 400,000 people live under government siege.

It followed one of Eastern Ghouta's bloodiest days yet, with 80 civilians killed and more than 200 wounded on Tuesday. At least 38 were killed on Wednesday and 31 on Monday.

With few bulldozers and precious little fuel to operate them, rescue workers are struggling to reach trapped civilians in time, said Omar.

The 23-year-old's voice cracked as he described trying to find survivors in the rubble of a five-storey building in the town of Douma on Tuesday.

"There was a huge, huge escalation against the city. More than one place was reduced to rubble. The machines we had couldn't keep up," he said.

They searched one collapsed building for 10 hours for any survivors, but eventually had to move on to another bomb site.

- 'Every minute counts' -

"If we had more machines or equipment, we could have saved a life. Every minute counts," Omar said.

At 1:00 am on Wednesday morning, after scouring the rubble for a single suspected survivor, a salvo of bullets and rockets forced them to abandon the search.

"Bombardment was still going on this morning. But despite everything, this guy under the rubble -- we won't leave him," he added.

"We'll bring him back to his family, even if he's dead."

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Eastern Ghouta has been under siege since 2013, making food and medical supplies difficult to access and directly affecting the resources available for rescue workers.

Abu Samer, an ambulance driver in the town of Hammuriyeh, said he sometimes jumps into his vehicle to find the petrol tank empty.

"The difficulty for us is the lack of fuel. If there was fuel, I could go to any bomb site," the 40-year-old told AFP.

The city streets on Wednesday were a hellish scene, Abu Samer said: no signs of life, but piled high with rubble and human remains.

Doctors are also struggling at Eastern Ghouta's stretched hospitals.

"Every day, they bring us a lot of wounded people. Sometimes we can keep up, other times we can't," said Osama, a paramedic at the Damascus Countryside Specialised Hospital.

In the space of a single hour on Tuesday, he and fellow medics treated around 120 casualties.

"Our medical staff can't bear this. How long can we hold out in a situation like this?" he said.

"Only God knows, but the situation is disastrous."

- 'Bombing has been unreal' -

The horror continued into Wednesday, as dozens of civilians poured into another clinic.

"For three days there's been violent escalation and the bombing has been unreal," said Rabih Ahmad, 25.

The beleaguered emergency room supervisor said he treated around 60 people early this week, but the wounded had reached 70 by midday on Wednesday.

One case, he told AFP, stood out.

"Something happened to me earlier that will wreck your heart. It made me cry. I couldn't control my nerves," Ahmad said.

A young boy had been brought in with his foot nearly detached.

"I stabilised it with first aid when he arrived, and then he started kissing my hands and crying, 'Please, for God's sake, don't cut off my foot,'" Ahmad recalled.

"I left him and started crying. I didn't know what do," the medic said.

"It's an extremely depressing situation; may God bring us all relief".

The medical staff could not save the boy's foot. Hours later, it had to be amputated.
A teenager who had been set to testify against a Michigan man she said raped her has been found dead in what police are investigating as a homicide.

The body of Mujey Dumbuya, 16, of Grand Rapids, was discovered on Jan. 28 by two people walking in a wooded area about 50 miles from Dumbuyas home, according to the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety.

Police said they are investigating Dumbuyas death as a homicide, and hope that her missing shoe  a pink Nike sneaker  could aid in the investigation. The department has released few other details.

Dumbuya had been set to testify in the April trial of a man accused of raping her in a parked car. Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker told NBC affiliate WOOD-TV that Quinn Anthony James, 42, is charged with four counts of third-degree criminal sexual assault. He was arrested on Feb. 1 near Grand Rapids on an unrelated criminal sexual assault charge, but authorities released him for lack of evidence.

Police say James is a person of interest in Dumbuyas death, according to local media reports.

Dumbuya was last seen alive the morning of Jan. 24 as she left for East Kentwood High School, according to WOOD. She never made it to school. Police said she was reported as a runaway three days before her body was discovered.

James was a maintenance worker at the high school. The school district denied hes alleged to have committed any crimes on school grounds.

A GoFundMe campaign set up Dumbuyas family to help cover funeral costs has raised $13,000  $3,000 above its goal. Services were Friday.

Mujey was a generous, energetic young woman with a radiant smile and an adventurous spirit, the family said in a statement this week.

Mujey was a very good student who loved school. She had a close circle of friends, and was loved by everyone that knew her. Mujey loved music and dancing. She took classes in dance, martial arts and archery. Mujey was looking forward to graduating from high school next year. She wanted to be a police officer to help fight against social injustice, including racism.

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I have written about this topic before: the similarities between US President Donald J. Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remain striking.

Since the resemblance between this pair has now reached a new level, the matter warrants an update.

On Wednesday night, Israeli media reported the police had decided to recommend Netanyahu be indicted, not only for breach of trust but for bribery.

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Last night, Israeli TV aired an interview done some time ago with Roni Alsheikh, the Police Commissioner hand-picked by Netanyahu, in which Alsheikh asserted that the public would be surprised by some of what would come out in its upcoming recommendations.

In addition, Alsheikh stated that somebody (and he was clear who) had hired private investigators to probe those scrutinizing Netanyahu.

The prime minister, taking a page from Trumps playbook, went public with a Facebook post (Netanyahu is a more active user of Facebook than Twitter) attacking the Police Commissioner, stating:

The hints alleged by the Police Commissioner are so grave that a swift and objective investigation is immediately required, regarding the claim that the Prime Minister has sent investigators  and once it becomes clear there is no such connection the necessary conclusions relating to the conduct of the investigation and the formulation of recommendations against the Prime Minister must be drawn.

In other words, Netanyahu has told his supporters they should ignore the recommendations of the police, since the Commissioner is another one of those leftists who wants to bring down the prime minister at all costs.

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MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty

The heads of the two main opposition parties made statements that, if you didnt know the context, could have come from any leader of the American Democratic Party. Labor Party head, Avi Gabbay said:

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Netanyahu is humiliating us, the citizens of Israel. Instead of requesting that they wrap up the investigation as soon as possible, Netanyahu has chosen to attack the Police Commissioner, and by doing so, he is trying to dismantle peoples trust in the legal system.

While the head of the Yesh Atid party, Yair Lapid referred to Netanyahus statement as a desperate attempt of a suspect to use his elevated status to threaten the rule of law and to vilify the police who protect all of us.

Supporters of Netanyahu were fast to defend him. The head of the coalition, David Dudu Amsalem, said: There is an attempt by the police to engage in a revolt. They see the prime minister as a personal enemy and are dedicated to overthrowing him.

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Israeli journalist Ben Caspit, who has just published a critically acclaimed biography of Netanyahu, stated: If I had to choose between believing the Police Commissioner, or the Prime Minister, I would have no dilemma which to choose.

Netanyahus situation is similar to that of Trump, in that the end of the case against him is far from over. Once the police recommendations are made, the baton is passed to the Attorney General (who was appointed by Netanyahu and served as his cabinet secretary) to decide whether or not to indict.

It should be noted that there is no time limit for reaching that decision, which is widely expected to take up to a year  even though the Attorney General has been closely involved in the investigation all along and certainly could, if he was inclined, make a decision in a matter of days or weeks.

There are two other recent developments that highlight Netanyahu/Trump similarities.

First, to shore up support among his base, Netanyahu began implementing his policy of trying to expel the African migrants who have been living here for 5-10 years. Of course, akin to Trump, Netanyahu continuously speaks out about these migrants, using derogatory terminology such as calling them infiltrators.

In one final irony, it should be noted that less than two years ago, Netanyahu whimsically proposed that Israel bring back the tradition of conducting an annual military parade, a practice which Israel gave up soon after the Six Day War, after which, showing off Israels military strength seemed a waste of time and energy.

Netanyahu received little, or no support for his idea, which he had hoped to implement for this years 70th anniversary of Israels independence. As a result, he was forced to drop it.

So far, Trumps parade remains in the cards.

Marc Schulman is a multimedia historian.

This article was first written by Newsweek

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By Arshad Mohammed and Yara Bayoumy WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson expects to have tough talks during a five-nation trip of the Middle East next week, including in Turkey, where he will urge leaders to rein in an offensive in northern Syria, U.S. officials said on Friday. Briefing reporters on Tillerson's Feb. 11-16 trip to Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt and Kuwait, U.S. officials acknowledged there would be difficult conversations at each stop. Jordanian leaders were upset when the United States recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and suspended some aid for the Palestinians. Tillerson's trip to Cairo, where he will meet Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to emphasize joint security cooperation, takes place just as Egypt has launched a major military offensive against militants on the Sinai peninsula. Egypt also faces a March 26-28 election in which Sisi has only a single, last-minute challenger who had previously said he supported the incumbent. In Kuwait, Tillerson will attend an Iraq reconstruction conference at which Washington does not plan to contribute any money. Still, he hopes to make headway toward ending a dispute between Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Kuwait has sought to broker an end to the dispute triggered when the UAE, along with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt, cut off travel and trade ties with Qatar last June. They accused Qatar of supporting terrorism and their arch-rival Iran. Doha denies the charges and says the countries are trying to curtail its sovereignty. Turkey, a U.S. ally, has launched a military air and ground operation into the Afrin region in northwest Syria targeting the Kurdish YPG militia despite U.S. objections. The United States and Turkey are allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Yet they have diverging interests in the Syrian civil war, with Washington focused on defeating Islamic State and Ankara keen to prevent Syria's Kurds from gaining autonomy and fueling Kurdish insurgents on Turkish soil. "We are urging them to show restraint in their operations in Afrin and to show restraint further along the line across the (border) in northern Syria," a U.S. State Department official told reporters in a conference call. "That's going to be a difficult conversation." 'REALLY TOUGH ISSUES" Speaking of U.S.-Turkish relations, he added: "Look it's difficult. The rhetoric is hot. The Turks are angry, and this is a difficult time to do business but it's our belief that there are still some very fundamental underlying shared interests." The Turkish ambassador in Washington, Serdar Kilic, defended the Afrin operation, criticized the U.S. plea to the Turks to limit the scope of the operation and called on Washington to "cease their support" of the YPG. "We are going to terminate that threat," Kilic told reporters in Washington. On Jan. 21, Jordans King Abdullah told U.S. Vice President Mike Pence that Washington must rebuild "trust and confidence" in a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians after President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Speaking of the trip generally, the State Department official said: "These are really tough issues and these are going to be tough conversations. "These are some of our closest partners but they are also partners with whom we are facing some of the toughest issues that we have to face in the region, whether its terrorism, whether it's the future of U.S. assistance, whether its the final defeat of ISIS (the Islamic State militant group)." In Egypt, all opposition figures thought to pose a serious challenge to Sisi have pulled out of the race, accusing the government of underhanded tactics to ensure Sisi an easy win. Sisi has said all candidates have an equal opportunity and that the election will be free and transparent. Another State Department official said Washington supported a "genuine and a credible electoral process". "And we have noted our concerns about the reports that Egypts prosecutor general has launched an investigation into opposition figures ahead of the March 26th through 28th elections. These types of issues will be discussed on this visit," the official said. (Reporting by Arshad Mohammed and Yara Bayoumy; editing by Bernadette Baum and David Gregorio)
Washington (AFP) - US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson faces "difficult" talks next week with NATO ally Turkey on Syria and human rights, his delegation said Friday before a regional tour.

Late last month, Ankara began a cross-border offensive in northwestern Syria against what it calls a "terrorist" Kurdish militia. Washington supports and arms the fighters, who back local militias against the Islamic State group (IS).

The Turkish operation further raised tensions between the two countries, whose relations were already complicated.

"We are urging them to show restraint in their operations in Afrin, and to show restraint further along the line across the border in northern Syria," a senior US State Department official told reporters ahead of Tillerson's tour that begins Sunday and will also take him to Cairo, Kuwait City, Amman and Beirut.

"You start with asking for restraint and look for ways that you can help bring it to an end as quickly as possible," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on the US to pull its troops back from Syria's Manbij, which is east of Afrin.

"Obviously we need to work with the Turks to figure out more about what their long-term intentions are," and to try to find a way "to address their legitimate security concerns while, at the same time, minimizing civilian casualties and above all else keeping everything focused on the defeat-ISIS fight, which is not over," the official said.

It will be "a difficult conversation," the official continued, referring to the "very hot" Turkish rhetoric on the subject.

Tillerson's visit is also expected to touch on other sensitive topics.

These include human rights and arrests that the US called "arbitrary" following a state of emergency declared after an attempted coup in 2016.

Turkey last year detained local employees of American diplomatic missions in the country, and arrested Taner Kilic, the president of Amnesty International in Turkey.

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"There's no pulling punches on that," a second senior State Department official said.

"We've been very public in our call to the Turks to let these folks go, and we've been very firm in our private conversations with them as well."

He conceded: "The Turks are angry and this is a difficult time to do business."

But Washington believes the two countries share fundamental underlying interests including Syria's stability, the defeat of IS, and countering the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) which both Ankara and the West consider terrorists.
Speaking at the recent Gulf and Indian Ocean Hotel Investors Summit (GIOHIS), COO of Citymax Hotels Russel Sharpe said that post Expo 2020, hoteliers will have opportunities for development but would need to be "creative" to drive demand.



During a debate on whether Dubai was in danger of being overbuilt and offering limited return on investment for hoteliers, Sharpe said Expo 2020 was a showcase for the emirate that would attract a huge influx of visitors in that year: Post event, a high-level strategic plan has to be developed to preserve the legacy and capitalise on facilities of the District 2020 site, for instance.



Delegates at the GIOHIS summit heard that Dubai currently has the largest hotel room pipeline of any city in the world, with consultancy STR estimating this total at more than 50,000 rooms, growing from less than 100,000 at the end of 2017.



With more than 50 per cent of planned rooms in the upscale sector, Sharpe identified further opportunities for midscale hotels, citing the experience of Citymax which has been a success in the competitive three-star market since its launch in 2010 with two Dubai properties at a time when there was a gap in the market for quality mid-range hotels.



He said the Dubai market was continually evolving and maturing, offering a good mix of deluxe hospitality products as well as more affordable accommodation to suit all sectors: The hospitality industry as a whole has a key role to play in the provision of creative ideas and solutions that will be essential post-Expo 2020. - TradeArabia News Service


Transgender people serving in the U.S. military  a population estimated to be between 1,320 and 6,620 individuals  have been on an emotional roller coaster since at least 2016. Thats when the Obama administration announced, Effective immediately, transgender Americans may serve openly, lifting what had always been a ban on such service.

Rejoicing didnt last long, however. In July 2017, President Trump bluntly tweeted, seemingly out of nowhere, that the military will no longer accept or allow transgender people to serve, creating chaos and questions. In October, a judge blocked enforcement of the ban, and then, as of January, transgender service members were welcomed once again, as the Justice Department on Friday put the proposed ban on hold and said it would not appeal federal court rulings ordering the military to begin the enlistments.

And now, in an attempt to stop any further whiplash on the subject, Lambda Legal and OutServe-SLDN have begun a new legal challenge, hoping to permanently stop Trump from banning transgender troops in the military.

Meanwhile, throughout all the ups and downs and mixed messaging, transgender troops have been quietly serving their country  including Zane Alvarez, 23, currently serving in the U.S. Army, stationed in Germany, as a behavioral health technician, assessing active-duty members for supportive mental-health services. But I went through basic training and advanced individual training, and I learned how to fire a weapon like everybody else, Alvarez told Yahoo Lifestyle back in July, after Trump first tweeted about the ban. Because of his uncertain standing, he could not attach his name to his story then. But Yahoo Lifestyle has stayed in contact with Alvarez, who can now speak openly about his past and current experiences in the military. This, in his own words, is his story.

I came into the army in July 2012 at the age of 17. I enlisted because its a family business. My father is still active duty in the U.S. Army, and my grandfather served as well. I was just about to start my senior year of high school and I felt completely unprepared for what the world had in store for me; college honestly terrified me. But I had a pretty good understanding of what the military is about: I grew up around it; I knew my dad wasnt the best kid growing up and that after being in the army it changed him, and I hoped it could do the same for me.

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[When I enlisted] I wasnt thinking about transitioning at all. All I was thinking about was getting in the Army and following in my fathers footsteps. I had had a lot of friends that were very homophobic and transphobic, and in turn I actually became extremely homophobic and transphobic for the longest time. So I denied it for years. It took a while to get to this point.

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What Id been known for in high school is when it came time to dress up, I really dressed up. There was a point when I had long hair and would wear makeup whenever it was prom or homecoming. Outside of that I was kind of tomboyish  I had long hair but would rarely wear a skirt if I didnt have to. But I could dress girly.

It was well after high school that I started identifying as a lesbian, then bisexual, and I started dressing more masculine and got more comfortable with myself. I remember when I finally had to go clothes shopping, and I went to some big major store and womens section and trying to figure out what in the world to pick out and I was like, Wait a minute, this is my own money; I can pick out whatever I want! I did not know how to dress myself, so all I did is buy jeans and T-shirts. But I finally got comfortable with dressing how I wanted to dress. I finally stopped caring about what people thought.

On transitioning while on active duty

I started socially transitioning in 2015 to close friends and my aunt and my younger sister. Then I started medically transitioning in January 2016, with hormone replacement treatment, or HRT [testosterone], which is something that is paid for by the military. There wasnt an established plan as to how they wanted soldiers to start transitioning, so all I needed was a letter from a behavioral health provider stating that I have gender dysphoria and that it would benefit me to start hormone replacement therapy.

Basically its all a matter of paperwork [and getting an] ETP, or exception to policy, outlining my care  its on its way up to D.C. and then it comes back to me and just takes a while to push through.

At this moment in time on all of my legal documents, and according to the Army, I am still a female on paper. So at work if I use the bathroom or if Im in the field or I deploy, I have to be roomed with females or I have to use the womens restroom or locker room, and when Im in my dress uniform I have to wear the womens dress uniform  the main difference being that the female uniform is made to hug the body, to show the female figure, even down to the shoes, which look like a pair of flats.

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But Im the furthest ahead in my transition compared with all the other transgender soldiers here in Europe. Im the one whos been breaking ground. There are about 20 of us for now, spread out. I know this through different groups, through other people reaching out to me, my Instagram and Facebook posts, [which I do] so people can reach out to me. Like, Hey, you are a fellow transgender service member.

Of the other trans service members I follow, I probably most look up to drill sergeant Ken Ochoa, who is female-to-male like myself; he went through the drill sergeant academy as female and already had started his transition, had top surgery, but still had to go through as female and did an amazing job. Another person is Aydian Dowling, a major person in the trans community, and Laverne Cox  and Logan Ireland and Laila Villanueva, who are doing a lot for the trans military community, looking out for the other transgender people who are struggling, who dont have the money  or family support, and are helping those who need it.

When I go on a mission, I sleep in a female bay  basically a large room with nothing but bunk beds. (Otherwise I have my own room.) There are male bays and female bays. It gets pretty frustrating at times. Not everybody in my unit knows  so essentially, Im having to come out over and over again. There are times when people have told me, Im completely uncomfortable with you being here, and I cant do anything about it. I have no choice but to say, Im sorry; Im not happy about it either.

There are not a lot of facilities that still have open room showers; its more like stalls with curtains, so you see people coming in and out. Before I do anything I let all the females know about my situation in advance and if at all possible I plan around it. I try to shower earlier and later than everybody else.

Thankfully in my unit, theres no [hostility], but sometimes when I go on a temporary duty assignment  there is. One time, my situation was basically made out to be a joke, and there was a lot of behind-the-door conversation about me, and it was terrible. It just honestly felt terrible.

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A big thing in military culture is having a tough skin. I had such a big problem with that before I started testosterone. I was very emotional at one point and time in my life. Its way behind me now, but testosterone has given me a lot of confidence, and I dont cower nearly as much.

I remember when I got my first shot of testosterone  actually for the first few months, every time I gave myself a shot  it was such a sense of euphoria. I noticed all these little changes, like my voice is a little deeper, or more muscle development, or that crappy mustache I can grow now  all these little itty-bitty victories, things that some people can take for granted. Every time someone I dont know refers to me as a male, calls me gentleman or young man or sir, I always smile. That is the number one thing that makes my day, when someone recognizes me as a guy.

When you transition from female to male [in the military], the difference for the [physical] tests is outrageous. So lets say I were to max my pushups: For females in my age group, its 19 pushups in two minutes, its plenty of time. For a male, in order to just pass, its 40 pushups. For running, its a two-mile run and Ive always hated running, Im a terrible runner. If I want to get the max amount of points for the female PT test its 19:38, and to pass it for males its 16:36, so Id have to run that much faster. But I dont make excuses. Even though Im still recognized as female, if you told me today I had to take the male PT test, I would do it and I would pass.

On family

[Coming out to] family was extremely hard at first, because of the way my parents grew up. Im Hispanic, and Hispanics can be very traditional sometimes. When my dad joined the Army he started off infantry, and thats an entirely different culture thats very intense. So it was a little rough at first. But now? I surprised my family last Fathers Day and no one messed up my name, no one messed up my pronoun. My dad was extremely happy to see me. When we go out to dinner and Im wearing a suit  not a dress and makeup  they see me as their son. When my mom refers to me, I am their son.

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When I heard about Trumps tweet

It was my day off  and I get a call from one of my bosses, a sergeant. I asked what was going on and she told me.  It really caught me off guard, because [Trump] was someone who prior to the election said, Im for the LGBT community. He was literally holding the pride flag, and I dont think he realizes how close-knit our community is and what that flag means to us.

So I was disappointed to hear there would be a ban. I come from a military family. I could potentially lose a career that is very important to me.

When I learned, back in June 2016, that the original transgender military ban had been lifted

I was here in Germany. I remember following this for weeks  at the edge of my seat. On the day when [Obama] finally said yes for open trans service, I hung my trans flag up on my barrack windows for everybody to see, and its still up, next to my rainbow flag, so people see it all the time and ask me about it. I was so happy. I talked to all sorts of friends and family. I didnt have to hide anymore. I didnt have to pretend. It was an amazing day. I dont know what will come of [the latest legal challenge], but Im ready for whatever happens.

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration is proposing ways to curb the cost of prescription drugs for seniors and other Americans, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, acting on repeated pledges by President Donald Trump to tackle rising prices. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, who was sworn in last month, plans to include the drug pricing initiatives in Trump's budget proposal, which will be released on Monday, the Journal reported. The reforms Azar laid out include making generic drugs free for seniors and introducing a cap on what seniors pay each year for expensive medicines under the government's Medicare program for the elderly, the report said. The administration will also propose allowing Medicaid, the government health insurance program for the poor, the ability to exclude some prescription medications from their list of approved drugs in an effort to negotiate lower prices with drugmakers. HHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Reporting By Yasmeen Abutaleb; Editing by David Gregorio)
The firing of Cox was one of Nixon's many miscalculations: Getty

Donald Trumps confrontation with Robert Mueller is eerily similar to Richard Nixons battle with a special prosecutor 45 years ago, say the journalists who broke the Watergate story.

Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, whose reports in the Washington Post almost 50 years ago helped set in motion the events that led to Nixons resignation, said Mr Trumps reported threat to oust Mr Mueller echoed the so-called Saturday Night Massacre of 1973, in which Archibald Cox was fired.

Were here again. A powerful and determined president is squaring off against an independent investigator operating inside the Justice Department, they write, sharing a byline for the first time in five years.

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They said they had covered Mr Nixons decision to take on the special prosecutor and considered it an eerily similar confrontation.

Nixon didnt know it at the time, but the Saturday Night Massacre would become a pivot point in his presidency - crucial to the charge that hed obstructed justice. For him, the consequences were terminal, they write, in an updated extract of their book The Final Days.

Last summer, it was widely reported Mr Trump wanted to fire Mr Mueller, who was appointed to investigate possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russias alleged interference in the 2016 election, after the President fired FBI Director James Comey.

The White House repeatedly denied the claims. But last month, the New York Times confirmed that Mr Trump did indeed made such a decision, but changed his mind when White House counsel Donald McGahn threatened to quit if he did so

Nixons insistence on getting rid of Mr Cox led to the resignation of Attorney General Elliot Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelshaus, who refused to carry out Nixons command.

In the end, the task fell to Solicitor General Robert Bork, the third in command at the Justice Department, who accepted the order and signed the White House draft of a two-paragraph letter firing the prosecutor

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At 8.22pm on October 20, White House press secretary Ron Ziegler announced the news, adding: The office of the Watergate Special Prosecution Force has been abolished as of approximately 8pm.

Soon thereafter, Nixon made two fateful miscalculations: He appointed another special prosecutor to replace Cox, and he turned over an initial batch of tapes, including one that vividly incriminated him, the two reporters add.

The Trump-Mueller history is yet to be written.
President Donald Trump says he will release a memo by Congressional Democrats regarding FBI surveillance: AP Photo/Evan Vucci

US President Donald Trump has said that he will approve the release of Democrats' memo rebutting claims of FBI abuse laid out in a previous memo by Republicans.

"It's gonna be released soon. We're going to release a letter," Mr Trump said.

The Republicans' memo, authored by the Congressman Devin Nunes' staff, had alleged "serious violations of public trust" by the FBI over their conduct in the Russia investigation, per a statement from Mr Nunes.

The House Intelligence Committee voted unanimously to make the memo authored by ranking Democrat Adam Schiff public earlier this week.

The FBI had warned that the Republican memo left out crucial information that could have an impact on its accuracy.

It addressed issues Congressional Republicans had with a warrant issued by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, called a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrant.

The memo claimed that the court issued the warrant based on a dossier authored by former UK intelligence officer Christopher Steele.

Republicans alleged that there was "clear evidence of [Mr Steele's] bias" against the President and that the former MI-6 officer had "anti-Trump financial and ideological motivations" since his fee for the memo was hired for by a research firm paid by the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and opponent Hillary Clinton.

The firm, Fusion GPS, was started by a group of former Wall Street Journal reporters and began opposition research on Mr Trump in 2015 under a contract from the Washington Free Beacon, a conservative news outlet.

Once Mr Trump became the Republican nominee, the DNC and Ms Clinton's campaign paid to have Fusion GPS continue its research.

It then hired Mr Steele, who had previous ties to the US intelligence community and was an FBI informant, who authored the now-infamous dossier between June and December 2016.

The Nunes memo 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 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.

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The memo also appeared to stoke more partisanship by naming DOJ officials who were holdovers from the administration of Barack Obama and signed off on the FISA warrant applications - former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, and Mr Comey.

However, it also named current Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein who was promoted by Mr Trump and signed off on the warrant for Carter Page, a former campaign adviser on foreign policy.

The memo claimed the only reason the warrant on Mr Page was Mr Steele's dossier, despite the former MI-6 agent's anti-Trump bias.

In response, Mr Schiff said at the time 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.

He also said the memo was a "shameful effort to discredit" the FBI and DOJ, during the investigation into the Trump campaign's alleged collusion with Russian officials.

The White House has not announced a release date as yet.
White House says document, a response to a Republican memo alleging FBI misdeeds in the Trump-Russia inquiry, cannot be released due to classified and sensitive passages



The House intelligence committee chairman, Devin Nunes, right, and the Democratic ranking member, Adam Schiff, have not been seeing eye to eye. Photograph: Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Donald Trump is blocking the release of the Democrats rebuttal to a Republican memo that accused the FBI of a politically biased investigation into the presidents ties to Russia.

Donald McGahn, the White House counsel, released a letter Friday night arguing that disclosure of the Democrats memo would create especially significant concerns for the national security and law enforcement interests and claiming that Trump was inclined to declassify the document, but could not at this time due to classified and especially sensitive passages.



Democrats on the House intelligence committee, which is investigating Russian meddling into the US election, authored the new memo, which they said provided context for a four-page memo authored by Republican Devin Nunes, a close ally of Donald Trump.

The memo was written by aides to Devin Nunes, chairman of the House intelligence committee and a member of the Trump transition team.

The committee is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election but the inquiry has devolved into a fight about the separate FBI investigation, now led by special counsel Robert Mueller.

On Friday, Nunes published the memo after Donald Trump declassified it.

The memo revolves around a wiretap on Carter Page, an adviser to the Trump campaign, alleging the FBI omitted key information when it applied for the wiretap. The findings raise concerns with the legitimacy and legality of certain DoJ and FBI interactions with the court that approves surveillance requests, the memo says. It also claims a troubling breakdown of legal processes established to protect the American people from abuses.

The memo criticizes investigators who applied for the wiretap, saying they used material provided by an ex-British agent, Christopher Steele, without sufficiently disclosing their source. The memo says Steele was desperate that Trump not get elected.

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The memo also says texts between an FBI agent and FBI attorney demonstrated a clear bias against Trump and says there is no evidence of any co-operation or conspiracy between Page and another Trump aide under investigation, George Papadopoulos.

The memo casts deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein in a negative light. Rosenstein could fire Mueller. The president, said to dislike Rosenstein, could fire and replace him.

The FBI argued against the memos release. Democrats wrote a rebuttal and sided with the bureau. The president reportedly told associates he believes the memo will help discredit the special counsel.

Alan Yuhas

The GOP memo, released last week, claimed that the FBI and justice department obtained a surveillance warrant against Carter Page, a former campaign adviser to the Trump campaign, based on shoddy information provided by a former British spy, Christopher Steele. Trump has said the memo totally vindicated him.

The House panel voted unanimously to release the Democrats memo on Monday, giving Trump until Saturday to decide whether the information should be made public. On Friday afternoon, Trump had told reporters that the memo would be released soon.

But McGahn said the memo in its current form could not be released. His letter said that given the public interest in transparency in these unprecedented circumstances, the president had directed the justice department to assist the House committee if it wished to revise the Democrats memo to mitigate the risks.

The FBI director, Christopher Wray, and the deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein, also wrote on Friday that the disclosure could raise concerns about intelligence sources and methods, ongoing investigations, and other similarly sensitive information.

On Saturday, Trump tweeted:

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The Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, condemned the White Houses decision to block the Democratic memo on Friday, saying in a statement: The Presidents double standard when it comes to transparency is appalling. The rationale for releasing the Nunes memo, transparency, vanishes when it could show information thats harmful to him. Millions of Americans are asking one simple question: what is he hiding?

Donald Trump has said the Nunes memo totally vindicates him. Photograph: Sipa USA/Rex/Shutterstock

The parties have accused each other of misrepresenting sensitive information related to the investigation into whether Trump associates colluded with Russia in an effort to sway the 2016 presidential election in the businessmans favor.



The top Democrat on the panel, the California congressman Adam Schiff, accused Republicans of carrying out a political hit job on the FBI in the service of the president with the release of the GOP memo. On Monday, Schiff told reporters that the Democratic memo would correct the distortions and inaccuracies contained in the GOP memo.

On Friday, Schiff said the Democrats took security concerns seriously and looked forward to finding a way to inform the American people about the misleading attack on law enforcement by the GOP.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi accused the president of a stunningly brazen attempt to cover up the truth about the Trump-Russia scandal while Senator Richard Blumenthal said the decision to block the memo made a mockery of national security and common sense and was evidence of obstruction of justice by Donald Trump.

Nunes, the chairman of the House intelligence committee and a former member of Trumps transition team, has accused Democrats of trying to cover up an abuse of power by the FBI and the justice department. He told Fox News recently: These guys tell so many lies, you cant keep track of them.

Trump had authorized the Republican memo to be made public and has repeatedly denounced the investigation into Russian election interference as a witch-hunt.

But elected officials in both parties have said that the GOP memo failed to clear Trump of obstruction of justice or collusion  two lines of inquiry at the heart of the Russia inquiry. Before Trump approved the disclosure of the memo, the FBI said it had grave concerns about omissions that impacted the reports accuracy.

Beyond Mueller

Three separate congressional committees are investigating Russian tampering in the 2016 presidential election and possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign: the Senate judiciary and intelligence committees, and the House intelligence committee.

The committees have the power to subpoena witnesses and documents. The list of witnesses to have been interviewed so far is long, and includes Donald Trump Jr and Jared Kushner, as well as lesser figures such as former adviser Carter Page; Glenn Simpson, the co-founder of Fusion GPS, which commissioned the Steele dossier; and Ben Rhodes, the former Obama adviser.

Senate intelligence committee

The most aggressive of the three committees so far, with a reasonable appearance of bipartisanship. Republican chairman Richard Burr of North Carolina said in October that the question of potential collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian operatives remained open. But Burr has also said the committee was not focused on criminal acts but a larger picture. The committee notably heard testimony from James Comey after the former FBI director was fired.

Senate judiciary committee

Hampered early on by partisan disagreement about the scope of its investigation, the committee has interviewed top witnesses including Donald Trump Jr and has taken a particular focus on the firing of James Comey. But the committee has deferred to Mueller in the investigation of Paul Manafort and has interviewed fewer witnesses than others.



House intelligence committee

Riven by partisan conflict, the committee appears to be on track to produce two reports  one from each party. Chairman Devin Nunes recused himself from the inquiry in March after Trump tweeted that Barack Obama had "tapp[ed] my phones" and Nunes, in an apparent attempt to defend the president, revealed that some communications involving Trump aides had been intercepted by US surveillance programs.



Two former Trump aides, including his first national security adviser, have pleaded guilty and are cooperating with prosecutors. Paul Manafort, Trumps former campaign chairman, faces multiple felony charges including fraud and failing to register as a foreign agent.

Speculation has continued to swirl suggesting Trump may fire the special counsel Robert Mueller, who is overseeing the Russia investigation. In June 2017, Trump asked his general counsel to fire Mueller, according to a report in the New York Times.

The House committee, in contrast to a more harmonious parallel investigation in the Senate, has been plagued by partisan rancor, devolving into a bitter fight over the role of the FBI and justice department.

The acrimony reached new heights this week, when CBS reported that Republicans on the committee plan to erect a physical partition between Republican and Democratic staff members in the committees secure spaces.
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump blocked the release of a memo written by Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee as a rebuttal to allegations from their Republican counterparts that the FBI abused surveillance laws to improperly spy on the Trump campaign.

In a letter to the House Intelligence Committee on Friday, White House counsel Don McGahn said that while the president is inclined to declassify the memo, he will not at this time due to it containing numerous properly classified and especially sensitive passages.

McGahn said Trump has directed the Justice Department to offer assistance to the House committee to revise the memo.

The Executive Branch stands ready to review any subsequent draft ... for declassification at the earliest opportunity, McGahn said.

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The White House also shared a letter from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and FBI Director Christopher Wray expressing concern about the release of certain parts of the memo. The letter came in response to McGahns request for the FBI and DOJ to review the Democratic memo, and argued that certain passages sparked concern about the protection of intelligence sources and methods, ongoing investigations and other sensitive information.

Rosenstein and Wray had expressed similar concern about a GOP-drafted memo that Trump did agree to release last week.

The House Intelligence Committee voted to release the Democrats memo on Monday, days after the Republicans version became public. The Republicans on the committee blocked the Democrats memo from being released simultaneously.

The GOP memo  which alleges liberal bias among mostly Republican law enforcement officials at the Justice Department and FBI  was part of a long-standing effort by the presidents allies to undermine special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into ties between Russia and the Trump campaign. Trump, who has characterized Muellers investigation as a witch hunt, tweeted on Saturday that the memo totally vindicates him.

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The Republicans memo, drafted by staffers in the office of committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), a member of Trumps transition team, accuses law enforcement officials of misleading a secretive court that approves surveillance warrants when they applied for permission to spy on former Trump campaign official Carter Page.

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, slammed the Republican memo as misleading and factually incorrect. He said in a statement last week that his partys response would provide missing context that would refute Republicans claims.

Several of the allegations in the Nunes memo are already falling apart. One of the key complaints in the memo is that the FBI failed to disclose that a dossier compiled by former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele was funded by Democratic operatives looking for information on Trump during the campaign. But three days after the memo was released, Nunes conceded that the FBI had disclosed the political origins of the Steele dossier in a footnote on its application to spy on Page.

Nunes memo also claimed that Andrew McCabe, then deputy director of the FBI, told the House Intelligence Committee last December that the agency wouldnt have sought a surveillance warrant without the Steele dossier. Nunes staff purposefully mischaracterizes McCabes testimony in the memo, a senior Democratic committee official told HuffPost.

The minoritys memo lays out the full facts, the source said.

This story has been updated with information about the letter from Rosenstein and Wray.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey has ordered the arrest of 17 people including the co-leader of the main pro-Kurdish political party over opposition to the military's offensive in Syria, the state-run Anadolu news agency said on Friday. Since the launch of the campaign in northwest Syria's Afrin nearly three weeks ago, authorities have said they would arrest those who criticize or oppose it. So far, some 600 people have been detained for protests or for social media posts against the offensive. Anadolu cited the Ankara prosecutor's office as saying the 17 suspects now facing arrest were accused of seeking to stir street protests and clashes under the guise of opposition to the Afrin offensive. Among them were Serpil Kemalbay, the co-leader of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), it said. The HDP, parliament's second-largest opposition party, is the only major political party to oppose the campaign - dubbed "Operation Olive Branch" - against the Kurdish YPG militia in Afrin. The party is scheduled to hold its annual congress in Ankara on Sunday. The HDP's other co-leader, Selahattin Demirtas, is in jail over alleged links to Kurdish militants and is among many leading members of the party imprisoned on similar charges, which they have denied. The YPG is designated by Ankara as a terrorist group and an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged a three-decade insurgency on Turkish soil in which more than 40,000 people have been killed. President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that Turkey will strip the word "Turkish" from the name of its main medical association after the group publicly opposed the campaign. (Writing by Daren Butler; Editing by Dominic Evans/David Dolan)
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - A Turkish army helicopter was shot down by Syrian Kurdish YPG fighters near the north Syrian town of Afrin, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday and the Turkish military said two soldiers on board the aircraft died. YPG sources separately confirmed the downing of the helicopter. "One of our helicopters was downed just recently," Erdogan said speaking to members of his AK Party (AKP) in Istanbul. "These things will happen, we are in a war... We might lose a helicopter, but they'll pay the price for this." The Turkish military in a statement did not specify a reason for why the helicopter fell. It said two soldiers on board died and technical crews were investigating the crash. The downed helicopter was the first officially confirmed loss of a Turkish aircraft over Syria since the start of the country's long-running civil war. The Turkish military in other statements said a total of five soldiers were killed and nine wounded on Saturday in clashes with mainly Kurdish forces near Afrin. It said it had killed 26 militants. Ankara launched an air and ground offensive last month against Kurdish fighters in Syria's Afrin region on its border, opening a new front in the multi-sided Syrian war. Separately, the Turkish military in a statement said on Friday that the construction of a fifth military post near Syria's northwestern region of Idlib had begun. 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 neighboring provinces. But the "de-escalation" in violence they were supposed to monitor has collapsed. In December, the Syrian army alongside Iranian-backed militias and heavy Russian air power launched a major offensive to take territory in Idlib province. Idlib is one of the last main strongholds of rebels opposed to President Bashar al-Assad, who have been driven from most of their bastions in Syria since Russia joined the war on the side of Assad's government in 2015. Turkey has long been one of the main allies of the anti-Assad rebels. (Reporting by Ali Kucukgocmen in Istanbul and Lisa Barrington in Beirut; Editing by Stephen Powell)
Megan Whiteley (right) said she had been left broken by the death of her twin Melissa (left) (Caters)

A teenager has spoken of her heartache after her twin sister died after coming down with a deadly strain of the flu virus.

Megan Whiteley said she was broken after her sister Melissa, 18, died just one month after falling ill on Christmas Day.

She said: Its broken me, I dont know what Ill do without her. We did everything together and thats now been taken away from me.

She was funny, we had a lot of banter. I couldnt have asked for a better sister.

Megan (left) said she and Melissa did everything together (Caters)

Engineering student Melissa, from Hanford, Staffs, was rushed to Glenfield Hospital in Leicester after she became unable to walk.

Tests found that the teenager was suffering from sepsis, flu, pneumonia and a fungal infection and she was placed in an induced coma.

Tragic Melissa never recovered and she passed away surrounded by her family on 27 January.

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Mum Sharon, 53, said: We couldnt believe it. We thought when we went to Leicester it would have a positive outcome but in the days leading up to it you dont want to give in but we knew it wasnt getting any better.

Dad Mark, 50, added: Watching the colour going out of her lips and watching the heartbeat go down it was unreal.

She was so much fun. She always on the go and had a great sense of humour.

Melissa (left) died one month after falling ill on Christmas Day (Caters)

She had great banter with her twin sister  she was the happiest person and she had so much to live for.

Melissas heartbroken boyfriend, Ben Pepper, described Melissa as the happiest person he had ever known.

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He said: When she died I didnt know how I was going to take it, it has made me realise just how much I cared about her.

The family, who have set up a JustGiving page to raise money to pay for Melissas funeral and for the hospital where she was treated, are now warning others to not put off going to A&E if they have flu-like symptoms.

The family are now urging anyone with flu-like symptoms to get checked out at A&E (Caters)

Melissas devastated mother Sharon said: We knew that if you just have a cold, they dont want you in A&E because you could pass more germs on or could waste their time but I would say to anyone if youre not sure, go.

Youre not wasting time, make sure and get it checked out.

A nine-year-old boy was this week thought to be the youngest to have died from the latest flu outbreak.
By Ian Simpson

(Reuters) - Two Ohio police officers were shot to death on Saturday while responding to a domestic disturbance in the Columbus suburb of Westerville, and a suspect was wounded and is in custody, officials said.

The two officers were immediately fired upon when they entered an apartment responding to a 911 call that had hung up, Westerville Police Chief Joe Morbitzer said at a news conference.

"These were two of the best we had. This was their calling and they did it right," said Morbitzer, his voice halting and thick with emotion.

Officer Eric Joering, 39, died at the scene, and Officer Anthony Morelli, 54, died from his wounds at a hospital. Morbitzer said they had been responding to a "domestic situation."

The suspect was wounded and taken to a hospital, a city spokeswoman said. The suspect's condition and identity have not been released.

Columbus police are heading the investigation into the shooting, Morbitzer said.

Excluding Saturday's shootings in Ohio, 12 U.S. law enforcement officers have been killed in the line of duty this year, nine in firearms-related incidents, according to the non-profit National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

The Westerville shootings came a day after a Georgia police officer was shot and killed and two sheriff's deputies were wounded by a gunman who was then killed.

U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on Twitter, "My thoughts and prayers are with the two police officers, their families, and everybody at the @WestervillePD."

(Reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by David Gregorio)
By Nidal al-Mughrabi GAZA (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates has donated $2 million and Qatar has pledged another $9 million to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, staving off a threatened shut-down of emergency hospital generators in the impoverished Palestinian enclave, officials said on Friday. The United Nations had appealed for funds on Tuesday, saying fuel for generators that keep Gaza's hospitals and sanitation services operating would run out within 10 days as Hamas and the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority (PA) feud. The World Health organization announced the UAE donation in a statement, saying it would "provide enough fuel to keep facilities running for several months". Qatar's pledge was announced on its Foreign Ministry website. So far generators have stopped at three of Gaza's 13 hospitals and 14 of its 54 medical centers, according to the enclave's health ministry. The Islamist group Hamas and PA signed an Egyptian-mediated unity deal in October by which Hamas quit administrative control of the territory, but the two sides have failed to finalize the details of political power-sharing. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh left Gaza on Friday for a fresh round of talks with Egyptian officials in Cairo over ways to salvage the reconciliation, the group's spokesman said. Gaza's neighbors, Egypt and Israel, have long clamped down on its borders, a blockade they say is needed for security. A U.S. decision to cut aid to the United Nations Relief and Welfare Agency (UNRWA), which provides aid to Palestinian refugees, also threatens to deepen hardship in Gaza. [L8N1PO1Q8] Hamas hopes its new partnership with the PA will lead to an easing of sanctions, but the sides disagree over power-sharing. Poverty has exacerbated political militancy in Gaza, where Palestinians have held weekly rock-throwing protests at the border fence with Israel against U.S. President Donald Trump's Dec. 6 recognition of Jerusalem as its capital. During Friday's demonstrations, Israeli troops on the frontier wounded 19 Palestinians with live fire, medics said. A military spokeswoman said shots were directed at "rioters .. Who posed a threat to soldiers and the security fence". A further seven protesters were wounded by Israeli troops in the occupied West Bank, another territory where Palestinians seek statehood, medics said. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the West Bank incidents. (Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi; Writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged North Korea's ceremonial head of state Kim Yong Nam to engage in dialogue on ending the nuclear crisis during a brief exchange in South Korea, a UN spokesman said Friday.

Kim and Guterres attended a dinner ahead of the opening of the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.

"He did have a brief exchange with president Kim," said UN spokesman Farhan Haq.

Guterres reiterated "his expectation and hope that all parties will use dialogue to achieve the peaceful denuclearization of the Korean peninsula," he added.

Kim is leading the North Korean delegation to the Olympics that also includes Kim Yo Jong, the younger powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The UN spokesman said Guterres did not meet with Kim's sister.

The exchange with Kim however was the highest-level meeting between the UN chief and North Korea.

Guterres has met with the foreign minister and Pyongyang's ambassador to the United Nations. Kim holds the title of president of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, making him technically the head of state.

The UN chief has been a strong supporter of the thaw in relations between Pyongyang and Seoul during the Olympics, which he maintains could provide the basis for a broader dialogue.

At an official lunch hosted by South Korean President Moon Jae-in, Guterres expressed his "total support" to Moon for establishing "a very important positive development in inter-Korean relations.

"We hope that these Olympic Games will open a window of opportunity to allow for a strong diplomatic engagement aiming at the peaceful denuclearization of the Korean peninsula," said Guterres.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley has dismissed North Korea's decision to attend the Olympics as a "distraction," and Vice President Mike Pence skipped the dinner on Friday.

In December, Guterres dispatched UN political chief Jeffrey Feltman to Pyongyang for talks, but the envoy came back with no commitment from North Korea to hold negotiations on the nuclear standoff.

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North Korea's race to build an intercontinental ballistic missile that could hit the United States with a nuclear warhead has raised fears of a devastating conflict.

At the United Nations in September, President Donald Trump vowed to "totally destroy" North Korea if it launches an attack on the United States.

Trump's administration has been adamant that North Korea must first freeze its military programs before talks can take place.
The Russian claimed to have compromising material on US President Donald Trump: AP

A Russian who offered US intelligence officials stolen cyberweapons and compromising material on Donald Trump took $100,000 (72,000) but failed to provide any of the promised goods, according to a New York Times report.

The payment, delivered to a Berlin hotel room in September last year, was intended as the first instalment in a $1m deal, which has now been broken off, the paper said.

Several US intelligence officials told the newspaper they were most interested in retrieving National Security Agency and Central Intelligence Agency hacking tools that were stolen in 2015 and had since been used to infect millions of computers around the world.

The Russian claimed to have access to a computer code for the stolen cyberweapons as well as information that would link Mr Trump and his associates to Russia, according to the paper.

The video was first rumoured to exist in a dossier compiled by former MI6 officer Christopher Steele and published last January, but its existence has never been verified.

According to the report, several US intelligence officials made clear that they did not want any Trump material from the individual, who was suspected of having murky ties to Russian intelligence and cybercriminals in Eastern Europe.

But after several months of coded messages and secret meetings between the Russian and an intermediary  an American businessman based in Germany  the contact produced a set of unverified and potentially fabricated documents about Mr Trump and others, and none of the hacking tools, the paper said.

Some of the documents  obtained by The New York Times  seemed drawn mostly from news reports, rather than secret intelligence, the report said.

Responding to the story on Twitter, Mr Trump suggested he was unhappy with the actions of the intelligence agencies involved.

"I hope people are now seeing & understanding what is going on here," he wrote. "It is all now starting to come out - DRAIN THE SWAMP!"

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The newspaper reported that the deal was broken off and the contact has now returned to Russia, having been warned not to return.

Neither the CIA nor the NSA could be reached for comment by The Independent.

According to the report, the seller involved in this case is one of several Russians who claim to have kompromat  compromising information  on Mr Trump.

Allegations of misconduct on both Russian and US sides have been rife since the presidential election campaign of 2016.

The US Congress and FBI are continuing to investigate contact between Russian officials and Mr Trumps campaign team in a bid to identify if there was any collusion.

The New York Times report comes just two days after a US official said Russia targeted and successfully penetrated 21 states during the 2016 election.

The FBI is also said to be assessing a report compiled by political activist and former journalist Cody Shearer that independently sets out similar allegations to some of those made in Mr Steeles dossier last year.
Washington (AFP) - The third-ranking official at the US Justice Department is resigning just nine months after taking the powerful position at the agency that President Donald Trump has been criticizing sharply.

Associate Attorney General Rachel Brand would have inherited oversight of a probe into possible Trump campaign links to Russian interference in the 2016 election if the president forced out the Justice Department's number two, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.

Trump and Republican legislators have stepped up attacks on the agency over Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe.

"The men and women of the Department of Justice impress me every day," said Brand, a national security law expert who is due to take up a position in the private sector in the coming weeks.

"I am proud of what we have been able to accomplish over my time here."

Brand, 44, was named to the Justice Department by then president George W. Bush in 2003, and left four years later to work in the private sector.

In 2012, president Barack Obama -- a Democrat -- appointed her to the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, which reviewed the legality of the National Security Agency's surveillance programs, especially its data collection on US citizens, which Brand defended.

She rejoined the Justice Department in May, appointed by Trump and working directly below Rosenstein and Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who recused himself from involvement with the Mueller probe due to his own work for the Trump campaign.

Sessions praised Brand in a statement, saying she had "shown real leadership over many important divisions at the department."

Trump, frustrated by the Russian investigation, has reportedly considered firing Rosenstein, the only person empowered to dismiss Mueller.

A recent memo from congressional Republicans took aim at Rosenstein for his role in obtaining wiretap warrants on a member of the Trump campaign who had numerous Russian contacts, which the memo described as an abuse of power.

If Rosenstein were forced out, that would have put Brand uncomfortably in the White House's crosshairs, at least until a new deputy attorney general could be nominated and then approved by Congress.
John Kelly - REUTERS

President Donald Trump said he hopes a senior aide who has resigned amid allegations he beat two former wives has "a great career ahead of him".

Rob Porter left the White House after the allegations - including a photograph of his first wife, Cobie Holderness, sporting a black eye - came to light.

But on Friday the US president chose not to express any sympathy for the two women, instead praising Mr Porter's work as the White House's staff secretary.

"We wish him well. He worked very hard, no doubt about it," Mr Trump told reporters in the Oval office.

"He did a good job while he was in the White House. Hopefully he will have a great career ahead of him."

The president added: "As you probably know he says he is innocent ...I think you have to remember that".

White House Chief of Staff John Kelly with White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter Credit: Reuters

Mr Trumps chief of staff, John Kelly, has also faced questions over his staunch defence of Mr Porter amid reports that some senior officials knew of the accusations for a year.

The episode has been seized on by critics who say the administration is failing to properly vet staff and is shot through with a macho culture that does not protect women.

Democrats and womens groups are demanding the resignation of Mr Kelly, a retired Marine general who was brought in last year to control the spread of chaos in an ill-disciplined White House.

Toni Van Pelt, head of the National Organisation for Women, said: His pathetic defence of staff secretary Rob Porter reveals his true nature  an enabler of sexual abusers, a betrayer of trust and an avoider of responsibility.

Mr Porter offered his resignation just one day after Mr Kelly publicly defended him in a statement saying: "Rob Porter is a man of true integrity and honour and I can't say enough good things about him.

He was forced to change tack after the Daily Mail published a photograph showing Cobie Holderness, Mr Porter's first wife, with a black eye.

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Mr Kelly said he was shocked and that there was no place for domestic violence in society but added: I stand by my previous comments of the Rob Porter that I have come to know since becoming chief of staff, and believe every individual deserves the right to defend their reputation."

Earlier this week, Jennifer Willoughby, Mr Porters second wife, described how she filed a restraining order against her husband in 2010 after he punched the glass on a door and refused to leave her home. She said the abuse started on their honeymoon and he once dragged her out of the shower.

Further muddying the fallout for the White House were reports that Mr Porter was dating Hope Hicks, the White House communications director and a key Trump confidant.

Hope Hicks, the White House's communications director Credit: Bloomberg

The result is fresh questions about Mr Kellys ability to impose order and whether the loyalty of a military man is the right fit for a job that needs political antennae finely attuned to risk of scandal.

I get the idea of dying for the man next to you but that doesnt get you far in politics, said a senior Republican strategist.

Democrats swiftly called for an investigation into Mr Porter's presence at the White House.

"If John Kelly is covering this up, he needs to be held accountable, Jon Tester, a senator for Montana. He better have a really good reason. Otherwise, he's gone, too.

For his part, Mr Porter has denied any wrongdoing.

These outrageous allegations are simply false,2 he said in a statement issued in the wake of his resignation.

I have been transparent and truthful about these vile claims, but I will not further engage publicly with a co-ordinated smear campaign.
Dave Majumdar

Security,

The centerpiece of Afghan air power are the Sierra Nevada/Embraer A-29 Super Tucano, the MD-530 light attack helicopter and some modified Cessna C208 Caravansand their fleet is set to expand

Why the Taliban Should Fear the Afghan Air Force

While the war in Afghanistan continues to fester unabated, one of the brighter spots in that ongoing conflict is the Afghan Air Force. The nascent air service is starting to mature and is starting to be able to employ airpower against its Taliban foe effectively using its own aircraft with the guidance of Western advisors.

One of the most important things I want to talk about is the Afghan Air Force growth, Maj. Gen. James Scorch Hecker, commander of the 9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force-Afghanistan and NATO Air Command-Afghanistanalso a F-22 Raptor pilottold reporters at the Pentagon on Feb. 7. It continues to grow in size and capability. While U.S. air power is destroying Taliban support elements in the deep fight, Afghan A-29s and MD-530 helicopters provide quick, lethal support to Afghan forces in the close fight.

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Indeed, the Afghan Air Force dropped the first bombs of a renewed campaign against the Taliban recently. In fact, an A-29 Afghan aircraft dropped the first bomb of the air campaign on a drug lab and, I might add, shacked the target, Hecker said.

The centerpiece of Afghan air power are the Sierra Nevada/Embraer A-29 Super Tucano, the MD-530 light attack helicopter and some modified Cessna C208 Caravansand their fleet is set to expand. Right now, the Afghan Air Force has 12 A-29s, but that's going up to 25, more than double, Hecker said. Three A-29 pilots are now trained to drop laser-guided munitions. The first was dropped in training in December, so the Taliban can look forward to those laser-guided bombs raining on what used to be safe havens in the near future.

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The robust Caravanswhich are turboprop utility aircraftalso play a significant role in the Afghan air force for airlift and combat operations. Eventually, the aircraft will also have an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) mission. The Afghans also have a fleet of 24 C208s that have added an air-drop capability, Hecker said. They added a roll-up door to the side of the airplane. They travel at 300 feet, 100 knots, and air-drop munitions or supplies out the door and hit their targets within 70 meters. This enables them to do air-drop rather than landing an Mi-17, which obviously reduces a risk in some regions.

Eventually, the Afghans will receive a dedicated gunship variant of the Caravan. In the future, the Afghan Air Force will also get what we call AC208s, and they'll get a total of 32 of them, Hecker said. These are similar to the C208, but this is an attack model, so it will carry pods with laser-guided rockets and a gun. It can also capture full-motion video and assist other aircraft to achieve precision targeting, making it an ISR asset, which is going to be key to enabling the A-29.

The Afghans are also operating rotary-wing assets. We've taken MD530 attack helicopters and transformed them into a very robust platform, Hecker said. For you folks in D.C., MD530s are small helicopters similar to those that report on the traffic jams on the Beltway you experience every day. The Afghans have 25 of these right now, and they're going to get five more each quarter until they have a total of 55 in about a year and a half. The biggest difference between the Afghan MD530s and those traffic helicopters is their ability to carry rockets and a gun. The Afghan National Army loves them. They have proven to be just the right platform to provide quick, lethal support to commandos and Afghan ground forces.

Eventually, the Afghans will operate much more capable Lockheed Martin/Sikorsky UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters. We recently delivered eight UH-60 Black Hawks to the Afghans over the last four months, Hecker said. They will eventually have a fleet of 159 of these. We are training 12 pilots, who have gone through their initial phase and are now preparing for mission qualification training. They will be ready for combat operations starting in May. After that, we'll get about 80 crews every 10 weeks, so by the end of the year we should have 28 pilots.

Ultimately, the United States hopes to grow and shape the Afghan Air Force into a professional air arm. This growth has already started but is going to continue, Hecker said. Eventually, we will almost triple the size of the Afghan Air Force. But this has to include more than an increase in quantity. We want to make sure the Afghan Air Force is both professional and capable.

But to create a truly professional Afghan Air Force will take time and patienceand most importantlyproper training and discipline. Pilots and maintenance teams are being trained in the United States, in Afghanistan and other partner nations, Hecker said. And this kind of training includes not just developing skills, but a mindset that prevents civilian casualties to the greatest extent possible. Several times, Afghan pilots on missions have resisted dropping their bombs to avoid civilian casualties. This isn't the case with the Taliban.

One particular area of concern is maintenance. While pilot training is often more visible, all of this will be for naught if the Afghans are not able to maintain their own planes. Right now, where we sit is roughly about 20 percent of the maintenance done for the Afghan Air Force is done by the Afghan maintainers, Hecker said. About 80 percent of the maintenance is done by contractors; contractors that the coalition hires to do that maintenance. We are in the process now from shifting that 80/20 split the other way. So the goal as we go through this campaign here, is that we will shift it so that 80 percent of the maintenance is done by Afghans, and 20 percent is done by contractors. And of those contractors, we're rewriting the contracts so they will now start hiring Afghan local nationals, as opposed to hiring from the United States or other coalition countries.

Eventually with enough time, effort and sustained commitment from the United States, the Afghans will get there. They wont become the U.S. Air Force, but will be able to defend their country. As I mentioned, the A-29s are going to have a precision-guided capability here very shortly, Hecker said. Three pilots are trained right now, but we're going to train the rest of them. We're going to get an AC-208, the attack version, and it's going to have laser-guided rockets, just like our A-10's, just like our F-16's have today. So they're not as capable today, and they never will be as capable as an F-16, with the platforms that they have, but they're becoming extremely more capable than they are right now, and it's a real good fit for what they need here in Afghanistan.

Dave Majumdar is the defense editor for The National Interest. You can follow him on Twitter: @davemajumdar.

Image: Creative Commons.

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Model Kate Upton told Good Morning America why she waited so long to share her #MeToo moment. (Photo: Getty Images)

Kate Upton, Uma Thurman, and Salma Hayek are some of the many women who have been inspired by the #MeToo movement to tell their stories of being victims of sexual assault and harassment, and all three have acknowledged that they remained silent for many years.

On Friday, Upton appeared on Good Morning America to explain why it was only seven years later that she came forward to make the claim that Guess co-founder Paul Marciano had sexually harassed her. What do you say to people who say, Well, why now? Why didnt you say something then when it first happened? Can you help them understand the difficulty? GMA co-host Robyn Roberts asked the supermodel.

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Well, you know what, because it was a completely different world then, when it happened  and I was 18 years old, answered Upton, 25. And everybody around me is telling me to  well, theyre not telling me  but theyre pushing me to not tell my story. Its better to keep things in the dark or just go because everyone is incentivized by me getting on set, the agents  everybody gets paid if I show up on set. So, youre constantly pushed to show up on set no matter what happens. And theyre bringing up examples of other women who are fine with this behavior and have really successful careers, so youre suddenly being pushed to be there.

Upton further explained, And youre also having doubt in your mind of how I acted. Did I ask for this treatment? But you didnt. This is their behavior. And I think that the women who came out before and after me really proved that Pauls pattern is real.

Earlier this month, Thurman told the New York Times that not disclosing her alleged assault by Harvey Weinstein in the 1990s still haunts her. The complicated feeling I have about Harvey is how bad I feel about all the women that were attacked after I was, Thurman told the paper. I am one of the reasons that a young girl would walk into his room alone, the way I did  and 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.

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Thurman explained, I stand as both a person who was subjected to it and a person who was then also part of the cloud cover, so thats a superweird split to have.

Uma Thurman has expressed guilt at not speaking up sooner about Harvey Weinstein. (Photo: Getty Images)

She later added, Personally, it has taken me 47 years to stop calling people who are mean to you in love with you. It took a long time, because I think that as little girls we are conditioned to believe that cruelty and love somehow have a connection, and that is like the sort of era that we need to evolve out of.

In December, Hayek shared her experience with Weinstein, describing her silence toward the alleged abuse as cowardice and also her inability to explain why she continued to work with a man who had hurt me so deeply.

Hayek wrote, in the opinion section of the New York Times, I hid from the responsibility to speak out, with the excuse that enough people were already involved in shining a light on my monster. I didnt consider my voice important, nor did I think it would make a difference.

She continued, In reality, I was trying to save myself the challenge of explaining several things to my loved ones: Why, when I had casually mentioned that I had been bullied like many others by Harvey, I had excluded a couple of details. And why, for so many years, we have been cordial to a man who hurt me so deeply. I had been proud of my capacity for forgiveness, but the mere fact that I was ashamed to describe the details of what I had forgiven made me wonder if that chapter of my life had really been resolved.

Hayek said, When so many women came forward to describe what Harvey had done to them, I had to confront my cowardice and humbly accept that my story, as important as it was to me, was nothing but a drop in an ocean of sorrow and confusion. I felt that by now, nobody would care about my pain  maybe this was an effect of the many times I was told, especially by Harvey, that I was nobody.

Salma Hayek says she feels shame over not speaking up about Harvey Weinsteins alleged abuse. (Photo: Getty Images)

The responses from these women arent unusual. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission estimates that 70 percent of workplace harassment cases go unreported, with victims instead choosing to avoid their harasser, downplay the abuse or vent to family and friends.

The driving force behind this silence is often fear of not being believed, or of social and professional retaliation  counterattacks dubbed the second rape by scientists who study sexual assault. It is also motivated by the fact that offenders are protected by societys inaction. Recent research conducted by ABC News and the Washington Post found that 95 percent of women who experienced sexual harassment say their abuser didnt face any consequences.

This often leaves victims to carry the emotional weight of the crime, and sometimes to blame themselves, as Thurman suggests.

Its possible that female victims assume blame because women are socialized to be empathetic and maternal, Debra Borys, PhD, a Los Angeles-based psychologist who specializes in sexual harassment and abuse, tells Yahoo Lifestyle. They may feel guilty about not speaking up, believing that the perpetrator would have been otherwise stopped, but thats not necessarily true  often times these people dont stop, they just abuse in a different context.

The guilt forced on a victim either by the perpetrator or, in Uptons case, by the people who pushed her to keep things in the dark, can be crushing. As Upton said, peoples paychecks depended on her willingness to stay silent.

Ultimately, says Borys, speaking up is a solid step in moving past sexual harassment and abuse.

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Logan Paul is back on YouTube in typically repulsive fashion  but it appears that the streaming service is not amused.

SEE ALSO: YouTube will try to prevent the next Logan Paul fiasco by cutting off the cash

Early Friday morning, YouTube announced on Twitter it would "temporarily" cut Logan Paul off from video ad revenue.

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Logan Paul took a month-long "break" from YouTube following backlash to his posting footage of a suicide victim in Japans Aokigahara "suicide forest." After widespread anger and controversy, Paul expressed remorse, donated money to suicide prevention, and temporarily became a prominent spokesperson for mental health.

But in his return video, many argued he struck the wrong note, seemingly bragging about his accomplishments while also playing the victim. He has also posted provocative videos from his trip to Japan and encouraged his viewers to take part in the (lethal) Tide Pod challenge in a now-deleted Tweet.

In a statement, YouTube told Mashable that monetizing videos in which Paul tasers a dead rat and takes a fish out of a pond to give it CPR (ugh) violate its advertising standards:

It's not the first time YouTube has tried to control Paul's antics by cutting off cash. On January 10, they removed Logan Paul's channel from its preferred ad platform and cancelled a YouTube Red show he was starring in. Then, five days later, YouTube rolled out new advertiser guidelines and put a new emphasis on human moderators in order to prevent creators from making money on videos that include hate speech, child exploitation, and other videos they deem questionable.

YouTube "will be strengthening our requirements for monetization so spammers, impersonators, and other bad actors cant hurt our ecosystem or take advantage of you, while continuing to reward those who make our platform great," wrote Neal Mohan, chief product officer, and Robert Kyncl, chief business officer, in a blog post at the time.

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Friday's decision to cut Paul's videos off from ad revenue seems to be evidence of this new policy in action, with a public slap on the wrist for good measure. Of course, that won't stop Logan Paul from making money from his merchandise, which he consistently peddles on his channel amongst his tasteful jokes  and which he'll probably pushing harder than ever:

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Paul, who describes himself as a "maverick," has yet to publicly respond.
Yu Darvish was the top pitcher on the free-agent market. (AP)

Yu Darvish, the top pitcher on a listless free-agent market, on Saturday agreed to sign with the Chicago Cubs for $126 million over six years, sources told Yahoo Sports.

Darvish, 31, in essence replaces Jake Arrieta in the Cubs rotation, beside Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks, Jose Quintana and, presumably, Tyler Chatwood. The agreement is pending a physical examination. Arrieta remains unsigned.

In the past three months Darvish had been rumored to be negotiating with more than a half-dozen teams, among them the Cubs, Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Minnesota Twins and Los Angeles Dodgers. He spent part of his offseason working out with Clayton Kershaw near Dallas.

Kershaw recently said hed spoken only vaguely with Darvish about potential destinations. The Dodgers are among the large-market teams endeavoring to keep their payrolls under the luxury-tax threshold.

We dont talk a ton about where hes at, Kershaw said. Obviously, Ive made my sales pitch. So, well just see what happens. We dont talk about what offers hes gotten or anything like that. I dont want to pressure him too much. But, looks good playing catch, Ill say that.

An All-Star in each of his four full seasons (he missed all of 2015 and part of 2016 because of Tommy John surgery), Darvish in 131 career starts is 56-42 with a 3.42 ERA. His 2017 season showed a slight decline from seasons past, both in Texas and then, after a mid-summer trade, in Los Angeles. He was, at times, the pitcher who was second  to Max Scherzer  in the 2013 AL Cy Young balloting, and then oddly vulnerable in the strike zone.

In the 2017 postseason alone, he limited the Arizona Diamondbacks and Cubs to two runs over two starts and 11 1/3 innings, then, in the World Series, amid suspicions he was tipping his pitches, twice failed to pitch out of the second inning against the Astros. In Game 7 at Dodger Stadium, he was booed from the field, having recorded five outs and allowed five runs.

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In three months with the Dodgers, and at the clubs urging, Darvish attempted to adjust his mechanics and slightly alter his approach. In his final three regular-season starts, his ERA was 0.47 with 21 strikeouts and one walk. What lasts in Los Angeles, however, are the two failed World Series starts, two losses that, coupled with a dismal Game 5 start from Kershaw, doomed the Dodgers.

Six years ago, the Rangers paid more than $110 million to acquire Darvish  $60 million in salary and the rest to Darvishs team in Japan, the Nippon Ham Fighters, for whom Darvish pitched seven seasons and established himself as the best pitcher in the Pacific League. Darvish made two postseason starts for the Rangers, one each in 2012 and 2016, and lost them both. When it appeared the Rangers would not challenge for a playoff berth, they dealt Darvish at the trade deadline for three minor leaguers, including outfielder Willie Calhoun, one of the Dodgers top prospects.

While it has been several years since Darvish carried both the workload and raw results of a true No. 1, the long and elegant right-hander led a starter market that also included Arrieta, Lance Lynn and Alex Cobb, along with Japanese right-hander Shohei Ohtani, who is advertised as a two-way player. Ohtani signed with the Angels in the second week of December. In 2017, Darvish did make 31 starts and throw 186 2/3 innings, his highest totals since 2013. Among major league pitchers with at least 180 innings, he ranked 14th in ERA, ninth in WHIP, eighth in strikeouts per nine and 12th in strikeouts per walk.

David Price (seven years, $217 million with the Boston Red Sox), Kershaw (seven years, $215 million with the Dodgers), Scherzer (seven years, $210 million with the Washington Nationals) and Zack Greinke (six years, $206.5 million with the Arizona Diamondbacks) are the highest-paid pitchers.

Arrieta, Lynn and Cobb would appear to be the next free-agent options for clubs seeking to complete their rotations.

More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports:
A movement leading an ad campaign in Jerusalem against the employment of Arabs has petitioned the High Court of Justice against the Welfare and Labor Ministry's Equal Employment Opportunity Commission after the government agency ordered it to take down its ads.

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The campaign was launched in the wake of a wave of terror attacks in the capital, which began in October 2015. At the time, the attacks stirred public debate, leading to several demonstrations in Jerusalem against the employment of Arabs.

The ads, which were posted in several streets in Jerusalem, read: "Business owner, do you have an employee who expresses joy at the murder of Jews? Are you unsure about his intentions? Legally, he cannot be fired, that is racism. You have to employ a worker even if he endangers your life."

One of the ads

The Welfare and Labor Ministry's commission sent the movement a letter expressing concern the campaign calls for the discrimination of Arab employees in violation of the Employment (Equal Opportunities) Law.

After an exchange of letters and a meeting between the movement and the commission, the movement put out a new ad: "Business owner, do you have an employee who expresses support of terror attacks? Expresses joy at the murder of Jews? Are you unsure about his intentions? Unfortunately, reality shows there is cause for concern. You don't have to employ a worker who might endanger your life or that of your customers. Seek legal counsel."

The commission opposed this wording as well, writing in a letter to the movement: "This phrasing still implies there should be a distinction made based on nationality, which might lead employers to discriminate based on nationality. The commission's concern is that such ads  which put a negative emphasis on Arab employees collectively  could prove to be explosive. It was made clear to you that any publication that implies there should be a distinction made between employees or candidates who are Jewish and those who are not is in violation of the Employment (Equal Opportunities) Law and must be taken down."

The movement, in response, decided to petition the High Court of Justice against the government agency, which is due to respond to the petition in two weeks.

But even before that, the movement decided to disseminate ads again and post them all over Jerusalem.

The Welfare and Labor Ministry said in response, "The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in the Welfare and Labor Ministry will exhaust all options at its disposal, and it intends to turn to the police and file a complaint against the impostors. This is a false, delusional and racist campaign done at the expense of the commission and has no connection to it."
The United Arab Emirates has donated $2 million and Qatar has pledged another $9 million to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, staving off a threatened shut-down of emergency hospital generators in the impoverished Palestinian enclave , officials said on Friday.

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The United Nations had appealed for funds on Tuesday, saying fuel for generators that keep Gaza's hospitals and sanitation services operating would run out within 10 days as Hamas and the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority (PA) feud.

The World Health organization announced the UAE donation in a statement, saying it would "provide enough fuel to keep facilities running for several months". Qatar's pledge was announced on its Foreign Ministry website.

Child being treated for cancer at Gaza hospital (Photo: EPA)

US envoy to the Middle East Jason Greenblatt called on Israel to cooperate with Qatar to help ease the suffering in the Gaza Strip.

"Qatar partnering with Israel can bring real relief to the people of Gaza. Ending support for Hamas and focusing on humanitarian aid and reconstruction will end the suffering," he wrote on Twitter on Friday.

So far, generators have stopped at three of Gaza's 13 hospitals and 14 of its 54 medical centers, according to the enclave's health ministry.

The Islamist group Hamas and PA signed an Egyptian-mediated unity deal in October by which Hamas quit administrative control of the territory, but the two sides have failed to finalize the details of political power-sharing.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh left Gaza on Friday for a fresh round of talks with Egyptian officials in Cairo over ways to salvage the reconciliation, the group's spokesman said.

Hospital in Beit Lahia in Gaza (Photo: AP)

Gaza's neighbors, Egypt and Israel, have long clamped down on its borders, a blockade they say is needed for security.

A US decision to cut aid to the United Nations Relief and Welfare Agency (UNRWA), which provides aid to Palestinian refugees, also threatens to deepen hardship in Gaza

Hamas hopes its new partnership with the PA will lead to an easing of sanctions, but the sides disagree over power-sharing.

Poverty has exacerbated political militancy in Gaza, where Palestinians have held weekly rock-throwing protests at the border fence with Israel against US President Donald Trump's December 6 recognition of Jerusalem as its capital

During Friday's demonstrations, Israeli troops on the frontier wounded 19 Palestinians with live fire, medics said. A military spokeswoman said shots were directed at "rioters .. Who posed a threat to soldiers and the security fence."

A further seven protesters were wounded by Israeli troops in the West Bank, another territory where Palestinians seek statehood, medics said. The IDF did not immediately comment on the West Bank incidents.
Two Israeli F-16 pilots were hurt Saturday morning after their plane was shot down and crashed in Israel following a retaliatory strike in Syria.

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The pilots were able to bail out of the plane. One pilot was seriously wounded, while the other was only lightly hurt. They were taken to the Rambam Medical Center in Haifa for treatment.

Footage of drone's interception and the destruction of its operations trailer (:  ")

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The IDF's strike was in response to an earlier infiltration into Israel of an Iranian drone originating from an airfield near Palmyra, Syria, which was successfully intercepted by an IDF Apache helicopter.

The Iranian drone is considered to be very advanced and spent about a minute and a half in Israeli territory after crossing the Israel-Jordan border.

"We'll study this UAV. This is the first time an Iranian drone has crossed into Israel and it is in our hands," said IAF Chief of Staff Brig. Gen. Tomer Bar, adding the army will take advantage of the opportunity to study the UAV.

Bar said the drone was shot down without imposing any risk to civilians. He added the ary is not yet sure whether it was intended for surveillance and intelligence gathering or for an orchestrated attack on Israeli civilians.

One of the pilots from the downed F-16 parachuting to safety ( )

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According to the IDF Spokesperson's Unit, during the attack on the site from which the drone was launched, carried out by eight Israeli fighter jets, the Syrian army retaliated with widespread antiaircraft fire. Pilots of one of the fighter jets recognized antiaircraft missiles locking onto their plane, prompting them to eject.

The fighter jet crashed in an open area near Kibbutz Harduf. The police said the crash caused no casualties or damage in the community.

Scenes from the F-16's crash site in the north

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Alarms sounded across northern and central Israel during the attack as a result of the antiaircraft fire, with several such missiles and their components landing in open territory.

Syrian television, meanwhile, quoted a military source in saying that, "Israel carried out new aggression early morning against one of the army bases in the country's center, and our air defense mechanisms resisted and hit more than one plane." The IDF rejected the report, saying only one plane was hit.

12 targets hit

The IDF said it launched a large scale attack against Syrian aerial defense systems and Iranian targets in Syria.

"Twelve targets, including three aerial defense batteries and four Iranian targets that are part of Iran's military establishment in Syria were attacked," the military said in a statement.

"During the attack, anti-aircraft missiles were fired towards Israel, triggering alarms that were heard in northern Israel," the military said.

The military added it was "ready for various scenarios and will continue to act according to situation assessments."

Syrian SA5 and SA17 missile batteries were targeted, the IDF said, adding that the Iranian targets to be hit were in the vicinity of the Syrian 4th Division.

Syrian media outlets reported that one of the sites targeted by the Israeli air force was an Iranian military base within the greater T-4 Syrian army base complex in the eastern Homs province, 60km east of Palmyrathe same airfield from which the drone took off towards Israel.

Militias affiliated with the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad confirmed the Israeli strike against the drone launching station at the T-4 base, which they claimed was used to collect intelligence on terrorist groups in Syria, including the Islamic State.

"Israel's claims that the drone infiltrated its territory are false," the militias' comment elaborated. "Israel's terrorist activities will no longer be passively accepted, with each new Zionist attack earning a serious response."

The remnants of a Syrian missile that landed in Israel (Photo: Avi Dwitz)

Al-Jazeera reported that as a result of the attack, air traffic at the T-4 base was shut down completely and that the airfield's control center was damaged, adding later that IDF "military implements" were directed to the Golan Heights.

Arab media further reported that besides targets in the T-4 airbase, Israel also attacked a military base in the a-Dimas region west of Damascus and near the Lebanese border, the Mezzeh Military Airport in southwestern Damascus, a base of the 104 Division of the Syrian Republican Guard, and a regime weapon storage facility south of al-Kaswa, which is south of Damascus.

A Syria war monitor said Israel struck targets in central Syria and the southwestern suburbs of the capital Damascus in two separate and successive waves of airstrikes.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the first round targeted in the central desert area where Syrian troops and their Iranian-backed allies including Hezbollah are known to maintain bases. It cited unconfirmed reports of casualties among Syrian government forces and allied militiamen.

The Britain-based Observatory, which monitors the Syria war through a network of activists on the ground, says the second round targeted outposts in the southwestern suburbs of Damascus.

One of the F-16 pilots parachuting to safety (Photo: Maya Himmelhoch)

A Syrian military official responded to the attack in an interview with Lebanese new site A-Nashra, saying, "The country's air defense system will continue to engage any Israeli attempt to harm Syrian land."

"The system have already hit several missiles and an Israeli aircraft carrying out attack south of the capital of Damascus, west of the capital and on the outskirts of Homs," the military source added.

"The damage caused by this aggression," the source concluded, "was limited to property and several soldiers being wounded."

An official Lebanese official told Sky News Saturday afternoon that the Lebanese army elevated its readiness to its highest level in the wake of the Israeli confrontation with Syria and Iran.

'Syrians and Iranians are playing with fire'

Providing further comment, the IDF Spokesperson's Unit said that, "Israel has been carrying out a clear defensive action in the past few hours against subversive Iranian actions against Israel.

"The decision, navigation and all of the drone's components were Iranian. Its interception took place precisely where we desired and with immense success. The Syrians and Iranians are playing with fire."

"The incident was in total (Israeli) control at every stage of the way," the army added. "The results of our attack are not yet fully known to them, and they may be surprised when they discover what we targeted."

(Photo: Gil Nechushtan)

Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman convened with top defense establishment brassincluding Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkotat military headquarters in Tel Aviv to discuss a further response.

Lieberman, along with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, will be holding another situation assessment with the participation of both Eisenkot and other senior army and defense establishment officials.

Alarms blaring in northern Israel

Saturday's events began when an alarm sounded at 4:25am in Beit She'an and the Gilboa and Emek HaMa'ayanot Regional Councils.

The IDF initially said the alarm was not triggered by fire directed at Israel, and later released a statement elaborating on the events that transpired.

"The IDF successfully intercepted an Iranian drone launched from Syria that infiltrated Israeli territory," the message said. "The unmanned aircraft was picked up by air defense systems at an early stage and was under surveillance until it was downed.

"In retaliation, the IDF attacked Iranian targets in Syria. Alarms sounding in the Golan Heights were a result of Syrian antiaircraft fire. The incident is still ongoing. The IDF will continue to operate against any attempt to infiltrate Israeli airspace and will act with grave measures to prevent the violation of Israeli sovereignty."

Evidence of aerial activity in the sky over northern Israel

The army's announcement further said that, "The Iranian drone was downed in Israeli territory and is in our possession. As a result, its capture triggered alarms in the region. We have attacked the Iranian trailer from which the drone was launched. The assault was complex and surgical. The target was destroyed.

"In the course of the incident, pilots of an F-16 initiated an ejection protocol from their plane, which was downed in the Beit Netofa Valley region. The pilots are in IDF hands, and in good physical condition. The reason for the ejection is as yet unclear. In addition, a Syrian antiaircraft missile landed in the Golan Heights."

Smoke in the sky attesting to the IAF's operations

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Residents reported increased IAF aerial traffic in the Beit She'an Valley region and near the Jordanian border starting around 4am. Further alarms blared in the Golan Heights later, and sounds of the aerial activity were audible in northern and even central Israel.

Residents of one of the northern kibbutzim said they heard a distant explosion before an alarm sounded, and added they saw a helicopter flying over the Jordanian border. Some of the kibbutzim, however, received notification that the alarms were caused by a malfunction.

The F-16's crash site near Harduf

Alarms sounded again at 5:45amthis time in the Golan Heights and, highly irregularly so, in the northern Jordan Valley. Residents of said regions also reported hearing explosions and elevated aerial activity.

Many communities in the north unlocked their bomb shelters as a precautionary measure, which was an independent initiative and not due to IDF instructions.

After initially receiving instruction to remain in shelters by the communities' own administrations rather than the IDF, the Golan Heights Regional Council's operational headquarters allowed residents to leave shelters and instructed them to remain alert.

Chief of Staff Eisenkot concluded a situation assessment at 7am with the air force. The IDF Spokesperson's Unit added, "Iran is dragging the entire region into an adventure whose end is shrouded in darkness. It was a grievous violation of Israeli sovereignty by Iran. Anyone involved in the drone's launch was targeted."

A series of alarms once again sounded just before nine in the morning in communities in the Jordan Valley and Upper Galilee. They were followed by another series of alarms 15 minutes later in the Upper and Western Galilee as well as the Golan Heights, but again no rockets were reported to have fallen inside Israel.

Due to the events in the north, landings at Ben Gurion Airport were suspended for about 15 minutes and take-offs were held for about 20 minutes Saturday morning, in accordance with a status evaluation with security officials. The airport has since resumed normal operations.

File photo. Takeoffs were briefly suspended at Ben Gurion Airport (Photo: Aner Green)

In addition, Israeli airspace north of the Shefayim kibbutz was closed off to civilian flights due to air force activities, as jets were using the route to reach the northern frontier.

Ynet commentator Ron Ben Yishai noted that the Syrian had threatened two weeks ago to target Israel's largest airport in retaliation to an attack attributed to Israel.

Heightened tensions

The last time an alarm sounded near the Jordanian border was in March of last year, when Syrian antiaircraft missiles were launched at IAF planes attacking in Syria. The missiles were intercepted by Israeli Arrow 2 missiles.

Thursday evening an IDF Skylark drone collecting intelligence faced machine-gun fire from Syrian positions in the northern Golan Heights. The same evening several errant bullets hit a home in Majdal Shams, situated in the same region. No casualties were reported but the domicile was damaged.

Israel attacked Syrian targets numerous times over the past few yearsaccording to foreign sourceshitting installations and advanced weapons convoys headed for Hezbollah, usually with Iranian financing.

Tensions in the northern sector have been elevated over the past few weeks, especially following the unusual Israeli warning regarding retaliating to Iranian attempts to procure precision-targeted missiles in Lebanon.

Israel has long complained about the involvement of archenemy Iran, and Iranian proxy Hezbollah, in the Syria war. The Shiite allies have sent forces to back Syrian President Assad, who appears headed toward victory after years of fighting. Israel has said it will not accept a permanent military presence by Iran and its Shiite allies in Syria, especially near the Israeli border.

Israel has been warning of late of the increased Iranian involvement along its border in Syria and Lebanon. It fears Iran could use Syrian territory to stage attacks or create a land corridor from Iran to Lebanon that could allow it to transfer weapons more easily to Hezbollah.

Israel has shot down several drones that previously tried to infiltrate its territory from Syria. The targeting of an Iranian site in response, however, marks an escalation in the Israeli retaliation.
ISTANBUL - Turkish police have detained 31 suspected Islamic State members in Istanbul who were preparing to launch an attack, state-run Anadolu news agency reported on Saturday.

Police raided six addresses in three districts of the city, Anadolu said, without giving details on when the operations were carried out. All of those detained were foreign nationals, the agency added.

Officers seized digital material and documents during the operation, Anadolu said.
The serious incident involving an Iranian drone infiltrating Israeli territory and the air force strike that followed it may point to the commencement of a new situation, in which the Iranians and Syrians coordinate military offensives against Israel.

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While the Syrians mostly retaliated thus far through diplomatic channels or by firing antiaircraft missiles following Israeli attacks, Saturday's events mark an initiated action that started with the launch of an Iranian drone into Israel and progressed with massive antiaircraft fire against fighter jets that attacked within Syria in retaliation to the drone's encroachment.

An F-16i fighter jetthe most advanced F-16 model in air force commissionwas downed as a result of the aforementioned Israeli retaliation. If the jet was indeed hit by a Syrian antiaircraft missile, the air force will have to rapidly draw some conclusions and change its methods and means of operation.

Remnants of the downed F-16 jet (Photo: Gil Nechushtan)

It's one of the Syrian Air Force's largest and most important airfields and is also routinely used by the Russian Air Force in its regional operationsas well as by Iranian agents.

The attack on the base, therefore, needed to be carried out with surgical precision so as to avoid hitting any Russian military aircraft or personnel. The Iranian drone's control trailer and launch pads are a relatively minute target that likewise needed to be hit with the utmost precisionto avoid Russian collateral damage.

Under these circumstances, the air force was required to launch its planes into action with a "flight profile" that allowed for the maximal precision in strikingbut that also made the planes an easier, more visible target.

The facts of the strike will come to light later. An inquiry will also be required to ensure the damage taken by the jets was not caused by complacence or overconfidence, both as it pertains to the jets' detection disruption capabilities and the pilots' own abilities.

IDF observation position near the northern border (Photo: Effi Sharir)

The Israeli Air Force had thus far carried out with unprecedented success dozens of offensive operations in Syriaaccording to foreign publicationswithout losing a single aircraft or placing the jets or their occupants at risk.

This was achieved despite the fact that the Syrian antiaircraft arraymodern and one of the world's largestlocked onto them and launched several antiaircraft missiles at them, including long-range SA-5 missiles, also known as SA-200s.

On a political and strategic level, Israel needs to prepare itself for a situation in which the Iranians will no longer limit themselves to verbal responses when their installations in Syria are hit, but undertake active actions to both deter Israel from continuing to do so and shield their entrenchment in Syrian land.

The severe strike against both Iranian assets and, especially, against Syrian antiaircraft batteries in the air force's second strike on Saturday was thusly carried out partly to send a message to both Iran and Syria, communicating to them they should rethink their actions and deter them from further "initiatives."

The message was also conveyed to both the Russians and Americans, saying that the Iranian presence in Syria will prevent the attainment of regional calm or political settlements.

Evidence of aerial activity in the sky over northern Israel

In conclusion, the Iranian drone may have been launched to test both the IDF's alertness and capabilities against drones. It is also entirely possible that the act was meant to prove that Israeli territory may be breachednetting the Iranians a win on the twin plains of propaganda and popular consciousness.

Several other possibilities remain as well, but the IDF's inquiry and conclusions should be awaited. For now, it may be assumed that the incidents will not bring about all-out escalation in the northern front in the near future, but it is equally likely that they have not yet concluded either.
An adviser to Poland's president has said he thinks Israel's negative reaction to a law criminalizing some statements about Poland's actions during World War II stemmed from a "feeling of shame at the passivity of the Jews during the Holocaust."

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Andrzej Zybertowicz, a Nicolaus Copernicus University sociology professor who also serves as a presidential adviser, said in an interview Friday that Israel's opposition to the new Polish law is "anti-Polish" and shows the Mideast country "clearly fighting to keep the monopoly on the Holocaust."

"Many Jews engaged in denunciation, collaboration during the war. I think Israel has still not worked it through," Zybertowicz said in the interview published in the Polska-The Times newspaper.

The Polish president's adviser Andrzej Zybertowicz said Israel was outraged by the Polish legislation due to Jews' 'passivity' during the Holocaust (Photo: Polskawielkiprojekt.pl)

Zybertowicz could not immediately be reached for comment. Polish public officials typically have the chance to review their statements before media outlets publish them. Zybertowicz tweeted a link to the article Friday.

His remarks follow open expressions of anti-Semitism that surfaced online and in some government-controlled media when Israeli officials objected to the bill form of the law, which outlaws public statements that falsely and intentionally attribute Nazi crimes to German-occupied Poland. Amid the crisis there has been a wave of accusation against Jews in Poland, even from state officials.

Jews have sometimes been described, often for the purpose of assigning blame or inflicting humiliation, as having acted passively in the face of the Holocaust. Key acts of resistance contradict the trope, most notably the Warsaw Uprising of 1943. Smaller revolts took place in death camps, including Sobibor and Treblinka, where starving prisoners without weapons faced heavily armed German guards.

In Israel, home to Holocaust scholars and families of survivors with roots in Poland, some fear Poland's law will allow the government to whitewash the role some individual Poles had in the deaths of the occupied country's Jews during World War II. The law allows for prison terms of up to three years.

President Duda said the law will preserve Poland's 'dignity and historical truth' (Photo: EPA)

Polish President Andrzej Duda and other government officials said it was needed because Poles are unfairly depicted sometimes as collaborators in the German genocide of Jews. They cite the expression "Polish death camps" as shorthand for the German camps on Nazi-occupied soil as an example.

Duda signed the law on Tuesday. But in a nod to the critics, he also asked the country's constitutional court to review it, leaving open the possibility the law could be amended.

The Auschwitz death camp in Poland (Photo: AP)

Poland in fact was subjected to brutal occupation during the war, and the government at the time did not collaborate. It went into exile abroad while an underground army at home resisted the Nazis. There were, however, cases of Poles who identified Jews to the Germans or killed them directly.

"In this dispute, one can see clearly Israel is fighting to keep the monopoly on the Holocaust," presidential adviser Zybertowicz said in the interview. "The 'religion' of the Holocaust has become a symbolic shield for that country, which is used by Israel to create for itself a special position in many places in the world. A shield which is meant to protect Israel against any criticism."
CAIRO  Egypt's air force pounded militant targets in northern and central Sinai early on Saturday, the military said, the second day of an assault to try and crush an insurgency that has killed hundreds of people since 2013.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who is seeking re-election in March, ordered the armed forces in November to defeat militants within three months after an attack on a mosque killed more than 300 people.

Islamist insurgents have been targeting security forces since 2013 when the army led by Sisi, then the army chief, ousted President Mohamed Mursi, of the Muslim Brotherhood, following mass protests against his rule.

The military said its warplanes struck "terrorist concentrations and hideouts" in northern and central Sinai through the night and into the early hours of Saturday, targeting weapons warehouses and logistics support areas.
The Lebanese Hezbollah-affiliated Al Mayadeen network reported that Israel had launched dozens of missiles at Syria, and that the country's air defense systems intercepted more than 70 percent of them.
The Lebanese Foreign Ministry denounced Israeli attacks in Syria Saturday and added, "Syria's well within its rights to defend itself against any Israeli attack."

"Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil instructed the Lebanese delegation to the United Nations to lodge a complaint against Israel with the Security Council, in order to caution it against using Lebanese airspace to carry out attacks in Syria," the message continued.
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees said Friday it has embarked on a fundraising campaign that will likely include a ministerial-level donors conference next month to fill the gap left by the Trump administration's sudden cut of tens of millions of dollars in funding.

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Scott Anderson, the agency's West Bank operations director who just visited Washington, said the US hasn't yet spelled out what reforms it wants to see implemented in order to restore the $65 million it is withholding nowand possibly millions more it may hold back in the future.

A demonstration by UNRWA employees (Photo: AP)

The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees, known as UNRWA, was notified on January 16 that the US was withholding $65 million of a planned $125 million installment and demanding a "fundamental re-examination" of the agency in addition to changes to its programs, which have been heavily criticized by Israel.

UNRWA, which serves some 5 million Palestinian refugees and their descendants, had a budget of over $1 billion last year. The US gave $350 million of that amount and was the agency's largest donor.

US President Donald Trump told the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on January 25 that the Palestinians must return to peace talks to receive US aid moneya comment that raised alarm from the leaders of 21 international humanitarian groups who protested the administration's "dangerous" link between aid and political objectives.

But Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon praised the US move, arguing that UNRWA misuses humanitarian aid to support propaganda against the Jewish state and perpetuate the Palestinians' plight.

Anderson, a former US Army major, stressed that UNRWA has no political role and is a UN humanitarian organization that helps the impoverished civilians and youngsters needing education.

He responded to a questioner alleging that Palestinian students in UNRWA schools are taught that Israel doesn't exist and isn't on the map and that "Jews are hateful people," saying, "We certainly do not teach hatred for anyone and we do not teach that Israel does not exist."

Anderson added that he speaks to the Israeli army almost every day and a general tweeted last year "praising UNRWA for the work they're trying to do around the curriculum."

But Trump's action has sparked UNRWA's biggest-ever financial crisis, and it is seeking $800 million for emergency operations in Syria, the West Bank and Gaza Strip this year.

UNRWA West Bank Operations Director Scott Anderson his agency had no political role and was a UN humanitarian organization (Photo: UNRWA)

Anderson said "it's far too early to talk about the consequences of underfunding," stressing that "our operations remain viable."

But in the West Bank, he said Palestinians are quite concerned about the funding cuts as well as Trump's declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and continued Israeli settlement building.

"They see this also, without perhaps defining it as such, as an existential threat to them and their future," Anderson said. "It's a combination of fear of the decisions that have been taken, fear of what may be coming in the future, and trepidation of what all that means to them at this point in time."

But Anderson said he wants to focus less on consequences and more on increasing income.

In addition to the ministerial conference, he said UNRWA has launched a campaign for individual donors called "dignity is priceless."

UNRWA UN Director Peter Mulrean said Secretary-General Guterres has agreed to participate in the ministerial donors' conference (Photo: Youtube)

Peter Mulrean, director of UNRWA's UN office, said only Kuwait has increased funding, giving the agency an additional $900,000. But he said 15 other countries have " front-loaded " their yearly donations including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Japan. Others have taken steps to do so including Switzerland, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Russia, Belgium, the Netherlands and Ireland.

Mulrean said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has agreed to participate in the ministerial conference which will also focus on UNRWA's accomplishments and cost-effective delivery of humanitarian assistance.

By showing "that we are effective and get a good bang for the buck," Mulrean said, "we hope (we) will make it all the more attractive for donor countries as well as others to step up and fund UNRWA."

Mulrean said UNRWA is also continuing to engage the United States and hopes it will participate in the funding conference.

"We would like nothing more than to see the US continue as our single largest donor," he said. "They are a hugely important country in the region and they have traditionally been a great leader in humanitarian assistance and we hope that will continue to be the case."
The resignation of Yesh Atid MK Yaakov Peri Wednesday marked an all-time record for for the 20th Knesset in the category of MKs resigning. In some cases, parliamentarians resigned of their own volition over personal or political considerations, whereas in others circumstances forced them to exit Israel's parliament.

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Regardless of what motivated them, 24 resignation letters were presented to Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein thus far, some of which also came from ministers resigning as part of the Norwegian law allowing to hold ministerial positions without being MKs. Thirteen MKs, meanwhile, resigned for personal reasons.

Among the first and most prominent of the departing MKs was Peri's fellow Yesh Atid parliamentarian and former education minister Rabbi Shai Piron, whose tenure in the Knesset following Yesh Atid's exodus for the opposition after the last elections was short-lived.

The 13 MKs to resign for personal reasons so far this term

While Piron served for a time as deputy Knesset speaker, he could not find his way in the opposition benches and was not able to impact events as he had wished, prompting him to inform his party's chairman Yair Lapid of his decision to retire.

Similar circumstances marked Zionist Union MK Manuel Trajtenberg's departure . Trajtenberg, an esteemed figure in Israeli academia, came to the Knesset with much fanfare on the heels of the then-recent linkage between Isaac Herzog and Tzipi Livni , after leading the committee created in the wake of Israel's largest ever social protests in the summer of 2011.

Expectations were high following Trajtenberg's arrival, but in reality the professor was unsuccessful in achieving a prominent status in parliament, and ended up retiring for a return to academia.

Trajtenberg and Piron were not the only MKs to bow out of the Knesset feeling they were not maximizing their potential, however.

Former defense minister Ya'alon (L) resigned amid criticism of the head of his party PM Netanyahu (Photo: Haim Horenstein)

resignation , while not sparing the head of his own party, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, from criticism

Former Yisrael Beytenu MK Sharon Gal also announced his resignation, citing his inability to carry out his agenda.

Zionist Union MK Erel Margalit , meanwhile, announced his resignation from the Knesset after his loss to Avi Gabbay in the Labor Party's primaries.

In other cases, however, MKs were forced to resign due to allegations of impropriety surfacing in the media, including Bayit Yehudi's Yinon Magal and Likud's Silvan Shalom

Former Likud MK Danon resigned to take over the post of Israel's UN ambassador (UN PhotoEskinder Debebe)

Two additional MKs resigned after finding more lucrative positionswith Danny Danon being appointed Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations and Danny Atar being selected the head of Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael.

Some resignations came in order to clear a place for another party MK to enter the Knesset as part of the aforementioned Norwegian law. Education Minister Naftali Bennett, for one, resigned to allow Shuli Mualem to enter the Knesset to replace him, whereas Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon resigned for Akram Hasson's accession to the Knesset on behalf of Kahlon's Kulanu party.

Education Minister Bennett (R) resigned to allow MK Mualem (L) to enter the Knesset to replace him (Photo: Barel Efraim)

Avi Gabbay deserves mention here as well, as he was considered a professional appointment to the Ministry of Environmental Protection, a post he vacated following his objections to the approval of the agreement regarding natural gas drilling rights.

Meretz Chairperson Zehava Gal-On also resigned from the Knesset to focus on her party's impending primaries and the changes it wished to implement both to her party and its institutions.
TEHRAN  Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency is reporting that Tehran's prosecutor has said that authorities have arrested a number of suspects over espionage charges.

The Saturday report quotes Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi as saying the suspects "were collecting some classified information from strategic areas."

The report did not identify the suspects or say how many were arrested.

Iran occasionally announces the detention and conviction of people on espionage charges for foreign countries, particularly the US and Israel.
A Palestinian armed with a knife was arrested by Border Policemen near one of the security checkpoints at the entrance to the Tomb of the Patriarchs complex in Hebron.

An inquiry into the incident turned up that the Palestinian, a boy from one the villages around Hebron, arrived to the checkpoint where forces found the knife on his person.

An initial interrogation found he intended to carry out a terrorist attack. He was handed over to security forces for further interrogation.
Eighty-two percent of the Jews residing in Trnava, Slovakia, were murdered in the Holocaust, destroyed along with an ancient Jewish heritage dating back to the 12th century. The city's synagogues were similarly demolishedor were converted for other uses. Israeli traveler Meir Davidson found one such synagogue, converted to a cafe.

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During his travels in Trnavanicknamed "Slovakia's Rome" due to its proliferation of churchesDavidson found a crowded coffee shop attempting to blend into the architectural space which it occupied without totally eradicating it.

A tour of the Synagoga Cafe in Trnava (:  )

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"The main street had a model of the city containing two synagogues near the local basilica," Davidson told Ynet. "We looked for them and were shocked to find an active cafe, filled with local yuppies."

A synagogue in Slovakia was transformed into a coffee shop (Photo: Meir Davidson)

'We were immensely shaken and felt mixed emotions'

The coffee shop's proprietor took pride in the fact that the structureapparently a synagogue belonging to the Status Quo Ante denomination and built in 1897was awarded historical preservation among 18 other religious buildings.

"I myself deal in structure preservation in Acre and their transformation into special hospitality units," Davidson said. "I got the impression there were truly amazing preservation works in place and the story of the preservation was itself interesting."

Davidson did qualify in adding, "Nothing is written about the community itself or what befell it. There's not even a monument to their memory. We were immensely shaken by the experience and felt mixed emotions."

(Photo: Meir Davidson)

The Israeli traveler shared his impression in a Facebook post, in which he said, "We sat in the Synagoga Cafe in Trnava, Slovakia, housed in a magnificent 200-year-old structure that was crumbling after its Jews had left."

"Its restoration included expansive preservation works, including of the Torah ark, ceiling murals, the location of the bimah, charity boxes, Jewish symbols and the women's section.

"The work is amazing. The restored premises were converted to a fashionable cafe, a cultural hotspot and concert and performance venue. The bar is excellent, as are the cakes."

Davidson, who visited last Friday, cynically added, "I have to note I haven't enjoyed the welcoming of the Sabbath in a synagogue that much for a long time. Definitely mixed feelings, as the local community didn't just up and disappear.

The coffee shop's menu (Photo: Meir Davidson)

"It's really quite complex. An entire generation has now appeared that connotes the word 'synagogue' and Hebrew letters and symbols with pleasant experiences. The food in the cafe is not kosher, however, and shelves are overloaded with hundreds of books that have nothing to do with Judaism.

"One of the biggest questions in the world of preservation is whether to preserve merely the structure or its cultural values as well. I can't answer that question, but it has far-reaching implications."
After missile trails were observed in the center of the country Saturday morning, authorities believe that Syrian SA-5 anti-aircraft missiles, fired in response to Israeli airstrikes in Syria, reached the central region of Israel and as a consequence, the decision was made to temporarily suspend flights at Ben Gurion Airport.
New threats emerged from Iran and its Lebanese proxy, Hezbollah, on Saturday after Syrian air defense shot down an Israeli F-16 fighter jet during a retaliatory strike after an Iranian drone originating in Syria infiltrated Israel, where it was shot down.

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"If one country thinks it can achieve the desired results by increasing terrorism, interfering in the affairs of other countries, or by bombing neighboring countries - it is mistaken," Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Saturday at a press conference with foreign ambassadors.

"A military solution, foreign intervention and the transfer of destructive weapons into the area are not the solution to the problems in the region," he stressed.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (Photo: AFP)

Rouhani added that his country was ready, more than ever before, to protect security in the region, calling on other countries to cooperate. "Today we created a triple, quadruple and quintuple cooperation in the region, and we see these relations contribute to the area," he said.

Earlier, the deputy head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Hossein Salami, issued a threat to Israel, saying "Iran could destroy all American military bases in the region and create a hell for the Zionist regime."

While Salami refused to comment on the reported Israeli interception of the Iranian drone, Iran's Foreign Ministry rejected the reports as "ridiculous."

Poster celebrating downing of Israeli F-16

"Reports of downing an Iranian drone flying over Israel, and also Iran's involvement in attacking an Israeli jet are so ridiculous ... Iran only provides military advice to Syria," Iranian State TV quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi as saying.

Hezbollah, meanwhile, announced that the downing of the Israeli fighter jet "is the complete failure of old equations," dubbing it "the beginning of a new strategic stage that would put an end to the exploitation of the sky and land in Syria."

Hezbollah further condemned Israel's "support of terrorism and takfiri (apostatic) organizations, and its interference in the Syrian crisis using aggression."

Residents in Lebanon and in Syria celebrated the downing of the plane, with signs put up on the Lebanese border saying "your planes went down" (sic), while Syrian residents in Damascus handed out candy.

Sign on Lebanese border: 'Your planes went down'

An official Lebanese official told Sky News Saturday afternoon that the Lebanese army elevated its readiness to its highest level in the wake of the Israeli confrontation with Syria and Iran.

Two Israeli F-16 pilots were hurt Saturday morning after their plane was shot down and crashed in Israel following a retaliatory strike in Syria.

The pilots were able to bail out of the plane. One pilot was seriously wounded, while the other was only lightly hurt. They were taken to the Rambam Medical Center in Haifa for treatment.

The IDF's strike was in response to an earlier infiltration into Israel of an Iranian drone originating from an airfield near Palmyra, Syria, which was successfully intercepted by an IDF Apache helicopter.

Russia: Respect Syria's sovereignty

Immediately following the incident, Israel sought Russia's urgent intervention to prevent further escalation on its northern frontier, making it clear to the Russians it considered all of its warnings of Iranian entrenchment in Syria to have come to pass.

The Russians were also told that once again as predicted by Israel, Iran was destabilizing the regioncounter to Russia's own interests.

"We are willing, prepared and capable to exact a heavy price from anyone that attacks us, however we are not looking to escalate the situation. This was a defensive effort triggered by an Iranian act of aggression and we are defending our airspace our sovereignty and civilians," an IDF spokesperson said.

Syrian soldiers celebrating with treats

Israel then sent similar message to the United States, which has been attempting to mediate between Israel and Lebanon in an effort to defuse tensions over the creation of a wall along the border between the two countries, and the dispute over economic borders and the contested Block 9 not far from the coastline of the two neighbors.

Moscow, for its part, said it was seriously concerned by the latest developments in Syria and called on the sides to exercise restraint and avoid an escalation of the situation, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday.

"We urge all sides to exercise restraint and to avoid any actions that could lead to an even greater complication of the situation," the ministry said in a statement. "It is necessary to unconditionally respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria and other countries in the region."

Putin and Netanyahu meet in Moscow in late January (Photo: EPA)

On Saturday morning, Russia's Interfax news agency quoted Israel's Ambassador to Moscow, Harry Koren, from an interview he did earlier this week.

"We prefer to talk about the implementation of different agreements on the zones of de-escalation, in our case, in the south on the border with Israel," Koren was quoted as saying.

"Specifically, any presence of Iranian units, Hezbollah and Shiite rebels should immediately be curtailed."

Israel attacked Syrian targets numerous times over the past few yearsaccording to foreign sourceshitting installations and advanced weapons convoys headed for Hezbollah, usually with Iranian financing.

Tensions in the northern sector have been elevated over the past few weeks, especially following the unusual Israeli warning regarding retaliating to Iranian attempts to procure precision-targeted missiles in Lebanon.

Israel has long complained about the involvement of archenemy Iran, and Iranian proxy Hezbollah, in the Syria war. The Shiite allies have sent forces to back Syrian President Assad, who appears headed toward victory after years of fighting. Israel has said it will not accept a permanent military presence by Iran and its Shiite allies in Syria, especially near the Israeli border.

Israel has been warning of late of the increased Iranian involvement along its border in Syria and Lebanon. It fears Iran could use Syrian territory to stage attacks or create a land corridor from Iran to Lebanon that could allow it to transfer weapons more easily to Hezbollah.

Israel has shot down several drones that previously tried to infiltrate its territory from Syria. The targeting of an Iranian site in response, however, marks an escalation in the Israeli retaliation.
Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon sent a letter to the UN Security Council protesting the incident in the north. This is not the first time that we are warning you of the dangerous actions of Iran that is destabilizing the region, he wrote.

This incident proves that all our warnings have been proven correct. Israel will protect its citizens and will not tolerate violations of its sovereignty; the Security Council ought to condemn this dangerous move and put an immediate end to Iranian provocations.
The Israeli Air Force's leading conjecture on the F-16 plane that was shot down by anti-aircraft fire on Saturday morning is that Syrian forces used a Russian made SA-5 Gammon medium-to-high altitude surface-to-air missile to intercept the Israeli aircraft.

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Missile trails were seen in the central region of the country in the early hours of Saturday morning. It is possible that some Syrian SA-5 missiles fired in the barrage failed to lock onto the jet and flew off course, though there were no reports of any such missile falling in the region.

About two weeks ago, pro-regime Syrian armed forces threatened to strike Ben Gurion Airport in response to an attack on their soil they attributed to Israel.

One of the missiles launched against the plane, crashed in Hasbaya, south Lebanon (Photo: EPA)

According to IAF Chief of Staff Brig. Gen. Tomer Bar, pilots of the downed warplane did not have time to report the incident on the communications network before they bailed, as the missiles locked on and closed distance with the aircraft too quickly for them to do so.

Missile trails in the Shfela (Photo: Assaf Porat)

The mission, in any case, was a "complete operational success," Bar noted, calling the large scale attack on Syrian aerial defense systems and Iranian targets in Syria "surgical" and emphasizing it was "the most extensive defense operation we have carried out against Syrian armed forces since Operation Peace for Galilee (1982 Lebanon War)"the last time an Israeli plane was shot down.

The downed plane (Photo: AFP)

Though he did not reveal what exactly were the targets the IAF attacked, he did note that Iran is working to implement surveillance systems in Syria against Israel.

"There's some contention between the desire to fulfill the mission and the matter of survivability. We will investigate what happened, but the teams' performance should be commended," said Bar, adding that the pilots successfully managed to fly the plane into Israeli territory before having to abandon it, and did so without risking civilian life.

An SA-5 that crashed in Alonei Abba, northern Israel (Photo: AFP)

Bar added that at no point was Russia involved in the operation and following interception.

"We informed the Russians about our activities, but I will not say at what stage of the operation," he said.
The fact that a Syrian anti-aircraft missile, fired from deep within Syria, managed to hit an Israeli jet flying over Israeli territory calls for the Israeli Air Force to modify its offensive tactics and its flight profile in certain instances, even while flying over Israeli airspace.

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What exactly happened Saturday morning?

In the early morning hours, an IAF Apache helicopter downed an Iranian drone (UAV) that infiltrated Israeli airspace; Israeli jets then set out to attack Syrian and Iranian targets in Syria. The Syrians responded with anti-aircraft fire forcing two pilots to abandon their aircraft. The jet crashed in the central Galilee and the two pilots were hurt, one seriously.

IAF jet downed by Syrian missile

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Israel proceeded to attack 12 targets in Syria and the Syrians continued their anti-aircraft fire. Air raid sirens went off in large parts of the Galilee, the Golan Heights and the northern Jordan Valley. Remnants of Syrian missiles landed in Israeli territory.





Crews at site of downed IAF jet (Photo: AFP)

How was the plane downed?

In my opinion, the Syrians and Iranians did not plan an ambush, rather the four Israeli F-16s flying at a high altitude over Israel failed to assume that Syria would dare launch missiles into Israeli territory as a response to Israel attacking an Iranian target. Complacency is what led to the incident, which could have been avoided had the jets flown at a lower altitude.

Syrians have been in possession of SA-5 missiles for decades and their range, covering most of Israel, is well known. The SA-5 is a Russian missile designed to hit targets flying at long distances and high altitudes.

IDF forces in Golan (Photo: Effi Shrir)

It is possible that the Russian have recently improved the missiles' homing system and made them immune to electronic disruption. However, there is no doubt that had the aircraft flown at a lower altitude on their return from Syria, they would not have been hit.

IAF helicopter downs Iranian drone (:  ")

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What was the Iranian objective?

Seemingly, the Iranian objective was to verify how vulnerable Israeli airspace is to infiltration by UAVs. Moreover, the Iranians sought to garner propaganda points had the infiltration proven successful.

The very deployment of stealth UAV, seemingly a copy of an American model that fell in Iran, was meant to show off an Iranian triumph, while acting against Israel.

Injured pilots being brought to Rambam Hospital (Photo: TPS)

How serious is the incident?

Saturdays incidents signal the dawn of a new state of affairs in which the Iranians and Syrians coordinate offensive actions against Israel. Until now, the Syrians and Iranians have responded to Israeli attacks through diplomatic channels or with anti-aircraft fire during or after Israeli attacks.

Pilot bailing F16 (Photo: Maya Himmelhoch)

This time, events were initiated by the Iran's launch of an UAV and its infiltration of Israeli airspace; together with a massive barrage of anti-aircraft fire at Israeli jets responding to the Iranian provocation.

The fact that the Syrians launched anti-aircraft missiles at IAF aircraft deep over Israeli airspace is a serious violation of sovereignty. There is only one previous case: a year ago, Syria launched SA-5 missiles against Israeli jets that attacked Syria. The harsh Israeli response is meant to elucidate to the Syrians and Iranians that next time the response will be even harsher.

Site of downet F16 (Photo: AFP)

What about the Russians?

Russias policy has been: as long as our interests are not interfered with, everyone can do whatever they want. The Iranian provocation directly endangers Russian interests, just as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had warned Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Due to our ability to defend our airspace, Israel allowed the Iranian drone to enter Israeli airspace and only then was it downed. It seems that the Iranians shot themselves in the foot while trying to create a short-term morale or propaganda victory.

The Israeli strike on the Syrian air field from which the drone was launched had to have been carried out with utmost precision to avoid hitting any Russian aircraft or personnel. The Iranian target was extremely small and difficult to detect.
Photos published by the IDF Spokesperson's Unit on Saturday show the Syrian Tiyas Military Airbase from which the UAV that infiltrated Israel.

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Also known as the T-4 Airbase and located in the Homs Governorate, north of Tiyas, the base has been used by Iran for the past few months.

The Iran-operated Syrian T-4 Airbase

"Iran and the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards have been operating there for a long time, backed by Syrian army forces and with the approval of the Syrian regime," the IDF Spokesperson's Unit said.

Iran has been using the base in recent months for the purpose of transferring weaponry to be used against Israel.

"These actions by Iran at the base are ostensibly carried out under the guise of supporting the fighting against the global Islamic jihad forces, but the actions carried out in the past 24 hours prove that its real concern is direct violent action against Israel," the IDF said.

"In the Iranian action, all the Israeli warnings against Iranian consolidation in Syria were realized. The attack was initiated and Israel was forced to respond first to the threat in its territory and then to the hostile elements operating from the Syrian territory opposite it."

The Iranian drone

Footage of the Iranian UAV that was shot down in Israeli airspace Saturxday shows it heavily resembles a US stealth drone that was downed in Iran in 2011.

After being captured in Iran, the United States asked for it back, but was refused.

US magazine The Aviationist reported the drone was a model the Revolutionary Guards presented two years ago, built on the basis of the Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel aerial reconnaissance UAV.

The model is called the "Beast of Kandahar" due to its activities in Afghanistan.

Iran presenting the drone (Photo: AFP)

Iran reported that the UAV includes advanced intelligence gathering systems for electronic signals, images, communications and radar systems.

General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, of the Revolutionary Guards' Air Force and Aerospace Division, said at the time that the Iranian model "is easier, faster and consumes less fuel than its source."

The drone that infiltrated Israel spent about a minute and a half in Israeli territory after crossing the Israel-Jordan border.

The wings of the downed Iranian UAV (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

"We'll study this UAV. This is the first time an Iranian drone has crossed into Israel and it is in our hands," said IAF Chief of Staff Brig. Gen. Tomer Bar, adding the army will take advantage of the opportunity to study the UAV.

Bar said the drone was shot down without imposing any risk to civilians. He added the ary is not yet sure whether it was intended for surveillance and intelligence gathering or for an orchestrated attack on Israeli civilians.
Some 2,000 people participated in what has become a weekly protest against the Ashdod municipalitys policies on businesses operating on Shabbat and the fines issued by the city.

This weekend, no fines were issued.

A routine protest was also held at the home of Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit calling on him to speed up the investigation and possible indictment of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

A small protest was also held in Jerusalem against the government's decision to expel African migrants.
JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday Israel sought peace but would continue to defend itself against Iran.

Earlier in the day, anti-aircraft fire downed an Israeli warplane returning from a bombing raid on Iran-backed positions in Syria in the most serious confrontations yet between Israel and Iranian-backed forces based across the border.

Netanyahu said he had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "I reiterated to him our obligation and right to defend ourselves against attacks from Syrian territory. We agreed coordination between our armies would continue," Netanyahu said in a televised statement.

Netanyahu added that he had spoken with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. "Israel seeks peace, but we will continue to defend ourselves steadfastly against any attack against us or any attempt by Iran to establish itself against us in Syria," Netanyahu said.

Russia's foreign ministry appeared to criticize Israel's actions by saying it was "absolutely unacceptable to create threats to the lives and security of Russian servicemen."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Saturday evening after an Israeli F-16 jet retaliating against an Iranian drone infiltration was downed by Syrian aerial defense.

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"I have been warning for some time about the dangers of Irans military entrenchment in Syria. Iran seeks to use Syrian territory to attack Israel for its professed goal of destroying Israel," Netanyahu said at a press conference Saturday evening.

"This morning, Iran brazenly violated Israels sovereignty. They dispatched an Iranian drone from Syrian territory into Israel," he said. "This demonstrates that our warnings were 100 percent correct. Israel holds Iran and its Syrian hosts responsible for todays aggression. We will continue to do whatever is necessary to protect our sovereignty and our security."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Emil Salman)

While stressing that "Israel seeks peace," the prime minister said that "We will continue to defend ourselves with determination against any attack against us and against any attempt by Iran to establish a military presence against us in Syria or anywhere else."

On his conversation with Putin, the prime minister said, "I reiterated to him our right and our duty to defend ourselves against aggression against us from Syria territory. We agreed the security coordination between our armies will continue."

About his talk with Tillerson, Netanyahu said "I spoke to the American secretary of state about the developments of the last 24 hours and additional developments in the region."

Netanyahu, center, with IDF chief Eisenkot, left, and Defense Minister Lieberman, holding a situation assessment after the incident (Photo: Ariel Hermoni/Defense Ministry)

Meanwhile, the Pentagon issued a statement of support in Israel. "Israel is our closest security partner in the region and we fully support Israel's inherent right to defend itself against threats to its territory and its people," Pentagon spokesman Adrian Rankine-Galloway said.

"We share the concerns of many throughout the region that Iran's destabilizing activities that threaten international peace and security, and we seek greater international resolve in countering Iran's malign activities," Rankine-Galloway said.

Rankine-Galloway also stressed that "The Department of Defense did not participate in this military operation."

Immediately following the incident, Israel sought Russia's urgent intervention to prevent further escalation on its northern frontier, making it clear to the Russians it considered all of its warnings of Iranian entrenchment in Syria to have come to pass.

The Russians were also told that once again as predicted by Israel, Iran was destabilizing the regioncounter to Russia's own interests.

Moscow, for its part, said it was seriously concerned by the latest developments in Syria and called on the sides to exercise restraint and avoid an escalation of the situation, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday.

"We urge all sides to exercise restraint and to avoid any actions that could lead to an even greater complication of the situation," the ministry said in a statement. "It is necessary to unconditionally respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria and other countries in the region."
15/02/2018

Paul Smith came into the property game looking to play it safe. A plumber by trade and the owner of a small to medium-sized plumbing company, he had been seeking a way to make some investments that would ultimately allow him to get out of the rat race.



I believe that property investing, when done correctly, is the safest way to invest, he says.

My wife Sandie and I wanted to build a diverse portfolio that would perform during all financial seasons and set us up for early retirement.





AT A GLANCE

Years investing: 5

Current number of properties: 5

Portfolio value: $2,599,000

Paul started his journey by attending property investment seminars. Unfortunately, he learned the hard way that many of these so-called free-information nights are simply a way to get unsuspecting, naive investors through the door and use manipulative high-pressure sales tactics to influence people to buy product.



I believe that dealing with client-focused professionals, both brokers and planners, who can not only assess our situation and tell us our borrowing power but also identify risks prior to investing, is very important, he explains.

Pauls first investment property was actually his rst personal home in Currens Hill, NSW. After he and his wife, Sandie, moved to Harrington Grove in Harrington Park, NSW, they realised that there was value in keeping the Currens Hill house as a rental property, and made their very rst foray into investing.

Limiting costs

Paul went on to buy four more investment properties in NSW, Queensland and most recently Victoria. Buying interstate is a diversfication strategy designed to manage the risks of property investing, though Paul also asks his financial planner for a risk assessment statement prior to signing on the dotted line for a new property asset.



In the process of obtaining advice, Paul was also able to determine that a good strategy for him involved purchasing new properties that were less than three years old.



By buying new, we are not affected by new depreciation laws, we have no maintenance costs, and we attract great tenants. Not to mention [we are] saving on stamp duty on the build.



He chooses to look into house and land packages so he can build the properties himself, or dual-occupancy properties located in growing suburbs.



We look for 45% rental yield, quality builders and value for money, Paul says.



He also seeks out dwellings near amenities in order to maximise value. A property thats either within or just 10km from a CBD is ideal, especially one near schools, public transport, shops, recreational spots and hospitals.



We dont buy in high-risk areas such as boom towns or areas with a low socio-economic population. We aim for areas with high principal place of residence ratios.



To determine growth potential, Paul looks at past capital gains figures, as well as changes in the median prices. He also compares the prices and rental returns of properties in the same area.

We purchased a property in Harrington Park, NSW, for $420,000 back in 2014, and it was valued just recently at $750,000. This property is located within walking distance of the new Narellan town centre, with restaurants and nightlife as well as schools, lakes and a nearby shopping village, Paul says.



WHAT DID THE JUDGES SAY?



I like that his approach is driven by numbers, and his clear strategy that comes with it. He has good knowledge of investments and surrounds himself with good people. Best way to avoid mistakes!

Philippe Brach

CEO of Multifocus Properties & Finance









Paul has a very well-thought-out strategy, which includes a rating system to assess properties. This is a very good idea and takes away the emotion when investing in property

Tyron Hyde

Director, Washington Brown



Pauls portfolio will have great ongoing depreciation advantages and low maintenance costs, being all new builds. Clever purchases across three states will ensure that the risks associated with these investments are well diversified. Overall, a sound, balanced portfolio

Clint Greaves

CEO, Real Estate Investar







PORTFOLIO TIMELINE

2007 - Buys a property in Currens Hill, NSW, for $330,000

2014 - Makes his most successful deal in Harrington Park, NSW  a house and land package that appreciated by $330,000

2014 - Purchases a commercial unit in Minto, NSW

2015 - Buys first interstate property in Leichardt, Qld

2016 - Succeeds Graham Mirabito as CoreLogics managing director in Australia and New Zealand

2017 - Purchases second interstate property in - Buys a property in Currens Hill, NSW, for $330,000- Makes his most successful deal in Harrington Park, NSW  a house and land package that appreciated by $330,000- Purchases a commercial unit in Minto, NSW- Buys first interstate property in Leichardt, Qld- Succeeds Graham Mirabito as CoreLogics managing director in Australia and New Zealand- Purchases second interstate property in Sunbury , Vic





Getting the right advice

While his mentors helped a great deal, Paul didnt always get the best advice from his sources.

Our biggest mistake was attending property investment seminars that turned out to be run by high-pressure spruikers, he admits.



We found out the importance of dealing with client-focused companies as opposed to product and commission-driven spruikers that exist in the industry. We also learned there is no such thing as a perfect investment or a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Paul explains.



We aim to get to the truth of whether a product is right for us and our current situation, and ensure we deal with qualified professionals every step of the way. We use a lawyer to conduct the sale of the property and sign off on legal docs for our protection, and ensure all contracts are subject to finance.



For Paul the best way to manage risk is to have the right people on your team, who work with integrity. A team member hes found to be very useful is a good property manager.



The last thing you want when you have a larger portfolio is to have to stress about maintenance and tenants. Much like an entrepreneur, you need to learn to delegate, he says.



There is a saying in the business world: Work on your business, not in your business. I believe this is true in property, too.



Creating wealth

Though Paul has spent most of his investment journey looking for properties close to home in NSW, he has also enjoyed branching out into other parts of the country.



Sydney is at the top of the property clock at the moment, meaning prices are very unaffordable and rent returns didnt stack up, he says.



Instead of searching for the perfect deal, he seeks out diverse, well-researched opportunities.



By looking into Queensland and Victoria, for instance, we were able to continue to invest without maxing out our borrowing power or becoming cash flow negative. We also believe strongly in diversification and didnt want all our eggs in the New South Wales basket, Paul says.



At present, his portfolio is well on its way to performing effectively through all seasons, bringing him closer to his goal of early retirement.



Paul has also diversified in a business sense, after beginning working with entrepreneur David Pascoe in 2015. He has been a huge help and mentor. I have since bought into his company and am a proud franchisee of Buy Australian Properties.



"I have a great desire to grow wealth for my family, and this also allows me to fulfill my passion of helping others safely invest.


15/02/2017

Sally Lewis had the typical property investors dream in mind when, in 2010, she bought her first investment property with her husband, Owen.



I was interested in property investing from an early age and wanted to create a portfolio that would ultimately allow us the ability to retire earlier, spend more time with our future family, and fulfill dreams to travel and enjoy life without the demands of long-term, full-time work, she explains.



Initially, I was influenced by successful investors who had purchased a large number of cheaper, cashflow positive properties.



The couples first investment was made with the goal of buying several similar properties in the hope that the profit from rent would eventually serve as their main source of income. However, Sally soon figured out the negatives of investing with such a strategy.



We realised the downfalls associated with lower-entry properties  theyre higher maintenance, lower capital growth, and attract less reliable tenants. So we started to look for slightly more expensive properties in areas that were more likely to off er better tenants and better growth.



Adapting for profit



Sally and her husband used some of their savings, as well as the equity from their first personal home, to do a minor renovation. After spending about $3,000, the changes they made to the property boosted its value by approximately $15,000. This motivated Sally to make an important change to her investment strategy.



We looked to find underpriced property that we could add value to through small-scale renovations, she says.



[On] our second property, we spent about $5,000 to increase the value by about $25,000.

On our third, we spent about $2,000 to increase the value by $10,000$15,000. On our most recent property we spent $45,000 but were able to increase the value by approximately $115,000.



Sally has therefore shifted her focus towards rundown properties that show potential.



We are looking for places that are poorly presented and a little on the tired or ugly side, she says.



Not only was Sally able to enhance the value of these dwellings, but she was able to increase the rental rate she could set. The appeal of her investment properties is also enhanced by her careful consideration of a propertys location and the available amenities in the area.



Weve tried to ensure the properties that we buy are located in areas that have diversified industries  tourism, farming, manufacturing, military, education, etc  rather than looking at smaller towns that might be heavily reliant on one or two major employers.



Sallys Thurgoona investment fit these criteria as it was surrounded by shops and parks, and near a school, supermarkets and other facilities. Later, when she purchased her Wodonga property, she saw its potential for subdivision as holiday accommodation, since the suburb is located on the Rail Trail.



While I have often looked at investing around Australia, we have always ended up buying in regional areas around where we live, as

I feel I have a better understanding of the market and it gives us the ability to undertake renovations easily, Sally says.



It was close to home in Myrtleford, Victoria, that she made her most favourable investment in 2015  a block of two three-bedroom units just a short distance from the shops in town that Sally was able to purchase for under the selling price.

At the time the units were being leased for $170 and $180 ($350 total). We renovated the top and bottom units for approximately $45,000, she says.

The renovations included new double-glazed windows, two new kitchens, two new bathrooms, painting throughout, landscaping and new fencing and carports.



The process was difficult, as Sally was nursing an eight-month-old baby at the time and her husband was working full-time. However, their hard work paid off when the propertys value was boosted to $380,000 and the original rental rate to almost $200.



WHAT DID THE JUDGES SAY?

Sally has started off small, learning the ropes and then tackling bigger projects. This portfolio will probably not appreciate as quickly as many capital city properties, but good gains have been made through manufacturing equity utilising renovation strategies, and healthy yields should keep this portfolio chugging along upwards in a positive manner

Clint Greaves

CEO, Real Estate Investar







Sally and Owen clearly understand the importance of getting properties for the right price and living in reasonable proximity, allowing the renovation to be managed effectively. I particularly like the way their strategy has evolved over time and takes changing market conditions into account

Suzanne Pitson

General manager, sales and marketing, Defence Housing Australia







PORTFOLIO TIMELINE

2009 - Dipped toe into the property market with a house purchase in Myrtleford, priced at $270,000

2010 - Bought two investment properties in Wangaratta, around 250km from Melbourne  a house for $131,000 and a unit for $135,000

2012 - Purchased first interstate property, a house in Thurgoona, NSW, for $200,000

2013 - Paid $330,000 for an investment property in Wodonga, Vic

2015 - Sold Myrtleford house for $390,000, making a tidy profit of $120,000 in six years, then bought a duplex pair in Myrtleford for $243,500

2016 - Purchased a house in Myrtleford for $390,000: renovations are now underway

From minor to major renos

Despite her triumphs, Sallys investment journey hasnt been without its challenges.



I believed the claim that properties will double in value every seven years or so. I thought we could just buy and hold our properties and watch them rise in value over the years, she says.



While properties may have increased a lot in certain cities during the last seven years, regional areas have not experienced the same growth.



This discovery has been the impetus for Sally to go further as a property renovator and move from small-scale cosmetic renovations to more major overhauls in order to generate more equity and increase rental profit.



Regional investing is very different from investing in blue-chip markets in capital cities, and so you have to be adaptive and creative in order to make money. Shifting away from a purely cash flow mindset to more of a focus on capital growth and equity creation has been important for us. The increased cash flow from higher property values has been the bonus.



We had to spend around $100,000 in all to conceive our two children, and were still able to purchase eight properties in seven years, so I think we did pretty well!



Expanding horizons

Sally aims to remain flexible and creative in her investment strategy in order to work around ever-tightening lending criteria.



I think with changing markets and changing lending restrictions you have to be flexible and adaptive as an investor and choose the strategy that best suits your situation in both the short term and the long term.



Eventually, Sally plans to expand her portfolio to other parts of Australia.



Ultimately, we try to purchase in places where we know there will be a growing population, investment in infrastructure and high demand for rentals. This will hopefully translate to increased capital growth in the future, she explains.



Being a mum with two kids isnt an easy position for a renovator to be in, but Sally makes it work by being cautious financially and making sure that property investment does not limit the couples personal goals.







We always have a savings buffer in place when purchasing investment properties. We didnt want to use all our savings as we went through ve years of fertility treatment while we were building our investment portfolio and didnt ever want to be in a position where we had to stop treatment due to the fact that our investment properties had left us unable to afford it, she says.



We had to spend around $100,000 in all to conceive our two children, and were still able to purchase eight properties in seven years, so I think we did pretty well!
By Siddhant Mohan, TwoCircles.net

With Uttar Pradeshs politics taking a sharp turn towards saffron over the past year, the legislators and the Members of Parliament  besides the state administration  are also playing their part in intensifying the drive. Now, Ajay Kumar Singh, member of legislative assembly from Harraiya constituency of Basti, has written a letter to Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister of the state, asking him to change the name of the Basti district to Vashishth Nagar.

Basti is the corrupt and mispronounced version of the name Vashishtha Nagar, which is authentic due to its presence in ancient Vedic texts, said Ajay Singh in his letter addressed to Yogi Adityanath.

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He further wrote, Keeping the historical, spiritual, and Vedic importance of Basti, it is necessary to change its name to Vashishtha Nagar Basti, asking the chief minister to start the administrative process towards changing the name.

Yogi Adityanath, who held Gorakhpur upper house seat for quite a time, has been infamous in his own constituency for changing the name of various localities and giving them a saffron touch. For instance, he changed the name of Ali Nagar to Arya Nagar, Islam Nagar to Ishwar Nagar, and Humayun Nagar to Hanuman Nagar.

It is a true tale that Basti was named after Vashishth Muni ancient Hindu saint  and that is why I asked Honble CM to change the name, Ajay Singh told TwoCircles.net over the phone.

Basti district was made in the early 19th century during British Raj. Prior to this, it was a village named after Vaishishthi  the Ashram of Vashishtha Muni where Ram and Laxman believed to have spent some time  but no records mention that it was originally named Vashishtha Nagar.

There are many things which are not mentioned in the history, but we still believe in them. The whole Hindu literature is of the history books, said Ajay Singh when asked about the historical records.

Ajay Singh stressed that sometimes things should be left for personal satisfaction, leaving the factual corrections out of the way. He said, There is no place for facts when it comes to religions and Puranas. What I am trying to tell that this is a question of personal satisfaction and we should leave the objections out of it.
New Delhi (IANS): Going ahead with its agitation against mandatory attendance, the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) has given a call for a human chain protest on the campus to denounce the VCs sadist authoritarianism.

Teachers of the university have also consented to join the unions movement, which the latter has called against several issues, including seat-cut, decimation of deprivation points and reservation, and delinking of M.Phil and Ph.D, and other such orders imposed by the administration in the last one year.

The students have been demanding withdrawal of attendance circular issued by the university, under which it mandated 75 per cent attendance for the students to be eligible for promotion to next semester.

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This order, according to the JNU administration, is in force since January 2018.

Students reignited their protest on Thursday when they came to know of another circular from the authorities, in which the latter ordered withdrawal of fellowship/ scholarship and hostel facility to those who fail to reach the mandatory attendance mark.

In protest against the order, the students union enforced a lock-down, owing to which no classes could be conducted on Friday.
During the recent visit of EU Chief Brexit Negotiator Michel Barnier to the UK Messers Corbyn and Starmer also met him. In conversations with Mr Barnier and other EU diplomats, Mr Corbyn apparently told him things would be different if he were Prime Minister negotiating the UK's exit from the EU.

For one he would be willing to stay in the Customs Union and would be willing for the UK to obey any ruling of the European Court of Justice. These talks were apparently secret but now have seen the light of the day thanks to reporting on Russia's RT.

For those who hoped that Mr Corbyn would be willing to allow a second referendum, however, there is no chance of that.

Jezza is totally behind the UK leaving the EU by 2019 in line with the ruling Conservative administration.

Tories ahead?

According to 'This Week' hosted by Andrew Neil the Conservatives have pulled ahead of Labour in one poll. However, this may give the Maybot some hope but her woes continue on the cabinet front. Before Jeremy Corbyn's meeting with Michel Barnier was announced by RT Mrs May held a meeting with her cabinet. This was a day at the Prime Ministers official country retreat to knock cabinet heads together. To bring as it were a consensus of opinion from the differing factions in her cabinet on Brexit and other issues.

Apparently, though no real meeting of minds came to be and the all-day rendezvous was a waste of time.

Mrs May knows that a successful Brexit for the UK is important, possibly a make or break for her. It seems everything is being thrown at her by enemies and fellow Conservatives alike but she doggedly sticks in there.

The EU has always been since the time of Margaret Thatcher an issue which divided the Conservatives. Those who were pro-EU and the so-called Eurosceptics.

Now with Britain on the verge of leaving the trading bloc this issue is haunting the Conservative party again.

Anna Soubry: 'Sling 'em out'!

Ex-cabinet minister Anna Soubry appearing on 'This Week' reiterated her mantra of telling Theresa May to sling out rebel Tories. When Andrew Neil questioned her she explained her reason for making the "Sling 'em out statement".

She said there were 35 Tory MP's who were responsible for bringing down John Major and David Cameron. She was worried that these unnamed rebels were willing to bring down Theresa May too.

Andrew Neil put it to Anna Soubry that if Mrs May did sling them out it would bring down the May government anyway. Ms Soubry nodded and said the Conservative party is not the same as the one she joined all those years ago. She has said she would jump ship if the likes of Eurosceptics Jacob Rees-Mogg or Boris Johnson became the leader of the party.

When asked if she would join the Lib Dems she laughed, she would never join the likes of Jeremy Corbyn.
The National Electoral Council has announced that the elections will be on April 22, when the current president Nicolas Maduro will try to prolong his mantado for another six years.

On the other hand, "At this juncture, the table is ready for political operators of the opposition to reconnect with Venezuela and Venezuelans as a priority." Civil society would accompany a coherent leadership in the transition from a clear roadmap towards democracy, "said political scientist Felix Seijas, director of Delphos.

What is the current situation of the Left party?

"We will propose within the Barro not to nominate candidates for the fraudulent presidential election," said Andres Velasquez, leader of La Causa Izquierda.

However, if the decision to participate in the elections was positive, Velasquez, who was snatched in December to the governor of the state of Bolivar for fraud to deliver the richest mineral district to a Chavez military, repeatedly warned that the government has the intention to launch a "Trojan horse" as an opposition electoral candidate to "legalise" the revolutionary elections.

in this order of events, all eyes are now on former Governor Henri Falcon and on the social democratic leader Henry Ramos Allup, pre-candidates who believe that with a massive participation, Maduro can be defeated.

Fractured and with their main leaders disqualified by judicial and administrative decisions to appear in any office of popular election, the opposition must announce if it will go to the polls or remain on the sidelines, as it has done in the past, but only in the regional elections.

The decision will be discussed on Thursday afternoon, said opposition leader Julio Borges.

"We are talking about hours to be able to respond to the country," Borges added in a radio interview.

Opinions of the opposition party

Offer "a very clear path in front of a government that, I believe, is very, very weak," said the opposition Borges when referring to the new movement Somos Venezuela created by Maduro.

On the other hand, they demand that all restrictions be removed on their main figures, such as Leopoldo Lopez, Henrique Capriles, Antonio Ledezma, among others, seen by critics inside and outside the country as a process lacking in transparency.

What does the current president think?

Maduro, a 54-year-old former bus driver, has said that with or without opposition, he will measure himself at the polls and has asked his followers to obtain at least 10 million votes. "We have had difficult years, but the coming years will be the best in the history of Venezuela," Maduro said on his Twitter account.
Dhofar Desert in Oman is believed to be a replica of the conditions that an astronaut would have to face when he or she lands on Mars. The temperatures can go beyond 51 degrees Celsius, and scientists from many countries have assembled here to spend one month carrying out experiments. These will provide valuable inputs for future missions to Mars and is seen as a step to colonize the red planet.

Daily Mail UK reports that the area selected resembles Mars. The scientists will stay and work in the Oman Mars Base which is a huge inflated habitat surrounded by shipping containers that have been converted and turned into labs.

Efforts to colonize Mars

The venue of the Dhofar Desert in Oman is an ideal place to conduct field-testing of technology that could be used to undertake manned missions to Mars. NASA hopes to achieve that target by the 2030s. A number of public and private ventures have already embarked on missions to colonize the red planet. Former President Barack Obama and SpaceX founder Elon Musk feel humans could be there within a few decades. The successful launch of SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket has added to the confidence levels.

The next logical step would be to take on non-engineering problems like medical emergency responses and isolation. Some of these are already being done by cosmonauts and Astronauts in the International Space Station.

However, work related to interplanetary expeditions is being done on Earth. The test site selected in the Dhofar desert will contribute to the cause. It is replete with a wide range of sand and rocky surfaces and a topography that matches that of Mars and will be useful. The studies will conclude on 28 February.

Mars continues to beckon man

NASA had used the Mojave Desert to test rovers destined for the Red Planet and it is now the turn of the Dhofar Desert in Oman. In the opinion of Scott Hubbard who had led the U.S. space agency's Mars program, astronauts have to learn how to adapt to an alien environment on the distant planet. Mars Curiosity rover has been there for more than five years but robots are machines and will not be of much help to assess effects of the environment on human beings.

Mars One is an organization that has proposed to colonize Mars and establish a permanent human colony there by 2032. It was started by Bas Lansdorp and Arno Wielders in 2011 when they laid the foundation of their Mars One mission which would be a one-way trip. Work is in progress to select and train volunteers for this task.
Prior to a meeting on Wednesday with his Cabinet, Donald Trump allowed cameras into the White House and made a few remarks that landed in the headlines. After the president warned that he could look into changing the libel laws in the country, one host on Fox News was quick to speak out.

Fox News on Trump

From the start of his campaign for president all the way to present day, Donald Trump has made it more than clear that he's not a fan of the majority of the mainstream media, as well as journalists, reporters, and anyone else who offers criticism.

It was just last week when excerpts of the book "Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House" were released, as author Michael Wolff documented the Trump campaign and the better part of the president's first year in office. Some of the details in the book have since come into question, but that didn't stop Trump and his administration from lashing out. Trump denied the majority of the claims while also going as far as calling Wolff a "liar" and a "loser." Trump took his frustrations over the aftermath of the book even further while speaking to the press on Wednesday, saying he would look into the country's libel laws. These issues and more were discussed during a January 10 segment on Fox News.

(Smith's comments start at 2:00 in the above video.)

Fox News host Shepard Smith didn't hold back his thoughts when addressing Donald Trump's comment about libel laws, giving the president a reality check in the process. "Were in the position to report facts here, all of that about libel laws, that was just a word salad of nothingness," Smith said of Trump's remarks.

President Trump calls for a review of libel laws (again) in his latest salvo against the free press | By @brianstelter via @CNNMoney https://t.co/caI5VqgN8m pic.twitter.com/qYjjHfhsjV  CNN International (@cnni) January 10, 2018

"None of that means anything," Shepard Smith continued. "He couldnt change the libel laws if he wanted to," he added, before explaining that not even a Republican-majority in Congress could help him because "These are state laws." Not stopping there, Smith got even more aggressive, saying of Trump, "He's not a dictator!" Hes not a king!" while summing up his threat as "preposterous." Smith's stance is a rarity on Fox News which has become a mostly political safe space for the president and his White House.

Next up

While Donald Trump continues to push the idea that he can go above and beyond state and local rule of law to push his agenda, it doesn't appear likely that he will be successful. Despite the president's constant gloating, his current approval rating is hovering around just 35 percent, and is showing no signs of improving with the new year just over a week old.
As the Russian investigation heats up, Donald Trump is doing everything in his power to deny the allegations against him. In his latest social media post, the president is putting his focus back on the infamous "dossier."

Trump and Russia

It's plagued him since his campaign for president but Donald Trump can't seem to shake the allegations that he's been in cahoots with Russia. After Trump's upset win over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in November 2016, several well-respected news outlets and government agencies came forward to confirm that Russia hacked into the Democratic National Committee, and did so with the end game of getting the former host of "The Apprentice" into office.

Since that time, an investigation has been set up to dig deeper into the role Russia played in the election as well as whether or not they acted in collusion with the Trump campaign. In the mix of it all came the release of what has been known as the "pee tape" dossier, whose details were revealed in part by CNN and later Buzzfeed. The information was put together by a research firm called Fusion GPS that was originally funded by the Washington Free Beacon, and than later by the Hillary Clinton campaign. As the tension mounts, Trump addressed the dossier once again during a series of January 11 tweets.

Disproven and paid for by Democrats Dossier used to spy on Trump Campaign. Did FBI use Intel tool to influence the Election? @foxandfriends Did Dems or Clinton also pay Russians? Where are hidden and smashed DNC servers? Where are Crooked Hillary Emails? What a mess!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2018

Taking to Twitter on Thursday morning, Donald Trump ripped into the "dossier," which among other things, revealed the president's alleged misconduct with Russia, including his sexual activities with prostitutes.

"Disproven and paid for by Democrats 'Dossier used to spy on Trump Campaign. Did FBI use Intel tool to influence the Election?' @foxandfriends," Trump tweeted out.

House votes on controversial FISA ACT today. This is the act that may have been used, with the help of the discredited and phony Dossier, to so badly surveil and abuse the Trump Campaign by the previous administration and others?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2018

"Did Dems or Clinton also pay Russians?" Donald Trump asked.

"Where are hidden and smashed DNC servers? Where are Crooked Hillary Emails?" the president continued to wonder, before adding, "What a mess!"

Double down

In follow-up tweets, Donald Trump continued his thoughts about the dossier, including the upcoming vote on the FISA Act in the Congress that he believes led the release of the documents.

"With that being said, I have personally directed the fix to the unmasking process since taking office and todays vote is about foreign surveillance of foreign bad guys on foreign land," Trump wrote, while stating, "We need it! Get smart!"

With that being said, I have personally directed the fix to the unmasking process since taking office and todays vote is about foreign surveillance of foreign bad guys on foreign land. We need it! Get smart!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2018

Next up

While many of the contents in the so-called "pee tape" dossier have not been confirmed, they also haven't been discredited either, despite the defensive rhetoric coming from the White House. As Russian investigation special counsel Robert Mueller moves forward, only time will tell how it all plays out.
Democrats and Republicans in Congress are doing their best to find common-ground on the issue of immigration. After lawmakers offered a few ideas to Donald Trump, the president wasn't too happy about it.

Trump on immigration

Donald Trump announced his campaign for president back in June 2015, making headlines in the process when he referred to illegal immigrants from Mexico as "rapists" and "murderers." As the months moved on, Trump offered several controversial policy proposals on immigration reform, ranging from potential mass deportation to the idea of having Mexico fund a border wall.

Since his inauguration last January, Trump has struggled to find a compromise with Democrats and even some Republicans in the Senate and the House of Representatives. In recent days, Trump has attempted to look like the adult in the room, even allowing cameras into a bipartisan meeting at the White House over the issue at hand. Whether it's signing an extension of DACA or agreeing on funding for increased border security, immigration reform is a hot topic. As reported by the Washington Post on January 11, it doesn't look like the president is a fan of a few countries that some immigrants have come from.

Exclusive: Trump attacks protections for immigrants from "shithole" countries in Oval Office meeting https://t.co/R1aOB8EAGB  Washington Post (@washingtonpost) January 11, 2018

According to a report by the Washington Post on Thursday, Donald Trump became increasingly frustrated after lawmakers proposed the idea of restoring the protection for immigrants that have come from El Salvador, Haiti, and select countries in Africa.

"Why are we having all these people from sh*thole countries come here?" Trump asked, before commenting that the United States should focus on increased immigration from counties in Europe, including Norway. As of press time, the White House has yet to respond with a comment, though Trump has been reported in the past saying that immigrants from Haiti have AIDS.

Twitter backlash

Once the news went public of Donald Trump's comments, Twitter went viral. "You finally hear it, this convo has always been about race. He and the GOP never cared about immigration just WHO immigrated. Those from African, Caribbean, Central and South American countries are seen as less than," one tweet read.

We should all be ashamed that we have not corrected the flaw in our constitution that gave us this embarrassment that got 7.4 million less votes than his opponents. Time for the electoral college to go!  Marvin Jacobson (@MarvinEJacobson) January 11, 2018

You finally hear it, this convo has always been about race. He and the GOP never cared about immigration just WHO immigrated. Those from African, Carribean, Central and South American countries are seen as less than.  Joel Pulliam (@joel_pulliam) January 11, 2018

Well, Mr. President, the citizens of Norway are probably not so motivated to come to the United States right now. Norway currently has a higher standard of living for their citizens than many Americans are now living.  chloechloe (@chloechloe616) January 11, 2018

"And this is who they continue to give cover to.

When you're this prejudiced and it's ingrained there's nothing you can do to work w/him. They knew this about him but still stand w/him. Doesn't say much about any of them," an additional tweet added. "We should all be ashamed that we have not corrected the flaw in our constitution that gave us this embarrassment that got 7.4 million less votes than his opponents. Time for the electoral college to go!" a Twitter user wrote.

This is who you're covering for, Republicans. I hope it was all worth it when you've allowed him to sweep you out of office and destroy a once great party. You deserve it for this. #BlueTsunami2018  KelGirl (@kwchanteuse) January 11, 2018

I don't understand why lawmakers are surprised by Trump's comment? It is not surprising at all as what he said is perfectly in line with what he was saying all this while. It is surprising, however, that Trump managed not to say it earlier.  Kakajan Haytlyyev (@kkjn1966) January 11, 2018

"I don't understand why lawmakers are surprised by Trump's comment?

It is not surprising at all as what he said is perfectly in line with what he was saying all this while. It is surprising, however, that Trump managed not to say it earlier," yet another tweet read. "This is who you're covering for, Republicans. I hope it was all worth it when you've allowed him to sweep you out of office and destroy a once great party. You deserve it for this," a Twitter user wrote.
Recently, everyone's attention has been drawn to Elon Musk, and his experiment with sending his car into space, apparently never to return. Hailed as a groundbreaking development, this could finally pave the way for Commercial Space Flight. But how soon is this happening, and is there really anything to get excited about. The answer is a bit more complicated than a simple yes or no.

The launch

How does this particular flight differ from all the other flights launched in the past several decades? First off, the Falcon Heavy is currently the most powerful rocket in the world, capable of sending a fully-loaded passenger plane into orbit.

The second important factor is that SpaceX, the company that sent the Falcon Heavy into space, along with Elon Musk's car, is a private company, owned by Musk himself. Finally, the rocket boosters used in the mission are reusable and less expensive than most other rockets, which may make future efforts significantly easier.

Though potentially paving the way for chartered space flights, it will be a long time before the average Joe can fly to the moon for a family vacation, since, according to Al Jazeera, the first flights are currently priced at $90 million. Also, the unmanned flight, originally intended to land on Mars, has veered off course and is now headed towards the asteroid belt. This doesn't seem to concern Musk or his fellow scientists, since, according to Vice News, the crew admitted there was a very minimal chance the Falcon Heavy would land on Mars anyway.

It seemed Mars was more of a pipe dream than a legitimate goal.

The implications

The implications of this launch are interesting. Aside from being one step closer to science fiction levels of commercial space flight, it is also one more notch in the belt of SpaceX, which plans to continue its operations regarding space exploration, albeit at a slower pace.

Its next launch will be that of a NASA Falcon 9, for a scheduled mission on March 20, according to Al Jazeera. Though the success of the mission created some hugely promising possibilities, it isn't likely that a space travel revolution is going to happen anytime soon, since this flight was technically only a test, and more research and experimentation is definitely going to be necessary before any more major attempts are made at launching large objects into space. That being said, humanity could very definitely be on the path towards greater things.
News broke on Wednesday morning that a top aide to Donald Trump abruptly resigned after being accused various acts of domestic violence against his ex-wives. In response, Sarah Sanders decided to defended the now former aide.

NEW: White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter resigned in wake of multiple allegations of domestic violence by his ex-wives. In a statement read by Press Sec. Sanders, he denied the allegations and denounced a "coordinated smear campaign." pic.twitter.com/WJi211yrJt  ABC News (@ABC) February 7, 2018

Sanders on Porter

Rob Porter, who had been serving as a senior aide at the White House, resigned on Wednesday after the Daily Mail reported a history of domestic abuse.

The paper released photos Jennifer Willoughby, Porter's ex wife, showing bruises on her face that allegedly took place during her "abusive marriage." Willoughby even went as far as to claim Porter grabbed her while she was in the shower and pulled her out, calling her a "fu**ing b*tch" in the process. In addition, Porter's other ex-wife, Colbie Holderness, accused him of similar allegations, once against speaking out to the Daily Mail.

NEW: The White House was long aware of the abuse allegations against White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter, and he never received full security clearance, two sources tell CBS News' @MajorCBS https://t.co/Zho6kC8QJJ pic.twitter.com/Qj8MvBtdt4  CBS News (@CBSNews) February 7, 2018

While taking questions at the White House on Wednesday, Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was forced to respond to the Rob Porter's situation.

"I can tell you that Rob has bee effective in his role as staff secretary. The president and chief of staff have had full confidence and trust in his ability and performance.

FIRST wife of Trump aide Rob Porter says he CHOKED and PUNCHED her... and the FBI know all about it https://t.co/qSkGuFfG8g pic.twitter.com/eZnMgryHA8  Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) February 7, 2018

Following up her comments, Sarah Huckabee Sanders went on to read a statement released by Rob Porter, where he referred to the allegations as "outrageous," while denying the claims.

Porter will be leaving the White House but will also stay on in the short-term to help with the transition of his exit. As of press time, Donald Trump has not issued a statement on the issue at hand.

Instant backlash

In response to Sarah Huckabee Sanders' remarks, critics of the president wasted no time firing back. "Is (SHS) pregnant again or is she just remarkably full of sh*t?

She looks more inflated than Trumps rally attendance numbers," a tweet read.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders is defending the White House Staff Secretary who resigned after being accused of punching his ex-wife in the face on their honeymoon.  Christopher J. Hale (@chrisjollyhale) February 7, 2018

Rob Porter and Sarah Huckabee Sanders are now shaming victims of domestic violence. Unconscionable! #domesticviolence #domesticabuse  LIGHTNINGLADY36 (@lightninglady36) February 7, 2018

So, Sarah Huckabee Sanders just announced that the White House Staff Secretary is also set to resign amid domestic abuse allegations. The best people to trump are trash in the eyes of normal people.  Ricky Davila (@TheRickyDavila) February 7, 2018

"Congratulations to (SHS) makeup artist who drew her right eyebrow higher today.

Now they look equal. Bout time," yet another tweet stated. "(SHS) is defending the White House Staff Secretary who resigned after being accused of punching his ex-wife in the face on their honeymoon," a social media user noted. "Rob Porter and Sarah Huckabee Sanders are now shaming victims of domestic violence. Unconscionable!" a tweet read.

I imagine that when a teenage Sarah Huckabee Sanders got caught sneaking out of the gubernatorial mansion, she turned it on her parents and shamed them for their failure in parenting.  Mike Holmes (@holmesjokes) February 7, 2018

Damn man I just saw an angry primate MOOING at the media press conference . Then I saw the pearls around her neck Sarah Huckabee Sanders that is !!!  Gary the Cynic (@GaryTheCynic) February 7, 2018

The Huckabee family has always claimed to be a good Christian family, yet Sarah Huckabee Sanders consistently lies, demeans others & behaves with hate, hubris & hypocrisy; all of which her bible tells her is sinful. I am so sick of her smirking, lying rhetoric.

She is offensive.  Christine Ter (@ChristineTer2) February 7, 2018

"Sarah Huckabee Sanders says White House policy is not to discuss security clearances. Likely because very few have them," a follow-up tweet read. "(SHS) is such a condensing b*tch," an additional tweet stated.
Lydia McLaughlin returned to "The Real Housewives of orange county" for season 12 last year after previously starring in season eight. However, just as she did after season eight, McLaughlin has now revealed that she will not be returning for the show's follow-up season later this year. On February 9, McLaughlin confirmed the news with her fans and followers on her official website.

"['The Real Housewives Of Orange County'] has given me a great platform and I'm grateful for that," McLaughlin wrote in her post, according to a report by E! News. "However, I feel like I can only handle this show one season at a time.

I need a break!" According to McLaughlin, there are a lot of good things that come out of the show, including friendships and promotion for her projects, including her new magazine. But, at the same time, the show also brings a lot of negativity into her life. So, after taking a vote amongst her family members, she decided it was best that she part ways with Bravo TV once again.

Why did Lydia McLaughlin leave 'RHOC' the first time?

Following "The Real Housewives of Orange County" season eight, McLaughlin explained to viewers that she wanted to take a break from filming the reality show in order to have another child and write a book. Then, in November 2014, her son Roman Scott McLaughlin arrived, and months later, in April 2015, she released "Beyond Orange County: A Housewives Guide to Faith and Happiness."

Years later, as filming began on season 12, McLaughlin said it was the perfect time for her to return as she and her husband, Doug McLaughlin, had just launched their new magazine, NOBLEMAN Magazine, and adjusted to life with three kids.

During season 12, NOBLEMAN Magazine was mentioned a number of times and the ladies participated in a number of events related to the project.

Lydia McLaughlin isn't the only housewife leaving 'RHOC'

Lydia McLaughlin's exit from the show comes just weeks after her co-star Meghan King Edmonds announced that she was not only leaving "The Real Housewives of Orange County," but also leaving Southern California altogether.

We selected the best for you. From our partner Music Crowns Introducing: Julia

As she explained to her own fans and followers, she and husband Jim are moving full-time to St. Louis, Missouri, where they look forward to raising their daughter and unborn twins and spending more time with his older children from previous relationships.

Rumors have been swirling in regard to possible replacements for the two ladies but so far, Bravo TV hasn't confirmed any casting news for season 13.
After yet another controversial week for Donald Trump, critics have piled on heading into the weekend. As expected, comedian Bill Maher pull no punches when dealing with the president.

"Youve got to love this White House. Every day it's like The West Wing meets Clueless.  @BillMaher #RealTime pic.twitter.com/8Bd5LkNjMN  Real Time (@RealTimers) February 10, 2018

Maher on Trump

Over the last week, various news items have taken their turn to dominate the news cycle, with each one more damaging or embarrassing for Donald Trump. Whether it was Trump's order for the Pentagon to throw him his own military parade, the resignation of White House adviser Rob Porter due to a history of domestic violence allegations, another government shutdown, or the latest revelations in the Russian investigation, the president is not having the best week, all while the stock market continues to fall at record levels.

Trump wants a big military parade...its gonna be spectacular: tanks, missiles, fighter jets. All presided over by a loose cannon.  @BillMaher #RealTime pic.twitter.com/VHJWJtNTSU  Real Time (@RealTimers) February 10, 2018

As Friday came to a close, Bill Maher made sure to take a few shots at Donald Trump's bad week during the opening monologue of the February 9 edition of "real time with Bill Maher" on HBO. "Youve got to love this White House. Every day it's like The West Wing meets Clueless," Maher said.

"If somebody told me two years ago that we would be doing jokes  often  where the punchline is 'America is really owned by Russia,' I would've said you're crazy."  @BillMaher #RealTime pic.twitter.com/X1jafZe5et  Real Time (@RealTimers) February 10, 2018

Not stopping there, Bill Maher poked fun at the president over his planned military parade.

"Trump wants a big military parade...its gonna be spectacular," Maher said with sarcasm "Tanks, missiles, fighter jets. All presided over by a loose cannon," he added.

Schiff speaks

After several more comedic shots, Bill Maher welcomed Rep. Adam Schiff to the show, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee to discuss the Russian investigation.

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"What I find it so astounding about the last year is how much this deeply flawed president could remake an entire political party in his own image," Schiff said of Trump and the impact he's had on the Republican Party.

"What I find it so astounding about the last year is how much this deeply flawed president could remake an entire political party in his own image."  @RepAdamSchiff #RealTime pic.twitter.com/DMZIoIug9T  Real Time (@RealTimers) February 10, 2018

Both Maher and Schiff both doubled down with their attack on Donald Trump, focusing on his denial of being in cahoots with Russia, the controversial Nunes memo, and his refusal to release the Democratic memo that many believe would debunk what came from the Republicans.

"We need to get back to the mission of our committee, and that is investigating what Russia did, what the Trump campaign did, and what they may have done in combination," Schiff said.

"We need to get back to the mission of our committee, and that is investigating what Russia did, what the Trump campaign did, and what they may have done in combination."  @RepAdamSchiff #RealTime pic.twitter.com/yMNRsqkAgn  Real Time (@RealTimers) February 10, 2018

Later in the show, Maher admitted he was still stunned by how deep the Trump administration seemed to be with the Kremlin. "If somebody told me two years ago that we would be doing jokes, often where the punchline is 'America is really owned by Russia,' I would've said you're crazy," he said.
"The Real Housewives of New Jersey" is facing ongoing rumors regarding the potential cancellation of the series. According to several reports, the series' ratings haven't been good and after pulling in a whopping 4 million viewers at its peak, the series has been on the decline and reached a low of 1.44 million viewers during the show's seventh season.

On February 9, All About the Real Housewives shared a report in regard to the recent rumors plaguing the show, noting that while a number of outlets have claimed that the show's eighth season could be its last, that is simply not the case.

That said, reports claiming producers are struggling to find women to join the show may be spot on. As the outlet explained, Bravo TV is having trouble convincing affluent women in New Jersey to join the cast.

Bravo TV is actively searching for new 'RHONJ' cast members

In recent months, producers of the reality series have reportedly become so desperate to find women for the show that they have actually taken to social media and begun to share ads in hopes of finding future cast members. In one ad shared on Instagram, a woman asked for women living in Bergen County to apply for a role.

According to All About the Real Housewives, Bravo TV is having a hard time casting the upcoming season of "The Real Housewives Of New Jersey" because they are looking to find women who have a real connection to the existing cast members, including Teresa Giudice, Melissa Gorga, Dolores Catania, Margaret Josephs, and Danielle Staub.

In addition, they want their ideal women to have "serious money."

While no one has signed on quite yet, producers are rumored to have their eyes on a number of new girls, including one person who reportedly has "major connections" to the current cast members, and some of the past cast members of the show. Luckily, according to the outlet, it appears that Bravo TV has some time to get their New Jersey cast assembled because filming isn't set to begin until March or April.

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Siggy Flicker quit 'RHONJ' in December 2017

In mid-December, after starring in "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" for two seasons, Siggy Flicker announced that she would not be returning to the show for season nine. Season 9 will include last year's cast, minus Siggy, an insider revealed to All About the Real Housewives in January. In addition, the source added, It is possible that we will meet a fresh face or two next season.
Ali Khamenei said the U.S. had created the Islamic State militant group (ISIS), which once claimed nearly half of Iraq and Syria, and the U.S. was responsible for the death and destruction it caused. In response, he said, Irans primary goal was to stand against cruelty and corruption at the international level and to discredit the U.S. Today, the U.S. government is the cruelest and most merciless system in the world, which is even worse than the savage ISIS members.'' Khamenei told, according to the semiofficial Tasnim News Agency.

As Newsweek writes in the article IRAN SAYS U.S. EVEN WORSE THAN ISIS AFTER BOMBING SUPREME LEADERS ALLIES IN SYRIA, Khamenei made the remarks Thursday while addressing a gathering of air force commanders on the 39th anniversary of the air forces founding.

ISIS has its roots in Iraqi jihadi groups, especially Al-Qaeda in Iraq, that rose in the wake of the U.S. invasion and occupation of the country in 2003. After toppling Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, the U.S. struggled to stabilize the country and faced regular attacks from ultraconservative Sunni Muslim groups such as Al-Qaeda as well as other revolutionary Shiite Muslim groups backed by Iran. As ISIS consolidated control over large parts of Iraq, both U.S.-backed and Iran-backed forces fought alongside one another to defeat the militants in every major city they held.

The U.S. and Iran also fought ISIS in neighboring Syria but did so in separate campaigns that sometimes clashed with each other. The U.S. initially funded Syrian rebel groups trying to oust Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, an ally of Tehran and Moscow, but later switched to supporting mostly Kurdish groups after the majority-Arab Sunni Muslim uprising became increasingly radical.

Throughout Syrias nearly seven-year civil war, Kurdish militias fought both alongside and against the Syrian military, which is supported by Russian air cover and various pro-government militias, many of which were backed by Iran. The Syrian military also allowed Kurdish fighters to cross through government territory in order to combat a Turkish invasion and the insurgent Free Syrian Army supporting it.

Recent violence between pro-Syrian government forces and the Pentagon-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, the name given to the Kurd-dominated coalition fighting ISIS, threatened to open a new front during an already intense period of the prolonged conflict. In an incident that both sides blamed the other for instigating, a clash Wednesday in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor left one Syrian Democratic Forces fighter wounded from enemy fire and up to dozens of pro-Assad fighters dead as a result of U.S.-led coalition airstrikes.

Russia and Syria quickly accused the U.S. of protecting an ISIS pocket east of the Euphrates River, but the U.S.-led coalition dismissed those allegations and later launched airstrikes on ISIS positions near the Iraqi border. Additional clashes between pro-Syrian government fighters and the U.S. coalition were reported Friday.

In his speech on Thursday, Khamenei also blasted the U.S. for backing Israel over Palestine; for a Saudi-led war on Shiite Muslim rebels known as the Houthis in Yemen; and for undermining a landmark 2015 nuclear treaty signed under the administration of President Barack Obama. His successor, President Donald Trump, has instituted a much more hard-line position against Iran, which Trump has accused of funding terrorism and developing ballistic missile technology that compromised regional security.

Iran compared the Trump administrations rhetoric to that of former President George W. Bush, leading up to the Iraq War in 2003. In his America First national security strategy released in December, Trump referred to Iran as an evil dictatorship that, along with nuclear-armed North Korea, was determined to destabilize regions, threaten Americans and our allies, and brutalize their own people.
Ten thousand migrants are living in deplorable conditions in Italy without shelter, food and clean water, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) has warned in a damning indictment of the countrys border practices. Inadequate reception policies are forcing refugees into slums, squats and abandoned buildings with limited access to basic services, the charity said. As The Independent writes in an article "Italy accused of subjecting 10,000 migrants to 'deplorable' conditions as Berlusconi labels them a time bomb", increasing marginalisation of asylum seekers and a growing prevalence of forced evictions has led to small groups of migrants living in increasingly hidden places, the charity found, exposing them to inhumane living conditions.

The findings, released as part of the second edition of the charitys Out of Sight report, reveal the torturous reality facing huge swathes of Italys migrant population. But the survey shows Italians are increasingly uneasy over the numbers of refugees that have reached their countrys shores by boat over the past four years. The reports release coincides with a spike in anti-immigration rhetoric ahead of the 4 March parliamentary elections.

On Saturday, a far-right extremist was arrested on suspicion of shooting six Africans in a racially motivated attack in Macerata.

Days later, Silvio Berlusconi, the former Prime Minister whose Forza Italia (Go Italy!) party has entered a coalition with the Northern League and the smaller Brothers of Italy, promised to deport 600,000 migrants if their coalition came to power. These 600,000 people, we will pick them up using police, law enforcement and the military... everyone can help identify them by pointing them out, and they will be picked up, he said, claiming immigration was a social bomb linked to crime.

Northern League leader Matteo Salvini also promised irregular migrants would be rounded up and sent home in 15 minutes if he and his allies take power.

Opponents of Mr Berlusconi have been quick to point the finger, accusing him of allowing the woeful humanitarian conditions facing refugees to gain a foothold during his three terms in office. Charities accused him of peddling opportunistic propaganda.

Alberto Barbieri, director of Medici per i Diritti Umani (MEDU), an Italian medical human rights organisation, said the 81-year-olds comments were false, irresponsible and propagandistic. In the climate of the electoral campaign, he is trying to mobilise the worst instincts and irrational fears of citizens, he told The Independent. Migrants arriving in Italy are fleeing serious violence in their countries of origin and along the migratory route. Since there are no humanitarian corridors, the only way to reach Europe for migrants is to put themselves in the hands of human smugglers and traffickers. He said 90 per cent of the migrants helped by MEDU in the last four years had been victims of torture and degrading treatments. They are vulnerable people and not people ready to commit crimes, he said. We certainly do not want to deny the complexity of the current migration phenomenon and the considerable difficulties in its management, but Mr Berlusconis statements do not help to find solutions compatible with civil coexistence and respect for human rights but rather fuelling confusion, xenophobia and racism. All this for exclusive electoral purposes.

MSF are now calling for urgent action to be taken by the Italian government to guarantee refugees access to basic goods and medical care throughout the period of their stay in Italy. They are urging authorities to improve the emergency reception system and foster better social inclusion for migrants. Instead of long-term policies that respond to the basic needs of the relatively manageable number of people now living in inhumane conditions, we increasingly witness the criminalisation of migrants and refugees and those who help them with their basic needs, said Tommaso Fabbri, head of MSFs projects in Italy. European and Italian policies ought to be helping these men, women and children, not harming them. Its time to change course.
Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan chaired a discussion devoted to the Armenia Development Strategy 2030 project, which has been developed on the basis of the PMs instruction, News.am reports.

The Strategy includes several domains.

At the talk, the heads of a number of relevant state agencies offered their views and assessments regarding this document.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyevhas sent a congratulatory letter to President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Hassan Rouhani, APA reports.



"On behalf of the Azerbaijani people and on my own behalf, I sincerely congratulate you and the Iranian people on the occasion of Iran's national holiday - the Islamic Revolutions Victory Day," President Aliyev said in his letter.



"The high level of our interstate relations clearly reflects the will of our peoples who have lived in friendly and good neighborly conditions. I believe that with our mutual efforts, we will continue to contribute to successful cooperation both bilaterally and within the framework of regional projects," the Azerbaijani president noted. "On this remarkable day, I wish you robust health, success in your activity, and the friendly and brotherly people of Iran peace and prosperity," Ilham Aliyev said.
The words of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev about the need of Azerbaijanis to return to their historical lands, including the territories of modern Armenia - the Erevan Khanate, Zangezur and Geycha - hit like a bolt from the blue but only for those who do not remember neither the history of the past centuries, nor the events of the last five years. Indeed, Yerevan, Zangezur, and Geycha were the Azerbaijani lands for a long time, but the president's call means not only the need to preserve the historical memory of Azerbaijanis but recalls the most serious problem of modern Azerbaijan - Armenias aggression that led to the occupation of 20% of the Azerbaijani territories.

At the same time, if we are taking about the Nagorno Karabakh issue, it is not only a desire to give a verbal impulse to the newly frozen negotiations or a signal to the mediators about the need to put pressure on Armenia, but a necessity to repulse the enemy, who keeps the captured territories by force for almost 30 years, prepares new attacks on Azerbaijan and bears plans to expand the occupation to the other Azerbaijani lands - the local Armenian hawks regularly talk about these plans in Yerevan (and the world community, in turn, turns a deaf ear to the calls like to Baku). The war is never over, the territories are defended all the time, the militaries are ready to new provocations, which can turn into a full-scale offensive any time - all this escapes from outside observers commenting on these days the words of Ilham Aliyev.

But the war is going on, the enemy stands on the Azerbaijani land and prepares an offensive, while the diplomats are dragging out the negotiation process due to the low activity of the mediators. It was clear four years ago before Armenia launched the first large-scale provocation in August 2014, and Shahbaz Guliyev became a witness of preparations for an attack on Azerbaijan (rather than a defense of the occupied lands, as Yerevan calls it hypocritically). The forced migrant from the occupied Kelbajar region, along with his two compatriots, returned to his native land in the summer of 2014, where he was captured and remains in custody today. During the journey through the front line, he captured the movement of the Armenian troops - this video was seized, but not hidden by the invaders, and shown on TV.

Official Baku has always opposed the establishment of a second Armenian state in the borders of the present territories of Azerbaijan, this week it was recalled only that the first Armenian state exists today on the historical Azerbaijani lands. Given the fact of the constant escalation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict by the invaders, their preparations for new attacks, which we witnessed in August 2014, and in January 2015, and in April 2016, and in July 2017, the words of Ilham Aliyev sounded as a warning to Yerevan about the inadmissibility of a further policy of the military aggression against Azerbaijan.

If this policy continues, the Azerbaijani army is ready to go on the offensive and liberate its lands, which the enemy has been occupying for so long. And if Yerevans hawks are ready to go to Baku, the statement about the task of returning to the historical lands of the Erevan Khanate, Zangezur and Geycha sound quite natural, because the key duty of the commander-in-chief, whoever he is, is to ensure the security of his state.
Five Turkish soldiers were killed and nine were wounded in Operation Olive Branch carried out by the Turkish army in Syrias northern Afrin province on Feb. 10, Turkish Armed Forces announced in two separate statements on the same day, Hurriyet Daily News reports.

Three Turkish soldiers were killed and five soldiers were wounded in Syrias Afrin district on Feb. 10, an initial military statement said.

A follow-up statement released on the same day said two more Turkish soldiers were killed, and four were wounded in the military operations.

Meanwhile, at least 1,141 Peoples Protection Units (YPG) militants have been neutralized since the beginning of Turkeys Operation Olive Branch in Syrias Afrin, the Turkish General Staff said also on Feb. 10.
The aviation authorities of Israel have informed that although the airspace is closed for flights in a considerable part of the country, the latters main airport is operating normally, despite the incident with the Iranian drone and the ensuing Israeli airstrike in Syria, News.am reported citing RIA Novosti.

On early Saturday morning, the Israeli military hit an Iranian drone which had entered the countrys airspace from Syria; and in response, they launched an airstrike on Iranian targets in Syria.

Later, the Israeli army press service informed that an Israeli F-16 jet had crashed in the north of the country; but its pilots had ejected safely.
An Israeli F-16 fighter jet crashed after Syria responded with anti-aircraft fire to an Israeli operation in its territory. Syria says its military base came under Israeli fire, and it hit multiple aircraft in response, RT reports.

Massive Syrian Anti-Air fire, one F16 crashed in Israel, pilots safe, IDF spokesman Jonathan Conricus said on Twitter.

The incident took place after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) intercepted an Iranian UAV, which crossed from the territory of Syria into Israel. In response, the Israeli military attacked Iranian positions in Syria. The operation triggered anti-aircraft fire by Syrian forces.
Turkish police have detained 31 suspected Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) members in Istanbul who were preparing to launch an attack, state-run Anadolu news agency reported on Feb. 10, Hurriyet Daily News reports.

Police raided six addresses in three districts of the city, Anadolu said, without giving details on when the operations were carried out.

All of those detained were foreign nationals, the agency added. Officers seized digital material and documents during the operation, Anadolu said.
A plane of Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) performing a flight en route Moscow-Baku has returned to the Vnukovo International Airport due to a technical problem, AZAL said in a message on Feb. 10, AzerNews reported.

The AZAL J2-808 Moscow-Baku flight has been delayed, the message said. A technical problem was revealed after the planes departure, and the aircraft commander decided to return to the Vnukovo International Airport.

The passengers of this flight will be sent to Baku by todays flight J2-809, which will be carried out by a more spacious aircraft. The plane is scheduled to depart at 16:30 (GMT +4) and arrive in the Vnukovo International Airport at 18:40 (GMT +3).

If needed, passengers of the delayed flight will be provided with everything necessary in accordance with the rules of the airline, AZAL said.
Russias President Vladimir Putin greeted Russian diplomats on their professional holiday, noting they protect with dignity the national interests, the Kremlins press service said on Saturday, TASS reports.

"The centuries-long history of the Russian diplomacy has many outstanding victories and glorious names, of which the country is rightly proud," the president said. "And today, relying on the good traditions of the past, the Foreign Ministrys employees defend with dignity the national interests."

The president pointed to the complicated international situation, in which the diplomats have to work. "Despite the evident problems, you are doing a lot to make favorable conditions of foreign policies for Russias sustainable social and economic development, you protect actively rights of Russian citizens and compatriots abroad."

Putin spoke hailed results of the recent Syrian National Dialogue Congress in Sochi, calling on the diplomats to promote the UNs key role in international affairs, to unite the international community in fighting the threat of terrorism, to improve the non-proliferation of the mass destruction weapons. The president also noted importance of the integrational processes in the Eurasian Economic Union.

He expressed hope the Russian diplomats "will in future continue working creatively, with absolute dedication."
Azerbaijan Railways is to construct railroads in new directions.

ADY chair Javid Gubanov has stated that the new line with length of 57 km will be built from the Leki railway station in Agdam district to Gabala, abc.az reports.

"The railway line will run to Gabala International Airport," Gurbanov said.
During his visit to Makhachkala, Russia's Prosecutor General Yury Chaika instructed all prosecutor bodies of Dagestan to take necessary steps to in all areas that are subjected to corruption.

He specified that it's necessary to find out the source of money, used to build "biggest houses" that belong to republican officials.

In addition, Prosecutor General called allocation of land one of the most corrupt areas in Dagestan. "You should pay additional attention to areas that are subjected to greatest corruption risks. First of all, you should pay attention to work of the agencies responsible for allocating land," he instructed.

Moreover, Prosecutor General drew attention to embezzlement of funds  grants for development of agro-industrial complex and small businesses, as well as finances provided for medical insurance and to improve employment rate.

"When it comes to above mentioned areas. it's necessary to carry out all activities openly, in contact with population and public organizations," Chaika added.

He stressed that any work on combating corruption has to "begin with anti-corruption expertise of all legal acts."
Russian diplomats on Saturday celebrate their professional holiday  diplomatic workers Day.

This holiday was an anniversary for Russian diplomacy. Officially it was established in October 2002 by the decree of the President of the Russian Federation, therefore, was first celebrated in 2003, exactly 15 years ago, Chelorg.com writes.

The history of modern Russian diplomacy began formally after collapse of the USSR and formation of Russian Federation as a new democratic state. In the 1990s the Russian diplomatic service had to work on the background of the complex internal factors  the transition to a new economic and political order and of radical changes in the international arena.

In its activities the Ministry of foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation today is guided by the foreign policy Concept of the Russian Federation, approved by the RF President in 2016. In accordance with this document, Russias foreign policy is aimed at solving tasks such as ensuring national security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the country, creation of favorable conditions for sustainable economic growth, strengthening international peace and stability, enhancing global security, improving the role of the UN, bilateral and multilateral relations. The key principles of Russian foreign policy are independence, openness, predictability, pragmatism, multi-vector, and a focus on the pursuit of national interests.

On the Day of the diplomatic worker of the Russian foreign Ministry traditionally holds the solemn meeting, during which with welcome speech delivered by the Minister, representatives of other Federal government agencies, recognized by the award-winning foreign service officers and veterans.

A solemn meeting on the occasion of diplomats day of this year took place on Thursday. On it the Russian foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov read out a congratulatory message from President Vladimir Putin, Chelorg.com notes.

I hope that Russian diplomats will continue to work creatively and with dedication. The key to your success is provided to the foreign policy of broad support from Russian society. I sincerely wish all the employees of the Ministry of foreign Affairs of new achievements, and distinguished veterans of diplomatic service  good health, good spirits and longevity, Lavrov read out Presidents message.

The Minister also said that the congratulation to employees and veterans of the Russian foreign Ministry has sent a number of representatives of the countrys leadership, including Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Federation Council speaker Valentina Matviyenko, Chairman of the state Duma Vyacheslav Volodin, deputies, heads of ministries, regions and business community.
Syrian army air defense responded to Israeli attack on a military base in the central area and hit more than one aircraft, SANA news agency reported.

A military source told SANA that the Israeli enemy on Saturday dawn launched a new aggression against one of the military bases in the central area, and the army air defense confronted the aggression and hit more than one aircraft.
HA NOI  As demand for cash withdrawals at ATMs doubles or triples around the Vietnamese Tet holiday, banks are recommending customers use electronic payment or scan their cards at POS machines or use quick response (QR) codes instead of withdrawing cash at ATMs.

Hoang Anh Tuan, Vietcombanks director of cash processing centre, recommended customers use payment cards, credit cards or other forms of electronic transactions via internet banking, mobile banking and money transfers to minimise the need to withdraw cash.

On the other hand, at the time before and during the Tet holiday, banks as well as goods and services suppliers have many promotions and discounts for customers when using cards. This is also an opportunity for customers to save some costs, Tuan told the Vietnam News Agency.

When withdrawing money at ATMs, Tuan advised customers to withdraw money at locations where many ATMs are located or ATMs located at transaction offices as these ATMs will be restocked more quickly than those at other locations.

To support customers when shopping or paying bills without using the cards or cash, Viet Nam Maritime Commercial Joint Stock Bank (Maritime Bank) recently introduced the payment feature using QR codes on mobile banking.

Huynh Buu Quang, General Director of Maritime Bank, said that by paying via QR code, customers do not have to spend much time waiting and queuing; even when forgetting wallets or bank cards, customers still can pay bills at shopping points.

In addition to the initiative from banks, to make transactions more secure and convenient users should guard their ATM card carefully, not give cards for others to use, avoid bending or scratching cards and change passwords frequently.

If cards are swallowed or money is deducted from the account but no money is discharged, customers should wait until the ATM switches to standby transaction to prevent ATMs from discharging the cards or money after the customer has left.

According to the latest statistics released by the State Bank of Viet Nam, the country has more than 127 million banking cards of all kinds, more than 17,300 ATMs and 260,000 POS machines.

Despite the ceaseless increase in the number of ATMs and POSs, with the demand for cash withdrawal during the days near Tet, ATMs have become obstructed.  VNS
HCM CITY  Trade in paper between Viet Nam and India is quite low and there is significant potential for growth, a meeting between Indian and Vietnamese paper companies heard in HCM City on February 9.

K Srikar Reddy, the Indian consul general in the city, said bilateral trade had grown more than 60 fold in the last two decades to US$10.13 billion in 2016-17.

India is among the top 10 trading partners of Viet Nam.

India exported paper worth $38.17 million to Viet Nam last year, only 3.26 per cent of its global exports, he said.

It imported paper worth $2.7 billion, but only $7.78 million from Viet Nam, he said.

There is thus much scope to promote bilateral investment and trade ties in the sector, he added.

Hoang Trung Son, vice chairman of the Viet Nam Pulp and Paper Association, said the paper industry has seen outstanding growth of 11 per cent a year and can meet 64 per cent of demand.

Last year Viet Nam imported around two million tonnes of paper at $1.7 billion, mainly from Asian economies such as China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Korea, and Japan.

Viet Nam has started importing paper from India with the volume increasing year after year. Thanks to the Free Trade Agreement between ASEAN and India (AIFTA), the import tax on main paper lines is decreasing gradually, increasing the competitiveness of Indian paper.

We believe that there is plenty of opportunity for co-operation between Viet Nam and India in both paper production and trading.

Nguyen Ngoc Minh Thy, vice president of the Viet Nam Packaging Association, said packaging paper is the main product of the countrys paper industry.

Consumption in Viet Nam is still low at 33kg per person compared to the global average of 57kg, he said.

But with a young population and the development of large supermarkets, the packaging paper market is expected to grow at an average of 9 per cent a year until 2025, he added.

The meeting was attended by a delegation of 44 Indian companies belonging to the Federation of Paper Traders Association (FPTA).

According to the FPTA, Indias paper demand is expected to grow by 6-7 per cent in 2016-22 and reach 19.9 million tonnes a year by 2022.

A shortage of raw materials and higher costs are preventing the industry from increasing production and the country has to rely on imports to meet demand, it said.

Shekar Chandak, leader of the visiting business delegation, said the main purpose of the visit is to explore opportunities for both exporting paper to Viet Nam and buying from it.

India has some special paper which it can export to Viet Nam.

We are here to look for opportunities, whether joint venture or setting up trading houses to do trade both ways and look for global trade from here.

India imports a lot of wood chips also for the paper industry. We are importing from Australia, Japan, and South Africa.

And Viet Nam is a big producer of wood chips, so there is a huge opportunity for importing wood chips also.  VNS
HA NOI  After two periods of pumping water, Ha Noi by Thursday afternoon had water for only 63.2 per cent of rice fields, lower than expected, according to the Ha Noi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD).

If localities did not pay enough attention and care during the third period of pumping water, which lasts from early today until next Monday, 23 districts and towns of the capital city could lack water for their spring crop, the department said.

Five irrigation enterprises in the capital city said that the reason for the problem was that the water level in the Hong (Red) River had not reached the expected level. Specifically, to pump water to the Phu Sa Station, the water level in the Hong River should be 5.2 metres, but in fact was only at 4.7 metres.

On the other hand, residents in ong Anh, Soc Son, Gia Lam and Hoai uc districts did not harvest their winter rice and planned to start their spring crop late, after the Tet (Lunar New Year) festival, so the pumping stations cannot pump water to the fields, and pumped it to rivers, ponds, lakes for storage instead.

Experts from the Directorate of Water Resources under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that in the second period of pumping, Hoa Binh, Tuyen Quang and Thac Ba reservoirs discharged more than 2.5 billion cubic metres of water. However, due to illegal sand exploitation, the Hong Rivers banks had eroded and the riverbed widened, leaving the water level low.

To use water from reservoirs effectively in the last period of pumping water and ensure enough water for the spring crop, the Ha Noi DARD has worked with five irrigation enterprises and 13 districts with low water.

The department asked the five enterprises to set up different options, propose detailed measures and pay more care to the areas facing difficulties related to water resources including Phuc Tho, Thach That and Quoc Oai districts.

The department requested district authorities to work closely with irrigation enterprises to give guidance to local farmers in using water properly. Fields banks should be repaired to prevent water leaking.  VNS
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc hands over gifts to gifts to the poor and Agent Orange victims

in ak Song district, the Central Highlands province of ak Nong yesterday. VNA/VNS Photo Thong Nhat

AK NONG  Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc visited poor people and policy beneficiaries in ak Song district, the Central Highlands province of ak Nong yesterday and presented 200 gifts ahead of the traditional Lunar New Year (Tet) festival.

On the occasion, the Central Committee of the Red Cross Society granted 100 gifts to the poor and Agent Orange victims in the district.

Speaking at the event, PM Phuc underlined the Party and States policy of caring for ethnic minority groups, policy beneficiaries and households in need.

He asked authorities of ak Song district and ak Nong province to ensure a warm Tet for local residents and pay attention to poverty reduction.

Earlier, the PM visited and presented Tet gifts to heroic Vietnamese mother Chau Thi Nghe, 94, in uc An town, ak Song district.

ak Song is now home to more than 79,000 people with 12 ethnic groups, mostly relying on agriculture. It has seven national-standard schools and 485 policy beneficiaries. The rate of poor households exceeds 10 percent while the rate of poor ethnic minority households accounts for more than 30 percent.  VNS
HA NOI  The rental market for cars has become boisterous in Viet Nam with the approach of the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday.

Even as rental prices have risen two or three times their normal rate, demand remains high, leaving many customers without a car during the holiday.

Thanh Vinh, a resident in District 3, HCM City, told plo.vn that his office would stop working late this Tet, so he decided to rent a car to visit his hometown in the Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) province of Lam ong, along with his family.

"Renting a car for Tet is an expensive affair, but passenger cars are cramped, while my family comprises five members, including children, so I want to rent a car to drive home," said Vinh.

However, Vinh said that despite approaching many dealers, he was unable to find a car that could accommodate four to seven passengers. Finally, he was able to rent a car with the support of his friend, although the price was steep at VN1.8 million per day.

Vinh is one of many trying to rent a car for Tet.

Many car agents have reportedly hiked rental prices by 50 to 60 per cent, up from VN900,000-VN1.2 million to VN1.5-VN1.7 million per day. Some agents are even asking double the rental price on normal days.

For example, the rental price of a four-seat sedan, such as Kia Morning or Hyundai Grand i10, is some VN10 to VN12 million for 10 days. Although the rental price is high, it is still not easy to rent a car for Tet.

Minh Trung, a member of Rong Viet Tour Company, which has two car rental agents in HCM City said all his cars had been rented out.

The rental price this Tet is higher than last year because of the increase in petrol, labour force, maintenance and warranty costs, said Trung.

There are still high-end models such as Mercedes, BMW and Civic in stock, which have a price tag of between VN1.2-VN1.8 million per day. Meanwhile, the rental prices of Vios, Innova and Camry are around VN13-VN15 million for 10 days.

Nguyen Vu, owner of a car rental agency in District 10, said most customers rent cars to travel from HCM City to Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Lam ong, Binh Thuan, Ninh Thuan and Can Tho provinces.

Nguyen Thi Hien, owner of Hien Toyota in District 1, HCM City, said customers should check the rental cars carefully. If they find any problems, they should immediately report them to the car owner. If customers are not careful about the defects in the car, they may lose their deposit.

In fact, many times they fail to check for scratches or damage to the car until the car is returned to the owner. This results in disputes between both sides. In the end customers are often at the receiving end, as they have to pay tens of millions of dong as compensation for scratches.

Hien also noted that customers should check the brakes and tyres carefully, which are two important factors that determine the safety and roadworthiness of the vehicle. After receiving the vehicle, customers must also check the registration documents, compulsory insurance and circulation licence.  VNS
HMS Queen Elizabeth Arrives in Gibraltar

HMS Queen Elizabeth makes Gibraltar her first port of call outside of the United Kingdom.

The Government of Gibraltar have said it is delighted to welcome HMS Queen Elizabeth to her British home in the Mediterranean.

HMS Queen Elizabeth is currently on a 6-week deployment to undertake Operational Training, and will berth throughout her stay alongside the Western Arm of the Port, next to the Cruise Terminal, which is deep enough to accommodate the ship.

The Chief Minister, the Hon Fabian Picardo QC, along with His Excellency the Governor, the Deputy Chief Minister and other local dignitaries, have been invited on board for lunch by the Captain. During the lunch, Mr Picardo will welcome the ship and her crew to Gibraltar.

The Chief Minister said, " I and every Gibraltarian will be proud that Gibraltar is able to host HMS Queen Elizabeth at Gibraltar Port on her first stop outside of the United Kingdom. Gibraltar continues to offer an important strategic advantage to the Ministry of Defence, and Her Majestys Government of Gibraltar is delighted to offer whatever logistical assistance we are able to. On behalf of the People of Gibraltar, I will present the Captain with a polished cross-section of a stalactite from inside the Rock of Gibraltar to serve as a permanent reminder that the Rock is the Royal Navys constant, unwavering and welcoming home in the Mediterranean."
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EmTech Asia 2018 brought together some of the best and brightest minds and visionaries from around the world, with the chief purpose of sharing and discussing the latest developments in pertinent topics in technology. This was the fifth iteration of EmTech (short for Emerging Technology) Asia, which was co-organised by MIT Technology Review and Koelnmesse Pte Ltd. This years conference featured speakers from a broad variety of topics: experts in the fields of artificial intelligence, quantum computing, robotics, automation, future cities, space and aerospace innovation, augmented and virtual reality, and bioengineering. VR Zone had the opportunity to attend EmTech Asia 2018  here are some of the highlights.

First in the line of stellar speakers was Paul Smith from Hyperloop One talking about the progress of the venture and its potential to connect Asian cities. The concept behind Hyperloop is one of frictionless travel  carriages levitate atop rails like a Maglev bullet train; the air is then sucked out of an air-tight tube to ensure that aerodynamic drag is kept at a minimum. At just under the speed of sound, the Hyperloop has the potential to eliminate the need for air travel between distant cities. The concept of on-demand departures gives passengers flexibility to plan their travel and not bound to train or flight schedules.

Pauls captivating presentation was followed by one by Cooling Singapore, presenting their findings on urban heat island (UHI) effect on Singapore. UHI occurs in dense metropolitan areas (like in most of Singapore) due to human activity and buildings that trap heat. Scientists have been collecting a vast amount of data and creating a heat model of Singapore for future livability of the city-state in order to find suitable solutions. With this, they can provide advice for the future urban planning of Singapore to make it more comfortable to live in.

The main highlight for us was the virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR). Alvin Wang Graylin, China President of Vive, who presented his vision for our VR future and ambitious goal. He sees VR as the next step in the user interfaces of our digital devices as it allows the user to go in and interact with the world of their choosing. It will be part of our daily lives like how smartphones are now. He envisioned an ambitious goal of achieving 5 billion by 2025. We had an interview with him and also a short hands-on with the Vive Focus from him.

The Deputy Director of Sony Computer Science Lab, Jun Rekimoto also presented some interesting research on the application of VR and AR. He mentioned that XR (Expanded Reality) has the potential as a platform to bring users into the experience of others. JackIn Head was a research project by Sony. It involves wearing a 360 camera on your head in order to record footage, which it then projects to a VR headset for others to view your experience. Think about it like a game spectator mode brought to real life. Rekimoto also presented Sonys telepresence project, allowing your likeness to be projected upon surrogate humans via tablet. These ideas are part of Sonys Internet of Abilities (IoA) project, which envisions enabling users to experience things in ways otherwise impossible for them.

Day 2

EmTech Asia 2018 continued on with the topic of Artificial Intelligence. Future application, research, and hardware were presented. Applications range from content generation to security. Tencents AI Lab presented their approach to AI application with three scenarios: games, social, and content. NVIDIA envisioned AI as a powerful tool for human aimed to help users and improve their work.

AI hardware has also been evolving with different approaches to the problem. Chief Scientist of NVIDIA, Bill Dally, presented the challenges AI computation takes and their solution to it. NVIDIA applied their knowhow from building GPUs to build hardware for AIs, resulting in the Volta V100 and Xavier SoC. The company believed that efficiency would be the key to enabling AI on more devices.

EmTech ended with a panel discussion on the future of aerospace (and mostly space). This segment was quite highly anticipated as it brought in a SpaceX engineer to present SpaceXs case for rocket reusability and their vision for interplanetary humanity. Other speakers also talked about CubeSats and cheaper launch cost would be the trend in the future especially for companies.
The Collings Foundation is currently in the midst of a renaissance, with a dozen or so vintage military aircraft currently under restoration to flying condition to join their already burgeoning fleet of airworthy warbirds. In amongst the more well known combat types under rebuild is a lowly trainer, a Fairchild PT-19A. However, this aircraft has some important history attached to it, which we will let the Foundations recent press release more properly describe

The Collings Foundation has started the restoration of Fairchild PT-19A serial number 43-31512, one of the last known primary trainer aircraft that served to train the Tuskegee Airmen, the first group of African-American military aviators and servicemen that fought in World War II. This historic aircraft will join our Boeing PT-17 Kaydet Stearman s/n 41-25454 that also served with the Tuskegee Airmen and will eventually be on display and offering flight training at the Collings Foundation headquarters in Stow, MA. The restoration is expected to take up to two years and has a budget of $150,000 to accomplish  and we need your help to bring this important aircraft back to the skies!

The Tuskegee Airmen were Americas first group of African-American military airmen, serving in the 332nd Fighter Group and 447th Bomber Group of the U.S. Army Air Force during WWII. These young men included pilots, navigators, bombardiers, maintenance and support staff, instructors, and all the personnel who kept the planes in the air. They were named after the location where they trained, Tuskegee Airfield near Tuskegee, Alabama.

The Tuskegee Airmen were subjected to racial discrimination, both within and outside the Army. They were denied military leadership roles and skilled training because many believed they lacked qualifications for combat duty. Before 1940, African-Americans were barred from flying for the U.S. military. Civil rights organizations and the press exerted pressure that resulted in the formation of the all African-American pursuit squadron. The Tuskegee Airmen overcame segregation and prejudice and became one of the most highly respected fighter groups of World War II.

The Collings Foundation acquired the last known remaining Fairchild PT-19A used to train Tuskegee pilots (Serial number 9504AE, 43-31512) and it is currently under restoration to flying condition. It appears, from the records, that this aircraft was manufactured by Aeronca, in Middletown OH and delivered to the USAAF on February 6th, 1944. It was assigned to the Primary Pilot Training School, Tuskegee AAF in Alabama on February 12th, 1944.

The restoration project is a 100-point, full restoration that will bring this historic aircraft back to factory-fresh condition. The restoration is being completed by Century Aviation of Wenatchee, WA who also completed our 1909 Curtiss Pusher and is also currently restoring our 1914 Curtiss Model F Flying Boat.

Restoring such an important aircraft is a time-consuming and expensive process. We can only accomplish this through your support and donations  so please help us get the PT-19A flying and Keep em Flying for the education of our future generations by generously giving to our Tuskegee Airmen PT-19A Restoration Project Fund.

Donate to the Tuskegee Airmen PT-19A Restoration Project Fund

You can help support the restoration project through a tax-deductible donation to our project fund. Our goal for the project is $150,000  so please give generously!

The Collings Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit educational foundation (Federal EIN: 04-2658294) and 100% of your donation goes to the restoration project fund. Donations of appreciated stock may also be made  please contact us by phone (below) for more details on doing that.

Donate over $1000 and FLY the PT-19!

Donations over $1000 will include the benefit of getting one of the first flight training positions on the PT-19 when it arrives in Stow, MA with Collings Foundation Executive Director and Flight Instructor Rob Collings.

Donate Online:

Safe and Secure Online Donations by Credit Card can be made at the form located at this link (processing provided by Blackbaud)

Donate By Mail:

Send checks or money orders along with your contact information to:

Collings Foundation

Attn: PT-19 Restoration Fund

PO Box 248

Stow, MA 01775

Please make checks to The Collings Foundation and include PT-19 Restoration Fund in the memo.

Donate By Phone:

Call 978-562-9182 and speak to Ryan Keough, Director of Development (rkeough@collingsfoundation.org) to make a donation by credit card or appreciated stock.
The Collings Foundation has just announced the schedule for their 2018 barnstorming tour, and we thought our readers would be interested to see where the aircraft will be traveling to. While it is just a preliminary schedule, this is what they have published so far

Our 29th season of the Wings of Freedom Tour has kicked off in Florida and we are now underway! The B-17, B-24, and TF-51D are currently heading up the West Coast of Florida before a brief maintenance stop and then heading up to North Florida and heading westbound on the National Tour. The B-25 Mitchell will join the tour after the maintenance break. There are a lot of visits on our 110-city tour that are left to confirm, but here are the visits that are currently scheduled. Click on the link for each location for dates and times.

This is Your Year to FLY!

At all of our visits, you can take to the skies aboard the B-17, B-24, B-25 or TF-51D! The B-17 and B-24 are available for 30-minute flights for a tax-deductible donation of $450 per per person, the B-25 is available for 25-minute flights for a donation of $400 per person as well!

Take Control with Flight Training on the P-51!

If you havent had an opportunity to experience flight training on the TF-51D Mustang, this is your year to experience the ultimate living history immersion! Your experienced flight instructor will give you the experience of a lifetime, taking the controls of the famous Mustang from the second full cockpit in the back. If you have flown on our P-51C Betty Jane, the experience of flying the TF-51D Toulouse Nuts is even more incredible with the beautiful 360-degree view from the bubble canopy! An hour of flight training is available for a tax-deductible donation of $3200 and a half-hour of flight training is a donation of $2200.
First UofL Dental Students Begin at Clinic at WKCTC
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President Juan Manuel Santos suspended peace talks between the ELN and the Colombian government on Jan. 29 after the rebels allegedly attacked security forces.

Representatives of the National Liberation Army (ELN) met with the leaders of over 40 Colombian social movements and organizations in Quito, Ecuador on Friday. The organizations asked the insurgent group to resume peace talks with the Colombian government.

Talks between the ELN and the Colombian government started in Feb. 2017 with the support of Ecuador, Brazil, Cuba, Chile, Norway, Venezuela and other countries. In spite of international support, the negotiations were suspended on Jan. 29 after ELN rebels attacked three police stations, causing seven deaths and wounding over 40 persons.

Since then, the Catholic Church, the National Network of Citizen Initiatives for Peace and Against War (Redepaz), and lawmakers have voiced their support for re-establishing the peace talks. However, talks with the ELN and the peace agreement struck with FARC have been used by supporters of former president Alvaro Uribe to attack President Juan Manuel Santos government for bowing to rebel pressure.

After the Colombian government suspended the talks, the ELN has reiterated calls to re-establish negotiations and agree on a new ceasefire, but Colombian officials, such as Peace Commissioner Rodrigo Rivera, have dismissed them as "rosy declarations" incompatible with "terrorist facts on the ground."

ELN attacks on security forces and infrastructure were allegedly perpetrated after the ceasefire agreement expired on Jan. 9.

Santos has not expressed a willingness to renew talks as long as ELN attacks continue.

Hours after the meeting between social movements and organizations and the ELN concluded, two highway bridges were destroyed by explosions between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. on Saturday. The Colombian armed forces have blamed the ELN for the attack.

Peace talks between the ELN and the Colombian government are running out time as presidential elections are scheduled for May, and no front-runner has shown support for continuing the peace talks.
As Venezuelans get ready to vote in Aprils presidential election, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio claimed via Twitter the world would support Venezuelas military if they decided to orchestrate a coup against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who is up for re-election.

The Republican lawmaker from Florida reiterated the need to "protect the people & restore democracy by removing a dictator" by posting a series of quotes by Latin American liberator Simon Bolivar in Spanish. Among them, one claimed "it is always noble to conspire against tyranny," and another reads "when tyranny is the law, rebellion is a right."

Simon Bolivar is a central figure that inspired former Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez to restore the Republic and launch the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA), an alternative form of regional integration for Latin America and the Caribbean, created in 2009 to counter growing influence by the United States and imposition of a free trade agenda.

The world would support the Armed Forces in #Venezuela if they decide to protect the people & restore democracy by removing a dictator  Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) February 9, 2018

Rubio's comments come after U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson also addressed Venezuela's military saying "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 also threatened an oil embargo on the Bolivarian nation that is already suffering due to U.S. sponsored economic and financial sanctions.

On Thursday the U.S. Department of State made a public statement yesterday calling Venezuela's elections an attempt to "dismantle" democracy.

Venezuela's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza condemned the United States stating they were "pressuring subordinates, forcing them to disavow the achievements reached in negotiations in the Dominican Republic... with the goal of expanding its coercive collective sanctions that have caused so much pain to the people of Venezuela" referring to the agreement that the members of the Opposition failed to sign.
Local News

Chesterfield Suspect



A former Texas man is considered a suspect in the death of Chesterfield woman on Thursday.



According to Macoupin County Sheriff Shawn Kahl, 34 year old David Buck of Medora is a homicide suspect; however, he has not been offically charged in Macoupin County. He is being held in the Macoupin County Jail on a no-bond warrant from the Texas Department of Corrections.



34 year old Rachel Warren was reportedly shot at her residence in the 400 block of Main Street in Chesterfield on Thursday afternoon. A 911 caller on Thursday informed the Macoupin County Sheriff's Office of the shooting and provided information about the vehicle the suspect left the scene in.



A short time later after a pursuit, the suspect was taken into custody in Jersey County.



The Illinois State Police and the Jersey County Sheriff's Office are assisting in the investigation.


A. P. Joyce in Mic:

Less than a week after President Donald Trump gave his State of the Union address touting the strength of the American economy under his presidency, the stock market saw one of its worst trading days in recent history, with stocks falling by about 1,175 points.

With the markets in turmoil and the fate of the U.S. economy under Trump looking more uncertain than ever, a new report has given lawmakers an easy guide on how to alleviate the economic pressure on 44 million Americans, while also lowering unemployment and growing the economy with one painfully simple policy. The answer: cancel all student debt.

A report from a group of economists at the Levy Economics Institute of Bard College finds that there would be huge benefits if the federal government were to forgive all existing student debt. This would ripple out from young people struggling to pay off massive college loans to the economy as a whole, according to the report.

The idea of canceling student debt is not just some crazy idea out of left field, but is actually something that could be done, and done in a way that has a moderately positive economic impact, Marshall Steinbaum, a fellow and research director at the Roosevelt Institute and a coauthor of the report said in an interview.

The way this and similar polices are often discussed is in a mode of well can we really afford this? and the answer is definitely yes, he added.

More here.
AnastasiaDate welcomes all members from across the world to celebrate the Maslenitsa Festival with Eastern Europeans.

AnastasiaDate, one of the largest international dating services worldwide, has called upon all members to celebrate the Maslenitsa Festival together online. Maslenitsa is the traditional Slavic festival celebrated from February 12 to 18 this year. The holiday is marked in countries including Serbia, Slovakia, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, and Macedonia.

The popular service is always aiming to bring members together from all over the world and encourage friendship and interest in other traditions.

Maslenitsa is celebrated in the period before the beginning of Lent. It is also popularly known as Butter Week and is the time for eating pancakes or blini and other tasty food prepared using dairy products.

It is an annual sun-festival that has a history stretching back to pagan times. In todays modern era, the traditions of the past are still followed and customs include bonfires, snowballing, and sledding.

The festivities last for seven days with a final dose of gluttony. It is the last week that Orthodox Russians can eat dairy before Lent. The festival provides people with the opportunity to feast to their hearts content on delicious pancakes and a host of other food items made using dairy products. The festival heralds the approach of spring and is celebrated with food and drinks of various varieties and fun activities like snowball fights and sledding.

AnastasiaDate is keen for members to share this folklore with all singles worldwide and is urging them to get chatting with their matches. This year AnastasiaDate has challenged members to try pancake flipping on webcam with their matches to see who can get the most flips.

Members can discover more about Maslenitsa and how it is celebrated by making contact with matches using AnastasiaDates features including Live Chat, CamShare, and Correspondence.

For more information, visit AnastasiaDate.

About AnastasiaDate:

AnastasiaDate is the leading international dating service that facilitates exciting and romantic companionship between men and women all over the world. Founded in 1993, AnastasiaDate now has over 20 million international users and attracts more than 80 million visitors annually. Additionally, over 1.5 million conversations are exchanged onsite daily. AnastasiaDate is committed to member safety, customer satisfaction and the ongoing pursuit of innovation. Part of the Social Discovery Ventures network, AnastasiaDate is headquartered in New York with additional representation in every country it touches, providing a high level of customer service to a worldwide clientele. All members are able to communicate across a variety of top-notch multimedia platforms, including video chat and a mobile app for Android devices available in Google Play.

Media Contact

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On January 17th, 2017 Stephen Arrington was one of 64 people pardoned by President Barack Obama on his last day in office. Part of his full pardon is his committed work traveling the world for drug education and prevention.

In the 1980's Arringtonn was convicted for smuggling millions of dollars for the Colombian cartel. In prison, his name was 'Fall Guy' for taking the fall for famed automaker John DeLorean.

Arrington has lived in Paradise with his family for the past 25 years. To date he has reached 830,000 people across the nation and five countries.

We joined Arrington at his most recent speaking engagement at Greenville Junior/Senior High School in Plumas County.
MOSS POINT, Miss. -- A 16-year-old in Moss Point is dead after suffering a gunshot wound to the chest, according to Interim Chief, Brandon Ashley.

Police are investigating the shooting, which occurred Friday evening on Rollins Street. Ashley said police received a call from a female saying she heard gunfire in the area.

The victim has been identified as 16-year-old Xavier Davison. He was rushed to Singing River Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Eyewitnesses to the shooting told police that Jeylen Fountain, 22, of Moss Point was the alleged shooter. Officers then issued a BOLO alert for the community and residents of Jackson County.

Police responded to the scene, canvassed the area, gathered evidence and spoke to several witnesses. Fountain turned himself in shortly without incident.

Fountain was interviewed, detained, and later charged with manslaughter-culpable negligence at the Jackson County Adult Detention Center.

Police are asking anyone with information about this crime to please contact Detective Mark Peters or the Moss Point Police Department at 228-475-1711. You may also contact Crime Stoppers at 800-787-5898 or visit the Mississippi Coast Crime Stoppers website at mscoastcrimestoppers.com
NOTE: Give this woman the 2018 Dr. Bernadine Healy award! How long before Ms McManus loses her job? From USA TODAY. Did you know that our Dan Olmsted was a founding journalist for USA Today at its launch. It was groundbreaking for its time - color photos! K



###



Milwaukee's newly picked top health official told a radio audience that "the science is still out" on whether there's a link between some vaccines and autism.

Patricia McManus, who was chosen by the Common Council this week to lead the troubled Milwaukee Health Department, was asked during a radio show Wednesday about whether the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine could cause autism in children.

I dont think the answer is yet there. I mean, theres still people who believe it," McManus said on The Forum talk show. "And so I dont know. I think the science is still out. I think thats a decision that these families are going to have to make on their own at this point.

"I wasn't questioning the science," she said. "I think clearly most public health people, and most doctors in general, believe that even if you have issues with it, the best thing to do is to still get the immunization."

McManus added that she "is not going anywhere telling people not to get immunized."

McManus, a registered nurse with a doctorate in urban studies, said she has learned from decades as a health professional that "you give people information, but you don't just drill it in, and just tell them that you're wrong, and this is what you have to do."
The new NATO centre would be used to keep shipping lanes safe from enemy submarines, as well as a logistics command focusing on moving troops quickly across Europe in any possible conflict. Unusually, it will not be integrated into the current NATO command structure.

US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis will join other allied defence ministers next week in Brussels to discuss plans for both commands, setting the stage for NATO leaders to make a formal decision on its use at a summit in July.

The decision is seen as a reaction to heightened tensions between NATO and Russia in the last few years  a leaked report showed last October that military leaders were concerned that the alliance was not adequately prepared against a surprise Russian attack.

Another new NATO headquarters will be set up in the US and tasked with securing air and sea routes between North America and Europe. The United States has offered to host the command in Norfolk, Virginia, where NATO already has operations. The German-hosted command could be in Ulm, in southern Germany, or possibly Cologne, two places were the country already has NATO and multinational facilities.

There are apparently no other contenders to host the senior command centre in Germany, which is expected to be officially announced at the NATO meeting next week.

The German military, or Bundeswehr, already has its armed forces headquarters in the Bonn-Cologne area.

Creating two new commands, which diplomats said would have up to 1,500 personnel in total, would be the first expansion in two decades after NATO sharply cut its numbers in Europe in 2011.

The move is seen as a major gesture NATO members in Eastern Europe, who fear a revanchist and aggressive Russia, while the German offer comes at a time when Berlin has faced pressure from Washington to spend more on defence.

While the strategy will not revive a much larger Cold War-era Atlantic Command that was disbanded in 2002, it would broaden NATOs new deterrent against Moscow, which involves rotating forces in the Baltics, Poland, and the Black Sea region.

Many in the West were also alarmed by Moscows war games in September that massed tens of thousands of troops and may have tested highly advanced electronic warfare technology on NATO-member Latvia.

Retired General Ben Hodges, who until recently was commander of the US Army in Europe, had long called for Germany to take on a bigger role in managing logistics and transportation needs for the alliance.

The issue is sensitive, however. Germany wants to keep talking to Moscow and has chafed at the proposed Rear Area Operations Command name for the logistics base, as it could imply that NATO is preparing for war.

But the two additional bases in Germany and the US represent only a mild rearmament compared to Cold War levels when NATO had several dozen bases and active headquarters. According to the alliances own figures, the trans-Atlantic alliance currently has seven headquarters, and under 10,000 deployed personnel.
President Trump has threatened to tear up the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) now up for renewal, but north Alabama business leaders were warned Thursday that he may also tear up 70,000 Alabama jobs if he does.

Jobs. They are why Alabama citizens should care about the negotiations under way to renew the deal among the U.S., Canada and Mexico originally signed 24 years ago, the business leaders were told. When the deal was made to cut or end duties on most products and parts moving between the three countries, all three wanted it.

"Now, we have two countries that really want it and another one that's saying they probably don't want it," Mexican Consul General Javier Diaz de Leon told reporters afterward. "That's a very different thing."

Trump believes the deal is unfair to American workers. He wants changes to make it easier for Americans to export to Canada and Mexico and harder for those countries to export goods here.

The latest round of negotiations to renew the agreement was held in Toronto in late January. Some observers say the president has moved from scrapping the deal to updating it, a process that will also create business winners and losers. The visit by de Leon was part of an effort to lobby an audience that might have influence in Washington to keep the process moving. A similar session was held last year in Nashville.

"We sort of feel that there needs to be a little bit more of a sense of urgency on the part of some of the stakeholders that have a lot at stake in these talks," de Leon said. "Alabama has had a very successful story in the past few years creating enormous advantages for certain sectors that are blossoming here. A lot of those investments are coming because (companies) want to take advantage of the way we have been able to create supply chains that are the most competitive in the world."

If the three countries break those chains, de Leon said, "Those investments will probably think twice about whether they want to come here and create the jobs that they are creating right now."

"A lot of people think that what we are trading with each other is finished goods," de Leon said. "Yes, we sell avocados and you sell bourbon. That's great."

But the real relationship is more complex, he said. "For example, every car that is done in North America, the cars are actually (made) partly in Mexico and partly in the United States. Out of every Mexican product that is exported to the world, 40 percent of that product is American content. If you compare that to China, the percentage of American content in a Chinese product is 2 percent."

In Alabama, most people don't know that auto parts companies like Remex in Sylacauga are Mexican-owned, he said. The company employs 700 people, he said. Aerospace parts also cross borders into finished products, he said.

Diaz cited the recent Alabama auto plant announced by Toyota and Mazda. "Alabama has had a very successful story in the past few years creating enormous advantages for certain sectors that are blossoming precisely here in this area...," he said. "If we start messing with that, if we start breaking the supply chains that are the most efficient in the world, competitiveness will suffer. And those investments will probably think twice about whether they want to come here."

De Leon and Marvin Hildebrand, an economic minister for the Canadian Embassy, spoke to about 100 business executives at a panel discussion hosted by the North Alabama International Trade Association (NAITA) and the law firm of Baker Donelson. The meeting was held at the Huntsville International Airport.

(Updated Feb. 10 at 4 p.m. CDT to clarify that the latest round of negotiations was in Canada in January.)
It's now official.

Roy Moore is not running for governor.

Twice elected as the state's Supreme Court chief justice and twice a candidate for governor, Moore did not declare his candidacy and pay his entrance fee by the close of the qualifying window Friday at 5 p.m.

After Moore failed in his bid to win a seat in the U.S. Senate last year, there were speculation and rumors that he might shift his focus to the race for governor.

His silence, however, appears to have answered that question.

Moore never indicated he was even considering jumping back into a political campaign even as the inevitable speculation continued.

During the Senate campaign, which Democrat Doug Jones won, the governor's race was considered to be a fallback option for candidates. But none of the Senate candidates are running for governor.

While Moore is not running for governor, he's not eligible to seek another term on the state Supreme Court. Alabama law prevents anyone over the age of 70 being elected to a judicial position. Moore turns 71 on Sunday.

Moore was suspended from the court in 2016 for refusing to enforce a U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage. He later resigned from the court to run for Senate.

Rich Hobson, a longtime Moore aide who served as his campaign manager in the Senate race, has qualified to run in the GOP primary for the 2nd Congressional District seat held by U.S. Rep. Martha Roby.
State Rep. Craig Ford of Gadsden, who for years was leader of the Democratic minority in the Alabama House, is stepping outside the party to run as an independent for the state Senate.

Ford announced today he is running in Senate District 10, a seat held by Sen. Phil Williams of Rainbow City, who is not seeking reelection.

Ford said a senator needs to be able to work with both parties to get things done.

"Too often political games get in the way and we need to focus on solving real problems like improving our schools, creating good paying jobs, and rebuilding our roads and bridges," Ford said in a press release.

Ford became House minority leader after Republicans took control of the House in 2010 and held that position until last year. Ford has annually introduced bills to propose a state lottery for education. He was first elected to the House in 2000.

Ford owns an insurance company, serves in the Alabama National Guard and previously served in the Army Reserve.

In 2016, Ford said he was considering a run for governor and called for Democratic Party Chairwoman Nancy Worley and Vice Chairman Joe Reed to step down, saying the party needed new leadership. Democrats held no statewide offices until Doug Jones won last year in the U.S. Senate race.

Worley and Reed dismissed Ford's criticism at the time, with Reed saying he and Worley worked hard for the party on a volunteer basis.

Two Republicans are running in District 10. They are Rep. Mack Butler of Rainbow City, who owns an electrical contracting business, and Andrew Jones of Centre, a farmer and small business owner. The primary is June 5.

No Democrats qualified to run in District 10.

Winning a Senate seat as an independent would not be unprecedented. Sen. Harri Anne Smith of Slocomb, a former Republican, was elected as an independent in District 29 in southeast Alabama in 2010 and in 2014.
Former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman is recovering from an emergency heart bypass surgery, a spokeswoman confirmed via e-mail Saturday afternoon.

"Don is sitting in a chair, talking (and) looking great! You would never know the docs had his heart out yesterday. Amazing!" the former governor's brother Les Siegelman wrote on a Facebook fan page dedicated to Siegelman's causes.

The post details Siegelman's recent health, stating that he was prompted by doctor's to get the emergency surgery, following a routine physical and "subsequent procedures".

"He required four by-passes to fix 90% blockage in the 'Widow Maker'," Les Siegelman wrote, "Doctors said he could have died in his sleep. They anticipate a rapid and full recovery."

According to Les Siegelman, his brother is in recovery at St. Vincent's Hospital in Birmingham.

In an e-mail correspondence via the e-mail address associated with Siegelman's official website, the former governor's administrative assistant reported Siegelman is on track to be released from hospital care on Wednesday.

"Yes, he will be released unless there is a snafu which we don't want. He cannot be interviewed as he will be in violation of his home confinement," the administrative assistant wrote. "Anyone who goes to visit must be cleared by the (Federal Bureau of Prisons)."

Siegelman was released from a federal prison in Louisiana, back in February 2017, after serving a six year sentence for bribery and obstruction of justice.

After serving as Secretary of State, Attorney General and Lieutenant Governor, he served the state of Alabama as governor from 1999 to 2003.

Siegelman's son, Joseph Siegelman, qualified to run for Attorney General on Friday.
Reg E. Cathey, a Huntsville native who is most known for his acting roles in "House of Cards" and "The Wire" died Friday at 59 years old.

TMZ reported Cathey died at his home in New York while surrounded by friends and family. He had reportedly been battling lung cancer.

His death was first reported by David Simon, who created "The Wire" and had a close relationship with Cathey.

Reg Cathey, 1958-2018. Not only a fine, masterful actor -- but simply one of the most delightful human beings with whom I ever shared some long days on set. On wit alone, he could double any man over and leave him thinking. Reg, your memory is a great blessing. pic.twitter.com/OHEUbAhTg0  David Simon (@AoDespair) February 9, 2018

In a tweet, Simon called Cathey "simply one of the most delightful human beings with whom I ever shared some long days on set."

"On wit alone, he could double any man over and leave him thinking. Reg, your memory is a great blessing," he continued in the Tweet.

"House of Cards" creator Beau Willimon called Cathey "one of a kind" and "brimming with life force, generosity and humor."

Reg Cathey was one of a kind. Brimming with life force, generosity, humor, gravitas and a fountain of talent. Loved by everyone lucky enough know him and work with him. He will be greatly missed.

Rest In Peace, Reg. pic.twitter.com/p9DXFgDevP  Beau Willimon (@BeauWillimon) February 9, 2018

In House of Cards, Cathey played Freddy Hayes, proprietor of the fictional, hole-in-the-wall Freddy's BBQ.

Located in a grittier side of town, Freddy's BBQ Joint is where "House of Cards" anti-hero Frank Underwood - a Spacey-played politician, who, over the course of the show's first two seasons, has zoomed from being House of Representatives majority whip to President of the United States - goes to nosh on ribs and escape Capitol Hill headaches.

Below are 10 other shows and movies where the now-late Huntsville native played:

"The Fantastic Four," 2014 reboot as Dr. Storm.

"Se7en," the 1995 thriller film, as Dr. Santiago.

"The Wire," a Baltimore-depicting HBO show which aired 2002-2008, as Norman Wilson.

"Oz," a prison-depicting HBO show which ran 1997-2003, as Martin Querns.

"The Mask," the 1994 superhero action comedy film, as Freeze.

"American Psycho," the 2000 thriller (featuring Christian Bale starring as an ultra-egotistical investment banker/serial murder), as a homeless man named Al.

"The Machinist," the 2004 thriller (featuring Christian Bale starring as an ultra-gaunt industrial worker/insomnia sufferer), as Jones.

"30 Rock, the NBC-depicting NBC sitcom (not featuring Christian Bale in any capacity whatsoever) which aired 2006-2013, as Rutherford Rice in a 2006 episode.

"Law & Order," the 1990-2001 NBC police procedural running, as Gerald in a 2004 episode.

"Star Trek: The Next Generation," the 1987-1994 first-run syndicated sci-fi TV series , as Morag in a 1993 episode.
An inmate at St. Clair Correctional Facility fatally stabbed another inmate just before noon Friday, according to the Alabama Department of Corrections.

Correctional officers responded to an inmate assault around 11:30 a.m. Friday and found 25-year-old Travis Lamar Wilson Jr. outside a cell block with serious injuries. Wilson was treated at the scene and taken to an area hospital, where he later died.

Wilson was serving a 25-year sentence on a 2011 murder conviction in Etowah County.

Cruz Caldwell, 25, has been identified as a suspect in the stabbing. Caldwell was sentenced to 20 years in 2011 for a first-degree theft of property conviction in Coffee County.

He was charged with murder after Friday's stabbing.

Officials said it is unclear what lead to the assault.

Additional details were not immediately available.
Mirroring national trends, women in Alabama are stepping up in large numbers, ready to take a seat in the statehouse.

Currently, there are very few female lawmakers in Montgomery.

In fact, just 15 percent, or 21 out of 140, state legislators are women. And while the number of women is increasing, Alabama has a long way to go to reach parity.

"It's sad that we are 52 percent of the population, but we hold so few state legislative seats," said Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison, D-Birmingham, one of only four females sitting in Alabama's 35 Senate seats.

All 140 legislative seats are up for election this year and candidate qualifying ended Friday, Feb. 9.

So, how many women qualified to run for Alabama's statehouse in 2018?

According to each party's website, it appears that 63 women---49 Democrats and 14 Republicans---qualified for state legislative offices by the deadline.

Nationally, Alabama ranks low, 45th out of 50, for the percentage of women serving in the state legislature.

But if a female candidate for Alabama's statehouse wins every seat a woman qualified for, the number of elected female state lawmakers would more than double---to 56, or nearly 38 percent.

That rise would catapult Alabama to the number six spot in the country.

Which states currently have the highest percentage of women in their state legislatures? Arizona and Vermont, with 40 percent, take the number one spot.

Most states at the bottom of the list are in the South, but Wyoming takes the bottom spot, with only 11 percent of state legislative offices held by women.

Click here for an interactive version of the map below from the National Conference of State Legislatures website.

No state has a truly representative percentage of women serving in their state legislature according to Rutgers Center for American Women and Politics, or CAWP.

But women in the South have their own set of challenges, CAWP's Associate Director Jean Sinzdak said.

Southern women typically lag behind in terms of education and equal pay, and that likely factors in to Alabama's poor showing in the statehouse, she said.

"I've heard many many people describe many of the Southern legislatures as being very much a 'Good Old Boy' network, still," Sinzdak said. "Certainly, other legislatures are 'old boy' networks, but Southern legislatures have a reputation as being outdated in behaviors and norms that keep women from advancing."

Emerge Alabama's Executive Director Stacie Propst takes that description a step further. "We are being ruled by an elite minority," Propst said. "White men are 31 percent of the population, but they hold 96 seats in the state legislature." That's 70 percent of seats in both chambers that are filled by white men.

Propst, through her work with Emerge Alabama hopes to move Alabama's statehouse closer to parity among women and women this election cycle.

Alabama became the 20th state to join the national Emerge America network whose overarching goal is to get more Democratic women elected to public office by providing training and support to candidates.

"We're teaching women how to run a campaign, soup-to-nuts," Propst said.

Emerge Alabama doesn't endorse or raise money for candidates, she said, but the network developed through the training provides a greater benefit.

An Alabama native, Propst is no stranger to politics, having spent 10 years in the nation's capital advocating in Congress for science funding and evidence-based public policies. She is excited to talk about the 26 women currently enrolled in the organization's 70-hour candidate training program.

"It's a big commitment," Propst said. Not all are running for a statehouse position in November, she said, but many are. And for most, this is their first time running for office.

Propst said she is getting calls all over the state from women who say they can't pass up the opportunity to run for the state legislature.

CAWP's Sinzdak oversees the organization's national "Ready to Run" campaign, a nonpartisan effort which encourages women to run for political office and tracks the number of women running for state and Congressional offices.

Sinzdak said they're seeing "double the numbers of women" running for statewide Congressional seats. "It's quite dramatic," she said, adding that the last time this type of uptick in candidates happened was in 1992, referred to as "The Year of the Woman."

Women candidates: do they win?

Sinzdak said, "Women win at the same rates as men in comparable races. Women just aren't running as many races as men are."

But, she said, "Women are still the primary caretakers in their households," and often juggle multiple roles, including taking care of family members and their own work responsibilities, which can keep them from running for elected office in the first place.

Alabama Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison, D-Birmingham, agrees that women juggle more roles, and sees that as a strength.

That multi-tasking, she said, makes women well suited to be state lawmakers. "Women come with a whole lot more equipment from their past experiences. [Women] bring a whole lot more to the table than men simply because of what they have had to do."

Coleman-Madison, a licensed realtor, is serving her third term in the Senate, but has served in other elected positions, including one term in the House of Representatives and three terms on the Birmingham City Council before her election to District 20 in the Senate. She is seeking a fourth term this year.

Propst said the Emerge network has had tremendous success across the country. In 2017, she said, "Seventy-three percent of Emerge-trained candidates who got to their general [election], won their general election."

The diversity of candidates who are training with Emerge Alabama and the commitment they have made is a good sign, she said. Women are stepping forward in a way she hasn't previously seen.

But Propst knows a critical mass of women, working together, is necessary to have a big impact. "All of us have figured out that we're going to have to work together to get over this last hump of inequality," she said.

Why women need to be in the statehouse

Propst said it's simple: "Research shows women legislate differently. They are more collaborative."

Sinzdak agreed, adding, "They're more likely to build consensus across the aisle." Sinzdak said women tackle issues that male legislators might not see as priorities, pointing to female Senators in Congress who pushed a bipartisan effort to deal with sexual assault in the military.

"Would male legislators have paid attention to it in the same way," she asked.

Women bring up issues that might not otherwise be addressed and that other women are experiencing, Sinzdak said. Also, she said, "There is research that shows women elected officials bring other marginalized or underrepresented groups into the governing process."

There is also a perception that there need to be more women in elected positions to lessen the likelihood of harassment associated with the #MeToo movement, Sinzdak said. "Because of what's happening, we need to give more women a voice."

Coleman-Madison said women tend to bring up issues that matter to families.

Sinzdak agreed, saying women are drawn to issues typically associated with the social safety net. "Women are more likely to carry the water on issues like health and education," she said, but also care about the economy and jobs.

The small number of women at the statehouse means some legislative committees have no female members. Committees serve as gateways for new bills and must gain committee approval before they can be voted on by the full chamber.

In the House, three committees---Agriculture and Forestry, Ethics and Campaign Finance, and Military and Veterans Affairs---have no women at the table. Another four local legislation committees---Baldwin County, Limestone County, Montgomery County and Tuscaloosa County---also have no female members.

In the Senate, two local legislative committees---Shelby County and Madison County---have no female members. The Senate's Tourism and Marketing committee has no women on the committee, either. The remaining 17 committees have either one or two female members.

Given Alabama's history of corruption of elected officials, are women a safer bet?

Sinzdak said that perception is out there, which can give female candidates an advantage, but there isn't any clear research showing whether women are less "ethically-challenged" than men, partly because women don't have as long of a history of being in the statehouse.

"We're only now at 25 percent," she said, pointing out that it wasn't until the 1980s that women comprised 10 percent of statehouse officials across the country. That's a small body to research, she said.

Alabama's rise was even slower: the percentage of women in Alabama's statehouse didn't reach 10 percent until 2003.

Democratic women outnumber Republican women in Alabama's statehouse

Democratic women outnumber Republican women two-to-one in Alabama's statehouse: 14 Democrats to 7 Republicans. Nationwide, 61 percent of women state legislators are Democrats, and 38 percent are Republicans.

As to why more women run as Democrats, Sinzdak said, "Part of that is because the Democratic Party generally supports the social safety net issues," which are generally the same issues women care about.

Though there isn't extensive research on why Republican women run in smaller numbers, Sinzdak said she is concerned. The national uptick in women running for office "is entirely on the Democratic side. We're not seeing more Republican women running and that's a real concern," she said.

"Ideally you would have women in both parties running and we'd be a lot closer to parity if there were more women on the Republican side, but we're losing them."

Alabama Republican Party Chair Terry Lathan said there are likely many different reasons why women don't run for office overall but couldn't say why Republican women in general were less likely to run.

Lathan said she is encouraged that more Republican women are running than in previous years and pointed out the success that Gov. Kay Ivey has had at the state level, holding the position of Lieutenant Governor before ascending to Governor in 2017.

Ivey, a Republican, is one of only six female Governors in the country according to CAWP. Four are Republicans, and two are Democrats.

Mary Scott Hunter is running for Senate District 7 encompassing parts of Madison County in north Alabama.

Hunter, currently one of eight elected state board of education members, said she hadn't given much thought to being, according to the Alabama Republican Party's qualified candidate list, one of only three Republican women running for one of the 35 positions in Alabama's Senate.

Ten female Democrats qualified Friday to run for the state Senate.

No Republican women currently serve in Alabama's Senate. There are four women currently serving as Alabama Senators: three Democrats and one Independent.

"I didn't look at the Senate and say 'oh, there are no women, I'm going to go run," Hunter said. "I'm running for the state Senate because it's where I genuinely think I can best serve and I've got something to offer."

Hunter, who served in the military and practices law, doesn't see the state's majority-male Senate as a barrier.

"The way I was raised, the expectations that were put on me, I've never really seen barriers," Hunter said. Hunter said her parents and others who have mentored her along the way encouraged her to keep moving forward and finding ways to serve.

"I think Republicans do need to do better, obviously," Hunter said, acknowledging that Republican women are underrepresented as elected officials.

With that said, though, Hunter said she doesn't really consider the gender of a candidate, but rather whether the person is a running on a platform she agrees with.

Lathan agreed with Hunter, saying while she would like to see more female candidates for office, "I don't think we should vote blindly because of one's gender. I think we should vote strongly because of one's policy and platform.".

Why don't women run?

Sinzdak said there are many reasons why women don't run as often as men do.

One of the primary reasons? Men hold the majority of seats. It's really hard to beat an incumbent, Sinzdak said. "They win 90 percent of the time, usually."

Open seats provide an easier way in, she said, and are typically easier for newcomers to win.

That male majority presents another problem, Sinzdak said. When there are only a few women in a state legislature, she said, "it's harder for women to imagine themselves there and also find a path to get there."

One of the other big reasons women don't run is that nobody asks them to, Sinzdak said, and women are far less likely to be recruited for public office. "Elected officials and party leaders are more likely to ask men," she said. "That makes a huge difference."

Also, Sinzdak said, "[Women] are turned off by the negativity of politics."

Lathan agreed, calling that negativity the "ick" factor, and saying that women, as nurturers, tend to not want to be a part of that world. "Women ask, 'why would I get myself involved with that? Why would I do this with my family?'," Lathan said. All of that tends to make women say "that's not for me," she said.

"Women often have family and children in the nucleus of their decision-making processes," Lathan said, adding that women may be more likely to think about running for office after their children are grown and they have more freedom and more time to give back.

Juggling multiple roles and holding a job while serving as a legislator can be hard for women who don't have access to other financial resources, Sinzdak said, adding, "It's essentially a volunteer job in a lot of cases."

Alabama's legislators will earn $46,257 for serving in 2018, according to the Alabama Fiscal Services Agency 2018 Budget Fact Book. If legislators were paid as a full-time job, that barrier becomes less of a challenge, she said.

Just last month, Rep. Patricia Todd, D-Birmingham, announced she would not seek re-election because of concerns about holding a job that isn't in conflict with Alabama's ethics laws.

"The current ethic laws and the time to serve as a legislator create a barrier for me to secure full time employment and it has created a financial burden on my family," Todd said in a statement announcing her decision.

Todd was elected in 2006 and is Alabama's only openly gay state legislator.

Emerge Alabama's Propst said many women are put off by the mystique of getting elected.

"Demystifying the idea of running for office is very important," Propst said. "Especially in a place like Alabama where they make it seem like you have to be hand-picked to get into office."

"This is math, not magic," Propst said.

"This is not some sort of miraculous thing that only a person with tons of money can do, and you don't have to be plucked by the leadership to do it. You can just run."

Is Alabama at a turning point for women running for office?

Propst says yes. In her view, the Dec. 12 election of Democrat Doug Jones for U.S. Senator signaled a turning point for women.

"Many people would argue that Doug Jones got elected by women across the state," she said, and a lot of the women who worked at the grassroots level to get Jones elected are now running for office.

A bigger question may be whether Alabama is ready for more women in the statehouse.

To that, Propst said, "This wave is happening whether we're ready or not."
A top lawman in Lawrence County was arrested Thursday night in nearby Decatur on a misdemeanor domestic-violence charge.

Lawrence County Sheriff's Office Chief of Staff Tim McWhorter is charged with third-degree domestic violence, Decatur police spokeswoman Emme Long said. McWhorter was released from the Morgan County Jail on $300. McWhorter has denied all allegations against him.

McWhorter's girlfriend told Decatur police officers that he showed up at her house the night of Dec. 8 and assaulted her, according to an incident report. The report was taken Dec. 28 by Officer Michael Kent when police were called by a relative to do a welfare check at the girlfriend's home. During the welfare check witnesses told police about suspicions of domestic violence.

The girlfriend showed police photos of bruises she suffered during the attack. She told police McWhorter was drunk when he went to her house, the report states.

"Within minutes of McWhorter coming inside of the residence, he followed her into the kitchen and grabbed her by the arms just above her elbows and squeezed them to the point where she obtained a bruise on her left arm," according to the report. "(The victim) advised me that while McWhorter was holding onto her arms, he threw her against a kitchen counter next to the garage door."

The girlfriend said the incident also left a knot on her back, the report states.

"...McWhorter was still irate and started yelling at her more calling her a 'rich bitch,' and told her she was selfish and she only cared about herself," the victim told police.

The assault stemmed from a money dispute, the victim told the officer. The report says McWhorter was having financial problems, so his girlfriend loaned him money. McWhorter gave her a repayment check but asked her to wait before cashing it. The girlfriend told the officer she held the check for a while but got worried she wouldn't get her money back. After she cashed the check, McWhorter texted her that she had "f....d up his money," the report says. Later that evening is when he showed up at her home, beat on the door and assaulted her, according to the statement.

The victim first met McWhorter on Nov. 6 and they soon started dating, the report states. The woman told police McWhorter is "very controlling of her," according to the report. The woman didn't immediately call police because of McWhorter's rank at the sheriff's office, she told the officer.

"...she feared since he was an officer with ranking nothing would be done," the report states.

McWhorter denied the allegations in an emailed statement.



"In response to my arrest last night, I wish it to be known that I have done no wrong and I have no idea what the basis was for the arrest," he said. "I vehemently proclaim my innocence in this matter, as well as any other claims that have been made against me. I do not know what the driving force is behind these allegations."



When he was arrested, McWhorter already was on paid leave from the sheriff's office for a different issue.

In an email to reporters this past week, McWhorter provided copies of two letters -- one he says he sent to Sheriff Gene Mitchell and another with the sheriff's response.

In his letter to the sheriff, McWhorter requests an investigation into allegations about his own handling of the office's evidence. McWhorter was the evidence custodian but apparently had been removed from the position after accusations were leveled by an outside source.

"This is a matter I believe needs to be investigated further to help exonerate me and repair the damage that has been inflicted on my reputation," McWhorter wrote in the Jan. 22 letter.

In a Jan. 26 response letter, Mitchell said he immediately was suspending McWhorter with pay.

"I have decided to grant your request for an investigation into your handling of the evidence in the evidence room and other evidence of matters that would damage your integrity," the sheriff wrote in the letter provided to AL.com by McWhorter. "In order to (e)nsure an unbiased investigation, I have requested an outside agency to conduct the investigation."

The sheriff could not immediately be reached for comment today.
A woman died in Gallion Friday morning after her car left the roadway and overturned, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.

Dawn Roberta Gressler Gates, 33, was killed when the 2001 Dodge Durango she was driving left the road was and overturned, troopers said. She was from Gallion.

Troopers said she was not wearing a seatbelt and was pronounced dead on the scene.

The crash happened around 9:35 a.m. Friday on Hale County Road 62 within the city limits of Gallion, trooper said.

Additional details about the crash were not immediately available.
By Alex Ward@AlexWardVox [email protected] Feb 8, 2018

A retired Navy SEAL who was on the raid to kill Osama bin Laden has some harsh words about President Donald Trumps military parade plan.

The Washington Post reported on Tuesday that Trump requested the Pentagon start planning a military parade to take place later this year along the inaugural route between Capitol Hill and the White House (which happens to pass the Trump International Hotel). The Pentagon and the White House both confirmed that the parade was in the planning stages.

But on Thursday morning, Robert ONeill  who says hes the one who shot bin Laden and identifies as a conservative  tweeted his displeasure with Trumps demand.

A military parade is third world bullsh1t, ONeill wrote. We prepare. We deter. We fight. Stop this conversation.

Heres what he means: Poor  and usually authoritarian  countries like big military parades as a way to make the nation look tough and to stroke the dictators ego. In fact, North Korea held a big military parade on Thursday  just hours before the start of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea  featuring many of its weapons and thousands of troops.

Trump seems to want a parade to celebrate the military and build up national support  but his request undoubtedly has some authoritarian undertones.

Even some conservatives dont like the military parade plan

ONeills rebuke stands out mostly because hes a retired Navy SEAL.

The elite, counterterrorism-focused group garnered attention when it rescued Capt. Richard Phillips from a pirate hijacking in 2009 and killed bin Laden in 2011. Scores of movies and books  some of them written by SEALs themselves  recount their clandestine, often violent missions, turning the groups members into national celebrities and pop culture icons.

The criticism also stands out because some conservatives, like ONeill, dont think the parade is a good idea. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, called Trumps military parade plan cheesy and weak.

Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) said, America is the most powerful country in all of human history; you dont need to show it off, adding, I think confidence is silent and insecurity is loud.

Its unclear if there will actually be a parade any time soon. But former members of the military  and the presidents own party  dont seem to think its a good idea.
The purpose of cryonics is to save the lives of living people, not inter the bodies of dead people. Death is a neurological process that begins after the heart stops. A stopped heart only causes death if nothing is done when the heart stops. Cryonics proposes to do something. In the words of a mainstream critical care expert writing for the American College of Surgeons, In this era of critical care, death is more a process than an event. A prognosis of deathcannot serve as a diagnosis.

Alcor uses life support equipment to restore blood circulation to maintain brain viability after the heart stops, ideally within minutes. This means that every cell and tissue of a cryonics patient can be just as alive at the beginning of cryonics procedures as any other medical patient. Care of a terminally-ill patient can legally be transferred to Alcor as soon as the heart stops beating. Legal death declared at that moment is simply a certification that theres nothing more contemporary medicine can do for a dying patient.

Dying is a process, not an event. The purpose of cryonics is to intercept and stop this dying process within the window of time that it may be reversible in the future. The first few minutes of clinical death are certainly reversible, even today. There are good reasons to believe that this window will extend further in the future. That is why cryonics is sometimes implemented even long after the heart stops. Cryonics is not a belief that the dead can be revived. Cryonics is a belief that no one is really dead until the information content of the brain is lost, and that low temperatures can prevent this loss.

The cryopreservation phase of cryonics will not be reversible for a very long time. But this still does not mean cryonics patients are dead. Life can be stopped and restarted under the right conditions, and life is often mistaken for death when resuscitation methods are not sufficiently advanced. If cryonics patients are ever successfully recovered, they will not have been dead by definition. They will have been unconscious, not dead. Saying cryonics cannot work because cryonics patients are dead is a circular argument. The statement assumes the conclusion it claims to prove!
US state secretary is expected in Ankara amid strained relations between the NATO allies over Kurdish rebels in Syria.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited Turkey twice during his first year in office, but his third trip due next week may well be the most important.

Turkish-US relations were strained during former President Barack Obamas tenure. Some observers say theyve only become worse during President Donald Trumps administration  and they fear the NATO allies could clash militarily in Syria.

Tillersons mission is to reduce the tensions.

Like Obama before him, Trump is backing the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) because of their success in reclaiming territory once held by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) armed group.

That has angered Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The SDF is an umbrella group of fighters led by the Peoples Protection Units (YPG)  a Kurdish rebel group considered a terrorist group by Ankara.

Erdogan routinely accuses Washington of undermining his countrys security by supporting Kurdish fighters inside Syria, refusing to extradite cleric Fethullah Gulen for allegedly plotting a failed coup attempt in Turkey in 2016 and for never trying to overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

More worrisome for the US, Erdogan launched Operation Olive Branch in late January, sending his forces into the northwestern Syrian town of Afrin in order to prevent YPG rebels from taking control.

He is now threatening to send his troops east to Manbij, where the SDF and US troops are securing the city from ISIL fighters.

The US doesnt want that to happen, and Tillerson will repeat that message during his meetings.

On Friday, a senior state department official told reporters: We are urging them to show restraint in their operations in Afrin, and to show restraint further along the line across the border in northern Syria.

We need to work with the Turks more to figure out a way if theres a way that we can work with them to address their legitimate security concerns while, at the same time, minimising civilian casualties and above all else keeping everything focused on the fight against ISIL, which is not over, the official said.

But analysts say, on this trip, its more important for Tillerson to listen than to talk.

Senior policy analyst Nicholas Danforth, of the Bipartisan Policy Center, told Al Jazeera he was cautiously optimistic.

I continue to think that on both sides, sanity will prevail; that both sides will realise the damage they will suffer from a breakdown of the US-Turkish relationship, the NATO alliance, would be catastrophic, and therefore they will avoid provocative steps, he said.

But again, rhetorically, on the ground, you have both sides working themselves into positions that will be increasingly difficult to back down from.

That fact will make Tillersons third visit to Turkey one to watch.
The #MeToo movement has been tremendously important in debunking the myth of the man of colour as sexual predator.

In early January 2016, news of mass sexual assaults on the New Years Eve in the German city of Cologne was dominating headlines in Western media. Reports of theft and sexual assaults were multiplying by the day and many were describing the perpetrators as refugees or Arab men.

Subsequent investigations revealed that dozens of men of North African background had mugged and sexually assaulted women that night, though not on the mass scale that had initially been reported.

Yet journalists and politicians all over the world were quick to frame the Cologne events as the result of the inherent sexism of the brown men who had committed them. In the German press, the nearly unanimous position was that these men came from societies and religious backgrounds in which women are subjugated and mistreated. There were similar sentiments expressed in the rest of Europe and even the US.

The relationship with a woman, so fundamental to Western modernity, will long remain incomprehensible to the average [refugee or migrant] man, declared Algerian author Kamel Daoud in an article published in the French newspaper Le Monde. Similarly, a New York Times editorial warned that: Europe must find a way to cope with a problem that has been largely ignored until now: sexual aggression by refugees from countries where women do not have the same freedoms as in Europe.

A year and a half later, another major sexual violence scandal took the media spotlight in the West. In October 2017, accusations of sexual assault against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein encouraged many women and men to come forward with their stories of sexual abuse in Hollywood and beyond. The perpetrators identified were overwhelmingly white. The mass scale and organised legal and illegal cover-up of these crimes shocked Western societies.

It is in the aftermath of these revelations and the dramatic growth of the #MeToo movement that we should look back at the events in Cologne and the notions of masculinity, violence and race.

The myth of the sexual predator of colour

The impact of the Cologne events on German and international politics is hard to ignore. All across Europe  as well as in the US  conservative and right-wing political forces invoked Cologne as proof of the incompatibility between Islam and gender equality and as a sign of the danger Muslim men present for women in Western societies.

Two years later, not only does the most powerful country in the world have an Islamophobe as a president, but Germany, too, has seen the right-wing AfD (Alternative for Germany) rise to be the third largest party in the Bundestag.

The Cologne attacks had a widespread international resonance because they played into the widely spread stereotype that non-white males (Muslim and non-Muslim alike) are sexual predators by default.

This idea dates back to colonial times, when French, British and Dutch settlers described male colonial subjects as savages who oppressed their women, as Frantz Fanon, Anne McClintock and Ann Stoler masterfully detail in their respective works.

Throughout the 2000s, the idea that non-white masculinity is tied to sexual violence was reinvigorated and there was a literal explosion of articles in Western media about the gang rapes committed in the French cities suburbs by predominantly young men of North African origin or about honour killings in mostly non-Western communities.

In the US, African American men have been disproportionately visible when accusations of rape or sexual assault on university campuses have surfaced and have been subjected to tougher punishments than white men accused of similar crimes.

Of course, the hyper-sexualisation and criminalisation of black male bodies have a long and brutal history in the US, tied as it is to slavery and its aftermath, when African male slaves were described as beasts with incessant lust for white womens flesh and lynched if they were thought to have had contact with them. This history has produced what American political activist and academic Angela Davis has called the myth of the Black rapist.

In the West, when non-white men are implicated in cases of sexual harassment and violence, the debate inevitably is much less about the nature of gender-based violence and its systemic presence in our societies, and much more about the evidence these cases provide for claims that misogyny is naturally ingrained in the culture, religion or race of the men involved.

To paraphrase the words of French Muslim feminist Souad Betka, a man of colour is always more than a man. He is the tree that represents the forest. His actions, that is, are not merely expressions of his own personality but of the racialised community to which he is taken to belong.

#MeToo and women of colour

With men of colour facing suspicion and a high level of criminalisation and violence in the West, women of colour have faced a genuine dilemma.

Many of them have wished to denounce sexism and gender violence within their communities, but without reinforcing racist stereotypes about their cultures as especially patriarchal or backward.

It is in light of these experiences that we should look at the #MeToo campaign as an extremely important movement, potentially enabling women of colour and Muslim women to fight against sexual harassment without feeling the burden of disloyalty towards their communities.

By exposing just how white men are frequent perpetrators of sexual violence, and especially by revealing the magnitude and pervasiveness of sexism, sexual harassment and rape in Western societies, the #MeToo movement has accomplished something extraordinary.

It has given the white mainstream very clear evidence that sexism and gender violence are in no shape or form committed only by men of colour. Furthermore, it has forced the wider society to take womens daily experience of harassment and assault more seriously and has created a climate in which women have begun to feel more confident about speaking up.

In short, #MeToo has been such a big catalyst for what looks every day more like the emergence of a new feminist movement, because it speaks to women across the class, race and sexuality divides. The movement points to the fact that sexual harassment and violence in many ways functions as a great equaliser among women because the overwhelming majority of us have experienced it in some form, regardless of our backgrounds.

Yet, while sexual violence knows no race, colour, gender or class, the response to sexual violence certainly does.

Yes, powerful white men are losing their jobs over allegations of sexual harassment and assault, and this is historic. But their easy access to financial resources, good lawyers and a network of support, as well as the racial biases of the legal system, all make it more likely that these men will receive lighter punishment, even when found guilty, as the case of Stanford swimmer Brock Turner so painfully demonstrates.

Not only are men of colour more likely to be convicted for sexual assault when compared with white men, but for many women of colour reporting rape or sexual assault may prove more challenging. Studies show that young black women are less likely to report rape on university campuses, and women of colour are over-represented in work sectors in which they are more vulnerable to sexual abuse, such as the care and domestic sector. Additionally, undocumented female migrants find it particularly difficult to report sexual violence both for fear of being misbelieved but also for fear of being deported. Above all, women of colour and working-class women often do not speak up because they lack collective power in their workplace, and are denied social supports such as free healthcare, outside of it as the promoters of the International Womens Strike on March 8 clearly state.

It is not by chance, then, that in spite of the fact that the #MeToo campaign was founded 10 years earlier by black activist Tarana Burke, the movement arguably only gained such momentum when white women with access to financial and media resources began coming forward. As Catherine Rottenberg rightly points out this fact in itself raises the absolutely crucial question of when and where claims of sexual harassment and assault are heard and whose voices count.

Cologne after #MeToo

If #MeToo has been tremendously important in debunking the myth of the man of colour as sexual predator, the movement, however, must be careful not to adopt a carceral feminist approach. That is, #MeToo must recognise that mass incarceration, deportation and over-policing to sort out gender violence have a disproportionate impact on people of colour, as the Cologne events clearly demonstrated.

This is not to suggest that women who experience sexual violence and harassment should not come forward and report these acts to law enforcement agencies. In the absence of alternative and effective structures to deal with gender violence, women can only turn to the resources with which the state provides them.

However, if we are really serious about combating gender violence in all of its various forms, the #MeToo movement must initiate a much needed conversation about the type of gender justice we envisage, about ways to discredit stereotypes of man of colours aggressive masculinity as well as about the kinds of infrastructure we need to enable all women  but particularly women of colour  to speak out without fear of racist repercussions.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.
Human rights groups have condemned Thailand for deporting a Cambodian woman who fled her country to avoid prosecution after a video shared on social media showed her throwing a shoe at an image of Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Sam Sokha was forcibly returned to Cambodia on Thursday after a Thai court found her guilty of overstaying her visa, according to Amnesty International.

She fled to Thailand last year, where she was given refugee status by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), after Cambodian police launched an investigation into the video clip that was posted on Facebook.

This person, when will he stop destroying the nation? she is heard saying in the video, referring to Hun Sen, who has been in power for more than 30 years.

Cambodian prosecutors later pressed charges of insulting a public official and incitement to discriminate against her and issued a warrant.

On Friday, the Phnom Penh Post, citing pro-government Fresh News, said a court in the southern Kampong Speu province convicted Sokha in absentia last month and sentenced her to two years in jail.

Upon her arrival from Thailand, she was apprehended by Cambodian police and transferred to a prison in Kampong Speu, Olof Blomqvist, a spokesman for Amnesty, told Al Jazeera on Saturday.

These charges are completely baseless and only related to her peaceful activism, said Blomqvist.

It is staggering that someone can face prison time for nothing but throwing a shoe at a poster.

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Sokhas deportation violated the customary principle of international law that prohibits the return of anyone to a place where they could be persecuted, tortured or face other human rights violations, he added.

Thailand, which hosts more than 100,000 refugees, is not party to the international convention on refugees and treats any refugee living outside of designated camps on the Thai border with Myanmar as an undocumented immigrant.

The move against Sokha comes amid a sweeping crackdown on dissent in Cambodia.

Authorities in Cambodia have arrested opposition leader Kem Sokha on charges of treason and espionage and shuttered several media outlets seen as critical of the government.

The clampdown has forced several opposition members of parliament into exile, with many seeking refuge in Thailand.

Brad Adams, Asia director for Human Rights Watch, on Friday said Thai authorities had deported Sokha despite knowing that Western embassies and the UNHCR were trying to resettle her in a third country.

Thailands friends should formally and publicly complain about this shocking act of sending a refugee back to a country where she will face near-certain persecution, Adams said in a statement.

This case sets a worrisome precedent for how Thailand will treat the many other refugees currently on its soil.

Adams also urged the UN to press Cambodia to release Sam Sokha and allow her to travel to a safe country.

Thailand, in recent years, has forcibly returned more than 100 refugees and asylum seekers based on the requests of foreign governments.
Former Marxist rebel group announces suspension of its political campaign fearing safety of its leaders.

Colombias former FARC Marxist rebel group has temporarily suspended its campaign for upcoming parliamentary elections due to security threats to its candidates.

FARC leader Pablo Catatumbo announced the partys decision on Friday in the capital, Bogota.

We have decided to suspend campaign activity until we have sufficient guarantees. We call on all parties and political movements without exception, to make a statement rejecting this type of aggression, Catatumbo said during a press conference.

We invite all to meet us at the forum to agree to a game of clean rules.

The FARC announced its decision after several of its candidates experienced verbal attacks at demonstrations and rallies.

The group shifted from being an armed rebel group to a political party, the Common Alternative Revolutionary Force party, last year, after it made a peace deal with the Colombian government in 2016. The group had fought a bloody 52-year campaign against Colombias government before signing the peace agreement.

The agreement came after the group handed in more than 8,000 weapons and nearly 1.3 million pieces of ammunition as it demobilised, the United Nations said last year.

Many Colombians remain critical of the FARC and believe their leadership should be imprisoned.

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The FARC was formed in the early 1960s by fighters affiliated with Colombias communist party intent on resolving long-standing issues such as land disputes and government neglect of rural areas, issues that still resonate in much of the nation today.

Over the next five decades, the conflict between the rebels, government forces and right-wing paramilitaries claimed at least 250,000 lives and left another 60,000 people missing. Millions more were displaced from their homes fleeing the bloodshed.
Palestinians accuse their government of maintaining security coordination at the expense of Palestinian lives.

A senior member of Fatah, the party ruling the occupied West Bank, has been expelled from the mourning tent for a Palestinian slain by Israeli forces.

A video posted on social media shows Azzam al-Ahmad being kicked out of Fridays mourning procession in Jordans capital, Amman, by relatives of Ahmad Jarrar, a 22-year-old who was killed last week by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank after a month-long manhunt.

The relatives accused al-Ahmad of complicity in Jarrars death, citing the ongoing security coordination of the Fatah-ruled Palestinian Authority (PA) with Israel.

Attendees interrupted the speech of al-Ahmed, a member of Fatahs central committee, and demanded he left the mourning tent, the video shows.

Under the Oslo deals signed between Israel and Palestine in the 1990s, the PA is obliged to share intelligence with Israel about any armed resistance to the Israeli occupation in a practice known as security coordination.

Jarrar allegedly killed Israeli settler Raziel Shevah in a drive-by shooting near a Jewish-only settlement adjacent to Nablus, a Palestinian city in the northern West Bank, on January 9.

On Tuesday, Israeli forces surrounded a building where Jarrar was hiding in Yamoun, situated in the Jenin area of the West Bank, and opened fire when he allegedly exited the building holding a firearm.

The anger over the PAs role in Jarrars death highlights ongoing discontent among Palestinians over their governments reported role in security coordination with Israel, said Diana Buttu, a policy fellow at Al-Shabaka: The Palestinian Policy Network.

Buttu, a former negotiator for the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), accused Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of overseeing a government that attempts to be as repressive as possible, pointing to anger over security coordination and a lack of transparency about potential elections.

Youve got, on the one hand, Abbas, who has said security coordination is effectively dead and the US and Israel have killed Oslo, she told Al Jazeera.

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On the other hand, the same person, despite a decision by the PLO security council to end the cooperation, hes still holding on to the very essence of Oslo, which is security collaboration, she added.

Its not for the freedom for Palestinians, Buttu continued. Its quite the opposite. Its the basis for his [Abbass] personal political survival, and hes doing all of this at the expense of Palestinian lives.

Leader should call it a day

According to a December 2017 poll conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, 70 percent of Palestinians want 82-year-old Abbas to resign.

A vast majority of people living under the thumb of the PA are saying the leader should call it a day, Buttu said, describing security cooperation as one of many ongoing grievances with the Palestinian leadership.

In December, US President Donald Trump announced his intention to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel after initiating plans to move the US embassy to the city.

The PA has long maintained that East Jerusalem would be the capital for a future Palestinian state.

Last week, a former senior Palestinian intelligence official, Tawfiq Tirawi, and the head of the West Bank bar association, Jawad Obeidat, announced that they were suing Abbas after documents leaked by a self-described whistle-blower purported the Palestinian governments widespread wire-tapping of Palestinians.

The operation, which was allegedly backed by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), targeted the intelligence official, Obeidat and a host of Palestinian officials, judges and civil society members.

Speaking to the Associated Press at the time, Adnan Damiri, a spokesperson for Palestinian security services, described the allegations as nonsense.

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Israel has occupied the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the besieged Gaza Strip since the June 1967 Middle East war.

More than half a million Israelis live in Jewish-only settlements across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, according to the Israeli rights group BTselem.

Although all settlements are considered illegal under international law, there are more than 100 outposts that were built without authorisation and are considered illegal by even the Israeli government.
Protesters demand end to Chinas activities in the South China Sea after reports of its structural expansion on islands.

Protesters have rallied outside the Chinese consulate in the Philippines capital, Manila, against Chinas militarisation of the disputed islands in the South China Sea.

Saturdays demonstration came after local newspapers published images on Monday that showed China had transformed at least seven reefs into artificial fortresses, complete with naval and air facilities, including runways and helipads, declared by a UN arbitration court to belong to Manila.

Activists on Saturday said such collaboration with China may encourage Beijing to expand its reclamation activities.

This is our president who does not have the consciousness to fight for our own land. It is very easy for him to give our rights to the Chinese, Mae Paner, an activist, told Al Jazeera.

Images taken in 2017 and published in a local newspaper showed Chinese structures

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte told a news conference late on Friday that he has no intention of going into war over territorial feuds, but will order the navy to fire if other countries extract resources from waters within his countrys exclusive economic zone.

But just the same, we cannot fight America, just like China. Ill just keep quiet, Duterte said. But if you get something there from the economic zone, I will order the navy to fire.

Dutertes office also 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.

In July 2016, The Hague arbitration court ruled there was no legal basis for China to claim 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.

Images taken in 2017 and published in a local newspaper showed Chinese structures

During his visit to China months after becoming president, Duterte 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.

In the long run, it will be very damaging. It needs to stop, it needs to be reversed otherwise we may be losing access to these waters, to these reefs, because China is already controlling the huge part of the disputed area, Renato Reyes, protest organiser in Manila, told Al Jazeera.

Paolo Aquino, an opposition senator, also 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.

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.
Rebels have attacked an Indian army camp in Jammu, killing at least five soldiers and a civilian.

Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir  At least five Indian soldiers and a civilian have been killed after rebels stormed Sunjuwan army camp in Jammu city of Indian-administered Kashmir on Saturday.

Official figures released on Sunday said that three attackers have been killed and 11 people have been wounded in the gun battle that continued for two days.

Indian Army chief Bipin Rawat also rushed to Jammu to monitor the situation.

Hundreds of police, army and paramilitary soldiers were called in to dislodge the fighters, who had barricaded themselves inside multistorey buildings.

The vast army installation located in the city of Jammu is located close to several shopping centres and schools.





Speaking to Al Jazeera, an official from the civil administration said the nearby schools had been closed as a precautionary measure and security was beefed up across the area.

The situation continues to be tense. The attack has taken place in the main city. The exchange of fire is still on, the official said.

Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh said he was closely monitoring the situation.

The attackers are suspected to be affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammad, a Pakistan-based group which has launched similar raids in recent years against the army and paramilitary installations across the region.

Jammu is the main city in the southern part of the disputed state, claimed by both India and Pakistan in full. The archrivals control parts of the Muslim-majority Himalayan region.

Cross-border firing in violation of a 2003 ceasefire agreement has gone up in the past months leading to causalities, with more than a dozen people killed on the Indian side since the beginning of this year.

The two nuclear-armed neighbours have been at loggerheads since an attack on an army camp in Kashmirs Uri left 18 Indian soldiers dead in 2016.

New Delhi regularly accuses Islamabad of aiding fighters in crossing the de facto border (Line of Control) to attack targets inside India.

Pakistan denies the allegations and stresses that it only lends moral and diplomatic support to Kashmiris.
Iran celebrating 39 years since Islamic Revolution

The overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi took place 39 years ago, but some Iranians say the teachings of revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini are still relevant today.
Russia calls for restraint as tensions escalate between Israel and Syria after an Israeli warplane was brought down.

Israels intensive air raids against what it said were Iranian targets inside Syria have ratcheted up regional tensions, as Russia, a key player in Syrias long-running war, urged restraint.

The Israeli army on Saturday launched large-scale attacks inside Syria after intercepting what it said was an Iranian drone and the subsequent downing of an Israeli fighter jet, which crashed after it came under fire from Syrian air defence forces.

The incidents marked the most serious confrontation yet between Israel and Iran since the civil war in Syria began in 2011.

In Russia, whose forces began intervening in support of Syrias President Bashar al-Assad in 2015, officials said they were seriously concerned by the confrontation.

We urge all parties involved to exercise restraint and to avoid any actions that could lead to an even greater complication of the situation, Russias foreign ministry said in a statement.

We consider it necessary to unconditionally respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria and other countries of the region, it added.





The Israeli air raids began early on Saturday when the countrys military said it had intercepted an unmanned aircraft over the city of Beit Shean on a military mission sent and operated by Iranian military forces.

It retaliated by sending at least eight jets to attack Syrian and Iranian military bases, which according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights were located near Homs province.

One of those planes, an F-16 fighter jet, crashed on return from that mission. The two pilots from the jet were injured, one of them critically.

Israel responded with new attacks on bases in southern Syria, hitting at least 12 positions in Syria, including three aerial defence batteries.

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels prime minister, said he spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin over the phone on Saturday evening and repeated to him our right and duty to defend ourselves.

In a televised statement, Netanyahu said Israel seeks peace but we will continue to defend ourselves steadfastly against any attack against us or any attempt by Iran to establish itself against us in Syria.

Red lines

Israel has issued several warnings about the presence of Iranian forces in Syria. It fears Iran could use Syrian territory to stage attacks or transfer weapons to the Lebanese group, Hezbollah.

Israel has struck weapons convoys destined for Hezbollah, which is fighting alongside Syrian forces, almost 100 times since 2012.

The Syrian military and its allies denied that the drone violated Israels airspace, Syrias state-run SANA news agency reported.

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The joint operations room, run by Syria, Iran, Russia and Hezbollah, said the aircraft was on a regular mission gathering intelligence on fighters of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

The statement also warned Israel that it will respond crushingly and seriously.

Al Jazeeras Zeina Khodr, reporting from Beirut in Lebanon, said Saturdays confrontation showed Syria and its allies were no longer willing to tolerate Israeli attacks inside the country.

Israel has repeatedly said it wont allow Iran and its allies to entrench themselves militarily in Syria, she said.

Netanyahu calls them red lines. Now the Syrian government and its allies have introduced red lines of their own. They said the shooting down of the Israeli jet is a clear message that the days of carrying out attacks inside Syria are gone.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah, a Shia group which is represented in the Lebanese parliament and has a strong armed wing, hailed Syrias response to Israels attack on Iranian and Syrian bases in Syria, saying it signals a new strategic phase that puts an end to the violation of Syrian territories.

In a statement published by Lebanons NNA news agency, Hezbollah said the developments denote the categorical fall of ancient equations.





Lebanon protested Israels use of its airspace to target Syria, saying it will complain to the United Nations Security Council.

Its foreign ministry also said in a statement that it supported Syrias legitimate right to respond to Israels aggressive policy, which threatened stability in the region.

Separately, Iran also denounced Israeli lies and said Syria had the right to self-defence in response to Israeli air raids.

Shooting down the Israeli jet is a clear message that the days of carrying out attacks inside Syria are gone. Any new attack will be confronted. Iran stands by Syria against any foolish move by Israel, the countrys foreign ministry said.

In Washington, the US said it fully supports Israels right to defend itself against threats, while in Gaza in the occupied Palestinian territories, the armed wing of Hamas declared full alert among its fighters because of the escalation between Syria and Israel.
This blog is looking for wisdom, to have and to share. it is also looking for other rare character traits like good humor, courage, and honor. It is not an easy road, because all of us fall short. But God is love, forgiveness and grace. Those who believe in Him and repent of their sins have the promise of His Holy Spirit to guide us and show us the Way.
The Israeli military says one of its F-16 planes was shot down during their Syria operation targeting Iranian sites.

An Israeli F-16 fighter jet has been shot down by Syrian military while targeting what it called Iranian sites responsible for launching a drone into occupied Golan Heights.

The Israeli military said on Saturday a combat helicopter successfully intercepted an Iranian UAV that was launched from Syria and infiltrated Israel.

IDF [Israel Defence Forces] has targeted the Iranian control systems in Syria that sent the #UAV into Israeli airspace. Massive Syrian Anti-Air fire, one F16 crashed in Israel, pilots safe, Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus, Israeli military spokesman, said on Twitter.

Israeli media said the jet crashed in northern Israel.

This is a dramatic development, Al Jazeeras Zeina Khodr, reporting from Lebanons capital, Beirut, said.

Israel has carried out dozens of attacks over the past one year but this is for the first time a Syrian military has shot down an Israeli plane, she said.

It is also for the first time that Israel has said its planes carried out attacks inside Syria. In the past, the Israelis carried out attacks inside Syria but they would not mention anything about the target or even acknowledge attacks.

Israeli aggression

Syria state television later cited a Syrian military official as saying that Israeli aggression targeted the Syrian army base in the central region of the country.

Sources in Damascus said there were casualties among Syrian forces.

In response, Syria shot down more than one Israeli fighter jets, according the official.

Sirens sounded in northern Israel as a result of massive Syrian fire.

Pro-government military alliance in Syria said in a statement later on Saturday that Israel would see a severe and serious response to its terrorism from now on.

The statement also said the drones  one of which Israel shot down  were being used against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS).

Israeli military said it was monitoring events and was fully prepared for further action.

Israels chief military spokesman, Brigadier General Ronen Manelis, said Israel held Iran directly responsible for the incident.

This is a serious Iranian attack on Israeli territory. Iran is dragging the region into an adventure in which it doesnt know how it will end, he said in a statement.

Whoever is responsible for this incident is the one who will pay the price.

Later on Saturday, Reuters news agency quoted an unnamed Israeli military spokesman as saying that Israel did not seek an escalation in the region.

We are willing, prepared and capable to exact a heavy price from anyone that attacks us, however we are not looking to escalate the situation. This was a defensive effort triggered by an Iranian act of aggression and we are defending our airspace our sovereignty and civilians, the source said.

Al Jazeeras Imran Khan, reporting from West Jarusalem, said a big inquiry was likely to look into the incident.

Israelis pride themselves on the fact that they can patrol the airspace over the Arab world without much competition from anybody else, so this is going to be a big inquiry, he said.

But now its about the politics and optics of all this. The Israelis are now going to go after Iran, blame them squarely for this.

Bekaa Valley

Explosions could be heard in Lebanons Bekaa Valley region near the Syrian border.

Al Jazeeras Khodr said Israel has been warning of late of increased Iranian involvement along its border in Syria and Lebanon.

First they said they would not allow weapons to reach Hezbollah  the Lebanese armed Shia group [from Iran through Syrian territory]. And as of late, the Israelis have been saying that they wont allow to set up permanent bases in Syria, she said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been to Russias capital Moscow and clearly the Russians have given him a green light to use the Syrian airspace, she said.

Israel has shot down several drones that previously tried to infiltrate its territory from Syria.

The targeting of an Iranian site in response, however, marks an escalation in the Israeli retaliation.
The 48-year-old succeeds Gerry Adams, who led the Irish nationalist party for nearly 35 years.

Mary Lou McDonald has been confirmed as the new leader of the Irish nationalist party, Sinn Fein, which wants to unite Britains Northern Ireland with the republic to the south.

Some 2,000 delegates gathered on Saturday in Irelands capital, Dublin, to attend a special conference and see McDonald succeed Gerry Adams, a controversial figure who led the party for almost 35 years.

In her first speech as party leader, the 48-year-old promised new ideas and vowed to lead Sinn Fein to realise our ambition of government north and south  and ultimately to win Irish unity.

Sinn Fein is the only party that will build a united Ireland, but it must adapt to achieve its target of doubling the size of its membership, she said, according to published remarks.

Adams, my political mentor

McDonald is the first woman to lead Sinn Fein, as well as the partys first head with no direct connection to decades of sectarian violence, known as The Troubles.

Adams, who became leader of Sinn Fein, the political wing of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA), in 1983, announced his intention to quit the role in November.

He has always denied of being an IRA member  but others have disputed this.

The 69-year-old Adams was a key figure in the peace process that resulted in the signing of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement and the creation of a power-sharing government between Northern Irelands pro-British and republican factions.

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There would be no Good Friday agreement, no peace process without Gerry Adams. My political mentor. An inspirational leader. A great friend, said McDonald.

Al Jazeeras Nadim Baba, reporting from the meeting in Dublin, said McDonald stressed that she was continuing on the footsteps of Adams and the late Martin McGuinness who, she said, did so much about the island of Ireland, bringing about the peace process, but also so much for the party.

During her speech, McDonald, a former member of the European Parliament, also sent out a warning to the British government, saying there could be no hard border after the UK leaves the European Union.

Brexit represents a real threat to our prosperity, to the economic, social and political life of Ireland. It fundamentally challenges 20 years of hard-won progress, she said.

In his final comments before stepping down, Adams said he believed the future is bright for the island of Ireland, despite a year-long impasse in power-sharing between Sinn Fein and Northern Irelands Democratic Unionist Party.

Fifty years ago when I joined Sinn Fein, it was a banned party, he said on Friday.

The nationalist people of the north had been abandoned and were subject to discrimination and inequality.

We were on our knees. We are now off our knees. We have a Good Friday Agreement, Adams said.

It is in some difficulty at this time, but it offers the way forward.
Mexicos government has deployed thousands of federal police officers to combat a huge surge in drug-related violence.

More video clips from the story
Narendra Modi backs independent Palestinian state during first trip by an Indian prime minister to occupied territories.

Narendra Modi has arrived in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah on a landmark visit  the first ever by an Indian prime minister  that Palestinian leaders have hailed as historic.

After holding talks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Prime Minister Modi said India hoped to see an independent Palestinian state living in an environment of peace.

Earlier he met Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah and visited the Yasser Arafat Museum where he laid a wreath.

Friendship between India and Palestine has stood the test of time. The people of Palestine have shown remarkable courage in the face of several challenges. India will always support Palestines development journey.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 10, 2018

In a Twitter post on Friday, Modi noted looking forward to reaffirming our support for the Palestinian people and the development of Palestine.





The official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that the two leaders will discuss means of enhancing bilateral relations, and are set to sign a memorandum of understanding.

Experts say the visit is part of balancing Indian foreign policy in the Middle East.

Prior to arriving at the occupied Palestinian territories, Modi met Jordans King Abdullah II in Amman. He is scheduled to head to the UAE and Oman on Sunday, as part of his regional tour.

According to Vijay Prashad, a US-based professor of International Studies, Indias ties to Palestine remain contested.

There are external pressures on the government  especially from Arab states, which provide energy and jobs for India and Indians, Prashad told Al Jazeera.

India provides millions of dollars of project aid. Modi is in Palestine to inaugurate one such project, Prashad noted.

The visit shows that it will not be easy for an Indian government to ignore Palestine, he added.

India-Israel ties

The visit comes weeks after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu concluded a six-day trip to India, vowing to further cement the close friendship between Israel and India. In July 2017, Modi and Netanyahu reignited their relationship when the former visited Tel Aviv to discuss issues related to economic development and defence.

But the relationship between India and Palestine stems from deep-rooted ties, which date back to the 1970s, when India established relations with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)  now an umbrella of major Palestinian political parties.

India had voted along with other Arab nations against the UN partition plan to divide Palestine into two states.

According to Mazen Shamiyeh, a Palestinian foreign ministry official, India will likely assert its policy when it comes to the Middle East, particularly regarding the Palestinian cause.

[India] will stress its support for the two-state solution and a return to negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians, Shamiyeh told Al Jazeera.

India will present economic contributions to the Palestinian Authority that will be more than what it has offered in the previous years, he added.

The approach is due to several reasons, says Shamiyeh, particularly Indias ambition in becoming a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

It is seeking the need to reform the international system and protecting international law, he explained, and for preserving its interests in the Arab world as well.

Striking a balance

While Israel and India established diplomatic relations in 1992, the warmer ties have become more visible since Indias ruling party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), came to power in 2014.

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India is currently the biggest buyer of Israeli weaponry, spending an average $1bn annually on military equipment in recent years.

Modis right-wing government has been working to boost its relations with Israel giving rise to fears that it might abandon its support to the Palestinian cause.

In December, however, India voted against the United States decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel at the UN General Assembly, in a step that was in line with New Delhis traditional support to Palestine.

Shamiyeh views Indias ties with Israel as a purely tactical one.

It [India] must strike a balance when it comes to dealing with both sides, he said.

Historically, Palestine has been a major recipient of Indian aid since the 1990s.

Official statistics on this figure are difficult to trace, though the contribution is not likely to be very significant, journalist Sukumar Muralidharan, who has written extensively on India-Palestine relations, told Al Jazeera.

Aid for Palestine probably comes out of the residual category of other countries, which involves a total amount of about $25 million, Muralidharan explained.

The volume of the contribution is minuscule when assessed against Indias purchase of Israeli military hardware, he added.

In 2016, India established an IT hub in Ramallah by providing a $12m grant. And today, Modis visit is expected to end with a deal enhancing the Palestinian health sector.

Symbolic visit

Muralidharan noted the last two meetings between Modi and Netanyahu have overturned precedent dating back to 1992, and may have shifted the balance too far in Israels favour.





Foreign policy has its own institutional momentum in India and Modis visit to the Palestinian territories may be an effort to restore older principles before they are seen as irreparably damaged, he said, describing the visit as one that is mostly symbolic.

Apoorva Gautam, South Asia Coordinator at the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS), says the real support for Palestine lies with the Indian people.

India under Modi has become Israels best friend. The current Indian and Israeli governments share a common political vision of repression, exclusion and a blatant disregard of human rights, Gautam told Al Jazeera.

The real support for Palestine lies with the Indian people, which is now taking the form of steadily growing BDS initiatives, she said.

Established in 2005, BDS is a grassroots movement calling for a boycott of Israeli goods, divestment from Israeli firms operating in occupied territories and imposition of sanctions in order to pressure the Israelis to prevent human rights abuses against Palestinians.

The movement accuses Israel of imposing apartheid-like conditions on Palestinians and building illegal settlements on private Palestinian land in contravention of international laws.

Relations with the occupier and occupied, the coloniser and colonised, cannot be neutral, Gautam from BDS said.

And India, under Modi, has become Israels best friend.
Rare invitation is received with caution by Seoul as it seeks dialogue between the US and North Korea.

North Koreas leader Kim Jong-un has extended a rare invitation to South Koreas President Moon Jae-in to visit Pyongyang.

Kim Eui-kyeom, South Korean presidents spokesman, said at a news conference in Seoul on Saturday that the North Korean delegation delievered the invitation letter at a landmark high-level meeting at the presidential palace in Seoul.

The delegation, which includes Kims sister, Kim Yo-jong, is in South Korea for the Winter Olympics.

Chairman Kim Jong Uns envoy Kim Yo-jong delivered a letter expressing a willingness to improve relations, the presidential spokesman said.

She also delivered a message from Kim Jong-un that he is willing to meet President Moon Jae-in in the near future and that he hopes President Moon visits the North at a convenient time.

The president responded by saying that the two sides should work on establishing the right conditions to realise the meeting, according to the spokesman.

Loud cheers greeted the South and North Korean teams, as they marched together at the opening ceremonies on Friday [AP]

Al Jazeeras Natasha Ghoneim, reporting from the South Korean city of Gangneung, said the meeting would be famous in history.

Moon is saying that although he is keen to reboot inter-Korean relations, the dialogue between the United States and the North is essential. And he is encouraging both sides to come together.

The North Korean delegation arrived in the South on Kims private plane on Friday via Incheon international airport to attend the opening ceremony of the Pyongchang Winter Olympics where Seoul and Pyongyang are represented by joint teams.
Canadian jury finds farmer Gerald Stanley not guilty of second-degree murder in relation to killing of indigenous man.

The family of an indigenous man in Canada has vowed to keep fighting for justice after a white farmer was acquitted in the shooting death of their 22-year-old relative.

A jury in Saskatchewan, a province in central Canada, on Friday found Gerald Stanley not guilty of second-degree murder in relation to the killing of Colten Boushie.

Stanley was also found not guilty of the lesser offence of manslaughter.

Boushie, from Red Pheasant Cree Nation, was with friends in August 2016 when he drove onto Stanleys farm to ask for help with a flat tyre, according to Canadian media.

While accounts vary, a friend of Boushies in the car that day said Stanley retrieved a gun from inside his shop and then shot Boushie in the head, CBC reported.

Stanley testified that the gun just went off and his lawyer argued that Boushies death was a freak accident caused by Stanley responding to a highly charged situation in a measured way, the Saskatoon StarPhoenix newspaper reported.

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Alvin Baptiste, Boushies uncle, said Fridays verdict had left him shocked.

Its a terrible feeling to hear not guilty, he told reporters outside the court.

My nephew has been denied justice, added Baptiste. A white jury came out with a verdict of not guilty of Gerald Stanley, who shot and killed my nephew. This is how they treat us First Nations people and its not right.

And so once again the value of our lives is found wanting. Canada speaks its eternal truth. My thoughts and prayers are with the family and their community. I wonder what I will tell my children. I wonder what you will tell yours.#JusticeForColten  Jesse Wente (@jessewente) February 10, 2018

if canada were to admit that gerald stanley  a white settler farmer  killing a young nehiyaw man is "murder", they would have to admit their nation is founded on genocide. this is what colonialism is. it is murder. #JusticeForColten  Erica Violet Lee (@ericavioletlee) February 10, 2018

"It's a tragedy, but it's not criminal." In just 7 words, we have what is arguably a perfect distillation of Canada's own view on the impacts that its presence inflicts on the well-being of Indigenous peoples#StanleyTrial#JusticeForColten  MEDIA INDIGENA (@mediaINDIGENA) February 9, 2018

The Indigenous youth managing this page are tired of losing each other. Today we have no hashtags. Today we are filled with grief, rage, and ferocious love for each other.  NativeYouthSexHealth (@NYSHN) February 10, 2018

The case ignited deep-seated racial tension in Saskatchewan between indigenous peoples and white communities. Anti-First Nations comments were widespread online after the shooting.

It has also drawn comparisons to the lynching of African Americans in the southern United States under Jim Crow segregation laws.

In the US South for many decades, it was impossible to convict anyone for lynching Blacks because all-White juries would acquit White killers. Even by Stanleys own testimony, this was definitely manslaughter, Paul Champ, a human rights lawyer in Ottawa, said in a Twitter post on Friday.

This verdict is a dark stain on my home province, Champ wrote.

https://twitter.com/CBCAdrianH/status/962155480994013185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

This hurts  tanya tagaq (@tagaq) February 10, 2018

Justin Trudeau, Canadas prime minister, said he could not imagine the grief and sorrow the Boushie family is feeling.

Minister of Justice Jody Wilson-Raybould, said she was committed to working every day to ensure justice for all Canadians.

I truly feel your pain and I hear all of your voices. As a country we can and must do better, Wilson-Raybould wrote on Twitter.

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Rallies will be held in solidarity with the Boushie family on Saturday in Regina, the capital of Saskatchewan, and several other Canadian cities, including Toronto, Ottawa, Edmonton, Vancouver and Victoria.

We hope for justice for Colten, however, we did not see it, we did not feel it throughout this entire process, Jade Tootoosis, Boushies cousin, said outside the court.

We will fight for an appeal and answers to all the racism that my family has experienced.

We will not stop our pursuit for justice.
A record number of 17,000 women contest local elections as law requires a quarter of all seats to be filled by women.

Voters in Sri Lanka are choosing representatives in more than 300 local polls, with more female candidates than ever standing for election.

A change in the law requires women to fill a quarter of all seats elected in Saturdays vote  more than 12 times the current number.

Rosy Senanayake, a diplomat and parliamentarian, is aiming to become the mayor of the capital, Colombo.

She is the first woman to try.

I strongly believe that we cannot have democracy if we do not interest the needs of the majority of the population, said Senanayake, a former Mrs World.

The majority of the population in Sri Lanka are women.

She is just one of 17,000 women contesting local government elections  a record number.

Samanmalee Gunasinghe, a candidate of the Marxist Peoples Liberation Front (JVP), says the changes will give more deserving women a chance.

In our country, it was a ministers daughter, siblings or those from political families that could enter politics. But we think honest, talented women should come into politics where laws are made. This election can do that, she said.

The stakes are high for all political parties, with local issues such as roads, streets lights and rubbish disposal are taking on the intensity of a national fight.

Crucial test

The vote is seen as is seen as a crucial mid-term test for the uneasy coalition of President Maithripala Sirisena.

The election heightened tensions between the president and his senior coalition partner, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, as they campaigned separately for their respective parties amid a growing rift between the two men.

More than 8,300 members are due to be elected [Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters]

The vote, the first to be conducted by the newly established independent Election Commission, was the most peaceful in decades, private monitors said.

Sirisena was backed by Wickremesinghes United National Party (UNP) in January 2015 to topple the government of President Mahinda Rajapakse.

But since then their alliance has fractured, with Sirisena publicly accusing the UNP of being more corrupt than the former Rajapakse regime.

The UNP has, in turn, accused Sirisena of backstabbing and indicated it may go it alone in the next general election in 2020.

The UNP is expected to claim the lead in Saturdays poll for 340 local government bodies while the parties led by Sirisena and Rajapakse are expected to battle it out for the second place.

More than 8,300 members are due to be elected under a complex hybrid voting system that combines first-past-the-post and proportional representation systems.
Elections to restore democracy have been postponed several times with by PM Chan-ocha, following a coup in 2014

Around 400 people have gathered at a monument to democracy in the Thai capital to urge the military government not to delay a national election planned later this year.

Elections to restore democracy have been postponed several times with November being the latest date set by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who was appointed by a military-backed legislature following a coup in 2014.

But a change in the election law by parliament last month means the date almost definitely will be pushed back to early 2019, something that has fanned growing discontent among groups who are calling for a swift return to civilian rule.

Authorities deployed fences around the Democracy Monument, forcing activists to gather only in the vicinity. Protesters held mock ballot boxes and signs saying: Disgusted with dictatorship.

The NCPO should hold elections in November 2018, not move it to February 2019, a representative for the demonstration who goes by his Facebook name of Sasiphat Siri told the crowd.

The military government is formally known as the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).

Mr Prayuth, can you hear the peoples voices? shouted another protester.

On Friday, police issued arrest warrants for four activists. One was arrested on Saturday morning, while the other three showed up at the protest on Saturday.

The small anti-military government, pro-election protests that began earlier this year have gained momentum in recent weeks with a variety of activities staged by different groups every week. However, these have been mostly confined to the capital.

Earlier this week, the Puea Thai Party whose government was overthrown in the 2014 coup, issued a statement defending the right of various groups to express their opinions peacefully.

Peaceful expression is the right of every citizen  I strongly disagree with the actions of the police and those in power to try to impose  charges against the groups, Phumtham Wechayachai, the partys secretary-general, said in an open letter on Monday.

Political parties of all stripes have been urging the military government for months to lift a ban on campaigning and allow them to prepare for the general election.

But senior government figures have said the time was not yet right to lift the ban, prompting criticism from rights groups and politicians that the military government wants to delay the vote and prolong its time in power.

Parliament voted last month to extend the start date for a new election law by 90 days. The bill lays out rules for lower house elections and is one of four bills that need to take effect before the vote.

The enactment date is critical in determining the election date as Thailands new constitution requires polls to take place within 150 days after electoral laws take effect.

On Thursday, 35 Thai activists reported to police after they staged an anti-military government protest last month in downtown Bangkok.
Turkish PM says two soldiers died after their helicopter was shot down during Ankaras offensive in northern Syria.

Two Turkish soldiers have died after their helicopter was shot down during Ankaras military operation against Syrian Kurdish fighters in northern Syria.

Binali Yildirim, Turkeys prime minister, announced the deaths in a televised address on Saturday.

Earlier, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had said an army helicopter had been shot down near the southern Hatay province.

These things will happen, we are in a war  We might lose a helicopter, but theyll pay the price for this, he said in Istanbul.

The state-run Anadolu Agency, citing the Turkish army, said the ATAK aircraft crashed at around 1pm local time (10:00 GMT).

Mustafa Bali, a spokesman for the Kurdish YPG armed group, told the AP news agency that his fighters downed the helicopter in Raju, northwest of the Syrian city of Afrin.

Turkey opened a new front in the multisided Syrian civil war, when it launched an air and ground offensive against YPG fighters on its southern border with Syria last month.

Armed campaign

The YPG  trained, armed and supported by the US to fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)  controls a swath of land in northern Syria.

Turkey considers the YPG an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has fought a decades-long armed campaign.

Against this backdrop, HR McMaster, the US national security adviser, held talks on Sunday with his Turkish counterpart, Ibrahim Kalin, in Istanbul.

Turkey considers the YPG an extension of the outlawed PKK [Youssef Rabie/EPA]

According to a joint statement issued by the White House and Turkish presidency, they addressed issues affecting bilateral relations in detail and explored ways to expand the joint fight against all forms of terrorism.

Rex Tillerson, US secretary of state, is also due to visit Ankara next week as part of a trip to five countries in the Middle East.

Al Jazeeras Jamal Elshayyal, reporting on Sunday from Gaziantep on the Turkey-Syria border, said the conflict was escalating day by day.

More than 20 Turkish soldiers and 150 YPG fighters have been killed since the military offensive began, he said. Seven Turkish civilians have also lost their lives.
Benjamin Ladraa is walking from Sweden to Palestine to raise awareness of the Israeli occupation.

Twenty-five-year-old Swedish activist Benjamin Ladraa is on a treacherous walk from Sweden to Palestine to raise awareness about human rights violations in the occupied territories.

As of Wednesday, he is in Bulgaria and should reach Istanbul on March 20, walking 30-50km a day.

Ladraa began his 5,000km journey from Gothenburg, Sweden, on August 8 last year.

The plan is to continue through Bulgaria, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and again through Syria to Jordan, and if I cannot get into Palestine, I will try to inform the media about it, he said.

Journey

Each day is a different experience, Ladraa says. Sometimes he sleeps in his tent or a hostel. Dinner may mean eating canned food by a campfire or a meal shared with hosts he meets during his journey.

Ladraa sometimes holds lectures, where he tells his audience what he saw during his Palestine trip.

With the exception of some isolated incidents, he says most people welcomed him.

In Prague, he says, he was detained by Israeli embassy guards because he was carrying a Palestinian flag and pushing a trolley.

He was released after a bomb squad ensured he was not dangerous.

However, the guards scanned his passport, and Ladraa fears border troops will not let him enter Palestine.

He posts pictures of his journey on his Facebook and Instagram accounts under #walktopalestine.

Ladraa, who occasionally worked for the Red Cross, saved for about a year for this trip.

He says he has sold everything he owns. Sometimes, he receives donations.

He is expected to complete his journey in June or July.

Raising awareness

Ladraa says he was so moved by a three-week trip to Palestine in April 2017 that he decided to tell the world about the situation in Palestine.

I was shocked by what I saw there, seeing all the walls, soldiers walking along the streets carrying M-60 machine guns. I heard stories about 300 children in prisons, rapes in homes.

After three weeks, I returned and wanted to do something to raise awareness about human rights violations in Palestine, said Ladraa, who was born to Jewish parents.

On the move, Ladraa carries the Palestinian flag on his back and a keffiyeh, a symbol of Palestinian independence, over his shoulder.

I think everyone can and should give a little time to do something for other people, said Ladraa as he set off from Belgrade on February 10.
Dr Marc Lamont Hill is an award-winning journalist and author and is the Steve Charles Professor of Media, Cities, and Solutions at Temple University. Hill is known for his work addressing the intersections of race, justice, politics and culture. His latest best-selling book is We Still Here: Pandemics, Policing, Protest and Possibility which follows on the success of Nobody: Casualties of Americas War on the Vulnerable from Flint to Ferguson. Hill has received numerous prestigious awards from the US National Association of Black Journalists, GLAAD, and the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences.
Duchess Harris grandmother Miriam Mann was a human computer at NASA before the main characters of Hidden Figures.

The Macalester College American studies professor spoke to about 80 UF students and community members in Smathers Library on Thursday evening, said professor Sharon Austin, director of the UF African American studies department. It was sponsored by the African American studies department, along with several other UF co-sponsors, she said. Harris discussed how the contributions of African American women in NASA were forgotten in history.

The movie and book Hidden Figures showed a few of these mathematicians to a wide audience for the first time, Harris said.

She said when she first told people her grandmother worked at NASA in the 60s, they didnt believe her. So she went to NASA and received archives to prove it.

She co-wrote the book, Hidden Human Computers: The Black Women of NASA.

The book is about how the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, now NASA, held some of the greatest minds in America, she said. But some of the most influential work happened behind the scenes.

They were given the term hidden because they were put in a place where white women werent working, so no one saw them, Harris said.

One of the women featured in the movie, Mary Jackson, was a friend of Harris grandmother.

However, Harris said the movie leaves out some information like how they received their NASA positions. Black women became part of the space agency during World War II, when there werent enough educated white women to fill the spots of men who left for war.

Austin said people usually hear about men like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. when they study the 1960s, but not like the women portrayed in the movie.

With the popularity of Hidden Figures, there is a renewed interest in women like these ones, Austin said.

Duchess Harris, a Macalester College American studies professor, spoke to about 80 people Thursday evening in Smathers Library. Her grandmother Miriam Mann was a human computer in the 1960s at NASA.

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The IL-3 district's U.S. representatives have been Democrats for the last 15,700 consecutive, uninterrupted days. The district is currently represented by Dan Lipinski, who, based on his voting record, is a more moderate Democrat, which explains why he's being challenged in the Democratic primary by Marie Newman, a gun-grabbing, abortion-obsessed Bernie Sanders fangirl  you know, your typical modern-day Democrat.

Arthur Jones, the Nazi congressional candidate in Illinois running as a Republican, isn't symptomatic of Nazism in the GOP. He's the result of decades of a Democrat monopoly in a gerrymandered district that the Republican National Committee spends nary a nanosecond trying to win.

The district is arguably unwinnable for Republicans. Included in the district are parts of Chicago; municipally, Chicago has had only Democrat mayors and 90% Democrat city councils for the last 30,000 consecutive, uninterrupted days. Jones, a Holocaust-denier, will run unopposed and has run for state and national office numerous times since the 1970s  unsuccessfully in each. The Illinois Republican Party has unequivocally disavowed Jones and his candidacy.

None of this is the sexy stuff for the Democrats and the DMIC (Democrat Media Industrial Complex). The Feb. 8 interview with Jones and Alysin Camerota, host of CNN's New Day, was, to say the least, a bizarre stream-of-consciousness rant against Jews in the media and Israel.

Ask yourself: what was the point  what was really the point  of Camerota's interview? To protect us and our children from the big, bad Nazi? To alert all of us to that oddly behaved, unfriendly neighbor, who must be a white supremacist who brings his bazooka to the local Aryan Nation book club reading of Mein Kampf?

Of course not. CNN knows full well that Santa Claus would have a better chance of winning IL-3 than Jones does. The point of the interview was to serve up a five-course meal (with open bar!) for all the DMIC dupe dope useful idiots who associate Republicanism with the Third Reich. Jones's allegiance to Nazism dates back to the 1980s. The (unintended?) irony of CNN's interview is that it did more to promote Jones in six minutes than he's done for himself in thirty combined years. What qualifies as "news" is malleable and subjectively defined; if the DMIC says something is "news," then it's news, damn it!

The DMIC inventing "news" and "importance" is nothing new. Take, as another example, the Ku Klux Klan: the DMIC has done more to advertise the KKK in the last two years than the organization (which was founded by Democrats) has done for itself combined in its 153 cross-burning years of existence.

If only the DMIC were as fervent in vetting...oh, I don't know, say, presidential nominees of the Democratic Party (here's lookin' at you, then-U.S. senator Obama and Empress Clinton!) as they are in vetting the fringiest of the fringe candidates (1) who have zero chance to win and (2) whom nobody cares about  except, of course, the inquiring minds of the DMIC audience members, who call anyone who differs with them Nazis but are then shocked to learn that there are people who are actually frighteningly sympathetic to the tyranny of the National Socialist German Workers' Party. (Quick: Ask the nearest Democrat next to you if he knows that the "Z" in Nazi stands for "socialism." No one's allowed to Google it!)

Democrats impugn with the insult of Nazi! Nazi! Nazi! so frequently that they have watered down to zero the horrors of Nazism. This is yet another method by which Democrats whitewash, revise, and rewrite history. They sound like the crazed people in the Twilight Zone episode called "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street," where the characters believe that monsters are all around. (If you don't know how this episode ends, watch it, and tell me that it isn't exactly how the DMIC controls its paranoid sheeple.)

The DMIC's obsession with Jones is bloody, raw red meat for DMIC consumers, who can be convinced into believing anything and everything. (I encourage everyone to read the comments of DMIC stories about Jones. They effectually prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Democrats are out for Trump-supporter and GOP blood this year and 2020, like a pack of wolves.)

Sadly, we know there are neo-Nazis in America. But we also know there are homegrown radicalized Muslim jihadists. We know there are foreign-born terrorists. We know there are masked hammer-and-sickle pro-fascists  domestic terrorists whose sole intent is to do what the Democrats do best with opinions counter to theirs: suppress free speech and expression. (I refuse to call them "Antifa.") And we know that Democrats sympathize with radical Islam and pro-fascists. Talk about dangerous and terrifying.

No, Democrats aren't responsible for Jones's abhorrent beliefs. As he's always done, he'll lose and go back to being the nutty guy on the street corner with the frying pan yelling, "The end is near."

But his guaranteed spot on the ballot has much, much more to do with the virtually impossible task of ousting a Democrat in IL-3. Now, that's a story I wish Alysin Camerota, CNN, and the rest of the DMIC would cover. We can only hope  although the last time the masses voted for hope, we got eight years of a community-agitating president from (you guessed it) Illinois.

Rich Logis is the CEO of Logis Production, Inc. and author of the upcoming book 10 Warning Signs Your Child is Becoming a Democrat. Follow him on Twitter at @RichLogis.
The Washington establishment, the Deep State, and special interests have launched their own jihad, built on a battle cry to "resist." Today, calls to " resist !" echo through Congress as half of the House and Senate stage a mutiny against a duly elected president.

Most associate the term "radicalized" with ISIS. But radical movements aren't limited to a religion. A jihad is a crusade for a principle or belief involving struggle" and "resistance."

"Resist!" is the call to arms from Democrat leaders (Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama) and radical activist groups (Black Lives Matter, Antifa).

More than 50 organizations have formed to "resist!" the Trump administration.

Just as ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi calls on his followers to resist infidels, so this Washington cabal calls on its warriors to resist our government, to obstruct the president.

These machinations are not conducted in the shadows, not a secret plot carried out in the dead of night. It's all in our faces. Rush Limbaugh warns of a silent coup, Sean Hannity a "soft coup," Ambassador Bolton the "first coup d'etat in [U.S.] history."

Wow  a domestic plot to take down our government, and the best we can do is chronicle the uprising? How did we get to the place where we witness a coup and tacitly accept it?

In a word, the media, the left's super-soldiers, brought us to this point.

This powerful propaganda tool is utilized to take the state message into every living room, bedroom, workplace, and gym, anywhere there's a TV or internet, omnipresent, Big Brother.

Like Hitler's "Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda," the media control information, reporting only news that attacks our president and those working to exonerate him. They bury news of lawlessness that implicates Democrats  Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, any member of the leftist cabal.

But why are the media protecting the bad actors? Is it their liberal bent, their far-left ideology? Well, yes and no. Yes, the media are radicalized, wholly devoted to the progressive dogma of the left, but it's more than that. These faux journalists couldn't spew their poison, advocate the overthrow of a president, without their boss's permission, without government approval.

Oh, I know: Time Warner, Comcast, and other private corporations, not government, own the media. Except corporate America and government are one and the same, partners in a corrupt merger.

The roots of this merger are in the iron triangle, a mutually beneficial three-way relationship among Congress, government bureaucrats (the Deep State), and special interests (corporate).

Iron triangles get their name because they are incredibly hard to remove once they are set in[. A]ll three components need each other in order to survive. It is not in the interests of any component to break the triangle.

This interdependence results in a shared agenda, the big money agenda. So corporate interests buy off Congress, at least enough to have an effective majority, then move to acquire media.

Corporate giants control 90 percent of [U.S.] mass media. These corporations are the special interests[. T]he direct links connect all five of these media conglomerates to the political establishment and the economic and political power[ ]elites of the United States. ... These conglomerates are in large measure responsible for inculcating the social, political, economic, and moral values of both adults and children in the United States.

This media behemoth has turned its back on the Constitution. The media use their unparalleled influence to shield an emerging police state, bury the metastasis of political corruption in our government, and actively collude to remove our president and nullify an election.

This is not OK. None of it is OK. It's a seditious conspiracy.

Evidence is now surfacing of a tainted FBI that engaged in political espionage and illegal unmasking  dictator tactics to weaponize our intelligence agencies against American citizens, against political opponents.

Even a biased media should be shocked at these revelations. Yet the press defends the treason, blows off politicized intelligence, and attacks the messengers. There's a media blackout on the Deep State conspiracy, a deliberate attempt to keep this information from the American people.

Why didn't the Founders warn us of a compromised media? Why only admonishments to protect the free press?

Director Marshall Herskovitz called it:

Our founding fathers could not have foreseen that freedom of the press might eventually be threatened just as much by media consolidation as by government.

These consolidated media use the power of the press to serve their interests, to advance their agenda. Then, when called out for disinformation, for hiding the government's malfeasance, they use the 1st Amendment as their shield against criticism, exposure, even prosecution.

But there are limits to free speech.

Schenck v. United States, 249 U.S. 47 (1919):

The most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man in falsely shouting fire in a theatre and causing a panic[.] ... The question in every case is whether the words used are used in such circumstances and are of such a nature as to create a clear and present danger that they will bring about the substantive evils that Congress has a right to prevent.

I'd say an attempt to usurp our president, to take control of our government in a bloodless coup, constitutes a "substantive evil that Congress has a right to prevent."

Yet we continue to treat this sedition as protected speech  a dangerous abdication. If we attribute benign motives to the subversive media while we allow them to serve as a firewall to America's domestic enemies, as a propaganda arm of the state, we may, in the end, surrender our republic.

Liberty demands a free press; it's the foundation of our republic, our gatekeeper to democracy. But this is not a free press. It's an enemy combatant attacking the American people in plain sight.

Ronald Reagan once said, "Don't be afraid to see what you see."

What do we see?

We see media drunk on power that tell us a man is a woman, that a baby is just a suspicious growth, a threat to the mother's health that must be removed. We see media that defend radicals who disrespect our flag, that justify trashing America. We see anti-American, globalist media that promote all other countries over our own.

We see media as co-conspirators working with the very traitors they're tasked to expose, a press that publishes fake news and outright lies, that withholds the real news that would indict its comrades.

We see an American Pravda, a state-run media posing as free press to avoid detection. Media that launch coordinated attacks on the president of the United States, that hammer the fake "Russia collusion" narrative 24/7, that "report" on the contrived obstruction of justice narrative, that push the 25th Amendment (insanity) charge, all in their traitorous drive to impeach this president.

We see an attack dog for the left, media that foment hate for the president, publicly label him a pathological liar, unstable, dangerous, Hitler, a white supremacist. Their hatred is palpable, their attacks unrelenting.

We see a press that conducts an orchestrated defense of seditious Democrats, the Deep State, and Washington's ruling elite, that act as a Praetorian Guard for the insurgents in the palace coup.

This is not a free press. It's a bastardized cabal dressed up as media that is working to defeat the American people and effect a coup d'etat. Our free press is gone, eradicated by big money and government charlatans.

This counterfeit media are an enemy of the state, a threat to liberty and democracy, a clear and present danger.

"Don't be afraid to see what you see."
The CIA thought they had an opportunity to recover hacking tools that had been stolen from the NSA last year courtesy of a shadowy Russian spy. The Russian also offered the CIA compromising pictures and video of Donald Trump. The asking price was $1 million, of which, the CIA gave the spy $100,000.

Here's a cloak and dagger story that would be hilarious if it wasn't so frightening.

Eventually, the CIA figured out they were being had.

Daily Caller:

U.S. intelligence officials told The Times they were so desperate to retrieve those tools that they negotiated with the operative for months despite several red flags, including indications that he was working in concert with Russian intelligence. Another red flag was the Russians financial request. He initially sought $10 million for the information but dropped the asking price to $1 million. After months of negotiations, American spies handed over $100,000 in cash in a brief case to the Russian during a meeting in Berlin in September. The operative also offered documents and emails that purported to implicate other Trump associates, including former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page. But The Times viewed the documents and reported that they were mostly information that is already in the public domain. The Russian, who has ties to organized criminals and money launderers, showed the video purported to be Trump to a Berlin-based American businessman who served as his intermediary to the CIA. But according to the Times, the footage and the location of the viewing raised questions about its authenticity. The 15-second clip showed two women speaking with a man. It is not clear if the man was Trump, and there was no audio. The Russian also showed the video to his American partner at the Russian embassy in Berlin, a sign that the operative had ties to Russian intelligence. The Russian stonewalled the production of the cyber tools, and U.S. officials eventually cut ties, according to The Times. After the payout in Berlin, the man provided information about Trump and his associates of questionable veracity.

Was the CIA really only interested in recovering the cyber tools and turned up their nose at the Trump dirt being offered? Sharyl Attkisson wonders why this information is coming out now - in the New York Times of all places.

Looks like some US intel officials are using the NYT to do some 'splainin' & spinning before this info came out on its own. (Funny the intel sources didn't report this to Trump, Congress or public at the time). https://t.co/Dr5aPdc132  Sharyl Attkisson (@SharylAttkisson) February 10, 2018

It is possible that the CIA is getting out in front of this story due to their embarrassment at being taken for fools by the Russian. Or, it could be, as Attkisson suggests, that the story was going to come out somewhere and they needed to spin it by making it appear that their primary concern wasn't getting dirt on Trump, but on recovering the cyber tools.

Whichever way you look at it, it's incredible. That the Times published this bombshell on a Saturday tells us they know full well the serious implications involved in this story and their maximum effort to minimize it.
If nothing else, Democrats are persistent. The U.S. economy is obviously responding to the tax cuts and dramatically reduced regulation brought on by the Trump administration and the Republican Congress. But Democrats believe that there is room to trivialize our growing prosperity.

1. There are still layoffs.

2. Some companies used the tax benefits to buy back stock.

3. It's trickle-down economics.

1. In an appearance as a panelist on Special Report, Mo Elleithee pointed out that there have been 40,000 people laid off since the passage of the tax cut. The implication is that the economy can't be that strong if companies feel the need to cut employment.

There is an easy answer at the macro level. Even with these layoffs, the number of jobs is increasing, driving unemployment down and labor participation up. That answer can appear both glib and non responsive. It's worthwhile to look at actual layoffs.

Kimberly-Clark is laying off thousands of workers and closing a plant that makes diapers. Why? According to the Washington Post, "Executives cited declining fertility rates in the United States and South Korea as factors that have contributed to a decline in diaper sales, long considered one of Kimberly-Clark's bedrock lines of business."

For similar reasons, Proctor and Gamble is closing a plant in Kansas City. With the fall in enthusiasm for motorcycles among young people, Harley-Davidson is also closing a plant in Kansas City. It would be easy to think the people in K.C. would be in panic mode. They aren't.

However, even with almost 1,500 workers due to hit the job market in the next two years, the groups are confident those people will get placed in new positions.

I never liked being laid off, but it felt a lot better when there were other jobs available. These lack-of-demand layoffs would have occurred in the Obama economy at the same rate as they are occurring in the Trump economy. Under Obama, they would have been a tragedy. Under Trump, they are an annoyance.

To avoid the tragedy, Obama might well have pushed to subsidize these companies as he subsidized other industries. We'd all be up to our eyeballs in diapers. At least they'd be unused.

2. Stock buybacks. This has happened and likely will continue to happen. But what's the problem? The obligation of a publicly traded corporation is to increase stockholder equity. A stock buyback is an admission that the corporation's existing business model cannot profitably deploy additional capital. In that situation, the only way to increase equity is to reduce the number of shares by using found capital to retire some outstanding shares.

For Democrats, the story ends here. There is no new investment, therefore no new economic growth. What an amazingly superficial view. A buyback moves capital from corporations that cannot use it to people who are, by definition, investors. Investors may put the money under a mattress, but the odds are that they will look for profitable places to invest it. Investing is what investors do.

Of all the arguments that Democrats make about the economy and human behavior, this one ranks among the silliest. They don't think things through.

3. It's just crumbs  another way of saying "trickle down." The mantra is as follows: the big gifts of the tax cut go the big corporations. The workers get crumbs. It's all based on the trickle-down theory.

There are a couple of minor problems and one major problem with this Democratic position. There are no gifts involved. A tax cut lets corporations and people keep more of their own money. Contrary to the constant refrain, almost everyone gets to keep more of his money. Just about the only exceptions are the very high earners in high-tax states. That's why I no longer live in a high-tax state. On the other hand, everyone gets to make his own bed.

Here is the major point. Businesses do get to keep more money because they have more in the first place. To the income equality crowd, that sounds outrageous and unfair. It isn't. If people insist on viewing the world using the trickle-down metaphor, then they need to understand that it's all trickle-down. Business creates wealth by creating value. If the government takes wealth away to redistribute it to various people, how is that not trickle-down? The problem with that method of trickling is that it discourages the creation of wealth. Sooner or later, there is less wealth to be taxed and less wealth to be shared via salaries and bonuses. If the Obama years proved anything, they proved that this approach makes us all poorer.

When the government allows the retention of wealth, investments are made that help everyone. We see that with this tax cut. The U.S. corporate tax rate was the highest in the world. It is now in line with the rest of the world. The results are clear to everyone. Judging from the outlandish objections they raise, I think it's clear even to Democrats.
Democratic [r]ep. Jackie Speier called Trump's idea of a military parade "authoritarian," while Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse compared the practice to something that would be done by North Korea[.]

When President Trump called for a military parade, the media outrage machine went into overdrive, with comparisons to North Korean military parades being heard. Via the Daily Caller :

Via the Daily Wire:

"Trump's Military Parade Draws Bipartisan Rebuke," reported Politico. The typically hysterical Washington Post, where democracy dies in darkness, reported as news, not commentary, "Military Parades Are About Ego and Power. Of Course Trump Wants One." WPXI News [actually, the AP] lamented, "Trump Flirts With Flashy Military Parade Long Eschewed By US."

But then an awkward video arose of Senator Chuck Schumer, leader of Senate Dems, calling for a military parade in 2014:

Err...ummawkward!

Robert Harding attempted to differentiate the good Schumer parade from the bad Trump parade.

Schumer wanted a parade to honor veterans who served in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. He suggested a ticker-tape parade similar to those held in honor of veterans who served in past wars.

President Trump also wanted to honor veterans. So I guess it is the ticker-tape and New York City location that convey immunity. Is Wall Street holy territory now?

And here is what really bothers him, I guess:

Trump's reasoning for a parade is [very] different. He wants to showcase the U.S. military. This would be an exhibition. There would be soldiers marching down Pennsylvania Avenue, military hardware rolling down the street[,] and aircraft flying overhead.

And that's bad because...?

Update from Monica Showalter: Dinesh D'Souza, out on Twitter, has another thought:
Nope, it's someplace else  Colombia and Brazil, which just announced the clampdown on their borders with restricted cards, punishments for illegals, and thousands more border guards, to keep unchecked illegal immigration under control, as thousands and thousands of Venezuelans flee their hellish homeland.

A border rush? Of refugees? From violence? Like what we had with the Central American "unaccompanied minors" crisis of 2014?

According to Reuters:

Colombia and Brazil tightened border controls with Venezuela on Thursday as both nations grapple with a mounting influx of hundreds of thousands of desperate migrants fleeing a worsening economic crisis. In a visit to the border region, Colombian [p]resident Juan Manuel Santos said he would impose stricter migratory controls, suspend new daily entry cards for Venezuelans[,] and deploy 3,000 new security personnel along the frontier, including 2,120 more soldiers. Speaking in Cucuta, a Colombian border city of about 670,000 inhabitants, Santos warned that his government would strictly prosecute any unlawful behavior by Venezuelans, amid concerns over rising crime. He said Colombia was spending millions of dollars to support the migrants. Brazil's Defense Minister Raul Jungmann, speaking in the northern border town of Boa Vista, said the government would also deploy more troops and start relocating tens of thousands of Venezuelan refugees who have crossed the open frontier to seek food, work and shelter.

That would be the same Brazil that signed its name to a multi-nation friend-of-the-court petition condemning Arizona for trying to enforce federal border law.

Meanwhile, over in Chile, the voters just elected former president Sebastian Pinera to its presidency again. Pinera wooed voters from the camp of another candidate, Jose Antonio Kast, who promised a border wall with Peru to keep illegals out. (When I was in Santiago, Chile a few years ago, I noticed quite a few illegals from Ecuador, which borders Peru, on the street trying to sell things.) It seems to be an idea that is catching.

And I doubt we are going to be seeing any more friend-of-the-court briefs as these nations attempt to now control their own borders.

Unlike the U.S., which had little to do with the desire for bigger welfare benefits that propelled the migrant rushes from Central America in recent years, the problem here is that for years, warnings have been issued to the governments of these countries about the hellish conditions in Venezuela, and they have loudly proclaimed their support for Venezuela's government and its "model." Today, we have rabid activity like this as Venezuela's model.

Yet these nations have loudly supported Venezuela's ever more obviously fraudulent elections; have defended Venezuela against yanqui imperialismo when President Trump spoke of sanctions and military intervention; and were at the forefront of 2009's pariah-ization of tiny Honduras, the nation which attempted to shake Chavista communism from its shores (the Hondurans refused to bend, and they were subject to considerable unnecessary and cruel sanctions). President Santos called the late, unlamented Hugo Chavez (who died in 2013) his "new best friend" and has had multiple friendly meetings with his successor, Nicolas Maduro. These nations have constantly protected Venezuela by proclaiming their fealty to non-intervention in the internal affairs of other countries, particularly the nightmarish socialist Venezuelan state.

Well, they've got the internal affairs of Venezuela right inside their borders now, the product of the continuous support of their governments, and especially their previous left-wing governments, for the Chavistas. This result couldn't happen to a brighter bunch, convinced that sticking it to the yanqui imperialistas was more important than considering the natural results of Chavista socialism to their own countries' interests.

Going forward, it's reasonable to think we won't be hearing any rubbish out of those nations condemning President Trump for attempting to defend America's borders, including the building of a wall to keep smugglers out. What's even more reasonable is to expect an apology, but we won't hold our breath.
As most AT readers already know, strong suspicions exist that the Adam Schiff-drafted 10-page memo, intended to rebut the 4 page Nunes memo, was salted with references to sensitive intelligence sources and methods that would have to be redacted in order to protect future intelligence-gathering capabilities. This was done in order to be able to scream that the rebuttal was being blocked.

We are in the midst of a classic example of collaboration between Democrats and the mainstream media. The operation is aimed at directing public attention away from the serious and historic Obama administration abuses uncovered by Chairman Nunes: nothing short of spying on a rival presidential campaign using the NSAs universal surveillance of electronic communications. The mechanism is the manufacturing of a fake controversy enabling readers and viewers to discount the evidence.

Dutifully following the exact protocol used to vet the Nunes memo for sources and methods, the Schiff memo was submitted to the FBI. Yesterday saw the issuance of a letter signed by Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein  a darling of the left for appointing Robert Mueller as special counsel -- and Christopher Wray, head of the FBI. And, as the Dems have told us repeatedly, any criticism of the FBI is helping Vladimir Putin destroy us, and therefore borderline treason.

The attachment to the letter is still under wraps because it specifies things that must be redacted.

Update: President Trump minutes ago tweeted his repsonse:

The Democrats sent a very political and long response memo which they knew, because of sources and methods (and more), would have to be heavily redacted, whereupon they would blame the White House for lack of transparency. Told them to re-do and send back in proper form!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 10, 2018

But instead of even mentioning the redaction process being insisted upon by those dedicated public servants, the media  led by the New York Times is going ballistic over Trump blocking the memo, as if the critical counterpoint is being censored. Here is the Timess headline and lede paragraphs:

Trump Blocks Release of Memo Rebutting Republican Claims President Trump on Friday blocked the release of a classified Democratic memo rebutting Republican claims that top federal law enforcement officials had abused their powers in spying on a former Trump campaign aide, a move that Democrats denounced as politically motivated hypocrisy. Last week, the president moved quickly, over the objections of the Justice Department and the F.B.I., to declassify the contents of a rival Republican memo drafted by House Intelligence Committee staff members. He claimed, incorrectly, that the Republican memo had vindicated him in the special counsel investigation into Russian election interference. But Donald F. McGahn II, the presidents lawyer, said in a letter to the committee on Friday night that the Democratic memo could not be released because it contains numerous properly classified and especially sensitive passages. He said the president would again consider making the memo public if the committee, which had approved its release on Monday, revised it to mitigate the risks.

Only 14 paragraphs later  long after a majority of readers give up  was there any mention of the actual process:

In his letter, Mr. McGahn said that Rod J. Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, and the F.B.I. director, Christopher A. Wray, had identified portions of the memo for which they had significant concerns. Mr. McGahn referred the committee to a separate document  not released publicly  in which Mr. Wray and Mr. Rosenstein were said to provide details to the committee about those concerns.

The publicly available letter is not even mentioned. It is just McGahn saying that Wray and Rosenstein had reservations, but saying that the recommended changes are being kept secret. Because Trump cant be trusted.

Taxpayer supported and by law supposedly nonpartisan NPR was even worse in its lengthy coverage, and the title says it all: The Russia Investigations: Democrats Try To Counterattack But Lose A Key Weapon

This sort of media collaboration will keep the true believers among the Trump hating 35% or so of Americans comforted, and that is its purpose. Meanwhile, the wheels of Congressional investigators keep turning, and more information will be coming out way. The DOJ Inspector Generals report is due in a month or so, and resignations and early retirements from the DOJ and FBI are mounting.

Sooner or later, there will be indictments, either from a new special counsel or from the DOJ itself.

Then, the MSM will be forced to cover them, no matter how reluctantly, and their readers and viewers will be shocked at what they have missed.
What the hell is going on at the Justice Department? Yesterday, Editor Lifson wrote about the resignation/firing of two high ranking officials at the FBI and the Department of Justice. Both had played a role in the Clinton investigation. Both resigned suddenly.

"Jim[,"] aka James Baker (FBI [c]hief [l]egal [c]ounsel)[,] was removed in January.

"Mike[,]" aka Michael Kortan (FBI [a]sst. [d]irector [p]ublic [a]ffairs)[,] quits today.

"Dave[,]" aka David Laufman (DOJ  National Security Division, [d]eputy [a]sst. [a]ttorney [g]eneral in charge of counterintelligence)[,] quit yesterday.

"Trisha[,]" aka Trish Beth Anderson (Office of Legal Counsel, FBI)[.]

Not listed was the firing of FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe who will figure prominently in the IG investigation into the bureau's handling of Clinton's email investigation.

Another shoe dropped yesterday. The third ranking official at the Department of Justice, Rachel Brand, suddenly resigned to take a "dream job" as an WalMart executive. What makes her resignation even more curious is that Brand was next in line to oversee the Mueller investigation, behind Rod Rosenstein. Rosenstein is thought to be in big trouble and could be fired by Trump or resign in the near future.

Fox News:

DOJ officials say Principal Deputy Associate AG Jesse Panuccio will step in as the acting Associate Attorney General. News of Brands departure was first reported by The New York Times. In the line of succession, Brand had been behind Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Rosenstein is overseeing Special Counsel Robert Muellers probe into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. She was in line to oversee the investigation if Rosenstein stepped down. Should Rosenstein step down now, Solicitor General Noel Francisco would take over the probe, not Panuccio. (Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from the Russia inquiry last year.)

Her resignation could be entirely coincidental. People in DC get offered plum jobs all the time. But this seems to throw "coincidence" into a cocked hat:

Brand had been overseeing the DOJ's antitrust, civil and civil rights divisons. She also assisted in an extension of the National Security Agency's warrantless surveillance program. (Emphasis mine).

That program is not directly related to the FISA warrant program. The NSA warrantless surveillance program is supposed to spy on foreigners, with Americans sometimes getting caught up in its investigations if they communicate with people overseas who are being surveilled. If Americans are incidentally caught up in the NSA surveillance program, the only way to discover their identities is to "unmask" them.

National Review:

So, as noted in coverage of the Obama administrations monitoring of Trump-campaign officials, FISA section 702 provides some privacy protection for Americans: The FISA court orders minimization procedures, which require any incidentally intercepted Americans identity to be masked. That is, the NSA must sanitize the raw data by concealing the identity of the American. Only the masked version of the communication is provided to other U.S. intelligence agencies for purposes of generating reports and analyses. As I have previously explained, however, this system relies on the good faith of government officials in respecting privacy: There are gaping loopholes that permit American identities to be unmasked if, for example, the NSA or some other intelligence official decides doing so is necessary to understand the intelligence value of the communication.

And Brand "assisted" in this program. Mmmmmm...

The spate of firings and resignations may or may not be unprecedented. Certainly in recent memory it is. But the massive incuriousness of the press about what's happening at DoJ rasies the question: Is there any information that threatens or contradicts their narrative about Trump and Russia collusion ever going to be reported?
"Save Tuvalu, save the world" was the battle cry at the 2015 climate conference in Peru. The prime minister of that tiny Pacific island nation begged the conference to keep his country from "disappearing."

Enele Spoaga arrived in Brussels on Monday to call on [E.U.] leaders for support ahead of the next [U.N.] climate change summit in Paris in December. The group of islands, home to just 10,000 people, is under direct threat by rising sea levels due to climate change as it is no more than 4m above sea level at its highest level. "If this island disappears under water, it is not the end of climate change. And I ask you[:] what future do we hold? We need to collaborate as one human face to save human[]kind. "We are told that even 2 degrees global warming is too dangerous as it would mean that Tuvalu would disappear under the water. Yes[,] we can move the Tuvalu inhabitants to other peoples' lands but it will not stop climate change." Tuvalu is one of several island chains in the Pacific ... vulnerable to rising sea levels.

Heartrending, isn't it? The Paris Accords on climate change adopted a "climate mitigation" program that would have helped save Tuvalu from certain disaster.

But how "certain" is it? A study by the University of Auckland discovered that, far from "disappearing," the island atolls that make up the nation are actually growing.

Phys.org:

A University of Auckland study examined changes in the geography of Tuvalu's nine atolls and 101 reef islands between 1971 and 2014, using aerial photographs and satellite imagery. It found [that] eight of the atolls and almost three-quarters of the islands grew during the study period, lifting Tuvalu's total land area by 2.9 percent, even though sea levels in the country rose at twice the global average. Co-author Paul Kench said the research, published Friday in the journal Nature Communications, challenged the assumption that low-lying island nations would be swamped as the sea rose. "We tend to think of Pacific atolls as static landforms that will simply be inundated as sea levels rise, but there is growing evidence these islands are geologically dynamic and are constantly changing," he said. "The study findings may seem counter-intuitive, given that (the) sea level has been rising in the region over the past half century, but the dominant mode of change over that time on Tuvalu has been expansion, not erosion." It found [that] factors such as wave patterns and sediment dumped by storms could offset the erosion caused by rising water levels. The Auckland team says climate change remains one of the major threats to low-lying island nations. But it argues [that] the study should prompt a rethink on how such countries respond to the problem. Rather than accepting [that] their homes are doomed and looking to migrate to countries such as Australia and New Zealand, the researchers say they should start planning for a long-term future. "On the basis of this research we project a markedly different trajectory for Tuvalu's islands over the next century [from what] is commonly envisaged," Kench said.

In the immortal words of Emily Litella, "never mind."

This must be one of the most embarrassing revelations about the lack of catastrophic climate change in history  right up there with the claim that Himalayan glaciers were disappearing while the truth was that they are growing. What's even more remarkable is that the study concludes that the island nation is on a "markedly different trajectory" for the next century!

The U.N.'s climate mitigation program envisions tens of billions of dollars given to poor countries to help them deal with global warming. Tuvalu was set to receive funds to move its entire population once the people were in danger from their "sinking" island. Perhaps the whole climate mitigation regime should be re-examined. But it won't be. That's because the program is not meant to really assist countries who are economically affected by global warming. It is a transfer of wealth scheme from the First World to the Third World  Robin Hood disguised as the climate change ogre.

We should be happy for the citizens of Tuvalu, who are going to be safe for the next century.
Posted 2/9/18

Good morning. As I put the pen to the paper, the ground is all white with snow. It has not stopped.

This week there will be three funerals. Our sympathy is with the families of Joe Bill McDowell, 
The Daily Wire goes PC on immigration

Ben Shapiro's Daily Wire posted an article quoting an illegal alien "DREAMer" as saying she would self-deport if Congress took no action on amnesty ("DREAMers Threaten to Leave the Country if Congress Doesn't Reach a DACA Deal" by Emily Zanotti). "I will leave. I will leave America as soon as possible," she claimed. Well, good for her! Why wait? This would be a great little bit of news except for one thing. The author refers to this woman and her sister as "undocumented citizens," one-upping the left's already manipulative and disingenuous term "undocumented immigrants." And I go to extra trouble to point this out because the Daily Wire is a great publication, and Ben Shapiro himself is an expert at discrediting the left's narrative.

So I have to ask, where did the term "undocumented citizens" come from? Since when were any of these people "citizens"? They are not citizens, undocumented or otherwise. They are not even immigrants. They are illegal aliens. An immigrant is someone who has established citizenship. Look it up. Anyone in the U.S. who has not is an alien, legal or otherwise, by definition. Furthermore, they are not "undocumented"; they are illegal. At best, "undocumented" is merely a descriptive word for those who come to the U.S. illegally. They are "undocumented" only in the sense that they do not possess documents attesting to a legal status in the U.S. In fact, most of them do carry documents  e.g., a driver's license or other ID from their home countries  so it is not even necessarily true that they are undocumented. The left invented this language to present a less negative image than what "illegal alien" implies and, most importantly, to append the word "immigrant." In so doing, they ignore the legal definition. It not only debases the English language, but also seeks to undermine the rule of law. None of this is anything new for the left. In fact, the misuse of language is one of the left's primary weapons. And leftists' strategy is quickly revealed. They drop the "undocumented" and just refer to illegals as "immigrants"  fraudulently conflating illegal aliens with legal immigrants. Then they feel liberated to make all kinds of hilarious claims  e.g., "think what would have happened if we had denied entry to Albert Einstein, who immigrated [legally] from Europe!" Suddenly, illegal aliens are all potentially the next Einstein. How could we deny our nation its future saviors? Leftists are actually making such claims! It's almost as hilarious as Nancy Pelosi's eight-hour speech  or would be, were it not so damaging. So now they feign offense when anyone opposes illegal aliens  calling the opposition "anti-immigrant," "bigots," "racists," yada, yada. It has nothing to do with immigration because these people are not immigrants. It is an entirely contrived narrative, invented to advance the left's open-borders agenda, which is really an effort to subvert our nation by swamping it with illegal aliens. These aliens steal jobs from American citizens and legal immigrants, side with the left on a multitude of issues, and vote Democrat (indistinguishable today from the extreme left) as soon as they get amnesty. The left has turned the term "illegal alien" into a form of hate speech, while the truth is that "undocumented immigrant" is truly the hate speech. Leftists are defined by their hatred of anyone who challenges their agendas. The true haters are those who attack people legitimately concerned with national security and the rule of law. Illegal immigration threatens both. Zanotti has taken it one step farther by calling illegals "undocumented citizens." Ben Shapiro must have missed this one, because I can't imagine him condoning that term. It not only pushes the left's duplicitous narrative, but one-ups it. We all have to learn to stop legitimizing the left's illegitimate agendas by using their duplicitous language. See it for what it is, and call illegal aliens what they are: illegal aliens. Correction to "The Daily Wire goes PC on immigration" A reader corrected me on my definition of "immigrant" in this article. I am usually careful, and thought I had been here, but was wrong and will always correct myself when proven so. I had defined an immigrant as someone who has established citizenship. I was wrong. An immigrant is anyone who has moved to a country with the intention of establishing permanent residence there. Thus you do not need to be a citizen to be called "immigrant". However, you cannot be called a "citizen" until you have established citizenship. An alien who has established residence legally (but not been naturalized) is called a legal permanent resident, a legal immigrant or resident alien. According to the Immigration and Nationality Act, an illegal alien can also be called an "immigrant," even though that person's attempt to establish residence has not been legal. The term "undocumented" has also been introduced into the legal jargon. Similarly, there was a recent push (no surprise) by the pro-amnesty crowd to have the Library of Congress redefine illegal alien because it hurts their cause. Bowing to political correctness as one might expect in our increasingly degenerate culture, the LoC has complied. The word "alien" is being replaced by "noncitizen", and "illegal alien" will be described with two words, 1. "noncitizen," and 2. "unauthorized immigration." Why did they do this? In their own words, "the phrase illegal aliens has become pejorative." Why did it become pejorative? Because the leftist echo chamber made it that way - degrading yet another term that doesn't suit its agenda and misdirecting our nation over what that agenda is: absolute power and control. I will continue to call them what they are: illegal aliens.
United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit. UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Estelle STEIN, Defendant-Appellant. No. 16-10914 Decided: January 31, 2018

Before ED CARNES, Chief Judge, TJOFLAT, MARCUS, WILSON, WILLIAM PRYOR, MARTIN, JORDAN, ROSENBAUM, JULIE CARNES, NEWSOM, and HULL, Circuit Judges. Curtis Clarence Pett, Thomas J. Clark, Bridget Maria Rowan, U.S. Department of Justice, Chief Appellate Section Tax Division, Mary Apostolakos Hervey, U.S. Department of Justice, Tax Division, WASHINGTON, DC, for Plaintiff-Appellee. Alex P. Rosenthal, Rosenthal Law Group, WESTON, FL, Clifford Marshall Stein, Clifford M. Stein, Attorney at Law, MIAMI BEACH, FL, for Defendant-Appellant.

We hold that an affidavit which satisfies Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure may create an issue of material fact and preclude summary judgment even if it is self-serving and uncorroborated. And because this principle applies in all civil cases, including those in the realm of tax law, we overrule that portion of Mays v. United States, 763 F.2d 1295, 1297 (11th Cir. 1985), which is (or may be interpreted to be) to the contrary.

I

This case concerns IRS assessments, so we begin with some basic tax concepts. An assessment amounts to an IRS determination that a taxpayer owes the [f]ederal [g]overnment a certain amount of unpaid taxes, and is entitled to a legal presumption of correctnessa presumption that can help the [g]overnment prove its case against a taxpayer in court. United States v. Fior D'Italia, Inc., 536 U.S. 238, 242, 122 S.Ct. 2117, 153 L.Ed.2d 280 (2002). In reducing an assessment to judgment, the [g]overnment must first prove that the assessment was properly made.  [If it does so,] the taxpayer must then prove that the assessment is erroneous in order to prevail. United States v. White, 466 F.3d 1241, 1248 (11th Cir. 2006). As far as we can tell, there are no reported federal cases addressing what evidence a taxpayer needs to present to show that an IRS assessment has been paid or satisfied.

A

In 2015, the government sued Estelle Stein for outstanding tax assessments, late penalties, and interest owed for tax years 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002. See 26 U.S.C.  7402. Its complaint alleged that Ms. Stein owed approximately $220,000 plus fees and statutory additions.

When it moved for summary judgment, the government sought to demonstrate that Ms. Stein had outstanding tax assessments by submitting copies of her federal tax returns, transcripts of her accounts for the tax years in question, and an affidavit from an IRS officer. The government acknowledged that Ms. Stein had paid the taxes due for 1996, 1999, and 2000 (as well as some additional small amounts), but claimed she had not satisfied the accrued penalties and interest for those years. As for 2001 and 2002, the government asserted that Ms. Stein had not paid any taxes, penalties, or interest. The government did not depose Ms. Stein.

In response to the government's summary judgment motion, Ms. Stein submitted an affidavit of her own stating that, to the best of [her] recollection, she had paid the taxes and penalties owed for the years in question. Her affidavit specified that she had retained an accounting firm to file the tax returns after the death of her husband, who had been solely responsible for filing the couple's tax returns and paying their taxes; that she recalled paying the taxes due, including penalties, for each of those tax returns; that she no longer had bank statements to establish her payments to the IRS; that she could not obtain statements from her bank to prove her payments; and that the IRS had acknowledged misapplying her tax payment for 1996 to tax year 1979. The relevant paragraphs of Ms. Stein's affidavit stated as follows:

8. For 1996, this tax return was filed on November 15, 2004. The IRS had no record of receiving any payment and is claiming the full amount of the tax is due, along with interest and penalties.

* * *

10. For the year 1999, I filed the return as surviving spouse on February 11, 2005. The return showed an amount due of $33,612. I paid $35,226, which included the late penalty. The IRS has a record of that payment.

11. For the year 2000, I filed my return as surviving spouse on January 11, 2005. The amount due on the return was $4,127. I paid $4,349.00, which amount included the late penalty. The IRS has a record of having received that payment.

12. For the year 2001, I filed my return, as surviving spouse, on March 10, 2005. The amount of the return shows $15,998 due. Although I recall paying the tax on that return, including a late penalty consistent with the other returns that I filed, the IRS does not have a record of receiving such payment.

13. For the year 2002, I filed my return on March 10, 2005, as surviving spouse. The amount of tax shown on the return was $52,342. Although I recall writing a check for this amount, plus, late penalties, the IRS has no record of receiving his amount.

* * *

21.  [I]t is my unwavering contention that I paid the taxes due, including late filing penalties, at such time as I filed the returns for each of the tax years in question.

D.E. 32-1 at 23.

The district court entered summary judgment in favor of the government. See D.E. 40. It first concluded that the evidence submitted by the government created a presumption that its assessments were correct. Turning to Ms. Stein's affidavit, the district court ruled that [a] number of the facts contained within [the] affidavit [were] not relevant facts for  consideration. Id. at 6. Although Ms. Stein maintained that payments had been made, she did not produce any evidence documenting said payments, id., and therefore did not satisfy her burden to overcome the presumption of correctness given to the government's assessments. As a result, there was no genuine dispute as to any material fact, id. at 7, and the government was entitled to judgment as a matter of law.

Ms. Stein appealed, and a panel of this court affirmed. The panel ruled that her affidavit failed to create a genuine factual dispute about the validity of the [government's] assessments because, under Mays, 763 F.2d at 1297, her general and self-serving assertions  failed to rebut the presumption established by the assessments. United States v. Stein, 840 F.3d 1355, 1357 (11th Cir. 2016). We vacated the panel's opinion and took the case en banc to determine whether Mays should be overruled.

II

Mays, a tax refund case, came to us in a summary judgment posture. We affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment in favor of the government, holding that the taxpayer's submissions were insufficient to create an issue for trial. See 763 F.2d at 1297. We first noted that a taxpayer in a refund suit has the twin burdens of showing that the government's assessment is wrong, and of establishing the correct amount of the refund due. Id. We then explained that a taxpayer's claim must be substantiated by something other than tax returns, uncorroborated oral testimony, or self-serving statements. Id. (internal citations omitted). Turning to the record in the case, we concluded that the taxpayer's computer printout of business expenses (prepared after a tax audit) and net worth statements (which did not refer to any original records) did not overcome the presumption of correctness due [to] determinations of the Commissioner of the IRS: [The taxpayer] has submitted only self-serving documents which do not substantiate his claims. Id.

We overrule Mays to the extent it holds or suggests that self-serving and uncorroborated statements in a taxpayer's affidavit cannot create an issue of material fact with respect to the correctness of the government's assessments. Nothing in Rule 56 prohibits an otherwise admissible affidavit from being self-serving. And if there is any corroboration requirement for an affidavit, it must come from a source other than Rule 56.

A

Rule 56(a) authorizes summary judgment only when there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Rule 56(c), in turn, allows a nonmoving party to dispute a material fact through an affidavit, which must be made on personal knowledge, set out facts that would be admissible in evidence, and show that the affiant or declarant is competent to testify on the matters stated. See generally Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986) ([T]he plain language of Rule 56(c) mandates the entry of summary judgment, after adequate time for discovery and upon motion, against a party who fails to make a showing sufficient to establish the existence of an element essential to that party's case, and on which that party will bear the burden of proof a trial.).

An affidavit cannot be conclusory, see, e.g., Lujan v. Nat'l Wildlife Fed'n, 497 U.S. 871, 888, 110 S.Ct. 3177, 111 L.Ed.2d 695 (1990), but nothing in Rule 56 (or, for that matter, in the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure) prohibits an affidavit from being self-serving. Indeed, as the Seventh Circuit observed, most affidavits submitted [in response to a summary judgment motion] are self-serving. Payne v. Pauley, 337 F.3d 767, 772 (7th Cir. 2003). Not surprisingly, most of our cases correctly explain that a litigant's self-serving statements based on personal knowledge or observation can defeat summary judgment. See, e.g., Feliciano v. City of Miami Beach, 707 F.3d 1244, 1253 (11th Cir. 2013) (To be sure, Feliciano's sworn statements are self-serving, but that alone does not permit us to disregard them at the summary judgment stage.); Price v. Time, Inc., 416 F.3d 1327, 1345 (11th Cir.) (Courts routinely and properly deny summary judgment on the basis of a party's sworn testimony even though it is self-serving.), modified on other grounds on denial of reh'g, 425 F.3d 1292 (11th Cir. 2005).

It makes no difference that this is a tax case. We apply the same summary judgment standard in tax cases as we do in other areas of law. See, e.g., Roberts v. Comm'r, 329 F.3d 1224, 1227 (11th Cir. 2003) (citing Tax Ct. R. 121, which mirrors Rule 56). See also Lewis v. United States, 336 Fed.Appx. 535, 538 (6th Cir. 2009) (rejecting the argument that the ordinary summary judgment standard does not apply in tax cases).

To support its statement that a taxpayer needs more than his self-serving testimony to preclude summary judgment, Mays relied on Gibson v. United States, 360 F.2d 457 (5th Cir. 1966). But Gibson does not hold that self-serving statements in a taxpayer's affidavit cannot create a genuine issue of material fact. In Gibson, which involved a claim for a refund of excise taxes, the taxpayer appealed certain unfavorable factual findings made by the district court following a bench trial. The taxpayer argued primarily that the district court had erred in disregarding his testimony and the tax liability calculations contained in his own excise tax journal. See id. at 46062. The former Fifth Circuit held that the district court's factual findings were not clearly erroneous and explained that the taxpayer's self-serving testimony did not compel a contrary result. Id. at 462.

Gibson does not hold that a district court can reject or ignore a taxpayer's affidavit at summary judgment on the ground that it is self-serving. Gibson was an appeal from a bench trial, and in that setting a district court can certainly take into account the self-serving nature of a litigant's testimony. A district court is, after all, permitted to assess credibility and weigh evidence at a bench trial, and the same goes for the jury when it is the trier of fact.

Properly understood, Gibson stands only for the unremarkable proposition that a fact-finder can choose to disregard a litigant's self-serving (and unsupported) trial testimony, and that its decision to do so generally will not constitute clear error. That proposition has no place at summary judgment, where the [court's] function is not  to weigh the evidence. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 249, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). See also Danzer v. Norden Sys., Inc., 151 F.3d 50, 57 (2d Cir. 1998) (rejecting the argument that a self-serving affidavit is insufficient to defeat summary judgment because it would thrust the courtsat an inappropriate stageinto an adjudication of the merits).

B

Nor does Rule 56 require that an otherwise admissible affidavit be corroborated by independent evidence. As noted, Rule 56(c) states only that an affidavit must be made on personal knowledge, set out facts that would be admissible in evidence, and show that the affiant or declarant is competent to testify on the matters stated.

We see no basis for imposing a corroboration gloss on Rule 56, cf. Leatherman v. Tarrant Cty. Narcotics Intelligence & Coordination Unit, 507 U.S. 163, 16869, 113 S.Ct. 1160, 122 L.Ed.2d 517 (1993) (rejecting a judicially-imposed heightened pleading standard not found in Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 8 and 9 for municipal liability cases), and reaffirm that even in the absence of collaborative evidence, a plaintiff's own testimony may be sufficient to withstand summary judgment. Strickland v. Norfolk S. Ry. Co., 692 F.3d 1151, 1160 (11th Cir. 2012). Accord E.E.O.C. v. Warfield-Rohr Casket Co., 364 F.3d 160, 16364 (4th Cir. 2004); Jackson v. Duckworth, 955 F.2d 21, 22 (7th Cir. 1992); Weldon v. Kraft, Inc., 896 F.2d 793, 800 (3d Cir. 1990); Becho, Inc. v. United States, 47 Fed.Cl. 595, 60304 & n.11 (2000); Marsh v. Hog Slat, Inc., 79 F.Supp.2d 1068, 1076 (N.D. Iowa 2000). If corroboration is needed, then that requirement must come from a source other than Rule 56, such as the substantive law that governs the parties' dispute or the Federal Rules of Evidence. See, e.g., Fed. R. Evid. 804(b)(3)(B) (requiring corroboration to support the admission of statements against the declarant's interest).

III

A non-conclusory affidavit which complies with Rule 56 can create a genuine dispute concerning an issue of material fact, even if it is self-serving and/or uncorroborated. We overrule Mays to the extent that it holds or suggests otherwise, and remand the case to the panel for consideration of Ms. Stein's appeal.

We do not mean to suggest that a self-serving and/or uncorroborated affidavit will always preclude summary judgment. We hold only that the self-serving and/or uncorroborated nature of an affidavit cannot prevent it from creating an issue of material fact. And we leave to the panel the task of determining the impact of Ms. Stein's affidavit.

Finally, we recognize that the government, in its en banc brief, has made a number of additional and related arguments in support of the district court's summary judgment order. For example, the government argues that, in a case like this one, a taxpayer's affidavit concerning the matter of payment must be substantiated and corroborated (for example, by documentary evidence) pursuant to principles of substantive federal tax law, particularly given the presumption of correctness that attaches to its assessments. Given the narrow question presented for en banc review, we think it is best for the panel to consider the government's arguments, as well as Ms. Stein's responses to them.

REMANDED TO THE PANEL WITH INSTRUCTIONS.

I concur fully in the majority opinion, but I write separately to highlight the irony of our earlier precedent when viewed in the light of the history of the Seventh Amendment. The precedent we overrule today, Mays v. United States, prevented juries from resolving factual disputes when a taxpayer offered only a self-serving affidavit in support of his position. 763 F.2d 1295, 1297 (11th Cir. 1985). As the majority opinion explains, that rule had no basis in law. But it also flouted the history of the right to a jury trial in civil cases.

In the decades before the American Revolution, Parliament developed procedures to enforce its revenue measures by evading colonial juries. See 1 Julius Goebel, Jr., History of the Supreme Court of the United States 8586 (Paul A. Freund ed., 1st ed. 1971); Philip Hamburger, Is Administrative Law Unlawful? 150 (2014). England had struggled to enforce its trade laws in the colonies, and colonial officials in America blamed local juries for refusing to be impartial in customs disputes. See Carl Ubbelohde, Vice-Admiralty Courts and the American Revolution 15 (1960). In response, Parliament expanded the jurisdiction of admiralty courts, which sat without juries, to include trade cases that would have been tried by a jury in England. See Ubbelohde, supra at 1516, 21. Later, seeking to extract more revenue from the colonies, Parliament enacted the Sugar Act for the improvement of the Revenue of th[e] Kingdom  and extended the power of customs officials, at their discretion, to channel cases into admiralty courts, and so to eliminate jury trial. Goebel, supra at 8586 (quoting 4 Geo. 3, c. 15 (Eng. 1764) ); see also Caleb Nelson, The Constitutionality of Civil Forfeiture, 125 Yale L.J. 2446, 2463 (2016). And the Stamp Act, 5 Geo. 3, c. 12 (Eng. 1765), provided that customs officials could enforce not only the stamp tax, but also revenue acts in general in the juryless admiralty courts. Goebel, supra at 86.

Colonial Americans vehemently objected to these measures, and the denial of the right to a jury in tax cases became a chief complaint animating the American Revolution. The colonies formed a Congress to protest the tyrannical acts of the British Parliament.  Hamburger, supra at 150 (quoting Resolutions of the Stamp Act Congress (Oct. 19, 1765) ). The Stamp Act Congress declared that trial by jury, is the inherent and invaluable right of every British subject in these colonies. Resolutions of the Stamp Act Congress (Oct. 19, 1765), in Select Charters and Other Documents Illustrative of American History 1606-1775, at 315 (William MacDonald ed., MacMillan & Co. 1906). And it denounced extending the jurisdiction of the courts of admiralty beyond its ancient limits because of its manifest tendency to subvert the rights and liberties of the colonists. Id. In the Declaration of Independence, Americans cited the depriv[ation] in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury as one of the Usurpations committed by King George III that they would no longer tolerate. The Declaration of Independence paras. 2, 20 (1776).

The failure to guarantee the right to a jury trial in civil cases almost prevented the ratification of the Constitution. In attempting to persuade New York to ratify the Constitution, Alexander Hamilton acknowledged [t]he objection that had met with most success in his home state and several of the other states was the want of a constitutional provision for the trial by jury in civil cases. The Federalist No. 83, at 558 (Alexander Hamilton) (Jacob E. Cooke ed., 1961). And he discussed the specific argument that the civil jury is a necessary safeguard against an oppressive exercise of the power of taxation. Id. at 563. As Justice Story later explained, Americans decided that it was not enough that Congress had the authority to provide in all cases for the trial by jury. United States v. Wonson, 28 F. Cas. 745, 750 (C.C. Mass. 1812) (No. 16,750). The defenders of the Constitution prevailed in the ratification debates only after promising an amendment that guaranteed the right to trial by jury in civil cases. Stanton D. Krauss, The Original Understanding of the Seventh Amendment Right to Jury Trial, 33 U. Rich. L. Rev. 407, 41213 (1999). Americans then enshrined that right in the Seventh Amendment. U.S. Const. Amend. VII.

Our precedent in Mays lost sight of the historical basis for the right to a civil jury when it denied a taxpayer a jury trial if all he offered in his favor was a self-serving affidavit to rebut official records of his delinquency. In so doing, Mays ousted the jury from its historical role in the exact contextthe enforcement of tax lawsthat prompted the founding generation to adopt the Seventh Amendment in the first place. Today, we rectify that error.

FOOTNOTES

. Of note, none of the cases cited in Gibson arose in a summary judgment posture. See Pinder v. United States, 330 F.2d 119, 121 (5th Cir. 1964) (reviewing jury verdict); Mendelson v. Comm'r, 305 F.2d 519, 521 (7th Cir. 1962) (reviewing tax court's factual findings); Urban Redevelopment Corp. v. Comm'r, 294 F.2d 328, 332 (4th Cir. 1961) (same); Comm'r v. Smith, 285 F.2d 91, 93 (5th Cir. 1960) (same); Carter v. Comm'r, 257 F.2d 595, 596, 599 (5th Cir. 1958) (same); Anderson v. Comm'r, 250 F.2d 242, 24647 (5th Cir. 1957) (same); Archer v. Comm'r, 227 F.2d 270, 272 (5th Cir. 1955) (same).

. In the appeal of a tax refund case that went to trial, we stated almost 40 years ago that a taxpayer cannot meet his burden through his uncorroborated oral testimony. Griffin v. United States, 588 F.2d 521, 530 (5th Cir. 1979) (concluding that, because the taxpayer's testimony was corroborated, the issue was for the jury). Mays, itself a tax refund case, cited Griffin for the proposition that a taxpayer's refund claim needs to be substantiated by something other than  uncorroborated oral testimony. Mays, 763 F.2d at 1297. This case does not involve a refund claim, and the appeal is from a summary judgment order. Given the posture and nature of this en banc proceeding, we do not express any views on whether the quoted statement from Griffin is correct as a matter of substantive federal tax law.

JORDAN, Circuit Judge:
Ahmed Abdoule: Hull rapist first and foremost a criminal, a man or a Somalian?

How do you report on Ahmed Abdoule, 33, who this week was convicted of rape at Hull Crown Court, handed an 11 year prison term? The Hull Daily Mails headline sums up: Man who raped teenage girl held sharp piece of wood to her throat and said: You cannot be a virgin because you are white.

The rapist is a man first and foremost. In the storys fifth paragraph we learn more about this violent criminal: The court heard Abdoule, a Somalian national, was known to the woman and took her to his home.

We read Judge Mark Burys comments: She told you she was a virgin to try and get you to stop. You said to her, You cannot be, you are white. You told her not to look at you, and pulled her top over her face, telling her you did not want to see her while you were raping her.

And then the story went national, appearing on the websites of two newspapers: the Sun and the Mail.

The Mails chief fact is the rapists nationality. The article begins:

A Somalian man has been jailed after he held a sharp piece of wood against a teenage girls throat and raping her, saying that the victim could not be a virgin because you are white.

Words matter. Facts are dressed for readers to digest. The story calls Abdoule a savage rapist. A spot of tautology, no? Can the rapist be, for instance, kindly, gentle or civilised? He is a sickening pervert, again, rather than what other kind of criminal pervert, an uplifting or wholesome one?

We do hear more of the crime, and these parts, too, was reported by the Hull Mail:

After he had finished raping her, he told his victim that he had liked it and that she was not the only girl who was going to get punished. Abdoule, from east Hull, also told her that my country would love you. After he dropped the teenager away from his home, Abdoule gave the victim a new top to wear and told her to cherish it and threatened to kill her if she told anyone about his attack.

Over in the Sun, were told:

SICKO CAGED  Rapist told teen victim she couldnt be a virgin because shes white as he held weapon to her throat in sex attack. Somalian national Ahmed Abdoule also threatened to kill his victim if she told anyone about the attack

The story begins by calling Abdoule a rapist. He is then called an evil rapist. And then these comments appear beneath the story:

The man is taken to represent his kind. We do not know why Abdoule was in the UK, whether he was on holiday, working, seeking asylum, living with British relatives and so on.

The Mails comments  and these the most popular ones approved by the site:

How quickly the rapist who carried out a specific crime on an individual comes to epitomise something innate in the Other and a greater threat to us all. Thats not to say race played no part in this  the attacker expressly referred his vicims whiteness. Thats a fact. But in reducing the crime to one of culture or ignoring the abusers ethnicity  why does the story appear in the Sun and Mail?; why doesnt the story appear in the Indy and Guardian?  the facts and a myriad other factors that contributed to the crime are wilfully distorted or overlooked.

Paul Sorene

Posted: 10th, February 2018 | In: News Comment (1) | TrackBack | Permalink
(ANSA) - Macerata, February 9 - Two more Nigerian men are being questioned but have not been arrested in the death of 18-year-old Roman drug addict Pamela Mastropietro, in which two Nigerian pushers are already under investigation for complicity in homicide near Macerata, sources said Friday.

The results of the autopsy, in particular the way the body was dismembered, led police to the pair, as well as the two under investigation.

One of the pair was found in Macerata and the other stopped in Milan while trying to reach Switzerland.

On Thursday sources in Macerata said after Mastropietro's autopsy that a Nigerian pusher accused of complicity in her murder and dismemberment gave her an "extremely modest" dose of heroin.

Desmond Lucky is nonetheless suspected of giving the woman, who had been in a drug rehab centre near Macerata and had not been using for four months, a fatal dose.

Lucky is accused of complicity with another Nigerian pusher, Innocent Oseghale, in homicide, disposing of and disrespecting a body in the case of Mastropietro, whose remains were found in two suitcases at Pollenza outside Macerata.

It is has not been established if the young woman died of an overdose or was murdered, allegedly by Oseghale, in whose home bloodstained knives were found.

Prosecutors said Thursday the initial findings of an autopsy on Mastropietro had produced "no significant evidence" of how she had died.

But Italian media reported Friday the autopsy had shown she was hit on the head before being murdered.

The autopsy found that blood and urine were missing from the remains, which had been sliced up in an "apparently scientific" way.

Further lab tests will be made next week, prosecutors said.


United States Court of Appeals, Third Circuit. ERIC GREENE, a/k/a JARMAINE Q. TRICE v. SUPERINTENDENT SMITHFIELD SCI; THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY OF THE COUNTY OF PHILADELPHIA; THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA Eric Greene, Appellant No. 16-3636 Decided: February 09, 2018

Before: VANASKIE, RENDELL, and FISHER Circuit Judges Michael Wiseman Post Office Box 120 Swarthmore, PA 19081 Counsel for Appellant [ARGUED] Catherine B. KieferSusan E. AffrontiRonald EisenbergKathleen E. Martin Philadelphia County Office of District Attorney 3 South Penn Square Philadelphia, PA 19107 Counsel for Appellees [ARGUED]

OPINION

Eric Greene appeals from the denial of his motion to vacate the final judgment entered against him in his habeas corpus challenge to the validity of his 1996 state court conviction on charges of second degree murder, robbery, and conspiracy to commit robbery. At the core of this appeal is whether the failure to properly present to the state courts a claim that Greene's direct appeal counsel was ineffective can be excused on the ground that his postconviction counsel was ineffective in not pursuing the claim. After this appeal was filed, the Supreme Court answered this question in the negative, holding that a federal court [may not] hear a substantial, but procedurally defaulted, claim of ineffective assistance of appellate counsel when a prisoner's state postconviction counsel provides ineffective assistance by failing to raise that claim. Davila v. Davis, 137 S. Ct. 2058, 2065 (2017). In light of Davila, we will affirm the District Court's denial of Greene's motion to vacate.

I.

This is the second time Greene's habeas proceeding has been before us. See Greene v. Palakovich, 606 F.3d 85 (3d Cir. 2010), aff'd, 565 U.S. 34 (2011). The underlying facts and procedural history are set out in great detail in our earlier opinion, id. at 8793, and will not be restated here. Instead, we will recite only those facts pertinent to the question of whether Greene is entitled to vacate the judgment against him in order to pursue a claim of ineffective assistance of appellate counsel (the IAAC claim).

During Greene's trial for murder, robbery, and conspiracy, the prosecution introduced the redacted confessions of two of Greene's nontestifying codefendants. After a jury returned a guilty verdict, Greene filed an appeal to the Pennsylvania Superior Court, arguing that the trial court's decision to admit the redacted confessions violated the rule announced in Bruton v. United States, 391 U.S. 123 (1968). The Pennsylvania Superior Court rejected this claim. After initially granting Greene's request for allowance of appeal, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court summarily dismissed the allowance of appeal as improvidently granted. Commonwealth v. Trice, 727 A.2d 1113 (Pa. 1999).

Here, Greene contends that appellate counsel rendered ineffective assistance when he failed to advise Greene that he had the right to petition the Supreme Court of the United States for a writ of certiorari following the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's summary dismissal of his appeal. In the briefing presented to the Commonwealth's High Court, Greene argued that Gray v. Maryland, 523 U.S. 185 (1998), decided after the Pennsylvania Superior Court had rejected Greene's Confrontation Clause claim, entitled him to relief on his Confrontation Clause claim. Having dismissed Greene's appeal as improvidently granted, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court did not opine on the strength of Greene's Confrontation Clause claim in light of Gray.

Greene's conviction became final on July 29, 1999, when the time for filing a certiorari petition expired. In August of 1999, Greene, proceeding pro se, filed a petition under the Pennsylvania Post Conviction Relief Act, (PCRA), 42 Pa. Cons. Stat.  9541, et seq. The attorney appointed to represent Greene in the PCRA proceeding filed a No Merit Letter pursuant to Commonwealth v. Finley, 550 A.2d 213 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1998). In fulfilling its obligation under Finley, the state trial court undertook an examination of the claims presented in Greene's pro se PCRA petition. The state trial court observed that Greene had asserted several claims of ineffective assistance of counsel, but [t]he majority of these claims  [were] not pled with the requisite specificity to allow review. (App. 128.) It then concluded that the record reveals no claims of arguable merit that could be raised under the PCRA, (id. at 131), and dismissed Greene's petition.

Greene appealed the dismissal of his PCRA petition to the Pennsylvania Superior Court. In affirming the dismissal, the Superior Court held that Greene's claims of ineffective trial and appellate counsel were deemed waived by virtue of Greene's failure to develop those claims with any specificity. (Id. at 117.) On July 27, 2004, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court denied Greene's petition for allowance of appeal. Commonwealth v. Trice, 857 A.2d 679 (Pa. 2004).

In November of 2004, Greene commenced this federal habeas corpus proceeding pursuant to 28 U.S.C.  2254. Included among the claims he presented were a Confrontation Clause claim based upon Gray and claims of ineffective assistance of trial, appellate, and PCRA counsel.

The Magistrate Judge assigned to Greene's case issued a comprehensive Report and Recommendation that concluded by proposing that the habeas petition be dismissed, but that a certificate of appealability be issued with respect to [Greene's] Sixth Amendment Confrontation Clause claim concerning the redacted confessions of his codefendants  (App. 64.) Pertinent to the matter now before us, the Magistrate Judge found that because the Pennsylvania Superior Court had concluded that Greene waived his ineffective assistance of trial and appellate counsel claims, they could not now be considered on federal habeas review, observing that Greene has not argued that any cause and prejudice will excuse the default  (Id.) Greene did not object to the Report and Recommendation. On April 2, 2007, the District Court adopted the Report and Recommendation, dismissed the habeas petition, and granted a certificate of appealability on the Confrontation Clause claim.

A divided panel of our Court rejected the Confrontation Clause claim and affirmed the dismissal of the habeas petition. See Palakovich, 606 F.3d at 106. With respect to Greene's reliance upon Gray, we held that clearly established Federal law must be determined as of the date of the last relevant state-court decision, and not when the conviction became final. Id. This meant that Gray, decided after the Superior Court ruling but before Greene's conviction became final, could not be relied upon for purposes of determining whether the state court decision resulted from an unreasonable application of clearly established Federal Law, as determined by the Supreme Court of the United States. Id. at 98 (quoting 28 U.S.C.  2254(d)(1)).

The United States Supreme Court thereafter granted Greene's petition for a writ of certiorari. Greene v. Fisher, 563 U.S. 917 (2011). On November 8, 2011, the Court unanimously affirmed our ruling. See Greene v. Fisher, 565 U.S. 34 (2011). Commenting on the fact that Greene could not obtain judicial review of his Confrontation Clause claim based upon Gray, Justice Scalia stated:

We must observe that Greene's predicament is an unusual one of his own creation. Before applying for federal habeas, he missed two opportunities to obtain relief under Gray: After the Pennsylvania Supreme Court dismissed his appeal, he did not file a petition for writ of certiorari from this Court, which would almost certainly have produced a remand in light of the intervening Gray decision  Nor did Greene assert his Gray claim in a petition for state postconviction relief.

Id. at 41.

More than three years after the Supreme Court rejected Greene's reliance upon Gray to challenge the validity of his 1996 conviction, Greene, proceeding pro se, filed a motion pursuant to Rule 60(b)(6) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to vacate the District Court Judgment entered on April 2, 2007. Greene's motion sought to resurrect his defaulted IAAC claim on the strength of the Supreme Court's 2012 decision in Martinez v. Ryan, 566 U.S. 1 (2012). Martinez held that [w]here, under state law, claims of ineffective assistance of trial counsel must be raised in an initial-review collateral proceeding, a procedural default will not bar a federal habeas court from hearing a substantial claim of ineffective assistance at trial if, in the initial-review collateral proceeding, there was no counsel or counsel in that proceeding was ineffective. Id. at 17 (emphasis added). The gist of Greene's argument was that his direct appeal counsel was ineffective for not advising him of the availability of seeking Supreme Court review of his substantial Confrontation Clause claim based upon Gray; that his first opportunity to present this IAAC claim was at his initial PCRA proceeding; and that his PCRA counsel was ineffective for not having presented what Greene perceived to be a meritorious IAAC claim. Greene maintained that the rationale underlying Martinezthat a convicted person should have one counseled opportunity to present an ineffective assistance of counsel claimapplied in the appellate context, as well as the trial setting.

By Order dated August 26, 2016, the District Court denied Greene's Rule 60 (b)(6) motion. In the course of a comprehensive Opinion accompanying the Order, the District Court summarized the following reasons for denying the Motion:

First, [Greene's] Motion constitutes an impermissible successive habeas petition. Second, Martinez  does not apply to [Greene's] ineffective assistance of counsel claim. Finally, even if [Greene's] Motion did not constitute an impermissible successive habeas petition, and even if Martinez applied to provide cause for [Greene's] procedural default, the equitable factors warranting consideration under Rule 60(b) do not weigh in [Greene's] favor.5

(App. 13.) Concluding that there may be room for debate on the issues addressed in its Opinion, the District Court issued a certificate of appealability. (Id. at 30) This timely appeal followed.

II.

The District Court had jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C.  2254. We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C.  1291 and 2253. We review the denial of a Rule 60(b) motion for abuse of discretion. Cox, 757 F.3d at 118 (citing Brown v. Phila. Hous. Auth., 350 F.3d 338, 342 (3d Cir. 2003)). A district court abuses its discretion when it bases its decision upon a clearly erroneous finding of fact, an erroneous conclusion of law, or an improper application of law to fact. Id. (citing Morris v. Horn, 187 F.3d 333, 341 (3d Cir. 1999)).

III.

Greene must demonstrate extraordinary circumstances to obtain relief under Rule 60(b)(6). Cox, 757 F.3d at 115. The extraordinary circumstance claimed by Greene is the holding in Martinez, decided after the judgment in his habeas proceedings concluded, which allowed a claim of ineffectiveness of postconviction counsel to serve as cause to allow an otherwise procedurally defaulted claim to be heard in federal court.

Greene's IAAC claim was not properly presented to the state courts, and is thus deemed to be procedurally defaulted for purposes of federal habeas corpus review. [A] federal court may not review federal claims that were procedurally defaulted in state court Davila, 137 S. Ct. at 2064 (internal citation omitted). A state prisoner may overcome the prohibition on reviewing procedurally defaulted claims if he can show cause to excuse his failure to comply with the state procedural rule and actual prejudice resulting from the alleged constitutional violation.  Id. at 206465 (quoting Wainwright v. Sykes, 433 U.S. 72, 84 (1977); Coleman v. Thompson, 501 U.S. 722, 750 (1991)). To establish causethe element of the doctrine relevant in this casethe prisoner must show that some objective factor external to the defense impeded counsel's efforts to comply with the State's procedural rule.  Id. (quoting Murray v. Carrier, 477 U.S. 478, 488 (1986)). Greene asserts that the ineffectiveness of his PCRA counsel qualifies as cause for the procedural default of his IAAC claim.

At the time Greene's habeas proceedings concluded with the Supreme Court's ruling in 2011, it was well settled that ineffective assistance of post-conviction counsel could not qualify as cause to excuse a procedural default. Coleman, 501 U.S. at 755; see also Sweger v. Chesney, 294 F.3d 506, 522 n.16 (3d Cir. 2002) ([T]here is no right to counsel for state post-conviction proceedings and, therefore, no claim of constitutionally ineffective assistance of counsel may be made.). In Martinez, however, the Supreme Court carved out a narrow exception to Coleman's general rule that allows federal habeas courts to review procedurally defaulted claims of trial counsel ineffectiveness if the applicable state law requires that those claims be raised in an initial-review collateral proceeding, rather than on direct appeal. 566 U.S. at 9, 17. Specifically, in Martinez, the petitioner attempted to argue on direct appeal that his trial counsel was ineffective, but was prohibited from doing so because Arizona law required such claims to be raised in a separate collateral proceeding. Id. at 6. Postconviction counsel subsequently failed to raise an ineffective-assistance claim during the collateral proceeding, thus causing a procedural default of the claim. Id. Had Coleman applied, counsel's failure in this regard would not have excuse [d] the procedural default of petitioner's ineffective-assistance claim because, under Coleman, an attorney's errors in a postconviction proceeding do not qualify as cause for a default. Id. at 78 (citing Coleman, 501 U.S. at 75455). In Martinez, the Court crafted an exception to this rule by holding that, in such a situationi.e., where state law prohibits convicted persons from alleging ineffective assistance of trial counsel on direct reviewa procedural default will not bar a federal habeas court from hearing the petitioner's ineffective assistance of trial counsel claim if the default is due to the subsequent ineffectiveness of postconviction counsel during the collateral proceeding. Id. at 17.

In his Rule 60(b)(6) motion, Greene relied upon Martinez to argue that PCRA counsel's failure to assert a claim of appellate counsel ineffectiveness constituted an extraordinary circumstance so as to warrant Rule 60(b)(6) relief. (Appellant's Br. at 37.) As support, Greene pointed to our decision in Cox, where we held that Martinez, without more, does not entitle a habeas petitioner to Rule 60(b)(6) relief[,] but that Martinez could support such a motion if other equitable considerations are present. 757 F.3d at 12426.

Greene's reliance upon Martinez, however, is now foreclosed by Davila. There, the petitioner asked the Supreme Court to do precisely what Greene is asking us to do here, namely: extend Martinez to allow a federal court to hear a substantial, but procedurally defaulted, claim of ineffective assistance of appellate counsel when a prisoner's state postconviction counsel provides ineffective assistance by failing to raise that claim. Davila, 137 S. Ct. at 2065. In declining to extend Martinez to claims of appellate counsel ineffectiveness, the Supreme Court explained that [t]he Court in Martinez made clear that it exercised its equitable discretion in view of the unique importance of protecting a defendant's  right to effective assistance of trial counsel. Id. at 2066 (emphasis added). [C]laims of ineffective assistance of appellate counsel, the Court opined, necessarily must be heard in collateral proceedings, where counsel is not constitutionally guaranteed. Id. at 2068 (emphasis in original). An ineffective counsel claim may be presented only where counsel is constitutionally guaranteed. Wainwright v. Torna, 455 U.S. 586, 58788 (1982) (holding that where there is no constitutional right to counsel, there can be no deprivation of effective assistance). Thus, Greene does not have a claim for ineffective assistance of his PCRA counsel in relation to his IAAC claim. Accordingly, Davila compels the conclusion that Greene cannot demonstrate cause to excuse the procedural default of his IAAC claim.

Thus, the state of the law with respect to Greene's procedural default of his IAAC claim remains the same today as when the default occurred: alleged ineffectiveness of PCRA counsel cannot overcome the consequence of the failure to present the IAAC claim to the state courts in the first instance. See Coleman, 501 U.S. at 755. Because the law remains unchanged as to Greene, he cannot demonstrate the requisite extraordinary circumstances to warrant setting aside the District Court's judgment in this case. Thus, the District Court correctly concluded in holding that Martinez did not afford Greene a right to relief here.

IV.

For the foregoing reasons, we will affirm the District Court's August 29, 2016, denial of Greene's Rule 60(b) motion.

FOOTNOTES

. Greene is also known as Jarmaine Trice. For purposes of clarity, we will refer to the Appellant as Eric Greene.

. In Gray, the Supreme Court held that the Confrontation Clause bars the admission of a nontestifying codefendant's redacted confession at trial if the redaction replace[s] a proper name with an obvious blank  or similarly notif[ies] the jury that a name has been deleted  523 U.S. at 195. This is the kind of redaction that was made in the confessions of Greene's codefendants that were introduced at his trial.

. Greene was tried jointly with several codefendants, including Naree Abudullah. In 2012, we assessed the applicability of Gray to the redacted confessions introduced at Greene's trial in the context of Abdullah's contention that he was entitled to habeas relief on the ground that the admission of the codefendants' redacted confessions violated his Confrontation Clause rights. See Abdullah v. Warden SCI Dallas, 498 F. App'x 122 (3d Cir. 2012). Unlike Greene, Abdullah was able to rely upon Gray because his appeal to the Pennsylvania Superior Court was still pending when Gray was issued. Thus, we were confronted with the question of whether the Superior Court's rejection of Abdullah's Confrontation Clause claim was the result of an unreasonable application of clearly established Federal law, as determined by the Supreme Court of the United States, 28 U.S.C.  2254(d)(1), and that clearly established Federal law included Gray. In Abdullah's case, we held that, although the admission of the redacted confessions raise[d] legitimate constitutional concerns, the additional, conflicting evidence introduced at trial cast doubt upon the  assertion that [the] redacted confessions gave rise to an immediate inference that Abdullah was among the individuals who took part in the robbery. Id. at 13334. Because Gray cautions that the admission of a redacted confession does not necessarily rise to the level of a Confrontation Clause violation if the trial [record] indicates that there [were] more participants than the redacted confession ha[d] named [,]'  id. at 134 (quoting Gray, 523 U.S. at 195) (internal brackets omitted), we concluded that the redacted confessions, considered in conjunction with the other evidence presented by the government, arguably prevented a direct inference of Abdullah's guilt from the confessions. Id. We thus held that Abdullah failed to establish that the Superior Court's decision to reject Abdullah's confrontation claim constituted an unreasonable application of clearly established Federal law. Id.

. Counsel thereafter entered an appearance on behalf of Greene and filed an amended Rule 60(b) motion.

. We have set forth five equitable factors that courts must consider in passing upon a Rule 60(b)(6) motion, Cox v. Horn, 757 F.3d 113, 116, 12426 (3d Cir. 2014), each of which the District Court analyzed in great detail, including: (1) the timeliness of Greene's Rule 60(b)(6) motion; (2) the merits underlying Greene's ineffective assistance of counsel claim; (3) the amount of time that elapsed between Greene's conviction and the commencement of habeas proceedings; (4) Greene's diligence in pursuing review of his claims; and (5) the gravity of Greene's sentence. See (App. 2028.) Of these factors, the District Court found that the first, second, and fourth all weighed against granting relief, while the third and fifth factors were neutral and therefore did not support nor detract from Greene's claim. Id.Beyond the five Cox factors, the District Court considered the following two additional equitable factors: (1) Greene's aver[ment] that 'state and federal court orders and opinions over the past decade haverightly or wronglyprotected institutional, procedural, and structural interests at the expense of [Greene's] ability to litigate the Gray claim[;] and (2) Greene's argu[ment] that irregularities in the trial and appellate process detract from the confidence [the District] Court should have in the verdict.  Id. at 2829. The District Court concluded that, on balance, the Cox factors  weigh[ed] heavily against relief and [Greene's] additional proffered support [was] not enough to warrant 60(b) relief in this case. Id. at 29.

. Appellees argue here, as they did in the District Court, that we lack jurisdiction to consider Greene's Rule 60(b) motion, claiming that it is an impermissible second or successive habeas petition because it seeks to raise a claim not previously presented in the initial habeas proceedings, i.e., Greene's IAAC claim, and Greene did not receive this Court's authorization to file a second habeas petition as required by 28 U.S.C.  2244(b)(3)(A). The District Court agreed with Appellees. Contrary to the District Court's view, Greene's Rule 60(b) motion, premised as it was upon Martinez, was not an impermissible second or successive habeas petition under the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 (AEDPA). See Norris v. Brooks, 794 F.3d 401, 403 n.2 (3d Cir. 2015) (holding that petitioner's Rule 60(b) motion invoking Martinez was not a successive habeas petition because it merely asserted that a previous ruling which precluded a merits determination was in error ) (quoting Gonzalez v. Crosby, 545 U.S. 524, 532 n.4 (2005)) (internal brackets omitted).

. Rule 60(b) authorizes a district court to grant a party relief from judgment for various specific reasons, as well as any other reason that justifies relief.  Norris, 794 F.3d at 404 (quoting Fed. R. Civ. P. 60(b)(6)). Under this catch-all provision, [r]elief is appropriate  only in extraordinary circumstances where, without such relief, an extreme and unexpected hardship would occur.  Id. (quoting Sawka v. Healtheast, Inc., 989 F.2d 138, 140 (3d Cir. 1993)). Such circumstances, the Supreme Court has emphasized, rarely occur in the habeas context, Gonzalez v. Crosby, 545 U.S. 524, 535 (2005), and [i]ntervening developments in the law by themselves rarely constitute the extraordinary circumstances required for relief under Rule 60(b)(6). Agostini v. Felton, 521 U.S. 203, 239 (1997).

. A federal court may, in appropriate circumstances, invoke the fundamental miscarriage of justice exception to review an otherwise procedurally defaulted claim. McQuiggin v. Perkins, 569 U.S. 383, 395 (2013). This exception, however, is restricted to a severely confined category[ ] of cases in which new evidence shows it is more likely than not that no reasonable juror would have convicted the petitioner.  Id. (quoting Schlup v. Delo, 513 U.S. 298, 329 (1995)) (internal brackets omitted). Because Greene has not proffered evidence of actual innocence, the fundamental miscarriage of justice exception is accordingly not at play here.

. In light of our decision that Davila compels rejection of Greene's reliance upon the alleged ineffectiveness of his PCRA counsel as cause for the procedural default of his IAAC claim, there is no need to address the District Court's consideration of the equitable factors governing Rule 60(b)(6) motions.

VANASKIE, Circuit Judge
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United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff - Appellee, v. EDWARD JAIMAAL PRICE, Defendant - Appellant. No. 17-4171 Decided: February 09, 2018

Before GREGORY, Chief Judge, and TRAXLER and AGEE, Circuit Judges. Joseph A. Sanzone, SANZONE & BAKER, PC, Lynchburg, Virginia, for Appellant. Rick A. Mountcastle, Acting United States Attorney, Thomas E. Duncombe, Special Assistant United States Attorney, OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY, Harrisonburg, Virginia, for Appellee.

After the district court denied Edward Jaimaal Price's motion to suppress drug evidence, he entered a conditional guilty pleapursuant to a written plea agreementto possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, a violation of 21 U.S.C.  841(a)(1) (2012). Price now appeals the district court's order denying his motion to suppress. For the reasons that follow, we affirm the judgment of the district court.

When a district court has denied a motion to suppress, we review the court's legal conclusions de novo and its factual findings for clear error[,]  view [ing] the evidence in the light most favorable to the government. United States v. Hill, 852 F.3d 377, 381 (4th Cir. 2017) (citation omitted). We owe particular deference to a district court's credibility determinations, for it is the role of the district court to observe witnesses and weigh their credibility during a pre-trial motion to suppress. United States v. Patiutka, 804 F.3d 684, 689 (4th Cir. 2015) (brackets and internal quotation marks omitted).

Price first contends that the arresting officers violated his Fourth Amendment rights by seizing him at gunpoint without probable cause because there was insufficient evidence demonstrating that he was the fugitive the officers thought he was. A vehicle stop constitutes a seizure within the meaning of the Fourth Amendment, Whren v. United States, 517 U.S. 806, 809 (1996), and is permissible if the officer has probable cause to believe that a traffic violation has occurred, id. at 810, regardless of the officer's subjective motivations, id. at 813-19. [O]nce a motor vehicle has been lawfully detained for a traffic violation, the police officers may order the driver to get out of the vehicle without violating the Fourth Amendment's proscription of unreasonable searches and seizures. Pennsylvania v. Mimms, 434 U.S. 106, 111 n.6 (1977). Furthermore, we have acknowledged that drawing weapons, handcuffing a suspect,  or using or threatening to use force does not necessarily elevate a lawful stop into a custodial arrest, particularly if the officers reasonably suspect[ ] that [the detainee is] armed and dangerous. United States v. Elston, 479 F.3d 314, 320 (4th Cir. 2007) (internal quotation marks omitted). Similarly, officers may lawfully frisk a person during a traffic stop if they harbor reasonable suspicion that the person subjected to the frisk is armed and dangerous. Arizona v. Johnson, 555 U.S. 323, 327 (2009). In determining whether such reasonable suspicion exists, we examine the totality of the circumstances to determine if the officer[s] had a particularized and objective basis for believing that the detained suspect might be armed and dangerous. United States v. George, 732 F.3d 296, 299 (4th Cir. 2013) (internal quotation marks omitted). In particular, [a] suspect's suspicious movements [may]  be taken to suggest that the suspect may have a weapon. Id.

The district court found credible one officer's uncontested testimony that Price was driving with an expired temporary license plate and, therefore, did not err in concluding that the officers lawfully stopped Price regardless of their subjective belief that he was the fugitive. The district court also found credible both officers' testimony that, when they approached Price's vehicle, Price was moving suspiciously, as if he were reaching under his seat, and that he did not comply with their orders to keep his hands up. The court, therefore, did not err in finding that the officers reasonably suspected Price of being armed and dangerous and, therefore, that they lawfully removed Price from his vehicle, handcuffed him, and frisked him for weapons.

Price further contends that the district court erred in finding that the officers searched him pursuant to his valid arrest for possession of marijuana, asserting that the officer who searched him did not testify that he smelled marijuana and that the officers found no marijuana. A warrantless arrest is valid so long as there is probable cause to believe that a criminal offense has been or is being committed. Devenpeck v. Alford, 543 U.S. 146, 152 (2004). We have repeatedly held that the odor of marijuana alone can provide probable cause to believe that marijuana is present in a particular place. United States v. Humphries, 372 F.3d 653, 658 (4th Cir. 2004). Thus, if an officer smells the odor of marijuana in circumstances where the officer can localize its source to a person, the officer has probable cause to believe that the person has committed or is committing the crime of possession of marijuana. Id. at 659.

The district court found credible one officer's testimony that, upon opening Price's car, he recognized the strong smell of marijuana and that the smell was even stronger on Price's person. A third officer, who arrived at the scene later, corroborated that testimony. Furthermore, despite Price's assertion otherwise on appeal, the presentence reportto which Price did not objectindicated that the officers found a small bag of marijuana in his pants pocket. Accordingly, in the absence of evidence that the searching officer did not smell the marijuana, it was reasonable for the district court to conclude that both arresting officers noticed the smell and that they were both therefore aware of facts that provided probable cause to arrest Price for the possession of marijuana.

The Supreme Court has long held that, upon a lawful warrantless arrest, the officers may conduct a full search of an arrestee's person and personal items in his possession and control without any additional justification. United States v. Robinson, 414 U.S. 218, 234-35 (1973). Having concluded that the officers had probable cause to arrest Price for marijuana possession, the district court did not err in concluding that the search of Price's person was a valid search pursuant to that arrest.

Insofar as the district court denied Price's motion to suppress because the search that led to the drug evidence was pursuant to a valid arrest, it did not err. Accordingly, we affirm. 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.

AFFIRMED

PER CURIAM:
Govt will take A2+FL formula to determine cost of production of agri-crops and fix accordingly MSP.

New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday said the government will take into account the actual input cost plus unpaid value of family labour while fixing the support price of crops at 50 per cent higher than the cost of production.

He had announced in the Budget earlier this month that the government will fix the minimum support price (MSP) of Kharif 2019 crops at least 1.5 times than the cost of production.

The Opposition and farm experts demanded the government spell out that formula to be adopted to determine cost of production. Replying to a debate on Union Budget 2018-19 in the Rajya Sabha, Jaitley said the government will take the A2+FL formula (covering actual paid out cost plus imputed value of family labour) to determine the cost of production of agri-crops and fix accordingly the MSP.

Currently, the government fixes MSP of 23 commodities although it procures only wheat and paddy to supply subsidised foodgrain through ration shops under the Food Law.

Admitting that farmers do not get MSP despite the government fixing it, Jaitley said: "Therefore, the proposal given in the Budget aims at providing MSP to farmers. MSP is fixed by taking into consideration the input cost, labour cost. A2+FL and (the farmer) gets 50 per cent more."

The formula is "A2+FL, that is the understanding I have from the agriculture ministry", he said, while clarifying to Congress leader Jairam Ramesh who sought to know the formula to be used by the government while fixing MSP 1.5 times higher than the cost of production of agri-crops.

Presently, the government decides the MSP based on the recommendation of an expert body the Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP).

The CACP has three formulae to arrive at the cost of production: A2, A2+FL and C2. A2 costs cover all paid-out expenses, both in cash and kind, incurred by farmers on seeds, fertilisers, chemicals, hired labour, fuel and irrigation, among others.

A2+FL covers actual paid-out costs plus an imputed value of unpaid family labour. C2 costs are more comprehensive, accounting for the rentals and interest forgone on owned land and fixed capital assets respectively, on top of A2+FL.

After the Budget announcement on the MSP, Niti Aayog member Ramesh Chand had said: "Based on the principle announced by the FM, the overall increase in the support price could be between 8 per cent and 47 per cent depending on crops and their cost of production this year."

In October 2006, the National Commission for Farmers under eminent farm scientist M S Swaminathan in its report had recommended the MSP for crops to be fixed at least 50 per cent higher than the weighted average cost of production.

BJP in its 2014 general elections had promised to fix MSP at 50 per cent more than the cost of production. Participating in a debate on Budget, SAD leader Naresh Gujral urged the government to fulfil its promise on MSP and not let down the farmers.

"I will not get into to the formula, I hope farmers will get a good deal," he added.
Ghetto politics rules the day

Ankit Saxena, just 23, was killed outside a metro station in New Delhi. The alleged killers were Muslim and were angry with Ankit for courting a young woman from their family. In retaliation, Hindutva organisations have imposed an embargo on the killers extended family even though the brave young woman is standing up for justice.

This is not an exceptional case but an addition to the several killings that have happened in India as hate-mongers freely roam in society and on social media. A deep-rooted hatred exists in the hearts of Hindus and Muslims against each other since the time of the British Raj in India. The post-independent leadership achieved remarkable success in de-polarising the post-partition society. They attempted to weave a secular fabric among communities for almost half a century with partial success. However, religious organisations steadily cemented their respective populations identities based on faith as practice and propagation of any faith as a fundamental right under the Indian Constitution.

The consolidated religious identities resulted in a fanatic creation of pride for oneself and hatred for the other. Pride and hatred have replaced shared principles of co-existence and everything of the other becomes intolerable. This intolerance led to 28-year-old techie Mohsin Shaikh losing his life in 2014. Members allegedly of the Hindu Rashtra Sena (Hindu National Army) bludgeoned him to death as he emerged from a mosque after his evening prayer. His appearance as a Muslim bearded believer was not acceptable to the mob in a suburban area of Pune - a city known for its strange culture of religious conservatism and social reforms.

The same city had experienced one of the most sensational killings in 2013 when a popular rationalist, Dr Narendra Dabholkar, a Hindu by birth, was shot dead by Hindu fanatics. It was followed by the murders of an octogenarian leftist leader, a literary doyen, and a radical woman journalist, in the same fashion and allegedly by the same group. The conservatives hated them because they fought against superstition, caste-based hierarchy, patriarchy and communalism and considered an assault on the faith of the majority. Thus, along with the other who have not been in the business of questioning the belief system of the majority, the reformers, born in the same community, are at the receiving end of religious conservatism.

It could have been argued that countries like India and regions like West Asia are facing a post colonial syndrome, but for developments in the West. Physical assaults and killings based on religious and race hatred are consistently on the rise in the motherland and fatherland of the democratic order, i.e. the United Kingdom and the USA respectively.

The phenomenon has spread across many European countries, threatening a long phase of peace and progress that began after the second world war. While political beneficiaries of the hate upsurge call it a nationalist tide, the nationalism in consideration here is too narrow to accommodate religious, racial and linguistic minorities. Principles of secularism, democracy and rule of law had taken root in the West in not so multi-cultural societies. A broadly liberal democratic dispensation was successful in warding off the sectarian-authoritarian threats due to a mix of post-war reconstruction of the economy and social security based welfare programmes. The system created through it tackled the issue of poverty and unemployment rather successfully. This has kept peoples faith in a liberal democratic order intact.

In the process, as an economic necessity and out of liberal principles, many western countries invited skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled workers from other countries. This was the period when the West was still the manufacturing hub of the world. However, as industries shifted to the east and south of the globe, western societies confronted two roaring issues. First, the integration of the migrants in society, and secondly, the depleting job opportunities for everyone in the country. The cheap labour elsewhere created job shortages in the West. The resulting unrest has found easy targets in its own society. European societies are struggling to genuinely transform into a multi-cultural order. The situation is deteriorating further as stakeholders in the system are unwilling to shoulder responsibility of what is happening and why it is happening. It will have implications for rapidly developing economies like India.

Global capital has created a huge reserve army of workers by sustaining agricultural distress in developing countries. India is currently undergoing this crisis, resulting in mass migration of agricultural workers to urban centres. The intensity of the crisis is so deep that the government sponsored programme of 100 days job guarantee to one person of a family has failed to arrest migration. The fluid migrant population is easy prey for social mobilisations and hate campaigns. The widespread uncertainty about employment has ghettoised people into communities, which act as a support system to each other and a bargaining block vis-a-vis the State.

Todays India consists of multi-layered blocks of communities. The largest of them are formed on the basis of religion, while blocks within consist of caste, sub-caste and regional identities. Each block carries a grievance of injustice done to it by the other, either in the past or in the contemporary phase or both. Each block has developed hatred against at least one other block. It is a serious setback to the project of building an Indian nation state. In an essentially multi-cultural society like India, principles of secularism, democracy and rule of law were considered as the main constitutional pillars of the nation-building exercise. However, many social blocks have scant regard for such principles, thus justifying violence against the other.

With the State increasingly controlled by a conservative Hindu majority group, the chances of perpetrators of violence being awarded are more than of them being lawfully punished. Tackling such a situation through legal methods and social movements is an effective but not adequate measure. These could only be supplementary efforts to the booming economy with distributive principle. With such a scenario not in sight, the future looks gloomy, if not doomed.



(The author is academic head of the School of Government, Maharashtra Institute of Technology, Pune)
Problem is that Akshay Kumar is too obviously driven by the later  egoistic, self-promotion instinct.

Rating:

Cast: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Apte, Sonam Kapoor

Director: R. Balki

Sanctimonious moral indignation that arrives with a genial, gummy smile but is then unleashed with deeply earnest words is a deadly package. Its hard to criticise and almost impossible to beat.

Jo bolega uska moonh kala because inside the thin crust of smug humility and the pretence of greater good sits a large, bristling ego, male. First potties and now sanitary pads.

They are eeky subjects and when a man takes up cudgels on behalf of womens easy access to them, wrapped up in beti bachchao emotion, too many are floured.

So, an alpha superstar waving the sasta, tikau sanitary napkin, then placing it in a pink panty and putting it on to experience for himself how women chum is so revolutionary a sight for the Indian screen that many will clap and hoot.

But its one thing to want to tell an inspiring, interesting story that involves a mans grit against prejudices, taboos that are harming women, and quite another to seize it as an opportunity to further toady up to the powers that be and burnish your own credentials as Bollywoods No. 1 nationalist producer-actor.

Problem is that Akshay Kumar is too obviously driven by the later  egoistic, self-promotion instinct.

Though based on the life, work, struggles and triumphs of Arunachalam Muruganantham, a simple but singular man from Coimbatore, Pad Man doesnt do him the courtesy of calling its lead character by his name. It also isnt set in that south city, choosing instead Varanasi, the constituency of Narendra Modi.

But since vanity thy name now is Ageing Bollywood Stars, a strange romance is bestowed upon him that neither the film nor we needed.

I felt mildly informed about what sanitary pads are made of, but also thoroughly bored and exhausted by this Akshay Kumar ego trip.

If you do watch Pad Man, heres a game you could entertain yourself with. Count the number of scenes or frames in the film which dont have Akshay Kumar, and if you hit double-digits, WhatsApp me.

Pad Man, set in 2001, opens to a lovely song when the shaadi, suhagraat of Lakshmikant Chauhan (Akshay Kumar) and Gayatri (Radhika Apte) is underway.

In the course of that song we learn that hes in love with his wife and very tuned into anything that bothers, hassles, hurts or is detrimental to her well-being. Soon, onions present him with the first opportunity to do something for her. And then the cycle carrier.

Thoo-thoo on men, the film seems to say, who have walked past women weeping pyaaz tears or havent found inspiration for invention when theyve seen women massaging their sore bums after a ride on their bicycles.

Lakshmi is in love and in touch with his inner aurat and she goads him to do stuff for Gayatri. And since Lakshmi works in a karkhana where he fixes, welds stuff, its not a long journey from idea to a workable appliance, instrument. After small-small tests that serve as warm-up, arrives the big challenge: Gayatri is sent tadipaar from the house to live in its outskirts, i.e. balcony, for five days of her periods.

Lakshmi is shocked. He doesnt get it, which is strange since hes grown up in a house full of women  his mother and two sisters. But having just stumbled upon it late in life, this auraton ki dikkat agonises him. Hes tortured with thoughts not so much about why they are considered apavitra, but how unhygienic the cloth Gayatri uses is.

So, like Mr Muruganantham, he purchases a packet of sanitary pads, but its too expensive. If all women in the house start using this pad, therell be no money left to buy milk. So off he goes to a mystical place where theres a little pond surrounded by flowers and kept warm and well-lit by the lovely, golden glow of a smiling sun to create a pad.

Gayatri uses it, but it leaks. So he tries again. That leaks as well. Embarrassed, fed up with his monthly menstrual obsession, she refuses to have anything to do with his concoctions any more. But the thought that some women use ash and some die of infection drives him to peddle his pads to family, friends, sisters, girls of a medical college.

Accidents happen, people say things and each one serves as a learning experience, a light-bulb moment, to inspire him to keep improving his pad.

Hes taking, thinking only hygiene, suraksha, they are saying sharam, besharam. He is misunderstood as a freak, pervert, a man with his head and soul stuck between womens legs, even a dheele nade waala aadmi (man with a loose pajama-nada). Gayatri experiences more shame and goes to her parents house to sulk, setting him free to convert her sharam into sammaan.

The second half of Pad Man stars two things  loads of stupidity and gibberish, and another leading lady, Pari (Sonam Kapoor). The tabla playing fairy, who takes Lakshmi and his pad mania under her charming wings, helps him take flight. Soon, awards, speeches in august settings follow.

There are some sweet, warm moments in writer-director R. Balkis Pad Man. And most of these are either scenes when Lakshmis obsessive endeavour actually changes the lives of women, or when he delivers his speeches, especially the address to the UN. Thats one of the many problems with this film. Throughout the film, Akshays Lakshmi has artificial, stagy conversations with most characters, including his wife, saving all the heart-felt stuff for the camera and us.

In fact, so star-driven is the film that we hardly hear the women talking amongst themselves. They are only, always reacting to Lakshmis pad mania. Apart from that, it seems, they have nothing to talk about. Not even Gayatri. They exist only as dakiya-noosi khayals he must fight and change.

Gayatri, in fact, is merely the receptacle of Lakshmis gyaan and sanitary pads in various stages of malfunction. Her character is defined only by his obsession, and she doesnt really exist for those other 25 days of a month when she is not chumming. The film is all about him, but even his character is a strange concoction of Akshay the star and Akshay trying to portray a real character.

Many things are kind of touched upon, but they never come together to form a wholesome, believable character. We get glimpses of Lakshmis obsessive nature, how caring he is, but still he remains kind of undefined because his Lakshmi is partly powered by the Punjabi wit and warm sparkle of Akshay the star  like when he calls his mother lalchi budhia  and partly by trying to be a dedicated, devoted pad-creator.

Akshay is charming. Its his jhallapan that makes him endearing. But the film doesnt use that khul ke, neither does it let him get under the skin of the character with some measure of honesty. This aadha idhar, aadha udhar leaves his Lakshmi vague and us very dissatisfied. Thats because Balki is an inarticulate writer and director. Always has been.

Long, meaningful storytelling, where characters grow and come to life is not his thing. He sets up scenes well, his characters pose in them saying this and that, and they seem interesting. But they work only in short bursts. They dont stay with you because they are never fully realised. Just like his plot. That too is driven by moments that can at best be described as desultory gibberish.

Like when Lakshmi jumps into Ganga and a panchayat is called. These moments throw the story forward, but they themselves remain fuzzy. And then theres the nonsensical things Lakshmi mutters when he watches the stages of the pad machine that lead to his big moment.

Theres also, of course, the table playing fairy and the needless hint at a romance. Sonam Kapoor is lovely. But her character is like a big Bollywood satisfying burp in a film that was, before her arrival, feeling acute indigestion because of trying to play all real-real. These silly things together make Pad Man a rather stupid movie.

The time wasted on Pari could have been used to touch on many issues linked to periods  temple entry, for example. Or the buffet of used sanitary pads that Mr Muruganantham used to pour over in his backyard. The icky quotient of the spread may be high, but, hello, if we can take Akshays bloody crotch, surely its time we see a used sanitary napkin on the big screen.

A man is directing the film. So thats too much to expect. But R. Balki was a sensitive soul, he should have paid attention to Pari when she says, Auraton ko karen do auraton ka kaam.

Or Twinkle Khanna, whose Muruganantham story inspired the film, should have immediately got the hint, dialled Gauri Shinde and handed the script to her. But, I guess, gifting women pads is how far their feminism goes.
The board emphasised basic level of Shariah that land dedicated for Masjid cannot be sold, gifted or alienated.

The Board said it will abide by the Supreme Court's decision in the matter. (Photo: PTI)

Hyderabad: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board has reiterated its earlier stand on the Babri Masjid issue and said that the mosque cannot be given to anyone.

The announcement was made during the 26th AIMPLB plenary meet being held in Hyderabad. The board arrived at a consequences during the marathon working committee meeting held on Friday evening. The meeting was chaired by AIMPLB president Maulana Rabba Hassani Nadvi.

The Board reiterates its resolution dated December 1990 and January 1993 and once again emphasises the basic level of Shariah. The land dedicated for Masjid cannot be sold, gifted or in any way alienated. If once dedicated, its vests in Allah, said Maulana Umrain Mehfooz Rahmani, secretary Muslim Personal Law Board on Friday evening.

Earlier during the day, The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) rejected its executive member Maulana Syed Salman Hussain Nadvis stand on the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid case.

Maulana Salman Nadvi, met Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and extended support for construction of the Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya. He said that an alternate piece of land should be offered for the construction of a mosque. He also added that a university can also be built at that place.

The board reportedly decided to constitute a committee that will probe the Maulana Nadvi's statement and recommend what actions can be initiated against him for speaking against the Board's stand.

It is learnt heated discussions took place during the working committee meeting held till late on Friday night on the move of Maulana Salman Nadvi.

The AIMPLB said that whenever Hindu groups have asked for negotiations, the board was open provided they come out with an acceptable formula. However, Hindu groups have always wanted Muslims to withdraw from the rights over Babri Masjid.

The case being heard in the court is a case of title but not the religious beliefs, said Maulana Umrain Mehfooz who read out the press statement of the board.

All attempts to negotiate the settlement in past have been unfruitful and there is no proposal offering settlement without sacrificing, basic tenet has ever been put before the board, he said.

Also read: SC to hear Ayodhya matter as 'pure land dispute', defers case to Mar 14

Maulana Umrain said that the case is being heard in the Supreme Court. The decision of the court will be respected by us. We hope the judgment will be in our favour.

Any outcome of the court would not be considered either as win or defeat of any party but it would be the victory of justice, he said.

Member of Parliament and personal law board Asaduddin Owaisi read out the statement and said that the board will discuss the issue later in the coming days over the issue of Babri Mosque and other contentious issues related to Triple Talaq.

A 2010 verdict of the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court, in a 2:1 majority ruling, had ordered the disputed land be partitioned equally among three parties -- the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.
Clearing the project, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has set a deadline of 10 months for the Army to carry it out.

Perimeter security will be strengthened at Army bases under six commands, the sources said. (Photo: Representational | PTI)

New Delhi: The Defence Ministry has sanctioned Rs 1,487 crore to the Army to fortify its bases in Jammu and Kashmir, North East and several other places to plug their security gaps and protect them from any terror attacks, official sources said on Saturday.

Clearing the project, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has set a deadline of 10 months for the Army to carry it out. The Army headquarters has been told to monitor implementation of the project, they said.

The sanction to the project comes amid heightened hostilities between Indian and Pakistani armies along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir and several terror attack targeting military installations.

Perimeter security will be strengthened at Army bases under six commands, the sources said.

A security audit of military bases was carried out on the recommendation of a committee headed by Lt Gen Philip Campose which was set up after the daring terror attack on the Pathankot air force base in 2016.

The committee was asked to recommend measures to beef up security at the military bases.

Following the security audit, revised standard operating procedures (SOPs) were sent to the commands of all three services to revamp their security management, including putting in place a multi-tier security structure.

A total of 3,000 sensitive bases, including 600 highly sensitive installations of the Army, Navy and the Air Force were identified by the forces months after the attack on Pathankot air base.

Separately, in July last year, the government had delegated "substantial" financial powers to the Army, the Navy and the Indian Air Force to strengthen perimeter security at sensitive bases across the country.
The terrorists breached the rear side of the Sunjwan Army camp near Chenni in the outskirts of the city during the intervening night.

Intelligence inputs had warned an attack on the Army or security establishment by Jaish-e-Mohammed in view of the death anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. (Photo: Twitter/ANI)

Jammu: Two Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) were killed and six others injured as a group of militants stormed the Sunjwan Army camp in Jammu city in the early hours on Saturday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri said.

The minister informed the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly that Subedar Maganlal and Subedar Mohammed Ashraf were killed in the attack by a group of militants.

While the minister did not specify the group affiliation of the militants who launched the attack, officials said Jaish-e-Mohammed militants were behind the terror strike.

Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Abdullah said, "No day passes by without such incidents and terrorists are all coming from Pakistan. If Pakistan wants good relations with India they need to stop terrorism or it will have bad consequences. Sadly, I have to say if it continues India won't stop itself from waging war."

DGP SP Vaid said the terrorists entered from the rear side of Sunjwan Army camp where family quarters are located.

The militants have been isolated, they said.

IGP SD Singh Jamwal told reporters here that "around 4:55 am suspicious movement was noticed by the sentry and his bunker was fired upon. The fire was retaliated. The number of militants isn't known. They've been cornered in one of the family quarters."

Security forces and police have cordoned off the area around the Sunjwan Army camp.The camp falls under the first Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry in 36 Brigade.

Soon after the attack, reinforcements of the Army's special forces and SOG rushed to the spot and cordoned off the whole area amid a fierce gunfight, security official said.

Also read: IAF Para commandos flown to Jammu to take on attackers at Army camp

Schools in the entire area around the camp have been closed by authorities as a precautionary measure.

A high alert has been sounded in Jammu and security beefed up in and around the city.

Intelligence inputs had warned of an attack on the Army or security establishment by Jaish-e-Mohammed in view of the death anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru who was hanged on February 9,

2013.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to the chief of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and took stock of the situation arising out of the terror attack on the Army camp in Jammu.

During the telephonic conversation, the home minister sought details from Director General of Police SP Vaid on the terrorist attack on the Army camp in Jammu, according to a tweet by the Home Minister's Office.

"The DGP has apprised him of the situation. The MHA is closely monitoring the situation," the tweet said.
Pravin Togadia also said the Government should pass a law for construction of Ram Mandir without the mosque adjacent to it.

VHP international working president Pravin Togadia said, 'Whether to make a law on triple talaq or not is up to the government, but they should make a law for Ram temple'. (Photo: File | PTI)

Aurangabad: In a veiled attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling BJP, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) international working president Pravin Togadia on Friday said that people voted the NDA to power for building Ram temple in Ayodhya, and not for making laws on triple talaq.

He also said the government should pass a legislation to pave the way for construction of the temple.

"People have voted you to power not for making laws on triple talaq, but for the construction of Ram mandir in Ayodhya," Togadia told reporters at Aurangabad on Friday.

Togadia, who is on a two-day tour of Aurangabad and Parbhani, arrived in the city on Thursday evening.

"A law should be passed for the construction of Ram temple, so that it is built soon. Whether to make a law on triple talaq or not is up to the government, but they should make a law for Ram temple," he added.

"We have faith in the judiciary, but since the temple has not been built, a law should be passed in this regard so that it can be constructed without the mosque adjacent to it," he said.

He said the apex court once again adjourned the hearing on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute.

A Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra on Friday said it would hear the appeals in the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi dispute on March 14.

"Since long, the Hindu community has been waiting for the temple, hence it should be built," Togadia said.

In view of the VHP leader's visit, the city police have put in place tight security arrangements.

"Seven hundred policemen, including two DCPs, five ACPs and 17 police inspectors, have been deployed to provide security," he said.
PM Modi is likely to announce the set-up of a super-speciality hospital in Palestine's Ramallah.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a three-nation tour, has reached Palestine on Saturday. Narendra Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister to step on Palestinian soil and will spend around three hours in Palestine on this visit that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, has described as "significant".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had skipped Palestine when he had visited Israel in July 2017 to signal his government's decision to treat New Delhi's relations with the two countries as "mutually independent and exclusive".

In Ramallah, that serves as the de facto capital of Palestine, Modi headed straight to the memorial of former President Yasser Arafat where he laid a wreath. He also took a tour of the Yasser Arafat Mausoleum.

(Photo: ANI | Twitter)

Soon after landing at Palestine, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: "This is a historic visit that will lead to stronger bilateral cooperation."

Modi held discussions with President Mahmoud Abbas over a working lunch. The two leaders also exchanged agreements.

In a recognition of PM Modis contribution to relations between India and Palestine, President Abbas conferred the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine on him after the conclusion of the bilateral meeting. The Grand Collar is Highest order given to foreign dignitaries.

(Photo: ANI | Twitter)

Commendation of Grand Collar read, "In recognition of his wise leadership, lofty national and international stature, in appreciation of his efforts to promote historic relations between Palestine and India, in acknowledgement of his support to our peoples right to freedom so that peace prevails in region.

PM Modi is likely to announce the set-up of a super-speciality hospital in Palestine's Ramallah on Saturday.

India is the first non-Arab nation to recognise Palestine and maintains diplomatic relationships with them. "We have de-hyphenated our relations with Palestine and Israel and now we see them both as mutually independent and exclusive and as part of this policy the Prime Minister is undertaking this visit," B Bala Bhaskar, joint secretary in the foreign ministry, said.

On Friday, Modi reached Jordan's capital Amman where he met King Abdullah II. He took a chopper ride to Palestine's Ramallah.

(Photo: Twitter | @narendramodi)

"Had a wonderful meeting with His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan. Our discussions today will give great strength to India-Jordan bilateral relations," Modi tweeted on Friday.

In the UAE, Modi will meet Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. He is also expected to speak at the World Government Summit in Dubai, where India is the guest country.

Modi will visit Oman and will hold talks with the Sultan of Oman and other key leaders. He would also interact with leading businesspersons of Oman on developing stronger economic and business links with India.
Girri hailed Aurangzeb's brother Dara Shikoh as a scholar who espoused syncretic values and pitched for greater awareness about life.

BJP MP Maheish Girri said, 'Aurangzeb was a terrorist, in today's parlance... the punishment that he should have got he did not get, but at least, the road named after him, has been changed.' (Photo: Twitter Screengrab/ @MaheishGirri)

New Delhi: BJP MP Maheish Girri on Friday dubbed Mughal ruler Aurangzeb a "terrorist" and hailed his brother Dara Shikoh as a scholar, who espoused "syncretic values", and pitched for building greater awareness about his life.

The MP from East Delhi was interacting with reporters on the sidelines of the inauguration of twin events- a conference 'Aurangzeb and Dara Shukoh: A Tale of Two Brothers' and an exhibition, titled, 'Dara Shukoh, the Forgotten Prince of Islam' at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) in the national capital. Dara Shikoh was also known as Dara Shukoh.

"Aurangzeb was a terrorist, in today's parlance... the punishment that he should have got he did not get, but at least, the road named after him, has been changed," he told reporters.

Aurangzeb Road in Lutyens' Delhi was rechristened Dr APJ Kalam Road in 2015. Girri had sent a proposal to the Centre for renaming the street after the former president.

Muslim groups had objected to the New Delhi Municipal Council's decision to rename Aurangzeb Road, terming it a "deliberate" move that is "likely to set the trend of rechristening other cities/streets distorting history".

Earlier, addressing a gathering at the launch of the events, he said, "I used to feel extrme pain whenever I saw that signage of a road bearing the name of a cruel ruler. I felt is was against the idea of India and not in the interest of the country. So, I went after it (renaming)."

"I also faced obstacles and received threats from people, but I went ahead," he said.

The Lok Sabha member hailed the qualities of the Mughal emperor's brother Dara Shukoh, and said his life and times, and the values he stood for, should be taught simulataneosly, while telling the story of Aurangzeb.

"When it come to Dara, history has not been told or portrayed, the way it should have been. He stood for the true values of Islam unlike his brother, who was cruel and oppressed people," Girri told reporters.

Dara Shukoh was the eldest son of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, who his heir apparent. Aurangzeb got him killed in 1659. "In schools, when you teach Aurangzeb, you must also teach about his brother. It will not only present a balanced perspective, but also help people judge the two as to who was good and was bad. If you just show Aurangzeb, that teaching of history is also wrong," Girri said.

Former Speaker of Iranian Parliament Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel also hailed Shukoh as a "miracle of India".

"Instead of contemplating wars and bloodshed to expand the Mughal empire, Shukoh engaged in dialogue with people of different faiths and produced scholarly works. He promoted peace and co-existence," he said.

Later, on the sidelines, Adel said, "The world needs to focus more on Dara Shukoh than Aurangzeb".
United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff - Appellee, v. MICHAEL PANKEY, Defendant - Appellant. No. 17-4325 Decided: February 09, 2018

Before TRAXLER and AGEE, Circuit Judges, and HAMILTON, Senior Circuit Judge. Geremy C. Kamens, Federal Public Defender, Nia Ayanna Vidal, Assistant Federal Public Defender, OFFICE OF THE FEDERAL PUBLIC DEFENDER, Richmond, Virginia, for Appellant. Dana J. Boente, United States Attorney, Olivia L. Norman, Assistant United States Attorney, OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY, Richmond, Virginia, for Appellee.

A jury convicted Michael Pankey of possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine hydrochloride, in violation of 21 U.S.C.  841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C) (2012), and the district court sentenced him to 24 months' imprisonment. Pankey appeals the district court's denial of his motion to suppress evidence of drugs and incriminating statements resulting from the search of his vehicle's trunk. We affirm.

In reviewing a district court's denial of a defendant's motion to suppress, we review the district court's legal conclusions de novo and its factual findings for clear error, construing the evidence presented in the light most favorable to the Government. United States v. Stover, 808 F.3d 991, 994 (4th Cir. 2015). We owe particular deference to a district court's credibility determinations, for it is the role of the district court to observe witnesses and weigh their credibility during a pre-trial motion to suppress. United States v. Patiutka, 804 F.3d 684, 689 (4th Cir. 2015) (brackets and internal quotation marks omitted).

Warrantless searches are per se unreasonable under the Fourth Amendmentsubject only to a few specifically established and well-delineated exceptions. California v. Acevedo, 500 U.S. 565, 580 (1991) (internal quotation marks omitted). One exception to the warrant requirement concerns automobiles because of their inherent mobility and the risk that contraband inside the vehicle could disappear while officers obtain a search warrant. California v. Carney, 471 U.S. 386, 390-91 (1985). If a car is readily mobile and probable cause exists to believe it contains contraband, the Fourth Amendment  permits police to search the vehicle without more. Maryland v. Dyson, 527 U.S. 465, 467 (1999) (per curiam) (internal quotation marks omitted). The scope of a warrantless search of an automobile  is not defined by the nature of the container in which the contraband is secreted, but [r]ather,  the object of the search and the places in which there is probable cause to believe that it may be found. United States v. Ross, 456 U.S. 798, 824 (1982).

Pankey contends that the factors identified by the searching officerthe odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle; the discovery of marijuana in the passenger compartment; Pankey's nervousness; the fact that Pankey was driving on Interstate 85, a drug trafficking corridor, and en route to Oxford, North Carolina, a source city for narcotics; and Pankey's possession of a prepaid flip phone commonly used for criminal activity, in addition to his personal cell phonewere altogether insufficient to give rise to probable cause to search the trunk of his vehicle. He also argues that this court has not ruled that the mere odor of burnt marijuana from a vehicle's passenger compartment is sufficient to establish probable cause to search the vehicle's trunk.

Indeed, we have not yet decided that issue, and there is, in fact, a circuit split on the issue. However, we decline to reach this question because even applying the more defendant-friendly approach espoused by the Tenth Circuit, we conclude that the other factors identified by the searching officer in addition to the odor of marijuana provided probable cause to search the trunk of Pankey's vehicle. See United States v. Loucks, 806 F.2d 208, 211 (10th Cir. 1986) (holding that, while mere odor of burnt marijuana was insufficient to give rise to probable cause to search vehicle's trunk, odor of burnt marijuana on defendant's person plus discovery of marijuana in passenger compartment was sufficient).

Additionally, Pankey's contention that the searching officer lacked probable cause to search the trunk because he had probable cause to search only for marijuana and not heroin or cocaine is without merit. Further, while Pankey complains that the district court considered innocent factors in its probable cause analysis, the district court did not rely exclusively on these factors and was permitted to consider them in the totality of the circumstances. See United States v. Foster, 824 F.3d 84, 89 (4th Cir. 2016) (Seemingly innocent factors, when viewed together, can amount to reasonable suspicion.); United States v. Booker, 612 F.3d 596, 601 (7th Cir. 2010) (The possibility of an innocent explanation does not vitiate properly established probable cause.). We therefore conclude that the district court did not err in denying Pankey's motion to suppress.

Accordingly, we affirm the district court's judgment. 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.

AFFIRMED

FOOTNOTES

. The Fifth and Eighth Circuits have held that the mere odor of burnt marijuana may give rise to probable cause to search an entire vehicle, including its trunk. United States v. Winters, 221 F.3d 1039, 1041 (8th Cir. 2000); United States v. McSween, 53 F.3d 684, 686-87 (5th Cir. 1995). The Tenth Circuit has held that the mere odor of marijuana is insufficient grounds to search a vehicle's trunk, and that corroborating (Continued) evidence of contraband is necessary. United States v. Parker, 72 F.3d 1444, 1450 (10th Cir. 1995).

. Because the search was lawful, we need not consider Pankey's additional argument that the district court should have suppressed his subsequent incriminating statements.

PER CURIAM:
The Navy Chief also held talks with Saudi Arabias deputy defence minister Mohammad bin Abdullah Al-Aysesh.

NEW DELHI: During his visit to Saudi Arabia from February 4-8, Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba held extensive talks with its top defence brass to further consolidate cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries, officials said on Friday.

Enhancing cooperation to pursue common strategic interests in the backdrop of the changing security scenario in the region as also to explore new avenues of defence cooperation were the focus of Lanbas talks with the Saudi military establishment, they said.

The Navy Chief also held talks with Saudi Arabias deputy defence minister Mohammad bin Abdullah Al-Aysesh, Chief of General Staff of Royal Saudi Armed Forces General Abdul Rahman bin Saleh Al-Bunyan and Commander of Royal Saudi Naval Forces Vice-Admiral Fahd bin Abdulla Al-Ghofaily.

The admiral, also the chairman of the powerful chiefs of staff committee, visited a number of key naval installations and assets in Saudi Arabia, including the naval operations centre.
Naveed and two militants who had come to free him shot dead two policemen who were escorting the prisoner.

SRINAGAR: In the aftermath of Tuesdays dramatic escape from police custody of top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant Muhammad Naveed Jutt, alias Abu Hanzala, all the 16 Pakistani prisoners lodged in Srinagar Central Jail (SCJ) are being shifted to Jammu or other prisons outside the Kashmir Valley.

They along with other foreign prisoners, including undertrials currently lodged in the Valley prisons, will be shifted to Jammu, Udhampur, Kathua and other parts of Jammu region within three days, said the police sources here.

Also the security at and around the SCJ and other prisons in the Valley has been beefed up further and the concerned authorities have been asked not to allow routine medical check-up of inmates at medical facilities outside the jail premises till further orders. Those prisoners who are scheduled to appear for hearings in different courts in the Valley in coming days will be escorted by heavy contingents of the J&K police or the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) or the courts will be requested to defer the hearings.

These steps are being taken following directions from Union Home Ministry which has also asked the State authorities to deploy the CRPF inside the jails in the restive Valley and involve it in all aspects of SCJ security which includes its deployment in perimeter as well as inside the prison on the foothills of Hari Parbat hill.

Naveed escaped from Srinagars Sri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital (SMHS) where he was taken for routine check-up from SCJ on the February 6 morning.

Naveed and two militants who had come to free him shot dead two policemen who were escorting the prisoner. The government has admitted to it being a security lapse and has placed the jail superintendent Hilal Ahmed Rather under suspension and removed several other officials from present postings, including director-general of Prisons, SK Mishra, who has since been replaced by senior IPS officer Dilbag Singh.

The Centre is reported to have taken a serious note of the lapse and asked the state government to take all necessary steps to ensure such incidents do not reoccur. Apart from fully reviewing security measures, it has asked the concerned authorities in the state to keep a close watch on the inmates at SCJ and other Valley prisoners and the visitors including the relatives of these prisoners. The jail authorities raided the barracks to ensure no mobile phones are being used by prisoners, the sources said.
President Abbas welcomed Modi stating that Indian leadership has always stood by peace in Palestine.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday assured Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas that India was bound to take care of the interests of Palestinian people.

"India hopes that soon Palestine will come a free country in a peaceful manner," he said.

"We hope for peace and stability in Palestine, we believe a permanent solution is possible with dialogue. Only diplomacy and farsightedness can set free from violence and baggage of the past. We know it is not easy but we need to keep trying as a lot is at stake," he further said.

PM Modi and President Abbas witnessed exchange of agreements between India and Palestine in Ramallah.

President Abbas welcomed Modi on his historic visit to the country stating that Indian leadership has always stood by peace in Palestine.

Asserting that Palestine was ready for to engage in negotiations with India, Abbas said they rely on India's role as an international force and its role in the non-alignment movement for desired peace in the region.

Abbas asserted his commitment to political action and negotiations as means of achieving their national goals to freedom and independence in accordance with the two states' relation along the lines of 1967.

In response, PM Modi thanked Palestine President Abbas for the Grand Collar of the state of Palestine conferred on him.

"This is an honour for India and a symbol of Palestine's friendship," Modi said.

Modi said India and Palestine's relations have stood the test of time. Palestine has always taken a top spot in our foreign policy, he further said.

Speaking on India's contribution to strengthen the bilateral ties, Modi said India is aiding the construction of an Institute of Diplomacy in Palestine.

He also announced doubling the exchange of students from this year taking it from 50 to 100.

Modi, who is on a three-nation tour reached Palestine on Saturday. Narendra Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister to step on Palestinian soil and will spend around three hours in Palestine on this visit that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, has described as "significant".

On Friday, Modi reached Jordan's capital Amman where he met King Abdullah II. He took a chopper ride to Palestine's Ramallah.
Cong has been hinting that the government's adamant denial to release the Rafale figures is an indicator that there is

Rahul pulled out three instances where the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government had disclosed the purchase details of heavyweight buys like the Sukhoi and Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft. (Photo: AFP)

New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi on Saturday launched a scathing attack at Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for telling the Parliament on Thursday that the previous Congress-led government had declined, on 15 occassions, to disclose defence purchases details.

Gandhi pulled out three instances where the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government had disclosed the purchase details of heavyweight buys like the Sukhoi and Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft.

"You said the UPA never released prices of defence purchases. To nail your lie, here are 3 parliamentary replies by the UPA with full transparency on pricing," the Congress president tweeted, making it clear that he can not be daunted from the campaign demanding the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government come clean on the Rs 58,000 crore Rafale deal.

"Now do ask our Raksha Mantri to tell India how much each RAFALE jet cost," Rahul added.

The Congress has been hinting that the government's adamant denial to release the figures is an indicator that there is "something fishy."

The party also alleges that India is paying more for the multi-role jets to France's Dassault than what had originally been agreed between the company and the Congress-led UPA government.

Rahul again started his Friday's tweet with 'Dear Jaitlie.'

This is the second time he intentionally punned on the finance minister name, the first time in December when the matter was taken to Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu by the BJP for deliberately twisting the name to ridicule him.

Congress began attacking the NDA government over the Rafale deal after Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman backed out from her earlier promise to share the financial details of the transaction, informing the Parliament that it is "classified information."

Jaitley was supporting Sitharaman on this when he said that when the UPA was in power, former defence ministers Pranab Mukherjee and A K Antony had on 15 occassions denied to give out sensitive information as it would be against national security.

He also advised Rahul to learn "lessons on national security" from Pranab Mukherjee.

Rahul had earlier on Friday also asked for a discussion in parliament under a rule that makes it a must for the government to answer.

"Rahul Gandhi wants the government's clarification and he also wants to place some facts before the House. There has been some irregularity in the Rafale deal and the government is hiding behind the confidentiality clause to avoid answers," said Mallikarjun Kharge, the leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha.
Privilege Motion does not force the Council of Ministers to resign.

New Delhi: In a move that is bound to resonate in the Parliament after it reconvenes in March, Renuka Chowdhury, the Congress MP in Rajya Sabha, moved a breach of privilege motion in the Upper House, on Friday, against the Union minister of state for home affairs, Kiren Rijiju, for posting a video of Prime Minister Narendra Modis comments on her laughter on his Facebook wall.

On Wednesday, when Mr Modi was responding to a debate on the Presidents address in the Rajya Sabha and dwelling on his governments schemes, Ms Chowdhury was heard laughing loudly. Venkaiha Naidu, the chairman of Rajya Sabha, asked her not to do so.

The Prime Minister said: Meri aapse vinti hai Renuka ji ko kuch mat kahiye. Ramayan serial ke baad aisi hansi sunne ka saubhagya aaj jaake mila hai (I request you to let Renuka ji continue. After the Ramayana serial, we got the privilege of hearing this kind of laughter only today.)

Congress has condemned Mr Modis remark and party spokesperson Anand Sharma said that the Prime Minister should apologize. The ruling BJP, however, said it was Ms Chowdhury who had insulted the Prime Minister by laughing in the middle of his speech. A Privilege Motion is similar to Censure motion.

Privilege Motion does not force the Council of Ministers to resign.
Similar action was taken against protesting groups of youth in Srinagar.

Stone-pelting Kashmiri youth clash with security forces in Nawakadal, old city area of Srinagar, on Friday, the eve of the death anniversary of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. (Photo: H U Naqash)

SRINAGAR: Security forces on Thursday enforced a lockdown in parts of Jammu and Kashmirs summer capital Srinagar and in north-western town of Sopore to hold back protests planned on the death anniversary of Parliament attack convict Muhammad Afzal Guru.

However, clashes between irate crowds of youth and the security forces enforcing the restrictions under Section 144 CrPC erupted in Sopore as well as at a couple of places in central Srinagar. The security forces fired teargas canisters to push the stone-pelting mobs BACK into dark alleys of Sopore, witnesses said. Similar action was taken against protesting groups of youth in Srinagar.

Guru, a resident of Doabgah suburb of Sopore, was hanged to death in Delhis Tihar jail on February 9, 2013.

Elsewhere in the Valley, a shutdown called by Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), an alliance of key separatist leaders, disrupted normal life as shops and other businesses remained closed and only private vehicles and auto-rickshaws could be seen plying on select roads except in those areas where security restrictions were in force.

Two of the alliance leaders Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umer Farooq continue to remain under house arrest while Muhammad Yasin Malik has been lodged in the Srinagar Central Jail after he was arrested by the police earlier during the week.
'Hardik is like my younger brother. He has a very good sense of politics and he is very sensitive too,' Mamata Banerjee said.

Equating Banerjee to India's former prime minister Indira Gandhi, Patel said that he has never seen such a feisty leader. (Photo: Twitter/ @HardikPatel_)

Kolkata: Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) chief Hardik Patel met West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata on Friday.

Patel said that Banerjee asked him to join TMC and he would do so if there was a need for it.

Equating Banerjee to India's former prime minister Indira Gandhi, Patel said that he has never seen such a feisty leader.

The PAAS leader also declared that he has promised to campaign for Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

"I will come here in 2019 to campaign for her. In the country, there is no Opposition apart from the Congress and the Trinamool Congress. They have to come together and bring other parties together," Patel said.

Mamata Banerjee herself was also full of praises for the young Patel leader.

The Chief Minister said that she advised him to join politics as it was politicians who make policy decisions.

"Hardik is like my younger brother. He has a very good sense of politics and he is very sensitive too," Banerjee said.

Earlier, Patel had met Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and promised to work with him for ensuring Patel-equivalent communities in other states get reservations.

Kumar, however, later shifted his allegiance to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by breaking the 'golden trio' Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Janata Dal (United) (JDU) and Congress had formed to defeat BJP in 2015 Bihar assembly polls.

The pro-reservation movement leader had said during his campaign in the recently-concluded assembly elections that he would decide on joining politics in two years, when he would be eligible to contest polls.
Weddings have been called off after 76 persons tested positive this week.

The families of those who have tested HIV positive are, expectedly, living under the shadow of death.

Bangarmau (Unnao): In Bangarmau, about 88 kilometres from Lucknow, barbers have been jobless since the past three days because the locals are unwilling to take a haircut or get a shave.

Two weddings, scheduled for this week, have also been called off. An HIV scare that unfolded earlier this week after 76 persons tested HIV positive (initially 40 were found to be HIV positive) has grown in the villages.

The families of those who have tested HIV positive are, expectedly, living under the shadow of death.

Ramesh Rajbhar, whose father and brother are among the victims, said, I do not know what treatment is to be given to them and also whether I will be able to afford it. No one from the government has told us anything.

Devendra, whose father is among those who have tested HIV positive, said, At least one or two persons in every family have been treated at some point by doctor sahib (the quack who used the same syringe on multiple patients and is said to be responsible for the spread of HIV). No one knows how many are infected. People are living in fear and some are even shying away from undergoing tests.

Kaushal, whose sisters wedding has been called off, explained, People are scared and do not want to marry into any family here because of the HIV scare. I even offered to get my sister tested but the groom refused and cancelled the marriage.

Several families living in Patel Nagar have stopped sending their children to school because they fear that they may get infected. They refuse to believe that HIV is not a contagious disease.

Shitla Devi, 68, said, My grandchildren will not go to school. They can remain uneducated but I will not risk their lives.

She has also ordered her three sons not to shave or get their hair cut at the local barbershops. Her eldest son, Ravi, said, No one is giving us correct information about HIV here. There are all kinds of rumours doing the rounds, and the people tend to believe everything they hear. Some have stopped eating fruit while others are keeping away from families whose members have tested positive.
The terrorists were wearing combat uniforms carrying AK 56 assault rifle, large amount of ammunition and hand grenades.

Srinagar: At least four Jaish-e-Mohammed militants stormed the Sunjwan Army camp in Jammu in a pre-dawn fidayeen attack on Saturday and killed two Armymen  a junior commissioned officers (JCO) and non-commissioned officer (NCO)  and injured nine others, including civilians. Three of the attackers were gunned down after a 12-hour operation, the Army said.

Those injured include a major and daughter of the slain JCO, police sources said.

Among the injured four persons, including Major Avijit Singh are said to be in critical conditions. The major has been airlifted to Udhampur where he is being treated at the Army Base Hospital, said Jammu-based defence spokesman Lt. Col. Devender Anand.

The police said that the terrorists launched the attack on Sunjwan Milita-rty Station of 36 Brigade around 4.55 am on Saturday after entering from the rear side of the Army camp where family quarters are located.

The attack follows intelligence inputs warning of an attack on the Army or the security establishment by JeM in view of the death anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, who was hanged on February 9, 2013.

A defence PRO said, The Army has killed two heavily armed terrorists. The terrorists were wearing combat uniforms carrying AK-56 assault rifles, large amount of ammunition and hand grenades.

Search of their belongings confirmed the terrorists to be from Jaish-e-Mohammed. So far 1 JCO & 1 NCO, both belonging to J&K, have been martyred and 9 others are injured,  he added.

IGP S.D. Singh Jamwal said, Suspicious movement was noticed by the sentry and his bunker was fired upon. The fire was retaliated. The number of militants isnt known.

Police sources earlier said that the attackers split themselves into two groups and one of these was isolated in a corner of a four-storey building within the camp. Following the attack, the authorities ordered closure of schools in Sunjwan belt of Jammu city. We have ordered closure of schools in Sunjwan area as a precautionary measure in the wake of the attack, a spokesman of the Jammu divisional commissioners office said.

Chief minister Mehbooba Muft expressed anguish over the militant attack and the loss of life. In a tweet, she said, Deeply disturbed by the terrorist attack in #Sunjwan today. My heart goes out to the injured & their families.

The Army identified the slain soldiers as JCO Madan Lal Chaudhary of 4 JAKLI (Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry) and non-commissioned officer (NCO) Muhammad Ashraf Mir of 1 JAKLI. The injured include Major Singh of 6 Mahar (head injury), Lance Naik Bahadur Singh of 1 JAKLI (multiple injuries), Havaldar Abdul Hamid Rashid of 1 JAKLI (head injury) and Army personnels family members Paramjeet Kaur (40), Neha (20), who is the daughter of the slain JCO, and Somati Jena (head injury).
Strengthening the organisation at booth level is a key focus of the party to win a second term for the Modi government.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Independence Day may give an indication on snap Lok Sabha elections from the ramparts of the Red Fort, BJP sources said, pointing to the party chiefs message to all state units to prepare for general elections.

Next parliamentary elections are scheduled to be held in May 2019, but saffron corridors are abuzz with speculation that the ruling BJP may advance them and hold them along with Assembly elections later this year in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

The BJPs state units, including Delhi, have be-en asked to step up mass contact programme, stre-ngthen organisation and booth level activities apart from highlighting achievements of the Modi government  instructi-ons that are being seen as a precursor to snap polls.

The party high command has signalled to start preparation for Lok Sabha polls without any delay, said a senior BJP leader, adding that there is no specific indication on the time of the snap polls.

The instructions are to reach out to people with the achievements of the Modi government and the pro-poor, pro-farmer Budget presented earlier this month, said a senior leader.

Strengthening the organisation at booth level is a key focus of the party to win a second term for the Modi government. State units have also been directed to develop the booth level teams. State leaders must regularly get in touch with booth level workers, he added, quoting the instructions given by the high command.

Sources told this newspaper that the governme-nt is planning to advance the general election by five or six months and is keen to hold them in November-December this year.

If the government decides to hold early elections then it will held around year-end when bigger states like Rajashthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh go to polls, he added.
United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. Melsi Garcia NUNEZ, Petitioner, v. Jefferson B. SESSIONS, III, U.S. Attorney General, Respondent. No. 16-60140 Decided: February 08, 2018

Before WIENER, ELROD, and SOUTHWICK, Circuit Judges. Melsi Garcia Nunez, pro se. Christina J. Martin, Esq., Trial Attorney, U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Division/OIL, Washington, DC, Office of Immigration Litigation, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Immigration Litigation, Washington, DC, for Respondent

Pro se petitioner Melsis GarciaNunez, a native and citizen of Honduras, petitions for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals' order upholding the denial of her motion to reopen removal proceedings. The Board did not abuse its discretion in dismissing GarciaNunez's appeal and in affirming the immigration judge's decision finding that GarciaNunez received proper notice of her removal hearing and failed to show a change in country conditions. Therefore, we DENY GarciaNunez's petition for review.

I.

Petitioner Melsis GarciaNunez, a native and citizen of Honduras, illegally entered the United States in 2004. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) personally served her with a notice to appear, which charged her with removability under 8 U.S.C.  1182(a)(6)(A)(i) for being present in the United States without admission or parole. DHS advised her orally in Spanish that the notice to appear obligated her to keep the immigration court apprised of her current mailing address, and that she could be ordered removed if she failed to appear for a scheduled hearing. GarciaNunez provided DHS with her mother's phone number and mailing address.

In February 2005, GarciaNunez was sent a notice of hearing by regular mail to the address she had provided. The notice, however, was returned with a not deliverable stamp as well as the following handwritten statement on the front of the envelope: She don't leave [sic] here. In 2005, the immigration judge ordered GarciaNunez's removal in absentia. The removal order was mailed to the address GarciaNunez had provided, but the envelope was returned with a movedleft no address stamp and a handwritten notice stating, She don't leave [sic] here. In addition, there was another handwritten note requesting, Please return. Five years later, GarciaNunez married Miguel Zuniga, who became a naturalized citizen a few years after their marriage. A year after their marriage, GarciaNunez gave birth to a son in Los Angeles, California.

Nine years after the notice of hearing was sent, GarciaNunez filed a motion to reopen removal proceedings based on a lack of notice and a change in country conditions. According to GarciaNunez, she never received the hearing notice. She stated that she was a minor at the time, and she and her mother had moved in early 2005 from the address they had provided to DHS. She explained that until early 2005, she and her mother had rented a single room from an elderly lady but had arranged to continue to receive mail from the lady after they moved. GarciaNunez stated that neither she nor her mother ever received any notice of hearing from the elderly lady. In addition to a declaration, GarciaNunez also submitted copies of the envelopes containing her hearing notice and removal order, which both had she don't leave [sic] here written on them. On the basis of this evidence, GarciaNunez asserted she had rebutted the presumption that her hearing notice was properly served and thus had established good cause for granting her motion to reopen.

GarciaNunez also requested asylum and withholding of removal based on changed country conditions. In support of this request, she provided the State Department's Honduras Country Report for 2012, the Congressional Research Service's report on HondurasU.S. Relations from 2013, and a collection of news articles from 20112014 reporting on murders and other human-rights abuses in Honduras. Finally, GarciaNunez requested sua sponte reopening of removal proceedings because of her husband and child.

The immigration judge denied GarciaNunez's motion to reopen. Stating that there is a presumption of delivery when a notice of hearing is sent by regular mail, the immigration judge noted that this presumption is weaker than the presumption for certified mail. The immigration judge stated that determining whether an alien has rebutted this weaker presumption of delivery requires considering all of the evidence submitted. Finding that the notice of hearing was delivered to the address GarciaNunez had provided, the immigration judge found that the notice was merely not personally received. The immigration judge then cited the Board of Immigration Appeals' (BIA) decision in GYR, 23 I. & N. Dec. 181, 189 (BIA 2001), which states that a failure in a household's internal workings does not necessarily preclude charging the alien with receiving proper notice. Rather, the immigration judge noted that in such a case as this in which delivery occurred at the address provided to the court but the notice failed to reach the alien herself, the alien may be charged with receiving proper notice. Thus, the immigration judge found that GarciaNunez received proper notice of her removal hearing.

The immigration judge also found that GarciaNunez failed to show changed country conditions. Noting that a claim of changed country conditions requires a showing not of severe present country conditions, but of a change in country conditions since the entry of the final administrative order of removal, the immigration judge found that GarciaNunez had not submitted any evidence  on country conditions as they existed in 2005, when she was ordered removed. The immigration judge then took administrative notice of the State Department's 2005 Honduras Country Report and found that violence against women was widespread in 2005. Using the 2005 report as a benchmark against which to determine whether a change in Honduras had occurred, the immigration judge found that GarciaNunez did not make a prima facie case of a change because it does not appear that the relevant country conditions to which the respondent alludes would affect her in a significantly different way than when she departed Honduras. For these reasons, the immigration judge denied GarciaNunez's motion to reopen.

GarciaNunez appealed the immigration judge's decision to the BIA. Adopting and affirming the immigration judge's decision, the BIA dismissed GarciaNunez's appeal. The BIA agreed with the immigration judge regarding notice and also determined that GarciaNunez had not demonstrated changed country conditions in Honduras on account of her gender. While noting GarciaNunez's age when she arrived in the United States as well as other equitable considerations, the BIA determined that there was no reason to exercise its sua sponte authority. GarciaNunez timely filed a petition for review.

II.

In reviewing the denial of a motion to reopen removal proceedings, we apply a highly deferential abuse-of-discretion standard. HernandezCastillo v. Sessions, 875 F.3d 199, 203 (5th Cir. 2017).  [S]o long as [the Board's decision] is not capricious, racially invidious, utterly without foundation in the evidence, or otherwise so irrational that it is arbitrary rather than the result of any perceptible rational approach, we must affirm the Board's decision. Singh v. Gonzales, 436 F.3d 484, 487 (5th Cir. 2006) (alterations in original) (citation omitted). We review the BIA's factual findings under the substantial-evidence standard, which means that we cannot reverse the BIA's factual determinations unless the evidence compels a contrary conclusion. GomezPalacios v. Holder, 560 F.3d 354, 358 (5th Cir. 2009). In evaluating a denial of a motion to reopen, we review the BIA's order and also will evaluate the immigration judge's underlying decision if it influenced the BIA's opinion. HernandezCastillo, 875 F.3d at 204.

III.

A.

On appeal, GarciaNunez argues that because she did not receive proper notice of her removal hearing, the BIA erred in upholding the denial of her motion to reopen. An order of removal may be rescinded only: (1) upon a motion to reopen filed within 180 days after the date of the removal order if the alien shows that the failure to appear at the removal hearing was because of exceptional circumstances; or (2) upon a motion to reopen filed at any time if the alien shows that she did not receive proper notice or was in federal or state custody and the failure to appear was through no fault of her own. 8 U.S.C.  1229a(b)(5)(C). Because GarciaNunez filed her motion to reopen nine years after the removal order, and because she has not shown that she was unable to attend her hearing due to being in federal or state custody, the only basis for rescission of the removal order is lack of notice.

A notice of removal proceedings should be personally served on the alien, but may be mailed to the alien or her attorney when personal service is not practicable. 8 U.S.C.  1229(a)(1)(2). An alien who fails to appear at a removal proceeding shall be ordered removed in abstentia, so long as the government shows by clear, unequivocal, and convincing evidence that the alien is removable and that she or her attorney was provided written notice. 8 U.S.C.  1229a(b)(5)(A). On a motion to reopen,  the focus is whether the alien actually received the required notice and not whether the notice was properly mailed. OjedaCalderon v. Holder, 726 F.3d 669, 673 (5th Cir. 2013) (holding that the BIA did not abuse its discretion in charging the petitioner with receiving a notice of hearing, because the petitioner's unsupported denial of receipt was insufficient to rebut the strong presumption of delivery associated with service by certified mail).

While there is a presumption of delivery when a notice of hearing is sent by mail, [t]he presumption of valid service via regular mail is weaker than that for service via certified mail. Hernandez v. Lynch, 825 F.3d 266, 269 (5th Cir. 2016) (holding that the BIA abused its discretion in denying the petitioner's motion to reopen because it failed to consider all the relevant evidence in determining that the petitioner did not rebut the presumption of notice that applies to delivery by regular mail). With certified mail, a strong presumption of effective service arises that may be overcome only by the affirmative defense of nondelivery or improper delivery by the Postal Service. Maknojiya v. Gonzales, 432 F.3d 588, 589 (5th Cir. 2005) (remanding to the BIA because the immigration judge applied the strong presumption of delivery for certified mail to a case involving delivery by regular mail).

With regular mail, the immigration judge and the BIA must consider all submitted evidence in determining whether an alien has rebutted the presumption of delivery. Hernandez, 825 F.3d at 270; MRA, 24 I. & N. Dec. 665, 674 (BIA 2008). [A]n alien's statement in an affidavit that is without evidentiary flaw may be sufficient to rebut the presumption of effective service. Hernandez, 825 F.3d at 269. However, when a notice of hearing reaches the correct address but does not reach the alien through some failure in the internal workings of the household, the alien can be charged with receiving proper notice. OjedaCalderon, 726 F.3d at 673 (quoting GYR, 23 I. & N. Dec. at 189). This is because an alien does not need to personally receive, read, and understand a notice of hearing for the notice requirements to be satisfied. See GYR, 23 I. & N. Dec. at 189 (stating this principle in the context of a notice to appear). Rather, [a]n alien can, in certain circumstances, be properly charged with receiving notice, even though he or she did not personally see the mailed document. Id.

Here, GarciaNunez was sent a notice of hearing by regular mail. Thus, the weaker presumption of delivery applies, and the immigration judge and the BIA must consider all relevant evidence submitted. Because the BIA expressly adopted and affirmed the immigration judge's decision in this case, we review the immigration judge's decision here. The immigration judge considered the evidence GarciaNunez submitted and found that the notice was delivered to the correct address, but that someone then returned it. Moreover, the immigration judge relied on GYR for the proposition that a failure in a household's internal workings does not preclude charging an alien with receiving proper notice, so long as the notice was sent to the correct address.

Unlike Maknojiya, this is not a case of potentially failed delivery. See Maknojiya, 432 F.3d at 589 (stating that there was no copy of an addressed envelope in the record or any other indication that the notice of hearing actually was delivered). Rather, the immigration judge found this to be a case of failed internal workings of a household, and under our deferential standard of review, we cannot say the judge erred in so doing. In light of the handwritten statement on the envelope containing the notice of hearing, the immigration judge found that delivery occurred at the address GarciaNunez provided. To the extent that GarciaNunez contends that the notice of hearing was undelivered, this argument lacks evidentiary support. The immigration judge determined that the post office stamp not deliverable as addressed, unable to forward does not mean that the notice was never delivered. Rather, the immigration judge found that notice was delivered but returned at the request of an unidentified person at the address GarciaNunez provided. Under an abuse-of-discretion standard, we cannot say these findings were error.

GarciaNunez also argues that notice was inadequate because she never personally received the envelope containing the notice of hearing. In making this argument, she suggests that delivery of a notice of hearing is improper unless signed by the alien or a responsible person at the alien's address. This argument, too, is unavailing. There is no requirement in our caselaw that an alien (or a responsible member of the alien's household) actually view or sign a notice of hearing delivered to the address provided by the alien.

Moreover, the fact that GarciaNunez was not living at the address she provided to the immigration court when the notice of hearing was delivered is immaterial. The government satisfies the notice requirement for obtaining a removal order when it gives proper notice at the most recent mailing address the alien provided. HernandezCastillo, 875 F.3d at 204 (holding that when an alien fails to keep the immigration court apprised of her current mailing address, the removal order should not be revoked on the ground that the alien did not actually receive notice of her removal hearing); GomezPalacios, 560 F.3d at 358 (same); see also 8 U.S.C.  1229a(b)(5). Thus, the BIA did not abuse its discretion in affirming the immigration judge's decision that GarciaNunez received proper notice.

B.

GarciaNunez next argues that because she provided sufficient evidence of changed country conditions, the BIA erred in upholding the denial of her motion to reopen removal proceedings. It is undisputed that GarciaNunez filed her motion to reopen well beyond the ninety-day time frame established by 8 U.S.C.  1229a(c)(7)(C)(i). Nevertheless, this ninety-day requirement does not apply if the motion to reopen rests on a request for asylum, withholding of removal under 8 U.S.C.  1231(b)(3), or relief under the U.N. Convention Against Torture, and the motion is based on changed country conditions arising in the country of nationality or the country to which removal has been ordered, if such evidence is material and was not available and would not have been discovered or presented at the previous proceeding. 8 U.S.C.  1229a(c)(7)(C)(ii); 8 C.F.R.  1003.23(b)(4)(i). The motion to reopen must: (1) state the new facts that will be proven at a hearing to be held if the motion is granted; (2) be supported by affidavits or other evidentiary material; and (3) be accompanied by the appropriate application for relief and all supporting documentation. 8 C.F.R.  1003.23(b)(3). If the petitioner cannot make the proper showing, the motion is subject to the ninety-day limitation. See 8 U.S.C.  1229a(c)(7)(C)(i).

As a number of our unpublished decisions demonstrate, a petitioner bears a heavy burden to show changed country conditions for purposes of reopening removal proceedings. Showing changed country conditions requires making a meaningful comparison between the conditions at the time of the removal hearing and the conditions at the time the alien filed her motion to reopen. Moreover, showing the continuation of a trend is insufficient to show changed country conditions. A petitioner must show a material rather than a merely incremental change. In addition, individual incidents, without evidence that they are part of a larger material change, do not constitute changed country conditions. Accordingly, showing a change in personal circumstances is also insufficient to show a change in country conditions.

The immigration judge, in considering the documents GarciaNunez submitted, found that GarciaNunez had not submitted any evidence  on country conditions as they existed in 2005, when she was ordered removed. The immigration judge's finding on this point has support in the record. Moreover, even though GarciaNunez did not show a meaningful comparison, the immigration judge acted within his discretion in taking administrative notice of country conditions in 2005 based on a report on Honduras by the State Department. See Hossain v. Lynch, 603 Fed.Appx. 345, 346 (5th Cir. 2015). Having taken notice of the conditions in Honduras in 2005, the immigration judge found that while conditions in Honduras have worsened in some respects since [GarciaNunez] was ordered removed, violence against women was widespread even in 2005. According to the immigration judge, it does not appear that the relevant country conditions to which [GarciaNunez] alludes would affect her in a significantly different way than when she departed Honduras. Thus, the immigration judge found that GarciaNunez had failed to meet her burden to make a prima facie case of a change in country conditions.

Based on the record, we cannot say that the BIA's order affirming the immigration judge's decision was utterly without foundation in the evidence. Singh, 436 F.3d at 487. Nor can we say that the evidence compels a contrary conclusion. GomezPalacios, 560 F.3d at 358. Accordingly, we are not at liberty to grant the petition.

We do not hold today that a significant increase in violence against women can never constitute a change in country conditions justifying waiver of the deadline for reopening. We hold only that when as here, there is some evidentiary foundation for concluding that the increase in violence is incremental but not a material change, the immigration judge and BIA did not abuse their discretion in denying reopening. Reasonable minds may disagree over whether an increase in violence of a certain degree over a certain number of years counts as a material change in the condition of a country. Reasonable disagreement, however, is not our standard. We must ask whether the BIA's conclusion, in adopting the immigration judge's determinations, is utterly without foundation in the evidence. Singh, 436 F.3d at 487. On the record before us, we cannot say the BIA abused its discretion.

IV.

Therefore, the BIA did not abuse its discretion in upholding the immigration judge's denial of the motion to reopen removal proceedings and in rejecting GarciaNunez's claims regarding lack of notice and changed country conditions. Accordingly, we DENY GarciaNunez's petition for review.

FOOTNOTES

. GarciaNunez notes that her first name was misspelled in the underlying proceedings. Her passport confirms this misspelling. We use the spelling of her name as it appears on her passport in the text of our opinion, and we hyphenate GarciaNunez as both parties do in their briefs. However, as our practice is to use the case caption from the Board of Immigration Appeals' order, we leave the case caption as Melsi Garcia Nunez v. Jefferson B. Sessions, III, U.S. Attorney General.

. GarciaNunez also argues that the notice to appear was defective because it did not specify the date and time of her hearing. However, GarciaNunez failed to raise this argument before the BIA. Under 8 U.S.C.  1252(d)(1), a petitioner must exhaust her administrative remedies before we can review a final order of removal. Exhausting administrative remedies here requires raising an issue before the BIA in a motion to reopen; failure to do so acts as a jurisdictional bar to our review. Wang v. Ashcroft, 260 F.3d 448, 45253 (5th Cir. 2001) (noting that the petitioner did not argue before the BIA in his motion to reopen that exceptional circumstances warranted the exercise of the BIA's sua sponte authority, and therefore holding that this court lacked jurisdiction to consider the issue on appeal). Because GarciaNunez failed to raise the argument before the BIA, we have no jurisdiction to review her argument that the notice to appear was defective.For the sake of legal clarity, however, we note our holding in GomezPalacios that a notice to appear need not include the specific time and date of a removal hearing in order for the statutory notice requirements to be satisfied; that information may be provided in a subsequent [notice of hearing]. GomezPalacios v. Holder, 560 F.3d 354, 359 (5th Cir. 2009).

. To the extent GarciaNunez argues that not personally receiving a notice of hearing violates due process, this argument also fails. GarciaNunez cannot establish a due process violation because there is no liberty interest at stake in a motion to reopen due to the discretionary nature of the relief sought. HernandezCastillo, 875 F.3d 199, 205 (5th Cir. 2017) (quoting GomezPalacios, 560 F.3d at 361 n.2).

. The fact that GarciaNunez was seventeen years old at the time is also immaterial. LopezDubon v. Holder, 609 F.3d 642, 646 (5th Cir. 2010) (stating that [t]he service provision [now at 8 C.F.R.  103.8(c)(2)(ii)] specifically calls for notice to be served on an adult only when the alien is under 14 years of age).

. GarciaNunez cannot challenge the BIA's refusal to exercise its sua sponte authority to reopen her removal proceedings because she failed to raise the issue in her opening brief. See Cinel v. Connick, 15 F.3d 1338, 1345 (5th Cir. 1994) (An appellant abandons all issues not raised and argued in its initial brief on appeal.). Even if GarciaNunez had made the argument, we lack jurisdiction to review the issue, as we lack jurisdiction to review an immigration judge's or the BIA's refusal to reopen removal proceedings sua sponte. HernandezCastillo, 875 F.3d at 20607.

. This statutory provision states that, subject to the exceptions in subparagraph (B), the Attorney General may not remove an alien to a country if the Attorney General decides that the alien's life or freedom would be threatened in that country because of the alien's race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. 8 U.S.C.  1231(b)(3).

. See, e.g., GarciaPerez v. Holder, 558 Fed.Appx. 343, 34748 (5th Cir. 2013) (holding that the immigration judge did not abuse his discretion in rejecting a claim of changed country conditions where the petitioner's evidence described conditions in Honduras that existed prior to the date of the removal hearing); Thomas v. Holder, 396 Fed.Appx. 60, 61 (5th Cir. 2010) (holding that the petitioner had not shown changed country conditions in Jamaica where the evidence merely attested to the political corruption and gang violence that had been an issue since the 1960s).

. See RamosLopez v. Lynch, 823 F.3d 1024, 1026 (5th Cir. 2016) (upholding the BIA's decision rejecting a motion to reopen based on changed country conditions where the petitioner showed that the number of women murdered in Guatemala had recently been increasing but failed meaningfully to compare the conditions at the time of her removal hearing with the conditions at the time of her motion to reopen).

. Singh v. Lynch, 840 F.3d 220, 222 (5th Cir. 2016) (stating that [a] motion to reopen can be denied where the evidence of changed conditions shows only a continuance of ongoing violence in the home country).

. See EscalanteAlvarez v. Lynch, 654 Fed.Appx. 167, 168 (5th Cir. 2016) (holding that despite the petitioner's argument that violence against women, especially murder, had increased dramatically, the evidence submitted reflects that violence against women has been, and remains, an ongoing problem in Honduras); Hossain v. Lynch, 603 Fed.Appx. 345, 346 (5th Cir. 2015) (holding that evidence showing violence was ongoing or increased only incrementally  is insufficient to show that the conditions materially changed in a manner warranting reopening).

. See Hossain, 603 Fed.Appx. at 346 (stating that a single instance of brutal violence does not compel a conclusion that political violence has escalated generally); Ugochukwu v. Holder, 547 Fed.Appx. 522, 523 (5th Cir. 2013) (the fact that the petitioner's family's home was burned after his removal hearing did not show a material change in country conditions).

. See Singh, 840 F.3d at 22223 (footnote omitted) (holding that the petitioner's claim that he feared for his safety upon returning to India because the Indian police had targeted him amounted to a change in personal circumstances and [did] not constitute changed country conditions). GarciaNunez argues that because she was seventeen years old at the time of her removal hearing and twenty-six years old at the time she filed her motion to reopen, a return to Honduras will mean experiencing dangers she would not have faced as a seventeen-year-old. However, this is an argument based on changed personal circumstances; such circumstances do not constitute changed country conditions.

. The only evidence in the record on appeal that suggests a meaningful comparison between past and present conditions in Honduras is the declaration of Claudia Herrmannsdorfer. However, this declaration was not part of the record before the immigration judge; rather, GarciaNunez filed it as an attachment to her opening brief before the BIA. Thus, we do not consider Herrmannsdorfer's declaration in evaluating whether the BIA abused its discretion. See Hossain, 603 Fed.Appx. at 347 (holding that because the BIA is barred from making findings of fact, the record on appeal to the BIA is limited to the record before the immigration judge); EnriquezGutierrez v. Holder, 612 F.3d 400, 40910 (5th Cir. 2010) (same).

. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, U.S. Dep't of State, Honduras Country Reports on Human Rights Practices2005 (Mar. 2006), www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61732.htm.

. To the extent that GarciaNunez's request for sua sponte reopening is based on her having a husband and child who are United States citizens, we note that requests for prosecutorial discretion are the province of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and are not properly part of this appeal. We express no view on the merits of that request.

PER CURIAM
Vijayvargiya told the media that the Prime Minister drew upon Indian traditions and culture.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets the King of Jordan Abdullah II Bin Al-Hussein in Amman on Friday as he arrived on a three-nation tour. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: After the Congress controversial description of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi as India is Indira and Indira is India, the BJP is now gearing up to project Prime Minister Narendra Modi as an unbeatable global legend.

BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, who has compiled the magazine-format booklet of about 60 pages, said positive coverage of Mr Modis foreign visits in global media have underlined that his leadership has been acknowledged not only in India but also across the world.

The glossy compilation, given to BJP MPs at the parliamentary party meeting, describes Mr Modi as an unbeatable global legend and sheds light on international media reports on his Davos visit for attending the World Economic Forum. Mr Vijayvargiya told the media that the Prime Minister drew upon Indian traditions and culture as he spoke on the global issues of terrorism, environment and protectionism. It has enhanced Indias image.

Addressing BJP MPs in the morning, Mr Modi asked them to take welfare schemes announced in the Budget to the masses, saying that popularising them would lead to the party winning in the polls, according to leaders present at the meeting.

Mr Modi also the Union Budget was positive for farmers and the poor while citing the announcement of a health insurance scheme for 10 crore families, according to Parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar.

Mr Modi also asked the MPs to hold meetings at booth level to take details of various welfare schemes announced in the Budget to people and run intensive campaigns to propagate them, Mr Kumar said.

He also underlined the importance of popularising these schemes for winning polls and told them that their win was linked to the partys victory and asked them to hold mock Parliaments at various places to discuss the Budget

BJP leader said party president Amit Shah in his address to the MPs blamed Congress chief Rahul Gandhis undemocratic politics for his party members heckling the Prime Minister during his speech in the Lok Sabha. Mr Shah also justified the secrecy over the Rafale fighter jet deal.
The petition has been signed by 114 MPs from 15 parties, including the TMC, SP, NCP, DMK, RJD and AAP as well as the Left parties.

New Delhi: Asserting that they had no faith in either the CBI or the NIA, Opposition MPs on Friday petitioned President Ram Nath Kovind for a court-monitored SIT probe into the death of CBI Judge B.H. Loya who was hearing the Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi, led a delegation of MPs from several political parties, including the Trinamul Congress, the DMK and the Left met the President and presented him with a memorandum with the demand.

To uphold the majesty of law, we request you to intervene in the matter. What is required is a thorough investigation through a team of independent officers selected and monitored by the Supreme Court, the memorandum said.

The petition has been signed by 114 MPs from 15 parties, including the TMC, SP, NCP, DMK, RJD and AAP as well as the Left parties. The BSP is not a signatory to the letter.

They said that the investigation should not be entrusted to either the Central Bureau of Investigation or the National Investigation Agency, given their track record.

A large number of MPs feel suspicious and uneasy over the death of Justice Loya and two others. They wanted an independent probe and did not want the investigation to be handed over to the CBI, Mr Gandhi said.

The Congress President said that the President gave a positive response and has assured them that he would look into the matter.

Justice Loya, who was hearing the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case, died of a cardiac arrest in Nagpur on December 1, 2014, when he had gone to attend the wedding of a colleagues daughter.
After papers listed for the day were laid, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the House, which would now meet again on March 5.

New Delhi: While the Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Friday called upon all political parties to unite on the issue of grant of special status for Andhra Pradesh and other demands, including the speedy completion of the Polavaram project, the Lok Sabha adjourned for nearly a month-long recess amid unrelenting protests by Andhra Pradesh members demanding more central assistance for the state.

Members from the ruling NDA ally TDP and YSR Congress went on with their protests during Zero Hour. The proceedings were first adjourned soon after meeting for the day for Question Hour. The issue also figured in the Rajya Sabha.

The Lok Sabha adjourned on Friday for nearly a month-long recess amid unrelenting protests by Andhra Pradesh MPs demanding more central assistance for the state and Congress members raising questions about the Rafale aircraft deal.

Members from the ruling NDA ally TDP and YSR Congress went on with their protests during Zero Hour. The proceedings were first adjourned soon after meeting for the day for Question Hour.

After papers listed for the day were laid, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the House, which would now meet again on March 5.

It also marks the end of the first half of the Budget session in the Lok Sabha.Around 15 members from both TDP and YSR Congress were in the Well displaying placards and shouting slogans. Those from the Congress were on their feet demanding response from the government on Rafale fighter aircraft deal and were also holding placards.

Persisting with his novel protests, TDP MP from Chittoor N Sivaprasad wasseen sporting a wig of long hair with hues of black and brown. He even performed a tantrik puja outside Parliament in the morning, seeking special staus for Andhra Pradesh.

Lending support to the issue, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said that his party supported the "just demands" of Andhra Pradesh for special category status. He also urged political parties to unite and support the cause.

The Congress Party supports the just demands of the people of Andhra Pradesh for special category status and speedy completion of the Polavaram project. It's time for all parties to unite on this issue and support this call for justice. #INCStandsWithAndhra," he tweeted.
Gandhi issued a notice under rule 357 of conduct of business for a discussion on the Rafale deal, but the discussion could not take place.

New Delhi: Raising the pitch on the Rafale jet deal, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday sought a discussion on the issue in Parliament under a rule that makes it mandatory for the government give a reply and shared parliamentary replies of UPA defence ministers to counter the NDAs claim that details of defence deals cannot be shared in the House.

Mr Gandhi issued a notice under rule 357 of conduct of business for a discussion on the Rafale deal, but the discussion could not take place.

The Congress president also hit back at Union finance minister, who had justified secrecy over the jet deal, by making public three parliamentary replies by the previous UPA government in connection with armament purchases.

By releasing the replies, Mr Gandhi sought to expose Mr Jaitleys claim on Thursday that defence ministers of the previous UPA government too had refused to share details of armament purchases.

Mr Gandhi also tweeted, Dear Mr Jaitlie, You said the UPA never released prices of Defence purchases? To nail your lie, here are 3 Parliamentary replies by the UPA with full transparency on pricing. Now do ask our Raksha Mantri to tell India how much each RAFALE jet cost. He also posted the pictures of the three Parliamentary replies.

Mr Jaitleys name in the tweet was twisted in an apparent attempt to suggest that he speaks untruths. The Congress chief is already facing a privilege motion for twisting Mr Jaitleys surname.

Congress communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala accused the government of doublespeak and sacrificing national interests in the Rafale deal.

What is the price per aircraft of the 36 Rafale aircraft being purchased by the Modi government? Did Raksha Mantri Nirmala Sitharaman not agree to share the price of Rafale aircraft in a press conference in Raksha Bhawan on November 17, 2017? Why are PM, RM & FM hiding the purchase price? asked Mr Surjewala.

The government has denied the Congress charge that there is a huge scam in the procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets from France as being alleged by the Congress.

On Friday, BJP chief Amit Shah targeted the Congress for its attack on the government over the Rafale deal.

At a BJP Parliamentary Party meeting, Mr Shah told MPs that sharing all details of the deal such as expenditure incurred on its weaponry and the technological know-how will only alert Indias enemies and harm the countrys interests, according to leaders present in the BJP meeting.

Mr Shah also described Mr Gandhi as undemocratic, saying this mindset was behind the Congress disrupting Prime Minister Narendra Modis speech in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, a BJP leader said.
Later, they opened a call centre in the name of Mastech Experts Infosolution Pvt Ltd in Sector 3, Rohini.

New Delhi: The team of Delhi police busted a mother-son duo running a racket in promising jobs overseas.

According to the police, accused Madhuri Sharma and her son Vishal Sharma, both residents of Vakad, Distt. Pune, Maharashtra, posed as director of Mastech Experts Ltd. They were running the company in Netaji Subhash Place in Pitampura. It was like a family syndicate being run by two cheats  Madhuri and Vishal Sharma in association with one Ashok who is a cousin of Madhuri.

Probe revealed that the syndicate had duped more than hundreds of people. The police took action when as many as 100 complaints were received against the aforementioned firm in Subhash Place police station. The complainants alleged that they promised applicants immigration and jobs abroad in Germany, Canada, Australia, etc. They took a handsome fee and passports from the applicants. They delivered appointment letters, which were found to be fake. Investigation was taken up and a team constituted.

The team scanned accounts, office premises and mobile phones of the accused. Their hideout was traced to a residential area in Pune. A raid was conducted and two of the accused were arrested. The accused told the police that they used to run committees when they were residing in Vidyapati Nagar, Inder Enclave-II in Nirhari. They pocketed money of several innocent persons, said the police.

Later, they opened a call centre in the name of Mastech Experts Infosolution Pvt Ltd in Sector 3, Rohini. The said business was not profitable and they incurred losses. So, they closed it and started a new business of sending people abroad with job opportunities in lieu of a huge amount of fees.

At the time of arrest, they had settled in Pune, Maharashtra and were about to start a similar business with a new name Overseas Immigration Consultants (OIC). However, one of the accused Ashok Kumar is absconding.

Till date, the cheated amount is about Rs 60 lakh, the police added.
The attached properties are located in Mumbai, Alibaug and other extended suburbs of the metropolis.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) will submit an extradition request to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) within a week for bringing back allegedly tainted former deputy collector Nitish Thakur to India.

Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) will submit an extradition request to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) within a week for bringing back allegedly tainted former deputy collector Nitish Thakur to India. Thakur, who was on the run since 2013 in connection with disproportionate assets and money laundering cases, was apprehended from Dubai on January 21. The extradition request will be filed via Interpol, officials said.

The ED had issued a lookout notice against him after he continued to dodge the agency despite several summons. As the accused was at large, the trial was also stalled. He couldnt be tried in absentia. We will question him on the funds utilisation and on how he managed to flee, said a senior ED officer.

During in, the ED had arrested his brother Nilesh for aiding and abetting the tainted public servant. He was however released on bail later.

The slush money was used to buy properties that were registered in the name of Thakurs mother and wife. While the quantum of corruption is stated to be around Rs 200 crores, the ED officials said that they had already attached Thakurs properties to the tune of Rs 120 crore.

The attached properties are located in Mumbai, Alibaug and other extended suburbs of the metropolis. The ED will produce Thakur before a local court and seek his custody following his extradition.

Thakur has been on the run since 2013.
The government pleader informed the court that as per the Act, the Union government is supposed to confer power on the police officers.

Mumbai: The Bombay high court on Friday directed the State government to appoint Special Police Officers under the Immoral Trafficking Act who can investigate cases of human trafficking. The court issued this direction while hearing PIL against human trafficking and flesh trade seeking appointment of such officers so that they could investigate such cases beyond the limits of the state so that kidnappers and sellers of victims could also be prosecuted.

In the past, the judges had directed the government to inform the court if the state has appointed special police officers, has conferred powers on them to exercise powers as special public police officer pursuant to provisions of section 13 (4) of the Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act (ITPA), whether Anti Human Trafficking Units are established in the State of Maharashtra and whether the state had entered into Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with other states in the country?

On Friday, the government informed the division bench of Justice S.C. Dharmadhikari and Justice B. H. Dangre that the state has entered into MoU with West Bengal and it has also established 12 cells under ITPA. The petitioner's lawyer Chetan Mali told the court that this will not help because the local police generally don't go beyond their jurisdiction and apart from pimps and brothel owners, others like kidnappers and sellers are not prosecuted. However, the bench expressed its displeasure over the fact that though special cells were established but special police officers were not appointed.

The government pleader informed the court that as per the Act, the Union government is supposed to confer power on the police officers. However, the lawyer representing the Central Government sought time to seek instructions and the court adjourned the hearing for four weeks.
The high court also expressed its displeasure over affidavit filed by ACB which was silent on the role of Pawar and Bajoria.

Nagpur: The Nagpur bench of the Bombay high court has asked the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and the state government to specify the role of former water resources minister Ajit Pawar in the Waghadi irrigation project.

A division bench comprising of Justice Bhus-han Dharmadhikari and Justice Swapna Joshi, while hearing a petition, directed the state government and ACB to spell out role played by Mr Pawar, who was also deputy chief minister in the previous Congress-Nationalist Congress Party regime, in awarding tender to his close aide and former MLC Sandip Bajoria and place it before the court in two weeks. Virtually rejecting a clean chit argument forwarded by Mr Pawar since last many hearings, the HC made it clear that it would like to wait for the state governments answer and also from ACB before passing any further order.

The petitioner had alleged that Raigad river project at Chandur Railway, Waghadi irrigation project in Daryapur (Amravati), Jigaon and Lower Pedhi works were awarded to a firm controlled by Bajoria on the basis of bogus documents revealing violation of norms by the authorities due to his proximity to Mr Pawar.

The petitioner had produced on record documents procured under the RTI indicating that then WRD minister and the then WRD secretary had granted approval to whopping cost escalation in their capacity as chairman and managing director of the VIDC and not as minister and secretary respectively, and no concurrence from the finance department was obtained.

The cost of the Jigaon project rose to mind-boggling Rs 5,700 crore from Rs 394 crore in 15 years. Even the mandatory permission from the state cabinet was not obtained and no scrutiny was allowed at the inter departmental level there by facilitating massive loot of public money, the petition claimed while blaming Pawar and Bajoria for forging an unholy alliance throwing all norms to the wind.

Taking the allegation levelled by the petitioner about laxity towards Pawar and Bajoria by the ACB so far very seriously the court while hearing the petitioner Atul Jagtap alleged that Bajorias firms bagged contracts for projects by questionable methods, warned that it would not spare any investigating officer, found wanting in conducting proper investigation and finding out role of each person,how so ever mighty, in facilitating alleged irregularity. The high court also sought to know, the details of documents handled by probe officer along with details like time taken to study, probe and outcome of such probe.

The high court also expressed its displeasure over affidavit filed by ACB which was silent on the role of Pawar and Bajoria.
The Khar police had registered a complaint against him in January. He was arrested from his Bandra residence.

Mumbai: Mahesh Murthy, a well known Indian marketer and investor specialising in early-stage start-ups was arrested by Mumbai police in a molestation case registered against him by a Delhi-based women entrepreneur. He was released on anticipatory bail immediately on Friday.

The Khar police had registered a complaint against him in January. He was arrested from his Bandra residence.

According to the police, a Delhi based woman had written to the National Commission of Women (NCW) in November last year regarding the usage of objectionable, derogatory, sexual remarks and obscene signs on social media, allegedly sent by Murthy to her. The NCW then forwarded the complaint to the Director General of Police (DGP), Maharashtra. Upon receiving the complaint, a case was registered against Murthy on December 30 last year at Khar police station.

Murthy, the CEO and founder of digital agency, Pinstorm and managing partner of early-stage fund Seedfund, was arrested after the police found lewd messages sent by the accused to the complainant via Whatsapp messenger on December 25 last year.

We have arrested him under sections 354 (D) (stalking) and 509 (word, act or gesture to outrage modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code and under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act, said Ramchandra Jadhav, senior police inspector of Khar police station.

Paramjit Singh Dahiya, Deputy Commissioner of Police Zone 9 confirmed the arrest, but refused to comment saying that the investigation is underway. The arrested accused will be produced in court on Saturday.
According to police, Joshi, who suffered multiple injuries in the incident, was on Friday admitted to a hospital where he died.

'However, when Joshi asked for Rs 10 from his friend to share the cost of the food, More allegedly got angry and beat him up severely with a wooden stick,' police said. (Representational Image/File)

Mumbai: A 30-year-old man died after allegedly being beaten up by his friend for demanding Rs 10 from him to share the cost of their lunch, police said on Saturday.

The victim, Dinesh Laxman Joshi, and his friend Jeevan More (35) consumed liquor at Sai Bangurda village in suburban Powai on Wednesday afternoon.

Thereafter, Joshi went and bought some food for both of them from a hotel nearby, Powai's senior police inspector Anil Pophale said.

However, when Joshi asked for Rs 10 from his friend to share the cost of the food, More allegedly got angry and beat him up severely with a wooden stick, he said.

Joshi, who suffered multiple injuries in the incident, was on Friday admitted to a hospital where he died, he said. Subsequently, the police arrested More and an offence under IPC section 302 (murder) was registered against him, he added.
United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. MICHAEL MAX MILLER, Petitioner-Appellant, v. LEROY KIRKEGARD and ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR THE STATE OF MONTANA, Respondents-Appellees. No. 16-36037 Decided: February 09, 2018

Before: M. SMITH and MURGUIA, Circuit Judges, and ROBRENO,*** District Judge.

MEMORANDUM*

Petitioner-Appellant Michael Miller appeals the district court's decision denying his petition for a writ of habeas corpus. Reviewing de novo, we affirm. See Sanders v. Ratelle, 21 F.3d 1446, 1451 (9th Cir. 1994).

The district court certified one issue for appeal: Whether Miller's trial counsel was ineffective for failing to object to the prosecutor's statements during closing argument. An ineffective assistance claim has two components. Wiggins v. Smith, 539 U.S. 510, 521 (2003). First, a petitioner must show that counsel's performance was deficient. Id. Second, the petitioner must show that the deficiency prejudiced the defense. Id.

Miller has failed to demonstrate that his trial counsel's performance was deficient or that his trial counsel's purported deficiency prejudiced Miller. Miller claims that his trial counsel failed to object to two separate statements by the prosecutor during closing argument: the prosecutor's statement that Miller lied, and the prosecutor's statement that the defense counsel's closing argument essentially presented a recipe for how to commit murder and get away with it. Trial counsel's failure to object to these statements does not rise to the level of professional incompetence. See United States v. Molina, 934 F.2d 1440, 1448 (9th Cir. 1991) (explaining that [f]rom a strategic perspective,  many trial lawyers refrain from objecting during closing argument to all but the most egregious misstatements by opposing counsel on the theory that the jury may construe their objections to be a sign of desperation or hyper-technicality); see also Linebaugh v. Belleque, 385 F. App'x 751, 753 (9th Cir. 2010) (defense counsel not ineffective for failing to object to prosecutor's statements in closing argument about credibility and inflammatory nature of victim's brother's testimony). Therefore, Miller has not shown that his counsel's performance was deficient or that his counsel's purported deficiency prejudiced him. See Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 687 (1984).

Miller raises two other claims in his petition for which the district court declined to issue certificates of appealability. Until a petitioner secures a certificate of appealability from a circuit justice or judge, the Court of Appeals may not rule on the merits of [the] case. Buck v. Davis, 137 S. Ct. 759, 773 (2017). At the certificate of appealability stage, the court of appeals should limit its examination to a threshold inquiry into the underlying merit[s] of [the] claims, asking only if the District Court's decision was debatable. Id. at 774 (alteration in original) (quoting Miller-El v. Cockrell, 537 U.S. 322, 327 (2003)).

In his first uncertified claim, Miller asserts that his trial counsel was ineffective for failing to call a pharmacology expert to impeach witness testimony. The Ninth Circuit has found counsel to be ineffective when an attorney neither conducted a reasonable investigation nor demonstrated a strategic reason for his or her decision. Hendricks v. Calderon, 70 F.3d 1032, 1036 (9th Cir. 1995). Here, Miller's trial counsel not only conducted a reasonable investigation and consulted with a pharmacology expert, but also articulated a strategic reason for deciding not to call the expertnamely, fear that an expert would draw unnecessary attention to the witness's testimony. Therefore, reasonable jurists would not debate the district court's decision to deny Miller's uncertified ineffective assistance of counsel claim, and the Court declines to issue a certificate of appealability on this claim. See 28 U.S.C.  2253(c)(2) (A certificate of appealability may issue under paragraph (1) only if the applicant has made a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right).

In his second uncertified claim, Miller claims that his direct appeal counsel was ineffective for failing to challenge the sufficiency of the evidence. However, appellate attorneys are not required to raise every colorable claim suggested by their clients. Jones v. Barnes, 463 U.S. 745, 753 (1983). Indeed, a hallmark of effective appellate counsel is the ability to weed out claims that have no likelihood of success, instead of throwing in a kitchen sink full of arguments with the hope that some argument will persuade the court. Pollard v. White, 119 F.3d 1430, 1435 (9th Cir. 1997). Here, circumstantial evidence supported Miller's conviction. See Bashor v. Risley, 730 F.2d 1228, 123839 (9th Cir. 1984) (upholding a conviction based on entirely circumstantial evidence). Therefore, reasonable jurists would not debate the district court's decision to deny Miller's uncertified ineffective assistance of appellate counsel claim, and the Court declines to issue a certificate of appealability on this claim. See 28 U.S.C.  2253(c)(2).

AFFIRMED.
The Ayodhya land dispute case is one of the oldest cases of the country.

Mumbai: VHP leader Pravin Togadia has demanded to make the law in parliament for Ram Mandir. Mr Togadia was in Aurangabad, Maharas-htra when he made this demand. He also said that it is the governments prerogative about what it wants to do with the triple talaq and he has nothing to do with that. The hearing of Ram Mandir has started in the Supreme Court and the next date for the hearing will be March 14.

Ram is in Vanvas and we are in home. The government should make a law in the parliament to build the Ram temple. The government should understand that people have voted for Ram temple and not for triple talaq, said Mr Togadia. He also said that he respects the Supreme Court but the decision is getting delayed.

Mr Togadia gave this statement in the hearing of the Ayodhya land dispute case. The bench headed by Chief Justice of India, Deepak Mishra has made remarks on Thursday that the court will hear the case as any other land dispute. Whatever be the case, it is after all a land dispute. There are appeals and cross-appeals (against the Allahabad HC judgment on title suits) from both sides. We will decide about the land dispute after taking into account the evidence on record and after hearing both the sides, bench said.

The Ayodhya land dispute case is one of the oldest cases of the country. In the last hearing on December 5, 2017 senior lawyer Kapil Signal had requested the court to postpone it and keep it after 2019 general elections.

The Allahabad bench had suggested that the disputed land should be divided in three parts and be given to Ram Lalla deity, Sunni Waqf Board and Nirmohi Akhara. But this decision was challenged and now the case is in the apex court.
Two back-to-back terror attacks in Kabul within a couple of weeks have revealed the reach and capability of the terror organisations.

In August 2017, US President Donald Trump had punted on a new Afghan Plan that envisaged a higher degree of commitment, aggression, boots-on-the-ground and the calling of the Pakistani bluff on its insincere fight against terror. The intended squeeze on the terror infrastructure in Afghanistan was expected to drive the caged Ashraf Ghani government towards reclaiming territories beyond Kabul and the other urban clusters. The plan was predicated on pressuring the Pakistanis to stop sustaining the Afghan Taliban and other ISI-supported outfits like the Haqqani Network, with the ultimate gameplan of coercing various terrorist outfits onto the negotiating table for a political solution in Afghanistan.

Six months since the announcement of the new Afghan plan, the Pakistanis have not changed their tracks; worse still is the fact that Kabul is under a virtual siege and facing an unprecedented level of violence that is being perpetuated by the Taliban, the Haqqanis and the local chapter of Islamic State. And, in its 16th year with a cumulative bill of $1 trillion, the longest US combat operations on foreign soil is testing the patience, will and contours of the new Afghan plan.

Two back-to-back terror attacks in Kabul within a couple of weeks have revealed the reach and capability of the terror organisations. First, the Taliban militants laid siege to the Intercontinental Hotel, killing at least 40 people, and then there was this dastardly act of ramming an explosive-laden ambulance in the heart of the Kabul, in which 100 people were killed. Irrespective of the counter-claims by the Islamic State apparatus, officials in Kabul point towards Islamabad, with Afghan intelligence chief Mohammad Masoom Stanekzai stating that the recent pressure on Pakistan had translated into revenge on the Afghan people. Even Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai echoed the Pakistani retaliatory line by saying: They did it at the behest of their masters so that their masters can get out of political isolation. Mr Trumps earlier irate tweet that Pakistan had thanklessly gobbled up $33 billion in American aid and reciprocated in nothing but deceit and lies had an ominous ring of truth, as the continued tragedy of the proverbial great game in Afghanistan, acquired even more sinister proportions.

Today, Kabul has checkpoints choking the dangerous streets; the walls of the protected compounds of expats have gone higher and thicker, and the US government officials landing at Kabul International Airport are no longer taking the three-km road to their destination, they are instead ferried back and forth from the airport to the US headquarters by helicopters. Suicide bombers lurk everywhere and the spate of attacks on government buildings, mosques, embassies and local police stations have wounded the psyche of the city under unrest. The Afghan President solemnly admits: There are factories producing suicide bombers. We are under siege.

The latest vortex of violence in Kabul defies the usual cycle of the terror-lull in winters. The inherent symbolism of shifting the epicentre of violence from the rural swathes to the fortified government encampment in Kabul is not lost on either Washington or Islamabad.

Neither the Intercontinental Hotel attack nor the ambulance suicide attack had any military target or objective for the terror-perpetuators, the grotesque irony of abusing the ambulance to inflict the macabre massacre was unprecedented in its moral perversion. The frequency and intensity of the Kabul-specific violence is testing the resolve and confidence of the already-beleaguered Afghan Army, as well as the faltering and confused administration of President Ashraf Ghani. It is little consolation that some experts attribute these desperate terror attacks in Kabul to the consequences of a cornered terror industry and its principal benefactor in Islamabad, as the mutation of terrorism in Afghanistan towards full-fledged urban warfare in Kabul will surely test the competencies and instincts of the still-developing Afghan security forces. Urban warfare by its nature is asymmetric, hybrid and entails tactical sophistry that unintentionally ends up pitting locals against their own government forces, given the collateral damage to life and property, in such conflicts.

The viciousness of the bloodbath in Kabul resulted in Afghan interior minister Wais Ahmad Barmak and Afghan spy chief Masoom Stanekzai to rush to Islamabad and hand over yet another set of incontrovertible evidence that had its fingerprints traceable to the terror nurseries in Pakistan  the eerie sense of deja vu in the analogous optics of the multiple dossiers given by the Indian government to Islamabad of the Pakistani complicity in terror acts is writ all over the Afghan initiative, including the fate of such dossiers and its expected dismissiveness by the Pakistanis.

The road to the disentanglement of the virtual siege in Kabul and the empowerment of the Ashraf Ghani-led Afghan government ultimately lies in Islamabad. Washingtons tough talk of expanding the military hits beyond the sovereign borders of Afghanistan has got clarified with a carte blanche to its military commanders to deal with, terrorist safe havens in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The US security aid to Pakistan is already under suspension given its established misuse and duplicitousness. Further, Washington could also use its obvious muscle to extract similar restraining orders from other multilateral donor agencies towards Pakistan. Till now, the Pakistani establishment has got away with vacuous platitudes, infrequent compliance and even sheer bravado by waving the Beijing card as a counter-narrative to the US aid. However, it is a fact the threatened noose of sanctions and embarrassment against Pakistan has never been implemented in their entirety. But now the growing portents of a possible failure of the new Afghan Plan for Mr Trump may force him to unleash punitive measures, both military and economic, on Pakistan  giving Islamabad its first real taste of the consequences of imposing wars in its neighbourhood. As US secretary of state Rex Tillerson concludes: There can be no tolerance for those who support or offer sanctuary to terrorist groups.
Ahmed Patel, former Congress president Sonia Gandhis political secretary, is reputed to be an excellent organiser with an eye for detail.

Ever since he became a member of the Rajya Sabha, Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah has been a regular visitor to the Central Hall of Parliament where he is immediately mobbed by mediapersons on the lookout for news. And Mr Shah has been happy to oblige them as he sits patiently and chats with them over steaming cups of coffee. Perhaps it is a coincidence but the political grapevine says that Mr Shahs informal interactions probably prompted former Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi to come to the Central Hall last week when the Lok Sabha was adjourned briefly. Since their visits are rare, the Congress leaders were equally sought-after by journalists. Though the conversation eventually veered around to the current political scene, it was preceded by a lengthy discussion on different types of dhoklas and Gujarati snacks. While Mr Gandhi attempted to describe the dhokla he recently ate which, he said, was like an idli, Mrs Gandhi said she was partial to dhokla but preferred those made at home to the ones available in the market as they are soaked in syrup. Lets be objective, she remarked, Gujarati snacks are delicious. She then proceeded to partake of the dhokla available in the Parliament canteen.

Sachin Pilot, president of the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee, is the man of the moment after he led the party to a resounding victory in the three bypoll seats  Ajmer, Alwar and Mandalgarh. It now transpires that party president Rahul Gandhi was keen that Mr Pilot should contest the Ajmer Lok Sabha seat since it happens to be his constituency. However, he was dissuaded from fielding Mr Pilot when told that there was a possibility that Mr Pilot could lose the seat despite the public mood in the partys favour as former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, could sabotage the election to show down his bete noire. On the other hand, if Mr Pilot did win the parliamentary seat, he would have to shuttle between Delhi and Rajasthan and would not be able to concentrate on managing the partys state unit. This would leave the field open for Mr Gehlot, who still harbours ambitions of returning as chief minister in case of a Congress victory in the year-end Assembly polls. Mr Gandhi gave in after he was assured that Mr Pilot would deliver a victory in this crucial bypoll. It was deliberately decided to field Raghu Sharma, a Gehlot protege for the Ajmer seat, making it difficult for the former chief minister to play spoilsport in the election. In fact, all the Rajasthan Congress factions worked harmoniously to ensure a handsome victory for the party.

Though presidents of political parties are known to have immense clout with their members, the unbridled powers enjoyed by Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah are unparallel. Unlike his predecessors, Mr Shah is literally the master of all he surveys given his proximity to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and for notching up a series of electoral victories for his party. His preeminent position in the party will be reflected in the swanky office being readied for him in the BJPs new headquarters on Delhis Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg. An entire floor has been earmarked for Mr Shah and his secretariat in the state-of-the-art five-storey building, which is in sharp contrast to party presidents who have functioned from a couple of rooms at its present Ashoka Road office. The new party office, which has a special convention centre, a library and video-conferencing facilities, will be inaugurated later this month at a grand function.

Ahmed Patel, former Congress president Sonia Gandhis political secretary, is reputed to be an excellent organiser with an eye for detail. This was evident at a recent function at the Teen Murti auditorium when former President Pranab Mukherjee released former finance minister P. Chidambarams new book, Speaking Truth to Power. Mr Mukherjee made a brief speech on the occasion but left before the panel discussion which followed the formal release. As the former President was on his way out, Mr Chidambaram was seen wending his way the stage for discussion. However, he was stopped by Mr Patel who was seated in the front row. Though their conversation was not audible, it was fairly obvious that Mr Patel suggested that Mr Chidambaram should escort Mr Mukherjee out. The former Union minister was seen nodding his head after which he changed direction and rushed towards the exit to see Mr Mukherjee to his car.

Like Congress members who never forget to pay obeisance to Sonia and Rahul Gandhi in their public utterances, BJP ministers have also acquired the habit of showering praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in their speeches. But finance minister Arun Jaitley chose to depart from this script in his Budget speech. In a refreshing change, there was no reference to Mr Modi while the Budget was described as My Budget. Needless to say, BJP members are busy decoding whether this omission was deliberate or an oversight.
Beijings position is not buttressed under a thoroughly democratic dispensation in the Maldives.

As a first step towards dealing with the rapidly deteriorating situation in the Maldives, in the fervent hope that the crisis there can be defused in the not too distant future if President Abdulla Yameen takes credible steps to roll back the state of emergency and restores democratic functioning, New Delhi has done well to seek to persuade the UN  along with other concerned nations  to send a fact-finding mission to Male.

Nevertheless, India has to be prepared to see this move stymied at Beijings behest, and then be in a position to marshal all resources it can, diplomatically and otherwise, to ensure that normality is restored with a return to status quo ante.

Beijings position is not buttressed under a thoroughly democratic dispensation in the Maldives. For this reason China is not unduly concerned about the turn of events there, which, in fact, it may see as being favourable to itself. Indeed, its concern may be that efforts toward a peaceful denouement by a return to democratic ways can be prejudicial to its interests.

Beijings bottom-line, as outlined by its official spokesman on Thursday, is that the recent developments in the strategically located nation of islands is an internal issue of that country. This is far from being the case in reality, whatever the appearances. India cannot but be concerned since the troubled nation is at its doorstep, just a few hours by motorboat from the Kerala coast.

The situation in the islands has by now been thoroughly internationalised by President Yameen. He has despatched special envoys to China, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in search of material, diplomatic and political backing. It is possible that Riyadh may play a moderating role. This cannot be said of the other two countries.

Extremist Islamist activities going on in the islands for several years  leading to the Maldives supplying the greatest numbers of fighters to ISIS brigades in Iraq and Syria per capita in recent times  cannot but be a matter of the deepest concern to India.

In addition, there is another major potential security concern for India. China is understood to have acquired working control of 17 islands of the Maldives group from the Abdulla Yameen government. If these were to be converted into military stations  with naval, air and sophisticated communications facilities  just as artificially created reefs were in the South China Sea and other parts of the Indo-Pacific area by Beijing, New Delhi will find itself in an unenviable situation.

The phone conversation between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi  initiated by Washington  on Thursday is likely to have been to discuss the extent of the problem and Indias readiness to be a part of the solution since no other country is affected as much as India by the current goings-on.
Khaledas elder son Tarique Rahman, now resident in London, has also been sentenced, to 10 years in jail.

The Opposition leader Khaleda Zia, her son and others have been jailed on charges of misusing international funds donated to a charitable childrens trust. The state has been busy handling the fallout of protests by supporters of her Bangladesh National Party. Khaleda, widow of the former Bangladesh President Ziaur Rahman, became the countrys first female Prime Minister after her party was voted in at the countrys first democratic elections in 1991. Her two regimes, alternating with the ruling Awami League of her long-time rival and current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, have been dogged by graft charges. While Khaledas protestations of innocence and the charges against her being politically motivated are along expected lines, her rigorous imprisonment sentence for five years by a special Dhaka court may not be the last we have heard of on this subject of the clash between the two leading national parties of the 47-year-old nation.

The rivalry between the two Bangladeshi parties runs deep. They are diametrically opposed in ideologies, with the BNP being right wing and often accused of collaborating with Pakistan while Ms Hasinas party is seen as more liberal and pro-India. The BNP boycotted the last general elections in 2014, since when the problems have been exacerbated and there have been contentious issues on a number of fronts including that of acts of terrorism, occasionally aimed at foreigners. Khaledas elder son Tarique Rahman, now resident in London, has also been sentenced, to 10 years in jail. It does appear that the BNPs charge that the government is trying to keep the party out of politics is serious as the party does not have a command structure now that could make it stay relevant in politics. If Khaleda (72) is kept out of the elections slated for the end of the year, the situation can remain as explosive as it is now and the democratic structure of Bangladesh would be under threat.
Mamata Banerjee was the first voice against the wrong implementation of the GST, says Sukhendu Sekhar Roy.

Even as hectic political activity is on to form a common platform for the Opposition parties to take on the BJP in 2019 Lok Sabha polls, senior Trinamul Congress leader Sukhendu Sekhar Roy says that a united Opposition is not on the horizon as of now. He, however, does not rule out the possibility of some kind of understanding between parties before 2019.

In an interview to Sreeparna Chakrabarty, he says TMC leader Mamata Banerjee has made it clear that her party does not hanker for power. When asked to comment about UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhis statement that Rahul Gandhi is her boss, he remaked that Rahul Gandhi being the boss of the Congress is an internal matter of political party.

How do you visualise the formation of an Opposition alliance ahead of 2019 general elections?

As far as the Opposition unity is concerned, there is floor coordination among different political parties, both in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, to take on the various anti-people policies being followed by the Central government. This has resulted in closing of ranks among the Opposition parties in Parliament.

But, as of now, I do not know any Opposition unity. We do hold some joint meetings but those are restricted to certain specific issues. If politically, we define Opposition unity as an understanding formed before the elections and an understanding formed after the elections, which ultimately gives birth to political unity and the formation of a government then it is too early to answer this question.

Having said that, I dont rule out the possibility of some sort of unity, keeping in view the current scenario in the country where democracy is at stake and the remedies as guaranteed in the Constitution to the citizens are not being followed in letter and spirit. The provisions of the Constitution are being violated.

What would be the Trinamool Congress role in such an alliance?

My party chief Mamata Banerjee has gone on record saying that we are in favour of Opposition unity against the tyrannical rule of the Central government, particularly when this government is destroying the federal spirit and structure of the country. Let the leadership be taken by anybody who wants to take the lead. She has said that our party would not go hankering after power.

Are there any conditions Trinamool Congress would put forward for participation in such an alliance?

Ms Banerjee has appealed to all the political parties. She was the first voice against demonetisation. She was the first voice against the wrong implementation of the GST. In fact, she was the only campaigner against these issues. She toured states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi besides holding meets in West Bengal. Ultimately, everybody understood that it was a myth to talk about the benefits of demonetisation and GST. The ruling party tried to convince the people that so many good things will come. But our campaign punctured the euphoria being sold by the ruling party.

Ms. Sonia Gandhi has said that Mr. Rahul Gandhi was her leader too. Would you be ready to accept him as your leader?

Mr Gandhis leadership is an internal matter of the Congress Party and we cannot comment on it. But the TMC has joined hands with the Congress on many issues. The Congress has also supported us, both inside and outside Parliament. So when we talk of Opposition unity, the Congress is included.

How would you interpret the Bengal by-poll results where the BJP has emerged as the second party after the TMC?

The BJP is not only the second party; it is the first among all the defeated parties. So they are in competition with other parties like the Congress and the CPI (M) to secure the position of one or two among defeated parties. There always exist some anti-government forces and possibly the erstwhile supporters of CPI (M) and the Congress voted for the BJP which is why they got so many votes.

What is your opinion on the pitch for simultaneous polls for state Assemblies and Parliament?

All of a sudden a pitch is being raised for simultaneous elections. Has the Election Commission, which is the constitutional authority, entrusted to look after elections, sent any proposal to the government yet? No. Is there any proposal from the government to the Election Commission to that effect? No. Then how come the head of the state and the head of the government are propagating simultaneous polls? The BJP says simultaneous polls will save money and time. But there is no such provision in the Constitution that both election to Parliament and legislatures are to be held simultaneously.

Yes, Parliament can amend the Constitution. But the Supreme Court, in a landmark judgement, has ruled that though Parliament has the right to amend the Constitution, Parliament cannot destroy its basic structure. Further, there has to be some unanimity among all the political parties for doing this, but as of now there is none.
AirPods user removed the earbud before it exploded.

In this particular case, it could have been possible that there must have been some manufacturing defect in this unit.

After Samsungs Galaxy Note 7 debacle in 2016, the tech industry has started exercising caution over devices that utilise Lithium-ion batteries. Apples iPhones have been in the news for exploding every now and then around the world  most of them have faulty batteries. As if exploding smartphones werent dangerous enough, Apples wireless AirPods have now joined their ranks.

The latest incident of a pair of AirPods exploding has been uncovered in Tampa. The user claimed that he was using his AirPods while working out at the gym when one of the earbuds started emitting smoke. Fearing about a possible malfunctioning, the user removed it and went to gather help. When he returned, he found the faulty earbud completely damaged. The user described the damage as signs of an explosion, with the outer plastic melted.

Source: CNBC

Like all other wireless earphones, AirPods also use Li-ion batteries to stay awake. In this particular case, it could have been possible that there must have been some manufacturing defect in this unit. Apple has acknowledged the matter and is currently investigating the matter. It is not yet known whether the user had exposed his AirPods to some unfavourable condition or whether some kind of modification had been made to the particular unit in question.

Had the victim not noticed his AirPods releasing smoke, it could have been a possibility that his earlobe could have been burnt. What is required on Apples part is the implementation of a safety system that should indicate in some or the other way to warn the user of an electrical issue. If you are using AirPods, it is advisable to exercise caution while listening to them for extended sessions of usage.

(source)
The company had said that they successfully mitigated the malicious attempts to render our website unavailable.

Business Wire, the corporate news release distributor owned by Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway Inc, said it had fended off a cyber attack designed to disable it, and that its system was now stable.

The directed and persistent denial of service attack had begun on 31st January, causing Business Wires website to slow down, the company said when it disclosed the problem.

In a statement, Business Wire Chief Operating Officer Richard DeLeo said the company had successfully mitigated the malicious attempts to render our website unavailable. He also said there was no evidence that client information was compromised, and that at no time was Business Wire unable to distribute press releases.

Business Wire is still investigating the cyber attack, and has upgraded its security to avoid similar attacks, DeLeo said. A majority of Fortune 500 companies use Business Wire, the New York- and San Francisco-based company has said.

Berkshire bought Business Wire in 2006. A denial of service attack occurs when hackers flood a target with incoming messages, often making it difficult or impossible for legitimate customers to do business
The Russian's first delivery turned out to be hacking tools the Shadow Brokers had already released.

The seller also repeatedly pressed US agents with offers of compromising materials, or kompromat, on Trump. (Photo: AP)

Washington: A Russian man promising stolen hacking tools and compromising information on President Donald Trump fleeced American spies for USD 100,000 last year, The New York Times reported Friday.

In a story worthy of a John le Carre novel that included secret USB-drive handovers in a small West Berlin bar and coded messages delivered over the National Security Agency's Twitter account, CIA agents reportedly spent much of last year trying to buy back from the Russian hacking programs stolen from the NSA.

The seller, who was not identified but had links to both cyber criminals and Russian intelligence, tantalized the US spies with an offer of the NSA hacking tools that had been advertised for sale online by a shady group called the Shadow Brokers.

Some of the tools, developed by the NSA to break into the computers of US rivals, were used by other hackers last year to break into computer systems around the world, including the global malware attack last May.

The seller, reached through a chain of intermediaries, wanted USD 1 million.

The USD 100,000, delivered in a cash-stuffed suitcase handed over in a Berlin hotel room, was an initial payment by US agents still dubious he really had what he was promising.

Trump kompromat

The seller also repeatedly pressed US agents with offers of compromising materials, or kompromat, on Trump, the Times said, citing US and European intelligence officials.

Although an investigation was already underway back in Washington on the link between Moscow and the Trump campaign, the agents did not want to get involved in anything that smelled of the politics back home.

The story -- which was also reported by The Intercept, an online magazine on nationals security matters -- paints a classic spy versus spy story where the US agents aren't ever certain about who they are dealing with and whether or not they are being baited and played by their Russian counterparts.

US intelligence officials say Russia interfered with the 2016 election to help elect Trump, and continues to use disinformation to sow confusion in the American political system.

The Intercept reported that the operation created rifts in the CIA, which is led by Trump loyalist Mike Pompeo but has many staffers still smarting over the president's repeated harsh comments about the intelligence community's role in the Russia meddling investigation.

The Russian's first delivery turned out to be hacking tools the Shadow Brokers had already released.

And he kept pushing his offer of kompromat on Trump, including shady financial records and a sex video that the US spies didn't really want.

In the end, the deal broke down last month -- the Russian did not come up with any of the unreleased NSA materials, and the Trump-related materials were either already known or untrustworthy.

The Russian was told by the Americans to leave Western Europe and not return, according to the Times.
The exchange of fire was the most serious between arch foes Israel and Iran since the start of the civil war in Syria in 2011.

Police said the F16 crashed in the Jezreel valley in northern Israel. (photo: AFP | Representational)

Jerusalem: An Israeli fighter jet crashed on Saturday after coming under fire from Syrian air defences during attacks against "Iranian targets" in the war-torn country, a spokesman said.

The exchange of fire was the most serious between arch foes Israel and Iran since the start of the civil war in Syria in 2011.

It marked the first time Israel publicly acknowledged attacking what it identified as Iranian targets in Syria since the war began.

The Israeli military issued a warning to Tehran, saying it was responsible for the drone that entered Israel.

Israel has repeatedly warned in recent weeks against the presence of Iranian forces in neighbouring Syria.

The Israeli pilots of the crashed F16 were reported alive.

The Israeli military "targeted the Iranian control systems in Syria that sent the UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) into Israeli airspace. Massive Syrian anti-air fire, one F16 crashed in Israel, pilots safe," spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus tweeted.

According to a separate military statement, Israeli forces identified an "Iranian UAV" launched from Syria and intercepted it in Israeli airspace with a combat helicopter.

Police said the F16 crashed in the Jezreel valley in northern Israel.

"During the attack, multiple anti-aircraft missiles were fired at IAF (Israel Air Force) aircraft," the military statement read.

"The pilots of one of the aircraft abandoned as per procedure. The pilots landed in Israeli territory and were taken to the hospital for medical treatment."

Conricus meanwhile said that the army had confirmed "accurate hits of (the) Iranian UAV control facility" in Syria.

"Iran is responsible for this severe violation of Israeli sovereignty," Conricus said on Twitter.

Syria said its air defences repelled two Israeli raids on its military bases in the centre of the country, hitting more than one warplane during the first.

"At dawn, the Zionist enemy carried out a new aggression against one of our military bases in the centre of the country," state news agency SANA reported.

"Our air defences repelled it and hit more than one plane."

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor of the seven-year civil war, said the Israeli raids had targeted several military bases in the east of the central province of Homs used by both Iranian and Russian military personnel deployed in support of the regime.

Air raid sirens had gone off in Israel in the early hours of the morning following the UAV interception and raids.

The army said it was "monitoring events and is fully prepared for further action, depending on assessments and necessity."

- 'Nobody tries us' -

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has held a series of meetings in recent months with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Iran's influence in war-torn Syria and Lebanon.

Netanyahu has been seeking to persuade Russia to limit Iran's presence near Israeli territory and to stop it from entrenching itself militarily in Syria.

Russia, Iran and Lebanon's Shiite Muslim militant group Hezbollah -- which is backed by Tehran -- all support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the civil war.

In a meeting in Moscow last month, Netanyahu reiterated Israel's concerns of what he described as the attempts of Iran to establish a military presence in Syria and produce accurate weapons against Israel there.

"We wont accept either of those, and will act according to our needs," Netanyahu said following the meeting with Putin.

On Tuesday, Netanyahu had taken the members of his security cabinet for a tour of the Golan Heights, where they were briefed by the military on the situation.

"We want peace, but are prepared for any scenario, and suggest that nobody tries us," he said.

Israel has sought to avoid direct involvement in the Syrian war, but acknowledges carrying out dozens of air strikes there to stop what it says are advanced arms deliveries to Hezbollah.
How many people have to die or be crippled for life on I-24 and I-75 in Chattanooga by speeding tractor trailers before somebody sets up radar to control these monsters?

The fiery crash at the Moore Road exit Wednesday and the mangled fatal crash at the Rossville Boulevard exit the day before, both on I-24, were as result of uncontrollable speed by these "professional" drivers.

Going east below the ridge cut these trucks routinely hit 75 + MPH and there is no way they can stop for cars trying to merge onto the interstate.

The word is out that no law enforcement agency claims jurisdiction for the freeways within the city limits. The big trucks are killing Chattanoogans and nobody seems to care.

Harry Presley

* * *

Most deaths in large truck crashes are passenger vehicle occupants. The main problem is the vulnerability of people traveling in smaller vehicles. Trucks often weigh 20-30 times as much as passenger cars and are taller with greater ground clearance, which can result in smaller vehicles under-riding trucks in crashes.

Truck braking capability can be a factor in truck crashes. Loaded tractor-trailers take 20-40 percent farther than cars to stop, and the discrepancy is greater on wet and slippery roads. And yet, the cars still just pull out in front of them or cut them off before hitting their brakes. All this, mind you, while talking or texting.

So enjoy your stuff today because those monsters brought it to you.

BTW - The only thing I see killing Chattanoogans are Chattanoogans.

Michael Burns

* * *

I will admit that the trucks are moving freight across the country. The problem is there are too many on the highway and they will not stay out of the passing lane. The state could fix this by enforcing a speed limit and keep them in the right hand lane.The trucks are the reason that traffic backs up on the Ridge cut everyday.

Look at North Carolina. They enforce the speed limit and they know if they get into the passing lane they will be pulled over and I would bet that the fatalities caused by the trucks is way lower than the state of Tennessee.

Again, someone is being paid off by the industry and not looking out for the people who are paying the price.

Randy Saunders

* * *

This week Chattanooga police officers responded to a fatal crash at 17900 I-24 East and another multi-vehicle crash at 18500 I-24 East. No information has been released by the Chattanooga Police Department indicating uncontrollable speed played a factor in either crash.

The Chattanooga Police Departments Traffic Unit continues to investigate the fatal crash at 17900 I-24 East that occurred on Feb. 6. As previously released by CPD, a Honda Civic was entering the interstate from Market Street and attempted to change lanes too close to a Freightliner, the Civic then spun across all lanes of travel and into and under a Kenworth Class 8 truck. At this time, the investigation remains open and ongoing.

The multi-vehicle crash at 18500 I-24 East also was not a result of uncontrollable speed. It was determined by responding CPD Officers that the driver of a Chevy pickup truck lost control on wet roadway and struck the concrete dividing wall. Three vehicles then crashed into the pickup, the last one being a Freightliner. Not involved in the crash was a semi that caught fire. The driver stated his bunk heater caught his sleeper cab on fire and it spread. This vehicle did not strike anything, just happened to be in the same area as the crash.

The Chattanooga Police Department is the primary agency for all roadways including the interstate highways, within the city limits. We share jurisdiction within the city limits with other agencies such as the Hamilton County Sheriffs Office and the Tennessee Highway Patrol. The CPD Traffic Unit works with these agencies on a continuing basis to enforce all traffic statutes to reduce crashes and save lives.

It is the mission of the Chattanooga Police Department to keep you, your family, and our community safe, including the traveling public on all roadways within the city limits.

Elisa Myzal

Communications Coordinator

Chattanooga Police Department

* * *

Ms. Myzal ... that was a well orchestrated non-answer. Please tell us why speed limits are not enforced on interstates within Chattanooga city limits.

Robert Grier

* * *

Ms. Myzal,

I appreciate your feedback and I support the efforts to enforce traffic laws. However, I share the concerns that there seems to be a lack of enforcement (or lack of police presence) during certain times of the day. The speeders, including truckers, are well aware of this.

I get on the ramp toward I24E from S. Market Street and ride it out to the Lee Highway exit. At times, I have been forced to miss the 75N split because of speeders. Frequently, I am forced to miss the Lee Highway exit because of the speeders and the fast approaching traffic at the Lee Highway ramp. What a nightmare! Flowing with traffic around the Ridge cut is even more dreadful during the commute in the evening.

Regardless of the cause of those two accidents, speed has played a role in other accidents on this stretch of highway. The bottom line is that we are all seeking solutions on this matter. Perhaps one solution would be to increase police presence during the morning and evening commutes. Flashing police lights will get the attention of most speeders.

Karen Lee
by Nirmala Carvalho

The Matha Maria Hospital is located in the Bundelkhands "tribal belt", about 40 km from Sagar. Only two Christian families live in the area, out of a total of 1200. The hospital specialises in womens and girls healthcare. About 80 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line.

Mumbai (AsiaNews)  A Catholic hospital in Madhya Pradesh treats thousands of poor tribal people every day without discrimination of sex, race or religion.

The Matha (Mother) Maria Hospital is located in the Bundelkhands "tribal belt", catering to the needs of 46 villages in Rehli block, some 40 kilometres from Sagar, the capital of the homonymous district.

Only two Christian families live in the area out of a total of 1200, but we are not interested in that, said hospital director Fr Thomas Philip, known as Fr Biju. We serve the whole population ".

Speaking about World Day of the Sick, which will be celebrated tomorrow, he says that Pope Francis inspired him. In his message for the occasion, the pontiff "said that health care is a right for everyone, not a privilege of a few. I share his vision that medical care is part of the Church's mission."

The hospital, he explains, "is based on the example of Mother Teresa, who sparked the physical and spiritual transformation of many people in India.

The facility works with rural communities, caring for the sick and providing a selfless service, without any economic gain. Our activities are aimed at the holistic well-being of humanity: physical, cognitive and spiritual."

According to the director, the hospitals mission "is to serve the suffering humanity on a voluntary basis, especially the poor. The area is inhabited mostly by Hindus. Residents are poor and illiterate and 80per cent of them live below the poverty line."

The health situation is critical "due to the lack of medical facilities and poor sanitary conditions, which favour the transmission of diseases".

"Our work is centred mainly on women and girls, he notes. Their health gets worse every day because most work with livestock and in farming. They work without stop even in the harshest season.

Our medical "Staff deals with cases of tuberculosis, miscarriages, typhus and various infections. We also have a doctor who specialises in treating infections of womens reproductive system.

The nuns who work with us serve the rural populations every day, reaching the remotest villages where they spread the message of love through their service."

Fr Biju is also head of the Manav Vikas Seva Sangh. Founded 27 years ago, it is the official Social and Human Development Centre of the diocese of Sagar. Its aim is to improve conditions in society.

The organisation "is present in 286 villages developing various projects like subsistence goods, support for women, health and hygiene, informal education, good governance, sustainable agriculture, children's rights, and natural resources management."
Last year, 53 people were convicted in connection with marriages of convenience. Singapores constitution severely restricts access to citizenship. The city-states passport is the most powerful in the world. For the first time, an Asian country outranks European nations.

Singapore (AsiaNews/Agencies)  The rising number of marriages of convenience is starting to worry Singapore authorities.

Fifty-three people were convicted of offences related to marriages of convenience in 2017  a 23.3 per cent spike from the year before, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said in its annual statistics report.

One particular case last year takes centre stage in the report because it led to the arrest of 12 people. More specifically, when officers looked at a suspected sham marriage between a Singaporean man and his Vietnamese wife, they found five other such couples.

These couples all involved Singaporean men and Vietnamese women. The men, aged between 24 and 57, entered into marriage for money, whilst the women, aged between 23 and 34, wanted to prolong their stay in Singapore.

Ten were sentenced to jail terms ranging from six to 18 months, whilst court proceedings are ongoing for the remaining two.

Singapores constitution severely restricts access to citizenship by foreigners, and naturalisation is not guaranteed.

Immigrants aged 21 and over who are gainfully employed can only become citizens if they are already "Permanent Residents" or have been married to a Singaporean citizen for at least two years.

Obtaining citizenship allows people to apply for a Singapore passport, now deemed "the most powerful in the world. It guarantees visa-free access to 159 countries.

Last year, diplomatic agreements with Paraguay enshrined Singapores rise, the first Asian country in history to outrank European countries.
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A large majority of people who have moved to Australia and refugees want to become citizens and feel it is important to mark Australia Day, according to a new survey.Most newcomers say they plan to mark the day in some way and that Australia Day events make them feel more welcome in their new country, the poll by migrant settlement agency AMES found.It comes as some groups are calling for the date of Australia Day to be moved because it marks the arrival of 'colonial' British ships on Australian land on at Port Jackson in New South Wales.But they survey found that most don't know the significance of the date and most are unaware of controversy over calls for date to be changed is response to concerns by some indigenous Australians and politicians.Some 29% of those surveyed said they were aware of the controversy over Australia Day and of those 38% were in favour of change and 35% want no change while 28% were unsure.The survey also found that 79% said they feel that Australia Day is important for the nation while 65% plan to celebrate the day in some way.The survey also found that an overwhelming 89% plan to become Australian citizens while just 11% said they had no plans to become citizens or were not sure. Indeed, 54% said that Australia Day would mean more to them it they were citizens while 40% said it would make no difference.But immigrants are curious about Australia's history. Some 81% said they knew, or planned to learn more, about Australia's history and the reasons Australia Day is celebrated while 11% said they did not.The survey found Australia day events and the tone of publicity around the day helped new arrivals feel welcome with 74% believing that the day helped them to feel more welcome while 26% said it made no difference and 11% said it made them feel less welcome.Iraqi refugee Osama Butti said he was looking forward to celebrating Australia Day and for the first time understanding its significance. 'I think Australia day is important for the nation, it shows that Australia is a united and peaceful country,' he explained.He thinks the national day will mean more to him once he becomes a citizen. 'When I become a citizen, Australia Day will be part of the history of my new country, my new home. But even now, even though I am not yet a citizen, I feel welcome here beyond my expectations,' said Butti, who arrived in Australia with his wife and two children early last year.Canadian migrant Mabel Estrella, who becomes an Australian citizen on Australia Day, said becoming a citizen was important to her as a way of showing a commitment to the country.'I think it is only right that my family make a commitment to becoming Australians and accepting the rights and responsibilities that come with that given that we are enjoying the benefits that come with living in this amazing country,' she explained.AMES Australia chief executive officer Cath Scarth said the survey showed that migrants and refugees new to Australia were committed to becoming part of the wider society.'What the survey tells us is that migrants who come to this country have a commitment to it and want to become part of its social fabric. It shows that most migrants want to contribute to Australia, want to learn its history and customs and want to embrace and become part of broader society,' she added.
Hey GuysThe state website says "When you migrate to Melbourne you need to ensure that you have enough financial resources available for you and any family members who are dependent on you."so here financial resources means liquid money/cash funds or it can be in any form like my assets ,business etc .Please help me to understand this clause.Many Thanks in advancecheers
POSITION

1. Extending M.L. King Blvd. one block is a good idea.

2. Using TIF funds to pay for this street is a bad idea.

3. Using TIF funds to support nearby private development is an even worse idea.

FORTUNATELY, THERE IS AN IDEAL FUNDING SOURCE FOR THIS PROJECT.

4. The City Council passed a resolution in 2002 adopting the 21st Century Waterfront Plan. The plan lists the MLK Extension as a project on page 29.

5. Later in 2002, Council adopted an ordinance establishing the 21st Century Waterfront Capital Projects Fund for the specific purposes of funding projects in the Plan. The ordinance mentions that proceeds from bonds financed by the City's Hotel/Motel Tax can be used for construction of such projects.

6. Hotel/motel taxes are the ideal way to fund the M.L. King Extension project. It is specifically listed in the 21st Century Waterfront Plan (City). It relates to tourism downtown (County). It would also make the project considerably less expensive.

7. The City and County each collect about $8 million annually from hotel/motel taxes.

HERE IS A SUMMARY OF WHY THIS IS NOT A GOOD TIF.

8. The citys adopted TIF policies do not contemplate this kind of project.

9. The project is not in a blighted area. It does not provide a lot of well-paying jobs.

10. This project may not be eligible for tax increment financing under state law.

11. Using TIF revenues for privately owned land and improvements requires a determination that the use of TIF revenues is in the best interest of the state.

12. Best interest of the state...means that the project would not have occurred but for the payment, expenditure or financing.

13. Construction is underway on the apartments and medical office building. The TIF has not yet been approved.

14. Most of the private property within the TIF boundary is owned by Newton Chevrolet and apparently is under contract.

15. The public does not know the names of persons who have contracted with Newton or others, even though public funds may be used for acquisition and construction.

16. The developers Economic Impact Plan says that the maximum amount of TIF financial assistance would be 4.5 million plus carried interest, reserve accounts, fees and expenses, and the projected total cost of the TIF in Exhibit D ($4 million-$4.5 million).

17. The three line items in Exhibit D that relate directly to the MLK street extension project total only $2.9 million.

18. The projected cost of road land acquisition and loss of units to development is $2 million. The public does not know the justification for the amount we would be paying.

19. The TIF application asks an applicant for a detailed cost breakdown of the public improvements, including quantity and estimated cost of street, sidewalks, lighting, traffic signals, etc. This applicant did not fill out the cost breakdown.

20. A TIF would mean that the private development would pay much less in property taxes to the general fund (fire, police, etc.) for about 18 years.

21. The Economic Impact Plan (EIP) for the TIF project mentions 36 units of housing for individuals of low and moderate incomes as determined by the IDB.

22. The EIP does not define low and moderate income. There has been no discussion at IDB meetings about income eligibility or rent or whether state law allows only portion of the units to be set aside. What factors will IDB consider in making a determination?

23. City Administration is asking the IDB to pass a resolution on February 12 to submit the EIP to the City Council and County Commission for approval.

WHY SHOULD THE PUBLIC CARE HOW THIS PROJECT IS PAID FOR?

24. You should care because it involves the use of your tax dollars.

25. It is the responsibility of your government to be good stewards of your tax dollars.

26. Situations arise when you may support the use of your tax dollars to promote private development because of perceived public benefit that might not happen otherwise.

27. The State Legislature has enacted law and outlined what projects qualify for tax increment financing. ATM does not believe this is a qualified project under the law.

28. Using TIF unnecessarily to benefit private development is an abuse of this good economic development tool.

29. Using TIF in this case would set a bad precedent. It would make it more difficult to say no to other private developers.

30. Hamilton County led the entire state of Tennessee in 2016 in both the total dollar amount of property taxes abated ($24 million) and the abated property percentage of commercial and industrial assessment (11.6%). A TIF, unlike a PILOT, is not an abatement. However, it diverts property taxes from the city and county general funds for TIF project costs, resulting in less tax revenue for important services and programs.

Background



Evergreen Real Estate of Nashville filed an application with the city of Chattanooga for tax increment financing (TIF). If approved, future property tax revenues would be used for a one-block extension of M.L. King Blvd. to the trailhead on the Tennessee Riverwalk and for intersection improvements at MLK/Riverfront Parkway. As proposed, TIF funds would also be used for elements of Evergreens private development, including a medical office building and apartments. These buildings would be located on the four parcels within the TIF Plan Area. Property taxes on these improvements would be diverted from the city and county general funds (fire, police, etc.) to pay off the TIF project over a period that may last 18 years.

Helen Burns Sharp

Accountability for Taxpayer Money-Chattanooga

* * *

Anyone that acknowledges the time and effort that Helen Burns Sharp puts into these tax abatement analysis must realize she knows more about this subject that probably anyone else around. Also, having read so many of her writings and talking to her a few times, she is not against growth, however, she knows it takes work to evaluate these "improvements" and do it in a way that follows the law and puts the taxpayers first since they have skin in the game.

Some developers for profit will tell almost anyone, almost anything, in order to be sure that the profit is as large as possible, that is why they develop areas after all. We need to encourage all local governments across this nation to look after the taxpayers money as well and Helen Burns Sharp does.

Come on folks, listen to her, she is doing an expert job without you even asking, don't waste her expertise.

Joey Blevins

* * *

I wish to commend Helen Burns Sharp on the excellent professional work analyzing the proposed MLK Boulevard TIF. Yes, I said professional, not political.

What strikes me is how the administration and City Council have to be educated from the outside in. Its no wonder why citizens have grown so skeptical. Whatever position you might take the issue of this particular economic development incentive for this particular project, city government simply must start doing its job to inform citizens and itself on the costs and benefits of the various development incentives it has too long used with no governing strategies. I have news for you. Riverfront development, downtown to Southside, and Enterprise South are strategies all but implemented.

I dont have a precise count on the number of city funded agencies and personnel involved in planning and development, but it seems to me the job of providing objective information, pro and con, is theirs, not Ms. Sharps. It is incumbent on the mayor and city council to direct them in that manner, and then apply the community values they bring to their offices in making the ultimate decisions on the deployment of tax resources.

It is fair to say that, from the mid-eighties through the establishment Enterprise South as a mega industrial site, Chattanooga implemented a clear set of highly successful economic development strategies. It is also fair to say local government has since failed to ask, must less answer, the question whats next. Citizens and taxpayers deserve to see the cost/benefit of development incentives measured on a strategic basis.

I cant say whether or not I would agree with Helen Burns Sharp on every priority, but I appreciate greatly her insistence on honest analyses.

Frank Wrinn






Harold Pierce covers education and health for The Californian. He can be reached at 661-395-7404. Follow him on Twitter: @RoldyPierce.
China is ready to promote cooperation with Indonesia under the Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Friday in Beijing.

Wang made the remarks at the third meeting of the Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation between China and Indonesia, which was co-hosted by Wang and Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi at the third meeting of the Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation between China and Indonesia on February 9, 2018. [Photo: fmprc.gov.cn]

This year marks the fifth anniversary of the establishment of the China-Indonesia comprehensive strategic partnership. Wang said China is willing to work with Indonesia to promote cooperation on the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway project and other projects under the Belt and Road Initiative.

Hailing the "Indo-Pacific Strategy", which was proposed by Indonesia recently, Wang said China agrees to its open, transparent and inclusive principles, as well as its general direction of dialogue and cooperation.

This year also marks the 15th anniversary of the China-ASEAN strategic partnership. "China is willing to upgrade its ties with ASEAN and explore new models of cooperation under the East ASEAN Growth Area framework," Wang said.

Currently different parties are highly concerned about whether the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) can be reached, he said, adding China will work with Indonesia and other related parties to complete the negotiations on the RCEP at an early date, and promote regional integration and trade liberalization.

Indonesia-China relations have been developing rapidly, which brings tangible benefits to both peoples, Retno said, adding that Indonesia stands ready to further cooperate with China on the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway project and other important projects.